The Top Two - 1/18/07

I don't know what Michael Vick was thinking if he was, as has been reported, trying to take marijuana onto a plane in a hidden compartment inside a water bottle. If I were the Falcons, I'd be less concerned about the marijuana use and more concerned about the obvious lapse in judgement. If you are going to use illegal drugs, you don't take illegal drugs through someplace where searches take place. Maybe Vick figured he would get a pass because he's Michael Vick, but that's just not a chance I'd be willing to take. Maybe 30 years ago, but today, there is so much emphasis placed on players screwing up that it's not a risk worth taking, or at least I wouldn't think it would be.

Perhaps, this is a cunning stunt by Vick to defer analysis and criticism from his sometimes spectacular but consistently, wildly inconsistent play onto his off-field, and leaving field, transgressions. Or, maybe he didn't like all the publicity Petrino was getting. Just thought I'd throw those out there for a little comic relief.

Honestly, this shouldn't be a big deal to the Falcons, unless Vick faces legal trouble that hinders his football development. The bigger issue is whether or not Vick is the long-term solution at QB. Vick's physical skills are mesmerizing. He has tremendous speed and quickness. He can make all the throws with a flick of the wrist. And, while he has been fairly successful as a starter in the NFL, the Falcons have tanked late the last two seasons and Matt Schaub is riding the pine. Why not mix things up and utilize the skills of all the best players on the team. Obviously, Schaub is an asset in the passing game. Deuce McAllister welcomed Reggie Bush to New Orleans because he understood that Bush brought elements to the team that he couldn't provide. While it is easier for RB's to split time because they take more punishment than QB's (aside from David Carr, maybe), the key is putting the team first. If using Schaub can help the Falcons win, they should use him. Personally, I think the added dimension of defending against formations with Vick, Schaub and Vick and Schaub in the game would hinder defenses while simultaneously increasing the potential productivity of the offense.

Moving all the way across the country, we find the Los Angeles Lakers. They took down San Antonio last night. So, where do they fit in the Western Conference picture? At the top, we have Dallas and Phoenix as 1A and 1B. After that, the waters are considerably more muddy. The Lakers and Rockets have dynamic wing scorers. That seems to be all the Utah Jazz are really missing. The Nuggets could be poised for another second-half surge with Anthony returning from suspension to join AI and J.R. Smith. And, we have the aging Spurs.

Like the Heat in the Eastern Conference, there are teams in the Western Conference who are waiting in the wings for the playoffs to begin. Dallas barely edged out San Antonio last year and that team is filled with veterans who usually play their best during the playoffs. So, right now, San Antonio is still number three - although I don't particularly appreciate the benefit of the doubt afforded Ginobli and Duncan - underneath Dirk's Mavs and the leader of the uptempo surge, the Phoenix Suns. Next, I'm going to put the Nuggets in there on potential. If George Karl can convince everyone to buy into a team scheme centered around AI and Carmelo, the team could go a long way. Camby, Nene, Evans, and Najera can do the dirty work on the inside. Is Kenyon Martin going to play this year? He could be another great asset as a defender and rebounder. Plus, if Martin worked hard to follow shots and cut down the lane or backdoor at appropriate times, he could provide a plethora of highlight reel dunks and stay involved without wasting possessions hogging the ball and trying to create, which is not his strong point. With Steve Blake distributing the ball at times and J.R. Smith stroking threes, made easier by all the attention devoted to the two stars, this team could give fits to any team in the NBA.

I do not think any of the other teams out west are really legitimate contenders for the conference crown at this point. Kobe has the Lakers playing well, but he's still without a consistent second scorer and the Lakers still don't have a steady inside presence. But, Kobe can catch fire for stretches and carry the team. He won't get them through the west, though. Carlos Boozer is playing outstanding for the Jazz and Deron Williams is developing at the point. It would have been interesting if they'd grabbed Chris Paul. Chris Paul driving and distributing to AK-47, Boozer and Okur would, probably, be more effective than Williams doing it. The Jazz are just lacking a go to scorer. And, it's a shame because their void is at the SG position, where they Miles, Giricek, Brewer, etc. The SG position is the easiest one to fill with an athletic scorer and that has to be eating at the Jazz.

The last Western Conference team worth mentioning is the Rockets. McGrady and Yao are an interesting pair if they are healthy. Yao is out and McGrady is still having back flair ups. For Houston to be dangerous, they need both of those guys clicking and healthy for the duration. That's not likely to happen. But, just imagine the possibility. Battier is a great complimentary wing to McGrady. Juwan Howard is a solid veteran and Bonzi Wells is a match-up problem if he's not gunning haphazardly. Plus, the pivot combo of Yao and Mutombo is the best duo west of Shaq and 'Zo (Duncan is a PF, right?). And, Alston and Head are solid guards capable of knocking down outside shots.

So, getting back to the topic at hand, the Los Angeles Lakers aren't really that far up the Western Conference hierarchy. They're a team built for the regular season, not the grind of the playoffs.