The Devil and Lamar Odom

It’s important to remember that professional athletes are not superheroes. Take away their phenomenal athletic ability and they are just like us; humans with emotions, fears, and weaknesses. It may not always show in their public appearances, but there’s a lot more going on under the surface then we realize. Vulnerabilities aren’t all that fun to look at, which is why personal scandals make mainstream news and seem to pop up all the time in the world of sports.

The 76ers/Major League Parallel

One thing is looming in the heads of NBA fans everywhere this season: the stacked 2014 draft class. The plethora of incoming talent has lead many to believe that many teams will “tank” (lose intentionally) to secure higher odds of securing a top pick. The obvious prize is Kansas freshman Andrew Wiggins, an athletic small forward who may be one of the best prospects to come into the league since LeBron James. Teams who already aren’t in a great position to win now have dumped current assets to have a better chance at this years draft and in the future (think: Boston, Utah, Phoenix, Utah, etc.). The most blatant attempt at tanking appeared to be committed by the Philadelphia 76ers, who dumped all-star Jrue Holiday, didn’t try to re-sign Andrew Bynum, and shelved promising rookie Nerlens Noel for the rest of the season to recover from ACL surgery. The Sixers came out of the offseason bereft of actual NBA talent, with starters Evan Turner and Thaddeus Young the only quality “veterans” on the roster. The team even came below the salary floor, meaning they spent less on overall payroll than is required by the NBA. Las Vegas odds makers thought they would do so badly that their season win total over/under was initially 16.5 and their odds at winning the championship were 9,999/1. New coach Brett Brown was even quoted as saying that he had “six NBA players on the team right now,” meaning the rest hadn’t exactly proven themselves to be ready for NBA competition yet.

Unbelievably, in a development no one saw coming, the 76ers have came out of the first three games with three victories, including two against defending champion Miami Heat and the Derrick Rose-lead Chicago Bulls. The team’s incredible start with the most unsuspecting of rosters brought an interesting comparison to mind: the 1989 film Major League. For those unfamiliar with the movie, the new owner of the Cleveland Indians baseball team intentionally puts together a roster of has-beens and cast offs with hopes that the team will perform so badly and record such low attendance numbers that she will be able to justifiably move them to Miami the following year. However, with a combination of savvy, gutsiness, and a lot of luck, the Indians made the playoffs and brought fans back to the stadium.

Through the Sixers’ first three games, it appears the team is following the script to a tee. A team counted out by everyone has come out on top and given it’s fans a sliver of hope. Although the season is still very young, any sliver of success this season would be nothing short of miraculous. With that said, I've broken down some entertaining similarities between this Sixers team and the fictional Indians roster:

2013-2014 Boston Celtics Preview

Well….it was nice while it lasted. As a Celtics fan, I've been blessed with six awesome years of the Big Three era filled with perennial playoff contention and one championship ring. That era is now definitively over. GM Danny Ainge and the Celtics cut their losses, trading lifelong Celtic Paul Pierce and Celtic-at-heart Kevin Garnett to the Brooklyn Nets for cap fodder and three first round picks over the next several seasons. In addition to the big trade, starting point guard Rajon Rondo is recovering from a torn ACL and may not be back until mid-season. To say 2014 is a “rebuilding year” would be an understatement for the fledgling Celts.

However, there are some key storylines and important developments to keep an eye on throughout the season:

Trade Watch: Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap, and the Utah Jazz

The Utah Jazz have about as good of a "problem" as you can have in the NBA. With Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap, Derrick Favors, and Enes Kanter on their roster, the Jazz have the most frontcourt talent in the league. Not surprisingly, this leaves them thin in a few other areas, most notably at the point guard and small forward positions. With this in mind, the Jazz may look to move Millsap or Jefferson, their most expensive (but still valuable) assets, in return for depth in other areas.

Trade Watch: Josh Smith and the Atlanta Hawks

If any one big name player is going to be dealt before Thursday’s trade deadline, it has to be Josh Smith of the Atlanta Hawks. Smith is a a highly talented power forward, but I’m not sure he’s worth the max deal he’s seeking in the offseason. He’s the type of player a professor of mine would politely refer to as a “knucklehead". Smith’s been involved in several altercations with other players and makes really bad decisions in times. He’s an awful jump shooter but continues to take ill-advised deep two’s and threes when he has no business doing so (link thoroughly proves this assertion). He’s similar to Rajon Rondo in that he has a ton of talent (superior athleticism, good defender, great at getting to the basket), but his troubling personality issues and stubbornness detract from his potential. It seems the Hawks think the same, leaving them in a tough spot. If they don’t want to pay him, they can’t let him leave in the summer for nothing in return. This means there is high degree of likelihood that Smith will be traded in the next day or two.

Further Reading: February 6-13, 2013

1. The Corner Three - Really nice break down on the efficiency of the corner three point shot and why it's so effective.
2. Behind the screen: Inside the defensive mind of Andre Iguodala - Breakdown of what makes Andre Iguodala such a fantastic one-on-one defender. 
3. The White Album - Very interesting interview with Rockets rookie Royce White on his thoughts about mental illness and basketball. 
4. Avery Bradley provides a jolt for Celtics as Rajon Rondo recovers  - Why Avery Bradley holds the key to the Celtics' continued success without Rajon Rondo.
5. The Height of Wonkery: An In-Depth Look at the NBA With the Most Innovative Technology - Overview of new trackable data that records every movement that occurs on the court during an NBA Game. Information on amount of drives to the basket, shot vs. pass frequency from the post, shot location, and more.  

NBA Rooks Videos

I only just discovered these today, and it’s safe to say I spent most of my afternoon enjoying them. If you like behind-the-scenes sports shows like Hard Knocks, 24/7 or The Association, these short videos are for you. They’re not extensive or super revealing, but they’re still entertaining and insightful. Here are a few of my favorites:

Damian Lillard loves Jamba Juice

Austin Rivers has fun at a grocery store

Andrew Nicholson, aka “Feets,” takes barbs from Big Baby

Others:

• Thomas Robinson – Manimal Lover
• Jared Sullinger – Room Service
• Terrence Jones and others – Backpacks and Dance Competition