I put this here because of Bonner.
http://www.ocregister.com/sports/gam...013-boston-roy
Which NBA player would you rather be?
Would you rather be Andrew Bogut or Andrew Bynum? Let's play Lamar Odom's favorite game.
Kevin Ding
Register columnist
Lamar Odom likes to play this little game where he'll ask who you'd rather be.
Tiger Woods or Derek Jeter? (Gotta go with Tiger and his higher level of greatness.) Michael Vick or Barry Bonds? (The bottom line of Vick already behind bars made this one too easy, Odom acknowledged.)
It's a personal twist on the "Zobmondo!!" book or board game and its wild would-you-rather scenarios. Vick has plenty of time to ponder some of the better ones: Would you rather be trapped in jail with a guard who hates you or with a cell mate who hates you? Would you rather be a millionaire and then hit rock bottom or live your entire life with just enough money to get by? Would you rather always lose or never play?
But let's apply Odom's version of the game to today's NBA …
Would you rather be Ron Artest, Jason Kidd or Jermaine O'Neal?
Neither Artest nor O'Neal fits in style or plan with his current team anymore; Kidd is just totally sick of being a Net. They all wish their clubs would settle for the Lakers' trade package of Kwame Brown's expiring contract, prospects and picks. Now that O'Neal's knee is getting better, being O'Neal would be best in the big picture, but Artest is actually the best bet to get to the Lakers this season. (How could Indiana or New Jersey justify doing a deal now without getting Andrew Bynum?)
Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett or Paul Pierce?
No one is crediting Pierce for Boston's dominance, which is just wrong. The Celtics' leading scorer is better than Allen in all major statistical categories and is logging 38 minutes per game to Garnett's 35.
Scot Pollard or Matt Bonner?
Pollard, Boston's scrub, and Bonner, San Antonio's scrub, both have way more personality than game, but this is easy: The Spurs are still a better championship bet. (Detroit is ultimately more solid in the East than Boston, too.) After Tim Duncan returned from injury and left Bonner sitting out the whole next game, Bonner said: "I'm a role player. Sometimes my role is not to play."
Steve Nash or Dirk Nowitzki?
This one hurts because being Nash is so much cooler than being Nowitzki … but Nash's back is getting so creaky it's scary, and people shouldn't be ruling out Nowitzki's Mavericks yet. They'll get their mojo back on defense. Dallas' next big gamer is emerging, too: Devin Harris is far tougher mentally than Shawn Marion or Amare Stoudemire in Phoenix.
Corey Maggette or Elton Brand?
Brand is basically everything you want to be as a man, but there's this: Maggette can leave that again depressed city of Clippersville this offseason; Brand can't until a year after.
Sam Cassell or Smush Parker?
The former's NBA career is soon to end; the latter's is buried in the Miami Beach sand after he arrived out of shape and then got in an altercation with a female valet. Even though Parker is about to get that almost always-available "fresh start" elsewhere, remember it's far better to go through life with Cassell's confidence and joie de vivre than Parker's sullenness and social discomfiture.
Pat Riley or Isiah Thomas?
Heat insiders say what is happening there now is even more agonizing than the 0-17 start in 1988, but nothing can compete with the negativity surrounding the current Knicks. With Dwyane Wade around, Miami still has hope — as stated by Shaquille O'Neal, all-time king of the cruising through the regular season: "We'd like to get the eighth spot, play Boston, beat Boston, be on our way."
Baron Davis or Chris Paul?
One of them will miss the playoffs, because Houston and Utah are going to rally and finish in the Western Conference's top eight with San Antonio, Dallas, Phoenix, the Lakers and Denver — and Portland will drop out. Even though Davis has six years more experience, deeper help in Golden State and fans actually coming to watch him play (New Orleans couldn't care less about the Hornets), Paul is already the more trustworthy point guard.
Brandon Roy or Kevin Durant?
Portland's 13-game winning streak isn't that awe-inspiring (10 games were at home), and Durant has the tools to be special someday. Nevertheless, cast a hesitant vote for Roy, a legitimate star right now in his second NBA season. Who knows if Durant, 19, will develop the kind of game feel that Roy, 23, already has? Roy's assist-to-turnover ratio is in a whole different stratosphere from Durant's. And don't forget that Greg Oden is still coming to Roy's side.
Andrew Bogut or Bynum?
This is actually one of the easy ones when looking at young guns. The two centers went at opposite ends of the 2005 draft's top 10. Just 2 1/2 years later, Bynum (12.3 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2 blocks, 62 percent on field goals, 68.1 percent on free throws) is already absolutely better than Milwaukee's No. 1 overall (Bogut: 11.8, 8.8, 1.9, 50.2, 53.7).
Reply With Quote
