The Nuggets Are For Real

The Nuggets took out the mighty Spurs tonight and proved they are for real.  

Iverson and Melo look good together.  Anthony Carter is doing very well as their point guard.  Camby is having another all-star type season and the combo of him and a healthy Kenyon Martin make the best defensive front line in the West.  Their bench is as strong as any in the league with Kleiza, Atkins, Najera, Nene and JR Smith.  

In fact, they are now my dark horse to win the West this year.  They can score with the best.  Defend bigs like Tim Duncan, and they are very good defensively, as they illustrated tonight.

Go Nuggets.

My All-Star Picks

Here are my picks for the All-Star Game:

Eastern Conference

Starters:

Jason Kidd

Dwyane Wade

LeBron James

Kevin Garnett

Dwight Howard

Reserves:

Chris Bosh

Caron Butler

Paul Pierce

Chauncey Billups

Michael Redd

Joe Johnson

Shaquille O'Neal (by name and respect only)

People I would like to see selected:

Josh Smith

Hedo Turkoglu

Andre Iguodala

Ray Allen

Western Conference

Starters:

Kobe Bryant

Tracy McGrady

Tim Duncan

Dirk Nowitzki

Yao Ming

Reserves:

Chris Paul

Steve Nash

Allen Iverson

Carlos Boozer

Carmelo Anthony

Josh Howard

Amare Stoudemire

People I would like to see selected:

Deron Williams

Al Jefferson

Chris Kaman

Baron Davis

Marcus Camby

Brandon Roy

Perception is Reality

I’ve figured out the key to happiness, and I’ve done it by using Isiah Thomas as my model. I’ve decided that Isiah is the happiest person on the planet. Most of you might think otherwise, being that he is one of the most hated GM’s in the NBA.

He is the only GM in the NBA who had an informal press conference outside his arena, where the Knick fans issued him a pink slip. He had his starting point guard blackmail him for playing time. He lost a sexual harassment suit that cost his company 11.5 million dollars. The Knicks haven’t even sniffed .500 since Isiah took over (39 wins is the most wins they achieved in a season under his tutelage), they currently stand at 8-22. The once proud Madison Square Garden is filled with Boos and “Fire Isiah” chants, instead of the applause and roars of the crowd that used to be heard when the team was of a championship caliber.

All these reasons might lead you to believe that President/Coach Thomas is one click of the trigger away from ending his professional career, and going to live with the Amish in Pennsylvania never to be heard from again. But you would be wrong, my friend. Instead, Isiah is as confident and optimistic as ever. Read this sports illustrated article:

Delusional Isiah says he will lead the Knicks to a Championship

Here are the quotes I want to focus on:

"I believe that one day we will win a championship here," Thomas said. "And I believe a couple of these guys will be a part of that. And I believe I'll be a part of that."

"I don't necessarily just want to win a championship. I want to leave something that's going to stand for a long time. I want to leave a legacy, I want to leave tradition," Thomas said. "I want to leave an imprint, a blueprint in terms of how people play, and how they coach and how they respond when they put on the Knick uniform.

“De Plane! De Plane!”

Yes, that was Tatto from Fantasy Island. The plane has just arrived and its guest of honor is Isiah Thomas. His hallucination gets even worse when you hear him make these comments:

"I like the direction we're headed," Thomas said Friday, before his team lost to the Bobcats. "I've said this before: our future is definitely much brighter than it was when I got here four years ago. Cost-wise we're down. Talent-wise we're up. We did a good job of putting people in the seats. I think we're pretty close this year to getting back on track again."

"The victories will start to come," Thomas said. "From where we were to where we are this is the time you start taking steps forward. Last year I thought we had a chance to make the playoffs. I think this year we'll have a chance to make the playoffs. The way the East is now, there are five or six teams searching to find themselves and we're one of them. I think there'll be three or four of those teams that will find themselves, head into the playoffs and I think we'll be one of them."

If Isiah can be happy and confident in the wake of what he has done to the marquee franchise of the NBA, than sign me up! Perception is reality, and Isiah has created an alternate reality that rivals Narnia; a universe where he is successful. It must be a beautiful place for him to be able to forget about not only his current failures and short comings, but also his past (destroying the CBA and the Pacers).

I imagine there are no talking lions, dwarfs or Centaurs. Just Isiah sitting on his throne, casting out the non-believers, and granting the Knicks a championship year after year; in spite of the fact that the team is poorly contrived, selfish and inept. Isiah is not only the Knicks President and Coach, but the NBA commissioner and President of the whole world! He is so beloved and revered that everyone talks in a soft high voice to emulate His Greatness. He can call women bitches and invite them to meet him “off-site” with no repercussions of any kind. In fact, these women accept his invitation and make him a very happy man. His players can’t blackmail him because his indiscretions are known and accepted, much like Bill Clinton.

Isiah, I’m going to follow your lead. I vow to be successful, happy and optimistic regardless of the miserable failure I may be at any given time. I will also continue to tell the world about how victorious I have become and will continue to be. Perception is reality.

I Hate You, Shane Battier!

People say Shane Battier is a great guy. They say he's a model citizen and a true role model. Word is that he's the perfect teammate and a coaches dream. He's willing to do all the dirty work on the court, like taking charges. Damn, he can take a hit and flop on the ground like no one else.... except for Chuck Hayes, he's also supremely effective at taking a charge. I guess, he is just the guy that anyone would want on their team. Anyone, except for me.

I hate Shane Battier!

I hate him because Jeff Van Gundy and Carol Dawson thought he was the missing piece to a Rocket's championship, and they traded a super athletic supremely talented 19 year old, Rudy Gay, for him.

I hate him because he is so limited in his offensive repertoire that he is only capable of hitting a jump hook or a spot up three.

I hate him because he is shooting a phenomenal 41% from the field and 39% from three.

I hate him because he is the worst third scoring option on any team in the league.

I hate him because he is averaging a tremendous 8.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game this season.

I hate him because he is starting along side Chuck Hayes, who is amazingly even more offensively defective.

I hate him every time he takes a charge the announcers talk about how great Shane is at doing the little things.

I hate him because T-Mac is going to miss at least a month of the season with another injury, and the Rockets could really use a gifted scoring guard like... Rudy Gay.

I hate him because I was so thrilled and excited when I saw Rudy Gay slip to the Rockets at number 8 in the 2006 draft, and minutes later I find out they traded him away to the Grizzlies (along with Stromile Swift).

I hate him because Rudy Gay is averaging 19.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists, while shooting 47% from the field, in his second year.

I hate Shane Battier because of the fact that the Rockets mortgaged their future for him, thinking he would bring a Championship back to Houston, and they still have not won a first round playoff series.

Shane, I hated you the night of the draft day trade in 2006 when you came to Houston and my hatred only increases each time that I watch Rudy Gay put 25 plus points on any given team in the league.

My anger increases when I watch you face Rudy in a head to head match-up, only to see Rudy throw down a vicious dunk on your nonathletic ass!

I hate you because you are such a nice guy and it makes people blind as to how worthless you really are on the basketball court.

Simply put, I hate you Shane Battier and I always will.

Younger is Better

This weekend I watched a number of games which featured very young players as their go to guys; namely the Hawks, Magic, Grizzlies, Trailblazers, Timberwolves and Sonics. Each of those teams has a player who is 22 years old or younger that is having big time success! It made me think about how many other players that same age are making a name for themselves, so I decided to compile a list. I’ll rank them based on their performance this year, as well as give commentary on what type of player they will become. The list is pretty eye opening, once you put them all together.

We’ll count down to number one. I have included John Hollinger’s PER stats. Statistical Averages will follow this format:

Points – Rebounds – Assists – Steals – Blocks – FG% - Minutes per Game

Let’s get started!

Greg Oden
You can’t have a list of ulta-talented young players without having Greg Oden on it. I believe he will be a very good center, who will rebound and guard the paint for the Blazers, just like they need. I saw him on TNT last week and he look much better with the additional 30 lbs of muscle! However, I’m not sure that is the smartest thing with the upcoming rehab on his knee. Is it wise to add so much weight up top before the knee is healthy?? I hope he is just fine, because I love his personality and I’m rooting for him to succeed.

JR Smith (22 yrs)
10.9 – 2.3 – 2.2 – 1.11 – 0.11 – 40% - 21 min
PER – 13.88
JR has more pure talent than most players in the League, but his desire and discipline hurt him tremendously. He has a great shooting touch and is as athletic as they come. My only hope is that he’ll put it all together in the next year or two and show the world what he can do! Melo and JR could be a deadly duo (as long as they still have Camby to play a little defense).

Corey Brewer (21 yrs)
4.7 – 4.3 – 1.5 – 0.76 – 0.35 – 31% - 21 min
PER – 7.64
I wasn’t high on Brewer coming into this season. I think his shot is way too streaky and he doesn’t handle the ball well enough to be effective off the dribble. That being said, he has shown a lot of heart and hustle the past few games. He’s rebounding at an alarming rate. He’s averaging 8.3 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists with a steal and a block in the month of December. That’s pretty nice for a rookie. Granted he’s shooting 33%, but hopefully that comes around with time. Brewer could be a very good small forward for the next 10 years, if he keeps developing his raw skills and keeps this motor going.

Linas Kleiza (22 yrs)
10.7 – 3.5 – 1 – 0.63 – 0.05 – 49% - 22 min
PER – 13.91
Linas has a great shooting stroke and a knack for scoring. His tends to be a little streaky at times, but that comes with youth. The Nuggets are looking good as long as Kleiza and Smith continue to develop.

Daniel Gibson (21 yrs)
12.8 – 2.8 – 3.3 – 0.90 – 0.29 – 47% - 34 min
PER – 13.60
Daniel is a two guard in a point guard’s body. That’s the only reason he is not ranked higher. That being said, I love his confidence! He thrives when taking big shots and has a great stroke. He can dribble penetrate and get in the lane with ease, but he needs to continue to work on finishing in traffic and dishing out to open men on the perimeter. Basically, he needs to work on his point guard skills.

Kyle Lowry (21 yrs)
9.6 – 4.4 – 4 – 1.05 – 0.40 – 39% - 26 min
PER – 14.48
Kyle will blow up this year, if they would just give him the starting job over Damon Stoudamire. He is only 6’ point guard, but he plays like he is at least 6’5”! He loves to mix it up in the paint and rebound! He is a very good scorer when ask to do so and understands how to find his teammates in scoring position. The Grizzlies are doing themselves a disservice by playing Damon so many minutes. Let Kyle Free!

Rajon Rondo (21yrs)
8.3 – 3.8 – 5.2 – 1.78 – 0.17 – 53% - 32 min
PER – 14.08
A lot was said about Rajon’s ability to run the point with three great players on the court with him. Those concerns were absurd! Rajon is the perfect compliment to the current Big Three. He’s super athletic, unselfish, quick with the ball and plays good defense. I expect him to continue to grow and get even better as the year progresses. He’ll never average a lot of assists with KG, Pierce and Allen on the floor, because so much of the offense runs through them and they are gifted passers themselves, but he’s doing enough to help them win ball games. That’s all that can be expected.

Sean William (21 yrs)
6.7 – 4.7 – 0.3 – 0.53 – 1.94 – 56% - 19 min
PER – 17.10
Why is Sean Williams not starting!!!!!! This is ridiculous! The Nets are losing and Coach Frank is still trotting out scrubs like Malik Allen and Jason Collins to run with Kidd, Jefferson and Carter. I simply don’t understand it. Williams is a superior offensive player (even as a rookie), defender, runner and shot blocker than either of those two! I mean, he’s averaging just under 2 blocks per game in only 19 minutes of play!! He’ll learn to stay out of foul trouble. Just send him out there and baptize him by fire! I love his potential and think he’ll be a beast in the future. Hopefully, it’s sooner rather than later.

Dorell Wright (22 yrs)
6.4 – 5.2 – 1.2 – 0.58 – 0.42 – 46% - 22 min
PER – 14.82
I’ve been following Dorell Wright for a couple of years now. I love his pure talent and ability. He just needs to put it together between the ears. Well, it looks like he’s starting to do just that. He was named the starter three games ago and he’s exploded on the scene! He’s averaging 13 points, 10 boards and 2.3 assists in those three games, plus the Heat have won 2 out of the 3! He’ll have his ups and downs, but I believe there will be much more ups as the season progresses. Pat Riley said he could see the Heat being lead by Wade and Wright in the future… who I am to not believe Riley?

Yi Jianlian (20 yrs)
9.4 – 5.4 – 0.8 – 0.53 – 1 – 43% - 26 min
PER – 12.85
Yi has been a pleasant surprise for the Bucks this year. He has a nice shot and is ok on the boards. He is much more athletic than most people expected. If he really is just 20 years old, then he has the skill set to become a very very good player both inside and out!

Tyrus Thomas (21 yrs)
6.4 – 4.9 – 1 – 0.69 – 0.69 – 41% - 19 min
PER – 11.24
Incredible athleticism mixed with a high motor, usually means success in the NBA. I believe it will for Tyrus, but he still has a ways to go. He had a few nice games this year, but the consistency is still lacking in a major way. He has the heart and desire, so I believe he will continue to work on his skills and he’ll turn into a very dominant force on the defensive end with enough offensive skills to help his team win; however, that’s still a couple of years away, in my opinion.

Jeff Green (21 yrs)
9.1 – 5.3 – 0.7 – 0.38 – 0.33 – 44% - 22 min
PER – 10.89
Jeff Green has really impressed me this year. When he gets at least 30 minutes in a game, he is a force on the glass! He has a very nice shot and is an above average slasher. It’s a shame he’s not getting more minutes for the Sonics, but I hope PJ changes that very soon. He excels where Durant struggles, which is why they will be such a great team for years to come!

Darko Milicic (22 yrs)
7.7 – 6.7 – 1.2 – 0.5 – 1.92 – 43% - 29 min
PER – 9.82
I’ve been a long time believer in Darko, and have gotten countless crap for it. This year, the Grizzlies are giving him an opportunity and he’s doing an adequate job, when healthy. I still see more in him. I believe he will average around 12, 8 & 2 blocks by the end of the year, but again, that might just be my unfounded bias.

Ronnie Brewer (22 yrs)
13.7 – 2.8 – 2.5 – 2.19 – 0.14 – 52% - 31 min
PER – 19.04
Dynamite in a bottle! Ronnie has given the Jazz great production in the one area that was most lacking last year! I love his athleticism and defense. He’s the perfect player for Jerry Sloan! It would be nice if he improved his jump shot, but he is extremely effective even with out it. He’ll be a mainstay in the Jazz starting lineup for years to come.

Andrea Bargnani (22 yrs)
11.9 – 4.5 – 1.3 – 0.18 – 0.47 – 40% - 25 min
PER – 12.46
Bargnani has a beautiful shot and is decent when he puts the ball on the floor and goes to the rim. I also love his confidence. His major weaknesses are his defense and rebounding. One he puts his effort and attention to that aspect of his game, he’ll be extremely good. I don’t believe he’ll ever be as good as Dirk, but he can be a step under that level.

Al Horford (21 yrs)
8.8 – 10.8 – 1.1 – 1 – 1.16 – 49% - 33 min
PER – 13.73
Al had been a beast on the glass! He also has a very nice offensive game; he just doesn’t get many opportunities right now. He’ll be an 18 point and 12 rebound guy in the league for years to come! Absolutely love his talent. This was the best draft pick the Hawks have made in years!

Andris Biedrins (21 yrs)
11 – 10 – 1.5 – 0.60 – 1.45 – 63% - 29 min
PER – 19.34
Andris has the ugliest free throw shot in the league, but he’s a big time hustler and finisher around the basket, which is why he’s on this list. Truly, the Warriors are the perfect team for him. He is athletic enough to run up and down the floor and he is active enough to grab all the missed shots his teammates throw up! I don’t think he’ll do much more than what he’s doing now, but that’s really not needed. He’s a very good player in his own right.

Marvin Williams (21 yrs)
15.6 – 5.9 – 1.9 – 1.22 – 0.44 – 48% - 35 min
PER - 16.83
Marvin is finally starting to show his talent! We say that, but the truth is he’s only 21 years old, so he is progressing quite nicely. He has a knack for scoring the basketball and is decent on the glass and in passing lanes. I would still like to see him kick it up a few notches in the consistency department, but he seems to be growing with each game, so I’m sure that will be coming. I see a 20 ppg, 7 rebound, 3 assists per game player in Marvin.

Monta Ellis (22 yrs)
16.5 – 4 – 3.3 – 1.5 – 0.55 – 48% - 34 min
PER – 17.12
Monta came storming on the scene last year and proved that he is an offensive force. Every time Baron misses a game, Monta comes up BIG! That goes to show he only needs more opportunities. He’ll easily average 20 points per game, and can be a 5 rebound, 5 assist guy, if he continues to develop.

Andrew Bynum (20 yrs)
10.9 – 9.7 – 1.5 – 0.53 – 2 – 59% - 26 min
PER – 20.58
I have not been a big fan of Bynum, until this year. I’ve already written about him on my blog, so I’ll make this short, but he’ll eaily average a double double this year and has the potential to be a 20 point – 10 rebound guy in the next 3 years. He has a lot to learn still, but he’s coming around nicely.

LaMarcus Aldridge (22 yrs)
18.7 – 7.7 – 0.8 – 0.7 – 1.25 – 53% - 34 min
PER – 19.81
I actually expected a bigger year from LaMarcus! I thought he could be a 20 point – 10 rebound guy this year! Look who they have on the Blazers…. NOBODY!! However, he is scoring 18 points per game. He just needs to apply himself a little more on the glass. He is the perfect compliment to Oden, so I look for big things in his future!

Rudy Gay (21 yrs)
18.7 – 5.5 – 1.7 – 1.35 – 0.95 – 47% - 36 min
PER – 18.36
I love Rudy Gay! I’ve already wrote about how stupid the Rockets were to trade him. I see him being a 24 ppg – 7 rebound – 4 assists per game guy with good steals and blocks! The Grizzlies have their franchise player of the future in Rudy!

Luol Deng (22 yrs)
17.5 – 6.8 – 1.7 – 1.2 – 0.53 – 47% - 36 min
PER – 16.36
Luol has not met the loft expectations that were put on him. However, the whole team is struggling mightily to this point, so it could easily turn around. Deng has a phenomenal midrange shot and is a very craft offensive player. I’d like to see him rebound more, but that should come with time.

Kevin Durant (19 yrs)
20.3 – 4.6 – 1.9 – 0.95 – 1.33 – 39% - 34 min
PER – 14.82
Durant is living up to expectations so far. I know he’s not shooting a great percentage and he’s doing a poor job on the glass, but that will come with time. He’s only 19 years old. He has one of the purest shots I’ve even seen. He is fluid with the ball and he thrives to have the ball when the game is on the line. His competitiveness will push him to stay in the weight room and turn his weaknesses into strengths. He’ll average 28, 9 & 3 in a few years. Write it down!

Al Jefferson (22 yrs)
20.1 – 11.3 – 1.4 – 1.06 – 1.33 – 49% - 36 min
PER – 21.48
I’ve loved Al Jefferson since his rookie year. I’ve had him on my team since then too! He is already one of the most gifted lowpost scorers in the League, and he has a nose for the basketball. He’ll be a 20-10 guy for the next 10 years.

Josh Smith (22 yrs)
18 – 7.2 – 3.5 – 1.94 – 3.56 – 42% - 36 min
PER - 21.24
I can’t say enough about the season Josh Smith is having. Yes, he is not shooting great percentages, but he’s doing EVERYTHING else, so who cares! He’ll be a 20 ppg player by the end of the year while increasing his rebounds to 8 per game with the same assists, steals and blocks! Simply a monster. The sky’s the limit with Josh. If he gets a consistent midrange or outside shot, he’ll be unstoppable!

Chris Paul (22 yrs)
21 – 4 – 9.8 – 2.89 – 0.05 – 49% - 37 min
PER – 27.99
Chris Paul is reminding everyone that last year was not indicative of his ability. He is one of the five best point guards in the league, and he’s only 22. His future is bright.

Dwight Howard (22 yrs)
23.5 – 15 – 1.4 – 0.81 – 2.90 – 61% - 38 min
PER – 25.09
I have written more about Dwight than anyone else on my blog. DWIGHT FOR MVP!!! Therefore, I’ll just post David Thorpe’s (ESPN) scouting report on Dwight. Check it out, it's great reading:

Scouting Report: What Makes Dwight Howard so Dominant? by David Thorpe

LeBron James (22 yrs)
30.7 – 7.6 – 8.1 – 1.94 – 1.50 – 49% - 40 min
PER – 32.61
LeBron is LeBron. He is the only player who has even the slightest shot at over taking Jordan as the greatest player of all time (that’s a HUGE compliment from a guy who named his son, Jordan Michael). LeBron still has a ways to go before he can even think about surpassing Jordan (like win a championship or 6), but he is well on his way. He is the best player in the league!

If I expand the list to 23 years old you get players like Andre Iguodala, Chris Bosh, Andrew Bogut, Raymond Felton, Travis Outlaw, and Carmelo Anthony! The future of the NBA is extremely bright!!

Failure to Launch

The Rockets had one of the best off-seasons in the NBA (second only the the Celtics).  They addressed their specific areas of weakness:  Francis and James for PG help, Luis Scola for PF, and bench scoring in a fit and happy Bonzi Wells.  Granted, I didn't like their draft at all; taking two undersized players that were not very coveted, instead of more proven players in Glen Davis (doing well off the bench for the Celtics) or Josh McRoberts (not getting much run in Portland, but has the attributes and skills the Rockets desperately need).  After all, they took a 5'11" shooting guard n Aaron Brooks, who's in the D-League right now (he's not a point guard, at least not the type the Rockets are in need of), and a 6'7" power forward with Carl Landry (getting minutes and looks over matched).  Of course, this is par for the course.  The Rockets are HORRIBLE at drafting!  

Last year they traded Rudy Gay AND Stromile Swift for Shane Battier.  That was a simply awful trade!!  I was furious when it happened and my anger only increases as Gay continues to develop.  Rudy is averaging 18.7 points, 5.5 rebounds while shooting 47% from the field and 37% from three.  Shane Battier... 8.3 points, 4.5 rebounds with 40% from the field and 37% from three.  Hmmmm, isn't one of the Rockets major weaknesses this season the lack of a legitimate third scorer??  Could Rudy Gay fill that role??  Don't give me the "Shane is a great defender and does more for the team than what shows up in the box scores" CRAP!  Rudy is averaging more steals and more blocks per game than Shane, AND Rudy is only in his SECOND YEAR!!!  Basically, the only thing Shane does better than Rudy is.. taking charges.  WOW, that makes the trade totally worth it.  I'm so glad they did it!  (Can you feel the sarcasm??)  

Anyways, I'm getting away from my point.  So with this great free agent off-season and hiring a proven coach in Rick Adelman, why are the Rockets only 11-11 through the first 22 games?  That is horrible!  I know they have played the toughest schedule in the League so far, but PLEASE!  They are losing to teams that are not nearly as talented: Memphis, Lakers, Miami, Golden State, Sacramento, Toronto and Philadelphia.  Granted, we cannot match up against The Warriors and The Lakers are playing pretty good ball right now, but we still should not have lost to them with our new squad. 

The fact is, this is the same team I watched all of last year.  It's T-Mac and Yao, and nothing else.  I don't quite understand it, either.  They have plenty of offensive fire power with the new additions, but you can't see that when they play.  The reason... they are not giving the bulk of the minutes to their best players.  Rafer is horrible and should not be starting.  I'm tired of watching Chuck Hayes miss layup after layup!  With those two and Shane in the starting lineup, the offense must rely on T-Mac and Yao!  Yes they won over 50 games last year with that lineup, but that was with Van Gundy's defensive schemes.  We were the best defensive team in the regular season last year!  We have Adelman now, who's a gifted offensive coach.  So logically, we need offensive players to compliment his scheme?  Right?

Why not start Scola and Francis or even Mike James, if you're not a Francis fan?  That would space the floor for Yao and give T-Mac people to pass too, who can actually make a shot.  Bonzi should be the first person off the bench, where he can score at free will in the post when Yao is out.  Use Hayes and Rafer for 20 mins or less a night.  That would greatly help this team!  The Rockets need to start relying on their other playmakers and give T-Mac a rest.  Also, Yao looks a little uncomfortable in this new system, which is another reason to put other offensive players out there with him, so he can get familiar with what he's doing.

Granted, I'm not in the practices.  I'm not an NBA general manager.  I'm not an NBA coach. Not an assistant coach.  Hell, I'm not even a damn ball boy!!  But if I can see these problems and simple solutions from my couch at home, then why can't Adelman!!  Mark my words, the Rockets will not launch and reach their potential, as long as Rafer Alston AND Chuck Hayes are in the starting lineup!  They need to change or the count down will never even begin.  

On a side note, T-Mac left the game with a hurt ankle.  Lets hope it's not too serious.  

Great Article about Dwight Howard

By now you know that I am somewhat infatuated with Dwight Howard! I believe he will be one of the top 5 centers of all time, once his career is finished. Well, I'm not the only one who's enamored with his talent, read the article below from Henry Abbott at True Hoop.

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-28-363/It-s-Getting-Hard-to-Describe-Dwight-Howard.html

Even When He's Bad, He's OH SOO GOOD!

The Warriors did a nice job keeping Dwight in check last night, well for most of the game (he had 9 turnovers). Yet, he still had this line:

18 pointes, 23 rebounds, 3 assists, 7 blocks, 9 turnovers with shooting 50% from the field

Damn, it's nice to be that bad! Oh, and the Magic won in overtime on the road! Dwight Howard MVP!

Duncan Down, Parker Up.

Duncan went down with a knee and ankle injury today. They don’t know how serious it is yet, as he will have an MRI tomorrow. That means Tony Parker is about to start balling. Wait, he already has been! Let’s discuss what he has done.

Please understand how hard it is for me to admit that Parker is playing well. I am a huge San Antonio Spurs, specifically Tony Parker, hater. Why? Because I have two guys in my office who are the biggest Spurs fans I have ever met and I believe the world needs balance; therefore, they love…. I hate. That being said, I cannot deny what Parker is doing anymore. I don’t feel like he deserved his previous allstar bids (Deron Williams got screwed last year), but if he keeps this up (with Duncan down he certainly will) then he will most definitely earn his third consecutive appearance.

First, let’s discuss Tony’s weaknesses, as I have to get these out in the universe before I share the love. He is arguably the quickest man in the league with the ball, but his lack of an outside shot has really hurt him. Also, for a point guard who spends his life driving to the basket and dishing to Duncan or outside shooters, you think he would average more than 5.5 assists per game. His assist to turn over ratio is a pathetic 2 to 1. For a two-time allstar, he has never averaged over 18.6 points or 6.1 assists or 3.7 boards per game (those were not even in the same year), which is very sad for an “allstar point guard.” All right, I’ll stop here, because this article is about what a great season he is having so far. Here are his averages for this year:

20.3 ppg, 3.7 rb, 7 ast. 0.8 stl, 2.2 t/o with 52% shooting

Those are very nice stats, but they get even better when you look at what he has done over the last 8 games:

23.9 ppg, 4.4 rb, 8.5 ast, 0.4 stl, 2.1 t/o with 56% shooting

Impressive! His points are up, rebounds up, assists WAY UP, shooting percentage up and turnovers down! That is one very nice 8-game stretch. The question is, can he keep it up all year? He has the talent, always has, so is it out of the question to say it just took him 6 years in the League to figure it out completely? I mean, he’s still only 25, so there’s plenty of room to grow, right? In fact, it appears that during the short off-season and marrying Eva Longoria, he had time to work on is shooting, as he is getting a midrange game. It’s not where it needs to be yet, but getting better.

Maybe, just maybe, after 6 years and 3 championships, Popovich finally trusts Parker completely to run the offense? That’s just speculation, but it’s one of the few reasons I can come up with to explain why Tony’s assists are up so much. Although, you have the fact that Duncan is getting older and they are leaning on Parker to be more of the playmaker for the team.

I guess, whatever the reasons are, if you are a Spurs fan or have Tony Parker on your fantasy team, you are loving him right now. If Duncan is out for an extended period of time, you will be loving him even more, because those stats I listed above should increase if the Spurs expect to win games without Duncan.

On a side note about Duncan’s injury… Do you think the Spurs could use Luis Scola right about now?? Thanks for the gift. NOW WILL ADELMAN PLEASE PLAY HIM!!! Go Rockets!

Changing of the Guards

There are two NBA teams that have backup point guards who are better than the starters. Those are the Toronto Raptors and Houston Rockets. I’m calling out Rick Adelman and Sam Mitchell and telling them to start Jose Calderon and Steve Francis for the remainder of the year. I’ll explain why:

First, let’s look at the Raptors, as this is the more clear cut obvious case. TJ Ford is a wonderfully talented player, and it’s apparent that he’s worked hard on his shot to increase his field goal percentage to 46.5% (career high). TJ is also one of the quickest players in the league with the ball, which is why he is so effective at getting into the lane. Those are the reasons why the Raptors traded for him. His weaknesses are that he shoots too much, especially in key situations. He is a horrible three-point shooter (25%), and although he is great at dribble penetration and dishing out to the open man, he is not great at running this offense. That’s where Jose Calderon comes in.

Jose is also very quick with the ball, albeit not as fast as TJ. He has a great shooting stroke with 49% from the field and 36% from three. He is also much better and more experienced in running an up-tempo style of play with him playing for his national team, Spain. Jose is an extremely smart basketball player and much more unselfish. Yet, he is more effective when his scoring is needed, as you can see from his percentages. This unselfishness is key, because they are not utilizing their best player, Chris Bosh, to the fullest when TJ is on the court.

Chris is a multi-dimensional extremely talented player who started the season in a slump. Some say it is because of his lingering injuries, which may be true; however, it is more than that. Sam Mitchell is not allowing Chris to run this team from start to finish. He is giving that opportunity to TJ Ford and Andrea Bargnani (to some degree), which is a big mistake. Chris can do everything on the court and Mitchell must use those skills to run this team more efficiently. The point guard that enables Chris to do this… Calderon.

Look at the last 6 games, where Jose has started and played the majority of the game because of TJ’s injury. They are 4-2 (they were 5-6 before this stretch of games). Bosh came out of his slump completely and was having some very nice games, while they were winning. Calderon is averaging 11 assists per game and the offense is running much smoother. In fact, let’s look at what TJ is averaging as a starter as compared to Jose as a starter:

            PPG  RB   AST   STL   TO   FG%   3P%  Min
TJ:      13.9   2.2   7.7     1.2     2.25  .47     .25      27
Jose:   11.8   3.3   11      0.7     1.5    .45     .58      37

With starters minutes (37 per game) Jose is averaging 11 assists, granted it’s a small sample of 6 games, but the Raptors have looked better and more complete as a team, and they are winning!

I will give Sam Mitchell credit. Ford has been back for 2 games now, and Calderon is still starting and getting big minutes. I’m hoping it’s because Mitchell has realized his team is much better with Jose running the point, but I fear it’s because TJ is still coming back from the injury and he’s being worked in slowly. I’m not saying relegate TJ to the bench and only play him 10 minutes a night, but please keep Jose as the starter and give him 30 minutes per game! You’ll thank me for it later, Sam.


Now onto my home team, The Rockets! I picked the Rockets to be the best team in the West this year and I did it because they got a new coach, and improved in their two biggest weaknesses; point guard and power forward. Well, we are 18 games into the season and the Rockets are a .500 team. Yes, they played the toughest schedule in the league up to this point, playing San Antonio, Dallas and Phoenix twice each, and they dealt with T-Mac already missing time due to an injury. Even with those caveats, I do not believe the Rockets will win the West, if Aldelman continues to start Rafer Alston and Chuck Hayes! They improved so greatly, why do I still see the same team I watched last year? I will likely discuss Luis Scola at a later date, but today we will talk about Rafer.

First you need to understand that few people were happier to see Steve Francis get traded than me. He was a ball pounder (he took too damn long to get the offense running and make decisions), he couldn’t make an entry pass to save his life and had a TON of turnovers. That was 4 years ago. Now Steve is older, wiser and less selfish. He still has his issues, but he is an upgrade over Rafer Alston!

This is Rafer’s third year with the team, and we are still pulling our hair out! He is a horrible shooter. He lacks the basketball IQ of most starting PG in the League. He is not athletic enough to make up for his lack of shooting ability and his court vision is average at best. The only thing that Rafer excels at is his ball handling ability.

While Steve has a lot of the same flaws (poor shooter from long range and lack of basketball IQ, when compared to above average point guards), he makes up for it in his athleticism and playmaking abilities. Steve is still able to make that “special play” in the course of a game. He can take more a scoring role when T-Mac or Yao are not playing their best, or at the very least be that consistent third scorer this team is in desperate need of. He brings experience and maturity (believe it or not) that Rafer lacks. Most of you who are up on the situation are probably saying, “Maturity? He came into camp out of shape and overweight! He was the likely starter until he did that. How does that show maturity!?” And you would be correct. I didn’t say he was the constant professional like Shane Battier. I merely compared his maturity to Rafer’s. How was Alston’s offseason???? Exactly. Plus, the Steve Francis of old would have caused a scene or too over not starting or even playing for that matter. The new Steve… Nothing but support and understanding. It’s starting to pay off, as he is getting minutes, and he should continue to get more. Hopefully, take over the starting role soon.

I wish I could give you some statistical analysis to backup my opinion, but Steve has only played in 5 games, and in a limited role at that. However, he has looked good in that limited role. He is passing the ball very well and making quick decisions. He is still able to get into the key, even after his surgeries. He simply brings the intangibles that Rafer has never and will never possess. Also, there’s the fact that I just watched the Rockets lose to the Kings, who suck. Rafer was pathetic, making no impact. In fact, the whole team was pathetic, making no impact, except for T-Mac and Yao. Just like last year. Steve was out with a sore back. Which again, is why he hasn’t gotten much burn this year. I just hope he gets in shape quickly and Adelman puts him in there! We are in desperate need of his talents!

Proof that Danny Ferry Sucks, as if you needed more....

Anderson Varejao spoke with Chad Ford at ESPN for the first time (the article is linked here) and his comments are very telling! Telling in that Danny Ferry is a HORRIBLE GM, like I've been saying all season! Check out this clip from Chad's article, then read the whole thing. It's great.

"On each side, the frustration level has been rising the past few weeks, as Varejao is left in limbo in Brazil, and as the Cavs have struggled coming out of the gate in training camp and the regular season.

In October, Ferry made a surprise visit to see Varejao at his parents' home in Brazil in an attempt to convince him to sign.

The move backfired. Ferry showed up without telling Fegan, and working around an agent is a no-no in the NBA. While GMs are allowed to talk with players without an agent present, it is customary that all contract talk goes through an agent.

'I was shocked,' Varejao said. 'He showed up and wanted me to sign a contract. I told him he's got to talk to my agent. He didn't even up his offer. I guess he thought if he just showed up, I would just sign whatever he gave me.'

Ferry walked away with no deal and with an angry free agent on his hands.

He defends his decision to appeal directly to Varejao.

'From the start of free agency, we told Anderson and his agent that the ability to communicate with him directly was going to be very important to the process,' Ferry said. 'The trip was done because our communication with Anderson was no longer available to us.'

Since that incident, there hasn't been much trust or movement on either side."

Personally, I don't think Varejao is worth anything near $10 million per year, so I would side with Ferry on that he's closer to a $6 million per year player, but this demontrates that Ferry simply does not understand how to negotiate or deal with people on the level that a NBA GM needs too. In fact, according to Anderson's own comments here, the reason he is demanding so much money is because of the fact that Ferry gave players like Larry Hughes, Damon Jones and Donyell Marshall (Varejao did not name them specifically) a ton of money, when they are far less valuable for this team!

Well Danny, it's the mess you've created! Good luck cleaning it up. Meanwhile, poor LeBron is doing everything humanly possible to keep your franchise's head above water!

LeBron is King!

While I am on my Dwight Howard for MVP kick, I can’t deny the fact that LeBron James is doing something that hasn’t been done since the 1988-89 season; average at least 30, 8 & 8, when Michael Jordan averaged 32.5 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists. LeBron is averaging:

31.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, 8 assists with 1.92 steals and 1.62 blocks while shooting 49%



Those are absolutely astonishing stats! He has a VERY long way to go to keep these averages up, but he has had a triple double in his last two games and looks simply unstoppable right now.

I mentioned in my Cavaliers Preview that LeBron worked on his shot mechanics during the summer and the hard work has really paid off! He is leading the league in scoring (as I predicted he would all season), his percentages are up as well; from 47.6% to 49.2% field goal and the biggest jump has been his three point percentage from 31.9% last year to 36.8% this year. The only reason the Cavs are respectable this year, is because of LeBron’s improved play. In fact, if Danny Ferry wasn’t so inept in building a team around LeBron, they would likely be the favorite to win the East again. Unfortunately the Cavs got worse this summer, while so many other eastern conference teams greatly improved.

Last year LeBron took it easy during the regular season, so he would have enough in his tank for the playoffs. Why has he turned it on so much this year? Maybe it’s because he realized how important home court advantage is (if they would have won 8 more games they would have had home court against the Spurs in the finals). It could be because he feels like he has something to prove after getting swept by the Spurs in his first finals appearance. The likely answer is that he knows he must play his best in order for his team to be competitive. It is a shame that the Cavs cannot put acceptable role players around the best, most unselfish superstar in the League. Imagine if LeBron had Jason Kapono to pass out too, or Jose Calderon manning the point? (I used two Toronto Raptors players because Bryan Colangelo has done a phenomenal job building a team around Chris Bosh) Nothing against Drew Gooden or Ilgauskas; I like both of them, but every other player on that team, aside from LeBron, should be coming off the bench in limited roles.

If LeBron can get this team in the top four of the Eastern Conference again, then he should and will get his first MVP! We’ll just have to watch and see if he can keep up this pace for 68 more games!

All that being said, I’m still pulling for Dwight! D12 for MVP!

Lakers - Celtics Rivalry Renewed????

I'm watching ESPN and they are discussing the renewal of the Celtics - Lakers rivalry and all I can think is...... ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!! STOP SEARCHING FOR A DAMN STORY AND JUST REPORT THE FREAKING SPORTS NEWS!!!!! Here are the reasons they are NOT a rivalry.

For a rivalry to be there, both teams must be on the same level, or at the very least, the lesser team win a good percentage when they face each other. They have played once this year and the Celtics beat them in convincing fashion! Don't just look at the final score. The Lakers were never really a threat to win!

The Celtics are the class of the league. The Lakers have started out hot, but they'll fizzle, like they always do in the "Kobe Against the World" era.

When Kendrick Perkins posts 21 points and 9 rebounds on you... you are not a good team.

When Bruce Bown scores 23 points on you... you are not a good team (No, I am not letting that one go. It was pathetic).

Boston is great and a true title contender this year, while the Lakers will be fighting for the bottom of the playoffs in the West.

No rivalry here.

Dwight Howard for MVP

I’m officially starting my Dwight Howard for MVP campaign! Yes, I know it’s only 14 games into an 82 game schedule, so any MVP talk is premature, but I don’t care. Dwight has been incredible and deserves all the credit and MVP talk he can get.



A number of people picked Dwight to be the most improved player this year, and I thought that was an interesting pick. I mean, how much more does a player need to improve to the point that he wins that award when he averaged 17.6 points, 12.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks last year? The answer….24.5 points, 14.8 rebounds and 2.2 blocks! WOW! Those numbers are ridiculous! Now, I don’t think he is the MVP because of those numbers alone. His team is 11-3 with wins over Toronto, Cleveland, New Jersey, New Orleans and Boston (the only team to beat them so far). The Magic are winning because they are running the offense through Dwight! For example, tonight the Magic played the Bobcats. Dwight matched up against fellow draft buddy, Emeka Okafor and he abused him! Howard had 34 points, 17 rebounds (6 offensive), 2 assists, 3 steals, and 4 blocks!! Hmmmm, you think those people who had him ranked as a 3rd or 4th round pick in fantasy drafts regret that prediction?? Who gives a damn that he only made 12 or his 21 free throws attempted, when he's putting up numbers like this! In fact, I took him in the 4th round in one of my leagues, because they were using yahoo's ranking system and he was ranked as the 44th player on that list, so I knew I could sit on him, and that pick may save my season; since I took Gilbert Arenas in the first round!

Last year, many people questioned whether you could run an offense strictly though him because of his tendency to turn the ball over, and I blamed their coach, Brian Hill! The offense was horrible. They would give the ball to Howard down low, then everyone would just stand there are watch him! No movement to create passing lanes. No cutting to the basket when your man double teamed Dwight! It was absolutely amazing and pathetic that Brian Hill was an NBA coach! This year Stan Van Gundy is in charge and they look like a completely different team. Yes, they have Rashard Lewis, and Dwight and Jameer are older and wiser, but the drastic improvements those two players have made should be largely credited to Stan and his coaching staff! Their offensive sets are seamless and fluid. Jameer and Dwight’s turnovers are down while their scoring and other production (Jameer’s assists) are way up! Hell, even Hedo Turkoglu is having a career year! The best thing Stan Van Gundy has done is realizing that you can and should run everything through his big man! Dwight is rewarding his coach for his confidence in him.

The crazy thing to think about is that Dwight could and SHOULD build on those numbers as the season goes on, because his confidence in his midrange game and new post moves are starting to grow! Can you imagine? Howard is only 21 years old, and will only get better!! He’s one of the most dedicated and hard working players in the league and is just now getting an offensive repertoire. During the game against Boston, Dwight took an 18-foot baseline jump shot, and MADE IT! It was so beautiful and surprising that I screamed with excitement and scared my 1-month-old daughter! He just caught the ball, turned and shot it without even thinking. He will be absolutely unstoppable once he has a 15’ to 18’ consistent jumper! He actually has good shot mechanics; he just needs to work on his confidence. Stan Van Gundy and Patrick Ewing are doing a great job working with him on that.

Now the reality check. I understand it will be extremely difficult for Dwight to average over 14 rebounds per game for a whole season…. But he should do it! That’s the only reality check I have. His scoring numbers are legit and could increase. His field goal percentage will increase as his confidence does as well. His free throw shooting is getting better, and he should increase his blocks to 2.5 to 3 per game.

Dwight Howard for MVP.

Gilbert's Out for 3 Months

I'm saddened by this news, because he's on one of my teams. I hope he takes the time to get healthy. By now most of you have picked up Antonio Daniels, as I have, to make up for the lost. Daniels should have a good season. He will be very good for you in the assists column and will score enough points.

Andray Blatche is an interesting player. Most people are recommending you pick him up because of his last two games, and on a pure talent standpoint, I agree. However, Brendan Haywood is expected to be back next game, which should send Andray back to the bench. Although, with Gilbert out, the Wizards will need help in scoring and Andray can definitely do that. Also, if the Wizards continue to lose, they may decide to just start planning for the future and give Blatche more playing time so he can develop, if that happens Nick Young might also get a boost in his minutes and could be effective. Keep an eye on how this plays out.

Selfish Kobe Says "No" to Pistons.

A TV Station in LA, CBS 2, is reporting (article is linked here) that the Lakers completed a trade with the Pistons that would have sent Kobe to Detroit for Tayshaun Prince, Rip Hamilton, Amir Johnson and a first round pick, BUT Kobe vetoed the trade. ARE YOU KIDDING ME, KOBE!!!!! You seriously don't think that YOU (self proclaimed greatest basketball player ever) cannot win a championship with Chauney Billups, Jarvis Hayes, Rasheed Wallace, Antonio McDyess, Jason Maxiell, Rodney Stucky, Flip Murray, Arron Afflalo and Nazr Mohammed as your supporting cast? REALLY? That is a much better team than You, Deng, Ben Wallace and leftovers in Chicago! So what does this tell me about you, Mr. Bryant....

Winning is not the end all be all for you, or else you would take that trade in a heartbeat. I'm not saying that a starting lineup of Chauncey, You, Hayes, Rasheed and McDyess is a lock to beat Boston this year, but it would be a coin flip at best when you look at the full team! I think you care more about what Big City you go to, or who's legacy you can defeat, Mr. 24, than you do about winning another title. I always assumed that was the case, after watching you selfishly give up in the finals against Detroit in 2004, or giving up against the Suns in the first round of the playoffs in 2006, or forcing Shaq out of LA so you can be The Man! Now, you are choosing to stay in LA or go to a team that is likely not nearly as good as this Detroit team would have been with you on it.

You shall forever be known as Kobe the Selfish, not Kobe the Champion!

UPDATE -----11/16/07

I'd like to thank jumperitis@gmail.com for reminding me to update this posting. It's been a busy day at work, so I forgot all about it. It is being said that this trade was just a rumor, and there wasn't more to it than the Pistons inquiring on what it would take to get Kobe. Dumars specifically said he is not willing to give up on his core group of guys yet, so he would not give up 2 starters for Kobe. Do you believe that? I guess you have too.

However, it is also being said that Kobe will not go to Detroit regardless. That is not one of the cities he is interested in. Therefore, this posting is still valid, in that Kobe cares more about Kobe, than he does about winning, but most people already know that.

Almost a Career Night For Bruce Bowen. His Thought...

What’s a sign of a simply awful team? Allowing Bruce Freaking Bowen to score 23 points on you!! I mean, the ONLY thing he can do on the offensive end is hit a baseline 3-point shot. Seriously, that’s the ONLY THING and he hasn’t even done that very well this season. He’s shooting 33% from three; which of course means he’s shooting 35% from the field, since he only shoots three’s…. FROM THE BASELINE! Really, he doesn’t even mix up where he spots up. He’s averaging a measly 2.9 points per game in 28 minutes this season. Do you know what his career high is? 24 POINTS! Also put on the Lakers on January 4, 2005! I guess Bruce has their number.

Tonight, against the Lakers, he went 6 of 6 from three, and ALL OF THEM WERE FROM THE BASELINE!! Is that getting redundant? Well, I haven't said "FROM THE BASELINE" six times yet, so its not redundant enough for the Lakers. At what point do you say to yourself, “Wow, Bruce is making his shots, and I know he’s only going to take a stationary baseline three. Maybe I should try guarding him, or at the very least run in his general direction.” I guess, that thought process never occurred with any of the Lakers.

Speaking of thought processes. Let’s delve into Bruce’s mind and see what he’s thinking during a defense to offensive sequence, since he is apparently a deadly sniper from long range….at least against the Lakers.

Bruce Thinking to Himself:

“Alright, time to play defense. It’s what I do. I’m Bruce “The Glove” Bowen. Yeah, I said it. The Glove! Gary Payton has nothing on me, baby! Actually, I don’t have a nickname? Why is that?

Crap, get your head in the game, Bruce! Where’s Kobe? There you are, Black Mamba! The Glove is about to get a hold of you and squeeze tight. Actually, I don’t like that name. Makes me think of OJ. Mmmmm. OJ sounds good right now. I love that citrusy goodness. I wonder if they have orange gatorade on the bench, cause that will do just fine. Wait, Kobe just got the ball. Gotta go to work!

Eyes on his hips, Brucy. Don’t watch his head or the ball. Watch the hips, that’s what will tell you where he’s going.



OK, his head moved left, but his hips stayed put, so I’ll stay put. HA HA, thought you could get me moving with a simple head fake, Kobe! Wait, he is going left, dammit! It’s OK, move you feet, move your feet! Get in front of him. Damn, I can’t! He’s too fast, and I’m too old! Timmy, watch out, Kobe’s going to the rim! Oh, he’s going to dunk on Tim and it’ll all be my fault!



YES! Tim blocked him! Ah ha! I followed the defensive strategy to a tee! Funnel Kobe into Duncan! Funnel him to the Big Fundamental! Funnel Funnel Funnel. Pops is a phenomenal defensive coach and I’m an even better defender! That’s why I’m out here. Damn, I’m good.

Hey, Kobe has a nickname. Even Tim and Popovich have one! Hmmm, how ‘bout The Blanket, cause I can cover anyone! I kinda like it. I’ll have to ask my fan club. Do I even have a fan club? Hell, I could ask Ginobili's club. He always has a bunch of hot chicks yelling his name or retards dressed up like Obe One Kenobi. Yeah, I'll ask them.




Anyways, time to play offense. Let’s see, Pop told me just to run to the corner baseline and stand there. If Parker, Ginobili or Duncan pass to me, shoot it. You have a great three point shot, Brucy. Just believe in yourself.

Alright, I’m here on the baseline. Eva’s Play Toy is coming down the court and just passed to Manu. By the way, I need to tell Ginobili just to shave it. The whole male pattern baldness is cool thing just isn't working for him. Obe One Ginobili is making his move. Man, it huts my back just watching him drive to the basket with those herky-jerky moves. I think Manu just traveled…

Yes, he’s passing me the ball and I'm wide open because my man just went to help out! Got it Manu, don’t worry, it’s good as gold now.

Catch the ball.
Bend the Elbow.
Line up my forearm with the basket.
Bend the knees.
Jump and release.
Flick the wrist.
My hand is right in line with the basket.
Beautiful arch......
SWISH!!!!

Purest baseline shot in the league! It’s what they pay me for! I’ll go give Timmy a slap on the butt, so he’ll tell me “Good Shot.” Time to put The Blanket on Kobe!!!"

This representation of Bruce Bowen’s thoughts is completely fictional. Any actual thoughts that occur in Bruce Bowen’s head that resemble those described here is purely a coincidence.

Lakers Suck, as does Kobe.

Kobe is to Blame...Is not to Blame. You decide.

It was always believed that Shaq was traded as a result of Kobe’s wishes, but this summer we were lead to believe Kobe had nothing to do with it. We were told Jerry Buss didn’t want to pay Shaq the money he required. Jerry believed he could build a contender around Kobe, without Shaq. I mean, that’s why Kobe went on the Stephen A. Smith show during the summer to request a trade. The Lakers organization was blaming him for the Shaq trade, and that made Kobe very upset, because it just wasn’t true (at least that’s what Kobe and now Jerry Buss are saying).

Hmmmm

Did you watch halftime of the Spurs vs Blazers game on TNT?? I wonder how Kobe feels now, after watching Magic Johnson, Lakers Vice President, say it was Kobe’s fault. Read the transcript below:

Kenny Smith

“The Lakers thought it would be easy… when you allow the Shaquille O’Neal trade and other things to happen, you’re under the assumption that your going to get back. You don’t get back. It’s not written in stone that teams get there. There are great players in the league that have never played at a high level and there’s a reason for that, because it’s a difficult league and a talent driven league and when you have talent you cannot let that just go and walk away.”

Magic Johnson

“Kobe didn’t understand that. See, if Kobe had been smart, he would have mended those fences with Shaquille. Let Shaquille be the man and we wouldn’t be in this position. And Kobe now after four years later understands he can’t do it by himself so now he’s blaming the organization. Part of that blame should be on him, as well as the organization.”

I’ll give Magic credit, because in mid sentence he realized what he was doing – reacting emotionally and raw to Kenny coming right at the Lakers organization – and he made sure he added that last statement “Part of that blame should be on him, as well as the organization,” but even with that caveat, he still said Shaq was traded because of Kobe. Magic said Kobe was to blame for this situation. Personally, I agree with him. Kobe is to blame.

Kobe wanted to be the man. Kobe wanted to control the offense and the team. Kobe wanted to be the alpha male. Kobe wanted to lead the team AND league in scoring; he knew he would never do that with Shaq on the team. Kobe thought he was so good, that he didn’t need Shaq to win. Kobe wanted to be Jordan.

This selfishness is Kobe’s biggest flaw and the sole reason he will never win another championship, let alone NBA MVP, unless he does have another dominant player on his team. He simply can’t lead and direct a team. Kobe truly believes his team is better off when he’s shooting the ball. He doesn’t trust anyone else.

It’s because of this selfishness and supreme cockiness that Kobe needs to have another alpha male on his team who will put him in his place. Kobe is arguably the best pure talent in the league, arguably; but he is best served as a scorer. He is fundamentally not capable of setting up his teammates and making them better night in and night out. That’s why the Laker’s biggest mistake is not trading Bynum for Jason Kidd. Kidd is the leader and playmaker that would allow Kobe to be Kobe. Kidd picks up his teammates and makes them better. Kobe scores. Kobe would also trust Kidd to lead, which might be the biggest reason to do the trade, because as stated above, Kobe doesn’t trust anyone.

Magic is right; Kobe didn’t understand how tough it is to win in the NBA. It all came to easy for him in the beginning. What’s sad, is when you look at the current circus Kobe has created, he still doesn’t understand. I will admit the Lakers have not managed their team well, but it’s not like Kobe has been put with a bunch of no-talent misfits. He simply doesn’t have the ability to lead and inspire people to be more than what they are.

Preseason Predictions

Before we get into my preseason rankings, I want to give the Kobe caveat. He will be traded, I have no doubts about that, and I’m sure he’s going to the east, unless the Mavericks grow a brain and trade Dirk for him (I hate Kobe and even I know they should do that). Obviously whatever team he goes to in the east becomes an instant contender and these rankings are pointless, to a degree. If he goes to the Bulls, I still think Boston will be better because of what they will give up to get Kobe (Three is better than one - unless the one is Michael Jordan, which Kobe IS NOT), so it may not change at all.

Let’s look at the East first:

1) Boston Celtics - The combo of KG, Pierce and Ray Allen is too potent for any team in the East. They are three unselfish, yet dominant superstars in the prime of their careers (Allen is the only one on the older side), so how can you pick against them. Also, the bench is not that bad.

2) Chicago Bulls – With or without Kobe, they are number two in the East in regular season play. However, they need Kobe to get over the hump in the playoffs and truly be a contender this year.

3) Detroit Pistons – I hate this pick, but the starting five is still intact and more motivated than ever. They have good young players coming off the bench, but Flip is not the coach for them, which is why they will not win the East this year.

4) Toronto Raptors – Everyone is discounting this team, AGAIN! They like it that way. The Raps are extremely good and fearless. Bosh will be an MVP candidate.

5) Cleveland Cavaliers – LeBron has improved his shot, which means trouble for the rest of the league, but Varejao and Pavlovic were just that important to them. Even LeBron himself sees that, see his comments this preseason. Danny Ferry better get this resolved and those two guys with the team.

6) Orlando Magic – The loss of Grant Hill, Darko and Tony Battie will hurt, but they got Rashard and Dwight supposedly has a jump shot (I haven’t seen it yet, but that’s the rumor). Plus Stan van Gundy will get this team playing better than last year.

7) Washington Wizards – Same as last year, they’ll make the playoffs, but won’t contend. Kobe might be going here for Arenas, if that happens the Wizards move up substantially in my rankings.

8) New Jersey Nets – I know they have Nenad and Richard Jefferson back and healthy, but I hate the Magloire signing and the east got much much better, specifically their division.

9) Miami Heat – Wade will come back in January, and fight like hell to get them in the playoffs, but he’ll come up short because Shaq will probably be hurt when Wade comes back and they won’t have enough time to get the job done after they are both healthy. They’ll get close, though.

10) Atlanta Hawks – I wanted to put them in the playoffs more than any other lottery team, but I just can’t believe they will over take any of the top 8 teams. That being said, they will surprise a lot of people this year.

11) Milwaukee Bucks – Yi is starting? That’s all you need to know to realize they won’t be making the playoffs.

12) Indiana Pacers – Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy will have productive years, but the Pacers need more than those two, Jermaine O’Neal and Granger to get it done.

13) Charlotte Bobcats – The injuries of May, Morrison and future injuries of Okafor and Gerald Wallace really hurt this team.

14) New York Knicks – Does Isiah finally get fired this year??

15) Philadelphia 76ers – I love Iguodala and Andre Miller, but they are just too young everywhere else.

Now the West:

1) Houston Rockets – I know T-Mac and Yao have never been out of the first round, but it’s not just up to them this year. They are the most talented team in the league from top to bottom. Kudos to Daryl Morey.

2) Phoenix Suns – Grant Hill was a huge signing for them and they still have the best PG in the league.

3) Dallas Mavericks – They needed to do more than just send Terry to the bench in place of Stackhouse.

4) San Antonio Spurs – They always start off slow after winning a championship, but this year the Rockets and Suns are too good to let them make up all the lost ground.

5) Denver Nuggets – It’s a coin flip between them and Utah, but Denver has more talent with Kenyon Martin back (if he’s truly healthy), so they get the nod.

6) Utah Jazz – They are actually better, just not enough to improve on last year’s success.

7) Golden State Warriors – Nellie has this group of renegades playing with more confidence than anyone else in the league, that alone will carry them into the playoffs again.

8) Memphis Grizzlies – This is my surprise team of the league. They are a very very talented and well rounded team. Rudy Gay will breakout this season. I have high hopes for their future.

9) Los Angeles Lakers – Kobe is gone, and unless they get Gilbert Arenas or Dirk in return, they aren’t making the playoffs this year. They should be better off in the long run for trading Kobe, unless it really is a fire sale. We’ll have to wait and see.

10) New Orleans Hornets – Chris Paul is everything he’s advertised to be, but they just don’t have enough around him.

11) Sacramento Kings – They weren’t making the playoffs before Bibby got hurt and they certainly aren’t now.

12) Los Angeles Clippers – This starts the list of teams with no hope in the West. Brand might not be coming back until March. OUCH!

13) Portland Trailblazers – The only playmakers they have are Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge, who are both sophomores in the league. Another high draft pick is in their future.

14) Seattle Supersonics – The only thing that matters this year is the development of Durant, Jeff Green and at least one of the 3 centers they have taken in the first round 3 of the last 4 years.

15) Minnesota Timberwolves – Al Jefferson will have a MONSTER season, but everyone else is still learning to play in the NBA.

The West was much easier to predict than the East, because so many western conference teams have mailed it in this year and declaring “rebuilding” while the East got stronger. Here are my picks for individual awards:

MVP – Kevin Garnett

Scoring Title – LeBron James

Rebounding Title – Dwight Howard

Defensive Player of the year – Josh Smith

Sixth Man of the year – Leandro Barbosa

Most Improved Player - LaMarcus Aldridge