NBA

Shutting it down

2006-04-27T09:01:00.000-07:00

The ball boy is graduating, yes graduating. So I am making my last posting of the year. I turn 22 today, so in light of that, here are my "22 Things I Learned this NBA Season."

1. Steve Nash is legitimate - There is no doubt he belongs in the MVP discussion, and now, the Hall of fame discussion.

2. Dwight Howard is a stud - Kid is going to straight freak it for the next 15 years.

3. BJ Armstrong is an idiot - ESPN analyst and he knows very little.

4. ZO has some gas left - Very impressive year for a man I left for dead.

5. Boris Diaw is the best throw in ever - An afterthought in a trade that included two first round picks for us.

6. Microfracture surgery is the antichrist - Come back Amare!

7. Darius Miles is a waste of space - Three team suspensions.

8. Ron Artest is insane - Wait...I already knew that.

9. Lebron can carry a team - And he almost won the MVP along the way.

10. Tony Parker is the player people were hoping he could be.

11. Kobe Bryant is a jerk - Enough said.

12. Mike D'Antoni is a good coach - Rookie year as coach was no fluke.

13. Avery Johnson is good too - Mavericks aren't as good as he made them.

14. Bill Simmons, John Hollinger can be jerks - Why hate on my Suns.

15. Quentin Richardson deserves better - He lost a brother, had his house broken into, his fiancee broke up with him, and he is on the Knicks.

16. Larry Brown is losing it - And I mean mentally.

17. Carmello is a star - And a clutch one at that.

18. Dirk is a bad ass - Big man improved by leaps and bounds when he was already incredible.

19. Shaq is aging - And its kind of sad to see him shoot layups off an offensive board.

20. We need more televised games - Thursday and Friday games won't do.

21. Dwayne Wade is the closest to Jordan we might get - So many similarities.

22. I love my Suns - Plain and simple

Thanks for reading this year guys. I really enjoyed blogging for you and hope you got some good info out of it.

End of the Year

2006-04-20T14:00:00.000-07:00

Here we are at the end of another NBA season with the playoffs looming. So that means it is time for the Ball Boy’s exciting edition of the end of the year awards. Now there were some close categories this year, and some that weren’t even worth a second look. So here we go.

Center – Ben Wallace
You can’t give it to Shaq this year because he simply didn’t play enough. Big Ben anchored the defense of the best defensive team with the best record in the NBA. That line speaks for itself

Power Forward – Dirk Nowitzki
The only star on the third best team in the NBA. Dirk really stepped up his game another level this year. Gone are the days when you could stick a smaller defender on him to keep up with his speed and gone are the days of the terrible Dirkfense. He put up a staggering 26 points a game with nine rebounds.

Small Forward – Lebron James
Possibly the MVP this year. He has carried the Cavs during the final stretch of the season and shut up some of his critics (myself) by proving he could be a big game player when he was called to do so. He put up 31 points seven rebounds and 6.5 assists. That translates to really good.

Shooting Guard – Dwayne Wade
The best combined offense defense player this year. He was simply a warrior. He did a good job of keeping a Heat team that is not as good as last year above water until Shaq got back. He has a killer jump shot and is the player I want with the ball most in the clutch come the last possession of the game.

Point Guard – Steve Nash
My hero. The small white guy kicking ass. He has had a better year than last year and carried a team that nobody thought would be higher than a seven seed in the playoffs to a second consecutive Pacific Conference Championship.

Most Improved Player
Boris Diaw
What a difference a season can make. He went from being a nobody on a team that was going nowhere, to a star on a top five NBA team. As good as Diaw’s season stat line ended up being, that’s deceiving. Diaw took time to get his confidence back after Atlanta shattered it. His numbers after the all-star break have been 15.5 points, 7 assists and 7.5 rebounds.

Rookie of the Year
Chris Paul – New Orleans Hornets
Man, this was too easy. Paul took possibly the worst team in the league last year and turned them into a near playoff team. Stats aside (16 points, eight assists and five rebounds) he brought a competitive fire to a team that needed a leader. Paul is a stud in the truest sense.

Defensive Player of the Year
Ben Wallace – Detroit Pistons
See reasons in my First Team All-NBA

Coach of the Year
Avery Johnson – Dallas Mavericks
I think that people assume too much about the Mavericks. They have one Superstar in Dirk, two very good players with Jason Terry and Josh Howard. But after that it is a bunch of role players. What Avery Johnson has done so well is make those role players understand their roles and they have succeeded because of that. This was a close decision between Johnson and D’Antoni, but I gave it to Johnson by a hair.

MVP
Steve Nash – Phoenix Suns
The best way you can some up the MVP race this year is to call it the Oscars. It seems at one point or another, every campaign party has given their reasons why their nominee is the best choice. Then after that, the race seemed to be about “the sexy pick.” There was the two way player in Dwayne Wade, the Giant Guard Dirk Nowitzki, and the man against the world in Kobe Bryant. But I am sticking with my boy Steve Nash. He makes it all work and for some reason that hasn’t been good enough for some people this year.

Keeping the Faith

2006-03-30T13:37:00.000-08:00

The NBA season is a long grueling season. We sit through an immense 82 games living and dying with our team each game. From the past few seasons I have learned I will have to deal with two to three slumps even if my team is good. I have to accept that all teams deal with injuries and that I can't use that as an excuse (even through Amare Stoudemire, Kurt Thomas and Leandro Barbosa is a lot to deal with). I know that there are going to be columnists that are going to praise my players, as well as writers that will seemingly bash on my team for no apparent reason whatsoever. I have to realize that just because my team isn't doing well during a stretch, that they aren't just giving up, but are worn out and will eventually trudge through.

Why the sudden reflection? Well, the Suns just lost Amare after the emotional high that we had from his unexpected comeback. We just came off the two worst losses of the season to two teams we should beat regardless of the circumstances. The past couple of days I have been in a bit of denial. I found myself already telling myself that we gave it our best and that next season will be better because we will have Amare back. Now this may be true, in fact it is probable. But the fact remains, I have given up hope too soon on a team that has given me so much entertainment and has put so much heart into the season for me to let my heart give up on them.

I realized a lot over the past couple of days. I am being unfair and irrational. I am letting my heart give up on this team. Worst of all, I am not being a good Suns fan. Look at what they have done for me this season. They had few people believing they could make the playoffs, their response; they are going to win their division. Everybody said we screwed up by letting Joe Johnson leave. We got a future lottery pick; the Lakers pick this year and the indispensable Boris Diaw in return for a player that would have cost us a max contract. They kept running when nobody else said they could. Steve Nash is in the mix for a second MVP award. There is so much more to write, but if you are reading this column, you likely know the rest of what I would say. Anyways, the fact stands that they have done all this for me this year, but for all they have given me, I am not giving them back the support they deserve right now.

Maybe they have spoiled me over the past two seasons. Maybe I have become too accustomed to victory. Well I recently had a discussion about sports teams with a dedicated Cubs fan and realized I had a long way to go, and many dues to pay before I knew what really being a fan meant at times. Sure I know just as much about sports as most anybody I know. I make the most sensible arguments when talking sports with my friends most of the time. But that is my fault right there. I am making the most sensible argument instead of the argument with my heart. That is where I fall short as a fan in comparison to my roommate Billy. The kid has lost numerous bets with me over the years through bets we have made on the Phoenix Suns. I always win because I am being more realistic than he is. But deep down I want to be the guy who loses senseless bets on his sports team, because when I reach that point, I will only be thinking about them with my heart.

So to sum it up, I will keep the faith, I will be there 100 percent for the rest of this season without getting ahead of myself thinking about how great next season will be. The team has given their all for me and all the other fans and it is time that I give my all for them. Who knows, maybe I will just go home and bet my roommate that the Suns will go all the way this year, although I know he wouldn't take it, because he believes that exact thing himself.

Most Bang For Your Buck

2006-03-22T20:30:00.000-08:00

Having a great player on your team for very little cost is one of the sweet treasures in life for me. You get all the excitement and talent of a good player with none of the doubt of the big contract. That being said, I have composed two teams; one team of players that give you the most bang for your buck, and a team that gives you the most suck for your buck.

Note: I didn't include any player under their original rookie contract. Players like Lebron James and Dwayne Wade are making only three million a year and dominating the league, but when they can sign a max contract, they will. For the crap list, I didn't include players who have had their contracts bought out or have been released from their contract.

Most Bang For Your Buck

Steve Nash - $9,000,000
Once considered an overpriced free agent; it is hard to think of anybody saying that Steve Nash isn't earning every single cent of his contract. I know nine million might seem a bit high for this list, but when you are the MVP and earning less than the double digit millions, you are on the most bang for your buck list.

Gerald Wallace - $5,000,000
One of the more underrated players in the league. Wallace is having a breakout year this year average almost 16 points with 7 rebounds an astounding 2 blocks and leads the league in steals with 2.5 a game. Charlotte made a mistake by not giving him a long-term contract that would have cost them only a little more than that on a yearly basis. I see Wallace commanding around eight or nine million a year after what he has done this season.

Jason Terry - $6,666,667
Dirk Nowitzki indeed is the MVP of the Mavericks, but Jason Terry is there killer. He is the guy I would trust most with the ball at the end of a game. He is averaging 17 points a game this year while shooting 43 percent from beyond the arc and grabbing over a steal a game. Cuban better pony up when the year is over because this guard is worth it.

Ben Wallace - $7,500,000
Pistons fans will enjoy Wallace's services for years to come, but at a higher price after this year. Wallace has snuck his way into MVP discussions a couple times over the past four years. He has won two defensive player of the year awards and is the defensive heart and soul of a team that prides themselves on defense. His numbers are great besides free throw percentage and scoring, but when you are as dominant on the defensive end of the court, those shortcomings are forgotten.

Jason Richardson - $8,800,00
The price seems a bit high here but he is early in the contract so he is at this rate for years to come and he is improving immensely each year. He has upped his three point shooting to 40 percent this year while averaging almost 24 points a game, grabbing 6 rebounds and getting 1.3 steals a game. While Warriors fans haven't had much to cheer for this year, Jason Richardson is one of them.

Most Suck for your Buck
I wanted to just put the entire Knicks team here, but that is unfair, so I will attempt to limit my list to one player per team.

Erick Dampier - $7,666,000
Mark Cuban once said Steve Nash was too old to give a contract of 60 million. So he signs Erick Dampier to a similar contract even though he was one year younger than Nash, had only had one, count em, one good year in his NBA career and was injury prone on top of that. His averages this year: 5.8 points, 8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks.

Tyson Chandler - $8,299,670
Talk about cashing in your one good NBA season. Chandler signed a ridiculous contract this offseason and what has he repaid the Bulls with? A measly 5 points, 9 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and a miserable 44 percent from the charity stripe (note use of term for the free throw line).

Kwame Brown - $7,500,000
The Lakers traded Caron Butler, a fierce competitor and dedicated player for Kwame Brown, a lazy-ass and dedicated bum. He has not helped the Lakers at all this year. His own coach called him a "pussycat" and he has just plain been an all around disappointment. His averages of 6 points, 6 rebounds, 0.6 blocks and 53 percent free throw shooting are just plain pathetic.

Jerome James - $5,000,000
Ah Jerome James, well, he just sucks and Isiah Thomas is stupid for signing him. His numbers when he actually plays, 3 points, 2 rebounds and 0.5 blocks.

Theo Ratliff - $7,500,000
He used to a block machine. He used to clean up boards. Now he is just another overpaid player taking up cap space, He can't get many minutes on one of the leagues worst teams. He is averaging 4.5 points, 5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks.

All of my information for the players' contracts was found on ESPN's trade machine. I have linked it up so you can check it out.

TEAM USA

2006-03-02T09:31:00.000-08:00

I have been very excited about the US Olympic team that Jerry Colangelo has been putting together over the past few months. Since he has taken over it seems that some of the players have finally started to get back some of their national pride. I, like many Americans, was disgusted our showing at the last Olympics and, for that same reason, found myself wondering, "How can these athletes care so little about their country?" After all, it is in this great country of opportunity that these athletes can make absurd amounts of money to play a game that many of us would, and do, play for fun. In a time and age when normal people like myself pay upwards of 25 dollars a month to try and keep ourselves in shape, where as these guys are paid millions to keep themselves in shape and play basketball; and then they just turn their backs on
their chance to repay their country by representing it in the Olympic games. It just really peeves me. So to say the least, I have been eagerly anticipating the the final roster of players that are will to go represent our country. The roster was just released a couple of days ago, and while I have some mixed feelings on some of the choices, I am indeed very happy with the overall results. Here are some thoughts.

We Have Everything
Jerry Colangelo has done a great job of getting a great mix of players that have differing abilities
that should compliment each others' talents. He did not mearly seek out the most popular players, or the most talented 15 players, but put together a set of players that would cover all the bases for him. He has the shooters with Joe Johnson, Chauncey Billups, Rashard Lewis, Michael Redd and J.J. Reddick. He has great role players that bang the boards and play defense like Shane Battier, Josh Howard and Bruce Bowen. There are great team leaders including Billups, Chris Paul and Kobe Bryant (yes, I think Kobe will be a good Team USA leader). This team also has what I felt the past couple of teams were lacking, and that is killer instict. This team has the best in the game for that aspect. There is Kobe Bryant who has the most game winning shots in the past five years, Big Shot Chaunce (Billips) of the Detroit Pistons and the guy I feel is a wild card in that category, Gilbert Arenas.

Well...Almost Everything
The one aspect where I feel we are lacking a bit is in the big nastiness category. I like Brad Millers toughness, and the nonstop defense guys like Bowen and Battier play, but we seem to be missing those big tough bangers. I know Ben Wallace declined an invitation, which is a shame, and I know Ron Artest is crazy and might cause more political conflict Saddam. Maybe its not Colangelo's fault there, maybe the NBA is ditching its attitude for dunks and showmanship, or maybe its just that the best bangers can't do anything else, but that is where I feel America will be lacking most come Olympic time.

But We Got What Counts
Arguably the most important factor in the whole selection process is that this is a group of guys who want to be there and represent their country. Every single one of these players are playing not for the money, and not for the fame. They know that they are there to represent their country. They also know that with Colangelo, this is going to be a much bigger commitment through the four years. They know that by the end they are going to be a tight knit actual team and not a group of Superstars thrown together to play ball. I know guys like Carmello Anthony and Paul Pierce don't have the best reputation in the league, but the fact is, when Colangelo was making the team, these guys went out of their way to say that they wanted to represent their country and bring home the gold and those are the type of guys I want to see in red, white and blue.

No Iverson Feels Wrong
I know that Alan Iverson doesn't fit the typical Olympic game mold that Colangelo was looking for, but the guy just flat out wants to play for his country. Nobody I have seen in the past decade takes as much pride in playing for Team USA as does Iverson does. Add the fact that he is an annual NBA superstar and I just am so dissapointed that he got left off. I hope that there is a spot that opens up for him, because there isn't a doubt in my mind he wouldn't let his pride get in the way of joining the team as an alternate. By the way, I want to also comment on how well Iverson took the snub, his response, "Thanks for taking a look at me, sorry it didn't work out." A lot of players with his status in that position wouldn't have been as big a man as Iverson was there.

The Next Generation is in the Limelight
It is time for the next generation of Superstars to show they have what it takes. When the first Dream Team was assembled, they destroyed every single opponent. These were the best players in the world and they knew it. There is no doubt that the best of the best is there for young guys, Amare Stoudemire, Lebron James, Carmello Anthony, Chris Paul and Dwayne Wade are the five guys I put that burden on since I seem them as the five young players with the brightest upside. I want to see these guys nasty. I want to see them go in their with attitude, with nastiness. I want them to not be afraid to make other countries boo them. This isn't a popularity contest to go improve your international image. This is country against country competition. So hopefully they treat it that way and go in their and get us Gold.

Running All-Star Blog

2006-02-22T20:36:00.000-08:00

All-Star Blog
Well folks got a treat for you this week. I am going to provide you with a running account of the All-Star game. I will give my two cents, some observations, and hopefully a bit of comedy as well.

Pre-game
The National Anthem was actually quite respectable. It was sung by Destiny's Child, and was done so without any background music. The whole group just did an old school barber shop quartet type ditty. I am usually bored and/or disgusted with the national anthem at some of the bigger sporting events, so this was a pleasant surprise.

The introductions were a pleasant surprise as well. It's nice to see all the major athletes have a lot of fun together. Sometimes you get so caught up in their superstar status, you forget that a lot of these guys are only enemies on the court and they are really friendly off the court, or on the all-star court.

First Quarter
Now I remember why I don't care much for the game itself. There were 25 turnovers in the first 3 possessions of the game. I have seen three alley-oops thrown over the head of the other player by at least 5 feet. You know, I hear these things used to be competitive. I remember when Isiah Thomas led a freeze-out of then rookie Michael Jordan in the all-star game. Dudes got mad just because a young guy was chosen to play along side them in a game of stars. It's not like Mike stole his starting position, he was playing alongside him. People wonder why Isiah makes a horrible General Manager; if you let your pride get the best of you in a situation like that, imagine having to run a storied franchise like the Knicks and having to deal with swallowing your pride. This is what Isiah does, he makes a mistake with a trade and instead of admitting he was wrong, tries to make three other trades to make up for it. News flash Isiah, making multiple bad trades doesn't add up to one decent trade, just like piling dog poo over old dog poo doesn't make the situation smell any better.

The West team seems really intent on getting Tracy McGrady the most valuable player award since the game is in Houston. I guess I don't have a real problem with that, since the game is supposed to be fun.

I really find it comical when the announcers udder the phrase, "This guy is just having a great year." Well no friggin crap. He's an all-star; if he was having a crap year he wouldn't be playing.

Second Quarter
It's official, Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant are laughing together. It's nice to see that since feuds like that are unnecessary in the league...Come to think of it, they are probably both thinking in their mind, "Ha ha...yeah, your a dick."

The game is almost at the half and the Western Conference is up by about 15 points. I might have to turn this blog into a summary of half of the All-Star game because this is a bit mind numbing. I have seen maybe two plays worthy of getting excited about.

Fourth Quarter
I just got back for the start of the fourth quarter. To my surprise I heard the East made a comeback so I decided I better watch. Isn't it kind of sad that the sport I love most can't keep me entertained with a gathering of stars? They should put some kind of stakes up for grab. Like the winning team doesn't have to abide by the dress code for the rest of the year, or they don't have to do post game interviews, just something to get their interest.

Isn't it kind of odd that Lebron is doing so much shooting? This is the guy with "crazy court vision" and a knack for passing. I know he has a lot of points, but I have seen him throw up at least five bad shots tonight. Come to think of it, Kobe Bryant has played disturbingly like the real Lebron James. Does Kobe think he can fool us? That all of the sudden people see him passing and they go, "well, he seems like a team player, so he obviously didn't run Shaq out of town."

The players seem to actually be pretending that they care right now. Wait...Yup; I am officially being entertained at the moment. This is a sign of hope and maybe good things to come. As it currently stands, the East has just taken its first lead of the game. Just remember my column two weeks ago. I had Lebron winning the All-Star game MVP. If the East wins, the award is his.

The East Won, Lebron is the MVP, all is good in my life. If you want the complete run down of the game, go to ESPN's All-Star Game wrap up page. We have wrapped up another mind numbing All-Star weekend. I hope you enjoyed my attempt at a running blog. I will be back next week.

Sign of Things to Come

2006-02-15T17:43:00.000-08:00

So now that the All-Star Break is gearing up, that means that NBA teams get a much-needed break from the rigors of their schedule. With that said, I figure it's a good time to make some predictions of what I think might be seen in the second half of the season.

Team to Look Out For - San Antonio Spurs
I know this doesn't seem like a team that will sneak up on people, but hear me out. The Pistons have taken much of the spotlight this year, while the Spurs have quietly put together the league's second best record while playing through injuries to all-stars Manu Ginobli and Tim Duncan. Five of the past six seasons, the Spurs have had the best record after the All-Star Break, and there are a number of reasons that contribute to this. First, the coaching is the best you can get. Greg Popovich continues to be an underrated coach every year. How this happens, I have no friggin idea. Second, Duncan and Ginobli will have had a chance to get healthy and get into prime condition for the playoffs. With those two playing at anything above 90 percent, the team will be scary. Third, they are a veteran squad with a veteran bench. Players like Mike Finley, Nick Van Exel and Brent Barry will find their role more in the second half of the season, solidifying their bench. Put all those things together and I see the Spurs with the best record in the NBA and home court advantage throughout the playoffs.

Player to Look Out For (Western Conference) - Manu Ginobli
I already included him in my reasons why the Spurs are the team to look out for and I get to explain why here. People have forgotten that Ginobli was the most unstoppable player in the playoffs last year. He was like MacGyver without the MasterCard, he always had some crazy answer to a bleak situation. If he were double-teamed he would do crazy around the bag back bending types of moves. If he was driving to the basket on a seven-foot center, he would simply flip over them. Dude bends his body in crazier ways than the Kama Sutra. Unfortunately, injuries have completely taken away his freakish ability to do that craziness he does so well. I am thinking 21 points, 4 assists and five rebounds to go along with an average of 2 insane lay-ups a week.

Player to Look Out For (Eastern Conference) - Dwight Howard
I know he is already playing great ball for a kid who is only 20, but I think he is going to explode the second half of the season. Remember how unreal Amare Stoudemire was at the offensive end last year? Well that is what Dwight Howard is on the boards and defensive end. I really would not be surprised in the least if Howard averages 14 rebounds the second half of the season, with 17 points and 3 blocks to boot. The sky is the limit for this kid and he is going to reach for it. It's funny; I remember the 2004 NBA draft where people didn't like the Magic taking Howard over Emeka Okafur. It's light and day now who the better choice was in my opinion. I am excited to see what Howard is going to do over the next 10 seasons. In fact, I am going to send a letter to Bryan Colangelo right now telling him to do everything he can to make Dwight Howard and Amare Stoudemire the frontcourt of the future...I am getting too excited over something that won't happen, so I am going to move on to the next segment.

Team that Will Surprise in the Playoffs - Milwaukee Bucks
I like what they have. A great scorer and team leader in Michael Redd, and a very good supporting cast around him. There's the clutch shooter in Maurice Williams, Bobby Simmons who is a solid scorer (he got off to a slow start, but I expect him to come on strong), a solid rookie center with Andrew Bogut and not to be forgotten, the RC racer toy, TJ Ford. Seriously, he is an RC racecar, think of when you drive one of those in the street. It's this small car zooming around and when a bigger car drives by, it just looks funny. That's how TJ Ford looks, a small basketball player zooming around a court of giants. If they get a match up with the Cavaliers in the first round, then I have no problem putting money on the Bucks to take that series...Which brings me to the next category.

Team Most Likely to Disappoint - Cleveland Cavaliers
I guess it's no coincidence that they are the team to disappoint since I have a team like the Bucks beating them. I'm just not a big fan of the team. Lebron isn't clutch...yet. Ilgauskas is a solid big man who seems to run out of gas at the end of each season, which hasn't included the playoffs. Larry Hughes has been a disappointment this year despite solid stats and he might not even be back until the playoffs because of finger surgery. I don't think a skill player like him will have time to get his rhythm back to make an impact. Their two big "shooters," Donyell Marshall and Damon Jones, don't strike me as playoff style players...Damon Jones folded easier than Gary Coleman in the Jack in the Box commercial last year in the playoffs. Simply put, this team makes for a nice little regular season record, but come playoff time, I really don't like what they have.
Side Note - I know it seems like the last two blogs I have given Lebron a lot of criticism and I just wanted to say that I am a big fan of the guy. He is great for the game, he has a great personality, he is an amazing talent and he has an awesome Nike commercial. I just don't think he is ready to be the "next Michael Jordan". I guess I just expect more of Lebron, although I guess it isn't fair that I do.

Isiah Thomas Move Most Likely to Happen
There are so many possibilities here, so it took awhile to think of this one, but here it goes. Isiah Thomas gets Mark Cuban to take Stephon Marbury, Malik Rose and Jamal Crawford all off the books for Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard. Cuban decides he also likes the way the Knick's towel boy gets the job done and decides he wants him also. Thomas labels the towel boy an "untouchable" asset and will not part with him. At which point he signs the towel boy to a five year 25 million dollar contract with a player option for a sixth year at four million. After not being able to pull off the big trade, Thomas calls up the Magic and offers Channing Frye and Trever Ariza for Steve Francis. Seem Outlandish to you? Look at the Isiah Thomas era the past five years; you will need to sit down after that because the astonishment almost knocks you on your ass.

Team Most Likely to Win it All - San Antonio Spurs
I guess it's San Antonio Spurs fan Week. Truth is, I have been picking them the past half decade. I love the way the program is run. They have great leaders, a great supporting cast and incredible coaching. But they also have one more thing that makes them great...Robert Horry. Big Shot Bob is the greatest role player of all time. He has been on 7 championship teams and has always had a big part in those victories. With that said, I am going with the Spurs in 6 over the Detroit Pistons this year.

Suggestions
I am taking suggestions for column ideas that you would like to see. I also am glad to answer any questions you have for me, or if you want to hear my opinion on something, just send a comment.

Many of my stats are researched at ESPN and 82games.com. Both of these web sites are an excellent source of basketball information. I mention this because these sites do such an excellent job, that I want them to get as many visitors as possible.

All-Star WEAK-end

2006-02-09T16:36:00.000-08:00

All-Star Weekend has not had the same zest for almost a decade now (ever since we lost the true Michael Jordan*), but that doesn't mean there aren't a few things to watch out for.
*When I mention the true Michael Jordan, I mean post Bulls, pre Wizards Mike.

Fearless Prediction - Nate Robinson wins the dunk contest
Small people just look better dunking the ball, and at 5'9” Robinson is a prime candidate. If you doubt me, just go Google Robinson's put back dunk last year in college. It is one of the most amazing plays I have ever seen. I can't wait to see what can only be described as a flying Gary Coleman in basketball shoes get up in the air and slam it down. The last time a player that size competed, he won (actually, Spud Webb was only 5’7”). Not only do I think Robinson will win because of his talent, but I also think his size and incredible athleticism will result in loud fan reactions, thus influencing the judges to give higher scores.

Side Note - Could they pay homage to Chris Anderson where all the contestants come out in a line and one by one and miss a dunk? Sadly that would still be less misses than the Birdman had last year in his one attempt.

Not So Fearless Prediction - Lebron James will take home the All-Star game MVP honors.
I thought of this one for awhile before settling on Lebron. A lot of my friends are choosing Kobe Bryant, but I don't buy it. Kobe is in the midst of trying to repair his image, and knows the best thing is to not go out on the court and hog the ball. For the most part I expect him to have a spectacular dunk or two to get the crowd going, then try and make some "look at what a great teammate I can be" passes. I see Kobe scoring about 15 points and then passing his way to a better public persona. I also decided that it should be an Eastern Conference MVP, because it seems that every year at the All-Star game the East takes it more seriously because they don't like hearing that they are the weaker conference (they have been since the true Michael Jordan’s departure). Lately Lebron has been getting flack for not being the next Jordan primarily because of his lack of late game heroics, which I discussed in my last column. So now, I figure James might be out to prove something in front of a large audience, and try to wow fans as the great Jordan once did... Ironically he could do the same thing much more easily if he would enter the dunk contest and make All-Star weekend what it once was, if even for only one year.

Sadly Could Happen Prediction - A Big Name Star Gets injured.
The really sad thing is, I'm not talking about the players participating, but the ones most likely to get injured cheering. Every year, the players seem to get most excited about the dunks and the play of their teammates, and as a result, go absolutely insane. So here are the most likely scenarios and the results of the injury.

Marcus Camby snaps a kneecap from the bench during the game, thus ending his career. The Nuggets miss the playoffs. (Camby is so prone to injury that this type of scenario is inevitable. I figure now is a good time to predict it).
Tracy McGrady pulls his back clapping during the Rookie Game (his teammate Luther Head is in the game). The Rockets miss the playoffs since Yao Ming is lost without a star to help him (and maybe even with one).
Baron Davis pulls a hamstring (assuming he makes the team) while taking a fade-away three with 20 seconds left on the shot clock. The Warriors then make the playoffs under steady play of Derek Fischer.

Reply of the Week
Filmgeek said...
I understand (Chris) Paul being Rookie of the Year, but what about (Andrew) Bogut for runner-up. Channing Frye doesn't even start and his team is not winning, unlike Bogut and the Bucks.

I think Bogut has had a solid Rookie Year, but Frye averages almost five more points a game while play four minutes less. Frye would have better stats if he played more, but the Knicks continue to feel obligated to justify Eddy Curry's contract by playing him more at Center. Bogut also averages a weak 62 percent a game from the free throw line, while Frye shoots 82 percent. Starting status is overrated anyway. Just because Tyronn Lue starts at point guard for the Atlanta Hawks, doesn't mean I would rather have him than Earl Boykins who doesn‘t start, but often finishes.

E-mail of the week
Ballman writes -
Final Prediction- Ben Wallace (perennial defensive specialist) enters the game early in the second quarter and is immediately called for a technical foul for actually playing defense. Not to be deterred, Wallace blocks a shot the next time down the floor, picks up his second T, and thus is ejected from the game. In a post game interview, the official who made the calls said “Defensive play is for the playoffs, not the All-Star game. We are trying to maintain the high quality of the All-Star game by discouraging this kind of behavior. I hope that Mr. Wallace will remember that if he ever returns to this coveted event.”

Midseason Awards

2006-01-31T19:40:00.000-08:00

The NBA just reached its midway point and so I feel it's a good time to hand out my midseason awards for both the Western and Eastern Conference. Keep in mind this is just one blogger's opinion, and if you disagree, please send me your comments. So without further ado here are my awards.

Western Conference - 1st team

Point Guard - Steve Nash
Easy choice here. Nash has taken a team that was just supposed to float around .500 until Amare got back, to a current first place lead in the Pacific Division. He is trying to become the first person since Magic Johnson to average over 19 points and 11 assists in a season. Not to mention that seven Suns are having career best scoring years, in no small part due to Nash distributing the ball. He hits the clutch shots, and even better for the Suns, his health is holding up better than expected.
Runner-up - Tony Parker

Shooting Guard - Kobe Bryant
Again an easy choice. He is in the midst of putting up one of the most amazing scoring stretches ever. Over the past two months he is averaging thirty-five points a game for the season with a 12 game streak averaging 43 points, a 60 point performance through three quarters and an 81 point performance in a single game. That makes him a shoe in for this spot. Say what you want about Kobe, he has far and away the best killer instinct in the game. Watch a game where your team has a ten point lead with two minutes left against the Lakers and tell me you honestly feel comfortable that you can mark that game in the win column.
Runner-up - Ray Allen

Small Forward - Shawn Marion
It may seem like I am being biased here as a Suns fan, but Marion deserves it this year. He defends anybody on the court, no matter the position. He is having a career year in scoring (21.5), rebounding (11.9) and blocks (2.0). When the game hits crunch time Marion is the only person on the court who seems to have fresh legs despite logging 35 minutes. It's time the guy gets his due; so I will do the unimaginable and give him the nod over KG for the first team honors.
Runner-up - Kevin Garnett
P.S. Should I apologize to KG? I feel like I have upset the natural balance of the world.

Power Forward - Dirk Nowitzki
He's the leader of the second best team in the Western Conference, and the third best team in the NBA. Get used to the averages of 26 and 9, because those will be his numbers for the next five years. He has also been steadily improving his defense each year (although it isn't near the level of his offense). I like Elton Brand a lot and thought about putting him here, but the Mavericks have the record advantage.
Runner-up - Elton Brand

Center - Tim Duncan
He doesn't really start at center, but he is listed by ESPN as a forward/center so I am taking advantage of that simply because I don't like my other choices and don't think they deserve a spot on the list. Sure Marcus Camby is having a great year in the games he's played, but he's also been injured a lot, and Olowakandi got traded to the Eastern conference, so I couldn't choose him (oh god how I'm joking). Back to Duncan; 21 points, 11.5 boards, 2 blocks and 3 assists to boot, so yeah, he gets the spot.
Runner-up - Marcus Camby

Eastern Conference - 1st Team

Point Guard - Chauncey Billups
He has been unbelievable on a team that has been near perfect this year. He has greatly improved on numbers that were real good last year, and his three point shooting has been nothing short of spectacular this year. On top of that he plays the top notch defense that the team requires him to play which puts him ahead of AI in this spot. This is my hands down choice for.
Runner-up - Allen Iverson

Shooting Guard - Dwayne Wade
He's taken what he did in his stellar sophomore year, and improved in every category. What I am amazed by is that his field goal percentage has improved from last year despite Shaq being out a majority of the year. He has again been battling some injuries this year which should have Miami fans a bit worried about how he is going to hold up over the years, but for now they need to enjoy what they've got.
Runner-up - Gilbert Arenas

Small Forward - Lebron James
Lebron has been as advertised again. He has single handedly taken the Cavaliers out of a five game slump. He will get the Cavs into the playoffs this year, which is a sight for sore Cavs fans' eyes. The only problem I see with him is his late game heroics, or lack thereof. He got shown up by Kobe in a game at Staples Center, and in Denver, passed up a last shot opportunity to his teammate. I don't care how open Varejo, or Marshall is; he is Lebron James, and he is the one who needs to take that shot. However, that is the only dent in his armor. In case you didn't know how incredible Lebron has been here are the numbers - 31, 6 and 7.
Runner-up - Vince Carter

Power Forward - Rasheed Wallace
He's just been huge this year. From his incredible defense (did you see him dominate Tim Duncan...Twice!?), to his clutch three pointers late in games; there are players with better looking stats than him, but he is doing it for a team that is just smoking the competition this year. By the way, who was the last power forward to average 40 percent on threes taking at least five a game?
Runner-up - Chris Bosh

Center - Ben Wallace
The other half of the dominant Wallace Brother's defense. Big Ben is what makes the Piston's go defensively. He blocks shots, alters shots, rebounds, and gets 1.5 steals at the center position. Not to mention the other competition at center is lacking; so he runs away with it here.
Runner-up - Zydrunas Ilgauskas

Individual Awards

Rookie of the Year - Chris Paul
This was my easiest choice on individual list. Chris Paul should be an all-star, even though he might get the short end of the stick being a rookie. But simply put, the numbers speak for themselves, 16 points, 7.5 assists, a whopping 2.2 steals, and 6 rebounds make him an all around dream package that have Hornets fans excited that they're Hornets fans.
Runner-up - Channing Frye

Most Improved Player - Eddie House
I know the choice that most everybody will have is David West; and take no credit away from him, he is having a breakout year. But that is the key word there is breakout. West is in his second healthy season in the NBA, and like any young man, is improving. Eddie House is a six year journeyman who has taken his game to another level this year. He's doubled his scoring output, but that isn't what got him here. House is lightening in a bottle, or a shot of pure adrenaline. He has saved the Suns so many times this year, it is nearing double digits. Teams are starting to put their top defender on him in crunch time, and he still gets it done.
Runner-up - David West

Defensive Player of the Year - Ben Wallace
The defensive anchor of the best team in the league. He gets 1.5 steals a game and over two blocks, as well as 12.5 rebounds. If there was a category on altering shots, he would probably lead the league in that as well. I really didn't have any trouble making this pick since nobody else stood out.
Runner-up - Bruce Bowen

Most Valuable Player - Chauncey Billups
I know my friend Billy won't forgive me for this one, but I had to. Detroit is hands down the best team in the league right now, and Billups stellar play is the biggest reason why. He is having a career year in assists and points and has complety stepped up his game. He averages 8.5 assists for a team that completely slows down the game to a standstill at times. He is also shooting the three at an incredible 43 percent, and shooting 88 percent from the charity stripe.
Runner-up - Steve Nash

Coach of the Year - Mike D' Antoni
Again, It might seem like a bias, but D' Antoni has created an environment of winning in Phoenix. Sure he has a great floor general in Nash, but name me one great coach who didn't have a great floor general. Players love to play for him while they still respect him. He has a team that was supposed to collapse without Amare, JJ and Q, and has guided them to the top of the Pacific Division. I don't see any other coach on the list where there team has performed way above the expectations sans Mike Dunleavy.
Runner-up - Mike Dunleavy

Least Valuable Player - Ron Artest
What a bonehead. He's ruined a great franchise for two consecutive years now, and doesn't seem the least bit sorry for it. The dedicated Pacers fans don't deserve such treatment, and should be relieved he is out of town.
Runners-up - Erick Dampier (lazy bum earning 10 million)
- Chris Anderson (drug suspension)
- Steve Francis (Whiner)
- Portland Trailblazers

If you want a good second opinion, check out Marc Stein's new column on his all-star reserve picks. He offers great insight on the top players, and on the rest of the NBA as well.

Amare Countdown

2006-01-26T14:19:00.000-08:00

We are about a month and a half from the return of Amare Stoudemire to the Phoenix Suns, other teams and fans of those teams should beware.

Welcome

2006-01-26T14:18:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my blog, if you like the NBA, I think you will enjoy this blog.