There is little debate among the basketball intelligentsia in the matter. Kentucky's Anthony Davis appears to be the consensus #1 overall pick. This is no small feat, especially since many scouts are calling this the deepest Draft class since '03. The 19 year old is projected to be a starting power forward who can have an immediate impact at the next level. Some would go as far as to say that Davis will one day blossom into a franchise player. Predicting the success of big men coming into the league can be a crap shoot but the kid does have a tremendous upside. Davis is a game changer on the defensive end. He is already a superb shot blocker with great instincts. He runs the floor well, is surprisingly quick, and has an amazing vertical leap. These attributes contribute to him being an exceptional offensive rebounder. Anthony Davis is listed as 6'10" with a 7'4" wingspan. He also has nimble feet and a nice looking jump shot. These attributes could contribute to him one day becoming a good low post scorer.
A good low post scorer.
Imagine that.
There is a serious lack of good low post scorers in the league right now. For years, getting a dominant big man and surrounding him with outside shooters and other role players was the blueprint for winning championships. It was how the Hakeem Olajuwon and the Rockets won two of them. It was how the Shaquille O'Neal and the Lakers won 3 of them. It was how Tim Duncan and the Spurs were able to win 4. One could even argue that the low post play of Pau Gasol and Kevin Garnett were essential to their respective teams' championship runs. Getting that dominant big man used to be every team's mission in life.
Things are much different these days. The tried and true "back-to-the-basket" style of play seems to be going the way of the set shot and the underhanded free throw. Why is that? There are plenty of athletic big men in the league but for whatever reason, none of them are dominant low post scorers. Is it because strong, agile, coordinated, 7-footers with a soft shooting touch are that hard to come by? Is it because today's game is becoming more about guard play and perimeter shooting? Either explanation makes sense. You don't see guys with Olajuwon's size, footwork, and skill set every day. The game is also changing. Nowadays there is no shortage of great perimeter players at every level. Perhaps today's big men are being taught to become screen setters rather than scorers.
Some teams still choose to invest in big men. Right now, the two best in the league (in my estimation) are Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum. Both guys can take over a game on any given night. Their play in the low post commands double teams, creates spacing and makes their teammates' jobs a whole lot easier. Who else is there? Roy Hibbert, Al Horford, Andrew Bogut, and Luis Scola are all quality big men but none of them are exactly "franchise player" material. Demarcus Cousins could develop into a dominant big man but has a lot of maturing to do.
The Hornets' eventual decision to draft Anthony Davis is not without risk. A lot of promising 7-footers taken number 1 overall ended up being busts. Yao Ming was a dominant center when he was healthy. Unfortunately, he wasn't healthy too often. Andrew Bogut has the size and skills to be a dominant low post scorer but can't stay healthy either. Greg Oden may have developed into a great center but has never been able to remain injury-free for any extended period of time. Kwame Brown had all of the physical tools to become a great center but will most likely be remembered as the biggest bust in the history of the NBA.
I hope that Anthony Davis will live up to the hype. It would be great to have another dominant big man in the NBA and I believe that it would be good for the game. Back in the day, seeing Ewing and Olajuwon go at it was always entertaining. Some of my favorite Playoff memories involved watching Shaq and Tim Duncan battle in the low post. One day I may be just as fondly recalling the epic battles between Anthony Davis and Andrew Bynum, Dwight Howard, or DeMarcus Cousins.
Showing posts with label New Orleans Hornets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Orleans Hornets. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
You're Welcome, Oklahoma City
My dad used to regale us with Dodgers anecdotes. He had a lot of them as he was a diehard fan who went to their games quite regularly. Bleacher seats cost fifty cents back in those days and the game of baseball was much different than it is today. Of course, Pops was a fan of the Brooklyn Dodgers, whom have resided in the greater Los Angeles area since I've been alive. Many teams have moved over the years but not too many have done so recently. In the last 26 years only three NBA teams have defected to a new city. Since '02, only two; the Charlotte Hornets and the Seattle Supersonics. While I enjoyed watching the Hornets battle the Spurs in the '08 Semifinals as much as the next guy, let's not kid ourselves. The Hornets aren't any better off in New Orleans than they were in Charlotte. The team is still owned by the NBA as they can't find anyone willing to buy them. They were forced to trade Chris Paul to a bigger market team and attendance is spotty at best.
The franchise formerly known as the Sonics are an entirely different story.
To say that Oklahomans have embraced their new team does not do their loyalty justice. I can say without hesitation that these are the best fans in the NBA. For the last few years, attendance has been down, even for some of the storied franchises residing in big cities. This is not the case with the Thunder. They are currently tied with the Celtics and Knicks for attendance percentage. These fans are something else at home. They do not sit until the Thunder score. I remember watching a game where it took almost 3 minutes for them to make that first bucket. Not one person sat until the ball went through the net. No arena get louder than the Ford Center and during the Playoffs, everybody in that building wears their blue OKC T-shirts. This kind of intensity is rarely seen in today's NBA.
As a sports fan, I have witnessed my share of dramatic moments. One that I will never forget was Game 6 of the 2010 Western Conference Semi Finals. The Lakers were looking to close out the upstart Thunder on the road. After a late OKC rally, the Lakers were trailing by one with 6 seconds left. Kobe had the ball at the top of the key, drove right, and shot a heavily contested fadeaway that rattled in and out. Pau Gasol was right under the basket and tipped the ball back in with a half a second remaining. After a timeout, the Thunder inbounded the ball and Westbrook missed the potentially game winning 3-Pointer. A devastated Kevin Durant and Jeff Green hit the floor in agony. There was a lot of drama in that crazy finish but what stays with me was what happened after the buzzer sounded. Every fan at the Ford Center got up and gave their team a 3 minute long standing ovation. It was as if the entire city was telling them,
"It's alright. You played your hearts out and there is no shame in losing tonight. You had an amazing season that exceeded all of our expectations. Thank you."
Thinking about that moment still gets this cynical New Yorker a bit misty eyed. I have never seen fans react that way after a loss. Let's face it. These days, most fans are spoiled. They expect their teams to win every game and their star players to stay forever, even if it means getting paid less money or forfeiting any real chance of winning a championship. Seeing fans boo their team or underperforming player has become commonplace. The Thunder fans are an entirely different breed. I would be willing to bet that we will never see Kevin Durant booed at home, no matter how poorly he is playing. Perhaps some of these big city fans could learn a thing or two from these humble Midwesterners.
Alas, sometimes bad things happen to good fans. The unfortunate reality is that owners occasionally move their team, regardless of how much the community loves and supports them. It is a shame that the good fans of Seattle lost their beloved Supersonics. The fact that the team has blossomed in their new home is probably little consolation to them but I have enjoyed watching this development. During the latest CBA negotiations, journalists and bitter owners told us that small market teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder will never have the resources to compete with big market teams like the Knicks, the Bulls, the Lakers, or the Mavericks.
This postseason, the Thunder beat the Mavs and Lakers and have gone deeper in the Playoffs than the Knicks or Bulls.
Just sayin'.
GM Sam Presti has taught us that with a little luck and a lot of shrewd personnel moves, a team in any market can become competitive. Wilt Chamberlain said, "Nobody roots for Goliath." He may be right. Seeing the Thunder get their revenge on the Lakers last week had me out of my seat cheering. Just like everybody at the Ford Center.
The franchise formerly known as the Sonics are an entirely different story.
To say that Oklahomans have embraced their new team does not do their loyalty justice. I can say without hesitation that these are the best fans in the NBA. For the last few years, attendance has been down, even for some of the storied franchises residing in big cities. This is not the case with the Thunder. They are currently tied with the Celtics and Knicks for attendance percentage. These fans are something else at home. They do not sit until the Thunder score. I remember watching a game where it took almost 3 minutes for them to make that first bucket. Not one person sat until the ball went through the net. No arena get louder than the Ford Center and during the Playoffs, everybody in that building wears their blue OKC T-shirts. This kind of intensity is rarely seen in today's NBA.
As a sports fan, I have witnessed my share of dramatic moments. One that I will never forget was Game 6 of the 2010 Western Conference Semi Finals. The Lakers were looking to close out the upstart Thunder on the road. After a late OKC rally, the Lakers were trailing by one with 6 seconds left. Kobe had the ball at the top of the key, drove right, and shot a heavily contested fadeaway that rattled in and out. Pau Gasol was right under the basket and tipped the ball back in with a half a second remaining. After a timeout, the Thunder inbounded the ball and Westbrook missed the potentially game winning 3-Pointer. A devastated Kevin Durant and Jeff Green hit the floor in agony. There was a lot of drama in that crazy finish but what stays with me was what happened after the buzzer sounded. Every fan at the Ford Center got up and gave their team a 3 minute long standing ovation. It was as if the entire city was telling them,
"It's alright. You played your hearts out and there is no shame in losing tonight. You had an amazing season that exceeded all of our expectations. Thank you."
Thinking about that moment still gets this cynical New Yorker a bit misty eyed. I have never seen fans react that way after a loss. Let's face it. These days, most fans are spoiled. They expect their teams to win every game and their star players to stay forever, even if it means getting paid less money or forfeiting any real chance of winning a championship. Seeing fans boo their team or underperforming player has become commonplace. The Thunder fans are an entirely different breed. I would be willing to bet that we will never see Kevin Durant booed at home, no matter how poorly he is playing. Perhaps some of these big city fans could learn a thing or two from these humble Midwesterners.
Alas, sometimes bad things happen to good fans. The unfortunate reality is that owners occasionally move their team, regardless of how much the community loves and supports them. It is a shame that the good fans of Seattle lost their beloved Supersonics. The fact that the team has blossomed in their new home is probably little consolation to them but I have enjoyed watching this development. During the latest CBA negotiations, journalists and bitter owners told us that small market teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder will never have the resources to compete with big market teams like the Knicks, the Bulls, the Lakers, or the Mavericks.
This postseason, the Thunder beat the Mavs and Lakers and have gone deeper in the Playoffs than the Knicks or Bulls.
Just sayin'.
GM Sam Presti has taught us that with a little luck and a lot of shrewd personnel moves, a team in any market can become competitive. Wilt Chamberlain said, "Nobody roots for Goliath." He may be right. Seeing the Thunder get their revenge on the Lakers last week had me out of my seat cheering. Just like everybody at the Ford Center.
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