If you’ve been following the Knicks’ soap opera along with me for the past few weeks, you would be hard-pressed to know there’s actually a real NBA season going on. One of the best in years, in fact.
Our collective lack of awareness in the NBA’s biggest city and media market is one of the biggest reasons David Stern is practically giddy (by his standards) that big changes are under way at Madison Square Garden.
The Celtics still have a shot at a 65-win season. LeBron arguably has a better shot of getting to the Finals than anyone believed he had a year ago. One of the best stories in the league is happening down the Turnpike in Philadelphia, where the 76ers were supposed to have been tanking for ping-pong balls but instead are in the sixth playoff spot in the East.
And that’s just the East. Out West, there’s a riveting three-team race for the last two playoff spots between Dallas, Denver, and Golden State. The odd team out is virtually assured of having the best record ever for a non-playoff team – and it very well could be a 50-win season.
The Warriors and Nuggets play head-to-head tomorrow at Golden State in a crucial game. Here’s how the remaining schedule breaks down for the three teams dueling for two spots:
* Dallas: two home, two away, two against playoff-bound opponents
* Denver: two home, two away, three against playoff-bound opponents.
* Golden State: three home, one away, two against playoff-bound opponents.
The playoffs begin April 19 and promise to be even better that last year. Do you miss basketball? Can’t blame you. It’s been eight years since the Knicks had a winning season, and we don’t even have the Nets to keep us occupied this spring. It’s bad for basketball that New York is about as interested in the NBA right now as I am in Pedro Martinez’s hamstring.
And we haven’t even gotten to the MVP race, which appears to be a two-man showdown between Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul. Kevin Garnett will get some votes, simply because he’s almost completely responsible for the Celtics’ turnaround. LeBron? A couple of months ago, he might’ve gotten my vote, but his team won’t even finish with 50 wins.
The L.A. Times’ Mark Heisler polled some NBA writers on their MVP votes, and it appears that Kobe has the inside track. Jamal Crawford didn’t get any votes.