Can J.R. Smith and Jamal Crawford help CP3 and 'Melo reach their team potential? (Credits: Michelle V. Agins/The New York Times) |
Sunday's nationally televised ABC games showed America two things they probably never could've imagined, especially not on the same day. For the Knicks, they put on an electric, impressive and impactful performance on the road in the vaunted Chesapeake Energy Arena beating OKC at it's own game and getting to 50 wins for the first time since '99-'00. In the second game, the Clippers officially took over the city of Los Angeles (at least this season) by clinching the division, extending their franchise record win total to 51 and sweeping a regular season series from the Lakers for the first time since...well...forever. And while these teams regular seasons have been sensational, what's being done now will mean nothing if neither team is playing deep into the month of May.
The Knicks are enjoying a boatload of "first time since" moments. First Atlantic division title since '93-'94 (they've clinched at least a tie for the division), first 50-win season since '99-'00, first #3 seed or better since '99-'00, etc. Carmelo Anthony is a bonafide superstar, J.R. Smith is enjoying his best season ever, Tyson Chandler might be the best center in the game and the rest of the Knicks role players seem to be falling in line perfectly. But there are still so many questions surrounding this team, who has only won one playoff game in its last nine tries. Do they have the mental fortitude for the playoffs? Will the three-pointers fall? Can they get key stops late in games? Can J.R Smith be that consistent second scorer needed?
Much of the Clippers lifetime as an organization has been spent wanting to be the Lakers and failing absolutely miserably. This season will not only mark the first time they've ever won 50 games but it will be the first time since '92-'93 that they will have made the playoffs in back-to-back years. Simply put, the oft-pathetic franchise is starting to kick itself into gear. They're led by arguably the best point guard in the league, two super-athletic big men, a lethal scoring sixth man and a crew of role players who probably form the best bench in the league. While the Clips haven't been playing phenomenal over the last few weeks, they still showed in their 18-game winning streak that they have contender potential. Yet questions remain in Los Angeles as well. Are Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan a legitimate frontcourt duo? Can Chris Paul stay healthy? Does their deep bench even really matter? Will they be able to slog through the brutally tough Western Conference? Can Caron Butler and Matt Barnes provide legitimate two-way basketball?
Both of these squads should be looking forward to proving their worth, proving that they aren't first or even second-round flameouts. The way the Knicks started the season (and are finishing it) and the 18-game winning streak the Clips pulled off means that these teams are, at the very minimum, conference finalist. Are the Thunder leagues ahead of the Clippers? Absolutely not. Are the Pacers so much more dominant than the Knicks? Absolutely not. There are no excuses for Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony anymore. Paul's never been to a conference finals, 'Melo's only been there once. And yet these players are still considered franchise players. There might not be a better chance for either of these to prove that than this year. Taking the Clippers to their first conference finals ever would certainly validate CP3's worth as a franchise-changing talent. On the other end, 'Melo might run into one of the greatest teams ever assembled so pushing the Heat to a Game 6 or Game 7 would be probably be seen as a successful season.
There's no telling what is going to happen in a couple of weeks, but the time is now for 'Melo and CP3 to give us our money's worth. I don't care about the regular season and many others will agree. We in America have made sports about the playoffs, that's why we don't play our sports like they do in the Premier League or La Liga. In America it's about how you perform when the lights are blindingly bright. It's time for both the Knicks and Clippers to shed the Charles Barkley/national media hate and play to their full potential. If not, the critics will have their day in the sun and these 50-win season will have brutally gone for naught.
April is here. Fasten your seatbelts.
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