Above the Rim: NBA Season Preview

The NBA season kicks off with the Cavaliers and the Celtics tomorrow night in a rematch of the 2008 Eastern Conference Finals (the Magic derailed the Celtics to ruin another matchup in the 2009 Conference Finals). This year’s offseason was fairly quiet with a lot of movement early and an unusual lack of off the court drama.

The contenders in the East and the West got richer this year without any teams making moves to join their ranks (the Pistons picking up Ben Gordon and Charlie Villaneuva should be enough to get them into the playoffs, but they will lose in the first round).

• The Cavaliers picked up Shaquille O’Neal early in the offseason to start the movement. While many seem to think that Shaq won’t perform at a high level, I think they are underestimating the Big Aristotle. He was an all-star last year in Phoenix averaging 17.8 points and 8.4 rebounds and Cleveland will be able to keep him fresh with Zydrunas Ilgauskas backing him up at center. Also, even if Shaq does not match his numbers from last year and settles around 14 points and 7 rebounds, it is still a large improvement over what the Cavs got from Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic last season. The Cavaliers then added Anthony Parker and Jamario Moon to increase their depth and athleticism at the shooting guard, small forward, and power forward positions. The Cavs are also expecting former Celtic Leon Powe back by the all-star break after off-season knee surgery.


• The Celtics also improved by adding Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels to their bench and, currently, are healthy after losing Kevin Garnett down the stretch. I think Wallace will be an effective pickup, but will not match his 12 points and 7.4 rebounds from last season with less looks on offense. I have always liked Daniels and he has proven he can be effective off the bench.


• The Orlando Magic had surprisingly high turnover on their roster after winning the Eastern Conference last season. The net result: Hedo Turkoglu, Rafer Alston, and Courtney Lee are all gone after contributing to the Magic’s run in the playoffs and are replaced by Vince Carter, Brandon Bass, and Ryan Anderson. I feel the Magic are worse off for the changes. Their bench is weaker with Mickael Pietrus stepping into the starting lineup at small forward because there isn’t an explosive player on the bench to replace him. Bass will help at the power forward and Anderson can shoot, but neither can match how effective Pietrus was. Lee was poised to break out this season and should have a good year in New Jersey where he will get more looks on offense. Carter is good, but he is getting older and has peaked. Swapping him for Turkoglu in the starting lineup also eliminates the matchup problems that a 6’11” point forward like Turkoglu created. His flexibility was a big reason why the Magic were able to knock off the Cavs last year. With a more traditional offense, the Magic lose that advantage and will struggle with both the Cavs and Celtics.


• The Lakers were the champions and then swapped Trevor Ariza, a potential star, for Ron Artest, an established star who I thought deserved top finish in the top 5 for MVP last season. The Lakers may also get something from Adam Morrison off the bench this season after getting him from Charlotte last season. After getting Shannon Brown from the Cavs, Brown developed into a nice role player within a season, and Morrison could be on track to follow in his footsteps.

Off-court drama in the NBA this off-season that could carry over into the regular season.

• How is the Stephen Jackson situation in Golden State going to unfold? After signing an extension, Jackson wants out for New York, Cleveland, or a team in Texas. The Cavs don’t have the pieces to make it happen and New York wants to maintain cap room for the 2010 free agent class. So where will Jackson end up…


• Toronto? The rumor a few weeks ago was a trade that would send Jackson to the Raptors for Chris Bosh. Bosh is a free agent in 2010 and is probably on his way back to the states. Toronto may try to cut its losses and get something back for Bosh if they are not in contention. However, the Raptors picked up Turkoglu this off-season and should be able to make the playoffs. Also, if they trade Bosh for Jackson, their leading rebounder from last season would be Andrea Bargnani, a 7 footer who plays more like a shooting guard instead of a post player, with only 5.3 rebounds per game. I look for Bosh to stay put in Toronto until at least the all-star break when the front office will have to evaluate how the season is going.


• Delonte West in Cleveland broke the silence of the off-season when he was arrested outside of Washington D.C. with pistols on his ankle and in his waistband, and a shotgun in a guitar case on his back. West left the team last year in training camp to get help with depression and bi-polar disorder. Supposedly, he was off his medication at the time of the arrest and is back on it now. Based on last season, West should be ok once the season gets started; he seems to cope better when he is around the other Cavs as he had his best season last year. However, the Cavs will probably have to play without him for a while as he will probably get suspended for a few games for his arrest.

Where is LeBron going?

• This story has been relatively quiet during the off-season as the economy will probably lower the salary cap next season restricting the number of teams that can offer him a full contract, or offer LeBron and another player max contracts. While the New York media, especially the New York Post, likes to write articles about why LeBron is coming to the Knicks, the rest of the country seems to think that LeBron will be back in Cleveland with an extension after the season. While I think that is probably what will happen, I still expect a steady stream of articles about LeBron leaving every time the Cavs play the Knicks or the Nets.

So what do we have to look forward to this season?

• LeBron James will win his second straight MVP award. His scoring may dip a bit as he shares the ball with Shaq and the other newcomers, but his rebounds and assists could jump as he plays off the ball a little more. I expect his assists to go up especially with Shaq in the post and Parker, whom coach Mike Brown said was the best shooter he has seen since Reggie Miller, on the wing. The Cavs were a 66 win team last season and improved, so they should be the top team in the East again which will help James in the MVP vote. Dark horse- Brandon Roy will lead the Blazers to the second best record in the West and will become one of the league’s elite players.


• Blake Griffin will run away with the Rookie of the Year. Last year’s best college player will get plenty of opportunities to produce for the dysfunctional Clippers and should average close to 15 points and 8 rebounds. A double-double average is an outside possibility as well. Second round surprises- Pitt Panthers Dajuan Blair and Sam Young were both productive and fundamentally sound players in college that will produce in the NBA this season. Blair will be a force in the post off the bench for the Spurs and Young should get looks for the Grizzlies at multiple positions.


• The Cavaliers and Celtics will play a classic series to decide the Eastern Conference championship for the second time in three years. This series will probably come down to who has home court advantage, but the Cavaliers are younger overall and have a little more depth on the bench and will be able to avoid and overcome injuries better than the Celtics. The series will go to seven games, but the Cavs should make their second appearance in the NBA Finals in four years where they will play …


• The LA Lakers. The Lakers are head and shoulders above every team in the West. It is kind of like when Larry Bird asked the other 3-point shooters who was going to finish second behind him at the 3-point shootout; there are talented teams out West, but this race is basically already decided. The only team I expect to give the Lakers trouble are the emerging Blazers. They played LA tough in the playoffs last season and should improve with another year of experience. I expect the Blazers to take the Lakers to six or seven games in the Western Conference Finals.


• In the NBA Finals, the NBA will finally have its Kobe-LeBron matchup. While the Lakers have the experience and may be the better team on paper, this series is too close to call. I would probably give the Lakers a 60-40 advantage today (which kills me as a Clevelander), but this series could go either way if LeBron or Kobe gets hot or if Shaq gets an adrenaline boost from playing against Kobe again.

Kobe vs. Lebron: The Black Mamba vs. The Chosen One

[Editor's Note: As we put the finishing touches on another exciting NBA season (and another Lakers title), SportsJudge intern Bradley Parker wrote today's Sunday Feature debating whether Kobe Bryant or Lebron James is the best player in the NBA.]

To politicians, the term “Great Debate” often refers to a close presidential election in which both candidates possess great leadership, responsibility and a knack for demonstrating their personal strengths. This year, for NBA aficionados, the basketball terminology for “The Great Debate” can be translated into two names: Kobe Bryant and Lebron James. Both of these supernatural athletes share many similarities as well as their own individual style of play. They both share an insatiable will not only to be the best, but to win. Over the past few months, the NBA received a record number of viewers tuning in from all over the globe to watch these two basketball phenoms entertain to the fullest and dazzle us with their uncanny brand of basketball. Much like presidents, Kobe and Lebron are both positive leaders who will do all in their power to make their teammates (republican/democratic parties) better and win an NBA championship (election). But individually, who takes the crown? Who is most dominant ? Which one is the cream of the crop? Who is the overall better player? Kobe Bryant or Lebron James?

Kobe ~ The Facts: Back in 1996, with the 13th pick in the NBA draft, the Charlotte Hornets drafted a young Kobe Bryant straight out of high school. This draft included other big names such as Allen Iverson, Steve Nash, Ray Allen and Stephon Marbury, all of whom played college ball for top schools. Kobe was traded on draft night to the L.A. Lakers, a team with a history known all too well as being very successful over the years. There was not much hype about this 18 year-old skinny kid from Italy, but the name Bryant was a familiar one in the NBA because Kobe’s father Joe had played for the Philadelphia 76ers back in the 70’s. Kobe started off slow in the pros, only averaging 7.6 ppg and starting only 6 games. He had earned himself a reputation as a high-flyer by winning the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest in dramatic style. During the 2000-01 season, Kobe not only averaged a miraculous 28.5 points per game, but also led the Los Angeles Lakers to a Championship alongside star center Shaquille O’Neal. Kobe and Shaq would go on to win two more championships in consecutive years. The 2005-06 season came around and in a regular season game in January, Kobe left his audience in awe as he lit up the Toronto Raptors for 81 points, the second highest single-game total ever. He went on to average a personal best 35.4 ppg for that entire season.

Kobe ~ More Facts: Flash forward to present-day 2009. At the age of 30, many would agree that Kobe Bryant has hit his peak years or prime if you will. He has evolved from a pompous, self-minded offensive-oriented player into a multi-dimensional charismatic floor general whose unselfishness has distinguished him as the ultimate team player. He can shoot long and short, pass, drive and rebound and at the same time he utilizes the triangle offense and gets his teammates involved more than ever. But everyone knows who will have the ball in their hands when the clock starts to wind down, and the funny thing is, there is nothing anyone in the arena can do about it. As his career has shown, clutch jumpers are his specialty. And you can always count on Kobe at the charity stripe to knock down that game-winning free-throw. The best way to stop him is to find out what car he is driving to the game and fill the engine with sugar. Unless that is done, once he enters the building and the game commences, the opposition is at his mercy. Lakers Assistant Coach and one time teammate of Kobe, Brian Shaw said, “I have to say Kobe is the best. He’s been there before and no one can stop him. He’s the greatest one-on-one player I have ever seen.” In this year's Western Conference Finals, Kobe steamrolled his team past the heavily favored Denver Nuggets and into the NBA Finals for the second year in a row. There, they faced the Orlando Magic, a team who had the ability to knock down the three-ball at will and also go inside to their own bright star, Dwight Howard. After squeaking out a Game 2 win, The Lakers went on to steamroll the Magic in 5 gams and Kobe showed the basketball world that he can actually win a title without Shaquille O’Neal and reign victorious over the rest of the league.

Lebron ~ The Facts: The 2002-03 Cleveland Cavaliers finished with the third-worst record in franchise history amassing 17 wins and an embarrassing 65 losses. At the same time just a few miles from the Cavs’ Gund Arena, a young talent named Lebron James was creating quite a stir. As a 4-time varsity starter at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, James’ senior year saw his team playing a national schedule in cities such as Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Trenton and Greensboro N.C. Lebron even got a chance to play on national television as his Fighting Irish took an Oak Hill Academy team featuring its own bright star and future NBA prospect, Carmelo Anthony. James finished his senior year averaging 31.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 3.4 steals on the season earning him a spot on the All-USA First Team for the third time, and was selected as Mr. Basketball of Ohio for the third year in a row. He was quickly becoming regarded as a future NBA superstar and when the Cavs landed the #1 spot in the draft, there was no hesitation on who they would chose. The hype was tremendous, but the 18-year-old Rookie of the Year stayed humble as he took the court day in and day out and the Cavs finished the 2003-04 season with a 35-47 record just missing the playoffs. They improved by 18 wins from last season’s bitter play and it was clear that the Cavs would soon become a threat in the East.

Lebron ~ More Facts: Five years and many triple-doubles later, Lebron James is looked at by many as the best player in the world. A never-before-seen combination of power and speed, Lebron has the skill of a Kobe Bryant, size of a Karl Malone, and the basketball IQ of a Magic Johnson all rolled up into one...The “Chosen One.” Now take all of that ability and speed it up a little. Add some finesse to that Malone fade-away jumper, a little gusto to that Kobe drive, and an extra no-look pass for Magic’s sake and you are left with...The Future. As an opposing player, you know when you see number 23 walk over to the scorers table before a game and throw that powder in the air, things are about to get dangerous. And at 24 years of age, Lebron’s will to make his teammates better displays his maturity and unselfishness, qualities that only the great ones possess. “Lebron is the best offensive package I have ever seen,” stated former Washington Wizards Head Coach Eddie Jordan. “How can you be one of the fastest and strongest players in the league and then handle the ball like a point guard?” Lebron is also known for his tendency to create “and-ones” on a regular-game basis. He has the gifted ability to control his 6-foot 8-inch, 265-pound frame especially when confronted by a defender on a fast-break. Rarely will he commit an offensive foul because of his knack for contorting his body to avoid the defender and staying in the air long enough to get a shot off, plus the harm. That’s what makes him special. He has an arsenal of weapons and at times seems indestructible.

Lebron ~ Even More Facts: Lebron has also turned the Cavs into a major threat in the Eastern Conference leading his team to the 2006-07 Finals only to be swept in 4 games by the San Antonio Spurs. “Coming into that year, it was all about making the playoffs,” James says. “That was the main goal and to make it to the Finals was a bonus. This year, our team’s main goal is to win the championship.” Unfortunately, James will have to wait another year as a result of being knocked out of the playoffs by a surprising Orlando Magic team. But don’t feel too bad for him. This year was anything but disappointing. Lebron’s 2008-2009 campaign included winning the prestigious MVP award to go along with his first career game-winning buzzer beater vs. the Warriors, a 55-point outburst against the Bucks, a 52 point, 11 assist, and 9 rebound outing vs. the Knicks and a 27-foot 3-point buzzer-beater to beat the Magic in game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The shot is already drawing comparisons to the “Jordan over Ehlo foul-line shot.” “That shot was the biggest in my career as well as the biggest in Cavaliers history,” James said after the game.


Author’s Opinion: LEBRON JAMES! It’s a tough question to answer because Kobe is past his prime and Lebron hasn’t reached his pinnacle yet. But I believe that Lebron James is the better player of the two and my reasons are as follows: As history has shown, every NBA championship-winning team has had more than one superstar on their team. For example, dating back to the 60’s, the Boston Celtics had guys like Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, and John “Hondo” Havlicek. In the 70’s the Knicks had an assortment of stars such as Earl Monroe, Walt Frazier, Willis Reed and Bill Bradley. And in the 80’s and 90’s, the Lakers and Bulls had Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy and Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. Even more current teams such as the Detroit Pistons had leaders like Chauncey Billiups, Richard Hamilton, and Ben Wallace all helping to contribute to a ring.

It is of no coincidence that when Kobe won those 3 straight titles from 2000-02, he received lots of help from the “Big Aristotle” himself, Shaquille O’Neal. Since Shaq has departed from L.A. in 2004, the Lakers have made it to the NBA Finals twice, losing twice to Detroit in ‘04 and Boston in ’08. Many would debate that Kobe has 3 rings and if Lebron James is better, then where are Lebron’s rings? My answer to that insensitive individual would be, “give the guy a chance.” “He’s 24 years old for crying out loud.” “Provide LBJ with a Shaq-like presence on his team and then we’ll see who has more rings at the end of their respected careers.”

It seems as though every lone superstar (Kobe) needs a “sidekick” or “partner in crime” if you will to get over the hump and reign victorious. Now look at the Cavs. The team is made up of mostly young, inexperienced guys surrounding Lebron James. When the savior himself came to Cleveland in 2003, it’s almost like all the pressure was on his shoulders. He would have to take his team to the Promised Land. Well Lebron ignored the media and doubters and for an 18-year-old straight out of high school, that’s a huge responsibility and shows great confidence and maturity. As a result, he led his team to a major turnaround, making the playoffs five out of the last six years since he’s been in Cleveland. He even led the Cavs to the Finals in 2006.

Now flashback to Kobe’s first few years in the league. From 1996-1999, Kobe didn’t even start. His numbers were much lower than Lebron’s were his first four years. Lebron led his team further in his first few years than Kobe did even without a superstar at his side like a Shaq. If James keeps on excelling at this rate, I think he will be the best to ever live. When asked who is better right now, Kenny Smith of NBA on TNT summed it up by saying, “Lebron is definitely better. He has squeezed every ounce out of Cleveland.”

Also, Lebron’s overall game is much more diverse than Kobe’s. Kobe is a great player, don’t get me wrong, and I do believe that he's a better perimeter shooter than James. But Lebron can do a lot of everything. He has a plethora of tricks up his sleeve that he can go to when the time calls. Even his defense has taken major leaps and bounds over his short career. Lebron still has many things to work on though, to take his game up a notch like his inconsistent jump shot which would improve if he stops fading away as often as he does. Another challenge, according to HOOP magazine, is to become a more consistent defender and eliminate the tendency to revert to one-on-one basketball when patterns break down momentarily. If Lebron just works on some minor tune-ups over the next couple of years and comes back mentally and physically better, he will be virtually unstoppable.

So who is truly the better all-around basketball player? Valid arguments for both Lebron James and Kobe Bryant can prove that either one is the best. Whether it’s Kobe’s leadership and experience winning 3 titles back-back-back years or Lebron’s never-before-seen talent combined with his strength, smarts and quickness, one thing is certain. The future of the NBA is in great hands and at only 30 and 24 years of age, it is scary to imagine that both of these supernatural athletes can only get better. Like the Nike T-shirts read, “We are all Witnesses.” We are witnessing the dawn of a new era. One in which a revolutionary young basketball phenom is just showing signs of what the future holds in store for basketball fans. I personally can’t wait until next year when Lebron gets another shot at the title. Until then, as with any SportsJudge article, I encourage you to weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section. What do you think, who really is better?

Above the Rim: NBA Finals Recap

With the Lakers 5-game defeat of the Magic in the NBA Finals, some long-standing questions have been answered. Kobe Bryant has won a title without Shaquille O'Neal and Phil Jackson has won the 10th title (passing Red Auerbach) that has eluded him since Shaq left LA.

Kobe was himself in this series, one of the best clutch players in the NBA, on his way to winning Finals MVP. Kobe averaged over 32 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists while hitting an array of shots in the series. There was little to find fault with in Kobe's game as the only real blemish in the series was his 7 turnovers in game 2, which the Lakers overcame to win in overtime.

Derek Fisher appeared to find his game just in time to snatch a victory away from the Magic in game 4 by hitting a three with 4.6 seconds left to send the game into overtime and then another to help the Lakers pull away in overtime. Overall, the Finals were Fisher's best series of the playoffs as he averaged 11 points per game and provided defense and veteran leadership.

The play of Pau Gasol, Trevor Ariza, and Lamar Odom, while not overwhelming, was more than enough support for Kobe to enable the Lakers to dominate this series. Gasol was quietly dominate, shooting at least 50% in every game (60% for the series) while averaging 18 points and 9 rebounds including 3 double-doubles. Ariza didn't shoot very well in the series but provided scoring, rebounding, and defense throughout the series to help the Lakers contain the Magic's potentially explosive offense. Odom scored 13 points per game off the bench and provided 2 double-doubles while getting the bulk of the playing time over Andrew Bynum. So much for the sugar crash that was publicized on ESPN for a week leading up to the series.

Jackson's contribution to the series may be overlooked amid all the storylines about Kobe, Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson's return, and Fisher's jumper. Jackson's defensive strategy contained a Magic team that repeatedly came back from large deficits against the Cavs in the conference finals. The Magic shot over 33.3% from three-point range just once in the series (35.7% in a game 3 win) after shooting over 40% for the majority of the conference finals. This decrease provided the margin of victory in games 2 and 4, and possibly game 5. If Jackson's strategy did not address this aspect of the Magic's offense, this series could have been a 5-game Magic victory.

Also important to the Lakers victory is the job they did defensively on Dwight Howard. While Howard had a double-double in all five games and just missed a triple-double by one block in game 4, the Lakers held him below his scoring average and forced him into numerous turnovers. Howard scored 20 points just once in the series and was held to 12 and 11 in games 1 and 5, respectively. Also, Howard had 7 turnovers in both games 2 and 4 (both close losses), and his missed free throws late in the fourth quarter of game 4 gave Fisher the opportunity to tie the game with his late three-pointer.

Overall, the Magic were not consistent enough to defeat the Lakers. Rafer Alston was invisible in LA before finding his shot in game 3 in Orlando. Rashard Lewis played well in games 2 and 3, but shot below 30% for the rest of the series. Hedo Turkoglu played well, but with the rest of the team being held below their scoring averages, it wasn't enough. Jameer Nelson's return to the court appeared to have more of an emotional impact then anything, and Mickael Pietrus, like Alston, disappeared for two games. For a team like the Magic to win, they need to hit their perimeter shots, and when they go cold, like they did for most of the Finals, they are very beatable. Howard could not overcome the Lakers' bigs and the hot streaks disappeared enabling the Lakers to a relatively easy Finals victory.

SportsJudge.com PTI: Best Basketball Player Commercials

With Nike pushing shoes this playoff season with muppet versions of LeBron and Kobe, we were wondering where those commercials rank with some of the other commercials featuring basketball players in the past 20 years.

Adam

1) Michael Jordan and Larry Bird, McDonalds

This commercial was the standard for all commercials for a while, not just commercials featuring athletes. With two world class basketball players in a funny contest to decide who gets the Big Mac, it is still memorable. “Off the scoreboard, through the rafters, nothing but net.” Everyone was reciting those lines back in 1993. I remember playing basketball with my friends for a few years after that and we would always say nothing but net before shooting the ball. Jordan had many memorable (and a few forgettable commercials; like the Ballpark hotdog commercials), but his compilation with Larry Bird was his best, narrowly beating out his Nike commercial with Spike Lee (“It’s gotta be the shoes.”)

2) Gheorghe Muresan, Snickers

Muresan was one of the most entertaining pitchmen during the mid to late 90s while he was with the Washington Bullets. In addition to two hilarious Snickers commercials, he also had a classic SportsCenter commercial that featured him dancing in the office. The Snickers commercial that I think was his best was a “promotion” for a youth basketball camp that focused on Muresan trying to make a half-court shot with one hand and his back to the basket while saying “Score one for the kids” while a bunch of campers sat around watching him. As Muresan misses more and more attempts, the kids start laughing, prompting the gentle giant to yell at them. Of course, the commercial ended with Snickers tag, “Hungry, why wait?” as a cameraman began chewing on a Snickers. This commercial was much better than Snickers’ current ad featuring an overweight Patrick “Chewing” dunking on an eight foot rim, complete with boring dialogue. Twelve years ago with this Muresan commercial and another one where the 7’7” Romanian is pitching his own brand of cologne, Snickers had the marketing people to leave an impression.

3) Grant Hill, Sprite

Back when Grant Hill was a future Hall-of Famer and not an injury-prone role player, Sprite tabbed him to be their main pitchman. This commercial, featuring Hill dunking on a playground court combined humor with the perceived athletic boost that Sprite gave Grant Hill. The anti-“Be Like Mike” commercial, this Sprite ad was more about how the product would not make you better, but just tasted good. After watching Hill drink a Sprite and do a 360 dunk, the youth drains his Sprite can with a long-range jumper but front-rims the dunk and falls on his back. The look on his face was priceless, and the line “Grant Hill drinks Sprite” was another quote heard up and down the elementary school halls. Sprite ended the commercial with “Image is Nothing, Thirst is Everything” and their standard “Obey Your Thirst.” The ad was clever because it poked fun at the other ads of the day trying to get people to buy the product because of how cool the people pitching them were (like Jordan and Bird for McDonald’s or Jordan for Nike). Ironically, in their effort to show consumers that their product was good because it was good and not because some celebrity was using it, they still featured one of the best basketball players at the time in the commercials.

4) Anfernee Hardaway and Lil' Penny (Chris Rock), Nike

Another commercial featuring a superstar whose career was derailed by injuries, the Anfernee Hardaway-Lil' Penny commercials replaced a dunking youth with a miniature marionette of the Magic point guard. This commercial was at the height of Hardaway’s career with the Magic in the NBA Finals and Blue Chips, Nike thrust Hardaway and his precursor to Austin Powers’s Mini-me into the spotlight even more by constantly airing these commercials. Not only was this another oft-quoted advertising campaign, but Lil' Penny became a celebrity of his own, like the Kool-Aid man. Lil' Penny posters and even an action figure (available on eBay for $15 if you buy it now) were available to help Nike sell more shoes. Sadly, Lil' Penny faded with Big Penny’s career, but we still have memories of the trash-talking marionette. Chris Rock was the voice of Lil' Penny, only making the commercial better.

5) Charles Barkley, Old Spice

Before Old Spice began using LL Cool J and Brian Urlacher to show how Old Spice helped them overcome their pained pasts, their main pitchman was Charles Barkley. Casting the boorish power forward as a civilized archaeologist, among other different roles, Sir Charles showed how the deodorant could bring class to anyone, something that Old Spice is still attempting to do (“Behold, the Sword of Urlacher”). The ads not only were memorable and funny, they were enough of a pop-culture reference to be pitched in Major League 2 by Charlie Sheen’s Ricky Vaughn. Just remember, “Old Spice. Anything else would be uncivilized.”

Chris

For the most part, I agree with Adam's list. The Nothin' But Net Commercials were the best by far. I wish they would bring those back and have some more crazy shots with MJ and Bird competing for a BigMac. However, I think the Lil' Penny commercials were hilarious and deserve a higher rank. I would put Lil' Penny 2nd and the Muresan Snickers commercial third. Chris Rock is funny no matter what he is doing, but especially when he is the voice of a miniature puppet who awkwardly walks around. I rank the Grant Hill Sprite commercials are 4th and I agree that Barkley pitching Old Spice should round out the list.

Adam

The Worst of the Worst: Charles Barkley and Dwayne Wade, T-Mobile

T-Mobile probably figured that combining a legend with a big mouth and a current superstar would be advertising gold, and it was for a little while. But these commercials were never that great to begin with, certainly not enough to warrant the two to three year run they are experiencing. While one or two of the early ones were funny before Chuck let Dwayne into his “5,” they are now tired and monotonous. And doesn’t anyone wonder how the roles switched 180 degrees? Initially, Wade was trying desperately to get into Charles’s “5,” but now Charles has become obsessed with Wade. Initially this was a clever and funny ad (think Barkley calling Wade’s phone as Wade putts) but the campaign has peaked and should be discontinued.

Chris

Commercial I want to See: Bob Knight in a Chair Throwing Competition

The marketing potential of Bobby Knight is through the roof. If I were making a commercial, I would use the legend's temper tantrums. The commercial would feature Knight throwing a chair at the beginning of the commercial on the basketball court like he famously did when he coached for the Hoosiers. Then, Knight would be in a bunch of different scenes throwing chairs. For instance, he would be on a boat looking out to sea where his buddy is drowning after falling overboard. Knight could throw a chair out to his pal to save his life. I think a commercial that uses Knight's famous blow-ups would be hilarious.

Above the Rim: NBA Finals Preview

Kobe Bryant will lead the Lakers against Superman Dwight Howard and the Magic in the NBA Finals. While the Magic won both regular season matchups, the Lakers will win this matchup for the championship, cementing Kobe’s legacy with his fourth championship and first without Shaquille O’Neal. Kobe’s detractors will finally have to give him his due and Phil Jackson will finally have his tenth title.

Conference Finals
Eastern- Magic in 6 (my pick- Cavaliers in 5)
Western- Lakers in 6 (my pick- Nuggets in 7)

If the Lakers play smart defensively by not double-teaming Dwight Howard down low, they should win this series easily. However, if they insist on double-teaming Howard, the Magic will make them pay by converting wide-open three-pointers, much like they did in defeating Cleveland. The Magic shot over 40% in three of their four wins in the series. The only time they didn’t shot 40%, they hit 39 of 51 free throws to make up for the lack of three pointers. The Lakers should focus on shutting down Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu, Rafer Alson, and Mickael Pietrus instead of Dwight Howard. If Howard scores 40 points, but the Magic only hit 5 or 6 three pointers, the Lakers will win the game. However, if the Magic can combine a 25-30 point game from Howard with 10 three pointers, the Lakers may lose this series.

Point Guard- Derek Fisher vs. Rafer Alston
Fisher hasn’t had the best playoffs offensively, but he is a veteran with finals experience which will help the Lakers in this series. Alston is a offensive, shooting point guard who had 18 point and 26 point games against the Cavs in games 3 and 4 of the conference finals. Fisher has scored in the double figures in only 3 of his last 13 games, but he is a savvy veteran and will make Alston work.
Advantage- Lakers

Shooting Guard- Kobe Bryant vs. Courtney Lee
Courtney Lee has hit some big shots for the Magic and has played well, but he is out of his league both offensively and defensively against Kobe. Lee has hit double figures just twice since his sinus injury while Kobe has scored under 20 just three times this postseason (and has scored 40+ three times). Kobe can take over a game, and Lee does not have the defensive skills to cover Kobe. Defensively Kobe will shut Lee down and shouldn’t have to exert himself too much to do so. This will allow Kobe to stay fresher during games and be more of a force offensively. At times against the Nuggets, Kobe looked tired and the Lakers needed Pau Gasol to carry the offensive load. This round, Kobe should be able to stay refreshed and take over when he has to.
Advantage- Lakers

Small Forward- Trevor Ariza vs. Hedo Turkoglu
Ariza is a shut down defender that has come on in the playoffs. He has sealed numerous games with his defense so far and provides enough offense to punish teams for not paying attention to him defensively. Turkoglu is a good player, but highly inconsistent. He can both score and pass, but has limited agility and could struggle with someone like Ariza guarding him. In the conference finals, Turkoglu struggled when LeBron, another lengthy, agile defender, was guarding him, so expect more of the same with Ariza matched up on Hedo.
Advantage- Lakers

Power Forward- Lamar Odom vs. Rashard Lewis
While Odom may not start for the Lakers, he is going to see the majority of minutes at the 4 because he presents the best matchup defensively on Lewis, a quick, athletic power forward with 3-point shooting range. Odom has the quickness and size to matchup on Lewis, something the Cavs lacked when LeBron was on Turkoglu. The Lakers have a better mix of athletic big men than the Cavs and should be able to matchup better defensively. Odom may also be able to score fairly routinely against Lewis as neither player is known for their defensive prowess. If Odom can score 2 points for every 3 points Lewis scores, the Lakers have to feel like that is a win because Kobe will make that up against Lee.
Advantage- Magic

Center- Pau Gasol vs. Dwight Howard
While the Lakers will play Andrew Bynum here at times, Gasol will get most of the minutes. Howard is going to play like a monster in the post, grabbing rebounds, blocking shots, and dunking. To neutralize his effect on the game, the Lakers should concentrate on keeping him off the offensive glass where a lot of his points come from put backs and to drive at him to get him in foul trouble. When the Cavs were effective against Orlando, it was when they were able to minimize Howard’s minutes and aggressiveness by getting him into foul trouble. Howard is going to score 20+ points and grab 12-15 rebounds and that should be ok with the Lakers. Howard scoring 30+ per game shouldn’t be a big deal unless the Magic shooters are hitting a lot of three-pointers. Gasol should also have a good series as his range will force Howard to step out of the paint defensively. Gasol is one of the most skilled big men in the league, and while he can’t match Howard’s strength or athleticism, his passing and shooting ability will be able to counter Howard’s effect.
Advantage- Magic

Bench- Lakers vs. Mickael Pietrus
The only bench player that really matters for Orlando is sniper Pietrus. He outscored Cleveland’s bench by himself in the conference finals, but the Lakers bench is deeper and more effective than the Cavs. Andrew Bynum, Shannon Brown, Jordan Farmar, Luke Walton, and Sasha Vujacic all give the Lakers quality minutes and offense off the bench. Not only should they be able to match Pietrus’s scoring off the bench, but they will be able to keep the Lakers’ starters fresh while Pietrus will only be able to give Turkoglu, Alston, and Lee breathers. The Lakers have Walton and Bynum down low to spell Gasol and Odom, while the Magic only have Marcin Gortat and Tony Battie to play in the post. Walton and Bynum both have a wide advantage offensively over Gortat and Battie, and Walton has the agility to defend either Lewis or Turkoglu on the perimeter. Vujacic and Brown are both offensive powder kegs that can score in bunched if they get hit, much like Pietrus. Overall, the Lakers have more impact players off the bench and should win this battle.
Advantage- Lakers

The Lakers have the advantage at both guard positions and off the bench, while the Magic own an advantage on the frontline. However, the Lakers advantage at both guard positions is fairly wide, while the margin at small forward and power forward is almost a push because the Lakers matchup well with the Magic at those positions. While the Magic have more skill, the Lakers may be able to neutralize it. While the Magic have Superman in the middle, Gasol is an all-star as well and should be able to counter most of Howard’s offense. Off the bench, if Pietrus has an off game, the Lakers will have a wide advantage in bench scoring and will win that matchup.

Prediction- Lakers in 6, MVP Kobe Bryant

SportsJudge.com PTI: Can Kobe Match Wilt?

[Editors Note: Welcome back to SportsJudge.com's take on Pardon The Interruption. On a bi-weekly basis, SportsJudge.com authors, Chris Stanley and Adam Primm, will take on a PTI-style debate about a topic of their choosing. Chris and Adam are friends, roommates, and Ohio State law students. This week, the 100-point game.]

Chris Stanley:
Adam and I have been discussing whether Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 point performance in an NBA game is within reach. Adam thinks the record is absolutely, 100% untouchable. After Kobe Bryant’s 81 point game last season, I think it just might be breakable.

100 points is a ridiculous number, but don’t let it blind you. Lets look at a possible scenario that just might result in a new NBA single game scoring record. Kobe’s 81 point performance was not perfect. In fact, he shot 28-46 from the field, and 18-20 from the free throw line. Kobe made 7 out of 13 three’s and took just over half of his team’s shots during the game (46-88).

There are several things that could have gone differently during this game that would have resulted in a 100 point performance. First, if Kobe had made every shot he took, he would have scored 125 points (18 additional points from three’s, 24 additional points from two-point field goals and 2 additional points from free throws). Obviously, Kobe will never put on a performance this perfect in his career. But just look at the numbers for a second. Based on the shots Kobe took during his 81 point game, he could have scored a possible 125 points. He would need to get 80% of those points in order to score 100. That would be quite a feat, but is it impossible? Maybe. Maybe not.

Also consider the fact that Kobe only took 52% of the Lakers' shots. What if the Lakers' game plan involved Kobe putting the ball up 75% of the time? That would mean 20 more shots, which results in 66 total shots for Kobe. Even if all of those extra shots were two point field goals, Kobe would have a total of 165 possible points. If he were to score just 60% of those points, he would have a 100 point game.

Kobe’s 81 point performance was nowhere near perfect. Also, the Lakers’ game plan likely did not involve Kobe shooting the ball any more than it usually does. I think Kobe could find a way to score 20 more points than he did during his 81 point game at some point in his career, allowing him to break Wilt’s 100 point record.

Adam Primm:
There is no way Wilt Chamberlain’s record of 100 points in a game will ever be broken. This is one of those records that will never be broken, like Joe Dimaggio's 56 game hitting streak. I feel this way for a variety of reasons. First of all, Wilt was absolutely dominant; no one could stop him. As awesome as the 100 point game was, let’s not forget that Chamberlain averaged 50.4 points per game in the 1961-1962 season (he scored 100 on March2, 1962). Wilt scoring 100 in a game that season is like Kobe scoring 60 in a game this season; both players would be doubling their averages. Also consider that Wilt set records for field goals made (36), attempted (63), free throws made (28), most points in a quarter (31), and most points in a half (59). This was easily the most dominant offensive performance ever in the history of the NBA and the circumstances had to fall just right for this type of game to happen.

One of those circumstances was the more up-tempo style of game in the early 1960s. The 1961-1962 season which saw Wilt average 50.4 points and 26 rebounds per game and Oscar Robertson average 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 11.4 assists per game was much different from the game today. In 1961-1962, teams averaged 125.5 possessions per game and 108 shots per game. In contrast, the 2008-2009 season has teams averaging 91.2 possessions per game and 80.2 shots per game. The significantly slower pace greatly hinders anyone from making a run at Wilt’s record of 100 points in a game. When Kobe scored 81 against the Raptors in January of 2006, the Lakers took 88 shots and the Raptors took only 76. Compare that to the Warriors and Knicks in Wilt’s 100 point game when the Warriors took 115 and the Knicks took 118. The Warriors also attempted 52 free throws and the Knicks took 41. By comparison, the Lakers attempted 33 and the Raptors 27. Wilt took 32 by himself in 1962.

Part of the reason for the high number of free throws was the mess that the Warriors and Knicks made of the fourth quarter. Wilt had 69 points at the start of the quarter and the Warriors approach was to feed Wilt every time down court. As Wilt was approaching 100 points, the Knicks began fouling the other 4 Warriors simply to prevent Wilt from scoring more. The Warriors responded by fouling the Knicks right away so they could get the ball back sooner. The final score of the game was 169-147, partially due to the quick pace of the game back then, but also due to the abnormal fourth quarter in which the score was 44-41, Warriors (the score in the second half was 90-79 Warriors). In today’s defensive game, final scores don’t total 169 points let alone the second half.

While I agree with Chris that Kobe has the best chance of coming close to scoring 100 points, there are many differences between his game and Wilt’s. Wilt played in the post and Kobe is a wing. That alone is a strike against Kobe. While Kobe can hit a three, Wilt’s shots were all within 10 feet of the hoop. Also, at 7’1” and 275-300 pounds, Wilt was the most physically imposing player in the NBA. To make matter worse for the Knicks, their starting center, Phil Jordan, was hurt and didn’t play. Second-year man Darrall Imhoff had the task of guarding Wilt who had 3 inches and 55-80 pounds on him. The Knicks' next biggest player was Cleveland Buckner at 6’9” and 210 pounds. The other two players who spent a good portion of the night trying to stop Chamberlain were both 6’6” and weighed 205 and 225 pounds, respectively. They had no chance at stopping Wilt as they were totally overmatched physically. Imhoff later stated that Wilt “stuffed us through the hoop with the ball. It didn’t even help we quintuple-teamed him.” The Knicks tried everything short of putting a 6th man on the court or unleashing Jeff Van Gundy to wrap himself around Wilt’s ankle while he posted up. Kobe is good, but he isn’t that good. If Kobe is triple-teamed, let alone quintuple-teamed, he isn’t shooting over 57% from the field like Wilt did. This is true for a few reasons.

First, the NBA today is so much more flexible in terms of defense. If Kobe starts making a serious run at 100 points, the opposition will shift to a zone defense that neutralizes the amount and kinds of touches Kobe is going to get. Second, since no team wants to give up 100 points, the opposition will do exactly what the Knicks did and start fouling other players simply so Kobe can’t score more points. While I think this is a bush league move, it will probably happen, and I don’t see Phil Jackson telling his team to foul back so Kobe can get more shots. That type of back and forth hack-fest could lead to a fight in today’s game and I think the coaches would rather avoid that. Third, Kobe’s quickness and talent simply can’t equal Wilt’s imposing physical stature. A bad night for Wilt that year would have been 30 points and 15 boards. That is absurd. It was arguably the most dominant game of the most dominant season ever. To say that Kobe could feasibly match or beat that record greatly underestimates what Wilt did that night. Teams are more suited to adjust their defenses to stop a wing player that gets hot than they are to stop a dominant big man. If a wing gets hot, you can play him physical, double-team him, switch to zone, or foul the other players like the Knicks tried in 1962. When Wilt got hot, the Knicks were quintuple-teaming him, fouling him (he had the best free throw shooting day of his career), and fouling his teammates. None of the tactics worked, Wilt was too big and strong around the hoop for the Knicks to be able to stop him. At his size, he was able to fight through these tactics. If Kobe gets quadruple or quintuple-teamed, he is not big enough to fight through and is more likely to pass out of it anyway.

Finally, the numbers don’t support the argument that Kobe can score 100 points. With teams averaging 35 fewer possessions in today’s game, there aren’t nearly as many offensive opportunities for Kobe as there was for Wilt. And even with the Warriors feeding Wilt so he could score 100 points, he still only took 54.8% (63-115) of the Warriors shots that night. By comparison, Kobe took 52.3% of the Lakers' shots when he scored 81. It isn’t an issue of getting Kobe more shots, it is an issue of speeding up the pace of the game so there are more shots in general. Finally, Kobe’s 81 point performance is the closest anyone has come to Wilt’s 100. If you look at this closer, you will see that the closest is still only 81% of the total. Despite scoring over 80, Kobe still needed another full quarter at his current pace to match Wilt.

The last reason that Wilt’s record will not be broken is because the Knicks didn’t see anything out of the ordinary with Wilt having 41 points at halftime. Wilt stated that he routinely had halves of 30 or 35 points and had scored over 60 points in a game on 32 previous occasions, so the Knicks did not see a need to adjust to him at halftime. However, if anyone scored 41 points in a half in today’s game, you can guarantee the entire conversation at halftime is how to stop that one player. When Wilt scored 100, it was the perfect storm of a physically dominant player against a team shorthanded by injury. Aiding the abnormalities was the up tempo pace of the game, the ridiculousness of the 4th quarter, and the “sneaky” aspect of Chamberlain “quietly” scoring 41 points in the first half. This presents too many factors that would have to fall perfectly for Kobe or anyone else to make a run at the record. Even if all of these things happened, Kobe would still have to shoot close to 60% and fight through the different defenses that the opposition would throw at him to make a run at the record. It is too much to overcome.

Above the Rim: NBA Postseason Awards

With the NBA regular season winding down, it’s time to recognize the individual accomplishments of the season before the playoffs distract us with a new set of highlights. With the amount of young players improving this season and being among the frontrunners for various post-season awards, I wonder if the NBA is entering a new Golden Era with superstar led teams meeting in the playoffs annually.

MVP
Winner- LeBron James, Cavs
The race for MVP, in my opinion, has been a one-man race all season with everyone else vying for second place. The past few seasons, the main knocks against LeBron James winning the MVP award were that the Cavs have not won more than 50 games, were never higher than a 3 seed in the playoffs, and never won the division. Because the Cavs were unable to reach these heights, James’s monster seasons resulted in him finishing 2nd, 5th, and 4th in the last three seasons. This season, James is second in the league in scoring at 28.3 points per game and is the only player in the NBA averaging over 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists. James is accomplishing these stats despite routinely sitting out the fourth quarter as the Cavs coast to wins. In addition to his offensive prowess, James has stepped up his defensive efforts as well. Averaging 1.7 steals and 1.2 blocks per game, LeBron is leading the Cavs in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks, trying to become the only the fourth player in NBA history (Kevin Garnett, Scottie Pippin, and Dave Cowens) to lead his team in all five categories. Finally, the Cavs have the NBA’s best record at 65-15, including 39-1 at home (1 win away from tying the 1985-1986 Celtics NBA-best 40-1 home record), have clinched the Central Division title and the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference (they are currently the #1 seed in the NBA, 2 games ahead of the Lakers), and are winning games by an average of 8.8 points per game showing that the Cavs have achieved the team success that has been LeBron’s main obstacle to winning the MVP.
The Field
The race for second place consists of Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, Dwayne Wade, and, my darkhorse, Ron Artest. Paul transforms the New Orleans Hornets from a .500 team to a 50 win team while averaging 22.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and leading the league with 11 assists and 2.8 steals. Paul is easily the best point guard in the NBA, but the team’s marginal level of success will hurt him with the voters, as it has with LeBron in the past.
Wade suffers the same plight, as his league-leading 29.9 points cannot overcome the Heat’s 41-38 record despite Wade contributing 5 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 2.2 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game. Wade’s all-around game rivals only LeBron, but the Cavs’ accomplishments this season far outweigh Wade’s Heat. Remaining consistent with past voting, the team accomplishments give LeBron the nod over Wade.
Kobe has the team accomplishments as the Lakers are running away with the Western Conference’s #1 seed, leading second place Denver by 10 games on Sunday. The Lakers trail only the Cavs for the best record in the NBA. In addition to the Lakers’ accomplishments, Kobe is averaging 27.1 points per game, third in the NBA behind Wade and James, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists. As good as this season is, all three statistics are actually a decline from Kobe’s MVP season last season. Also, as good as the Lakers have been, they are not noticeably better than the Cavs in terms of their record, although they are 2-0 against Cleveland this season and are responsible for the Cavs only loss at Quicken Loans Arena this season. Assuming team accomplishments are equal, LeBron’s individual statistics surpass Kobe across the board. Additionally, Kobe’s supporting cast of Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Derek Fisher, and Lamar Odom are better than Mo Williams and Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
Dwight Howard is the best post player in the NBA, leading the NBA in rebounding and blocks at 13.9 and 3.9, respectively while contributing 20.7 points per game as well. However, the Magic are not as accomplished as either the Cavs or the Lakers and Howard’s statistics do not approach the all around achievements of the other players on this list. As a post player, Howard may have to be absolutely dominant for the best team in the NBA to overcome some of the monster seasons that James, Wade, Paul and Kobe are capable of putting up in the next five seasons.
Ron Artest rounds out my list for a few reasons. While his individual statistics have decreased since last season to 17.3 points, 5,3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists, Artest has been the catalyst behind the Rockets run to first place in the Southwest division. The Rockets are 32-13 in games Tracy McGrady has not played in this season as opposed to 20-46 in the previous 4 seasons. Artest, along with Shane Battier, have spearheaded the Rockets defensive approach and helped overcome the loss of McGrady and lead the Rockets to a potential 3 seed in the playoffs. This is the kind of performance that is usually classified as “Most Valuable” despite not consisting of the highest statistical achievement (think Kirk Gibson on the 1988 Dodgers). While this is not enough for Artest to win the award, it should be enough to garner a few votes and recognition for his season. Let’s not forget that this is Ron Artest completing a full NBA season without even a minor off-court or attitude issue in Houston. While players shouldn’t be rewarded for behaving, it may be a sign that Artest has turned a corner and makes his season an overlooked pleasant surprise this season.
Ballot
1. James, Cavs
2. Paul, Hornets
3. Wade, Heat
4. Bryant, Lakers
5. Howard, Magic
6. Artest, Rockets

6th Man of the Year
Winner- Jason Terry, Mavericks
Terry is the Mavericks’ second leading scorer this season behind Dirk Nowitzki at 19.6 points per game. Surprisingly, in 60 games coming off the bench, Terry is averaging 19.6 points per game compared to 19.3 points per game in 11 starts. Terry is also shooting a higher percentage coming off the bench although his assist numbers are lower as a sub. Nonetheless, no other backup in the league produces like Terry does or is such a focus in their team’s offense.
Runner-up- Lamar Odom, Lakers
While Odom has started 32 games for the Lakers this season due to Bynum’s injury, he still qualifies for the 6th Man Award with 44 games as a sub. Although his numbers are much better as a starter, Odom still averages 9.4 points and 6.2 rebounds as a sub (as opposed to 14 and 11.2, respectively, as a starter). Additionally, on a team that features 7-footers Gasol and Bynum, Odom is the team leader in blocks with 1.3 per game. Odom’s ability to mesh with the different players on the Lakers and his willingness to come off the bench in a contract year, coupled with the rebounding and defense he contributes in addition to his high scoring average off the bench make him a worthy 6th Man Award winner. However, Terry’s higher statistical output overcomes Odom’s intangibles.

Coach of the Year
Winner- Rick Adelman, Rockets
Adelman has led the Rockets to a 52-28 record despite being without Tracy McGrady for much of the season (with McGrady’s decline this season, the Rockets were virtually without McGrady all season). Also, Adelman was able to mesh previously surly Ron Artest with a hardworking defensive team featuring Yao Ming and Shane Battier. Adelman was able to seamlessly inject Artest into this team without the Rockets showing signs of transition. While the real test of how far the Rockets have come this season will be if they can finally get past the first round of the playoffs, it appears that Adelman’s guiding hand may have helped them turn the corner.
The Field
Stan Van Gundy of the Magic and Mike Brown of the Cavs are in a virtual tie for second place for Coach of the Year. Van Gundy has led the Magic to the Southeast division title while Brown has led the Cavs to the NBA’s best record (and the best record in team history) and only the second division title in team history. Both coaches have also had to overcome injuries this season. Van Gundy lost all-star point guard Jameer Nelson for the season while Brown has lost starters Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Delonte West, and Ben Wallace for significant time this season and valuable role players Daniel Gibson and Sasha Pavlovic for weeks as well. However, Van Gundy has Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis, and Hedo Turkoglu to fall back on and Brown has LeBron James and fellow all-star Mo Williams. While Adelman did have Yao Ming and Ron Artest to help overcome the loss of McGrady, Van Gundy and Brown did not have the potential personality conflicts that the Rockets had. Also, Van Gundy was given Rafer Alston to make up for losing Nelson, Brown has one of the deepest benches in the league and was able to add Joe Smith after the trade deadline. Adelman’s Rockets were not given an infusion of talent in midseason. Adelman’s team has relied heavily on previously unproven Aaron Brooks, Von Wafer, and Carl Landry. Adelman has won his division, just like Brown and Van Gundy, but has done so without the depth and resources to overcome injuries that Brown and Van Gundy have.
Ballot
1. Adelman, Rockets
2a. Brown, Cavs
2b. Van Gundy, Magic

Rookie of the Year
Winner- Derrick Rose, Bulls
Rose and O.J. Mayo are both worthy of this award statistically, but when Rose’s role with the Bulls is included, he is given the edge over Mayo. Rose is averaging 16.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game, running the Bulls offense as they have clinched a playoff spot. Rose’s high level of achievement while leading a team through the anxiety and pressure of a playoff push gives him the award.
The Field
Mayo has been everything he was expected to be when he was drafted third by the Timberwolves (and then traded to the Grizzlies) averaging 18.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game. Mayo should continue to improve and should be the centerpiece of the Grizzlies turnaround and return to the playoffs.
Marc Gasol is the second reason why the Grizzlies should improve and push towards the playoffs within a few seasons. Gasol, whose rights were acquired in a trade last year from the Lakers, has been a pleasant surprise for the Grizzlies this year averaging 11.8 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Gasol should form a nice inside-outside combination with Mayo for years to come as the Grizzlies build back towards contention in the Western Conference.
Russell Westbrook is one of the main reasons why I think the Thunder could be the Blazers of next season, a young team that is building talented depth at numerous positions and will have a high draft pick this June. Westbrook averaged 15.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game and looked like he had been playing in the NBA for a few seasons as opposed to a 20 year old rookie. Westbrook’s leaping ability may also make him the most exciting rookie of this season.
Kevin Love has rebounded from a slow start to put up a very productive rookie season in the post for the Timberwolves. The thought of Love and Jefferson playing together in the post for a full season next year has to have GM/Coach Kevin McHale pretty excited for next season. Love averaged 11.1 points and 9 rebounds per game and had teammates raving about his rebounding ability. Love and Jefferson should be able to play off of each other next year and the T-Wolves young towers should begin pushing for the playoffs, along with the Grizzlies.
Brook Lopez was possibly the most productive rookie big man this season as he averaged 13.1 points, 8 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game for the Nets. The Nets were so pleased with Lopez’s production as a rookie, they declined to retain Nenad Kristic and allowed him to leave for the Thunder. With Lopez and young point guard Devin Harris in place, the Nets should be able to add a third piece in the draft this year as the push to return to the playoffs next season.
Ballot
1. Rose, Bulls
2. Mayo, Grizzlies
3. Westbrook, Thunder
4. Lopez, Nets
5. Love, Timberwolves
6. Gasol, Grizzlies

All-NBA Defensive Team
PG- Chris Paul’s 2.8 steals per game make him the leader by far
SG- Dwayne Wade/Kobe Bryant. Wade has had possibly the best defensive season for a player under 6’4” in the history of the league with 2.2 steals and 1.4 blocks per game.
Bryant is routinely one of the best perimeter defenders in the league and I cannot justify leaving him off of this list despite the seasons that Paul and Wade have had.
SF- LeBron James not only is averaging 1.8 steals and 1.3 blocks per season, but he also has routinely taken the challenge of guarding the opposition’s best player late in games (a la Kobe Bryant) including point guards like Chris Paul. James has also perfected the “run down block” where he catches up to an opponent’s fast break and smacks it off the backboard (his block of Jason Richardson’s attempted 360 dunk may be my favorite highlight of the season).
PF- Ron Artest/Shane Battier- Considering these two players usually alternate on the opposition’s best forward. I didn’t think it would be fair to include one and not the other. Both are defensive warriors who routinely limit all-stars to scoring below their averages.
C- Dwight Howard is leading the NBA in rebounding by 2.1 over the runner-up and in blocks by .5. Howard’s ability to affect a game within 10 feet of the hoop is unmatched by anyone in the NBA right now. This is the only position where I don’t have to cheat and put 3 players on my team because Howard is so much better than every other center in the league. Howard is the Defensive Player of the Year as well with Wade finishing second.

All- NBA team
I am going to get creative again because the five best players deserve to be on this list. So Kobe is now a small forward and LeBron becomes a power forward, where he does play when Mike Brown goes with a small lineup.
PG- Paul
SG- Wade
SF- Bryant
PF- James
C- Howard
The fact that this is basically my All-NBA defensive team shows how complete these players are and how far ahead of the rest of the league they are.

Above the Rim: Buyout Provide a Fantasy Boost

Last year the Boston Celtics won the NBA championship after being propped up by two veterans that savvy GM Danny Ainge picked up down the stretch in P.J. Brown and Sam Cassell. Neither started for the Celts, but both provided experience and production off the bench for Boston helping them to the championship. The Celtics were at their usual tricks again by picking up both Stephon Marbury and Mikki Moore for the stretch run, but the Cleveland Cavaliers pickup of Joe Smith may be the most valuable addition.

Marbury- I have written about Marbury going to the Celts twice before in this column. Starbury has let me down. I was never sold on him being a good teammate in Boston, but to this point I have not heard anything about him having a negative attitude. However, I also thought that Marbury would be productive backing up Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo and that has not been the case. The only thing I was marginally accurate about was Marbury going to Boston, and I thought it was going to happen months before it did.
Marbury has been struggling since he came to Boston. Maybe he is rusty after hardly playing in the past year or maybe he is having trouble adjusting to coming off the bench. Either way, Marbury is only averaging 2.9 points and 2.9 assists while shooting 30.2% from the floor, 9.1% from 3-point range and 50% from the free throw line. In 6 of 12 games, Steph has shot below 25% and has been held to 2 points or less in 7 games (scoreless in 3). It may be time to cut Stephon loose because I don’t see him coming out of this and scoring the 8-10 points that I thought he was capable of when Boston picked him up.

Moore- Mikki Moore has been a gritty player since coming into the league and he is the perfect player to fill the void that P.J. Brown left in the Celtics rotation. While youngsters Leon Powe and Glen Davis can be productive, Moore provides the veteran approach and more consistency. Since his signing, Moore has averaged 4.2 points and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 56.1% from the field and 81.8% from the free throw line. Down the stretch, Moore should continue to produce as he has experience playing in the playoffs with the Nets in 2006-2007. Moore should continue to produce even with Kevin Garnett back in the lineup. While he is not going to consistently be a triple-double threat, Moore should provide solid minutes in the rotation and can put up 10-15 points if he gets hot.

Smith- Joe Smith may have been the perfect pickup for any team after the trade deadline. The Cavs were thin up front with Ben Wallace’s fractured leg and Smith played with the Cavs after a deadline deal last season so he is familiar with Coach Mike Brown’s system. With Wallace out, Smith is the first big man off the bench, usually coming in for Zydrunas Ilgauskas late in the first quarter. Smith is averaging 7 points and 4.2 rebounds so far for the Cavs while shooting an efficient 57.7%. This is consistent with what Smith provided last season for the Cavs as he averaged 8.1 points and 5 rebounds during that playoff push while splitting time with Anderson Varejao off the bench. When Wallace comes back, the rotation will consist of Varejao and Smith off the bench just like last season, so don’t expect much of a drop-off from Smith. Also, because Big Ben does not provide much in terms of offense, Smith will not lose shots to him when he returns.

Fantasy Stars
While you will not be able to acquire LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Kobe Bryant, and Chris Paul to improve your team, I feel that we need to recognize the video games seasons these guys are having.

James- LeBron is averaging 28.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 7.3 assists while shooting career highs of 48.8% from the floor and 76.8% from the free throw line. His 33.1% 3-point percentage is the third highest of his career after 33.5% in 2005-2006 and 35.1% in 2004-2005. James has also been contributing on the defensive end with 1.8 steals and 1.3 blocks. The blocks may be the most impressive part of his game this season as at least a quarter of them have come from running down opposing players on the fast break and swatting away a sure two points, including his rejection of Jason Richardson’s 360 dunk earlier this month. I went to the Cavs-Hawks game on Saturday and left feeling that LeBron had an off-game. The King finished with 22 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists to go with 3 steals and 1 block. No one in the NBA averages 22-7-5, with the exception of Wade who averages 30-5-7, and most players would consider that their best performance of the season, but for LeBron it is actually below average. The realization that we expect him to approach a triple-double every game is a testament to how phenomenal a season LeBron is having. LeBron “rebounded” with 30 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists on Sunday against the Nets.

Wade- D-Wade is the only player in the league that can match LeBron’s statistics on offense with 30 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 7.6 assists. Wade also surpasses LeBron’s numbers on the defensive end with 2.2 steals and 1.4 blocks. In any other season, Wade is probably the front runner for the MVP, but this season he is third or fourth behind James, Kobe, and maybe Chris Paul. Beyond the season averages, James and Wade have also put up some of the biggest all-around games in recent memory. First LeBron came within a rebound of a 50 point triple-double, then Dwayne missed a 50 point triple-double by one assist. On the season, Wade has 2 50-point games and 9 40-pointers while LeBron has 3 50-point games and 6 in the 40’s.

Bryant- We can talk about all-around averages and high scoring games all we want, but fans need to remember that Kobe is the most dangerous of the three in terms of exploding for 60 or 70 points on any night, which he did with 61 against the Knicks on February 2nd (Kobe also has 3 40-point games this year). As good as LeBron and Wade are, Kobe has one of the smoothest jump shots I have ever seen and is the best pure scorer of the three. On the season Kobe is averaging 27.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.9 assists which are outstanding although a little below LeBron and Wade’s averages. Kobe destroys the two youngsters in terms of free throw percentage 86.3% to LeBron’s 76.8% and Wade’s 76.5%. And while Kobe does not get the blocked shots the other two get, Kobe is the best defender of these three as well. One reason why Wade and James put up higher defensive numbers is their ability to thrive playing help defense, but Kobe is much more of a lock-down defender, especially on the perimeter. This defensive prowess is often overlooked because it does not show up in the stat sheet.

Paul- Paul is easily the best point guard playing in the NBA right now. He averages 22.2 points and leads the league with 10.9 assists and 2.9 steals. Despite these numbers, many of the analysts have not included Paul in the MVP race. While I personally consider it a two man race between LeBron and Kobe, if you are going to include Wade, you have to talk about Paul as well who is at least as important to the Hornets as Wade is to the Heat. Like Wade, Paul is putting up numbers that are more suited for NBA Live, and not NBA reality, and would be an MVP in most seasons. However, the absolute dominance of James, Kobe, and Wade have overshadowed Paul’s season, possibly due to the Hornets not fighting for the league’s best record like the Cavs and Lakers and because Paul is not putting up 50 point games like Wade. However, Paul is second in the league with 6 triple-doubles, just behind LeBron’s 7.

The NBA has been looking for the post-Jordan golden era of the NBA. With LeBron, Wade, and Paul all younger than 28 and Kobe still a superstar at 30, that age seems to be on the verge of happening or already here. In a season or two, players like Dwight Howard and others are going to take steps into this highly elite group of players and then David Stern may have a new era of superstars to aspire to.