November 19, 2008

The 3-Man weave focuses on the Association. Coach Alvin Brooks III and Bob Dwyer (WFAN Radio, New York) and college basketball coaches take a look at the teams, the players and the hot topics of the NBA.

This week’s guest analyst is Liberty head coach Ritchie McKay. He took a virtual unknown in Danny Granger and turned him into a third-team All-American and MVP of the Mountain West Tournament in 2005, leading the Indiana Pacers to select him as the 17th overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft. In 12 seasons 25 of his players have gone on to the professional ranks including Ime Udoka (San Antonio Spurs), Milt Palacio (most recently of the Seattle SuperSonics) and J.R. Giddens who was a first round pick in the 2008 NBA Draft.


Is Atlanta the top challenger to Boston in the East?

RITCHIE MCKAY: Atlanta is on the rise, but when you have arguably the best player in the world on your team, you have to be the top challenger. Atlanta pushed Boston to seven games last season, but so did Cleveland and LeBron James. And the Cavs were a possession away from winning Game 7 in Boston. Last year Cleveland shook up the roster at the trade deadline so don’t be surprised if they tweak the roster again.

ALVIN BROOKS III: Atlanta has picked up right where they left off last year. They took Boston to seven games, but a lot people thought it was a one-time thing. They are playing really good and Josh Smith (pictured), a key component to their team, has been hurt. I am hoping Orlando Magic will get on track and become the top challenger because my childhood friend, Rashard Lewis, is on the team. Although it is very early in the season, Cleveland will probably be the top challenger because of LeBron James. James is very hard to beat in a series if he gets a little help.

BOB DWYER: Atlanta made big strides last year, giving the Celtics all they could handle in the first round of the playoffs. They have a lot of nice pieces and a star in Joe Johnson, but in my opinion Cleveland, Detroit and Toronto are more of a threat to the Celtics right now.


Is Paul Pierce a top 5 player, top 10 player or neither?

RITCHIE MCKAY: Paul Pierce is a future Hall of Fame inductee. However I don’t believe he is a top five player. The addition of Kevin Garnett has made Pierce a top ten player. He is coming off a dominant performance in the NBA finals and he came up big against Atlanta, Cleveland and Detroit to get Boston to the finals, but I do not think he is among the five best in the league.

BOB DWYER: Paul Pierce is a tremendous all around player and winning a Finals MVP catapults him up the list of great players in the league, but I don't think he is in the top five. Top ten is another conversation and it's hard to talk about this without compiling a list of some sort. So here we go…

1. Kobe
2. LeBron
3. D Wade
4. Chris Paul
5. Tim Duncan
6. Kevin Garnett
7. Amare Stoudamire
8. Chris Bosh
9. Allen Iverson
10. Paul Pierce.

I guess he is, with all do respect to Dwight Howard, Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, Tony Parker and Carlos Boozer.

ALVIN BROOKS III: Paul Pierce is a guy many people forget about or just overlook. He's not a very flashy player but he gets the job done. I think he is definitely in the top 10 and you can even make an argument for the top 5. It all depends on what you looking for. The most impressive part is that he has transformed himself from a scorer to an all-around good player on a championship team.


Who got the better of the Chauncey Billups for Allen Iverson trade?

RITCHIE MCKAY: I think this was a deal that will benefit both teams. Denver gets the point guard it has searched for. More importantly the team gets a player who is returning home. Billups is from Denver so is a valuable addition, both on and off the court. I think it will create a little more interest in the team, which was lacking after they parted ways with Marcus Camby. The Pistons want to clear cap room and let’s not forget what a talent Allen Iverson still is.

ALVIN BROOKS III: I agree with Coach McKay that the trade is beneficial for both teams. Chauncey Billups gives Denver the leader they have been looking for. Denver has too many guys that want shots so taking Iverson out of that equation helps. Detroit may have made the trade preparing for their future. It seems Detroit is clearing some money to enter the LeBron James sweepstakes. As of now, Rip Hamilton seems lost without Billups. The more Billups and Iverson play with their new teams the better they will become.

BOB DWYER: I think Detroit got the better of the deal, because simply, they had to do something after last years finish. Don't get me wrong, taking the Celtics to a Game 6 in the Conference Finals is a good season, but I think Detroit needed a shake up. With that said, Iverson is a free agent at seasons end and we all know, every team in the league is looking to clear cap space for the summer of 2011. Billups still has tread left on the tires and is from Denver so he fits nicely there. But Iverson, in my opinion, is still great and could help lead this Detroit team to the Finals and if not, they rid themselves of the contract and look to spend in free agency...Advantage - Joe Dumars.


Will Antonio McDyess end up back in Detroit or will he sign with someone else?

RITCHIE MCKAY: The longer he goes without signing elsewhere, the more likely it is that he will return to Detroit. He is well-liked by his teammates and he seems to have really settled into his role with the team.

BOB DWYER: All signs point to yes. He isn't eligible to sign back with the Pistons until December 7th, so we'll have to wait and see. The more time that passes though, the more likely he will end up back in the windy city, but not for lack of interest by other clubs, McDyess just isn't looking to relocate at the age of 34.

ALVIN BROOKS III: McDyess is a veteran who seems happy in Detroit. It sounds like he will end up back there but I’m sure every playoff team in the NBA will be trying to get him.


Will the San Antonio Spurs struggle to make the playoffs this season?

RITCHIE MCKAY: No. Greg Popovich (pictured) is one of the best coaches of all-time and he will find a way to work with what he has and weather the storm. They will get healthy and when they do they will have a run of 15 wins in 20 games to secure their spot in the NBA playoffs.

ALVIN BROOKS III: I have to agree with Coach McKay on this one also. The Spurs will get into the playoffs. Tim Duncan will make sure of that. Key injuries to any team can mess with the chemistry so they will improve tremendously when Manu Ginobli comes back. While I see them in the playoffs, I do not see them going very far this season.

BOB DWYER: As great as Tim Duncan is, I think San Antonio will struggle to make the playoffs this year. They have gotten old quickly and with Manu Ginobli and Tony Parker banged up, it will be very difficult for the Spurs to navigate their way through the tough Western Conference. Based on the fact that Duncan is still an elite player, I'm not ready to say they will not play in the post season, but it's certainly not a home run.


Have the Lakers become a really good defensive team or is it way too early to assess?

RITCHIE MCKAY: Kobe Bryant is the best defender in the game today. As a team they have bought into the idea that defense wins championships. That’s a lesson they learned the hard way in the NBA finals against Boston.

BOB DWYER: I echo those thoughts. I think after last years Finals performance; the Lakers realize they have to improve on the defensive end of the court. But I think it's too early to consider them a defensive juggernaut.

ALVIN BROOKS III: The Lakers have made improvements and strides on the defensive end thus far this season. Having Andrew Bynum in the middle to protect the rim helps the Lakers pressure the ball more. They are a long and athletic team and it helps that they are all playing much better help defense as well. Trevor Ariza being healthy fixes a lot of problems as well.


Who is the surprise rookie through the first month of the season?

RITCHIE MCKAY: It’s hard to call him a rookie, but Portland’s Rudy Fernandez (pictured) is, by definition, a first year player in the league. At times this season he has been the best player on the floor. Remember that Fernandez played exceptional basketball for Spain during the summer Olympics in Beijing. He is a tremendous addition to an already talented team.

ALVIN BROOKS III: Coach McKay and I are in agreement again. Rudy Fernandez  is very skilled and has a good all around game. He seems very poised and adjusted to the NBA game faster than I though he would.

BOB DWYER: Sacramento’s Jason Thompson has been a surprise in how quickly he has made an impact. Big men usually take a few extra years to develop and Thompson did play his college basketball in the MAAC. I thought those facts would slow his development, but that has not been the case. He is going to be a star in the league.


Which team has been the most disappointing thus far?

RITCHIE MCKAY: I would have to say the Dallas Mavericks. Not only did they deal away an outstanding young point guard in Devin Harris, but they also should have never let Avery Johnson go. The team is a little too old without enough youth.

ALVIN BROOKS III: That distinction would have to go to the Clippers. Even though they are in the tough Western conference, I figured Baron Davis and Marcus Camby would at least have them in contention to make the playoffs. I know it is very early in the season but the playoffs do not look like it a possibility for the Clips this season.

BOB DWYER: It's tough to say the Clippers, because well, they are the Clippers. They brought in Baron Davis, but lost Elton Brand so I didn’t expect much from the Clips. The Spurs have gotten old, but as I already stated, I'm not ready to count them out. That brings us to the Dallas Mavericks. Coach McKay made some gooid points. Do you think Marc Cuban regrets trading Devin Harris for Jason Kidd?? Ah Yeah! I think that sums it up.


China could rock the vote heavily in the favor of Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian, making them starters for the 2009 NBA All-Star Game.

RITCHIE MCKAY: I am going to go out on a limb when I say that Yi Jianlian is not an NBA All-Star. It’s a little bit of a farce to stuff the ballot, but that is the process to select the players. Personally I would prefer to see the coaching staffs and/or players select the teams.

BOB DWYER: I will also sit on that limb with Ritchie McKay, but let's remember that it's an All-Star game, an exhibition for the fans. Yao Ming is a legit All-Star, Yi Jianlian is not, but if he plays in the game because the fans vote him in, I can live with that. 

ALVIN BROOKS III: Yao is playing well but not dominating like he should in my opinion. Yao has the size and skill set to be unstoppable. Being from Houston, I have followed his progress more than a normal NBA fan. Whether he deserves it or not, Yao will be starting for the West because of his popularity in China. I am biased and okay with that. I do not feel Yi deserve to be an All-star yet but that's the fans decision to see the player they want.


Jerry Sloan got his 1,000 win, but he has never been named NBA Coach of the Year. Where do you rank Sloan, all-time, among coaches?

RITCHIE MCKAY: Jerry Sloan is without question one of the top ten coaches of all-time. A lot has been made about the fact that he hasn’t won an NBA championship, but that in no way detracts from what he has accomplished.

BOB DWYER: When you think great coaches, you have to think Championships. Now, Jerry Sloan doesn't have a ring, but it's a joke he's never won Coach of the Year. I can't put him high on the all-time list of great coach's, because his resume lacks a title. That said he would have to be considered one of, if not the greatest coach to have never won a Championship -- At least not yet.

ALVIN BROOKS III: I am not sure where to rank Sloan all-time. It depends on whether you want to consider the fact that he has never won an NBA championship. In my opinion, he deserves to be considered at least a top 10 coach of all-time. Sloan has won a lot of games at a place where many great players have declined to play, due to the small market and the location of the Utah Jazz. It should be pointed out that he lost two hall of fame players in John Stockton and Karl Malone and still kept the franchise in the top tier of the Western Conference. Sloan is a great coach and deserves to be a hall of famer.