Future world
Good times ahead for Pacers, Clippers and Billups
Posted: Thursday January 5, 2006 11:46AM;
Updated: Thursday January 5, 2006 2:47PM
It's a little early to pull out the big predictions, like who's going to win the championship, how many NBA coaches will be fired over the next six months or what postseason avocation Ron Artest will choose to pursue. (I'm thinking roller derby.) But to kick off the New Year, here is a five-pack of more modest predictions. Keep in mind that I loved USC over Texas on Wednesday night.
1. The Indiana Pacers will re-bond after Artest finally lands somewhere, be it Denver or Los Angeles (Clippers, Lakers or Hollywood and Vine).
Rick Carlisle is a grind-it-out coach and that's what the Pacers, who will breathe a collective sigh of relief when Artest is finally gone, are going to do. Which, if you recall, is what they did last year, when Artest was out via suspension.
What does re-bond mean in terms of wins or losses? That's another question. Indiana is stuck in the Eastern Conference Central, perhaps the league's toughest division top to bottom, and will not get by the Detroit Pistons and the Cleveland Cavaliers. But the Pacers should make the playoffs and, once again, establish themselves as a notch behind Detroit and Miami. Will that make everyone happy in Indiana? No. But without Artest, they will be able to move on in 2006-07.
2. The April 9 game between the Clippers and the Lakers (who play this Friday night) will have -- drum roll, please -- playoff implications.
San Antonio, Dallas, Memphis, Phoenix and Golden State are postseason givens in the West in my book. Denver will make it, too, as long as the fragile Marcus Camby comes back from his pinkie break and doesn't get injured again. That leaves Utah (undermanned and underappreciated), Minnesota and the two L.A.'s fighting for the final two spots. Here's hoping someone can egg Lakers' coach Phil Jackson and Clippers point guard Sam Cassell into a good lip-flapping battle before that April showdown.
3. By the end of the season, Kevin Garnett will be the league's MDS -- Most Disgruntled Superstar.
His competition will be fierce if players such as the Lakers' Kobe Bryant, Philadelphia's Allen Iverson and Houston's Tracy McGrady don't make the playoffs. But Garnett is the clear choice. He took a pay cut (I hate to write those words because I am not suggesting we should take up a collection for him) so that the Timberwolves could strengthen their team; instead, they're going to finish the season with a worse record than last season's 44-38. Further, Garnett will be watching as his old coach, Flip Saunders, leads his new team, the Detroit Pistons, into the Finals.
4. This postseason will be the test for New Jersey's Vince Carter.
We've said that before. But this time we mean it. The Nets, who have quietly been the NBA's hottest team over the last two weeks, will go into the playoffs with the East's third seed, and I'm not sure they won't beat out the Heat for second. But in his eight-year career Carter has yet to prove himself in May. He has scored well (25.9-point average) in his 19 playoff games, but has shot poorly (40 percent) from the floor. And last season he couldn't prevent a four-and-out against the Heat in the first round. Sure, playoff advancement falls upon Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson, too, but Carter will be the lightning rod.
(just for your Kstat)
5. After four dozen stories about how Chauncey Billups won't be named MVP even though he is deserving, the Pistons point guard will, in fact, get the award. Why? For the best of reasons: he deserves it. The media screws up a lot of things, but, in general, they do well on the MVP vote. By the end of the season, Cleveland's LeBron James, Dallas's Dirk Nowitzki, Iverson, Miami's Dwyane Wade, San Antonio's Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, the Clippers' Elton Brand and '05 winner Steve Nash of Phoenix will all be worthy candidates. But Mr. Big Shot will be the best player and leader of a 68-win team, and he will get the nod.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...006/index.html
Good times ahead for Pacers, Clippers and Billups
Posted: Thursday January 5, 2006 11:46AM;
Updated: Thursday January 5, 2006 2:47PM
It's a little early to pull out the big predictions, like who's going to win the championship, how many NBA coaches will be fired over the next six months or what postseason avocation Ron Artest will choose to pursue. (I'm thinking roller derby.) But to kick off the New Year, here is a five-pack of more modest predictions. Keep in mind that I loved USC over Texas on Wednesday night.
1. The Indiana Pacers will re-bond after Artest finally lands somewhere, be it Denver or Los Angeles (Clippers, Lakers or Hollywood and Vine).
Rick Carlisle is a grind-it-out coach and that's what the Pacers, who will breathe a collective sigh of relief when Artest is finally gone, are going to do. Which, if you recall, is what they did last year, when Artest was out via suspension.
What does re-bond mean in terms of wins or losses? That's another question. Indiana is stuck in the Eastern Conference Central, perhaps the league's toughest division top to bottom, and will not get by the Detroit Pistons and the Cleveland Cavaliers. But the Pacers should make the playoffs and, once again, establish themselves as a notch behind Detroit and Miami. Will that make everyone happy in Indiana? No. But without Artest, they will be able to move on in 2006-07.
2. The April 9 game between the Clippers and the Lakers (who play this Friday night) will have -- drum roll, please -- playoff implications.
San Antonio, Dallas, Memphis, Phoenix and Golden State are postseason givens in the West in my book. Denver will make it, too, as long as the fragile Marcus Camby comes back from his pinkie break and doesn't get injured again. That leaves Utah (undermanned and underappreciated), Minnesota and the two L.A.'s fighting for the final two spots. Here's hoping someone can egg Lakers' coach Phil Jackson and Clippers point guard Sam Cassell into a good lip-flapping battle before that April showdown.
3. By the end of the season, Kevin Garnett will be the league's MDS -- Most Disgruntled Superstar.
His competition will be fierce if players such as the Lakers' Kobe Bryant, Philadelphia's Allen Iverson and Houston's Tracy McGrady don't make the playoffs. But Garnett is the clear choice. He took a pay cut (I hate to write those words because I am not suggesting we should take up a collection for him) so that the Timberwolves could strengthen their team; instead, they're going to finish the season with a worse record than last season's 44-38. Further, Garnett will be watching as his old coach, Flip Saunders, leads his new team, the Detroit Pistons, into the Finals.
4. This postseason will be the test for New Jersey's Vince Carter.
We've said that before. But this time we mean it. The Nets, who have quietly been the NBA's hottest team over the last two weeks, will go into the playoffs with the East's third seed, and I'm not sure they won't beat out the Heat for second. But in his eight-year career Carter has yet to prove himself in May. He has scored well (25.9-point average) in his 19 playoff games, but has shot poorly (40 percent) from the floor. And last season he couldn't prevent a four-and-out against the Heat in the first round. Sure, playoff advancement falls upon Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson, too, but Carter will be the lightning rod.
(just for your Kstat)
5. After four dozen stories about how Chauncey Billups won't be named MVP even though he is deserving, the Pistons point guard will, in fact, get the award. Why? For the best of reasons: he deserves it. The media screws up a lot of things, but, in general, they do well on the MVP vote. By the end of the season, Cleveland's LeBron James, Dallas's Dirk Nowitzki, Iverson, Miami's Dwyane Wade, San Antonio's Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, the Clippers' Elton Brand and '05 winner Steve Nash of Phoenix will all be worthy candidates. But Mr. Big Shot will be the best player and leader of a 68-win team, and he will get the nod.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...006/index.html
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