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Time to reflect
Were those offseason acquisitions really the way to go?
Posted: Thursday March 08, 2001 3:31 PM
Updated: Thursday March 08, 2001 7:25 PM
By Jennifer Cooper, CNNSI.com
Most NBA teams have reached the 60-game mark, which means it's time for the home stretch. CNNSI.com decided to take a look at a few clubs that made offseason moves and see how they've worked out so far. The chart below compares each team's numbers from last season with its current status, as well as the new guys' stats with those of the players they replaced.
In the summer's blockbuster four-team trade, the Knicks sent Patrick Ewing to Seattle and Chris Dudley to Phoenix, receiving Glen Rice, Luc Longley and Travis Knight, among others, in return. In the same deal, Horace Grant was one of four players shipped from the Sonics to the Lakers.
| Seattle Center Patrick Ewing |
 AP | |
| Category |
1999-00 |
2000-01 |
| Sonics' record |
45-37 (.549) |
31-29 (.517) |
| Sonics' standing |
4th in Pacific |
5th in Pacific |
| Sonics' PPG |
99.1 |
97.3 |
| Opponents' PPG |
98.1 |
98.5 |
| Category |
Horace Grant |
Ewing |
| Pts. per game |
8.1 |
9.3 |
| Reb. per game |
7.8 |
7.8 |
|
| L.A. Lakers Power Forward Horace Grant |
 AP | |
| Category |
1999-00 |
2000-01 |
| Lakers' record |
67-15 (.817) |
41-19 (.683) |
| Lakers' standing |
1st in Pacific |
2nd in Pacific |
| Lakers' PPG |
100.8 |
101 |
| Opponents' PPG |
92.3 |
98 |
| Category |
A.C. Green |
Grant |
| Pts. per game |
5.0 |
8.1 |
| Reb. per game |
5.9 |
7.2 |
|
| New York Swingman Glen Rice |
 AP | |
| Category |
1999-00 |
2000-01 |
| Knicks' record |
50-32 (.610) |
35-25 (.583) |
| Knicks' standing |
2nd in Atlantic |
3rd in Atlantic |
| Knicks' PPG |
92.1 |
88.1 |
| Opponents' PPG |
90.7 |
86.1 |
| Category |
N/A |
Rice |
| Pts. per game |
N/A |
12.3 |
| Pct. of offense |
N/A |
14.0% |
|
In a three-team, five-player deal involving Portland, Cleveland and Miami, the Trail Blazers sent Brian Grant to the Heat and got Shawn Kemp from the Cavs.
| Miami Center Brian Grant |
 AP | |
| Category |
1999-00 |
2000-01 |
| Heat's record |
52-30 (.634) |
36-24 (.600) |
| Heat's standing |
1st in Atlantic |
2nd in Atlantic |
| Heat's PPG |
94.4 |
88.6 |
| Opponents' PPG |
91.3 |
86 |
| Category |
Alonzo Mourning |
Grant |
| Pts. per game |
21.7 |
15.5 |
| Reb. per game |
9.5 |
9.3 |
|
| Portland Power Forward Shawn Kemp |
 AP | |
| Category |
1999-00 |
2000-01 |
| Blazers' record |
59-23 (.720) |
42-18 (.700) |
| Blazers' standing |
2nd in Pacific |
1st in Pacific |
| Blazers' PPG |
97.5 |
95.8 |
| Opponents' PPG |
91.0 |
90.4 |
| Category |
Brian Grant |
Kemp |
| Pts. per game |
7.3 |
6.4 |
| Reb. per game |
5.5 |
4.0 |
|
In another offseason move, the Blazers sent the unhappy Jermaine O'Neal to the Pacers in exchange for power forward Dale Davis.
| Indiana Power Forward Jermaine O'Neal |
 AP | |
| Category |
1999-00 |
2000-01 |
| Pacers' record |
56-26 (.683) |
26-33 (.441) |
| Pacers' standing |
1st in Central |
4th in Central |
| Pacers' PPG |
101.3 |
91.1 |
| Opponents' PPG |
96.7 |
92.2 |
| Category |
Dale Davis |
O'Neal |
| Pts. per game |
10.0 |
12.7 |
| Reb. per game |
9.9 |
9.6 |
|
Getting something is always better than getting nothing, so the Raptors worked out a sign-and-trade deal with the Magic, netting a conditional first-round pick for the explosive Tracy McGrady.
| Orlando Swingman Tracy McGrady |
 AP | |
| Category |
1999-00 |
2000-01 |
| Magic's record |
41-41 (.500) |
33-27 (.550) |
| Magic's standing |
4th in Atlantic |
4th in Atlantic |
| Magic's PPG |
100.1 |
97.7 |
| Opponents' PPG |
99.4 |
96.1 |
| Category |
Ron Mercer |
McGrady |
| Pts. per game |
15.2 |
27.3 |
| Pct. of offense |
15.2% |
27.9% |
|
Finally, there were also a few straightforward free-agent signings.
| San Antonio Two-Guard Derek Anderson |
 AP |
|
| Category |
1999-00 |
2000-01 |
| Spurs' record |
53-29 (.646) |
41-19 (.683) |
| Spurs' standing |
2nd in Midwest |
2nd in Midwest |
| Spurs' PPG |
96.2 |
96.2 |
| Opponents' PPG |
90.2 |
88.8 |
| Category |
Mario Elie |
Anderson |
| Pts. per game |
7.5 |
15.1 |
| Pct. of offense |
7.7% |
15.6% |
|
| Chicago Two-Guard Ron Mercer |
 AP | |
| Category |
1999-00 |
2000-01 |
| Bulls' record |
17-65 (.207) |
11-48 (.186) |
| Bulls' standing |
8th in Central |
8th in Central |
| Bulls' PPG |
84.8 |
86.8 |
| Opponents' PPG |
94.2 |
95.6 |
| Category |
Ron Artest |
Mercer |
| Pts. per game |
12.0 |
19.7 |
| Pct. of offense |
14.2% |
22.7% |
|
Jennifer Cooper is the NBA producer for CNNSI.com.
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