Monday’s Got Some Great Match Ups On NBA Schedule

The National Basketball Association offers only three games on the second Monday of the season, but fans will be entertained. Last week in our daily preview we compared and contrasted veteran point guard Tony Parker from San Antonio against the guy who in my mind could be on of the best quarterbacks in the NBA in the next few years. Monday night that player Chris Paul who was schooled last week by Parker goes toe to toe with perhaps the best point guard of his generation. Paul with be matched up against veteran legend and certain Basketball Hall of Fame player Jason Kidd. Although Kidd’s scoring numbers are down dramatically, as Richard Jefferson is now the focal point of the Nets offense, he is still dishing off 10.5 assists per game,and 8 rebounds. Paul on the other hand is New Orleans’ second option scoring wise right after David West so he averages 18.1 points per contest along with 11.1 assists per game, and 4.4 boards. We will see if Paul learned any lessons after being schooled by Parker last week.

An early candidate for NBA Comeback Player Of The Year in this reporter’s view would have to be Utah Jazz power forward Carlos Boozer. As I wrote last week, Boozer’s Lazarus like rise from the NBA graveyard started during the playoff last season. But the highly paid Jazz player has turned back into the force he was with the Cleveland Cavaliers, when stupidly he was allowed to drop to the second round. Former Cavaliers General Manager Jim Paxson made on of his best moves in drafting the former Duke player. But he more than negated it by not picking up his option and allowing him to go to Utah. Injuries derailed Boozer’s career, but he is healthy, and team cross the league are finding that out in a hurry. They will host the Sacramento Kings Monday night.

The Cleveland Cavaliers started this season with their first two games at home and looked quite unimpressive. However they went on a six game road trip and in the first five games have gone 4-1, putting them over .500 for the first time this season. I have been banging the drum for this team to get a point guard since they were swept last season in the NBA Finals. This game hopefully will be a wakeup call, as even though A.I. says he is no longer the point guard for the Denver Nuggets, you know Monday night he will go ballistic. Cleveland has nobody close to be able to defend Iverson. This game will be nationally broadcast on NBA-TV.

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One Response to “ Monday’s Got Some Great Match Ups On NBA Schedule ”

Comments:

Russ Loede says:
November 12th, 2007 at 8:38 pm

You can’t say it enough nor harp on the fact that PAUL is the NEXT Best PG - and I’ll also add this in by saying he will be a far superior playmaker than Parker in the next year or two, if not this season… Paul is a much better TRUE PG/Passer than Parker, though Tony has the edge up on him with his explosive first step and inside scoring ability, getting to the paint frequently, early & often - Paul can do the same, though he needs to DOMINATE More and continue to be aggressive and attack - he has all the tools & skills to become the the best PG in the NBA and he can make that jump by honing his game and improving his shot, just to have him keep utilizing that speed and quickness that he has to get by anyone in the Association!

CP3 is making sure the Hornets get to the Playoffs and have one year to remember!

Boozer Comeback Player of the Year - If that Statement is true - then the Following is also true in and of it’s own right:

Kevin Martin 4 MOST Improved ~ Martin averaging 27-28 PPG for an awful Sacramento squad and is making a case for elite status - coming out of nowhere (Zainesville, OHIO - West Carolina alum), as he is a great Charity Stripe Tosser and can score and get to the line with the best of ‘em @ 6′7” 185!!! Skinny… Kid can flat out play, now all he has do is improve his mid-range game and get more seperation (couldn’t do that vs. LeBron at final moments/stages of game Fri. Nite to send it into OT) and of course… BULK UP - GET STRONGER
Martin is a bright spot on a dull team… and will only get better - he has the chance to be the next Ray Allen type of player - with his scoring mentality - add a more complete game to his arsenal - and he’d be that player that starred in “He Got Game”.