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Who's the answer? Sixers will soon have to face the ultimate questionPosted: Tuesday April 30, 2002 12:34 PM
Open season on Allen Iverson came to a temporary halt on Sunday when last year's MVP exploded on the Boston Celtics for 42 points in a sweep-preventing 108-103 victory for the Philadelphia 76ers. But the criticism will most assuredly resume if the Sixers lose Game 4, and their first-round series, on Wednesday. (I will not hazard a guess on the outcome; the Celtics are the superior team, but don't count out Iverson in big games.) The latest dustup between The Answer and his coach, Larry Brown -- which started after Brown commented that his franchise player wasn't doing as much as Boston's franchise players -- threatens all the alleged peace and tranquility that had been established between these two complex, volatile individuals. Public opinion has, predictably, come out against Iverson. That is unfair. This is not to suggest that Iverson represents everything you want in a superstar player (or even a non-superstar player) but Brown's comment was impolitic at best, downright divisive at worst. Whether or not Brown was displeased with Iverson's play in the first two games, comparing Iverson's contributions to those of Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker was a stupid thing to do. And while Iverson isn't the easiest player in the world to coach -- put that down as the early Understatement of the Year -- neither is Brown a particularly easy fellow to have around a franchise. "Larry is extremely, extremely high maintenance," says someone in the know. Even if Philly somehow beats Boston, the Sixers won't get beyond the second round, and then it will be time for the ultimate question: Allen or Larry? Superstar or super coach? Who will stay and who will go? Each keeps his own counsel, to say the least, but the bet here is that the 61-year-old Brown will hang it up and make it easy on the franchise. If he doesn't, don't consider for a moment that Philadelphia will look to deal Iverson. He's too good. He's too valuable. And as brilliant a basketball mind as Brown is, a great coach is not worth more to a franchise than a great player. Around the RimAnother team facing possible offseason upheaval is Minnesota, which got swept in the first round by the Dallas Mavericks. Reports have already surfaced that the T-Wolves will trade Wally Szczerbiak, which, their denials notwithstanding, is a possibility. They also have to decide if Terrell Brandon is healthy enough to run the point, how the resurgent Chauncey Billups fits into the mix, whether the up-and-down Anthony Peeler will be more up than down, whether Flip Saunders --having presided over six straight first-round playoff exits -- is the man to get Minnesota to the next level, and whether Kevin Garnett has to work on a post-up game and ... well, you get the picture. ... The decisiveness of the Mavs' sweep, combined with the troubles Sacramento had in its four-game victory over Utah, suddenly has everyone figuring that Dallas will run the Kings out of the Western semifinals. Don't be so sure. It will be a different type of series than the one against the Jazz, and the Kings will give a different performance -- since they like to run-and-gun almost as much as the Mavs. If Dallas makes it to the Western finals to play the Los Angeles, though, this quote from Lakers' forward Rick Fox is sure to show up on the Mavericks bulletin board: "I don't worry about Dallas. They think they're going to be able to dictate a fast pace, but they're not. We can control it. Phil can control it from the bench. He'll start calling the plays, and we'll slow the ball down and he'll make us take 24 seconds off the clock before we shoot. That kills them." ... Predictably, John Stockton did not tip his hand after Utah's Game 4 elimination on Monday night as to whether he will return to play out the final season of his contract. My best guess -- and it's only a guess -- is that he will. (For one thing, the 40-year-old Stockton looked a lot fresher than the 38-year-old Karl Malone.) But, boy, will the Jazz have some work to do to get back to the elite level once those two future Hall of Famers are finally finished. Here's one keeper, though: forward Andrei Kirilenko. Overshadowed in the rookie race by the Grizzlies' Pau Gasol, Kirilenko is known throughout the league as the first real European defensive stopper. He may well be the cornerstone of the franchise when M&S depart. ... What has surprised me most about the postseason? That the Portland Trail Blazers went so quietly into that good night after being swept by the Lakers. Given Portland's recent history of dysfunctional behavior, I figured they would set the arena on fire after Robert Horry's corner three-pointer completed a sweep on Sunday. One other thing about the Blazers: Isn't it time for Scottie Pippen to hang it up before his spot as one of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players is revoked? ... Question for the 2002-03 season: Will Vince Carter be able to crack the Toronto Raptors starting lineup? ... Best wishes to Chris Mullin , a terrific guy, in his new and difficult role as chief of basketball operations for the Golden State Warriors. But what does it say about that franchise when legendary team-fixer Jerry West eschews a Warriors offer, right there in his home state of California, to run the Memphis Grizzlies? Sports Illustrated senior writer Jack McCallum covers the NBA beat for the magazine and is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com. Click here to send a question to his NBA Mailbag. |
