Kleeman's Last Word

Spurs emerge, Rockets disappear and other NBA news...

I would like to start this basketball post with a bit on my hometown Houston Astros - baseball, of course.
New General Manager Ed Wade promised us more offense. He said scoring runs would be the least of the Astros problems. I applauded Wade for some shrewd off season moves and thought he had given a tired, fledgling team some life. Who knew the former Philadelphia Phillies general manager was also a master illusionist?
In the Astros first two outings against the San Diego Padres, the offense has been so magnificent that it cannot be seen. That's right. We are not worthy of witnessing the great work of Houston's batting lineup. All that stranding men on base nonsense and swinging at wild pitches is trickery. Lance Berkman's two 0-for-6 performances were cover ups for brilliant hitting nights. And forget the supposed final scores of 4-0 and 2-1 in favor of the Padres. You did not think the Astros offense fared that poorly, did you?
Oh, Mr. Wade, please show me the way so that I may see the brilliance of the offensive talent you summoned in the off season.

Good thing the Astros play 162 games instead of just two, yes?

SAN ANTONIO STEAMROLLS WARRIORS, LOOKS LIKE A CHAMPION
Remember early January and early March, two periods when the San Antonio Spurs could not close out a game, even if the opponent tried handing it to them? Remember the unnecessary panic attacks and declarations that the Spurs veterans had aged too much to win another championship? How about that Spur team that could not throw the ball in the ocean from the edge of a beach? Six minutes without a field goal, anyone?

That San Antonio ball club was nowhere to be found in a 116-92 demolition of the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night. The Spurs again look like a championship squad. The defense had been suffocating opponents, but the shooting was borderline unwatchable.

Suddenly, Michael Finley went from laying Easter eggs with deplorable shooting to lighting arenas on fire. The Houston Rockets had to wonder in Sunday's game if they were playing in some video game. Some kid must have switched on shooting cheat codes for the struggling Finley.

The Warriors can only hope so, after a pair of treys from the former Dallas Maverick buried them for good in a rout. You want defense, folks?

Baron Davis averages better than 8 assists per game. His entire team had 8 Tuesday night. The Warriors average a blistering 111 points per game. The Spurs let them have 92 and most of those fourth quarter baskets came against San Antonio's reserves. Monta Ellis and Stephen Jackson, two streakers whose hot shooting can burn teams in a matter of minutes, managed to make a combined 5 field goals and missed more than 20 heaves.

How is this team not headed for a June NBA Finals dance? The Boston Celtics are a wonderful defensive squad. Beantown's basketball heroes have amassed an incredible regular season and are odds-on favorites to win a Larry O' Brien Trophy. But, the Celtics have won nothing in the playoffs yet.

The championship route still runs through the San Antonio. Those who have doubts should feel free to drive the lane and have Tim Duncan swat their weak stuff away. Then, you can watch Manu Ginobili drain step back threes and slice through your team's embarrassing interior defense. Tony Parker will be glad to throw in tough lay ups, floaters and one handed bankers. Bruce Bowen will harass your best offensive player into a night he will consider worse than food poisoning.

The rest of the squad--Fabricio Oberto, Matt Bonner, Jacque Vaughn, Kurt Thomas, Damon Stoudamire, Ime Udoka, Robert Horry, Finley and the newly re-acquired Brent Barry--will outhustle you on both ends of the floor.

Screw superstition, I am picking the Spurs to win it all. The only way to debunk this team from the top spot in a top 10 or power ranking is to beat it in a seven-game series. Good luck with that.

ROCKETS DISAPPEAR
The Rockets rode an amazing 22-game win streak to the top of the Western Conference. After the Boston Celtics and New Orleans Hornets massacred them in back-to-back games, I was worried. Then, the team pulled out a gritty and crucial win against the Warriors and competed the next night against a ferocious Phoenix Suns squad.

Losing 3 of 7 games in the wild West is not the end of the road. The shorthanded Rockets will finish with one of the conference's five best records and make the playoffs. The team had better wake its ass up if it wants to do anything when it gets there.

Does Tracy McGrady have a clue? He torched the Sacramento Kings in the first half Monday night, then disappeared in the second to finish 12-31. Contested jumshots at the beginning or end of the shot clock will doom the team, T-Mac. I am tired of screaming at you about it. The man can pass as well as any player in the last 20 years. If his shot starts clanking, he should drive and kick. The supposed leader of the Rockets, 0-6 in the playoffs, needs to drive it to the hole instead of lethargically letting the defense "turn him into a jumpshooter." I still content that the only player who can guard McGrady is McGrady.

The Rockets as a team looked uninspired and uninterested in putting away a lottery-bound team. The Kings allowed them plenty of opportunities, but the Rockets did not bite. The Kings were the team with nothing tangible to play for. It looked the other way around.

I propose instituting another rule: no one mentions the streak until this team starts playing like it wants playoff success. When McGrady wins the first playoff series of his career, then he can tell us how great that winning stretch was.

COACH OF THE YEAR
The NBA is embroiled in the most competitive coach of the year race in league history. You will find proof in this meaty list of six candidates. I would not oppose giving the award to any of these contenders.

1 - Rick Adelman, Houston Rockets
Self-explanatory, of course.

2 - Doc Rivers, Boston Celtics
The best defensive team this regular season will complete the biggest turnaround in NBA history. It is hard not to praise Rivers for the way he has meshed Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen with a bunch of other guys. I knew James Posey, Eddie House and newly acquired Sam Cassell would be great role players. What about Leon Powe, Glen "Big Baby" Davis, Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins? I did not see them coming. Rivers did and deserves recognition for it.

3 - Byron Scott, New Orleans Hornets
I had no idea the Hornets would still hold the top spot in a competitive West. Good, yes. Running other championship contenders out of the building, no. The question is, who deserves more of the credit: point guard Chris Paul of Scott?

4 - Maurice Cheeks, Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia: what the hell?! Who knew the 38-37 Sixers would salvage a rough season by throttling the defending champion Spurs and beating Boston, Detroit and Phoneix on the road? That early season win over the Mavs and the season sweep of the Rockets looks great, too. In a league of have and have nots, the 76ers fall into the latter category. Cheeks has molded a team whose best player is young center Samuel Dalembert into a winner. I would not call an upset against Boston or Detroit out of the question.

5 - Reggie Theus, Sacramento Kings
Team is headed for the lottery but still competing. If the squads sub .500 record does not impress you, consider this: a season sweep of the Detroit Pistons, series splits with the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets and wins over the Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz and others. The Ron Artest-led nucleus should have been blown up in the offseason, which makes the Kings' moderate success more impressive. Theus has done a tremendous job with a disjointed franchise.

6 - Nate McMillan, Portland Trail Blazers
The man who coaches the surprise of the season's first half should not be omitted from the discussion simply because his scrappy team will not earn a post season berth. Coaches who do more with less get my props. In a Greg Oden-less season that was supposed to be a lottery precursor, the Blazers have managed to keep games with the league's best close. This team has lost less games by double digits than the Mavs and the Golden State Warriors. Portland is still headed for the lottery but will reach June knowing things can only get better from here.

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
If the Hornets win the West, Chris Paul, the little Isiah Thomas, should win the Maurice Podoloff Trophy.

Otherwise, here are the other candidates.

Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers - Best athlete in the world. Period. Despite inexplicable losses to the Charlotte Bobcats and Memphis Grizzlies last week, he leads a pretty good team, too.

Lebron James, Cleveland Cavaliers - A season average of 31 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists. Disgusting. His team is fourth in a weaker Eastern Conference, though.

Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics - The Big Ticket has transformed the culture in Boston. Assistant coach Tom Thibadeux may be the Celts' defensive architect, but Garnett is the one who has let his teammates know it wins games and is never optional. How else do you explain Paul Pierce's newfound commitment to the other end. He will not win because he suits up with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.

Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs - Before you call me a drug-addicted idiot, look at his numbers. He leads the defending champs in scoring and also in competitive heart. He has bailed the Spurs offense out of jail more times than Mike Tyson has been there. He shoots 7-9 from behind the arc one night, dishes out a career-high 15 assists the next and then encores with 8 steals. Do you know any other player of this caliber who would accept a sixth man role the way Manu has?
He will not win because he suits up with Tim Duncan and Tony Parker.

MOST IMRPOVED PLAYER

Hedo Turkoglu, Orlando Magic
Chris Kaman, Los Angeles Clippers

Either player would be a fine choice. Kaman emerged in the absence of Elton Brand to average a strong 17 points and 14 rebounds per game for the hopeless Los Angeles Clippers. The key word hopeless might make Turkoglu the better choice. The Turkish-born Turkoglu has become "Mr. fourth quarter" for an Orlando Magic team set to win its division. He has performed better than Rashard Lewis, an unproven star who makes almost twice as much.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Shane Battier, Houston Rockets: The Rockets only hope to win a first round playoff series is to smother the other team with defense. This team won 22 consecutive by doing just that, holding opponents to 41 percent shooting and 87 points per game. Battier has never been named to the All-Defensive Team or been considered for this award, a travesty. This award may be the easiest, second only to the sixth man. Instead of giving it to Marcus Camby, a guy who puts up great individual numbers on a dismal defensive team, give it to Battier, whose modest numbers propelled the Rockets to the highest perch in a difficult Western Conference.

SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR
Ginobili will not win the MVP trophy. If the award voters have half a brain, he will win this one. I will repeat what I said above: No other player of his caliber would voluntarily come off the bench. He leads the defending champion Spurs in scoring: a no-brainer.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Should go to: Luis Scola and Carl Landry, Houston Rockets (a co-rookie award)
Will go to: Kevin Durant, Seattle Supersonics

In deciding between Scola/Landry or Durant here is the choice you must consider: do you award a 19-year-old rookie who was asked from the first day of training camp to be his team's best player? No rookie has carried a bigger load than Durant and that is why voters will likely pick him over the other candidates. He spent one year in college and is already averaging 20 points and shooting in the high 40s. While his numbers suggest he will become a superstar playoff performer, his team is as far from an NBA post season berth as the one I played with at the gym last weekend.
His great numbers have contributed little to a lottery team that might also be moving to Oklahoma City next season. The Sonics stink like raw fish and could have piled up the same number of losses without Durant's statistical assistance.

The Rockets two-headed power forward monster of Carl Landry and Luis Scola has made indispensable contributions to a team that still has a chance to finish with a top four record without its best player. No voter could have foreseen either player as the X factors on a team jostling for a high playoff perch. Had Yao Ming not succumbed to a season-ending injury, this pair would be much lower on the list.
I list both players because I cannot remove either rookie's contributions from the award discussion.

--Thanks for reading my verbose opinions. Forget March Madness and the NCAA: the NBA has all the drama you can handle. Here's to the great finish and post season to come.

posted by Robert Kleeman @ 2:25 PM