Author: wtt02005

Olympic dreams of capturing gold were more akin to reality ever since NBA players represented the USA basketball team. The 1992 Dream Team in which the average margin of victory was forty points and head coach Chuck Daly never called a single timeout was a testament to the superiority of American basketball. USA would continue to dominate basketball in following games until the Athens Olympics in 2004. The USA team captured a disappointing bronze and was considered by many failures. Two reasons accounted for the outcome: the world basketball teams vastly improved and the group selected were chosen based on individual skill. As a result, the USA incurred heavy losses to foreign ball clubs that played as a team. USA basketball had dominated for so long that not much thought was taken to select an Olympic squad.

    Now knowing that the Olympic team can no longer be composed of just the best players but role players as well, a committee under Jerry Colangelo has decided to undertake the responsibility of creating a team that will commit to three years, compete in the World Championship and the Beijing Olympics, and restore USA’s basketball reputation. Last week, twenty-three players were selected to compete for the twelve spots. Project Redemption had begun.

Midseason trades are always a favorite of mine because they are put into effect immediately. Most of these trades occur for teams not in the playoff picture, usually the teams that are right on the outside looking in. Examples include the Sacramento Kings and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Because season record does not matter once the playoffs start, managements work furiously during the midseason to make a deal that is clearly in their favor and will put them over the top (or the bottom as is the case for many of these teams). Four major trades have occurred this year, but are they trade deadline studs or duds?

The Golden Age of the Western Conference began two seasons ago. During the 2003-2004 season, the Kings, Timberwolves, Lakers, and Spurs competed for the first seed in the West. Each team had already accumulated fifty wins, so seeding came down to the last five games. Kevin Garnett and his Timberwolves ultimately prevailed with a record of 58-24. The Lakers (56-26) captured the second seed and Pacific Division title with a thrilling double overtime victory over the Trailblazers. The Spurs (57-25) followed with the third seed while the Kings (55-27) slipped to fourth seed, losing to the pre-Nash Phoenix Suns the same night Kobe’s two buzzer-beating three pointers electrified the Portland crowd. Because the top four teams were separated by one game and one loss, the West truly showed its dominance over the East.
    A season later, the Lakers, Timberwolves, and Kings were unable to continue the winning trend. The Lakers dynasty ended following a loss to the Pistons and was Shaq-less, the Timberwolves had a tumultuous lottery-bound season, and the Kings floundered, resulting in Webber leaving for the 76ers.
    The 2005-2006 season has been about rebuilding as newcomers, the Suns and Mavericks, have emerged to compete against the Spurs. With twenty games remaining and all three teams with forty wins apiece, who will claim that first seed.

I made ten predictions before this NBA season started. With the playoffs on the horizon and many things starting to become set in stone, I thought it would be interesting to go back and see how completely accurate or off base I was heading into the season

Predictions

10. Lakers will miss the playoffs
9. Artest will be a MVP candidate
8. Rockets will get past the first round
7. Cavaliers will see the first round
6. Carlisle vs Karl for Coach of the Year. (Or Phil if the Lakers do well)
5. Kings will be mediocre unless Skinner gives it his all or they bring back Founderburke (joke)
4. Knicks will have life and a winning record
3. Someone is going to get injured and Ben Gordon will become a permanent starter
2. Golden State will make the playoffs
1. Spurs over Miami for the Championship

I have to admit it. The off-season can be a little dry. I can read about unbelievable trades and summer camp results, but the excitement and enjoyment are very much short-lived. However, what has truly become a hot source of information has been the recent NBA drafts. The reason this has occurred is that the word rookie no longer implies incompetence or inexperience. The latest rookies have quickly become All-Stars and are now more than ready to garner a championship in their first few years. This was made evident during the 2003 NBA draft, a draft that saw Lebron James and Carmelo Anthony become household names overnight. However, despite their initial successes, who among them has the best chance of truly becoming a NBA great?

The Crystal Basketball

With the retirements of NBA greats like Karl Malone, Reggie Miller, John Stockton, and Steve Kerr, a new generation of basketball has emerged. Michael Jordan ushered in this new era during his final All-Star Game appearance in 2003, stating, “I leave the game in good hands.” Though one may argue that his years in Washington were his worst and his comeback a failure, it was impossible that night to not shed a tear and say goodbye to what was truly his Airness’ era.

As Michael Jordan took center stage and uttered these words, he faced our generation of all-stars. Kobe, AI, KG, Tim Duncan, to name a few. What does the future hold for these superstars? Who will be the next player to be regarded as one of the greatest of all time?