Writers' Roundtable

Checking-in on the Southwest Division at the All-Star break

As it is seemingly every year, competition within the Southwest Division has been fierce and the immediate future promises even more of the same.

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Jason Friedman
Rockets.com Staff Writer

HOUSTON - With the NBA heading into its annual All-Star break, it seemed like the perfect time for Rockets.com to team up with writers who cover each of the other Southwest Division teams to discuss what they've thus far witnessed during the 2009-10 campaign. Click here to read how their current thoughts stack up with what they said before the season began.

During the preseason, you each selected one critical topic specific to your team that fans should follow closely this season. Update us on that issue halfway through the campaign.

Mark Followill, Mavericks TV broadcaster: My issue was would the Mavs' offseason additions pay dividends? It's been hit or miss. Most notably, Shawn Marion has provided excellent defense against high-scoring wings while shooting 50 percent, albeit in somewhat limited opportunities. Drew Gooden has provided a shot in the arm in the middle, playing especially well in the 13 games Erick Dampier has missed with injuries. On the disappointing side, Kris Humphries didn't really pan out and was traded to New Jersey and Quinton Ross and Tim Thomas have not cracked the regular rotation for a variety of reasons. Draft pick Roddy Beaubois has shown tremendous flashes but has also been plagued by expected rookie growing pains.

Matt Tumbleson, Grizzlies.com: Coming into the season the most important thing to watch for the Grizzlies was going to be how the offseason acquisitions of Allen Iverson and Zach Randolph fit in with the team's talented young core, and at the All-Star break it's easy to see that the moves ended up rating at the opposite ends of the spectrum. The Randolph move couldn't have worked out any better for the Grizzlies as he has become an All-Star and the leader of this young group, a player who the city of Memphis identifies with and rallies around.  The Iverson situation did not work out as well, but the Grizzlies were able to regroup and become a better team because of it.

Jim Eichenhofer, Hornets.com: Of the six players the Hornets added during the offseason, four have made a significant impact. At the moment, three of them are starting (Emeka Okafor, Darren Collison, Marcus Thornton) and another has been the team's most consistent reserve (Darius Songaila). On the minus side of the ledger, Ike Diogu never appeared in a game before being ruled out for the season with a knee injury, and Bobby Brown was recently traded. Overall though, without the new players, New Orleans might already be out of playoff contention, incapable of withstanding two separate injury absences by Chris Paul.

David Thiessen, Spurs blogger: As it has been for the past few seasons, the health of the Spurs Big Three has been a big story. So far Tim Duncan has avoided the injury bug but it has bitten Tony Parker. Whether it is an ankle sprain or plantar fasciitis, Parker has not been at 100 percent. Manu Ginobili has also not looked like himself for much of the year although he claims to be perfectly healthy. The Spurs fortunes ride on the health of these three players and so far it has been a mixture of health and injury.

Jason Friedman, Rockets.com: It's hard to go a single day in Houston without hearing the name Tracy McGrady; seemingly strange given that he's played a mere six games this season, yet not at all surprising when one takes into account who he is and what he continues to mean to this franchise. Of course, now his value lies fully in his massive expiring contract and, one way or the other, be it via trade at the Feb. 18 deadline or by simply allowing his deal to expire this summer, we're about to find out where both the future of this franchise – and McGrady himself – are headed.

What's been the most pleasant surprise of 2009-10 so far for the team you cover?

Mark Followill, Mavericks TV broadcaster: The most pleasant surprise was that from the first day of training camp, Mavs coach Rick Carlisle preached defense and for two months the team responded. The Mavs won games when they shot poorly and at one point ranked third in the league in field-goal defense. Unfortunately since early January, that number has been sliding in the wrong direction. The Mavs will have to recapture that defensive intensity in the last two months of the year to maintain aspirations of a deep playoff run.

Matt Tumbleson, Grizzlies.com: The chemistry between the starting group. Coming into the season there was a lot of speculation on whether there would be enough basketballs to go around between Zach Randolph, O.J. Mayo and Rudy Gay, but the team has found a way to make it work.  If one guy doesn't have it going on a particular night there are two or three other guys in the starting group that can pick up the slack.  Randolph and Marc Gasol work the high-low post game as if they've been playing together for 10 seasons and Mayo has been a true utility player, filling in on a nightly basis as the Grizzlies need him. 

Jim Eichenhofer, Hornets.com: The recovery from a start to the season that could have been described as a worst-case scenario. On Nov. 15, the Hornets were 3-8, had just changed head coaches and knew Chris Paul would be out for a few weeks with a severe ankle sprain. Add it up and it looked like doomsday for the Hornets. Instead, New Orleans has been rejuvenated under Jeff Bower, climbing as high as five games over .500. The performances of rookies Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton have given the Hornets a much brighter outlook for 2009-10 and beyond, providing the team with a greatly-appreciated influx of talent and youth.

David Thiessen, Spurs blogger: DeJuan Blair showed promise during the summer but there was some doubt about how he would transition to the NBA as an undersized power forward. The answer is very well. Coach Popovich has limited Blair to 18 minutes but he is averaging 7.5 points and 6.5 rebounds during his limited minutes. He has also shown a great basketball IQ, regularly finding openings in the paint and learning the Spurs system quickly.

Jason Friedman, Rockets.com: I don't think there's any question that Carl Landry's emergence has been both a huge boon and a pleasant surprise for the Rockets. He's always been an incredibly efficient offensive player but this season has seen him add a new line to his resume: fourth quarter go-to guy. That he's been assigned that role is perhaps not terribly surprising given that someone has to handle that responsibility in the absence of both McGrady and Yao Ming. That he has performed so admirably, however – ranking in the top-5 of the NBA's fourth quarter scoring leaders all season – is incredible indeed.

What's been the biggest disappointment?

Mark Followill, Mavericks TV broadcaster: Josh Howard was expected to pair up with Shawn Marion to give the Mavs an athletic wing tandem. However, Howard was slow to come back from offseason ankle surgery and after appearing in three games in mid-November was shut down for almost a month. Since returning, he has been the X-factor he is capable of being far too infrequently. He's earned only spot starter duty, shot the ball poorly and rebounded at a much lower rate than anticipated.

Matt Tumbleson, Grizzlies.com: The biggest disappointment has to be the 1-8 start to the season.  The most frustrating thing about the start is that there were very winnable games on the Grizzlies' first road trip of the year that put them in such a deep hole. 

Jim Eichenhofer, Hornets.com: Just when the Hornets were building momentum as one of the NBA's hottest teams in January, Chris Paul suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee on Jan. 29 vs. Chicago that will put him out for 4-6 weeks. Based on the way New Orleans had been playing prior to that injury, it seemed realistic to think the Hornets could leapfrog several West rivals in the standings, but they lost four of the next five games. Combined with starting shooting guard Marcus Thornton's recent back injury, the Hornets once again are being forced to shift players to new roles in a reconfigured rotation.

David Thiessen, Spurs blogger: When the Spurs traded for Richard Jefferson the thought among fans was that he would regularly provide the Spurs with a solid fourth scorer. However, Jefferson's 12.1 points and 2.1 assists are the lowest since his rookie year and his 3.6 rebounds are a career low. Often he has looked lost on the court and has yet to find his identity with the team. It should not come as a surprise then that rumors have emerged about the Spurs looking to trade Jefferson.

Jason Friedman, Rockets.com: In recent years the Rockets have largely built their reputation on being a lockdown defensive team. This season, however, Houston has slipped to the ranks of merely average. Much of that has to do with Yao Ming's absence, of course, which has forced the Rockets to make do without anything approaching a real rim protector. That said, it still seems somewhat surprising that the Rockets have slipped as far as they have defensively, given that three-fifths of their starting lineup – Shane Battier, Chuck Hayes and Trevor Ariza – have rightfully earned reputations as being plus defenders.

Who's been your team's MVP in the first half of the season?

Mark Followill, Mavericks TV broadcaster: Unquestionably, Dirk Nowitzki has been the man. In his 12th year, Nowitzki is the seventh-highest scorer in the league. He's hit game-winning buzzer beaters, had huge fourth quarters, ranks in the top 10 in free throw attempts, and played heavy minutes. He's answered the bell for all but a game and a half due to a collision where Carl Landry's front teeth ended up gashing and being embedded in Dirk's right elbow. Dirk's also made history this year by surpassing 20,000 points for his career and becoming the Mavs' all-time leader in games played.

Matt Tumbleson, Grizzlies.com: Randolph has to be considered the team's MVP in the first half of the season. The makeup of this team is similar to last year, with the exception of Randolph, who is now the second All-Star in franchise history. The Grizzlies have already surpassed their win total for all of last season and we're only at the All-Star break. Doesn't take a basketball expert to figure out the Grizzlies' most valuable player this season.

Jim Eichenhofer, Hornets.com: Chris Paul has been the Hornets' MVP each of the five seasons that he's played in the NBA. The obvious downside to his 2009-10 season is that he missed 15 games to injury in the first half, but he's put together another impressive campaign. Three-point shooting is the area where he's shown the biggest improvement, raising his accuracy to a career-best percentage of 42.0. He already does so much for this team on both ends of the floor, but for him to be leading the club in three-point shooting is another element that makes him even more difficult to defend.

David Thiessen, Spurs blogger: While Tim Duncan's averages are not close to career highs, he is accomplishing a 20-10 while playing a career-low 32 minutes. His offensive efficiency of 119 points per 100 possessions is five more than in any other season, and his PER of 27 is his second-best in his career. Duncan might not consistently dominate every game like a few seasons ago, but he can still play at an elite level and has easily been the Spurs' best player this season.

Jason Friedman, Rockets.com: Very tough call between Aaron Brooks and Carl Landry since they collectively bear the largest burden of responsibility for this team's success, especially come the fourth quarter. They are the Rockets' primary inside-outside pair and opposing teams now realize that the key to victory against Houston is finding a way to neutralize their effectiveness. Remove either one from the team and the results would be equally devastating. For that reason, I'm going to cop-out and award each of them co-MVP status.

Who's been the biggest "unsung hero?"

Mark Followill, Mavericks TV broadcaster: It's Jason Kidd. At the age of 36 he continues to be the glue that holds the team together most nights. His numbers may not be eye-popping but being around the team on a day-to-day basis you can see he is the leader. His court vision and passing skills are every bit as a good as they were at 26. Kidd is humming along at over 41 percent from the three-point arc. He really puts his stamp on games late by hitting big shots or making critical defensive plays.

Matt Tumbleson, Grizzlies.com: The unsung hero of this team is probably Mike Conley. While each of the other four starters has put up flashier numbers this season and at one point or another had mentions for All-Star candidacy, Conley has been a major part of the Grizzlies' success, even though his numbers are not staggering. He overcame a slow start to become the team's unquestioned floor general, a player who controls tempo and does the little things to help the team win.

Jim Eichenhofer, Hornets.com: There are three legitimate candidates, including both rookie guards and Darius Songaila. I'll go with Songaila, partly based on the fact that he receives virtually no recognition. Outside of New Orleans, I doubt many people realize the impact he's made. His contributions as a frontcourt reserve have been welcomed, particularly on a team that struggled to get production from its backup bigs over the past several seasons. He's been on the floor in fourth-quarter crunch time often, one reason the Hornets won 15 of their first 20 games that were decided by five points or less.

David Thiessen, Spurs blogger: Second-year point guard George Hill is still learning how to run a team after playing shooting guard in college, but Hill's athleticism and defensive presence have been valuable this season. He has improved in every facet of his game. More importantly it allows Roger Mason to play his more natural position of shooting guard instead of point guard when Parker goes out. Hill does not get much attention outside of San Antonio but he is a very good backup point guard and has given Pop more flexibility than ever before.

Jason Friedman, Rockets.com: You don't hear a great deal about Kyle Lowry nationally since his traditional box score numbers don't exactly leap off the page. But his ability to draw fouls, push the pace, play tenacious defense and pair with Aaron Brooks to form a diminutive but occasionally devastating backcourt combo has been critical to the Rockets' success this season. He is the motor which powers one of the best second units in the NBA and his acquisition at last year's trade deadline retroactively stands as one of the more underrated storylines from the 2008-09 season.

What is your team's primary objective in the second half of the regular season?

Mark Followill, Mavericks TV broadcaster: The Mavs built a roster based on recent evidence that primarily veteran teams win titles. Going forward, they'll have to manage the roster to make sure they leave something in the tank for a collection of mostly thirtysomethings come playoff time. As I mentioned earlier, the Mavs must recapture the defensive intensity that allowed them to hold the second seed in the West for a long stretch in the first half of the season.

Matt Tumbleson, Grizzlies.com: As hard as it would have been to be believe after a 1-8 start, the Grizzlies' goal for the second half of the season has to be a playoff berth.  The Grizzlies struggled the last two weeks before the All-Star break, but are still in a pack of three or four teams that will be vying for the final two postseason spots in the Western Conference. An appearance in the postseason this season would fast-forward the track of improvement that this team was following. 

Jim Eichenhofer, Hornets.com: To qualify for the playoffs, to continue showing progress individually and collectively, and – borrowing from the reigning NFL champions who play right across the street – to "finish strong" at the end of the regular season. The Hornets limped into the 2009 playoffs, both physically and figuratively, with several key players banged up and a 2-6 record in their final eight regular season games. New Orleans would love to return to the form that produced a 12-5 mark this January, tying the franchise record for wins in a month. It's likely that the Hornets will need an outstanding finish just to beat out the large group of teams vying for a playoff berth in a heated Western Conference race.  

David Thiessen, Spurs blogger: The main objective for the Spurs is finding their confidence. Too often this group will have a lead and then let it slip away after failing to execute down the stretch with turnovers and missed defensive assignments. Unlike past Spurs championship teams, this team still looks unsure of itself from time to time. They have the talent assembled but need to learn how to turn that talent into wins. Confidence is the first step.

Jason Friedman, Rockets.com: For the Rockets the goal remains the same as it was before the season began: somehow, some way qualify for postseason play. Despite falling off the pace somewhat in 2010, Houston remains in the thick of the Western Conference playoff picture. And given that help may soon be on the way in the form of a trade deadline deal, the Rockets remain an intriguing pick to worm their way into the postseason for a fourth straight season.

Turning to division-wide questions, who has been the Southwest Division's MVP so far (not including the team you cover)?

Mark Followill, Mavericks TV broadcaster: I'll say Aaron Brooks of the Rockets. I think given preseason prognostications most consider it a minor miracle the Rockets spent much of the first 50 games amongst the top eight in the ultra-competitive West. Brooks has led a blue-collar team by being its most consistent scoring threat. In just his third year, Brooks shows leadership skills and lightning quickness that allows him to get into the paint and score and if you play him for the drive he'll gladly stick a three-pointer.

Matt Tumbleson, Grizzlies.com: The MVP of the Southwest Division thus far has to be Dirk Nowitzki. Now in his 12th season, Dirk has not slipped a bit, posting his standard excellent numbers across the board that have helped him lead the Mavericks to the top spot in the division. Tim Duncan has turned back the clock this season, but with the Spurs' struggles and Chris Paul's injury causing an extended absence from the Hornets lineup, Dirk stands alone as the MVP of the Southwest Division.

Jim Eichenhofer, Hornets.com: Dirk Nowitzki has reached the point in his career where he is so productive from year to year that people lose some of their appreciation for just how excellent he has been. His numbers are very similar to each of the past several seasons, but that's definitely not a bad thing. I'll give him the nod also based partly on the fact that the Mavericks are currently leading the toughest division in the NBA. I think virtually everyone predicted that the Spurs would win the Southwest. They still might, but for now the edge goes to Dirk and the Mavs.

David Thiessen, Spurs blogger: The question of MVP is always a tough one. Chris Paul is probably the most talented but he has been injured. Dirk Nowitzki is probably the best scorer and most dominant. Zach Randolph and Aaron Brooks have to also receive consideration because of how important they have been to their teams. However, I have to go with Nowitzki because he is having the best season of any player in the division.

Jason Friedman, Rockets.com: Another difficult decision, especially given that every team in the division is currently slumping as it enters the All-Star break. This is essentially a two-man race between Tim Duncan and Dirk Nowitzki, with Duncan (in my opinion) enjoying the slightly superior season while Dirk's Mavs boast the slightly superior record. However, since I copped out picking a team MVP, I'll venture to take a stand this time around. In my eyes, the deciding factor is this: take Duncan off the Spurs and they're a disaster; remove Nowitzki and the Mavs might still have a modicum of hope for a playoff appearance. Perhaps that's not a fair way to decide things but when splitting hairs, these things happen. Timmy it is.

Most improved player or the player who has been the most pleasant surprise (again, not including your team)?

Mark Followill, Mavericks TV broadcaster: It's gotta be Zach Randolph of Memphis. For much of his career Randolph has been dogged by accusations of a bad attitude and posting empty numbers for losing teams. This year his fire and edge appear to have really added toughness to the surprising Grizzlies. On his way to averaging a double-double for the fifth time in his career his numbers have been anything but empty, as Z-Bo earned the
respect of coaches with his first All-Star appearance.  

Matt Tumbleson, Grizzlies.com: It's hard to argue against Zach Randolph, but since I can't vote for a Grizzlies player in this space I'll go with Carl Landry. Landry epitomizes the Rockets' toughness and team play without a true star on their active roster. As undersized as he is, what Landry does on a nightly basis is dually remarkable and inspiring.  

Jim Eichenhofer, Hornets.com: Several players on the Grizzlies could qualify in this category, but I will go with Marc Gasol. He's averaged about 15 and 10 during the first half, making it easy to forget that he's only in his second NBA season. You also have to give Zach Randolph significant credit for the impact he's made on Memphis. It's not a surprise that he's put up gaudy stats – he does that every season – but the fact that he's blended in so well has shocked many NBA analysts who second-guessed the Grizzlies' decision to acquire him last summer.

David Thiessen, Spurs blogger: Nobody expected the Memphis Grizzlies to be above .500 come All-Star weekend. Much of their success comes from the unexpected play of Zach Randolph. He has always produced good numbers, but it is how he has emerged as a leader and go-to player for the Grizzlies that has been a pleasant surprise.

Jason Friedman, Rockets.com: There was much weeping and gnashing of teeth when Memphis dealt Pau Gasol to the Lakers two years ago. And for good reason. Yet the younger Gasol continues to make the deal somewhat more palatable with his rather rapid and, let's be honest, somewhat surprising development on both ends of the court. He's a borderline All-Star candidate this year and I doubt anyone saw that coming when the trade was initially made. Furthermore, he's been terrific in helping the Grizzlies transform themselves from laughingstock to legitimate playoff contender.

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