Greg Van
Voorhis, Sports Editor
The temperature has
dropped, the leaves are changing colors and will soon fall, and the Fall
semester is in full swing. It’s time for basketball.
It seems almost too good
to be true after last year’s lockout that wiped out half of the
season, but with the preseason almost over, and a whole off-season of
contract extensions, trades, and free-agent signings over with, it seems
as if we are ready to enter the first NBA season of the new Millennium.
What should we expect to
see this season?
Well, first of all, the
NBA has decided to add new rules to the game in order to limit physical
play and create more chances for teams to score. The new rules are as
follows:
Players like rookie Corey Maggette, of the Orlando Magic,
will be assets to team
which lack slashing versatile players who can take
advantage of the NBA's new rule additions.
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1.) The 24 second shot
clock rule, which limits a team to 24 seconds to shoot the ball and at
least hit the rim, has been slightly changed. Now, if the ball does hit
the rim, or if a foul has been called after the offensive team passes
half-court, the team will only be reimbursed 14 of the 24 seconds in
which to shoot the ball again. This rule
has been implemented to give each team more chances to score in a game,
which should be more exciting for the fans.
2.) No player can hold
the ball in the key for more than five seconds, whether he is dribbling
or not. This means that players like
Charles Barkley, Gary Payton, and Shaquille O’Neal who like to back
their opponents in under the basket to create an easier shot, will only
have five seconds to work with; otherwise they must shoot the ball or
pass it to a teammate.
3.) This
rule limits physical behavior on defense. Players are no longer able
to use their forearms as leverage in the post. This allowed strong
defensive players to push offensive players away from the basket, and
out of the position to score.
Also, when guarding a
player on the perimeter, a player is no longer able to put his hands on
the offensive player, whether it’s with his forearm or while trying to
steal the ball. There will be no more physical contact of any kind
allowed. This rule will be the toughest to get accustomed to, and many
teams will struggle with it for the beginning of the season. This rule
will benefit slashing players, who like to take the ball to the basket,
because they will no longer be bumped or have someone reaching in on
them during their drive to the basket.
Many teams have centered
their off-season signings and trades based around these new rules, which
tend to benefit younger, more versatile, slashing teams. Teams like
Seattle, Phoenix, Atlanta, and Houston have made major trades this
off-season to benefit from these new rules. They have gotten rid of some
older, slower players and replaced them, via trade or free-agency, with
younger, more versatile, exciting players who can create shots for
themselves rather than thrive off their teammates.
So who are the teams to
watch this season?
Well, teams would keep
winning over and over again, year after year, if changes did not take
place during the off-season. Teams have to change their rosters to
either get quicker, younger, or more experienced than the year before to
be able to compete for a championship, whether they are the reigning
champions or not. So here are a handful of teams, in order of which I
feel they will place going into the post-season, who I feel have either
changed their rosters so drastically that they have a shot at a
championship this season, or who have kept the same nucleus as last
season, with which they were successful.
Eastern Conference:
Miami Heat-
The Heat have mainly kept their team intact since last season, as they
have throughout the entire Riley era. They are always at the top of the
division come playoff time, but they seem to have very early exits,
losing either in the first or second round every year they make it in.
The loss of veteran shooter Terry Porter is evened out by the addition
of veteran banger Otis Thorpe and the return of shooter Voshon Lenard,
who sat out last season with a broken leg.
Prediction:
Look for this team to make it to at least the second round this
go-around, since there is absolutely no power in the East this season.
Indiana Pacers-
The Pacers have also mainly kept their team intact since last season.
The trade of Antonio Davis to Toronto for high schooler Jonathan Bender
shows us that they are willing to trade proven veterans for young guns
who can take advantage of the new rules without revamping an entire
team. Also, Coach Larry Bird has decided that this will be his last year
as coach, and will step down as soon as this season is over, so look for
his players to try to give him a nice parting gift.
Prediction:
Reggie Miller, whose contract is currently to expire at the end of this
season, has not been granted a contract extension. Look for him to
possibly be dealt, or have such an incredible season that the Pacers
will have to cash over the dough. The Pacers, as a whole, are not a
championship caliber team, but then again, no team in the East is this
season.
Charlotte Hornets-
Okay, I think these guys are pretty good, but they are just getting way
too much hype. They have become the early favorites to win the Eastern
Conference this year, a feat which I just don’t see happening. Sure,
this will be the first whole season with Eddie Jones and Elden Campbell.
And sure, rookie Baron Davis has got game, but I just don’t see this
team competing with experienced teams in the playoffs.
Prediction:
They’ll have a good regular season, but stumble in the playoffs.
Western Conference:
San Antonio Spurs-
The Spurs will not repeat! I repeat, the Spurs will not repeat! Last
season, the Spurs took advantage of the 50 game schedule and put
together a nice run in the playoffs to take the championship. Truth was,
they were the best team, but that was because teams like Utah, Houston,
and the L.A. Lakers had no time to jell and compete. The loss of Sean
Elliot, who had a kidney transplant this summer, will hurt them more
than they know.
Prediction:
They’ll be romped by Portland sometime in the playoffs.
Portland Trailblazers-
What an incredible team! Never in the history of any sport, other than
an all-star or Olympic team, has there been such a deep and talented
team. Scottie Pippen, Steve Smith(acquired from Atlanta for Isaiah Rider
and Jimmy Jackson), Damon Stoudamire, Brian Brant, Rasheed Wallace,
Detlef Shrempf (free agent from Seattle), Arvydas Sabonis, etc. The key
word for this team will be "chemistry." Sure, money and other
benefits can lure incredible players together, but can they work as a
team and make personal sacrifices, such as playing time, number of
shots, etc.?
Prediction:
They will be incredible to watch and will be very successful. If they do
not reach the NBA Finals, it will be a huge disappointment. They are the
clear favorites to win the title.
L.A.Lakers-
Hmmm.... This team is a hard bunch to figure out. They have the talent
to be the best team ever, yet they seem to underachieve every
post-season, hence the hiring of Phil Jackson who has won the NBA
Championship title six times in the last eight years that he was coach
of the Chicago Bulls. But he had a guy named Michael Jordan. Now he has
young superstars in Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, and some veteran
guys like Glen Rice and Ron Harper. Jackson has already indicated that
the triangle offense that he is trying to instill is taking longer for
the players to retain, and Kobe Bryant broke his right wrist in a
preseason game, causing him to miss at least the first month of the
regular season.
Prediction:
With Phil Jackson, this will be the best Laker team since the
"Showtime" era. Look for them to make some noise, and maybe
even beat Portland in the Conference Finals.
Dark Horse Team:
Seattle Sonics-
Gary Payton has told management that he will bolt if the Sonics do not
get back to the style of basketball in which he thrives and start
winning again. They traded old, yet reliable Hersey Hawkins for lanky
Brent Barry, and have signed a number of free-agents. Gary is the only
remaining player from the Sonic team that was just two games shy of
winning the NBA Championships in ’96. But this team looks real hungry,
and they are for real. Lots of teams are going to sleep on these guys,
and they’ll make them pay.
Good luck to all the 31
teams trying to win a championship this year. The championship is
basically up for grabs this season. The winner will be the team with the
most chemistry, heart, and desire.
Chamberlain's memory will never Wilt
Greg Van Voorhis, Sports Editor
The "Big
Dipper" is now officially in the sky. On October 12th, we lost a
giant of a man, in all senses of the word. I would like to be as brief
as I can, as I would like to make those who knew and loved him be heard.
The following are quotes from around the NBA, past and present, that I
would like to share with you.
Wilt "the
Stilt" himself on his legacy of the game:
"I think that my legacy should be that I gave credence that you
could be big, bigger than most and still have athletic ability. Even
though George Mikan had a great deal before me, I think I embodied what
a big man was able to do. I think I helped to bring some good notoriety
to being big. I notice that when I walk on the streets now, I’m not
stared at as much because people envision basketball players as being
big and tall and they’ve now become a big part of society. People no
longer look at them as freaks. They really have now zoned in on the fact
when they see a tall young kid. They don’t really chastise him. They
say ‘Oh man, you’re going to be a great basketball player.’ I
believe I proved that you could be 7-foot and still be very, very
functional in sports, where it wasn’t believed to be during my
time."
Bill Russell:
"I feel unspeakably injured. I’ve lost a dear and exceptional
friend and an important part of my life. Our relationship was intensely
personal. Many have called our competition the greatest rivalry in the
history of sports. We didn’t have a rivalry; we had a genuinely fierce
competition that was based on friendship and respect. We just loved
playing against each other. The fierceness of the competition bonded us
as friends for eternity. We loved competition. Wilt loved
competition."
"Wilt was the
greatest offensive player I have ever seen... I’ve seen none better.
Because his talents and skills were so super human, his play forced me
to play at my highest level. If I didn’t, I’d risk embarrassment and
our team would likely lose."
Jerry West:
"We’ve lost one of the icons of professional basketball and more
importantly for myself, someone that I’ve known for almost 40
years.... He was one of those fabulous players that kind of define
sports."
Michael Jordan:
"His legacy as one of the NBA’s greatest players and his
achievements will stand for all time."
Jack Ramsay (on NBA rule
changes due to Wilt): "They had to
widen the lanes. The free throw shooter had to release the ball from
behind the line. Wilt could take off from the free throw line and dunk
the foul shot."
Red Auerbach:
"Wilt Chamberlain had a great deal to do with the success of the
NBA. His dominance, power, demeanor and the rivalry with Bill Russell
says it all. He will be sorely missed by myself and everyone in the
basketball community."
Darrell Imhoff (Knicks
center who guarded Wilt during his 100 point game on March 2, 1962):
"He was literally picking us up and stuffing us through the hoop
along with the ball. I just wasn’t able to keep up with him. And when
we tried collapsing around him, that didn’t work either."
Elvin Hayes: "I
think he’s the one player ever who should qualify for the term ‘unstoppable.’
If he got stopped, it was because he stopped himself. It was great that
he was a nice guy, because he would have been completely justified in
hogging the ball to himself every time down the court. Nobody could have
complained if he had just taken it and gone right to the hoop, because
he was going to score 75% of the time. But he was too much of a team
player to do that. He was too nice a man. He knew what a farce he could
have made of the game."
These are the words of
those who knew him best. What I know of Wilt is limited to what sports
history channels provide. I do know we lost a piece of history.
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