Just as it’s easy to start handing out 2013 championships rings to the Lakers in September, it’s also oddly not difficult to downplay their roster. Steve Nash is old, Dwight Howard has a dreaded back problem, Kobe shoots like he’s still playing with Smush and Kwame, and Pau Gasol might not play hard for months at a time. To some, they look like a super team. To others, they look like the 2003-04 Lakers all over again. Even Laker legend James Worthy thinks the team is getting a little too much credit right now. While Big Game James seems to believe L.A. will take out OKC in the Western Conference, he told The Los Angeles Times that Miami still has an edge as the best in the league. They have shooters, they now have the experience of getting it done, and they have LeBron. Overall, perhaps the Lakers have an advantage in talent, but Miami’s parts seem to fit better. It doesn’t help that the Heat have owned – repeat: owned – the Lakers since they added ‘Bron and Chris Bosh. Those Deebo tactics Metta World Peace uses on everyone else? Yeah, they ain’t working on LeBron … For everyone clamoring to see the (kinda) new-look Celtics this year, you’re going to wait a little longer than anticipated. Avery Bradley isn’t a household name just yet, but he’s taken over the old Rajon Rondo role for Boston (do all of the little things, fly under the radar, make top plays once a week doing something completely random that you don’t normally see from skinny, tiny perimeter guards). He’s hurt – hopefully you noticed the difference without him in the conference finals against Miami? – and Doc Rivers is saying he’s “not even close” to being ready to play. ESPN Boston reports Bradley, who went through separate offseason surgeries on his shoulders, might not see the floor until January, and December at the earliest. It’s going to be funny once he does return. Then we’ll get to see him, Courtney Lee and the JET fight over minutes … Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports is reporting Lou Amundson will take his energy and wild hair to Minnesota for a one-year, minimum deal. We had figured he’d get more money, considering the teams that were after him (New York) and his unlimited energy/athleticism at the power forward spot … Minnesota also tweeted that Derrick Williams cut his weight down to 233 pounds after running most of last year at 247. It might not make him a better small forward but at least he’s keeping in line with everyone else who wants to lose weight nowadays. Remember when people were freaking out because Cleveland was going to take Kyrie Irving over him in the draft? Williams has to be the least-talked about No. 2 since Emeka Okafor (even Hasheem Thabeet gets more pub, though he gets it for being terrible) … Terrence Williams will head to training camp on a minimum deal with Detroit. It’s non-guaranteed. We can guarantee this: Williams will impress with his athleticism, some journalist will write a piece saying he has a chance to make a difference off the bench, people will believe it, Williams will have some insane dunk that eventually finds its way onto every “best of 2013” dunk list, and then mysteriously he’ll fall out of favor and get released for stuff involving “attitude” and “team chemistry” and “fit on the court” … And yesterday on DimeMag.com, we dropped a piece on the 10 best dunkers of the century. Naturally, you can probably guess who was No. 1. What we can’t understand is the amount of hate Blake Griffin received. Seriously, think about this for a second: he really might have the most haters in the whole league. They aren’t as loud as LeBron‘s army of playa haters or as crazed as Kobe‘s MJ nut-huggers, but it seems no one has anything good to say about Quake anymore. When you’re questioning Blake’s position on a LIST OF THE BEST DUNKERS than you need to reevaluate your hating tactics … Keep reading to hear about Baron Davis and his new job…
Stephon Marbury was recently asked by ESPN New York what he thought of New York’s current squad, and Starbury spilled the beans. He doesn’t know why the team traded for Carmelo Anthony if they wanted him to be their savior without letting him flow on offense, because, you know, ‘Melo has never been ANYONE’s savior if they tried to turn him into something he’s not. Marbury doesn’t know why they picked up Amar’e Stoudemire because STAT can’t play in a half-court system, and needs a playmaker like Steve Nash around him. Marbury doesn’t really know what the hell they’re doing, and doesn’t think Anthony and STAT will ever work together. Ignoring the fact that we should be somewhat ignoring Marbury’s basketball expertise at this point (eating vaseline on video pretty much ended any chance of taking him too seriously), the man does have some experience in the subject. He once combined with a zombie Steve Francis, a calcified Penny Hardaway, and a surprisingly effective Eddy Curry to create a multi-million dollar disruptive monster in MSG. The most impact those teams ever had on the championship race was trading Nazr Mohammed to the Spurs for spare change. At least this team has somewhat of a clue what they want to do: litter their lineup with old, washed-up has-beens. Wait, that’s exactly what Marbury’s Knick teams did, too … Speaking of New York, Baron Davis is going to stay on with the team in what’s being called a “multi-faceted role,” despite not having a contract. It sounds like he’ll do some scouting, be considered an advisor, do some commentary for the team broadcasts, and work with the “Garden of Dreams” Foundation … And we hope you caught Jalen Rose‘s story about the time Vince Carter body slammed his own coach, Sam Mitchell. We knew Carter’s time in Toronto got really ugly, but damn, that’s a little over the top (even though we can definitely see Mitchell starting the whole thing and then wanting to take it outside to finish it). But where was that fire from VC when they took the floor? … We’re out like Revis.
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