Before we begin, a little word history.
"Pulling all the stops out" is a phrase you've probably heard if you're a native English speaker. If you are a native English speaker, you probably know that to "pull all the stops out" means something like "to hold back nothing." The phrase, according to Wiktionary, is "an allusion to organ stops, which control the loudness and tones of a pipe organ. When all are pulled out, the organ can play all tones simultaneously."
"Carson," maybe you're asking, "why in the heck do I even care about that?" To which I reply: "Because this -- i.e. pulling out the stops -- is exactly what you better be doing right now with your Drive to the Finals picks."
In the spirit of pulling out said stops, here are the eleven players you better have picked by the time these Finals are over.
1. Kobe Bryant, Lakers
2009-2010 Averages: 27.0 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 5.0 APG (37.4 PRA)
2010 Playoffs: 29.0 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 6.2 APG (40.4 PRA)
Notes: He's hard to like if you're not a Laker fan, but his competitiveness is hard to criticize. So are his 30-point games.
2. Pau Gasol, Lakers
2009-2010 Averages: 18.3 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 3.4 APG (32.9 PRA)
2010 Playoffs: 20.4 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 3.4 APG (34.7 PRA)
Notes: Gasol is an educated man, and it's not hard to tell from the way he plays the game. Combined with his natural athleticism, he's a great force.
3. Rajon Rondo, Celtics
2009-2010 Averages: 13.7 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 9.8 APG (28.0 PRA)
2010 Playoffs: 16.6 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 9.9 APG (32.2 PRA)
Notes: Rondo is capable of posting good PRAs even in lackluster performances because of his ability to contribute across all three relevant categories.
4. Paul Pierce, Celtics
2009-2010 Averages: 18.3 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 3.1 APG (25.7 PRA)
2010 Playoffs: 18.9 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 3.6 APG (28.8 PRA)
Notes: In addition to his shooting prowess, is one of the best at getting to the line, which makes him a guarantee for points game to game.
5. Kevin Garnett, Celtics
2009-2010 Averages: 14.3 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 2.7 APG (24.4 PRA)
2010 Playoffs: 13.7 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 2.3 APG (23.3 PRA)
Notes: Relative emphasis on rebounding makes him safe-ish, if uninspiring, pick.
6. Ray Allen, Celtics
2009-2010 Averages: 16.3 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 2.6 APG (22.1 PRA)
2010 Playoffs: 17.3 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 2.8 APG (23.5 PRA)
Notes: Yes, he's averaging a higher PRA than Garnett, but, due to reliance on three-point shot, is a riskier pick. For every Game Two performance (37 PRA), there's also the potential for a Game One-type line (12 PRA).
7. Andrew Bynum, Lakers
2009-2010 Averages: 15.0 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 1.0 APG (24.5 PRA)
2010 Playoffs: 9.8 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 0.7 APG (18.0 PRA)
Notes: Knee problems drag down his playoff average, and might still affect his playoff performance. When healthy, though, he's probably be fifth on this list.
8. Lamar Odom, Lakers
2009-2010 Averages: 10.8 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 3.3 APG (23.8 PRA)
2010 Playoffs: 9.8 RPG, 8.9 RPG, 2.2 APG (20.9 PRA)
Notes: Watching Odom, even to this day, it's difficult to understand why he's not the best player in the NBA. He can dribble, rebound, shoot -- and he's close to seven feet tall!
9. Ron Artest, Lakers
2009-2010 Averages: 11.0 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 3.0 APG (18.3 PRA)
2010 Playoffs: 11.4 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.3 APG (17.5 PRA)
Notes: Were I a Laker fan, I'd probably get anxious any time Ron-Ron decided to participate in the offense. Still, he's dogged. (Whatever "dogged" means.)
10. Derek Fisher, Lakers
2009-2010 Averages: 7.5 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 2.5 APG (12.0 PRA)
2010 Playoffs: 10.7 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 3.2 APG (16.4 PRA)
Notes: Basically unwatchable for anyone who's not a Laker fan. Still, so long as he's hanging out behind the three-point line for the occasional kick-out, he has value.
11. Kendrick Perkins, Celtics
2009-2010 Averages: 10.1 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.0 APG (18.8 PRA)
2010 Playoffs: 6.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 1.1 APG (13.3 PRA)
Notes: Scoring has decreased by 40 percent in playoffs, nor is it likely to improve with Gasol and Bynum roaming the middle for L.A.
Now here are your So-Called Expert's picks for the three games this week.
Date: Tuesday, June 07, 2010
Player: Ron Artest - LAL
Opposition: at Boston
2009-2010 Averages: 11.4 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.3 APG (17.5 PRA)
General Thoughts: Here's why I'm picking Artest even though I have Lamar Odom still available: because Andrew Bynum appears healthy for the time being. How does that math work?, maybe you're wondering. Well, look: if Bynum's healthy, he plays a whole bunch of minutes and plays real well. Game Two's 21-point, 6-rebound performance suggests as much. But Bynum also played 39 minutes in that game, the most time he's spent on the court in one game since January 12th at San Antonio. It's not a guarantee by any means, but there's the possibility that he feels the residual effects after tonight's game and Thursday is more difficult for him, opening up the door to Odom.
Date: Thursday, June 09, 2010
Player: Lamar Odom - LAL
Opposition: at Boston
2009-2010 Averages: 10.8 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 3.3 APG (23.8 PRA)
General Thoughts: As I mentioned in re my Tuesday pick, part of the justification for playing Artest on Tuesday -- despite having Odom still available is that Andrew Bynum, who's been playing with knee difficulties, might begin feeling the effects of a 39-minute performance Sunday in Game Two. Speculative? Yes, entirely. But that's what happens when you're down to the figurative dregs of the Drive barrel, man.
Date: Sunday, June 13, 2010
Player: Derek Fisher - LAL
Opposition: vs Boston
2009-2010 Averages: 7.5 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 2.5 APG (12.0 PRA)
General Thoughts: The attentive Driver might notice that Fisher represents my fifth consecutive Laker. Why? Well, because I burned basically every last Celtic in the previous two rounds. Seriously, between Cleveland and Orlando, I just didn't see it. And now they're still around, here, in Game Five of the Finals. As I'm writing this from the previous Sunday, I have no idea what your futuristic world looks like. Who's up in the series? Who's been the hero? the goat? Are there flying cars yet?
The views expressed by RotoWire.com represent only the views of the writers; they do not represent the views of the NBA or any NBA team.
