duncan228
02-09-2008, 11:00 PM
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23051133/site/21683474/
Sorry Lakers and Suns, Spurs still team to beat
Gasol, O'Neal now part of conference wars, but San Antonio remains favorite
By Steve Jones
MSNBC
First it was the Lakers adding Pau Gasol before February was even a day old. Next before the month was even a week old, the Suns welcomed Shaquille O'Neal aboard. And it would not be shocking but rather somewhat expected if before the trading deadline on Feb. 21 Dallas figures out a way to pry Jason Kidd away from the Nets.
The Lakers, Suns and Mavericks all want to dethrone the defending league champion Spurs as the conquerors of the Western Conference, thereby punching a ticket for a chance to play for the NBA title. But even with the moves made by the Lakers and Suns and the potential strengthening of the Mavericks, the Spurs remain the team to beat in the conference.
San Antonio is doing just what it did last season. It's not making regular-season supremacy its No. 1 goal. Instead coach Gregg Popovich is resting his players on a liberal basis while the team weathers some key injuries like the sore left foot of Tony Parker. The Spurs are lurking, and provided they are healthy, come playoff time they will be primed to mount a strong bid for back-to-back titles -- something that has not been achieved in their impressive franchise history.
A gamble worth taking
Suns general manager Steve Kerr pulled the trigger on the deal that brought O'Neal to the desert in exchange for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks. No question it's a high-risk move and no question there's the potential for a high reward (read NBA title).
Word of the trade brought reaction that was mostly negative. Questions over what O'Neal has left at 36, whether he can get and stay healthy (he's healing from a balky hip), and how in the world he'll mesh with the Suns' run-and-gun style of play abound. The answers are to come, but beware of O'Neal, who said in his introductory press conference in Phoenix, "You just don't really want to get me upset. When I'm upset, I'm known to do certain things -- like win championships."
Given that Phoenix has lacked a true center, the strategy by its opponents has been to try and slow down the Suns and punish them inside. That would often result in foul trouble for a key Phoenix player like Marion, Amare Stoudemire or Boris Diaw -- who were guarding bigger and sometimes stronger opponents. And the Suns did not have the depth to bring in a big man off the bench when one of their top players had to take a seat.
O'Neal is the strongest player in the league. He's past his prime but will give the Suns a defensive presence with an attitude in the middle which they have it seems forever been lacking. The Suns now have a legitimate big man who can change the outcome of a game and no longer will they be forced to play Stoudemire out of position at center. That should make him an even bigger threat as he returns to his natural position of power forward.
Even though O'Neal is not the player he was earlier in his career, he still gets double-teamed most of the time he gets the ball. His passing out of the double team will make his solid shooting teammates even more dangerous. And it will be O'Neal -- not Stoudemire -- who will go head on into potential playoff battles with Gasol and Andrew Bynum of the Lakers, Carlos Boozer of the Jazz, and Tim Duncan of Spurs. That's when San Antonio could fully realize the value of having O'Neal -- even an O'Neal who might be far from his once dominant self -- on the floor.
There will be a period of adjustment and transition for O'Neal and his new teammates. But his joining Phoenix gives the Suns a 50 percent better shot at clearing all potential hurdles, most notably the Spurs, and winning the NBA title.
For Lakers, a steal of a deal
The Lakers got Gasol and a second-round draft pick in 2010 from the Grizzlies in exchange for Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, Aaron Mckie, the draft rights to Marc Gasol (Pau's brother), and a first-round draft pick in 2008 and 2010. In other words, they got Gasol for virtually nothing. It was a heist as Memphis owner Michael Heisley parted with the face of his franchise to save money.
Many think with the addition of Gasol the Lakers leap to being the top team in the Western Conference. Disagree. While it was a good deal for the Lakers, it doesn't elevate them to the status of the team to beat in the West. Gasol has talent and good years ahead of him and he should play well in the Lakers' system. He will far exceed what the team was getting out of Brown.
Gasol is a smart player but not a physically overpowering one, though he can block some shots. Certainly the Lakers are a better team with him. His presence combined with the continued emergence of Bynum (who should be back from a knee injury in time for the playoffs) and phenomenal play of Kobe Bryant gives the Lakers a run of at least two rounds in the playoffs. But there's no way Gasol's arrival makes the Lakers a lock to be throwing a coming-out party this spring and marching their way to a conference championship.
No "Kidding" about Dallas' need
With the Lakers and Suns having made major moves aimed at boosting their chances of claiming a conference crown, the Mavericks should be wise enough to figure they need to follow suit. If Dallas wants to give itself the best shot at winning a championship, it needs to go out and get Kidd from the Nets. Kidd still has plenty to offer a team, but he has outlived his usefulness in New Jersey.
Playing the point, Kidd would do for Dallas what Devin Harris and Jason Terry haven't done at that position for the Mavericks. He would give them superior play as a floor general in addition to rebounding and toughness. It's no fluke that Kidd gets so many triple-doubles. He's one of kind at his position.
Even though Kidd is not the player he was when he led the Nets to back-to-back appearances in the NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003, he remains a unique talent who can influence a game without scoring a single point.
Dallas' resident superstar Dirk Nowitzki doesn't like to go into the post and spend a lot of time there and he'll be asked to do that a lot less with Kidd as his point guard since the veteran playmaker will be getting him layups. For Dallas, Kidd is the defining chip to not only vanquishing San Antonio, but to also winning the whole thing.
Sorry Lakers and Suns, Spurs still team to beat
Gasol, O'Neal now part of conference wars, but San Antonio remains favorite
By Steve Jones
MSNBC
First it was the Lakers adding Pau Gasol before February was even a day old. Next before the month was even a week old, the Suns welcomed Shaquille O'Neal aboard. And it would not be shocking but rather somewhat expected if before the trading deadline on Feb. 21 Dallas figures out a way to pry Jason Kidd away from the Nets.
The Lakers, Suns and Mavericks all want to dethrone the defending league champion Spurs as the conquerors of the Western Conference, thereby punching a ticket for a chance to play for the NBA title. But even with the moves made by the Lakers and Suns and the potential strengthening of the Mavericks, the Spurs remain the team to beat in the conference.
San Antonio is doing just what it did last season. It's not making regular-season supremacy its No. 1 goal. Instead coach Gregg Popovich is resting his players on a liberal basis while the team weathers some key injuries like the sore left foot of Tony Parker. The Spurs are lurking, and provided they are healthy, come playoff time they will be primed to mount a strong bid for back-to-back titles -- something that has not been achieved in their impressive franchise history.
A gamble worth taking
Suns general manager Steve Kerr pulled the trigger on the deal that brought O'Neal to the desert in exchange for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks. No question it's a high-risk move and no question there's the potential for a high reward (read NBA title).
Word of the trade brought reaction that was mostly negative. Questions over what O'Neal has left at 36, whether he can get and stay healthy (he's healing from a balky hip), and how in the world he'll mesh with the Suns' run-and-gun style of play abound. The answers are to come, but beware of O'Neal, who said in his introductory press conference in Phoenix, "You just don't really want to get me upset. When I'm upset, I'm known to do certain things -- like win championships."
Given that Phoenix has lacked a true center, the strategy by its opponents has been to try and slow down the Suns and punish them inside. That would often result in foul trouble for a key Phoenix player like Marion, Amare Stoudemire or Boris Diaw -- who were guarding bigger and sometimes stronger opponents. And the Suns did not have the depth to bring in a big man off the bench when one of their top players had to take a seat.
O'Neal is the strongest player in the league. He's past his prime but will give the Suns a defensive presence with an attitude in the middle which they have it seems forever been lacking. The Suns now have a legitimate big man who can change the outcome of a game and no longer will they be forced to play Stoudemire out of position at center. That should make him an even bigger threat as he returns to his natural position of power forward.
Even though O'Neal is not the player he was earlier in his career, he still gets double-teamed most of the time he gets the ball. His passing out of the double team will make his solid shooting teammates even more dangerous. And it will be O'Neal -- not Stoudemire -- who will go head on into potential playoff battles with Gasol and Andrew Bynum of the Lakers, Carlos Boozer of the Jazz, and Tim Duncan of Spurs. That's when San Antonio could fully realize the value of having O'Neal -- even an O'Neal who might be far from his once dominant self -- on the floor.
There will be a period of adjustment and transition for O'Neal and his new teammates. But his joining Phoenix gives the Suns a 50 percent better shot at clearing all potential hurdles, most notably the Spurs, and winning the NBA title.
For Lakers, a steal of a deal
The Lakers got Gasol and a second-round draft pick in 2010 from the Grizzlies in exchange for Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, Aaron Mckie, the draft rights to Marc Gasol (Pau's brother), and a first-round draft pick in 2008 and 2010. In other words, they got Gasol for virtually nothing. It was a heist as Memphis owner Michael Heisley parted with the face of his franchise to save money.
Many think with the addition of Gasol the Lakers leap to being the top team in the Western Conference. Disagree. While it was a good deal for the Lakers, it doesn't elevate them to the status of the team to beat in the West. Gasol has talent and good years ahead of him and he should play well in the Lakers' system. He will far exceed what the team was getting out of Brown.
Gasol is a smart player but not a physically overpowering one, though he can block some shots. Certainly the Lakers are a better team with him. His presence combined with the continued emergence of Bynum (who should be back from a knee injury in time for the playoffs) and phenomenal play of Kobe Bryant gives the Lakers a run of at least two rounds in the playoffs. But there's no way Gasol's arrival makes the Lakers a lock to be throwing a coming-out party this spring and marching their way to a conference championship.
No "Kidding" about Dallas' need
With the Lakers and Suns having made major moves aimed at boosting their chances of claiming a conference crown, the Mavericks should be wise enough to figure they need to follow suit. If Dallas wants to give itself the best shot at winning a championship, it needs to go out and get Kidd from the Nets. Kidd still has plenty to offer a team, but he has outlived his usefulness in New Jersey.
Playing the point, Kidd would do for Dallas what Devin Harris and Jason Terry haven't done at that position for the Mavericks. He would give them superior play as a floor general in addition to rebounding and toughness. It's no fluke that Kidd gets so many triple-doubles. He's one of kind at his position.
Even though Kidd is not the player he was when he led the Nets to back-to-back appearances in the NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003, he remains a unique talent who can influence a game without scoring a single point.
Dallas' resident superstar Dirk Nowitzki doesn't like to go into the post and spend a lot of time there and he'll be asked to do that a lot less with Kidd as his point guard since the veteran playmaker will be getting him layups. For Dallas, Kidd is the defining chip to not only vanquishing San Antonio, but to also winning the whole thing.