duncan228
10-27-2009, 12:43 AM
Lakers will rule the West again (http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/story/1712877.html)
By Jan Hubbard
Unlike brain surgery, neither an advanced college degree nor a significant level of insight should be required in selecting the preseason favorite in the Western Conference.
The Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA title rather easily last season. They defeated the Orlando Magic in five games in the championship series. Their four victories were by a combined 51 points and their one loss was by four.
The Lakers, who open the 2009-10 season tonight in Los Angeles against the Clippers, have Kobe Bryant and all key members of his powerful supporting cast back. Their only challenge in the playoffs was from the Rockets, who forced the Lakers to seven games before losing. LA responded by signing Ron Artest, who was one of the primary reasons Houston gave the Lakers such a hard time.
There is no reason to believe the Lakers have declined in the slightest, so why is it so tempting to pick the San Antonio Spurs?
Perhaps it is because during the Tim Duncan era, they have won four championships — 1999, 2003, 2005 and 2007. Duncan is 33 and going into his 13th year, but when healthy, he is good as ever. At least that’s what Shaquille O’Neal said.
"Yes, yes, they [are competitive for the West title]," O’Neal said in a recent visit to San Antonio. "You know they’re always going to be there. Last year didn’t count for them, because Mr. Fundamental [Duncan] had those knee problems. But he got a lot of rest, just like I got a lot of rest. I know they’re going to be ready."
The Spurs have also added depth in Richard Jefferson, who has a career average of nearly 18 points a game, and veteran big men Antonio McDyess and Theo Ratliff.
The Artest signing was so significant for the Lakers that some Las Vegas books established them as 2-1 favorites during the summer. Despite their moves, the Spurs were at 15-1.
With a rich recent history of excellence, the Spurs are not going to go down easy. The safe bet is still the Lakers, but an even better bet is that if both teams stay healthy, the West finals will likely be a great one.
The playoff teams
1. Los Angeles Lakers: They say they are still motivated by the loss in the Finals to Boston in 2008 and there is no reason to believe they will have a letdown. "I still want to keep in mind what it was like losing the year before," forward Pau Gasol told reporters in LA. "To be able to dominate for a few years in a league that is so demanding and so competitive, that’s motivating." Center Andrew Bynum was injured again during preseason, missing playing time with a shoulder injury. In the past two years he has missed 77 games with various injuries. Still, the Lakers have been to the Finals both years and won once. With a deep supporting cast led by Gasol, Artest, Lamar Odom and Derek Fisher, the Lakers are loaded. And despite some opinions to the contrary, Kobe Bryant, above, is still the No. 1 player in the world.
2. San Antonio: They lost in the first round to the Mavericks last season, but Manu Ginobili missed the series with an ankle injury. He enters the season healthy and so does Tony Parker. They also have the new guys, who are hoping they can help boost the Spurs to a fifth championship. "Their heyday wasn’t that far off," Jefferson said after arriving in San Antonio from Milwaukee, "and they’ve got some of the same core still here."
3. Dallas: A phrase that has described the Houston Rockets for the past few years applies to the Mavericks. They should be good this season if they can stay healthy. With six key members of their rotation 31 or older, the issue of health in the marathon 82-game season and the playoffs is a huge one. Josh Howard still is not recovered from ankle surgery, and Shawn Marion and Tim Thomas have missed playing time in the preseason. The Mavericks have to overachieve to beat the Spurs or Lakers, and they can do that only if they can stay healthy.
4. Portland: The Blazers have the best young talent in the league in Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, Rudy Fernandez, Martell Webster, Travis Outlaw, Jerryd Bayless and Nicolas Batum — each of whom is 25 or younger. And that’s not counting 21-year-old center Greg Oden, who has been injured and disappointing as a pro thus far. Portland added 33-year-old veteran point guard Andre Miller to the mix and certainly seems like a future contender. But the Blazers lost to Houston in the first round of the playoffs last season and still must prove they can compete in the postseason.
5. Utah: Deron Williams is in the conversation as the best point guard in the league, and the Jazz has an excellent starting five and decent depth off the bench. That they can be as good as they are and rated only fifth in the conference in the preseason is an example of how deep the West is.
6. Denver: After acquiring Chauncey Billups last season, the Nuggets thrived as Billups was able to add something missing in Denver for years — focus. The Nuggets have a good collection of talent and one of the best sixth men in the league in the wild and free spirited Chris "Birdman" Anderson. The Nuggets did little to improve in the off-season, however. They will still be tough and capable, but, again, it’s a tough conference.
7. New Orleans: Only a year ago, the Hornets were viewed as the primary challenger to the Lakers in the West. They still have Chris Paul and David West, but Tyson Chandler has been traded to Charlotte and the Hornets seem to have taken a step back, which was evident when they lost a first-round playoff game by 58 points to the Nuggets last season. With Paul running the show, the Hornets still have talent. They acquired the productive Emeka Okafor in the trade for Chandler. But the glory days may have passed the Hornets shockingly fast.
8. Phoenix: Steve Nash made the surprising choice of staying with the Suns, signing a two-year extension. Nash admitted that he did it for lifestyle reasons rather than title aspirations, which is good because the Suns have no shot. But with Mike D’Antoni’s former assistant Alvin Gentry at the helm, the Suns should contend with the Warriors for the highest scoring team in the league. They’ll be fun to watch, but for the big boys, nothing to fear.
Non-playoff teams
Houston has little offense with Yao Ming out, Ron Artest gone and Tracy McGrady, as always, limping. But don’t be surprised if the Rockets are in the mix for the final playoff spot because coach Rick Adelman will have them prepared.
The LA Clippers have a lot of talent and drafted a budding superstar in Blake Griffin, but, alas, they’re still the Clippers.
Golden State coach Don Nelson wore a leather Mavericks jacket at a recent practice because it was cold in the arena. That’s about as close as he’ll get to the playoffs this season, although rookie Stephen Curry will be fun to watch.
Memphis with Allen Iverson on its team? No comment.
Oklahoma City has good young talent but is two years away from the playoffs.
Minnesota is two-plus-two years away from the playoffs.
Sacramento is so hopeless that anyone who can name more than two players on its roster should audition for a spot on Jeopardy.
By Jan Hubbard
Unlike brain surgery, neither an advanced college degree nor a significant level of insight should be required in selecting the preseason favorite in the Western Conference.
The Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA title rather easily last season. They defeated the Orlando Magic in five games in the championship series. Their four victories were by a combined 51 points and their one loss was by four.
The Lakers, who open the 2009-10 season tonight in Los Angeles against the Clippers, have Kobe Bryant and all key members of his powerful supporting cast back. Their only challenge in the playoffs was from the Rockets, who forced the Lakers to seven games before losing. LA responded by signing Ron Artest, who was one of the primary reasons Houston gave the Lakers such a hard time.
There is no reason to believe the Lakers have declined in the slightest, so why is it so tempting to pick the San Antonio Spurs?
Perhaps it is because during the Tim Duncan era, they have won four championships — 1999, 2003, 2005 and 2007. Duncan is 33 and going into his 13th year, but when healthy, he is good as ever. At least that’s what Shaquille O’Neal said.
"Yes, yes, they [are competitive for the West title]," O’Neal said in a recent visit to San Antonio. "You know they’re always going to be there. Last year didn’t count for them, because Mr. Fundamental [Duncan] had those knee problems. But he got a lot of rest, just like I got a lot of rest. I know they’re going to be ready."
The Spurs have also added depth in Richard Jefferson, who has a career average of nearly 18 points a game, and veteran big men Antonio McDyess and Theo Ratliff.
The Artest signing was so significant for the Lakers that some Las Vegas books established them as 2-1 favorites during the summer. Despite their moves, the Spurs were at 15-1.
With a rich recent history of excellence, the Spurs are not going to go down easy. The safe bet is still the Lakers, but an even better bet is that if both teams stay healthy, the West finals will likely be a great one.
The playoff teams
1. Los Angeles Lakers: They say they are still motivated by the loss in the Finals to Boston in 2008 and there is no reason to believe they will have a letdown. "I still want to keep in mind what it was like losing the year before," forward Pau Gasol told reporters in LA. "To be able to dominate for a few years in a league that is so demanding and so competitive, that’s motivating." Center Andrew Bynum was injured again during preseason, missing playing time with a shoulder injury. In the past two years he has missed 77 games with various injuries. Still, the Lakers have been to the Finals both years and won once. With a deep supporting cast led by Gasol, Artest, Lamar Odom and Derek Fisher, the Lakers are loaded. And despite some opinions to the contrary, Kobe Bryant, above, is still the No. 1 player in the world.
2. San Antonio: They lost in the first round to the Mavericks last season, but Manu Ginobili missed the series with an ankle injury. He enters the season healthy and so does Tony Parker. They also have the new guys, who are hoping they can help boost the Spurs to a fifth championship. "Their heyday wasn’t that far off," Jefferson said after arriving in San Antonio from Milwaukee, "and they’ve got some of the same core still here."
3. Dallas: A phrase that has described the Houston Rockets for the past few years applies to the Mavericks. They should be good this season if they can stay healthy. With six key members of their rotation 31 or older, the issue of health in the marathon 82-game season and the playoffs is a huge one. Josh Howard still is not recovered from ankle surgery, and Shawn Marion and Tim Thomas have missed playing time in the preseason. The Mavericks have to overachieve to beat the Spurs or Lakers, and they can do that only if they can stay healthy.
4. Portland: The Blazers have the best young talent in the league in Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, Rudy Fernandez, Martell Webster, Travis Outlaw, Jerryd Bayless and Nicolas Batum — each of whom is 25 or younger. And that’s not counting 21-year-old center Greg Oden, who has been injured and disappointing as a pro thus far. Portland added 33-year-old veteran point guard Andre Miller to the mix and certainly seems like a future contender. But the Blazers lost to Houston in the first round of the playoffs last season and still must prove they can compete in the postseason.
5. Utah: Deron Williams is in the conversation as the best point guard in the league, and the Jazz has an excellent starting five and decent depth off the bench. That they can be as good as they are and rated only fifth in the conference in the preseason is an example of how deep the West is.
6. Denver: After acquiring Chauncey Billups last season, the Nuggets thrived as Billups was able to add something missing in Denver for years — focus. The Nuggets have a good collection of talent and one of the best sixth men in the league in the wild and free spirited Chris "Birdman" Anderson. The Nuggets did little to improve in the off-season, however. They will still be tough and capable, but, again, it’s a tough conference.
7. New Orleans: Only a year ago, the Hornets were viewed as the primary challenger to the Lakers in the West. They still have Chris Paul and David West, but Tyson Chandler has been traded to Charlotte and the Hornets seem to have taken a step back, which was evident when they lost a first-round playoff game by 58 points to the Nuggets last season. With Paul running the show, the Hornets still have talent. They acquired the productive Emeka Okafor in the trade for Chandler. But the glory days may have passed the Hornets shockingly fast.
8. Phoenix: Steve Nash made the surprising choice of staying with the Suns, signing a two-year extension. Nash admitted that he did it for lifestyle reasons rather than title aspirations, which is good because the Suns have no shot. But with Mike D’Antoni’s former assistant Alvin Gentry at the helm, the Suns should contend with the Warriors for the highest scoring team in the league. They’ll be fun to watch, but for the big boys, nothing to fear.
Non-playoff teams
Houston has little offense with Yao Ming out, Ron Artest gone and Tracy McGrady, as always, limping. But don’t be surprised if the Rockets are in the mix for the final playoff spot because coach Rick Adelman will have them prepared.
The LA Clippers have a lot of talent and drafted a budding superstar in Blake Griffin, but, alas, they’re still the Clippers.
Golden State coach Don Nelson wore a leather Mavericks jacket at a recent practice because it was cold in the arena. That’s about as close as he’ll get to the playoffs this season, although rookie Stephen Curry will be fun to watch.
Memphis with Allen Iverson on its team? No comment.
Oklahoma City has good young talent but is two years away from the playoffs.
Minnesota is two-plus-two years away from the playoffs.
Sacramento is so hopeless that anyone who can name more than two players on its roster should audition for a spot on Jeopardy.