Spurs and Jazz face similar problems

Sports Illustrated senior writer Jack McCallum will answer your NBA questions every week during the season. Click here to send him a question.

What is happening to the Spurs? At the beginning of the season they seemed to be one of the best teams in the Western Conference, if not the best. Now, even though Tim Duncan is playing at an extremely high level, the rest of the squad seems unmotivated, especially David Robinson. Do you think Robinson's contract negotiations over the summer have soured his relationship with coach Gregg Poppovich? And does the departure of Avery Johnson have anything to do with Robinson's decline and the Spurs' current losing ways? Could a trade be in store? Maybe Robinson for Latrell Sprewell?
--Deejai, Los Angeles

To get to the salient question: I don't think they'll trade David. But he has declined. It hurts me to say that because I like him and I think he's a wonderful man. And both he and Popp are professional enough that any personal feelings won't affect Robinson's play too much. But as Duncan has climbed, David has gone down. Duncan shouldn't get away clean, though. As the best player on that team (and one of the best three in the game) he needs to amp up the emotion, be a leader, fire up the guys. Sometimes I think Terry Porter is the only Spur playing hard and he's 107 years old. Avery Johnson gave them that sparkplug aspect a team needs. San Antonio can't count on a 19 year old (Tony Parker) to do that, not from the point guard position.

The Jazz have been very up and down lately. When they have played poorly, coach Jerry Sloan has said the players didn't come to play. It bothers me to hear that pro athletes cannot get himself ready to do his job. I also thought that part of a coach's job is to motivate and get the best out of his players. What's your view on this? Do you think the Jazz will make any trades before the deadline? The rumor about trading Karl Malone keeps resurfacing.
--Wayne Baas, Sandy, Utah

The rumor keeps surfacing because Karl keeps floating it. Personally, I don't think it will happen this season. I don't think owner Larry Miller wants to make the obvious deal -- sending Malone to Dallas. Several members of the Jazz are still learning how to come to play every night. Remember that besides John Stockton and Karl Malone, this is a fairly young team that sometimes frustrates the veterans (particularly Stockton) with its here-one-minute-gone-the-next attitude. Utah has had some tough losses, but most of the time they compete. The Jazz will be around in May for sure, though how far into May is a legit question. A lot of teams, by the way, want Andrei Kirilenko. I think he's an untouchable.

Read your piece about the NBA's Western Conference being far superior to the Eastern Conference. I couldn't disagree more. Outside of the Lakers and Kings, the West isn't that great and I'm surprised that the media keeps perpetuating this myth. If you matched up the top eight teams in each conference, you'd have a virtual stalemate. The East still boasts a more physical style of play which does better in the playoffs. The East also has the best pure shooters in the game: Ray Allen, Reggie Miller and Paul Pierce. The West seems to be the superior conference because the Lakers are so good, but everyone else out there is overrated and soft.
--Andrew, New York

I couldn't disagree with you more. If you matched up the East and the West -- 1 against 1, 2 against 2, etc. -- I don't think the East would win a single matchup. Not one. More physical? More physical than Shaq? Are you calling Milwaukee -- probably the East's best team -- physical? (Albeit the Bucks are tougher now that they have Ray Allen back from injury.) Taking the Lakers out of the equation, can you picture any team (besides, maybe, maybe Milwaukee) winning the championship? I could picture at least four Western teams doing so. But I guess this is kind of a theoretical argument because we'll never really know.

I enjoyed your piece on the massive disparity between the two conferences, and it is sad to see that the true NBA "championship" will take place in the Western Conference playoffs. How did the West become so much more powerful than the East? Is there a logical reason or is it just luck? Does the West attract quality free agents (i.e. Shaq) due to the milder weather and quality of life? I've seen many stories on how much better the West is, but none have tried to explain the disparity.
--Zach Chouteau, Richmond, Calif.

I'm not sure there is an explanation, and if you look at the franchise that has done the best job of blowing itself up it would be Portland, which is in the West. One thing is certain: Throughout the long history of the league, Los Angeles (the Lakers, not the Clippers) has always done a good job of not only luring free agents but making deals to get players there. I think that's a major reason the Lakers are so good. But the rest? Somewhat inexplicable.

Who do you think matches up better with the Lakers: the Spurs or Kings?
--Ana, Los Angeles

Ana, unless the Spurs somehow change their psychological approach against the Lakers, they just ain't gonna beat them. I think the younger, running-and-gunning Kings have a much better chance.

The trade involving Jason Kidd and Stephon Marbury only brought positive results to the Nets while the Suns have struggled. When Marbury was in New Jersey, the Nets also struggled. Has Marbury's selfishness caused Phoenix's lackluster performance thus far?
--Francis H., Philippines

You want the short answer? Yes. Marbury is a point guard in size only; he and Penny Hardaway essentially play the same position, and that can be real rough on a team. I've been critical of that deal from the Suns' standpoint, but I will say that Phoenix, which has a lot of talent, is hanging in there and just might -- might -- make some noise during the playoffs.

How could you claim that the Milwaukee Bucks are no better than the Utah Jazz? Do people realize that the Bucks played all of their Western road games in the first third of the season, during which at least two of their big three players were out with injuries? Considering the Bucks are now healthy, playing almost exclusively against the East the rest of the way, and have developed a bench even deeper than last year's, is there any doubt that they will claim the top spot in the East and give any Western team a tough run in the playoffs? Please do not compare them to the old and helpless Jazz.
--Josh Redetzke, Minneapolis

OK, Josh, I promise not to make that comparison again. And I never said the Bucks may not be the class of the East. They probably are. I'm just saying that the East isn't nearly as good as the West, and that I couldn't imagine the Bucks going all the way. I've eaten words before, though.

I am a longtime Warriors fan (15 years of season tickets). It is amazing that our front office is completely inept. The team is now fully healthy and it makes no difference. The perception among my fellow season ticket holders is that owner Chris Cohan is competent and willing to spend money, but the front office is doing a terrible job. Is this perception of Cohan correct? Also, what are the Warriors' chances of getting Jeff Van Gundy to coach?
--Tanaji, San Francisco

The saddest thing about the perception of Cohan, which is probably accurate, is that no one cares. The Bay Area seems to be the place where everyone wants to live but no one wants to play basketball. There is precious little talk about that franchise, precious little buzz. They've been so bad for so long that they just kind of ... exist. I don't think Van Gundy would come into that situation. He wants a better chance to win, and that isn't nearly ready to happen in Golden State.

With Charlotte possibly moving to New Orleans, when do you think the NBA will get around to realigning the Hornets and Timberwolves? Clearly, it makes sense to put Minnesota in the Central with Milwaukee, Chicago, and Indiana. It also makes sense to put New Orleans in the Midwest (or Southwest) with the Texas clubs, not to mention the city's former team, the Jazz.
--Paul Egtvedt, Minneapolis

Well, the Hornets just got there, Paul. I know why you want Minnesota in the East. (See above.) Because they would walk away with the title, right? And you're probably correct on that.

Sports Illustrated senior writer Jack McCallum will answer your NBA questions every week during the season. Click here to send him a question.

 

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