We have been waiting for this moment for months. No, I’m not talking about the Jason Kidd trade to go through (which it did today). I am talking to about the second half of the NBA season to begin. The first three and a half months can be such a drag, and usually are but in the second half, everything picks up. It is a two-month stretch run to the playoffs. This is the time when teams like San Antonio and Detroit flip their switch on and look to be playing their best when the playoffs begin. The flurry of trades that have gone on in the last two or three weeks has just made the second half that much more interesting. The NBA season is about 20 games too long and it kills ratings but now is the time to jump on the bandwagon. These next couple months of the regular season and the playoffs are going to be some of the best basketball since the ‘80’s. The NBA, where exciting happens.
The western conference has been busy for weeks now. Teams saw what the Lakers did when they traded for Pau Gasol and felt that they had to try and one up the Lakers. The Phoenix Suns went out and took a huge chance by trading for Shaquille O’Neal and the Mavericks traded away half their team to acquire Jason Kidd. With the trading deadline this week I would not be surprised if western conference teams are not done playing deal or no deal. With the number one seed and the number nine seed being separated by a mere four and a half games, every thing is going to be magnified for the next two months. Every single game is going to matter and a three game losing streak, for anyone, could have that team on the verge of missing the playoffs. After months of boring basketball the west is here to save us.
The east on the other hand is not as wide open or as intriguing but there are four good teams. For basketball fans sake I hope the Eastern Conference semi-finals consist of Boston, Detroit, Orlando and Cleveland. After those four teams you will be hard pressed to find a team who scares anyone. I know Toronto has a solid 28-23 record but they don’t scare teams like the top four in this conference do. I have been surprised that no East teams have made any moves, especially the Magic or Cavs. The bottom of the East race is also intriguing. I can’t wait to see who makes the playoffs and gets to loose to the top four in the first round.
13 teams (top nine in the west and top four in the east) could realistically win the NBA Championship come June. But first, we have to make it through the next two months and see who actually even makes the playoffs. I don’t think the best team will win the title this year, I think it will be who can survive the stretch run and playoffs. And a lot still rides on how these trades work out and how healthy teams stay. Is Shaq ready to run? Can the Mavs succeed without an inside presence? Are the Spurs finally ready to repeat? Who will be the dark horse, Houston, Denver, Utah? Will Andrew Bynum come back and be the same guy he was before he hurt his knee and will Kobe be able to deal with his injured finger? These are just a few of the questions that will be answered before we can crown a champion in June. Teams around the league took three and a half months to study for this test. Tonight, they begin taking their exams.
Until next time, I’m gone, like Keith Van Horn’s retirement.
Keywords: Andrew Bynum, Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Jason Kidd, Keith Van Horn, Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA Basketball, Orlando Magic, Pau Gasol, Phoenix Suns, San Antonio, Shaquille O'Neal, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz
