Beware of Mavs Bearing Gifts

[JOzersky@aol.com]

I think you guys should be careful about assuming the mavs will have a top
five pick.  They've been losing pretty steadily all year, and they are still
around 8.  This makes them worse and the nets better, so lets assume they go
to seven.  Will they play so much worse than the teams below them that those
teams will make up ground?  Here's what I think:

San Antonio - yes, when the Admiral comes back, they can regain their ground
in a week or two.

Vancouver-- No
Toronto-- Maybe
Denver--  I hope so. Denver has been playing .500 ball, which should be good
enough to catch the mavs if they start putting together six or seven loss
streaks.
Philly-- I doubt it.  and They're the team I most dread gettng the top pick.
Us- No
NJ- Yes

So if all goes well and the mavs play -say- .250 ball, we might see them get
to 4.  On the other hand, teams above them might nosedive; and they might
benefit from a surge in discipline and chemistry, and add by subtracting
their way to .500 ball the rest of the way, leaving them a lottery
afterthought.  Unlike last year, which I am more convinced than ever will go
down as the deepest in NBA history, the 8th pick can't bring you a all-star
calibre shooting guard like Kerry Kittles, who would go ahead of any little
man in the college ranks this year with the exception of Ron Mercer.  But if
we don't trade it, we might get a Kobe-type player, whether in the form of
Billups or one of those high school guys who everyone is still waiting in
vain to see fail in the NBA.  (even Jermaine O'Neal is flourishing, and Kobe
is starting.)