What Now for the NBA?

Scene: NBA Offices in New York City. David Stern is in a board room surrounded by a few choice individuals and a few interns brainstorming a solution to the impending lack of big story line for the league next year


David Stern (DS) : Alright guys, we rode the "LeBron doesn't have a ring yet so you should keep watching to see if he gets one" story line as long as we could. We bribed the Cleveland front office for 6 years to avoid talented free agents and make terrible draft picks. We planted the idea of a super team in the minds of Dwyane Wade and several of LeBron's "friends". Now that he's "redeemed" himself, we need a new angle. What do you got?

LeBron (Tries to) Get(s) by With (a/very) Little Help From His Friends

With the Miami Heat losing Game 1 of the NBA Finals, I feel as though most people are going to heap large amounts of hate and "He's not clutch," talk on LeBron James. Ok, if you want to be naive about the whole situation and bash him for that, fine. But at least take into account the fact that he has been playing with the equivalent of four high school girls for most of his career. Don't believe me? Read on.

Let's look at some of LeBron's greatest hits, some of his best playoff games and the supporting cast he had to put on his back and carry in those games. We'll analyze LeBron's accompanying starting 4 and their PERs (player efficiency rating, not a perfect stat by any means but one that takes into account most statistical factors including normalized numbers and rates players pretty reasonably in a single statistic) both for that individual season, and their career in order to gain context about whether players were past their prime or not (biggest outlier being Shaq).

Then I'll shoot out the average PER of some elite players' other four starting teammates for their respective great playoff runs.

A Quick Defense of LBJ

Ok, I admit it. I'm a LeBron James sympathizer. I don't know why because I usually don't like "the best" in a sport. Don't like Tiger all that much, hate Federer and Nadal, hate Brady. But after the whole 'Decision' debacle, I looked past the lame intro party the Big Three threw and enjoyed watching the transcendent talent that LBJ displayed on a general, night in, night out basis.

The 2010-2011 NBA Season in Review

As a head's up, this will probably be my last NBA-related post for a while. And depending upon the CBA situation, it could be a looooong while.

The 2010-2011 season started with a decision. It ended with redemption. We saw the defending champs get swept, the defending MVP have a better regular season than he did the year before and not even come close to retaining his reward, the Knicks become relevant again after involving themselves in the Melo soap opera, the Ubuntu fade away, and several teams assert themselves as "up-and-coming." It was the best of times (Dallas, Oklahoma City, and Chicago). It was the worst of times (Cleveland, Toronto, and Minnesota). There were tearful locker rooms mid-season, a car-jumper, and some unexpected international flair. We said good-bye to Shaq and hello to Blake Griffin. Legends walked away (Jerry Sloan) and records were broken (Reggie Miller's career three point field goals record fell to Ray Allen or, if you're a cynic, consecutive games lost by the Cavs (26)). Heroes became villains (LBJ). Youngsters become MVPs (D. Rose). Legends asserted themselves as legends (Dirk).

The NBA became what it was always capable of and should be. Engaging from beginning to end. The 82-game season seemed packed with intrigue, athleticism, and rivalry. People often say that the regular season is just a warm-up, that nobody plays defense, and the league is out of touch with its fan base. They must not have seen Dwight Howard make an atrocious Magic defense semi-respectable single-handily. Or Kevin Love lead the league in rebounds and drop double-doubles like they were lay-ups.

This season may be remembered as the year the Heat began their run of dominance in the Eastern Conference. Or it could be remembered as the year Dirk became one of the greatest of all-time. Or the year Derrick Rose started his long list of MVP awards. Or the stepping stone for the Thunder to become the new "it team." There was so much to do and so little time.

We were taught that star power wasn't everything (see: Heat, Knicks) and that Chris Paul still might be the best point guard in the league, if given the right circumstances. We saw that while you can't teach an old dog new tricks, you certainly can win a lot of regular season games with a bunch of old dogs (see: Spurs). While the "talent" may have gone to South Beach, the Kings are staying in Sacramento (for now). And poor Steve Nash continued his metaphorical drought (see: title) in a literal desert (see: Phoenix).

I'll remember this year as the year I was fully sold on the NBA again. I understand the professional game more than I ever have in all my years. I know the rosters, the standings, and circumstances. While not having a team to root for definitely decreases the fun and enjoyment, it's almost as if watching the NBA Playoffs was a relaxing break from the stress that is the Cardinals or the impending lack of a football season. It has finally been enjoyable for me to watch the NBA again. It was a long time coming and I hope that a lock-out doesn't occur or I might revert back to my old ways which would be a travesty.

If we are to remember anything from this year, it might be that there may be no I in team, but there are two I's in Nowitzki. Or that hand picking your teammates doesn't always work like it does on the playground. Or that white men may not be able to jump, but they can still rebound. Or that suffering in Seattle can lead to ovations in Oklahoma. Or that the biggest of people can have the biggest of personalities (Shaq). Or that legends (Ducan) sometimes fade out into the white noise of the league when youth decides it's time has come (the Grizzlies).

But most of all, the 2010-2011 season will be remembered for its moments. The moments when years of preparation met seconds of opportunity. And those willing and ready took those seconds and made the most of them.

A Letter to LBJ

Dear Mr. LeBron James,

I am a sports fanatic and St. Louis native. As you know, St. Louis hasn't had a professional basketball team since 1968. Due to this lack of local interest, after MJ left the league a second time in 1998, I haven't watched much professional basketball. But thanks to Mr. Bill Simmons and his Book of Basketball, my interest was reignited and I now consider myself a fan of the NBA.

Any current NBA fan has an opinion of you whether it be a negative or positive one. Your decision last summer was one of the most polarizing moments in recent sports history, and depending on what you do the rest of your career, it could become one of the most polarizing moments in all of sports history.

As I watched you take your talents away from the only state you have ever called home, I shook my head in disappointment. This disappointment eventually morphed into distaste and soon like the rest of my friends, it had become hatred. I hated you for abandoning your home state, your teammates who adored you and stood by you - though they may not have knocked down shots for you - and for throwing away the chance to bring home a championship for a cursed sports' town.

As the 2010-2011 season began, the hatred had dulled a bit. I was more interested in seeing if the grand "hand-pick your teammates to get a championship" experiment would work. While your numbers were always very impressive, the team struggled at the beginning. You were hated everywhere you went. You were met with jeers, "Witless" signs, and mockery. You received every teams' best effort night in and night out because of your decision. You paid the price to do it your way.

And while the hate continued to be heaped on your team, I began to second-guess my original assessment of your decision. I didn't like it or the one-hour special or the "welcome party" you held in Miami. But I started to like the way you played and everything that came along with watching you on the court. The unbelievable athleticism that you displayed, the effortless drives through three defenders and finishing an and-one, the explosive blocks, and the triple doubles were all good for bringing me back to fully appreciating the NBA.

With this new appreciation came a very close following of the playoffs. I watched as your Heat dispatched the 76ers, Celtics, and Bulls with relative ease (I know I am using this term loosely because both of the previous two series' were very hard fought even though they ended in your favor 4-1). And so you reached a stage you had only been once before in your eight-year career. The Finals. And while everyone was saying it wasn't as impressive because you had Dwayne Wade on your team with you, I thought that you were the MVP of the league.

So now we come to today. While I don't like the Heat and I don't think I'm willing to say I like you, I think the amount of hate towards you and your team are a little unfair. Though you "colluded" to put you and Wade on the same team, the stars who have won rings before you usually had an incredible supporting "wing man" (Pippen, Bryant, Robinson, Garnett, Shaq to name a few). You are not the first person to have a great teammate by your side. So I have secretly hoped for 7 games instead of rooting against you and your teammates. I have hoped you would finally attain the greatness you are capable of in the Finals. I hoped to watch you take your game to a level that only you are capable of reaching.

To my slight disappointment, you have fallen flat on your face in Games 4 and 5. You have played some of the worst basketball of your career at the most inopportune time. The critics are eating you alive. Columnist are heaping shit on you every where you turn. Casual NBA fans are calling you out as a choke artist, overrated, and a disgrace to the game. Though this stage is rare to you, you are the greatest athlete in the league. You are a biological freak. If you don't have the killer Jordan mentality, so be it.

But I plead you, do not go quietly into the night. Do not let the hate get into your head for a third straight game. Do not let "them" win. Rise above it. You are back in your "home" arena (it is a far way away from your true home). You have two games to set aside all the doubts of the first eight years of your career and become the player you can be. I don't think you are Jordan or Russell or Bird or Magic. You aren't anyone else but yourself. There has never been a player in the league like you before. Become LBJ. Forget about the MJ comparisons, the "can't win a title" label, and all the people who think you were too cowardly to try to win a title on your own. Become the player you were meant to be.

An NBA Fan Looking for Greatness,

MM

NBA Finals Game 1 Diary

7:59 Here we go folks. The moment we've been working towards for a month and a half. The NBA Finals are finally upon us. So obviously that means I should make a running diary while tracking the game. And there are story lines galore. LeBron. Dirk. Age. Youth. Good. Evil. Besides the Lakers playing the Celtics, I think this match up has the most story lines of any other. I'm excited to watch.

8:03 Mark Jackson, Mike Breen, and Jeff Van Gundy are on the broadcast. I never really understood how Van Gundy has a job because most of the things he says are strange. And Jackson usually disagrees. It's kind of entertaining but also slightly distracting during telecasts... 59-61 Dirks free throw makes and attempts in the last series. That's gross. That's filthy. That makes me want to throw up in my mouth it's so dirty.

8:07 Wow. A Tim Tebow commercial. Most of America just groaned. Kind of made me chuckle.

8:08 Tip off and Bosh draws a quick foul on Chandler. Bosh makes both. Important to note the Heat have not lost at home in the playoffs. Joel Anthony is guarding Dirk. Solid first effort the Heat draw a 3-second violation.

8:09 If Lebron is making that fade away, this could be a quick series. He looked like vintage Garnett or Duncan on it. Dirk answers on the other end. The guy has the eye of the tiger in these playoffs.

8:11 For some reason, I haven't seen Wade make a really explosive play in a few games... I wonder what happened in the Chicago series.

8:12 Dirk is going to the line for the first time. If he gets to the line enough during this series, the Mavs chances of winning will increase significantly. Him at the line is like free points. Seriously, I know they're called free throws but with Dirk, that might as well be. He's the anti-Shaq... If Bosh can hit the mid-range consistently, the Mavs are screwed.

8:14 Could the Heat have made the Finals if I replaced Mike Bibby on the roster? I'd say we would get 10:1 odds or so.

8:16 Wade should DOMINATE Kidd. Bosh makes a put back. Seriously, Wade should destroy Kidd. I feel like he's saving something but for what? This is the FINALS!!!!!!!!!!

8:18 This is Lebron's series. It needs to be. He needs to put up quadruple doubles. He needs to destroy the Mavs morale. And on a steal and and-one, he's starting off quite well. First commercial and the Heat are up, 10-5, which is promising considering the Heat have been starting slow in a lot of the games in these playoffs. The home court will probably push them to come out quick. Mavs need to withstand the original athletic charge by the Heat if they want to have a chance in this game.

8:21 Van Gundy gushes on the Heat's defense. And pretty much rightfully so, they've been good. And as I type that Kidd hits a three. Which is something he needs to do, especially when they are as open as that one just was... Meanwhile Bibby is laying bricks. Luckily Wade makes a great cut and no harm done for the Heat. Kidd hits another three. Like I said, an absolute necessity.

8:24 Joel Anthony leaves with his second foul. Dirk on the bench. Both could be important for the immediate future. Mavs only down 1.

8:27 James hits his first three attempt of the game. I know it's repetitive but if he can hit those, it could get ugly quick. Still, Mavs only down 4 and have avoiding letting the Heat go on a run. A combination of close-in misses and solid defense have kept the game pretty low scoring thus far. 2:04 left in the first quarter.

8:29 Big fan of the Budweiser commercial about the guy coming home from active duty. Say what you will about beer commercials, but this one they got right.

8:31 Jason terry knocks down a contested three to bring the Mavs within one. And the Heat turn the ball over. Ensuing possession the Heat give up an offensive rebound but Kidd throws the ball out of bounds. Some so-so basketball being played right now.

8:33 Lebron picks up a questionable second foul. Mavs go up by one for their first lead of the game. James misses on the other end and the Mavs get the last shot, which is miss by Peja. Somehow, the Mavs are up one at the end of the first, but Lebron leads all scorers with 8 which is a good sign for the Heat. I hope he just takes the game over, one, because I want to see the best player dominate on the biggest stage, and, two, I want to watch him and Dirk trade shots and just slug it out. That would be awesome.

8:39 Bosh with a surprisingly sick put back dunk. He's had a very solid game so far. Dare I say it, a great game? Meanwhile, Terry hits his second three. He wants this as bad as Dirk does because removing that tattoo would be quite painful. Miller answers on the other end. Back and forth they go.

8:43 Wade still not playing very well, Dirk hits two free throws (what else is new), and the Heat come up empty on another possession.Without Lebron the team is obviously missing something, even with Wade on the court. Heat down one going into commercials.

8:50 Lebron is coming back into a tied game at 6:54. I suspect the Heat might go on a bit of a run here. Just a hunch... And James and Bosh operate a good pick-and-roll. Bosh gets to the line and makes one of two. Marion backs Miller down awkwardly and still makes an ugly shot while James makes a good back cut and scores on the other end. Offense on both sides is picking up ever so slightly. Miami up one as we go to another commercial... Speaking of commercials, is it wrong that I kind of want to see Cowboys & Aliens? Do I get my ability to critique films revoked for that?

8:59 Not a good sign when Wade is being stopped by Kidd on the baseline. Very troubling to me.... Then he hits a three. I'll put my foot in my mouth (er, my hand) now... Dirk drives and scores, Bosh hits another deep jumper off a pick and roll and the Heat are looking to take control of this game with solid defense and ok shooting... Wade and James now both have two fouls, though since it is almost half time, concern levels aren't all that high just yet.

9:04 Dirk hits a three with a hand in his face to bring the Mavs back to within one. That was a big shot for them to avoid falling behind by too many points near half time. Wade drives and loses the ball again. Seriously, not playing too well... Meanwhile, Dirk comes back and hits that one-legged fade away for five consecutive points. He is too good. And they follow it with a great pass sequence leading to a dunk. Quick 7-0 run ended by a Chalmers three-pointer. The action is getting quick now. Which is evident by a oop-and-one to Tyson Chandler, giving the Mavs a three point lead.

9:08 Terry hits another three after another offensive rebound for the Mavs. An answer by Mario Chalmers on the other end as he hits from the left corner.... Dallas loses the ball with 5.9 left in the half. Let's see what the Heat will do...

9:10 Lebron dished to Miller for an open three... which he missed. Bosh with a good first half. Dirk being Dirk, and Jason Terry with a few important threes to keep the Mavs ahead by one going into the half in a defensive-minded game, 44-43.

9:14 In other sports news, the Cardinals have made a spirited comeback against the Giants in the bottom of the eighth inning sparked by a Pujols double (very good to see) and some great hustle by Skip Schumaker. Awesome to see the Cardinals are capable of making noise in the late innings offensively.

9:24 And Salas holds on for the save in the ninth. Good stuff.

9:29 Second half about to get under way. My quick analysis. I think the defense was good on both sides but there were a lot of open looks that ended as bricks. While Wade did get some buckets, I still feel like he's holding something back. If Kidd is guarding him, he should be going to the basket with authority every time. Meanwhile, Bosh had the most points of the "Big Three" which is a very promising sign for the Heat. I think that even if Wade disappears, if James and Bosh are palyign well, the Heat can still prevail. Dirk was Dirk for the most part in the first half which is obviously a necessary ingredient for the Mavs.

9:32 Here we go... And Chandler and Marion work very well together for the first bucket of the half. Mavs up three.

9:33 Dirk swishes a shot from the top of the key, Lebron misses a layup on a drive, and Stevenson makes a three to force the Heat into a time out. The Mavs are hot out of half time and take a quick 8-point lead. The Heat have to be careful not to get too far down because digging out of a big deficit against this experienced and smart Mavs team could prove difficult, especially if Dirk can continue to get to the free throw line.

9:37 The Heat come out of the time out with Wade making two acrobatic plays making me question whether I should ever type a negative thing about him ever again. The transition by Miami on the steal was very impressive... And Dwyane misses the free throw (he's currently 0 for 3)... Van Gundy just referenced Liar Liar. What the heck?

9:39 Shawn Marion currently has 11 points and 7 rebounds... I feel like he did this completely silently. Very, very sneaky man.

9:41 Lebron hits a wiiiiiiiiiiide open three. He literally took a dribble set and popped just the way he likes it. If he didn't make that shot his NBA legitimacy would have been immediately revoked... Haywood gets about 4 inches off the floor and is stuffed by the rim on an attempted dunk. He's an NBA player? I'm confused right now.

9:44 JJ Barea just attempted to make a layup over Chris Bosh... Let's just say it was ill-advised. Shawn Marion makes a fade away jumper in the lane to keep the Mavs ahead four. I'm starting to get confused as to why Lebron doesn't touched the ball on every possession and why Haslem and Chalmers are taking shots for the Heat because that is not a formula for success...

9:47 Haywood's free throws are really hard to watch. Some where between old videos of Wilt and recent videos of Shaq.

9:49 Just as Mark Jackson states that the Heat need to work their offense through Wade, he bricks a contested three. I'm not going to say anything bad about Wade anymore, but it was kind of funny.

9:55 Tyson Chandler makes a very athletic play on a half alley-oop. I'm impressed by how well the Mavericks individual parts do their job. I'm also impressed by Lebron's current three point percentage of 100 (3-3). Puts Heat up 1 with 1:12 left in the third quarter.

9:58 Dirk makes two of two free throws (shocking, I know). The Heat then use the last shot of the quarter to let Lebron showcase his transcendence. A fade away three from the right side swish to go up four at the end of the quarter. The man is on a mission. 4 for 4 from three

10:05 Mike Miller hits a three from the corner to put the Heat up 5. If the role players can hit those open shots, the Heat shouldn't lose this game.

10:08 Right now the Mavs and Heat are shooting, 37 and 36% respectively. I thought this was the NBA Finals not the 2011 NCAA National Title game!

10:09 JJ Barea is 1 for 8. The mighty mite not having as much success against this Heat defense as he did against the Lakers and Thunder.

10:13 Wade hits an elbow jumper to push the Heat's lead to eight... But Stevenson comes back and hits a three for the Mavs. This ending could be really good. Maybe as good as the ending of The Shawshank Redemption... Who am I kidding? Nothing tops that.

10:16 Bosh to Haslem for the AND one. Good pass work by the Heat to get a good shot though it happened because Dallas gave up a few too many offensive rebounds. Those will kill you down the stretch. Just ask the Thunder or the Bulls.

10:22 Dirk isn't quite hitting the shots that he hit against the Thunder and that could be the difference tonight. But there is still four and a half minutes left for the Mavs to attempt to erase the 5-point deficit. It's going to require more Dirk heroics though to overcome the determined Lebron and the rest of the Heat.

10:28 Wade hits a ridiculous shot at the top of the key to put the Heat up seven. And Shawn Marion answers with an AND one backing down Miller. Bringing the Mavs to within 4... Bosh makes two free throws after a nifty Lebron pass and it's a six point game.

10:31 I guess Dwayne wanted to permanently shut me up and never doubt him again because he just made a sick block and sunk a contested three in Jason Kidd's face to push the Heat lead to 9 with 3:06 left. I'm sorry I ever doubted you Wade. I'll go cry in the corner now.

10:35 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH MY GOODNESS. LBJ just blew past two defenders, yacked so hard the ground shook, and drew the foul. I had the same reaction to that play that the color commentary guy has when the Flint Tropics introduce the alley-oop in Semi-Pro. He also made the free throw... Dirk answers with a jumper. Mavs down 8 with 1:43 to go. The crowd is starting to feel a victory. Not over yet though.

10:38 Dirk continues to make his free throws, 12-12 for the game. His free throw shooting is as reliable as Charlie Sheen's drug habit.

10:40 Chalmers makes two free throws and time is running out on the Mavs... Kidd misses a three and Wade runs ahead through three defenders, passes to Bosh, who dunks and basically ends this game and sends Dirk and the Mavs to a 1-0 deficit.

10:43 Wade drives, tosses it up to the middle of no where (seemingly) because he was just staring at his defender, and Lebron skies in and jams it home. Sick play. Kind of like Eric Jones on Webster Groves circa 2005. Exclamation point for the Heat.

10:46 The game ends 92-84. The Heat just outlasted the Mavs in a bit of a slug fest. One key stat: Dirk was 7-18 from the field. He shoots like that against the Thunder, the Mavs don't win that series. Wade shut me up with a 22-10-6 stat line. Lebron did his thing with a 24-9-5. Bosh was respectable with a 19-9-3. And the Heat's bench outscored the Mav's bench, 27-17. That's probably the difference in the game. But really, it was the basic contain of Dirk (his free throws basically made up half his points, 12), the tenacious team defense of the Heat, and the fact that they made shots when they needed them (Lebron's key threes and Wade stepping up in the fourth quarter). People might have to start getting used to the thought of the Heat being NBA Champions because if they keep up what they did tonight, they'll be hoisting that Larry O'Brien Trophy a lot sooner than most would prefer.

I'm out for tonight. I hope the next few games go more down to the wire but this game was a pretty good back and forth with some entertaining plays. Remember to check out the Stanley Cup Finals starting tomorrow, for the sake of the NHL's ratings and John's sanity.

NBA/NHL Finals Podcast

Will the Real NBA MVP Please Stand Up?

The 2011 NBA Finals are set. Dirk's back might need multiple major surgeries after carrying his Mavericks to the franchise's second NBA Final. The most hated team in the league keeps chugging along like the well-oiled machine it was intended to be. And the post-season has magnified several questions I had about the MVP voting when the results came out.
I better give you a warning before I go much further, but I'm about to delve into some controversial stuff. If you know a lot about the NBA, you might not agree with me. The MVP was given to the wrong guy. Now, bare with me here. Forget about the preseason drama and the formation of the Galactic Empire in South Beach. Forget about any biases you might have towards one player or another, favorable or unfavorable. It would seem difficult but since I don't cheer for an NBA team and I just recently got re-interested in the game, I think I am the perfect candidate to unleash an unbiased account of how the MVP Award went down.

First, let me preface the discussion by eliminating a player many thought to be a contender but I believed did not have nearly the same kind of season as the other candidates. That player is Kobe Bryant. Though the Lakers had a successful season and Bryant is obviously a majority factor of that success, I don't believe that Kobe was consistent enough throughout the season to be considered an MVP candidate.


Therefore, I believe the race should have been narrowed to five individual who all were very successful and significantly contributed to teams with a winning record and a Top-4 spot in their respective conferences. Those players are Derrick Rose, LeBron James, Dirk Nowitzki, Dwight Howard, and Kevin Durant. For a quick comparison of some superficial and not-so-superficial statistics for the previously mentioned players, see the chart below.

The chart gives us an idea of how well the MVP candidates stacked up next to each other. The colors indicate where they finished in that given statistical category in comparison to the other four players being considered. Ties were not dropped to the next place, hence, for example, in blocks, there are three 3rd place finishers, all tied with 0.6 blocks per game.

Let me first explain some of the last few columns. PER is a player efficiency rating created by John Holliger of ESPN.com that incorporates most normal statistics into a massive formula that assesses how valuable and efficient a player is. It not only tracks points but field goal percentage, free throw percentage, and defensive statisitics. Furthermore, it subtracts for things like turnovers, missed shots, and personal fouls. Its not a perfect statistic by any means, but its something to think about in analyzing these players. With this in mind, the second column of PER numbers is the average of the given player's top 10 teammates (teammates with the 10 highest PER values which played at least 41 games). Basically, a stat that states how good their teammates were.

There are several things we can take away from this chart. One of which is the only player in the top three in all categories is James. The only category he was lower than second in was blocks. The player with the top PER is also James. And speaking of PER, the teammate PER analysis brings about some intriguing results. While Lebron still had the best individual teammate in Dwyane Wade, his team still had the second-lowest average PER. Rose and Durant both had pretty solid supporting casts throughout their season, although it would be fair to acknowledge that there were times when injuries had decimated the Bulls and Rose was playing with either Joakim Noah or Carlos Boozer (or on the rare occasion, both).

Also interesting to note is that Dwight Howard had the most statistical first place finishes within the chart. His defensive prowess cannot be ignored and it shows through his lead in blocks and rebounds. Possibly the most telling statistic in the case for Howard is the miserable average PER for his team (12.66). The Magic have been known, as a whole, as laughable on the defensive side of the ball. However, Dwight actually single-handily makes them respectable in many team oriented statistical categories. The Magic would have been no where near the 4-seed in the East without the massive contributions of Dwight.

But let's get past the statistics for a bit and comment on what one could see just by watching these guys play every night.

Derrick Rose is obviously a athletic freak with movements so violent and astonishing that he might be considered a once-in-a-lifetime talent. We should all consider ourselves lucky we get to watch this guy for probably the next 14-15 years. He would, at times, carrying the Bulls and will them to victory by himself late in games. He did lead a team that was an 8-seed to become the team with the best record in the league. And this is why he was voted by the press (almost unanimously) as the MVP. However, I don't really agree with that assessment. Rose was great this year. And there were times when he was playing almost by himself due to injury. And there's no question that the Bulls would probably be no where without him, but he wasn't doing it completely alone. Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah were both every good players this year and Luol Deng is certainly no slouch. And while he got 113 of the possible 120 first place votes, he wouldn't get mine.

Dirk Nowitzki reflects a type of player we may never again see in this league. The mobility and incredible shooting touch of this 7-footer is fun to watch and continues to become history as the Mavs march through the playoffs. The oldest team in the league, the Mavs are full of experienced players who have been around the block a time or two and who know how to handle a NBA regular season. But Dirk doesn't really have that second scorer on his team. He is the person every scouting report is keying on night in and night out and he still delivers the goods every time. He's an efficient scorer without hogging the ball. He gets to the free throw line and makes them at around a 90% clip consistently. He knows his game, where his spots on the floor are, how his teammates work, and is always looking for ways to win at the end of a game. However, he didn't quite have the statistical resume as some of the other candidates and while stats aren't the only thing to consider, they still matter. Leading this "too" veteran team to 57 wins was very impressive, but considering a large portion of this roster has been there before, it is hard to consider Dirk the most valuable player.

When first glancing at Kevin Durant, one wouldn't imagine him being all that good, let alone a deadly shooter. That gangly 6' 9" frame doesn't seem too threatening but you better not give KD space or he will make you pay. His ability to score points in a hurry is certainly a quality that is envied by teams across the league. He was the face of the young gun OKC Thunder. Only his fourth season in the league and he was taking a team full of 25-and-unders to near the top of the Western Conference. While his supporting cast may have been quite young, according to PER, they were the all-around best group of players out of the five teams discussed. I think its fair to say that Durant is incredibly valuable to the Thunder franchise, but I also think there is a lot of young talent that blossoms around the former Longhorn. It is for this reason that I don't believe him to be the MVP of the 2010-2011 season.

The final two candidates I would say are probably equally important to their teams, but since one had overall better statistics and their team ended up being more successful, I would say he is more deserving. The Magic are, as a team, pretty atrocious defensively. However, Dwight Howard's presence actually makes them rank decently in several defensive categories. Without Howard, the court wouldn't open up for all those poor defenders to shoot their open three-pointers either. Some of this is displayed in the extremely sad average PER for Dwight's teammates at 12.66. And Dwight was also the most effective scorer due to his ability to get to the free throw line and his overall lack of missed shots. But some of this can be contributed to the fact that Howard doesn't attempt too many shots from outside about 7 feet. And the Magic did end up being 4th place in the East, and losing in the first round of the playoffs. So the luster on some of Howard's numbers have been recently tarnished.

And it is for this reason (a little hindsight) the statistics, and the overall effect that he has on his team mates and every game he plays in that I believe LeBron James was the 2010-2011 NBA MVP. The Heat are a completely different team this year with the addition of James and Chris Bosh. While people might want to contribute the rise in wins to the fact that the Heat have a "Big Three", think of 40% of the people that are on the court. Along side Wade, James, and Bosh was usually the corpse of Mike Bibby, the hapless Carlos Arroyo, mediocre Mario Chalmers, or the sluggish Zydrunas Ilgauskas. And this team still won 58 games. While Wade had the highest PER of any teammate of the above mentioned players, the top 10 players on the Heat besides James still averaged a lower PER than any other team. James has dominated in every statistical category this season. He scored, he set up his teammates, he rebounded, he played great defense (1st Team All-Defense this year), and he drastically changed the landscape of the Heat's dynamic. Yes, he had one of the top 6 players in the league accompanying him throughout the season, but then explain to me how James still nearly equalled Rose's assist average playing forward or how he out-rebounded all the candidates except the center, Howard. James was efficient with the ball in his hands going for 51% from the field, 76% from the line, and a very respectable 1.95 assist-to-turnover ratio.

While I understand the case for Rose, I can't understand why he received 113 out of the 120 first-place votes. There is no reason the difference should have been that drastic. LeBron had an incredible season, led his team to a very good second-half record, and now has them sitting in the Finals. Obviously, the playoffs have no bearing on any of the regular-season awards, but I think it just goes to show how obviously valuable James is. Last year, the team was losing in the first round to the Celtics 4-1. Now they sit at the precipice of winning a title after winning three straight series 4-1, two of which were against very good teams. I think, looking at the voting, it is fairly obvious that not only do basketball fans resent LeBron for what he did, but so do the voters. And I don't think that should factor into the equation. While they didn't plan it like LeBron and Dwyane apparently did, Jordan was always playing along side Scottie Pippen in each of his MVP seasons. Pippen has been labeled by many around the game as one of the best defenders of all time and he was a more than capable scorer. Why was there outcry against Jordan's candidacy? I don't think LeBron is as good as MJ but I think the two situations are pretty similar.


LeBron may have been wrong for how he went about his "decision" but that doesn't take away from his transcendence amongst the other players in the league. I know he may have been crowned a king way too early, I know he's been given the MJ comparisons way too often, and I know he's playing along side one of the league's best, but I'm sorry. James was not only the best player, he was also the most valuable.

It's the End of the World As We Know It

The NBA Playoffs have given us four final teams: the Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Dallas Mavericks. I found it amazing how different the story lines surrounding each team have become. The Bulls have been a young surprising team, led by the league MVP and attempting to recapturing the glory of the MJ era that was one of the greatest spans in NBA history. The Heat have been the villains all season. A team constructed by three superstars because they preferred to have considerable help in attempting to win titles. The Thunder are another young team, however this franchise was build from the ground up around the NBA scoring leader for the second straight year, Kevin Durant. Their youthful athleticism has created a brand of basketball exciting a small market. Lastly, the Mavericks are a team built around quite possibly one of the most underrated players of this or any generation, Dirk Nowitzki. The oldest team left in the playoff hunt, there is also a theme of redemption as the ghosts of 2006 and playoffs past continue to haunt the franchise.

And of course, these four unique depictions can be illustrated by the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Yes, you heard me right. The NBA Playoffs have now induced so much drama, it has created a sports Armageddon. Real wrath of God type stuff. "Dogs and cats living together... mass hysteria," as Peter Venkman would say. You don't believe me? Well allow me to explain.

Conquest

The Miami Heat, the most hated team in the league for the entire season manifests itself as the horseman of Conquest. Their ridiculous preseason concert/announcement of their self-proclaimed dynasty sent angry shock waves across the league. The Celtics pretty much vowed to bring the Heat to their knees and watch them beg for mercy. However, much to the disgust of most NBA fans, the Heat have successfully fulfilled every step of their conquest so far, disposing of the 76ers and the aforementioned Celtics while scorching towards the Finals. (Get it, 'cause they're the Heat. I know, sad, right?) They have an apocalyptic two-headed monster (sorry, despite a 30 point 10 rebound night, Bosh still isn't that good in my mind) in James and Wade. The question is will the conquest be stopped short by the raging Bulls or a Western foe in the Finals? Only time will tell. I think its safe to say though that if the Heat are victorious in June, the end of the world will probably be much closer than we might have thought.

War

The Oklahoma City Thunder are youthful, precocious, and extremely talented. They are quick, they can defend, they can run you out of the building during quick two minute spurts and leave you wondering, "What the heck just happened?" For these reasons they resemble the chaos and ferocity that is the horseman of War. Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Nick Collison all experienced one of the worst half-seasons in league history starting 3-29 at the beginning of the 08-09 season. They've been through NBA hell, quietly building important pieces like James Harden and Serge Ibaka, quietly creating a strategic attack, much like an army in war, preparing to rule the Western Conference for years to come. But most people didn't expect War to come so early to the Conference Finals. They easily pillaged the Nuggest, one of the hottest teams in the second half of the season, and then waged a war of attrition against the upstart Grizzlies. But low and behold, this horseman has vanquished its foes before it. Can the fortress that is Dirk halt this ambush? Or can the Big Three become FDR, Churchill and Stalin and defeat this blitzkrieg? Only time will tell.

Famine

Feast or famine. With Rose being the freak that he is and his supporting cast hitting shots, the Chicago Bulls are feasting on opponents. However, there are times when the offense starves for points. Hence, the horseman that is the Bulls represents Famine. Obviously, when your team has the MVP, you always have a chance. But the offense of the Bulls too often becomes stagnant and too reliant on Rose's brilliance. However, they can starve their opponents with their suffocating defense, inspired by Coach of the Year, Tom Thibodeau. And this showed in victories against the Pacers and the Hawks. When the Bulls won, they made their opponents' offenses suffer significantly. They made them thirst for a hot streak. So if this horseman is going to force other teams into offensive starvation, they'll be on the fast track to stampeding to the championship trophy. Deep down, MJ must have some sort of happiness due to this fact

Death

Dirk Nowitzki is has been turning back the clock all season. Though 32 certainly isn't old, it certainly isn't young compared to the likes of Lebron, Durant, and Rose. And it also pales in comparison to the 38 years of age which Jason Kidd is carrying around. It is for this reason that not only is the death of players' NBA careers near on the Dallas Mavericks, but the team manifests itself as the final horseman, Death. The aging Mavericks have defied the odds and the prognosticators who were picking the Trail Blazers to upset them in the first round. After blowing massive lead in Game 4, the Mavericks seemed doomed. But as they came back from the dead themselves, it meant the death of not only the lengthy Trail Blazers, but the killing and vanquishing of the Lakers dynasty. By sweeping the two-time defending champions, they have annihilated their past demons and hope to kill more as the Heat, the team whom many consider were gifted the 2006 Finals by questionable officiating, could be lurking in the Finals.

These four Horsemen are all heading for a titanic collision. The NBApocalypse is upon us. The writing is on the wall. One of these four will triumph over the others. Will it be the Heated Conquest? The Thunderous War? The defensive Famine that is Chicago? Or the Mavericks knocking on the door of Death? With the seals and scrolls being opened before our very eyes I hope you enjoy it. Because it's the end of the NBA world. And I feel fine.