10 Things: Playoff Preview

It's been awhile since we've posted one of these. College basketball has taken my basketball interest the last month, but I'll try to shake off the rust. Back to the professionals and the playoffs are about a week away:

10) Help is on the way?: Before I get back to the men who get paid to play the game, the focus begins on the prospects who will soon get paid to play the game, like the beast pictured above. This is a pretty weak draft class, considered one of the worst in years, and it's quite evident by 4 European players being in the top 10. One wasn't even allowed to play for Kentucky this year, and I just don't like the Euros. They usually don't succeed, except for Action Dirk. I really don't blame a lot of the college players for staying in college either (Jared Sullinger) because who really wants to play for the Cavaliers or Raptors? As for the players that will be in the draft, there are a few that will benefit off a weak class (Kemba Walker <3, Jimmer Fredette) and there are a couple guys that I feel will be really solid NBA players (Brandon Knight, Terrence Jones, Kawhi Leonard, & Chris Singleton). However I only see three potential stars in this draft (Derrick Williams, Kyrie Irving, & Perry Jones).

9) The Grizzly Grind: The Grizzlies have had one nationally-televised game all season, they're superstar is out for the season, his supposed sidekick has flamed out, and their 2nd pick in the draft last season was traded at the deadline. Yet I'm talking about the eighth-seeded team in the Western Conference. These Grizzlies have been one of the biggest surprises of the season, Lionel Hollins deserves a lot of credit, and I personally feel they've been under the radar all year. What makes them work? A grind-out style and good defense true to the character of the roster. Zach Randolph is one of the best power forwards in the NBA that no one respects, Mike Conley is living up to expectations and Tony Allen is having a career year, don't let the stats fool you. They also get contributions from guys like Shane Battier, Darrell Arthur, Sam Young, and the other Gasol brother. This team really isn't much to watch but they've earned their success and it's nice to see them in the playoffs again.

8) Philly Fun: The bottom feeders of the Eastern Conference are always a joke because under .500 can still mean a playoff birth and for the Philadelphia 76ers that's good enough for the 7th, maybe even the 6th seed in the conference. However, I'm not going to take away from the improvement of this team under Doug Collins. Doug Collins turns teams around. He has always done that his first season coaching a new team. As for the team, I'm not too thrilled with them, but they do have a lot of depth and the ultimate poor man's LeBron James. I really like their point guards, Jrue Holiday and Louis Williams, and it's great to see the resurgence of Elton Brand, who gets a lot of crap for his ridiculous contract. Other than that, this team is not very fun to watch, and they're really not that good. They made the playoffs though, congratulations Philly, Will Smith is somewhere smiling.

7) Broken but Still Buzzing:  From watching the NBA the last few years, I've learned one thing about the New Orleans Hornets. Never doubt the capabilities of Chris Paul. I am willing to give the "Best point guard of the NBA" tag to that guy running the show in Chicago, but Chris Paul even with declining numbers is still in the discussion. He makes his teammates better and gets the most out of all their skills. For the playoffs, he'll need to continue that and put the team on his shoulders after losing his "safety blanket" for this season and possibly a majority of next season. Acquiring Carl Landry may now be one of the biggest trades of the deadline and Ariza and Okafor will need to pick up their play if they even want to compete. The goal for the final games of the season is to get that 6th seed and avoid the Lakers. The one thing I can guarantee you from this team is that CP3 will be ready and he'll put on a show when it matters. I cannot wait.   

6) The Portland Push: Since the Gerald Wallace trade at the deadline, the Blazers have been playing some quality hoop. Playing with a smaller lineup has seemed to work and the depth of this team is one of the best in the league. Before their embarrassing loss to the Warriors on Tuesday, the Blazers had won eight straight at home and had quality wins against the Spurs, Thunder, and Mavs. With a potential series against the Mavs in the first round, the Blazers do have a chance to advance to the second round especially with the match-up problem LaMarcus Aldridge presents. I'm not the biggest fan of the Blazers, but it pains me to see how good this team could really be if knee injuries didn't take away Brandon Roy's promising career at only 26 (in my opinion the third best shooting guard in the league before injuries), and Greg Oden's potential. With that being said, they're still no joke and can make noise come April 16th.

 
5) Maverick Mystery: Isn't that lady pictured above gorgeous? Well that my friends is J.J. Barea's girlfriend and former Miss Universe 2006. I don't understand how foreign backup point guards in the NBA do it, but they do it and it enrages me, but that's besides the point. J.J. Barea's team is the focus, I'm sorry I mean Dirk Nowitzki's team is the focus and they're heading into their most hated time of the year, the playoffs. I think any NBA fan knows that besides 2006, the Mavs choke in the playoffs every year. This year's team is pretty good though and they can compete with any team in the league. They're very experienced and they have the German, but I just don't see them getting past the second round because they're soft, they're always soft, and they're led by the German, which is actually a bad thing too because he's soft. Then again this team can surprise and that is why they remain a mystery till the playoffs are in action.

4) Thunder Rolling: I don't really want to boast about my Thunder playing well, but they're playing pretty well. Kendrick Perkins is fitting in perfectly and Serge Ibaka has embraced the starting power forward position perfectly. I've gotten past the overhype of this team because they're actually living up to it and a lot of analysts are willing to say this is the second best team in the West. I really like their chances if they have to play the battered Spurs in the second round, but I'm very concerned about those new Nuggets in the first round, but that should be one hell of a series. I'm positive KD and Russ will be ready when the playoffs start.   


3) Bashful Bulls: The Chicago Bulls are certainly not. This is the team that everybody is talking about and the team with the league's MVP. They deserve all the attention and they deserve all the credit for being the best team in the NBA this season. They play basketball the way it should be played, beating the bad teams by a ton, and finding ways to beat the elites of the league as well. Tom Thibodeau is the coach of the year and they will certainly give the Heat or Celtics a run for their money in the East. They will be the one seed in the East and they will be very dangerous. They've beaten the C's pretty bad this year, but I'm not willing to give them the edge just yet because you can never discredit playoff experience, and until I see the Bulls play a round of playoff basketball together, I'm not completely sold.

 2) Better Off Without You: The Denver Nuggets since the Carmelo Anthony trade have become my third favorite team in the NBA. Their 15-5 since the trade and they are quite a joy to watch. What has been the key to their success? Defense. Yes, the Denver Nuggets are playing defense with an emphasis of team basketball. Their leader is Kenyon Martin and their superstar is by committee each night. Aaron Afflalo, Nene, Ty Lawson, Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler, Al Harrington, Danilo Gallinari, and J.R. Smith have all had games where they became the focal point of the offense. Their chemistry is amazing thanks to George Karl's excellent coaching, and I hate how they most likely will have to play the Thunder in the first round.Win or lose, they'll certainly provide playoff excitement.

As for that other team involved in the trade, the expectations were for the New York Knicks to secure a top four seeding in the East for the playoffs, but that has not been the case. Instead, the Knicks are playing .500 basketball since acquiring Carmelo (12-12) and are fighting to secure the sixth seed from the Philadelphia 76ers. The all important chemistry is lacking and Carmelo and Amare do not seem to play well together. The ball sticks too much, and Mike D'Antoni's teams never play defense, but since the trade they actually do not play any defense at all. The team lacks depth and besides the recent play of Toney Douglas, no one else besides Stat, Melo, and Chauncey have shown up. I didn't expect the Knicks to be title contenders this season anyways, and this is all a prequel to what lies ahead. So for the Knicks to even be back in the playoffs and to acquire their franchise superstar this season, the Knicks have accomplished plenty this year. They'll be the biggest winner of the trade eventually. Now it's only a matter of when the Knicks' future plans reach fruition.

1) Respect the Vets: All season long, the talk has been of the Miami Heat, the Chicago Bulls, and the rest of the young rising teams in the league that have peaked ahead of schedule. The teams left out of discussion are the veteran teams. The teams who have been there and done that. The reason is because of injuries and lack-luster play as of late, but I'm a firm believer in experience come playoff time and you can never discredit that. Want to doubt Timmy and the Spurs, why don't you ask him and his 4 championship rings if he cares. Down in Socal, I think the best player on the planet is glad to have everyone sleeping on his team because it just adds more fuel to his fire, and the Black Mamba doesn't need extra motivation with Jordan's legacy at his reach. The only team that worries me is the Celtics. They are actually unhealthy and trading Kendrick Perkins is looking like a bigger mistake with each passing day. However, they are the reigning Eastern Conference champions and I still believe they will be playing into June. The veteran teams know when the real season starts. They'll be ready to play, and for those promising young teams to breakthrough, the route is through San Antonio, Boston, and Los Angeles.