So far, so good--the 2011 NBA Playoffs have been pretty exciting. Here are some thoughts regarding the results of the First Round.
Eastern Conference
1) Chicago Bulls vs. Indiana Pacers:
The Indiana Pacers are much like how the Oklahoma City Thunder were a couple years ago: young with a lot of potential. As such, the Pacers struggled to close out games versus the Bulls, blowing 4th quarter leads in Game 1, Game 2, and Game 3 and almost doing so in Game 4. The Pacers will need to make some decisions in order to determine which young players to keep and which players to trade for veterans to balance out the roster. This is further compounded by the pending departure of team executive Larry Bird, although former team executive Donnie Walsh may return if forced out of New York.
Meanwhile, the Chicago Bulls showed that they have enough talent to challenge for the NBA Championship this year. Primarily, they combine the MVP leadership and play of Derrick Rose with the fierce offensive rebounding of Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer. While Rose initiates plays and team momentum, it can be argued that boxing out Noah and Boozer are the most important keys in beating the Bulls. Added to the mix are strong scorers Luol Deng and Kyle Korver as well as a number of other solid veterans and role players. Although the wins were not dominant, the competitive fire and clutch play of the Chicago Bulls were present in the First Round, with more to be seen in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
2) Miami Heat vs. Philadelphia 76ers
The Miami Heat continue to be somewhat of an enigma. The New Big Three of Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh remain league leaders in a number of statistical categories. Yet, their inconsistency leaves them vulnerable. While Wade and James tend to find ways to get their points and contribute every game, Bosh has shown a tendency to fade out every so often, settling for a collection of jumpshots rather than attacking the low post like he did more often in Toronto. Furthermore, not much was mentioned about the drawbacks of the South Beach Big Three all coming from the same draft class (NBA Draft 2003). While other team core groups have more variance in experience levels and playing philosophies, Wade, James, and Bosh risk falling into bad habits together when they struggle. Despite all of their talent, the key to their NBA Championship run is the ability of veterans and role players to fill the gaps and outplay opposing players.
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia 76ers were also a bit of a riddle. The heartwarming return of Coach Doug Collins was complicated by the Sixers' slow start to the season. They have a number of young players complementing veterans Andre Iguodala and Elton Brand. While Brand is arguably on the decline, Iguodala may still have some improvement left in his development. Granted, Coach Doug Collins may only have a couple more years of head coaching in him, so the team must continue to grow in 2011-2012 should they want to make a run at an NBA Championship in the near future.
3) Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks
The New York Knicks have had an interesting ride the past couple decades. From the Patrick Ewing era to the Larry Johnson era, the team had some memorable playoff runs. Thus, the additions of Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony combined with the coaching of Coach Mike D'Antoni may have potentially signaled the start of another strong era of Knicks basketball. In the short-term, the trade to get Carmelo Anthony has proven to be neutral; that is, with or without 'Melo, the team was destined for defeat versus a talented but aging Boston Celtics team. The key here is how the trade for and presence of Anthony impacts the team in the long-term. It is clear the Knicks gave up a good amount of talent to land a cornerstone player, so Anthony must put to rest any doubts within the next couple years to move the Knicks from borderline relevancy to NBA Championship contention.
While the Knicks seem to be forming their new core group, the Boston Celtics are running out of time (as cliche as it sounds) with their current Big Three. Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen remain critical pieces of another Boston Celtics NBA Championship run. However, this year's run relies on rising stars Rajon Rondo and Glen Davis and aging veterans Shaquille O'Neal and Jermaine O'Neal. While the O'Neals must fill the void created by the departure of defensive mainstay Kendrick Perkins, Rondo and Davis represent the future core of the Celtics. The Celtics are hoping that Jeff Green fits well in the long-term to help ease the pending declines of Pierce and Allen. Despite the roster concerns, the Boston Celtics remain a favorite in the East, and they can challenge the Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, and Atlanta Hawks in whatever seven-game series presents itself.
4) Atlanta Hawks vs. Orlando Magic
Despite the changing over of head coaches to Coach Larry Drew and the trading of starting point guard Mike Bibby, the Atlanta Hawks overcame a major obstacle in their quest for an Eastern Conference title and NBA Championship run by knocking off the rival Orlando Magic. Guard Kirk Hinrich has proven to be a good fit into the Hawks' style of play, with fellow former Chicago Bull Jamal Crawford also filling a bigger void. Furthermore, the versatility of other players, including Josh Smith, Al Horford, Marvin Williams, and Zaza Pachulia make the Atlanta Hawks an intriguing team out of the East. Still, the team must overcome another obstacle in getting out of the Second Round, with Hinrich's/Crawford's former Bulls standing in their way.
While the Hawks seem to be surging, the Orlando Magic are stuck in a bind. They made gutsy trades to bring back Hedo Turkoglu and add Gilbert Arenas. However, they moved Coach Stan Van Gundy's favorite player, Rashard Lewis, and also traded away key frontcourt backup Marcin Gortat. As it stands, the Magic are now arguably a weaker team than before these trades, as they lost to the rival Atlanta Hawks this year in the 2011 NBA Playoffs. Time is running out on the team built around Dwight Howard, as the Hawks finally used a strategy long recommended to fallen teams such as the Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers in past playoff series: let Howard have his points and shut down Mickeal Pietrus, J.J. Redick, Jameer Nelson, and the other perimeter players. With Superman Howard's free agency pending in the near future, the Magic may need to consider finding a couple new cornerstone players.
Western Conference
1) Memphis Grizzlies vs. San Antonio Spurs
Sadly, the San Antonio Spurs are becoming an aging NBA Championship team. As such, their slow starts to games showed a lack of urgency and proved to be a poor match against a young and hungry Memphis Grizzlies team. Statistically, Tim Duncan had the worst season of his career, so next year (lockout or not) will be interesting to see how Duncan rebounds from 2010-2011 and how Coach Gregg Popovich further evolves the team's strategy. Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker remain strong cornerstones, with players such as George Hill, Tiago Splitter, DeJuan Blair, and Gary Neal representing a good up-and-coming young group of players and guys like Richard Jefferson and Matt Bonner remaining key role players. The Spurs as is look like they have a couple more good years/NBA Championship runs in them.
Meanwhile, the Memphis Grizzlies are similar to the Oklahoma City Thunder in that they have added veteran talent to support their still young talent. The post play of Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol ultimately powered the Grizzlies over the Spurs, with Mike Conley serving as one of the league's best neutralizers for Tony Parker--i.e. Conley plays like another version of Parker. Even with Rudy Gay out, O.J. Mayo, Tony Allen, and others stepped their games up against the Western Conference's winningest regular season team this year. The Grizzlies will be facing something completely different in matching up with the Thunder, but the team's depth and balance--which was enough to supplant the #1 seed Spurs--may be enough to do the same to the Thunder.
2) Los Angeles Lakers vs. New Orleans Hornets
Like the Celtics in the East, the Los Angeles Lakers remain a favorite in the Western Conference. Despite not claiming the West's #1 seed, opposing players and coaches continue to respect the Lakers as defending NBA Champions (Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich even named the Lakers as the best team in the West after his Game 6 elimination loss to the Grizzlies). Ultimately, any team with clutch stalwarts Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher can overcome just about any obstacle, with supporting cast members Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum, and Ron Artest reminding the league why they remain favorites to win the NBA Championship for a Three-Peat.
Meanwhile, the New Orleans Hornets put up a valiant effort following the untimely injury of post player David West. West looks to be out until at least the middle of next season, so Coach Monty Williams, point guard Chris Paul, post player Emeka Okafor, and others will need to figure out how to remain relevant in the always competitive Western Conference. While West and Okafor seemed to gel much better this season than last, the team will have to figure out how to improve their chemistry and play while also keeping a spot in the lineup warm for West. It should be an interesting offseason and 2011-2012 season for the Hornets.
3) Dallas Mavericks vs. Portland TrailBlazers
The Dallas Mavericks are one of the aging teams in the Western Conference. Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry remain in their primes, but Jason Kidd and Shawn Marion are on the decline. Other young players such as J.J. Barea represent some hope for the future of the Mavericks, but any possible NBA Championship run revolves around Coach Rick Carlisle and team superstar Nowitzki. Unfortunately, a matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers means matchup problems in handling superstar Kobe Bryant, so the Mavericks will have their hands full in the Western Conference Semifinals.
The Portland TrailBlazers seem to be a solid contender in the Western Conference. They have well-balanced play, from savvy veteran point guard Andre Miller to post player LaMarcus Aldridge. Brandon Roy followed up poor early series play with breakout performances the rest of the series. While Gerald Wallace was a steal of a trade acquisition, the retention of Rudy Fernandez and the rise of Wesley Matthews meant strong wing play and depth. However, the TrailBlazers did not take the route that Don Nelson and the Golden State Warriors used to knock off the Mavericks a few years ago in the NBA Playoffs by having swingman Stephen Jackson guard big man Dirk Nowitzki—this year, this role could have been filled by Jackson’s former Charlotte Bobcats teammate Wallace. Regardless, the First Round loss should not stand in the way of at least a couple more years of Portland TrailBlazers NBA Playoffs basketball.
4) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Denver Nuggets
The Oklahoma City Thunder have been a joy to watch. Coach Scott Brooks appears to have his team focused, hungry, and humble. Rising superstar Kevin Durant seems poised to build a winning NBA career legacy, with outstanding play down the stretch in a clinching Game 5 victory. Likewise, Kendrick Perkins has meshed well with the Thunder’s core group, including guard Russell Westbrook, swingman James Harden, and big man Serge Ibaka. The Thunder would have likely been the underdogs versus the San Antonio Spurs in a Second Round series, but instead they find themselves favored over the underdog Grizzlies. It is time to see how far this Oklahoma City Thunder team can go.
Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets functioned much like their trade allies the New York Knicks fared this year. While New York ended the year with Carmelo Anthony, the Nuggets started the year with him. Basically, the Nuggets shifted focus from superstar player and company to a collection of solid players. The team’s overall personality fit well with Coach George Karl in perhaps his last run at an NBA Championship. Unfortunately, sluggish play by key players J.R. Smith and Chris “Birdman” Andersen led to the unraveling of the team’s 2011 NBA Playoffs run, with Smith now appearing to be on his way out of Denver. With Smith possibly vacating the star status role formerly held by Anthony, it will be interesting to see who among the young players or incoming free agents will take command of the Nuggets’ lineup.
Eastern Conference
1) Chicago Bulls vs. Indiana Pacers:
The Indiana Pacers are much like how the Oklahoma City Thunder were a couple years ago: young with a lot of potential. As such, the Pacers struggled to close out games versus the Bulls, blowing 4th quarter leads in Game 1, Game 2, and Game 3 and almost doing so in Game 4. The Pacers will need to make some decisions in order to determine which young players to keep and which players to trade for veterans to balance out the roster. This is further compounded by the pending departure of team executive Larry Bird, although former team executive Donnie Walsh may return if forced out of New York.
Meanwhile, the Chicago Bulls showed that they have enough talent to challenge for the NBA Championship this year. Primarily, they combine the MVP leadership and play of Derrick Rose with the fierce offensive rebounding of Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer. While Rose initiates plays and team momentum, it can be argued that boxing out Noah and Boozer are the most important keys in beating the Bulls. Added to the mix are strong scorers Luol Deng and Kyle Korver as well as a number of other solid veterans and role players. Although the wins were not dominant, the competitive fire and clutch play of the Chicago Bulls were present in the First Round, with more to be seen in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
2) Miami Heat vs. Philadelphia 76ers
The Miami Heat continue to be somewhat of an enigma. The New Big Three of Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh remain league leaders in a number of statistical categories. Yet, their inconsistency leaves them vulnerable. While Wade and James tend to find ways to get their points and contribute every game, Bosh has shown a tendency to fade out every so often, settling for a collection of jumpshots rather than attacking the low post like he did more often in Toronto. Furthermore, not much was mentioned about the drawbacks of the South Beach Big Three all coming from the same draft class (NBA Draft 2003). While other team core groups have more variance in experience levels and playing philosophies, Wade, James, and Bosh risk falling into bad habits together when they struggle. Despite all of their talent, the key to their NBA Championship run is the ability of veterans and role players to fill the gaps and outplay opposing players.
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia 76ers were also a bit of a riddle. The heartwarming return of Coach Doug Collins was complicated by the Sixers' slow start to the season. They have a number of young players complementing veterans Andre Iguodala and Elton Brand. While Brand is arguably on the decline, Iguodala may still have some improvement left in his development. Granted, Coach Doug Collins may only have a couple more years of head coaching in him, so the team must continue to grow in 2011-2012 should they want to make a run at an NBA Championship in the near future.
3) Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks
The New York Knicks have had an interesting ride the past couple decades. From the Patrick Ewing era to the Larry Johnson era, the team had some memorable playoff runs. Thus, the additions of Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony combined with the coaching of Coach Mike D'Antoni may have potentially signaled the start of another strong era of Knicks basketball. In the short-term, the trade to get Carmelo Anthony has proven to be neutral; that is, with or without 'Melo, the team was destined for defeat versus a talented but aging Boston Celtics team. The key here is how the trade for and presence of Anthony impacts the team in the long-term. It is clear the Knicks gave up a good amount of talent to land a cornerstone player, so Anthony must put to rest any doubts within the next couple years to move the Knicks from borderline relevancy to NBA Championship contention.
While the Knicks seem to be forming their new core group, the Boston Celtics are running out of time (as cliche as it sounds) with their current Big Three. Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen remain critical pieces of another Boston Celtics NBA Championship run. However, this year's run relies on rising stars Rajon Rondo and Glen Davis and aging veterans Shaquille O'Neal and Jermaine O'Neal. While the O'Neals must fill the void created by the departure of defensive mainstay Kendrick Perkins, Rondo and Davis represent the future core of the Celtics. The Celtics are hoping that Jeff Green fits well in the long-term to help ease the pending declines of Pierce and Allen. Despite the roster concerns, the Boston Celtics remain a favorite in the East, and they can challenge the Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, and Atlanta Hawks in whatever seven-game series presents itself.
4) Atlanta Hawks vs. Orlando Magic
Despite the changing over of head coaches to Coach Larry Drew and the trading of starting point guard Mike Bibby, the Atlanta Hawks overcame a major obstacle in their quest for an Eastern Conference title and NBA Championship run by knocking off the rival Orlando Magic. Guard Kirk Hinrich has proven to be a good fit into the Hawks' style of play, with fellow former Chicago Bull Jamal Crawford also filling a bigger void. Furthermore, the versatility of other players, including Josh Smith, Al Horford, Marvin Williams, and Zaza Pachulia make the Atlanta Hawks an intriguing team out of the East. Still, the team must overcome another obstacle in getting out of the Second Round, with Hinrich's/Crawford's former Bulls standing in their way.
While the Hawks seem to be surging, the Orlando Magic are stuck in a bind. They made gutsy trades to bring back Hedo Turkoglu and add Gilbert Arenas. However, they moved Coach Stan Van Gundy's favorite player, Rashard Lewis, and also traded away key frontcourt backup Marcin Gortat. As it stands, the Magic are now arguably a weaker team than before these trades, as they lost to the rival Atlanta Hawks this year in the 2011 NBA Playoffs. Time is running out on the team built around Dwight Howard, as the Hawks finally used a strategy long recommended to fallen teams such as the Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers in past playoff series: let Howard have his points and shut down Mickeal Pietrus, J.J. Redick, Jameer Nelson, and the other perimeter players. With Superman Howard's free agency pending in the near future, the Magic may need to consider finding a couple new cornerstone players.
Western Conference
1) Memphis Grizzlies vs. San Antonio Spurs
Sadly, the San Antonio Spurs are becoming an aging NBA Championship team. As such, their slow starts to games showed a lack of urgency and proved to be a poor match against a young and hungry Memphis Grizzlies team. Statistically, Tim Duncan had the worst season of his career, so next year (lockout or not) will be interesting to see how Duncan rebounds from 2010-2011 and how Coach Gregg Popovich further evolves the team's strategy. Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker remain strong cornerstones, with players such as George Hill, Tiago Splitter, DeJuan Blair, and Gary Neal representing a good up-and-coming young group of players and guys like Richard Jefferson and Matt Bonner remaining key role players. The Spurs as is look like they have a couple more good years/NBA Championship runs in them.
Meanwhile, the Memphis Grizzlies are similar to the Oklahoma City Thunder in that they have added veteran talent to support their still young talent. The post play of Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol ultimately powered the Grizzlies over the Spurs, with Mike Conley serving as one of the league's best neutralizers for Tony Parker--i.e. Conley plays like another version of Parker. Even with Rudy Gay out, O.J. Mayo, Tony Allen, and others stepped their games up against the Western Conference's winningest regular season team this year. The Grizzlies will be facing something completely different in matching up with the Thunder, but the team's depth and balance--which was enough to supplant the #1 seed Spurs--may be enough to do the same to the Thunder.
2) Los Angeles Lakers vs. New Orleans Hornets
Like the Celtics in the East, the Los Angeles Lakers remain a favorite in the Western Conference. Despite not claiming the West's #1 seed, opposing players and coaches continue to respect the Lakers as defending NBA Champions (Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich even named the Lakers as the best team in the West after his Game 6 elimination loss to the Grizzlies). Ultimately, any team with clutch stalwarts Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher can overcome just about any obstacle, with supporting cast members Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum, and Ron Artest reminding the league why they remain favorites to win the NBA Championship for a Three-Peat.
Meanwhile, the New Orleans Hornets put up a valiant effort following the untimely injury of post player David West. West looks to be out until at least the middle of next season, so Coach Monty Williams, point guard Chris Paul, post player Emeka Okafor, and others will need to figure out how to remain relevant in the always competitive Western Conference. While West and Okafor seemed to gel much better this season than last, the team will have to figure out how to improve their chemistry and play while also keeping a spot in the lineup warm for West. It should be an interesting offseason and 2011-2012 season for the Hornets.
3) Dallas Mavericks vs. Portland TrailBlazers
The Dallas Mavericks are one of the aging teams in the Western Conference. Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry remain in their primes, but Jason Kidd and Shawn Marion are on the decline. Other young players such as J.J. Barea represent some hope for the future of the Mavericks, but any possible NBA Championship run revolves around Coach Rick Carlisle and team superstar Nowitzki. Unfortunately, a matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers means matchup problems in handling superstar Kobe Bryant, so the Mavericks will have their hands full in the Western Conference Semifinals.
The Portland TrailBlazers seem to be a solid contender in the Western Conference. They have well-balanced play, from savvy veteran point guard Andre Miller to post player LaMarcus Aldridge. Brandon Roy followed up poor early series play with breakout performances the rest of the series. While Gerald Wallace was a steal of a trade acquisition, the retention of Rudy Fernandez and the rise of Wesley Matthews meant strong wing play and depth. However, the TrailBlazers did not take the route that Don Nelson and the Golden State Warriors used to knock off the Mavericks a few years ago in the NBA Playoffs by having swingman Stephen Jackson guard big man Dirk Nowitzki—this year, this role could have been filled by Jackson’s former Charlotte Bobcats teammate Wallace. Regardless, the First Round loss should not stand in the way of at least a couple more years of Portland TrailBlazers NBA Playoffs basketball.
4) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Denver Nuggets
The Oklahoma City Thunder have been a joy to watch. Coach Scott Brooks appears to have his team focused, hungry, and humble. Rising superstar Kevin Durant seems poised to build a winning NBA career legacy, with outstanding play down the stretch in a clinching Game 5 victory. Likewise, Kendrick Perkins has meshed well with the Thunder’s core group, including guard Russell Westbrook, swingman James Harden, and big man Serge Ibaka. The Thunder would have likely been the underdogs versus the San Antonio Spurs in a Second Round series, but instead they find themselves favored over the underdog Grizzlies. It is time to see how far this Oklahoma City Thunder team can go.
Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets functioned much like their trade allies the New York Knicks fared this year. While New York ended the year with Carmelo Anthony, the Nuggets started the year with him. Basically, the Nuggets shifted focus from superstar player and company to a collection of solid players. The team’s overall personality fit well with Coach George Karl in perhaps his last run at an NBA Championship. Unfortunately, sluggish play by key players J.R. Smith and Chris “Birdman” Andersen led to the unraveling of the team’s 2011 NBA Playoffs run, with Smith now appearing to be on his way out of Denver. With Smith possibly vacating the star status role formerly held by Anthony, it will be interesting to see who among the young players or incoming free agents will take command of the Nuggets’ lineup.