With the regular season winding down, pundits across the nation are submitting their ballots for all the important postseason awards. However, since I already gave away my MVP vote two weeks ago, and my colleague Marty Burns filled in the blanks on the other categories last week, it seems redundant to launch into that.
So, in its stead, I've come up with something far more inflammatory: The All-Overrated Team for 2003. This consists of players, coaches, announcers, and other assorted NBA types who, for reasons that may not even be their fault, got far more hype than they deserve this season:
Most Overrated Guarantee: Atlanta Hawks
OK, that was low-hanging fruit, but I figured I'd start with something we can all agree on before I got to the controversial stuff.
Most Overrated All-Star: Antoine Walker
He's a great passer and a tough defender, and a deadly force in transition. But between all the bricks and all the turnovers, he's also an unrivaled empty-trip machine. Walker ran out of gas in the second half and his numbers crashed, but even before that it was a sad commentary on the Eastern Conference that a guy who gets 20 points on 39 percent shooting was selected as one of its 12 best players.
Most Overrated Free Agent-To-Be: Michael Olowokandi
It's been suggested all year that somebody might want to give him a maximum contract this summer. You can't be serious. The guy had one good month against a bunch of bad teams in March 2002 and still wants to get paid like a perennial All-Star for it, despite doing nothing up to that point and snoozing through 12 months since. In addition to his usual indifferent defense, he shot a career-low 42.7 percent in 2002-03, and nearly led the team at 2.7 turnovers a game despite ranking just fifth in scoring. Basically, he's Joe Barry Carroll without the offense.
Most Overrated Announcer: Bill Walton
Sunday's Blazers-Lakers game was a typical effort; if you weren't watching the score you would have thought L.A. was up by 25 from the way Walton was gushing about the Lakers. I can't wait to hear him cheer on his favorite team through the playoffs. Seriously, can anyone figure out how, with a nation of 250 million people to choose from, they ended up with this guy as the lead analyst on national telecasts?
Most Overrated Coach: Rudy Tomjanovich
Tomjanovich just took a leave from the team in order to battle bladder cancer, so you might think I'm a horrible person for saying this, but the cruel truth is that no team was out to lunch on more nights this year than the Rockets, and that was the main reason a team with Steve Francis and Yao Ming goes into the final week needing to play well just to stay above .500. The press has given Rudy a free pass since he won back-to-back titles in the mid-90s, but his unique strategy of freezing out the 7-foot-5 guy is one of many reasons to think his work has slipped since then.
Most Overrated MVP Vote: Jason Kidd in 2002 When the results come in for 2003, think about this: Kidd had a better year in nearly every category than he did in 2001-02, and may again get the top seed in the East for the Nets even though his team traded two starters for the remnants of Dikembe Mutombo. In other words, there is absolutely no question that he was a more valuable player this year than he was a year ago, and yet, because he isn't The Big Story anymore, he's not going to be within shouting distance of the top after finishing a close second in 2002. Am I the only one who finds this troubling?
Most Overrated Rising Star: Darius Miles
Here's an idea: Can we hold off on putting the guy on magazine covers until he gets his scoring average in double figures? Would that be too hard? Miles has been hurt by knee problems and the lack of competent coaching by the Clippers and Cavs, but he's also victimized himself by practicing the fists-to-head move after his rare baskets more than he practices his dreadful jump shot. He was a better player three years ago.
Most Overrated Healthy Coach: Doug Collins
All the focus on Michael Jordan and Kwame Brown took the focus off Collins' daily juggling act with the lineup and his near-total mistrust of any player under the age of 30. Playing Kwame Brown didn't cost them the playoffs; but giving so many minutes to veteran dead wood like Bryon Russell and Charles Oakley might have.
Most Overrated Defender: Gary Payton
A subtle word of advice for the electorate: Stop voting Payton for the All-Defense team. Please. Well, I can always hope that the fact that his arrival in Milwaukee didn't improve their defense one bit will give the voters some ideas. Payton is tough and physical but can't stay in front of quick guards anymore, and the last two years his reputation has earned him completely undeserved All-Defense selections at the expense of guys like Eric Snow.
Most Overrated MVP Candidate: Ben Wallace
Look, I love the guy's defense too, but offensively he makes his team play 4-on-5 every night, so it's a bit rich to suggest that he deserves MVP. Besides, if his team was in the West and heading into the postseason as the No. 6 or No. 7 seed, nobody would care what he's done. Just ask Utah.
Most Overrated Trendy Finals Pick: New Orleans
Can anyone figure out why such an ordinary team keeps getting props as a contender? Thankfully, this will be put to rest in 2004 when Charlotte enters the league and kicks the Hornets to the West, but given their lack of a superstar, paper-thin bench and injury-prone key players, it's amazing this team is even in the playoffs, much less marching through them.
The final countdown
Michael Jordan's Wizards were officially eliminated from the playoffs this weekend, and that means Monday and Wednesday will be his last games as a pro... we think. His Airness can take solace in the fact that no 40-year old has ever had a year anywhere near as productive as his 2002-03 campaign.
We got next ... maybe
With no agreement between the league and players, the WNBA's upcoming season is in jeopardy. NBA commissioner David Stern said he would cancel the season if a new agreement wasn't in place by Friday. There's no truth to the rumor that Stern can't devote attention to the WNBA after that date because he'll be too busy rigging the draft lottery.
Lakers road show
The three-time champions are almost certain to have to run the gamut of three straight series on the road in order to defend their title after losing at Portland on Sunday. A win by Minnesota in Memphis on Monday will clinch the No. 4 seed for the T'wolves and force the Lakers to travel as the opening round begins this weekend.
SWISH: Shawn Marion
In guiding the Suns to a 4-0 week that clinched a surprise playoff berth, Marion averaged 26.5 points and 9.3 rebounds and shot 55 percent from the floor. Perhaps most amazing, the Matrix also swiped 15 steals in just four games.
BRICK: Houston Rockets
The Rockets built themselves a seat at the lottery made entirely from brick. In a special double-dip, they set a franchise record by shooting 29.5 percent and scoring just 66 points against Portland on Tuesday, and then needed a garbage-time rally to avoid breaking the mark the next night in Utah.
SWISH: Toni Kukoc
Like Marion, Kukoc led his team to an unbeaten week that ended in a playoff berth. Kukoc averaged 22 points, six rebounds and five assists to get the Bucks into the postseason -- not bad numbers from a guy who barely played 30 minutes a night.
BRICK: David Wesley
The Hornets guard returned from an injury this week, but he's still showing the rust. The normally deadeye shooter made just one 3-pointer in three games, shooting 33 percent from the field and averaging 12 points per game.
SWISH: Chauncey Billups
The Pistons are much more than just Ben Wallace, as they proved in splitting four games with him out of the lineup. Billups scored eight points in the second overtime to beat Memphis on Sunday, on the heels of a 29-point effort against the Bulls on Friday. All told, he averaged 21 points, six rebounds and six assists to keep Detroit on track for the East's top seed.
BRICK: Bobby Jackson
His Sixth Man campaign didn't exactly finish with a flourish. Jackson shot 8-for-26 from the field in three games, averaged just 10 points, and had as many assists as turnovers. He'll need to be much better for the Kings to outlast the Western Conference field in the playoffs.
Wait until Saturday
Forget it. All the playoff spots are taken. There are no Marquee Matchups until the playoffs start on Saturday. Just hang out and get some pizza or something.
Detroit Pistons at Boston Celtics, Wednesday, 7 p.m. ET
OK, maybe there's still one or two important games left. The Pistons get a bye against Cleveland on Monday night, which means they should be playing for the top seed in the Eastern Conference in the Garden on Wednesday. For Boston's part, winning this game could mean the difference between facing Philadelphia as the No. 6 seed or the Nets as the No. 7.
Dallas Mavericks at San Antonio Spurs, Wednesday, 8:30 p.m. ET
Now that Phoenix derailed the Spurs Express on Sunday night, this game could be important. A Dallas win could still give the Mavericks the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, which would be especially important given the alternative: a possible first-round date with the Lakers.
This department brings you thoughts and comments from around the country. Here's what people are saying this week:
Repeat winner
The folks in Minnesota were so intrigued by whether Kevin Garnett would win the MVP that they called all the voters and tried to find out. Barring a Dewey-beats-Truman situation, it looks like Tim Duncan will edge out the T'wolves' meal ticket for the prize. What is perhaps more surprising is that almost nobody is voting for Tracy McGrady or Kobe Bryant. More.
Life of Riley
As the Heat continue to flounder, writers in South Florida are asking progressively tougher questions about Pat Riley's stewardship of the franchise. The title of this one says it all. More
Chaney's case
Here's something that it's safe to say nobody could have predicted at the start of the year: Somebody supporting the Knicks' Don Chaney for coach of the year. And yet, with New York nearly making the playoffs despite the loss of Antonio McDyess, he's worth considering. More
Will he or won't he?
As the Nets prepare to play their final regular-season home game, the big unanswered question is what Jason Kidd will do this offseason. He can opt out of his contract and get a big payday, and there's no guarantee he'll ink his new deal with the Nets. More
This is the part where we ask you, the reader, to stop waving that towel on the sidelines, pull off the warmups, get on the floor and take some shots. Each week we'll ask a question and post the best responses a week later.
Last week WAAG asked whether Michael Jordan's comeback was worth it. Most agreed that they were glad to see Air Jordan return for two more years, but many doubt whether it did much good for the Wizards:
Of course it did! How can you even ask such a question when MJ is the greatest player ever? Tyler Vanden Heuvel, Greenleaf, Wis.
Jordan delayed the young players learning process. The Wizards would be moving forward next year instead of going to back to being a terrible team. Jacob Fazekas, Jonesville, Mich.
NO! Putting Christian Laettner, Bryon Russell, and Charles Oakley on the court for a playoff run does not exactly "teach the new kids," as Jordan said he would by returning. Chris Lindy, Evansville, Ind.
It should have, but unfortunately Jordan's teammates lack the desire and drive he has. Nothing could have helped his pathetic teammates. Adriaan Tijsselin, Tsukuba, Japan
MJ sure helped stall a couple of rookie careers! Gregor Nagengast, Bamberg, Germany
All he did was worsen the Wizard's position in the lottery. Did he teach anything to his teammates? We must wait one year to find out. Alain Goll, Lille, France
Yes! Before Jordan the Wizards could not even win 30 games. With Jordan they are two games out of the playoffs. Jordan is the man! Scott DeVries, Fresno, Calif.
No way, because his success is measured on whether he makes the playoffs or not, and they won't. He also stunted the growth of the other players on his team by taking all their shots. Jason Rotzenberg, Milwaukee
Short term, to raise fan interest, yes. In terms of building a winner, though, no. He was a distracting presence and had unrealistic expectations. Edgar Tejada, Panama City, Panama
It helped in that it showed the younger players you need heart and talent to be a winner. Rich Sprinkle, Phoenix, Ariz.
John Hollinger covers the NBA for SI.com. "Week at a Glance" appears each Monday during the season.
