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?