If all of this falls into place, I really like their chances. So far, things don't sound so great. The first round is going to be almost just as hard the conference finals in the West this year, and there isn't going to be little room for error for Bynum coming off the injury.
Showing posts with label champions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label champions. Show all posts
Monday, March 10, 2008
Bynum still a month or so away
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Something caught my eye on NBA.com
On NBA.com there is a poll:
Jason Kidd
Steve Nash
Tony Parker
Chris Paul
Deron Williams
Now, yes, I'm from Detroit. Yes, I'm a Pistons fan, but where is Chauncey Billups on this list? To be honest, I'm not really much of a Chauncey fan. I mean the guy has had two horrible playoffs in a row, I understand. Though he has been to the NBA Finals twice, has a ring and a Finals MVP. The only person who can match or better him there is Tony Parker.
Billups is averaging 18 ppg, 7 apg and 3 rpg this year. He's shooting 44% and 40% from the three point line, including 91% from the charity stripe. His numbers are better than Parker's, and a little bit shy of the other players on that list.
How about this, Jason Kidd is putting up a complete line: 11 ppg, 8 rpg, 10 apg, but he shoots 38% and couldn't do anything in New Jersey, obviously now the tide changes in Dallas, but is that line all that better than Billups? Okay, 5 rebounds and 3 assists more per game, but how about the fact Billups has won a ton more games than Kidd this year, and not just this year, the past 5 years.
On top of all that, Billups' team has a better record than any of the other players on that list, second best in the league, and it's been that way almost all season. In addition to that, Chauncey Billups has the 2nd best +/- ranking in the entire league. Steve Nash is seventh, Chris Paul is in the top 15 and none of the other players are in the top 20. Some of this has to count for something, right?
We don't have to jump out and say Billups is the best point guard in the NBA. Based on this year, the answer to the poll is Chris Paul, right now he's the MVP (that's another conversation that for some reason he's always left out of over Kobe and LeBron). I just find it interesting that Billups' name never comes up in this conversation and to him, and for what he's done in the past five seasons, that's an injustice. He's accomplished more than pretty much any of the names above, I would say Nash and Parker are the only exceptions. Jason Kidd is a great point guard, but at this point, he's not better than Billups, maybe they're equal?I guess the main question is, is Billups a top five point guard? According to this list, he's not. Heck, there isn't one Eastern Conference point guard on the list, and Billups is undoubtedly the best PG in the East. He has his problems, he's struggled in the playoffs since 2006 (since his buddy Flip Saunders showed up as head coach, noticing a coincidence?), but he's still a great leader and player. His team has been in the Eastern Conference Finals for five straight years, and could be going for a sixth. He's been in the finals twice, won a title and the MVP, we shouldn't have to repeat this, but unfortunately for Chauncey Billups, he probably will have to continue to repeat himself to get his due in this league.
Monday, March 03, 2008
Doesn't get much better than this....
Madsen started this awesome new NBA trend of goofy white guys dancing like morons after winning a championship. Brent Barry decided to help keep it real.
This video has all the elements of greatness: the Spurs after winning their third title in 2005, Tony Parker 'freestyle' rapping in French and Brent Barry embarrassing white people who actually can dance.
note: look at the shorter white guy to the right of Parker, that guy makes Barry look amateur.
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