The 2013-2014 campaign will foresee the
NBA future for Kobe Bryant. The 34-year-old Los Angeles Laker will be entering
the final year of his contract, set to make a little over $30.4 million next
year. Black Mamba, Jerry Buss and Mitch Kupchak each have a big decision to
make. What are they willing to do to win?
The Lakers roster is egregiously hard to look at, especially
from a financial point of view. After they inevitably attempt to sign Dwight to
a massive contract, the Lakers will have spent $45 million over the salary cap.
This is where Kobe Bryant comes in.
The Black Mamba
aka “Pass it to the Italian,” aka the flying Philadelphian aka Lord of the
Rings aka Kobe Wan Kenobi aka The Prophecy aka KB24 aka the last samurai is the
last great shooting guard this league has ever seen. Theoretically, Michael
Jordan was not my generation, but Kobe was. He is 1 ring short of Michael, and
it seems that this last run at a title will define his career. With Pau Gasol
on the final year of his contract, and Nash’s retirement looking inevitably
closer, 2013-2014 might be Kobe’s best shot.
In 2012-13, Kobe’s numbers did not see a serious decline,
meaning that after next year, the decision to keep him on the roster is obvious.
Kupchak knows Kobe Bryant can theoretically compete until he’s 40, maybe 45.
The Achilles tear he suffered at the end of this season will
set him back until November, maybe December. Until then D’Antoni’s group will
need to find a consistent option on offense (shouldn’t be problem with Mike in
the coaching chair).
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However, Kobe’s future looks bleak. For any other player who
finished a year scoring 27 points a night, they would be excited for the
upcoming season. Kobe, on the other hand, understands his position in this
league and what its gonna take for him to beat Durant’s Thunder and LeBron’s
Heat. They will need Dwight, Nash, and Pau along with a strong and capable
bench, as well as a truly dominant coach, like the Zen Master.
Kobe Bryant will likely sign a new contract in 2014, but
only if Kupchak puts 2 qualified stars around Bryant, hoping #24 will take care of the rest.
It’s blood
and guts now. Championship or bust. Both these teams have worked infinitely
harder each day, but now, we get to see if the Miami Heat and the San Antonio
Spurs can put their money where their mouths are.
To lay down
a brief history of the series so far: Wade and Bosh combine to be 1 true
superstar, and Danny Green is the next Ray Allen. Tony Parker and Tim Duncan
are two of the smartest players to compete in this league, and so is LeBron.
And Popovich is one of the best coaches ever, but you already knew that.
Neither
team has lost two games in a row, and if all goes according to plan, the Spurs
are set to win this one. However, I wouldn’t be too sure about that. Game 7 is
a playoff series in itself. The pressures of winning it all can be too much to handle. Any slight mental error
can cost a team their title, and every possession is going to be more crucial
than the former.
I have
counted 10 major factors that will impact this game: five for each team. So I
won’t hold all you readers back, here we go:
1.Tim Duncan needs to repeat his Game
6 performance. In
the first half of Tuesday’s game, Duncan was 11-13 with 25 points. He finished
with 30 because of a slow 4th quarter. Now, if he was on the court
as a defensive presence before Allen hit the tying three, maybe the season
would’ve ended. But Pop can’t think about that now, nor can Timmy. Duncan needs
another 20+ point and 15+ rebound effort for this team to consider a victory.
2.LeBron will attempt his third
triple-double of the series. A feat no player has yet to accomplish, three triple-doubles in the
NBA finals will make LBJ’s legacy that much greater. The best player in the
world needs to prove that he is the best player ever, and that starts tonight.
3.Danny Green needs to find his
shooting stroke again.
After only scoring 3 points in Game 6, Danny Green was a non-factor unlike
every other game in this series. Bosh had said that day that DG won’t be open,
and he was right. Tonight will be a different story. Pop and Parker will call
plays getting Green open off screens, hoping to ignite the outside shooting of
him and possibly Gary Neal.
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4.Wade’s knees will prevent him from
being a major impact.
Wade can do it all. As a talented mid-range shooter, an excellent slasher, and
top notch shot blocker at the shooting guard spot, Wade makes every opponent
work for their buckets. Wade only played 37 minutes in Game 6 despite it going
into overtime. He is clearly limited. If the Spurs can exploit that properly (strong pick-and-rolls), then
San Antonio will find a way to win.
5.Manu must be the Manu of old. Those eight turnovers he committed
in Game 6 must transform into 16 Spurs points. Possessions will determine this
game. Whatever team takes more shots will make more shots, and if Manu’s
throwing the ball away every time he touches the ball, the Spurs will find
themselves on a quiet plane ride back to Texas.
6.Ray Allen must be Ray Allen. That game-tying three put me on my
ass. I was more shocked there than when half the Stark family got assassinated.
Ray Allen haunts my dreams from his days as a SuperSonic to when he played for
the Celts, and now as a Miami Heat. As a Knick fan, I associate Ray with Reggie
Miller. The two just slaughter an opponent at the most vulnerable time. Ray
will be Ray and hit the big shots when he’s got the ball, so the Spurs gotta
get a body on him fast, like FAST.
7.Does Tony want this? I mean, obviously he does. This
ring will establish him as one of the top 10 best point guards to play the
game, maybe. Tonight his hamstring woes cannot exist at all, and instead he
must utilize his years of experience as an on-court coach and manage this game.
If the Spurs win tonight, he will be MVP, so he must play like one.
8.LeBron will show up. Now, although my second point
references LeBron, he’s just that important to whether the Heat win or lose.
Bosh will make open mid-range jumpers, and so will Wade, but in order for them
to have an opportunity to score, LeBron needs to play aggressive and do almost
everything for his team to win. He shot 63.6% in the fourth quarter of Game 6
and slowed Parker down to the point where the Spurs had no offense. LBJ has to
defend Tony Parker on D, and facilitate and execute on offense. Sounds easy,
right?
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9.Popovich needs to make the right
adjustments. I think
we can all agree that benching Tim Duncan on that last defensive play was a
mistake. He was clearly thinking the same think Frank Vogel was when Hibbert
was pulled during Game 1, when LeBron had that game winner. Duncan and Leonard
are the only proficient rebounders that the Spurs have, and every coach will
tell you that rebounds will games. When the game is on the line, I’d keep Timmy
out there.
10.The Heat must pack the paint. Duncan went 11-13 in the first half
of Game 6 but finished 13-20. The forces of LeBron and Birdman must keep Duncan
struggling. Whenever he posts up on Chris Bosh, the Heat need to collapse and
keep Tim on his toes. He is not quick enough to make the best passes, only the
right ones. So, as a Miami Heat defender, I would look to anticipate score
first, pass second, but that means attack Tim and put him in an awkward
position to do anything positive with the basketball.
Final Prediction:
LeBron
James is a freak of nature. He won’t let his team lose in Game 7 on his home
floor. He saw his season dwindle on Tuesday and willed a victory. Every time
LeBron is on the court, the Spurs are threatened to lose. I expect King James
to play 45 minutes, with those three minutes being rests at the end of the 1st,
2nd, and 3rd quarters. Tony will be shut down if LeBron
guards him, and Duncan won’t be a threat if LeBron blocks him. LeBron will get
his second ring, because the team with the best player on the floor usually
wins. That’s history.
NBA
offseason is upon us, and I have heard too many different rumors about Dwight
Howard not discuss it.
On a
Wednesday, when there is no basketball on tonight, I am stuck watching hockey
and anxiously awaiting the Spurs to bring it Thursday night.
The two
teams in Los Angeles probably do not care who wins the finals, seeing as they
have more on their plates. Dwight Howard, arguably one of the most dominant big
men in the league today, has much at his disposal come July 1st.
Here’s some options for the two players.
Dwight
Howard:
The center
formerly known as Superman has plenty of destinations to visit, including his
current team, the Lakers. Kobe has publicly made it clear that he wants Dwight
to stay, believing that with a formidable defender and rebounder, it will make
it easier for Kobe to make another title run. The Lakers have just over $68
million spent in terms of their salary cap, but hold Dwight’s bird rights, making
him eligible for a big contract.
The only
caveat with playing in Los Angeles is the media. It is the same reason why
Dwight was nervous about seriously considering Brooklyn. The critics love a big
city team, and with a history like the Lakers and their championship pedigree,
there is a lot of pressure on Dwight to succeed.
Another
option is Houston. With James Harden proving everyone wrong, Houston is looking
for another real star to team up with their franchise player. Dwight would fit
in perfectly in Houston. Lin doesn’t really do much, but when he tries to
penetrate off the pick-and-roll, Dwight will be there to pick up the pieces.
Omer Asik would be a great compliment at backup center (his true position), and
Thomas Robinson and Chandler Parsons could fly under the radar as excellent
role players.
The Houston
Rockets play in the house that Hakeem built. They love having an all-star
center, and Harden needs a breather every now and then, and he’ll find that
when dumping it to Dwight in the post. Coach Kevin McHale won’t take Dwight’s
salty attitude; he’s not that type of coach. He’ll keep egos in check, and just
maybe, they will become a true contender.
The last
place I see Dwight truly considering is Dallas. Mark Cuban loves taking risks;
that’s just who he is. Dirk has openly said he’ll take less money if another
superstar signs with the Mavs. The Mavs have a roster devoid of a true center.
Darren Collison and Rodrigue Beaubois are still developing, but together are
one solid point guard. Vince and OJ Mayo can score, but are still very limited,
and Dirk is Dirk. There is still a hole in the middle. Dwight can fill the shit
out of that hole.
In Dallas,
Dwight will help Dirk create one of the strongest and most feared frontcourts
in all of basketball. The Hibbert-West and Griffin-Jordan walls will look soft
compared to the intensity Dallas can bring with this revamped roster.
All things
considered, I think Dwight will stay in LA. Maybe because Kobe said so, but
maybe cause it’s easier for Dwight mentally. He had to option of going to
Brooklyn years ago, and freaked out and decided to stay in Orlando. History
repeats itself.
Tonight’s
game will go down in NBA finals history. And if the Knicks were playing, it
might’ve been the greatest basketball game ever played. Blood and guts were out
on the floor, and I have never seen basketball players compete with that level
of intensity for 53 minutes (and I’ve been watching this sport for a while).
There will
be no criticisms to be doled out tonight, for no one player is deserving of my
fury and written wrath. Manu’s 8 turnovers were very disappointing, but so were
LeBron’s 6.
Ray Allen’s
three made me shiver while standing, and that only happens when I urinate. He
is the Heat’s “big shot Bob” and definitely deserving of every accolade he’s
received.
Tim Duncan
played like the first ballot Hall of Famer we have all known to love. He is the
BEST power forward to ever play this game. I don’t care how many Karl Malone
fans exist. Duncan played outstanding tonight, nearly perfect: 30 points and 17
rebounds is masterful. I just wished Popovich left Tim in the game for the last
possession in regulation (the one where Ray fucked San Antonio in the face).
Tim could’ve gotten that rebound over Bosh, no problem.
The Heat
hit 11 threes, but Ray only hit one. Danny Green went 1-5 from downtown, and
Wade played only 37 minutes. Not to be a total ass here, but I hope that knee
of his swells up like a plum in Bon Ton, Louisiana, and gets annihilated by one
of the many fang hanging vampires that live in True Blood’s town.
I’m giving
total respect to Mike Miller after tonight, for sticking through playing like
dog shit and still making a clutch 3 with only 1 shoe. Chalmers found his touch
again, which brings me to believe that he is only good in Miami (so basically
the Spurs are fucked Thursday night if Super Mario has another huge game).
Kawhi!!!!
MAKE YOUR FREE THROWS!!!!! If he makes both those free throws, he gets to wear
the most bedazzled ring he’ll ever see. I know he’s 21 and probably can’t
handle that pressure (I’d miss both), but he’s gotta make those. Man, that
season depended on him making his free throws, and he botched it. In all
fairness, Tony got blocked by Chris Bosh in OT when he should have taken it to
the hole. I don't blame Kawhi, and neither do the Spurs.
Tony
Parker. Oh, TP, how you show why you are invaluable to this team. Tony turned
the ball over zero times tonight, and Pop loved that. Tony played 43 minutes
with a terrible hamstring, and it showed: 6-23 from the field. Those are
Carmelo numbers when KG is in his ear chirping away. Obviously LeBron’s 11-26
isn’t that much better, but when you’ve also got 10 rebounds and 11 assists
like James had tonight, you can shoot under 50% (Tony shot 26%).
Thursday
night is gonna be one of the greatest matchups in the history of this sport. Fans
of the NBA will see blood and guts and tears. Game 7 of the NBA finals, and we
get to experience it.
I missed
Chamberlain’s 100, as well as Jerry West’s half court shot. I was in the Garden
when Reggie took down the choking Knicks, but don’t remember it. I never really
got to see MJ dominate, nor see a Kareem sky-hook. I’ve never been to the
Staples Center, let alone watch Magic do his thing. But Thursday night, I’m
gonna watch LBJ, and I’m gonna watch Tony and Tim.
On the NBA’s
greatest stage, this will be the last game of the season. No tomorrow.
