2013 Eastern Conference Playoff Preview

Out West there is some argument as to who will emerge the victor. In the East it's quite a different story. The New York Knicks and Carmelo Anthony have been a great story this season. The Indiana Pacers seem to have returned to the success of the '90's. The Brooklyn Nets went through a re-branding process and then turned in a top four finish in the conference. The Chicago Bulls played admirably all season long with their MVP sitting on the sidelines. Obviously, there are plenty of great story lines in the East, but those will be put to bed in due time. It's the Miami Heat's world when it comes to the NBA and LeBron, DWade and the Gang only reinforced that thinking with a 66-16 record. Any man with a brain would have to consider the Heat the favorite to win the title again, but these playoffs should give fans some great series. Let's take a look at the Eastern Conference first round match ups.

1. Miami Heat vs. 8. Milwaukee Bucks
Saying Heat vs. Bucks is synonymous with saying David vs. Goliath. Unlike the original story though, Goliath will win this series with ease. The Heat are better than the Bucks in every way and this should be a sweep if Miami means business from the opening tip. Miami was 2-1 versus Milwaukee in the regular season and the Bucks may steal a game at home. However, Miami was built for the playoffs and they have looked brilliant this season and have shown no signs of weakness. LeBron James is an MVP and Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh have done their jobs as well. For Bucks fans, enjoy watching Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis because it is likely the last time they will suit up together in Milwaukee. Prediction: Miami in 4
How They Stack Up
                  Points                          Rebounds                            Assists                              Points Allowed
Miami            102.9                              38.6                                    23.0                                     95.0
Milwaukee      98.9                               44.0                                   22.9                                    100.4

2. New York Knicks vs. 7. Boston Celtics
Is this an exciting series or what? New York is led by Carmelo Anthony who captured his first scoring title this season while Boston is led by veterans, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. When Rajon Rondo injured his knee midway through the season many thought the Celtics were done, but here they are. They may be the seven seed, but they are dangerous. The question is, can the older players endure a long, tough series and stay healthy? Garnett, Pierce and Jason Terry have all been banged up, but when healthy Boston is a title contender. The other key to the series for the C's is Jeff Green. They will need his offense, but more importantly his defense on Anthony. New York is hoping to get past the first round and anything less will make the season failure. That's something the Knicks don't need, nor does Carmelo. However, count on the experience of Boston if they are healthy. The championship window isn't closed just yet. Prediction: Boston in 7 
How They Stack Up

                  Points                          Rebounds                              Assists                            Points Allowed
New York       100.0                              40.6                                    19.3                                     95.7
Boston            96.5                              39.3                                    22.8                                     96.7

3. Indiana Pacers vs. 6. Atlanta Hawks
Pacers fans endured some hard years after the Malice in the Palace, but Indiana is back and they look very good. Full of budding stars, the Pacers have to be breathing a sigh of relief for not drawing the Bulls or the Celtics in the first round. Both teams would be a harder match up than Atlanta because, if history tells us anything, the Hawks are the kings of mediocrity. Count on them to be in the playoffs, but count on them to not win anything. This year should be no different. Indiana is far too difficult of a match up because of their size and athleticism. Jeff Teague versus George Hill should be a phenomenal point guard duel between two rising stars, but the key is Indiana's Paul George. The All-Star will probably be guarded by several different Hawks, but he should be able to score on anybody. Even if ATL decided to put Josh Smith on him that will give David West a mismatch. Bottom line: match ups aren't in the Hawks favor. Prediction: Indiana in 5
How They Stack Up

                  Points                          Rebounds                              Assists                            Points Allowed
Indiana            94.7                              45.9                                    20.3                                     90.7
Atlanta            98.0                              40.9                                    24.5                                     97.5

4. Brooklyn Nets vs. 5. Chicago Bulls
This could be a great series, but as with most of the Bulls' season it will be about who isn't on the floor rather than who is. Derrick Rose most likely isn't going to suit for Chicago and so the Bulls will have to get the job done without him like they have all year long. They have to be healthy though if they are to win. Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson have been banged up lately, and both players' status is uncertain. Luol Deng has shouldered the load for Chicago this season, but will he run out of gas? He averaged 38 minutes per contest this season and that could catch up to him. For Brooklyn, they have enjoyed a healthy Deron Williams this season and he is playing great basketball. If Noah is out then look for Brook Lopez to dominate. However, if Chicago is healthy then they get the slight edge in this series. Prediction: Chicago in 6
How They Stack Up

                  Points                          Rebounds                              Assists                            Points Allowed
Brooklyn         96.9                              42.8                                    20.3                                     95.1
Chicago          93.2                              43.2                                    23.0                                     92.9
   

Jersey Gets Their Superstar

More trade news from the NBA and I'm not a fan of this move at all. Deron Williams, star point guard of the Utah Jazz, was sent to the New Jersey Nets and, in return, the Jazz received point guard, Devin Harris and a promising rookie in Derrick Favors. Williams is clearly one of the best point guards in the NBA today (see past post on NBA point guards) and many teams have coveted his services. The Nets pulled off the move less than 24 hours after Carmelo Anthony was traded to the New York Knicks and it almost seems that the Nets wanted a superstar on their roster so badly that they didn't think through this deal very hard before executing it.

It's no secret that New Jersey wanted LeBron James in the summer and that they desperately tried to make a trade with Denver to land Carmelo. Now they have Williams, but the problem is that they gave away two young players that had loads of potential. Harris and Favors along with center, Brook Lopez, made up a pretty good, young core that could have led the Nets back to the glory days of the early 2000s. Without a doubt, Williams is an improvement from Harris but he really has no one to pass to. He and Lopez could have the same success that Williams had with Carlos Boozer in Utah but there is no supporting cast. At first glance it appears that the Nets have a pretty solid roster of young talent but it really isn't. At 17-40 they are 4th in the Atlantic Division and have no shot at the playoffs this season. After Williams and Lopez the Nets have an overrated, overpaid and injured player in Troy Murphy. Sasha Vujacic has a decent jumpshot but other than that all he has going for him is Maria Sharapova. Damion James's best basketball days were in Austin, Texas as a Longhorn and Travis Outlaw got a hefty contract in the offseason and has produced very little. Williams is stuck with a bunch of players that will not win.

On top of all that, Williams is a free agent at the end of this season and I would be surprised if he stays in New Jersey. Unless they can pull together some pieces and convince him that they have a shot at being a contender he will most likely leave for a better team. I have thought that he may want to go to Los Angeles to play with Kobe. Yes, Phil Jackson is leaving and there certainly will be some changes to the Lakers but Williams could run the point and have Kobe, Gasol and Odom to pass to. Derek Fisher is on the way out and LA will need somebody to run the Lake Show. It's definitley a place where he can win a championship or two and cement his legacy as an elite point guard. A friend of mine also brought up the idea of Dallas. Jason Kidd, like Fisher, is almost done and the mavs will need a point guard. Williams is from Dallas and could play in his hometown with Dirk Nowitzki and work for Mark Cuban. What player doesn't want to play for Cuban? Point is, there are going to be many destinations more popular than New Jersey at the end of the season. The Nets could only have him for half of a season and then he will be gone, but Utah has Harris and Favors for a long time.

Another thing that bugs me about this trade is Utah's timing. A few weeks ago williams and former Utah head coach, Jerry Sloan, reportedly got in an argument and when all was said and done, Sloan resigned. He was one of the NBA's best coaches and had been with the Jazz for 20 years. However, Williams got the best of him or the franchise picked their point guard over their coach and told Sloan to resign. What ever it was, Jerry Sloan is now at home. Williams is no longer in Utah either. Why didn't the Jazz tell Coach Sloan that if he waited just two more weeks Williams would be gone? That's no loyalty to a man who has been around for a long time. Jerry Sloan deserved better than that.

With this trade it is obvious that the power of the NBA has shifted to the East. For years the West has won all the championships and had most of the star players but with Carlos Boozer going to the Bulls, Amare and Carmelo to the Knicks and now Deron Williams to the Nets the East should be dominant. The Celtics, Heat, Bulls, Magic and maybe even the Knicks could take on the top teams in the West and beat them any night and I will say right now the champion will come out of the East this season. No one knows yet how long Deron Williams will be in New Jersey but, for now, the Nets have their superstar and they are hoping it means a few more "W's" in the win column.

Photo courtesy of financebehavior.co.uk

Abundance of Great Guards, But Rose is Number 1

Lately my friends and I have had the great debate on who is the NBA's best point guard today and we always have come up with mixed results. Some like Chris Paul but others think it's Deron Williams. Some will say Rajon Rondo but some will answer Derrick Rose. Russell Westbrook's name comes up in the conversation and veterans like Steve Nash and Tony Parker find ways to stay relevant. There are even a few who would like to crown John Wall in his first year but, quite frankly, a coach would take any of these players to lead his team and he would be happy but for the sake of the argument who really is the greatest?

Derrick Rose is in his third year for the Chicago Bulls and it appears that he has made his team into a serious contender. Chicago currently sits at third in the top-heavy East behind Miami and Boston and much of the credit should be directed at Rose who has kept the Bulls winning despite injuries to Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer. He averages 24.7 points which is tops on the team and among point guards. He has improved his shooting percentages and is now a threat to shoot the ball from deep, unlike his first few years when teams could sag off of him. His playmaking ability has been superb and his assist average is now at 8.1 per game. Saturday night Rose outplayed Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets in a 97-88 Bulls win and the game before that he outplayed Williams in another Bulls victory.

Rose, Westbrook, Rondo, Williams and Paul represent the new generation of point guards in the NBA and they are representing it well. Every single one of them is a pure point guard who can score but at the same distribute the ball to their teammates. All five average 8+ assists with Rondo's 12.3 leading the league. Three of the five also average over 20 points. Never has there been this great of a debate on this topic. Five point guards who seem to be equal. What sets Rose apart from the rest is that he is the winningest team besides Rondo and he has to do the most work for his team. He must take up the heavy scoring load, which he has done well thanks to his improved jumper, and he is expected to feed Boozer and Luol Deng. He is the face of his franchise and is also an all-star for the second time in his career.

Rondo can't say he is the face of the franchise because he sits behind the Big Three and Westbrook plays second fiddle to Kevin Durant in Oklahoma City. Chris Paul owns New Orleans but he wants out and Williams name has surfaced as a factor in the resignation of coach Jerry Sloan. Derrick Rose owns Chicago and has embraced his role as that man. Also, imagine the pressure Rose is under in Chicago. The last player drafted by the Bulls in the post-Jordan era who was from Chicago will go down as one of the biggest busts ever. His name was Eddy Curry. Rose attended Simeon High and was drafted number one overall by the Bulls. He is expected to be the player that gets Chicago back to the glory days of the Jordan-Pippen era. He must play in MJ's shadow yet he has made his own name and received very little comparison. He is doing big things under immense pressure.

Rose has outplayed every one of the other contenders this season except Westbrook, who he matched stat-for-stat in their last meeting. He will also match up against every contender, except Westbrook, one more time this season. It will be interesting to see if Rose can keep up his high-level of play in the second half of the season. Of course, all five guards are excellent but Rose is steadily setting himself apart. It's his third season and he's improving every year. Now that's scary.

That's my case for Derrick Rose being number one in the league but let me hear your thoughts and opinions. Leave a comment telling me who you think is the NBA's top point guard and why.