Who's Your Favorite Wizard?

I know, weird title right? This phrase was first asked to me about 8 years ago by my old high school friend Jack. It was so random and so sincere, that at the time my other friend Matt and I couldn't control our laughter. Seriously, who wants to kn0w who your favorite wizard is? But since then, I use it as my default query that I would ask anyone if just given one question.

In this case, though, it actually has an answer: Gilbert Arenas of the Washington Wizards. It also got me thinking who my other favorite players are. Here goes:

MY FAVE FIVE (but probably not Barkley's...)

5. David Lee - New York Knicks. I love the way this guy plays the game, all out hustle, scrappiness, combined with considerable skill. If given regular minutes, he'd average 17 and 12 on the daily. Plus, he’s the only NBA player to ever have J. Peterman threaten to slap him. Also, he's got a great head of hair. Curls rule!

4. Steve Nash - Phoenix Suns. I've got a full-blown man-crush on the two-time MVP after I was able to see him play up close while covering a preseason game last year. He truly is the last great fundamental basketball player left. It's a pleasure to watch him. He further added to my adoration by granting me an exclusive interview after said game, where we talked about soccer of all things, which I was able to turn into my greatest portfolio clip to date. He's a true ambassador for the game, the kind of person you want your kids to admire. He's got a great head of hair too!

3. Chauncey Billups - Detroit Pistons. Aside from being the best player in the history of the state of Colorado, Chauncey also bagged an NBA Finals MVP Award in 2004. He's a true professional, a great practice player, a terrific shooter and heady playmaker. And he's the only NBA player that I've seen play live in both high school and college. The Centennial State's Finest has worked hard after bouncing around his first few years to become one of the league's best all-around guards. No great head of hair though, sadly.

2. Gilbert Arenas – Washington Wizards. Hibachi! As the league’s resident clown prince, it’s easy to dismiss Agent Zero as nothing more than a mouth. First of all, his blog is hilarious. It’s refreshing to see a professional athlete who is ultra-competitive, but still doesn’t take the game too seriously. But don’t get it twisted; the guy is a serious ballplayer. He is one of the league’s most explosive scorers, and out dueled scoring champ Kobe Bryant in a December game last year, dropping 60 on the Lakers. When Bryant stayed classy and called Gil’s performance “lucky” and said that he “took terrible shots,” Gilbert responded by shouting “Quality Shots” whenever he stroked a jumper in the rest of his games. When he poured in 54 on the Suns a week later, he deadpanned after the game, saying, “I guess we took quality shots tonight. It’s good to get the win.”

After Arenas was cut from the USA Men’s National Team last summer by Duke's anti-Christ head coach Mike Kzshyaszwi=qys’ckeyshQE*#Q#ski, said he’d love to play against the Blue Devils (obviously an impossibility) and vowed that he’d score 84 or 85 against them. He even gives his jersey away to a fan after every game. Seriously, how can you not love this guy?

1. Raymond Felton – Charlotte Bobcats. Two instances stick out in my mind. March 2003. Duke at North Carolina. After Felton, a freshman, was elbowed in the face by Duke’s Dahntay Jones, the teams and coaches had a shouting and shoving altercation. Several players including Felton had to be restrained. After the melee cooled down, on the very next possession, a snarling, bloodied Felton pulls up and drains a 25-foot three-pointer. Staring daggers at Jones on the way back down court, he then sarcastically pounds the floor with his palms, Duke’s infamous signal to lock down on D. Sugar Ray finished with 18 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists in Carolina’s upset of the Top 10-ranked Blue Devils.

April 5, 2005. Carolina is facing the three-headed All-American guard monster that is Illinois’ Deron Williams, Dee Brown and Luther Head – the consensus No. 1 team in the country – in the 2005 National Championship Final. In a game full of superstars, and big time performances, Felton makes the game’s biggest play. With the Heels up by two with 30 seconds left, he chooses to not help on Head, who has beaten his man into the lane, instead laying off in the passing lane and deftly swiping Head's kick out to Deron Williams. Felton calmly bangs in two free throws after he’s fouled. Carolina up 4. Game over. National championship for the Tar Heels. Party on Franklin Street.

Nowadays, he’s not the best point guard in the league. Not the best shooter. Not the best passer. Not the best defender. But I would take him over anyone else. He’s a winner, plain and simple.

Hello My Friend, Hello

(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

They will forever be linked. LeBron and Carmelo. Carmelo and LeBron. Both are NBA megastars. And both look to carry their respective teams deep into the postseason. Round 9 of their head-to-head matchups happened last night at “The Can” (Pepsi Center) in Denver.

A rather pedestrian effort from James (27 points, 4 assists) took a backseat as the Nuggets crushed the Cavs 122-100. Allen Iverson dropped in 37 to lead Denver, and J.R. Smith contributed 29 points (7-8 from behind the arc) to bolster the offense off the bench.

King James leads Melo in NBA Finals appearances, but Anthony’s Nuggets have won 7 of 9 meetings between the two teams since the friends and rivals joined the league in 2003.

Go East Young Man: Eastern Conference Preview

Some of you probably don't care about the NBA. What with the illegal gambling and game-fixing scandal of a longtime referee, the criminal activity of some of its players, and the Spurs winning all the time, it's easy to feel like that. But I'm different. I still love the League. Always have and always will. There's something about late October that gets me very excited as a sports fan. And it's not because it's the World Series. Honestly, I think I was watching a preseason NBA game during Game 3 of the worst fall classic in history.

And that's what this blog is about. All ball. All the time. Check back here for everything relevant to the game - the sublime, the ridiculous, the majestic, the absurd (and even some tight video from time to time.)

So without further ado, here's my preview of the East. (West in another blog.) Enjoy and tell your friends...



Atlanta – The good news is that the Hawks picked up two solid draft picks (Al Horford and Acie Law IV), adding more quality to a young, talented roster. The bad news is they picked up two solid draft picks, adding to a young, talented roster. The Hawks are easily the most inexperienced team in the league. And youth and talent only get you so far in the NBA. With a lack of veteran leaders on their team, they will continue to struggle mightily. Joe Johnson is dreaming about still being still in Phoenix, I bet.




Boston – In a move that brought instant acclaim to the once-great franchise, the Celtics traded their entire roster for Kevin Garnett. In the Leastern Conference, it makes Boston easily one of the top three teams. The die-hard Celtics fans are already having delusions of champagne celebrations come June. There are only three problems:

1. Doc Rivers is still the coach.
2. With the game on the line, who takes the last shot?
3. Doc Rivers is still the coach.

In the East, it’s true that Boston can run out a squad of Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, former Celtics broadcaster and possibly senile 73-year-old Tommy Heinsohn, and the guy scooping out bowls of baked beans at the Fleet Center, and win 50-plus games. But if they played in the West, they would be the fifth or sixth best team (behind SA, DAL, PHO, DEN, possibly HOU.) In a seven game series, I can’t see them beating either of those teams.

So pipe down Mass Holes! You've corrupted the once great Kevin Garnett already.

Charlotte – It’s a good thing Michael Jordan is who he is, because as an executive, he’s reaching Mitch Kupchak-level incompetence. Granted, re-signing Gerald Wallace was a good thing. But he hand-picked Sam Vincent to be the new head coach, bypassing proven winner Rick Carlisle. He passed on eventual Rookie of the Year Brandon Roy last summer in lieu of a child molester look-a-like leaving a gaping hole at shooting guard. He remedied that this year by trading the No. 8 pick in the draft (Brandan Wright) to Golden State for Jason Richardson, who is coming off knee surgery last season and has four years and $51M left on his contract. Not really the kind of money you want to pay for a career 18 ppg scorer.

But you know what? All that said, I really like this Bobcats team. They’ve got a kick ass new logo and with Richardson, Wallace, PG Raymond Felton and PF/C Emeka Okafor, the talent is there to make noise in the East. If they can get Jordan to actually start showing up to their games, they might be on to something in the Queen City.

Chicago – What do you get when you have an athletic, rebounding, shot blocking big man who can’t score (Ben Wallace), draft an athletic rebounding, shot blocking big man who can’t score (Tyrus Thomas), then draft a non-athletic, rebounding, shot blocking woman who can’t score (Joakim Noah)? You have the 2007-08 Chicago Bulls!

Gritty, gutty Scotty Skiles has turned the Bulls into one of the better defensive teams in basketball. Unfortunately, their only offensive firepower comes from Ben Gordon, and occasionally Kirk Heinrich and Luol Deng. By balking at trades that would have brought in Pau Gasol (last year) and Kevin Garnett (this summer), Chicago is left in full-blown donut status once again. What is donut status, you ask? Something that is good on the outside with a hole in the middle (bah dump, cha!) This team will still compete in the East, and could even be the team to beat, but until it solves its problems with low post scoring, a title will remain out of reach.

But hey, at least Ben Wallace gets to wear headbands again!

Cleveland – The Global Icon certainly made waves this summer. From rockin’ that Yankees lid at Jacobs Field during the Indians-Yankees series, to his surprisingly funny performance on Saturday Night Live (Nevva Give Up!!), LeBron James further entrenched himself as the NBA’s most famous face.

Unfortunately, for the good folks in Cleveland, getting swept out of the Finals by the San Antonio Spurs left a good enough taste in the front office’s collective mouths, that the biggest off-season acquisitions were Cedric Simmons and Devin Brown. (I know, I had to Google them, too.)

It’s time for the Cavs executives to step up to the plate and get serious about winning a title. Despite having an awesome nickname, Daniel “Boobie” Gibson, isn’t the answer at point guard, and the front line of Drew Gooden, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and Sideshow Bob (if they can even get him signed), isn’t exactly daunting.

Without another otherworldly performance from Bron Bron, this year’s Cavs will find it hard to make it back to the Finals.

Detroit – If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. That seems to be the motto of the Detroit Pistons. Aside from letting Chicago grossly overpay for Ben Wallace last summer, the team that won the title in 2004 has gone mostly unchanged. Re-signing free agent Chauncey Billups brings together the best backcourt in the league, with Rip Hamilton manning the 2. Up front, Rasheed “Roscoe” Wallace and Tayshaun Prince lead a solid core. Though age is slowly creeping up on the Pistons, an influx of youngsters Rodney Stuckey, Aaron Afflalo, and certified man-beast Jason Maxiel, ensure that this could be the best DEEEEE-TROOOOIT BASKET-BAAAAAAALL team since 2004’s title run.

Indiana – Free Jermaine O’Neal! Free Jermaine O’Neal! The perennial All-Star big man is stuck in a rebuilding situation. There is no legitimate No. 2 scorer on the entire roster. Jamaal Tinsley? Ugggh. Danny Granger? Not quite yet. Troy Murphy? Please. Mike Dunleavy? (Can’t. Stop. Laughing.)

Yes, it will be a long year for the Pacers. Let the OJ Mayo chants begin! On the bright side, they won’t ever have to worry about this again.

Miami – Did the Heat really win a title two years ago? Seems like they’ve fallen so far. You’d be hard pressed to find a more entertaining player than Dwyane Wade. Shaq is still Shaq, but not nearly the dominant player of the past. They will need a lot of help for this current team to advance to the Finals. One great story coming out of Heat camp is the resurgent play of Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway, who is back in the league after an 18-month hiatus. Shaq and Penny, back again. Kind of makes you remember what an incredible player Penny was in his prime. The best of luck to one of my all-time faves.

Milwaukee – I almost don’t even know what to say about this team. Sure they’ve got high scoring sharpshooter Michael Redd. Andrew Bogut looks like a nice young player. They re-signed Mo Williams in the off-season to run the show. They drafted the world’s most athletic 7-foot Asian who had this happen to him in his first game against NBA caliber competition. The Bucks might be able to compete for a playoff spot, but come February, Redd might be praying for a trade to the Mavericks or Rockets or some other contender in the West.

New Jersey – Some team has to benefit from Cleveland’s inevitable collapse, right? It might just be Jay Z’s squad from across the bridge. The superstar trio of Jason Kidd, Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson returns, all healthy, all hungry to take the next step. The return of the woefully underrated Nenad Kristic from injury, and addition of veteran big man Jamaal Magloire could provide the Nets with the frontcourt punch that they need to survive in the ever-improving East. Holla!

New York – As a fan of basketball and the NBA, I am eagerly awaiting the days when the New York Knicks will be relevant again. Sadly, for those faithful fans who pack the Garden night in and night out, it won’t be this year. With a team that has talented players at all five positions, it’s hard to imagine that they could continue to dwell around the bottom of the conference. Until you consider that:

1. Isaiah Thomas is coaching them. Everything that Thomas touches turns to complete and utter crap. We can only hope that soon, Isaiah is fired as Knicks coach and becomes the commissioner of the WNBA.

2. Stephon Marbury’s $20 million a year contract is only the fifth worst contract on the team behind Malik Rose ($7M), Jared Jeffries and Jerome James ($6M each) and Dan Dickau (okay, it’s only $2.3M a year, but any team that is still paying Dan Dickau to play basketball for them deserves exactly what it gets).

3. The off-season trade to bring in Zach Randolph from Portland will help bolster the front line, but between Curry and Randolph, who is going to rebound? Curry is a statistical anomaly. He had twice as many turnovers last year (295) than assists, steals and blocks combined (142). That’s never good.


Orlando – Quick question. Where along the way did Rashard Lewis become LeBron James? Or Dwyane Wade? Or Kobe Bryant? Oh wait, you mean he’s not? He’s nowhere near those guys talent-wise? Well, you sure could have fooled the Magic, who inked Lewis to a six-year, $118M deal this summer. Yeah, that sounds about right for a guy who isn’t even your franchise player, and has a career scoring average of 16.6 ppg. But good for Lewis. I can’t hate on a guy who gets paid.

As for Lewis’ running mates, the Magic should be much improved. He will provide more scoring and a perimeter game than the man he’s replacing, Grant Hill. The Magic also have a quality two-man attack at point guard with Jameer Nelson and Carlos Arroyo. But make no mistake, this is Dwight Howard’s team. Howard made the leap to superstar status last year. Now it’s time to see if he can shoulder the load of carrying a team deep into the postseason. And given the size of his shoulders, it should be no problem.

Philadelphia – Long suffering 76ers fans (you know who you are, you’re just afraid to admit it) have a new reason to be miserable in 2007-08, as it begins the first full season since 1996 without future Hall of Fame guard Allen Iverson.

Philly is one of the youngest teams in the league, with point guard Andre Miller the only player of significance with more than five years of experience. They have decided to build around their talented young core, led by “the other A.I.” Andre Iguodala, center Samuel Dalembert and rookie Thaddeus Young.

Miller is as steady as they come as far as floor generals go, and sharpshooter Kyle Korver provides some punch off of the bench. However, with the Sixers a longshot to make the playoffs, they may try to trade one or both of them to acquire more draft picks and shed salary.

Pay attention to Iguodala though. He’s truly worth the price of admission.

Toronto – GM Bryan Colangelo has assembled one of the up-and-coming teams in the league. We can all agree that the game is more global now than ever. And the Raptors are the epitome of that globalization. The Raptors feature players from Spain, Slovenia, Argentina and Italy (last year’s No. 1 pick Andrea Bargnani). But somewhere along the way, along with integrating all of that foreign talent, coach Sam Mitchell actually produced a pretty good basketball team.

Despite looking just like his team’s mascot, power forward Chris Bosh is the fastest-rising star in the league. He averaged 22 and 10 last year, along with 1.5 blocks per game, and led the Raptors to their first ever Atlantic Division title. It might be tough to repeat that effort, with Boston and New Jersey both improved, but hockey’s not the only thing going on in Canada anymore.

Washington – If you weren’t paying attention last year, you missed it. You missed it when clutch was redefined. Fifteen years ago, it was Reggie Miller. Ten years ago, it was Mike. Five years ago, it was Kobe. But now, if you could have one guy to take the final shot to win a game, you’d just be silly not to take Wizards’ guard Gilbert Arenas. Agent Zero, as he is affectionately known, became an elite scorer last year, and orchestrated three game-winning buzzer beaters. And who can forget his amazing 30-footer to tie the Cavs in Game 6 of last year’s playoffs. Clutch. Redefined.

But…

The Wizards lost that series. And they did nothing in the off-season to improve. Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler provide an All-Star pair of forwards, but the team overall is still a couple pieces away from progressing far into the postseason. They still are one of the East’s better clubs, but will fall short once again.

One thing is for sure though, Gilbert Arenas will be there to entertain, whether it’s on the court, or off. (Actually, Arenas is a decent writer. His blog on NBA.com is very enjoyable.)


Order of finish (playoff seed):

ATLANTIC
Boston (2)
New Jersey (5)
Toronto (6)
New York
Philadelphia

CENTRAL
Chicago (1)
Detroit (3)
Cleveland (8)
Milwaukee
Indiana

SOUTHEST
Washington (4)
Orlando (7)
Miami
Charlotte
Atlanta

Western Conference Preview

It's WILD: Western Conference Preview

Some of you probably don't care about the NBA. What with the illegal gambling and game-fixing scandal of a longtime referee, the criminal activity of some of its players, and the Spurs winning all the time, it's easy to feel like that.

But I'm different. I still love the League. Always have and always will. There's something about late October that gets me very excited as a sports fan. And it's not because it's the World Series. Honestly, I think I was watching a preseason NBA game during Game 3 of the worst fall classic in history.

And that's what this blog is about. All ball. All the time. Check back here for everything relevant to the game - the sublime, the ridiculous, the majestic, the absurd (and even some tight video from time to time.)

So without further ado, here's my preview of the West. (East in another blog.) Enjoy and tell your friends...



Dallas - we all know the story with the Mavericks. In 2006 they were up 2-0 over Miami in the NBA Finals and lost four straight games. Last year they had the league's Most Valuable Player in Dirk Nowitzki. They led the league with 67 regular season wins and the top seed in the Western Conference playoffs. And all that got them was an embarrassing first round pummeling at the hands of the upstart Golden State Warriors.

This team could go 82-0 this year, and it wouldn't mean a thing unless they can get rid of the bitter taste of the way the last two seasons ended. The team is largely unchanged as the core of Nowitzki, Josh Howard, Jason Terry, Devin Harris, and Jerry Stackhouse remain poised and ready to take on the West. The addition of veteran wing Eddie Jones should provide more defense and three-point shots.

Dallas goes as Nowitzki goes. There hasn't been a bigger German collapse since the Allieds started storming Europe in 1945. If he plays like a true MVP, and puts the Mavs on his back like he did in '06 Dallas has as good a shot as any team of winning its elusive first championship.


Denver - Dwyane Wade won a title in 2006. LeBron carried Cleveland to the Finals last year. Is this the season that the other superstar from the 2003 Draft class, Carmelo Anthony, leads his squad to the Promised Land?

After proving that he might be the best pure scorer on the planet during this summer's FIBA World Championships, Melo hopes to keep rolling with the Denver Nuggets this year. Unlike LBJ last season, he certainly will have the supporting cast to do so. Allen Iverson returns in his first full season with the Nuggs, and has boldly predicted a 60 win season. For Nuggets fans (myself included) just getting out of the first round will be a step in the right direction.

Along with the two world class scorers, the Denver frontcourt is loaded. Last year's Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Camby leads a strong, athletic group that includes Brazilian man-child Nene and former No. 1 pick Kenyon Martin, who is attempting to return from microfracture surgery on his right knee.

On paper, the Nuggets have the best starting lineup in the conference. But as we all know, games aren't played on paper. They're played inside your TV sets (thank Kenny Mayne). Shooting is still an issue with this club, but if they can get solid production from downtown from the supporting cast, this team will be hard to beat. Would you want to try to win a series against Melo and A.I? Yeah, me neither.


Golden State - Do you believe? Thousands of fans in the Bay Area do. After shocking the Mavs in the first round of last year's playoffs, the Warriors became the bandwagon darlings of the league. In order to produce last year's magic, the team must play better on the road (only Milwaukee, Seattle and Memphis had fewer last season). They must also find a replacement for Jason Richardson, who was traded to Charlotte in the off-season.

Monta Ellis has the talent and bravado to take over that role, but he's still only 22. Defense was never the strong suit of a Don Nelson coached team, and it won't be this year either. But few teams can run and score with the Warriors. If Baron Davis stays healthy (always a big "if,") they can easily make the playoffs as a lower seed. And I don't know any team in the West that would say that they want to play the Warriors in the postseason.

Still, would you bet your hard-earned money at a team that has this guy (see right) as its co-captain?


Houston - The good news for the Houston Rockets is that they may be the fourth best team in the entire NBA. The bad news for the Houston Rockets is that they may be only the third best team in the state of Texas.

Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming lead a strong, well balanced team that prided itself on defense under head coach Jeff Van Gundy last season. The Notorious JVG is gone now, replaced by perennial underachiever Rick Adelman. His new up-tempo style should suit McGrady, one of the league's deadliest offensive forces.

The team is also loaded with depth in the backcourt. Former All-Star Stevie Franchise makes his return to the Rockets, who along with Mike James, Luther Head and Rafer Alston, give Houston lots of options at the point guard slot. But like the old adage goes, if you have four point guards, then you don't even have one point guard. One of those guys must grab hold of the job and make it his own, for this team to be able to make serious noise come May.

If Yao can stay healthy, this should be the year that he establishes himself as the best center in the game. Now if only he'd grow out a traditional Chinese fu manchu mustache and at least look the part of a badass!


Los Angeles Clippers - There are few things uglier than Shaun Livingston's graphic knee dislocation that happened last year (not for the squeamish), but one of those things might be the Clippers team this season. With All-Star forward Elton Brand out until February while recovering from a torn Achilles' Clippers fans could have a better time peeping SoCal girls in the stands of the Staples Center than actually watching basketball.

The backcourt of Sam Cassell and Cuttino Mobley is ancient, their replacement for Brand is (gulp) Tim Thomas, and it's still being determined whether their starting center actually owns a mirror. On the bright side for Chris Kaman, he has enjoyed much success with his role in those hilarious Geico commercials.

Corey Maggette should have a huge year, up until he demands to be traded again. And if there's anyone who is going to challenge Kevin Durant for Rookie of the Year honors, it's Clips rookie Al Thornton, who is nice. Real nice. But it won't be long before the hometown folks are chanting for OJ to come and save the day. No, not THAT OJ, next year's top pick USC guard OJ Mayo.


Los Angeles Lakers - At this point, because there are so many possible reasons, I don't know why exactly I should feel bad for Kobe Bryant. I just do. Is it because he ran off the most dominant big man in the history of the game, forfeiting the chance to win more championships, all so he could be "the man?" Is it because he threw his teammates under the bus in a well documented rant to fans outside an Orange County shopping center? Is it because his woefully inept front office failed to trade for Jason Kidd last year, or Jermaine O'Neal in the off-season to give Kobe a little help? Is it because he's named after an expensive piece of Japanese beef?

Whether you love him or hate him, you have to admit that it's a shame to see the greatest player this of this decade (I'm sorry folks, he is) waste the paramount years in his prime on a team that's going nowhere. Kobe is the only reason the Lakers have any chance to win. He's vilified if he takes 35 shots a night and scores 50 points because he's viewed as a selfish ball hog. He's vilified if he tries to share the ball and play a team game, then watches as Luke Walton, Jordan Farmar and Kwame Brown throw up brick after brick after brick, and the team loses.

Like most people, I just want this story to go away. Either trade him for pennies on the dollar and start from scratch, or get some legitimate ballplayers in the vaunted purple and gold. Lamar Odom aside, the Lakers are a glorified D-League team. It's only because Kobe is the best player in the world that they are even on the radar.

All that said, he has the talent, the will and the drive to carry the Lakers far. But even Michael had Scottie Pippen. Even Magic had Worthy and Kareem. Even Legend had Kevin McHale. Kobe has Chris Mihm. Oh, and Vladamir Radmanovic!

The only silver lining in this whole situation will be to see if Kobe says "Screw it, I'm going for 100 tonight. I don't care if we win or lose!" That will be fun to watch.


Memphis - After suffering through an injury-plagued season last year, the Memphis Grizzlies hope to return to the playoffs. All-Star Pau Gasol returns to anchor the young athletic Grizz, and new head coach Marc Iavaroni, a longtime assistant of the Phoenix Suns, will bring the run-and-gun game East (though technically, still the West. I'm confused.)

The offseason addition of Darko Milicic could pay huge dividends. Darko is an athletic big man who can block shots and has good range. His presence might be able to open things up for Gasol to operate one on one in the post, where he's nearly unstoppable. The team also added Mike Conley, Jr. to run the point position, which begs the question, what happens to last year's top pick Kyle Lowery? Mike Miller, Rudy Gay and Hakim Warrick will all be solid enough that Memphis could sneak into the last playoff spot, and another first round loss. Remember this name: Juan Carlos Navarro. You'll know who he is by February. Trust me.

Minnesota - What's worse than living in the sub-zero temperatures of Minnesota during the winter? Living in the sub-zero temperatures of Minnesota during the winter and watching your former franchise player donning a huge smile as the member of another team.

Such is life in the post Kevin Garnett Era for the Timberwolves and their fans. Very rarely have you seen an entire roster of players change almost overnight. What Minnesota lacks in star appeal, it makes up for in young talent. The core is there. Guards Randy Foye, Corey Brewer, Rashad McCants and Gerald Greene could be very productive for a long time, if they stay together. "Big Al" Jefferson will own the paint, and should put up numbers actually similar to Garnett's. You may laugh now, but if you don't think Jefferson can put up 22 and 12 on this team, then you don't know the man.

Landing another lottery pick, and having the salary cap flexibility to sign a quality free agent big man this summer is priority one for the Timberwolves. The pieces are in place to rebuild. The patience of the fans may not be.

New Orleans - Chris. Paul. That's all you need to know from these Hornets. If Paul plays at a high level (and there's no reason to think he won't), he is good enough to carry this team into the playoffs. If he's merely pedestrian, it will be a long, long year in the Big Easy. Center Tyson Chandler proved he is one of the better hustling bigs in the league last year, averaging 12, 5 rebounds and almost 2 blocks per game last season. He, along with David West, form a solid frontcourt.

Attention. Attention. There's been a Peja Stojakovic sighting! Peja is back from a knee injury that cost him most of last season (I know, you're thinking "Oh yeah, that's where Peja plays now.") Truth be told, if he can stay healthy, he gives Paul the perfect drive and dish candidate who can, and will, knock down open shots.

With the city still recovering from the devastating effects of Hurrican Katrina, fan support isn't likely to be as good as it was last year, when the Hornets played in Oklahoma City. But having a place to call "home" could do wonders for a team still searching for an identity. One more thing on Paul. If you want a super darkhorse candidate for MVP, look no further. I'm just sayin'...

Phoenix - Destiny. That's the only thing the Phoenix Suns can hope to have on their side in their quest to bring home the elusive first championship. Say what you want about San Antonio, but Phoenix was the best team in the playoffs last year. And if not for Tim Donagy's dreadful officiating in the Spurs-Suns series (ummm...we later found out why it was so bad), and David Stern's ridiculous rule about players leaving the bench area, it's the Suns, not the Spurs that get to send LeBron home in four straight games, and raise Mr. Larry O'Brien.

Yet, even after two MVP seasons from Steve Nash, multiple 60-win seasons, they've been the bridesmaid to Dallas and San Antonio out West. They will still be the most exciting team to watch in the entire league. If you are a true fan of basketball, watching Nash operate is almost euphoric.

Health is a bigger issue with this team than any other major contender. Grant Hill, their only noteworthy offseason addition, is umm, frail. Factor in Amare's knee, Nash's back, and Shawn Marion's ego, and this is a team that truly is at a crossroads. Win now and everyone is fat and happy, and will want to come back and defend. Lose another heartbreaking series, and it's bye bye Marion, and seeyaround Amare (with Nash's window closing, the Suns won't want to invest in Stoudamire as its franchise player. Too many question marks.)

The talent, teamwork, chemistry, and leadership is obviously there. And no player in the league wants to win more than Steve Nash. It just remains to be seen what destiny holds for this team.



Portland – Last year’s Rookie of the Year, Brandon Roy (hey R-O-Y that’s weird) will have to have an even better sophomore campaign to lead the Blazers into the promise land. Fortunately, he will have some help this season.

Fellow super soph LaMarcus Aldridge could be the top candidate for the Most Improved Player Award this season. His back to the basket game has improved tremendously, and he will flourish with the departure of Zach Randolph. Z-Bo was traded on draft night for power forward Channing Frye and Steve Francis. The Blazers bought out Francis for around $30M.

And speaking of the draft, the Blazers landed the crown jewel this year in second-rounder Josh McRoberts out of Duke. He should immediately contribute – as the main source of heckling for the oppositions’ fans in the Rose Garden. See, I told you I could get through this entire preview without mentioning Greg Oden. Ooops! Damn.

Seriously, listen up NBA. With another likely lottery pick AND Oden coming into the fold next year, and with close to $40M coming off the books in 2009-10, you better get your kicks in beating the Blazers right now, because RIP City will be back sooner than you think.


Sacramento – Remember when this team was the cream of the crop in the West? Yeah, it WAS only a few years ago. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. The Kings do sports a deep and talented backcourt, with Mike Bibby, Kevin Martin, Francisco Garcia, Quincy Douby and John Salmons all at the disposal of first-year head coach Reggie Theus.

There frontcourt, however, is beyond repair, with aging, oft-injured veterans Kenny Thomas, Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Brad Miller. Look for one of these guys, and possibly Bibby, to be traded at the deadline in a cap-saving move.

And then there’s Ron Ron. He will still play harder than anyone in the league, but a futile effort could lead to another meltdown. Though he’s been on his best behavior for the last couple seasons, you always have to wonder about his mental stability.

The self-proclaimed “best fans in the NBA” might not have too much to cheer about this season. Thankfully, for the Maloof Brothers, they can take solace in their $6,000 hamburgers.


San Antonio – You’ve heard this story before. Blah blah blah. Tim Duncan’s the best basketball-playing robot on the planet. Blah blah blah. They’ve got a Balki Bartokomous look-a-like playing two-guard. Blah blah blah. Bruce Bowen is dirty. Blah blah blah. Oh, and did you know Eva Longoria and Tony Parker got married this summer? Seriously, did you know that? Have you heard that news lately?

But here’s the bottom line. Love them or hate them (I’ll take the second option, please), and despite being dreadfully non-athletic, they are still the best team in the league. They have the best chemistry. They know how to work the refs. And they have the best coach in Gregg Poppovich.

The addition of defensive dynamo Ime Udoka will help in the playoffs, as he will essentially replace Bruce Bowen in the rotation. This team is geared toward the postseason. After winning three of the last five titles, that’s the only thing that it’s about.

And just in case you forgot, check this out.


Seattle – Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis are gone. That’s roughly 50 points a game. How in the world are they going to replace 50 points a game? Two words. Kevin. Durant. Is there a good reason to watch the Sonics this year? Two words. Kevin Durant. Who are the loyal Sonics fans going to miss the most when devil incarnate owner Clay Bennett ships the team off to Oklahoma City next year? Two words. Robert Swift (see right). I mean have you seen this cat? He’s truly the most unique individual on the planet. How could you not want to watch this guy try to play basketball in person for 40 games?

They have some nice pieces, and Durant and fellow rookie Jeff Green are excellent building blocks for the franchise. But it’s lottery bound again for the Sonics. Unfortunately, they won’t be around to the fine folks of Seattle to see Durant, truly a once-a-decade talent, in his prime.



Utah – Expectations are high following last year’s surprise run into the Western Conference Finals. Point guard Deron Williams is poised to make the jump to superstardom this season, pairing with power forward Carlos Boozer to form one of the best inside/outside combos in the league.

Williams has it all. He’s can shoot, he can distribute (his 9.3 assists per game last year trailed only some guy named Steve Nash), and is an excellent rebounder for a guard. Think Jason Kidd with a jumper. And he holds a special place in my heart for doing this.

Andrei Kirilenko is one of the best defensive players in the league, always among the leaders in both steals and blocks. But he is disgruntled after an off-season of bickering with management and head coach Jerry Sloan. If he stays positive (and how could you not with the most awesome wife in the league?) and gives a quality effort, it will only help Utah’s chances at winning a second consecutive Northwest Division title.

There are questions at shooting guard. Can Ronnie Brewer step up? Will rookie sharpshooter Morris Almond do enough on D to warrant starting? How do you replace guard Derek Fisher (now back with the Lakers) and his veteran leadership?

With talent at every position, but also with one or two pieces of the puzzle missing, the Jazz are a team that is teetering on the edge of mediocrity and excellence at the same time.

Order of finish:

Pacific
Phoenix (1)
Golden State (7)
L.A. Lakers
Sacramento
L.A. Clippers

Southwest
Dallas (2)
San Antonio (4)
Houston (5)
New Orleans (8)
Memphis

Northwest
Denver (3)
Utah (6)
Portland
Seattle
Minnesota


Eastern Conference Preview

Houston, You Have A Problem

[Note: This piece was written in frustration last February shortly after Andre Iguodala got shafted in the Gatorade Slam Dunk contest at the All-Star Game in Houston, TX.]

No wonder LeBron James said no. No wonder Cedric Ceballos won when he clearly was able to see through that blindfold. No wonder Chris Andersen was actually allowed to compete. Twice. The NBA’s annual Slam Dunk contest is a joke, and nothing says NBA and joke like Chris Andersen.

Everyone knows that popularity in the event has been waning since Vince brought the house down in Oakland in 2000. J Smoov did a little bring it back to the forefront of the weekend last year. His dunks were well above average, and he brought some creativity to the event that it hadn’t seen since Dee Brown stopped to pump up his kicks. But the circumstances of Nate Robinson’s win this year will make a lot of people not waste their two hours on a Saturday night in February next year.

Still, you can’t blame Robinson. It’s not his fault that he was able to miss more than 20 attempts and still win. But watching in vain as he tried 14 times to finally nail his winning dunk was the equivalent to getting really drunk, rushing to the toilet, dry heaving a dozen times before you finally hit pay dirt and your dinner comes flooding back up. After 14 attempts, we all know what’s coming, and it’s not gonna be pretty.

The real tragedy in this whole ordeal is that 10 years from now, the record books will say that 5-9 Nate Robinson won the dunk contest in 2006 for a finale that was essentially a fancy toss off the glass, not that Andre Iguodala pulled off two of the best dunks in competition history. Peep it below.

Let’s face it. We’re all basketball fans. Personally, I’ve been watching the dunk contest since Mike was doing his thing in the '80s. Until this year, everything had been done. What makes a dunk special is doing something that people haven’t seen or even thought of before.

Nate deserved a 50 for his dunk over Spud Webb. Undoubtedly. But for as great as that was, I’ve seen it before. Remember Vince doing the same thing to someone who was roughly the size of Spud Webb sitting on Nate Robinson’s shoulders?

But be honest. What were you thinking when Iggy cleared a path behind the basket, and handed the ball to A.I.? Would you have even conceived taking an alley-oop off the glass from the opposite side of the basket before? That was trend-setting. Now people will attempt to do variations of that dunk. Just like Dr. J from the foul line and J.R. Rider’s “East Bay Funk” between the legs (who was the first to do that in competition if I recall).

Ultimately though, America loves the little guy, so before it was even a contest, Nate Robinson was going to win it. Anything less than Iggy riding into the arena on a horse -- with a vial full of the cure for cancer in one hand and a list of trade scenarios that will get Isaiah Thomas out of the clusterf*** that is the Knicks’ payroll in the other -- was just gonna come up short. Why? Because awwww, look at that little fella. He’s so cute. He’s not supposed to be able to dunk!

It’s up to the NBA to salvage something that once was so great. Bill Simmons put it best. Sponsors need to step up to fund a contest with a seven-figure purse that will pit Kobe, Bron, Vince and T-Mac up against young dunkers like JRich, Desmond Mason, Fred Jones and “The People’s Champ.” Then it might be worth watching again. That being said, I’m almost positive I’ll be sitting on my couch come this time next year, bitching about the way things used to be.