WizardsBullets 9-35

As we approach the NBA all-star break, it's been interesting to note the teams who have gone on impressive runs. The Celtics started a league history best 27-2. The Lakers have gone on a number of 8-win streaks. The Spurs, now healthy, were playing very well until they ran into the Lakers this past Sunday. And even the Timberwolves have the league's best record (11-2) over the past 13 games.

Sure, the NBA regular season is a league of runs, but when playoff-time comes and the 48-minute games over an 82-game season take effect, the runs fade and what really differentiates the beasts from the bozos is depth.

Consider why the Lakers are more consistent this year than last, and why I believe they'll be this season's NBA champion. After missing most of last year due to injury, center Andrew Bynum returned to the starting lineup, and coach Phil Jackson chose to leave Pau Gasol at the power forward position enabling Lamar Odom to slide into the 6th man role. He joins Sasha Vujacic, Jordan Farmar, and Vladimir Radmanovic to form a very solid bench, complimenting a strong starting five led by one of the league's elite stars in Kobe Bryant, who is a punk.

After the "Big Three" come off the floor for a break, the Celtics turn to the likes of Eddie House, red-headed step-child Brian Scalabrine, Leon Powe, Tony Allen, and chunky buns Glen Davis to log vital minutes.

Cleveland has finally put a championship caliber team around LeBron James by not only bringing in a strong point guard in trading for Mo Williams, but by building depth on the bench with players like Anderson Varejao, Daniel Gibson (when healthy), Sasha Pavlovic, and Wally Szczerbiak.

And San Antonio -- with a few nice players like Roger Mason, Kurt Thomas, Ime Udoka, and George Hill coming off the pine -- has rebounded from early season injury issues to play very good basketball under arguably the best coach in the business.

A few teams you shouldn't expect to go far in the playoffs despite strong starting fives is Orlando, Phoenix, or Atlanta. Why? Because when your bench is led by J.J. Redick, Matt Barnes, and Randolph Morris respectively -- you have issues.

And as for my lovely Bullets, let's put aside for the moment that Gilbert Arenas hasn't played this season and consider the team's body of work during the past few years. If you consider the squad they've put on the floor, it's been Washington's version of the "Big Three" (Arenas, Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison). But after that, who on that roster scares you? No one.

In the end, that's why the deeper teams -- the likes of Boston, Los Angeles, Cleveland, and San Antonio -- will be around come June.

Ridicularity Round Up

• I heart Kirk Radomski.


• Pity Lionel Hollins, who begins his third stint as the Grizzlies coach after Marc Ivaroni was canned. The reality is that GM Chris Wallace -- who didn't fare so well as the Celtics player-personnel guru -- has built a pretty nice, but very young lineup. He just needs a few savvy vets in the mix if Memphis expects to win in the near term. Hollins, I'd imagine, will unfortunately have similar results as the Griz have had in recent years unless Wallace gets him some veteran help.


• Super Bowl in Tampa - Mons Venus anyone? Um, regardless, Steelers in a laugher although I wouldn't mind seeing Kurt Warner get another Lombardi Trophy.


• Got to feel bad for Michael Redd,  a solid pro and one of the real unsung studs in the league. Dude shredded his wheel last weekend and is gone for the year.


• University of Illinois hoops fans shouldn't get their hopes up for a deep run in this year's NCAA tourney. I've seen them play four times now, and while they defend fairly well, they appear so dependent upon perimeter shooting -- with no inside game whatsoever -- that this team is a sink or swim proposition. Come tourney time, defenses tend to tee up and teams that are simply outside shooting factories tend to fall quickly.


• Closing on a serious note, an interesting piece from CNN.com about the results of posthumous studies done on the brains of former NFL players who suffered multiple concussions.

Carry on.

If you have a limited social life and wish to send Dr. Aaron a note of spiritual support, e-mail him at abe@joesportsfan.com.