Nba Midseason Report

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO...

...the notion that Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy would never diminish Patrick Ewing's role?
The theory was, Van Gundy was so loyal to Ewing, without whose support he might never have been named coach five years ago, that he wouldn't make Ewing a secondary offensive threat when he returned from his torn left Achilles tendon. In fact, the Knicks' attack still revolves around guard Allan Houston and forward Latrell Sprewell. Van Gundy even jabbed at Ewing for being unprepared after a loss to the Magic last week. All of which might explain why Ewing has talked openly about finishing his career elsewhere, and New York may be willing to accommodate him.

... Michael Olowokandi?
It's easy to disappear when you're a Clipper, but Olowokandi has done it in record time for a No. 1 draft pick. When they chose him in 1998, the Clippers thought they had a center who would develop into a franchise player, but his numbers (9-5 points, 8.6 rebounds through Sunday) look more like a backup's. Olowokandi's footwork has been sluggish at both ends of the floor. One of the few things he has quickly mastered is fouling out, which he has done seven times this season, relegating him to perhaps the most obscure place in the NBA: the Clippers' bench.

...the small forward position?
Remember when almost every small forward fit a clearly defined profile: a finesse player, armed with a jump shot and ball-handling ability, who was bigger than a shooting guard but smaller and smoother than a power forward? Larry Bird, Julius Erving and Mark Aguirre gave way to Scottie Pippen, Grant Hill and Glen Rice as classic threes. But the definition of the position has expanded to include the undersized, such as the Knicks' 6'5" Sprewell, and the center-sized, such as the Bulls' 6'11" Toni Kukoc. When muscular, physical players such as Charlotte's Anthony Mason and New York's Larry Johnson and long-limbed shot blockers such as Minnesota's 6'11" Kevin Garnett and Portland's 6'11" Rasheed Wallace can man the spot, it appears that the term small forward has lost all meaning.

... Indiana's youth movement?
The young legs of Al Harrington and Jonathan Bender, both 19, were supposed to help the Pacers stay ahead of teams such as the Knicks, who in last year's playoffs made them look like candidates for the rest home. But after coming back from a broken left wrist on Dec. 7, Bender had played in only nine games through Sunday, while Harrington has gone from sixth man to forgotten man. (He had logged more than six minutes only twice since Jan. 12.) "One day they look great, and the next day they look like they should be back in high school," says Pacers coach Larry Bird, who is likely to lean even more on his veterans as the playoffs approach.

...the fans?
Only 12 of the 29 teams have a higher average attendance than they did last year, and half of those teams opened new buildings this season. That leaves only six same-building clubs—the Blazers, Bucks, Kings, Knicks, Raptors and Timberwolves—that have avoided a decline. Television ratings are also down sharply (27.8% on TNT, 18.6% on NBC). The 2.3% drop in attendance last year could be attributed to resentment because of the lockout. This season fans seem to be staying away because of rising ticket prices, and for a reason that's even more troubling to the league: apathy.

5 Predictions

1. Allen Iverson will lead the 76ers into the Eastern Conference finals.
The favorites in the East all have serious flaws: The Heat is vulnerable as long as point guard Tim Hardaway is hampered by gimpy knees, which he probably will be for at least the rest of the season; some of the Pacers' key players ( Mark Jackson, Rik Smits) are slow and getting slower; and the Knicks' offense goes into hibernation for long stretches. The time is ripe for an upset or two by a young, energetic team, and Philadelphia (26-21, sixth in the conference through Sunday) fits that profile. Iverson is the kind of explosive scorer who can make the difference in a short series, and with their defense-minded role players the Sixers will be a handful for any of the Eastern powers.

2. This will be Hall of Fame coach Lenny Wilkens's last season in Atlanta.
An underachieving, uninspired bunch last season, the Hawks made sweeping changes over the summer, among them trading for guard Isaiah Rider and forward Jim Jackson. The result: The Hawks are still an underachieving, uninspired bunch. The belief is growing that the club needs a more fiery coach than the 62-year-old Wilkens, who has never taken Atlanta past the second round of the playoffs in his six seasons there. Wilkens's stature—he has more wins than any other coach in NBA history (1,169 at week's end)—and class make it difficult for the Hawks to fire him, but if he can't energize the team in the second half, he could take them off the hook by stepping down.

3. The Kings will be exposed in the playoffs as pretenders to the throne.
Sacramento has lived up to its billing as the NBA's most entertaining team, but the players haven't grown up yet. Although they lead the league in scoring, the Kings also surrender more points per game than anyone, and the playoffs don't favor teams that like shootouts. Second-year point guard Jason Williams epitomizes the club's style: flashy but inconsistent. For every wraparound dish that leads to a layup, he launches an ill-advised shot or forces a pass into traffic. Until Williams matures, and until Sacramento discovers the wonders of defense, the Kings will be a crowd-pleasing show that closes early in the postseason.