Yeah, he was a big story in the first half of the season, but frankly, we're past that. So that's the rule: no mention of The Player Who Is No Longer With The Wizards. Got it?
OK, good. Let's move on.
Here at halftime of the 2009-10 season, some interesting individuals have stepped forward to distinguish themselves, one way or another. Here's a look at the newsmakers and trendsetters in the first 41 games:
Michael Jordan. Is it possible? Can it happen? Will Jordan be seriously considered for (get this) Executive of the Year? For everyone who ridiculed Jordan's front office skills in the past and figured he looked out of place as a suit (not in a suit; there's a difference), this will come as a major shock, but just throwing it out there: Jordan is indeed in the running.
Confession: I wasn't too big on the front-office Jordan. Something about the Kwame Brown selection didn't sit too well. But the Bobcats are winning and by extension, making Jordan seem wise. He did toss Emeka Okafor in a salary dump (erasing his own mistake, essentially) and rolled the dice on Stephen Jackson when nobody wanted to touch the man. Presto, the Bobcats under Larry Brown (a Jordan hire) are lethal at home and respectable overall. It helps that they're in the East, which has all the strength of a wet noodle. Still, the Bobcats are playing well enough to make folks forget Jordan's other contribution to the first half of the year: his scorching Hall of Fame acceptance speech.
Elton Brand. Wow. That's the only reaction. Just, wow. A few questions for Elton: Where'd it go? What happened? Did you experience turbulence on your flight from Clipperland to Philly a year ago?
Whatever the reason, this is an example of the most unexpected steep fall from grace in the NBA. He's averaging under 14 points and under seven rebounds. It seemed like only yesterday when Brand was a power forward deluxe, spreading playoff joy to the Clippers and earning rave reviews. He wasn't a rising star, he was already a star. Then he went to the Sixers and disappeared, not only from the elite but also from the starting lineup. Maybe it was karma for, I dunno, leaving Baron Davis at the alter.
Z-Bo. Until now, he absolutely and positively scared the life out of coaches and general managers, who paid more attention to the off-court than the on-court. And you can understand why; teams that have millions invested in players are skittish when they get a phone call at 3 a.m. But Zach Randolph always could play some ball. He's blessed with soft hands, a solid mid-range game for a player his size, and is very good around the rim. The surprising Grizzlies are reaping the benefits, as Z-Bo is putting up All-Star numbers in points and rebounds.
And he's going to bed earlier. Now that's his best contribution.
Rookie point guards. Brandon Jennings, Tyreke Evans, Jonny Flynn, Stephen Curry, all contributing right away. Jennings made headlines in November. Evans owned December. If these four keep progressing and maturing, then the ball's in good hands. At some point, Ricky Rubio could join them.
Old point guards. Steve Nash is having his best season statistically. Jason Kidd can't shoot anymore but still delivers the ball where it should go. Chauncey Billups is looking very Pistons-like in Denver. What next, Derek Fisher hitting a big shot in June? That could happen. You know the man's history.
They have their problems checking quicker and younger guards and some nights they just don't have it going. But for the most part, these 30-somethings are still performing at a high level, Fisher being the exception. For now.
Laker money. Hey, if you got it, flaunt it. We all know the Lakers charge high prices and fill Staples Center and basically print Benjamins. But did they really extend Pau Gasol to the tune of $16 million a season? In this economy? With a labor agreement looming? With no one else bidding against them? For a player who might start sliding downward in two years? And with Kobe coming up for renewal? That took some guts.
Knees. Kevin Garnett's knees. Blake Griffin's knees. Greg Oden's knees. Michael Redd's knees. We really kneed a break from this stuff.
Chris Paul. In the first couple of weeks, he was cranky and already worn down when it became apparent the Hornets weren't going to meet his own steep expectations. Then, suddenly, he clammed up. Does this mean he's a bit more content? Maybe. But the silence is scary for a team that could lose Paul in two years, when he's free to bolt.
Since they can't do anything about Peja Stojakovic's contract, the Hornets must entertain the thought of trading Paul and getting something for him. And the closer he gets to free agency, the tougher he'll be to move. Your move, New Orleans.
Nyets. Not gonna pile on here. There's no need to. The Nets are, shall we say, going through some tough times. They won three times and are on pace, if my math is correct, to win three more times. And yet it really doesn't matter. The Russian savior is about to snap them up, and they'll have money to spend on free agents this summer, and soon (fingers crossed) they'll live large in Brooklyn. It's about to get better. Agreed? Agreed.
Nellie. You know, at one point in his career, he was considered one of the best coaches in his generation, or at the very least, the best coach who never won a title. Nowadays, he's just trying to keep the ship afloat in Golden State.
When a team loses at the rate the Warriors are losing, it's not one man's fault, never is. But as the Warriors lurch along, you wonder how much more Nellie can take, with a beautiful house waiting in Maui and a body that just endured a pneumonia scare. Maybe it's time to sit back and enjoy the picturesque Hawaiian sunset.
Not sure what this means exactly, except that maybe Kevin Durant is on the right track.
Durant, age 21 (this season): 29.2 scoring average, 6.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.33 steals per game.
Kobe Bryant, age 21: 22.5 scoring average, 6.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.6 steals per game.
LeBron James, age 21: 31.4 scoring average, 7.0 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 1.5 steals per game.
"It's an honor when people compare me with some of the best players in the game," Durant said recently. "But I know I have room for improvement and my goal is to help my team as much as I can."
Chauncey Billups, Nuggets: 38 minutes, 11-for-19 field goals, eight assists, eight rebounds, 37 points against the Warriors.
Coming off a groin injury, Billups has been an old man on a mission. His statement game went overtime, and he had enough energy in reserve to handle the Warriors on a night when Carmelo Anthony was downright chilly.
It just shows how important Billups is to the Nuggets. He makes everybody around him work harder. His health will determine whether the Nuggets put a scare into the Spurs, Mavericks and/or Lakers this postseason, or if they go out in the first round. Any player will tell you Billups commands as much respect, for his professionalism and leadership, as anyone in the NBA.
Michael Beasley, Heat: 26 minutes, 3-for-11 field goals, two rebounds, six points against the Bobcats.
Let's give Super Cool the benefit of the doubt here. He's not the type to go around dismissing other players and teams. That said, he went overboard prior to the game, saying the Bobcats "stole" a victory in their last meeting with Miami and that this game "should be an easy win."
And in a sense, Beasley was right. He meant the 2009 Bobcats, not the 2010 Bobcats.
Charlotte's 39-point win was a stunning in a sense; they're not 39 points better than Miami. But the Bobcats are better than a month ago, thanks to Stephen Jackson and Nazr Mohammed and the most underrated "star" in basketball, Gerald Wallace. Larry Brown is doing wonders with this group, and the Bobcats can do almost anything at home, where they've won 18 games, except draw a big crowd.
•After two games, Ron Artest used plenty of energy checking LeBron. But not vice versa. This is good news for LeBron, should the Lakers and Cavs meet again in June. He can just save all his calories for offense.
•If Phil Jackson had guts, he'd put Kobe on LeBron, so they could settle it, once and for all.
•Manu Ginobili sure got plenty of high-fives for his hustle play out of bounds, and that's what it has come to: Players getting credit for doing what they're paid to do. It was a great play, though.
•In the final few seconds of a tight game, if I'm Mike Woodson, I'm giving the ball to Jamal Crawford over Joe Johnson. And that's no knock on Johnson.
•Memphis is wondering: Why can Oklahoma City draw sellouts and we can't?
•Speaking of the Thunder: They've gotten lots of praise for their youth movement and wise drafting. But will they rue the day to passed on Tyreke for James Harden?
•For that matter, unless Thabeet is the real deal, will Memphis, too?
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