Lockout to Lockout, the Atlantic Division: Part 4

Philadelphia 76ers

The Sixers were the first team from the Atlantic Division to make the NBA Finals after the Lockout, and it was due primarily to the man in the picture above me, Allen Iverson (sure, the shotblocking combo og Dikembe Mutombo and Theo Ratliff was also responsible, but AI was still a force in 01). Thusly, most of their roster is from that era (wassup, Matt Geiger?).

#    Player                       Ht/Wt         Position       Tenure w/Team       # of Games      PPG     Other Stat
1    Samuel Dalembert    6-11/250    C                 2001-2010             582 Games       8.1        1.9 Blocks
3     Allen Iverson          6-0/165       G                1996-2007, 10        722 Games       27.6       2.3 Steals
8     Aaron McKie          6-5/210      SG               1998-2005             536 Games       7.8        3.0 Assists
9    Andre Iguodala        6-6/210      G/F              2004-Present          553 Games      15.6      4.8 Assists
9    Kenny Thomas         6-7/260      F                 2003-2005             167 Games       12.0   8.7 Rebounds
11   Jrue Holiday            6-3/180      PG              2009-Present           155 Games      11.2      5.2 Assists
20   Eric Snow               6-3/190      PG              1997-2004              417 Games       10.5     7.1 Assists
21   Thaddeus Young     6-8/220      F                 2007-Present           298 Games     12.5    4.9 Rebounds
23   Louis Williams         6-2/175     G                 2005-Present           391 Games       10.7      2.9 Assists
42    Theo Ratliff             6-10/220   F/C             1997-2001, 09         261 Games       10.0     2.9 Blocks
52    Matt Geiger           7-0/245      C                 1998-2002              154 Games       9.9     5.8 Rebounds
55    Dikembe Mutombo  7-2/245    C                 2001-2002              106 Games       11.5     2.4 Blocks


Lots of shotblocking defense on this team. Where/when will Matt Geiger play? Would anyone care? The most noticeable flaw on this team is the lack of scoring in the post. No offense to Kenny Thomas, but I'm not sure he'd be my number one option in a theoretical tournament of this magnitude. Still, Philly looks like they'd do so damage.


Prospective Depth Chart


C      Dikembe Mutombo          Samuel Dalembert        Matt Geiger
PF    Theo Ratliff                      Kenny Thomas
SF    Andre Iguodala                Thaddeus Young            
SG    Allen Iverson                   Aaron McKie
PG    Jrue Holiday                     Eric Snow                   Louis Williams

Lockout to Lockout, the Atlantic Division: Part 3

New Jersey Nets

First thing's first: the Lockout to Lockout Nets will go as far as Jason Kidd can take them. Thankfully for New Jersey, Jason Kidd will take them quite far. As a two time Eastern Conference Champion (admittedly, during one of the weakest periods in the conference's history), Kidd's Nets were a dangerous squad capable of beating anyone in the East and competing with anyone in the West (that 2003 series was competitive). Here is their roster.

#       Player                  Ht/Wt          Position      Tenure w/Team      # of Games      PPG       Other Stat
4       Keith Van Horn   6-10/220     F                1997-2002            314 Games      18.2       7.6 Rebounds
5       Devin Harris        6-3/185       PG              2008-2011           212 Games       17.8       7.0 Assists
5       Jason Kidd          6-4/205       PG             2001-2008            506 Games       14.6       9.1 Assists
6       Kenyon Martin    6-9/235       PF              2000-2004            283 Games       15.1      1.4 Blocks
11     Brook Lopez       7-0/260       C               2008-Present         246 Games       17.4      7.6 Rebounds
12     Lucious Harris     6-5/190       G               1997-2004             456 Games       7.7        2.6 Rebounds
12     Nenad Krstic       7-0/240       C               2004-2008            226 Games        11.3     5.7 Rebounds
24     Richard Jefferson  6-7/220      SF             2001-2008             489 Games       17.4      5.4 Rebounds
30     Kerry Kittles        6-5/180      SG             1996-2004             496 Games        14.3     1.6 Steals
30     Stephon Marbury  6-2/180     G                1999-2001            172 Games        23.0      8.1 Assists
34     Aaron Williams     6-9/220     F/C             2000-2004            336 Games        7.2       4.7 Rebounds
54     Rodney Rogers     6-7/235     F                 2002-2004            137 Games        7.4       4.2 Rebounds


As you can see, Jason Kidd isn't the team's only threat. He is joined in the backcourt by Kerry Kittles, Lucious Harris, Stephon Marbury and Devin Harris. Perhaps there might not be enough basketballs to go around, but anyone can do it, it's Jason Kidd. The frontcourt, while not as deep as the backcourt, still looks to be effective, with Keith Van Horn, Kenyon Martin, Richard Kefferson and Brook Lopez.


Prospective Depth Chart


C      Brook Lopez             Aaron Williams          Nenad Krstic
PF    Kenyon Martin          Keith Van Horn
SF    Richard Jefferson       Rodney Rogers
SG    Kerry Kittles             Lucious Harris
PG    Jason Kidd               Stephon Marbury        Devin Harris

Lockout to Lockout, the Atlantic Division: Part 2

New York Knicks

The 2000s were not a good decade for the New York Knicks, and their roster, for the most part, reflects that. If Amar'e Stoudemire and/or Carmelo Anthony were eligible, it would be a slightly different story. But the fact remains that probably the best individual Knicks player of the decade was Stephon Marbury. I decided against using him here (he was better, and less devastating to his own team, across the river in New Jersey). So, here are the Knicks

#    Player                  Ht/Wt      Position       Tenure w/Team       # of Games       PPG        Other Stat
4    Nate Robinson     5-9/180    G                2005-2010            312 Games       12.5         2.8 Assists
5    Bill Walker           6-6/220   G/F             2010-2011            88 Games          7.0          2.3 Rebounds
6    Landry Fields       6-7/210    SG             2010-2011            82 Games          9.7           6.4 Rebounds
8    Danilo Gallinari     6-10/225  F                2010-2011            157 Games        13.7        4.3 Rebounds
8    Latrell Sprewell    6-5/190    SG             1998-2003            351 Games        17.9         3.8 Assists
9    Jared Jeffries        6-11/230  F                2006-2010, 11      260 Games        4.3           3.9 Rebounds
20  Allan Houston      6-6/200    SG             1996-2005            602 Games         18.5        2.5 Assists
21  Wilson Chandler   6-8/220   SF              2007-2011            233 Games         14.0        5.2 Rebounds
23   Toney Douglas    6-2/190    G               2009-2011            137 Games         9.8          2.6 Assists
34   Eddy Curry         7-0/295    C               2005-2010            222 Games         15.2        5.8 Rebounds
40   Kurt Thomas       6-9/230   F/C             1998-2005            530 Games         11.2        7.9 Rebounds
42   David Lee           6-9/250   F/C             2005-2010            368 Games         13.0        6.8 Rebounds

This team's success would seem to be predicated mostly on some combination of supernatural luck and heavenly blessing, because it is not particularly talented group. David Lee, Latrell Sprewell and Allan Houston would seem to be the main threats, with contributing performances from Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, Landry Fields and Kurt Thomas, but still. Let's not delude ourselves. The Lockout to Lockout Knicks would most likely get destroyed.


Prospective Depth Chart


C       Kurt Thomas              Eddy Curry
PF     David Lee                  Danilo Gallinari            Jared Jeffries
SF     Landry Fields             Wilson Chandler
SG     Allan Houston            Latrell Sprewell           Bill Walker
PG     Nate Robinson           Toney Douglas

Lockout to Lockout, The Atlantic Division: Part 1

During the last 12 years, the Atlantic Division has been the best in the East. 5 of the 13 division champions in the seasons since the lockout have gone on the NBA Finals, not to mention the Knicks, who weren't a member of the Atlantic in 1999.

It stands to reason that the best place to start with such a consistently good division would be the most consistent team in said division, the four time defending Atlantic Division champion Boston Celtics.


Boston Celtics

The 2008-2009 NBA Champion Boston Celtics will undoubtedly have a strong roster. Unfortunately, it won't be as strong as you might think. Neither Kevin Garnett nor Ray Allen will be making an appearance, despite their presence on said championship team. Their roster is as follows.


#   Player                    Ht/Wt       Position    Tenure w/Team      # of Games      PPG     Other Stat
0   Leon Powe            6-8/240    PF            2006-2009            189 Games      6.6       4.2 Rebounds
7   Kenny Anderson    6-0/170    PG           1998-2002            241 Games     11.3       5.2 Assists
8   Antoine Walker     6-8/225     F              1996-2003, 05      552 Games      20.6      4.1 Assists
9   Rajon Rondo         6-1/170    PG            2006-Present         384 Games     10.7      7.6 Assists
11  Glen Davis            6-9/290    F/C            2007-Present        277 Games     7.6        4.1 Rebounds
13  Delonte West        6-4/180    G              2004-2007, 11      203 Games     9.8        1.5 Steals
30  Mark Blount         7-0/230    C              2000-2002, 03-05 338 Games     7.6        4.7 Rebounds
34  Paul Pierce            6-6/230    G/F          1998-Present         964 Games     22.2      6.1 Rebounds
42  Tony Allen            6-4/215    G/F           2004-2010            336 Games     7.2        1.0 Steals
55  Eric Williams         6-8/220     F             1995-1997, 99-04  462 Games    9.2         5.5 Rebounds

This team's hypothetical success against the others' would undoubtedly rest upon the seemingly un-jumpable shoulders of Paul Pierce, a model of consistency and toughness for the Celtics in the 21st Century. Along with him are Antoine Walker and Rajon Rondo, two Celtics known for their interesting attitudes on when it is or isn't good to shoot. Also making the squad are noted defensive presences Tony Allen, Kendrick Perkins, Delonte West. Also, Eric Williams is here! Hooray!

Prospective Starting Lineup/Depth Chart


C-     Kendrick Perkins          Mark Blount
PF-   Antoine Walker             Glen Davis                   Leon Powe
SF-   Paul Pierce                    Eric Williams
SG-   Tony Allen                    Delonte West               Jiri Welsch
PG-   Rajon Rondo                Kenny Anderson

The One Where He Announces a New Project.

So, for the last month or so, I've been staving off boredom in my down time by scouring the depths of Basketball Reference in an attempt to discern the 12 best players on every current NBA team since the NBA/ABA Merger.

Then, earlier this week, negotiations broke down and we all were treated to the horrible reality that is the 2011 NBA Lockout. Suddenly, the parameters of my search seemed...less topical.

So, instead of scrapping the whole thing and being depressed, I decided to refine my terms to be the 12 best players on every NBA team from lockout to lockout. There are but two rules I used to compile these teams.

1. Each player can only be on one roster. Which team each player ends up with is determined by my own discretion. That discretion is namely which team I feel like the player's best years happened on.
2. Each player's career with their team has to have at least as many years after the 98-99 Lockout as they had before.

Every week I'll be profiling each current NBA division, team by team. Surely, doing this will save the future of the NBA and possibly save the entire known universe. We can only hope.

The first division profile starts...now!