What's up with the Lakers?

Kobe needs to recapture his aggresive
style of play to give the Lakers
any kind of chance.

If you remember from my blog last week titled "Western Conference Semifinals Preview" I predicted the Lakers to beat the Dallas Mavericks in five games.  I expected the Laker's size to be far too much for the Mavericks to handle, and for Kobe to go off against the Mavericks usually porous defense.  Thus far, both of these predictions haven't came to fruitition, although in Kobe's defense he has been shooting the ball well.  In spite of some desperation attempts at the end of the game yesterday, Kobe was shooting 8-12 from the field up until the Lakers fell behind with three minutes to play.  However, Kobe only shot ONE free throw all game, ONE FREE THROW! During the regular season, Kobe averaged 7.1 free throw attempts per game, and he has averaged 6.3 per game throughout the playoffs.  Kobe needs to be more aggresive going to the hoop, as he has only attempted eleven free throws the entire series. Part of the reason why the Mavericks were so successful yesterday was because they shot 29 free throws. Even if you take out the free throws the Mavericks made at the end, they still attempted 23 free throws.  The Lakers will need to be more aggresive if they want to win another game in this series, let alone attempt to comeback from such a deficit.

Another advantage the Mavericks have utilized in this series is three-point shooting.  I pointed at this as a potential weakness for the Lakers, and it has definitely been exploited.  The Mavericks shot 12-29 from three in Game 3, 8-25 in Game 2, and 9-20 in Game 1, shooting a combined 29 for 74 for 39.2%.  Conversely, the Lakers are shooting 10 for 52 for 19.2%.  The Lakers lack a prolific three point shooter that most contenders have right now.  Stojakovic and Terry are proficient from beyond the arc for the Mavericks, along with Ray Allen for the Celtics, Kyle Korver for the Bulls, James Jones and Mike Miller for the Heat, and Kevin Durant for the Thunder.  Steve Blake, Shannon, Brown, and Ron Artest are not up to par from beyond the arc, and the Lakers clearly miss the shooting of players such as Sasha Vujacic from a few seasons ago.  Regardless, shooting 19% from behind the arc is awful.

Barea has been quite the sparkplug off the
bench for the Mavericks!

Finally, point guard play has really hurt the Lakers and has been a boon to the Mavericks.  Jose Juan Barea has provided speed, shooting, and energy off the bench, burning the Lakers defense for some easy layups.  In addition, his emergence allows the Mavericks to rest Jason Kidd.  Derek Fisher has been atrocious for the Lakers.  He shot 3-6 from the field in Game 1, 2-7 in Game 2, and 3-8 in Game 3.  Considering most his shots are hardly contested, he should be shooting a higher percentage.  In addition, his decision-making was questionable at the end of Game 3.  Fisher fouled Jason Terry going for a steal with eight seconds left on the shot clock in the final minute of the game.  Why one would foul such a good free throw shooter with the shot clock winding down makes little sense to me...  On the next possesion, Fisher tried throwing an in-bounds pass to Lamar Odom that sailed over his head.  The Lakers should have designed a play in which Fisher could ahve inbounded to Kobe, but regardless a veteran like him should not be hurting his team's chances like this late in the game.  The Lakers veteran team seems to be falling apart, and without strong three point shooting and agressive play from its superstar, is most likely heading home early this year.

Eastern Conference Semifinals Preview

The Eastern Conference Semifinals are finally upon us, and the top three contenders are still in the mix with an outsider added in.  The Bulls and Heat both took care of business in five tough games against their respective opponents, the Pacers and the Sixers.  Both teams looked relatively sluggish throughout but their superior talent helped them prevail.  Boston dispatched of the New York Knicks in four quick games, an outcome unexpected by most, as the Celtics ended the regular season with poor play down the stretch.  The odd man out in these Eastern Conference Semifinals is the Atlanta Hawks.  Atlanta used strong defense and a barrage of different weapons on offense to eliminate Dwight Howard and company in six intensely contested games.  Can the Hawks beat the Bulls?  Can LeBron and D-Wade finally defeat their arch-nemesis the Celtics? Find out below with my Eastern Conference Semifinals Preview

Atlanta Hawks vs Chicago Bulls 

Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls
should prove too strong for the
Atlanta Hawks

While Atlanta surprised a cold shooting Magic team, the Bulls had some trouble dealing with the Indiana Pacers, winning three of their four games by six points or less.  Throughout the regular season, the Bulls took two of three from Atlanta, winning 114-81 at Atlanta in their most recent meeting.  Like in the Grizzlies-Nuggets series, Point Guard play should be the deciding factor.  Derrick Rose has developed into one of the top point guards in the league, along side Chris Paul and Deron Williams in my book, as he has increased his range and improved his shooting in his third year.  Against the Hawks this year Rose averaged 25.3 ppg and 9.0 apg in only 33 mpg, meaning that he was extremely productive and difficult to defend when he was on the court.  Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah are more effective in the paint than Josh Smith and Al Horford, and although Joe Johnson and Jamal Crawford are sold scorers from the wing, Luol Deng and Kyle Korver can shoot outside just as well.  The only advantage I see for the Hawks is their depth and the scoring of Joe Johnson, but besides that this is Chicago's series to lose.  If Chicago plays with more confidence then they did against the Pacers expect this series to be over pretty quickly.

Make it: Chicago in 5

Boston Celtics vs Miami Heat

Chris Bosh needs to become more of
a factor on offense for the Heat
to advance

Clearly this is the most-hyped series of the Conference Semifinals, and deservedly so.  Of the Eastern Conference teams remaining the Celtics are the most experienced and battle tested, while the Heat are the most talented and flashy.  The Celtics took three of four games from the Heat this season, and despite some late season struggles, dispatched the Knicks in the first round and look as fresh and sharp as ever.  Meanwhile the Heat lumbered through their series against the 76ers, starting most their games relatively sluggishly before finishing strong in the fourth quarter.  This does not bode well for the Celtics, as they are generally capable of breaking down a bit during the fourth quarter.  However, past performances aside, I think both these teams will be playing at their absolute best throughout this series.  LeBron holds a grudge against the Celtics for taking out his old Cavs teams, but it hasn't really shown thus far this season, as he 'only' averaged 28.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg, and 6.5 apg against the Celtics this year.  These numbers are pretty standard for LeBron but you would expect him to perform better against an opponent with which he has a chip on his shoulder.  His fg% is only .488 against the Celtics as opposed to .510% for the season, so clearly the Celtics force him into slightly worse shots.  If the Heat want to beat the Celtics, Chris Bosh needs to step it up.  The Celtics traded Kendrick Perkins this winter for Jeff Green, giving them one less body down in the paint to guard players like Bosh, or Boozer/Gasol/Bynum in future series.  If Bosh can take advantage of an aging frontline inculding Kevin Garnett, Jermaine O'Neal, Glen Davis, and Shaq, he should be able to push the Heat over the top.  Bosh shot .550% from the field against Boston during the regular season, and if he can get more touches he might be able to make the difference between advancing and going home early.

He may look like an alien,
but he sure knows how
to pass the ball!

Regarding the Celtics play against Miami, Kevin Garnett shoots .543% against the Heat, while Ray Allen averages four three pointers made per game at a .571% clip.  Paul Pierce shoots .489%, but he always seems to come through in the playoffs when needed.  Judging by how the Celtics played the Heat during the regular season, and the way they swept the Knicks, one would assume Boston would continue their winning ways against the Heat.  However, Boston has always been a poor road playoff team. Many have been trying to pinpoint Boston's demise over the past few years, and it may occur here as they are getting older.  Yet, I think the Celtics can have another run at it.  Rajon Rondo is the difference maker for the Celtics, as his distribution keeps getting better.  Although his shooting may be a liability, he makes an enormous difference and can outplay either Mike Bibby or Mario Chalmers by a longshot.  Celtics win this one as playoff experience trumps starpower and talent.

Make it: Celtics in 6

Western Conference Semifinals Preview

Following Memphis's 99-91 victory over the San Antonio Spurs last night, the Western Conference Semifinals are set.  #8 seeded Memphis Grizzlies vs #4 Oklahoma City Thunder, and the #2 Los Angeles Lakers vs the #3 Dallas Mavericks.  Everyone expected the Lakers and Mavericks to be here, but the Thunder surprisingly crushed a hot Nuggets team in five games while the Grizzlies defeated an elderly and fading Spurs squad in six.  At this point in time it seems like anybody's game regarding who will make the NBA finals, as the Lakers have yet to exude their dominance from the past few seasons.

Oklahoma City vs. Memphis

Z-Bo carried the Grizzlies to a
surprising upset over the top
seeded Spurs

The Thunder defeated Denver in convincing fashion 4-1, with Kevin Durant taking over games at will.  He averaged 32.4 ppg against the Nuggets and got to the free throw line an average of 11.4 times per game.  More importantly, Durant averaged 30.5 ppg and 8.3 rpg against the Grizzlies this year, yet the Thunder were only 1-3 against them during the regular season.  Will this trend continue? I doubt it. Memphis was 2-1 against the Thunder with Rudy Gay, and without him they lack a threat at the 3 on offense that can also force Durant into playing stronger on defense and tiring him.  Tony Allen and Shane Battier are adequate at defending Durant, but neither is capable of shutting him down.  Durant will get his points, although he may not shoot as well as he did in the Denver series.  If the Grizzlies want to win this series, they will need a strong offensive performance from Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol.  These two players should make for some intriguing matchups with Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka, and Nick Collison and Nazr Mohammed are capable fill-ins if the starters run into foul trouble.  At this point in time, stopping Zach Randolph seems pretty difficult.  He looked real impressive in the Spurs series and should continue to play well against OKC, as he averages 26.5 ppg, 13.0 rpg, and shot .580% from the field against OKC this year.  Considering Randolph's success seems like a given, Marc Gasol will have to perform well.  The matchup, that in my opinion, sways the series in OKC's favor, is Russell Westbrook against Mike Conley Jr.  Westbrook is an elite point guard and has put up 24.5 ppg and 9.0 apg against the Grizzlies this season.  Conley has been much less effective, to the tune of 13.0 ppg, 6.5 apg, and a dismal field goal percentage of .370%.  I just don't think Conley is the type of player that can carry a team deep into the playoffs, as point guard play and experience is of utmost importance in the playoffs.

Make it: Thunder in 6

L.A. Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks

Kobe looks to lead the Lakers
past the Mavs on their way to
a third straight championship

The Lakers looked pretty shaky at times against the New Orleans Hornets, but were able to right the ship and defeated the Hornets handily in Games 5 and 6 to put their fears to rest.  The Mavericks slipped up a bit against the Trail Blazers, letting a double digit lead evaporate in the fourth quarter to lose Game 4, but were able to close out their series at Portland with a dominating performance by Dirk Nowitzki.  The Lakers and Mavericks played three times this season, with the Lakers winning two of the three, and most notably the third game at home by 28 points.  Has this Lakers team played like two-time champions this season? No.  Can they repeat? Possibly.  Will they win this series? Definitely.  Andrew Bynum has returned to form and played spectacular down the stretch to end the regular season.  Although his health is a bit iffy at this point I still think he can have a profound impact in this series.  The Mavericks don't have the size to compete with the Lakers down low, as they can't play Dirk on either Gasol or Bynum.  However, what the Mavericks do have in their favor is superior point guard play and shooting from the outside.  Jason Kidd provides strong point guard play compared to Derek Fisher, while the outside shooting of Jason Terry and Peja Stojakovic trumps that of Kobe, Ron Artest, and Matt Barnes and Shannon Brown if they're in the game.  As great as the Mavericks can shoot at times, they can't compete with the Lakers down low and don't have any strong defenders to guard Kobe.

Make it: Lakers in 5

Kobe Bryant's Homophobic Slur: Too strong a punishment?

This past Tuesday Kobe Bryant lashed out at a referee following a technical foul.  Kobe alarming chose to use the phrase "fucking faggot" while directing his speech to the referee.  Following this angry incident, the NBA deliberated and decided to fine Kobe $100,000 for his remark. Clearly Kobe deserves to be fined for using a curse word to describe a minority orientation, but is it worth $100,000?



Clearly Kobe was yelling something
totally different here...

 The word 'faggot' or 'fag' has, unfortunately, become a part of some people's slang.  One may refer to someone as a 'fag' just because they are unathletic, dress in a peculiar way, or enjoying assuming typical domestic tasks such as cooking or cleaning, etc.  Clearly none of those determine sexual orientation, yet those words, to the chagrin of many, have been relatively mainstreamed into popular culture.  I can understand to a point that one can call his good friends a 'fag' or 'faggot' in a joking manner, as the friend clearly has no malintentions, but why joke around when it could be offensive and could have repercussions if used in a more public place? 

The backlash against Kobe's poor word choice has been strong, and for good reason.  Many people look up to Kobe as a role model, and why not? He's won five NBA titles, works hard and plays through injury, and has kept a pretty clean record besides his 'rape' trial in which he was acquitted.  Does Kobe have to be a role model? No. He's just out there playing basketball making a living.  But many people do see him as one, which is what makes his actions troubling.  One would expect such an exploit from DeMarcus Cousins or Rasheed Wallace, but not Kobe. 

Fortunately Kobe has already taken some steps to "repair" his image.  Kobe and the Lakers decided to team with the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation to help fight homophobia in basketball.  This is clearly great PR, but just because Kobe couldn't find a better word choice doesn't mean that he is a homophobe.  In a piece for the New York Times, a former NBA player cites: "You spoke ill-advised words that shot out like bullets, and if the emails I received from straight and gay young people and sports fans in Los Angeles alone are anything to go by, you did serious damage with your outburst."  Such a backlash is not surprising, but did serious damage occur? Kobe was clearly not speaking out against the homosexual community as a whole, let alone labeling the referee he was speaking to as a fag.  Yes his word choice was repulsive and ignorant, but was he seriously condemning the referee as a "fucking faggot"? No.  Kobe's large fine was not warranted, he'll learn enough from the backlash from the community and will probably put forth more than $100,000 worth of his time toward helping the homosexual community from this point out.  Chris Paul was recently fined $15,000 for 'verbally abusing' a referee. Verbal abuse generally means saying more then a two-word phrase.  Kobe clearly does not deserve a $100,000 fine for his ignorant actions, and it's unfortunate that the NBA feels the need to fine him such a large amount when he'll lose enough money and fans for his poor word choice.

Winning: LeBron James

One may think that LeBron is a pretty obvious candidate for the 'winning' series, and he is, but this focuses on his achievements since 'The Decision' as opposed to the plethora he has accomplished throughout his lifetime.  First, I focus on his achievements on the basketball court.



New team, better teammates, same stats


Going into the 2010-2011 season LeBron was fresh off two consecutive MVP awards and three straight seasons in which he averaged over 27-7-7 (pts,rbs,ast) a game.  Playing alongside fellow superstars Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, LeBron's numbers were expected to take a bit of a hit, especially in the points category.  Have his numbers declined? Hardly!  LeBron averaged 29.7-7.3-8.7 last season, and has maintained those approximate averages with 26.7-7.5-7.0 this season.  One benefit of playing on the Heat is that LeBron doesn't have to carry such a heavy load. His field goal percentage increased to .510% from .503% in 2009-2010.  Despite playing on such a talented team, LeBron has managed to maintain his superb statistics while continuing his winning ways with the Heat. Off the court, 'The Decision' left a sour taste in the mouths of many NBA fans, especially those from Cleveland.  One would think, why would LeBron leave the town he grew up near, leaving his childhood, success, and a strong supportive atmosphere behind?  Evidently LeBron came to the conclusion he couldn't win an NBA title in Cleveland.  Was there a backlash to his decision? Originally yes, but now? Yesterday Lebron's jersey became the top worldwide seller, surpassing Kobe Bryant.  This was the first time LeBron's jersey was the top seller since 2004.  LeBron was clearly grateful for this, saying:

“ It just shows that I've still got a lot of fans out there, man. ... I'm not perfect. I've made mistakes. I'm trying to move forward. But as a basketball player and a role model I am trying to do the right thing. ”
-- LeBron James

Some athletes don't realize what a positive impact they can have if they try and serve their constituents as a positive role model.  Clearly LeBron James realizes this and appreciates his supporters.



A combination with very profitable potential


Moving away from the world of basketball, LeBron recently teamed with Fenway Sports Group to purchase a share of Liverpool FC, the sixth-most valuable soccer club in the world (and the hated rivals of my favorite team Everton).  Forbes estimates Liverpool to be worth $822 million dollars, and a very small piece of that could still deem very profitable.  Expanding his image in a more global manner could be a great move for LeBron! By exchanging some of his marketing rights to Fenway Sports Group in exchange for shares in a British soccer club should only help expand his presence.  Basketball is quite popular in the U.K. and throughout Europe in general, so this seems like one of many 'winning' moves for LeBron.

Revisiting the Carmelo Anthony Trade



He plays defense like this too.



Looking back to the middle of the NBA season, all the hype surrounded Carmelo Anthony.  Was he staying in Denver?  Would he be traded to the Nets? Would he be traded to the Knicks?  Would he be traded to the Lakers???  Melo was shipped to New York along with Chauncey Billups and several others in a package for Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, and two more players.  This move was supposed to give the Knicks the opportunity to compete with Chicago, Boston, and Miami in the East, while Denver was supposed to slip out of playoff contention and be content with building for next year.

What resulted from this deal? The complete opposite.  The Nuggets were 32-25 when the trade occured. Since? 18-6 and have wrapped up the #5 seed in the Western Conference with a cumulative 50-31 record.  The Knicks sported a 28-26 record before the trade, and are now 42-38, playing near .500 basketball at 14-12 since Anthony came to town. 

Why has this trade not worked out?  First, playing Anthony at Small Forward as opposed to Chandler or Gallinari gives the Knicks less size on defense (as well as less work ethic).  Second, Anthony is not a good fit in Mike D'Antoni's offense and neither is Billups.  Both those players are more comfortable in a half court offense, as opposed to the up-tempo one D'Antoni runs.  Clearly the Knicks can adjust their offense around Anthony, but that will take time and Knicks fans are pretty impatient...  Finally, the loss of Chandler and Gallinari limits the amount of frontcourt players the Knicks can play in their rotation.  Can they really rely on major minutes off the bench from Shawne Williams and Jared Jeffries? I didn't think so.

Wilson Chandler and his fellow
former Knicks have thrived
in Denver

Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets are thriving.  The superb play of both Raymond Felton and Ty Lawson gives Denver a constant scoring threat from the backcourt to compliment Aron Afflalo's defense and JR Smith's offense at the SG position.  Their frontcourt is now extremely deep with Nene, Chris Anderson, Kenyon Martin, Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, and Al Harrington.  The Nuggets enter their playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder with a lot of confidence, while the Knicks have struggled to find their rhythm and now face arguably the top defensive team in the league!  As Marilynn always says, and is right about "Carmelo Anthony? Whatever!"

Heat-Pistons Game, What a Birthday Present!

This past Wednesday, March 23rd I had the pleasure of attending the Detroit Pistons vs Miami Heat game at the Palace of Auburn Hills with Marilynn.  She purchased us tickets to the game as a birthday present to me, and damn was it a treat! 

Although Howard didn't play, he
seemed to be in high spirits!

We got to the Palace @ approximately 6 pm right when the doors opened, Marilynn sporting her LeBron shirt, while I rocked the D-Wade gear.  We were really eager to get to our seats, as Marilynn came through big time and got us tickets in the sixth row from the floor!  Considering I had never been that close to the floor at a sporting event before (Okemos High School basketball games don't count) I was quite excited.  We get down to our seats, and we had an excellent view of the Miami Heat bench.  Perfect! I would have the chance to see, in person, how much Chris Bosh resembles a dinosaur!  As we settle in we get to see Juwan Howard warming up, and even though he hasn't made an impact in the NBA since I was in middle school, I appreciate what he has done for the game as an alumnus of my Michigan Wolverines and as a member of the Fab Five.  Howard greeted every player on both teams like they were an old friend, and mingled with Pistons staff.  Clearly he is well-liked around the league and knows a plethora of people considering he has been playing in the NBA since 1994!

Around 7:15 the Heat come out to warm up.  Marilynn's favorite player is LeBron James, so naturally she was really geeked to seem him play and just observe his mannerisms from up close.  James was all fun & games during warm up, and the Heat looked like they have truly bonded as a team.  On another note, LeBron and Dwyane Wade look a lot more muscular on television. Up close LeBron's legs didn't look as thick or powerful as I expected. Following the warm-up, the crowd proceeded to boo LeBron during pregame introductions.  I understand that LeBron is a pretty polarizing figure, but shouldn't Pistons fans be happy that he isn't playing for Cleveland anymore?  The Cavaliers are one of the Piston's rivals, thus the Pistons should be content that they can beat up on the Cavs again for the first time since 2003. 

The game itself was really enjoyable!  The Pistons shot over 50% from the field up until the fourth quarter, when the Heat seemed to focus more on their defense.  The Heat ended up winning 100-94, starting the fourth quarter on a 15-0 and never relinquishing their lead, and you can find the box score here. Below are some quick observations and analyses from the game:

(1) Greg Monroe is a budding star: Yes, this comment may be a bit premature, but take a look at his stat line from this game and his statistics since the All-Star break.

Expect big things in the future from
Rookie Greg Monroe

March 23rd vs Miami Heat: 35 min, 14 pts, 12 rbs (5 orbs), 2 ast, 2 stl, 2 to, +/- = +9
Averages in March: 32.3 mpg, 13.4 ppg, .573 fg%, 9.3 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.8 stlpg

Monroe has been very productive since taking over for Ben Wallace, and his statistics don't support how well he played against Miami wednesday night.  Monroe was dominant on the boards due to his superior athleticism and positioning.  Expect him to develop into one of the best centers in the Eastern Conference over the upcoming year's.

(2) The Heatles can coexist peacefully: there seems to be an equal distribution of plays ran for each player, and all three are above-average passers for their position.  I was particularly impressed with Chris Bosh's vision and agility in this game.  He has really quick post moves and his mid-range jumper is excellent for a player his size.  What Bosh gives up on the boards he more then makes up for with his passing and shooting.  Marilynn did point out that he looks more awkward up close then on the television, an assertion I agree with, but clearly he knows his role in the Miami Heat offense.  Wade and LeBron seemed to fade in and out of the game, as the motion in the Heat offense isn't the most effective.  Sometimes you could predict which of them would take it to the whole, but regardless of who did obviously both are great at drawing double-teams and getting fouled.  Once the motion in the Heat offense improves, both LeBron and Wade could get more open looks. 

(3) Rip still has it, and Stuckey sucks!:  Richard Hamilton provided the Pistons with the shooting touch they were looking for when they signed Tracy McGrady.  Playing McGrady at the point forced the Heat to put their smallest defender on Hamilton, who capitalized on some open looks on the baseline.  As weird as it seemed that the Pistons most effective lineup was McGrady-Hamilton-Prince-Monroe-Wilcox, with no true ballhandler in the game, it seemed to work well on both ends of the floor.  Also, Rodney Stuckey IS NOT the answer at Point Guard for the Pistons.  Not only was he boo'd, but also his shot selection was suspect.  At times he made some flashy plays, but at other moments he looked lost or stuck, hehe. 

Look at these
little ballers!

(4) LeBron's kids are really cute: LeBron's fiancee and kids had courtside seats next to the Heat bench for this game.  During timeouts LeBron would sometimes go over to talk with his children, and after the game his kids starting running around the floor.  Both Marilynn and I wonder if they know how famous their father is, but they really seemed to enjoy themselves!

Overall, it was a great game to watch and a great experience.  The Pistons kept up with the Heat for most of the game, which I did not expect.  Most of all, it was a great birthday gift to me, and my girlfriend got to see her favorite athlete up-close.  Can the Heat progress to the point that they can compete with the Bulls and the Celtics come playoff time? I am excited to find out!

Analyzing the Carmelo Anthony Trade

Hey guys, sorry about the lack of updates this week!  I was up in Minneapolis on Tuesday and Wednesday for a job fair.  Luckily this fair was worth my time, as I have two (maybe three) second interviews next week so wish me luck!  Anyways, this Thursday was the NBA trade deadline, and a lot of deals went down that could have a strong impact on the NBA not only in this year's playoffs, but for years to come.  The headliner of these deals? A blockbuster deal that resulted in Carmelo Anthony to the New York Knicks.  Below are the exact details of the trade:

Carmelo debuted against the Bucks on Wednesday

New York Knicks acquire: 

• Carmelo Anthony, Forward
• Chauncey Billups, Guard
• Shelden Williams, Forward
• Renaldo Balkman, Forward
• Anthony Carter, Guard
• Corey Brewer, Forward

Gallinari went for 30 points against the Blazers

Denver Nuggets acquire:

• Danilo Gallinari, Forward
• Wilson Chandler, Forward
• Raymond Felton, Guard
• Timofey Mozgov, Center        
• Kosta Koufos, Center
• Knicks first-round pick (2014 or later)
• Warriors' second-round picks in 2012 and 2013
• $3 million

The Knicks essentialy traded the core of their team apart from Amare Stoudemire for Carmelo, the hometown star.  The Knicks are making this deal assuming Carmelo is going to sign an extension, which is a proposed 3 years for $65 million.  However, in my opinion, the purpose of this deal is to put forth a strong core to attract a free-agent point guard to New York.  Chauncey Billups is serviceable for the time being, but clearly the Knicks have their sights on either Chris Paul or Deron Williams in summer 2012.  At that point the Knicks would be able to compete with the Miami Heat for the Eastern Conference, as Boston may have dropped off a bit at point with their superstars aging. 

However, I think Denver makes out better from this current deal.  Playing Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler along with Nene Hilario on the front line gives Denver two things: (1) great size (2) flexibility.  Both Gallinari and Chandler are proven three-point shooters, and both can create mismatches at the small forward position.  Team them with SG Aron Afflalo, who is developing into a threat on the offensive end, his defense has been excellent for a while, and either Ty Lawson or Raymond Felton (UNC reunion!).  The Western Conference is pretty wide open, assuming San Antonio doesn't hold up throughout the entire season and the Lakers don't regain last year's form, and Denver still has a chance to make some noise in the playoffs if everyone can gel.  J.R. Smith should get more looks now that Melo is gone, so watch out if he gets hot!  As for the Knicks, their porous defense can't compete against the likes of Miami, Boston, and Chicago throughout a seven game series.  Carmelo adds little on defense, and the loss of Chandler gives the Knicks even less presence inside in regards to a weakness they had before the trade. 

Profile: Daryl Morey

Hey guys, figured I would add a weekly profile to the blog.  This week's profile, and the subject of a presentation for my New Venture Capitalism class, is Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey.  Morey is the first General Manager in the NBA committed to analytics, some of which are described in a previous blog of mine in the preceeding link.  Morey became the GM of the Houston Rockets in May 2007 after serving three years as the Senior Vice President of Operations and Information for the Boston Celtics.  He previously attended Northwestern as an undergraduate, and received a degree in Computer Science, and then attended the Sloan School of Management at MIT for his MBA. 

Morey uses statistics to analyze qualitative actions in basketball.  His first project for the Boston Celtics was one in which he performed a regression analysis of 25 years of NBA drafts to determine which college statistics best equate with NBA success at each of the five positions.  Once hired as the Assistant GM in Houston in 2006, Morey scouted players that offseason that could make the team better in terms of these categories:

• decreasing opponents FG %
• usage rate
• increasing FG %

Morey figured out that Shane Battier was the best fit for the Rockets, as his team scored more, rebounded, better, fouled less, allowed, fewer points, shot better, and decreased their opponents shooting percentage when he was on the court.  Morey figured he would be the perfect complement to superstars Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming.  Morey also insists on trading for and drafting players which were versatile and capable of creating offensive and defensive advantages.  Such a player is Kevin Martin, a 6-6 Shooting Guard acquired in a trade with the Sacramento Kings last season.  Martin's height creates mismatches on both ends of the floor.

Will Daryl Morey's success in Houston continue to the point at which the Rockets are a championship contender?  Who knows!  However, it will be interesting to see if NBA teams keep hiring experts in analytics to advise or even run their teams.  About two thirds of NBA teams currently employ at least one expert of analytics, and this trend should continue to increase, especially of Morey's Rockets continue to improve!

The NBA season is 'Heat'ing up! A midseason report on the Eastern Conference

Hello all, sorry that I have not been updating the blog daily.  Thursday was my 22nd birthday so there was various festivities regarding that over the past few days, not to mention work for my class and Skyping with my girlfriend (I am behind the times as I just downloaded Skype a few days ago).  Anyways, this past week marks the midpoint of the NBA season.  All the NBA teams have played between 39 and 44 games, roughly averaging out to the 41 games that make up half the regular season. 

Today's blog focuses on the Eastern Conference, which has played second fiddle to the Western Conference ever since MJ retired the second time (I still think he should have been called for an offensive foul when he pushed off Byron Russell in Game six of those 1998 NBA finals!)  The Eastern Conference has a large discrepancy between its elite, mediocre weak teams.  The mean winning percentage is .689 for the top five teams, .431 for the middle five teams, and .2826 for the bottom five teams.  That's a cumulative winning percentage of .467, so clearly the Eastern Conference is the weaker conference overall.  However, that does not mean that some Eastern Conference teams should not have NBA title hopes!  Below I group Eastern Conference teams into three categories regarding their playoff chances and outlook for the rest of the season:

Contenders
1. Boston Celtics - Talent is never a question with this team.  Perserverance and health is.  Can this team hold up throughout the season?  Will the Celtics be able to rest Allen, Pierce, and Garnett a bit down the stretch so they are fresh for the playoffs?  Currently sporting a 33-9 record, it's pretty impressive what the Celtics are doing without Kendrick Perkins and the minor injuries which caused Rajon Rondo and Kevin Garnett to miss some games.  However, one red flag does show up.  The Celtics are 25-5 against the Eastern Conference, meaning that their schedule the rest of the way will have a heavier dose of Western Conference opponents and some tough west coast roadtrips.

Projected Record: 61-21. #1 seed in the East

2. Miami Heat - the Heatles, Kings of South Beach (my apologies to the U for stealing there swagger), MV3.  The acquisition of Chris Bosh and LeBron James this summer gives the Heat the most talented roster in the league for the next six years, and gave my girlfriend, a huge LeBron fan, a new team to root for.  Can the Heatles finally mesh as the season continues and become a smashing success like their British counterparts?  They sure are taking the basketball world by storm, like the Beatles did to the United States in 1964.  If all three can stay healthy during the playoffs, its hard not to like this team's chances of winning it all.  Also, they have some role players who have integrated themselves well with the three superstars.  Joel Anthony grabs a lot of boards and plays tough defense, while Mike Miller and Carlos Arroyo are constant threats from deep.  Expect the Heat to struggle as Bosh, LeBron, and Wade are all nursing minor injuries at the moment.  However, this Heat team should be the most dangerous and talented team in the NBA for the next five years.

Projected Record: 58-24. #2 Seed in the East

3. The Derrick Rose show... Chicago Bulls - Da Bulls are back baby! Best Bulls team since the 1997-1998.  The addition of Carlos Boozer was a huge lift on offense, and Derrick Rose is developing into a superstar.  I am eager to see this team play when both Boozer and Noah are both healthy, as this team will be very hard to beat inside.  Luol Deng is definitely the x-factor for this team.  On nights that he can score, the Bulls will be extremely hard to beat.  Kyle Korver adds an outside threat, and Rose's distribution continues to improve.  The Bulls should, barring another injury to Boozer, be one of the top teams in the East for the next several seasons.

Projected Record: 56-26. #3 Seed in the East

4. Orlando Magic - It's a bird! It's a plane! Noooo, it's DWIGHT HOWAARRDDD!  This guy is an animal down low, and if he could actually shoot the basketball would be impossible to defend.  The Magic made some blockbuster moves last month to surround Superman with some new talent including Mr. Agent Zero Gilbert Arenas, J-Rich, and Hedo (take two).  Hopefully these three can replace the contributions of Rashard Lewis and Vince Carter, and the emergence of Brandon Bass finally gives this team a true 4 at Power Forward.  The Magic have the talent to make it through the Eastern Conference, but can they make it work with these new players joining Dwight and co?

Projected Record 55-27. #4 Seed in the East

5. Atlanta Hawks - Soaring to... mediocrity.  The Hawks have the pieces to contend with any team, however, they lack a true superstar.  Joe Johnson is a great shooting guard and a matchups nightmare considering his height for a SG, Josh Smith is one of the most athletic players in the game and a beast in the paint, and Al Horford is a great rebounder and solid around the rim.  This team lacks a championship-caliber point guard, as Mike Bibby and Jamal Crawford do not fit the bill.  Depth is an issue on the Hawks as well, especially at the power forward and center positions.  This team will continue to be impressively mediocre, unless Josh Smith and Al Horford break out even more.

Projected Record 53-29. #5 Seed in the East

Pretenders
6. New York Knicks - Possibly the most exciting team to watch in basketball, the Knicks score five more ppg then any Eastern Conference team.  However, like all Mike D'Antoni teams, they don't play much defense either.  Raymond Felton is excelling in D'Antoni's system and meshes really well with Amare Stoudemire.  Wilson Chandler and Danillo Gallinari are great complements to Amare with their outside shooting, but besides Amare this team is undersized, one cause of a weak defense.  This team can compete with anyone on any given night, but is just too volatile to succeed in the playoffs.

Projected Record 44-38. #6 Seed in the East

7. Milwaukee Bucks - This team just can't seem to score any points!  Brandon Jennings has been out since December and may not return for another week.  Andrew Bogut is solid at center, but the team is mired in mediocrity with John Salmons, Corey Maggette, Carlos Delfino, and Ersan Ilyasova all fitting similar roles at the 3 and 4.  The Bucks may play good defense but they lack the size and scoring capabilities to be competitive against the top teams in the East.

Projected Record 40-42. #7 Seed in the East

8. Philadelphia 76ers - The Sixers strike me as similar to the Bucks.  They have a young, talented point guard, some good scoring on the wings, and an injury prone center.  Elton Brand's health is the key to this team making the playoffs.  If he can stay healthy, they could very well sneak in with a .500 record.  If not? Well they could be heading for the lottery again.  Andre Iguodala is a dirty talent at small forward, and Thaddeus Young provides a spark off the bench.  This Sixers team, with the exception of Brand, is young and should continue to grow, but don't expect more than a first round sweep by Boston or Miami in the playoffs.

Projected Record 38-44.  #8 Seed in the East

9. Charlotte Bobcats - The Bobcats lack a superstar and a solid center, so scoring points is an issue for this team.  Stephen Jackson and Gerald Wallace lead the way for the 'Cats, and can create mismatches at their respective positions of SG and SF.  I just cannot put my faith in a team that starts Kwame Brown at center, and has DJ Augustin running the point.  Both these players make questionable decisions on the court, and Augustin needs to work on his distribution.  Expect mediocrity from Charlotte the rest of the way. Although they could sneak into the playoffs, I don't expect them to.

Projected Record 36-46.  Getting ready for next year!

10. Indiana Pacers - Its hard to have confidence in such a young team, but the Pacers could surprise!  Danny Granger has a young supporting cast in Darren Collison, Brandon Rush, and Roy Hibbert.  However, Mike Dunleavy is old and nowhere near as effective as he was a few years ago.  Darren Collison needs to do a better job passing the ball and creating looks for his teammates, as the Pacers rank 21st in the league in APG.  However, rebounding is a strength for this team and should continue to improve as Hibbert develops.

Projected Record 36-46. Getting ready for next year but excited for the future!

Lottery Bound
11. Detroit Pistons - The Pistons have struggled to score points and rebound all year.  Surely this team misses the Wallaces from a few years ago, as Ben Wallace isn't the player he once was!  Detroit ranks 29th in the league in RPG at 38.2, part of the reason why they are only scoring 95.1 PPG.  Rebuilding with older players like Tracy McGrady and Richard Hamilton on their way out should set the Pistons up for success in the upcoming years.  Building around a young core of Rodney Stuckey, Austin Daye, Charlie Villanueva, and Greg Monroe should help the Pistons climb up the East standings as the year's progress.

Projected Record 33-49.  Lottery bound in D-town!

12.  Washington Wizards - Anyone up for 'doing the John Wall?'  Sending Agent Zero packing was a smart move for a Wizards team that is changing its identity.  At this time last year its nucleus was Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison, and Gilbert Arenas. None of these players remain.  Andray Blatche has flourished this year as well as Nick Young, who just flat out scores.  Al Thornton and Rashard Lewis clog the SF position, and one should probably be traded before the trade deadline.  Expect the Wizards to improve a bit throughout the rest of the year, but not too much!

Projected Record 30-52. Watch out for John Wall as the year goes on!

13. Toronto Raptors - Not much to say about the Raptors: they really miss my favorite dinosaur Chris Bosh.  They don't have a true Center as Bargnani isn't big enough down low.  DeMar DeRozan is turning into a good scorer, but the pieces are just not in place to form a strong team.  Defense is a weakness for this club, as they allow 104.6 PPG.  Expect the Raptors to keep struggling unless they pick up a strong draft pick!

Projected Record 26-56.  Hoping to draft Jared Sullinger next year!

14.  New Jersey Nets - The Nets are a pretty melodramatic club, now that the Carmelo Anthony talks have finished.  Brook Lopez continues to develop into a stronger scorer, but where is the rebounding?  Kris Humphries rebounds better than Lopez, who has no excuse to be struggling like this.  Derrick Favors should continue to develop over the next few years, and Anthony Morrow and Devin Harris are still pretty young.  Signing Carmelo to a long-term deal during the offseason would be a clutch pull for the Nets, but they are missing a scoring piece like him to contend

Projected Record 24-58.  Working toward a (hopefully) bright future!

And finally...

15.  Cleveland Cavaliers - Please stay LeBron, Please stay LeBron, pleaaaseee?  And... no! LeBron takes his talents to South Beach.  This season's Cleveland Cavaliers are totally lost without LeBron, and injuries to Anderson Varejao and Ramon Sessions have not helped their cause.  Antawn Jamison can try to carry the scoring load, but seems unwilling to do so.  Expect these Cavaliers to continue to falter, as they have not established an identity or rallied around a new leader in the lockerroom since LeBron took his talents to South Beach.

Projected Record 15-67.  Trying to get that #1 pick and still mourning the loss of LeBron!