Just Saying



Of course when you boldly predict things before the season you know you will most likely be wrong but it's nice to be right from time to time. Case in point, Andrew Bynum.

As the season began, it looked like LaMarcus Aldridge was going to run away with the Most Improved Player award, but times, they are a changing. It's hard to accept but a Laker is really improving and that is improving their chances in the West. While Andrew is averaging a very good 12.5 points and 10 boards a game, you have to look at recent times to appreciate where he is going. He keeps surpassing his career high in points and he recently did that against my Suns with 28 points and 12 boards. He had 24 and 11 against the Sixers and 17 and 11 against the Warriors. He is becoming more of a focus of the Lakers offense and there is no telling where his numbers will go. So, for the time being, at least one prediction looks safe.

Player To Watch:Austin Daye



While flipping the channels around this weekend, I happened upon a Gonzaga game up here in Washington. I've always been a fan of their hustle and the great coaching of Mark Few, so I stopped to watch for a bit. I was mostly following Matt Bouldin who looked solid last year and I was also curious to see if the Freshman Austin Daye would get some burn. Austin almost went to my Alma mater ASU and I was wondering what my Devils would be missing. I had heard that he was lighting up summer leagues in LA and after watching him for a while, I can see why. While he is SUPER skinny and has tunnel vision a bit, his fearless attitude on offense is surprising for a Freshman. He can handle at 6'9/6'10, has good range on his J, can get up and down the floor quickly, has freakishly long arms which leads to blocks and steals and he plays with fire. As you can tell, I came away impressed and I will be keeping an eye on this kid for the remainder of what may be his only year at Gonzaga.

Tis that season again! It's time to stare deeply into my crystal ball and wrongly predict another NBA campaign. Well, maybe I will get one or two right somewhere along the way. Let's begin, shall we?

Rookie Of The Year: Yi Jianlian

I would have never guessed that I would go in this direction but after looking at his preseason numbers, the fact that he will start and that he is 32 years old, I think this has become a pretty safe bet. Durant is the sexy pick here but Yi has a lot more experience and this will be extremely valuable against the crafty and stronger NBA vets.

Most Improved Player: Andrew Bynum

Who will win the award for having better stats due to actually getting playing time this year? I think Bynum is that guy. He came into the league at a SUPER young age and has shown flashes of brilliance along the way. Now, with some real playing time, he should start to put up great numbers along the line of Andris Biedrins last year. Someone like Ronnie Brewer may step up as well but my money is on Bynum for now.

Defensive Player of the Year: Bruce Bowen

Year after year I keep predicting the sexy candidate but Bowen is always a safe bet to finish in the top three. As long as the NBA keeps letting the guy use every old school tactic in the book, he will be a tough defender. He's the old man at the park that holds, grabs and gets in your head and before you know it, completely shuts you down. I tip my cap to the guy for being able to do this for so many years and chances are, his name will be called at the end of this year for the first time. Can you believe the guy has never won the award??

6th Man of the Year: Leandro Barbosa

Historically speaking, the 6th Man award changes hands almost every year. But, Leandro is a perfect bench player ala Bobby Jackson or Vinnie Johnson. He comes into the game hot and can just dominate offensively. Coach Mike loves this guy and he will get every opportunity to win this award again.

MVP:KG

I think this year will be the celebration of KG. The guy has been dominating the league for years on teams that had less than stellar talent. Now, in a lesser conference and with real talent alongside him, he will shine. The wins will come and on a national level, people will see his amazing all around game. I've always been a big fan of his effort and game and his reward will come this year in the form of an MVP trophy.


Coach Of The Year: Rick Adelman

The Rockets are the sexy pick this year which makes me not want to do this but I can just see the team playing well under a more open offense that Adelman will implement. He's been through the wars with the Blazers and the Kings and there is no reason to think that a team with Yao, Tmac and other solid player like Wells and Scola can't provide great success as well.

Finals: Spurs and Celtics

Every year I try to predict this and every year as of late, I pick the Suns to get here. This year, I am going against conventional wisdom with the hope that things go in the opposite direction. That being said, this Finals match up just makes sense. The Spurs just continue to get it done and the only thing that can stop them is themselves and maybe the Mavs if they get lucky. As for the Celtics, I don't see much competition beyond the young Bulls. It would be a thing of beauty to watch KG get to the Finals and just play his heart out every night. In the end though, no three players are better than the entire sum of a quality team. Spurs in 6 and it will be hard to see the pain in true champions like KG, Pierce and Allen's eyes when it all comes to an end.

Birthday Wishes!



On the eve of my 27th birthday, I have many wishes for the upcoming basketball seasons in both college and the NBA. Let's take a peak into my fantasy land...

I'm wishing that a team steps up and represents college hoops as well as the Florida Gators did. While people can grow tired of seeing repeat champions, you have to respect a team that hustles, plays defense and plays with an overall passion. The team that could fill this role in the upcoming year is UCLA.

I also wish for a player to capture the nations consciousness like Kevin Durant did last year. While I'm a bit down on the character of players like OJ Mayo and Michael Beasley, they have the type of talent to get viewers to tune in.

I wish for an NBA champion to be decided by the play on the court rather than politics or bad officiating. I don't want to see a player rewarded free throws because of star status or a team punished because of another team's actions. There should be a clear champion and no doubt in anyone's mind.

I wish people in the United States would love basketball as much as myself. While I enjoy football, baseball and many other sports, I'm tired of basketball continually being third fiddle. I'm happy to see the rest of the world coming along for the ride and I hope in time that Sportscenter will lead off with basketball highlights instead of a discussion about the Giants and Falcons during the fall.

I wish NBA players would stop thinking about dollar signs and endorsement deals so the game could be played in an unselfish manner and so the negative perception of the NBA as a whole would disappear. Casual fans only see the Kobe's and Carmelo's instead of Steve Nash, Dwayne Wade, Tim Duncan and many other great ambassadors for the game.

I wish the NBA would call traveling consistently... Seriously, just one time.

I wish an NBA trade that is rumored would happen at least one time. I don't know if I can handle another Shawn Marion for any player in the league scenario.

Finally, I just wish for a good season with some parody and good games played well and good health to all those involved. Get well Greg Oden!

Player to Watch





Every year the Suns have a shot at a lottery pick, I obsess about those first thirteen picks. Who will go where? What do the Suns need? Somewhere along the way I find a player I am insanely intrigued by like Sergio Rodriguez or Shaun Livingston in the past. This year, that man, er, teenager, is Serge Ibaka. Apparently, I can only like players that have names that begin with "Serg"..

I watched the video above after reading about this kid via NBADRAFT.NET and Draftexpress and I've been fascinated ever since. Keep in mind that he is seventeen,(21 in Mutombo years), and 6'10. Look at his speed from end to end, his touch with his jumper, his insane leaping ability and best of all, hustle and fire on the boards or as a weak-side defender.

He is firing up draft boards across the net and it won't be long before Chad Ford has a blog declaring Serge the next Reign Man or Amare Stoudemire. I don't know what he will become and a lot of this will be on him to continue to work on his game and learn how to properly utilize his obvious gifts. Being that he plays in Spain, at least the coaching and competition should help prepare him for just that. Keep your eye on this kid because I wouldn't be shocked to hear his name called in the late lottery, hopefully by the Suns, on draft night.

Tis the offseason and the trade rumors and speculation continually fly around to keep bored basketball geeks like myself preoccupied. I normally scoff at most because they are simply rumors but there are some trades that come around from time to time that actually make sense. I saw one today and after reflecting on it and hearing peoples reactions, I have several thoughts.







VS.






I think the general reaction to a trade by most fans from what I have seen is usually looked at from both a homer and perception level. What I mean by this is that when there is a deal involving your team, especially a good player on your team, almost no trades are good enough due to someone being a homer and also the stigma that surrounds that player. This stigma is what gets people into the All-Star game every year despite the fact that someone else played better. For Suns fans, Shawn is a consecutive All-Star while AK47 is a crier that had a down season last year. To truly analyze a trade though, you need to break the players down from their salary to their personality to fully understand if the trade is either good or bad. Let's look at Shawn and Andrei.


Offense:

Both players are fast and explosive and excel on the break and slashing to the basket. Neither of them really has a J to speak of but Shawn hits from the line at a pretty good clip. Andrei is the better ball handler and passer while Shawn struggles to create his own shot for himself and others. This is close to a wash but I give the slight edge to..


Winner

AK47

Defense:

Both of these players can be a nightmare on D due to their length and athleticism. Andrei isn't far behind Shawn in steals but the Matrix is consistently in the top five in this category. As far as blocks, AK47 may be the best weak-side shot blocker in the game. The game is the living embodiment of Mr. Fantastic and he does a fantastic job off the ball anticipating. I've always felt Shawn is overrated in man-to-man defense but he is quicker laterally and does a little better job with perimeter coverage. This is really tough but when healthy, AK47 is a defensive player of the year candidate.

Winner

AK47


Rebounding:

This is a contest that Andrei can't win. Shawn is one of the best rebounding small forwards in the history of the NBA and his quick leaping ability makes him a terror on the glass.

Winner

The Matrix


Health:

This is another no contest as of right now. While Shawn has more years and minutes on his 29 year old body, Andrei has been more injury prone thus far in his career. Shawn is truly an iron man but at 26, Andrei could greatly improve this perception of him.

Winner


The Matrix


Salary:

Shawn is the more expensive player right now and he is coming up on an extension in his contract. While he may feel that he is still worth maximum dollars, his playoff performances and lack of growth in his game offer a different visual. AK47 is a little bit cheaper and if he can put up comparable numbers to two years ago, is worth the money due to the difference he makes on the defensive side of the ball.

Winner

AK47


Chemistry:

Before this past season, I had not heard a peep about Kirilenko. He seemed like a tough player that just played hard every night. With his lack of minutes and move from the four to the three, the frustration grew and there was an obvious rift between he and Sloan. Shawn has supposedly had issues with being third fiddle on the Suns for years and has openly questioned whether or not he would be appreciated elsewhere. In both cases, there is obvious tension between these players and their teams.

Winner:

Tie




Looking at all these scenarios, it's apparent that when healthy, Andrei Kirilenko provides better defense and offense while Shawn is a better rebounder and is more durable. The Suns have a reliable player but they have glaring holes on their interior with a lack of shot blocking and there are also those whispers about chemistry problems. In the end, I would take the risk on Kirilenko and play him at the four again and watch the numbers pile up while he runs beside Steve Nash. People are too easily forgotten and at 26, there is still a lot of potential for AK47 to find.

The Scandal!

While most people are acting as if they just found out soylent green is people over this whole scandal, I'm actually excited for what I feel will be sweeping changes. In a move that shouldn't be that shocking, being that sports and gambling go hand in hand, Tim Donaghy made the league have to self reflect and hopefully create a league that is officiated in an even manner. The league can deny that things are called evenly now but anyone that watches the game consistently or even casually knows that stars get calls in order to keep them on the court which gives people their monies worth and that home teams get calls so the fans remain relatively happy. I understand that people will always have a bias due to personal opinion but it would be nice to watch a game and just see it called down the middle. Some people will always see issues with officiating due to their own bias and it being subjective but people seem to respect the way the college game or even the high school game is called. This will help get people beyond the conspiract theories and then they can focus on the overall lack of fundamentals instead. Well, that's a whole other story for another day.

Some draft thoughts






I needed a day to regain my composure after the Suns sold away another first round draft pick in order to save money. I understand wanting to keep a team intact and keep your payroll down but why would you trade away a player you could simply stash in Europe for another year? The Spurs have ridden the stash a player routine for years and I don't know why more teams don't do it. It helps your payroll in the now and eventually you have a seasoned player that can come over and play immediately. They did it again this year with Tiago Splitter and I have a feeling I will be cursing at the screen at him in the near future. Seriously though, it is more jealousy than hate. Can you says Patriots of the NBA? And breathe... On to the rest of my draft thoughts.

1)I will be person number 1000000000000 to say that Portland is doing a nice job. While it is hard to say if every young prospect pans out, they have enough around that a few could be very good. I really like their nucleus and I would be surprised if they weren't in the playoffs next year.

2)I can't stand it when players make demands on where they want to go. People were fearing that Yi wouldn't play in Milwaukee and my only response is, who is this guy? I understand that he has a lot of potential and I've studied his game a bit but what ever happened to feeling honored to just get a shot in the NBA? I didn't like it when Steve Francis, a great player at Maryland, demanded a trade from Vancouver. I really don't like it when a player from a very weak Asian league acts as if he can't play in a place that doesn't fit his exact needs.

3)Speaking of Yi, does anyone find it odd that the Sonics passed on a guy that could have been HUGE in the Asian community of Seattle. I know it may be a bit redundant with Durant but so is Green and Lewis. I'm thinking more and more that the Sonics simply have no desire to stay in this city which is a shame.

4)Atlanta really missed the boat on Conley. I really like Horford but I'm beginning to see a reoccurring theme with the Hawks. They just keep drafting players that play a similar position until one pans out. Law could be a solid pro but he will not distribute enough to their athletic wings and it will cause an offense that should be breaking to bog down.

5)Brandon Wright could be great in Golden State. Nellie is great at working with young players and finding their strengths and he could find a great role in the Warriors break neck offense with Wright. He's a little ways off due to his body and maturity but in a year or two, he could be a steal considering they gave up a player that they really didn't want to begin with in Richardson.

6)As you've seen before, I'm a big Noah fan. Skiles will love that kid and he should be able to fill the role that Ben Wallace will have difficulty doing soon in the rebounding and weak-side help department.

7)While I may bag on the Suns at the beginning of this post, I can't bag on their pick of Alando Tucker so much any more. I wasn't pumped about it initially due to the anger coming from dealing the 24th pick but I really like what he brings to the table. Every year a great college player like him slips due to a lack of something but people tend to lose the fact that he was GREAT for a very good program at Wisconsin, has great athleticism and is a high quality person to boot. Dudley was picked earlier under similar circumstances and I have a feeling if Alando had attended the predraft camp as well, he would have probably gone in that spot. People value upside and think within the box a bit too much. The game is evolving and traditional viewpoints don't always hold true.

8)I really like Byars and I can't believe that Portland got both him and McRoberts in the second round. Josh was a number one recruit at one point and sometimes people can be better pros than college players. That front line of Oden, Aldridge, Frye and him looks pretty imposing.

I will not grade teams because noone knows for certain how any of these picks will pan out. Some players that were supposed to be great will fail and players that were supposedly doomed turn out to be great. This draft did have a lot of potential thought and in the coming years, this draft as well as 2003 will probably be the drafts that define the next ten years of basketball.

Sweatin' To the Combines


Every year, like a moth to a flame, I eagerly await the results from the predraft camp. I like to see who can jump out of the gym, who's actually four inches shorter than their college listed height and who can't bench 185 pounds. I'm interested in this but I don't think teams should take much stock in this beyond height, weight and wingspan. Those stats could help dictate a position for a player and could either hinder or help them. The NBA is full of dynamic athletes but on the court statistics are what teams should really focus on. People who think Durant's stock should slip due to this are crazy just like anyone that passed on Josh Howard because they wanted potential rather than results. This all goes back to my post about Joakim earlier and I'm afraid someone will take Yi, who could be very solid, over a player that has a much slimmer chance of failing. I get excited about potential as well but how many teams do we need in the league like Atlanta or Boston that are full of potential and nothing else?

The King of Television



While I may not agree with a lot of what the NBA is doing currently, it is hard for me to not support a league that displays my favorite sport. I'm not about individual play and I prefer basketball that showcases the team over any one player but Lebron James will save the NBA this year. Every game he steps up and builds upon his legend, the league gets more and more fans to tune in. Another Finals with defensive oriented teams like the Spurs and Pistons could be devastating for the league. While I appreciate the coaching of the Spurs a more casual fan just might as well take a Tylenol PM instead. If the Cavs move on, I would be surprised if they beat the Spurs but then again, I thought the Pistons would roll right over them as well. Enjoy the show and the NBA needed this right now just like Magic and Bird in the early 80's and MJ in the early 90's.

Oden and Durant bad for the NBA?






Don't be intimidated by my photo shopping ability. In case you couldn't tell, those are horns and that is in direct retaliation to the fire and brimstone being spewed by NBA analysts from the East coast.

I understand that everyone has a bias in some way shape or form. It come come up due to location, religion, race, gender, etc. But, I am somewhat surprised to the reaction of two great players coming to the Pacific Northwest. I understand that the East is weak and that these players could help the right side of the coast out but top picks don't guarantee anything. Drafting is always a crap shoot and who knows how good these kids will turn out. Rather than point a finger at bad coaching and management, people will continue to bring up luck amongst other excuses.

My take you ask? I say be happy we might bring more attention to the sport we love. I also say be happy that basketball in Seattle might be saved. The NBA just needs to make sure to get these kids on TV for the East coasters of the world and make sure they market them as much as possible along with their other young stars. Also East Coasters, stop referring to Seattle as an afterthought in terms of big markets. I seem to recall a lot of people enjoying the exploits of the reign man and the glove not too long ago.

Save the Sonics!



Being born and raised in Phoenix, the only real tie I have to the Sonics is on a rivalry basis. I always respected their teams and I grew up as a great fan of Gary Payton. I remember running around on the basketball court at ten with my bright green GP jersey on. I have recently moved to the Seattle area and the future of the team is uncertain. I can't imagine my Suns potentially moving to Oklahoma City after I've spent years cheering my heart out for them in the good times and the bad. There is hope now that it looks like Kevin Durant will be playing here and if management is smart and can work a deal for Rashard Lewis, things could be looking up very quickly. People in the area are fighting for their Sonics and I know I want to watch NBA on a yearly basis and I feel all of their pain. So, I think everyone that cares about the NBA or basketball needs to go to Save our Sonics and let their voices be known. I understand the state's perspective on potentially overtaxing people due to the numerous arenas in recent years but they need to think about the history involved here with the most successful team in Seattle sports history.

Joakim Noah Under the Spotlight




While I will have some interest in the remainder of the postseason, I would be lying if I said that it was still very interesting considering the fact that the Suns have been eliminated. The horror!!

I'm better now...

Well, my mind has drifted off to draft land once again and if lady luck is with the Suns, they can land an upper tier lottery pick. Then again, the Hawks could end up with a top three pick and the Suns disappointment will just keep on rolling. Besides my pessimism, I've been trying to figure out the best fit for the Suns. I've looked at everyone from Yi Jianlian to Corey Brewer. One thing keeps coming up in studying the draft that somewhat irks me is the consensus on Joakim Noah right now.

By all accounts, had Joakim Noah declared last year for the draft, he would have been the first pick. He was the MVP of the tournament last year and scouts were declaring him either a taller Andrei Kirilenko, Tyson Chandler with a higher bball IQ or Marcus Camby with better distribution skills. Defying all logic at the time, Joakim returned to school to take another run at history. While he did the admirable thing, of course all this brought upon himself was a much brighter spotlight.

All scouts have pointed out is his lack of a jumpshot, his narrow shoulders that don't look like they could hold much more weight, his lack of a post game, etc. Where they see a lack of growth, they are not seeing what they have loved about him all along. He plays with incredible fire and is a vocal leader. He attacks the glass, runs the floor like a deer,plays great defense, handles the ball well and can distribute. His game will expand more and more once he gets out of the Florida system. He was lucky enough to play with some amazing talents but now his game can flourish and expand. Chad Ford and Jonathon Givony have reported how hard he is working out in California right now and the weight and jumpshot shouldn't be far behind with his fire.

My main point of contention with this is that he is being, and I am copyrighting this term, Leinarted. This also may have to become Quinned. Matt Leinart was passed on by team after team after he returned to USC for his senior year. Suddenly he was too slow and his arm wasn't strong enough. Teams like Oakland passed on him even though they needed a quarterback. Yes I know this is a football analogy but it is what comes to mind. All I am saying is that teams are overthinking everything with Joakim right now. How often do athletic seven footers that play their ass off every night come along? To top it off he is a leader and has a lot of charisma. I, for one, would love the Suns to get him and I think that any team that gets him will be lucky to have him.

Commissioner for a Day

All of this talk about rules and suspensions and then listening to David Stern made me realize that the NBA needs a change. While the league is making money annually, many fans are still being turned off by many things. If I were somehow handed the reigns for one day, how would I handle this? I've thought about this long and hard and here are my thoughts.

1) Clean Up the Officiating

While the NBA can continue to say they have the best officials in the world, we as fans know that is not correct. While we may have a bias towards our team, anybody that watches the games consistently will tell you that the only thing that is consistent about officiating in today's NBA is the inconsistency. It may be drastic but the NBA should rid itself of all the officials that have been working for an extended period of time. They are jaded by the game and the money and new blood needs to be implemented. I say look to the NBDL, College and Europe for officials. I tell them to call the game down the middle and to not think about how famous a certain player is. Also, I understand the playoffs are more intense so they should let them play but anything that is over the line means automatic ejection, (cough,cough, Bruce Bowen). Here are some other rules within the game that I would change:

A) Flopping should be an offense. We don't want the league to go all futbol on us. I say if you flop once, you get a warning. If you do it again, it is a technical and the other team gets a foul shot.

B) A travel is a travel. I understand you can't call them all but it would be nice to see the league not allow players to dance all over the floor. These guys have been playing forever and should understand that three or four steps or picking up your pivot foot is not allowed.

C) The bench fight rule should still remain but it should be clarified. If players leave the bench and touch anyone or get in anyone's face, they are suspended one game. As coach Mike and Bill Simmons stated, it is human nature to want to be there for your friends and teammates.

D) Complaining should be allowed to a point. It is fine to be emotional but not after every call that goes against you. Also, superstars should not be devoid of T's just due to their status.

2) Hire all new Advertising and PR people for the league. While the league continues to pump out video of the game in the 50's accompanied by music from 1985, it just makes me feel they have no idea who their demographic is. The league is full of young and hip people that should be put to the forefront of everything. Allow their personalities to shine and allow them to wear what they want on the sidelines. Highlight them in commercials and create new video packages with modern players and updated music. We should never forget our past but we need to highlight what is good about the present and future as well.

3) Change the arena environment. I'm fine with the big introductions but I'm tired of the dancers and the music being played during the game. I want to hear the crowd "ooo" and "ahh" and I want to hear them boo the enemy and cheer on the home team. You go to a game to let loose and scream, not to be told when to cheer and to have to yell over Guns N Roses.

This is all I can think of right now that really bothers me about the game. I love basketball but I feel that the NBA allows politics and money to get in front of the essence of the game. It's time to get the corrupt feel out of everything and to allow the fans to really know the players and have a more enjoyable game experience.

Catching Up With Bad Predictions!

Awards are being passed out in the NBA just about every day right now and I thought it would be a good time to look back at my predictions and see how things turned out.

Rookie of the Year Prediction: Adam Morrison

Rookie of the Year Winner: Brandon Roy

Morrison seemed like a safe pick at the beginning of the season because the Bobcats needed someone to market and someone that could score. Unfortunately, neither has been the case thus far for Ammo.

Roy was supposed to be the safest pick in the draft and he looks more and more like it every day. He is poised and versatile and you can't have enough players like that in the modern NBA.


MIP Prediction: Josh Smith

MIP Winner: Monta Ellis

While Josh had a good year and showed those flashes of brilliance at the end of the year, Monta was a surprise to almost everyone. He brought that Allen Iverson type little man scoring to the table nightly. He should only continue to improve in Nellie's uptempo style.


Defensive Player of the Year Prediction: AK47

Defensive Player of the Year: Marcus Camby

I picked one often injured player to win while another won. It's sad that AK isn't getting minutes at the four where he could flourish as a weak-side defender. Hopefully he ends up on a team where he can because Boozer is the man in Utah from here on out.

As for Marcus, I'm happy that he was healthy for a year and was able to showcase his immense shot blocking ability.


Coach of the Year Prediction: Brian Hill

Coach of the Year Winner: Sam Mitchell

The Magic made the playoffs but underachieved and Brian may be on the way out. Sam looked like he was on the way out but ended up having a great year. There is still the perception out there he isn't a great coach and I know Iavaroni is high on their wish list. How crazy would it be to see a coach of the year in the D league the year after?

6th Man of the Year Prediction: Leandro Barbosa

6th Man of the Year Winner: Leandro Barbosa


It's been a pleasure to watch Leandro grow into a star over the years and I'm so happy that he achieved this award. I only hope he can give the Spurs troubles like he did to most of the league.


As for MVP and the Finals, it looks like it may be Dirk but it has not been announced yet and the Suns are alive but we all know the Heat aren't going back. So, it looks like I ended up with one right! YES! I'll be back with more playoff and award chatter later.

Dem Florida Boyz!!

I'm not going to toot my horn by mentioning that I picked Florida but I thought I would mention it at least. In modern basketball, it's hard to pick a team to repeat due to great players turning pro early and just the amount of teams and the fact that you can be eliminated by playing one poor game. This Florida team however, is different. They are loaded with NBA talent and the thing that is really special about this team is that these players play with all their heart. People always complain that the special players or NBA players are spoiled brats that only play for money. While I see people hating on Florida consistenly, I simply can't understand it. Appreciate these extrememly talented players that are good people and play the game for the purity of it. This team will go down in history as one of the best ever within the NCAA and I have no problem saying that I enjoyed every moment of the ride.

Oh, the madness of March!

I'm not going to sit down and break down every game in every bracket because, like most people, I haven't had the time to scout VCU or Oral Roberts at length. If anything, I thought I could suggest who I think will be in the Final Four and who I think will be king of the hill.

The Final Four


VS.



This would be an interesting matchup a year after the fact. These are two very different teams. UCLA is a very controlled team that plays grind it out basketball and fantastic defense. Florida is an uptempo team that kills you on the interior with their bigs and on the exterior with kick outs to their guards. Guard play is huge in college basketball and will get UCLA far but I don't see them getting past a team so much larger than themselves.



VS.



I know this is the sexy pick but it is hard to ignore all the NBA level talent on both these teams. Due to their inexperience though, I could see this being a sloppy game full of a lot of nerves. In the end though, I don't think Oden can contain both Hansbrough and Wright. OSU is used to being the bigger team but they will struggle to contain their bigs as well as their guards on kickouts.

The Final!




VS.



This will be a great matchup between two teams full of NBA talent. This will be an up and down game with a lot of scoring and highlight reel plays. In the end though, the experience amongst Brewer, Noah, Horford and Green will be too much for the young Tar Heels. It will be a close one but with the way the Gators have hit the switch again, the title will be in their hands once again. After all is said and done, we can only hope for this...



I'll give my impressions on the actual tournament and how I was probably completely wrong in the next couple of weeks. Enjoy the Madness!

Who is the best young point guard in all the land??


Being a person who admires the point guard position more than any other in basketball, I love all the hype and discussion going on in college basketball right now. It really is a toss up depending on what you look for in a lead guard but it is fun to look at and dissect D.J. Augustin, Mike Conley, Javaris Crittenton and Darren Collison. While some discussion focuses on who is the best within college basketball, I'm looking at them as NBA prospects for this piece. Let's begin, shall we?

Our competitors:



Javaris Crittenton 6'5 200 lbs

I read somewhere earlier in the year that compared Javaris to Steve Francis and after watching him a few times, I would have to agree with that. While he displays more heart, his intangibles are very similar. He is a big lead guard that has freakish athleticism. He is at his best slashing and attacking the rim. He has a good handle and shows pretty good court vision. He also rebounds well due to his size and leaping ability.

While many may not agree, I don't like his skill set. While he does give the ball up, he isn't a true pass first point guard. He is a scoring guard that will put up good numbers in the pros and the thought of him potentially becoming an all-star isn't out of the question. But, he would fit in better with a slower tempo team that runs more half court sets with isolations.




Darren Collison 6'1 165 lbs

The thing that I think about when I watch Darren is poise. He has obviously had good coaching in the past and Howland is fantastic at getting his players to play both properly and hard. I guess those go hand in hand. Darren knows when to push, when to slow it down, when to shoot and when to pass. A lot of this is coaching but a lot of this is something that just resides within a player. He is a flash in the open court and you can thank his Olympic parents with their super duper DNA. His stroke is solid and I can only see it improving. To top all this off, he's a great on the ball defender that is a terror in the passing lanes.

Really, the only knock on Darren is going to be size. Teams all want giant point guards and when a point guard is a traditional size, he will be labeled as undersized. He will never be a giant both in height or in bulk but I wouldn't be shocked if he ended up being at about 175 lbs before it is all said and done.



D.J. Augustin 5'11 175 lbs

The thing I like most about D.J. is his ability to take over a game with his scoring when he needs to and then just simply distribute when he needs to. While Collison understands this, he can't score at the rate that D.J. can. He can shoot it from inside, mid-range and deep. His passing is top notch and he may have the best vision in college hoops outside of Jordan at Marist. He's a strong kid both mentally and physically. You can tell he's been in the Texas weight training program and he survived the disaster of Katrina with his family.

The knocks and D.J. are going to go back to size. He is probably 5'10 and people will question if he will constantly be posted up in the pros and if he'll be able to get his shot off. He is a bit turnover prone but I don't harp on that too much because he's trying to make the right play. Also, he needs to learn to stay within himself and not get too out of control. Really, the thing to remember here is that he is just a kid. Most of these things only come with experience.



Mike Conley Jr. 6'1 180lbs

Mike is another pass first point guard that shows great poise. He is very unselfish and always looks for his teammates before he ever thinks about shooting. But, as he showed against Wisconsin, knows when it is time score. He is a great on the ball defender and is actually probably the best defender amongst this group, which is saying a lot. He is also the son of a former Olympic athlete and is blessed with terrific athleticism and strength.

The biggest knocks on Mike are going to be his height and his jump shot. He doesn't possess the scoring ability of Javaris or D.J. . This can always improve but his array of floaters and mid-range game are probably always going to be his bread and butter.

Now I'm sure you're asking, well, who do you really like as the best pro? Honestly, that's a really tough question. All of these guys have great strengths and a few weaknesses like anybody. Right now though, before the tournament, I'm leaning towards D.J. Outside of Javaris, all of these guys will be labeled as undersized. While Mike and Darren play great defense and are fantastic point guards in their own right, D.J. has tremendous vision and a great ability to score. He is a great competitor that should be able to be a pretty good defender before it is all said and done. Then again, this all may change after March. We're lucky to be in an era where the pass first point guard is coming back and we've got so many people carrying the torch.

Note: I understand that Ty Lawson is very talented and is in the same mold as Raymond Felton but I wanted to dissect players that are currently being discussed in draft circles. Don't sweat it Tar Heel fans...

And down goes Livingston...

I feel your pain Clippers fans. I watched Amare Stoudemire, one of the most awe inspiring athletes I've ever seen be reduced to a moderate athlete that struggled to get his jump shot off against Jason Collins. Then again, I've watched him slowly get better and better. It's been a joy to watch this humbling experience transform him from cocky young player to confident leader.

The thing to keep in mind is that Shaun had a terrible injury but not the dreaded microfracture surgery. He's very young and in an elite class of point guards that jumped straight to the pros from highschool. He will only continue to get stronger and that jumper will slowly start to fall. His ability is too great to simply not have something special within himself. Just continue to be patient and pray the Clippers retain him. If they don't, an uptempo team will fully utilize his abilities at some point and then what the Clip show sees in practice every day will be on full display for the world. Keep your head up Shaun...

UPDATE...

Upon further testing, Shaun has tears within the ACL, MCL and PCL. On top of this, he suffered a patella dislocation. The initial word is that he is out eight to twelve months. In a game that requires such hard cuts, I would look for him on the later side of things. He has a long road back but this will say a lot about his patient, maturity and desire over the next year. I for one hope it makes him stronger.

"You know, I hate gay people, so I let it be known," Hardaway said. "I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people. I am homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in the world or in the United States."

When I heard this comment that Tim Hardaway made about John Amaechi today I could and couldn't believe it. You feel that we are becoming a forward thinking society that has a little more social consciousness about themselves. Then again, this is a slow process. While many African Americans are finally being treated equally, there are still many people that live in a time within themselves that can't tolerate something of that nature. While I understand one represents a people as a whole and another represents sexuality, regardless, they represent stereotypes and hate. Homosexuals within sports are thrown within a very damning atmosphere themselves.

Playing sports, you see a very macho community. It is full of testosterone and stories like Wilt's sleeping with 20,000 women is a perfect example of this. I can see why John would feel like an outcast even among friends. People don't need to fully agree with his lifestyle on a religious or moral level, but they should be able to understand that he is simply a teammate and not some sexual maniac that lusts for every man that walks. Hopefully this will put an idea out there that many athletes have either known about or thought about and open up some discussion. People also need to recognize that all athletes aren't like Tim and have a more open mind as well.

You can't surf the web for fifteen seconds without coming across some article that discusses whether or not Kevin Durant or Greg Oden should be the first pick in the draft. This really depends on whom is drafting and also the age of that person. By saying that, I mean that traditional, more old school thinking would suggest Oden is a no brainer. While people that are inspired by systems like those of the Suns would think that Durant could be a force of nature. I thought I could give my two cents on the subject and give the tale of the tape.




Kevin Durant: 6'9, 217 pounds, 11' wingspan

This kid is the living, breathing version of Mr. Fantastic. His arms go for days and when you combine that with his height and athletic ability, he can't be stopped on his jumper and could eventually be a terror on weak-side help defense. It is simply unreal to see someone his height crossing people over on the perimeter and then pulling up for a twenty-three foot three pointer. What is also rare for someone his age is his ability to post up. His basketball IQ is high and this is reflected in his ability to make the right decision and not loose his poise. In otherwords, he is a match up nightmare for any team he plays against because he is a shooting guard in a power forwards body.

Defensively, Durant is starting to show his weak-side help potential. He had a five steal game against Iowa State and has also had a few games with five blocks. While this is improving, his perimeter defense and post defense in one on one situations is where he is lacking. While he plays like a two guard, he can't move his feet quickly enough to keep other traditional two guards or even threes in front of him. While Kevin has put on weight, he still has a lot of room to grow and you can see this if a big boy gets him down low. He doesn't have the strength in his lower body to keep anyone from getting deep position on him in the paint. All of this can be improved upon with maturity and weight work as well as desire.


Greg Oden: 7'0 255lbs

I think the photo of Greg above was taken in 1967. Sorry, I was the only person that discusses bball that hadn't made an Oden age joke yet. I feel better now. Where's the peach basket?

Greg is the true definition of a traditional center. He is very much in the mold of centers of old like Bill Russell, Patrick Ewing (circa G Town), Alonzo Mourning, etc. I say this because his main task on every given night is to patrol the lane and that means blocking shots and cleaning the glass. He won't put on a dribbling display, a passing clinic or even show fifteen foot range on his J. He is a dirt worker that many, many NBA teams covet because they feel that defense wins championships. This leads to where I am on these two.

Being in Phoenix in recent years, you can't help but see the focus of the NBA shifting to athleticism and fast pace offense. I've seen time and time again where bigger centers struggle with high octane offense. Honestly, had the Mavs not choked in the Finals last year, Durant may be more of the consensus right now. While I agree that defense is important, Kevin has a chance to create an entire new position along the lines of shooting forward. Imagine a 6'10, 235 lb shooting guard that can do everything that someone like TMac can except he doesn't have a bad back or an on and off attitude. While I may eat my words down the road, Durant is the new breed of NBA player and I know teams like Phoenix and Dallas would covet him and see his vast potential. Oden may end up being the next Zo but I don't see enough in him offensively and from a hunger standpoint that I would pick him over Durant.

The Suns and Mavs, the Mavs and Suns. The regular season is just a prequel to the playoffs but that still doesn't stop debate. While Dallas and Phoenix continue to roll off wins and winning streaks, the debate over which team is better is being discussed heavily. There is a lot of back and forth and in all reality, until a series is played, it is very subjective. I thought I would take a crack at it after both discussing and hearing both sides of the equation on slamonline.com.

Now, the perception among both teams is that the Suns are the high octane team that leads the league in all scoring categories. The Mavs can score but there is also the feel among the general public that they also play great defense now under Avery Johnson. The Suns can score and the Mavs are better defensively but that also doesn't mean that Phoenix isn't playing any defense either. John Hollinger always discusses pace factor when discussing offense and also the effect that has on the defense in turn.

Avery has slowed the Mavs down offensively and created a team predicated on isolations more than anything else. These isolations center around Dirk but Jason Terry and Josh Howard do very well in this set. The Mavs are long and athletic and disruptive on defense. This centers around Josh Howard, Devin Harris and Erik Dampier. They are all great weak-side defenders but I don't really see anyone on the team that is a stopper ala a Trenton Hassell. The Mavs also have a solid bench when Jerry Stackhouse is healthy. If he is injured, which he is often, the likes of Devean "kick out" George likely don't strike fear in anyone's heart.

The Suns are run and gun all the way but this also does not mean they can't play in the half court. With Amare back, along with Boris and Steve, the team is more than capable of creating in a playoff type atmosphere. Most people view Raja Bell as the true defensive player on the Suns but he has actually been struggling this year. Shawn has been great as a weak-side defender as always and has played very well as an on the ball defender considering he is matched up against any player at almost any time. Kurt remains one of the best low post defenders in the league and Amare has become a great weak-side defender. That's right, Amare. The bench isn't extremely deep but goes eight deep with the 6th man of the year thus far Barbosa and a greatly improving James Jones.

The way I see it, the Mavs are the same strong team they were last year that is built in more of a traditional playoff style. They play the half court game on offense and try to make things as difficult as possible on offense. The Suns still play uptempo but with several key additions back, can easily slide into a half court system. The defense is right there with Dallas and the real key to victory in a seven game series relies on Amare's knees. I believe Nash will be healthy but if Amare can even play at the same level he is at now, will be a force getting rebounds, blocking shots and getting to the free throw line. People can't credit him being back enough. Without him, the Mavs are the clear cut champs but otherwise, I like the Suns and feel they turn the corner this year. Time will tell...

We're getting deeper into the season and the pretenders that looked like contenders look like pretenders again and the contenders that looked like pretenders are back to looking like contenders. Of course most basketball journalists are discussing mid-season awards as well as All-Star selections all over the place. Once again Steve Nash's name is either at the top or right next to it in all MVP discussions. Once again though, people seemingly undervalue him and throw out wild accusations like he is only getting the award because he's white. I thought in this post I could provide a little clarity on what I've been lucky enough to see over the course of the last two and a half years.

In an age where the score first point guard has become the standard, players like Nash have been a revelation. It's a thing of beauty to watch a true point guard orchestrate the tempo of a game. Mike D'Antoni has a great system in place but Steve truly is the engine that is the driving force behind it. Players simply have to get out on the break and find an opening and they know that they have a great chance of seeing the ball. Steve has proven this time and time again with teams that he's led leading the league in scoring for five consecutive years.

The thing that truly seperates him from other point guards in the league currently and many on the all-time greats list, is his ability to score. While Nash is an outstanding passer, he has a knack for knowing when to pick up the scoring slack. To see a point guard shoot for over 50% from the floor, 40% from the three point line and 90% from the free throw line, is simply amazing. He kills other teams with the long range game, the mid-range game, floaters, left and right handed layups and a variety of other moves. He's currently at 20 points per game but he could easily average 25 if he wanted.

So when people complain that other players are better choices for the MVP award, remember that we are seeing one of the all-time best point guards leading one of the all-time best offenses. Detractors can point to the fact that he doesn't play defense, which is more due to a lack of lateral quickness than effort. He's outstanding in so many other areas and every great player had a flaw. People who point to race are simply grasping at straws. Watch him play for just a couple of consecutive games and tell me Steve Nash doesn't play the game the right way.