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http://www.nba.com/statistics

Playoff leaders..
Pts--42 Stephen Curry--GSW
Reb--23 DeJuan Blair---SAS
Ast--15 Rajon Rondo----BOS
Stl---4 Andray Blatche-WAS
Blk---5 Serge Ibaka----OKC
3P----6 Bill Walker----NYK

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http://www.tuftsdail...field-1.2226507

Tufts Daily

Western Conference Playoff Preview | Lakers, Mavs are the class of a deep playoff field.
By Alex Scaros|Published: Friday, April 16, 2010
Updated: Friday, April 16, 2010


"The NBA Playoffs are finally here. The next two months promise to pack more excitement than the entire regular season, and once again, the Western Conference is stacked. All eight teams in the West bracket have at least 50 wins, and the eight−seeded Oklahoma City Thunder would be the fourth seed in the East. Besides the Thunder, there are no newcomers to the Western Conference pool, with every other team having playoff experience dating back to last season. The Daily breaks down the pool in the Western Conference in preparation for the playoffs:

(1) Los Angeles Lakers (57−25) vs. (8) Oklahoma City (50−32): The Thunder played the Lakers tough all season, dropping two of the first three games by just three points, and winning the most recent contest between the two, 91−75, on March 26.

Although they’re the No. 1 seed, the Lakers are backing into the playoffs, having lost seven of their last 11 games in the regular season. When in sync, Kobe Bryant and company are the toughest team to beat, but they haven’t shown that lately and could find themselves in a very tough series with a young and hungry Thunder team.

Fresh off claiming the title as the youngest player in NBA history to capture the season scoring title, Kevin Durant enters the playoffs with even more to prove, and the Thunder have the ability to run the Lakers into the ground with their transition game. This one could be closer than anyone thinks.

(2) Dallas Mavericks (55−27) vs. (7) San Antonio Spurs (50−32): The Mavericks seem to come into the playoffs every year with promise but always find a way to disappoint expectations and owner Mark Cuban. This year, however, the Mavericks bring their deepest and most talented roster of the Dirk Nowitzki era into the postseason.

With future Hall−of−Famer Jason Kidd at the point and Sixth Man of the Year candidate Jason Terry averaging 16.6 points per game off the bench, the Mavericks have too much firepower for San Antonio. The Spurs still have the talent, but health and age are always a concern for them. Tim Duncan’s 17.9 points and 10.1 rebounds per game were the lowest totals in his career, and without home−court advantage in this series, it will be very tough for the Spurs to win.

(3) Phoenix Suns (54−28) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (50−32): The Suns play at the fastest pace of any playoff team, while the Blazers play at the slowest, which should make for an interesting matchup. Anchored by Steve Nash, who dropped 16.5 points and dished out 11.0 assists per game in the regular season, the Suns’ offensive arsenal is scary. Amare Stoudemire (23.1 points, 8.9 rebounds per game) is virtually un−guardable in the paint, and the Suns have a bevy of three−point gunners in Jared Dudley, Grant Hill, Channing Frye and Nash, all of whom shoot better than 42 percent from beyond the arc.

The Blazers have matched up well with the Suns, though, having won two of three regular−season matchups. All−Star guard Brandon Roy, who has averaged 21.5 points per game this season, is questionable to play on Sunday with a slight tear in his meniscus. If Roy is unable to go in that one, or throughout the series, it will seriously hinder the Blazers’ chance of an upset. Portland’s LaMarcus Aldridge will have the tough task of containing Stoudemire, but if he gets into foul trouble, the Suns’ inside−outside game will be too much for the Blazers to handle.

(4) Denver Nuggets (53−29) vs. (5) Utah Jazz (53−29): This will be the most intriguing first−round matchup of the playoffs because both teams have the ability to make it to the Finals. The biggest factor in this series will be home−court advantage; the Nuggets went 34−7 at home but 19−22 on the road, while the Jazz saw similar results, going 32−9 at home and 21−20 on the road. If the Jazz can steal a win from the Nuggets in the first two games in Denver, the series will likely go deep to six or seven games.

The Nuggets have all the pieces for a championship run: playoff−experienced Chauncey Billups at point and one of the NBA’s most dynamic scorers in Carmelo Anthony. With Kenyon Martin back from injury and J.R. Smith coming off the bench to stretch the defense with his shooting ability, the Nuggets will be a vicious opponent for any team.

The Western Conference playoffs always feature tough−fought battles with long series, heroic performances and constant upsets. This year, the balance between the No. 1 and No. 8 seeds is as even as it has ever been. But in the end, the winner will be the team that can win the best on the road. At 27−14 away from home, look for the Mavericks to make it out of the West and get the chance to win the title."

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http://www.tuftsdail...g-off-1.2169654

Tufts Daily

Inside the NBA | Big moves for Cavaliers, Mavericks paying off.
By Alex Scaros Published: Thursday, February 25, 2010
Updated: Thursday, February 25, 2010


"As expected by many — due to the upcoming free agent class this summer — last Thursday’s NBA trade deadline was one of the most action−packed in recent years.

Teams like the Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks traded away talent for cap space, a strategy that has been used by many organizations in the last few years. Among the teams with the biggest acquisitions were the Cleveland Cavaliers and Dallas Mavericks, both of which made the old−fashioned move of trading for talent to win a championship this season.

The Cavaliers acquired former All Star power forward Antawn Jamison from the Washington Wizards for Zydrunas Ilgauskas and a 2010 first−round pick. They also received former high−school phenomenon Sebastian Telfair from the Los Angeles Clippers in a three−team deal.

Jamison is the obvious centerpiece of the trade: the 33−year−old North Carolina Tar Heel is putting up big numbers again this season despite an unfortunate situation in D.C., averaging 20.0 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. The move gives the Cavs a versatile power forward who can handle the ball in the low post and has the ability to step back and shoot the three. A career 34.7 percent, three−point shooter, the 6−foot−9 Jamison also has the ability to shoot over anyone and stretch the floor to make room for LeBron James.

As the Cavs’ third option behind James and Shaquille O’Neal, Jamison provides Cleveland with depth, as hustle specialist Anderson Varejao will be able to spell Shaq or Jamison as coach Mike Brown sees fit. This greatly bolsters the Cavaliers’ post play, something that should complement James nicely.

During their trade negotiations, the Cavaliers’ front office was asked by every team to put second−year swingman J.J. Hickson in a deal. Cleveland refused, and for good reason. Hickson is a budding talent: At 6−foot−9, 242 pounds, the North Carolina State product is incredibly athletic and is quietly averaging a solid 7.4 points off the bench this season. With the addition of Jamison, Hickson will see better matchups on offense because defenders will respect Jamison’s outside shot more.

Before the trade, the Cavs were the favorite to win the Eastern Conference, and they have gotten even stronger after the deadline. With King James having another MVP−caliber season, averaging 29.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 8.5 assists per game, the Cavs have their sights set on their first−ever NBA championship.

Out West, Mark Cuban and the Dallas Mavericks are making moves again that have this squad looking like the strongest version of the Mavs since the 2006 Western Conference champions. In another trade deadline day move, the Mavs traded forwards Josh Howard and Drew Gooden and two other players for Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood. Butler is averaging 16.7 points per game this season and gives the Mavericks another scoring option to take the pressure off of Dirk Nowitzki and sixth−man Jason Terry.

On paper, the Mavs have very few weaknesses. They have a potential league MVP and dominant scorer in Nowitzki — who is averaging 24.7 points per game this year — a future Hall−of−Fame point guard in Jason Kidd, arguably the best bench player in the NBA in Terry (16.7 points per game) and now a former All Star swingman in Butler.

But there were some holes in the middle, and that is where Haywood comes in. He is averaging 9.9 points and 10.4 rebounds per game, and with the 7−foot Nowitzki playing the power forward position, the Mavericks now have the size and talent up front to match up with Andruw Bynum and Pau Gasol of the Los Angeles Lakers, the most formidable post duo in the West.

At 36−21, the Mavericks have the fourth best record in the Western Conference and are seven games behind the Lakers for first place in the conference. Currently riding a four−game win streak, though, the new acquisitions seem to be fitting right into the mix. Either the Phoenix Suns or Oklahoma City Thunder is likely to be the No. 5 seed, and if the Mavericks hold onto their current spot and give themselves home−court advantage in the first round, they will be in prime position to make a playoff run. Phoenix is 20−7 at home but only 15−16 on the road, so a potential first−round matchup with the Suns would be ideal for the Mavericks.

In the Eastern Conference, the Cavs have to worry about an aging Boston Celtics team, which recently acquired the young Nate Robinson at the deadline, and an Orlando Magic team that Cleveland is no doubt gunning for after falling to the Magic in last year’s Eastern Conference finals.

Out West, the Lakers are once again the favorite, and with Kobe Bryant back after spending 18 days resting a fractured finger, the road to the finals will most likely go through southern California. The Denver Nuggets, at 37−19, and the improved Mavericks now pose the biggest threat to the Lakers for their third straight trip the NBA Finals.

But give both Cleveland and Dallas credit for their recent acquisitions. While some teams were looking ahead past the season to the summer, these two squads are gunning to still be playing in June."

[jcisco loboe'77]

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Predicting the First Round of the NBA Playoffs.
by Jacob Meyer Contributor Written on April 15, 2010

"Ah, the NBA playoffs are here. Anything can happen. The Warriors showed us that with their domination of the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of their memorable 2007 first round series. Who knows? Maybe the Bulls ignore the basketball gods and beat Cleveland in the first round, but that won't happen.

In the West, the Lakers are still the team to beat despite all the questions being raised about them. The Mavericks, Suns, Jazz, and Spurs appear to be the biggest threats to the Lakers, although the Nuggets could be included if George Karl returns.

In the East, the Cavaliers look to get past the conference finals for the first time since 2007, but they will have to get past an Orlando Magic team that is playing spectacular basketball as of late. Those appear to be the only contenders, as the Celtics are aging and the Hawks are still a year away."

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Now or Never: 10 NBA Players/Teams with One Last Shot at Playoff Glory.
by Bryan Toporek Analyst Written on April 15, 2010

"With the NBA playoffs about to start, you may have noticed the intensity ratcheting up another level during some of the key games the past few weeks.

As they say around the League: That’s playoff basketball. Defense gets tougher. Fouls get harder. Blocks and dunks get nastier. You know that every player is giving his 100 percent.

Some players and teams this season will have a little extra fire under their seats heading into the postseason, as they watch their championship potential quickly dwindle.

Be it because of age, free agency, or injuries, the basketball gods open and close the doors on championship contenders faster than Quinten Richardson got traded last summer.

Take a look at 10 such players and teams who are likely facing their last, best shot at an NBA championship going into the playoffs this year."

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Now or Never: 10 NBA Players/Teams with One Last Shot at Playoff Glory.
by Bryan Toporek Analyst Written on April 15, 2010

"Boston Celtics: Kevin Garnett, Michael Finley, Ray Allen, Rasheed Wallace.
With the NBA playoffs about to start, you may have noticed the intensity ratcheting up another level during some of the key games the past few weeks.
As they say around the League: That’s playoff basketball. Defense gets tougher. Fouls get harder. Blocks and dunks get nastier. You know that every player is giving his 100 percent.
Some players and teams this season will have a little extra fire under their seats heading into the postseason, as they watch their championship potential quickly dwindle.
Be it because of age, free agency, or injuries, the basketball gods open and close the doors on championship contenders faster than Quinten Richardson got traded last summer.
Take a look at 10 such players and teams who are likely facing their last, best shot at an NBA championship going into the playoffs this year.

Boston Celtics: Kevin Garnett, Michael Finley, Ray Allen, Rasheed Wallace

Not going to lie: This was the first team to immediately come to mind for this slideshow.

With most of the Celtics’ key players already on the wrong side of 30, the C’s realize that they’re not getting any younger, and that they may have mortgaged their future for that ’08 NBA championship (I’d hope you’d be hard pressed to find a Celtics fan that wouldn’t make that trade-off, though).

Kevin Garnett, 33, has worse knee problems than my 63-year-old father. Ray Allen is going on 35, Rasheed Wallace will turn 36 this September, and Michael Finley is already 37-years old.

Worse yet, all four have already crossed the dreaded NBA line of demarcation, having played in 1,000-plus NBA games in their careers. Allen’s played in 1,022; Wallace 1,087, Finley 1,102, and K.G. has appeared in 1,123 NBA games since coming into the league in ’95.

The Celtics have already fought off a litany of injuries this season just to make the playoffs, but now they face a tougher test: Can this team of rapidly aging stars fight off the young bucks to put championship No. 18 in the rafters?

If not…it’s looking like the end of the line for the Celtics’ Big Three and their championship dreams."

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Now or Never: 10 NBA Players/Teams with One Last Shot at Playoff Glory.
by Bryan Toporek Analyst Written on April 15, 2010

"San Antonio Spurs: Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili

If we’re discussing teams with stars on the wrong side of 30, we can’t go without mentioning the San Antonio Spurs, who looked well out of championship contention because of their age midseason.

Sports Illustrated said that Tim Duncan, 34, and Manu Ginobili, 32, were already feeling the effects of Father Time.

Lately, the Spurs have been on their annual late-season playoff push, albeit a little later than they’d have liked. They finished the season on a 17-7 run, which landed them in the sixth spot in the Western Conference and a first-round date with the Phoenix Suns.

In the past month, the Spurs pounded the Nuggets, the Celtics, and the Lakers, and beat the Cavaliers and the Thunder; for all of those games (minus the one against the Nuggets), they did it without former NBA finals MVP Tony Parker, who was sidelined with a broken hand.

Long story short, the Spurs have reverted to championship form in the past month, and they did it without Parker, who’s now back on the court. With George Hill—the backup PG who more-than-capably filled in for Parker—already healed from a sprained ankle, the Spurs are headed into the playoffs at full-strength, more or less.

But Father Time won’t stop harassing Duncan and Ginobili, which means this year is the Spurs’ best chance at one final NBA championship with the Ginobili-Duncan-Parker core."

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Now or Never: 10 NBA Players/Teams with One Last Shot at Playoff Glory.
by Bryan Toporek Analyst Written on April 15, 2010

Steve Nash
"This one hurts to list. Ever since reading B/R’s NBA lead editor, DeMarco Williams’, SLAM Magazine article about Nash last month, I’ve had infinitely more respect for a guy I already held in the highest regard.

Whether you think he deserved it or not, the man won back-to-back League MVP awards in ’05 and ’06, putting him in the company of Tim Duncan, Bob Pettit, Karl Malone, and (soon) LeBron James.

But, much like Duncan, Nash has been fighting the effects of Father Time all season. DeMarco’s SLAM article did a great job capturing a behind-the-scenes beaten-and-battered Nash—one who laid on his back in his room for around 14 hours because of soreness in his back.

This isn’t to say Nash is slowing down any time soon, however. Quite the contrary—Nash’s clearly headed down the Jason Kidd model of point guard preservation, where he relies more on his jump shot, court vision, and passing more than ever.

But from the free agent rumblings, Amar’e Stoudemire could easily leave Phoenix for Miami, Chicago, New York, or New Jersey. If the Suns can’t win a championship this year with Amar’e…what are the odds they win one next year without him? Grant Hill, Robin Lopez, and Jared Dudley aren’t carrying a team to a championship, as entertaining as they may be.

As much as I love Nash and hope the guy gets an NBA championship before he retires, this year looks to be his best chance he’ll have."

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Now or Never: 10 NBA Players/Teams with One Last Shot at Playoff Glory.
by Bryan Toporek Analyst Written on April 15, 2010

Jason Kidd"
Speaking of the “Jason Kidd model of point guard preservation”...I’d be remiss to go without adding Jason Kidd to this list.

Kidd, 37, was the second pick in the 1994 NBA draft and he’s still going strong—he recorded four triple-doubles this season alone. Kidd’s the career active player in games played (1,187 to date), minutes played (44,007), assists (10,920), and steals (2,343).

He’s also in an extremely favorable position with Mark Cuban as his owner. The Mavericks’ biggest problem going into the playoffs is that they may have too much talent.

After trading for Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood, the Mavericks reeled off a 13-game win streak and looked every bit ready to challenge the Lakers for Western Conference supremacy. Problem is, the Mavs dropped six of their next 11 games before finishing the season on a five-game win streak.

The Mavs finished the season as the West’s No. 2 seed, guaranteeing home court advantage at least until the Western Conference finals. They’re now locked into an all-Texas first-round battle with the San Antonio Spurs, which promises to be nothing short of a battle.

If the Mavs don’t win it all this year, Haywood’s contract expires, and Caron Butler will turn into an expiring contract, likely making him expendable some time before February.

Kidd, at 37, likely only has three to four more years in the league, at most, despite his excellent training and conditioning. With time ticking down on his Hall of Fame career, Kidd’s likely facing his best shot at an NBA championship this season."

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Now or Never: 10 NBA Players/Teams with One Last Shot at Playoff Glory.
by Bryan Toporek Analyst Written on April 15, 2010

Vince Carter

"Signing with the Magic appears to be the best thing for Vince Carter’s career and the worst thing for Vince Carter’s stats.

This is V.C.’s first year on a 50-win team, but it’s come at the expense of Carter’s nightly contributions. He’s averaging a career-low basically across the board: in minutes played, points, rebounds, steals, and blocks, as the Magic have a guy named Dwight Howard down low who they occasionally try to structure their offense around.

While Carter can’t be held accountable for the decrease in his fantasy basketball value (given the talent of his teammates), the Magic will count on him to step up in the playoffs, and there’s no guarantee that V.C. will be able to pull through.

In the Magic’s six-game upset of the Cavaliers in last season’s Eastern Conference finals, not only did Dwight Howard abuse the Cavs’ front-line, but Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu drilled the Cavs from deep to keep the games out of reach from LeBron’s heroics. Will Carter be able to knock down a high-pressure, fourth-quarter three-pointer to stretch the Magic’s lead in a crucial game?

Carter seems to have put his January slump behind him, but having seen him struggle through weeks at a time this season, V.C. seems prone to becoming a streaky shooter in the playoffs—and I’d bet the Magic aren’t excited to gamble on a shaky sharpshooter.

If Carter can play the Kobe to Dwight’s Shaq, then the Magic have as good a chance as any to take home the championship hardware this season. If not, the Magic’s cap situation is such that they won’t be making any large free agent moves this summer, which means they won’t be improving their championship odds much more than they’re currently at."

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Now or Never: 10 NBA Players/Teams with One Last Shot at Playoff Glory.
by Bryan Toporek Analyst Written on April 15, 2010


Jermaine O'Neal

"0Despite one of the most egregious attempted season finale tankjobs in recent memory, the red-hot Miami Heat enter the playoffs having won 12 of their past 13 games. In the first round of the playoffs, they’re matched up with the Celtics, a team that’s looked nothing short of mentally checked out in the past few weeks.

But besides Dwyane Wade, who can opt out of a $17 million player option next season and test free agency, the Heat only have two players under contract for next year (Michael Beasley and Daequan Cook), and team options on two more (Mario Chalmers and James Jones).

In other words, it’s now or never for this version of the Heat, as next year’s Miami team is likely to receive a massive makeover in this upcoming summer’s free agency bonanza.

At 31 years old and with a $22.5 million expiring contract, Jermaine O’Neal would be nothing short of high to expect a new contract anywhere in that ballpark. If he’s willing to re-sign for somewhere around the mid-level exception, I’d imagine that the Heat would gladly sign him…anything more than that, and Miami would likely let him test free agency to see if he could suckerpunch another team into giving him a three-year, $40 million contract.

O’Neal has already played in more than 850 games, and his days of being a 20-10 guy have long gone, judging by his 13-point, seven-rebound average this season. More alarmingly, he dipped below two blocks per game for the first time since the 1999-00 season.

It’s near impossible to imagine O’Neal starting for a championship team in his current form; if he can’t have Dwyane Wade carry him to a title this year, it’s probable that O’Neal eventually retires without winning a championship."

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Now or Never: 10 NBA Players/Teams with One Last Shot at Playoff Glory.
by Bryan Toporek Analyst Written on April 15, 2010

Shaquille O'Neal

"Ever since seeing Kazaam as a kid, I've had a soft spot for Shaquille O'Neal and all the antics that came along with his 7-foot, 300 pound body and dominant post game. (Shaq Vs. only reinforced that love.)

But at 38 years of age, Shaq's the oldest player in the NBA, and the League's active leader of points and rebounds. If O'Neal returns from his thumb injury and helps win "a ring for the King," he could retire with five championships, three Finals MVP awards, and a claim for being one of the top-10 players in NBA history.

If Shaq wins the title this year, what else would he have to prove?

Even if the Cavs don't come through, there's no guarantee they'd bring Shaq back for another go-around. If LeBron leaves Cleveland, there's no chance Shaq would come back—he's at the "win now," play-for-a-contender stage of his career.

And what if the Magic, sick of the Hack-a-Howard strategy, employ the original, Hack-a-Shaq in the Eastern Conference finals? What if it causes Cleveland to lose a game? (God forbid, the series?)

The stars are aligned for the Cavaliers to win the NBA championship this year, and if Shaq can return healthy to battle Dwight Howard down low, he's got a great shot at earning one for the thumb this year.

Regardless of how these playoffs turn out, the Big Shaqtus could always hang up his shoes at any point. Given that, this run with the Cavs will be his best shot at Ring No. 5."

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Now or Never: 10 NBA Players/Teams with One Last Shot at Playoff Glory.
by Bryan Toporek Analyst Written on April 15, 2010


Zydrunas Ilgauskas

"Running with the theme of aging Cleveland centers, we arrive at Zydrunas Ilgauskas, the 34-year-old Lithuanian who the Cavaliers drafted 20th overall back in the 1996 NBA draft.

Up until this season, Big Z had spent his entire career with Cleveland—that is, until Antawn Jamison became available in a trade and the Cavs considered Z expendable. (The Cavs may have "expected" [read: known] that the Wizards would release Z, allowing him to "maybe" [read: no freaking kidding] re-sign with Cleveland for the playoffs.)

Z's in the same boat as Shaq, despite being a few years younger. He's got an expiring contract, so if LeBron leaves, Z bolts for a contender.

If LeBron stays, Cleveland management will have to do good by Z when negotiating his next contract, as Z felt betrayed by the Cavs when they traded him.

Z's been through a rough season with the Cavs: first being benched for the first time since 2001-02 for Shaq, then getting a DNP against Dallas on the night he was expected to set the Cavs' career games played record.

With the Cavs the favorites to win the NBA championship going into the playoffs, this will be Z's best chance to win a title going forward."

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Now or Never: 10 NBA Players/Teams with One Last Shot at Playoff Glory.
by Bryan Toporek Analyst Written on April 15, 2010

Marcus Camby

"The 36-year-old Camby is now on his fifth NBA team after being traded to the Trail Blazers in February.

Until Brandon Roy went down with a torn meniscus earlier this week, the fifth team looked like it might be a charm for Camby, a former NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

The Blazers, who traded Steve Blake and Travis Outlaw for Camby, they found the perfect defensive stopper to replace the injured Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla. With Brandon Roy returning from a mid-season hamstring injury, and LaMarcus Aldridge continuing his late-season tendency to assert himself offensively, the Blazers looked like a dangerous first-round opponent in the West.

With Roy's injury, everything's up in the air for the Blazers. They're facing the Phoenix Suns in the first round, who are dealing with their own injury troubles with Robin Lopez; however, Roy's a much more integral component to the Blazers than Lopez is to the Suns.

Earlier this week, Camby decided to take over a game on his own, putting up a 30-point, 13-rebound night in a 103-95 win over Oklahoma City—a game with massive playoff seeding implications.

If Camby can continue the Shaquille O'Neal-esque performances, the Blazers could make some noise in the playoffs, especially if Roy can gut out some gritty performances on a torn-up knee. But if the Blazers don't have room for Camby with Oden and the Vanilla Gorilla coming back next year, this could very well end up being his final shot at an NBA title."

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Now or Never: 10 NBA Players/Teams with One Last Shot at Playoff Glory.
by Bryan Toporek Analyst Written on April 15, 2010

Derek Fisher

"It's no secret that one of the Lakers' glaring weaknesses this season has been the play at the point guard position, spearheaded by 36-year-old Derek Fisher.

Fisher, who's won all four NBA championships alongside Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson, has majorly tailed off in the past few seasons. Fish only averaged 7.5 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game this season—not the stat line you'd expect from a team once led by Magic Johnson.

Fisher was never a huge scorer night-in and night-out, even on the Laker championship teams, but he reliably knocked down big shots time and time again. He's shooting under 35 percent from downtown this year.

Worse yet, younger speedy point guards abuse Fisher on defense routinely. The Lakers can allow one scorer on the other team to get their typical points since they’ve got Kobe on their side to counterbalance the equation, but in their upcoming matchup against the Thunder, the Lakers can’t afford 30-plus point nights from Kevin Durant alongside 20-point nights from Russell Westbrook.

Fisher’s contract expires after this season, which means his Laker future largely depends on these upcoming playoffs. If the Lakers don’t win the title, it’s nearly impossible to imagine the Lakers retaining Fish for anything more than a backup role at a highly discounted price; even if they do win, the Lakers will likely want to find a younger point guard to pair with their All-Star lineup of Kobe, Ron Artest, Pau Gasol, and Andrew Bynum next season.

Regardless of what the Lakers plan to do with Fisher after the season, the Lakers enter the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference for the second straight year, and in this era, it’s near-impossible to imagine L.A. repeating that feat next year. Fisher’s likely facing his best shot at earning his fifth and final NBA championship in the coming weeks."

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NBA Playoffs 2010: How The Aging Celtics and Spurs Can Still Win
by Jon Star

"Much attention will be paid to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Orlando Magic in the upcoming NBA Playoffs. However, let's not forget about the older stalwarts in the Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs, as they gun for one more title before their time officially ends.

Older team leaders and tougher schedules have many prognosticators believing the road is too difficult for the Celtics and Spurs, but NBA fans shouldn't write them off and here are 10 reasons why."

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NBA Playoffs 2010: How The Aging Celtics and Spurs Can Still Win
by Jon Star


1)Point Guard Play

"Both the Spurs and the Celtics boast some of the best point guards in the NBA. Rajon Rondo is arguably the future of point guard for the league. The Celtics baller can log close to a triple-double on any given night, and could be the difference maker if the Celtics offense gets bogged down.

Meanwhile, Tony Parker has been the force behind numerous San Antonio titles, providing the on-the-ball artistry to pace the Spurs' offense. Parker provides San Antonio with the youth to push the ball, and is still a player opposing teams must account for at all times.

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NBA Playoffs 2010: How The Aging Celtics and Spurs Can Still Win
by Jon Star

2)Post Presence

"Like their point guards, the Celtics and Spurs both feature imposing post players in Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett.

Both players have certainly put many miles on their legs and are no longer the dominant interior players they once were, but it is difficult to bet against two players who can post a double-double on any night and alter so many shots."

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NBA Playoffs 2010: How The Aging Celtics and Spurs Can Still Win
by Jon Star


3)Three-Headed Monsters

"Another common feature between the two teams are the trio of feature players with championship pedigrees.

The Celtics still very much rely on Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Garnett as the backbone of their offense.

Similarly, the Spurs run most of their offense through Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Tim Duncan. If all three are on top of their respective games in the postseason, both the Celtics and Spurs will be a handful for any opponent."

[jcisco loboe'77]

http://bleacherrepor...s-can-still-win

NBA Playoffs 2010: How The Aging Celtics and Spurs Can Still Win
by Jon Star

4)Championship Pedigree

"The Spurs have won four titles since 1999. The Celtics won the NBA title in 2008 with much of their currently-constituted roster.

These two teams may have slipped due to age and production, but they are teams that have tasted winning and know what it takes. Very few teams in the playoff field have tasted an NBA Championship—advantage Celtics and Spurs."