Pop Quiz: NBA Postseason Recap (Part One)

As a college graduate (heading back to school) watching the NBA playoffs, I couldn’t help but question the importance of a college degree.

Don’t get me wrong.

Degrees are nice and they make your family proud, but they can be costly and sometimes ineffective.

Thus far in my short stint out of college, it’s been largely ineffective, and eventually it will be very costly (Can’t wait).

Besides, lots of successful people didn’t go to college or don’t have degrees.

I mean, look at the NBA playoffs.

So many key players spent little to no time in college:

Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, LeBron James, Rashard Lewis, and Kevin Garnett—straight from prom. The one-and-doners: Carmelo Anthony, Derrick Rose, Trevor Ariza, and Lamar Odom, etc…They tried the whole school thing out, but ultimately decided they liked money better than calculus.

Shocking.

Anyway, I like money more than calculus too, but recognize that it’s in my best interest to get as educated as possible.

So, to get me back in the mood for school, I created a little test to see just what was learned during the 2009 NBA postseason (at least from my perspective).

1. What do Derrick Rose and Rajon Rondo have in common?

A.     Both won the Rookie of the Year.

B.     Both flashed their respective sets during the postseason.

C.     Both were elevated to elite-point guard status after their performances in Boston and Chicago’s epic first round playoff series.

D.    All of the above

If you answered C, or someone answered it for you, you are correct.

Everyone knew Derrick Rose and Rajon Rondo we’re pretty good heading into the postseason. Then they met in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, and they took their games to another level.

Rose, the NBA’s Rookie of the Year, was not to be intimidated in his first go-round of the NBA postseason. In his first career playoff game (on the road in Boston), Rose led the Bulls to a 105-103 overtime victory to upset the defending champions and set the basketball world abuzz.

Rose scored 36 points (tying Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s playoff debut record set in 1970) on 12-19 shooting, including 12-12 from the charity stripe and 11 assists.

Rose played superbly in Chicago’s two other wins of the series.

In Game Four, Rose posted a near triple-double with 23 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists to lead the Bulls to a 121-118 victory. Rose also delivered in the Bulls, thrilling three 0T, 128-127 victory in Game Six.

Rose scored 28 points to go along with eight rebounds and seven assists. Ironically, it was Rose’s defense that sealed the victory and forced a Game Seven. Rose blocked a potential game-winning shot by his counterpart in the game’s waning seconds.

However, as good as Rose was, Rajon Rondo was even better.

Boston’s feisty young point guard played phenomenal throughout the series. In Game Two, Rondo notched a triple-double with 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 16 assists.

Rose recorded another triple double in the Celtics Game Four loss: 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists.

In fact, for the seven game series, Rondo almost averaged a triple-double:  19.4 points on 45 percent shooting, 9.3 rebounds, 11.6 assists, and 2.71 steals.

Those are pretty remarkable numbers for a 6’1’’, 23-year-old point guard.

If we learned anything from this series, it’s that these two young point guards are very, vary talented. Their paths are certainly going to cross again in the postseason.

Perhaps, next time, they may even play a little defense. Regardless, they’re going to win many games for their teams and earn many All Star selections.

Rose might even win an MVP by the time it’s all said and done.

He’s that good.

I guess we also learned that the Celtics cannot win a championship without Kevin Garnett. Defense is simply an afterthought when KG is on the sidelines barking obscenities.

If Garnett is able to return healthy next season, the Celtics return as legitimate title contenders. If not, they’re pretenders like the next team we learned a lot about this past postseason.

Ahh, the ’08-'09 Cleveland Cavaliers.

I admit it.

You guys had me fooled with the 66-win regular season, the chemistry, the defense, etc…I really bought into the hype.

Unfortunately, I rudely learned that this team wasn’t who I thought they were. I learned that chemistry is nice, but liking your teammates and intricate pregame rituals can only get you so far.

Bottom line, I learned that LeBron didn’t have players capable of doing just enough to enable him to will a championship for the forlorn city of Cleveland.

Here’s a little math to sum up the state of Cavs basketball:

2.  If LeBron = MVP, Mike Brown = Y, and Teammates Exposed + Unfavorable Matchups = X, what does MVP – (Y + X) = ?

   A. Help!

            B. Hello, New York!

            C. CHAMPS!

            D. Whatever. It’s Cleveland.

The correct answer is A, although B and D are also acceptable response at this point.

Sure, LeBron played like the MVP he most definitely is. It was enough to win 66 games in the regular season and sweep the first two rounds of the playoffs.

However, his 38.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 8.0 assists in the Eastern Conference Finals were not enough to get past the Orlando Magic. Nor was “The Three” in Game Two or his dominance in the fourth quarter of Game Four.

As good as LeBron played, it just wasn’t enough to overcome the coaching performance mailed in by Mike Brown, Mo Williams shooting 37 percent from the field, or the obvious fact that the Cavs simply could not match up with the taller, more versatile Magic players.

So, what does this all mean for Cleveland heading into the ’09-’10 season, the last year in which the Cavs have the King under contract?

It means that the 66-win regular season was an illusion.

It means that the Magic were clearly the better team.

It means that that Cavs are a little farther away from a championship than we were led to believe.

Most importantly, it means Danny Ferry must surround LeBron with championship caliber talent next year.

They need a tall, athletic swingman.

They need a low post presence.

They need a backup point guard.

In essence, they need better players.  Otherwise, LeBron will be leaving Cleveland when his contract is up next summer, and the city will further sink into its 55-year sports depression.

The being said, we learned that the Orlando Magic were really good.

They had players everywhere.  They had a big man capable of being dominant in Dwight Howard. Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu were matchup nightmares for opponents to defend.

They moved the ball great and had shooters everywhere.  They were just a really talented team.

Be that as it may, they still leave the postseason with several questions that need answered.

3. True or False: The Magic will return to the NBA Finals next season.

The correct answer would have to be False.

Here’s a couple of internal reasons I can’t see Orlando reaching the Finals again next season:

* The loss of Hedo Turkoglu (assuming he leaves) is a major hit to the Orlando Magic.

Obviously, they’re going to miss his 16.8 points a game and clutch shooting. But, what really hurts is losing the 6’10’’ small forward’s playmaking abilities and versatility.

Turkoglo averaged nearly five assists a game over the course of the regular season and played the point-forward in spots for Orlando. If Turkoglo chases big money and leaves, that’s one less matchup to worry about for the likes of a Boston or Cleveland.

* Losing the under-appreciated Marcin Gortat will also hurt the Magic. Gortat is a tough rebounder and defender who provided the Magic with valuable minutes down low.

There’s more.

Here’s another issue that could sidetrack the Magic next season, and the next question.

4.  It will be _________ if the Orlando Magic decide to keep both Jameer Nelson and Rafer Alston for next season.

            A. bewildering

            B. a debacle

            C. entertaining

            D. All of the above

The correct response is D (all of the above).

Keeping Alston to back up a healthy Nelson next season would be a bewildering decision by Orlando management. It most certainly would turn into a debacle, and it sure as hell would be entertaining.

As a Cavs fan, I am absolutely praying that Otis Smith keeps Rafer Alston on this team.

I’m begging you, Otis, to not question the fact that Rafer has played on five different teams during his ten-year career.

I’m also asking you to ignore his erratic decision-making, his poor shot selection, and his detrimental attitude.

I mean, think of how interesting Stan Van Gundy’s rotation became after you inexplicably allowed Jameer Nelson to return for the NBA Finals after not playing since February.

You have to admit, it became kind of entertaining watching SVG illogically juggle his point guards during the Finals.

Now, imagine that for a whole season.

On second thought, don’t imagine that.

Just stick with what got you to the Finals in the first place and keep Alston on this team.

Please.

Here’s a more burning question than the future of a certain point guard with a streetball alias. It relates to a self-proclaimed superhero and his offensive inefficiencies.

5. Based on the numbers presented below, which player did not live up to his “Superman” nickname in his first trip to the NBA Finals as a 23-year-old Center for the Orlando Magic?

Player A (4 games): 28.0 ppg, 44-74 fg (59.4 percent), 24-42 ft (57.1 percent), 12.5 rpg, 6.2 asp, and 2.5 bpg

Player B (5 games): 15.4 ppg, 21-43 fg (48.8 percent), 35-58 ft (60.3 percent), 15.3 rpg, 2.2 asp, and 4 bpg

The correct answer is Player B (Dwight Howard). Player A alludes to Shaquille O’Neal, of course.

This much we know about Dwight Howard five seasons into his NBA career: he doesn’t curse, but he cries after virtually every play.

OK, OK. There’s more we know. 

We also know that Howard is a dominant defensive player and rebounder. His averages of 15.4 rebounds and 4.0 blocks during the NBA Finals (highlighted by nine blocks in Game Four) establish that fact quite clearly.

Unfortunately, we also know his offense isn’t exactly superhero worthy, which was on display for all the world to see during the Finals.

Howard struggled mightily against the Lakers, who had big men that could move and a coach with a game plan (unlike the Cavs).  In comparison with Orlando’s original Superman, Howard averaged nearly 12.6 points less in his first trip to the NBA Finals, in addition to shooting 10.6 percent lower from the floor.

Even more telling, O’Neal made more field goals than Howard even attempted, despite playing one less game.

Howard must develop his offense beyond a running hook in the lane if Orlando is able to withstand departures and contend again for a title.

If he doesn’t, you have to wonder why the hell Patrick Ewing is still coaching, because Howard is too athletic, too explosive, and too strong to not dominate the paint on a regular basis.

(cont.)