Honestly, as a NBA fan, it feels like Christmas has come early. Just think: one year ago, we were still waiting for the start of the NBA season. Now? We've already had seven weeks of NBA games to enjoy. This week alone we've gotten the returns of Ricky Rubio and Kyrie Irving, game-winners from both rookie Damian Lillard and the Brooklyn Nets' Joe Johnson and one more burst of Linsanity. Let's face it, we're already blessed and we haven't even seen what the NBA has gotten us for Christmas yet.
Kyrie Irving and Ricky Rubio returned
The 2012-13 NBA season began with the top two vote-recievers in last season's NBA Rookie of the Year results sitting on the sidelines. Rookie of the Year runner-up Ricky Rubio of the Minnesota Timberwolves was recovering from knee surgery, as the borderline playoff contenders were trying to stay afloat without him and forward Kevin Love. The situation in Cleveland was even more dire as the Cavaliers stumbled to the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings without unanimous Rookie of the Year winner Kyrie Irving.
Luckily for Irving, he was allowed to ease back into Cleveland's lineup by making his season debut against some struggling sub-.500 team from California. The player saved his best game for Saturday, when a masked Irving, perhaps advertising the upcoming "Lone Ranger" movie, scored a career high 41 points against the New York Knicks. The Knicks won 103-102, but Irving's superhero role-playing and the close game against one of the best teams in the East suggests that the rest of the Cavs' season will be a lot more enjoyable than the beginning.
Rubio's return to the Minnesota Timberwolves was also successful as Rubio made 9 assists, scored 8 points and made 3 steals in 18 minutes off the bench in what ended up being a win over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night. Rubio, limited by minutes, could only watch from the bench during overtime as the Timberwolves defeated the Mavericks - who are also waiting on something of a key player - 114-106. His second game against the Orlando Magic wasn't as memorable, the Magic snapped Minnesota's four game winning streak and Rubio scored no points and four assists in 16 minutes, but, win or lose, Rubio's mere presence alongside Love makes T-Wolves games must-watch events again, even if he will be a role player for the time being.
2012-13's Rookie of the Year battle is heating up already
Speaking of Rookie of the Year, there's signs that there is already a great battle brewing this season. First, let us get this out of the way: It's mid-December and way too early to be discussing who will be the 2012-13 season's Rookie of the Year. It's just a ridiculous thing to do. Now that we've firmly established that, let's discuss who will be the 2012-13 season's Rookie of the Year.
Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Hornets was supposed to be the runaway favorite for the honor, but as the Hornets have struggled early a new contender has emerged: Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers. On Thursday night, Lillard led the Trail Blazers over the San Antonio Spurs on national television, scoring 29 points in the process. Sunday night, Lillard added a game-winner to his week's accomplishments, hitting a three-pointer to defeat, who else, the New Orleans Hornets 95-94.
Davis, of course, has the leg up on Lillard in the recognition department, having won the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament with the University of Kentucky, been the number one draft pick and played on the Men's Olympic Basketball team in the London Olympics. More than anything else, Davis has the Iconic Trademarked Unibrow. Our modest proposal? Lillard should find his own personal trademark, there's an endless number of possibilities including growing out one really long fingernail, getting a mohawk or establishing himself as Davis's natural rival by shaving off his eyebrows entirely. Whatever he does, he should make sure to trademark it.
The Joe Johnson trade is working outs for both teams
In the offseason, the Atlanta Hawks were applauded for trading away their best player. The Hawks traded Joe Johnson who had been productive but not dominant after signing a six-year, $119 million dollar contract in 2010, to the Brooklyn Nets for Jordan Farmar, Johan Petro, Anthony Morrow, DeShawn Stevenson, Jordan Williams and a draft pick. For the most part, Hawks fans expected their team to take a slight step back, but approved the move as it cleared up the team's financial future without dropping the Hawks into that dreaded purgatory between playoff teams and lottery teams. So far, the Hawks have been a tad more successful than that without Johnson, compiling a 15-7 record, good for third place in the Eastern Conference standings.
After getting out of the Dwight Howard sweepstakes, the Nets were looking for a big splash as they transitioned from New Jersey to Brooklyn. The Nets were willing to make the financial commitment in exchange for having a premiere player to act as a number two option alongside Deron Williams. Joe Johnson's biggest moment so far for the franchise happened during Friday night's 107-105 win over the Detroit Pistons, when he hit a buzzer-beating game winning jumper (complete with a "Seinfeld" reference from the announcers) that finally allowed an exhausted Nets to leave the floor after two overtimes. It wasn't the prettiest of victories, the Nets had lost a 17 point lead, but it was one of those wins that can help a team discover its identity. The Nets, who are dealing with a struggling Williams while adjusting to the return of center Brook Lopez (sorry everybody who had Andrew Bynum playing before Lopez in the 2012-13 season) could use a few more big moments from their big-money second banana.
Not everyone enjoys the NBA on Christmas
Yes we all know about Santa Claus, gift giving and tacky decorations, but it's time to talk about the true meaning of Christmas: Jesus. Jesus Shuttlesworth. Yes, the NBA is again gifting us a full day's worth of basketball action, and, yes, Ray Allen will most likely again be on the floor (the Miami Heat will be playing the Oklahoma City Thunder, a matchup that sounds vaguely familiar). Although this year's December 25th won't be as merry as last year's, when Christmas doubled as Opening Day for the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season, the NBA still has a great slate of games scheduled.
Now, not everyone is a fan of the NBA playing games on Christmas, whether out of genuine concern for NBA players and stadium workers or just because it's fun to rag on things that most people enjoy. Sometimes, however, this criticism borders on character assassination. As Deadspin pointed out on Sunday, the most troubling criticism came from the San Francisco Chronicle's Bruce Jenkins who had this to say about NBA's Christmas Day games:
One of the most distasteful aspects of commissioner David Stern's legacy - ruining Christmas for far too many people - comes into play again this year with five televised games scheduled. "It used to be two teams," retired coach Phil Jackson said. "But I don't think anybody should play on Christmas Day. Your little kids are putting batteries in their new toys, all kinds of family stuff going on, and now you're supposed to get focused on a game in the middle of the afternoon?"
Jackson is among many observers who point out the obvious: that Stern, who celebrates Hanukkah, has no real feel for Christmas in the first place.
So there you go, David Stern is ruining Christmas because he's Jewish. Jenkins apologized on Monday for a column that sounded too close to antisemitism for many: "That statement is just plain wrong, not to mention arrogant, and I apologize for it. I should not have brought up the subject of Stern's religion."
What exactly is the problem with NBA games on Christmas? As far as holiday sports traditions, this writer thinks it's second only to NFL on Thanksgiving (and, as a bonus, the Detroit Lions are never involved). In a day where nearly everything in town shuts down and there's a dearth of viable entertainment options, the NBA is there for hardcore sports fans, those detoxing from nonstop holiday specials or simply casual fans looking for an excuse to escape from their families for a few hours. Thanks in advance to everyone who spends their Christmas Day making sure these games are played.
Other things we've learned this week
? Jeremy Lin was born to play in Madison Square Garden it seems. Linsanity briefly returned to New York on Monday night as the point guard, who had struggled for much of his time since signing with Houston in the offseason, helped lead the Rockets to a 109-96 win against the Knicks. Jeremy Lin accepted the cheers from his former fans and then went on to score 22 points and 8 assists in the victory over the Carmelo Anthony-less Knicks. It was the Knicks' second loss to the Rockets and their first home loss of the season. If only there was some way that Jeremy Lin could play like, I dunno, half of his games there at the Garden.
? The Year In JaVale McGee
? In the Western Conference this week: The Oklahoma City Thunder are on a 11 game win streak, the Los Angeles Clippers are on a 10 game win streak, but the most fun story might be that the surprising Golden State Warriors are on a tear, recently ending a 6-1 road trip with a 115-93 win over the Atlanta Hawks.
? News from every "5 Things": Steve Nash says he's getting ready to return to the Lakers, who desperately need his help.
? Avery Bradley Department: My Guy is returning to practice with the Boston Celtics. They need him almost as much as the Lakers need Steve Nash. So, yeah, all Avery has to do in his third year in the pros is have as much impact as a two-time MVP when he makes his returns from injury. No pressure there.
? If you really need even more NBA in your Christmas, you should check out the Basketball Jones's A Very NBA Christmas.
? The most heartbreaking moment of the young season occurred when Houston visited Boston, allowing Rockets coach Kevin McHale and Celtics forward Kevin Garnett to share a personal moment. McHale and Garnett have a long history. As the GM of the Minnesota Timberwolves, McHale drafted Garnett, saw him become the franchise's best player and then traded him to the Boston Celtics partly so he could get a chance to win his first ring. McHale just recently returned to his coaching duties following the sudden passing of his 23 year old daughter, and Garnett gave him a hug as time expired. It was a heartbreaking human moment that acted as just one more reminder, in a week full of them, of how little sports means in the face of tragedy.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2012/dec/19/ricky-rubio-kyrie-irving-christmas-games
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