duncan228
11-27-2009, 02:28 PM
Five Surprise NBA Teams Thus Far (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=tsn-fivesurprisenbateams&prov=tsn&type=lgns)
SportingNews
We’re only a month into the 2009-10 season, and while there’s much basketball ahead-and much that could still shift violently — we’ve seen enough that it counts for something. So, without projecting too far into the future, here are my four biggest surprises (plus an honorable mention) of this season’s first month.
I’ve put them in alphabetical order, because really, how can you put a number on the unexpected?
Atlanta Hawks: At 11-4, the Hawks are perched near the top of the East. What’s so impressive is the Hawks haven’t undergone the kind of transformation we expect when a team jumps from "good not great" playoff team to "team everyone’s scared off." Atlanta hasn’t changed their style dramatically or, despite the valuable acquisitions of Jamal Crawford, Joe Smith and draft steal Jeff Teague, introduced a new lynchpin at either end.
Basically, the same Bibby/Smith/Williams/Johnson/Horford crew from the last two seasons suddenly got smart. They play defense. Josh Smith, the one-man symbol of this maturation, doesn’t take threes and has become a far more efficient and focused player at both ends; like his teammates, all the same good stuff is there, but without a stupid mistake or wasted possession every three minutes. It’s too early to call them a powerhouse, and yet watching them play against better and better teams, you get the sense that this Hawks team isn’t going to be shooting itself in the foot or devolving into a muck of poor ball movement and missed defensive assignments, as in years past.
The interesting part here is that it’s all been done under Mike Woodson, a coach seemingly on the hot seat every season. But if Smith, as recently as last year thought of as a perplexing, position-less guy who might never realize his potential, can suddenly turn the corner, why couldn’t Woodson — who cut his teeth as a Pistons assistant — finally figure out how to get this team on the same page?
Milwaukee Bucks: I could’ve easily called this one "Brandon Jennings," but I think we’re all familiar with the rookie point guard’s exploits up to this point. And, as much hype as he’s gotten for his scoring, Jennings is at his best when he gets to settle in and orchestrate an offense. He looked great working with Bogut before the center went down; now he’s developing chemistry with returned, if rusty, sharpshooter Michael Redd. I’m no basketball genius, but if the Bucks have been over .500 and playoff-bound with one or the other, combining the two should be huge.
Plus, the contributions of other Milwaukee players shouldn’t be undervalued. Turkish big man Ersan Ilyasova is like deferred payment from the past: a hard-rebounding, three-point shooting PF who can be all over the place on any given night. Luc Mbah a Moute, while hampered by injury now, is a lockdown defender. Luke Ridnour is playing the best ball of his career and can co-exist just fine with Jennings, and Kurt Thomas has risen from the dead to add some veteran heft in the post. A Skiles team with some firepower could be a deadly thing.
The Headless Hornets: If you were going to start an NBA team today, looking forward to the future, you’d pick either LeBron James or Chris Paul as your centerpiece. Chris Paul is the prototypical point guard, team leader, tough-minded scorer, on-court tactician and all-around beloved figure. And no one’s screaming "Ewing Theory" about the Hornets performance post-Paul, not in the least because the team’s learning to love life again after Byron Scott’s firing. No one’s ever called Paul a ball-stopper, ball-hog or anything else that would suggest he hurts the team. But it’s been fascinating to watch the Hornets come to life, as rookies Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton assume major roles in Paul’s absence.
Collison, a UCLA vet considered less of a prospect than one-and-done Jrue Holiday, has filled in admirably for Paul. Of course, he’s not Chris Paul, but a team used to playing with a great PG has a funny way of giving a capable sub quite the Jello mold to squeeze into. The Hornets aren’t exactly running wild without Paul, but they’re respectable, and have discovered that Collison’s capable of making plays and shots as a pro, and that Thornton can play flamethrower off the bench. It doesn’t hurt that Peja Stojakovic is healthy and swishing threes, either.
Washington Wizards: Early injuries to Antawn Jamison and Mike Miller threw a monkey-wrench in the Wizards’ plan to load up and challenge the East’s elite. But there’s also been the ongoing Arenas saga, whereby the franchise PG openly debates with himself and anyone else who will listen about whether he should be silly or serious, happy or sad, selfish or team-oriented. Then, earlier this week, he lambasted teammates not willing to sacrifice for the team, while speculating that it might be time for him to go for his own like he was after a contract (which they were) … but in his case, because it was the only way to win. Makes a lot of sense, I know.
Then, Gil and Caron Butler, considered one of the culprits, sat down and worked things out. And then, beloved owner Abe Pollin died suddenly, putting everything in perspective and, you’d think, prompting a new-found sense of purpose for this underachieving team. On talent alone, they shouldn’t be cellar-dwelling in the East, and the way the Wizards have been talking since Pollin’s passing makes you feel like this could be a turning point (however unfortunate). This is a team that’s always thrived off chemistry, and even if this death brings about a more solemn kind than we’ve seen from them in the past, expect a jolt to their play going forward.
Honorary Mention: Phoenix Suns: Let me be the 200th writer to point out that this train’s bound to break down, run out of gas, etc. at some point. But for now, these old guys sure are giving it their all. And once again, Steve Nash is proving that folks love open jumpers.
SportingNews
We’re only a month into the 2009-10 season, and while there’s much basketball ahead-and much that could still shift violently — we’ve seen enough that it counts for something. So, without projecting too far into the future, here are my four biggest surprises (plus an honorable mention) of this season’s first month.
I’ve put them in alphabetical order, because really, how can you put a number on the unexpected?
Atlanta Hawks: At 11-4, the Hawks are perched near the top of the East. What’s so impressive is the Hawks haven’t undergone the kind of transformation we expect when a team jumps from "good not great" playoff team to "team everyone’s scared off." Atlanta hasn’t changed their style dramatically or, despite the valuable acquisitions of Jamal Crawford, Joe Smith and draft steal Jeff Teague, introduced a new lynchpin at either end.
Basically, the same Bibby/Smith/Williams/Johnson/Horford crew from the last two seasons suddenly got smart. They play defense. Josh Smith, the one-man symbol of this maturation, doesn’t take threes and has become a far more efficient and focused player at both ends; like his teammates, all the same good stuff is there, but without a stupid mistake or wasted possession every three minutes. It’s too early to call them a powerhouse, and yet watching them play against better and better teams, you get the sense that this Hawks team isn’t going to be shooting itself in the foot or devolving into a muck of poor ball movement and missed defensive assignments, as in years past.
The interesting part here is that it’s all been done under Mike Woodson, a coach seemingly on the hot seat every season. But if Smith, as recently as last year thought of as a perplexing, position-less guy who might never realize his potential, can suddenly turn the corner, why couldn’t Woodson — who cut his teeth as a Pistons assistant — finally figure out how to get this team on the same page?
Milwaukee Bucks: I could’ve easily called this one "Brandon Jennings," but I think we’re all familiar with the rookie point guard’s exploits up to this point. And, as much hype as he’s gotten for his scoring, Jennings is at his best when he gets to settle in and orchestrate an offense. He looked great working with Bogut before the center went down; now he’s developing chemistry with returned, if rusty, sharpshooter Michael Redd. I’m no basketball genius, but if the Bucks have been over .500 and playoff-bound with one or the other, combining the two should be huge.
Plus, the contributions of other Milwaukee players shouldn’t be undervalued. Turkish big man Ersan Ilyasova is like deferred payment from the past: a hard-rebounding, three-point shooting PF who can be all over the place on any given night. Luc Mbah a Moute, while hampered by injury now, is a lockdown defender. Luke Ridnour is playing the best ball of his career and can co-exist just fine with Jennings, and Kurt Thomas has risen from the dead to add some veteran heft in the post. A Skiles team with some firepower could be a deadly thing.
The Headless Hornets: If you were going to start an NBA team today, looking forward to the future, you’d pick either LeBron James or Chris Paul as your centerpiece. Chris Paul is the prototypical point guard, team leader, tough-minded scorer, on-court tactician and all-around beloved figure. And no one’s screaming "Ewing Theory" about the Hornets performance post-Paul, not in the least because the team’s learning to love life again after Byron Scott’s firing. No one’s ever called Paul a ball-stopper, ball-hog or anything else that would suggest he hurts the team. But it’s been fascinating to watch the Hornets come to life, as rookies Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton assume major roles in Paul’s absence.
Collison, a UCLA vet considered less of a prospect than one-and-done Jrue Holiday, has filled in admirably for Paul. Of course, he’s not Chris Paul, but a team used to playing with a great PG has a funny way of giving a capable sub quite the Jello mold to squeeze into. The Hornets aren’t exactly running wild without Paul, but they’re respectable, and have discovered that Collison’s capable of making plays and shots as a pro, and that Thornton can play flamethrower off the bench. It doesn’t hurt that Peja Stojakovic is healthy and swishing threes, either.
Washington Wizards: Early injuries to Antawn Jamison and Mike Miller threw a monkey-wrench in the Wizards’ plan to load up and challenge the East’s elite. But there’s also been the ongoing Arenas saga, whereby the franchise PG openly debates with himself and anyone else who will listen about whether he should be silly or serious, happy or sad, selfish or team-oriented. Then, earlier this week, he lambasted teammates not willing to sacrifice for the team, while speculating that it might be time for him to go for his own like he was after a contract (which they were) … but in his case, because it was the only way to win. Makes a lot of sense, I know.
Then, Gil and Caron Butler, considered one of the culprits, sat down and worked things out. And then, beloved owner Abe Pollin died suddenly, putting everything in perspective and, you’d think, prompting a new-found sense of purpose for this underachieving team. On talent alone, they shouldn’t be cellar-dwelling in the East, and the way the Wizards have been talking since Pollin’s passing makes you feel like this could be a turning point (however unfortunate). This is a team that’s always thrived off chemistry, and even if this death brings about a more solemn kind than we’ve seen from them in the past, expect a jolt to their play going forward.
Honorary Mention: Phoenix Suns: Let me be the 200th writer to point out that this train’s bound to break down, run out of gas, etc. at some point. But for now, these old guys sure are giving it their all. And once again, Steve Nash is proving that folks love open jumpers.