Quarter-pole NBA Report
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by Ea34
With a quarter of the 2007-08 NBA regular season in the books, numerous teams and players have generated a number of talking points for us to consider. From the early dominance of the Boston Celtics, the emergence of Orlando’s Dwight Howard, the disappointment that is the Chicago Bulls and the ongoing humiliation that is the New York Knicks in the East, to the fast start of the New Orleans Hornets, the sluggish start of the Houston Rockets and Steve Nash dropping to the third-best point guard in the West, here are some quarter-pole thoughts on the teams of the NBA:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
ATLANTIC DIVISION
Boston Celtics (17-2)- Yeah they’ve played great ball in their 16-2 start, but Ray Allen (38.7 minutes/game), Paul Pierce (37.6 mpg) and Kevin Garnett (35.8 mpg) are simply playing too many minutes every night. With virtually no depth beyond the Big Three, any problems with injuries or fatigue (involving the Big Three) will drop the C’s to the middle of the Eastern Conference pack.
Toronto Raptors (11-10)- With 6 players averaging double-figures and 8 averaging at least 8.4 ppg, this is the East’s deepest team. This, along with their athleticism will help the Raptors catch the Boston Celtics as the season wears on. The best news of all is that Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani haven’t played as well as they’re capable of- once they get rolling Toronto will be a legitimate contender in the East.
New Jersey Nets (9-12)- As well as Richard Jefferson is playing, he can’t carry this team by himself. With the team being such a huge disappointment, and Vince Carter, new contract in hand, once again plagued by injuries and lacking the spark of last season, a Jason Kidd trade demand (I’m not buying th whole “migraine” story) seems inevitable, doesn’t it? Don’t be surprised if it comes before January.
New York Knicks (7-13)- What’s left to say here? The Knicks are like Britney Spears- a pathetic train wreck that made for good TV at first, but is now just plain sad. This team needs to be completely blown up (starting with the owner) and rebuilt almost expansion-style. Starbury? Here’s your buyout check- See ya! Eddy Curry? You’re SEVEN-FEET TALL and weigh THREE HUNDRED POUNDS, could you please average more than 5.7 rebounds? Please? One of the lone bright spots for Team Trainwreck is newcomer Zach Randolph (16.6 ppg, 9.9 rpg), but even he turns the ball over more than 3 times per game! This is the most embarrassing team in professional sports.
Philadelphia 76ers (6-13)- This is right about where this team should be. With each loss (and there are plenty!), a trade involving Andre Miller becomes more and more likely. On the bright side, Andre Iguodala is quickly becoming one of the NBA’s better all around players, but there’s just not enough talent around him for it to matter very much.
CENTRAL DIVISION
Detroit Pistons (14-6)- Considering that only one of the team’s starters ( Tayshaun Prince) has played in every game and that the team’s young bench players have not contributed as much as expected, the Pistons’ 14-6 record and top spot in the division are to be expected. However, with the Bulls floundering and the Cavs truly looking like they should be call the “LeBrons”, the Pistons four game lead in the Central not only looks safe, it looks like an absolute lock to grow as the season progresses. We all knew this team would be fine- the Playoffs are what matter to the Pistons.
Indiana Pacers (10-10)- Powered by the emergence of Danny Granger, they are one of the league’s biggest surprises. Did anyone really think the Pacers would approach double-digit wins in November? I sure didn’t! With that said, there’s little chance that this team will finish the season anywhere near .500. It’s time to unload Jermaine O’Neal and officially enter the Derrick Rose/Michael Beasley sweepstakes.
Cleveland Cavaliers (9-12)- At the time of his finger injury in Detroit, LeBron James was on one of the great runs of play in recent memory, looking like combination of Kobe Bryant and Jason Kidd- with the body of an NFL tight end. The Cavs are praying that LeBron can put this injury behind him quickly, because they’re totally hopeless without him.
Milwaukee Bucks (8-11)- The Bucks are actually a pretty good team- Yi Jianlian looks like a legitimate NBA prospect, Andrew Bogut is starting to come on, and they have an excellent backcourt with Michael Redd and Mo Williams. If these guys can show even a little bit of consistency on the road, they have to be considered a sleeper in East.
Chicago Bulls (6-12)- Whew! Good thing they decided not to overpay for Kobe Bryant and keep their “good young core” together. Really dodged bullet there! Well, at least the Lakers did!
SOUTHEAST DIVISION
Orlando Magic (16-5)- Man, these guys are pretty good! The Magic are 16-5 through twenty-one games, including an amazing 11-2 on the road. Dwight Howard could actually wind up being better than we thought- he’s league MVP through November. By the way, congratulations to Stan Van Gundy, who was incidentally also a hell of a coach in Miami. I just felt the need to get that out since the over/under for Pat Riley buying this team and installing himself as head coach is March 1.
Washington Wizards (10-10)- Thanks to Caron Butler and a not-so-brutal schedule, the Wizards have managed to hang around .500 with Gilbert Arenas out of the lineup. If they can keep this up, who knows what could happen when Agent Zero comes back? In a pretty division, this team could sneak into the playoffs.
Atlanta Hawks (9-10)- It’s been a while since a six-win month was a disappointment for the Atlanta Hawks- but that’s exactly what this past month was. A talented and athletic roster, along with a very impressive preseason had the Hawks entering with… expectations! While they’re probably better than 9-10, it may take them a while to learn how to win consistently.
Charlotte Bobcats (7-12)- This just in- the Bobs still stink! Sure, they started out 2-0, Gerald Wallace seems to be living up to his contract and Emeka Okafor looks as effective as ever, but when half of your November victories come against the Sonics and the Wade-less Miami Heat, you really haven’t accomplished much.
Miami Heat (5-15)- During their pathetic start, the rallying cry was “wait until Wade comes back”. Well, they got Dwyane Wade back- and they’re frankly not much better. Shaq and Riley both look like they’re running on fumes. Hard to believe that this team (more or less) won a championship about a year-and-a-half ago.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
PACIFIC DIVISION
Phoenix Suns (16-5)- Is it just me, or are the Suns kinda flying under the radar? Not quite as dominant as they have been in years past, but they’re still playing better than .750 ball- that’s pretty good! The key, as always, will be to keep Steve Nash healthy and keep his minutes from getting out of control.
Los Angeles Lakers (11-8)- For reasons having nothing to do with Kobe Bryant trade rumors, November was an intriguing month for the Lakers, who look to have had a great time displaying a potent and balanced offense behind the emergence of two of their talented young players (Andrew Bynum and Jordan Farmar). This team is better than most people, Kobe Bryant included, expected them to be.
Golden State Warriors (11-8)- Say what you will about Stephen Jackson, but the Warriors started the season 1-6 without him and won ten of the twelve games he has played. Jackson, along with Baron Davis and Monte Ellis make this team as dangerous as any in the league. Last year’s playoff win over Dallas may have been a big upset, but it was not a fluke.
Los Angeles Clippers (7-12)- Remember the Clippers 4-0 start to the 2007-08 season? Yeah, me either. This is about where they ought to be. As long as Elton Brand and Shaun Livingston are out of the lineup, the Clippers, who have lost twelve of their last fifteen games (many of them by a considerable margin), are a lock for the lottery.
Sacramento Kings (7-12)- Under new coach Reggie Theus, the Kings are actually a fun team to watch and are playing better than expected. Unfortunately, until the organization makes the decision to overhaul the roster and build around a young core, the Kings will be one of the league’s most irrelevant stories.
SOUTHWEST DIVISION
San Antonio Spurs (17-3)- Do you even need to ask? Here the Spurs are again- painfully consistent and not particularly exciting, once again quietly going about their business. Pencil them in for 55-58 wins and a top-two seed in the playoffs.
New Orleans Hornets (14-7)- Is the Hornets’ strong start all that surprising given coach Byron Scott’s track record with great point guards? Scott, who thrived alongside Magic Johnson and made consecutive appearances in the NBA Finals while coaching Jason Kidd, is now having success with budding superstar Chris Paul running the show for him in New Orleans. When healthy, the Hornets Big Three of CP3, Tyson Chandler and Peja Stojakovic is as good as any in the league.
Dallas Mavericks (13-8)- They may be winning a lot of games again this year, but it’s becoming really difficult to take the Mavs seriously after the way their last two seasons have ended. And what the hell is up with Dirk Nowitzki? He looks like he’s regressing- he’s less assertive and aggressive than he has been in a long time. By the way, next time you see one of their home games on, pay attention to the atmosphere in arena. It’s kind of a disinterested silence with a dash of polite encouragement- the worst home crowd for a good team in the NBA.
Houston Rockets (11-10)- Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming are still great and the Rockets are deeper than last season, but this team can’t seem to develop an identity or maintain any kind of consistency. This team still cannot be considered a serious contender in the West.
Memphis Grizzlies (6-14)- It’s hard to figure out what to make of this team. During the offseason Memphis got healthy and got some point guard help. Considering the fact that Pau Gasol is healthy and Rudy Gay has taken some major strides, this team should really be better than it is.
NORTHWEST DIVISION
Utah Jazz (13-8)- The Jazz are among the best teams in the NBA right now. They execute flawlessly, they match up well against every other contending team and their stars are so talented and so poised that it’s really difficult to see them losing 4-of-7 games to any team in the NBA (with the possible exception of San Antonio).
Denver Nuggets (13-8)- With regard to the Nuggets, my inner-Denny Green scream “they are who we thought they were!”, meaning that when this team is going good it’s easy to overlook their lack of defense and see them contending for a title. However, when they’re not on fire and are faced with quality opposition, it becomes obvious that this is a fun-to-watch, middle-of-the-road team, and little more.
Portland Trailblazers (8-12)- This might be the league’s most likeable team. Not only has Portland shed the “Jailblazers” tag, this team is now built around a core of young, talented and unselfish players. While this season may be yet another disappointing one in Portland, the franchise has won back the hearts of its fans. The addition of Greg Oden and one more lottery pick promise to make 2008-09 a memorable season.
Seattle Supersonics (5-16)- How long do you think it’ll be before Kevin Durant is surrounded by some legitimate NBA talent? It’s a damn shame that at just 19 years of age he’s forced to be the Sonics’ only true hope on nightly basis. Am I the only one that sees the legitimate risk of Durant being stuck on a series of sub-par team in Seattle (or Oklahoma City) and becoming the next Shareef Adbur-Rahim?
Minnesota Timberwolves (3-15)- As expected, the 2007-08 Minnesota Timberwolves are not very good. However, despite having won just three games, this team has been competitive early in the season and Al Jefferson looks like a legitimate future star on the inside. By March this team could be a spoiler in the Western Conference.
