Denver Nuggets: The Single Heartbeat of a Championship Team
There is an unmistakable thumping sound that can be heard reverberating and resonating through the Mile High City.
It is a pounding that is making people across the country stand up and take notice.
This thumping and pounding resides in the Pepsi Center in the shape and form of the Denver Nuggets.
It is the electrifying sound of a single heartbeat, 15 strong and wearing baby blue with one common thread and aspiration, an NBA championship.
The Nuggets have the big heart of a champion and can fulfill their aspirations, hopes, and dreams the old fashioned way, by earning it through the true meaning of team.
In this NBA day and age of individualistic ideals and superstar mentalities the Nuggets are turning the NBA on its collective ear with their throwback nature of yesteryear.
I had to shut my eyes tightly last night while watching the Nuggets to be sure that I was not once again a younger basketball fan sitting in Madison Square Garden watching the team oriented New York Knicks of the late 60s and early 70s.
The trademarks of this Nugget team are heart, unselfishness, a deeply talented and rich bench, and a driving thirst and passion to be the very best they can be.
There are a few tell-tale signs that jump out at me indicating that something special is evolving of a championship caliber.
Competitive and dominating
The Nuggets are carrying out to perfection the age old adage that seriously solid and focused teams must stay competitive against equal or better competition and must dominate inferior teams.
Secondly, you must strike fear in your opponent and make them shudder at the mere fact they are coming to play in your house based upon your overwhelming success. On the road, you can do no worse than winning at least as much as you are losing.
They are achieving these goals by surpassing competitive and annihilating domination both home and on the road.
Mental tenacity and maturity
It is difficult enough over the course of a normal season to return home after a road trip and not subject yourself to a letdown against a lesser opponent.
In this shortened and condensed season this is a monstrously difficult feat to avoid and overcome after such a grueling road trip.
It cannot be overstated the degree of difficulty in remaining poised and effective when jumping out to a commanding lead against an opponent you are expected to beat.
To have been able to maintain their grip on the competitive edge last night against the Toronto Raptors was a testament to their fortitude.
The Nuggets faced both challenges against the Raptors with both ferocity and a bend but don’t break mentality.
This was an exhausting and most satisfying win that further cemented in their own minds of just how good they are and how much better they can be.
Next man up syndrome
The Nuggets depth comes at you in waves of non stop ability and quality.
They will wear you down with the first units overall energy, team distribution, and an unwavering commitment and dedication to lock down defense and frustrate you with second unit continuity.
The usual and dependable suspects will do their thing and contribute nightly, but rest assured that if someone happens to be off his usual and customary performance there is always someone standing nearby ready, willing and able to pick him up.
Such was the case last night when Rudy Fernandez returned to action with an exclamation point on a night when Ty Lawson was out of action and Al Harrington was struggling more so than we are accustomed to.
For me, these are three key ingredients that signal a prevalent component of strength, toughness and versatility needed to ascend to the pinnacle.
The NBA had best be wary and prepared as that Mile High thumping and pounding from out little David grows to deafening decibels as the season progresses and as these special Nuggets cast aside any Goliath in their hardwood path.
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Dwight Howard Would Listen if Celtics Called, Says They ‘Have the Championship Mentality’
Dwight Howard has been dominating headlines for months regarding his potential departure from the Orlando Magic. With Howard set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season, the Orlando big man has been the subject of numerous trade rumors. Howard has been linked to various teams including the Los Angeles Lakers, the Dallas Mavericks and the New Jersey Nets. One team that has not been considered a front runner is the Boston Celtics, but Howard’s recent comments suggest that he would listen if the Celtics asked about his services, according to the Boston Herald. “Always. Always,” Howard said, when…
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Lakers Don’t Have a Prayer to Win Championship with Current Team
Did you watch the Heat-Lakers game on TNT?
Did you see the Dwyane Wade-less Miami Heat dance all over the Los Angeles Lakers to the point that you almost—almost—expected to see Don Cornelius walk out onto half-court?
Were you debating by the end of the third quarter about flipping the channel to see what those feisty housewives were up to on Bravo for a moment there?
Because, for a matchup that was supposed to feature two of the best players in the game pitted against each other, this game had all the intensity of a ShamWow infomercial.
And do you know what was the saddest thing about it all? The Lakers gave more heavy minutes to players whose names no one ever heard of.
Who is this Norris kid at point guard? Wasn’t Josh McRoberts the name of someone I think I went to high school with?
Why does Devin Ebanks sound like the most settling name of the bunch? Oh, nevermind, I know now.
It’s because his name resembles riff guitarist Kevin Eubanks, while his physical appearance resembles Trevor Ariza.
For the love of God, how the heck did this Lakers team become so pathetic?
No, I don’t want to hear you tell me that they are sitting atop the Pacific division at 10-6.
Heck, we all know that this team doesn’t have enough to contend. And it must be making Kobe’s blood boil to think that the last few good years he has left in this league are being left to rot on this all-reject team.
Speaking of Kobe—no, not the player, but the language—I’ve become fluent in it.
See, when he throws up these streaks of 40-point games and shoots a high number of shots, the rest of the world may be cheering him on, but that isn’t really the message he’s trying to send.
What he’s trying to say is, “this team sucks!” Seriously. That’s what a 40-point game means in Kobe-nese.
Here’s what else Kobe is thinking but isn’t saying.
“How the heck is this old geezer still playing point guard for my team! I don’t care that he makes big shots, he was a veteran when I was a rookie! All the other point guards zip right by him like he’s Tom Hanks in ‘Catch Me if You Can!’”
“Why on Earth did we trade the sixth-man of the year and our one and only glue-guy for a trade exception! And, by the way, when do you plan on using that, Mitch?! When we draft Luke Walton’s son three years from now?”
And to think, what adds the most insult to this injury of a season is that the black-sheep Clippers are upstaging the Lakers as each day passes.
Now, does getting Dwight Howard next season make this all go away?
I sure wouldn’t believe so, because the only way the Lakers are getting him is in a trade. And if you think the Magic are willing to let him go at a discount rate, you’re nuts!
By the way, I’ve asked this question before, but yet, it still bears repeating.
If Dwight Howard was the big prize all along, and the Lakers were willing to trade Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom for Chris Paul, wouldn’t it make sense that they’d be okay with trading Bynum and Gasol for D. Howard? Does anyone have a proper answer to this question?
Then again, why am I not surprised?
Because that’s all this Lakers team has done since getting swept by the Dallas Mavericks last year—leave us all with more questions than answers.
They needed to make upgrades to a team that was slowly decomposing. Instead, they brought in a bunch of scrubs.
And still, the team looks slower and older than ever.
All I can say is that if history repeats itself, we know how this is going to play out.
See, Kobe hears his biological clock ticking louder now than ever before. And with each passing year without another championship, the noise becomes more and more deafening.
Can you see a trade demand coming along soon?
Well, I can.
The death road in the NBA is mediocrity, and that is exactly the road the Lakers are on.
So, frankly, I wouldn’t blame Kobe.
I also wouldn’t be surprised if it comes sooner than we all think.
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Miami Heat Won’t Win an NBA Championship Playing This Way
Let me head off a few comments. First, I am no “hater” of the Miami Heat. I was enthralled by LeBron James‘ third quarter against the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night. Second, no, I am not mad.
Miami’s offense this season is very different from last year. Last year, Miami were playing at a pace of 90.5 possessions per 48 minutes. This season, through Erik Spoelstra’s new “pace and space” offensive system, the Heat are thundering along at 95.8 possessions per 48 minutes. They have found an extra gear worth five more possessions per game.
So, the Heat are playing faster. What does this mean in the grand scheme? It means that whenever the Heat are rebounding, they are already sending one or more players up the court to convert a fast-break. That has almost become option No. 1 in their playbook. On defense, their intensity has stepped up, forcing more turnovers via steals and causing missed passes, which, in turn, lead to more fast-break points.
The Heat will win games playing like this. But they will not win an NBA championship playing this way.
The playoffs are more deliberate. They require well thought through and effective offensive plays for teams to really be successful. The playoffs last season were five possessions slower at just 87 possessions per 48 minutes, fully 13 possessions slower than the Miami Heat’s regular season pace.
This all circles back to the Miami Heat 2010-2011, the team that struggled in the last few minutes of the fourth quarter and overtime. Why? Because you don’t, in 99 games out of 100, get fast-break plays as game-winners. You need to run a play to get a good look at the basket. The Heat this season rely on speed and talent to get points in transition and bury their opponents early.
If their opponents thwart that, the Heat have to win in crunch time. They did convert two Dwyane Wade tip-ins and a Chris Bosh three-pointer earlier this season, but they also lost in overtime to both the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Clippers. These losses were typical of Miami last year, and they were crucified for losing in crunch time with two (maybe three) of the game’s top finishers on the court at that time.
Miami’s offense won’t help them out in close, late-game situations. The more they run their “pace and space,” the less game practice they get of their actual offensive plays.
The other key principle of the “pace and space” approach? It requires fresh, healthy legs. That’s fine during a normal, 82-game season played over the normal amount of time. The Heat are implementing it in a season where back-to-backs are the new normal and four games in five nights is no longer a reason for feeling tired.
That’s right, a season where four-game weeks are going to be standard. The Heat simply cannot keep up this pace and this style of play, and they will, eventually, learn this the hard way. Dwyane Wade is already out indefinitely with an ankle injury, LeBron James has missed time with his own problems, leaving the Heat already struggling for consistency in lineup.
Once the playoffs roll around, not only will injuries have severely disrupted every team, but legs will feel like tree trunks, and those fast breaks down the court will feel like running a marathon. Even in a normal 82-game season, the playoffs are slowed down in part because of the fatigue of a lengthy schedule previously.
When the pace slows down for Miami and they are forced into structured half-court offense, they need someone who can run that (bad) offense. They were told this all season long, and they were shown this in the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks.
So they signed an established point guard this summer, right? Nope. So the Heat still haven’t improved that aspect of their game, while rivals like Chicago have plugged their black hole at shooting guard with Richard Hamilton, a guy who can score in droves and can move without the ball.
When LeBron and Wade have to take the Heat to the victory in crunch time, the “plays” run by Spoelstra amount to nothing more complex than isolations for one of them. That’s not a play; can someone tell Spo that please?
How Miami gets over its problems they declined to address this summer is still up in the air, but this year’s playoffs will tell us so much about this team and whether they made the right decisions.
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Chicago Bulls Turning Back the Clock: Is an NBA Championship on the Horizon?
DISCLAIMER: I don’t want to be held accountable for jinxing the Chicago Bulls if they don’t win it all. I just wanted to grab your attention. Hopefully, I was successful.
We are approximately 20 percent done with the NBA regular season and the Bulls hold an 13-3 record. It’s not like they have been playing “cupcake” teams either, holding a 7-3 road record facing the likes of the L.A. Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics.
There’s no doubt about it, they have looked as impressive as anyone. But in this condensed, 66-game season, weird things can happen. Just ask the 1998-1999 New York Knicks who somehow snuck into the finals as the Eastern Conference eighth seed.
I don’t want to say I’m concerned about this team. The players are extremely talented, they play great defense and they want to win. Let me reiterate that last part: they want to win. But nonetheless, I see things that could turn into potential flaws.
Jerry Reinsdorf, I’m not doing anything this summer if you’re looking for interns and if you appreciate what I have to say.
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5 Teams Standing in Way of Chicago Bulls Winning 2011-12 NBA Championship
The Chicago Bulls are looking like the team to beat at this point in the season.
They have started off 13-3, despite playing only six of those games in Chicago. Their only losses came against the Golden State Warriors, Atlanta Hawks, and Memphis Grizzlies on the road. In each of those game they were sloppy and turned the ball over at least 19 times, something they certainly need to address as the season moves forward.
The Bulls have beaten both the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics on the road, and with reigning NBA MVP Derrick Rose leading their charge this year, they have the potential to bring an NBA championship back to Chicago for the first time since the Jordan era.
Chicago has the second-highest scoring differential in the league at +8.523 trailing only the surprising Philadelphia 76ers (+14.92). They average more rebounds than any other team (45.8 per game, a +8.7 differential), allow the fewest points (85.0), and are fourth in blocks per game (6.13).
The starting five for Chicago was solid last year, leading the team to an NBA best 62-20 record before losing to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, and the additional of Richard Hamilton makes them even more dangerous this year.
The question is, who will get in Chicago’s way in its pursuit of its championship rings this year?
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Boston Celtics: How Celtics Will Return to Championship Contention
Prior to this season, analysts questioned whether the Boston Celtics had enough firepower for one more championship run. ESPN analysts suggested the Celtics needed a injury-free season with a few breaks to contend for one last title.
The season has not gone according to plan: Jeff Green, the Celtics’ best player off the bench, has a heart condition that will sideline him for the season, and Paul Pierce started the season with a nagging heel injury. After 11 games, the Celtics stand at 4-7 and would not make the playoffs if the season ended today. After a loss to the young Indiana Pacers, coach Doc Rivers questioned the conditioning of his players, running more intense practices in an attempt to get his players in shape. Rivers’ tactics may work, but his choice to run intense practice suggests the Celtics are already falling behind in a season in which they cannot afford to do so.
While the Celtics will claw their way back to a playoff spot, the Celtics cannot keep up with the East’s elite anymore, and it will be difficult for the Celtics to contend for their 18th championship. While the Celtics may not contend for the championship this year, the Celtics will not bottom out, and there is reason to believe the Celtics will be a contender in the East in the near future.
The Celtics backcourt is still one of the best in the league. Rajon Rondo is a fantastic point guard, averaging more than 10 assists per game and averaging the most points per game of his career this year (14.6). While there is speculation that Rondo is not a franchise player, he is constantly improving his game and will man the PG position admirably for Boston in the coming years.
At shooting guard, the Celtics have Ray Allen, who, at 36, is playing the most efficient basketball of his career. While his points averages are down, he is shooting over 52 percent and a ridiculous 58 percent from three-point range. ESPN often praises Allen’s incredible conditioning, and it appears as though he can hold down the SG position for a few more years.
The Celtics frontcourt is weaker than those of the elite teams, but still packs a punch. The captain, Pierce, missed the first four games of the season with a heel injury, and the Celtics lost all four games. When he returned, the Celtics won four games. This turnaround speaks to Pierce’s importance to the Celtics. His stats are down this year, but Pierce still leads this team with respectable stats for a small forward. Pierce is under contract for another two seasons and will most likely play out his contract pretty well and retire as one of the Celtics’ best players.
The last member of the Big Three, Kevin Garnett, appears to be nearing the end of his career. His averages are also down, and while he still anchors the Celtics defense he has mentioned he may retire after this season. Assuming he retires, the Celtics will have to replace him in the upcoming offseason. The center position for the Celtics is the biggest question mark on the team. Jermaine O’Neal is the starter, but he cannot play a starter’s minutes anymore, and he may also retire after this season.
The Celtics bench is not as cohesive as in past years, but there are several serviceable role players on the bench. Brandon Bass has been a significant upgrade over Big Baby Davis as the first big man off the bench, and the Celtics will likely try to retain his services either as a stop-gap to the next starting PF or as the next starting PF. Greg Stiemsma has been a nice surprise for Boston as a backup big man. The former D-League Defensive Player of the Year leads the team in blocks and looks to be a nice piece for the Celtics moving forward.
Also, Purdue rookies E’Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson will be on the team for the next few years, but they have not played enough to carve out roles and Rivers does not play rookies much, meaning they will likely have to wait until next year to establish themselves.
The Celtics roster may not be the best in the league, but there are pieces in place for a championship roster.
The Celtics need a starting PF, C and another bench player or two to return to contention. Luckily for the Celtics, they have the Clippers‘ first-round pick in the next draft along with their own. The Clippers and Celtics’ picks will both likely end up in high teens or low 20s. While that may not have provided a lot of value in last year’s draft, this draft class is considered to be extremely strong because players stayed in school because of the impending lockout.
The Celtics have two options with their picks, they can either use the picks to shore up their frontcourt with players, or they could trade their picks up for a better prospect, like Andre Drummond, Perry Jones, or Anthony Davis. The Celtics are in a good position to take advantage of a strong draft class. While Rivers may not play the Celtics pick or picks the first year, they will work their way into the rotation when Rondo is in his prime and Allen and Pierce will still be solid players.
After the draft, the Celtics can turn to free agency for more answers. The Celtics will have close to $50,000,000 coming off the books next season, allowing them to sign several great players. While the Celtics may not have a chance at Dwight Howard, they could attempt to sign players like JaVale McGee and Kevin Love to stay in contention for another title. McGee may not want to stay in Washington due to its recent struggles, and while Minnesota would love to keep Love, the Celtics will surely extend an offer to the blossoming All-Star.
If the Celtics do not cash in on this year’s free-agent class, their record will surely suffer next year, but perhaps it will drop enough for the Celtics to get a top draft pick and spend more on free agents the next offseason.
Boston’s Big Three have had a fantastic run in Boston, turning a struggling Celtics team into a perennial championship contender. While their run may be over, there is reason to believe the Celtics will stay relevant in the coming years.
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Indiana Hoosiers: The Road to a Big Ten Championship
With nearly a quarter of the Big Ten schedule out of the way—and IU going 3-1 in the first four games—things are looking nothing but gravy for the Hoosiers.
Most fans and experts didn’t give Indiana a shot at winning the Big Ten. After the season they have had so far, that goal is not far out of reach.
If Indiana can continue to progress and play basketball as a team like they have been, in March, Coach Crean and his guys could be looking at a really good seed for the big dance.
On my recent visit with Mason in the morning on 1450 The Sports Buzz in Louisville, I proclaimed how well they’re playing and how the impact of Cody Zeller has changed the landscape of this team.
There aren’t many guys in the college basketball world who make a coach go, “hmmm.” Zeller is one of those guys. He demands attention from the defense, and if you put too much attention on him, then he hits one of his teammates for the open jumper.
I’m here to tell you why IU will bring home the Big Ten Championship this year. I’m already sold, and now I’m going to make you buy a ticket to the IU run to Big Ten glory.
Let’s start with this list of players.
Team 1
P1-12.9 pts per game, 83% FT shooter, 3 reb
P2-10.1 pts per game, 73% FT shooter, 2 reb
P3-15.9 pts per game, 73% FT shooter, 9 reb
P4-8.1 pts per game, 57% FT shooter, 4 reb
P5-7.8 pts per game, 54% FT shooter, 4 reb
Team 2
P1-11.4 pts per game, 66% FT shooter, 5 reb
P2-10.7 pts per game, 71% FT shooter, 3 reb
P3-12.3 pts per game, 86% FT shooter, 2 reb
P4-14.2 pts per game, 74% FT shooter, 6 reb
P5-13.5 pts per game, 76% FT shooter, 5 reb
Team 3
P1-15.4 pts per game, 86 % FT shooter, 4 reb
P2-17.4 pts per game, 75% FT shooter, 9 reb
P3-8.1 pts per game, 67% FT shooter, 3 reb
P4-15.3 pts per game, 72% FT shooter, 4 reb
P5-5.2 pts per game, 47% FT shooter, 4 reb
What you have here is the Top Five scoring players for three Big Ten teams. Team one has four guys who are starters and the fifth player who actually averages more minutes then the guy who starts in his position.
Team two has four starters in there, plus a bench player who plays nearly half a game each night out. Team three has all of its starters right there in that list.
So now the question is you’re given a chance to pick a squad to run a game at your local open gym. Who do you take? You think about that one and we will come back to it later in the story.
Hard-nosed Basketball
Most basketball fans have to know that the Big Ten has always been a league where going on the road is tough. Anyone can lose on any given day.
The Big Ten is hard-nosed basketball, where you fight it out almost every game you play. Blowouts are rare, but happen. Scoring isn’t always up there in numbers, but you get some run away games like we seen the other night with Michigan State demolishing Iowa.
Something Indiana does that I think is giving them the edge and will continue to is that that they score points and still play solid defense. They have a scoring margin of +18.6. They average 82.4 points per game while allowing 63.8.
The only team better then them is Ohio State.
IU has already taken one from the Buckeyes. To me, that was a gigantic conference win. In the end, will be part of the reason they win conference. Indiana is the only Big Ten team to be in the Top 25 for scoring offenses—something that will continue to carry them for the rest of the season.
When you can consistently put up big points and play that solid defense, you give yourself some breaking room. There are going to be nights where you just can’t hit the ocean from a battleship. It happens, teams go cold and they can’t find the groove.
Now, in the case of IU, they have that 18 points to play with. If Zeller or Hulls comes out in a game and can’t get it going—but can continue to play the defense they do—IU will find a way to win.
What I’m trying to say is the Hoosiers take care of both ends. A lot of times you see a team that can light up the scoreboard, but can’t play two licks of defense. So, sure, you can put 80 on the board, but you also give up 80, which in turns make you .500 ball club.
Indiana, however, does not and will not fall under that rule this year. They’re too solid on both ends.
Who Did You Take?
Earlier you saw three team lineups that I picked. Who did you take?
If you said you would run with the first team, then you’re looking at Michigan State. If you said give the third squad, then you’re a Buckeye. If you said that second team, then put on your candy cane warm-up pants because you’re looking at what Indiana does on average.
Indiana is the only team in the Big Ten to have five players averaging at least 10 points.
You can look at that a couple ways: They shoot to much, they are the only guys who score points, they are a balanced offense….and so on.
The answer is they are a balanced offense. Besides the guys listed above, IU also has two guys that average at least eight points a game. I still don’t have Matt Roth or Derek Elston in those seven players. If you remember, Matt Roth just dropped 22 on Penn State.
Sure, he may not average a lot, but he can if needed.
Back to the point of all these numbers. My point is Indiana has depth and they are not afraid to go to the bench to get it. Will Sheehey is a bench player who averages 11 points a game.
In the Big Ten, you’re going to have to gut out some games. Coach Crean knows that in game situations he can call on a lot of those bench guys to step right in. This is a major benefit for this team.
What Indiana is doing—and I’ve stressed this before—is playing team basketball. There is no player on that team that demands the ball. They are unselfish and willing to make the extra pass.
You won’t find that to often in this sport. Guys want the ball and want to be the superstar.
Indiana doesn’t care who hits the shot as long as it goes in. When you’re passing the ball and taking care of it late in the games, you wear down your opponent.
When you watch IU you can see that’s part of the plan for them. Run the offense and make the extra pass. Make the defense work!
What Indiana Brings to the Table
Indiana also hits free throws. Remember back a few years when all Memphis had to do was hit free throws and they probably would have won the title?
The importance of being able to grab free points goes beyond just beating into the head of the player. They know they have to shoot and make them.
Indiana is in the Top 15 in attempts as well. They know how to get to the lane. It’s a bit surprising to think they are in the Top 15 considering you see them shoot a lot.
Don’t be fooled though! They are second in the Big Ten, shooting 73 percent as a team and are ranked 50th in the college hoop world. Come crunch time, this team will be ready to get to the line.
They have five guys who averaging getting to the line at least four times a game. That’s 20 possible points that can go on the scoreboard!
Indiana brings a lot to the table each night. These are just a few of the key stats I believe will lead them to a championship.
They may not be the most important stats to some, but they are stats and game situations that are run into every night.
If IU continues to strive in these categories, they should continue to have success in the Big Ten. Come March, the Hoosiers can get those shoes shined ’cause they will be dancing!
Got a question or comment? Chances are I’ll use it down the line. Shoot me a note at Bizzy1450@yahoo.com or on Twitter @ BillBiz22
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Chicago Bulls: Is This Year’s Roster Good Enough to Make the NBA Championship?
Yes, they are. Will they? That remains to be seen, obviously.
The Bulls were definitely good enough to win the Eastern Conference Finals last season, but due to a few mistakes and the overall exhaustion and injury of the team, the hated Heat became the team slated to lose to the long overdue Mavericks. This year is a different story, however, due to a few factors that were not present last season.
The roster, even with the losses of Kurt Thomas and Keith Bogans, returns ten players and the franchise has added Jimmy Butler and Rip Hamilton with some fresh rookie talent and some proven veteran speed. With that, the Bulls addressed pressing needs for a potentially solid backup to Luol Deng and the two spot, as someone consistent for Derrick Rose to pass the ball to, who could help him out running the break and moving around the floor.
The nine regulars and these two new faces all have the potential to contribute big numbers on any given night and to have 11 of them on the same team means the Bulls are primed for a big playoff run. In addition, with this depth, Rose does not need to put the team on his back every night. This reduces his chance of injury because he will not be slashing to the hoop and going to ground hard every few plays. He can therefore carry the Bulls to a championship and they definitely have the talent to win one at this stage.
That being said, they still need to get past the favored Heat. There are some signs of hope here, as the Heat have struggled late in games with LeBron James and Chris Bosh unable to perform consistently in clutch situations. This bodes well for the Bulls because Rose’s drive to win appears to have increased, if that were even possible. In addition, despite offseason moves, the Heat are nowhere near as deep as the Bulls, where the third-string point guard, John Lucas III, can put up 25 points and eight assists, as seen on Jan. 11 against John Wall and the Wizards.
On the overall roster, the Bulls have the ability to score in a variety of different ways, with the clutch Rose slashing to the hoop, drawing fouls, and sporting a more confident outside shot. Kyle Korver, when hot, can put up 16-18 points in a hurry. Carlos Boozer averages 50 percent from the field and around 14 points per game.
And Deng, arguably the most underrated forward in the league, is good for another 14-15 consistent points. And those numbers do not even include the bench, where, according to Hoop Stats, the Bulls are third in the league in bench point differential, boasting a plus-12.9 efficiency difference over opponents.
In addition to these offensive stats, Chicago is second in the league in points allowed, giving up only 86 points per game. With the defensive strategies employed by Tom Thibodeau, there is scant reason to pick against the Bulls on any given night.
A prime example of this is the Jan. 6 win at Orlando, where Joakim Noah played single-coverage against Dwight Howard all night. This forced the rest of the roster to play one-on-one against the Bulls and Chicago’s depth and defensive skill at every position, thanks to Thibodeau, outlasted the Magic.
With Derrick Rose’s ability and leadership, Tom Thibodeau’s strong and consistent strategic coaching and the depth and quality of the entire roster, the Bulls are good enough to make the NBA Championship. But like I said, whether they can keep up this hot 10-2 start and win the Big One remains to be seen.
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Is This the Aging Boston Celtics’ Last Realistic Chance at a Championship?
Looking at this Boston Celtics starting lineup, you see a lot of familiar names from the team’s days of being defensively dominant perennial championship contenders. Then you look at the ages of the players and you wonder: could this be Boston’s last chance at a title?
The answer to the question is quite simply no, but not in the way you might think. The last realistic chance at a title has actually come and gone, and this Celtics team is nothing more than a middle-of-the-road playoff team who will be doing well to make it out of the first round.
The Big Three is no longer the powerful force they once were. With the emergence of the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat as powerhouses in the East, there is just no realistic possibility of the Celtics making a run at the title or even making it past a playoff series with either of those teams, barring multiple freak injuries or a sheer stroke of luck for Boston.
It’s probably more reasonable to say that the Celtics weren’t even realistic contenders last season than to say that they are contenders to reach the Finals or win a title this year.
After the trade of Kendrick Perkins last year, the Celtics put their faith in either Shaquille O’Neal or Jermaine O’Neal being able to carry the load, opting for the addition of some youth to the bench with Jeff Green. As we all saw, neither one of those two older centers were able to produce as much as the Celtics needed, and they were dispatched in five by the Heat. They looked completely outmatched the entire way, despite Rajon Rondo sacrificing life and limb (almost literally) to try to get the Celtics through to the Conference Finals.
Now we head into a shortened season, where the senior-citizen Celtics will have to play back-to-back games several times during the year on the aging legs of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Jermaine O’Neal. Allen has pretty much been able to keep his production right around where it’s always been and Rondo remains an NBA star, but Pierce and Garnett are shells of what they once were in Boston’s real title runs.
Sure, Boston has gotten some quality minutes from some surprise players this year, like Greg Stiemsma and Brandon Bass, but a supporting cast can only take you so far if your stars aren’t good enough or can’t stay healthy.
The Celtics will play out this season and are good enough to finish better than the .500 record they have now. They will likely get a seed somewhere between three and six, possibly win their first-round series, then Garnett and Allen will lose to Chicago or Miami in their last games in green and white.
After this season, things will get very interesting. This team will have to develop around a new set of players, and who knows what Danny Ainge will do with an almost entirely blank slate?
That’s a story for another day, so for now enjoy watching the Big Four ride into the sunset, but keep your expectations very low.
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