By Sam Amico
ProBasketballNews.com
Scribbles in my playoff notebook:
* I hate to break it to everyone, but San Antonio is still the league’s best team. And
I write this after watching the Spurs get hammered by Phoenix in Game 4 of their first-round series. But that was just a token win for the Suns. The truth is, the Spurs remain the best all-around defensive club -- and their Big Three of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker (in no particular order) have played together much longer and are much more playoff tested than the three stallions in Boston.
* That said, after hyping the Lakers and Boston all season, you just know the league (and especially ABC) does NOT want another San Antonio-Detroit Finals. Spurs-Celtics? Well, that’d probably OK as far ratings go. Or at least, as far as the people who can about them are concerned. I, on the other hand, would watch the Spurs if they were playing Mississippi Valley State in the Finals.
* As for Dallas, well, is there anyone out there who thought the Devin Harris-for-Jason Kidd deal was good for the Mavericks when it happened two months ago? My guess is Mark Cuban was behind it. But let’s face it, Kidd is over-the-hill. The younger, ultra-fast Harris would have done a much better job of neutralizing New Orleans’ Chris Paul -- now, and for the next 10 years.
* That is why owners should never be the ones who decide on deals. Let your basketball people handle that.
* I don’t mean to sound harsh when writing about Kidd. He’s one of the all-time greats and there’s no doubting that. But anyone who saw him play with the Nets could tell you that today, he’s on the downside of his career and vastly overpaid.
* I don’t have a major problem with the “LeBron’s overrated” comments made by Washington’s DeShawn Stevenson. Granted, Stevenson is wrong, but at least he’s showing some competitive fire, and isn’t kissing anyone’s butt. It sure beats the earlier part of the decade, when everyone in the league seemed to be intent on making friends. You can respect your opponent without worshipping him. It’s what playoff basketball is all about.
* I know the Cavaliers hold a 3-1 lead over the Wizards and have a chance to end the series Wednesday in Cleveland. But I was less than impressed with how the Cavs won Game 4. Watching Delonte West and Daniel Gibson stand around and heave up 3-pointers is not my idea of good basketball. Give me some cuts through the lane, some picks to free up LeBron James, some passes into the low post. Or how about a few mid-range jumpers? I mean, why does a team that features James struggle so mightily on offense? And the Wizards aren’t exactly the 1989 Detroit Pistons when it comes to defense. Yet the Cavs have had to rely on long jumper after long jumper in this series.
* Back to the Spurs. If there is one team out there that I think could beat them in a seven-game series, it’s the Lakers. Not just because of Kobe Bryant, either (although he is clearly a huge reason). But another reason is Derek Fisher, the best defensive point guard in the league. In other words, Fisher is one of the few people who could keep Tony Parker from getting to the basket at will. Should the teams meet in the Western Conference finals, I expect Fisher to give Parker fits.
* Also, I’m not about to pick against Phil Jackson when he has time to prepare.
* That said, I wouldn’t be shocked if Utah got past L.A. in the second round. It all depends on whether the Jazz get a third contribution outside of Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer. Plus, the fact the Jazz made it to the Western Conference finals last season, and play team basketball in its truest form, will really help.
* Wonder if the following teams will be broken up this off-season: Phoenix, Dallas, Washington (bye bye, Gilbert Arenas), Chicago, Denver and Toronto. One report has Suns coach Mike D’Antoni replacing Sam Mitchell in Toronto, but that is some awful early -- and seemingly unfounded -- speculation.
* Celtics fans are going to bombard me with angry e-mails for not writing about their team yet, but after watching Detroit struggle against Philadelphia, I don’t think anyone can keep the Celtics from getting out of the East. So I’m not ignoring the Celtics. It’s just a no-brainer that they’ll get to the Finals, so what really is left to say?
* Of course, one thing I noticed that was also pointed out by Jim Chones of the Cavs’ radio network: Kevin Garnett seems to be moving further away from the basket as the playoffs progress. If that continues, well, then the C’s are beatable. But I don’t think it will.
* Quick draft thought: This year’s draft may be the worst in my 15 years covering the league. College basketball was awful this season -- it looked like junior college ball. Kansas State's Michael Beasley and Memphis' Derrick Rose will be solid pros, with Beasley being a possible once-in-a-while All-Star. But more than ever, the rest of the draft will be a crapshoot.
Sam Amico is the editor of Pro Basketball News. Contact him or sign up for his free e-mail newsletter at amico@probasketballnews.com.
NBA: April 28, 2008
Believe it, Spurs still team to beat
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