We are about halfway through the first round of the NBA playoffs and as it stands no team has yet been eliminated. We have all been treated to three games in each series and after this sampling it is time to pause and offer reflection.
The top stories dominating the playoffs have revolved around injuries. While the Los Angeles Lakers were hobbling coming in, they now have company as teams are losing players on a nightly basis. The injury updates have now shaped the way we view the Western Conference as it appears to be a wide open race to the Conference title.
As each series progresses, storylines continue to emerge. Storylines that shape not only the outcome of the series but also the future of the franchises. Through the first-round of NBA playoff action, here are five things I’ve learned thus far.
1- The Boston Celtics are done! They are old, tired and lack the floor leadership necessary to compete for an NBA Championship. Rajon Rondo is clearly the best player on the team and the sooner that Celtic management accept this fact and make moves to compliment Rondo the better off the franchise will be. As painful as it might be for the Beantown faithful; Kevin Garnett needs to go while trade value can still be obtained and immediate help on the wing is needed to boost scoring. The Celtics need to get younger, faster and more athletic. Of all the playoff teams, the Celtics have the most work ahead of themselves as they need to look at overhauling their roster.
2- Joakim Noah is the heart and soul of the Chicago Bulls. He might not be the best player on the team (given that Derrick Rose returns to form), but he is the undisputed emotional leader. Noah has earned court-cred by fans everywhere for his gritty play in the Brooklyn series. While many guys wouldn’t even suit up given the severity of his plantar fasciitis Noah runs himself out there and basically competes to the best of his limitations, all the while playing on one bum wheel. When healthy, Noah is the modern-day Garnett, minus the obscenity filled tirades and over-exposed euphemisms.
3- The Lakers are in a world of trouble. Kobe Bryant is set to miss games into next season as he recovers from his achilles injury and in his absence it is painfully apparent that Dwight Howard is incapable of leading the team. Keeping Howard will be an offseason priority, but that means a max-contract commitment to a guy who is clearly a malcontent individual. Veteran point guard Steve Nash is breaking down at an alarming rate and it now seems unlikely that the two-time MVP will finish out his contract with the Lakers. The franchise still has Pau Gasol on the books for next season at a painful $19 million and they would love to amnesty him off except he has proven to be their best player. The Lakers have eight players under contract for next season, excluding Howard of course, and their team payroll is already encroaching on $80 million. Tough times lie ahead for the purple and gold to be sure.
4- Regardless of how the Denver vs. Golden State series turns out, Stephen Curry has proven his naysayers wrong. This kid is an All-Star and he will be one for years to come. Curry is the building block around which the Warriors need to work. David Lee is a great option in the frontcourt; however, he needs some help up there. Both Andris Biedrins and Richard Jefferson are complete busts and one will get amnestied off while the other will be used as trade bait. The fantastic backcourt play of Curry, Klay Thompson and Jarrett Jack is not enough to carry the Warriors through the playoffs. The franchise as a whole needs to capitalize on the assets they have under contract and get some athletic big-men, a-la the Los Angeles Clippers to fill in the voids.
5- Chris Paul has elevated his status to that of super-star. If there was any doubt about Paul’s skills or abilities those need to be put to rest after this postseason. The Clippers need to pony-up the dough and throw a max-contract at Paul to ensure he stays a Clipper for the next five years and beyond. The future of this franchise is not Blake Griffin so accept the fact that Paul is the guy, embrace him as your team’s leader and do whatever it takes to make him happy about playing basketball in Clip-nation. The Clippers have some salary-cap flexibility come next season; so when the playoff drive to a Championship ultimately falls short, they need to spend the money and make some upgrades to the roster.