The Week at a Glance
Posted: Tuesday April 20, 1999 09:19 AM
The Games to Watch | Storylines
The Bandwagon |
All-NBA Watch |The Rookie Watch |
Ask the Glance
By Dan Shanoff, CNN/SI
Check back every week for "The NBA at a Glance."
At the playoffs surge, more of
what we know -- and what we don't
We know someone's head will roll if the Knicks don't make the
postseason. We don't know if Charlotte's Eddie Jones and Elden Campbell could be
any happier having escaped Los Angeles. We know we'd love to see
the Raptors in the playoffs. We don't know what the heck is wrong
with the Wizards. We know the sixth-, seventh- and eighth-seeded
teams in the East (Milwaukee, Philly, Cleveland) are holding on by the skin
of their teeth right now. We don't know how playoff-novice young
stars like Ray Allen
and Allen Iverson
will react to the late-season pressure. We know that the
Kings would love to bump the once-mighty Sonics from the West's playoff
field. We don't know if Golden State's P.J. Carlesimo should be our
coach of the year yet. We know Paul Westphal is going to be run
out of the Pacific Northwest if his Sonics do get bumped by Sacramento.
We don't know how the Grizzlies feel about being overtaken by
the Cellar-Dwellers Formerly Known As the Clippers. We know
these next two weeks will be intense. Watch for a flip-flop between the hot
Hornets and slumping Cavs in the East; keep an eye on Seattle, the "Wizards
of the West," who don't seem to want a playoff spot as bad as the hungry
Kings and Warriors.
| Games to Watch |
Spurs at Jazz
Tuesday, April 20, 8 p.m. ET (TNT)
Why you
should care: Western Conference heavyweight brawl
Matchup to
watch: Spurs PF Tim Duncan vs. Jazz PF
Karl Malone
|
Lakers
at Warriors
Tuesday, April 20, 10:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Why you
should care: Surprising Golden State is in playoff
contention
Matchup to watch: Lakers SG Kobe Bryant vs. Warriors
SG John Starks |
Raptors at Magic
Friday, April 23, 8 p.m. ET
(TNT)
Why you should care: Vince Carter, Vince Carter, Vince
Carter
Matchup to watch: Raptors C Kevin Willis vs. Magic C
Ike Austin | |
|
Storylines We'll Be Following |
As
the Worm Turns
Dennis Rodman's career as a Los Angeles Laker was short and
not particularly sweet. When he showed up, Rodman provided a spark and a
championship intensity that the rest of the team was sorely lacking.
When he showed up.... In the end, he provided a great example to
follow on the court -- and one to avoid off of it. Hopefully, prima
donnas-in-training like Kobe and Shaq were paying attention at how
not to act. Worm, we hardly knew ye. |
The race for home-court
advantage
In the East, Orlando holds a one-game lead over Miami and a
two-game lead over Indiana. The Magic didn't bolster their cause on Monday
night, dropping a 90-72 decision to the desperate Raptors, while the Heat
and the Pacers both won. With eight games to play, there's no room for
anything but winning. In the West, surging Utah has run past fatiguing
Portland to take a two-game lead for the conference's No. 1 playoff seed.
The Jazz has the best home record in the conference (18-1), but the Blazers
are right behind (18-2). Here's the prediction: whichever of those two
teams wins home-court advantage through the conference playoffs will go to
the Finals. | |
| The Bandwagon
|
| Allen Iverson |  | Had an
Answer for Barkley |
| Eddie Jones | | Only MJ
would make Charlotte sweeter |
| Toronto Raptors
| | Feel-good
team still in playoff hunt |
| Antoine Walker
|  | Now,
truly good for nothing |
| William Avery | | Ready for
NBA? Not even ready for UConn. | |
| All-NBA Watch
|
| In a short season, every game counts as
players vie for All-NBA Status. With no All-Star game, "All-NBA" takes on
greater meaning. Each week, we'll be handicapping the race for first-team
honors. |
| CNN/SI's Ongoing All-NBA:
Great Players, No Playoffs Edition |
Michael
Finley, Dallas
Antonio McDyess,
Denver
Keith Van Horn,
New Jersey
Chris Webber,
Sacramento
Shareef Abdur-Rahim,
Vancouver
| |
| The
Rookie Watch |
| Unexpected rookie
development adds intrigue to an already fascinating short season. Each
week, we'll put the spotlight on first-year players and see which lottery
picks were worth it, which weren't and which are emerging from the sleeper
ranks. |
| CNN/SI's Ongoing All-Rookie Team: |
G Jason Williams ,
Sacramento
G Mike Bibby ,
Vancouver
SF Vince Carter , Toronto
F Paul Pierce
, Boston
F Matt Harpring ,
Orlando
| |
Ask the Glance
Got a question or comment about the
NBA season? Send your mail to the Glance, and
each week we'll pick a few CNN/SI user responses and post 'em here.
CNN/SI NBA Week at a Glance is released weekly throughout the
season.
|
