NBA Mythbusters: Don't Believe the Hype

by Matt Silverston
from blog.sidelinesapp.com:



Hate it or love it, but the NBA hype machine fed experts misinformation this off-season. It’s important to identify fact versus fiction before things get out of hand.  Myths regarding this year’s rookie of the year, the best free agent find in Texas and the top team in the East need to be busted.
Welcome to NBA Mythbusters folks.

Myth #1: Victor Oladipo will be Rookie of the Year

Coming into this season, Victor Oladipo was the clear front runner for rookie of the year. He played well over the summer, showed signs of maturity in the pre-season and received high praise from fellow rookies, coaches and analysts. Despite questions surrounding the Magic’s rotation and Oladipo’s playing time, everyone was sold on his potential to contribute.

“It’s only a matter of time before Victor Oladipo runs away with the Rookie of the Year award,” said Bleacher Report’s David Wasserman. “With few of his draft classmates prepared to take on full-time NBA duties, Oladipo is in great shape to receive and ultimately pounce on an early opportunity.”



The thing is, other rookies like Michael Carter-Williams had better opportunities.  After Philadelphia traded Jrue Holiday for Nerlens Noel on draft night, the Sixers’ drafted Carter-Williams and gave him the opportunity to start.

After a few games, he looks more like an All-Star than a first-time starter.

In his first week as a pro, Carter-Williams led the Sixers to wins over the Heat and the Bulls, while averaging 20.7 points, 9 assists (tied for 4th in the NBA), 4.7 boards and a league best 4.3 steals a
game.

Oladipo’s numbers are not even comparable right now (12 ppg., 4 apg., 5 rpg., and 1.7 spg.) Plus, there’s no telling when Oladipo will get starters’ responsibilities.

Don’t believe the Oladipo hype. Michael Carter-Williams is the favorite for Rookie of the Year.

Myth #2: The Miami Heat are the best in the East

The two-time defending champs entered the offseason with their tails between their legs. The San Antonio Spurs and the Indiana Pacers exposed large leaks within the Heat’s hull during the playoffs. And if a few things didn’t go Miami’s way, Tim Duncan might be retired and the Spurs would be the reigning champs.



Last postseason, the Pacers pounded the Heat inside, beating them down with offensive boards and post play whereas the Spurs took advantage of Miami’s inside depth and exposed the Heat’s shooting problems in the Finals.

Their performance in the paint got so bad that Chris Bosh was practically on the trading block mid-June.

Instead of going after veterans and experienced pros in the offseason to fix their interior issues and shooting woes, they signed an injury magnet and a head case.

Sure, Greg Oden could be an exceptional big man. However, he’s never played a full season and he hasn’t played basketball in two years. And yes. Michael Beasley has his moments on the court, but they’re overshadowed by his moments off the court.

These two sound like small, problematic Band-Aids for serious ailments.

Indiana actually took steps to fix their problems and get better. They kept their All-Star nucleus intact (George, Hibbard, West) and addressed issues like defense and their bench. The Pacers went after veterans C.J. Watson and Luis Scola, and added Chris Copeland to bolster their reserve’s production and deepen their rotations.

Last year, “the top five players off of the bench or, the players No. 6 through 10 in minutes played ranged from -6.6 to -14.8 [in efficiency],” according to SB Nation’s Tom Ziller. Acquiring a player like Scola will “provide a jolt of scoring from the second unit.”

The Pacers took the Heat to seven games last year and their leading reserve was Tyler Hansbrough.

At worst, Scola and Copeland are upgrades.

With plenty of questions surrounding the Heat, don’t buy into the propaganda.  The Pacers are the beast in the East.

Myth #3: Dwight Howard was the most important free agent signing in Texas

Dwight Howard was this summer’s most sought after NBA commodity. The Houston Rockets won the Howard sweepstakes and turned their squad into full-fledged title contenders overnight. His knack for controlling the paint on both sides of the basket is arguably second to none, but so is his reputation for controlling a locker room.

So far the Rocket’s courtship of Howard was worth it. After his first week, he’s averaging a double-double of 15 ppg. and 17 rpg. Most importantly, he’s happy.



“I’m just happy to be on the floor playing, being a lot healthier than I was last season,” Howard told reporters a few days ago. “I’m just full of joy.”

Howard told reporters last January that he was “happy in L.A.,” too.

Happy or not, Monta Ellis will prove to be the better free agent signing in Texas.

Dallas’ immediate future looked bleak following last season. Age, injuries, and uninspired basketball kept them out of the playoffs, and their future looked even worse when Howard decided against joining the Mavericks.

After slim free agent pickings were left, who was capable of easing Nowitzki’s offensive load?  Who could the Mavericks go to if and when Dirk needed night off?  Who was versatile enough to keep the defense on their heels?

Enter Monta Ellis.



Through dribble penetration, creating his own shot and working off the ball, Ellis can free up Dirk for easy looks. Dirk will also have plenty of opportunities for rest since Monta can shoulder the scoring load. In a scoring point guard’s league, Dallas needed a shot-taker and shot-maker in their back court.

After scoring 32 points in his Mavericks’ debut, Dirk confirmed, “that’s what he has to do for us all season long. Be aggressive.” Ellis fed Nowitzki for half of his eight buckets during a 24-point performance.

Monta’s never had a problem with aggressive offense.



Is Monta known as an aggressive defender? Not exactly, but he’s averaging a career-best 2.7 steals a game this season and the Mavericks are forcing almost 20 turnovers a game (third in the league) including over nine steals (10th in the NBA). They’re also forcing teams into shooting 19 three-pointers a game at a 31% average, which puts them in the top ten in both categories.

Is Monta the sole reason behind these numbers? No, but the addition of Ellis transformed the Mavericks from bottom feeders to playoff locks.

Who knows what will enfold in Houston. It’s hard to trust Howard based on his track record.

At least Dallas knows what they’re getting with Ellis.