Before I start, you know what's coming...
Music to listen to: Seven by Sunny Day Real Estate
So we are halfway through the conference finals of the NBA Playoffs and not only are we heading towards possible sweeps, but we my see a rematch of only two years ago in the NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. This may lead to a lack of excitement for casual fans but there has been a lot of things going on in the world of the NBA. So you’ve come to the right source for the review of it all.
1) Where in the world will LeBron James go? I’ve been asked this question by several people because I have a partial and impartial view of this situation. I’m a New York Knicks fan, one of LeBron’s potential destinations, and I would be happy if he became a Knick. However, as an NBA fan, I like to see elite players in the best situations so we can see the best product possible. Plus, I show no emotion in my analysis and you know that. Here’s my breakdown.
Before I start, he’s going to make his money wherever he goes, so the fact that Cleveland can sign him for the “most” money is true on paper but in the grand scheme of this situation, it doesn’t matter.
If he’s thinking with his basketball mind he will be a…Bull. Chicago gives him the best situation to turn a playoff team to a potentially elite team. Not only do the Bulls have Rose and Noah in store, they have additional money to sign another high-level player like Chris Bosh. If you put those four together, they will be the top team in the East right along with Orlando the next five to six years. They also have Deng’s contract to include in a sign and trade, which makes the possibility even stronger. There is also an open head coach position if he wants to play that game.
If he’s thinking with his heart he will be a…Cav. LeBron continues to preach loyalty and obviously staying with your “hometown” team is the way to show this. I put “hometown” in quotations because most people seem to think that LeBron considers Cleveland his hometown but its actually Akron that he claims. It’s not the same. He can finish what he has stated with the Cavs. However, because of the inept management of the team’s roster, all of the role players such as Mo Williams, Anthony Parker, Varajo, etc. are still with the team for a few years with heavy contracts other teams won’t want. If LeBron couldn’t even make the Finals the past two years with this crew, what makes him think it will be any different? Plus, if they keep Mike Brown, which they probably won’t, James has to walk.
If he wanted to think about his brand, he will be a…Net. I’ll get to the Knicks, hear me out. The Nets have Brook Lopez, Devin Harris, a top-three pick in the draft and money to spend. He will be closer to his major New York market and the Nets have a better core than the Knicks, which isn’t saying much but it’s something. Another open position is at head coach. Two more factors to consider. You can’t ignore the ownership of Jay-Z of the team as being a factor. Those two have formed a relationship of some form that has lasted a long time. Second, the owner is Russian and has European connections that will help James increase his name in that area of the world.
If he wants to be a little savvy he will be a…Celtic or Thunder. Both teams can afford him, especially Oklahoma City. They each have good cores to build around but I don’t think that Lebron is a candidate for these locations.
If he wanted to be savvy and give a sleeper a chance, he would be a…Maverick. Dallas has the money, an expiring contract, the sway of Mark Cuban, the chance to play in a bigger market and even Texas Stadium on occasion and some other attributes. The problem is that you have an older core that may lose its maximum skills in a year or two instead of a younger core like Chicago or New Jersey.
If he buys into the whole “global icon” concept, he would be a…Knick. It is the biggest market, the largest stage, offers the most money besides Cleveland, he would be the biggest sports celebrity in that city, even more than Jeter. He would gain larger exposure for his brand. On the court, New York offers him a nearly open slate to choose players and a coach in D’Antoni with a system that he could realistically average 35/10/8 if he wanted to for a season or even tick the points down a few and get the elusive triple-double season. However, this isn’t enough. He would have to get another player like Bosh or even Wade to take the leap with him. This may be harder than you would think.
If he can deal with a crappy owner, he would be a Clipper…If the Clippers had another owner that gave a crap about the team, they would be the favorite outside of Cleveland. The Clippers give him the major market, have a solid core of young players, the whole thing accept for the terrible owner. There is no way that LeBron makes this move. Can’t blame him.
So where does he go. I think he ends up a Knick. He’s going to buy into the BS of him having to play for the Knicks to reach his marketing potential. He’s already the face of the league. If he wants to reach Michael Jordan status, he has to win titles. He would have a better chance of doing that with the Bulls and not a rebuilding Knicks team.
Wherever he chooses to play, he needs to gain a killer instinct and act like he cares. Losing game five of the Boston series wasn’t criminal. It happens to all of the great players. However, his mannerisms during that contest was unacceptable for a player who is trying to become a world champion. All of the greats from Jordan to Magic to Bird and many others wouldn’t have let game five happen the way that it did. You have to be aggressive and take control of your team. Game six was a formality because all of us knew the Cavs were going to lose that contest.
The biggest thing that we learned from that Boston series is that LeBron, really any elite player honestly, needs help to win a championship. One-man gangs don’t win NBA titles. That’s why its critical that whoever he signs with has a supporting cast around him because if he goes to New York and no one joins him, he’s going to keep losing early in the playoffs.
Enough LeBron, he’s out of the playoffs, lets look at the other playoff series:
Boston vs. Orlando: Dwight Howard is like LeBron-lite. The lack of competitiveness in him is just as disappointing. He needs to stop smiling and acting happy because he’s getting punked in this series. The thing that was most disturbing was his “interview” during game one of the series with himself. His alter ego Clark Kent or some other crap like that was doing an interview with Dwight, it was awful as it sounds. Not to sound like an old man but you wouldn’t see the great players do that at all. He’s not elite. Also, learn some post moves.
When you’re relying on Vince Carter for clutch plays, you have problems.
For Boston, we’ve seen this song and dance before. The main difference is that while Pierce, Garnett and Allen can’t give a max effort every night because of age, Rondo steps up and fills the role. I still would take Deron Williams and Derrick Rose before Rondo but he’s had an excellent 2010 playoffs.
Back to Orlando. I think that sweeping Charlotte and Atlanta may have actually hurt it. The Magic haven’t been challenged and you’re seeing the battle-tested crew of Boston take it to them. Also, does Rashad Lewis even know that this series has started? Just a question for someone who is due to make more than $18 million dollars each year for the next four? What an awful contract.
I think Boston wins this series in six.
Los Angeles vs. Phoenix: Its not a problem for the Suns when Kobe goes for 40 points in game one. Lamar Odom going for 18 and 18 in the same contest is not good. Gasol getting 28 points in game two is a problem. Kobe is going to get 30+ points in every game of this series. If the bigs for the Lakers have big games, the Suns will get swept.
Phoenix just doesn’t have the size to compete.
However, similar to Orlando, if the Lakers get comfortable, Boston will bring it to them in the Finals.
Lakers in five.
No comments:
Post a Comment