The NBA all-star weekend is now in the books. The all-star game and even the dunk contest was not too bad this time. The contestants came up with some creative dunks for a change and made it slightly interesting. Blake Griffin even brought a car in to jump over with Baron Davis sitting in it. Now the stars can go back to their teams for the second half push and playoffs. This is a good time to look back at the first half and also hand out some interesting awards. Most teams have played 54 or 56 games and that makes up about 68% of the season. So we are way past the halfway mark of the season though we consider this the official mid-season. Everybody and their grand moms are handing out mid-season awards and here's my list.
MVP:
There's a lot of momentum building for LeBron James for MVP despite the pre-season projection that his days as a MVP candidate are over. Even LeBron himself said it would be difficult for both himself and Dwayne Wade to win MVPs from now on since they have joined forces. Surprisingly, LeBron has managed to distinguish himself both through his individual brilliance the last several weeks and through the great run the Heat is on. Even more than the Heat's record, it's the Cavs record thats helping Bron's MVP candidature. The Cavs are 10-46 and they are basically the same team as last year, minus LeBron. Yes, they have had a couple of injuries, but with LeBron, they would still be winning 60 games. That just shows how important and unique a player he is. With all that said, my MVP is Derrick Rose. He is scoring almost 25 points and dishing 8 assists per game and has the Bulls just 2 games behind the Heat and the Celtics. And he is doing all this with injuries to Boozer and Noah. The Bulls may not be better than the Celtics, but don't be surprised if they shock us with a deep playoffs run. LeBron is great, but I am going to hold Wade against him. Though he is clearly emerging as the biggest of the big 3 in Miami, Wade isn't exactly chopped liver. Wade is still averaging 25.4 PPG and thats no joke. Also, keep an eye on Kevin Durant in the second half. He could steal the MVP if the Thunder make a major push in the West.
Coach of the Year:
Chicago's Tom Thibodeau is a top candidate in many people's eyes for the coach of the year. I would instead give the MVP to D-Rose and give him most of the credit for the Bulls' season. Thibodeau has done a great job, but that Bulls roster does have some talent. If anything, they were expected to breakout the last couple of years and it has taken D-Rose's brilliance for them to take off this year. My coach of the year is actually Gregg Popovich. Not only does he have the Spurs leading the league with a ridiculous 46-10 record, but he is doing it with pretty much the same team as last year. But he has reinvented their style and approach and has convinced Tim Duncan to take a backseat on offense. I have never seen such a seamless adjustment by a coach with the same roster. Risky, dangerous and brilliant strategy all at the same time and he deserves an award for it.
Rookie of the Year:
Easiest award of them all, unless you are disputing the fact that Blake Griffin is even a rookie. Blake Griffin is averaging 27.6 points and 14.4 rebounds per game and brings a load of excitement to every Clipper game with his effort and power, not to mention the monstrous dunks he is known for.
Executive of the Year:
I guess this is an easy award too, considering all that has happened in Miami. Pat Riley deserves this award for buying LeBron and Bosh to run with Wade. I don't think they will win the championship this year, but Riles should still pat himself on the back for bringing arguably the best player in all of basketball to Miami. Speaking of, Reggie Miller during the all-star broadcast on TV referred to Kevin Durant as the guy who is going to be the best player in the NBA in 2 years. Barkley immediately responded like only he can by saying "you better hope LeBron is dead for it to be true". Thats would be a "LOL" moment if I was a teenager, but that's exactly what I am grappling with as well. I totally see Durant becoming an absolute monster, especially as a scorer in a year or two, but I don't know how anyone can be more complete or better than this LeBron James dude. It's going to be great watching those 2 grow into their NBA greatness.
Most Improved Player:
Another award for which Derrick Rose can actually qualify, though I won't give it to him. This goes to Dorell Wright from the Warriors over Russell Westbrook of the Thunder. Westbrook has become a legitimate second option behind Durant and a force to reckon with, but he was still good last year. Also, I think he is still slightly over-rated. But Dorell Wright has been lighting it up for the Warriors with 16.5-5.7-3.2 per game. Thats impressive for a guy who barely left the pine in his previous stop. The Warriors GM not only found the right guy, but also found a way to use him.
Defensive player of the year:
At almost 14 boards and 2 blocks per game, it's hard not to give this award to Dwight. He definitely makes his presence felt on the defensive end and he needs to play like a defensive player of the year the rest of the way to keep the Magic in it and then take them further in the playoffs.
Power Rankings:
Here are my NBA power rankings - just the top 8. Who cares which is the 18-Th best team in the NBA - not even a hard-core Suns fan like me.
1) San Antonio Spurs - Their record is real, their lead over the Lakers is legit. I think it's going to be a Spurs-Celtics finals.
2) Boston Celtics - The East is not going to be a bed of roses, but these veterans can handle any thorns on their way.
3) LA Lakers - The Lakers are slipping, but the Black Mamba is still lethal.
4) Dallas Mavericks - The Mavs should probably be ranked higher, but they have disappointed us too many times in the past.
5) Miami Heat - I am not a believer yet, definitely not against the big, talented playoff teams.
6) Chicago Bulls - With a healthy Noah and Boozer, this team has everything you could ask for.
7) Orlando Magic - Good team, but too much going on in the East these days. They might fall short.
8) Oklahoma City Thunder - Durant's next step may not happen this year.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
500 and beyond
The new-look Suns are on a roll a little bit. They have now won 7 out of 10 and are just 2 games behind the 8-Th and final playoff spot in the west. They finally got past 500 and are now 27-26. They can still lose a winnable game anytime - like they did the other day against the Sacramento Kings at home, but they are playing much better overall. The new pieces are finally fitting in well, though the Suns are not getting a whole lot from Vince Carter, the biggest name in that trade. But Marcin Gortat has been great and Mickael Pietrus has fit in seamlessly. Both of these guys have significantly upgraded the shaky Suns defense. Nash is making the best use of Gortat’s size and abilities and Pietrus is never shy to take and often make those open 3’s. It’s a shame Vinsanity is not producing even close to what his talent-level demands, but what’s new? That has been his M.O forever and it seems to have only gotten worse as he has aged and moved through multiple stops.
The Suns have had some impressive wins off-late including 2 games against the Utah Jazz. The brutal schedule that we were talking about at the start of the season has eased a little and the results reflect that. The team’s chemistry and performance have also clearly gone up over the last couple of weeks. As always, Steve Nash has been a big reason for this. Nash is just amazing. He is still pouring in the assists and it has gotten better lately as Gortat and the gang has gotten comfortable around him. His numbers are as impressive as ever and he would be in the running for the MVP if the team was in the top 3 spots in the conference. He is averaging 11.3 assists per game without Amare and is averaging over 12 assists a game since Jan 1-St. He is just a freak and a treat to watch. He can score a lot more if he really wants to. I felt the same way when I watched John Stockton late in his career. Nash could easily average 5 more points per game if he was a little more selfish and took a few more shots. Rando’s assist numbers are falling while Nash’s numbers are increasing. It will be interesting to see where they both end up.
It does look more and more like the Suns are going to end up in the playoffs. They are only 2 games behind Utah and Memphis and just 3.5 games behind the 5-Th seeded Portland. There are a whole bunch of good teams in the mix, but no great team. So Suns should like their chances as much as anybody else in that mix and the Warriors are not too far behind either at 26-29 and playing well. I am not sure what making the playoffs really means if it’s just going to be about finishing 7-Th or 8-Th in the west and getting eliminated in the first round. But it’s still a prestige thing and I will take it and so will most people in the valley of the sun. The long-term plan for this team is still not clear because we need something big in the short-term here. Nash and Hill are two of the best players for the Suns and they are not getting any younger. Vince’s salary comes off the books next year, but I am not sure what’s the plan for that money. Hope it’s not just going straight to Robert Sarver’s bank account so he can buy another foam finger to wave at Suns games. He should never be allowed to wave the number 1 sign ever again because it’s his leadership that has basically taken a number 1 team and made it number 10 in the west (at the time of writing this article). But finishing 7-Th or 8-Th instead of 10-Th is a good first step in this road to redemption.
The Suns have had some impressive wins off-late including 2 games against the Utah Jazz. The brutal schedule that we were talking about at the start of the season has eased a little and the results reflect that. The team’s chemistry and performance have also clearly gone up over the last couple of weeks. As always, Steve Nash has been a big reason for this. Nash is just amazing. He is still pouring in the assists and it has gotten better lately as Gortat and the gang has gotten comfortable around him. His numbers are as impressive as ever and he would be in the running for the MVP if the team was in the top 3 spots in the conference. He is averaging 11.3 assists per game without Amare and is averaging over 12 assists a game since Jan 1-St. He is just a freak and a treat to watch. He can score a lot more if he really wants to. I felt the same way when I watched John Stockton late in his career. Nash could easily average 5 more points per game if he was a little more selfish and took a few more shots. Rando’s assist numbers are falling while Nash’s numbers are increasing. It will be interesting to see where they both end up.
It does look more and more like the Suns are going to end up in the playoffs. They are only 2 games behind Utah and Memphis and just 3.5 games behind the 5-Th seeded Portland. There are a whole bunch of good teams in the mix, but no great team. So Suns should like their chances as much as anybody else in that mix and the Warriors are not too far behind either at 26-29 and playing well. I am not sure what making the playoffs really means if it’s just going to be about finishing 7-Th or 8-Th in the west and getting eliminated in the first round. But it’s still a prestige thing and I will take it and so will most people in the valley of the sun. The long-term plan for this team is still not clear because we need something big in the short-term here. Nash and Hill are two of the best players for the Suns and they are not getting any younger. Vince’s salary comes off the books next year, but I am not sure what’s the plan for that money. Hope it’s not just going straight to Robert Sarver’s bank account so he can buy another foam finger to wave at Suns games. He should never be allowed to wave the number 1 sign ever again because it’s his leadership that has basically taken a number 1 team and made it number 10 in the west (at the time of writing this article). But finishing 7-Th or 8-Th instead of 10-Th is a good first step in this road to redemption.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
End of an era
Over-paid athletes with long-term contracts and leagues that are more worried about television contracts than the sport itself define the sports world today. This era is not exactly known for loyalty, longevity, commitment, toughness or old-school work ethic. A singular exception to this rule was Jerry Sloan, the now former head coach of Utah. He was a head coach at one place for 23 years - which is equivalent to 25 dog years, which is about 120 human years. He was the longest tenured coach in all of US professional sports. It’s almost impossible to enjoy such long tenures at this day and age and NBA is especially notorious when it comes to hiring and firing head coaches.
High salaries, unrealistic expectations and a general cultural shift towards instant gratification are all challenges to extended tenures for these high-profile coaches, GM and even superstars. But Jerry Sloan survived all of that and more. He also survived the retirement of two Hall of Famers – Karl Malone and John Stockton. He was able to do his thing for 23 years due of several reasons, but primarily because he was a great coach. He was one of the best at his craft even though his style is old school and several modern day athletes definitely didn’t enjoy it. Case in point – Deron Williams. Sloan and D-Will have clashed often and recently during the halftime of a loss to the Chicago Bulls. This incident is rumored to have pushed Sloan over the edge.
Williams is a talented and hard working guard who doesn’t have a reputation of being a cancer or even a bad seed. But I can easily see how Sloan and him clashed over stuff. That’s going to happen in any high-stakes environment like the NBA. But whether or not that caused his exit, only Sloan knows. The theory is that the ownership was getting more and more friendly to Deron’s position and Sloan felt like his authority was being compromised. He apparently told them that if this is how they want to run their franchise, he doesn’t want any role in it and walked away. This is probably what happened because I can’t imagine Sloan quitting in the middle of the season without a strong trigger like that. Sloan is one of the toughest SOB and he is definitely not a quitter. He is not going to be pushed out by a kid like D-Will after 23 years at the helm. He has seen it all and handled every conceivable situation. So the only plausible explanation for him exiting like this is that he thought the front office was not behind him this time.
This actually means the front office is probably more responsible for him leaving than Deron Williams, though this will probably stick to Deron. It will be interesting to see how the Jazz faithful responds to D-Will now. They are a nice, well-behaved, religious fan-base and you could say that’s one of the reasons why Sloan even survived 23 years. But they may still turn on D-Will, especially if Utah starts losing a lot. I think that won’t happen because the team is loaded with talent and the new coach Tyronne Corbin might open it up and make it more fun for Williams and the team. While Sloan was a great coach and preached fundamentals, toughness and defense like no other, he did not often tweak his style to suit his talent. It was always the other way around with Sloan. The talent on the roster had to get on with the proven program or sit on the bench. If Ty Corbin finds a middle ground between the rigidity of a great system and the versatility of the phenomenal talent at hand, Jazz could have a great rest of the season.
As for Jerry Slaon, he should be retired for good at this stage. He is 68 years old and I can’t imagine him coaching anywhere else. That’s probably a good thing because this way, he would always be remembered as a Utah Jazz and we don’t have to deal with things like him coming into town as a visiting head coach. I can definitely see him in a television role, but I am not sure if he wants that. In any case, this was a shocking culmination to a recent spate of long tenured coaches retiring, resigning or getting fired. First, it was Atlanta’s Bobby Cox retiring after 21 years as the manager of the Braves and the longest tenured manager in MLB. Then it was Jeff Fisher getting out of Tennessee in a surprising move after 17 years at the helm and the NFL lost it’s longest tenured coach. Now it’s Sloan who was the leader in the NBA and all of sports - all 3 changes happening in a 5-month spam. As of today, the NFL honor belongs to Andy Reid, Greg Popovich leads the NBA in terms of tenure and the longest tenured coach in all of sports now is MLB’s Tony LaRussa. Not bad replacements, but it’s still a sad day in sports and an end of a glorious era. We will all miss Jerry Sloan.
High salaries, unrealistic expectations and a general cultural shift towards instant gratification are all challenges to extended tenures for these high-profile coaches, GM and even superstars. But Jerry Sloan survived all of that and more. He also survived the retirement of two Hall of Famers – Karl Malone and John Stockton. He was able to do his thing for 23 years due of several reasons, but primarily because he was a great coach. He was one of the best at his craft even though his style is old school and several modern day athletes definitely didn’t enjoy it. Case in point – Deron Williams. Sloan and D-Will have clashed often and recently during the halftime of a loss to the Chicago Bulls. This incident is rumored to have pushed Sloan over the edge.
Williams is a talented and hard working guard who doesn’t have a reputation of being a cancer or even a bad seed. But I can easily see how Sloan and him clashed over stuff. That’s going to happen in any high-stakes environment like the NBA. But whether or not that caused his exit, only Sloan knows. The theory is that the ownership was getting more and more friendly to Deron’s position and Sloan felt like his authority was being compromised. He apparently told them that if this is how they want to run their franchise, he doesn’t want any role in it and walked away. This is probably what happened because I can’t imagine Sloan quitting in the middle of the season without a strong trigger like that. Sloan is one of the toughest SOB and he is definitely not a quitter. He is not going to be pushed out by a kid like D-Will after 23 years at the helm. He has seen it all and handled every conceivable situation. So the only plausible explanation for him exiting like this is that he thought the front office was not behind him this time.
This actually means the front office is probably more responsible for him leaving than Deron Williams, though this will probably stick to Deron. It will be interesting to see how the Jazz faithful responds to D-Will now. They are a nice, well-behaved, religious fan-base and you could say that’s one of the reasons why Sloan even survived 23 years. But they may still turn on D-Will, especially if Utah starts losing a lot. I think that won’t happen because the team is loaded with talent and the new coach Tyronne Corbin might open it up and make it more fun for Williams and the team. While Sloan was a great coach and preached fundamentals, toughness and defense like no other, he did not often tweak his style to suit his talent. It was always the other way around with Sloan. The talent on the roster had to get on with the proven program or sit on the bench. If Ty Corbin finds a middle ground between the rigidity of a great system and the versatility of the phenomenal talent at hand, Jazz could have a great rest of the season.
As for Jerry Slaon, he should be retired for good at this stage. He is 68 years old and I can’t imagine him coaching anywhere else. That’s probably a good thing because this way, he would always be remembered as a Utah Jazz and we don’t have to deal with things like him coming into town as a visiting head coach. I can definitely see him in a television role, but I am not sure if he wants that. In any case, this was a shocking culmination to a recent spate of long tenured coaches retiring, resigning or getting fired. First, it was Atlanta’s Bobby Cox retiring after 21 years as the manager of the Braves and the longest tenured manager in MLB. Then it was Jeff Fisher getting out of Tennessee in a surprising move after 17 years at the helm and the NFL lost it’s longest tenured coach. Now it’s Sloan who was the leader in the NBA and all of sports - all 3 changes happening in a 5-month spam. As of today, the NFL honor belongs to Andy Reid, Greg Popovich leads the NBA in terms of tenure and the longest tenured coach in all of sports now is MLB’s Tony LaRussa. Not bad replacements, but it’s still a sad day in sports and an end of a glorious era. We will all miss Jerry Sloan.
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