Ben Burns NBA Handicapping Article: Bubbling Anger Can Mean A Winning Run

NBA: Bubbling Anger Can Mean A Winning Run
by Ben Burns

“I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore!”

You hear or read that sound bite often, a clip of Peter Finch flipping out in the movie ‘Network.’ His anger was very real. Sports teams can also develop an attitude such as this, when they’re fed up with losing and underachieving.

It can be a powerful motivator and gauge of a team’s upcoming chances, both straight up and against the number. A good example is the Phoenix Suns. After trading for Shaq, the Suns looked awful and out of sync. The majority judgment was that the trade was a bust. Yet, what do we find now? The Suns are on a 6-0 SU, 5-0-1 ATS run after spanking the Sonics, 110-98.

Notice what Grant Hill said after the game: 'Two months ago, I don't know if we win that game. We let down. Not a lot of energy. Not playing well. But we pulled it out. It doesn't feel like a win, but when you win when you play badly, it's a good sign.' He was hinting at a season-worst 26 turnovers, but also in the fact that the team is playing much better than last month.

During their losing skid following the trade for Shaq, the Suns patiently kept pointing out that it’s still early; they need time to work together and get better. But in the back of their minds, you know they were building up frustration and just itching to put together a winning streak – like they are now. That’s where anger can motivate a team to get on a roll.

The situation in Dallas is similar to the Suns and worth watching closely. The only catch is that the Mavericks haven’t caught fire since making a big trade, theirs for Jason Kidd. The Mavs came out ready to play after an embarrassing loss to the Lakers, scoring 29 first-quarter points against the league's top defense, Boston. However, they still fell short at crunch time in another loss. The Mavs were 1-of-7 from the floor and had three turnovers in the last five minutes. They fell to 0-7 against winning teams since acquiring Jason Kidd.

It was another agonizing defeat, 94-90, at home. 'We were right there again,' said Dirk Nowitzki. 'I got some good looks in the fourth quarter that I've got to make. It was a disappointing fourth quarter for me.' Doesn’t that sound like the Suns last month? A good team that made a big change, but still underachieving.

Unfortunately, Dirk Nowitzki went down with an injury on Sunday.

“I just think we are close,” added coach Avery Johnson. “I think we are getting closer. I think we just have to stay positive. We had a couple of games here at home that didn’t go our way, but we are doing some nice things on defense right now.” It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the frustrated Mavs put a whuppin’ on a few teams, especially weak ones.

That’s what happened to the Spurs this week, another team using anger to its advantage. San Antonio was riding a 4-game skid, only the third of the Tim Duncan era, dropping them from first in the West to sixth. 'It's like the playoffs have already started for a lot of us,' Coach Gregg Popovich said. Manu Ginobili added, 'We are upset, of course.'

So what happened? Tony Parker had 23 points and Tim Duncan played his best game in more than a week, as the Spurs smacked spiraling Chicago 102-80 at the United Center, halting their longest losing streak of the season. 'The only thing that counted today was winning,' Ginobili said. 'We needed it.'

Duncan logged 14 points in the first half, and didn't play in the final quarter after the Spurs had the game won. 'He was determined to be more involved, to be more aggressive,' Ginobili added. 'You could see he was frustrated and wanted to do better. When he plays with that anger, he does well most of the time.' You can see how this team WANTED a win and NEEDED a win – and it all stemmed from frustration and anger, used in a constructive way.

Now contrast that with the Bulls, who rolled over in that game – at home. Even at 27-41, they closed the night just two games out of eighth place in the East. But after falling behind by as many as 28 in the third quarter, Chicago seemed largely disinterested in mounting a comeback. 'We didn't have our enthusiasm where it needed to be,' Bulls coach Jim Boylan said. THAT’S not a good sign. Dallas, for example, is better suited to put a run together like the Spurs just did than, say, a lethargic team like the Bulls, who are on a 2-5 SU, 3-4 ATS run. Focused anger can help handicappers identify which teams might begin to put a winning run together, both straight up and against the number.

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