Tap Dancing

I had another strong year predicting the playoffs going 13 for 16 on my picks and having my 9^th place team make it in each conference.  I didn’t think it would be possible during a “normal” year but amazingly enough the 15 toughest schedules were once again in the Western Conference and the 15 easiest in the East with .007 separating the easiest in the West (Clippers .503) and toughest in the East (Philadelphia .496).  Go figure…

EAST

I had in…

7. Philadelphia 76ers – Andrew Bynum (both knees) didn’t play one second, Jason Richardson (left knee) was lost for the season after 33 games and the players started tuning out since resigned Coach Doug Collins.  Other than that things went great though.  Why Bynum waited until 3/19 to have his knees surgeries is anybody’s guess but new Owner Josh Harris has some big decisions to make this summer; mainly who replaces Collins and what he should offer Bynum.  I think keeping Doug on as “advisor” is a huge mistake given his track record when it comes to personnel decisions and I’d offer Drew three years and around $30 million with the third year being a team option.

I had out…

9. Milwaukee Bucks – Well they finished six games below .500 with a negative point differential (-1.5) and likely would not have made the playoffs if Bynum had played 30 games or more.  On the bright side they finally fired Coach Scott Skiles and decided to extend GM John Hammond’s contract through the ’15-16 season giving them a somewhat new direction.  Third year big man Larry Sanders led them in PER at 18.77 and is about the only player on the roster who exceeded expectations.

WEST

I had in…

7. Utah Jazz – Well they would have been the 7^th seed in the East for some perspective but they did have a negative point differential (-0.1) if only barely.  Mo Williams (right thumb) missing 36 games probably killed them but not near as much Coach Tyrone Corbin’s strange player rotations.  Starting Randy Foye (11.75 PER) in 72 games?  Playing Enes Kanter (17.65 PER, 4^th highest on the team) only 15.4 minutes a game?  Keeping Marvin Williams and his career low PER (10.91) in the rotation at all?  Director Kevin O’Connor deserves some blame too for not dealing one of the expiring contracts of Al Jefferson or Paul Millsap for some backcourt help at the trade deadline.

8. Minnesota Timberwolves – Kevin Love (right hand & left knee) missed 64 games, Chase Budinger (left knee) 59, Brandon Roy (right knee) 77, Ricky Rubio 25, Nikola Pekovic 20, Andrei Kirilenko 18 and Josh Howard (right ACL) was cut after appearing in only 11 games.  It just wasn’t their year and you have to wonder about President David Kahn’s future with the club since there’s not even one playoff appearance on his resume after four seasons in charge.

I had out…

9. Golden State Warriors – I thought they had a chance to be good if they were healthy, but Brandon Rush (left ACL) missed 80 games and Andrew Bogut (left ankle & back) 50.  Credit has to go to Coach Mark Jackson for fostering a no excuses atmosphere around his team and to their closing five of Jarrett Jack, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, David Lee and Carl Landry for pulling out so many close games.

11. Houston Rockets – After the James Harden acquisition I thought they would be more competitive and borderline dangerous but I didn’t really think GM Daryl Morey’s vision of a stat-based playing style would come to fruition so soon.  As ESPN’s Zach Lowe points out their offense is all 3s, free throws and shots at the rim which produces a very exciting and effective brand of basketball.  As good as they are now they could be MUCH better next season since they still have enough salary cap space to sign a maximum contract player.