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Lebron James Looks on After His Game Winning Shot

A back-and-forth battle between the Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat featured a breakout performance by the NBA Most Improved Player of the Year, Paul George, a ridiculous decision by up and coming coach Frank Vogel and the shot heard round the world by LeBron James to finish off up a triple-double night. Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals truly had it all, well except a win for my beloved Indiana Pacers.

In preparation of game 2 of the Pacers-Heat series lets take a few minutes to look back at what stands out:

Paul George’s 3 point shot that took game 1 into overtime

o Paul George’s Blue Collar Gold Swag - This was PG claiming his rise to stardom. Anyone who knows anything about Indiana and its way of life knows that it is truly blue collar living: with factory workers and farmers who truly succeed the good old fashioned way: grin and bear it, hard work not always easy. George made his fair share of mistakes in this game, but just like that beautiful corn a farmer forgets his bad batches, we will remember the game tying 3 pointer and his 3 clutch free throws. The most compelling thing about star power is how it helps us selectively forget. Just like the city he represents he earned his gold swag the good old-fashioned blue collar way.

o Lebron – enough said in this game. He finished with a triple-double line of 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, oh yeah and he hit the game-winning layup as time expired in overtime to give the Heat the 103-102 victory over the Pacers. What stands out to me are over the past few years’ critics have often questioned is Lebron is truly clutch? I think he silenced many of those critics with this performance. Previously portrayed as a choke artist who wanted no part of the last shot in tightly contested games, LeBron has developed into one of the most clutch scorers in the NBA. Statistically, he is the most clutch player in the league. Per an article on ESPN.com, LeBron entered the Association in 2003, he has the most game-tying or go-ahead field goals in the postseason’s final 24 seconds of fourth quarter and overtime.

Indiana Pacers head coach Frank Vogel

o Frank Vogel and his over coaching. Let me start by saying it was a TERRIBLE decision to leave your best interior defender in Roy  Hibbert on the bench on the most important defensive possession of the game. I will say Vogel needs to watch the replay of Hibbert blocking Carmelo Anthony’s dunk. You make LeBron shoot jump shots. You don’t let him get to the rim. You do that by having your rim protector in the game. It’s just that simple. Hibbert has earned the right all season to be in the game at that point. But to his credit Hibbert’s absence wasn’t the only problem the Pacers had Paul George was too aggressive going toward LeBron, which left the superstar wide open. Sam Young did nothing. On the same note these are issues the coach should have been able to address as well.
o So many talented players- who to watch out for? Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, Danny Granger, Paul George, Roy Hibbert, The Birdman, Chris Bosh and so many more. In this type of series there is so many components to take into play. Who will step up in game 2?

Indiana Pacers Prepare for Game 2

Now the question on so many people’s mind now is: what will game 2 bring? I have so many different thoughts on this, but I see 2 hungry team coming for a fight and this series has the potential to turn into a knock down drag out fight til the end. This series will no question be physical and nasty. For the Pacers coming off a loss in Game 1, the next game is always the most important of the series. Steal Game 2 and you are in control of the series. Go down 2-0 and it’s lights out for the rest of the series. The Pacers made a lot of mistakes that must be corrected and weathered a hell of a game from one of the greatest to play the game.

I am calling it now: the Blue and Gold will go back home to the Pacers Nations with the series tied 1-1.

Follow Devin on Twitter

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We knew coming into the Western Semifinals that it wasn’t going to be pretty. We expected a rough and tumble, grit and grind, chess match of defense and half-court sets. Fast-breaking, showboating, high-flying teams had crumbled and fallen to the wayside and the warrior teams remained, hardened by battle.

But after the first game, the Western Finals has taken a seemingly one-sided turn. It wasn’t pretty for the Grizzlies, whose vaunted team defense was picked apart time and again by the witty and wise Spurs. San Antonio put on a clinic and won 105-83 in dominating fashion, making the score seem more like 127-71.

The Grizzlies have been here before; losing game one of their first two series’ against the Clippers and Thunder before bouncing back and pummeling the opposition into submission. Memphis lost by 21 points in the opening game against LA and came back to win the series in six games, then they lost the opener to OKC only to win the next four straight.

Memphis ought to be able to make a similar bounce-back with the necessary adjustments in this series too. However this loss was so completely demoralizing, and the Spurs made it look so easy, that it’ll take more than some slight adjustments to reestablish themselves and regain their confidence.

Start with Zach Randolph who needs to get going early and often. The Grizzlies leading scorer in the playoffs (19+ PPG in first two rounds) finished with two points on 1/8 shooting and was repeatedly frustrated by the help defense of the Spurs. San Antonio crowded the paint making it difficult for both ZBO and Marc Gasol to coexist with proper spacing. While Gasol could still thrive in the high post and shoot open 15-foot jumpers, Randolph struggled to create space. At their best, the bash bros could conceivably wear Duncan down with repeated physical banging while putting him in foul trouble, getting to the charity stripe, and forcing some under-qualified combination of Splitter, Blair, Bonner and Diaw to battle the best big-man combo in the league.

Posting Randolph and Gasol as a high-low combo will allow both more space; Randolph drawing double-teams with his physicality and defenders wary of leaving a wide open Gasol at the elbows. The Spaniard can then use that space to showcase his elite passing ability that made him the assists leader among centers in the NBA this season. And if Randolph isn’t open, perimeter players can curl around screens and get open for Gasol’s passes to either shoot, take to the rim and draw contact, or take to the rim and dish to either of the bigs.

To ensure this spacing and avoid suffocation, the Grizzlies have to establish their shooting threats early and swing the ball throughout the offensive zone to find Quincy Pondexter, Mike Conley, Jerryd Bayless, Tony Allen and Tayshaun Prince. Pondexter especially shone in this role in game one and other Grizzlies should follow his example as the Spurs are sure to focus on QPon after his 17-point, 5/9 3-point shooting night in game one. Memphis isn’t particularly deep, but have some underutilized pieces.

Once the shot goes up the Grizzlies need to crash the glass a little better to grab offensive rebounds and create second-chance opportunities. Memphis is a better rebounding team than they showed and fighting for second chances and swinging the ball around the court will tire the Spurs. San Antonio’s core is aging, however gracefully, but making them run and run like Golden State did will make the Spurs less effective and fresh on the offensive end and won’t allow them to set up their half-court defense on the other. This is especially true for Mike Conley who needs to pester Tony Parker on the defensive end relentlessly and make him work on the other end by taking it to the rim hard.

Parker had 20 points and nine assists and got wherever he wanted whenever he wanted on offense, though his health has been questionable at times during the playoffs. He’s an effective scorer who led all guard during the regular season shooting 52.2% from the field. The perimeter defense of Conley, Allen (3x All-NBA Defense) and Prince (4x All-NBA Defense) should be able to hamper Parker and the Spurs’ ball movement. Those perimeter defenders should also be able to watch the game tape and adjust to shooters to prevent another onslaught of San Antonio threes (the Spurs set a Playoff franchise record with 14 long bombs).

Regaining confidence won’t be easy, but stealing a game in San Antonio would shock the Spurs after they seemed so untouchable in game one. Back in Memphis at the FedExForum the Grizzlies will hold a significant home-court advantage having lost only once since February 6th. Winning the series is still very doable so don’t count the Grizzlies out just yet. For a team that has already advanced furthest in franchise history, the NBA Finals are just four wins away and Memphis won’t be caught flat-footed again.

Follow Mat on Twitter
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Phil Jackson, eleven-time NBA Champion, has been linked to rumours recently suggesting his return to the NBA.

Indiana, New York, Michigan, Illinois, Pennsylvania, California, Georgia. These are the names of American states, rich in basketball tradition for decades. Celtics, Lakers, Knicks, Bulls, Rockets, Pistons, 76ers, Heat. These are the names of franchises enshrined in the depths of NBA records, championships and historic moments. Pettit, Cousy, Chamberlain, Robertson, Abdul-Jabbar, Unseld, Russell, Erving, Johnson, Jordan, Duncan, James. These are a fraction of MVP’s, league leaders, elites, and respected legends. Kundla, Riley, Popovich. These are the coaches who have won five and no less than three championships in the NBA and the ABA. Nine. The number synonymous to the great Red Auerbach, the leader and heart of the Boston Celtics, who won that many championships between 1957-1966.

Deer Lodge, Montana. Knicks, Nets, Bulls, Lakers. 6.7 points per-game, 4.3 rebounds per-game.1155 games won, 485 lost. Eleven NBA Championships. This is the background of a legend. This is Phil Jackson.

Not many people would ever consider somebody from Deer Lodge, Montana – a population of just over 3,300 – to become the face of a sport, or a profession. Deer Lodge was known as a railroad town, a home to a prison museum, and now, the home of an NBA legend, Phil Jackson. Could one man’s legacy have that much power to change the face of a whole community? A city? A state? Phil Jackson’s playing career certainly didn’t, as it was average at best, but his love of the game brought him back to coaching, where he flourished in Chicago and Los Angeles, winning himself those illusive eleven championships, guaranteeing him a spot in Springfield when he was ready. Over this coaching career, Jackson preached to some of the biggest names in the game – Jordan, Pippen, O’Neal, Bryant.

Jackson won six NBA Championships in eight years alongside Michael Jordan.

He’s been at the top, he’s seen it all. He’s dealt with the continuous drama between two stars, he’s witnessed a man who refused to give up his thirst for championships, and he’s been the leader of arguably two of the top three most dominant NBA franchises in the history of the game.

He’s done it all, right? So why, during the 2013 season, a year removed from coaching, is Jackson’s name being mentioned again? Is it just the basketball enthusiasts trying to generate hoops-talk, or is it legitimate? Are people just lonely without Jackson at the helm of a franchise, or do they still think that he has something left to give?

As the Lakers set their sails on another season, questions surrounded the franchise and it’s direction. Mike Brown was hired to lead the new-age ‘Showtime’ as dubbed by the media. The collaboration of two-time MVP, Steve Nash, free-agent-to-be Dwight Howard, and Laker legend Kobe Bryant were almost a lock to get at least to the Western Conference Finals, if not the whole way. Yet, like a mother sending her child to school for the first day, there’s was a reluctant feeling that remained behind closed doors. A feeling that things would never be the same without the man who had held the hand of this franchise during it’s latest success.

That feeling was evident, and that feeling was quickly addressed. After a less than slow start to the season, Brown was dumped. His inability to translate his success from Cleveland to Los Angeles was clear, and a change needed to take place to save the hearts of the Lakers’ faithful. Fans screamed Jackson’s name, media outlets suggested it was the only thing the Lakers could do to salvage their season, and the Lakers went as far as to extend their hand to the eleven-time NBA Champion. Jackson was not a coach anymore, he was a savior. How does a man who’s won it all find the drive and motivation to come back for more? Jackson won his eleventh ring and retired a year later. That push for a repeat had been the final straw. The chase was over. Jackson’s prodigy Michael Jordan beat the Utah Jazz to cap off his career as an NBA champion yet found himself back in the NBA years later in an attempt to retrieve his glory, a failed attempt to put down the game he loved so dearly. Clearly, the Lakers believed that they too could convince Jackson that his career was not finished, and like Jordan, he could come back and prove he still had what it takes to climb to the top.

The situation was perfect for Jackson. An older team with solidified superstars, all of whom are considered near locks for the Hall-Of-Fame. The city was perfect. A chance to go back to Los Angeles and prove that he could bring back a championship to the city that was three years removed from it’s previous visit with Larry O’Brien’s hardware. The opportunity seemed…perfect. But what happens once you get to the top, once you achieve what you set out to accomplish? You want more. You strive for a new challenge, which is exactly what Jackson was interested in.

Kobe Bryant has always held Phil Jackson in high regard which was why the Lakers pushed for the two to reunite this past season.

The Lakers offered Jackson the job, but Jackson wanted more power, more control. Instead of being the bench boss, Jackson wanted a stake in the franchise, a bigger say. He had found his next adventure, his next goal. Already enshrined in the NBA’s legacy as a coach, Jackson now wanted to prove that he could run the show on and off the court. The signing of Mike D’Antoni put the lid on Jackson’s immediate return to the Lakers, as the organization’s brass wanted a head coach, not a new partner. The cries were heard throughout the streets and over the internet as fans and loyal Laker lovers pleaded to the organization to bring back their leader. Indeed, Jackson was the Lakers’ God.

Numerous rumors continued throughout the next few months as Jackson’s words had sparked the conversation of the legendary bench boss returning to take a seat in the upper-deck of a franchise. Pat Riley had done it successfully, switching from the bench boss to the red lower-level seats in Miami’s American Airlines Arena. His success had been documented, and when things looked to be shaky, he simply signed off on a coach and took a few strides down the steps, returning next to the scorer’s table on the hardwood. It seems like a fool-proof plan for Jackson. An opportunity to translate his successes as a coach to the front office make it seem like a no-lose situation for any franchise that would be willing to pick the 67 year-old up. But could he really do it?

Vince Carter brought life into Toronto’s basketball fan-base, but could never advance past the second round of the playoffs.

Enter the Toronto Raptors, a franchise that has made the playoffs just five times in eighteen seasons since entering the NBA. Searching for an identity, the Raptors have gone through numerous coaches and management, struggling to put the right pieces together. They’ve had their franchise names in Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady and most recently Chris Bosh. Toronto’s secured the first pick in the NBA draft, and have done their best Portland Trail Blazer impersonation, picking the new-school Sam Bowie, Andrea Bargnani, with that pick. They’ve gone through rental stars such as Shawn Marion, and they’ve seen players leave and later regret their decision, like Damon Stoudamire. A hockey-rich town with a team that’s legacy is deeper in the NHL history books than any other, Toronto has been craving a winner, someone to come close to the expectations that former Leaf teams have set. Toronto wants more, they want a champion.

When MLSE hired Tim Leiweke on April 26, 2013, the message was clear: Toronto franchises are here to win, and the push starts now. The job security of Bryan Colangelo and Dwayne Casey immediately was put in to question as both have a year remaining on their contracts. Colangelo has been less than impressive after his inaugural season with the Raptors where his team exceeded expectations, winning the Atlantic Division and securing him the league’s GM of the year. Casey is yet another coach in Colangelo’s tenure, another attempt at trying to turn around the enshrined values and work ethic of a team that has struggled to emerge from the basement of the NBA. His values and work ethic alone have given him praise around the NBA, but not much has changed in the franchise. Leiweke was known in Los Angeles as the changer, the man who wasn’t afraid to pull the trigger and make things happen. His ways brought soccer legend David Backham to Los Angeles, and his relationship with Phil Jackson was instrumental to the winning music in Laker Land. When Leiweke got the job, Jackson was the first name brought up, and if interested, he could become the Raptors’ Pat Riley.

The question is, does this move make sense for the Raptors and the city of Toronto? I presented the question to former Toronto Raptors coach and NBA coach of the year, Sam Mitchell. Would bringing Jackson to any franchise bring any value to the front office, or would it merely be a smokescreen to bring in an attractive name with no experience in the field? “In the short term, a name helps,” says Mitchell. “But in the long term, it’s always about your skills.” Not many can argue with that, as the product you produce is the most important aspect of a hire. Nobody has questioned Jackson’s abilities on the floor as a coach, but would his style and his way of doing things translate to the front office? Would his teams be contenders? Michael Jordan went from winning rings, breaking records and engraving himself as the greatest of all time, to sitting lonely nights in the front office of the Washington Wizards, itching to come back, only to return briefly and then find himself in another losing organization that he controls, the Charlotte Bobcats. Winning in one aspect of the game does not always carry over into other jobs. Steve Kerr was instrumental in the Chicago Bulls’ success during the Jordan-era, yet his talents never translated over into the Phoenix Suns’ board room. As Mitchell puts it, “Time will tell. For every Pat Riley or Wayne Embry, there is someone who isn’t. But, who could argue with his track record?” And who could? Jackson has won in different eras, with different greats, great teams, and the same approach. Who could argue with him being appointed to front office of the Toronto Raptors, or of any team for that matter?

Could Phil Jackson take the Toronto Raptors to the next level?

The culture within Toronto will never be satisfied with a slum, a mediocre talent, or anything below great. They constantly cry for success, they dream about it, and now they want to see it. Some could see Jackson’s hiring as a way to intrigue players to the city of Toronto. Stars have boasted about their love for the city. Charles Barkley has gone on record to show how much he loves Toronto. Yet, none of them have actually ever lived there, played there, or been a part of anything special…yet. With the intriguing possibility of the Raptors and the city of Toronto hosting the NBA All-Star game, this, along with a relationship and the opportunity to turn a franchise around, may be enough for Leiweke to convince Jackson that Toronto is his next stop, his next mountain to climb. By doing so and adding Jackson, you instantly have the credibility and name that the franchise has forever dreamt of having since Vince Carter departed to New Jersey. It brings back hope, it brings promise. And while it could be a major success, or a massive failure, everybody is in love during they honeymoon, and for the city of Toronto, they pray that it’s a marriage that could last forever.

Follow Alex on Twitter
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There’s a saying for any situation in life. Believe me, I know. My mother has spouted off at least 85% of those sayings to me, all in Spanish. When the news came down that Russell Westbrook would be having surgery to repair a lateral meniscus tear, I went through the 5 stages of grief pretty quickly:

• Denial – I thought it was a joke. I mean, the man played on the injury the entire 2^nd half of game 2 and racked up 29 points. One time I ripped a hang nail from my finger and was out of commission for 3 days. You’re telling me this man tore a shock absorber in his knee and was able to play 24 more minutes of playoff basketball successfully? There’s no way he would be needing surgery.
• Anger – Damn you Patrick Beverly. Yes, the “play on the ball before a timeout” play is one that a lot of players, Westbrook included, make to the tune of a 0.00000001% success rate. But injuries very rarely happen on those plays, especially surgery-requiring injuries. The fact that he completely launched his  body into a defenseless Westbrook was reckless and inexcusable. So, again, damn you Patrick Beverly.
• Bargaining – After realizing that this upcoming surgery was not a joke, I started bargaining on Westbrook’s knee. I figured since he played on the injury, it must not be that bad. So, if it wasn’t that serious, maybe he’ll have surgery and come back in 12 days, like Crazy Uncle Ron Ron (Metta World Peace). I figured, at worst, he’d be out for 2-4 weeks. My logic was that if we could somehow push our 2^nd round opponent to more than Game 5 or actually make it to the Western Conference Finals, then maybe there was a chance that Westbrook may come back to play for the Thunder this postseason. As you can tell, there was a lot of maybe’s in my bargaining session.
• Depression – When the news came out after the surgery that Westbrook would be out for the entire playoffs, this was when “basketball fan” depression set in. The Thunder had battled all season long, not only to garner the Number 1 seed in the West, but also to exorcise the demons that remained from the James Harden trade. And now, against Harden and the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs, to have it all disintegrate on a reckless, stupid play, was completely and utterly disheartening.
• Acceptance – Almost immediately after hearing that Westbrook would be out for the remainder of the playoffs, and after the depression wore off, I accepted that Russell Westbrook would not be walking through those doors in a jersey this season. It was after I accepted this fact that my mindset on this team changed. It was no longer championship or bust. Now it was about getting better and hardening our will for future success. Would I love to see a historic championship run this season? Of course, but the basketball analyst/realist in me knows, that without Westbrook, the mountains that are the San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat just got a lot higher to overcome.

Once I had gone through my stages of grief, I started thinking about some of those sayings and how they apply to this current team. The first one that comes to mind is, “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” I’ve always wondered how this team would react to a serious injury to either Kevin Durant or Westbrook. The Thunder have been beyond blessed when it has come to the health of their players, especially the starters. Since March 14^th 2011, to include the regular season, the postseason, and the first 2 games of this postseason, the starters for the Thunder have played in 96.8% of those games together. That’s unheard of in the NBA. And none of the injuries have ever been serious. Now, the team is having to regroup on the fly due to an injury to their Iron Man.

From a player development standpoint, though, this is not a bad thing. What better way to cut your teeth than in the NBA playoffs? Reggie Jackson has steadily progressed in the last two seasons from a wide eyed rookie using his off arm to protect his dribble in traffic to leader of the bench unit on a championship caliber team. The time he is getting as a starter will have the same effect on his confidence as when Durant, Westbrook, and Harden all played in the Olympics. The “knowing that you belong” aspect of professional sports is often overlooked, but is very important in a young player’s maturation process.

Moving Jackson over to starting point guard also opens up a spot in the rotation for another bench player. Playing against a team that relies heavily on small ball lineups, pick-n-rolls, and 3-point shooting, DeAndre Liggins has done his job extremely well in his allotted minutes. Used mainly as a perimeter defender, Liggins has averaged 10 minutes per game and is a +11 combined in the two games since Westbrook’s injury. He’s disrupted the Rockets’ rhythm on PnR’s, has jumped out on the shooters, and has been surprisingly good on the defensive boards. This real time experience in the playoffs can do wonders for a player’s confidence moving forward. As the team (hopefully) moves ahead in these playoffs, it will be interesting to see whether any of the other young, seldom used bench players (Jeremy Lamb, Perry Jones III, Daniel Orton) will contribute any meaningful minutes. The “next man up” motto holds very true for the Thunder in these playoffs.

As the Thunder continue battling in the playoffs, another saying comes to mind: A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Just because one of your best players goes down, doesn’t mean that you stop playing. Look at the Golden State Warriors. David Lee goes down with a torn hip flexor in game 1 of their series against the Denver Nuggets and the team (especially Steph Curry and Jarrett Jack) responds to give them a commanding 3-1 series lead. Kevin Durant knows what’s ahead of him. He knows that from now on he will be Option A, B, and sometimes C for the Thunder. He knows that defenses will key on him with not only their best perimeter defender, but also with a 2^nd and, possibly, 3^rd defender. He knows this, and he’s ready. Players like Durant train for this moment their entire lives.  There was a time, six years ago, when Durant couldn’t even bench press 185 pounds. Now, he’s ready to carry, not just a team, but an entire city on his back.

The last quote that comes to mind when I think of this Westbrook situation is, “after the storm, comes the calm.” The storm was the Westbrook injury and the chaos that ensued. But from this experience, I believe the team will be stronger, smarter, and hungrier. Players know that championship windows can close as quickly as they open. A snap of a ligament here, a tweak of a back there, or the stupidity of an over-zealous bench player, and your franchise could be set back a decade. The Thunder now know this. They won’t forget the fragility of championship opportunities. Though the expectations have been lessened, the excitement has not. It’s a new world out there just waiting to be explored.

Follow Alex on Twitter
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There’s a reason why teams don’t like to trade core players within their own conference. The fact that you not only have to face them more times during the season, but also possibly in a playoff series, causes many teams to take lesser deals in order to trade a core player to another conference. That scenario now becomes a reality for the Oklahoma City Thunder. In their first round match-up with the 8^th seeded Houston Rockets, the team will meet up with former 6^th man extraordinaire James Harden. While the teams have already met three times before during the regular season, the stakes will undoubtedly be higher for these next 4-7 games.

The trade essentially comes full circle within the same season. When Harden was traded to the Rockets 4 days before the season started, many media pundits saw this as the first step back in a franchise that had progressed forward since it first stepped foot in the Great Plains in 2008.  Many wondered whether the team that many people had tabbed as the next great dynasty was finally beginning to succumb to the many ills that small market teams face. The new collective bargaining agreement, which was supposed to help small market teams with the concept of increased “player-sharing,” had actually robbed the model small market team of one of its superstars. Even the fans, those crazy, loyal, Oklahoma City fans, questioned whether the billionaire owners were crying cheap in the wake of a possible dynastic-like run.

In reality, the trade turned into a win-win situation for both parties involved. The Thunder front office and scouting team puts a premium on player development. It helps that they have drafted extremely well in the last 5 seasons. For every dud that’s ever gotten drafted by the Thunder, there are two studs in their place. For every Cole Aldrich the team drafts, there’s a Serge Ibaka or a Reggie Jackson. For every Byron Mullens, a Russell Westbrook or James Harden. The team not only looks at skill, but also character. They don’t just want players with specific skill sets; they want players that want to use those skill sets to reach their maximum potential, and then want get better from there. That’s what we’ve seen from the Thunder players when adversity hits. Many people wondered where the scoring would come from when the Thunder traded Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic to the Boston Celtics for Kendrick Perkins in February 2010. They were trading two double figure scoring starters for a center that struggled to average 8 points a game and was coming off of major knee surgery. After the trade, the Thunder adapted and Kevin Durant and James Harden increased their scoring to offset any loss of scoring on the offensive end. At the same token, with Ibaka getting a lot more minutes, the defense improved. The team ended that season with a trip to the Western Conference Finals.

Many wondered whether that same type of internal improvement could happen after the Harden trade. Seriously, what more could Durant and Westbrook do to improve their games? They were already 2 of the top 10 players in the league. The fact that Durant and Westbrook improved their games this season came as no surprise. They knew that they would not only have to replace the scoring of Harden, but also the playmaking. While the superstar duo’s scoring remained consistent from the previous season, it’s their assist numbers that made the team better. Durant averaged a career high 4.6 assists (up from 3.5 the previous season), while Westbrook upped his assist mark by nearly 2 assists per game. Not only did the assist go up, but the turnovers between the two went down (even if slightly). In addition, the duo became very efficient with their scoring. Durant became the newest member of the 180 shooting club (50% FG, 40% 3pt FG, and 90% FT), and Westbrook chose his spots a bit more technically this season.

But what of the other Thunder players? Incremental improvements from Durant and Westbrook alone wouldn’t be enough to replace Harden’s production. Enter Ibaka and Thabo Sefolosha. Ibaka’s scoring average jumped up over 4 points, but it’s in the matter in which he scored that assisted the team the most. Ibaka became one of the best mid-range shooting big men in the league. Where that helps the Thunder is in floor spacing for Westbrook and Durant. With opposing big men not being able to cheat off of Ibaka, the lanes opened up for the scoring duo. In addition to Ibaka, Sefolosha became a consistent 3-point threat and increased his scoring by nearly 3 points a game. For a team that performs optimally when the floor is spaced, the improvement of these two players has lessened the departure of Harden.

In addition, the Thunder got a comparable player in Kevin Martin. While the season has, at times, been a bit rough for Martin and his transition as a 6^th man, he has filled the role seamlessly enough to lessen the blow of the trade. The bench role transition was made more difficult by the fact that the Thunder not only traded Harden, but also 3 other members of the Thunder’s bench. The Thunder were, in essence, bringing in an entirely new bench unit. On a team that finds comfort in continuity, this was a shock to the system. It took about 65 games, but the coaching staff finally found a rotation off the bench that works for the team. What once seemed like a weakness after the trade, has, once again, turned into a strength for the team.

As mentioned above, the trade was a win-win for both organizations. The Rockets finally got the superstar player that they had been trying to acquire for the past few seasons. In an attempt to acquire a superstar player, that Rockets had been loading up on assets and freeing up cap space. When they failed to acquire Dwight Howard in the offseason, the team shifted its sights onto Harden, who was in a contract squabble with the Thunder. With their combination of Martin (expiring contract/comparable player), Jeremy Lamb (lottery talent), and draft picks, the Rockets finally acquired what they hope is the first piece of their successful puzzle. Not only do the Rockets now have a good young core in Harden, Jeremy Lin, Omer Asik, Chandler Parsons, and Thomas Robinson, but they also have the cap space to go after another premium free agent this offseason.

And what about our old friend, James Harden? I’ve always thought that sometimes, in life, you have to get pushed out of your comfort zone to achieve your utmost potential. The reality is that Harden was too talented to be a third option on any team, regardless of who the first two options were. He was a highly efficient scorer that got to the line in droves and was a top notch playmaker, to boot. He had shown that he could perform in high pressure situations and was beginning to be one of the most noticeable faces in the NBA (and its most noticeable beard). He was ready to be a superstar, and was ready to get paid like a superstar. The Thunder offered what they thought was a respectable offer, but also knew that Harden (and his agent) may be looking for something more. The market dictates what a player is worth. If a player begins to hear that he is worth the max, he’ll be looking for that type of money. The Thunder knew this and made a decision: either Harden sacrifices by taking a lesser than market value offer to stay on the team or the Thunder had to pounce on the best deal available. The rest is history. Harden was traded, got a super max extension, and became a superstar. End of story, right?

Wrong. Much like the Thunder versus the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2010 playoffs, the Rockets are now the hungry, young upstarts trying to take the crown from the defending Western Conference champion Thunder. In a way, the CBA’s concept of player-sharing actually worked out this time. The reality is that when you draft enough talent, you’ll eventually run out of money to pay them all. It’s not a bad dilemma to deal with if you have the right brain trust guiding the team. In the end, after coming full circle, one team got better in this trade and the other team improved. I’ll let you decide which is which.

That’s right! The fun loving Breakdown Round Table crew has been reunited once again and they have lots to say as it pertains to the Lakers, Kobe Bryant and the rest of the playoff match-ups.

The crew of course consists of former LA Laker, Samaki Walker, former Fresh Prince of Bel Air actor, Ross Bagley (Little Nicky) and publicist extraordinaire, Andi Rouse.

Its a fun chat that will have you in stitches!

The Breakdown is your home for hoops talk, the way it should be!

Follow Andrea on Twitter
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Kobe Bryant Holds His Leg in Pain

The entire city of Los Angeles took a joint gasp when Laker superstar Kobe Bryant went down with a tear on his Achilles tendon in a win over the Golden State Warriors. This has so many people around the world wondering, “what does this truly mean for the Los Angeles Lakers”? Whether you love him or hate him, there are very few people that ever doubt the talent or even more the heart of Kobe Bryant- he is truly a warrior on the court. Now that the Lakers have nipped the Rockets for the 7th seed it has me wondering what Kobe’s absence means for the Lakers playoff hopes?
Somewhere along his NBA journey, Kobe Bryant moved far beyond basketball star, beyond basketball legend, beyond even future Hall of Famer and into this rare stratosphere that there are few words to describe. There are only a few players in sports with the reach and impact of an athlete such as Kobe.  The ones that come to mind are:

New York Yankees Superstar & Legend Derek Jeter

Derek Jeter, Tom Brady, and Alex Ovechkin. These are not just great players, and they are not just team leaders and they are not just icons in the entire sports community. They are so deeply rooted in their game, in their team, in their time that it is hard to imagine the game going on without them.

Without their leader and superstar let’s take a look at what the Lakers are left to take the court with:
• Dwight Howard, one of basketballs’ biggest stars, but he does not have any hardware yet. Former Laker and NBA Champion, Samaki Walker calls Howard “the best center in the NBA”- it is now time for Howard to put up or shut up.

• Pau Gasol, a four-time NBA All-Star who I consider to be “the softest big men in the game. Often referred to as “Kobe’s favorite big-man”, but can he live up to that name and keep the long Lakers playoff legacy in tact?

• Steve Nash, a former MVP, a future Hall of Famer, who has the ability to change the entire game when he is on the court, but he has been rarely seen on the court this year.

• Metta World Peace who, in D’Antoni’s words, has “carried a few teams through the years.” The Lakers need someone to step up and carry this team through the playoffs. When you think of basketball- the fundamentals can be taught to anyone, but World Peace has a level of intensity that can never be taught and gain. The size of his drive and desire to win can boost everyone around him. He is a meat and potatoes- grin and bear it until its done kind of player.
• Steve Blake- Obviously, it’d be foolish to rely on him as the team’s primary backcourt scorer to make a run deep into the playoffs.  He does bring toughness to the game, and he can defend demurely. He will help us more then just put up numbers. Do not forget that the Lakers won the title two years running with a less than stellar point guard, and no three-point shooting. For those who have seen the movie “He’s Just Not That Into You” you know they stress the principal that you are the rule and not the exception- so yes Steve came out strong with his 23 point game after Kobe went down, but what I am saying is- that was the exception not the rule of how he will play. . Yes he has stepped up and shown a glimmer of talent, but the playoffs are a series and he has never shown that kind of consistency. For those who have seen the movie “He’s Just Not That Into You” you know they stress the principal that you are the rule and not the exception- so yes Steve came out strong with his 23 point game after Kobe went down, but what I am saying is- that was the exception not the rule of how he will play.

One bright spot of for the Lakers comes in that According to the website www.82games.com, the Lakers had given up 104.9 points per 100 possessions when Bryant was on the bench this year. But when he was on the floor, L.A. surrendered 108.1. That’s a massive swing, and it’s indicative of just how disengaged Bryant had been this year on defense. Based on casual observations, any objective Lakers fan (well if those actually exist) would admit that Kobe mailed it in on D this season. He hustled back in transition a lot less this year then in years past, showed no urgency in help situations and often completely failed to make simple rotations to cover open shooters.
All this being said, this humble writer thinks Laker Nation without Kobe Bryant suiting up in the Gold & Purple is just not Laker Nation at all. The playoffs will be a short trip, but providing a long summer for the players.

Follow Alex on Twitter
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There’s something to be said about big brothers. I never had one growing up, and, honestly, most of the people I associated with while growing up were the oldest children in their families. But in the examples that I did see while growing up, big brothers can help shape and mold younger brothers into something better than what they themselves are. As we’ve seen with the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, big brothers don’t even have to be related to their younger brethren to have an impact.

Big brothers serve two purposes in life: to frustrate and to motivate. The frustration part comes from the big brother’s ability to dominate over the little brother due to being older, bigger, and wiser. The motivation part comes from the little brother wanting to be better than the big brother. The thing about this big brother/little brother dynamic is that the little brother is able to take notes on how to best his big brother, while the big brother just has to wing being a big brother.

In a lot of ways, with all due respect to Kendrick Perkins, Nazr Mohammed, Royal Ivey, Kevin Ollie, and Desmond Mason, the best example of a big brother to the Oklahoma City Thunder has been Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant. With his recent season-ending (and hopefully, not career ending) Achilles tendon tear, I was forced to evaluate Bryant’s legacy when it comes to the Thunder.

If there is one word to describe my feelings towards Bryant’s basketball ability, it’s respect. Off the court, though, Bryant is one of those people that I would try to avoid like the plague. His arrogance and A-type personality, combined with a penchant to place blame on others when things don’t go his way, would be a package that I would completely avoid, if possible, in real life. But on the court, those personality traits, and the fact that he plays for the most polarizing franchise in NBA history, make for must see TV. Bryant is a five tool player that has a lethal 6^th tool: the overwhelming need to completely decimate his opponent night in and night out, year after year. Michael Jordan had this 6^th tool. Larry Bird had this 6^th tool. Bill Russell had this 6^th tool. Russell Westbrook HAS this 6^th tool.

To view Bryant as an opponent is to respect someone out of fear. Fear for what he could do against your team. Fear that he’ll conjure up some bulletin board material for his mental bulletin board, and go off on your team for no particular reason. Fear that he could miss 10 shots in a row, but the 11^th shot, with the game on the line, will go in without hesitation. That’s the kind of respect that Kobe Bryant garners. And yet, it’s a fear that keeps you staring in awe. He’s the type of player that fans say, “I hate what he does to my team, but I love to watch him play.”

Every successful up and coming team has that one hurdle they set their sights on. If you’re a team that is coming out of the dredges of the draft lottery, you mark successes in increments. First step is to be competitive on a nightly basis. Then the next step is to get into the playoffs. Then the next step is to be successful in the playoffs. You keep going until, hopefully, eventually, you win a championship. But along the way, especially in the early stages of the success journey, you always target that one team that’s been there and done that. For the Chicago Bulls in the late 80’s and early 90’s, it was the Detroit Pistons. For the Orlando Magic in the mid 90’s, it was the New York Knicks. And for the Thunder, it was the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers.

As fate would have it, that 2010 playoff series that pitted the No. 1 seeded Lakers vs. the No. 8 seeded Thunder was probably the best thing for the development of the Thunder. The fact that they were able to give the eventual champion Lakers a fight in the first round did wonders for the confidence of the young Thunder. But if you broke it down to its simplest form, the Thunder didn’t give the Lakers a test. They gave Kobe a test. They planted the seed in Kobe’s head that we would be a force to be reckoned with for the foreseeable future. When the crowd would chant, “Beat LA”, they were actually chanting “Beat Kobe”. Nobody feared Pau Gasol. Or Andrew Bynum. Or Derek Fisher (hehe!). We knew that Kobe had received the message. And that was both awesome and fearful (respectful) at the same time.

As the Thunder’s two superstars, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, progressed in the NBA world, they would eventually come in contact more often with Kobe Bryant. On Western Conference All-Star teams and, most importantly, the Olympics, Thunder fans can only hope that our superstars soaked up any of the psychological warfare that Bryant uses on a daily bases. Those blurbs that you hear from media members about Bryant talking trash to Durant, Westbrook, and at the time, James Harden during the Olympics, when they heard that the Lakers had acquired Dwight Howard and Steve Nash, is just classic mental warfare from Bryant. It’s the equivalent of how the military drops leaflets into countries they are warring with stating how their government is endangering them, the common citizen.

So with that, I say, thank you to Kobe Bean Bryant. He has as much a stake in the Thunder’s ascension and success as does any of the veterans that played for the team. He was the target that we went after when we wanted to be successful. Much like an older brother, he frustrated us. But he also motivated us. And we learned much from facing him and defeating him. Here’s hoping that Bryant does come back, while, realistically realizing, that the Bryant we knew, may have gone down in a heap in the Staples Center on Friday night. Whatever the future holds for Kobe, just realize that the future of the Oklahoma City Thunder was shaped, in part, by the man in the Lakers uniform that we feared and respected the most.

Follow Devin on Twitter

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The 2012-13 Grizzlies have undergone some pretty dramatic changes during the season, but after a salary dump followed by the trade that saw franchise cornerstone Rudy Gay shipped to Toronto the Grizzlies stick to the four pillars that have supported them all season. From this foundation, embodied in the Grizzlies four consistent starters this campaign, Memphis is grinding for homecourt advantage in the wild Western Conference while playing the second-best team defence in the NBA.

GRIT

When Conley’s Ohio State team was facing a potential upset against Xavier in the second round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament, the freshman showed the grit that would come to define him as a pro. As the game went to OT and Conley’s long-time teammate, and consensus top prospect, Greg Oden was relegated to the bench after fouling out, the point guard took over the game scoring 11 of his 21 points in the extra frame and playing active, pestering defence. The Buckeyes moved on all the way to the National Final, where they lost to Florida, but Conley’s play along the way took him out of the shadow of Oden long enough that the Grizzlies made him the fourth overall pick in that June’s NBA draft. After a couple years of adjustment and the departure of Kyle Lowry, Conley made himself into a solid NBA starting PG. The sixth-year guard is currently averaging a career-high 14.3 points in his fourth year as a full-time starter. He also leads the team in assists (6.2) and steals (2.3, second in the NBA). Those steals reflect the savvy defence that makes Conley a legitimate threat on both ends of the court and the perfect 1 to man the PG position for the gritty Grizzlies.

GRIND

The Grindfather himself patrols the other side of the perimeter, swiping 1.5 steals per contest, grabbing a career-high 4.6 rebounds, and providing perhaps the greatest representative of the #GNG Grizzlies. It was Allen that coined the term after the Griz frustrated the Thunder throughout a 105-101 win in 2011 where Allen shone with 27 points and five steals. “It’s all just heart! Grit, Grind!” said Allen, “Grit ‘N Grind is basically clawing, scratching, biting if you have to – whatever it takes to win.” The personality of the 31-year-old Chicago-native has been embraced by the team that loves to win ugly. A hard worker without an off-switch, and one of the top perimiter defenders in the L, Allen regularly checks the best scorers in the NBA and makes them work for every bucket. Last year he made the NBA All-Defensive First Team as one of the top five defensive players in the league. Tony Allen is here to win, grinding out victories when the odds are stacked against him.

HUSTLE

For a guy as unathletic-looking as Zach Randolph to thrive in a league of the the world’s best athletes, he must use a combination of skill, talent, and hustle. The man has beautiful hands; hands that could repair a butterfly’s wing or master the world’s smallest violin, yet he uses them to toss soft, high-arching jumpers that drop silently through the mesh. With a blocky, physical form to bang and grab 11.7 rebounds per game, Z-Bo is among the best rebounders in the game. Combine that low post physicality with soft hands and his everyday hustle, and Zach Randolph has become a two-time NBA All-Star. After reaching the Final Four as a Freshman at Michigan State, Randolph languished in Portland during the Jail Blazers era, New York during the Knicks’ lost years, and a season with the Clippers before finding himself with the Grizzlies. Now an integral part of the Memphis lineup, the scoring load falls on Randolph more than ever without the athletic Rudy Gay on the court. It takes hustle to average 15-11 when you can’t jump over a phonebook, and Randolph has hustled his way to 41 double-double this season – tied for third in the NBA. Hustle on, Zach Randolph.

HEART

The heart of the Grizzlies for the bulk of their Memphis years was Pau Gasol, the gifted seven-foot Spaniard who was eventually dealt to Los Angeles in one of the more stunning moves of the past decade. The trade invigorated Kobe and led the Lakers to two NBA championships while Memphis was left with scraps and draft picks. One of those draft picks ironically was Pau’s younger brother Marc Gasol who has turned into an all-star in his own right and replaced his brother admirably. A powerful seven-footer with international experience, Marc’s coming-of-age was affirmed when he made the 2012 Western Conference All-Star squad and Pau didn’t. One of the best-passing big men in the NBA, Gasol is currently dishing 3.9 assists per game which is second in the NBA among centres. He gets his teammates involved, is an emotional leader, and can be counted on when the chips are down to provide the heart that a team needs to get through the tough games. In a 90-89 win (typical low-scoring grinder) in late March, Marc Gasol tipped in a game-winner at the buzzer to sink the Thunder. After aggravating an abdominal tear recently, Gasol stunned everybody by missing just four days before returning to the lineup and playing through the pain with no visible limitations. That takes heart.

- Grind Forth!