Category: NBA (Page 512 of 595)

The All-Star balloting is in full swing, and since it’s pretty much a glorified popularity contest, there are always some odd choices made once the final results are in. Here’s a look at my current list of the top 12 players from each conference based on their statistical performance through the end of December. Special consideration is given to those players from winning teams.

EPG = ((Points + Rebounds + Assists + Steals + Blocks) – ((Field Goals Att. – Field Goals Made) + (Free Throws Att. – Free Throws Made) + Turnovers)) / (Games Played)

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Starters:

Gilbert Arenas, PG, Washington Wizards (17-13)
25.2 epg, 30.3 ppg, 6.3 apg, 4.3 rpg
A former second round pick, Arenas keeps posting monster numbers night after night for the Wizards.

Dwyane Wade, SG, Miami Heat (13-17)
26.7 epg, 27.5 ppg, 7.8 apg, 4.4 rpg
Unlike LeBron, D-Wade hasn’t been able to carry the Heat to a winning record. Of course, other than Shaq, Miami’s roster is pretty devoid of talent.

LeBron James, SF, Cleveland Cavaliers (18-12)
26.0 epg, 27.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 6.2 apg
King James hasn’t had much help this season, but the Cavs have the second best record in the East.

Dwight Howard, PF, Orlando Magic (19-14)
23.4 epg, 16.9 ppg, 12.5 rpg, 1.9 bpg
Howard is the star on a surprising Magic squad that finds itself in first place in the Southeast.

Jermaine O’Neal, PF/C, Indiana Pacers (17-15)
23.6 epg, 19.3 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 3.1 bpg
O’Neal has shrugged off numerous injuries to post consistent double-doubles while leading the league in blocks.

Reserves:

Paul Pierce, SG, Boston Celtics (11-19)
24.1 epg, 26.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 4.3 apg
Before getting hurt, Pierce was on pace for another All-Star season, but will he return in time to play in Vegas?

Chris Bosh, PF/C, Toronto Raptors (13-18)
22.9 epg, 20.5 ppg, 12.2 rpg, 1.1 bpg
Even though Bosh has missed some time with injury, the Raptors are actually contending in the lousy Atlantic. If he gets back to 100%, they just might win the division.

Caron Butler, SF, Washington Wizards (17-13)
22.8 epg, 20.5 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 3.6 apg
I wonder if the Lakers are regretting trading Butler away for Kwame Brown. Caron has become Arenas’ sidekick and is a potent second option for the Wizards.

Jason Kidd, PG, New Jersey Nets (13-18)
22.7 epg, 13.4 ppg, 9.2 apg, 8.2 rpg
Kidd just keeps chugging along, posting triple-doubles every other game. Hell, he’s almost averaging a triple-double.

Michael Redd, SG, Milwaukee Bucks (16-15)
21.5 epg, 27.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.2 apg
Some have argued that Redd has become the best shooting guard in the East, or is at least playing that way. That’s quite the rise for the former second round pick.

Chauncey Billups, PG, Detroit Pistons (18-11)
21.2 epg, 18.0 ppg, 8.1 apg, 3.3 rpg
Detroit’s best player is as consistent as they come. Billups is going to become a free agent this summer.

Joe Johnson, SG, Atlanta Hawks (9-20)
20.1 epg, 26.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 3.8 apg
This is a toss-up between JJ and Vince Carter. The Nets don’t deserve two All-Stars, so JJ gets the nod for keeping the Hawks competitive. But look out, Mo Williams is making a case with his recent play (19.9 ppg, 6.6 apg, 5.8 rpg in December).

Bubbling Under: Vince Carter (NJ), Emeka Okafor (CHA), Antawn Jamison (WAS), Andre Iguodala (PHI), Mo Williams (MIL), Rip Hamilton (DET)

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Starters:

Steve Nash, PG, Phoenix Suns (22-8)
25.3 epg, 20.6 ppg, 11.3 apg, 3.2 rpg
After a slow start, the Suns are rolling now and Nash is the guy that makes them go.

Kobe Bryant, SG, LA Lakers (20-11)
25.3 epg, 28.7 ppg, 5.2 apg, 5.1 rpg
Even though he’s recovering from a knee injury, Bryant is playing great ball for the upstart Lakers.

Carmelo Anthony, SF, Denver Nuggets (16-13)
25.8 epg, 31.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 4.1 apg
Before the bitch-slap, Anthony was on his way to his best season. His field goal percentage (50.3%) is especially impressive.

Dirk Nowitzki, PF, Dallas Mavericks (25-7)
25.9 epg, 23.2 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 3.2 apg
Even though KG has better numbers, Dirk gets the nod because the Mavs have the league’s best record.

Yao Ming, C, Houston Rockets (19-12)
26.5 epg, 25.9 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 2.2 bpg
There’s no debate: Yao Ming is the best true center in the game.

Reserves:

Kevin Garnett, PF, Minnesota Timberwolves (14-15)
28.9 epg, 21.7 ppg, 12.1 rpg, 4.3 apg
Minnesota continues to hover around .500, which is bad news for those that want to see KG traded to a contender.

Carlos Boozer, PF, Utah Jazz (22-9)
25.8 epg, 21.5 ppg, 11.6 rpg, 53.9 FG%
Boozer’s steady play has helped the Jazz tally the league’s second best record. He’s a rebounding machine.

Tim Duncan, PF/C, San Antonio Spurs (23-9)
24.5 epg, 20.4 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 56.1 FG%
Duncan is healthy and playing great ball, proving that he’s got a lot of gas left in the tank.

Shawn Marion, SF, Phoenix Suns (22-8)
24.2 epg, 19.2 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 1.5 bpg
The Matrix may lose his spot to teammate Amare Stoudemire, but it’s Marion that deserves the nod.

Allen Iverson, PG, Denver Nuggets (16-13)
23.7 epg, 30.6 ppg, 7.7 apg, 2.4 spg
This is looking like a great trade by the Nuggets. Things will get interesting when ‘Melo returns.

Chris Paul, PG, New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets (12-19)
21.6 epg, 18.4 ppg, 9.0 apg, 4.4 rpg
A case could be made for Baron Davis and even Deron Williams. But Paul’s got a rep now and he’s lived up to it despite a recent injury.

Josh Howard, SG, Dallas Mavericks (25-7)
20.0 epg, 19.2 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 43.3 3PT%
This team needs a shooting guard and Howard is next on the list due to his improved play and the Mavs’ terrific record.

Bubbling Under: Elton Brand (LAC), Zach Randolph (POR), Rashard Lewis (SEA), Marcus Camby (DEN), Baron Davis (GS), Amare Stoudemire (PHX)

Now that we’ve had a couple of days to digest the idea of Allen Iverson in a Nuggets uniform, let’s take a look at the trade.

Joe Smith was also traded to make the salaries work, but this is basically an Allen Iverson-for-Andre Miller swap. Here are the players’ average stats for the last three seasons:

Iverson: 30.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 7.4 apg (23.7 epg, $18.3 M)
Miller: 14.0 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 7.1 apg (17.5 epg, $8.6 M)

epg = ((Points + Rebounds + Assists + Steals + Blocks) – ((Field Goals Att. – Field Goals Made) + (Free Throws Att. – Free Throws Made) + Turnovers))/(Total Games Played)

The Nuggets also sent two 2007 first round draft picks to the Sixers in the trade, which included their own pick and Dallas’ pick. Neither pick projects to be in the top 20.

From a pure value standpoint, this is a better deal for the Nuggets than for the Sixers. Philadelphia wanted to get a good young guard in a deal for Iverson, but the Cliippers were not willing to part with Shaun Livingston. They ended up with Miller, who is 30, and considering that AI is 31, the Sixers did not get much younger with this deal. When we look back on this trade in a few years, it’s going to come down to what the Sixers are able to do with those two first round picks. If they find a couple of gems or if they’re able to package the picks to land a stud in the draft or via free agency, then the trade evens out. As is, they traded away a future Hall of Fame player who is still in his prime for a middle of the road starter and a couple of draft picks.

Conversely, the Nuggets will get a big boost from Iverson’s presence, especially in the short term. With Carmelo Anthony missing 15 games due to suspension, Iverson should be able to help the team stay competitive in the Northwest. Once ‘Melo returns, the Nuggets will likely go with a starting lineup of Iverson, J.R. Smith, Anthony, Eduardo Najera (or Reggie Evans) and Marcus Camby. This is a perfect lineup for AI to play with. He likes to dominate the ball and create, and as his assist numbers indicate, he’s a very capable passer. He’ll be able to score or set up Anthony and Smith for jumpshots. Camby is a player who doesn’t have very many plays called for him; he gets his points on the break, putbacks or kickback jumpshots. Meanwhile, Evans and Najera will try to track down the team’s misses.

Defensively, the Nuggets will continue to have problems, but it’s hard to see how the addition of Iverson can possibly hurt the team. Sure, he doesn’t like to practice, but George Karl has experience in dealing with stubborn players; just ask Gary Payton or Sam Cassell. I wasn’t a big fan of AI until I witnessed his gritty play in the 2004 Olympics. The guy laid it all out on the line for his country, which was impressive considering the casual attitude of some of the other players on Team USA. It’s common for a player who is considered a malcontent to keep things together for a few years after a change of scenery, and I think the fresh mountain air will be good for Iverson.

Do the Nuggets become a title contender? I don’t think so. Their lack of defense and Karl’s inability to finish teams off in the playoffs will come back to haunt them. But they should be able to give the Jazz a serious run in the Northwest and have a good shot to advance past the first round of the playoffs.