SLAM Magazine, April 2000 Issue

[Xist2Inspire]

[LoCo89]

Oh gawd, new Xist article:

[Xist2Inspire]

SLAM NBA Playoff Preview 2000 - Team Profiles, West

The NBA's Sweet 16 are at it again, and this time there's more drama and intrigue than ever in the new millennium. Will the Kings avenge last season's letdown? Will Zo, Penny, or the Reign Man snag a 3rd ring and Finals MVP? Can the big Diesel finally make his presence felt in the postseason? Will there be another Eastern Conference Cinderella run? Read on as we lay the playoff prospects out for ya.


Sacramento Kings
The Kings were rudely overthrown by the upstart Spurs last year, giving them plenty of motivation to come back strong for Y2K. They were cruising on a record-setting pace until team captain Stacey Augmon went down. That slowed their roll a bit, but they were still able to lock up the Pacific and the No.1 seed overall. Their late-season stumbles have made the waters a little bit murkier, and the Augmon Curse still hasn't been broken, but make no mistake, the Kings are still the team to beat in the West.


Dallas Mavericks
Penny's done it again, as the Mavs are in the hunt once again. The addition of Robert Pack off the bench has helped them a lot, but you just can't underestimate the impact of Gheorghe Muresan's return. Having him back helps cover up Dallas' noticeable lack of bigs, which could hurt them down the road against teams with dominant post players. The freshly-crowned MVP will have his work cut out for him as he attempts to put the Mavs above the other two-time champions of the decade.


Los Angeles Lakers
Showtime returned and took the NBA by storm this season, as new team captain Jason Kidd picked up right where he left off from last season's Finals, and KG firmly established himself as one of the premier 2K superstars with a monster regular season. Vin Baker's renaissance proved to be a godsend as well, and the Lake Show cruised to a 65-17 record, a 40-game improvement over last season. When clicking, this is one of the most complete teams around, so if KG and LA start off the millennium with a bang...we told you so.


Golden State Warriors
The Reign Man added more championship gold to his resume last season, picking up Finals MVP honors for a second time. This season saw a lot of new additions, as a familiar problem - lack of depth - reared its ugly head again, which led to stronger, deeper, hungrier teams surging ahead of them in the standings. History has shown that when the Warriors lack depth, they don't win the big one, so the challenge this time around is getting the other guys can step up while Kemp gets his.


Minnesota Timberwolves
The departure of longtime T-Wolf Robert Pack left the team fully in C-Webb and Grant Hill's hands, and they both responded by having their best seasons ever. Just like Golden State, however, depth - especially in the backcourt - is a major issue. This may be Mookie, Jax, and Tim Legler's last chances at a ring, so you know they'll bring it, but when you may have to go up against the likes of T-Mac, Penny, and J-Kidd to make it to the top, then it might be a bit too much to ask of the T-Wolves to finally break through this season.


Utah Jazz
The rebuilding era appears to be done in Salt Lake, as former "Mr. Detroit" Steve Smith and longtime Spur Dale Davis came to Utah to give TD and Starbury the veteran guidance to make waves in the West. The plan's worked to perfection so far, as the Jazz are back in the playoffs for the first time since '92-'93, but things are gonna be a little rough to start because of Starbury's injury. Coming into a series already at a disadvantage isn't good for a fresh squad, and it'll be up to their vets to keep spirits high and series deficits manageable early on if the Jazz want to keep playing.


Phoenix Suns
AI had the answer for the Suns' long playoff drought, and despite the doubters and haters coming out in full force after being swept last season, Iverson once again strapped the team on his back and led them to the big dance. Nobody can question AI's heart, but one man's heart can't do it all, which is what will be Phoenix's downfall. Outside of O'Neal and KVH, there ain't much to put up against the star-studded casts that Penny, C-Webb, etc have. Pride is on the line as they prepare to go up against the PG of the generation and his Mavericks, as both AI and the Suns want to avoid the sweep and prove that they're a dangerous part of the Western Conference puzzle.


Denver Nuggets
If you could sum up the Nuggets' season by comparing it to ice cream, you'd have to go with "Rocky Road." An All-Star team unto themselves, Denver's had Mile highs and major lows throughout the season, yet find themselves in the West's Elite 8 once again. KJ brings a championship pedigree, Hollywood Rob brings the Cinderella-run experience, and the Admiral brings the dominance, but on the whole, this is a team that can beat you one night, then get whacked the next. Lord knows whether their motor will run hot or cold during the playoffs.

[NOLa.]

Augmon curse has been broken two seasons ago

Loving the article!

[Xist2Inspire]

Series To Watch, West:



#4 Golden State Warriors vs. #5 Minnesota Timberwolves

The Skinny: You couldn't ask for a more even matchup here, and there's no current Western conference rivalry as heated as this one. It's the Millionaire's Club vs. the New Blood - rugged, proven veterans like Shawn Kemp and Cedric Ceballos defend homecourt against Minny's twin "Natural Born Thrillers" Chris Webber and Grant Hill. So far Golden State's been able to keep the young Wolves at bay two years running, including a merciless sweep in 1999's Western Conference Finals en route to their second NBA title in four years. It's become clear that in order for C-Webb to take his place as one of the top dogs in the NBA and the Wolves to finally make the breakthrough people have been predicting since '94, they're gonna have to dethrone the champs...and there's no better time than now.

The Matchups: Again, I can't stress how evenly these two are matched. Their three key players all cancel each other out: Kemp/Webber, Hill/Ceballos, and Sabonis/Divac. Out of those matchups, the Sabonis/Divac matchup is particularly interesting - not just because it's a European showcase of two of the best centers to ever play internationally, but because both centers' versatility is key to how well their respective offenses run. It's not necessarily a matter of who can stop the other from scoring, it's all about controlling the boards and shutting down the other's ability to keep their offense flowing. Championship pedigree could possibly come into play here, as the 35-year-old Sabonis has two rings of his own, back-to-back with the Dallas Mavs. In the backcourt, veteran Mookie Blaylock will have to use his savvy, as opposed to his skill, to face off against the Warriors' Eric Snow, a defensive stalwart in his prime. The Wolves do own a decisive advantage at the SG slot, as converted SF Willie Anderson is the only real option for the Dubs, and he's largely been a disappointment since coming over from the Clippers earlier in the season. Doug Overton and Rex Walters will definitely have to come up big and exploit that hole.

The Call: Man, if this doesn't go 7, I'll be hella disappointed. As for the winner, I'll take the Wolves. Just a little bit younger, and just a little bit hungrier. Plus, I'll stick with history: Golden State's had either a complete rotation ('98-'99) or a team loaded with firepower ('95-'96) each time they've won it all. When they've had a Kemp-centric lineup however, they've stalled. I can see the Dubs squeaking out of this one, but if ever there was a time for C-Webb and the Wolves to break out and make a statement, now would be the time.

[Xist2Inspire]

SLAM Interview
Seeing Redd


Everybody (well, at least the lotto teams, anyway) are seeing Redd. Everybody wants him, only one can get him. Ohio born and raised, the junior from Ohio State has emerged as the only proven player in a draft of unknowns, which has made him the consensus No.1 pick before the lotto's even happened. We caught up with the 6'6" SG and sat him down for a short interview, and even got his opinion on the NBA Playoffs.

SLAM: What's happenin' dawg?

Redd: It's all good man, all good.

SLAM: So, word's gotten around that you'll be the number one pick come June.

Redd: Yeah man. If I'm honest, it's a little overwhelming, yet comforting at the same time.

SLAM: Really?

Redd: I mean, it's hard to believe that I'd really be the one come out on top, I'm sure that I wasn't on anybody's radar before this season. If it really happens though, I'm glad I won't have to sit too long and wait for my name to be called, that s*** sucks.

SLAM: Seems like it would. Who do ya hope calls your name?

Redd: You mean which team would I wanna to play for? Cleveland, no doubt. Gotta keep the skills in-state, I'm an Ohio guy for life. I did always have a soft spot for the Bucks, though.

SLAM: You know they're not in the lottery though, right? They ain't make the playoffs, but Seattle owns their pick. It's Seattle, Houston, Orlando, Detroit, Chicago, Portland, DC, Atlanta, and the Clippers.

Redd: Really? Cleveland ain't in? Damn, that sucks. A'ight, out of those it'd be Chicago or Detroit. Me and Kobe could be real good together, and I'd love to team up with James Posey in Detroit and stay close to home.

SLAM: Cool, cool. So let's wrap this up right quick, what's your playoff predictions?

Redd: A'ight, 1st round I got Sacramento over Denver, Golden State over Minnesota, LA over Utah, Dallas over Phoenix, Charlotte over Toronto, Boston over Miami, Indiana over Jersey, and Hawks over Bucks.

SLAM: Picking a couple of upsets early on, huh?

Redd: Yeah, just a few. Then I got Sacramento over Golden State, LA over Dallas, Boston over Charlotte, and Atlanta over Indiana. West Finals I got Sacramento over LA, East Finals I got Atlanta over Boston. 8th seed in the Finals, '92 Finals rematch to kick off Y2K, you heard it here first.

SLAM: Better bring that boldness on the court, dawg! So before we cut this off, who ya got?

Redd: Sacramento over Atlanta, T-Mac Finals MVP, book it yo. Thanks for having me man.

SLAM: Our pleasure dawg, good luck in the NBA.

[IamQuailman]

Screw you, Michael Redd!

(great stuff xist!!)

[Xist2Inspire]

Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks went on a rampage last season, but ran out of gas the in Game 7 of the second round. So as this season's deadline rolled around, GM Quailman went in search of some extra fuel - Diesel, to be specific. Superman is in the building, and he's brought a legit superstar presence that's never been seen before in Wisconsin, outside of Green Bay that is. Aside from stud Jalen Rose however, the rest of the lineup is solid, but unspectacular, a real "sum-of-our-parts" gang. One cog in the machine won't be around for a bit though, and that's Eric Murdock. His loss leaves the Bucks stretched a bit thin out on the wings, and while that may not mean much against most other teams in the playoffs, there are a select few who have the wing depth to give them major problems...like their first-round opponents, the Hawks. The Rose/O'Neal combo will have to prove themselves big-time (O'Neal especially) if Milwaukee wants to go all the way and finally steal the spotlight away from that other Wisconsin sports team (no, not the Brewers).


Boston Celtics
Theeeyyy'rrrrreee Baaaaack...The franchise Alonzo Mourning demanded that the Celtics' front office get back to doing what they do best, which is surrounding their stud with more studs. Enter Stevie Franchise, Uncle Cliffy, DC, and TB, and the Celts are right back on top of the Atlantic. Just missing out on the No.1 seed could cost them if they indeed ended up facing Milwaukee, but that's not even a concern right now. Zo's basically the only one on the roster with any meaningful playoff experience, and this team is ill-suited to deal with any foul trouble or injury. It's also a lot to ask of Lil' Stevie to help lead a storied franchise back to the mountaintop in his first season as a pro. It's never wise to bet against Beantown, but don't be surprised if you see a ton of close calls against deeper, more experienced squads.


Toronto Raptors
Back in the playoffs once again, the Raps caught fire in the second half of the season, propelling them to 3rd in the East. An impressive mix of young studs, experienced players, and solid veterans, Toronto can hit from all angles. Their biggest problem lies in the trust they put in their two members of the 24-and-under-club, Chauncey Billups and #2 pick (and recently-crowned Rookie of the Year) Elton Brand. Toronto's ill-prepared to deal with any big-game jitters, and how well the ROY handles his first taste of playoff ball will be key to their ultimate success.


New Jersey Nets
After a long, tough battle with the Celtics for the Atlantic crown, the Nets couldn't quite repeat as division champs, and find themselves in 4th. The addition of Tim Hardaway has already paid dividends, as the wily NBA champion and 11th-year vet has proved to still have something left in the 'ol tank. The "ITT" trio present a tough offensive challenge for opposing teams to handle, but their realative lack of depth in certain areas may come back to haunt them if Tim, Tom, or Isaiah (that's JR to those who don't know) come up empty at any particular time. The Nets do have a pretty big x-factor with the master of the wiggle, Antoine Walker. The 23-year-old forward is in a contract year, and has had to shut the doubters up after a questionable training camp performance. A strong playoff showing would go a long way toward silencing his critics and setting him up to get paid. For the Nets, that could be the thing that pushes them over the top.


Indiana Pacers
Surely you didn't think that you'd seen the last of the Playoff Pacers in 1996-97, right? Two years away and they're right back in it, under the guidance of an old face in the Strongman, and the leadership of a new face in the Truth. But when it comes to how well they'll perform in the playoffs, well, that's a bit of a question mark. The Pacers have had a rep for going one-and-done, and when looking at their roster, it's a lot of unproven pieces. The hope is that 3-time champion Pervis Ellison and 1-time champ Mark Macon can provide the steady hand needed to steer these guys in the right direction, but whatever there is to be learned can only be learned on the fly from this point on.


Charlotte Hornets
Probably the hottest team of all heading into the playoffs, the Hornets went from down-and-out to straight up outworking teams, racking up clutch win after clutch win. The roster is littered with guys who have something to prove: fiery Rasheed Wallace, who had to prove that those labeling him a "bust" after being cast off from the team who drafted him #2 in '95 were nothing more than haters; the much-maligned and scrutinized Aaron McKie, who had largely been a disappointment since inking his big contract in '98; and the once-feared Dennis Scott, who had to cope with a drastic fall from grace post-injury. It's a total team effort, with 4 guys averageing above or close to 15 ppg. The sexiest pick for a Cinderella run, the biggest threat to the Hornets' playoff hopes are themselves, motors that run too hot often overheat. Will the Hornets have what it takes to keep rising once their natural high wears off?


Miami Heat
It's been an up-and-down season for South Beach, the Heat have flittered back-and-forth from fighting for the division crown...to fighting for their playoff lives. Despite rumors and reports to the contrary, the gang's still together, so that means that you'll get the same old emotional, hot n' cold Heat. There's really no reliable analysis you can make on this team, as they've shown that they're capable of anything (aside from making it out of the first round, haters say - but that's none of my business tho). At the end of the day though, this is a team with GP and JJ ready to light you up and lock you down. Don't sleep.


Atlanta Hawks
Numerous injuries brought the high-flying Hawks down to earth, and that forced them right into the 8th seed dogfight. When it was all said and done, they made it in, and now the rest of the East has to deal with and 8th seed strong enough to just take it all. Seriously. This was already one of the most versatile and deep squads around, but adding Spree changed the Hawks' danger level from "threat" to "biohazard." There are only two things that the Hawks need to worry about. One, their chemistry still isn't where it needs to be, as the once-tight team play has devolved into an "FU, imma get mines" free-for-all. Two, PG Andre Miller has been nothing short of amazing in his rookie campaign, but asking a NBA freshman to facilitate for a Finals contender is no small matter, and things could go bad very quickly if he can't handle the pressure.

[Xist2Inspire]

Series To Watch, East:



#1 Milwaukee Bucks vs. #8 Atlanta Hawks

The Skinny: It's not often that you get a killer divisional grudge match in the 1st round, but this time we do, and it's a doozy. The Hawks and Bucks were neck-and-neck in the Central division race early on, but injuries slowed the Hawks down and left the field clear for the Bucks to take control, and for other teams to slip in and leave the Hawks out on the fringe at #8. Now the Hawks have the opportunity to emphatically declare that the NBA's Dirty Birds are back by making the Bucks paper (or cloth, I guess) champions. For the Bucks, beating down the threatening Hawks sends a clear message to the other 6 teams in the dance that the road does indeed go through Milwaukee, and not Boston.

The Matchups: It's actually kind of funny looking at these two. The Bucks are strong where the Hawks are weak, and vice versa. Jalen Rose in particular looks to feast on Andre "Fresh Meat" Miller, a talented, though inexperienced rookie. On the other end, the other rookie playing for Atlanta, Corey Maggette, can't help but grin at the thought of using his freakish athleticism to torture the old legs of the Bucks' wing rotation. That is, if there's anything left of them once Donyell Marshall and Spree get done with them. McDyess/Outlaw is a bit of a push though, as it's a classic battle of young power versus veteran skill (and the Bo's no slouch in the power department himself). If there's one thing to look out for, it's this: Atlanta's a lot stronger at hitting Milwaukee's weak spots than the Bucks are at trying to exploit the Hawks'. Nobody can really shut down Shaq, but Big Ben's no pushover, and will get his licks in somehow. And Andre may be a rookie, but he certainly has the ability to go toe-to-toe with Rose, on the defensive side of things at the very least. But on the other hand, raise your hand if you'd feel confident with a wing rotation of Rex Chapman (32 and 6'4"), Anthony Goldwire (28 and 6'2"), Stephen Howard (29 and a scrub), Eric Murdock (31 and out for this series), and Tony Bennett (30 and only here because of no Murdock) going up against Donyell Marshall, Latrell Sprewell, Corey Maggette, and Howard Eisley. Anyone? No? I didn't think so.

The Call: There will be blood. Not really, but something's telling me that the winner will be decisive, I'm thinking 4-2 either way. As for the winner? Man, that's tough. My head says Atlanta, because they're just flat-out better, but my heart says Milwaukee, because it really does feel like this could be the big breakthrough for them. I'm gonna go with the Bucks, off a statement series from the Diesel, and because I'm not quite sure if the Hawks have solved all of their chemistry issues from earlier in the season. If they have though, it's the deer who should fear.

[Xist2Inspire]

SLAM Magazine 2000 Predictions

And here's what you've all been reading for...

The Elite Eight



What? Why? Even at their worst, Sacramento's much more consistent than Denver...I'd have a tough time picking the Jazz anyway, but missing Starbury for the start of the series seals the deal...They'll be in a hole early and won't recover...AI's awesome, but I just can't see him being able to neutralize both Penny and Pack enough in order to win...This was super-tough, but I like Toronto's scoring ability just a bit more than I like Charlotte's balance, plus putting Charlotte as the underdog keeps them hungry, which will make for a great series...Never bet against Boston...The Pacers are still figuring things out, give me the slightly more experienced Nets...Plus I'll believe that both the Pacers and Heat will make it to the second round when I see it, and not a second sooner...and if you're wondering why I didn't say anything about Milwaukee or Minnesota, that's what you get for skipping ahead, fool!

The Final Four



How So? T-Mac and Dee are gonna hit the Wolves where it hurts, and they also have the D to keep the Wolves' Dynamic Duo from striking back too hard...On the other hand, KG and Baker are definitely gonna exploit the mismatches against Dallas, but Penny's just on another level entirely this season...Never bet against Boston, unless they're going up against an opponent who can exploit their hole at PF, slow down Zo, and pretty much go blow-for-blow at every other position...If the Bucks do indeed make it past Atlanta's wing rotation from hell, JR and the Wiggler won't scare them at all.

NBA Finals



These Two? Really? Yeah, Dallas/Sacramento is a pretty even matchup, but the x-factor is that the Kings really don't have anyone that can match up against Penny at the PG spot. In a year or two T-Mac will be ready to take Penny on at any position, but not right now...Raptors/Bucks is really similar to Hawks/Bucks, only that the Raptors' center position isn't quite as strong and their starting SF isn't really anything special...Murdock will probably be back by then, thus giving the Bucks another (small) body to throw at one-time Buck Michael Finley.

The Champ



You're Kidding. Nope. If - and that's a big if - the Bucks can get past Atlanta, the rest of the East is definitely beatable unless someone else goes down or if Shaq really is more flash than actual substance. As for the Finals matchup, the Bucks don't have the wing strength of the Kings, but they do have two things the Kings' don't - someone with the length and skills to match up against Penny at the PG spot without being a net negative overall (Superman's little buddy, Jalen Rose), and an absolute, definite, undeniable offensive menace at center capable of utterly destroying Kelvin Cato and former Buck Gheorghe Muresan. If Shaq is for real and Rose is ready for superstardom, they'll take down Penny and bring a title to Milwaukee, following in the footsteps of Lew Alcindor and Oscar Robertson (way back in 1971 for you young 'uns). You heard it here first, Milwaukee takes the trophy home. Peace.

[JNR]

Excellent article. Everything was fantastic. Keep it up!

[IamQuailman]

AWARDED 5 POINTS! THANKS FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION!