POJO_Risin
02-25-2005, 09:48 PM
It's an interesting list...with a bunch of notables that aren't here...1 glaring player to be sure...but I'll let others speculate on that one...not me...just to show you I'm not gunning for him...here's the top 10 list...well...12...
The Irreplaceables: Some teams need that one guy
Feb. 25, 2005
By Tony Mejia
SportsLine.com Staff Writer
It turned out to be nothing but a mild knee sprain, but for a while there, Shaquille O'Neal was done for the season (according to another news source that will remain nameless). Frantic calls to two Miami Herald beat writers who would have written that story revealed they knew nothing about it, that it must have been a hoax, and that the Diesel would play another day.
It got us to thinking, though: Who are the most invaluable players in the NBA? What players, if a team were to lose them, would instantly have the front office refunding playoff deposits? We came up with a dozen, and before the Kobe Bryant contingent angrily destroys their monitors over his absence, we'll gently remind you the Lakers were pretty much a .500 team without him, and their overall record isn't overwhelmingly better with him on board.
12. Tracy McGrady, Houston: T-Mac has loosened up Jeff Van Gundy, keeping Rockets fans awake by limiting those 73-67 doozies to a minimum. His effortless offensive skills bail the Rockets out of lulls, and that task would fall solely on Yao Ming's shoulders if McGrady were out of the mix. Handling the full load is something the talented, yet still developing, big man hasn't been forced to do in his career.
11. Andrei Kirilenko, Utah: We have hard evidence on this one. The Jazz went 6-20 after the Russian Rocket tore an MCL, putting an end to their previously realistic playoff aspirations. His defense, both man-to-man and in help situations, is among the best in the league, and he's not shabby on the offensive end, either. His athleticism and wingspan help make up for some of his teammates' deficiencies.
10. Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas: Marc Cuban might have financed the acquisition of more quality pieces than anyone in the league, but he knows there's no replacing Dirk. The acquisition of Keith Van Horn could be perceived as disaster insurance, but we wouldn't back that claim. Nowitzki is the heart of the Mavericks, fueling them with his flawless jumpers and tremendous intensity. To say he is reminiscent of Larry Bird should no longer be a stretch.
9. Allen Iverson, Philadelphia: What would Philly be without A.I.? Sounds almost alien. They had to experience playing without him last season, and won just 33 games, one fewer than he missed with persistent knee problems. His hip is still killing him, but he's managing to put together one of the best seasons of his career and driving the Sixers to a division title with improving help. As much promise as Willie Green has, Philadelphia wouldn't be able to absorb the loss of Iverson.
8. Jason Kidd, New Jersey: He's operating on bad wheels, but Kidd is still among the nastiest table-setters in the league. His hustle and on-court intellect give the Nets a chance, even if it's only him, Vince Carter, and the equivalent of three guys from the Rec Center. Take Kidd out of that equation, and you have no chance.
6b. Amare Stoudemire, Phoenix: If Phoenix is going to seriously contend for a championship, it needs its lone post presence healthy. He missed 28 games last season, the main reason the Suns stumbled to just 29 victories. Healthy again, he has grown into a monster, sprinting ahead of opposing bigs on the break, rebounding aggressively and helping alter shots. Take him out of the equation, and who do you have filling that role, Jake Voskuhl?
6a. Steve Nash, Phoenix: The players' choice for MVP (ours, too) thus far, Nash's value is finally being fully recognized. He hasn't only made his teammates better, he has made them superior. While Leandro Barbosa isn't a bad fill-in every so often, without Nash, there's no way the Suns are vying for the league's best record. Phoenix's symphony wouldn't be as sweet with a backup maestro.
5. Ben Wallace, Detroit: Chauncey Billups was the Finals MVP a year ago, but everyone knows the Pistons wouldn't be the Pistons without Big Ben. He changes the game with his boards and defense, providing both at a level unmatched by anyone in the league. He's the textbook definition of an enforcer, a role fare too rarely filled. If the Pistons didn't have Antonio McDyess to plug in should catastrophe strike, Wallace would be even higher on the list.
4. Kevin Garnett, Minnesota: We know, Garnett is suffering through the most disappointing season of his career. His production has been through the roof, but the fact his efforts have resulted in team mediocrity is killing him. If you stop and think about it, maybe his 22 points and 14 rebounds aren't coming in vain. Maybe without them, the 'Wolves would be 10 games worse, fighting Utah for the cellar instead of the Lakers and Grizzlies for the No. 8 seed.
3. Tim Duncan, San Antonio: Duncan had his own Shaq-like scary moment earlier this month, hyper-extending his knee against the Lakers, an injury that looked far worse than it actually was. He missed only a pair of games, and the Spurs maintained their grasp on the role of championship favorite. With Nazr Mohammed on board, the Spurs insured themselves well, but Duncan's versatility and grit remain irreplaceable. As good as Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili are getting, Duncan remains the reason for San Antonio's dominance.
2. LeBron James, Cleveland: It's not often you see a pack of men being led by a 20-year-old, but Cleveland is headed to its first winning record and playoff berth since the 1998 season. James leads the Cavs in scoring, assists and steals and ranks third in rebounding, but it's his Jordan-like quality that makes the team formidable and him priceless. He already seems to have full control of his surroundings.
1. Shaquille O'Neal, Miami: Still the most dominant force in the game, O'Neal is constantly the center of an opposing game plan. All you hear is, "well you can't stop Shaq, but maybe we can make it tougher this way." No player is more built to win a playoff series with, critical free throws aside. The party almost ended prematurely on South Beach. They have visions of home court and titles dancing in their heads. Without the Big Fella, that again becomes fantasy.
The Irreplaceables: Some teams need that one guy
Feb. 25, 2005
By Tony Mejia
SportsLine.com Staff Writer
It turned out to be nothing but a mild knee sprain, but for a while there, Shaquille O'Neal was done for the season (according to another news source that will remain nameless). Frantic calls to two Miami Herald beat writers who would have written that story revealed they knew nothing about it, that it must have been a hoax, and that the Diesel would play another day.
It got us to thinking, though: Who are the most invaluable players in the NBA? What players, if a team were to lose them, would instantly have the front office refunding playoff deposits? We came up with a dozen, and before the Kobe Bryant contingent angrily destroys their monitors over his absence, we'll gently remind you the Lakers were pretty much a .500 team without him, and their overall record isn't overwhelmingly better with him on board.
12. Tracy McGrady, Houston: T-Mac has loosened up Jeff Van Gundy, keeping Rockets fans awake by limiting those 73-67 doozies to a minimum. His effortless offensive skills bail the Rockets out of lulls, and that task would fall solely on Yao Ming's shoulders if McGrady were out of the mix. Handling the full load is something the talented, yet still developing, big man hasn't been forced to do in his career.
11. Andrei Kirilenko, Utah: We have hard evidence on this one. The Jazz went 6-20 after the Russian Rocket tore an MCL, putting an end to their previously realistic playoff aspirations. His defense, both man-to-man and in help situations, is among the best in the league, and he's not shabby on the offensive end, either. His athleticism and wingspan help make up for some of his teammates' deficiencies.
10. Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas: Marc Cuban might have financed the acquisition of more quality pieces than anyone in the league, but he knows there's no replacing Dirk. The acquisition of Keith Van Horn could be perceived as disaster insurance, but we wouldn't back that claim. Nowitzki is the heart of the Mavericks, fueling them with his flawless jumpers and tremendous intensity. To say he is reminiscent of Larry Bird should no longer be a stretch.
9. Allen Iverson, Philadelphia: What would Philly be without A.I.? Sounds almost alien. They had to experience playing without him last season, and won just 33 games, one fewer than he missed with persistent knee problems. His hip is still killing him, but he's managing to put together one of the best seasons of his career and driving the Sixers to a division title with improving help. As much promise as Willie Green has, Philadelphia wouldn't be able to absorb the loss of Iverson.
8. Jason Kidd, New Jersey: He's operating on bad wheels, but Kidd is still among the nastiest table-setters in the league. His hustle and on-court intellect give the Nets a chance, even if it's only him, Vince Carter, and the equivalent of three guys from the Rec Center. Take Kidd out of that equation, and you have no chance.
6b. Amare Stoudemire, Phoenix: If Phoenix is going to seriously contend for a championship, it needs its lone post presence healthy. He missed 28 games last season, the main reason the Suns stumbled to just 29 victories. Healthy again, he has grown into a monster, sprinting ahead of opposing bigs on the break, rebounding aggressively and helping alter shots. Take him out of the equation, and who do you have filling that role, Jake Voskuhl?
6a. Steve Nash, Phoenix: The players' choice for MVP (ours, too) thus far, Nash's value is finally being fully recognized. He hasn't only made his teammates better, he has made them superior. While Leandro Barbosa isn't a bad fill-in every so often, without Nash, there's no way the Suns are vying for the league's best record. Phoenix's symphony wouldn't be as sweet with a backup maestro.
5. Ben Wallace, Detroit: Chauncey Billups was the Finals MVP a year ago, but everyone knows the Pistons wouldn't be the Pistons without Big Ben. He changes the game with his boards and defense, providing both at a level unmatched by anyone in the league. He's the textbook definition of an enforcer, a role fare too rarely filled. If the Pistons didn't have Antonio McDyess to plug in should catastrophe strike, Wallace would be even higher on the list.
4. Kevin Garnett, Minnesota: We know, Garnett is suffering through the most disappointing season of his career. His production has been through the roof, but the fact his efforts have resulted in team mediocrity is killing him. If you stop and think about it, maybe his 22 points and 14 rebounds aren't coming in vain. Maybe without them, the 'Wolves would be 10 games worse, fighting Utah for the cellar instead of the Lakers and Grizzlies for the No. 8 seed.
3. Tim Duncan, San Antonio: Duncan had his own Shaq-like scary moment earlier this month, hyper-extending his knee against the Lakers, an injury that looked far worse than it actually was. He missed only a pair of games, and the Spurs maintained their grasp on the role of championship favorite. With Nazr Mohammed on board, the Spurs insured themselves well, but Duncan's versatility and grit remain irreplaceable. As good as Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili are getting, Duncan remains the reason for San Antonio's dominance.
2. LeBron James, Cleveland: It's not often you see a pack of men being led by a 20-year-old, but Cleveland is headed to its first winning record and playoff berth since the 1998 season. James leads the Cavs in scoring, assists and steals and ranks third in rebounding, but it's his Jordan-like quality that makes the team formidable and him priceless. He already seems to have full control of his surroundings.
1. Shaquille O'Neal, Miami: Still the most dominant force in the game, O'Neal is constantly the center of an opposing game plan. All you hear is, "well you can't stop Shaq, but maybe we can make it tougher this way." No player is more built to win a playoff series with, critical free throws aside. The party almost ended prematurely on South Beach. They have visions of home court and titles dancing in their heads. Without the Big Fella, that again becomes fantasy.