Tag Archive for 'NBA'

Sunday Smattering

Published
by
Chris Iafolla
on July 13, 2008
in MLB, NBA and NFL
. 0 Comments

Due to the inactivity here at “Heard in the Cheap Seats” this would probably be better suited as a 4 Sunday’s Smattering–but we’ll stick with this week for the sake of tradition.

I picked a good week to make my triumphant return with MLB trade season kicking into high gear, NBA free agency, and of course the Brett Favre soap opera.

So here it goes…

Favre Forgoes Retirement (for now): In what has become a yearly ritual, Brett Favre has once again handcuffed the Green Bay Packer organization and sent his loyal fan base into a dizzying frenzy.  The latest word is that the Packers will not honor Favre’s request for unconditional release.  And why should they?

I have great respect for what Brett Favre has been able to accomplish both as a football player and as a person.  However, this constant waffling has to stop.  He owes it to the fan base that dedicated so many years braving the frigid Green Bay winters to watch him play.  He owes it to Aaron Rodgers.  Most importantly, he owes it to an organization that was home to his storied career.

Brett: do us all a favor and have a little bit of conviction in your decisions.  It’s the least you can do.

Monkey See, Monkey Do in NL Central: In a very tight NL Central race, the Brewers and Cubs upped the ante with the additions of C.C. Sabathia to the Brew Crew and Rich Harden to the Cubbies.  With Sabathia and Sheets at the top of the rotation, the Brewers are a formidable bunch.  But does that duo top the pitching prowess of Harden and Zambrano? Each new acquisition comes with an inherent risk–Sabathia’s weight and Harden’s injury-plagued past.  But with enormous upside, these were moves the teams had to make.  From top to bottom, I still think the Cubs’ rotation is deeper and will propel them to the NL Central title.

Brand New Sixer: As a Sixers fan, this was my favorite story line of the week.  It what may turn out to be one of the biggest free-agent coups in recent memory, the Sixers nabbed Elton Brand from Hollywood when he appeared destined to five more year of Clipper futility.  Earlier this year, I wrote about how the Sixers had many of the building blocks in place to build a championship team, but that they lacked the ability to score in the half court set.  The move to acquire Brand immediately solves that need and provides some much needed front-court toughness.  Will the Sixers contend in 2009?  Probably not.  But with a dead-eye shooter and a year more maturity, 2010 is looking pretty promising.

NBA Finals: Game 4

Published
by
Anthony Iafolla
on June 12, 2008
in NBA
. 0 Comments

Even though a cloud of suspicion regarding NBA officiating has been cast over the NBA Finals, Game 4 will take place tonight in Los Angeles.  Just like in Game 3, tonight is a must win situation for the Lakers.  If the Lakers lose tonight, they put themselves in a position to have to win 3 games in a row, two of which would be in Beantown.  The feeling out portion of this series is over with.  No more real surprises or gimmicks.  It now comes down to good old fashioned execution.  Up until this point, all that has taken place is both teams have won on their home floor.  Tuesday night was the first game that the Lakers played with aggression, and at times it was not pretty, but they came out on top thanks to a stellar performance by Kobe Bryant.  I believe that this series will go the distance.  I heard J.A. Adande say something on the radio that I agreed with one hundred percent.  He said that he felt that the Lakers best effort would beat the Celtics best effort, but that he didn’t feel the Celtics, with their defensive pressure, would allow the Lakers to have their best effort.  This is where it gets fun.  Now we have a series on our hands ladies and gentlemen.  The bright lights and pressure of the NBA Finals will be much more intense starting tonight, which could lead to some classic games.  I can sit here and break down every key component of this match-up, but I won’t.  If you have watched the games, you already know what both teams need to do in order to be victorious.  What I will be watching is which players perform under the pressure.

There is something about pressure in sports that is so compelling.  Legends are made by those moments when an athlete rises above the pressure.  These next few games will either make legends or leave certain players with the undesirable stigma of choking under pressure.  There have been many great players whose careers have been altered by these moments.  This series will alter the careers of a few great players.  I include Kobe Bryant in this mix, along with Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce.  Kobe already has 3 rings and a legacy, but none of those rings came without Shaq.  He now has his chance.  Garnett, Pierce, and Ray Allen, depending on how they perform starting tonight can either cement their own legacies or fall under the category of great players who never rose above the pressure.  There are going to be points in tonight’s game and the remaining games to follow where we may see a player rise above or cave under.  We will know it when it happens.  The body language, the look in the eyes, the desire, the ability to have no fear even in the face of failing will all be things to look for. I cannot wait for these moments.  I cannot wait to see legends made, and at the same time legacies tarnished.

NBA Finals: Lessons Learned from Game One

Published
by
Chris Iafolla
on June 7, 2008
in NBA
. 1 Comment

On Thursday night, the long-awaited NBA finals match up finally took its rightful place at the center of the sports universe. And if you examine what transpired in Game 1, there are a few subtle and not-so-subtle lessons that are evident and might impact how the remainder of this series plays out.
Lesson 1: Rajon Rondo Not Awestruck

Coming into this series, I believed this would be the primary factor in determining the Celtics success in the series. Reason being, you have a pretty good idea that you will get approximately 60 points out of the big three every night, but somewhere along the line you need to find an additional 30-40 points to win ballgames. In Game 1, the big three combined for 65 points. Tack on the 15 that Rondo scored and it is easy to see why the Celtics came away with a W. But more telling than the 15 points in my mind was the mere two turnovers. If he is able to keep that turnover rate steady for the remainder of the series, the Celtics will be in good shape–regardless of how many points he scores.

Lesson 2: Doc Still Hasn’t Learned his Lesson

Quietly, the skepticism in Boston regarding Doc Rivers’ coaching prowess grew from a barely audible whisper to a full-fledged buzz. What Doc Rivers needs to realize is that his best coaching asset is pulling back on the coaching. He is over thinking this game and it shows in his rotation. With the extended TV breaks in the playoffs, there is no reason Sam Cassell should be getting 13 minutes. None. It worked out this time around, but Boston’s resident ET has a tendency to kill any semblance of flow an offense manages to create. If he continues to get these kinds of minutes, Doc better be prepared for the fallout in the Boston media.

Lesson 3: Kobe Continues to Look for Teammates Early

Throughout the season and the playoffs, Kobe has been lauded for his willingness to involve teammates early in the game. I had some doubts that this would continue once the allure of the NBA crown was in sight. But if Game 1 is any indication, Kobe is content to involve his teammates early and look to take over late in the game. In Game 2, look for Kobe to ditch this strategy and come out of the gates strong with a solid first quarter. Kobe will not let his team leave Boston without a split.

Lesson 4: Defense Will Decide

This isn’t exactly a startling revelation. After all, how many times have we heard: “defense wins championships?” As tired as the cliché is, it probably was never more evident than in Game 1 of this series. Offensively, these two teams are pretty evenly matched. Defensively, the Celtics clearly outclass the Lakers. Defense is nothing more than a will to commit and right now, the Celtics have that will. Kobe is a world-class defender; I look for him to set the tone for the remainder of the series. In addition, don’t be surprised if Ronny Turiaf starts to get a slight increase in playing time due to the energy and defensive ability he brings to the floor. He might be the only player the Lakers have that can match the intensity and energy of Kevin Garnett.

Lesson 5: Lakers Will Win This Series

Bet you didn’t see that one coming did ya? With the Celtics winning Game 1, it wouldn’t seem logical to come away with the conclusion that the Lakers will win this series. But, the Lakers showed they are quite capable of winning a game in Boston. You can bet that Kobe will not score 24 points again in this series; in fact, I might even venture to say he won’t score fewer than 30. In addition, I don’t think we continue to see 15 a night out of Rondo. While the Celtics certainly took care of business on their home floor, they did not do enough to sway me from my original belief that the Lakers would win this series. That being said, Game 2 is a must win for LA.

End of an Era?

Published
by
Chris Iafolla
on May 30, 2008
in NBA
. 0 Comments

As my brother so astutely pointed out in the previous post, what seemed a forgone conclusion in recent days came to fruition last night when Kobe and the Lakers put the proverbial nail in the coffin.  In the end, youth and energy trumped savvy and experience.  Bellyache all you want about non-calls, conspiracy theories and injury problems–it doesn’t change the fact that the Lakers simply were the better team and proved it emphatically.

So for the first time in eight years, we will watch an NBA championship that does not contain men by the name of Duncan or O’Neal.  So the question then becomes, did we just witness the end of an era–both in the sense of the closing of the window on the Spurs dynasty and the era of big men dominance in the NBA?

Each point warrants its own examination (and potentially its own post) so let’s take them one at a time.

The Spurs:

Call it what you want: dynasty, prolonged success, it really doesn’t matter, it’s impossible to deny the success of the Spurs over the last decade.  This is a team that has won four championships during that time and has been a legitimate contender every year.  But their demise this year felt a bit different didn’t it?  This is a team that has never been shy about finishing games that seem to be out of reach–something they failed to do twice in this series with the Lakers.  More than that, the Spurs seemed to be outworked and out willed, something I have never seen happen in my time watching the current variation of the Spurs.  Part of that is a result of simply running up against Kobe Bryant.  Say what you want about him, but the man can play.  He wasn’t going to let his team leave the Staples Center without a Western conference title.

So was this the end of the Spurs?  Are they finally too old?  Is Tim Duncan no longer able to carry a team?  Has the wear of a decade’s worth of extended seasons finally taken its toll?  If you looked at this past series in a vacuum, the temptation would be to write off the Spurs next year.  That would be a mistake.  This is a team that has its entire core group of players signed for at least the next two seasons.  Sure, Tim Duncan might be on the decline, but he isn’t finished yet.  A quick injection of youth and athleticism will have the Spurs right back in the thick of the race next season and possibly one more beyond that.  Let’s not  make this one series out to be more than it is for the sake of manufacturing some drama.

The Fall of the Big Man:

This question is a little bit tougher to answer.  Slowly but surely over the past decade, the NBA has been methodically moving to a different brand of basketball that favors athleticism and agility over size and strength.  It started with the European invasion.

When Europeans began entering this league in bunches, they brought with them a brand of basketball that favored a broad set of skills over specialty players.  Players like Toni Kukoc, Detlef Shrempf, Arvydas Sabonis and Sarunas Marciulionis typified this brand of basketball.  Over time, this philosophy had a trickle effect across the league and as players like Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing and David Robinson retired–the face of the game looked quite different.

But even in recent years, teams with dominant big men have gone on to win titles (with the notable exception of the Detroit Pistons).  This is probably why teams continue to put a premium on size by drafting Greg Oden and Andrew Bynum with number one picks.  This year is different.  Whatever team wins this year will do so without a traditional dominant big man (apologies to Gasol and Garnett).

I would contend that this year’s NBA playoffs have been a microcosm of the shift that has been taking place over the past few years-the game is moving toward a more guard-dominated league.

Now I know the next argument: the Suns tried the small ball approach and abandoned it in favor of adding the traditional big man to the mix.  To that I would say: “yea, how’d that turn out?”  The Suns abandoned the small ball approach–not the guard dominated approach.  There is a significant difference.  The Suns’ offense was based on the premise that a shot had to go up in seven seconds or less.  Ultimately, this created a tempo of basketball ill-suited for the playoffs and for teams that could impost a physical presence.

As players like Deron Williams, Chris Paul, Lebron James, Dwayne Wade and next year, Derek Rose continue to emerge, you will see teams grow more comfortable with the idea of a guard dominated team.  If this most recent playoffs was any indication, you better get used to the idea, because it’s already here.

Random Thoughts

Published
by
Anthony Iafolla
on May 1, 2008
in Other
. 3 Comments

First I would like to apologize for not writing anything in over a week.  I was on the shelf with a hand injury.  My status has been upgraded to questionable this week.  Not a chance I am sitting out.  I was brainstorming ideas earlier today, and I had so many different ones, that I decided to hold off on them and just write a bunch of random thoughts I’ve had in the world of sports, and possibly more.  Wow!  That was a run on sentence if I have ever seen one.  Screw it, I was not an English major.  Of course, I had no major what so ever.  And now…deep thoughts by Anthony Iafolla…

 At least the Hawks and Sixers made their first round series against the Celts and Pistons somewhat interesting.  I was definitely surprised to see the Hawks step up in games 3 and 4. 

I love Charles Barkley!  He is more entertaining to watch on TNT than most of what is on television these days.  I think Ernie Johnson might snap one day, but until then…Give me as many Barkley rants as you can.  Priceless!

Flopping in the NBA must go.  That Kirilenko flop and subsequent foul call at the end of Game 2 was ridiculous.  We might be getting to the point where it becomes like a soccer game.  I am waiting to see a stretcher come out on the court when a player flops and acts like he was shot. 

Good job by the Denver Nuggets!  Way to make the Lakers earn their first round playoff win.  Seriously guys, you are allowed to put a hand in the face of a jump shooter. 

Can it be any more obvious what David Stern wants?  Lakers and Celtics finals.  Ratings through the roof.  He cost the Suns their series against the Spurs last year, but there was no way he was going to suspend Garnett for shoving an official.  Do you think Allen Iverson  would have gotten away with that? 

Speaking of the Suns…I was way off on my prediction.  Nope.  They are not going to be playing in the NBA Finals.  I would like a mulligan.  Actually, I will just say that I felt the winner of that series was coming out of the West.  The Spurs keep on winning. 

Maybe Larry brown jumped back into the coaching pool too soon.  With the Mavs, possibly the Suns and other teams in need of a coach he jumped at the Charlotte job.  Now he is working for MJ.  Greatest player ever, possibly worst ever at building a team. 

Hubie Brown scares me.  He looks like a character out of a horror movie.  A zombie movie to be more precise. 

Every time I hear Marv Albert call a game, I can’t  help but think of the infamous biting incident. 

Good to see teams like the Orioles and Rays playing good baseball.  Even if it will not result in anything by the end of the season. 

Anybody else noticed how it seems like the average velocity of pitchers is down?…I wonder how that could be.  It wasn’t just the hitters juicing it up folks.

 I love the NFL Draft, but I was getting close to losing my mind if I had to watch anymore analysis from Mel Kiper Jr., Todd McShay and all the NFL Live guys.  Literally they talked about the draft for 3 months straight.  It was the same crap!  Really?…Darren McFadden has off the field concerns?  Where have I heard that?  Oh man!  The Falcons need a quarterback?  I didn’t know.  Oh wait.  I did.  Because you told me that the last 97 days!  Enough. 

I hope Roger Goodell reinstates Pacman Jones so I can enjoy seeing the Cowboys implode and watch Jerry Jones’ face melt even more. 

If Jerry Jones and Joan Rivers had a child, would that child be able to move its face?

 LeBron James is nowhere near Michael Jordan.  He carried the Cavs against the Pistons last year and had one of the greatest fourth quarters in playoff history, but many times when the game comes down to one shot in Lebron’s hands, that shot clangs off the rim. 

Reality TV sucks!  (Sorry Joelle)  I was flipping through the channels today, and I came across some show on MTV with these guys who are all vying to go out with one girl.  I sat there and watched for about 30 seconds thinking…”Are these people serious?”  Not to mention they can never live it down.  I have never seen people acting like bigger douchebags crammed into such a short period of time. 

Looks like we will not be getting anything resembling a playoff in college football anytime soon.  Too much money the way it is set up now.  Plus, watching a crappy Illinois team go against USC was so much better than USC against Georgia would have been. 

Gotta love Josh Howard!  You can’t make this stuff up.  I actually think he should try smoking weed during the season since he claims he does not.  His performance this year sure seemed like he was stoned.  Maybe he would play better high.  Kind of like when people say “I drive better when I’m drunk.”…And by the way, where is Sam Perkins?  Because he can get Josh Howard the good stuff. 

Listening to baseball on the radio on a beautiful sunny day when its announced by the Vin Scully’s and Harry Kalas’ of the world is better than watching it on TV.  Painting the picture like the old-timers did is a lost art form. 

I cannot believe David Stern wants to expand the NBA into Europe.  To me, this might be the worst idea he has ever had. 

Bold prediction: Chris Long will be a hall of famer just like his father. 

I have more random thoughts but I need to go ice my hand.  I could go on and on, but I would not subject you to that.  Thanks for reading this jumbled mess of a column

Early Returns on NBA Playoffs Are Solid

Published
by
Chris Iafolla
on April 21, 2008
in NBA
. 4 Comments

It happens often: sporting events are hyped up so much that it is near impossible for them to live up to the high expectations. With every columnist and blogger on the planet (including the two here) flinging hyperbole on the potential of these playoffs, the stars seemed to be aligning for yet another monumental let down. But if the first set of games was any indication, these playoffs may not disappoint.

Let’s recap the interesting games…

Suns vs. Spurs: Steve Nash didn’t come away with a bloody nose this time around, but the Suns certainly took their fair share of body shots. With the Spurs seemingly on the ropes all day, the Suns failed to deliver the proverbial knockout punch. And like good teams always do, the Spurs just kept scratching and clawing.

This game was the poster child for impossibly high expectations, yet it somehow surpassed even those lofty expectations. The image of Tim Duncan draining his first three of the season to send the game into double OT will be seared in the memory of every Suns fan if they do not find a way to pull this series out and will only add to the growing legacy of Tim Duncan.

Sixers vs. Pistons: Both my brother and I picked the Pistons to beat our Sixers in five, but I don’t think either one of us thought the boys from Philly would march into Motown and steal Game one. Mo Cheeks has the Sixers playing as hard as any team in the league–giving them a chance to win every time they step on the court. Eventually, their inexperience will catch up with them, but mark my words, three years from now when the Sixers are making a run at a title, they will be talking about how THIS series showed them what it means to play at a championship level.

Mavs vs. Hornets: If is even possible, I think we all underestimated how good Chris Paul really is. I was among the many people that felt that Hornets lack of experience would burn them against the battle-tested Mavs. But Chris Paul had other plans. He single-handedly turned that game around and dispelled any ideas that he could not handle playoff-intensity basketball.

Cleveland vs. Washington: With all of the trash talking leading up to the game, you almost knew there would be some sort of altercation, and the Cavs and Wizards did not let us down. Just before halftime, Lebron and Haywood kicked up a bit of skirmish at halftime. Much like a manager getting purposely kicked out in baseball, Lebron gave his team a much needed spark by refusing to be pushed around. The intensity in this series should be fun to watch.

Too often in sports, we manufacture intensity and drama, ultimately cheapening the games themselves. But this time around, the hype seemed to have matched the outcome in the early going. Here’s hoping the rest of the playoffs are as fun as the first set of games.

Playoff Predictions from the Other Brother

Published
by
Chris Iafolla
on April 18, 2008
in NBA
. 1 Comment

So, my brother and I had what we thought would be a brilliant idea–he posts his playoff predictions and then I post mine.  We rarely agree on much, so we figured it would be a good way to document who had the right prediction heading into the playoffs.  But low and behold, after giving Anthony first crack and posting his predictions, it turns out that we think more alike than we knew.  In fact, our picks are so similar that we are forecasting the same Finals series–Suns versus Pistons.  AND….you guessed it, the same winner–the Pistons.

And to echo what Anthony wrote, the current version of the NBA playoffs is shaping up to be one of the best in recent memory.  While I hate both teams, how cool is it that the Lakers and Celtics sit atop each of their respective conferences?  For me, it harkens back the glory days of the NBA.  Adding more drama to the mix, the West is a hodge podge of teams with a chance to win.  It is parity at its greatest.  With the exception of the Nuggets, I honestly would not be surprised to see any team come out of the West.

Without further adieu, I will give you my version of Playoff Predictions, which is not much different than my brother’s.

Atlanta vs. Boston: Not much to say here more than was already stated–Celts in a sweep.  Sorry Josh Smith, you will not be “shocking the world.”

Philadelphia vs. Detroit: Again, the key points have been covered.  The Sixers are an up and coming team, but they are a couple of years a way from being able to compete with the Pistons of the world.  Detroit in 5.

Toronto vs. Orlando: I think this series will be a lot closer and more exciting than my brother thinks it will be, but in the end, the Magic win in 7.

Cleveland vs. Washington: Anthony stole a bit of my thunder here, so see below for a full explanation–Cleveland in 6.

Lakers vs. Denver: The Nuggets are a frustrating team.  If they could play an ounce of defense, they have the offensive firepower to beat any team.  Problem is, the rely solely on their offense and have thrown the concept of defense out the window entirely.  I do think the Nuggets will make this interesting, winning 2 games.  Lakers in 6.

Phoenix vs. San Antonio: Like my brother said, it is a shame this series is so early in the playoff.  My hunch?  Whoever wins this series comes out of the West.  This series provides one of the most interesting story lines of the playoffs.  The Suns acquired Shaq for one reason during the season–to match up with Tim Duncan.  To add to the drama, the Spurs bounced the Suns from the playoffs last year in a series that resembled a hockey game more than basketball.  The difference this year is that the Suns will not be pushed around.  With Shaq, they have the physical presence to match up with the Spurs.  Suns in 6.

Dallas vs. New Orleans: Here is where my brother and I part ways.  The Mavs are playing with a purpose and level of effort they have not been able to match all season long.   While the Mavs have been here before, the Hornets have not.  I think over the course of a long playoff-intensity series, Jason Kidd will physically wear down Chris Paul.  Mavs in 6.

Rockets vs. Jazz: The Jazz simply do not get bounced early in the playoffs.  Jazz in 5.

That takes us through the first round, now let’s see if it lives through the hype.

Sunday Smattering

Published
by
Chris Iafolla
on March 9, 2008
in College Sports, MLB, NBA and NFL
. 0 Comments

A smattering of sports nuggets from the week:

The top story of the past week has to be the retirement of Brett Favre. As I wrote here earlier in the week, Favre brought a passion to the game of football that will be sorely missed. That passion was again on display during his press conference. It is those times and that passion we will sorely miss.

The NBA’s Image Problem

Published
by
Chris Iafolla
on February 24, 2008
in NBA
. 0 Comments

A recent article in ESPN The Magazine discussed the image problem faced by the NBA.  It was a fascinating article that warrants closer consideration.

Overwhelmingly, the NBA consistently ranked last in various public polls such as: “What league would you prefer your daughter marry a player from?” and “What is your general impression of each league?”  Dead last in virtually every poll.

This is an astonishing revelation.  The NBA is clearly facing an image crisis-but should it be?  The league certainly has had its fair share of problems (think: Kobe Bryant and the brawl at Auburn Hills) but the sheer number of incidences pale in comparison to the issues faced by the other two major professional sports leagues.  Major League Baseball is riddled with a drug problem with the two greatest players of this generation allegedly leading the charge.  In the NFL, drugs also run rampant.  Players like Pacman Jones and Michael Vick and scandals such as Spygate have left the league reeling.  So why then do we hold onto this belief that the NBA is a bunch of thugs?

The easy answer is race.  But it is not that simple.  The NFL has nearly the same ratio of black players as the NBA, yet it does not suffer from the same image problem.  So while the NBA’s image problem does stink of a general sentiment of racism in this country, it is not the sole factor. 

Perhaps there is an issue of sociology at play here.  NFL players are our modern-day version of gladiators.  We tend to excuse their indiscretions and violent behavior because it is their nature-at least that’s what we tell ourselves.  In baseball, maybe we have become numb to the ongoing questions raised about the game.  The players have routinely turned their collective noses up at the sanctity of the game, yet we still flock to the ballparks in record numbers.

In the end, the NBA is unfairly suffering from an image crisis.  We’d be naïve to think that most of it is not predicated on race.  It is.  But it also has to do with the perceived “hip-hop culture” of the league.  Much of the public cannot identify with the players that favor rap music and baggy pants over country songs and suits.  And with no mask to hide behind like in the NFL, the public feels they know NBA players more intimately than their counterparts in other leagues. 

What does it all boil down to?  As a whole, we have formed an unfair image of NBA players in our minds.  We are entitled to our own opinion, but it should not be shaped by mere speculation.  The facts are all professional sports leagues should be held to a certain standard.  Why then do we continue to ignore that the NBA has largely met that standard while the other two leagues have missed the mark?

Kidd Comes Full Circle

Published
by
Chris Iafolla
on February 16, 2008
in NBA
. 0 Comments

jkidd.jpg

UPDATE: It appears this trade may be dead in the water. Between the bellyaching of Devean of George and the big mouth of Jerry Stackhouse, this deal was doomed from the outset. I’m not sure that is a bad thing for the Mavs. Perhaps the botched trade will serve as a wake-up call to the current team. In the end, it matters little whether this trade goes through or not, the Mavs can’t win the West with or without Kidd.

It appears that Jason Kidd’s continued lobbying has paid off, as a deal is in place to send him to Dallas for a package that is still being sorted out. Details on the imminent trade can be found here.

With Kidd joining the Mavericks, the obvious question is how this impacts the balance of power in the West. The answer is simple: it doesn’t.

Jason Kidd is a phenomenal player who will immediately improve the Mavs. However, he does not provide them with the inside presence needed to compete against the preeminent powers in the West. As the Suns recently admitted by acquiring Shaq, small ball in the NBA rarely prevails. One needs to look no further than the last 9 championships for proof. Eight of those championships were won by a team that had either Tim Duncan or Shaq. The other one was won by a Detroit Pistons team that had an overpowering physical presence in its own right in Ben Wallace.

Few people in this league can run an offense like Jason Kidd. He has a unique ability to make everyone around him better. But in a 7 game series, the Mavs simply cannot match up with the Spurs, Lakers, Suns or possible even the Jazz. So while this is a good move for the Mavs, it won’t put them over the top.