Paul Fannin
Well-Known Member
While Super Bowl mania grips the fruited plain, I thought I'd weigh in (weight board?) on the NBA season up to now. I find it refreshing that scoring is up this year and more teams are playing an up-tempo style. Even with this trend, there have been few blowouts and it showcases the wonderful athleticism of these great players.
Surprises
Los Angeles Lakers...a good team playing better than they are. In a last second situation, this is the team I'd most hate to face. Kobe Bryant is the best player in the world, and this bunch of journeyman are fun to watch. They could be a gadfly in the playoffs.
Minnesota Timberwolves...fired their coach, why? This team was supposed to be in the dregs and at present they are only 1 game out of the playoff hunt in the West.
Toronto Raptors...this good, young team is getting better. I don't think they have enough to make the playoffs, but at present they are atop the Atlantic Division
Disappointments:
Detroit Pistons...64 wins a year ago, now only a modestly good team.
Los Angeles Clippers...I've said it before and I'll say it again: I think this team is better than they think they are, but are only at the .500 mark.
Golden State Warriors...I know...12 straight years out of the playoffs. They expected to be in the top 8. On the upside, the big trade has brought them better athletes. They could still slip into the playoffs.
No surprise:
Sacramento Kings...they are in decline from the once mighty team of the early part of this decade. To their credit, they are still in the playoff hunt.
Utah Jazz...a darn good team...as always, tough, in the image of their coach Jerry Sloan.
New Jersey Nets...Jason Kidd aside, this is an average team that will still probably win the mediocre Atlantic Division.
Flimsiest Good Team:
Washington Wizards...Gilbert Arenas is one of the 10 best players in the league, but they are dreadful on the road. They are a playoff team, but if Arenas went down, they'd go from the penthouse to the outhouse.
Teams that could win it all...there are four:
Phoenix Suns...they play Pro Basketball the way it was meant to be played. Every player on this team is dangerous offensively. There is simply no one you can leave open.
Dallas Mavericks...led by Dirk Nowitski, look for a major showdown with Phoenix in the Western Conference Finals. They too like the uptempo but could confound the Suns if forced into a halfcourt game.
San Antonio Spurs...they have what Phoenix and Dallas lack...physicality...they won't play the uptempo style, but they can muscle. If they somehow got through Phoenix or Dallas, they'd win it all.
Miami Heat...If Shaquille O'Neal comes back and Dwane Wade is healthy, don't worry about home court advantage or any other nonsense, they'll beat Washington, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Chicago Bulls, or Detroit in a playoff showdown. Sans Miami, the Eastern Conference is a group of have-nots.
The 10 best players in Basketball:
1. Kobe Bryant-Los Angeles L
2. Dwayne Wade-Miami
3. Steve Nash-Phoenix
4. Dirk Nowitski-Dallas
5. Amare Stoudamire-Phoenix
6. LeBron James-Cleveland
7. Tim Duncan-San Antonio
8. Gilbert Arenas-Washington
9. Kevin Garnett-Minnesota
10. Ray Allen-Seattle
bubbling under: Manu Ginobili (SA), Ben Wallace (Det), Jason Kidd (NJ), Baron Davis (GS), Carmelo Anthony (Den), Tracy McGrady (Hou), Yao Min (Hou), Elton Brand (LAC)
Surprises
Los Angeles Lakers...a good team playing better than they are. In a last second situation, this is the team I'd most hate to face. Kobe Bryant is the best player in the world, and this bunch of journeyman are fun to watch. They could be a gadfly in the playoffs.
Minnesota Timberwolves...fired their coach, why? This team was supposed to be in the dregs and at present they are only 1 game out of the playoff hunt in the West.
Toronto Raptors...this good, young team is getting better. I don't think they have enough to make the playoffs, but at present they are atop the Atlantic Division
Disappointments:
Detroit Pistons...64 wins a year ago, now only a modestly good team.
Los Angeles Clippers...I've said it before and I'll say it again: I think this team is better than they think they are, but are only at the .500 mark.
Golden State Warriors...I know...12 straight years out of the playoffs. They expected to be in the top 8. On the upside, the big trade has brought them better athletes. They could still slip into the playoffs.
No surprise:
Sacramento Kings...they are in decline from the once mighty team of the early part of this decade. To their credit, they are still in the playoff hunt.
Utah Jazz...a darn good team...as always, tough, in the image of their coach Jerry Sloan.
New Jersey Nets...Jason Kidd aside, this is an average team that will still probably win the mediocre Atlantic Division.
Flimsiest Good Team:
Washington Wizards...Gilbert Arenas is one of the 10 best players in the league, but they are dreadful on the road. They are a playoff team, but if Arenas went down, they'd go from the penthouse to the outhouse.
Teams that could win it all...there are four:
Phoenix Suns...they play Pro Basketball the way it was meant to be played. Every player on this team is dangerous offensively. There is simply no one you can leave open.
Dallas Mavericks...led by Dirk Nowitski, look for a major showdown with Phoenix in the Western Conference Finals. They too like the uptempo but could confound the Suns if forced into a halfcourt game.
San Antonio Spurs...they have what Phoenix and Dallas lack...physicality...they won't play the uptempo style, but they can muscle. If they somehow got through Phoenix or Dallas, they'd win it all.
Miami Heat...If Shaquille O'Neal comes back and Dwane Wade is healthy, don't worry about home court advantage or any other nonsense, they'll beat Washington, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Chicago Bulls, or Detroit in a playoff showdown. Sans Miami, the Eastern Conference is a group of have-nots.
The 10 best players in Basketball:
1. Kobe Bryant-Los Angeles L
2. Dwayne Wade-Miami
3. Steve Nash-Phoenix
4. Dirk Nowitski-Dallas
5. Amare Stoudamire-Phoenix
6. LeBron James-Cleveland
7. Tim Duncan-San Antonio
8. Gilbert Arenas-Washington
9. Kevin Garnett-Minnesota
10. Ray Allen-Seattle
bubbling under: Manu Ginobili (SA), Ben Wallace (Det), Jason Kidd (NJ), Baron Davis (GS), Carmelo Anthony (Den), Tracy McGrady (Hou), Yao Min (Hou), Elton Brand (LAC)
