Essentials: K.G. resuscitates moribund Atlantic
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The ineptitude of the Atlantic Division had become a running joke when the NBA season tipped off this time last year.
, and , historically the three main beacons of basketball on the East Coast, had awful teams inhabiting their cities. Because of this, the popularity of the sport was suffering.
A uniform change has closed the gap between the conferences. (Getty Images) The Knicks and Sixers will probably still be bad again, but hope springs eternal just before a new season. Maybe Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph will be able to coexist. Maybe Andre Iguodala is capable of putting all of Philly on his back.
In Boston, there are no such questions. Getting Ray Allen was great, but it’s Kevin Garnett, he of the relatively unheard of preseason triple-double, who has almost single-handedly restored the respect level of the division formerly referred to as the Titanic.
is the defending champ. is the CBSSports.com pick to win it this season, but that would mean very little without Garnett’s presence on the Celtics. Most are touting a franchise that went 24-58 last season as the team to beat.
Garnett is adding to his legacy as one of the most important figures in NBA history simply by putting on another team’s uniform. Remember, it was his success coming out of high school that inspired others to make similar decisions. He opened the floodgates, becoming only the fourth player ever to make the preps-to-pros leap, the first since the 1970s. Signing for $126 million in 1997 had a ripple effect throughout the league, ultimately contributing to the lockout that followed and inciting change in the league’s salary structure.
He has restored parity in the NBA. The Western Conference is still superior from a basketball standpoint, but as far as marketing and general excitement are concerned, he has evened things up. If Kobe Bryant follows suit by getting his wish with a trade to Chicago, the league will have a pair of its Eastern Conference marquee brands restored.
Once again, it’s Garnett playing trail blazer for others to follow. Nothing against LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O’Neal, elite players who command the ultimate respect, but the East has a beast again, before the season even tips off.
Maybe it’s because everyone has missed Boston so much, but the fact is that the Celtics being in the toilet has made the NBA product taste just a little blander around the East Coast. There are kids growing up that don’t remember what it was like to see Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish thrive, but now they will have their own Big Three to monitor.
Friday night, the TD Banknorth Garden is going to be the center of the basketball universe. Gilbert Arenas brings his Washington Wizards in to help raise the curtain on this new era, having already guaranteed he’ll be spoiling the party. The NBA lucked into the perfect showman to come play heel.
The Nets and Raptors, most likely to stand in Boston’s way from an immediate takeover, square off in New Jersey on Nov. 2 in an early showdown, and then Toronto will return home to host the Celtics on a Sunday afternoon. With no professional football, the Raptors play a lot of their Sunday games while the sun is still out, but don’t let the irony escape you that on this first weekend of the regular season, Boston is back to being featured in a showcase game on the day when Bird and Magic once saved the league and built it back up.
This is really going to be fun. It already is.
Team of the week:
The defending champion Spurs get their rings on Tuesday and move on to the task of working on next season’s jewelry. They got off to a solid preseason, with Tony Parker resting most of the way, then coming out and looking like he had just come out of the garage fully serviced, rims all shined up and engine purring. San Antonio opens with home games against Portland and Sacramento sandwiched around a visit to Memphis. None of those teams made the playoffs last year and will be fighting an uphill battle to do so this time around. Expect San Antonio to be 3-0 opening next week.
Team of the weak:
The Kings, missing starters Ron Artest and Mike Bibby, will help celebrate the NBA’s full-time return to New Orleans on Oct. 31 before having to deal with the Spurs and Mavericks. Sacramento is likely to do a lot of losing this season, so it’s only fitting to get started early. On the bright side, new coach Reggie Theus will get long looks at John Salmons, Francisco Garcia and Quincy Douby as they look to help Kevin Martin pick up the slack for the missing pieces. Each of those guys will be pivotal to Sacramento’s success in rebuilding.
Player to watch:
Bryant is at the center of trade rumors that figure to intensify as the week wears on, but as long as he’s still with the Lakers, he has games to play. This is the type of adversity Kobe thrives under, so you would be mistaken if you think it’s going to affect his play. If anything, drama swirling around him forces him to focus even more and he’ll be intent on proving Phil Jackson wrong after the coach accused him of mailing in the preseason.
Showcases
Kevin Durant, who promises to be the league’s most exciting rookie, wants to play in Seattle’s nationally televised season opener at Denver, but it’s Carmelo Anthony who is going to steal the spotlight. The Nuggets forward enjoyed an outstanding summer and will have even more shots come his way with projected starting guard Chucky Atkins out the first 6-to-8 weeks with a groin problem. … Yi Jianlian is expected to start when the Bucks debut in Orlando, making it likely that he’ll run into Dwight Howard in the paint for a lovely welcome party. … LeBron James and his Cavs host the Mavericks on Wednesday, hit New York on Friday and fly to Phoenix on Sunday. Somewhere in the world, quite literally, holdouts Anderson Varejao and Sasha Pavlovic are crossing their fingers for an increased bargaining position. … Shaquille O’Neal will begin his 16th season and his quest of putting the Heat on his shoulders while Wade mends at home against Detroit on Nov. 1. His body will be tested right off the bat with a back-to-back, as Miami shuttles to Indiana following its game with the Pistons to square off with the Pacers the next night. Back to the grind. … Coney Island’s finest, cousins Stephon Marbury and Sebastian Telfair reunite in New York when the Timberwolves visit the Garden on Sunday. Family reunions are always a blast. Who’s bringing the franks?
10/30/07 01:36:24 PM