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Blogtable: Are The Thunder Cooked?

May 1, 2013  ·  11:05AM




Each week, we’ll ask our stable of scribes to weigh in on the three most important NBA topics of the day — and then give you a chance to step on the scale, too, in the comments below.

Week 27: Thunder’s chances | Will Lakers contend next season? | Boston relevancy

The Thunder without Russell Westbrook: Is OKC’s chance at a title done?

Steve Aschburner: I didn’t think they could get past Miami regardless, but yes, this clinches it. The potential for breakout offensive mayhem that Westbrook always has embodied is just one reason. The energy dip of Oklahoma City overall without him on the floor is another. But I see a third one — the Heat or whomever OKC plays going forward in the West bracket won’t have to work as hard defensively, conserving more energy themselves for their own attacks. Meanwhile, defenses can load up on Kevin Durant as never before. Oh, and I haven’t even mentioned the absence of James Harden this postseason (well, till now).

Fran Blinebury: Westbrook’s loss doesn’t mean the Thunder’s chances are completely wiped out. But it does make the margin for error as narrow as the edge of a razor.  With Kevin Durant playing at his max level, they still need guys like Serge Ibaka, Thabo Sefolosha, Reggie Jackson and Derek Fisher to have very, very good nights. They were always going to be underdogs to Miami if they got to The Finals. Now, I don’t believe they can get there.

Jeff Caplan: There will be no parade in Oklahoma City come June. Not that OKC was getting past Miami anyway, but they were my pick to at least get back to the NBA Finals. Russell Westbrook just brings more intensity to both ends than can be sufficiently replaced by the current roster. We’ve seen the offense completely stagnate at times in two games at Houston, and the Thunder will see much better better defenses than the Rockets.

Russell Westbrook (by Layne Murdoch/NBAE)

Russell Westbrook (by Layne Murdoch/NBAE)

John Schuhmann: Yes. Right now, the Thunder are playing a team that ranked 16th defensively, and they’ve still scored at a pretty efficient rate in the last two games. But they will likely be facing a top-3 defensive team either in the next round (Memphis) or in the conference finals (San Antonio). And it’s when you face a great defensive team in the playoffs that you really miss your second scorer (just ask the Knicks). Those teams will take away your first option and make you beat them with secondary scorers and secondary plays. The Thunder will also miss those easy transition buckets that Westbrook gets. Of course, they never had much of a chance against the Heat (who have beat them six straight times) anyway.

Sekou Smith: They were not my pick to win a title with a healthy Westbrook, so there was nothing to kill, so to speak. It’s hard to imagine the Thunder running through the gauntlet that is the Western Conference playoff race and then facing off with the Miami Heat (or whoever comes out of the East) and winning it all without Westbrook. They couldn’t get past the Heat with Kevin Durant, Westbrook and James Harden last year. This notion that Durant will be able to get back to that point and beyond this season without the other two seems a bit far-fetched to me. That’s too much heavy lifting for a lone superstar in this day and age.

Lang Whitaker: To channel Lloyd Christmas, So you’re telling me there’s a chance? Sure the Thunder have a chance to return to The Finals without Russell Westbrook, but there’s obviously a much slimmer margin of error. And as awesome as Kevin Durant can be, when defenses load up and send everyone after him, at some point guys like Reggie Jackson and Derek Fisher are going to have to start knocking down the mid- and long-range jumpers they were missing against Houston in Game 4.

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Blogtable: Can Lakers Contend in ’13-’14?

May 1, 2013  ·  11:05AM




Each week, we’ll ask our stable of scribes to weigh in on the three most important NBA topics of the day — and then give you a chance to step on the scale, too, in the comments below.

Week 27: Thunder’s chances | Will Lakers contend next season? | Boston relevancy

Can the Lakers be real, legitimate contenders for a title next season?

Steve Aschburner: Can’t see the Lakers retooling that quickly, and that’s what I think it will take for them to rise again. I’ve said before that Dwight Howard, for his own good, ought to sign elsewhere — Atlanta or Houston make more sense, in my view, because the expectations and scrutiny in L.A. are too intense for him. But where would that leave the Lakers? They have to build around someone and Howard is their greatest NBA asset (assuming he signs). Kobe Bryant might miss a good chunk of the season, Steve Nash and everyone else will be a year older and Pau Gasol, if traded, might not bring back what some Lakers fans think. They’ll be fine in time because of the legacy and the market appeal. Just not 12 months from now.

Fran Blinebury: Yes. While pondering his navel and what to do with the latest, greatest decision of his career, Dwight Howard could be walking along the beach at Playa del Rey in front of Phil Jackson‘s house and come across a gold lamp lying in the sand. He rubs it and a genie appears to grant him three wishes: 1) A new Achilles tendon for Kobe; 2) A backbone and sense of responsibility for himself; 3) About five more wishes, because that’s what it’s going to take. So … no. The Lakers are old, broken down and worn out and without a healthy Kobe, Howard can’t carry the load.

Jeff Caplan: No. I think the Lakers will be an improved team (really, how can they not?), led by a Dwight Howard that is healthy and committed, no longer buckling under the pressure of an uncertain future. He’ll be in L.A and he’ll be focused to play at his best. I expect big things from Dwight next season. Having said that, with Kobe coming off the Achilles injury and Steve Nash turning 40, I just don’t see how they hang with the younger and more athletic teams in the West. The Lakers’ payroll situation has GM Mitch Kupchak fairly handcuffed to do much in terms of bringing in players that can make a difference — at least for one more summer. They desperately need shooters and wing players that can get up and down the floor.

Scott Howard-Cooper: Yes, but a series of uncertainties all have to break right. Does Dwight Howard re-sign? And if he does, how will he change? How will Kobe Bryant be after his injury? What dependable players, if any, will come for a small contract to provide depth? If everything works out, the Lakers are hardly at the front of the pack. But they are in the pack.

John Schuhmann: No. I’ll believe that both Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant will be healthy next season when I see it. Given the Lakers’ cap situation, it’s doubtful they can add a real impact player. And given Mike D’Antoni’s history, it’s doubtful that they’ll get it together defensively.  It’s funny that Bryant said Tuesday that they figured how to play together at the end of the season, because they still ranked 18th in defensive efficiency over the last 15 games. A healthier (and re-signed) Dwight Howard will help on that end, but that’s not close to championship-caliber defense. Oh, and if Howard decides to leave (something that’s entirely possible), they’re up a certain creek without a paddle.

Sekou Smith: Championship contenders next season like they were this season? That’s laughable. The Lakers have to hope they can come back next season with a core group capable of helping them stay in the playoff conversation. Dwight Howard has a decision to make on his future. If he decides to go elsewhere in free agency, while Kobe Bryant is recovering from Achilles surgery, Steve Nash is recovering from the beating Father Time put on him and Pau Gasol is recovering from the emotional beating he’s taken over the past three seasons, the Lakers’ playoff hopes fade significantly. These Lakers, as good as they looked on paper last summer, never lived up to their own hype. They won’t begin next season on anyone’s short list of potential champions unless they do some serious offseason work to retool this roster.

Lang Whitaker: Yes. the Lakers can be contenders next season, if everything works out perfectly. Assuming they re-sign Dwight and get his health back to where he was a few years ago, and they get Steve Nash healthy, and they keep Pau Gasol, and they figure out a way to sign a few guys who can knock down threes and defend, and they somehow get Kobe back at 100 percent (even in his 18th season) in time for the postseason, and they find a way for all the guys to grasp Mike D’Antoni’s offense, they’ll be right there at the top of the contenders list.


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Blogtable: Jobs Coaches Want, Don’t

April 24, 2013  ·  12:25PM

Each week, we’ll ask our stable of scribes to weigh in on the three most important NBA topics of the day — and then give you a chance to step on the scale, too, in the comments below.

Week 26: Coaching vacancies | Best sideline strategists | First-round impressions

Which available spot is most appealing to an out-of-work coach? Least?

Detroit's Greg Monroe and Brandon Knight (by Jennifer Pottheiser/NBAE)

Detroit’s Greg Monroe and Brandon Knight (by Jennifer Pottheiser/NBAE)

Steve Aschburner: Detroit. The core of young talent makes the Pistons an attractive job – Greg Monroe put up more double-doubles for Detroit than anyone since Grant Hill, Brandon Knight is so young he still has time to develop better point guard sensibilities and rookies Kyle Singler and Andre Drummond had solid inaugural seasons. Drummond might have been brought along too slowly, so there’s untapped potential right below the surface. The payroll is in good shape, too, with space this summer and guys like Charlie Villanueva and Rodney Stuckey entering the final years of their deals.

Fran Blinebury: Geez, it’s closing time at the bar and time to make your pick. Coaches win with the best players and so you’ve got to start there. The best players on the teams with openings were Kyrie Irving in Cleveland and Jrue Holiday in Philly. (I’m assuming we still are counting the Cavs in here in the 24 hours of Mike Brown‘s return.)  Since the Sixers are such a mess and have to figure out what they’re going to do with Andrew Bynum, I’m leaning toward the Cavs as most appealing.  Do you really have to ask about the worst? Charlotte is a black hole inside a smoking ruin wrapped up in a disaster. And Error Jordan is still calling the shots.

Jeff Caplan: Let’s answer the last part first: Charlotte. What a disaster. Hey, what coach would want that gig? There’s only been three coaches in the last three seasons. How’s that for security? Oh, and the collective talent … well, yeah. OK, so there’s a couple ways to look at the most appealing job. The first is that it got snapped up Tuesday with news that Mike Brown is headed back to Cleveland to coach Kyrie Irving and the Cavs’ kids. The other is that the most appealing job isn’t open, yet. Remember, Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman will make a decision on his return depending on his wife’s health. If he decides it’s best to walk away, then someone will walk into a very well-stocked cupboard. Similarly, Brooklyn will make a decision on interim coach P.J. Carlesimo. If he’s out, someone will get a team that’s maxed-out deep into the luxury tax, but comes with  All-Star level players at point guard and center.

Scott Howard-Cooper: Most appealing of the jobs open at the moment, since others may be coming, is Cleveland (at least until Brown walks through the door). Getting the certainty of Kyrie Irving along with the real promise of a few others is a running start to success for a new guy. Least appealing: Charlotte. A brief moment of hope with Larry Brown has become year after year of instability.

John Schuhmann: I’m going to assume that we’re including Cleveland (and not the three or four additional jobs that may open up in the next few weeks) among our options, because it was available just a few hours ago. And then I’m going to answer Cleveland, because the Cavs have the star player. Every team and every coach wants a star to build around. Mike Brown had it in his first go-round in Cleveland, and he has it now. And this is a team he can improve right away by just getting them to play decent defense, just like he did previously. I also think that Detroit, with Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond, is pretty appealing. Least appealing? Charlotte, Charlotte and Charlotte.

Sekou Smith: Of the available openings today, the Detroit job shows the most immediate growth potential. You have a veteran general manager in Joe Dumars who remains in place and a young core that includes Greg Monroe, Andre Drummond and Brandon Knight (he will survive the highlight reel tumult of this season) as building blocks. The Pistons finished this season playing decent basketball under ousted coach Lawrence Frank, so there were signs of life from this group even at the finish of a season that was lottery-bound months ago. That speaks to the mettle of the players. They have to do sound work in the Draft and in free agency, but this a rebuild that is past the foundation process. As for the least appealing, well, there is always Charlotte.

Lang Whitaker: Most appealing has to be Cleveland — besides having Anderson Varejao under contract through 2015, you get Kyrie, and having an All-Star point guard already in the fold in the age of the point guard is a decided advantage. Also, seems like Dan Gilbert would be fun to work for, because you know he cares about winning. And I bet he sends out some fiery emails to his staff from time to time. For least appealing I’ll go with Charlotte. Consider that next season, in his third season in the NBA, Kemba Walker will be playing for his third coach. Doesn’t really seem like the organization is setting its guys up to be successful.

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Blogtable: Best Sideline Tacticians

April 24, 2013  ·  12:25PM
Point guard Tony Parker, left, with San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich (by D. Clarke Evans/NBAE)

Point guard Tony Parker, left, with San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich (by D. Clarke Evans/NBAE)

Each week, we’ll ask our stable of scribes to weigh in on the three most important NBA topics of the day — and then give you a chance to step on the scale, too, in the comments below.

Week 26: Coaching vacancies | Best sideline strategists | First-round impressions

Who are the best sideline tacticians in the playoffs?

Steve Aschburner: Let’s do this countdown style, for some semblance of suspense. My No. 3 is Chicago’s Tom Thibodeau because he’s the league’s consensus defensive genius and defense looms larger at playoff time. The adjustments against Brooklyn’s Big 3 Monday produced 2013′s first road playoff victory. At No. 2, I’ve got Miami’s Erik Spoelstra because, even with a star-studded lineup, no one works harder. The refinements in the Heat’s offense around LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are impressive. And my No. 1, based on which coach I’d want working my sideline for one game or one series, remains San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich. You’d think he had Manute Bol arms for the number of tricks he always has up his sleeves. Game plans, late in games, out of timeouts, there’s no one consistently better.

Fran Blinebury: Gregg Popovich.  Watch the Spurs coming out any timeout.  Pop excels at drawing up plays in the huddle that just plain work.  And he’s transformed the core of a plodding, pound-it-inside power team into an up-tempo, highly efficient offense. Doc Rivers. He kept the Celtics thriving over the last two months of the season without a point guard, using all of his positions to start and run the offense at times.  Lionel Hollins.  The bite in that Grizzlies defense comes from the boss.  And he knows what he wants in games.  Down 91-89 with 21.6 seconds left in Game 2, he drew up play that got Marc Gasol wide open at the rim for a dunk.

Erik Spoelstra (by Issac Baldizon/NBAE)

Erik Spoelstra (by Issac Baldizon/NBAE)

Jeff Caplan: Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau just keeps coming up with more reasons to tab him No. 1. Just look at Game 2. He wanted to play Joakim Noah between 20-25 minutes and Thibodeau got absolutely everything he could out of Noah in 25:29. And adjustments with Kirk Hinrich and Jimmy Butler limited Deron Williams to 1-for-9 shooting and eight points in 38 minutes. The Godfather of the group remains Gregg Popovich. Look, this guy only changed the entire identity of the Spurs to keep up with the rest of the league as his Big Three got older. And finally, give me Erik Spoelstra. He’s  managed to find the proper role for every player on the roster, and that includes the great LeBron James, whose position-less game has greatly expanded and flourished under Spo. Plus, look at all the games Miami won down the stretch when one, two or all three of the Big Three didn’t play. That’s coaching.

Scott Howard-Cooper: Gregg Popovich, George Karl, Tom Thibodeau. As if there was any doubt about the greatness of Pop, the move to the up-tempo game the last couple seasons shows he can make different systems work with the same roster core. It is impossible to overstate the difficulty of crossing that bridge.

John Schuhmann: No. 1: Gregg Popovich. You have to love the way that he’s opened up the Spurs’ offense over the last few years, how they’ve evolved from a post-up team to a pick-and-roll team, how he was one of the first coaches to embrace the corner three, and how he always seems to have something up his sleeve in late-game timeouts. Oh yeah, San Antonio ranked in the top three defensively in his first 11 full seasons on the bench and, after some adjustments to its approach, got back there this season. No. 2: Tom Thibodeau. He’s the architect of a couple of the best defensive teams of all-time, has basically changed the way most of the league defends now, and has managed to make this team with limited talent a group that no one wants to face in the postseason. No. 3: Erik Spoelstra. He’s made the most of the talent he’s been given by formulating an offense that spaces the floor and makes you pay for whatever defensive decision you happen to make and by formulating a defensive system that attacks the ball and utilizes his rosters’ length and athleticism.

Sekou Smith: From a purely tactical standpoint, it’s hard to go against the coaching holy trinity of Gregg Popovich, Doc Rivers and Tom Thibodeau, three of the best coaches in the game in every facet of the job. But picking just three squeezes out the guy who has become what I would consider the ultimate tactician, and that’s Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra. Being a great tactician is not just about in-game moves. It’s about preparation for all things that could be encountered against a particular opponent. Pop showed in Game 1 against the Lakers that he’s going to search throughout his roster for the right mismatch (Matt Bonner) and exploit it every time. Doc has his work cut out for him heading into Game 3 of that series and is sure to come up with the right moves. Thibs showed us in Game 2 that he can always get his team to rebound from adversity, as the Brooklyn Nets found out. Spoelstra’s use of Chris “Birdman” Andersen as his team’s instant energy booster remains one of the most surprising tactical moves any coach has made this season. So I’m going with all four of these guys instead of just three.

Lang Whitaker: I think it starts with Pop. His system is so versatile and applicable to so many different situations, and he’s able to swap in and out different pieces with remarkably similar results. I also always enjoy watching Tom Thibdoeau do work. He’s got a roster of guys that had trouble finding work elsewhere (Nate Robinson, anyone?), but he has them defending and covering for each other’s weaknesses. And I have been continually impressed with Mike Woodson this season, especially on the offensive end. Having watched him in Atlanta forever, it seems like a completely different person in NYC, as the Knicks use a motion offense and share the ball. That triple screen they run Kidd off of is the stuff of a kid doodling in class.

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Blogtable: First-Round Impressions

April 24, 2013  ·  9:14AM
Chris Paul has made 16 of his 28 shots and has 16 assists in two playoff games. (Rocky Widner/NBAE)

Chris Paul has made 16 of his 28 shots and has 16 assists in two playoff games. (Rocky Widner/NBAE)

Each week, we’ll ask our stable of scribes to weigh in on the three most important NBA topics of the day — and then give you a chance to step on the scale, too, in the comments below.

Week 26: Coaching vacancies | Best sideline strategists | First-round impressions

Who or what has impressed you so far this postseason?

Steve Aschburner: The Knicks. I’ve long been a skeptic of whatever comes out of Madison Square Garden, NBA-wise, because of media hype and team management’s infatuation frequently with the wrong types of players. But the Knicks apparently have the right coach and Mike Woodson has been getting those guys to play the right way. This edition of the Celtics has injury and age issues, sure, but the way New York’s defense has choked Boston off in the second halves of the first two games has to grab one’s attention.

Fran Blinebury: Chris Paul is averaging 23.5 points, 8 assists, shooting 16-for-28 from the field, hit the game-winner on Monday night and has the Clippers up 2-0 on Memphis. Mark me down as impressed.

Jeff Caplan: Since I spent the opening games of the playoffs in Los Angeles watching the Clippers, I’m going with three aspects of this team’s impressive start: Chris Paul, the bench and coach Vinny Del Negro — that’s right Del Negro. Paul’s been masterful, patiently allowing the game to come to him and playing superbly in crunch time with 13 points on 5-for-8 shooting, three assists and no turnovers in the fourth quarters of Games 1 and 2. The Clippers’ deep bench has at times out played Memphis’ starters and has received contributions from a number of players. As for Del Negro, he has his team well-prepared, motivated and he hasn’t succumbed to the notion that rotations must shrink in the playoffs. He’s getting solid contributions and keeping his starters’ minutes extremely reasonable.

Scott Howard-Cooper: Maybe because I as there to see it, but the Nuggets winning Game 1 without their preferred tempo was an impressive start to what could be a nice run. Everyone knows Denver can win when it runs. To grind out a victory while having to execute at the end of a close game is a good sign.

John Schuhmann: I’m impressed by how efficient the Clippers have been against the league’s No. 2 defense. I had the Grizzlies winning that 4-5 series in six games, because they’re the much better defensive team and because the Clips seemingly treaded water for the last couple of months. But Chris Paul has flipped the switch, taking on a bigger scoring load (47 points to go along with his 16 assists in the first two games) and still taking care of the ball (only two turnovers) against a D that has always been good at forcing miscues.

Sekou Smith: It’s early yet, but the Golden State Warriors showed me something in their Game 2 win over the Nuggets in Denver. Losing David Lee for the remainder of the playoffs is a blow. Any team that loses an All-Star and the league-leader in double doubles would struggle without him. But coach Mark Jackson pushed buttons on his deep roster and found several guys (most notably rookie Harrison Barnes) to step up and fill the void. This was the one series where I felt like the lower seed had a real chance to push the series into the seven-game realm and so far, the Warriors have made me feel really good about that prediction. When shooters like Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and perhaps the most underrated player in the league this season, Jarrett Jack, get rolling, they can turn a game upside down. They shot 65 percent in a playoff game, folks. Crazy.

Lang Whitaker: I was a little curious about the Pacers coming in to the playoffs, because they’d lost five of six and had looked pretty bad at times over that stretch, but Paul George decided he wasn’t going to let the Pacers down. I know it’s been a small sample size, but George was phenomenal in Game 1 against the Hawks. He was Indiana’s best offensive player, repeatedly driving and either getting to the line (he shot 17-of-18 on free throws) or kicking to open teammates (he finished with 12 assists), and he pressured Josh Smith into shooting an array of long jumpers as the shot clock was ticking down.

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Blogtable: Top 4 Seed Ripe For Upset?

April 17, 2013  ·  10:55AM




Each week, we’ll ask our stable of scribes to weigh in on the three most important NBA topics of the day — and then give you a chance to step on the scale, too, in the comments below.

Week 25: Sacramento or Seattle? | Lottery team leap next season | Top 4 seed ripe for upset

Which Top 4 team is most ripe for a first-round upset?

Steve Aschburner: San Antonio hasn’t looked like its old self lately. Indiana seemed to spit out the bit early. But for one-and-done among the top seeds, I’m looking at Brooklyn. C’mon, the Nets are a “Top 4″ team by math only, tin medalists in an Eastern Conference Olympics that has one gold-medal club and two more duking it out for silver and bronze. The Nets have had a fine season and a playoff series is a nice way to punctuate the inaugural year in the borough. But they don’t have the defensive gear into which they can shift, in my view. I’ve seen Joe Johnson in recent postseasons (40.5 FG percent the past three). And if their opponent is Chicago — and the Bulls have reasonable healthiness from Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson, Luol Deng, Richard Hamilton and the rest — even the absence of Derrick Rose might not to get the Nets to south Florida for Round 2. Now if the Nets face Atlanta … nah, I’m still saying Brooklyn.

Fran Blinebury: I would hardly consider any outcome in a 4-5 series to be an upset, so that leaves out the Nets and Clippers and brings us to San Antonio.  If Manu Ginobili is back soon and the Spurs stay healthy, they are a threat to go to The Finals and likely the toughest overall matchup for Miami. But if Manu isn’t Manu, Tony Parker is limping and they draw the Lakers, the Spurs are vulnerable.

Jeff Caplan: Well, I’ve got a crisp Benjamin that me and my cohorts all pick the same squad: San Antonio. Manu Ginobili is hurt, Boris Diaw is hurt, Danny Green remains unproven under the hot lights of the playoffs, Stephen Jackson is counting his Benjamins somewhere far away and Tony Parker is battling through all kinds of ailments. Houston or Golden State could do the deed. In the East, how can Chicago be counted out against suddenly struggling Indiana or Boston against New York if Knicks big men Tyson Chandler and Kenyon Martin struggle with lingering injuries?

Scott Howard-Cooper: The Nets if they play the Bulls. Because Chicago is ripe to pick somebody no matter who it plays in the first round. Bulls-Pacers could be a good one.

John Schuhmann: It’s got to be the Nets, especially if they’re matched up with Chicago, against whom they couldn’t score in their four regular-season meetings. Brooklyn hasn’t shown any kind of defensive consistency all season, and as well as they’ve played offensively over the last few weeks, a good defensive team (like the Bulls) will take advantage of the fact that they’re starting two guys who can’t shoot – Gerald Wallace and Reggie Evans – at the forward positions. I’d still pick the Nets in that series, but they’re obviously the most vulnerable top-4 seed in the East. In the West, I fear for whoever — the Nuggets or Clips — has to face the Grizzlies, who are the second-best defensive team in the league and who have been much improved offensively since the Rudy Gay trade.

Sekou Smith: Can we pick two teams? The 4-5 matchup on both sides leaves the Los Angeles Clippers and Brooklyn Nets most vulnerable. The Clippers could be in serious trouble against the Memphis Grizzlies, whose frontcourt bruisers will be eager to go at Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan in the playoffs for the second straight postseason. The Nets will have their hands full with either the Atlanta Hawks or the Chicago Bulls, two teams that have all the firepower needed to attack the Nets’ weak spots. Home-court advantage doesn’t always serve as the force field needed for the No. 4 seed. And in these matchups in particular, home court could be rendered irrelevant early on.

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Blogtable: Who Bounces Back in ’13-14?

April 17, 2013  ·  10:55AM




Each week, we’ll ask our stable of scribes to weigh in on the three most important NBA topics of the day — and then give you a chance to step on the scale, too, in the comments below.

Week 25: Sacramento or Seattle? | Lottery team leap next season | Top 4 seed ripe for upset

Which non-playoff team makes the biggest leap forward next season?

Steve Aschburner: I’m giving Minnesota one more try. Injuries absolutely pole-axed a roster that had “playoff berth” written all over it. It wasn’t just that the losses of Kevin Love, Brandon Roy, Chase Budinger, Andrei Kirilenko, Ricky Rubio (at the start) and the others cost the Timberwolves the 15 victories or so they would have needed to claw into contention – it’s also that they wouldn’t have gone 1-13 against their primary competition (Lakers, Jazz, Warriors, Rockets) for a lower seed. Or 8-32 (with one left) against the 11 teams ahead of them in the West, compared to 22-19 against the rest of the league. Forget Roy, unfortunately, going forward, but Love needs to come back with a vengeance. And assuming they get one more season out of coach Rick Adelman, the Wolves could be revved by the sense that it’s 2013-14 or never .

Fran Blinebury: Of course, it will require the basketball gods to finally grant them good health, but a lineup with Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio available to play a full season with Andrei Kirilenko back in the fold and Rick Adelman back on the bench should put the Timberwolves into the thick of the West playoff race.

Jeff Caplan: In the West I think the most obvious non-playoff team to make a major leap next season has to be the Timberwolves. I picked them to finish sixth this season, but injuries derailed that instantly. Given full health (and re-signing Nikola Pekovic), the Wolves are primed for a big move. In the East, give me a healthy, young and talented Cavs squad that still has draft picks to make.

Scott Howard-Cooper: The Trail Blazers. It may not be the biggest leap in terms of win total, although they are doing everything possible the last few weeks of the season to make that a relevant conversation as well. But Portland has clearly positioned itself as a team of the future, with a foundation in place, a lot of spending power in the summer to get some much-needed depth, and a smart GM. Whether the Blazers begin 2013-14 with a path to No. 8 in the West  depends on moves other teams make.

John Schuhmann: I look at the team with the best young star on its roster, and that’s Cleveland. After a summer of development, Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters should all come back as better players next fall. Obviously, it’s hard to count on a full season of Anderson Varejao after he’s played just 81 games over the last three, but a coaching change could help the Cavs take a step forward. This is the only team that has ranked in the bottom five defensively for each of the last three seasons, and they need someone to point them in the right direction. If they can just play average defense next season while taking a natural step forward offensively, they can be at least 10-12 games better.

Sekou Smith: Without an easily identifiable superstar in the 2013 Draft class, it’s hard to hypothesize about the sorts of leaps and bounds a team can make if they acquire the top (or one of the top three to five picks) in the lottery. That said, the Washington Wizards showed me glimpses (once John Wall got healthy and comfortable) of being a legitimate playoff contender next season if they have all of their main rotation players healthy. The climb’s a little steep in the Western Conference for teams like Minnesota, Utah and Portland. But in the East, the bottom half of the playoff mix should be wide open. And the Wizards, one of the top defensive teams in the league, should have a chance to fight their way into the mix next year if Wall and Bradley Beal are healthy and in attack mode.

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Blogtable: Sacramento Or Seattle?

April 17, 2013  ·  10:55AM

Each week, we’ll ask our stable of scribes to weigh in on the three most important NBA topics of the day — and then give you a chance to step on the scale, too, in the comments below.

Week 25: Sacramento or Seattle? | Lottery team leap next season | Top 4 seed ripe for upset

You’re an NBA owner. Sacramento or Seattle: Who do you pick, and why?

Steve Aschburner: Where is King Solomon, or at least Solomon Jones, when we need him? Slicing the franchise in half like the Biblical baby could work, right? If the folks in Washington are fine with Sea-Tac Airport, so why not Sea-Sac basketball? Split the home games, deck ‘em out in purple and green … OK, so that would not work. No more tap-dancing to delay the inevitable. And the inevitable, if I’m an NBA owner, is that I vote what’s in my best interest. That means Seattle, for its bigger market size and for the right some day to maybe transfer my franchise where I want to, without too much intervention from the league or anyone else. These guys are businessmen. Intangibles and loyalty aren’t nothing, but they do have price tags.

NBA owners meet this week to continue their deliberations on what to do with the Kings (by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

NBA owners meet again this week to continue their deliberations on what to do with competing offers for the Sacramento Kings.
(By Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

Fran Blinebury: So very deviously evil of the Quizmaster to present us with Sophie’s Choice. Are you gonna give the good citizens of Seattle or Sacramento — not to mention Scott Howard-Cooper — our home addresses when we pick the other guy? The truth is we can’t make the decision, because we don’t have all of the financial facts and contract terms available to the owners. If you’re asking me where I’d rather spend a June afternoon during the NBA Finals, order me a dirty martini on the rooftop deck at the Pink Door, just an olive’s throw from Pike Place Market. But then where would I get my cowbell fix? My guess is it’s going to come down to which city can get the new arena up and running faster.  In that case, we’ll likely be raising our glasses to the loud memories of Sacramento.  Shaken, not stirred.

Jeff Caplan: First, let me say that I love the city of Seattle and I miss it dearly on the NBA map. I wish for the SuperSonics to soon return. However, not at the expense of the city of Sacramento and the great fans there for so many years (cowbells notwithstanding). Without having direct knowledge of the intricate details of each deal, it does appear that Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson has done an incredible job to put together an ownership group and an arena deal that will take Kings basketball out of the cow pasture and into a colorful downtown scene. I hated the way the Sonics were ripped from Seattle. And I would hate to see the same happen to Sac. If there was not a competitive deal on the table, that would be one thing. But, it certainly appears that there is.

Scott Howard-Cooper: I pick the location that is going to be best for the NBA. Sounds simple enough, but it’s not. Some may want the decision that benefits their team – more small market teams is good for owners in small markets, a team in Seattle means a few more bucks in owners’ pockets on relocation fee, etc. In other words, I’m not voting until my fellow owners do in real life. I say there could be more unexpected developments.

John Schuhmann: I have no dog in this fight and it sucks that one of these two cities will be without a team. But if there’s nothing wrong with the Seattle agreement, the Seattle ownership group or their arena plan, then I guess I’d have to approve that agreement, because it’s already in place. I’m just glad that, no matter which city wins, the franchise is going to have new ownership and management. The Kings have been a disaster for the last five years and the problems start at the top. The Maloofs have put minimal money into the team and Geoff Petrie hasn’t helped with his decision making. So as long as we’re getting a smarter and more viable group to replace the one currently in charge, I’ll be happy.

Sekou Smith: For sentimental reasons, this is an impossible choice to make for an incumbent owner. Luckily for said owner, this is a business decision. Taking the fans and their feelings into consideration could be dangerous. And this is not a fair fight between cities. Sacramento is a fine town, but Seattle is a world class city that anyone who has ever visited there knows well. So instead of weighing all of the pros and cons of each city, you go with the Benjamins baby. I’m taking the best offer. And from every indication, that offer can be found in Seattle. You have to ignore the history and the heart tugging from the fans and make a business decision.

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Blogtable: Are Knicks A Real Threat?

April 10, 2013  ·  10:25AM




Each week, we’ll ask our stable of scribes to weigh in on the three most important NBA topics of the day — and then give you a chance to step on the scale, too, in the comments below.

Week 24: Can Knicks give Miami a run? | Needing, using the top pick | Last call: Are Lakers in or out?

Can the Knicks, given the chance, make things a little less easy on Miami?

Steve Aschburner: Any concerns I have about Miami and its road to a third straight Finals come from the Heat themselves (primarily Dwyane Wade‘s health). I still think Indiana is the second-best team in the East and it’s looking as if Miami only will have to get by one of the potential opportunists — the Pacers or the Knicks — rather than both. So for me, no, nothing has changed. We’re in south Florida in June.

Fran Blinebury: Never thought the Heat were going to summon up the ghost of Moses Malone and go Fo’, fo’, fo’ through the East bracket. The Knicks can put up a fight because they’ve got an offensive star in Carmelo that can stand toe-to-toe with LeBron, a shot-blocking, rim protector in Tyson Chandler and the x-factor in J.R. Smith. If the Knicks are making 3-pointers, as in the early season games, Miami will be pushed, but I think still prevail.

Carmelo Anthony (by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE)

Carmelo Anthony (by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE)

Jeff Caplan: Heck, last week I thought the Pacers had a chance to make things interesting. The Knicks? Hard for me to count out Tyson Chandler and Jason Kidd after witnessing the entire Dallas Mavericks’ 2010-11 championship season front and center, and Carmelo Anthony is simply unconscious these days. I’ll say this: If Dwyane Wade is not right if these two teams meet, I give the Knickerbockers a puncher’s chance.

Scott Howard-Cooper: This doesn’t change my thinking. Maybe on my previous stance that Indiana is the second-best team in the Eastern Conference — not yet, though — but the Heat are still clearly the team to beat on that side of the bracket. I don’t know about “easy,” but the favorite without question. Maybe someone takes a couple games off them, if that rates as easy. Maybe the Pacers beat the Heat on the boards bad enough to make things interesting.

John Schuhmann: Since it’s only been seven days since you asked us the Knicks/Pacers question, I still give Indiana the edge in the conference semis, keeping the Knicks from seeing the Heat in the playoffs. I’ll take the great defensive team over the great offensive team. Either way, Miami doesn’t have much (other than health) to worry about until they face the Spurs in The Finals.

Sekou Smith: They didn’t need the late surge. They scored two very important wins over the Heat before they kicked off the win streak. There are only a few teams in the Eastern Conference capable of truly challenging the Heat anyway. The Knicks are one of them, along with Chicago and Boston. The Knicks rolled early this season, disappeared for a while (due to injuries, players coming back from injuries, the natural grind of the season, etc.) and now appear poised to make some serious noise in the playoffs. But whatever run they make will likely come to a stop in Miami, where they’ll have to be at the very best to do anything other than fall in six or seven games. I’m still not sold on them or anyone else in the East knocking off the reigning champs in a best-of-seven series

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Blogtable: Who Needs No. 1 Pick Most?

April 10, 2013  ·  10:25AM

Each week, we’ll ask our stable of scribes to weigh in on the three most important NBA topics of the day — and then give you a chance to step on the scale, too, in the comments below.

Week 24: Can Knicks give Miami a run? | Needing, using the top pick | Last call: Are Lakers in or out?

Who needs the Draft’s No. 1 pick the most? Who will use it best?

Last year's No. 1, Anthony Davis (by Noah Graham/NBAE)

Last year’s No. 1, Anthony Davis (by Noah Graham/NBAE)

Steve Aschburner: Charlotte. Please, Charlotte. No team in The Association needs more help – on the court, at the turnstiles, for the boss’ legacy – than the Bobcats. Doesn’t matter how they spend it (Nerlens Noel, Marcus Smart, whomever), they need to pick high, they need to get it right, they need to get moving. As for which team would best utilize it, I’m thinking San Antonio, which aces the No. 1 pick every time it gets it.

Fran Blinebury: Oh, for sure the Bobcats need it the most. They’ve been living on the bottom so long they should be renamed “Flounders.” Of course, based on Michael Jordan‘s stewardship, they’ll be right back fishing for No. 1 again next season. Orlando probably deserves it after having Shaq and Dwight Howard walk out the door. But based on what’s already going on in Cleveland and the pieces that have already been put around Kyrie Irving, I believe the Cavs could take a big step forward with the No. 1 pick and make it more appealing for free agent LeBron James to return in 2014.

Jeff Caplan: We all know who needs the No. 1 pick. His initials are M and J. But do we trust the Charlotte Bobcats owner with the top pick? I’ve got a bridge to sell you … So who’d best utilize it? I’d like to see what Dell Demps and Monty Williams could deliver to the young and intriguing New Orleans Pelicans.

Scott Howard-Cooper: Needs it most? Probably Charlotte or Sacramento. The other teams with the best chance to get No. 1 either had relatively recent success or signs of forward movement in place. The Bobcats have struggled to gain traction and the Kings are rowing in circles. Who makes the best use of the pick? The GM that still has his job in two years. This Draft is filled with potential peril.

John Schuhmann: The answer to the first question is obviously the Bobcats, because they’re terrible on both ends of the floor and need help at every position, except maybe small forward (because I like the Kidd-Gilchrist/Taylor combination if they just get MKG a dedicated shooting coach). I think the Pistons would do well with the pick, though. They already have three young pieces with Brandon Knight, Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe. If they keep Jose Calderon, use their cap space wisely, and add a top pick that’s ready to contribute, they could be ready to take the next step.

Sekou Smith: First we we have to identify exactly what the team with the No. 1 pick in the Draft would be getting their hands on with that top pick. And from what I saw during March Madness, there didn’t seem to be a program changer running through the college ranks. If Ben McLemore of Kansas is the man, then it would be fantastic to see what a couple of unusual lottery types could do with the No. 1 pick. The Dallas Mavericks need a young star to help bridge the gap between the Dirk Nowitzki era and whatever comes next. Sure, the Charlotte Bobcats are in much more dire straits than an outfit like the Mavericks. But after years of seeing what perennial lottery teams do with the top picks in the Draft, I’d love to see what the Mavericks could do with the No. 1 overall pick.

 

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