Random thoughts on random teams

As I've mentioned elsewhere, I don't get to spend as much time watching games as I'd like, but what I've seen so far has spurred a few thoughts.

As an aside, although NBA TV's coverage is disjointed and their commentators are usually best when controlled by the mute button, I do like seeing a lot of different teams I might not otherwise see, even if only for a few minutes.

The Magic

I generally liked their "below the radar" offseason moves but thought that swapping Turkoglu for Vince would hurt them, especially in the playoffs. In any event, I figured that their significant roster turnover combined with Rashard Lewis' suspension would lead to a slow start, so I was surprised when they did the opposite. Their recent losses have pulled them back to the type of record I expected.

But I'm having trouble figuring out Howard. Although his FG and FT percentages are up, his minutes, FG and FT attempts, scoring, rebounding, and blocks are all down. Maybe it's just post-finals malaise, but he looks a little lost out there, and I've seen too many instances of him looking distressed. While he's not volatile, he seems like an emotional guy who does best when he plays with an almost childlike "joy," and it's missing. He's supposed to be a reliable stud on my fantasy team, and so far, he's not.

Stan Van Gundy after last night's loss to the Cavs: "Dwight is having trouble having double-figure rebounding games, he's blocked one shot in three games. Jameer -- look, people have big nights, but it's Russell Westbrook, it's Felton, it's Mo Williams. Two returning guys, captains, that know your system are supposed to be leaders. It's not all on them, but it's got to start with them."

It's a long season and they should be dangerous come playoff time, but he's right. It's time for Howard and Nelson to grow up.

The Phoenix Phenomenon

I saw some of the Boston-Phoenix game, I watched a good chunk of the Phoenix-New Orleans game last night, and I've seen little bits here and there of other Suns games. I'm fascinated seeing them at work. I firmly believe most basketball players like to play an up-tempo, running style. Besides the fact that it's just more fun, playing run-and-gun relies on athleticism, and every self-respecting, ego-driven NBA player thinks he can run-and-gun better than the other guys because they all think they're the best athletes in the world. So Phoenix lulls the other team into running. The other team can't help themselves. And if you're a bad team like New Orleans, you find yourself at halftime scoring way above your average and down by 19 points. You may think you can run, but these guys do it a whole lot better than you, and if they're on, they're going to embarrass you.

I've always loved Steve Nash, and it's so much fun watching him again this year. (Bob, I think he has a chance to play very well up to age 40, just like Stockton.) Grant Hill is playing well. Stoudemire is playing better than I thought he would after being out so long. Richardson is streaky and can kill either team, depending on whether or not he's on, but this team is suited to his talents. Supporting cast guys like Frye, Barbosa, and Amundson are thriving. They neutralize their size disadvantage with hustle and rebounds and energy on both ends of the floor.

To beat them, you either have to hope they're missing their shots, or you have to be disciplined and not get trapped into running with them. I don't think it's any surprise that San Antonio has been the thorn in their playoff sides. It will be interesting to see the Celtics play them the second time. It will be interesting to see the Lakers play them tonight.

Defenses that don't care

Golden State, Memphis, and the Knicks are giving up the most points per game, which isn't surprising considering that they're awful teams. But I've seen absolutely terrible defensive performances this year from totally unexpected places -- Utah and San Antonio. I saw the last few minutes of the Utah-Knick game the other night, a close one that Utah won by one point. Utah isn't the most talented defensive team in the world, but at the end of a tight game, the Knicks were getting inside Utah's defense like a hot knife through butter. The Jazz were flat-footed, immobile stiffs who weren't giving effort defensively. The only reason they won was through superior incompetence by the Knicks, and even then, the Knicks could've/should've won if rookie Toney Douglas had made a two-footer in the closing seconds. I never thought I'd see total lack of defensive effort by a Jerry Sloan-coached team.

With San Antonio, I remember them playing a game during (I think) the first week. I don't remember who it was against. All I remember is watching them and realizing that their defense was pathetic, and it was mainly due to lack of effort. This was the Spurs. Playing bad defense. I don't remember anything else after that.

Another quote from Stan Van Gundy after losing to the Cavs: "If your team isn't playing hard and not defending, that's an indictment of you as a coach... No defense, no rebounding, not a whole lot of effort. We don't defend and we don't play hard enough... We won last year because of our defense. This group thinks we win with our offense, so we don't play any defense."

SVG is prone to hyperbole, but he's right -- if you don't play hard on defense, that's an indictment of the coach. With the Jazz and Spurs, maybe there are other factors -- Duncan's knee issues reverberate through that entire team -- but lack of effort is puzzling. I really respect Sloan and Popovich as coaches, and maybe they'll be playing a lot better as the season goes along, but I thought defensive effort from those two teams would be one of the certainties in life.

The Hornets are a lousy team, but I saw the same thing with them last night against Phoenix -- absolute lack of defensive effort. Near the end of the first half, I saw a Suns backup player throw a rainbow pass ripe for the plucking totally cross-court while the Hornets were set in their halfcourt defense, and the backside defensive player just stood there and watched it go a Sun player in the corner, who then shot an uncontested three. Unbelievable. Upon seeing that, I thought two things: 1) I know the Hornets stink, but don't the players have any pride? and 2) Byron Scott has totally lost that team.

Maybe the Suns' success has infected the minds of other teams players, and maybe they all think, like SVG says, "we win with our offense, so we don't play any defense." I'd like to think these guys are smarter than that and that these coaches won't allow that to happen. I'd like to think that the Spur and Jazz film sessions and practices after those performances would be, shall we say, "learning experiences."

Outside

Outside

I watched the Cavs-Magic game last nite and was stunned at the utter lack of D.

I feel like the Celts new parts are fitting best and with the Suns it's adding by subtracting. Shaq kills ball movement which is odd cuz he is such a great passer.

Channing Frye is stretching the floor ala Sheed.

I too was shocked by the lack of effort the Spurs showed on D in the two games I saw them play. And d is just effort. Doin the footwork to stay in front. Fighting through screens.

Good post

Jeb

Good insights – agree with a lot of them. Here are a few assorted observations.

Magic –
I too thought that the Hedo/ Vince swap was a move in the wrong direction, and I think in the end – it will be. Number one, Carter is very injury prone. He has played for a very bad team for a while now, and was able to play on the offensive end and sleep on D. Now with SVG and the Magic, he will be asked to play D as well. That kind of wear and tear on him at this age cant bode well for an 82 game season. I am not convinced the Magic are real contenders as presently constituted.

Suns –
are a pleasant surprise and Nash, Richardson and Stoudamire are playing out of their minds so far. They are full of guys that are injury prone, and have no real inside game. If they came to town last night instead of last week – the Celtics would have pounded the ball inside and beat them handily. The jury is out on them until April imo.

Spurs –
Look OLD….really old. Duncan is slow, Parker is always hurt, Ginobli just doesn’t look right, and Richard Jefferson is just not the prime time player he once was. I don’t honestly see them making that many waves…I think the Lakers, Denver, Phoenix, hell maybe even Portland, Utah and Dallas are as good or better than the Spurs in the long run.

The team I really like is Denver. Ok, let me take that back. The team I dislike personally more than anyone but the Lakers, is Denver. I think they are basically a team full of punks and thugs (sans Chauncey) – coached by a shady guy that I never ever liked. But they can ball. If JR Smith gets back to form, Martin and Nene keep playing well down low, and Mello is at even 90% of where he is at right now – they are SCARY.

I still think in a series the Lakers have it over them, but otherwise the Nuggets look pretty strong to me and are the second best team in the West imo.

One last thing…the Cavs are going to be better. They are not championship contenders, but LeBron will come on strong for a month or two during the season…and will carry them to a 2nd or 3rd seed…and they will still be formidable come playoff time.

Kleen

Did you see game last night? Cavs looked pretty damn fierce on O.

Cavs and Heat on tnt. No d whatsoever. Both teams look explosive on O. Middlin d though. Cleveland up 5 at half.