Who Is Under The Most Pressure To Win An NBA Title?

With the completion of the NBA Draft and free agency looming, it is the perfect time to see who is under the most pressure to bring home an NBA title to their team and city. With LeBron finally getting the monkey off his back, this list may surprise you on who may be under the most pressure to win. Read more of this post

Top 10 NBA Point Guards

nba basketball

The National Basketball Association

Written by: @Kingswagger29

The position of the point guard has changed the NBA and basketball in recent years.

We have had many types of Point guards, such as Hall of Famers like Magic Johnson, John Stockton, Bob Cousy, Oscar Robertson, and Isaiah Thomas. All of these players added so much heart and poise to the game of basketball and their respected teams. Point guard is one of the most significant positions on the floor in the league.

Having a leader at point guard can bring your team to the next level.

Perfect Example of this is Chris Paul and his move to the Clippers. He completely shifted the teams dimension when he landed in Los Angeles, leading them to a good start to the season at 8-4.

Skills Needed to be a Top Point Guard:

  1. Be a general on the floor
  2. Control the tempo, rhythm , and flow of the offense
  3. Agility
  4. Defensive stopper

Top 10 Point Guards of 2012

1.       Chris Paul- By far the most versatile point guard and floor general the league has seen in a while. He is the type of point guard that thoroughly crafts his game in order to facilitate his team’s offensive flow. Now with the move to LA, he will have a free for all with Griffin, Billups, and Butler.

2.       Derrick Rose- All I can say when I see him play or hear his name is WOW! He has brought the Bulls back from the dead, after the 90’s Jordan era. He is an offensive juggernaut and a close runner up for #1 Guard. Last year’s MVP, he has proven he has a great feel for the Point Guard position. He will be a multiple MVP winner, something which was not obtained in the NBA, as a Point guard.

3.       Deron Williams- Probably the most well-rounded point guard in the NBA. Williams has a great ability to score, strong body for the point guard position. Williams can defend, drive, shoot the long ball with ease, dunk, and make those around him better. Complete package that will have a productive career in Jersey.

4.       Steve Nash- Old man at 37? I think not, he is simply still the best shooter by far in the NBA, from beyond the arc and the free throw line. He still keeps a top 5 slot in my opinion at his veteran age. He will probably retire and go back to Canada to play, he is remarkable. He continues to put up numbers, with no talent around him this year. Nash who has the “surfer dude” look, is no sleeper, he will be in it for a long time.

5.       Rajon Rondo- Has pure basketball IQ sees the court so clearly, allowing the big three to put up big numbers. However he has been somewhat of over hyped in my opining. Yes he is a top point guard and he ranks in at 3 because of his surrounding players. He has a great cast which helps his game. A poor shooter, who only has one go to move. I will give him the title as the best defensive guard in the league, as well as stat filler. Records a double- double each game, which is why I rank him as 5th.

6.       Russell Westbrook- He is a freak of an athlete, at the point guard position. My only problem with him is that is he really a Point Guard? I feel that he is more of a Shooting guard, hence the fact he is an inconsistent shooter. He can run the floor and rise with the biggest guys on the court, but he doesn’t have that floor general presence. People may argue Rose and Westbrook are similar, but I have the perfect reasons why that are not similar- Rose…… MVP……  If he can learn that the offense is run through Durant, then his stock will rise.

7.       Jason Kidd- Another veteran, who in I absolutely love. Kidd has always been a flashy passer, great defender, and consistent shooter. Now with the long years attached to his resume, he has developed a more fluid shot. He finally got his ring, in 3 attempts last season with Dallas. Based on his hustle, court vision, and defense I keep Kidd at number 7.

8.       Brandon Jennings- A player with a great swagger, who is a hard nose point guard. He continues to elevate his game. He has great work ethic and a good feel for the game; I can see him climbing the ladder in the next 2 seasons.

9.       Stephen Curry- Most reliable shooter at the point guard spot. Some people may have not even considered Curry. I feel that in Golden State, even with Monta Ellis, Curry fills the point guard role the best. Curry gets into the lane, can create his own shot as we are all aware of with his College Career at Davidson. He has great vision as well, a solid spot at number 9 for Curry.

10.    Ricky Rubio- We all waited for Ricky to come to Minnesota. He finally arrives and has not disappointed. He has made a name for himself early on in his rookie career. A draft this year which had many point guards, Rubio coming back this year added more depth to the rookie guards. He has found a home in Minnesota and has a young supporting cast that will help him rack up the assists column. I went out on a limb here, but I like to see where he finishes off this season in the point guard categories for the 2012 season.

This is my rankings for the top 10 point guards this season.

The guard is such a valuable part of basketball and it’s nice to break it down to see that the best guys at the spot are. Enjoy the rankings looking forward to hear some feedback in the comments section!

Follow me on Twitter! @Kingswagger29

 

 

Chris Paul to the Clippers, AGAIN.

Welcome to L.A. Chris Paul

The Chris Paul Saga is finally over. The Hornets traded Chris Paul and two future 2nd round picks to the Clippers for Guard Eric Gordon, Center Chris Kaman, Foward Al-Farouq Aminu, and Minnesota’s 2012 unprotected first round pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.

First off, WOW, both teams made out very well in this trade in my opinion. Obviously, the Clippers made out better with the addition of Paul. However, the Hornets definitely filled some needs and did very well in acquiring talent in return for their superstar. Gordon, Kaman, and Aminu are good NBA players that help fill out a Hornets roster that had only a seven player rotation before the trade. Okafor, Kaman, Aminu give the Hornets a decent frontcourt, while Gordon can score at will and is only 23 years old.

The unprotected first round pick is the icing on the cake in this deal; The Hornets acquire depth, talent, and now have 2 1st round picks in the upcoming draft. Also can anyone remember the last time the Timberwolves were competitive? Since the Garnett era, the answer is no, this team has been a losing machine; therefore this pick should be pretty high. I applaud the Hornets on making a smart deal for their franchise player. Dan Gilbert is the most jealous man in the NBA right now, everyone has gotten value for their superstar except him, someone call the wambulance!

 Now for the Clippers point of view. This trade is a “slam dunk” for a franchise that has lived in the Lakers’ shadow since their existence.  With Paul, the Clippers are now a very formidable team, you have to take this team seriously. Paul gives the Clippers a true point guard that can facilitate and score at will, he is also a complete BEAST on the defensive end. Looking at the starting 5 for the clippers, it is very impressive.

Blake and DeAndre will be all Smiles this Year

At Center you have DeAndre Jordan, a defensive presence who reminds me of a younger Tyson Chandler, with the addition of Paul, look for a lot of pick and roll with lob passes from Paul and ending in Jordan slamming them down. At Power Forward you got Blake Griffin, need I say more? Guy was a MACHINE and a constant highlight reel player; I cannot wait to see how Griffin and Paul link up. At Small Forward the Clippers have Caron Butler. Butler has been plagued with injuries but when healthy is one of the top scoring Small Forwards in the game. This was a very underrated signing by the Clippers that will pay off tenfold with the addition of Paul.

 The 2-spot is very interesting to me, you have Eric Bledosde, a very talent young player with great upside, but the addition of Billups makes me think we could see him in this position, especially since Bledsode is coming off surgery. Foye is also another possibility at the 2 for the Clippers; he was with the team last year and knows the system. Finally, we end with Chris Paul at the point. Not only does Paul make DeAndre Jordan an instant offensive force, he converts Griffin into a MVP-type candidate player. Every big man becomes much better with a great point guard, so you look at Griffin’s season last year and think “Who was his Point Guard?” once you realize it was a combination of  Mo Williams and Randy Foye, the thought should be “WOW, Griffin will get SO MUCH better with Paul in the mix”; and he will.

 The Lakers must be kicking themselves for letting Paul get away, the Lakers should also be terrified that the Clippers are Young, Athletic, and very talented. Now I’m not saying the Clippers can overtake the Lakers this season, but Kobe is at the end of his career, no one on the Lakers team can keep up with Paul, and the loss of Odom definitely weakens the Lakers frontcourt. Don’t look now but “Showtime” can have a whole new meaning after the Clippers finish this season.

The New York Knicks: 5 Things to Look For in The Upcoming Season

The Lockout is finally over and its time to prepare for what should be a fun season for the New York Knicks. Here are what i think the 5 most important things to look for throughout the Knicks season.

The NBA Lockout lasted 149 days

1. The Lockout Effect- after 149 days the NBA owners and the players association decided to end the lockout and agree on a new CBA. Unfortunately this means that traininig camps and preseason will be shortened to 3 weeks, and condensed NBA schedule will tests the stamina and endurance of all teams. The Knicks need to get right to work in training cap and pre-season in order to build championship caliber chemistry between Amar’e Stoudamire and Carmelo Anthony. It will be interesting to see how well the Knicks superstars mesh in the first couple of weeks in the season.

Tyson Chandler was one of the main reasons the Mavericks won a championship last year

2.The Addition of Tyson Chandler- Comming into the season, the goal for the Knicks had been to form a big 3 in New York, similar to the big 3 that was  formed in Miami. Once it became evident that Knicks did not have the pieces to pull off a trade for either Chris Paul or Dwight Howard, they turned to Tyson Chandler. Chandler may not be considered a “superstar” in this league but he is a perfect fit for the team. Last year Amar’e struggled on the defensive end because he was defending out of position. Amar’e is a true power forward having him guard opposing team’s centers is a mismatch. Tyson Chandler will provide strong defense and ferocious rebounding. He could be the piece that makes the Knicks a serious contender in the eastern conference.

The Knicks need a big year from Toney Douglas

3. The Emmergence of Toney Douglas- Although the NBA owned Hornets are making it very difficult for teams to trade for Chris Paul, i do not see him making it to free agency this summer. Too many teams with significant pieces are interested in the perennial all star guard, and eventually the NBA will allow the trade of Paul. This means that the Knicks are going to rely on Toney Douglas to run the point. In order for the Knicks to be title contenders Douglas must elevate his game. Douglas is an excellent defended, but  he shoots more than you would like your point guard to shoot, and his court vision is not that of a top point guard. The Knicks did sign Mike Bibby, but his age could be a problem in D’antoni’s run and gun offense. I see Douglas getting most of the run at point guard this year and it should be interesting to see how his game develops.

The Knicks need to stay healthy in order to make a run this year

4.Injuries- In professional sports, injuries are a major factor. Every team has injuries so you can’t blame the success of the team. Having said that, the Knicks are a team that needs to say injury free in order to be successful due to their lack of depth. Carmelo Anthony is coming off an off season where he had procedures on his elbow and knee, Amar’e Stoudmaire couldn’t finish the playoffs last year because of a back issue that lingered into the postseason. As well as his back, Amar’e's knees will always be a concern because his history of knee problems and the fact that his knees are un-insurable on his contract. Also Knicks newest player, Tyson chandler missed over 30 games in consecutive seasons before becoming a defensive staple for the championship Mavericks last year. If the Knicks plan on making a run at the east this year they must stay healthy.

Is Mike D'Antoni the Knicks coach of the future?

5.Mike D’antoni- Since he took over in 2008, Mike D’Antoni has done a good job of getting the Knicks out of the basement of the Eastern Conference , and putting them in position to compete for a title, but can he take them all the way? Last year the Knicks were in the top 5 of the NBA in scoring, but they were bottom five in points allowed. Everyone knows that a Mike D’Antoni coached team is going to score a ton of points, but the question is can they play defense? The offseason aquisitions of 7 footer Tyson Chandler, and former Atlanta Hawks Coach and defensive specialist Mike Woodson should be a huge boost on the defensive end of the floor. If the team struggles defensively, i wonder how long D’Antoni will last in New York?