Nash to Lakers sparks uncertainty and anguish
BY BRETT MURDOCK, Couchsideshow.com blogger
NBA point guard Steve Nash was traded by the Phoenix Suns to the Los Angeles Lakers on July 4 for four future draft picks. Photo by: geomediainc / Flickr
In the summer of 2004, there were two premiere NBA free agents in the class: Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant. The Phoenix Suns, who much like this summer had boatloads of cap room, had a decision to make about who to chase. Eventually, the front office geared their efforts toward Nash, the perennial All-Star who was being absurdly let go by the Dallas Mavericks.
Nash would go on to win back-to-back MVPs and revitalize a franchise in a way rarely seen before in the league. He guided the Suns to four straight playoff appearances (five out of eight total) and three trips to the Western Conference Finals, but never played in an NBA Finals.
His last appearance in the West Finals, a six game series loss to Bryant’s Los Angeles Lakers, saw the Black Mamba explode for 37 points in the clincher.
Now, inexplicably, the backcourt duo will unite in Los Angeles, via a sign-and-trade deal that sent Nash to the purple and gold in exchange for multiple draft picks and 3.1 million dollars.
The sudden news brought on a wide range of emotions, from disappointment and shock to anger and heartbreak. For so long, Suns fans have clung to Nash as the reason for hope in a town that loves its basketball team, a team that has yet to win a title but has come so close so many times. Nash resembled a person we looked to when we needed to find loyalty, perseverance and dedication. He represented everything a franchise player should be — outstanding on the court, having a good rapport with the media and making good relations with the community. (more…)
Kendrick Perkins: Oklahoma City’s silent catalyst
BY ALEX ROSE, Feedcrossing.com syndication
Oklahoma City Thunder center Kendrick Perkins may not impress in the box scores, but his team play is a big factor for the Thunder in the NBA playoffs. Photo by: PeggyDavis66 / Flickr
The day after each Oklahoma City Thunder game, the dedicated fan will grab their morning coffee and take a peak at the boxscore to see how many points Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook scored. They look to see how many blocks Serge Ibaka swatted. Maybe Durant and Westbrook combined for a massive 70 points (accomplished twice this season), or maybe Ibaka added another double-digit block game to his stash. However, when you come across Kendrick Perkins‘ name, the numbers look insufficient at best. For his career, Perkins has averaged a quiet 6.2 PPG, 6.2 RPG, and 1.4 BPG. As a member of the Thunder, his numbers seem even more anemic as he averaged just 5.1 PPG, 6.6 RPG, and 1.1 BPG in 65 games this year.
However, basketball is a game in which teamwork is hard to measure. There is no statistic that measures a player’s willingness to help their teammates succeed by doing the little things on the court. There is no statistic that measures the extra pass on the perimeter for the open 3-pointer when the defense is late to rotate. There is no measure that communicates how important a box-out can be so that a teammate can secure a tough rebound in the paint. Baseball is a game in which statistics can tell the whole story of a particular game. Teamwork is much less important. The major league baseball player is essentially left to his own skills when stepping into the batter’s box. (more…)
NBA MVP prediction: Kobe Bryant
BY WADE MCMILLIN, Couchsideshow.com editor
Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant may win the 2011-2012 NBA MVP after leading the league in scoring for almost the entire year. Photo by: Aaron Frutman / Flickr
With the NBA regular season winding down, some hardcore fans may already be pondering about who will win this year’s MVP award.
Certainly, there is a handful of superstars deserving of the honor, but the award is about more than just leading the league in scoring, rebounds or assists. An MVP has to truly be a leader, who would change the whole dynamic of their team if they were absent from the starting lineup. Think about when Michael Jordan retired from the NBA to pursue a baseball career. The following season, Scottie Pippen definitely didn’t get any MVP love and the Chicago Bulls simply weren’t the same.
So when I look at this year’s field of possible deserving candidates (in terms of what they do for their teams) for the 2011-2012 MVP award, there is really only three players — Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard and Kevin Love — who fit that profile. The only problem is, Love’s Timberwolves have already been eliminated from playoff contention, so don’t expect him to even sniff at the trophy until Minnesota is better. And Dwight Howard’s absence from the Orlando Magic because of back spasms has only proven that he is the heart and soul of that team after Orlando slowly slipped further and further down the Eastern Conference standings once Howard started to miss more and more time.
So that leaves Kobe. Will he run away with the MVP award? Maybe not. After all, right behind him are superstars Kevin Durant and LeBron James, who rank No. 2 and No. 3 in the league, respectively, for points per game. But how much would Durant’s Thunder and James’ Heat be suffering if they weren’t there? Miami certainly could hold its own with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh running the show and you have to believe Oklahoma City could do the same with its depth. (more…)
Lakers overcome preseason debacle with solid trades at deadline
BY MATTHEW VINSKO, Couchsideshow.com contributor
The Los Angeles Lakers acquired point guard Ramon Sessions from the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday afternoon. Photo by: Bridget DS / Flickr
December, 2011 was a time to rejoice for basketball fans. After 161 painstaking days, basketball was set to commence on Christmas Day with a plethora of games set to kick off the NBA season in style. What wasn’t to like?
But December wasn’t pleasant for Lakers’ fans. No, I’m not talking about the opening day loss to the Bulls in a nail biter; I’m actually one of the few people proud of the Lakers for putting up that much of a fight against the reigning MVP without Andrew Bynum. What made opening day sour for many a Lakers’ fan was David Stern’s controversial overruling of a three-team deal that would have ultimately landed Chris Paul, arguably the best pure point guard in the league, in the same backcourt as ‘The Black Mamba,’ Kobe Bryant.
That was OK, though. For the most part, the same team that won back-to-back titles was intact, albeit two years older.
But it wasn’t OK for Lamar Odom, who was shipped to the Dallas Mavericks for a first round pick in order to clear up salary cap. Odom, apparently the sensitive type, couldn’t stand the thought of being included in the trade that would have sent Paul to L.A. Trading the reigning Sixth Man of the Year for a draft pick can be excused considering the Lakers’ salary cap issues with regards the luxury tax. Financial woes aside, the 2012 draft is already being considered one of the deeper drafts in recent history, so no harm, no foul, right? (more…)
Linsanity takes over New York
BY STAYSON ISOBE, Couchsideshow.com writer
New York Knicks point guard has taken the NBA by storm during the past five games, averagin more than 25 points per game. Photo by: DV Lang / Flickr
I remember reading this article a few years ago and thinking that how great would it be if this guy made it to the NBA. If he could represent and give hope for all the Asian Americans out there that anything is possible despite what the naysayers may say.
A little more than two years later and call it what you want, but Linsanity has taken over the sports world and my dream for this guy has come true. When Yao Ming sadly retired from the game in July, who would’ve thought that a little known point guard from Harvard would immediately take the torch and keep the Asian influence alive in the NBA? No offense to Yi Jianlian, but he wasn’t cutting it.
Yet that’s exactly what Jeremy Lin has done over the last week and a half ever since that fateful February night two Saturdays ago, where he took the world by storm. Lin came off the bench and notched career numbers – 25 points, five rebounds and eight assists – and led his New York Knicks to a 99-92 victory over the Nets.
When will Kevin Love get some MVP love?
BY TREVOR GOULD, Couchsideshow.com writer
Minnesota Timerwolves power forward Kevin Love usually isn't considered an MVP-caliber player. But the UCLA product is averaging 25 points and 13 rebounds per game this season. Photo by: JMR Photography / Flickr
When will Kevin Love finally get the credit he deserves?
The 6’10 third-year power forward from UCLA is singlehandedly compiling one of the more impressive yet overlooked statistical streaks in NBA. He ranks fourth in the league in scoring with 25.3 points per game, behind only Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Kevin Durant, three of the NBA’s most prolific scorers. He also is currently sitting at second in rebounds, averaging 13.5 boards a game. The only person with more rebounds is the athletic monstrosity known as Dwight Howard. Out of his 22 games this season, Love has accrued 20 double-doubles.
When will these stats get his name throw into the MVP race?
Along with the help of Spanish rookie passing sensation Ricky Rubio, Love is making the Minnesota Timberwolves not only relevant again but also incredibly fun to watch. His shot versatility and formidable rebounding ability has shaped him into a potent offensive threat that opposing teams have yet to solve.
Despite his phenomenal recent success, it makes sense as to why Love hasn’t been getting as much love as he deserves. First off, the Timberwolves play in a very small market, a place where the bright lights of the national media rarely venture. Second, while the Timberwolves have improved exponentially, they still currently sit at a meager 11-12.
Couch Side Episode 1: The Pilot
In the premiere of the sports podcast, Couch Side, hosts Wade McMillin and Jordan Wheeler explore NFL playoff hopes for teams in the tightest divisions; debate if players are still loyal in the NBA; and react to Albert Pujols’ monster contract. Click below to beginning listening to Couch Side.
Lakers look OK despite Odom deal
The L.A. Lakers traded Lamar Odom to the Dallas Mavericks for cash and a future first-round pick this offseason. Photo by Bridget Samuels/Flickr
BY WADE MCMILLIN, Couchsideshow.com editor
Lately I’ve been finding myself arguing or disagreeing with people about the Los Angeles Lakers.
It’s funny to me because I’m not a huge fan of Team Kobe. I’ll admit that the boys in yellow and purple are fun to watch. I would even like to see them win the NBA Finals again because I respect Kobe Bryant as a player. And because those are my feelings, I’ll go to bat for the Lakers from time to time. I have recently defended L.A. because a lot of their fans do not like the fact that the front office traded Lamar Odom for nothing and weren’t able to make successful swaps for either Dwight Howard or Chris Paul.
