NBA Playoffs 2011: 16 Things We've Learned in the First Round Thus Far
The first round of the NBA playoffs isn't even in the books yet. In fact, not a single playoff series has been decided, although some teams are on the brink of elimination.
But we've still been able to glean tons of information from what little basketball has been played thus far during the NBA's postseason.
Derrick Rose is affirming his sure-fire MVP candidacy by doing his best Michael Jordan impersonation.
Dwight Howard has been putting up Wilt Chamberlain-esque numbers.
Chris Paul doesn't want to be left out of the discussion about the best point guards in the league.
The stars are showing up in bunches, both on the court and in the stands across the country. This is what fans and players both dream about.
But, what have we learned about each team thus far? Read on to find out.
Atlanta Hawks: Larry Drew Is Not the Right Coach
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I've had a problem with Larry Drew throughout this season, because he does so little with so much offensive talent. Joe Johnson, Jamal Crawford, Josh Smith and Al Horford are all great offensive threats, but the number of terrible offensive possessions that the Hawks have on a nightly basis are staggeringly high.
At some point, the coach has to step in and do something about it.
So during his team's loss to the Orlando Magic in Game 2, Drew decided to make a big move. He took Al Horford out of the game after his second foul and essentially left him to rot on the bench long after he should have put the ex-Gator back on the court.
Horford came back into the game and played the entire second half without committing another foul. But the damage was already done, and the Hawks lost despite the fact that they matched the Magic's play during the second half.
Bad coaching is absolutely killing Atlanta at times, but I guess that's what happens when you try to save money and hire a mediocre coach.
Boston Celtics: The Veterans Know How to Finish, but Offensive Problems Exist
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The Boston Celtics have a very poised and experienced team that knows how to close out tight games in the final seconds of the fourth quarter, but at some point they're going to have to avoid putting themselves in those situations to begin with.
One thing we've learned so far in the postseason is that Boston is somewhat challenged on offense.
So far, the Celtics have scored 87 points and 93 points, respectively, during the first two games of their series against the New York Knicks. They've been extremely fortunate that both point totals were enough to squeeze out wins.
Now the Knicks may be a good basketball team, but they're not exactly known for their defensive prowess. In fact, on average they allowed 105.7 points per game, which was bad enough to earn them 28th place in points allowed in a 30-team league.
If Boston can't score against the Knicks, they're going to have major issues against the better defensive teams in the East. And that's assuming of course that the Celtics can even close out this series.
Chicago Bulls: They Might Not Have Another Gear
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The Chicago Bulls have been pushed to the limit time and time again by the lowly Indiana Pacers. They've been saved each and every time by the heroics of Derrick Rose, who may be proving that he has a little bit of Michael Jordan in him.
Here's my theory: We may have overreacted to the Bulls' performance during the regular season.
Chicago won a lot of games before the postseason started because they played so much harder than every other team. Rose especially was willing to do whatever it took, and that's the reason he's already been handed the MVP trophy by fans and the media.
But now the playoffs are here and every team is going to play like they will be contracted if they lose a single game. Chicago may just not have another gear.
Only time will tell.
Dallas Mavericks: Unbeatable When Jason Kidd Is Making Shots
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In an 89-81 win against Portland in the first game of the series, Jason Kidd put up 24 points, five rebounds and four assists in addition to taking over the game during key moments.
Then in the second game of the series, a 101-89 victory, he was just as good. Kidd continued his scoring spree with 18 points to go along with his eight assists and four rebounds.
Things went downhill for the backcourt stalwart in the third game as Kidd struggled, recording only eight points, six rebounds and three assists. Fittingly, the Mavericks fell to the Trailblazers for the first time.
We all know Dirk Nowitzki is going to be great. That's just a given. This team's success is based much more on the play of the ancient point guard.
Denver Nuggets: Carmelo Anthony May Actually Be Missed
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The Denver Nuggets seemed to actually get better once Carmelo Anthony left the Mile High City for the City that Never Sleeps.
They won game after game despite losing their once starting point guard and leading scorer. It defied logic.
But now the playoffs are here and the Nuggets have quickly found themselves in a seemingly insurmountable hole against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The primary reason for this is that Denver simply can't score in crucial moments.
They lack that guy who can take over a game and find a way to will the ball into the basket. Anthony used to be that guy and he's finally starting to show just how valuable he was to that team.
Indiana Pacers: They Aren't Intimidated by the Big Boys
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Indiana barely sneaked its way into the playoffs, and the Pacers are now down three games, but they've given the Chicago Bulls a run for their money during each hard-fought contest.
Danny Granger and the rest of the unheralded Pacers aren't afraid of the MVP and the rest of the players on the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
They've played great defense, shot well, limited players not named Rose and looked unafraid of the supposedly superior Bulls. Isn't that what you want out of the eighth seed?
Los Angeles Lakers: Derek Fisher Is a Liability
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Derek Fisher has enjoyed a long and productive NBA career, but he's now proving to be nothing more than a liability for the Los Angeles Lakers.
He absolutely can't slow Chris Paul, forcing Kobe Bryant to have to switch assignments and cover the opposing point guard.
On offense, he's still got a great shot, but he's shooting low percentages night in and night out. Fisher scored eight points, on three-for-eight shooting, in the first game and nine points, on two-for-nine shooting, during the second.
The 36-year-old is still a great leader and a longtime friend of Kobe Bryant, but he's not helping the Lakers' chances for a three-peat.
Memphis Grizzlies: Better Than People Realize
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The Memphis Grizzlies, much like the animals that they're named after, aren't afraid of the competition.
Grizzly bears are the bears that you don't want to run into in the wild. If you encounter a black bear, you can make yourself appear big and loud and the bear more often than not will back down.
Grizzlies aren't like that.
The Spurs' reputation has made them appear big and loud, but this Memphis team, which was virtually unwatched by NBA fans during the regular season, has refused to act like a black bear.
Marc Gasol and company are mentally tough and are making their series against San Antonio a highly competitive one.
Miami Heat: Road Games Will Not Be a Problem
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When reports of tears in the Heat's locker room surfaced after a loss to Chicago, we learned Miami has the potential to be an emotionally fragile team. It doesn't help that they've had the bullseye on their backs since the season started, although they haven't proven much as of yet.
But now, it seems as if the Heat have embraced their villain role and are poised for a huge playoff run. All three of the Heat's stars are stepping it up when they need to and the pieces look like they're all coming together at just the right time.
The fact that Miami went into hostile territory and posted a six-point road win in the playoffs is a very encouraging sign for those in South Beach.
New Orleans Hornets: CP3 Is the Smartest Point Guard in the Game
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The New Orleans Hornets managed to turn the ball over only three times during their series-opening upset of the back-to-back NBA champions, the Los Angeles Lakers.
This was mostly due to the brilliant decision-making of "All-Everything" point guard Chris Paul. No. 3 managed to score 33 points, grab seven rebounds, swipe the ball away from the Lakers four times and dish out 14 assists while only turning the ball over twice during the first game.
The second game didn't end in the Hornets' favor, but Paul was still very good, recording 20 points, three rebounds and nine assists.
Paul has still got it, and he's proving it during the time of the year when it counts most.
New York Knicks: Amar'e and Chauncey Are Important
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The New York Knicks have fought admirably in this early part of the postseason and have had great opportunities to win each of their first two games against the favored Boston Celtics.
But in the end of each of those bitterly disappointing games, the Knicks have come up short and been left with a sour taste in their mouths.
Carmelo Anthony has been an absolute stud so far and shot lights-out during the second game, but in the end, the Knicks just managed to prove that one player can't win a game. They are suffering a great deal from a lack of Chauncey Billups and Amar'e Stoudemire.
Anthony can carry the team for stretches, but he can't shoulder the entire scoring load for the duration of a game against a great defensive team like Boston.
Oklahoma City Thunder: This Is a Complete Team
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A lot of people think that the Oklahoma City Thunder are just the Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant show.
While it may seem that way, general manager Sam Presti has actually put together a remarkably good squad. In fact, this TEAM is good enough to win it all.
When Durant has a bad night, Westbrook is there to pick up the slack, and vice versa when the point guard struggles.
But even when both are slightly off, the rest of the Thunder are fully capable of winning a game on their own.
Orlando Magic: Letting Dwight Howard Dominate May Not Be the Best Strategy
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So far in the series with the Atlanta Hawks, Orlando has been forced into letting Dwight Howard play one-on-one basketball and their bevy of shooters have tried to bolster the Magic's scoring. It sounds like that's not a bad thing to be forced into, right?
Wrong.
Howard is putting up absolutely monstrous numbers so far in this opening-round battle, which is tied after two games. He's averaged a ridiculous 39.5 points and 19 rebounds per game. Those numbers are virtually unheard of in the postseason.
But Orlando has only won one of the two games and could be down by two games had Larry Drew allowed Al Horford to play more minutes in the second game.
The Hawks have realized what so many other teams have failed to: If you accept the fact that Howard is a monster and instead focus on controlling the scoring output of the other four Magic players, your chances of winning skyrocket.
Philadelphia 76ers: Short on Talent but Not Heart
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The Philadelphia 76ers have played the Miami Heat fairly close so far in their series, but they're still down 3-0 when it comes to the decisive wins stat.
If you're wondering why, it's not because of a lack of heart. The 76ers, led by coach Doug Collins, have given it their all and have left their emotions on the court during each of their games. Their problem is a significant lack of talent.
Most teams may seem to be short on skill when matched up against LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, but the 76ers' talent pool is pretty dry.
Andre Iguodala, Elton Brand and Jrue Holiday have all shown up, but there's not too much for Collins to work with here.
Portland Trail Blazers: Brandon Roy Is Their Barometer for Success
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In the series-opening loss against the Mavericks, Portland's Brandon Roy made just one of his seven shots from the field, finishing with only two points, two rebounds and three assists.
Then in Game 2, the guard only received eight minutes of playing time and failed to record anything but a turnover on the stat sheet. The Trailblazers lost again.
Game 3 was a different story. Roy saw his minutes increase to 26 and his balky knees didn't stop him from putting up 16 points, one rebound and four assists. That elevated level of production was enough to push his team to its first win of the series.
San Antonio Spurs: Manu Ginobili Is the Most Important Player on the Team
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Manu Ginobili was forced to sit out the Spurs' playoff opener and had to watch from the sidelines as his team was upset by the upstart Memphis Grizzlies.
He got the opportunity to return in San Antonio's second game, wearing a bulky black-and-blue arm brace on his right arm as he strode onto the court. Seventeen points, seven rebounds and four assists later he walked back off the court and looked up at the scoreboard, which clearly showed that the Spurs had gotten their first win by a score of 93-87.
In doing so, he proved to the world that he is the most important player on his team.
