Of course plenty can happen until the beginning of the season. Trades, free agent signings and injuries will continually change the NBA landscape. But the Lakers’ chances of becoming the first NBA team to repeat their title since 2002 actually don’t appear too bad.

The roster is relatively young still. Derek Fisher may turn 35 in August and showed his age in this season (Playoffs 2009: 28.4 3pt%). But the point guard could take over more and more the Steve Kerr role as designated three-point shooter. And while Jordan Farmar took a step backward this season (from 9.1 points in 2007-08 to 6.4 points in 2008-09), the 22-year-old will likely improve in the summer and better understand the triangle offense. Then there is Kobe Bryant – who is the only other player on the other side of 30 on the roster back from last season. But he will undoubtedly keep his body in top form and will not just sit back relaxed. And now Ron Artest has come into the picture filling in for the departed Trevor Ariza, who turned into a defensive stopper with three-point potential. But Artest can more than fill that role. The question is how he and Kobe will get along.

That leaves problem child Lamar Odom. The free agent has said he wants to stay with the Lakers. Odom playing more of a power forward position will take away some of the ball-handling responsibilities from Fisher and Farmer. And Odom’s versatility is enormously important for L.A.’s system. But now that Ariza is gone and Artest accepted less money than he could have received elsewhere, Lakers owner Jerry Buss has some room to reach into his pockets even though any additional salary he takes on will count against the luxury tax since the Lakers are over the salary cap.

All in all, the Lakers should have the same rotation – with Artest in for Ariza – and have to go into the season as at least the favorite in the Western Conference. And the team will only get better with the added experience they have gained from the 2009 championship run. In addition, head coach Phil Jackson is an expert when it comes to motivating championship teams.

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The “Black Mamba” was so focused and worked so hard that he even came up with a new facial expression never really seen before on him. Many columnists called his new look his “Game Face”.

The Lakers star sort of combined a snarl and a growl with his bottom teeth showing – looking quite dangerous. Yeah, that helped a bit in winning the title.

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Bill Laimbeer, Xavier McDaniel, Dennis Rodman, Anthony Mason, Bruce Bowen and Ron Artest all made their place in the NBA as defensive specialists. And now Dahntay Jones of the Denver Nuggets has joined the party – though especially anti-socially!

It doesn’t matter if the opponent is choked (McDaniel), kicked (Bowen) or pushed in the back with both hands (Jones). Every era seems to have the exemplary figure who fits the motto “I can’t do much on offense but I sure can foul”.

Dahntay Jones is just the latest of a group of so-called basketball players who justify their place on the court with actions which endanger the health of others. The ploy is to strike fear into their more-talented opponents and get into their heads.

Here are two examples of sequences from Dahntay Jones’ during the Western Conference Finals against the L.A. Lakers. As the primary defender of Kobe Bryant, Jones stuck out a leg as the Black Mamba wanted to sprint in and grab a rebound. And once again he held out his leg. Even the blindest of soccer referees would have shown Jones the red card. But the NBA referees did not even blow their whistle in Game Four. The league however did call the action a flagrant foul afterwards – just like in Game Three. The men in gray also looked past Jones’ two-handed push of Bryant, who was already in the air. Again, it was up to the league office to rule – thanks to video footage – the Jones attack as an unsportsmanlike foul.

The thing is, the fine defender Jones doesn’t need to use backyard tactics as he slowly nears becoming one of the sickest minds in the NBA. Jones has above-average athleticism and is one of the most physical shooting guards in the league. “People now see what kind of mental strength and toughness Dahntay has,” said Mike Fratello, the television expert and Jones’s former coach at Memphis. “These Nuggets have changed. They are concentrated and defend hard. That was not the case earlier. Coach George Karl values defense and Dahntay is an important part of this concept.”

Jones agrees. “I am a fighter and my opponents do not like the body contact. If I let the other guy score on me then I don’t have a job any more. I know what the coach expects of me,” said Jones.

That may be true. But George Karl surely doesn’t want his best defender to become an anti-social thug.

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But why is that so? Don’t bring up the whole room “service” ordeal in Colorado. Kobe was hated years before that. That just added fuel to a fire which was already burning. And forget about the ole argument that the best of the best are always hated because they killed all title dreams of others. Kobe is not even loved in his own city. I recently met people from Los Angeles who did not go to the Lakers championship parade because they couldn’t stand No. 24. And seriously now: when was the last time you came across a Bulls fan who thought Michael Jordan was shit?

Kobe Bryant is the most hated player in the league. Yeah, yeah, I know about his jersey sales. But the American flag is also sometimes bought in order to burn it. There are always “I hate Kobe” threads in basketball forums. And among 10 basketball fans, five of them at least are Kobe haters.

I can understand why his teammates don’t like him. Imagine you are 17 years old and you go to your first job, for example as a salesperson at a national chain electronics store. Nobody expects too much from you. You are basically a member of the cheap labor force. Besides, you’re the youngest who ever worked there. So everyone expects that you need some time to get used to things. And actually most people believe you will fail. You continually hear: “It would have been better if you had stayed in school.” Imagine if after one month you told the boss that you know that you’re only 17 years old but you will still one day not only be the best salesperson in the store but in the whole store chain. In front of the team, you promise that you will stay late every night to know more about every product than everyone else in the place. You will go through the aisles millions of times so that you are smarter and faster and things come automatically for you in the future. Actually everyone should do that – is what you say, inviting the older, more experienced colleagues to do overtime hours with you. You want to bring the company to a new level – to the highest. You are just one month out of school. And even your parents had to sign your contract. (data and words according to Roland Lazenby)

How do you think your fellow employees would react if you did that? Kobe did that and has accomplished what he set out to do! With loads of hard work, he became the best in the store and the best in the chain. Forget about hate or love. He has at least earned our respect.

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There is one thing you have to say about Allen Iverson. The man known as The Answer never shied away from anyone or anything in his 13 years in the NBA. Iverson remained true to himself whether it was the way he lived his life or his idea of basketball. Whether or not his way was the right one is anyone’s guess – even if it’s leading him to a dead end.

Since 2001, I have spoken with Allen Iverson four times. He was always honest, speaking openly about the game, the world and his role within it. Unfortunately though, he has been unable to accomplish a number of things he had planned. In Los Angeles, I asked the then 28-year-old if he thought that he would have to change his game in the future. He was after all nearing 30 years old – an age when many guards start losing their quickness. And it’s a dangerous time, especially for shooting guards like Iverson who live off their athleticism. A.I. knew that he would one day not be able to play like he did when he was 22. He mentioned that he wanted to play like John Stockton, as smart and clever as the former Utah Jazz playmaker who was elected into the Hall of Fame this year. On June 7, Allen Iverson will turn 34 years old. And there is none of Stockton in Iverson’s game.

The 2K9 Allen Iverson plays just like the 2K1 Allen Iverson. For the Nuggets in 2008, he averaged 26.4 points, 7.1 assists and 2.0 steals while shooting 45.8 percent from the field and 34.5 percent from three-point range. In 2001 those numbers were 31.1 points, 4.6 assists, 2.5 steals, 42.0 FG% and 32.0 3P%. Oh, and Iverson was named MVP while his Sixers lost in the Finals against the ShaKobe Lakers. Last season though, Iverson and the Nuggets were bounced in the first round of the playoffs, getting swept 4-0 against Kobe’s Lakers.

Iverson was not allowed to be Iverson in Detroit. The Pistons run a system relying on quick ball movement and a team-first attitude without a real star. None of that was a good fit for A.I. His scoring average of 17.5 points was hardly a sign that the league’s four-time top scorer had suddenly lost his ability to score the ball. Detroit and Iverson was more the result of a forced marriage. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think Iverson will ever win another MVP award or be as dominating as he was nine years ago. Allen Iverson could, however, still lead the NBA in scoring in the right system.

Allen Iverson’s problem though is that he would only accept a leading man role. He would never be one of five equal starters or even a high-scoring Sixth Man. He was always the guy who was in control of things – whether that meant being a high school quarterback, the rookie who took all the shots in Philadelphia or the MVP of an NBA Finals team. Allen Iverson is unshakable in his belief that he must have the ball in his hands for his team to win. And that has made Iverson a free agent. Yeah, the guy who hasn’t averaged fewer than 26.3 points per game in a season since 1999 is worth about as much as stock in General Motors.

If you look around the 30 NBA teams, it will take a while to find a franchise where The Answer would prove to be a feasible solution. None of the playoff teams would be an option since they have a certain hierarchy already in place and at least one star who defines their team. Things are similar with the lottery teams from the Western Conference. Most of them have talented young stars and are building strong squads. The only team where Allen Iverson would make sense in the Eastern Conference are the Charlotte Bobcats – a team which would close the circle of Iverson’s career.

The Bobcats’ coach is Larry Brown, the coach with whom Iverson went to the Finals in 2001. And Brown still raves about Iverson to this day. If anybody would know how to build A.I. successfully into a team, it’s Brown. And Charlotte’s roster seems like a perfect fit for Iverson. There is nobody in Charlotte’s guard positions who can score like The Answer. In fact, the whole team seems to have limited scoring punch with Gerald Wallace the top scorer with 16.6 points. But there are three players with playmaking abilities in point guards Raymond Felton (6.7 assists) and D.J. Augustine (3.5) and power forward Boris Diaw (4.9). Defensively, there is Wallace along with shot blockers Emeka Okafor and DeSagana Diop – two big men who have little offensive game other than the dunk.

The remaining question is the financial one. Charlotte will remain under the salary cap next season so they would have room for Iverson. Robert Johnson also needs to think about how he can fill the 20,200-seat Time Warner Cable Arena. During the 2007-08 season, the Bobcats averaged 14,717 fans for their home games. This season it was only 14,526, setting a new all-time low record in their five-year history.

So, Allen Iverson would make a lot of sense for Charlotte – but really for no other team. Let’s hope that Bobcats manager Michael Jordan pulls the right strings. Iverson may have his faults but the NBA would not be the same without him. And somehow I have the feeling that A.I. and Larry Brown would love to prove themselves to the league one more time.

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Washington Wizards
No team – save for perhaps the Rockets – can completely overcome the total loss of their top superstar. And in Washington, the Wizards dealt with the long-time absence of Gilbert Arenas after knee surgery as well as a torn wrist ligament for starting center Brendan Haywood, leading the team to a nightmare season. Both starters returned by March and their performances built hopes for a full recovery for the 2009-10 season.
In the absence of Arenas and Haywood, a number of talented young players received a lot of playing time, including Andray Blatche (power forward, 24.1 minutes per game), rookie Javale McGee (center, 15.1), Nick Young (shooting guard, 22.2) and Dominic McGuire (shooting guard, 25.9). That quartet playing behind the trio of stars Arenas, Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison along with a Top-Five draft pick will give the Wizards a long and versatile bench.

Additional Notes:
Wizards owner Abe Pollin is – unlike in the past – ready to pay the luxury tax in the coming season for the chance to win the championship.

Oklahoma City Thunder
It may be a slap in the face of all ex-Sonics fans, but the Thunder have tremendous chances of reaching the 2010 Playoffs. With Russell Westbrook, Thabo Sefolosha, Kevin Durant, Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic, Oklahoma City has a young, hungry first five with loads of talent. Westbrook, Durant and Green make up one of the most exciting trios in the NBA. And once the Swissman Sefolosha came on board with his lock-down defense, the Thunder won eight of their next 20 games, including victories over San Antonio, Dallas and Philadelphia.
Oklahoma have two high picks in the 2009 Draft as well as plenty of space under the salary cap which can be used to bring in a veteran to help the young talent. And coach Scott Brooks completely changed the team’s playing style after his promotion from an assistant. The Thunder were able to re-discover themselves without the help of a training camp. Next season they will be very prepared.

Additional Notes:
In the last 20 years, only seven other rookies grabbed more offensive rebounds (calculated over an average of 36 minutes) than the 6-foot-3 Russell Westbrook. And all the other youngsters in the top ten are big men.

L.A. Clippers

The Clippers have put behind them an absolute nightmare season. Injuries ravaged the entire roster with Eric Gordon (78), Al Thorton (71) and Steve Novak (71) as the only Clippers to play 70 games this season. Fully healthy, Los Angeles could line up the following starting formation: Baron Davis, Eric Gordon, Al Thornton, Zach Randolph, Marcus Camby. Chris Kaman could come off the bench and a high draft pick and a lot of room under the salary cap will help the rotation. In addition, Camby’s contract runs out in the summer 2010, meaning the shot blocker could bring more depth to the roster.
But a new General Manger would need to pull such a deal. But who will that be? For sure not Mike Dunleavy, who kept his spot after the exit of Elgin Baylor. But that’s a step forward. If only he could be taken out of the coaching chair …

Additional Notes:
Steve Novak is a killer from downtown. In March, the 6-foot-10 forward hit 54.7 percent of his three-pointers (4.6 attempts per game).

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But that should change under the leadership of a new coach. Manager Bryan Colaneglo, after all, was the architect of the highly attractive and successful Phoenix Suns teams. And his new coach will likely match that style. Chris Bosh, Jose Calderon and Andrea Bargnani make up the core of this team and the club has room under the salary cap as well. It remains to be seen if that money will be used to re-sign Shawn Marion or look for help elsewhere. The Raptors will have a high draft pick and may likely find a top player from the Euroleague as well – as they have done in the past. And that is very valuable in the Eastern Conference.

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When you’re talking about the NBA Playoffs, a superstar can make all the difference. If one of the absolute giants gets hot then nobody on the opposing defense can stop them. That happened in 2006 when Dwyane Wade robbed a sure ring from the fingers of the Dallas Mavericks. LeBron James picked apart the Detroit Pistons in 2007. But all too often it’s not the basketball icons who make the little difference. James Posey played a huge role in the Boston Celtics’ title run in 2008 as did defensive stalwart Bruce Bowen in the San Antonio Spurs’ championship teams.

So, who are the most important players besides the stars in the 2009 Playoffs? Who will do the crucial little things for the favorites this post-season? These guys are the X-factors away from the hype …

Trevor Ariza, L.A. Lakers
Stats: 8.9 Points, 4.4 Rebounds, 1.8 Assists, 1.7 Steals
Whenever the Lakers need to stop the opponents’ best wing player, Trevor Ariza is called to duty. His athleticism and defensive mentality makes him the ideal Bowen-Posey clone for coach Phil Jackson. As opposed to his predecessors, Ariza brings more athleticism. And he will be called upon in the Playoffs to stop the likes of LeBron James, Paul Pierce, Carmelo Anthony and Hedo Türkoglu. That will give a small break defensively to Kobe Bryant – who was responsible for stopping Pierce in the 2008 Finals. And while Ariza’s strength is on defense, he also can score on the break and hit from long range (32.6 3-pt%).

Delonte West, Cleveland Cavaliers
Stats: 11.6 Points, 3.1 Rebounds, 3.6 Assists, 39.4 3-pt%
Delone West played only shooting guard in college so it was no surprise that the tweener ran into problems in the NBA when his first two teams (Boston and Seattle) both put him at playmaker. But West is perfect for Cleveland. Mo Williams dishes the ball and LeBron James is basically a point forward in the half-court game. So it’s not a big issue that West struggles to create his own shot. He cleverly finds free space along the three-point line where he can shoot a high percentage or intelligently get by his charging defender and dish off an assist. And defensively his 6-foot-3 frame gives the Cavs a versatile guard to defend both positions, which helps the 6-foot-1 Williams.

Courtney Lee, Orlando Magic
Stats: 8.4 Points, 2.3 Rebounds, 1.2 Assists, 41.8 3-pt%
It’s rare that a late first rounder (22nd pick) plays an important role in his first Playoffs. But Courtney Lee is not your typically over-challenged rookie. After standing out in college for his absolutely professional work attitude, Lee played consistently and eventually made coach Stan Van Gundy’s starting line-up. On the one hand, he is a deadly effective outside shooter – an attribute any wing player must have in Orlando. But he is also a tough defender which gives point forward Hedo Türkoglu room to create. And the 6-foot-5 rookie also guards the likes of LeBron for Orlando.

Kenyon Martin, Denver Nuggets
Stats: 11.7 Points, 6.1 Rebounds, 1.1 Blocks, 2.0 Assists
Kenyon Martin once was a feared defensive and fast break monster while running alongside Jason Kidd in leading the Nets twice to the NBA Finals. But microfracture surgery eventually turned the high-energy power forward into a clever low post defensive specialist in Denver – someone who occasionally would surprise with an explosive action (offensively or defensively). Martin’s biggest help for the Nuggets is his strong rebounding, which helps Denver deal with opposing teams’ big men. Offensively, his repertoire is limited besides some emphatic dunks.

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The Power Rankings
These are the Power Rankings of the playoff teams at the end of the regular season. That does not necessarily mean number one will win the title.

Power Rankings 2009
How strong are the 16 Playoff teams at the start of the post-season? Our power rankings show who had momentum late and who barely crossed the finish line.

1. Cleveland Cavaliers
The best home team since the 1985-86 Celtics appeared highly motivated all the way to the end. LeBron pushes his team like Kevin Garnett did with the Celtics in 2008.

2. L.A. Lakers
Andrew Bynum’s physicalness was missing in the end. Kobe looked a bit tired at the end of the season but he was playing for home court advantage in the Finals.

3. Boston Celtics
The champs head into the post-season a bit uncertain without Garnett. Just how fit is the Big Ticket really? And how much will Stephon Marbury help?

4. Orlando Magic
Dwight Howard and company blasted the Cleveland Cavaliers 116-87 in early April to get a big boost of motivation and confidence.

5. San Antonio Spurs
Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan are battling injuries and only Tony Parker is top fit. But is that enough to make them a darkhorse?

6. Denver Nuggets
This team plays together, defends and acts cleverly. Is this really the Denver Ruckers? What a difference a guy like Billups makes.

7. New Orleans Hornets
No longer are the Hornets a nightmare for the favorites, mainly because Tyson Chandler’s ankle is giving him problems. But with Chris Paul running the point, anything is possible.

8. Houston Rockets
No T-Mac, but instead you have a bunch of hungry, model professionals who want to prove themselves. But is that enough for their first Playoffs series win since 1997?

9. Utah Jazz
A season of injuries allowed the back-ups to get a lot of quality playing time. All the troops are healthy in time for the Playoffs. And this team is a sleeper for the title.

10. Portland Trail Blazers
They are young, play controlled, defend and are waiting for Greg Oden to finally wake up. How will the youngsters react to the playoff pressure?

11. Dallas Mavericks
Jason Kidd passed Magic Johnson for third place on the NBA’s all-time assist list. Too bad the Mavs don’t have the talent for big things in the post-season.

12. Atlanta Hawks
No bench, no problem. The Hawks are young, athletic and excellently led by Mike Bibby. Nobody wants to play against them in the Eastern Conference.

13. Philadelphia 76ers
Everything was running superbly until Thaddeus Young went down. The Sixers will not be a problem in the Playoffs without their bundle of energy.

14. Detroit Pistons
Allen Iverson is on the shelf injured but the youngsters have not taken the next step. Right now, everything is going wrong in Detroit.

15. Miami Heat
Dwyane Wade is one player the favorites don’t want to see lined up on the other side. If there is a big shocker in the Playoffs, then it will come from Miami.

16. Chicago Bulls
John Salmons broke through as a Bull. This team could make a deep run into the Playoffs – in 2010 after a low post scorer arrives by trade.

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Awaiting the then 21-year-old Robinson for his start in the NBA was a Knicks franchise without a leader, direction or perspective. The Phoenix Suns selected Robinson with the 21st pick of the 2005 NBA Draft and promptly sent him to New York as part of the Kurt Thomas-Quentin Richardson trade. Playing for coaches Larry Brown and then Isiah Thomas, Robinson offered regular performances which gave the suffering Knicks fans a rare ray of hope during one of the worst periods in the club’s history. Nate used his explosive nature and game perfectly in the role of energizer off the bench. “Everybody talks about my size. But as long as I play like a giant, that’s fine,” said Robinson, who clearly considered himself one of the most important players in the Knicks rotation.

Nate’s lack of size clearly creates match-up problems which make it difficult to find the ideal position in the Knicks system. As a point guard, Robinson turns the ball over too many times – his assist-turnover ratio of 2.1 is one of the lower among the league’s playmakers. And being just 5-foot-9 is much too short as a shooting guard. Robinson makes up a bit of his lack of size with his superior jumping ability and quickness. But he is helpless when tall or heavier guards bring him into the blocks. The same goes for the pick-and-roll, against which he lacks the body mass to fight off a screen. In addition, Robinson is not a strong one-on-one defender And every taller guard (and that is nearly every player in the league) knows they will have the room to shoot over Robinson. If Nate does use his leaping ability to try and block the shot, he is susceptible to fouls or drives.

But the arrival of Mike D’Antoni’s up-tempo offense not only drew rave reviews from fans, but it seemed a system built ideally for Robinson. The numerous fast break situations compensate for his below-average passing skills and give him plenty of chances to excite the fans with another of his exhilarating dunks. Still, the fan favorite’s coach and his teammates know that Robinson is a shoot-first point guard who will throw up a shot if he’s in trouble instead of looking for a teammate. And too often, Robinson relies on his jump shot in the half-court offense instead of using his tremendous quickness to penetrate the zone. “He still has a long way to go,” said D’Antoni.

Of course it’s clear that D’Antoni’s “Seven Second Or Less” system tends to inflate guards’ statistics. Without questioning his skills, Steve Nash won the 2005 and 2006 MVP titles by leading the up-tempo – and advantageous – Suns offense. And the same tendency is happening for Knicks guards Chris Duhon and Robinson.

So what does the future hold for “Nate the Great”? In the NBA, the shorter a player is, the more important traits such as specialization, fitness and mental stability become. As someone who lives a bit on the edge, the last point will be a challenge for Robinson. He is responsible – with the help of the Knicks coaching staff – for staying consistent and focused. If that doesn’t happen, the way out of the league is quick and steep. But if Robinson can maintain his athleticism and keep his emotions under control, then he has good chances of becoming one of the biggest short guys in league history. And millions of kids will dream of being like him.

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