Coffee Talk #534: 2012-2013 NBA Action, It’s Fascinating!

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It’s only day four of the NBA season and the league is already immensely fascinating. In addition to watching the highest level of basketball played in the world, compelling storylines are playing out in the NBA. If that’s not enough for you basketball fans, the games and events are discussed on the outstanding Inside the NBA — in my opinion, the most entertaining sports show on television. Let’s take a look at why the NBA is so fascinating only four days into the season.

Problems With the Princeton Offense (Los Angeles Lakers)
Being the self-centered bubble universe that it is, many Los Angeles residents are in panic mode and calling for coach Mike Brown to be fired. At the heart of the matter is the Lakers’ new Princeton offense. People were under the impression that Kobe + Dwight + Nash = Instant Awesome. An 0-2 record shows that isn’t the case. Losing against a Mavericks team without Dirk Nowitzki and a middling Trailblazers team has fans concerned. The defense (Mike Brown’s supposed specialty) is awful, while the new offense looks like it’s being executed by a bunch of guys uncomfortable with a new offense.

I’m sure the Lakers will figure it out, pick things up, and make a decent playoff run. It’s just fun watching the “Lakers are teh doomed!” hyperbole on TV and reading all the knee-jerk articles.

The Harden Effect (Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder)
To me, this is the most compelling storyline in the NBA right now. The Thunder trading reigning “sixth man of the year” (and will.i.am lookalike) James Harden to the Rockets is a huge deal! It obviously impacts two teams, but the fallout will determine the power rankings of the Western Conference and possibly the NBA finals. There are just so many facets to this story that it kind of reminds me of pro-wrestling in that it blends athleticism and drama. Here’s the breakdown.

Why Break Up a Winning Combination?!? — The Thunder made it all the way to the NBA finals last season, with a fantastic young core of Harden, Kevin Durant, and Russell Westbrook. The three were reportedly close friends off the court, as well as incredibly effective on it. While the trade was done for financial considerations, many are questioning why OKC general manager Sam Presti would break up the core of a team that was on the precipice of winning it all — especially in a sport where chemistry means so much.

When Will Kevin Durant Recover? — It’s only a matter of time before Durant is racking up a gaudy amount of points and contending for his fourth straight scoring title. Despite dropping 23 points on  9-for-18 shooting in his first game of the season, he looked a bit out of sorts. Out of OKC’s core players, Durant and Harden were allegedly the closest off the court. I see a 50/50 chance of Durant having some emotional funks during the first month of the season. Part of it is because a close friend and great teammate was traded, while part of it ties into the next topic.

Who Will Contain Russell Westbrook? — Westbrook is known for spinning out of control during games. His 6-for-21 performance last night — in addition to a defensive brain fart that led to Tony Parker’s winning shot — was a stellar example of this. One of the few ways Westbrook was able to be contained during his bouts of insane shot selection was Harden. OKC Coach Scott Brooks would have Harden come in during one of Westbrook’s rampages, take over the ball-handling duties, and get everyone to calm the f*ck down. Yes, there were times when even Harden couldn’t contain Westbrook’s irrational exuberance, causing the latter to criminally take more shots while playing with the best pure scorer in the league (Durant). Unless Westbrook manages to add a much-needed layer of intelligence to his game, nobody will be able to stop his detrimental outbursts. (Admission: I’m totally biased against score-first point-guards and really can’t stand Westbrook’s game.)

Can Harden be “The Man?” — Harden was perfect coming off the bench in OKC. His ball-handling and scoring abilities allowed him to complement anyone he was on the court with. His impressive pick-and-roll play even allowed the lumbering Nick Collison to shine. He seemed to relish his role of the occasional game-changer, while Durant and Westbrook received the majority of attention. Some reporters questioned whether his game and mentality would allow him to be the focal point of the Rockets. His staggering Rocket debut — 37 points, 12 assists, 6 rebounds, 4 steals — indicates that he’s up for the challenge. Granted, that was against my beloved (and sucky) Detroit Pistons and there’s no way he’ll keep those numbers up, but there are fewer writers questioning Harden’s mettle than there were before the season started.

The Battle For New York (New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets)
This is a storyline that will be huge regionally, but ultimately won’t matter because neither the Knicks nor the Nets are a threat to win the championship. It’s just a fun rivalry in the most important city in the world. On one side is a storied NBA franchise that hasn’t won it all in decades and has been a joke in recent years. On the other side is the “little brother” team that never received as much attention, even when it was playing better basketball. The respective stadiums — just a bridge away from each other — are also a great contrast. The Knicks play in Madison Square Garden, one of the most historic venues in America (Ali vs. Frazier I!!!), but also a bit old and crusty. The Nets have the beautiful, new Barclays Centers, a state-of-the-art arena that’s super-charging the economy of one of NYC’s outer boroughs. It’s a natural rivalry in an ultra-competitive city. Players from both teams are talking trash. The owners — one of whom allegedly has ties to organized crime in Russia — are talking trash. The whole thing sounds like an Aaron Sorkin show.

Celtic Pride vs. Miami Vice (Boston Celtics, Miami Heat)
The 2012-2013 NBA season kicked off with a doozy — the defending champion Miami Heat vs. the Boston Celtics. Former Celtic Ray Allen signed with the Heat during the offseason, which some of his former teammates consider a betrayal along the lines of sleeping with your best friend’s sister. Kevin Garnett gave Allen the cold shoulder when the latter tried to greet him. Celtic point guard Rajon Rondo clotheslined Dwyane Wade in the closing moments of the game, which the latter called a “punk play.” There’s a lot of bad blood between these two teams — though more of it from the Celtics’ side — and I can’t wait for them to play again. It’ll be the Heat’s new-wave small-ball vs. the Celtics’ old-school defense-first style. I dream that NBA commissioner David Stern will let these two teams play on a court based on WWE’s Hell in a Cell. That would rule.

The Battle Against Father Time (San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Lakers)
It seems like every year the Spurs are written off as too old and every year they make a strong run through a combination of outstanding fundamentals, great teamwork, and excellent coaching. Surely age will catch up to them this season, no? Screw that! While I don’t think the Spurs will win it all, I do think that they’ll make a strong playoff push. I’m not going to bet against Tim Duncan or Greg Popovich. I will, however, bet against Tony Parker…because he’s French and sleeps with teammates’ wives (again, because he’s French).

Kobe Bryant is one of the most unlikable players in the NBA. Rape accusations and forcing out a lovable giant (Shaquille O’Neal) will color you that way. He’s also old and his knees are held together through a German centrifugal-blood procedure (which I’m pretty sure is a form of sorcery).

Steve Nash is one of the most likable players in the NBA. Being white, having a goofy haircut, and wearing outfits like the one above will color you that way. He’s also old and his back is held together by a Native American procedure (involving mystical cactus needles) that’s exclusive to the Phoenix Suns.

Both players are ultra-competitive. I haven’t seen a player as obsessed with winning as Bryant since Michael Jordan; it’s pathological and a little bit scary. Nash wants his first ring so badly that you can feel it on the other side of the television. For some reason (probably the haircut and outfits), it’s endearing. A lot of people are rooting for this odd couple to win it all because this could be their last chance. I’d love to see Nash get a ring because it would be a fantastic feel-good story. Part of me wants to see Kobe get another ring, because I begrudgingly admire his determination and work ethic. I’d never admit that though. (Oh wait….)

Your Shot
Those are just some of the storylines that have me so into the NBA only a handful of days into the season. Any of you catch NBA fever yet? What’s your take on the Harden trade? Is there any chance Andre Drummond will transform into a player that can return my Pistons to glory? What’s your take on the NBA plots I discussed above. Leave a comment and let me know (please!).