With the start of the 2009-10 season looming, NBA FanHouse walks through the Valley of the Most Likely; we shall fear no topic.Madison Square Garden is the crown jewel of NBA arenas. It's the oldest building in the league, and has hosted a ton of special moments throughout its history. Many of those moments likely helped shaped the hoop dreams of many of the league's current stars.
Of course, no one had a greater influence on making MSG a special place to play than Michael Jordan (sorry, Knicks fans). Since Jordan, every NBA player has wanted to come to the Garden and put on a show.
Kobe Bryant and LeBron James are probably the biggest stars in the NBA today (at least according to Vitaminwater and Nike). As you know, both Kobe and LeBron have been influenced tremendously by Jordan. Accordingly, they have both tried to replicate Jordan's classic performances at the Garden.
Think about it this way: only three Knicks opponents have dropped 50 at the Garden. Those three? MJ, LeBron and Kobe (sorry Rip, your 50 in three overtimes just doesn't cut it).
Jordan did it twice, the most memorable being his "Double Nickel" game in 1995. LeBron has also dropped 50 twice at MSG, nearly missing 50 point triple doubles in both '08 and '09. And of course, Kobe etched his name into Madison Square Garden history when he set the Garden scoring record with 61 points at MSG last season.
So who will cross the 50-point plateau at MSG this season? Last season we were pretty on point with our Kobe Bryant prediction. Although Kobe loves to put on a show at the Garden, I'm going to roll with LeBron this season.
The reasons are pretty simple. LeBron is the premier player in the league right now and the Knicks have no one that can contain him. There's also that whole thing about teasing Knicks fans over the possibility of him sporting the orange and blue in 2010. Just like Kobe and MJ, LeBron understands the moment. He has already scored 50 at the Garden two seasons in a row. He'll likely continue to entice Knicks fans with the lure signing him in the July 2010 by putting together another 50-point show stopper.
Runners-up:
Gilbert Arenas: Gil hung 50 on the Mike D'Antoni coached Phoenix Suns a few years back. After missing almost two full seasons with a knee injury, torturing D'Antoni and his Knicks with a 50 spot would be the perfect "I'm back" statement for Mr. Arenas.
Kobe Bryant: See last season
Dwyane Wade: Trust me, after finishing third in the MVP vote behind Kobe and LeBron last season, Wade will be looking to show that he is the best player in the league.
Kevin Durant: Everyone is predicting that this will be a break out year for KD (you know, because averaging 25 points per game on 48% from the field and 42% from three wasn't a break out). Joining the 50-point club at the Garden would surely help the mainstream become more aware of Mr. Durant.
Amar'e Stoudemire: "Yo coach D ... Get me out of Phoenix and I'll do this for you nightly!"
Carmelo Anthony: Along with Kobe, Carmelo is the most complete offensive threat in the league. Yet he still doesn't get the level of respect shown to LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. 'Melo has quietly gotten better year after year, but still craves to be recognized as a superstar. Dropping 50 at MSG is one way to get back on the mainstream radar. And since 'Melo played for Syracuse in the Big East, he's already quite familiar with the importance of the Garden.
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
How about most likely to lead his team to repeated championships? Kobe of course, Paul Pierce even Melo and a lot of other guys who have figured out how insignificant scoring is. Kobe scored 81 in one game and 65 in three quarters. He even dropped his 55 at MSG in three quarters, but losing to Boston and Paul Pierce winning the Finals MVP showed him what's really important. To me, no matter how good you are, you might actually be the best player in the league, but you need to win some championships to call yourself the King. Hell Steve Nash won two MVP's and Dirk Nowitzki won one, but until you start winning championships, it's hard to go down in history as the King. See Karl Malone, Charles Barkley and a bunch of other guys who never won a championship.
It is the media calling King James the King, though he goes along with it, and saying he is the best ever, when he is only the reigning MVP. Credit/blame where Blame/credit is due. I have my doubts either James or Bryant will both to play the 4th quarter against the Knicks this season, though both might get over 50 in 3 quarters. But James and Bryant both should be hoping not to have to gun that much against each other, much less against the Knicks. James needs to help Shaq get 20 or 30 points, 10 or 15 rebounds, maybe 5 or 6 assists, maybe 2 or 3 blocked shots a game, IF he can, which would be VERY optimistic at this age, but James needs all the support he can get, especially from the big guy, especially because neither shoots from mid range out much or well, so blending will NOT be easy at first. And for those who sort of rightly hate Knicks bashing, articles like this are one of the reasons for it. The Knick press called Wilt a loser for only two championships in a career, but the Knicks have only two championships for a entire franchise. Which isn`t bad compared to the 14 plus teams which have NO championships. But the Knick press is stuck on itself. Losers, winners of only two championships, bragging on themselves like scoring 50 in Boston Garden or the LA Staples arena is nothing, but doing it in Madison is EVERYthing, even if you lose the game. That isn`t the city`s fault, like it isn`t James` fault the media kisses him, or even maybe that his coach does, the media prompts the Knick bashing with its narcissusism, about the Knicks, and prompts the James bashing with its similar bad attitude about him.
if lebron played as selfishly as kobe used too he cud drop 81 points at msg or anywhere else for that matter .. player 2 win the scoring title this year goes 2 d-wade...he carries his team more so than any other single player does for their team
The author of this article is a jackass and obviously a Knick basher. Arenas, Durant, Stoudemire and/or Anthony scoring 50 at the Garden? The statement that "no one had a greater influence on making MSG a special place to play than Michael Jordan" is just downright ludicrous, ignorant, and shows a lack of historical perspective. A statement like that denies and denigrates the great players and hall of famers that have graced the Garden floor over the course of the last 40 years, and shows the author's ignorance of Garden history. I won't waste my time in the future reading anything this Vesey wannabe publishes.