NBA halfway point: Individual Awards

MVP: Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers. Kobe has without a doubt been the league's best and most important player this season. Despite playing with an avulsion fracture on the index finger of his shooting hand, Kobe has managed to average 28.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.8 steals. He has also nailed three buzzer beaters, each one enabling the Lakers to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Although recently mired by a shooting slump, Bryant is still shooting .461 from the floor, up from his career average of .455. As long as the Lakers continue to have the best record in the league it will be very difficult for anybody to surpass Kobe for this award. Others that deserve consideration include LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Dirk Nowitzki. Dwight Howard, Tim Duncan, Kevin Durant, and Dwyane Wade could also enter into the picture if their teams finish incredibly strong.

Rookie of the Year: Tyreke Evans of the Sacramento Kings. Evans has had absolutely no problem making the transition to the pro game. He has put up staggering numbers in his rookie season. His 20.9 points, 5.0 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.5 steals have carried the Kings in the absence of Kevin Martin. He has been very efficient as well, connecting on .461 of his field goal attempts. Evans' statistics might tail off a bit when Martin re-establishes himself, but those first-year numbers put him in the company of three of the game's greats, namely Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Oscar Robertson. How impressive is that! The only other person worth mentioning is Brandon Jennings of Milwaukee. His 55-point effort put him on the map early, but he stands no chance if Evans keeps playing at such a high level.

Coach of the Year: Nate McMillan of the Portland Trail Blazers. McMillan wins this award because he has kept Portland in the playoff mix despite his team suffering several devastating injuries. Both of his big men, Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla, have been lost for the season. Is there any other team in the league that would stay competitive if they lost both of their centers? Not only that, but Travis Outlaw and Rudy Fernandez have missed significant time as well. It is very hard to believe that they are in fifth place in the ultra-competitive Western Conference. That is a credit to McMillan and his staff. That said, this is by far the most difficult award to hand out as a number of teams are exceeding expectations thanks in large part to the jobs of their coaches. Lionel Hollins, Mike Woodson, Larry Brown, and Scott Brooks fall into this category. George Karl, Alvin Gentry, and Rick Carlisle could have a shot if their teams play extremely well down the stretch. I would be very surprised, however, if Phil Jackson, Doc Rivers, Mike Brown, or Stan Van Gundy receive consideration simply because they have the most talented rosters.

NBA halfway point: Western Conference

1. Los Angeles Lakers (31-9) Not only do the Lakers have the best team, they also have the best coach and the best player. Kobe Bryant has been absolutely spectacular this season, overcoming an avulsion fracture and back spams to play some of the best basketball of his career. Pau Gasol and Ron Artest have both missed a number of games, but that hasn't prevented the Lakers from accumulating the best record in the NBA. It will be very difficult for anybody to knock LA off their thrown as long as Coach Jackson's players are healthy.

2. Dallas Mavericks (26-14) The Mavericks are once again being led by Dirk Nowitzki, the best foreign-born player ever to play in the NBA, night after night. They don't have as much talent or depth as LA, but Rick Carlisle has his squad playing some pretty good basketball. Dallas will make the playoffs, but the reality is that they could finish anywhere from second to eighth in the conference.

3. Denver Nuggets (25-14) Denver showed last year that they are a very dangerous team. They have an elite scorer in Carmelo Anthony, a heady point guard in Chauncey Billups, and one of the most athletic and talented rosters in the entire league. If they can stay committed to the defensive end, they can cause problems for any team in the league, simply because they have so much offensive firepower. I doubted this group last year in the playoffs, but they may very well be the best team in the West next to the Lakers.

4. San Antonio Spurs (24-15) I thought that the Spurs would be winning games on a more consistent basis this season. They did add a lot of talent in the off-season, but they do not have much size and this has been difficult for them to overcome on some nights. In addition, it recently became clear that superstar Tim Duncan will be resting more on back-to-back game nights, thus making it much more difficult for the Spurs to win those games. Coach Gregg Popovich is coaching a bunch of wily veterans and he wants his guys to be fresh for the playoffs. I am eager to see how his strategy plays out in the coming months.

5. Portland Trailblazers (25-16) The Trailblazers have been absolutely amazing this year. In addition to losing centers Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla to injury for the season, forwards Travis Outlaw and Rudy Fernandez have missed significant time as well. Despite having an entirely depleted roster, Coach Nate McMillan is still managing to find ways to win games. He has done a fantastic job of dealing with this tremendous adversity. Let's see how long he and his players can keep it up.

6. Phoenix Suns (24-17) The Suns started out incredibly hot this season and have since cooled off a bit. Steve Nash is showing no signs of slowing down, Amare Stoudemire is doing his thing, and new addition Channing Frye has demonstrated that he is an excellent three-point shooter. Phoenix is at their best when they are running and the decision to get rid of the aging Shaquille O'Neal was a good one. If Leandro Barbosa can stay healthy and get back to form, the Suns could compete with everybody in the conference but the Lakers.

7. Utah Jazz (23-17) I think that Utah has more talent than their record indicates. A lot of controversy has surrounded what seems to be the imminent departure of Carlos Boozer, but this "distraction" should not be an issue to seasoned pros. The fact of the matter is that the Jazz have not played up to their potential thus far. I look for coach Jerry Sloan to get more out of his guys in the second half of the season and the Jazz to climb up the rungs of the extremely competitive Western Conference.

8. Houston Rockets (22-18) Houston has been a huge surprise to me this season. They have continued to stay above .500 despite playing without Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady. It looks like McGrady may be moved as he no longer is being counted on to perform for the franchise. If they can get something of value in return, it will do nothing but make them more dangerous than they already are. This team has a ton of heart, and that is a testament to coach Rick Adelman and his ability to get the best out of his players every single night.

9. Oklahoma City Thunder (22-18) Oklahoma City is another team that has been an incredible surprise to me. Coach Scott Brooks has a young, athletic squad on his hands and he has shown that he knows how to put his players in a position to succeed. The Thunder pose a lot of match-up problems to their competition, mainly due to the presence of Kevin Durant. Durant is an extraordinary talent and if he continues to improve he could be one of the best of all time....really. Nobody will want to face this group if they can manage to secure a playoff spot.

10. Memphis Grizzlies (21-18) I cannot say enough good things about the Grizzlies. Management did a marvelous job of handling the departure of Allen Iverson and this is one big reason for their success. They took what could have been an incredibly negative situation and turned it into something positive. I tip my hat to the front office, coaching staff, and players for performing their jobs and staying committed to the task at hand. Ever since AI left, coach Lionel Hollins has had his men playing hard and acting as one cohesive unit. It will be interesting to see how they finish up, but the future doesn't look so bleak based on what they have done so far.

11. New Orleans Hornets (21-18) The Hornets have underachieved based on the results they achieved the last two seasons. In a move that reeked of desperation, upper management decided to shake things up by firing coach Byron Scott early on in the season. Not long thereafter, All-Star Chris Paul missed some games due to injury. The drop off in production from Peja Stojakovic has not helped the cause either. It is quite possible that owner George Shinn will look to move some players in order to cut costs. Time will tell.

12. Los Angeles Clippers (17-22) Unfortunately the Clippers will not be able to count on the services of Blake Griffin as he will be having season-ending knee surgery next week. Despite his absence, LA has been playing some competitive basketball this season. They have shown that they can knock off the top teams in the league, including the arch-rival Lakers. The Clippers are not a threat to make the playoffs but they will continue to win some games that they shouldn't.

13. Sacramento Kings (15-24) The Kings were 13-14 and then fell apart. They are facing an uphill battle because they are outmatched in the talent department nearly every night take the court. Super scorer Kevin Martin has only played in seven games this season, but rookie Tyreke Evans has emerged as an amazing all-around threat, averaging 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists per game. Coach Paul Westphal does have some young talent at his disposal, so it is very important for those players to get as much experience as they can. Maybe this group will be more competitive in a year or two.

14. Golden State Warriors (11-27) Coach Don Nelson really has no hope of winning consistently given the talent (or lack thereof) that he has on his roster. It has been a rocky ride from outset as the Warriors shipped out disgruntled swingman Stephen Jackson and Acie Law for Raja Bell and Vladimir Radmanovic less than three weeks into the season. The Warriors are capable of putting a lot of points up on the board, but the problem is that they cannot stop their opponents from doing the same. This may be Nellie's last year at the helm of the franchise.

15. Minnesota Timberwolves (8-33) Kurt Rambis wanted to be in this situation and a lot of people are wondering why. The bottom line is that he was ready to be a head coach and Minnesota provided him with that opportunity. There is no doubt that the Wolves will continue to struggle mightily in the near future due to the lack of talent they have on the roster. That said, Rambis' job will not be in jeopardy anytime soon simply because he made it clear that he is committed to the long-term success of the franchise.

NBA halfway point: Eastern Conference

It is time to take a look at each team now that we are approaching the mid-point of the schedule.

1. Cleveland Cavaliers (30-11) It is no surprise to see the Cavs with the best record in the East. We all know that LeBron James is capable of imposing his will and taking games over at the drop of a dime. Shaq's presence in the middle has given them more depth, but his energy and athleticism have tailed off dramatically this season. On some nights he actually hurts them more than helps them. Cleveland would love to stay on top in order to avoid Boston and Orlando until the Eastern Conference Finals. They might just do that despite Shaq's inconsistent effort.

2. Boston Celtics (27-11) Kevin Garnett is out again and there is good reason for the Celtics' faithful to be concerned. We saw last year that the success of the franchise hinges on the Big Ticket's presence and ability to perform. Boston has excellent players in Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Rajon Rondo, but they will have absolutely no chance of making a deep post-season run if KG doesn't get healthy and return to form. Let's hope his injury is not more serious than we have been led to believe.

3. Orlando Magic (26-13) Orlando upgraded in the talent department last summer, but that has not led to a better winning percentage this season. One reason for this is because Vince Carter has stepped in and been the number one scoring option for the Magic. They would be better served by continually pounding the ball inside to the best big man in the game, Dwight Howard. With a big man of his nature, you always play inside-out instead of outside-in. If they are able to find the wonderful chemistry that they had last year, they stand a good chance of getting back to the finals.

4. Atlanta Hawks (25-13) The Hawks have shown that they are a team to be reckoned with this year. They are by far the fourth best team in this conference and could provide problems for Cleveland, Boston, and Orlando if they face them in the playoffs. The Hawks have entertaining players to watch and the people of Atlanta must be thrilled that they finally have a legitimate product to root for night after night. This may sound crazy, but if Atlanta stays healthy they could make some serious noise in the playoffs.

5. Miami Heat (19-18) The Heat will continue to ride Dwyane Wade and why shouldn't they? He is arguably more important to his team than any other player in the league. Miami is right where they should be in the standings. They, along with the rest of the teams in the East, will be competing to see who finishes fifth. The main story on South Beach has been and will continue to be the the impending free agency of do-it-all superstar, DWade.

6. Toronto Raptors (19-20) The only thing of concern for Toronto is what they are going to do with Chris Bosh. They may elect to ship him out before the trade deadline instead of running the risk of losing him to free agency at the end of the season. The bottom line is that they stand no chance of doing anything in the playoffs so it doesn't even matter if they make it that far. Assuming the rumors are true, they shouldn't hesitate to give Bosh to the Lakers for Andrew Bynum.

7. Charlotte Bobcats (17-19) Charlotte?? Seventh in the conference?? Man, I was way off with my prediction of twenty one total victories. Thanks to the overall weakness of the East, however, the Bobcats may just play their way into the playoffs this year. It would be nice for the people of Charlotte to see some post-season action, but in the end it won't really matter. If Michael Jordan's team is lucky enough to make it that far, they will bow out in the first round barring some catastrophic event.

8. Chicago Bulls (17-20) The biggest news from Chicago has been Vinny Del Negro's job security. On the hot seat for weeks now, Del Negro has managed to hold on to his job despite several devastating losses. Sacramento stormed back from a 35-point second half deficit last month....in Chicago....to beat the Bulls. I thought that this would be the straw that broke the camel's back, but thus far management has decided to stand by their man. The Bulls don't have enough talent to compete with the conference's best anyway, so it makes sense to hold on to Del Negro rather than pay him to walk.

9. New York Knicks (16-22) The Knicks are keeping themselves in the mix, primarily due to the outstanding play of David Lee. Mike D'Antoni has his men playing hard and that is refreshing to see. New York has an outside shot of playing their way into the playoffs, but based on all of the recent failures there are no expectations for them to do that. Don't look for the front office to make any roster changes unless they can get some salary cap relief. After all, the focus of the organization for the past year and a half has been to put themselves in the best possible position to sign high-profile free agents in the summer of 2010. They aren't going to spoil that now.

10. Milwaukee Bucks (16-21) The Bucks started strong and since have faltered. Rookie Brandon Jennings has done an excellent job of stepping in and producing, but Milwaukee lost star shooting guard Michael Redd for the second straight season to another ACL tear. Unfortunately this group has no hope of doing anything without a healthy Michael Redd. The one thing they should continue to do is give their young players a lot of playing time so they can speed up their progress and development.

11. Indiana Pacers (13-25) It is time for Larry Bird to do something with this franchise to make them competitive again. They have an incredibly talented and athletic player to build around in Danny Granger but unfortunately little else. Bird is in a difficult situation as it is hard to attract free agents to Indianapolis, but he must do something to shake things up so the basketball-loving people of Indiana have something to cheer for again.

12. Detroit Pistons (12-25) The Pistons have too much talent to have such a poor record, especially in the lackluster Eastern Conference. It is true that Richard Hamilton and Ben Gordon have missed significant time this season, but overall Detroit has been a disappointment. It seems that things have completely spiraled out of control in Motown ever since the Chauncey Billups/Allen Iverson trade was made in November of 2008.

13. Washington Wizards (12-25) The Wizards have been in the news a lot lately for all the wrong reasons. Star player Gilbert Arenas, he of the $111 million dollar contract, recently pleaded guilty to felony gun possession and his actions have brought a gray cloud over the franchise. Despite having Arenas, Antawn Jamison, and Caron Butler, new coach Flip Saunders has been unable to get this group to play together with any success. With the way events have unfolded, he has to be regretting his decision to jump on board with the troubled Wizards.

14. Philadelphia 76ers (12-26) The big news in Philadelphia this season was the return of Allen Iverson. AI may be back, but the wins are not. Elton Brand has been a total bust, and the 76ers have too many guys getting paid too much money to be menial contributors. This franchise has disappointed me tremendously this year. There is no reason why they shouldn't be in the playoff hunt with the players they have on the roster.

15. New Jersey Nets (3-35) The Nets flat out stink! They fired coach Lawrence Frank and set an NBA record for futility to start a season with 18 consecutive losses. In fairness to Frank, it wasn't his fault. In fact, it doesn't even matter who coaches this squad. The NBA comes down to one thing.....talent. If you have it, you can win. If you do not have it, you cannot. The Nets have one good player in Devin Harris and that is it. The only question that remains is this: will New Jersey be able to get ten victories this year? Time will tell, but it doesn't look good.

Allen Iverson: Is it over?

Allen Iverson has retired from the game of basketball....so he says. In the least convincing retirement statement of all time, AI declared, “I still have tremendous love for the game, the desire to play, and a whole lot left in my tank. I feel strongly that I can still compete at the highest level.” Does that sound like a guy that is ready to retire? Hardly. In fact, it is the farthest thing from it. AI will play again, but we will not see the ten-time All-Star playing in his accustomed fashion simply because no franchise will allow it. If he really wants to play again, he will have to accept a reduced role. The beauty of this situation is that we will find out if playing the game "his way" is more important to him than having the opportunity to play the game at all.

It became immediately clear in Memphis that Iverson was not ready to be a role player. Coach Lionel Hollins asked AI to come off the bench and this did not sit well with the four-time scoring champ. Iverson voiced his displeasure to the media about his limited minutes after his very first game with the ball club. He then played two more games, requested a leave of absence, and ultimately obtained his outright release from the Grizzlies. He was obviously unhappy and felt it was better not to play at all than be in this type of situation. His mentality must change, however, if he wants to get back in the league and continue to play the game he professes to love.

There is no doubt that AI can still be a very effective NBA player. He has slowed down a bit at the age of 34, but he is fully capable of helping a team win games. Unfortunately he has yet to accept the fact that he will no longer be "the man." He alluded to that in his statement, “I always thought that when I left the game, it would be because I couldn’t help my team the way that I was accustomed to. However, that is not the case." In other words, Iverson believes that he can still be the dominant force he once was. The problem that the former league MVP now faces is that no team or coach in the league will allow him to play his way. If he wants to play again, he must accept lesser minutes, shots, and responsibility (and perhaps even a non-guaranteed contract).

So what will happen? How will this situation play out? Can AI make it work even though he knows he will have to make significant changes to his game? Iverson will most definitely sign a contract somewhere. It will then be up to him to fit in, find his niche, and do whatever he can to help his team win. In Memphis he demonstrated that he was not mentally prepared to play by somebody else's rules other than his own and his individual needs outweighed those of the group. After going through that experience, perhaps he is now capable of accepting a lesser role. The question that needs to be asked is this: Is AI's desire to play the game his way stronger than his desire to play the game at all? The Answer's answer will speak volumes about what type of player he really is.

Jeremy Tyler's overseas woes

As rewarding as playing professional basketball overseas can be, it is not nearly as easy as it seems. Just ask Jeremy Tyler of San Diego. Tyler opted to forgo his senior season (of high school, that is) to play professionally in Israel for Macabbi Haifa to the tune of $140,000 tax-free dollars. He is now three months into his adventure, and by all accounts has not adapted well to things on or off the court. According to a recent New York Times article, Tyler has rubbed his coach and teammates the wrong way, repeatedly offended his neighbors, broke down in tears after his first game, and is eager to point fingers rather than accept personal responsibility. What is wrong with him? He is getting paid a lot of money to do something he supposedly loves to do, so why isn't he doing a better job of making it work? Is it really that big of an adjustment for someone to make? What can he do to turn things in his favor?

Just imagine moving to a place where you know nobody and do not speak the language....at 18 years of age. Now you know what Jeremy Tyler is going through. Although Israel is American friendly and English is widely spoken, the youngster can't help but feel lost in a place where people have different behavioral patterns, beliefs, and traditions. Not only that, but he has had no one to help him make the transition smoother. Shouldn't the team be looking out for him, you ask? The answer is yes, but the unfortunate reality is that most teams do little or nothing to make life easier for their foreign players. And what about his agents, the Wasserman Media Group? Well, they didn't even inform him that he needed a passport to go to Israel. They only sent a representative (Makhtar N'Diaye) over for a short time once they realized how problematic Tyler's situation had become. N'Diaye has come and gone and once again Tyler finds himself all alone to deal with another culture, set of customs, and responsibilities that can no doubt seem overwhelming to a teenager at times.

Being a basketball player, Tyler has umpteen hours of free time every day, but he has no family or friends to pass the time with him. This is far different from the life he had led prior to going to Israel. In the States, he was attending classes, participating in practices and games, hanging out with his buddies, going to school functions, and doing everything a normal high school kid does. Now, he is surrounded by unfamiliar faces, unrecognizable places, and his time commitments are minimal. This is an incredibly difficult situation for anyone to be in their first year away from home, especially someone as young and naive as Tyler. In the short time that he has been in Haifa, he has showed up late for an interview, missed a workout, and has been visited three times by the police for excess noise coming from his apartment. He is obviously immature and unsure how to go about his business, but this should not come as any surprise since he is just an 18 year-old kid. It is difficult enough for a grown adult to go through this process, but a teenager.....without guidance.....come on! It is way too much to expect, even if he did sign a professional contract.

Living in a foreign land may be the most challenging thing Tyler ever faces. He can either make his life easier by forgetting the whole thing and coming back to the States, or he can stay over there and pursue his dream of being a professional basketball player. The best way for him to persevere is to gain the respect of his coaches and teammates by fully immersing himself into his job. If he truly loves the game of basketball, this will not be a problem for him. All he really needs to do is show up on time, work hard while he is there, listen to what his elders have to say, and learn as much as he possibly can. In the end, he will be richly rewarded by demonstrating that he is serious about his craft. He will not only progress as a player but more importantly as a person. There is no greater teacher than life experience, and it is up to Tyler to embrace the amazing opportunity he has and make the most of it.

2009-2010 NBA Playoff Predictions

Eastern Conference

Quarterfinals:

#1 Boston beats #8 Chicago

#4 Washington beats #5 Atlanta

#3 Cleveland beats #6 Miami

#2 Orlando beats #7 Detroit

Semifinals:

#1 Boston beats #4 Washington

#2 Orlando beats #3 Cleveland

Finals:

#1 Boston beats #2 Orlando

Western Conference

Quarterfinals:

#1 Los Angeles Lakers beat #8 Phoenix Suns

#4 Dallas Mavericks beat #5 Denver Nuggets

#3 Utah Jazz beat #6 New Orleans Hornets

#2 San Antonio Spurs beat #7 Portland Trailblazers

Semifinals:

#1 Los Angeles Lakers beat #4 Dallas Mavericks

#2 San Antonio Spurs beat #3 Utah Jazz

Finals:

#1 Los Angeles Lakers beat #2 San Antonio Spurs

NBA Finals: Lakers beat Celtics in six games

NBA Preview: Northwest Division

1. Utah Jazz (54-28)

The Jazz have all kinds of talent and are a very dangerous basketball team. Their win total was lower than expected last season, but that was primarily due to injuries suffered by studs Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer. Fortunately for Jazz fans these two are back along with the rest of the team's nucleus. Andrei Kirilenko, Mehmut Okur, Paul Millsap, Ronnie Brewer, C.J. Miles, Kyle Korver, Matt Harpring, and Ronnie Price have grown accustomed to playing with each other and will be looking to put last year's disappointing season in the rear view mirror. This group is capable of representing the Western Conference in the NBA Finals, but to do that they will have to stay healthy, play excellent basketball, and hope that the Lakers and Spurs do not play up to their potential.

2. Denver Nuggets (53-29)

The Nuggets' fortunes changed last season after shipping Allen Iverson to Detroit for Chauncey Billups. Mr. Big Shot, a former NBA Finals MVP, gives coach George Karl a point guard that is capable of providing leadership and direction for such talents as Carmelo Anthony, Kenyon Martin, Nene, J.R. Smith, Anthony Carter, Renaldo Balkman, Chris Andersen, and Johan Petro. Denver will be bolstered this season by the arrivals of Malik Allen, Joey Graham, Aaron Afflalo, and rookie Ty Lawson. These guys will be looking to step in, contribute, and build off the momentum created by last year's run to the Western Conference Finals. It will not be easy to repeat last year's success, however, simply because the competition in the conference is so strong.

3. Portland Trailblazers (48-34)

The Blazers, winners of 54 games last year, overachieved more than any other team in the league. They wisely kept their youthful core intact as All-Star Brandon Roy is back along with LaMarcus Aldridge, Greg Oden, Travis Outlaw, Joel Pryzbilla, Martell Webster, Rudy Fernandez, Nicolas Batum, and Steve Blake. After suffering a disappointing first-round exit to Houston in the playoffs, the Blazers' brass decided to bring in some veteran talent to help out the youngsters. Andre Miller gives them a savvy point guard and Juwan Howard will provide coach Nate McMillan with yet another big body. Unfortunately the conference is better than ever and the Blazers will not go very far despite the upgrading of their roster.

4. Oklahoma City Thunder (26-56)

The Thunder have two rising stars in Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. They are young, skillful, athletic, and will provide the people of Oklahoma City with many exciting plays this season. Unfortunately for Thunder fans team management failed to make any significant free-agent signings, bringing in such low-profile players as Etan Thomas, Kevin Ollie, and Ryan Bowen. Putting them alongside the returning Nick Collison, Jeff Green, Nenad Krstic, Shaun Livingston, Thabo Sefalosha, Kyle Weaver, D.J. White, and rookies James Harden, Byron Mullens, and Serge Ibaka means very little progress will be made in the win department. It remains to be seen if this franchise even wants to be competitive.

5. Minnesota Timberwolves (21-61)

The biggest news for the Wolves this off-season was that Spanish sensation Ricky Rubio decided not to join the franchise. Sadly, the Wolves and new head coach Kurt Rambis are still in the early stages of the rebuilding process. Al Jefferson, the undisputed star of the team, will be seeing many new faces as first-year GM David Kahn has made significant changes to the roster (only Kevin Love, Corey Brewer, Ryan Gomes, and Brian Cardinal return). Through free agency, trades, and the draft, Minnesota acquired Damien Wilkins, Jason Hart, Sasha Pavlovic, Ramon Sessions, Ryan Hollins, Oleksly Pecherov, Johnny Flynn, and Wayne Ellington. Only two things are certain this winter in Minneapolis--the weather will be cold and the losses plenty.