My quarter pole best, worst, and other stuff so far

[nickagneta]

Best team in the NBA - the Celtics and Lakers, tie. I know this won't be a popular opinion but Boston's weak schedule makes them as vulnerable in a debate as to who is the best team as the Lakers home schedule does. These two truly are the powerhouses of the league and I, for one, can't wait for a classic Finals rematch in June. The NBA is never any better than when the Lakers and the Celtics are dominant teams.

Worst team in the NBA - throw the records out the window, the worst team in the NBA is the train wreck that is the Golden State Warriors. Talent galore and yet it seems every player has been in the coaching and management doghouse and put on the trading block at some point in the last 3 months. Couple that with a rash of injuries, the uncertainty of who's going to mentally show up for games and the wackiness that is Don Nelson, his staff and the horrid coaching and managing job they are doing and to me, the team in San Fran, is the league's worst.

Best scorer not to be considered an MVP candidate - Kevin Durant. He can do it all on the offensive end and he can carry his team like maybe no other except Kobe and Lebron. But the young, young Thunder are still probably two year away from being taken truly seriously in this league so as much as Durant might just win a scoring title this year or next, he isn't serious MVP material until the Thunder gets loud.

Biggest surprise of the season - the rookie class. This is not the low level talent rookie class that scouts and some of our eyes were lead to be believed was coming into the league. This is not Blake Griffin and everyone else. Brandon Jennings, Tyreke Evans, Omri Casspi, Dejuan Blair, Ty Lawson, James Harden, Johnny Flyn, Chase Budinger, Marcus Thornton, Tyler Hansborough, Stephen Curry, Toney Douglas, and on and on goes the list of fairly impressive looking rooks. This year's rookie crop has been a huge influx of good talent in the league that will raise the quality of play in the NBA for years to come.

Most likely next coach to be fired - Vinnie Del Negro. And maybe fast. I am flabbergasted over how bad this Bulls team has become simply because they lost Ben Gordon. Yeah, Rose and Hinrich and Thomas have been injured but watching this team it's clear there's a major lack of direction and possibly some serious chemistry issues that Del Negro is having a hard time getting past. This team seemed to come very far last year and now seems to have fallen back into lottery-ville. Too bad, too. They were very entertaining last April.

Worst looking new uniforms - the Utah Jazz retro unis.



Ghastly.

Issue most likely to hurt the league - gambling. Between Tim Donaghy's off again, on again publishing of his book detailing his scandal, a NJ thug saying that Donaghy was only one of many NBA refs that helped him in his gambling scheme and now commissioner David Stern's controversial stance and comments on sports betting, if there was ever a subject that appeared ready to explode on the scene and create havoc on the league, it is gambling.

League's best player - Kobe Bryant. His recent string of great games and game winner's and Lebron's inability to take his team to dominance has left me convinced that Kobe is still this league best player until such time as Lebron can take a team to a title.

Most improved player - Trevor Ariza. Yes, he showed flashes of what he could be during the Lakers' playoff run last year but what he has done to go from bench energy guy, to a go to guy in just one season, to me, is incredible. Once he learns to adjust some to the defenses that are designed to stop him and starts hitting his shots in the 45% area that is his norm, he will be a 20 PPG scorer and one of the biggest bargains in the league at just $6 million a year.

Team most likely to lose on Christmas Day - the Orlando Magic....Merry Christmas everyone.

[Roy Hobbs]

Nice post, nick.  I'd give the Suns a shout out for biggest surprise, as well. 

I also don't agree that the Lakers are as good as the Celtics this year.  Maybe they'll finish with similar records, but if the teams meet in June, the Lakers will get stomped again.

[Redz]

Nice post, nick.  I'd give the Suns a shout out for biggest surprise, as well. 

I also don't agree that the Lakers are as good as the Celtics this year.  Maybe they'll finish with similar records, but if the teams meet in June, the Lakers will get stomped again.

So what you're saying is:  Nick hearts LA 

Not the full uni, but I'm still somewhat blinded by last nights viewing of the Thunder's orange shoes



Agree with most of what you have there though Nick.  I though Del Negro wasn't going to make it through the end of the game against the C's. 

[Amonkey]

I think a shutout needs to go to Sacramento, Milwaukee and Oklahoma City.  They all have been playing really well and are an exciting group of young players.

A low down to the Nets.  They have been stinking up the joint more than when my brothers uses the bathroom.

[fairweatherfan]

Worst looking new uniforms - the Utah Jazz retro unis.



Ghastly.

Conversely, the best "new" uniforms - the Cavs throwbacks:



Loved those in the late 80s/early 90s.  Good to see them back. 

Great OP, Nick, thanks for the insight.

[nickagneta]

Do the Cavs now own the record for the most base colors in their uniforms used in one season?

White
Maroon
Yellow
Navy
Orange

Am I missing any?

Edit: guess I am. I think I saw a royal blue and black as well. Geesh!!

[Thruthelookingglass]

Worst looking new uniforms - the Utah Jazz retro unis.

Ghastly.

I think I'll give the edge to those "green" Jazz unis over anything done up in yellow and purple.  Yep, I'm a hater.

[Lucky17]

Do the Cavs now own the record for the most base colors in their uniforms used in one season?

White
Maroon
Yellow
Navy
Orange

Am I missing any?

Edit: guess I am. I think I saw a royal blue and black as well. Geesh!!

I have a theory that the Cavs' sartorial spectrum is due in large part (no pun intended) to Shaq's arrival. He does not look good in white: "reminiscent of a whale."

Call it the Shaq Color-Scheme Corollary: if the Cavs are at home on national TV, they won't be wearing white.

[Donoghus]

Do the Cavs now own the record for the most base colors in their uniforms used in one season?

White
Maroon
Yellow
Navy
Orange

Am I missing any?

Edit: guess I am. I think I saw a royal blue and black as well. Geesh!!

You wonder how many of those they roll out next season when Lebron is gone and their national television exposure drops to next to nothing?

(Still maintain that Lebron is staying in CLE but throwing out the hypothetical)

[Drucci]

Agreed with you Nick, and with Roy on the Lakers.

I also think that Del Negro will get fired soon but I'm not sure it will be deserved. I mean, the Bulls are repeating the same script for years now : young, exciting team with a promising future, who made a big "statement" in the playoffs (see the sweep against Miami in 2007) and the following season, when everybody expects them to take it to the higher level, they fall appart and miss the playoffs (see : 2008. Repeat : 2009 against the C's, huge playoff performance and now they are likely to be a lottery team in April 2010).

I expected the departure of Ben Gordon to hurt them but I have to admit I didn't think they would get THAT bad.

[Donoghus]

Agreed with you Nick, and with Roy on the Lakers.

I also think that Del Negro will get fired soon but I'm not sure it will be deserved. I mean, the Bulls are repeating the same script for years now : young, exciting team with a promising future, who made a big "statement" in the playoffs (see the sweep against Miami in 2007) and the following season, when everybody expects them to take it to the higher level, they fall appart and miss the playoffs (see : 2008. Repeat : 2009 against the C's, huge playoff performance and now they are likely to be a lottery team in April 2010).

I expected the departure of Ben Gordon to hurt them but I have to admit I didn't think they would get THAT bad.

I think Del Negro is only part of the problem but he'll definitely be gone.  Personal is a big problem with the Bulls right now.  Not enough of reliable scorers and some frontcourt deficiencies.   They do have some money coming off the books this coming offseason but I also think they should try and move some of the talent.  The current mix around Rose is just not gonna cut it. 

[Fafnir]

Great post, I don't agree about Kobe being the best player though.

Its hard to blame LeBron for West's issues and how Shaq is literally sinking their team to the tune of 12 points per 100 possessions.

Wade's play has disappointed me overall as well.

[RebusRankin]

The jazz should have used their own colours for the retros.

[Who]

Some other most improved nominees -- Josh Smith + Andrew Bynum + Chris Kaman + Marc Gasol + Chris Bosh + Russell Westbrook

Should Ersan Ilyasova be eligible for this award? He was a horror show during his rookie season in the NBA but he was very good in Spain. Judge him by Spain or previous NBA year? Or exclude him altogether?

Josh Smith would be my favourite at this point.

[Amonkey]

Another most improved would be Rodney Stuckey.  He has been playing great, averaging almost 20 ppg for the season.  He is on my fantasy team and is looking like my sleeper pick.  I wasn't expecting the kind of production he's been having, especially since the addition of Ben Gordon and Villanueva in the mix.