For what seems like an eternity, there’s been a serious gap between the NBA’s two conferences. There’s no real need to go over the discouraging facts; everyone knows the East has been losing a battle with mediocrity. Front-office moves almost as inane as some of the East’s starting line-ups have kept more than enough of its teams in the doghouse while the Bestern plays out the most exciting playoff race we’ve seen. Where does it all end? Here’s a few ideas for Leastern teams who want to overcome this stigma and restore balance to the league:
AJ: Keep your core together. After years of futility it looks as though the Hawks’ young nucleus is finally growing up. Joe Johnson’s a bonafide scorer while Josh Smith has evolved from a raw athlete to one of the league’s most versatile players. Mike Bibby and Al Horford give them a steady floor general and a banger down low; two things they’ve been sorely lacking for years. They’re a likely playoff team with serious upside, who will hopefully not linger in regret about not drafting Chris Paul, invest in its future and avoid ending up like the Bulls.
Christian: The squad is nice and just needs some more time to gel. They should be a lock for the playoffs for years to come. They were in need of a deep threat so I love the Mike Bibby pick up. Horford/JJ/JSmooth are all the truth and Marvin is certainly on the rise. Keep Josh Childress! I love this cat. I don’t think they need to add pieces, they just need time.
Boston
AJ: Win a championship in the next 2 or 3 seasons. Simple. Kevin McHale, excuse me, Danny Ainge engineered a remarkable turnaround in Beantown but with all three of their stars getting no younger, they need to seize this opportunity. With all of them also hungry for a first title, they might just get it.
Christian: Best record in the league huh? Can’t improve much on that. However, when you sign Sam Cassell and P.J. Brown, you know your window is small. The Celts have put it all on the line so lets hope they get some results. As much as I want to see the Big 3 get rings…I literally got $ on it not happening.
Charlotte
AJ: Find an impact player. This team’s way too talented not to be competing the in the East. They’ve been nagged by injuries all year, but still need to land a player who can really lead them. With a lottery pick, plenty of young talent to trade and loads of cap space, they need to make a run at a big name player. At worst, someone like Jermaine O’Neal who’s been to All-Star games, the playoffs and can bring the Bobcats their first taste of the playoffs.
Christian: Get healthy. I think this squad could be good with what they have, but not overwhelmingly good. The way they’re set up, they just need JRich and Gerald to carry the scoring load and have an array of nice roll players. Though they appear to be after thoughts, Sean May and Adam Morrison are part of this young core that was supposed to grow together. If they drafted Brandon Roy, where would the team be today?
AJ: Learn from your mistakes. Not cashing in on a chance to land Pau Gasol for an expiring deal. Over-paying an aging big man who doesn’t address your glaring needs. Failing to pay your
two best players and sending your team into a season with nothing but uncertainty on the horizon. This is not how you improve young teams. In fact, review the logic that led to virtually every personnel move since MJ’s retirement, then in the future do the exact opposite.
Christian: Decide who to keep/ship. They possess some nice assets, they just need to get their priorities straight. They probably wish they pulled the trigger on anything and I mean anything. It really is just another, “what the fuck went wrong?” situation. The team wasn’t working the way it was, so you add Larry Hughes? Hmm we’ll see how that works out. I know we all love Nocioni, but if he’s the difference in getting a legit star….come on. How long will they wait for Tyrus to develop? I bet Ben Gordon is wishing he signed that extension…
AJ: Appease King James. Memo to Danny Ferry: In the five years since your squad drafted arguably the most
talented player ever, you’ve made strides to improve them, but they’re still a second-rate team. Don’t let the fact that Lebron carried his mediocre surroundings to the Finals fool you into thinking you’re anywhere close to winning a title. You need to make moves at all costs. Buyout contracts? Go for it. Luxury tax? Consider it paid. I know you play in a small market; you’re not the wealthiest team. But if you don’t give Lebron a contender by 2010, regardless of hometown ties, he’s heading somewhere that will.
Christian: I think these playoffs will be a testament to how much Lebron means to this team. That said, once they fall short, there needs to be a realization made; the God needs a second fiddle. Was Mike Miller really that far of a stretch? While you may have added some serviceable parts, the most glaring need still appears to be another shoulder for the scoring load. How far will Danny be willing to go because it will likely take a massive overhaul to get the right piece.
AJ: Quit Dreaming. The Pistons are occasionally brilliant, occasionally caught up in nonchalance, plagued by the sense of entitlement that their last seven 50-win seasons have
brought. They need to keep in mind that they haven’t won the East since ’05 and that the Lebron show has left them seriously shook the last two years. With the exception of Tayshaun, their core is far from young and looking at a closing window, so start playing with a sense of urgency; no one’s entitled to anything in the Least.
Christian: A great team without real hope. Yes they’re contenders, but who really believes they’ll win a championship with this team? Even if they make the Finals, what then? How could they improve without breaking up this team? I think the Pistons will remain in the playoff hunt for years to come, but I think they will slowly fall from their perch atop the East. In my opinion, trading a couple players for a big name won’t help, but neither will keeping this current team. So it seems the Pistons need to be satisfied with two or three rounds of the playoffs and that’s all.
AJ: Commit to re-building. The Pacers have become one of the more mundane and irrelevant (at least on the court) teams in the league. The Palace Brawl resulted in the trades of most of
their best players for less talented pieces, all in the name of repairing PR and remaining competitive. Sadly, their attendance has fallen to last in the league. Their players still fail drug tests, hang with murderers, have women being raped at their houses and involve themselves in high-speed shootouts. Not to mention they suck.
Christian: They have some good pieces, but still a lot of holes. In the NBA, let alone the East, that certainly won’t hold up. Use the draft and do something with Jermaine. If Dunleavy and Granger can keep it thorough, then the Pacers may have something to smile about in the future. It’s funny because they have a losing record and I still consider them to be overachieving. They’re still a couple years away from the playoffs I think.
AJ: Trust Pat Riley. The franchise is in general disarray, but also in the good hands of a legendary coach and respected authority. Riley was wise to leave his floundering team to scout the NCAA tournament this past week because he’s looking to the future. He knows most of the players currently logging minutes on his injury-ravaged roster won’t be in the rotation next year and it’s time to move forward. He’s coached three teams to the finals, winning titles with two; he knows what it takes to win so buy into his gameplan.
Christian: Be patient and pray to god you get the #1 pick. In a subsequent prayer, say a little something about DWade’s recuperation. It’s gonna be hard to essentially rebuild and keep Flash happy. If
AJ: Find an identity. The Bucks are a
confounding squad; a torrid shooter leading some allegedly versatile players who don’t seem to be especially good at anything. They’re soft inside, don’t defend incredibly well and have a glut of players who can score in streaks but not as consistent second options. Perhaps it’s fair to say that Larry Krystowiajhsgdk has done a poor coaching job, but this team needs to figure out what the hell they’re about before they can build towards winning.
Christian: I grow frustrated with this team. With the stellar play of Charlie V, the Yi situation grows more complicated. Michael Redd is a great scorer, but well what else? Mo Williams is certainly legit, Bogut is legit and there are a slew of role players. With their team, they should be level with a team like the Sixers, but they aren’t. They need to mix thing up/get a new coach asap because this current arrangement is not cutting it.
AJ: Pray that Hova’s presence is enough to bring Lebron to
Christian: Focus on the future. I am anxious to see how the Nets do next year with Devin Harris right from the get go. They won’t be contenders, but they could be much improved. Carter is on the books for a while, but RJ is peaking right about now. Sean Williams is also on the rise. This team still has several years to find its niche, but if they don’t make the playoffs…in the East…a stern revamping may be in order. Question is, would anyone want Carter? (Holla if ya hear me Isiah…wait, you won’t have a job this summer)
New York
AJ: Fuck. Who knows. It’s beyond obvious that so many things need to change with this team, but the dude calling all the shots seems bent on being a complete idiot. Unless Jimmy Dolan decides or is forced to sell the Knicks…if anyone’s got suggestions I’m sure Isaiah’s all ears at this point.
Christian: I could write a thesis on how fucked this team is so I’ll make it short and sweet. You overplay players, you have no concept of team chemistry and you are turning a basketball mecca into the laughing stock of the worst conference. So many of their players could be factors on other teams…..please set them free __________ (insert whoever will be running the team come July).
Magic:
AJ: Let Dwight do his thing. He’s still very raw, yet nearly putting up Wilt-only numbers. Hedo somehow stumbled upon the fountain of youth and gave them an unexpected boost this year, but for their next big free agent signing, try to remember that 18, 5 and 2 don’t equal $125 million.
Christian: Unlike some of the other teams in the East, time is on
AJ: Don’t stop believin’. They beat 
their record above .500 and into the middle of the Leastern playoff bracket. Nobody saw this coming from a squad that’s arguably been a bigger surprise than the Blazers this year. Whether they can continue to perform now that the rest of the league takes them seriously is yet to be seen, but it’s been a promising season. Regardless of how the playoffs turn out, carry this momentum forward. Mo Cheeks is a player’s coach who should be able to motivate these youngsters who, like
Christian: Keep doing what you’re doing. The team is young and very talented. The Andre’s, more specifically Miller has made a great impression on this team and he is really what holds it all together. They also have some scrills to throw around, so if they can find the right free agent then they are straight. It would seem they need to get a serious power forward to compliment Samuel on the block.
AJ: Grow some f***ing balls. Honestly. When a finesse player like Chris Bosh is the most hard-nosed dude on your team, you need to toughen up. This team is built like a ballet troupe, they excel at agility, ball movement and shooting. They’d clean up in the Euroleague but that fancy-ass featherweight ball doesn’t cut it in the NBA. Package TJ Ford and one of your swingmen for someone like Emeka Okafor who can wax boards and enforce the paint, easing the burden on Bosh’s shoulders. The Raps are too much Rey Mysterio and need a little more Steve Austin.
Christian: The issue for the raptors is that second scoring threat…still. As much as we want several swingmen, condense the fucking lineup and get another star. We understand u love having 2 starting point guards…but why don’t u assess another hole in your team instead? They have some nice piece to the puzzle, but it is going to take something massive to get them over the hump.
AJ: Pray for health. Somehow through extended
injuries to 2 of their top 3, the Wiz have stayed in the playoff picture and promising prospects like Nick Young and Andray Blatche have been effective in supporting roles. Agent Zero’s presence would surely boost them up at least on
Christian: Who really knows what the Wiz are truly capable of? This team is scary when they are in full health. Chances are we won’t see their big three together to start next year. The Wiz should try to resign Antawn. Fuck the haters, THEY ARE NOT BETTER WITHOUT GILBERT, but he may dip with the cash. Nick Young, future all star ya heard?
No comments:
Post a Comment