I can’t possibly dedicate an entire column to a Super Bowl preview – not with every sportswriter giving it the same treatment this week. Besides, that’s what I have my Audibles column for (see next page). So in this space, I’d like to take a look at our other winter sports – namely, the NBA and the NHL.
The “venerable” NHL reached its All-Star break this past weekend with one team clearly in charge – the Detroit Red Wings, who, as usual, are leading the league with 78 points behind the solid goaltending tandem of Chris Osgood and Dominic Hasek and a dynamic offense, which is tied for the league goal-scoring lead with the Ottawa Senators. It seems like they’re perpetually among the league’s best and they’ll be tough for any of the other Western Conference teams to beat, although the squad with the best shot may be the San Jose Sharks. Currently second in the conference, the Sharks will be buoyed by center Joe Thornton, who always turns it on during the second half, along with wingers Patrick Marleau, Milan Michalek and Jonathan Cheechoo. If they can’t get it done, the Calgary Flames, Columbus Blue Jackets or Dallas Stars all have a shot, although the way the Wings have been playing, any one of those teams would have to at the absolute top of their games to knock them off.
Over in the East, my Rangers have some serious work to do. Currently tied for the final playoff spot with the Islanders, the Rangers have too much talent to be languishing in the bottom half of the conference. So what’s gone wrong? For starters, the Rangers have been plagued by inconsistent play from their defensemen, and their offense has been characterized by long periods of sleepwalking. Big offseason pickups Scott Gomez and Chris Drury have racked up the points (first and third on the team in scoring, respectively) but failed to click with a number of line combinations. The Blueshirts’ biggest bright spot has been goalie Henry Lundqvist, who’s started 45 games with a 2.29 goals against average and seven shutouts. He’s the main reason the team is even in playoff position, and he’ll need to keep up his high level of play if the Rangers are going to climb any higher in the conference.
The Senators are the class of the East, and just like the West, no other team has looked particularly close. The physical Philadelphia Flyers and high-scoring Carolina Hurricanes are directly behind the Sens in the standings, but the team that might present the most trouble for Ottawa could be the Penguins, as crazy as that sounds. If they can survive an injury that will sideline Sidney Crosby for the next six weeks, Pittsburgh could be the only Eastern Conference team that could hang with the Senators. Other than that, only a hot Rangers team, or a Devils unit with a streaking Martin Brodeur in net, could present much of a challenge.
As for the NBA, while the quality of play among the top teams has rarely been higher than during this season, there has also rarely been a less-clear favorite this close to the All-Star break. The team with the best record, the Boston Celtics, looked like sure title winners during their 29-3 start. But a 5-5 record over their past 10 games has revealed questions about the team’s depth and ability to play the physical style that the playoffs require. And while the Eastern Conference is still a step behind the West in terms of talent, there are plenty of Eastern teams that could knock off the Celtics, including the Detroit Pistons (a clutch group of battle-tested veterans), the Cleveland Cavaliers (LeBron and company are capable of anything on the nights he comes to play) and Orlando Magic, a surprise first place team with emerging superstar Dwight Howard in the pivot. I’d love to blow some ink on the Knicks, but fellow columnist Danny Lanzetta has already done a terrific job exposing the foibles of that woeful squad. I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again – get rid of Isiah, and then we’ll talk about improving that team.
Out West, there are some incredibly talented teams – and also two of the worst squads (Seattle and Minnesota) in the game. Leading the way (believe it or not) are the New Orleans Hornets, itinerant in the wake of Hurricane Katrina over the last few seasons but finally putting it all together behind point guard Chris Paul and the shooting of Peja Stojakovic. They’ve got stiff competition from a number of teams, though, including the Phoenix Suns, whose core (Steve Nash, Shawn Marion and Amare Stoudamire) could be in their last season together as one of the most prolific offenses in NBA history. The Dallas Mavericks are only a game behind the Hornets, and should have the edge in experience come playoff time. And then there’s the San Antonio Spurs, the defending champions and probably the most well-rounded team in the league. They’ll also be tough to beat (as usual) in the playoffs.
So who am I picking? As long as the Red Wings can keep their goalies healthy (no small feat, considering the ages of Hasek and Osgood), they’re going to be awfully tough to beat. I think San Jose could give them a run for their money, but the title is Detroit’s to lose at this point. In the NBA, I’m leaning toward a surprise contender – someone like the L.A. Lakers, who are currently in sixth place in the West, only 3.5 games out of the top spot. If they can survive the injury suffered by young center Andrew Bynum that’s expected to keep him sidelined for two months, they’ve got the talent (Kobe Bryant and Lamar Odom) and the leadership (floor general Derek Fisher and coach Phil Jackson) to make a title run in the spring. I don’t think the Celtics are deep enough, and I don’t think the Hornets are dynamic enough. Any of the top Western teams, though, are capable of getting hot in June.
Now assuming I took your mind off football, at least for a moment, there’ s one last thing to say: Go Giants.
Get ready for a battle this Sunday.