NBA-NFL Comparison: Atlantic Division

Since the NFL is kicking off, I thought it would be fun to compare NBA teams to their NFL counterparts.  Looking back at former Eagles’ quarterback Vince Young, making the bold “Dream Team” statement, many where convinced that the Eagles of last season were chasing a championship the same way the Miami Heat were trying to at the time: by luring the best free agents on the market. However this edition of the comparison will compare the teams of the NBA Atlantic division.

Boston Celtics = Pittsburgh Steelers

This seems like one of the more perfect replicates in all the comparisons that will be made. Both franchises have one the most championships in their league’s history. Currently both teams feature dominant defensive abilities and have tons of experience with their core group of players. The C’s and Steelers both have great facilitators in Rajon Rondo and Ben Roethlisberger. To add on, both teams are led by two of the best coaches in the modern era of sports, Doc Rivers for Boston and Mike Tomlin for the Steelers. Theses two teams have many features in common and both symbolize what it takes to win.

Brooklyn Nets = Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Yeah, I’m expecting a few scratchings of the head. Both teams made large splashes during the offseason. The Nets and Buccaneers are both poised to make a run for the playoffs. Both teams have that Jersey connection. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers hired Greg Schiano, the former head coach of Rutgers University, and the obvious, the Nets called New Jersey home for decades previous to this year. The Nets and Bucs have alot of talent and feature some of the better young players in their sport. Yes, the Nets may not have a player as respected and knowledgeable as Ronde Barber of Tampa Bay, but they have a group of solid veterans who can stabilize the locker room. Look for both teams to make some noise in their respective divisions and go back to their winning ways similar to the early 2000’s.

New York Knicks = Dallas Cowboys

Seemingly enough both the Knicks and Cowboys always have the cameras on them. Both have some of the more polarizing owners in their respective sport. Both call home to the world’s greatest stadiums. The Knicks and Cowboys are a perfect match. Both have the names and talent to make deep runs in the playoffs, but always seem to fall short. Whether it is a quick first round exit or not even making the playoffs. Money has never been an issue for both franchises as they lure in free agents and big names in the trade market. To add on to the ongoing list, both franchises are suspect to a coaching carousel as it is hard pressed to find a coach in either franchise in the last several years who have stayed long enough to make a permanent name for themselves to be called a coaching great with the exception of Cowboy’s ex-coach Bill Parcells.  The Knicks and Cowboys are both looking up to better teams, so they better get away from the press and focus on winning.

Philadelphia 76ers = Denver Broncos

The Sixers and Broncos may not seem like the perfect duo but they definitely have quite a few things in common. First off they both made the playoff last year and defeated te higher seed in the first round of the playoffs. Obviously there is no one at the level of Tim Tebow in the 76ers, but it took luck to see both teams defeat their superior opponents. For the Broncos it was one throw in overtime. For the Sixers, it was an injury to Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah. Both teams made big moves in the offseason and have upgraded. The Broncos signed four-time MVP Peyton Manning which gave them a serious upgrade over Tim Teeebowww (insert Stephen A. Smith dialect). The 76ers traded for Andrew Bynum one of the best big men in the NBA, a significant upgrade of a star player compared to Andre Igoudala. Both teams have had similar experiences in the past year, which makes them each other’s copy.

Toronto Raptors = Miami Dolphins

The two teams who have really stunk it up for a while in each other’s sport. Yes, they had a year or so of the glory days when they made the playoffs in the last couple of years. But both teams seemingly always have a reserved seed at the top draft picks. Neither team has a star. Yes both teams have a collection of a very capable players and have that one player that seems to excite the crowd: DeMar DeRozan for the Raptors and Reggie Bush for the Dolphins. Both teams are competitive to whoever they play but they just lack the talent to make a push for the playoffs. Not to mention a strong division in which it seemingly impossible to win many games. As both teams struggle to see who they are going to build around in the future, it become a norm that both teams are in the basement when it comes to success.