We're off!
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Before we delve into our midseason review of the NBA, we'd like to offer our sincerest condolences to the Campisi family on the loss of Gina, who took her own life last week, at the age of 26. We knew and liked Gina and have a warm regard for the entire family. We don't know exactly what happens in the life after this one, but we pray that the God we pray to finds a place in His heart for her soul and keeps her close to Him.
~~~
On to the NBA:
At midseason things are, well, interesting. The Wizards have been gutted due to gunplay, The Usual Suspects are in fine form and the Nyets may just be the worst team in the history of the league. The All-Star Game was played in our current hometown and with the economy still shaky, the trading deadline was crazybusy.
So, how did we do in our preseason predictions?
First Coach to be Fired
Who we picked: Scott Brooks, OKC
Who it was: Byron Scott, New Orleans Hornets
Comment: OKC is vying for home court and the Bugs have imploded.
Breakout Season Coming From
Who we picked: Greg Oden, Portland Trail Blazers
Status: IR, out for season.
Comment: Two years, two injuries. Is Oden secretly a Clipper.
We Give Up On
Who we picked: Rafer Alston, NJNets
Status: Even the pathetic Nyets gave up on Skip to my Lou; he's now riding the pine on South Beach
Comment: 8.3pts/2.5reb/3.5ast in 49 games with NJN/MIA. Yawn.
We Still Say He's a Star in the Making
Who we picked: Andrea Bargnani, Toronto Raptors
Status: 17.5/6.3/1.1 in 51 games, with a +/- of 17.2
Comment: We'd like to see more boards, but he's developing nicely.
Best Off Season, Team
Who we picked: Orlando Magic
Status: 37-18, 2nd in the Eastern Conference
Comment: Gortat and Bass both sit, Carter is a shadow of Air Canada and they did nothing at the deadline.
Worst Off Season, Team
Who we picked: Minnesota Timberwolves
Status: 13-42, Last in the Western Conference
Comment: Thank God for New Jersey (5-49)
All-Jobless Team Update
PG: Stephon Marbury - Still unemployed. Still insane.
SG: Jerry Stackhouse - signed with Milwaukee Bucks; 6.5/2.4/2.1 in 20.0 minutes per game (13)
SF: Bruce Bowen - Retired
PF: Malik Rose - Studio Analyst, New York Knicks
C: Lorenzen Wright - Unemployed
6th Man: Darius Miles - Unemployed
Coach: Avery Johnson - Studio Analyst, espn
Rookie of the Year
Who we picked: Blake Griffin, LAClippers
Status: IR, out for the season
Comment: Danny Manning, redux?
Playoff Predictions, East
Orlando, Cleveland, Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, Toronto, Miami, Washington
Standings as of the Break: CLE, ORL, BOS, ATL, TOR, CHI, MIA, CHA
Comment: We missed on WAS, but with Flip as their coach and this being LB's second year in CHA, it makes sense.
Playoff Predictions, West
LALakers, Denver, Dallas, Portland, San Antonio, New Orleans, Utah, LAClippers
Standings as of the Break: LAL, DEN, UTA, DAL, S.A., OKC, PHO, POR
Comment: OKC and UTA have surprised, LAC, N.O. have disappointed. Suns will fade.
DEADLINE DEAL GRADES:
As we alluded to, there were an incredible amount of trades made leading up to this year's deadline. How we think everyone came out of it:
Boston -- Picked up Nate Robinson, gave nothing of value up. (B)
Charlotte -- Acquired Tyrus Thomas for a pick. (B)
Chicago -- Dealt John Salmons for a couple of scrubs, in the name of cap space. We generally dislike these kinds of deals, because there is no guarantee anyone will even want the money, as Chicago should know more than anyone. Meantime, they probably just knocked themselves out of the playoffs this season. (D)
Cleveland -- Traded Zydrunas Ilgauskus for Antawn Jamison. Wiz likely to buy Z out and he will return to Cleveland in 30 days. We liked the Stoudamire deal better, but they still improved. (A-)
Dallas -- Aquired Caron Butler and Brendan Heywood for Josh Howard, Drew Gooden. Mavs improved their team, improved their locker room. With subsequent Gooden deal to LAC, it looks like he will not be returning. That hurts. Pulling off a last-minute Dampier for Ilgausjus followup trade would have been perfect. (B)
Houston -- Purged themselves of Sleepy McGrady, picked up Kevin Martin and raped the cap-obsessed Knicks. (A-)
LAC -- Gave up Al Thornton and Marcus Camby for Drew Gooden and cap space. LeBron is not coming, guys. (D)
Memphis -- Acquired Ronnie Brewer for a protected pick. This franchise is putting it together, slowly but surely. (B)
Milwaukee -- Traded garbage, got John Salmons. (yawn) (C)
Minnesota -- Traded for Darko Milicic. Why? (D)
NYK -- If LeBron does not sign with them, they are fucked. With only $9M committed next year in salaries, they are in position to sign LBJ and his Robin of choice. If that happens, this is an A+. If, as we expect, it does not, they will basically be an expansion team, F-. The team was going nowhere this season before the deal and they are going nowhere this season after, so for now, (C).
Philadelphia -- Minor deals that will really have no effect. Should have pulled the trigger on Stoudamire for Iguodala/Dalembert. (C)
Portland -- Traded Steve Blake and Travis Outlaw, acquired Marcus Camby. With their bigs hurt, and Camby a free-agent to be, this was the right deal at the right time. (B+)
Sacramento -- Dealt Kevin Martin for Carl Landry, cap relief. Martin and Tyreke Evans could not mesh, Martin was traded high. Landry is a good fit for SacTo. (C+)
San Antonio -- Minor move for cap room. Why? The needed to make a splash, failed. (D)
Utah -- Dealt Ronnie Brewer for a pick, cap relief. Held on to Carlos Boozer, who screwed over a blind guy. They will regret both. (D-)
Washington -- Traded away three starters (Butler, Heywood and Jamison) and got Josh Howard and Al Thornton. They are clearly rebuilding and as purges go, this was great. But they got neither the picks nor prospects that they should have. (D).
And finally, last time we introduced our Rules for Winning a Championship and detailed each NFL's claims to a title. This week, the NBA. A refresher:
Rule 1: No team should be allowed to make the playoffs in their first ten years of existence and no championships for the first 25.
Rule 2: No team that deserts a loyal fan base should ever be allowed to win a championship. There are exceptions to this rule, whereby a vagabond team is eligible for a title.
--Exception 1: If the team left because of poor attendance and/or support.
--Exception 2: The wronged city has won a championship since the team fled and before the fleeing team has. (Scorned city must always have one more title than new one)
--Exception 3: Everybody's dead. If it has been more than 50 years since the team moved.
--Exception 4: Any city that has stolen another city's team has no claim on desertion should they lose their team.
Rule 3: Any team that has bad fans, as determined by the Committee (of one) -- no championship for you.
Rule 4: The Baltimore Rule: Baltimore stole the Browns. They can never have a title. In anything. Ever.
Rule 5: Any team that does not play where their name indicates is ineligible to win a title.
Rule 6: The Dome Rule: If you play in a room, on a rug, you cannot win a championship.
Rule 7: Any team that plays on a rug and not grass, is ineligible to win a title.
Clearly, rules 6 and 7 do not apply to the Association. That being the case:
Group A, teams that are out:
Charlotte Bobcats -- <25 years old (ineligible until 2029)
Detroit Pistons -- Shame Rule (ineligible until they move to Detroit or rename to Auburn Hills)
Los Angeles Clippers -- Abandoned Buffalo, then San Diego. (ineligible until Donald Sterling sells or dies)
Memphis Grizzlies -- <25 years, abandoned Vancouver (ineligible until 2051 or when Vancouver wins a title, whichever comes first, after they fulfill the 25-year existence requirement, in 2020).
Miami Heat -- <25 years old (eligible for playoffs, ineligible for title until 2013 + 10-year penalty for winning one early [2006], so 2023).
Minnesota Timberwolves -- <25 years old (eligible for playoffs, ineligible for title until 2014)
New Orleans Hornets -- <25 years old, abandoned Charlotte (ineligible until 2052 or when Charlotte wins a title, after fulfilling their 25-year requirement, in 2013).
Oklahoma City Thunder -- Abandoned Seattle (ineligible until 2058 or when Seattle wins a title, whichever comes first).
Orlando Magic -- <25 years (eligible for playoffs; ineligible for title until 2014)
Toronto Raptors -- <25 years (eligible for playoffs; ineligible for title until 2020)
Group B, teams with issues, and our determination:
Atlanta Hawks
Violation: Abandoned Buffalo, Davenport, Iowa (Quad-Cities), Milwaukee and St. Louis.
Mitigation: They were only six years old by the time they left Milwaukee and have been gone from StL for 42 years. Their fans suck though and we can't overlook the wretchedness of the ATL sports nation.
Ruling: Ineligible until 2018
Dallas Mavericks
Violation: Bad fans. Front-runners, the lot of them.
Mitigation: The Mavs were, statistically, the worst team in all of professional sports for the 1990's.
Ruling: As they have had 10+ years of consecutive sellouts, Eligible.
Golden State Warriors
Violation: Abandoned Philadelphia and San Francisco
Mitigation: They left Philly 48 years ago and only crossed the bridge when they left SF.
Ruling: Since Philadelphia has since won a title, eligible.
*ya gotta admit, that Wilt cover has a whole new meaning now.
Houston Rockets
Violation: Abandoned San Diego
Mitigation: They have made a good dent in the 50-year requirement (39), and drew poorly in Sand Diego.
Ruling: Eligible (although we considered a penalty for these).
Los Angeles Lakers
Violation: Abandoned Minneapolis
Mitigation: This is their 50th year in Los Angeles. And seriously, can you picture LA without them? Neither can we.
Ruling: Eligible
New Jersey Nets
Violation: Abandoned New York
Mitigation: Part of move from ABA to NBA and they get bonus credit for changing their name.
Ruling: Eligible
Philadelphia 76ers
Violation: Abandoned Syracuse
Mitigation: Just three years short of the 50-year requirement and moved for financial reasons, while righting the wrong of the Warriors' abandoning of the city three years prior.
Ruling: Eligible
Sacramento Kings
Violation: Abandoned Rochester, Cincinnati, Kansas City and Omaha.
Mitigation: Poor fan support in all their previous markets, great support in SacTo.
Ruling: Eligible
San Antonio Spurs
Violation: Abandoned Dallas
Mitigation: Sure they were in the ABA at the time and sure drew poorly in Dallas. We still hate them.
Ruling: Ineligible until 2023 = 5 year penalty for each of their 4 titles, so 2043.
Utah Jazz
Violation: Abandoned New Orleans, and not because of Katrina
Mitigation: None. They moved to a smaller market and attendance actually fell.
Ruling: Ineligible until 2029
Washington Wizards
Violation: Abandoned Chicago and Baltimore
Mitigation: They were only in Chicago for two years and left 47 years ago. As a result of the Baltimore Rule, we love anyone who abandons that hellhole. Bonus points for the last non-marketing-driven reimaging in pro sports (Bullets to Wizards)
Ruling: Eligible
Group C, teams with no encumbrances to a title (other than, perhaps, talent):
Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, Indiana, Milwaukee, New York, Phoenix, Portland.
So, with under three months left in the NBA season, the teams that are eligible to win are:
Boston Celtics
Chicago Bulls
Cleveland Cavaliers
Dallas Mavericks
Denver Nuggets
Golden State Warriors
Houston Rockets
Indiana Pacers
LA Lakers
Milwaukee Bucks
New Jersey Nets
New York Knicks
Philadelphia 76ers
Phoenix Suns
Portland Trail Blazers
Sacramento Kings
Washington Wizards
Gun to our head, we say Cavs over Lakers in 6.
Enjoy the rest of the season.
Until next time,
Keep the Faith
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