NBA 33 over 30 - Part 1

Here is the first installment in the NBA 33 over 30 series. This series looks at 33 players who are over the age of 30 and are still lighting the league up. All the players in this installment are 31, except Chandler, who is 30.

Tyson ChandlerDOB- October 2, 1982

The New York Knicks have been the surprise team of the season, along with the Golden State Warriors. The Knicks came out of the gate red hot and established themselves as one of the best teams in the East. They now stand at 32-18, second in the East. Their resurgence has been on the back of Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler’s performances. The big man was responsible for helping the Dallas Mavericks win the title two years ago, and now he is looking to do the same with the Knicks. Chandler is averaging 11.4 points with 11.1 rebounds in 33 minutes of action. His minutes per game is higher this season than his career average of 28.4, showing the increased burden he bears with the Knicks.

Carlos BoozerDOB- Nov 20, 1981

The Chicago Bulls are without Derrick Rose, but you wouldn’t bet on it if you just looked at the Bulls’ record. The Bulls are 30-22 this season and poised to make it deep in the post-season. A huge part of that has been Carlos Boozer’s play, in spite of the trade rumours involving him. At the age of 31, Boozer is averaging 15.7 points per game with 9.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists, while playing 30.9 minutes per game. During the month of January, Boozer was averaging 19.5 points and 10.1 rebounds. He’s tied at 10th in the league for double-doubles and is one constant offensive threat in the Bulls’ lineup.

Zach RandolphDOB- July 16, 1981

There was a time when Zach Randolph was looked at with dread. Not just by the opponents, but by his own teammates and coaches. There were few players who were averaging 20 points with 10 rebounds and still seen as potentially detrimental to their teams. Then came the turnaround with the Grizzlies, when he helped them win their first playoff series vs the San Antonio Spurs. He had 31 points and 11 rebounds to knock the Spurs out in the 2011 playoffs. They were the second number 8 seeded team in NBA history to knock out a number 1 seed, since the NBA expanded the opening series to a best of seven. This season, in spite of averaging 15.6 points per game with 11.5 rebounds in 35.2 minutes of action, Z-Bo’s name has also not been absent in trade rumours, although recently the Grizzlies have said that they aren’t looking to move him. After the Rudy Gay trade, the Grizzlies can’t afford to move Randolph and alienate their fan base and spoil their chances in the post-season.

Joe JohnsonDOB- 29 June, 1981

When Joe Johnson was with the Atlanta Hawks, his humongous contract was pointed at as an example of a player overpaid, and potential undelivered. The fact was that Joe Johnson wasn’t a franchise player, and now that he’s playing with Deron Williams in New Jersey and has Brook Lopez in the paint to draw attention, Joe Johnson can finally thrive without the immense pressure of carrying a franchise on his shoulders night in and night out. Johnson is averaging 17 points per game with 3 rebounds and 3.5 assists while playing 37.9 minutes per game, higher than his career average of 36.7.

Dwyane WadeDOB- January 17, 1982

Flash has made a sacrifice in Miami. Going from the face of the franchise, the man who brought a title to the city, to willingly taking a back seat to his friend LeBron James and still playing at a high level with no ill-will arising from not being the top dog any more. Shaq had once compared the three all star guards he’s played with as Godfather characters. He called Penny Hardaway Freddy, the one who wasn’t ready to shoulder the load. He called Kobe Sonny, the one who wanted to take on more than he could handle, and he termed Wade as Michael, the one who was just the right man for the job. Now Wade himself has recognized that LeBron is just the right man for the job and he’s letting his personal legacy take a back seat to his team’s legacy. Wade is still averaging 21.1 points per game with 4.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists while playing 34.2 minutes per game, all lower than his career averages. But those are really impressive numbers still.