Archive for the ‘2010 Playoffs’ Category

Your Thoughts on…

May 15, 2010

With no games Friday and Saturday, there’s a lot of time for analysis. The NBA has a strange aura right now…teams in limbo…LeBron’s free agent fate and the domino effect for everyone else…the big head coaching hunt sweeping the league.  Most importantly, Conference Finals are around the corner. So what are your thoughts on…

* The Orlando Magic. They’ve swept their first two series and people are questioning the level of competition so far. The Charlotte Bobcats (their first round opponent) won the season series vs. the Cavaliers 3-1 and the Hawks (their semifinals opponent) swept the Celtics 4-0. The Magic won the season series vs. the Celtics 3-1. However, the Celtics are looking healthier and more cohesive than they have all season.  What are your predictions for the series?

*The Phoenix Suns.  The Suns didn’t make the playoffs last season. Grant Hill re-signed with the team after exploring his free agent options with teams like New York.  The bench has transformed from a weakness in previous years to an integral part of the team’s success. And not enough can be said about Amar’e Stoudemire’s professionalism and poise both during and after the trade deadline. The Suns have won four of the last five postseason meetings against the Lakers, but the reigning champ Lakers are coming off two straight NBA Finals appearances. Can the Suns finally get past their postseason plateau and make it to the NBA Finals?

*Biggest x-factors going into Conference Finals?

*The Miami Heat have team President Pat Riley in their commercials promising a dynasty. What other teams have their President featured in TV ads? Miami is going to make some big changes this offseason–who would you choose to complement Dwyane Wade? The Heat have also created the site “wewantwade.com.”  Thoughts on that?

*Hunt for head coaches. Everyone talks about candidates that have experience as an NBA head coach. Who are the best candidates that don’t?

What are your thoughts on these points and any others?

Tags:, , , , , ,
Posted in 2010 Playoffs | Leave a Comment »

Catching up with the Orlando Magic

May 13, 2010

The Magic have quickly made other teams disappear this postseason.  Here’s what Vince Carter and Assistant Coach Patrick Ewing had to say.

Vince Carter

On going for the championship:

It’s been a great ride.  These guys have made it special.  We’re just excited about the opportunity.  Like I said, guys don’t get the opportunity to play for a championship or be on a championship caliber basketball team.  A lot of these guys are on the team back-to-back years and you know, we’re going for it, why not?

On Rashard Lewis saying you don’t know how many chances you’re going to get to compete for a title:

Right, right, he can’t talk, this is his second go-round (laughing).  This is my first, but like I said, it is [important to make the most of each chance].  You take advantage of the opportunities because they’re few and far between and the time is now.

On Stan Van Gundy saying he’s impressed Magic didn’t play like they had a cushion in the series against Atlanta. What do you guys say in the locker room to enable that?

It’s him, he’s the one that really instills it in our heads.  I think this is a veteran group that understands that and Stan’s gonna make sure just in case we don’t understand it, we understand it…Like I said, we’re about our business.  We’re about taking care of it each and every night we step on the floor.  You want to win the series as quickly as possible, get your rest, and get ready for the next one.

On the team’s mindset:

Our focus has been laser sharp and guys are just in tune with what needs to be done.

On flipping a switch…

We’re definitely capable of it I think, but why not just turn the switch on when that ball goes up from the start and leave the switch on…If your electric bill’s high, it’s alright–you’ll pay for it later (laughing).

Patrick Ewing

What do you see as the difference between this team and the team that made the NBA Finals last season?

I think the biggest thing is Dwight [Howard].  Dwight has definitely improved.  His output in the post and also passing out of double teams has definitely helped us.  And I think we’re a little bit more focused.  Not to say that we weren’t focused last year, but you know getting to the Finals and losing, I think [the focus] has definitely improved.

I see you working with Dwight before every game.  Besides passing out of double teams, what are the main things you’ve worked on with him?

There’s him scoring when he has the opportunity. When he doesn’t–when they double him–do a good job of passing out of double teams, trying to cut his free throws down.  And stepping up and making his free throws.

Magic have the most solid inside-out game of playoff teams?

I’m not going to say of all of the teams.  The Lakers have a pretty good inside-out game, Cleveland the same.  I think that Dwight is having an outstanding year and we’re doing a great job of knocking down shots on the perimeter.

What do you tell the team to mentally prepare for the long haul of the playoffs?

Just got to stay focused and just got to keep playing.  We’re doing an outstanding job right now, can’t let down, just got to keep fighting.

Tags:, ,
Posted in 2010 Playoffs | Leave a Comment »

Rajon Rondo Shines on NBA’s Biggest Stage

May 12, 2010

A few days ago, someone asked if anyone thought when Boston acquired the Big 3, Rajon Rondo would be the team’s best player within a few seasons. In a recent Boston Globe poll asking the Celtics’ most valuable player, 84.7% of 2,686 votes were for Rondo.

This season, Rondo put his stamp on Celtics history, breaking Bob Cousy’s record for single season assists with 794 and Rick Fox’s record for single season steals with 189. Rondo ranked 4th in the league with 9.8 assists per game and first with 2.3 steals per game. While Rondo shined, the Celtics faltered throughout the season. Kevin Garnett had 10 double-doubles, 19 less than the year the Celtics won the title. And Paul Pierce averaged the fewest points since his rookie season. The Celtics finished 4th in the East and many predicted a first round upset at the hands of Dwyane Wade’s Heat.

The Celtics took care of the Heat in five games and moved on to face LeBron James and the Cavaliers. While the Cavaliers had tremendous front court depth, it would quickly become apparent that they had no one to contain Rondo. In the first two games against the Cavaliers, Rondo–through scoring or assists–played a part in 112 of the Celtics‘ 197 points. After splitting the first two games, the Cavaliers tore into Boston and handed the Celtics their worst home playoff loss in franchise history. Could the Celtics rebound in Game 4? Rondo took it upon himself to make sure they would–literally and figuratively.

The 6’1 point guard delivered a performance nothing short of epic. He finished the night with 29 points, 18 rebounds, 13 assists and 2 steals. As Rondo iced the game with free throws, the crowd chanted “MVP,” which may be the understatement of the playoffs. With the 97-87 win, the Celtics have evened the series and put the Cavaliers back on their heels. Suddenly the team everyone counted out looks like a real threat to the No. 1 Cavs.

Despite the above statistics, the most important number to the Celtics is 55: the amount (in millions) of Rondo’s newly signed 5-year deal. After this postseason, it looks like a bargain.

Tags:,
Posted in 2010 Playoffs | Leave a Comment »

Hawks Finish off Deer but Can They Work Magic?

May 12, 2010

After hearing “Fear the Deer” for the entire series, the Hawks can say “Now You Know.”

The Hawks notched a decisive 95-74 victory in Game 7 to advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals for the second straight season. Few expected the 53-win Hawks to go the length against an injury depleted Bucks team, but Milwaukee not only made it a series, but one of the most even series in NBA history. Both teams were separated by 5 total points and 4 rebounds entering Game 7. So one has to ask: does “Now You Know” seem fitting or does this series leave us with more questions than answers?

It may take another series to find out. For now, it’s safe to say the Hawks took care of business when they needed to. After losing 3 straight to the Bucks, turning a 2-0 lead into a 2-1 deficit, the Hawks rattled off two straight wins to clinch the series. In Game 7, they limited Milwaukee to 32 percent shooting, including a 13-point first quarter and 14-point fourth. Brandon Jennings led the team with 15 points on 6-18 field goals while John Salmons shot 5-18 to finish with 11.

The Hawks got it done on both ends of the floor, shooting 47 percent for the night and outrebounding the Bucks 55-34. Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford relaxed towards the end of the series, leading the team with 24 points in Game 6 and 22 in Game 7.

Both Josh Smith and Al Horford averaged a near double-double against the Bucks. While the frontcourt mismatches clearly favored the Hawks, next series will certainly present a greater challenge to get anything going inside with Dwight Howard stationed in the paint for the Magic.

The Magic won the season series 3-1, with the Hawks lone victory coming from Josh Smith’s spectacular buzzer-beating putback dunk. The Magic outscored the Hawks by an average of over 16 points in the season series and held a +10 advantage on the boards.

Dwight Howard was a large part of Orlando’s success on both ends, averaging 21 points, 17 rebounds and 3.5 blocks against Atlanta. Horford struggled in the series, averaging 8 points, 7 rebounds, and under one block against the Magic. The Hawks will need to rely on their guards without becoming dependent on jump shots and isolation plays. The Magic can defend both the paint and the perimeter, so ball movement will be essential.

While the Hawks faced high expectations against the Bucks, it is the Magic that enter every series with the pressure to return to the Finals. The Magic players I’ve talked to–even the ones not on the team last year–all quantify success as championship or bust.

On the other hand, the Hawks are looking to redeem last season’s second round sweep to the Cavaliers to show where they stack up in the East. In 2008, the No. 8 Hawks took No. 1 Celtics to 7 games in the first round before the Celtics went on to win the title. Despite a shaky first round series against the Bucks, it is clear that it’s not how a team starts the post season, it’s how it ends up.

So while the Hawks motto is “Now You Know,” the reality is now we’ll find out.

Tags:,
Posted in 2010 Playoffs | Leave a Comment »

First Round Playoff Thoughts

May 12, 2010

United for an Upset?

Before the season, someone asked me to name a bad team with great chemistry. I said the Oklahoma City Thunder (owners of a 23-59 record entering the 2009-10 season). With a 27-win improvement, the Thunder literally became contenders overnight. As the 8th seed in the West, they are locked in a first round battle against the reigning champion Lakers. And the upstart Thunder–the youngest team in the playoffs–are definitely holding their own.

The Thunder’s “big three” of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Jeff Green had zero games of playoff experience entering the 2010 playoffs. Derek Fisher and Kobe Bryant had played in 351 games combined (ranked 2nd and 3rd among active players, respectively).

I was talking to Lamar Odom about how important it is for a team to be playing its best basketball entering the playoffs. “It’s really important because momentum is serious in this league,” said Odom, “and even more serious than momentum is implementing in a lot of these teams–in their heads–that they can’t beat us. That’s the most important. You want to take their confidence away and it’s a perfect time to do it.”

However, the Lakers faltered at the end of the season and would end up losing seven of their final eleven games. I asked Odom about the team’s chemistry and he quickly replied, “The chemistry is great. You can’t make it to the Finals two years in a row if the chemistry isn’t good.”

Odom made a valid point, except the Lakers’ demeanor on the court at times seems to belie a less united front. People should not underestimate Durant’s ease into a leadership role and his readiness to say that he can win now, in Oklahoma City, with the players on the roster. When a superstar puts faith in guys 1-12, it isn’t surprising how individuals will collectively rise to the occasion.

Other Notes:

Cavaliers/Bulls

I think too often people judge a player by whether or not he has won a ring. LeBron James’s performances on the court are epic. Through four games against the Bulls, he is averaging 35 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 2.5 blocks, 1.5 steals, and shooting almost 60% from the field and 55% from beyond the arc. In game 4, he notched his 5th career postseason triple-double, second to Jason Kidd among active players. If the Cavaliers don’t win a ring–it’s not because of him.

And if the Bulls don’t advance, it’s not because of Joakim Noah. Averaging 16.5 points, 14.0 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, and 1.3 steals in the first four games against the Cavs, Noah is one of the best centers–and best soundbites–of the postseason.

Suns/Trail Blazers

The Suns won 14 of their last 16 regular season games. They led the league in three main offensive categories with 110.2 points per game, 49.2 FG% and 41.2 3-PT%. In the first four games against the Blazers, the Suns have been held to 103.5 points per game (and 93.5 in their two losses). The Blazers are one of the best teams at controlling the game’s tempo–a quality that makes them a very formidable opponent.

Mavericks/Spurs

While the Spurs aren’t a typical 7 seed, the Mavericks have one of the deepest and most talented teams on paper. If they can’t win a title–or at least contend for one–with this team, I don’t see how they’ll be able to win one in the future. I’d also like to see rookie Rodrigue Beaubois get some minutes in this series, but then again, I would’ve liked to see him on the court more during the regular season as well.

I think the 2010 playoffs have been significant in embodying the “it takes 5–or rather 12” mentality of basketball. The Spurs, Jazz and Thunder have shown how intangible qualities produce tangible wins.

Tags:, , ,
Posted in 2010 Playoffs | Leave a Comment »

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.