This might be the most dominating team I have ever seen. They don't lose, ever. This is by far the deepest team in the league. Boris Diaw has had a resurgence, Kawhi Leonard has been one of the best rookies this year, Tim Duncan can still play at a high level, and Tony Parker is one of the best point guards in the league. I knew this team was good, but not this good.
2. The Pacers Are A Team On The Rise
I know that they lost to a Heat team without Chris Bosh, but they gave them a hell of a series. Danny Granger played really well despite having a sprained ankle and Roy Hibbert is becoming one of the best bigmen in the Eastern Conference. Larry Bird called out his team soft and they did wilt in the final 2 games of the series, but they are really young and should only get better.3. The New Look Knicks Are Losers
I hate to say this, but the Knicks are over. Amare Stoudemire is done; he can't play at a high level anymore. Carmelo Anthony and Stoudemire don't play well together at all, it like watching oil mix with water. Jeremy "The Asian Sensation" Lin doesn't have what it takes to be Robin to Anthony's Batman and this team is also filled with too many headcases like J.R. Smith, Baron Davis, and Tyson Chanlder get over the hump. It is going to take 12 years for the Knicks to rebuild themselves. Hopefully Isiah Thomas will be dead so James Dolan can't hire him AGAIN.4. The Sixers Are For Real
Beating a Bulls team without Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah is not a big deal, but taking the Celtics to a Game 7 is. This team still has some flaws. They lack a dominate bigman, but Elton Brand and his gigantic contract will come off the books next year so they could try to buy another bigman. Jrue Holliday, Evan Turner, and Lou Williams make a nice backcourt core and Andre Igoudala is a stud. However, if they can't bring in a star or buy one in free agency, this team will become the another version of this years Atlanta Hawks: a good but not great team that will never get over the hump.5. Chris Bosh Is A Bad Fit For The Heat
So much for the Big 3, it's more like the Dynamic Duo and that other guy. Bosh's finesse style does not fit well with the slashing and attacking style of Lebron James and Dwayne Wade. The Heat need a classic back-to-the-basket bigman who can rebound and get points in the paint. Bosh gets his points running off of screens and using his mid range jumper. Don't get me wrong, Bosh is a really good player, but he is a terrible fit. The Heat were able to beat a good Pacers team without him and they will probably be able to handle the Celtics without him if they have to. If the Heat don't win a championship this year, I could see them trading Bosh for an old school big man like Zach Randolph.
Judging the Knicks based on their playoff performance might be a little unfair considering they put up as good a fight as the Oklahoma City Thunder did. That being said, they are a team built for now and not the future. On top of that, they certainly aren't nearly as talented as the Thunder. But, with the addition of Jason Kidd, a great defender and a veteran who has enough experience to make a "padawan" out of young jeremy lin, the depth the knicks will have should make for an interesting run next year. Don't count them out just yet! As long as they're healthy, they'll be a force.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to an update on the NBA soon.