As important as it is for championship-caliber teams to have a superstar, surrounding him with the right parts is just as crucial for teams hoping to win it all. Bird, for instance, had McHale and Parish; Jordan had Pippen; Kobe had Shaq; Duncan had Robinson and then Parker and Ginobili. Picking out this season's contenders for the Larry O'Brien trophy involves identifying which teams have that right blend of a superstar talent and a strong supporting cast.
As has been the case for each of the last six seasons, the Cleveland Cavaliers appear to have just one of those components. LeBron James is again posting MVP numbers, with 29.8 points, 8.4 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game heading into tonight's clash with the Denver Nuggets. But as LeBron continues to get double- and triple-teamed on virtually a nightly basis, the Cavs appear to have no consistent and reliable threat to turn to. He has no Pippen or Shaq or even Ginobli.
The Eastern Conference is experiencing a renaissance, as teams like the Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic, Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks are challenging the powerhouses of the West early on in the 2008-09 season. Although LeBron is probably the most dominant all-around player in the NBA right now, not even he can get through the deep East alone. Yes, the Cavs have been getting 15.5 points per game from big man Zydrunas Ilgauskas and 14.4 points from Mo Williams so far this season. But James needs a true All-Star caliber player -- a Ben Gordon or T.J. Ford -- who could provide Cleveland with an additional scoring threat.
LeBron draws a lot of comparison to Michael Jordan, and talent-wise, it's a valid argument. But Jordan won six championships with Pippen, a future Hall of Famer, by his side. James, too, likely needs a sidekick.
Although he's already in his sixth year in the NBA, James is only 23-years-old and is just beginning to scrape the surface of his potential. Teams around the league are preparing now for the summer of 2010, when LeBron, along with Dwayne Wade of the Miami Heat and Chris Bosh of the Toronto Raptors will be highly sought-after free agents. As the omnipresent threat of losing its superstar to a bigger market grows, Cleveland has to make a run at a title while LeBron is still under its control.
Last week, in the blockbuster deal of the season, the Pistons dealt 2004 Finals MVP Chauncey Billups to the Nuggets for eight-time All Star Allen Iverson. The Georgetown product is one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history, ranking behind only Jordan and Wilt Chamberlin in career points per game average at 27.7.
Now, by joining a Pistons team that represents the most talented squad he's played on in his career, the Answer may get a chance to add the one item missing from his illustrious resume: an NBA championship.
Unlike James, Iverson has a supporting cast that has proven it can win an NBA title. With the likes of Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince available to ease the burden off his shoulders, Iverson will not have to score 30 points a night for his team to win. The Pistons are a veteran team that can run with anybody in the league on any given night; behind the defending champion Celtics, they are the biggest threat to take the Eastern Conference title.
At 33, the Hall of Fame guard has not shown any signs of slowing down, but his high-speed play and the fact that he has averaged over 40 minutes per game in all but one season of his NBA career might cause his drop-off to come faster than expected. Although the Pistons are 0-2 with Iverson heading into tonight's game against the Golden State Warriors, Detroit will probably be better off in the long run.
Billups is a scoring threat and an enormously talented point guard, but Iverson is on his own level. His ability to penetrate the lane and create scoring opportunities for his teammates is arguably unmatched by anyone. Iverson and his supporting cast create a potent combination with the ability to make a serious run at an NBA title this season.
