It's hard to consider an event actually an event when Tiger isn't entered, but the Honda Classic is part of the PGA schedule with or without Woods. Justin Leonard won this event in 2003 and comes into this weekend as the highest ranked player on the FedExCup list in the field of golfers. Leonard might have put up a course record on his way to winning in '03, but don't think Ernie Els, Justin Rose, Sergio Garcia and Zach Johnson won't be near the top when all is said and done.
Here are my Tuesday morning thoughts for the upcoming Honda Classic.
Five to Consider:
1. Ernie Els -- Last weekend's first round exit could have been the result of Els not being fully committed to the WGC. Els had earlier made an announcement that he would make his first appearance on the PGA Tour in the Honda Classic. Els should respond to his one-and-done last weekend and post four solid rounds this weekend.
2. Jonathan Byrd -- Byrd has been up and down this year, but he might have found his swing at the WGC. Byrd didn't realize that the 16 seed isn't supposed to win on his way to a T9 finish. Byrd had 13 top 25 wins in 2007 including a victory at the John Deere in July. It wouldn't be surprising to see Byrd finish well PGA National Resort and Spa's Champion Course.
3. Boo Weekley -- Weekley should be considered this week because Boo has played scary good recently. Weekley has posted back-to-back top 10 finishes giving him three on the year already and he could easily capture his fourth top 10 at the Honda Classic.
4. Dustin Johnson -- The last round that Dustin Johnson played was his worst round of the entire season (78), but don't hesitate to consider this young hitter. Prior to the T59th at the Northern Trust, Johnson's Rookie of the Year campaign was off to a great start. Johnson has made the cut in all five events and has recorded a T10th, T12th and T7th.
5. Mark Wilson -- The best finish so far this year for last year's Honda Classic champion has been a T9th at the FBR Open which was just better than his T11th at the Northern Trust. Currently sitting 30th, Wilson could use a top finish at the Honda Classic to improve on his FedExCup Point ranking.
Five to Avoid:
1. Sergio Garcia -- In 2005, Garcia's last time at the Honda Classic, he tied for 53rd. I'm avoiding Garcia because he hasn't been able to establish a good trend so far. His play at the WGC makes me want to consider him, but his T46th at the Northern Trust has me holding off until I know Garcia playing good enough to win.
2. Zach Johnson -- Zach Johnson is a nice cuddly name you've heard of and want to choose as "your guy". But the Master's champion hasn't played like a major winner this season. I'm avoiding Johnson because he's played in three events and his best finish (T20th) was his first event (Mercedes-Benz Championship).
3. David Toms -- Toms was playing great in the WGC before having to withdraw due to back pain. I'm going to avoid Toms because I can't afford a WD or MC from my fantasy bench players. Plus, last year Toms finished T37th in this event.
4. Camilo Villegas -- After starting the year with a tie for 13th at the Buick Invitational, Villegas has gone downhill since. Before last weekend's poor showing at the WGC, Villegas missed the cut at the Northern Trust.
5. Retief Goosen -- The Northern Trust Open allowed Goosen to show everyone that he's still in a slump (Round 1: 79, Round 2: 77). And a match-play event couldn't help get him going either (T33rd). Once considered part of the tour's top class, Goosen isn't flying with golf's finest flock anymore.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
CheChe23's NBA Power Rankings (Feb. 27, 2008)
Just when you thought that the dog-days of the NBA season were upon us, the importance of each game has become huge. The standings in the Western Conference are so close that a single win or loss could change the outcome of the playoff seeding. Here are my rankings for the final week in February, let me know what you think.
BIGGEST RISE: Detroit Pistons from 8th to 3rd.
BIGGEST FALL: Utah Jazz from 3rd to 7th.
(Editor's note: "LW" indicates each team's ranking from CheChe23's previous week. —RTW)
| CheChe23's Power Rankings: February 27, 2008 | |||
| TEAM | RK (LW) | W-L | COMMENT |
 | 1 (4) | 40-17 | The Lakers have become the best team in the NBA, but do they have what it takes to win a title? It's hard to ignore what L.A. has done since the arrival of Pau Gasol. It's hard to ignore the conference-leading 40 wins and current nine game win streak. And it's also hard to ignore the MVP-caliber performance I watched Kobe compile last night against the Blazers. The Lakers are No. 1, with no mention of Andrew Bynum because Pau Gasol is averaging 22.0 ppg and 7.1 rpg as a Laker. |
 | 2 (5) | 38-17 | Other than a Feb. 10 loss to Boston, San Antonio has been perfect in the shortest month of the year. And before Monday, when Duncan had 23, Manu Ginobili led the Spurs in scoring for five straight (see: HOT HOT HOT). S.A. will get their first try at beating the new look Mavericks in a TNT broadcast match-up Thursday. |
 | 3 (8) | 42-15 | I can't get a handle on this team. Before losing last Tuesday to Orlando and Wednesday to Milwaukee, they go and run off wins against the same Milwauke team, Phoenix and Denver. Utah will be a good test tonight, but the "Spurs" of the Eastern Conference are playing like they belong in the top five of the NBA. |
 | 4 (2) | 38-19 | Dallas is getting adjusted to life with Kidd, he seems to be enjoying his new team (I saw him drop 17 dimes in a win against the Wolves on Sunday). The Mavs are obviously not worried about their regular season record -- they know from last year that the regular season doesn't matter. But Dallas would like to finish in the top four to get home-court in at least the first round of the playoffs, which is why they'll have to treat every game for the rest of the year as a must-win. Jason Kidd is averaging 8.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg and 11.3 apg as a Maverick. |
 | 5 (1) | 43-12 | So much for Boston going unbeaten against the West, they lost three in a row to Western foes last week. KG's postings of 11 points and six rebounds could mean the Celtics are coasting. However, they better perk up because they meet LeBron's new look Cavaliers tonight in what chould be a preview of future a playoff series. |
 | 6 (7) | 36-21 | Let's review the Suns see-saw-like last seven games: Win vs WASH, Loss at GS, Win vs DAL, Loss vs LAL, Win vs BOS, Loss vs DET, Win at MEM. Maybe they can get a win tonight against the Hornets and bust the trend. Shaq is averaging 8.7 ppg and 11.3 rpg as a member of the Suns. |
 | 7 (3) | 36-21 | Utah could have remained in the top five if they would have won games against the Clippers and Timberwolves, but with how fragile the standings are in the West, two losses against winnable opponents will move a team from third to seventh. The Jazz might have been looking ahead when they lost last night to Minnesota because they have Detroit tonight, New Orleans on Friday and Dallas on Monday. |
 | 8 (7) | 37-16 | After reeling off five in a row, New Orleans has lost three straight and faces tough match-ups tonight (vs PHO) and Friday (vs UTA). I think the Hornets have become impatient to get started on what is a very busy finish to the regular season. Not only does New Orleans have to play the most road games of any team in the NBA from here on out, but they are packing in 15 games (eight away) between the 31 days of March. |
 | 9 (9) | 37-22 | Orlando has won five of the last six with Philadelphia on the schedule this evening. Carlos Arroyo's absence from the line-up prevents me from moving this team higher than ninth in the rankings. You know what you get with Hedo Turkoglu and Dwight Howard, I'm nervous about what you get from Orlando's point guard play. Looking at the schedule, the Magic have a chance to win nine of their next ten games -- the one questionable match-up coming next Tuesday against Toronto or maybe it's the game against Golden State. |
 | 10 (15) | 32-25 | Cleveland welcomed Ben Wallace, Delonte West and Wally Szczerbiak to the line-up this past week and despite last night's loss, I welcome Cleveland to the top 10. LeBron James is going to play on another level no matter who's on the floor with him, but the supporting cast of Wallace, West and Szczerbiak feels like an upgrade from Hughes and Gooden. But on this episode of "Flip That Team", Cleveland might not be able to sell their upgrades for a world championship profit. |
OUTSIDE THE TOP 10:
11. Golden State Warriors (32-21): Golden State fans became excited with the news that Yao Ming was out for the season. With one of the nine teams in a basket of eight soon to be out of the basket, it gives the Warriors a chance at playing in June.
12. Toronto Raptors (31-24): The Raptors are one of the deepest teams in the NBA -- they played 10 players in the first quarter on Monday. Toronto has won two in a row and four of their last five with Minnesota tonight and Indiana Friday.
13. Houston Rockets (37-20): Celebrating a perfect month of February is hard to do when your team's cornerstone was just declared done for the year. But will the Rockets team be done for the year? My thought is that Houston's season went down with Yao.
14. Denver Nuggets (33-20): Since Denver's big win last Tuesday against Boston, they have dropped three straight. The Nuggets can't afford to lose three in a row when they currently sit outside the playoff picture.
15. Portland Trail Blazers (28-25): The Blazers have Greg Oden on the bench, but LaMarcus Aldridge has played well enough to make you forget. Aldridge has maintained an increase in his statistical during from his freshman to his sophomore year averaging 16.9 ppg and 7.4 rpg in 34 minutes per game this season.
16. Chicago Bulls (22-34): Drew Gooden and Larry Hughes might add depth, but they don't add what it takes to win a title. Yes, the Bulls might make the playoffs, but that is far from what their goals were during the off-season.
17. Atlanta Hawks (22-32): I hope Mike Bibby's Arizona connection with struggling Hawk Salim Stoudamire helps to motivate the college three point artist into become an NBA three point artist. Bibby has averaged 11.8 ppg and 5.4 apg as a member of the Hawks.
18. Sacramento Kings (26-30): The Kings newcomers haven't been much of an impact. The biggest name from Atlanta to come over in the trade for Bibby, Shelden Williams, has averaged 4.8 points and 1.8 rebounds.
19. Washington Wizards (25-28): What an ugly month it has been for Washington, just three wins in 13 games and things don't seem to get any brighter soon. Gilbert Arenas, who had been targeting March 2 as his return from knee surgery, won't be back anytime soon and Caron Butler has missed 12 of the past 14 games.
20. Philadelphia 76ers (25-32): Philadelphia plays their next three games against playoff teams starting tonight with Orlando. The Sixers will have to win a few games that they aren't expected to win in order to sneak into a playoff spot.
21. Milwaukee Bucks (21-35): Milwaukee was able to squeak out a 'W' against the Cavs who are still getting the feel of playing together. Regardless, the Bucks need to go on a solid win streak to become playoff contenders (W vs DEN, W vs CLE is a good start).
22. Indiana Pacers (22-35): Just like the Wizards, the Pacers have had a pretty ugly Month. Larry Bird knows they can't compete when they are playing without their two pillars: Jamaal Tinsley and Jermaine O'Neal.
23. New Jersey Nets (25-32): Vince Carter has used the Kidd departure as a reason to start auditioning for his next team. Carter's recent game log has him playing good enough for the HOT list.
24. Los Angeles Clippers (19-35): Maybe the Clippers can take advantage of a tired Blazers team and steal a win tonight, but winning is unproductive for a team with no shot at the playoffs.
25. Charlotte Bobcats (19-37): One win in February has the Bobcats charging toward the lottery.
26. New York Knicks (17-39): New York will settle the debate of who is worse with a match-up against Charlotte tonight, that should be interesting.
27. Seattle Sonics (15-41): The recent 11-player trade involving the Sonics worked out well for Seattle. Earl Watson is loving the playing time he can get with Delonte West no longer around and Kevin Durant will be glad he doesn't have to hear pass, pass, pass from Wally Szczerbiak every time he posts up.
28. Minnesota Timberwolves (12-43): Minnesota continues to play the role of spoiler, beating the Jazz last night by 11. With nothing to lose, the Wolves have used that attitude to amount 12 wins this season.
29. Miami Heat (10-44): Miami snapped an 11 game losing streak and got the first win since Shawn Marion arrived by beating the Kings last night thanks to Marion's 10-14 shooting, 24 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists. Marion is averaging 16.6 ppg, 11.0 rpg and 3.0 apg as a member of the Heat.
30. Memphis Grizzlies (14-43): Six losses in a row...
HOT HOT HOT
1. Manu Ginobili -- Manu took the night off Monday compared to what he had been doing. Ginobili's 44 point game against Minnesota last Thursday (thanks to 7/9 from three) was followed by a 30 point, 12 assist and 6 rebound night. Duncan and Parker have their individual hardware, it appears to be Manu's turn to shoulder the Spurs through this year's playoff run.
2. Chris Bosh -- I've missed many opportunities to throw Chris Bosh on the HOT list. So, with a Raptor on the NOT list, I thought I would even it out since Bosh has played well enough to carry the entire Toronto roster. Bosh has recently been hot scoring 40 points in the first game back from the All-Star break, but could always be considered hot for having another steady season averaging 22.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game.
3. Tyrus Thomas -- In all the trade clutter, Thomas has found confidence. Before scoring nine points on Monday, Thomas had a string of four double digit scoring games in a row including back-to-back games of 18. I'm not sure if his confidence will continue if his playing time drops back down to the teens.
NOT NOT NOT
2. John Salmons -- With just eight points last night, Salmons has been a bit cool with his last seven games. He's combined for a total just 19 points (2.7 ppg) during that stretch playing nearly 20 minutes per game.
3. Adonal Foyle -- Foyle has recorded minutes in every game so far this year, although his 1.9 ppg and 2.6 rpg aren't exactly stellar numbers for a former top 10 pick. Foyle has never put up really great numbers, but the Magic need to get more when they look to their bench if they want to do something in the post season.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
CheChe23's NBA Power Rankings (Feb. 20, 2008)
Friday's Rookies vs. Sophomores game gave us a glimpse of what to expect from the future of the NBA, and it looks promising. Saturday night showed that Deron Williams has a sixth sense, Jason Kapono has perfect form and Dwight Howard has a wild imagination. Sunday's game was almost a compliment to Saturday's events, but when Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant don't play, it's up to LeBron James to entertain -- and that he did. The break is over and it's time to get back to work. Check out my rankings for this week.
BIGGEST RISE: Houston Rockets from 12th to 10th. BIGGEST FALL: New Jersey Nets from 20th to 25th.
(Editor's note: "LW" indicates each team's ranking from CheChe23's previous week. —RTW)
| CheChe23's Power Rankings: February 20, 2008 | |||
| TEAM | RK (LW) | W-L | COMMENT |
| 1 (1) | 41-10 | Boston leads the NBA in points per game and field goal percentage differential. Before losing to Denver last night, Boston was on a six game win streak. The Celtics will be tested this week with a trip to Golden State tonight and a match-up in Phoenix on Friday. |
| 2 (2) | 35-18 | Dallas got instantly better by acquiring Jason Kidd because Kidd brings to Dallas real playoff experience. More importantly and what serves as motivation is that Kidd is a playoff veteran seeking to capture a title before his career is over (don't underestimate desire, Da Kid vs Kidd -- Can you see that?). |
| 3 (4) | 35-17 | Utah's offense put up 77 points by halftime against the Warriors last night on the way to a 10 point victory. The Jazz roster is filled with depth and talent and it should be no surprise to find Utah in title contention. Stockton and Malone -- who are they again? |
| 4 (3) | 36-17 | The Lakers are currently banged up. Bynum is out for another couple of weeks, Kobe's got his torn pinky ligament problem, Ariza is likely out for the year and Chris Mihm won't be in action until sometime in March. On top of that, Shaq is in town tonight to try and get some revenge on Kobe, Phil, Jerry and whoever else did him wrong for the Lakers organization -- it should be fun to watch (ESPN, 9pm ET). |
| 5 (5) | 35-17 | Consider February "focus" month for San Antonio. The Spurs have won six of seven this month, only losing to Boston in Boston. It might be time to start saying "here come the Spurs". |
| 6 (7) | 37-16 | The Suns still need help on the perimeter on defense, but with Amare and Shaq it's not like anyone's going into the paint against Phoenix. As a whole, the Suns are a big question-mark. But some questions will be answered with the debut of Shaquille O'Neal in a Suns uniform. |
| 7 (8) | 36-15 | New Orleans returns from its All-Star weekend hangover with a match-up against the Mavericks tonight. Don't look now, but the rest of February is jam-packed with playoff opponents (HOU, SA, WASH, PHO, UTA). |
| 8 (6) | 39-15 | It looked like the Pistons All-Stars took the night off last night in a big loss to the Magic. One thing that is positive from these big losses is seeing what Detroit's bench players can do -- Rodney Stuckey had 16 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists in 27 minutes. |
| 9 (10) | 35-21 | Superman. Maybe the Magic caught a little of Dwight Howard's dunk title winning momentum, but whatever it was in the 18 point blow-out win against Detroit last night -- they need to bottle it. Orlando needs Keith Bogans and Keyon Dooling to be playmakers if they want to contend. |
 | 10 (12) | 33-20 | Houston's nine game win streak has them in the top 10 for the first time since early November. The Rockets have been clicking on all cylinders thanks to the team finally being healthy. Rafer Alston has been a real reason for the recent success, during the win streak Alston has averaged 14.0 points and 7.0 assists per game. |
OUTSIDE THE TOP 10:
11. Denver Nuggets (33-20): One thing that the Nuggets do better than any other team is get to the free throw line (30.3 attempts per game). The Nuggets out-attempt their opponents at the line by 5.3 per game, but in order for Denver to take advantage of that stat, they need to shoot a better percentage (76.1%).
12. Golden State Warriors (32-21): Have you seen Monta Ellis over the last few games? His numbers are on par with the NBA's best guards (Feb #'s: 27.8 ppg, 4.2 apg, 6.0 rpg). Golden State's backcourt of Ellis and Baron Davis is one of the most leathel one-two punches in the NBA.
13. Toronto Raptors (28-23): Toronto has Orlando tonight before starting their run at what is considered a string of "winnable" games. To end February, Toronto faces New York at home and away, Indiana and home and away and Minnesota.
14. Portland Trail Blazers (28-25): Two games against Seattle this week would have allowed for fans to see Kevin Durant vs Greg Oden. Instead, Portland will get a chance to catch up in the win column.
15. Cleveland Cavaliers (29-24): Cleveland literally can not drop any further than No. 15 on the list. I can't put Washington ahead of them, Chicago doesn't look like they'll have a healthy roster for a while, Atlanta maybe, but the Kings, Nets and Bobcats? I can't disrespect LeBron like that.
16. Chicago Bulls (36-46): Thabo Sefolosha prefers the starting line-up, just look at his stats. In 28 games as a sub, Sefolosha averages 2.6 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.0 apg. But when Sefolosha is a starter he averages 12.4 ppg, 6.4 rpg and 2.5 apg.
17. Atlanta Hawks (21-28): Mike Bibby will make the Hawks a better team this year and over the next few years. As the Hawks young guns (Joe Johnson, Marvin Williams, Josh Smith, Al Horford) mature, Bibby will be great mentor. The Hawks could be this year's Golden State and make a run at an upset in the first round of the playoffs.
18. Washington Wizards (25-28): Yikes, the Wizards have only one win this month and have lost nine of their last ten games. Freaky stat: Washington scores the exact same amount of points per game as they give up per game.
19. Sacramento Kings (24-28): The Bibby trade gives Sacramento exactly what they want -- young players, small contracts, draft picks.
20. Philadelphia 76ers (23-31): Philadelphia's five game win streak was ended last night by the Timberwolves. With Atlanta making the move to get Mike Bibby, Philadelphia's hope for the eighth and final playoff spot is fading with every should win loss.
21. Charlotte Bobcats (19-36): Granted it is the Spurs, but the Bobcats only scored 65 points in a 20 point beat down last night in a game that revealed one thing: Jeff McInnis is not Adam Morrison.
22. Indiana Pacers (21-32): Indiana is in no hurry to get Jermaine O'Neal (13 straight games) and Jamaal Tinsley (four straight) back, they are playing for the lottery now. Mike Dunleavy is enjoying a career year that only improves the more time O'Neal misses.
23. Milwaukee Bucks (25-57): The Bucks are leading the race to the bottom of the Central division and it doesn't help that they'll feed the top with two games this week against the Pistons.
24. New Jersey Nets (23-30): New Jersey will have to wait to see what they have with Devin Harris. Harris missed his last ten games for the Mavericks and is out for at least another week with a bone bruise on his left ankle.
25. New York Knicks (16-37): New York ranks fifth worst in point per game differential (-5.9) and is third highest in turnover differential.
26. Los Angeles Clippers (17-33): Tuesday the Los Angeles Times reported that Elton Brand participated in non-contact drills and told the media that he definitely plans on playing this season.
27. Minnesota Timberwolves (11-41): Minnesota is the only NBA team that hasn't played an overtime game this season. But it's not like we need more time to watch the Wolves lose. Minnesota ranks dead last in the NBA in point differential (-7.7).
28. Seattle Sonics (14-39): After winning last night against Memphis, Seattle might get their next win on the 29th of February when the Sonics host Miami.
29. Memphis Grizzlies (14-39): Memphis has a chance of losing the rest of the games this year, Minnesota will determine that (three games before the season are over are against the Timberwolves).
30. Miami Heat (9-42): It's hard to judge what Miami is capable of doing with this roster, but the team still hasn't won 10 games.
HOT HOT HOT
1. Deron Williams - Williams has been on my HOT list before, but he deserves a second helping. Not only did Williams win the Skills Challenge this past week (breaking the record), but his play this season has him in MVP conversations. Williams is shooting 51.4% from the floor, scoring 19.1 points per game and adding 9.7 assist per game this season (all career highs).
2. LeBron James - James nearly had a triple double in the All-Star game on his way to MVP. In his first game back from the break his triple double wasn't good enough for a win. But look out for James to make his run for season MVP, he's averaging close to 30, 8 and 8.
3. Hakim Warrick - Good-bye Pau Gasol, hello Hakim Warrick. Hakim doesn't mind seeing thirty minutes of action. His last three games have been 24 points, 13 rebounds, 23 points, 8 rebounds and 22 points, 6 rebounds.
NOT NOT NOT
2. Mike James - The Rockets guard has been a pretty big dud, he's clocked about 18 minutes since playing 21 minutes January 11. It was just two years ago that James had four consecutive games of 30 plus points for the Raptors.
3. Jamaal Magloire - The Nets center was watching the NBA All-Star game this weekend thinking about the time that he spent in the 2003-04 All-Star Game. Not long ago Magloire was an Eastern Conference All-Star, but he hasn't played since January 29. It might be a good thing that he isn't playing because when he has played he's averaging just 1.8 points and 3.4 rebounds per appearance.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Other Than Tiger: WGC Final Four (2/19/08)
Tiger Woods has 14 official WGC wins in 25 starts, his last win came in 2004 at the Accenture but he has not advanced past the third round since. And Woods doesn't have an easy road to the championship round this year either. If Woods can get past J.B. Holmes in round one, he still has to get past the likes of Mike Weir, Zach Johnson, David Toms, Aaron Baddeley, Rory Sabbatini and K.J. Choi -- that's just his own bracket
This event is set-up exactly like March's NCAA basketball tournament. The four one seeds are paired against four 16 seeds in a field of 64 golfers.
One Seeds: Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, Steve Stricker and Phil Mickelson
Two Seeds: Rory Sabbatini, Justin Rose, Adam Scott and Jim Furyk
Three Seeds: Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington, K.J. Choi and Vijay Singh.
The WGC is also like the NCAA basketball tournament in the way that there are always plenty of upsets. If you think that the best golfers are going to make it to the end, think again. In 2006, Geoff Ogilvy won the WGC as the No. 52 player in the field and the highest seeded player to win the WGC was Kevin Sutherland as the No. 62 player overall. Look for upsets Wednesday because history shows that as the tournament goes on, the upsets go down. Round one has seen 116 upsets since 1999, while there have only been 140 upsets in all of the other rounds combined. With 26,250 points and $8 million handed out this weekend, you can be certain you'll see some competitive golf.
Here is a quick glance at the regions with the favorites, sleepers and my pick:
HOGAN --
Favorites: Ernie Els, Sergio Garcia
Sleeper: Robert Allenby
My Pick: Adam Scott -- Scott should have a clear path to the Sweet 16 where he could potentially face off against Sergio Garcia. If Scott can get past Garcia and Ernie Els, Woods will likely be waiting for him in the Final Four. Anything worse than the T33 finish he had last year will be a disappointment for Scott, who has won 12 matches at the accenture (tied for fifth most all-time).
JONES --
Favorites: Tiger Woods, Rory Sabbatini
Sleeper: David Toms
My Pick: K.J. Coi -- Choi is consistent, which gives him a good choice at going deep in the bracket. At third in FedExCup points standings, Choi will look to add 262 points or more with his play this weekend (his tie for 17th was good enough for 262 last year). A top finish for Choi, who has a path that will match him against Rory Sabbatini and Tiger Woods before he even reaches the Final Four, will solidify that he is ready to be considered one of the best golfers on tour.
PLAYER --
Favorites: Vijay Singh, Phil Mickelson
Sleeper: Brandt Snedeker
My Pick: Geoff Ogilvy -- Ogilvy won the WGC in 2006 and lost in the title game last year, which makes him my favorite to come out of the PLAYER region. Despite the way that Ogilvy has played this season (missing the cut in all three events), he should find his stride with this match play tournament. That is only if Ogilvy can get past his first round match-up with Justin Leonard, not to mention the potential Sweet 16 square off with Phil Mickelson.
SNEAD --
Favorites: Steve Stricker, Jim Furyk
Sleeper: Hunter Mahan
My Pick: Padraig Harrington -- The SNEAD region might be consider the "easiest" with Steve Stricker as the No. 1 seed, so Harrington will look to take advantage. Harrington has played great in his first two events of 2008, finishing T14 at Pebble Beach and T3 last weekend's Northern Trust Open. Harrington lost in the Elite Eight at the WGC in 2006 and will try to get over the hump this year.
Elite Eight:
K.J. Choi over Tiger Woods
Adam Scott over Retief Goosen
Geoff Ogilvy over Justin Rose
Padraig Harrington over Hunter Mahan
Final Four:
Adam Scott over K.J. Choi
Geoff Ogilvy over Padraig Harrington
Championship:
Adam Scott* over Geoff Ogilvy
*Not allowing Tiger Woods to be picked past the Elite Eight. Otherwise, Tiger Woods would be my winner. Hence, the title.
This event is set-up exactly like March's NCAA basketball tournament. The four one seeds are paired against four 16 seeds in a field of 64 golfers.
One Seeds: Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, Steve Stricker and Phil Mickelson
Two Seeds: Rory Sabbatini, Justin Rose, Adam Scott and Jim Furyk
Three Seeds: Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington, K.J. Choi and Vijay Singh.
The WGC is also like the NCAA basketball tournament in the way that there are always plenty of upsets. If you think that the best golfers are going to make it to the end, think again. In 2006, Geoff Ogilvy won the WGC as the No. 52 player in the field and the highest seeded player to win the WGC was Kevin Sutherland as the No. 62 player overall. Look for upsets Wednesday because history shows that as the tournament goes on, the upsets go down. Round one has seen 116 upsets since 1999, while there have only been 140 upsets in all of the other rounds combined. With 26,250 points and $8 million handed out this weekend, you can be certain you'll see some competitive golf.
Here is a quick glance at the regions with the favorites, sleepers and my pick:
HOGAN --
Favorites: Ernie Els, Sergio Garcia
Sleeper: Robert Allenby
My Pick: Adam Scott -- Scott should have a clear path to the Sweet 16 where he could potentially face off against Sergio Garcia. If Scott can get past Garcia and Ernie Els, Woods will likely be waiting for him in the Final Four. Anything worse than the T33 finish he had last year will be a disappointment for Scott, who has won 12 matches at the accenture (tied for fifth most all-time).
JONES --
Favorites: Tiger Woods, Rory Sabbatini
Sleeper: David Toms
My Pick: K.J. Coi -- Choi is consistent, which gives him a good choice at going deep in the bracket. At third in FedExCup points standings, Choi will look to add 262 points or more with his play this weekend (his tie for 17th was good enough for 262 last year). A top finish for Choi, who has a path that will match him against Rory Sabbatini and Tiger Woods before he even reaches the Final Four, will solidify that he is ready to be considered one of the best golfers on tour.
PLAYER --
Favorites: Vijay Singh, Phil Mickelson
Sleeper: Brandt Snedeker
My Pick: Geoff Ogilvy -- Ogilvy won the WGC in 2006 and lost in the title game last year, which makes him my favorite to come out of the PLAYER region. Despite the way that Ogilvy has played this season (missing the cut in all three events), he should find his stride with this match play tournament. That is only if Ogilvy can get past his first round match-up with Justin Leonard, not to mention the potential Sweet 16 square off with Phil Mickelson.
SNEAD --
Favorites: Steve Stricker, Jim Furyk
Sleeper: Hunter Mahan
My Pick: Padraig Harrington -- The SNEAD region might be consider the "easiest" with Steve Stricker as the No. 1 seed, so Harrington will look to take advantage. Harrington has played great in his first two events of 2008, finishing T14 at Pebble Beach and T3 last weekend's Northern Trust Open. Harrington lost in the Elite Eight at the WGC in 2006 and will try to get over the hump this year.
Elite Eight:
K.J. Choi over Tiger Woods
Adam Scott over Retief Goosen
Geoff Ogilvy over Justin Rose
Padraig Harrington over Hunter Mahan
Final Four:
Adam Scott over K.J. Choi
Geoff Ogilvy over Padraig Harrington
Championship:
Adam Scott* over Geoff Ogilvy
*Not allowing Tiger Woods to be picked past the Elite Eight. Otherwise, Tiger Woods would be my winner. Hence, the title.
Monday, February 18, 2008
PGA Power Rankings (2/18/08)
From the FedExCup standings to the World Rankings -- there really isn't a perfect way to rank the PGA's best golfers. There is no way Tiger Woods will drop from first on anyones list, but players 2-9 will change regularly. Here is my PGA Power Rankings for the week of February 18.
1. Tiger Woods -- Woods took the past weekend off in preparation for the World Golf Championships where he holds a No. 1 seed for the sixth time in his career. Woods has won the WGC twice and finished tied for ninth the past two years.
2. Phil Mickelson -- Mickelson got over his Pebble Beach fiasco with a win at Riviera. Mickelson was hitting all of his clubs well on his way to his first victory of this early season.
3. K. J. Choi -- Choi ranks slightly ahead of J.B. Holmes for how he started and finished at the Northern Trust Open. Choi took an early lead with a six under 65 Thursday and overcame a front nine of 37 to shoot a back nine 33 on Sunday. Choi has been hanging around the top 20 after winning the Sony Open back in early January; he ranks third in the FedExCup standings.
4. J. B. Holmes -- Like Choi and Mickelson, Holmes has used an early season victory to give him an early boost in the FedExCup standings. Currently second behind only Mickelson, Holmes overcame a first round 74 on his way to a T7 at the Northern Trust Open.
5. Rory Sabbatini -- There is no denying that Sabbatini is a top five golfer. But his T44 at the Northern Trust Open is a far cry from where he's been able to finish in the past (winner, second). Sabbatini will take his 5/5 on cuts-made and his nearly $1 million earned into the World Golf Championships where he will try to improve on his tie for 17th a year ago.
6. Steve Stricker -- 2007's FedExCup darling is already in the top 10 in 2008 -- which is nearly where he found himself last weekend (T11) at Riviera. Stricker's fast start (2nd, T4) this season will keep him in contention all year.
7. Vijay Singh -- Singh ranks just outside teh FedExCup standings top 10 (12th) and his tie for 36th last weekend doesn't help to improve his positioning. The WGC will be a good chance for Singh to gain confiednce.
8. Padraig Harrington -- Paddy followed his tour debut of T14 with a third place finish at the Northern Trust. The British Open champ has his focus on the field of 64 at the Accenture this upcoming weekend.
9. Jim Furyk -- Furyk's rank of 27th on the FedExCup list might be a bit deceiving. A disappointing MC this past weekend left Furyk earning no points. His previous four weeks (three top 25 finishes) are more like what you can expect from Furyk for the rest of the season.
10. Justin Leonard -- It was hard to choose the 10th player on my list when so many players deserve mentioning. Leonard outlasts Chopra, Weir, Quinney, Lowery, Trahan and the rest of the bubble golfers because of his quick start (T8, 2nd, 5th) and current ranking on the FedExCup list (8th).
Others:
Daniel Chopra, Mike Weir, Ryuji Imada, D.J. Trahan, Jeff Quinney, Kevin Na, Anthony Kim, Adam Scott, Luke Donald, Dustin Johnson, Justin Rose, Ernie Els, Sergio Garcia, Zach Johnson, Aaron Baddeley, Henrik Stenson
1. Tiger Woods -- Woods took the past weekend off in preparation for the World Golf Championships where he holds a No. 1 seed for the sixth time in his career. Woods has won the WGC twice and finished tied for ninth the past two years.
2. Phil Mickelson -- Mickelson got over his Pebble Beach fiasco with a win at Riviera. Mickelson was hitting all of his clubs well on his way to his first victory of this early season.
3. K. J. Choi -- Choi ranks slightly ahead of J.B. Holmes for how he started and finished at the Northern Trust Open. Choi took an early lead with a six under 65 Thursday and overcame a front nine of 37 to shoot a back nine 33 on Sunday. Choi has been hanging around the top 20 after winning the Sony Open back in early January; he ranks third in the FedExCup standings.
4. J. B. Holmes -- Like Choi and Mickelson, Holmes has used an early season victory to give him an early boost in the FedExCup standings. Currently second behind only Mickelson, Holmes overcame a first round 74 on his way to a T7 at the Northern Trust Open.
5. Rory Sabbatini -- There is no denying that Sabbatini is a top five golfer. But his T44 at the Northern Trust Open is a far cry from where he's been able to finish in the past (winner, second). Sabbatini will take his 5/5 on cuts-made and his nearly $1 million earned into the World Golf Championships where he will try to improve on his tie for 17th a year ago.
6. Steve Stricker -- 2007's FedExCup darling is already in the top 10 in 2008 -- which is nearly where he found himself last weekend (T11) at Riviera. Stricker's fast start (2nd, T4) this season will keep him in contention all year.
7. Vijay Singh -- Singh ranks just outside teh FedExCup standings top 10 (12th) and his tie for 36th last weekend doesn't help to improve his positioning. The WGC will be a good chance for Singh to gain confiednce.
8. Padraig Harrington -- Paddy followed his tour debut of T14 with a third place finish at the Northern Trust. The British Open champ has his focus on the field of 64 at the Accenture this upcoming weekend.
9. Jim Furyk -- Furyk's rank of 27th on the FedExCup list might be a bit deceiving. A disappointing MC this past weekend left Furyk earning no points. His previous four weeks (three top 25 finishes) are more like what you can expect from Furyk for the rest of the season.
10. Justin Leonard -- It was hard to choose the 10th player on my list when so many players deserve mentioning. Leonard outlasts Chopra, Weir, Quinney, Lowery, Trahan and the rest of the bubble golfers because of his quick start (T8, 2nd, 5th) and current ranking on the FedExCup list (8th).
Others:
Daniel Chopra, Mike Weir, Ryuji Imada, D.J. Trahan, Jeff Quinney, Kevin Na, Anthony Kim, Adam Scott, Luke Donald, Dustin Johnson, Justin Rose, Ernie Els, Sergio Garcia, Zach Johnson, Aaron Baddeley, Henrik Stenson
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
PGA Preview: The Northern Trust Open (2/13/08)
The Northern Trust Open is a new title sponsor to the PGA Tour. The field lacks Tiger Woods, but won't lack talent. If everyone plays as scheduled, 17 of the world's top 20 golfers will be teeing it up at the Riviera Country Club for a shot at winning $1.1 million.
Justin Rose, Adam Scott, Retief Goosen, Luke Donald and Sergio Garcia will all be playing on the PGA tour for the first time this season. Scott makes his debut in the event that he won in 2005 after recently winning the European Tour Qatar Masters trophy with a final round 61.
This tournament has been historically won by a player who putts their way past their competition. Of the past 15 winners at The Riviera Country Club (skipping 1998 because the tournament was at a different course), seven of them had their best putting weeks of the season, five had their second best and one had his third. The last three Champions have finished in the top 10 on the year in putting.
Putts per round can be easily be determined by the distance of an approach shot, the driving distance or accuracy off the tee, and greens in regulation percentage. I picked my players to consider incorporating all of those statistics into my decision. Here are my golfers to consider and players to avoid for the Northern Trust Open.
Players to Consider:
Adam Scott -- Even though you'll see Scott's name on the trophy for his play in 2005, you won't find it on the official tour resume. The event was shortened by rain to 36 holes that year, and in order for a tournament to be official it must reach at least 54 holes. Scott's $864,000 check didn't bounce when to took it to the bank, so he won't complain.
Justin Rose -- Rose makes his debut on the PGA tour this weekend. If I believe anyone to be the next best golfer in the world, it's Rose. At 28 years old, he's coming into his 10th year as a pro in his prime. Although his stints on the PGA Tour are limited, Rose takes every event seriously. In the main events last year Rose finished T5 at The Masters, T10 at the U.S. Open, T12 at the British Open, T12 at the PGA Championship and T11 at the Tour Championship.
J. B. Holmes -- Holmes has taken advantage of playing with weak fields to accumulate some early season FedExCup points. With a more difficult field at the Northern Trust Open, Holmes will have to prove he's worthy of being at the top of the standings after one month of golf.
John Mallinger -- Before looking up the Putts Per Round statistics, I thought Mallinger was a great pick. After seeing that he's leading the PGA tour averaging 27.4 ppr, playing on a course that demands greatness from the putter -- I can see Mallinger climbing to the top of the leaderboard.
Mike Weir -- Weir won this winner event in '03 and '04 using a combination of distance and putting. He's been consistent all season and shot 69, 71, 69 to conclude his weekend at Pebble Beach and finish T14. I like Weir's capability to use both his putter and his driver and see him putting together a run for his third win.
Players to Avoid:
Zach Johnson -- Johnson's accuracy off the tee might be his saving grace this weekend, but if he fails to find the fairway -- he could fail to find the leaderboard. With a field packed with the who's who of golf, I'll avoid Johnson on the basis that it's hard to predict what he will do with his flat iron.
Hunter Mahan -- Mahan also drives the ball into the fairway at a very high percentage (9th, 75.7%), but he can't claim he's mastered the putter (184th, 31.5 ppr). After missing the cut in his last two events, I'll avoid Mahan until he begins heating up.
Brandt Snedeker -- In his last three tournaments, Snedeker has gone from 93rd to T9 to T58. His inconsistencies have me avoiding him until he puts together two solid finishes in a row.
Sergio Garcia -- Sergio Garcia is making his PGA Tour debut this weekend at the Riviera where he finished sixth last year. I'm avoiding Garcia because I don't trust his putting style or ability. His belly-putter style can break down and Riviera might exploit it.
Geoff Ogilvy -- Ogilvy was once considered a top 10 player in the world. He looked like a pro finishing in the top 10 seven times last year, but his start to 2008 isn't even top 100 worthy. Ogilvy has played a total of four rounds and hasn't shot under 70, missing the cut in both tournaments he entered.
Justin Rose, Adam Scott, Retief Goosen, Luke Donald and Sergio Garcia will all be playing on the PGA tour for the first time this season. Scott makes his debut in the event that he won in 2005 after recently winning the European Tour Qatar Masters trophy with a final round 61.
This tournament has been historically won by a player who putts their way past their competition. Of the past 15 winners at The Riviera Country Club (skipping 1998 because the tournament was at a different course), seven of them had their best putting weeks of the season, five had their second best and one had his third. The last three Champions have finished in the top 10 on the year in putting.
Putts per round can be easily be determined by the distance of an approach shot, the driving distance or accuracy off the tee, and greens in regulation percentage. I picked my players to consider incorporating all of those statistics into my decision. Here are my golfers to consider and players to avoid for the Northern Trust Open.
Players to Consider:
Adam Scott -- Even though you'll see Scott's name on the trophy for his play in 2005, you won't find it on the official tour resume. The event was shortened by rain to 36 holes that year, and in order for a tournament to be official it must reach at least 54 holes. Scott's $864,000 check didn't bounce when to took it to the bank, so he won't complain.
Justin Rose -- Rose makes his debut on the PGA tour this weekend. If I believe anyone to be the next best golfer in the world, it's Rose. At 28 years old, he's coming into his 10th year as a pro in his prime. Although his stints on the PGA Tour are limited, Rose takes every event seriously. In the main events last year Rose finished T5 at The Masters, T10 at the U.S. Open, T12 at the British Open, T12 at the PGA Championship and T11 at the Tour Championship.
J. B. Holmes -- Holmes has taken advantage of playing with weak fields to accumulate some early season FedExCup points. With a more difficult field at the Northern Trust Open, Holmes will have to prove he's worthy of being at the top of the standings after one month of golf.
John Mallinger -- Before looking up the Putts Per Round statistics, I thought Mallinger was a great pick. After seeing that he's leading the PGA tour averaging 27.4 ppr, playing on a course that demands greatness from the putter -- I can see Mallinger climbing to the top of the leaderboard.
Mike Weir -- Weir won this winner event in '03 and '04 using a combination of distance and putting. He's been consistent all season and shot 69, 71, 69 to conclude his weekend at Pebble Beach and finish T14. I like Weir's capability to use both his putter and his driver and see him putting together a run for his third win.
Players to Avoid:
Zach Johnson -- Johnson's accuracy off the tee might be his saving grace this weekend, but if he fails to find the fairway -- he could fail to find the leaderboard. With a field packed with the who's who of golf, I'll avoid Johnson on the basis that it's hard to predict what he will do with his flat iron.
Hunter Mahan -- Mahan also drives the ball into the fairway at a very high percentage (9th, 75.7%), but he can't claim he's mastered the putter (184th, 31.5 ppr). After missing the cut in his last two events, I'll avoid Mahan until he begins heating up.
Brandt Snedeker -- In his last three tournaments, Snedeker has gone from 93rd to T9 to T58. His inconsistencies have me avoiding him until he puts together two solid finishes in a row.
Sergio Garcia -- Sergio Garcia is making his PGA Tour debut this weekend at the Riviera where he finished sixth last year. I'm avoiding Garcia because I don't trust his putting style or ability. His belly-putter style can break down and Riviera might exploit it.
Geoff Ogilvy -- Ogilvy was once considered a top 10 player in the world. He looked like a pro finishing in the top 10 seven times last year, but his start to 2008 isn't even top 100 worthy. Ogilvy has played a total of four rounds and hasn't shot under 70, missing the cut in both tournaments he entered.
CheChe23's NBA Power Rankings: All-Star Weekend (Feb. 13, 2008)
As the NBA takes a break from the season for its All-Star weekend, I am taking a break from the weekly routine. I've decided to use my list this week to show where I think the NBA teams will stand at the end of April. I've decided to take the guesswork out of deciding which teams will be bound for the postseason and what teams will be missing out. Take a look at my end-of-the-year rankings today.
BIGGEST RISE: Boston from 5th to 1st. BIGGEST FALL: Indiana from 22nd to 28th.
(Editor's note: "LW" indicates each team's ranking from CheChe23's previous week. —RTW)
| CheChe23's Power Rankings: February 13, 2008 | |||
| TEAM | RK (LW) | W-L | COMMENT |
| 1 (5) | 66-14 | Maybe Garnett will be out for a while, but it doesn't seem like it's bothering the Celtics. And don't knock the fact that Boston is playing in the East because they are 16-0 against Western competition. These guys will only be satisfied if they enter the playoffs with the best record in basketball. |
| 2 (6) | 56-26 | Dallas needs to win a couple of tough games to make it into the playoffs with the No. 1 overall seed in the Western Conference for the second year in a row. Sitting with 17 losses today, losing just seven games the rest of the year would be more of an accomplishment than their 67 wins of a season ago. |
| 3 (7) | 55-27 | The Lakers will fall short of the best record in the West, but Kobe Bryant will take the MVP for where he takes the Lakers. The Pau Gasol trade may go down as one of the worst trades of all-time if the Lakers can make it to the NBA Finals. |
| 4 (2) | 54-28 | Utah's offense along with their no-joke defense will get the Jazz to the top of the standings when the season ends. It's hard to imagine the Jazz finishing ahead of the Spurs and Pistons, but Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer are finally finding the space to work with Kyle Korver spreading the defense. |
| 5 (9) | 53-29 | San Antonio lost 24 games last year before winning the title, can they do it again losing 29? The Spurs are seeking a Championship title, not a regular season crown. |
| 6 (1) | 53-29 | Detroit finished 53-29 last season and will fall somewhere near there again this year. The Pistons rank sixth even though they are the second best team in the Eastern Conference, but they've got their sights set on upsetting Boston and reaching the NBA finals for the third time in the last five years. |
| 7 (3) | 52-30 | Shaq should return soon, but it might take this team a while to get adjusted. This team won't be worried about losing a few games, but by doing so they might just miss out on having home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. |
| 8 (5) | 51-31 | The Hornets won't be seen as the West's elite this season, but it won't be long before we're seeing N.O. as the No. 1 team. Chris Paul, Tyson Chandler and David West have developed into a solid Big Three. A playoff appearance will be nice for Hornets experience. |
 | 9 (13) | 50-32 | Carmelo Anthony should do his best to audition for second half MVP, but the Nuggets weren't able to stay healthy enough to win the Northwest. If Denver can get healthy by playoff time -- Anthony, Iverson and Camby will have to play giant killer starting from round one. |
| 10 (12) | 49-33 | The Magic will need to get Jameer Nelson a better wingman than J.J. Redick. Orlando's big three of Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu are good enough to get the Magic out of round one, but what about round two? |
OUTSIDE THE TOP 10:
11. Toronto Raptors (49-33): Toronto is playoff bound thanks to Chris Bosh and Jose Calderon, but they could make a run once they're playing in the post season thanks to T. J. Ford, Jorge Garbajosa, Carlos Delfino and Jamario Moon.
12. Houston Rockets (48-34): Houston has won 11 of their last 12 and are on pace to close in on the eighth and final playoff spot. If Houston can stay healthy, they should be a scare for anyone come playoff time.
13. Golden State Warriors (45-37): The Warriors will end up as the one left out when all is said and done as a result of the deep and talented Western Conference. It will take big wins during a tough April schedule in order for Golden State to outlast Houston.
14. Cleveland Cavaliers (45-37): LeBron will enter the playoffs knowing that this team won't make it as far as they did a year ago. James will finish as an MVP-candidate for his statistical greatness. But Cleveland lacks that supporting star and solid leadership at point which will result in a quick exit from the playoffs.
15. Portland Trail Blazers (44-38): The Blazers need to make another unthinkable run during their March push for the playoffs if they want to make their unthinkable first half mean something. Don't be surprised if the Blazers fall back to earth, the team has long term goals.
16. Washington Wizards (40-42): Washington is expected to get Gilbert Arenas back in March and they need him. The Wizards have lost eight straight games, they are sliding down the playoff ladder.
17. Chicago Bulls (36-46): The Bulls are lucky that they play a weak schedule to close out the year. And coupled by the fact that a losing record can still make the playoffs in the East -- it's almost hard to NOT make it to the post-season.
18. Sacramento Kings (35-47): If the Kings can finish with 35 wins, they should consider their season a big success. The future is bright in Sacramento with Martin, Garcia and Salmons.
19. Atlanta Hawks (32-50): It will either be New Jersey or Atlanta who makes the final playoff spot for the East. Or should I say first in line to get swept by the Celtics.
20. New Jersey Nets (32-50): New Jersey will try to deal their two best players before the trade deadline, which could entirely alter their final two months of the season.
21. Charlotte Bobcats (30-52): Charlotte won't be happy finishing outside of the playoffs. If the Bobcats can come together during the month of March, they'll look to get past Atlanta and New Jersey for the final playoff spot.
22. Indiana Pacers (30-52): Indiana needs Jermaine O'Neal to return in a hurry, Indiana's playoff hopes are in jeopardy.
23. Philadelphia 76ers (29-53): Philadelphia sits right on the fence between playoffs and lottery, how they finish February will tell how they will finish the year.
24. Milwaukee Bucks (25-57): The Bucks have won games this year, they are already up to 19 wins. But this team and its current roster is still far from being a playoff contender even in the lousy East It doesn't help that they can't stay healthy (first Redd, now Villanueva).
25. New York Knicks (24-58): New York would benefit from making a deal before the deadline, but I don't imagine any NBA GM's trading for a player on the Knicks roster -- well, maybe Chris Wallace.
26. Los Angeles Clippers (23-59): Los Angeles is remembering what it was like with Shaun Livingston and Elton Brand. Oh, the glory days.
27. Miami Heat (18-64): I'd say the Heat could win another eight or nine games this season (SEA, SAC, ATL, NY, MIL, CHA, IND, MEM) now that they have Marion and Wade connecting on alley-oops, which could take them out of the cellar.
28. Seattle Sonics (18-64): Seattle's rebuilding year was pretty much a waste of time. No time was wasted for Kevin Durant to start making his impact on the National Basketball Association.
29. Minnesota Timberwolves (17-65): Minnesota is doing a great job of winning games on the floor, but not on the scoreboard -- exactly what a young team wants that is seeking solid game experience and a lottery spot at the same time.
30. Memphis Grizzlies (16-65): If Memphis moves Mike Miller before the February 21 trade deadline, this team is headed for the NBA's worst record for the second straight year. But they could be headed there regardless.
Most Valuable Player
1. Kobe Bryant -- Bryant's been an All-Star MVP, All-Defensive selection, All-NBA selection, a scoring champion and even the prep player of the year, but never one season's Most Valuable. If his Lakers are going to end up where they are expected, Bryant will lead them into the playoffs as the league's best player.
2. Carmelo Anythony -- Depending on how well the Nuggets finish the season, Anthony could be named this year's most valuable. Since returning from his ankle injury, Anthony has averaged 31.6 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 3.2 apg, shooting 55% from the floor. And Melo outdid LeBron on Sunday after scoring his career high (49) the night before.
3. LeBron James -- If LeBron can put his Cavs ahead of Orland and Toronto and near Boston and Detroit, he'll be a clear candidate for MVP. LeBron's numbers this season are a thing of beauty. He's leading the league in scoring with 30.1 ppg to go along with averaging almost 8.0 rebounds per game and 7.2 assists.
Rookie of the Year
1. Kevin Durant -- Durant has led all rookies in scoring from the start of the season (19.4 ppg). KD needs to raise his percentages (40.2% from the floor and 28.7% from three) and he needs to be more aggresive on the glass (just 4.1 rpg). But the ROY race has been a one man contest since the beginning.2. Jamario Moon -- So much for the draft, the Raptors have a rookie of the year candidate that wasn't even picked. You'll get a first hand glimpse at the runner-up for ROY when he competes in the dunk contest this weekend. Moon's numbers haven't been stellar, but at 8.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, he's making people take notice.
3. Al Horford -- Horford posted his first 20 rebound game as a pro last week and has up'd his average to nearly 10.0 rebounds per game. Horford has put in a solid 30 minutes per night for the Hawks, who will be playoff bound for the first time since the lock-out season.
Friday, February 8, 2008
NBA Rumor Mill: Lakers Get Gasol, Suns Get Shaq, Heat get Marion (2/8/08)
There have been some monumental moves in the NBA the past few weeks involving max contract players. Before Shaquille O'Neal was swapped with Shawn Marion, Los Angeles landed Pau Gasol. And those guys weren't even the All-Stars rumored to be traded last month. With the February 21 trade deadline getting closer, the next 13 days could be an exciting.
For the Lakers to get Pau Gasol they immediately become a legit contender to win it all. The move doesn't just put them in the driver seat to the Western Conference champ game, but it puts them in the driver seat of the Western Conference for years to come.
Gasol is 28 years old and has shown that he's entering his prime. Last season, Gasol averaged career bests with 20.8 points and 9.9 rebounds a game, but his season was cut short due to injury (59 games). An unmotivated Gasol averaged 18.9 and 8.8 in his 39 games this year for Memphis. Gasol has only played with Kobe for two games, but you can already tell his level of involvement has changed. Playing for the best coach in basketball alongside the best scoring threat in the NBA, Gasol could easily average 24.0 and 12.0.
Steve Kerr is a smart guy, but the Shaq trade has a lot of people second guessing his intelligence. And he knows it, coming out yesterday saying "I'm well aware that I'm on the line."
I personally like the deal. I think that the Suns are desperate to keep up in the Big Man department and always have been. By making this move the Suns are basically telling the rest of the NBA we are doing it now or never. I mean, wouldn't you if you hadn't won one in 40 years?
The odds are good that Shaq will be out more than a couple more weeks with his injury issues (and age issues), but I'm betting he'll be back in time to establish a rhythm with the offense before they barrel into the post season as the No. 1 seed.
Then again, the Western Conference playoffs will be nowhere near the cakewalk that the trip Miami took in the title run they had. Shaq will have to face real competition in every round. And will he be able to keep up with the Suns pace in his condition (poor, Left hip/ quadriceps acute inflammation) at his age (Mar. 6, 1972)?
For Miami, getting Marion is almost a bad thing -- they might actually start winning more games and not be in the lead to win the lottery. It doesn't really matter how they do this year or what pick they get because with Shawn Marion and Dwayne Wade as the one-two punch, the team will have a shot for the next 10 years -- it's the Eastern Conference.
But, as a free agent following the season, if Marion chooses to opt out of his deal this summer, the Heat would be able to go after some of this summer's big free agents Gilbert Arenas, Ron Artest, Elton Brand, Baron Davis and Antawn Jamison.
It surprises me that Jason Kidd is still playing games as a Net. It was reported in the Newsday Wednesday that the Nets are shopping both Kidd and Vince Carter. The article reported that the offers for Carter have been "laughable" and the offers for Kidd haven't returned any players with expiring contracts.
Dallas has been rumored to be the favorite in the Kidd running, but Thursday's Dallas Morning News ran a story that said they wouldn't overreact to other Western Conference teams making trades. Donnie Nelson, the Mavs presidents of basketball operations, said "...reacting to what other people are doing or their way of thinking, I think you're setting yourself up for failure." He said that they've come too far to chase a quick fix and as much as they want to win now they "don't want to make a decision that is going to strap the franchise for the foreseeable future.
The Kings are still trying to find a buyer for Ron Artest. Tuesday Artest was quoted saying that the Kings "would be better if I wasn't on the team" and added that he thought Reggie Theus "would be doing much better." The only place Artest has really been rumored to be traded is New York, but his current attitude and past baggage will likely hold him down and Sacramento will just have to wait until next year when his contract is up.
As for Bibby, he's looking more and more like the point guard of now for the Kings. There aren't many teams that can return expiring contracts and take on a lot of money. Atlanta's trouble at point guard has continued and as a playoff team, they might want to trade for Bibby's experience and solidify their need at point.
Another rumor has Memphis trading yet another player. Mike Miller and Cleveland have been in a rumor flirt fest this past week. I can see the Cavs getting Miller if they are willing to give up draft picks. If the Cavs have to give up Larry Hughes for Miller it isn't worth it. But if they can somehow convince Memphis that Donyell Marshall and Devin Brown are worth Miller, Cleveland will have a better chance at returning to the NBA finals in June.
With the potential for trades still looming, I expect there to be action before the February 21 deadline. Although, last year after the Iverson to Denver trade I wrote a Rumor Mill post about how you should expect more action. But the deadline came and went with no more trades. Hopefully, for the sake of entertainment, we'll see other NBA GM's roll the dice in the next 13 days.
For the Lakers to get Pau Gasol they immediately become a legit contender to win it all. The move doesn't just put them in the driver seat to the Western Conference champ game, but it puts them in the driver seat of the Western Conference for years to come.
Gasol is 28 years old and has shown that he's entering his prime. Last season, Gasol averaged career bests with 20.8 points and 9.9 rebounds a game, but his season was cut short due to injury (59 games). An unmotivated Gasol averaged 18.9 and 8.8 in his 39 games this year for Memphis. Gasol has only played with Kobe for two games, but you can already tell his level of involvement has changed. Playing for the best coach in basketball alongside the best scoring threat in the NBA, Gasol could easily average 24.0 and 12.0.
Steve Kerr is a smart guy, but the Shaq trade has a lot of people second guessing his intelligence. And he knows it, coming out yesterday saying "I'm well aware that I'm on the line."
I personally like the deal. I think that the Suns are desperate to keep up in the Big Man department and always have been. By making this move the Suns are basically telling the rest of the NBA we are doing it now or never. I mean, wouldn't you if you hadn't won one in 40 years?
The odds are good that Shaq will be out more than a couple more weeks with his injury issues (and age issues), but I'm betting he'll be back in time to establish a rhythm with the offense before they barrel into the post season as the No. 1 seed.
Then again, the Western Conference playoffs will be nowhere near the cakewalk that the trip Miami took in the title run they had. Shaq will have to face real competition in every round. And will he be able to keep up with the Suns pace in his condition (poor, Left hip/ quadriceps acute inflammation) at his age (Mar. 6, 1972)?
For Miami, getting Marion is almost a bad thing -- they might actually start winning more games and not be in the lead to win the lottery. It doesn't really matter how they do this year or what pick they get because with Shawn Marion and Dwayne Wade as the one-two punch, the team will have a shot for the next 10 years -- it's the Eastern Conference.
But, as a free agent following the season, if Marion chooses to opt out of his deal this summer, the Heat would be able to go after some of this summer's big free agents Gilbert Arenas, Ron Artest, Elton Brand, Baron Davis and Antawn Jamison.
It surprises me that Jason Kidd is still playing games as a Net. It was reported in the Newsday Wednesday that the Nets are shopping both Kidd and Vince Carter. The article reported that the offers for Carter have been "laughable" and the offers for Kidd haven't returned any players with expiring contracts.
Dallas has been rumored to be the favorite in the Kidd running, but Thursday's Dallas Morning News ran a story that said they wouldn't overreact to other Western Conference teams making trades. Donnie Nelson, the Mavs presidents of basketball operations, said "...reacting to what other people are doing or their way of thinking, I think you're setting yourself up for failure." He said that they've come too far to chase a quick fix and as much as they want to win now they "don't want to make a decision that is going to strap the franchise for the foreseeable future.
The Kings are still trying to find a buyer for Ron Artest. Tuesday Artest was quoted saying that the Kings "would be better if I wasn't on the team" and added that he thought Reggie Theus "would be doing much better." The only place Artest has really been rumored to be traded is New York, but his current attitude and past baggage will likely hold him down and Sacramento will just have to wait until next year when his contract is up.
As for Bibby, he's looking more and more like the point guard of now for the Kings. There aren't many teams that can return expiring contracts and take on a lot of money. Atlanta's trouble at point guard has continued and as a playoff team, they might want to trade for Bibby's experience and solidify their need at point.
Another rumor has Memphis trading yet another player. Mike Miller and Cleveland have been in a rumor flirt fest this past week. I can see the Cavs getting Miller if they are willing to give up draft picks. If the Cavs have to give up Larry Hughes for Miller it isn't worth it. But if they can somehow convince Memphis that Donyell Marshall and Devin Brown are worth Miller, Cleveland will have a better chance at returning to the NBA finals in June.
With the potential for trades still looming, I expect there to be action before the February 21 deadline. Although, last year after the Iverson to Denver trade I wrote a Rumor Mill post about how you should expect more action. But the deadline came and went with no more trades. Hopefully, for the sake of entertainment, we'll see other NBA GM's roll the dice in the next 13 days.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
CheChe23's NBA Power Rankings (Feb. 6, 2008)
It's trade time in the NBA. With the calendar reading February, NBA GMs are looking to loosen their demands in order to fill necessary needs. The Lakers landed Pau Gasol last week and it appears that the Suns will take their chances on Shaquille O'Neal as both teams try to cement themselves as contenders. With Jason Kidd still on the trading block and Ron Artest and Mike Bibby still playing in Sacramento, the next few weeks should be interesting. Detroit has once again risen to the No. 1 spot in my weekly power poll. Here are my rankings for the first week in February.
BIGGEST RISE: Detroit Pistons from 5th to 1st. BIGGEST FALL: Indiana Pacers from 22nd to 28th.
(Editor's note: "LW" indicates each team's ranking from CheChe23's previous week. —RTW)
| CheChe23's Power Rankings: February 6, 2008 | |||
| TEAM | RK (LW) | W-L | COMMENT |
| 1 (5) | 34-13 | Detroit returns to the top spot thanks to a 23-point beat down of the Mavericks on Sunday, which is frosting-coated by a current five game win streak and topped by having Miami on the schedule for tonight. Sounds delicious. |
| 2 (6) | 31-18 | I really wanted to be cliche and put Utah as "1a" this week, but No. 2 is good enough. The Jazz are 14-2 since the New Year and will try to add to their nine-game win streak tonight against Denver. |
| 3 (4) | 34-14 | Shaq is wearing purple again, but this time he'll be able to get first hand revenge against Kobe and Phil as Phoenix and Los Angeles battle for the division lead. With Shaq moving out of the Heat and into the Sun, Phoenix might lose a few more regular season games but they've instantly become a legit threat come playoff time. |
| 4 (1) | 32-15 | New Orleans ran off nine in a row before going belly-up this week losing to Golden State by 13, Sacramento by 9 and Utah by 22. When Phoenix handles business against New Orleans tonight the Hornets will fall right back to the 7-10 range -- where they've been all season. |
| 5 (3) | 36-7 | Minnesota fans hoping to get to see Kevin Garnett on Friday are going to be disappointed. Garnett will not even be in the Target Center for the Wolves/Celtics game because of his injury. Lame. All those people who shelled out money for floor seats are pretty upset now, having to stand and applaud Brian Scalabrine in honor of KG. |
| 6 (2) | 32-15 | Dallas was able to overcome the 23 point thumping Detroit gave them Sunday to beat the Orlando on Monday. Dallas has four winnable games this week, which could vault them into next week when they play Portland, Phoenix and New Orleans. |
| 7 (7) | 31-16 | The Lakers lost Andrew Bynum and Trevor Ariza to injury but added Pau Gasol in a trade. The depth of the Top 10 in the NBA just got that much deeper. |
| 8 (10) | 27-20 | Dear portland season ticket holders, from now on please do not anger LeBron James when Cleveland is in town, thank you. Last Wednesday against Portland, James took something said by a fan as motivation to take over the game. The Blazers had a 14 point second half lead that LeBron sliced through with three consecutive 3-pointers finishing the game with the go ahead bucket in the closing moments. The Cavs have won five straight road games for the first time since March 17-April 1, 1998. |
| 9 (9) | 30-16 | San Antonio is now 2-2 to start their yearly nine game road trip. Damon Stoudamire might be able to stop the bleeding, but this week is a tough one for The Spurs tour which has stops in Washington, New York, Boston, Toronto and Cleveland. |
 | 10 (11) | 29-19 | Baron Davis is a Most Valuable Player candidate, but did not make the NBA All-Star game roster. A win over New Orleans last Wednesday doesn't seem as special with the way the Hornets flopped over the past week. But Davis missing the ASG proves how great the depth is in the Western conference. |
OUTSIDE THE TOP 10:
11. Portland Trail Blazers (27-20): The rest of the NBA is now taking Portland seriously, which has resulted in four losses in the last six games. The playoff race has officially started.
12. Orlando Magic (31-19): After tonight's game against New Jersey, the Magic will face the true test against five straight playoff teams (LAL, CLE, DEN, DET, TOR).
13. Denver Nuggets (29-18): The Nugget/Jazz game tonight could be a playoff preview. Crazy stat: Denver was 8-0 on Wednesday-Saturday but just 1-6 on Sunday-Tuesday in January.
14. Houston Rockets (28-20): Houston is winning games they should and playing great as of late. The Rockets have won eight of their last nine.
15. Toronto Raptors (26-21): T.J. Ford is back which should help relieve Jose Calderon's workload. Andrea Bargnani has sizzled lately, see this week's "HOT HOT HOT".
16. Sacramento Kings (22-24): Four wins in a row including topping last week's No. 1 team, at 22-24 the playoffs might start becoming a real possibility.
17. Atlanta Hawks (20-24): The Hawks are winners of two in a row. But W's are going to be hard to come by this month with eight of their next 12 games against playoff bound rosters.
18. Washington Wizards (24-23): The Wizards could lose their fifth in a row if they drop the game against San Antonio tonight. And with Denver Friday and Phoenix on Sunday, the losing streak could near double digits soon. Luckily Butler wasn't out too long.
19. Chicago Bulls (19-28): We have now entered February and Chicago still isn't winning every game they should -- that's not how you make the playoffs after starting so poorly. Or maybe it doesn't matter when you're team is in the East.
20. Philadelphia 76ers (19-30): Andre Iguodala and Andre Miller are leading the Sixers in scoring and assists. Philadelphia is three games back of a playoff spot.
21. Charlotte Bobcats (18-31): I want to move some of these teams down the rankings, but when every team is bad that just isn't possible.
22. New Jersey Nets (20-28): It's hard to freak out over the Nets recent stretch considering they are still in the playoffs if they started today and Jason Kidd and Vince Carter are still on the roster.
23. Minnesota Timberwolves (10-37): The Wolves have won five of their last seven. Any more of these win spurts and Minnesota will win their way out of the lottery pick.
24. Milwaukee Bucks (19-30): Last night, Mo Williams scored 32 points and added seven assists in the Bucks win, while Yi Jianlian recorded his first DNP of the season.
25. Seattle Sonics (12-36): Seattle looked great beating San Antonio, Cleveland and New York last week, but at the end of the day what does that get them?
26. Los Angeles Clippers (15-30): Losing to Minnesota and beating New York in the same week doesn't prove much.
27. New York Knicks (14-34): New York finished January with three losses and has started February the same way. Lucky for them they're playing the sliding Indiana Pacers at home tonight (who didn't love the Reggie Miller/Spike Lee rivalry?).
28. Indiana Pacers (19-30): Indiana is losers of seven straight and has gone 1-8 since Jermaine O'Neal sat on Jan. 19.
29. Memphis Grizzlies (13-35): After a week that included shipping off the best player on the roster and letting Stromile Swift move on, to go along with the fact that this team has a total of 13 wins and has lost four in a row, Memphis is flirting with the worst ranking in the league.
30. Miami Heat (9-37): Shawn Marion and Dwayne Wade make for a sick duo, but Udonis Haslem or Ricky Davis don't fit the mold to give Miami anything close to a Big 3. And therefore they won't be competing anything soon. Roy Hibbert would make this team legit.
HOT HOT HOT
1. Tracy McGrady - In his last three starts, McGrady has averaged 26.0 points, 7.3 assists and 7.3 rebounds. T-Mac lifted the Rockets to their fourth straight win Monday in Minnesota after calmly dropping the 3-point dagger in the final minute of regulation.
2. Andrea Bargnani - The first overall pick in 2006 has started showing his range lately (nine 3-pointers over the last three games) and has started to up his points per game as well. Bargnani has averaged 17.5 points per game over his past six games (9.9 ppg on the season).
3. Brad Miller - Could he play any better? I honestly didn't think Brad Miller was actually as good as he's played lately. I'm thinking about putting his name in the same sentence as Charles Barkley. Miller has scored 22 points in three straight games, adding 20+ rebounds in two of the three.
NOT NOT NOT
2. Jamaal Tinsley - After playing on an All-Star level at the start of the season, Tinsley has been unreliable lately. He is just as likely to come to the game and drop 10 assists and he is to drop two. If you're playing fantasy basketball, this sort of player can be a nightmare.
3. Shane Battier - If the Rockets want to push for the final spot in the playoffs, they'll have to get more production from the 6th overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft. Eight points and five rebounds are decent numbers, but Battier needs to be a more of a 10.0 and 8.0 type of player. Luis Scola, Bonzi Wells and Chuck Hayes all average more rebounds per game than Battier, but are playing around 14 minutes less.
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