Miami-Chicago Game Six and Beyond

Thursday night the writers for Page4Hoop found themselves in the nosebleed seats at the United Center in Chicago to watch game six between the Heat and the Bulls. It was a must-win situation for the Bulls as they faced elimination, but they had the home court, and were the better defensive team. This game seemed like one that they could win, although the odds didn’t necessarily favor the youthful Bulls since the Heat were a proven veteran team with the best post presence in the game, in Shaquille O’Neal. That being said, the Bulls had managed to keep the series competitive up until the final quarter in game five, where the teams were tied and then the Heat went on to thorouly handle the Bulls. Game six looked a good deal like the final quarter in game five, with the veteran Heat team looking savvy rather than sad, and the Bulls looking inexperienced rather than tenacious. Ultimately the game turned in favor of the Heat, as they grabbed an early lead, and steadily stayed 13-15 points ahead of the Bulls for most of the game. Though it was a hard fought series, in the end it held no major surprises and proved to be a good barometer for the present and future for both these teams.

The Heat are a team built for right now, actually they may have been built for two years ago, a time before veterans like Gary Payton, Antoine Walker and Jason Williams lost some of their respective edge. Though any veteran team is built for the playoffs, and this Heat squad has found themselves right in the thick of playoff action, poised to succeed if their age doesn’t hold them back. With the exception of Dwyane Wade, Udonis Haslem and Wayne Simeon: James Posey is the ‘youth’ on the team, with some seven years of league experience. Since Simeon has played a total of 3 minutes, it is difficult to figure him too much into the equation. The point is, that the Heat are going to struggle at times against young teams like the Bulls, were this a best-of-five series, it would not be inconceivable that the Bulls would be able to steal it, but as a best-of-seven, the Heat have to be the clear favorites. This is the path the Heat will see throughout the playoffs, struggling at times in a gruelingly long series but ultimately, through veteran fortitude and resolve, achieving victory. Until they meet the Detroit Pistons, the lone team in the Eastern Conference that is actually capable of defeating the Heat. The Pistons possess the right mixture of youth and veterans, and are a much better defensive team. And as they say, “Defense wins championships.”

So the logical question one must ask is, “Where can the Heat go from here?” With a squad that is either too old to trade, or too well paid to trade, how can a team that in all likelihood is not good enough to win a championship, improve upon a fine but, at the end of the day, disappointing season. Some might say that a squad like this should be put out on the court until it becomes definitively clear that they are no longer capable of producing at a high level, though that might not be necessary. Dwyane Wade is one of the most exciting players in all of basketball and is, for the sake of bringing a championship to South Beach, just the kind of trade bait necessary to acquire a player like Kevin Garnett. If the Heat were to offer a package of Wade, Walker, Williams and Michael Doleac for Garnett and Rashad McCants, the Timberwolves would be hard pressed to turn the offer down. Pairing Garnett with O’Neal might be the step necessary to secure the franchise a championship, since Wade is really several years away from his prime (which is a scary thought) and Garnett is at full stride today. The Heat choose to mortgage their future by trading for the veteran help they did in the off-season, but that may not be enough for a championship. If that proves to be the case, the Heat should strongly consider dealing Wade for a player currently in his prime to pair with what will likely be Shaq’s final truly productive season.

As I watched the Bulls play last night I was reminded of the Phoenix Suns for several reasons. Aside from the Bulls ability to sometimes dictate a run-and-gun style offensive attack, they were, much like the Suns of 2003, in real competition with one of the best teams in the league. In 2003, a Suns squad led by Stephon Marbury and Penny Hardaway, but supported by Amare Stoudemire, Shawn Marion and Joe Johnson, the core of the team that won 62 games a year ago, took the Spurs to six games in one of the best series of that year’s playoffs. Anyone who watched the series couldn’t help being excited for the Suns; they clearly had some great talent and with the right moves would be able to turn themselves into a stellar team. As history proves, those who believed in the Suns were right because they made the right moves and a year after going to the conference semis, are on the brink of winning a series in which they have no traditional post presence, a feat nearly unheard of. The Bulls, like the Suns before them, are simply an incomplete team. They have great pieces, maybe even more so than that Suns team of 2003 had, but those pieces are really lacking a franchise type presence to take over in the hardest parts of games.

Though even that is a difficult assessment to make, as this playoff series was a veritable coming out party for three of the young Bulls. Andres Nocioni, Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon all averaged over 20 points a game in the series, accounting for 64% of the teams scoring. This figure is a bit deceptive though. While Nocioni was amazing from the field, shooting 56% and shooting 47% from behind the arc, Hinrich and Gordon were not as effective shooting a right around 40.5% from the field and 35% from the arc. So as productive as their scoring output was, Gordon and Hinrich simply couldn’t shoot a high enough percentage to really be completely effective. Nocioni has emerged as the team’s most effective offensive option, but the two guards would be vastly more effective with a serious post presence, ala Eddy Curry. Since Curry isn’t headed back to Chicago anytime soon, except to visit his family or dressed in a Knicks uniform, it would behoove the Bulls to look elsewhere for a big.

Fortunately, Eddy Curry was such a prized commodity in New York that Isaiah Thomas traded away this years, and potentially next years draft pick for him. Also fortunate is the fact that this years draft, and next years, features several quality big men ready to come in and make an impact in the post immediately. Without getting into those available for in next year, the Bulls have the potential to grab a serious player in this years draft to bolster this already strong, albeit unbalanced roster. Lamarcus Aldridge would be the perfect fit in Chicago. He seems to be drawing a lot of comparisons to Channing Fry or Chris Bosh. Sufficed to say, he has a very complete offensive game. Aldridge is a monster in the post, though at Texas he seemed to drift more towards the perimeter at times, but that was mostly because his guards didn’t seem to want to feed him down low. Having an incredibly versatile offensive player like Aldridge would go a long way toward neutralizing Tyson Chandler’s inept offensive attack. It would also free things up in the lanes for Gordon and Hinrich to explore this slashing game they are just recently starting to realize they have at their disposals. By acquiring a youthful post presence, rather than a veteran one that is ready to come in and win immediately, the Bulls can allow this roster to grow organically and achieve success together, weeding out the parts that prove to be unnecessary for the long run. Championship teams are built over time and not overnight; its important for the fans in Chicago to remember that since this current roster could one day, in the not too distant future, be playing for one.

The fact that championship teams are not built overnight is also important for fans in Miami to remember. Of course their team was built overnight and may win a championship, if the right players step up and play like they were 5 years younger for a few weeks and the right players on the Pistons sprain or tweak something. These are two teams looking at the championship window from different angles. The Bulls are still trying to open it, learning how to open the lock and slide it up, while the Heat are using ever last ounce of veteran strength to keep the thing open for a few more weeks. If both teams are not careful, they may find themselves on the wrong side of the window in the future, or if they are, they might find themselves exactly where they want to be; standing on TV with every other team looking on through that window was they lift the Larry O’Brien trophy high in the air.

Blogger Post-Season Awards

The NBA regular season has come to a close and the playoffs are underway. The league asked many fine individuals to vote for respective awards this season. Unfortunately the network of Bloggers was apparently overlooked when the league office was sending out ballots. For that reason, Page4Hoop has taken a poll of our own collecting votes from many of the NBA Blogging community’s finest members. Here are the results of that poll.

→Sixth Man of the Year (preseason prediction: Donyell Marshall): Mike Miller
--- Bloggers and actual voters agreed on this one, Mike Miller is clearly the sixth man of the season. Although his season this year wasn’t as good as it was last year, where he was a starter for the most part and shot higher percentages from all over the field, it was a year right in line with his career averages. Miller proved to be an excellent piece off the bench for Memphis and was able to help the Grizzlies to a 49 win season.

→Rookie of the Year (preseason prediction: Andrew Bogut): Chris Paul
--- Chris Paul clearly has had one of the most impressive rookie seasons ever, but in terms of individual and team statistics, and will run away with the award. His doubters said he was too small; too turnover prone and he couldn’t shoot the ball. Well, he is awful small, but he makes up for it by averaging a healthy 5.2rpg. He wasn’t a particularly great handler in his rookie year, but he made up for it with impressive passing numbers, such that were good enough to keep him 6th in the league in assists-per-turnover. To those who said he couldn’t shoot, well, he sort of can’t, but he can run an offense. Paul’s play turned his team from an 18-win team, to a team in contention for the playoffs. All of this should make Chris Paul the rookie of the year.

→Most Improved (preseason prediction: Kwame Brown): Boris Diaw
---It is hard to imagine the changes that have occurred in Diaw this season. He changed positions, from “pseudo-point-guard” in Atlanta to Center in Phoenix, improved every single one of his numbers and carved a future for himself in the league. In a system like Phoenix, Diaw is a perfect fit: a mobile post player who can pass and shoot. The only knock on his future is that Diaw will need to remain in a system like this. While he is a good defensive player, his rebounding numbers, 6.9rpg, are not particularly strong when you consider he is playing center most of the time. That, combined with the fact that he is a good 3-5 inches shorter than most centers in the league, may force him to evolve yet again, but for this season, Diaw has been absolutely brilliant in the role the Suns created for him.

→Defensive Player of the Year (preseason prediction: Tim Duncan): Ben Wallace
---Even though his rebounding numbers and blocked shots are down the past two years, there is still not a force in the paint as intimidating as Ben Wallace. It isn’t really necessary to elaborate on how much of an impact player Ben is on the defensive end except to say this: he is top ten in steals, rebounds and blocks. Other interesting players that received votes were Bruce Bowen, the Spurs lock-down perimeter defender, and Kirk Hinrich, the Bulls guard who is currently making a very solid case for receiving this award with his play against Dwayne Wade.

→ Executive of the Year: Elgin Baylor.
---That’s right, Elgin Baylor. Say what you will about him, but he was able to, if only by blind luck, assemble a collection of players that took the Clippers to the playoffs for the first time in a long time. They are well on their way to visiting the second round of the playoffs and show no signs of slowing down. The real test on Baylor though will come in the off-season, when Sam Cassell is a free agent.

→ Coach of the Year: Mike D’Antoni
---Mike D took this in a landslide, as well he should have. Not only was he able to coach his team the second seed in the western conference, he was able to do it with a ridiculously atypical post game. With Amare Stoudamire, Brian Grant and Kurt Thomas missing most of the season, D’Antoni converted Boris Diaw, Tim Thomas and Shawn Marion into centers and power-forwards. He was also able to create an offensive strategy to further utilize Steve Nash’s passing talents. However, D’Antoni’s greatest accomplishment this season was creating defensive schemes that hide Steve Nash’s shortcomings. The Suns are a drastically different team than they were a year ago, and a lot of it has to do with D’Antoni completely re-envisioning his game plan for this year’s roster.

→ MVP (preseason prediction: Ron Artest): Kobe Bryant
---Although many people thought Lebron James should receive this award, Kobe was the clear favorite. After leading the league in scoring, and free throws, Bryant has totally changed his game up to confuse the Suns in the playoffs. Its certainly worked, as the Lakers have taken a 3-1 series lead. The team is looking so fluid right now that it’s not unthinkable that they could make it out of the second round as well.

Great Rookie Point-Guard Statistics

As the season comes to a close is a lot of talk regarding the overall 'greatness' of rookie point-guard sensation Chris Paul. He has not only taken the league by storm, but also restored hope to a franchise on the brink of breaking. Paul led his team near the playoffs and in doing so, is having one of the most impressive rookie seasons in history. ESPN's John Hollinger recently published an article dealing with this subject manner and although his article was insightful and as is the case with all of his work, complete statistical analysis, the raw numbers he used in his calculations were not provided. We at Page4Hoop have compiled a statistical list of the numbers recorded by the all-time great point-guards in their rookie campaigns and here it is, for the enjoyment of all the readers.

— PPG — APG — RPG — SPG — Win+/-—
Chris Paul
— 16.3ppg— 7.9apg— 5.4rpg— 2.2spg— +20

Magic Johnson
— 18ppg— 7.3apg— 7.7rpg — 2.4spg — +13


Isaiah Thomas
— 17ppg— 7.8agp— 2.9rpg— 2.1spg— +18

Mark Jackson
— 13.6ppg— 10.6apg— 4.8rpg— 2.5spg— +14

Jerry West
— 17.6ppg— 4.2apg— →7.7rpg— +11

Mo Cheeks
— 8.4ppg— 5.3apg— 3rpg— 2.1spg— -8

Jason Kidd
— 11.7ppg— 7.7apg— 5.4rpg— 1.9spg— +23

Gail Goodrich
— 7.8ppg— 1.6apg— 2.0rpg— -4

Norm Van Lier
— 9.5ppg — 6.2apg — 5.0rpg — -2


Gary Payton
— 7.2ppg— 6.4apg— 3.0rpg— 2.0sp— +0

Stephon Marbury
— 15.8ppg— 7.8apg— 2.7rpg— 1spg— +14

John Stockton
— 5.6ppg— 5.1apg— 1.3rpg— 1.3spg— -4

Norm Nixon
— 13.7ppg — 6.8apg — 3rpg — 1.7spg — -8

Tim Hardaway
— 14.7ppg — 8.7apg — 3.9rpg — 2.1spg — -6

Muggsy Bogues
— 5ppg — 5.1apg — 1.7rpg — 1.6spg — -4

Bob Cousy
— 15.6ppg — 4.9apg — 6.9rpg — +0


Mark Price
— 6.9ppg — 3apg — 1.7rpg — .6spg — +2

John Lucas
— 11.1ppg — 5.6apg — 2.6rpg — 1.5spg — +9

Tiny Archibald
— 16ppg — 5.5apg — 3rpg — -3

The Future of the Middle of the NBA: The Western Conference

And now for the Western Conference…

Hornets— How many rookies does it take to turn a franchise around? In this case, it took one. The Hornets went from being one of the worst teams in the league to being an up and comer. But the real question the franchise faces is, to quote Guns N’ Roses, “where do we go now?” The problem with such rapid success is that the team doesn’t have many ways to grow. Because a mid first round draft pick doesn’t generally yield star, a piece the Hornets will need to get over the top, the draft will simply serve to provide them with more complementary pieces to surround a core of Chris Paul and David West. While adding complementary pieces isn’t a bad thing, the Hornet’s core could really use just a bit more punch. The problem doesn’t lie in Paul though; David West is simply not a dynamic enough player. He’s a very good second or third scoring option, but the Hornets are in need of a go-to guy. Paul is a great passer, scorer and a crunch-time player, but he isn’t, nor should he strive to be, a volume scorer. So that, a volume scorer, is the missing piece in the Hornets nest. But with a middle draft pick and not much cap space, how does a team acquire a scorer of that nature? One possible solution, albeit a risky one, is to make a trade. Since “Flip” Murray is emerging as a very good second option for the Cavaliers, they might think about trading Larry Hughes. If the Hornets were to offer J. R. Smith and Desmond Mason for Hughes, the Cavs might bite. Even though Smith is severely talented, he’s not really show much of that this year. After a solid rookie season, he hasn’t really improved. Playing behind Lebron James and Murray might be just what he needs to develop. Desmond Mason also provides the Cavs with a dynamic sixth man, something they currently lack. Although Hughes is older, and a bit of an injury risk, he has a history of excelling when paired with a great point guard: just look at his numbers with Gilbert Arenas. Hughes would also add the scoring punch that the Hornets are currently lacking and might be enough, along with the natural development of West and Paul, to make this team one of the better teams in the West. Its interesting to note that the Hornets will also have a decent amount of cap space freeing up over the next two years. If they manage it wisely, they could be a strong player in future free agent markets.


Lakers— The Lakers have one of the best players in the game, in Kobe Bryant, and one of the worst teams in the game, in everyone else. In Miami, Lamar Odom proved that he can be a marvelous player, with his rebounding and passing ability, but he needs a strong supporting cast for his abilities to be really useful. Smush Parker, Chris Mihm and Kwame Brown are proving to be somewhat adequate puzzle pieces, but they clearly leave a lot to be desired. The rest of the team is terrible. Actually, if you take Kobe out of the equation, the entire team is a pretty terrible offensive unit. There will be frequent nights when not a single one of them manages to score in double figures; of course on a lot of those nights Bryant will score 40 to 50 points, thereby making up for his teammates shortcomings. But that really doesn’t leave you a lot say, if Kobe gets injured or has an off night and only scores 25. Fortunately the Lakers have a really big future, in Andrew Bynum, but he’s still years away from doing anything more than tumbling with Shaq for 15-20 minutes a game. By the time he develops, Bryant and Odom might be too old to keep the team in contention. There might be a solution though. When the Timberwolves miss the playoffs again this year, the Lakers should do everything they can to acquire the Wolves’ disgruntled star. A package of Bynum, Brown, Odom and some future draft picks might actually be enough to complete a trade for Kevin Garnett. That plus a few well placed phone calls by Phil Jackson, Kobe Bryant and Jerry Buss to help convince Garnett that pairing two of the games best players almost always results in a championship, or three.

Kings—The Kings are a lot like the West’s version of the Knicks. Granted, Rick Adelman isn’t quite able to break the spirits of his players the way Larry Brown is, and the players themselves make up a more balanced roster. Think of the Kings as a ‘rich man’s’ Knicks. Obviously not in terms of payroll, but in terms of wins. The problem with this roster though may simply be that Rick Adelman’s voice has been sounding in Sacramento for so long that it has become white noise. The players simply aren’t listening to their coach anymore. So what if the Maloof brothers offered James Dolan, Adelman, a coach who uses the run-and-gun attack that might actually be able to make the Knicks roster work; for Brown, a hard nosed defensive minded coach who might be able to get the best out of the underachieving Sacramento squad. A coach-for-coach trade could be the answer that these two teams are looking for, improbable as it may be. Of course you can't really trade coaches, but it is a nice thought. So is winning.

Jazz—Something clearly isn’t working in Utah. They bring in the players they want, deal the players they want, have the coach they want and still seem to recover from the Stockton/Malone era. Although it’s only a few years passed, this current Jazz roster should be so much more than they are. Owner Larry Miller agrees and has been publicly berating his players through the media. The Jazz have the clear need of a shooting guard, and would probably like to put an end to the Carlos Boozer era as soon as they can. It looks like the summer will provide the team with an opportunity to do both. With the Lakers leading the charge for Boozer and the draft looking to yield Jeff Hornacek clone, JJ Redick, the best thing for the Jazz to do seems to be taking the “wait and see” approach to things. If they are able to grab Redick, and either move Boozer, or get him into playing shape, the Jazz could be a drastically different team next season. If a backcourt of Redick and Derron Williams is able to play to its potential the Jazz will have a bright future. Combine them with Mehmet Okur and Andre Kirilenko, the second coming of Dolph Lundgren, and the future of the Jazz looks brilliant.

The Future of the Middle of the NBA: The Eastern Conference

The second half of the season is officially underway and now different teams will have to focus on the different aspects of basketball. Elite teams like the Spurs, Mavericks, Pistons and Heat will focus on dominating every game they play from here on out to secure home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. The upper-level teams, like the Cavaliers, Wizards, Clippers and Grizzlies, all of whom seem rather unlikely in this spot, will be competing for playoff positioning. Some teams, like the Magic, Hawks and Raptors will simply be trying to look to the future and develop the young talent they have. It is the teams that fall between these last two types that will have the greatest challenges ahead of them. They must prepare for a playoff run, and prepare to make potentially drastic changes in the off-season to push themselves to the next level, and ultimately, to become contenders. It is with that in mind, that Page4Hoop examines those teams in a two part series entitled ‘The Future of the Middle of the NBA.’

First, the Eastern Conference…

Sixers— Despite having one of the weakest benches in all of basketball, the Sixers could be a dangerous playoff team. If only the first round of the playoffs was based on a five game series, the Sixers could upset nearly any team in the league. Even an older, wiser (though some might debate this) Allen Iverson is generally good for at least one win in a playoff series. The same could be said for Chris Webber on a good day. Even in a best-of-seven series, this Sixers squad could still be dangerous. That being said, this is not a roster built for tomorrow. At best, the current team wouldn’t make it past the second round, and with their stars aging, the future will not really see much of an improvement. Philly needs to take a look at their roster and figure out what moves they can make to build a better team around Iverson and Webber. This may involve mortgaging the future of the franchise, but if it brought a championship to the city of brotherly love, the fans would certainly be patient in a rebuilding effort. Though this might not be the case. The Sixers core, of Iverson, Webber, Andre Iguodala and Samuel Dalembert, is strong to enough to be in contention immediately with an adequate supporting cast.
The goal of the Sixers is, as it should be, to combine their mid-level exception and draft picks to create that team. By signing a savvy vet, like Jim Jackson, that would complete one piece of the puzzle. If the season ended today, they would be picking 17th and 45th; mid round draft picks. The draft will really be the difference maker for the Sixers this season. They need a big man, and another guard. If the injured Willie Green is able to return, he could provide them with that other guard, but he might not. Drafting big in the first round, and small in the second would make the most sense for the team. Realistically the Sixers will have a chance to select Hilton Armstrong or Josh Boone with their first round pick. Either of those players would provide a low post presence able to pick up the slack when Webber is injured or too worn down to play during the games. In the second round, the Sixers would be best targeting a guy like Louisville’s Taquan Dean. Dean is an undersized shooting-guard in the mold of Iverson. Though he’s not nearly as talented, his shooting range is better, and he is much bigger and stronger. Dean is also a very good defender and a four-year veteran. He was instrumental in Louisville’s run to the Final Four a year ago. By fortifying their bench with players like this, guys ready to come in and play, the Sixers might have the firepower to make a surprise push in the playoffs next season.

Bucks—Odd as it sounds, the Bucks will need to take a wait-and-see approach to the season. They actually have a very good mix of veterans and youth. With two promising players in Andrew Bogut and TJ Ford, the Bucks will be a good team for years to come. The biggest issue that they face is whether or not to make Bogut a power-forward. Although he is more than large enough, he may not be quick enough to play alongside Jamal Magloire in the frontcourt. Then again, he very well may be quick enough. Because Bogut is still learning the game, it is difficult to tell whether the two big-men will be able to coexist. In the end, the Bucks may be forced to move Magloire, but doing it a second before the trading deadline next year, would be a mistake. Until then, the Bucks will have to let the two play through their struggles together. If they can figure it out, the Bucks will have one of the biggest, strongest frontcourts in the game to pair with a deadeye gunner in Michael Redd. Since experience is the biggest thing that the Bucks need to become a contender, all they should do is wait, and let the cards fall how they will.

Bulls— The Bulls are at a crossroads. The current roster is clearly not good enough for contention, but some of the core pieces may develop into amazing players. As a team that is fully acquainted with long-term success, the franchise knows a thing or two about being patient and waiting for the perfect shot to open, so to speak. In the past the Bulls have made advantageous moves netting them assets like Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman and most recently a couple of draft picks from the Knicks. These picks may prove to be the biggest trading chip the team has. With two potential number one picks, the Bulls will certainly have their pick of, if not the best, the nearly best players in the drafts over the next two years. Drafts that include names like Lamarcus Aldridge and Greg Oden. Adding a player like this to the Bulls roster instantly makes them a lot stronger, and would give them all they could possibly need for the future.
Although there is another side to this coin: the Bulls could turn those picks, and some of their other assets, into a superstar and be contenders instantly. With Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce potentially on the trading block, the Bulls could convert their assets into one of these players. Even the possibility of pairing Tyson Chandler with Zach Randolph or a healthy Carlos Boozer might be enough to really improve the team. Rather than rehashing these so frequently talked about trade scenarios, there is another that is very worth exploring. With new GM Brain Colangelo looking to make his mark in Toronto, the Bulls could acquire, at a fairly reasonable price, one of the franchise’s two young power forwards, in Charlie Villanueva and Chris Bosh. Though it is tough to see the Raptors letting Bosh walk, if he were to make it clear that he wasn’t into playing for the franchise, as Joe Johnson did in Phoenix, the Raptors would likely give him up for a fair trade. If the Bulls offered Ben Gordon and possibly a pick for Bosh, Colangelo would definitely have to give it some serious consideration. The Raptors originally looked at Chris Duhon and in fact signed him to an offer sheet. Because of this he can’t be traded to the team within a calendar year of the signing, but is fair game after that. He would look good in the Raptors backcourt and Villanueva would look good on the Bulls if the Bulls were willing to include one of their picks in the deal. This would give Colangelo the option to select players that fit his mold in the draft, rather than working so much with the mess left by the previous administration. It would also give the Bulls a frontcourt mate to pair with Chandler and allow them to retain one or possibly both of their draft picks to select the elusive big guard.

Celtics—This situation is a bit stickier than the rest of them. They have two different cores, a young one and one in its prime. This situation rarely turns out positively. Philadelphia is another perfect example of this situation; though their cores are closer in age. Danny Ainge needs to make an executive decision as to whether the Celtics want to win now, or in four years. At this point, both scenarios are realistic, but he really won’t be able to have his cake and eat it too. Although neither is really the better option and Ainge seems to be too indecisive to pick one. With that in mind, Page4Hoop is formally starting a “Bill Simmons For Celtics GM” campaign. Let us know if you think Simmons belongs in the front office. We really think he could provide the Celtics with the direction they so desperately need. For his first move, Simmons could build a team around one of his favorite players, Paul Pierce. With the Indiana Pacers in a state of flux, a well-timed offer of Raef LaFrentz, Al Jefferson, Tony Allen and Brain Scalabrine plus a pick or two for Jermaine O'Neal and Fred Jones might actually happen. A mutually beneficial trade, it would give the Pacers a future, in Jefferson and Allen, and the Celtics a 'now,' by paring O'Neal with Pierce. If anyone could make this happen, the Sports guy could. "Bill Simmons for Celtics GM."

Page 4 Cast: The Page 4 Hoop Podcast

Today marks the day that Page 4 Hoop posts our first podcast. Now you can listen to the many insights of the Page 4 staff on your I-pod or computer. In this week’s podcast we discuss the trading deadline deals and their impact on the league. You can access the podcast by clicking the link on the right hand column or by clicking the title of this posting. We at Page 4 Hoop hope you enjoy Page 4 Cast.

Lebron Finds More Reasons To Smile

In the wake of all of the trading deadline’s higher profiles deals, such as Steve Francis to New York, the Cleveland Cavaliers quietly made two moves to fortify their roster as they prepare for a playoff run. By trading Mike Wilks, a second-round pick and cash, they were able to acquire two players that will prove to be important pieces in their run. With Larry Hughes out for what would seem to be an indefinite amount of time, the Cavs are desperately in need of scoring, and athletic wing play. That is exactly what Ronald “Flip” Murray and Lee Nailon bring to the table. By adding these two players to their roster, and giving up little in return, the Cavs have surrounded Lebron James with the necessary complimentary pieces to facilitate a playoff run.
Murray is an interesting commodity. He can score, he can dunk and he can play defense. He’s strong enough to play the two, but is a bit undersized for the position. Although he isn’t really a point guard, a position the Cavs still may need to address, his offensive prowess essentially neutralizes Eric Snow’s offensive shortcomings. If he and Snow can coexist in the backcourt, a feat that should be easily manageable, the Cavs will have a solid enough offense to replace that lost from Hughes’ absence.

Though Murray isn’t without his own shortcomings. He is not a particularly good dribbler, as is evidenced by his career average of 1.52 turnovers-per-game in just 21mgp. This though, should not be as much of an issue playing with James and Snow, since they handle the ball very well and he will be forced to do so less. The Cavs will also shy away from playing him as a point-guard, something the Sonics never did; that led to so many of his turnovers. His shooting percentage as of late should also be a concern for the Cavs. Though history shows that when Murray receives minutes consistently, he is able to shoot fairly well. In 03-04, Murray had a career year shooting 42.5% in 24.6mpg. Although those numbers aren’t great, they are better than how Hughes was shooting this year. If Murray sees the minutes, which he will, he can be a consistent force.

Lee Nailon fills another hole in the Cavs rotation. By missing Larry Hughes, the Cavs are without their best defender. Not
only does he defend well, but also he is able to create steals. Though James may eventually understand defense, he does not yet. Adding Nailon will go a long way to solving some of these defensive woes. He isn’t the ball hawk that Hughes is, but he is a solid defender. At 6’9’’ he is able to guard 2’s, 3’s and 4's. His big body makes him difficult to post up and his long arms give him the ability to contain guys on the perimeter. He’s a well-traveled veteran that will bring leadership to the team. He will also bring a high shooting percentage to the team. His career average of 47% will certainly be welcomed in the Cavaliers rotation. Nailon scores most of his points on the inside, which should make him a good fit on the floor with Donyell Marshall, how can be, in the right situation, deadly from the outside. Though he won’t seem many minutes, Nailon should be a regular part of Cavs rotation. He’s a better player than Ira Newble and should be able to fill in for Newble’s 13mpg.

Although these moves aren’t as earth shattering as the moves in New York, Seattle, Denver or Portland, they may go the longest way to making a difference when it matters: in the playoffs. Equipped with a savvy veteran and a young player looking to prove himself, who now has the chance to play, the Cavaliers should be able to make a serious push for the playoffs. These moves take a lot of the pressure off Lebron James and will allow him to play a smaller role in the offense. Last season the team crumbled because he was unable to carry them the whole season; by adding Murray and Nailon, James won’t have to.