-- It's always funny to me when people jump to conclusions so quickly. For example, last Thursday, the Spurs played a TNT-televised game against Utah. At the half, with the Spurs losing, TNT analysts Chris Webber and Charles Barkley referred to San Antonio as a "team in transition," talked about them losing a step, and expressed surprise at seeing them "not a contender." Really? You're making these declarations four games into the season? The Spurs are breaking in seven new players, five of whom (DeJuan Blair, Richard Jefferson, Antonio McDyess, Keith Bogans, and Theo Ratliff) are getting considerable minutes. If you expected San Antone to come out of the gate with a 15-3 record, well, that's your fault.
-- The Shaq-LeBron experiment is off to a weird start in Cleveland. Boston outclassed them early, they went to sleep in a loss to Toronto, and they haven't really looked in synch at any point this season...which is the exact opposite of last season. However, these things take time, so I'm not giving up on the new roster yet...ok, in all honesty, I kind of am. Shaq looks enormous (and I don't mean that in no nice way), Jamario Moon is giving them a whole lot of nothing, and nobody else is emerging as a reliable option to LeBron James. Basically, this is last year's team without the camaraderie, and a lot more headaches. Fun.
-- I give Steve Nash a lot of hate for a lot of reasons, but he's been superb this year. Phoenix's roster is garbage, but that hasn't prevented them from starting the season with a 7-1 record, best in the West. Why? Nash. He leads the NBA in assists at nearly 13 apg, and is scoring at an 18.3 clip. He's been masterful in helping Jason Richardson, Grant Hill, and Amar'e Stoudemire get open shots, which has made them more productive than expected. Can he keep it up? With Father Time and a bad back holding him down, I'm skeptical; but I am intrigued to see how long he can keep the Suns running into wins -- both literally and figuratively.
-- Brandon Jennings has been a revelation of sorts for the Milwaukee Bucks. I was a little hard on Jennings after he was drafted for running his mouth, but his play has been tremendous. Leading all rookies in scoring while becoming a playmaker for the Bucks, Jennings has solidified a position that look shaky for Milwaukee a few weeks ago. They lost Ramon Sessions to Minnesota and had little confidence in Luke Ridnour, so Jennings' emergence has been huge for them. Credit coach Scott Skiles for entrusting this kid with his team and for mentoring him effectively early this season. Rookies always hit a wall, but if Jennings can continue to produce for Milwaukee, they will surprise many people who predicted a horrendous year for them.
-- Carmelo Anthony is out for blood this year. I'll have more on this in a piece I'm working on for later in the week, but let's just say that 'Melo looks determined to repeat last year's Western Conference Finals appearance at the very worst. His rebounding and passing have improved, and he looks absolutely unstoppable as a scorer. Yes, as much as he relies on his jumpshot he'll have some off nights, but he looks more comfortable and confident than ever on the offensive end. Uh oh.
-- The Charlotte Bobcats may look terrible on the court at times, but they sure know how to hook up their fans on Opening Night. I attended the Bobcats' home opener October 30th against the Knicks. Not only did I get 10 minutes of free basketball for my hard-earned cash, I got a long-sleeve white t-shirt with a screen-printed logo on the front, and a list of four tasks that Larry Brown demands from his players on the back (no, "four passes before a shot" wasn't one of them). Not a bad little bit of swag from the broke Charlotte franchise. Thanks, Bob.
-- The Lakers cannot be judged until Pau Gasol is healthy. Thank you for abiding by this rule. It saves me a lot of breath and reduces my chances for carpel tunnel syndrome.
-- Boston looks sharp right off the bat. Their defense has been impenetrable (save for their loss to Phoenix), and Kevin Garnett is bringing his normal intensity (read: chest-beating, yelling, and attempts to intimidate opponents). And his patented fadeaway since he no longer has any low-post moves. Sorry, Ticket, I just had to go there.
-- Vince Carter is injured; shocker.
Alright, that's all I have for now. Stay with Skip To My Lank all season long, because I like the NBA entirely too much, and I'll probably be writing these musings every couple weeks. Have a great evening; tip your wait staff.
~~ Lank
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