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NBA Thursday: Dallas Mavericks at Phoenix Suns
“Shaq” gets to go from a team that is 20 games under .500 to a team that has one of the best records in the league. Not a bad way to put an end to your career. Some people think the trade for O’Neal will actually hinder what the Suns are trying to do on offense. The Suns are an up and down team that relies on getting out quick on the fastbreak. Shaq has never been a fastbreak type of player. What Phoenix is hoping for is that his presence in the middle will be enough to finally get them over that hump, and into the NBA finals. Only time will tell if the trade will help or hurt the Suns, but it is unquestionably an excited move that help kick starts the wide open battle in the Western Conference.
Another one of those tough teams in the West are the Dallas Mavericks. While the Mavericks have made an NBA Finals appearance in the last couple of years, they still feel like they need to get over the hump and win one. Last year, as I’ve mentioned many times, they were eliminated in the first round, despite having the best record in the league. The parity in the league is much higher this year, so much that the top ten teams in the West are all within about six games of each other. It’s hard to say if all those teams are really good, as in better than anything the West has to offer, or are they all just really even. The Mavericks are on the top half of those ten teams, and by accounts, they are pretty good. It’s so hard to predict what the new look Suns will be like. It’s my guess that it will take the team a handful of games to adjust to the big man in the center.
NBA All-Star Game on February 19th
The midway break of the NBA Season and here and with it comes the NBA All-Star Game. The teams seem pretty even, so lets take a closer look to see how the starting lineups match for each team.
Starting Centers
Dwight Howard vs. Yao Ming: This is a pretty even match-up in my opinion. Ming has the advantage in experience, but Dwight Howard is so explosive it may be better suiting for the tone the All-Star game usually takes. Early in the game it is usually a battle of athletic talents, and for as good as Ming is, you don’t really think of athletic when you think of him. In a normal game I might favor Ming, but in this game I lean towards Howard.
Starting Power Forwards
Kevin Garnett vs. Tim Duncan: Garnett and Duncan know each other well. Up until this season they met at least four times a year, as Garnett used to play for the Western Conference Timberwolves. This battle between big men is virtually a pick’um. You can make arguments for both sides on why they are the best power forward in the league. I would think any team would love either one of these players on their team. No advantage here.
Starting Small Forwards
LeBron James vs. Carmello Anthony: These two really do go well together. James came straight out of high school to become an overnight sensation, and Anthony played one season in college, winning a title for the Syracuse Orangemen. Despite the comparable stats, I favor James in this match-up. He’s a little more explosive, which makes a different in the All-Star game.
Starting Shooting Guards
Dwayne Wade vs. Kobe Bryant: Both of these players are obviously very good, but I think Bryant had the advantage here. If we are just taking this year into account, the Lakers are among the best in the West, and Wade’s Heat have nearly the worst record in the East. Both are great leaders, but to this point in their careers I feel Bryant is the better choice if deciding between the two.
Starting Point Guards
Allen Iverson vs. Jason Kidd: I know technically Iverson is a point guard, but most of the world has always seen him as a two guard. When you see Jason Kidd, you automatically think point guard. If the question is who is the more exciting, and better scorer you take Iverson. If it’s who is the better point guard, you take Jason Kidd. For an All-Star game however, Iverson’s play may be more effective.
These comparisons are of course hard because both teams are so good. Instead of picking a winner, I’ll just ask you to turn in on Sunday and enjoy all the festivities from New Orleans.
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