Rummpd
07-03-2005, 07:52 AM
BRING IT ON!
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By Peter Rumm, MD
for HOOPSWORLD.com
Jul 3, 2005, 08:47
BRING IT ON! - lets debate - see my e-mail and please respond!
1) Lets call it like it is! The Knicks are officially the (KDBT) Knick Developmental Basketball Team for the Western Conference. What is up with Isiah? Can he not keep big men? The West is eating this up: Mutombo gone, Mohammed gone, Thomas gone = a trend there and don't believe that Channing Frye (who may turn out to be a decent player) is the definite short term solution. Isiah had a tough salary cap situation but in my opinion, he makes Michael Jordan look good as a talent evaluator.
Plus MJ at least laid the ground work for the Wizards resurgence by getting rid of huge salary strongholds on that franchise (but seriously missed the boat on running off one Richard Hamilton, missing on Kwame Brown and others).
By the way, several NY area papers saying Richardson brings a "needed physical presence to Knicks". Same thing was said about Rose (who I love) but Quentin has a back injury and came up "very small" vs. Spurs - where is the "toughness"? Yawn!
Really, can anyone out there think of a more dysfunctional GM than Isiah? Notice I have a completely different opinion than another on site - isn't that what the game is all about?
Maybe a guy named Mitch out along the Pacific shores based on the last 2-3 years? However, his situation has been the "twilight zone" and he gets a pass for getting Jackson back in the fold (or was that due primarily to a certain relationship with a owners daughter?) and having to go through rotating coaches when "Coach American Express" turned them down and Rudy had to step aside.
Plus he had had teams deep into the playoffs while the Knicks sit in no man land of just too good for the lottery and not good enough to matter.
2) Five teams to seriously watch out for next year IMO as far as improvement:
A) Golden State - late season run with Baron Davis adds to a talent baseline that is under-appreciated.
B) Philadelphia - with Mo Cheeks (who might actually play Willie Green) they will be improved - if they keep Samuel Dalembert as expected. Notice, I did not even mention Chris Webber, who might actually get healthy and become one of the few true PF in the East? Some of us writers think they could be 4-5 in East next year - do you agree.
C) Denver - as well as they finished this year, "Karl's Kids" will prove it is no accident. Anthony alone has a lot to prove and played very well versus the Spurs and they had a strong draft. Could easily move into top 5 seeds in very tough West.
D) Indiana - by default, this team will be greatly improved. Artest being back makes them a legit threat to win East and adding Danny Granger makes them potentially "scary good" and a threat to Western powers as well.
E) Milwaukee - recall this team challenged in East playoffs just a year back. Add Andrew Bogut, resign a certain sharpshooter with the initials of MR, and hopefully a healthy TJ Ford and this team could be a real threat to give someone some trouble in a playoff series next year. Mason is an athletic stud who could finally mature. Not sure I buy the firing of Terry Porter though, but we will see who they bring in to replace.
3) Ranking the top players in the NBA:
1A. Duncan - Three rings, three finals MVPs and younger than 1B.
1B. Shaquille O'Neil - Three rings, three finals MVPs and still a dominant force.
3. Garnett - No rings, but can you really argue that night in and night out anyone brings more? Don't be surprised to see his team be a dark horse threat again this year!
4. Nowitski - Diss Dirk if you want but this guy improved his game seriously last year and may be the hardest big to guard in the league.
5. James - Now if he would only concentrate on defense, this kid is on his way to being Oscar the II.
6. Wade - an equal argument could be made he deserves to be higher or lower (how much his stud play due to Shaq? Recall that Wade carried Heat many times this year in crucial points.
7) Bryant - don't underestimate what he still brings to the game. Hard to put James and Wade above him still and would not be surprised to see him make case that he is still the "best all around player in NBA". With Jackson back I expect significant improvement of his all around game and his teams.
8) Iverson - hard to put this even this low, if only he was taller and spread the court more? No one plays harder or more minutes to try to win. His stats last year were off the charts except for FG percentage.
9) Nash - MVP for a reason, he is the engine of that team.
10) Stoudemire - However, this kid took over in trying to lead Suns past Spurs and is scary good.
11) McGrady - should be top five but something always does not work out. Losing game 7 by 30 just doesn't cut it.
12) J. O'Neil - showed guts playing with a bad shoulder, could be scary good this year with Artest back.
13) Wallace (Ben) - he is that dominant and perhaps should be higher ranked. Sick of hearing he is not a "superstar".
14) Ginobli - Possibly deserves to be much higher. Another year like last year he might threaten top ten. Clutch player who is so, so savy. MVP of a league (European) before and might well have been true MVP of this years finals. What a year he had, Gold + Ring = Ginobli!!!!!!!!
15A. Marbury - stuck on a bad team, never had a dominant inside player (Garnett played outside early career) - how would he do with a great inside force? Last year became more of a distributor but still needs to show he can lead team.
15B. Kidd - PG still is the engine that can keep a team in the playoff race.
15C. Yao - Size matters but it is time to produce.
15D. Carter - Don't underestimate what he will bring this year in scoring. Can't get over his attitutude problems but the guy has serious talent still.
15E. Anthony - Expect a rebound year from this kid under Karl. Could jump up list rapidly.
Who did I seriously diss or leave off the most? Note: Hughes, Arenas were both on the bubble but haven't seen them play enough to judge one over the other. Marion is also potentially under-ranked but came up small vs. Spurs. Case can be made for Brand, Pierce, Gasol, Kirilenko, and others!
Count me in as one who sees Ben Gordon on top tier of this list in a couple of years!
4) Call who will win the NBA championship right now next year before the free agency madness sorts out!
Spurs hands down in my opinion, probably true odds are something like 9:5. Would have won 63-65 games without Tim Duncans injury and will probably add Luis Scola to a a strong veteran team. Ginobli, Parker and Duncan are raplidly becoming as good (if not better) than "Batman and Robin", i.e. that recent remarkable Shaq and Kobe duo. Expect Parker to have a strong comeback year - he still has a lot to prove and in my opinion will do so.
The top five "B" threats in order: Miami > Dallas > Detroit > Pacers > Suns. All have the size to compete with Spurs and Dallas is adding defense under Avery Johnson.
Notice I did not mention the Sonics or the Rocket, both are a few years away. Pacers have a shot though per above and Rich Carlisle may be best coach in game period and the Suns are all about Amare Stoudemire - if he truly ever becomes a defensive force = that team could win it all easily.
5) Trivia Time: Name two player in NBA whose last names start with a U. Answer at: http://aol.nba.com/players/
Next week I rank the head coaches - hint Jackson is not in top three! (Will L. Brown even be in mix?) and discuss why the East even with the Pistons, Pacers, and Heat still is not nearly as strong as the West.
Sports doc and fan, as well as news writer and exclusive editor.
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Peter Rumm, MD
for HOOPSWORLD.com
Jul 3, 2005, 08:47
BRING IT ON! - lets debate - see my e-mail and please respond!
1) Lets call it like it is! The Knicks are officially the (KDBT) Knick Developmental Basketball Team for the Western Conference. What is up with Isiah? Can he not keep big men? The West is eating this up: Mutombo gone, Mohammed gone, Thomas gone = a trend there and don't believe that Channing Frye (who may turn out to be a decent player) is the definite short term solution. Isiah had a tough salary cap situation but in my opinion, he makes Michael Jordan look good as a talent evaluator.
Plus MJ at least laid the ground work for the Wizards resurgence by getting rid of huge salary strongholds on that franchise (but seriously missed the boat on running off one Richard Hamilton, missing on Kwame Brown and others).
By the way, several NY area papers saying Richardson brings a "needed physical presence to Knicks". Same thing was said about Rose (who I love) but Quentin has a back injury and came up "very small" vs. Spurs - where is the "toughness"? Yawn!
Really, can anyone out there think of a more dysfunctional GM than Isiah? Notice I have a completely different opinion than another on site - isn't that what the game is all about?
Maybe a guy named Mitch out along the Pacific shores based on the last 2-3 years? However, his situation has been the "twilight zone" and he gets a pass for getting Jackson back in the fold (or was that due primarily to a certain relationship with a owners daughter?) and having to go through rotating coaches when "Coach American Express" turned them down and Rudy had to step aside.
Plus he had had teams deep into the playoffs while the Knicks sit in no man land of just too good for the lottery and not good enough to matter.
2) Five teams to seriously watch out for next year IMO as far as improvement:
A) Golden State - late season run with Baron Davis adds to a talent baseline that is under-appreciated.
B) Philadelphia - with Mo Cheeks (who might actually play Willie Green) they will be improved - if they keep Samuel Dalembert as expected. Notice, I did not even mention Chris Webber, who might actually get healthy and become one of the few true PF in the East? Some of us writers think they could be 4-5 in East next year - do you agree.
C) Denver - as well as they finished this year, "Karl's Kids" will prove it is no accident. Anthony alone has a lot to prove and played very well versus the Spurs and they had a strong draft. Could easily move into top 5 seeds in very tough West.
D) Indiana - by default, this team will be greatly improved. Artest being back makes them a legit threat to win East and adding Danny Granger makes them potentially "scary good" and a threat to Western powers as well.
E) Milwaukee - recall this team challenged in East playoffs just a year back. Add Andrew Bogut, resign a certain sharpshooter with the initials of MR, and hopefully a healthy TJ Ford and this team could be a real threat to give someone some trouble in a playoff series next year. Mason is an athletic stud who could finally mature. Not sure I buy the firing of Terry Porter though, but we will see who they bring in to replace.
3) Ranking the top players in the NBA:
1A. Duncan - Three rings, three finals MVPs and younger than 1B.
1B. Shaquille O'Neil - Three rings, three finals MVPs and still a dominant force.
3. Garnett - No rings, but can you really argue that night in and night out anyone brings more? Don't be surprised to see his team be a dark horse threat again this year!
4. Nowitski - Diss Dirk if you want but this guy improved his game seriously last year and may be the hardest big to guard in the league.
5. James - Now if he would only concentrate on defense, this kid is on his way to being Oscar the II.
6. Wade - an equal argument could be made he deserves to be higher or lower (how much his stud play due to Shaq? Recall that Wade carried Heat many times this year in crucial points.
7) Bryant - don't underestimate what he still brings to the game. Hard to put James and Wade above him still and would not be surprised to see him make case that he is still the "best all around player in NBA". With Jackson back I expect significant improvement of his all around game and his teams.
8) Iverson - hard to put this even this low, if only he was taller and spread the court more? No one plays harder or more minutes to try to win. His stats last year were off the charts except for FG percentage.
9) Nash - MVP for a reason, he is the engine of that team.
10) Stoudemire - However, this kid took over in trying to lead Suns past Spurs and is scary good.
11) McGrady - should be top five but something always does not work out. Losing game 7 by 30 just doesn't cut it.
12) J. O'Neil - showed guts playing with a bad shoulder, could be scary good this year with Artest back.
13) Wallace (Ben) - he is that dominant and perhaps should be higher ranked. Sick of hearing he is not a "superstar".
14) Ginobli - Possibly deserves to be much higher. Another year like last year he might threaten top ten. Clutch player who is so, so savy. MVP of a league (European) before and might well have been true MVP of this years finals. What a year he had, Gold + Ring = Ginobli!!!!!!!!
15A. Marbury - stuck on a bad team, never had a dominant inside player (Garnett played outside early career) - how would he do with a great inside force? Last year became more of a distributor but still needs to show he can lead team.
15B. Kidd - PG still is the engine that can keep a team in the playoff race.
15C. Yao - Size matters but it is time to produce.
15D. Carter - Don't underestimate what he will bring this year in scoring. Can't get over his attitutude problems but the guy has serious talent still.
15E. Anthony - Expect a rebound year from this kid under Karl. Could jump up list rapidly.
Who did I seriously diss or leave off the most? Note: Hughes, Arenas were both on the bubble but haven't seen them play enough to judge one over the other. Marion is also potentially under-ranked but came up small vs. Spurs. Case can be made for Brand, Pierce, Gasol, Kirilenko, and others!
Count me in as one who sees Ben Gordon on top tier of this list in a couple of years!
4) Call who will win the NBA championship right now next year before the free agency madness sorts out!
Spurs hands down in my opinion, probably true odds are something like 9:5. Would have won 63-65 games without Tim Duncans injury and will probably add Luis Scola to a a strong veteran team. Ginobli, Parker and Duncan are raplidly becoming as good (if not better) than "Batman and Robin", i.e. that recent remarkable Shaq and Kobe duo. Expect Parker to have a strong comeback year - he still has a lot to prove and in my opinion will do so.
The top five "B" threats in order: Miami > Dallas > Detroit > Pacers > Suns. All have the size to compete with Spurs and Dallas is adding defense under Avery Johnson.
Notice I did not mention the Sonics or the Rocket, both are a few years away. Pacers have a shot though per above and Rich Carlisle may be best coach in game period and the Suns are all about Amare Stoudemire - if he truly ever becomes a defensive force = that team could win it all easily.
5) Trivia Time: Name two player in NBA whose last names start with a U. Answer at: http://aol.nba.com/players/
Next week I rank the head coaches - hint Jackson is not in top three! (Will L. Brown even be in mix?) and discuss why the East even with the Pistons, Pacers, and Heat still is not nearly as strong as the West.
Sports doc and fan, as well as news writer and exclusive editor.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Onlineseats.com
your #1 source for
NBA Hoop Tickets
Heat Tickets
Suns Tickets
Bulls Tickets
Cleveland Cavs Tickets
all 30 NBA Teams.
powered by Onlineseats.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------