4 Burning Questions: NBA Edition

Posted on March 25, 2012 by Glen G

This Year’s Lockout-induced, shortened season has felt like anything but excitement, as has been the theme throughout. Trade talks are at a premium and the line between contender/pretender teams has never felt so blurred. It’s leaving fans with many questions, so many that I couldn’t possibly compose a list of all of them; but that doesn’t mean I won’t try. In fact there are 4 questions that jump out due to their importance and implications, and those we will take a look at.

1. Are the Chicago Bulls Title Contenders?

Thoughts: A lopsided playoff loss to powerful Miami last spring raised doubts about how good Chicago actually was…well they’ve responded, in a big way. Up to this point they’re 40-10 and hold the league’s best record. They’ve also had a number of meaningful victories over playoff teams, with a number of those coming without Derrick Rose. However, until The Bulls can beat an elite team in a playoff series they will remain just a very good team. Their inability to score consistently minus D-Rose remains a concern, a concern big enough to stall their title hopes at least another season.

2. Did Dwight Howard Make The Right Move?

Thoughts: After the fiasco he put everyone through, Dwight remained in Orlando despite vigorously demanding a trade. The popular location for D12 to land was thought to be New Jersey, but that trade just never materialized. That could end up being a real shame for New Jersey as this season wraps up (more to come on that). Now that Howard has signed on for at least one more season we will get to see whether that was wise. Orlando still seems short of having a squad capable of winning a title, but perhaps Dwight can be the difference maker. One thing’s for sure, if he can win a championship with Orlando (and with this squad), he may well be the true “Superman”.

3. Will Deron Williams Leave New Jersey, or is Gerald Wallace Enough Compensation?

Thoughts: Losing out on another potential franchise changing talent made the Nets desperate. To their credit, they did not panic and because of that they improved their team with the acquisition of Gerald Wallace. A personal favorite of mine, Wallace is above all else an athlete; he can jump with anyone and can find ways to score on his own, which will be key for a lackluster New Jersey team. The bigger issue at hand is whether this move is enough to convince Deron Williams to stay with the team. The answer to that, at least as I see it, is that the Nets must do more to really improve. This one signing does not make the Nets any more of a title contender and must be complemented with another signing of a Superstar this off-season, or the Brooklyn move may become a disaster.

4. Who Are The Knicks?

The New York Knicks have been on a roller-coaster ride all season, going from awfully good to awfully bad several times, and at the end of the day which are they? The key issues seem to be the lack of cohesion and balance on offense coupled with a lot of (as Walt “Clyde” Frazier would say) “Swiss Cheese” defense. However, since the resigning of Coach Mike D’Antoni, the Knicks have shown a resurgent defense. They have shown this at times this season already, but have never sustained it for any period of time. If they can keep their commitment level up and continue to share the basketball they have a dangerous team. Since Interim Head Coach Mike Woodson has taken over, the trio of Jeremy Lin, Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony have been gelling all while sacrificing individual stats for team victories; can that continue? That question in itself is the key to how good the New York Knicks can and will be.

Any Big Questions I Missed? How Far Will The Knicks Go? Thoughts?

Share this:

Deron Williams Drops 57 on Bobcats

Posted on March 5, 2012 by wcornblatt

It was a good sports day. Both New York-Boston match-ups were close (Hockey & Basketball), and College Basketball had the perennial end of the year vibe. However, the most impressive part of the day was the game by Deron Williams. His 57-point performance led the Nets passed the sorry Bobcats. He reached such astronomical numbers not through shear quantity of shots, but through meticulous foul shooting. Williams went 21 for 21 from the line and shot better than 50 percent from the field. D-Will is part of the murky pool of elite point guards that include the likes of fellow superstars Chris Paul, Derrick Rose and Rajon Rondo, who all have their areas of strength. Williams uses his size and accurate shooting to carry the scoring load when his teammates are struggling to produce. He does it with class and finesse, but his uncertain future leaves questions about his legacy.

Deron Williams has had a certain form of success with Utah and New Jersey. He’s proven he’s consistent, averaging 17 points and 9 rebounds throughout his career. However, Williams’ talent has long out-shined his teams’ potential. Will the affable superstar follow other giants’ footsteps and sign with a major team? Or will his presence attract Dwight Howard? Williams has always been a humble guy and is rarely a spark plug for controversy, but finding an amicable way out of his situation is nearly impossible. He deserves to win, but an exit from New Jersey means abandoning the fans and looking spoiled. If he stays in New Jersey, putting in shocking individual performances without a championship to show for it, he’ll fall into the muck of athletes-that-never-won-one. Deron Williams reminded owners why he should be one of the first players on their mind come free agency, and that if you need instant offense, he’s the man for the job.

Share this:

Would You Rather Rubio or Lin?

Posted on February 13, 2012 by wcornblatt

It’s an off year for point guards. Chris Paul’s new destination has been the perfect venue for his unselfish game, but other than him the big names have been shaky. Derrick Rose has been sidelined with back problems. The irrelevance of the Nets has swallowed Deron Williams’ talent. Rajon Rondo has been stellar, but an imminent trade clouts his performance. Rather than the normal, elitist nature of point guards in the NBA, we have surprises. Jeremy Lin has taken the headlines over. Whether it’s his ethnicity or alma mater, he is a sensation worthy of Tebowian coverage. He’s a fantasy prophet that might’ve brought your team back from the abyss if you saw this coming. The future of Lin is equally as compelling as his accomplishments. The return of Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony scares certain skeptics, but I genuinely believe that even if Lin’s numbers fall off, he will be a solid point guard that opens the Knicks offense.

The other young dynamo that excites NBA fans is Ricky Rubio. He’s old school in the best way. He has the muscle mass of Christian Bale in “The Machinist,” but uses spacing and vision to create offense. Minnesota’s young lineup will only improve with time, and unlike the Knicks, the Timberwolves are playing for the long run. He might look humble, but when a flashy pass is available he jumps at the opportunity. Between the Rubio and Lin whom would you rather have? Numbers aren’t going to solve this. Lin simply hasn’t played enough games and Rubio is just beginning. This decision, I’m afraid, is all about instinct. It isn’t even a question to me, Rubio is the winner by a mile. He’s two years younger, and has proven more over a longer period of time. Lin’s shown his potential over the last five games, but I’m not sure I buy into him as a long-term answer. Rubio blew the game against the Knicks with a botched dribble off his foot, but Lin wasn’t his normal 30-point self that game either. He dropped 20, but shot the ball poorly.

I could be wrong and eating my words come playoff time. I can see my blank, moronic face now as I watch Jeremy Lin hit an open corner 3 to beat the Bulls in a game 6 to send it to 7. But for now, Ricky Rubio is a 21-year old point guard that has shown he can get the ball to his dominant big man with ease. Both of these two could end up washed up, Sir Mix A-Lot-like one hit wonders in eight years, doing local Toyota commercials to get a couple bucks to hit the strip club. But for now, we should enjoy a different type of point guard

Share this:

The Development of a Title Contender: Oklahoma City Thunder

Posted on January 29, 2012 by Glen G

Over the past few seasons the NBA has seen a lot of great talent come into the league. Players like Derrick Rose (last season’s MVP), Blake Griffin (last year was named Rookie of the Year unanimously, marking the first time that’s occurred in 21 years) and this year’s Rookie of the Year front-runner Ricky Rubio all have brought life back to their franchises and are great fantasy picks for your daily fantasy basketball teams. Whether it be Griffin with his thunderous finishes, Rubio with his precision passing or Rose with his ability to carve through defenders, these guys are making basketball very exciting to watch while lifting their respective teams into contention. One team that has impressed me in particular is the Oklahoma City Thunder and the steps they’ve taken as a collective unit.

The Thunder have been on the rise for a few seasons now and their growth seems to be paired with the improvement of their two core star players, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Both players on any given night can be the sole reason your daily fantasy basketball team will win. Durant came out of college (University of Texas) and found success immediately. In his rookie season he averaged 20.3 points per game and he’s been raising that number ever since (even becoming the youngest player to win the scoring title in 2010). His ability to score from both the inside and outside (he has one of the most underrated jump shot in the league) makes him one of the most unguardable players in the NBA. His length (6’9’’ and incredibly lanky) only adds to the problems he gives defenders and has undoubtedly aided Durant in becoming a top 5 NBA player.

The Thunder have also been lucky enough to find themselves one of the best young point guards in the league with Russell Westbrook. In my opinion Westbrook, not Durant, is the key to this team’s success because of his role. Last year, when Dallas eliminated Oklahoma City in the Conference Finals, it was the inability of Westbrook to distribute the ball effectively that spelled doom for the Thunder. Although his stat line was impressive (averaged 23.8 points and 6.4 assists in last year’s playoffs), it is also deceptive. Westbrook tended to become an isolation player in the playoffs and Dallas was content with letting him score as long as it meant Durant didn’t get to burn them.

So far this season Oklahoma City has seemed to have learned their lesson. The team has started out 16-3 (best in the NBA) and more importantly they seem to have matured since last season’s Conference Finals. They’ve also improved due to the emergence of James Harden (averaging a career best 16.9 points per game), who has helped open up space for Durant and Westbrook because teams have to guard him; or trust me he’ll hurt you. The Thunder are a young team that is benefitting from learning and growing together, and I like the direction Head Coach Scott Brooks has them heading. His dedication (along with the General Manager’s patience) to improving this team internally is paying huge dividends and has many predicting OKC to win this year’s NBA Championship. All I have to say is that when you have three guys who are all making a big impact in James Harden, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, and you surround them with great role players like Serge Ibaka, Kendrick Perkins (a great piece for a championship contender because of his physicality and nastiness) and Nick Collison, you’re creating a pretty tough team to beat.

Even if they don’t take home a championship this year it’s pretty damn impressive what the organization has put together, and I’m excited to see how they continue to improve going forward. Oklahoma City is definitely a team to watch out for.

Is OKC on Your Radar? Whos your favorite young team? let me hear what you think!

Share this:

The Boston Celtics Strategy

Posted on January 26, 2012 by wcornblatt

The Boston Celtics have certainly not had the season they were expecting. They’re barely in the playoff picture, and only are because the Knicks are playing themselves out of contention. The age of the Celtics has shown itself to the point that it’s borderline sad watching them attempt to keep up. Their sole bright spot is Rajon Rondo, whose tenacity on the defensive end just hasn’t seemed enough to make up for the team’s horrifying lack of scoring. But this is an interesting NBA season. If we’ve learned anything, it’s that injuries are more prevalent than ever. Countless superstars can be seen on the sidelines, wearing absurd suits looking like Huggy Bear. In a weird way, this joke of a year benefits the Celtics. Sure, older teams struggle with back-to-back games, it isn’t easy to keep up with the tempo of youthful eastern conference teams like the Bulls and Heat. But if you want to understand what the Celtics are doing, just look at their 1969 season.

Bill Russell’s unimaginable run as a winner was coming to an end. He was old and tired. He was a player/coach that had given his all for his 10 championships. In an almost completely strategic gamble, he rested for much of the season. His old legs got some wind back in them, and the Celtics faced the rival Lakers in the finals, and the Celtics won! Doc Rivers is taking a page from the legend himself. The Celtics starters have been in a rotation of rest because of injury for almost the entire season. On the surface, it looks like an aging team with players that can’t play, which is slightly true. But if you think a heal spur would keep Paul Pierce out of a playoff game, you haven’t seen the Inglewood native pounding his chest furiously after a game winning shot. Pierce has also been hot for fantasy owners as of late. The laughable structure of the NBA playoffs allows half the teams to enter the postseason. If the Celtics can manage to hold on to the last playoff spot in the east, they’ll be forced to play the Heat or Bulls. Both are inevitable opponents anyway, and both are lying to themselves if they say they aren’t a little afraid of the Celtics come playoff time. Nobody wants to face a former champion. I can’t say I believe the Celtics have a chance at winning a championship, but I do believe that there is a possibility they’re one of the few smart teams, resting their stars and keeping their Betty White-aged roster ready. One thing is for certain; if Ray Allen gets hot, all bets are off.

Share this:

Fantasy Football | Fantasy Baseball | Fantasy Basketball | Fantasy Sports

Daily Fantasy Sports…Time is Money

Tag Archives: Derrick Rose

4 Burning Questions: NBA Edition

Deron Williams Drops 57 on Bobcats

Would You Rather Rubio or Lin?

The Development of a Title Contender: Oklahoma City Thunder

The Boston Celtics Strategy