I don't see any other way of putting it: college basketball is a joke this year. There are no dominant teams; yea, that's great for parity, but the parity is forced by a lack of talent. I'm not saying there is no talent out there, I'm saying it's the least NBA-ready talent I've ever seen.
The best ballers are bouncing after one year, and even they are a bit over-hyped. Kevin Durant received the royal treatment throughout last season, and while his numbers were staggering, I don't believe he's an eventual Hall of Fame type NBA player. He's averaging around 19 points per game in his rookie season, but he's near the very bottom of the league in field goal percentage. Of course his shot selection and basketball IQ will improve over time; I just think he's soft and his all-around offensive skills are overrated. He's a scorer, that's it. He's not a playmaker and he doesn't defend.
Greg Oden, the other early departure with a migraine-inducing amount of hype, will likely be a defensive force in the NBA for many years. However, this season's major injury may set his development back significantly, particularly on the offensive end. I like his length and he can definitely finish the easy ones, but I don't project him as a potential big-time scorer. He's a little too gawky and awkward, and like Durant, he's a twig. Throw some bulk on there, Greg.
Back to this year in college basketball. There are a couple of legitimate NBA talents -- namely Kansas State's Michael Beasley and Memphis' Derrick Rose. Honestly, after those two, I don't see any "can't miss" prospects.
People are in love with Indiana's Eric Gordon, and I do like his offensively versatility, he just strikes me as a player who will shoot a consistently low percentage in the NBA. He attempts wild shots and he suffers from gross overconfidence. Overconfidence is fine in a scorer, but gross overconfidence (like Zach Randolph in the NBA) hurts your teammates in the long run. Gordon does boast impressive range, though.
Stanford's big fella Brook Lopez is getting his share of press, as well. He's a high-intensity and hustle player, but I question his skill level. Active big men are a blessing in the NBA, so he'll certainly find a place somewhere, I just don't think it will be as a primary post player. Not even down the line. I think he's a solid bench big man who will bring energy, but not a top-tier lottery talent.
The rare players who I have been impressed with -- particularly Boston College's Tyrese Rice and Vanderbilt's Shan Foster -- aren't getting much love on draft-projection sites, specifically NBADraft.net. Rice opened everyone's eyes by dropping 46 points on No. 1 North Carolina, but I spotted his skills long before then. I loved his jumpshot when he was a wingman for Craig Smith and Jared Dudley a few years back, and since they moved on to the NBA, Rice has been exceptional while shouldering the load. He's a bit like Gordon in terms of confidence, but I think that style is necessary on his lesser-talented BC team; also, Rice is a more sure-handed and consistent scorer. The man is automatic if open, and he's pretty proficient with a hand in his face, too.
Rice may also be the best in the nation at using the threat of an outside shot to his advantage. He likes to bomb away early on to make the opposition weary of his range, and later on he pumps and stutter-steps to open up easier attempts in the lane. Rice really knows how to manipulate a defense.
Foster caught some eyes this week when he missed his first six three-point attempts in a game, and then connected on nine consecutive. Yea, that's pretty sick. Nine consecutive three-point makes. That performance alone speaks volumes about the kid: he's certainly not afraid to keep shooting if he starts off slow, and once he gets in rhythm -- it's lights out. I love his upright stroke and high release; he gets looks whenever he pleases. Foster has a collected, smooth style and he never appears phased in big spots. He's knocked down a ton of crucial second-half shots for Vandy this season.
As for the big picture, I think it's a two-horse race for the NCAA title -- North Carolina and Kansas. I don't want to get too specific about these two teams (because I just don't feel like it), but let's just say they are the most balanced offensive teams and they both have veteran leaders with big-game experience. Doesn't hurt to have explosive point guards like Ty Lawson (if healthy) and Sherron Collins, either.
Yes, there have been a few exciting games this year, but overall, I find college basketball difficult to watch when juxtaposed to the NBA. The NBA boasts such a cleaner, prettier style of offensive play. But hey, if you love defense, you can get plenty of it with the NCAA. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying defense isn't important -- in fact, in the long run, it's more important than offense -- I'm merely saying that I'd much rather watch an NBA shootout between the Warriors and Suns than a grinder between Louisville and Georgetown.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
The NBA's Top 10 Outside Shooters
I'm not going to call this the "Top 10 Pure Shooters" list, because that has a connotation that eliminates shooters who are also all-around scorers. So what if Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash are better defined as "all-around players?" They are still two of the top 10 shooters in the NBA.
Shooting isn't about who can knock down open threes -- that's an aspect of it, but there is much more to shooting. Other factors include the ability to hit contested shots, " " to hit high degree of difficulty shots, " " to step up and drill clutch shots, " " to make a wide variety of jumpers and last but not least, " " to shoot a respectably high percentage through it all.
There are a couple of guys on this list who are thought of as "three-point specialists," but for the most part, these are shooters who are far from one-dimensional. This is it, plain and simple, the best shooters in basketball:
#10-Chauncey Billups, PG-Detroit Pistons
The 10-spot was anyone's game. Others in contention were Jason Richardson, Jason Terry, Raja Bell, Stephen Jackson and Carmelo Anthony. I'm going with Chauncey because he strokes them with ease under pressure, and there are very few players I'd rather get the ball to for a big jumper or clutch foul shots. We'll probably see more pressure hits from him during Detroit's playoff run this season.
#9-Dirk Nowitzki, PF-Dallas Mavericks
Dirk's an assassin because very few can get up high enough to contest his release. He's a phenomenal mid-range shooter and as far as range goes, he steps back comfortably behind the three-point arc. He is a bit inconsistent with three-point percentage -- that's why he's not higher than this.
#8-Leandro Barbosa, G-Phoenix Suns
Last year's leader in three-point shooting has come back to earth a little this season, but Barbosa remains one of the premier outside shooters. Without question, he has the most unorthodox release of any player on this list -- it's almost as if he pushes the ball (with both hands) up and out away from his body. But style doesn't matter here...the "Brazilian Blur" gets it done on the perimeter.
#7-Sasha Vujacic, G-Los Angeles Lakers
OK, I'll admit it -- I'm on the Lakers' bandwagon. The "Showtime" boys are playing so well it's easy to give credit to each of their contributers. Vujacic's jumper has been automatic to the point where he's being called "The Machine." TNT's crew -- Marv Albert, Mike "The Czar" Fratello, Reggie and Cheryl Miller -- said that Vujacic gave himself the nickname. If that's the case, Vujacic is a bad ass. Nice work, Sasha.
However, the ABC Crew -- Mike Breen, Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy -- said that the nickname was an innovation by the Lakers' play-by-play man. Either way, Sasha is absolutely killin' it right now. He's certainly not afraid to shoot; I say, keep firing.
#6-Michael Redd, SG-Milwaukee Bucks
Mike's like the left-handed Ray Allen. He's widely known for his prowess beyond the three-point line, but he's a very adequate scorer inside of the arc. I place Redd behind Allen because his frequent injuries tend to affect his perimeter consistency. Like Vujacic, Redd is not at all shy about letting it go from anywhere on the court. Redd's not quite the specialist that Sasha is, but he's more capable of hitting difficult fade-aways and other high degree of difficulty shots.
#5-Daniel Gibson, G-Cleveland Cavs
In the games leading up to his ugly ankle injury, Gibson was cementing himself as the NBA's top three-point specialist this season. His stroke was so smooth and easy that he was making triples look like free throws. During All-Star Weekend, Gibson put on a show in the Rookie/Sophomore game, drilling a record-high 11 threes. He threw together a solid performance in the three-point contest, as well. Most importantly, in regular season action Gibson was providing LeBron with crucial floor space and a deadly outside threat.
#4-Steve Nash, PG-Phoenix Suns
In addition to leading the NBA in assists per game, Nash shoots an extremely high free throw, field goal and three-point percentage. Statistically, there are no glaring weaknesses in his shot. My lonesome complaint would be that he attempts many difficult pull-up jumpers on the move, some of which hurt the Suns in late-game situations. Though other times, he's a marksman in the clutch.
Initially I had Nash 7th on this list. Vujacic and Gibson are hot stocks this year -- I got a little caught up in their immense improvement. Nash has been doing this for awhile, he's more deserving of this position. It doesn't seem like he's going anywhere in the near future, either. Keep "flamethrowing," Steve.
(And yes, that was a shout out to Kevin Harlan who recently dubbed DeShawn Stevenson a "flamethrower." Easy there, Kev.)
#3-Richard Hamilton, SG-Detroit Pistons
No offense Sasha, but "Rip" is the real "Machine." This guy just smokes the net, one mid-range jumper after another. Preseason, regular season, early playoffs, NBA Finals -- it doesn't matter, Hamilton is as consistent as they come.
It must be the mask; I'm actually pretty surprised high school kids aren't trying it out around the country.
Anyway, Hamilton has now extended his beautiful stroke out to the three-point line. Not to say that he was incapable of hitting treys in the past, only that he's better now than ever. Simply put: a quick leaper with an accurate and blinding release.
#2-Ray Allen, SG-Boston Celtics
Speaking of quick releases..."Ray Ray" aka "Jesus Shuttlesworth" puts it in before you can get a hand up. The cliche is that Allen is the best shooter in the NBA -- a popular misconception. He may be the best upright shooter in the league, but he provides his team with less opportunities to score than Kobe. Meaning, he can't shoot with consistency from the multitude of angles that Kobe can. Also, he's not as capable of shooting over the top of a double team.
Nevertheless, Ray Ray is probably one of the best shooters in the history of the NBA. It's just the wrong era to compete for the No. 1 spot...
#1-Kobe Bryant, SG-Los Angeles Lakers
...because this man is around. It seems like no shot is impossible for Kobe. I watch Kobe and many times my natural reaction is, "Ugh, that's a horrible shot" -- and then of course, it goes in. I don't know how many times that has happened to me in the past. I've finally learned my lesson: there is no such thing as a "bad shot" when Kobe Bryant is letting one go. Every shot is a high-percentage shot. When Reggie Miller retired, Kobe also claimed the No. 1 clutch shooter position; he hasn't relinquished it. Not in the slightest bit.
As always, I could go on for days. It's not necessary. It's very clear...there's nothing anyone can do to stop Kobe.
Shooting isn't about who can knock down open threes -- that's an aspect of it, but there is much more to shooting. Other factors include the ability to hit contested shots, " " to hit high degree of difficulty shots, " " to step up and drill clutch shots, " " to make a wide variety of jumpers and last but not least, " " to shoot a respectably high percentage through it all.
There are a couple of guys on this list who are thought of as "three-point specialists," but for the most part, these are shooters who are far from one-dimensional. This is it, plain and simple, the best shooters in basketball:
#10-Chauncey Billups, PG-Detroit Pistons
The 10-spot was anyone's game. Others in contention were Jason Richardson, Jason Terry, Raja Bell, Stephen Jackson and Carmelo Anthony. I'm going with Chauncey because he strokes them with ease under pressure, and there are very few players I'd rather get the ball to for a big jumper or clutch foul shots. We'll probably see more pressure hits from him during Detroit's playoff run this season.
#9-Dirk Nowitzki, PF-Dallas Mavericks
Dirk's an assassin because very few can get up high enough to contest his release. He's a phenomenal mid-range shooter and as far as range goes, he steps back comfortably behind the three-point arc. He is a bit inconsistent with three-point percentage -- that's why he's not higher than this.
#8-Leandro Barbosa, G-Phoenix Suns
Last year's leader in three-point shooting has come back to earth a little this season, but Barbosa remains one of the premier outside shooters. Without question, he has the most unorthodox release of any player on this list -- it's almost as if he pushes the ball (with both hands) up and out away from his body. But style doesn't matter here...the "Brazilian Blur" gets it done on the perimeter.
#7-Sasha Vujacic, G-Los Angeles Lakers
OK, I'll admit it -- I'm on the Lakers' bandwagon. The "Showtime" boys are playing so well it's easy to give credit to each of their contributers. Vujacic's jumper has been automatic to the point where he's being called "The Machine." TNT's crew -- Marv Albert, Mike "The Czar" Fratello, Reggie and Cheryl Miller -- said that Vujacic gave himself the nickname. If that's the case, Vujacic is a bad ass. Nice work, Sasha.
However, the ABC Crew -- Mike Breen, Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy -- said that the nickname was an innovation by the Lakers' play-by-play man. Either way, Sasha is absolutely killin' it right now. He's certainly not afraid to shoot; I say, keep firing.
#6-Michael Redd, SG-Milwaukee Bucks
Mike's like the left-handed Ray Allen. He's widely known for his prowess beyond the three-point line, but he's a very adequate scorer inside of the arc. I place Redd behind Allen because his frequent injuries tend to affect his perimeter consistency. Like Vujacic, Redd is not at all shy about letting it go from anywhere on the court. Redd's not quite the specialist that Sasha is, but he's more capable of hitting difficult fade-aways and other high degree of difficulty shots.
#5-Daniel Gibson, G-Cleveland Cavs
In the games leading up to his ugly ankle injury, Gibson was cementing himself as the NBA's top three-point specialist this season. His stroke was so smooth and easy that he was making triples look like free throws. During All-Star Weekend, Gibson put on a show in the Rookie/Sophomore game, drilling a record-high 11 threes. He threw together a solid performance in the three-point contest, as well. Most importantly, in regular season action Gibson was providing LeBron with crucial floor space and a deadly outside threat.
#4-Steve Nash, PG-Phoenix Suns
In addition to leading the NBA in assists per game, Nash shoots an extremely high free throw, field goal and three-point percentage. Statistically, there are no glaring weaknesses in his shot. My lonesome complaint would be that he attempts many difficult pull-up jumpers on the move, some of which hurt the Suns in late-game situations. Though other times, he's a marksman in the clutch.
Initially I had Nash 7th on this list. Vujacic and Gibson are hot stocks this year -- I got a little caught up in their immense improvement. Nash has been doing this for awhile, he's more deserving of this position. It doesn't seem like he's going anywhere in the near future, either. Keep "flamethrowing," Steve.
(And yes, that was a shout out to Kevin Harlan who recently dubbed DeShawn Stevenson a "flamethrower." Easy there, Kev.)
#3-Richard Hamilton, SG-Detroit Pistons
No offense Sasha, but "Rip" is the real "Machine." This guy just smokes the net, one mid-range jumper after another. Preseason, regular season, early playoffs, NBA Finals -- it doesn't matter, Hamilton is as consistent as they come.
It must be the mask; I'm actually pretty surprised high school kids aren't trying it out around the country.
Anyway, Hamilton has now extended his beautiful stroke out to the three-point line. Not to say that he was incapable of hitting treys in the past, only that he's better now than ever. Simply put: a quick leaper with an accurate and blinding release.
#2-Ray Allen, SG-Boston Celtics
Speaking of quick releases..."Ray Ray" aka "Jesus Shuttlesworth" puts it in before you can get a hand up. The cliche is that Allen is the best shooter in the NBA -- a popular misconception. He may be the best upright shooter in the league, but he provides his team with less opportunities to score than Kobe. Meaning, he can't shoot with consistency from the multitude of angles that Kobe can. Also, he's not as capable of shooting over the top of a double team.
Nevertheless, Ray Ray is probably one of the best shooters in the history of the NBA. It's just the wrong era to compete for the No. 1 spot...
#1-Kobe Bryant, SG-Los Angeles Lakers
...because this man is around. It seems like no shot is impossible for Kobe. I watch Kobe and many times my natural reaction is, "Ugh, that's a horrible shot" -- and then of course, it goes in. I don't know how many times that has happened to me in the past. I've finally learned my lesson: there is no such thing as a "bad shot" when Kobe Bryant is letting one go. Every shot is a high-percentage shot. When Reggie Miller retired, Kobe also claimed the No. 1 clutch shooter position; he hasn't relinquished it. Not in the slightest bit.
As always, I could go on for days. It's not necessary. It's very clear...there's nothing anyone can do to stop Kobe.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
A Knockout Blow: Yao Ming Out for Season
Let me begin this post by saying that ESPN NBA analyst Greg Anthony is an idiot. In one, 30 minute show this evening, he made three statements that made me want to jump through the television and slap some sense into him. He said:
#1-That the Rockets will definitely make the playoffs without Yao Ming.
I'm not saying it's impossible; what really pissed me off was his reason why: "The Rockets have players who know how to win, like Shane Battier and Luis Scola."
What have either of those guys won in the NBA??? Luis Scola is a freakin' rookie!!! I'm well aware that Scola has experience winning in international play, but international play is not the NBA. If international play were the NBA, then the USA team wouldn't have lost in the 2004 Olympics.
Battier spent a bunch of seasons losing as a member of the Grizzlies, and the Rockets haven't won a playoff series since he's arrived, either. Has he won a playoff series anywhere? I don't think he has. What the hell is Greg Anthony talking about!? I know Battier had experiencing winning at Duke (I bet you know where I'm going with this), but college basketball is not the NBA!
Hey Greg, I have a question for you -- when did international and college basketball become equivalent to the NBA? What are you talking about with Scola and Battier!!??
As for my take on the Rockets -- I can't see them maintaining a playoff spot. Look at it this way, they are on a 13-game winning streak and yet they are only No. 7 in the West. The Denver Nuggets are on the outside looking in right now and they're only 3.5 games behind Houston. With their Big Three intact -- Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony and Marcus Camby -- I see the Nuggets overtaking the Rockets, probably with relative ease.
Tracy McGrady's shot has flattened out and as a result, he's even streakier now than he was in the past. I can't see him pulling a Kobe from the past two seasons and leading a team of misfits to the playoffs in the NBA's clearly superior conference. Speaking of Kobe and the Lakers...
#2-Anthony said that he's concerned about the Lakers in the playoffs because they lack "big-game experience."
The Lakers have Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher!!!!!!!!!!
Kobe is the premier clutch player in the league and I'd have no problem arguing that Fisher is a top 5-10 clutch shooter. They have six rings between the two of them. Phil Jackson is their head coach...he has nine rings. Well, let's see, that's 15 rings between the three.
Hey Greg, fifteen rings equals "not enough playoff experience?" How many do they need? 30? 40? 1,221?
Give me a break.
Look, if Kobe and Fisher isn't enough, Lamar Odom has participated in the playoffs the past three years. Sasha Vujacic, Luke Walton and Vladimir Radmanovic have all been in the playoffs the past two seasons.
Greg, I can't handle your opinion. I just can't.
#3-Greg Anthony said that Monta Ellis is definitely the Warriors' MVP.
What the hell happened to Baron Davis!!?? I'm not trying to take anything away from Ellis, not by any stretch of the imagination -- he's rapidly becoming one of the elite combo guards in all of basketball.
But...Baron Davis is still the best and MOST VALUABLE player on the Warriors. Ellis probably wouldn't have developed into the scorer he is without Davis' commandeering of Golden State's up-tempo offense. Stephen Jackson wouldn't be averaging near a career-high in points without Baron. Andris Biedrins wouldn't be shooting like 90% from the floor without pretty dimes from Baron. Their success all funnels back to Baron.
I don't care if Greg Anthony had a long career in the NBA. There is no doubt in my mind that I know more about today's NBA than he does. ESPN...I'm waiting.
#1-That the Rockets will definitely make the playoffs without Yao Ming.
I'm not saying it's impossible; what really pissed me off was his reason why: "The Rockets have players who know how to win, like Shane Battier and Luis Scola."
What have either of those guys won in the NBA??? Luis Scola is a freakin' rookie!!! I'm well aware that Scola has experience winning in international play, but international play is not the NBA. If international play were the NBA, then the USA team wouldn't have lost in the 2004 Olympics.
Battier spent a bunch of seasons losing as a member of the Grizzlies, and the Rockets haven't won a playoff series since he's arrived, either. Has he won a playoff series anywhere? I don't think he has. What the hell is Greg Anthony talking about!? I know Battier had experiencing winning at Duke (I bet you know where I'm going with this), but college basketball is not the NBA!
Hey Greg, I have a question for you -- when did international and college basketball become equivalent to the NBA? What are you talking about with Scola and Battier!!??
As for my take on the Rockets -- I can't see them maintaining a playoff spot. Look at it this way, they are on a 13-game winning streak and yet they are only No. 7 in the West. The Denver Nuggets are on the outside looking in right now and they're only 3.5 games behind Houston. With their Big Three intact -- Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony and Marcus Camby -- I see the Nuggets overtaking the Rockets, probably with relative ease.
Tracy McGrady's shot has flattened out and as a result, he's even streakier now than he was in the past. I can't see him pulling a Kobe from the past two seasons and leading a team of misfits to the playoffs in the NBA's clearly superior conference. Speaking of Kobe and the Lakers...
#2-Anthony said that he's concerned about the Lakers in the playoffs because they lack "big-game experience."
The Lakers have Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher!!!!!!!!!!
Kobe is the premier clutch player in the league and I'd have no problem arguing that Fisher is a top 5-10 clutch shooter. They have six rings between the two of them. Phil Jackson is their head coach...he has nine rings. Well, let's see, that's 15 rings between the three.
Hey Greg, fifteen rings equals "not enough playoff experience?" How many do they need? 30? 40? 1,221?
Give me a break.
Look, if Kobe and Fisher isn't enough, Lamar Odom has participated in the playoffs the past three years. Sasha Vujacic, Luke Walton and Vladimir Radmanovic have all been in the playoffs the past two seasons.
Greg, I can't handle your opinion. I just can't.
#3-Greg Anthony said that Monta Ellis is definitely the Warriors' MVP.
What the hell happened to Baron Davis!!?? I'm not trying to take anything away from Ellis, not by any stretch of the imagination -- he's rapidly becoming one of the elite combo guards in all of basketball.
But...Baron Davis is still the best and MOST VALUABLE player on the Warriors. Ellis probably wouldn't have developed into the scorer he is without Davis' commandeering of Golden State's up-tempo offense. Stephen Jackson wouldn't be averaging near a career-high in points without Baron. Andris Biedrins wouldn't be shooting like 90% from the floor without pretty dimes from Baron. Their success all funnels back to Baron.
I don't care if Greg Anthony had a long career in the NBA. There is no doubt in my mind that I know more about today's NBA than he does. ESPN...I'm waiting.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Thoughts on the "Ben Wallace" Trade
I love how ESPN keeps calling this the "Ben Wallace trade." I know they are focusing on the notoriety aspect of the deal, but in actuality, Big Ben is the worst of the four players who were shipped to Cleveland. Not only is Wallace clearly past his "prime" -- a prime which is debatable in itself -- but he doesn't fit the Cavs' roster, not even in the slightest bit.
Unless Anderson Varejao's injury is considerably more serious than Cleveland has led on, the Cavs have no need for Big Ben. Yea, I know the cliche is that Wallace brings rebounding, defense and toughness, but can we please get past that? He's one of the worst three free-throw shooters in the entire league and contributes virtually nothing offensively. He's a liability on the floor at the end of close games because of his foul shooting and let's not forget that he was a complete and utter bust for the Bulls.
Wallace is an undersized center and multiple injuries have done serious damage to his athleticism. His athleticism and hustle were the only things that allowed him to be a dominant defensive force in his days with Detroit -- all that's left now is the hustle. Even the hustle isn't the same, he's in slow-motion lately.
If Varejao gets back to full strength at some point this season there is no question in my mind that he'll be the better player for Cleveland. Varejao is a much better offensive player than Big Ben -- he has a decent mid-range jumper, creates uniquely off the high-post dribble and has a much softer touch at the foul line and around the rim.
But let's move on to the positive aspects of the deal for the Cavs: Joe Smith, Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West. I list Smith first because I truly believe he's the best player Cleveland received in this deal. Most media outlets listed Smith as the afterthought in the deal, behind Wallace, Wally and Delonte. However, Smith is having one of the best seasons of his long career and (knock on wood) he's remained relatively healthy. Smith is an excellent option in the post, he has a soft turnaround jumper and virtually flawless footwork on the block. He plays with more confidence in his game than Drew Gooden, and for that reason I think LeBron will like Smith as a teammate.
Of course, what Wally brings is outside shooting. He's arrived in the nick of time for Cleveland-- sharpshooter Daniel Gibson suffered a nasty ankle injury a few nights ago, putting him out of commission for 4-6 weeks. Wally will step into Gibson's role as a spot-starter/sixth man who provides spacing for LeBron and some rainmakers from beyond the arc.
Last but not least is Delonte; I really like this aspect of the deal for the Cavs. I've never been in love with Delonte's style of play, he tends to take some bad shots and doesn't pass much for a "point" guard. "Point" is in quotes because his style is more conducive to the shooting guard position. However, Delonte has fresh legs and he's a very capable penetrator. In addition, while I question his shot selection, he's actually an above-average perimeter shooter. Defining West as a point guard may be questionable, but he's still the best point guard on Cleveland's roster. Damon Jones can still knock down shots but he's primarily a spot-up shooter now, and Eric Snow is finished -- plain and simple.
When totally healthy I think their lineup should be:
PG-West, SG-Szczerbiak, SF-LeBron, PF-J.Smith, C-Ilgauskas
However, it'll probably be:
PG-West, SG-Pavlovic, SF-LeBron, PF-Wallace, C-Ilgauskas
I think the success of this trade will depend on head coach Mike Brown's rotation. If he goes with my suggested lineup with Gibson, Varejao and Wallace off the bench in that order, there's no question the Cavs will be the third best team in the East. If he goes with the second lineup -- which ESPN analyst Jon Barry suggested -- Brown is going to have problems finding enough minutes between Szczerbiak and Gibson.
From the Bulls' standpoint, the deal was a little unusual. They have to be ecstatic about getting someone to take Big Ben and I commend them on that. However, Smith has been arguably their most consistent player this season. Kirk Hinrich and Andres Nocioni have had substandard seasons and Ben Gordon and Luol Deng have been injured and out of the lineup frequently. Adding Larry Hughes, Drew Gooden, Shannon Brown and Cedric Simmons creates a huge roster logjam for them.
Let's see if I can shake out the cobwebs and figure this thing out. If totally healthy they'd be looking at a lineup of:
PG-Hinrich, SG-Gordon, SF-Deng, PF-Gooden, C-Tyrus Thomas...with Andres Nocioni interchangeable with Gordon at the 2/6.
Where does Hughes fit into that? What about combo guard Thabo Sefolosha who has stepped up the past month? Chris Duhon? Joakim Noah? Aaron Gray?
I don't know, it's confusing. I guess you could say this deal gives them good depth, but it's also going to create substitution headaches and some very unhappy players. I like their talent but if the playing time situation goes haywire then I don't think they'll squeak into that No. 8 playoff spot.
Unless Anderson Varejao's injury is considerably more serious than Cleveland has led on, the Cavs have no need for Big Ben. Yea, I know the cliche is that Wallace brings rebounding, defense and toughness, but can we please get past that? He's one of the worst three free-throw shooters in the entire league and contributes virtually nothing offensively. He's a liability on the floor at the end of close games because of his foul shooting and let's not forget that he was a complete and utter bust for the Bulls.
Wallace is an undersized center and multiple injuries have done serious damage to his athleticism. His athleticism and hustle were the only things that allowed him to be a dominant defensive force in his days with Detroit -- all that's left now is the hustle. Even the hustle isn't the same, he's in slow-motion lately.
If Varejao gets back to full strength at some point this season there is no question in my mind that he'll be the better player for Cleveland. Varejao is a much better offensive player than Big Ben -- he has a decent mid-range jumper, creates uniquely off the high-post dribble and has a much softer touch at the foul line and around the rim.
But let's move on to the positive aspects of the deal for the Cavs: Joe Smith, Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West. I list Smith first because I truly believe he's the best player Cleveland received in this deal. Most media outlets listed Smith as the afterthought in the deal, behind Wallace, Wally and Delonte. However, Smith is having one of the best seasons of his long career and (knock on wood) he's remained relatively healthy. Smith is an excellent option in the post, he has a soft turnaround jumper and virtually flawless footwork on the block. He plays with more confidence in his game than Drew Gooden, and for that reason I think LeBron will like Smith as a teammate.
Of course, what Wally brings is outside shooting. He's arrived in the nick of time for Cleveland-- sharpshooter Daniel Gibson suffered a nasty ankle injury a few nights ago, putting him out of commission for 4-6 weeks. Wally will step into Gibson's role as a spot-starter/sixth man who provides spacing for LeBron and some rainmakers from beyond the arc.
Last but not least is Delonte; I really like this aspect of the deal for the Cavs. I've never been in love with Delonte's style of play, he tends to take some bad shots and doesn't pass much for a "point" guard. "Point" is in quotes because his style is more conducive to the shooting guard position. However, Delonte has fresh legs and he's a very capable penetrator. In addition, while I question his shot selection, he's actually an above-average perimeter shooter. Defining West as a point guard may be questionable, but he's still the best point guard on Cleveland's roster. Damon Jones can still knock down shots but he's primarily a spot-up shooter now, and Eric Snow is finished -- plain and simple.
When totally healthy I think their lineup should be:
PG-West, SG-Szczerbiak, SF-LeBron, PF-J.Smith, C-Ilgauskas
However, it'll probably be:
PG-West, SG-Pavlovic, SF-LeBron, PF-Wallace, C-Ilgauskas
I think the success of this trade will depend on head coach Mike Brown's rotation. If he goes with my suggested lineup with Gibson, Varejao and Wallace off the bench in that order, there's no question the Cavs will be the third best team in the East. If he goes with the second lineup -- which ESPN analyst Jon Barry suggested -- Brown is going to have problems finding enough minutes between Szczerbiak and Gibson.
From the Bulls' standpoint, the deal was a little unusual. They have to be ecstatic about getting someone to take Big Ben and I commend them on that. However, Smith has been arguably their most consistent player this season. Kirk Hinrich and Andres Nocioni have had substandard seasons and Ben Gordon and Luol Deng have been injured and out of the lineup frequently. Adding Larry Hughes, Drew Gooden, Shannon Brown and Cedric Simmons creates a huge roster logjam for them.
Let's see if I can shake out the cobwebs and figure this thing out. If totally healthy they'd be looking at a lineup of:
PG-Hinrich, SG-Gordon, SF-Deng, PF-Gooden, C-Tyrus Thomas...with Andres Nocioni interchangeable with Gordon at the 2/6.
Where does Hughes fit into that? What about combo guard Thabo Sefolosha who has stepped up the past month? Chris Duhon? Joakim Noah? Aaron Gray?
I don't know, it's confusing. I guess you could say this deal gives them good depth, but it's also going to create substitution headaches and some very unhappy players. I like their talent but if the playing time situation goes haywire then I don't think they'll squeak into that No. 8 playoff spot.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
The NBA's 10 Most Underrated Players
"Underrated" is a very loose term. Players can be underrated by their peers, their coaches, fans, analysts and others. Since they're not getting their due elsewhere, I'll give these 10 players the attention they deserve in my list below. Let's start from No. 10 and count it down to No. 1...
#10-J.R. Smith, SG-Denver Nuggets
This one falls under the category of "underrated by head coach." George Karl hates this guy. Yes, Smith has been known to be a bit of a troublemaker, but he's relatively quiet when it comes to the media. I'm sure Karl has a vendetta against him because he comes late to practice every once in awhile, or he's lazy as hell during practice, but one thing's for sure -- Smith is an immensely talented player.
Smith is an extremely streaky scorer who can get as hot as anyone from behind the three-point arc. He recently had six threes in a game and then followed it up with an eight three performance -- both nights he came off the bench. Smith has been relegated to the bench as a member of Karl's doghouse since around the midway point last season. Karl's being stubborn. Smith is a perfect fit for the Nuggets' up-tempo offense and he'd probably be averaging around 15 points per game if he started alongside Allen Iverson.
There's no question that Smith's defense is suspect at best, but the Nuggets are already one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA. Their best defense is likely more offense...Smith can certainly give them that.
#9-Jose Calderon, PG-Toronto Raptors
Calderon would probably have made the top five if he didn't receive so much press after the All-Star selections. A few analysts pegged Calderon as one of the biggest snubs for a spot on the Eastern Conference All-Star squad. Prior to that point, this supremely gifted offensive point guard was gettin' no love -- that's why he maintains a position in my top 10.
Calderon leads the NBA in assist-to-turnover ratio and he's the second-best player (after Chris Bosh) on one of the East's top teams. Calderon is lightning-quick with the rock in his hands and he penetrates with consistency. He's a very underrated outside shooter, as well. He can step outside the three-point line comfortably and has an excellent mid-range game.
Like J.R. Smith, Calderon is a defensive liability. He gambles and gets some steals, but he has a weak frame and stronger point guards manhandle him. Regardless, he has established himself as one of the league's top 12-15 point guards, which is highly impressive considering the fact that he's come off the bench for the vast majority of his career. T.J. Ford has returned from injury and is back in the mix for Toronto, so it will be interesting to monitor Calderon's production from now until the end of the regular season.
#8-Jamal Crawford, G-New York Knicks
Because the Knicks have been God awful for the past two years, I can't have Crawford any higher than this. The reason being, as well as he has played, he's clearly not doing enough to help the Knicks win in the weak Eastern Conference. Don't get me wrong here, I'm not blaming Crawford for the Knicks' struggles -- not at all -- I'm just saying that as talented as he is, he probably should be leading New York to a No. 7 or 8 playoff spot.
But enough about the bad. Plain and simple, Crawford is one of the most unstoppable offensive players in the NBA. Like Kobe Bryant, Iverson, Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James and Gilbert Arenas -- he's a scorer. Crawford has a plethora of weapons in his arsenal and he flat out knows how to score. He features a vicious crossover dribble, a soft foul-line floater, an indefensible pull-up jumper and a snap-quick first step. No one can totally clamp Crawford, he stops himself more than anyone else does. How? By forcing up unnecessary shots. Unnecessary because they are heavily contested or unnecessary because the Knicks don't need the shot at that particular point in time.
The sad thing is that Crawford's precision passing goes to waste. Occasionally he tosses out a pretty dime, but it's all too rare. Especially with Stephon Marbury out for the remainder of the season, Crawford should be using the threat of his scoring to free up easy opportunities for his teammates -- namely David Lee and Eddy Curry in the post.
#7-Rajon Rondo, PG-Boston Celtics
This was a tricky one. Rondo gets a lot of contradictory press. Of course he gets a pat on the back for being the point guard on the team with the best record in the league, but the true credit always goes to the Big Three. There are some nights when he puts up big numbers and the Celtics' announcers talk about him like he is Magic Johnson, but in the grand scheme, most analysts seem to be questioning if Rondo is going to be able to run Boston's offense well in pressure-packed playoff situations.
I think he can. He's not alone out there anyway -- Ray Allen and Paul Pierce can both handle the ball in times of need. This season, Allen in particular has shown himself to be a much better ballhandler than people generally believe him to be. But back to Rondo. In just his second season, Rondo has established himself as one of the top five rebounding point guards in all of basketball. An argument could probably be made that he's in the top three, after Jason Kidd and Chris Paul. Rondo is also one of the quickest players in the league (that list coming in a few weeks) and taking into account his position, he's unusually crafty around the rim. Rondo likes to show the ball, pivot and fake with one hand ala Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon.
Like Calderon, Rondo is an exceptional penetrator. He's not a consistent perimeter shooter, but he's shown improvement over last season. Rondo plays above average on-ball defense and I
don't think his adequacy as a No. 4 option should be in question. When the playoffs roll around, the Celtics' concern shouldn't be their point guard, it should be their Erick Dampier Jr. in the middle...Kendrick Perkins.
#6-LaMarcus Aldridge, PF/C-Portland Trail Blazers
The Blazers have had surprising success this season, including a 13-game winning streak as a member of the Western Conference -- a seemingly impossible task for the NBA's youngest team. Aldridge is supremely underrated because swingman Brandon Roy gets virtually all of the credit for the turnaround of the Blazers' franchise. While Roy is the better player at this point in their careers (both are sophomores), Aldridge is the Blazers' primary post option and overall, he's the second-best player on a very competitive team.
Despite being in just his second season, Aldridge is already one of the most skilled interior players in basketball. He can pivot both right and left and knocks down fadeaways to either side with regularity. Aldridge is lean and has great length, which allows him to get whatever shots he wants from the mid-range in. He's a good spot-up shooter off a dish and he's slowly improving his rebounding and shotblocking.
Depending on the match-ups, the Blazers will ride Aldridge offensively just as often as they will Roy. The two have the potential to be one of the premier 1-2 punches for a long time. As far as Aldridge goes, the sky's the limit offensively.
#5-Stephen Jackson, G/F-Golden State Warriors
Here's a guy with a poor disciplinary reputation who has been nothing short of an angel this season for head coach Don Nelson. The reason why? Prior to the season, Nelson controversially dubbed Jackson his team captain. Jackson has taken pride in his position and is having arguably the best season of his up-and-down, off the walls career.
Jackson is underrated because everyone is always preoccupied with his technical fouls or off the court antics -- as a result, his incredible offensive skills often go unnoticed. Like Jamal Crawford (listed above), Jackson is a natural scorer. He's one of the best streak three-point shooters in the league, sometimes he'll knock down four, five, six in a row without blinking. He can drive both left and right and contorts his body well to open up opportunities in the lane. Jackson is a crafty and -- believe it or not -- very savvy offensive player. He picks up the momentum of his home crowd well and knows when to continue firing away, or slow it down for a halfcourt set.
Above all, Jackson is an excellent clutch player. He has no conscience; he is never afraid to take and make big shots. Jackson knocked down one big triple after another in the opening round series against the heavily-favored Mavericks last year, and already has an NBA Championship ring from his days with the Spurs. The Spurs beat the Nets 4-2 in the Finals that year, a year in which I followed the Nets very closely -- I remember quite clearly that Jackson had a number of crucial buckets in that series as well.
He's a little crazy at times, but when the lights are shining brightly, Stephen Jackson delivers noteworthy performances.
#4-Andre Miller, PG-Philadelphia 76ers
When I think of Andre Miller I think of one word, "steady." This guy is a rock. Always poised, always getting his teammates the ball in a position to score and never getting much attention. Miller is a true point guard and despite playing for a few different teams, his numbers are consistently good. I don't think there's any question that over the course of the past 5-6 seasons, Miller has been one of the top 5-10 players at his position.
Something to note about Miller is since he's switched places with Allen Iverson, the Nuggets have had similar results. Denver is currently battling for one of the back-end Western Conference playoff spots. When Miller left Denver they had a playoff spot secured and may have been playing with better continuity than they are right now. Now I'm not suggesting that Miller is a better player than Iverson -- that would be plain wrong -- what I am suggesting is that Miller can be equally valuable to the success of his team given the right circumstances.
I'll further the point. About a year later, let's look at that deal from Philadelphia's perspective. When Iverson left the Sixers, what he left behind was arguably the worst team in the NBA. They were piling up losses (sort of like the Heat this year) and the entire franchise was in disarray. After acquiring Miller, the Sixers were over .500 for the second half of the season.
No, Miller isn't the messiah and he's not going to lead the Sixers to an NBA title anytime soon, but he does have them in contention for a playoff spot and he's enhancing the play of teammates Andre Iguodala and Samuel Dalembert. Iverson's me-first style of play stunted Igoudala's development; Miller has allowed the new "AI" to blossom into a fine all-around player. The bottom line...Andre Miller is solid, he improves his teammates and he finds a way to win.
#3-Chris Kaman, C-Los Angeles Clippers
It's awfully hard for any members of Los Angeles' "other" team to get attention, particularly when the Lakers are playing this well. The fact that the Clippers appear to have returned to their loser ways of the past doesn't help Kaman much, either. It's too bad, because talent wise Kaman is a "dream" center -- a franchise middleman to build a team around.
Kaman is averaging a high-end double-double this season and has been the lone reason for most of the wins the Clips have squeaked out. Corey Maggette is a fine tag-team partner for Kaman, but the rest of the Clippers are aging toward retirement or are so young they haven't developed a court identity yet.
Kaman is everything a scout could ask for in an offensive center -- he can knock down jump-hooks with both hands, finish strong around the rim, step back for a soft mid-range jumper and open up looks for his teammates. He's a scary-lookin' guy -- he often lets his hair grown too long and he looks like a crazed escapee from Rehabbing Rock Star Prison -- but it's OK, it adds to the intimidation factor down low (maybe...probably not). He's also a tremendous rebounder and shotblocker; I'd say the only knock on Kaman's game is he has a tendency to forget about his teammates when he gets on a roll. Although on the Clippers, I guess it's easy to think you're playing by yourself.
#2-Mo Williams, PG-Milwaukee Bucks
Here's a fantastic statistical point guard (a should-be favorite of fantasy coaches) who we rarely hear anything about. Williams is averaging around 17 points, 7 assists and 4 rebounds per game this year, after averaging 17, 7 and 5 last year. He racks up the threes and steals, as well.
"Mo Will" has a smooth game, he never appears to be in a rush and he features a picturesque shooting stroke. He's undoubtedly Milwaukee's second-best player after prolific scorer Michael Redd, and he's the point guard the Cavs should have signed this offseason. With his ability to create for teammates and drill open shots, Williams would have been a perfect fit alongside LeBron James. Now Mo Will is wasted on a team that can't get any consistency out of its frontcourt -- specifically Andrew Bogut, Charlie Villanueva, Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons. On a nightly basis, it's a "your guess is as good as mine" type of team.
The only knock on Williams is a past sprinkled with various injuries. However, he has stayed healthy for the vast majority of this season and remains one of the premier 7-8 statistical point guards. I qualify it as "statistical" point guards because Williams' play doesn't translate into Bucks' victories, but he's not to blame. Elsewhere, he'd likely be getting the credit he deserves. For now, I'll be the one giving him credit.
#1-Baron Davis, PG-Golden State Warriors
There's no doubt that Davis is the most well-known player on this list. So how is he underrated, you ask? Well, when analysts talk about veteran point guards they go on-and-on about Steve Nash and Jason Kidd. When the focus is on young point guards, Chris Paul and Deron Williams get all of the attention. Come playoff time, Chauncey Billups and Tony Parker are the two getting all the love.
So where does my boy Baron fit in?
Apparently nowhere. "The Baron" or "B Diddy" as I like to call him, failed to make the All-Star team this season. This fact is both saddening and preposterous. Of course this is oversimplifying, but there are (at least) 24 players selected for the All-Star game who tentatively represent the NBA's elite 24 players.
Baron Davis is not one of the top 24 players in the league? He's not one of the elite 12 players in the Western Conference?
His exclusion boggles my mind. That said, I'll tell you what he is: Baron Davis is the third-best point guard in the NBA, arguably one of the best 10 players in the entire league and one of the top five clutch players of all. B Diddy can do it all -- penetrate, slash, drive, dish, dunk, shoot, swipe, block and quite simply, dominate. Best of all, he's a cold-blooded assassin under pressure.
The point is, I could go on all day about B Diddy...but no one else does. Give "The Baron" some love!
#10-J.R. Smith, SG-Denver Nuggets
This one falls under the category of "underrated by head coach." George Karl hates this guy. Yes, Smith has been known to be a bit of a troublemaker, but he's relatively quiet when it comes to the media. I'm sure Karl has a vendetta against him because he comes late to practice every once in awhile, or he's lazy as hell during practice, but one thing's for sure -- Smith is an immensely talented player.
Smith is an extremely streaky scorer who can get as hot as anyone from behind the three-point arc. He recently had six threes in a game and then followed it up with an eight three performance -- both nights he came off the bench. Smith has been relegated to the bench as a member of Karl's doghouse since around the midway point last season. Karl's being stubborn. Smith is a perfect fit for the Nuggets' up-tempo offense and he'd probably be averaging around 15 points per game if he started alongside Allen Iverson.
There's no question that Smith's defense is suspect at best, but the Nuggets are already one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA. Their best defense is likely more offense...Smith can certainly give them that.
#9-Jose Calderon, PG-Toronto Raptors
Calderon would probably have made the top five if he didn't receive so much press after the All-Star selections. A few analysts pegged Calderon as one of the biggest snubs for a spot on the Eastern Conference All-Star squad. Prior to that point, this supremely gifted offensive point guard was gettin' no love -- that's why he maintains a position in my top 10.
Calderon leads the NBA in assist-to-turnover ratio and he's the second-best player (after Chris Bosh) on one of the East's top teams. Calderon is lightning-quick with the rock in his hands and he penetrates with consistency. He's a very underrated outside shooter, as well. He can step outside the three-point line comfortably and has an excellent mid-range game.
Like J.R. Smith, Calderon is a defensive liability. He gambles and gets some steals, but he has a weak frame and stronger point guards manhandle him. Regardless, he has established himself as one of the league's top 12-15 point guards, which is highly impressive considering the fact that he's come off the bench for the vast majority of his career. T.J. Ford has returned from injury and is back in the mix for Toronto, so it will be interesting to monitor Calderon's production from now until the end of the regular season.
#8-Jamal Crawford, G-New York Knicks
Because the Knicks have been God awful for the past two years, I can't have Crawford any higher than this. The reason being, as well as he has played, he's clearly not doing enough to help the Knicks win in the weak Eastern Conference. Don't get me wrong here, I'm not blaming Crawford for the Knicks' struggles -- not at all -- I'm just saying that as talented as he is, he probably should be leading New York to a No. 7 or 8 playoff spot.
But enough about the bad. Plain and simple, Crawford is one of the most unstoppable offensive players in the NBA. Like Kobe Bryant, Iverson, Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James and Gilbert Arenas -- he's a scorer. Crawford has a plethora of weapons in his arsenal and he flat out knows how to score. He features a vicious crossover dribble, a soft foul-line floater, an indefensible pull-up jumper and a snap-quick first step. No one can totally clamp Crawford, he stops himself more than anyone else does. How? By forcing up unnecessary shots. Unnecessary because they are heavily contested or unnecessary because the Knicks don't need the shot at that particular point in time.
The sad thing is that Crawford's precision passing goes to waste. Occasionally he tosses out a pretty dime, but it's all too rare. Especially with Stephon Marbury out for the remainder of the season, Crawford should be using the threat of his scoring to free up easy opportunities for his teammates -- namely David Lee and Eddy Curry in the post.
#7-Rajon Rondo, PG-Boston Celtics
This was a tricky one. Rondo gets a lot of contradictory press. Of course he gets a pat on the back for being the point guard on the team with the best record in the league, but the true credit always goes to the Big Three. There are some nights when he puts up big numbers and the Celtics' announcers talk about him like he is Magic Johnson, but in the grand scheme, most analysts seem to be questioning if Rondo is going to be able to run Boston's offense well in pressure-packed playoff situations.
I think he can. He's not alone out there anyway -- Ray Allen and Paul Pierce can both handle the ball in times of need. This season, Allen in particular has shown himself to be a much better ballhandler than people generally believe him to be. But back to Rondo. In just his second season, Rondo has established himself as one of the top five rebounding point guards in all of basketball. An argument could probably be made that he's in the top three, after Jason Kidd and Chris Paul. Rondo is also one of the quickest players in the league (that list coming in a few weeks) and taking into account his position, he's unusually crafty around the rim. Rondo likes to show the ball, pivot and fake with one hand ala Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon.
Like Calderon, Rondo is an exceptional penetrator. He's not a consistent perimeter shooter, but he's shown improvement over last season. Rondo plays above average on-ball defense and I
don't think his adequacy as a No. 4 option should be in question. When the playoffs roll around, the Celtics' concern shouldn't be their point guard, it should be their Erick Dampier Jr. in the middle...Kendrick Perkins.
#6-LaMarcus Aldridge, PF/C-Portland Trail Blazers
The Blazers have had surprising success this season, including a 13-game winning streak as a member of the Western Conference -- a seemingly impossible task for the NBA's youngest team. Aldridge is supremely underrated because swingman Brandon Roy gets virtually all of the credit for the turnaround of the Blazers' franchise. While Roy is the better player at this point in their careers (both are sophomores), Aldridge is the Blazers' primary post option and overall, he's the second-best player on a very competitive team.
Despite being in just his second season, Aldridge is already one of the most skilled interior players in basketball. He can pivot both right and left and knocks down fadeaways to either side with regularity. Aldridge is lean and has great length, which allows him to get whatever shots he wants from the mid-range in. He's a good spot-up shooter off a dish and he's slowly improving his rebounding and shotblocking.
Depending on the match-ups, the Blazers will ride Aldridge offensively just as often as they will Roy. The two have the potential to be one of the premier 1-2 punches for a long time. As far as Aldridge goes, the sky's the limit offensively.
#5-Stephen Jackson, G/F-Golden State Warriors
Here's a guy with a poor disciplinary reputation who has been nothing short of an angel this season for head coach Don Nelson. The reason why? Prior to the season, Nelson controversially dubbed Jackson his team captain. Jackson has taken pride in his position and is having arguably the best season of his up-and-down, off the walls career.
Jackson is underrated because everyone is always preoccupied with his technical fouls or off the court antics -- as a result, his incredible offensive skills often go unnoticed. Like Jamal Crawford (listed above), Jackson is a natural scorer. He's one of the best streak three-point shooters in the league, sometimes he'll knock down four, five, six in a row without blinking. He can drive both left and right and contorts his body well to open up opportunities in the lane. Jackson is a crafty and -- believe it or not -- very savvy offensive player. He picks up the momentum of his home crowd well and knows when to continue firing away, or slow it down for a halfcourt set.
Above all, Jackson is an excellent clutch player. He has no conscience; he is never afraid to take and make big shots. Jackson knocked down one big triple after another in the opening round series against the heavily-favored Mavericks last year, and already has an NBA Championship ring from his days with the Spurs. The Spurs beat the Nets 4-2 in the Finals that year, a year in which I followed the Nets very closely -- I remember quite clearly that Jackson had a number of crucial buckets in that series as well.
He's a little crazy at times, but when the lights are shining brightly, Stephen Jackson delivers noteworthy performances.
#4-Andre Miller, PG-Philadelphia 76ers
When I think of Andre Miller I think of one word, "steady." This guy is a rock. Always poised, always getting his teammates the ball in a position to score and never getting much attention. Miller is a true point guard and despite playing for a few different teams, his numbers are consistently good. I don't think there's any question that over the course of the past 5-6 seasons, Miller has been one of the top 5-10 players at his position.
Something to note about Miller is since he's switched places with Allen Iverson, the Nuggets have had similar results. Denver is currently battling for one of the back-end Western Conference playoff spots. When Miller left Denver they had a playoff spot secured and may have been playing with better continuity than they are right now. Now I'm not suggesting that Miller is a better player than Iverson -- that would be plain wrong -- what I am suggesting is that Miller can be equally valuable to the success of his team given the right circumstances.
I'll further the point. About a year later, let's look at that deal from Philadelphia's perspective. When Iverson left the Sixers, what he left behind was arguably the worst team in the NBA. They were piling up losses (sort of like the Heat this year) and the entire franchise was in disarray. After acquiring Miller, the Sixers were over .500 for the second half of the season.
No, Miller isn't the messiah and he's not going to lead the Sixers to an NBA title anytime soon, but he does have them in contention for a playoff spot and he's enhancing the play of teammates Andre Iguodala and Samuel Dalembert. Iverson's me-first style of play stunted Igoudala's development; Miller has allowed the new "AI" to blossom into a fine all-around player. The bottom line...Andre Miller is solid, he improves his teammates and he finds a way to win.
#3-Chris Kaman, C-Los Angeles Clippers
It's awfully hard for any members of Los Angeles' "other" team to get attention, particularly when the Lakers are playing this well. The fact that the Clippers appear to have returned to their loser ways of the past doesn't help Kaman much, either. It's too bad, because talent wise Kaman is a "dream" center -- a franchise middleman to build a team around.
Kaman is averaging a high-end double-double this season and has been the lone reason for most of the wins the Clips have squeaked out. Corey Maggette is a fine tag-team partner for Kaman, but the rest of the Clippers are aging toward retirement or are so young they haven't developed a court identity yet.
Kaman is everything a scout could ask for in an offensive center -- he can knock down jump-hooks with both hands, finish strong around the rim, step back for a soft mid-range jumper and open up looks for his teammates. He's a scary-lookin' guy -- he often lets his hair grown too long and he looks like a crazed escapee from Rehabbing Rock Star Prison -- but it's OK, it adds to the intimidation factor down low (maybe...probably not). He's also a tremendous rebounder and shotblocker; I'd say the only knock on Kaman's game is he has a tendency to forget about his teammates when he gets on a roll. Although on the Clippers, I guess it's easy to think you're playing by yourself.
#2-Mo Williams, PG-Milwaukee Bucks
Here's a fantastic statistical point guard (a should-be favorite of fantasy coaches) who we rarely hear anything about. Williams is averaging around 17 points, 7 assists and 4 rebounds per game this year, after averaging 17, 7 and 5 last year. He racks up the threes and steals, as well.
"Mo Will" has a smooth game, he never appears to be in a rush and he features a picturesque shooting stroke. He's undoubtedly Milwaukee's second-best player after prolific scorer Michael Redd, and he's the point guard the Cavs should have signed this offseason. With his ability to create for teammates and drill open shots, Williams would have been a perfect fit alongside LeBron James. Now Mo Will is wasted on a team that can't get any consistency out of its frontcourt -- specifically Andrew Bogut, Charlie Villanueva, Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons. On a nightly basis, it's a "your guess is as good as mine" type of team.
The only knock on Williams is a past sprinkled with various injuries. However, he has stayed healthy for the vast majority of this season and remains one of the premier 7-8 statistical point guards. I qualify it as "statistical" point guards because Williams' play doesn't translate into Bucks' victories, but he's not to blame. Elsewhere, he'd likely be getting the credit he deserves. For now, I'll be the one giving him credit.
#1-Baron Davis, PG-Golden State Warriors
There's no doubt that Davis is the most well-known player on this list. So how is he underrated, you ask? Well, when analysts talk about veteran point guards they go on-and-on about Steve Nash and Jason Kidd. When the focus is on young point guards, Chris Paul and Deron Williams get all of the attention. Come playoff time, Chauncey Billups and Tony Parker are the two getting all the love.
So where does my boy Baron fit in?
Apparently nowhere. "The Baron" or "B Diddy" as I like to call him, failed to make the All-Star team this season. This fact is both saddening and preposterous. Of course this is oversimplifying, but there are (at least) 24 players selected for the All-Star game who tentatively represent the NBA's elite 24 players.
Baron Davis is not one of the top 24 players in the league? He's not one of the elite 12 players in the Western Conference?
His exclusion boggles my mind. That said, I'll tell you what he is: Baron Davis is the third-best point guard in the NBA, arguably one of the best 10 players in the entire league and one of the top five clutch players of all. B Diddy can do it all -- penetrate, slash, drive, dish, dunk, shoot, swipe, block and quite simply, dominate. Best of all, he's a cold-blooded assassin under pressure.
The point is, I could go on all day about B Diddy...but no one else does. Give "The Baron" some love!
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Thoughts on the Mike Bibby Trade
At first, when I saw Mike Bibby was headed to the Hawks for Anthony Johnson, Tyronn Lue, Shelden Williams and Lorenzen Wright I was like, "What the f---?" But I let it settle for a little and learned some more details, and as I suspected the four bums have expiring contracts.
From an economic standpoint, the deal is justified for the Kings -- they're obviously trying to free up cap space to make a run at a power forward from this year's free agent class. That said, I still think it's an awful trade for Sacramento.
The Kings have been playing extremely well since Bibby's return from injury, due in large part to their excellent depth in the backcourt. They had Bibby starting at the point with upstart Beno Udrih backing him up; Kevin Martin back at the shooting guard position after his stint on the DL, with two of the NBA's most improved players backing him up: John Salmons and Francisco Garcia, and Ron Artest providing some perimeter help at the 2/3 as well.
Given a full season with this roster -- with Mikki Moore and Brad Miller rounding out the starting lineup -- I think the Kings would be a legitimate contender for the 7 or 8 spot out west. However, I know Sacramento's management recognizes their weak frontcourt, relative to the rest of the conference. So while they may agree with me -- they might have been able to squeak into the playoffs next year relying on their little guys -- they are also assuming that they have a low long-term ceiling.
So when they let the four players from this deal go off on their merry way at season's end, who will they spend that extra money on? Well first of all, Artest is a free agent. If I were them, I'd bring him back -- he's one of the top 5-10 defensive players in the league and the Kings are a below-average defensive team. But Salmons is waiting in the wings, and he's proven he's worthy of a starting spot, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. I think they end up letting go of Artest.
So a lineup of: PG-Udrih, SG-Martin, SF-Salmons, PF-???, C-Miller...
The Kings will probably be pursuing someone in the group of Shawn Marion, Antawn Jamison, Jermaine O'Neal and Elton Brand. I wouldn't touch O'Neal because he's injured for an extended period of time way too often. I'm not a big Brand fan; I think he's a bit of a hog (not as bad as Zach Randolph), he travels a lot for a big man and of course he's a serious injury concern as well.
That leaves Marion and Jamison. Signing Marion would force him out of position at power forward (he's a natural small forward in the West) and Jamison would uphold the Kings' no defense tradition. The point? None of these guys are going to turn the Kings into a championship contender. They should have held on to Bibby and tried to play like the Suns or Warriors; with their personnel they would have been more than capable.
In the end it's just a pointless deal. Kings won't be anywhere near the NBA Finals for years to come.
From an economic standpoint, the deal is justified for the Kings -- they're obviously trying to free up cap space to make a run at a power forward from this year's free agent class. That said, I still think it's an awful trade for Sacramento.
The Kings have been playing extremely well since Bibby's return from injury, due in large part to their excellent depth in the backcourt. They had Bibby starting at the point with upstart Beno Udrih backing him up; Kevin Martin back at the shooting guard position after his stint on the DL, with two of the NBA's most improved players backing him up: John Salmons and Francisco Garcia, and Ron Artest providing some perimeter help at the 2/3 as well.
Given a full season with this roster -- with Mikki Moore and Brad Miller rounding out the starting lineup -- I think the Kings would be a legitimate contender for the 7 or 8 spot out west. However, I know Sacramento's management recognizes their weak frontcourt, relative to the rest of the conference. So while they may agree with me -- they might have been able to squeak into the playoffs next year relying on their little guys -- they are also assuming that they have a low long-term ceiling.
So when they let the four players from this deal go off on their merry way at season's end, who will they spend that extra money on? Well first of all, Artest is a free agent. If I were them, I'd bring him back -- he's one of the top 5-10 defensive players in the league and the Kings are a below-average defensive team. But Salmons is waiting in the wings, and he's proven he's worthy of a starting spot, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. I think they end up letting go of Artest.
So a lineup of: PG-Udrih, SG-Martin, SF-Salmons, PF-???, C-Miller...
The Kings will probably be pursuing someone in the group of Shawn Marion, Antawn Jamison, Jermaine O'Neal and Elton Brand. I wouldn't touch O'Neal because he's injured for an extended period of time way too often. I'm not a big Brand fan; I think he's a bit of a hog (not as bad as Zach Randolph), he travels a lot for a big man and of course he's a serious injury concern as well.
That leaves Marion and Jamison. Signing Marion would force him out of position at power forward (he's a natural small forward in the West) and Jamison would uphold the Kings' no defense tradition. The point? None of these guys are going to turn the Kings into a championship contender. They should have held on to Bibby and tried to play like the Suns or Warriors; with their personnel they would have been more than capable.
In the end it's just a pointless deal. Kings won't be anywhere near the NBA Finals for years to come.
Friday, February 15, 2008
NBA Rumor: Zach Randolph to Nuggets for Kleiza, Smith
Just caught this rumor on Rotoworld.com. As a Knicks fan, it's too good to be true. I'm not gonna get my hopes up, really.
If you don't feel like clicking on the link, it says that the Knicks would trade Zach Randolph and an unnamed player to the Nuggets for Linas Kleiza, J.R. Smith, Eduardo Najera and Steven Hunter. It just can't be real, life can't be that good.
Randolph is a cancer. No team could win with him as a first or second option. Granted if he went to Denver he'd be their No. 3 option, but it still wouldn't work out. Randolph wants to shoot every time he touches the basketball. On a night-to-night basis, he is absolutely painful to watch. I've never seen a guy who catches the ball in the post, gets tripled teamed and never once looks at his wide open shooters in the corner and top of the key. Doesn't even look! He just turns around and shoots or tries to force his way through and get fouled.
Get him outta New York! I'm not gonna lie, when the Knicks picked Randolph up for Steve Francis and Channing Frye, I thought Isiah was the man. Francis is finished, Frye is soft as hell and Randolph dominated on my fantasy team last year. It appeared to be a very promising deal. But then I saw Randolph play; yea, he gets his stats, but he has to have the lowest basketball IQ in the NBA and he's probably the worst defender in the history of organized sports.
There is no way that Denver could seriously be interested in him. The Nuggets are already one of the league's worst defensive teams and they get plenty of offense out of Carmelo, Iverson, K-Mart, Kleiza and Smith. Randolph would be a horrible, horrible fit for them. He's a terrible fit anywhere, really.
On the flip side, I would love to have Kleiza, Smith, Najera and Hunter on the Knicks. It's actually a perfect mix when you consider New York's needs. Heading into next season, the only returning Knicks should be Jamal Crawford, Stephon Marbury, David Lee, Nate Robinson, Malik Rose and maybe Renaldo Balkman. Of course for contract reasons those won't be the exact leftovers, but we're talking about my ideal world here. So we'd be left with a starting lineup of Marbury, Crawford, Kleiza, Lee and Eddy Curry, with a legitimate sixth man in J.R. Smith, two big men who can defend (Hunter, Rose), two small forwards who can defend (Najera, Balkman) and a good No. 3 guard in the East (Robinson).
That's still not a real contender, but it's better than what we have. I'm so sick of Quentin Richardson, Fred Jones and Jared Jeffries, and Smith, Kleiza and Najera are better respective versions of them. I would love to deal Curry and Jeffries together and get very little in return, just to save money. I'm not particularly fond of the centers in the upcoming free agent class so I say we sit on most of the money and bring Kurt Thomas back for one or two years and have him split with Hunter. Then when a legit center becomes available we have the money and some better pieces to deal, depending on the mode (free agency or a trade).
Who knows what to think at this point. I'll just keep my fingers crossed and hope that Randolph gets to pack his bags.
If you don't feel like clicking on the link, it says that the Knicks would trade Zach Randolph and an unnamed player to the Nuggets for Linas Kleiza, J.R. Smith, Eduardo Najera and Steven Hunter. It just can't be real, life can't be that good.
Randolph is a cancer. No team could win with him as a first or second option. Granted if he went to Denver he'd be their No. 3 option, but it still wouldn't work out. Randolph wants to shoot every time he touches the basketball. On a night-to-night basis, he is absolutely painful to watch. I've never seen a guy who catches the ball in the post, gets tripled teamed and never once looks at his wide open shooters in the corner and top of the key. Doesn't even look! He just turns around and shoots or tries to force his way through and get fouled.
Get him outta New York! I'm not gonna lie, when the Knicks picked Randolph up for Steve Francis and Channing Frye, I thought Isiah was the man. Francis is finished, Frye is soft as hell and Randolph dominated on my fantasy team last year. It appeared to be a very promising deal. But then I saw Randolph play; yea, he gets his stats, but he has to have the lowest basketball IQ in the NBA and he's probably the worst defender in the history of organized sports.
There is no way that Denver could seriously be interested in him. The Nuggets are already one of the league's worst defensive teams and they get plenty of offense out of Carmelo, Iverson, K-Mart, Kleiza and Smith. Randolph would be a horrible, horrible fit for them. He's a terrible fit anywhere, really.
On the flip side, I would love to have Kleiza, Smith, Najera and Hunter on the Knicks. It's actually a perfect mix when you consider New York's needs. Heading into next season, the only returning Knicks should be Jamal Crawford, Stephon Marbury, David Lee, Nate Robinson, Malik Rose and maybe Renaldo Balkman. Of course for contract reasons those won't be the exact leftovers, but we're talking about my ideal world here. So we'd be left with a starting lineup of Marbury, Crawford, Kleiza, Lee and Eddy Curry, with a legitimate sixth man in J.R. Smith, two big men who can defend (Hunter, Rose), two small forwards who can defend (Najera, Balkman) and a good No. 3 guard in the East (Robinson).
That's still not a real contender, but it's better than what we have. I'm so sick of Quentin Richardson, Fred Jones and Jared Jeffries, and Smith, Kleiza and Najera are better respective versions of them. I would love to deal Curry and Jeffries together and get very little in return, just to save money. I'm not particularly fond of the centers in the upcoming free agent class so I say we sit on most of the money and bring Kurt Thomas back for one or two years and have him split with Hunter. Then when a legit center becomes available we have the money and some better pieces to deal, depending on the mode (free agency or a trade).
Who knows what to think at this point. I'll just keep my fingers crossed and hope that Randolph gets to pack his bags.
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