NBA News 2011: San Antonio Spurs Against Lakers

Image by Evan Wohrman via Flickr
Record against Lakers: 2-0

Games left: 2

This is no doubt the matchup everyone is curious about.

The Lakers are heading into the playoffs as two time defending champs and are by all accounts the team to beat.

If it comes down to this matchup I believe that the Spurs have a very clear and dominating advantage.

Like I said earlier, the playoffs are very different from the regular season, and thus we will not take into account the fact that Kobe has shot below 30 percent against the Spurs this year.

In the playoffs, Kobe knows how to play and if he begins shooting poorly look for him to devote his energy to some other facet of the game.

The starting five are also very well balanced and the Duncan - Gasol matchup could be the big factor in this series.

I would love to see this match up and the winner of this could very well end up winning it all.

However, my prediction is that if this happens, the Spurs will win in a relatively easy fashion when considering the magnitude of this clash.

The Chance of Beating the Lakers: Moderate to High

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/626096-san-antonio-spurs-breaking-down-chances-against-mavericks-lakers-thunder/page/4

NBA News 2011: San Antonio Spurs Against Thunder

Image via Wikipedia
Record against Thunder: 3-0

Games left: 0


While there hasn't been too much talk of the Thunder this year as far as championships go, but ever since they acquired Kendrick Perkins they have become major contenders.

I do have to admit that the Thunder have a very nice team and a very dangerous team, I just can't see how they could defeat the Spurs.

Kevin Durant and Russel Westbrook are two of the best young players in the world and Perkins just happens to be one of the best defensive centers in the game.

They also have a relatively nice cast around those players and a cast that can be lightning fast running down the court. This could actually swing either way and will depend on how Westbrook and Durant play.

The Chance of Beating the Thunder: Moderate to High

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/626096-san-antonio-spurs-breaking-down-chances-against-mavericks-lakers-thunder/page/2

Related articles

• NBA Trades: Breaking Down the Oklahoma City Thunder's New Starting Lineup (bleacherreport.com)

NBA News 2010: Lakers Rely on Gasol Even More This Year

Image via Wikipedia

A season ago, it wasn't even close: (Pau) Gasol saw the ball a lot less, and the shot-attempt gap was much, much wider in Bryant's favor.

Gasol averaged just 13 shots a game to Bryant's 21.5, and totaled 725 fewer field goal attempts than Bryant on the season. Granted, that was with Andrew Bynum in the lineup getting up 10 shots per game of his own. But with the versatility that Gasol brings to the table -- he's not only a terrific scorer, but he's also truly evolved into a tremendous passer -- it would be foolish not to continue this early-season trend, and find ways to get the ball into Gasol's hands for as many possessions as possible.

Gasol is developing into one of the top big men in the game -- that is, if he isn't already there. While still humble when questions about his status as one of the league's elite are raised, Gasol did admit that being considered the best in the game is something that he's motivated by on a daily basis.

http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStories.asp?lc=NBA&c=1&TEAM_ID=&PLAYER_ID=&hd=20101031#STORY_29051

Related articles

• Pau Gasol and Tim Duncan: Has The Torch of Supremacy Been Passed? (bleacherreport.com)
• Los Angeles Lakers overcome adversity in opener (foxsportswest.com)

NBA News 2010: Portland Trail Blazers 2010-2011 Preview

Image via Wikipedia

Top Offensive Player: Brandon Roy

Top Defensive Player: Marcus Camby

Top Playmaker: Brandon Roy

Top Clutch Player: Brandon Roy

The Unheralded Player: Andre Miller

Best New Addition: Wesley Matthews

Strengths

Last season Portland, on average, outscored, outrebounded, and out-everythinged their opponents. They are a team that knows what it is they want to accomplish and usually everyone knows their role and is effective in their assignments. The bench is capable and showed last season they can weather a few injuries. The roster may have changed a bit over the offseason, but the message delivered by the coaching staff – completely new under McMillan – is not going to change. This is a team who knows how to win games and feels they have made the necessary tweaks to carry that over into the playoffs.

Weaknesses

The biggest issue with the Blazers is their offense is methodical and predictable. Defenses know everything runs through Roy. This is effective despite that knowledge in the regular season because teams simply don't have the time to dedicate game planning of a single team in the days between games like they do in the playoffs – hence Portland's first-round exits the last two seasons when they seemed to be taken out of their game. The Blazers need to introduce more dynamicism into the playcalling to keep teams off balance. Part of that is finding another clutch player, part of that is staying healthy – something else that could be called a Portland weakness.

How soon will Oden and Przybilla make contributions?

Both centers can be dominating rebounders and defenders. Oden can be a force offensively, as he was starting to really show before the patella injury. However, the injuries will keep them out of some (Oden) or all (Przybilla) of training camp, which means when they do come back conditioning could be an issue along with getting back into the flow of the game. If both are healthy and contributing by mid-season, the second half could feature a Portland team surging towards the playoffs. If they struggle even when the pair is healthy enough to play, the Blazers could face another first-round playoff exit.

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=17365

Related articles by Zemanta

• Five Things The Blazers Have To Do To Make It Deep Into The Playoffs (bleacherreport.com)
• Oden Vs. Durant: In a Battle Of Potential, It Is Still Not Even Close (bleacherreport.com)
• 2010 NBA free agents: Portland Trail Blazers sign Wesley Matthews (sports.espn.go.com)
• Size Matters, Right? (bleacherreport.com)
• Portland Trail Blazers: 30 Team Previews in 30 Days (bleacherreport.com)

NBA News 2010: Can Anyone Challenge Dwight Howard for Defensive Player of the Year?

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

There's no player currently in the NBA with the unique combination of physical talents and defensive abilities like Howard. As Howard once told Sports Illustrated's Chris Ballard, he doesn't just plan on blocking opposing players' shots; he often wants to swat the shots into the seventh row (although he knows he shouldn’t!).  

Since the NBA started recording blocks as a category in the 1973-74 season, no player had ever led the league in rebounds and blocks two years running…until Howard came along. If he continues that streak another year, he'll be the runaway favorite for the D-POY award for the third straight year.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/441970-nba-2010-11-the-100-biggest-questions-facing-the-nba-this-season#page/83

Related articles by Zemanta

• NBA's Dwight Howard to visit Israel (jta.org)
• Dwight Howard and The 25 Best Players Under 25 (bleacherreport.com)
• Gasol follows up Howard to help grow basketball in India (nba.com)
• Minister of Defense: Is Ron Artest the NBA's Top Man-to-Man Defender? (bleacherreport.com)
• Cops Called on NBA Star Over Baby Dispute (tmz.com)
• Where Does Andrew Bynum Rank Among the NBA's Top Centers? (bleacherreport.com)

NBA News 2010: Best and worst power-forward signings

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

2010-11 Forecast: Best power-forward signing

RANK	PLAYER		VOTES
1	Chris Bosh Miami Heat 6 years, $110 million	Last season Toronto Raptors 24 ppg; 10.8 rpg; 1 bpg	33
2	Carlos Boozer Chicago Bulls 5 years, $75 million	Last season Utah Jazz 19.5 ppg; 11.2 rpg; 3.2 apg	27
3	Dirk Nowitzki Dallas Mavericks 4 years, $80 million	Last season Dallas Mavericks 25 ppg; 7.7 rpg; 1 bpg	22
4	Amare Stoudemire New York Knicks 5 years, $100 million	Last season Phoenix Suns 23.1 ppg; 8.9 rpg; 1 bpg	8
5	David Lee Golden State Warriors 6 years, $80 million	Last season New York Knicks 20.2 ppg; 11.7 rpg; 3.6 apg	3

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=SummerForecast10-PowerForwards

Related articles by Zemanta

• Amar'e or Pau? Power Ranking the NBA's Top 10 Power Forwards (bleacherreport.com)
• NBA: The Five Most Improved Teams (bleacherreport.com)
• You: Statue number Two (sportsviews.com)
• Power Forwards Become Power Brokers In The LeBron James Sweepstakes (bleacherreport.com)
• Miami Heat guard Dwayne Wade ready for new season with LeBron James, Chris Bosh (sports.espn.go.com)
• Chris Bosh To Miami Heat, Joins Dwayne Wade (nowpublic.com)
• Miami Heat guard Dwayne Wade ready for new season with LeBron James, Chris Bosh (sports.espn.go.com)
• Eastern Conference Playoff Seedings For 2011 (bleacherreport.com)
• Boston Celtics: Last Season, The Off-Season and My Take On Next Season (bleacherreport.com)

NBA News 2010: Lakers vs. Celtics, Game 2: It's All About Kobe Bryant

Image via WikipediaAs the NBA Finals series between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers is even at 1-1, there really is no inclination to hand over the championship trophy to any team at this point.
Both teams have shown signs of championship caliber play, while also faltering for stretches play. But if one player in the series has the last say on what is going to happen, that man is Kobe Bryant.
Bryant is the player everybody looks for to make a difference. You don’t achieve the moniker “greatest player alive” by standing by the wayside and letting everything come to you. This is the case with Bryant; he attacks and attacks until that final buzzer sounds and victory is clenched in his furious fists.
This wasn’t the case in Game 2. Many ill-conceived calls were made, especially on Bryant. And in the NBA, where styles of play change once foul trouble comes into play, it hampered the Lakers’ star and the rest of his team. Yes, the Lakers have many good players, but there is only one Kobe.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/402551-2010-nba-finals-its-all-about-kobe-bryant

Related articles by Zemanta

• The Theory Of Kobe Bryant As The NBA's Top Player Is Deeper Than Numbers (bleacherreport.com)
• Celtics defense making Kobe Bryant "miserable" | NBA notebook (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• All-Time Boston Celtics vs. the All-Time Los Angeles Lakers: Who Wins? (bleacherreport.com)
• 2010 NBA Finals: Los Angeles Lakers-Boston Celtics: It's All About Kobe Bryant (bleacherreport.com)
• Familiar Ending: Top Ten Reasons the Lakers will Repeat again this Year (bleacherreport.com)