The "I-Can't-Believe-They-Actually-Have-A-Good-Record" Award:
This was a tie between two teams. The Orlando Magic (8-2) and the New Orleans Hornets (8-2) have been surprising people immensely this season. The Magic have faced formidable foes such as the Pistons, Suns, Cavs, and Nets. They've gone 2-2 in those games and have been led my MVP candidate Dwight Howard. He's averaging 22 points, 15 boards, and 2 blocks per contest. Rashard Lewis (21 pts, 5 reb, 3 ast) and Jameer Nelson (13 pts, 7 ast, 4 reb) have also been key contributors in their, so far, great start. Moving on, the Hornets may be even more surprising based solely on the division they play in. The Southwest is the deepest and toughest division in the NBA hands down. No other division even compares. They've posted impressive wins over Denver and New Jersey while suffering loses to the Spurs and Trailblazers. N.O. is led by third-year point guard Chris Paul (20 pts, 11 ast, 3 stl). He's been the playmaker out there and his game is looking a lot like Steve Nash's right now, maybe even better. A healthy Peja Stojakovic has helped them a good amount but who would have thought David West would be their number one scoring option? I sure as hell didn't. He's averaging 21 points and 8 rebounds per game.
The "I-Can't-Believe-They-Actually-Have-A-Bad-Record" Award:
This one definitely goes to the Chicago Bulls. They're are 1-6 right now and look terrible. At least the Heat have an excuse for their horrendous record. The Bulls have nothing. Their opponents are outscoring them by an average of 10 points per game. Ben Gordon is the leading scoring with 19 ppg. They only have 4 guys putting up double-figures in the points column. Not one person is averaging 8 or more boards a night. They have 5 guys averaging two or more turnovers a game and are shooting 79% from the line. The Bulls look like they are in utter discombobulation out there. Skiles needs to bring some order to his team.
The "My-Team-Sucks-But-I-Dominate" Award:
And the winner is...Baron Davis! He's averaging 25 points, 10 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block per game but his team is 1-6 and in last place in the Pacific Division. They lost to Utah in the opener by 19 points. In that game, Baron scored 25 points, dished out 10 assists, had 5 steals, 4 rebounds, and 2 blocks! He was unstoppable yet the rest of his team was a disgrace and struggled in the 12 minutes he spent on the bench during the game.
The "We're-Always-Good-So-Don't-Expect-Otherwise" Award:
This one goes to the Phoenix Suns. They have a record of 7-2 and are currently riding a four-game winning streak. Steve Nash is averaging 19 points, 10 assists, and 4 rebounds. Shawn Marion is averaging 18 points and 12 rebounds. Amare Stoudemire is averaging 15 points and 7 rebounds. And, finally, Grant Hill is putting up 14 points and 5 rebounds per contest. Same-old, same-old, right?
The "I-Better-Get-My-MVP-Award-This-Year-Or-Else" Award:
Kobe Bryant. This guy has to be angry. He puts up great numbers every year but the media hates him so he never wins. This year he's averaging 28 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists while leading his team to a respectable record of 5-3. He's more well-rounded this year than in years past and is showing that he can help the Lakers contend with the Suns. They dominated Phoenix in their first meeting in which Kobe only scored 16 points BUT he did grab 11 rebounds, dish out 4 assists, and steal the ball 3 times. And you can't look past his 45 points against the Rockets in the opener.
The "I'm-The-Best-Rookie-No-Contest" Award:
This award was an easy pick. It goes to Kevin Durant of the Seattle soon-to-be OK City SuperSonics. Someone needs to tell him that he's not in Austin anymore. KD is averaging 20 points and 5 rebounds. During a period of three games he averaged 26 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists. No other rookie is really coming close to putting up those kind of numbers. Many of you may have heard of Stephen A. Smith, right? Well, Stephen A. compared Durant to a better version of George Gervin. This one really is no contest...for now.
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Saturday, November 17, 2007
Friday, November 16, 2007
Game-Planning 1: Weekend Kickoff Edition
This will be a weekly segment I will do and it will usually be posted Thursday night but I thought I would kick it off on a weekend where most people have nothing better to do other than read brand new blogs. Anyways, the idea of this will be for me to make 5 predictions for college basketball games in the upcoming week. (Note: For this festive occasion I will be doing SIX preseason tournaments instead of five individual games.) As time goes on I will develop a record and everyone will see how good--or bad--I am at picking winners. Enjoy...
1st Quarter- CBE Classic
Winner: UCLA
Runner-Up: Michigan State
Breakdown: #2 UCLA has everything clicking this year. They return four starters from last year in Collison, Shipp, Mbah a Moute, and Mata-Real. And, how could you forget, they have one of the best freshman in the country this year in Kevin Love. He averaged 34 points and 17 rebounds playing high school ball last year. I think the Bruins have a good mix of experience, talent, and great coaching. That being said, Michigan State is definitely no pushover. They return the second-best senior in the country (Drew Neitzel; behind Tennessee's Chris Lofton) and the other four starters from last season. The problem with them, however, is they don't have a ton of talent after Neitzel.
When To Watch: The championship will be November 20th. But first the Bruins must beat Maryland and the Spartans must beat Missouri.
2nd Quarter- Preseason NIT
Winner: Texas A&M
Runner-Up: Syracuse
Breakdown: I made two very difficult decisions. The one was picking the Orange over Ohio State and the other was picking the Aggies to upset Syracuse in front of, virtually, a home crowd. However, I really don't think Syracuse will be able to hold it together for two games in a row and will most likely let down their guard in the championship after a tough OSU game. A&M, losing senior leader Acie Law IV, has a new coach and a new star player. Josh Carter will have to become the go-to-guy for Turgeon's men this year. To help him out are two of last year's starters in Dominique Kirk and Joseph Jones. Syracuse is led by a stellar recruiting class this year but definitely don't have much experience. I doubt the freshman will be able to be the main production for a team in their first BIG game at Madison Square Garden (more will come, I'm sure).
When To Watch: The championship is November 23rd. Both teams need to advance past the semifinals which will be held this Wednesday, the 21st.
Halftime Thoughts-
I am NOT sold on OJ Mayo. Quite frankly, he's a ball hog and only thinks about himself out on the court. To top it off, he has off-the-court issues which have been nagging him since early high school. On the bright side, he had 32 points in his collegiate debut. Of course, he shot 12 for 27 from the field and committed 8 turnovers. Also, he dished out only 4 assists and seemed out of control most of the game.
Huge fan of Memphis frosh Derrick Rose right here. He's averaging 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists in 28 minutes a game. He hasn't shot more than 16 field goals compared to Mayo (see above). He'll have quite the challenge tonight against UConn though. It will be interesting to see how he fares.
Enough of the freshmen, I want to talk about the interesting North Carolina vs. Davidson game that was played two nights ago. UNC barely pulled one out in their 72-68 victory over an elite mid-major school (take note of the oxymoron). Interestingly enough, I wasn't as surprised with the Tar Heels' struggles as I was Davidson's success against the number one team in the country. Specifically, I was thoroughly impressed with their guards, Curry and Richards, who made names for themselves on national television. Curry was doing the scoring (24 pts) and Richards was getting his teammates easy buckets (8 ast).
3rd Quarter- Great Alaska Shootout
Winner: Michigan
Runner-Up: Gonzaga
Breakdown: This is going to be one hell of an upset. Gonzaga (#16) vs. Michigan is going to be a coaching battle. The best innovator in college basketball, John Beilein, will be taking on the best mid-major coach right now, Mark Few. Michigan has a new offense (5-Out) and are poised to disrupt at least a few top teams this year. Why not start now? Gonzaga is led by Jeremy Pargo who averaged 12 points and 5 assists last season while playing behind Derek Raivio. They also have Heytvelt, Bouldin, and Pendergraft that will definitely be playing roles on both ends of the floor. I'm still taking the underdog with a crazy-good coach when they're playing with nothing to lose.
When To Watch: November 24th is the championship date but the tournament has not yet started.
4th Quarter- Legends Classic
Winner: Tennessee
Runner-Up: Texas
Breakdown: Bruce Pearl's squad will live up to their lofty ranking in this one while taking down a talented, yet Kevin Durant-less, Texas team. The Volunteers are led by Chris Lofton (POY favorite) and are backed by returning starters in Ramar Smith, Jajuan Smith, and Wayne Chism. They have a very good transfer in Tyler Smith as well. The 'Horns can hardly contend with such a great group of players which is why I have them falling short. The interesting thing about them is that they return all their starters EXCEPT Durant. The big question mark on this team is whether or not they'll be able to make up for the scoring and rebounding that KD took with him to the pros. Their best bet is relying on sophomore D.J. Augustin who averaged 14 points last season.
When To Watch: The championship is November 24th and the semifinals are the night before.
Overtime- Maui Invitational
Winner: Duke
Runner-Up: Marquette
Breakdown: The fascinating thing about this preseason tournament is that every year they have amazing games yet lack a deep field of teams. This year the only top 25 teams are the ones I have matching up in the final game. Duke is led by their two upperclassmen, DeMarcus Nelson and Greg Paulus, and also receive much-needed contributions from Gerald Henderson and Kyle Singler. Now, the Golden Eagles of Marquette are somewhat overrated in my opinion. They have a good group of guards but I wonder if their frontcourt will hurt them. Plus, they've had a complete joke of a schedule leading up to this. They've played IUPUI (which they only won by 8) and Utah Valley State. Who? Coach K will have his guys ready. End of story.
When To Watch: The championship game will be November 21st but you might want to check out the semifinal matchups as well (Nov. 20th). A couple years ago they featured Michigan State and Gonzaga which took three overtimes to decide a winner.
2nd Overtime- Las Vegas Invitational
Winner: North Carolina
Runner-Up: Louisville
Breakdown: Okay, so this tournament typically isn't very good but this year it features two GREAT teams. I honestly think that the Tar Heels will come back very strong after their letdown against Davidson. They are led by their three returning starters: Hansbrough, Ellington, and Lawson. Most likely all three will be first round draft picks when they decide to go. Louisville won't go down without a fight though. They are one of the deepest teams in all of college basketball this year and have a great coach to help them work together. Edgar Sosa seemingly wants some redemption from last March's heartbreaking defeat at the hands of Texas A&M.
When To Watch: November 24th is the championship day on the Strip and this game is a can't-miss event. I really don't see either of these teams losing in the semifinals either.
Poll Results- In a recent poll about who will have the best record in the Wester Conference, 80% of the voters chose the Phoenix Suns while the other 20% thought Dallas would have the best record for the second year in a row.
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1st Quarter- CBE Classic
Winner: UCLA
Runner-Up: Michigan State
Breakdown: #2 UCLA has everything clicking this year. They return four starters from last year in Collison, Shipp, Mbah a Moute, and Mata-Real. And, how could you forget, they have one of the best freshman in the country this year in Kevin Love. He averaged 34 points and 17 rebounds playing high school ball last year. I think the Bruins have a good mix of experience, talent, and great coaching. That being said, Michigan State is definitely no pushover. They return the second-best senior in the country (Drew Neitzel; behind Tennessee's Chris Lofton) and the other four starters from last season. The problem with them, however, is they don't have a ton of talent after Neitzel.
When To Watch: The championship will be November 20th. But first the Bruins must beat Maryland and the Spartans must beat Missouri.
2nd Quarter- Preseason NIT
Winner: Texas A&M
Runner-Up: Syracuse
Breakdown: I made two very difficult decisions. The one was picking the Orange over Ohio State and the other was picking the Aggies to upset Syracuse in front of, virtually, a home crowd. However, I really don't think Syracuse will be able to hold it together for two games in a row and will most likely let down their guard in the championship after a tough OSU game. A&M, losing senior leader Acie Law IV, has a new coach and a new star player. Josh Carter will have to become the go-to-guy for Turgeon's men this year. To help him out are two of last year's starters in Dominique Kirk and Joseph Jones. Syracuse is led by a stellar recruiting class this year but definitely don't have much experience. I doubt the freshman will be able to be the main production for a team in their first BIG game at Madison Square Garden (more will come, I'm sure).
When To Watch: The championship is November 23rd. Both teams need to advance past the semifinals which will be held this Wednesday, the 21st.
Halftime Thoughts-
I am NOT sold on OJ Mayo. Quite frankly, he's a ball hog and only thinks about himself out on the court. To top it off, he has off-the-court issues which have been nagging him since early high school. On the bright side, he had 32 points in his collegiate debut. Of course, he shot 12 for 27 from the field and committed 8 turnovers. Also, he dished out only 4 assists and seemed out of control most of the game.
Huge fan of Memphis frosh Derrick Rose right here. He's averaging 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists in 28 minutes a game. He hasn't shot more than 16 field goals compared to Mayo (see above). He'll have quite the challenge tonight against UConn though. It will be interesting to see how he fares.
Enough of the freshmen, I want to talk about the interesting North Carolina vs. Davidson game that was played two nights ago. UNC barely pulled one out in their 72-68 victory over an elite mid-major school (take note of the oxymoron). Interestingly enough, I wasn't as surprised with the Tar Heels' struggles as I was Davidson's success against the number one team in the country. Specifically, I was thoroughly impressed with their guards, Curry and Richards, who made names for themselves on national television. Curry was doing the scoring (24 pts) and Richards was getting his teammates easy buckets (8 ast).
3rd Quarter- Great Alaska Shootout
Winner: Michigan
Runner-Up: Gonzaga
Breakdown: This is going to be one hell of an upset. Gonzaga (#16) vs. Michigan is going to be a coaching battle. The best innovator in college basketball, John Beilein, will be taking on the best mid-major coach right now, Mark Few. Michigan has a new offense (5-Out) and are poised to disrupt at least a few top teams this year. Why not start now? Gonzaga is led by Jeremy Pargo who averaged 12 points and 5 assists last season while playing behind Derek Raivio. They also have Heytvelt, Bouldin, and Pendergraft that will definitely be playing roles on both ends of the floor. I'm still taking the underdog with a crazy-good coach when they're playing with nothing to lose.
When To Watch: November 24th is the championship date but the tournament has not yet started.
4th Quarter- Legends Classic
Winner: Tennessee
Runner-Up: Texas
Breakdown: Bruce Pearl's squad will live up to their lofty ranking in this one while taking down a talented, yet Kevin Durant-less, Texas team. The Volunteers are led by Chris Lofton (POY favorite) and are backed by returning starters in Ramar Smith, Jajuan Smith, and Wayne Chism. They have a very good transfer in Tyler Smith as well. The 'Horns can hardly contend with such a great group of players which is why I have them falling short. The interesting thing about them is that they return all their starters EXCEPT Durant. The big question mark on this team is whether or not they'll be able to make up for the scoring and rebounding that KD took with him to the pros. Their best bet is relying on sophomore D.J. Augustin who averaged 14 points last season.
When To Watch: The championship is November 24th and the semifinals are the night before.
Overtime- Maui Invitational
Winner: Duke
Runner-Up: Marquette
Breakdown: The fascinating thing about this preseason tournament is that every year they have amazing games yet lack a deep field of teams. This year the only top 25 teams are the ones I have matching up in the final game. Duke is led by their two upperclassmen, DeMarcus Nelson and Greg Paulus, and also receive much-needed contributions from Gerald Henderson and Kyle Singler. Now, the Golden Eagles of Marquette are somewhat overrated in my opinion. They have a good group of guards but I wonder if their frontcourt will hurt them. Plus, they've had a complete joke of a schedule leading up to this. They've played IUPUI (which they only won by 8) and Utah Valley State. Who? Coach K will have his guys ready. End of story.
When To Watch: The championship game will be November 21st but you might want to check out the semifinal matchups as well (Nov. 20th). A couple years ago they featured Michigan State and Gonzaga which took three overtimes to decide a winner.
2nd Overtime- Las Vegas Invitational
Winner: North Carolina
Runner-Up: Louisville
Breakdown: Okay, so this tournament typically isn't very good but this year it features two GREAT teams. I honestly think that the Tar Heels will come back very strong after their letdown against Davidson. They are led by their three returning starters: Hansbrough, Ellington, and Lawson. Most likely all three will be first round draft picks when they decide to go. Louisville won't go down without a fight though. They are one of the deepest teams in all of college basketball this year and have a great coach to help them work together. Edgar Sosa seemingly wants some redemption from last March's heartbreaking defeat at the hands of Texas A&M.
When To Watch: November 24th is the championship day on the Strip and this game is a can't-miss event. I really don't see either of these teams losing in the semifinals either.
Poll Results- In a recent poll about who will have the best record in the Wester Conference, 80% of the voters chose the Phoenix Suns while the other 20% thought Dallas would have the best record for the second year in a row.
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Thursday, November 8, 2007
Tidbits To Start The Season
Good Surprises:
1. New Orleans Hornets (4-1) - They have a good record and are looking great with a healthy Peja (17 pts). Chris Paul (18 pts, 5 reb, 12 ast) is playing fantastic as his game is reminiscent of Steve Nash. On top of all that Tyson Chandler is contributing 12 points and 12 boards per contest.
2. Houston Rockets (4-1) - They are in the same division as the Hornets and are probably better than the team from NO but they are lower on this list because unlike the Hornets they were predicted to make the playoffs. But, c'mon, who would have guessed T-Mac would be averaging 29 points (high of 47 on opening night), 5 rebounds, and 6 assists? Yao is doing his part as well while adding 21 points and 11 rebounds.
3. Indiana Pacers (3-1) - This was a tough call. It was between the Pacers and the Clippers (4-0). But...the Pacers? Danny Granger (21 pts, 8 reb), Mike Dunleavy (21 pts, 9 reb), Jermaine O'Neal (12 pts, 6 reb), and Jamaal Tinsley (11 pts, 7 ast) have all been key players in their fast start.
Bad Surprises:
1. Miami Heat (0-4) - Their leading scorer is Ricky Davis with only 16 points a game. Shaq is getting 13 points and only 7 rebounds which isn't even the best on the team (Udonis Haslem, 10). The Heat's offense is horrid averaging 83 points a game and giving up near 90. I think everyone in the city is praying for Dwyane Wade's recovery. Oh, and did I mention their current 17-game losing streak?
2. Chicago Bulls (0-4) - Luol Deng? Yeah, he's averaging 16 points (2nd on team) and 7 rebounds which aren't terrible numbers but I think everyone expected a little more. Big Ben Wallace is only pulling down FOUR rebounds a game and Kirk Hinrich is only dishing out FOUR assists each game. I think the entire team needs to pick it up. They're being outscored 96-88 so far this season.
3. Washington Wizards (0-3) - Coincidentally, all three disappointing teams have been from the East. Gilbert GUARANTEED a win and then lost all while averaging 22 points which is pretty low for him. Their offense isn't that bad (92 points a game, 20 from Butler and 19 from Jamison) but their defense is giving up 105 points each game! That can't happen if they expect to win games.
MVPs...four games into the season? Yes.
1. Kevin Garnett - 23 points. 16 rebounds. 6 assists. I swear that wasn't one game's stats. Those are his averages! He's been a complete beast and is making me look like a fool for having him fifth in the Big Man Preview I did a week ago.
2. Tracy McGrady - Put up 47 on opening night better Kobe's 45 put up on his opening night. He's averaging 29 points a game while dishing out 6 assists and grabbing 5 boards. He's doing everything out there and it's no accident that his Rockets are number one in the toughest division in basketball.
3. Kobe Bryant - What did you expect? Kobe's a scoring machine. He doesn't talk as much as Gil Zero but is definitely scoring more right now. But that's not all. To go with his 31 points a game, he's averaging 8 rebounds and 5 assists. However, the trade talks have still not subsided, especially the ones involving Chicago.
4. Carlos Boozer - This guy is helping the Jazz any way he can. He's showing that size doesn't matter (he's "only" 6'9"). He's got them to a respectable 3-2 record with their only losses coming to the Rockets and Lakers. He's averaging 24 points--including two where he put up at least 30--and 13 rebounds.
5. Chris Paul - His team is 4-1. He's averaging 19 points, 12 assists, and 5 rebounds. This is only his third year in the league. He's proving to the world that he's the best young point guard in the league right now (not much is being heard of Deron Williams as I type) and even had a game with 21 assists while scoring 19 points.
I was going to do a bit on Rookie of the Year but is it even close? Kevin Durant is the clear-cut favorite right now. 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists. End of story. His competition? Jianlian Yi, Al Horford, and Daequan Cook. But it really isn't even close...for now. By the way, my preseason pick was Jeff Green and he isn't doing that bad averaging 7 points and 4 rebounds while playing with KD.
The STRONGER Rankings (Note: This are the equivalent of anyone else's power rankings.)
1. Houston Rockets (4-1) - This was a tough call putting them number one but they have a good record while playing in the toughest division in all of basketball. They have wins over the Lakers, Jazz, and Spurs--all teams that made last year's playoffs--and their only loss coming to Dallas. They are scoring 95 a game and are allowing 92.
2. Boston Celtics (3-0) - This may be a bit premature putting them all the way at number two but they have looked very impressive so far. Besides KG's contributions, Ray Allen is scoring 24 points a game and Paul Pierce is averaging 22 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds. Their role players, surprisingly, have stepped up. Rajon Rondo is giving 10 points and 3 assists each night while Kendrick Perkins is scoring 6 points and grabbing 5 boards.
3. New Orleans Hornets (4-1) - They are the second team from the Southwest division so far. Everyone has come together very nicely as I mentioned earlier in this post. They have impressive wins over Denver and Los Angeles. Their only defeat came at the hands of the Portland Trailblazers of all teams!
4. San Antonio Spurs (4-1) - The Spurs are the THIRD team from the Southwest division so far. That's how strong the division is but someone's going to win and another's going to lose when they all play each other, right? Their only loss was against the number one, Houston. Tim Duncan is playing well as usual while averaging 16 points and 10 rebounds to date. Ginobili is giving 21 points (best on team) and 6 assists.
5. Orlando Magic (4-1) - The reason I chose them over the Clippers is simple: strength of schedule. The Magic have played Milwaukee (a team some believe will make the playoffs this year), Detroit (their only loss), Washington, and Toronto to name a few. The Clippers (4-0) have played Golden State, Seattle, Chicago, and Indiana. All of those teams are either mediocre or worse right now with the exception of the Pacers. Dwight Howard is averaging 19 points and 13 rebounds and Rashard Lewis is filling up the stat sheet with 23 points a night.
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1. New Orleans Hornets (4-1) - They have a good record and are looking great with a healthy Peja (17 pts). Chris Paul (18 pts, 5 reb, 12 ast) is playing fantastic as his game is reminiscent of Steve Nash. On top of all that Tyson Chandler is contributing 12 points and 12 boards per contest.
2. Houston Rockets (4-1) - They are in the same division as the Hornets and are probably better than the team from NO but they are lower on this list because unlike the Hornets they were predicted to make the playoffs. But, c'mon, who would have guessed T-Mac would be averaging 29 points (high of 47 on opening night), 5 rebounds, and 6 assists? Yao is doing his part as well while adding 21 points and 11 rebounds.
3. Indiana Pacers (3-1) - This was a tough call. It was between the Pacers and the Clippers (4-0). But...the Pacers? Danny Granger (21 pts, 8 reb), Mike Dunleavy (21 pts, 9 reb), Jermaine O'Neal (12 pts, 6 reb), and Jamaal Tinsley (11 pts, 7 ast) have all been key players in their fast start.
Bad Surprises:
1. Miami Heat (0-4) - Their leading scorer is Ricky Davis with only 16 points a game. Shaq is getting 13 points and only 7 rebounds which isn't even the best on the team (Udonis Haslem, 10). The Heat's offense is horrid averaging 83 points a game and giving up near 90. I think everyone in the city is praying for Dwyane Wade's recovery. Oh, and did I mention their current 17-game losing streak?
2. Chicago Bulls (0-4) - Luol Deng? Yeah, he's averaging 16 points (2nd on team) and 7 rebounds which aren't terrible numbers but I think everyone expected a little more. Big Ben Wallace is only pulling down FOUR rebounds a game and Kirk Hinrich is only dishing out FOUR assists each game. I think the entire team needs to pick it up. They're being outscored 96-88 so far this season.
3. Washington Wizards (0-3) - Coincidentally, all three disappointing teams have been from the East. Gilbert GUARANTEED a win and then lost all while averaging 22 points which is pretty low for him. Their offense isn't that bad (92 points a game, 20 from Butler and 19 from Jamison) but their defense is giving up 105 points each game! That can't happen if they expect to win games.
MVPs...four games into the season? Yes.
1. Kevin Garnett - 23 points. 16 rebounds. 6 assists. I swear that wasn't one game's stats. Those are his averages! He's been a complete beast and is making me look like a fool for having him fifth in the Big Man Preview I did a week ago.
2. Tracy McGrady - Put up 47 on opening night better Kobe's 45 put up on his opening night. He's averaging 29 points a game while dishing out 6 assists and grabbing 5 boards. He's doing everything out there and it's no accident that his Rockets are number one in the toughest division in basketball.
3. Kobe Bryant - What did you expect? Kobe's a scoring machine. He doesn't talk as much as Gil Zero but is definitely scoring more right now. But that's not all. To go with his 31 points a game, he's averaging 8 rebounds and 5 assists. However, the trade talks have still not subsided, especially the ones involving Chicago.
4. Carlos Boozer - This guy is helping the Jazz any way he can. He's showing that size doesn't matter (he's "only" 6'9"). He's got them to a respectable 3-2 record with their only losses coming to the Rockets and Lakers. He's averaging 24 points--including two where he put up at least 30--and 13 rebounds.
5. Chris Paul - His team is 4-1. He's averaging 19 points, 12 assists, and 5 rebounds. This is only his third year in the league. He's proving to the world that he's the best young point guard in the league right now (not much is being heard of Deron Williams as I type) and even had a game with 21 assists while scoring 19 points.
I was going to do a bit on Rookie of the Year but is it even close? Kevin Durant is the clear-cut favorite right now. 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists. End of story. His competition? Jianlian Yi, Al Horford, and Daequan Cook. But it really isn't even close...for now. By the way, my preseason pick was Jeff Green and he isn't doing that bad averaging 7 points and 4 rebounds while playing with KD.
The STRONGER Rankings (Note: This are the equivalent of anyone else's power rankings.)
1. Houston Rockets (4-1) - This was a tough call putting them number one but they have a good record while playing in the toughest division in all of basketball. They have wins over the Lakers, Jazz, and Spurs--all teams that made last year's playoffs--and their only loss coming to Dallas. They are scoring 95 a game and are allowing 92.
2. Boston Celtics (3-0) - This may be a bit premature putting them all the way at number two but they have looked very impressive so far. Besides KG's contributions, Ray Allen is scoring 24 points a game and Paul Pierce is averaging 22 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds. Their role players, surprisingly, have stepped up. Rajon Rondo is giving 10 points and 3 assists each night while Kendrick Perkins is scoring 6 points and grabbing 5 boards.
3. New Orleans Hornets (4-1) - They are the second team from the Southwest division so far. Everyone has come together very nicely as I mentioned earlier in this post. They have impressive wins over Denver and Los Angeles. Their only defeat came at the hands of the Portland Trailblazers of all teams!
4. San Antonio Spurs (4-1) - The Spurs are the THIRD team from the Southwest division so far. That's how strong the division is but someone's going to win and another's going to lose when they all play each other, right? Their only loss was against the number one, Houston. Tim Duncan is playing well as usual while averaging 16 points and 10 rebounds to date. Ginobili is giving 21 points (best on team) and 6 assists.
5. Orlando Magic (4-1) - The reason I chose them over the Clippers is simple: strength of schedule. The Magic have played Milwaukee (a team some believe will make the playoffs this year), Detroit (their only loss), Washington, and Toronto to name a few. The Clippers (4-0) have played Golden State, Seattle, Chicago, and Indiana. All of those teams are either mediocre or worse right now with the exception of the Pacers. Dwight Howard is averaging 19 points and 13 rebounds and Rashard Lewis is filling up the stat sheet with 23 points a night.
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Thursday, November 1, 2007
NBA Big Man Preview
So, this is the important position. The defending champion Spurs had an excellent big man. The champs before them, the Heat, had an aging yet very good big man. One question on the horizon is who has a more promising future: Amare Stoudemire or Dwight Howard? Maybe some of this will help. But, as always, stats are courtesy of 82games.com.
1. Tim Duncan - I want someone to convince me that this guy is not the best big man in the game today. Yes, he is boring, has no flash, and leads the "dirtiest" team in the NBA. BUT he is still quite good. His team gets 14 more points offensively every 100 possessions with him on the court rather than him off it.
Stats: Scoring per game- 20.0
Rebounding Rating- 32.8
Block Rating- 11.3
Clutch Scoring per 48 min.- 33.2
Clutch Rebounding- 39.1
Clutch Block- 6.1
2. Dwight Howard - I'm a little more sold on this guy than I am on Amare right now. I really don't know how well his knee will hold up (it will forever be a question). Also, if Howard will be cutting down on his turnovers like the Magic are saying he will then I will be scared for the other team every time he steps on the court.
Stats: Scoring per game- 17.6
Rebounding Rating- 36.2
Block Rating- 8.3
Clutch Scoring per 48 min.- 17.6
Clutch Rebounding- 32.9
Clutch Block- 9.3
3. Amare Stoudemire - 20 points and 10 rebounds a game. Pretty difficult to argue with that. This guy helped the Suns tremendously. He is a force to be reckoned with and should be racking up the awards sometime soon. Another good thing, last year he played all 82 games after playing only three the previous year.
Stats: Scoring per game- 20.3
Rebounding Rating- 29.8
Block Rating- 6.5
Clutch Scoring per 48 min.- 31.6
Clutch Rebounding- 28.0
Clutch Block- 10.0
4. Dirk Nowitzki - Okay, so he pretty much looked like he didn't deserve to be on the court last time we all saw him play (if that's what you'd call it) BUT he still had a crazy-good regular season last year while taking home MVP honors (although it was very controversial).
Stats: Scoring per game- 24.6
Rebounding Rating- 26.7
Block Rating- 3.5
Clutch Scoring per 48 min.- 46.1
Clutch Rebounding- 30.3
Clutch Block- 6.3
5. Kevin Garnett - I know this may be a tad bit low for some of you Boston Blowhards but he'll have to develop a team game and get used to having good teammates, something he hasn't experienced in quite a while. Here's something for you though: no Celtic has grabbed 900 rebounds in a season since 1989 yet Garnett has grabbed 900 each of the last eight seasons.
Stats: Scoring per game- 22.4
Rebounding Rating- 34.6
Block Rating- 7.0
Clutch Scoring per 48 min.- 25.2
Clutch Rebounding- 26.7
Clutch Block- 4.5
6. Yao Ming - This guy is injury-plagued. I'm not really sold on his holding up for an entire season. He played in 48 games last year. In those games, he averaged 25 points and 9 rebounds per contest. What amazes me though was his 86% FT percentage last year. Unheard of from big interior player.
Stats: Scoring per game- 25.1
Rebounding Rating- 28.2
Block Rating- 8.9
Clutch Scoring per 48 min.- 30.4
Clutch Rebounding- 26.5
Clutch Block- 13.2
7. Chris Bosh - 23 points. 11 rebounds. 3 assists. 1 steal and 1 block. He was putting up great all-around numbers like that all season long last year and I do NOT expect it to stop anytime soon. This guy could be the League's next great power forward. He definitely has the potential.
Stats: Scoring per game- 22.6
Rebounding Rating- 29.5
Block Rating- 5.3
Clutch Scoring per 48 min.- 38.9
Clutch Rebounding- 28.8
Clutch Block- 12.3
8. Pau Gasol - He would be higher if I didn't have to worry about injuries with this guy. Although he missed the first couple months of the season last year, he still put up some pretty good stats. 21 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks per game. Also, the Grizzlies added SOME talent to the team this year.
Stats: Scoring per game- 20.8
Rebounding Rating- 28.9
Block Rating- 8.5
Clutch Scoring per 48 min.- 19.0
Clutch Rebounding- 25.6
Clutch Block- 7.7
Blogger's Note: I can't believe I did it but I just had to leave Marion out of the top nine. However, he is the number nine big man in the League. The problem with him is his confidence and attitude he'll have in Phoenix this year.
Also, here's a video for you to watch:
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1. Tim Duncan - I want someone to convince me that this guy is not the best big man in the game today. Yes, he is boring, has no flash, and leads the "dirtiest" team in the NBA. BUT he is still quite good. His team gets 14 more points offensively every 100 possessions with him on the court rather than him off it.
Stats: Scoring per game- 20.0
Rebounding Rating- 32.8
Block Rating- 11.3
Clutch Scoring per 48 min.- 33.2
Clutch Rebounding- 39.1
Clutch Block- 6.1
2. Dwight Howard - I'm a little more sold on this guy than I am on Amare right now. I really don't know how well his knee will hold up (it will forever be a question). Also, if Howard will be cutting down on his turnovers like the Magic are saying he will then I will be scared for the other team every time he steps on the court.
Stats: Scoring per game- 17.6
Rebounding Rating- 36.2
Block Rating- 8.3
Clutch Scoring per 48 min.- 17.6
Clutch Rebounding- 32.9
Clutch Block- 9.3
3. Amare Stoudemire - 20 points and 10 rebounds a game. Pretty difficult to argue with that. This guy helped the Suns tremendously. He is a force to be reckoned with and should be racking up the awards sometime soon. Another good thing, last year he played all 82 games after playing only three the previous year.
Stats: Scoring per game- 20.3
Rebounding Rating- 29.8
Block Rating- 6.5
Clutch Scoring per 48 min.- 31.6
Clutch Rebounding- 28.0
Clutch Block- 10.0
4. Dirk Nowitzki - Okay, so he pretty much looked like he didn't deserve to be on the court last time we all saw him play (if that's what you'd call it) BUT he still had a crazy-good regular season last year while taking home MVP honors (although it was very controversial).
Stats: Scoring per game- 24.6
Rebounding Rating- 26.7
Block Rating- 3.5
Clutch Scoring per 48 min.- 46.1
Clutch Rebounding- 30.3
Clutch Block- 6.3
5. Kevin Garnett - I know this may be a tad bit low for some of you Boston Blowhards but he'll have to develop a team game and get used to having good teammates, something he hasn't experienced in quite a while. Here's something for you though: no Celtic has grabbed 900 rebounds in a season since 1989 yet Garnett has grabbed 900 each of the last eight seasons.
Stats: Scoring per game- 22.4
Rebounding Rating- 34.6
Block Rating- 7.0
Clutch Scoring per 48 min.- 25.2
Clutch Rebounding- 26.7
Clutch Block- 4.5
6. Yao Ming - This guy is injury-plagued. I'm not really sold on his holding up for an entire season. He played in 48 games last year. In those games, he averaged 25 points and 9 rebounds per contest. What amazes me though was his 86% FT percentage last year. Unheard of from big interior player.
Stats: Scoring per game- 25.1
Rebounding Rating- 28.2
Block Rating- 8.9
Clutch Scoring per 48 min.- 30.4
Clutch Rebounding- 26.5
Clutch Block- 13.2
7. Chris Bosh - 23 points. 11 rebounds. 3 assists. 1 steal and 1 block. He was putting up great all-around numbers like that all season long last year and I do NOT expect it to stop anytime soon. This guy could be the League's next great power forward. He definitely has the potential.
Stats: Scoring per game- 22.6
Rebounding Rating- 29.5
Block Rating- 5.3
Clutch Scoring per 48 min.- 38.9
Clutch Rebounding- 28.8
Clutch Block- 12.3
8. Pau Gasol - He would be higher if I didn't have to worry about injuries with this guy. Although he missed the first couple months of the season last year, he still put up some pretty good stats. 21 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks per game. Also, the Grizzlies added SOME talent to the team this year.
Stats: Scoring per game- 20.8
Rebounding Rating- 28.9
Block Rating- 8.5
Clutch Scoring per 48 min.- 19.0
Clutch Rebounding- 25.6
Clutch Block- 7.7
Blogger's Note: I can't believe I did it but I just had to leave Marion out of the top nine. However, he is the number nine big man in the League. The problem with him is his confidence and attitude he'll have in Phoenix this year.
Also, here's a video for you to watch:
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