It's been an interesting first half to this NBA season, wouldn't you say? We've had surprise players and surprise teams; teams ravished by injuries, teams that flat out dominate, and teams that are flat out brutal. Almost all of these teams have played somewhere near 40 games, and with the All-Star game fast approaching, I figure it's an appropriate time to analyze what has gone on in the first half of this season. Here is a team-by-team analysis (seperated by division) of the season thus far.
As we approach our 10th game in this young NBA season, it's no surprise that the talks of the upcoming 2010 offseason are already swirling. You can't come across a message board or a blog that doesn't have five or six topics about where Lebron, Wade, Joe Johnson, and company will end up, or how much cap space certain teams have. One of those impending free agents, though, is a guy some might consider to be in the "second tier" in terms of player quality, and that is Chris Bosh. There are a lot of quality teams in this league, both good and bad, that could use a big man as versatile as Bosh; not that he's the guy you sign to lead you to a title, but he is a guy you put next to another solid piece on your way to a title, and he is deserving of near max contract money (which means he will get max contract money). Now, lets take a look at Bosh's status as a player, his teams status, and what his options will be for the summer of 2010.
Shooting guard is one of the most exciting positions in the NBA, and the most star-studded one at that. The competition here is very strong right now, with players like Brandon Roy and Joe Johnson climbing up the ranks into stardom, just behind Kobe and Wade. The shooting guard position is vastly important, as this player will not only be asked to be the focal point of the offense at times, but also be asked to take on the point guards duties on both ends of the floor. Being as there are so many talented young guards in the league, it was difficult for me to pick just ten to put on this list, but alas...
The Washington Wizards are one of the most enigmatic teams in the NBA. One year, they're an above average playoff team, and the next they are the most prominent of bottom dwellers in the league. They consistently have a lot of talent, but they suffer from injury problems. Basically, you never know what you're going to get from the Wizards year in and year out, however I do expect that to change this year. One of the biggest reasons for this is the return of All-Star PG and de facto team leader Gilbert Arenas, who missed nearly all of last year with an injury. Regardless of his flaws as a player (and believe me, there are plenty), Arenas is the heart and soul of the Wizards franchise right now. He is the guy they look too when the rest of the team is falling on hard times, the guy they give the ball to at the end of games, and the guy who is supposed to lead them to post season success. Even if Arenas comes back at fifty-percent health, that alone should be enough for Washington to make a marked improvement on there 19-win mark last season.
As you all know, the point guard position is one of, if not the most, important positions on the basketball court. Although in this day and age, the true distributor is taking a backseat to the combo guard and various offenses that can be ran without a PG, it is still essential to have a capable floor general out there. These are the guys that are counted on to bring the ball up the court, often times receiving a play from the coach on the way. They are asked to set up the offense and get the ball to the right person in order to put this play in motion. Other times, there own number will be called, and there is nothing more exciting than seeing a good point guard at work. Without further ado, I rank the top 10 point guards in the NBA heading into the 2009-10 season:
