In case the newest billboards adorning local Houston freeways failed to communicate the point effectively, let me make it infinitely clear: the Rockets and their fans are absolutely ecstatic to have acquired James Harden. And you know what? They should be.
Ever since the tragic fall of Yao Ming, Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey has been stockpiling draft picks and young players in hopes to entice a trade partner more obsessively than bayou dwellers hoard bottled water and canned goods during hurricane season. It's a process that takes time and after whiffing on names like Chris Bosh, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard most of the Rockets faithful began to question if Morey was valuing his collection of "assets" more than the rest of the NBA. Fortunately "Dork Elvis" stayed the course and was finally able to execute the blockbuster trade he had been promising for the better part of three years.
Harden gives the Rockets a centerpiece - something they haven't had since Yao Ming and Tracy Mcgrady hobbled out of town. He will join Jeremy Lin to form one of the most promising and identifiable backourts in the league. The "beard-sanity" combo looks to have the makings of something special as both Lin and Harden are exceptional pick-and-roll players. Harden's ability to create offense off the dribble will prove invaluable in clutch situations - an area where the Rockets have struggled in recent years.
Many criticize the Rockets by saying they over payed for a player who is better suited in a sixth-man role. Harden's average of 24.2 points per game, which is currently the fourth highest in the NBA, proves that the beard has more to his game than that sixth-man spot he perfected in Oklahoma City.
Even more exciting is the fact that despite the contracts the Rockets inked Lin, Asik and Harden to this offseason they can still very easily maneuver far enough under the cap to make another max offer to a free agent as soon as next year. Consider the three promising rookie bigs on the roster this year and Daryl Morey may have proved the old myth that you can't rebuild without a season of tanking to be complete bologna.
I walked into the gym Wednesday night knowing two things: I am out of shape, and my Memphis Grizzlies were on a 5-game winning streak heading into Oklahoma City.
I got on the elliptical machine toward the end of the first quarter. Memphis was down 10 as I get to work.
And right on cue, the Grizz start working as well.
The great surprises of the season, Memphis' bench players, started hitting outside jumpshots led by Quincy Pondexter and Wayne Ellington who scored back-to-back-to-back-to-back buckets to get Memphis back into it.
(Speaking of the Memphis bench, fomer Grizzly draft-dud Hasheem Thabeet is now on the Thunder . He rumbled around the court, lanky arms flapping around as the quick Grizzly guards zipped by him. Oh well.)
Memphis began to work the ball to the high post and let Gasol survey the court and act as a giant post which the guards run around to create space. After a few inside buckets from Gasol and a couple more threes from Q, the Grizzlies had the lead.
I had just broken a sweat.
As the Grizzlies and Thunder continued to attack each other, I stepped down for my first break of the evening. But Pondexter had no intentions of quitting, hitting two more buckets before a Thunder timeout.
The bench for the Grizzlies has worked wonders this season. Ellington, Pondexter and Jared Bayless all have made more than 10 three-pointers this season, more than anyone on Memphis.
Last year, the Memphis offense resembled my attempts to work out-- hardly consistent, difficult to look at and everyone was left sore and disappointed (maybe that one was just me). Last year, the Grizzlies scored 95 points per game and shot 32 percent from beyond the arc. They are up to 102 points per game and are shooting almost 40% from three-point land, both of which are fifth best in the NBA.
What I am used to seeing from Memphis is stingy defense. My favorite play-- and this seems to happen at least three times a game-- is when a player will drive to the hoop and every Grizzly he goes by will hack at the ball, inevitably popping it out as it rolls on the ground until someone dives on it, usually resulting in mayhem. This is a time when the play worked:
The half winded down, Memphis had the lead and I was sweating as hard as Zach Randolph. I was excited by the offensive flurry so far, but I think half the people in the gym were giving me odd looks when I would grunt and pump my fist after every Memphis basket.
The second half began, I resumed running and Tony Allen unleashed his inner crazy: screaming, leaping uncontrollably, diving at every loose ball and picking up two quick fouls in the process. I love Tony Allen.
On offense, Mike Conley was attacking the basket (another new feature of Memphis Basketball 2K13) and Zach Randolph was making Z-Bo shots.
A Z-Bo Shot
As I started to note all the good things that were happening, for a split second I forgot about a certain Durantula lurking on the Thunder's team. He started taking over on offense. The crowd in OKC started to heat up. I ran faster.
After a timeout, the Memphis defense stepped up, a few more steals catalyzed by the Everyone-Grab-at-the-Ball-and-Kick-It-Around-Until-We-Get-It strategy and I was feeling comfortable with the late third quarter lead.
At this point, I had been in the gym much longer than I had anticipated, so I went to shoot a few baskets to cool down.
When I got back to the game, I had missed the excitement of Z-Bo and Kendrick Perkins getting ejected for calling each other fat and tacky.
Nevertheless, the win streak extended to 6 as the Griz head back to Memphis tonight to take on the undefeated Knicks and my favorite non-Grizzly, Carmelo Anthony.
Please allow the next overreaction (in all caps of course): NO ONE CAN STOP ZBO AND MARKY-MARK! MEMPHIS CAN MAKE THREES NOW! LAKERS SUCK! DURANT IS TOO SKINNY TO PUT THE TEAM ON HIS BACK! WHAT ARE MEMPHIS HOTEL PRICES LOOKING LIKE IN JUNE?? I CANNOT WAIT UNTIL THE HOBBIT COMES OUT IN THEATERS! IT LOOKS SO GOOD AND I AM GLAD TO SEE THEY STUCK WITH PETER JACKSON AS THE DIRECTOR!
But seriously
While I'm not sure I will get my lazy self back to the gym again, let's hope Memphis does not get as complacent as me, and they continue their impressive bench play, offensive spacing and defensive aggressiveness.
I spend an inordinate amount of time watching TV and movies. What I enjoy about the flashing images on my screen is meticulously developed characters with a story that draws the viewer to the edge of his or her seat as we watch the characters we have built a connection with thrive or fail in front of us.
These are the same reasons I love the NBA. Some fans are born and bred fans of a specific team, but my family never enjoyed professional basketball like I do now. I feel the same connection with players and teams that I feel when I watch a movie. Each team or player forms a story line worth following, if you make the connection.
Whether it's Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen going to Boston and revitalizing the Celtics, or watching the Kings and Bobcats try to survive as organizations, the NBA is full of fascinating plots every year.
Here are my predictions for the most interesting players and teams for this season.
Memphis Grizzlies
I shall once again take the reigns as captain of the Grizzlies Bandwagon. This team has captivated me for the past three years: Zach Randolph, a New York reject, found his place in Memphis as a backboard banger and mid-range master; Marc Gasol emerged from Pau's shadow with his own All-Star formula as a rebounder and tough inside scorer; Rudy Gay, Mike Conley, Jr. and Tony Allen are an enticing back-court. Hopefully Gay and Randolph can find their stride working together, Conley can continue to improve as a ball-handler and defender, and Allen can find an offensive rhythm. My biggest question for the Grizzlies: who can come off the bench and score? The loss of O.J. Mayo is detrimental if only for his sporadic scoring off the bench. I think Memphis will be the 5 seed in the West, but, to beat the big boys, Memphis needs to find its niche.
Uni-brow Nation
The Hornets begin their Anthony Davis era with an interesting roster. Will Davis be a full-time center on defense or roam in a zone? Can Al-Forouq Aminu produce consistently on offense? Does Eric Gordon even want to be in New Orleans? How many times will Austin Rivers go 0-9 from three-point territory? How quickly before everyone in the New Orleans Arena has unibrows? Obviously a lot of questions but there are some serious advantages for the Hornets. They have a young roster with only one bloated contract (Gordon, who deserves it). Monty Williams looks like an up-and-coming defensive strategist who could mesh with Davis to create a defensive juggernaut in the future. Ryan Anderson is an interesting piece to open the floor for Gordon drives to the lane and Davis in the post. All things considered, the Hornets, at best, are battling for an 8-seed; at worst they are the number 10 pick in the draft.
Brandon Roy
I love a comeback story, and it will be great to see Roy suit up in Minnesota this season. But can Roy's knees function in the grind of an 82-game schedule? I think they can. Assuming he is medically cleared to play, Roy should not have to rely on his athleticism as much as he did in Portland. Rick Adelman runs a "Corner" offense in Minnesota which relies on pick and roll/pick and pop, interior passing and spot up shooting. In Portland, Roy was primarily an isolation threat who used his natural agility to beat players to the hoop. I don't think he can be a defensive stopper, but he can be an effective third option behind a healthy Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio combo, if that ever happens.
And, to piss off Dimitri...
Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland has two roads its team can venture on this year. One is a flourishing offensive team behind Kyrie Irving. The second is the lottery. This is Cleveland we are talking about, so Irving will probably be on pace for an MVP season, then his knees will explode and the Cavs will lose 30 straight.
Los Angeles Lakers
As a long-time Laker hater, it was difficult seeing them pick up Steve Nash this summer. Let us hope the Triad of Evil (Bryant, Neck Beard, Howard) is enough to dim the shining light of Nash's goodness on the court. Yet I find myself yelling at my friends that the Lakers will hoist the golden trophies at the end of June... After two years of early-playoff exits, it is again tough to be a Laker-hater.
Dirk Nowitzki
Last year was a rough year for the Big German. His Mavericks were done away with quickly by the Thunder in the first round of the playoffs and he made the All-Star team on his name alone. The big news is Dirk will miss about 6 weeks after undergoing knee surgery. Dirk is 34, and this injury made me wonder if we will see him around much longer. I grew into a basketball fan around the time Dirk was making a mark on the league so I wish him all the best. What was the point of this paragraph? An excuse to show this video. All hail Dirk and his Awkward-but-Clutch-Jump-Shooting!
Ivan Johnson
Of all the interesting teams and characters this season, Ivan Johnson reigns supreme. Johnson is a hybrid PF/C for the Hawks, and he is my candidate for the player most likely to brawl with fans in the stands, since Ron Artest already did that one.
I could go on about his eccentric personality (he wears a grill during games and got banned from playing basketball in South Korea. BANNED!) and his playing style (he broke the backboard in practice last week. PRACTICE!), or you could read Rembert Browne's "Ivan Johnson Chronicles" on Grantland. I recommend the latter.
It’s mid-October and that means
two things. The NFL’s unofficial contest of which team can incorporate the most
pink into their color scheme is well underway and so is the NBA preseason.
Yeah, I know the preseason is meaningless. In fact the only thing that might be
more trivial is NBA season projections. Lucky for you that’s exactly what this
post is about! Without further ado, here is my take on the NBA using
state-of-the-art tier technology.
Tier One: Nobody will be surprised if these teams are hoisting the
Larry O’Brien trophy in June
Tier Two: If the stars align just right, these teams could win it
all
Tier Three: These teams won’t go all the way, but they’re capable
of a playoff run
Tier Four: As the season wraps up these teams will be duking it out
for the final playoff seed
Tier Five: The lottery crew
Tier Six: With the number one pick, the *enter tier six team here*
select…
Tier One: Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City Thunder
LeBron James needs more than one ring to fulfill his promise to Miami
The Heat are the reigning champs
and they have the best player on the planet in LeBron James. That’s reason
enough for me to consider them the favorites heading into the season despite
the Lakers’ acquisition of Dwight Howard and Steve Nash. Let’s be honest
though, the Lakers are going to tear it up this season and the only thing that
could potentially keep them from reaching the promised land is Pau Gasol’s neck
beard. That or Metta World Peace’s razor-sharp elbows. Speaking of those elbows, James Harden is in a contract year. Consider that and the fact that the Thunder are fresh off their first finals appearance and you’re looking at one hungry and talented roster.
Tier Two: Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs, Boston Celtics
The biggest flaw in Rose's game is his durability
Can Derrick Rose stay healthy? Will
Kawhi Leonard take the next step? Do Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett have enough
left in the tank to lead the Celtics? These are the questions facing the tier
twos and if they respond they have enough talent to run with the big boys in
tier one.
Tier Three: Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Brooklyn Nets, Indiana Pacers,
Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks
Along with a new city and logo, the Nets will also change another thing about the franchise this year: they'll actually win games
West:
Iggy to Denver will have the
Nuggets improve on their positive 2011-2012 campaign. The “Lob City” Clippers
will again provide a lot of highlights but don’t sport a deep enough roster to
be considered elite. The Mavs are getting long in the tooth and have a lot of
new pieces to work in. Memphis is looking like a tough out and their size will
continue to create mismatches down low.
East:
Don’t look now, but the Eastern
Conference is actually looking like they’ll have a solid group of playoff teams
for the first time since the three-point line was introduced. OK, maybe it
hasn’t been that long but all four of these teams will hit the court with solid
rosters capable of winning fifty games.
Tier Four: Minnesota Timberwolves, Portland Trailblazers, Utah
Jazz, New Orleans Hornets, Toronto Raptors,
Atlanta Hawks
These are two guys I don't want to mess with. Look at those beards!
West:
I’m buying into the Timberwolves
this year and if you forced me to pick a team from this group that’s who I’d go
with. Getting a healthy Rubio to pair with a nasty blue-collar front line of
Love and Pekovic will go far in getting playoff basketball back in Minnesota.
Not to mention if Brandon Roy can perform anywhere near the level he was at
before his pseudo retirement the Wolves can make some noise.
East:
You read that right. I think the
Raptors will make the playoffs this year. They’ve assembled a balanced roster
that doesn’t have Jose Calderon as a starting point guard anymore. Kyle Lowry
was a nice pickup for Toronto and he’ll fit in perfectly with this group. The
big Lithuanian Jonas Valanciunas also will make his NBA debut this season and
could form a nice frontcourt with Andrea Bargnani.
Tier Five: Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, Washington Wizards, Milwaukee Bucks,
Cleveland Cavaliers
Another trip to the lottery will drive Houston "Linsane"
West:
As much as I don’t want it to be
true, I think the Rockets will be on the outside looking in when the playoffs
roll around. Sad day. The Suns will struggle in the post-Steve Nash era and
will be the Rockets’ number one competitor for the fourteenth pick in the NBA Draft.
Golden State is going to need more than Andrew Bogut to get to the playoffs.
East:
Washington will be improved this
year but there is nowhere to go but up from last season. John Wall and Bradley
Beal form a talented young backcourt that shows promise for the future. Getting
Monta Ellis will make the Bucks a little more fun to watch but it was overall a
lateral move. Kyrie Irving is going to need some help to make Cleveland a
playoff team and Dion Waiters is not it.
Tier Six: Sacramento Kings, Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, Charlotte
Bobcats
West:
DeMarcus Cousins and Thomas
Robinson is a very nice start but the Kings have to build around these guys to
start moving up the NBA ladder.
East:
I think it’s essentially a pickem’ between which of these three teams is more terrible. The Pistons need some backcourt help. Maybe Magic GM Rob Hennigan can find his Kevin Durant in the 2013 draft to move Orlando out from under the shadow of the “Dwightmare.” The Bobcats are the Bobcats. Do you think MJ has one more comeback in him? Me neither.
On Wednesday, the Phoenix Suns lost their third consecutive game that inevitably knocked them out of the playoffs. But more importantly: it may have been Steve Nash's last game in Phoenix. Nash has one year left on his contract and every ESPN talking head thinks Nash should be traded to a contender. I agree, and I suggested this trade in a previous blog post.
Whether or not Nash stays is a question to ponder over the summer, but my initial thought was about Nash's legacy as an NBA player. Is he the best white basketball player ever? I am sure everyone can think of five or six studs with light skin, so I put together a list to see where Nash belongs.
Larry Bird
When you hear white basketball players, you think Larry Bird. And it is for a good reason. Larry Legend averaged 23.4 points, 10 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game over his 13 year career. He made 10 All-Star Game appearances, won three MVPs, two finals MVPs, 10 First Team All-NBA honors and was an original member of the Dream Team that won gold in the Olympics. Bird was an icon in the 80s and his rivalry with Magic Johnson is one of the greatest ever.
"Pistol" Pete Maravich
Growing up in Baton Rouge, it is impossible to not hear about the Pistol. LSU, Maravich's old stomping grounds, named its basketball arena after him. Maravich revolutionized the game with his deep shooting and flashy passes, and is one of the best college players ever ( he averaged 43.8, 44.2 and 44.5 points per game in his three years playing for LSU's varsity squad). In the pros, Pistol averaged 24 points, five assists and four rebounds in an era without a three point line.
Bob Cousy
Bob Cousy is one of the original legends on the court. Cousy helped build the Celtics into a dynasty in the 50s and 60s and they have maintained there dominance since. Cousy won six NBA championships and was the original Magic Johnson using his full court vision and fast break passing to burn opponents. Cousy averaged 18 points, 7.5 assists and 5.2 rebounds, was a 13 time All-Star and a two-time MVP.
Dirk Nowitzki
After earning his ring last year, Dirk is locked into the hall of fame. Nowitzki has never had an All-Star cast around him, yet has consistently led Dallas to the playoffs and been one of the top 10 players in the NBA every year (except maybe this season).
Nowitzki is an 11 time All-Star, and has averaged 24 points and eight rebounds over his 13 year career. Also, I think he has a few more years or one more championship run in him.
Jerry West
Jerry West is the icon of the NBA. Literally. You see pictures of him every day and probably don't realize it. Does this look familiar? How about this:
He is so photogenic.
Well it's the same guy. But West did more than pose for the NBA logo. West was the Lakers' version of Bob Cousy, leading Los Angeles to prominence in the 60s that has not been lost yet. West averaged 27 points, six assists and five rebounds over his time in LA. More importantly, West was a winner, making 13 playoff appearances in 14 years and winning one championship
There is my Top 5. There are plenty worthy candidates I would give honorable mention: Bob Pettit, Rick Barry, Jason Kidd, Bill Walton, John Stockton.
Now to make the case for Steve Nash. Nash plays for Phoenix, a team with historically bad management. The best players this team has had (besides Nash) are pre-awesome Joe Johnson (current being awesome in Atlanta), Shawn Marion (traded away for Shaq), post-awesome Shaq and Amare Stoudemire (currently being decent in New York). Johnson and Stoudemire were not paid for how they played so they left.
Since then, the Suns team has overpaid good back up players to be okay starters (Marcin Gortat, Shannon Brown, Jared Dudley and Channing Frye), acquired too many role players who are not stars (Sebastian Telfair, Hakim Warrick, Josh Childress, Robin Lopez) and had many an injured veteran play somewhat rejuvenated basketball (Grant Hill and Michael Redd). That is what their current roster looks like, and a 38-year-old Nash almost willed them into the playoffs.
This is Steve Nash. He wills a team of over-achievers to win. And he throws insane assists. And he has odd hair. And he is from Canada. I digress.
In college, Nash lead Santa Clara to two straight tournament appearances that included an upset over 10-seed Maryland.
Nash pulled a Suns team whose starters were Shawn Marion, Boris Diaw, Tim Thomas and Leandro Barbosa to the Western Conference finals in 2006. Now, yes, Marion was an excellent player, but Nash deserves the credit for dragging a team with this, this and this (and yes that is absolutely them) to within two games of the NBA finals.
Nash is a two-time MVP (in 2005 and 2006 nonetheless), eight time All-Star, has the fifth most assists in NBA history, and is so loyal that the Suns should already have his jersey in the rafters.
Nash could have won championships with other teams. Instead he stuck it out with his teammates, and has built a winning program in Phoenix.
I hope wherever he goes he can win, because Steve Nash is one of the best (both in skill and class) to run the courts.
**All stats are courtesy of NBA.com's archives and/or www.basketball-reference.com.**
Hands down, Miami is the most talented team in the NBA. However, the Knicks moved up to the seven seed with their win today and a Knicks-Heat matchup (while it would be awesome to watch) could be a killer for the Heat. Carmelo and company match up well against the Big Three and could pull off the upset. If LeBron can show up in crunch time this year, I see the Heat running away with the title.
The Defense with the Question Marks: Chicago Bulls
The Bulls are likely locked into the top spot in the East, and will probably win their first round matchup. However, Derrick Rose's injury has slowed down the Chicago offense. Rip Hamilton has not had the offensive presence expected. Carlos Boozer cannot lead this team alone. All these things point to a difficult second round matchup against either Boston or Atlanta. I would not be surprised to see the Bulls slip up against an energized Celtics or Hawks team looking to prove themselves.
The Dark Horse: New York Knicks
The Knicks probably cannot jump Orlando to get the six seed (three games back with two games remaining), which means they will play Miami or Chicago in the first round. If the Knicks can get passed the two powerhouses, the Knicks could make a run to the Eastern Conference Finals. For that to happen, Carmelo, Amare Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler need to find their rhythm together. New York has the talent to win it all, but can they play cohesively?
The Invisible Horse: Indiana Pacers
The Pacers are the third seed in the East. Seriously. All the Heat-Bulls-Knicks hype has left Indiana to creep into the three seed with a first round matchup against the Dwight Howard-less Magic. Let's get imaginative for a second: Roy Hibbert dominates the not-so-Big Baby and pushes the Pacers past Orlando. Danny Granger and David West play their best against the Heat who just had a six or seven game battle with the Knicks. West muscles in and around Bosh, Granger shoots the lights out, Darren Collison and George Hill dominate Mario Chalmers, Tyler Hansbrough goes Psycho T... I'm feeling it! Sign me up for the Pacers bandwagon.
The Unstoppable Juggernaut: Boston Celtics
Boston is back! After a slow start, Coach Doc Rivers has the pieces in place to make another playoff run. Paul Pierce is playing like a young Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett has found his place at the five spot, and Ray Allen is playing well off the bench. The emergence of Avery Bradley and Greg Stiemsma have given energy to this "old" team. The bad news: Boston has lost three of four to Chicago in the regular season. The good news: Boston has won two of three against Miami. Boston needs to pray for Miami to steal the one seed from Chicago to get the better matchup. Either way, the Celtics are a team on a run right now, and could beat anyone four times.
The Other Guys: Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers
Let me start out by saying: the Hawks have a chance. Unfortunately, they draw Boston in the first round and I cannot see this unproven gang going into Boston Garden to take down the vets. Sorry, Atlanta, maybe another year.
Orlando is all kind of screwed. Without Dwight Howard, Glen Davis starts at center. Most high school centers are bigger than Davis. Anyway, unless Jameer Nelson, J.J. Reddick and Ryan Andersen knock down a flurry of threes every game, Orlando will get dominated in the first round by Indiana.
Philadelphia started strong (once the projected five seed), but a late season collapse has them clinging to the eight seed in the East. They will play Chicago, and do not have the offense to keep up with the Bulls. It should be a short post season for Philly and they need to build their frontcourt in the offseason.
That image was tarnished at the beginning of the season when Howard requested a trade. After misleading rumors for months, Howard agreed to stay with the Magic until his his contract runs out at the end of the 2012-2013 season.
Magic fans were only able to breath for a few days.
Unless you gave up watching the NBA for lent, you heard the accusations about Howard asking Magic management to fire head coach Stan Van Gundy. Now, Van Gundy is on the hot seat and Howard has turned into a diva.
The disparity between Howard and Van Gundy has sent Orlando into a tailspin.
I would hate to be a Magic fan. Orlando has lost five straight. Hedo Turkoglu is out for three weeks. Van Gundy is likely on his way out. I would be surprised if Howard resigns with the Magic after next season.
The Dwight Howard drama has been an embarrassment for the entire NBA, not just Orlando. From LeBron James' disastrous "decision" to Carmelo Anthony's "Melo-drama" in Denver, superstars are basking in the spotlight and humiliating their current teams by talking trades in the middle of the season.
I lost respect for Howard over this saga, and I bet most of Orlando shares my sentiment. For the past six years, Howard has quietly dominated in the paint. Now he has put himself before the team, and his play has deteriorated.
The trend of superstars playing puppet-master over the rest of the league needs to stop. I am not a fan of the "super teams" like the Miami Heat because it takes away the art of building a team through development and smart off-season moves. Most detrimentally, it negates the importance of a general manager and coach. Just get a couple stars who are buddies, and put them on the same team. Win. Repeat.
Howard is just another in the long list of spoiled NBA stars.
Superman has turned into Orlando's greatest super-villain.
