I can't help it...some of the first round playoff action has inspired me to update this list. Not only will I make slight amendments to the Top 10, but I'll extend the list all the way up to No. 20.
I know this probably isn't fair to some of the guys who missed out on the playoffs -- i.e. Vince Carter, Michael Redd, Jason Richardson, and Brandon Roy -- but I can't deny the urge. I point out guys like Carter, Redd, J-Rich and Roy in particular because they are in contention for some of the later spots on the list, but they could be overshadowed by playoff upstarts like Tony Parker, Joe Johnson and Andre Miller.
(Note: A written explanation will follow the ranking only if I have something new to say about the player. See this list, or its precedent to catch up on past player analysis.)
#1-Kobe Bryant, SG-Los Angeles Lakers
#2-LeBron James, SF-Cleveland Cavs
#3-Kevin Garnett, PF-Boston Celtics
#4-Chris Paul, PG-New Orleans Hornets
#5-Tim Duncan, PF-San Antonio Spurs
"The Big Fundamental" is getting a promotion because he was absolutely incredible in Game 1 of the Suns/Spurs series, a game that certainly qualifies for the distinction of "instant classic." Duncan scored 40 points, something he failed to do throughout the regular season. Even more impressive was his unlikely, heroic three-pointer to tie the game at the end of the first overtime.
But the promotion isn't only about Game 1. Despite today's loss, the Spurs are well in command of the series (3-1 lead) and there's no question that Duncan has a greater impact as a two-way player than Steve Nash. Tony Parker has made a mockery of Nash's defense, while Duncan continues to be a defensive force and presence on a nightly basis. In addition, when Duncan gets deep position down low he can score at will -- there's just no stopping him.
It's still an absolute joy to watch Nash control the offensive tempo. So he may be losing his No. 5 spot, but drops only one position to No. 6.
#6-Steve Nash, PG-Phoenix Suns
#7-Amare Stoudemire, PF-Phoenix Suns
#8-Dirk Nowitzki, PF-Dallas Mavericks
#9-Deron Williams, PG-Utah Jazz
It's getting tougher and tougher to decide at the bottom of the Top 10. Congrats to D-Will on making the list for the first time.
There are a few players who I am too disgusted with (with good reason, though) to grant them the honor of a Top 10 selection. They are Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony, and Baron Davis.
Iverson and Melo have allowed their Nuggets to get absolutely embarrassed by Kobe and the Lakers, who, mind you, are still without their defensive force Andrew Bynum. Sure, Iverson and Melo are getting their points, but their combined field goal percentage is horrid and they are both totally inadequate defenders. If this was the Top 10 Scorers list, they'd both be on it -- but this one's about more than just offense.
Baron, whom many of you know is one of my favorite players, played so poorly in the most important game of the Warriors' season that head coach Don Nelson was basically forced into benching him. "B-Diddy" didn't even play in the second half. You can't be Top 10 if you're not even on the floor when your team needs you the most.
That leaves us with Deron Williams. He's the best player on the most underrated team in the NBA, and he's a stud in the fourth quarter. Williams creates a large majority of Carlos Boozer's opportunities and has no offensive weaknesses. I like his toughness and intensity on defense as well. Again, big ups to you D-Will.
#10-Dwight Howard, PF/C-Orlando Magic
I'm going against my usual mantra here: "You can't be in the Top 10 if your team doesn't look to you at the end of important games." Yet while that remains true with Mr. Howard, his Magic are up 3-1 against a versatile Raptors' team that quite frankly, is better than I thought. Despite the fact that Hedo Turkoglu and Jameer Nelson are the Magic's closers, D-Howard is still the best player on his team 75-80 percent of the time.
He's a dominant rebounder and an intimidating defender. He plays with fire and he does everything he can to help his team win. The same can't be said of Iverson, Melo and B-Diddy right now.
#11-Allen Iverson, G-Denver Nuggets
#12-Baron Davis, PG-Golden State Warriors
#13-Carmelo Anthony, SF-Denver Nuggets
#14-Manu Ginobili-SG-San Antonio Spurs
Go ahead, say something bad about the way this guy plays the game. Just try it. Yea yea, he doesn't have the regular season statistics that some of the following players boast, but Ginobili is a f--kin winner. When the Spurs need a big play -- just like Duncan and Tony Parker -- Manu finds a way to come up with it.
Whether it's a lefty runner in the lane, a pull-up three, or a steal on the other side of the ball...GINOBILI (!! shout to Charles Barkley) gets it done in the clutch. Much respect for you, Manu.
#15-Tony Parker, PG-San Antonio Spurs
Quick. Clutch. Really, really quick. So damn clutch.
#16-Tracy McGrady, SG-Houston Rockets
Ever since he's been with the Rockets, I haven't been a big T-Mac supporter. I think he's just way too inconsistent with his outside shot. He takes ill-advised, heavily-contested shots that cause him to be one of the lower percentage shooters in the NBA.
That said, he's extremely versatile -- even more so than I originally thought. Watching him in the series with Utah, I've been very impressed with his defensive rebounding and ability to both strip offenders and block shots.
Can't find a way to win any big ones though. He just can't. Without Yao Ming, it's all on T-Mac in Houston. With the exception of Game 3, he's not doing enough to propel his team to victory in the fourth quarter.
#17-Chris Bosh, PF/C-Toronto Raptors
Similar to the case with T-Mac, I'm really not a big "Bosh guy." I feel like his game is very awkward, and he's soft in my mind; but hey, he seems to be puttin up 35 and 15 fairly often. I was extremely impressed with his 39 the other day against D-Howard too.
He features an exceptional mid-range jumper for his size, and being lefty never hurts either.
#18-Gilbert Arenas, G-Washington Wizards
#19-Chauncey Billups, PG-Detroit Pistons
#20-Carlos Boozer, PF-Utah Jazz
Just got too tired for explanations on the last three.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Thursday, April 17, 2008
The Mets Are Not a Real Team
When a professional athlete or team is awful beyond the point of logical comprehension, my friends and I always say that player or team is "not real." For example, big left-hander Mark Hendrickson (formerly of the New Jersey Nets) was the Florida Marlins' opening day starter this season. He's "not real." The Miami Heat's roster for the latter portion of this season -- boasting D-League studs like Joel Anthony, Kasim Powell and Stephane Lasme -- was "not real."
That leads us to my New York Mets. Though they currently sit at 8-6, just a half game behind the Marlins for first place in the NL East, the Mets are not real. It pains me to say it, but it's true. Just look at the Mets' everyday lineup:
1-Jose Reyes, SS
2-Ryan Church, RF
3-David Wright, 3B
4-Carlos Beltran, CF
5-Carlos Delgado, 1B
6-Angel Pagan, LF
7-Brian Schneider, C
8-Luis Castillo, 2B
I look at that and I very nearly vomit. That configuration is really difficult to stomach on a nightly basis. Casual baseball fans would say there are 4-5 real players in that lineup: Reyes, Wright, Beltran, Delgado and perhaps Castillo. In reality, the Mets have only three real hitters, if that. They are Wright, Beltran, and maybe Reyes.
Delgado provided a clutch RBI single against the Nationals last night, but it came off big-time bum Jon Rauch. Those of us who are familiar with NL East baseball know that Rauch is definitely not real. Delgado has been OK to this point in the season, but in general he's finished. He can't hit anything at 92 mph or above, and he's a non-factor against left-handed pitching. He blows in the field, too. Delgado actually dropped a throw the other day. Not in the dirt or anything, just an easy toss from Wright -- popped out of his glove. What is this, Little League?
Castillo is nearly a .300 lifetime hitter, so fans who haven't been following closely might think that he's real. Nope. Definitely not. Castillo has two bad knees and he can't hit the ball out of the infield. Not that he hit the ball out of the infield much in the past, but he used to be able to beat out slow choppers. Now he chops them and he's out by 40 feet at first. Nice work on the four-year contract Omar Minaya. Between Minaya and Willie Randolph, I'm gonna be a Royals fan before I know it.
Then there's Reyes. He's "real" because of his basestealing, defense and general raw speed, but I'm still not sold on him at the plate. The mechanics of his lefty swing are absolutely atrocious. He's found a way to make it work in the past, but the herky-jerkyness doesn't lend itself to long-term consistency. His right-handed swing, however, is more natural and smooth. For Reyes, it's too bad that 70-80 percent of pitchers are righties.
So that leaves Church, Pagan and Schneider. I like Church against righties. His stroke is fluid and he really trusts his hands through the zone. He still chases too much junk in the dirt for my liking, particularly against southpaws.
Pagan has played inspired ball, but I think we all know it's just a fluke. He's excited about the opportunity he has in Moises Alou's absence, and he's capitalizing to the best of his ability. But expect his batting average to drop consistently from now until the point when Alou returns. The saddest part about Pagan's inevitable demotion to the bench? We won't get to see the fans at Shea Stadium standing and flapping their metaphorical wings like Disney's "Angels in the Outfield."
And Schneider, well, I've never liked the guy. Ever since Buck Martinez chose Schneider as his catcher for the USA team during the World Baseball Classic, I've hated them both. Schneider just can't hit. He just can't. His lifetime average is below .260.
Sadly enough, the Mets' bullpen is also not real. Aaron Heilman is easily one of the worst setup men in all of baseball, Jorge Sosa is going through a Rick Ankiel control stage, and Matt Wise's fastball was around 67 mph before heading for the disabled list.
On the bright side, both the lineup and bullpen have the potential to become real. If Alou and catcher Ramon Castro can return to the lineup healthy and relatively productive, that will have a drastic impact on the Mets' success.
Formerly nasty right-hander Duaner Sanchez has finally returned to the bullpen after a loooong hiatus. If he can get anywhere near where he was in 2006, the Mets can push shitty Heilman back to the 7th inning, or maybe trade him. The ever-reliable lefty Pedro Feliciano deserves the 7th inning anyway. He's been untouchable the past season and a half. Other lefty Scott Schoeneweis shows occasional signs of life, as well.
As far as starting pitching goes, even without Pedro Martinez and Orlando Hernandez, the Mets' rotation is still real by today's standards. Johan Santana, John Maine and Oliver Perez are a strong 1-2-3, and young sinkerballer Mike Pelfrey is off to a dominant start. Journeyman Nelson Figueroa has been surprisingly effective, too.
So while the Mets aren't "real" right now, they have the potential to improve significantly within the next month and a half/two months. The extent of the improvement will be dependent on Alou, Castro, Sanchez, and perhaps El Duque. Hopefully we can hold our own until some of the "real" players return to form.
That leads us to my New York Mets. Though they currently sit at 8-6, just a half game behind the Marlins for first place in the NL East, the Mets are not real. It pains me to say it, but it's true. Just look at the Mets' everyday lineup:
1-Jose Reyes, SS
2-Ryan Church, RF
3-David Wright, 3B
4-Carlos Beltran, CF
5-Carlos Delgado, 1B
6-Angel Pagan, LF
7-Brian Schneider, C
8-Luis Castillo, 2B
I look at that and I very nearly vomit. That configuration is really difficult to stomach on a nightly basis. Casual baseball fans would say there are 4-5 real players in that lineup: Reyes, Wright, Beltran, Delgado and perhaps Castillo. In reality, the Mets have only three real hitters, if that. They are Wright, Beltran, and maybe Reyes.
Delgado provided a clutch RBI single against the Nationals last night, but it came off big-time bum Jon Rauch. Those of us who are familiar with NL East baseball know that Rauch is definitely not real. Delgado has been OK to this point in the season, but in general he's finished. He can't hit anything at 92 mph or above, and he's a non-factor against left-handed pitching. He blows in the field, too. Delgado actually dropped a throw the other day. Not in the dirt or anything, just an easy toss from Wright -- popped out of his glove. What is this, Little League?
Castillo is nearly a .300 lifetime hitter, so fans who haven't been following closely might think that he's real. Nope. Definitely not. Castillo has two bad knees and he can't hit the ball out of the infield. Not that he hit the ball out of the infield much in the past, but he used to be able to beat out slow choppers. Now he chops them and he's out by 40 feet at first. Nice work on the four-year contract Omar Minaya. Between Minaya and Willie Randolph, I'm gonna be a Royals fan before I know it.
Then there's Reyes. He's "real" because of his basestealing, defense and general raw speed, but I'm still not sold on him at the plate. The mechanics of his lefty swing are absolutely atrocious. He's found a way to make it work in the past, but the herky-jerkyness doesn't lend itself to long-term consistency. His right-handed swing, however, is more natural and smooth. For Reyes, it's too bad that 70-80 percent of pitchers are righties.
So that leaves Church, Pagan and Schneider. I like Church against righties. His stroke is fluid and he really trusts his hands through the zone. He still chases too much junk in the dirt for my liking, particularly against southpaws.
Pagan has played inspired ball, but I think we all know it's just a fluke. He's excited about the opportunity he has in Moises Alou's absence, and he's capitalizing to the best of his ability. But expect his batting average to drop consistently from now until the point when Alou returns. The saddest part about Pagan's inevitable demotion to the bench? We won't get to see the fans at Shea Stadium standing and flapping their metaphorical wings like Disney's "Angels in the Outfield."
And Schneider, well, I've never liked the guy. Ever since Buck Martinez chose Schneider as his catcher for the USA team during the World Baseball Classic, I've hated them both. Schneider just can't hit. He just can't. His lifetime average is below .260.
Sadly enough, the Mets' bullpen is also not real. Aaron Heilman is easily one of the worst setup men in all of baseball, Jorge Sosa is going through a Rick Ankiel control stage, and Matt Wise's fastball was around 67 mph before heading for the disabled list.
On the bright side, both the lineup and bullpen have the potential to become real. If Alou and catcher Ramon Castro can return to the lineup healthy and relatively productive, that will have a drastic impact on the Mets' success.
Formerly nasty right-hander Duaner Sanchez has finally returned to the bullpen after a loooong hiatus. If he can get anywhere near where he was in 2006, the Mets can push shitty Heilman back to the 7th inning, or maybe trade him. The ever-reliable lefty Pedro Feliciano deserves the 7th inning anyway. He's been untouchable the past season and a half. Other lefty Scott Schoeneweis shows occasional signs of life, as well.
As far as starting pitching goes, even without Pedro Martinez and Orlando Hernandez, the Mets' rotation is still real by today's standards. Johan Santana, John Maine and Oliver Perez are a strong 1-2-3, and young sinkerballer Mike Pelfrey is off to a dominant start. Journeyman Nelson Figueroa has been surprisingly effective, too.
So while the Mets aren't "real" right now, they have the potential to improve significantly within the next month and a half/two months. The extent of the improvement will be dependent on Alou, Castro, Sanchez, and perhaps El Duque. Hopefully we can hold our own until some of the "real" players return to form.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Not As Bad As They Seem, Vol. 1: The Bulls
Watching the Bulls/Cavs game tonight, it was overtly clear that the Bulls aren't that bad -- not at all, really. Yet they sit at 29-45, 11th in the "weak" Eastern Conference. I put "weak" in quotes because talent wise, I don't think the East is nearly as weak as people think. As far as results go, well, I can't argue with the East's label as the clearly inferior conference.
But back to the Bulls. I think they have 13 guys on their roster who could make an argument for considerable playing time. Yup, I'm gonna list them: Shannon Brown, Luol Deng, Chris Duhon, Drew Gooden, Ben Gordon, Aaron Gray, Kirk Hinrich, Larry Hughes, Joakim Noah, Andres Nocioni, Thabo Sefolosha, Cedric Simmons, and Tyrus Thomas.
Now Brown, Gray and Simmons are younger guys who have all shown potential in limited minutes. However, I realize they are the bottom three of this list, so for argument's sake let's say head coach Jim Boylan wants to cut it down to a standard 10-man rotation. Gooden came down with what appears to be a season-ending injury toward the end of last week, so let's leave him out as well.
Left over nine: Deng, Duhon, Gordon, Hinrich, Hughes, Noah, Nocioni, Sefolosha and Thomas.
Deng, Gordon, Hinrich and Nocioni are the four key holdovers from the successful Chicago teams of the past two seasons. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." I realize Deng, Gordon and Nocioni have battled nagging injuries, but if they're all available, why not just start them all? They have great continuity and fluidity as a unit, that's what made the Bulls a contender in the East the last two years. To stick to the cliche, Scott Skiles shouldn't have been fired, either.
So: PG-Hinrich, SG-Gordon, F-Nocioni, F-Deng. That leaves the center position, and with Gooden out, I guess Noah has earned that position with his play in the season's second half.
PG-Hinrich, SG-Gordon, F-Nocioni, F-Deng, C-Noah, 6-Hughes, 7-Sefolosha, 8-Thomas, 9-Duhon. That's not bad at all. Sefolosha has developed nicely this season, and is a rare young player with exceptional defensive skills. Hughes can handle duties at three different positions -- PG, SG, and if needed SF -- and Thomas brings energy, athleticism and exuberance. Duhon is a pretty heady combo guard.
I don't know. Do they look bad to you? Yea, this season was a mess with the Skiles firing and the Ben Wallace trade involving eight Bulls and Cavs -- but if they retain most of what they have here, I don't see any reason why the Bulls would struggle again next season. Find a solid replacement for the interim (Boylan) and they should be a top 4-6 Eastern team again. I'm sure some experienced coaches out there would love to inherit this level of talent. Maybe Mike Fratello, Larry Brown...hell, maybe even Hubie Brown.
Don't fret, Bulls fans. I think you guys are going to be OK in the near future.
But back to the Bulls. I think they have 13 guys on their roster who could make an argument for considerable playing time. Yup, I'm gonna list them: Shannon Brown, Luol Deng, Chris Duhon, Drew Gooden, Ben Gordon, Aaron Gray, Kirk Hinrich, Larry Hughes, Joakim Noah, Andres Nocioni, Thabo Sefolosha, Cedric Simmons, and Tyrus Thomas.
Now Brown, Gray and Simmons are younger guys who have all shown potential in limited minutes. However, I realize they are the bottom three of this list, so for argument's sake let's say head coach Jim Boylan wants to cut it down to a standard 10-man rotation. Gooden came down with what appears to be a season-ending injury toward the end of last week, so let's leave him out as well.
Left over nine: Deng, Duhon, Gordon, Hinrich, Hughes, Noah, Nocioni, Sefolosha and Thomas.
Deng, Gordon, Hinrich and Nocioni are the four key holdovers from the successful Chicago teams of the past two seasons. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." I realize Deng, Gordon and Nocioni have battled nagging injuries, but if they're all available, why not just start them all? They have great continuity and fluidity as a unit, that's what made the Bulls a contender in the East the last two years. To stick to the cliche, Scott Skiles shouldn't have been fired, either.
So: PG-Hinrich, SG-Gordon, F-Nocioni, F-Deng. That leaves the center position, and with Gooden out, I guess Noah has earned that position with his play in the season's second half.
PG-Hinrich, SG-Gordon, F-Nocioni, F-Deng, C-Noah, 6-Hughes, 7-Sefolosha, 8-Thomas, 9-Duhon. That's not bad at all. Sefolosha has developed nicely this season, and is a rare young player with exceptional defensive skills. Hughes can handle duties at three different positions -- PG, SG, and if needed SF -- and Thomas brings energy, athleticism and exuberance. Duhon is a pretty heady combo guard.
I don't know. Do they look bad to you? Yea, this season was a mess with the Skiles firing and the Ben Wallace trade involving eight Bulls and Cavs -- but if they retain most of what they have here, I don't see any reason why the Bulls would struggle again next season. Find a solid replacement for the interim (Boylan) and they should be a top 4-6 Eastern team again. I'm sure some experienced coaches out there would love to inherit this level of talent. Maybe Mike Fratello, Larry Brown...hell, maybe even Hubie Brown.
Don't fret, Bulls fans. I think you guys are going to be OK in the near future.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Around the Sports World
I don't have time for a pointed, full-length post so I figured I'd briefly comment on recent action in the sports world.
NBA: I'm watching the Warriors/Mavericks game right now and Dirk Nowitzki has unexpectedly returned from injury. Rotoworld.com reported earlier today that Dirk would definitely not be playing tonight -- so much for that. Dirk looks fine in the early going, he picked up a couple of easy buckets.
As for the game itself, it has major Western Conference playoff implications. If the Warriors win, they'll be in a three-way tie with the Mavs and Denver Nuggets. The Mavs have the homecourt advantage tonight and the momentum of Dirk's return, so it'll be a tough task for the Warriors. Also, the Warriors are without valuable, injured swingman Mickael Pietrus once again tonight.
Monta Ellis has to take advantage of his mismatch with "Grandpa" Kidd. There's no way Kidd can handle Monta's mind-blowing quickness. Although I must say, Kidd looks sharp with his distributing here in the first half.
Along with the Lakers, the Warriors are my favorite team in the West, so I'm in their corner tonight. Unfortunately, with Dirk looking about 90 percent and Josh Howard playing phenomenally of late, I don't think Golden State will pull this one out on the road. Their best hope is to keep it extremely close through the fourth quarter, because they have top-notch closers in Baron Davis and Stephen Jackson.
MLB: I don't know what to think about the Mets. They won an easy one on Opening Day, looked absolutely awful in a loss last night, and smoked the Marlins tonight. As usual, the Metropolitans are going to drive me nuts.
There is a ton of pressure on David Wright, Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes this season. Moises Alou is injured again, and the Mets will sorely miss his run production and .300-plus batting average. Carlos Delgado continues his downward spiral toward retirement, and who knows what we'll get from Angel Pagan, Ryan Church and Brian Schneider.
And can everyone please stop with Pedro. PLEASE. He's 78 years old and he throws 81 mph. Sure, he occupies the No. 2 spot in the rotation, but anyone who knows baseball knows he's the Mets' fourth or fifth best starter. He's clearly behind Johan Santana, Oliver Perez and John Maine, and if healthy, Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez is probably better than Pedro, as well.
Yea, blah blah Pedro is the emotional leader. Spare me. He's pretty much finished -- he's a decent No. 4 starter in the NL and nothing more. Bring back El Duque and we'll be fine.
NBA: Mike Bibby coming through big time for the Hawks. I posted when the trade happened: helluva job by Atlanta's management. The move for Bibby put them over the top and clearly separated them from the Nets and Pacers. Ugh, the Nets. Don't get me started.
FIRE LAWRENCE FRANK!
Anyway, Bibby knocked down a hugeee three at the end of regulation to tie it against Toronto. Hawks went on to win it with 147 total points after overtime.
MLB: My fantasy team is lookin pretty sharp so far. Home runs from six different guys and it's only Wednesday. Oh, just in case you're wondering: Mark Teixeira, Josh Willingham, Dan Uggla, Nate McLouth, Chipper Jones and Stephen Drew.
Yes, I drafted Nate McLouth and started him the first week of the fantasy season. I'm that good.
NBA: Update on the Warriors' game already. We're down by 16 in the second quarter. The Mavs are looking the best I've seen them all season. I said our chances were slim when we were only down five...just thought I'd throw that out there. We have to get it respectable in the third quarter or else this one is gonna get out of hand like last night against San Antonio.
No Warriors in the playoffs = no fun. Pick it up, Baron. Do it yourself if you have to.
NBA: I'm watching the Warriors/Mavericks game right now and Dirk Nowitzki has unexpectedly returned from injury. Rotoworld.com reported earlier today that Dirk would definitely not be playing tonight -- so much for that. Dirk looks fine in the early going, he picked up a couple of easy buckets.
As for the game itself, it has major Western Conference playoff implications. If the Warriors win, they'll be in a three-way tie with the Mavs and Denver Nuggets. The Mavs have the homecourt advantage tonight and the momentum of Dirk's return, so it'll be a tough task for the Warriors. Also, the Warriors are without valuable, injured swingman Mickael Pietrus once again tonight.
Monta Ellis has to take advantage of his mismatch with "Grandpa" Kidd. There's no way Kidd can handle Monta's mind-blowing quickness. Although I must say, Kidd looks sharp with his distributing here in the first half.
Along with the Lakers, the Warriors are my favorite team in the West, so I'm in their corner tonight. Unfortunately, with Dirk looking about 90 percent and Josh Howard playing phenomenally of late, I don't think Golden State will pull this one out on the road. Their best hope is to keep it extremely close through the fourth quarter, because they have top-notch closers in Baron Davis and Stephen Jackson.
MLB: I don't know what to think about the Mets. They won an easy one on Opening Day, looked absolutely awful in a loss last night, and smoked the Marlins tonight. As usual, the Metropolitans are going to drive me nuts.
There is a ton of pressure on David Wright, Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes this season. Moises Alou is injured again, and the Mets will sorely miss his run production and .300-plus batting average. Carlos Delgado continues his downward spiral toward retirement, and who knows what we'll get from Angel Pagan, Ryan Church and Brian Schneider.
And can everyone please stop with Pedro. PLEASE. He's 78 years old and he throws 81 mph. Sure, he occupies the No. 2 spot in the rotation, but anyone who knows baseball knows he's the Mets' fourth or fifth best starter. He's clearly behind Johan Santana, Oliver Perez and John Maine, and if healthy, Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez is probably better than Pedro, as well.
Yea, blah blah Pedro is the emotional leader. Spare me. He's pretty much finished -- he's a decent No. 4 starter in the NL and nothing more. Bring back El Duque and we'll be fine.
NBA: Mike Bibby coming through big time for the Hawks. I posted when the trade happened: helluva job by Atlanta's management. The move for Bibby put them over the top and clearly separated them from the Nets and Pacers. Ugh, the Nets. Don't get me started.
FIRE LAWRENCE FRANK!
Anyway, Bibby knocked down a hugeee three at the end of regulation to tie it against Toronto. Hawks went on to win it with 147 total points after overtime.
MLB: My fantasy team is lookin pretty sharp so far. Home runs from six different guys and it's only Wednesday. Oh, just in case you're wondering: Mark Teixeira, Josh Willingham, Dan Uggla, Nate McLouth, Chipper Jones and Stephen Drew.
Yes, I drafted Nate McLouth and started him the first week of the fantasy season. I'm that good.
NBA: Update on the Warriors' game already. We're down by 16 in the second quarter. The Mavs are looking the best I've seen them all season. I said our chances were slim when we were only down five...just thought I'd throw that out there. We have to get it respectable in the third quarter or else this one is gonna get out of hand like last night against San Antonio.
No Warriors in the playoffs = no fun. Pick it up, Baron. Do it yourself if you have to.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
The MLB's Top Starting Rotations
A few days ago, I stumbled upon an interesting MLB forum entitled, "Who has the best starting rotation in the MLB?" The message board had a weird format where the person who wrote the initial question got to choose the "best" response from the ensuing answers. The person who suggested that the Tigers have the best rotation was selected as the victor.
My initial reaction was, "No f---in' way." I was mostly annoyed by the fact that they said the Tigers had "four legitimate No. 1 starters" in Justin Verlander, Jeremy Bonderman, Kenny Rogers and Dontrelle Willis. Verlander is the only true No. 1 in there. I don't know what they were thinking with Rogers and Willis; Bonderman has fallen off, as well.
Yet as irked as I was, after glancing over all the rotations, the person who picked the Tigers has a decent argument. They employed the wrong reasoning; Detroit's strength isn't that it has "four No.1's" -- its strength is that all five of its starters is at the very least, average. (The fifth starter being lefty Nate Robertson).
Yup, that's where Major League Baseball is at these days. Five average to slightly above average pitchers gives you one of the top rotations in either league. Yikes. Enjoy the feast, hitters.
Now do I think the Tigers actually boast the premier rotation in baseball? No. But they certainly make the top five-to-eight. It's difficult to rank the starting staffs this early in the season, because many integral arms are being placed on the 15-day DL for precautionary reasons; but as it stands right now, here's how I have it:
#1-Toronto Blue Jays: Roy Halladay, A.J. Burnett, Dustin McGowan, Shaun Marcum and Jesse Litsch.
I'm giving the Blue Jays the early nod because they have their entire 1-5 intact.
Here are the "ifs": if the Yankees had Joba Chamberlain in the rotation they could probably be No. 1; if the Red Sox had a healthy Curt Schilling they'd arguably be No. 1; if the Angels had both John Lackey and Kelvim Escobar they could certainly be atop the list; if the Mets had a game-ready Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez they might be the class of the league; and if the Diamondbacks had Randy Johnson prepared they could be in the running for the top spot.
What do all of those missing pitchers have in common? They leave a serious question mark behind in the No. 5 spot of their respective rotations. Now I'm not saying that Litsch is an incredible No. 5 starter, but he's the man the Jays finished 2007 with -- he's a young gun who throws strikes and keeps his team in the game. That's all anyone can ask from a No. 5 in today's MLB.
Halladay is still a legitimate No. 1, Burnett has mind-numbingly nasty stuff, McGowan emerged as one of the best young pitchers in the American League ast season, and Marcum joins Chien-Ming Wang, Fausto Carmona, and Jake Westbrook as one of the top sinkerballers in the AL.
You can see how this list is subject to change, because Burnett will likely suffer a serious injury at some point in the season. It's a yearly occurrence. But as of right now, he's healthy and the Blue Jays have a nice balance of youth, experience, depth and sheer talent.
#2-Seattle Mariners: Erik Bedard, Felix Hernandez, Jarrod Washburn, Miguel Batista and Carlos Silva.
Bedard hasn't been impressive this spring, but he unquestionably developed into one of the top left-handed pitchers in all of baseball last season. He features a live, low-to-mid 90s fastball, a little change-up and a sharp breaking ball. Logic insists that Bedard's numbers will only improve as he moves from Baltimore into the spacious confines of Safeco.
Hernandez undoubtedly has one of the top five arsenals -- along with Burnett, Josh Beckett, Chamberlain and either Verlander or Danny Haren. When I say arsenal, I basically mean "stuff." "King Felix" has an electric upper-90s fastball, a devastating splitter, good curve and a developing dive-change. Similarly to Burnett, the concerns with Hernandez are always health related.
Washburn and Batista are solid 3/4's that complement each other well. Washburn is a reliable lefty who isn't afraid to challenge hitters despite average stuff, and Batista is a battle-tested right-hander who relies heavily upon a hard cutter. Both are good for 10-15 wins.
Of course, the weakest link is Silva. Silva picked up a nice chunk of change from the Mariners this offseason, and he's thanked them by getting absolutely shelled this spring. Mariners' fans, I wouldn't be too worried...yet. Silva was a decent No. 3 for the Twins the past two years and he throws strikes, eats innings and has good sink on his two-seamer.
#3-Detroit Tigers: Justin Verlander, Kenny Rogers, Jeremy Bonderman, Dontrelle Willis and Nate Robertson.
Since this group has already been mentioned, I'm not going to go into too much detail. Bonderman and Rogers battled injuries last year and Willis is coming off the worst season of his career, but the friendly confines of Comerica Park should help them bounce back nicely. If Bonderman and Willis get off to extremely slow starts the Tigers won't remain on this list.
#4-New York Yankees: Chien-Ming Wang, Andy Pettitte, Phil Hughes, Mike Mussina and Ian Kennedy.
This one's probably a bit controversial, in large part because Hughes and Kennedy are entering their first full seasons as Major League starters. That could be a cause for concern to some, but Hughes and Kennedy have some of the best 3/5 potential in the Bigs. Hughes impressed with good stuff and surprisingly sharp command toward the end of 2007, and Kennedy will likely be one of the top 3-5 No. 5 starters in baseball.
Wang and Pettitte will be steady and pick up plenty of wins at the top of the rotation, as long as Pettitte can avoid aging quickly during the course of a single season. Injuries are a slight concern for him, as well. Mussina has looked fairly sharp this spring, and should be a respectable holdover until Chamberlain joins the rotation later on.
#5-New York Mets: Johan Santana, Pedro Martinez, John Maine, Oliver Perez and Jorge Sosa.
The Mets would probably have the elite staff if El Duque was in place of Sosa. Sosa was lights out as a No. 5 starter during the first half of the 2007 season, but he tapered off significantly and was eventually relegated to the bullpen.
Santana is probably still the top pitcher in baseball, Pedro is in tip-top condition by his shaky physical standards, and Maine and Perez are phenomenal 3/4 options. Both Maine and Perez won at least 14 games last year, as they anchored a Mets' rotation that lacked a dominant ace. Sure, Pedro's a question mark, but New York does have El Duque and hard-throwing youngster Mike Pelfrey waiting in the wings. It's tough to find three legitimate pitchers like Santana, Maine and Perez in a MLB staff nowadays.
Honorable Mention:
Boston Red Sox: Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Jon Lester, Tim Wakefield and Clay Buchholz. (Schilling injured).
Cleveland Indians: C.C. Sabathia, Carmona, Jake Westbrook, Paul Byrd and Cliff Lee.
Arizona Diamondbacks: Brandon Webb, Haren, Doug Davis, Micah Owings and Edgar Gonzalez ("Big Unit" injured)
Chicago Cubs: Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly, Rich Hill, Jason Marquis and Ryan Dempster. Wild card = Jon Lieber.
My initial reaction was, "No f---in' way." I was mostly annoyed by the fact that they said the Tigers had "four legitimate No. 1 starters" in Justin Verlander, Jeremy Bonderman, Kenny Rogers and Dontrelle Willis. Verlander is the only true No. 1 in there. I don't know what they were thinking with Rogers and Willis; Bonderman has fallen off, as well.
Yet as irked as I was, after glancing over all the rotations, the person who picked the Tigers has a decent argument. They employed the wrong reasoning; Detroit's strength isn't that it has "four No.1's" -- its strength is that all five of its starters is at the very least, average. (The fifth starter being lefty Nate Robertson).
Yup, that's where Major League Baseball is at these days. Five average to slightly above average pitchers gives you one of the top rotations in either league. Yikes. Enjoy the feast, hitters.
Now do I think the Tigers actually boast the premier rotation in baseball? No. But they certainly make the top five-to-eight. It's difficult to rank the starting staffs this early in the season, because many integral arms are being placed on the 15-day DL for precautionary reasons; but as it stands right now, here's how I have it:
#1-Toronto Blue Jays: Roy Halladay, A.J. Burnett, Dustin McGowan, Shaun Marcum and Jesse Litsch.
I'm giving the Blue Jays the early nod because they have their entire 1-5 intact.
Here are the "ifs": if the Yankees had Joba Chamberlain in the rotation they could probably be No. 1; if the Red Sox had a healthy Curt Schilling they'd arguably be No. 1; if the Angels had both John Lackey and Kelvim Escobar they could certainly be atop the list; if the Mets had a game-ready Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez they might be the class of the league; and if the Diamondbacks had Randy Johnson prepared they could be in the running for the top spot.
What do all of those missing pitchers have in common? They leave a serious question mark behind in the No. 5 spot of their respective rotations. Now I'm not saying that Litsch is an incredible No. 5 starter, but he's the man the Jays finished 2007 with -- he's a young gun who throws strikes and keeps his team in the game. That's all anyone can ask from a No. 5 in today's MLB.
Halladay is still a legitimate No. 1, Burnett has mind-numbingly nasty stuff, McGowan emerged as one of the best young pitchers in the American League ast season, and Marcum joins Chien-Ming Wang, Fausto Carmona, and Jake Westbrook as one of the top sinkerballers in the AL.
You can see how this list is subject to change, because Burnett will likely suffer a serious injury at some point in the season. It's a yearly occurrence. But as of right now, he's healthy and the Blue Jays have a nice balance of youth, experience, depth and sheer talent.
#2-Seattle Mariners: Erik Bedard, Felix Hernandez, Jarrod Washburn, Miguel Batista and Carlos Silva.
Bedard hasn't been impressive this spring, but he unquestionably developed into one of the top left-handed pitchers in all of baseball last season. He features a live, low-to-mid 90s fastball, a little change-up and a sharp breaking ball. Logic insists that Bedard's numbers will only improve as he moves from Baltimore into the spacious confines of Safeco.
Hernandez undoubtedly has one of the top five arsenals -- along with Burnett, Josh Beckett, Chamberlain and either Verlander or Danny Haren. When I say arsenal, I basically mean "stuff." "King Felix" has an electric upper-90s fastball, a devastating splitter, good curve and a developing dive-change. Similarly to Burnett, the concerns with Hernandez are always health related.
Washburn and Batista are solid 3/4's that complement each other well. Washburn is a reliable lefty who isn't afraid to challenge hitters despite average stuff, and Batista is a battle-tested right-hander who relies heavily upon a hard cutter. Both are good for 10-15 wins.
Of course, the weakest link is Silva. Silva picked up a nice chunk of change from the Mariners this offseason, and he's thanked them by getting absolutely shelled this spring. Mariners' fans, I wouldn't be too worried...yet. Silva was a decent No. 3 for the Twins the past two years and he throws strikes, eats innings and has good sink on his two-seamer.
#3-Detroit Tigers: Justin Verlander, Kenny Rogers, Jeremy Bonderman, Dontrelle Willis and Nate Robertson.
Since this group has already been mentioned, I'm not going to go into too much detail. Bonderman and Rogers battled injuries last year and Willis is coming off the worst season of his career, but the friendly confines of Comerica Park should help them bounce back nicely. If Bonderman and Willis get off to extremely slow starts the Tigers won't remain on this list.
#4-New York Yankees: Chien-Ming Wang, Andy Pettitte, Phil Hughes, Mike Mussina and Ian Kennedy.
This one's probably a bit controversial, in large part because Hughes and Kennedy are entering their first full seasons as Major League starters. That could be a cause for concern to some, but Hughes and Kennedy have some of the best 3/5 potential in the Bigs. Hughes impressed with good stuff and surprisingly sharp command toward the end of 2007, and Kennedy will likely be one of the top 3-5 No. 5 starters in baseball.
Wang and Pettitte will be steady and pick up plenty of wins at the top of the rotation, as long as Pettitte can avoid aging quickly during the course of a single season. Injuries are a slight concern for him, as well. Mussina has looked fairly sharp this spring, and should be a respectable holdover until Chamberlain joins the rotation later on.
#5-New York Mets: Johan Santana, Pedro Martinez, John Maine, Oliver Perez and Jorge Sosa.
The Mets would probably have the elite staff if El Duque was in place of Sosa. Sosa was lights out as a No. 5 starter during the first half of the 2007 season, but he tapered off significantly and was eventually relegated to the bullpen.
Santana is probably still the top pitcher in baseball, Pedro is in tip-top condition by his shaky physical standards, and Maine and Perez are phenomenal 3/4 options. Both Maine and Perez won at least 14 games last year, as they anchored a Mets' rotation that lacked a dominant ace. Sure, Pedro's a question mark, but New York does have El Duque and hard-throwing youngster Mike Pelfrey waiting in the wings. It's tough to find three legitimate pitchers like Santana, Maine and Perez in a MLB staff nowadays.
Honorable Mention:
Boston Red Sox: Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Jon Lester, Tim Wakefield and Clay Buchholz. (Schilling injured).
Cleveland Indians: C.C. Sabathia, Carmona, Jake Westbrook, Paul Byrd and Cliff Lee.
Arizona Diamondbacks: Brandon Webb, Haren, Doug Davis, Micah Owings and Edgar Gonzalez ("Big Unit" injured)
Chicago Cubs: Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly, Rich Hill, Jason Marquis and Ryan Dempster. Wild card = Jon Lieber.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Fire Lawrence Frank! Now!
I can't believe that Lawrence Frank still has a job with the New Jersey Nets. We can add tonight's four-point loss in Philadelphia to the "if I was coaching the Nets we would have won" category. Let's get to the specifics:
The Nets were trailing by seven at halftime, only to go on a furious third-quarter run that turned the tides and gave them an eight point lead. Credit the run's success to Vince Carter, Devin Harris, Boki Nachbar and Josh Boone. So, shortly after the Nets' lead extends to eight and the Sixers call a timeout, Frank takes out Harris, Nachbar and Boone...
Enter Marcus Williams, Richard Jefferson and Trenton Hassell. Yes, Trenton Hassell. And if you're wondering, yes...he did airball his first and only shot attempt of the evening. Not a joke. Williams proceeded to commit two crucial turnovers and Jefferson struggled to get going all night.
I blinked, and we were behind in the early stages of the fourth quarter. I know NBA guys need their rest, but this was the biggest game of the season for the Nets and Frank failed to ride the rush. Should have left VC, Harris, Boki and Boone out there until their play indicated fatigue or the Sixers began to turn it around on the scoreboard.
Neither was the case when Frank made his costly substitutions.
Frank's decision-making was equally as horrible or worse in the fourth. He overplayed the physically ailing Nenad Krstic, who allowed Samuel Dalembert to rip down 18 rebounds, including four or five critical bounds in the final three minutes. Krstic is far from athletic, and throw in a pair of bad knees -- how the hell is he supposed to stay with the younger, longer, quicker, more explosive Dalembert?
Krstic had no shot. Frank had two athletic options on the bench -- rookie Sean Williams and the enigmatic Stromile Swift -- but he failed to pull the trigger and play the match-up. Instead he left Krstic out there to rot and when Carter missed a potential game-tying three in the final 25 seconds, Krstic got outjumped by Dalembert (what a surprise) and was unable to snatch a rebound that should have been his.
Cue the annoying timeouts. A Frank trademark. This is the NBA!!! Coach, you have Carter and Jefferson, these guys can close games without one of your terrible set plays that never work. He calls a timeout for every possession in the final 1:30! The frustration on the faces of his players is as clear as the fact that he shouldn't be coaching in the NBA. Take a lesson from Phil Jackson -- the guy lets his players go, and they deliver for him.
Sure, Carter isn't Michael or Kobe, but he does have four game-winners this season. Put it in his hands, let him win the game for you -- Frank's diagrammed plays don't work anyway. Jefferson has a few game-winners too.
I can't even write about Lawrence Frank anymore. I get too frustrated even thinking about him and the way the Nets are playing this season. He coaches pros like they're a bunch of middle schoolers and he's a shell of the man he replaced -- the successful Byron Scott.
If the Nets miss the playoffs and Frank keeps his job...I'm becoming a T'Wolves fan.
The Nets were trailing by seven at halftime, only to go on a furious third-quarter run that turned the tides and gave them an eight point lead. Credit the run's success to Vince Carter, Devin Harris, Boki Nachbar and Josh Boone. So, shortly after the Nets' lead extends to eight and the Sixers call a timeout, Frank takes out Harris, Nachbar and Boone...
Enter Marcus Williams, Richard Jefferson and Trenton Hassell. Yes, Trenton Hassell. And if you're wondering, yes...he did airball his first and only shot attempt of the evening. Not a joke. Williams proceeded to commit two crucial turnovers and Jefferson struggled to get going all night.
I blinked, and we were behind in the early stages of the fourth quarter. I know NBA guys need their rest, but this was the biggest game of the season for the Nets and Frank failed to ride the rush. Should have left VC, Harris, Boki and Boone out there until their play indicated fatigue or the Sixers began to turn it around on the scoreboard.
Neither was the case when Frank made his costly substitutions.
Frank's decision-making was equally as horrible or worse in the fourth. He overplayed the physically ailing Nenad Krstic, who allowed Samuel Dalembert to rip down 18 rebounds, including four or five critical bounds in the final three minutes. Krstic is far from athletic, and throw in a pair of bad knees -- how the hell is he supposed to stay with the younger, longer, quicker, more explosive Dalembert?
Krstic had no shot. Frank had two athletic options on the bench -- rookie Sean Williams and the enigmatic Stromile Swift -- but he failed to pull the trigger and play the match-up. Instead he left Krstic out there to rot and when Carter missed a potential game-tying three in the final 25 seconds, Krstic got outjumped by Dalembert (what a surprise) and was unable to snatch a rebound that should have been his.
Cue the annoying timeouts. A Frank trademark. This is the NBA!!! Coach, you have Carter and Jefferson, these guys can close games without one of your terrible set plays that never work. He calls a timeout for every possession in the final 1:30! The frustration on the faces of his players is as clear as the fact that he shouldn't be coaching in the NBA. Take a lesson from Phil Jackson -- the guy lets his players go, and they deliver for him.
Sure, Carter isn't Michael or Kobe, but he does have four game-winners this season. Put it in his hands, let him win the game for you -- Frank's diagrammed plays don't work anyway. Jefferson has a few game-winners too.
I can't even write about Lawrence Frank anymore. I get too frustrated even thinking about him and the way the Nets are playing this season. He coaches pros like they're a bunch of middle schoolers and he's a shell of the man he replaced -- the successful Byron Scott.
If the Nets miss the playoffs and Frank keeps his job...I'm becoming a T'Wolves fan.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
The Celtics Make a Statement in Houston
The Celtics snapped the Rockets' improbable 22-game winning streak tonight with a dominant performance in Houston. The game was tied at 40 at the half, but in the second half, the better team took command behind their superstars -- Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce -- and a hungry, young bench player in Leon Powe.
There is absolutely no doubt that the Celtics are a better team than the Rockets. The Celtics were without one of the Big Three (Ray Allen) and they still managed to blow Houston out on its home court, in what was a playoff-like atmosphere. The Rockets are still atop the Western Conference standings with the loss, but they won't maintain a stranglehold on the No. 1 spot. They play cohesively, and with passion and intensity, but they can only ride guys like Mike Harris, Bobby Jackson and Chuck Hayes for so long. Sooner or later the lack of exceptional talent will burn them in the firepit that is the Wild West.
It's difficult to say for sure, but the Celtics may very well be the premier team in the NBA. They have an impressive record against tough Western Conference competition and they won the season series against the Eastern powerhouse Pistons.
Garnett is a pleasure to watch, as he controls the tempo of the game at both ends of the floor. He's active and aggressive on the defensive end and he plays with poise and intellect offensively. He probably has a slight edge over Tim Duncan as the top power forward in the league right now.
I still believe, if healthy, that the Lakers are the team to beat. However, with both Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol out now, the "if" in "if healthy" is a massive "if." A big enough "if" for me to place them slightly behind the Celtics in the overall power rankings. The Lakers have no paint presence without Bynum and Gasol (Chris Mihm is also out) and the Rockets were clearly the better team when they beat L.A. on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Hornets are trying to make a believer out of me, but I just can't see them as a legitimate title contender. They are totally reliant on Chris Paul at the end of games and when it comes down to it, I prefer other team's closers like Kobe Bryant and Baron Davis. Paul has certainly proven himself this regular season, but I'm not sold on his dominance continuing in the playoffs. He's small and has a low release, and I could see bigger defenders hounding him down the stretch of playoff games. Paul's just not a natural one-on-one, go-to type player like Kobe, LeBron, Baron or even Tracy McGrady.
I like Utah's team but they still lack an identity in close fourth quarter situations. Some nights its Mehmet Okur taking long, contested twos or Kyle Korver jacking up threes. What it should be is Deron Williams clearing out at the top of the key and Carlos Boozer coming up for the pick-and-roll. Every time. Let your best two players determine the outcome of a close one. C'mon Jerry Sloan, Stockton and Malone should be your blueprint.
Power Rankings, if healthy (Yao exempted because he's officially out for the season):
1-Lakers, 2-Celtics, 3-Spurs, 4-Pistons, 5-Jazz, 6-Suns, 7-Hornets, 8-Rockets, 9-Warriors, 10-Mavericks
Power Rankings, right now:
1-Celtics, 2-Pistons, 3-Jazz, 4-Rockets, 5-Hornets, 6-Spurs, 7-Lakers, 8-Suns, 9-Warriors, 10-Mavericks
The Celtics-Lakers rivalry could make a triumphant return in this year's NBA Finals. Injuries will make all the difference in the world.
There is absolutely no doubt that the Celtics are a better team than the Rockets. The Celtics were without one of the Big Three (Ray Allen) and they still managed to blow Houston out on its home court, in what was a playoff-like atmosphere. The Rockets are still atop the Western Conference standings with the loss, but they won't maintain a stranglehold on the No. 1 spot. They play cohesively, and with passion and intensity, but they can only ride guys like Mike Harris, Bobby Jackson and Chuck Hayes for so long. Sooner or later the lack of exceptional talent will burn them in the firepit that is the Wild West.
It's difficult to say for sure, but the Celtics may very well be the premier team in the NBA. They have an impressive record against tough Western Conference competition and they won the season series against the Eastern powerhouse Pistons.
Garnett is a pleasure to watch, as he controls the tempo of the game at both ends of the floor. He's active and aggressive on the defensive end and he plays with poise and intellect offensively. He probably has a slight edge over Tim Duncan as the top power forward in the league right now.
I still believe, if healthy, that the Lakers are the team to beat. However, with both Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol out now, the "if" in "if healthy" is a massive "if." A big enough "if" for me to place them slightly behind the Celtics in the overall power rankings. The Lakers have no paint presence without Bynum and Gasol (Chris Mihm is also out) and the Rockets were clearly the better team when they beat L.A. on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Hornets are trying to make a believer out of me, but I just can't see them as a legitimate title contender. They are totally reliant on Chris Paul at the end of games and when it comes down to it, I prefer other team's closers like Kobe Bryant and Baron Davis. Paul has certainly proven himself this regular season, but I'm not sold on his dominance continuing in the playoffs. He's small and has a low release, and I could see bigger defenders hounding him down the stretch of playoff games. Paul's just not a natural one-on-one, go-to type player like Kobe, LeBron, Baron or even Tracy McGrady.
I like Utah's team but they still lack an identity in close fourth quarter situations. Some nights its Mehmet Okur taking long, contested twos or Kyle Korver jacking up threes. What it should be is Deron Williams clearing out at the top of the key and Carlos Boozer coming up for the pick-and-roll. Every time. Let your best two players determine the outcome of a close one. C'mon Jerry Sloan, Stockton and Malone should be your blueprint.
Power Rankings, if healthy (Yao exempted because he's officially out for the season):
1-Lakers, 2-Celtics, 3-Spurs, 4-Pistons, 5-Jazz, 6-Suns, 7-Hornets, 8-Rockets, 9-Warriors, 10-Mavericks
Power Rankings, right now:
1-Celtics, 2-Pistons, 3-Jazz, 4-Rockets, 5-Hornets, 6-Spurs, 7-Lakers, 8-Suns, 9-Warriors, 10-Mavericks
The Celtics-Lakers rivalry could make a triumphant return in this year's NBA Finals. Injuries will make all the difference in the world.
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