Ranking Teams Helped By NBA Lockout
This week’s HOOPSWORLD poll turned out to be incredibly relevant, as the NBA Players and Owners reached an agreement in the early hours of Saturday morning that should lead to an end to the months-long NBA lockout. This week we asked readers to tell us which veteran team would be helped most by a shortened 2011-12, with the following teams to choose from:
The San Antonio Spurs
The Boston Celtics
The Los Angeles Lakers
The New York Knicks
The Dallas Mavericks
And so, without further ago, we give you the results of this week’s poll:
#5 – The New York Knicks – Coming in last with just 8% of the vote are the Knicks, who are also probably the least affected by the age factor. Chauncey Billups is nearing the end of his career and Amar’e Stoudemire is having recurring problems with his back, but otherwise the Knicks have a lot of young, unproven talent in the mix, and lots of questions to answer in free agency (possibly beginning December 9th).
#4 – The Dallas Mavericks – The Mavericks’ biggest concern is at point guard, where Jason Kidd can’t be expected to log 30+ minutes every night. The idea was that Roddy Beaubois would ease the burden, but Beaubois hasn’t been quite the impact player the Mavs hoped he would be. Then there’s JJ Barea, but he’s a free agent, so who knows if he’ll be back. Dirk is nearing the end of his prime, as are Shawn Marion and Jason Terry, so age is going to be a factor sooner rather than later. It won’t hurt their title defense to have some 16 fewer games on the schedule. They grab 10% of the vote.
#3 – The San Antonio Spurs – The Spurs are entering what could be Tim Duncan’s final season in the NBA, meaning there is a major transition ahead for the team that won four championships during Duncan’s tenure. The Spurs got just 19% of the vote this week, perhaps because they were able to own the West’s best record for all of the 2010-11 NBA season even with Duncan playing a smaller role.
#2 – The Los Angeles Lakers – The top two vote-getters this week were in a virtual try, with the Los Angeles Lakers coming in second by just five votes (31%). Clearly the concern for the Lakers is Kobe Bryant’s career dissipation light, which is starting to flash red. If Kobe is going to get his sixth ring it needs to be this season or next, as the next wave of great players is waiting to overtake him and his aging teammates.
#1 – The Boston Celtics – Edging out the Lakers with 32% of the this week’s vote are the Celtics, who have Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen in the final year of their respective deals and Jermain O’Neal already seemingly halfway out the door towards retirement. The Celtics have a lot of questions to answer in free agency, particularly at center, and without the right infusion of youth around their aging core they have little chance of getting another title, even with a shorter season ahead.
Be sure and check the HOOPSWORLD main page for this week’s poll, and we’ll have the results for you next Saturday in this space.
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