by McDwyane on Sun Mar 18, 2007 12:59 pm
NBA PLAYOFFS
Western Conference
Dallas Mavericks
The Mavs are on a tear and became the first team in NBA history to fashion three different winning streaks of at least 12 games in the same season. Definitely, they’ve come out feistier, smarter and used the sting of losing last year’s finals to their advantage. Although they look headed to the big dance again, they still have to get through the rest of the crowded western conference big teams. And that, my friend, is a tall order
Phoenix Suns
Amare Stoudemire had better be at 100 percent now. He says he's close, but really, he's not there yet? How much better can he get? He has been among Phoenix’s most consistent forces. The Suns are horrendous without li’l ol’ Stevie running the point, which only his bolsters his creds vying for his third consecutive MVP trophy
San Antonio Spurs
Recently, the Spurs have looked like their old selves and barely been challenged, exhibiting that cold-blooded precision on both ends of the floor that has been missing all season. Anyone can wax hot on this team, Duncan, Ginobili or Parker plus veteran Robert Horry’s heroics and defensive specialist Bruce Bowen (who can forget his block on Dirk in last year’s Western Conference semifinals?)
Utah Jazz
Utah is strong, just not as strong overall as Dallas and Phoenix in the West. Maybe in a year or two it will be. Andrei Kirilenko has been out with back spasms. And Carlos Boozer has an injured knee. If both return healthy, the Jazz will be a handful in the postseason.
Houston Rockets
There can be little argument that the comeback of greatest significance as NBA teams reunite is Yao Ming's expected return to the Rockets' lineup in March. The Rockets have managed to go 17-8 without him. With Yao, Houston could potentially bump San Antonio down to No. 3 in the All-Texas Standings, stunning as that sounds.
Los Angeles Lakers
Phil Jackson is a minor miracle worker. The talent on this team is hardly All-Star caliber (outside of Kobe Bryant, that is). And the Lakers have had some bad luck on the injury front, losing Lamar Odom, Kwame Brown and Luke Walton for significant portions of the season. Yet they’ve managed to patch up holes here and there and keep the engine running. Jackson has nine championship rings, and yet this might be his best coaching job yet.
Denver Nuggets
Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson still have played only six games together, so it remains a possibility that Denver -- assuming there's finally some clickage between those two between now and late April -- can morph into the proverbial Team No One Wants To Face in the first round.
Los Angeles Clippers
The other L.A. ball team certainly surprised everyone last year but they’re swinging between brilliant and boring this season. The Clippers might get past the first round but with the season-ending injury of Shaun Livingston, it doesn’t look very good for Sam I Am, Elton Brand and company
Eastern Conference
Detroit Pistons
With Dwyane Wade and the defending champs seemingly down for the count, the Pistons may be the Eastern Conference's only hope. And Detroit is looking up for the challenge especially now with Webber replacing Wallace so nicely, albeit with a different skill set, the Pistons are the clear favorite in the Eastern Conference again. They've survived losing their defensive anchor without completely altering their identity, only adding more fuel to the fire that the Pistons are for real.
Cleveland Cavaliers
The East crown is available to the first bidder. That means the Cavs have a shot. It’s not impossible they could reach the NBA Finals, given the East field. But it would take a lot. This could be Cleveland’s year but the season is still long and a lot could depend on the injuries and how their second unit performs
Washington Wizards
Agent Zero is flying but with Caron Butler down and Awntawn Jamison still on the road to recovery, the Wiz kids are in for a long haul down the stretch of the coming months. The rest of the supporting cast has to hunker down for Washington, especially major contributions from centers Brendan Haywood and Etan Thomas if the Wizards are to make it past the second round
Toronto Raptors
Is it a blip on an 82-game schedule or are all those "pay attention to defence" lectures Sam Mitchell and his coaching staff have been preaching finally hitting home? Time will tell, but the Toronto Raptors are heading into the second half playing the best defense they have all season. What the teammates know and what their coaches have been telling them is that mainly offense can win you games. It was primarily the offense that earned them first place in the Atlantic Division.
Chicago Bulls
The Bulls just aren’t mature enough to contend for a title. But you never know. The East is wide open, and if they put together a run in the playoffs they could surprise people and get to the conference or NBA Finals. They were this close last year and with D-Wade out, it’s anybody’s ball game
Indiana Pacers
The Pacers already made their big deal with Golden State. They’ve completed their shopping for the season. The Pacers are have won more than lost with the new players, and the team is climbing in the Eastern Conference standings. All Rick Carlisle needs now is to wave his magic wand and get the team to mesh well….Or a good probation officer
Orlando Magic
Orlando is a relatively young team, and as such is more susceptible to the peaks and valleys of the long NBA grind than most, especially when it comes to playing defense. Hill has the experience to keep the kids focused. Remember Darko Milicic? He’s still a bust, but he’s shown improvement in recent weeks. Maybe there’s still hope. Especially since Dwight Howard has been clearing glass and slamming it home like a monster
Miami Heat
Shaquille O'Neal returns for Miami. Then Pat Riley and ... boom! Down goes Dwyane Wade. Now nearly everybody in the East can honestly say they're alive.
Everything seemed to be coming together for the Heat: Miami's record was back at .500 and Pat Riley was back on the bench. But then it all came tumbling down. Wade dislocated his left shoulder and had to be taken off the court in a wheelchair as he fought back tears. This leaves Wade with the decision of opting for surgery now or trying to rehab for to meet his team for the playoffs. That is, if the Heat can even make the playoffs in his absence.
And In Closing……
And in the West, the only team truly out of the mix is Memphis, and maybe Seattle. But there are 13 out of 15 teams within a few games of a playoff spot.
Especially now that Miami is without Dwyane Wade. New York, New Jersey ... heck even the Hawks and Bobcats can start thinking about the postseason. Isiah Thomas can say with a straight face that his Knicks have a great shot at the playoffs. He's not lying. That's how wide open the East is. It gets to the point where you find yourself scoreboard watching before the calendar even hits April.
I thought they were out of it.
