The 2005 - 2006 NBA Preview - November 1, 2005
The World According To Stern
Welcome back my friends, to the show that never ends, or at least, it seems like the NBA summer gets shorter and shorter every year. David Stern, the puppet master of today's NBA (motto: You'll Like The Way We Look), must be proud when he surveys all he controls, um, I mean presides over.

Kobe and Phil, back in LA together.

Shaq and Flash get more Superfriends in Miami.

Larry "Playing the game the right way" Brown has dropped anchor in New York to set the NBA's flagship franchise on the path to righteousness.

There's glamour again in the big city outposts for sure.

But, watch out for the rest of the country. San Antonio, Detroit, and Indiana are all legitimate contenders for the NBA crown, and they're not even located near an ocean. There's even basketball in Oklahoma City, for crying out loud.

Say again?

Yes, that's right - Byron Scott and his players were washed out of New Orleans (it's not right to make fun of a legitimate tragedy, so we'll hold all jokes about the Hornets until later) and floated into Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, known basketball hotbed. Hell, owner George Shinn would put basketball into the Black Hills of South Dakota if there was a buck attached.

So much to be made (and over-made) about this NBA season to come. We now take a look at what you can expect in the '05 - '06 season, with help from select important individuals, namely:

Dave D'Alessandro - Newark Star Ledger
Steve Politi - Newark Star Ledger
Tim Capstraw - Nets radio color analyst
Will Weiss - Senior Editor of YESNetwork.com
SwampDragon2 - of Enter The Dragon fame here at JNF
Tim Bassett, Jr. - son of Nets legend Tim Bassett

The Dress For Success Policy
Rumor has it, EVERYONE will be on their best behavior in the NBA this season. And dressed well because of it. Stern saw fit to make an attempt to "clean up" the current state of the NBA after that ugly brawl in Detroit last year between the Pistons and Pacers, but has his latest move, the NBA dress code, gone too far? The new regs, which have thus far gone over like the proverbial fart in church, brought such an outpouring of affection that they've already been somewhat watered down.

Hey, I can't make sense of it, but I asked someone who might be able to: our friend Steve Politi, Columnist at Large for the Newark Star Ledger and all-around good guy. I asked Steve -

The NBA dress code. What's the deal with that?

Here's what he said:

NBA dress code? What's the deal with that? A better question would be, "Has there ever been as much hype about something so unimportant?"

I have a very hard time related to the players' gripes. If David Stern offered me a $50 million contract, but said the condition was I had to dress up like Lil Bo Peep, my first question would be, "Can I wear striped stockings, or do you want me to go with the pain white ones?" Seriously, guys. He wants you to wear a collared shirt on the bench. Please. Get over it. Life goes on. Save your chains for your own time. If you had a normal job like the rest of us, unless it's at the mall, you wouldn't be able to wear them there, either. That said ...

... I have no idea how this helps anything. Does having Allen Iverson in a suit really make the average fan -- who last time i checked, is not wearing a suit -- relate to him any better. The culture of basketball has changed. The days of Michael and Magic looking like Brooks Brothers models in the postgame interviews are over; if there were brought up in the league as rookies today, they wouldn't dress that way, either. The growing divide between the fans and players will not change with a silk tie. Make the game better, and the dress code won't matter one bit.
-Steve Politi

The man has a point. No one wants to see Allen Iverson in a suit.

So you see, Mr. Stern - it's about the game on the court. That's what matters, friend.

Desert Island NBA'ers
Ok, sometimes while putting these pieces together, we admit that our mind drifts to and fro, towards nothing and everything in particular. One popular favorite:

If you were building an NBA team, which 5 players would you choose?

I put the question to our esteemed colleague here at JNF, SwampDragon2, and he proceeded to blow me away with how much more thought he puts into the question than I ever do. Here are his thoughts (geeze, mine? Shaq, Dwyane Wade, LeBron, Kidd and Duncan - you decide what positions they play).

So Joe wants to know if the Dragon had five players, and five players only, what players would I want to win the title NOW. No specific criteria involved. Cap doesn’t matter. Neither does team. Just pick a typical NBA roster of a Point Guard, Shooting Guard, Small Forward, Power Forward, and Center to take the Dragon to a one shot only NBA Championship.

Well some would say this would be easy, just grab five superstars for each position and there you have it. Now that would be splendid except we’ve seen the fine example that our Olympic Team set for us in Athens. Throwing a bunch of All-Stars and Larry Brown together as an Olympic team would be the worst sports idea this century if hadn’t been for Janet Jackson’s nipple jewelry.

So obviously the Dragon needed to put some thought into this rather than just going through player by player. There were a few things that I felt were requirements to make the Dragon International Championship Squadron. (Yes Netsfans, the DICS) Cuts were made along the way. Allow me to elaborate.

1. If you don’t play defense, don’t bother showing up.

Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, Shawn Marion, you may stay home. Or you may go out, get drunk, and have some incriminating photos of your misadventures show up on the Internet. Either way, stay off the Squadron.

2. I don’t have time for a learning curve.

Rookies need not apply. Especially this recent class headlines by Andrew Bogut, which seems destined to be the worst draft class since 1986. Don’t remember that one? It includes NBA legends Chris Washburn, William Bedford, Roy Tarpley, and the late Len Bias. Second year players can take a walk also. As improved as they may be from a year in the league there are still to be gaps of inconsistency over the course of 82 games. So unfortunately Dwight Howard, Ben Gordon and Emeka Okafor, take a walk.

3. I can spot a one dimensional player.

These players have one discernable skill and when it comes to crunch time, their flaws are exposed. While each may be vital to the overall team puzzle, it just means that someone else needs to step up to hide the player’s deficiencies. Picking on the now retired Allan Houston is too easy. Time to make some tough cuts. Ray Allen, Peja Stojackovich, Carmelo Anthony, Jason Richardson, and Ben Wallace, peace out.

4. I can also spot one dimensional teammate.

It’s nice to have an alpha dog want the ball in a critical situation. It’s terrible when the alpha dog is unwilling to share the glory. Those moments crush a team. Let’s not forget that John Paxson and Steve Kerr were knocking down critical buzzer beaters along with that MJ fella. Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, Tracy McGrady, Steve Francis, Baron Davis, Paul Pierce, and Stephon Marbury, hit the showers.

5. A head case is humorous. Losing is not.

Yes, this group reads like a police lineup. And while they might not make the DICS, maybe someone will pick them to tape a season of Survivor with this group and let mayhem takeover. Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson, Rasheed Wallace, Lamar Odom, Sam Cassell, Latrell Sprewell, (cmon, you think the Dragon could go a column without mentioning Spree) Kwame Brown, and Zach Randolph, you have been voted off the island.

6. There are just some players I’ve seen come up small in big moments. (Which words hand in hand with) Big game experience a major plus.

At a critical moment I can’t have a player make a mental lapse or lose his cool in the heat of the moment. When the time comes I want a player who is not afraid to come up short. It’s the ones who aren’t afraid to come up short that generally don’t. So Kevin Garnett, Chris Webber, Vince Carter, Kenyon Martin, Yao Ming, y’all come up short.

So based on my criteria here is the starting five of the DICS.

At Point Guard…. Number 5…. Jason Kidd

I don’t need to explain this pick to you Netsfans. What other point guard in the league would you want taking up the ball with the game on the line? Jason Kidd may miss some critical outside shots and even have nightmarish games shooting altogether, but even after he’s gone 1-15, his 16th shot will be one he’s not afraid to take. Even with his age and bad knees he’s still a top defender, and won’t be afraid of drawing contact either. Not to mention he’s got ice water in his veins on the free throw line with time ticking down. Gotta make your free throws in crunch time kids. I start my squad with our Kidd.

At Shooting Guard…. Number 20…. Manu Ginobili

Ginobili is an NBA Champion and a Gold Medallist all in the same season. Before Manu helped carry the Spurs to the NBA Title he carried an entire country to glory in the Olympics. A dual champion? Sign him up I say! Manu is a tenacious defender, so much so his opponents hate him and accuse him of flopping. Every time I watch him play I see nothing but heart and on top of that he’s as clutch a shooter as there is in the league from 3 or driving to the hoop. I want this guy on my team not only to create plays, but to finish them off as well. We’ll both be proud of his floor burns when we’re kissing a trophy at the end of the year.

At Small Forward…. Number 47…. Andrei Kirilenko

Ok, here’s where we get interesting. What was my number 1 priority on this team? Oh yeah, defense. AK-47 would be Jason Kidd’s dream teammate. All the guy does is pick off passes, block shots, alter shots, and haul in rebounds. Quick outlet to Kidd, and two points. Kirilenko doesn’t need to be a prolific scorer, even though he’s got the range of a shooting guard. I want him creating turnovers and creating mismatches against other team’s small forwards. Now I haven’t seen AK-47 in a big game, but all the Dragon knows is that two years ago the Jazz were a surprise playoff team with him. When he was hurt last year, they were in the tank. His presence alone was worth at least 15 more wins to the Jazz last year. That’s proof enough for me.

At Power Forward…. Number 21…. Tim Duncan

You think the Dragon is a fool? I want the best player in the league on my team. Kidd has said he wants to play with Duncan, now he gets his chance. Duncan Donuts is still the most complete player on the league. And while he looks like he doesn’t get intense during big moments, he always comes out on top and has the rings to prove it. Defense is stellar, free throw shooting is skeptical, but if I need a deuce, I want him on the block. You know you’re getting at least 20 and 10 from him every game and 100% effort to boot. I don’t want anyone on my squad half assing it. I don’t need to worry about that with Duncan.

At Center…. Number 32…. Shaquille O’Neal

I want the Diesel. I want the most dominant player of our generation. No one can stop him in the paint. His presence alone opens up the lane for guard and allows forwards to roam free for open shot or weak side blocks. And like the greats before him, people just elevate their game around him. He made Anfernee Hardaway and All-Star, he made Kobe Bryant a three-time champion, and he’ll make Dwyane Wade a Hall of Famer. Tell you what Netsfans, Shaq will be the centerpiece of what makes my championship team.

(And just because the Dragon can…)

Sixth Man…. Number 23…. LeBron James

If you had a pick for a sixth man, wouldn’t you pick him too? You could do worse for a sixth man.

Making this list wasn’t the easiest. There were of course some difficult omissions. For starters, leaving of Dwyane Wade was next to impossible. But on pure experience alone and the need for a game controlling point guard I chose Kidd over him at the point.

Another difficult decision was at shooting guard where I chose Ginobili over Richard Hamilton. Why Richard Hamilton? He picks up his game when it matters, rarely misses from the line, and has an engine that never seems to expire. If Hamilton was to become deadly from 3, he could very easily pick up where Reggie Miller left off.

The forwards I was reluctant to leave off the team were Amare Stoudamire and Jermaine O’Neal. Amare had his star born last year and Jermaine’s suspension and shoulder injury kept him from being the best big man in the East next to Shaq last year.

I guess if I were to build a bench to the DICS then Wade, Hamilton, James, O’Neal, and Stoudamire would be it. But that’s the beauty of building a team like this. Only five can be on the court at a time. So I’ll tell you what, I like my five. Check that, I love my five. I’ll put them up against anyone else’s five. Just remember.

I’m all about winning now.
-SwampDragon2

And so are we, Dragon. So are we. That's why LeBron is on the list.

But what about Kobe?

The Kobe Thing
Remember a few short years ago, when Kobe Bryant was winning championships with Phil and the Diesel and he was the Heir Apparent? Then, that whole unfortunate t-h-i-n-g happened...and suddenly, Kobe was the man we loved to hate. Shaq's gone, PhilyJack has come and gone and come back again, and the Lakers are starved for the affection they once found from the bright lights of LA.

We got to thinking about things in the current NBA, and how it seems like in a few short years, Kobe's been surpassed by Dwyane Wade as the Future Phenom and League Savior. Well-dressed (and we know how that scores points with Der Komissar Stern) and well behaved, is Wade the new Kobe?

And what legacy faces both men?

For the answer to this question, Joe turned to wise (and sleepy, by the looks of the photo) and all-knowing NBA and Nets beat basketball writer (and one funny guy to boot) for the Newark Star Ledger, Dave D'Alessandro, who graciously agreed to take time from his columns, blog and daily travels to answer one loopy question:

Kobe Bryant vs. Dwyane Wade - who's got the better shot at a lasting NBA legacy?

Here is Dave's response:

Wade won’t catch Kobe for number of rings, but if you’re talking legacy, what is Bryant going to be remembered for? Whether fair or not, it will be in this rough order: 1. Talent that almost matched ego; 2. Ego that ended a dynasty; 3. Rape charge; 4. Three rings on Shaq’s back.

As for comparing him to Wade, let’s go back to their common Rabbi, and ask him: Shaq loves Wade, Shaq hates Kobe. And Shaq, who has a big mouth, will always go out of his way to praise one and impugn the other.
-Dave D'Alessandro

Think Stern has an opinion on that, Dave?

(Dave also took a shot at our question on whom to build an NBA team around. Surprisingly, no Duncan but Etan Thomas, according to Dave. "My team wouldn’t be very good, but at least I’d have somebody to talk to on the team plane." Ah, the lonely life of the NBA sportswriter...)

Insane In The Membrane
Yes, Netsfans - our little corner of the NBA universe certainly got brighter with the acquisition of Vince Carter. Heisted from Toronto, bringing the Nets almost single-handedly to the playoffs on his massive talents (and a bit of a pants-kicking from Jason Kidd, who not-so-politely told him we don't go half-assed around here), and one of the best stories to come out of the NBA '04 - '05 edition, the hope is a full season of Carter, plus the return of Richard Jefferson, gives the Nets a potent 1 - 2 combo that will take them far into the NBA post season.

We got to thinking about Carter and his highlight moves, unbounded abilities and high-flying ways and couldn't help see the relation to a kindred NBA spirit, one Dr. J. We asked Tim Bassett, Jr., another one with a spiritual connection to the days of Dr. J (courtesy of his father, Tim Bassett),

If Carter was indeed the spiritual heir to Dr. J?

Here is Tim's response:

I'll have to admit I wasn't high on VC when we traded for him, but in his time here he has proven that he is a top notch athlete, serious scorer, and decent defender with a drive to win basketball games. It was this same type of athleticism, scoring and leaping ability that brought fans in to watch the Nets when the good Dr. Julius Erving played for us and I feel as if that good doctor's spirit has to live within Vince right now. Lets just hope that we don't trade him next year for cash considerations.
-Tim Bassett, Jr.

Show me the money, Rod Thorn...and it better stay in your pocket...

There's more of this nonsense continued...
Go to Page 2
-Joe

Archive | Backlash | Bio | Calendar | Champagne's Blog | Diatribe | Game x Game | History | Home | Joe Netsfan's Blog | Media | Opponents | Players | Playoffs | Search | Specials