Well, I knew this would happen.
Basketball pundits, in their infinite wisdom, seemed to forget that older players get worn, weary. A condensed season, in their mind, would guarantee success for older teams -- experience would propel them through the grueling schedule. Young teams, conversely, would get overwhelmed.
I knew that wasn't true.
The Boston Celtics right now are struggling -- as are other older teams. Chicago, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and the other Los Angeles have some of the best records in the league. This, of course, can be attributed to a good front office and solid, serious coaching. But, it's something else, too.
They're all young.
Normally, youth would be a problem. Young players can be unsure, but they can also be head cases. Here, though, it's helped: they don't have battered bodies. So, they could jump right into the NBA season. They quickly adapted.
Older teams, like the Celtics, can't take the stress. Let's look at Paul Pierce. He can't jump anymore. He's slow. He's exhausted.
Or take Tim Duncan. Gone are the days of 20 points and 10 rebounds. Instead, fans should expect 9 and 7 -- maybe more, maybe less.
And this won't change -- unless GMs make good deals, of course. Formally dominate teams will fade and others will take their place. Los Angeles is a great example: the Lakers -- who would have thought -- are being eclipsed by their in-house rival, the Clippers.
Interesting things are happening. Sekou Smith, who writes for NBA.com, alluded to this in his 'Hang Time Blog.' The lockout, it seems, brought more than just headaches.
It brought a changing of the guard.
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