April 26, 2004

Waking Up in Time for the Playoffs…: lilnemo gives his take on the NBA Playoffs & Awards.

I had originally intended to provide a team by team break-down of the playoffs, but it just didn't feel right. I wrote it, rewrote it, tore that up and wrote it again. Still, I couldn't get across what I wanted to say. So this one's gonna be a loose column. not that kinda loose you pervs…

Did someone leave the T.V. on, or am I actually watching the Eastern Conference Playoffs?

It's funny all the balloon-animal-head-having commentators on T.V. have been spouting off about how "Wide Open" the Eastern Conference is this year. And like everyone else, I've been trying to guess exactly what they mean by that. It sounds like a back-handed way of saying that the East sucks. The East isn't "Wide Open." There are 3 teams who could make it into the Finals; altogether now: The Pacers. How can you finish with the best record in the league and still be considered a longshot? Lose in the first round of the playoffs for 3 years running. With Isiah Thomas officially exorcised from Conseco Fieldhouse the Pacers may very well capitalize on their potential. This is the deepest team in the East, and the only team that could put a legitimate scare into a Western Conference opponent. For all the bitching and moaning earlier in the season over Carlisle's micro-managing and "limited offensive sets" the Pacers are doing what Carlisle wanted all along; grinding out wins by wearing down opponents. The Pacers are obviously my pick to take the East. The Pistons. Joe Dumars must have made a deal with the devil in order to secure this roster. Just looking at how the Pistons looked in 1993 til now should give you an idea as to the work involved. "Reclamation Project" isn't an adequate term. Joe took what was a soft, perimeter oriented team and created a defensive powerhouse. If Joe can sustain the core of the team, the Pistons will be in the playoffs for years to come. Having said that, I just don't think they have it this year. Unless Rasheed returns to his playoff form of '96 (back when the Blazers started getting smacked by L.A. after dominating them for about 5 years) complete with his post-game, we're looking at another conference title finish. The Nets. The Nets could be dangerous, but considering the injuries they had going into the playoffs, the lack of depth they have, and the fact that their coach looks like a ball boy; something tells me they're going to be going home early. They'll hand the Knicks their ass (but who couldn't?). This looks like a squad who's time has come and gone. There are way too many questions surrounding the future of this squad for it to be cohesive at this point in the season. I think the Pistons pay them back for last years heart break.

Kissing Your Sister…

As for the rest, well… The Celtic fans in Boston must be real pissed right about now. Not only did Ainge trade away the core of your team, he mortgaged the present for a future that may never come! How do you trade away your best players in order to tank your season when the up-coming draft may be the worst in years! And then fire your coach! Pray Westphal comes in and bails you out Danny boy. Pray. I feel sorry for Paul Pierce. Real sorry. Miami. Wow. I'll admit it. I was wrong. I thought that there was no way that a squad full of mismatched talent could dredge itself into the Eastern Playoffs even. And led by Lamar Odom no less! Go Figure. Stan is the man, definitely rates at the top of the list of coaches caught on camera yelling, "___, what the fuck were you doing?!" I swear, every Heat game I've watched the man looks like he's in pain. I hope Riley has a defibrillator on the bench. New Orleans. Let me put it this way, any team, no matter how talented it is, is destined to break down if it is coached by Tim Floyd. Floyd will single handedly ensure that the Hornets are out of the playoffs next year, and the year after that, and the year after that… And what the hell happened to Mashburn? Misdiagnosed? I'll say. It’s a shame. They're a talented team who will perennially be burnt out by the All Star break due to injuries, and Floyd mismanagement of the bench. Milwaukee. A true underdog. Never mind that their roster is made of spare parts. This team had a lot of heart. Making the East playoffs and losing in the first round doesn't sound like much. But this is a team that was largely picked by most to finish last in the league. Some people thought it would push for one of the worst records in NBA history. I like what Terry Porter has done with this squad, and I hope the Senator (or whomever owns the Bucks in the coming years) keeps the core of this team together. New York. Well we know that Dolan made a deal with the Devil, seeing as how Isiah is in his employ. Isiah has ensured single handedly that the Knicks will be in luxury tax hell for years to come, and that they will compete for the 7th or 8th seed in the playoffs so that they won't have any high draft picks. Knick fans could only be more fucked if they were Celtic fans. But at least Ainge has "some" cap space, Danny says thanks for taking Vin off his hands.

The More Things Change, the More Things Stay the Same…

The West Playoffs have yielded some intriguing surprises (Minnesota, Denver, Houston, Memphis), but you get the impression that as nice as these feel good teams are, when it comes down to it there are the same 3 teams who are destined to vie for the Western Crown: L.A. Lakers. I've watched the Lakers all season long. They are a riddle wrapped in an enigma kept in Pandora's Box. The only thing that could keep them from winning it all would be their lack of motivation. Payton will yap, Malone will continue to bully opponents, Kobe will tread the tightrope between brilliance and self destruction, and in the end eye-crossed Shaq will drag them kicking and screaming through the Finals after everyone else drags him there. C'est la vie… San Antonio. This is a deep team built for playoff play. Unfortunately, they are young enough to have the tendency to throw games away (much like the Rockets). Popovich has combated this tendency by essentially scaring his squad straight, for the most part its worked, but you wonder if it will begin to wear thin. Nonetheless, they're in the hunt for years to come (or until Duncan retires). Sacramento/Dallas. Always a bridesmaid, never a bride. These teams, to me, are essentially the same. What Dallas lacks in Sacramento's passing and defense, they make up for with their scoring. These are squads much like the Atlanta Hawks or Cleveland Cavaliers in the 80's. Squads whom, if it weren't for a couple of conference rival buzz saws like Boston or Detroit would have a couple of titles of their own.

And the rest…

Minnesota. They'll finally get out of the first round, only to be bludgeoned by whomever comes out of the Sacramento/Dallas fracas (who would have thought Wally was so important?). Hell of a season though. Denver. Carmelo losing out on a shared Rookie of the Year award is a travesty. I think LeBron's delivering on the hype balances quite nicely with Carmelo leading his team to the playoffs. Oh well. This group is impressive looking, and I can't help wonder what Kiki has in store for the off season. Memphis. Jerry West does it again. Sheer strokes of genius, all. And as well as Hubie's 10 man system runs, you just know that as soon as he gets the chance Jerry will blow this sucker up to get a dominant player. Houston. Van Gundy brought the Rockets their best chance to compete in the playoffs. A style of play that demanded good defense, and grinded out points in the paint. I just don't think Steve Francis is the guy for the job. The question is, does Leslie Alexander have the balls to make a deal that will ensure that the offense runs through Yao the way that Jeff wants? I think Steve is still dribbling… And as for the Seasons Awards? I think that for the most part, the writers got it right this time (Assuming KG takes home MVP like we think he will). Their were a lot of good contenders for each award but you couldn't really say boo to any of the selections. MVP- KG. He was on a mission from Day one. Kevin McHale helped out a little too. Rookie- You already my thoughts on the matter. 6th Man- Antawn Jamison. This is Bobby Jackson's award, but seeing as how he's injured a nice guy like Antawn will do just fine. Defensive Player- Ron Artest. Was there ever another choice? Bruce Bowen was close but caught too much flack for being physical. Christie is a consideration, but not the specimen that Artest is. Most Improved- Zach Randolph? I take it back this may be the only contested winner of the bunch. Even Zach admitted that he hadn't so much improved as just gotten more minutes. But we'll give him Brownie points for honesty. I probably would have went with either Jason Williams or Rafer Alston here. Coach- Hubie Brown. Solid pick. I preferred Jerry Sloan, but I can't argue with Hubie. As for the Finals. I take the Lakers over the Pacers in 6. But as always, I could be wrong. With the playoffs pushing towards a close there are a few items I'd like to focus on. So if you don't mind, I will be previewing the Expansion, and Regular drafts in the near future. Hopefully before the Finals competitors submit their "protected" lists I will outline who will be left off each teams protected lists, who the Bobcats might select, and what direction each team will take for the upcoming Regular Draft. If you have an opinion on what your team is doing, or just don't agree with me drop me an email (check my profile). Otherwise just comment below.

posted by lilnemo to commentary at 09:33 PM - 0 comments