Fresh off scoring a career-high 47 points against a great defensive team in Memphis, John Wall is officially playing the best basketball of his career. His Wizards are 21-16 since Wall returned from a knee injury that sidelined him for the first half of the season. Wall's improved play this year raises some intriguing questions about the third-year point guard finally playing to his potential.
A restricted free agent in 2014, speculation has begun about Wall receiving a max contract extension within the next year. From a talent level, it's a no-brainer. Wall's speed and athleticism at the point is rivaled only by Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook. From a production level, there is a debate. Wall has averaged 16 points and eight assists in his career, but his turnover rate has been high and is shooting percentage has been worrisome.
But this year, things are different. All of his shooting percentages are up, most notably that all-important three-point percentage has risen above 31 percent. His assists are down, but that's not bad. This guy is a scorer who should be going for 20 every night. In the midst of a torrid 10-game stretch in which he is averaging 24 points, nine assists and almost two steals.
Does Wall deserve a max deal? Yes, the Wizards should build around the talented Kentucky guard they chose number one overall.
Can Wall be an All-Star next season? NBA All-Star teams have notoriously low turnover rates, so it's important first to ask which guards will be taken out of the lineup. Dwyane Wade is firmly locked in as a starer, that leaves only one guard spot. Victims of ACL tears, Rose and Rajon Rondo looked to have a stranglehold on the point guard spot, due to their huge, supportive fan bases, but as we know, injuries change everything.
The beneficiaries of those injuries this year were Kyrie Irving and Jrue Holiday. Irving, only 20 and already hugely popular, has all the look of a superstar, so he's not going anywhere. Holiday has improved every season and got a deserved All-Star nod in his fourth season. Throw in the possibility of Deron Williams actually playing well next season and that is a lot of people for Wall to leap frog.
But I think Wall gets in. Here's the scenario: Derrick Rose gets the start in his comeback season. The Bulls are a good team and Rose's national popularity and comeback appeal earns the 2011 MVP a deserved start. The first back-up spot will be Irving's. He is better than Wall and just too likable not to be part of the All-Star experience every single year. But I think Wall further improves next season and earns an All-Star bid. With no solid 2-guard to back-up Wade, two spots will be open in the East backcourt and Wall will slide into one of those, creating a really good moment for the he and the Wizards.
So yes, John Wall is playing great. Yes, he is a max player. Yes, he can be an All-Star. But can the Wiz make the playoffs? Eh, stay tuned.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Heat Cutting It Close
The streak is at 24, and for the second straight game it looked in jeopardy. In what LeBron James said was one of the most bizarre nights of his career, the Heat stormed back from 27 points down against the Cavs. Normally, a LeBron return to Cleveland is enough of a story in itself, but throw in the streak, 2014 free agency and a fan storming the court and last night was hugely strange game for the NBA...and hugely entertaining too.
Let's start with last night's game. The Cavs were without star Kyire Irving, Dion Waiters and Anderson Varejao, and still managed to get a 27-point lead on Miami mid-way through the third quarter. But a karmic twist from The Decision was not to be found for Cleveland. Miami woke up in the third, made the game close, and then used the fourth to take the lead and essentially rip out the heart of Cleveland once again. And for the second time as a member of the Heat playing in Cleveland, LeBron had a triple-double.
This hasn't been the first game against a lottery team where Miami has collectively exhaled after the game. This streak has seen the Heat do it all against the bad teams. A LeBron game-winner against Orlando, a double overtime thriller with Sacramento, and now two big comebacks in Boston and Cleveland have made a few of Miami's wins more interesting than perhaps we all thought beforehand. But throw in decisive wins against the Clippers, Thunder, Bulls and Pacers, and it's clear the Heat have no problem playing 48 minutes against playoff teams.We know that the Heat are getting the opponent's A-game every single night, which makes this streak so impressive.
Finally, let's speculate on a 2014 return to Cleveland for LeBron. If he so chooses to opt out and becoming an unrestricted free agent in summer 2014 there will be half a dozen teams that will clear space ahead of time and realistically have a chance to sign LeBron, two of those teams are sure to be the Heat and Lakers. Decision 2.0? Maybe
For LeBron to become a Cav once again, things must play out like this: The 2013-2014 isn't the fun ride that last year was for Miami. Dwyane Wade has clearly lost multiple steps and is barely able to make the All-Star team. Meanwhile in Cleveland, Kyrie Irving further improves (think 2011 D-Rose) and wills the Cavs into the playoffs with help from development of Waiters and Tristan Thompson. In the playoffs, Miami loses in the Finals or perhaps even earlier, leaving LeBron with that bad taste in his mouth where he will seriously consider life removing his talents from South Beach.
Consensus: If the Heat keep winning, LeBron will stay. Why wouldn't he?
Let's start with last night's game. The Cavs were without star Kyire Irving, Dion Waiters and Anderson Varejao, and still managed to get a 27-point lead on Miami mid-way through the third quarter. But a karmic twist from The Decision was not to be found for Cleveland. Miami woke up in the third, made the game close, and then used the fourth to take the lead and essentially rip out the heart of Cleveland once again. And for the second time as a member of the Heat playing in Cleveland, LeBron had a triple-double.
This hasn't been the first game against a lottery team where Miami has collectively exhaled after the game. This streak has seen the Heat do it all against the bad teams. A LeBron game-winner against Orlando, a double overtime thriller with Sacramento, and now two big comebacks in Boston and Cleveland have made a few of Miami's wins more interesting than perhaps we all thought beforehand. But throw in decisive wins against the Clippers, Thunder, Bulls and Pacers, and it's clear the Heat have no problem playing 48 minutes against playoff teams.We know that the Heat are getting the opponent's A-game every single night, which makes this streak so impressive.
Finally, let's speculate on a 2014 return to Cleveland for LeBron. If he so chooses to opt out and becoming an unrestricted free agent in summer 2014 there will be half a dozen teams that will clear space ahead of time and realistically have a chance to sign LeBron, two of those teams are sure to be the Heat and Lakers. Decision 2.0? Maybe
For LeBron to become a Cav once again, things must play out like this: The 2013-2014 isn't the fun ride that last year was for Miami. Dwyane Wade has clearly lost multiple steps and is barely able to make the All-Star team. Meanwhile in Cleveland, Kyrie Irving further improves (think 2011 D-Rose) and wills the Cavs into the playoffs with help from development of Waiters and Tristan Thompson. In the playoffs, Miami loses in the Finals or perhaps even earlier, leaving LeBron with that bad taste in his mouth where he will seriously consider life removing his talents from South Beach.
Consensus: If the Heat keep winning, LeBron will stay. Why wouldn't he?
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
How to Recover From Being Posterized
Last week wasn't Brandon Knight's week. After bruising his ego by getting jammed on by Deandre Jordan in the Dunk of the Year, Knight sprained his ankle the next game, increasing his unwanted trending time by another day. But lucky for Knight, it's a new week, and there's a new victim. He goes by the name JET.
Jason Terry and LeBron James are not friends. Terry was the cockiest member of the 2011 Mavs teams that beat LeBron in the Finals and just this week he said that he wasn't impressed by anything the Heat have done. So of course it had to happen this way. Wade had to steal that ball from Terry, flick it to Chalmers, who passed it to Cole, who lobbed it up to none other than James.
Thanks to ESPN we know the rest. We know that Terry was standing under LeBron when he threw down a monster dunk, leaving Terry on the floor and LeBron standing over him in what is surely one of the most badass dunk reactions in recent memory.
Terry is not the same guy as Knight. With his history against LeBron, he can't send a tweet that makes light of the posterization. So how can he recover? The way I see it, he had four distinct choices.
1) Dunk on LeBron: Straight up payback here. Obviously difficult with LeBron's athleticism coupled with the fact that Terry doesn't really dunk.
2) Retire: This may help people forget about Terry faster. Then he will be relegated to YouTube's obscurity, a la Alton Lister.
3) Hope: Hope that ESPN just loses interest in covering the best team/player in the game. Then Heat highlights/replays won't be shown as much.
4) Perform: Have a big series against Miami in the playoffs. Although this in no way guarantees a win (ask Jeff Green), this will gain him some national TV respect and also give Celtic faithful some silver lining in Terry's overall disappointing season.
P.S. You impressed yet, Jason?
LeBron Making It Look Easy
Okay, the Heat scraped by an undermanned Celtics team last night, but it's amazing how once the Heat came back in the fourth, no one was shocked when LeBron hit the go-ahead jumper with 10 seconds left. Much has been made of the Heat's 23 straight wins, LeBron's mini-streak in February and Wade's killer March, but we don't hear about LeBron's late game heroics.
After he smartly drove to the lane for a legit game-winner against Orlando two weeks ago, LeBron hit another game-winner and no one was surprised. With his high shooting percentage, especially from three, LeBron is starting to climb up the clutch rankings, statistically and not. With all the improvements he's made after the 2011 Finals debacle, you'd think that more would be made when it finally clicked for LeBron. Well, it's sure clicking now. And LeBron is so good, we barely noticed.
Thursday, March 7, 2013
The Lakers Push
If the Lakers' playoff push was not already official, it is now after a 25-point comeback against the Hornets. A few weeks ago, Kobe Bryant guaranteed the Lakers will make the playoffs, and his recent play suggests that he's willing them to the postseason. The Lakers may not exactly be coming together, but they're starting to win games, and have got Utah looking over their shoulder.
A little more on Kobe, he was the West Player of the Month in February, and for him, March has come in like a lion. In three games this month, Kobe is averaging 35.3 PPG to go with six assists. Against Atlanta, he turned back the clock with posterizing dunks. Against OKC, he hurt his elbow early and still dropped 30. And last night in New Orleans, he scored 42 and single-handedly engineered the biggest Lakers comeback since 2002. Kobe is a scorer and always will be. And if it's scoring L.A. needs, Kobe can still provide plenty of it, and at an efficient rate too.
Despite having no Pau Gasol and an erratic Dwight Howard, the Lakers have clawed their way into the playoff race. Steve Nash, Earl Clark and Jodie Meeks are playing better and it's almost now as if NBA fans are expecting to see the Lake Show playing playoff ball. So, will they make the playoffs?
Yes. The Lakers will be in the playoffs as the eight seed. They will pass up the Jazz in the closing weeks and will enter the playoffs with as much momentum as any team. Chalk it up to Jerry Buss's memory, Kobe's mentality and a collection of misfitted talent, but the Lakers will find a way into the playoffs, in what has been a hugely tumultuous season. Whew.
Projected West Final Standings
1. Spurs: No Parker, no problem. A home-heavy schedule keeps them in the top spot.
2. Thunder: Westbrook is playing his best ball of the season, and coming off a huge road win vs. Clippers.
3. Clippers: Been playing very steady lately, but trouble vs. the top teams may be worrisome come playoffs.
4. Nuggets: Ty Lawson maintains his high level of play, and Denver gets homecourt in Round 1.
5. Grizzlies: The Grizzliess game travels well, but well enough for the thin air in Denver? We'll see.
6. Rockets: An easy upcoming schedule and a high-octane offense. Rockets-Clippers is a first round treat.
7. Warriors: Stumbling a bit lately, but Curry's sweet shooting will get Dubs in for first time since 2007.
8. Lakers: Scroll up.
9. Jazz: Poor team on the road. They regret not grabbing Eric Bledsoe while watching the playoffs.
10. Blazers: First half playoff hopes weren't real, but that Damian Lillard guy sure is. Blazers are on the up.
11. Mavericks: A second straight lost year only further guarantees that Cuban will splurge this summer.
12. Timberwolves: Snake bitten by injuries, Love's return ends Minnesota's season on a high note.
13. Hornets: The pre-Pelicans have their star in Anthony Davis, and that's a great start for rebuilding.
14. Suns: Not sure what the plan is here, but their foreign talent keeps them out of the West cellar.
15. Kings: A true mess. That loss against Miami will go down as the season highlight.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Heat Keep Streaking, Thunder Edge Clippers
Heat 99, Knicks 93
The Heat were down by 16 in the second quarter, but a strong second half, including a masterful fourth quarter from LeBron James, lifted them over the Knicks. Miami has now won 14 straight games.
Down by 14 at halftime, Miami had spent much of the third quarter inching back in it. Two huge 3's to close the quarter made it a four-point game, setting the stage for a close and contested final stanza.
Miami just had too much LeBron down the stretch in the fourth. He and Wade did a little of everything and Bosh and Battier hit open shots to give Miami a lead late in the game.
For the Knicks, they missed the shots in the fourth that they were making earlier. Carmelo had 32 points on 9-19 shooting, but couldn't make the key plays offensively with LeBron on him late. J.R. Smith shot poorly in the second half, scoring 13 points on a tough 5-18 shooting. Amar'e Stoudemire and Jason Kidd both had solid, efficient games off the bench for New York.
It was Smith who made the critical error for the Knicks. Down by four with under a minute left, he threw a lazy cross-court pass that was intercepted by LeBron for a breakaway dunk that turned out to be the dagger.
This was the third game in a row where Miami's streak was in jeopardy, but they found a way to win. Next on their schedule is a game at Minnesota tomorrow night as they go for a franchise record 15-straight wins.
Thunder 108, Clippers 104
With Tony Parker out for a month, the race to catch the Spurs was on today as the second and third place teams in the West faced off, with the Thunder getting the tough road win.
Down by 13 at half, the Clippers were able to rally, but the pair of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were just too much in the end. Durant lead all scorers with 35 point, but it was Westbrook who had the best game. He had 29 points and 10 assists in a homecoming for the L.A. native.
The Clippers played better when Chris Paul started looking to score in the second half. He finished with 26 points and eight assists. Jamal Crawford lead bench scorers as usual with 20 points and Blake Griffin also had 20, despite early foul trouble.
It was because of this foul trouble that OKC got so many easy buckets in the first half. Durant and Westbrook were getting to the rim and then the line with ease, and when they weren't scoring, they were finding Serge Ibaka for open jumpers.
As of now, these two teams would meet in the Western Semi-Finals. This win in the Staples Center got OKC a season sweep of the Clippers and also provided a good bounce back after Friday's crushing loss in Denver.
The Heat were down by 16 in the second quarter, but a strong second half, including a masterful fourth quarter from LeBron James, lifted them over the Knicks. Miami has now won 14 straight games.
Down by 14 at halftime, Miami had spent much of the third quarter inching back in it. Two huge 3's to close the quarter made it a four-point game, setting the stage for a close and contested final stanza.
Miami just had too much LeBron down the stretch in the fourth. He and Wade did a little of everything and Bosh and Battier hit open shots to give Miami a lead late in the game.
For the Knicks, they missed the shots in the fourth that they were making earlier. Carmelo had 32 points on 9-19 shooting, but couldn't make the key plays offensively with LeBron on him late. J.R. Smith shot poorly in the second half, scoring 13 points on a tough 5-18 shooting. Amar'e Stoudemire and Jason Kidd both had solid, efficient games off the bench for New York.
It was Smith who made the critical error for the Knicks. Down by four with under a minute left, he threw a lazy cross-court pass that was intercepted by LeBron for a breakaway dunk that turned out to be the dagger.
This was the third game in a row where Miami's streak was in jeopardy, but they found a way to win. Next on their schedule is a game at Minnesota tomorrow night as they go for a franchise record 15-straight wins.
Thunder 108, Clippers 104
With Tony Parker out for a month, the race to catch the Spurs was on today as the second and third place teams in the West faced off, with the Thunder getting the tough road win.
Down by 13 at half, the Clippers were able to rally, but the pair of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were just too much in the end. Durant lead all scorers with 35 point, but it was Westbrook who had the best game. He had 29 points and 10 assists in a homecoming for the L.A. native.
The Clippers played better when Chris Paul started looking to score in the second half. He finished with 26 points and eight assists. Jamal Crawford lead bench scorers as usual with 20 points and Blake Griffin also had 20, despite early foul trouble.
It was because of this foul trouble that OKC got so many easy buckets in the first half. Durant and Westbrook were getting to the rim and then the line with ease, and when they weren't scoring, they were finding Serge Ibaka for open jumpers.
As of now, these two teams would meet in the Western Semi-Finals. This win in the Staples Center got OKC a season sweep of the Clippers and also provided a good bounce back after Friday's crushing loss in Denver.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
1-on-1 Rankings
Think back to All-Star Saturday a week and a half ago. Even though you probably watched it, it's not very easy to remember is it? This lack of memorability on All-Star Saturday has been a trend for nearly a decade and the league needs to shake things up. Of all the prospective ideas, the one most intriguing is a 1-on-1 tournament. Not sure what the bracket would look like, but here are the first ever, 2013 1-on-1 rankings.
Honorable Mention
Derrick Rose- Definitely would have made this list the past few years, but had to be left off since he hasn't played a game in 10 months and we don't know when exactly he will be back.
Chris Paul- The All-Star Game MVP is perhaps a surprising omission. CP3 always makes the right basketball decision, but how well would a 6'0" guy do against bigger, more athletic players 1-on-1?
Paul Pierce- A one time occupant of this list is past his 1-on-1 prime as well. Pierce can still hit the big shots in isolation, but he's unable to get his own shot anywhere within 15 feet.
Jamal Crawford- A sentimental favorite here, Crawford will go 1-on-5 if he wants. His sick handle and ability to get unconsciously hot from deep makes him a much better 1-on-1 player than he is an actual player.
The Top 10
Sticky-Handled Veterans
10. Joe Johnson
Johnson's recent clutch moments helped him put to make the top 10. One of the best ball-handling forwards, Johnson is a veteran who has thrived in isolation offenses. His size also helps as he can shoot over anyone who guards him 1-on-1.
9. Tony Parker
Parker can get to the hole on virtually any defender. He is a complete point guard who can finish at the rim or pull up for a sweet mid-range jumper. He's not known as a great 1-on-1 guy because of the Spurs balanced offense, but Parker can take any defender off the dribble.
Sidekicks
8. Russell Westbrook
Westbrook has blow-by speed and the other-worldly athleticism. His finishing at the rim isn't great and his jumper is even more suspect at times, but for all his faults, Westbrook can still score at a high clip.
7. Dwyane Wade
WOW has been falling on this list for a couple years now, and he's still ranked seventh. Wade's never been a great shooter, but he does everything else well, including hitting circus shots, which always come in handy playing 1-on-1.
The $50,000 Club
6. Kyrie Irving
In All-Star weekend we saw Irving break a guy's ankles, win the three-point contest and hold his own against the established superstars. He may be the point guard of the future, but Irving can already dominate in the 1-on-1 game.
5. Kobe Bryant
I believe Kobe would win the anticipated matchup against Irving, which is why he gets the edge on the list. Even with incredible mileage on his body, Kobe can still take his defender. With his fadeaway mastery, there's not a shot Kobe can't make.
The Sleeper
4. James Harden
Harden gets his own category as a sleeper because in the 1-on-1 tournament, he would be considered the dark horse. His craftiness off the dribble may be unmatched and his strength at the rim give him an edge over the likes of Wade, Irving and Kobe.
The Favorites
3. Carmelo Anthony
A player born for isolation, Melo has the strength to get the mid-range position where he is lethal. His shooting touch makes scoring easy. Melo deserves a spot in this category because he has a realistic chance of winning a 1-on-1 tourney.
2. LeBron James
He's the best player in the league, but number two here. With his insane combo of speed, strength and athleticism, LeBron can score 11 different ways in a game up to 11.
1. Kevin Durant
Durant is a pure shooter, which will always give him an advantage. He can shoot over anyone and is an underrated finisher at the rim. No player makes scoring look so easy. Combine all that with his clutch ability and KD is the best 1-on-1 player in the NBA.
Chris Paul- The All-Star Game MVP is perhaps a surprising omission. CP3 always makes the right basketball decision, but how well would a 6'0" guy do against bigger, more athletic players 1-on-1?
Paul Pierce- A one time occupant of this list is past his 1-on-1 prime as well. Pierce can still hit the big shots in isolation, but he's unable to get his own shot anywhere within 15 feet.
Jamal Crawford- A sentimental favorite here, Crawford will go 1-on-5 if he wants. His sick handle and ability to get unconsciously hot from deep makes him a much better 1-on-1 player than he is an actual player.
The Top 10
Sticky-Handled Veterans
10. Joe Johnson
Johnson's recent clutch moments helped him put to make the top 10. One of the best ball-handling forwards, Johnson is a veteran who has thrived in isolation offenses. His size also helps as he can shoot over anyone who guards him 1-on-1.
9. Tony Parker
Parker can get to the hole on virtually any defender. He is a complete point guard who can finish at the rim or pull up for a sweet mid-range jumper. He's not known as a great 1-on-1 guy because of the Spurs balanced offense, but Parker can take any defender off the dribble.
Sidekicks
8. Russell Westbrook
Westbrook has blow-by speed and the other-worldly athleticism. His finishing at the rim isn't great and his jumper is even more suspect at times, but for all his faults, Westbrook can still score at a high clip.
7. Dwyane Wade
WOW has been falling on this list for a couple years now, and he's still ranked seventh. Wade's never been a great shooter, but he does everything else well, including hitting circus shots, which always come in handy playing 1-on-1.
The $50,000 Club
6. Kyrie Irving
In All-Star weekend we saw Irving break a guy's ankles, win the three-point contest and hold his own against the established superstars. He may be the point guard of the future, but Irving can already dominate in the 1-on-1 game.
5. Kobe Bryant
I believe Kobe would win the anticipated matchup against Irving, which is why he gets the edge on the list. Even with incredible mileage on his body, Kobe can still take his defender. With his fadeaway mastery, there's not a shot Kobe can't make.
The Sleeper
4. James Harden
Harden gets his own category as a sleeper because in the 1-on-1 tournament, he would be considered the dark horse. His craftiness off the dribble may be unmatched and his strength at the rim give him an edge over the likes of Wade, Irving and Kobe.
The Favorites
3. Carmelo Anthony
A player born for isolation, Melo has the strength to get the mid-range position where he is lethal. His shooting touch makes scoring easy. Melo deserves a spot in this category because he has a realistic chance of winning a 1-on-1 tourney.
2. LeBron James
He's the best player in the league, but number two here. With his insane combo of speed, strength and athleticism, LeBron can score 11 different ways in a game up to 11.
1. Kevin Durant
Durant is a pure shooter, which will always give him an advantage. He can shoot over anyone and is an underrated finisher at the rim. No player makes scoring look so easy. Combine all that with his clutch ability and KD is the best 1-on-1 player in the NBA.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Scorching Heat
It's 11 wins and counting for Miami, who dispatched LeBron's old team last night in a 109-105 win. In a stretch that's seen LeBron distance himself from the field in the MVP race, and Dwyane Wade start to get his form, the Heat are on a tear that doesn't look to end any time soon.
Miami has been able to get it done all sorts of ways during this run. We've seen them grind it out against the Lakers and Rockets. They've held off late runs from Cleveland and OKC. And they've demolished playoff teams in wins versus the Bulls and Clippers. The Heat can win any way possible because the have the most versatile man in the league in LeBron.
We know all about the streak of 30-point games and we've heard way too many MJ comparisons at this point. It's just incredible how much of a "pick your poison" he has become. He opened the streak with seven 30-point games, but in the last four games where he's scored under 30, LeBron has recorded at least a double-double. So it's either allow the King to score 30 or surrender a double-double...or hold him under 20 and allow a triple-double. How'd that work out Philly?
It hasn't mattered that Wade is losing a step, or that his Ray Allen and Shane Battier have been cold, or that Chris Bosh has been erratic. All that matters is that the Heat have LeBron Raymone James and that makes them the best team in the NBA. Nothing says MVP like leading your team in scoring, assists, rebounds, and steals while having the best record in your conference.
So how long can this run continue? After what should be a stroll at home versus Sacramento, the schedule toughens up. The Grizzlies come to Miami and will try to grind it out against the Heat. Their size inside with Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph give Memphis an edge and Tony Allen provides a potential Wade stopper.
Next, Miami visits MSG, trying to get their first win over the Knicks. While the 'Bockers have struggled recently, Carmelo, Chandler and Co. have given the Heat problems this season. And, if Miami is somehow able to skate through until March 10th, they play the Pacers in what will be a matchup of the East's two best.
This seems to be the new normal in the NBA. The Heat are winning without scrutiny and LeBron is making a 27-8-7 line look easy. Unless your an opposing team or a devoted LeBron hater, all you can do is enjoy the man's work with a basketball.
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