NBA Basketball Sports Fan Blog

In 2007 both Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen joined forces with Paul Pierce and the Boston Celtics, and what seemed to be a simple move to make their team stronger, the Celtics dramatically changed the NBA.  The Boston Celtics had arguably created the best starting line-up in the NBA, since the 1998 Bulls (remember this includes Rondo and Perkins) and the way they did it was like never before.

Most teams before had one or two strong players, and one of these was generally because one was drafted into the mix, like that of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Lebron James in Cleveland, but now a team was able to create its own all-star team, and they made it look easy.  The Boston Celtics went on to win the NBA title that year, and while they didn’t create any sort of legendary dynasty, like the Bulls in the 1990’s, they helped change the way teams went about creating their rosters.

Today we see teams like the Heat with Dwayne wade, Lebron James, and Chris Bosh, a line-up that is 3/5 the way to an eastern Conference All-Star game, and one that if I mentioned seven years ago, people would of laughed.  As the 2012 NBA Draft nears we see more an more teams then ever before making moves and trades in hope to build their very own “super-team”, whether it be the Nets trying to lure Dwight Howard along side Deron Williams, or the Knicks trying to get Steve Nash to an already failed attempt as a super team.

There is suddenly this perspective that the only way to win an NBA Championship is to create their very own All-Star team, which I feel in a lot of ways kind of ruins the NBA, its now like the ideas of role players is a  distant memory from the past, and realistically there are only a select few teams with that kind of money to create these teams.  Its no longer about a players skill and a teams chemistry like the past, its about what great players you can hopefully throw together and hope for the best.  I don’t even know what the need for a coach is for teams like the Heat, because their isn’t much strategy in “give Lebron the ball”, and if he isn’t open, “give it to Wade”.

Down at the Wells Fargo Center the Sixers are officially in “Win or Go Home” mode. For the first time this playoff year the Sixers are facing elimination at the hands of the Boston Celtics. There is plenty of motivation for this Sixers club to come out firing on all cylinders and to have a sold out crowd in their corner. Kevin Garnett called all the Philly fans “Fair-weather fans” riling up a fan base that is very temperamental to begin with. There are some statistics that point to a Sixer victory and a game 7 up in Boston. The teams have alternated wins in this series with no team winning back to back games (Boston won Game 5). Philly is 4-1 at home in these playoffs with an impressive come from behind win in Game 4. The Sixers have a lot to prove tonight and there should not be a lack of motivation.

Meanwhile the veteran Celtics have every reason to end this tonight. Rondo is playing unbelievably (just ask Chris Webber) and Pierce and Garnett are both capable of having huge nights. With the Miami and Indiana series looking like it will end tomorrow night the Celtics need to win to maximize the amount of rest and be able to run with the youthful Miami Heat. All that being said I think the Sixers pull one out tonight and force a Game 7. Jrue Holliday and Andre Iguodala will rebound from an off night and put the Sixers in position to move on to the Eastern Conference Finals.

For 75% of NBA teams the season is over and that means its time to look ahead to next season. 2012 free agency isn’t full of stars, but it is full of important players who could turn good teams into contenders and contenders into even more powerful contenders. Here’s a quick look at the top five from each position and where they could be headed:

1. PG- Deron Williams (player option), Steve Nash (unrestricted), Andre Miller (unrestricted), Jason Terry (unrestricted), Jameer Nelson (player option)

- It seems inevitable that Williams will end up in Dallas so the most coveted free agent point guard becomes Steve Nash. Nash has expressed interest in joining a contender and they’ll most likely be lining up at his door to offer him a contact. Miller is a nice consolation prize for whoever ends up not getting Nash. Terry will most likely demand the largest contact other then Williams because he still considers himself a top scorer. Nelson seems likely pick up his player option and stay in Orlando for one more year of the Dwightmare.

*Special Note: Many see Jeremy Lin’s name on the free agent list and assume he will leave the Knicks for a big contact, but thanks to The Gilbert Arenas Rule (that’s seriously what it’s called, and yes that makes two NBA rules that involve Arenas) he will most likely have to stay. The rule was created in 2005 and it prevents teams with restricted free agents that have been in the league for less then two years from being outbidded. If you want more details you can Google it, but the bottom line is he’ll be on the Knicks for one more year.

2. SG- Eric Gordon (restricted), O.J. Mayo (restricted), Ray Allen (unrestricted), J.R. Smith (player option), Louis Williams (player option)

- The free agent shooting guards are represented by many players who may have the ability, but haven’t had a chance to be a primary scorer. It’s possible Gordon gets a max offer from a desperate team like the Nets, but it depends on his health. Like Nash, Allen will be looking to join a contender on what will likely be a short deal. Smith, Mayo and Williams will most likely leave their respective teams for more money. They’ll all likely join sub par teams unless they’re willing to take a pay cut.

3. SF- Gerald Wallace (player option), Nic Batum (restricted), Steve Novak (unrestricted), Grant Hill (unrestricted), Matt Barnes (unrestricted)

- Small Fowards are the weakest of the free agent position. Batum is an underrated player due for a large contact. He’s a restricted free agent and it seems likely that the Blazers will match whatever another team offers. Wallace has a player option and could stay with the Nets and possibly (and sadly) be the initial face of their Brooklyn franchise. Novak earned his place in the NBA this season by leading the league in three point shooting and should get multiple offers. Hill and Barnes are respected veterans who will most likely become bench players for contenders.

4. PF- Kevin Garnett (unrestricted), Tim Duncan (unrestricted), Brandon Bass (player option), Ryan Anderson (restricted), Kris Humphries (unrestricted)

- Power Forwards are the most intriguing of the free agent positions. The only one that is surely resigning is Duncan who will probably sign his last contract and retire with the Spurs. It’s hard to imagine Boston losing both Garnett and Bass so it’s likely that one will stay. They’ll probably attempt to sign Garnett first. Anderson is coming off a stellar season where he won the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award and will probably be leaving Orlando for a large deal. Humphries couldn’t find an offer he liked last year but now that he’s shed the Mrs. Kardashian tag, he should be sought after by many teams.

5. C- Roy Hibbert (restricted), Javale McGee (restricted), Brook Lopez (restricted), Spencer Hawes (unrestricted), Chris Kaman (unrestricted)

- With the center position rather thin right now, Hibbert becomes a rather coveted free agent. He’ll be sought after by more teams then any other free agent, but is restricted so the Pacers would have a chance to match any offer and most likely will. At the beginning of the season McGee was considered a raw talent better known for his mistakes. After being traded to Denver he has gotten his act together and turned himself into a legitimate center; its hard to imagine Denver letting him go. Lopez is coming off an injury ridden year and it seems unlikely he’ll leave the Nets. With the lack of centers there is certainly a market for both Hawes and Kaman and both will likely leave their teams.

Just another day at the office. Last night in a dominating win over the Pistons, Rajon Rondo showcased once again why he is one of the best point guards in the league as he dished out 17 assists. And he didn’t even have the big Shaquille O’Neal to pass the ball to. Including his career-best 24 assists against the Knicks a game earlier, Rondo’s assist total stands at 67 through four games, which is the most by one player through four games in NBA history. John Stockton and Magic Johnson both had 65 through four games. So the question has to be asked: is Rondo the best point guard in the NBA? If not, where does he rank?

Through Rondo’s first four years in the league, he hasn’t averaged double figures in assists. One could say he basically reached that plateau last year when he averaged 9.8 assists. Yet, as each year progresses, his game seems to improve. He is finding more ways to get his teammates involved. He sees the floor extraordinarily well. His game grew leaps and bounds last year as he led the Celtics march into the Finals. The only thing that needs to be improved is the glaring need for a decent jump shot.

Rondo has never been a good jump shooter, but his field goal percentage hovers around the 50 percent range due to his penetrating ability. His free throw percentage has been in the low to mid 60 percent range throughout his career, which is by far the worst percentage for a point guard. Despite this obvious flaw, his leadership and passing skills have got people declaring the Celtics now have a Big Four.

Rondo’s bread and butter is penetrating and finding teammates. That’s no secret by now. Defenders always give him three feet of separation because they know what he’s all about. But it doesn’t seem to matter. A big man comes to set a pick on his man, Rondo makes his move, and before you know it, he’s at the basket in scoring position or hitting Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett for an open jumper. When watching the Celtics, how many times have you seen Rondo do what I just described? Rondo is probably the best at playing within himself. He doesn’t shoot shots that are low percentage shots for him. he looks for situations where his teammates will be in the best position to score. His court vision rivals that of Steve Nash.

On top of his court vision on the offensive end, he does it on the defensive end as well. Rondo was in the discussion for defensive player of the year last season where he averaged 2.3 steals per game. He also was on the first team All-Defensive squad. His long arms and anticipation disrupt the passing lanes, keeping the offense on its toes. His stealing ability rivals that of Chris Paul, who averaged 2.1 steals a game last year and 2.8 in the year prior.

He’s got the classic distributing point guard mentality on offense and he can disrupt passing lanes on defense. So where does he rank among the NBA’s elite point guards? Does the lack of a jump shot hurt his status? Does the fact that he is playing with three, and now four (with Shaq) future Hall of Famers become a factor?

Going back to the point made earlier, Rondo plays within himself to find others. He does that as well as any point guard in the league. I think he is one of the top three best point guards in this league. His significance to the Celtics can not be undermined. It has been under-appreciated though. Look for Rondo to be one of the key reasons for the success of the Celtics once again.

Along with Paul, Rondo is the quintessential model for what a point guard should be. It’s not bad when you get mentioned in the same breath with some of the best in the game like Stockton and Magic either.

And just for kicks, here’s my list of the Top 10 point guards in the league.
1. Chris Paul
2. Deron Williams
3. Rajon Rondo
4. Derrick Rose
5. Russell Westbrook
6. Tony Parker
7. Steve Nash
8. John Wall
9. Jason Kidd
10. Aaron Brooks

By Josh Delp of the Sports Fan Blog Network

The NBA’s season opening night has come and gone. The Celtics, Blazers, and Lakers all picked up wins. Yesterday I predicted the winners of these three games and was right on each account. I even suggested the Lakers would win by one to three points in a close one, which they did (112-110 was the final). This makes me wonder how good I would do if I took up sports betting. That’s a slippery slope, so I’ll pass. But I digress. Let’s get to the matter at hand.

So, what did we learn about the most highly anticipated debut in NBA history? Well, quite honestly, nothing new.

The Celtics started their defense of the Eastern Conference crown with a 88-80 win over the super duper teammates and the Heat. Boston came out running from the start. Their defense was suffocating most of the night except when LeBron James declared the third quarter his own. The nine points by the Heat in the first quarter was painful to watch. I’m amazed they scored that little with players like James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh on the court. I know Boston’s defense is stellar, but come on man. Last night’s game serves as a testament to the Celtic defense which is the best in the league.

Last night’s game also serves as a realization that this team still needs to play with each other to maximize their effectiveness. Wade missed all but three minutes of the preseason and it clearly showed. He wasn’t on the same page as the rest of the team as evidenced by the six turnovers.

How about James’ eight turnovers? With all of the good things he did, his eight turnovers and Wade’s six are clear signs that these guys don’t have it figured out yet. He did almost will the Heat in a comeback bid in the third quarter after being down by as many as 19. But we all knew he could do that, didn’t we?

Bosh looked uncomfortable and indecisive throughout the game, scoring only eight points on three of 11 shooting. The one play that was impressive was the face up blow by move on Kevin Garnett which he finished at the rim.

If one thing is for sure, the Miami Heat are a shooting team. Wade and James serve as the slashers, the rest of the guys spot up for jumpers. That’s about it. Bosh can create his own shot as well. He is the closest thing to a post presence they have. Last night’s Heat looked a lot like the Cavaliers and Heat of last year, where everybody stood around waiting for something to happen.

We know whoever plays the Heat will have difficulties matching up with the Big Three, but what about the matchup problems for the Heat on defense? Rajon Rondo had his way last night as he dished out 17 assists. What do the Heat do on defense to matchup with the Rondo’s, Chris Paul’s, and Deron Williams’ of the league? Eddie House and Carlos Arroyo were often seen chasing Ray Allen around, leaving Wade to guard Rondo. That’s a tough defensive assignment if you ask me.

At the end of the day, the results were what I expected. Shaq got dunks and layups at the rim (two of which he missed) due to the lack of size and mobility down low, the Celtics defense lived up to their billing, and the Heat were rusty and discombobulated. I did, however, expect the Heat to score more than 80.

It’s clear the Heat need more work and exposure with each other. It’s also clear this team will not beat the Bulls’ 72 win record. Now is definitely not the time to overreact with preposterous claims that this team is a failure. It’s Game 1. There’s 82 more to go. Your hat has to go off to the Celtics though. They proved why they are the reigning champions of the East and why they will remain so until they are beaten.

By Josh Delp of the Sports Fan Blog Network

Celtics forward Kevin Garnett has been suspended for Game 2 of Boston’s first-round playoff series against the Heat for landing an elbow to the face of Miami’s Quentin Richardson in a fourth-quarter fracas during Game 1 on Saturday.

The announcement was made Sunday by Stu Jackson, NBA executive vice president of basketball operations.

Richardson was fined $25,000 for his role in the altercation.

Garnett earned a double technical and ejection in the melee that unfolded after Paul Pierce tumbled to the ground near the Miami bench with 40 seconds left in Boston’s victory at the TD Garden.

Click here to read the full article – By Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com

Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett returned to practice Tuesday, engaging in full activity for the first time since hyperextending his surgically repaired right knee late last month.


By all accounts, Garnett looked fluid and he even expressed a desire to return to game action as soon as possible, though Celtics coach Doc Rivers indicated it will come no sooner than Friday night against the Portland Trail Blazers. Boston is waiting to see how the knee responds in the next few days before making a decision on that contest.

“Felt good to be back with the guys today, [my] first real practice, it felt good,” Garnett said.

Asked if he would push Rivers to put him in the lineup Wednesday night on the road against the Detroit Pistons, Garnett joked, “It wouldn’t be me if I didn’t … [But I'm] being smart about injuries, so they don’t get worse. I think I learned that last year the hard way. I’m trying to be patient and actually listen.”

Click here to read the full article – By Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com