Full-court press By Steve Kerr, Yahoo! Sports

Full-court press

By Steve Kerr, Yahoo! Sports
October 25, 2005




Everyone faces pressure in the NBA – from the superstar attempting to justify his enormous contract, to the 12th man hoping to hang onto his job, to the coach trying to lead his team to the playoffs.

Still, every season there are some players and coaches who appear to be taking on more than their share of responsibility. Here are my top 10 NBA figures facing the most pressure this season.

Kwame Brown. The Los Angeles Lakers desperately need his size and athleticism on the front line, and the former No. 1 pick – who wanted a second chance after his Washington Wizards' experience – has every opportunity to succeed.

The pressure is on for Kwame to not only resurrect his career, but to be the difference in whether or not the Lakers become a playoff team. Oh yeah, he has to do it in the glare of Hollywood.

Flip Saunders. When was the last time a team made the Finals, came back largely intact, and then hired a new coach? Saunders replaces the legendary Larry Brown, who led the Detroit Pistons to one title and a near-miss. Anything less than an Eastern Conference championship will be considered a failure by Detroit fans.

Ron Artest. He didn't make things any easier on himself when he announced last week that he wanted to play like a "caged animal." But then again, it's Artest, and you have to take what he says with a grain of salt.

Regardless, the small forward has the burden of trying to lead the Indiana Pacers to a championship while also dealing with the after-effects of last season's brawl and suspension.

Kobe Bryant. Following last season's Lakers debacle – along with his own personal public relations nightmare – Kobe faces a critical year. He must not only win games but also win back his fans. He's off to a good start, apparently coexisting quite well with Phil Jackson. Still, Kobe must sustain his goodwill – and his play.

Kevin Garnett. Following the Minnesota Timberwolves' collapse a year ago, K.G. must carry his team back to the playoffs without much firepower by his side. Garnett's knee troubles kept him from practicing much last season, and perhaps the wear and tear of so many 40-plus minute games is catching up to him. He's still one of the game's best players, but most of his peers have more help. It looks like he'll be carrying a huge load again.

Phil Jackson. His critics have always questioned whether Jackson would be able to coach a team without enormous talent. For the first time since Michael Jordan decided to play baseball in 1993, Jackson will lead a team without at least two superstars. The pressure is on Jackson to get the Lakers back to the playoffs and to prove his critics wrong.

Deron Williams. It's been two years since John Stockton retired, and the Utah Jazz haven't found a replacement yet. Williams is expected to fill his shoes, run Jerry Sloan's offense, and help Utah get back to the playoffs – all in his first NBA season.

Rafer Alston. He began training camp in Toronto, getting set for another season of obscurity. A phone call later, he became the starting point guard for the Houston Rockets, a team with championship aspirations. Alston will have to adjust to the demanding ways of Jeff Van Gundy, while also keeping Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming happy.

Stan Van Gundy. With rumors of Pat Riley taking over the Miami Heat coaching job if Van Gundy fails, Stan must lead this team to the Finals – at least – in order to be considered a success. And while the roster is undoubtedly filled with talent, it is overloaded with players who need the ball and whose egos will require plenty of massaging. Van Gundy has to make it all work, and quickly, or the Riley rumors will start.

Isiah Thomas. This is a huge year for the New York Knicks – and especially Isiah. He put together this team and he hired Larry Brown to coach it. They must win now to satisfy New York fans.

On top of that, Thomas has the pressure of dealing with the controversy surrounding Eddy Curry's health issues. If anything were to happen to Curry – heaven forbid – Isiah and the Knicks' medical staff would bear a horrific burden.