Day 1: Lesson Learned

Not only were the three games that aired last night entertaining to watch, it also gave us, as viewers, and the rest of the basketball world a valuable lesson in any team-based concept: the identity of a team is crucial. Whether it be in sports, business, or politics, to be successful in a team, everyone needs to be on the same page; everyone needs to wholeheartedly understand the game plan, which comes from fully grasping the identity of your team. The 1997 Utah Jazz were going to send its opponents on a dizzying but dazzling John Stockton-Karl Malone Pick n' Roll Express. The 2001 Los Angeles Lakers were going to torch you from three point range and punish you down low with Shaquille O'Neal. The 2004 Detroit Pistons were going to wear you down defensively. A team with its identity in tact is the victor, the one without one or still struggling to find one, the loser.

Phoenix Suns: With the departure of Amare Stoudemire, the patented pick and roll game of point guard Steve Nash and now-New York Knick forward Amare Stoudemire is nonexistent. Too many players play the same position and Nash looked as if he was passing the ball to strangers (9 turnovers), given the numerous acquisitions and departures Phoenix went through during the offseason. As long as they have Steve Nash, they'll always run their opponents off the court, tiring them out. But if Hedo Turkoglu and an aging Grant Hill are able to cooperate in such an exhausting game plan is still a question that remains unanswered.

Portland Trailblazers: I'm not saying that they have their identity figured out because of a victory over a clueless Suns team. They are still riddled with injuries and do not have the time to discover a game plan that they can count on every single night because simply put, not everyone on their roster is guaranteed to play because of injury after injury that keeps key players, like Greg Oden, Joel Pryzbilla, and Marcus Camby sidelined. But against the Phoenix Suns, who have an obvious hole in the center of their offense, Portland looks like they know what they're doing.

Houston Rockets: Thanks to extremely hot shooting from guards Aaron Brooks and Kevin Martin, Houston jumped out to an early lead against the Lakers. But the limited 24 minutes that center Yao Ming is monitored to play creates instability for Houston's offense during any given game. When Yao's in, they become a half-court team that punishes teams down low. When Yao's out, they all of a sudden become a running team that looks for transition 3's. Houston can't rely on switching up game plans based on Yao; they need to choose one identity so that rhythm and momentum can be built.

Los Angeles Lakers: The Lakers showed that when the triangle offense isn't as crisp as it should be (which happens sometimes because opponents watch film of the triangle being executed to perfection), they can always rely on guard Kobe Bryant to take over. But with Bryant recovering from knee surgery, they know they have another constant force in forward Pau Gasol. And if last night's game is any indication of anything, the Lakers can assume that their bench is reliable enough so that their aging stars can play limited minutes, as they look towards March, April, the playoffs, and beyond.

Miami Heat: They look great on paper, but they don't look like a unit yet. They didn't have an offense. Period. Or, at least a professional one. Theirs consisted of a guard passing to another guard or forward to shoot a contested 15 to 17 foot jumper. There were no cuts to the basket, backdoor lobs, pick and rolls; therefore, no rhythm was established. And with two players (Dwayne Wade and LeBron James) who are used to demanding the ball having to now share it - it's easy to say during the offseason that it won't be a problem, but it was crystal clear that that's going to be a recurring problem for Miami as the season progresses.

Boston Celtics: Their game plan has been in tact since 2008. Wear their teams down defensively, rebound the basketball, and let Rondo run and make a play. And with really no defense to be played against a struggling Miami offense, Rondo capitalized with 17 assists. Boston's been together for too long and know each other too well to have any newly-assembled team push them around.

An identity gets a 12-man roster all on the same page. It builds rhythm as the season progresses. It builds repetitiveness to become perfect, which is recipe for success.


- Leather Head