wager323
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You know the NBA season has officially started when Lamar Odom is being helped off the court. What a heartwarming sight. Anyway, for Part Two of my NBA Preview/Trilogy, we're concentrating on the six Western powerhouses who could win this year's title.
Without further ado ...
6. Phoenix Suns
Amare Stoudemire could be the catalyst for a Phoenix Suns run to the Finals.
Has there been a more underrated franchise over the past three decades than the Phoenix Suns? They made the Finals twice ('76 and '93); they made the Conference Finals four other times; and they made the Conference Semis seven times. Just in the past 24 years alone, they won at least 50 games 14 different times. They've had just two losing seasons since 1988 (36 wins in 2002, 40 wins in 1997).
But here's the weird thing: They reinvented the team six different times over that span. In the late '70s, Paul Westphal (one of my favorites), Alvin Adams, Walter Davis and Ricky Sobers led the way. From '80 to '84, Davis, Dennis Johnson, Truck Robinson, Larry Nance and James Edwards were involved. The run from '89 to '92 featured Tom Chambers, Eddie Johnson, Jeff Hornacek, Kevin Johnson and Dan Majerle. They traded for Barkley in '93 and won 177 games over the next three years (in my opinion, the best nucleus that never won a title). Then there was another run in the late '90's with Jason Kidd, Rex Chapman, Clifford Robinson and Antonio McDyess.
Now they're back -- again -- with Marbury, Marion and Stoudemire, maybe their most promising nucleus yet. It's amazing. Only the Lakers have been more competitive over that same time span. Just thought that was interesting.
Anyway, this summer, I watched separate games involving young Moses (1977), young Kemp (1992) and young Tarpley (1987). Let's get this straight: Young Amare (2003) is right there with any of them. That means he could go down one of three roads -- either he'll become a force of nature (like Moses), a head case (like Tarpley), or a memorable blend of both (like Kemp). I see him ending up like Kemp, with just enough baggage that he probably changes teams somewhere in his prime.
But here's the thing: From 1993 to 1997, Shawn Kemp was fantastic. The Sonics nearly made the Finals in '93, won 120 games in '94 and '95 and made the Finals in '96, as Kemp battled Barkley, Hakeem and Malone in their primes to a standstill. If Stoudemire follows suit this season, Marbury would be his GP, Marion would be his EJ/Detlef, and the Suns might be better than any of us think. They're missing one of Those Guys -- the Bob Horrys and Mario Elies, the unsung guys who always seem to be prominently involved on championship teams -- but Penny Hardaway could easily evolve into that role.
And, yeah, I'm not totally sold on Frank Johnson. Or Joe Johnson. Or even Jake Voskuhl. But there's something happening here. I just have a feeling that a Suns-Rockets Conference Finals could happen sooner than we think.
Speaking of the Rockets ...
http://espn.go.com/page2/s/simmons/031030.html
Without further ado ...
6. Phoenix Suns
Amare Stoudemire could be the catalyst for a Phoenix Suns run to the Finals.
Has there been a more underrated franchise over the past three decades than the Phoenix Suns? They made the Finals twice ('76 and '93); they made the Conference Finals four other times; and they made the Conference Semis seven times. Just in the past 24 years alone, they won at least 50 games 14 different times. They've had just two losing seasons since 1988 (36 wins in 2002, 40 wins in 1997).
But here's the weird thing: They reinvented the team six different times over that span. In the late '70s, Paul Westphal (one of my favorites), Alvin Adams, Walter Davis and Ricky Sobers led the way. From '80 to '84, Davis, Dennis Johnson, Truck Robinson, Larry Nance and James Edwards were involved. The run from '89 to '92 featured Tom Chambers, Eddie Johnson, Jeff Hornacek, Kevin Johnson and Dan Majerle. They traded for Barkley in '93 and won 177 games over the next three years (in my opinion, the best nucleus that never won a title). Then there was another run in the late '90's with Jason Kidd, Rex Chapman, Clifford Robinson and Antonio McDyess.
Now they're back -- again -- with Marbury, Marion and Stoudemire, maybe their most promising nucleus yet. It's amazing. Only the Lakers have been more competitive over that same time span. Just thought that was interesting.
Anyway, this summer, I watched separate games involving young Moses (1977), young Kemp (1992) and young Tarpley (1987). Let's get this straight: Young Amare (2003) is right there with any of them. That means he could go down one of three roads -- either he'll become a force of nature (like Moses), a head case (like Tarpley), or a memorable blend of both (like Kemp). I see him ending up like Kemp, with just enough baggage that he probably changes teams somewhere in his prime.
But here's the thing: From 1993 to 1997, Shawn Kemp was fantastic. The Sonics nearly made the Finals in '93, won 120 games in '94 and '95 and made the Finals in '96, as Kemp battled Barkley, Hakeem and Malone in their primes to a standstill. If Stoudemire follows suit this season, Marbury would be his GP, Marion would be his EJ/Detlef, and the Suns might be better than any of us think. They're missing one of Those Guys -- the Bob Horrys and Mario Elies, the unsung guys who always seem to be prominently involved on championship teams -- but Penny Hardaway could easily evolve into that role.
And, yeah, I'm not totally sold on Frank Johnson. Or Joe Johnson. Or even Jake Voskuhl. But there's something happening here. I just have a feeling that a Suns-Rockets Conference Finals could happen sooner than we think.
Speaking of the Rockets ...
http://espn.go.com/page2/s/simmons/031030.html
