MikeDropSports: July 2020

Sunday, July 19, 2020

NBA Landscape Last Time Lakers Made Playoffs

2013 was the last time the Los Angeles Lakers made the playoffs. The 6 year drought is technically over, but will officially end sometime in August in the Orlando bubble during the NBA restart.

A LOT has happened since April 2013 and July 2020.

What did the NBA look like at the end of the 2012-13 season, in comparison to now?

About the 2013 Playoffs

Lakers finished 7th in the West and were swept in the first round by the Spurs. Current Lakers guard Danny Green averaged 10.5 ppg as a starter for those Spurs.

Spurs went on to lose to Lebron James and the Heat in the NBA Finals.

James won regular season MVP and Finals MVP. It was Lebron’s second (straight) championship and his 4th (out of eventually 9) Finals appearances.

The Spurs loss, meant no ring for Kawhi Leonard, who at this point had not yet to become the second player in NBA history to win NBA Finals MVP in both the West and East – Kawhi won 2014 Finals MVP with Spurs and with Raptors in 2019. (the other player is Kareem Abdul-Jabar, who achieved this feat with Bucks and Lakers).

About Lakers Players

After being the #1 pick in the 2012 draft, Anthony Davis played his rookie season with the New Orleans Hornets (not a typo – they weren’t the Pelicans until after this season). Davis averaged 13.5 ppg, 8.2 rpg and was NBA All-Rookie First Team.

4 of the 5 Lakers who primarily started in 2013 are out of the league – Steve Nash, Ron Artest (aka Metta World Peace), Pau Gasol, and Kobe Bryant. The 5th starter was Dwight Howard…

Dwight Howard was an All Star starter for the Lakers in 2013, after being acquired in the summer of 2012 in a 4-team trade. After that season, Howard signed with the Rockets, later signed with the Hawks, traded one year later to the Hornets, traded after one year to the Nets where he was immediately bought out, signed with the Wizards and played 9 games in DC, and now he is back with the Lakers. So basically, nothing has changed since 2013.

Rajon Rondo was an All Star starter for the Celtics and led the NBA in assists per game (11.1).

Recently signed JR Smith won NBA Sixth Man of the Year with the Knicks.

Avery Bradley was NBA All-Defensive Second Team.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was a year away from being in the NBA. He averaged 18.5 ppg and 7.1 rpg in 34 mpg during his sophomore season at University of Georgia.

Javale McGee was a backup center (19 mpg, 9.1 ppg) for the Nuggets, who finished third in the West. Denver’s strong season led to GM Masi Ujiri being named Executive of the Year in 2013 and George Karl Coach of the Year. Ujiri, of course, later left Denver to build the Raptors into a championship team.

Second year forward Markief Morris averaged 8.2 ppg and played all 82 games and Jared Dudley averaged 10.9 ppg and played 79 games with the Suns, who finished wit the worst record in the West (25-57).

Recently signed Dion Waiters was a rookie on the Cavs, after being drafted 4th overall.

Kyle Kuzma was 17 years old and finishing up high school.

About the East

THE KNICKS WERE GOOD! Really good, actually. Knicks finished 54-28, second in the East and won a playoff series for the first time since 2000. (side note – because the Lakers were swept in 2013, the Knicks have won a playoff series more recently than LAL).

Jason Kidd played 76 games for the Knicks, in his final NBA season. Kidd is now a Lakers assistant coach (after two stints as a head coach).

Knicks lost in the second round to the Pacers, who were coached by current Lakers head coach (and J-Kidd boss) Frank Vogel.

Pacers lost in the Eastern Conference Finals to Lebron and the Heat.

Nets, playing their first season in Brooklyn, finished 4th in the East, with Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. The Celtics, who finished 7th in East, had yet to use any of the 4 first round picks acquired from the Nets in this trade.

Bucks (38-44) finished 8th in the East and would go on to draft 2019 MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo in the 2013 Draft.

76ers finished 9th in the East (34-48) and soon began a massive rebuild, called “trust the process”, Following the 34 wins in 2013, they gutted the roster and won 19, 18, 10 games over the next 3 years, winning just 19% of their games.

Charlotte’s NBA team was known (for the last year) as the Bobcats.

Bulls forward Luol Deng made the All Star team and led the league with 38.7 minutes per game. Deng signed a 4 year contract in 2016 with the Lakers, and played just 57 games.

First time All Stars in the East included Kyrie Irving (Cavs), Brook Lopez (Nets), Tyson Chandler (Knicks), Paul George (Pacers), Jrue Holiday (76ers), Joakim Noah (Bulls).

Orlando Magic (20-62) finished with the worst record in the NBA.

About the West

Thunder, led by Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, finished first in the West with a 60-22 record.

Right before the season, Thunder traded James Harden to the Rockets, who finished 8th. Harden was named to his first All Star team.

Warriors made their first playoff appearance since the “We Believe” team in 2007 (#8 seed upset #1 Mavs in first round). Steph Curry broke out with a (then-career high) 22.9 ppg and David Lee averaged 18.5 ppg and 11.2 rpg en route to an All Star appearance. This was the first season Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green were all together.

Grizzlies, led by Defensive Player of the Year Marc Gasol and All Star Zach Randolph, made it to the Western Conference Finals (swept by Spurs).

Damian Lillard won Rookie of the Year on a Blazers team that finished 11th in the West and produced an All Star in LaMarcus Aldridge.

What else has happened since the Lakers last made the playoffs?

Kobe Says Good-Bye

On April 16, 2016 Kobe Bryant played his final NBA game, scoring a historic 60 points, including 23 in the fourth quarter.

Lakers closed out a miserable season (17-65) with a 101-96 win over the Jazz, which kept them out of the playoffs.

Major Acquisitions

Lakers signed Lebron James in free agency in July 2018. In 2019, Lakers went 37-45 and Lebron missed the playoffs for the third time in his career.

The following summer, Lakers traded 2 former #2 picks (see below), Josh Hart and 4 future first round draft picks (including 2019 #4) to the Pelicans for Anthony Davis.

#2 Draft Picks

Lakers held the #2 pick in three straight drafts (2015-2017)

2015 – drafted D’angelo Russell (after Karl-Anthony Towns went #1)
2016 – drafted Brandon Ingram (after Ben Simmons went #1)
2017 – drafted Lonzo Ball (after Markelle Fultz went #1)

Ingram and Ball were the price the Lakers had to pay to get Anthony Davis.

Firing 3 Head Coaches

Mike D’Antoni went 67-87 in two years and was fired in 2014. Byron Scott, a former Lakers PG who won 3 NBA titles as a player, replaced him and led the Lakers to their first ever 60 loss season – TWICE, going 38-126 overall. Luke Walton was hired in 2016, after going 39-4 as Warriors interim coach, but he compiled a 98-148 in three seasons and was replaced in 2019 by Frank Vogel, who has led the Lakers to the best record in the West.

2016 NBA Free Agency

2016 free agency was WILD as the salary cap saw a significant spike. The Lakers did not use their money wisely.

Here are the moves the Lakers made

Luol Deng – 4 years, $72 million
Timofey Mozgov – 4 years, $64 million
Jordan Clarkson – 4 years $50 million

Deng played 57 total games. Mozgov played 54.

Clarkson was good, but in an effort to shed his salary Lakers traded him and Larry Nance Jr to the Cavs for Isaiah Thomas.

Monday, July 13, 2020

Why Minneapolis is the Saddest North American Sports City

I believe Minneapolis, Minnesota is the saddest city in sports, when it comes to the four major men’s sports (NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL).

They have one team in each of those sports (Timberwolves, Vikings, Twins, Wild) and between them, only 1 of them have won a championship (Twins, twice).

Minneapolis is one of 12 cities/areas with at least one pro team in each of the four major sports.

Of those 12, they have the longest championship victory or appearance drought. Here is how they compare to those 12.

10 of those cities have seen at least 2 teams total (in 2 different sports) win a championship
10 have seen at least 1 championship since 2010
11 have seen at least 1 team win a championship since 2000

Of the 6 cities with 1 team in 3 sports,

4 have won a championship since 2010
5 have won a championship since 2000
All 6 have won since 1995

Minneapolis is the outlier in all of these examples, with their last championship coming in 1991 when the Twins won the World Series. Twins are the only active Minnesota franchise to win a championship and one of just two (Vikings) to even make the championship.

31 cities have seen a championship team since Minneapolis last won one – Anaheim, Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Green Bay, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Montreal, New Orleans, New York, New Jersey, Oakland, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Raleigh, San Antonio, San Francisco, St Louis, Seattle, Tampa, Toronto, Washington DC

Including the above, 45 cities have played in the championship round – Buffalo, Calgary, Charlotte, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Montreal, Nashville, Oklahoma City, Ottawa, Phoenix, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Diego, Vancouver

The problem with Minnesota, and what makes them so sad, is that they have found an unhealthy balance between being successful and failing and just flat out failing.

For example, all 4 teams, at one point, won their division/conference and all failed to make the championship round.

Vikings went 15-1 in 1998 and lost in the NFC Championship Game to the Falcons
Wild won the Northwest Division in 2007-08 and lost in the first round of the playoffs
Wolves went 58-24 in 2003-04, finishing first in the West. They lost in the Western Conference Finals.
Twins went 96-66, winning the AL Central and finishing with the second most wins in all of baseball (97 was most).

There has also been individual player success.

Vikings have had 3 MVPs and lost in the first round of the playoffs in each of those three seasons.

1971 – Alan Page. Vikings went 11-3 and lost in first round to Cowboys
1975 – Fran Tarkenton. This MVP was sandwiched in-between back-to-back Super Bowl losses and a year before another loss.
2012 – Adrian Peterson. Vikings lost to Packers.

Twins have had 5 MVPs in their history. They have a total of 3 playoff wins to show for it (3 sweeps and 1 missed playoffs).

1965 – Zoilo Versalles. Lost World Series in 7 games
1969 – Harmon Killebrew. Swept in first round.
1977 – Rod Carew. Missed playoffs.
2006 – Justin Morneau. Also had Cy Young winner Johan Santana. Swept in first round.
2009 – Joe Mauer. Swept in first round.

Timberwolves lone MVP was Kevin Garnett in 2004, the one year the Wolves made the Western Conference Finals. They haven’t won a playoff game since their second round series victory.

Vikings

Vikings are 0-4 in Super Bowls. So the good news is there’s been 4 appearances! The first was in 1969 and the other 3 came over a 4 year span between 1973-1976. So the bad news is no Super Bowl appearances since 1976 and no championships.

Since 1976, Vikings have made the playoffs in 22 out of 43 seasons (over 50%) and have made 6 conference championship game appearances. While that sounds like a success, those 6 games ended pretty horribly.

1977 vs Cowboys – Loss kept them from a 4th Super Bowl appearance in 5 years.
1987 vs Washington – 4th down with under a minute to go, down 17-10 and RB Darrin Nelson dropped, what would have been the go-ahead touchdown
1998 vs Falcons – Morten Anderson happened. After hitting every field goal and extra point attempt during the season, Anderson missed a field goal that would have given Vikes a 10 point lead. Instead, Falcons came back, tied the game and won in overtime.
2000 vs Giants – Lost 41-0 to the Giants in the NFC Championship Game.
2009 vs Saints – Brett Favre was picked off in overtime and the Saints advanced to their first Super Bowl.
2017 vs Eagles – One week after the Minnesota Miracle vs Saints, Vikings had a chance to become first team to ever host a Super Bowl, but lost 38-7 to Eagles, who had a backup QB.

The misfortune is more than just NFC Championship Games too..

2003 – Vikings were knocked out of the playoffs on the final play of the season, when Cardinals QB Josh McCown completed a crazy TD pass as time expired. A win would have advanced Minnesota to the postseason.
2015 – Kicker Blair Walsh missed a 27-yard chip shot field goal as time expired. Seahawks won 10-9 in the Divisional Round.

Twins

The most successful team in Minnesota, the Twins have won the World Series twice, first in 1987 and again in 1991.

Twins began playing in Minnesota in 1961, after moving from Washington DC and re-branding themselves from the Senators. Five years later, they did make their first World Series, but lost to the Dodgers in 7 games in 1965.

Between World Series appearances in 1965 and 1987, Twins went 21 years without a single playoff game victory (2 appearances) and had gone 16 straight seasons without making the playoffs before getting there in 1987.

Since 1991, they have won just 1 playoff series and have lost 18 playoff games in a row.

Of those 18 losses, 13 have come to the Yankees. Their last playoff game victory was in 2004 (16 consecutive losses) and their last series win was 2002.

That last series win coincides with the departure of David Ortiz. Ortiz left as a free agent after 2002 and the Twins have lost all 7 series played since. Since leaving the Twins (whom we played with from 1997-2002), he has become a 3-time World Series Champion and World Series MVP in 2013 and has made 10 All Star Game appearances.

Timberwolves

Since beginning play in 1989, the Timberwolves have made 9 playoff appearances and lost in the first round 8 times. In those 8 first round series, they have won a total of 8 playoff games.

Their best season was the aforementioned one in 2003-04, when Kevin Garnett won MVP. Wolves finished first, but lost to Lakers in Western Conference Finals.

Garnett, a 2020 Hall of Fame inductee, is by far the best player in Wolves franchise history. That’s why it’s crazy that he hates the team. Garnett has publicly feuded with owner Glen Taylor, which has led to Garnett’s refusal of Minnesota to retire his #21 jersey or honor him for making the HOF.

Wolves traded Garnett to Celtics in 2007 for Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, Gerald Green, Theo Ratliff, and two first round picks that became Johnny Flynn and Wayne Ellington. Jefferson was a good player, but you’d be justified in saying the Wolves traded Garnett for nothing.

After that Western Conference Finals appearance in 2004, they went 13 seasons without a playoff appearance, before making it in 2018.

Timberwolves have won just 40% of their regular season games all-time (1989-2020).

Wild

Wild have made the playoffs 9 times since they began play in 2000 and are 4-9 in playoff series. Three years into their existence, they made a run to the Western Conference Finals in 2003, but were swept by the Ducks. They won a first round series in 2014 and 2015.

From 2016-2018, Wild lost in the first round, failing to force a game 7 in any of those series.

Relocated Franchises

Timberwolves (1989) and Wild (2000) are both younger franchises, so they don’t have a ton of history. But still, franchises younger than them, in both sports, have been more successful.

What really hurts the city is that while both of these teams have failed to make their respective championship rounds, the teams they replaced in the city have had plenty of success in their new homes.

From 1949-1960, the Lakers played in Minneapolis, before moving to Los Angeles. They won the NBA Finals 4 times and lost in their 5th appearance. Since leaving for LA, all they have done is win another 11 championships (5 since 2000) and won the Western Conference 25 times.

From 1967-1993, the North Stars played hockey in Minneapolis, before moving to Dallas (and rebranding as just the Stars). North Stars made two Stanley Cup appearances (1991, 1981)

Minneapolis has only hosted 4 teams since 2000. But since than, have a total of zero championship round appearances.

Their lack of success has to be frustrating to Minnesotans. I know as an outsider, it’s hard to view.

Why Minneapolis is the Saddest North American Sports City

I believe Minneapolis, Minnesota is the saddest sports city in North America, when it comes to the four major men’s sports (NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL).

They have one team in each of those sports (Timberwolves, Vikings, Twins, Wild) and between them, only 1 of them have won a championship (Twins, twice).

Minneapolis is one of 12 cities/areas with at least one pro team in each of the four major sports.

Of those 12, they have the longest championship victory or appearance drought. Here is how they compare to those 12.

10 of those cities have seen at least 2 teams total (in 2 different sports) win a championship
10 have seen at least 1 championship since 2010
11 have seen at least 1 team win a championship since 2000

Of the 6 cities with 1 team in 3 sports,

4 have won a championship since 2010
5 have won a championship since 2000
All 6 have won since 1995

The problem with Minnesota, and what makes them so sad, is that they have found an unhealthy balance between being successful and failing and just flat out failing.

For example, all 4 teams, at one point, won their division/conference and all failed to make the championship round.

Vikings went 15-1 in 1998 and lost in the NFC Championship Game to the Falcons
Wild won the Northwest Division in 2007-08 and lost in the first round of the playoffs
Wolves went 58-24 in 2003-04, finishing first in the West. They lost in the Western Conference Finals.
Twins went 96-66, winning the AL Central and finishing with the second most wins in all of baseball (97 was most).

There has also been individual player success.

Vikings have had 3 MVPs and lost in the first round of the playoffs in each of those three seasons.

1971 – Alan Page. Vikings went 11-3 and lost in first round to Cowboys
1975 – Fran Tarkenton. This MVP was sandwiched in-between back-to-back Super Bowl losses and a year before another loss.
2012 – Adrian Peterson. Vikings lost to Packers.

Twins have had 5 MVPs in their history. They have a total of 3 playoff wins to show for it (3 sweeps and 1 missed playoffs).

1965 – Zoilo Versalles. Lost World Series in 7 games
1969 – Harmon Killebrew. Swept in first round.
1977 – Rod Carew. Missed playoffs.
2006 – Justin Morneau. Also had Cy Young winner Johan Santana. Swept in first round.
2009 – Joe Mauer. Swept in first round.

Timberwolves lone MVP was Kevin Garnett in 2004, the one year the Wolves made the Western Conference Finals. They haven’t won a playoff game since their second round series victory.

Vikings

1977 vs Cowboys – Loss kept them from a 4th Super Bowl appearance in 5 years.
1987 vs Washington – 4th down with under a minute to go, down 17-10 and RB Darrin Nelson dropped, what would have been the go-ahead touchdown
1998 vs Falcons – Morten Anderson happened. After hitting every field goal and extra point attempt during the season, Anderson missed a field goal that would have given Vikes a 10 point lead. Instead, Falcons came back, tied the game and won in overtime.
2000 vs Giants – Lost 41-0 to the Giants in the NFC Championship Game.
2009 vs Saints – Brett Favre was picked off in overtime and the Saints advanced to their first Super Bowl.
2017 vs Eagles – One week after the Minnesota Miracle vs Saints, Vikings had a chance to become first team to ever host a Super Bowl, but lost 38-7 to Eagles, who had a backup QB.

The misfortune is more than just NFC Championship Games too..

2003 – Vikings were knocked out of the playoffs on the final play of the season, when Cardinals QB Josh McCown completed a crazy TD pass as time expired. A win would have advanced Minnesota to the postseason.
2015 – Kicker Blair Walsh missed a 27-yard chip shot field goal as time expired. Seahawks won 10-9 in the Divisional Round.

Twins

The most successful team in Minnesota, the Twins have won the World Series twice, first in 1987 and again in 1991.

Since 1991, they have won just 1 playoff series and have lost 18 playoff games in a row.

Of those 18 losses, 13 have come to the Yankees. Their last playoff game victory was in 2004 (16 consecutive losses) and their last series win was 2002.

Timberwolves

Since beginning play in 1989, the Timberwolves have made 9 playoff appearances and lost in the first round 8 times. In those 8 first round series, they have won a total of 8 playoff games.

Their best season was the aforementioned one in 2003-04, when Kevin Garnett won MVP. Wolves finished first, but lost to Lakers in Western Conference Finals.

After that Western Conference Finals appearance in 2004, they went 13 seasons without a playoff appearance, before making it in 2018.

Timberwolves have won just 40% of their regular season games all-time (1989-2020).

Wild

From 2016-2018, Wild lost in the first round, failing to force a game 7 in any of those series.

Relocated Franchises

Timberwolves (1989) and Wild (2000) are both younger franchises, so they don’t have a ton of history. But still, franchises younger than them, in both sports, have been more successful.

From 1967-1993, the North Stars played hockey in Minneapolis, before moving to Dallas (and rebranding as just the Stars). North Stars made two Stanley Cup appearances (1991, 1981)

Minneapolis has only hosted 4 teams since 2000. But since than, have a total of zero championship round appearances.

Their lack of success has to be frustrating to Minnesotans. I know as an outsider, it’s hard to view.

Why Not Signing Lebron James in 2010 Was Best for Knicks

Editor’s note: This is satire. The views and opinions in this article are for entertainment purposes only.

In July 2010, Lebron James infamously went on ESPN and announced “the decision” to leave Cleveland Cavaliers and sign with the Miami Heat.

It wasn’t all that shocking, as many people had been reporting in the days prior that this was destined to happen, especially once Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade both committed to Miami days earlier.

Lebron chose the Heat over the Cavs, Nets, Bulls and Knicks. Knicks fans really thought they had the best shot and were heartbroken not to land the best player in the game.

But are the Knicks better off having not signed Lebron? Well, the obvious answer is no. But sometimes the obvious answer isn’t always the right one.

Here are 9 reasons to justify why not signing Lebron turned out to be a good thing for the Knicks.

1. Low expectations

Lebron on the Knicks would’ve meant championship aspirations every year. That’s cool, but if the Knicks didn’t win the title or at least made the Finals, fans would have been heartbroken. And the media? You think the national coverage of the Knicks is bad now? You think the trolling and the mockery is insufferable now?? Imagine if the Knicks were the team that lost to Dallas in 2011, instead of the Heat. ESPN would NEVER let you forget about it.

Now, there’s no heartbreak! Sure, there’s sadness and frustration during a long stretch of misery. But at least it’s expected. You can’t anticipate or expect heartbreak, it just happens.

2. Pricey tickets

Attending a game at Madison Square Garden is already an extremely expensive activity, and the Knicks have been mostly awful for 20 years. Imagine if they were actually good? Casual fans and even the most hardcore fans, would have eve more difficulty obtaining tickets.

3. Lebron’s “posse”

In 2016, Phil Jackson (than-President of the Knicks) referred to Lebron”s business partners as his “posse”. One benefit James did not have in Miami that he had in Cleveland was having a say in both the roster and front office. James was able to recruit his pals and give input to management on who to sign or trade and who to hire, including, at times, his close friends.

Knicks owner James Dolan is better off having the power to hire and fire whomever he wants, and avoid the inevitable turmoil that would arise from hiring Lebron’s friends. It’s important to have stability in your front office.

4. Rest > Work

From 2011-2018, James led his team to the NBA Finals for 8 straight years. In theory, that’s awesome because isn’t that the goal? But the truth is, it’s exhausting. Playing into June every year, means less rest before the next season and ultimately wears on your body.

Knicks haven’t played into June since 1999 and haven’t even made the playoffs in 7 years. Could this be by design? Perhaps the Knicks feel it’s better to keep some of the young guys fresh and rested for the next year? Either way it’s good to end the year in April and spend more time with your family and resting, then having to go to work every day.

It also saves fans plenty of money (see point #2 above) having to only attend 41 home games and no additional playoff ones.

5. Amare Stoudemire 2011 breakthrough

In 2011, Amare was a treat to watch! At one point, before the Carmelo Anthony trade, he had 20+ points in 26 straight games, which includes a stretch of 30+ in 9 straight games. Lebron’s presence likely would have limited this type of production from Amare and that would have been a shame.

6. Carmelo Anthony trade

It’s likely the Knicks would have pulled the trigger on a trade for Carmelo in 2011, even with Lebron on board. But Melo and Stoudemire played so well together. Would a big 3 really have worked? Probably not.

7. No Linsanity?

Would Lebron’s presence mean no Linsanity? Jeremy Lin broke out in 2011-12. While Stoudemire and Anthony were out with injuries, Lin became a star. Given that Lebron is never hurt and would have maintained the spotlight, it’s possible Lin never would have received an opportunity.

Sure, the season ended in disappointment. But Linsanity is still one of the peaks of the last decade for the Knicks. Take away that moment and what do Knicks fans have…the draft?

Speaking of which…

8. Lack of draft picks

Since Lebron entered the league in 2003, his teams have missed the playoffs just 3 times. Over that same span, the Knicks have made the playoffs just 4 times.

Signing Lebron would have meant a lack of high lottery picks, disappointing considering how much Knicks fans annually anticipate the lottery and the draft itself.

Between 2011-2014 (when Lebron was on Heat), Knicks drafted Iman Shumpert and Tim Hardaway Jr in the first round and since 2015, have drafted Kristaps Porzingis, Frank Ntilikina, Kevin Knox, RJ Barrett, and Obi Toppin.

Hardaway was used as an asset to unload an injured Porzingis last year and there’s a decent chance that most, if not all of their last 4 picks (Frank, Knox, Barrett, Toppin) are future All Stars in New York. It’s hard to image not having those types of assets on the roster.

9. Lebron’s Damage

The positives to signing Lebron are obvious. But there are plenty of negatives. During his 4 years in Miami, Lebron and the Heat lost the NBA Finals twice and between 2015-2018 with the Cavs, Lebron lost 3 Finals. New York fans don’t deserve that type of disappointment.

Since joining the Lakers in 2018, LA has yet to experience a playoff game at Staples Center.

Wednesday, July 8, 2020

Ranking Carmelo Anthony’s Best Trios

Carmelo Anthony has had a really successful career since being the #3 pick in 2003. He will enter year 19 as a member of the Lakers, where he will be joined with his best group of teammates to date with Lebron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook.

It’s a shame that Anthony has only appeared in one Conference Finals, considering he has been part of some really good teams, with some great complimentary players.

Let’s take a look at the best trios that Anthony has been a part of throughout his basketball career (excluding All Star/Olympics).

Honorable mentions:

Anthony/Kristaps Porzingis/Derrick Rose (2016-17 Knicks)

After three years without a playoff appearance, the Knicks hired Jeff Hornacek and acquired Derrick Rose with the goal of returning to the postseason. Instead a trio with so much potential, failed as the Knicks finished 31-51. Porzingis broke out, averaging 18 ppg, while Rose went AWOL at one point and played just 64 games. Anthony played 74 games and averaged 22 ppg as he played his final season in NY.

Anthony/James Harden/Chris Paul (2018-19 Rockets)

Anthony played 10 games with the Rockets and this trio was only together for 5 of them as Paul missed 2 games in the beginning and Harden missed 3 due to injury. It was clear early that the Harden/Melo isolation tandem wasn’t going to work and the Rockets essentially deactivated Anthony and banished him for the rest of the season.

A lot of Carmelo Anthony’s career is “what could have been”. What if he was drafted by the Pistons? What if he waited a few months to sign with the Knicks as a free agent? What if he was traded to the Nets instead? Or what if he signed with the Bulls in 2014? How different could Melo’s career, and the NBA landscape have been?

10. Anthony/Damian Lillard/CJ McCollum (2019-2021 Blazers)

This trio lost in the first round of the playoffs back-to-back years – as an 8 seed in 5 games to Lakers in 2020 and as a 6 seed in 2021 to the Nuggets. In two seasons with Portland, Anthony averaged just 14.3 ppg, while shooting 43% from the field and 40% from three. In 2021, Anthony played 24 minutes per game – 11 under his career average of 35 mpg.

9. Anthony/Paul George/Russell Westbrook (2017-18 Thunder)

Anthony was traded by the Knicks to the Thunder one month before the 2017 season, and a couple of months after OKC acquired Paul George, to pair the two All Stars with reigning MVP Russell Westbrook.

16.2 ppg was Melo’s lowest in career at that point, despite playing (and starting) 78 games and averaging over 30 minutes per game. Thunder lost in 6 games to the Jazz in the first round of the playoffs and OKC and Anthony moved on after the season.

8. Anthony/Amare Stoudemire/Chauncey Billups (2010-11 Knicks)

Knicks traded all their picks and prospects to get Melo and Billups. Anthony played all 27 games, and Billups played 21 after the trade from Denver in 2011 and the Knicks made the playoffs for the first time since 2004.

Stoudemire, who was signed as a free agent during the summer of 2010, and Anthony were expected to be the 1-2 punch that took the Knicks to the next step but that never happened. Billups’ role in the trio didn’t last long.

7. Anthony/Amare Stoudemire/Tyson Chandler (2011-12 Knicks)

After the 2011 season, Knicks ditched Billups and signed free agent Tyson Chandler to join Melo and Amare.

This was a WEIRD year for the Knicks and everyone involved. Stoudemire played just 47 games due to injury and personal reasons. Anthony missed time with injuries, playing a career-low (at the time) 55 games.

The real Knicks trio that at one point emerged, was Jeremy Lin/Landry Fields/Steve Novak. Like 2011, the Knicks lost in the first round of the playoffs.

6. Anthony/Allen Iverson/Kenyon Martin (2007-08 Nuggets)

That season, this trio combined to average 64.5 ppg, 16.9 rpg, 11.8 apg. Ultimately, the Nuggets were swept in the first round of the playoffs by Kobe and the Lakers, but their 50 wins were the franchise’s most since 1988

5. Anthony/Andre Miller/Marcus Camby – 2003-04 Nuggets

Prior to being drafted in 2003, Nuggets had missed the playoffs 8 straight seasons, last appearing in 1995 and last winning a series in 1994. Andre Miller signed a 6 year contract in the summer of 2003 and Marcus Camby, the #2 overall pick in 1996, was traded to the Nuggets the year prior to Melo’s arrival, for Antonio McDyess.

Anthony led the Nuggets in scoring, averaging 21 ppg as a 19 year old. Miller averaged 14.8 ppg and 6.1 apg. Both men started all 82 games. Camby started 72, averaging 8.6 ppg but 10.1 rpg and 2.6 bpg.

Nuggets made the playoffs, but lost to the Timberwolves, 4-1, in round 1.

4. Anthony/Allen Iverson/Marcus Camby 2006-2007 Nuggets

Iverson was acquired halfway through the 2006-07 season in a trade for Andre Miller. In year one, Iverson averaged 24.8 ppg, while Anthony scored a career-high 28.9 ppg.

Camby averaged 11.0 ppg, 11.7 rpg, 3.3 bpg and was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

3. Anthony/JR Smith/Raymond Felton – 2012-13 Knicks

This is an odd trio, huh? Amare Stoudemire played just 29 games and the Knicks put together a very random, but very fun roster in 2013.

In the 2013 playoffs, Knicks won their first series since 2000, knocking off the Celtics in 6 games. That makes this trio and this team special, considering it was just the second time (and the last time, to-date) that Melo won a playoff series.

Anthony and Smith played together in Denver from 2006-2011 (half way through) and Felton was actually part of the package of players traded to the Nuggets for Anthony in 2011. In 2013, Smith was named Sixth Man of the Year, averaging a career-high 18 ppg.

2. Anthony/Kenyon Martin/Chauncey Billups – 2008-09 Nuggets

This was the most successful NBA team Anthony has been on. These Nuggets finished second in the West, going 54-28 (tied for the most wins Melo had).

A few games into the season, Nuggets traded Allen Iverson for Chauncey Billups. Billups would go on to average 17.9 ppg and 6.4 apg. Billups, along with Martin, were major reasons why the Nuggets won their first playoff series since 1994. Denver would knock off the New Orleans Hornets in round one, then the Mavs in round two, before finally losing to the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals.

2009 was Melo’s only appearance in the conference finals round.

This trio would stick together in 2009-10 and the start of 2010-11 season.

1. Anthony/Hakim Warrick/Gerry McNamara – 2002-03 Syracuse

Okay, I cheated. I never said NBA trios, I just said Melo’s trios. Clearly, none were better than this.

Syracuse won the 2003 National Championship, led by the freshman Anthony. He scored 22.2 ppg and grabbed 10 rpg. Sophomore Hakim Warrick averaged 14.8 ppg and 8.5 rpg and fellow freshman Gerry McNamara averaged 13.3 ppg and 4.4 apg (lead the team). All three men started all 35 games, playing over 32 mpg.

Monday, July 6, 2020

Carmelo Anthony: What Could Have Been

Carmelo Anthony has had a legendary career. 17 years in the NBA and counting. He is one of the greatest scorers the league has ever seen.

He spent 7.5 years with the Nuggets and was traded to the Knicks, where he played for 6.5 seasons. Over the last three years, he has played with the Thunder, Rockets, Blazers.

Unlike his 2003 draft counterparts (Lebron James, Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade), Anthony has never experienced championship success. In fact, he has only made it to the Conference Finals round once in his career.

But what could of been is a major theme throughout his career. What if he waited to go to the Knicks? Or the Nets? What if the Pistons drafted him? Might those teams have gotten further in the playoffs and more frequently with him on board?

A look back at 5 situations that Carmelo Anthony could have found himself in throughout his career, but ultimately did not.

2003 Draft – Pistons Pick #2

Everyone knows this story. The 2003 NBA Draft is famous because 4 of the top 5 picks are future Hall of Famers. Lebron James went #1 to Cavs, Carmelo Anthony went #3 to Nuggets, Chris Bosh went #4 to Raptors, Dwayne Wade #5 to Heat.

And the #2 pick belonged to the Pistons. A Pistons team who played in the Eastern Conference Finals a month before this draft. Detroit acquired this pick from the Grizzlies back in 1997 in the worst trade ever.

Pistons chose European big man Darko Milicic. Now, in their defense, Darko was highly regarded and many felt he was a great fit for the Pistons, especially considering they already had Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince, who might have impacted the potential of Dwayne Wade or Carmelo Anthony.

Hamilton was coming off a season where he scored 19.7 ppg in his first year in Detroit and Detroit was high on Prince, who wound up starting 80 games in his second season in 2004.

During the early middle 2000s, the Pistons were a great team. They had great players, but no true superstar and that was by design. Prince is no Melo, but no one is Melo. Prince served an extremely valuable role for Detroit, as a defensive specialist due to his size and length. He was able to score, but with Hamilton, Chauncey Billups, and Rasheed Wallace, drafting another scorer was needed.

After losing in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2003, Pistons won the NBA Finals in 2004 and made it back in 2005, losing in 7 games to the Spurs. They made the Eastern Conference Finals the next three years (losing each time).

This team fit together perfectly and their strength was their chemistry. There’s no guarantee Melo would have fit in or led to any more success than they already had.

Trade to the Nets in 2011

Knicks acquired Carmelo in February 2011 and traded a fortune to get him. Everyone thought the Knicks should wait until July 2011 when he became a free agent, but Melo was insistent on getting out of Denver asap and also claimed that he would have waived his no-trade clause to go to the Nets at the time, hence the pressure on the Knicks to offer a fortune.

Nets offer included Derrick Favors, Devin Harris, some others and four first round picks to Denver. Favors was the #3 pick in the 2010 Draft and Harris had started all 54 games, averaging 15.2 ppg and 7.1 apg.

When the Nuggets turned down the Nets, Melo would be traded to the Knicks and days later the Nets offered a similar package (same players, less draft picks) to the Utah Jazz for Deron Williams. That offseason, they acquired Joe Johnson.

Anthony’s Knicks went 1-3 in playoff series, while the Nets also went 1-3 in playoff series during that same time. With Anthony on board, would the Nets have traded all of those future draft picks to the Celtics for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce in 2013?

Knicks Free Agency in 2011

What if Melo had just been patient and waited a few more months. Nuggets made the playoffs in 2011, and lost 4-1 in first round to Thunder. Knicks, meanwhile, got swept with Anthony.

Had Melo been able to tough it out he could have signed outright as a free agent, joining a team with a nice young core of Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler, paired with PG Raymond Felton and, of course, All Star forward Amare Stoudemire. Anthony and Stoudemire were surrounded Iman Shumpert, Landry Fields, Steve Novak. Decent players, but having Gallinari would have been a major game-changed for the Knicks, and for Melo.

During the summer of 2011, they would sign Tyson Chandler as a free agent. But imagine a small ball lineup (ahead of it’s time) of Felton, Shumpert/Fields, Anthony, Gallinari (stretch four), and Stoudemire with Wilson Chandler off the bench too.

In 2013, the Knicks had the second best record in the East and lost in the second round. Would this team have advanced further? Could they have reasonably competed with Lebron’s Heat?

Bulls Free Agency 2014

This was Melo’s first and only real free agency. He signed a max extension with the Nuggets in 2006, and upon arriving in NY, re-signed with the Knicks in 2011.

His contract was up after the 2013-14 season and the Knicks were coming off a non-playoffs season (their first in four years). They fired coach Mike Woodson and hired Phil Jackson as new Team President.

Melo seriously considered the Bulls, who were by far the best option for him at the time. Former MVP Derrick Rose was coming off a torn meniscus, Jimmy Butler averaged 13 ppg in his third season, Joakim Noah averaged 12.6 ppg and 11.7 rpg and was named Defensive Player of the Year, and they had reliable vets like Luol Deng and Taj Gibson.

There were reports that Anthony verbally committed to the Bulls, only to later renege and stay with the Knicks.

In 2014-15. the Knicks won 17 games, compiling the worst record in the NBA under first year coach Derek Fisher. The Bulls won 50 games, but lost in the second round to eventual Eastern Conference Champions, the Cavs.

The 2015-16 season was also a disaster for the Knicks. In 2016, they signed Joakim Noah, 31 years old, coming off of just 29 games played and traded for Derrick Rose, who had some of his worst career numbers and was really a shell of himself due to injuries. So Melo finally got to play with those Bulls. And after re-signing with the Knicks in 2014, never made the playoffs again (in NY).

Bulls made the Eastern Conference Finals one time (2011) in the post Michael Jordan era. Could Melo have been the missing piece to lead them with Rose, Noah, and Butler?

Trade to Blazers in 2017

Carmelo Anthony just finished his second season with the Blazers, where he averaged a career-worst 14.3 ppg , mostly coming off the bench. The Blazers pursued Anthony for years, most notably back in 2017 when the Knicks were looking to trade him. But ultimately, Anthony had a no-trade clause in his contract, giving him the flexibility to force the Knicks hand, who traded him to the Thunder.

He fit in relatively well with the Blazers, but what if the 33 year old who was hungrier and in better shape four years ago, joined a team that finished third in the West in both 2018 and 2019?

Blazers made the Western Conference Finals in 2019, before being swept by the Warriors. I’m not saying Anthony would have made that big of a difference, but him getting a full season with Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, at a time when he was coming off of a 22 ppg season, might have made Portland even more dangerous.

Instead, they got Anthony coming off a season where he played 10 games and then was sent home and then signed a few weeks into the 2019 season, missing the opportunity to gel with these guys during the offseason and training camp.