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Playoff Quick Thoughts (East Edition)

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We missed a formal playoff preview this year so, instead, let’s jump into some quick thoughts for each playoff series and do our usual feature about the last time each team met in the playoffs.  Today, we will do the East today and the West shortly after…. -76ers v. Wizards:  As anticipated, the 76ers handled the Wiz relatively easily at home (Game 1 was competitive but Game 2 was decidedly not).  The 76ers stars have been dominant and Tobias Harris’ great start bodes well for … [Read more...] about Playoff Quick Thoughts (East Edition)

2020-21 MVP Picks

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Who is the 2020-21 NBA MVP?  Usually, there is not much controversy and the best player seems apparent to most fans/voters.  Specifically, the MVP is usually the best player on the best team.  That’s the nice thing about the NBA, the best players historically are on the best teams.  There were times when strong narratives regarding nice stories (i.e. Allen Iverson 2000-01) or shear voter fatigue (see Jordan, Michael) changed the vote but, for the most part, it has held.  … [Read more...] about 2020-21 MVP Picks

SI’s 1996-97 Fearless Predictions Revisited

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In March 2020, while we were just starting this long pandemic, I resolved to do more deep dives on NBA history stuff.  The first result was an article revisiting Sports Illustrated’s Hank Hersch “10 Fearless Predictions” for the 1995-96 NBA season.  The goal wasn’t to critique the predictions.  Really, the goal was to capture that moment in time and what people were thinking at the time and what we see now with the benefit of hindsight.  These predictions were obviously meant … [Read more...] about SI’s 1996-97 Fearless Predictions Revisited

Are the Knicks for Real?

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With a relatively easy victory over the Raptors yesterday, the Knicks have now won nine straight and sit tenuously in the fourth seed at 34-27.  Naturally, New York is aflutter over the Knicks playing meaningful games in April and generally appearing to be a competent organization.  Let’s look at the Knicks and how real this turnaround is… What exactly are the 2020-21 Knicks? They are the 2020-21 version of the old Jeff Van Gundy Knicks, a slow paced/defensive squad.  Tom Thibodeau … [Read more...] about Are the Knicks for Real?

Too Many 3-Pointers?

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At the end of today’s Celtics-Nuggets game, Boston Globe columnist Bob Ryan tweeted “Celtics and Nuggets a combined 15-for-67 on threes today. Yeah, that three-point shot is a great idea. It really enhances the game. By the way, Nuggets score 8 points in the fourth quarter. I don’t have a punch line.”  Ryan’s disgust triggered the typical back-and-forth about the relative merits of the three-pointer to which Ryan noted: “How about just junking the whole needless thing? The three was the … [Read more...] about Too Many 3-Pointers?

Revisiting the Manning-Nique Trade

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The trade deadline has come again and this year’s relatively mild events had me thinking back to, perhaps, the biggest late season trade when the Atlanta Hawks traded franchise icon Dominique Wilkins to the Clippers for Danny Manning in February 1994.  Even 27 years later, it still seems odd that this deal happened.  Let’s take a look back and see if things make more sense now than they did then… 1993-94: Atlanta Surprises in a non-MJ World Before we get into the specifics of the … [Read more...] about Revisiting the Manning-Nique Trade

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