New Faces Can’t Offset Nba’s Talent Dilution Midseason Report

As the entire NBA convened upon the Valley of the Sun this weekend, the league couldn’t seem more fractured. With baseball at the crossroads of collective bargaining, people still tend to forget the NBA and the Players Association still aren’t close to a deal yet, either.

Game officials have the players and coaches up in arms with their ludicrous inconsistency. The haves are dominating the have-nots more than ever before - if only because there are more have-nots than ever before. And if you’re looking to pick out a great team so far in the 1994-95 NBA season, forget it. That team doesn’t exist. And this league is going to expand two more teams next season to further dilute the talent? As commissioner David Stern once said, “Oy vey!”

Grant Hill and Anfernee Hardaway are the bright new faces on the block. The game highlight of the season so far was Orlando’s overtime win over New York last Sunday, with Shaquille O’Neal and Patrick Ewing matching each other’s best stuff.

Perhaps the saddest moment occurred last Monday, when Suns forward Danny Manning tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his good knee - five years after he tore the other one. Manning’s a great guy who sacrificed a huge contract to gamble with the Suns on a one-year, $1 million deal.

Meanwhile, this season is just another NBA season with surprises, disappointments, and still nearly five months to go. Here’s a look at what we’ve seen so far and what we may see on the way to the Finals:

Most valuable player: Right now, Orlando’s Shaquille O’Neal is dominating just about every game he plays. Frighteningly big, strong and agile, he’s refining his game, and he’s only 22. They held the best record for almost the entire first half of the season, and O’Neal’s the reason. Also worthy of consideration is John Stockton, a personal choice for becoming the NBA’s alltime assist leader and pacing the Utah Jazz to a comfortable lead in the Midwest Division. Don’t rule out a second year in a row for the Rockets Hakeem Olajuwon, either.

Least valuable player: Portland’s Jerome Kersey counts $3.6 million on the salary cap this season and $4.4 million next season, and he’s not even playing more than 15 minutes a game anymore. However, the Cavs’ Danny Ferry is making $3.8 million yet can’t even play major minutes on the injury-decimated team. Sure, he’s hitting 3s and scoring some, but he should be playing 30-35 minutes a game, not 15-20.

Surprise team: The young teams have done well, as Dallas started with a flurry, then fell back into the pack. But the Sacramento Kings, led by rookie Brian Grant, and the transformed Los Angeles Lakers are hanging tough. However, the biggest shock has come from the Cleveland Cavaliers, hanging around first place in the Central Division despite losing Brad Daugherty, Gerald Wilkins and Mark Price to injury, and Larry Nance to retirement.

Disappointing team: This one’s easy. This was supposed to be the year the Golden State Warriors would contend for the title. Instead they’re not even contending for a playoff spot. Too many injured bodies and fragile egos got in the way, and it literally made coach Don Nelson sick. In the wake of that, he is likely to step down today. Finishing second are the Denver Nuggets.

Rookie of the year: So far Detroit’s Grant Hill has been the best rookie, despite missing one-third of the games with a foot injury. Dallas’ Jason Kidd is hanging in there. Glenn Robinson is coming on strong with the improving Bucks. But Sacramento’s Brian Grant could be making the most impact and is rapidly gaining momentum.