Team USA 87, Australia 76

The best test Team USA would face during their exhibition schedule would come in the final game. The Aussies held them to the fewest points of any team so far playing without their star big man, Andrew Bogut, who was out with an ankle injury. The Americans shot an abysmal 16.7% from deep while Australia made 40% of their attempts from three-point range.

The Achilles' heel of USA has to be their free throw shooting, which could hurt them in the Olympics against good teams such as Spain. They shot only 60.6% from the line today and Dwight Howard alone went 0-for-6 from the free throw line.

Team USA was also turnover-prone at times especially when the backcourt group of Deron Williams, Chris Paul, and Dwyane Wade entered the game simultaneously. Two passes were thrown away and then another inbounds pass was almost picked off by the Aussies. Most of USA's 11 turnovers for the game, however, happened in their halfcourt offense. They were struggling to score because of Australia's packing their defense in the key and cutting down on USA's one-on-one isolation play opportunities, which are much harder to come by in international play than in the NBA.

For the Aussies, five players scored in double figures and all shared the scoring load, which made them tougher to defend. Their team featured a few Division I college players who were certainly not backing down to the Americans. In the second quarter, there was actually an exchanging of words that featured some pushing and shoving that broke out between some of the players. Personally, it was good for USA to experience something like that before they head to Beijing to begin Olympic play.

For Team USA, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James led the way with 22 and 16 points, respectively. LeBron also added four assists, five steals, and three blocks to his impressive stat line. Chris Paul had a game-high five assists while his teammate, Deron Williams, had zero assists and three turnovers.

As usual, USA had a few defensive lapses that gave the other team easy baskets. On one particular play, they doubled the post and left the weak side vulnerable. It was Carmelo's job to drop into the key but he decided to stay out on the perimeter and attempt to make a steal. An Aussie cut the middle, got the ball, and made a wide-open layup. Little things like that simply cannot happen if Coach K's team wishes to win gold.

I also think it was ludicrous for Carmelo and LeBron to guarantee gold and then for Wade to go out and announce that he has a gold medal tour planned already. They are just adding pressure to themselves when they really aren't so good as many people are believing and hoping they will be. If they play Spain like they did today, they will lose. Mike Krzyzewski and his coaching staff definitely have to make some adjustments such as working on their halfcourt offensive execution and their pick-and-roll defense. It wouldn't hurt to work on their defensive rotations either.

This game against Australia was another win for USA, but other teams like Greece and Spain and Argentina are watching these games and learning how to beat Team USA. It's no coincidence that their two toughest games were the two final friendlies on their exhibition schedule. As of right now, I don't see the Americans winning it all. Nevertheless, they most certainly have the potential and ability to do so.

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Team USA vs. Turkey Recap

In what appeared to be USA's first real international test, the Americans put on quite a show. The alley-oops and ferocious dunks were there as usual, but the offensive cohesiveness was something that was missing from the 2004 team. Kobe Bryant, the reigning NBA MVP, only scored nine points but dished out a game-high seven assists. LeBron James, in his first game back from an ankle injury, put up a impressive stat line of 20 points, five rebounds, and four assists.

Dwyane Wade was extremely aggressive on both the offensive and defensive ends yet a tad overaggressive at times, being called for a couple reaching fouls and an offensive foul in the lane. Nonetheless, he finished the game with 13 points and 3 assists on 6-for-9 shooting. The game ended with a final score of 114-82, the expected annihilation of the Turkish squad that was without Hedo Turkoglu (Orlando Magic) and Mehmet Okur (Utah Jazz). However, the game was much closer than the score indicated. The Turks took the lead from USA midway through the first quarter, which ended with Team USA leading by only one point.

Carmelo Anthony, arguably the best international player in the entire world as Fran Fraschilla said, scored 11 first-quarter points but only six in the remaining three periods. Akyol, a Turkish guard, finished with a game-high 22 points which included 3-for-8 shooting from deep.

From the beginning, Turkey was trying to pound the ball inside. On the defensive end, they were sending double-teams at Dwight Howard in the post. This soon ended when Carmelo went on a little scoring run of his very own, which forced Turkey to lay off Howard and focus more on Anthony. Semih Erden, the big man who was just drafted by the Boston Celtics, played very physically inside and left me somewhat impressed. With his size though, he could have been much more assertive with his rebounding.

The biggest problems I saw for Team USA were simple: team defense and rebounding. Although the Americans out-rebounded their opponents 28-25, the Turks had more than half their rebounds on the offensive end. They got a lot of second-chance points because of either bad positioning or no boxing out. At times, USA would have only one guy crashing for the rebound.

Another minor concern was the fact that Team USA was maybe having too much fun at times. Seeing Kobe at the free throw line going through his routine while he was laughing and carrying on was ridiculous and out-of-place. They should have fun but still remain focused and intense. Finally, Coach K should address some of the defensive lapses that occur. Leaving guys wide-open and being so overaggressive that a good shooter gets an open three are things that can't happen if they want to win gold.

All in all though, I was very impressed with everyone's play (even though I didn't get to see any spectacular shooting from Michael Redd) and the USA coaches should be happy with their team's performance. It wasn't easy to bring all these big-name players together but they seemed to have done it very well. I just hope they don't get too overconfident and arrogant about their play. These international teams are serious about winning gold and beating the Americans. If a team like Spain succeeds in taking us down, it's going to be a long road before USA Basketball gets back on track to win gold medals.

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Team USA, Jennings, and Some Summer Basketball

After a month-long blogging hiatus, I am back to give you the news from the sport I cover best: basketball. We have seen many players moving around this summer which has sent Baron Davis and Marcus Camby to LA, Elton Brand to Philly, and Maggette to Golden State to name only a few. However, all of these events pale in comparison to Team USA. Coach Krzyzewski's team has had more pressure put on them than ever before with some even claiming that if we fail this year, we'll never win another one.

Nonetheless, I simply cannot see our boys losing over in China. Jason Kidd and a team-oriented Kobe Bryant are the veterans on a team that has been playing and practicing together since two summers ago.

LeBron James has even gone ahead and guaranteed a win which, as most of us already know, is not always a smart thing to do in sports. If you've read my past blogs, you already know my stance on guarantees. They are extremely dumb and only put more pressure on the guarantor's team.

I would be even more skeptical of James's statement had Team USA not dominated last year at the FIBA Americas Championship, which included an impressive 91-76 victory of Argentina in the final.

The keys for Team USA will be the same as they were last summer. The main one is to play as a team out on the court and not try to do everything one-on-one. Another is to get up and down the court (the way Coach K has been preaching to them about). After all, they usually have the five most athletic players on the court. Finally, they need to play team defense and that goes for everyone, including Carmelo.

Speaking of basketball on a worldly stage, Brandon Jennings, an Arizona commit, has recently decided to forgo college all together and spend his one year out of high school playing over in Europe. Frankly, I think it's for the best. The NBA is becoming more and more European in the way they play the game of basketball which is why a year over there for Jennings can do nothing but good for him. Besides, he was going to be a one-and-done anyway.

In Las Vegas, meanwhile, rookies Jerryd Bayless and Donte Greene were busy lighting up their opponents, averaging 30 and 23 points respectively. Some other rookies that made an impact were Anthony Randolph (21 ppg, 8 rpg), Kevin Love (18 ppg, 14 rpg), and Marreese Speights (18 ppg, 10 rpg). Non-rookies, such as Quincy Douby (22 ppg) and Ramon Sessions (15 ppg, 7 apg, 5 rpg), also made an impact.

At the Orlando Pro Summer League, Michael Beasley put on a show with 28 points and 9 rebounds in his first professional basketball game. However, the man who was taken ahead of Beasley, Derrick Rose, has had a rough start. He sat out of the past two games due to injuries and has averaged 5 turnovers per game.

Also in Orlando, Russell Westbrook has had a decent summer league so far, proving the doubters wrong. For people like me though, he has just reassured us that a ROY award isn't an impossible feat next season.

After all this, you must still keep in mind that a summer league is a summer league and that great numbers in July don't translate to good number in the regular season. They provide only an inkling of what the player is capable of doing at the pro level. Besides, many of these players (especially those playing for postseason contenders) won't even get significant playing time this season.

So there you have it. That's the summer news for professional basketball right now. Be sure to tune in tomorrow night to watch Team USA take on Canada in an exhibition game. It will, hopefully, not be much of a game, but it will still be fun to watch America's best basketball team play. Here's a cool video for you:



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Poll Results: Every voter agreed that Kobe Bryant will go down in NBA history as a top ten player to ever play, but no one thinks he's good enough to be top 5.

Basketball Writing on Helium: Look-In Vol. 1

Recently, I have found a new site to write articles on. This site is Helium.com. I like it because, after posting, other members of the site rate the article and each piece of writing is ranked among others of the same topic. So every once in awhile, I will be giving a look-in to my writing on the site. This is the first of (hopefully) many.


Topic: Who would you rather have on your NBA team: LeBron James or Kobe Bryant?

My Take: I wrote this a couple weeks ago and went against the grain in arguing for Kobe. Currently, it is ranked 3rd out of the 15 articles written in favor of Bryant over LeBron.


Topic: Exciting NBA basketball players to watch

My Take: In this particular piece by me, I talked about not only the obvious choices of Chris Paul and Kobe Bryant but also those you wouldn't expect such as Gerald Wallace and Brandon Roy. As of right now, it is ranked 2nd out of the 24 written on exciting NBA players.


Topic: Should Kobe Bryant become the NBA's MVP for the 2007/2008 pro basketball season?

My Take: I said no and argued for Chris Paul to win the award. I felt as though I brought up some pretty good points. Too bad Kobe has been proving me wrong in the playoffs. My article is ranked 5th out of 8.


Topic: The most underrated NBA player

My Take: I really don't want to give it away on whom I picked so I'll let you follow the link and find out for yourself. You may be somewhat shocked though. (My finding him was shear luck.) It is ranked 3rd out of 17 right now.


Topic: The best NBA point guards

My Take: Finally, you have my newest article. I am ranked 1st...but so far I am the only one to write on that topic so don't be fooled. The top three are pretty obvious, but after that it gets a little shaken up.


There you have it. Those are my latest and greatest (yeah, right) works of writing. I hope you enjoy. Leave a comment if you'd like.

Thoughts from the Playoffs

This year's playoffs has been more exciting than in recent years. The favorites, Boston, have been struggling mightily to far inferior opponents, yet somehow have found a way to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. Kobe Bryant, on the other hand, has proven the voters right. He is the choice over Chris Paul and is playing better this postseason.

Last night, the Hornets showed their inexperience and youth quite a bit in falling to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 7 by nine points. To say CP3 had a bad series would be ridiculous. However, to say he wasn't at his best in the games following Game 2 is probably a valid assumption. In fact, in those five games, Paul averaged "only" 24 points, 10 assists, and 3 turnovers. (All of those averages would be good for any point guard in the League except him.)

A couple nights ago, Paul Pierce and LeBron James engaged in quite a scoring battle. They combined to score 46% of the points in the entire game with LeBron putting up 45 and Pierce scoring 41. Interestingly enough, this was not the story of the series. It would almost have to be Boston's inability to win on the road the entire postseason. They are 0-6 in games played outside of TD Banknorth Garden.

The home teams dominating has actually been the story of the second round. The visiting teams were an astonishing 3-22 with the only wins being the Spurs over New Orleans, Los Angeles over the Jazz, and Detroit over Orlando. Many bloggers and analysts would claim a reason as to why this is happening. The truth of the matter is I have no idea what is going on. Some of you could make a case for the fans, refs, or even the players' being more comfortable in their home gym. Whatever the reason, road wins have been remarkably hard to come by.

My predictions for the next round aren't really surprising. I think the Lakers will dethrone the defending champs in six games with Kobe's crew stealing a win in the Alamo City. With the other series, it's an extremely tough call. However, I'm going with the Pistons in seven games. They will most certainly have to win in Boston (which hasn't happened yet in the playoffs this year). At any rate, I am sorry to tell you that the hoped-and-sought-for Lakers/Celtics finals will not be. Better luck next year.

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The State of the Suns and the MVP Race

As an avid Phoenix Suns fan, I feel compelled to give you my opinion on their team in general right now. Let's just say I am deeply, and I mean deeply, dissatisfied with their front office. The Killing K's (not Killer, mind you) are hurting this franchise more than anything else. They got rid of James Jones, a remarkable shooter, to go under the cap and then basically gave away Kurt Thomas for next to nothing. Last season, those were two key reserves on a team that got within one win of the Western Conference Finals.

Now wait, it gets much better. They trade Shawn Marion, a four-time all-star and possibly their most valuable player, for Shaquille O'Neal, a past-his-prime overly-expensive center. At the time, I wasn't quite sure what to think of the trade. However, after Shaq's little playoff performance, in which he went 32-63 from the FREE THROW LINE and fouled out of two of the five games, this trade was one of the biggest mistakes made all year by any team with the exception of the Knicks.

My next problem I have with them is their drafting ability or lack of any drafting ability. Rudy Fernandez, also known as the next Manu Ginobili, was traded by the Suns to the Blazers. Luol Deng and Nate Robinson were, like Rudy, drafted by Phoenix before being traded away. What do they think they are doing? Drafts are supposed to be used for building your future. The Killing K's, however, have been trading their future away.

My final "beef" with them is their rumored decision to get rid of head coach Mike D'Antoni. This is the wrong move. D'Antoni is a great coach who helps that team very much. Yes, he made some mistakes in the series against the Spurs this year, but that doesn't mean you drop him like a bad habit. If Phoenix does decide to hire a halfcourt offense-favoring coach, they are in some serious trouble. Not only will it take the veterans of D'Antoni's system such as Nash and Stoudemire some time to adjust, but it will also weaken the talent of the team. Diaw, Barbosa, and Bell help the team because of their ability to play well in an uptempo game. With a slowed-down tempo, these players aren't so good.

To end this, Kraft and Kerr better make some good decisions fast or the fans won't be too happy. I doubt it will get anywhere near the situation that Isaiah had in New York, but it definitely will not be good for the organization. My first advice is to either keep Coach Mike or hire a coach that favors the uptempo game. Next they should draft either a defensive specialist or a shooter and KEEP HIM for years to come.

Moving on in this blogging program...the MVP race is close. Last year, Kobe's averages of 28 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists while leading his team to the #1 seed would have been enough to win the League's most coveted award. However, last year did not include the phenomenal season of third-year playmaker Chris Paul. So without further adieu, I give to you my top three Most Valuable Players of the 2007-08 NBA season.

3. LeBron James- King James is like no one else on the court. He is dominant and puts up his great numbers, but his supporting cast (or lack thereof) is holding him back from winning. At any rate, if Cleveland didn't have this guy, they would be the cellar dweller of their division behind even the Milwaukee Bucks.
Stats: 30 pts, 8 reb, 7 ast, 2 stl

2. Kobe Bryant- As I mentioned before, Kobe has put up ridiculous stats and his team is actually doing well for the first time since the Shaq and Kobe Era. So why doesn't he win? Well he could, but the competition for the award this year is as stiff as ever. My reason for his being second though is simple: he's not so valuable to his team as the person I chose to win the trophy.
Stats: 28 pts, 6 reb, 5 ast, 2 stl, 46% FG

1. Chris Paul- I believe this year's Most Valuable Player award goes to the player that is the most valuable for his team. He is the player that makes the #2-seeded Hornets go. Without him, they would be settling in mediocrity. Paul is the playmaker for his team that simply wins them games.
Stats: 21 pts, 12 ast, 4 reb, 3 stl, 49% FG

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Poll Results: After asking readers "Who was the best team to lose in the Elite Eight?", they responded with some very close results. Texas drew 40% of the votes while Davidson and Louisville received 30% each. Xavier, however, garnered no votes.

After the All-Star Break in the NBA

Yes, it's that time again. The time that only shows itself once a month. The time when I write an NBA blog telling you who the top five teams and who the top five MVP candidates in the League are. A lot has happened since mid-January though. The East beat the West in the All-Star game. Andrew Bynum was injured. About 25 players were traded, most notably Pau Gasol, Shaq, J-Kidd, and Ben Wallace. This is when it matters though. There are only 25 games or so left on the schedule and the trade deadline has come and gone. So without any further adieu...


The STRONGER Rankings

1. Los Angeles Lakers (39-17) - They have the best record in the better conference. There is no reason not to put them number one. Not to mention, they are missing Andrew Bynum. Once he comes back, I don't see anyone beating L.A. in a best-of-seven series. Gasol, Odom, and Fisher will be happy to help. Currently, the Lakers have a one-game lead over the Suns in the Pacific as they have five players average 12 points or more per game. Gasol has been averaging 22 points and 7 rebounds since he was traded, and Kobe has been just as remarkable while averaging 28 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals per contest. Just think, by the time the playoffs roll around two things will have happened. One, Pau Gasol will be very familiar with the offense and, two, Bynum will return and the starting lineup that everyone has been waiting for will finally be together. Oh, and did I mention they are riding an eight-game winning streak right now?

2. San Antonio Spurs (37-17) - The Spurs are the best team in the toughest division in the NBA. They have a nice five-game winning streak going right now and are 9-1 in their last ten games. They, too, made a decent trade by getting Kurt Thomas, a skilled low post defender. Add to that the core of San Antonio in Ginobili, Parker, Duncan, and Bowen and this team definitely has a chance at getting back to the Finals. Duncan has been his usual self with averages of 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 blocks while Manu has been the perfect 6th man anyone could ask for (21 pts, 5 reb, 5 ast). The Spurs finish off the month with two worthy opponents in Dallas and Atlanta. Their schedule in the middle of March, however, is almost like death as they have to face Denver twice, Phoenix, New Orleans, Detroit, and Boston. Good luck.

3. Houston Rockets (36-20) - How could I not put them this high? They have the League's best winning streak at twelve games and are playing fantastic ball. They sit only two games back of San Antonio, yet somehow they are in fourth place in the division. Go figure. Yao Ming has been great. He is averaging 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game. Tracy McGrady is also playing well with 22 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists per game. Bobby Jackson was acquired by Houston before the trade deadline and put up 14 points and 2 assists in only 19 minutes of playing time in his Rockets debut. The Rockets have a somewhat easy schedule until, once again, the middle of March. They face the Lakers, Celtics, Hornets, Warriors, and Suns consecutively.

4. Detroit Pistons (41-15) - The Pistons are 13-2 in their last fifteen games and have been playing great. In that span, they have defeated the Magic, Lakers, Blazers, Suns, and Nuggets to name a few. They have to play Utah tonight on the road. Their schedule in March gets tough with a stretch of games that includes San Antonio, New Orleans, Denver, and Phoenix. However, Detroit's schedule in April is a breeze. If they make it through March with only three or four losses, they could end up being the #1 seed in the East. Right now, Rip Hamilton and Chauncey Billups are averaging 18 points apiece to lead the Pistons. Antonio McDyess and Rasheed have been pulling down 9 and 7 boards per game, respectively, to lead the team. Detroit is my pick to represent the East in the Finals this year.

5. Utah Jazz (36-20) - Utah is 20-4 since they traded for Kyle Korver. He was a nice addition to a team that really didn't have a pure shooter before he came along. But they better watch out as they finish off the month with games against the Hornets and Pistons. Deron Williams has been fantastic this season with averages of 19 points, 10 assists, and 3 rebounds. However, he has been overshadowed by Chris Paul of the Hornets. Carlos Boozer is having a great season as well, but not many people are taking notice outside of Jazz fans. Averaging 22 points and 11 rebounds, Boozer is becoming a force to be reckoned with among the other big men of the West such as Duncan, Amare, Gasol, and Dirk. This team definitely has a chance at getting back to the Conference Finals, but not much further. The West is just too damn tough.


MVPs- 55 to 60 Games In

1. LeBron James - His averages are out of this world. LBJ is putting up 30 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists...PER GAME! My only concern is his spotty shooting. King James only shoots 31% from deep and 71% from the line. Is that good enough for the League's best player? Nevertheless, he is still producing. In fact, a couple nights ago he had back-to-back triple doubles. I have a feeling that this guy will be contending with the all-time triple double leaders by the end of his career.

2. Kobe Bryant - He's the best player on the best team in the NBA. Yet I still do not think this will be the year Kobe finally gets the recognition as the League's Most Valuable Player. He is averaging 28 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists, but LeBron has better averages in each of those categories. If the Lakers do end up winning the West, I can see him winning the award, but only if that happens. His shooting is better than LBJ's though as he shoots 35% from long range and 85% from the stripe. Also helping his case are the games in which he scores a whole lot and his team wins (i.e. scoring 41 in win over Suns).

3. Chris Paul - Any other year and CP3 would be first or at least second in the MVP races with averages of 21 points, 11 assists, and 4 rebounds. Not this year though. The two players ahead of him are both having remarkable seasons. Don't forget that this is only his third year though. He still has plenty of time to win the MVP award. I mean, he's still a better shooter than LeBron, but I guess that isn't saying all too much. What is most certainly not helping his case for the trophy is his team losing lately. They have a three-game losing streak going.

4. Dwight Howard - This guy is the premier big man in the game today. He is a force on both ends of the floor as he averages 22 points, 15 rebounds, and 2 and a half blocks per game. In his last three games, Dwight is averaging 29 points, 14 rebounds, and 2 blocks. He would be higher if he showed up to play every game. Orlando's coach has been saying that Howard is lazy and isn't giving his best effort for the team every night. The Magic are 24-2 in games that he has three or more blocks. If Orlando wants to do well in the postseason, this guy needs to block a lot of shots on the defensive end.

5. Kevin Garnett - I know, I know. The Boston Blowhards are going to be all over me for not having the Celtics in the top five and having KG as far back as fifth in the MVP rankings. Too bad; suck it up. It's not so impressive when he's on a team with two other all-stars. Nonetheless, he does average 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists. He is probably the biggest part of the Big Three and that is why he makes it on this list ahead of the other two. However, his production has slowed down considerably since the beginning of the season. In fact, in the month of February KG is only averaging 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists.


Okay, that will do it for this blog. I hope you enjoyed reading it. I try and mix it up a little each month with my picks. As a refresher, here were these two lists last month:

1. Lakers (New Rank: 1)
2. Mavericks (6)
3. Celtics (8)
4. Suns (7)
5. Hornets (9)

1. Kobe Bryant (New Rank: 2)
2. LeBron James (1)
3. Dwight Howard (4)
4. Chris Paul (3)
5. Kevin Garnett (5)

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The NBA...In January

Yes, this is the blog in which I'll tell you who the best of the best are in the League as well as mentioning the most MVP-worthy players of the 2007-2008 season. Anyways, there were some great finishes yesterday in the NBA. John Salmons had a game-winning runner for the Kings and Kobe had a game-winning pull-up J for the Lakers. So in the spirit of it all I found a YouTube video of Kobe Bryant Game Winners. Back to the actual premise of the blog though...


The STRONGER Rankings

1. Los Angeles Lakers (26-11) - Now I am a Suns fan but I'll admit that the Lakers are definitely for real. They're tied with my team, Phoenix, for the division lead and are riding a 7-game win streak. LA are also 9-1 in their last ten games. They haven't lost in the month of January. In those past seven wins, however, they've defeated their opponents by an average of 14.3 points including a win over New Orleans by 29. And, trust me when I say this, the Lakers are not a one-man show. Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum, Derek Fisher, and Jordan Farmar average a combined 48.2 points per game.

2. Dallas Mavericks (26-12) - The Mavs are only one game back of the Spurs as I type this and have pulled out wins in seven of their last eight games, which included wins over Atlanta and Detroit. Dirk and Josh Howard are averaging 22 and 20 points respectively; Jason Terry and Devin Harris aren't too bad either averaging 15 and 14 points apiece. A marquee matchup coming soon will be Dallas against the Lakers on January 25th. Alas, it is not on cable TV.

3. Boston Celtics (30-6) - The Celts have dropped two games in a row and three of their last four! What is up? Well, I suppose it's worth mentioning that they haven't scored more than 86 points in those four games. What bothers me even more is WHO they have suffered losses to. That would be the Wizards...twice and the Bobcats once. They should get back on their feet by the end of the week as they have both the Sixers and Knicks coming up on their schedule.

4. Phoenix Suns (26-11) - I tried to be unbiased in putting these guys fourth. The Suns are 7-3 in their last ten games. Recently, they've lost to Utah and New Orleans and have defeated Denver. This season Phoenix is 0-2 versus the #1-ranked Lakers. On the flip side, it's been a truly collective effort for this team as six players are averaging double figures in points. Back to addressing negatives though, they are being outrebounded by an average of 47-41 and that could definitely be this team's downfall come April/May/June (the playoffs are long!).

5. New Orleans Hornets (25-12) - Even if the Hornets don't get a high enough seed to get home court advantage, they'll still win. That is why this team is #5. They have the second-best road record in the NBA at 15-5 and are 8-2 in their last ten games. They don't have a particularly difficult schedule coming up either. The Blazers are the only tough foe in their next five games. After that, however, they'll have to go on the road to San Antonio for a divisional matchup.


MVPs- 35 to 40 Games In

1. Kobe Bryant - Sorry, you're probably getting tired of seeing all the Lakers atop these lists, aren't you? Yet can you possibly justify not putting him here? He's averaging 28 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists (which are all above his career averages, by the way) for the NBA's #1 team. If it matters, he shoots 86% from the line.

2. LeBron James - Does someone have any clue as to why LBJ is SEVENTH in NBA.com's Race to the MVP? I sure as hell don't. Yes, his team is only 18-17 but his team is playing well again as they've won seven of their last nine games. As for King James, he's putting up crazy-good numbers: 29 ppg, 8 rpg, 8 apg. Unless the Cavs fail to make the playoffs, he should finish in the top three of MVP voting.

3. Dwight Howard - The Magic's center is averaging a cool 23 points, 15 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 2 assists per contest. In his last three games he's scored 66 points and grabbed 45 rebounds. He's been held to less than 10 rebounds only FOUR times all season so don't expect to stop this guy from hitting the boards hard every single game.

4. Chris Paul - CP3 is playing better than any other point guard in America right now (sorry, Nash) while averaging 22 points, 10 assists, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals. He also shoots 37% from beyond the arc, 88% from the line, and 48% from the field. And did I mention the Hornets are 25-12?

5. Kevin Garnett - Anyone that lives north of New York is probably thinking to himself/herself, "What is this guy doing? Does he even watch basketball?" I got news for you: stats like his aren't as impressive when he plays in one of the weakest divisions, the weaker conference, and with two other amazing basketball players. As of today, KG is averaging 19 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. To the contrary, he's only had 15 rebounds in the last two games, both of which were against the Wizards and were losses for Boston.


In conclusion, I've realized that after reading this, 90% of people on the West Coast will absolutely love me. There's always next time though. But, to remind you, I wrote a blog similar to this one a little over a month ago and here were my lists way back when:

Rankings-
1. Spurs (New Rank: 6)
2. Suns (4)
3. Magic (9)
4. Celtics (3)
5. Hornets (5)

MVPs-
1. Dwight Howard (New Rank: 3)
2. LeBron James (2)
3. Kevin Garnett (5)
4. Allen Iverson (7)
5. Steve Nash (8)


That's all for now. Have a good week (if you can).

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Poll Result: 87% of voters deemed that the Tar Heels of North Carolina are unworthy of the top spot in the poll due to their recent play. However, 12% thought that as long as they were winning they should stay at #1.

The NBA Update

Okay, all you casual NBA fans, listen up! Now, you may have been paying attention to your favorite college football team or NFL team the past month, and you may have missed all the NBA action. So here's something to get you caught up...


The STRONGER Rankings

1. San Antonio Spurs (17-3) - Down deep, I just can't bring myself to putting an Eastern Conference team first in the power rankings. I just can't. The Spurs are very, very good this year thanks in large part to the stellar play of Manu Ginobili (21 ppg). Tony Parker (21 pts, 7 ast) and Tim Duncan (18 pts, 9 reb) have also been key contributors to San Antonio's 17-3 start. But they better watch out for the Hornets, who are nipping at their heels at the top of the Southwest Division.

2. Phoenix Suns (16-5) - Amare is healthy again and he's averaging 21 points and 9 rebounds per contest. Steve Nash is playing just the way he always plays with 18 points and 12 assists per game. But you can't forget one of the main reasons Phoenix is so good: Shawn Marion (16 pts, 11 reb). Also worthy of mentioning is Grant Hill's (16 pts, 5 reb, 4 ast) and Leandro Barbosa's (18 pts, 3 reb, 3 ast) play.

3. Orlando Magic (16-5) - Dwight Howard has been unstoppable to date and is a front runner for MVP. What was most impressive was how he shut down Kevin Garnett when the Magic defeated the Celtics not too long ago. Why are they higher than Boston? The beat the Celtics and all of their losses were to quality opponents. (#1 San Antonio and #2 Phoenix to name a few.) I mentioned Howard (24 pts, 15 reb), yet you can't dismiss what Rashard Lewis (19 pts, 5 reb, 3 ast), Hedo Turkoglu (18 pts, 6 reb, 4 ast), and Jameer Nelson (13 pts, 6 ast, 5 reb) are doing out on the court.

4. Boston Celtics (17-2) - Okay, all you Boston Blowhards can just calm down. The Celtics are 17-2 in one of, if not the, weakest divisions in all of basketball. The Big Three are no surprise. Each are averaging great numbers and are doing their part. What is surprising are the role players. Rajon Rondo (9 pts, 5 ast, 4 reb), Eddie House (8 pts, 45% from deep), and Kendrick Perkins (7 pts, 5 reb) have all helped Boston to their great start. Their Achilles' heel? Injuries. Can the older guys on the team hold up for the entire season?

5. New Orleans Hornets (14-7) - If N.O. didn't have Chris Paul they would be doomed, most likely. Paul, who's averaging 21 points, 10 assists, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals per game, is leading his troops like never before. It's quite impressive that they're playing this well in the rugged Southwest Division, too. David West has popped out of nowhere with his 18 points and 9 rebounds per contest. Peja Stojakovic (14 pts, 3 reb) and Tyson Chandler (12 pts, 11 reb) have also greatly aided the Hornets.


MVPs- 20 Games In

1. Dwight Howard - Maybe I mentioned his 24 points and 15 rebounds a game before? Oh well, I said it again. This guy is playing great right now. Against fellow USA teammate Amare Stoudemire, Dwight had 30 points, 23 rebounds, and 2 blocks in a loss to the Suns. I rest my case.

2. LeBron James - LBJ is the ONLY active player with two games of 30 points, 13 rebounds, and 13 assists. Well, in the Cavs one-point loss to Orlando, he had 39 points, 14 assists, and 13 rebounds! James has scored 40+ points three times this year so far. But, lastly, LeBron is averaging 31 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists in only his fourth year in the League.

3. Kevin Garnett - Once again, all you Boston natives probably think this is way too low for "your star". Tough luck. Yes, he's averaging 20 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists but look what he did against a good big guy in Dwight Howard: 14 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 turnovers, 7-13 on field goals. Not to mention he fouled out and didn't get to the free throw line once.

4. Allen Iverson - Guess what? AI is back. He's averaging 25 points per game and...[gasp] 8 assists to go with 3 rebounds per game. He has scored over 30 points four times this year including a 51-point effort against the Lakers. Iverson also has four double-doubles to date.

5. Steve Nash - How could I justify leaving him off? Not only is he averaging 18 points and 12 assists but also he's led his team to the #2 spot in my STRONGER Rankings. Nash is shooting 95% from the line and 46% from three-point land. Also note that he's shooting 52% from the field. In the last four games, he's dishing out 17 assists per contest.


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NBA Wing Preview

So, to follow up my NBA Point Guard Preview this is the NBA Wing Preview which will consist of the top 8 players at the shooting guard and small forward positions. A big question mark is how healthy Dwyane Wade can stay throughout the season. Anyways, without further delay...

1. Kobe Bryant - This was a tough decision putting him ahead of LeBron. He may not have the best personality but he can flat-out play the game of basketball. You can only wonder how long he can keep up his scoring averages but is projected to average 32 a game this year.
Stats: Scoring per game- 31.6
Rebounding Rating- 14.5
Foul Drawing- 14.3%
Clutch Scoring per 48 min.- 47.4
Clutch Rebounding- 15.3
Clutch Foul Drawing- 14.8%

2. LeBron James - This is the player that everyone loves and is obviously destined for greatness. However, it sure as hell ain't happening in Cleveland. But this is not about his team, it's about him. Last year, he averaged 27 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists a game, which really shows how good of an all-around game he plays.
Stats: Scoring per game- 27.3
Rebounding Rating- 17.4
Foul Drawing- 16.3%
Clutch Scoring per 48 min.- 42.4
Clutch Rebounding- 16.0
Clutch Foul Drawing- 16.9%

3. Dwyane Wade - Okay, I know this is a bit of a gamble putting him all the way up at number three but I think it could work out. Along with his 27 points a game, he produced 5 rebounds and 8 assists a game for his team. If he can bring those numbers back the rest of the League better watch out.
Stats: Scoring per game- 27.4
Rebounding Rating- 12.6
Foul Drawing- 19.4%
Clutch Scoring per 48 min.- 52.1
Clutch Rebounding- 7.7
Clutch Foul Drawing- 15.4%

4. Carmelo Anthony - He seems to keep getting better and I was thoroughly impressed with his play in the FIBA Americas. Melo's game is maturing and is turning into a perennial superstar in the League. Not only can he score, but he also is a good rebounder and his field goal percentage is up there.
Stats: Scoring per game- 29.0
Rebounding Rating- 16.1
Foul Drawing- 12.6%
Clutch Scoring per 48 min.- 38.5
Clutch Rebounding- 13.6
Clutch Foul Drawing- 18.2%

5. Tracy McGrady - The one gripe about this guy? He can't get his team far in the playoffs. You may want to recheck that because he's definitely doing his part. Last postseason, he averaged 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists. His 'Hands' Rating was higher than most point guards. This guy is a straight-up baller.
Stats: Scoring per game- 24.6
Rebounding Rating- 15.2
Foul Drawing- 12.7%
Clutch Scoring per 48 min.- 40.6
Clutch Rebounding- 15.6
Clutch Foul Drawing- 6.2%

6. Paul Pierce - His scoring average dropping this year is to be expected but everything else should go up with his new all-star teammates: Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. My only concern is if his body can hold up the entire season. He isn't getting any younger and missed 35 games due to injury last year.
Stats: Scoring per game- 25.0
Rebounding Rating- 16.7
Foul Drawing- 14.1%
Clutch Scoring per 48 min.- 40.6
Clutch Rebounding- 15.3
Clutch Foul Drawing- 15.7%

7. Luol Deng - I know many of you will disagree with my putting him this high. However, he was a complete beast in the postseason last year. He averaged 22 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 assists a game helping his team blow by the defending champion Heat in the first round. Luol is only getting better.
Stats: Scoring per game- 18.8
Rebounding Rating- 19.3
Foul Drawing- 11.4%
Clutch Scoring per 48 min.- 16.3
Clutch Rebounding- 17.1
Clutch Foul Drawing- 14.0%

8. Michael Redd - This guy can score but other than that he is quite limited. He averages 27 a game yet only averages 4 rebounds and 2 assists each night. Redd, however, did up his stock greatly in the FIBA Americas where he made 29 of 64 threes in only 199 minutes.
Stats: Scoring per game- 26.7
Rebounding Rating- 10.5
Foul Drawing- 14.0%
Clutch Scoring per 48 min.- 36.4
Clutch Rebounding- 11.2
Clutch Foul Drawing- 14.8%

There you have it. I hope you like them and you can expect the Big Man Preview to be rolling out in the next couple of days. Here's a video of our number two wing to pass the time:


Stats are courtesy of 82games.com.

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