Around the NBA: The favourites and the surprise packages
Every other week, the staff writers of Sports With Biers gather together and come up with questions regarding the NBA. We offer our opinions on trending league news and team performances.
Who is your favorite team to watch this year, besides your favorite team?
Kevin Durant has been in the form of his life since the injury to Russell Westrbrook
Parker Ainsworth (PA)
Favorite Team: Houston (If you think I’m a bandwagon fan, I’ll show you my Steve Francis and Tracy McGrady jerseys)
Favorite team to watch: OKC and KD. For no other reason than, as someone who loves Kevin Durant and has been watching him since I had season tickets to the ’06-07 Longhorns, I honestly feel like he has a chance to get 60 every time they tip off. KD has gone to another level this season. While Nike thought that KD was “not nice” a year ago, he now is showing that ruthlessness people used to say he lacked. He is the most unguardable player in the league. Disagree? Ask Atlanta, who sent three people to guard him with the game on the line and still went home with an L. As writer Bomani Jones tweeted, sending multiple guys at Kevin Durant is just sending over more people that can’t guard Kevin Durant.
Ryan Rodriguez (RR)
Favorite Team: Sacramento Kings
Favorite Team to watch: This question for me ties into the most surprising team, as I find the Phoenix Suns absolutely fascinating. I love watching KD and Steph (shooters are one of my kryptonites), but in terms of full team, I simply can’t get enough of the Suns. Good foreign player, check. Physical freak at point guard (when not injured), check. Shooters, shooters, and more shooters, check. Team exceeding expectations and young up-and-comers, check and check. Ever since Villanova dropped a four guard lineup during the 2005-2006 season, I have loved teams who get as many guards as possible on the court. When they turn this philosophy into a run and gun, 3-point shooting, 2-point guard lineup (think last years Knicks but without mid-range isolations thrown in), I end up in basketball heaven. It’s fun trying to figure out which Morris twin just drilled another mid-range jumper or where Channing Frye will splash down another 3. PJ Tucker’s reclamation project, Gerald Green’s dunks, and Goran Dragic’s craftiness make this team a must watch on League Pass. Now if only Eric Bledsoe could come back and continue his stellar play.
Viva La Suns. See you guys in the playoffs.
Josh Biers (JB)
Favorite Team: Los Angeles Lakers (unfortunately)
Favorite Team to watch: Indiana Pacers. Many people think the exact opposite, that watching a defensive-minded team is anything but exciting; that all it is, is battling for position and long, drawn out possessions. YOU’RE WRONG!
The Pacers are a defensive-minded team that has some of the most exciting players to watch in the league. To start off with, you have Paul George, an all-star forward who is one of the best in-game dunkers in the league. With dunks like this on the ‘Birdman’, or this dunk against the Clippers, how can he not be? Throw in deadly 3-point accuracy and the ability to get hot at any moment and you’ll realize George is a must-watch every night. To complement George is Lance Stephenson, a player I think to be the most dangerous dribbler and ball handler in the game. He’s quick with the ball and can make you fall at any time (Hi Courtney Lee). He has an explosive swagger that matches his play and you can’t help but love it. While those two are the most exciting players on the Pacers’ roster, my man crush on Roy Hibber (The Sheriff of the Paint) ensures that every swatted shot is an added bonus.
James Barnett (James)
The Spurs. Just because they’ve been doing it my entire life doesn’t mean I’m not fascinated anymore. Popovich is the best coach in the NBA, hands down. He keeps his key players’ minutes down (Parker 31.5, Duncan 29.3, Leonard 28.6) so they’ll be fresh enough come playoff time, but still manages to win consistently in the regular season. He can do it because he gets the absolute best out of his “role” players. Don Nelson only dreamed of Marco Belinelli scoring 11 PPG on 50% shooting. And even if you’re bored with the Spurs’ “they play like a team, they play the game the right way” narrative, it’s impossible to get tired of Popovich’s hilarious sideline interviews… like this one.