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joestrong · 01-31-2023, 03:23 PM

A Retrospective on the Past 5 Years

As you may have gathered, the narrative has not have developed as expected. Melo isn’t in Denver, Steve Nash has made the Bulls a little-less Baby, and let’s not even get started on Seattle but this is only the surface. Shall we see how we got here:

2002-03

MVP: Tim Duncan (2)
DPOY: Ben Wallace (2)
MIP: Vlad Stepania (1)
ROY: Amar’e Stoudemire
6MOY: Manu Ginobili (1)
NBA Finals: Minnesota Timberwolves (4) - Detroit Pistons (0)
Finals MVP: Kevin Garnett (1)

Whilst Kobe Bryant led the league in Points-Per-Game (32.1) and Ben Wallace led in Rebounds (17.4) it was Tim Duncan who was considered the consensus best player in the league on the back of a 26/16/6 season, perhaps the most well-rounded and ‘valuable’ contributor. Although this was halted in the Second Round of the postseason by eventual Finals winners the Minnesota Timberwolves. Minnesota managed to escape the gauntlet of the Western Conference with enough left to sweep 3rd Seed Detroit in the NBA Finals.

The bottom of the league was populated by 2 future NBA Championship teams amongst those who have seen a range of different successes in the ensuing years. These included Denver, Seattle, Utah, Cleveland, Miami and Atlanta, all frontrunners for the crown jewel of the NBA Draft - LeBron James.

This is how the first 5 picks of 2003 played out:

1st Pick - Seattle Supersonics - Chris Bosh (PF, Georgia Tech)
2nd Pick - Cleveland Cavaliers - LeBron James (F, High School)
3rd Pick - Miami Heat - Carmelo Anthony (F, Syracuse)
4th Pick - Atlanta Hawks - Dwyane Wade (G, Marquette)
5th Pick - Denver Nuggets - Leandro Barbosa (G, Brazil)

Yes. LeBron was the Crown Jewel. Yes. He has had more personal success than Bosh. However, Bosh has turned into Hakeem and not Sam Bowie. This clearly isn’t a comparison of skillset but more perspective. Seattle left the better player on the board with more confidence in a matured prospect, instead of the High School phenom but they have still ascended the highest peak you can climb within this league.

Cleveland and Miami can have no complaint either and most would argue the same for Atlanta. Wade is a player of immense scoring talent on track to become a star in this league. He just hasn’t done it to the degree of the three players in front of him .Yet. Denver may have the greatest frustration. After dropping from 1st to 5th in the lottery, they drafted inarguable talent in a body that cannot handle the workload. Barbosa has become a high-level NBA Starter but you can’t start games if you can’t stay fit.

Whilst the 2003 NBA Draft ushered in a new generation of superstardom, this was mirrored by the passing of a torch. Jordan, Hakeem, and John Stockton all said their goodbyes to a league - (eventually being named to the Hall of Fame) littered with personal accomplishment. In 2002-03 Vince Carter led the league with the highest scoring game; a 56 point outing against the Denver Nuggets and a theme which will only develop in the coming years. However, it was McGrady who stepped-up within this family affair over the course of the playoffs. Although they did not win the title, Orlando’s second-round exit was underlined by the former Raptor’s greatness. A first round matchup with the New Jersey Nets saw McGrady score 53 in Game 2 and then 65, 55 and 60 in the next 3 to win the series 4-1. Orlando themselves may not have set the world on fire but McGrady putting together a 4-game stretch of that quality may never be repeated.

2003-04

MVP: Tim Duncan (3)
DPOY: Ben Wallace (3)
MIP: Tony Parker (1)
ROY: LeBron James
6MOY: Mehmet Okur (1)
NBA Finals: Detroit Pistons (4) - Dallas Mavericks (0)
Finals MVP: Chauncey Billups (1)

If I was to tell you two of those award winners would be NBA Champions by the close of the postseason, Duncan and Parker would have been the obvious guess. Going 54-28 in the midst of David Robinson’s farewell, it was written in the stars. However, a Second Round loss to the Los Angeles Lakers scuppered plans which eventually unraveled to leave Wallace and Okur NBA Champions with Chauncey Billups leading them to Finals MVP - a true team performance. All 4 top draft picks from 03 became All-Rookie first-teamers whilst Barbosa’s naming to the second team can be considered the beginning of the chasm in success between the 5 players. Instead, Chris Kaman was the fifth member of that All-Rookie first team.

Two transactions became central to the development of the league since 03-04. Gilbert Arenas signed with the Utah Jazz in Free Agency, filling a void left by Stockton (to retirement) and Malone (to the inevitable, ineffectual ring chase). Utah finished 10th in the West but lucked into the first pick in the 2004 Draft. Emeka Okafor was the selection, regrettably leaving High Schooler Dwight Howard on the board and even though Okafor is a serviceable NBA center, he isn’t the Golden State man (Howard went to the Warriors with the 2nd Pick). In a similar vein - teams making questionable decisions but still succeeding in the long run - we have Rasheed Wallace moving to Chicago at the deadline. Chicago gave up Jalen Rose, Tyson Chandler, and Eddy Curry alongside several picks to pick up the former Tar Heel. It was a risk. Wallace was an unrestricted free agent in the summer who was tentative in expressing his intent for the offseason. However, when Steve Nash became available following a tumultuous NBA Finals collapse in Dallas, the Wallace trade had opened several doors. Trading Rose and letting Wallace walk provide room to sign Nash to a Max Contract. It somewhat worked out for Wallace as well, signing with the Denver Nuggets after Andre Miller reached out over the 04 Summer.

2004-05

MVP: Tim Duncan (4)
DPOY: Kobe Bryant (1)
MIP: Hedo Turkoglu (1)
ROY: Josh Childress
6MOY: Ronald Murray (1)
NBA Finals: Los Angeles Lakers (4) - New Jersey Nets (1)
Finals MVP: Kobe Bryant (1)

Tim Duncan wins MVP. San Antonio Spurs flounder to a premature playoff exit. It feels like clockwork now. However, this one was enveloped in discourse. Kobe Bryant was considered the MVP favorite for the majority of the year. Vince Carter was leading the race early on (you’ll understand why later) but as team record began to increase in importance, it was Bryant leading the way. Generational on the offensive end as always but the step up to DPOY level made the difference. However, the three game difference in the regular season records of the Lakers and Spurs provided voting parties with enough legitimacy to crown Duncan for a 4th consecutive time. Only just the most impressive record broken this season. It was this victory which arguably cost the Spurs their ring.

8th May 2005 marked the day Duncan was crowned 4-time MVP, the day before Kobe Bryant would face up against 1st Seed Utah Jazz. Utah with Arenas, Okafor and Kirilenko joined by former Bulls Boozer and Crawford in the previous Free Agency. It would be a test. Although, it should be considered the Lakers had talent of their own. Two All-NBA First Teamers (Bryant and O’Neal) flanked by Hedo Turkoglu, T.J. Ford and Bonzi Wells. The latter acquired for a 2006 first-round pick at the deadline with the aims of pushing the Lakers over the top. Bryant felt slighted by each and every congratulation Duncan received after his announcement, refusing to answer any question about the matter - “We have a playoff series to win” being his only response. And a playoff series they did win. 4-2 against the Jazz who crumbled under the pressure of their regular season record with Bryant dominating Gilbert Arenas who had managed a 60-point performance in his first round matchup against Seattle.

Then came the real test. LA bested Utah. San Antonio overcame Minnesota. Bryant vs Duncan. Yes, it wasn’t a direct positional battle but it felt close enough. Anytime Duncan scored, Bryant would retaliate, again, again, again. Relentless. However, it was the direct matchups in which the noise of the crowd rose to crescendo. Kobe took delight in forcing a switch within the pick-and-roll which brought Duncan to the perimeter. At this point support would be waived repeatedly, the call for an isolation. Over the course of the series Duncan was exposed to crossovers, stepbacks, small jabsteps even, which could only be the hallmark of a man possessed. This series is the one which parents will show their kids to explain how ‘basketball was played in their day’. Mamba Mentality personified. It is perhaps symbolic that Shaq’s 50-point outing in Game 3 of this series is hidden behind a deep narrative of the MVP race. However, again 4-2 saw the Lakers progress to the NBA Finals.

The previous two series made the NBA Finals pretty elementary for LA. Yes, the Nets were good, Kidd, Jefferson, and Martin are all elite talents in their own right. Although, they don’t match up well against Bryant and O’Neal, leaving a loss in a gentleman's sweep as their NBA Finals legacy. “This one’s for Kobe” O’Neal repeated, passing the Finals MVP to his brother-in-arms, in perhaps the peak of their relationship.

There were 3 in the MVP race this season. We know the stories of Bryant and Duncan but only one number matters with Carter. 78. 78 Points in 1 Game, the highest since Wilt’s 100 (Author’s Note: Kobe never dropped 81 in this universe) and a feat we may never see repeated in our lifetimes. Toronto face up against the Portland Trailblazers twice a season. On the 6th November 2004 Carter made 21 field-goals in a performance which amounted to 58 points. His 3rd highest of the season. A week later, Toronto and Portland matched up again. 28 field-goals, including 10 made 3’s to win the season series over Portland. This time it took an overtime and 78 points from Carter. Now hopefully it all makes sense. These two demolitions of Portland, alongside a 60-point outing in December against Denver represent the wealth of talent Carter possesses but a lack surrounding him. Carter has been personally successful but his lack of team success negated him from truly challenging for MVP in 04-05.

Another key note from 04-05 was the expansion of the NBA to Charlotte, with the Bobcats named the 30th franchise in the association. A complete array of players from across the league were eventually led by J.R. Smith, the 4th overall pick from the 2004 NBA draft. It was a pick which caused much controversy and can be considered a primary reason David Stern eventually elected to remove the ability of High School players to enter the draft. As per the NBA ruling, the Bobcats had the 4th pick of the 04 Draft however, this meant missing out on the 3 most prominent names within the class - Okafor and Howard, who have previously been mentioned alongside number 2 pick Andre Igoudala. Smith was considered a risk at 4 and yes, he has had relative success in the years since. However, that first year in Charlotte was perhaps not best suited to someone who had been sitting their SATs only months earlier. It was a lesson for the league. Highlighting the duty they have to their players. Whilst the Bobcats going 16 and 66 worked out eventually, the season underlined the need for the NBA to provide their players with a better platform to succeed.

2005-06

MVP: LeBron James (1)
DPOY: Tim Duncan (1)
MIP: Chris Kaman (1)
ROY: Chris Paul
6MOY: Jay Williams (1)
NBA Finals: Cleveland Cavaliers (4) - Houston Rockets (1)
Finals MVP: LeBron James (1)

It was always clear that LeBron James was a generational talent from the moment he entered the league and whilst his success has been consistent since his first basket, 05-06 really was the year he overtook. MVP, Champion and Finals MVP becoming only the 9th player ever to do all three in one season. However, the route to the final perhaps makes the achievement more impressive than any other. Cleveland entered the postseason as an 8th seed (44-38) with LeBron surrounded by a considerably lackluster supporting cast. With Ricky Davis as the second option alongside Zach Randolph and a regressing Stephon Marbury, even progressing past the 63-19 Philadelphia 76ers would demand LeBron going nuclear. And he did that. Then he repeated it against Milwaukee in the second round - with specific recognition of a 57 point performance in game 3. After putting down the Bucks in 6 games, James stamped his authority on game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals with 50 points. This was LeBron biggest challenge of the playoffs. Not the first round against a 63-win team. Philadelphia were consistent in the regular season but Iverson picking up small injuries placed a burden on Keith Van Horn and Bobby Simmons to carry a weight they were not prepared for. Similarly, the Western Conference was a mess in 06, essentially providing a title to whatever team succeeded in the East. Whereas, the Detroit Pistons provided a challenge no one else would. Experience. They won it in 04 after losing it in 03. Consistency. Billups, Rip, and Wallace had been together for 4 years by this point. Depth. Boris Diaw (15ppg in 06), headlined a strong bench unit in a year he was ‘robbed’ - as many argued - of the Sixth Man award by Jay Williams. Going to Game 7 in The Palace, it symbolized the war of attrition that was the Eastern Conference finals. Attrition meant pressure and pressure meant diamonds. It just happened that the 3rd year Ohio native was the brightest of them all. LeBron closed Game 7 with a triple double to send Detroit packing but going one step further with Wallace. Taking the bags he packed and shipping them to New York in the offseason to create a new contender alongside Iso Joe and hometown hero Sebastian Telfair.

Anyway, let's dissect the mess which was the West. I’m sure you’re thinking ‘don’t they have the reigning champions?’. In theory they do but practice dictated Shaq would break his foot on New Years Day and not see action again until 06-07. This plunged the Lakers to a 13th place finish in the conference. As an aside, it was Portland who benefitted the most from Shaq’s foot. LA gave them this 06 first rounder unprotected at the deadline in 2005 for Bonzi Wells. Wells helped Shaq and Kobe to the ring whilst this pick eventually became UConn star Rudy Gay. Back to the West though. Eventual NBA Finalists Houston were the second seed, finishing 3 games behind a familiar Utah team. However, part of the familiarity with Utah is their unfamiliarity with playoff pressure. They did reach the Western Conference finals but only after two routine series against the 8th seeded Warriors and a Supersonics team whose time was not yet. On the other side of the bracket, Houston beat Garnett and the Wolves in the first whilst following that up with a gentlemans sweep of the Tony Parker-less Spurs. The story of the Western Conference finals was very similar to Utah’s loss to LA last year. Arenas played well but the rest of the starters shirked responsibility as that second-fiddle. Whereas, with Houston it essentially a rotation whereby every win saw two starters step up. Sometimes, it was Ming and Francis, others, Stephen Jackson or Luol Deng hit the big 3s down the stretch.

It was this spread offensive approach which saw Houston falter in the finals. They did take 2 games off of Lebron - and I say that instead of Cleveland for a reason - but the other 4, Yao couldn’t be the star they relied on whilst no one else got hot offensively. Eventually this reached boiling point for Houston after calling a timeout with 5 minutes left in Game 6. Deng and Jackson got into it on the sideline and Jackson sat the last 5 minutes whilst watching his teammates give LeBron shot-after-shot. Postgame Steve Francis aimed to keep the drama behind-closed-doors with an assertion that they’d “Be back for revenge next June”. A quick spoiler. They weren’t. Jackson wasn’t even in the state next season, jumping ship to greener pastures in the name of Seattle after stepping into unrestricted free agency.

That being said, the nuclear LeBron we saw throughout the early rounds of the playoffs had not still not begun to decay. It should be recognized that Ricky Davis stepped up tremendously, averaging 21ppg over the series. However, 37 Points, 11 Rebounds and 9 Assists over the course of six games saw LeBron unanimously recognised as Finals MVP. Even his harshest critics - I’m looking at you Skip Bayless - had to admit defeat in this battle.

LeBron was the story of the season. Cementing his position ahead of the other successes of 2003. The Rookie of the Year, the first MVP, the first key championship contributor. Although it was a big season for 03, Chris Kaman won MIP, averaging 18 and 13 alongside Pau Gasol in the Grizzlies frontcourt. Whilst Melo was an All-NBA second team selection. Chris Paul was another key award winner this season. Clear Rookie of the Year ahead of Deron Williams and Raymond Felton even though he was on a team bad enough to select first-overall in back-to-back seasons. Charlotte quietly put together a competitive, young core, almost unprecedented for a recent expansion team and a storyline to hang onto for years to come.

2006-07

MVP: LeBron James (2)
DPOY: Tim Duncan (2)
MIP: Carlos Boozer (1)
ROY: Andrea Bargnani
6MOY: Boris Diaw (1)
NBA Finals: Seattle Supersonics (4) - Charlotte Bobcats (1)
Finals MVP: Chris Bosh (1)

06-07 is arguably my personal favorite from the past 5. Yes, it may be recency bias but it’s a treasure trove of weird and wonderful events. I’ve alluded to and hinted at the results of this season throughout the introduction but it leaves a variety of questions. Namely, how did the Charlotte Bobcats, who began the season with the 1st overall pick, end the season in the NBA Finals. Well, to start with, Andrea Bargnani was a revelation. His selection, ahead of Texas star Lamarcus Aldridge was repeatedly questioned as the season had begun. Both could fill a similar role in Charlotte, a talented big to provide another dimension to their game which has generally run through guards Chris Paul and J.R. Smith. However, Aldridge was considered a safer bet by many, going through the US education system provided a background more transferable to the NBA game. However, Bargnani’s frame, fluidity and confidence shooting from all three levels entranced the Charlotte front office, making their selection unquestionable in their eyes.

This trio, who averaged a strong 56ppg between them in the regular season - Paul (24ppg), Bargnani (20ppg) and Smith (12ppg) were joined by a solid supporting cast headlined by Amir Johnson. Johnson, the 2nd pick of the 2nd round by Charlotte in 05 averaged 11 and 9 alongside Bargnani in the frontcourt. A sense of stability which proved necessary in an Eastern Conference postseason enveloped by change. This was the second consecutive season in which an 8th seed made the playoffs and don’t get me wrong. Charlotte were talented but there was a sense this time that the Western Conference final would be the series that determined the seasons NBA champion. Charlotte didn’t have Lebron James and they were an 8th seed only 8 games off being the second seed. Moreover, their First Round matchup was altered by the fact the 76ers lost Allen Iverson to a sprain to the AC Joint in his right shoulder 13 minutes into the final regular season game of their season. That left a team led by Lamar Odom and Keith Van Horn which quite frankly is not a playoff team, let alone a number 1 seed. Similarly, number 4 seed Orlando Magic (who could have been the 2nd seed if the tiebreaker was different) only had Tracy McGrady for the final game of a 4-1 first round exit against the Knicks. Bobcats-Knicks on one side of the bracket and Bulls-Cavs on the other. The Paul-Smith-Bargnani triumvirate simply outplayed that of Telfair-Johnson-Wallace. Whereas, LeBron’s championship experience from the year prior became the deciding factor against Nash and his Bulls.

If I was a betting man, the Cavs were the clear pick to return to the finals. However, this wasn’t to be the case. Obviously, LeBron showed his talent again. He went back-to-back as MVP in an extremely similar statline to the year prior. However, Stephon Marbury is still showing regression. He was good last year but only decent this time around. Similarly, Ricky Davis wasn’t a 20ppg guy this year and Zach Randolph didn’t step up either. If the Cavs wanted to solidify their position as a premier team in the NBA, they would have to make some changes over the offseason. Whereas, the young Bobcats only got better as the season progressed and even though we all knew this Eastern Conference final win would likely be the peak of their season, the sky is the limit for this group.

Whereas, the West really went to form. Seattle and Utah were the best two teams in the league by a clear way but the West was a gauntlet. Seattle had to beat Sacramento in the First Round whilst Utah bested Phoenix. Both very good teams in their own rights - Phoenix had the same record (48-34) as the second seed in the East. This led the two kingpins of the west to a progressively harder challenge in their second round matchups. Seattle got to face a New Orleans Hornets team with Baron Davis, Andre Igoudala and David Lee that finished the regular season by winning 15-games consecutively. Whilst Utah were lucky enough to face the Lakers in a season they headlined as a ‘title defense’. It was a technicality but after 05-06 was wiped from the memory of Laker fandom, the last season they played would have been 04-05 which was a title win.

Seattle and New Orleans really wasn’t an exciting series if I’m being honest. Seattle floundered at this spot the season prior with inexperience cited as the primary reason. However, they took on the challenge really well and New Orleans replaced them in this role. The real interest from the series developed over the offseason but like the changes made in Cleveland we’ll leave that for later. Whereas, the Utah-Lakers series seemed like a passing of the guard at the time. When the Lakers won their ring in 04-05, it was at this stage that LA ‘dominated’ Utah, Kobe, fresh off his MVP snub dominating Gilbert Arenas and his supporting cast. This time, the opposite outcome was the obvious outcome of the 6-game series. Shaq’s broken foot at the start of 2006 really saw the level of his play drop, providing an extra burden to Kobe but also saw the beginnings of a rift between the two which first began to impact team morale throughout this series. Father-time is catching up to Shaq at an increasing intensity and this series exemplified that most clearly. He hasn’t made an all-star team since 04-05 and even though he finished this season with averages of 17 and 12, it was the fourth consecutive season O’Neal’s scoring output has declined. This was exacerbated in the Utah series as his per-game averages dropped to 14 and 9 whilst being completely overrun by the combination of Boozer, Okafor and even rookie Leon Powe to compete with in the paint.

This led us to the Western Conference Finals. Utah, the best regular season team over the past 3 years. Seattle, the 65-win team from this past season. Since this series, the two have matched up twice. A Supersonics win in the first weeks of the new season and a game yesterday - 31st December 2007 - in which Utah bested Seattle 104-94 on the back of a 29 and 6 game from Gilbert Arenas. However, this game Seattle were without Jameer Nelson who hasn’t played since December 11th with thanks to a pinched nerve in the back and forced the veteran Anthony Johnson into a starting role. Nelson was part of the strong starting 5 for Seattle, led by Chris Bosh, who has been the topic of endless discussion after Seattle picked him first in 2003 over LeBron James. Whilst the other 3 starters were Stephen Jackson (2006 NBA Finalist in Houston) and the burgeoning friendship of Rashard Lewis and Tyson Chandler.

Compare this to the previously highlighted starting 5 of Utah (Arenas, Crawford, Kirilenko, Boozer, and Okafor), there isn’t too much to separate the teams. Both have a strong Pick-and-Roll duo to run their respective offenses through whilst the difference comes with the primary scorer. Utah work through the ball-handler in Arenas whereas Bosh, the screener, is the centerpiece of the Seattle offense. Whilst both teams are surrounded by competent scorers to help complement the superstardom of Bosh and Arenas, both All-NBA third teamers this past season. Popular opinion on the series was split, Seattle arguably had the better starting 5, even though it was incredibly close. However, Utah’s Kirk Hinrich led bench unit helped to push the balance of the series to even. The series was a table-tennis match. Seattle serves, Utah returned with a rotation of different players scoring big and putting their teams on their back. Bosh, Lewis, Arenas, Boozer all had nights as the difference maker whilst pushing the series to 3-3. Seattle had the last shot of the series. A home-advantage in Game 7 with a fanbase infused with the uncertainty of the future. Although there was a belief this team would only get better, another city, state or, who knows, another country, may be the ones to experience it. The KeyArena shaking under the noise, loss wasn’t an option for Seattle. Whereas, Arenas and the Jazz had an entirely different pressure. Stockton and Malone never won whilst the legitimization of this new group's playoff failures as inexperience can only last so long. Eventually inexperience becomes inability and it was this game 7 that saw inability to handle the pressure. Arenas put up his points in a heroball display. Yes, he made some shots no one else would make but for each of those there was the option of a simple pass to Boozer or Crawford which would have sufficed as a better opportunity. This was the difference which saw Seattle win the media-dubbed ‘NBA Finals’ and I am fully aware Utah have been the victim of much criticism throughout this review but I think their championship window is as open as it has ever been.

Similarly, the Charlotte Bobcats window was blown wide-open this past season. As a team who had zero expectation going into the season, alongside the youngest core in the NBA, they can only get better. The conclusion was foregone that Seattle would overcome them in the Finals and 4-1 was a representative scoreline but that one win did showcase the Bobcats potential in its entirety. Whereas, no one could argue against the Supersonics winning their title, the first in Seattle since 1979 with Gus Williams, Dennis Johnson, and Jack Sikma. Nobody knows where this franchise will be by the offseason of 2008 but I have a feeling that this won’t be the last NBA championship we see in Seattle, whether with this iteration of the Sonics or another. However, that was last season and whilst some of the key players within the association have been underlined, it’s time to look at where each team is headed. We’ve just started 2008 and there’s no better time to check into the new season with a rundown of these first two months of NBA action.

01-31-2023, 03:23 PM	#2
joestrong Rookie OVR: 0 Join Date: Dec 2016	Re: The Beauty of the Butterfly and The Endless Possibilities of the NBA (NBA 2K23 My A Retrospective on the Past 5 Years As you may have gathered, the narrative has not have developed as expected. Melo isn’t in Denver, Steve Nash has made the Bulls a little-less Baby, and let’s not even get started on Seattle but this is only the surface. Shall we see how we got here: 2002-03 MVP: Tim Duncan (2) DPOY: Ben Wallace (2) MIP: Vlad Stepania (1) ROY: Amar’e Stoudemire 6MOY: Manu Ginobili (1) NBA Finals: Minnesota Timberwolves (4) - Detroit Pistons (0) Finals MVP: Kevin Garnett (1) Whilst Kobe Bryant led the league in Points-Per-Game (32.1) and Ben Wallace led in Rebounds (17.4) it was Tim Duncan who was considered the consensus best player in the league on the back of a 26/16/6 season, perhaps the most well-rounded and ‘valuable’ contributor. Although this was halted in the Second Round of the postseason by eventual Finals winners the Minnesota Timberwolves. Minnesota managed to escape the gauntlet of the Western Conference with enough left to sweep 3rd Seed Detroit in the NBA Finals. The bottom of the league was populated by 2 future NBA Championship teams amongst those who have seen a range of different successes in the ensuing years. These included Denver, Seattle, Utah, Cleveland, Miami and Atlanta, all frontrunners for the crown jewel of the NBA Draft - LeBron James. This is how the first 5 picks of 2003 played out: 1st Pick - Seattle Supersonics - Chris Bosh (PF, Georgia Tech) 2nd Pick - Cleveland Cavaliers - LeBron James (F, High School) 3rd Pick - Miami Heat - Carmelo Anthony (F, Syracuse) 4th Pick - Atlanta Hawks - Dwyane Wade (G, Marquette) 5th Pick - Denver Nuggets - Leandro Barbosa (G, Brazil) Yes. LeBron was the Crown Jewel. Yes. He has had more personal success than Bosh. However, Bosh has turned into Hakeem and not Sam Bowie. This clearly isn’t a comparison of skillset but more perspective. Seattle left the better player on the board with more confidence in a matured prospect, instead of the High School phenom but they have still ascended the highest peak you can climb within this league. Cleveland and Miami can have no complaint either and most would argue the same for Atlanta. Wade is a player of immense scoring talent on track to become a star in this league. He just hasn’t done it to the degree of the three players in front of him .Yet. Denver may have the greatest frustration. After dropping from 1st to 5th in the lottery, they drafted inarguable talent in a body that cannot handle the workload. Barbosa has become a high-level NBA Starter but you can’t start games if you can’t stay fit. Whilst the 2003 NBA Draft ushered in a new generation of superstardom, this was mirrored by the passing of a torch. Jordan, Hakeem, and John Stockton all said their goodbyes to a league - (eventually being named to the Hall of Fame) littered with personal accomplishment. In 2002-03 Vince Carter led the league with the highest scoring game; a 56 point outing against the Denver Nuggets and a theme which will only develop in the coming years. However, it was McGrady who stepped-up within this family affair over the course of the playoffs. Although they did not win the title, Orlando’s second-round exit was underlined by the former Raptor’s greatness. A first round matchup with the New Jersey Nets saw McGrady score 53 in Game 2 and then 65, 55 and 60 in the next 3 to win the series 4-1. Orlando themselves may not have set the world on fire but McGrady putting together a 4-game stretch of that quality may never be repeated. 2003-04 MVP: Tim Duncan (3) DPOY: Ben Wallace (3) MIP: Tony Parker (1) ROY: LeBron James 6MOY: Mehmet Okur (1) NBA Finals: Detroit Pistons (4) - Dallas Mavericks (0) Finals MVP: Chauncey Billups (1) If I was to tell you two of those award winners would be NBA Champions by the close of the postseason, Duncan and Parker would have been the obvious guess. Going 54-28 in the midst of David Robinson’s farewell, it was written in the stars. However, a Second Round loss to the Los Angeles Lakers scuppered plans which eventually unraveled to leave Wallace and Okur NBA Champions with Chauncey Billups leading them to Finals MVP - a true team performance. All 4 top draft picks from 03 became All-Rookie first-teamers whilst Barbosa’s naming to the second team can be considered the beginning of the chasm in success between the 5 players. Instead, Chris Kaman was the fifth member of that All-Rookie first team. Two transactions became central to the development of the league since 03-04. Gilbert Arenas signed with the Utah Jazz in Free Agency, filling a void left by Stockton (to retirement) and Malone (to the inevitable, ineffectual ring chase). Utah finished 10th in the West but lucked into the first pick in the 2004 Draft. Emeka Okafor was the selection, regrettably leaving High Schooler Dwight Howard on the board and even though Okafor is a serviceable NBA center, he isn’t the Golden State man (Howard went to the Warriors with the 2nd Pick). In a similar vein - teams making questionable decisions but still succeeding in the long run - we have Rasheed Wallace moving to Chicago at the deadline. Chicago gave up Jalen Rose, Tyson Chandler, and Eddy Curry alongside several picks to pick up the former Tar Heel. It was a risk. Wallace was an unrestricted free agent in the summer who was tentative in expressing his intent for the offseason. However, when Steve Nash became available following a tumultuous NBA Finals collapse in Dallas, the Wallace trade had opened several doors. Trading Rose and letting Wallace walk provide room to sign Nash to a Max Contract. It somewhat worked out for Wallace as well, signing with the Denver Nuggets after Andre Miller reached out over the 04 Summer. 2004-05 MVP: Tim Duncan (4) DPOY: Kobe Bryant (1) MIP: Hedo Turkoglu (1) ROY: Josh Childress 6MOY: Ronald Murray (1) NBA Finals: Los Angeles Lakers (4) - New Jersey Nets (1) Finals MVP: Kobe Bryant (1) Tim Duncan wins MVP. San Antonio Spurs flounder to a premature playoff exit. It feels like clockwork now. However, this one was enveloped in discourse. Kobe Bryant was considered the MVP favorite for the majority of the year. Vince Carter was leading the race early on (you’ll understand why later) but as team record began to increase in importance, it was Bryant leading the way. Generational on the offensive end as always but the step up to DPOY level made the difference. However, the three game difference in the regular season records of the Lakers and Spurs provided voting parties with enough legitimacy to crown Duncan for a 4th consecutive time. Only just the most impressive record broken this season. It was this victory which arguably cost the Spurs their ring. 8th May 2005 marked the day Duncan was crowned 4-time MVP, the day before Kobe Bryant would face up against 1st Seed Utah Jazz. Utah with Arenas, Okafor and Kirilenko joined by former Bulls Boozer and Crawford in the previous Free Agency. It would be a test. Although, it should be considered the Lakers had talent of their own. Two All-NBA First Teamers (Bryant and O’Neal) flanked by Hedo Turkoglu, T.J. Ford and Bonzi Wells. The latter acquired for a 2006 first-round pick at the deadline with the aims of pushing the Lakers over the top. Bryant felt slighted by each and every congratulation Duncan received after his announcement, refusing to answer any question about the matter - “We have a playoff series to win” being his only response. And a playoff series they did win. 4-2 against the Jazz who crumbled under the pressure of their regular season record with Bryant dominating Gilbert Arenas who had managed a 60-point performance in his first round matchup against Seattle. Then came the real test. LA bested Utah. San Antonio overcame Minnesota. Bryant vs Duncan. Yes, it wasn’t a direct positional battle but it felt close enough. Anytime Duncan scored, Bryant would retaliate, again, again, again. Relentless. However, it was the direct matchups in which the noise of the crowd rose to crescendo. Kobe took delight in forcing a switch within the pick-and-roll which brought Duncan to the perimeter. At this point support would be waived repeatedly, the call for an isolation. Over the course of the series Duncan was exposed to crossovers, stepbacks, small jabsteps even, which could only be the hallmark of a man possessed. This series is the one which parents will show their kids to explain how ‘basketball was played in their day’. Mamba Mentality personified. It is perhaps symbolic that Shaq’s 50-point outing in Game 3 of this series is hidden behind a deep narrative of the MVP race. However, again 4-2 saw the Lakers progress to the NBA Finals. The previous two series made the NBA Finals pretty elementary for LA. Yes, the Nets were good, Kidd, Jefferson, and Martin are all elite talents in their own right. Although, they don’t match up well against Bryant and O’Neal, leaving a loss in a gentleman's sweep as their NBA Finals legacy. “This one’s for Kobe” O’Neal repeated, passing the Finals MVP to his brother-in-arms, in perhaps the peak of their relationship. There were 3 in the MVP race this season. We know the stories of Bryant and Duncan but only one number matters with Carter. 78. 78 Points in 1 Game, the highest since Wilt’s 100 (Author’s Note: Kobe never dropped 81 in this universe) and a feat we may never see repeated in our lifetimes. Toronto face up against the Portland Trailblazers twice a season. On the 6th November 2004 Carter made 21 field-goals in a performance which amounted to 58 points. His 3rd highest of the season. A week later, Toronto and Portland matched up again. 28 field-goals, including 10 made 3’s to win the season series over Portland. This time it took an overtime and 78 points from Carter. Now hopefully it all makes sense. These two demolitions of Portland, alongside a 60-point outing in December against Denver represent the wealth of talent Carter possesses but a lack surrounding him. Carter has been personally successful but his lack of team success negated him from truly challenging for MVP in 04-05. Another key note from 04-05 was the expansion of the NBA to Charlotte, with the Bobcats named the 30th franchise in the association. A complete array of players from across the league were eventually led by J.R. Smith, the 4th overall pick from the 2004 NBA draft. It was a pick which caused much controversy and can be considered a primary reason David Stern eventually elected to remove the ability of High School players to enter the draft. As per the NBA ruling, the Bobcats had the 4th pick of the 04 Draft however, this meant missing out on the 3 most prominent names within the class - Okafor and Howard, who have previously been mentioned alongside number 2 pick Andre Igoudala. Smith was considered a risk at 4 and yes, he has had relative success in the years since. However, that first year in Charlotte was perhaps not best suited to someone who had been sitting their SATs only months earlier. It was a lesson for the league. Highlighting the duty they have to their players. Whilst the Bobcats going 16 and 66 worked out eventually, the season underlined the need for the NBA to provide their players with a better platform to succeed. 2005-06 MVP: LeBron James (1) DPOY: Tim Duncan (1) MIP: Chris Kaman (1) ROY: Chris Paul 6MOY: Jay Williams (1) NBA Finals: Cleveland Cavaliers (4) - Houston Rockets (1) Finals MVP: LeBron James (1) It was always clear that LeBron James was a generational talent from the moment he entered the league and whilst his success has been consistent since his first basket, 05-06 really was the year he overtook. MVP, Champion and Finals MVP becoming only the 9th player ever to do all three in one season. However, the route to the final perhaps makes the achievement more impressive than any other. Cleveland entered the postseason as an 8th seed (44-38) with LeBron surrounded by a considerably lackluster supporting cast. With Ricky Davis as the second option alongside Zach Randolph and a regressing Stephon Marbury, even progressing past the 63-19 Philadelphia 76ers would demand LeBron going nuclear. And he did that. Then he repeated it against Milwaukee in the second round - with specific recognition of a 57 point performance in game 3. After putting down the Bucks in 6 games, James stamped his authority on game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals with 50 points. This was LeBron biggest challenge of the playoffs. Not the first round against a 63-win team. Philadelphia were consistent in the regular season but Iverson picking up small injuries placed a burden on Keith Van Horn and Bobby Simmons to carry a weight they were not prepared for. Similarly, the Western Conference was a mess in 06, essentially providing a title to whatever team succeeded in the East. Whereas, the Detroit Pistons provided a challenge no one else would. Experience. They won it in 04 after losing it in 03. Consistency. Billups, Rip, and Wallace had been together for 4 years by this point. Depth. Boris Diaw (15ppg in 06), headlined a strong bench unit in a year he was ‘robbed’ - as many argued - of the Sixth Man award by Jay Williams. Going to Game 7 in The Palace, it symbolized the war of attrition that was the Eastern Conference finals. Attrition meant pressure and pressure meant diamonds. It just happened that the 3rd year Ohio native was the brightest of them all. LeBron closed Game 7 with a triple double to send Detroit packing but going one step further with Wallace. Taking the bags he packed and shipping them to New York in the offseason to create a new contender alongside Iso Joe and hometown hero Sebastian Telfair. Anyway, let's dissect the mess which was the West. I’m sure you’re thinking ‘don’t they have the reigning champions?’. In theory they do but practice dictated Shaq would break his foot on New Years Day and not see action again until 06-07. This plunged the Lakers to a 13th place finish in the conference. As an aside, it was Portland who benefitted the most from Shaq’s foot. LA gave them this 06 first rounder unprotected at the deadline in 2005 for Bonzi Wells. Wells helped Shaq and Kobe to the ring whilst this pick eventually became UConn star Rudy Gay. Back to the West though. Eventual NBA Finalists Houston were the second seed, finishing 3 games behind a familiar Utah team. However, part of the familiarity with Utah is their unfamiliarity with playoff pressure. They did reach the Western Conference finals but only after two routine series against the 8th seeded Warriors and a Supersonics team whose time was not yet. On the other side of the bracket, Houston beat Garnett and the Wolves in the first whilst following that up with a gentlemans sweep of the Tony Parker-less Spurs. The story of the Western Conference finals was very similar to Utah’s loss to LA last year. Arenas played well but the rest of the starters shirked responsibility as that second-fiddle. Whereas, with Houston it essentially a rotation whereby every win saw two starters step up. Sometimes, it was Ming and Francis, others, Stephen Jackson or Luol Deng hit the big 3s down the stretch. It was this spread offensive approach which saw Houston falter in the finals. They did take 2 games off of Lebron - and I say that instead of Cleveland for a reason - but the other 4, Yao couldn’t be the star they relied on whilst no one else got hot offensively. Eventually this reached boiling point for Houston after calling a timeout with 5 minutes left in Game 6. Deng and Jackson got into it on the sideline and Jackson sat the last 5 minutes whilst watching his teammates give LeBron shot-after-shot. Postgame Steve Francis aimed to keep the drama behind-closed-doors with an assertion that they’d “Be back for revenge next June”. A quick spoiler. They weren’t. Jackson wasn’t even in the state next season, jumping ship to greener pastures in the name of Seattle after stepping into unrestricted free agency. That being said, the nuclear LeBron we saw throughout the early rounds of the playoffs had not still not begun to decay. It should be recognized that Ricky Davis stepped up tremendously, averaging 21ppg over the series. However, 37 Points, 11 Rebounds and 9 Assists over the course of six games saw LeBron unanimously recognised as Finals MVP. Even his harshest critics - I’m looking at you Skip Bayless - had to admit defeat in this battle. LeBron was the story of the season. Cementing his position ahead of the other successes of 2003. The Rookie of the Year, the first MVP, the first key championship contributor. Although it was a big season for 03, Chris Kaman won MIP, averaging 18 and 13 alongside Pau Gasol in the Grizzlies frontcourt. Whilst Melo was an All-NBA second team selection. Chris Paul was another key award winner this season. Clear Rookie of the Year ahead of Deron Williams and Raymond Felton even though he was on a team bad enough to select first-overall in back-to-back seasons. Charlotte quietly put together a competitive, young core, almost unprecedented for a recent expansion team and a storyline to hang onto for years to come. 2006-07 MVP: LeBron James (2) DPOY: Tim Duncan (2) MIP: Carlos Boozer (1) ROY: Andrea Bargnani 6MOY: Boris Diaw (1) NBA Finals: Seattle Supersonics (4) - Charlotte Bobcats (1) Finals MVP: Chris Bosh (1) 06-07 is arguably my personal favorite from the past 5. Yes, it may be recency bias but it’s a treasure trove of weird and wonderful events. I’ve alluded to and hinted at the results of this season throughout the introduction but it leaves a variety of questions. Namely, how did the Charlotte Bobcats, who began the season with the 1st overall pick, end the season in the NBA Finals. Well, to start with, Andrea Bargnani was a revelation. His selection, ahead of Texas star Lamarcus Aldridge was repeatedly questioned as the season had begun. Both could fill a similar role in Charlotte, a talented big to provide another dimension to their game which has generally run through guards Chris Paul and J.R. Smith. However, Aldridge was considered a safer bet by many, going through the US education system provided a background more transferable to the NBA game. However, Bargnani’s frame, fluidity and confidence shooting from all three levels entranced the Charlotte front office, making their selection unquestionable in their eyes. This trio, who averaged a strong 56ppg between them in the regular season - Paul (24ppg), Bargnani (20ppg) and Smith (12ppg) were joined by a solid supporting cast headlined by Amir Johnson. Johnson, the 2nd pick of the 2nd round by Charlotte in 05 averaged 11 and 9 alongside Bargnani in the frontcourt. A sense of stability which proved necessary in an Eastern Conference postseason enveloped by change. This was the second consecutive season in which an 8th seed made the playoffs and don’t get me wrong. Charlotte were talented but there was a sense this time that the Western Conference final would be the series that determined the seasons NBA champion. Charlotte didn’t have Lebron James and they were an 8th seed only 8 games off being the second seed. Moreover, their First Round matchup was altered by the fact the 76ers lost Allen Iverson to a sprain to the AC Joint in his right shoulder 13 minutes into the final regular season game of their season. That left a team led by Lamar Odom and Keith Van Horn which quite frankly is not a playoff team, let alone a number 1 seed. Similarly, number 4 seed Orlando Magic (who could have been the 2nd seed if the tiebreaker was different) only had Tracy McGrady for the final game of a 4-1 first round exit against the Knicks. Bobcats-Knicks on one side of the bracket and Bulls-Cavs on the other. The Paul-Smith-Bargnani triumvirate simply outplayed that of Telfair-Johnson-Wallace. Whereas, LeBron’s championship experience from the year prior became the deciding factor against Nash and his Bulls. If I was a betting man, the Cavs were the clear pick to return to the finals. However, this wasn’t to be the case. Obviously, LeBron showed his talent again. He went back-to-back as MVP in an extremely similar statline to the year prior. However, Stephon Marbury is still showing regression. He was good last year but only decent this time around. Similarly, Ricky Davis wasn’t a 20ppg guy this year and Zach Randolph didn’t step up either. If the Cavs wanted to solidify their position as a premier team in the NBA, they would have to make some changes over the offseason. Whereas, the young Bobcats only got better as the season progressed and even though we all knew this Eastern Conference final win would likely be the peak of their season, the sky is the limit for this group. Whereas, the West really went to form. Seattle and Utah were the best two teams in the league by a clear way but the West was a gauntlet. Seattle had to beat Sacramento in the First Round whilst Utah bested Phoenix. Both very good teams in their own rights - Phoenix had the same record (48-34) as the second seed in the East. This led the two kingpins of the west to a progressively harder challenge in their second round matchups. Seattle got to face a New Orleans Hornets team with Baron Davis, Andre Igoudala and David Lee that finished the regular season by winning 15-games consecutively. Whilst Utah were lucky enough to face the Lakers in a season they headlined as a ‘title defense’. It was a technicality but after 05-06 was wiped from the memory of Laker fandom, the last season they played would have been 04-05 which was a title win. Seattle and New Orleans really wasn’t an exciting series if I’m being honest. Seattle floundered at this spot the season prior with inexperience cited as the primary reason. However, they took on the challenge really well and New Orleans replaced them in this role. The real interest from the series developed over the offseason but like the changes made in Cleveland we’ll leave that for later. Whereas, the Utah-Lakers series seemed like a passing of the guard at the time. When the Lakers won their ring in 04-05, it was at this stage that LA ‘dominated’ Utah, Kobe, fresh off his MVP snub dominating Gilbert Arenas and his supporting cast. This time, the opposite outcome was the obvious outcome of the 6-game series. Shaq’s broken foot at the start of 2006 really saw the level of his play drop, providing an extra burden to Kobe but also saw the beginnings of a rift between the two which first began to impact team morale throughout this series. Father-time is catching up to Shaq at an increasing intensity and this series exemplified that most clearly. He hasn’t made an all-star team since 04-05 and even though he finished this season with averages of 17 and 12, it was the fourth consecutive season O’Neal’s scoring output has declined. This was exacerbated in the Utah series as his per-game averages dropped to 14 and 9 whilst being completely overrun by the combination of Boozer, Okafor and even rookie Leon Powe to compete with in the paint. This led us to the Western Conference Finals. Utah, the best regular season team over the past 3 years. Seattle, the 65-win team from this past season. Since this series, the two have matched up twice. A Supersonics win in the first weeks of the new season and a game yesterday - 31st December 2007 - in which Utah bested Seattle 104-94 on the back of a 29 and 6 game from Gilbert Arenas. However, this game Seattle were without Jameer Nelson who hasn’t played since December 11th with thanks to a pinched nerve in the back and forced the veteran Anthony Johnson into a starting role. Nelson was part of the strong starting 5 for Seattle, led by Chris Bosh, who has been the topic of endless discussion after Seattle picked him first in 2003 over LeBron James. Whilst the other 3 starters were Stephen Jackson (2006 NBA Finalist in Houston) and the burgeoning friendship of Rashard Lewis and Tyson Chandler. Compare this to the previously highlighted starting 5 of Utah (Arenas, Crawford, Kirilenko, Boozer, and Okafor), there isn’t too much to separate the teams. Both have a strong Pick-and-Roll duo to run their respective offenses through whilst the difference comes with the primary scorer. Utah work through the ball-handler in Arenas whereas Bosh, the screener, is the centerpiece of the Seattle offense. Whilst both teams are surrounded by competent scorers to help complement the superstardom of Bosh and Arenas, both All-NBA third teamers this past season. Popular opinion on the series was split, Seattle arguably had the better starting 5, even though it was incredibly close. However, Utah’s Kirk Hinrich led bench unit helped to push the balance of the series to even. The series was a table-tennis match. Seattle serves, Utah returned with a rotation of different players scoring big and putting their teams on their back. Bosh, Lewis, Arenas, Boozer all had nights as the difference maker whilst pushing the series to 3-3. Seattle had the last shot of the series. A home-advantage in Game 7 with a fanbase infused with the uncertainty of the future. Although there was a belief this team would only get better, another city, state or, who knows, another country, may be the ones to experience it. The KeyArena shaking under the noise, loss wasn’t an option for Seattle. Whereas, Arenas and the Jazz had an entirely different pressure. Stockton and Malone never won whilst the legitimization of this new group's playoff failures as inexperience can only last so long. Eventually inexperience becomes inability and it was this game 7 that saw inability to handle the pressure. Arenas put up his points in a heroball display. Yes, he made some shots no one else would make but for each of those there was the option of a simple pass to Boozer or Crawford which would have sufficed as a better opportunity. This was the difference which saw Seattle win the media-dubbed ‘NBA Finals’ and I am fully aware Utah have been the victim of much criticism throughout this review but I think their championship window is as open as it has ever been. Similarly, the Charlotte Bobcats window was blown wide-open this past season. As a team who had zero expectation going into the season, alongside the youngest core in the NBA, they can only get better. The conclusion was foregone that Seattle would overcome them in the Finals and 4-1 was a representative scoreline but that one win did showcase the Bobcats potential in its entirety. Whereas, no one could argue against the Supersonics winning their title, the first in Seattle since 1979 with Gus Williams, Dennis Johnson, and Jack Sikma. Nobody knows where this franchise will be by the offseason of 2008 but I have a feeling that this won’t be the last NBA championship we see in Seattle, whether with this iteration of the Sonics or another. However, that was last season and whilst some of the key players within the association have been underlined, it’s time to look at where each team is headed. We’ve just started 2008 and there’s no better time to check into the new season with a rundown of these first two months of NBA action.