Unique players in a special season
In the eyes of many, it’s getting a bit tiresome to anticipate another Cleveland appearance in the NBA Finals. Why even play out the season when it’s going to be LeBron James taking another shot at the Warriors? Where’s the parity?
There is no such thing in the NBA — nor has that ever been the case, with scant exceptions. But this is taking on the look of a special regular season. You want something you haven’t seen before? Pay attention as traditional roles vanish, positions are redefined and the league unveils some of the most unique, influential players in history.
At a time when centers are believed to be on the verge of extinction, along comes the Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid, finally healthy and showcasing every known skill. “You watch him and you say, ‘Am I seeing (Hakeem) Olajuwon ?’” coach Brett Brown told ESPN. “Is this (Tim) Duncan? Wait, he can shoot, too? Is he (Arvydas) Sabonis? And he hasn’t even scratched the surface of what he can do.”
The point-guard position already had historymaking types in Stephen Curry and Russell Westbrook, eternally fighting off the likes of Kyrie Irving, John Wall, James Harden, Chris Paul and Damian Lillard in the “who’s best” debates. Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball is a pass-first savant who enlivens every game with his remarkable court vision. But none of them represents the story among point guards just now.
Leave that to a couple of mind-blowing athletes taking us straight into the future: 6-foot-11 Giannis Antetokounmpo and 6-10 Ben Simmons.
Now running Jason Kidd’s offense in Milwaukee, with his astounding big-man’s combination of power, explosiveness and finesse, Antetokounmpo is the insider’s pick for this year’s MVP. He’s essentially a man for all positions, knocking down conventional standards at every turn, dominating the inside game while somehow taking charge of the Bucks’ halfcourt sets. Seasoned fans recall the likes of Julius Erving and Connie Hawkins when they watch the kid’s swooping, long-striding drives and dunks. When you consider he’s of Greek descent, the son of Nigerian immigrants, you can only fantasize about the game’s ever-expanding globalization.
“We’ve never seen anything like this,” former Bucks All-Star Michael Redd told the New York Times. “The numbers he’s getting right now (averaging 31 points, 10 rebounds and five assists) are almost on accident. Once he learns how to — unstoppable. It’s almost like he’s from another planet.”
Antetokounmpo is working on an outside shot, with gradual but noticeable improvement. Simmons doesn’t bother. He’s never had a jump shot of any kind, and he’s too busy driving the lane with ambidexterity (it’s impossible to tell if he’s right-handed or a lefty), dunking on people and firing bullet passes to his teammates. He’s racked up two triple-doubles already, with no end in sight. “Once he develops that mid-range and the long-ball shot,” Shaquille O’Neal said on NBA TV, “he’s gonna be the next LeBron.”
Around the NBA
As for the man himself, James had to be amused by the Washington Wizards’ latest round of trash-talking. Last spring, Wall and Bradley Beal claimed the Cavaliers tanked during the regular season’s stretch drive to make sure they wouldn’t face Washington in the second round. Prior to Friday night’s game in Washington, Wall and Beal pronounced their team the East’s best.
The Cavaliers had been dreadful to that point, losing four straight games, but James poured in 57 points — he made a career-high 23 field goals — in Cleveland’s win. Mostly avoiding the three-point line, James worked the post with a devastating brand of dominance. “A lot of people want him to do that all the time, right?” said teammate and longtime friend Dwyane Wade. “That’s a lot of wear and tear in the paint. He plays on top of the key because he’s a pass-first guy. But tonight he knew no one could guard him, and we needed it. He put on a clinic.”
The flip side: Cleveland hasn’t played a lick of defense all year. The Warriors have that problem on occasion, but they revert to all-conquering form with a bit of motivation. The Cavaliers, old and dispassionate at too many positions, don’t have that luxury. In Wade’s words, when opponents have the ball: “Ain’t nobody afraid of us.”
Two ex-Warriors on the outside looking in, one likely a bit more content than the other: Unsigned free agent David Lee, recently engaged to marry tennis star Caroline Wozniacki, and Monta Ellis, cut loose by Indiana and unemployed. Ellis had his faults, but with his slashing drives, spin moves and midrange jumpers, he was a force. At 32, he still has game — but it appears the three-point-crazed NBA has passed him by.
The Stanford program got a boost in 2014 when Oklahoma City made 6-7 forward Josh Huestis the 29th overall pick. Huestis finally broke in to the Thunder’s rotation this season, after playing almost exclusively in the D-League, but the team has declined his option for next season, when he can become an unrestricted free agent. It’s a financial call, with the team well into the luxury tax and hoping to sign potential free agents Paul George and Carmelo Anthony to long-term deals.
Ball looks capable of breaking the league’s rookie record for assists per game, held by none other than Mark Jackson. In his first season out of St. John’s, Jackson averaged 10.6 on the 198788 Knicks team featuring Patrick Ewing, Kenny Walker and Gerald Wilkins. The quotebook: Former Denver star Dan Issel :“Dikembe Mutombo is the greatest defensive player in NBA history.” Well, no. Bill Russell.
Denver’s veteran forward Richard Jefferson: “In the history of the game, there has never been a guy to dominate games without scoring.” Well, once again: Bill Russell.