A solid analysis of which teams have a chance to win the NBA title won't be possible until the trade deadline passes and all the lineups are in place. However, my picks up to this point are the following teams. In the West: Golden State Warriors, the Memphis Grizzlies, and the Houston Rockets. In the East: the Atlanta Hawks, I hesitate to add any other teams from the East, but I'll hedge my bets by adding Washington Wizards, and, yes, Cleveland Cavs. The addition of Mosgov, Shumpert, and JR Smith creates a whiff of possibility. But, after last night's win against the Warriors, I'm sold on Atlanta's game. Like the Warriors, they can go deep into their bench for productivity.
About that game, it appeared to me, the Hawks bench was more physically aggressive than the Warriors' bench. During last night's game the Hawk demonstrated a slight edge over the Warriors in that bench play. I don't believe that will be the case come playoff time. The key will be the improved play of David Lee. Notice, I said "will be, not might be." Right now, I don't see Lee playing at the high level we're used to seeing. He seems reluctant to shoot that good mid-range jumper of his, and the banker in the paint, that was his bread and butter is a tad off the mark. Other than that, the Warriors have all it take to win the title. As an Old Warrior, it warms my heart to watch them play, the way they pass, cut, set picks, board, look to help each other.
One last comment. It seems to me that whoever wins the title, it will be because of the following: Paint protection (driving to the basket must be significantly curtailed and and an opponents' offensive rebounds virtually eliminated); a solid eleven man rotation (at this point in the season, there are only four teams that have eleven trustworthy players - Warriors, Grizzlies, Houston, and Atlanta. There are lots of teams with 8 or 9 solid players, but that won't cut it to win a championship.
I found a wonderfully funny and surreal sports poem. The title of the poem is the key to the humor. I'm sort of a history/political junkie, so that added to the fun.
LOUISVILLE FEARED IN MIDEAST by Steven Bryan Bieler
after a newspaper headline
You can't buy baseball bats in Israel.
You can't bring them in, either.
(The batting gloves tucked in your belt give you away)
God forbid you could poke somebody's eye out.
Louisville feared in Mideast.
You can't make crime pay in Egypt
Egyptian justice will track you down.
Your cell has no windows, no telephone, no Reader's Digest.
They turn on the TV
NCAA basketball playoff.
Louisville feared in Mideast.
You can't predict the price of oil
With the tools of supply and demand.
The Arab oil ministers use their own tools
"And in today's results
Chiropractor ran last in the fourth.
While Stormin' Norman failed to show."
Louisville feared in Mideast.
