NBA | FANtastic ALL-STAR Break

All-Star weekend is a reminder of the immense talent the NBA possesses. The break allows us to assess the Association. The events and game itself showcased how basketball is both fun and exciting, perhaps like no other major sport in America. I thought the ELAM ending was good. I also liked how each quarter felt like a mini game, bringing more of a competitive edge. Third quarter intensity ramped up near the horn as teams jockeyed for point totals leading into the fourth. Big ups to both squads for bringing more to the All Star game.

Los Angeles 

I'll begin in the City of Angels due to the star power of both Staples Center teams, and an unfathomable tragedy (I'll briefly address this at the end). The center of the NBA universe seems to be LA. The Lakers stood pat while the Clippers made a move at the deadline. I thought it was okay, and in some way spiritual right, that the Lakers didn't make a move. They were probably doing their due diligence behind the scenes, and yet it may have felt inappropriate to overhaul the roster. Whether or not they should have is for the talking heads to debate. 

The Forum Blue and Gold destroys teams they're suppose to, and although they have a winning record against plus .500 teams, they don't always look as great against superior competition. The primary teams to be concerned with in this regard are Milwaukee, Toronto, and the Clippers. 

It's no secret that the Lakers offense looks pedestrian when LeBron is off the court. Do Davis and James have to do more? Perhaps in the playoffs, which they are capable of. The ball is almost always in LeBron's hands, but when he does turn it over, I want him to hustle back. On botched possessions he rarely crosses half court before the opponents trigger a shot. I'm not expecting game seven of the Finals, chase-down LeBron, but more effort to invigorate his teammates wouldn't hurt. His "free safety" role on defense sometimes confuses his help-side defenders who are trying to rotate and recover. I want him to be more engaged on defense. Also, too often he settles for that mid-post fade away. He should attack the rim to score or facilitate. Ultimately I'm just nitpicking my favorite player because I want his squad to shine. Maybe he's angling for the playoffs.  

Davis could use a jolt of assertiveness. I'm wondering if he'll play as though this team is his. It's no secret he's a beast on both sides of the ball, the best two-way Laker. Davis leads the team in scoring, rebounding, steals and blocks. His PER is more than 3 points higher than LeBron's and he hits free throws. AD's a machine sent to earth to wreak havoc on basketball opposition, and LeBron's his running mate. So why doesn't he consistently get touches when it's crunch time? Again, I'm nitpicking an all-time talent. I just want him to excel.

The Clippers traded for a ball-stopping Morris twin. They appear to be the ultimate Dr. Jeckyll Mr. Hyde, lacking consistency and chemistry. PG and especially Kawhi have powers to summon once postseason begins. Regardless of the talent, chemistry and health play major roles in the march toward a Finals. Will the Clippers have enough court time together to build cohesion?

Dame Time ? !!!

How severely did he strain his groin? Why did he even attend All Star weekend, especially if he had to move around in skinny jeans? There were more than enough rappers in Chicago to fill in, however none as slick as Dame. Can he and the Blazers catch the Grizzlies? They can if he plays in most of the 26 games that remain.

Gary Trent Jr. is making the leap. GT's play has been a revelation. He plays with confidence and physicality. If he continues to shine his value to the team will only grow moving forward. He's earned his increased minutes, especially in the fourth quarter. Trent's proven he has the onions to take shots and make them. He's an NBA scorer. Good on him for continuing to work hard.

Ariza's been a helpful surprise. His veteran smarts, long limbs, and ability to shoot the deep ball has increased the Blazers ceiling. Swanigan may be a bull in a china shop, but he plays hard and brings a bit of nasty onto the court. Simons needs to recapture his swagger and that ability to be lightening in a bottle on offense. He showed flashes of it just before the all star break. Little is getting little to no run, yet the new guys acquired from Sacramento are, what gives? If Dame misses prolonged time, McCollum better pick it up. CJ where have you gone?

Minnesota or Golden State?
Who won the trade? Which key player is better? Who's contract is more of an albatross? Will Russell help the Wolves out of dysfunction, or just lighten the load for Towns? Can Wiggins excel as the Warriors fourth best player? Which guy lasts longer on their new team? The answers to these questions won't be known until next year. Only one team will continue to stink; hint, it's not the one from the Bay area.  

Houston Skill Ball

Unleash the beast...Westbrook that is. I'm all for a front office and coaching staff that go for it. Why not play your best guys? Size be damned. If this version of the Rockets fully gels heading into the playoffs, Harden and Westbrook will not be fun to defend. In the meantime it sure is fun to watch.

Milwaukee Finals bound?

A scenario does exist that could prove to be worrisome. If Milwaukee has to play Miami in the second round and Toronto in the conference finals I'm not sure they advance. Each team stands in their way with 28 games remaining. Giannis is beyond superlatives, but the rosters and coaches for Miami and Toronto are decidedly better in my opinion. I for one want those matchups to unfold. If the Bucks only have to play one of either the Heat or Raptors, they'll gallop into the Finals. Oh, and if you're wondering about Philly, they stink.

2 * 8 * 24

Considering the heavy hearts that are obvious in all of us, this year will be remembered for a deeply sad reason. A note of positivity I have taken from this tragedy is to make each day count. A super hero-like star taught me to honor that which you love and to always try your hardest to do your best. 

Rest in Peace

NBA | Hot Takes

The NBA is just too good. It feels so much different, so much better than the No Fun League. Pace in the NBA destroys MLB, I know, apples to oranges and I do love playoff baseball. Yet our collective attention seems destined to gravitate toward basketball, soccer, or even hockey. The constant movement in those sports is magical. It's captivating. And that's the point, the greatest target for consumption and consumerism is our attention, our eyes. The Association has had mine since the 80's. Below are a handful of takes from around the NBA. Beginning with the last question I posed over a week ago. Who would you trade Luka for?

 Luka Dončić

Honestly, who would you trade Luka for? He's already a seasoned rookie who can pass and see angles that 15 year veteran point guards will never make, plus he can launch deep step-back 3's or drive to the hoop without fear of the moment. He's the real deal and he's on a rookie contract with an owner who has shown to be loyal (Dirk). Really, who would you trade him for? Luka's perhaps the best rookie since LeBron. 

To be honest, I'll say, Giannis or Anthony Davis, maybe. If you knew you were getting them for their entire prime starting now, sure. It would still be difficult to make that trade. You could argue LeBron or Kevin Durant with their stratospheric apexes. But they're both in their 30's and would demand serious coin, as well as other team-wide concessions and considerations. If a trade involving those two occurred it would be shortsighted. That leaves James Harden, Curry, Kawhi and Paul George. All amazing talents, who combined to the four mentioned above, comprise eight of the top ten talents in the NBA. And I probably wouldn't trade for any one of them straight up. It's beyond perplexing, I know. 

His legend is growing and he's certainly made Dallas both competitive and relevant. Regardless of recent injuries or trade talks, Luka may be so good that Carlisle and Cuban are lured into making the playoffs. A lot of us would like to see the Mavericks make a move before the deadline. I also understand if they don't want to risk future cap flexibility or roster construction. Dončić's capabilities, coupled to his limitless ceiling and playing style, make him one of the most desirable young stars to play alongside. He is the future, as well as the Maverick's biggest asset in recruiting future free agents to Dallas. The Luka star shines bright in the Lone Star State.

ATL = WTF

You know who Atlanta would trade Luka for? Trae Young, yikes. I know it's unfair, but those two will be linked in perpetuity. Even if the Hawks got an additional pick, I don't care, have they taken notice of Luka? Let's make this quick. What is the front office doing in Atlanta? And how long do they get?

Minnesota Timberwolves

I want the Wolves to be good, I really do. Please Minnesota find a way to fully utilize Karl-Anthony Towns. He is a transcendent talent of offense. I've even watched him handle the Warriors. He cannot be stopped if you unleash the beast. I just railed on the Atlanta front office, is Minnesota's any better? Their situation might beam some light at the end of the tunnel, but that's only because they have Towns. Even with last year's playoff appearance the Timberwolves have been a mess since KG was traded to Boston. 

I'm totally behind Saunders as the interim coach, it's perfectly fine. With that said, if Minnesota is to have a heart beating identity, they need to look for their next leader in a more progressive way. My short list of most desirable would look like this: Shaka Smart, Jay Wright, Chauncey Billups, everyone else. The thorniest issue for the next leader of the wolf pack will be what to do with Wiggins?

I'm going to go to the dark side for a minute. The Timberwolves owner is of the old guard so to speak. His NBA investment is worth about a billion dollars. If the team and the city of Minneapolis aren't careful, the Wolves could just as easily be relocated to Seattle. The Pelicans aren't the only small market team with a young talented big man and empty seats. I feel bummed to type this, but those are the two most likely teams to relocate. Who are the other possibilities? I've been to Sacramento, their new arena is the best in the NBA. Milwaukee just unveil their modern arena which will keep them put. Detroit's not going anywhere, plus they have multiple titles. Maybe the Magic, but they too have a recent, big money arena. The Target Center is not the greatest regardless of the renovations. I'm not sure of Minnesota's attendance numbers over time, but it's probably ranks near the bottom. Their best draw is the training, practice and health facilities they recently built with Mayo Clinic. Taylor could cash in his NBA chips and further stockpile for his heirs, at his age he may want out. I for one want the Timberwolves to always be in the Twin Cities. 

Rocket Fuel

James Harden is unREAL

Harden is in really rare air. His current ballistics performance is only rivaled by Kobe's selfish 2006 campaign in which he played one against five and MJ's ridiculous year in '88. Those are three of the best offensive showings ever by shooting guards. What's crazier is that Harden is doing it at the most efficient rate of all time. He has the two highest efficiency ratings for players with a +30 usage rate. He's led the NBA in free throws for five straight years. During his last two intergalactic rocket shows, where he scored 57 and 58, not one of those baskets came via assist. Think on that.

James Harden is the best offensive player in the Association right now. What he's doing is unreal. I normally don't dig the super iso heavy play, but I find myself cheering for Harden. He single handily beat the Warriors a few games back, even with the refs spotting them 15 feet out of bounds. It's been fun to watch him blast off on opponents. It doesn't matter who guards him or what type of defense is thrown his way. Fun fact; he's run more iso plays than any other team, not player, team. Whoa. I want him to silence his playoff critics. After all, Atlas shouldered the world, he's only shouldering the Rockets. Keep on keep'n on. Take note other solo superstars. 

The Field or GSW?

The teams and the talent in the western conference is stupid. At the top of the heap is the Death Star in Golden State. It doesn't matter that Draymond gets to bark, curse and stomp at officials. It won't stop this year's parade if KD leaves. Who cares if Klay loves his hand too much. I won't be less persuaded when they show off Cousins. Plus they have that guy named Curry. THEY ARE STILL THE FAVORITES. If someone asks me the field or Golden State, I'm taking the Warriors, even if they're not my team. Like the Death Star, they destroy worlds. Amidst all the fresh buzz in the NBA, and rightfully so, the Finals will have the same conclusion. Case study number one, the beat down they gave the Nuggets in Denver (51 in the first quarter, c'mon). Unless I just reverse jinxed them. Nah, that's not even possible, because in the not too distant future they will open their money factory on the water in San Francisco. The present is the future.

Only in the NBA,

eightychoices.   

Christmas Day | NBA

Christmas time is here. It's the most wonderful time of the year. Only in the NBA.

» 76ers @ Knicks 9 (PT)
» Cavs @ Warriors 12
» Wizards @ Celtics 2:30
» Rockets @ Thunder 5
» Timberwolves @ Lakers 7:30

Happy Holidays,
eightychoices.

And Then There Were 4

Point Guard Battle Royale | Western Conference Finals

The Conference Finals are set. The Warriors and Thunder get things started tonight out west and the Cavs will battle the Raptors on Tuesday, May 17th. Each conference has ebbed and flowed to create their own intrigue. With that said, I think every basketball fan is salivating over the Western Conference Finals—what a matchup of talent.

There will be three scoring champions, two MVP's, and most likely, five all-NBA selections on the court for game one at Oracle. Durant and Curry have taken home the last three most valuable player awards. Westbrook, Durant and Curry are the last three scoring champs, plus KD held that title from 2008-12. This series is going to be fire! Another amazing subplot to this star-studded, best-of-seven, is the likelihood that Curry, Thompson, Green, Durant and Westbrook will be named to the All-NBA team. I can't remember a time when that many top 15 guys squared off in the Conference Finals. All of this leads me to one thought; OKC might be the only team in the Association that can claim to have two of the three best players on the court when pitted against the Warriors (KD, Russ, Steph)—there's an obvious debate. I can hardly wait for this series to get started.

Speaking of my lack of patience; I can't wait to see what the Cavs have been drawing up with over a week's worth of rest and preparation. As the NBA approaches June, LeBron sets his sights on another title shot. Can he make a sixth straight Finals? Will it be a rematch against Golden State? Or will he face-off against OKC's dynamic duo for a second time in his career? First, he and his teammates will have to get through The North. Only in the NBA!

eightychoices.