HEADS-UP: Evans vs. Curry

By Colin Donohue

Justin and I have been arguing this Tyreke Evans v. Stephen Curry case for the last few months now. I proclaimed my affection for Evans and deemed Curry overhyped. You can read all about it HERE. Justin, in full prognosticator form, declared his love for Curry and suggested Evans would shoot himself out of the league. You can read all about it HERE.  We’re pretty far apart on this issue, I think. Justin even texted me late one night during the summer to begin the coronation of Curry after a dominant performance … in a summer league game. Please. Nick Young is a friggin’ summer league All-Star every year, and look where that’s gotten him. He’s riding the pine on an underwhelming 2-7 Washington Wizards team.

Well, we’re 10 games into Evans’ and Curry’s rookie seasons, so I thought, with 10 being a nice round number, I’d do a little comparison shopping. (Disclaimer: We are only 10 games in. I’m not drawing any extensive conclusions. Just mostly pointing out the facts.) (Disclosure: I am a graduate of a University of Memphis master’s program, so I’m partial to the Tigers, and thus Evans. I am an Elon University graduate and employee now, and thus have a strong distaste for Davidson, which means I’m not fan of Curry’s.)

TYREKE EVANS

MPG: 34.3
FG%: .410
3P%: .261
FT%: .758
REB: 4.4
STL: 1.5
BLK: .40
TO: 2.60
AST: 4.3
PTS: 17.1

Tyreke Evans

In his last five games, Evans has scored 32, 23, 20, 20 and 20 points, respectively. Evans plays on a Sacramento Kings team that lacks legitimate scoring options, especially with Kevin Martin out of the lineup. He gets more minutes, as a result, so he receives more scoring opportunities. He has taken advantage of the run he’s getting, and he’s averaging an impressive 17 points a game. He averages about 15 shots a game and shoots a lousy 41% from the field, which goes directly to Justin’s point. I think his shooting will improve. He has the size and athleticism to be a fantastic guard in the NBA.

STEPHEN CURRY

MPG: 27.7
FG%: .500
3P%: .429
FT%: .545
REB: 2.5
STL: 1.1
BLK: .20
TO: 2.00
AST: 4.7
PTS: 8.9

Stephen Curry

Curry plays for an athletic Golden State Warriors team with plenty of capable guards. With Stephen Jackson now out of the picture, it should mean more time for Curry. In fact, against Cleveland on Nov. 17, Jackson’s first game away, Curry played 41 minutes. But he only scored 14 points. In fact, in his last five games, Curry has scored 8, 6, 0, 14 and 14 points. Admittedly, he doesn’t get the same amount of PT, but those are low scoring averages. And really, all Curry is going to do for a team is shoot and score, so if he’s not scoring, his worth goes down substantially. That said, he is shooting a high percentage from the field (50%) and from 3-point range (43%).

Overall, through 10 games, you have to give Evans the advantage. Yes, he plays seven minutes more a game than Curry, but he’s also averaging nine more points a game. Curry, though, is shooting at a better clip and perhaps establishing himself as a more efficient scorer. The next 10 games might give us a clearer indication of Curry’s potential because without Jackson, he should have more big-minute nights. We’ll see how all of this plays out.

By Justin Cherot

So the truth comes out: Colin’s work at the Commercial Appeal and stint at Memphis makes him partial to the future NBDLer!!!

All jokes aside, ten games into the season the truth is that Curry, sans the minutes, has been much more efficient than Evans.  Yes, Evans is doing thriving at getting to the rim and creating opportunities for himself and (sometimes) his teammates, but those percentages leave a lot to be desired.  Unless your name is Allen Iverson, it’s hard to envision sticking in the league at a 41% clip.  This ain’t college.

Meanwhile, Curry’s numbers don’t jump out at you (believe me, I know: I’ve been checking Warriors’ box scores every night waiting for him to go off for 30).  In Don Nelson’s offense, I would definitely have pegged him for more than nine points a game.  But, you can’t ignore the healthy percentages from the field that have trumped even my expectations.  50% and 43% from three?  Dude… shoot the rock more and end this discussion.

However, where I’ve really been impressed with Curry thus far is his floor game.  In seven less MPG (not miles per gallon, because then he’d be a Ford or something), he is dropping more dimes and turning it over less.  For a guy like Evans who just dominates the rock, you’d think he would at least be up around six, which is the STANDARD for a starting NBA point guard.

But here’s something that neither Colin or I have really talked about in the past: Don Nelson’s penchant for f’ing with young players’ minutes.

Last night, because of the Jax trade, Curry played 41 minutes.  Two games before in a 17-point blowout win?  Curry played a whopping three.  To be honest, it wouldn’t completely shock me if Curry ended up being a bust, because Nelson has a way of just stripping your manhood at a young age.

It’s not just Curry, either.  Check out Anthony Randolph’s game log: two games after dropping 23 points with seven boards and three blocks against the T’Wolves, he played just six minutes against the Knicks.  For the record, he’s averaging 12 points, seven boards and just under a block a game in 20 minutes of work.  With an additional ten minutes per game he’d be a sleeper to make the all-star team.  There’s a reason Randolph was invited to try-out for team USA this summer (although apparently there’s a reason why JaVale McGee tried out, too, so…).

But that’s beside the point.  To this point in the season, Colin’s right: statistically, Evans has been theoretically more impressive.  I just think Curry does better with the eye test.

Pick and Prop, College Basketball Style

By Justin Cherot

I love these consistent two-week vacations.  If the real world of sports journalism is anything like this, sign me up!

It’s always something with me, whether it’s school, work, fatherhood, playing too much NBA Live, etc, I’ve been getting far too caught up in everything BUT PnP.  But I’m back.

I think one cool thing about the whole WordPress template is the stats.  For example, I see that we have nearly 6,500 page views to date.  Not too shabby: imagine if Colin and I wrote everyday.

But, one thing that trips me out is that the leading “click me” post thus far has been, of all things, my college football Pick and Prop post that I wrote while relaxing on the beach at Martha’s Vineyard, and it’s not even close.  This leads me to two sweeping generalizations:

1. This is a nation filled with compulsive gamblers.  We all need to stop, and I’m not excluding myself from this epiphany, and
2. College sports need to stop being utterly neglected.

So, without further ado, let’s explore the upcoming/underway college basketball season in the form of cool prop bets that will either make you money come April or leave you completely poor.

1. The Kansas Jayhawks will win 35 games this season.

How will Sheron Collins and Cole Aldrich perform with a gigantic target on their back? Photo from The Bleacher Report.

On paper, there’s no team outside of Lexington, Kentucky fields a more talented basketball team.  It’s not even close.  They’ve got at least three first rounders in Cole “Play” Aldrich(watch Gunnin’ For That Number 1 Spot for the relevance), Sherron Collins, and Xavier Henry, plus some better than advertised role players.  However, they’ve got a beasty (at press time) out of conference schedule with games against the Michigan Wolverines and California Golden Bears at home and games against the Tennessee Volunteers and a classic “let’s underestimate this squad since they have no returning players” game at the UCLA Bruins.  I haven’t even mentioned possibly two-timing against the Texas Longhorns (once on the road, once at a neutral site if things pan out according to form in the Big 12 tourney) and hosting the Oklahoma Sooners.  Oh yeah… and we’re talking about a team that flew way under the radar last season in reaching the Sweet 16, and we don’t know how they’ll respond to being the faves from Day 1.  Take the under, for the love of God, and write nasty e-mails to me if I’m wrong.  Unlike Bill Simmons, I will answer (great book so far, Bill, by the way).

2.At least one ACC team will make the Final Four this season.

No disrespect to the Duke Blue Devils, Maryland Terrapins or Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, but this is a “North Carolina Tar Heels or Bust” prop bet, and it’s not the fact that they lose everybody that makes me want to take the under.  Theoretically, the Tar Heels front line is better even without Tyler Hansbrough.  Ed Davis, Deon Thompson, Tyler Zeller and John Henson should replace him statistically, if not emotionally.  My real worry is at the one spot, the most important position on the floor, and to put it nicely, Larry Drew II just doesn’t do it for me.  I can’t see them making it, plain and simple.

3. Every team in ranked in the preseason Top 15 will make the NCAA Tournament.

Expectations are an MF, aren’t they?  This time last year, there was talk of a Final Four in South Bend, Indiana.  When the Notre Dame Fighting Irish played Texas early in the 2008-2009 season, the prevailing thought was that the Fighting Irish would be playing fairly deep into March.  Yeah.. ask Luke Harangody how that went (hint: you can’t spell “Fighting Irish” without an “N”, “I”, and a “T”).  It happens inevitably every year: some team plays below expectations.  Take the under and watch the money roll in.  Prime candidates: Michigan, Tennessee, and possibly the Butler Bulldogs if the committee isn’t feeling the mid-major love.

4. Greivis Vasquez will shoot better than 45% from the field.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a bigger Maryland apologist than me… but even I’m highly tempted to take the under.  I think with an improved supporting cast and actual big men (not like Dave Neal) who can play down low, he will get better looks from the field.  But, let’s be real: this is Vasquez we’re talking about.  Under.  All day everyday.

5. My Final Four on November 12th, 2009 is Kansas, the Michigan State Spartans, the West Virginia Mountaineers and the Villanova Wildcats.  At least three of those teams will make it.

Is it too early to take the under against myself?

Hometown Criticism: Where Wizards Happen

by Colin Donohue

Ahhhh, to be a D.C. sports fan. How easy it is for the fans and the general public to poke fun at the futility of our franchises. The Wizards have one NBA championship and several painful seasons in their history. The Caps have never won a Stanley Cup but are now legitimate championship contenders. The Redskins enjoyed some glory days in the ’70s and ’80s, but for the last 15 years have been a poorly run mess of an organization. So it’s easy to take potshots at D.C. teams. I can’t say I blame the folks who do level some amount of criticism at the Skins, Caps or Wizards. Hey, it’s well earned. Sometimes people are spiteful. But sometimes folks are creative and funny, and that’s when the “hate” becomes easy to take and makes the struggles of any of the aforementioned teams more bearable. Tough times lend themselves to outpourings of inventiveness and ingenuity. So for the next couple of days, I’m going to present some fantastically funny videos that get a charge out of the overall crappiness of D.C. sports teams. And today we’ll start with the Wizards.

Any Wizards fan (or NBA fan) should be checking www.wizznutzz.com and reading any and all of their material. It’s hilarious and oftentimes right on the money. Well, they put together a couple of parodies of those NBA Where Amazing Happens commercials from 2008. Remember them?

They were well done ads. Pretty creative and unique. I enjoyed them for what they were … until LeBron James was featured. Wizznutzz built on the NBA’s theme and prepared two Where Amazing Happens: Washington Bullets videos. See if you can name all of the Bullets players of yore.

And then there’s this guy, who also wanted to riff on the Amazing Happens theme.

The above three videos were all created by Bullets/Wizards fans, so they can attack a project with good perspective and a requisite amount of frustration and pent-up rage, which allows them to produce some super funny, pointed commentary.

There’s Gamesmanship, and then There’s Just Plain Dirty

by Colin Donohue

If you were ever an athlete at any level, you probably engaged in a little gamesmanship. Maybe it was a little pushing, poking, prodding, antagonizing. But it was usually on the up and up, at least for the most part. I enjoyed getting under the skin of my opponents when I played basketball in high school. Justin can tell you: I was not the most athletic baller on the floor. Heck, at any given moment in a game, I was probably the 10th most athletic player on the floor. I relied on positioning, preparation and some basketball intelligence to have any kind of positive impact on the game. So occasionally when someone would jump for a rebound, I’d give him a little poke in the side. Maybe I’d give a slight knee to the back of his knee to help him buckle a little bit. I’d box out my guy a little harder. But I never did any of this with the intention of causing injury. I wasn’t reckless, and certainly I didn’t want to hurt anyone. It was good ol’ fashioned gamesmanship, and I loved it.

But sometimes, as a player, you can go too far. I never did because I knew where the line between cageyness and maliciousness stood. And that line was well defined in my mind. No need to tiptoe on that one. Of course, it’s not as clear for everyone, including this women’s soccer player from the University of New Mexico. In her game against BYU, she pulled out all her dirty tricks of the trade (punching, hair pulling, face kicking). It’s disgusting. Take a look.

Indulge My Homerism and Some Snap NHL Judgments

by Colin Donohue

As I wrote in an earlier post, Justin has this NBA thing on lock. So I’ll try to focus some of my attention on NHL matters. I know hockey isn’t necessarily the sport of choice for many of our readers, but I’m banking on the fact that some folks out there, however small a group, may have some passing interest in the game involving a circular puck and a sheet of ice. For my money, nothing’s like playoff hockey, specifically, because your heart turns with every goal that’s scored. You never know if that one goal is going to make the difference, so you’re always caught in rapt attention for 60 minutes. It’s exhilarating and stressful and just plain ol’ fun all at once. I bring this up because this year I didn’t get the NHL Center Ice package through digital cable, which, for me, means I won’t get to watch the Washington Capitals play on a close-to-nightly basis. Of the 82 games the played last year, I probably viewed 75. It was fantastic. (Alyssa probably wouldn’t agree with that statement.) Well, this year, the NHL package was no dice because Alyssa and I are spending our money, instead, on buying a home. I would say in the final calculus of NHL Center Ice vs. house, the proper outcome is the house. Still, that doesn’t mean a small part of me clamors for my nightly dosage of sweet skating, speed shooting, hard hitting hockey.

You have to understand, I’m a Capitals fan, which means the team I root for suits up probably the best player in the entire world–Alex Ovechkin. I’m a fan of the Redskins, Capitals, Wizards and Orioles, so I’ve experienced hard times and watched nobodies play every kind of professional sport. It’s rare when any of my teams ever field an internationally elite talent. The Caps do in Ovechkin, 24. In hockey, a player’s prime happens early and it ends quickly. Ovechkin probably has another three years of being a dynamo, freak of nature player. He’ll be a productive, elite NHL player for many more years, of course. But if we’re talking about the small window when a player can establish himself as the best, well, Ovechkin in its view right now. If he’s ever going to score 75+ goals, it’s going to have to happen within the next couple of years. He was on pace, too, having scored 14 goals and totaling 23 points in just 14 games. But he’s missed the last two because of injury and he could be out another week still. Despite missing from game action, the two-time Hart Trophy winner still leads the league in goals and is second in points.

But because I don’t get the league pass, I miss all the amazing stuff he can do. Look at this goal against Phoenix, arguably his most famous tally:

Or how about this goal against the Montreal Canadiens last year:

I’ll miss a lot of those fabulous in-season goals. At least I’ll still get the playoffs, where I’ll be treated to goals like these:

Anyway, here are five snap judgments of the young NHL season:

1. The Penguins, Capitals, Devils, Rangers and Flyers are the class of the Eastern Conference. The Sharks, Kings,  Flames and, yes, Blackhawks are the class of the Western Conference. The EC picture is much clearer at this point in the season. It’s easy to see who the dominant teams will be. The Penguins and Caps are tops with 24 points, and both are coping despite injuries to big-name players. The West is a little muddled because the ‘Hawks are not playing up to their potential yet (goaltending issues) and because the Avalanche are making a surprise early run. I think Colorado falters more as the season progresses, and I think you’re left with the Sharks and Blackhawks.
2. Speaking of those Avalance, what’s going on there? Colorado is a young team with loads of potential and talent. And right now, they’ve accumulated 26 points, tied with San Jose for most in the league. They’ve got 12 regulation wins, and while their defense is solid, if not spectacular, their offense is lighting up opponents behind the young Paul Stastny (14 helpers) and Wojtek Wolski (eight goals). This team may fall off a little bit, but they’re stacked with an immense amount of young talent. This is a team of the future.
3. And on the other end of the spectrum sit the Carolina Hurricanes. They are the dregs of the NHL, having won two games  and having netted just seven points. Sure, Eric Staal’s been out, but this team usually relies on its grit, intelligence, sound positioning and strong goaltending to win games. They’ve really gotten nothing going offensively, and on the blueline, they’ve been shoddy, which has left Cam Ward alone on an island. The ‘Canes usually come on late in the season, but they’ve really dug a hole. They’re 17 points behind the Caps in the Southeast already, and Ward is going to be out for a month. Yes, it’s early. But the Hurricanes are done. Time to think about the 2010-2011 season.
4. The Phoenix Coyotes are a heartwarming story. The franchise may not survive in Phoenix after this season. There’s no telling if they’ll be relocated or contracted entirely from the league. But they’re sitting at sixth in the Western Conference, and you have to hope they squeak into the playoffs. Give the franchise one last shot in the arm before it’s torn asunder.
5. I’m still sticking with my preseason Stanley Cup pick: Caps beat Blackhawks. Washington has looked suspect defensively still (no surprise), and Chicago is off to a slow start. But I haven’t seen anything yet to force me to rethink my prediction.

So, as for some more of my homerism, I have to post this video from former Redskins and Hall of Fame running back John Riggins, who lights into the Redskins, or more specifically head coach Jim Zorn, owner Dan Snyder and GM Vinny Cerrato. The Skins are the joke of the NFL right now because of Snyder’s awful ownership and leadership. Perhaps that’s a discussion for another day. And if you want to read about all the protests Skins fans are considering, travel on over to the D.C. Sports Bog on the Washington Post Web site. But if you want a quick summary of what’s going wrong with the Skins, watch Riggo:

Shorter, More Concise But Nonetheless Still Cool NBA Preview Wrap-Up

By Justin Cherot

Time to buckle down and finish these previews. Photo by Justin Cherot.

Admittedly, I need to take a headline writing course.  More importantly, I needed someone (cough, Colin, and by the way, you need to stop doing ’shrooms) to kick me in the head a couple of times and remind me that trying to do 30 previews player-by-player, while cool and original, just doesn’t fit into any normal, 40-hours-a-week person’s schedule.  While I did better than I did my first time trying this in 2006, I couldn’t even fit one measely playoff team into my previews.  For that, I apologize.  Oh well, live and learn.  Next year I promise to do better.

But, for now, we’re less than 20 hours away from a Washington Wizards’ ass-kicking (Go Mavs!), meaning I have to get these done in a timely manner.  This is what I propose: instead of over-analyzing the remaining 300 or so players I haven’t mentioned yet (apologies to J.J. Redick, J.J Barea, Daequan Cook and plenty of other non-starters I won’t have time to go into), I’ll give you the most important player (MIP) from all the remaining teams and why they fit into such a category.  Inevitably, some will be the “duh, even my daughter knows that this guy is the star of the team” players, and some will be those unsung guys whose team’s success hinges on whether or not they produce on a nightly basis.

So, for one last time, let’s ride.  After the next 2000 or so words, these NBA previews will no longer hold me hostage.  Now, where was I?

20. Memphis Grizzlies

MIP: Rudy Gay

If this team truly wants to take the next step from hype machine to legitimate playoff contender, Gay needs to take the reins of this team.  Yeah, O.J. Mayo , Zach Randolph  and boom or bust free agent pick-up Allen Iverson all need more attention (and shots) than him, but Gay, talent-wise, is the best and most versatile of this bunch.  His assertiveness has been in question before, ultimately costing him a national championship at UConn, but if he can step in and be more of a leader on the court, this team is too talented not to contend for a playoff spot.  The pieces are there, but like a trippy Dora the Explorer puzzle that seems like one thing until a shimmer of light hits it and then it looks completely different (not speaking from experience or anything), sometimes the pieces can be hard to put together… so hard in fact that sometimes they just refuse to fit.

19. Detroit Pistons   

MIP: Tayshaun Prince

On a team full of “get mine” guys–Ben Gordon, Richard Hamilton, Charlie “NitTwit” Villanueva and Will Bynum, to name a few– Prince just needs to keep being that versatile, lockdown defender he’s always been.  Yes, the faces are new and more offensive-minded, but Prince just has to be there to remind them that, contrary to popular belief over the past few years, there is still a “D” somewhere in Detroit.  If he can’t, it’ll be this simple: Etroit will miss the playoffs.

18. Philadelphia 76ers

MIP: Lou Williams

The Sixers have a very nice core, headlined by Andre Iguodala and Elton Brand, who I think is finally due for a relevant season after two seasons of nothingness.  However, the Sixers’ biggest move was letting Andre Miller walk without getting a true point guard to fill his shoes.  Williams is going to try his hand at the spot, but let’s face it: he’s definitely a two.  Coming from someone who had to do it at the high school level, trust me: it sounds easy to “learn” how to play the point, but guards are pretty much born into a position.  How he handles the transition from one to two is ultimately going to tell the story of whether or not Philly makes the playoffs.  And, as of right now, I just don’t see him doing well in this crash course, even if he does have Eddie Jordan pulling the strings for him.

17. New Orleans Hornets

MIP: Chris Paul

Denver Nuggets’ fans should be horrified right now.  Bill Simmons (book out tomorrow, a must-buy) wrote in his NBA previews (Part I here and Part II here) that the Nuggets were this year’s ”Last Season Everything Went Right; This Season Everything Went Wrong” Team.  Last year’s version?  The Hornets.  I knew it would happen, I even wrote it.  In my own words, in ‘07-’08 everyone except for CP3 played way above their heads.  Last season, everybody came back down to earth and they fell all the way to the seventh spot.  Paul needs to basically carry this team just for them to sneak into the playoffs this year, and he will do his best to urge this squad with questionable talent into doing big things.  Unfortunately, with the next team on the come-up, I just can’t see that happening.  But Paul will make it interesting into the final week of the season.

16. Los Angeles Clippers

MIP: Baron Davis

Does anybody remember this Baron Davis:

Funny, because if you’re a Clipper fan you hardly saw any of this last year.  Was it the injuries?  Was it his conditioning?  Was it his overall indifference because he felt betrayed by Elton Brand who, allegedly, begged him to come, only to sign with the Sixers?  Who knows?  What I do know is that apparently he’s in muuuuuuch better shape coming into this season, and I feel like the Davis of old will be back.  On paper, this roster suits his style of play perfectly, with high-flyers in Blake Griffin (when he comes back from a broken knee cap, of course) and Al Thornton and a young, budding backcourt-mate in Eric Gordon.  Guys, if Davis can stay healthy and on the court for 70, this is a playoff team.

15. Toronto Raptors

MIP: Chris Bosh

The rumors are swirling about where Bosh is going to be next season.  Fine.  That’s next season.  This season, the Raptors have a playoff roster on paper.  There’s no questioning CB4’s talent, but his gusto may eventually come into question (yeah, I went there, Chris Rock fans), especially if the Raptors come out of the gates slow.  However, as mentioned before, Bosh has plenty of talent around him.  The Hedo Turkoglu signing/Portland Trailblazer screwing takes a lot of pressure off of him, and it never hurts to have a pass- first point guard (Jose Calderon) and an emerging big guy who’s showing signs of “getting it” (Andrea Bargnani).  The Raptors probably don’t have enough talent in the long run to keep Bosh in cold Canada, but his last run with them should find them in the playoffs.

14. Miami Heat

MIP: Michael Beasley 

Side note before I get into Mr. “Be Easy” himself: the East has really closed the gap.  Hard to believe I have the Heat this low.  Anyway, we all know about Beasley’s off-the-court “stuff”, and anyone who knows me knows that it’s not that hard for me to relate to the troubled guys.  It’s all about getting past it, though.  If anything, Beasley needs to use the court as an outlet, because his team is going to need him to play like a No. 2 overall pick.  They already have arguably (it would be quite an argument but the point could be made) the best player in the NBA in Dwyane Wade and some good young p… okay, I won’t sugarcoat it: Miami is this high strictly because of Wade’s ability to flat-out bring it every night.  He just needs someone to bring it with him.  Beasley can definitely be that guy.  Or, he can just be satisfied with being the second coming of Derrick Coleman.

13. Washington Wizards

MIP: Gilbert Arenas

Okay, we all drank the “Wizards Are Better Off Without Hibachi” juice.  And then last year happened.  Granted, he wasn’t the entire reason they couldn’t even crack 20 wins last season, but needless to say he had a ton to do with it.  I’ve read so many “Gilbert Looking Good” stories this past summer and off-season that I think I’m about to vomit, but I do admit that his highlights throughout the pre-season have been promising.  It goes beyond numbers, though.  Even for a team that doesn’t lack swagger–hell, their second best player, Caron Butler, calls himself “Tuff Juice” for crying out loud–they need his “swagger on a hundred, thousand, trillion” voice out on the floor and in the locker room to succeed.  With their off-season improvements, I have them pegged as the East’s sixth seed right now (defense is a MF), but really the sky is the limit for this team if Gilbert really is the old Gilbert.

12. Chicago Bulls

MIP: Luol Deng

Gordon is gone from this bunch, so the Bulls will have to find someone to take and make all those big-time shots at the end of games.  It’s assumed that Derrick Rose is the guy who’ll step up and have the ball in his hands down the stretch, but he can’t do it all.  Somehow, the Bulls have to replace his 20 a game, and Deng is the likely candidate to put the biggest dent in that 20, if not go for 20 himself.  If he can return to ‘06-’07 form, then the Bulls may not even miss Gordon all that much (especially with new acquisition Jannero Pargo trying to actually BE Ben Gordon down the stretch of ball games).  It’ll be interesting to see if this young, talented bunch takes the next step… or if it remains stagnant like the old Baby Bulls (when Gordon and Kirk Hinrich and were considered young).

11. Phoenix Suns

MIP: Jason Richardson

Steve Nash has become one of the better facilitators in NBA history.  But his defense is non-existent.  Prior to the eye injury, Amare Stoudemire added a damn near automatic mid-range jump shot to his stellar athleticism.  But his defense is non-existent.  Neither player has ever been known for his great work on the “other” end.  But Richardson has.  In college, he was the Big Ten’s Defensive Player of the Year in his sophomore season.  With his great scoring numbers in the league, we forget that Richardson was at one time a really good defender.  Especially with Raja Bell gone, the Suns need him to re-capture that defensive energy while still maintaining his offensive output in order to compete in the West.  That’s a tall order for him, but he’s shown in the past he’s up to the task.

10. Utah Jazz

MIP: Andrei Kirilenko

It was only a couple of years ago when AK47 put up these numbers: 15.3 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 3.2 bpg, 1.5 spg.  That’s disgusting.  In his defense, how do you even go up from there?  While it’s true he never really found out for whatever reason, he really only needs to be a shade of his former self for the Jazz to get back into serious contention.  With second best point guard in the world Deron Williams running the show and Carlos Boozer (for now) holding the fort down inside, Kirilenko doesn’t even need to average double-digits.  If he just gets back to being that all-over-the-place player that made Jazz fans fall in love with him, then the Jazz could be really good.  However, if he reverts back to the “I Can’t Even Beat Out C.J. Miles” Kirilenko, then the Jazz might be in danger of missing the playoffs.  My guess is that they’ll be somewhere in between.

9. Atlanta Hawks

MIP: Jamal Crawford

One day when she’s old and wise, Cadence will use this gem to describe the intracacies of life to her kids and grandchildren: “Life is like a Jamal Crawford: you never know what you’re gonna get.”  Corny, probably, but oh so true.  How come a guy who can just go off for 50 at the drop of a hat has only averaged over 20 ppg once?  Weird.  Nonetheless, he can definitely help the Hawks take that next step.  Last year in the playoffs, it was clear that it was Joe Johnson or bust down the stretch.  Now, Atlanta has one of the best “give me the ^%$#in’ ball” players in the NBA to go along with a young and versatile front line in Crawford.  They can’t beat any of the East’s Big 3 yet, but their time will come.

8. Portland Trailblazers

MIP: Greg Oden  

Through all the injuries, all the foul trouble (3.9 per game is just an amazing number), all the columnist nit-picking, everything… Oden put up nine and seven last season while blocking a shot a night.  Off the bench.  Translation: at his absolute worst he’s better than a lot of centers in the league.  But, if the Blazers want to take the next step, it mainly falls on Oden to take the next step.  Brandon Roy is already there, becoming a much better NBA player than anybody thought he ever would, so what’s stopping Oden?  I know this team is still young, but with that whole low-salary cap threatening to happen, this almost seems like a make or break year for this squad.  And Oden.

7. Denver Nuggets

MIP: J.R. Smith

What I’m about to say is bold and controversial: Smith, talent-wise, is one of the top 10 offensive players in the NBA.  Why he hasn’t put it all together yet remains a mystery to me, but he may very well be my favorite player in the NBA to watch when he’s not playing the Mavericks.  He’s not off to the greatest of starts to this campaign, as he’ll be watching the first seven games in NBA dress code-friendly attire due to off-the-court problems.  The Nuggets need Smith to take pressure off of Carmelo Anthony, especially with Chauncey Billups not getting any younger.  Given that Smith starts the season on the bench and the Nuggets pretty much stood pat in the off-season, it’s safe for me to say that the Nuggs take a step back this season.

6. Dallas Mavericks

MIP: Dirk Nowitzki

You know, I think at some point tomorrow on my site I might publish a Long and Drawn Out Preview for the Mavs since they’re my favorite team and all, but that’s neither here nor there for right now (potential H1N1 cough, GO MAVS!!!!!!).  Look, I can take a few angles here in terms of MIP.  Josh Howard needs to get healthy (okay, so much for that in the near future); Shawn Marion needs to learn to fit in; Jason Kidd needs to find SOME way to be effective on the defensive end.  Truthfully, it starts and ends with Dirk.  He’s been great for both the Dallas franchise and the community and is a surefire Hall of Famer, but let’s face it: his leadership skills always come under fire, and fair or not, he needs to constantly play with that “now or never” mentality, because that’s what it’s come down to.  People are saying the window of opportunity for a title is closed.  If it’s open at all, he needs to jam his pinky in there and push up with all his might.

5. Boston Celtics

MIP: Kevin Garnett

Garnett is the archetypical MIP.  When they won the title, it was because of Garnett’s production and toughness.  When they flamed out against Orlando while an injured Garnett continually cursed up a storm to himself on the bench, it was because they missed Garnett’s production and toughness.  Theoretically, it would be nice if the old KG re-emerged and put up redonkulous numbers across the board, but, now that the Celts have Rasheed Wallace to spell him, they just need his intensity.  He’s the one who pushes Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo.  However, because I’m not completely sold on Garnett’s health, I just can’t have them higher than 3rd in the East right now.

4. San Antonio Spurs

MIP: Manu Ginobili

If you really think that Tony Parker and Tim Duncan are the most important Spurs, than you obviously missed the Mavericks dismantling the San Antonio in the playoffs last season.  Even as a diehard Mavs’ fan I can admit that Dallas goes from winning that series in five to losing that series in six if Ginobili is on the floor.  He’s not their best player, but he’s their sparkplug, their wildcard who can change a game at the drop of a dime.  He’s getting up there in age and he’s probably not as athletic as he was a few years ago, but if I was playing in a game where my life depended on the outcome, I’d want Ginobili.  As far as the Spurs go, I like their off-season moves, but please don’t try to sell me on Richard Jefferson as being anything more than the 4th option on offense in crunch time.  15 a game is his absolute ceiling this season.  PROP BET ALERT!!!  PROP BET ALERT!!!  I’ll take Anthony Morrow’s average over RJ this year.  Bet me, stupid.

3. Orlando Magic

MIP: Vince Carter

I wanted to put them back in the Finals soooo bad, because on paper they are 1) more fun to watch then the Cavalier’s stagnant 1-4 offense, and 2) Carter/Kobe to me is a more intriguing Finals match-up.  But, I digress.  Pundits give the Carter acquisition mixed reviews, but I’m definitely pro-Carter.  First off, he’s a million times better than Turkoglu, so he’s an upgrade.  Second, he’s playing in his home state for the first time ever, and third, while homecomings can be rough (see, Griffey, Jr., Ken and Marbury, Stephon) he’s going to a great situation where, for once, it doesn’t neccesarily have to be all about him.  He’s got the best center in the NBA (Dwight Howard), one of the best perimeter shooters (Rashard Lewis) and a guy he can share hair tips with (Marcin “Give Us Us Free” Gortat).  However, it’s a team better built for the regular season, and I think someone gets some revenge, and that person would be…

2. Cleveland Cavaliers

MIP: LeBron James

Colin… shut up and watch the greatness…

Unfortunately, much to your delight, I do not have that greatness translating into a title for Cleveland.  Good supporting cast at the guard spots (Mo Williams, Anthony Parker, Delonte West), bodies down low (Shaquille O’Neal, Anderson Varejao and Zydrunas Ilgauskas) to stop Bynum and Gasol… but in the end, there’s really only…

1. Los Angeles Lakers

MIP: Kobe Bryant

True, Ron Artest is the biggest wildcard in the history of wildcards, the equivalent of AK vs. pocket 7s for every last dollar you own.  However, if anyone can tame the volatile Artest, it’s Bryant.  Say what you will about Bryant’s mileage, but at 31, he’s still got at least three more years of top five in the league-type play left in him.  That, plus the fact that he’s got arguably the best four man in the league in Pau Gasol and a steady cast of characters off the bench that just keep coming at you in waves, and what does that equal? 

Repeat.

BASKETBALL IS BACK, BABY!!!!!!

NBA Preview Archives

30. Sacramento Kings

29. New Jersey Nets

28. Milwaukee Bucks

27. Minnesota Timberwolves

26. New York Knicks

25. Oklahoma City Thunder

24. Houston Rockets

23. Charlotte Bobcats

22. Indiana Pacers

21. Golden State Warriors

A Pop Culture Break

by Colin Donohue

So this has nothing to do with sports. Maybe it could be categorized as gaming. But regardless, when a video that must be seen comes along, well, then, I feel obligated to share it. This is a pop culture break that is overtly nerdy, and yet, totally awesome.

A Blog Sabbatical is Not Recommended

by Colin Donohue

Well, it happened again, as it always does, as it will forever be. I stepped away from the blog for what I initially intended to be a week, and it turned into a little more than a month. Remember my last post? At least I left on what I consider a fairly humorous note. But the whole time I was gone, I still had this tug, this voice, this entity trying to pull me back to PnP. Finally, I relented. So here I am.

Why was I gone so long? Well, I got into a pattern here at Elon of giving my students two writing assignments a week (thus requiring me to grade 36 stories a week, in addition to other class activities), I had university commitments on the weekends, I had an opportunity to get away for a couple of days with my wife and I had a conference to attend in Washington, D.C. I was keeping pretty busy, and when I had some down time, I simply needed to veg. But I’m completely caught up on all my work now. And to that I say, HUZZAH! I hunkered down, got everything done, took it day by day, kept my head in the game, never turned back, always looked forward, did what I had to do, etc., etc. (My cliche tribute to athletes everywhere.) But I always stayed positive and knew I would make my way back to PnP.

I should also mention I spent my time away watching hockey. A lot of hockey. Justin’s got this whole NBA thing pretty locked up. His expertise in that area is far greater than mine, so I’ll chime in from time to time. But if you want some NBA insights, you go to Justin. If you want some LeBron James vitriol or arguments as to why I think Stephen Curry is not the superstar everyone thinks he is, you come to me.

But if you want some NHL analysis, I’m your guy. I’ve started following the sport with more fervor in the last couple of years. It strikes a fantastic balance between the physical and the finesse more than any other sport. And for years I’ve contended that the hockey postseason is more exciting than any other professional sport’s playoffs. I stand firmly by those comments to this day. So yes, we’re nearly a month into the NHL season (it started early because the players will break in the middle of the season to participate in the Olympics), but I’m still going to give you my quick and dirty preview. Here’s how I think the conferences will shake out. (And this is how I would’ve ranked them heading into the season. I have not accounted for how teams have started.)

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Atlantic Division

1. Pittsburgh Penguins: The Stanley Cup champs deserve the respect. Missing Rod Scuderi and Hal Gill on the blue line could affect them adversely, though.
2. Philadelphia Flyers: The addition of Chris Pronger to the defense and Ray Emery in goal makes them steady on the back end. The emergence of Jeff Carter as a big-time goal scorer and the return of Daniel Briere from injury will spur the offense.
3. New York Rangers: The Rangers added a premier scorer in Marian Gaborik. They’re deeper in the forward ranks with a more explosive power play. They already have a strong defense a top-flight goaltender, so they’re a threat.
4. New Jersey Devils: Yeah, they have Marty Brodeur, but they’re aging rapidly and lack some scoring punch.
5. New York Islanders: They have a couple of nice youngsters, including John Tavares, but they’re not a good hockey team.

Northeast Division

1. Boston Bruins: Solid in the back with Zdeno Chara on D and Tim Thomas in goal. Good forward depth with gritty players.
2. Montreal Canadiens: Brought in some crafty veterans to chip in a few goals and still have a respectable defense and quality young goalie. No one will wow you, but they’re solid.
3. Buffalo Sabres: Coach Lindy Ruff usually has his teams playing well. They still have Ryan Miller in net and Thomas Vanek (when healthy) up front, so there’s potential, but they’re not a big threat.
4. Ottawa Senators: Unloading Dany Heatley didn’t exactly help their offense. His loss will be felt, but it should free up Daniel Alfredsson more.
5. Toronto Maple Leafs: Ugh. That’s really all you can say. Ugh.

Alex Ovechkin could lead the Caps to a Stanley Cup title this year.

Southeast Division

1. Washington Capitals: Possibly the best team in the Eastern Conference, the Caps have the best player in the world (Alex Ovechkin) and tremendous scoring depth. They’re still a little soft on the blue line, and questions remain in goal.
2. Carolina Hurricanes: There’s never anything sexy about this team. They’re a gritty club that always makes it to the playoffs and wins a couple of rounds because of Cam Ward, their fabulous goalie.
3. Atlanta Thrashers: They’ve added some scoring punch with Nik Antropov and some defensive help with Pavel Kubina to couple with the already dangerous Ilya Kovalchuk, but this team still is not good enough to compete for the top spot in the division.
4. Tampa Bay Lightning: Too many youngsters, questionable defensemen and project goalies. Vinny Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis won’t be enough to spur this team to the postseason.
5. Florida Panthers: Certainly a team with great speed. But they’re soft in the corners and poor on the blue line.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Central Division

1. Chicago Blackhawks: This is a potent offensive team that’s solid defensively. Cristobal Huet is iffy in goal, but they have so much fire power already, that when Marian Hossa joins them after injury, they’re only going to be that much better. It’s probably the year they unseat the Red Wings.
2. Detroit Red Wings: You’re foolish if you bet against Detroit, one of the NHL’s best teams historically. But they lost Hossa to the ‘Hawks and Jiri Hudler to Russia, so they’re not as deep as they once were. And they’re only getting older in the back and in net. Still, they’re the most disciplined team in the league, and they know how to win late.
3. Columbus Blue Jackets: A nice up and coming team with a legitimate scorer (Rick Nash) and a stud young goalie (Steve Mason).
4. St. Louis Blues: Made a surprising run at the end of the year, but they’re still a little shaky. Their lack of offensive depth is disconcerting.
5. Nashville Predators: A nice defensive, trapping hockey team. But when your best offensive option is a defenseman (Shea Weber), then you might have issues scoring.

Northwest Division

1. Calgary Flames: They still have 30-goal getter Jarome Iginla, tough defenseman Dion Phaneuf and quality goalie Mikka Kiprusoff. They also added scoring threat Jay Bouwmeester to the blue line.
2. Vancouver Canucks: The Sedin twins carry this team offensively and Roberto Luongo shuts things down in goal. Scoring from the last couple of lines is suspect, but this is a solid club.
3. Colorado Avalanche: The Avs came on at the end of last season, and they should continue to play fairly well. They are not a great hockey team, but they have hope because of guys like 18-year-old Matt Duchene and 23-year-old Paul Statsny.
4. Minnesota Wild: The Wild simply have trouble scoring. They’re disciplined on defense, but they really have trouble putting the puck in the net.
5. Edmonton Oilers: Nikolai Khabibulan will continue to try to reclaim his once proud career in Edmonton, but he looks shakier every year and there’s really no one around him.

Heatley adds more scoring to an already potent offensive Sharks team.

Pacific Division

1. San Jose Sharks: Too much talent here on offense, defense and in goal not to consider them the best in the West. Dany Heatley only makes them scarier.
2. Anaheim Ducks: A nice young team with some physical players at the forward position. They have questions in goal because it’s unclear if Jonas Hiller or J.S. Giguere can be the steady presence they need.
3. Los Angeles Kings: They solidified their blue line by adding Rod Scuderi and Jonathan Quick is an up and coming goalie, but they’re not close to San Jose or Anaheim.
4. Dallas Stars: Marty Turco seems to be toast as a No. 1 goalie, which leaves them thin in the back. Mike Modano is still a nice offensive player, but he’s not getting any younger.
5. Phoenix Coyotes: Oh, the poor Coyotes. Tragic.

EASTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFF SEEDS:

1. Washington Capitals
2. Pittsburgh Penguins
3. Boston Bruins
4. Philadelphia Flyers
5. New York Rangers
6. Carolina Hurricanes
7. Montreal Canadiens
8. Atlanta Thrashers

WESTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFF SEEDS:

1. San Jose Sharks
2. Chicago Blackhawks
3. Calgary Flames
4. Detroit Red Wings
5. Vancouver Canucks
6. Anaheim Ducks
7. Columbus Blue Jackets
8. Los Angeles Kings

EASTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFFS:

Quarterfinals
Capitals (1) def. Thrashers (8)
Penguins (2) def. Canadiens (7)
Hurricanes (6) def. Bruins (3)
Flyers (4) def. Rangers (5)

Semifinals
Capitals (1) def. Hurricanes (6)
Flyers (4) def. Penguins (2)

Finals
Capitals (1) def. Flyers (4)

WESTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFFS:

Quarterfinals
Sharks (1) def. Kings (8)
Blackhawks (2) def. Blue Jackets (7)
Flames (3) def. Ducks  (6)
Red Wings (4) def. Canucks (5)

Seminfinals
Sharks (1) def. Red Wings (4)
Blackhawks (2) def. Flames (3)

Finals
Blackhawks (2) def. Sharks (1)

STANLEY CUP FINALS:

Capitals (1) def. Blackhawks (2)

So there you have it. Those were my preseason choices. If I were choosing today, from scratch, I’d probably make a couple of changes. But that’s what I would’ve written a month ago.

Long, Drawn Out But Very Personable NBA Previews: Golden State Warriors

By Justin Cherot

I just knew this would happen.  I was flowing through these at the beginning, but within the last week we’ve seen the inevitable “Justin Cherot Stall”, which if you’re a follower of Live From the Nosebleeds (no posts since the day after the NBA Draft) you should be quite accustomed to by now.  However, I’m going to buck the trend and finish these.  I promise.

If you’ve read the first several (see the archive at the bottom of the page if you haven’t), you know the drill by now.  Team by team, player by player previews going in a predicted order of finish.  I’m in my “teams on the outside looking in” category, and that will continue with my 2nd favorite team in the NBA to watch on a nightly basis, the Golden State Warriors.

Star

Stephen Jackson

Not too many in the NBA have swag like Stephen Jackson. Photo courtesy the basketblogger.com

Interestingly enough, this is probably the first team where I had to do a back and forth debate with myself about who the star of this team was.  In the end, I flipped a coin and chose the artist formerly known as Captain Jax (get it, because he’s no longer a captain?).  I know Monta Ellis is probably, in terms of talent, the best player on this team, but Jackson is, for better or worse, the symbol of this squad.  I love his “F it” brand of basketball, and you can never go wrong with a player who is unafraid to take a shot regardless of the situation.  The problem?  Dude no longer wants to be there.  He didn’t even flinch when the Warriors fined him 25K for publicly declaring his desire to be traded.  Funny, you’d think with the Warriors brand of basketball players would die to go to the Bay Area, but Don Nelson has this weird effect on good players.  Once you’re on his poopy list, it’s hard to get off.  Hence, we have the first star that will probably be gone by the trade deadline.  While he’s here, though, it would be cool if he worked on his defense.

The Other Starters

Monta Ellis

Yeah, the Warriors were pretty darn bad last year, but I think a lot of that had to do with Ellis’ suspension.  If he’s healthy and on the court and off of mopeds, the Warriors would have won at least eight more games.  I still like him far more off the ball then I like him as a lead guard, but scoring guards are still en vogue in the NBA, and not too many can get to the tin like he can.  Ultimately, his biggest problem right now is that he’s far too reckless with his body.  It seems like whenever I see him play there’s some part of his body taped up from nightly paint encounters.  He has a nice mid-range game, but without the luxury of a top-flight point guard getting him easier shots (Baron Davis, maybe?) we didn’t see it as much last season.  Whether he likes it or not, I think Stephen Curry is the point guard of the Warriors’ future.  It’s up to Ellis if he wants to be off the ball or not.  While he’s here though, he should work on his defense.

Anthony Randolph

In a league full of players, I don’t think there’s a more intriguing specimen in the NBA right now than Randolph.  In the last 15 to 20 years, I don’t think I’ve seen anyone with such a versatile skill set at his size who plays with more energy.  If you play him at the four, which is where he’s slated to start, he’s unguardable on the perimeter.  If you play him at the three, he’ll be the mayor of back ‘em down city.  Hell, Nelson even experimeted with Randolph at the one spot during summer league games.  What does that tell you about his versatility?  Early front-runner for Most Improved Player in my mind.  At 19, this kid has absolutely no ceiling… but he should look to improve his on-ball defense.

Andris Biedrins

It seems like he’s been in the league forever, and yet I had to do a double-take when I looked at his age.  Dude is only 23 coming off a career season where he averaged a double-double.  He’s the perfect center for this team, a guy who won’t complain about his touches and just gets garbage points.  Also a bonus: he plays a little defense. 

Kelenna Azubuike

He may be the best cosmetic starter in the league.  Azubuike is an athletic two-guard who can light it up when given the opportunity.  The problem?  With Corey Maggette, Anthony Morrow and Stephen Curry all competing for minutes, Azubuike could eventually end up being the forgotten player in Nelson’s weird rotation. 

Bench

Corey Maggette

Maggette reminds me a lot of Jerry Stackhouse during his years in Dallas.  Yes, he’s great off the bench, but you can tell that he absolutely hates coming off the bench and thinks he could start for a contender.  The difference?  Maggette is actually right.  Physically he’s a nightmare for any opposing two guard or swingman to check.  He’s one of those guys who can get to the rim whenever he wants, and he’ll either finish or get fouled.  Only thing: he needs to work on his defense.

Anthony Morrow

Even on a team full of scorers, this dude just stands out.  As a rookie, he led the NBA in three-point percentage, and this past summer he made a mockery of summer league defenses.  His play has basically made more than one current swingman on the Warriors’ roster expendable (Jackson?  Maggette?).  I can easily see him going for 16+ this season off the bench, but it also wouldn’t surprise me to see him crack the starting line-up at some point this season.  If only he could play defense.

Brandan Wright

Poor guy.  Looks like he’s going to miss the majority of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery.  That sucks: he was probably the Warriors’ best interior defender.

Stephen Curry

I can’t even hide the manlove anymore: Curry is my favorite current NBA player.  Maybe it’s due to our relatively slender statures and our penchant for making deep, game-changing threes.  Personally, I think it’s because he’s the classic underdog.  Nobody wanted him.  Then once they realized he was good, everybody hated on him.  Admittedly, even I’ve waffled back and forth between whether or not he could be an effective pro.  A year and a half ago, I said he was a cross between Steve Kerr and Juan Dixon.  But that was before he played the point at Davidson last year and displayed very high basketball IQ and an ability to get his shot off against pressure.  I caught him in a pre-season game against Phoenix, and with the game on the line, he was the one with the ball in his hands, and everytime he made the right decision, whether it was hitting the open man with a jaw-dropping pass or setting himself up for the J.  I’m sold: eventually Curry will be an all-star.  As long as he doesn’t cry about the lack of minutes he’ll get this season (because that’s how Nellie does his rookies), Steph will be fine.  Of course, he has to learn to play better defense.

Ronny Turiaf

Every team needs a Turiaf, a guy who will come in and just stir things up, whether it’s diving for loose balls or dunking emphatically.  Beyond being  a hustle guy, Turiaf has an underrated skill set for a guy his size.  He shoots the ball well from 18 and in, plus he sees the floor very well.  The Warriors will need him for fairly big minutes off the bench this year.

Mikki Moore

Please do the world a favor and legally change the spelling of your first name.

C.J. Watson

There are many teams in the NBA that can use a guy like Watson.  Too bad the Warriors have pretty much no place for him.

Acie Law

Take everything I said about Watson, switch names, and you have my opinion on Law.  Only he doesn’t defend as well. 

Speedy Claxton

More like “Not as fast as I used to be, which was kind of overrated in the first place” Claxton. 

Devean George 

For the past 10 years, George has been the token “replace this guy with any halfway decent player not in the NBA, give him the same minutes and he’d put up the same stats” player in the league.  Why no GM has realized this I have no idea.  I mean, he can’t even play defense…

 

… which makes him no different than 80% of this roster.  And, despite my love affair with this team’s brand of basketball, that will be their downfall and why they’re ranked so low on the totem poll.

NBA Preview Archives

30. Sacramento Kings

29. New Jersey Nets

28. Milwaukee Bucks

27. Minnesota Timberwolves

26. New York Knicks

25. Oklahoma City Thunder

24. Houston Rockets

23. Charlotte Bobcats

22. Indiana Pacers

Long, Drawn Out But Very Personable NBA Previews: Indiana Pacers

By Justin Cherot

I just knew this would happen.  I was flowing through these at the beginning, but within the last week we’ve seen the inevitable “Justin Cherot Stall”, which if you’re a follower of Live From the Nosebleeds (no posts since the day after the NBA Draft) you should be quite accustomed to by now.  However, I’m going to buck the trend and finish these.  I promise.

If you’ve read the first several (see the archive at the bottom of the page if you haven’t), you know the drill by now.  Team by team, player by player previews going in a predicted order of finish.  I’m in my “teams on the outside looking in” category, and that will continue with the Indiana Pacers.

Star

Danny Granger

Danny Granger's rise to the top was unexpected. So would be a Pacers' playoff appearance this season. Photo by Ron Hoskins, Getty Images.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“So while the world goes Drake crazy, I’m Danny Granger just workin’ at a different pace…”- Wale

Drake has dominated the airwaves, almost like Andrew Bogut, Chris Paul, and Deron Williams pretty much dominated the headlines leading up to the 2005 NBA Draft.  Granger had to hear the likes of Martell Webster, Channing Frye, Rashand McCants and Joey Graham called to the podium before him on draft day.  Question… did those four guys I previously mentioned get anywhere near Granger’s 26 a game last year COMBINED?  Talk about a surprising rise to the upper-echelon of NBA players.  Now comes the hard part for Granger: taking his game to the next level and getting this team to the playoffs.  He has some interesting pieces around him, but that’s just writer-speak for saying that he needs a little bit more help.  If any of the teams in the top eight in the East get bit by the injury bug, it’s not totally out of the question for them to make the playoffs this year.

The Other Starters

Troy Murphy

You know, I banged on him last year for being vastly overpaid, but I think by averaging 14, 12 and shooting a ridiculous 45% from three probably does warrant his current salary.  Those stats surprisingly made him the 19th most effective player in the NBA according to PER standards.  I don’t quite see him putting up last year’s numbers again, but I still think he’ll be a very effective second option for the Pacers.

T.J. Ford

It’s hard to question a player’s ability at 16 and six assists, but to be brutally honest, I thought Ford would be a much better NBA player.  Not too many point guards in the NBA can mimic his quickness and athletic ability, but two things have hampered him: 1) his ability to stay healthy and 2) his shooting.  For those two reasons he’s been on the hotseat as a starting point guard throughout his entire NBA career.  He’s a capable shooter, and the reason I know that is because he shoots it really well from the free throw line.  It doesn’t take a genius to realize that it’s a different kind of shot, but at least his mechanics are good.  With him it’s just a matter of knocking down shots.  Plus, as quick as we are to write off NBA point guards, Ford is only 26.  Hell, he’s younger than me!  Are you guys ready to write me off yet?

Don’t answer that.

Jeff Foster

Foster is one tough cookie who will shoot solid percentages year in and year out, but I think this will be the season that Roy Hibbert eventually takes over the starting job.  The best thing he can do for this team, outside of his steady play, is to be a mentor for the kids.  It’s all about the children.

Brandon Rush 

Call me nuts, but I’ve always felt that the Rush family becomes less deserving of an opportunity to play in the NBA with each propsect, and yet the opposite appears to be true.  Jaron was a great prospect at UCLA but couldn’t stick in the league.  Kareem is better than Brandon but couldn’t even get minutes over him in Indiana.  And now, Brandon gets his chance to shine as the eventual, if not opening night, starting two guard for the Pacers.  Pacers’ brass is crazy about him but I’m just not sure he handles the ball well enough to be the answer at that position.

Bench

Mike Dunleavy

If this were NBA Live, I would consider starting Dunleavy at two just to have my best players on the floor, but in real life we know what would happen: he would get absolutely abused on the other end.  Still, I think L’il Dun will garner some consideration for 6th Man of the Year if he’s healthy enough.  Last year in the last quarter of the season he returned to the court and, despite difficulty finding his stroke, still managed to average 15 a game. 

Roy Hibbert

Hibbert would look like a slow, clumsy big man if you ever passed him on the street, but then he’d definitely change your mind when you saw him on the court.  He’ll never beat Justin Cherot in a 40 yard dash, but he’s got good touch around the basket and his footwork at this point in his career is ahead of the curve.  Like most young players, he’ll have to get better defensively in order to stay on the court and out of foul trouble, but Hibbert will be a good center down the road, possibly as early as this year.

Dahntay Jones

I had to do a double-take looking at his stats.  This man shot 65% from three point range last year!?  Upon further review, it was on 17 attempts, but that begs the following question: why don’t you put it up more, son?  Flipping to serious mode, the Pacers brought him in for his defense, and slowly but surely he’s becoming a lockdown defender in this league.  He’s not a 25 minute a night kind of guy, but if you need a stop he needs to be on the floor.

Earl Watson   

Watson is like Sage Rosenfels in a lot of respects.  Everybody you talk to says he manages the game well, but nobody is dying to have him as their starter.  If he does start, that means things are getting desperate.  With that said,both the Minnesota Vikings and the Indiana Pacers are hoping that their number one guy can hold up to the rigors of a long season.

Tyler Hansbrough

How the number 12 pick in the draft ended up on a major commercial before the number one pick is somewhat confusing, but regardless people have been so quick to bang on Hansbrough for his lack of upside.  They may be right, but I don’t think there are too many players in the NBA who will work harder.  Because he’s not an athletic stiff, I think he’ll eventually turn that work ethic into a solid NBA career.

Josh McRoberts

As a player, I like McRoberts more than Ty-Hans, but as mentioned above it’s about work ethic, and that’s where the AT&T spokesman has him kicked. 

Travis Diener

So far in going through with these previews, I’ve been hard-pressed to find better players who will be glued to the bench than this bunch.  Diener is probably a better player than Watson, but it goes back to that whole game manager thing.  Although Diener is a much better shooter, he’s more of a Rex Grossman type of back-up. 

Luther Head

I know Head is kind of a one-trick pony, but for his first two seasons in the NBA he performed that trick pretty well.  He dropped off a bit the following three seasons, but in my opinion not to the point of end-of-the-bench exhile.  Hopefully he can regain that form here with the Pacers, and if pre-season minute distribution is any indication, he’s well on his way.

A.J. Price

For better or worse, Price plays like a poor man’s Jamaal Tinsley.

Solomon Jones

PROP BET ALERT!!!  PROP BET ALERT!!!  I will take the over on Jones getting three points per game this season.

NBA Preview Archives

30. Sacramento Kings

29. New Jersey Nets

28. Milwaukee Bucks

27. Minnesota Timberwolves

26. New York Knicks

25. Oklahoma City Thunder

24. Houston Rockets

23. Charlotte Bobcats