Teams win championships, but as legacies go, those championships are often just tools to define individual careers. The careers that matter the most are those not just of the most transcendent players, but of the all-time champions. Jordan, Kobe, Magic, Russell. The rings are the final decider of greatness when comparing these men and sometimes the main topic of conversation when their names are brought up. By the time a career is over, men are thought of as champions or they aren't. It has been made that simple, somehow. A binary: you won or you didn't. Dirk Nowitzki's best shot at a ring was thought to have come in 2006, when his team let a 2-0 lead slip away in the Finals against the Miami Heat. Two 1st-round exits followed and the plot had been established – Dirk Nowitzki was set to be an all-time loser. Soft, unclutch, European, Dirk was the perfect scapegoat for daytime radio pundits and casual fans. He didn't have the will or the heart to win a ring.

But Dirk Nowitzki is using these playoffs to modify his page in NBA history. One last great shot at altering his legend. Before a speeding train towards the land of tragic basketball heroes the likes of an Elgin Baylor (is it blasphemous to put the two in the same lengthy sentence?), Dirk now seems to be carving a steady path towards another shot at the one ring.

His playoff stats look like this: a PER second only to Chris Paul in these playoffs, TS% at an astronomical .627, usage rate is at an all-time playoff career high and he keeps coming up with play after play after play to keep his Dallas Mavericks team winning playoff games. The only men to play at such a level of efficiency over the course of 10+ games in a single playoff season were Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Kevin Johnson. Dirk Nowitzki and Hakeem Olajuwon are the only men to do it twice in their careers. And Dirk is doing it with a higher usage rate than any of those other past playoff greats.

In Game 1 against OKC, Dirk became the first player in playoff history to score 48 points on only 15 shots (with only 2 turnovers) in a virtuoso performance that seemed to bring the entire game to a standstill—perhaps because he shot and made 24 freethrows.

In Game 4, down 15 with 5 minutes to play, Dirk led to Mavericks back with yet another legendary offensive performance.

The Scene

With the Mavs (again, down 15 points) going into a timeout with five minutes remaining in the game (one in which they have trailed from wire to wire), a 2-2 tied series going back to Dallas seemed inevitable. The OKC bench was rocking (as it always seems to be) and there was talk of Nowitzki's lack of 2nd half aggressiveness and the Mavs' poor rebounding. Then, the run that would wash away all Dallas sins began. Shawn Marion and Dirk drew James Harden's 5th and 6th fouls (also draining three free throws in the process), Jason Kidd followed with two free throws of his own after the two teams exchanged sloppy turnovers and Dirk went to work with the lead down to 10 points:

13-foot jumper, 24-foot 3-pointer in transition, 14-footer, a wild leaning one-hander as he was probably fouled 3 different ways by Nick Collison and the lead is down to 3, all of this interspersed with the forced 3-pointers, missed opportunities and sloppy play down the stretch we've come to expect from the young Oklahoma City Thunder. A missed Sefolosha three from the corner that might have sealed Dallas's fate led to two clutch Dirk Nowitzki free throws as Nick Collison became so desperate to stop Dirk that he fouled him before the German even had a chance to look at the rim. The 17-2 run had been capped.

Dirk's numbers in the last 5 minutes of Game 4: half of the Mavs' 24 4th quarter points on 4 of 4 shooting from the floor (3 of 4 from the line), a rebound and probably a hell of a lot of luck.

Another directionless OKC inbounds-play eventually took us to overtime, where Jason Kidd sealed Oklahoma City's fate with a late 3 as Oklahoma City continued to struggle on offense, scoring only 4 points in the overtime period. But the narrative doesn't belong to Dallas's ability to force turnovers (or allow OKC to stumble into bad plays, in some cases), nor Shawn Marion's excellent defense on Kevin Durant nor that last Jason Kidd 3-pointer.

The narrative belongs instead to the 7-foot German who was supposed to be too soft to grind his way to a comeback like this one. A man that was supposed to fade into oblivion after his chance at a championship in the 2006 Finals. Yes, he's had his defensive struggles and was a part of the trouble on the boards for Dallas in Game 4. But this time, against all reason, he led the Mavericks to the comeback victory. This time, the would-be tragic hero was just the hero. And he isn't done.

Connor Huchton is a contributor for the SB Nation blog Rufus on Fire. He also runs his personal blog, connorhuchtonknowseverything.com and the Atlanta Braves baseball blog thebravecollective.wordpress.com. In this poem, Connor attempts to describe the magical play of Dirk Nowitzki. You can find him on Twitter, as well - @ConnorHuchton.

An Ode to Captain Dirk Nowitzki

He stands there, silently.

His stare may not be intense,

But it does not waver.

The crowd can only savor.

It began 24 seconds earlier.

24. 23. 22.

The clock is ticking down,

Challenging as it dwindles,

Blaring red.

For many, these moments are best left unsaid.

21. 20. 19.

A veteran dribbles the ball up the court,

Slowly, confidently,

He knows there is only one choice.

Only one way to make the crowd rejoice.

18. 17. 16.

He sees The Captain moving with ease,

With his own unique grace.

His long strides dominate the floor,

He glides without the need to soar.

15. 14. 13.

The Captain breaks free,

For what seems like a fragment of time.

But in his own reality, a reality that binds us all,

He is already free.

12. 11. 10.

The ball gravitates towards the Captain,

Traveling towards him with the purpose of fate.

The Captain accepts fate's request,

Catching the ball and turning with a mild-mannered zest.

9. 8. 7.

He glances at the wild-eyed defender,

Unconcerned with his plight.

He pivots, jabs, steps, and moves,

His feet a symbol of everlasting grooves.

6. 5. 4.

As he releases the ball,

His defender gasps in futility.

He knows it is too late.

The Captain has already decided fate.

3. 2. 1.

The Captain shoots on one leg,

As the crowd watches without breath or understanding.

Arching and spinning through the air on a golden course,

The ball moves slowly, as the screams of the crowd become hoarse.

0.

And suddenly, the net seems to move ever so slightly,

Just enough for the human eye to perceive.

The ball passes through,

And an arena's greatest wishes become true.

Reporters, teammates, and fans swarm around him,

He smiles sheepishly, knowingly.

He never allows his vision of the basket to murk.

His name is Captain Dirk.

Make it so.

There was plenty of whining and complaining to be heard (seen?) on the internet about the free throw differential in favor of the Miami Heat in their Game 2 match-up against the Boston Celtics. 

"It's hard to win five-on-eight!" is a personal favorite of mine. Other backhanded remarks were made about not blaming the refs despite the calls, etc. etc. But where is all of this coming from? Not only did the referees generally pass the eye-test (the Heat consistently penetrated and the Celtics got the same calls outside of some out-of-control Glen Davis drives), but the season-long statistics would also dictate that the Celtics would be on the wrong end of the free throw differential in a match-up with the Heat.

Ignoring the numbers in their regular season match-ups (for now), we can quickly see that the two teams were likely find themselves in this situation.

The Heat were 2nd in the NBA in free throw rate (free throws attempted/field goals attempted) differential in the regular season, standing strong at +6.38 behind only the Denver Nuggets. Meanwhile, the Celtics were in the bottom half of the Association (16th), at -.53 per game. Simply put, one team (the Heat) draws more fouls than it commits and the other (the Celtics) generally do not. 

Using NBA.com's StatsCube to look at the Heat and Celtics free throw attempts against one another in their regular season match-ups, we again see that this was no aberration, or some NBA-mandated scheme to move the Heat into the next round. The Celtics averaged 23.5 free throw attempts per game against the Heat while the Heat shot 28.8 free throws per game against the Celtics. These numbers do not differ greatly from the two team's averages against all of the NBA (.5 more attempts per game for the Celtics, 1 full attempt more per game for the Heat). 

Admittedly, things get a bit more iffy when we look into the numbers from both team's playoff games thus far. The Celtics have averaged 20 FTA/game (we're only 2 games into the series, of course, so this stuff could begin to regress to the mean) to the Heat's 34 per game. That's 14 more foul shots for the Heat per game in the series, up from only +5 FTA for the Heat in the regular season series with the Celts. Of course, the Celtics have only averaged 18 FTA per game in the playoffs so far, while the Heat have averaged 29.3. In other words, we're not looking at any kind of massive difference in free throws awarded for either team, according to the numbers from their earlier series(es?).

Celtics fans (or coaches. Or players) still might argue about a few calls against them here or there (Paul Pierce's ejection included), but it's undeniable that the Heat have earned the majority of their calls in the series and outplayed the Celtics to boot.

The upset didn't go totally unpredicted. The Spurs limped into their 1-8 matchup with the Grizzlies, their best player injured with no one sure how long the wait would be until his return. The season series showed 2 fairly evenly matched teams. The Grizzlies a team that could bully on the inside and force turnovers, the Spurs with a new-look, fast-paced, 3-point/outside shooting-based team. 

The Grizz all but choked away Game 1, with Shane Battier stealing the game from the jaws of defeat by way of a late 3-pointer. Yet, many doubted (and that includes myself). Ginobili's return would surely spark a swift return of Spurs dominance. 

San Antonio indeed returned to tie the series in Game 2, but not in the dominate fashion I expected. I assumed rust. The series could still easily be over in 6 games. 

And indeed, tonight the series did end in 6. The Grizzlies walking away victorious in Memphis on the backs of their ball-hawking team defense, cold San Antonio shooting, and yet another clutch Zach Randolph 4th Quarter. 17 points and nearly all of the offense down the stretch. 

Of course, there was a little more than just the defense and Z-Bo. 

Like any team finding playoff success, the Grizzlies needed help from places you don't normally expect. Besides some luck via the Spurs inability to hit open jumpers, the extra boost in Game 6 for the Grizz came from Greivis Vasquez. In a key 10 minute stint in the 1st Quarter as Mike Conley sat with early foul trouble, Vasquez managed 7 points, 2 rebounds and a steal (+5). Though dropping off in more limited minutes down the stretch (and finishing the game with a +/- of negative 1), his stint in the 1st was key in the Grizzlies to avoid surrendering the lead to the Spurs.  

Fan-favorite Tony Allen managed 5 points, a rebound, and a block in the 4th quarter, his offense coming by way of well-timed cuts and finishes. 

Shane Battier worked hard against Ginobili on defense(limiting him greatly until a 4th quarter flurry) while continuing his series-long solid effort on the boards (7 rebounds in this one). 

Marc Gasol figured out problems in the post early in the game (4 turnovers) to throw in an efficient 12 points and 13 rebounds.

The way the Grizz closed out the series was a near-perfect fit for the team, between the slow pace (87 possessions), tough work on the boards (+14.1 OREB%) and battle in the paint on offense (more than 60 points came for the Grizz in the lane). 

The Grizz and Memphis are going where they've never gone before, and they did it their way. All heart, grit and grind.

This idea initially struck me as I listened to Reggie Miller blather on through my bathroom walls (I will not clarify this sentence) as the 76ers were blown out by the Heat on Monday, April 18, 2011. 

The Memphis Grizzlies were a popular pick to compete at the 8th seed going into their 1st round series against the San Antonio Spurs, and for good reason - Manu is coming off of an elbow injury (non-shooting arm), and the Grizzlies have either out-worked the Spurs in the paint or forced turnovers (the Grizzlies are in the top of the league in both categorites) in regular season match-ups and get consistently good offensive games from Zach Randolph against the defense of DeJuan Blair and Matt Bonner. 

Today, the Grizzlies at least played to one of those strengths - strong offense in the post. Zach Randolph was 10/15 from the field and got to the line for 8 attempts, scoring 25 points, adding 14 boards and 3 assists to 4 turnovers. Marc Gasol had one of the best games of his career, going 9/10 from the field and 6/10 from the line for 24 points, adding 9 boards and 3 assists to only 2 turnovers along with 2 blocks. Both players were exactly where they needed to be at all times on offense and Marc did a solid job helping on defense, especially in the 4th quarter. Zach Randolph was his usual self, struggling to move and help on D, but trying his damnedest to do so. 

Alongside the expected contributors for the Grizzlies, Mike Conley was solid if unspectacular on offense. He scored well by attacking and also racked up key assists, all while making smart plays late in the game both in transition and in halfcourt sets.

He was also ripped to shreds (as expected) by both George Hill and Tony Parker, absolutely unable to contain their drives (although part of his struggles can be blamed on less-than-stellar defensive partner Zach Randolph).

OJ Mayo battled through a 1-9 start to key a late 3rd quarter run and also contributed in the final stanza. Shane Battier drilled a clutch 3 that put the Grizzlies up by 2 after falling behind by 2 with a minute to go in the game. Sam Young was horrible (not a shock) and Darrell Arthur struggled on both ends of the floor (pretty big surprise). Tony Allen battled through a 1st quarter injury and foul trouble to make huge clutch plays in the 4th quarter (he missed 2 key free throws, as well, but made up by going 2/2 from the line to score the final points of the game). 

The Grizzlies won a playoff game for the first time ever, 101-98.

But it's likely that Manu Ginobili's return will tip the scales in the favor of the Spurs. 

Because the Spurs still almost beat these Grizzlies without Ginobili, while being dominated by Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph on the offensive end. Tony Parker missed a lot of shots he normally makes (4/16 from the field, and there were a lot of open looks and layups that rimmed out) and it's likely both he and George Hill will continue to abuse Mike Conley throughout the series. Duncan's ability to finish on the pick and roll isn't going away, either. Manu's return offers only another 3-point shooting ball handler who can drive into the lane and find the open man, be he a shooter in the corner or a big on the baseline ready to draw a foul.

To take on a more general perspective, without Marc having career games against Tim Duncan every night, the Grizzlies are going to need to force turnovers against the Spurs to get easy buckets. The problem is that  the Grizzlies have been fairly hit-or-miss in turning the Spurs over at a high rate (an every-other-game against them-type situation). Couple that with the way the Grizzlies were abused on defense in this game (only surrendering an eFG% of 44.3, but also giving up 51.4 FT/FG, which is pretty much astronomical) and you've got a recipe for what may be some close games, but also likely a Spurs win in the series. 

The return of Ginobili (and a return to the mean for both teams) may spell doom for the Grizzlies, but this series should still see a lot of close games. And that's really what counts. High fives all-around for the playoffs! 

Conrad Kaczmarek is a contributor for SB Nation blog FeartheSword.com, SBNation Cleveland and a sportswriter for BCHeights.com. He has also contributed to HardwoodParoxysm.com. In his inaugural Talkhoops piece, he discusses the NBA playoffs and stuff. Just read the thing. (and follow him on twitter @lookitsckaz).

The NBA playoffs are nearly upon us, and even as an avid supporter of the Cleveland Cavaliers (yeah, yeah, I know they’re bad), the upcoming overload of postseason basketball makes me giddy. As the regular season winds down, I decided to think about what makes this year’s playoffs so much more exciting for me than in previous years.

I would probably attribute my heightened excitement to the fact that I am no longer constantly fretting about if or when the Cavs would choke. While that may be a factor, it really comes down to the amount of wildly entertaining teams and imminent matchups. So let’s take a little bit of a closer look at what exactly we can look forward to.  As the regular season is not yet complete and seedings are yet to be determined, we’re unable to analyze each team-by-team matchup. What I am interested in is the comparison between the East and the West. As I explore the potential drama of the playoffs, I ask: which conference’s series are you most looking forward to?

The Eastern Conference has been known as the weaker of the two for several years now, and rightfully so. The Indiana Pacers have clinched a playoff spot with a sub-.500 record while Houston won’t sniff the postseason with 42 wins already on the year. While the East may be weaker in general, I think it’s fair to say that it is a bit more top-heavy than the West. The top three teams (Celtics, Bulls, Heat) are all legitimate title contenders and have shown signs of dominance during the season. Meanwhile, the Western Conference is extremely deep. It takes a much better record to make the playoffs and no team is really given a free pass in the first couple rounds. Based on these general characteristics, I’d like to establish the storylines of the postseason.

The Beasts of the East. The Wild, Wild West.

Clever, I know.

As corny as I may be, I don’t see the postseason playing out any other way. There will most likely be some insane series in the West with some upsets sprinkled in. On the other hand, it’s hard to envision an ECF that doesn't feature two of the top three teams in the East. But could you see Denver, Oklahoma City, or Portland reaching the WCF? Sure, you could. It’s no secret that sports fans and America in general love rooting for the underdog or the “feel good” story. As shown by our infatuation with March Madness, many fans tend to prefer upsets and drama to actual quality basketball. So as much as I would like to see the Heat and Lakers be toppled in the first round, it would take a lot of the fun out of the later rounds.

Allow me to make a somewhat exaggerated comparison. I’d liken the West to the NCAA tournament. While I recognize that it is seven game series instead of one do-or-die game the West is certainly set up for a decent amount of parity. As we saw last week, the NCAA championship game did not necessarily feature the two best teams in the country. Even though the tournament as a whole was filled with stunning upsets and edge-of-your-seat finishes, it culminated in a bit of a letdown. Do the Western playoffs have a chance to produce a similar product in the WCF? Note that I already established this is an exaggeration because no two NBA teams will ever put on such a dismal performance, but I think you get my point. I love the fact that the West has exciting upset potential. I am incredibly curious as to how the upstart Nuggets will perform. Some trades and maturation by the Thunder have piqued my interest. At the same time, however, I would be disappointed to miss out on a Lakers-Spurs matchup. So, those are my thoughts on the West. It’s going to be wild.

Now mosey on over to the East where the top three teams reign supreme. There isn’t much room for parity because I highly doubt Danny Granger and the Pacers channel their inner 2007 Golden State Warriors. While these matchups are not as one-sided as we have seen in the past, the lopsided East may present some less than inspiring early round series. That being said, the later rounds in the East will be amazing. I cannot wait to see any combination of the Celtics/Heat/Bulls in a seven game series and due to the lack of upset potential in this conference, we are essentially guaranteed that these series will happen. You can get picky and criticize the pace at which these teams play (all in the bottom third in the NBA), but that’s the nature of championship caliber teams. They play great defense and tend to slow the game down. That’s how it works. The beasts dominate in the East and they’re going to put on a show.

After much deliberation, which conference are you most anticipating? Is it the potentially wild, yet certainly electrifying West? Is it the inevitable clash of veteran juggernauts in the East? If I had to choose just one to watch, I’d pick the East. There’s no way that I would miss what could be some of the most physical and intense playoff battles in years. However, merely thinking about the young star-power in the West makes me want to search for Russell Westbrook highlights on YouTube until my computer melts.

Thankfully, we don’t have to choose. But if you had to, which side would you favor?

Try to set aside the bias created by watching your favorite team play and look at this as a pure fan of professional basketball. Pretty tough, isn’t it? Regardless, we are entering basketball heaven. The next month or so should feature some of the best playoff basketball in recent memory. So, buckle up and drink it in.

I took a lot of time off, people who inexplicably read this website. I rested. I stopped focusing on teams that don't matter quite as much as others (sup, T-Wolves). Now, the regular season is over. We know which teams are in the playoffs and which teams wasted their time not tanking. 

This brings me to a post I did on my old (mostly un-trafficked) site - Off-Season Promises and Predictions. I didn't do as good of a job updating as I would have liked, but we still have material to work with. 

#1. Kevin Love - "Mark my words: we're going over 30 wins this year." 

In-Depth Hindsight Analysis - Haha, nope. Although I'll admit that Kevin Love was an absolute inspiration this season (he had a 30-30 game, for God's sake) and was responsible for the Timberwolves not being the worst team in the history of time, 17 wins is not even close to "over 30," gang. 

#2. Jason Thompson - "Being a young team won't be an excuse anymore." 

In-Depth Hindsight Analysis - I have not bothered to follow the Kings closely enough to know if any players or coaches broke out the "We're a young team" line. Also, this quote was kind of lame anyway. Sorry I wasted your time. 

#3. Morris Peterson - "I think we have a real shot at a championship." 

In-Depth Hindsight Analysis - Looks like a pretty good call by Mo Pete. The Thunder are real contenders for the championship (4th in the West with a record of 55-27). Sadly, Mo Pete is now a member of the Charlotte Bobcats after the deadline deals that helped bring Kendrick Perkins and Nazr Mohammed to the Thunder. 

#4. Kendrick Perkins - "When I come back I will be in my spot, everyone else will just have to adjust." 

In-Depth Hindsight Analysis - After getting back into the swing of things off the bench upon his return from his Finals knee injury and subsequent surgery, Perkins did indeed return to his starting job with the Celtics. Sadly, his return to the starting line-up was followed with another knee injury and a deadline move to Oklahoma City. Tears were shed as Perk left Boston, but he is indeed OKC's starting center. 

#5. Team Predictions! (there are a lot of these, obviously)

Zach Harper of CowbellKingdom (Sacramento Kings) - 37-45 

In-Depth Hindsight Analysis - There's certainly no shame in this prediction. High hopes for the young Kings were derailed by injury and dissension within the organization. I mean, the Kings probably aren't going to be in Sacramento anymore. Also, they aren't going to be the Kings. Weird. 

ForumBlueAndGold.com (Los Angeles Lakers) - 62-20

In-Depth Hindsight Analysis - Pretty solid pick, here. We knew the Lakers would be good and they didn't disappoint. 

Michael Schwartz of ValleyoftheSuns.com (Phoenix Suns) - Tenative 48-34

In-Depth Hingsight Analysis - Team bloggers are usually going to have a cheery outlook for their team. This pick was no different. The Suns were unable to replace Amar'e Stoudemire's lost production and Steve Nash and Grant Hill became tragic heroes, sort of.

CelticsHub.com (Boston Celtics) - 55-27

In-Depth Hindsight Analysis - This was almost spot-on! The Celtics finished up the regular season with 56 wins and 26 losses. No one, of course, could predict the Perkins deal that has landed Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic on the C's. And that's a pretty big deal, because Jeff Green isn't very good and Nenad is injured. 

Knickerblogger.net (New York Knicks) - Around .500. 

In-Depth Hindsight Analysis - Sure. Although I doubt people would have bet on the team being only 2 games over .500 in the win-loss column with Amar'e AND Carmelo AND Chauncey Billups on the squad. The team is still taking time to gel and we'll see how they do in the playoffs. 

NetsAreScorching.com (New Jersey Nets) - Not as bad as last year, thank God!

In-Depth Hindsight Analysis - Congratulations! The team did not have a historically awful year and was not the worst team in the league! Sadly, Brook Lopez forgot how to rebound while Avery Johnson yelled at everyone in sight while calling many rage-filled timeouts. The good news is that you have Deron Williams. More bad news is that he's probably a rental. 

BrewHoop.com (Milwaukee Bucks) - 50-32

In-Depth Hindsight Analysis - How does 12 games below .500 and out of the playoffs sound, rather? The Bucks signed/retained (for way too much money, generally) the services of several players that were meant to improve their laughable offense of last season while maintaining their defensive identity. Unfortunately, Andrew Bogut never recovered from his horrific arm injury and the Bucks were the most injured team in the NBA this season. Better luck next time, and enjoy that Drew Gooden contract. 

BlogABull.com (Chicago Bulls) - 48-34

In-Depth Hindsight Analysis - The Bulls were the big winners this year (as if you didn't know). The team that everyone underrated. New head coach (and likely Coach of the Year) Tom Thibodeau brought in his defensive brand, the team bought in and now holds the best record going into the playoffs. Derrick Rose is the likely MVP. Joakim Noah is delightful. Keith Bogans is the starting shooting guard on this team. Kurt Thomas comes off the bench. Perfect storm of wonderful and crazy.

FearTheSword.com (Cleveland Cavaliers) - Hopelessly awful. 

In-Depth Hindsight Analysis - Yep. Sorry. 

More Cavs predictions! - Mavs broadcaster Bob Ortegel, earlier this season, on the Cavs - "I think they're gonna be better than people expect. I think they can make a run at the playoffs." Fortune did not favor this bold prediction, in case you didn't hear about the Cavs being the 2nd worst team in the league this season, by record. 

Jon Barry - "There is still a basketball team in Cleveland, and they will meet the Heat in the 1st round of the NBA playoffs as an 8th seed." Stop that, Jon Barry. 

IndyCornrows.com (Indiana Pacers) - 36-46

In-Depth Hingsight Analysis - Pretty spot-on. The team had a very solid run at the beginning of the season before Roy Hibbert's play dropped off and the team as a whole began to struggle so much that head coach Jim O'Brien was released. The immortal Jeff Foster is at least back in the playoffs, although a likely sweep awaits the Pacers in the 1st round against the Bulls. 

DetroitBadBoys.com (Detroit Pistons) - 35-47

In-Depth Hindsight Analysis - Detroit came up slightly short of this prediction, although the team felt much worse than they were. The veterans on the team clashed with head coach John Kuester, Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva are still really bad and overpaid and Richard Hamilton is untradeable. Things aren't great in the Motor City. 

SLCDUnk.com (Utah Jazz) - 53-29

In-Depth Hindsight Analysis - Okay, that wasn't a bad guess, but now assume that your legendary head coach of 20 years resigns mid-season and you trade your best player. Better luck next year with your new, younger core. (Devin Harris! Derrick Favors!)

RoundballlMiningCompany.com (Denver Nuggets) - 40-42

In-Depth Hindsight Analysis - Everything was going exactly as expected for this team - The team was distracted by Carmelo Anthony trade rumors while Melo tried to shrug off the media. The day of the trade that sent Melo to New York, the Nuggets sat at 33-25 (8 games over .500. Math). But wait! After playing the 2nd half of the season with a new core based around new-starter Ty Lawson, trade acquisition Wilson Chandler and old standard Nene, the Nuggets enter the playoffs with a record of 50 wins to 32 losses. 18 games over .500 from 8 before the Melo trade.

WelcomeToLoudCity.com (Oklahoma City Thunder) - 53-29

In-Depth Hindsight Analysis - The Thunder were expected to improve as their young core grew together this season, and they did. While allowing the core to make that natural progression, GM Sam Presti brought in veteran centers Kendrick Perkins and Nazr Mohammed in an attempt to reacquire the team's defensive mindset from last season. At the same time Nenad Krstic and Jeff Green, both serviceable offensive players but no defensive stalwarts, were shipped to Boston. 

WolfAmongWolves.net (Minnesota Timberwolves) - 21-61

In-Depth Hindsight Analysis - The team was bad while Kevin Love and Michael Beasley made them watchable. Ricky Rubio is not coming. That just about covers it. 

BlazersEdge.com (Portland Trailblazers) - No specific numbers, but "a playoff team". 

In-Depth Hindsight Analysis - Brandon Roy's knees are being slowly eaten away by whatever is in the water in Portland and Greg Oden isn't running yet, but the Blazers are a playoff team. With the acquisition of Gerald Wallace (on the cheap, even) and a strong season from Wesley Matthews and LaMarcus Aldridge, the Blazers have a good shot at the 2nd round and perhaps even beyond. 

RufusOnFire.com (Charlotte Bobcats) - No record, but "the playoffs seem distant." 

In-Depth Hindsight Analysis - DJ Augustin proved to be a capable starting point guard, Tyrus Thomas had a solid season (when healthy) and Kwame Brown became an actual NBA basketball player under the tutelage of John Silas (taking over for Larry Brown mid-season) and assistant Charles Oakley. On the negative side, the franchise's all-time best player (Gerald Wallace) was traded for scraps. The rebuild is on. 

PeachTreeHoops.com (Atlanta Hawks) - 50-32

In-Depth Hindsight Analysis - The Hawks were the Hawks. They got beaten when you didn't expect it, won when you thought they were going to lay down, and were blown out many, many times. Yet Atlanta still managed to win 44 games while ditching Mike Bibby and finally getting Jeff Teague some minutes. All in all, not a great season. 

MagicBasketball.net (Orlando Magic) - 60-22

In-Depth Hindsight Analysis - The Magic fell 8 wins short of the 60 win mark and ditched Marcin Gortat and Vince Carter to get Hedo Turkoglu back. I have no idea what's going to happen with this team, but Dwight Howard is still great, so there's that. 

PeninsulaIsMightier.com (Miami Heat) - 67-15

In-Depth Hindsight Analysis - The Heat were a pretty popular pick to take the #1 seed overall and win 65+ games, but they fell short. The Big 3 took a while to figure chemistry issues out and dropped some very winnable games over the course of the season. Despite just missing the 60-win mark, the Heat are a playoff favorite and excellent team. What else did you expect? 

TruthAboutIt.net (Washington Wizards) - No consensus. 

In-Depth Hindsight Analysis - The Wizards were the 5th worst team in the Association, but there's at least some hope. John Wall was good while having the usual rookie PG struggles (turnovers, defense). JaVale McGee continues to be confounding and hilarious and exhilarating all at once. Andray Blatche's defense was an easy target for lazy bloggers such as myself. Things could have been worse. 

Thanks for reading, if you made it this far! 

Since I began writing for Talkhoops.net, I’ve always wanted to find a way to pay homage to George Carlin in one of my posts. Now, I realize we’re talking about a man who once suggested that the NBA would be more interesting if the league incorporated ideas such as “a two-second shot clock, a gasoline fire at half court, and 25-points for baskets made off of another players head,” but nonetheless, the man was a genius. Up until now, I could never find a way to tie my all-time favorite comedian to the Association, but I think I’ve figured it out…see if you can stick with me here, folks. One of the things Carlin liked to do in his shows was complain. “It’s kind of a motif for me…and of course, this weird culture we live in leaves you no shortage of things to complain about.” So this post will be fairly simple, it’s just a list of recent NBA-related subjects that piss me off.

Chicago fans crediting Derrick Rose for every single Bulls victory.

Disclaimer: I’m a Chicagoan, ‘till Chicago ends, ‘till we blow like Chicago wind. That said, I absolutely love what Rose brings to the table each and every night. However, let’s not be so crazy as to think he’s winning these games by himself…which is the impression you’d get if you check out any generic Facebook or Twitter status after any Bulls win.  Yes, Rose has been fantastic this season. However, the Bulls have been winning games as a team, not as a superstar-ran group of players. Here’s my breakdown of who’s responsible for Chicago’s outstanding season thus far:

Rose: 25% of their success…coincidentally, my quick estimate comes out to be right around D-Rose’s Win Shares / Chicago’s wins…weird, right?

Deng: 15%...he can ball, why doesn't anyone listen. 

Noah’s Hair: 13%

Booz: 12%

Role/bench Players: 15%

Thibs and his incredible defensive schemes: 20%

Scalabrine: 10%...that's right, he gives them that extra 10% that puts them over the top. 

Again, Rose has been fantastic. I won’t argue you there. But for the love of God, please remember how important Deng, Noah, Booz, and most importantly, Coach Thibs have been to the Bulls success so far.

Using the “look at Cleveland’s season” argument as a way to validate Lebron’s MVP candidacy.

If I hear one more person say “Lebron should be the MVP, Cleveland went from first in the league to dead last once he left,” I will no longer be watching the NBA. Cleveland’s dreadful season has as much to do with Lebron’s MVP candidacy as the price of tea in China (my dad used that line against me in 2,425 arguments growing up…now it’s my turn). I don’t care how Cleveland is doing, Lebron took his talents elsewhere. So while he is having a great season in Miami, let’s not try and validate his year by comparing Cleveland’s records with and without Lebron…spare me.

John Wall’s incredible rookie season being completely overshadowed by that dude who dunks on everyone.

By now, I think I understand what’s going on. I had been picking up on all of the clues, and then DIME magazine made it obvious when they released a cover with a headline, “BLAKE GRIFFIN: He will find you, and he will dunk on you.” That’s when everything came full-circle for me. That Griffin dude is good. He can ball. He will win Rookie of the Year in a landslide. I understand, and accept all of that.

However, in the process of learning how good Blake is, I think the casual fan is forgetting just how special John Wall is. Now admittedly, I really only like Wall because Troop 41’s song about the J. Wall dance is insanely catchy. However, I’m not so oblivious to look past how great of a season the kid who invented the simplest dance move of all-time is having. Think about this for a second:

• He’s on pace to be just the fifth rookie to average over 15 points and 8 assists per game.

• He’s approaching 9 assists per game…on the Wizards. We could probably prorate that to about 11 assists per game if we put him on a real NBA team. Sorry, Wizards fans.

• He’s shown flashes of outstanding defensive ability, and is swiping about 1.6 steal per game.

• He can do “the John Wall,” wherever he goes.

The Knicks on schedule to be the toughest 6-seed in NBA history…unless the Heat draw the third seed, then it’s all fun and games.

This grievance still has a TBD sign next to it. Like the title says, if Miami draws the third seed, that series against New York in the first round will be all types of epic. However, if someone such as Chicago, Orlando, or even Boston finds their way into that third seed; well, they just don’t deserve a matchup with the Knickerbockers in round one. Picture this scenario: you work hard everyday of the season, go out and win 55+ games, and land the third seed in a packed top-tier of the Eastern Conference. For all that hard work, you’re rewarded by having to figure out how to contain Amare and Carmelo for a 7 game series. Just. Not. Fair.

Anyone who called Mike Bibby “the final piece,” for Miami.

Put simply, if you or anyone you know made this claim (and I do know people who still believe he was the missing piece), stop watching the NBA immediately. You’re better off coloring, trust me.

Fans who constantly confuse the role that defense plays in an NBA game.

Figure this one out: In the past week, I’ve heard fans complain about how there is “no defense being played in the NBA,” which is why they watch college instead. Or, how “defense wins championships in the association…always has, always will.” Then these same people turn right around, and are willing to pronounce Derrick Rose as the best point guard in the NBA, or remind us that players such as Chris Bosh, Monta Ellis, Carmelo Anthony, and Amare Stoudemire are incredible all-around players, and not just scorers.

Make up your mind people. You either believe defense is an essential part of the game, or you don’t. Actually, I’ll rephrase. You either know what matters in the NBA, or you’re ignorant. Sorry, it’s just the way it is.

Crying in an NBA locker room.

I agree with the Zen Master on this one…"This is the NBA: No Boys Allowed," Phil Jackson said. "Big boys don't cry. But, if you're going to do it, do it in the toilet where no one can see.” Grow up, Heatles.

ESPN trusting Zach Harper’s opinion over mine for the nightly DDL…ridiculous choice.

This one is self-explanatory…Harper? Really? 

This is where the concluding paragraph is supposed to go, but I've made myself too upset to think of anything clever to insert here. As Chappelle would say in the Player Haters Ball, "Hate, hate, hate, hate." That is all.

Just about every team has now reached the halfway point in their season, and right on cue, the unwarranted MVP chatter has begun. Personally, I’ve never been the biggest fan of discussing who should win a season-end award when about half of the games remain…although; I’ve also never had a problem giving my two cents if the masses are chirping.

Admittedly, I had about 1000 or so words after that introduction, in which I basically interpreted what I felt the “V” from MVP should mean. After I finished, I realized that I was basically saying the same thing every other blogger, analyst, and casual fan has been ranting about for the last month or so. The original piece ended with me acknowledging that Derrick Rose has been spectacular, and that teams like the Heat, Lakers, Thunder, and Spurs don’t even have a clear-cut team MVP, let alone a frontrunner for the league’s award.

And then something happened…I had an epiphany of sorts, and realized that analyst and fans alike, have been talking about Rose, Durant, Kobe, and LeBron nonstop for the past century or so. We get it…those guys are good. But, what about those players who come to work everyday, and just help their respective teams win games? You know, the guys who no one is talking about…

NBA.com had a piece this week that made a compelling argument for including an Offensive Player of the Year award at seasons end. It got me thinking, what else is missing from those prestigious ends of the year hardware? We give out the MVP to the best #1 option in the league, and the Sixth Man of the year to the best 6^th option in the league. What happened to the guy who was the best 2^nd option? Or the best third go-to-guy on a team, and so on? So for a moment, let’s forget about the Wade’s, Carmelo’s, and Howard’s. Instead, let’s acknowledge three guys who’ve played their roles exceptionally well this year, and helped their respective teams win ball games.

Disclaimer: The following criteria was required to make the list:

1. You must be on a winning team…apologies to Calderon, Marc Gasol, and Dorrell Wright.
2. You cannot be the 1^st or 2^nd option on your team…Sorry, Boozer, Felton, and David West.
3. If you’re a third option, it cannot be as part of a so-called “big three.” Nice try, Bosh, Parker, Allen, and even Odom. Remember, I make the rules.
4. Your WS48 must be above .100, as proof that you’ve contributed more wins to your team than the league’s average player. I’ll be honest; Stephen Jackson wasn’t going to make the list even if he was as productive as the league’s average player.
5. You must be playing at least 25 minutes per game, because you can’t make any of my lists if you’re playing half of the game or less. Yell at your coach, not me; Ryan Anderson, Ty Lawson, and Ronnie Brewer.

Loul Deng, Chicago Bulls

I’ll start with Deng, because I’m not even sure Bulls fans realize how important he is to their team. Analysts everywhere have been quick to point out that Derrick Rose has the Bulls near the top of the East, without Noah or Boozer for most of the season. It shocks me that the next sentence in those articles isn’t, “but he has had Deng there to help do the dirty work.” On paper, Loul is the Bulls 4^th best player. Yet, you could argue that he’s been the 2^nd most important player this season…even in games where Noah and Boozer have been healthy.  He’s putting up about 18 ppg, and 6 rpg, while carrying a TS% of around 54%. Forget the statistics for a second though, here’s the main reason Deng makes my list: With Boozer and Noah out, Deng has stepped in as the 2^nd option. When Rose has struggled with his shot, Deng has taken over the scoring load. And when the Bulls have tired legs on the second night of back-to-backs, Deng provides constant hustle for his team leading 39 minutes per game. Thibs said it best, this guy is “indispensible” for a team that’s 20 games over .500.

Serge Ibaka, OKC Thunder

Who’s been the Thunder’s best player this year? Durant or Westbrook? Well, if we were to use offensive and defensive ratings, it’d be neither. Ibaka leads the entire Thunder team in both, while posting a WS48 of .166, which barely trails Durant for the team lead in that category. The 21 year old is blocking 2 shots a game, while providing OKC with a respectable big man. His offensive game is still raw, but he’s been incredibly efficient for the 1^st place Thunder. His TS% is above 60%, and he’s chipping in about 10 ppg for a scary OKC Thunder team.

Tyson Chandler, Dallas Mavericks

Next time you’re with a buddy, who thinks he or she knows the NBA well, try this on for size. Ask them to guess which player you’re describing.

1. Leads the NBA in offensive rating by 8 points per 100 possessions over the second place guy.
2. Is 2^nd in the NBA in Win Shares per 48 minutes, behind only Chris Paul.
3. Is 6^th in the league in Total Rebound %, trailing guys like Love, Howard, and Griffin.
4. Leads the league in True Shooting %, at around 74%.
5. Anchors the defense of a 30-win team.

Now you wait, and see how long it takes them to guess that it’s Chandler. Tyson has been spectacular for the Mavs this season, and is playing the most efficient and productive ball of his career. He’s complimenting Dirk very well on defense, and giving Kidd a nice target for easy assists on the offensive end.

None of the guys listed will win an award this season. They just won’t. However, all three of their respective teams know just how important they are to winning games. So while Rose, Durant, and Dirk may be receiving most of the credit for great first half records, it’s important to remember the role players contributions night-in and night-out.