Panic?

As an addendum to C's excellent advice post I wanted to offer one of my own. I think its fair to say to Jazz fans that they shouldn't panic. We shouldn't celebrate emphatically, as we're likely the league's ninth best team or so, but panicking is not a good idea, given how crazy this summer was and how (relatively) painlessly our team seems to have adapted. There are other teams out there, however, and their fates don't seem to be looking as good. So my question is which teams performing below expectations should begin to panic? The Rockets are missing Mao, but are, in theory anyway, deep enough that that shouldn't matter. Nevertheless, their record is the second worst in the West (tied with Philadelphia's for the worst in the East). The Trailblazers, while still managing to sort of play decently due to a great set of role players, are missing their two stars to injury, maybe forever. And the Heat have drastically underperformed given the hope that they would be best team ever (still possible if they go on a 65-3 run).

With Minnesota, Washington, New Jersey, the Kings, and the Clippers seeming better than they have in years past (sorry Raptors) we might be finally entering an era of pretty evenly distributed basketball talent. It could be a basketball dominated by a few teams at the top, but not as dominated as it has been in recent years. That's good news for the fine people of Minnesota and the future fine people of Brooklyn, but bad news for those in Portland, Houston, and Miami that thought they would dominate. Do these problems seem bad only by dint of the natural overreaction that comes with limited data? Or are they actually damning? In other words is it time to chill or panic? And if so, should each team panic equally, or is Portland particularly screwed? Only two votes in 6 days will decide (see sidebar).

This Month's Media Gems

It's that time again to review the most recent developments in the realm of arguably NBA-related media. In a new twist, this month will begin the first of a set of themed Media Gems installment. This month focuses on the category of just plain strange. So without further ado, here are this month's awards:





1) Strangest Casting Decision:
According to various reports last month, the world should brace itself for a new basketball movie that cross-breeds the likes of Queen Latifah, rapper Common, NJ Nets President Rod Thorn, and a handful of unspecified Nets players. The film is reportedly a romantic comedy, to be called "Just Wright", about the love story between an athletic trainer and the basketball player she is rehabilitating from injury...













Aside from the obvious, this award was given primarily according to my emphatic agreement with Ball Don't Lie that the film severely miscast its focal NBA team. If the Houston Rockets can't even land a movie role about debilitating sports injuries, I don't know what this world is coming to.

2) Strangest Disguise
When Steve Nash wanted to play some pick-up basketball in Beijing this month, he tried to blend into the local culture by wearing a disguise. Nash attributed the photographs and stares to the ineffective nature of his disguise, stating "As soon as I walked on they recognized me. It didn't really work," but perhaps there was another explanation. Maybe it had more to do with the fact that he looked like some sort of Horace Grant, a British school girl, and an Indie Pirate. Who wouldn't bust out their camera? I think the pictures speak for themselves, you decide.

3) Strangest and Most Humiliating Roster Decision

After playing for the national champion Lakers last season, Vujacic was cut from his native Slovenian National Team this month. Maybe there was some underlying injury or commitment issue, but let's just say that Pao Gasol, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobli have all had injuries hold them out of recent Olympic play and you can bet that they weren't cut. Poor machine.

4) From the Vault: Strangest Match-up
This classic Jordan clip sees the NBA great, along with a variety of other stars including Dominique Wilkins and Larry Bird, facing off against Kenny Rogers at his 1988 Classic Weekend. Country music, roasted chicken, and basketball. Who knew it could be such a winning combo? The commentary by Lakers' Chick Hearn is priceless.