Brett Beeson's Basketball

NBA Playoffs: The Finals

2011-05-31T10:44:00.000-07:00

#2 Miami Heat vs. #3 Dallas Mavericks

Miami and Dallas, carrying identical 12-3 playoff records into the championship series, have been playing their best basketball of the season these past few weeks. The Heat have been downright incredible, getting by each Philadelphia, Boston, and Chicago in only five games. The Mavericks, meanwhile, have been riding the Dirk Nowitzki train to defeat Portland, the Lakers, and Oklahoma City. Both of these squads are very deserving of reaching the finals, but now it is time to see which one will emerge as champion. Let's look at some key factors in play.

Miami

1. The Big Three

The production of LeBron, D-Wade, and CB will be critical to Miami's championship success. One thing is for certain...if The Big Three continues to play at their established playoff level, it is going to be very hard for Dallas to win this series. It all starts (and ends) with LeBron James. After struggling mightily during the regular season in late-game situations, LBJ has been absolutely masterful when the stakes have been at their highest. Single-handedly closing out games, LeBron has left no doubt that he is the best all-around player in the game today. In addition to LeBron's unbelievable performances, Chris Bosh has stepped up his play when it has mattered most. CB totally dominated the Bulls and appears to feel more comfortable every day in the Miami scheme. His play in this series will be of particular importance because he is likely to be matched up with Dirk Nowitzki a good portion of the time. And let us not forget about D-Wade. Although his game has been sub-par from an individual standpoint thus far, he is extremely dangerous and capable of erupting at any point in time. In any case, The Big Three's success, or lack thereof, may be the biggest determining factor in the outcome of this series.

2. Management of Personnel

Coach Erik Spoelstra has many difficult decisions to make. Who will start guarding Dirk? Who will be switched on to Dirk? At what times will LeBron be in charge of covering Dirk? How will the pick-and-roll be guarded? How will the rotation be handled? Will LBJ and D-Wade rest at alternate times? Or perhaps they won't get any rest at all? These questions all need to be answered the right way for Miami to have its best chance at winning the championship. Dirk Nowitzki has been unstoppable in these playoffs and how Miami chooses to match up with him will be of the utmost importance. They have four candidates to guard him: Chris Bosh, Joel Anthony, Udonis Haslem, and LBJ. While the three power forwards will bang on Dirk throughout most of the contest, look for LeBron to guard him in crucial situations. LeBron not only loves challenges but he also has the size, strength, and mobility to potentially make things difficult for the 7-foot German. Furthermore, Spoelstra will have to pick the right times to give his studs some rest. Dallas has an incredibly talented bench and this series could ultimately hinge on Spoeltra's substitution decisions.

3. No Second Shots

In order to win the series, the Heat will have to shore up the defensive glass and impede Dallas from getting multiple looks at the basket. The Mavericks have significant offensive rebounding threats - Tyson Chandler, Brendan Haywood, Dirk Nowitzki, Shawn Marion, and Jason Kidd first come to mind- and, due to the bevy of shooters on their roster, are extremely dangerous when given second chances. Miami's big men will have their work cut out for them but they will also need to receive help from the smalls to get the job done. Heat defenders must make an effort to stay in proper defensive position, make the right rotations, and get a body on the offensive player for which they are responsible. Not only will this prevent Dallas from having more scoring opportunities, but it will also allow the Heat to get out in transition and take advantage of the brilliant open-court players they have on their roster. If Miami does indeed win the battle of the boards, it bodes well for them and their chances to become the 2011 NBA champs.

Dallas

1. Dirk Nowitzki

The fortunes of the Mavericks ride on the broad shoulders of Dirk Nowitzki. Dirk's post-season play thus far has been matched by few in the entire history of the league. His outside shooting touch is the best of any 7-foot player ever, and his ability to knock down free throws is unparalleled (24-24 in game one against OKC!). Nate McMillan, Phil Jackson, and Scott Brooks all tried to find ways to limit Dirk's production - none of them had any sort of success at all. As the Mavericks have advanced to play better competition, things should have been getting tougher and tougher for Dirk but that has simply not been the case. After torturing both the Trailblazers and Lakers, Dirk was absolutely out of this world against the Thunder (who seemingly had the best personnel to deal with him). Much like OKC, Miami has multiple bodies to throw at him and will try to wear him down. They will attack him, trap him, and do whatever they have to do to get the ball out of his hands. But will any of it matter? After all, Dirk has shown great patience, a willingness to share the ball, and unbelievable shot-making ability. The one thing that will matter is Dirk playing in his accustomed manner, because if he does not Dallas has no shot against the uber-talented Heat.

2. The Bench

Jason Terry, J.J. Barea, Peja Stojakovic, and Brendan Haywood have been a fundamental part of Dallas' playoff success. While Terry and Stojakovic provide scoring from the exterior, Haywood gives the Mavericks a physical presence down low. That brings us to Barea. The diminutive point guard's ability to beat defenses via dribble penetration has enabled him to completely take over games. Despite Barea's incredibly small stature, not one player has found a way to stay in front of him or even contest his shots throughout these playoffs. Although he has been the most heralded bench player for the Mavericks, Jason Terry will prove to be the most important in this series. Terry is just one of two Mavs (Dirk is the other) to remain from the 2006 Finals' run, and The Jet is more motivated than ever to get it done this time. He, too, possesses the ability to take over ball games. Terry is an adept scorer that can not only light it up from beyond the arc but also from mid-range. If The Jet is able to get on one of his streaks, it could mean lights out for Miami.

3. Defense

The Mavericks, not too long ago, were referred to as Allas because there was no "D" in the big D. Although Coach Rick Carlisle, when hired, brought with him a defensive-first mentality, the Mavericks did not have the necessary personnel to carry out Carlisle's defensive missions right away. That changed this season when the Mavs acquired the 7'1" Chandler. "Big Ty" gives the Mavericks the length, agility, and determination that was needed on the interior. He is an outstanding defensive rebounder, tremendous shot blocker, and plays with a certain swagger that elevates the confidence of his teammates. His energy on the offensive end should not be discounted either; it is often his rebounds, put backs, and alley-oop dunks that begin game-changing runs made by the Mavericks. Chandler's contributions will be critical, but he will also need help from the rest of his gang. Carlisle will certainly implement the zone defense at times, but how effective will it be against the Heat? The bottom line is that LBJ, D-Wade, and Chris Bosh provide extraordinary challenges for Dallas' man-to-man and zone defenses. If the Mavericks can find ways to contain them, Mark Cuban and Company could very well be hoisting the championship trophy within two weeks time.

Things I am wondering:

Dallas has won their last five playoff road games while Miami was gone 8-0 at home this post-season. What will give in this series?

In the 2006 Finals Dwyane Wade lived at the foul line. In these playoffs, Dirk Nowitzki has done the same. What team will get to the foul line more often and what impact will it have on the outcome?

In their 9-man rotation, Dallas has a combined 103 years of playing experience but no championships. Will that lack of experience hurt them, help them, or play no role whatsoever?

Prediction:

Dallas and Miami are both playing at an exceptionally high level. Dirk's performances have been legendary, and LBJ's talents have totally set him apart from rest of the league. The Mavericks have the personnel and coaching to get it done....but so do the Heat. So what will happen? Given the way Miami has jelled over the last several weeks, I find it very hard for Dallas to beat the Heat in a seven-game series. Look for Miami's athleticism and superstar-power to win out in six marvelous games.

NBA Playoffs: Western Conference Semifinals

2011-05-17T08:30:00.000-07:00

#3 Dallas Mavericks vs. #4 Oklahoma City Thunder

The Mavericks played brilliant basketball in their sweep of the two-time champion Los Angeles Lakers. The Thunder, meanwhile, had to scrap and paw to eliminate the spirited Memphis Grizzlies in a thrilling seven-game series. Basketball fans are set to witness two of the most unique players to ever step foot on the court in this one. Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Durant are long, mobile, and have the ability to score from anywhere on the court. They also have very talented supporting casts, making this a near even match up and one very difficult to predict. Whatever scenario unravels, it should be scintillating to watch. Here are some key factors for both squads.

Dallas

1. Dirk Nowitzki

The 7-foot German is the biggest piece of the puzzle for the Mavericks. They rely on him to carry the offensive load and always look to him in the most crucial moments. Dirk was absolutely tremendous against the Lakers in their semifinal series. Phil Jackson, the most successful coach in league history, could not even figure out ways to stop him. Nowitzki's ability to make outlandishly difficult shots makes him nearly impossible to cover. What kind of defensive looks, therefore, will the Thunder throw at him? Will Serge Ibaka and Nick Collison be able to get the job done on him or will Scott Brooks need to come up with some creative schemes to limit Dirk's production? Dirk was almost a non-factor during the three regular season meetings between these teams as he was injured in the second contest (12/27/10) and did not even play in the third (1/6/11). This gives the advantage to the Mavericks (who happened to win two of the three) simply because Oklahoma City has not seen a lot of him this year. Rest assured, Dirk is obligated to have at least four big games for Dallas to advance to the NBA Finals.

2. Defense

The Mavericks' defensive effort is of the utmost importance in this series as they will have to do something that has not been done thus far in the playoffs: find ways to slow down one of the most explosive offenses in the league. Oklahoma City presents Dallas with some very specific challenges. Does Shawn Marion have enough spry in his step to continuously chase Kevin Durant off screens? Does the 38-year old Jason Kidd be have enough foot speed to stay in front of the extremely quick Russell Westbrook? And what will they do with Westbrook in pick-and-roll situations? Rick Carlisle is known as a defensive guy and Dallas has finally shaken the reputation of being soft in this department (give the credit to Tyson Chandler for making that shift). Carlisle is going to have to make some very difficult decisions in regards to match ups and tactics, and the choices he makes will definitely have an impact on the outcome of the series.

3. Interior play

Dallas does not necessarily have to outscore OKC inside the paint - cancelling them out will be good enough - but they will definitely need to outrebound the Thunder to advance. This is where Tyson Chandler has to make his presence felt. His numbers have dipped from 9.4 rebounds per game to 8.7 thus far in the playoffs despite his minutes being increased. That said, he averaged a phenomenal 15.3 rebounds in the three contests against OKC this regular season. His rebounding production, along with Nowitzki's and Marion's, will be crucial. Dallas simply cannot afford the Thunder to get multiple shots at the basket (if you are unsure why, just watch OKC's game seven victory against Memphis). One big thing to look for is how well the Mavericks rebound when they implement their zone defense. It is much harder to box out when being assigned an area rather than a person, so look for Oklahoma City to crash the offensive boards even harder when Dallas goes zone. If Dallas does a good job of shoring up the glass, they will increase their chances of winning greatly.

Oklahoma City

1. Kevin Durant/Russell Westbrook

We have seen all season just how important these guys are to the success of their team. Durant is the best scorer in the league and when he gets his shots the Thunder are extremely difficult to beat. That said, KD's production depends largely on what type of game his playmaker decides to play. If Westbrook is forcing the issue too often, which has been the case frequently in these playoffs, it is not only to the detriment of Durant but also the Thunder as a whole. Although Westbrook is an incredibly gifted scorer, OKC is at their best when he looks to be a facilitator first (again, watch game 7 against Memphis if you are unsure why). Westbrook is going to be under an immense media microscope throughout the series and his decision making will be heavily scrutinized. He will have to recognize what Dallas' defense is giving him and pick his spots accordingly. The Thunder's success, or lack thereof, will largely be determined by the choices their 2nd team All-NBA player makes.

2. The bench

James Harden, Nick Collison, Nazr Mohammed, Daequan Cook, and Eric Maynor have delivered consistently throughout these playoffs. Rest assured, they will have to do it again to beat Dallas. Harden and Collison, above all, will have to continue to provide an immense spark off the bench. Harden is capable of taking over games at times due to his energy and shot making ability. He has always been able to run the court and finish in transition, but now he is showing an improved ability to knock down long-range jumpers off the bounce making him increasingly difficult to guard. Most importantly, the Thunder tend to win when he plays well. Collison, meanwhile, does his work on the glass and defensive end of the floor. Collison demonstrated just how valuable he can be in game 7 against Memphis. Through hustle and determination, he did a tremendous job of disrupting the flow of Grizzlies' star forward Zach Randolph. He will be called upon to do the same thing against Dirk Nowitzki in this series. Their play, along with the rest of their bench cohorts, will be critical to the success of OKC.

3. Playing with composure

The Thunder are in uncharted waters. They took a big step last year in making it to the playoffs, and now, all of a sudden, they find themselves just four wins away from playing for the whole enchilada. Will Scott Brooks be able to keep his young core players calm in the most heated of moments? Let us not forget that Durant and Westbrook are 22 years old (not to mention that Harden and Ibaka are only 21!). It is true that KD and RW have meaningful big-game experience from last year's World Championships. A much different dynamic was in effect, however, because they were surrounded by some of the best players America has to offer. Brooks will need his two studs to transmit an atmosphere of tranquility at all times. That is much easier said than done, especially when the stakes are at their highest. What if things go badly for OKC? Will they be able to re-group quickly? Dallas, who made it to the NBA Finals in 2006, has a veteran-laden team. Five years ago a few of OKC's players were trying to figure out who to take to prom. How the Thunder are able to deal with adversity may determine whether they ultimately proceed to play on basketball's largest stage.

Things I am wondering:

Will the 8-day layoff between games affect Dallas and will Oklahoma City be worn down at all from their series against Memphis?

How important will Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, and J.J. Barea turn out to be when it is all said and done?

Caron Butler has been out since being injured on January 2. If he is healthy enough to play will Carlisle elect to use him? If so, how effective will he be and what impact will he have on the team's chemistry? (Remember Orlando's precarious situation with Jameer Nelson in the NBA Finals in 2009?)

Prediction:

Dallas has hunger, depth, length, and veteran leadership. In addition, they have not lost since blowing a 23-point point second-half lead against Portland in the first round. The Mavericks, with their dismantling of the Lakers, appear to be a team that is poised to make a championship run. I look for their experience to prevail over the youthful Thunder in a fantastic seven-game series.

NBA Playoffs: Eastern Conference Finals

2011-05-15T08:03:00.001-07:00

#1 Chicago Bulls vs. #2 Miami Heat

While it took six games for Chicago to ouster Atlanta, Miami only needed five to dispose of Boston. Both teams looked better as their series progressed which makes this match up even more intriguing than it was projected to be. Highlighting it, of course, will be the enormous talents of Derrick Rose, Dwayne Wade, and LeBron James, arguably the top three all-around players in the league. Buckle up and get ready because it is going to be fascinating to watch. Let's look at some key factors at play for each team.

Chicago

1. Derrick Rose

After experiencing two very physical rounds of playoff basketball, will Rose's body be able to endure the incredible demand being placed on it? And if so, how successful will he be? For Chicago to beat Miami, Rose is going to have to deliver some amazing performances. The Bulls rely so much on the playmaker to create scoring opportunities for himself and others. Playing against such a dangerous transition team he will have to take great care of the ball and consistently make the right choices. Miami, like all teams, will have a very hard time matching up with Rose. Look for the Heat to throw myriad defenders at him in attempt to wear/slow him down. The Heat will also likely trap Rose in pick-and-roll situations to force him to pick up his dribble and relinquish possession of the ball. Whatever Miami's defense does, the league's MVP will have to figure out ways to combat and overcome their defensive tactics. Points will be at a premium in this series and Rose will have to get 30 for the Bulls to contend.

2. Defense

Coach Tom Thibodeau, true to his coaching philosophy, has done and excellent job of instilling a defensive mindset in all of his players. In addition to relying on Rose to create their offense, the Bulls also count heavily on their ferocious, ball-hawking defense to produce scoring chances. Chicago has answered the challenge all season long, but will they be able to stop the Heat when it matters most? That question looms large, especially given the recent success of the Miami's offense against Boston. Look for the Bulls to pack it in, attempt to cut off all penetration angles, and force the Heat to take perimeter jumpers. Transition defense will be of particular importance as Miami has two of the best open-court players in the game. Chicago can help their own cause by limiting turnovers, selecting good shots, and rotating when penetration occurs to ensure having somebody back on the defensive end. Luol Deng, Keith Bogans, and the reserve wing players will no doubt have their hands full with LeBron and D-Wade. The Bulls' ability/inability to prevent the two superstars from getting easy looks will be a determining factor in the outcome of this series.

3. Interior play

Quite simply, Chicago's bigs are going to have to outplay Miami's bigs. The best way for the Bulls big men to make an impact is through their work on the offensive glass. Chicago is a team known for its hustle, and they will have to continue to work diligently to give themselves as many second chance scoring opportunities as possible. The Bulls offensive rebounding will not only make the Heat expend more energy on the defensive end of the floor, but it will also prevent Miami from getting out in the open court where they are most dangerous. Carlos Boozer's importance in this series cannot be overemphasized. Although Boozer had an exceptional 23 point, 10 rebound, 5 assist performance in game six against Atlanta, he has struggled throughout these playoffs. It is imperative for him to be more productive than Chris Bosh. That will not, however, be enough for the Bulls to claim victory. Boozer must receive help from the bench core and his counterpart in the starting lineup, Joakim Noah, will have to be an absolute monster on both ends for the Bulls to come out on top.

Miami

1. Team chemistry

The chemistry issue has been at the forefront of Miami Heat conversations all season long. Suddenly, after one five-game series against the almighty Boston Celtics, it appears as though Erik Spoelstra and his squad have finally figured things out....or have they? It is true that LeBron, D-Wade, and CB look more comfortable than ever in their roles. It is also true that Miami is getting timely contributions from bench players. But will these things continue? The question begs to be asked not only because Chicago is such a formidable defensive team, but also because the Bulls can challenge the Heat in ways that Boston could not (namely with youth, length, athleticism, and the insatiable hunger of a want-to-be-champion). To win, LeBron and D-Wade will have to keep choosing the right moments to 1) assert themselves, 2) defer to the other, and 3) get somebody else involved. Chris Bosh will, furthermore, have to cancel out Carlos Boozer on both ends of the floor. And the supporting casting cast will have to to step up and deliver when Spoelstra calls upon them to do so. If the Heat can just maintain their newly found on-court harmony, look for them to represent the East in the NBA Finals.

2. Getting to the foul line

Miami actually attempted and converted more free throws than Chicago in all three of their regular season games yet the Heat managed to lose all three. If that is the case, one wonders, then why on earth would this statistic matter now? First and foremost, it matters because the playoffs have nothing to do with the regular season. The three previous contests are of no relevance because the Heat, after having gone through so many tribulations, are a much different (and better) team now. Secondly, it matters because basketball is a game that favors the aggressor and the number of free throws Miami attempts will be indicative of their offensive mindset. The Heat are at their best when they attack the hoop. By constantly putting pressure on the Chicago defense, things will open up for Mike Bibby, James Jones, and Mike Miller on the exterior. Miami will then have multiple scoring options, thus making it extremely difficult for them to be stopped.

3. Rebounding

Nearly everyone agrees that defense and rebounding are the keys to winning championships. That being said, Miami will have to win the battle of the boards to beat the Bulls. Chicago's work on the offensive glass is one of the biggest reasons for their success. Miami can greatly hinder the Bulls' ability to score by not allowing them to get offensive rebounds. Noah and Boozer, in particular, work relentlessly and feast off getting easy second chance points. Chris Bosh and Joel Anthony must keep these two off the glass while LeBron and D-Wade use their quickness and athleticism to swoop in and put an end to Chicago's possessions. Excellent positioning and effort are an absolute must. Look for Erik Spoelstra to emphasize the importance of this aspect throughout the series as it could very well determine which team advances.

Things I am wondering:

Who will step up for Chicago in crunch time when Miami forces the ball out of Derrick Rose's hands?

Will LeBron and D-Wade play off each other as well as they did against Boston?

What kind of adjustments will be implemented by Thibodeau and Spoelstra as the series progresses?

Prediction:

Chicago is so reliant on Rose that it is going to be difficult for them to overcome Miami's talent. That said, the Bulls could win if they get to the foul line more and get more second chance points. I just don't see that happening four out of seven games. Miami advances in six.

NBA Playoffs: Western Conference Semifinals

2011-05-01T19:19:00.000-07:00

#2 Los Angeles Lakers vs. #3 Dallas Mavericks

The Lakers had to battle New Orleans in the first round while Dallas managed to put away a Portland team in six games. The two-time defending champions, despite their struggles with consistency, are still the favorite to come out of the Western Conference. Here are some key things to look for in this series for each franchise.

Los Angeles

1. Andrew Bynum

Will the big guy be able to stay healthy? This is a huge question not only because he has proven repeatedly to be a fragile commodity, but also because the Lakers are so much better with him than they are without him. After coming back from injury this season, Bynum has undergone somewhat of a metamorphosis. Due in large part to the adjustment of his attitude, the Lakers went on to win 17 of 18 games after the All-Star break. Simply put, his value to the organization increased dramatically once he committed himself to being a defender and rebounder. As evidenced by his play, Bynum's size, length, and athleticism can cause all kinds of problems for opposing teams, and Dallas will be no exception. The tremendous advantage that Bynum gives the Lakers on the inside could come crashing down, however, with something as small as one misstep on the playing surface.

2. Kobe Bryant

Kobe's desire to win is matched by none. He has a competitive fire that burns higher than any of his colleagues or peers. That said, sometimes a person's biggest strength is their biggest weakness. This is certainly the case for Kobe Bean Bryant. What will Kobe do if his teammates are not performing up to his high standards? Yes, he has matured and become a much better leader as he has aged, but is he still capable to "break off" from the group, go rogue, and navigate turbulent waters by himself. What kind of effect will that have on everybody, especially now that it is harder for Kobe to accomplish things by his lonesome? I am not doubting Kobe's capacity to win games as he is still the best closer out there. That said, there is always a fine line when determining to either play through teammates or take the game over individually. It is up to Kobe to decide when those times are....and it will be interesting to see what choices he makes.

3. Playing with a sense of urgency

The Lakers always seem to sputter this time of year, but yet they always manage to find a way to win in the end. Their margin of error will be much thinner for this series than it was in the first round with New Orleans, last year with Oklahoma City, or two years ago with Houston. Dallas has talent, size, and depth that none of these other squads had. In addition, they have an incredible offensive threat and one of the best shooters of all time in Dirk Nowitzki. L.A. could make it a lot easier on themselves if they jump on the Mavericks right away (Dallas' recent playoff history indicates a tendency to fold). Unlike past years, a game one loss at Staples Center may prove to be too much for L.A. to overcome. It is very important that the Lakers set the tone from the outset by immediately playing with a sense of urgency.

Dallas

1. Teamwork/Execution

The Mavericks will have to be functioning on all cylinders as a group to have a chance at the upset. Each individual will have to excel at whatever their specialty may be. Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry, Jason Kidd, and Peja Stojakovic need to knock down perimeter shots. Tyson Chandler and Brendan Haywood will have to clog up the middle, rebound, and make Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum work really hard for everything they get. Shawn Marion and DeShawn Stevenson will have to lock up Kobe on the defensive end as well as score when those opportunities emerge. And J.J. Barea will have to be the wildcard that he has proven himself to be. Barea could be a game-changing force due to his ability to break down the defense through dribble penetration (something that the Lakers have struggled with all year). If the stars align and nearly everybody plays well in their respective roles, the Mavericks could win this series.

2. Late game situations (and end of shot clock situations)

The Mavericks can experience problems when the clock is running down and they need to get a basket. When these situations arise, they nearly always isolate Dirk Nowitzki above the free throw line and put the ball in his hands to make something happen. Over time this has gotten to be far too predictable and therefore much too easy to defend. It is up to Coach Rick Carlisle to come up with something more creative that will keep the Lakers off balance. The Mavericks may be better served to put Jason Terry in pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop situation. Another possible solution is to use misdirection, get Nowitzki's defender running, and have Dirk come off baseline screens so he can operate from a different area of the floor. Whatever Carlisle decides to do (or doesn't decide to do), these types of situations will have to be productive for the Mavericks if they are to come out on top.

3. Playing smart basketball

Anytime you are the underdog, you must play at or above your potential to have a chance of beating your opponent. One huge thing the Mavs could do to help increase their odds of winning is to play the game intelligently. For starters, they need to treat every possession like it is gold. This means no sloppy passes, bad shots, or careless turnovers. Jason Kidd's decision making will be of utmost importance as the ball is in his hands most of the time. Dirk Nowitzi will have to recognize the Lakers' defensive schemes and adjust accordingly. Rick Carlisle will have to choose the right times to implement their zone defense and change things up. And perhaps most importantly, Dallas' big men will have to play intense, physical basketball without crossing the threshold of being dirty. The Mavericks can beat L.A. if they keep their emotions in check, consistently make the right plays, and knock down their three-point looks.

Things I am wondering:

What kind of impact will Laker role players Shannon Brown, Matt Barnes, and Steve Blake have?

Will Dallas be able to hold its own on the glass?

How will the Lakers match up with Dirk Nowitzki?

Prediction:

The Lakers, until beaten, are the team to beat. They have too much firepower in their arsenal for the Mavericks to overcome. Lakers advance in 5.

NBA Playoffs: Eastern Conference Semifinals

2011-05-01T16:48:00.000-07:00

#1 Chicago Bulls vs. #5 Atlanta Hawks

Virtually nobody expected the Hawks to get by Orlando, but now Atlanta has the incredible opportunity to play the team that compiled the NBA's best record this season. Some awesome talent will be on display, and if the Hawks play at a high level they have a legitimate shot of getting the job done. Here are some key factors for both squads.

Chicago

1. Derrick Rose

Rose, the likely MVP of the league, has carried Chicago all year long. After taking a physical pounding against Indiana (and suffering an ankle sprain), will Rose have enough energy and strength left in his tank to be the dominant player that he has become? As we enter May, all of those bumps, hits, and hard falls from the course of the season take their toll. Will Rose continue to play with reckless abandon or will he think twice about coming down the lane to take a beating from Zaza Pachulia and Al Horford? Rose's aggressiveness will be critical to the Bulls' performance because they have grown to rely on him so much. His ability to create shots for himself and others off the dribble is the catalyst behind the Bulls' attack, and if Rose is limited in any way whatsoever their whole game plan may have to be thrown by the wayside....which could mean disaster.

2. Carlos Boozer

Boozer's struggles against Indiana in the first round were well documented. After averaging 17.5 points on 51% shooting during the regular season, Boozer put up just 10.2 points on 37% shooting against the Pacers. And if that was not bad enough, a turf-toe injury surfaced on his right foot during game 5 that puts both his availability and production in doubt against Atlanta. On the good side, Chicago played a bulk of the season without his services and were quite successful in those games. On the bad side, they have grown accustomed to having Boozer on the floor and run all of their interior plays through him. If he is unable to go, more pressure will be placed on Joakim Noah and Kurt Thomas to deliver on the inside. Despite Carlos' horrible regular season performances against the Hawks this year (2 games, 8.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 42% shooting), his low-post presence and production will be needed for the Bulls to advance.

3. Turnovers

One of the big reasons why Chicago had such difficulties beating the 37-win Pacers was because they did a poor job of taking care of the ball. The Bulls averaged over 16 turnovers per game in the 5-game series, and those turnovers led to an average of 21.2 points for the Pacers. If they do the same against Atlanta, they will be punished even more because the Hawks have better finishers in the open court. The Hawks, because of their athleticism, do a good job of covering the court and have the potential to complicate things for Chicago. The danger for Chicago is that sometimes Derrick Rose gets himself into trouble because he tries to do too much. Rose will need to determine what situations to avoid to prevent give-aways from happening that lead to easy scores on the other end. As long as the Bulls do not get turnover happy, they stand an excellence chance to win the series.

Atlanta

1. Finishing

The Hawks are facing a Bulls squad that allowed opponents to connect on a league-low 43.0% of their field goals. This means, quite simply, that Atlanta has to convert on easy scoring opportunities every time they get them. The Hawks can create these opportunities by making steals, blocking shots, grabbing long rebounds, and coming up with the 50-50 balls. The good news is that Larry Drew has a bunch of athletes on his roster that are capable of getting out in the open court and finishing at the hoop. How often these opportunities come around, however, will largely depend on Atlanta's commitment to the defensive end of the floor. This has proved to be a problematic area for the Hawks as they are known to suffer lapses of concentration in this department. In order to pose a threat this series, the Hawks will have to be focused on the task at hand and take full advantage of whatever Chicago gives them.

2. Joe Johnson

Just as Chicago counts on Derrick Rose, Atlanta counts on Joe Johnson. Johnson is one of the best all-around players in the league and he will be called upon to be the creative force behind the Atlanta attack, make plays for himself and others, and deliver in late game situations. This is a huge amount of responsibility for a player that has never fared well in the playoffs while being the go-to-guy. There is evidence to suggest that as Johnson goes, so go the Hawks. In two playoff losses against Orlando, Johnson averaged 9.5 points on 29% shooting. In their four playoff wins, he dropped 22.3 ppg on 43% shooting. This season in three contests against Chicago, he averaged just 13.7 ppg on 39% shooting. His production and efficiency will have to rise significantly for Atlanta to have a chance at knocking off Chicago.

3. Guard play

With Kirk Hinrich likely out for the series due to a strained hamstring, who is going to step up and answer the call for Coach Larry Drew? Will it be Jeff Teague? Jamal Crawford? And who is going to have the responsibilities of guarding Derrick Rose? These are huge question marks to have as the series approaches. Hinrich is known as a gritty defender. He works endlessly to confound the player he is guarding and set the tone for his squad's defense. Now that he is sidelined, that role will have to be embraced by someone else. It probably will not be Crawford as he flourishes in his sixth-man role. That leaves the little used and often forgotten about Jeff Teague. Teague is going to have the challenge of a lifetime, and how well or poorly he fares could have a huge impact on the outcome of this series.

Things I am wondering:

Will Luol Deng's outstanding play against the Hawks this season continue in the playoffs?

Who will have better bench play in the series? And more specifically, will Kyle Korver be called upon to take big 3's, and if so will he keep hitting them?

The Hawks did a great job of defending Orlando, but how well will Atlanta re-adjust their defense to deal with Chicago's attack?

Prediction:

The Bulls, barring injuries, are too much for Atlanta to handle. Chicago, having the first round under their belt and those jitters out of the way, will play better basketball than they did against Indiana. Chi-town wins in five.

NBA Playoffs: Eastern Conference Semifinals

2011-04-30T22:41:00.000-07:00

#2 Miami Heat vs. #3 Boston Celtics

What a treat for basketball fans around the globe! This will no doubt be the most watched conference semifinals match up of all time. It is quite possible that we will be seeing 7 future members of the Hall of Fame competing on the same court in this series. Here are some key factors at play for each team.

Miami

1. Ability to score in the half court and in late game situations

Miami has struggled in these two departments all year long....and now they get to play against the league's stingiest defense (Boston only gave up 91.1 points per game). How well is Miami going to be able to score if Boston does not allow them get out in transition? Coach Erik Spoelstra did not have to worry about this against Philadelphia, but he will against the Celtics. Team defense is a big reason why the C's have made it to two of the last three NBA Finals, and Miami has yet to show that they can beat good half-court defense on a regular basis. The Heat have also failed to get buckets when it matters most. In fact, no team was worse in the entire league at being able to deliver in crunch time. If the Heat cannot find ways to correct their offensive ineptness, they will have a hard time winning the series.

2. Chris Bosh

LeBron James and Dwayne Wade always seem to do what they do, but Chris Bosh is the guy that will have to consistently do what he is capable of doing for the Heat to move on. He is the Heat's one-and-only third scoring option. If he does not deliver, the results could be disastrous for Miami. What complicates matters is that he will have to produce against one of the best defenders in the history of the game, Kevin Garnett. KG is one of a handful that has enough length, strength, and speed to give Bosh nightmares. The way they can try to make Bosh more effective is by putting him in pick-and-pop situations. He will have to be knocking down his jump shot in order to be effective though. By doing that, Garnett will have to respect the shot fake which in turn will open up driving lanes and other scoring opportunities.

3. Defending Rajon Rondo

Rondo is the straw that stirs the drink for the Celtics. He does so many things well and can put pressure on the defense in a variety of ways. More than that, he is an unbelievably gifted playmaker and brilliant decision maker. Who will Spoelstra choose to put on him? Will the Heat lay off Rondo and dare him to shoot jumpers or will they crowd him to take away the passing angles? Rondo demonstrated how overwhelming he can be, torching the New York Knicks for 15 points, 20 assists, and 11 rebounds in game 3 of the series at Madison Square Garden. How much the Heat are able to limit Rondo's effectiveness will go a long way in determining the winner of this series. It will be fascinating to see if the Heat can implement a successful plan....

Boston

1. Taking care of the basketball

The Celtics will not, I repeat, will not win the series if they turn the ball over a lot against the Heat. There is no better team in the open court than Miami as they turn nearly every live ball turnover into two easy points on the other end. Boston can ill afford to take plays off or be complacent. Every possession will have to be treated of exceptional value. They just cannot allow any careless turnovers. This sounds like a simple concept, but it is absolutely the best way to prevent Miami from hurting you. Efficient offensive production will be a key factor for the Celtics to advance.

2. Bench play

The Boston role players are facing the undesirable challenge of trying to prevents run being made when they have to deal with the likes of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh. How will Celtics' bench players Delonte West, Jeff Green, Glen Davis, and Nenad Kristic handle it? Or will Coach Doc Rivers be reluctant to give them much of a chance and thereby rely on his starters to play longer than usual minutes? The Celtics need their bench as much as anybody due to the extreme minutes logged throughout the careers of Garnett, Allen, and Pierce. Jeff Green is the most likely player to shine given the match up against the Heat. He is long, athletic, and could create significant problems for Miami on both ends of the floor. In any case, Boston will want to avoid foul trouble so they don't have to dip into the bench anymore than absolutely needed.

3. Avoiding injury

Anytime you have such a veteran team, injury has to be of concern. As long as Rondo, Garnett, Pierce, and Allen stay healthy, the Celtics have an excellent chance of moving on. They have better team chemistry and a better track record of winning meaningful games (and by meaningful I mean the only meaningful thing.....playoff games). Nothing against Erik Spoelstra, but Boston also has a big game coach. Doc Rivers has an amazing ability to get his players to produce in the most difficult of circumstances. And in late game situations there is nobody better at drawing up plays. The C's have been there, done that. Miami, meanwhile, has accomplished nothing of significance together.

Things I am wondering:

Dwayne Wade averaged just 12.8 points on 28% shooting during the 4 previous encounters this season (of which Boston won 3). Will the Celtics' defensive success continue on one of the league's top talents?

Will there be a fourth guy to step up for the Heat? If so, who will that X-factor be?

Will Ray Allen be allowed to get off shots in late-game situations? (The only reason I ask is because he seems to launch game-winners in every playoff series he plays.)

Prediction:

Seeing these teams play in the playoffs and being reminded of their strengths and weaknesses, I believe the Celtics will advance. They just have a game that is better suited for playoff basketball - not to mention championship experience. It is going to be a fun and exciting six game series. Bring it on!

NBA Playoffs: Western Conference Semifinals

2011-04-30T19:11:00.000-07:00

#8 Memphis Grizzlies vs. #4 Oklahoma City Thunder

This is going to be an incredible series to witness. No one is playing more inspired basketball than the Grizzlies right now, and the Thunder are one of the most exciting teams in the league. Let's take a look at the important factors in the series for each squad.

Memphis

1. Team defense

Lionel Hollins and his staff had a great game plan against the Spurs and the players executed it to near perfection. They played an aggressive and attacking style of defense which is ideal for their personnel. The Grizz managed to hold a San Antonio team that had averaged 103.7 points per game during the regular season to just 94.3 ppg. Memphis essentially rendered the Spurs' offense useless by effectively rotating, closing out on shooters, and contesting shots. Memphis also did a fantastic job - especially Tony Allen - of playing the passing lanes, getting steals, and disrupting the overall flow of San Antonio's offense by deflecting the ball repeatedly. Now they are faced with the challenge of defending two-time scoring champ Kevin Durant and explosive point guard Russell Westbrook. Their defense will have to make the same concerted effort to down the Thunder.

2. Zach Randolph

Z-Bo is a veritable superstar. He delivers in crunch time, makes his teammates better, and is more consistent than just about any player in the league (as evidenced by his four consecutive 20/10 seasons). There are a few keys to his success. Randolph understands positioning better than anybody, knows how to create space better than anybody, and is willing to do the work necessary to make it happen. He also has incredible hands, a deft touch, and wonderful creativity for someone that does not possess a lot of athleticism. His complete domination in the last few minutes against the Spurs in the deciding game 6 showed how special he is. Randolph has two excellent reasons to be inordinately confident right now. Not only is he coming off that exceptional first-round series, but he also averaged 26.5 points and 13 rebounds in the four meetings against Oklahoma City this season. This bodes extremely well for Memphis as Z-Bo will have to deliver at a very high level for the Grizz to move on.

3. Bench Play

Memphis has benefited from timely bench contributions:

Darrell Arthur's athleticism gave the Spurs all kinds of problems. He provided the Grizzlies with an emotional spark through his high-flying blocked shots and rim-rocking dunks. He also showed he has the capacity to take over a ball game.

O.J. Mayo can score in bunches and he hit several shots to stop the bleeding against San Antonio. Because of an in-flight incident earlier this season with Tony Allen - which was then a distraction - O.J. has matured at a much quicker rate. His acceptance of coming off the bench has made him a valuable commodity.

The fortunes of the Grizzlies changed dramatically once Shane Battier arrived in late February. Battier's approach to the game has been infectious. He has a blue-collar work ethic, does not make excuses, and is always willing to sacrifice for the benefit of the group. This team could not have found a better locker room mentor.

When starting point guard Mike Conley went out with two fouls early on in game six, Greivis Vasquez stepped in without missing a beat. He played like a season veteran by taking full advantage of what the defense gave him. His decision making was sound, defensive effort solid, and he took good care of the ball. This is exactly what they need him to do.

If the Grizzlies' bench continues to play like this, it could mean trouble for OKC.

Oklahoma City

1. Kevin Durant

KD can score like no other. The league's leading scorer for two consecutive seasons is also leading all playoff scorers. Not only that, but he had one of the most amazing playoff performances by lighting up Denver for 41 in the decisive game five Wednesday night. Trailing by 9 with 3:30 remaining, Durant scored 14 of the Thunder’s final 18 points (and their final 9 in the last 1:21!). The big question is will Durant continue to score at such a high rate (32.4 ppg) while shooting the ball so well from the floor (47% from 2, 43% from 3). The task is going to be much tougher with the bodies, athleticism, and desire that Memphis will throw at him, and without KD scoring 30+ Oklahoma City stands virtually no chance. His offensive production will be crucial, simply because the Thunder rely so heavily on it.

2. Russell Westbrook

Russell Westbrook's decision making will play a huge role in the outcome of this series. He was able to get away with several mistakes against the Nuggets, but he will not be afforded that same luxury playing against the team that led the league in steals and forced turnovers. He will have to do an excellent job of taking care of the ball, deciding when it is time to pass/shoot, and playing within himself. Westbrook was heavily criticized (and rightfully so) for his game 4 performance after he tried to win it himself rather than deferring to Durant. Will he grow from that experience or will he let it affect him as he moves forward? One thing is for certain, the Grizzlies defense will try to make him rush his decisions. How Westbrook deals with Memphis' pressure will be one of the critical factors in determining who comes out on top in this series.

3. Control of the paint

The battle of the "bigs" is of utmost importance. Serge Ibaka, with his nine blocked shots in game 5 against Denver, has emerged as a game-changing force. He is incredibly athletic and may be able to create problems for Zach Randolph on his own. The Thunder obtained Kendrick Perkins and Nazr Mohammed at the trade deadline to address size issues, and due to their recent success against Nené and Kenyon Martin they are proving to be good acquisitions. It is imperative for the Thunder to push Randolph and Gasol off the block and not allow them to catch the ball where they want it. OKC also needs to win the rebounding battle. The Thunder can ill afford giving up second-chance scoring opportunities. The winner of the inside game will likely take the series.

Things I am wondering:

How will OKC match up with Memphis and how will Memphis match up with OKC? More specifically, will Conley be able to check Westbrook?

Will Oklahoma City be forced to double down on Randolph?

Can Memphis knock down jump shots if Oklahoma City succeeds in making the Grizzlies a jump shooting team?

Prediction:

I cannot bet against the Grizzlies right now. They look like a team that is playing with too much heart, passion, and desire to be denied. Memphis advances in 6.

NBA Playoffs: Western Conference First Round

2011-04-16T09:45:00.000-07:00

#1 San Antonio Spurs vs. #8 Memphis Grizzlies

Coach Gregg Popovich did a great job of managing his veterans' minutes throughout the course of the season, but unfortunately Manu Ginobili threw a wrinkle in those plans by hyper-extending his right elbow in the season finale. Healthy or not, the Spurs are going to have a difficult time dealing with a Grizzlies defense that led the league in both steals and forced turnovers. Memphis' perimeter shooting (their greatest weakness) will have to be on target for a chance at an upset. In the end, the Spurs' championship experience will prove to be too much for the up and coming Grizzlies. San Antonio wins in seven.

#2 Los Angeles Lakers vs. #7 New Orleans Hornets

The Lakers, true to form, are struggling mightily as they enter the playoffs. Winning their last two after suffering a five-game losing streak, they nearly blew a 20-point fourth quarter lead against Sacramento on Wednesday to preserve the second seed (and avoid Portland!). Questions revolve around how much Andrew Bynum, Matt Barnes, and Steve Blake will be able to contribute as they go for their third straight championship. L.A., however, could not have asked for an easier first-round matchup as the Hornets, without the services of stud David West, stand no chance in this series. Lakers will sweep.

#3 Dallas Mavericks vs. #6 Portland Trailblazers

The Mavericks have been historic underachievers in the playoffs. In 2007 they became the first one seed to lose a best-of-seven series (after going 67-15 in the regular season), and last year they lost to San Antonio in the first round despite being the two seed. The Trailblazers, on the other hand, have overachieved tremendously under the direction of Nate McMillan. Despite dealing with roster-depleting injuries, Portland has managed to win on a regular basis and pose a huge threat to the Dirk Nowitzki/Jason Kidd led squad. This series could go either way, but my gut is telling to me respect Coach McMillan's brilliance. Portland in six.

#4 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. #5 Denver Nuggets

Oklahoma City has two of the most difficult players to guard in two-time scoring leader Kevin Durant and explosive point guard Russell Westbrook. Denver, on the other hand, has good balance, depth, and a chip on their shoulder (give credit to the departed Carmelo Anthony for that). Coach George Karl has done a marvelous job of getting this new group to jell so quickly and the Nuggets have a great chance of knocking off the team that some people believe will represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals. This should be an excellent series to witness. The Thunder will advance, but it will go the full seven games.

NBA Playoffs: Eastern Conference First Round

2011-04-15T13:35:00.000-07:00

#1 Chicago Bulls vs. #8 Indiana Pacers

The Bulls enter the playoffs riding the highs of a nine-game winning streak while the lowly Pacers (37-45) limp in after losing their last two. The Bulls lethal mixture of offensive talent (Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, Carlos Boozer, and Kyle Korver) and defensive-minded veterans (Keith Bogans, Ronnie Brewer, and Kurt Thomas) will make them extremely difficult to beat this post-season. The Pacers will hardly put up a fight simply because they do not have enough talent compete with the team that compiled the league's best record. Chicago sweeps with ease.

#2 Miami Heat vs. #7 Philadelphia 76ers

While the Heat have been inconsistent throughout the course of the regular season, the 76ers have overachieved in large part due to the excellent job of first-year head coach Doug Collins. That said, Philadelphia does not have enough firepower to beat LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and Co. in a seven game series. The Heat, despite their sometimes sporadic play, have shown flashes of brilliance. This will be an entertaining series to watch but the outcome is very predictable. Miami advances in five.

#3 Boston Celtics vs. #6 New York Knicks

Boston, if fully healthy, would have no problems with the Knicks. That is not the case, however, as Shaquille O'Neal's career seems to be all but over, Jermaine O'Neal continues to work himself in shape, and Nenad Kristic is still trying to figure out how to be effective in the Celtics' system. The Knicks provide an immediate threat as they have two of the top scorers in the league in Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony. And let us not forget about Mr. Big Shot, Chauncey Billups, the 2004 NBA Finals MVP. Boston, despite their questionable front line, will beat New York in a scintillating seven game series.

#4 Orlando Magic vs. #5 Atlanta Hawks

Atlanta took three out of four contests between the two teams this season, but who can forget what the Magic did to the Hawks in last year's playoffs? In case you cannot recall, Orlando swept Atlanta with an average margin of victory of 25.3 points. Although the Magic got rid of some of the principal players (Vince Carter, Mikael Pietrus, and Marcin Gortat) involved in that series and Mike Woodson is no longer the coach of Atlanta, the memory remains. Orlando could be a force to be reckoned with in this year's playoffs if they are disciplined enough to feed Dwight Howard nearly every trip down. The Magic will move on after six hard-fought games.

NBA Regular Season Individual Awards

2011-04-14T09:57:00.000-07:00

MVP: Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls

Derrick Rose is the most unstoppable force in the NBA. Rose's metamorphosis began last summer when he signed up to play for Team USA in the World Championships. He had to work extremely hard just to make the team, and from that moment on he has done nothing but get better and better. Credit his attitude, work ethic, and desire to be the best he can be. Realizing that he had a glaring weakness that could keep him off the court in crucial moments of games, Rose got himself in the gym and shot countless jumpers. Now that he can knock down shots off the catch and dribble on a consistent basis, he is completely unguardable. Combining amazing athleticism with unbelievable explosiveness and an uncanny ability to hit ridiculous off-balanced floaters, he might just be the best finisher of any player measuring 6'3" or less in the history of the game. If Rose is not the unanimous winner for this award, the media member that didn't vote for him should be stripped of his right to vote. Period.

Rookie of the Year: Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers

This should be another unanimous vote. Everyone expected Blake Griffin to do some impressive things this season, but 22.4 points, 12.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 50% shooting goes a bit beyond expectations for any first-year player. Griffin's play can be described by the following words: spectacular, sensational, astonishing, incredible, amazing, astounding, and unfrickenbelievable. Griffin's extraordinary blend of strength, size, and athleticism has never before been seen on the basketball court. Not surprisingly, it did not take LA denizens long to figure out they were witnessing something special as "The Blake Show" quickly became the most entertaining event in town. In short, he is one of a handful of players in the world that single-handedly makes basketball games worth watching.

Defensive Player of the Year: Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic

Simply put, no one changes games on the defensive end as much as Dwight Howard. The big fella's ability to jump explosively, pound physically, and move laterally allows him to intimidate opponents like nobody else in the NBA. In addition to blocking a tremendous number of shots (2.4 per game), Howard changes numerous others and teams automatically shy away from penetrating when he is in the game. Not only is he the most imposing interior presence in the league, but he also is an exceptional defensive rebounder. He understands positioning, is willing to make the effort, and is the trigger for Orlando getting easy baskets on the other hand. If he wins the award (which he should), it will be his third straight.

Sixth Man of the Year: Lamar Odom of the Los Angeles Lakers

Odom's versatility makes him an incredibly effective weapon. He is capable of guarding multiple positions and is also a very good rebounder. The Lakers are at their best when Odom, 6'10", grabs the defensive board and leads the break. He is an excellent ball handler for his size and makes very good decisions in the open court. Couple that with an improved outside shot and an ability to post up, he presents a nightmare matchup for every team in the league. Odom would be a starter on any other squad and his willingness to come off the bench should not be overlooked. He realizes that his team ultimately stands a better chance to win if he is willing to come off the bench and sacrifice his personal production. That is the mark of a true champion.

Most Improved Player: Kevin Love of the Minnesota Timberwolves

The only bright spot in Minnesota this winter was the phenomenal play of Kevin Love. His improvement from a year ago was mind-boggling. Not only were his numbers up across the board, but he displayed an uncanny ability to stay focused on the task at end in what was otherwise a hopeless situation. Not only did he lead the league in rebounding (15.2 per game), but most remarkably he set a modern day NBA record with fifty-two straight double-doubles. On top of that, he was the first player since 1982 to have 30 points and 30 rebounds in the same game (and he had three others of 30 and 20!). But it doesn't end there. The 6'10" Love turned himself into a fantastic long-range shooter knocking down 88 three-pointers while converting on nearly 42% of his attempts. It is obvious that he benefited tremendously from his experience with Team USA last summer and his play should serve as an inspiration to others that find themselves in perennial losing situations.

Coach of the Year: Tom Thibodeau of the Chicago Bulls

Did anyone predict that the Chicago Bulls would finish with the league's best record? No way! Did anyone think that they would be a championship contender so soon? Absolutely not! It is true that Tom Thibodeau has the game's biggest weapon in Derrick Rose, but Tibs, as he is affectionately known, had to overcome lengthy injuries to both Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah to compile an astounding sixty-two wins. Known as a defensive coach, Tibs puts his players in position to flourish on both ends of the floor. His energy is contagious, and his passion, work ethic, and dedication to winning are matched by few. Getting players, especially NBA guys, to buy into a system is no easy thing to do. And accomplishing that feat so quickly is why Tom Thibodeau should be named coach of the year. That said, a close runner-up is Denver Nuggets coach George Karl. Karl's impressive ability to positively manage the whole Carmelo Anthony saga should not be overlooked either.

NBA Trade Deadline Transactions

2011-02-24T23:23:00.000-08:00

The 2011 NBA trade deadline was a spectacular one. Here is a look at the consequences/ramifications of the major decisions that were made over the last few days.

New York Knicks (29-26)

In case you have not heard, the Knicks got Carmelo Anthony. They also acquired Chauncey Billups, Anthony Carter, and Renaldo Balkman from Denver. They had to give up Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Timofey Mozgov, two future secound-round picks and a future first-rounder. Not stopping there, they traded Eddy Curry and Anthony Randolph, getting Corey Brewer of the Timberwolves in return. What does this all mean? It means that a just above .500 team this season made themselves a championship contending team possibly as early as next season. These were great moves from GM Donnie Walsh. The Knicks, much to the delight of New Yorkers, are relevant again.

Denver Nuggets (34-25)

The Melo saga is over. Finally. It saddened George Karl but made many fans happy. Either way, it is time for the franchise to move on. They did what they had to do, and got a bunch of talent and draft picks in return. Felton has developed into an above average point guard, Gallinari is good and has the potential to be really good, Chandler delivers consistently, and Mozgov is rapidly improving. Given the fact Melo was forcing their hand, they came out very well as it is always hard to get fair value for a franchise player. Denver has some good pieces to approach the future with, but unless they can somehow land an upper-echelon talent they just became an irrelevant team in the big picture of things.

Boston Celtics (41-15)

The Celtics received Jeff Green, Nenad Kristic, a 2012 first-round draft pick, and cash for Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson. A lot of NBA analysts were baffled by this move. To me it makes sense. Boston was not going to re-sign Perkins anyway as his contract demands have far exceeded his value. On top of that, his knee may never be the same. Getting Jeff Green is a big deal, however. He is a stud, can light it up on any given night, and gives them serious versatility at the forward position. Kristic gives them another low-post scoring option as well. And who is to say that the guys can't play defense and blend into the Celtics' culture? After all, they are both very talented professionals. I look for them to adapt by the time May rolls around and makes Boston even more potent than they already were. This not only bodes well for the present of the franchise, but also the future.

Oklahoma City Thunder (36-20)

By acquiring Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson, the Thunder addressed their lack of size and aggressiveness down low. Perkins gives them a tough, physical defender that is willing to bang with the best of them. In addition, Robinson gives them a high-energy player that is capable of lighting up the scoreboard. They did give up consistent scoring with Green and Kristic, but the scary thing is Durant and Westbrook will just turn it up a notch and score even more. Overall this was a good trade for the Thunder. They improved and are now a bigger and more viable threat to the Lakers--let us not forget they were one failed box out from taking the champs to seven games in last year's playoffs. And, oh yeah, they also acquired Nazr Mohammed to further bolster the front line.

Utah Jazz (31-27)

Shockingly to some the Jazz shipped All-Star point guard Deron Williams to New Jersey for Devin Harris, Derrick Favors, and two future first-round picks. This was a proactive move as they did not want to be held hostage next season (eg. Carmelo Anthony and the Denver Nuggets). It was also a public relations move as speculation mounted that Williams had a role in Jerry Sloan's sudden retirement. All things considered, this was a very good move for the franchise. Although a solid team was broken up, they were not coming out of the West now or anytime in the near future. And without Sloan at the helm, this is a much different franchise. If Favors develops at a reasonable rate, this will turn out to be a very good trade for Utah.

New Jersey Nets (17-40)

Owner Mikhail Prokhorov obviously felt as though a move had to be made. After failing in their attempt to acquire Carmelo, the Nets decided to mortgage their future for Deron Williams, arguably the league's best all-around point guard. The upside of this deal is tremendous if they can convince Williams to stick around for awhile (he can be a free-agent after next year). This bold attempt to make something positive happen is a sure sign of things to come now that Prokhorov is in charge. He has extremely deep pockets and appears willing to do whatever it takes to turn around this flailing franchise. Gutsy move, but I like it, simply because the Nets were going nowhere with the roster they had.

Los Angeles Clippers (21-37)

GM Neil Olshey did a remarkable job in getting someone to take on the remaining 2+ years of Baron Davis' contract. Olshey also had to give up a first-round pick, but getting high-caliber point guard in Mo Williams as well as the athletic Jamario Moon in return from Cleveland is one of the best trades the franchise has made in years. In addition to profiting financially from the deal, the Clippers instantly became much better on the court. Williams is a great ball handler and spot up shooter. He is a dangerous threat from all angles and his presence will open things up for Blake Griffin and Eric Gordon, thus making it easier for the team's two studs to operate. Moon seems like a throw in, but he will give them added depth at the forward position. Job well done, Clippers! (Yes, it seems strange to be praising them, doesn't it?)

Cleveland Cavaliers (10-47)

The Cavs have remanded Baron Davis to basketball's version of purgatory. The worst team in the league just got worse. BD never has had a strong desire to be the best basketball player he could be, and putting him in this sort of environment is not a good idea at all. They will get virtually no production out of him, and they gave up one of the better playmakers in the league in Mo Williams to get him. Puzzling to say the least. Cleveland, based on their talent and geographic location, has no chance to attract any quality free agents in the near future. They also will not get much help from this year's draft as the prospects are few and far between. Rough years are ahead for the franchise. Do you think owner Dan Gilbert still believes what he said after LeBron fled for Miami? Fat chance.

Portland Trailblazers (32-25)

The Trailblazers and owner Paul Allen are committed to winning and they showed it again this year. Portland bolstered their front line with the acquisition of Gerald Wallace, one of the game's most underrated talents. Wallace produces at a consistently high level and he is going to play off of LaMarcus Aldridge extremely well. The Blazers gave up the often-injured Joel Przybilla, Dante Cunningham, Sean Marks, and two conditional first-round picks to get him. In the big picture of things, it is a small price to pay. Nate McMillan is one of the best coaches in the league and has done a fantastic job winning games despite the injuries to Brandon Roy and Greg Oden. And today the franchise just got better. Kudos!

Houston Rockets (28-31)

The Rockets made two deals. First, they acquired up and coming point guard Goran Dragic and a future first-round pick from Phoenix for Aaron Brooks. Secondly, they shipped Shane Battier to Memphis for 7'3" giant Hasheem Thabeet, DeMarre Carroll, and a future first-round pick. Although Thabeet and Carroll will not add much at all to the franchise, Dragic will step in right away and produce. Furthermore, his development will speed up tremendously with increased minutes and responsibility. The first-round picks will give the franchise more flexibility as they move forward as well. The bottom line is that Houston will be worse off now for making these trades, but better off in the future.

Memphis Grizzlies (32-27)

Rudy Gay is out for nearly a month and the Grizzlies addressed that concern by re-acquiring Shane Battier. Battier will provide Memphis with veteran leadership, heady play, and a solid defensive presence. The financially strapped franchise was not only able to rid themselves of Thabeet's bad contract, but they will also save money in the future by not having to be locked into a future first-round pick. The loss of Carroll is inconsequential. Overall this was a very good move. Owner Michael Heisley said he is committed to getting to the playoffs this year, and this move certainly reflects that. GM Chris Wallace should be commended for getting this deal done.

NBA halfway point: All Star Starters

2011-01-18T00:46:00.000-08:00

Eastern Conference

PG Derrick Rose (Rajon Rondo as deserving)
SG Dwyane Wade
SF LeBron James
PF Amar'e Stoudemire
C Dwight Howard

Western Conference

PG Deron Williams (Russell Westbrook as deserving)
SG Kobe Bryant
SF Kevin Durant
PF Dirk Nowitzki
C Pau Gasol

NBA halfway point: Eastern Conference

2011-01-16T23:05:00.000-08:00

1. Boston Celtics (30-9)

The Celtics cannot wait to get Kevin Garnett back from injury. Not only is he Boston's leader, but he is also the most fundamental piece to the league's stingiest defense. Without KG, they stand no chance to win a championship. With him, they have an excellent shot. The Celtics' chemistry is second to none and they have one of the top coaches in the league. Rajon Rondo has become a superstar as well. No one wants to play the Celtics because it is almost a guaranteed notch in the loss column. They should be feared....tremendously.

2. Miami Heat (30-12)

Speculation mounted that Pat Riley would replace Erik Spoelstra after the Heat stumbled to a 9-8 start. The critics were silenced, however, as Miami reeled off 22 of the next 23. Think about that...it took this group of individuals a little over a month of regular season games to figure out how to bring out the best in each other. Heat fans need not be worried by the current three-game losing streak. All of those games were on the road against quality competition and the last two took place without LeBron. If the Heat play the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, it will likely be the most watched series in NBA playoff history.

3. Chicago Bulls (27-13)

Derrick Rose is incredibly good. Nearly impossible to guard, he is capable of breaking down the opposition's defense at the drop of a hat. Carlos Boozer is a 20/10 guy, Joakim Noah is a defensive stalwart, and Luol Deng is an extremely gifted small forward. On top of that, they have one of the best shooters in the league in Kyle Korver. It sounds like they may be an elite team with that kind of talent on the roster, doesn't it? Close....but no cigar. They are still one small piece away from being mentioned in the same breath as the Lakers, Celtics, and Heat.

4. Orlando Magic (26-14)

Hedo Turkoglu, Jason Richardson, Gilbert Arenas in. Vince Carter, Rashard Lewis, Marcin Gortat, Mickael Pietrus, out. GM Otis Smith's decision to totally dismantle Orlando's roster was looked at as risky by some. Hogwash. All he did was make the team more diverse, more potent, and more capable of making it to the NBA Finals. Carter and Lewis faded terribly this season, did not make their teammates better, and were far too one dimensional. Orlando could get it done if they play to their potential. Time to see what kind of a coach Stan Van Gundy really is....

5. Atlanta Hawks (26-15)

Atlanta is an above average basketball club. They have a great all-around player in Joe Johnson and talent surrounding him....but not enough to be a serious threat to the top four teams in the East. If injuries play no role in the remainder of their season, the Hawks will win 50+ games and then lose in the first round of the playoffs. Barring any unbelievably creative and advantageous player swaps, that is what their future entails. End of story.

6. New York Knicks (22-17)

The Knicks are one of the most improved teams in the league this year. GM Donnie Walsh should get all the credit for acquiring Amar'e Stoudemire, Raymond Felton, and rookie Landry Fields. Stoudemire has been nothing short of sensational and Madison Square Garden is the place to be for the first time in nearly a decade. Carmelo Anthony has expressed his desire to play in the Big Apple and if the Knicks can get him without giving up anything after the season, they become an instant title contender. They may be just one season away....

7. Indiana Pacers (16-21)

Danny Granger has a lot of talent and Darren Collison is improving rapidly, but overall Indiana is heavily outmatched at the other positions. The Pacers are in seventh place in the East and have won forty-three percent of their games. Oh, how wonderful it is to be in the lesser of the two conferences! In the end, it won't matter who gets the seventh and eighth seed. Why? Because those two teams will be swept by Boston and Miami.

8. Philadelphia 76ers (16-23)

Doug Collins is doing his best to resurrect the franchise but it appears as though the task is too difficult. It is not his fault. The Sixers don't have the players to compete with the better teams in the league. While Jrue Holiday continues to improve, Andre Iguodala's numbers are way down, and Elton Brand will never be the dominant player that he once was. That said, they should have enough talent to get into the playoffs....especially considering the rosters of the other teams in the East.

9. Charlotte Bobcats (15-23)

Michael Jordan's franchise took a huge step back this season. After making the playoffs last year, everything looked like it was moving in the right direction. The organization was rocked a few weeks back with the firing/resigning of head coach Larry Brown. They hired Paul Silas, most likely because he lived in the area. Truth be told, he is a veteran NBA head coach. He just hasn't been in the league since March of 2005. This team had been underachieving under Coach Brown. It will be interesting to see if Silas can do any better....

10. Milwaukee Bucks (15-23)

The Bucks have struggled all year long. Quite frankly, they have been a big disappointment. This squad won forty-six games a year ago. Expectations were high and deservedly so. Milwaukee has two very talented players in Andrew Bogut and Brandon Jennings. They also have a well respected coach in Scott Skiles. Look for Skiles' squad to make a push and maneuver their way into a playoff spot. If they don't, his job may be in jeopardy. That is just how the NBA works....fair or not.

11. Detroit Pistons (14-26)

Head Coach John Kuester has made one of the strangest decisions in basketball history. Kuester chose to bench Rip Hamilton simply because Rip's name has recently come up in trade talks. Let us not overlook his place in Piston lore. World Champion. Six straight Eastern Conference Finals. And he has led the Pistons in scoring each of the last eight seasons. He wants to play and will help the team win, so why on earth is he not playing? Let me repeat. Why on earth is he not playing? Perhaps there is more going on behind closed doors, but on the surface that decision makes no sense at all.

12. Toronto Raptors (13-27)

The Raptors franchise was blown up with the departure of Chris Bosh. It may be years before they recover and are decent again. After all, free agents have no desire to go to Canada, especially if they are Americans. The only bright spot on the roster is Andrea Bargnani. In addition to being a knock down shooter, he has made himself into a very good scorer. How much longer will he be in Toronto? If he wants to win he will leave sooner rather than later.

13. Washington Wizards (11-27)

The Wizards have decent young players. They just haven't figured out a way to make it work yet. John Wall, Nick Young, JaVale McGee, and Andray Blatche are all very promising talents. If the franchise drafts well and the youthful bunch continues to develop as they should, Washington could become a handful in two to three years. Until then, they are going to suffer some growing pains.

14. New Jersey Nets (10-30)

The only reason the Nets are in the news is because of their relentless pursuit of Carmelo Anthony. The latest is that the league is going to permit New Jersey to have a sit down meeting with Melo. No doubt the Nets' brass will do their best to convince Melo to sign a contract extension. If they are unable to do that, there will be no deal. Avery Johnson has to be praying that it gets done, for without Melo there is no hope in the Meadowlands....or Brooklyn for that matter.

15. Cleveland Cavaliers (8-32)

Everything turned sour in Cleveland when LeBron James decided to take his talents to Miami. While LeBron continues his greatness in the Sunshine State, the Cavs are struggling night after night to be competitive. It is impossible to replace someone as talented as LeBron, but Cleveland has more talent than their record indicates. One wonders if the franchise is not doomed forever after owner Dan Gilbert's public lambasting of the former King of Ohio.

NBA halfway point: Western Conference

2011-01-16T19:49:00.000-08:00

1. San Antonio Spurs (34-6)

The Spurs have been dominating the league thus far and are a definite threat to the Lakers in the West. Experiencing a changing of the guard, the main offensive responsibilities have shifted from Tim Duncan to Manu Ginobili. San Antonio, however, has not missed a beat. They have the best home record, the best road record, and are the ninth team in NBA history to win 34 of their first 40 games. Of the eight previous teams to do it, six have gone on to win the championship.

2. Los Angeles Lakers (30-12)

The two-time defending champions appear a bit bored by the regular season at times. L.A. has played quite poorly on occasion and lost games against much inferior opponents. It matters not....to them, at least. Let us not forget that they do this every year and somehow find a way to put it all together at the end. That "somehow" could be called Phil Jackson. He is a master at getting his players to be "in the moment." And the Zenmaster knows better than anybody that the only moment that matters is the playoffs.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder (27-13)

Oklahoma City is very young but also very talented. Kevin Durant is leading the league in scoring for a second straight season and Russell Westbrook has been absolutely sensational. The key to becoming a viable contender hinges on the players ability to shift their mindset. Now an offensive juggernaut, they need to focus on the defensive side of things much more if they want to hang with the big boys in the West.

4. Utah Jazz (27-13)

The Jazz play the game with discipline and intelligence matched by few. At one point in November, this resilient group came from behind to win contests against the Clippers, Heat, Magic, Hawks, and Bobcats. Not impressed? In those games they overcame deficits of 18, 22, 18, 11, and 19 points. Perhaps more remarkably, four of those games took place on the road. Their heart cannot be questioned, but do they have enough talent to come out of the Western Conference? Unless the Lakers or Spurs suffer injuries, the answer is no.

5. Dallas Mavericks (26-13)

How important is Dirk Nowitzki to Dallas' fortunes? Their scoring was down, their shooting percentage dropped drastically, and most importantly they went 2-7 during his absence. Things are better now that Nowitzki is back, but unfortunately the Mavs lost the services of swingman Caron Butler for the season. If Mark Cuban's goal is to bring a franchise to the people of Dallas this year, he will have to make some moves. With Butler the Mavs had a very slight chance. Very slight. Without him, they have none.

6. New Orleans Hornets (25-16)

The Hornets got off to a spectacular 11-1 start and have since faded. The early season success could either be accredited to a coaching change or the overwhelming uncertainty of early season contests. Chris Paul is leading the league in steals and is third in assists and David West has returned to All-Star form. At the end of the day, however, New Orleans just does not have enough pieces to be a factor. Look for them to continue to play around .500 the rest of the way....at best.

7. Denver Nuggets (23-16)

The Carmelo Anthony situation has hung over the organization the entire season. Until it is resolved, the franchise will not move forward. New Jersey really wants him, but does Carmelo want them? One thing is for certain: Carmelo will be out of Denver sooner or later. The best they can do is get some talented players and high draft picks in return. If for some inexplicable reason they fail to pull the trigger before the trade deadline, they will lose him outright after the season.

8. Portland Trailblazers (21-20)

Unfortunately Portland continues to be haunted by the injury bug. Wait...bug?....it officially has become a plague. Greg Oden was lost before the season began, and Brandon Roy is being shut down indefinitely after having arthroscopic surgery on both knees. Roy is suffering from the irreversible effect of lost cartilage and his career is in serious jeopardy. The Trailblazers have done a fine job of staying above .500, but look for them to slide out of playoff contention without their All-Star player.

9. Memphis Grizzlies (19-21)

The Grizzlies are playing much better of late, winning five of their last seven. They have a great starting lineup, Zach Randolph is a stud (20.1 points and 13.1 rebounds), and Rudy Gay is one of the game's best shotmakers in late-game situations. That said, they have yet to address their two glaring weaknesses: poor exterior shooting and limited roster depth. Memphis will compete for a playoff spot but will bow out in the first round if they happen to make it.

10. Phoenix Suns (17-21)

The Suns recently overhauled the roster by trading Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu, and Earl Clark for Vince Carter, Marcin Gortat, and Mickael Pietrus. This trade will only be significant if it helps Orlando win a championship. It will play no role in the fate of the Suns as they are not a threat to anybody in the West. What will happen to Steve Nash at the conclusion of the season? He has no chance of ever winning a championship in the desert. It may be time for him to move on....

11. Houston Rockets (18-23)

The Rockets suffered a huge blow when they lost Yao Ming early on for the remainder of the season. Constantly suffering from foot injuries, the big fella's career may be over. It would be a tremendous loss for the franchise as well as the game of basketball. Houston would have to completely overhaul to be relevant. That won't be happening anytime soon. Good luck to Rick Adelman and his staff. They have their work cut out for them.

12. Golden State Warriors (16-23)

Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry can both light it up, but neither is very concerned about the defensive end of the floor. Although Don Nelson is gone, pretty much everything seems to be the same in Oakland, including the Warriors mentality. Golden State wins games by outscoring the opponent. They are outmatched in the talent department most nights, but if the three-ball is falling they can beat anybody. That's right....anybody.

13. Los Angeles Clippers (14-25)

Blake Griffin is the most exciting player to watch....ever. No, seriously, he is. Yes, it is his rookie season and he has only played 38 professional games, but he does things that nobody else has ever been able to do. Griffin has single-handedly made the lowly franchise a must see. Just watch the highlights on ESPN every night. The Clips, playing improved ball of late, will finish around .500. Trust me....tune in....and be prepared to see something spectacular.

14. Minnesota Timberwolves (10-31)

GM David Kahn is preaching patience to the fans of the franchise and rightfully so. The current possibilities of the TWolves doing anything meaningful are none. Zip. Zero. The only bright spot this season is Kevin Love. He has been absolutely dominant, averaging 21.2 points and a whopping 15.7 rebounds. Is it too early to look ahead and wonder if Ricky Rubio will be playing in the NBA next year? And if so, will it be with the Wolves?

15. Sacramento Kings (9-29)

The Kings are another franchise without hope this year. They are best served by letting their youngsters gain valuable experience while encouraging the growth and maturity of the unpredictable DeMarcus Cousins. Without all that much exciting happening in Sacramento, speculation may grow about the possible move of the team. A move may be just what they need to turn things around. What about Vegas? Now that would be exciting.

NBA Christmas Day Games

2010-12-25T20:16:00.001-08:00

Phil Jackson and LeBron James would rather not play games on Christmas. Doc Rivers, on the other hand, looks at it as a privilege to participate in the NBA's regular season showcase event. Either way, here are my thoughts about the ball games that took place on this day of giving, celebrating, and rejoicing for Christians around the world.

Chicago Bulls vs. New York Knicks

It appears as though New York finally has a team to be proud about again. The Knicks play with wonderful passion and have been winning thanks to dominating performances by Amar'e Stoudemire, Raymond Felton's fantastic decision making, the long-range shooting of Danilo Gallinari, the steadiness of Wilson Chandler, and the all-around contributions from sensational rookie Landry Fields.

Chicago, when completely healthy, will be one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. The biggest reason for their success is Derrick Rose. Roses' speed, explosiveness, and athleticism make him one of the most exciting players in the world to watch. The Bulls, sorely missing the interior presence of Joakim Noah, were just not able to match the intensity of the surging Knicks in today's ball game.

Boston Celtics vs. Orlando Magic

Boston came into today riding the highs of a 14-game winning streak. Two days ago the overhauled Magic snapped league-leading San Antonio's 10-game winning streak. This afternoon the Magic unleashed their amazing potential for a second straight game. Orlando showed tremendous resolve against the gritty Celtic defense and Dwight Howard, despite struggling into the fourth quarter, displayed incredible maturity by making several big plays down the stretch.

It will be very interesting to see how the recent trades affect the Magic. They still need to add a back up center, but even without one Stan Van Gundy's squad is one of the most dangerous in the league. With that kind of talent at his disposal, we are going to see what kind of a coach Van Gundy really is.

Miami Heat vs. Los Angeles Lakers

The match up that everybody had been talking about finally happened....and Staples Center denizens saw LeBron James play the role of Grinch for a second straight year. The Heat, playing outstanding basketball of late, were led by James' 27 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. Miami's swarming defense totally dismantled the Lakers' high-powered attack by holding L.A. to just 80 points, 25 below their season average.

Today the Lakers' lacked energy, emotion, and intelligence. Coming off a 19-point thrashing at the hands of the lowly Milwaukee Bucks, the two-time defending champions surprisingly looked disinterested throughout the contest. The Lakers will get on the other side of this once they realize it is a mental thing and an energy thing. Kobe Bryant summed up their recent performances best by saying, "I think these games mean more to our opponents than they do us."

Denver Nuggets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

This game was all about one thing: Kevin Durant. KD may make it look easier than anybody. He is an outstanding scorer and is quickly establishing himself as one of the hardest players to guard....in NBA history. Trust me, he is! His length, athleticism, skill set, and understanding of the game enable him to score in so many ways. Not only that, but he is great at drawing fouls and converts 89% of his free throw attempts.

Why am I only writing about Durant? What does all this mean? Today ABC/ESPN's Mark Jackson said on air that Dwayne Wade is the 3rd best off-guard in the history of the game, behind Michael and Kobe. Although Durant measures 6'9" and is listed as a forward/guard, he plays the game as a shooting guard. In the end, I believe he will be thought of as the 3rd best of all-time. Only time will tell....

Orlando's big day

2010-12-18T17:17:00.000-08:00

Otis Smith, president of the Orlando Magic, just made his franchise a lot better today. He was able to acquire Gilbert Arenas, Jason Richardson, Earl Clark, and re-acquire the versatile Hedo Turkoglu. Smith had to give up Rashard Lewis, Vince Carter, Marcin Gortat, Mickael Pietrus, a 2011 first-round pick, and some cash. I think they just made themselves a more likely candidate to come out of the Eastern Conference.

Rashard Lewis' play has declined rapidly this season. Lewis' scoring has plummeted and he is currently shooting 41.9% from the floor, the second lowest percentage of his career. His game is limited and getting rid of him makes perfect sense, particularly since he is under contract for two more seasons at over $20 million per. Obtaining Gilbert Arenas in exchange certainly cannot hurt. Arenas needed to get out of Washington and now has the opportunity to put everything behind him once and for all. The upside of this deal for the Magic is tremendous.

Smith was also able to unload Vince Carter. Carter is an undeniable talent, but in Orlando he rarely wanted to work to get the "right shot," choosing instead to settle for jump shots. He would help his team more if he was willing to break down the defense through dribble penetration, but that is something he opts not to do consistently. Getting Turkoglu back solves these problems. Turkoglu loves to make plays, excels at it, and his three-point shot is lethal, especially in clutch situations.

On top of Turkoglu, the Magic also pried Jason Richardson away from the Suns. Richardson is a high-fly act that knocks down three's, slashes his way to the basket, and finishes among the trees. His athleticism gives him the ability to take over games at times. He will complement the team perfectly as he can play off all-world center Dwight Howard and Turkoglu.

What does all of this mean? Orlando made huge strides today, but I believe that Boston is still the team to beat in the East.

Sasha Vujacic trade

2010-12-14T17:32:00.000-08:00

Los Angeles Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak is on the verge of making another brilliant trade. Tomorrow's impending deal makes perfect sense from both a business and basketball standpoint. Sending Sasha Vujacic and next year's first-round pick to New Jersey will save owner Jerry Buss approximately $9 million over the next two seasons. Not only that, but L.A. will also receive Joe Smith, a battle-tested veteran that will give their interior rotation added depth and flexibility.

Vujacic, in his seventh NBA season, will benefit from the trade as well. The 26-year-old Slovenian's contract expires at the end of the season and desperately needs an opportunity to show what he can do. Although he will miss out on a possible championship, a stop in New Jersey will give him more minutes and the potential to earn another lucrative NBA contract.

Laker fans will never forget that Vujacic knocked down two huge free throws in game seven of the 2010 NBA Finals, giving the Lakers a four-point lead with 11.7 seconds remaining against archrival Boston Celtics.

2010-2011 Playoff Predictions

2010-10-26T10:00:00.006-07:00

Eastern Conference

Quarterfinals:

#1 Miami beats #8 Philadelphia

#4 Atlanta beats #5 Chicago

#3 Boston beats #6 Milwaukee

#2 Orlando beats #7 Charlotte

Semifinals:

#1 Miami beats #4 Atlanta

#3 Boston beats #2 Orlando

Finals

#3 Boston beats #1Miami

Western Conference

Quarterfinals:

#1 Los Angeles Lakers beat #8 Memphis

#4 Oklahoma City beats #5 Utah

#3 Dallas beats #6 Portland

#2 San Antonio beats #7 Denver

Semifinals:

#1 Los Angeles Lakers beat #4 Oklahoma City

#2 San Antonio beats #3 Dallas

Finals:

#1 Los Angeles Lakers beat #2 San Antonio

NBA Finals: Lakers beat Celtics in six games

NBA Preview: Pacific Division

2010-10-26T10:00:00.005-07:00

1. Los Angeles Lakers (61-21)

The Western Conference chatter starts and stops with one team: the two-time defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers. As long as Phil Jackson's squad avoids injury, they will make their fourth consecutive NBA Finals appearance. They are too talented and too deep for anybody in the West to compete with them. They have the game's best closer (Kobe Bryant), best post player (Pau Gasol), and best perimeter defender (Ron Artest). On top of that, they have the best coach that, by the way, has never lost in his bid for a three-peat.

2. Los Angeles Clippers (41-41)

The Clippers have new hope as Vinny Del Negro has been handed the coaching reigns and Blake Griffin is back from injury. They still have Chris Kaman in the middle, emerging talent Eric Gordon on the wing, and the exciting talent of Baron Davis. If Del Negro can somehow find a way to get Davis to play up to his potential, this team could give others headaches. Man, that is a big if....

3. Phoenix Suns (35-47)

Alvin Gentry loves to have his players get up and down and the Suns had a lot of success playing that style of ball last year. The only problem is that Amar'e Stoudemire bolted for big-time money in the Big Apple. Hedo Turkoglu was brought in to help Steve Nash make plays, but unfortunately the Suns lost the one guy that they could not afford to lose. They will put plenty of points on the board again this year, but how many will they give up? Too many to be a factor.

4. Golden State Warriors (29-53)

Feeling a need to move forward sooner rather than later, team management decided to relieve Don Nelson of his coaching duties and install Keith Smart in his place. The Warriors now have a legitimate inside threat in free-agent signee David Lee to go along with playmakers Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis. They will be slightly improved, but the head coach's challenge will remain the same....coming up with creative ways to compete on a nightly basis.

5. Sacramento Kings (23-59)

The Kings got some help in this year's draft by selecting Kentucky's DeMarcus Cousins. He has a huge upside, but many questions have been raised about his behavior and demeanor. Coach Paul Wesphal will need heavy and consistent contributions from Cousins, reigning Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans, and budding slasher Omri Casspi for the Kings to have a chance to win games. Sadly, the bottom line is they just don't have enough talent to be a concern.

NBA Preview: Southwest Division

2010-10-26T10:00:00.004-07:00

1. San Antonio Spurs (54-28)

As long as Gregg Popovich can count on Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili one cannot easily dismiss the Spurs' chances. It is true that the supporting cast is no longer what it was, but these wily veterans know how to win and Coach Popovich knows how to put his players in a position to succeed. A first-class organization that does things the right way, San Antonio could be the Lakers biggest threat in the West.

2. Dallas Mavericks (53-29)

The same story will be told in the Big D this year once again: the Mavs will win 50+ games and bow out in the first or second round of the playoffs. Coach Rick Carlisle has size and depth to deal with, but owner Mark Cuban did not upgrade the roster in the off-season. Instead of relying so heavily on Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavs should look to capitalize on their athleticism and push the ball in transition at every opportunity....but will Carlisle relinquish control for them to do it?

3. Memphis Grizzlies (42-40)

The Grizzlies' starting five can compete with almost any team in the league. Zach Randolph is one of a handful of NBA players able to average 20 and 10 and Rudy Gay is one of few that can get a good look at the basket whenever he wants it. That said, Coach Lionel Hollins' squad needs to overcome two glaring weaknesses: bench production and outside shooting. If they can find some consistency in these two departments, they will give teams serious problems.

4. Houston Rockets (40-42)

The Tracy McGrady era ended last season and Yao Ming is back from injury. Kevin Martin was acquired to bear some of the scoring burden, but the Rockets are not the team they once were. Rick Adelman is a very good coach and knows how to get the most out of his players. Unfortunately for him the Rockets' roster is not talented enough to be any kind of threat in the West.

5. New Orleans Hornets (37-45)

Most of the talk coming out of the Big Easy has involved Chris Paul and his desire to stay or leave. Rest assured that new coach Monty Williams will bend over backwards to please Paul and let him dominate the ball as much as he wants. The only problem is that Hornets' supporting cast has faded drastically from two seasons ago. David West is a viable threat, but Peja Stojakovic is a mere shadow of himself. Note to New Orleans' fans-enjoy Paul's presence while it lasts.

NBA Preview: Northwest Division

2010-10-26T10:00:00.003-07:00

1. Oklahoma City Thunder (52-30)

Kevin Durant is the one player in the league that most NBA GM's would want to start their franchise with and build their team around. He led the league in scoring at 21 years of age, is constantly improving, and will have even more confidence after his outstanding performance in this summer's World Championships. Teammate Russell Westbrook is also an off-the-charts talent, and if not for one failed box out by Serge Ibaka the Thunder would have taken the Lakers to seven games in last year's playoffs. Coach Scott Brooks has good reason to be excited about this season.

2. Utah Jazz (49-33)

Jerry Sloan is back for another year as coach and this bodes well for the boys of Utah. Carlos Boozer bolted to Chicago, but the Jazz brass moved quickly and picked up Al Jefferson from Minnesota. The knock on Jefferson has been his defense, but that will change playing in Sloan's system. With Deron Williams, Andrei Kirilienko, Mehmet Okur and Paul Millsap back in the fold, the Jazz will be solid as usual....if they could only avoid the Lakers in the playoffs.

3. Portland Trailblazers (46-36)

Brandon Roy is the unquestionable star of the franchise, and there is no doubt that the fortunes of the Trailblazers fall on his shoulders. Roy will be relieved to have centers Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla back from injury, and coach Nate McMillan will try to lighten Roy's load by giving more responsibility to the steady LaMarcus Aldridge. The Blazers have more success against the Lakers than any team in the league, but like their adversaries, they will not have much of a chance if they have to face the Lake Show in a seven-game series.

4. Denver Nuggets (45-37)

Will Carmelo go or will he stay? That is the question. Unfortunately for the Denver faithful, Carmelo refuses to sign the three-year, $65 million contract extension on the table for him. That being the case, it is just a matter of time until he is shipped out of town as the Nuggets will not risk losing him for nothing in return. Coach George Karl still has a talented group with Chauncey Billups, Kenyon Martin, J.R. Smith, and Nené, but nothing will be resolved until they get on the other side of the Carmelo issue.

5. Minnesota Timberwolves (14-58)

The most important news from Minneapolis for the second straight summer was that GM David Kahn could not convince Ricky Rubio to leave Spain. Kahn was otherwise active, signing the underachieving Darko Milicic to a four-year, $2o million contract and snatching Michael Beasley from the Heat. Having the least talented roster in the league to work with, Coach Kurt Rambis faces the incredible challenge of making Minnesota fans excited about professional basketball this season.

NBA Preview: Atlantic Division

2010-10-26T10:00:00.002-07:00

1. Boston Celtics (56-26)

There is good reason for optimism in Beantown as the big four (Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Rajon Rondo) are back. This squad has reached two of the last three NBA Finals, and their inside game will be bolstered by the arrival of aging veterans Shaquille O'Neal and Jermaine O'Neal. Head coach Doc Rivers, knowing that the window is closing on this group, decided to come back for one last shot at it. He believes that they can win it all....and they may just do that if they stay injury free.

2. Philadelphia 76ers (39-43)

The Sixers were one of the biggest winners last summer as they landed Ohio State's stud Evan Turner. Not only that, but they were also able to pry head coach Doug Collins out of the broadcasting ranks. Collins is no doubt excited about playing Turner alongside the athletic and ever-improving Andre Iguodala. They have the potential to be much better than they were last year. Now if only Elton Brand could stay healthy....

3. New York Knicks (36-46)

The Knicks had a plan in place years ago to lure the 2010 free agents to Madison Square Garden. They got a big one in Amar'e Stoudemire, but this ultimately fell short of their hopes and expectations. New York will be better than last season and they are more fun to watch playing coach Mike D'Antoni's run and gun style. Unfortunately for the rabid Knicks' fans, the results have not changed that much....too many L's and not enough W's. They are still a move or two away from being a viable competitor.

4. New Jersey Nets (27-55)

The Nets have a new owner (Mikhail Prokhorov), a new coach (Avery Johnson), and new additions to the roster (Troy Murphy, Travis Outlaw, Jordan Farmar, and lottery pick Derrick Favors). Like the Knicks, they will improve on last season's win total, but they will not play a role in the post-season. This franchise is taking steps in the right direction, however, and being funded by one of the richest men in the world certainly does not hinder their chances of improvement.

5. Toronto Raptors (19-63)

The Raptors, unlike the Nets, are most definitely moving in the wrong direction. They lost Chris Bosh to Miami, traded Hedo Turkoglu to Phoenix, and now have one of the league's worst rosters. Head coach Jay Triano will be facing challenges too difficult for one person to solve. Unless they make significant personnel changes, this will be a year to forget for the only Canadian franchise in the league.

NBA Preview: Central Division

2010-10-26T10:00:00.001-07:00

1. Chicago Bulls (46-36)

The Bulls made two key changes in the off-season: they brought in sought after assistant Tom Thibodeau as their head coach and signed free-agent Carlos Boozer. Unfortunately Boozer tripped on a gym bag at home, broke his hand, and will be out for several weeks. When he gets back, the Bulls will be ready to rock and roll. They have one of the best point guards in the game in Derrick Rose, a versatile forward in Luol Deng, a hard-nosed grinder in Joakim Noah, and arguably the best shooter in the league in Kyle Korver. That said, they stand virtually no chance of coming out of the East.

2. Milwaukee Bucks (44-38)

Coach Scott Skiles and the Bucks surprised many people last year, including myself. Skiles was able to get his guys to buy into what he was selling and this year he faces the same challenge. Keith Bogut, Brandon Jennings, Michael Redd, John Salmons, and Ersan Ilyasova will be expected to carry the franchise once again. The good news for the Bucks is that they are in the Central Division....but the bad news is that they are in the Eastern Conference. Their loftiest goal should be to get to the second round of the playoffs.

3. Detroit Pistons (38-44)

The Pistons, stung by the injury bug last season, underachieved and only managed to win twenty-seven games. Expect coach John Kuester to field a much more competitive squad this year as Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Ben Gordon, and Will Bynum are healthy again. This could be a great defensive team, but in the end it won't matter. Although bigger contributions will be received from youngsters Jonas Jerebko and Austin Daye, this team just does not have enough talent to be a factor.

4. Cleveland Cavaliers (28-54)

The two most hated words in Cleveland are LeBron James. James' defection to the Heat left the Cavs without anything, and now new coach Byron Scott is left to pick up the pieces. Scott faces the extraordinary challenge of making an ordinary team competitive. Mo Williams and Antawn Jamison will be asked to carry the scoring load, but with role players at every other position the Cavs just do not have enough firepower to scare anybody. What a difference a year makes!

5. Indianapolis Pacers (28-54)

The Pacers are another franchise that seems to be complacent with mediocrity. Larry Bird's time is likely running out in the front office and Jim O'Brien's time on the bench will be far from delightful. Danny Granger will score around twenty-five points a night but other than that Pacers' fans will have little reason to cheer. Indiana should focus on developing their younger players, especially Darren Collison, Paul George, and Tyler Hansbrough. After all, they have nothing to lose....well, except games of course....which they will lose a lot of anyways.

NBA Preview: Southeast Division

2010-10-26T10:00:00.000-07:00

1. Miami Heat (63-19)

Miami was the big winner in the free-agent sweepstakes, landing LeBron James and Chris Bosh to pair up with superstar Dwayne Wade. Not only that, but Heat President Pat Riley convinced some quality free agents to accept less money for the shot at winning a championship. Coach Erik Spoelstra's challenge is to create an environment where team chemistry is maximized. This squad no doubt has enough individual talent, but can they gel together as a group to get it done? We will soon find out....

2. Orlando Magic (60-22)

The fans of the Magic once again have reason to be optimistic. Coach Stan Van Gundy has his core back (Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis, Vince Carter, and Jameer Nelson) and also added new wrinkles in Quenton Richardson and Chris Duhon. Orlando definitely has the talent to win it all, but do they have the discipline and mental toughness to get it done? The fortunes of this franchise ride on Howard's ability to make to free throws and score when guarded one-on-one in the low block. If he can do these things, their chances of winning a championship skyrocket.

3. Atlanta Hawks (51-31)

Franchise player Joe Johnson received huge bucks (6 years, $124 million) to stay in Atlanta and he will once again be joined by the talents of Josh Smith, Mike Bibby, Al Horford, and Jamal Crawford. Coming off one of the most pathetic showings in league playoff history, new coach Larry Drew has to hope that Crawford's contract squabbles will not be a distraction to his squad this season. The Hawks can be very dangerous if they are focused on the task at hand....and team management brought Drew in to make that happen.

4. Charlotte Bobcats (40-42)

The Bobcats, one of the biggest surprises in the NBA, will look to build on the momentum gained by their forty-four win season a year ago. Led by Gerald Wallace, Stephen Jackson, and Boris Diaw, this is a hard-working group that takes on the personality of their coach, Larry Brown. Not making the playoffs would be a disappointment for owner Michael Jordan as he continues to take steps in the right direction. That said, this squad is still far from being a legitimate title contender.

5. Washington Wizards (35-47)

John Wall, the number one pick in last summer's draft, may just be the fastest player ever with the ball in his hands. Coach Flip Saunders has the most guard-oriented roster in the league to work with and the way for them to be most effective is to run at every opportunity. Although lacking a true interior threat, Washington's big man JaVale McGee can fill the lane like few his size. The Wizards need to put last season's disaster (Gilbert Arenas' gun issues) behind them and get back to playing basketball again.

The pursuit of coaching

2010-10-07T20:14:00.001-07:00

After finishing my broadcasting responsibilities for Long Beach State in March, I took a trip to Memphis at the urging of my college point guard and current Grizzlies assistant coach David Joerger. David and his family graciously welcomed Greg Duke (our college teammate) and I into their home for a few nights. We had a blast throwing back a few beers, recalling our college days, and talking basketball. Through these conversations, I came to the conclusion that I would rather coach basketball than broadcast it.

For the next five months, I pursued coaching jobs relentlessly. I applied for one job after another, sent out emails, made phone calls, and did everything I could to make everybody I know aware that I wanted to coach. I was incredibly excited about the possibilities and received tremendous help from friends and acquaintances alike.

As luck would have it, the head coaching position at my alma mater, Minnesota State University Moorhead, was open. I contacted the Athletic Director, asked him several questions to get an idea of where the program was, the challenges it faced, and the future he envisioned for it. Technically I did not qualify for the job because of the way it was posted (3 years of head coaching experience required). I therefore asked the AD if was absolutely necessary to meet that requirement; he said it was not, and then asked me if I was interested in the position. After being told that he wanted to make the basketball program a competitor on the national level, I responded with a resounding, "YES!"

I then went to work. I dedicated one month of my life to the pursuit of that job and worked night and day despite the fact that I was recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery. I had never felt as exhilarated as I did during this process, and I was going to make sure that I didn't leave any stone unturned. I was in contact with former teammates, classmates, MSUM alumni from previous generations, members of the booster club and community, and received overwhelming support and encouragement from everybody. I didn't even get an interview.....

I did not let this setback phase me, however, and continued to pursue coaching jobs with relentless passion. I found out that there was an opening for a team in one of the professional leagues and had a couple of connections to the head coach (who also was in charge of the hiring process). I met with him once and everything went really well. Upon finishing the meeting, he asked me to watch three games that his team played last year and put together a scouting report for him.

I worked diligently on the scouting report. Once I thought it was perfect, I contacted a veteran coach in the same league to go over it. He told me that I could feel incredibly confident about it because it was right on the money. I thought that it was, but it felt fantastic to get that kind of reassurance from somebody who I hold in such high regard.

On my return trip to the minor league city, the head coach and I went over the scouting report in great detail. He got very nit-picky and wanted to see how I would react. He told me that I shouldn't get defensive but instead should sit there and take the criticism. All I was trying to do was explain why I wrote what I wrote but he would have none of it. Then, after reflecting deeply, he dropped the bomb...."I can't think of one time last year that I wasn't right," he stated. Well, knowing that his team only won 34% of their games the previous season, I could think of many times that he wasn't right! I didn't react when he said this although I was in total disbelief. I made some phone calls on my way home, discussed what happened with my friends and family, and had to accept that this opportunity was not the right one for me.

I did not let that this experience discourage me from continuing my quest. I continued to apply for jobs online, make phone calls, and do whatever I could to enhance my chances of getting a coaching job. The next step was to go to the NBA summer league in Las Vegas. I had a phenomenal time in Sin City, mainly due to my buddy David Joerger. He invited me to watch Memphis' practices, introduced me to several people, and really hooked me up. I had fantastic conversations, made some wonderful connections, and found people to be extremely open and friendly. Once again, despite my best efforts, I could not open any doors or make any headway.

After the NBA summer league had ended, I decided to hang around Vegas a few more days for a college coaches clinic. I listened to many high profile NCAA coaches speak, soaked up their wisdom, and met many driven and up and coming coaches. We ended the meeting on Thursday afternoon and then I went to an AAU tournament that was taking place at a local high school. I met up with a former college adversary of mine and had the opportunity to pick his brain about things. I am not going to reveal the details of our conversation, but suffice it to say I realized that the only college coaching job that would ever interest me was that of my alma mater.

I drove back to Los Angeles after sixteen unforgiving days in the desert heat. No job and no leads. I could rest easy knowing that I had done everything in my power to get a pro or collegiate job. Understanding that these doors were not open to me at this point in time, I set my sights on the high school level. After having a few conversations and considering the possibilities of accepting a JV job, I decided that coaching high school basketball was not what I wanted to do with my life.

Now you can say that I don't want to pay my dues or do whatever I have to do to get my coaching career started....and I would agree with that. I am 37 years old, have 12 years of professional playing experience, but yet could not get an entry level position anywhere, with the exception of the high school level. I applied for over 100 jobs, and the only interview I got was for a job that I didn't even apply for (the pro team). I felt that this was the world's way of telling me that I should be doing some other than coaching....and that was when I got the idea of giving inspirational speeches.

It is my desire to have the most positive impact on the biggest number of people I can, and I believe speaking is a great way for me to do that. I have not given up hope that someday I will get a coaching job, but it will have to be at the professional level for me to consider it. In the meantime, I am going to work guys out, focus on my broadcasting, and deliver my inspirational message to as many people as possible.

Hiatus

2010-09-01T13:22:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed that I stopped writing just when the NBA season was getting most interesting. I have been on hiatus the past few months as I have been pursuing basketball coaching opportunities. Despite not having any luck in finding a coaching job, it has been an incredible experience. I have met some wonderful people, had fantastic conversations, and learned a lot about myself in the process. I will reflect on my experiences in my next blog entry. Please stay tuned....

NBA Playoffs: Eastern Conference Second Round

2010-05-04T08:35:00.000-07:00

#2 Orlando Magic vs. #3 Atlanta Hawks

The Magic had no problem whatsoever rolling over the Charlotte Bobcats despite incredibly low offensive numbers from their man in the middle, Dwight Howard. The NBA's most dominant big men and two-time defensive player of the year averaged 9.8 points and 5.5 fouls per contest while connecting on only 37% of his free-throw attempts. Jameer Nelson and Rashard Lewis picked up the slack but Vince Carter struggled mightily, shooting just 36% from the floor and a putrid 6% from three-point territory. In order to beat the high-flying Hawks, the Magic will need to get better and more consistent production out of their two stars, prevent Atlanta from getting out in transition, and be disciplined on both the offensive and defensive ends. It will be interesting to see if rustiness plays a role as Orlando has passed eight days without playing a game.

The Hawks, on the other hand, had an extremely difficult time getting past the pesky Milwaukee Bucks. Atlanta woke up just in time to answer the call. Mike Woodson's men will be in for a rude awakening if they approach the Magic with the same lackadaisical attitude. They are outmatched, undersized, and have lost six out of the last seven meetings between the two teams. Al Horford and Zaza Pachulia will have the toughest task of all trying to prevent Howard from receiving the ball and making things difficult for him once he does. To win, Mike Bibby will need to be better than Jameer Nelson and Joe Johnson will have to be the best player on the floor. The Hawks must treat every possession like it's their last, come up with all the loose balls, and dominate the glass....and even that may not be enough.

Prediction: Orlando won't be stopped by Atlanta in their quest to get back to the finlas. Magic in five.

NBA Playoffs: Western Conference Second Round

2010-05-03T08:20:00.000-07:00

#3 Phoenix Suns vs. #7 San Antonio Spurs

The Suns played very well in getting past Portland in the first round. Now it is time for them to rekindle one of the best playoff match-ups of the past few years. The Spurs have eliminated Phoenix the lat four times they have met in the post-season, and in two of those series the Suns had home court advantage. The Suns are not as action packed as they used to be, but they play highly intelligent basketball, shoot and share the ball extremely well, and coach Alvin Gentry has got them to buy in to the importance of defending. Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire will lead the way, but the wild card seems to be Jason Richardson. The high-flying shooting guard torched the Trailblazers (23.5 ppg, 51% from 3), and the Suns are 29-4 when he scores at least 20 points. To win this series, the Suns will need to take care of the ball, defend with intensity, dictate the tempo, and control the glass.

The Spurs, meanwhile, looked fabulous in their first-round series against Dallas. San Antonio's health has been restored and they seem poised to make a serious playoff run. Their defense has been outstanding, they have been executing their offense to near perfection, and their overall energy has been spectacular despite their less than youthful roster. Gregg Popovich did a great job of managing his players' minutes throughout the regular season and it is now paying dividends. Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili will be of huge importance, but the two guys to look out for are Tony Parker and Richard Jefferson. Parker's speed and quickness have given Nash fits in the past, and if Jefferson steps up and contributes the way he can the Spurs will be next to impossible to beat. It is going to be great for basketball fans to watch.

Prediction: I was too impressed with the Spurs effort, hustle, and determination against Dallas to bet against them in this series. San Antonio wins in six games.

NBA Playoffs: Western Conference Second Round

2010-05-01T14:58:00.000-07:00

#1 Los Angeles Lakers vs. #4 Utah Jazz

The Lakers had to fight hard to knock off a very talented and athletic Oklahoma City squad. Just like last year in the playoffs, Kobe Bryant and company played with inconsistent effort and desire. And just like last year, they were able to overcome it and advance. Phil Jackson's pupils will stand another strong test against the Jazz. L.A. should look to take advantage of their size on the inside, put the ball in Kobe's hands during crucial moments, and try to keep the ball out of the hands of Deron Williams. The bottom line is that they will win this series if they really want to win it.

Utah is playing some great basketball right now. They beat Denver in six games behind the incredible play of Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer. Williams averaged a sensational 25.8 points and 11.3 assists while Boozer had a stat line of 22.5 points and 13.3 rebounds. These guys will have to continue to play at an extraordinary level and their offensive execution will have to be flawless to beat L.A. Matters are complicated due to the injuries of Mehmet Okur (torn achilles tendon) and Andrei Kirilenko (strained calf), although it appears that Kirilenko may return at some point during the series.

Prediction: The Lakers are flat out better than Utah and will move on in five games.

NBA Playoffs: Eastern Conference Second Round

2010-04-28T22:29:00.000-07:00

#1 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. #4 Boston Celtics

LeBron James is a man on a mission. He was his usual dominating self against the Bulls, averaging an amazing 31.8 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 8.2 assists, despite suffering from a strained and bruised right elbow. Accompanied by the solid play of Antawn Jamison and Mo Williams, the Cavs look like a team that won't settle for anything less than a title. It is very difficult to find any flaws or weaknesses with this ball club. They are very a very good defensive team, play with a lot of emotion and desire, and are willing to do whatever it takes to win. It is easy to understand why a lot of people think they will go all the way.

Boston, meanwhile, did a fine job of dispatching a feisty Miami Heat squad. They had a very balanced attack as Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Rajon Rondo averaged between 14.8 and 19.6 points in the five-game series. Cleveland is not Miami, however, and to beat the these guys they will need to elevate their level of play and get strong contributions from their replacements, particularly Rasheed Wallace, Tony Allen, and Glen Davis. The C's have to take care of the ball, be efficient on offense, prevent Cleveland from getting easy transition baskets, and take the ball out of the hands of LeBron as much as possible. This is the only way they will stand a chance.

Prediction: Cleveland is just too good for the aging Celtics. Barring an injury to LeBron, the Cavs will move on in 6.

NBA Playoffs: Eastern Conference First Round

2010-04-15T21:22:00.000-07:00

#1 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. #8 Chicago Bulls

The Cavs have shown that they are the most consistent team in all of basketball. They are led by all-world and leading MVP candidate LeBron James. Without him, they would be an average team at best. He can dominate in so many ways and the Bulls won't have an answer for him or his teammates. The biggest headline coming out of Chicago is an alleged confrontation between coach Vinny Del Negro and GM John Paxson. It is likely that Vinny has about ten days left in his tenure in the Windy City. Get out your brooms because the Cavs sweep are going to sweep.

#2 Orlando Magic vs. #7 Charlotte Bobcats

Orlando won more games than any other team but Cleveland. They have the most dominant big man in the game in Dwight Howard. They also have two gunners in Vince Carter and Rashard Lewis and you know that Stan Van Gundy's troops would love to have another crack at the finals. Larry Brown, meanwhile, did an excellent job coaching the Bobcats this year. Gerald Wallace was stellar and the addition of Stephen Jackson was a huge shot in the arm for the franchise. That said, there is no way Charlotte can compete with the Magic. Orlando will sweep the series.

#3 Atlanta Hawks vs. #6 Milwaukee Bucks

The Hawks had a very solid year. Their chemistry is outstanding and they have one of the league's best all-around players in Joe Johnson. In addition, they have grown and become more confident due to their stellar play in the playoffs the past couple of years. The Bucks, on the other hand, are new to this whole playoff thing. Scott Skiles did a fabulous job of getting his guys to overachieve but now is when the real season starts. Even though they are outmatched by the Hawks and without Andrew Bogut, Milwaukee's faithful believes there is reason to "fear the deer." Unfortunately for them the Hawks won't. Atlanta in 5.

#4 Boston Celtics vs. #5 Miami Heat

Nobody thought that Boston would drop all the way down to fourth place in the East this season, but KG"s knee isn't the same, Ray Allen is showing signs of aging, and rumors are circulating that head coach Doc Rivers won't be back in Beantown next season. This is likely their last shot at winning it all and it is not a good one. Dwyane Wade, on the other hand, was his stellar self and somehow led the club down on South Beach to a 47-win season. Erik Spoelstra deserves a tip of the cap for his fine coaching job. The Celtics will struggle but will get by the feisty Heat in 7 games.

NBA Playoffs: Western Conference First Round

2010-04-15T20:54:00.000-07:00

#1 Los Angeles Lakers vs. #8 Oklahoma City Thunder

The Lakers have been struggling the last few weeks but are still the favorite to come out of the Western Conference. Andrew Bynum has missed a lot of games (once again) and will be rusty, but Kobe Bryant will have fresh legs after getting some rest the last week of the season. The Thunder, meanwhile, go into this series with nothing to lose. They are young and an incredibly talented team with NBA leading scorer Kevin Durant leading the way. Head coach Scott Brooks has done an absolutely fantastic job this season, but his guys just aren't good enough to beat the reigning world champs. Lakers win in 6.

#2 Dallas Mavericks vs. #7 San Antonio Spurs

The battle of Texas is officially on. The Mavs became a legitimate contender after making a trade that brought Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood, and Deshawn Stevenson to the Big D. They came together rather quickly and played some impressive ball the last two months of the season. The Spurs, on the other hand, underachieved all year. They, as usual, had to deal with injuries to Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. It doesn't help that Tim Duncan is slowing down significantly with age. Dallas has too much firepower and depth for San Antonio to match. Dallas wins in 6.

#3 Phoenix Suns vs. #6 Portland Trailblazers

The Suns had a fantastic season and coach Alvin Gentry just may win the coach of the year award. Nobody thought Phoenix would win 54 games after last year's dismal performance, but Steve Nash continues to play with extraordinary energy and Amar'e Stoudemire is playing at a high level. The Trailblazers likely won't be able to count on their superstar Brandon Roy as he is out due to a partial tear of his meniscus. Without him, Nate McMillan's guys stand no chance. Phoenix moves on in 5.

#4 Denver Nuggets vs. #5 Utah Jazz

I can't wait to see what happens in this series. These are two of the most talented and exciting teams in all of basketball....and they are facing off in the first round! Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, and the rest of entertaining and athletic Nuggets will have to play at a very high level in order to get past the well-disciplined Jazz. The mile-high gang will try to outscore Utah but will have to do it without the leadership and guidance of George Karl on their bench. In the end it will be too much for them to overcome. Jerry Sloan's boys will advance to the second round after a thrilling seventh game in Colorado.

NBA halfway point: Individual Awards

2010-01-22T11:45:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-17T13:22:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-15T15:27:00.000-08:00

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?

2009-12-01T17:26:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-11T13:39:00.000-08:00

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

2009-10-27T16:25:00.006-07:00

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

#4 Dallas beats #5 Denver

#3 Utah beats #6 New Orleans

#2 San Antonio beats #7 Portland

Semifinals:

#1 Los Angeles Lakers beat #4 Dallas

#2 San Antonio beats #3 Utah

Finals:

#1 Los Angeles Lakers beat #2 San Antonio

NBA Finals: Lakers beat Celtics in six games

NBA Preview: Northwest Division

2009-10-27T16:25:00.005-07:00

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 this season. The future could be bright, however, if Durant and Westbrook progress as they should and GM Sam Presti can make some creative moves with their personnel.

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.

NBA Preview: Pacific Division

2009-10-27T16:25:00.004-07:00

1. Los Angeles Lakers (69-13)

Kobe Bryant and the defending champion Lakers will be back better than ever this season. L.A. made only one significant change this summer by replacing defensive specialist Trevor Ariza with volatile swingman Ron Artest, giving the Lakers another lock-down defender and proficient scorer. Along with the all-world Bryant, Phil Jackson will count on the continued presence of Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum, Derek Fisher, Luke Walton, Shannon Brown, Jordan Farmar, Sasha Vujacic, Josh Powell, D.J. Mbenga, and the sparsely used Adam Morrison. As long as this group remains injury free and Artest keeps his head on straight, there is very good reason to believe that they will be in the finals once again competing for the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

2. Phoenix Suns (43-39)

Phoenix is a team heading in the wrong direction. After having the league's best record in 2005, Suns' management has made several changes over the past couple of seasons, taking the franchise from a championship contender to a playoff hopeful. They seem to be content with that as they were not an active player in the free-agent market this past summer. They re-signed Steve Nash and Grant Hill, acquired Channing Frye, and will be relying heavily on veterans Amar'e Stoudemire, Jason Richardson, and Leandro Barbosa. They will also be expecting contributions from reserves Jarron Collins, Robin Lopez, Alando Tucker, Louis Amundson, Goran Dragic, Jared Dudley, Earl Clark, and Taylor Griffin. The bottom line is that the Suns do not have enough firepower to compete with the top teams in the talent-rich Western Conference.

3. Los Angeles Clippers (35-47)

After a dismal 19 wins last season, coach/GM Mike Dunleavy was hoping that Blake Griffin's arrival would revitalize the franchise. Unfortunately the Clipper curse has struck again as Griffin, the number one overall choice in the 2009 draft, suffered a stress fracture in his kneecap and will miss the first month or two of the season. To win, the "other" team that occupies the Staples Center will need retuning players Baron Davis, Marcus Camby, Chris Kaman, Eric Gordon, Al Thornton, Ricky Davis, Brian Skinner, Mardy Collins, and DeAndre Jordan to step up their game and jell with the recently acquired Rasual Butler, Craig Smith, Sebastian Telfair, and Kareem Rush. This squad does have a lot of individual talent, but changing the fortunes of the franchise will require everybody to sacrifice themselves for the common good, and I just don't see that happening.

4. Golden State Warriors (25-57)

The Warriors magical season two years ago is long forgotten. Coach Don Nelson is now leading a group that has absolutely no chance of making the playoffs. Stephen Jackson, Monta Ellis, Corey Maggette, Andris Biedrins, Kelenna Azubulke, Ronny Turiaf, Anthony Morrow, Brandan Wright, Anthony Randolph, and C.J. Watson are back with the franchise. They will be joined by free-agent signees Speedy Claxton, Devean George, Mikki Moore, Acie Law, and rookie Stephen Curry. The Warriors perimeter players are very hard to guard but they are lacking an inside game. Due to this, they will press, trap, try to create turnovers, and look to run at every opportunity. This will not be enough, however, as they will find themselves on the wrong end of high-scoring shootouts time and time again.

5. Sacramento Kings (18-64)

No franchise won fewer games last year or drew fewer fans. The Kings, winners of only 17 games, are going to struggle mightily again this season. New coach Paul Westphal simply does not have enough talent at his disposal for his team to be a factor. Several players will be back from last year, including Kevin Martin, Andres Nocioni, Beno Udrih, Kenny Thomas, Francisco Garcia (out for 4 months), Spencer Hawes, Donte Green, and Jason Thompson. They will be joined by rookies Tyreke Evans, Jon Brockman, and Omri Casspi, along with the recently obtained Desmond Mason, Sean May, and Sergio Rodriguez. This group will be outmatched nearly every night they take the floor. They will win a few simply because it is impossible to lose them all.

NBA Preview: Southwest Division

2009-10-27T16:25:00.003-07:00

1. San Antonio Spurs (60-22)

Make no mistake about it, the Spurs will be a legitimate threat to the Lakers' supremacy in the West this season. Stars Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili are back with the franchise along with veterans Michael Finley, Roger Mason, and Matt Bonner. The reason for renewed optimism in San Antonio, however, is due to the arrival of Richard Jefferson, Antonio McDyess, Theo Ratliff, and Keith Bogans. These seasoned pros have a high basketball IQ and will provide coach Gregg Popovich with more scoring options, rebounding, shot blocking, and defensive intensity. The rotation will be further bolstered by the lesser known DeJuan Blair, George Hill, Marcus Haislip, Malik Hairston, and Ian Mahinmi. As long as the big three stay healthy, this team is capable of winning it all.

2. Dallas Mavericks (54-28)

The Mavericks, thanks to owner Mark Cuban's burning desire to win, are one of a handful of teams with championship aspirations this season. After suffering early playoff exits the last two years, team management tweaked the roster by bringing in veterans Shawn Marion, Drew Gooden, Tim Thomas, Quinton Ross, and Kris Humphries. They will step in and provide help to mainstays Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Erick Dampier, James Singleton, and Jose Barea. Although Josh Howard is injured and will be out for a while, this remains a very dangerous squad. It is unclear, however, if they will be able to develop the chemistry that is needed to be a legitimate contender. Rest assured, Cuban will do anything he can to get the franchise back to the finals and erase the awful memories from 2006.

3. New Orleans Hornets (50-32)

Last year was a disappointing season for the Hornets, and the only significant move they made in the off-season was to acquire Emeka Okafor from Charlotte for Tyson Chandler. Both players are known for their defense and rebounding, so it will be interesting to see exactly what kind of impact this change has on the franchise. All-Stars Chris Paul and David West will again be asked to carry the load, along with Peja Stojakovic, James Posey, and Morris Peterson. Coach Byron Scott will also count on contributions from Julian Wright, Devin Brown, Bobby Brown, Hilton Armstrong, Earl Barron, Darius Songalia, and Sean Marks. This is a playoff team with an excellent starting line-up, but they lack sufficient talent and depth to compete with the Lakers and Spurs for Western Conference superiority.

4. Memphis Grizzlies (31-51)

The Grizzlies stand no chance of making the playoffs this season. They do have some fine talent in Rudy Gay, O.J. Mayo, and Mark Gasol, but team management surprisingly decided to surround their young standouts with veterans Allen Iverson and Zach Randolph, both of whom have shown a lack of discipline in the past. Hopefully AI and Randolph will be a positive influence on teammates Marko Jaric, Mike Conley, Steven Hunter, Darrell Arthur, Marcus Williams, and rookies Hasheem Thabeet and Sam Young. The franchise is still in the rebuilding stages but no doubt headed in the right direction. Patience has to be preached as better things are yet to come for the Grizzlies and their fans.

5. Houston Rockets (28-54)

Optimism was high when the Rockets took the Lakers to seven games in last year's playoffs, but their chances of competing for a title this year all but disappeared with the injury to Yao Ming. The game's second best big man leaves an irreplaceable gap in their lineup. To make matters worse, coach Rick Adelman will be without often injured Tracy McGrady until December. This means that players like Shane Battier, Luis Scola, Aaron Brooks, Chuck Hayes, Carl Landry, Brian Cook, Kyle Lowry, and the newly signed Trevor Ariza, David Andersen, Pops-Mensah Bonsu, and Chase Budinger will have to step up and play at an extremely high level just for the Rockets to have a chance to win games.

NBA Preview: Southeast Division

2009-10-27T16:25:00.002-07:00

1. Orlando Magic (65-17)

Orlando's management made it clear this off-season that they are not satisfied with just getting to the finals; they want to win it all. They made some huge moves this summer, and now the most dominant big man in the league, Dwight Howard, will be going to work with Vince Carter, Jason Williams, Matt Barnes, and Brandon Bass. Add that to an already stellar group that includes Rashard Lewis, Jameer Nelson, Mickael Pietrus, Anthony Johnson, J.J. Redick, Marcin Gortat, and Ryan Anderson, and you have arguably the best roster from top to bottom in the league. The Magic will compete with Boston and Cleveland for tops in the Eastern Conference and are entirely capable of winning the whole thing.

2. Washington Wizards (43-39)

The Wizards have a new coach and proven winner in Flip Saunders. They also will have Gilbert Arenas back from injury. This bodes well for a franchise that won only 19 games last season. They will certainly improve on that win total, but they do not provide a viable threat to anybody. Along with Arenas, the Wizards will count on Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler to put up big numbers. They will also look for production from DeShawn Stevenson, Brendan Haywood, Andray Blatche, Nick Young, Mike James, and the newly acquired Mike Miller, Fabricio Oberto, and Randy Foye. This will be a playoff team if they stay healthy. They have a lot of firepower on offense but not enough quality overall to scare Boston, Cleveland, and Orlando.

3. Atlanta Hawks (42-40)

The Hawks will make the playoffs and then lose to either Boston, Cleveland, or Orlando. That is just the way it is. They have a wonderful blend of athleticism and experience, but are a player or two shy of being able to defeat the league's elite. They are led by Joe Johnson, one of the best all-around players in the game. He will be creating shots for himself and teammates Mike Bibby, Josh Smith, Al Horford, Zaza Pachulia, Marvin Williams, and Maurice Evans. He will also be counting on production from veteran free-agent signees Joe Smith, Jamal Crawford, and Jason Collins. Atlanta made it to the second round of the playoffs last year, but it will be very difficult for them to repeat that success this season.

4. Miami Heat (42-40)

The Heat, thanks in large part to Dwyane Wade's amazing performance, improved tremendously last season. Unfortunately for them, this year will be just like last year. They will make the playoffs and lose in round one. Jermaine O'Neal, Michael Beasley, Udonis Haslem, Mario Chalmers, and Daequan Cook are back for Miami and will log a lot of minutes. They will need some help from mainstays Dorrell Wright, James Jones, Chris Quinn, and Joel Anthony as well as new acquisitions Quentin Richardson, Carlos Arroyo, and Jamaal Magloire. Any way you slice it, this group will not be contending for a championship this season. The most interesting thing, at least for the media, will be the speculation surrounding Wade and the summer of 2010.

5. Charlotte Bobcats (21-61)

It will be another long year for Michael Jordan, Larry Brown, and the rest of the Charlotte Bobcats. Gerald Wallace will make several highlight plays throughout the season, but that will be the only bright spot. Boris Diaw, Raymond Felton, Raja Bell, Nazr Mohammed, Vladimir Radmanovic, and Dasagna Diop will be back alongside the recently obtained Tyson Chandler, Ronald Murray, and Stephen Graham. This overmatched group will have to have amazing chemistry in order to win games. Their work is seriously cut out for them as they, along with the Nets, have the least talented roster in the conference.

NBA Preview: Central Division

2009-10-27T16:25:00.001-07:00

1. Cleveland Cavaliers (64-18)

LeBron James is on a mission this season. He will settle for nothing less than a championship, and the Cavs' management has put the organization in a great position to contend for the title. The acquisitions of Shaquille O'Neal, Anthony Parker, Jamario Moon, and Leon Powe will do nothing but give them more talent, size, and depth (which is scary considering last year's squad won 66 games). Mo Williams, Delonte West, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Anderson Varejao, Daniel Gibson, and J.J. Hickson are back with the franchise after last season's disappointing exit in the conference finals. Unfortunately this year is going to be tougher for Cleveland simply because Boston and Orlando upgraded their rosters even more than the Cavs.

2. Detroit Pistons (42-40)

The Pistons will be relying heavily on its outside game for point production this season. The addition of Ben Gordon will provide punch to the already effective exterior trio of Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, and Rodney Stuckey. Detroit can count on Ben Wallace and Kwame Brown to play solid interior defense, but they will need somebody to step up and give them offensive firepower on the inside. Jason Maxiell, Charlie Villanueva, and Chris Wilcox will be called upon to get the job done. New coach John Kuester will also look for contributions from Chucky Atkins and Will Bynum. Only one thing is certain in Motown--the 2009/2010 season will not be as disappointing for Detroit's denizens simply because the expectations for the franchise are no longer what they once were.

3. Chicago Bulls (41-41)

The defection of Ben Gordon to the Pistons is going to hurt, but the bottom line is that Chicago is just like every other team in the East not called Cleveland, Boston, or Orlando. They will be playing to make the playoffs and nothing else. Derrick Rose, Kirk Heinrich, and Luol Deng will all be better than they were last year. I also expect John Salmons to show that last season was not a fluke. The problem for Chicago is that they have no inside scoring threat. Brad Miller can knock down jump shots, Tyrus Thomas offers athleticism, Joaquim Noah provides hustle and defense, and Jerome James brings size to the table, but none of these guys can score with any consistency from the low block. Coach Vinny Del Negro will also look to Lindsey Hunter, Jannero Pargo, Aaron Gray, Taj Gibson and James Johnson to provide help off the bench.

4. Indiana Pacers (33-49)

The Pacers have a budding star in Danny Granger. He is capable of hurting the defense in a variety ways and making spectacular plays. He doesn't have enough help, however, for Indiana to play a significant role in the NBA this season. He has a few veterans, such as Troy Murphy, T.J. Ford, Jeff Foster, Earl Watson, Dahntay Jones, and Mike Dunleay Jr. (when he comes back from injury) around him, but that will not be enough to threaten the top teams. Unless they get some serious production out of younger players Roy Hibbert, Solomon Jones, Brandon Rush, Luther Head, Travis Diener, Josh McRoberts and first-round draft choice Tyler Hansbrough, this season will be a lot like last's for coach Jim O'Brien and his staff....one to forget.

5. Milwaukee Bucks (26-56)

The Bucks will get Michael Redd back from a torn ACL, but that will be the only good news for the franchise. The management, very active in the off-season, brought in Kurt Thomas, Hakim Warrick, Carlos Delfino, Ersan Ilyasova, Brandon Jennings, and Roko Ukic. Adding them to mainstays Andrew Bogut, Charlie Bell, Dan Gadzuric, Luke Ridnour, Francisco Elson, and surprising Luc Mbah a Moute means the Bucks will not come out on top very often. It is not a knock on these individuals as they are all legitimate pros, but collectively they are just not talented enough to compete with the upper-echelon teams in the league. This season is a lost cause for Bucks' fans.

NBA Preview: Atlantic Division

2009-10-27T16:25:00.000-07:00

1. Boston Celtics (67-15)

The Celtics, with a healthy Kevin Garnett, will be a serious threat to contend for the title this season. They may have repeated last season had KG not been lost due to a knee injury. Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins, Eddie House, Tony Allen, and Brian Scalabrine are back (along with the injured and soon to be suspended Glen Davis), and Boston has bolstered their front line this off-season by signing Rasheed Wallace and Shelden Williams. The acquisition of swingman Marquis Daniels will also give Doc Rivers more flexibility with his rotations. This is a veteran group with only one thing in mind: to win the NBA Championship. As long as they stay injury free, they will have a good shot at accomplishing their goal.

2. Philadelphia 76ers (41-41)

The Sixers are a borderline playoff team and nothing more. Point guard Andre Miller is gone, but Elton Brand will return from injury. The big question is whether or not Brand can dominate like he once did. Andre Iguodala is their go-to-guy on the outside, capable of making big plays and putting up huge numbers. He will get help from the developing Louis Williams and Thaddeus Young, as well as shot blocking extraordinaire Samuel Dalembert. In addition to Marreese Speights, Willie Green, Royal Ivey, Rodney Carney, and Jason Smith, the Sixers will also look for contributions from rookie Jrue Holiday and free-agents Jason Kapono and Primoz Brezec. Unfortunately for Philadelphia's fans, these changes will not be enough to vault them among the East's elite.

3. Toronto Raptors (38-44)

The Raptors are going to have a mediocre season at best. Jose Calderon and Andrea Bargnani are back and they have one of the best power forwards in the league in Chris Bosh, but management's decision to completely overhaul the roster will not improve the franchise much. Free-agent signee Hedo Turkoglu will provide them with scoring, versatility, clutch play, and NBA finals experience, but the acquisitions of Rasho Nesterovic, Reggie Evans, Jarrett Jack, Marco Belinelli, and Antoine Wright make me wonder exactly what GM Brian Colangelo is trying to accomplish. The rotation will also include DeMar DeRozan, Marcus Banks, Amir Johnson, and Quincy Douby. Unless Colangelo makes a blockbuster deal and lands considerably more talented players, expect this season to be Bosh's last as a Raptor.

4. New York Knicks (28-54)

The Knicks were a lot more entertaining to watch last year under coach Mike D'Antoni's fast-paced style, but the end result was the same--a lot of losses. This season will be nothing different. New York will rely primarily on Al Harrington, David Lee, Chris Duhon, Nate Robinson, Larry Hughes, Jared Jeffries, Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, and the still unproven Darko Milicic to carry the load. They will give some minutes to rookies Marcus Landry, Jordan Hill, and Toney Douglas so they can get valuable experience. Maybe they can even get some production out of Eddy Curry, but in the end it won't really matter. After all, president Donnie Walsh is trying to put the franchise in prime position to land one or two--think LeBron James and Chris Bosh--free agents next summer. This year, as far as the Knicks are concerned, is about one thing: next year.

5. New Jersey Nets (22-60)

The Nets are not going to have a very good season at all. They got rid of their franchise player, Vince Carter, and received Rafer Alston, Courtney Lee, and Tony Battie in return. They do have one of the best point guards in the league in Devin Harris, but he will have to deal with more double teams now that Carter is gone. The supporting cast of Brook Lopez, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Keyon Dooling, Eduardo Najera, Jarvis Hayes, Bobby Simmons, Trenton Hassell, Yi Jianlian, Terrence Williams, and Josh Boone is sub-par for NBA standards. Unless they make significant changes to their roster, look for this to be a very long year for coach Lawrence Frank and the boys in the Meadowlands.

The Los Angeles Lakers and Lamar Odom

2009-07-15T20:17:00.001-07:00

The Lakers have pulled their latest offer to Lamar Odom off the table and the negotiations seem to be at in impasse. According to media outlets, the Lakers had given him a choice between $36 million for four years or $30 million for three years. Odom wants $50 million over five years, but unfortunately for him this is a bad year to be a free agent. These two parties will eventually come to an agreement, however, simply because they both need each other.

LA needs Odom to win championships. He is one of the most versatile players in all of basketball, often the determining factor in games when he plays well, and even willing to come off the bench. He had his ups and downs in the playoffs, but the bottom line is that he is irreplaceable. No player in the NBA offers what Odom does.

From Odom's side it is very simple. He needs the Lakers to play for championships. If he re-ups, he will be competing for title after title the next few years. He also needs the Lakers because no other NBA franchise can pay him as much money. He was reportedly offered contracts by both Miami and Dallas, but the most they can throw at him is the mid-level exception which calls for $34 million over five years.

It could not be more obvious that these two "entities" need each other. What will happen in the next few days? I'll tell you.....

The back and forth is going to continue between the Lakers front office and Lamar Odom's representatives. Pretty soon they are going to come to realize that it is best if all parties agree on a deal. The terms are going to be $40 million for 4 years guaranteed.....and the Lakers will include a team option for the fifth year for another $10 million. That way, Odom gets his $10 million per year and the team is only on the hook for four years. If they get this deal done, the Lakers will win one or more championships in the coming seasons. If not, they may be playing second fiddle to Cleveland, Orlando, or Boston.

NBA Finals

2009-06-03T12:28:00.000-07:00

#1 Los Angeles Lakers vs. #3 Orlando Magic

The moment that all NBA fans have been waiting for is finally here. The Lakers and Magic have demonstrated that they are the two best teams in their respective conferences and now it is time for them to battle for the championship. Who will come out on top? Will Phil get his tenth ring? Kobe his fourth? Or will Dwight Howard get his first? However it plays out, I expect the games to be full of action, highly contested, and very entertaining.

The Lakers path to the finals has been difficult at times and easy at others. They have suffered embarrassing defeats, dished out beatings, and won games that have come down to the wire to get to the promised land. I do not ever recall a team being scrutinized as much as this Laker squad. It is true that they have been inconsistent, but they have also found ways to win. And that is what championship teams do....they find ways to win. Kobe Bryant's excellence is the main reason they have gotten this far. He has had a lot of help from Pau Gasol along the way. Trevor Ariza has played some decent basketball as well, coming up with two huge steals in the Nuggets series. Lamar Odom has had his moments, but now it is time for Andrew Bynum and Derek Fisher to show what they can do. They have struggled all throughout the playoff run and the Lakers have been fortunate to overcome their lousy performances.

Orlando, meanwhile, has had an incredible ride to the NBA Finals. After struggling to get by Philadelphia, the Magic locked horns with the Celtics for seven games, and then knocked off the Cavaliers in a remarkable six game series. Dwight Howard has been destroying the competition, averaging 21. 7 points, 15.4 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game. Rashard Lewis has improved on his already impressive regular season numbers, averaging 19.4 points and 6.1 rebounds in their 19 playoff games. Hedo Turkoglu is getting the job done in the clutch as always, and guards Rafer Alston and Courtney Lee have been effective. Mikeal Pietrus was particularly impressive against the Cavs, and even Marcin Gortat has had a chance to shine, going for 11 points and 15 rebounds when Howard served his one-game suspension against the 76ers. If Howard and his mates keep it up, they could very well be the 2009 NBA Champions.

Concerns for Los Angeles

1. Match Ups-Will Phil start Odom to match up better with the Magic on the defensive side, or will he try to exploit Pau's inside game by starting Bynum alongside him? I think the Lakers would be better off starting Odom, but let's wait to see what the Zen Master decides to do.

2. Limiting the number of times that Dwight Howard touches the ball and keeping him off the offensive glass-Whoever is guarding Howard, their first priority should be not allowing him to receive the ball near the basket. Period.

3. Contesting Orlando's outside shots-Orlando has shown that they are an unselfish group and will always give it up to the guy that has an open look, but how well will LA be able to recover on defense and get a hand up on the shooter?

4. Getting Pau Gasol the ball a lot-Good things happen when Gasol has the ball. It only makes sense to put the ball in his hands more often. The Lakers need to do a better job of recognizing that and making it happen.

5. The production of players not called Kobe or Pau-It is time for the Lakers' supporting cast to start delivering on a consistent basis. Luke Walton, Sasha Vujacic, Shannon Brown, and Jordan Farmar need to show that they are worthy of being players on a championship team. And as I said before, Fisher and Bynum's play is crucial.

Concerns for Orlando

1. Getting Howard the ball as much as possible-This point cannot be emphasized enough. The Magic have exceptional shooters, but sometimes it seems that they forget that they have the most dominant inside force in the league.

2. Winning the rebounding battle-They need to get all the hustle rebounds and keep Bynum, Gasol, and Odom from getting offensive boards. If they do a good job on the glass, their shooters will get a lot of good looks in transition.

3. Getting the ball out of the hands of Kobe Bryant, especially in late game situations- How many times have we seen hit Kobe make big shots at the end of ball games? It is quite simple....Orlando has to make someone else beat them. If they don't, they don't deserve to be champs.

4. Playing intelligent basketball-Sometimes Alston gets carried away and Turkoglu doesn't make the best decisions, but the Magic must make the most of each possession to give themselves a chance. Limiting their turnovers is a key to victory.

5. Keeping Dwight Howard out of foul trouble-If he is on the court, the whole face of the game changes. The longer he can stay on the floor, the easier it is for him and his shooters to get in a rhythm.

Prediction

Orlando beat LA in the two regular season meetings. Both teams have shown that they are capable of winning tough playoff games on the road, and Orlando has won their last two series without having home-court advantage. Either team can win this series, but my gut is telling me that the Lakers will do it in six games.

Eastern Conference Finals Update

2009-05-27T12:03:00.001-07:00

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Orlando Magic (3-1 Orlando)

The Magic seized control of the series last night with an impressive 116-114 overtime win. The Cavs were lucky just to get the game to the extra period as referee Mike Callahan called a questionable foul on Mickael Pietrus while LeBron James penetrated to the basket in the waning seconds. James calmly sank both free throws to force the overtime.....and then it was Dwight Howard's turn to dominate. The big man scored ten points in the decisive five minutes, including his team's first six. Howard's magnificent performance (27 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 blocks) was accompanied by the stellar play of point guard Rafer Alston. Alston was huge in the second half, hitting three-pointer after three-pointer, and ended the night with 26 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds, and 2 steals. The Magic shot an impressive 45% from downtown, hitting a team record 17 threes on 38 attempts. It was an amazing exhibition to watch.

The Cavs have dug themselves in a very deep hole. I believe that they can still win the series, but certain things are going to have to change. First, Mo Williams needs to start making his shots. He hit some huge jumpers at the end of game two, but other than that he has been largely ineffective. It is time for him to step up and play as well as he had throughout the regular season and previous playoff rounds. Second, Mike Brown needs to match up better with the Magic and his Cavs need to do a better job of stopping Orlando's perimeter players. Anderson Varejo has been a liability on the court for Cleveland. He is required to guard either Hedo Turkoglu or Rashard Lewis but is incapable of doing it. He does not score much and his rebounds are way down.....the Cavs would be better off giving Wally Szczerbiak or Sasha Pavlovic his minutes. Lastly, they have to get the ball in the hands of Zydrunas Ilgauskas more often. They need to attack Dwight Howard and get him into foul trouble. I realize that Ilgauskas is not your normal post player-despite his 7'3" frame he is primarily a jump shooter-but it is time for Cleveland to put more pressure on Howard on the defensive end.

Orlando, on the other hand, simply needs to continue to do what they have been doing. Their inside-outside game has been very difficult for the Cavs to handle. Dwight Howard has been unstoppable, averaging 22.8 points and 13.5 rebounds in the four games. Rashard Lewis has been delivering one big shot after another, and Hedo Turkoglu, although struggling early in games, has stepped up big when it matters most in the fourth quarter. Furthermore, Mickael Pietrus has shown that he can not only defend but also make clutch baskets. This series would have already been decided had it not been for a miracle shot from downtown by LeBron James in game two. That said, Orlando should continue to focus their defensive efforts on shutting down players not called LeBron. After all, LeBron is so good that he is going to get his points and Stan Van Gundy's squad has won the three games that LeBron has scored more than forty. The bottom line is that as long as the Magic keep getting Howard the ball down low and making their outside shots, they will continue to have opportunities to win ball games and make it to the NBA Finals.

Western Conference Finals Update

2009-05-26T13:55:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets (2-2)

The Lakers have shown once again that they are capable of good and bad performances. The Nuggets, meanwhile, have demonstrated that they mean business. Denver needed to win last night's ball game to have a chance in the series. Although the game was very ugly at first, it was easy to see that the Nuggets were on a mission. They were the aggressor throughout and controlled the glass in a manner very rarely seen in a playoff game. Denver's inside trio of Nene, Kenyon Martin, and Chris Andersen took more rebounds than the whole Laker squad (42-40). In all, Nuggets' players grabbed a total of 58 boards (20 of those coming on the offensive end!). I was astonished to see such thorough domination on the interior.

The Lakers could make it a lot easier on themselves if they could get some production out of Andrew Bynum and Derek Fisher. I don't know what is going on with these guys, but their output has been pathetic. Bynum is unaggressive, slow to the ball, and a step behind the action. And the only thing worse than Fisher's shot has been his defense. Kobe Bryant has been his typical self, but LA needs to do a much better job of getting Pau Gasol involved. Lamar Odom's numbers are right in line with his regular season statistics, but it is time for him to assert himself and make it known that he can be a dominant player when the stakes are highest.

As for the Nuggets, Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups have been doing everything we expected them to do. They are playing aggressive basketball, making shots, and leading the way for the rest of the Nuggets' crew. Nene and Kenyon Martin have been effective at times but need to be more consistent. Chris Andersen's energy has been giving the Nuggets a huge boost, and JR Smith's play last night was a key part of Denver's victory. For the Nuggets to win, he will have to continue to play at a high level. Dahntay Jones has the next to impossible job of guarding Kobe Bryant, but he needs to make it a little more difficult for the Laker superstar. After all, that is the only reason he is on the floor.

We saw last evening that the games are getting more physical and the play is becoming more chippy. The officiating crew of Kenny Mauer, Bennett Salvatore, and Bill Spooner handed out technical fouls to four different players and issued a flagrant foul to Andrew Bynum (all well deserved). Players will have to do a better job of keeping their emotions in check as the series progresses. The last thing the league will allow is for the games to get out of hand. Look for veteran crews to be assigned the rest of the way.

The importance of game five cannot be emphasized enough, especially for the Nuggets. If the series goes seven, which I believe it will, LA will win. It is that simple. There is no way Denver goes into the Staples Center and beats Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson in a seventh game. The Lakers, on the other hand, can afford to lose game five and still win the series. They are league's best road team and are very capable of winning in the Pepsi Center, even if their backs are up against the wall.

Eastern Conference Finals

2009-05-20T10:12:00.000-07:00

#1 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. #3 Orlando Magic

The Cavaliers are on an impressive post-season roll. They have been focused, determined, and often dominant in their playoff victories against Detroit and Atlanta. The league's MVP, LeBron James, has been nothing short of spectacular in their eight playoff games. The reason why Cleveland is so dangerous is that LeBron and his teammates understand exactly what they have to do and are willing to sacrifice for the team to be successful. After facing lesser competition in their two previous series, the Cavs now have to deal with a very talented Orlando Magic squad. The Magic had to go six games to eliminate Philadelphia and seven to get by Boston, but I do not expect fatigue to play a factor against Cleveland. Orlando's style of play, on the other hand, will provide Cleveland with a challenge that the Cavs have yet to face in these playoffs. Dwight Howard is not only the league's most dominant inside force, but he is also surrounded with a bevy of shooters. Mike Brown will have to make a decision whether to double-team Howard or let Zyldrunas Ilgauskas guard him straight up. However it plays out, this should be an entertaining series for basketball fans to watch.

Five keys for Cleveland to win the series

1. Playing with the same passion, intelligence, and intensity as they have thus far

2. Putting the ball in the hands of LeBron as much as possible

3. Knocking down shots when LeBron is forced to give up the ball

4. Getting Dwight Howard into foul trouble and preventing him from grabbing offensive rebounds

5. Making it difficult for Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis to score

Five keys for Orlando to win the series

1. Limiting LeBron's touches and forcing him into bad decisions when he does have the ball

2. Pounding the ball inside to Howard as often as they can

3. Shooting a high percentage from three-point land

4. Limiting their turnovers and bad shots (especially Alston, Turkoglu, and Lewis)

5. Playing competitive basketball (giving themselves a chance to win each game)

Prediction

Cleveland is the overwhelming favorite in this series. The Cavs are 43-2 at home this season and Orlando is going to have win at least one game in Cleveland to advance. I do not see it happening. Cavs in five.

Western Conference Finals

2009-05-18T12:19:00.000-07:00

#1 Los Angeles Lakers vs. #2 Denver Nuggets

I do not remember a team with so much talent playing so inconsistently during the most important time of the year. After dominating the Western Conference for the first six months of the season, the Lakers had a rough two weeks and were nearly eliminated in the conference semifinals by the incredibly inferior Houston Rockets. They are still the odds-on favorite to represent the West in the NBA Finals, but it remains to be seen what Laker team will show up. Will we see the squad that destroyed Houston in games 5 and 7 or the one that played so poorly in games 4 and 6? As the Lakers struggle to find their rhythm, the Nuggets, on the other hand, are playing some of their best basketball of the season. Denver took care of both New Orleans and Dallas in five games, are 6-0 at home in the playoffs, and are gaining confidence with each win. The Nuggets and Lakers have taken different roads to get to this point, and it will be exciting to see how it all unfolds as their paths now converge.

Five Keys for LA to win the series

1. Playing with high energy and a sense of urgency (avoiding lapses in concentration)

2. Making a commitment to the defensive end of the floor

3. Kobe Bryant making a decent percentage of his shots

4. Getting more production from Andrew Bynum and Derek Fisher

5. Containing Chauncey Billups and not allowing the Nuggets to run

Five Keys for Denver to win the series

1. Winning the rebounding battle

2. Creating turnovers and steals to get easy baskets

3. Forcing Kobe Bryant to shoot contested shots throughout the game

4. Getting Pau Gasol into foul trouble and limiting his touches on the offensive end

5. Not losing their composure (especially Carmelo Anthony and Kenyon Martin)

Prediction

The Lakers are the better team and it ultimately comes down to how bad they want it. They went through tremendous adversity to get by Houston and I look for that to work in their favor against Denver. The home team will win each game in this series. Lakers in seven.

Eastern Conference Semifinals Update

2009-05-11T10:45:00.000-07:00

Cleveland vs. Atlanta (3-0)

LeBron James is not leaving anything to chance. The newly crowned MVP led the Cavs to a 97-82 victory in game three with a masterful performance (47 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists). The sad truth is that Atlanta is outmatched in every facet of the game and stand virtually no chance of winning. I will be shocked if King James and his crew fail to put the finishing touches on the Hawks this evening in Atlanta's Philips Arena.

Boston vs. Orlando (2-2)

Despite missing their inspirational leader, Kevin Garnett, Boston continues to fight with incredible passion and relentless desire. In dire need of a victory in Orlando, the Celtics' Glen Davis stepped up and knocked down the biggest shot of his young career. Big Baby's buzzer beater not only brought home-court advantage back to the C's but also gave joy and hope to the people of Boston. I predicted that the Magic would win the series in six, but I would absolutely love to see a game seven in TD Banknorth Garden. Either way, we know that more drama awaits.

Western Conference Semifinals Update

2009-05-11T05:46:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles vs. Houston (2-2)

No coach has won more championships than Phil Jackson and no team has more talent than the Lakers. So what the heck is going on with Phil's boys? Yesterday's debacle showed that the Lakers are lacking focus in their quest to get back to the NBA Finals. Knowing that Houston's biggest and best threat, Yao Ming, is out for the rest of the post-season, the over-confident Lakers came out flat, played with no intensity, and suffered a terribly embarrassing defeat at the hands of the Rockets. Many people feel that the playoff process is unnecessary this year and that we can just fast-forward to a Lakers/Cavaliers finals, but yesterday was further proof that all the games need to be played. Was this just a bump in the road for the Lakers or a sign of things to come? You may be surprised by this, but I believe it was the best thing that could have happened to them. Jackson will use this loss to stress that focus, concentration, and desire are needed at all times, regardless of the opponent. If the Lakers really are a championship contender (and I believe they are), look for them to play their best basketball in their next two games and bring the Rockets' year to an end.

Denver vs. Dallas (3-0)

Nobody can deny that the Nuggets are playing some fantastic basketball right now. Despite that, Dallas should be playing to even the series at two games apiece tonight. The sad thing for basketball fans is that referee Mark Wunderlich's no-call of an obvious foul at the end of game three not only determined the result of the game, but also affected the outcome of the series. It is true that we will never know what would have happened had he blown his whistle. It is also true that no team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in the NBA playoffs. The question is no longer who will advance....but when.

Eastern Conference Semifinals

2009-05-03T13:22:00.000-07:00

#1 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. #4 Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks, after eliminating Miami in game seven on Sunday afternoon, have the evening to pack, Monday to travel, and Tuesday to play. In addition to being significantly inferior to the Cavs, the Hawks have had neither time nor rest to prepare for their upcoming battle with the beast of the East. Cleveland, on the other hand, has been laying low since ending Detroit's season on May 26. Atlanta gave the Cavs problems in their four regular season meetings, beating them once and coming close on two other occasions, but it is now playoff time and LeBron James understands that as well as anybody. The soon to be named MVP showed against the Pistons that he is on a mission to lead his team all the way to the NBA Finals. Cleveland is too disciplined on defense, too aggressive on the boards, too dangerous in transition, too unselfish in the half-court set, and too focused for Atlanta to pose a threat in this series. Look for the games in Cleveland to be one-sided and the games in Atlanta to be contested as the Cavs go on to sweep the series.

#2 Boston Celtics vs. #3 Orlando Magic

The Celtics had to make an incredible effort to get by the never-say-die Chicago Bulls in what goes down as the most spectacular first-round series in league history. Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo were brilliant against the Bulls, but their play alone will not be enough to carry the Celtics through to the third round. Paul Pierce will have to step up and be the player that he was in the 2008 NBA Finals, and the role players must be at their very best at all times for the defending champs to have a chance. Boston is going to suffer badly inside (unless Kevin Garnett can somehow come back from injury and play at a high level). After losing Leon Powe for the rest of the season, Doc Rivers can only count on Kendrick Perkins, Glen Davis, Brian Scalabrine, and Mikki Moore on the inside. None of these guys are capable of doing anything against the NBA's most dominant big man, Dwight Howard. And assuming Rivers does not make any line-up changes, Davis will have to guard Rashard Lewis, and this does not bode well for Boston at all. Although the Magic did not play their best basketball in the first round against Philadelphia, I look for them to take advantage of Boston's fatigue and injury-depleted roster. The defending champions will play with heart and fight until the end, but ultimately they will fall to Orlando in six games.

Western Conference Semifinals

2009-05-02T12:37:00.000-07:00

#1 Los Angeles Lakers vs. #5 Houston Rockets

The Lakers have had nearly one week to rest and recover from their first-round ouster of the Utah Jazz. Houston, meanwhile, needed six games to eliminate Portland and have had much less time to prepare themselves. Yao Ming, Ron Artest, Luis Scola, Shane Battier, Aaron Brooks and the rest of the Rockets' crew face a daunting task and will have to play the best basketball of their lives just to compete with LA. The Rockets two main offensive threats, Yao and Artest, will have their hands full this series. Yao will be defended by the athletic and lengthy Andrew Bynum. Although Bynum performed poorly against Utah, I look for him to step up his level of play and create problems (as much as anybody can) for the Chinese giant. On the perimeter, Artest will have to deal with either Kobe Bryant or Trevor Ariza, both of which are tremendous defenders. The bottom line is that LA is too good for Houston. As long as Bryant or Pau Gasol avoid injury, the Lakers will win this series with relative ease. Houston might get one game, but I think a Lakers' sweep is more likely.

#2 Denver Nuggets vs. #6 Dallas Mavericks

I predicted that both Denver and Dallas would bow out in the first round, but I was not surprised to see them advance. After all, in the West, there are the Lakers....and then the rest. That said, the Nuggets/Mavericks series should be very exciting as both teams are playing excellent basketball right now. They also possess, much to the delight of basketball fans, a score-first mentality. The team that is capable of making defensive stops in crunch time, however, will be the team that moves on to the Western Conference Finals. The Nuggets did a fantastic job of defending New Orleans, and particularly All-Star point guard Chris Paul, in their first-round series with the Hornets. The Mavericks, meanwhile, did some fine defensive work of their own, limiting the San Antonio Spurs to just 90.4 points per game (down from 97.0 in the regular season). This series could go either way, but I give the edge to the Mavericks because Rick Carlisle is now at the helm. I think the change of leadership was exactly what Dirk Nowitzki and his teammates needed to forget the team's past playoff failures. It is a tough one to call, but I will go with Dallas in six.

Eastern Conference Update

2009-04-28T12:58:00.000-07:00

Cavs Move On

Cleveland, to nobody's surprise, had no problem dismissing the downtrodden Pistons. LeBron James was absolutely phenomenal, averaging 32.0 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 7.5 assists in the four-game sweep. Cleveland will face a greater challenge in the second round regardless of their opponent (Atlanta or Miami), but ultimately it will not matter as they are just too good for either one of these teams.

All Other Series at 2-2

Although game three was a blowout, the Celtics-Bulls series has been scintillating. Once again, Ray Allen and Ben Gordon played starring roles in Sunday's double-overtime thriller. Allen hit a huge three-pointer to send the game to the extra period, and just when you thought the Bulls were down and out, Gordon responded with a triple of his own to prolong the encounter. Unfortunately for Chicago, Gordon suffered a strained hamstring in the 121-118 victory and may not be able to play this evening. His status will be determined at game time.

Orlando's Hedo Turkoglu knocked down a clutch three-pointer in the waning seconds of Sunday's game to give the Magic a much-needed 84-81 victory. As the series shifts back to Orlando, I expect the Magic to increase their intensity and level of play. The crowd support will definitely play a factor in tonight's game. Look for the Magic to win rather easily tonight and close the series out in a hard-fought game in Philadelphia on Thursday.

The Hawks got a rare road win in Miami last night and are thrilled to go back to Atlanta with the series tied at two. Heat superstar Dwyane Wade will play tomorrow but may be limited due to soreness and stiffness in his back. This is good news for Hawks' fans. Without a healthy Wade, Miami has little chance of competing with Atlanta in Philips Arena. Look for the home court to be the dominant factor throughout the final games of this series.

Western Conference Update

2009-04-28T07:30:00.000-07:00

Lakers Advance

After losing game three on a shot by Deron Williams with 2.2 seconds left, Kobe Bryant, making up for a horrible performance, led his Lakers' squad to an impressive game four victory in the hostile confines of Energy Solutions Arena. The Lakers then closed out the series last night in LA. The game five win was very reminiscent of games one and two as the Lakers worked hard to get a big lead and then allowed the Jazz to claw their way back into the game. Many people are saying that the Lakers need to be more dominant, but I don't know how much more dominant they can be. After all, they took care of a very good Utah team in only five games.

All Other Series at 3-1

The Nuggets annihilated and embarrassed the Hornets last night 121-63. The 58-point shellacking ties a 56-year old NBA record for the largest margin of victory in a playoff game. The craziest thing about the blowout yesterday is that it occurred on New Orleans' home court. I know that I predicted the Hornets to win the series (which I still stand by), but the truth is that I do not see them recovering from such a lop-sided defeat. Look for the Nuggets to close out the series in Denver tomorrow night.

The Mavericks have seized control of their series and have given themselves three chances to end San Antonio's season. It is too early to count the Spurs out of it though. They are a veteran team and have been in difficult situations before. Coach Popovich's troops will be extremely motivated playing in front of their home crowd tonight. If the Spurs are fortunate enough to get it to game seven, they will win the series. After all, we are talking about the same Dallas franchise that suffered a monumental collapse in the 2006 NBA Finals and a first-round bow out to the eighth-seeded Golden State Warriors in 2007.

Houston fought off a ferocious Portland rally in game four and have now put themselves in position to seal the Trailblazers' fate this evening in the Rose Garden. Portland plays well at home, however, and I expect them to prolong the series. That said, it appears that my pre-series prediction of Portland advancing to the second round was off base. Given the two teams' history in the Toyota Center-the Rockets have won eleven of the last twelve meetings there-the series will likely come to an end in Houston on Thursday night.

Western Conference after two games

2009-04-23T14:15:00.000-07:00

The Lakers have looked dominant at times in their series against the Jazz. They have also looked complacent, allowing Utah to make second half rallies in both encounters. Utah is very tough to beat at home as they have some of the best and loudest fans in the league. Deron Williams will need some help from the supporting cast-unfortunately he will once again be without the services of injured Mehmet Okur-for the Jazz to pose a serious threat to LA. Look for two hard-fought games with the Lakers managing to win one of them.

Denver, mainly due to the remarkable play of point guard Chauncey Billups, has taken a 2-0 lead over New Orleans. Mr. Big Shot, averaging 33.5 points and 6.0 assists, has torched the Hornets by making 60% of his field goal attempts, 12-15 from downtown, and 19-19 from the charity stripe. The Hornets will need greater contributions from all of their key players in order to compete with the streaking Nuggets. New Orleans has to win both of these games to have a chance at winning the series. Playing in front of their home crowd will give them a much needed energy boost on the defensive end of the floor.

The Spurs have jumped on the Mavericks in the first quarter in both games. In game one, San Antonio failed to hold on to their big lead and allowed Dallas to escape with the 105-97 victory. In game two, Tony Parker (38 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds) made sure that San Antonio did not make the same mistake, leading them to a 105-84 win. Dallas has put themselves in prime position as the series now moves north along I-45. I look for Tim Duncan to step up and the Spurs to win one of two in Big D.

The Rockets have been giving the Trailblazers fits. The big man, Yao Ming, was absolutely incredible in game one. He made all of his field goal (9-9) and free throw (6-6) attempts and led Houston to a blowout 108-81 victory. The Rockets also gave Portland problems in game two before finally succumbing to a four-point loss. The Blazers have dug themselves a hole, are not a very good road team, and will have to play much better basketball to have a chance to win in Houston. They are definitely fighting an uphill battle.

Eastern Conference after two games

2009-04-23T12:51:00.000-07:00

As expected, Cleveland is not having any problem with Detroit. The Cavs blew the Pistons away in the first game 102-84 and did the same thing in game two, winning 94-82 (the final score looks much closer than it was as the Cavs started the fourth quarter with a 27 point advantage). LeBron James has been his typical self, averaging 33.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 6.5 assists in the two games. Cleveland is still on track to sweep the overmatched Pistons.

The Celtics-Bulls match-up has been the most entertaining series thus far. The Bulls escaped with an overtime victory in game one after Paul Pierce failed to capitalize on a golden opportunity to win the game for Boston in regulation. Game two turned into a shootout between Ben Gordon and Ray Allen. Allen had the last word, hitting a clutch three-pointer with two seconds left to give the Celtics a huge 118-115 win. I still think that Boston will win the series, but it is more likely to go seven games than six judging by the way these two teams are playing.

Orlando has been having a tough time with the feisty 76ers. The Magic had control of game one and then let up, allowing Philadelphia to get back in it and then steal the victory on an impressive step-back jumper by Andre Iguodala. The 76ers also played the Magic tough in the second encounter before falling 96-87. I expect Orlando to get at least one of the two games at the Wachovia Center as the series shifts to Philadelphia. The Magic will win this series but obviously will not do it in the manner that I predicted.

After getting blown out by Atlanta 90-64 in game one, Miami responded with a 108-93 victory in game two. Dwyane Wade, to no one's surprise, had a stellar performance (33 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists). DWade also got some much needed help from teammate Daequan Cook as the two combined to make 12 three-pointers on just 19 attempts. The series now goes to South Florida, where I expect Atlanta to get one of the two games and re-capture home court advantage. I still look for this series to go a full seven games.

NBA playoffs: Eastern Conference first round

2009-04-16T12:36:00.000-07:00

#1 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. #8 Detroit Pistons

Coach Mike Brown has done a fantastic job of getting players to buy into his system. Although the statistics would suggest that runaway MVP candidate LeBron James is a one-man wrecking crew, the Cavs play great team basketball. They work hard on defense, let the unselfish LeBron create on the offensive end, and understand exactly what they have to do to win ball games. Mo Williams' arrival gave them the boost that they needed to finish with the league's best record and capture home court advantage throughout the playoffs. It could prove to be decisive as the Cavs only dropped two games at Quicken Loans Arena all season.

The Pistons, meanwhile, have been one huge disappointment. GM Joe Dumars messed up badly when he sent Chauncey Billups to Denver for aging superstar Allen Iverson. Iverson got hurt and then later stated he could not adapt to coming off the bench. He will be on the playoff roster but according to media outlets will not appear in any games. Detroit still has a lot of talent with Tayshaun Prince, Rip Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace, and emerging point guard Rodney Stuckey. Unfortunately coach Michael Curry could never get this group to jell.

Prediction: Cleveland is too good for Detroit. The Cavs will sweep the series.

#2 Boston Celtics vs. #7 Chicago Bulls

Coach Doc Rivers may not be able to count on his leader, Kevin Garnett, for this series or the rest of the playoffs. Kendrick Perkins, Leon Powe, Glen Davis, and Mikki Moore will now have to step up and get the job done in KG's absence. Point guard Rajon Rondo has improved considerably this season and the Celtics still have two of the game's biggest outside threats in Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. They did win eight of their last ten games and are a solid team without the Big Ticket, but I would no longer consider them to be a championship contender.

Coach Vinny Del Negro's first year at the helm of the franchise has been up and down. Rookie point guard Derrick Rose has performed like a veteran and Ben Gordon, as usual, has been an effective scorer. Kirk Heinrich and Luol Deng, on the other hand, have struggled mainly due to injuries. In an attempt to get the franchise going in the right direction, GM John Paxson shook up the Bulls' roster just before the trade deadline by acquiring Brad Miller and John Salmons from Sacramento for Drew Gooden and Andres Nocioni. It seemed to work as they finished the season winning twelve of their last sixteen games.

Prediction: I expect Boston to win the series even if Garnett is unable to play. They would sweep with him in the line-up. Without him, they will win it in six games.

#3 Orlando Magic vs. #6 Philadelphia 76ers

The Magic's championship aspirations appeared to take a huge blow in early February with the loss of All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson. Orlando moved quickly, however, and secured the services of Rafer Alston from Houston. Alston, although not performing at the same level as Nelson, has allowed Magic fans to keep believing that they have a shot at winning the title. Coach Stan Van Gundy has done an excellent job of getting the most out of each of his players, in particular his three studs, Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis, and Hedo Turkoglo. There is good reason to fear the Magic.

The 76ers had to deal with a lot of adversity this season. They fired Mo Cheeks in December after a 9-14 start, and their big free agent acquisition, Elton Brand, did not perform as expected and eventually was lost for the season due to shoulder surgery. Cheeks' replacement, Tony DiLeo has done a good job of getting Andre Iguodala, Andre Miller, Thaddeus Young, and Lou Williams to step up in Brand's absence. The Sixers have struggled lately, however, losing six of their last seven games. They will have to play extremely well just to be able to compete with the Magic.

Prediction: The inside-outside punch of the Magic is too much for the 76ers to overcome. Orlando will sweep the series.

#4 Atlanta Hawks vs. #5 Miami Heat

The Hawks showed signs of competitiveness last season when they took the eventual champion Celtics to seven games in the first round. Coach Mike Woodson built off that success and improved Atlanta's record for the fifth straight year. The Hawks have talent, athleticism, and one of the most versatile players in the NBA in Joe Johnson. In addition, veteran point guard Mike Bibby can be counted on to elevate his play, just as he has in the past, when the stakes are highest. Prior to losing their last game of the season-Woodson chose to rest his starters-the Hawks won four in a row and have reason to be very confident going into this series.

The Heat's turnaround from last season's dismal performance has been nothing short of spectacular. Most of the thanks can be given to NBA scoring champion Dwyane Wade, who has single-handedly carried the load for the franchise night after night. The in-season acquisition of Jermaine O'Neal has given Miami a much need low-post threat, and rookies Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers have done a fine job adjusting to the NBA game. Atlanta is a complicated match-up for anybody, and Erik Spoelstra's squad will need to be functioning on all cylinders in order to win the series.

Prediction: The Hawks will make the most of their home court advantage and win the series in seven games.

NBA Playoffs: Western Conference first round

2009-04-16T07:09:00.000-07:00

#1 Los Angeles Lakers vs. #8 Utah Jazz

The Lakers have only one thing on their mind this post-season.....winning the championship that eluded them last June. The good news for them is that Andrew Bynum is healthy this year. His presence in the middle was sorely missed against the Celtics in last year's NBA finals. We already know just how strong Kobe Bryant's competitive desire is, and I look for Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, and the supporting cast to be more motivated than ever.

Utah, on the other hand, is entering the playoffs struggling. They have won just two of their last nine games and had a dismal performance against the Lakers in their final regular season outing. The Jazz have dealt with injuries to key players, particularly Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams, since the beginning of the season and for this reason were not able to get a higher seed. Coach Jerry Sloan recognizes that it will be next to impossible for them to beat LA and even voiced as much to the media.

Prediction: The Lakers are too big, talented, and ambitious for the Jazz to give them a serious challenge. Phil Jackson's squad wins the series in five games.

#2 Denver Nuggets vs. #7 New Orleans Hornets

The Allen Iverson/Chauncey Billups trade made the Nuggets into a legitimate title contender. They now have a floor leader that not only makes his teammates better but also knows when to step up and assert himself. They play an exciting form of basketball that will have many fans rooting for them. What remains to be seen, however, is whether they are willing to make the effort on the defensive end in order to compete for a championship. I still have my doubts about this George Karl led squad.

After last year's success, many people are surprised by the Hornets seventh place finish in the West this season. I am one of them. They enter the playoffs with a two game losing streak and have won only four of their last ten games. Despite this, I still consider them to be one of the most dangerous teams in the league. They have arguably the game's best playmaker in Chris Paul and two big-time scoring threats in David West and Peja Stojakovic. They also have a coach, Byron Scott, who knows how to lead a team to the NBA Finals. All teams should beware if these guys stay healthy.

Prediction: I see the Hornets making up for a sub-par regular season by turning it on in the playoffs. New Orleans in six.

#3 San Antonio Spurs vs. #6 Dallas Mavericks

The Spurs won the NBA championship in 2003, 2005, and 2007. Logic would suggest that this is their year to do it again. Unfortunately they cannot count on the services of their irreplaceable swingman Manu Ginobili. This leaves Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and a cast of veteran of role players to get the job done. Gregg Popovich is an excellent basketball coach, but without Ginobili not even he is good enough to lead this group all the way to the promised land.

The Mavericks have one of the best players in the NBA in Dirk Nowitzki as well as the league's best sixth man in Jason Terry. Josh Howard missed thirty one games due to injury this year and his numbers were down, but he is still one of the best small forwards in the game. That said, Dallas has just not been the same team after acquiring Jason Kidd last season in a blockbuster deal. Coach Rick Carlisle definitely has his work cut out for him.

Prediction: I think the Mavericks will put up a fight, but ultimately I see the Spurs winning the series in seven games.

#4 Portland Trail Blazers vs. #5 Houston Rockets

Nobody thought that Portland would win fifty four games this season, but Coach Nate McMillan has done a remarkable job and the Blazers are playing the best basketball of any team in the league right now. They enter the playoffs with the NBA's longest current winning streak of six games and have won those games by an average of sixteen points. In addition, they are very difficult to beat at the Rose Garden, where they won thirty four games and finished with the league's fourth best home record.

It has been another typical year for the franchise in Houston. As we have come to expect, Tracy McGrady dealt with injuries yet again and finally decided to have season-ending surgery in February. Yao Ming and Ron Artest put together solid seasons, but the sad truth is that the Rockets will not be able to make a deep playoff run without their star. Rick Adelman did an admirable job leading this group to fifty three wins, but he will need a lot of good fortune to get past the streaking Trail Blazers.

Prediction: Portland is playing too well right now for Houston to give them much of a problem. The Blazers will take care of the Rockets in five games.

All-Star Rookie Challenge

2009-02-10T09:51:00.000-08:00

For the sixth straight year, I will not be watching the Rookie Challenge. The event, which pits the best second-year players in the league against the best rookies, is of absolutely no interest to me. I find it to be a total mockery of the game of basketball. Nobody takes it seriously, no defense is played, and no concern for making "the right play" is shown. Dozens of ill-advised alley-oop passes will be attempted, numerous careless turnovers will be committed, and an incessant desire to wow the crowd will be demonstrated. I do realize that it is an exhibition game and everybody wants to showcase their skills, but the last time I tuned in all I saw were the never-ending attempts of each player to embarrass their defender. As much as I love basketball, I was so repulsed by the style of play that I vowed to never subject myself to it again (unless, of course, I am getting paid for it).

Bonzi Wells

2009-02-05T07:52:00.000-08:00

Some interesting but not so surprising news came out of China last week. After asking to prolong his vacation in the United States on two different occasions and then failing to return when promised, former NBA player Bonzi Wells was released from his contract with Shanxi Zhongyu, a team that competes in the Chinese Basketball Association. What Wells had to say about the experience, on the other hand, was very surprising. "It was a big cultural shock to me for the first few weeks," he stated. "Since I have been here it has been all business and I haven't had any fun yet, so I am looking for some fun." Fun? What kind of fun was he looking for? He was not there on vacation. He was there to do a job, help his team win ball games, and was averaging thirty-four points per game in the fourteen games that he played. That sounds like a heck of a lot of fun to me. Obviously that was not enough to make Wells happy, and now, through his agents, he has expressed a desire to play in Europe. Sadly for him, his experience on the old continent, if he is lucky enough to have one, will not differ much from his Chinese adventure.

Wells admitted that being in China came as a big cultural shock to him. What was he expecting? Did he think everybody was going to be speaking English and eating American foods? Was he surprised when he didn't run into friends and family? Living abroad, especially the first year, is an incredible adjustment for anybody to make. It becomes even more difficult when a language barrier is involved. The bottom line, however, is that he offered his services as a professional athlete and the team, in return, promised to pay him a certain amount of money. If he wasn't having enough fun in China doing that, then what makes him think that it will be any different in Europe?

If he ends up crossing the Atlantic Ocean, his options will be limited to Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Russia, and perhaps the Ukraine, simply because teams in other countries could not afford his salary demands. This means that he will continue to find himself in strange places being surrounded by unfamiliar faces speaking a language that he doesn't understand. I don't even know why he is considering it. After all, he has clearly stated that his priority is having fun, and what kind of fun can be had in Europe that can't be had in China? Without the presence of friends or family members, life off the court will once again be overwhelming for him. He has already shown that he is not mentally prepared for such a thing and that neither his heart nor his mind are in the right place. If he is not willing to re-examine his priorities and adjust his attitude, he should just forget it and move on with his life.

All-Star Game: Reserves

2009-02-02T14:25:00.000-08:00

The coaches have voted and the league has made their selections for the East and West known. Let's have a look at who they chose.

Eastern Conference:

G Joe Johnson

G Jameer Nelson

F Danny Granger

F Paul Pierce

F Chris Bosh

G Devin Harris

F Rashard Lewis

Western Conference:

F Dirk Nowitzki

C Shaquille O'Neal

G Brandon Roy

G Chauncey Billups

F David West

F Pau Gasol

G Tony Parker

As for the East, I think that the coaches nailed it on the head. Some people would make an argument, and reasonably so, for such players as Ray Allen, Vince Carter, Rajon Rondo, Hedo Turkoglu, and Mo Williams. There is no doubt that each one of these guys is having an All-Star caliber season, but unfortunately for them it comes down to a number's game and they were excluded.

In the West, I have a problem with the selection of David West. It is true that he is having a solid year, but in my opinion Carmelo Anthony is more deserving of the roster spot. I can only guess that the reason why the coaches overlooked Carmelo is due to his injury that has caused him to miss fifteen games. It is a shame that Carmelo did not get recognized because this season, more so than any other, he has sacrificed his individual play for the good of the team. His latest Olympic experience has no doubt had a profound effect on him and the way he approaches the game. Some people believe that Deron Williams, Al Jefferson, and Steve Nash are also worthy of consideration, but I am not one of them.

All-Star Game: Starters

2009-01-26T14:43:00.000-08:00

The All-Star starters have been chosen by the fans and they did a good job.....for the most part. In case you missed it, here is who the fans selected.

Eastern Conference:

G Allen Iverson

G Dwayne Wade

F LeBron James

F Kevin Garnett

C Dwight Howard

Western Conference:

G Chris Paul

G Kobe Bryant

F Tim Duncan

F Amare Stoudemire

C Yao Ming

The only problem I have with the East's line-up is Allen Iverson. I don't think his play this season even deems him worthy of being on the team. Jameer Nelson of the Magic, Joe Johnson of the Hawks, and Devin Harris of the Nets are much more deserving of his starting spot, but unfortunately many fans disregard performance and simply vote for who they want to see. My pick to replace Iverson in the starting five goes to Jameer Nelson. I believe that his dramatic production increase is the main reason why Orlando is competing with the Celtics, Lakers, and Cavs for the best record in the league this season. The playmaker is averaging 17.1 points, 5.3 assists, 3.4 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and less than 2 turnovers per game. What makes his statistics so amazing, however, is the fact that he is shooting 50.3% from the floor, 44.5% from three-point land, and 87.8% from the foul line. That is what you call being efficient.

As for the West, I feel that Amare Stoudemire of the Phoenix Suns is the only non-deserving starter. It is true that the game is taking place in Phoenix this year and Stoudemire is having a decent season, but he has failed to produce like Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks. Nowitzki is having another impeccable campaign. Not only is he fifth in the league in scoring with 25.8 points per game, but he is also hauling in 8.5 rebounds and dishing out 2.4 assists on a nightly basis. His statistics are by far the best of any forward in the conference, and the Mavericks are only 4 1/2 game behind the second-place Spurs in the standings. Nowitzki will no doubt be voted in by the coaches to represent the West.

NBA halfway point: Individual Awards

2009-01-25T04:30:00.000-08:00

It is time to dish out awards to the top performers for the first half of the season.

MVP: LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers. No player is more important to his team and no player is playing better all-around basketball. LeBron is averaging 28.o points, 7.4 rebounds, and 6.9 assists per game. Although his offensive numbers are staggering, he is also doing serious work on the other side of the ball. He no longer takes plays off and is the undisputed leader of the league's number one defense. He is fifth in the league in steals with 2.0 per game and is also averaging a career high 1.2 blocks, a remarkable number for a small forward. His passion and intensity set the tone every game and his teammates have fallen in line. This is what the MVP is all about. Although LeBron is the landslide choice right now, consideration would also be given to Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, and Dwayne Wade.

Rookie of the Year: Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls. He is averaging 16.7 points, 6.3 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game, but his numbers don't reflect all that he does. The hardest transition for any player to make from college to the NBA is at the point guard position, and Rose has stepped in and not missed a beat. In addition to asking Rose to run the Chicago offense, head coach Vinny Del Negro also frequently calls upon Rose in late-game situations and more often than not the rookie delivers in the clutch. Many rookies would not be able to handle this kind of pressure but Rose deals with it flawlessly. He looks like a true star in the making. Rose would win this award if the season ended today with O.J. Mayo, Brook Lopez, and Michael Beasly finishing behind him.

Coach of the Year: Stan Van Gundy of the Orlando Magic. This is is not as clear cut as the MVP or ROY. You could make a valid argument for a few coaches, such as Los Angeles' Phil Jackson, Boston's Doc Rivers, and particularly Cleveland's Mike Brown. I chose Van Gundy because I feel he is doing the most with the least. It is true that he has the most dominant inside player in the world at his disposal, but overall his team does not have neither the depth nor the talent of the Lakers, Celtics, or Cavs. He is doing an excellent job of coaching this squad, both offensively and defensively, and keeping them in contention for the best record in the league.

NBA halfway point: Eastern Conference

2009-01-21T16:25:00.001-08:00

The Eastern Conference currently has only six teams that are above .500. Let's analyze them one by one in order of their current record.

1. Orlando Magic (33-8): Orlando, much to the surprise of many, currently has the NBA's best record. Coach Stan Van Gundy has them playing some fantastic basketball this season, and at this point in time he would be my choice for coach of the year. He has gotten everybody, stars and role players alike, to buy into his system. Their incredible team chemistry is reflected by their balanced attack as they have four players averaging more than seventeen points per game. Dwight Howard, unquestionably the game's best big man, is leading the league in both blocked shots and rebounds. Rashard Lewis is taking and making more three-pointers than anyone else in the league. Hedo Turkoglo provides them with great all-around play and is more than willing to step up and knock down the big shot. But the one revelation of the season for the Magic has been the formidable play of Jameer Nelson. He is shooting over fifty percent from the floor, doing an excellent job of keeping Howard, Lewis, and Turkoglo happy, and in my opinion, has established himself as an All-Star point guard. I don't think that the Magic will represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals, but if they continue to play like they have so far they will have one heck of a chance.

2. Boston Celtics (34-9): The Celtics got off to that unbelievable 27-2 start which included a nineteen game win streak, but have since faltered and dropped seven out of their last fourteen games. A lot of people began to openly wonder if they are good enough to put themselves in a position to defend their title. I think that this sort of talk is a bit pre-mature. After all, they still have the best trio in the league in Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen, and point guard Rajon Rondo has elevated his play considerably this season. Kendrick Perkins, Tony Allen, Eddie House, and Leon Powe are back in their customary roles as well. The one difference between this year and last year, however, is that they no longer have P.J. Brown or James Posey, both of which played huge roles in their run to the championship. They may look to add somebody before the February 19 trade deadline in order to give them more depth. Either way, I expect them to be in the Eastern Conference Finals.

3. Cleveland Cavaliers (31-8): The Cavs have, which many would now argue, the best overall player in the game in LeBron James. If the season ended today, he would win the MVP award in a landslide. Credit needs to go to the Cavs' front office for their decision to bring in Mo Williams as Mo's presence in the line-up has elevated them to elite status. He gives them another player that can create shots for himself and others, and his ability to do this has lightened LeBron's workload on offense and allowed LeBron to focus more on the defensive end, thus making the Cavs significantly better. Mike Brown has done an outstanding job with returning players Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Delonte West, Ben Wallace, Sasha Pavlovic, Anderson Varejao, Daniel Gibson, and Wally Szczerbiak as each one of them knows exactly what he is supposed to do in order to help the team win. Cleveland has been invincible so far at home this season, and if they can somehow manage to finish with the best regular season record they would not have to win a game outside of Quicken Loans Arena to win the NBA title. That is a very scary thought for the rest of the league.

4. Atlanta Hawks (25-16): Atlanta is building off the success that they created last year when they took the Celtics to seven games in the first round of the playoffs. They have one of the game's best all-around players in Joe Johnson. He is nearly impossible for defenses to stop and gives them one of the best closer's in the game. Mike Bibby provides them with an experienced veteran and another clutch shot maker. Josh Smith, although hampered by injuries this season, can no longer just be considered an unbelievable athlete as his basketball skills have improved year after year. And to round out the starting five, Marvin Williams and Al Horford, although often times outsized by their opposition, are giving the Hawks quality minutes on the inside. After a couple of decades in the cellar, Hawks' fans now have good reason to frequent Phillips Arena. Their team will not emerge from the Eastern Conference this season, but at least they can witness more victories than losses in Atlanta once again.

5. Detroit Pistons (23-17): The Pistons run of six straight Eastern Conference Finals will come to an end this season. They messed up badly by sending Chauncey Billups to Denver for Allen Iverson. Although this move will speed up the progression of Rodney Stuckey and give them more flexibility in next year's free-agent market, it ruined their chemistry and was a setback for the immediate future of franchise. They still have a very talented team, but they are no longer what they were: the elite of the East. Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince are two of the best wing players in the league, and Rasheed Wallace, Antonio McDyess, and Jason Maxiell provide them with a solid inside game, but that just isn't enough to compete with Orlando, Boston, and Cleveland.

6. Miami Heat (22-18): Miami has improved significantly after last season's debacle. Dwayne Wade is playing some of the best basketball of his life and is on the short list for MVP candidates. Udonis Haslem continues to provide the Heat with consistent play. First-round draft choice Michael Beasly, although struggling to adapt at first, has become the Heat's second leading scorer, and rookie point guard Mario Chalmers has exceeded expectations, stepping right in to the starting line-up and performing admirably. Unfortunately for the Heat, Shawn Marion is suffering his worst NBA season on record. Look for the Heat to try to move him before the trade deadline. In the end, it won't matter if Marion stays in Miami or not. They don't have enough talent or depth to threaten the top teams in the conference.

NBA halfway point: Western Conference

2009-01-21T06:39:00.000-08:00

In the Western Conference, there is a clear separation between the top nine teams and the bottom six. Let's focus on these nine teams one by one in order of their current record.

1. Los Angeles Lakers (32-8): They have demonstrated beyond a doubt that they are the team to beat in the West. They have the reigning league MVP and game's best closer in Kobe Bryant. Pau Gasol, one of the game's top power forwards, plays second fiddle to Kobe to a T. Veteran Derek Fisher provides them with great leadership and consistency. The missing piece to the puzzle last year was a big man that could contest shots, grab boards, and score points. That is no longer a problem with the return of Andrew Bynum. And Vladimir Radmanovic, although struggling to stay in the rotation at times, can knock down threes to help open up the defense. Phil Jackson's decision to bring Lamar Odom off the bench gives the Lakers second unit a definite advantage over their opponents. Phil also has Trevor Ariza, a tireless defender and one of the most athletic players in the league, Sasha Vujacic, a consistent deep threat, and Luke Walton, a great team player, at his disposal. The Lakers have not missed a beat even though their back-up point guard Jordan Farmar has been out for weeks. Barring a serious injury to one of their top players, look for the them to be in the NBA Finals once again this year.

2. San Antonio Spurs (28-13): Some people say that they are over the hill and that their window has closed, but this group has played together too long to just bow out without a fight. They suffered due to the absence of Manu Ginobili at the beginning of the season and lost Tony Parker for a time as well, but they are still finding ways to win games. Tim Duncan has shown that he is still capable of averaging 20+ points and 10+ rebounds on a nightly basis and the addition of Roger Mason has helped them tremendously. It is pretty simple....as long as the big three are healthy, one should never count the Spurs out.

3. New Orleans Hornets (25-13): Many predicted the Hornets to finish second in the West this year and that still may happen. They have arguably the best point guard in the game in Chris Paul and get consistent production out of All-Star David West. Peja Stojakovic provides them with a great deep threat and the free-agent signing of James Posey was a solid move as he brings them clutch shooting, excellent defense, and a championship mentality. The one thing they lack, however, is an inside scoring threat. West tends to shoot a lot of jump shots and Tyson Chandler still doesn't have any post moves, so this is their one shortcoming. That said, they can create problems for anybody and should be considered another real threat to come out of the West.

4. Denver Nuggets (28-15): The Nuggets made a great trade to acquire Chauncey Billups. Unfortunately for them that one move will not bring a title to the mile-high city. They do have depth and talent, but they will not be a serious threat to contend until they make a commitment to the defensive end of the floor. Their leader, Carmelo Anthony, is one of the best small forwards in the game and has shown this year that he wants to be more than just a scorer. Kenyon Martin and Nene are good players, but it would be nice if they changed their mindset to be more defense oriented. The same can be said about J.R. Smith. Linus Kleiza is a great substitute but he too cares more about scoring than defending. As the old adage goes, offense wins games and defense wins championships. It couldn't be more appropriate for any other team in the league.

5. Houston Rockets (26-16): Same story, different year. Tracy McGrady is hurt once again has already missed fourteen games. The acquisition of Ron Artest in the off-season appeared to launch the Rockets into championship contention, but he too has suffered from injuries and missed eleven games. Fortunately for Houston the big guy, Yao Ming, has been healthy and his presence in the line-up has allowed the Rockets to stay in contention. The Rockets have one of the most balanced scoring attacks in the league with seven guys averaging double figures, but we all know their championship aspirations depend on the health of their big three. Will McGrady be able to come back from his injury and do the things that he is capable of doing? It remains to be seen, but one thing is for certain: if these guys get healthy, nobody will want to face them in the playoffs.

6. Portland Trailblazers (25-16): Many people are surprised by the victory total of the up and coming Blazers. Coach Nate McMillan has them playing solid basketball and he has two of the best young players in the league at his disposal in Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Alridge. The addition of Greg Oden (out all last season due to injury) gives them a shot blocker and a ferocious defender. Steve Blake, Travis Outlaw, and Rudy Fernandez provide a lot of energy and excellent outside shooting. Unfortunately that is not enough in the extremely competitive Western Conference. This team needs to keep winning games to gain confidence for the future as it is not their time yet.

7. Utah Jazz (25-17): Their record is very deceptive. They got off to a slow start as Deron Williams, one of the games top point guards, was out at the beginning of the season. To make matters worse, Carlos Boozer got hurt early on and has missed a total of thirty games. His replacement, Paul Millsap, has stepped in and done an excellent job, but Boozer is nearly impossible to replace as he is one of a handful of players that gets 20 and 10 night after night. Their other two high quality players, Mehmet Okur and Andre Kirilienko, have also missed a few games due to injury. Utah may very well be the second best team in the conference when healthy. Look for them to be extremely dangerous when the playoffs roll around.

8. Phoenix Suns (23-16): The Suns are not a threat to come out of the West. It is true that they are more committed to the defensive end now that Terry Porter is running the show, but they just don't have enough pieces to be considered a serious contender. The Jason Richardson trade puzzled me as it was a lateral move that did not improve the franchise. Big Cactus, Shaquille O'Neal, is now too old, slow, and beat up to be the dominant force that he once was. Amare Stoudemire is an excellent power forward and Steve Nash is still one of the game's best point guards, but their supporting cast is not good enough for them to compete with the likes of the Lakers, Spurs, Hornets, or Jazz in a seven game series.

9. Dallas Mavericks (24-17): Mark Cuban screwed up big time last season by shipping Devon Harris to New Jersey for Jason Kidd. Instead of making the franchise better, it had the undesired reverse effect and set them back tremendously. They still have one of the best, if not the best, 1-2-3 scoring punches in the league with Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry, and Josh Howard, but the bottom line is that this team does not have enough talent or depth to compete with the top teams in the West. Knowing that Cuban is willing to do anything to make his team a championship contender, I would not be surprised to see him make another huge deal before the February 19 trade deadline.

Charles Barkley and TNT

2009-01-10T14:12:00.000-08:00

I read on the internet that Charles Barkley has taken a leave of absence from TNT broadcasts for an undetermined amount of time. Since when do people lose their jobs when they get arrested for driving under the influence? Did TNT have something to do with this, or did Sir Charles do this under his own volition? I do not think that being arrested for suspicion of DUI is sufficient to warrant his vocational suspension. It is one thing if he stepped away voluntarily, and completely another if the network forced his hand. I have no idea what happened behind closed doors and I do not pretend that I do. If Charles feels that he needs time to sort out his personal life and relinquish his professional duties in order to do so, then I understand why we will not see him for a while and have nothing to write about. If, on the other hand, the network put pressure on Charles to make this decision, then I am vexed.

What I am trying to say is this....does the average joe stop working when he gets charged with DUI? Certainly not if he is a first-time offender as it is only a misdemeanor offense. I am aware that Charles is a volatile fellow and has had issues with gambling in the past, but at no point in time had he been arrested or charged with DUI prior to December 31, 2008. I don't know, but I have never heard of a retail clerk, a marketing executive, a hair stylist, a lawyer, or a sales representative take a leave of absence under these circumstances. Just because he was arrested for committing this crime does not mean he is going to be convicted for it. So why is it that he can no longer report to work at TNT? It is my belief that business should continue as usual until the case is tried in a court of a law and a verdict is rendered.

This situation disturbs me greatly because America, in theory, is a country where one is innocent until proven guilty. It seems to me that TNT already considers him to be culpable. According to ESPN.com, as the authorities were waiting for the results to come back from his blood test, TNT considered suspending Charles if the results showed that his blood-alcohol content was over the legal limit. Why would this conversation even take place among TNT executives? Is Charles not entitled to his day in court before they make a decision on his employment status? Should he not be able to continue to cover NBA games while the case is being litigated?

The bottom line is that I believe one should not suffer any dire consequences until innocence or guilt is determined. The NBA understands this very well. Just take a look at the way they handled the Kobe Bryant situation during the 2003-2004 season. He continued to play while fighting a rape charge, something far more serious than a first-time DUI offense. Once again, if Charles agreed to step away under his own accord, then I accept his decision and wish him the very best. But if outside forces or influences played a role in his decision in anyway whatsoever, then TNT needs to take a good step back and re-examine the way it conducts business.