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Thursday, March 7 In time, Chaney should turn around Knicks ESPN.com |
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What's the first thing you notice when you see ESPN's Fred Carter on NBA 2Night or SportsCenter? Of course, he points at you. It's his way of saying hello. So we've asked NBA expert Fred to greet us and make some points for ESPN.com each week. Enjoy.
1. Is Don Chaney the best coach to turn around the Knicks? Chaney needed an opportunity to put his stamp on the team going through training camp and the rigors of teaching and preparing the team. He has his finger on the pulse of the Knicks and knows what they need. He knows the style of play that should be implemented in New York. Given time, Chaney should be able to do an outstanding job.
2. The Warriors blamed last season on injuries. Now that they're healthy, why can't they win? For the Warriors to win, they need to be unselfish on both ends of the floor. They are just going through the motions of playing basketball without paying attention to the finer details of the game. Until they can get a coach who can guide them to play a team game, the Warriors are a ship sailing in uncharted waters.
3. Can the Wizards keep a playoff spot warm until Michael Jordan gets back? Meanwhile, I'm not so sure Jordan will ever get into the same physical condition. So it's going to be difficult for the Wizards when he comes back. They need to somehow hold on, win some games, keep everyone healthy and give Jordan a chance to get back into shape in order to make a good playoff run.
4. How high can Pat Riley's rejuvenated Heat rise in the East race? The Heat has veteran players who now understand their roles and how to play together. Before, they seemed to be playing for survival, trying to get another contract. Give Riley a lot of credit. He didn't shelve the team. He could have just said, "We'll be a lottery team. I'll rebuild the team and go from there." Instead, he kept the faith in his players, and they kept their faith in him. Riley would probably say this year has been his biggest coaching challenge. And he may be having more fun coaching this year. The Heat have won four straight and are getting closer and closer. They will play seven of their final 10 games at home. I give the Heat a better chance now of making the playoffs. In fact, Riley and Portland's Maurice Cheeks have become Coach of the Year candidates because their teams have made big turnarounds.
5. Will the Clippers sneak into the West's eighth seed, or is it "wait 'til next year" for them? However, being in a playoff race has given Gentry's young team good experience. At the end of the season, Gentry can let them know what they accomplished and what the expectations will be next year. I see them becoming a playoff team next year because some teams are getting older and should fall out of the race. |
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