Stock Up: Rajon Rondo
Talk about your coming out partoes! Rondo has been the best point guard on the floor during the playoffs so far: he's averaging 21 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds through six games. Did anyone expect that from him? I sure as heck didn't. The guy has gone from a late first round pick that wasn't even considered the best point guard in his draft class to putting up ridiculous MVP like numbers. The entire Celtics starting five has raised their games to make up for the absence of Kevin Garnett, but Rondo has gone the furthest. This guy could be an All-Star next season.
Stock Down: Tracy McGrady
So imagine this for a minute: you put up crazy numbers for a few years, are in the conversation for best player in the game, and never make it out the first round. Then, one year you suffer a season ending injury halfway through, and instead of going into the crapper your team gets better, makes the playoffs and gets out of the first round. All while you're in street clothes. Not too good, huh? McGrady may be the most talented player to accomplish the least in the postseason ever. Even Dominique Wilkins got to a conference final with the Hawks. If The Rockets give the Lakers any kind of trouble that will only make it look even worse.
Stock Up: Joakim Noah
It's been a real roller coaster ride for Noah, going from leader of the two-time National champs at Florida to a disappointing lottery pick to a near bust to riding high in the playoffs. Noah has finally gotten to show what he can do when it matters, and he's shown it well. He's not much help on bad teams, but in a playoff situation he brings things to the table like energy and hustle that make a difference. The Chicago coaches seem to notice this as well, and have rewarded him huge minutes through the series so far (almost 40 per game). With any luck, he'll be able to carry this over to next season, but for the time being he looks like not so bad of a draft pick after all.
Stock Down: The Hornets
How quickly things can change. A year ago they were a seventh game overtime collapse from playing the Lakers for the Western Conference championship. Now they suffer a humiliating first round defeat in five games to the Denver Nuggets, including a 58 point drubbing. This was the year they were supposed to make even more noise in the West, but instead they sputtered to the end of the season, wracked by injuries and a stupid attempt to fool people about a foiled cost cutting trade that would have sent Tyson Chandler, their starting center and defensive linchpin away for expiring contracts. Even though it was aborted, the move sent clear signals that the team is more interesting in saving money than winning. And the players can say that didn't affect them, but they're human just like you and me. Now there's talk of breaking it up in the offseason and making trades; whether they're for money or better players remains to be seen, but it really looks lke you can cross them off your contenders list for a while.
Stock Up: Final Four experience
A look at the rosters of the two teams in the epic Celtics-Bulls series will reveal that the Bulls have five guys who made it to a Final Four (Ben Gordon, Kirk Hinrich, Joakim Noah, Tyrus Thomas, and Derrick Rose) and two guys with championships (Noah and Gordon). Anyone who think that big experience didn't help these guys is an idiot. They all played well during the series, and I think they were helped by their NCAA accomplishments. Now I'll be the first to admit that certain people aren't hurt by lacking it; I know good and well that Lebron wouldn't be any better off than he is now. But what about his draft classmate Dwyane Wade? Anyone think that Final Four run at Marquette didn't help hm be more ready to play in an NBA Finals game?
Stock Down: Atlanta They have to play Cleveland now. Enough said.
still lakers vs cavs
That Noah dunk could be a commercial if it isn't already.