duncan228
02-17-2009, 02:37 AM
NBA hot and heavy in second half (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/NBA_hot_and_heavy_in_second_half.html)
Staff and wire reports - Express-News
Their triumphant reunion complete, Shaquille O'Neal revealed that Kobe Bryant let him keep the All-Star MVP trophy they shared.
Bryant doesn't need it. He's got his eyes on a much bigger prize.
His Los Angeles Lakers bring the best record in the league into the second half of the season, giving Bryant a realistic chance to finally win a championship without O'Neal.
Shaq, meanwhile, headed off to a more uncertain future. His Phoenix Suns fired coach Terry Porter on Monday, and could remain busy dismantling their team before this week's trade deadline.
Here — based largely on an analysis by Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press plus Express-News and other news reports — is a quick look ahead to what the second half of the season might bring:
Team makeovers
These contenders and pretenders appear most likely to make some kind of move before the trade deadline at 2 p.m. Thursday:
Suns: Amare Stoudemire is the most prominent name atop the rumor mill; Chicago would appear the most likely destination. But will the promotion of assistant coach Alvin Gentry mean a return to the up-tempo style many Phoenix players prefer, and thus mean the current roster will be kept intact?
Celtics: As last season proved, it’s not necessarily the biggest stars that make the biggest difference. The final piece to Boston’s championship puzzle began to take shape during the All-Star break, when P.J. Brown was convinced to join the Celtics, for whom he became a key reserve.
The Celtics could be motivated to make a move this time around after failing a pair of high-profile tests before the break in home losses to the Lakers and Spurs. They’ve been linked to Stephon Marbury, the banished Knicks guard who is trying to secure his escape from New York.
Blazers: ESPN.com, citing numerous reports, says Portland — which comes back from the break as the current No. 4 seed in the West — is looking into a deal that would bring Richard Jefferson and Luke Ridnour over from Milwaukee in exchange for Raef LaFrentz’s expiring contract plus Travis Outlaw and possibly Sergio Rodriguez.
Rockets: Houston, like Phoenix, has been a disappointment thus far after expecting to be among the contenders in the West. The Rockets made a splash with their summer acquisition of Ron Artest, but haven’t been able to keep him, Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady healthy long enough to build any type of momentum.
Now, Houston is one of three West teams mentioned in reports as possible suitors for New Jersey’s Vince Carter, the others being the Spurs and Dallas.
The Rockets’ bait? Artest’s expiring contract.
Staying the course
Cavaliers: LeBron James says he sees Boston “maybe going to get somebody before it’s all said and done and helping their bench out.” Cleveland, neck-and-neck with the Celtics in the East, also might consider a move, although no deals involving the Cavs are among those receiving trade-rumor buzz.
(West contender’s name here): Plenty of teams — New Orleans, Utah and Dallas chief among them — have been inconsistent, but all hope they can get healthy and take off like the Rockets did last year, winning 22 straight games to vault up the playoff ladder.
Final analysis
The AP’s Mahoney says things seem set up for a marquee final four of Celtics-Cavaliers and Lakers-Spurs.
“That would offer the potential of a championship rematch, or perhaps a duel between James and Bryant, the leading MVP candidates,” he wrote. “The Lakers would like their chances against anyone. Even after losing center Andrew Bynum to a knee injury that could keep him out until the playoffs, Los Angeles won at Boston and Cleveland during a 6-0 road trip before the break.”
Staff and wire reports - Express-News
Their triumphant reunion complete, Shaquille O'Neal revealed that Kobe Bryant let him keep the All-Star MVP trophy they shared.
Bryant doesn't need it. He's got his eyes on a much bigger prize.
His Los Angeles Lakers bring the best record in the league into the second half of the season, giving Bryant a realistic chance to finally win a championship without O'Neal.
Shaq, meanwhile, headed off to a more uncertain future. His Phoenix Suns fired coach Terry Porter on Monday, and could remain busy dismantling their team before this week's trade deadline.
Here — based largely on an analysis by Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press plus Express-News and other news reports — is a quick look ahead to what the second half of the season might bring:
Team makeovers
These contenders and pretenders appear most likely to make some kind of move before the trade deadline at 2 p.m. Thursday:
Suns: Amare Stoudemire is the most prominent name atop the rumor mill; Chicago would appear the most likely destination. But will the promotion of assistant coach Alvin Gentry mean a return to the up-tempo style many Phoenix players prefer, and thus mean the current roster will be kept intact?
Celtics: As last season proved, it’s not necessarily the biggest stars that make the biggest difference. The final piece to Boston’s championship puzzle began to take shape during the All-Star break, when P.J. Brown was convinced to join the Celtics, for whom he became a key reserve.
The Celtics could be motivated to make a move this time around after failing a pair of high-profile tests before the break in home losses to the Lakers and Spurs. They’ve been linked to Stephon Marbury, the banished Knicks guard who is trying to secure his escape from New York.
Blazers: ESPN.com, citing numerous reports, says Portland — which comes back from the break as the current No. 4 seed in the West — is looking into a deal that would bring Richard Jefferson and Luke Ridnour over from Milwaukee in exchange for Raef LaFrentz’s expiring contract plus Travis Outlaw and possibly Sergio Rodriguez.
Rockets: Houston, like Phoenix, has been a disappointment thus far after expecting to be among the contenders in the West. The Rockets made a splash with their summer acquisition of Ron Artest, but haven’t been able to keep him, Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady healthy long enough to build any type of momentum.
Now, Houston is one of three West teams mentioned in reports as possible suitors for New Jersey’s Vince Carter, the others being the Spurs and Dallas.
The Rockets’ bait? Artest’s expiring contract.
Staying the course
Cavaliers: LeBron James says he sees Boston “maybe going to get somebody before it’s all said and done and helping their bench out.” Cleveland, neck-and-neck with the Celtics in the East, also might consider a move, although no deals involving the Cavs are among those receiving trade-rumor buzz.
(West contender’s name here): Plenty of teams — New Orleans, Utah and Dallas chief among them — have been inconsistent, but all hope they can get healthy and take off like the Rockets did last year, winning 22 straight games to vault up the playoff ladder.
Final analysis
The AP’s Mahoney says things seem set up for a marquee final four of Celtics-Cavaliers and Lakers-Spurs.
“That would offer the potential of a championship rematch, or perhaps a duel between James and Bryant, the leading MVP candidates,” he wrote. “The Lakers would like their chances against anyone. Even after losing center Andrew Bynum to a knee injury that could keep him out until the playoffs, Los Angeles won at Boston and Cleveland during a 6-0 road trip before the break.”