NBA ROUNDUP: 4/25 - 5/1
May 1, 2009 by Andy Socrates
The Cleveland Cavaliers showed why they had the best record in the NBA by easily sweeping the Detroit Pistons in the first round. The presumptive favorites, the Los Angeles Lakers, failed to look anything like a championship contender by blowing huge leads to the Utah Jazz before finishing them off. The San Antonio Spurs were shocked by the Dallas Mavericks and it’s Tim Duncan’s first ever playoff exit in the first round. Look for an exciting series to go seven between the Mavs and Denver Nuggets.
Josh Smith is a great athletic player but he exercised poor judgment during the Hawks game five victory over the heat. What distinguishes a good player from a great player is decision making and judgment. His judgment was clearly lacking during Game 5 against the Miami Heat when he tried to do a fancy between the legs dunk and missed it. He is an exciting player to watch but he needs to use his brains more and not give the other team motivation by trying to show them up.
Flagrant Fouls
The playoffs were all about good basketball until now. The referees have taken over again as two crucial calls were missed. The first was a flagrant foul by Rajon Rondo on Brad Miller that was called a regular two-shot foul. This could have changed the outcome of the Boston Celtic victory in Game 5. The second was a flagrant two foul by Dwight Howard with a elbow to the head of Samuel Dalembert that was called a technical. Any shots above the head is an automatic flagrant two and ejection, but the call was missed and the Orlando Magic won a game dominated by Howard.
Courtney Lee May Miss Playoffs
Dwight Howard needs to put some padding on his elbows because he’s hurting his own teammates too. Not only did he elbow an opposing player in the head, he inadvertently elbowed Courtney Lee in the face, causing a fractured sinus. Lee may miss the rest of the playoffs because of Howard’s elbow to the face.
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Van Gundy A Negative Presence?
The Orlando Magic may never win an NBA championship with Stan Van Gundy at the helm. His intense coaching style and tirades make players uncomfortable and lead to tightened play. Van Gundy has led Orlando to success during the regular season, but he has to reduce the number of outbursts before he loses the respect of his players.
Frank To Remain Nets Coach
Lawrence Frank will continue as Nets coach despite missing the playoffs the past two seasons. He has posted a 225-225 record with the team. The Nets have a promising squad with surprising All-Star guard Devin Harris and rookie standout Brook Lopez. Look for them to make the playoffs next year in the weak Eastern Conference.
Even on the bench, KG doesn’t let his intensity down as he talks trash to Ben Gordon. His arrogance is undeniable as you can see in the picture of him yelling at Gordon that has caused so much chatter. Players need to take note and learn what intensity means from a future Hall of Famer.
The Lakers recently wrapped up a series victory over the Jazz, but have blown huge double-digit leads. They will play either the Blazers or Rockets but if they continue to blow leads, they may be looking at an early playoff exit. The Lakers will have the Houston Rockets and Yao Ming to look forward to.
Dumars Looking To Make Changes
After the Detroit Pistons were manhandled and swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round, Joe Dumars is looking to make some significant changes this summer to make the team better. The team has $20 million to spend and four draft picks, which will allow Dumars to make some key improvements after a disastrous season with Allen Iverson.
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