A continuation for those of you that have nothing better to do than read my blog. Hey, if enough people like it, maybe Skeets will notice too. I seriously doubt I'll ever make one of the 10-man rotations anytime soon though.
Starting 5:
PG- Tony Parker
SG- Michael Finley
SF- Bruce Bowen
PF- Tim Duncan
C- Fabricio Oberto
Off the bench
Guards: Manu Ginobili, Roger Mason Jr, Salim Stoudamire, George Hill
Forwards: Ime Udoka, Ian Mahinmi
Centers: Kurt Thomas, Matt Bonner, Anthony Tolliver
We'll see if Popovich decides to keep his rookies (George Hill, Anthony Tolliver, Malik Hairston, and James Gist) at the end of the roster or send them off to Austin to play in the D-League. Tack onto that the three recent call ups that the Spurs made from the D-League (Devin Green, Desmon Farmer, and Darryl Watkins) the Spurs roster looks somewhat bloated at the moment. It's understandable as their biggest weakness was exploited last season in a grueling series against New Orleans and then Los Angeles (Lakers not Clippers); they're getting old. If we look at the proposed 15 man roster I threw up, 9 of them are over 30 (Bowen, Duncan, Ginobili, Finley, Horry, Udoka, Thomas, Oberto, Vaughn), and at least 7 of the 9 (so maybe everyone but Vaughn and potentially Horry) are a major part of the rotation, including 4 of the 5 starters (everyone except Tony Parker). They haven't lost any significant pieces (Brent Barry I don't think was that significant), but they haven't gotten significantly better either, while Roger Mason is an upgrade over Jacque Vaughn and Damon Stoudamire, resigning Michael Finley and Kurt Thomas leaves them in the same place if not a worse off position than before, as they're both at the point where they're not getting one year better, just one year older. Ime Udoka ultimately did not turn out to be the Bruce Bowen replacement that they desperately needed, and so they'll look to some youth to bolster their roster.
Of the D-Leaguers Desmon Farmer shows the most promise, having averaged 24.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 4.1 assists on the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. With Ginobili out for a bit, at least the beginning of the season, after reaggravating his ankle during the Olympics, they'll need some backup at the 2 guard spot, and no, Michael Finley is not going to play 48 minutes. I think Popovich is hoping that Farmer makes the transition from D-League as well as Warriors swingman Kelenna Azubuike did. Devin Green played well enough apparently in Summer League to warrant a second look at training camp, averaging 10.3 points per game over Summer League. Apparently, he's played a bit in Italy too. George Hill was rather disappointing in Las Vegas Summer League, averaging only 8 points and 3 assists per game with 3 turnovers, but surprisingly a good 7 rebounds per game as well. Granted, it's the summer league, and we don't want to read too much into it, but they say he plays well at both ends of the court, something that the Spurs value highly. Right now most of the young talent on the Spurs can be summed up with the two words "potential" and "upside", which means, very low impact right now. Hopefully the vets have enough gas to keep going, and hopefully Ginobili is able to fully recover after his ankle surgery.
They're getting old and they're starting to slip, but that doesn't keep them from being a perennial contender. Tim Duncan can still eke out his 20 pt, 10 rbd, 5 asst, 4 blck games and Parker can still burn 90% of the point guards in the league. Solid 53-55 win season, easily into playoffs, and I'd say ousted anywhere between second round and Western Conference Finals.
UPDATE: So the Spurs signed Salim Stoudamire, which is a good add, he's a solid shooter kind of stagnating on the bench of a 3-happy Atlanta Hawks what with Mike Bibby and Joe Johnson in the lineup. He's supposed to be the Brent Barry/Robert Horry replacement and is a solid addition in the event that Roger Mason's shooting doesn't pan out as well as they'd like.
UPDATE: The internet likes me! They really do! Seriously, I really appreciate the guys that are reading this and all the feedback. So I took a look at the forum and I noticed someone asking why I didn't mention Ian Mahinmi, and to be honest, I hadn't really paid a lot of attention, so I didn't think he was that big. However, in doing a little more research I think he'd be a solid addition to the club, he apparently has made significant strides offensively and did fairly well in his previous season with the D-League (17.1 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 1.4 apg, 1.5 spg, 1.7 bpg). Still I stand by the whole "upside" and "potential" statement. Spurs can only hope to make steals off of the free agency and hope that their young prospects pan out, they really have no tradeable assets.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Season Preview: Orlando Magic
And we continue with either something deeply insightful or ludicrous, however you want to look at it. I'm no sports analyst, but hey, maybe I'm on to something. I don't know. On to Orlando.
Starting 5:
PG- Jameer Nelson
SG- Mickael Pietrus
SF- Hedo Turkoglu
PF- Rashard Lewis
C- Dwight Howard
Off the bench
Guards: Anthony Johnson, Keith Bogans, JJ Reddick
Forwards: Courtney Lee, Brian Cook, Tony Battie
Centers: Adonal Foyle, Marcin Gortat
As it can be said with any other team, depth is something of an issue here. They have a solid starting 5, though Jameer Nelson still needs to figure out his game. Regardless, the starting 5 has, I believe upgraded, granted you're asking an ex-Don Nelson Warrior to be your defensive stopper, I'm not the only one who sees the irony in that, but I still believe that Pietrus (Air France if you would) is a major improvement over Bogans. He's athletic, and like any Warrior that actually got playing time under Don Nelson, he can shoot the three. Lewis at the 4 is always a major matchup problems because of his proficiency with the 3 pointer, I know I say this a lot, but I don't think a lot of people understand how good Lewis is, this man was breaking 3 point records on the Sonics, as Ray Allen's teammate. I actually envision him getting the ball more, and Turkoglu becoming more of a third option, though his breakout season last year was a very pleasant surprise. Dwight Howard can only look to get better, he's developing a sort of jump hook, but it's still pretty ugly, hopefully assitant coach Patrick Ewing can really polish his game and help him get something more than spin and dunk.
I don't know how well the Pietrus thing would work out, I personally would have been a fan of getting another legitmate big man to play next to Howard, no one special, someone on the block that can get the leftovers after Howard, kind of like Kendrick Perkins to Kevin Garnett or Fabricio Oberto to Tim Duncan. If they could get like an Antonio McDyess or Udonis Haslem type of player, a hard working 4 who doesn't need shots, I would like the lineup a lot more. If I were to start the team then, I'd slide Hedo to the 2 and Lewis back to the 3, which would create monstrous matchup problems. Chris Wilcox or Nick Collison are two other possibilities that just popped up into my mind. I like Pietrus, but Air France hasn't really lived up to his name, and honestly, he's a lot potential too, I see him thriving as a 2/3 guard-forward reserve, but as a starter, I'm not so sure. I understand that Dwight Howard is a rebounding monster (14.2 rpg last season) but still. I'm not saying Lewis can't rebound, I just would like him to play to his strengths more. The issue with getting a legit 4 would simply be, can Hedo keep up with faster 2s like Kobe Bryant? Regardless, I think the team is still young, and improving, and they'll just get better, hopefully.
I say 54-58 wins, clinching 2nd or 3rd in the Eastern Conference, just like last year. Easily 2nd round, and potentially Eastern Conference Finals.
Starting 5:
PG- Jameer Nelson
SG- Mickael Pietrus
SF- Hedo Turkoglu
PF- Rashard Lewis
C- Dwight Howard
Off the bench
Guards: Anthony Johnson, Keith Bogans, JJ Reddick
Forwards: Courtney Lee, Brian Cook, Tony Battie
Centers: Adonal Foyle, Marcin Gortat
As it can be said with any other team, depth is something of an issue here. They have a solid starting 5, though Jameer Nelson still needs to figure out his game. Regardless, the starting 5 has, I believe upgraded, granted you're asking an ex-Don Nelson Warrior to be your defensive stopper, I'm not the only one who sees the irony in that, but I still believe that Pietrus (Air France if you would) is a major improvement over Bogans. He's athletic, and like any Warrior that actually got playing time under Don Nelson, he can shoot the three. Lewis at the 4 is always a major matchup problems because of his proficiency with the 3 pointer, I know I say this a lot, but I don't think a lot of people understand how good Lewis is, this man was breaking 3 point records on the Sonics, as Ray Allen's teammate. I actually envision him getting the ball more, and Turkoglu becoming more of a third option, though his breakout season last year was a very pleasant surprise. Dwight Howard can only look to get better, he's developing a sort of jump hook, but it's still pretty ugly, hopefully assitant coach Patrick Ewing can really polish his game and help him get something more than spin and dunk.
I don't know how well the Pietrus thing would work out, I personally would have been a fan of getting another legitmate big man to play next to Howard, no one special, someone on the block that can get the leftovers after Howard, kind of like Kendrick Perkins to Kevin Garnett or Fabricio Oberto to Tim Duncan. If they could get like an Antonio McDyess or Udonis Haslem type of player, a hard working 4 who doesn't need shots, I would like the lineup a lot more. If I were to start the team then, I'd slide Hedo to the 2 and Lewis back to the 3, which would create monstrous matchup problems. Chris Wilcox or Nick Collison are two other possibilities that just popped up into my mind. I like Pietrus, but Air France hasn't really lived up to his name, and honestly, he's a lot potential too, I see him thriving as a 2/3 guard-forward reserve, but as a starter, I'm not so sure. I understand that Dwight Howard is a rebounding monster (14.2 rpg last season) but still. I'm not saying Lewis can't rebound, I just would like him to play to his strengths more. The issue with getting a legit 4 would simply be, can Hedo keep up with faster 2s like Kobe Bryant? Regardless, I think the team is still young, and improving, and they'll just get better, hopefully.
I say 54-58 wins, clinching 2nd or 3rd in the Eastern Conference, just like last year. Easily 2nd round, and potentially Eastern Conference Finals.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Season Preview: New Orleans Hornets
Some of you might be thinking I have too much time on my hands, and you know what? I probably do. So we continue with my slapdash amateur analysis.
New Orleans Hornets
Starting 5:
PG- Chris Paul
SG- Morris Peterson
SF- Peja Stojakovic
PF- David West
C- Tyson Chandler
Off the bench
Guards: Mike James, Devin Brown
Forwards: James Posey, Rasual Butler, Julian Wright, Ryan Bowen
Centers: Hilton Armstrong, Melvin Ely, Sean Marks
The feel-good story team of last season is still around, the same starting 5 (which is always a good sign), and all with an extra year of experience. The core of the team, the Big 3 (Paul, Chandler, and West) are still young and in their prime (23, 26, and 28 respectively). Morris Peterson will never be an All-Star but they just need him to be a defensive stop, Peja will never get back to his All-Star form but they just need him to hit his 3s, and he can still do that. All in all the talent level of the squad is off the charts. The addition of James Posey, a solid defender who can hit clutch 3s, and with two rings of his own on his resume, is key for their reserve squad.
There are mixed feelings about the loss of Pargo to Europe, but I don't know that they need such a shot happy backup to Chris Paul. If Mike James is healthy, I think he can do the job well enough. Depth is kind of an issue here, but I think Posey and Bonzi are solid backup roles. While I'm still not sold on Armstrong or Ely, I suppose it's a serviceable backcourt if anything.
All in all, look for a similar performance as last season, 57-60 wins, and being in the West, I suppose I can't say where they'll be, but another team that could be expected to go all the way.
New Orleans Hornets
Starting 5:
PG- Chris Paul
SG- Morris Peterson
SF- Peja Stojakovic
PF- David West
C- Tyson Chandler
Off the bench
Guards: Mike James, Devin Brown
Forwards: James Posey, Rasual Butler, Julian Wright, Ryan Bowen
Centers: Hilton Armstrong, Melvin Ely, Sean Marks
The feel-good story team of last season is still around, the same starting 5 (which is always a good sign), and all with an extra year of experience. The core of the team, the Big 3 (Paul, Chandler, and West) are still young and in their prime (23, 26, and 28 respectively). Morris Peterson will never be an All-Star but they just need him to be a defensive stop, Peja will never get back to his All-Star form but they just need him to hit his 3s, and he can still do that. All in all the talent level of the squad is off the charts. The addition of James Posey, a solid defender who can hit clutch 3s, and with two rings of his own on his resume, is key for their reserve squad.
There are mixed feelings about the loss of Pargo to Europe, but I don't know that they need such a shot happy backup to Chris Paul. If Mike James is healthy, I think he can do the job well enough. Depth is kind of an issue here, but I think Posey and Bonzi are solid backup roles. While I'm still not sold on Armstrong or Ely, I suppose it's a serviceable backcourt if anything.
All in all, look for a similar performance as last season, 57-60 wins, and being in the West, I suppose I can't say where they'll be, but another team that could be expected to go all the way.
Season Preview: Detroit Pistons
Continuing onwards, with this regularly updated preview of my own making. Listen to me if you want, don't read if you don't want, all in all, I probably have more fun writing these than you do reading them. Skeets probably has more legitimate information passing through if you're really scrapped for quality reading.
Detroit Pistons
Starting 5:
PG- Chauncey Billups
SG- Richard Hamilton
SF- Tayshaun Prince
PF- Antonio McDyess
C- Rasheed Wallace
Off the bench
Guards: Rodney Stuckey, Arron Afflalo, Lindsey Hunter, Juan Dixon
Forwards: Jason Maxiell, Amir Johnson, Walter Sharpe
Centers: Kwame Brown, Trent Plaisted
I don't know, maybe they'll give Fabio (Walter Hermann) some playing time. For those fantasy buffs out there, some people were hoping that Hermann would get more playing time after his performance in April in the 2006-2007 season. Granted it was garbage time for a floundering Bobcats season, granted that they played some pretty defensively weak teams (Knicks, Pacers, Bucks, Raptors, Wizards, and an injury riddled, pre-Marion Heat), however, during the course of the month he averaged, 19.88 points, 5.55 rebounds, 0.88 assists, 1.11 steals, 0.22 blocks, and 2.77 treys per game, that's not a bad line. All of this on a 57% FG average, 52% 3pt FG average, and 85% FT average over the nine games of the month. I mean this guy played for the Argentinian national team, we know he can make shots. That being said, he saw nothing but the bench for the entire next season, especially with the development of Jason Maxiell, and the continued improvement of Amir Johnson, who I look for to get playing time. As much as I want to see Hermann get another 30 point, 9 rebound on 80% FG and 75% 3pt shooting, perhaps there's a reason he doesn't see much time on the court.
However, regardless of whether or not Fabio gets to wave his long, flowing hair around on the hardwood instead of on the bench, this club is fairly solid. They don't have a plethora of incredible talent, no one that puts up major All-Star type lines every night, but they have players that contribute in their own little way, and they have chemistry. Billups, Hamilton, and Prince have been together since the 2002-2003 season, Rasheed Wallace later joining for the 2003-2004 championship team, and then Antonio McDyess joining the squad later in 2004-2005. So, for the last four seasons the starting five have been playing together, four of them for four and a half seasons, three of them for six. That's a long time to be playing together. While they are getting older, they've still been the team to beat, having gone to the Eastern Conference Finals for the past 6 years. Joe Dumars has also been something of genius, developing young talent like Jason Maxiell and Rodney Stuckey while maintaining the core which has led to the team's success.
All in all I expect the same solid ball that I've seen out of this club for the past 4 years, and despite the coaching change, I don't really expect a Michael Curry to change too much of how the team functions (except maybe get rid of the absurd no double team defense Flip Saunders had). While they're getting older, like the Boston Big 3, they're not at a point where any of the players are going to feel the effects of that age, maybe McDyess and Wallace (both 33), but I think Prince's development as an offensive threat can offset that. All in all this club is a perennial contender, they're just quiet about it.
I see another high 50s to 60 win season. Unless another fluke like Cleveland in 2007 happens again, I see them in the Eastern Conference Finals at the least. I wouldn't be surprised to see them back in the Finals either though.
Detroit Pistons
Starting 5:
PG- Chauncey Billups
SG- Richard Hamilton
SF- Tayshaun Prince
PF- Antonio McDyess
C- Rasheed Wallace
Off the bench
Guards: Rodney Stuckey, Arron Afflalo, Lindsey Hunter, Juan Dixon
Forwards: Jason Maxiell, Amir Johnson, Walter Sharpe
Centers: Kwame Brown, Trent Plaisted
I don't know, maybe they'll give Fabio (Walter Hermann) some playing time. For those fantasy buffs out there, some people were hoping that Hermann would get more playing time after his performance in April in the 2006-2007 season. Granted it was garbage time for a floundering Bobcats season, granted that they played some pretty defensively weak teams (Knicks, Pacers, Bucks, Raptors, Wizards, and an injury riddled, pre-Marion Heat), however, during the course of the month he averaged, 19.88 points, 5.55 rebounds, 0.88 assists, 1.11 steals, 0.22 blocks, and 2.77 treys per game, that's not a bad line. All of this on a 57% FG average, 52% 3pt FG average, and 85% FT average over the nine games of the month. I mean this guy played for the Argentinian national team, we know he can make shots. That being said, he saw nothing but the bench for the entire next season, especially with the development of Jason Maxiell, and the continued improvement of Amir Johnson, who I look for to get playing time. As much as I want to see Hermann get another 30 point, 9 rebound on 80% FG and 75% 3pt shooting, perhaps there's a reason he doesn't see much time on the court.
However, regardless of whether or not Fabio gets to wave his long, flowing hair around on the hardwood instead of on the bench, this club is fairly solid. They don't have a plethora of incredible talent, no one that puts up major All-Star type lines every night, but they have players that contribute in their own little way, and they have chemistry. Billups, Hamilton, and Prince have been together since the 2002-2003 season, Rasheed Wallace later joining for the 2003-2004 championship team, and then Antonio McDyess joining the squad later in 2004-2005. So, for the last four seasons the starting five have been playing together, four of them for four and a half seasons, three of them for six. That's a long time to be playing together. While they are getting older, they've still been the team to beat, having gone to the Eastern Conference Finals for the past 6 years. Joe Dumars has also been something of genius, developing young talent like Jason Maxiell and Rodney Stuckey while maintaining the core which has led to the team's success.
All in all I expect the same solid ball that I've seen out of this club for the past 4 years, and despite the coaching change, I don't really expect a Michael Curry to change too much of how the team functions (except maybe get rid of the absurd no double team defense Flip Saunders had). While they're getting older, like the Boston Big 3, they're not at a point where any of the players are going to feel the effects of that age, maybe McDyess and Wallace (both 33), but I think Prince's development as an offensive threat can offset that. All in all this club is a perennial contender, they're just quiet about it.
I see another high 50s to 60 win season. Unless another fluke like Cleveland in 2007 happens again, I see them in the Eastern Conference Finals at the least. I wouldn't be surprised to see them back in the Finals either though.
Season Preview: Los Angeles Lakers
Continuing on my season preview/predictions, we move across to the country to the other coast and take a look at the Los Angeles A team, the Lakers.
Los Angeles Lakers
Starting 5:
PG- Derek Fisher
SG- Kobe Bryant
SF- Vladamir Radmanovic
PF- Pau Gasol
C- Andrew Bynum
Off the bench
Guards: Jordan Farmar, Sasha Vujacic, Coby Karl
Forwards: Lamar Odom, Trevor Ariza, Luke Walton
Centers: Chris Mihm, Josh Powell
I really don't know if Phil Jackson will use DJ Mbenga or rookie CJ Giles as backup centers after Chris Mihm, I can see him potentially running small ball sliding Pau Gasol over to C sometimes. Anyways, the Lakers finally get their ideal squad together, of course the biggest flaw in the roster remains at the SF position. I believe that Phil Jackson would start Vladamir Radmonovic or Trevor Ariza at the SF position over Lamar Odom, enabling Odom to spend more time where he is most effective, that is, at the PF position, where his rebounding abilities would be put to the best use. He'd be more of an energy 6th man off of the bench, the go to guy in the second squad. Some argue for starting Odom at the SF to have to super long frontcourt, but I don't see that working too well. The ideal player would be someone who can defend (Ariza) and someone who can shoot (Radmanovic), unfortunately Odom isn't really proficient at either (Luke Walton is not the solution), and his rebounding would be greatly wasted, since he'd be chasing slashers and shooters every which way. Additionally, they have something of a shortage of big men after losing Ronny Turiaf to a bloated contract from the Golden State Warriors. Personally, I actually am going to look for Sun Yue to step it up, if he can perform well, like at the Olympics, and perhaps show some defensive tenacity, I can see him being the solution. However until then, they have to live with this. I have always been of the mind to trade Odom for someone that does fit, however, I understand reasons not to. I don't buy into the arguments regarding his length and his talent, on a squad as good as the Lakers it's kind of redundant, however, I do buy that they'd want to wait until they are sure that first, Bynum is back 100%, second, that he's back to where he left off before his injury, and lastly, that the Bynum-Gasol frontcourt works. Until then, Odom is not on the trading block, I can see Odom on the block really soon thereafter though. Perhaps one of those last minute pre-deadline trades.
We can speculate all we want about who would fit, if you want All-Star or near All-Star caliber I could venture to propose Caron Butler, Shawn Marion, Richard Jefferson, Andrei Kirilenko, or Rashard Lewis, I'd even go as far as to say Gerald Wallace (realistically, LeBron or Melo would not work in the situation), however, Lakers don't have the money to throw at these candidates. The ideal candidate would be someone like Bruce Bowen, James Posey, Shane Battier, or Tayshaun Prince, none of which, I believe, would be available. It's true that they need someone to slow down the Paul Pierce's, because you can't really expect Kobe to guard him, be the number 1 scoring option, and not get in foul trouble, that's what Paul Pierce is good at, getting people in foul trouble and getting free throws. However, I think any sort of defensive effort somewhat better than what Radmanovic puts on the floor in a player that has a decent shot should work, something like a Martell Webster, James Jones, or even like a healthy Quentin Richardson would all work out (Al Harrington might be interesting to see but that'd never happen). However, until then, I'm going to put my money on Sun Yue stepping up.
Anyways as the roster is currently constructed, and with Kobe happy being back within striking distance of a championship, the Lakers are, I think, the favorites. I know, I know, the Celtics are the champions, and honestly, I think that the star level talent in Boston (Garnett, Pierce, Allen) are better than the star level talent in LA (Bryant, Gasol, maybe Odom, Bynum is yet to be seen), however, I think overall as a team, that the Lakers are harder to stop, and just overall better, kudos to Phil Jackson and his emphasis on team passing. That being said, the team is still a little soft defensively, and they don't really have a stopper since Kobe has to focus on offense. Don't get me wrong, they're a longshot from being run-and-gun Denver, Phoenix, or Golden State level defense, but they are by no means the team stopping, tempo controlling, offense stifling Boston or San Antonio either. However, if the team plays it all right, according to Phil Jackson's triangle offense then they are nigh unstoppable. There is I suppose the issue of Kobe's pinky, but Mamba says it's ok. This will either be the greatest let down mid-season (like Dwayne Wade's knee and shoulder last season) or Mamba is right, and it's ok. Fortunately for all you Laker fans, it's only his pinky, hopefully he doesn't aggravate it.
Another successful season, easily top seed in the West, but it'll be close. 60 win season, and like perhaps the top 6 seeds in the West, a good chance for the Finals.
EDIT: So I read somewhere that Sun Yue will be playing the D-League. So... yeah, maybe he's not the answer, but hey, here's hoping he gets called up and is a stud.
Los Angeles Lakers
Starting 5:
PG- Derek Fisher
SG- Kobe Bryant
SF- Vladamir Radmanovic
PF- Pau Gasol
C- Andrew Bynum
Off the bench
Guards: Jordan Farmar, Sasha Vujacic, Coby Karl
Forwards: Lamar Odom, Trevor Ariza, Luke Walton
Centers: Chris Mihm, Josh Powell
I really don't know if Phil Jackson will use DJ Mbenga or rookie CJ Giles as backup centers after Chris Mihm, I can see him potentially running small ball sliding Pau Gasol over to C sometimes. Anyways, the Lakers finally get their ideal squad together, of course the biggest flaw in the roster remains at the SF position. I believe that Phil Jackson would start Vladamir Radmonovic or Trevor Ariza at the SF position over Lamar Odom, enabling Odom to spend more time where he is most effective, that is, at the PF position, where his rebounding abilities would be put to the best use. He'd be more of an energy 6th man off of the bench, the go to guy in the second squad. Some argue for starting Odom at the SF to have to super long frontcourt, but I don't see that working too well. The ideal player would be someone who can defend (Ariza) and someone who can shoot (Radmanovic), unfortunately Odom isn't really proficient at either (Luke Walton is not the solution), and his rebounding would be greatly wasted, since he'd be chasing slashers and shooters every which way. Additionally, they have something of a shortage of big men after losing Ronny Turiaf to a bloated contract from the Golden State Warriors. Personally, I actually am going to look for Sun Yue to step it up, if he can perform well, like at the Olympics, and perhaps show some defensive tenacity, I can see him being the solution. However until then, they have to live with this. I have always been of the mind to trade Odom for someone that does fit, however, I understand reasons not to. I don't buy into the arguments regarding his length and his talent, on a squad as good as the Lakers it's kind of redundant, however, I do buy that they'd want to wait until they are sure that first, Bynum is back 100%, second, that he's back to where he left off before his injury, and lastly, that the Bynum-Gasol frontcourt works. Until then, Odom is not on the trading block, I can see Odom on the block really soon thereafter though. Perhaps one of those last minute pre-deadline trades.
We can speculate all we want about who would fit, if you want All-Star or near All-Star caliber I could venture to propose Caron Butler, Shawn Marion, Richard Jefferson, Andrei Kirilenko, or Rashard Lewis, I'd even go as far as to say Gerald Wallace (realistically, LeBron or Melo would not work in the situation), however, Lakers don't have the money to throw at these candidates. The ideal candidate would be someone like Bruce Bowen, James Posey, Shane Battier, or Tayshaun Prince, none of which, I believe, would be available. It's true that they need someone to slow down the Paul Pierce's, because you can't really expect Kobe to guard him, be the number 1 scoring option, and not get in foul trouble, that's what Paul Pierce is good at, getting people in foul trouble and getting free throws. However, I think any sort of defensive effort somewhat better than what Radmanovic puts on the floor in a player that has a decent shot should work, something like a Martell Webster, James Jones, or even like a healthy Quentin Richardson would all work out (Al Harrington might be interesting to see but that'd never happen). However, until then, I'm going to put my money on Sun Yue stepping up.
Anyways as the roster is currently constructed, and with Kobe happy being back within striking distance of a championship, the Lakers are, I think, the favorites. I know, I know, the Celtics are the champions, and honestly, I think that the star level talent in Boston (Garnett, Pierce, Allen) are better than the star level talent in LA (Bryant, Gasol, maybe Odom, Bynum is yet to be seen), however, I think overall as a team, that the Lakers are harder to stop, and just overall better, kudos to Phil Jackson and his emphasis on team passing. That being said, the team is still a little soft defensively, and they don't really have a stopper since Kobe has to focus on offense. Don't get me wrong, they're a longshot from being run-and-gun Denver, Phoenix, or Golden State level defense, but they are by no means the team stopping, tempo controlling, offense stifling Boston or San Antonio either. However, if the team plays it all right, according to Phil Jackson's triangle offense then they are nigh unstoppable. There is I suppose the issue of Kobe's pinky, but Mamba says it's ok. This will either be the greatest let down mid-season (like Dwayne Wade's knee and shoulder last season) or Mamba is right, and it's ok. Fortunately for all you Laker fans, it's only his pinky, hopefully he doesn't aggravate it.
Another successful season, easily top seed in the West, but it'll be close. 60 win season, and like perhaps the top 6 seeds in the West, a good chance for the Finals.
EDIT: So I read somewhere that Sun Yue will be playing the D-League. So... yeah, maybe he's not the answer, but hey, here's hoping he gets called up and is a stud.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Season Preview: Boston Celtics
So to show you how bored I'm getting, and perhaps how excited about the NBA season I am, I'm going to try to go into each team and pretend I kind of know what I'm talking about. Here's what I see in each team, both good and bad.
Boston Celtics
Starting 5:
PG- Rajon Rondo
SG- Ray Allen
SF- Paul Pierce
PF- Kevin Garnett
C- Kendrick Perkins
Off the Bench
Guards: Tony Allen, Sam Cassell, Eddie House
Forwards: Glen Davis, Leon Powe, Bill Walker
Centers: Patrick O'Bryant, Scott Pollard, Brian Scalabrine
The starting five remain the same, with everyone simply a year older. The Big 3 still have some game left in them as Ray Allen turns 33, Paul Pierce, 31, and Kevin Garnett, 30. They're no longer at their prime, but they're not far enough removed to warrant seeing their production to decrease significantly (like Sam Cassell). All in all the roster remains generally the same, sans James Posey and a potentially retired PJ Brown. It'll be interesting to see if Doc Rivers decides to try to move in some of the rookies but the only one I see really ultimately cracking the rotation would be Bill Walker, assuming that hsi injury situation clears up. The biggest detriment will be the loss of James Posey, a tenacious defender who, like Robert Horry in his heyday, has a penchant of making big shots. I believe that the Celtics solution would be to hope that Tony Allen is fully recovered from injuries and will be able to step up on perimeter defense, he's a guy who can defend and get his fair share of buckets, and now currently handles the role of the best perimeter defender on the team. I think most people were pretty happy with how Glen Davis and Leon Powe ended up panning out in the Playoffs and Finals last season and we can only hope that they just improve their conditioning and game. Rajon Rondo looks to be one of the better defensive points out there, and if like Tony Parker, he can eventually develop a jumper he can become very, very dangerous.
All in all, I think this team is pretty much the same as the championship team, sure there are a couple of different faces but I believe that the loss of James Posey and PJ Brown are mitigated by a healthy Tony Allen, and the continued improvement of Rajon Rondo, Glen Davis, and Leon Powe. The major concerns will be first, whether Patrick O'Bryant gets minutes, and if he does, whether or not he's in good enough shape to use them. We haven't seen too much of O'Bryant as he's one of those players that's the worst possible fit for his previous team; Golden State, which meant that he was relegated to the end of the bench behind the rookies (Brandon Wright and Marco Bellinelli), the D-Leaguers (Kelenna Azubuike and CJ Watson), and Austin Croshere. I think conditioning has always been something of an issue for him, but we'll see if even after winning a ring Kevin Garnett still has that fire and passion to energize his team. I don't know that their record will be as stellar as perhaps the previous year, but I still expect them to be at the top. For starters, there is one thing that people can't say is an issue now: chemistry.
I say a respectable 60 win season clinching first in the Eastern Conference.
Boston Celtics
Starting 5:
PG- Rajon Rondo
SG- Ray Allen
SF- Paul Pierce
PF- Kevin Garnett
C- Kendrick Perkins
Off the Bench
Guards: Tony Allen, Sam Cassell, Eddie House
Forwards: Glen Davis, Leon Powe, Bill Walker
Centers: Patrick O'Bryant, Scott Pollard, Brian Scalabrine
The starting five remain the same, with everyone simply a year older. The Big 3 still have some game left in them as Ray Allen turns 33, Paul Pierce, 31, and Kevin Garnett, 30. They're no longer at their prime, but they're not far enough removed to warrant seeing their production to decrease significantly (like Sam Cassell). All in all the roster remains generally the same, sans James Posey and a potentially retired PJ Brown. It'll be interesting to see if Doc Rivers decides to try to move in some of the rookies but the only one I see really ultimately cracking the rotation would be Bill Walker, assuming that hsi injury situation clears up. The biggest detriment will be the loss of James Posey, a tenacious defender who, like Robert Horry in his heyday, has a penchant of making big shots. I believe that the Celtics solution would be to hope that Tony Allen is fully recovered from injuries and will be able to step up on perimeter defense, he's a guy who can defend and get his fair share of buckets, and now currently handles the role of the best perimeter defender on the team. I think most people were pretty happy with how Glen Davis and Leon Powe ended up panning out in the Playoffs and Finals last season and we can only hope that they just improve their conditioning and game. Rajon Rondo looks to be one of the better defensive points out there, and if like Tony Parker, he can eventually develop a jumper he can become very, very dangerous.
All in all, I think this team is pretty much the same as the championship team, sure there are a couple of different faces but I believe that the loss of James Posey and PJ Brown are mitigated by a healthy Tony Allen, and the continued improvement of Rajon Rondo, Glen Davis, and Leon Powe. The major concerns will be first, whether Patrick O'Bryant gets minutes, and if he does, whether or not he's in good enough shape to use them. We haven't seen too much of O'Bryant as he's one of those players that's the worst possible fit for his previous team; Golden State, which meant that he was relegated to the end of the bench behind the rookies (Brandon Wright and Marco Bellinelli), the D-Leaguers (Kelenna Azubuike and CJ Watson), and Austin Croshere. I think conditioning has always been something of an issue for him, but we'll see if even after winning a ring Kevin Garnett still has that fire and passion to energize his team. I don't know that their record will be as stellar as perhaps the previous year, but I still expect them to be at the top. For starters, there is one thing that people can't say is an issue now: chemistry.
I say a respectable 60 win season clinching first in the Eastern Conference.
Monday, September 15, 2008
An in-depth look at Big 3s: The Keys to Success: Western Conferece
As promised, since I did the Eastern Conference, now I'll move to the Western Conference. Some of you might be sick of all this, but hey, it's something to pass the time while we're waiting around for the season to start. If you're that bored, go Create-a-Caption at BDL.
Los Angeles Lakers
Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum
Some people would have Lamar Odom on there instead of Bynum, I honestly think that if Bynum returns to form then Odom is somewhat expendable. If Odom plays the SF position, his length and rebounding will be wasted and he'll be asked to do one of the things he can't do, shoot the ball. If Gasol regains his midrange touch I see this being a very potent offense, with Kobe creating and then Gasol and Bynum on either post. Then put Fisher at one wing launching 3s you have the SF at the other launching 3s, ideally you want someone that can shoot and defend, two things Odom can't really do very well. I've heard tell that Phil Jackson will stick with starting Vladamir Radmonovic at the SF position (since at least he can shoot if nothing else). The ideal would be for Vladamir Radmonovic to learn to play defense or Trevor Ariza to learn how to shoot. The most ideal fit for such a position would ideally be like a Tayshaun Prince or, ironically, Bruce Bowen. That being said, this Big 3 is also top notch, granted now they haven't ever played together before, but if Phil Jackson's emphasis on team passing can really get through, this team will be nigh unstoppable.
New Orleans Hornets
Chris Paul, David West, Tyson Chandler
This team also has a pretty solid starting five, however, Peja Stojakovic has not really regained his All-Star form, which means that he's something of a 3 pt specialist and Morris Peterson becomes a defensive specialist. This Big 3 is pretty similar to the Lakers' in that David West lives off of the 15-18 ft midrange jumper. Tyson Chandler is pretty much a rebounding alley-oop monster who Chris Paul regularly feeds. Paul is almost impossible to keep out of the lane, so they all complement one another very well. There's really not much I can say about this one, at least not without bringing up the whole injury issue, which I won't, they're that good.
San Antonio Spurs
Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili
This is one of those Big 3s that has been around forever. Duncan is one of the few players that has been a part of 2 successful Big 3s, the first being the 1999 championship team with the Big 3 of David Robinson, Tim Duncan, and Sean Elliot, and this one which won championships in 2003, 2005, and 2007. Spurs are just one of the best run teams in the entire league, despite being based around some All-Stars the emphasis has always been on team. That being said, this Big 3 works primarily because of how the rest of the team works, they have enough people to shoot the 3 (Finley, Bowen, Ginobili) to allow Parker and Ginobili a little freedom outside of being pure shooters. Ginobili is not by any stretch a pure shooter, but more a slasher with a shot and Parker is less reliable with his shot, however, Parker is also a more prolific slasher. The anchor still remains Mr. Fundamental, Tim Duncan, who is nigh unstoppable in the post. The only knock I have on this Big 3 is that their bodies are starting to break down, specifically Manu. They need to start bringing in fresh talent, which will be hard, but I have faith that the Spurs system will continue to work out making them a perennial contender.
Utah Jazz
Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur
Some would argue that Andrei Kirilenko should be considred instead of Okur, I believe Kirilenko's contributions to come greater on the defensive end, and thus it's an added bonus if he scores, but the top three options are still Williams, Boozer, and Okur. Williams is the first to draw "Jason Kidd with a jumpshot" comparisons, and will forever be compared to his fellow draft-classmate, Chris Paul. The comparisons never stop, but still, Williams is a big guard that can shoot, pass, and drive, Jerry Sloan has allowed him to run the show a little more and he's doing a phenomenal job of it. Boozer is a banger that has more range than most people give him credit for, that's probably because he doesn't roam out much with the 3 pt range of Mehmet Okur. This is a big team that can run with small-ball teams, which is what makes them so dangerous. It's not by any means a traditional Big 3, but they work with Jerry Sloan's pick and roll system, and they are solid.
Houston Rockets
Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming, Ron Artest
The addition of Artest came with some mixed reviews. On one hand the Rockets get a legitimate 3rd option scorer, on the other hand, the Rockets get a nutcase who may not like the idea of being the 3rd option scorer. That being said, on paper the team looks fairly solid. The Big 3 is versatile because all three players have range, so they can spread the floor and create mismatches in any number of ways. Artest's rebounding ability I believe will be tested the greatest, but I still feel that putting him at the PF position while still starting Shane Battier would be the most idea solution. Artest will get his fair share of shots and McGrady can focus on getting to the foul line more often, switching on and off with Artest between shooting and slashing. If Artest wants to post in the block, Yao does have a fairly soft touch from 10-15 ft. It looks good on paper, another one I'm itching to see.
Portland Trailblazers
Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, Greg Oden
Roy has proven himself to be both a scorer and a distributor, which works well with this young team. Oden really doesn't have to perform that well in order to be a solid contributor, and if he can produce say Al Horford's rookie numbers, then Portland is solid. They'll likely go with Aldridge on the block and Roy running the offense. Perhaps start some slashing with Jerryd Bayless and perimeter shooting with Martell Webster. This is a team I'm really itching to see. Not much to say yet, Aldridge and Roy have both proven themselves invaluable additions, however, Oden's contributions remain yet to be seen. It could be revival of the true center.
Phoenix Suns
Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire, Shaquille O'Neal
Shaq has apparently motivated Amare, so that's a good thing. This is an interesting Big 3. Shaq patrols the paint which allows Amare to roam a little more and exploit his athleticism against the defenders. Nash, well, he's Nash. He can shoot and he can find passing lanes that no one knew existed. As far as offensive ability, this Big 3 is pretty high up there, even with Shaq's decline as a major offensive threat.
Dallas Mavericks
Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard, Jason Terry
I really see Jason Kidd ultimately becoming something more of a facilitator and distributor more than anything of a scoring option. My beef with this Big 3, they all do the same thing and only the same thing; shoot long-range. Seriously, too many jump shooters and not enough help for Erik Dampier. I really, really, can't bring myself to like this team for some reason. As good of rebounder as Kidd is as a guard, I don't know if it'll make a big enough difference if there is no inside game. Sure Dirk has a post move or two, but he's still not a post player. Just becuase he gets defensive rebounds doesn't make him a good PF. To me, he's like Lamar Odom who can shoot but isn't as good at finishing or handling the ball.
Denver Nuggets
Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony, Kenyon Martin
There really isn't much of a third option, it probably could just be everyone else on the roster, as Iverson and Melo get enough scoring done between them. This is a team that just never seemed to get it going for some reason. I suppose I can blame it on sticky hands with Melo and AI like everyone else. I don't know, I just think they got caught between wanting to be a typical solid basketball club and the fun kind of run-and-gun kind of club. They don't really work together so I don't know if it's even a real Big 3 of any sort, they all kind of do their own thing and hope that it all adds up to be a higher score than the other team.
Los Angeles Clippers
Baron Davis, Chris Kaman, Al Thornton
Maybe you put Camby up there, but I think Camby will focus a little more on defense to allow Kaman some easy looks and shots, of course, I think they'll both do their fair share of scoring, but we'll see how well that works. Thornton has emerged as a premier scorer, I've heard comparisons of him to Glenn Robinson. We'll see how motivated Baron is to play. The major problem I foresee is that Baron and Thornton are both something of volume shooters, which shouldn't be too bad with rebounders like Camby and Kaman, but I think eventually the shot-happy ways will come back and bite them. As much as second chance buckets are important, I don't know if it's a good policy to bank on them...
Golden State Warriors
Monta Ellis, Stephen Jackson, Corey Maggette
Al Harrington has fallen so out of favor with Don Nelson that I think he'll just chuck it whenever he touches the ball, which being said, will not make him much of a scoring option. I think Andris Biedrins will have to step up the scoring load with Monta out until January, though I suppose Corey Maggette will be happy he's getting his shots. I really have no idea where this team is going. I mean, this team I suppose is the epitome is of the "score more than the other team before time runs out" kind of game.
Sacramento Kings
Kevin Martin, Brad Miller, John Salmons
It could potentially be Francisco Garcia there if Reggie Theus decides to start him instead of Salmons, another possibility could be Beno Udrih I suppose. Everyone's sort of forgotten about the Kings, but they're still a pretty solid team. Brad Miller still has some juice left in his tank and Kevin Martin has developed to be one of the premier scorers in the league. This will be one of those teams where you don't know anyone's name but they still are somehow managing to get wins here and there. Not much of a Big 3, but everyone hustles.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Al Jefferson, Mike Miller, Randy Foye
Minnesota is a franchise where sometimes you're not really sure what the GM is doing. However, things are sort of looking up I guess. If Randy Foye plays out to be as good as he's supposed to be, then this team is serviceable, if not good. Al Jefferson has turned into a monster in the post, Mike Miller is one of those underrated shooters you don't hear about because he's on a crappy team. There you already have two of the three traditional Big 3 pieces. However, in the wake of the Big Ticket (Kevin Garnett), expectations have been, and will still remain low.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Russell Westbrook
In the near future I see any player over the age of 25 being traded for draft picks. Seriously, I have no idea what's going on here. I can only hope that Durant, Green, and Westbrook develop in a way that will not adversely affect their NBA careers. I really don't see Wilcox or Collison in the long-term picture, and I believe they could easily be traded, perhaps for a better center? I don't know if they've given up on Robert Swift yet, I seriously hope so. That being said, this is another one of those high potential teams, if Durant and Green fill the forward positions and Westbrook plays the point, and become as good as they seem like they can, then I see this team being a very fast paced, highly athletic teams that will be hard to stop. That being said, I hope that Kevin Durant passes more and shoots less, shot selection is really hurting right now. I suppose I should hope for PJ Carlesimo to stop force-feeding Durant the ball every other play.
Memphis Grizzlies
Rudy Gay, OJ Mayo, Mike Conley Jr
It's Memphis... That's really all I have to say. Ok, ok, let me add a few things. I like Rudy Gay, he's a stellar player that looks only to get better. Mike Conley Jr I think has an opportunity to really flourish, but all these roster moves really screw with my head. When I think I know what they're doing they one up me by giving Mike Miller away for free. All I have to say is if Memphis wants to regain any credibility, OJ Mayo better be ludicrously good, which he wasn't really, and that was Summer League. Darko for Zach Randolph?
Los Angeles Lakers
Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum
Some people would have Lamar Odom on there instead of Bynum, I honestly think that if Bynum returns to form then Odom is somewhat expendable. If Odom plays the SF position, his length and rebounding will be wasted and he'll be asked to do one of the things he can't do, shoot the ball. If Gasol regains his midrange touch I see this being a very potent offense, with Kobe creating and then Gasol and Bynum on either post. Then put Fisher at one wing launching 3s you have the SF at the other launching 3s, ideally you want someone that can shoot and defend, two things Odom can't really do very well. I've heard tell that Phil Jackson will stick with starting Vladamir Radmonovic at the SF position (since at least he can shoot if nothing else). The ideal would be for Vladamir Radmonovic to learn to play defense or Trevor Ariza to learn how to shoot. The most ideal fit for such a position would ideally be like a Tayshaun Prince or, ironically, Bruce Bowen. That being said, this Big 3 is also top notch, granted now they haven't ever played together before, but if Phil Jackson's emphasis on team passing can really get through, this team will be nigh unstoppable.
New Orleans Hornets
Chris Paul, David West, Tyson Chandler
This team also has a pretty solid starting five, however, Peja Stojakovic has not really regained his All-Star form, which means that he's something of a 3 pt specialist and Morris Peterson becomes a defensive specialist. This Big 3 is pretty similar to the Lakers' in that David West lives off of the 15-18 ft midrange jumper. Tyson Chandler is pretty much a rebounding alley-oop monster who Chris Paul regularly feeds. Paul is almost impossible to keep out of the lane, so they all complement one another very well. There's really not much I can say about this one, at least not without bringing up the whole injury issue, which I won't, they're that good.
San Antonio Spurs
Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili
This is one of those Big 3s that has been around forever. Duncan is one of the few players that has been a part of 2 successful Big 3s, the first being the 1999 championship team with the Big 3 of David Robinson, Tim Duncan, and Sean Elliot, and this one which won championships in 2003, 2005, and 2007. Spurs are just one of the best run teams in the entire league, despite being based around some All-Stars the emphasis has always been on team. That being said, this Big 3 works primarily because of how the rest of the team works, they have enough people to shoot the 3 (Finley, Bowen, Ginobili) to allow Parker and Ginobili a little freedom outside of being pure shooters. Ginobili is not by any stretch a pure shooter, but more a slasher with a shot and Parker is less reliable with his shot, however, Parker is also a more prolific slasher. The anchor still remains Mr. Fundamental, Tim Duncan, who is nigh unstoppable in the post. The only knock I have on this Big 3 is that their bodies are starting to break down, specifically Manu. They need to start bringing in fresh talent, which will be hard, but I have faith that the Spurs system will continue to work out making them a perennial contender.
Utah Jazz
Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur
Some would argue that Andrei Kirilenko should be considred instead of Okur, I believe Kirilenko's contributions to come greater on the defensive end, and thus it's an added bonus if he scores, but the top three options are still Williams, Boozer, and Okur. Williams is the first to draw "Jason Kidd with a jumpshot" comparisons, and will forever be compared to his fellow draft-classmate, Chris Paul. The comparisons never stop, but still, Williams is a big guard that can shoot, pass, and drive, Jerry Sloan has allowed him to run the show a little more and he's doing a phenomenal job of it. Boozer is a banger that has more range than most people give him credit for, that's probably because he doesn't roam out much with the 3 pt range of Mehmet Okur. This is a big team that can run with small-ball teams, which is what makes them so dangerous. It's not by any means a traditional Big 3, but they work with Jerry Sloan's pick and roll system, and they are solid.
Houston Rockets
Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming, Ron Artest
The addition of Artest came with some mixed reviews. On one hand the Rockets get a legitimate 3rd option scorer, on the other hand, the Rockets get a nutcase who may not like the idea of being the 3rd option scorer. That being said, on paper the team looks fairly solid. The Big 3 is versatile because all three players have range, so they can spread the floor and create mismatches in any number of ways. Artest's rebounding ability I believe will be tested the greatest, but I still feel that putting him at the PF position while still starting Shane Battier would be the most idea solution. Artest will get his fair share of shots and McGrady can focus on getting to the foul line more often, switching on and off with Artest between shooting and slashing. If Artest wants to post in the block, Yao does have a fairly soft touch from 10-15 ft. It looks good on paper, another one I'm itching to see.
Portland Trailblazers
Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, Greg Oden
Roy has proven himself to be both a scorer and a distributor, which works well with this young team. Oden really doesn't have to perform that well in order to be a solid contributor, and if he can produce say Al Horford's rookie numbers, then Portland is solid. They'll likely go with Aldridge on the block and Roy running the offense. Perhaps start some slashing with Jerryd Bayless and perimeter shooting with Martell Webster. This is a team I'm really itching to see. Not much to say yet, Aldridge and Roy have both proven themselves invaluable additions, however, Oden's contributions remain yet to be seen. It could be revival of the true center.
Phoenix Suns
Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire, Shaquille O'Neal
Shaq has apparently motivated Amare, so that's a good thing. This is an interesting Big 3. Shaq patrols the paint which allows Amare to roam a little more and exploit his athleticism against the defenders. Nash, well, he's Nash. He can shoot and he can find passing lanes that no one knew existed. As far as offensive ability, this Big 3 is pretty high up there, even with Shaq's decline as a major offensive threat.
Dallas Mavericks
Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard, Jason Terry
I really see Jason Kidd ultimately becoming something more of a facilitator and distributor more than anything of a scoring option. My beef with this Big 3, they all do the same thing and only the same thing; shoot long-range. Seriously, too many jump shooters and not enough help for Erik Dampier. I really, really, can't bring myself to like this team for some reason. As good of rebounder as Kidd is as a guard, I don't know if it'll make a big enough difference if there is no inside game. Sure Dirk has a post move or two, but he's still not a post player. Just becuase he gets defensive rebounds doesn't make him a good PF. To me, he's like Lamar Odom who can shoot but isn't as good at finishing or handling the ball.
Denver Nuggets
Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony, Kenyon Martin
There really isn't much of a third option, it probably could just be everyone else on the roster, as Iverson and Melo get enough scoring done between them. This is a team that just never seemed to get it going for some reason. I suppose I can blame it on sticky hands with Melo and AI like everyone else. I don't know, I just think they got caught between wanting to be a typical solid basketball club and the fun kind of run-and-gun kind of club. They don't really work together so I don't know if it's even a real Big 3 of any sort, they all kind of do their own thing and hope that it all adds up to be a higher score than the other team.
Los Angeles Clippers
Baron Davis, Chris Kaman, Al Thornton
Maybe you put Camby up there, but I think Camby will focus a little more on defense to allow Kaman some easy looks and shots, of course, I think they'll both do their fair share of scoring, but we'll see how well that works. Thornton has emerged as a premier scorer, I've heard comparisons of him to Glenn Robinson. We'll see how motivated Baron is to play. The major problem I foresee is that Baron and Thornton are both something of volume shooters, which shouldn't be too bad with rebounders like Camby and Kaman, but I think eventually the shot-happy ways will come back and bite them. As much as second chance buckets are important, I don't know if it's a good policy to bank on them...
Golden State Warriors
Monta Ellis, Stephen Jackson, Corey Maggette
Al Harrington has fallen so out of favor with Don Nelson that I think he'll just chuck it whenever he touches the ball, which being said, will not make him much of a scoring option. I think Andris Biedrins will have to step up the scoring load with Monta out until January, though I suppose Corey Maggette will be happy he's getting his shots. I really have no idea where this team is going. I mean, this team I suppose is the epitome is of the "score more than the other team before time runs out" kind of game.
Sacramento Kings
Kevin Martin, Brad Miller, John Salmons
It could potentially be Francisco Garcia there if Reggie Theus decides to start him instead of Salmons, another possibility could be Beno Udrih I suppose. Everyone's sort of forgotten about the Kings, but they're still a pretty solid team. Brad Miller still has some juice left in his tank and Kevin Martin has developed to be one of the premier scorers in the league. This will be one of those teams where you don't know anyone's name but they still are somehow managing to get wins here and there. Not much of a Big 3, but everyone hustles.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Al Jefferson, Mike Miller, Randy Foye
Minnesota is a franchise where sometimes you're not really sure what the GM is doing. However, things are sort of looking up I guess. If Randy Foye plays out to be as good as he's supposed to be, then this team is serviceable, if not good. Al Jefferson has turned into a monster in the post, Mike Miller is one of those underrated shooters you don't hear about because he's on a crappy team. There you already have two of the three traditional Big 3 pieces. However, in the wake of the Big Ticket (Kevin Garnett), expectations have been, and will still remain low.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Russell Westbrook
In the near future I see any player over the age of 25 being traded for draft picks. Seriously, I have no idea what's going on here. I can only hope that Durant, Green, and Westbrook develop in a way that will not adversely affect their NBA careers. I really don't see Wilcox or Collison in the long-term picture, and I believe they could easily be traded, perhaps for a better center? I don't know if they've given up on Robert Swift yet, I seriously hope so. That being said, this is another one of those high potential teams, if Durant and Green fill the forward positions and Westbrook plays the point, and become as good as they seem like they can, then I see this team being a very fast paced, highly athletic teams that will be hard to stop. That being said, I hope that Kevin Durant passes more and shoots less, shot selection is really hurting right now. I suppose I should hope for PJ Carlesimo to stop force-feeding Durant the ball every other play.
Memphis Grizzlies
Rudy Gay, OJ Mayo, Mike Conley Jr
It's Memphis... That's really all I have to say. Ok, ok, let me add a few things. I like Rudy Gay, he's a stellar player that looks only to get better. Mike Conley Jr I think has an opportunity to really flourish, but all these roster moves really screw with my head. When I think I know what they're doing they one up me by giving Mike Miller away for free. All I have to say is if Memphis wants to regain any credibility, OJ Mayo better be ludicrously good, which he wasn't really, and that was Summer League. Darko for Zach Randolph?
An In-Depth Look at Big 3s: The Keys to Success: Eastern Conference
Nowadays everyone is talking about Big 3s, that is, the three biggest scoring threats on any team that will inevitably lead them to success. Every team supposedly has one, every successful team definitely has one (with perhaps one exception). My earliest recollection of the term "Big 3" was the 2nd Chicago-Utah series when commentators started comparing the Big 3s of each team (Jordan, Pippen, Kukoc vs Stockton, Malone, Hornacek) Now, in this 2 month lull before the season actually starts lets take a look at what the teams are throwing at their opponents in terms of firepower. Let's start with the East.
Boston Celtics
Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen
This team has sort of revived the idea of a Big 3 (granted the Spurs technically did first, though for some reason, no one really liked talking about the Spurs, don't ask me why, I'm as confused as any) since Shaq and Kobe kind of killed the idea with the Lakers (unless you count one of Glenn Rice, Horace Grant, Ron Harper, AC Green, Rick Fox, or Robert Horry). With the draft night trade for Ray Allen and then the summer blockbuster for Kevin Garnett at the end of the 2006-2007 season, Boston immediately became a contender. There's been all sorts of literature on how well this Big 3 works, and I don't want to beat a dead horse. To put it shortly, it worked, they won a ring. I feel that Kevin Garnett could be more of a post presence for this to work better, but I still like it, you have the prototypical pieces of a good team, the slasher (Paul Pierce), the shooter (Ray Allen), and the low-post threat (Kevin Garnett). There's always been questions about how "go-to" Garnett is on offenses, but he's a proficient enough scorer that you have instant offense on 3 fronts, and that's what a Big 3 has to do. There never is going to be a perfect Big 3 I suppose, or an ideal one, maybe if you replace Ray Allen with Reggie Miller and Kevin Garnett with Patrick Ewing or something then you'd have something ideal, but for all extensive purposes, this team works. One of the primary reasons is simply this, Kevin Garnett (the team leader) plays defense. When your All-Star plays defense, you play defense, so you get a great defensive-minded team that hustles on every play. If any team has a Big 3 it's Boston, the pillars on which the team rests.
Detroit Pistons
Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace
This team was the team I meant as a sort of exception to the rule. This "Big 3" really doesn't exist as a "Big 3" because if you look at it, Tayshaun Prince and Antonio McDyess get their fair share of scoring done as well. It's more of a Big 5 than anything else. However, for all extensive purposes, when the game is on the line, the ball will most likely end up in the hands of one of the three above mentioned players (most likley Chauncey Billups, hence the moniker, "Mr. Big-Shot"). The fact is, they've played together, like, forever. Of the starting 5, Prince, Hamilton, and Billups have been playing together since the 2002-2003 season (so that's what... 6 seasons now?) with Wallace coming alter in 2003-2004 (and succinctly helping Detroit win its title) and McDyess a year later in 2004-2005. Whenever we talk about the Pistons we have to talk about chemistry, because there's tons of it. These guys know each other, they know each other really, really well. For all extensive purposes, they're like an all-American version of the San Antonio Spurs (who, now have a lot of foreign players on the roster). All in all, they have a system that works, and can function outside of my stated "Big 3", however, I feel that when the ball is taken up the court, these three are the centerpieces.
Orlando Magic
Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu
The emergence of Hedo Turkoglu was a pleasant surprise for Orlando last season, the only problem, he emerged as a player somewhat similar to Rashard Lewis. A lot of people say that in retrospect, perhaps the Magic shouldn't have thrown that much money at Lewis, since there was Turkoglu. It was unfortunate that Turkoglu had spent so many seasons hidden behind the once-great, injury-prone Grant Hill, however, I still think Lewis is the better player. The nice thing about Lewis is that he's kind of a 2-in-1 kind of player. He's both a slasher and a shooter (a nice little post up turn-around from the top of the key). So right now, Orlando has Turkoglu slashing and Lewis shooting, and obviously Howard posting. Howard needs to develop a few more moves in the post beyond turning and dunking on anyone that can't body him up, but he's still only 22, so he's got some time. Jameer Nelson just needs to develop Derek Fisher-like reliability and consistency and then I think he'd be a solid addition. All in all, I really like this Big 3, it has a lot of potential, and I only see it getting better.
Philadelphia 76ers
Elton Brand, Andre Iguodala, Andre Miller
Some people have put Samuel Dalembert up in the Big 3 instead of Miller, but I personally think it's more Miller than it is Dalembert. To me, now with Brand there, Dalembert becomes a super effective garbage man, akin to Chris Kaman or a more effective Kendrick Perkins. The biggest problem behind the Big 3 of the 76ers remains that there is no one to take over. Miller and Iguodala have proven to be more of hyper-effective role players than any sort of legitimate scoring threat. Brand is more of a workhorse of All-Star quality, but not someone who will take over a game for you. Furthermore, there are no shooters. If you're Mo Cheeks, you don't want Iguodala bombing from beyond the arc, you want him attacking the rim and getting fouled, and Miller never really had an outside shot worth talking about. Both Andres are best at attacking the basket, leaving no one but Willie Green sitting on the perimeter, which means that defenses just keep collapsing on them and clogging the paint, which potentially could be their downfall. Perhaps they'll develop their young talent to step it up, however Thaddeus Young and Louis Williams provide the same problem, they're both slashers. I'm not saying you have to have a shooter to have an effective Big 3, but I think it helps a lot, redundancy really doesn't help because it's just different faces doing the same thing, defenses don't have to adjust too much.
Toronto Raptors
Chris Bosh, Jermaine O'Neal, Anthony Parker
Granted it will be Jose Calderon running the show, but I think Anothony Parker will probably be the bigger scoring threat than Calderon, he's one of those quiet guys that no one talks about in the league, but he gets the job done on most nights. Unfortunately, because Parker is nothing spectacular, Toronto doesn't have much of a Big 3. However, given the way the roster is constructed, Bosh and O'Neal on the block, the team still stands a great chance at doing well. With a roster constructed around Bosh and now with addition of O'Neal, the plethora of long range shooters (Kapono, Parker, Bargnani, Calderon, etc...) doesn't seem too bad. I can see this team gobbling up all sorts of offensive boards and winning a lot of games on put backs and second-chance buckets. Bosh has a little range and versatility which allows O'Neal to focus more on his contributions to the defensive end and the glass. I'm not going to pull the depth and injury card, because it was mentioned that you can do that with every team, so I won't go there. Not really a prototypical Big 3, but hey, I can see it working.
Cleveland Cavaliers
LeBron James, Mo Williams, Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Fortunately for me Cleveland made a trade for Mo Williams, otherwise I would've had to put something like LeBron James, LeBron James, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, still, I was tempted to just put, LeBron James, LeBron James, LeBron James, which wouldn't have been too far off the bat. However, as everyone has said, and as history has shown us, you can't win championships on your own. However, outside of LeBron, Big Z has really been the only consistent contributor (positive contributor) in a mish-mash of players collected to play around "The King". In the 2006-2007 season it was supposed to be Larry Hughes (or maybe Drew Gooden), last season it was supposed to be one of Ben Wallace, Joe Smith, or Wally Sczerbiak. Yeah, that didn't work. Mo Williams has shown though, that he can be a scorer and a distributor, someone to play next to LeBron, nice thing is he's got a pretty nice shooting touch too. I think that the Cavs are looking much better this season than they have previously, hopefully the years aren't weighing too heavily on Big Z, and that they can go a little further this time. I'm really interested in seeing how this team pans out. However, since the roster cycles so much, the issue of chemistry becomes something of an issue, sort of, if there weren't so many other problems to look at. I know I criticize Mike Brown a lot for his lack of an offensive playbook, hopefully he'll change my mind this season.
Washington Wizards
Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison
The one good thing that has come out of Gilbert Arenas's previous seasons of knee problems has simply been this: the emergence of Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison. That being said, this team hasn't really been healthy for the past 2-3 seasons to really make it far in the playoffs. On paper the team looks pretty good, and I really like this Big 3, they're all pretty versatile, and they all have range, which can really spread the floor. Since I said I won't play the injury card, I will stop talking about injuries. Arenas asserts that they are among the top 5 teams in the NBA, of course they've never really proven themselves to be. I'm not a fan of DeShawn Stevenson but he does alright. I feel like the Big 3 here have to potential to be pretty redundant in that Jamison and Arenas just sit outside trying to out gun the other team, but I think it also has potential to work very well. Butler has emerged as a real offensive threat, and I think this is another team that is high on potential. They're just a little defense shy of being great, but in the interests of measuring Big 3s, I think they're up there as having one of the best.
Miami Heat
Dwayne Wade, Shawn Marion, Michael Beasley
I think everyone keeps forgetting about these guys, but with the re-emergence of Dwayne Wade in the Olympics, I think they are a solid team. If Michael Beasley lives up to half the hype that he's been given, I think he'll be a solid pick, and despite the marijuana issues, I hope that Mario Chalmers pans out as well. I expect the Matrix to play the way he's always played, contributing the way he always does, with Wade, Beasley, and Marion respectively at the 2, 3, and 4 positions I think this is a solid team. Granted I don't want any of them taking a large number of outside shots, that's not to say that they can't make those shots, they are a Big 3 that can get away with it because they share the ball well. We'll see how that goes... Not the most ideal of Big 3s, but as far as Big 3s go, not one I would mind having either.
Chicago Bulls
Luol Deng, Ben Gordon, Kirk Hinrich
I'm really not sold enough on Derrick Rose yet, granted he's a no. 1 pick, meaning that either Hinrich or Gordon are probably going out the door. However, I still believe that for now, if the team remains the same, these guys will still be the Big 3, which, when it comes to Big 3s, I don't believe is saying much. None of the three have really proven themselves to be a real go-to guy in terms of clutch situations and scoring (maybe Gordon?). They all have the same problem that Andre Iguodala has, they'd all be good 2nd options. I'm more inclined to agree with Kenny Smith that they overperformed in the 2006-2007 season than they underperformed in the 2007-2008 season. Granted the 2007-2008 season was horrendous, and they couldn't have done much worse, and I believe they could've played better, but not well enough to have gone all the way. This is another team high on potential, but seriously, Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah haven't really done anything to impress me thusfar, they have their spurts, but flashes of greatness aren't really enough to bolster my expectations, I mean, even DeShawn Stevenson has his good games. One of the poorer quality Big 3s out there if ever. I suppose the whole contract and trade issues don't help a whole lot either.
Atlanta Hawks
Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Mike Bibby
I don't know if Mike Bibby will ever regain the form that he was in when he (with Peja Stojakovic and Chris Webber) took the Sacramento Kings to the Western Conference Finals (against the Lakers). However, that being said, he's still a solid player, and I like Joe Johnson and Josh Smith. They're an athletic and versatile team, of course another one of those potential teams. I really like how Al Horford is developing and Marvin Williams is decent (despite being called one of the biggest draft mistakes ever). Of course, how the front office handled the Josh Smith and Josh Childress contracts have the potential to ruin the season, but let's be optimistic and say that it doesn't really affect them (well, except for Childress running off to Greece), I still think that this Big 3 has among the most amount of upside. Josh Smith is still young as is most of the rest of the team, hopefully they can realize their amazing potential, hopefully.
Miluakee Bucks
Michael Redd, Richard Jefferson, Andrew Bogut
Bucks got rid of Mo Williams with the arrival of Richard Jefferson, who didn't fit really well with the Nets anyways (purportedly something of a Vince Carter clone). On paper it looks pretty good, especially with the development of Andrew Bogut in the middle. Hopefully his fat contract extension doesn't make him lazy. Again you have the prototypical big three, the slasher (Jefferson), the shooter (Redd), and the low-post threat (Bogut). They're not really the cream of the crop when it comes to talent, but I feel like these players, with the exception of maybe Bogut, are somewhat underrated. Redd is probably one of the better shooters in the league, I'd argue one of the best, and Jefferson was among the top scorers in the league, which is a pretty large feat considering while on New Jersey he was always the 3rd scoring option behind Vince Carter and Jason Kidd. Something about me still has some reservations about the team though, maybe because it's Miluakee.
Indiana Pacers
Mike Dunleavy Jr, Danny Granger, TJ Ford
They're trying to eliminate any traces of the Palace Arena brawl Pacers, they shipped Artest to Sacramento, they traded Al Harrington and Stephen Jackson to Golden State (for Troy Murphy? ugh), they shopped Jermaine O'Neal for TJ Ford, and now all that remains is Jamal Tinsley (who is rumored to be on the trading block and supposedly will be traded in some package that includes Rasho Nesterovich). Dunleavy, Granger, and Ford are all players that I would consider good, but nothing spectacular thusfar. I think if I could label them something it'd be "serviceably above-average". I think Granger has the most upside, and Dunleavy has been something of a surprise, now that he plays in a system that he can actually play in. TJ Ford has always been a fighter and definitely plays hard and produces. Not a very awe-inspiring Big 3 on a not so awe-inspiring team.
Charlotte Bobcats
Jason Richardson, Gerald Wallace, Emeka Okafor
You figure for such a high powered Big 3 the team would perform somewhat better. However, Okafor is still sort of stuck between the PF and the C position, and various other things (such as Wallace getting hit on the head too much) have led this team to drift to the bottom. I like the players, Okafor I think needs to find his niche, if he's going to be the hardworking 13 point, 11 rebound, 2 block per low post defensive specialist, then do it. Gerald Wallace needs to attack the basket more, and take less jump shots, but all in all, I like how this team looks. They should be doing a lot better, but of course, I could argue that most teams look better on paper, maybe it's a chemistry issue. Gerald Wallace, realize your potential, and stop hitting your head. Maybe Larry Brown will know enough to not play Gerald Wallace as a PF. I still consider the Okafor-Nazr Mohammed front court to have some promise. Then again, I'm still not sold on Sean May and Adam Morrison though.
New Jersey Nets
Vince Carter, uh.... Yi Jianlian, and errm.... Devin Harris?
Seriously, this team has been gutted for the 2010 free agency sweepstakes. They're hoping that owner Jay-Z can convince LeBron that Brooklyn is a fun place to be, and that the Nets are semi-legitimate once he's there. Seriously, I'm not a fan of Brook Lopez, though he's supposed to be the best thing to come out of Stanford since... Brevin Knight? (Ok, ok, I don't give Josh Childress enough credit, hopefully the Lopez twins are a better than the Collins twins). Sure, he "dominated" Summer League, but seriously, it's Summer League. He potentially could be the next piece, but as far as right now, their Big 3 is somewhat nonexistant, of course, not like they plan on winning for a while, at least not this season.
New York Knicks
Jamal Crawford, Zach Randolph, Eddy Curry
I cringe everytime I have to write the names Zach Randolph and Eddy Curry, I don't know why, or maybe I do, but I just do. Honestly, to me, the Knicks are more like a Big 2, it's Jamal Crawford and either Eddy Curry or Zach Randolph. I was never sold on this frontcourt and last season showed me why. They're like a two-headed monster where one head just consistently steals food from the other. I have never seen a night where both players have performed the way their supposed to, interestingly enough, they're also the top two players on the Yahoo! Eddy Curry line (more turnovers than assists, steals, and blocks combined). Of course Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni are also in the running for the LeBron James sweepstakes, so they're hoping to jettison this season for the sake of the future. Hopefully Danilo Gallinari turns more into the player that Andrea Bargnani was supposed to be as opposed to the player that Andrea Bargnani is.
Western Conference analysis to come later.
Boston Celtics
Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen
This team has sort of revived the idea of a Big 3 (granted the Spurs technically did first, though for some reason, no one really liked talking about the Spurs, don't ask me why, I'm as confused as any) since Shaq and Kobe kind of killed the idea with the Lakers (unless you count one of Glenn Rice, Horace Grant, Ron Harper, AC Green, Rick Fox, or Robert Horry). With the draft night trade for Ray Allen and then the summer blockbuster for Kevin Garnett at the end of the 2006-2007 season, Boston immediately became a contender. There's been all sorts of literature on how well this Big 3 works, and I don't want to beat a dead horse. To put it shortly, it worked, they won a ring. I feel that Kevin Garnett could be more of a post presence for this to work better, but I still like it, you have the prototypical pieces of a good team, the slasher (Paul Pierce), the shooter (Ray Allen), and the low-post threat (Kevin Garnett). There's always been questions about how "go-to" Garnett is on offenses, but he's a proficient enough scorer that you have instant offense on 3 fronts, and that's what a Big 3 has to do. There never is going to be a perfect Big 3 I suppose, or an ideal one, maybe if you replace Ray Allen with Reggie Miller and Kevin Garnett with Patrick Ewing or something then you'd have something ideal, but for all extensive purposes, this team works. One of the primary reasons is simply this, Kevin Garnett (the team leader) plays defense. When your All-Star plays defense, you play defense, so you get a great defensive-minded team that hustles on every play. If any team has a Big 3 it's Boston, the pillars on which the team rests.
Detroit Pistons
Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace
This team was the team I meant as a sort of exception to the rule. This "Big 3" really doesn't exist as a "Big 3" because if you look at it, Tayshaun Prince and Antonio McDyess get their fair share of scoring done as well. It's more of a Big 5 than anything else. However, for all extensive purposes, when the game is on the line, the ball will most likely end up in the hands of one of the three above mentioned players (most likley Chauncey Billups, hence the moniker, "Mr. Big-Shot"). The fact is, they've played together, like, forever. Of the starting 5, Prince, Hamilton, and Billups have been playing together since the 2002-2003 season (so that's what... 6 seasons now?) with Wallace coming alter in 2003-2004 (and succinctly helping Detroit win its title) and McDyess a year later in 2004-2005. Whenever we talk about the Pistons we have to talk about chemistry, because there's tons of it. These guys know each other, they know each other really, really well. For all extensive purposes, they're like an all-American version of the San Antonio Spurs (who, now have a lot of foreign players on the roster). All in all, they have a system that works, and can function outside of my stated "Big 3", however, I feel that when the ball is taken up the court, these three are the centerpieces.
Orlando Magic
Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu
The emergence of Hedo Turkoglu was a pleasant surprise for Orlando last season, the only problem, he emerged as a player somewhat similar to Rashard Lewis. A lot of people say that in retrospect, perhaps the Magic shouldn't have thrown that much money at Lewis, since there was Turkoglu. It was unfortunate that Turkoglu had spent so many seasons hidden behind the once-great, injury-prone Grant Hill, however, I still think Lewis is the better player. The nice thing about Lewis is that he's kind of a 2-in-1 kind of player. He's both a slasher and a shooter (a nice little post up turn-around from the top of the key). So right now, Orlando has Turkoglu slashing and Lewis shooting, and obviously Howard posting. Howard needs to develop a few more moves in the post beyond turning and dunking on anyone that can't body him up, but he's still only 22, so he's got some time. Jameer Nelson just needs to develop Derek Fisher-like reliability and consistency and then I think he'd be a solid addition. All in all, I really like this Big 3, it has a lot of potential, and I only see it getting better.
Philadelphia 76ers
Elton Brand, Andre Iguodala, Andre Miller
Some people have put Samuel Dalembert up in the Big 3 instead of Miller, but I personally think it's more Miller than it is Dalembert. To me, now with Brand there, Dalembert becomes a super effective garbage man, akin to Chris Kaman or a more effective Kendrick Perkins. The biggest problem behind the Big 3 of the 76ers remains that there is no one to take over. Miller and Iguodala have proven to be more of hyper-effective role players than any sort of legitimate scoring threat. Brand is more of a workhorse of All-Star quality, but not someone who will take over a game for you. Furthermore, there are no shooters. If you're Mo Cheeks, you don't want Iguodala bombing from beyond the arc, you want him attacking the rim and getting fouled, and Miller never really had an outside shot worth talking about. Both Andres are best at attacking the basket, leaving no one but Willie Green sitting on the perimeter, which means that defenses just keep collapsing on them and clogging the paint, which potentially could be their downfall. Perhaps they'll develop their young talent to step it up, however Thaddeus Young and Louis Williams provide the same problem, they're both slashers. I'm not saying you have to have a shooter to have an effective Big 3, but I think it helps a lot, redundancy really doesn't help because it's just different faces doing the same thing, defenses don't have to adjust too much.
Toronto Raptors
Chris Bosh, Jermaine O'Neal, Anthony Parker
Granted it will be Jose Calderon running the show, but I think Anothony Parker will probably be the bigger scoring threat than Calderon, he's one of those quiet guys that no one talks about in the league, but he gets the job done on most nights. Unfortunately, because Parker is nothing spectacular, Toronto doesn't have much of a Big 3. However, given the way the roster is constructed, Bosh and O'Neal on the block, the team still stands a great chance at doing well. With a roster constructed around Bosh and now with addition of O'Neal, the plethora of long range shooters (Kapono, Parker, Bargnani, Calderon, etc...) doesn't seem too bad. I can see this team gobbling up all sorts of offensive boards and winning a lot of games on put backs and second-chance buckets. Bosh has a little range and versatility which allows O'Neal to focus more on his contributions to the defensive end and the glass. I'm not going to pull the depth and injury card, because it was mentioned that you can do that with every team, so I won't go there. Not really a prototypical Big 3, but hey, I can see it working.
Cleveland Cavaliers
LeBron James, Mo Williams, Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Fortunately for me Cleveland made a trade for Mo Williams, otherwise I would've had to put something like LeBron James, LeBron James, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, still, I was tempted to just put, LeBron James, LeBron James, LeBron James, which wouldn't have been too far off the bat. However, as everyone has said, and as history has shown us, you can't win championships on your own. However, outside of LeBron, Big Z has really been the only consistent contributor (positive contributor) in a mish-mash of players collected to play around "The King". In the 2006-2007 season it was supposed to be Larry Hughes (or maybe Drew Gooden), last season it was supposed to be one of Ben Wallace, Joe Smith, or Wally Sczerbiak. Yeah, that didn't work. Mo Williams has shown though, that he can be a scorer and a distributor, someone to play next to LeBron, nice thing is he's got a pretty nice shooting touch too. I think that the Cavs are looking much better this season than they have previously, hopefully the years aren't weighing too heavily on Big Z, and that they can go a little further this time. I'm really interested in seeing how this team pans out. However, since the roster cycles so much, the issue of chemistry becomes something of an issue, sort of, if there weren't so many other problems to look at. I know I criticize Mike Brown a lot for his lack of an offensive playbook, hopefully he'll change my mind this season.
Washington Wizards
Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison
The one good thing that has come out of Gilbert Arenas's previous seasons of knee problems has simply been this: the emergence of Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison. That being said, this team hasn't really been healthy for the past 2-3 seasons to really make it far in the playoffs. On paper the team looks pretty good, and I really like this Big 3, they're all pretty versatile, and they all have range, which can really spread the floor. Since I said I won't play the injury card, I will stop talking about injuries. Arenas asserts that they are among the top 5 teams in the NBA, of course they've never really proven themselves to be. I'm not a fan of DeShawn Stevenson but he does alright. I feel like the Big 3 here have to potential to be pretty redundant in that Jamison and Arenas just sit outside trying to out gun the other team, but I think it also has potential to work very well. Butler has emerged as a real offensive threat, and I think this is another team that is high on potential. They're just a little defense shy of being great, but in the interests of measuring Big 3s, I think they're up there as having one of the best.
Miami Heat
Dwayne Wade, Shawn Marion, Michael Beasley
I think everyone keeps forgetting about these guys, but with the re-emergence of Dwayne Wade in the Olympics, I think they are a solid team. If Michael Beasley lives up to half the hype that he's been given, I think he'll be a solid pick, and despite the marijuana issues, I hope that Mario Chalmers pans out as well. I expect the Matrix to play the way he's always played, contributing the way he always does, with Wade, Beasley, and Marion respectively at the 2, 3, and 4 positions I think this is a solid team. Granted I don't want any of them taking a large number of outside shots, that's not to say that they can't make those shots, they are a Big 3 that can get away with it because they share the ball well. We'll see how that goes... Not the most ideal of Big 3s, but as far as Big 3s go, not one I would mind having either.
Chicago Bulls
Luol Deng, Ben Gordon, Kirk Hinrich
I'm really not sold enough on Derrick Rose yet, granted he's a no. 1 pick, meaning that either Hinrich or Gordon are probably going out the door. However, I still believe that for now, if the team remains the same, these guys will still be the Big 3, which, when it comes to Big 3s, I don't believe is saying much. None of the three have really proven themselves to be a real go-to guy in terms of clutch situations and scoring (maybe Gordon?). They all have the same problem that Andre Iguodala has, they'd all be good 2nd options. I'm more inclined to agree with Kenny Smith that they overperformed in the 2006-2007 season than they underperformed in the 2007-2008 season. Granted the 2007-2008 season was horrendous, and they couldn't have done much worse, and I believe they could've played better, but not well enough to have gone all the way. This is another team high on potential, but seriously, Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah haven't really done anything to impress me thusfar, they have their spurts, but flashes of greatness aren't really enough to bolster my expectations, I mean, even DeShawn Stevenson has his good games. One of the poorer quality Big 3s out there if ever. I suppose the whole contract and trade issues don't help a whole lot either.
Atlanta Hawks
Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Mike Bibby
I don't know if Mike Bibby will ever regain the form that he was in when he (with Peja Stojakovic and Chris Webber) took the Sacramento Kings to the Western Conference Finals (against the Lakers). However, that being said, he's still a solid player, and I like Joe Johnson and Josh Smith. They're an athletic and versatile team, of course another one of those potential teams. I really like how Al Horford is developing and Marvin Williams is decent (despite being called one of the biggest draft mistakes ever). Of course, how the front office handled the Josh Smith and Josh Childress contracts have the potential to ruin the season, but let's be optimistic and say that it doesn't really affect them (well, except for Childress running off to Greece), I still think that this Big 3 has among the most amount of upside. Josh Smith is still young as is most of the rest of the team, hopefully they can realize their amazing potential, hopefully.
Miluakee Bucks
Michael Redd, Richard Jefferson, Andrew Bogut
Bucks got rid of Mo Williams with the arrival of Richard Jefferson, who didn't fit really well with the Nets anyways (purportedly something of a Vince Carter clone). On paper it looks pretty good, especially with the development of Andrew Bogut in the middle. Hopefully his fat contract extension doesn't make him lazy. Again you have the prototypical big three, the slasher (Jefferson), the shooter (Redd), and the low-post threat (Bogut). They're not really the cream of the crop when it comes to talent, but I feel like these players, with the exception of maybe Bogut, are somewhat underrated. Redd is probably one of the better shooters in the league, I'd argue one of the best, and Jefferson was among the top scorers in the league, which is a pretty large feat considering while on New Jersey he was always the 3rd scoring option behind Vince Carter and Jason Kidd. Something about me still has some reservations about the team though, maybe because it's Miluakee.
Indiana Pacers
Mike Dunleavy Jr, Danny Granger, TJ Ford
They're trying to eliminate any traces of the Palace Arena brawl Pacers, they shipped Artest to Sacramento, they traded Al Harrington and Stephen Jackson to Golden State (for Troy Murphy? ugh), they shopped Jermaine O'Neal for TJ Ford, and now all that remains is Jamal Tinsley (who is rumored to be on the trading block and supposedly will be traded in some package that includes Rasho Nesterovich). Dunleavy, Granger, and Ford are all players that I would consider good, but nothing spectacular thusfar. I think if I could label them something it'd be "serviceably above-average". I think Granger has the most upside, and Dunleavy has been something of a surprise, now that he plays in a system that he can actually play in. TJ Ford has always been a fighter and definitely plays hard and produces. Not a very awe-inspiring Big 3 on a not so awe-inspiring team.
Charlotte Bobcats
Jason Richardson, Gerald Wallace, Emeka Okafor
You figure for such a high powered Big 3 the team would perform somewhat better. However, Okafor is still sort of stuck between the PF and the C position, and various other things (such as Wallace getting hit on the head too much) have led this team to drift to the bottom. I like the players, Okafor I think needs to find his niche, if he's going to be the hardworking 13 point, 11 rebound, 2 block per low post defensive specialist, then do it. Gerald Wallace needs to attack the basket more, and take less jump shots, but all in all, I like how this team looks. They should be doing a lot better, but of course, I could argue that most teams look better on paper, maybe it's a chemistry issue. Gerald Wallace, realize your potential, and stop hitting your head. Maybe Larry Brown will know enough to not play Gerald Wallace as a PF. I still consider the Okafor-Nazr Mohammed front court to have some promise. Then again, I'm still not sold on Sean May and Adam Morrison though.
New Jersey Nets
Vince Carter, uh.... Yi Jianlian, and errm.... Devin Harris?
Seriously, this team has been gutted for the 2010 free agency sweepstakes. They're hoping that owner Jay-Z can convince LeBron that Brooklyn is a fun place to be, and that the Nets are semi-legitimate once he's there. Seriously, I'm not a fan of Brook Lopez, though he's supposed to be the best thing to come out of Stanford since... Brevin Knight? (Ok, ok, I don't give Josh Childress enough credit, hopefully the Lopez twins are a better than the Collins twins). Sure, he "dominated" Summer League, but seriously, it's Summer League. He potentially could be the next piece, but as far as right now, their Big 3 is somewhat nonexistant, of course, not like they plan on winning for a while, at least not this season.
New York Knicks
Jamal Crawford, Zach Randolph, Eddy Curry
I cringe everytime I have to write the names Zach Randolph and Eddy Curry, I don't know why, or maybe I do, but I just do. Honestly, to me, the Knicks are more like a Big 2, it's Jamal Crawford and either Eddy Curry or Zach Randolph. I was never sold on this frontcourt and last season showed me why. They're like a two-headed monster where one head just consistently steals food from the other. I have never seen a night where both players have performed the way their supposed to, interestingly enough, they're also the top two players on the Yahoo! Eddy Curry line (more turnovers than assists, steals, and blocks combined). Of course Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni are also in the running for the LeBron James sweepstakes, so they're hoping to jettison this season for the sake of the future. Hopefully Danilo Gallinari turns more into the player that Andrea Bargnani was supposed to be as opposed to the player that Andrea Bargnani is.
Western Conference analysis to come later.
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