Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant led Team USA to a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. (GETTY IMAGES)
USA Basketball recently announced the 20 finalists who will compete for the 12 spots on the senior men’s national team that will represent the U.S. in the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
Among the finalists are holdovers from the 2008 gold-medal winning team in Beijing: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, Deron Williams, and Carmelo Anthony. Assuming all eight accept invitations to London, there are 12 players fighting for four spots which leaves USA Basketball president Jerry Colangelo and head coach Mike Krzyzewski the dirty task of having to cut star players without embarrassing them in public.
Injuries will certainly play a big part of the selection process, especially with Bryant (wrist) and Wade (foot). Both have hinted they would love to play in London, but it’ll depend on how their teams finish and if their injuries will get worse should they play through the summer. Not having Kobe or Wade in the Olympics will be a huge blow to Coach K but those two were the go-to guys in Beijing. When Team USA needed a basket in the fourth quarter, Coach K called on Kobe’s number first and then Wade was a very close second. That was evident in the gold-medal game against Spain when Wade was the catalyst in the first half and Kobe closed the deal.
With or without Bryant and Wade Team USA should field a dynamite team in London and be heavy favorites to win gold again. But just like the 2008 team Colangelo and Krzyzewski can’t pick a team based on star power or All-Star game appearances. Talent alone won’t get it done in London, just ask the 2006 U.S. squad that lost to Greece in the FIBA World Championships. The 2012 Olympic squad needs to be balanced and flexible enough to adapt to any situation. The guards must be physical enough to play through a lot of contact because the international referees oftentimes will allow physical play, the forwards have to knock down 3-pointers, and the big men must be quick enough to defend the perimeter.
Here are the 12 players who should make the 2012 U.S. Olympic team:
CENTER: Dwight Howard
Comment: Because the majority of the big men in the Olympics are perimeter oriented, you really don’t need more than one true center. Dwight Howard wasn’t a huge factor four years ago in Beijing and, at times, struggled to guard the 3-point shooters. Hopefully four years of experience will help Dwight adapt to the international game.
FORWARDS: LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, Kevin Love, LaMarcus Aldridge, Andre Iguodala
Comment: Two years ago in Turkey, Kevin Durant showed the world what he can do in the FIBA World Championships. Now, it’s time for USA Basketball to recognize Durant as the centerpiece of the 2012 U.S. Olympic team. Durant has the perfect game to play against international competition. We know about his consistent outside shot (something LeBron and ‘Melo struggle with at times), but what the 6-foot-10 Durant presents is a mismatch at the forward position. He’s too big for small forwards and too quick for power forwards. Iguodala played well in the 2010 world championships, especially on defense. Iguodala can match up against guards or forwards, and his length and athleticism really bothered the great scorers from Europe. Love and Aldridge are better fits because they can knock down shots, which is extremely important in opening up the court for dribble penetration. Love and Aldridge can also play some center if needed, and in some instances Love or Aldridge are probably better options at center than Howard. This means the committee will have the tough choice to exclude Chris Bosh and Blake Griffin from the team. There will be a ton of pressure to add Griffin on the squad because of the excitement and hype he’ll bring to London, but it’ll depend on how many guards Coach K will carry on the roster.
GUARDS: Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, Derrick Rose, Deron Williams
Comment: It will be hard to knock off any of these guards off the team, but if Kobe or Wade decide to pass on the Olympics, then Eric Gordon should be the next man up. Gordon played well in Turkey in 2010 and he has the game and built to play against the rugged competition. One key factor to watch is how Paul and Rose will keep defenses from zoning on them. Teams will gladly give up 3-point shots to CP3 and D-Rose to take away their dribble penetration. Rose was up-and-down at the 2010 worlds because he wasn’t too confident with his jump shot, something he has aggressively worked on the past four years. Coack K also has the option of playing Williams at shooting guard with Paul or Rose at the point, and won’t rule out moving Iguodala at guard to make room for another forward if Bryant and Wade are not available.
Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.
All-Star guard Chris Paul remains in New Orleans for now, but he'll likely be wearing a different uniform this season. (US PRESSWIRE)
LeBron James opened a new can of worms last summer with his controversial “Decision.”
Chris Paul and Dwight Howard are now following James’ villainous lead, holding their teams hostage by refusing to sign long-term deals with their current teams. Paul is on his way to the Los Angeles Clippers after the Hornets were unable to convinced him to sign an extension. The Orlando Magic are on the brink of losing Howard, who recently told Orlando management that he wants to be traded.
If these storylines look and sound familiar it’s the same predicament the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Denver Nuggets found themselves in 2010 when LeBron held the Cavaliers hostage before signing with the Miami Heat, and months later Carmelo Anthony practically followed LeBron’s lead by putting the Nuggets on pause until he found a new home with the New York Knicks.
This player power play is the very reason why NBA owners wanted to change the system. Small-market teams don’t want another LeBron or Carmelo situation in which they were left empty-handed and nothing to showcase for their fans. Teams want a headliner to fill seats. The Hornets will feel the sting of losing Paul, considered one of the top points guards in the league and a four-time NBA All-Star. Even though the Hornets got some nice pieces in the trade – Eric Gordon, Al-Farouq Aminu, Chris Kaman and a first-round pick – you don’t give up a Chris Paul and get equal value. The same goes for the Magic. Should Howard leave Orlando, how are the Magic going to satisfy their season-ticket holders at new Amway Center without the best center in the game today? These are legitimate concerns by the owners, but their hands seem to be tied because today’s stars seem determined to dictate where they want to go.
“First and foremost, we want Dwight to re-sign here,” Magic president Alex Martins said. “We’re going to continue to give him every resource, every asset that he needs and that we need to be successful. I think we’re proven that over the course of the last four years in particular, but certainly his entire time here. Only two other teams in the league have won more than we have over the last four years.”
An Orlando Magic fan shows her support for Dwight Howard during the third quarter of game five of the 2011 NBA playoffs at Amway Center. (US PRESSWIRE)
Howard publicly criticized the Magic recently for not doing enough to meet his demands. His wise list, of course, includes big-market, sexy teams like the Lakers (so he could join forces with Kobe Bryant), the Mavericks (so he could play with Dirk Nowitzki), and the Nets (so he could play with Deron Williams). The Magic went through this before with Shaquille O’Neal in 1996, and it took the franchise nearly a decade before they were able to recover from Shaq’s departure.
It’s a little baffling that current star players are hell-bent on joining other stars. It is definitely a complete turn from the 1980s and ’90s when megastars such as Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Michael Jordan would never dream of playing elsewhere. What ever happened to competitive ego? Twenty years ago, superstars preferred to build their own niche and won championships as the centerpiece. Now, it seems today’s stars are more than willing to share the limelight with other all-stars.
“Gone are the days when teams are built around [star players] and they end their careers there,” said former Toronto Raptors coach Sam Mitchell. “These players today are about quick gratification. They see guys moving around and they see guys having success [elsewhere]. So what you have to do is make the best deal you can. Try to make a deal, get young players , draft picks, be bad for a couple of years and suck it up.”
Paul says he wanted out of New Orleans because he didn’t think he had a chance to win a title with the Hornets. Howard’s Magic career so far has been defined by his numerous failures in the playoffs and the big man is becoming impatient with each passing season. However, not everybody can play in L.A. or New York. Someone has to play in these small markets.
Message to Dwight: Suck it up and try to win in Orlando instead of riding someone’s tail.
With the retirement of Shaquille O'Neal (left), Orlando's Dwight Howard now stand alone as the NBA's most dominant big center. (GETTY IMAGES)
Shaquille O’Neal playfully boasts that he is the last true dominant center in the NBA. He would even gloss himself with nicknames such as MDE (Most Dominant Ever) or Wilt Chamberneezy, an ode to the late great Wilt Chamberlain. But is Shaq right? Is he the last of the prolific big men who commanded double teams on a nightly basis, averaging 25 points per game and walking the path paved by all-time greats like Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing and David Robinson?
Last season, only three centers were in the top 20 in the league in scoring: Dwight Howard, Andrea Bargnani and Brook Lopez. And Bargnani is more of a forward than a classic back-to-the-basket big man who does most of his work in the paint. Howard had the highest scoring average among true NBA centers in 2010-11, but his 22.9 average fell short of the very high bar set by the Hall-of-Famers who came before him.
In the last 10 years, only two centers have been ranked in the top 10 in scoring. One of them, Tim Duncan, prefers to play power forward. Who was the last center to lead the NBA in scoring? It’s the man with more nicknames than Apollo Creed . . . Shaquille O’Neal. Shaq’s 29.7 scoring average in the 1999-2000 season earned The Big Diesel his second NBA scoring title. It was also the same season Shaq won the trifecta: regular season MVP, All-Star game MVP, and NBA Finals MVP.
So what has happened to the dominant big men?
“The game has evolved,” TNT analyst and former Indiana Pacer Reggie Miller recently said on NBA TV. “The notion that you had to have a dominant center to win championships is not the case anymore.”
Miller added, “Personally to me, the change really started in 1992 with the Dream Team and in ’96 with Dream Team 2 because if you look at the European big men they are not as dominant as a Shaq or a David Robinson or a Hakeem Olajuwon. They are more pick-and-pop players. Now that they’re in the NBA, that’s where the game has started to evolve.”
The center position, once thought of as the marquee position in basketball, has become an afterthought. If you scour current NBA rosters and find each team’s starting center, some of the names won’t strike fear in anyone: Marcin Gortat, Kwame Brown, Jason Collins, Roy Hibbert, Anderson Varejao, Samuel Dalembert, and Darko Milicic. Last season’s NBA finalist, the Miami Heat, reached the championship series with Joel Anthony as its starting center.
Successful NBA teams such as the Dallas Mavericks, Heat, Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics and New York Knicks have built their post-up strategies using hybrid big men such as Dirk Nowitzki, Chris Bosh, Pau Gasol, Kevin Garnett and Amare Stoudemire. They all could play center and play with their back to the basket, but all five would rather face the basket and shoot jumpers.
Former Atlanta Hawks player and current NBA TV analyst Steve Smith believes the zone defense has eliminated the value of a classic low-post player, and added that coaches at the youth level don’t teach post moves to young players.
“No one is teaching the big guys the fundamentals,” Smith said, “and we don’t glorify a guy rebounding, playing defense and playing down in the post. I think it’s a lost art.”
Shaq said while he was growing up he had guys like Ewing and Olajuwon to emulate, centers who played the position like it was supposed to be played. But these days, high school big men never develop an inside game because they don’t have a template to follow.
Will we ever see another Shaquille O’Neal? “With all due respect to Dwight Howard, we will never see [another Shaq] a guy who dominated from block to block,” Miller said. “It’s all about highlights now. It’s not about dominating. It’s about looking good.”
Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.
President Barack Obama shows his basketball skills at a 'Let's Move' clinic with members of the NBA, WNBA and the Harlem Globetrotters. (GETTY IMAGES)
President Barack Obama has recently announced that he is launching the Obama Classic Basketball Game. The game is set to feature more than two dozen NBA players, including superstars such as Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant, New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony, and Orlando Magic Center Dwight Howard.
The game, set to take place on Dec. 12 in Washington D.C., will also feature Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets, Chris Bosh of the Miami Heat, Ray Allen of the Boston Celtics, and many others. There is no word whether the game will be televised on ESPN, Direct TV, or elsewhere yet. According to the CS Monitor, tickets for the Obama Classic will price from $100 to $5,000, all of which will go towards the Obama Victory Fund, a combined fundraising effort between the Democratic Party and Obama’s re-election campaign.
The news of The Obama Classic comes in the middle of one of the most heated labor disputes in National Basketball Association history. But the lockout may be ending soon as the league and the players have tentatively reached a new collective bargaining agreement. There is much paperwork needed to be done, but Commissioner David Stern expects both sides to agree to the deal and open training camp on Dec. 9.
Two weeks ago, the NBPA and the hardline NBA owners couldn’t seem to agree on a new labor deal, which forced the players to unanimously dissolve their union and restructure it into a Trade Association.
Doing so set the stage for the two antitrust lawsuits that have been filed against the owners of the NBA in the name of the players. The two lawsuits, which had been filed in the Northern District of California and in Minnesota. However, attorney David Boies, who had been hired to represent the players, recently decided to consolidate the two lawsuits into one, which will be heard in Minnesota.
The listed plaintiffs for the newly consolidated case includes Chauncey Billups, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, Rajon Rondo, Steve, Nash, Baron Davis, and others. The owners have yet to officially respond to the lawsuit, though David Stern did hold a conference call with each of the owners, and also described the lawsuit as a waste of time. However, Boies stated at the time that after giving concession after concession, the players had no other choice.
Celtics forward Glen Davis (left) and Heat forward LeBron James (GETTY IMAGES)
Basketball players have been referred to as the greatest athletes in the world. In the NBA, you see superbly conditioned athletes soar to the basket and throw down rim-rattling dunks or muscle past two or three defenders. Sometimes we marvel so much at these super beings that we, as fans, wonder how pro basketball players would do in another realm, such as pro football.
Because of the ongoing NBA lockout – and it seems like there won’t be any NBA games in the fall – I thought it would interesting to put together a football team comprised of current NBA players. Who knows? If the lockout persists, some of these guys may consider this crazy idea and apply for a job in the NFL. This concept has been written in the past, but not in the context where each NBA player is assigned a football position. So, without further ado, here is my 25-man, NBA-inspired gridiron gang:
QUARTERBACK
Rajon Rondo (6-1, 171)
– If Allen Iverson was still in the Association this would be an easy choice. Iverson was an all-state quarterback in high school and was considered a Michael Vick-type talent in the state of Virginia. But since A.I. is currently out of the NBA the next best option is Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo. Here’s a little fact about Rondo: he was interested in football first before his mother steered him towards basketball because she felt the sport would be less punishing on her son’s skinny frame. When mom says “no” you have to comply. To play quarterback you must be a fearless leader and a high pain threshold. Rondo showed his fortitude when he dislocated his elbow during a playoff game against the Miami Heat last season and came back to finish the game, basically playing with one arm. Here’s another fact about Rondo: he can throw the football. We have visual evidence.
RUNNING BACKS
Derrick Rose (6-1, 190)
– Legendary Penn State football coach Joe Paterno said he knew Curt Warner could play running back for him after watching him in a pickup basketball game. Paterno says if you can run, plant, cut, and change direction quickly on the basketball court then you can play running back on the football field. In terms of changing gears without skipping a beat, very few players in the world can match the Chicago Bulls’ superstar guard.
Deron Williams (6-2, 209)
– Williams attended The Colony High School in Texas, and we all know football is king in the state of Texas. D-Will was also a highly touted wrestler as a youngster, so he is no stranger to using leverage and doesn’t shy away from contact. At 209 pounds, Williams could be a very capable tailback in the NFL.
TIGHT END
LeBron James (6-8, 255)
– The tight end position is where basketball players seem to have the most success on the football field. Antonio Gates, Jimmy Graham and Tony Gonzalez were power forwards in college before they were drafted as tight ends in the NFL. LeBron was an all-state wide receiver at St. Vincent-St. Mary in Akron, Ohio, but he would be better served as a tight end because he would be an absolute nightmare to cover for any linebacker or safety. On running plays, LeBron can use his 255-pound frame to block on the edges. As long as the games are not close in the fourth quarter, LeBron make an excellent every-down tight end. Look away Cavaliers fans. This next video is going to be tough to stomach.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Matt Barnes (6-7, 226)
– The Los Angeles Lakers forward was a former all-state wide receiver at Del Campo High School (Calif.) so he can definitely play the position. Barnes is a tough player who doesn’t mind getting dirty. He should be a perfect candidate to go over the middle and catch passes in tight zones. Barnes may not be Hines Ward in terms of blocking, but he’ll irritate the heck out of the opposing defensive backs.
Gerald Wallace (6-7, 220)
–Anyone with a nickname like “Crash” could definitely play football. Wallace is known for his high energy and reckless style, which are two football attributes. He has the speed to catch the deep ball – and we know he can jump – and he’s tough enough to make plays over the middle. Wallace, who spent just one year at the University of Alabama, could have been a Julio Jones-type player for Nick Saban.
KICK RETURNER
Darren Collison (6-0, 160)
– The Indiana Pacers’ guard is an absolute blur on the court, able to change gears without losing any speed. Collison can thank his parents for his sprinter’s speed as both were former elite track runners from Guyana. If it were not for his undying devotion to the game of basketball, Collison easily could have been running track instead of running point.
KICKER
Kobe Bryant (6-6, 205)
– We all know Kobe played soccer when he was in Italy. He follows the sport religiously and has, on more than one occasion, displayed his soccer skills on the pitch. NFL kickers are all soccer-style kickers. Given enough practice and proper technique, Kobe should be able to pick up the nuances of kicking field goals. Kobe is a perfectionist, so if this challenge was presented in front of him he will attack it like a Black Mamba. Because so many football games are won or lost with last-second field goals, who better to put in clutch situations than Kobe Bryant.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Kevin Love (6-10, 260)
Al Horford (6-10, 245)
DeJuan Blair (6-7, 270)
Luis Scola (6-9, 245)
Kris Humphries (6-9, 240)
– Blocking in football is similar to setting screens in basketball, except when you use both hands on a screen you’ll get called for a foul. All five of the players mentioned above can all set good picks. But more importantly, each player plays with a bit of a nasty streak, which comes in handy when you need to get a first down on fourth-and-1. San Antonio Spurs forward DeJuan Blair played for Jamie Dixon at Pitt. Blair earned a reputation of having a football player’s mentality while competing in the rugged Big East Conference. Blair runs very well despite his big frame and you don’t have to worry about him tearing his Anterior Cruciate Ligament because he doesn’t have one. Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love, who led the NBA in rebounding in 2010-11, has good size and extremely good hands, which will help him grab an oncoming speed rusher. Kris Humphries’ father, William, played football at the University of Minnesota so you know Kris has been exposed to his share of football games as a youngster. As an added bonus, Kris is married to Kim Kardashian so he certainly knows how to protect a backside. Atlanta Hawks center/forward Al Horford and Houston Rockets forward Luis Scola have little football background but both are bulldogs and won’t back down from anyone.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Glen Davis (6-8, 295)
– Can’t think of a better anchor on defensive line than Celtics power forward Glen “Big Baby” Davis, who has always bragged that he could play in the NFL. Who’s gonna argue with a 295-pound man? Not me. But Davis’ claim is not a stretch. He was a terrific two-way football player at University Laboratory High School in Baton Rouge, starring at defensive end, defensive tackle and tailback. Yes, tailback! He scored 15 touchdowns his junior year in high school so he could be a tremendous goal-line back. But Big Baby hung up his cleats for good when he received a basketball scholarship from LSU. Watch Davis’ football highlight tape (he’s No. 66).
Kendrick Perkins (6-10, 275)
– Perkins is Davis’ former Celtics teammate and currently wears the Oklahoma City Thunder colors. Big Perk has a scowl only a mother could love, and that’s probably why he is among the league leaders in technical fouls. Any NFL coach would love to have almost 600 pounds of mass in Big Baby and Perk in the middle of a defensive line. It would be like moving two giant boulders.
Dwight Howard (6-11, 265)
– The Orlando Magic all-star center has the size, strength and agility that would make any defensive line coach drool. Howard’s freakish athleticism is suited at defensive end. He can rush the passer and, using his 40-inch vertical leap, bat down any ball that comes his way. He would be absolutely intimidating if he could only wipe that big smile off his face.
Zach Randolph (6-9, 260)
– Zach Randolph played for Michigan State taskmaster Tom Izzo. If you know Coach Izzo, he runs basketball practice like football practice. Z-Bo is a double-double machine for the Memphis Grizzlies. On the football field, he could command double teams.
LINEBACKERS
Ron Artest (6-7, 250)
– In building a defense, you start with a nasty, punch-you-in-the-mouth middle linebacker. With that in mind, can you name anyone crazier in the NBA than Ron Artest? I think not. He may have recently changed his name to Metta World Peace, but there is absolutely nothing peaceful about the man who calls his record label TruWarier.
Chuck Hayes (6-6, 238)
– Chuck Hayes may no longer fit the profile of a great athlete because he has become such a brute force inside for the Rockets, but when he was at Modesto Christian High School (Calif.) Hayes was recruited by UCLA, Oregon State, Notre Dame and Michigan to play college football. “I was LeBron before LeBron,” boasted Hayes, who played quarterback, wide receiver and safety in high school. However, college recruiters wanted the Rockets forward/center to play tight end, and Hayes said he didn’t like to get hit or never had the desire to block so he chose to play basketball for the University of Kentucky instead.
Tyler Hansbrough (6-9, 250)
– Nobody questions Tyler Hansbrough’s grit. During a heated game against rival Duke, the former North Carolina All-American busted his nose and had blood dripping down his face. But that wasn’t enough to knock him out of the game as the man known as Psycho T kept on playing and didn’t miss a beat. Dick Butkus would have been proud.
CORNERBACKS
Nate Robinson (5-8, 200)
– Nate the Great is the only player on this entire list who actually play college football. Robinson played point guard in basketball and cornerback in football for the University of Washington. Robinson is a physically gifted athlete who can run all day and is built like granite. He is such a well-conditioned athlete that he could probably be a good two-way player.
Robinson’s reputation as a football stud didn’t get lost with Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, who invited him to Seahawks camp this year. Robinson didn’t show up, but he may have to revisit that offer if the 2011-12 NBA season is wiped out.
Tony Allen (6-4, 213)
– Grizzlies guard Tony Allen is one of the best on-the-ball defenders in the NBA and could transition into a solid man-to-man cover corner. In 2005, Allen was charged with aggravated battery stemming from an altercation outside a restaurant in Chicago. Police charges? Battery? Altercation? Sounds like Allen has a little bit of Pacman Jones in him.
SAFETIES
Russell Westbrook (6-3, 190)
– Westbrook is considered one of the fastest players in basketball, and he could certainly give Philadelphia Eagles speedster DeSean Jackson a run for his money in the 40-yard dash. The ultra-quick Oklahoma City guard can cover a lot of ground, making him an ideal candidate to play free safety.
Dwyane Wade (6-4, 220)
– Before he became a full-time hoopster, Wade played wide receiver and defensive back for high school football powerhouse Richards High in Oak Lawn, Ill. Wade has the size to make plays at the line of scrimmage, and he can certainly outjump and outrun a lot of NFL receivers and tight ends. Wade grew up watching the Chicago Bears as a youth so you know he’s familiar with the Monsters of the Midway.
PUNTER
Steve Nash (6-3, 178)
– When Nash attended St. Michaels University School near Victoria, British Columbia, he starred in soccer and didn’t gravitate to basketball until he was 13. He showcased his soccer skills during the 2007 NBA All-Star game in Las Vegas when he aided then Phoenix Suns teammate Amar’e Stoudemire in the dunk contest. Nash can be a field-goal kicker or punter, but since we already have Kobe at kicker, Nash will have to channel his inner Ray Guy.
There you have it. A 25-man football team comprised of current NBA players. Since Microsoft billionaire Paul Allen owns the Portland Trail Blazers and Seattle Seahawks, he is the right man to sign the checks for this fantasy football team. We should also ask Mr. Allen to end the lockout so we don’t have to write about silly topics such as “NBA players who could play in the NFL.”
Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.
Each year, OneManFastBreak.net ranks the five best players in the NBA. The ranking system is based on ONE MAN’S opinion and doesn’t conform to the All-NBA format where you have to pick one center, two forwards and two guards. It is strictly based on last season’s performance, regardless of position, with more weight placed in how each player did in the playoffs. Last season’s top five: Kobe Bryant (1), LeBron James (2), Dwyane Wade (3), Chris Paul (4) and Dwight Howard (5).
Before people jump all over this list and start screaming for LeBron James, the biggest reason why LeBron is no longer in the top five after being rated No. 2 last year is simply because he gave up his top-five ranking when he signed with the Miami Heat and become Dwyane Wade’s sidekick. LeBron’s decision to leave his Batman status in Cleveland and settle for the Robin of South Beach was a stunning admission by the self-proclaimed king of basketball that he doesn’t want to be the leading man and is perfectly content playing a supporting role. If LeBron leads the Heat to a championship and wins Finals MVP then he regains his status as a top-five player. But for the time being, he’s at No. 6.
OneManFastBreak.net rates the five best players in the NBA in 2011.
5. DWIGHT HOWARD
Orlando Magic, Center
Superman II remains the most dominant big man in the game today. Though his statistics were not-so-super in 2010, he redeemed himself by increasing his scoring (22.9) and rebounding (14.1) in 2011. His shot-blocking remains superb (2.4 per game) and he has added a few post moves to his offensive repertoire. The extra moves boosted his scoring average from 18.3 in 2010 to 22.9 in 2011. He also averaged more field goal attempts (13.4) while maintaining his high-percentage shooting (59%). Even though the Magic had a disappointing run in the postseason, losing to the Hawks in the first round, Howard did everything but sell popcorn in the series, averaging 27 points and 15 rebounds. Howard has very little competition at the center position so he should be able to lock up first-team status for the next five to 10 years.
4. DERRICK ROSE
Chicago Bulls, Point Guard
Since becoming the face of the Chicago Bulls in 2008, Derrick Rose has been nothing short of sensational. He has managed to carve his own stature for a franchise that housed the great Michael Jordan and the incomparable Scottie Pippen. Rose is different from other superstars. He is quiet and humble, and always quick to point to himself whenever he makes a mistake. That is quite refreshing when you think about it, especially since the majority of stars in the NBA rarely blame themselves for anything. Rose’s game has evolved so much that he went from not being ranked last year on OMFB to No. 4, jumping over Dwight Howard. In just three seasons, Rose has become the league MVP and unquestioned leader of a team that reached the 2011 Eastern Conference finals. He jumped his scoring average from 20.8 in 2010 to 25.0 in 2011, and his improved his shooting from the 3-point line (from 26% to 33%) and free throw line (76% to 85%).
3. DWYANE WADE
Miami Heat, Shooting Guard
Some thought D-Wade’s status as one of the five best players in the game would come down a peg with the arrival of LeBron James and Chris Bosh in Miami. Well, not only did Wade find a way to coexist with two other superstars with a spectacular regular season but he enhanced his reputation as a big-time performer with a very good series against the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals. Without a doubt, Wade was Miami’s best player in The Finals. Through the first five games of the series, you could argue that Wade was the best player in the series and was on his way to a second NBA Finals MVP until his buddy LeBron failed to support him in the last five games. Wade scored 22, 36, 29, 32 and 23 points for the Heat, but somehow disappeared in Game 6 as the Mavericks clinched the championship on the Heat’s home floor. Nonetheless, Wade reaffirmed his place in the game with another outstanding postseason.
And now, for the top two. Drum roll please ….
2. KOBE BRYANT
Los Angeles Lakers, Shooting Guard
The Black Mamba has been the best player on the planet (according to OMFB) the last four years, but age and tons of mileage on his body finally caught up with No. 24. The two-time NBA Finals MVP and five-time world champion still had a decent season, but “decent” is not a word normally associated with the always driven Bryant. He suffered through a very average series against Dallas in the 2011 Western Conference semifinals, and without his usual explosiveness Bryant was pinned to the floor and barely had any lift on his legs. The most telling statistic in the L.A.-Dallas series was Bryant’s inability to get easy buckets. He went to the line just 15 times in the four-game sweep, and didn’t have any dunks. At this stage of Kobe’s career, he’s not into statistics or individual awards. It’s all about The Ring. He knows his Lakers are built for the long haul and he doesn’t have to carry the load night after night. Besides, the soon-to-be 32-year-old star understands that he needs to start preserving his body. Although when challenged, he can always put on his Black Mamba game face and devour anyone who tries to get in his path. He knows his legacy is secured and his Hall-of-Fame pass is waiting for him at the doors of Springfield, Mass. About the only thing missing on his checklist is the No. 7. That’s the number championship rings he needs to win to surpass Jordan.
1. DIRK NOWITZKI
Dallas Mavericks, Forward
First, I’d like to apologize to Dirk for not including him on the list last season. But even after his stupendous performance in the 2011 NBA playoffs, leading the Mavericks to their first NBA title and winning the Finals MVP, I still have a hard time figuring out how in the world did Dirk did it. I mean, this was a guy who, in the previous 12 years of his career, has been labeled “soft” or “can’t win the big one.” All of that changed once the playoffs began as Nowitzki went on an incredible run that saw him destroy Kobe, Kevin Durant, LeBron and D-Wade. Winning a championship certainly solidified Dirk’s place in history, and removed all doubt about his ability to rise to the occasion. It began in the Portland series in which the Mavericks used a devastating playoff loss to fuel a turnaround that is not usually associated with a Dallas team. Then, in the Lakers series, Dirk and the Mavs seemingly had answer for anything Phil Jackson threw at them. In the West finals against Oklahoma City, Nowitzki outgunned Durant, including two 40-point games. Against the star-studded Heat in The Finals, Nowitzki exorcised his demons with two game-winning baskets – one against Bosh and the other against Udonis Haslem, his old nemesis from 2006. Dirk also showed tremendous grit by playing almost the entire series with a torn tendon in his left finger. Not many picked the Mavericks to win the championship, but it’s a testament to Dirk and the resilient Mavs for proving to all those so-called basketball experts out there (including the editor of OMFB) that perception and history are overrated. Dirk Nowitzki finally shed the poor perception about him and rewrote history. With exception of a few occasions, the MVP of the NBA Finals should be considered the No. 1 player in the game. And, without a doubt, Dirk Nowitzki has earned the right to be called THE BEST PLAYER IN THE GAME.
Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter: twitter.com/onemanfastbreak. (Photos courtesy of Getty Images and US Presswire)
Magic coach Stan Van Gundy tells reporters that Dwight Howard has been unfairly criticized for reacting to hard fouls. (GETTY IMAGES)
Orlando Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy is always must-see TV whenever he’s given a microphone and surrounded by reporters.
After the Magic defeated the Hawks in Game 5 to close to within 3-2 in their playoff series, Van Gundy was in prime form during his postgame press conference. You could tell Van Gundy has reached his boiling when it comes to the abuse his All-Star center Dwight Howard has taken this season for leading the league in technical fouls.
It’s no huge surprise Van Gundy is on Howard’s corner. That’s a given. It was his explanation, or comparison, that sounded a bit like someone has become thin skinned whenever the issue of hard fouls and resulting technical fouls on Howard are brought up.
“The game plan is to get me frustrated, and I don’t think people understand what I go through,” Howard said on Tuesday night after being held to eight points in 29 minutes. “But I just keep it in my head that it’s bigger than whoever is checking me or just trying to foul me.”
Based on that last quote, you can tell the hard fouls are clearly affecting Howard and Van Gundy came to the aid of his center with this gem aimed at the media: “You guys in the media who want to be critical of him, go run on the treadmill for 40 minutes and every two or three minutes I’m gonna hit you as hard as I can up side the head, OK. And I what I want you to do is to keep running and don’t react at all. Don’t say anything to me, don’t look at me, don’t hit me back, don’t do anything.”
With the fear of facing a fine from the league office, Van Gundy made sure his comments were not taken as an attack on NBA referees, even though it was still a jab at the officials.
“Look, if you’re a referee they have their guidelines. They just think it’s hard fouls and that’s fine. I’m not criticizing the referees here. What I’m saying is people in the media who criticize Dwight for the few times that he retaliates, understand that that’s what you are criticizing.”
Van Gundy continued, “I want to make it clear. I’m not criticizing the officials. And I’m not. I’m criticizing you guys, OK. And I don’t think I can be fined for that because nobody likes you guys.”
Getting whacked in the head every three minutes while running on a treadmill is definitely not part of the brochure at World Gym, but Van Gundy makes a very honest but accurate assessment. Fouling a guy is one thing, but beating on his head as he goes up for a dunk is a no-no.
If you follow the letter of the NBA law, it’s a flagrant foul every time. If Howard, or any player for that matter, gets smacked on the head while going up for a shot, it should be called as a flagrant foul.
A week ago, the Orlando Magic was the sexy pick to represent the East in the NBA Finals based on the way they dismantled the Charlotte Bobcats and Atlanta Hawks.
Today, the Magic are on the brink of elimination and appear to be surrendering to the Boston Celtics, who have completely undressed the Magic in the 2010 Eastern Conference finals thanks to a stifling defense that is reminiscent of their championship run in 2008.
Is Orlando’s season over? According to Dwight Howard, his team seemed despondent and defeated in Game 3, and has not shown any signs of wanting to extend this series. The Celtics held the Magic to 39% shooting and 28% from behind the arc in their 94-71 rout in Boston to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Glen Davis (right) and the Celtics have kept Dwight Howard in check in the 2010 Eastern Conference finals. (NBAE/GETTY IMAGES)
Howard, Jameer Nelson and Rashard Lewis, all key cogs during Orlando’s eight-game playoff winning streak, have been handcuffed by the great Celtics defense.
Howard, aka Blankman, has once again smeared the Superman brand with his pathetic performance in the conference finals. He was held to seven points in Game 3 and is shooting just 45% from the field (he shot 84% in the previous series against the Hawks).
The biggest reason why Orlando has had a difficult time scoring (83.6) against Boston’s defense is Blankman’s ineptness in the low post. Because Blankman can’t beat Boston’s single coverage, the Celtics’ perimeter defenders have been able to attach themselves to the Magic shooters, running them out of the 3-point line every chance they get.
Nelson, who won his one-on-one battles with Charlotte’s Raymond Felton and Atlanta’s Mike Bibby, has been severely outplayed by Boston’s Rajon Rondo.
Celtics head coach Doc Rivers targeted Nelson as the key to the whole series, and Boston has done an excellent job in limiting his kick-outs to his shooters and funneling him to the teeth of the defense where his 5-foot-9 frame becomes an issue. Nelson is making only 38% of his shots from the field and under 30% from threes. He also has just seven assists in three games.
And then there is Lewis, the poster boy for Orlando’s struggles on offense. Boston’s suffocating defense, led by Kevin Garnett, has made Lewis disappear and Magic coach Stan Van Gundy, who vowed to get Lewis more shots after Game 1, has not been able to get his forward more involved.
Lewis, who is 6-for-24 for the series, is averaging a measly 5.0 points per game and has made just one 3-pointer (1-for-13).
No team has ever come back from an 0-3 hole in the NBA playoffs, so the odds are stacked against the Magic. Losing the first two games at home was crippling and, after tonight, don’t expect to see Orlando again until October when the 2010-11 season begins.
Orlando Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy is always very candid when it comes to evaluating his team, and that includes himself.
The Magic seemed like it couldn’t do anything wrong after the first two round of the 2010 NBA playoffs. After three games in the Eastern Conference finals, the Magic can’t seem to do anything right. The Magic is on the verge of getting swept out of the playoffs after dropping Game 3, 94-71, in Boston.
The Celtics are now ahead 3-0 in the series, and no team in NBA history has ever recovered from an 0-3 hole.
“The most disappointing to me was I didn’t have our team ready to play. That’s the most disappointing,” Van Gundy told reporters after Game 3. “I’m the coach of this team, and it starts with me. I’m not happy with where I had my team tonight. I thought we were a step late on everything. They just riddled us. Again, I’ll take the blame on that too.
“They were a step ahead on every play and I thought they worked harder than we did. I thought they outcompeted us.”
Stan Van Gundy can't bear to watch what is happening to his team. (NBAE/GETTY IMAGES)
With their backs flushed against the wall, Van Gundy said the knee-jerk reaction is to pack it up and retreat. But it’s hard for him to fathom a team that has been so mentally tough all season long will go down without a fight.
“What I said to them after the game is there are a lot of guys in that room who have worked long and hard to bring this franchise up a long way,” Van Gundy said. “That game out there tonight, not just the score but the way it went, is disappointing because that’s not who we are. So, how do we pick it up? I mean, I think between right now and Monday night there’s gonna have to be a lot of soul searching and a lot of pulling together.
“The easiest thing to do for anybody when things go badly is to escape. That’s all we want to do. It’s going to be everybody’s natural reaction. I’m not saying our guys will do that. That’s everybody’s natural inclination. It takes very mature, very mentally tough people to stand up and say, ‘No, I’m part of this and we’re gonna pull together.’ ”
Magic center Dwight Howard had another horrendous game and was held to seven points on 3-for-10 shooting and had just seven rebounds in Game 3.
“Right now, we gotta find ourselves,” said Howard. “Seem like tonight our bodies was here but our minds wasn’t. Our hearts seem like it wasn’t into it, I don’t know.”
Kendrick Perkins got the initial assignment on Dwight Howard and established a physical tone. Then, when Perkins needed a break, Rasheed Wallace came in and applied an even tighter grip on Howard.
Perkins and Wallace, along with forward Glenn Davis, took turns in harassing Howard into a 3-for-10 night shooting from the field and held the Magic All-NBA center to 13 points in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. Defense was the key to Boston’s 92-88 victory and for Orlando to unlock the Celtics’ game plan, Howard needs to stop acting like Blankman and start playing like Superman
“Rasheed was phenomenal defensively tonight, and he’s been good in the playoffs for us and that’s what we wanted from him when we signed him,” Rivers said of Wallace, who also scored 13 points off the bench.
Orlando's Dwight Howard struggled against Boston's defense in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. (NBAE/GETTY IMAGES)
Wallace knows Howard very well, and he seems to get in Howard’s head whenever they go head to head, going to back to Wallace’s days in Detroit when the Pistons knocked out Howard and the Magic twice in the postseason.
“He’s a knowledgeable big who has a lot of game,” Rivers said of Wallace, who was acquired during the offseason to bolster Boston’s frontcourt. “I thought, defensively, he did some old tricks that were just terrific.”
On one play in the first half, Wallace forced Howard into a traveling violation after pulling the chair on him. Howard became visibly upset when Wallace pinned his arm as both men locked up on the wing trying to gain post position.
“They’re going to make it tough for him. They’re going to foul him and get physical with him,” Vince Carter said of the Celtics’ defensive approach in stopping Howard. “I mean, he’s a physical presence himself but that’s what they are going to do. We have to do a better job, first of all when he’s open, getting him the ball. And we have to make plays to make it easier for him. Once we’re making shots and making plays, then we let them kinda worry about what we’re doing and I think it opens things up for him. Some nights when he gets rolling, it opens things up for us. So we have to return the favor.”
Carter’s advice to his teammate?
“Just keep playing. It’s going to be a battle, it’s going to be a war. We know that,” Carter said. “They’ve been there before, we’ve been through some battles throughout this season and we still feel good about ourselves. We’re going to continue to support him and stay on him to make sure he’s not frustrated, and just play basketball and have fun.
“He puts pressure on himself because he wants to win. He wants to be perfect or as perfect as possible and do what he has to do to lead this team. But at the same time we always tell him he’s not out there by himself. We’re going to support him. And I think when he realizes that, he settles down.”
Carter is confident the Magic will bounce back. He said it starts with better execution on offense, avoid turnovers and match Boston’s intensity on both ends of the court.
“I don’t think we were prepared for the level that they were ready to play. They were ready to go from the jump and we weren’t on their level in the beginning more than anything,” Carter said of the Celtics, who took a 22-14 lead in the first quarter and led by 16 after the third quarter.
“They’re relentless, they’re aggressive. They work on a string and play well together. So, we’ll just have to be smart, continue to move the ball to the open man to get good shots. They do a great job of contesting when they took away the paint. Took us a while to figure it out, but when we did we played a lot better. When you have a team like that that plays smothering defense and very physical at the same time, you just have to be patient. They tend to rush you, and that’s how they play.”
