The East is in the House 08'

As of 12/24/08 the Boston Celtics were riding higher than any other team and Santa Claus as they held a 19 game consecutive win streak. Christmas day arrives and Kobe Bryant's Lakers put a prompt end to that with a 9 point victory in Los Angeles. That loss may have been acceptable and expected by many, but then the Celtics lost 2 straight after Friday night's loss to a hungry Golden State Warriors squad.

So from a 19 game win streak to their first 2 game losing streak all season? It's indeed a curious case like Benjamin Button, but quite possibly the 2nd game came as a result of the first loss. Possibly the "oomph" was taken out from under them. The team was suddenly beatable and all other NBA teams took notice that it was possible to defeat the Celtics. After all the Pacers were one of the teams to do it, a team not many expect to be much of a challenger in the Eastern Conference. Stephen Jackson came up big for his Golden State Warriors to help bury the Celtics, possibly sensing a wounded squad after the Lakers loss. The Celtics are still the best there is in the league, but definitely have showed they are far from those 72-10 invinci-Bulls of yesteryear.

While the Celtics managed to gain a win on Sunday night, two other teams in the East are red hot right now. The Magic have won 7 straight games thanks to the inside-outside attack of Dwight Howard & Rashard Lewis. Add in sharpshooter Hedo Turkoglu and floor leader Jameer Nelson and this squad is one of the top 4 record-wise in the league, defeating the likes of New Orleans. The Cavs are on a 6 game win streak, behind the always-inspired King James & company.

Eastern Conference Top 8 (with Games Back):

1. * Boston --
2. * Cleveland 1.0
3. * Orlando 3.0
4. Atlanta 7.5
5. Detroit 9.0
6. Miami 10.5
7. New Jersey 12.0
8. Milwaukee 13.5

* Leads division

That said the Celtics (28-4), Cavs (26-4) and Magic (24-6) would be in the Top 4 in the West right now in terms of records along with the Lakers. Two other teams, the Pistons and Hawks look to be dangerous competitors come playoff time. It's great to see what looks like some sort of a power-shift to the East side after so many years of razzing that "the West is best". Then again the Celtics & Magic both sport former West coast stars in Rashard Lewis, Ray Allen & Kevin Garnett...

LA Grinches Steal Celtics Christmas

They weren't the team wearing green, but the Lakers played the role of Grinches on Christmas day as they stole away the Boston Celtics incredible winning streak. The Celtics were on fire heading into LA with 19 straight games won, but Kobe & company decided it was their day to shine. The Lakers held the lead from most of the 2nd quarter on, until the Celtics began to charge back behind Paul Pierce (20pts) and KG's (22pts) hot shooting hand. The game became back and forth in the 4th, but the Lakers managed to pull away in the final 2 minutes, winning it by 9 points and defeating their Finals foes from this past June. Kobe was consistent as usual but it was the effort from Pau Gasol down the stretch which helped put things away. Kobe had 27 points, 9 boards and 5 assists, several of which were passes to teammate Gasol in the lane for buckets. Gasol also added a huge block of a Ray Allen 3 point attempt during the final stretch. Trevor Ariza retrieved the loose ball for a fast break reverse jam to cap off the play.

Not only did this mark the Celtics first loss in 20 games, it was Lakers coach Phil Jackson's 1000th Career win as a head coach. Jackson achieved this milestone faster than any other coach with 1,423 games. As for the Celtics they still have a shot at matching the great Chicago Bulls of years ago who had an incredible 41-3 start, coached by Phil Jackson also.

Kobe Bryant said they would use today's game as a measuring stick for the Lakers strength this season, but does it prove the Lakers are more formidable foes than last year? The Celtics still played tough and resilient in Los Angeles against a team obviously hungry for revenge and the upperhand. Bynum showed how valuable he will be in the lane for the Lakers D. If nothing else this game only served to prove how great a matchup this truly is. Fans who watched the ABC Christmas day games definitely were given quite a present, as they also saw the Spurs knock off the Suns at the buzzer with a 3 from Roger Mason. Game 2 of the doubleheader provided an intense meeting between the champs and runner-ups of 2007-08. Come playoff time fans will be just as greatly rewarded should the Lakers & Celtics meet again in a Finals rematch.

View complete game info at NBA.com

NBA's 2008 Christmas Presence

NBA fans will be given several Christmas day presents in the form of two exciting doubleheaders and some fun in Orlando. TNT, ABC & ESPN will play Santa as they bring superstars such as Lebron James, KG, Kobe Bryant and Greg Oden to all NBA faithful. Game one of the ABC set will start at 2:30PM EST & features a rematch of Western foes, the Spurs and the Suns, with Shaq, Amare & Nash facing Tim Duncan, Manu and Tony Parker. Game 2 will be a riveting rematch of last year's NBA Finals as the red hot Boston Celtics travel into Los Angeles to battle the Lakers.

Currently the Suns and Spurs are runner-ups in their respective divisions. San Antonio continues to try to overcome guard injury problems and sits in 3rd place in the Southwest at 17-10. Meanwhile the Suns are second place to Kobe's Lakers at 16-11. These two teams have battled it out in recent years' playoffs, usually with San Antonio coming out on top. The Suns continue to revamp parts of their lineup as they just recently unloaded Boris Diaw and Raja Bell, bringing superstar Jason Richardson into the mix. San Antonio seems to be the aging battle-tested team that keeps on going with what it has. While they're not dismal, they aren't the powerhouse they were in the years they were part of the "dynasty" talks.

The second game at 5PM features the Celtics dressed in Green hoping to play Grinches to Kobe's LA Santa Claus. Kobe will have his helpers including Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. Bynum was not part of last year's Finals so this will give everyone a good look at how the emerging Center performs against the Champs. Bryant's also currently in third place in the NBA scoring race, a tight race at that. Kobe's averaging 26.2 and trails his Team USA pals, Lebron James & Dwyane Wade. Wade recently outdid Kobe in a battle in Miami between their two teams. While D-Wade may be headed towards scoring champ and MVP, Kobe may be headed back to the Finals for his 4th ring. His Christmas day matchup with the Celts may help Phil Jackson dismantle the champs for their Finals rematch.

But wait, there's more.... Chris Paul and the Hornets will play Dwight Howard's Magic at 12 Noon in Orlando (ESPN). TNT will also feature a doubleheader of its own starting at 8PM when the Wizards face Lebron & the Cavs. At 10:30 PM, it'll be the young Portland Trailblazers with their young center, Greg Oden, facing Dirk & the Dallas Mavs. For an NBA fan that's 5 games to enjoy along with all your Christmas gifts and cookies...enjoy!

Happy holidays to all this 2008 Holiday Season!

Wade's Heat take Kobe's Lakers 89-87

Friday night saw a thrilling clash between NBA Superstars, Olympic Teammates and former teammates of Shaq Diesel. It was the first game of an NBA Double header on ESPN and was down to the wire. Dwyane Wade's Heat barely survived in Miami as a Kobe buzzer beater went in and quickly bounced right back out as the game ended. Even though Kobe debuted a new pair of shoes at the game (said to be Nike's lightest bball shoe yet), they weren't enough to lift his Lakers to OT, or a win. (Kobe has chosen to switch to low tops for more ankle mobility).

The two teams are on almost opposite ends of the NBA spectrum, although this year's Miami team is much more respectable than a season ago. Dwyane Wade's healthy and looking better than ever since that season-ending shoulder surgery he had. The Heat at 12-12 have the fight in them to make this year's playoffs behind their phenom leader.

Meanwhile, Kobe's Lakers are still right up there with the red-hot Celtics. It was mentioned during tonight's Heat-Lakers contest that the Lakers were at 21-3, (now 21-4), and will be eagerly anticipating a Christmas day matchup against the Celtics. It should be one interesting replay of last year's Finals, this time with Andrew Bynum in the mix.

Will this be Celtics Best Season Ever ...?

If your current favorite NBA team is anyone but the Celtics you may be green with envy. Currently, Boston sits pretty with the best record in the NBA, a 24-2 start. It's also the franchise's best start ever, even better than the days of the Larry Bird and other legendary squads Boston has put together.

It's no secret why the current team is doing so well, the power of 3 selfless superstars coming together for the good of the team. Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen each have the personalities of leaders who lead by example and encourage others to get involved in the effort. Paul Pierce has been a mainstay of the team for years, and suffered through adversity there, including poor seasons below .500. But now the team has reason to celebrate with a champion for the 3 superstars, and they only continue to build on that success.

Will this team outdo the Chicago Bulls team that won 70 plus games? It's quite possible at this pace. The Hawks gave the Celtics another run for their money last night, and also defeated the Cavs recently. Should the Celtics draw Atlanta again in the 2009 playoffs, things will get interesting. Also, there's no reason not to believe the Lakers can play spoilers should we see a rematch of last year's finals. While the Lakers may not have as great a record now or even at the end of the 09' campaign, Kobe, Gasol, Odom and Bynum definitely have the superstar power to match and defeat this Boston squad. Christmas day could provide an early preview of that rematch too, as the Celts travel to LA to face Kobe and his Lakers.... As for this early Boston performance guaranteeing Finals success, remember back to a Patriots team that looked unstoppable, and they were dethroned in the Superbowl by an aggressive and NY Giants team. So while the Celtics add wins, there may be another team preparing quietly to win a battle later on.

Iverson's $25,000 Fine & Coach Firings

On Tuesday the NBA fined Detroit Pistons guard Allen Iverson $25,000 for comments he made toward a fan in Charlotte. The comments came with just 6.2 seconds left in the third quarter. Detroit ended up winning the game 90-86. No report on exactly what was said by Iverson or the fan. According to Washington Post this is the second fine for Iverson since being dealt to the Pistons. His previous fine involved skipping practice on Thanksgiving day, which also resulted in him being benched for the start of the next game.

Happy trails to two former players turned NBA coaches, Sacramento's Reggie Theus and the Sixers Maurice Cheeks. At SportingNews.com two NBA "gurus" discussed the firing of Theus which took place on Monday.

BS: Are people blaming Theus for this, and if so, why shouldn't they?

TZ: Theus is taking blame, and he should. The local beat writer reported this morning that Theus had been habitually late for practices and the team bus. Theus admitted to being late for the bus. His reasoning? He didn't want to catch anyone else showing up late, for fear disciplining them would ruin the team chemistry. I find it hard to absolve Reggie, considering the biggest knock on the team has been a lack of on-court focus and discipline.

BS: Who did less coaching this year, Theus or Vinnie Del Negro? Or am I mistaken in assuming that Theus' mixed signals canceled themselves out?

TZ: Theus remained a stoic presence on the sideline; Del Negro tinkers with his rotations endlessly, it seems. At this point, I feel comfortable in stating that Theus is a better coach (makes better decisions), but Del Negro actually, um, cares.

Cheeks took full responsibility for his team's 9-14 start to the season. Cheeks was quoted as saying "Things don't always work out the way you expect them to," Cheeks said. "I take solace in the fact I did the best I could." The Sixers had high hopes for the season in which they acquired consistent star player, Elton Brand from the Clippers.

Lebron & Cavs Win Streak Ends in Atlanta

Yesterday both the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers were enjoying massive win streaks, in fact the NBA's hottest streaks around. What a difference a day makes, as the Atlanta Hawks stopped the Cavs short of reaching their franchise record Saturday night. Atlanta was able to hold on for a 97-92 victory on their homecourt, stopping Lebron and the Cavs in their streak's tracks.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution called it "the good Hawks" who showed up Saturday, able to play under control with good D, and hang tough against the NBA's elite, like the Cavs. This same Atlanta team took Boston 7 games in last year's playoffs, making the NBA world take note. The Hawks may be able to play spoilers once again come playoff time, even with the departure of Josh Childress who went over to Europe. It all rests on the play of Atlanta's young emerging talent such as Josh Smith, Joe Johnson and Al Horford.

Despite their first loss in some time, Cleveland is still considered amongst the NBA Eastern Conference elite, as well as part of a short list of possible title winners this season. Lebron continues to remain the focal point, accomplishing stats, feats and highlights unseen before as he moves closer each day to free agency. So Cleveland will continue to measure itself against Boston, while the Hawks of the East will strive to put together a team (or draft a megastar) capable of playing at that championship level.

Read more about the Cavs & Hawks at AJC.

Cavaliers & Celtics Keep the Wins Comin'

(Which player's team will outdo the other's in 2008-09?)

The two hottest teams in all the NBA right now are definitely the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics. As the Cavs keep on winning, so do the Celts. Currently Cleveland has won 11 straight, but Boston is better winning 14 straight games. Each team added to their win total on Friday night.

On Friday night Cleveland took out the Sixers 88-72 to improve to a 20-3 record on the season. Meanwhile in Beantown, the Celtics defeated the New Orleans Hornets 94-82. Boston sits at a 22-2 record, just slightly better than the red-hot Cavs. The Celtics are on their best winning streak since 1981-82 when they won 18 straight, while the Cavs can achieve their franchise record for consecutive wins with a win Saturday night in Atlanta. Last year, The Houston Rockets won over 20 straight games making them one of the most impressive teams in all of pro sports. Even more amazing, they won many of the games without Yao Ming. Will Boston or Cleveland better that streak this season?

These two teams met in last year's playoffs, with the result being an extended series, but the Big 3 triumphant over King James, mostly thanks to captain Paul Pierce. Currently James is right where he should be, atop the thrown as NBA leading scorer (30 ppg). The Big 3 are nowhere to be found in the top 10 scorers, as they don't need to be. The Celtics pride themselves on outstanding Team D and unity. Paul Pierce is the closest to the 10 spot for scorers, at 34th in scoring, while KG is down at 45th. Seasons ago, these two were in the top 10, but no need for that now. Contributions from these guys vary by game, with Ray Allen the lead scorer a few nights ago. Sometimes it's KG, sometimes it's Pierce, but that's acceptable when you're a solid unit and the current champs.

Curious as to when these two ultra-hot win machines will collide? The Celtics and Cavs don't play until the new year, on January 9th, 2009 in Cleveland. As far as the Celtics first possible loss, the Lakers might be the team to do it in a Christmas day showdown at 5 PM in Los Angeles...

See more about the Celtics and Cavs impressive win streaks, and the rest of NBA's Friday games.

Suns & Bobcats Swing Deal

The Suns and Bobcats swung a 5 player trade on Wednesday with the Bobcats Jason Richardson heading to Phoenix, and Raja Bell and Boris Diaw now heading to Charlotte. According to an NBA.com interview with Richardson he was initially surprised at the trade, not having heard about it, but once it hit him, he was pleased to be bringing his skills to Phoenix where Shaq and Nash are playoff bound again:

NBA.com: How satisfying is this deal, especially because you helped build what was going on in Golden State and you had to leave that winning culture to a rebuilding program? To know that you're entering a team that has a lot of recent success, how much does that energize you?

Richardson: That's exactly right. I think my whole career I've been on rebuilding teams. It's been tough because I've only been to the playoffs once and even with that team, we didn't have a winning record. So if you give me the choice to play with guys who have been there before, who have won it, that's a rush. I've never had that in my career, guys of that caliber.

Here's a look at the exact details of the trade:

Phoenix Suns acquire:
G Jason Richardson
F Jared Dudley
2010 2nd-round pick

Charlotte Bobcats acquire:
G Raja Bell
G Sean Singletary
F Boris Diaw

The former slam dunk contest winner Richardson, now will suit up for his third team in his NBA career. Richardson started out in Golden State, then was traded to Charlotte, and now brings his high-flying and potential high-scoring game to Phoenix. Both teams seem to benefit here, although Charlotte gets two solid veterans with defensive skills and playoff experience. Of course, the Bobcats need to make those playoffs first, but in the East it's always possible with teams finishing with .500 records and making the post-season.

Derrick Rose Cuts out of Practice

Derrick Rose is usually making cuts on the basketball court to avoid defenders and sneak to the hoop for layups. But according to recent reports, the rookie guard missed practice due to a bad cut in his arm. The reason for the incident? Rose explains that he was slicing an apple in bed, got up, forgot he had a knife in his bed, then went to lay back down and cut his arm. The "gouge" in his arm required 10 stitches and Rose to miss Bulls practice on Monday.

Some aren't buying the apple/knife story, saying it sounds far-fetched. Is Rose a cutter, as in non-basketball cutting? Was Rose involved in a knife fight with his other self? Was there some sort of altercation that Rose is covering up? Was he attempting to self-tattoo or even worse? It's hard to speculate on that, but with the recent NFL situation involving Plaxico Burress shooting himself, we now have Rose knifing himself. No suspensions, fines or other penalties have been levied against Rose though. Let's hope all's well with the rookie guard who's been making a great impact in Chicago during his freshman campaign.

On the positive side, here's an article discussing Rose's transition to the leadership role in Chicago:

Chicago Tribune article on Derrick Rose.

Forbes Ranks NBA Franchise Values

What's your favorite NBA organization worth? According to a recent Forbes ranking of NBA Franchise Values the average NBA franchise is worth about $379 million. Topping the list, the New York Knicks are the Most Valuable at $613 million. Their overall value rose 1 percent from last year. Their value will most likely rise even more if they can land Lebron James and/or other big names in the coming free agent war of 2010. One of the report's authors feels we could see NBA franchise values drop should the current recession be a lengthy one for the US economy.

Here's the top 10 NBA Franchises by Value:

1)New York Knicks
2)LA Lakers
3)Chicago Bulls
4)Detroit Pistons
5)Cleveland Cavaliers
6)Houston Rockets
7)Dallas Mavericks
8)Phoenix Suns
9)Boston Celtics
10)San Antonio Spurs

From Bloomberg.com:

The value of the Knicks rose 1 percent over the last year, with $29.6 million in operating income last season and revenue of $208 million. The Knicks are owned by Cablevision Systems Corp.

The Los Angeles Lakers ranked second for the fourth straight year, gaining 4 percent to $584 million. The Chicago Bulls were third at $504 million, the Detroit Pistons fourth at $480 million and the Cleveland Cavaliers fifth at $477 million.

The three teams with the biggest gains were the Portland Trail Blazers, NBA champion Boston Celtics and the Oklahoma City Thunder, who moved from Seattle during the offseason.

The Thunder surprisingly moved up on the list due to the fact they moved out of Seattle. The team now plays in a soldout arena (for now) and the owners keep all the revenue. The franchise moved up to 24th on the list at $300 million.

Even NBA real estate is hurt by the credit crisis. According to the article, the New Jersey Nets are the franchise most effected by the economy right now. They've been trying to borrow money to build a new $950 million arena which would allow the team to move to Brooklyn.

Read the full Bloomberg article here.

See the full list of NBA Franchise Values here.

In a related Forbes.com piece, they discuss the best clutch players for the buck. The survey only considers player who average 5 or more points in the 4th quarter. Coming in at the top spot, the San Antonio Spurs guard, Manu Ginobli who made $9 million in 2007-08 and has a 57.4 % clutch shooting percentage. Coming in at #2 and #3 were Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns and of Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers. Kobe's clutch-time shooting % is 44.8 when the games on the line and his 2007-08 pay was close to $20 million. While these numbers might not give you an edge in fantasy hoops leagues, they definitely might help you place bets or choose your team in NBA Live.

See the Best Clutch Players slideshow at Forbes.com.

Lebron James vs. Sir Charles

It's time for more NBA controversy and another war of words. The names Iverson and Marbury aren't even involved here. This time it's not a player vs. player or coach vs. player altercation. Instead it's the most explosive superstar in the game versus a hall-of-famer and the NBA big mouth analyst who's never afraid to let his opinions be known. At the center of the controversy is Lebron James, eligible for free agency in a season or so. NBA analyst for TNT, Charles Barkley, made comments that Cleveland Cavalier Lebron James is being disrespectful to his franchise. Barkley basically suggested that Lebron should keep his mouth closed about the free agency, because discussing it now is a slap in the face to the Cavs organization.

Lebron faced a slew of questions while visiting NYC as his Cavs faced the Knicks. The Knicks recently cleared up plenty of cap room in the hopes of landing a big star such as Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade, or King James in 2010.

"I think July 1, 2010, is a very big day," James said when the Cavaliers were in New York. "It's probably going to be one of the biggest days in free-agent history in the NBA. So a lot of teams are gearing up to try to prepare themselves to be able to put themselves in position to get one of the big free-agent market guys."

Barkely made his public comments about Lebron on the TNT NBA Studio show as well as Dan Patrick's sports radio show:

"If I was LeBron James, I would shut the hell up," the Hall of Famer said on Patrick's show. "I'm a big LeBron fan. He's a stud. You gotta give him his props. I'm getting so annoyed he's talking about what he's going to do in two years. I think it's disrespectful to the game. I think it's disrespectful to the Cavaliers."

Lebron's response:

"He's stupid. That's all I've got to say about that," James said.

(Info source: AOL Sports)

Marbury & Iverson Absences

Recent news from the NBA has surrounded two guards who many view as troubled superstars, looking to get on the right track. Iverson has been in the spotlight once again for another "practice" related incident. He missed a team practice Thanksgiving morning but issued a public apology statement saying it won't happen again. Iverson is not the Iverson of past who wouldn't care about missing practice, or apologize. His famous "practice..we talkin' bout practice?" highlight continues to be a favorite of ESPN, Fox Sports and Best Damn Sports Show Period. However, this is a more mature and committed to winning Iverson. He's in a much better environment for team winning and he's already made that known. Also, skipping a team practice is definitely not tolerated, but it's not as bad as missing actual games.

On the other hand is a player who hasn't played yet this season, even though he's physically able to. Stephon Marbury was suspended and fined for refusing to play for the Knicks this past Wednesday against Iverson's Pistons. Marbury had been specifically asked to play by his coach Mike D'Antoni. It seems to be a war of words as well, with Marbury saying he never told Coach D'Antoni he wouldn't play, simply that given a choice he'd prefer not to. Then again, it is the Knicks who recently decided they wanted Marbury's services upon trading away Jamal Crawford and Zach Randolph. But to his discredit, Marbury was having similar player-coach issues last season with Isiah in town. This may be a carryover from last season's dismal New York team, or it may just be Marbury's personality. No matter what, it's clear one player wants to play and give his current team his all, while the other is riding the bench for a million dollar salary.

More on Marbury's issues in New York at Newsday.

NBA Defenders, Contenders & Pretenders

According to a recent Page 2 article by ESPN's Bill Simmons, there's a clear six-team list for this season's NBA title contenders: Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavs, LA Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz & New Orleans Hornets. Simmons contends that the Celts, Cavs & Lakers are high probability with the other 3 less likely to win it all.

Defenders: Moreso than last season, Boston is playing with targets on the players' backs as reigning NBA champions. The Celtics have just 2 losses this season and seem to be on pace for a possible return, once again plowing through competition. Many analysts questioned whether not holding on to James Posey would hurt the team. They still have the big 3, an emerging Rajon Rondo, and last year's success to build upon.

Contenders: If you peruse through the latest NBA standings, the Lakers are ahead of the pack with a 12-1 record, and are on fire this season. Most likely they are still hungry after losing to Boston in the Finals, and with Andrew Bynum's return they are definitely improved in the paint. The also have that pesky #24, the reigning MVP, Mr. Kobe "Killer Instinct" Bryant..

Then comes the Cavs, and we all know that Lebron continues to lead the way in Cleveland along with his supporting cast. Not only that, but he is going to be the most sought-after free agent in some time and is under constant scrutiny to perform. Most free agents up the level of their game, and Lebron is constantly on the rise. The Knicks recently cleaned up their pricey roster for a chance at acquiring the young phenom. Expect Lebron's Cavs to give the Celtics serious challenges come playoff time as Lebron continues improving, which is scary at his age and level of talent.

Simmons mentions that the Hornets seem to be faltering, making them the possible Western Conference pretenders. He argues that perhaps the team isn't in love with coach Byron Scott anymore. ">Read the full article here

In addition to Simmons' 6 contenders mentioned, you could argue that there's several teams in the league capable of getting hot near playoff time. The Lakers 1 loss came at the hands of the Pistons who now enjoy the services of one Allen Iverson. The Mavs are on a 6 game win streak right now, and they were in the Finals several years ago. Dirk is a former MVP while Kidd was nearly a former MVP. There's also the new-look Nuggets with Billups at point guard, the new look Rockets with Artest helping on D, and those Phoenix Suns with good ol' Shaq & Nash.

If the NBA playoffs started today, here's the teams competing:

Eastern Conference:

1) Boston 13-2
2) Cleveland 11-3
3) Orlando 10-4
4) Detroit 8-5
5) Atlanta 8-5
6) Miami 7-7
7) Philadelphia 7-7
8) New York 7-7

Western Conference:

1) L.A. Lakers 12-1
2) Houston 10-5
3) Denver 9-5
4) Phoenix 10-5
5) New Orleans 8-5
6) Utah 9-6
7) Portland 9-6
8) San Antonio 7-6

Perhaps the Knicks have the most to be thankful come Thanksgiving 2008; a .500 record, a chance at the playoffs, and a major chance at landing King James in a season or so.

PJ Carlesimo feels the Thunder!

When it rains it pours, especially for the Thunder. The Oklahoma City NBA transplant from Seattle axed head coach PJ Carlesimo following Friday night's loss to New Orleans. The game televised on ESPN saw the Hornets bench play out the fourth, en route to a 105-80 drubbing of OKC. The Thunder currently have a 1-12 record, one of the worst, if not worst in the NBA. The team's bright spot is Kevin Durant, who outdid most rookies most of last season, while playing for a dismal Seattle Sonics team. Eventually it was approved for the team to change cities for 2008-09, bringing basketball back to Oklahoma City once more. The Hornets played games there in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and may give inspiration to the turnaround of a team in dismay. Last season saw the young, talented New Orleans squad take San Antonio to the limits in the playoffs.

Taking over for Carlesimo will be his assistant Scott Brooks, former NBA player who won a championship with Houston in 1994. Assistant Paul Westhead was also let go with Carlesimo. Oklahoma has been playing in a new home with new uniforms and relatively young talent, such as Kevin Durant. The team had plenty of buzz heading into the season, with season tickets selling out in just 5 days. To his defense, Carlesimo inherited a team that was hurt by the trades of big name stars, Ray Allen & Rashard Lewis. Expecting the type of quick turnaround that New Orleans had is a bit unreasonable for now. Their squad benefitted from the addition of ultra-PG Chris Paul, as well as Peja Stoyakovic, Tyson Chandler, David West and Morris Peterson. It's already been made known by the Thunder execs that Scott Brooks will finish out the season with the Thunder as head coach. Brooks will most likely inherit the continuing struggles of a team in transition from city to city and veteran stars to rising stars.

Read Yahoo News piece on Carlesimo's firing here.

Knicks Clean House for James?

st days ago, the NY Times discussed the courting of Lebron James as he made his stops to play against the Nets and Knicks. It was discussed that even though Lebron is friends with Jay-Z, part owner of the Nets, that their move to Brooklyn was delayed, which would be a deal-buster. Today the Knicks did some serious house-cleaning which analysts believe could be the start of bringing a star like Lebron James to Madison Square Garden.

In today's moves, the Knicks offloaded star players Zach Randolph and Jamal Crawford. Power forward Randolph, along with guard Mardy Collins, was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers for Cuttino Mobley and Tim Thomas while guard Crawford was exchanged for Golden State Warriors forward Al Harrington. Crawford and Randolph were the Knicks two top scorers. That leaves Marbury, who hasn't played all season. He was cleared to play, but declined to. In an interview later, coach Mike D'Antoni told the media that he sat with Marbury and told him with Crawford gone he had 30-35 minutes if he wanted them. Marbury said he was told the team was going in a different direction without him, and that's it. The moves today are in anticipation of the hot free agent market in 2010, so NY may have to wait even more.

So does this spell LEBRON for NYC? If not James, there's also the possibilities of a Dwyane Wade, Amare Stoudamire, or Chris Bosh being available to the team that needs to really appease its fans right now. Stephen A. Smith of ESPN believes that Knicks fans will receive two of the aforementioned talents, with Jalen Rose speculating it will be the Lebron-Bosh show in NYC>

Read more about the Knicks trades here.

Celtics Outdo Pistons 98-80

Tonight saw a hardwood rematch of the 2008 Eastern Conference Finals, similar result. The World Champion Boston Celtics were able to defeat Allen Iverson & the new-look Pistons, thanks to the play of young guard Rajon Rondo. Rondo outdid his veteran, former-MVP opponent scoring 18 points and dishing out 8 assists. Iverson recorded 16 points and 4 assists for the Pistons. The Big Ticket Kevin Garnett added 15 for the Celtics, who continue to be one of the best defensive teams in the league. The Celtics currently rank 1st or 2nd in most Team D categories,

These are the Pistons who dethroned the mighty Lakers a week ago, handing them their first loss of the season, as well as snapping the Cleveland Cavs 8 game win streak. Despite the high the Pistons were on, the Celtics humbled them and showed that Detroit still needs more time to gel if they plan to top the best of the East. It wouldn't be surprising to see these teams in another showdown come Playoff time 2009.

Lebron's 11,000 Points Milestone & NYC Courtship

Last night King James added to his legacy by making history. Lebron became the youngest player in NBA history to score 11,000 points, as his Cleveland Cavaliers outdid the New Jersey Nets 106-82. James needed just 13 points to beat Kobe Bryant's record, and James did it in the first quarter alone with 15 points. Lebron not only broke Kobe's record, but also helped his team improve to 9-2 on the season. Right now they are just a half game behind the Boston Celtics for best record in the East.

While it is historic to see Lebron accomplishing these feats, it's still amazing how Lebron James and Kobe Bryant are held up in comparison to the all-time great, Michael Jordan. Jordan has them outdone in terms of MVP awards, scoring titles and NBA titles. Of course, both Lebron and Kobe are capable of catching him on the NBA titles, but as for scoring titles & MVP awards, that will be a tougher feat.

So he's achieving success but does he want to stay in Cleveland? According to Washington Post, Lebron is still committed to helping the 9-2 Cavs win. The New York Times has a recent article discussing the New York/New Jersey courting of Lebron as he's come to play in both arenas recently. It's no secret that both teams would love to add King James to their roster, especially the Nets who are partly-owned by rapper Jay-Z. But according to Sonny Vacaro, a former shoe executive who worked with James at ABCD camp, the Nets' move to Brooklyn could mean no James in NJ.

“LeBron’s relationship with Jay-Z will go on regardless,” Vaccaro said. “He’ll be an international celebrity in New York. If the Nets aren’t in Brooklyn, he’s not going over there for even $200 million. They’re putting pieces together. They’re doing the right things. They’re just living in the wrong building.”

The Nets’ move has been sidetracked by delays, the faltering economy and legal challenges to Atlantic Yards, the proposed development that would include the new arena. The latest litigation has pushed groundbreaking to next spring at the earliest, with a predicted opening in 2011.

The rumor mill continues, but for now Lebron's enjoying his success with the Cavs...

Mark Cuban Insider Trading Charges Filed

In breaking news Monday, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has been charged by the SEC (Securities & Exchange Commission) with Insider Trading. According to the charges, the internet entrepreneur was privy to knowledge that a private offering of a search engine company, Mamma.com (now Copernic), was going to decrease the value of his 600,000 shares. Cuban then sold off his stake in the company, saving the Maverick owner $750,000.

From SEC's Official Press Release:

The complaint alleges that Cuban violated Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. The Commission's complaint seeks to permanently enjoin Cuban from future violations of the federal securities laws, disgorgement (with prejudgment interest), and a financial penalty.

From Wired.com:

"As we allege in the complaint, Mamma.com entrusted Mr. Cuban with nonpublic information after he promised to keep the information confidential. Less than four hours later, Mr. Cuban betrayed that trust by placing an order to sell all of his shares," said Scott W. Friestad, deputy director of the SEC's Division of Enforcement."It is fundamentally unfair for someone to use access to nonpublic information to improperly gain an edge on the market."

Cuban, who is involved in a number of ventures and is currently trying to buy the Chicago Cubs baseball team, is also the majority partner of sharesleuth.com, an independent web-based reporting site aimed at exposing securities fraud and corporate chicanery.

Cuban gave the following very brief statement in his blog entry called "The SEC" over at Blogmaverick.com:

I wish I could say more, but I will have to leave it to this, and let the judicial process do its job.

See SEC official press release here.

All that Jazz, Missing a few Beats

The NBA's Utah Jazz had the unfortunate luck of facing the Charlotte Bobcats Friday night without three of their biggest stars. Deron Williams, Andrei Kirilenko and Mehmut Okur were all MIA against CHA. Deron and Kirilenko both were injured, while Okur is tending to his critically ill father in Turkey. The final remaining star, power-forward Carlos Boozer, was promptly benched by the coach for foul trouble. The end result was a 104-96 victory for the upstart Charlotte Bobcats. The team received 23 points from Ray Felton and 22 from Gerald Wallace. Jason Richardson is currently out for knee surgery, but since there's no structural damage he'll only be out a mere week or two.

The Bobcats strung together several impressive runs which were helped by Boozer sitting out. According to game and team stats, Charlotte is the lowest-scoring team in the NBA this year, but against the depleted Jazz they managed to finish with a season-high in total points scored. And despite all the absences on the Utah roster, the Bobcats had to win the game in the final 30 seconds. Jazz coach Jerry Sloan credited the hustle of a young basketball club, but was quick to note Boozer's foul troubles as well as missing their floor general, Deron Williams, didn't help.

Utah looked like one of the top notch teams in the Western Conference as the season opened, as they were one of the few unbeaten. Coach Jerry Sloan achieved an amazing milestone, winning his 1,000th game, and to add to that, he's the longest-tenured coach with one team in the NBA right now. These days it's rare to find that sort of dedication to one brand of basketball, and one paycheck. His team may still be one of the best out west, but once the injury bug and foul trouble strikes, this team lacks its jazzy, energetic nature.

Suns-Rockets Basketbrawl Punishments

You may have seen the highlights as a pretty-good sized fight broke out during the Houston Rockets vs. Phoenix Suns game just a few nights ago. According to AZCentral.com:

Just moments after Steve Nash clutched his shoulder after slamming into a McGrady screen, Suns forward Matt Barnes lowered his shoulder into a high screen set by Houston guard Rafer Alston as McGrady made the 3-pointer. Alston came back at Barnes in the middle of the floor, where Nash soon showed up as he raced out of the lane. McGrady shoved Nash out of the area, prompting Shaquille O'Neal to push down McGrady and give more-gentle pushes to Yao Ming and Alston as well. The dust-up carried crosscourt, with Suns coach Terry Porter trying to get between the combatants.

The incident definitely drew the attention of the league, as any instance of on-court violence has following the Pistons-Pacers melee years ago. Today the league handed out an assortment of punishments to the various individuals involved.

The main individuals behind the altercation, Raefer Alston of the Rockets and Matt Barnes of the Suns each received 2 games off from the league. The Suns will also miss their floor general, as Steve Nash was given a 1 game suspension. Suns center Shaquile O'Neal was fined $35,000 while T-Mac of the Rockets had his wallet lightened by $25,000.

In other Shaq news, despite the fine, he recently surpassed legend John Havlicek to become #10 on the all-time scoring list making for quite a milestone in the Big Aristotle's career.

In other fine news, the Sacramento Kings and their coach Reggie Theus were each fined $25,000 for their comments following a recent loss to Detroit.

Video footage of Suns-Rockets fight at USA Today blogs.

Lakers Perfection Continues

The Lakers are sitting pretty at 7-0 as the last undefeated team in the NBA. Last night they held off the ultra-talented Chris Paul-lead New Orleans Hornets to remain unbeaten. With Andrew Bynum back after last season's devastating knee injury, it adds even more talent to the squad and fuel to the Lakers' fire. A Seattle Post-Intelligence article details how Andrew Bynum is a major contributing factor in the Lakers' early season success. They definitely have the hunger thanks to losing to the Celtics in last year's Finals, but with Bynum they can compete even closer to the level of the C's. At 22 years old and imposing, Bynum gives an inside presence along with bigs like Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom to help rebound and intimidate those attempting to score in the paint. Those Big 3 plus Kobe make for one deadly quartet, and will possibly be the NBA champs in 09'.

According to the Seattle Post-Intelligence article, the Lakers biggest threat may come from the Phoenix Suns. I'd argue that the Mavs, Hornets and Spurs all have the potential to get hot at any point in the season and offer true threats to the Lakers. Add Houston and Utah. and there's 7 of this year's playoff teams. The Portland Trailblazers have what it takes to make the #8 spot, should Oden remain healthy for the remainder of this season. Should LA finish 1 and Portland 8, that definitely makes for an interesting playoff debut for Mr. Oden, and quite a challenging test for the young Andrew Bynum.

Celtics Repeat-Worthy in 2008-09?

The Celtics continue doin it and doin it and doin it well..Representin' Boston and the NBA Championship so far, the C's are 7-1 in this fresh 2008-09 season. Tonight saw an enthusiastic and talented Toronto Raptors team take the court in Boston, and actually put up a double digit lead for some time on the Celtics into the second half. In the second half, the C's battled their way back matching shots and locking Toronto down on defense. It was behind Paul Pierce's 36 points and 9 boards that the Celtics were able to win tonight 94-87 on their home court. KG added 21 points and 10 boards, while Ray Allen chipped in 19. The big 3 were on point and the Celtics look repeat worthy as champs.

With the season still young, there doesn't look to be much of an Eastern Conference threat for the Celtics. The Cavaliers are always the exception, as Lebron still wants to get back to the Finals and capture that trophy. The Pistons having added Iverson have given themselves a deadly component to their squad, a small man capable of winning games. And tonight, the Raptors showed that they are a viable force in the East as well. The combo of Bosh and Jermaine O'Neal down low is quite powerful in the paint. These two may be able to carry Toronto into the second round of this year's playoffs, barring any unfortunate injuries. The Raptors could still use some sort of veteran leadership at the point/shooting guard. If they add that, they might be considered one of the East's top 3, and a threat to the Celtics.

Roane State's Old School Baller, Ken Mink

You may not be familiar with Roane State Junior College or Ken Mink, but Love & Basketball NBA blog wants to show some love for an old school baller. You see Mink recently was put onto Roane State's roster. You might ask why that's special. Mink played basketball at Lees Junior College in Jackson, Kentucky, about 53 years ago. He missed out on his second year of playing basketball at the Junior college due to his signing with the Air Force. That's right, 53 years ago, but Ken's no Encino man. Back to present day, Ken was shooting hoops at a neighbor's home and decided to write several area colleges about possibly suiting up again. Coach Randy Nesbit of Roane State (in Tennessee) took him in for some try outs, and Ken has practiced with the team since August. Just recently he was added as an official member of the Roane State Raiders (team roster), and has already begun contributing. In a win by Roane against King's College, Mink chipped in 2 points to the team's point total, and to his season stats. Yahoo News has the following about Mink's performance:

Mink entered the game with about 16 minutes left in the second half and attempted one shot in about three minutes. Seven minutes later, he went back in the game, was fouled and made two free throws.

"I found myself on the free-throw line 52 years after my last college game," Mink said. "I said, 'Just relax and shoot it like you know how to all day long.' I just floated the shots in there. I'm in the books now. I can relax a little bit."

Major kudos to this 73-year old baller who's out on the court shooting hoops, defending and more while there's many current NBA stars who seem to "take it easy" on the court. Mink may soon be appearing on the AND1 Senior Citizens tour near you... :)

Watch YouTube video about Ken Mink & Roane State Raiders!

Roane State Basketball page

In Honor of Magic Johnson

Today, Love & Basketball NBA blog honors Magic Johnson, All-star, Hall-of-Famer and American hero.

Seventeen years ago to the day, a bombshell announcement was made that shocked not only the NBA world, but the world in general. Lakers guard and All-star player, Magic Johnson, informed the World that he had contracted HIV. The shocking news was delivered with his wife Cookie nearby, who was carrying an unborn child. It was announced that both Cookie and the child did not have HIV, but the fact that a sports hero had it was unfathomable at the time. The news brought quick allegations that Magic was homosexual, and it actually helped to change the stereotype that AIDS/HIV were only contracted by homosexuals. ESPN named Magic's revelation as the 7th most memorable moment in sports, and US President George Bush proclaimed Magic was a "hero". Other players might become discouraged and angry, or even try to hide the news, but Magic overcame the adversity and used it as away to inspire others.

Magic made an early retirement due to having HIV as well as possible concerns from the league and other players. Again due to stereotypes, not too many people were educated on how HIV or AIDS were contracted. There were some concerns over whether or not you could contract HIV from someone else's blood, for example should Magic start bleeding during a game. Despite the retirement, Magic was voted an All-Star by fans in 1992 and ended up being named MVP of the All-Star game. A memorable moment had him and Isiah Thomas embracing on the court.

Magic went on to also be part of the legendary Dream Team in the 1992 Olympics which won Gold. During his time there, he played very little due to knee problems. He still received many ovations from the crowd, and used it as a platform to try to motivate other people with HIV. Magic attempted a comeback in 1992-93, but after several preseason games and practices he put that idea to rest, citing controversy over his decision from some active players. He chose to write a book on safe sex, start running business ventures and touring Asia/Australia with a team of former NBA players.

In 1993-94, Magic took on the role of coach of his beloved Lakers, but after losing his first 6 games, he hung that up, and purchased a 5% stake in the team. Another comeback attempt ensued in 1994-95, with Magic at age 36. He played in the final 32 games of that season averaging about 15 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds. The Lakers lost in Round 1 of the playoffs to Houston and Magic decided to retire from the NBA permanently.

Magic Johnson is a true testament to sportsmanship, health and humanity. He's shown the triumph of human spirit to overcome his adversity, to continue living each day as if it's his last, and to cherish all that's good in his life. Magic continues to work as an analyst and correspondent at TNT, and owns several businesses today including movie theaters and TGI Fridays. He's been inducted into Basketball's Hall of Fame, has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and continues to educate and assist the fight against AIDS/HIV through his Magic Johnson Foundation.

Official Magic Johnson Foundation Website

Magic Johnson Wikipedia

Redd D Rising

According to the November 10, 2008 edition of Sports Illustrated, new Milwaukee Bucks coach, Scott Skiles, has instituted a new policy. No sleeping on the other end of the court. According to the article, Skiles believes the team would just give up when they were behind and stop trying, but he's saying the Bucks will no longer be allowed to do so. Case in point, he benched center Andrew Bogut for 10 minutes after he blew a defensive assignment and fouled Jermaine O'Neal.

One player who's made a serious effort to adhere to Coach Skiles new policy is lead scorer, Michael Redd. Redd's been considered one of the deadliest shooters in the league for some time, along with players like Ray Allen, Kobe Bryant and Peja Stoyakovic. Redd put in major work at the Olympics in China, as he was forced to defend Kobe Bryant during practices. Redd admits he then realized just how intense Kobe is on the defensive end, saying Kobe never took a possession off. Since Skiles wants the same from Redd and is requiring him to guard the perimeter players better, Redd also worked with his trainer. David Pritchard helped Redd go from 230 pounds and 20% body fat down to 216 pounds and 7% body fat.

The new Redd should have better footwork, flexibility and strength allowing him to put in the tougher defensive work Skiles asks of him. Luckily he can also now defer to Richard Jefferson as well to help with the scoring load should he tire on the defensive end. The Bucks could be a playoff team should they seriously commit to D like coach is asking, and may take on the look of the Detroit Pistons team of old.

Spurs Dynasty Falling?

n the Love & Basketball season preview, it was mentioned that one team on the decline in 2008-09 could be the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs are winless after 3 games, lending to the notion that an aging roster could spell trouble for their chances at NBA gold. The last time San Antonio was 0-3 was about 35 years ago in their pre-NBA days with the ABA. While there's many many more games left, it's definitely an early warning sign.

Currently, the Spurs have about 3/4 of their roster in the 30 years or older category. Duncan's 32, Bowen's a startling 37, Michael Finlay's 35, Ginobli's 31 and so forth..In the case of last year's champions, the Boston Celtics, they added two players in the similar age range, but two guys hungry for a title and ready to give everything that had. Before KG was added to that mix there was initial anger at adding an aging Ray Allen who had ankle problems. That anger quickly dissipated when the Big Ticket was put into the mixture. The Spurs have been there done that, and everyone knows that the hunters become the hunted once they've added plenty of trophies. The Spurs made very little in terms of big trades or roster moves to bolster their aging roster.

To their credit or defense, the Spurs were without Manu Ginobli in all 3 games this season. He's been recovering from ankle surgery and will be back in about a month. In this young season, Duncan and Parker have consistently given their types of numbers to the team, while the rest of the team is adding just 40 points. Manu may be the lifeline... Center Fransisco Oberto also missed 2 games due to the discovery of an irregular heartbeat. The only real offseason free agent the Spurs added to their roster was Roger Mason Jr, far from a talented explosion of youth.

So the Spurs used to intimidate most teams but now are in search of a magic elixir of youth. Perhaps a mid-season trade will occur to bring in fresh legs, but that will most likely disrupt team unity and the Spurs will be set back further. Don't count them out of the playoffs just yet, but if they continue to play like they have, the Finals will be out of the question. Then again, the Spurs seem to thrive when they're forgotten about, so this might be another trick up their Ol' Pop's sleeve.

Iverson's Move to Detroit

At one time, Allen Iverson vowed that his pairing with Carmelo Anthony on the Denver Nuggets would bring a title to the squad. This came after Iverson spent many controversy-filled seasons in Philadelphia. He had incidents with coaches and teammates, the famous "Practice?" clips on ESPN, an MVP award and then a trip to the Finals where the LA Lakers eventually dismantled his Sixers. Denver seemed like a bit of a saving grace for Iverson as he mellowed out with Melo. AI made the All-Star squad and the team made the playoffs, but heightened expectations didn't translate into a strong playoff presence. Team D was blamed for the team not making a strong push.

Now just a day ago, Iverson has been traded to his third NBA Team, the Detroit Pistons. In exchange for AI, Denver picks up Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess and Cheikh Samb. The questions of who got the best of the deal already start pouring out. Mr. Big Shot Billups would be a welcome addition to most squads, but will he fit in well with Denver and Melo? The same goes for AI, will he work in the style of play the Pistons use? The Pistons are not as much an uptempo run and gun type team as Denver has been. Iverson now plays alongside Rip Hamilton, but he'll most likely be the Pistons lead scorer and go-to-guy. His talents will be welcome but may disrupt Detroit.

Experience is a factor in the NBA, but age can be as well. It might not be the popular analysis, but Denver may have added more at this point than Detroit. Billups provides veteran playoff experience and leadership. He's won the title that Melo wants and can help guide the team in a playoff run. Not to mention he plays D and can knock down the big shots. McDyess helps in the defensive needs as well as rebounding, even though he's up there in age. He'll most likely defer to Melo as lead scorer and set him up with the shots he wants. At the same time, Iverson is on a squad with a few guys left over from that Pistons Championship Squad. Iverson, McDyess and Billups aren't exactly young though, and aging players don't always guarantee a team is going to win it all.

Read the Washington Post article on Iverson's trade

Vote in NBA.com's FanNight!

Tuesday November 4, 2008 marks an important voting day for NBA fans everywhere. Each Tuesday, fans can log on to NBA.com and vote for the game they most want to see on NBA TV the following Tuesday. Today there are a total of 8 games to choose from for your viewing pleasure.

Here's a look at this weeks candidates:

Denver AT Charlotte

Milwaukee AT Cleveland

Utah AT Philadelphia

Atlanta AT Chicago

L.A. Lakers AT Dallas

New York AT San Antonio

Detroit AT Sacramento

Minnesota AT Golden State

You'd have to believe Kobe and the Lakers have a strong chance to win this vote, but Lebron and the Cavs may have their fair share of votes as well. The Lakers and Dallas seem to be two top tier Western Conference teams that fans will want to see. Don't count out Chicago either which is the key home state of a presidential hopeful!

To cast your vote head over to NBA.com - NBA TV Pick a Game

Josh Smith - Fantasy Player's Dream

This morning, NBA TV's Rick Kamla did a run down of the best 8 category players in Fantasy basketball so far. While the season is still very young, you might get a good indication of who to swing an early trade for. Or if you're just entering a league, who to draft high. One name is Josh Smith of the Atlanta Hawks. The dunktacular star from the Hawks does it all during the games except selling popcorn to the fans in the stands. Kamla of NBA TV said he even heard some fantasy leagues had Smith drafted above Kobe, and now you see why.

Will Smith make the All-star team in 2009? If he keeps up with these performances and numbers, the coaches will have no choice but to vote Smith in 2009. Although he's had just 2 games in this young season, Mr. Smith is 2nd in the league in steals and 2nd in the league in blocks. 3 of his blocks came against the imposing force down low, Dwight Howard. To cap it all off, Smith had a horrible preseason and sprained his ankle, but came into this season on fire. He's very similar to Shawn Marion who also does everything from end to end on the court. These are the types of players you want on your team, whether you're an NBA GM or a Fantasy GM!

The NBA's Early Unbeatens

The Western Conference has 4 undefeated teams while the East has 3. No surprises out West as both Houston and New Orleans are 3-0, and the Lakers and Jazz sit at 2-0. In the East, there may be a surprise or 2. One undefeated is Detroit, while the other two are Toronto and Atlanta. All three were playoff teams last year, with Atlanta surprising Boston by taking them a full 7 game series. The Raptors are on the rise this season, as they added forward Jermaine O'Neal to battle down low alongside Chris Bosh. These two provide quite an intimidating defense as well. As for Atlanta, the loss of Josh Childress to Europe hasn't hurt them so far, but again the season's early. Josh Smith has emerged into another Shawn Marion type player who definitely earns his salary. His stat lines are full night in and night out, and full stat lines help teams win games. Just ask guys like Marion, AK-47 and Kidd, who all have been known to "do a little of everything needed".

The West isn't so surprising, mainly because it's the West. Last season, even though they didn't come away with the NBA title, they still showed themselves to be the superior conference. There were teams with almost .500 records or better unable to make the playoffs. The Lakers and Hornets were amongst the final contenders, with the Lakers heading to the Finals. New Orleans at 3-0 this season shows how valuable guard Chris Paul is. The Jazz are yet another solid unit with a great point guard, defenders and shooters. The Rockets at 3-0, show that the addition of Ron Artest has been a big plus. It's one thing when you have a guy who's known as the Great Wall down low in Yao Ming, but even better when you've got Artest. And don't leave out Shane Battier, making for one solid defensive squad. Remember last season the Rockets were the hottest team in pro sports, winning over 20 straight games, and many without the services of Yao Ming.

How many of the above teams will continue their winning ways and who will be the first to falter? Will the West continue to be best, or will the East surge?

2008-09 AP College Basketball Top 25

The University of North Carolina has received the #1 rank heading into the college basketball season for the 2nd straight year. Rounding out the top 5 are Connecticut, Louisville, and Pittsburgh. The Big East not only has about 1/3 of the top 25 teams, but 3 teams in the top 5. Memphis, who was a runner up in the finals last season, is ranked at #13. Last season's NCAA champions, the Kansas Jayhawks are down in the bottom of the 25.

Top 25 NCAA Men's (by AP)

AP Top 25 Preseason Poll
Rank School Record Pts Pvs
1. North Carolina (72) 36-3 1,800 1
2. Connecticut 24-9 1,661 16
3. Louisville 27-9 1,638 13
4. UCLA 35-4 1,487 3
5. Pittsburgh 27-10 1,319 17
6. Michigan St. 27-9 1,311 18
7. Texas 31-7 1,259 7
8. Duke 28-6 1,250 9
9. Notre Dame 25-8 1,243 15
10. Gonzaga 25-8 1,162 24
11. Purdue 25-9 1,099 20
12. Oklahoma 23-12 987 --
13. Memphis 38-2 977 2
14. Tennessee 31-5 920 5
15. Arizona St. 21-13 645 --
16. Marquette 25-10 592 25
17. Miami 23-11 570 --
18. Southern Cal 21-12 414 --
19. Florida 24-12 403 --
20. Davidson 29-7 347 23
21. Wake Forest 17-13 312 --
22. Georgetown 28-6 311 8
23. Villanova 22-13 256 --
24. Kansas 37-3 233 4
25. Wisconsin 31-5 196 6

Sports Illustrated's website goes into detail about UNC's expectations for this season. You can read the full article here.

Greg Oden's Latest Setback

Starting for the first time in his fresh, new NBA career was Portland Trailblazer Greg Oden. Oden was the #1 pick last year, who had season-ending right knee surgery and rode the bench while rehabbing in 2007-08. In college, Oden was limited to 32 games by a wrist injury. Last night he would be premiering on NBA's opening night and at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, against Kobe's Lakers. However, Oden ran into yet another setback, hopefully this time not as serious as last season's.

Oden clocked in for just 2 1/2 minutes of game play before injuring his right foot on a play. For now the injury's been referred to as a sprained ankle, nothing more. Oden claims he came down bad on guard Derek Fisher's foot, but Fisher says he doesn't recall it happening. So Oden scored 0 points in what was supposed to be his coming out party. The 7-footer was back in the locker room for the entire second half, while his team continued to receive a Lakers' beatdown en route to a 96-76 loss. An X-ray was taken which was inconclusive during game time, so an MRI was done on Wednesday for further results. Let's hope for the best for this young talent, who's starred in ESPN commercials and even played piano for Justin Timberlake at the ESPY's.

Analysts are already questioning if the Big Man has some sort of bad kharma going on. ESPN.com's J.A. Adande has begun comparing this case to that of Bill Walton, only without any championships won. Bill Walton, a big man in Portland just like Oden, was injury-plagued throughout his career, mostly leg injuries also. Will Oden have the same bad luck, or will he overcome the setbacks and help his team become a dynasty? Only time and healing will tell what sort of legend this big man is part of.

Also see: Greg Oden's Delayed Start Comes to a Quick Halt by J.A. Adande.

2008-09 NBA Season Begins!

The 2008-09 season officially started Tuesday night earlier than usual. Three games were on the schedule, featuring King James, rookie phenom Greg Oden, Kobe Bryant's Lakers and the Champion Boston Celtics. Here's a look at quick recaps of each of the games from Tuesday night...

Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

In the opening game of the 2008-09 season, Cleveland traveled to the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston for a rematch of last year's Eastern Conference finals. After raising their 17th Championship banners to the rafters, the Celtics took to the courts against King James and his Cavs. The Celtics were able to hold off the Cavs 90-85 for their first win of the new season. Paul Pierce scored 27 points and Lebron scored 22 in the losing effort. James missed on a driving layup with 41 seconds to go, as well as 2 free throws in the final 11 seconds.

Read more about the Celtics win and championship banner presentation.


Milwaukee Bucks vs. Chicago Bulls
In a game not televised nationally, the Bulls and Bucks clashed in a Central division battle. It was the return of coach Scott Skiles to Chicago as he brought his new team, the Bucks into the building. The #1 pick Derrick Rose had some highlight plays and some that he'd like to forget. Michael Redd went off for 30 points. Luckily, Luol Deng and Ben Gordon were able to score 21 and 18 respectively to lead Chicago to a 108-95 victory. The rookie Rose finished with 11 points and 9 assists as well as 4 turnovers.

LA Lakers vs Portland Trailblazers

In the night's final game, the Lakers spoiled the season debut of Greg Oden with the Blazers, stomping them by a final score of 95-76. Kobe had 23 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists to lead his squad to a 1-0 start. Portland showed brief life in the 4th, but it wasn't enough to make a comeback. Oden was shutout, scoring 0 points in the game due to injury. Oden sprained his foot prior to the second half, and X-Rays were inconclusive. As of the 4th quarter, Oden was still in the team locker room at Staples Center. Other notable first game goose eggs were put up by the likes of Steve Nash, Yao Ming and belive it or not, Kobe Bryant.

Read more about the Bulls vs. Bucks here.

Notes: NBA TV is offering a free preview of its NBA TV channels through November 4th, so catch games there while you can!

There will be a new interactive component for games this season on Tuesday nights, where Fans can go to NBA.com and vote for which game they want to see on NBA TV! Next Tuesday's (Nov. 4) choices are Phoenix at New Jersey, Boston at Houston or Dallas at San Antonio.

Tomorrow night the Oklahoma City Thunder make their debut as the Milwaukee Bucks travel to OKC!

2008-09 NBA Season Predictions

(Is it time for Kobe to shine another trophy in 09?)

As the season is starting this week, it's time for 2008-09 predictions!

A friend of mine was preparing for his NBA fantasy draft just a few nights ago, and asked my thoughts about several players. "How bout Beasley?" "Is he still with the team?" "Didn't he go to Europe?" It's amazing that now we have that final question factoring into NBA discussions. Earl Boykins and Josh Childress were amongst two big name NBA ballers to defect over to Europe for a nice paycheck. Another surprise I noticed when scanning the pages of the ESPN Magazine's NBA preview was that Marcus Camby is no longer with Denver. I frantically searched for his name in other lineups and wasn't seeing it. Goes to show how busy I've been, that Camby was traded to the Clippers about 3 months ago...

With all that said, the new season will be quite interesting. We have a "brand new" team in Oklahoma City, and no more bball in Seattle. There's several promising rookies. Greg Oden hopefully gets his first full season in what could be a great run for Portland. There's exciting new inside-outside combos in Philly, Portland, Los Angeles and Minnesota. The Celtics are looking to repeat against all odds, and without James Posey. Kobe has a new sidekick in a healthy Andrew Bynum. And Lebron remains hungry for that NBA title that eluded his grasp two years ago.

All that said, here's my predictions for this season. I'll be the first to admit I was way off on last year's finals, as I expected the Celtics to take about a year to gel. I had a Bulls-Suns finals which we all know is a far-fetched notion this season!

2008-09 NBA Predictions:

NBA Champs - LA Lakers - ESPN the mag has several analysts favor Kobe and the gang this season. Barring another bad injury to either Bynum, Kobe or Gasol, this squad is stacked with the talent to do what Boston did last year. Expect a hungrier than ever Kobe to show Shaq just how it's done, minus the battle rap. With Phil Jacks at the helm, they'll take out Kobe's main competiton, runners-up...

Runners-up - Cleveland Cavs - Cleveland was just a game away from a return trip to the title series. However, Lebron ran into 3 superstars who held their ground, including a determined Paul Pierce. This season, Lebron's hunger will take him and the team to new levels, but he'll run into the mega-star, Kobe Bryant. As for the Celtics, losing James Posey is a big deal, and they have even bigger targets on their backs.

(On a side note, taking a look at ESPN the magazine it was interesting to see how little respect fans give Ray Allen. Analysts, GM's, scouts, fans and fantasy bball players all got to choose their pick for several categories. In the "Best shooter" Ray Allen was selected by the analysts, GM's and scouts but fans/fantasy ballers decided on Steve Nash..Show Ray some love, he got game!)

MVP - Lebron James - Kobe had his last year, now it's time for King James to pull in a trophy. The young phenom is bound to do it one of these years, and you gotta figure he hates losing and believes he's the best. He'll put up impressive stats, and carry his team to the NBA Finals in a nice NBA campaign this year. And don't be surprised if Brandon Roy is mentioned up in the candidates along with Chris Paul and Kobe. Roy has Oden this season and a shot to put up a ton of assists and shots.

ROY - Greg Oden - The big man finally gets to show the world what he's got..well in Portland at least. While he's not on the grandest stage of them all, he'll easily earn the nod for ROY as most big men do. (Yao, Amare, Shaq) Portland should be in the bottom half of the West's playoff teams, and this could be an exciting season to be a Portland fan. OJ Mayo, Michael Beasley and Derrick Rose will also rank amongst the top rookies this season, with a European import most likely also getting on the All-Rookie 1st team.

Fading Fast - San Antonio Spurs? - It seems they never get their credit due, even in championsip runs. However, you gotta admit they are aging and not really bringing in too much promising young talent. Duncan has had some injury issues in the past few seasons, and although Ginobli and Parker still hold their own, the new up and comers will be bringing it to this team night in and out.

On the rise - Portland Trailblazers - Many analysts say the Sixers here, and with good reason, but Portland has the promise of a mega-squad and potential new NBA dynasty. You've got Roy on the outside and Oden inside, two talents capable of carrying this team to many, many titles in Portland.

So there you have it... As for coach of the year, why not choose Portland's Nate McMillan? He's fresh off a nice gold-medal run with Team USA and the coaching talent Coach K. Now he's headed into a very promising season with his big O man in the paint. Can you tell I think good things are coming to Portland this season?

And the season is coming very, very soon. This year's season has an earlier-than-normal start date of October 28, 2008 with a great double header on TNT. First up, the NBA Champion Celtics face Lebron and the Cavaliers. In game 2, it's Kobe and the Lakers meeting up with Mr. Oden and the Portland Trailblazers!

See ESPN.com's 2008-09 Must-See NBA Games!

Note: Special thanks to an Anonymous fan for offering correction on Brandon Roy's name above and for understanding mistakes happen! Enjoy the season! ;)

LA's Hopes Rest with Kobe's Knee

With the 2008-09 NBA Season just around the corner (next week), the biggest question mark is on the reigning MVP, Kobe Bryant. This past Tuesday, Kobe collided with teammate Josh Powell in a preseason game against the Charlotte Bobcats, hyper-extending his knee. The injury forced him to sit out a Thursday night exhibition game, also against Charlotte. According to LA Times, Kobe feels the injury doesn't require an MRI:

"I've got a little bit of puffiness in the back of the knee, which was just from the trauma of landing the way I landed," Bryant said. "So we're just going to knock that out, make sure the swelling is out of there, which it should be soon, then I'm OK."

Bryant still hasn't had an MRI exam on the knee to determine the severity of it and sounded as if he won't get one.

"If I can run, if I can jump, if I can do lunges, if I can do leg curls, if I can do leg extensions, chances are there probably is no structural damage," Bryant said. "If I don't have to walk with more of a bop than I normally walk with, it's fine. So, I'm good. No need of wasting their money."

Coach Phil Jackson seems to want more caution taken regarding the injury and for good reason: Kobe's the team leader that brought them on a 2008 NBA Finals run. Similar injuries have forced other sports mega stars out of action. The Patriots' QB Tom Brady suffered a knee injury during the 1st week of the NFL season. The reconstructive surgery occurred too soon after the injury, and now Brady is dealing with a severe infection. In golf, the biggest start on the planet, Tiger Woods also left for a remainder of his season to get surgery. Will Kobe be following suit? Luckily, it seems like Kobe will be ready for the start of the season, but he definitely needs to guard against a season-ending injury.

Read the full story on Kobe at the LA Times.

Will an NBA Team Sign Stuart Tanner?

Amazingly enough the highlight of the preseason NBA isn't a facial from Lebron, a Chris Paul lookaway pass or a brawl spilling into the front stands. Instead it's footage of a 28-year old amateur basketball player defeating Nets guard Devin Harris in a game of one-on-one.

Tanner challenged Harris to the contest earlier this month in Stockwell, London. Devin Harris was there for a Nets preason game, so why not? Harris has four years under his belt, including a stint with the Mavericks in the Finals. Tanner is working towards becoming a personal trainer, and was merely a fan. Well that's what Devin thought!

Stuart Tanner was able to fake Harris, dribble between his legs, hit swish jumpers and basically embarass a guy who is paid millions to play the sport. The crowd roared in approval. YouTube viewership has soared of the video to the stat of over 3.5 million views of the footage.

Devin the dude had the following comments:

Harris is then shown on the clip exclaiming: "Man, did you see how fast he was?"

"He tricked me. He hustled me on my own court. He might be able to get an NBA contract. We might need to sign him up tonight," Harris said.

What a good sport Harris is, being gracious in defeat. After all he may have been embarassed, but he still gets to play before crowded arenas, making millions while tossing lob passes to Vince Carter. Tanner's definitely got game, so will an NBA team please sign this baller before the And 1 mixtape tour does?

Watch a 2:05 video clip of Tanner vs. Devin at YouTube.

Ellis Moped Incident = 30 Day Suspension

The Golden State Warriors high-scoring guard, Monta Ellis, was injured in a motor cycle accident this past summer, hurting his ankle. While that is bad news in itself, Ellis then chose to lie to the team about the incident. Ellis told the Warriors he hurt himself playing pickup ball in Mississippi, but then came clean about the injury days later. Due to his lie, Ellis has now been suspended 30 games by Owner Chris Cohan, which will cost the guard a cool 3 million dollars.

When you see a headline about Ellis being suspended, you'd assume it was due to a fight in a preseason game, using drugs or some sort of off-court arrest/fan altercation. But for something that could have easily been avoided, Ellis has benched himself for almost half of an NBA season. Will the team be hurt by this? They might have been, as he was the second-leading scorer for the NBA's highest-scoring team last season, averaging 20.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists, helping his team try to make the final playoff spot. Ellis underwent surgery to repair a torn ligament and wouldn't be able to return to action to mid-December anyways.

In case you're wondering about the rule book, according to NBA.com: "Ellis violated Paragraph 12 of the NBA's uniform player contract, which prohibits a player from engaging "in any activity that a reasonable person would recognize as involving or exposing the participant to a substantial risk of bodily injury," including "driving or riding a motorcycle or mo-ped."

Other past motorcycle incidents in sports that are well known include Pittsburgh Steeler QB Ben Rothleisberger, and former Chicago Bulls/Duke guard, Jay Williams. Rothleisberger was able to recover from injuries he sustained, while Williams attempted to rehab but never was able to make an NBA return.

Read more about Ellis' Suspension by the Warriors at NBA.com

BC United & Knicks Divided?

It was a storied championship run for the Boston Celtics last season. The team hadn't won a title in about two decades, but bring in big time players like Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to help out a longtime Celtic, Paul Pierce, then pepper the bench with veterans and great role players. That was the recipe for success in Boston as they managed to take out the Los Angeles en route to a season of basic dominance. The Celtics managed to defeat every team in the league in 2007-08, and even though they stumbled against playoff opponents Atlanta and Cleveland, Boston kept on pushing all the way to the trophy.

A recent New York Times article William C. Rhoden examines the concept of team unity amongst this Celtics squad, which is something the author says New York's Knicks team clearly lacks.

Rhodes writes:

As Rivers spoke about team and unity, I thought about a brief but poignant visit to the Knicks’ camp two days earlier. That trip underlined the necessity of quality leadership and the perils for teams — and franchises — that fail to develop it. The atmosphere at Celtics camp was a sharp departure from the mood in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., where the Knicks opened camp at Skidmore College.

While the Celtics’ best player was talking to his teammates about maintaining an “all for one and one for all” mentality, the Knicks’ best player, Stephon Marbury, was embroiled in a controversy that had nothing to do with winning or losing. Would Marbury stay or would he go? Was he the cure or was he the problem?

Rhoden continues his article discussing how the Celtics team put aside individual goals and contract talk to achieve a common goal: The NBA title. The Knicks continue to suffer because they are a sum of many individuals who seem to want to outshine each other. Many facelifts have been given to that squad, but instead of a Big 3, the Knicks continue to be a Big Mess.

In 2008-09, the Celtics will definitely have targets on their backs as will the Knicks. Smart money would be on the team with the target on its back instead of the team with its backs against the basement walls.

Read the NY Times article "Celtics Wearing the Banner of Unity" here.

Howard Apologizes, Will America Forgive?

There's been some offseason controversy surrounding Dallas Mavericks All-Star forward Josh Howard. Howard recently apologized for a July rant he made regarding the Star-Spangled Banner at a charity event. Howard was caught on video saying he doesn't celebrate the song "because he's black". A 4 minute video of Howard's remarks/incident is available at YouTube. Now in the aftermath, Howard made the right move and issued a public apology on Monday for his remarks and behavior over the past 5 months.

From DallasNews.com:

"I know that's not me," he said. "I love this country. If it wasn't for this country, I wouldn't be out here playing basketball. For me to have that opportunity is the greatest.

"That's not me. That's not Josh Howard. That was an idiot."

The apology is considered heartfelt by most in the media, but maybe not so much by the American people. CNN Headline News ran a viewer poll with 69% saying they didn't believe Howard's apology was sincere, while only 31% said they felt it was. It could be a sign of the times, or the general bias against the NBA and athletes. NBA players have always been viewed in a poor light, as if they are all thugs or hooligans. Recent policy changes supposedly highlighted this by forcing players to dress up for games, rather than arriving in any outfit, such as doo rags, throwbacks, etc. Regardless, this is an isolated incident from just one player, who's allowed forgiveness. Let's move on and get to the regular season.

Full DallasNews.com story on Josh Howard's Apology

2008-09 NBA Preseason Info

According to NBA.com, the NBA season is a little over a month away. In the meantime, the preseason schedule was announced last month and features plenty of action to get fans ready for the 2008-09 season. Preseason tickets can often be purchased cheap for great seats, even front row! Some of the games are held at smaller arenas, maybe even in your own backyard area. Keep in mind that many teams may be looking to rest or preserve superstars during these games so you might not see your favorite stars on the court. I've had the opportunity to see both Lebron James and Michael Jordan play in preseason games, as well as Paul Pierce, Vince Carter and Chris Bosh. So you just might get lucky if you choose the right game!

Several teams will also be overseas for a few contests. The Heat and Nets will suit up to play one another for two games in Paris at the Palais Omnisports de Paris Bercy on October 9th. The two teams meet several days later in London for a game on the 12th. France basketball may be most famous for the 7 footer Vince Carter leapt over and dunked on during the Olympics several years ago.

On October 14, the Wizards and Hornets will play in Berlin, and move to Barcelona for a October 17th game.

There's also the NBA China Games 2008, featuring the Bucks and Warriors. The teams will play twice; once at Guangzhou Gymnasium in Guangzhuo on Oct. 15, and at the Beijing Olympic Basketball Arena on Oct. 18. The games were scheduled in anticipation of bringing former Buck star Yi over to the Chinese fans, but he was traded in the offseason to New Jersey. The China Games will be aired on ESPN.

There will also be a unique outdoor game played at Tennis Garden in Palm Springs, CA. The game will feature the Phoenix Suns against the Denver Nuggets. The October 11th game will be televised on TNT.

There's plenty more action to check out this offseason including several Euroleague teams competing against NBA teams, games at different arenas and a chance to check out all the teams vying for this year's title!

You can view the full NBA preseason schedule here.

Oklahoma City Prepares for Thunder!

Oklahoma City expect heavy Thunder in your sports forecast this 2008-09 NBA season! The once Seattle Supersonics have moved to Oklahoma City. The team will no longer be called the Supersonics, but instead the Thunder. New place, new name, new jerseys as well. The personnel has stayed the same for the most part, with franchise superstar, and last year's ROY Kevin Durant, still on the team.

According to AZCentral.com, news of the new name and logo leaked early:

The local ABC affiliate reported in mid-July that Thunder had been chosen as the nickname. Then the NBA Web site listed NBA.com/thunder as a link to the Oklahoma City team's page. Then the Orlando Magic's site listed games against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Even the logo and colors leaked out over the weekend. Then, prior to the 5 p.m. announcement, Thunder merchandise started showing up on the NBA's online store.

Early reaction to the name is it may sound a bit like a NBDL or WNBA team's name and will definitely take some getting used to. The Seattle Supersonics name bring up memories of players like Gary Payton, Sean Kemp, Nate McMillan and other stars from the past. Recent Celtics superstar, Ray Allen, also called Seattle home for most of his career, breaking Reggie Miller's 3 point record while playing there. The Sonics are coming off a disappointing 2007-08 campaign, despite the bright spots Kevin Durant supplied. But now come rain or shine, there's always Thunder in Oklahoma City!

As mentioned bove, there's already Thunder merchandise available at NBA.com which features the new look logo and jerseys. See the merchandise at the new Oklahoma City Thunder NBA homepage!

Redeem Team Strikes Gold in Beijing!

Team USA basketball now has its spot back on the World Map. Sunday at 2am EST the "Redeem Team" as they've been dubbed, ended their 3 year quest to capture the elusive gold medals. Spain was the final team to be taken out by USA, with a closer than expected 118-107 victory Sunday morning. D-Wade had 27 points with Kobe Bryant adding 20. Kobe's Laker teammate Pau Gasol scored 21 in a losing effort. Gasol's teammate Rudy Fernandez lead the way with 22. After the victory, Team USA was quick to extend hugs and obligatory handshakes and pats to their opposition. During their steamroller trip to the Gold medal game, Team USA took down various foreign opposition including familiar NBA players. Dirk Nowitski, Yao Ming, Manu Ginobli and others were among the casualties.

This team had been carefully crafted by NBA GM Jerry Colangelo, and practiced together for a solid 3 years to make sure they could co-exist. Initial cuts were made to wittle the team down into one capable of demolishing international opponents. Gilbert Arenas, Bruce Bowen, Amare Stoudamire and Kirk Hinrich were amongst those not part of this team that finally appeared in Beijing. The final roster read like a "who's who" of the current NBA, minus the 3 superstar Celtics who are definitely up there in age. Kobe and Lebron have been the 2 most talked up superstars in the league for several years now, with debates as to who's better. In this competition, they were teammates, setting up each other for layups and spectacular dunks. Add in players such as Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and Dwight Howard, and you've got the makings of gold medalists.

Of course the debates started as to whether or not this team eclipses Dream Team 1992. That legendary team consisted of the well-respected forefathers of today's basketball: Bird, Barkley, Jordan, Ewing, David Robinson, Malone, Stockton, Pippen. You'd be hard-pressed to find a player on the 2008 roster who doesn't choose one of these 92' stars as their idol growing up. Lebron, Kobe, Melo, D-Wade and others on this team will be those legends one day, but for now they continue to achieve more milestones.

Congratulations again to Redeem Team 2008 for achieving Gold in Beijing!

Read more about Team USA winning the gold including pictures at CBS News!

Can Team USA Recapture Gold?

When pro ballers were first put into the Olympics about 16 years ago, they were dubbed the "Dream Team". It was a who's who of the best of US basketball, not only for that time but for generations. Jordan, Barkley, Ewing, Magic, Bird, Stockton, Malone, & the Admiral David Robinson were amongst the squad that completely destroyed each and every opponent. Team USA captured the gold easily and the US held bragging rights in the World of Basketball. But all that changed within a span of about 10-12 years.

The influx of European talent began to show in the NBA with stars like Manu Ginobli, Pau Gasol, Dirk Nowitski and Tony Parker. Soon that carried over to the worldly competition in the Olympics and the once "Dream Team" became runners up to other nations such as Argentina, who just had a better handle of the European version of basketball. They simply played more of a balanced team game, used the foreign rules to their advantage and outplayed our stars who seemed to coast at times. The US was soon considered second rate in terms of its players, making Europeans a hot commodity for upcoming NBA drafts.

Now we have what's been dubbed as the "Redeem Team". General Manager Jerry Colangelo assembled the best of the best which includes stars like Kobe, Lebron, Melo, D-Wade, and legendary Duke coach K at the helm. Notably the team has just one gold medal winner in Jason Kidd, who assists with its other two bright young point guards, Chris Paul and Deron Williams. The emphasis here is on re-establishing the United States as a dominant player in world basketball. They have their work cut out for them, as they surely don't have the experience of a Dream Team. During their last exhibition game against Australia they won by a paltry sum of 11 points. We've come to expect our NBA stars to completely pulverize opponents and it's seeming to get harder. Our team has plenty of flash and highlights, but may lack in pure shooters, outside of Michael Redd's talents. It's also notable that opponents can employ a "Hack-a-Howard" strategy similar to the way NBA teams foul Shaq in the late stages of games. Howard's free throw shooting is a glaring problem for our team at this point, as is the concept that possibly many of the stars we have want the spotlight.

Overall the team needs to focus together and work as a team, not trying to showboat individual talents so much. We have a sum of great talent, but it needs to be put to proper use in order to return our stars to the gold medal stand. And there's always that "Great Wall of Defense" from the Houston Rockets looking to defend his home team as they host the Olympic games...

NBA Movers & Shakers: Childress & Artest

Two interesting moves have gone down recently in the NBA, with the former Hawk Josh Childress deciding to play overseas, and with the Houston Rockets trading for Ron Artest.

First up is the move Josh Childress made as he moved away from the NBA to play ball in Europe. Childress liked the amount the European team was offering and he was soon packed and ready to go. While Childress isn't exactly the best player on the Atlanta Hawks, he definitely brought them a lot of his talents in the playoffs. The Hawks took it the full 7 games before losing to eventual NBA champs, the Celtics. There was recent rumors that Ben Gordon might head overseas as well, as the Bulls may not be able to pay him what he wants either. According to the latest ESPN magazine, we may see even more NBA players make the move overseas, while the NBA brings in more European players.

The other interesting move was a trade with the Houston Rockets acquiring star defender and former fight-starter, Ron Artest. Artest brings Houston even more defensive toughness now, as they have Yao Ming manning the middle and then Artest and Battier down low for rebounds and scrappy plays. With that sort of solid defensive trio, the Rockets have a great shot to go deep in the 2008-09 playoffs out West. Of course that is if Yao Ming can remain healthy enough to give them some help in the playoffs...