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West | East -------------------- April 22, 2005 The King is dead by Tyson Wirth1 2 • HOUSTON ROCKETS Pros: You know the conference is deep when these guys are a five seed. No one outside of San Antonio and Detroit does defense better than Houston, and defense wins in the playoffs. Confidence has been running high since the team figured out that Tracy McGrady is the man on offense, and that at this point in his development Yao is best served to be a second offensive option who rebounds and defends very well. Mike James, David Wesley, and Bob Sura are off and on, but are all capable of making big shots. Coach Jeff Van Gundy is primed to prove he’s one of the more underrated headmen around, and if he takes this bunch to the Western Conference Finals he’ll have done just that. Sometimes it’s tough to get ink being the third best team in your own state, but take these guys lightly at your own peril; they’re legit. Cons: Does Yao (30.6 minutes per game) have the toughness and stamina to play bigger minutes in the postseason? Is there enough offensive firepower, especially if McGrady gets cold –or worse- hurt? Will Juwan Howard’s absence be too much to overcome? Is there enough (or any) quality depth past the starting five? The Rockets might be one “third gun” away from being true contenders. • SACRAMENTO KINGS Pros: There’s still a lot of talent here, with or without Chris Webber. Peja Stojakovic is always one of the league’s deadliest shooters (174 three’s, 92.0% free throws), and his teammates Mike Bibby, Brad Miller, and Cuttino Mobley can fill it up as well, as evidenced by the King’s status as the league’s second highest scoring team. Much of the team’s success is, as always, predicated on their ability to move the rock, and this year is no different as their superb 24.5 assists per game pace the league, ahead of even Nash’s bunch in Phoenix. The entire squad can shoot, and if one guy’s cold, the rest of the team usually manages enough offense to be competitive. Cons: The Kings haven’t been terrible since trading the face of the franchise, but they haven’t been as good as before, with a 16-12 post-Webber record. With or without him, they’ve lost as many as they’ve won on the road this season. Will Stojakovic enter a postseason freeze, as he did a year ago? Is Geoff Petrie’s spot on the hot-seat too much of a distraction? Will the void that Bobby Jackson previously filled so well off the bench be magnified in the playoffs? Will they ever learn to play defense like a championship team? Lots of talent here, but even more questions. • DENVER NUGGETS Pros: Before Saturday’s blowout at Houston, these guys had been red hot. Winners of 25 of their last 29, the frontcourt of Carmelo Anthony, Marcus Camby, and Kenyon Martin have all stepped it up of late. ‘Melo in particular has greatly improved his shot selection, and is getting to the rim more instead of settling for outside shots. His 48.7% in March and April is far superior to his 40.3% of the first four months. In addition to improved shot selection, ‘Melo and his mates have been finding much better looks at the rim thanks to the improved play of point man Andre Miller, who’s been shooting phenomenally and dishing roughly nine dimes a game during the Nugget’s hot stretch. Denver moves the ball as well as anybody, and force the second most turnovers in the league. George Karl, despite only half a season on the job, has made himself into a Coach of the Year candidate, and the Nuggets have evolved into a team that nobody wants to face in the first round. Cons: The hot streak came way too late to think about getting home court advantage, and the Nuggets are a losing team away from Denver. They’ve given up almost 110 points per over their last eight, and there might not be enough shooters to space the floor when the lane gets congested come playoff time. Is there enough experience on the roster to make a serious run? There are concerns, but the Nuggets could seriously surprise people if they’re slept on. Problem is, San Antonio rarely sleeps on anybody. • MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES Pros: If you thought your cousin’s philosophy class was deep, you should take a look at the Grizz’s roster. Ten guys average at least 20 minutes per contest, and every position has a legitimate backup that brings something to the table. Pau Gasol is back and playing roughly the same minutes as he did before the injury to his left foot. The team plays excellent help defense, and limits their opponents to just a shade over 90 points per game. The Grizzly’s lack any blatant ball hogs (point guard Jason Williams may throw the occasional temper tantrum, but he’s still a dazzling distributor), and everybody will be fresh due to light regular season minutes. Cons: Memphis did their best to give Minnesota a playoff spot, but ultimately backed into the playoffs. Can the re-introduction of Gasol to the go-to role after injury come quick enough? The Charlotte Bobcats score more than the Grizz… ‘nuff said about that. Memphis also isn’t very impressive on the boards, and at times still seem to be learning, not what Coach Mike Fratello wants. The playoffs are not for learning. Memphis has some pieces, but not enough to take more than two games, maximum, from a first round series. Eight teams. One spot in the Finals. You do the math. In a post-Lakers’ era, as in a post-revolution monarchy, the fight for the right to rule will be bloody, brutal, and breath-taking. There will be heroes, and there will be goats. And at the end of the day, there will remain just one. Let the playoffs begin. 1 2 West |East -------------------- Next: Days of their lives Previous: The jump Back to articles Back to top © 2001-2005 H o o p s C o r n e r . c o m, All rights reserved Terms of service Privacy policy Contact |