Skillanueva and Air Gordon sign with Detroit

Initial Thoughts
Really? These two? That's the best Joe D could come up with? No offense to the former UConn teammates, but they're not the typical Joe Dumars deal. As a Pistons fan, I was rather disappointed that the 19 million or so in cap space was gone on the first day of free agency to these two players. That said, there aren't many quality free agents around but still, maybe wait it out a bit longer.

Ben Gordon
As a basketball fan, you have to love Ben Gordon. He's small, he can get extremely hot, he puts the ball in the hole at a high rate. But for a Pistons fan, he's undersized, he's too streaky and he's a volume shooter. Also, he doesn't really commit on the defensive end. What he does bring to the Pistons undoubtedly is three-point shooting (a department they were sorely missing last season) and a clutch, big-time big-game shooter. The type of guy who has ice running through his veins at the end of close games. And with Stuckey, a big 6-5 point guard, playing alongside him, maybe Gordon's lack of size can be covered on the defensive end. But he'll still have to be indoctrinated to the Pistons way of basketball: hard-nosed, competitive defense that fuels offense. I'm not overly displeased with this signing as I like Ben Gordon, but what does worry me is a similar situation that developed last year. Two very good shooting guards that deserve 34-36 minutes a night. And last season at least Iverson could play the PG, Gordon is most certainly not a PG. Of course Gordon has come off the bench in the past, but you don't sign a guy for 11M a year for 5 years to bring him off the bench. The sad thing about this deal is that it most likely spells the end of Rip Hamilton's tenure as a Detroit Piston.

Charlie Villanueva
I am in the camp that feels Villanueva can develop very well in the right situation. On the face of it, he shoots better, rebounds better and passes better than Rasheed has done in recent years and would do if he were resigned here. But he has a history of being labelled a chucker and a purely offensive talent. Like Gordon, he's going to have to play some D to please Joe D and the Pistons nation. What he is certain when it comes to Villanueva is that he is the new type of hybrid power forward that we saw cause matchup nightmares throughout these most recent playoffs (e.g. Rashard Lewis, Lamar Odom, even Turkoglu). A player with size who is a very potent offensive threat from the perimeter. The worry with Villanueva is that he can fall in love with the 3-pointer, and while he is skilled around the basket, I don't see him giving you a solid 15-20 points from the block. He's going to do it from the perimeter.

Conclusion
These are quick strikes in the offseason, and while it has addressed a weakness of the Pistons (3 point shooting) it has completely failed to address the other: an inside presence on the offensive end. The Pistons interior defense has always been good (this might not be the case with Rasheed and McDyess most probably leaving) but they haven't had a low-post threat in a while. Carlos Boozer was a player that Pistons fans had wanted, but as he was off the market, kudos to Joe D in quickly acquiring two skilled players. One thing is sure: Joe Dumars isn't done yet. Or at least Pistons fans hope he isn't. As there isn't a big man on the free agency market (I'd still like to see Paul Millsap in a Pistons uniform), there are going to have to be trades made. Hamilton will probably be the main trade bait, as the expiring contracts the Pistons have don't amount to much. One rumour has Hamilton going to Utah for Boozer. Many more are likely to come up. One thing remains, Joe D isn't done yet. He can't be.

Playoff Previews

FINALLY!! The playoffs have arrived. And even though my Pistons don't look too good, I'm excited. Alrighty then, let's get down to business. Analysis of the playoff matchups. Today, I'ma look at the Eastern Conference and tomorrow I'll do the Western Conference.

#1 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. #8 Detroit Pistons

Wow, I have a feeling this is gonna be brutal for me! Obviously, the Cavs are the heavy favourites, and people are predicting a 4 or 5 game series so I'm going to talk about what the Pistons have to do to have any chance in this series.

• LeBron James. Beating the Cavs starts with defending King James. The Pistons have done a relatively good job at that in the past. A bit of zone will be used, but scrapped immediately once it starts raining 3s. Curry will throw multiple fresh-legged defenders at LeBron. Rip, Stuckey, Arron Afflalo and Will Bynum (yes Will Bynum, the 5'11'' PG that's built like a tank) will play a few minutes on him, but eventually, LBJ will wear them down. This is pretty much all on Tay's shoulders. And expect Tay to be a bit more assertive offensively at the start of games to try to pick up fouls and tire LeBron a bit.

• Offensive execution. The Cavs' defense is stingy, and Detroit's offense is not efficient all the time (OK who am I kidding? MOST of the time). They have to go down to Sheed and Tayshaun in the post early, and not rely on jumpers. They cannot turn the ball over, which means Stuckey has to be focused. Turnovers allow the Cavs to score quick, easy buckets, and get LeBron going. Also, Stuckey and Bynum have to be aggressive going at Mo Williams and Boobie Gibson. If the Pistons don't get to the line or to the rack, bring out the brooms.

X-FACTORS:

• Rasheed Wallace. For the Pistons to have ANY chance in this series, Sheed has to be a factor. He needs to be aggressive on both ends of the court but keep his mouth shut. His play has been pretty ugly all year, but he has the ability to be more of a factor. Him and McDyess have to shoot a high percentage from outside to help spread the floor and create driving lanes for the guards. Most of all, he needs to get emotionally tuned in and focused. He makes the team go and if he doesn't go, they don't.

• Mo Williams. This series should be a walkover for the Cavs, but they have to watch how Mo carries himself in the playoffs. He doesn't have a lot of playoff experience, and certainly not at the conference finals level. He won't need to be such a factor in this series, but he will need to be LeBron's wingman as the playoffs go on.
  

Conclusion:
Cavs should win in 4 or 5. The Pistons pretty much have to play perfect ball, and as of late, they're not even playing adequate basketball. I hate to say it, but looks like a first-round exit for the Pistons.

#2 Boston Celtics vs. #7 Chicago Bulls

This is going to be intriguing. The Bulls are playing pretty excellent ball as of late and we've just heard that KG is probably not going to be playing during the playoffs. At any rate, he's definitely not going to play in the first round. What do the Bulls have to do to win this series?

• Run Derrick, RUN! They have to force turnovers and push the pace of this game. As soon as it becomes a half-court game, they're done for. I don't care if KG isn't playing, the Celts still have Paul Pierce and Ray Allen who are both fully capable of getting it done. Another reason for running is the defense. It will be losing KG, but the Boston defense is a tremendous team scheme. The Bulls will have difficulty scoring against it.

• Tyrus Thomas, Joakim Noah and Brad Miller need to be effective. This is a guard-orientated team, but they won't beat the Celtics unless the bigs get involved. They need to protect the rim, and Tyrus Thomas needs to attack the slower Celtic bigs.

X-FACTORS:

• Derrick Rose. He has done it recently, but he has to continue taking over games late. The playoffs are different to the regular season, and he's gonna have to adjust pretty quick. When he's playing well, he's getting to the foul line, and getting his teammates involved. The Bulls need him to keep it up to have a chance in the series.

• Rajon Rondo. Not only will he have to guard Derrick Rose or Ben Gordon, he'll have to make up for the loss of KG. He has to get to the rim and out in the open court to score some easy buckets and get going offensively so KG's offense isn't too badly missed. He also needs to take care of the ball and be efficient. Similar to Mo Williams above, it probably won't matter that much for this series, but for later on, he will be extremely important.

Conclusion:
Celtics win in 7 games. I think the Bulls will be able to hold their own at United Center where they've been one of the best home teams since the All-Star break. Atlanta pushed this team to 7 last year, and the loss of KG should have an effect. Regardless, the Cs still have Pierce and Allen, and should have no trouble at the newly-renamed 'TD Garden'.

#3 Orlando Magic vs. #6 Philadelphia 76ers

This shouldn't be too hard for the Magic. The Sixers will have to steal one or both games in Orlando when the Magic are still recovering from their injuries to Rashard and Hedo. The 76ers have been playing horrible ball recently (as have the Magic I might add) and will have to have a very strict gameplan to beat this team focusing on the following:

• Dwight Howard. How are the Sixers gonna stop Superman? Samuel Dalembert is just no match for D-Ho down low. Dwight is stronger, leaps higher, and is quicker than Sammy D. Overall, the Sixers seem too small to guard D-Ho. In my opinion, they need to focus on the 3-balls and the other players. Dwight is not a 4th quarter scorer, and I think their best chance is to leave whoever's guarding him 1-on-1 and stay at home on the shooters. They also need to get him in foul trouble and keep him off the court.

• Run when they miss, run when they make. The 76ers are small, and athletic. They need to get out and run and try to get some easy buckets. The Magic rank 1st in Defensive Efficiency, so they don't want to spend 48 minutes going up against them. Get points on the board before the defense is set.

X-FACTORS:

• Thaddeus Young. Let's face it, Iguodala is not really a half-court scorer. Thad is their best half-court scorer, and the Philly are going to need him to come up big and carry much of the load offensively.

• Dwight Howard. When it comes down to it, he needs to carry this team. He needs to score efficiently, grab those boards and protect the paint. He's done that all season, but can he do it when the stakes are highest. He's never been in the playoffs with such high expectations. Can Superman deliver?

Conclusion:
Magic win it in 4 or 5. Dwight is too big and the Magic are too good. This series should not be much of a competition, and I believe Dwight will take care of business.

#4 Atlanta Hawks vs. #5 Miami Wades

Many are calling this a series that will be the closest of the Eastern Conference. Many are saying the Heat will win. Will this really happen? Regardless, I want to see the Joe Johnson-Dwyane Wade matchup and the ridiculous stat lines Wade should put up (not a knock on Joe's D). Keys for both teams:

• Locking down D-Wade. He's been a monster all year, and he's proved that he can carry his team. Can he carry them to win the series? ATL better hope not. They should use a lot of zone to make it harder for him to penetrate and make Miami win through the 3-ball. Basically, Wade is going to get calls, especially at home, and he's going to score... A LOT. The Hawks need to focus on the others.

• Helping out D-Wade. The Heat need to help him out. Someone, anyone needs to score for them. Beasley has been doing it in the last few games, but can the rookie provide in the playoffs? They need the 3s to fall to win the series, and someone else needs to score.

X-FACTORS:

• Jermaine O'Neal. He has to show up. He doesn't even have to do alot, but he has to be some sort of force on the court. His post defense is good, and he provides another scoring option for the Heat. He has been a primary scorer before, so he should be able to be a secondary scorer.

• Flip Murray. He's been a scoring presence off the bench for most of the year but the Hawks need him to continue in the playoffs. If he does, this series is no contest.

Conclusion:
Hawks win in 5. I don't think it's a close series at all. Sure Wade is the best player on the court, but I'm informed that basketball is a team game. The Hawks are the deeper team, they are the balanced team, they are the better team. They should blow the Heat out at home, and steal one in South Beach.

NBA Regular Season Awards - 2008/09

My breakdown of the 2009 NBA Regular Season Awards, with Contenders (listed in alphabetical order) and the winners in my opinion.

Rookie of the Year
The contenders:
Brook Lopez, Derrick Rose, Eric Gordon, Kevin Love, OJ Mayo.

The WINNER:

Derrick Rose. 16.8 ppg, 6.3 apg, 3.9 rpg

Not really a hard decision. Rose was the best rookie from the outset, matched by OJ Mayo (real name: Ovinton J'Anthony. Wonder why they call him OJ) early on. OJ's production dropped, and Rose has stayed pretty much level throughout the year. He's been the most consistent rookie and of all the contenders, his team is by far the best.
Oh and he's just plain fun to watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fj9Uvsb4XRA

Most Improved Player
The contenders:
Danny Granger, Devin Harris, Nene Hilario, Paul Millsap, Rajon Rondo.

The WINNER:

Devin Harris. 21.3 ppg, 6.9 apg, 3.4 rpg

Very close race for me, with Harris and Granger at the top of the list, battling for the award. The reason I chose Harris was the fact that he was traded last season, and nobody expected anything from him. Certainly not that he'd burst into an All-Star. Granger showed signs of this level of play last year. Harris is completely surprising. Just some props for Rajon Rondo. He was an absolute beast early in the year and his play has kept the Celtics afloat with the injuries and additions.

6th Man of the Year
The contenders:
Jason Terry, JR Smith, Nate Robinson, Travis Outlaw, Trevor Ariza.

The WINNER:

Jason Terry. 33 mpg, 19.5 ppg, .461 FG%, 0.880 FT%

Jason Eugene Terry (aka JET) is the clear winner of this award this year. None of the other contenders' numbers are as good as his, and while his closest competition is Ariza, this award is usually based on stats, and Ariza doesn't have them.

Coach of the Year
The contenders:
Jerry Sloan - Jazz, Mike Brown - Cavaliers, Nate McMillan - Trailblazers, Rick Adelman - Rockets, Stan Van Gundy - Magic.

The WINNER:

Mike Brown. 66-15, 39-1 at home, 4th in Offensive Efficiency, 3rd in Defensive Efficiency

The Cleveland Cavaliers are the best team in the league this year. Dominating teams at home, playing top-notch defense & improved offense, and just beating the crap out of teams. Sure, Coach Brown does have King James at his disposal, but he's integrated Mo Williams, and has made his offense more than: stand around and watch Bron Bron go to work.

Defensive Player of the Year
The contenders:
Courtney Lee, Dwight Howard, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo.

The WINNER:

Dwight Howard. 13.9 rpg, 2.9 bpg, 1.0 spg, Magic rank 1st in Defensive Efficiency

Dwight completely owned this award this season. His numbers are beastly and he's the reason for the Magic's surprisingly good defense. Oh, and he's protecting the paint with the ferocity of a rottweiler protecting his bone. He's more than just stats (but just LOOK AT HIS STATS), as he alters pretty much every shot in the lane while he's in the game.
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=901VmJ3nueM

Most Valuable Player
The contenders:
Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James.

The WINNER:

LeBron James. 28.4 ppg, .489 FG%, 7.6 rpg, 7.3 apg, 1.2 bpg, 1.7 spg, 66 wins

This is pretty tough. How do you decide? Do you give it to the best player in the league (Kobe Bryant)? Do you give it to the most physically dominant player in the NBA who carries his team every game (Dwight Howard)? Do you give it to the player who has single-handedly lifted his team to a new level or kept it alive (Dwyane Wade & Chris Paul)? Well King James is a reasonable answer to all three categories. He's been the best player on the best team. If he doesn't win this award, it's a travesty. Kobe will probably walk away with the ring, but LeBron James is your 2009 NBA MVP.