More Questions Than Answers

Much has gone on this NBA offseason.  More than just about anybody can remember happening any other year.  With so much movement, so many new storylines, so many subplots, and one big Decision, we're left with lots of guesses, and even more shoulder shrugs as training camps open league-wide.

One of the biggest questions I have:  Who has a better shot at the title, The Lakers/Heat, or every other team in the league?  I say it's even money at best for the field...

Who's got the edge?

So, with so many questions and so few answers (apologies to Allen Iverson), I've jotted down a couple of the biggest questions for each team in the NBA as the season begins.  These barely scratch the surface, however, and this without a doubt is one of the more intriguing and exciting seasons that I've ever looked forward to.

Here they are, in no particular order:


Boston Celtics – can the original Big Three make another run, and will Shaq be the disruptive influence that many expect him to be? Or, the real question, will Shaq be able, in an end-of-season interview, to tell the world how much it means to have as many rings as Kobe again?


Dallas Mavericks - will the latest assortment of new players compliment Dirk all the way to the promised land? And will Jason Kidd have enough in the tank for a deep playoff run?


New Jersey Nets - is 12 wins the ceiling for this young group? And can they add the veteran superstardom that they’ve been promising those Knicks fans that they've been baiting?


Houston Rockets - this one all hinges on Yao…. Will he be able play for any solid length of time this season? Is he done? And who will the Rockets be trading to pick up more scoring?


New York Knicks - Will Stoudamire be able to keep up his output without Steve Nash delivering the rock? With all the new additions, will there be too much of a learning curve to have success during the season? And will this team play enough defense to get out of the first round should they make the playoffs?


Memphis Grizzlies - Is the monster Rudy Gay deal going to pay dividends? And how well will this group be able to compete in the stacked West while many of the teams that were below them last season seem improved?


Philadelphia 76ers - Does this team make the playoffs even in the top-heavy East? Will Evan Turner be able to keep pace with John Wall in the ROY race? Is Elton Brand still alive?


New Orleans Hornets – Will CP go all out in a contract year even if he’s got nothing to prove? And will a new coach and a shaken-up roster keep them in the playoff hunt?


Toronto Raptors – Where will the scoring come from? And where will the rebounding come from? And where will the ticket sales come from?


San Antonio Spurs – An even bigger question than Boston’s about this group being able to make another run. Can Tiago Splitter make enough of an impact? And will Richard Jefferson remember that he’s Richard Jefferson?


Chicago Bulls – Can Rose, Boozer, and Noah really make a run at the East’s top teams? Will Booze slow down their giant-killing playoff madness too much?


Denver Nuggets – Hmm… oh yeah: Does anyone want ‘Melo enough to give them what they want for him? And in the meantime, will they be able stay among the West’s upper crust? Do the players even take the team seriously any more?


Cleveland Cavaliers – where do they go from here..? And who should they be looking at in the lottery for 2011?


Minnesota Timberwolves – Who should they be looking at in the top five for 2011?


Detroit Pistons – how long before Joe decides to blow it up and start from scratch?


Portland Trail Blazers – Oden, Oden, Oden. And should Elliot Williams just put his name in for the dunk contest right now?


Indiana Pacers – Does Danny Granger have something to prove after being given meager playing time in the World’s this Summer? Will Darren Collison have anyone else to pass the ball to?


Oklahoma City Thunder – By how many points will KD win the scoring title this season? Will people realize that he’s not the only all-star on the roster (hello, Russell Westbrook)? And how well will Cole Aldrich continue the storied string of stiff white centers to come out of Kansas?


Milwaukee Bucks – Of course, will Bogut be good to go all season? If so, can they compete with the East’s upper echelon? Will Mike Redd be able to contribute? Are there enough touches available for all these scorers?


Utah Jazz – Is their roster improved with Al Jefferson? Can Raja Bell replace the youth and athleticism they lost in Wes Matthews (now in Portland)? And with the West getting deeper, do they have enough to make a run?


Atlanta Hawks – Is Joe Johnson really worth that much? Really?


Golden State Warriors – Can Keith Smart find an intelligent way to get this team to .500? Or at least play defense? And are the playoffs out of the question for at least another season or two?


Charlotte Bobcats – Was last season’s playoff appearance a fluke, or something to build on? And is MJ’s belief in Kwame Brown the same stubbornness that he was famous for as a player?


Los Angeles Clippers – Can their core stay on the floor? And what exactly will we see if it does? Can Blake Griffin compete with Wall for ROY?


Miami Heat – How many championships will they win?


Los Angeles Lakers – How many more championships will they win?


Orlando Magic – Can they get out of the East without a legit first option on offense anymore?


Phoenix Suns – Will the loss of Stoudamire really hurt them that much? How deep into the playoffs can they go without his scoring in the lane? Will Hedo's need for the ball work alongside the league's best ballhandler?


Washington Wizards – Clearly, can Wall and Arenas coexist in the backcourt? And is their youth, athleticism, and potential enough to carry them into the postseason in the East?

Sacramento Kings – Will DeMarcus Cousins go stir-crazy in Sacramento?  And can Tyreke give up enough touches to allow Cousins to make a run at ROY?

'Melo Drama

Welcome to Brooklyn.

Ok ok...  let's all relax about the Carmelo Anthony situation.  As I made clear about a month ago, the Nets are where he's been heading for a while now.

The question now, then, is which West team will replace the Nuggets as one of the eight that make the playoffs?

Tell you what, I'll get to work on some playoff predictions.  And if they pan out anywhere near as well as my Melo guess is looking, I'm going to Vegas next summer.  You're all invited.

Approval Ratings

Lately I've heard some debates about LeBron's current public image, and how it might change should the Heat win the championship.

It all stems from the fact that LeBron's positive "approval rating" has plummeted since The Decision.  In fact, we even hear the word hate thrown around every now and then, though those may just be echoes from NE Ohio.

Ironically, there was much talk about LeBron's desire to increase his marketability and "Global Icon" status.  He knows that winning championships are the best way to elevate your legacy as a player.  However, as has been argued by Mark Cuban, I believe that his actions have hindered his quest.  Sports fans don't back the bad guy (wresting fans, pipe down... I said SPORTS).  I'd guess that LeBron has lost enormous brand equity over the last few months.

Has he won our hearts..?

So, what will actually happen if and when the championships start rolling in?  I've seen and heard it argued in multiple forums that should LeBron and the Heat win it all, he will be vindicated.  I call BS.  Are we really to believe that suddenly people will forgive & forget, squash the beef, and stand to applaud LeBron's greatness if the Heat hoist the Larry O'Brien?  Puh-leese.

I'll tell you what will happen:  People will resent him even more for it.  And I'm not just talking about Cleveland.  Nobody will ever argue against him being a great player, but even the greatest players have detractors, haters, and enemies.  Just look at at the hoards of Kobe haters out there... Most will readily acknowledge his skill, but do you think they're happy about him winning championships?  Do you think they suddenly decided to give Lakers fans high-fives after game seven, and went shopping for black Lakers jerseys that say "Mamba" on the back?

Me neither.

It's KD time

I first had the thought after he won the scoring title.  Then, I became more convinced during his 1st-round playoff series against Kobe and the Lakers earlier this year (with a special shout-out to the first glimmer of the emergence of Russel Westbrook).  Now, of course, with a World Championship gold medal draped around his neck, I'm all but certain:  Kevin Durant will surpass LeBron as the top player in the NBA this season. 

It's all UP from here...

Let's face it... Kobe, while still around the top of the heap, is past his prime.  Yes, he may win another NBA championship or two over the next couple of years, but he'll no longer be the hottest ticket in the league.  Put it this way:  Swap Kobe for Durant, and do you go see the OKC Thunder when they come to town just because he's on the team?  But, do you go because Durant is?  I thought so.

And of course, there's the LeBron factor.  He's undeniably been the top performer in basketball over the last few seasons, not to mention the MVP.  He'll continue to be the most broadly skillful player on the court.  He's got an array of talents that Durant can't touch, and perhaps nobody has touched since Wilt.  But here's the thing:  Durant is now the best scorer in the league.  Period.  And people love scoring.

Factor in the HEAT/HATE factor, the pre-2010 Tiger Woods public image, the youth, and the up-and-coming team, and you have the beginning of the KD era. 

Long live the Durantula.  All we have to do now is find a new nickname.

Defining Moments

Watching the Cowboys/Redskins game the other day, I got a laugh out of Al Michaels' comment that "LeBron has brought his talents to the Potomac," meaning of course that LeBron was attending the game.  It occurred to me that we may never be rid of the "... bringing my talents..." variations as long as LeBron is still a public figure.  This is a good thing, I think.

Thanks for the tip...

Then it occurred to me that the "...bringing my talents..." line was a sort of defining moment for LeBron.  A moment that we all--at least those of us that were really looking--could get a sense of his personality.  Who he really was.

That made me wonder whether there were more of these televised moments that became Personality Defining Moments for NBA athletes, or could at least be interpreted that way. (Note: Of course I could include all pro athletes, coaches, movie stars, entertainers, etc. but who am I, Bill Simmons?)

And of course, there are... I'll never be able to come up with an exhaustive list, but here are the first few that popped into my head:

-Ron Artest thanks his psychiatrist after the Lakers win the 2010 NBA championship.  Yes, this gets the nod over the Motor City Melee.  It tells us more about who Ron Ron is.

-Mark Madsen dancing on stage at the Lakers' championship celebration.  If you don't think this defines Mark's personality, well then, you'd just be wrong.

-Michael Jordan's Hall Of Fame induction speech.  Ignore for a moment the somewhat understated applause and somber faces of former teammates and peers.  Jordan was outed to the world a year ago.

-LeBron's "The Decision" special.  Again, ignore for the moment that there's a coattail analogy to be made regarding Kobe Bryant here.  Ignore that his favorite teams are the daring and creative duo of the Yankees and Cowboys.  Look at what he's doing, listen to what he's saying, and tell me you don't know much more about him than you did six months ago.


Truly, these are just the tip of the iceberg.  I'll continue to revisit this idea from time to time as this blog trudges along.  And all two of you who read it are encouraged to send me suggestions.

FIBA semi-FINAL

The FIBA World Basketball Championships are finally under way.  You may have heard about some games that were being played here and there during the last couple of weeks, and even seen some on TV, but the games that are actually deciding the outcome just started a couple of days ago.  Only six or seven teams ever had a realistic glimmer of a hope to win it all, and we're now down to four of those.

Yes, Spain is out.  The pre-tournament favorite faltered from the outset, as did co-contender Greece.  Argentina is also out, who many believed had the best shot at winning once Spain started stumbling.  Despite the impressive play of Luis Scola, they just couldn't hang with the elite this year.

And what more can we say about home-court advantage..?  Turkey glides into the semifinals undefeated, winning by mostly comfortable margins.  I can't wait to witness the hysteria that will surround the USA-Turkey final.

Which brings me to the USA-Lithuania semifinal.  In my opinion, this will be the game that determines the winner of the tournament.  I can't see our boys doing any less than winning it all in convincing fashion, but Lithuania should give them a run for their money.

Give that cat a TEAM USA jersey!  Then get me a Simit!

True, this is the same Lithuania team that we beat just a few weeks ago.  But they've stepped up their game in a big way since then, going undefeated in the tournament thus far.  Luckily, we've recently seen them up close, and we know what their strengths are.  If we can block out, pull rebounds, and defend the three point line, we'll be world champs once again. 

Take that to the bank.

The only question that remains is, what do we call this team..?  Redeem Team II? 

Eat Like The Taller Half

What, do they not have pizza in Turkey..?

Just got finished reading this article in the LA Weekly, and I say they're really on to something... I'd love to see a regular column or series that follows a pro player to his (or her) favorite hole-in-the-wall grub spots, or follows veterans when they introduce rookies or new teammates to the cutty locations that only locals know.  Love it! 

Wouldn't it at least be a solid addition to a team website?  A local paper?  Who can I pitch this idea to..?

Below the FIBA radar

Hmmm... the FIBA World Championships are in full swing, and where has all the Rudy Fernandez talk gone?  Nowhere, I say, which is exactly where Rudy will be going before the season starts.

Mi amigo, vamos a ganar

There's no doubt in my mind that ol' Rudy has grossly overvalued himself as an NBA player.  He doesn't seem to be helping his case much in Turkey, either.  If he thinks he'll be traded to a team where he'll be starting, I can tell him right now that the Washington Generals don't have the pieces for a trade, and I can't see him starting anywhere else.

Of course, anything can happen once the season starts.  Players get injured.  Unexpected teams start to make a run.  Before you know it, somebody needs some shooting and energy off the bench for their playoff push. 

Rest easy in Stumptown, Rudy.  You'll get your ticket out when the time comes.  You may even get a chance to play with one of your Spanish buddies once Sasha Vujacic wears out his welcome...