I know it's not just me, but I still have to make this statement:
The NBA Playoffs have way too many off-nights. The Cavaliers should be playing, at the minimum, game three tonight, not game two. Their series, if it ends in four, should be wrapping up Saturday or Sunday, not starting up in a new city for the first time. I sometimes wonder why more sports fans don't follow the NBA as closely as I do, and then something like this comes along to remind me why. Hope the large checks from TNT make it worthwhile to alienate some fan bases, David.
The Mavs and Spurs get a shot to even their series at home tonight. I won't be shocked to see San Antonio go down 2-0, but I'll be 100% shocked if it happens to Dallas. In fact, I think it's more likely that Dallas goes on a run and wins the next four against Golden State, then it is that Golden State wins even one more game. Avery will get his boys prepared, come in with a decent game plan, stick to it, and once they get the monkey off their backs and beat Don Nelson and the Warriors, they'll keep doing it.
I've come to the conclusion that Joe Thomas is simply the best available player in the NFL Draft. ESPN just posted a "risk study" on the "bust potential" for each position in the first round. Offensive Line ranked pretty safe. So, when you combine that with his skill and size, I just don't see how you would want a Calvin Johnson, Adrian Peterson, Brady Quinn, Gaines Adams, JaMarcuss Russell, or anyone else ahead of this guy. I'm a big fan of hanging on to your draft picks, but I'd give up quite a few to move up for a shot at taking this guy.
I'm wondering how to treat A-Rod's April. On one hand, he's on a record setting pace like nobody has any business being on. On the other hand, I hate to follow just about any story involving the Yankees or the Red Sox. And, on my mythological third hand, I'm comparing A-Rod's April this year to Chris Shelton's April last year. Just saying.
NFL Draft is this weekend. Party at my house Saturday if you can make it. Homemade, hand-battered beer batter onion rings! I'll try to get up a final first round mock before then, but no promises.
Showing posts with label NBA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NBA. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Sunday, February 11, 2007
More NBA Thoughts
So, in the past three days, I've finally gotten to catch a couple of NBA games.
Ok, actually, I've caught the last two Cavs games, against the Heat and the Lakers. And they've gotten me excited about the NBA again. Gotten me paying closer attention to NBA highlight reels on ESPN and following news stories and rumors and all that. And, I've got a couple of thoughts.
1) The Cavaliers are starting to look good. The move to go to Daniel Gibson as the starting point guard looks to have freed up the offense. Eric Snow is a phenominal defensive talent, but teams are no longer able to completely ignore one of the Cavs' starters when playing defense.
It's also energized the second team, to help the bench play. Eric Snow commands that unit a lot better, because they can run a slowed down offense through him, without everyone else standing around waiting for LeBron to get invovled. Sasha and AV are really producing on that unit right now, and if they keep it up, this could be a very dangerous team in the playoffs.
2) It's becoming obvious to me that the East playoffs are going to be dramatic than the West playoffs. The Mavs are the class of the West. There is no debate about it, at least not in my mind. They have the best player in the West (Dirk), are a deep team, and have tasted some success with the bitter taste left in their mouth in falling short. The other contenders in the West just seem too flawed.
In Phoenix, the lack of real depth is showing as injuries creep in. I wouldn't bet on them against a deep and rested and focused Mavs squad. They look like a team that is going to run out of gas in the second or third round of the playoffs.
In San Antonio, the team looks a little lost. Tim Duncan is still dominant as usual, but it doesn't look like anyone else is showing up consistently to help him. It could be just an off year, or it could be the end of an era. I'd probably bet on this being the end of their era. Lucky for them, Duncan has more than enough miles left for them to retool and make another run with him.
Both L.A. teams look too inconsistent to be real contenders. Utah doesn't do anything for me, especially if they lose seeding position with Boozer out.
The West just looks clear-cut as a slamdunk win for the Mavs.
In the East, however, there are a handful of teams I can see winning the conference.
The Cavaliers are starting to gel and come together. The Pistons, since the addition of Webber, have realy looked good. The Heat have to be a contender as long as they remain in position to make the playoffs. The Magic are someone who worry me, since they have Dwight Howard (more no him later), and there's no telling what a dominant center can do in the playoffs. And, there's Washington, lead by a man on a mission (Agent Zero), who can carry a team to an upset or two, which might be enough to win a few rounds and win the conference.
That said, I think the East drama is all for naught. None of those teams would I pick to defeat the Mavs for the NBA title, save the Cavs, but that would be a very biased pick.
3) I finally am starting to see what all the talk about Dwight Howard is all about. Wow, he's simply amazing, and he's getting better every game it seems. I'd put long-term stock in the Magic, if I could trust that organization to either build around a star, or at least keep a star. Still, he's entered into my top five NBA players I will stop and watch when they are on TV, just because you don't know what they might do next. That list:
1) LeBron
2) Kobe
3) Agent Zero
4) D-Wade
5) Dwight Howard
Ok, actually, I've caught the last two Cavs games, against the Heat and the Lakers. And they've gotten me excited about the NBA again. Gotten me paying closer attention to NBA highlight reels on ESPN and following news stories and rumors and all that. And, I've got a couple of thoughts.
1) The Cavaliers are starting to look good. The move to go to Daniel Gibson as the starting point guard looks to have freed up the offense. Eric Snow is a phenominal defensive talent, but teams are no longer able to completely ignore one of the Cavs' starters when playing defense.
It's also energized the second team, to help the bench play. Eric Snow commands that unit a lot better, because they can run a slowed down offense through him, without everyone else standing around waiting for LeBron to get invovled. Sasha and AV are really producing on that unit right now, and if they keep it up, this could be a very dangerous team in the playoffs.
2) It's becoming obvious to me that the East playoffs are going to be dramatic than the West playoffs. The Mavs are the class of the West. There is no debate about it, at least not in my mind. They have the best player in the West (Dirk), are a deep team, and have tasted some success with the bitter taste left in their mouth in falling short. The other contenders in the West just seem too flawed.
In Phoenix, the lack of real depth is showing as injuries creep in. I wouldn't bet on them against a deep and rested and focused Mavs squad. They look like a team that is going to run out of gas in the second or third round of the playoffs.
In San Antonio, the team looks a little lost. Tim Duncan is still dominant as usual, but it doesn't look like anyone else is showing up consistently to help him. It could be just an off year, or it could be the end of an era. I'd probably bet on this being the end of their era. Lucky for them, Duncan has more than enough miles left for them to retool and make another run with him.
Both L.A. teams look too inconsistent to be real contenders. Utah doesn't do anything for me, especially if they lose seeding position with Boozer out.
The West just looks clear-cut as a slamdunk win for the Mavs.
In the East, however, there are a handful of teams I can see winning the conference.
The Cavaliers are starting to gel and come together. The Pistons, since the addition of Webber, have realy looked good. The Heat have to be a contender as long as they remain in position to make the playoffs. The Magic are someone who worry me, since they have Dwight Howard (more no him later), and there's no telling what a dominant center can do in the playoffs. And, there's Washington, lead by a man on a mission (Agent Zero), who can carry a team to an upset or two, which might be enough to win a few rounds and win the conference.
That said, I think the East drama is all for naught. None of those teams would I pick to defeat the Mavs for the NBA title, save the Cavs, but that would be a very biased pick.
3) I finally am starting to see what all the talk about Dwight Howard is all about. Wow, he's simply amazing, and he's getting better every game it seems. I'd put long-term stock in the Magic, if I could trust that organization to either build around a star, or at least keep a star. Still, he's entered into my top five NBA players I will stop and watch when they are on TV, just because you don't know what they might do next. That list:
1) LeBron
2) Kobe
3) Agent Zero
4) D-Wade
5) Dwight Howard
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