From Bill Simmons, Grantland: You know where this is headed. Unless Patrick Beverley comes flying out of the stands to take out LeBron James or Tony Parker, we’re getting a history-altering Heat-Spurs showdown. Can Miami finish off one of the greatest basketball seasons ever played? Can the Spurs win their fifth title while breaking the record for “Most times a fan base irrationally claimed that everyone hated them”? Will LeBron officially join the “Greatest Player Ever” conversation? Will Tim Duncan officially hijack “Best Player of His Generation” status from Kobe Bryant? Will Gregg Popovich forge his way onto the NBA Coaching Mount Rushmore? Will Chris Andersen break the record for most casual viewers who said the words, “My God, look at those tattoos!”
From Andrew Ungvari, Lakers Nation: Another day, another team. Dwight Howard’s list of possible destinations has reportedly expanded to include the Golden St. Warriors. While nothing in the NBA is impossible, the English language doesn’t have a word for the closest something can be to being impossible without actually calling it impossible.Here are three big reasons why Dwight Howard won’t be a member of the Golden State Warriors next season:
From Kurt Helin, Pro Basketball Talk: The Lakers shopped Pau Gasol around a little at the trade deadline (or at least listened to offers of people that called them, if you prefer that fine-line distinction). This summer the Lakers could test Gasol’s trade value again. Or they could keep him. Or they could amnesty him (although that seems a real long shot). But every decision the Lakers make this summer hinges on one thing: What Dwight Howard decides. If Howard leaves the Lakers then Pau Gasol will be back with the team next fall. If Howard returns the Lakers can explore other options, whether or not they take them. And since Howard wants to take his time, talk to a lot of teams and be wooed, and he can’t even start to do that until July 1, Gasol knows the first part of his summer is going to be one of uncertainty. Gasol sounded resigned to that speaking to Sam Amick of the USA Today. I guess.
From Eric Pincus, LA Times: Assistant coach Steve Clifford will not return to the Lakers next season. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports!, Clifford has an agreement in place to be theCharlotte Bobcats’ head coach. Clifford was added to Mike Brown’s Lakers staff for the 2012-13 season. Brown was fired five games into the season but Clifford stayed on with Coach Mike D’Antoni. Before joining the Lakers, Clifford was an assistant with the Orlando Magic under Stan Van Gundy. He also worked with the New York Knicks and Houston Rockets for Jeff Van Gundy. The Bobcats finished the season with a 21-61 record, second worst in the NBA. Clifford’s deal is believed to be for three years and $6 million, with the final year a team option.
From TheGreatMambino, Silver Screen & Roll: From the way the season ended, hopes of a title contender look very, very distant for the Los Angeles Lakers. But as the 2011 NBA Champion Mavericks proved, it might not be as far away as everyone thinks. Odd as it seems, the 7th seeded “woe is me” Lake Show isn’t too far off from the model that won the Mavericks a championship. It’s not terribly visible to the naked eye, but next year’s team could very well have a lot of the same ingredients that propelled the seemingly cursed Dallas organization to a chip. Let’s go down the grocery list and check off the items:
Robert says
“Will Tim Duncan officially hijack “Best Player of His Generation” status from Kobe Bryant?” No – hopefully he won’t and everyone on this board is going to help me root against that !
Just Man says
How can Duncan Hijack “Best Player of His Generation”? Kobe went to 7 finals and won 5. Duncan is only now headed to his 5th final. Duncan never won back to Back? Kobe went to 3 straight finals twice. Writers like Bill Simmons just throw out statements without thinking. Kobe can retire today and he will retire as clearly the best player of his generation, Duncan is 2nd but anyone being honest and thinking clearly knows its not close. In 2008 when they met in both their respective Primes, Kobe destroyed Duncan. Go back and watch 2001 when Kobe dominated the Spurs (putting up monster numbers in games 1 and 2 on the road). From 2001 to 2010 Kobe was the better player so why is the greatest player of their generation even up for debate.
Robert says
Just Man: I like the way you think. However let’s root against the Spurs just to be safe : )
rr says
Simmons actually already has Duncan 7th and Kobe 8th on his TBOB Top 100 list. What Simmons is actually talking about–as is often the case with him–is changing the narrative. Right now, Kobe’s narrative includes 5 rings to 4 rings, and the threepeat and the B2B. If Duncan can add beating the mighty Heat to his narrative, while also catching Kobe in rings, that changes Duncan’s narrative.
harold says
I think it’s a good argument. It will be one that is more advantageous for TD if TD equals Kobe’s ring count, but right now it’s pretty even with Kobe slightly edging out TD due to personal achievements and having one more ring.
While I think it could be argued that the role Robinson, Manu and Parker played are nothing to be scoffed at, they aren’t as big as the role Shaq played, so I can see how people could argue that TD is the better player/more influential, etc.
FRANK MURILLO says
Duncan is a flopper and also travels without getting called for it.
Kenny T says
I have nothing but respect for Tim Duncan. We are both from St. Croix, USVI. I have had the pleasure of meeting him. But, IMO, Kobe is an all around better player than Tim. A more influential and iconic figure as well. Kobe has influenced this entire generation of wing players and has had an influence in shaping the current scene in the
NBA. Miami got its big 3 together largely in response to the Lakers’ back to back titles in ’09 & ’10. Tim is a great player, but Kobe is an international superstar and ambassador for NBA basketball, in addition to being one of the greatest players of all time.
P. Ami says
There are two eras in which there is a clear cut #1 player. Jordan in the 90’s and Russell in the 60’s. Otherwise, you can talk Magic or Bird. You can argue Shaq, Kobe or Duncan. You can argue the Big O, Jerry West, or Elgin. You can talk about players like Kareem and the players he competed against in the various eras he played in. I don’t think it is often that one can say there is a clear cut greatest and considering that LBJ, Duncan, Shaq and Jordan all overlap some point of Kobe’s career, one is not going to have an answer to that question without the answer being derived purely from personal bias.