By Joe Davidson -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Sunday, December 26, 2004
Here are some holiday leftovers to chew on as you loosen your belt and exhale from all the feeding.
The early returns from the NBA season show a mixture of the boorish (Pacers-Pistons free-for-all), the encouraging (expansion teams can compete) and the refreshing (a new order looks to entertain for a while in youngsters Amare Stoudemire, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade).
Here's a closer look at the first part of the season:
MVP: One doesn't work as well without the other, so we offer co-MVPs in Steve Nash and Stoudemire, both of whom are off to fantastic starts for the Phoenix Suns, the season's sparkling early surprise.
Stoudemire is averaging 25.3 points, including a flurry off Nash passes. Not bad considering league general managers over the summer wondered if Stoudemire would be overwhelmed in the paint this season at center. It's been the opposite. Stoudemire is a lethal combination of quickness and power. Nash, meanwhile, looks fresh and motivated and leads the league in assists at 11.1 per game.
Top coach: Nate McMillan. Seattle's favorite son wasn't even sure if he wanted to return this season, given his roster's uncertainty outside of cornerstones Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis.
But the hot-shooting, fast-paced SuperSonics lead the new Northwest Division at 19-5. Even Danny Fortson, bad hair and all, has been a factor.
Surprise team not in damp Seattle or searing Phoenix: The Washington Wizards were due to break through some decade. This may be it. With a host of former Warriors in the fold and former Kings coach Eddie Jordan finding his type of players, Washington is off to its best start in 20 years.
If the Wizards can get Kwame Brown into game shape and make him play like a former No. 1 pick should, they'll be all the more formidable.
Biggest dud: New Orleans. The Hornets have to be careful now to not flirt with NBA infamy. The Philadelphia 76ers own the worst single-season record, 9-73 in 1972-73. New Orleans (2-23) probably will avoid that mark now that dynamic guard Baron Davis is back from an injury.
Still, it's been some toll on coach Byron Scott, decorated and accomplished throughout his high school, college and NBA careers as a player and the New Jersey Nets' coach.
"There's never fun in losing," he said. "Never. You never get used to it."
Most encouraging return: From the Eastern Conference, it's Grant Hill, whose ankle finally is in working order and whose impact has made the Orlando Magic worth watching again.
From the Western Conference, it's Chris Webber. A year ago, he was in street clothes, weeks away from a return. When the Kings forward did come back, he wasn't fully back. Now there are moments when he has his old form, the spin moves, the burst down the lane, the alley-oops (did he throw down a single oop last season?). He never lost his confidence or swagger. (Ask Milwaukee after his game-winning three-pointer.) Webber again is a factor with his passing and rebounding, reviving talk that he's the Kings' best player.
Sobering experience nod: Mike Montgomery knew all of the tricks when he took on Arizona State or Washington from the Stanford sideline. This NBA business, as the rookie Warriors coach put it the other day, is "a daunting task."
He has admitted that he called for a foul when he didn't need one in a loss to Orlando, and he didn't call for a late foul when he needed one in a setback to Dallas, leaving him to sigh, "I've made mistakes, clearly."
Forever a Grinch: You look at brothers Jeff and Stan Van Gundy and wonder which one was really adopted or imported years later.
Stan looks rested, jovial, genuinely pleased to be coaching the Miami Heat. Jeff, of the Houston Rockets, looks haggard, hurried and sleep-deprived, and he told beat reporters that his bunch hasn't been playing smart because of the Grinch in charge.
"If you play stupid," he said, "you have a stupid coach."
Ageless: That's some egg nog that Clifford Robinson has been sipping. He's the 38-year-old Warriors center, a long shot to have an impact in the league when Portland drafted him in the second round 15 years ago.
He has started the last 10 games, and in the Warriors' best effort of the season - a 109-99 come-from-behind victory over Memphis on Wednesday - he had 15 points and hit three three-pointers. (Yes, Uncle Cliffy is a center shooting threes.) He also kept Pau Gasol in check.
Lumps of coal: With all that excess cash, the least some of these guys can do is offer a gift certificate to their superiors for doling out what has become fool's gold.
Among the worst offseason contract signings: Adonal Foyle and Derek Fisher of Golden State, Erick Dampier of Dallas and Brian Cardinal of Memphis.
Foyle and Fisher are two of the best character guys in the business, ideal for any "Read to Achieve" Program at the neighborhood elementary school. But so far, their combined deals totaling nearly $80 million haven't bought much. Neither is a starter.
Dampier, the former Warrior, was supposed to provide the meek Mavericks with some interior muscle. At $71 million over seven years, the Mavs are waiting for the returns.
Cardinal went from a last-minute camp invitee for Golden State last season to a Memphis millionaire with a $38 million deal. He has been lost on the Grizzlies' bench. Somehow, the Warriors are at the core of all this free spending.
Bah, humbug (again): The Kings' Bobby Jackson could avoid injury if he played slowly. And if he didn't tumble. And if didn't compete. And if he didn't care.
Take away those traits, and he's nowhere to be found in the league. Because of those qualities - fearlessness, relentlessness, determination - the downer is the periodic ailment.
"I don't understand it," said Jackson, who will miss considerable time for the third consecutive season, this time because of a torn ligament in his left wrist. "I get hit with the freakiest injuries."
Youth shall be served: There's a lot of legitimate grumbling that the league is too young, with a flood of high school talent invading the NBA when so many of those athletes aren't ready physically or emotionally.
But some of the kids are pretty good players and, so far, pretty good citizens.
LeBron James, "the best 18-year-old basketball player in the history of the world," according to Kings director of player personnel Jerry Reynolds, has become a triple double threat for Cleveland. When the Cavaliers belted Minnesota last week, chants of "M-V-P" echoed through Gund Arena.
And it can certainly be argued that Wade has been the Heat's best player this season. Even Shaquille O'Neal says so. How do you stop him? He drives, he dishes, he dunks.
If the 2003 NBA draft were tomorrow, with what we know now, James would go No. 1, followed by Wade, easily, not Darko Milicic and Carmelo Anthony.
Biggest loss: Any doubts about the impact of Andrei Kirilenko should be vanquished. The Utah Jazz started fast with the long-armed shot blocker and his emerging offensive game in the mix. The Jazz has slumped with him sidelined by injury, as if Utah is going four against five.
Biggest gain: Jermaine O'Neal. His suspension reduced, O'Neal can immediately help the Indiana Pacers regroup and recharge for a title run.
Of all the suspensions from that Pistons brawl, O'Neal's seemed the most severe, and the arbitrator factored in his otherwise clean record. Good call, right call. Ron Artest has a list of transgressions, and Stephen Jackson genuinely looked as if he relished the idea of hot pursuit in the stands. More fruitcake for you.
(cont...)
Published 2:15 am PST Sunday, December 26, 2004
Here are some holiday leftovers to chew on as you loosen your belt and exhale from all the feeding.
The early returns from the NBA season show a mixture of the boorish (Pacers-Pistons free-for-all), the encouraging (expansion teams can compete) and the refreshing (a new order looks to entertain for a while in youngsters Amare Stoudemire, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade).
Here's a closer look at the first part of the season:
MVP: One doesn't work as well without the other, so we offer co-MVPs in Steve Nash and Stoudemire, both of whom are off to fantastic starts for the Phoenix Suns, the season's sparkling early surprise.
Stoudemire is averaging 25.3 points, including a flurry off Nash passes. Not bad considering league general managers over the summer wondered if Stoudemire would be overwhelmed in the paint this season at center. It's been the opposite. Stoudemire is a lethal combination of quickness and power. Nash, meanwhile, looks fresh and motivated and leads the league in assists at 11.1 per game.
Top coach: Nate McMillan. Seattle's favorite son wasn't even sure if he wanted to return this season, given his roster's uncertainty outside of cornerstones Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis.
But the hot-shooting, fast-paced SuperSonics lead the new Northwest Division at 19-5. Even Danny Fortson, bad hair and all, has been a factor.
Surprise team not in damp Seattle or searing Phoenix: The Washington Wizards were due to break through some decade. This may be it. With a host of former Warriors in the fold and former Kings coach Eddie Jordan finding his type of players, Washington is off to its best start in 20 years.
If the Wizards can get Kwame Brown into game shape and make him play like a former No. 1 pick should, they'll be all the more formidable.
Biggest dud: New Orleans. The Hornets have to be careful now to not flirt with NBA infamy. The Philadelphia 76ers own the worst single-season record, 9-73 in 1972-73. New Orleans (2-23) probably will avoid that mark now that dynamic guard Baron Davis is back from an injury.
Still, it's been some toll on coach Byron Scott, decorated and accomplished throughout his high school, college and NBA careers as a player and the New Jersey Nets' coach.
"There's never fun in losing," he said. "Never. You never get used to it."
Most encouraging return: From the Eastern Conference, it's Grant Hill, whose ankle finally is in working order and whose impact has made the Orlando Magic worth watching again.
From the Western Conference, it's Chris Webber. A year ago, he was in street clothes, weeks away from a return. When the Kings forward did come back, he wasn't fully back. Now there are moments when he has his old form, the spin moves, the burst down the lane, the alley-oops (did he throw down a single oop last season?). He never lost his confidence or swagger. (Ask Milwaukee after his game-winning three-pointer.) Webber again is a factor with his passing and rebounding, reviving talk that he's the Kings' best player.
Sobering experience nod: Mike Montgomery knew all of the tricks when he took on Arizona State or Washington from the Stanford sideline. This NBA business, as the rookie Warriors coach put it the other day, is "a daunting task."
He has admitted that he called for a foul when he didn't need one in a loss to Orlando, and he didn't call for a late foul when he needed one in a setback to Dallas, leaving him to sigh, "I've made mistakes, clearly."
Forever a Grinch: You look at brothers Jeff and Stan Van Gundy and wonder which one was really adopted or imported years later.
Stan looks rested, jovial, genuinely pleased to be coaching the Miami Heat. Jeff, of the Houston Rockets, looks haggard, hurried and sleep-deprived, and he told beat reporters that his bunch hasn't been playing smart because of the Grinch in charge.
"If you play stupid," he said, "you have a stupid coach."
Ageless: That's some egg nog that Clifford Robinson has been sipping. He's the 38-year-old Warriors center, a long shot to have an impact in the league when Portland drafted him in the second round 15 years ago.
He has started the last 10 games, and in the Warriors' best effort of the season - a 109-99 come-from-behind victory over Memphis on Wednesday - he had 15 points and hit three three-pointers. (Yes, Uncle Cliffy is a center shooting threes.) He also kept Pau Gasol in check.
Lumps of coal: With all that excess cash, the least some of these guys can do is offer a gift certificate to their superiors for doling out what has become fool's gold.
Among the worst offseason contract signings: Adonal Foyle and Derek Fisher of Golden State, Erick Dampier of Dallas and Brian Cardinal of Memphis.
Foyle and Fisher are two of the best character guys in the business, ideal for any "Read to Achieve" Program at the neighborhood elementary school. But so far, their combined deals totaling nearly $80 million haven't bought much. Neither is a starter.
Dampier, the former Warrior, was supposed to provide the meek Mavericks with some interior muscle. At $71 million over seven years, the Mavs are waiting for the returns.
Cardinal went from a last-minute camp invitee for Golden State last season to a Memphis millionaire with a $38 million deal. He has been lost on the Grizzlies' bench. Somehow, the Warriors are at the core of all this free spending.
Bah, humbug (again): The Kings' Bobby Jackson could avoid injury if he played slowly. And if he didn't tumble. And if didn't compete. And if he didn't care.
Take away those traits, and he's nowhere to be found in the league. Because of those qualities - fearlessness, relentlessness, determination - the downer is the periodic ailment.
"I don't understand it," said Jackson, who will miss considerable time for the third consecutive season, this time because of a torn ligament in his left wrist. "I get hit with the freakiest injuries."
Youth shall be served: There's a lot of legitimate grumbling that the league is too young, with a flood of high school talent invading the NBA when so many of those athletes aren't ready physically or emotionally.
But some of the kids are pretty good players and, so far, pretty good citizens.
LeBron James, "the best 18-year-old basketball player in the history of the world," according to Kings director of player personnel Jerry Reynolds, has become a triple double threat for Cleveland. When the Cavaliers belted Minnesota last week, chants of "M-V-P" echoed through Gund Arena.
And it can certainly be argued that Wade has been the Heat's best player this season. Even Shaquille O'Neal says so. How do you stop him? He drives, he dishes, he dunks.
If the 2003 NBA draft were tomorrow, with what we know now, James would go No. 1, followed by Wade, easily, not Darko Milicic and Carmelo Anthony.
Biggest loss: Any doubts about the impact of Andrei Kirilenko should be vanquished. The Utah Jazz started fast with the long-armed shot blocker and his emerging offensive game in the mix. The Jazz has slumped with him sidelined by injury, as if Utah is going four against five.
Biggest gain: Jermaine O'Neal. His suspension reduced, O'Neal can immediately help the Indiana Pacers regroup and recharge for a title run.
Of all the suspensions from that Pistons brawl, O'Neal's seemed the most severe, and the arbitrator factored in his otherwise clean record. Good call, right call. Ron Artest has a list of transgressions, and Stephen Jackson genuinely looked as if he relished the idea of hot pursuit in the stands. More fruitcake for you.
(cont...)
