The NBA Source

yench

2010-09-29T10:50:00.002-04:00

Is The Gambler a Cheater?

2006-10-23T10:41:00.000-04:00

On a day when we found out that perhaps the best linebacker in football (Shawne Merriman) has been taking steroids, we also had the misfortune in waking up to the possibility that Detroit's Game 2 World Series victory may have been tarnished as well. For those of you seeing this for the first time, it is being reported that Tigers starting pitcher Kenny Rogers was caught with some sort of brown substance on the palm of his pitching hand during the first inning of last night's game. Was it dirt? Was it chaw spit? Was it pine tar? Was it shit? Who knows? All we do know for sure is that in a sporting world filled with controversy and perpetual steroid talk, this is icing on the cake.

As a die-hard sports fan, when allegations start to fly before all the facts are compiled, I always try my best to give an athlete the benefit of the doubt. For instance, as some writers practically painted us a picture of Terrell Owens tying a noose in his basement, I remained calm, cool, and collected until all parties involved were heard. Turns out, T.O. didn't attempt suicide but rather his publicist was feeding him pills so that she could get in his pants, call rape, then take her millions and run. See, no conclusion jumping here, no sir. But back to today's uproar…rather than give my honest opinion of what exactly Rogers' intent (if any) might have been, I'll wait until later today when I hear "It turns OUT, that last night in DEE-TROIT, Rogers was not in fact a CHEAT-ER, but merely a victim of faulty TOI-LET PAP-ER…In DEE-TROIT, Jeremy SCHAPP, EEE-s-p-n." Until then, I'll just let you wonder if it's a coincidence that 41 year-old starting pitcher can go 23 innings of Playoff baseball without giving up an earned run…

Pujols NL MVP?

2006-10-22T13:24:00.000-04:00

Anyone happen to catch Joe Buck’s comment in the aftermath of Albert Pujols’ 2-run homer in the 3rd inning of last night’s World Series Opener?

“The Tigers pitch to the MVP and he makes Detroit pay.”

Interesting, huh? I know, I know. Buck has made numerous references to Pujols being the reigning MVP, but I can’t recall once this whole postseason (and I’ve watched just about every single game) when he hasn’t attached the requisite “reigning” to precede MVP. Hmm. Maybe I’m going out on a limb here, but I think Buck slipped up. I can tell you this much; Joe Buck knows who won the National League MVP Award. I guarantee it. The vote for the prestigious award took place right after the regular season and it’s not uncommon at all for the impending result to leak out. Heck, look at what went on this past spring with the NBA awards. Every single trophy was “reported” by a local media source before the honor was officially announced. In some cases, like with Steve Nash winning his second consecutive MVP award, the news broke more than 2 weeks before the actual announcement.

Another nugget of information to consider—Joe Buck is the Cardinals play-by-play announcer. The chances that the news would break to him, before almost any other media member (either local or national), is an almost certainty. Whether you like him or not, the guy’s got clout. And especially in a season in which there’s a lot of suspense as to who won the award (in both leagues for that matter, although I think Jeter won by a landslide in the AL), it’s highly probable that some league source, some power-hungry, gossip-loving executive spilled the beans to Buck because he wanted to further his relationship with the most powerful media member covering the MLB (apologies to Peter Gammons).

I’m telling you…Buck goofed up. Pujols won MVP. And I’m not too thrilled about it (Ryan Howard deserved it, but that’s a whole separate column). Of course, I’m being entirely presumptuous and if Howard does indeed win the award, then let’s just pretend I didn’t write this.

Week 7 NFL Picks

2006-10-20T13:12:00.000-04:00

Is the resurgence of Big Ben and the Steelers for real? Ant and Paul think so. Look for the Steelers to to come up big with a road win in Atlanta on Sunday.

So Ant and I mutually decided (that's a lie, this was entirely his idea) to come out with NFL picks every Friday. Real original, huh? I know, I know. The thing is, we talk about our picks every Friday for at least an hour anyways. So why not just jot down our thoughts on paper and share them with everyone? Besides, it's not like you can go wrong with an NFL picks column. I spend half of my Thursdays and just about all of my Fridays scouring the web for "experts" picks as it is. We're pretty good at this, too. Ant thought it would be lame for us to post our current season records right now, but we're both over .500 (I'm about 6 games over; he's close to 10 over). You'll notice we took a more businesslike approach this week and that's mainly because we actually do take this pretty seriously. But don't worry, once/if we start sucking, the jokes will start flying. Enjoy.

KANSAS CITY +5 vs. San Diego

Paul’s Pick: Chiefs (LOCK). The Chargers always have problems playing at Arrowhead and haven’t won there by more than a field goal in years. Besides, this is one of those cases where one team looked so good last Sunday, and one looked absolutely atrocious. Conventional wisdom would lead you to believe the Chargers win pretty easily, right? Wrong.

Ant’s Pick: Chiefs. Last weekend my fantasy team was up by roughly 30 points going into the afternoon games. I still had San Diego’s D going, but my opponent had LaDanian Tomlinson. Needless to say, I felt pretty good. But after LT rushed for what felt like eight touchdowns, I ended up on the back end of a 124-112 outcome. Part of the reason I lost is because deep into the 4th quarter with the Chargers up by 22, Marty Schottenheimer elected to leave in all of his starters, including his star RB (despite having the best backup in football in Michael Turner). You know what that means this week don’t you? Karma = bad. Chiefs = win.

ATLANTA +2.5 vs. Pittsburgh

Paul’s Pick: Steelers. The Falcons can’t possibly drop two in a row at home, can they? They will. Pittsburgh’s D is fast enough to limit Atlanta’s swift running game and I think Big Ben’s beauty last week was a sign of things to come. What’s going on with Joey Porter anyways? Did he really hurt his hamstring or is he taking weeks off to secretly train his pitbulls to take down elephants?

Ant’s Pick: Steelers. Quote from DeAngelo Hall before last week’s game versus the Giants: “We’re playing the New York Giants. No problem. Light work. I’ll have two interceptions and one touchdown.” And while he did manage one pick off the younger Manning, the rest of the Falcons were apparently still on their bye week. Meanwhile up north, the Steelers got back to their winning ways sans defensive leader, Joey Porter. Expect these trends to continue.

TAMPA BAY +5 vs. Philadelphia

Paul’s Pick: Eagles. Even though it’s been 3 years since they last met, I can promise you some of the Eagles vets (McNabb, Dawkins, Westbrook, Walker) haven’t forgotten about the last two meetings against the Bucs (’03 NFC Championship loss and Week 1 MNF loss months later). That, coupled with a disappointing road loss last weekend, should spell doom for an overmatched Tampa Bay team.

Ant’s Pick: Eagles. Bruce Gradkowski? I think I had that guy for 8th grade chemistry. Facing that potent Eagles blitz this Sunday, he’s going to wish he was in a classroom.

Is Bruce Gradkowski white? Black? Biracial? What is he? Is anyone going to clear this up? I'm dying to know.

BUFFALO +5 vs. New England

Paul’s Pick: Bills. For some reason, I was under the impression that the Bills almost always play the Pats tough, especially at home. Oh, how wrong I was. 6 of the last 9 meetings between these clubs have resulted in double-digit Patriots victories, including blowout victories for New England at Buffalo in 3 of the last 4 years. So why am I going with the Bills? TRAP GAME. The Pats are at Minnesota next Monday night with their annual clash against Indy the week after. Buffalo will keep this close.

Ant’s Pick: Patriots. For the last two years, New England has played Buffalo after its bye week, with the Pats winning both contests (covering once). So what does this mean for this weekend? Absolutely nothing (I just wanted to sound like Paul for a second). But we can be certain that Bill Belichick has focused heavily on adjusting that lackluster passing game (206.2 YPG) over the past two weeks. Expect vintage Brady this Sunday.

HOUSTON +10 vs. Jacksonville

Paul’s Pick: Texans. Jacksonville, even after a bye week, is beat up and it’s bound to catch up with them (although 3 of their next 4 are against Houston and Tennessee. Why does it seem like Jacksonville has the easiest schedule every single year?). The Texans keep getting pounded, but I don’t think this can go on forever. They’ve played well in stretches and something tells me that stretch may last 3, maybe 4 quarters this week.

Ant’s Pick: Texans. I always love games like these. On the one hand, you have a Houston team coming off an absolute drubbing (34-6) at the hands of the Cowboys, while the Jags were last seen annihilating the Jets (41-0) before their bye week. All signs point to a blowout, right? But that’s what Vegas wants you to think. David Carr to Andre Johnson will provide just enough to cover.

MIAMI -5 vs. Green Bay

Paul’s Pick: Packers. I don’t care WHO Joey Harrington and the Dolphins are playing, whether it’s The Little Giants or the hapless Packers, they should NOT be giving 5 points. Heck, they haven’t even scored more than 17 this year and they’ve played the Titans, Texans, Bills and Jets.

Ant’s Pick: Packers. Let’s get crazy here and assume that Miami wins all the rest of their games, making them 11-5 to finish the season. But in competing against the likes of San Diego/Denver, Pittsburgh/Cincinnati, Jacksonville, and possibly even Baltimore, will that even be good enough for a Playoff berth? And let’s not forget, this is assuming the Dolphins win 10 straight games. I guess the real question is, why should Miami even show up this weekend?

N.Y. JETS -3.5 vs. Detroit

Paul’s Pick: Lions. Say what you want about the Lions, this is a team that could easily be 5-1 as opposed to 1-5. We all knew they would eventually hold onto a game (albeit barely) and I think we’ll see a slight turnaround (especially with 4 of their next 5 against the Jets, 49ers, Cardinals and Dolphins).

Ant’s Pick: Jets. This is one of those games where I talk myself into thinking the Lions will win the game outright or if they do lose, it will come via a last second field goal. Then some dingleberry at work will completely alter my rationale and have me thinking “Jets 24, Lions 20” because his brother-in-law said so. And I’ll waffle between the two teams throughout the day on Friday and ultimately choose the wrong one. It happens every week with these 3.5 spreads.

CINCINNATI -3 vs. Carolina

Paul’s Pick: Bengals. Despite winning four straight, the Panthers have yet to look overly impressive for an entire game this season (don’t give me shit about Baltimore…they stink). Meanwhile, Cincinnati has been dreadful the past 2 weeks and is desperately in need of a win. I think this is an instance where the AFC flexes its muscles.

Ant’s Pick: Bengals. Anyone seen Rudi Johnson? Nah, me neither. Through the first two weeks of the season he gained a gaudy 241 yards, but during the last three, a paltry 164. Hell, Rudi Huxtable could be a more effective runner lately. But this weekend I think we’ll see Marvin Lewis commit to the run and give Johnson his 25-30 carries, thus opening up the long ball for Palmer and his potent WRs. Bengals by a touchdown.

Forget the whereabouts of Rudi Johnson, I want to know where the hell to find Keshia Knight Pulliam! Damn! Rudy Huxtable has grown up!

CLEVELAND +4.5 vs. Denver

Paul’s Pick: Browns (LOCK). Don’t sleep on the Browns. Aside from a shellacking at Cincinnati, they’ve played everyone tough, including Carolina, Baltimore and New Orleans. Considering that Cleveland has an underrated defense and the Broncos haven’t scored 20 points this season despite a 4-1 record, this game promises to be close. Upset special, baby. Browns 16-13.

Ant’s Pick: Browns. You know what’s a lot of fun? Thinking all week long that the Browns are going to win this game and then seeing that Paul has the same sentiment, but since I come second in this crumby format I look like I’m just biting off him. I love that. (Side note: R.I.P. to Kellen Winslow’s younger brother who passed away earlier this week. I predict a big game from the elder bro)

INDIANAPOLIS -9.5 vs. Washington

Paul’s Pick: Redskins. Have you seen the Colts run defense?! David Eckstein could run over their mangled D-line. Portis will have a monster afternoon only to leave a close game in the hands of Mark Brunell. ‘Skins fans, say hello to your Week 8 starter: Jason Campbell.

Ant’s Pick: Redskins. Last week I had a choice in my survivor league: take Denver at home to beat Oakland or take the Skins, also at home, to down the Titans. Of course, I chose wrong. That said, shouldn’t a team who can score 35 points at will (off a bye week no less), be favored by more than 9.5 points against a team that just lost to the red-headed stepchild of the league? Using this mentality, I feel like it’s almost too easy to take the Colts, plus this game means a lot more to the Skins (2-4) than it does to Indy (5-0).

SEATTLE -6.5 vs. Minnesota

Paul’s Pick: Vikings. The Seahawks haven’t lost at home since they dropped a wildcard contest against the Rams on January 8, 2005. In that span of 12-straight home wins, 9 were by double-digits. But the Vikings play everyone tough, having lost just 1 game by more than a touchdown in their last 14. And there’s bad blood brewing here what with the Steve Hutchinson fiasco. Something tells me this game is decided by a last-second field goal.

Ant’s Pick: Vikings. Trust me, without Shaun Alexander, there are only a handful of teams that Seattle can beat by a TD or more. Minnesota, now with a potent rushing attack, should be able to control the time of possession and wear out the Seattle D to keep things close. As for who wins the game, who am I, Dionne Warwick?

OAKLAND +3 vs. Arizona

Paul’s Pick: Cardinals. A loss like Monday’s at Chicago can really deflate a team with high hopes. Good for the Cardinals, since they have no hope for this season whatsoever. Monday’s embarrassment will only benefit a young team now playing with a chip on their shoulder. Arizona will finish no worse than 6-10.

Ant’s Pick: Cardinals. If there was ever a game the Raiders were going to win this year, this would probably be it, no? No.

DALLAS -3 vs. NY Giants

Paul’s Pick: Giants. New York’s pass-rush is back and that’s bad, bad news for the Cowboys. If they can get to Vick 7 times, then they should just list Bledsoe as doubtful now…since he’s got little chance of surviving this game.

Ant’s Pick: Giants. If the Giants win this game, they’ll move to 4-2 with their next two games at home versus Tampa and Houston, respectively. Assuming they win both of those, you’re looking at a showdown between the red-hot, 6-2 Giants versus the 8-0 Bears in the Meadowlands on November 12th. Wow, I’m getting way ahead of myself.

We're Baaaaaaaack!

2006-10-18T14:17:00.000-04:00

The comeback story is back in full swing and The NBA Source is ready to join the likes of Shawn Kemp, Jay-Z and Screech Powers as we attempt to rekindle our glory days. Whether we succeed or fail miserably (see Shell, Art), at least we'll have fun wasting your time doing so.

To quote L.L. Cool J,

"I wanna knock your block off, get my rocks off, blow your socks off, make sure your G spot's soft."

Whoops, wrong line...

"Don't call it a comeback. I been here for years. Rockin' my peers and puttin' suckas in fear. Makin' the tears rain down like a MON-soon. Listen to the bass go BOOM, Explosion!"

Okay, so maybe our comeback isn't so triumphant that we're putting "suckas in fear" and causing explosions, but at least to a select few people (four, maybe five?), this is kind of a big deal. People know us. We can't exactly prove it (don't pay attention to that poll question on the right since it means nothing. It's totally pointless. No seriously, don't even bother clicking on the results. Okay fine, just do it. But not because I told you to), but encourage you to just trust us.

There are going to be some changes to 'The NBA Source' this time around. For starters, this is not going to be an NBA-only site anymore. We haven't come to a decision as to whether we're going to change the domain name or not. The site will technically be called "Sports Source", but since "Sportssource.com" and "Sports-source.com" are both taken by those rat bastards who simply buy domains just to fuck hardworking people over, we'll stick with www.nbasource.com as our domain. Seriously, you couldn't find anything better to do with $10? Whenever you're stumped on what to do with a small chunk of money, just remember...there's always porn (charity works, too). Anyways, nbasource.com is sticking for now. Unless Ant finds a way to convince sportsdudes.com to let us buy them out. Go ahead, Ant. Do your "wurst".

So as I was saying, we're going to take a broader look at the sports world from now on...of course from our typically unique perspective. While the NBA will still be our main focus, expect frequent columns discussing the NFL, MLB, college football and basketball, and of course, tall bike jousting. Heck, Ant might even throw a random hockey article in there (I sure as hell won't) somewhere along the way.

We're also going to try to limit the length of our posts (try being the key word here) this time around, placing more of an emphasis on updating frequently throughout each day. We want to be your source for an angle on breaking sports news that you can't get anywhere else. Here's an example...

ESPN:

Penn State Might Be Forced to Start Third-String QB

Doctors haven't cleared starting QB Anthony Morelli for full contact practice.

NBA Source:

Penn State is Totally Fucked This Weekend

Starting QB Anthony Morelli and his backup both are likely out with concussions. Who cares? Penn State blows this year.

Our theory-- why beat around the bush? The beauty of blogging is that you can say exactly what you mean without any repercussions. That's what we did in the past and that's what we're going to continue to do here at The NBA Source. All that being said, we'll still bring you thoughtful analysis and critical commentary. While Ant and I may occasionally act like total idiots, we live and die with sports, and consider it our responsibility to share our passion with fellow afficionados. We welcome back any and all of our former readers and encourage you to spread the word about The NBA Source. This time, we're here to stay.

Relaunch?

2006-10-17T10:19:00.000-04:00

Picks Challenge Finals

2006-05-31T14:46:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S LINES:

Miami +6 at Detroit

FINAL MATCHUP:

Ant/Curtis (3-5)

vs.

Buh (3-4)

Picks Challenge Finals

2006-05-30T12:30:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S LINES:

Dallas -1 at Phoenix - *Raja Bell OUT*

FINAL MATCHUP:

Ant/Curtis (3-4)

vs.

Buh (3-3)

Picks Challenge Finals

2006-05-29T11:59:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S LINES:
Detroit +2 at Miami

RULES
15 picks total through the Conference Finals and Finals
Brodeur, mail me your pick via the U.S. Postal Service, thanks
Tiebreakers will be determined

FINAL MATCHUP:

Ant/Curtis (3-3)

vs.

Buh (3-2)

Picks Challenge Finals

2006-05-28T12:20:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S LINES:

Dallas +1 at Phoenix

RULES

15 picks total through the Conference Finals and Finals
Brodeur, mail me your pick via the U.S. Postal Service, thanks
Tiebreakers will be determined

FINAL MATCHUP:

Ant/Curtis (2-3)

vs.

Buh (3-1)

Picks Challenge Finals

2006-05-26T14:31:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S LINES:

Phoenix +7.5 at Dallas - *Raja Bell OUT, J. Howard questionable*

RULES

15 picks total through the Conference Finals and Finals
Brodeur, mail me your pick via the U.S. Postal Service, thanks
Tiebreakers will be determined

FINAL MATCHUP:

Ant/Curtis (2-1)

vs.

Buh (1-1)

Picks Challenge Finals

2006-05-25T09:03:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S LINES:

Miami +6.5 at Detroit

RULES

15 picks total through the Conference Finals and Finals
Brodeur, mail me your pick via the U.S. Postal Service, thanks
Tiebreakers will be determined

FINAL MATCHUP:

Ant/Curtis (2-0)

vs.

Buh (1-1)

Picks Challenge Finals: Game 2

2006-05-24T08:57:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S LINES:

Phoenix +6 at Dallas - *Kurt Thomas, D. Diop probable*

RULES

15 picks total through the Conference Finals and Finals
Brodeur, mail me your pick via the U.S. Postal Service, thanks
Tiebreakers will be determined

FINAL MATCHUP:

Ant/Curtis (1-0)

vs.

Buh (1-0)

Picks Challenge Finals: Game 1

2006-05-23T08:14:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S LINES:

Miami +5.5 at Detroit

RULES

15 picks total through the Conference Finals and Finals
Brodeur, still email me your picks
Tiebreakers will be determined

FINAL MATCHUP:

Ant/Curtis (0-0)

vs.

Buh (0-0)

Picks Challenge Tie-Breaker

2006-05-22T09:13:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S LINES:

Dallas +3.5 at San Antonio (8 PM)
LA Clippers +4 at Phoenix (10:30)

Tiebreaker: Simon, pick both games for tonight and the total points for both games. Thus, if you think both games will finish with 101-100 scores, select 402 points. Good luck

RULES

1) Everyone must now stop posting their picks in the comment section and instead, email me them at nbasource@hotmail.com. If you haven't figured out why this is the case, don't worry about it. Curtis and I will post our picks right before the tip of the first game.

2) This round will last two weeks. You must make 15 picks over that span. As usual, the games that you're short of 15 will be counted as losses. Thus, I would load up on games early so that you're not left scrambling in the latter half of next week. Keep in mind that there are only 24 guarenteed games over the next two weeks and that's assuming each series goes the distance.

FINAL FOUR MATCHUPS:

Ant/Curtis (7-8)

vs.

Simon Chan (7-8)

_________________

Buh (8-7)

defeats

Michael (7-8)

Good luck to all...

Sunday's Playoff Picks Challenge: Final 4

2006-05-21T10:44:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S LINES:

Cleveland +8.5 at Detroit

Tiebreaker: To be determined...it will have something to do with Monday's Game 7, so check back tomorrow.

RULES

FINAL FOUR MATCHUPS:

Ant/Curtis (7-8)

vs.

Simon Chan (7-8) - Done for the week

_________________

Buh (8-7)

vs.

Michael (7-7)

Good luck to all...

Friday's Playoff Picks Challenge: Final 4

2006-05-19T08:34:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S LINES:

Detroit -5.5 at Cleveland - *Hughes questionable*
San Antonio +1.5 at Dallas - *Terry suspended*

RULES

FINAL FOUR MATCHUPS:

Ant/Curtis (6-8)

vs.

Simon Chan (7-8) - Done for the week

_________________

Buh (6-7)

vs.

Michael (6-6)

Good luck to all...

Thursday's Playoff Picks Challenge: Final 4

2006-05-18T08:46:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S LINES:

Phoenix +5 at LA Clippers

RULES

FINAL FOUR MATCHUPS:

Ant/Curtis (6-7)

vs.

Simon Chan (7-8) - Done for the week

_________________

Buh (6-6)

vs.

Michael (6-5)

Good luck to all...

Wednesday's Playoff Picks Challenge: Final 4

2006-05-17T11:37:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S LINES:

Cleveland +11 at Detroit - *Hughes doubtful*
Dallas +5 at San Antonio

RULES

FINAL FOUR MATCHUPS:

Ant/Curtis (6-7)

vs.

Simon Chan (6-7)

_________________

Buh (5-5)

vs.

Michael (6-5)

Good luck to all...

Tuesday's Playoff Picks Challenge: Final 4

2006-05-16T10:38:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S LINES:

New Jersey +6.5 at Miami
LA Clippers +5 at Phoenix - *Chris Kaman probable*

RULES

FINAL FOUR MATCHUPS:

Ant/Curtis (5-7)

vs.

Simon Chan (5-6)

_________________

Buh (3-5)

vs.

Michael (6-5)

Good luck to all...

Monday's Playoff Picks Challenge: Final 4

2006-05-15T11:25:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S LINES:

Detroit -6 at Cleveland - *Larry Hughes OUT (personal)*
San Antonio +2 at Dallas - *Dirk probable (ankle)*

RULES

FINAL FOUR MATCHUPS:

Ant/Curtis (5-6)

vs.

Simon Chan (5-4)

_________________

Buh (3-5)

vs.

Michael (5-4)

Good luck to all...

Sunday's Playoff Picks Challenge: Final 4

2006-05-14T16:41:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S LINES:

Phoenix +5 at LA Clippers (8PM)
Sorry about the MIA-NJ game

RULES

FINAL FOUR MATCHUPS:

Ant/Curtis (4-6)

vs.

Simon Chan (5-4)

_________________

Buh (3-4)

vs.

Michael (4-4)

Good luck to all...

Saturday's Playoff Picks Challeneg: Final 4

2006-05-13T16:55:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S LINES:

Detroit -4.5 at Cleveland
San Antonio +4 at Dallas

Friday's Playoff Picks Challenge: Final 4

2006-05-12T13:46:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S LINES:

Miami +2.5 at New Jersey - *Cliff Robinson suspended (guess why)*
Phoenix +3.5 at LA Clippers

RULES

FINAL FOUR MATCHUPS:

Ant/Curtis (2-4)

vs.

Simon Chan (3-3)

_________________

Buh (1-3)

vs.

Michael (2-4)

Good luck to all...

RIP Justin Hughes

2006-05-12T08:10:00.000-04:00

On Thursday, the brother of Cleveland guard Larry Hughes died at the age of 20. Justin Hughes underwent a heart transplant 10 years ago and recently suffered some set backs. The Hughes family was hopeful that doctors could correct the problem, but on Thursday those hopes came to an end. Our thought and prayers are with Larry and his family.

KG's Future

2006-05-11T15:22:00.000-04:00

Per Jerome’s request…

Right now, most NBA analysts would tell you that there’s a better chance of Zacarias Moussaou leading your mass this Sunday than Kevin Garnett getting shipped out of Minnesota. In fact, in an ESPN interview a few weeks ago, Ric Bucher was asked about a potential deal and gave one of those “yeah right” chuckles you get after asking out a girl who’s way out of your league. And from the Wolves’ perspective, that’s probably true. Obviously the team would rather hold onto their franchise player than deal him for 75 cents on the dollar. But when Garnett is lounging in his living room, thinking about Mark Blount botching yet another rebound, and he hears this quote from Carmelo on SportsCenter: “I don't want to be like Kevin Garnett and take eight years to get out of the first round”, what does that do to his psyche? I mean, we’re talking about a guy who broke down in a national television interview last year—a sure fire sign of mental and physical exhaustion. So in hearing ‘Melo run his mouth and knowing damn well he’s being disrespected throughout the league (nevermind by his own team), will it finally push him to request a trade? Well, if you listen to Bucher and the rest of these cynical analysts, not a chance. But c’mon now, you’re telling me if Garnett emails Kevin McHale with, “Trade me or watch me come to camp looking like Shawn Kemp, post coke binge”, the Wolves’ brass will really have a choice? I say no. Thus, I feel KG has a critical decision to make in the coming months: either demand a trade, or force the Wolves to acquire…well, you’ll see. Let’s breakdown both options.

KG Requests a Trade

At this point, Garnett’s life has transformed into that of say, a 40 year-old married man. KG’s training his ass off this off-season, lifting, working cardio, perfecting his jumper, etc. The 40 year-old, we’ll call him Frank, is still dressing sharp, working out three times a week, and eating healthy. Then one day, something snaps. Mid butterfly curl, Frank stops and thinks, “What the hell am I doing? I’m stuck with the same woman and three kids for the rest of my life, why the hell am I taking such good care of myself?” So, rather than go to the gym MWF, he starts picking up 6-packs and pork rinds after work. Rocking sport coats and button downs, out. ’85 Bears Super Bowl sweatshirts and pajama pants, in. So, what does this have to do with Garnett? Well, at some point KG has to begin to wonder why he continues to bust his ass while the Minnesota front office remains stagnant. The situation practically begs the question, why has The Big Ticket remained so loyal to such a disrespectful franchise? When is he going to get fed up and demand a trade?

So, what if it does come to this? What if KG decides, “Fuck it, I’m out”? What would be some likely destinations? Chicago would have to be one, especially with the Bulls owning enticing pieces such as Chandler, Deng, Gordon, and the Knicks’ lottery pick in the upcoming Draft. In fact, GM John Paxson would be a moron not to have guys like Jordan and Pippen shooting texts to KG that Chi-town is the place to play. But he shouldn’t need much convincing. Garnett went to high school there. If he wants to go and get the respect he deserves, what better place to play than your own backyard? Shoot, if anything, his mom will be there to heat up some Chunky soup. Okay, so let’s say a package of Chandler, BG, the Knicks’ first, and cap fodder gets it done. Chicago would obtain a franchise player; a guy with enough heart and talent to allow for Bulls’ fans move on from the Jordan era. On the other hand, Minnesota would receive two very good young players, as well as the potential #1 overall pick (Tyrus Thomas?). Thus, the two adjusted starting lineups could look something like this:

Chicago: Hinrich, Deng, Nocioni, Garnett, Sweetney/FA
Minnesota: Banks (FA), Gordon, Davis, Thomas, Chandler

In my opinion, both organizations move in necessary directions. The Bulls gain the ability to compete right away and the Wolves finally enter their long overdue rebuilding phase. Plus, the prospect of Chicago becoming an elite NBA team again should do wonders for the league.

Two other options:

Celtics.

--A team/city who desires/deserves a championship just as much as Garnett
--Owns the talent/youth to get a deal done (Jefferson, Green, lottery pick, etc.)
--A deal would create a potentially devastating duo in Garnett and Pierce

Lakers.

--Have the necessary centerpiece (Odom) to get a deal done
--If anyone can get KG a championship it’s Phil Jackson
--A deal would create a potentially devastating duo in Garnett and Kobe

KG Stays and the Wolves Make a Deal

Before I get into this, take a gander at some of the “stars” who have come and gone through the Twin Cities.

1996: Traded the rights to Ray Allen and a future 1st round pick for Stephon Marbury
1999: Traded Marbury for Terrell Brandon and 1st (Sczcerbiak)
2000: Joe Smith scandal, lost 1st round picks in ’01, ’02, ’04, and ‘05
2002: Lost Chauncey Billups to free agency (Detroit)
2003: Acquired Sam Cassell
2003: Acquired Latrell Sprewell
2005: Traded Sam Cassell for Marko Jaric and a future 1st (top 10 protected through 2010)
2005: Sprewell elects to sit out season
2005: Traded Sczcerbiak and a future 1st for Davis, Banks, and Blount

I included that Smith scandal just to further prove my point that the Minnesota front office is as worthless as a stripper with a BA from Harvard. Seriously, what have they done to give Garnett a remote shot at a title? This is like getting your girlfriend/spouse gift certificates to alternating fast food chains for her birthdays and yet she somehow stays with you. It’s about time to get her the bling she deserves, er, the compliment KG deserves. And no, I’m not talking about some Mid-Level guy who, at best, will come in, win the Most Improved award, and help the team to a 7 or 8 seed. No sir, that’s not going to cut it. Anything less than a championship won’t satisfy. Thus, this leaves the Wolves front office with only one option: go out and get that one guy who can help get it done, Allen Iverson.

In thinking about a potential AI and KG duo, doesn’t it almost make too much sense? Both players are perennial All-Stars, own an endless passion for the game, are playing in the latter halves of their careers, and yet both remain without a title. Seriously, is there any NBA fan who would object to these two pairing up? Unfortunately, I can’t take credit for launching this idea, as recent reports out of Philly are saying that a potential AI for Ricky Davis and Mark Blount deal is on the table. However, if you believe there is any truth behind that, you’re a moron. First of all, it doesn’t even work under the current CBA rules. Second of all, why on earth would the Sixers make such a ludicrous deal? Third of all, how offended would Iverson be after giving every drop of sweat he had to the Philadelphia organization and getting traded for those two? To get a deal done, a third team would have to be brought in. And since we’re in the heart of Playoff and pre-Draft season, realistic rumors probably won’t be surfacing for some time now. But in the mean time, let’s just hope and pray that KG gets his shot a title in the coming years. Because after all, over the last eleven seasons no one player has given more to this game than he has—and so if he doesn’t deserve a championship, no one does. (The same could be said for his future teammate)

Wednesday's Playoff Picks Challenge: Final 4

2006-05-10T16:38:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S LINES:

New Jersey +8 at Miami - *Jefferson doubtful*
LA Clippers +4 at Phoenix

Standings up later...

Shocker: CP3 Wins Rookie of the Year

2006-05-09T11:34:00.000-04:00

Rather than drool over Chris Paul's rookie season (16.1 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 7.8 APG, 2.2 SPG), let's take some time to rip the two teams who passed on the Wake Forest product, despite being in desperate need of a PG.

Atlanta - Is it inconceivable to think that with Paul, the Hawks could of made the Playoffs this season? Slide JJ to the 2, Josh Smith mans the 3, Harrington at PF, and Zaza in the middle? That isn't a 40-win team in the East? And better still, a 50+ win team within 2-3 years? Hey Billy Knight, which package would you rather have right now? Joe Johnson and Marvin Williams, or Paul, Boris Diaw, and $70 million? I wish there were more questions of that caliber on my upcoming Series 7 exam.

Utah - Count me amongst those who thought Deron Williams would be a perfect fit for the Jazz (and he very well may still be). But at this point, there is no contest over who looks to be the better pro between him and CP. Think about it--Paul nearly led a team to the Playoffs that wasn't supposed to win 20 games, whereas Williams led a team to the lottery that most predicted as a 7 or 8 seed. Now sure, Jerry Sloan didn't give Williams anywhere near the freedom that Paul had in New Orleans, but there had to be a reason behind that, right? You don't get stuck behind Keith McLeod and Milt Palacio for no reason (and no, I don't believe that crap about Sloan keeping DW behind just because he's a rookie). Now again, don't think I'm writing off Williams after one season because I do think he's going to make for a solid pro. But at the same time, I project Deron's ceiling to be in the Mike Bibby-range, whereas one has to believe that the sky's the limit for Paul. And anytime you could have had that latter player, you can't help but second guess yourself.

And for your amusement, here are a few quotes that I'd like to comment on:

"I couldn't have asked for a better rookie season." --Paul

Umm, weren't you guys holding the 5 seed at the All-Star Break? Wouldn't it have been better to make the Playoffs rather than to not make the Playoffs? Seems that CP has been hanging out with J.R. Smith a lot this offseason.

"I learned a long time ago that the difference in a good player and a great player is character, and Chris Paul is character right from the soles of his feet to the top of his head." -George Shinn, team owner

And what about his right hand? You know, the one that grabbed that dude's nuts right before the 2005 ACC Tournament? Does that have a lot of character?

Tuesday's Playoff Picks Challenge: Final 4

2006-05-09T09:17:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S LINES:

Cleveland +10.5 at Detroit
Dallas +3 at San Antonio - *Tony Parker questionable (hip)*

RULES

FINAL FOUR MATCHUPS:

Ant/Curtis (0-2)

vs.

Simon Chan (0-2)

_________________

Buh (1-1)

vs.

Michael (0-2)

Good luck to all...

Monday's Playoff Picks Challenge: Final 4

2006-05-08T10:03:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S LINES:

New Jersey +4.5 at Miami
LA Clippers +5.5 at Phoenix

RULES

ELITE 8 RECAP
After much deliberation, I've decided to eliminate Barry Wang after making only 3 picks last week. The only reason he would have advanced is because Jerm was too busy to pick any games. Thus, that leaves me with a predicament. Who takes his place? Well, I've ultimately decided on Buh because Michael emailed me with his DET pick yesterday at 3:56 PM. Granted, Cleveland was winning the game at that juncture, but still, the pick was late. Thus, I've decided to let Buh take on Michael for one more week to see who can make it to the finals. Thanks for all of you who participated this year and keep checking the site for updates. They should be coming...

ELITE 8 RESULTS:

8 - Anthony/Curtis (8-7) def.

1 - Johnny Whitewater (5-10)

4 - Simon Chan (9-6) def.

5 - Zach (8-7)

3 - Barry Wang (2-13)--eliminated

6 - Jerm (0-15) --eliminated

7 - Michael (9-6) def.

2 - BUH (8-7)

FINAL FOUR MATCHUPS:

Ant/Curtis

vs.

Simon Chan

Buh

vs.

Michael

Good luck to all...

Sunday's Picks Challenge Tournament: Elite 8

2006-05-07T11:09:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S LINES:

Dallas +4.5 at San Antonio (1 PM)
Cleveland +10.5 at Detroit (3:30 PM)

IMPORTANT NOTE: Everyone must now stop posting their picks in the comment section and instead, email me them at nbasource@hotmail.com. If you haven't figured out why this is the case, don't worry about it.

NOTE 2: There are only 5 guaranteed games left to be played this week. In total, there are 10 possible games, including potential 2nd round matchups on either Saturday or Sunday. Thus, it would be wise to load up on picks now so you don't finish shy of the mandatory 15.

MATCHUPS:

1 - Johnny Whitewater (5-6)
vs.
8 - Anthony/Curtis (6-6)

4 - Simon Chan (9-4)
vs.
5 - Zach (8-3)

3 - Barry Wang (2-1)
vs.
6 - Jerm (0-0)

2 - BUH (8-6)
vs.
7 - Michael (8-3)

PS- If you lose this week, you may still be in this thing. If Jerm and Barry don't get their picks in, I'll just take two of you who are making the effort this week. If anyone thinks that's cheap, eat me.

Good luck to all, except Whitewater...

Saturday's Playoff Picks Challenge: Elite 8

2006-05-06T08:44:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S LINES:

LA Lakers +6 at Phoenix

MATCHUPS:

1 - Johnny Whitewater (5-6)
vs.
8 - Anthony/Curtis (6-5)

4 - Simon Chan (9-4)
vs.
5 - Zach (8-3)

3 - Barry Wang (2-1)
vs.
6 - Jerm (0-0)

2 - BUH (7-6)
vs.
7 - Michael (8-2)

PS- If you lose this week, you may still be in this thing. If Jerm and Barry don't get their picks in, I'll just take two of you who are making the effort this week. If anyone thinks that's cheap, eat me.

Good luck to all, except Whitewater...

Friday's Picks Challenge Tournament: Elite 8

2006-05-05T14:38:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S LINES:

Cleveland +5 at Washington
San Antonio -2.5 at Sacramento

MATCHUPS:

1 - Johnny Whitewater (5-6)
vs.
8 - Anthony/Curtis (5-4)

4 - Simon Chan (7-4)
vs.
5 - Zach (5-2)

3 - Barry Wang (0-1)
vs.
6 - Jerm (0-0)

2 - BUH (6-5)
vs.
7 - Michael (6-2)

PS- If you lose this week, you may still be in this thing. If Jerm and Barry don't get their picks in, I'll just take two of you who are making the effort this week. If anyone thinks that's cheap, eat me.

Good luck to all, except Whitewater...

Picks Challenge Tournament: Elite Eight

2006-05-04T16:36:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S LINES:

New Jersey +1 at Indiana
Miami -1.5 at Chicago
Phoenix +4 at LA Lakers

MATCHUPS:

1 - Johnny Whitewater (3-5)
vs.
8 - Anthony/Curtis (3-3)

4 - Simon Chan (4-4)
vs.
5 - Zach (5-2)

3 - Barry Wang (0-1)
vs.
6 - Jerm (0-0)

2 - BUH (4-4)
vs.
7 - Michael (4-1)

PS- If you lose this week, you may still be in this thing. If Jerm and Barry don't get their picks in, I'll just take two of you who are making the effort this week. If anyone thinks that's cheap, eat me.

Good luck to all, except Whitewater...

Picks Challenge Tournament: Elite Eight

2006-05-03T09:45:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S LINES:

Milwaukee +11.5 at Detroit
Washington +5.5 at Cleveland

IMPORTANT NOTE: Starting tomorrow, everyone must stop posting their picks in the comment section and instead, email me them at APeretore@gmail.com If you haven't figured out why this is the case, don't worry about it.

NOTE 2: There are only 7 guaranteed games left to be played this week. In total, there are 14 possible games, but that's assuming each of the remaining series goes to 7. Thus, it would be wise to load up on picks now so you don't finish shy of the mandatory 15.

MATCHUPS:

1 - Johnny Whitewater (3-3)
vs.
8 - Anthony/Curtis (3-2)

4 - Simon Chan (4-2)
vs.
5 - Zach (3-2)

3 - Barry Wang (0-0)
vs.
6 - Jerm (0-0)

2 - BUH (3-3)
vs.
7 - Michael (2-1)

Good luck to all, except Whitewater...

Picks Challenge Tournament: Elite Eight

2006-05-02T08:43:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S LINES:

Indiana +7 at New Jersey - *Peja doubtful, Foster, Tinsley questionable*
Chicago +8.5 at Miami - *Chandler questionable*
Sacramento +9 at San Antonio
LA Lakers +6.5 at Phoenix

NOTE 2: There are only 10 guaranteed games left to be played this week. In total, there are 18 possible games, but that's assuming each of the remaining series goes to 7. Thus, it would be wise to load up on picks now so you don't finish shy of the mandatory 15.

MATCHUPS:

1 - Johnny Whitewater (1-1)
vs.
8 - Anthony/Curtis (2-0)

4 - Simon Chan (2-0)
vs.
5 - Zach (0-1)

3 - Barry Wang (0-0)
vs.
6 - Jerm (0-0)

2 - BUH (2-0)
vs.
7 - Michael (0-0)

Good luck to all, except Whitewater...

Picks Challenge Tournament: Elite Eight

2006-05-01T09:46:00.000-04:00

Pending the site isn't internally destroyed by Dirk and/or Curtis, we will begin the first round of the Picks Challenge Tournament tonight. It was a tough decision on how many games to pick this week, and I've concluded that it's not safe to go with any more than 15. By my calculation, there is the possibility of 26 games being played this week, but only 13 of which are guarenteed. Thus, I feel that 15 is most logical. We will play a head-to-head format and the team with the most victories for the week will advance. The tie-breaker game will be announced later in the week.

MATCHUPS:

(1) Johnny Whitewater
vs.
(8) Anthony/Curtis

(4) Simon Chan
vs.
(5) Zach

(3) Barry Wang
vs.
(6) Jerm

(2) BUH
vs.
(7) Michael

TODAY'S LINES:

Dallas -2.5 at Memphis - *Eddie Jones questionable*
Detroit -7 at Milwaukee - *R. Hamilton, B. Simmons probable*
Denver +6 at LA Clippers - *K. Martin suspended*
I would not recommend taking just 1 game per night. Remember, we don't know how long these series are going to last.

Good luck to all, except Whitewater...

Sunday's Playoffs Picks Challenge

2006-04-30T11:22:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S LINES:

Miami -2.5 at Chicago
Phoenix +1.5 at L.A. Lakers
Cleveland +4 at Washington
San Antonio -4 at Sacramento

STANDINGS:

1. Michael (9-7)
2. Curtis (10-9)
3. Dirk Diggler (9-9)
4. Ant (8-9)
5. Will Shu (7-11)
6. Rob Bobberson (DQF)

Saturday's Playoff Picks Challenge

2006-04-29T11:56:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S LINES

New Jersey -2 at Indiana
Dallas +1 at Memphis
Detroit -6 at Milwaukee
LA Clippers +3.5 at Denver

STANDINGS

1. Michael (7-5)
2. Ant (7-7)
3. Dirk Diggler (7-9)
4. Curtis (7-9)
5. Will Shu (5-10)
6. Bobberson (0-200)

top 2 advance....

IMPORTANT NOTE: There are only 8 games left between today and tomorrow. Each game that you're short of 20 counts as a loss.

Friday's Playoff Picks Challenge

2006-04-28T11:49:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S LINES:

Cleveland +3 at Washington
San Antonio -2 at Sacramento
Phoenix +3 at LA Lakers

STANDINGS

1. Michael (5-4)

2. Ant (6-6)

3. Dirk Diggler (7-7)

4. Curtis (6-8)

5. Will Shu (5-7)

6. Bobberson (0-200)

Top 2 advance

IMPORTANT NOTE: There are only 11 games left from tonight through Sunday. Each game that you're short of 20 counts as a loss.

Lines from Wagerline.com

2006 NFL Mock Draft

2006-04-27T15:58:00.000-04:00

I'm bored...

1. Houston Texans - RB Reggie Bush, USC
2. New Orleans Saints - DE Mario Williams, N.C. State
3. Tennessee Titans - QB Matt Leinart, USC
4. New York Jets - OT D'Brickashaw Ferguson (Although somehow they will get Leinart)
5. Green Bay Packers - LB A.J. Hawk, Ohio State
6. San Francisco 49ers - TE Vernon Davis, Maryland
7. Oakland Raiders - QB Vince Young, Texas
8. Buffalo Bills - OT Winston Justice, USC
9. Detroit Lions - DB Michael Huff, Texas
10. Arizona Cardinals - QB Jay Cutler, Vanderbilt
11. St. Louis Rams - LB Ernie Sims, Florida State
12. Cleveland Browns - DT Haloti Ngata, Oregon
13. Baltimore Ravens - DT Brodrick Bunkley, Florida State
14. Philadelphia Eagles - WR Santonio Holmes, Ohio State
15. Denver Broncos - WR Chad Jackson, Florida
16. Miami Dolphins - LB Chad Greenway, Iowa
17. Minnesota Vikings - DE Kamerion Wimbley, Florida State
18. Dallas Cowboys - S Donte Whitner, Ohio State
19. San Diego Chargers - Antonio Cromartie, Florida State
20. Kansas City Chiefs - CB Tye Hill, Clemson
21. New England Patriots - RB Joseph Addai, LSU
22. San Francisco 49ers - CB Jimmy Williams, Virginia Tech
23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- CB Jonathan Joseph, South Carolina
24. Cincinnati Bengals - DE Manny Lawson, N.C. State
25. New York Giants - CB Ashton Youbouty, Ohio State
26. Chicago Bears - CB Kelly Jennings, Miami
27. Carolina Panthers - RB DeAngelo WIlliams, Memphis
28. Jacksonville Jaguars - DE Mathias Kiwanuka, Boston College
29. New York Jets - RB LenDale White, USC
30. Indianapolis Colts - RB Laurence Maroney, Minnesota
31. Seattle Seahawks -DB Jason Allen, Tennessee
32. Pittsburgh Steelers - WR Sinorice Moss, Miami

Feel free to post yours as well...

Thursday's Playoff Picks Challenge

2006-04-27T08:28:00.000-04:00

First off, go to this website and spread this link. This guy deserves it. Thanks

TODAY'S LINES:

New Jersey +1 at Indiana (7:30) - *Peja, Tinsley questionable*
Miami +1 at Chicago (8:00) - *Haslem back, Zo, D. Anderson, M. Allen questionable*
LA Clippers +5 at Denver (10:30) - *K. Martin suspended, C. Kaman doubtful*

STANDINGS

1. Michael (5-1)

2. Ant (6-4)

3. Dirk Diggler (6-5)

4. Curtis (5-6)

5. Will Shu (4-5)

6. Bobberson (0-20)

Top 2 advance

IMPORTANT NOTE: There are only 14 games left from tonight through Sunday, so keep that in mind as the week wears on. Remember, each game that you're short of 20 counts as a loss.

Lines from Wagerline.com

Wednesday's Playoff Picks Challenge

2006-04-26T12:00:00.000-04:00

The list of captions I could put up with this picture are endless, but it looks the most like Yao just put his hand in a puddle of a teammate's ass sweat. That's always fun...

TODAY'S LINES:

Milwaukee +11.5 at Detroit - *Hamilton probable, Kukoc doubtful*
Memphis +7 at Dallas
LA Lakers +5 at Phoenix - *C. Mihm questionable*

STANDINGS

1. Michael (3-0)

2. Dirk Diggler (4-4)

3. Will Shu (3-3)

4. Ant (3-4)

5. Curtis (3-5)

6. Bobberson (0-20)

Top 2 advance

IMPORTANT NOTE: There are only 17 games left from tonight through Sunday, so keep that in mind as the week wears on. Remember, each game that you're short of 20 counts as a loss.

Lines from Wagerline.com

Tuesday's Playoff Picks Challenge

2006-04-25T13:57:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S LINES:

Washington +4.5 at Cleveland
Indiana +7 at New Jersey - *J. Tinsely doubtful*
Sacramento +11 at San Antonio - *Artest suspended*

STANDINGS

1. Michael (3-0)

2. Ant (2-2)

3. Curtis (2-3)

4. Dirk Diggler (2-3)

5. Will Shu (1-2)

Top 2 advance

IMPORTANT NOTE: There are only 20 games left from tonight through Sunday, so keep that in mind as the week wears on. Remember, each game you're short of 20 counts as a loss.

Lines from Wagerline.com

Monday's Playoff Picks Challenge

2006-04-24T10:09:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S LINES:

Chicago +7.5 at Miami
Denver +3.5 at LA Clippers

STANDINGS

1. Michael (2-0)

2. Curtis (2-2)

3. Ant (1-1)

4. Dirk Diggler (2-3)

5. Will Shu (0-1)

Lines from Wagerline.com

Sunday's Playoff Picks Challenge

2006-04-23T15:17:00.000-04:00

Sorry about the early game fellas...

TODAY'S PLAYOFF LINES:

--LA Lakers +7 at Phoenix (3:30 PM)
--Milwaukee +12 at Detroit (7 PM)
--Memphis +7 at Dallas (9:30 PM)

Saturday's Playoff Picks Challenge

2006-04-22T12:38:00.000-04:00

Remember, only Dirk, Will, Curtis, Michael, and myself are picking games this week. We will all need to have selected 20 games by the end of the day next Sunday. Top 2 advance to the Final Tournament. Feel the pressure...

TODAY'S LINES:

--Washington +5 at Cleveland (3 PM)
--Sacramento +8.5 at San Antonio (5:30)
--Chicago +8 at Miami (8 PM)
--Denver +4.5 at LA Clippers (10:30)

Don't choke guys, that would suck

Final Regular Season Picks Challenge Standings

2006-04-20T17:02:00.000-04:00

FINAL REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS

1) J. Whitewater** (156-132-7)

2) BUH (155-136-4)

3) Barry Wang* (151-138-6)

4) Simon Chan (149-138-8)

5) Zach (150-141-4)

6) Jerm* (145-142-8)

7) Anthony* (145-147-3)

8) Dirk Diggler* (144-146-5)

9) Will Shu** (141-147-7)

10) Michael*** (140-148-7)

11) Curtis* (138-151-6)

* Denotes a weekly win

PLAYOFF FORMAT: Now that the regular season is over, the top 6 competitors will have a bye week. The remaining 5 participants will have a 9 day, 20 pick playoff to determine the final two Playoff spots. Once our final 8 are decided, there will be a tournment style format, with 1 playing 8, 2 vs. 7, etc. That bracket will appear next Sunday with your match-up.

For now, the Picks Challenge will be shut down until Saturday when the first Playoff games begin. The five of us in the playoff have from Saturday, April 22-Sunday, April 30 to pick 20, and ONLY 20 games. Best of luck...

Odds & Ends

2006-04-04T19:17:00.000-04:00

Yeah, I'm really pumped too

Okay, so maybe I wasn’t totally honest about this whole job transition thing. I kind of forget to mention that I have a week off before starting my new position. So because of my enormous conscience and the fact that I started seeing Will Shu, Barry Wang, and Curtis in my dreams, I decided to write a little something about what’s going on in the basketball world today.

--What are the chances of the staff at ESPN.com walking in today pumped up to follow the NCAA Women’s Championship game? Besides Chloe and Abby, which employees wouldn’t have saved today as the one day they called in sick? Seriously, aside from the entire gay and lesbian population and a bunch of ladies that want to bone Geno Auriemma, who really cares about tonight’s game? I actually hate it so much that I go so far as to rooting against both teams to just flat out suck so that maybe, just maybe, this entire sport will somehow vanish from the earth. Just take a look at the front page of ESPN.com right now. There is a picture of huddled “Lady Blue Devils” with the caption reading, “They Got Next”. Excuse me? They got the next what? You mean the national spotlight where people go out drinking to watch the game, while totally disregarding the fact that they have work at 8 AM the next morning? Really? Should I be making plans right now? Hold on, I’ll be right back I gotta make sure my Monique Currie jersey is ironed. (Sorry if I’m offending any of you, because if you truly like women’s basketball, then I respect that. Just please respect the fact that I would rather watch high school water polo than tonight’s game. Or an episode of Joey. Either one.)

--As for last night’s men’s championship, I gotta say, my hat is off to Billy Donovan and his squad. But what I came away most impressed with (besides Joakim Noah blowing kisses to the UCLA cheerleaders with just under 10 minutes to go) were the heartfelt responses Donovan gave in the postgame press conference. If you missed it, here’s a quick summary of the points he made:

1) Florida wasn’t necessarily the best team in the country, just a team that got hot at the right time and was built to stay strong in tournament competition.

2) He owes his father and Rick Pitino a debt of gratitude not for winning a championship, but for how they showed him how to teach others.

3) That he’s more proud of himself for his ability to reach his players and teach them what it takes to be better individuals and basketball players than he is for winning the championship.

It was quite remarkable how humble Donovan truly was. Many coaches try and say the right things all the time, thanking their families, past coaches, teachers, etc. but still come off as arrogant pricks. Florida’s coach absolutely did not. I believed every word that came from his mouth last night and believe that same integrity and dedication is what got him his first national title.

--I like Noah, don’t get me wrong, but is it too much to ask for him to get some braces? His father won the French Open for God’s sake, it’s not like he’s a factory worker at GM. Hey Yannick, your son could very well be the first pick in the Draft this summer, stop letting him look like a jack-o-lantern.

--I think Taurean Green was the second best player on the floor last night. The way he handled the variation of presses UCLA through at him was phenomenal. How many times did the Gators finish with a flush that was generated by Green’s penetration? Now sure, perhaps a handful of collegiate players could have handled the break just as well as Green did, but his maturity and confidence really impressed me. If he works hard on his jumper this summer, I can see him becoming a mid-1st round prospect next season. (Plus, his little dance to end the game was excellent)

--Since I really don’t know much about the NBA and just follow the boxscores, I thought I’d present to you what I know best, fantasy tips. If you’re in head-to-head leagues right now, you absolutely cannot hold on to players who simply look good on paper. Don’t keep Darius Miles on your roster because he had a solid first three weeks of the season. Swallow your pride if you selected him in the 3rd round and go get a player who is actually contributing to his team. From what I hear, DM is an absolutely asshole who has no regard for his coaches and teammates and on top of it, still has a bum knee. I’m assuming it’s Playoff time for most of you this week, so make sure to really put a lot of thought into your moves, not only for the following day, but for the entire week at hand.

--It feels pretty good to write again, perhaps I’ll hit you guys up again later this week.

Dear Readers

2006-03-23T08:54:00.000-05:00

Hey guys,
I wanted to take the time to explain to you why the content on the site has been so slow/poor lately. A lot of you have been loyal readers for over a year now and expect to come here and read well-thought out, detailed work. And I don't blame you. The thing is, I've now accepted a new job which starts in a few weeks and so now I'm absolutely swamped at my current job. And when I'm not working, I'm busy looking for a new place to live and wrapping up the details with my future employer. Needless to say, the last thing on my mind has been the NBA. So, the time has come for me to pass the torch. In accepting this new job, there is no way I can maintain the site on a regular basis anymore. Perhaps I could put up an article once, maybe twice a week, but that would be a serious stretch. Thus, I'd like to offer the opportunity to some of you to carry on the tradition of the Source. If you're interested in working for/purchasing the site please email me at APeretore@gmail.com

Again, I'm sorry it's come to this, but it's damn near impossible to maintain this site by myself. I hope you all understand.

Sincerely,

Anthony

Dear Draft Lottery, I Hate You

2006-03-22T16:30:00.000-05:00

This jersey should have been teal Allen

I bet at least once a day something in this world makes you say, “Man, why is that like that?” Like why is there that gaping hole in the road that my tire just slammed into going 75 MPH? Why does my computer freeze up after I’ve worked on a spreadsheet for the last two hours without saving it? And why did I unnoticeably just dip my tie in yogurt before a big meeting? But even after I smash my stapler into the wall or huck my sandwich at a co-worker passing by, I tend to realize that no matter what, these daily annoyances in the real world will never cease. Within the sporting world however, things are different. We can fire the referees and umpires calling games well into their AARP years. We can eliminate the aggravating sideline reporters that bring absolutely nothing to the table. We can have analysts like Tom Tolbert and Suzyn Waldman killed—and the list goes on. But the one issue I would address first, is the pointless tradition of the NBA Draft Lottery. It makes absolutely no sense. Why shouldn’t the worst team get the first pick like in every other sport? Why should a team who narrowly missed the Playoffs be eligible for a higher pick than the #14 they deserve? And while you may be sitting there thinking, “who cares?”, think about the teams (and their fans) who have gotten royally screwed by this over the years. Don’t believe me? Check out the top 5 picks of the last ten Drafts and where some of the game’s superstars could/should of landed.

Note: the “Unlotterized Draft Order” simply means awarding the worst teams (record-wise) with the highest picks

1996

Lottery Draft
1. Philadelphia: Allen Iverson (Georgetown)
2. Toronto: Marcus Camby (Massachusetts)
3. Vancouver: Shareef Abdur-Rahim (California)
4. Milwaukee: Stephon Marbury (Georgia Tech)*
5. Minnesota: Ray Allen (Connecticut)*

*Milwaukee traded the rights to Marbury to Minnesota for the rights to Allen and a future 1st round pick.

Unlotterized Draft Order
1. Vancouver
2. Philadelphia
3. Toronto
4. Milwaukee
5. Minnesota

Analysis: You don’t need to be to be the head of NASA engineering to figure out that this means Iverson should have been a Grizzly (too bad Stern decided to restrict their # of ping pong balls--more on this later). Imagine all the fun we could have had writing about the endless saga between AI and “Big Country” Reeves? And how long do you think Allen would have tolerated that? A month? Two months? And where would he have ended up? You see, the entire landscape of the NBA over the last decade might have changed had the Grizzlies been awarded their rightful #1. In addition, as you continue reading take note of how many times Vancouver/Memphis reappears in the unlotterized top 5. If they had Iverson, would that have still been the case?

1997

Lottery Draft
1. San Antonio: Tim Duncan (Wake Forest)
2. Philadelphia: Keith Van Horn (Utah)*
3. Boston: Chauncey Billups (Colorado)
4. Vancouver: Antonio Daniels (Bowling Green)
5. Denver: Tony Battie (Texas Tech)

*Philadelphia traded Van Horn, Don MacLean, Michael Cage, & Lucious Harris to New Jersey for Jim Jackson, Eric Montross, Tim Thomas, and Anthony Parker

Unlotterized Draft Order
1. Boston
2. Vancouver
3. San Antonio
4. Denver
5. Philadelphia

Analysis: Thanks to "Champ Kind", I realized my mistake in thinking the Grizz had more ping pong balls than the C's for this Draft. But as he said, Vancouver's # of balls were restricted (ala John Kruk) due to the fact that they were still in their expansion era (which makes a ton of sense). Seriously, why hold back a team from drafting talented youth in their early stages? Does that make any sense at all? We'll see the same scenario later with the Bobcats. Anyway, the primary reason I hate the lottery so much is due to this season. After losing Lenny Bias and Reggie Lewis to premature deaths, Duncan was exactly what the C's needed. Now ten years later, banner #17 is still yet to be flying in Beantown. What a shame...

1998

Lottery Draft
1. LA Clippers: Michael Olowokandi (Pacific)
2. Vancouver: Mike Bibby (Arizona)
3. Denver: Raef LaFrentz (Kansas)
4. Toronto: Antawn Jamison (North Carolina)*
5. Golden State: Vince Carter (North Carolina)*

*Golden State traded Carter and cash to Toronto for Jamison

Unlotterized Draft Order
1. Denver
2. Toronto
3. LA Clippers
4. Golden State
5. Vancouver

Analysis: Assuming the picks would have remained the same 1-5, this not only means that Denver would have ended up with the Kandi Man, but that Vancouver would have had yet another All-Star caliber player to choose from (Jamison or Carter). Also, the Raptors would have been in position to nab their PG of the future in Bibby—a position they desperately needed after trading Damon Stoudamire to Portland.

1999

Lottery Draft
1. Chicago: Elton Brand (Duke)
2. Vancouver: Steve Francis (Maryland)
3. Charlotte: Baron Davis (UCLA)
4. LA Clippers: Lamar Odom (Rhode Island)
5. Toronto: Jonathan Bender (H.S.)

Unlotterized Draft Order
1. Vancouver
2. LA Clippers
3. Chicago
4. Denver
5. New Jersey

Analysis: Need I even go on? I’m ready to burst into tears for Vancouver. And where the hell did Charlotte come from? They were the 14th worst team in the league that year—how is that remotely fair? Denver also got ripped off seeing that they should have ended up with one of those top 4 guys. Perhaps those two teams (CHA and DEN) made a prior deal that swapped their picks? I couldn’t find this info anywhere, if you find anything let me know.

2000

Lottery Draft
1. New Jersey: Kenyon Martin (Cincinnati)
2. Vancouver: Stromile Swift (LSU)
3. LA Clippers: Darius Miles (H.S.)
4. Chicago: Marcus Fizer (Iowa State)
5. Orlando (from GS): Mike Miller (Florida)

Unlotterized Draft Order
1. LA Clippers
2. Chicago
3. Golden State
4. Vancouver
5. Atlanta

Analysis: These are the scenarios that kill me the most. The Nets, with the 7th worst record in the league, nab the 1st overall pick. How can league officials allow this to continue? Do they enjoy seeing the Grizzlies and Clippers of the league struggle for decades? Why doesn’t David Stern realize that the game needs more parity and that eliminating the lottery is an excellent first step?

2001

Lottery Draft
1. Washington: Kwame Brown (H.S.)
2. LA Clippers: Tyson Chandler (H.S.)
3. Memphis (from ATL): Pau Gasol (Spain)
4. Chicago: Eddy Curry (H.S.)
5. Golden State: Jason Richardson (Michigan State)

Unlotterized Draft Order
1. Chicago
2. Golden State
3. Washington
4. Vancouver
5. Atlanta

Analysis: Isn’t ironic that Jordan’s Wizards somehow ended up with the 1st pick? Quite incredible, wouldn’t you say? Too bad Kwame ending up biting them in the ass. But what if they had had the unlotterized third pick instead? At that slot they would have been in position to take Gasol and thus, could have been an entirely different team today. Seriously, replace Brendan Haywood with Pau and who beats the Wizards right now? But then again, with Gasol perhaps then they don’t sign Arenas or trade for Jamison. Remember, there’s always two ways to look at it…

2002

Lottery Draft
1. Houston: Yao Ming (China)
2. Chicago: Jay Williams (Duke)
3. Golden State: Mike Dunleavy (Duke)
4. Memphis: Drew Gooden (Kansas)
5. Denver: Nickoloz Tskitishvili (Georgia)

Unlotterized Draft Order
1. Chicago
2. Golden State
3. Memphis
4. Denver
5. Houston

Analysis: Obviously the biggest observation we pull from this is that the Bulls should have had Yao rather than Jay Williams. While one guy is establishing himself as a premier center in the league, the other is writing blogs discussing how mangled his leg was after the motorcycle accident. What an unfortunate turn of events for both the Bulls and J-Will.

2003

Lottery Draft
1. Cleveland: LeBron James (H.S.)
2. Detroit (from MEM): Darko Milicic (Serbia-Montenegro)
3. Denver: Carmelo Anthony (Syracuse)
4. Toronto: Chris Bosh (Georgia Tech)
5. Miami: Dwyane Wade (Marquette)

Unlotterized Draft Order
1. Cleveland
2. Denver
3. Toronto
4. Miami
5. LA Clippers

Analysis: I find this Draft as the most interesting to break down. Notice how without the lottery, Memphis wouldn’t have even been a top 5 pick? That means Darko to Detroit would have never gone down. Thus, the unlotterized Draft would have most likely put ‘Melo in Toronto, Bosh in Miami, and Wade in LA (had the picks remained the same). Let that settle in your minds…

2004

Lottery Draft
1. Orlando: Dwight Howard (H.S.)
2. Charlotte: Emeka Okafor (Connecticut)
3. Chicago: Ben Gordon (Connecticut)
4. LA Clippers: Shaun Livingston (H.S.)
5. Dallas (from WAS): Devin Harris (Wisconsin)

Unlotterized Draft Order
1. Charlotte
2. Orlando
3. Chicago
4. Washington
5. Atlanta

Analysis: It’s complete bullshit that Charlotte wasn’t granted the #1 overall pick in this Draft. They were an expansion team for God’s sake, give them a break. You may not think it’s a big deal now, but watch when Dwight Howard is absolutely dominating and Emeka Okafor is stuck on the sidelines reading Grant Hill’s autobiography.

2005

Lottery Draft
1. Milwaukee: Andrew Bogut (Utah)
2. Atlanta: Marvin Williams (North Carolina)
3. Utah (from Portland): Deron Williams (Illinois)
4. New Orleans: Chris Paul (Wake Forest)
5. Charlotte: Raymond Felton (North Carolina)

Unlotterized Draft Order
1. Atlanta
2. New Orleans
3. Charlotte
4. Utah
5. Portland

Analysis: Um, notice how Milwaukee is nowhere to be found in the unlotterized version? But because of this senseless lottery tradition, they now own one of the best young versatile big men in the game. So, say Atlanta took Bogut instead, where would that have left the rest of the lottery? Would the Hornets have left Marv on the board and still taken CP3? What would Charlotte have done, taken Deron Williams instead? And maybe one of them would have nabbed Gerald Green instead of letting him free fall. Kind of crazy to imagine all the possibilities…

Triple Threat

2006-03-20T16:49:00.000-05:00

AI: Back to street clothes

3 Players on Fire

1. Joe Johnson, Atlanta
Remember back in the summer when I predicted JJ to become the NBA’s next star ala Amare from a season ago? Well if you don’t remember some of the responses I received, here are a handful of quotes from you, the readers.

“I hope Joe Johnson does have a breakout year, but I'm not expecting it. He was the last guy you worried about shutting down out of the Sun's starting five - now he's #1.”

“Hi, I’m Chris. Greeting from Germany Bottrop!!

“Joe will be good, but I don't see him as an all-star on that team.”

“He’ll have 5 or 6 TO per game, if he plays the point full-time.”

For a guy playing his first season in a new uniform, at a new position, for a team with mostly prepubescent talent, an increase in points (3.5), assists (3.1), steals (0.3), FG% (0.3%), and FT% (3.7%) ain’t too shabby. In fact, since February 22nd JJ has put up 27.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 8.4 APG—certainly “star” numbers by anyone’s standards. And as for those 5 or 6 turnovers per game, they have thus far equated to only 3.3. And while that total may rank as 5th worse in the league, look at the four guys ahead of him: Nash, Arenas, Wade, and Pierce. All this means is that the more times you touch the rock, the more prone you are to coughing it up. Go ask a mathematician.

2. Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas
Remember back in college when you’d get that one Wednesday in February where it was like 65 degrees and the majority of the campus pranced around in t-shirts, shorts, and Birkenstocks only to come down with a vicious cold by the weekend? And yet you, as the only guy with enough sense not to rock one of those sleeveless Abercrombie T’s that read something like “My Major=Happy Hour”, got screwed out of a great weekend because everyone else was sick. Well I bet that’s kind of how Dirk feels right now with Howard, Daniels, Griffin, Harris, and Van Horn all missing time while he’s gearing up for the race for the 1 seed. Hell, recently the team has even started Rawle Marshall, the equivalent to you calling that random kid in your psych class to see if he’s going out. Just an unfortunate situation all around.

3. Kevin Garnett, Minnesota
This isn’t so much for his play over the last week or so (22.8 PPG, 13.4 RPG, & 2.4 SPG), which was decent at best, but more so for what I expect to come. You see, when I enter my DefCon 4 level of frustration, I just go around throwing/breaking/destroying things. KG on the other hand, enters his “Please, for the love of everything sacred and holy, don’t get in my way” mode. Personally, I’m very excited for it. This will conveniently segue into Garnett demanding a trade this summer and him finally getting a chance to win a title for a team that respects him.

3 Players in the Dumps

1. Eric Snow, Cleveland
I don’t get it, how can a guy who does practically nothing remain in the starting lineup for a contending team? Over his last five games, Snow has tallied nearly 33 minutes a night, while putting up just 2.2 PPG, 1.2 RPG, and 4.2 APG. Seriously, what’s the minimum requirement for a player to net those stats playing alongside LeBron James? Stay alive? I really think I could be just as effective as Snow, if not more. Picture it—everyone double-teams LeBron, leaving me wide open for a layup, boom, two points. Then, every other time I touch the ball I give it to James, boom, 4 dimes (minimum). I guess Mike Brown really has no choice with Damon Jones for a backup.

2. Allen Iverson, Philadelphia
Man, is there anyone with worse luck than Iverson? First they stick him with Webber (he’d probably rather play with Brian Sclalabrine), then his name surfaces in trade rumors, now his ankle has forced him to the bench while his teammates slowly destroy his Playoff hopes. At least there’s plenty of weed in Philly.

3. Tracy McGrady, Houston
Last summer if you told me that Orlando would end up on top of the T-Mac-Francis deal I would have said you’re crazy. Now, you’d be absolutely right. They pushed Francis out for a ton of cap room and gave up Cato for Darko. Meanwhile, T-Mac’s hanging out with Lee Trevino and Don Mattingly in some chiropractor’s office.

3 Teams on Fire

1. Miami Heat (45-21)
Here’s concrete proof that if you’re a headline reader, you’ll never get the full story. Sure Miami has won 15 of 16 , but have any of you stopped to see that only three of those wins came against teams with winning records? Beating up on the Bostons, Atlantas, Charlottes, and New Yorks of the NBA world can only get you so far come May and June. However, I do like the fact that Pat Riley is finally warming to the idea of using Shaq and ‘Zo together. Long overdue, don’t you think?

2. San Antonio Spurs (52-14)
Yeah, yeah, winners of 8 out of their last 10, now tied with Detroit for most wins in the league, owners of the 1 seed out West—it’s all fine and dandy. But what matters most is getting rest for Manu and Duncan because playing with any of these two at less than 90-100% in the Playoffs will spell trouble, trust me.

3. Sacramento Kings (33-33)
They are 15-9 since Artest’s arrival, winners of 7 out of their last 10, and the owners of the 8th seed in the West. If you were Dallas, San Antonio, or Phoenix, would you really want to face this Kings team? I sure wouldn’t…

3 Teams in the Dumps

1. Philadelphia 76ers (31-35)
Randy Ayers, Chris Ford, Jim O’Brien, and Mo Cheeks. Three coaches in three years with relatively no improvement. You know what that means don’t you? Billy King’s house should have a for sale sign in front of it by April 20th.

2. Detroit Pistons (52-13)
On the one hand, it’s a good thing to be considered slumping when you lose four of ten. But on the other hand, there’s definite room for concern when you lose to the Knicks. At this point Rutgers would be favored against New York.

3. Portland Trailblazers (20-46)
Don’t get me wrong, I still think it’s a hell of an achievement for Nate McMillan to have won 20 games with this team. But what I don’t get is Nate’s blatant disregard for those of us who have fantasy leagues to win. For instance, with Zach Randolph missing Saturday’s game at Milwaukee, Darius Miles got the start, played 43 minutes and put up 26/6/4/1/2. In addition, Joel Przybilla (recently back from injury) also got the starting nod and tallied 14 and 11 in 34 minutes of work. You think the fact that they only lost by 4, when they dropped their previous three by an average of 19.0 points might give McMillan a clue that these guys can ball? I mean, as cool as it is to lose by 29 to the Bulls, I bet all of the Blazers would rather play competitive basketball every night. Well, the same goes for me in fantasy.

3 Fantasy Buys

1. F Danny Granger, Indiana
It was reported today that as long as Jermaine O’Neal and Austin Croshere remain sidelined, Granger will continue to warrant a starting nod. However, Coach Carlisle informed the media that if he had a choice, he would rather have the rookie forward come off the pine. Wake up Rick, the kid can ball: 18.5 PPG and 6.5 RPG in his last two starts.

2. SF Trevor Ariza, Orlando
This is going out on a pretty flimsy limb here, but I think Sunday’s 10-8-5 performance in 18 minutes might serve as a wake up call for Brian Hill. His other option at the 2 right now is DeShawn Stevenson, a guy that brings absolutely nothing to the table but 11 points. So at this point in the year, why not let the kid step in and see what he can do alongside Jameer Nelson? It just might happen…

3. PF Reggie Evans, Denver
With Marcus Camby and Kenyon Martin listed as questionable almost every night, it’d be very wise for you to take a shot on Evans. Check at his numbers on the glass when given 30+ minutes in a Nuggets uni: 16, 8, 20, and 10. What’s even more appealing here (for you and Coach Karl) is that those have been all wins.

3 Fantasy Sells

1. Any Knick aside from Francis and Marbury
If this is a shock to you, pack up your team right now because you’re not seeing a penny from your league anyway.

2. Stromile Swift, Houston
There are no words to describe the frustration I feel when discussing this player. Anytime Dikembe Mutombo is stealing minutes from you after you just signed a lucrative offseason deal, you should contemplate killing yourself.

3. Jake Tsakalidis, Memphis
Don’t lie now, did he rope you into picking him up last week? C’mon admit it, he’s sitting on your bench as we speak, isn’t he? Here’s a rule I’d like to share with you. Anytime you can say, “Dude, it’s bleeping ______________!”, he’s more than likely a guy you should avoid. Players that fall into this category include: Tsakalidis, Jake Voskuhl, any of the Collins twins, Vitaly Potapenko, John Edwards, and every other player we’ve ever made fun of on this site.

3 Thoughts from the NCAA Tournament

1. Bracketology
Anyone else want to punch Joe Lunardi in the face? Seriously, can my bracket be any worse at this point? Out of 333 in my office pool, you know what place I’m in? 327th. And you know what peeves me the most, that I know more about college basketball than 99% of these people. Every year I watch more and more games, read more and more articles, watch more and more shows, and yet every year I do worse. Bradley and George Mason? C’mon now, is there one person on earth with those two teams in his Sweet Sixteen? What bothers me the most about these pools is that people with absolutely no knowledge of college basketball are making me look like a complete moron. For instance, one guy in my department is currently 6th overall and you know what he said to me this morning? “I didn’t realize teams played more than one game over the course of the first few days. I turned on the television yesterday and was so surprised to see more games being played.” These are the people that pick George Mason to win because they did their undergrad there or liked Georgetown because they had “prettiest outfits”. I swear, next year I’m letting 3-month old sister fill this thing out.

2. Adam Morrison/JJ Redick Debate
I don’t care how great these two are as scorers, I just don’t see either as good enough to warrant a top-5 pick. Redick may serve as a nasty 3-point specialist off someone’s bench, but anything more than that will be asking a lot. And Morrison, well sure he scores at will against the St. Mary’s and San Franciscos of the collegiate world, but who the hell is he going to outmuscle in the NBA with those Ally McBeal arms? Both players need to bulk up fast and also work on getting their teammates more involved. (And while we’re at it, what the hell is Rudy Gay’s deal? It seems to me that everyone defending him is either 2-3 inches smaller, or 1-2 two steps slower. Yet there he is sitting on the perimeter waiting for something to open up rather than creating it himself. I can assure you that I’m not the only one recognizing this and that Jim Calhoun has been pushing for Gay to dominate just as much as I am. Thus the question arises, is he ever going to get it?)

3. Final Four Picks
Without any explanation: Texas, Gonzaga, UConn, Villanova (now go to Gertrude in the mailroom and get the real winners)

2006 NCAA Tourney Picks

2006-03-16T11:15:00.000-05:00

ATLANTA

1st Round
Duke
George Washington
Texas A&M
LSU
West Virginia
Iowa
N.C. St.
Texas

2nd Round
Duke
Texas A&M
Iowa
Texas

Sweet Sixteen
Duke
Texas

Elite Eight
Texas

OAKLAND

1st Round
Memphis
Bucknell
Pittsburgh
Kansas
San Diego St.
Gonzaga

2nd Round
Marquette
UCLA
Bucknell
Kansas
Gonzaga
Marquette

Sweet Sixteen
Kansas
Gonzaga

Elite Eight
Gonzaga

WASHINGTON D.C.

1st Round
UConn
UAB
Utah St.
Illinois
Michigan St.
North Carolina
Wichita St.
Tennessee

2nd Round
UConn
Illinois
Michigan St.
Tennessee

Sweet Sixteen
UConn
Michigan State

Elite Eight
UConn

MINNEAPOLIS

1st Round
Villanova
Wisconsin
Nevada
Boston College
Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Florida
Georgetown
Ohio State

2nd Round
Villanova
Boston College
Wisc-Mil
Ohio State

Sweet Sixteen
Boston College
Ohio State

Elite Eight
Ohio State

FINAL FOUR
Texas 76, Gonzaga 68
UConn 81, Ohio State 73

CHAMPIONSHIP
UConn 77, Texas 72

Stretch Run Fantasy Pick-ups: Atlantic

2006-03-13T16:14:00.000-05:00

The C's expect big things from Baby Al

Boston
If a manager in your league was foolish enough to drop the injury-plagued PF Al Jefferson or C Kendrick Perkins, now is your chance to capitalize. Boston has been playing very well of late and everyone on the team down to the guy who massages Paul Pierce’s groin believes they can sneak into the Playoff race. That said, this goal has no chance to come to fruition without stellar play from their two young bigs. In assuming that F Ryan Gomes has already been snatched up in your league (go get him now if he hasn’t), your best alternative has to be Jeff or Perk.

New Jersey
I wouldn’t trust anyone on this team aside from Kidd, Carter, Jefferson and Krstic. Lawrence Frank is simply too unpredictable to take a chance on anyone else. Plus, who the hell wants Uncle Cliffy or Zoran Planinic?

New York
With this squad, you’re really facing a week-to-week analysis. For instance, F Malik Rose averaged 31+ minutes, 12.3 PPG, and 10.3 RPG in the three games leading up to NY’s contest with Charlotte on Saturday. But of course, against the 'Cats Rose got in early foul trouble and ended up with just 2 points in 9 minutes. Remember, anytime a coach is warranting playing time to as many as 12 guys per night, no pick-up is really a sure thing. Thus, besides Malik, keep an eye on G/F Jalen Rose, F David Lee, and G Jamal Crawford.

Philadelphia
With Allen Iverson bowing out with an ankle injury on Sunday, G/F John Salmons became the chief beneficiary with 32 minutes off the bench. AI was scheduled for an MRI on Monday, but while the results are still pending it may be wise to take a gamble on Salmons. With Iverson nursing an ankle injury in late-January, JS stepped in to average 18.0 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 5.7 APG, and 2.0 SPG over a three-game span. Anything close to these numbers should provide a nice boost to your team during this crucial stretch.

Toronto
Having trouble finding a legit center right now? Join the freakin’ club. One guy out there that you may not be considering is F/C Matt Bonner. Yes he has red hair, no he doesn’t resemble anything close to a pro basketball player, but the guy tends to turn in some rather decent performances. If there are better options out there (Mourning, Dampier, Perkins, Foster, etc.) then don’t bother with Bonner. But if you’re desperate, he might just end up surprising you and the rest of your league.

Real Classy Gil

2006-03-08T11:13:00.000-05:00

In case you missed it, last night's Celtics-Wizards game went down to the wire. With Boston up by 1, Gilbert Arenas came down and burried a 15-footer with just under 14 seconds left to go in overtime. At that point, Arenas backpedaled and gave the Celtics' bench the double-bird. Shortly after, it was Paul Pierce who would have the last say, hitting an off-balance prayer from the wing to send the C's home with a victory. I think it's safe to say that the Washington guard will be facing at least a fine for this classless jesture.

What If Rosters: Southeast Division

2006-03-07T13:57:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Tyner, who provided me with the link that summarizes all of the league’s trade history, I can now complete these articles appropriately. Before you scroll down, beware that it gets pretty messy. There were dozens of decisions regarding transactions (e.g. would you rather Grant Hill or Ben Wallace & Chucky Atkins) and so I went ahead and made the selection I felt better suited that particular team. Please feel free to voice your praise or displeasure.

Atlanta Hawks

Current Roster
Esteban Batista
Josh Childress
John Edwards
Al Harrington (6)
Royal Ivey
Joe Johnson (8)
James Lang
Tyronn Lue
Zaza Pachulia
Donta Smith
Josh Smith (5)
Salim Stoudamire
Marvin Williams

Come & Gone
Jason Terry (1)
Alan Henderson (1)
Lorenzen Wright (3)
Toni Kukoc (7)
Dermarr Johnson
Nazr Mohammed (2)
Brevin Knight (3)
Shareef Abdur-Rahim (3) (4)
Theo Ratliff (4)
Dan Dickau (4)
Rasheed Wallace (4) (5)
Stephen Jackson (6)
Joel Przybilla (2)
Antoine Walker (1)
Boris Diaw (8)

(1) ATL traded Terry, Henderson, and a 1st Rd pick to DAL for Walker and Tony Delk
(2) ATL traded Mohammed for Przybilla, M. Doleac, and a 2nd Rd pick
(3) ATL traded L. Wright, Knight, and the rights to Pau Gasol for Abdur-Rahim and the rights to Jamaal Tinsley
(4) ATL traded Abdur-Rahim, Ratliff, & Dickau for R. Wallace and W. Person
(5) ATL traded Wallace for a 1st Rd pick (J. Smith) and a bunch of crap
(6) ATL traded Jackson to IND for Harrington
(7) ATL traded Kukoc, Leon Smith, and a 1st Rd pick to MIL for Glenn Robinson—that pick turned out to be TJ Ford*
(8) ATL traded Diaw and picks to PHX for Johnson

Transaction decisions
(1) Terry over Walker
(2) Przybilla and a 2nd Rd pick over Mohammed
(3) Wright/Knight/Gasol over Abdur-Rahim/Tinsley
(4) Nulled with previous selection
(5) Nulled with selection #3
(6) Harrington over Jackson
(7) Kukoc, Smith, and Ford over Robinson.
(8) Johnson over Diaw

2005-06 “What If” Roster
PG—J.Terry, B. Knight, T.J. Ford*
SG—J. Johnson, S. Stoudamire, R. Ivey
SF—M. Williams, J. Childress, T. Kukoc
PF—A. Harrington, E. Batista
C—P. Gasol, Z. Pachulia, J. Przybilla, L. Wright

Analysis
Apparently every under-achieving center of the 21st century has to go through Atlanta first before giving fantasy owners the impression they are ready to shine but instead just miserably flop. Seriously, how do the Hawks not get credit for ridding themselves of bums like Nazr, Ratliff, Przybilla, and Lo Wright? Instead of this quartet, they own perhaps the biggest bargain at the center position in Pachulia ($3.4M). Unfortunately, the praise ends there. At the time, I’m sure that Gasol-for-Abdur-Rahim swap seemed like a steal, but now, not so much. One player is a promising young (25) big man quietly establishing himself as the foundation of his team. The other is a perennial candidate for athroscopic knee surgery. In addition, the three players they could really use right now (Terry, Knight, and Ford) are playing some of the best basketball of their careers this season. You might be asking why they need a PG when they have Johnson? Well I think JJ is better suited on the wing and hopefully we’ll get a chance to see that next season.

Charlotte Bobcats

Analyzing the brief history of the Bobcats is not only a waste of time, but it’s unfair to the franchise. Charlotte has not had nearly enough time (or money) to make the necessary moves to compete in this league. Check back in ten years for a thorough breakdown.

Miami Heat

Current Roster
Derek Anderson
Shandon Anderson
Earl Barron
Michael Doleac
Udonis Haslem
Jason Kapono
Alonzo Mourning
Shaquille O’Neal (3)
Gary Payton
James Posey
Wayne Simien
Dwyane Wade
Antoine Walker
Jason Williams
Dorrell Wright

Come & Gone
Kurt Thomas
Voshon Lenard (2)
P.J. Brown (1)
Bruce Bowen (FA to Spurs)
Eddie House (2)
Eddie Jones (1)
Brian Grant (3)
Ricky Davis (1)
Jim Jackson (FA to SAC)
Mike James (FA to BOS)
Caron Butler (3)
Lamar Odom (3)
Rafer Alston (FA to TOR)
Damon Jones (FA to CLE)
Keyon Dooling (FA to ORL)

(1) MIA traded Jamal Mashburn, P.J. Brown, Otis Thorpe, Tim James, and Rodney Buford to CHA for Eddie Jones, Anthony Mason, Ricky Davis, and Dale Ellis.
(2) MIA traded Lenard and Mark Strickland to DEN for Chris Gatling and a 2nd Rd Pick (House)
(3) MIA traded Grant, Butler, and Odom to LAL for O’Neal

Transaction decisions
(1) Jones, Mason, Davis and Ellis over Mashburn, Brown, Thorpe, James, & Buford
(2) Gatling and House over Lenard and Strickland
(3) O’Neal over Grant, Butler, and Odom

2005-06 "What If" Roster
PG—J. Williams, G. Payton, M. James, R. Alston
SG—D. Wade, R. Davis, E. House
SF—B. Bowen, E. Jones, J. Posey
PF—K. Thomas, A. Walker, U. Haslem
C—S. O’Neal, A. Mourning

Analysis
Honestly, the only guy I’d kill to have back from this group is Bowen. Posey has certainly lost a step or two and having that perennial All-Defensive guy would make Wade that much better. Also, I bet most of you didn’t even remember that Davis was a member of this squad back in the day (I didn’t). He would certainly be an offensive upgrade over the Andersons, but not an essential piece to the puzzle. I must say, the Heat management has done an excellent job over the last decade, yet they still remain without that championship banner.

Orlando Magic

Current Roster
Trevor Ariza (1)
Carlos Arroyo
Stacey Augmon
Tony Battie (9)
Travis Diener
Keyon Dooling
Pat Garrity (3)
Grant Hill (2)
Dwight Howard
Mario Kasun
Darko Milicic
Jameer Nelson
Bo Outlaw
DeShawn Stevenson (8)
Hedo Turkoglu

Come & Gone
Shaquille O’Neal (FA to LAL)
Anfernee Hardaway (3)
Michael Doleac
Matt Harpring
Chucky Atkins (2)
Corey Maggette (6)
Earl Boykins (waived)
Ben Wallace (2)
Anthony Johnson (waived)
Tracy McGrady (7)
Mike Miller (5)
Troy Hudson
Gordon Giricek (5) and (8)
Drew Gooden (5) (9)
Steven Hunter (9)
Zaza Pachulia (lost in expansion draft-CHA)
Kelvin Cato (7)
Tyronn Lue (7)
Juwan Howard (7)
Lee Nailon
Steve Francis (1) (7)
Cuttino Mobley (7)
Amare Stoudemire (3 and 4)*
Anderson Varejao (9)

(1) ORL traded Francis to the NYK for Ariza and Penny
(2) ORL traded Atkins and Wallace to DET for Hill
(3) ORL traded Hardaway to PHX for Garrity, Danny Manning, and two 1st Rd picks (Stoudemire and Jason Collins)
(4) ORL traded Bo Outlaw and a 2002 1st Rd pick (A. Stoudemire) to PHX for Jud Buechler and Vinny Del Negro (Yikes)
(5) ORL traded Miller, Ryan Humphrey, a 1st Rd pick (Kendrick Perkins), and a 2nd Rd pick to MEM for Gooden, Giricek, and cash
(6) ORL traded Maggette, Derek Strong, and K. Dooling to LAC for a 1st Rd pick (not yet used)
(7) ORL traded McGrady, Howard, Lue, and Reece Gaines to HOU for Francis, Mobley, and Cato
(8) ORL traded Giricek to UTH for Stevenson
(9) ORL traded Gooden, Hunter, and the rights to Varejao to CLE for Battie, and two 2nd Rd picks

Transaction decisions
(1) Nulled due to trade (7)
(2) Atkins/B. Wallace
(3) Garrity, Manning, and the picks
(4) Outlaw and the 1st Rd pick (Stoudemire)
(5) Miller, Humphrey, and 1st Rd pick (Perkins)
(6) In keeping McGrady, Maggette wouldn’t be necessary, thus I would keep the unused pick
(7) McGrady, Howard, Lue, and Gaines
(8) Nulled by decision (5)
(9) Nulled by decision (5), thus Hunter and Varejao stay

2005-06 "What If" Roster
PG—J. Nelson, E. Boykins, C. Arroyo
SG— T. McGrady, M. Miller, M. Harpring
SF— A. Stoudemire, H. Turkoglu, P. Garrity
PF—D. Howard, J. Howard, Z. Pachulia
C—S. O’Neal, B. Wallace, K. Perkins

Analysis
You had no clue they gave up the pick that turned into Amare, did you? And while it’s unfair to say the Magic definitely would have drafted Stoudemire, I think it’s worth the fun of imagining this nightmarish frontcourt. In addition, perhaps it would be an exaggeration to assume Amare could play the 3, but if you were coaching this team would you really want him or Howard coming off the pine? I wouldn’t, especially not when Miller or Turkoglu would be taking that place. And man, how lucky would Jameer be? He’d have three 20+ scorers, the two best young big men in the game, and a defensive beast and two sharpshooters off the pine. With that bunch, Nelson could average 12 assists with two Stuart Scott eyes.

Washington Wizards

Current Roster
Gilbert Arenas
Andray Blatche
Calvin Booth
Caron Butler (6)
Antonio Daniels
Jarvis Hayes
Brendan Haywood
Antawn Jamison (7)
Jared Jeffries
Peter John Ramos
Michael Ruffin
Awvee Storey
Donnell Taylor
Billy Thomas
Etan Thomas (2)

Come & Gone
Chris Webber (1)
Juwan Howard (2)
Rasheed Wallace (3)
Ben Wallace (4)
Richard Hamilton (5)
Aaron Williams (FA to NJN)
Tyronn Lue (FA to ORL)
Kwame Brown (6)
Bobby Simmons (5)
Chucky Atkins (6)
Juan Dixon (FA to POR)
Jerry Stackhouse (5) (7)
Larry Hughes (FA to CLE)
Brian Cardinal (5)
Steve Blake (FA to POR)
Brevin Knight (waived)

(1) WAS traded Webber to SAC for Mitch Richmond and Otis Thorpe (gross)
(2) WAS traded Howard, Calvin Booth, and Obinna Ekezie to DAL for Christian Laettner, Loy Vaught, Etan Thomas, Hubert Davis, Courtney Alexander, and $3 million
(3) WAS traded R. Wallace and Mitchell Butler to POR for Rod Strickland and Harvey Grant
(4) WAS B. Wallace, Terry Davis, Tim Legler, and Jeff McInnis to ORL for Ike Austin
(5) WAS traded Hamilton, Hubert Davis, and Bobby Simmons to DET for Stackhouse, Cardinal, and Ratko Varda
(6) WAS traded Brown and Laron Profit to LAL for Butler and Atkins
(7) WAS traded Stackhouse, Laettner, and the rights to Devin Harris to DAL for Jamison and $1 million

Transaction decisions
(1) Webber
(2) The latter to A) save money, and B) later move Laettner to DAL (7)
(3) R. Wallace and Butler
(4) B. Wallace and co.
(5) Hamilton, Davis, and Simmons
(6) Butler and Atkins
(7) Jamison

2005-06 "What If" Roster
PG—G. Arenas, B. Knight, A. Daniels
SG—R. Hamilton, L. Hughes, J. Jeffries
SF—A. Jamison, C. Butler, B. Simmons, J. Hayes
PF—C. Webber, R. Wallace
C—B. Wallace, B. Haywood, E. Thomas

Analysis
Notice anything peculiar? No? How about three of the current starting five from Detroit? And take a look at the first five of these seven transactions and the fact that I would have done the opposite of each. What kinds of drugs were flowing through D.C. in the 90s? Webber for two senior citizens? They couldn’t get at least a first round pick out of that trade? I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt with the ‘02 Rip-for-Stack deal (JS was 2nd in the NBA in scoring in ‘00-01), but as for the Big Ben trade that netted them Ike Austin, give me a break. These miserable deals are a true testament to why the Wizards needed eight years to finally reach the postseason.

Atlantic Division

Central Division

R.I.P. Kirby Puckett

2006-03-06T20:50:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite baseball players has died today. I'll miss you Kirby...

Conspiracy Theory

2006-02-28T15:18:00.000-05:00

In analyzing the business-laden world of professional sports, I find it difficult to disregard my skepticism over certain matters. For instance, if you’ve ever made sports gambling a hobby (not recommended), then I’m almost certain you’ve entertained the notion that certain lines may be “fixed”. For about a year of my college life, I honestly believed that Vegas was paying off certain NFL teams to make me lose. I pictured some guy named Ronnie calling Bill Cowher and saying, “Hey pal, that Peretore kid threw another fifty down on you guys, so try not to cover 10, ok?” I was absolutely convinced this was happening (don’t do drugs). But after a while, I realized that it’s damn near impossible to predict who’s going to win week in and week out when betting on human beings. How many guys were out partying the night before, who has diarrhea, who is in the middle of a divorce, etc. And while it took me a while to logically conclude that Vegas and the pro sports leagues were not conspiring against me, my cynicism regarding other issues still remains.

Besides Vegas scheming to make millions off of college students’ Olive Garden tips, what else am I skeptical about? Well, I can’t help but wonder if the NHL (after a yearlong lockout) would go out of their way to assure that a big market team hoists the Stanley Cup this June (Rangers?). Wouldn’t that be the best way to get the league back on track? And what about the NBA? Was that whole Shaq and Kobe subplot a ploy to get more fans to tune in? Also, did Stan Van Gundy really have the urge to go from the NBA sidelines to dealing with his daughter’s first bout with PMS? And what about Phil Jackson, ten rings and all the pot he could smoke wasn’t enough? He really wanted to come back for round 25 with Kobe? See what I mean? The list goes on and on.

And while for the most part those topics remain insignificant in the grand scheme of things, there are a few subjects out there that might not be. Foremost, I wonder how long this saddening destruction of the New York Knicks can continue. Once regarded as one of the most respected teams in all of sports, the Knicks have emerged as the laughing stock of the NBA. In addition, I also question when Michael Jordan expects to make his return to the league. Can a man of his stature (and ego) really sit on the sidelines for that much longer? Is designing sweat suits and sneakers really keeping him that busy? Thus, in an effort to get your brains churning and your imaginations running wild, I present to you my conspiracy theory regarding MJ and the New York Knicks.

Not a day goes by without some NBA website or blog making a crack at Isiah Thomas and/or the Knicks franchise. And while we continue to make these two the butt of our NBA jokes, haven’t any of us stopped to think what is really going on here? How can a league that continues to makes successful strides towards gaining global popularity let the team from its capital city just crumble? When the New York Rangers were employing similar financial habits, few of us blinked an eye; but this is different. This is the NBA, a league run by one of the most powerful men in sports, who makes it his duty to eliminate any corrosion from his 30 NBA courts (just ask Ron Artest). And that’s a perfect example. How can the commish have no toleration for those misbehaved players, yet at the same time allow his most prized franchise to rot away right under his nose? It just doesn’t make sense. That’s like Hugh Heffner letting his Playmate of the Year announce that she’s a heroin addict and partaking in an avid sexual relationship with Puck from The Real World. Would he ever allow such a thing?

And what about MJ? Here’s a guy so competitive that he’d bet his college roomates at UNC who could complete a full load of laundry faster. And yet today, at 43 years of age, he’s content with just swinging 9 irons, playing poker with Bo Kimble, and shortening the gap between him and Wilt Chamberlain? I seriously doubt it. Jordan desperately needs competition in his life and analyzing TPS reports that show he sold more ankle socks than Reebok just isn’t enough. So what will his next move be? We all know that his failure in Washington cannot be his final stamp on the NBA, no way. Thus, perhaps Michael could put on his Good Samaritan hat and help resurrect the city of New Orleans? Or what about getting Stern to award him an expansion team in Las Vegas? Wouldn’t any of those two projects fulfill Jordan’s competitive cravings? C’mon now, that’s like giving your dog one of those morsel treats when he knows damn well there’s a 2 lb. rawhide sitting in the cabinet with his name on it. So for Michael, what represents that mouth-watering bone? Very simply, it has to be the challenge of resurrecting the New York Knicks.

I can picture it now. The 2006-07 season ends with the Knicks owning the worst record in the league. Francis and Marbury will have had more spats than Al and Peg Bundy. Jerome James will end the season tallying more weight (50 lbs.) than points (20). Jamal Crawford will start showing up to games high. Larry Brown will go through more of Sally Jesse Raphael’s frames than Sally herself. And watching the Bulls use consecutive #1 draft picks of theirs while Eddy Curry fouls out every other night will be icing on the cake. Translation: New York will hit absolute rock bottom as an NBA franchise (if they haven’t already). But wait a minute. Just when you think Stern has become as careless as an abusive stepfather to his redheaded stepson, he shocks us all by presenting his initial step in fixing the Knicks and further popularizing the NBA. And if you’re thinking of this as a mere flipping of the keys to MJ, trust me, the plan goes far deeper than that.

Ever since I got my braces off, the media has been making relentless attempts at anointing the “next Air Jordan” (of course to no avail). Harold Minor, Isaiah Rider, Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter, I think even Jud Buechler was mentioned at one point. Essentially, once that sixth title was won, the urgency to find the next #23 became unyielding. One of these days, we as NBA fans need to realize that finding the next MJ may never come to fruition. Unless of course, Jordan himself somehow gets involved. Confused? Read on. Right now, the chances of LeBron James coming to New York are about as good as Tim Allen’s shot at winning an Oscar for The Shaggy Dog. With all of the dead weight currently on the Knicks roster, why would a player of James’ stature ever want to jeopardize his career? Obviously, he wouldn’t. However, luckily for the Knicks they have over two years before LBJ comes off the books in Cleveland. That should give them plenty of time to clean house and clear out the master bedroom for Mr. James’ extended stay.

Here’s a quick sketch of the plan. Sometime in 2007, Dolan hires Jordan to come and clean Isiah’s mess. By that time, Jalen Rose and Mo Taylor will be gone, as will the never-ending contract of Allan Houston. Crawford and Richardson should be fairly easy to deal and getting rid of either Marbury or Francis won’t be impossible. Okay, now where do they go from there? Well, obviously Jordan would have to bring in some reputable names to fill in the holes around Starbury/Francis, Channing Frye and Eddy Curry (assuming they remain). Off the top of my head, perhaps a Rashard Lewis or Al Harrington (this summer) along with a few role players should serve as a nice fit. Thus, when the summer of 2008 rolls around and LeBron takes a look at an ever-improving Knicks roster, headed by the man he one day hopes to emulate (not to mention the biggest stage in sports and probably double the endorsement money), could he really re-sign with Cleveland? Could he really pass up the chance to become Jordan’s heir apparent, return the Knicks to glory, and subsequently carry the NBA to the pinnacle of the sporting world?

Somewhere under that shag of gray hair, David Stern is asking himself these very same questions, with an obvious “no” pending for each of them. A clever smile creases his lips as he gazes down at his Rolodex with the page turned to ‘J’. He reaches for the phone to make the call, but decides to wait. He’ll wait until this thing in the Big Apple gets a little worse, perhaps this summer or the next. In the meantime, he can spend the majority of his free time endorsing all of those checks from Ronnie.

What If Rosters: Central Division

2006-02-24T15:56:00.000-05:00

Hill: a big reason behind Detroit's succes

You ever run into an old acquaintance from high school or college and he/she brainlessly decides to fill you in on how happy your ex-girlfriend is with “Glen”? Well that “shot-in-the-nuts” feeling one receives in those joyful encounters is very similar to my sentiments regarding the last ten years of Boston Celtics basketball. Poor management, poor coaching, the Bias/Lewis curse, Antoine Walker, etc. But even more traumatic is seeing those players that used to play for my C’s lighting it up in other cities (ala my ex looking smoking hot after I dumped her for someone with syphilis). So it got me thinking, I’m sure I’m not the only fan out there that imagines these “what if” scenarios. I bet Hornets fans wonder where they would be with Kobe, Raptors fans with T-Mac, and Warriors faithful with Arenas. Thus, for the next few weeks I’m going to be taking a look back over the last ten years and showing you what each team’s 15-man roster could look like today. It might make you smile, it might my you laugh, but in all likelihood, you’ll end up as pissed as I am. Should be a lot of fun…

RULES:

1) Trades. I have just completed a useless, hour-long search in hopes of finding a site that provided a season-by-season log of all the trades that have gone down. To save you the time, one does not exist. Thus, I need to make trade details irrelevant. In other words, some final rosters may not be possible because some of the players may have been dealt for one another (e.g., Ricky Davis and Wally Szczerbiak in Boston). And while I certainly know the details of that BOS-MIN trade, I may not have the same facts behind a deal that occurred in say, 1997. So rather than throw in the facets of one trade and not the other, I thought it best to be consistent. Thus, if you know damn well that Player A was in fact dealt for Player B, use your wonderful imagination to filter the former/latter off of that roster. The only exception is if a player was traded on Draft day without ever playing for that team (e.g. Vince for Jamison in ’98)

2) Free Agency. A team not having enough money to sign a free agent (e.g. Toronto and T-Mac), will not factor in here. I’m imagining as if each team had the checkbook of Isiah Thomas.

3) Contracts. I’m ignoring contracts altogether, so if three max players end up on one team then so be it. That’s pretty much the fun of this whole exercise, isn’t it?

4) Active Players. Players who are retired, in AA, or looking for other work to feed their children will not be factored in.

CHICAGO BULLS

Current Roster
Malik Allen
Eddie Basden
Tyson Chandler
Luol Deng
Chris Duhon
Ben Gordon
Othella Harrington
Kirk Hinrich
Andres Nocioni
Jannero Pargo
Erik Piatkowski
Darius Songaila
Michael Sweetney
Tim Thomas

Come & Gone
Elton Brand
Ron Artest
Jamal Crawford
Brad Miller
Fred Hoiberg
Jake Voskuhl
Eddy Curry
Trenton Hassell
Jalen Rose
Donyell Marshall
Lonny Baxter
Matt Bonner
Antonio Davis
Adrian Griffin

What If 15-Man Roster
PG—Hinrich, Duhon, Pargo
SG—Gordon, Crawford, Rose
SF—Artest, Deng, Nocioni
PF—Brand, Marshall, Bonner
C—Miller, Chandler, Curry

Analysis:
Rather lethal frontcourt, no? But can you really blame Chicago for dealing Artest and Miller to the Pacers for Rose? In hindsight, wasn’t that a stellar deal? And what about Brand for Chandler, that was in the best interest of the team right? And boy, Eddy Curry and John Q’s son’s heart really worked out too, huh? At this rate, if there was an award for worst front office of the previous decade, shouldn’t Chicago take it hands down? I mean, until last year this team hadn’t made the Playoffs once since MJ left. And yes, it is hard to rebuild a franchise after the greatest player to ever lace ‘em up retires, but give me a break, look at the 1st round draft positions Chicago’s had from 1999-2004:

'99: 1 & 16
'00: 4, 7, & 24
'01: 4
'02: 2
'03: 7
'04: 3 & 7.

And despite owning those high draft picks, the best players the Bulls have today are a white PG (Hinrich), a 6-1 SG (Gordon), Deng (couldn’t think of a joke), and a former #2 overall pick who’s 6-11 yet all he can do consistently is rebound (Chandler). That’s it, that’s all the Bulls have to show for themselves. Despicable…

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

Current Roster
Martynas Andriuskevicius
Drew Gooden
Stephen Graham
Alan Henderson
Larry Hughes
Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Luke Jackson
LeBron James
Damon Jones
Donyell Marshall
Ronald Murray
Lee Nailon
Ira Newble
Sasha Pavlovic
Eric Snow
Anderson Varejao

Come & Gone
Bob Sura
Derek Anderson
Brevin Knight
Earl Boykins
Vitaly Potapenko
Andre Miller
Chris Mihm
Matt Harpring
Jim Jackson
Robert Traylor
Anthony Johnson
Ricky Davis
Michael Doleac
Brian Skinner
Desagana Diop
Carlos Boozer
Darius Miles
Milt Palacio
Jeff McInnis
Lee Nailon
Tony Battie

What If 15-Man Roster
PG-Miller, Knight, Boykins
SG-Hughes, Davis, Harpring
SF-James, Miles, Marshall
PF-Gooden, Boozer, Varejao
C-Ilgauskas, Mihm, Battie

Analysis:
Whenever three of the current starters remain on these rosters, we can assume one of two things: 1) the team has made excellent trades/free agency decisions over the last 10 years, or 2) they have absolutely sucked for at least 5 of the last 10 years. Well, in the six years leading up to the 2004-05 season, the Cavs averaged just 30 wins per season—not exactly dynasty material. But at the same time the front office has also done a fine job, particularly in clearing out the “baggage guys” like Davis and Miles, as well as the chest hair of Boozer (clogs up the drains). And besides Andre Miller, is there any player you would kill to have from that Come & Gone list? Na, me neither. But to offer one suggestion, Cleveland really needs to fire the guy in charge of scouting big men. When Ilgauskas and Mihm are the best two low post players this team has had in the last 10 years, something needs to change.

DETROIT PISTONS

Current Roster
Alex Acker
Chauncey Billups
Kelvin Cato
Dale Davis
Carlos Defino
Maurice Evans
Richard Hamilton
Lindsey Hunter
Amir Johnson
Jason Maxiell
Antonio McDyess
Tayshaun Prince
Ben Wallace
Rasheed Wallace

Come & Gone
Grant Hill
Theo Ratliff
Jerry Stackhouse
Scot Pollard
Bonzi Wells
Brian Cardinal
Joe Smith
Chucky Atkins
Cliff Robinson
Damon Jones
Mehmet Okur
Corliss Williamson
Jon Barry
Mike James
Darko Milicic
Smush Parker

What If 15-Man Roster
PG—Billups, James, Atkins
SG—Hamilton, Stackhouse, Wells
SF—Prince, Hill, Barry
PF—R. Wallace, Okur, J. Smith
C—B. Wallace, Ratliff, Robinson

Analysis:
How can I swap anyone out of that starting five? I contemplated giving Grant Hill the nod, but he’s been more banged up than Peter North’s “supporting actresses”. And with the other four positions, it’s not even close. And so what can we attribute this to? Well check out these critical deals the Pistons’ front office has made over the last few years:

2000: Grant Hill for Ben Wallace and Chucky Atkins

2002: Jerry Stackhouse, Brian Cardinal, and Ratko Varda (Rod Farva?) for Rip Hamilton, Bobby Simmons, and Hubert Davis

2004: In a 3-team deal, traded Zeljko Rebraca, Bob Sura, Lindsey Hunter, and two 1st round picks (1 from MIL) and received Rasheed Wallace and Mike James (while also putting the team $10 under the cap for the ‘04-05 season)

Notice a trend with the first two? It’s like Detroit knew that Stack and Hill would never be the same after those particular seasons. Remember that Hamilton was heavily criticized in Washington and that Ben Wallace was an absolute no name down in Florida. To predict that these would be impact players by 2004 would have just been insane. But here they are on the brink of their third Finals appearance in three years. I guess that’s what sound decisions from your management team will do for you…

INDIANA PACERS

Current Roster
Austin Croshere
Jeff Foster
Eddie Gill
Danny Granger
David Harrison
Stephen Jackson
Sarunas Jasikevicius
Anthony Johnson
Fred Jones
Jermaine O’Neal
Scot Pollard
Peja Stojakovic
Jamaal Tinsley

Come & Gone
Antonio Davis
Erick Dampier
Jalen Rose
Al Harrington
Primoz Brezec
Brad Miller
Ron Artest
James Jones

What If 15-Man Roster
PG—Tinsley, Johnson, Jasikevicius
SG—Jackson, Rose, Jones
SF—Artest, Stojakovic, Granger
PF—O’Neal, Harrington, Croshere
C—Miller, Dampier, Davis

Analysis:
Of course the majority dilemma here is whether to start Artest or Stojakovic. I personally always prefer the superior defender, especially when he has the ability to drop 20+ on any given night. As for the rest of the team, obviously Miller is a huge upgrade from the Foster/Pollard tandem in place today. Also, having Harrington, Rose, and Dampier coming off the bench is a huge asset to any coach. But like today’s team, the main weakness remains at the PG position. Has Indy always had this problem? Looking back, I guess they have. Maybe Larry Bird and Donnie Walsh should think about addressing this in the offseason…

MILWAUKEE BUCKS

Current Roster
Charlie Bell
Andrew Bogut
T.J. Ford
Dan Gadzuric
Reece Gaines
Ersan Ilyasova
Jermaine Jackson
Ervin Johnson
Toni Kukoc
Jamaal Magloire
Michael Redd
Bobby Simmons
Joe Smith
Jiri Welsch
Mo Williams

Come & Gone
Eric Snow
Ray Allen
Moochie Norris
Sam Cassell
Tim Thomas
Robert Traylor
Rafer Alston
Joel Przybilla
Jason Hart
Gary Payton
Desmond Mason
Keith Van Horn
Brian Skinner
Damon Jones
Brevin Knight
Mike James
Zaza Pachulia
Eddie House

What If 15-Man Roster
PG—Cassell, Payton, Ford
SG—Allen, Redd, Mason
SF—Simmons, Van Horn, Thomas
PF—Bogut, Smith, Skinner
C—Magloire, Przybilla, Pachulia

Analysis:
My God, has every point guard in the league played for the Bucks at one point? When I’m finished with this series of articles, we may very well find that Milwaukee has the best backcourt depth in the league. Seriously, how many teams could have Michael Redd and a profusion of PGs coming off the pine? It seems insane to leave James, Knight, and Alston off of this roster, but do I honestly have a choice? Perhaps the Bucks should have put some more effort into bolstering their frontcourt rather than having a point guard carousel every year. Any time I have to put Tim Thomas and/or Brian Skinner on one of these rosters, we have to assume the team hasn’t had much success.

2006 Deadline Trade Log

2006-02-23T14:03:00.000-05:00

"Yeeeeah BOY, I'm outta here!"

Post-Deadline deals:

Note: These are NOT completed deals, just the main players involved. I will post more info as I come across it.

Miami receives: SG Derek Anderson

Houston receives: G Gerald Fitch

Cleveland receives: PG Flip Murray

Seattle receives: G Mike Wilks, 2nd round pick, & cash

A few more on the way...

2/23 at 3:10 PM

New Jersey receives: SF Bostjan Nachbar

New Orleans receives: F/C Marc Jackson and Linton Johnson

2/23 at 11:56 AM (edited post deadline)

Seattle receives: PG Earl Watson, SF Bryon Russell, and a future 2nd Round pick (DEN)

Denver receives: PF Reggie Evans, SF Ruben Patterson, and F Charles Smith

Portland receives: SG Voshon Lenard (exp. contract) and F/C Brian Skinner

Sacramento receives: C Vitaly Potapenko and G/F Sergei Monia

2/22/06 at 2:00 PM

New York receives: PG Steve Francis

Orlando receives: SG Penny Hardaway (exp. contract) and SF Trevor Ariza.

Five Realistic Deadline Deals

2006-02-22T16:01:00.000-05:00

BG heading west?

With the trade deadline just over 24 hours away, I thought it best to show up these fools at ESPN and provide a handful of realistic deadline swaps. Those not included are: Steve Francis, Paul Pierce, Allen Iverson, Kevin Garnett, and Adam Chubb. If you were looking for any proposals involving those players, I suggest you go pull up Chris Sheridan's blog. Enjoy...

TRADE #1

Atlanta Trades
F Al Harrington
SG Donta Smith

Houston Trades
SG David Wesley
SG Derek Anderson
PG Luther Head
2006 1st Round Pick

Why Atlanta does it:
At this point, why not just let Harrington go? With Josh Smith and Marvin Williams as the forwards of the future, re-signing Al to a lucrative deal this summer simply makes no sense. Thus, if the team can get back a potential lottery pick (Houston is currently 13th in the West), a quality young PG (Head), and an expiring contract (Wesley) all for a player who will be gone after this season anyway, then why the heck not?

Why Houston does it:
Despite owning that 13th seed, the Rockets remain just 4.5 games back of the Lakers for the 8th and final Playoff spot. To add to it, the team has been on a roll by winning 7 of their last 9, and Yao and McGrady seem poised for huge second halves. The problem is, say they somehow sneak into the postseason as a 7th or 8th seed, would they really have a chance of downing the Spurs, Mavs, or Suns in the 1st round? Probably not. So why not push all the chips to the center and make an acquisition that could net a 5 or 6 seed instead? After all, throwing Harrington into the mix might end up being enough to get past one of those aforementioned teams.

TRADE #2

Charlotte Trades
PG Brevin Knight
F Bernard Robinson

Philadelphia Trades
SF Kyle Korver
SG John Salmons

Why Charlotte does it:
At this point, Raymond Felton appears more than capable of leading this team into the future. That being the case, it makes the veteran Knight expendable. So what does this team need more than anything? That’s right, shooting. And how many guys can light it up as well as Korver? Not many. Plus the ‘Cats get the underused Salmons, who could turn out to be a pretty decent throw in.

Why Philadelphia does it:
At this point in his career, if they’re not going to trade Iverson, they have to do something to limit his wear and tear. My solution is to move him to the 2, let Knight run the show, and see what happens from there. Then AI can focus primarily on scoring and perhaps Knight will be able to get the most out of thus underachieving squad. Seems worth the gamble to me…

TRADE #3

Utah Trades
PF Carlos Boozer

LA Lakers Trade
F/C Kwame Brown
F Stanislav Medvedenko
SG Devin Green

Why Utah does it:
By now, the only person in Utah who still likes Boozer is the stylist who perms his chest hair. He needs a change of scenery, and bad. Acquiring whatever’s left of Brown’s potential as well as the expiring contract of Medvedenko seems like an even exchange.

Why Los Angeles does it:
I told myself before the season started that by the All-Star break we would know for sure if Kwame was fitting in. Well, here we are and no he isn’t. He couldn’t live up to the pressure in D.C., what did we think would happen in Los Angeles? So the Lakers could do one of two things, 1) keep him and hope he one day evolves into a 12 and 10 type of player, or B) trade him now why he still has some value left. I think it’s a safe bet that Phil would prefer the latter. Oh yeah, and Boozer could take some of the rebounding pressure off Odom and allow the SF to focus primarily on complimenting Kobe on the offensive end.

TRADE #4

Denver Trades
PG Earl Watson
F DerMarr Johnson

New York Trades
G Jamal Crawford

Why Denver does it:
I firmly believe that Denver’s best bet in advancing deep into the Playoffs is to load up on offense. It will then allow them to keep pace with Phoenix and Dallas and also force a player like Manu Ginobili to play hard on both ends by guarding Crawford rather than Greg Buckner. Thus, if ‘Melo has one of his disappearing acts against a Bruce Bowen or Raja Bell, perhaps JC can pick up the slack.

Why New York does it:
Is there anyone besides Isiah who thinks that pairing Steve Francis with Marbury in the same backcourt is a good idea? (Sound of crickets chirping) Well, how about if they acquired Watson instead and moved Steph over to the 2? Wouldn’t that be a wiser (and less expensive) gamble? Plus they’d be ridding themselves of Crawford who clearly doesn’t mesh well with this Marbury-led offense. C’mon Isiah, make the smarter/safer deal for once in your life.

Note: Apparently my theory is starting to spread...

TRADE #5: The Monster

Chicago Trades
SG Ben Gordon
SF Tim Thomas
SF Eric Piatkowski

Chicago Receives
SG Ray Allen
SF Ruben Paterson
C Joel Przybilla

Golden State Trades
SF Mike Dunleavy
PG Derek Fisher
F/C Andris Biedrins

Golden State Receives
F/C Theo Ratliff
PF Reggie Evans

Seattle Trades
SG Ray Allen
PF Reggie Evans

Seattle Receives
SG Ben Gordon
SF Mike Dunleavy
G Juan Dixon
SF Eric Piatkowski

Portland Trades
F/C Theo Ratliff
SF Ruben Patterson
C Joel Przybilla
G Juan Dixon

Portland Receives
SF Tim Thomas
PG Derek Fisher
F/C Andris Biedrins

Why Chicago does it:
It’s pretty clear that this team needs a shakeup. And while trading Gordon may be a huge risk, getting back the sharp-shooting and veteran savvy Allen is well worth it. Plus, in acquiring Przybilla, Tyson Chandler can slide back to the 4 where he’s much more efficient. Lastly, the Bulls would add Patterson, a guy that will provide much-needed toughness to the bench. More leadership, rebounding, and grit could sneak this team past Milwaukee and Indiana in the race for the 5 seed.

Why Golden State does it:
Obviously Dunleavy and Foyle just aren’t going to cut it. And if this team still has any chance at the Playoffs, they have no choice but to make a significant move and this certainly qualifies. And while taking on Ratliff’s inflated contract isn’t a priority, getting back the center they dreadfully need is. Plus, the Warriors get Evans, a guy who can also help out the worn down Troy Murphy on the glass. In addition to drastically fortifying their frontcourt, trading away Dunleavy allows Mickael Pietrus to maintain his 35 minutes a night, two improvements that could nudge this team into the Playoff hunt.

Why Seattle does it:
I think it’s time for this team to completely revamp to the rebuilding process. Lewis is only 26, Ridnour 25, Collison 25, Swift 20, Petro 20, and Wilcox 23. So in adding Gordon (22), Dunleavy (25), and Dixon (27) for the 30 year-old Allen, it brings them further along in that transition. Plus, they eliminate Allen’s massive contract and the unhappy Evans, as well as allowing the team to maintain it’s 3-point friendly offense.

Why Portland does it:
Hmm, let’s see they eliminate Ratliff’s huge contract for Thomas’s expiring one. They bring in a veteran point guard to help with Sebastian Telfair’s brutal maturation process, and they get a quality young center to throw to the fire. All that for two guys that probably wouldn’t factor into the future anyway. Plus with all the cap space they clear, they can go after a big time free agent this summer.

Readers' Top 10

2006-02-21T09:20:00.000-05:00

After tallying the votes, here is your Top 10 of the Real-Life Fantasy Draft...

10. Tracy McGrady
9. Chris Paul
8. Tim Duncan
7. Kobe Bryant
6. Kevin Garnett
5. Chris Bosh
4. Amare Stoudemire
3. Dwyane Wade
2. Dwight Howard
1. LeBron James

Others Receiving Top-10 Votes: Carmelo (3), Nowitzki (2), Yao (1), Arenas (1), OJ Mayo (1)

My Take: As I repeatedly said in my article, I think it's important to remember to play it safe with a few of these guys. While Chris Paul looks incredible thus far, would I really take him over McGrady, Dirk, or Carmelo at this point? As for your Bosh selection, I may have to agree. I guess what it really boils down to is whether you want a 29 year-old TD or KG or a 21 year-old Bosh. I guess the wiser option at this point is CB. I'm glad this piece drew so much opinion and feedback. Hopefully I can come up with another that sparks even further debate.

What If Rosters: Atlantic Division

2006-02-20T16:26:00.000-05:00

How good would Toronto be with T-Mac?

You ever run into an old acquaintance from high school or college and he/she brainlessly decides to fill you in on how happy your ex-girlfriend is with “Glen”? Well that same “shot-in-the-nuts” feeling is very similar to my sentiments regarding the last ten years of Boston Celtics basketball. Poor management, poor coaching, the Bias/Lewis curse, Antoine Walker, etc. But even more traumatic is seeing those players that used to play in Beantown lighting it up in other cities (ala my ex turning smoking hot after I unknowingly dumped her for someone with the clap). So it got me thinking, I’m sure I’m not the only fan out there that imagines these “what if” scenarios. I bet Hornets fans wonder where they would be with Kobe, Raptors fans with T-Mac, Warriors faithful with Arenas, and all of the "what if " questions that follow. What if the team had more money to spend? What if this guy didn't get that huge offer from that other team? What if they didn't give up on this guy and trade him away? Thus, for the next few weeks I’m going to be taking a look back over the last ten years and show you what each team’s 15-man roster could have looked like today if things were handled differently. It might make you smile, it might my you laugh, but in all likelihood, you’ll end up as pissed as I am. Should be a lot of fun…

RULES:

1) Trades: I have just completed a useless, hour-long search in hopes of finding a site that provided a season-by-season log of all the trades that have gone down. To save you the time, one does not exist. Thus, I need to make trade details irrelevant. In other words, some final rosters may be impossible because some of the players may have been dealt for one another (e.g., Ricky Davis and Wally Szczerbiak in Boston). And while I certainly know the details of that BOS-MIN trade, I may not have the same facts behind a deal that occurred in say, 1997. So rather than throw in the facets of one trade and not the other, I thought it best to be consistent. Thus, if you know damn well that Player A was in fact dealt for Player B, use your wonderful imagination to filter the former/latter off of that roster.

2) Free Agency: A team not having enough money to sign a free agent (e.g. Toronto and T-Mac), will not factor in here. I’m imagining as if each team had the checkbook of Isiah Thomas.

3) Contracts: I’m ignoring contracts altogether, so if three max players end up on one team then so be it. That’s pretty much the fun of this whole exercise, isn’t it?

4) Active Players: Players who are retired, in AA, or looking for other work to feed their children will not be considered.

I'm pretty much ignoring everything here and just letting you, the fan, take a look at all of the players your teams got rid of. At least it will help me feel better...

BOSTON CELTICS

Current Roster
Tony Allen
Dan Dickau
Ryan Gomes
Gerald Green
Orien Greene
Al Jefferson
Dwayne Jones
Raef LaFrentz
Michael Olowokandi
Kendrick Perkins
Paul Pierce
Brian Scalabrine
Wally Szczerbiak
Delonte West

Come & Gone
Antoine Walker
David Wesley
Chauncey Billups
Bruce Bowen
Damon Jones
Mike James
Danny Fortson
Adrian Griffin
Milt Palacio
Joe Johnson
Darius Songaila
Tony Battie
Dahntay Jones
Ricky Davis
Gary Payton

What If 15-Man Roster
PG-Billups, Payton, West, James
SG-Johnson, Davis, Wesley
SF-Pierce, Bowen, Szczerbiak
PF-Walker, Fortson, Jefferson
C-Perkins, Battie

Analysis: It’s difficult to really bitch about the team trading Billups for Kenny Anderson because at that time, the C’s were in desperate need for a veteran PG. And after all, Anderson did lead them to the Conference Finals, while Chauncey was bouncing around the league faster than Danny Schayes. In a similar move for veteran leadership, Boston dealt the rookie Johnson to Phoenix for Tony Delk and Rodney Rogers. I could be wrong, but at the time I don’t recall many Celtics fans being very upset with this trade. Looking back it may seem like a terrible deal, but don’t forget that Delk and Rogers were huge assets on that ECF team. Finally, it would have been really nice for the defensively challenged Celtics to hold onto Bowen. Imagine if Pierce didn’t have to guard the best 2 or 3 but instead could focus primarily on his offense? Wouldn’t that be wonderful? (They would have at least probably won that 2-OT game vs. Cleveland last week)

NEW JERSEY NETS

Current Roster
Vince Carter
Jason Collins
Marc Jackson
Richard Jefferson
Linton Johnson
Jason Kidd
Nenad Krstic
Jeff McInnis
Lamond Murray
Scott Padgett
Zoran Planinic
Clifford Robinson
Jacque Vaughn
Antoine Wright

Come & Gone
P.J. Brown
Sam Cassell
Jim Jackson
Kerry Kittles
Tim Thomas
Keith Van Horn
Stephon Marbury
Earl Boykins
Kenyon Martin
Aaron Williams
Stephen Jackson
Brian Scalabrine
Dikembe Mutombo
Alonzo Mourning

What If 15-Man Roster
PG-Kidd, Cassell, Boykins
SG-Carter, Marbury, J. Jackson
SF-Jefferson, S. Jackson, Van Horn
PF-Martin, Brown, Scalabrine
C-Krstic, Mourning, Mutombo

Analysis: That Kidd/Marbury trade must make Nets’ management smile every single day. It’s amazing to see the other PGs this team went through before landing #32 (I honestly have no recollection of Boykins in New Jersey, do you?) In analyzing this dream squad, I’m not sure how many teams could keep up with their inexhaustible fast-break and physically dominating frontcourt. Plus, could a bench with Cassell, Marbury, S. Jackson, PJ, and ‘Zo be any better? That team could probably be a 6 seed in the East this season.

NEW YORK KNICKS

Current Roster
Trevor Ariza
Jackie Butler
Jamal Crawford
Eddy Curry
Channing Frye
Anfernee Hardaway
Jerome James
David Lee
Stephon Marbury
Quentin Richardson
Nate Robinson
Jalen Rose
Malik Rose
Maurice Taylor
Qyntel Woods

Come & Gone
Marcus Camby
Kurt Thomas
Othella Harrington
Nene Hilario
Shandon Anderson
Michael Sweetney
Keith Van Horn
Tim Thomas
Nazr Mohammed
Antonio McDyess
Dikembe Mutombo

What If 15-Man Roster
PG--Marbury, N. Robinson
SG--Crawford, J. Rose, Richardson
SF--Van Horn, Ariza, S. Anderson
PF--K. Thomas, Frye, McDyess, Nene
C--Camby, Curry, Mohammed

Analysis: Hmm, we might be on to something here. One thing I failed to consider is that this might be an accurate way of determining how a team has been run over the past ten years. Here is cold hard proof of how badly the Knicks have been managed, Isiah or no Isiah. Look at this roster, only two of the starters would be from the “Come & Gone” bin, and that Thomas/Frye swap might not even be fair. Camby can’t stay on the court for more than 65 games a year, Van Horn becomes a liability after playing more than 15 minutess (same for McDyess), and who knows what to expect now from Nene. All in all a rather poor team, but keep in mind that many of the marquee players NY owned in the mid-90’s are now retired: Ewing, LJ, Oakley, Starks, etc.

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

Current Roster
Matt Barnes
Michael Bradley
Samuel Dalembert
Zendon Hamilton
Steven Hunter
Andre Iguodala
Allen Iverson
Kyle Korver
Jamal Mashburn
Lee Nailon
Kevin Ollie
Shavlik Randolph
John Salmons
Chris Webber
Louis Williams

Come & Gone
Jerry Stackhouse
Keith Van Horn
Jim Jackson
Theo Ratliff
Tim Thomas
Joe Smith
Eric Snow
Larry Hughes
Nazr Mohammed
Bruce Bowen
Speedy Claxton
Raja Bell
Matt Harpring
Kenny Thomas
Greg Buckner
Brian Skinner
Marc Jackson
Corliss Williamson

What If 15-Man Roster
PG—Iverson, Claxton
SG—Hughes, Bell, Stackhouse
SF—Iguodala, Bowen, Korver, Van Horn
PF—Webber, K. Thomas, J. Smith
C—Dalembert, Ratliff, Mohammed

Analysis: I don’t know about you, but I love the make-up of this team. There’s an excellent mix of scorers: Iverson, Webber, Hughes, & Stackhouse, and defenders: Bell, Bowen, Dalembert, & Ratliff. Mo Cheeks could almost set his squad up like a hockey team and have shifts of offense and defense to keep their opponents honest. Imagine a 2 and 3 of Bell and Bowen? Who would be able to score? Which begs the question, why wouldn’t an NBA team get two guys like Bell and Bowen, load up their frontcourt and acquire/Draft a playmaking PG? Isn’t this a surefire way to win today?

TORONTO RAPTORS

Current Roster
Rafael Aruajo
Matt Bonner
Chris Bosh
Jose Calderon
Antonio Davis
Joey Graham
Mike James
Darrick Martin
Morris Peterson
Pape Sow
Charlie Villanueva
Alvin Williams
Eric Williams
Loren Woods

Come & Gone
Damon Stoudamire
Marcus Camby
Tracy McGrady
Chauncey Billups
Vince Carter
Corliss Williamson
Carlos Arroyo
Voshon Lenard
Rafer Alston
Kareem Rush
Jalen Rose
Donyell Marshall

What If 15-Man Roster
PG—Billups, Stoudamire, Alston, James
SG—V. Carter, Lenard, Rush
SF—McGrady, Peterson, Rose
PF—Bosh, Marshall, Villanueva
C—Camby, Davis

Analysis: Wow, what the hell have the Raptors done to themselves? Looking at their current roster, has Toronto received even 30% of the returns from their fictional one? Okay, perhaps the Carter picks will someday amount to something, but as far as I can see the Nets are a likely Playoff team for the next three years. On top of that, management let McGrady walk in order to keep Vince. If that isn’t a slap in the face then I dunno what is. On the other hand, letting Stoudamire go wasn’t the end of the world, and the same could probably be said of Camby. But not giving Chauncey more than 29 games to prove himself will go down as one of the worse decisions in franchise history. You know, along with those choices they made regarding Carter and McGrady. Let’s just hope they don’t make the same mistake with Bosh.

East 2nd Half Predictions

2006-02-17T16:27:00.000-05:00

"Hello Bobcats"

Atlantic Division

NEW JERSEY NETS (28-23)
--One of the Big 3 will go down with a significant injury (2 weeks+)
--They will acquire a solid power forward of the Reggie Evans type
--Linton Johnson will announce that he will only go by “Lint” from now on
Final Record: 45-37 (3rd East)

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (25-27)
--Allen Iverson will almost get traded
--Kyle Korver will pose for a Jockey ad
--Andre Iguodala will stop screwing around
Final Record: 38-44 (9th East)

BOSTON CELTICS (20-32)
--Doc Rivers will not get fired
--Al Jefferson and Kendrick Perkins will make Boston fans smile
--Brian Scalabrine will spend more time at the Boston School of Pasty Red Head Children than on the basketball court
Final Record: 32-50 (11th East)

TORONTO RAPTORS (20-33)
--Mike James will con management into giving him a rich 3-year deal
--Eric Williams will get traded and you won’t even know/care
--Chris Bosh will agree to a sponsorship with John Ashford turtlenecks
Final Record: 33-49 (10th East)

NEW YORK KNICKS (15-37)
--Nate Robinson will win the Slam Dunk Contest, develop an ego, and somehow make this Knicks team even worse
--Larry Brown will cry at least once, either on the bench or at a press conference
--Isiah will acquire Keith Van Horn, Raef Lafrentz, Kenyon Martin, Adonal Foyle, Theo Ratliff, and Carlos Boozer and finally admit he’s being paid by George Steinbrenner to make the Yankees’ boss look good
Final Record: 20-62 (14th East)

Central Division

DETROIT PISTONS (42-9)

--One of their starters will go down with a severe injury
--Chauncey Billups will win the MVP, once again displaying the incompetence of the media
--Carlos Delfino will develop into an impact bench player
Final Record: 67-15 (1st East)

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (31-21)
--LeBron will turn in a performance that forces us to debate the best game of the year with Kobe’s 81
--Danny Ferry will surprise us by making an impact deal
--Someone will punch Damon Jones’ lights out (my dream)
Final Record: 49-33 (4th East)

INDIANA PACERS (26-23)
--Jamaal Tinsley will be injured
--They will defeat New Jersey in the 1st Round of the Playoffs
--Larry Bird will discuss trading Jermaine O’Neal this summer
Final Record: 45-37 (6th East)

MILWAUKEE BUCKS (27-25)
--We’ll start to see more of the ‘04-05 Bobby Simmons
--Andrew Bogut will break his nose…again
--Toni Kukoc will file for AARP
Final Record: 46-36 (5th East)

CHICAGO BULLS (23-29)
--Jon Paxson will make an eye-pooping move this week (Ray Allen?)
--Ben Gordon will be foolishly dealt away
--Luol Deng will make a run at Most Improved Player
Final Record: 41-41 (8th East)

Southeast Division

MIAMI HEAT (33-20)
--Dwyane Wade and Shaq will be virtually unstoppable
--But, the team will get slaughtered in the Eastern Conference Finals
--Shaq will heavily contemplate retirement
Final Record: 53-29 (2nd East)

WASHINGTON WIZARDS (26-25)
--Gilbert Arenas will drop 50 points at least twice
--Caron Butler will make them forget about Larry Hughes
--Michael Ruffin will be fined for bribing Bill Walton to say this last Wednesday during the Wiz-Mavs game: “A fade-away 20-footer! And Dirk did that against one of the league’s most prolific defenders in Michael Ruffin.” (ESPN needs to be careful; people could actually die of laughter)
Final Record: 42-40 (7th East)

ORLANDO MAGIC (19-32)
--Dwight Howard will get scary good seemingly over night
--Darko will average 12 and 6 the rest of the way
--The Magic will draft Adam Morrison, giving the team the best young frontcourt in the NBA
Final Record: 25-57 (13th East)

ATLANTA HAWKS (16-34)
--Marvin Williams will start to open your eyes (you know who you are)
--Al Harrington will be traded
--Josh Childress will sneak into the 6th Man of the Year race
Final Record: 25-57 (12th East)

CHARLOTTE BOBCATS (14-40)
--Emeka Okafor will not return this season
--Brevin Knight will not be traded
--The team will obviously draft Rudy Gay
Final Record: 19-63 (15th East)

Real-Life NBA Fantasy Draft

2006-02-16T17:34:00.000-05:00

Now that the Artest saga is finally through and Danny Ainge and Kevin McHale are finished making their teams even worse (you hope), we’re going to start seeing a flurry of big names surfacing in trades rumors. In fact, Mr. Trade Rumor himself, Chris Sheridan, recently posted an article discussing the likelihood of a handful of superstars being shipped to new locations. But before we get into that ordeal (I’ll wait until after the ASB), this appetizer of trades got me thinking—just what is each player in the NBA worth? Say you were a GM and David Stern had every team draft a whole new roster (fantasy-style), who would you take first, second, third, etc.? It’s a topic that will undoubtedly spring a ton of debate and one that I can’t wait to share with each of you. So without further delay, here are the picks (in descending order) of my real life 2006 NBA Fantasy Draft.

(Keep in mind that age does play a huge factor. While Shaq is still a valuable asset in this league, there’s no way I’m taking an injury-riddled 34 year-old over a young kid with tons of promise. On the other hand, I’m not factoring contracts at all. Think of all of these players’ values as equal. Thus, only age, talent, and the ability to handle being the centerpiece of a franchise are the only factors I’m considering)

30. Andrew Bogut (F/C, 21 years old, 7-0, 245 lbs.)This Aussie went #1 overall for a reason. It’s not every day that 7-footer comes along with three years of college experience, scoring touch inside and out, and a ton of room to improve. He’s not as raw as Marvin Williams, nor as polished as Chris Paul, but I think when he career is over and done with he’ll still be recognized as a solid #1 pick. Look at Bogut’s junior season at Utah: 20.4 PPG, 12.2 RPG, 62.0 FG%, 36.0 3-pt FG%, and 1.9 BPG. Imagine if his numbers came even remotely close to these in the pros? A player with that type of potential, who can drastically stretch a defense, and can rebound with the best of the best, certainly deserves a first round nod.

29. Michael Redd (G/F, 26 years old, 6-6, 215 lbs.)
I know one of you wise asses is going to chime in with, “Ant you’re such a MORON! Redd wasn’t even a 1st rounder in the ’00 Draft, why should he be here?” Well, that would be a very fair argument. The thing is, how many shooters in this league have steadily improved in each of their first six seasons? Redd is one of the few—check out the progression in his scoring (beginning in ‘00-01 through today): 2.2 PPG, 11.5, 15.1, 21.7, 23.0, and 25.1. And on top of that, the OSU product just got his max deal this summer and yet the majority of his numbers are still up from a year ago. This shows that Redd’s interest runs a lot deeper than his paycheck.

28. Steve Nash (PG, 32 years old, 6-3, 195 lbs.)
It was rather difficult to delve through all of these 30+ year olds and determine who belongs and who doesn’t. Ultimately what it came down to for me was that Nash is the reigning MVP of the league, remains in the thick of the running this year, and is still carrying his team like a 20 year-old rookie. I think any team selecting him in this Draft would certainly have to cross their fingers, but if they also got their hands on a raw, young PG later on, I’m sure Nash would serve as the perfect mentor. In my opinion, shaping any offense around the speed and savvy of Steve Nash is worth a first round pick any day of the week.

27. Ron Artest (SF, 26 years old, 6-7, 260 lbs.)
Ah yes, the most controversial selection of all. Half of me said no way, he’s too crazy to be the centerpiece of any team, and this will end up being a wasted pick. But the other part of me thought, “Well, what if a GM made him the focal point of the team and there wasn’t a Jermaine O’Neal or Reggie Miller in his way? And what if that team gave him 17-18 shots per night and allowed him to run wild on defense alongside a couple other nut jobs? Isn’t there some chance that it could work?” In the end, I decided that it was certainly worth the chance, especially seeing that Artest is still only 26 years young.

26. Allen Iverson (G, 30 years old, 6-0, 165 lbs.)
Yet another player creeping over the hill that was just impossible to leave off. Let me tell you, if I were Billy King right now, I’d go out and get a serviceable PG to help shoulder the load and let Iverson go off and exclusively play the wing. Relying on A.I. to get 8+ assists every night and score 30+ points is just asking too much of a 30 year-old with the body of Minkus on Boy Meets World. Thus, in drafting A.I. here with the intent of grabbing a playmaking PG with a second or third pick, one would still be able to get 5-6 more highly productive years from the G’Town product.

25. Chauncey Billups (PG, 29 years old, 6-3, 202 lbs.)
Despite nearing the big 3-0, I absolutely had to grant a first round pick to the most clutch player in the game. C’mon now, Billups throws up more daggers in big spots than Rafael in the Shredder’s lair level of TMNT 2. Whether he’s at the charity stripe (88.2% career) or beyond the arc (42.8% in ‘05-06), Chauncey knows how to finish opponents off in crunch time. In addition, what team wouldn’t want a guy who has lead his team to back-to-back Finals and now has them on pace for 70 wins? I bet the Celtics sleep well at night knowing they got Kenny Anderson for him. I sure would.

24. Baron Davis (PG, 26 years old, 6-3, 215 lbs.)
With that “I just got back from a 3-week plane crash expedition in the Andes Mountains” beard going, Davis looks a lot more like 36 than 26, doesn’t he? But fortunately for him, his game reflects that of an elite 26 year-old who can beat you with offense, superior passing, and lightning quick defense. What more could you ask from your point guard, right? So why do I have him going so low? Well something tells me that those creaky knees and Lee Trevino back of his could cause some problems down the road. Let’s hope not…

23. Gilbert Arenas (PG, 24 years old, 6-4, 210 lbs.)
I went back and forth between Arenas and Baron for about 20 minutes. On the one hand, I think Baron is a much better team-first guy—he’d enjoy getting the crunch time assist just as much as the game-winning jumper. Arenas on the other hand, would probably keep shooting even after he switched right arms with Jim Abbott. Seriously, besides Kobe and Iverson, who’s a bigger gunner? However, I ultimately decided that Arenas is still a tad more valuable because, A) he’s got two years on Baron, and B) if need be, a team could conceivably move him over to the 2. That type of versatility is invaluable.

22. Tony Parker (PG, 23 years old, 6-2, 177 lbs.)
I feel like I might get some hell for this placement, but hear me out before you fire up the comments box. Give it some thought…Parker has played with the NBA’s elite team for the first four and a half years of his young career. He’s been coached by the best, played with the best, and taught to make each of his teammates that much better. Sure, maybe Baron and Arenas might be the sexier picks with their gaudier numbers, but the digits in the win column are always superior to those in the boxscore. Plus, how can you doubt a dude who’s cool enough to land perhaps the hottest woman on television (who just so happens to be 7 years older)? He can play for my team any day…(you know what I mean)

21. Pau Gasol (F/C, 25 years old, 7-0, 240 lbs.), w/ beard
Don’t think Gasol is good enough for #21? Take a look at his team: they’re currently 26-21, 6th in the West, and own no big name players besides Pau. Eddie Jones played on Temple when Jon Chaney didn’t need Viagra. Shane Battier is the most over-hyped defensive player in the league. Bobby Jackson hasn’t played more than 49 games in almost five years. Mike Miller is hideous. And Lorenzen Wright hasn’t grabbed a rebound since Mark Blount did. Still don’t believe me? Of all people, Chucky Atkins led this team in shot attempts on Tuesday night. So how are the Grizzlies still a top-10 team in the NBA right now? Whoever nabs this guy at 21 will quickly find out.

20. Shawn Marion (F, 27 years old, 6-7, 228 lbs.)
It seems crazy to throw a guy on this list that uses my mom’s jumper, but there’s no denying The Matrix’s all-around talent. Overshadowed much of the time by his teammates, Marion does much of the dirty work that helps make Nash and Stoudemire the superstars that they are. His prowess on the defensive end, 11.9 RPG (3rd in NBA), 2.0 SPG (3rd), and 1.9 BPG (14th), clearly reflect why he’s a perennial All-Defensive Team member. Thus, who better to build your squad around than a defensive-first forward who can play both the 3 and the 4 and fill up the basket with the best of them? There are only 19 players more worthy…

19. Jermaine O’Neal (F/C, 27 years old, 6-11, 260 lbs.)
Many of us have our fingers crossed that O’Neal’s proneness to injury over the past two years isn’t a sign of what’s to come. After all, in his first four seasons in Indiana, the Pacers’ big man missed only 20 games out of a possible 328. But with his recent absence on the court, coupled with the fact that he’s never eclipsed the 20 PPG mark in his career (save last year’s 24.3 effort in 44 games), give me cause for worry that he’ll never be able to carry a team without a flashy counterpart. Thus, I’ll play it safe with JO and keep him here at 19.

18. Marvin Williams (F, 19 years old, 6-9, 228 lbs.)
Williams holds the record, along with Rudy Gay, for a player described with/by the words upside, raw, and promising. He’s like that girl who was in 8th grade when you were a senior and you just knew she was gonna be scorching hot so you wanted to be like, “hey bebe, give me a call when you turn 20”. Wow, sorry. Let’s put it this way, there was a reason (at least Atlanta hopes so) why he was taken ahead of Chris Paul in last summer’s Draft. Marv certainly has the talent to be a perennial All-Star, but at the same time, I can also see him flopping into that group of second tier players. Still, at 18 he’s certainly worth the risk.

17. Andrei Kirlenko (F, 25 years old, 6-9, 225 lbs.)
Do the Jazz have any sort of weight lifting facility in Salt Lake? If so, have they showed Kirilenko where it is? I mean, you don’t have to be Bill Gates to figure out that AK would be ten times less prone to these nagging injuries if he added fifteen pounds. However, even with the arms of a daddy-long-legs, Andrei is still one of the few players who can completely change a game on the defensive end. It’s obvious when you look at a Jazz boxscore and see him with like 7 steals and 8 blocks and don’t even blink an eye. If he packs on the pounds this summer, I’d almost consider him a top-ten player.

16. Vince Carter (G/F, 29 years old, 6-6, 220 lbs.)

Though VC still has the habit of packing it in faster than a 7 year-old losing in Candy Land, there’s no denying that he remains one of the league’s most prolific scorers. We cannot forget that he has Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson to help shoulder the load, hence the lack of 40 and 50+ point games. And while it would be extremely risky to build the core of any team around a guy with such emotional letdowns, passing him by might be even riskier. You be the judge…

15. Paul Pierce (G/F, 28 years old, 6-6, 230 lbs.)
I had the liberty of attended the Celts-Blazers game last week and let me be the first to say that if Pierce has lost a step, I’d hate to be a defender going against him three years ago. The Truth did anything he wanted on both ends of the floor, evident in his 35 points and 6 steals in just three quarters of action. And while he hasn’t been the best leader on the hardwood in recent past, no one can deny his tenacity and will to win on a nightly basis. Those are the characteristics I want in my franchise player. The problem is that his age and attitude are two things weighing heavily upon him. Thus, 15 is as high as it gets for the Celtics’ star.

14. Yao Ming (C, 25 years old, 7-6, 310 lbs.)
This placement could very well end up being a huge mistake on my part. But, as of right now I just can’t allow myself to bump Yao any higher. Yes, he’s had his share of dominant performances and has even done a nice job of raising his PPG in each of his first four seasons (13.5, 17.5, 18.3, 20.2). But, the problem I have with his game is that I just don’t see him as a player with the ability to carry his team in the postseason. He’s constantly in foul trouble and has the reputation of completely disappearing in big situations—not someone you want to be counting on. Thus, I’d rather not take a chance on a player who seems liable to hitting his peak sooner rather than later.

13. Dirk Nowitzki (F, 27 years old, 7-0, 245 lbs.)
Has there ever been a more versatile 7-footer? How many guys are lights out from 15-feet, can drain the 3 with the best of ‘em (41.9% in ‘05-06), and can also post up anyone down low? And so you must be asking how I can leave a player of Dirk’s caliber so low? Well my only problem with #41 is that I don’t like how much basketball he insists on playing. This past summer Dirk was averaging 30+ minutes a game for Germany in the European Championships and now he’s totaling 37.5 for the Mavs. Honestly, how much ball can one guy play without either getting hurt or rapidly deteriorating? Maybe I’m crazy here (I’m sure some of you will confirm this), but wouldn’t you rather nab a guy with a little less mileage and/or a more padded resume?

Addition: It's been brought to my attention that maybe I need to elaborate on the reasoning behind this placement. The fact that Dirk plays too much ball is not the only reason. We also have to consider the fact that Dallas has had a formidable team for years now and has never even reached the Finals once. That has to say something about their superstar, right? It's not like he's in a situation like KG where there is just no talent around him. He has weapons, and plenty of them. So there, that's reason #2 for you.

12. Chris Paul (PG, 20 years old, 6-0, 175 lbs.)
If I told you in November that the Hornets would own the six seed just days before the All-Star Break, wouldn’t you consider me as crazy as Scot Pollard looks? And while a fair amount of credit certainly belongs to Byron Scott, has anyone wrapped up Rookie of the Year honors faster than Chris Paul? Could he honestly be any better at this point? 16.2 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 7.7 APG, & 2.2 SPG are hardly freshman numbers in this league, yet a nagging rib injury has been the only thing able to slow the Wake Forest product. And honestly, I should probably bump him even higher than this, but as a first year player I’ll play it safe here at 12. Plus with only 175 lbs. of meat, he could be fairly injury-prone as the years wear on.

11. Carmelo Anthony (SF, 21 years old, 6-8, 230 lbs.)
If I was making this list last summer, there’s no way ‘Melo would be this close to the top-10. But in his third season, the former Orangeman has shown me a great deal of mettle as the rest of his teammates continue to nurse their nagging injuries. With Nene, Camby, and Martin all missing a ton of games thus far, Anthony has relentlessly taken this Nuggets squad on his back (ala ‘03 at Syracuse) and somehow kept them atop the Northwest. His PPG are up over 5 a game, FG% nearly 3.0%, and steals by 0.4. In addition, he’s not taking plays off anymore, has lost that remaining baby fat, and seems primed to show this league why he was once mentioned in the same sentences as LeBron. Plus, we already know he’s good enough to take a team all the way, so really what else is there to ask for? Well, more defense, an All-Star appearance, and a trip out of the first round of the Playoffs would work. Until then, I’m taking ten other guys ahead of him.

10. Elton Brand (PF, 26 years old, 6-8, 254 lbs.)
I’m going to take a different approach with Brand here. Let’s look at his first year in the pros with Chicago: 20.1 PPG, 10.0 RPG, and 1.6 BPG. If I was drawing this list up back in 2000, I might have penciled him in even higher than I am right now. But the fact is that since his freshman year in the League, Brand has surpassed that 20.1 PPG mark just once—this season. And sure, it certainly has something to do with the fact that he’s hoisting up a career-high 18.4 FGA and shooting a career-best 53.1% from the floor. But even more so, I attribute his MVP-type season to the players surrounding him. This is the first season he’s had a true point guard on his side, along with a center who can help protect him down low. In addition, it’s tough for defenders to double-team him now with Cassell and Mobley reigning on the perimeter. Thus, I feel that unless a team surrounds Brand with the right PG and a hard-nosed center, the best we can expect from him is that 20 and 10.

9. Chris Bosh (PF, 21 years old, 6-10, 230 lbs.)
Many NBA aficionados strongly consider Dwyane Wade the steal of the 2003 Draft. But isn’t it easy to grant someone that title that plays in the same city as Shaq? How much easier does that make it on D-Wade? All Bosh has for protection is his collection of turtlenecks, yet he’s still managed to increase his PPG in each of his first three seasons. On top of that, he has extremely polished low-post skills and a refined jumper for a big man of his age. Most power forwards take years to develop, but Bosh is well on his way to being a perennial All-Star (anyone thinking he wasn’t deserving of the honor this year needs to have his head examined). The only problem I see in him is that he’s played for arguably the worst team in basketball over the last three years (although one could strongly argue this now). And so we cannot be certain that if given the opportunity to shine in the Playoffs (or in another city when his contract is up) that CB can be counted on to perform at a high level. Plus, can I honestly put him ahead of these other eight guys?

8. Tracy McGrady (G/F, 26 years old, 6-8, 223 lbs.)
That creaky back of his demanded that I keep him here at 8. But let me tell you, if Mac was 100% healthy this season and guiding his Rockets to a top-4 seed in the West, he may have been top-5. What sticks in my head however, is that Sunday night his back started to really act up. Remember that? McGrady had to leave on a stretcher for God’s sake. Any player with chronic back pain that may force him to be air lifted out of arenas shouldn’t even set foot in the top-10, right? But c’mon now, this is T-Mac. Besides Kobe, I’m not sure if there’s another wing player I’d rather have with the ball in their hands. Did you see his Playoff performance last May? 30.7 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 6.7 APG, 1.6 SPG, & 1.4 BPG—numbers that scream desire, teamwork, and hustle. There are some players you can just envision taking their team all the way and for me, McGrady is certainly one of them. Man, if it wasn’t for that damn back…

7. Kevin Garnett (PF, 29 years old, 6-11, 220 lbs.)
Remember KG posing on that cover of SI back in ’95, while the rest of sporting world patiently waited to see if he was truly the next big thing? Well, here we are almost eleven years later and I can honestly say that there isn’t a better all-around player in the game today. So why the hate for KG here at 7? Well, we have to face the reality that he is about to turn 30 and that this is his 11th years at the pro level. Plus, The Big Ticket seems one Kevin McHale phone call away from mailing it in this season and every one thereafter as long as he remains a Wolf. These are not exactly the characteristics you want in a player who you’re banking on starting fresh with. But still, his undeniable talent, work ethic, and drive for success still make him a dependable centerpiece for any NBA team.

6. Tim Duncan (PF, 29 years, 6-11, 260 lbs.)
The truth is, if TD and KG were both in their mid-20s, they would be no-brainers at 1 and 2. But right now, even a 3-time NBA Finals MVP, a poster child for fundamental low-post basketball, and a man that wouldn’t curse even if he stubbed his toe on the metal portion of his bed three seconds after waking up, cannot go any higher when pushing 30. Even if he still has 4-5 great years left in the tank, how could you not take a player who is 24 or younger who has three times the career left? The answer is, you can’t.

5. Amare Stoudemire (F/C, 23 years old, 6-10, 245 lbs.)
You know when you’re in the car and you mistakenly make that wrong turn onto a block you definitely shouldn’t be on? Well that same worrisome emotion that fires through my body during those mishaps, is the same feeling I get thinking about Amare. No comprende? What I mean is that when we think of Stoudemire’s game, we usually picture him soaring through the air, throwing down monster jams, and running ‘n gunning with Nash and co. But now, can we really expect that same explosive player after undergoing knee surgery? I’m really worried that we can’t. You see? I’m anxious for Amare’s return to greatness the same way I worry that I won’t be able to reach the lock button in my Saab while cruising through Bridgeport. Let’s just hope that the 30, 10, and 2-block performer we watched during last year’s Playoffs makes it home safely—if you know what I mean.

4. Kobe Bryant (SG, 27 years old, 6-6, 220 lbs.)
The classic argument here is whether or not Kobe can carry his team to greatness without that dominant center? And better still, can he really bring another title to LA playing this “selfishly”? Well, it’s all in how you perceive Kobe’s game. Either you, A) think he’s an egotistical maniac who is more concerned with healing his reputation than leading his team to the Playoffs. Or, B) feel he’s playing off of Phil Jackson’s whispers telling him not to trust his teammates and to just somehow get this team to the postseason. For me, I choose B. Kobe’s not one of those guys who takes a play off, let’s his man blow by him on defense, or gives up when his team faces a hefty deficit. In fact, his enduring dedication probably makes him one of the model players in this league (on the court, of course). Seriously, how many players can we truly consider candidates for both MVP and Defensive Player of the Year every season? Well, Kobe’s one of them and the only reason I don’t have him pegged any higher is that part of me worries that he may in fact be more of A than B. Because after all, we all used to think the world of him until he broke our trust—who’s to say he won’t do it again?

3. Dwyane Wade (G, 24 years old, 6-4, 212 lbs.)
Choosing between Wade and Howard was almost as hard as deciding which of those blondes I like best in the new Swimsuit Edition. On the one hand, Wade is everything you want in a player. He’s got guts, heart, and a natural knack for winning. He can beat you on the perimeter, by slashing through the lane, or by leaving the ball on a dime for a teammate. To add to it, D-Wade’s the type of man who will turn down an invitation to the Playboy Mansion to volunteer down at the local soup kitchen. Like MJ, it’s impossible to dislike him. If any of you saw his performance in the 4th quarter vs. Detroit last Sunday, it completely defined who he is as a player. Man, I’m getting emotional here. I feel like I’m writing a letter of recommendation for my best friend. How the hell can I not have this guy top 2? Scroll down and find out.

2. Dwight Howard (PF, 20 years old, 6-11, 240 lbs.)
As of 30 seconds ago I thought about going the safe route and swapping Wade for Howard. But something in my head wouldn’t let me. Call me crazy, but part of me believes that 20 years from now we’ll look back and see Howard with more championships than Wade and James combined. There’s something to be said of a 21 year-old leading the NBA in rebounding, scoring 15.4 PPG on just 10.7 FGA, and shooting over 50% from the floor. Honestly, what’s a realistic prediction for this kid by 2008, 25, 17, and 3 blocks? Could he one day average 20 and 20? I sure think so. And let’s not forget too that in six of the last seven years, a dominant big man was the centerpiece of each of those championship teams. But the main reason I chose Howard for #2, is that I honestly think he will one day be able to combine the fundamentals of Duncan, the determination of KG, the rebounding prowess of Big Ben, and the success of Shaq. And when that day comes, remember who told you so…

1. LeBron James (G/F, 21 years old, 6-8, 240 lbs.)
Hey, it was either him, Marvin Williams, or Baron Davis. I chose the guy who will be 35-10-10 by the time he’s 25.

Readers' Top 10

2006-02-16T17:22:00.000-05:00

Well congratulations everyone, I think we may have broken the record for most comments on one article. Which got me thinking, since the readers have so much to say, why don't you all sit down and come up with your own top 10 list (top 30 would take too long). Then on Monday I'll post the results and we can compare it to mine. Think of this as a homework assignment for All-Star Weekend. Thanks guys

Cassell Spits on Ref

2006-02-15T01:10:00.000-05:00

Clippers point guard Sam Cassell could be looking at a hefty suspension after spitting on official Eli Roe late in the 3rd Quarter of the Clippers 128-97 loss to the Houston Rockets. Cassell went irate after being called for a foul with 37.8 seconds left in the 3rd and was immediately hit with a tech by Roe. Cassell then continued to argue and go after Roe before being tossed and then with Roe's back turned, Cassell proceeded to hock a loogie on the official's back. The league will have to review the incident first thing tomorrow before the Clippers collide with the Golden State Warriors and I would fully expect them to come down hard on Cassell for his Alomarization of Roe. If you'll remember, Roberto Alomar was suspended five games by Major League Baseball in 1997 for spitting on umpire John Hirshbeck. My guess is that Cassell's wad of spit costs him a minimum of 5 games.

Carnival #24

2006-02-14T14:45:00.000-05:00

For those of you who have never heard of the Carnival before, it's a compilation of work from the various NBA blogs across the web. Some poor sap (this week it's me) is put in charge of emailing everyone for an article, getting a 30% response, then having to delve through a dozen or so blogs for a noteworthy piece. Typically the end result is a monster paragraph that has links to each site.

But, rather than keep with tradition, I decided instead to share with you the emails I got from these various bloggers. Some were lazy, some funny, some really bizarre. Here they are along with my initial reactions (of course).

Email #1:

"Hope it's not too late here. I'd like to throw my 2006 mock draft in there, if possible
--Dave from the city"

My take: Thanks for clarifying because it would have been a nightmare trying to figure out if this was Dave from the city or the town.

Email #2:

"Hi Anthony,

I sent you an email earlier this week about the Carnival but I'm hoping you can use these two posts instead. If you can't no worries, but I thought I'd at least try. The main post is [on Street Ball] and if you have room for a second post I'd love to help you get the word out that I'm looking for writers

Thanks Anthony!

Ryan, HoopsAddict.com"

My take: Ryan should make a lot of you feel like crap since he went out of to scrounge up his best work and send me not one, but two articles. Those of you who lazily ignored my emails to go watch figure skating on NBC should be ashamed of yourselves.

Email #3:

"Hi Anthony,

Thanks for taking on this thankless task! Here's my contribution"

My take: Jesus, you got that right. I feel as mistreated as those parents on the Sweet Sixteen show on MTV. And if you’re pretending that you haven’t seen it, just give it up already.

Email #4:

"Hey, Use any of my All-Star 1-on-1 posts

Thanks, Brian"

My take: See, how hard was that? This probably took Brian 13 seconds, max.

Email #5:

"Anthony --
Sorry it's so late, but here's my entry for the Carnival. It's on The Kevin Martin Experience

Take care, and good luck,

Tom

My take: This article sounds like something that may have been the inspiration behind Brokeback Mountain. But it's not, so make sure to go check out Tom's hard work.

Email #6:

"sorry i know this is wicked late, but in case you're still working on it, here is my article. it's about the hawks only having josh smith in the all star weekend and how the hawks suck so we can't send anyone else. it's wonderful. good luck with the carnival bud

Chase Kuech
Most Valuable Network,

My take: I thought only Bostonians use the word ‘wicked’? And at least Chase isn’t bashful about the quality of his writing, huh? I’m just busting your balls buddy, thanks for the submission.

Emails #7 & 8:
"For the Carnival...On 2/3/06, Sportsbiz wrote:
Nels,
Since you stepped up to take it, I have a couple of posts for you (choose whichever one you want):

Hornets Playing in OKC Next Year
or

Does 81 Return Kobe to Hero Status?

Thanks for taking it on. If you have any questions, let me know.

Mark"

"For the Carnival...On 2/6/06, Michael Deuser wrote:

Nels, my man, what's up. Can I put a SportingNews blog on the Carnival? I don't see why not. I keep it real. Here's a link to a blog about Mike Montgomery and the Warriors

Let me know if that's kosher.

Thanks, Mike"

My Take: Umm, am I doing this Carnival or is Nels? Can this task get anymore tedious and confusing? This certainly is not ‘kosher’.

Email #9:

"Anthony,

Thanks for putting this together. Here's my submission. It's just a recap of a good Spurs game against TOR, but I manage to incorporate a merkin. That's something.

Matthew"

My take: Am I the only one who has no clue what a merkin is? I’m assuming it has something to do with Sean Marks? Guess you’ll have to find out for yourselves. And is it just me or were you worried too that this could be a bad porn site about the former WWE star turned atrocious actor? Well, it’s not.

Email #10:

"just take whatever is posted on [my site], New York Knicks Most Valuable Network

thanks"

My take: Translation: "I’m not as lazy as those guys who didn’t send anything, but I’m still pretty damn lazy."

Email #11:

"anthony, never sent in for the carnival before...do you just need a url? sorry i'm responding so late. these e-mails went to my bulk bin. let me know if you need anything else. thanks.

Aloneconformist

My take: See how confused I was about the email list? I’m somehow managed to get a piece on Michelle Kwan...Just kidding, this is an article discussing T-Mac's unfortunate shooting slump. And on a side note, am I alone in being totally spooked out by this guy's pseudonym? Aloneconformist? Sounds like some 1980s Harrison Ford movie.

The Best of the Rest:

As for those of you who sent me nothing at all, I went onto your sites and attempted to find your worst article, ever. Unfortunately, all of your sites are very well organized and contain excellent material. Here’s a list of works you should all check out:

Celticsblog.com: up-to-the-second Boston Celtics info with excellent forum discussion

Perkolators: affiliated with Celtics Blog, and formerly The Get Buckets Brigade, a site solely dedicated to Ricky Davis. But now that RD has packed his bags for Minnesota, Matt and co. have now turned their attention to Kendrick Perkins. A very entertaining site, especially for those die-hard C’s fans.

Fantasy Basketblog: Go there for your weekly dose of who to start/bench to take advantage of all your fantasy match-ups. Here’s this week’s Head-to-Head’s Up

120 Proof Ball: Get your latest reasons why to stay in school…

Golden State Warriors Blog: Has moved to Golden State of Mind. Keep the faith fellas…

Blog a Bull: Addicted to the Bulls? Then make this site a daily read.

Pistons Coverage at Most Valuable Network: Get the latest on Darko’s potential relocation

The Bball Blog: A very entertaining site that almost had me believing that Scope really signed Vin Baker to be a spokesman. A must read…

One more late addition from Zach at Sportszilla, enjoy

2006 All-Star Reserves

2006-02-09T11:18:00.000-05:00

Count 'Melo among those who were snubbed

Announced later today, but read here first...

West Reserves

F- Kevin Garnett
F- Dirk Nowitzki
C- Pau Gasol
G- Tony Parker
G- Ray Allen
WC- Shawn Marion
WC- Elton Brand

**UPDATE** It seems that Gasol has made the team afterall. Perhaps there was a change of heart among the coaches whether or not Pau should be considered a center. Or, maybe someone important read my displeasure with the Okur selection and promptly changed it. I'll go with the latter until I hear otherwise.

Snubs: Carmelo Anthony, Pau Gasol, Andrei Kirilenko, Chris Paul, Baron Davis

East Reserves (As announced this morning by Peter Vecsey)

F-Vince Carter
F-Rasheed Wallace - will most likely replace Jermaine as a starter
C-Ben Wallace
G-Chauncey Billups
G-Richard Hamilton
WC-Paul Pierce
WC-Chris Bosh

Snubs: Gilbert Arenas (may be selected to fill Jermaine's spot), Michael Redd, Jason Kidd

Ray Allen an All-Star?

2006-02-08T23:00:00.000-05:00

I'm going to go out on a limb here and virtually GUARANTEE his selection (if I'm wrong just forget this ever happened, okay?). Here's my reasoning:

Ray Allen doesn't show up for All-Star weekend and ONLY take part in the 3-point contest. Because let's face it, you don't invite someone of his status to just take part in the Saturday night events--he's been a part of All-Star weekend too many times to do that
It makes complete sense that Allen promised the NBA he'd take part in the shootout
as long as he's a reserve in the game. The more big names in the 3-Point contest the better.
And finally, coaches usually make their selections based upon position and right now there is no other deserving 2-guard besides Jason Richardson. And with his recent brash of injuries, I think Allen would certainly get the nod.

Watch and learn people...

Knicks/Raptors Trade

2006-02-03T15:56:00.000-05:00

Isiah Thomas is at it again folks. ESPN's Steven A. Smith is reporting that the Knicks have dealt the expiring contract of Antonio Davis to the Toronto Raptors for Jalen Rose and the year remaining on his monsterous deal. Rose is set to make over $16.9 million next season. At this point however, would we really expect anything different from Thomas?

2006 T-Mobile Rookie Challenge Rosters

2006-02-01T14:06:00.000-05:00

Luol Deng and the Sophomores hope to keep their streak in tact

The rosters for the T-Mobile Challenge were selected by NBA assistant coaches, with each team allowed to submit one ballot. The head coaches for the game will be Sidney Lowe of the Detroit Pistons and Del Harris of the Dallas Mavericks.

ROOKIE TEAM

Andrew Bogut, Milwaukee

Luther Head, Houston

Danny Granger, Indiana

Sarunas Jasikevicius, Indiana

Chris Paul, New Orleans

Channing Frye, New York

Nate Robinson, New York

Charlie Villanueva, Toronto

Deron Williams, Utah

Snubs: Salim Stoudamire (ATL), Jose Calderon (TOR)?

SOPHOMORE TEAM

Dwight Howard, Orlando

Emeka Okafor, Charlotte (injured, will not play)

Luol Deng, Chicago

Ben Gordon, Chicago

Andres Nocioni, Chicago

Devin Harris, Dallas

T.J. Ford, Milwaukee

Nenad Krstic, New Jersey

Jameer Nelson, Orlando

Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia

Snubs: Delonte West (BOS), Al Jefferson (BOS), Shaun Livingston (LAC), Josh Smith (ATL), Chris Duhon (CHI)

Note: The Sophomores have won the last 3 contests

2005-06 NBA Mid-Season Awards

2006-01-31T17:11:00.000-05:00

Could he really do it again?

Most Improved Player

1) David West, New Orleans
04-05: 30 games, 18.4 min, 6.2 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 43.6 FG%
05-06: 43 games, 35.3 min, 16.9 PPG, 7.9 APG, 51.2 FG%

--I’ve been calling for West to get more run for two years now. As a graduate of an A-10 school (St. Joe’s), I saw plenty of the Xavier product up close and personal. Actually, during one game I screamed that Jameer Nelson was a much better candidate for Player of the Year. West looked at me, gave me one of those “haha, oh yeah white boy?” smiles, brought his team back from a double-digit deficit, and single-handedly won it for the Musketeers in overtime. This is why it boggled my mind seeing Byron Scott let him decompose on the bench.

2) Boris Diaw, Phoenix
04-05: 66 games, 18.2 min, 4.8 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 2.3 APG, 42.2 FG%
05-06: 43 games, 33.1 min, 11.9 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 5.9 APG, 50.1 FG%

--Okay, let’s review. Phoenix miserably lost Joe Johnson this summer and had to replace him with some guy named Boris Diaw-Riffiod—which sounds more like a required 18th century author on your 8th grade summer reading list. Well, it turns out this guy can score, rebound, pass, and oh yeah, play all five positions. Not bad considering he’s not even making a $ million while the aforementioned Hawk is sitting in his living room counting bills 50 Cent-style.

3) Mehmet Okur, Utah
04-05: 82 games, 28.1 min, 12.9 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 2.0 APG, 13.9% of offense
05-06: 44 games, 35.6 min, 17.8 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 2.6 APG, 19.8% of offense

--Doesn’t look like much of a basketball player, does he? Actually, he reminds me of that kid in college who always came late to class, had just woken up 13 seconds prior, and always asked for a piece of paper and a pen. But hey, the guy can ball and if Kevin O’Connor stops trying to pull a reverse Texas Western this season, perhaps the Jazz can sneak into the Playoffs.

Just missed: Delonte West (BOS), Smush Parker (LAL)

6th Man of the Year

1) Mike Miller, Memphis –Evidence of how bad this year’s crop of 6th man nominees is: Miller’s FG%, 3-pt FG%, FGA made, and APG are all down from a season ago. I’m dying for someone like Al Jefferson to swoop in and provide some dignity to this race.

2) Mo Williams, Milwaukee –Earlier this season, Williams won two games at the buzzer and has since emerged as a catalyst for this young ball club. Without him, I’m not sure the Bucks hold the 5 seed at this point in the year…

3) Speedy Claxton, New Orleans – Yet another PG who got demoted in favor of a younger player. But like Williams, Speedy has handled the situation with class and kept up his solid play as 6th man for the Hornets.

Just missed: Earl Boykins (DEN), Jamal Crawford (NYK), Donyell Marshall (CLE)

Coach of the Year

1) Flip Saunders, Detroit – 37-5 in his first year as Pistons coach is just unheard of. Obviously it’s nice to inherit a team that reached the Finals their previous season, but that doesn’t take anything away from a .881 winning percentage.

2) Mike D’Antoni, Phoenix – Guiding this team to the 2 seed in the West, after losing Johnson and Q to trades and Amare to injury, is just incredible. If Detroit wasn’t on pace for historical marks, D’Antoni would run away with this honor.

3) Byron Scott, New Orleans – This is where I start to hate the COY award. It’s like the science fair at your elementary school. The relatively poor kid does an above average job with old Coke cans, straws, underwear elastics, Popsicle sticks, etc. But then the spoiled brat whose dad is a stockbroker on Wall Street comes in with like three grand worth of Radio Shack built into his experiment and easily runs away with first prize. We all expected it to happen, but yet we still can’t help but feel bad for the kid left their standing with half a bottle of Elmer’s glue stuck to hands. You see where I’m going with this? Doesn’t the guy who was predicted to have a 14th or 15th seeded team, but now owns the 8th seed in the West, merit any recognition? Probably not…

Just Missed: Nate McMillan (POR), Phil Jackson (LAL), Mike Dunleavy (LAC)

1st Team All-Rookie

Chris Paul, New Orleans – Stephon Marbury-type that actually makes his teammates better and plays defense.

Deron Williams, Utah – We were warned that Jerry Sloan would be extremely patient with his young point guard, but to sit this kid in favor of guys like Keith McLeod is just unheard of.

Charlie Villanueva, Toronto – Hey Charlie, way to not give a damn at UConn and then make 95% of sports writers look like idiots with your solid play. I still say he has a better shot at growing hair than becoming an All-Star.

Andrew Bogut, Milwaukee – It makes me ecstatic when a white guy comes in and continues to play with passion even after breaking his nose 12 times this season. Oh well, it’s not like he looks any better without the mask…

Channing Frye, New York – Another example of a player we were all wrong about. I give Isiah three weeks to deal him away for Theo Ratliff.

Just missed: Raymond Felton (CHA), Nate Robinson (NYK), Jose Calderon (TOR)

Rookie of the Year

Chris Paul, New Orleans – This is like that one answer you know for sure on a test you barely studied for. When’s the last time a PG entered the league and had this much impact? You’d have to go back to the 96-97 season when Allen Iverson averaged 23.5 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 7.5 APG, & 2.1 SPG. Oh yeah, and props to the Hawks and Jazz for passing on him—really solid move. I think with Paul (rather than Williams), Utah would be three games up in the Northwest rather than gradually slipping into the Lottery. If the Hornets somehow finagle their way into the postseason, don’t be surprised to see Paul in the top-5 or 6 for MVP voting.

1st Team All-Defense

Bruce Bowen, San Antonio – With Kobe putting the majority of his focus on the offensive end, I’ll leave Bowen in the mix.

Gerald Wallace, Charlotte – No one else in the league averages 2+ steals and blocks. Add 7.0 RPG to the mix and GW could challenge these bigger fellas for DPOY.

Andrei Kirilenko, Utah – Many people might call for Marion in this spot, but the Matrix can’t quite change a game defensively the way AK can. Once he gets in cruise control, expect 2+ steals and 3+ blocks every night…

Ben Wallace, Detroit –I always tend to wonder why more teams don’t try and breed a Big Ben of their own. You’ll hear coaches and analysts say he’s a unique talent that can’t be replicated, but I remain skeptical. You’re telling me if I had an athletic big man go out there and put 100% of his effort towards defense and ONLY defense, he couldn’t do what Wallace does? Really?

Marcus Camby, Denver – Too bad Camby got hurt. Not only has it scarred his magnificent first few months, but it’s also put a damper on his team and his chances to nab DPOY honors. Should come down to the wire if he manages to play 60+ games this season.

Defensive Player of the Year

Ben Wallace, Detroit – Say you went away for five years and had no clue of how the NBA was structured, who was good, who was bad, what styles of play were dominating, etc. And then say I asked you if you thought it was possible for a team to be 37-5 with a 6-9 center? Would you honestly say yes? I sure wouldn’t. But that’s the thing, we haven’t had a big man this athletic and dominant on the boards since Dennis Rodman. The difference is, Wallace has about 50 more pounds of muscle on him to help D-up both 4s and 5s. In addition, he gets his team the most second chance opportunities in the league, blocks almost 2.5 shots per game, and gets his paws on nearly 2 steals every night. Anyone doing that much for his team on one end of the floor deserves this honor each and every year.

1st Team All-NBA

Steve Nash, Phoenix – Doing more with less…

Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers – We haven’t seen someone this dominant offensively since you know who…

LeBron James, Cleveland – Finally rounding into form after struggling early. Should be 30-8-8 by year’s end.

Elton Brand, LA Clippers – With Shaq, Yao, and Camby all nursing injuries, Brand has quietly emerged as the game’s most dominant big man.

Ben Wallace, Detroit – With the aforementioned players all missing 10+ games this season, I have to honor Big Ben.

MVP

Those with little/no chance:

Elton Brand, LA Clippers – Brand is like that chubby kid in high school who is so nice to everyone and probably deserves the hottest girl out there, but instead ends up with his mother’s best friend’s daughter. In other words, Brand just isn’t the sexy pick…

Chauncey Billups, Detroit – Honoring Billups is like giving the NFL MVP award to an offense linemen. Without the other four the entire unit snaps, so how can you single out one particular guy?

Gerald Wallace, Charlotte – I love when some no name writer from ESPN the Magazine decides to go out on a limb and say that a guy like Wallace deserves the MVP. Seriously, just because you majored in journalism at Harvard doesn’t make it okay to write ridiculous columns. How can a guy win the MVP when he plays for an 11-35 team?

Those with an outside chance:

Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas – I feel like this happens every year. The Mavs start out hot, stay on pace with San Antonio, and then everyone starts talking about how valuable Dirk really is. Sure, a versatile 7-footer is always going to be a precious commodity, but what matters most is finally securing that 1 seed so that the entire postseason rolls through your backyard. Until he does so, there are still four guys I like more. Odds: 30: 1

Tracy McGrady, Houston – The Rockets are currently in 15th place in the West. They remain 7 games out of the 8 seed with just 38 games to play. Now, say T-Mac puts up some ridiculous numbers like 35, 7, & 6 the rest of the way and somehow guides this team into the postseason? Could we really count him out of the race altogether? I don’t think so. Odds: 20: 1

LeBron James, Cleveland – He single-handedly brought the Cavs back last Sunday to defeat the Suns. Dunks, rebounds, steals, mid-range jumpers, 3-pointers—he did it all. It’s just a matter of time before LBJ doesn’t have anymore mantle space, and that first big one may come sooner than expected. Odds: 10: 1

The odds on favorites:

Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers – First of all, no, I’m not that stupid. I know there’s no way that the majority of writers are going to side with a man who was once accused of sexual assault. Plus, if this did indeed occur, David Stern would have to live with the fact that many of the common fans might stray from the game forever. That’s a chance he cannot and will not take. So why did I even bother to list Kobe here? Well first of all, I still think there’s an outside shot that he could break Wilt’s mark. And if he does that, holds onto the scoring crown, is recognized as a 1st Team All-Defensive player, and the Lakers somehow get a homecourt series in the Playoffs, he almost has to get the award, doesn’t he? This remains a debate I could take either side on and hopefully one that will begin to surface. Odds: 5: 1

Steve Nash, Phoenix – As the leader of arguably the most overachieving team in the NBA, how can we not consider Nash the front-runner? Last year he garnered the award surrounded by perhaps the most talent in the entire league. But this season, sans Amare, Nash has this ballclub playing just as well if not better than a season ago. It’s like giving Jenna Jameson the award for ‘Best Gangbang of the Year’ while working with Peter North, Lex Steele, and Ron Jeremy, and then a year later making an even better film with a cast of Johnny Whitewater, Barry Wang, and Bob Shurtleff. It’s really unheard of… Odds: 2: 1

2006 Slam Dunk Contest Participants

2006-01-31T13:07:00.000-05:00

Josh Smith (ATL) - defending champ

Nate Robinson (NYK)

Andre Iguodala (PHI)

Hakim Warrick (MEM)

Deadline Blockbusters

2006-01-30T10:19:00.000-05:00

NEW ARTICLE COMING LATER TODAY...

When is enough, enough?

In my Triple-threat on Tuesday, I mentioned three superstars that could be hearing their names swirl around in trade rumors. Allen Iverson, Kevin Garnett, and Steve Francis will all probably end up staying in their respective uniforms, but just for the fun of it let’s ship these guys to new locations. Feedback is a must…

Philadelphia Trades: G Allen Iverson

Dallas Trades: G Devin Harris, GF Marquis Daniels, GF Jerry Stackhouse, & 1st Rd pick

Why Philly should it:
Over the last few days, ESPN’s Chris Broussard has relentlessly pushed the Iverson-Webber strife across the World Wide Web. It’s left us all wondering, what does this mean? Do these guys hate each other? Do they pour super glue in each other’s doo rags? Cut the brake lines on each other’s Bentleys? But more importantly, do they dislike each other enough that the team will have no choice but to finally trade Allen Iverson? If so, what would be the requirements in a return package for the Philly guard? I say it’s two-fold, in 1) they’d have to get back some young players able to run with Andre Iguodala and Samuel Dalembert and, 2) they must also gain a significant amount of cap relief for the near future. With this Dallas trade, both requirements are fulfilled. Philly gets their backcourt of the future in Harris and Daniels, plus Stack’s contract comes off the books after next season. That means GM Billy King will have a significant amount of money to throw at a free agent come the summer of 2007. In my opinion, that young core plus cap relief in ’07 is worth the price of an aging Iverson.

Why Dallas should do it:
Why the hell not? They really don’t need Harris with Terry playing so well and Daniels is milking a new injury every other week. Plus, in adding AI to a team that boasts a rather versatile big man in Dirk Nowitzki (rather than a guy with Wilford Brimley’s knees), there’s no reason to think the Mavs couldn’t outscore every team that comes their way. But most importantly, if Mark Cuban doesn’t make a major deal such as this, I’d bet my own reproductive organ that Dallas would be sent home in the 1st or 2nd round (as usual). They can win their 55-60 games in the regular season, but once the Playoffs roll around and the opposition starts double-teaming Dirk (think last year’s 1st round vs. Houston), down go the Mavericks. Adding Iverson to the mix however, changes all of that. Opponents will no longer be able to double Dirk but instead will have to balance their focus on him and #3. If this is the case, there’s no reason to think that Dallas won’t be able to hang with the Spurs and Suns (and perhaps beat them).

Minnesota Trades: PF Kevin Garnett

Boston Trades: PF Raef LaFrentz, SG Ricky Davis, PF Al Jefferson, F Gerald Green

Why Minnesota should do it:
Anyone else catch the Wolves-Grizzlies game last night on ESPN? It was an absolute joke. Minnesota was playing about as well as my old high school girl’s JV team. Can Kevin McHale just do KG the favor of putting him in a place that, A) respects him, B) will do everything to help him win, and C) won’t make him cry? Plus, what can we honestly expect from this team with the way their roster appears today? Perhaps a Playoff birth? Okay, but where do they go from there? The answer is nowhere. So, why not trade Garnett while he’s still in his prime and get back valuable young assets in return? Jefferson is projected as a 20 and 10 guy and Green has been regularly compared to Tracy McGrady. And while those guys are still a few years away from contributing, Davis and LaFrentz can help fill some holes in the meantime. And even if they can’t, this team wasn’t going very far anyway…

Why Boston should do it:
Picture a starting five of Delonte West, Tony Allen, Paul Pierce, Garnett, and Kendrick Perkins. Not only would this deal improve the team’s inside scoring, but it also gives the defense a boost with KG in the middle and Allen on the wing (a much better defender than RD). Plus, a tandem of Garnett and Pierce would rank among the league’s most dominating duos. If you were the Heat or Nets, hanging around as a 2 or 3 seed in the East, would you honestly want to face this team? How about next year or the year after when they’re even better? (That is if they get Doc Rivers the hell out of there). Danny Ainge can’t hold onto all this youth forever, so why not go after The Big Ticket?

Orlando Trades: G Steve Francis

Memphis Trades: C Lorenzen Wright, PG Damon Stoudamire, & GF Dahntay Jones

Why Orlando should do it:
Obviously Otis Smith and the Magic would love to get the three years remaining on Francis’s contract off their books. Orlando has certainly not gotten their worth out of the Maryland product and so the most likely road to take at this point is to build for the future. The team already has two nice young pieces in F Dwight Howard and PG Jameer Nelson and will have a decent amount of cap room this summer and a ton in 2007 when Grant Hill finally dies (err, his contract is up). Thus, go out and get the expiring contract of Lo Wright, take on Stoudamire to help mentor Nelson for the next 2-3 seasons, and see if Jones can be half the player he was at Duke. Whatever the Magic decide to do, it really makes no sense to hold onto Francis any longer. Push him to a contender, tank the season, grab a nice Draft pick, and fill your holes through free agency.

Why Memphis should do it:
The Grizzlies are another one of those teams who can hang with anybody right now, but once the Playoffs roll around they won’t have a shot in hell at advancing past the 2nd round. That’s mainly because they have to rely upon the inconsistencies of Mike Miller, Eddie Jones, Bobby Jackson, Shane Battier, etc. What they desperately need is another scorer to compliment the low-post game of Pau Gasol. Bringing Steve Francis in allows for Gasol to get more one-on-one matchups down low rather than a flurry of double and triple-teams that he’s facing now. Maybe Francis wouldn’t be the perfect fit for Mike Fratello and company, but with the expiring contract of Lo Wright as the only enticing asset the team has (they aren’t dealing Warrick), they have to be realistic. Plus, I can’t see Jerry West failing to make an impact move for the third straight year, can you?

CELTICS/WOLVES TRADE

2006-01-26T21:19:00.000-05:00

YES! I'm headed to Beantown..

The following trade has been completed:

Boston will deal Ricky Davis, Mark Blount, Marcus Banks, Justin Reed and two 2nd round draft picks to Minnesota for Wally Szczerbiak, Michael Olowokandi, Dwayne Jones and a conditional future first round draft pick.

The trade is conditional upon the players passing physicals.

More to come...

2005-06 Statistics:

Szczerbiak: 20.1 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 2.8 APG, 49.5 FG%, 40.6 3-FG%

Olowokandi:6.0 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 0.8 BPG, 44.6 FG%

Davis: 19.7 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 5.3 APG, 1.2 SPG, 46.4 FG%, 32.0 3-FG%

Blount: 12.4 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 0.9 BPG, 51.1 FG%, 3.1 TO+

Babcock to Get the Ax

2006-01-26T14:08:00.000-05:00

The Toronto Raptors have reportedly scheduled a 2PM Press Conference to announce the firing of General Manager Rob Babcock. Amazingly enough, I felt the GM did his very best work during this past year's Draft in selecting both Charlie Villanueva and Joey Graham (not to mention Jose Calderon). I'm assuming the team just wants to take those surprisingly efficient moves and run for the hills. With the trade deadline just about a month away, that might not be a bad idea. Nevertheless, today is a sad day at the Source as Babcock became the butt of countless jokes in our columns. We'll miss you Babs...

Triple Threat: January 24th

2006-01-25T09:14:00.000-05:00

Can we please get Howard more shots?

3 Players on Fire (not named Kobe Bryant)

1. Tracy McGrady, Houston
Do you guys remember Paul? He used to write for this website. He is a nice person. Well, back in the preseason he pegged McGrady as his 2005-06 MVP. Two weeks ago that prediction looked about as good as Britney Spears, with T-Mac leaving the court on a stretcher. But let me be the first to say, if McGrady keeps playing like he has over these last three games and somehow gets the Rockets into the Playoffs, he might just win after all. Oh yeah, in those three contests, 39.7 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 4.7 APG, & 50.0 FG%.

2. Dwight Howard, Orlando
In order to show you how poorly the Magic are using this kid, let’s take a look at some of the other big name power forwards and compare their shots per minute. Bosh (.40), Brand (.45), Randolph (.47), Webber (.47)….Howard (.29). Okay, in just his second year perhaps he shouldn’t be getting the same shot attempts as Brand or Webber. But there’s no reason he shouldn’t be up there with the Boshs and Randolphs of the league. In fact, DH is only attempting 10.6 shots per game, but somehow still leads the team in PPG. In his last five, Howard averaged 17.0 PPG, 15.6 RPG, 1.2 SPG, 2.0 BPG, & 55.2 FG%. How on earth can you not get him more touches shooting the ball with such accuracy?

3. Shawn Marion, Phoenix
Over his last three games, the Matrix has put up averages of 29.7 PPG, 14.3RPG, 2.7 SPG, 3.7 BPG, including 19-20 from the charity stripe. I can’t even imagine how good this team will be once (if) Amare returns…

3 Players in the Dumps

1. Tyson Chandler, Chicago
What a chump this guy is. Is he ever going to prove his worth? Kwame Brown, the #1 overall pick in the ’01 Draft, gets so much negativity thrown his way but somehow TC (the 2nd pick that year) avoids it. Get this, Chandler is averaging just 4.7 PPG this season—are you serious? But, is it really his fault that he’s only attempting 3.5 shots per game? Should we attribute that to his lack of aggression, poor guard play, or just putrid coaching? I’ll just blame him for now…

2. Joel Przybilla, Portland
This isn’t really Joel’s fault because for some unknown reason Nate McMillan has chosen to play JP for an average of just 21.0 minutes over his last five. Doesn’t he understand I have a fantasy league to win here? I need more a lot more 19 rebound, 8 block performances and a hell of a lot less Theo Ratliff. I’m praying that the team is merely showcasing Ratliff for a deadline deal.

3. Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia
I don’t know about your league, but the majority of the members in mine pegged Iggy to have a huge sophomore season. But thus far, all of his owners have been left with their hands in the air. Sure his PPG are up 3.0 and FG% up a smidgen, but in averaging 5.1 more minutes per game this season, I think we all expected a lot more. There’s still plenty of time for him to prove me wrong however…

3 Teams on Fire (besides the Pistons)

1. Dallas Mavericks-Won 5 straight, and 8 of 10-Did anyone expect the Spurs to be threatened for the Southwest title? Well here we are at the halfway point and both teams are deadlocked at 31-10. San Antonio needs to step it up…

2. Denver Nuggets—Won 6 straight and 8 of 10—All this without Marcus Camby too…Fortunately for George Karl and co., the big man is expected to make his return sometime this week. Meanwhile, Carmelo Anthony continues to make a strong case for the Western All-Star team (right Curtis?).

3. Los Angeles Lakers—Won 7 of 10—Whooping the Raptors at home is no big deal, but wins over Miami, Golden State, Cleveland and the cross-town Clips are rather impressive. Is it any real surprise Phil Jackson has these guys in the thick Playoff race? Didn’t think so…

3 Teams in the Dumps

1. Charlotte Bobcats—Lost 7 straight—As the winner of the team with the worst luck, the ‘Cats have lost Okafor, Rush, Ely, and now Wallace for significant stretches this season. Oh yeah, and rookie Sean May is likely out for the year with a knee injury. Poor Charlotte, at least they get a boost in their cap number this summer…

2. Indiana Pacers—Sitting on Ron Artest—Has any imminent deal ever taken this long to complete? It took the Lakers less than a month to trade Shaq, the most dominant player of our generation, but Bird and Walsh need 49 freakin’ days (and counting) to move Artest? Now the team sits at 21-20 and Coach Rick Carlisle was quoted after Tuesday's game as saying, "We're just not a good basketball team right now." Some executives he has…

3. Golden State Warriors—Lost 7 of 10—Everyone’s bandwagon team this preseason isn’t playing so hot, huh? Oh, they’ll be just like the Suns from last year and put up 110 points every night, right? Funny that everyone forgot that they have Mike Montgomery as a coach, no frontcourt player even reminiscently close to Marion or Amare, and that Mike Dunleavy still hadn’t gotten his first period. It’s going to take a marvelous deadline deal to sneak this squad into the postseason.

3 Stars Bound to be Discussed in Trade Rumors

1. Allen Iverson, Philadelphia
With AI and C-Webb apparently at each other’s throats, the most logical rumor to surface will be the trading of Iverson. No one will be crazy enough to take on Webber’s contract and injury liability, so what choice will that leave the Sixers’ brass? If AI isn’t happy, management has to listen to his trade requests/demands, right? We’ll find out in the coming weeks…

2. Kevin Garnett, Minnesota
The last time I checked the Wolves were in 9th place in the West. And if I recall correctly, only 8 teams make the Playoffs. So say Minny drops back even further, say by losing 5 of their next 6? And one night when the team is down by 20 in the 4th and KG looks over at Kevin McHale laughing it up with some bimbo in the stands, what do you think happens next? Would anyone be remotely surprised if Garnett held Wally World hostage until the team agreed to trade him? Maybe it’s just me, but I really think the league would benefit greatly with the Big Ticket in the Playoffs every year. Doesn’t a move to Boston almost make too much sense? A team desperate to make it back to the Finals matched up with a player whom everyone wants to see there? A couple hasn’t made this much sense since Zack Morris and Kelly Kapowski.

3. Steve Francis, Orlando
It’s about freakin’ time that management gives up on Francis and Hill and hands the reigns over to Howard and Jameer Nelson. Tank the rest of the season, draft Rudy Gay, and build around those three studs. How does Otis Smith not see this? And who the hell thought it was a good idea to hire Otis Smith? There was no one better out there? Wouldn’t no one be better?

3 Tidbits from the NBDL

1. Potential stud Gerald Green has looked decent at best through his first five games. The rookie draft pick of the Boston Celtics is currently averaging 11.4 PPG, 4.6 RPG, while shooting just 41.8% from the field. While the numbers don’t appear too enticing, this this video should make Celtics’ fans smile for what’s to come.

2. Rookie PG Will Bynum (Georgia Tech) has stole the league scoring lead from G Bracey Wright. The free agent from the Roanoke Dazzle is currently averaging 22.9 PPG through 15 games of action. His teammate F Anthony Grundy (NC State) isn’t far behind with 22.2 PPG. Bynum was a free agent signee of the Celtics this summer, but the team released him just before the start of the regular season. He is free to be signed by any NBA team.

3. Portland Blazers’ guard Martell Webster was sent down to the Fort Worth Flyers last week. Through three games, the 3rd overall pick of last year’s Draft is putting up 10.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, while shooting just 40.7%. As with Green, expect him to go through some early game struggles after rotting on an NBA bench for the last 2+ months.

3 Fantasy Buys

1. Kendrick Perkins, Boston
Not only has the big man started the last six games for the C’s, he’s also been playing with something to prove. After sitting behind both Mark Blount and Raef LaFrentz for the past two seasons, Coach Doc Rivers is finally giving Perk and second year stud Al Jefferson some run. The results? 10.3 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.8 BPG, and 62.0 FG%. Keep in mind that Blount is being dangled for three chalupas and a side of guacamole, and that once he’s dealt Perk should be solidifying 30+ minutes per night.

2. Jalen Rose, Toronto
If you haven’t noticed, Rose has started the Rap’s last three games and put up averages of 22.0 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 5.3 APG, 1.0 SPG, and 49.0 FG%. While JR’s certainly just being showcased for a looming trade to New York, he still may be a nice pick up for the next few weeks. If you need someone to help out long term, I’d look elsewhere…

3. Antonio Daniels, Washington
I know, he’s played about as well as the fat guy in Teen Wolf this season, but with Chucky Atkins moving to Memphis, I think a lot of the pressure will be alleviated. Remember that last season he was playing alongside a 2nd-year player with no one but Flip Murray pushing him for run. This season he’s in a new place, playing behind an elite PG, and up until recently, battling Atkins for minutes. If you don’t believe me, wait it out another week and see for yourself.

3 Fantasy Sells

1. Francisco Elson/Eduardo Najera, Denver
With Camby coming back shortly, these guys will take the biggest hit. Start searching for better options while you still can…

2. Kevin Martin/Francisco Garcia, Sacramento
With Bonzi due back sooner rather than later, and Peja apparently sticking around (for now), these two youngsters are out of luck. So are their owners…

3. Corey Maggette, LA Clippers
I wouldn’t be surprised if half of Maggette’s owners have elected to hold onto him thus far. Hell, you probably wasted a 3rd or 4th round pick on him and all you see in the free agent list are Quinton Ross and Jackson Vroman. But listen, the Artest-to-LA deal died for a legitimate reason. If Maggette was expected back anytime soon, don’t you think the Pacers would rather have him than Peja? Makes you wonder if Corey will be back at all this season.

3 Thoughts from the NFL Playoffs

1. In watching Ben Roethlisberger battle Jake Plummer this weekend, I feel it should be mandatory for players to grow Playoff beards. This especially holds true for the WNBA where we’d redefine the comedic scale watching Lisa Leslie and Tamecka Dixon go over a month without a waxing. Yeesh…

2. Does any team have worse luck with running backs than the Carolina Panthers? Better yet, does anyone have worse luck than DeShaun Foster? The season-ending injury he suffered in Chicago last week marked the third year in a row he failed to complete a full year. Good luck on the free agent market buddy.

3. What’s with all the hiring of the assistant coaches? I just heard that San Fran hired the Patriots’ urinal cleaner to be their offensive coordinator.

3 Thoughts from the NHL

1. It’s about time the New York Rangers turned things around. Isn’t it amazing how a roster filled with superstars fails to make the Playoffs for seven straight years, yet a team with only one legit player of that caliber can be just 3 points back of the division lead? Big game tonight vs. Buffalo (7PM).

2. No surprise that Mario Lemieux retired for the second time this afternoon. Why do these hockey players insist on holding onto their playing days? Are their wives and kids that terrible?

3. Penguins' center Sidney Crosby (1st overall 2005 Draft), at just 18 years of age, currently sits 14th in the league in total points. The player that went 1st overall last season, Washington forward Alexander Ovechkin, is 8th. Looks like the NBA isn’t the only breeding ground for teenagers…

3 Thoughts from Baseball

1. Doesn’t Barry Bonds realize that the only way for him to get all the critics off his back is to play in this year’s World Baseball Classic and bring home a title to the U.S.? Am I the only one who sees this? Is Felipe Alou that conniving?

2. As a Yankee fan, count me among those who are thrilled that most of my team’s players chose not to participate in the WBC. As cool as it would be to see the U.S. win this Classic, I’d much rather have the Yankee players at full strength come April. Bud Selig is going to face much scrutiny as soon as the first impact player goes down with a major injury.

3. Prediction: the Red Sox acquisitions of 2B Mark Loretta, and more importantly, OF Coco Crisp will go down as two of the more underrated moves of the offseason.

Artest Trade OFF

2006-01-24T18:45:00.000-05:00

2:45 P.M: The Indiana Pacers have finally awoken from their hibernation and traded Ron Artest to the Sacramento Kings for Peja Stojakovic. This deal, which has been discussed for somewhere around seven years now, should have never taken 49 days to complete. Due to their lengthy deliberation, Indiana sits at a mediocre 21-19 record at the halfway point of the season. The Kings, on the other hand, remain just 3 games back of a Playoff spot with over half a season to play. It will be very interesting to see how this deal plays out for both clubs. Sacramento travels to Indiana on March 17th, most likely "Hatchet Night" at Conseco Fieldhouse.

**UPDATE** 6:45 P.M: According to ESPN's Steven A. Smith and Jim Gray (who first reported the deal), cry baby Artest doesn't want any part of Sacramento. The deal remains on the rocks as we speak. More info coming as I come across it...

**UPDATE** 7:00 P.M: The deal is offically dead. I'm so sick of this I don't even care to discuss. Ron Artest has officially overtaken Kobe as the game's biggest asshole.

Kobe's 81: The Best Ever?

2006-01-23T09:05:00.000-05:00

In case you're just rolling out of bed, hungover from Conference Championship Sunday, let me be the first to inform you that Kobe Bryant dropped a Laker record 81 points last night. Here's his final stat line:

28-46 from the floor

7-13 from three

18-20 free throws

26 in the 1st half, 55 for the 2nd

So the obvious question we need to ask this morning, is whether or not this is the greatest single-game performance in league history. We're all aware that Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a game in 1962, but do we really know what happened that day? Let’s breakdown three categories of justifying factors to determine which feat we can consider the greatest of all time.

1. Defenders

Keep in mind that Wilt Chamberlain was 7-1, 275 lbs. The men he went up against that day were Cleveland Butler, a 6-9, 210 lbs. rookie (6th round pick), who did happen to net 33 points and 8 rebounds, and Darrall Imhoff, a 6-10, 220 lbs. center who fouled out in just 20 minutes of action. Of the other six players who laced them up for New York that day, no one stood over 6-6. Thus, Wilt’s main defense that afternoon was a rookie 6th round draft pick, whom he had a 4-inch height advantage over, and a man coordinated enough to last just 20 minutes in the paint.

Kobe Bryant wasn’t exactly defended by All-Defensive teamers on Sunday, drawing match-ups of Jalen Rose, Morris Peterson, Joey Graham, and Eric Williams. Rose, an absolutely putrid defender, was only on the court for 42 minutes because the team is currently showcasing him for trades. Mo Pete has to be at least 3 steps slower than Kobe. Joey Graham had the reputation as a solid defender in college, but he’s more apt to guarding small forwards, not lightning quick 2’s. And finally, the 33 year-old Williams played just 5 minutes of action and certainly didn’t do much to help stop the fire.

2. Eras

On that March day in 1962, the Philadelphia Warriors outscored the New York Knicks 169-147 in regulation. To put things in perspective, the Sonics needed two overtimes (10 extra minutes) on Sunday night to defeat the Suns 152-149. But that’s the thing, those high-scoring contests were a regular occurrence back in the 60s. In fact, the Warriors averaged 134.0 PPG that season, compared to the Phoenix Suns’ league high of 106.3 PPG this year. Think about that—that’s a 27.7 point difference in averages. Doesn’t that say something about the variation in defensive intensity between these two eras? If we want to get mathematical here, 100 points in an era where 134.0 was the league high, is equivalent to a 79-point outing in the modern era. Kobe dropped 81, so can’t we argue that his feat is superior?

3. Position Advantage

It doesn’t take a nuclear physicist to know that it’s much easier to score when you’re 7-1 than if you are 6-6. The majority of Chamberlain’s points came on lay-ups and put-backs (his 25 rebounds probably helped a bit too). Bryant scored 81 points using his quickness and deadly jumper, two methods of scoring that get to be rather exhausting. Posting up a guy on the block takes a lot less effort than it does to blow by defenders and shoot countless jump shots. Plus, Chamberlain got to attempt 32 free throws compared to just 20 for Bryant. You’re telling me it’s not easier to have 12 more attempts from the charity stripe? Thus, I think we can say that Wilt the Stilt definitely had it easier in playing the 5.

Conclusion:
All in all, I think with the height and position advantages, along with the enormous boost in scoring, Chamberlain definitely had in much easier en route to his 100-game performance. In this era, 81 points from a 2-guard is just more impressive than 100-points from a 7-1 center in 1962. Care to argue?

Random Thoughts: Wednesday's NBA Action

2006-01-19T16:55:00.000-05:00

CLEVELAND-DENVER GAME
I must admit, I haven’t missed a Cavs-Nuggets game since the birth of the LeBron-‘Melo rivalry in 2003. Who would? These two were supposed to be the modern day Jordan and Bird right? Well last night LBJ and Carmelo reminded me more of Marty Conlon and Joe Wolf. In case you missed it, this was one of the worst Nationally televised games of the season, evidenced by Kenyon Martin somehow pulling down 17 boards with Manute Bol’s knees. The defense wasn’t anything to email home about, yet the final score somehow showed a 90-89 ball game. Oh yeah, and that James-Anthony showdown, well let’s just say if I paid money to attend this game I wouldn’t be pinning the ticket stub on my bulletin board.

See most of you would look at this morning’s boxscore and say, “Dang, LeBron was just one assist shy of a triple-double”. But what I see is much more evident of what truly went down last night: 7-20 FG, 8-15 FT, and 5 personals. And to add to it, one of those bricks from the charity stripe just so happened to come with 0.8 seconds left and a chance to tie the game. Now I know he’s just 21 years old and it may be too early in his career to get on his case, but c’mon man, there’s no way MJ misses that. All these Jordan comparisons make me sick because all I see in common thus far is the #23. Even before that miss the Cavs were down 3 with just under 10 seconds to go. The ball somehow got tip out to James who had a wide-open 3 thanks to an unintentional Eric Snow screen. So what did he do? That’s right, passed it over to Sasha Pavlovic instead. SASHA PAVLOVIC! Nevermind why that guy is even on the court during crunch time, why the hell is LeBron not taking that shot? Doesn’t every superstar want the game-tying/winning shot to be his no matter what? Well, maybe James knew he was just 2-11 in taking those particular attempts this season and wanted to share some of the pressure with his boy Sasha. Whatever the case might have been, there’s absolutely no reason why LeBron shouldn’t have taken that shot and later, missed that game-tying free-throw. MJ never did things like that and until James learns from these crucial mistakes, let cut it out with all the comparisons. Thanks.

NEW YORK-CHICAGO GAME
After popping a few Tylenol Cold & Sinus pills around 10 PM, let’s just say I wasn’t in any shape to be paying pinpoint attention to anything. So when Antonio Davis mysteriously charged into the stands at the Untied Center, I initially thought I had unknowingly fallen asleep and dreamt the whole thing. Then I did that whole wipe the eyes thing (like that really wakes you up) and realized this was really happening. Was Davis’ wife getting raped in the stands? Was someone stabbing her? Did she pull a Jessie Spano and start ripping all her clothes off unannounced? No. A Bulls’ fan was heckling her because in all likelihood she was being extremely obnoxious in rooting for her husband’s Knicks. So Davis has to be Superman and run to his wife’s rescue because she’s in an argument with another fan? C’mon now, did we not learn anything after last year’s debacle in Detroit? How about just running to the scorer’s table and yelling out, “Are you okay honey?” before you charge into the crowd like a bull in Seville. Since she was in the 6th row, unless she requires two of those massive hearing aids you see 80 year-olds in Wal-Mart wearing, she probably could have shouted back, “Yeah Tony, this guy’s just being a real douche bag.” Now we’re forced to hear Woodie Page and Jay Merriotti discuss this for the next few days until the NFL referees make another abhorrent call this weekend. Thanks a lot.

PS-If Stern gives him anything longer than a 1 or 2 game suspension, he really needs to come down from his power trip. I bet his wife wears the pants in the Stern house and so whenever he gets the chance to prove his masculinity he has no chance but to take it. Stay tuned for the ruling.

UPDATE: Yup, looks like Mrs. Stern went out and bought a new Beamer anyway, even after David strictly told her not to do so. She actually pulled up with it right as Davis was rushing into the stands. What a coincidence, huh?

NBA All-Star Additions & Lineups

2006-01-18T15:25:00.000-05:00

See how these two can spice up All-Star Weekend

That's right everyone, the 2006 NBA All-Star festivities are just 32 days away. Can you believe it? I know, I know, not all of you are as pumped as I am for this. So let me ask you, what would it take for you to really look forward to this event? I decided to come up with a few ideas to appease your viewing pleasure. Let's start with Saturday night and present some more exciting activities to sandwich around the 3-point Shootout and Slam Dunk Competition.

Drinking Contest: Vin Baker vs. Shawn Kemp
Nothing like an old-fashioned case race between two NBA veterans. And to spice it up a little, maybe when they finish chugging Natty Lights, the competition will conclude with each contestant having to nail Ron Artest with a full beer from the 10th row. Imagine the fun? David Stern should reward the winner with a roster spot on the Hawks.

Hot Dog Eating Contest: Takeru Kobayashi vs. Latrell Sprewell's Children
The best hot dog eater in the world vs. the hungriest children on Earth! Refereed by none other than Sally Strothers with hundreds of those flies from Kenya buzzing around her face. (PS-How can Spree turn down a deal with the Clips when he’s so desperate for money? Does he not realize the contradiction here?)

Ebonics Battle: Diana Taurasi vs. Jason Williams
Two people who love to talk like they're fresh out of Compton get to put their skills to the ultimate test. (That is, if Taurasi isn't busy taking part in a gang-bang with half of the Phoenix Suns team. Did you see her flirting with every single player last year? My God, I wonder what she did when she got Geno Auriemma alone at UConn. And how come more people aren't named Geno? I wonder about things like this). The competition will involve people like Rick Carlisle and Marv Albert providing sentences, and Taurasi and Williams translating them into ebonics. Most ghetto words wins.

Frightening of Children Competition: Michael Ruffin vs. Calvin Booth
Simple rules: 1 point for tears, 2 for urinating one’s pants, and 5 for a bowel movement.

And now some more serious options...

Arm Wrestling Tournament: Shaq, Ben Wallace, Kendrick Perkins, Erick Dampier, Kenyon Martin, Theo Ratliff, Alonzo Mourning, and Elton Brand.
The League could air clips of Sly Stallone in Over the Top to fire up the competitors. My money’s on ‘Zo, but Perkins would be my long shot.

Main Event: 1 on 1: LeBron vs. Kobe
Is this long overdue, or is it just me? Wouldn't every sports fan want to check this out? Arguably the best two players in the game duking it out to 11; it's unbelievable that I’m the only one who thinks of these things. (Actually I'm not...Simmons did a piece on this years ago that still remains one of my all-time favorite articles. I tried to find it, but I'm just not seeing it. Look in his archive)

There are thousands of different ideas I could delve through and so I'll try and throw up a few more over the coming weeks. Now, on to my All-Star rosters (subject to change):

Eastern All-Stars

Starters:
G - Allen Iverson (PHI)
G - Dwyane Wade (MIA)
F - LeBron James (CLE)
F - Chris Bosh (TOR)
C - Shaquille O'Neal (MIA)

Reserves:
G - Chauncey Billups (DET)
G - Vince Carter (NJN)
G - Gilbert Arenas (WAS)
F - Paul Pierce (BOS)
F - Jermaine O'Neal (IND)
C - Ben Wallace (DET)

Close but no cigar: Rip Hamilton (DET), Michael Redd (MIL), Gerald Wallace (CHA)

Notes: I wanted to take Rip, I really did, but Arenas is the only reason Washington remains in the Playoff hunt. While Hamilton is getting a ton of help from Billups, Prince, and the Wallaces, Arenas has to be the go-to guy on a nightly basis, and thus should be awarded appropriately. You also might also be surprised with my selection of Bosh over Jermaine. Sure, O’Neal has held that Pacer team together amidst the Ron Artest saga, but I’m always one to choose the up-and-coming star on a struggling team over an injury-plagued veteran. Plus I’m just sick of Jermaine getting that starting nod by default. Soon, Bosh and Dwight Howard will be neck and neck each year for this honor.

Western All-Stars

Starters:
G - Steve Nash (PHX)
G - Kobe Bryant (LAL)
F – Tim Duncan (SAS)
F- Elton Brand (LAC)
C- Marcus Camby (DEN)

Reserves:
G - Tony Parker (SAS)
G - Jason Richardson (GSW)
F - Shawn Marion (PHX)
F - Carmelo Anthony (DEN)
F - Dirk Nowitzki (DAL)
F - Kevin Garnett (MIN)
C - Yao Ming (HOU)

Close but no cigar: Tracy McGrady (HOU), Pau Gasol (MEM), Andrei Kirilenko (UTH), Chris Paul (NOR), Baron Davis (GSW)

Notes: It was extremely difficult for me to leave T-Mac off the roster with the game in H-Town, but I’m not one to give a guy the nod based on reputation. McGrady has already missed 12 of his team’s games thus far and doesn’t appear ready to suit up anytime soon. On the other hand, Carmelo, Gasol, and AK-47 are having stellar years and shouldn’t be passed over for a guy that might not even play. Here’s how I broke it down: Gasol has this Grizzly team sitting comfortably in the 3 hole, but has had much more help than Anthony. Kirilenko has been great in the last few weeks (including a trip-dub on Tues), but has missed too many games (10) for me to give him the nod. Thus, I'm taking Carmelo who has done a fantastic job keeping his team around .500 amidst the frequent injuries to Camby and K-Mart. Not to mention his eight 35+ point performances, including that 43 and 11 dominator vs. PHX. Can't wait to see him in his first All-Star game...

The Mark Blount Saga

2006-01-18T10:33:00.000-05:00

Where will this bozo end up?

I was shocked when a reader seemed annoyed last night that I hadn’t posted anything on the “imminent” Mark Blount trade. I didn’t realize how dear Stone Hands is to all of you, sorry. Here’s how it breaks out: there are four teams talking to Danny Ainge at this point, Minnesota, Memphis, Cleveland, and Denver (in that order of seriousness). This is what appears to be on the table:

From Minnesota: C Michael Olowokandi (24.0 min, 6.3 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 0.9 BPG, 45.5 FG%)

--I’m not quite sure why the Wolves would want to do this seeing that Blount still has 5 years and $33 million remaining on his contract which includes a 15% trade kicker. To add to it, Kandi Man’s deal expires after this season…With Minnesota heading into Boston tonight, don’t be surprised if the players are swapped before the opening tip. Man, Kevin McHale is slowly slipping past Rob Babcock on the Isiah Thomas scale…

From Memphis: C Lorenzen Wright (24.8 min, 5.5 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 0.7 BPG, 41.1 FG%)

--This is another deal that boggles my mind. Why would Jerry West want to give up an expiring contract for another big man who can’t rebound? Wouldn’t this be like trading your 2002 Kia for a 2002 Kia and giving the guy an extra $10,000? Something tells me Marcus Banks would have to included.

From Cleveland: F Drew Gooden (28.4 min, 11.4 PPG, 8.7 RPG) and PG Damon Jones (25.1 min, 7.4 PPG, 37.1 FG%)

--The Cavs would take back both Blount and Banks in this deal and free up more playing time for Anderson Varejao (fresh off the injured list). The Celtics get a PG who simply launches 3’s all game and a PF who has the I.Q. of a mealworm. Checking out a poll on Celticsblog.com this morning, most of the readers were partial to this deal (out of these 4) for some reason. Why would you want to add another gunner and a PF to impede the growth of Al Jefferson? Plus it doesn’t help the team financially at all, and that should certainly be the goal in ridding themselves of Blount.

From Denver: Earl Watson? (21.6 min, 8.5 PPG, 3.3 APG, 45.6 FG%)

--As much as I think Watson would be perfect for the Celtics, why mess with Delonte West’s progression? The only way this would work is if Boston expanded the deal to include Ricky Davis and then Doc Rivers could play West more at the 2. But again, why try and fix something that isn’t broken?

Oh yeah, Mark Blount: 29.3 min, 13.1 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 3.2 TO, 51.1 FG%

Quote of the Day

2006-01-17T15:36:00.000-05:00

Shaquille O'Neal on his decision to mend the differences between him and Kobe Bryant:

"I had orders from the great Bill Russell. Me and him were talking in Seattle the other day, and he was telling me how rivalries should be. I asked him if he ever disliked anybody he played against, and he told me, `No, never,' and he told that I should shake Kobe Bryant's hand and let bygones be bygones and bury the hatchet. Today is a day of peace. Dr. Martin Luther King was an ambassador of peace. So when I talked to Mr. Russell, he told me he said that him and Chamberlain spoke once or twice a week before he passed away. And even though people thought they hated each other, there was nothing but love there."

Ant's Take: I honestly thought there was no other way for Shaq to make himself look any better in the eyes of the media. Seriously, has this guy ever done anything wrong? Even when Andrew Bynum was practically begging him to break his nose last night, all O’Neal did is give him a forearm shiver to the chest. Karma did not prevail however, with the Lakers coming out on top 100-92.

Was it Worth it?

2006-01-16T14:43:00.000-05:00

Another season cut short for Manning and co.

At 13-0, the Indianapolis Colts were flying high on their way to Ford Field. In fact, the only other sports figure who looked smoother and more dominant this past season was Lance Armstrong. But nevermind that, football and biking have nothing to do with one another, right? Well, according to Tony Dungy, maybe they do…

Count me among those who were perplexed by Dungy and his staff’s choice to sit down most of their starters for the final two weeks of the regular season. Yes, the injury toll in this league is growing exponentially. No, the Colts did not need another win to lock up home field advantage throughout the Playoffs. And yes, through the first 14 weeks this team looked unstoppable. But let me ask you, was allowing Peyton Manning just 14 pass attempts, Edgerrin James a measly 13 carries (all in Week 16), and Marvin Harrison 2 catches over the final 2 weeks really worth risking a shot at the Super Bowl (especially when a month ago everyone aside from Larry Csonka was labeling them the next ’72 Dolphins)?

It’s funny though, before yesterday’s loss to the Steelers, no one really questioned Dungy’s choice to rest his starters, right? Maybe it’s because we all were banking on the fact that Indy would moonwalk into Detroit and finally get to fling that Belichickian monkey off their back. But now that the unthinkable has occurred, we’re all left wondering what if Dungy let the boys play against Seattle and ‘Zona in Weeks 16 and 17? Would they have still lost yesterday? Remember that before their match-up with Pitt, Manning, James, and Harrison hadn’t played in a full game together since December 18 vs. San Diego. With my calendar telling me that today is January 16th, you don’t need to have a Ph.D. in calculus to figure out that four weeks is much too long to keep these guys out of rhythm. I mean, when I miss one week of work I come back feeling like I’m being ask to find the cure for cancer. Imagine what four weeks is like?

Now I know hindsight is 20-20, but these questions still need to be asked. If you were Dungy would you have made the same decision to sit your guys down? Honestly, I think I would have played my starters for three-quarters or more of those last two weeks to at least make sure they remained on the same page. Because we must not forget that football is no way like riding a bike—you can’t just take a four-week hiatus and then pick up where you left off. This is a game of timing and rhythm and without those two proficiencies, chances are you’re going to fall short of your goals. Unfortunately for Tony Dungy and the Colts, they had to find out the hard way.

Artest for Maggette a Dead Deal?

2006-01-12T22:54:00.000-05:00

According to TNT, a Ron Artest for Corey Maggette deal fell apart this evening due to the Clippers' foward's injured left foot. Artest was personally flown to Los Angeles tonight by the Clippers, but the trade fell through after doctors determined that Maggette's injury is far worse than originally believed. Artest is still in LA (actually attending the Lakers-Cavs game), so keep your browser queued up to the Source for more updates.

Western Conference IFs

2006-01-12T13:54:00.000-05:00

No surprise that 3 of Golden State's IFs revolve around this guy

1. SAN ANTONIO SPURS
IF Manu Ginobili agrees to release the Perfect Strangers DVD set,
IF RC Buford can obtain Kara Wolters to play over Rasho and Nazr
IF Robert Horry still has a few big shots left in the tank
IF Gregg Popovich gets rid of that useless extra ‘g’, and
IF Timmay stops relying on Finley and Van Exel and starts dominating again…

…then the Spurs will win the West

2. PHOENIX SUNS
IF Amare really does come back this year (I’m skeptical),
IF Pat Burke gets a sun tan,
IF Leandro Barbosa can stay healthy for a minute or two,
IF Boris Diaw decides how to pronounce his last name, and
IF Steve Nash gets a March crew cut with Dirk…

…then the Suns will win the West

3. UTAH JAZZ
IF Andrei Kirilenko stops eating just barley,
IF Jerry Sloan stops letting R&B legend Keith McLeod steal minutes from Deron,
IF they exceed the understood maximum of 6 white players per team,
IF Greg Ostertag changes his first name to Sloth, and
IF Carlos Boozer cornrows his chest hair…

…then the Jazz will win the West

4. DALLAS MAVERICKS
IF Josh Howard gets those adult braces again,
IF Marquis Daniels gives up on getting Onyx back together,
IF Jason Terry lays off the ‘roids,
IF Keith Van Horn ditches the little kid haircut, and
IF Dirk starts developing an Avery Johnson accent…

…then the Mavs will win the West

5. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
IF Pau Gasol gets his ‘L’ back from Pat Sajak,
IF Jerry West obtains Brevin Knight,
IF Fratello wakes up and inserts Hakin Warrick in the starting 5,
IF I find more excuses to use the word ‘inserts’, and
IF Gasol isn’t abducted by the Serengeti…then

…the Grizzlies will win the West

6. LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
IF this Maggette for Artest deal really goes down,
IF Elton Brand stops trading hips with Estelle Getty,
IF Eliot doesn’t try and hide Sam Cassell in his closet,
IF Chris Kaman bics his head for the love of mankind, and
IF Shaun Livington can continue providing a big spark off the bench…

…then the Clippers will seriously win the West

7. LOS ANGELES LAKERS
IF Kobe can make one friend on Earth,
IF the Jeanie Buss porno gets into the wrong hands,
IF Lamar Odom sticks with the prozac,
IF Kwame Brown can average a double-double, and
IF Artest decides to pull a Kobe and snub the Clippers,

…then the Lakers will win the West

8. DENVER NUGGETS
IF Carmelo keeps playing with this new-found ferocity,
IF Kenyon Martin can play more than 2 games in a row,
IF Marcus Camby can stay healthy in the 2nd half,
IF they can obtain a shooter (Ben Gordon?), and
IF Earl Boykins (33 points Tuesday) keeps standing on his head…

…then the Nuggets will win the West

9. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
IF everyone on the team grows a Baron Davis beard,
IF Mike Dunleavy fully admits he has a vagina,
IF Mike Montgomery benches Dunleavy for Pietrus,
IF Ike Diogu doesn’t turn into Ike Austin, and
IF Adonal Foyle and Dunleavy are forced to give all their money to that bastard from O-Town so I don’t have to see those damn commercials for his new show on MTV…

…then the Warriors still won’t win the West

10. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
IF Kevin Garnett finally flips out and knocks out Tyson Chandler,
IF Wally keeps playing Miami (OH) style,
IF Marko Jaric gets a normal PG number,
IF Dwane Casey finally gives up on the Trenton Hassell Experiment (no relation to the Tony Rich Project), and
IF they trade Olowokandi for Mark Blount already…

…then the T’Wolves still aren’t winning the West and KG might be requesting a trade

11. NEW ORLEANS HORNETS
IF Chris Paul continues his Masters of the Universe-type of play,
IF the team successfully promotes Speedy Claxton teeth night,
IF David West continues his Most Improved Player campaign,
IF PJ Brown doesn’t break a hip, and
IF Byron Scott discovers the magic of Chris Anderson…

…then the Hornets will still be a lottery team

12. SEATTTLE SUPERSONICS
IF Ray Allen keeps tackling scrub players into the first row,
IF Bob Hill realizes the value of Reggie Evans and Damien Wilkins,
IF Luke Ridnour admits he was a backup dancer for N’Sync,
IF Vitaly Potapenko reads Dino Radja’s autobiography, and
IF that 3-ball starts falling again…

…then the Sonics may very well take the Northeast

13. SACRAMENTO KINGS
IF Mike Bibby stops having to use SPF 4,000,
IF Kevin Martin ditches the hi-lo,
IF Bonzi and Abdur-Rahim can hurry back,
IF Rick Adelman doesn’t lose hope on life, and
IF Peja Stojakovic can revisit his 03-04 season…

…then the Kings can steal sneak into the Playoffs

14. HOUSTON ROCKETS
IF Jeff Van Gundy calls Sy Sperling,
IF T-Mac ditches these back problems,
IF Juwan Howard doesn’t have to be their go-to guy,
IF Stro Swift realizes he could be a good basketball player, and
IF we can figure out how Mutombo can stay healthy but Yao can’t…

…then the Rockets still have a shot at the Playoffs…

15. PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS
IF they can stop destroying my fantasy team (I own Przybilla, Miles, and Outlaw)
IF McMillan stops starting Viktor “Be right back, I gotta take a” Khryapa
IF Steve Blake grows pubic hair,
IF they send Martell Webster down to the D-League to battle Gerald Green, and
IF they win 10 more games…

…then Nate the Great should win Coach of the Year honors

BREAKING NEWS: Artest to the Clippers?

2006-01-12T10:55:00.000-05:00

Headed to Indy?

No he hasn't been hanging out with Dionne Warwick and Jackie Stallone, but Al Harrington thinks he knows where Ron Artest is headed. The Hawks forward reportedly told the Atlanta Constitution that he has heard that the Indiana Pacers are prepared to ship their troubled forward to LA B for the injured Corey Maggette. He was quoted as saying, "Any team with a sane Ron Artest is going to be tough to deal with. Any team he's on with his mind right is going to the Playoffs and is going to make some noise. So it'll be good for Ron and the Clippers."

Remember that this is NOT a report announcing a done deal, just a player speaking his mind. As always, I will do my best to give you up to the second updates on the Artest saga. Stay tuned...

Fantasy Cup o' Joe

2006-01-12T10:39:00.000-05:00

Performance of the Night:

Rashard Lewis (SEA)
45 P, 5 R, 2 S, 1 B, 12-18 FG, 4threes, 17-20 FT
--With Ray Allen tossed in the 1st for fighting Keyon Dooling, the Sonics needed a huge game from Shard. Not a problem in a 113-104 win versus Orlando.

Other Top Performances:

POINT GUARDS:

Allen Iverson (PHI)
46 P, 9 A, 4 S, 16-25 FG
--Wow, he actually shot over 50%

Kirk Hinrich (CHI)
17 P, 8 R, 17 A, 1 S, 5-5 FT
--Just about the only consistency on the Bulls

Jameer Nelson (ORL)
32 P, 8 A, 3 S, 9-16 FG, 12-14 FT
--Hopefully you took my advice yesterday and picked him up

SHOOTING GUARDS:

Kobe Bryant (LAL)
41 P, 4 S, 12-13 FT
--Ruben Patterson was actually thrilled they held him to just 41

Dwyane Wade (MIA)
32 P, 5 R, 11 A, 2 S, 1 B, 13-19 FG, 6-6 FT
--Is anyone having a bigger fantasy year?

SMALL FORWARDS:

Morris Peterson (TOR)
18 P, 11 R, 4 A, 2 S, 3 threes
--Last year he floated around free-agent pools, now he’s owned in most leagues

Andrei Kirilenko (UTH)
23 P, 6 R, 4 A, 3 S, 4 B, 7-11 FG, 8-8 FT
--When he’s healthy, there’s no all-around better producer

Wally Szczerbiak (MIN)
25 P, 9 R, 5 A, 11-12 FT
--Can Kevin McHale please acquire someone to help him and KG out?

POWER FORWARDS:

Chris Bosh (TOR)
29 P, 10 R, 3 B, 10-17 FG, 9-10 FT
--The big man just keeps on chuggin’…What a sick Draft that was, huh?

Kevin Garnett (MIN)
28 P, 14 R, 9 A, 10-11 FT
–Hopefully we start to see a lot more of this…

Zach Randolph (POR)
19 P, 14 R, 5 A, 8-22 FG
--Solid all-around game off the pine

CENTERS:

Mehmet Okur (UTH)
25 P, 8 R, 8 A, 2 S, 1 B, 8-12 FG, 2 threes
--Remember when he was a 6th man in Detroit?

POSSIBLE BUYS:

PG Mike James (TOR)
24 P, 7 A, 1 S, 10-10 FT
--I didn’t mention him yesterday because I assume he’s scooped up in most leagues

PG Steve Blake (POR)
19 P, 9 A, 1 S, 7-10 FG, 3 threes
--Starting and getting bigger minutes for Nate McMillan

PICTURE OF THE NIGHT:

They may be the NBA's version of the odd couple, but AK-47 and Okur have the Jazz clinging onto the 3 seed in the West

Fantasy Cup o' Joe

2006-01-11T09:54:00.000-05:00

A Recap of Tuesday Night’s Top Performances:

Best Overall Performance

Carmelo Anthony (DEN), 43 P, 11 R, 3 S, 2 B, 15-31 FG, 13-14 FT

Not to mention the game-winning shot with 2.9 ticks left with gauze in his nose after getting a knee to the face from teammate Eduardo Najera. This showing pretty much sealed the deal on his first All-Star selection.

Other solid showings:

POINT GUARDS

Earl Boykins (DEN)
33 P, 8 A, 1 S, 1 B, 3 threes, 8-9 FT

--Don't read too much into this, it was a 3-OT game

Steve Nash (PHX)
26 P, 13 A, 1 S, 47.6 FG%, 5 threes

--See Earl Boykins

Brevin Knight (CHA)
15 P, 18 A, 1 S

--Yet another overtime afair, this one a double

Delonte West (BOS)
15 P, 8 R, 7 A, 2 S, 5-8 FG

--Quietly emerging into an all-around fantasy stud

Rafer Alston (HOU)
20 P, 10 A, 2 S, 4 threes

--Has been excellent since returning from injury

Marko Jaric (MIN)
21 P, 6 A, 2 S, 8-11 FG

--Since KG's not doing much, someone has to

SHOOTING GUARDS

Jamal Crawford (NYK)
26 P, 10 R, 4 A

--Still coming off the bench so be careful

Rip Hamilton (DET)
30 P, 5 R, 12-21 FG, 6-6 FT

--Pretty typical from my boy from UConn

Vince Carter (NJN)
34 P, 6 R, 5 A, 1 B, 3 threes, 9-11 FT

--Has been doing this pretty much every night during their winning streak

Raja Bell (PHX)
30 P, 6 A, 10-19 FG, 8 threes

--3-OT game, but still a promising performance

SMALL FORWARDS

LeBron James (CLE)

36 P, 7 R, 7 A, 1 B, 0-7 from 3
--First player to achieve 35-7-7 for 5 straight games since Oscar Robertson

Gerald Wallace (CHA)
26 P, 14 R, 3 S, 4 B, 9-15 FG, 8-9 FT

--Best all-around fantasy player?

Mike Miller (MEM)
21 P, 10 R, 10 A, 2 S, 1 B, 4 threes

--Quietly having a really nice year

POWER FORWARDS

Juwan Howard (HOU)
28 P, 12 R, 1 S, 13-26 FG

--With Yao and T-Mac out, someone has to step up

Tim Duncan (SAS)
27 P, 12 R, 1 B, 13-15 FT

--TIMMMMMAYYY!!!

Shawn Marion (PHX)
28 P, 15 R, 1 S, 1 B, 13-25 FG

--Nice 3-OT showing from the Matrix

POTENTIAL BUYS:

Jameer Nelson (ORL)
40 mins, 18 P, 5 A, 1 S, 2-5 from 3, 4-5 FT
--Who knows how long Grant Hill will be out and it looks like Nelson will remain the starter while he is sidelined

Eduardo Najera (DEN)
13 P, 9 R, 2 S, 2 B, 6-8 FG
--With Camby out and Kenyon Martin seemingly missing every other game, Najera has been picking up their slack

PHOTO OF THE NIGHT:

Sorry Okafor owners, down went the big man again...Same ankle, too

Let me know if this is helpful to any of you...write me a post either way...