duncan228
12-15-2007, 11:47 AM
From The Rocky Mountain News today.
Stuff on the Spurs, and other thoughts around the league.
Long, but some interesting thoughts...The responses to the microphones are all over the place.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/dec/15/800-pound-gorilla-in-spurs/
800-pound gorilla in Spurs
As methodical as ever, San Antonio remains the monkey on everyone's backs
Aaron J. Lopez
On the East Coast, the New York Knicks are still a mess and the Boston Celtics are looking unbeatable.
On the West Coast, the Los Angeles Lakers are still Kobe Bryant's team and the Seattle SuperSonics are looking more and more like a lame-duck franchise.
Somewhere in between, landlocked deep in the heart of Texas, the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs quietly go about their business of winning games without flash or fanfare.
By winning 17 of their first 20 games, the Spurs were off to the best start in franchise history, yet their early success has generated little more than a yawn.
Is it possible for a team that has won three of the past five NBA titles and four of the past nine to fly under the radar? That might be the case in some parts of the country. Not in Denver.
"I don't think there's any question that you're going to have to beat San Antonio," Nuggets coach George Karl said. "They're not going to give away their title. I think there's probably a passion and a goal to win it back to back. They've never won back to back."
As the first quarter of the 2007-08 season draws to a close, the Spurs are giving every indication they intend to validate their latest championship with another title in June.
The Nuggets, eliminated by San Antonio in the first round of the 2005 and 2007 playoffs, will get their first look at the Spurs this season tonight (6:30 MST, Altitude) at the AT&T Center.
Regardless of the outcome, it will be impossible to say whether Denver has closed the gap on San Antonio.
Not only does the regular season mean little come playoff time, Golden State and Dallas, notwithstanding, but the Nuggets (14-8) will be without two key players. Power forward Nene (sprained thumb) has missed 17 straight games, and projected starting point guard Chucky Atkins (groin strain) has yet to make his official Nuggets debut.
"Let's start with that," Karl said. "Let's get Nene out there and Chucky making a few jumpers."
Whether it be the Nuggets or anyone else, it will take a healthy roster filled with talent and cohesiveness to knock off the Spurs in April, May or June.
Until then, here is a condensed first- quarter report for the NBA:
He said it
"I always say the second 20 (games) is more realistic. More things are revealed. The dreams are lost in the first 20. The truth is revealed in the second 20."
Karl, on the NBA season as it unfolds.
If not now, when?
It's hard to believe Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant, considered the best player on the planet, never has been named the league MVP in 11 NBA seasons. That could change if the Lakers continue their strong early-season play.
Despite his desire to be traded, Bryant is second in the league in scoring (27.0) while helping the Lakers to a 13-9 record. If he remains in Los Angeles and the Lakers win 50 games - they're on pace for 48 - Bryant would have to be the leading MVP candidate come spring. Other early MVP front-runners:
* Dwight Howard, Orlando - Averaging 23.4 points and an NBA-leading 15.2 boards per game to help the Magic get big early lead in the Southwest Division.
* LeBron James, Cleveland - NBA scoring leader's importance illustrated when Cavs lose all five games that James sits out with a finger injury.
* Kevin Garnett, Boston - Fresh start in Boston agreeing with multitalented center, who is averaging a double-double for top team in league.
* Steve Nash, Phoenix - No list is complete without the Suns' floor general, seeking his fourth consecutive assist title.
South American sixth sense
Maybe the NBA should change the name to Hombre de Seis. After all, the Sixth Man of the Year Award will be staying in South America.
Suns guard Leandro Barbosa of Brazil won the award last season, but San Antonio super sub Manu Ginobili could be in line to take the hardware across the border to his native Argentina.
Ginobili became the first San Antonio guard in nearly 23 years to score at least 37 points in back-to-back games when he put up a pair of 37s last week. George Gervin accomplished the feat during the 1983-84 season.
Barbosa dropped 39 points on Orlando on Nov. 10 and scored 35 at Toronto on Dec. 5.
Boring but indispensable
.500 winning percentage for the Spurs in the 38 games that power forward Tim Duncan has missed since the end of the 2001-02 season. San Antonio is 19-19 without the nine-time All-Star, compared with 295-99 (.749) with him in the lineup. Duncan has missed four games because of a sprained ankle but could return tonight against the Nuggets.
Get me a rewrite
With Hollywood writers on strike, television networks are in need of some new scripts. Here are a few NBA-based plotlines that might fill the void:
* CSI: MIAMI - Lt. Horatio Caine takes Heat center Shaquille O'Neal on a ride-along as he faces his biggest task yet: trying to figure out what's wrong with the local basketball team.
* SURVIVOR: CHINA - Go behind the scenes as Yi Jianlian, a reluctant draft pick of the Milwaukee Bucks, struggles to adjust to life in Wisconsin.
* DEAL OR NO DEAL - The tension is high as King County officials quarrel with Seattle SuperSonics owner Clay Bennett regarding arena issues. Members of the state legislature take turns opening briefcases with new proposals.
* WITHOUT A TRACE - Sacramento police go in search of Kings marketing executives in the wake of a 22 percent drop in attendance.
* KIDD NATION - Led by point guard Jason Kidd, the New Jersey Nets take control of the locker room after stuffing coach Lawrence Frank into a laundry hamper.
* HOUSE - With a healthy dose of cynicism and sarcasm, Eddie House provides commentary from the Boston Celtics bench and fires three-pointers indiscriminately when called upon.
* PRIVATE PRACTICE - Nuggets guard Allen Iverson gets in some extra work with assistant coaches Tim Grgurich, Jamahl Mosley and John Welch. Surprise guest appearance by Larry Brown.
Point/counterpoint
A year ago at this time, the new synthetic ball was the hot topic of conversation, and criticism, around the league. The old leather ball eventually returned, and most NBA coaches are hoping the latest experiment also will disappear.
Coaches are required to wear microphones for nationally televised games on ABC, ESPN and TNT. They also are subjected to between-quarter interviews and cameras in the locker rooms. Needless to say, many coaches are grumbling about the intrusion imposed upon them by commissioner David Stern.
Here is a sampling of the early feedback.
* Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban: "I love it, as a marketer and as a fan. I think anything that gives more real information means we put up with less ridiculous comments from commentators. That's always a big plus."
* Miami Heat coach Pat Riley: "My position is, I just think it's an invasion. It's good for television, but it's an invasion of my privacy and our privacy when it comes to saying whatever it is you want to say. . . . I won't be able to deal with it very well, so I'll be mute."
* Phoenix Suns coach Mike D'Antoni: "If it helps the league, and we're in it to give some entertainment and if people feel it's a benefit, let's do it. It's not like I've got state secrets over here. We're just playing basketball. We'll see if I can make any sense when the adrenaline is flowing. I might be babbling."
* Cleveland Cavaliers coach Mike Brown: "I make great money. Mr. Stern has done a terrific job with this league. I will wear a microphone."
* Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan: "I've never thought any of those things were a good idea, but that's not my decision, obviously, and I have to go by the rules and play by the rules and see what happens."
"I think it's ridiculous. I'm sorry. It's just one more thing. What else do they need? . . . I heard they said you can turn it off at crucial times. Maybe it will be a 48-minute crucial time."
Rick Adelman, Houston Rockets coach
Boston uncommon
When the Celtics acquired All-Star aces Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett during the summer, they instantly became one of the favorites to win the Eastern Conference.
What looked good on paper has looked even better on the court.
By winning 18 of its first 20 games, Boston was on pace to break Chicago's NBA-record 72 wins set in 1995-96. Here is a look at the four top regular-season records in NBA history, how those teams fared at the quarter pole and how they performed in the playoffs:
Through Final Team Season 20 games W-L Playoff result
Chicago Bulls 1995-96 18-2 72-10 Won NBA title
Los Angeles Lakers 1971-72 17-3 69-13 Won NBA title
Philadelphia 76ers 1966-67 18-2 68-13 Won NBA title
Boston Celtics 1985-86 17-3 67-15 Won NBA title
Chicago Bulls 1991-92 17-3 67-15 Won NBA title
Dallas Mavericks 2006-07 14-6 67-15 Lost in first round
Buy or sell?
Forward-looking statements are standard in any quarterly report. A look at some of the teams that have surprised and disappointed during the first quarter this season and their potential for a recovery or collapse:
Team W-L Comment, broker recommendation
Miami 6-16 Just 18 months removed from a championship, SELL Heat is looking like a one-title wonder.
Chicago 7-13 Without a dominant player at any position, Bulls struggling to find HOLD identity after breakout during 2006-07.
Atlanta 10-11 Young nucleus is fun to watch, though you wouldn't know by the BUY 4,000-plus empty seats every night at Philips Arena.
New Orleans 14-8 Behind dynamic point guard Chris Paul, Hornets BUY will be a tough draw all season.
Houston 12-11 This was supposed to be the season the Rockets SELL challenged Texas rivals Dallas and San Antonio.
Detroit 15-7 So-called aging Pistons have held their own, HOLD despite playing 13 of first 22 games on road.
Stuff on the Spurs, and other thoughts around the league.
Long, but some interesting thoughts...The responses to the microphones are all over the place.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/dec/15/800-pound-gorilla-in-spurs/
800-pound gorilla in Spurs
As methodical as ever, San Antonio remains the monkey on everyone's backs
Aaron J. Lopez
On the East Coast, the New York Knicks are still a mess and the Boston Celtics are looking unbeatable.
On the West Coast, the Los Angeles Lakers are still Kobe Bryant's team and the Seattle SuperSonics are looking more and more like a lame-duck franchise.
Somewhere in between, landlocked deep in the heart of Texas, the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs quietly go about their business of winning games without flash or fanfare.
By winning 17 of their first 20 games, the Spurs were off to the best start in franchise history, yet their early success has generated little more than a yawn.
Is it possible for a team that has won three of the past five NBA titles and four of the past nine to fly under the radar? That might be the case in some parts of the country. Not in Denver.
"I don't think there's any question that you're going to have to beat San Antonio," Nuggets coach George Karl said. "They're not going to give away their title. I think there's probably a passion and a goal to win it back to back. They've never won back to back."
As the first quarter of the 2007-08 season draws to a close, the Spurs are giving every indication they intend to validate their latest championship with another title in June.
The Nuggets, eliminated by San Antonio in the first round of the 2005 and 2007 playoffs, will get their first look at the Spurs this season tonight (6:30 MST, Altitude) at the AT&T Center.
Regardless of the outcome, it will be impossible to say whether Denver has closed the gap on San Antonio.
Not only does the regular season mean little come playoff time, Golden State and Dallas, notwithstanding, but the Nuggets (14-8) will be without two key players. Power forward Nene (sprained thumb) has missed 17 straight games, and projected starting point guard Chucky Atkins (groin strain) has yet to make his official Nuggets debut.
"Let's start with that," Karl said. "Let's get Nene out there and Chucky making a few jumpers."
Whether it be the Nuggets or anyone else, it will take a healthy roster filled with talent and cohesiveness to knock off the Spurs in April, May or June.
Until then, here is a condensed first- quarter report for the NBA:
He said it
"I always say the second 20 (games) is more realistic. More things are revealed. The dreams are lost in the first 20. The truth is revealed in the second 20."
Karl, on the NBA season as it unfolds.
If not now, when?
It's hard to believe Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant, considered the best player on the planet, never has been named the league MVP in 11 NBA seasons. That could change if the Lakers continue their strong early-season play.
Despite his desire to be traded, Bryant is second in the league in scoring (27.0) while helping the Lakers to a 13-9 record. If he remains in Los Angeles and the Lakers win 50 games - they're on pace for 48 - Bryant would have to be the leading MVP candidate come spring. Other early MVP front-runners:
* Dwight Howard, Orlando - Averaging 23.4 points and an NBA-leading 15.2 boards per game to help the Magic get big early lead in the Southwest Division.
* LeBron James, Cleveland - NBA scoring leader's importance illustrated when Cavs lose all five games that James sits out with a finger injury.
* Kevin Garnett, Boston - Fresh start in Boston agreeing with multitalented center, who is averaging a double-double for top team in league.
* Steve Nash, Phoenix - No list is complete without the Suns' floor general, seeking his fourth consecutive assist title.
South American sixth sense
Maybe the NBA should change the name to Hombre de Seis. After all, the Sixth Man of the Year Award will be staying in South America.
Suns guard Leandro Barbosa of Brazil won the award last season, but San Antonio super sub Manu Ginobili could be in line to take the hardware across the border to his native Argentina.
Ginobili became the first San Antonio guard in nearly 23 years to score at least 37 points in back-to-back games when he put up a pair of 37s last week. George Gervin accomplished the feat during the 1983-84 season.
Barbosa dropped 39 points on Orlando on Nov. 10 and scored 35 at Toronto on Dec. 5.
Boring but indispensable
.500 winning percentage for the Spurs in the 38 games that power forward Tim Duncan has missed since the end of the 2001-02 season. San Antonio is 19-19 without the nine-time All-Star, compared with 295-99 (.749) with him in the lineup. Duncan has missed four games because of a sprained ankle but could return tonight against the Nuggets.
Get me a rewrite
With Hollywood writers on strike, television networks are in need of some new scripts. Here are a few NBA-based plotlines that might fill the void:
* CSI: MIAMI - Lt. Horatio Caine takes Heat center Shaquille O'Neal on a ride-along as he faces his biggest task yet: trying to figure out what's wrong with the local basketball team.
* SURVIVOR: CHINA - Go behind the scenes as Yi Jianlian, a reluctant draft pick of the Milwaukee Bucks, struggles to adjust to life in Wisconsin.
* DEAL OR NO DEAL - The tension is high as King County officials quarrel with Seattle SuperSonics owner Clay Bennett regarding arena issues. Members of the state legislature take turns opening briefcases with new proposals.
* WITHOUT A TRACE - Sacramento police go in search of Kings marketing executives in the wake of a 22 percent drop in attendance.
* KIDD NATION - Led by point guard Jason Kidd, the New Jersey Nets take control of the locker room after stuffing coach Lawrence Frank into a laundry hamper.
* HOUSE - With a healthy dose of cynicism and sarcasm, Eddie House provides commentary from the Boston Celtics bench and fires three-pointers indiscriminately when called upon.
* PRIVATE PRACTICE - Nuggets guard Allen Iverson gets in some extra work with assistant coaches Tim Grgurich, Jamahl Mosley and John Welch. Surprise guest appearance by Larry Brown.
Point/counterpoint
A year ago at this time, the new synthetic ball was the hot topic of conversation, and criticism, around the league. The old leather ball eventually returned, and most NBA coaches are hoping the latest experiment also will disappear.
Coaches are required to wear microphones for nationally televised games on ABC, ESPN and TNT. They also are subjected to between-quarter interviews and cameras in the locker rooms. Needless to say, many coaches are grumbling about the intrusion imposed upon them by commissioner David Stern.
Here is a sampling of the early feedback.
* Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban: "I love it, as a marketer and as a fan. I think anything that gives more real information means we put up with less ridiculous comments from commentators. That's always a big plus."
* Miami Heat coach Pat Riley: "My position is, I just think it's an invasion. It's good for television, but it's an invasion of my privacy and our privacy when it comes to saying whatever it is you want to say. . . . I won't be able to deal with it very well, so I'll be mute."
* Phoenix Suns coach Mike D'Antoni: "If it helps the league, and we're in it to give some entertainment and if people feel it's a benefit, let's do it. It's not like I've got state secrets over here. We're just playing basketball. We'll see if I can make any sense when the adrenaline is flowing. I might be babbling."
* Cleveland Cavaliers coach Mike Brown: "I make great money. Mr. Stern has done a terrific job with this league. I will wear a microphone."
* Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan: "I've never thought any of those things were a good idea, but that's not my decision, obviously, and I have to go by the rules and play by the rules and see what happens."
"I think it's ridiculous. I'm sorry. It's just one more thing. What else do they need? . . . I heard they said you can turn it off at crucial times. Maybe it will be a 48-minute crucial time."
Rick Adelman, Houston Rockets coach
Boston uncommon
When the Celtics acquired All-Star aces Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett during the summer, they instantly became one of the favorites to win the Eastern Conference.
What looked good on paper has looked even better on the court.
By winning 18 of its first 20 games, Boston was on pace to break Chicago's NBA-record 72 wins set in 1995-96. Here is a look at the four top regular-season records in NBA history, how those teams fared at the quarter pole and how they performed in the playoffs:
Through Final Team Season 20 games W-L Playoff result
Chicago Bulls 1995-96 18-2 72-10 Won NBA title
Los Angeles Lakers 1971-72 17-3 69-13 Won NBA title
Philadelphia 76ers 1966-67 18-2 68-13 Won NBA title
Boston Celtics 1985-86 17-3 67-15 Won NBA title
Chicago Bulls 1991-92 17-3 67-15 Won NBA title
Dallas Mavericks 2006-07 14-6 67-15 Lost in first round
Buy or sell?
Forward-looking statements are standard in any quarterly report. A look at some of the teams that have surprised and disappointed during the first quarter this season and their potential for a recovery or collapse:
Team W-L Comment, broker recommendation
Miami 6-16 Just 18 months removed from a championship, SELL Heat is looking like a one-title wonder.
Chicago 7-13 Without a dominant player at any position, Bulls struggling to find HOLD identity after breakout during 2006-07.
Atlanta 10-11 Young nucleus is fun to watch, though you wouldn't know by the BUY 4,000-plus empty seats every night at Philips Arena.
New Orleans 14-8 Behind dynamic point guard Chris Paul, Hornets BUY will be a tough draw all season.
Houston 12-11 This was supposed to be the season the Rockets SELL challenged Texas rivals Dallas and San Antonio.
Detroit 15-7 So-called aging Pistons have held their own, HOLD despite playing 13 of first 22 games on road.