Everybody Hates Chris: Why Can't Bosh Put It Together?

Beating a dead horse is never a nice thing to do.

But Chris Bosh has had this coming for awhile now.

After being featured on a series of mediocre-at-best Raptor squads for the better part of a decade, he left Toronto saying he wanted to promote his own brand and win titles in Miami.

Two weeks into the season things are not bearing well for the former CB4. Statistically, he has seen his glowing 20-10 from the last 5 seasons fall to a measly 14 and 6, numbers that are easily surpassed by the likes of Lamar Odom and Tyrus Thomas. His brand surely hasn't seen a raise in stock; after being roasted on message boards and newspapers all summer, Carmelo Anthony came forward saying that he "wasn't Chris Bosh", when referring to his impending free agency situation.

On the court, things are even worse. Followers of Bosh will know that his time in Toronto was spent largely at the elbow and facing the rim in a one-on-one situation. Now that he isn't handed oodles of isolation opportunities every game he is having a tough time finding points within the flow of the offense. Defensively, his old problems are showing worse than ever in Spoelstra's system. His poor defense at the rim is being abused every game and his slow reactions and help defense is being abused by opposing point guards.

It's pretty apparent things didn't work out exactly as expected, but the question now is whether or not Bosh can turn it around and become an important piece of a winning team in Miami.

Scoring is generally considered Bosh's best asset. Being an excellent midrange shooter with good quickness and handles makes him a problem at all times for other big men, but he can only score as much as he shoots. A good indicator of the number of chances a player gets is their usage rate, which measures the number of possessions that ended with them shooting (either from the floor or the line) or turning the ball over. Without being able to shoot frequently a player can't expect to score many points and with Bosh's usage rate at 18.4% (compared to those of Wade and James at 29.7 and 30.1, respectively), it is very unlikely he will be scoring over twenty per game anytime soon.

Rebounding has become another one of Bosh's calling cards, his rebounding style is some blend between Gerald Wallace, Kevin Garnett and lack of inspiration. After averaging 10+ rebounds per game for 3 of the last 4 years his rebounding numbers have dropped nearly in half this year, a cause for concern to Heat fans. His rebounding percentage is down to 10.9%, after a career year of 17.7% last year. This large drop is easily explained as Bosh is surrounded by bigger, stronger and more skilled players at nearly every position which leaves less loose balls for the taking.

Playing defense has never been a big part of Bosh's game, but he was always able to use his athleticism and decent size to compete head-to-head with any other power forward when playing for the Raptors. On Miami, the team uses more help defenders and rotations to utilize their athleticism on the defensive end. Bosh was never asked to rotate defensively in Toronto and it is becoming very apparent that there was a good reason he wasn't asked to do it often. On top of this, he still shows sign of reluctance defending the rim, which is easily seen in this Rajon Rondo dunk.


Like a deer in headlights.

So it seems that Bosh isn't showing many signs of playing much worse in Miami, he just doesn't fit in with the system very well. His best skills (scoring and rebounding), aren't nearly as needed in Miami as they were in Toronto and the worst facets of his game (help defense and awareness) are now showing more than ever. So while the numbers look bad, and it looks like he's playing worse than ever, it's just the same old Chris.

And while you might want to feel bad for him a little bit, try not to. He pushed his way into stardom with some silly decisions and he's paying the price now, taking his spot as a third man on a team without a true point or centre. So it looks like Chris better get used to his spot in Miami, he has no one to blame but himself.

The 2010 NBA Finals or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Mamba

Here we are, three weeks after the dust has settled from the playoffs. Kobe has his fifth, the Lakers are one banner away from catching the Celtics and both Doc and Phil are coming back for one more go. Both these teams are already gearing up for another run at a championship, with Steve Blake signing with the Lakers and Jermaine O'Neal reportedly coming to terms with Boston. But before we get ahead of ourselves, let's take a moment to look back at this year's Finals.

Kobe Wins Finals MVP

Talks of Kobe's inefficient play are nothing new; statisticians have been pointing to his poor shot selection and difficulty trusting teammates as the reasons he isn't getting the most out of his unreal skill set. Game 7 showed Bryant's two negative traits in full force as he took shot after shot and passed up opportunities for his teammates; Gasol continued his ways and gathered rebound after rebound. As expected, immediately after Bryant was announced the Finals MVP it didn't take long before some people cried out that the more efficient Pau Gasol deserved it, while others felt it was earned by the teams obvious Alpha Male.

I would like to agree that Pau deserves it. I would love to. Gasol has long been one of my favorite players, and is definitely one of the best all-round basketball players on the planet, especially when considering his international work.

But I can't.

Kobe Bryant played hard the whole series, never gave an inch, and actually averaged great numbers over the series (29, 8, 4) against the most spirited defense in the league. Sure his percentages weren't great, but no one's were. The series was a defensive battle and while Kobe has fallen off a bit in that department, he is still widely regarded as one of the top-5 perimeter defenders in the league. He earned it fair and square and definitely deserves to add another piece of hardware to his trophy case.

Besides, can you picture Pau Gasol getting MVP while Kobe pretends to smile in the background? Neither can I.

Defensive Battle

The final game wasn't just ugly.
It was ugly like Chunk from the Goonies.
It was Shaq free-throw ugly.
Ugly like the morning after New Years.

The average final score throughout the series was 89 points, but the series was one of the most watched in decades. Any old-timer watching the series might think he fell into a time machine, the referees called it loose and the players took advantage of it. Hard box-outs, pulled jerseys, tussles under the basket, and the list goes on. It was a much different NBA than we are used to seeing in the regular season, but it is long overdue and a welcome change. While it isn't as flashy or skilled, you can feel that the team who wants it more wins most often, which is a nice metric to follow for any championship.


Ron Artest - Time heals all wounds

Finally, Ron Artest is back on top of the world. After reaching the Finals in 2004 with Stephen Jackson, Reggie Miller and Jermaine O'Neal, Ron-Ron can finally say that he is loved and accepted by the general public.

And really, what's not to love?

Crazy pills brought us a heroic game winning put-back against the Suns in game 5, and then gave the hilarious post-game 'Say Queensbridge' interview with Craig Sager. Next on the platter was his never-say-die attitude the whole Boston series, focusing on defending a wily Paul Pierce and hitting his open shots. It clearly worked for the Lakers and moments later we saw Artest happy as a kid in a candy store, jumping up and down and pumping his fists. Through all the money, advertising, agents and lawyers, this is what makes it all worthwhile. Coming out on top, working hard and having it pay off, and having your name go down in history as a championship winner.

The Return of Balding Spalding: It's the Summer of Del Negro!

After a long hiatus due to finally becoming employed, and then realizing employment was a terrible idea, Balding Spalding should be back for a bit of summer lovin'. There are a lot of things to cover as we start to head towards the dog days of summer: the constant bonanza of free agency, looking back at the defensive battle that was the 2010 Finals, draft analysis, summer league, team previews, Del Negro resurrecting, etc, etc.


So keep checking back in for some new articles and analysis on all of the moves and news so far this summer.

Thanks again to Doc Funk for the image.

Conference Finals Preview: Underdog Suns and the Clicking Celtics

The NBA landscape seemed to change with the Game 6 Celtics win.

Mike Brown is probably going to be out of a job, Lebron might have just played his last game as a Cavalier and the City of Cleveland is going to continue to keep the 'No Championships' streak alive, after losing their best chance in a decade.

The game Thursday night had big implications for the reigning MVP and Cleveland, but it's only one wave in a storm compared to the rest of the playoffs. The Celtics winning still leaves the Magic and the Lakers as the two clear front runners to end up in the Finals, but the general theme of the playoffs has changed now.

Before, people were watching these playoffs to see if this was Lebron's year and if Shaq could get his fifth before Kobe did.

Now, it's about the Celtics fighting against their closing window and whether or not the Lakers can be stopped this year.

Eastern Conference Finals: Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics

This series is a tough one to call. All season the Magic have consistently been the better team, and they haven't showed any cracks this postseason in either their ability to score or defend. On the other side, the Celtics have been rolling, with their offense being nicely spread out over their talent and their defense as stifling as always.
Rajon Rondo has continued his improvement throughout the first two series and the Magic don't have any answers for him (Does anyone have an answer for this guy? How do you defend him?) but I still feel like the Magic's great ball movement and ability to space the floor will overcome the Celtics in the end. Doc Rivers will need to focus on keeping the team's turnovers down and keeping the bench involved for the Big 3 to have another shot at a title.
Prediction: Magic in 7

Western Conference Finals: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Phoenix Suns

No matter how I break this down, it seems like the Lakers size is going to be the dominant factor in this series. Unlike the previous two series, Bynum won't be the main problem in the paint, but rather it will be Lamar Odom's ability to be big and still remain mobile that will hurt the Suns. Bynum will most see his minutes drop to around twenty minutes, as Odom will be used to defend Frye all around the perimeter.
Combine that with Ron Artest having his first true defensive assignment since Durant in Richardson and Gasol's massive mental edge on Stoudemire, and the Lakers should run away with this. Some people will say that Derek Fisher will get played like a fiddle by Nash and while this might happen, it won't be enough to turn the tide. Watch for Grant Hill's sudden change into super defender come to a halt against the Mamba.
Prediction: Lakers in 6

Image courtesy of Doc Funk

Game 2 Preview: Hawks vs. Magic, or Isolation vs. the 3-Ball

Playoff basketball is a much different beast than the regular season brand of basketball. Veterans playing +40 minutes a game, stadiums full of fans, final scores being under 100 and lots of other weird things we don't see when no one really cares during the first 82 games. All of these things help teams win, you can see most of the elite teams (see: Spurs, Lakers, Celtics) all use these tactics to give themselves a better chance at winning.

One thing that we are used seeing in the regular season that really doesn't work come playoff time is the isolation offense. It was the offense that the Mavericks used when they lost as a #1 seed, and it's the offense that gave the Hawks their biggest playoff loss a few days ago in game one.

The offense that the Magic use focuses on two things - 3 pointers (usually from the corner) and shots at the rim (usually dunks.) The Spurs focus on getting these types of shots, the triangle offense tends to result in shots at the basket and open threes, and clearly it has been working for these teams.

This series won't come down to the players in the end, the coaching and systems will decide how the cards fall. Orlando's ball movement allows the whole team to get involved, rather than letting their individual talents decide the fate of the team. Look for the Magic to win again tonight, and in a big way.

Game One Impressions: Boston clashes with Miami, 'Melo Drops 40 and Lakers Roll

This weekend contained the first game for all eight of the series, and other than a few early blowouts, you couldn't ask for a better set of first games. The home team won in all but one game, experience paid off and the defense and intensity were cranked up the whole time. So it was pretty much exactly what everyone was expecting, right?

Eastern Conference

Clevland vs Chicago
This game was a kind of enigma last night, the score was often close but the game never really was. Rose caused issues with his athleticism and Noah refused to quit, but Lebron and Mike Brown were in control the entire game. Chicago never really had a hope and I would expect the entire series to have a similar tone. Shaq returned in this game and showed once again that when he is inspired he can be an effective part of a team, providing efficient scoring in the paint and clogging up the lane on defense.

Orlando vs Charlotte
Charlotte was really able to show their strengths in this game, even though the ended up losing. Despite being down up to twenty points at times, Larry Brown constantly had them focused on the next play and chipping away at the lead. This team just refuses to ever go away, which makes them a big threat. Jameer Nelson caught fire early, shooting and getting to the hole on his way to posting 24 in the first half and 32 overall, and stepped up as the primary shooter this game after Vince and Dwight were cold early. Charlotte will have a chance in this series with their defense and Orlando's dependence on shooters, but it's east to see that Orlando is the more talented and consistently strong team.

Atlanta vs Milwaukee
Milwaukee continued to try and play a different style of basketball without Bogut available, using a defense similar to OKC's swarming, hectic defense against post players. Just like what happened in the Lakers game, this left the paint vulnerable so that Josh Smith, Al Horford and even Mo Evans were able to score down low with ease. Jennings scored 34 in the match and Salmons put in 16, but it seemed like nearly every offensive play came with the ball in one of their hands. It's a shame that Bogut went down, but as expected the rest of this team won't be able to hold up against the athletic and skilled Hawks.

Boston vs. Miami
An unlikely hero arose in this game when Tony Allen was stuck playing defense on Wade in the first frame. After that, Allen defended Wade nearly the whole way through and did an excellent job of slowing him down, which was a big part of this win. The biggest surprise of this game came when Paul Pierce fell out of bounds after some tough defense by Haslem and Richardson. Pierce appeared injured and after the trainers got to him, he was surrounded by KG and Glen Davis. Richardson approached Pierce - most likely to check if he wasn't injured - and KG didn't like that idea, so he elbowed him in the head. After the scuffle settled, KG was suspended from game two which should come as no surprise if you've been paying attention to your suspensions. Miami should have a good chance to attack this Boston team in game 2, Garnett was a big reason that Boston was so strong in the first game.


Western Conference

Los Angeles vs Oklahoma City
You hear it every year, two things win championships - defense and experience - and after game one of this series, you can see why the Lakers come in as favorites again. The Lakers shook off all that regular season rust and slowed the game down to a deliberate pace, holding OKC to 13 in the first quarter with their strong side defense. Durant was noticeably bothered by some combination of the playoff jitters, the big LA lights and a constant barrage of elbows courtesy of Kobe and Ron-Ron. The big story of the game was really Bynum's return. He stepped right back into his old role, clogging the paint and protecting the rim while generating easy buckets on the other end with good post moves and strong screens. Between the 14 feet of Gasol and Bynum, most teams in the West once again seem ill-equipped to defend the paint.


Dallas vs San Antonio
In one of the most exciting games of the weekend, Nowitzki came out to play in this one, dropping 36 points on a ridiculous shooting night of 12-14 form the field and 12-12 from the line. The rest of the Mavs didn't disappoint either, as Jason Kidd, Caron Butler, Shawn Marion and Brendan Haywood all had solid games on both ends of the court. San Antonio's big three showed signs of being able to carry the team, but Parker was noticeably not himself and even with Duncan and Ginobli playing at a high level one of either Hill or Jefferson will need to step up for this team to win.

Phoenix vs Portland
This game surprised me the most out of any game, but Portland's ability to control the pace of the game ended up taking all the wind out of Phoenix's sails. Phoenix was never really able to get out and run, Nate McMillan had his team focused and ready to slow the league's best offense. Andre Miller showed that his type of game is built for the playoffs (tough D and scoring at the rim), and Lamarcus Aldridge was more aggressive than I've ever seen him before, taking twenty shots while Roy is out. Phoenix made a late run of it and nearly slipped the game into overtime with a Nash 3-pt attempt, but for some reason I still expect Phoenix to control this series. Hopefully this game can just become a small road-bump in the Suns playoff drive.

Denver vs Utah
On the surface it comes as a surprise that this was the highest scoring game of the weekend, but when you look into things, it becomes pretty obvious. Between the injured Kirilenko, the slowed Kenyon Martin and the fiery and inspired pair of stars in Carmelo and Deron Williams, the scoreboards were lit up all night. Unlike most other games, this one was much closer than the final score showed as Denver really only pulled away in the fourth quarter after JR Smith began to hit shots. Okur injured his Achilles tendon, leaving him unable to compete during this year's playoffs. It was reported that he was seen with tears in his eyes post-game and it's a sad story for both Okur and the Jazz, as both of their playoff hopes are essentially done after this news.

Playoff Predictions: Round One

Just in time for the first game (which is probably on right now), here are the Balding Spalding first playoff predictions. It's been a long year of watching basketball and it all comes down to this for a lot of teams. You've got some older teams trying to grab another one before the window closes (San Antonio, Boston, Phoenix), some young teams looking to back up their good regular seasons with some playoff success (OKC, Milwaukee) and the usual suspects back again to try at the championship (Clevland, Orlando, Dallas). After it all, you've got lots of reasons to root for each team and lots of teams who will be pushing hard to keep things alive until June.


Alright, lets keep these short and sweet. Based on some stats, some intuition and a whole lot of guesswork, I've come upon my first round predictions and hopefully they don't disappoint. Up first is the Eastern Conference, and the team with home court advantage is on the left side as we go along.

East

Clevland vs Chicago: Clevland in 4

Lebron and co. won't be taking it easy on Chicago at any point in this series. This year the talk about Lebron has usually centered around his dominating play and how he has established himself as the best player in the game, but what went relatively unnoticed is Lebron's changed demeanor. All year he has been steely in his determination, never really showing any cracks all year. While Rose will cause problems for them and Joakim Noah would rather lose his hair than this series, Lebron has had this team in win-mode all year and I won't expect any different in this series.

Orlando vs Charlotte: Orlando in 5

Charlotte has been the favored upset pick, as they have the 1st overall defensive efficiency and Orlando has the leagues 2nd best offensive efficiency. I understand the ideas behind the 'defense wins championships' mantra, but this Magic team is no chump on the defense and rebounding ballots, especially with their center about to win his second consecutive DPOY award. The Bobcats won't be able to increase their offense as much as Orlando will be able to tighten up their defense, so Charlotte will only be able to take game 3 or 4 at home before being finished off by the Magic.

Atlanta vs Milwaukee: Atlanta in 6

I feel this match-up is a lot closer than most people think, but it's still not very close in the end. If the Big Aussie was still around I might even favor this prototypical Skiles team, but without him Horford and Smith will be too much on the boards to handle. Milwaukee might be able to make things interesting by going a bit smaller and shooting on the Hawks, but Horford has shown this year that he can defend out to the 3-pt line and Smith covers too much ground to make this very effective. This long, athletic and balanced Atlanta team will tighten up in the first round but looks for trouble past this round.

Boston vs Miami: Miami in 7

Boston had one of the worst finishes of any of the playoff teams, going 3-7 over their last ten heading into the playoffs. This partly was due to Doc Rivers resting most of his starters in the last month, but I still don't feel well about the Celtics coming into these playoffs. None of the Big 3 have looked like themselves for long this year and because of this, Rondo has stepped up and become the focal piece of their team. I am an avid Rondo supporter, but he hasn't had this big of a load put on him in the playoffs before and it may not work well. The other obvious issue will be defending Wade but Boston's biggest strength is their pick-and-roll defense, so expect Haslem and Beasley to play a big role hitting 15-18 footers from the corner rather than the usual Wade attack.

West

Los Angeles vs Oklahoma City: Los Angeles in 6

The Lakers have some things to worry about in this match up, but nothing the champs can't handle. The Durantula's skinny frame is going to take a beating against Ron-Ron, and while the 2-3 days rest each game will help this, another issue arises. Oklahoma doesn't really have any outside shooters in their starting line-up past Jeff Green, which means that the Lakers will be able to effectively employ their strong-side overload defense. Durant will be played tightly by Artest all series, and the Lakers will be able to help without any repercussions from the 3-pt line. It also helps that Gasol will be defended by Ibaka and Collison most of the series.

Dallas vs San Antonio: Dallas in 7

Despite being a 2 vs 7 match-up, I think this should be the closest series in the first round (other than maybe Boston-Miami). The Spurs have been inconsistent all year, but have experience and know how to tighten up when it matters. The Mavs have been consistently excellent all year, but are known to crumble under pressure and tend to unravel with the pressure on. This series will be complicated and very well-coached, but two match-ups will swing the battle - Nowitzki vs. Duncan and Butler vs. Ginobli.

Phoenix vs Portland: Pheonix in 6

Portland had some bad news this week, Brandon Roy will be having surgery on his knee which will mean his misses at least the first two playoff games and possibly more. Phoenix has been one of the NBA's best home teams this year, posting a 32-9 record at the US Airways Center. Portland has been a good road team but the Suns will come out shooting hot and without Roy, his team will have a very tough time scoring enough to keep up. I like McMillan with regards to coaching and Camby could average 20+ boards in this series, but Portland is this and Gentry is gonna run them into the ground.

Denver vs Utah: Denver in 7

This should be an interesting series, and the one I am most excited to watch. Both of these teams mean serious business, they have been too close in the past and want to win badly for their coaches (Karl is battling throat cancer and Sloan is battling... Father Time) before their time in the NBA is up. It was announced yesterday the AK-47 will miss the series, but Kenyon Martin looked slow and ineffective in his last few games after coming back from an injury. These two should problems should end up being a wash for the two teams, but the issue will be who Utah now uses to defend Carmelo. They will most likely rotate between CJ Miles and Korver, so expect 'Melo to drop a few 40 point games.

Slow Blogging Days and a Beautiful Outlet

There won't be much being posted for the rest of this week, I'm working on three big posts to finish out the season with, (Awards, Yearbook and Playoff Picture) so you can expect those to come out in the next week or two.

In the meantime, check out this (Sorry, can`t embed ESPN videos) play from the Nuggets - Timberwolves game the other night. It happens at the :30 second mark, Nene gets an off-balance rebound and throws a three quarter court outlet pass while falling backwards. For a guy who is known for playing like a bull in a china shop, it`s a really hard pass to make and a good basketball play that goes unnoticed a lot of the time.

Back to the City of Brotherly Love

This morning the New York Post's Peter Vecsey reported that Larry Brown was granted permission by the Bobcats (see: Jordan, Michael) to be the head coach of the 76ers, if Philadelphia chooses to hire him.

Now, I would usually take Vescey's rumors with a grain of salt. He's the guy who usually starts these crazy rumors (anyone remember the insane Bosh-for-Bynum talks?), but this story has one little caveat that makes it very plausible.

Larry Brown's wife and young children currently live in Philly, making this story much more believable. It looks like the coaching spot in Philly is definitely going to be up for grabs as well, the reports out of Philly aren't if Eddie Jordan will be fired but when he will be fired.

I like the idea of this move for both teams. Charlotte could use a new coach, as Brown tends to lose teams sometimes, and they could use the power of Michael Jordan's networking to get a talented coach who will stay for a few years. The Bobcats have a good base to work with, and some good young talents who could end up being solid pieces in Gerald Henderson and D.J. Augustin.

The Sixers have the type of talents that Larry Brown could turn into a winning team. Quick, tough defenders at 3 positions with Thad Young, Andre Igoudala and an improved Jrue Holiday, and a decent paint defender in Dalembert. I also wouldn't be surprised if Brown could inch a little more efficiency out of Lou Williams and Marreese Speights - two players who could be real offensive weapons. Best of all this might lead to a reinvented and successful Elton Brand, something that both Brand and the Sixers deserve.

Whattttt? Is it 2003 Again?

J-Kidd and the Matrix giving me flashbacks here. Crazy slam.

Getting Detroit's Bad Back

Any long-time basketball fan associates Detroit with one thing: toughness. Selfless, team basketball. Everyone works hard, sacrifices their body and they grind out every last second to win.

The late eighties 'Bad Boys' won two back-to-back titles and stopped MJ from getting a title his first six seasons, and they based their play style on the city they lived in. Detroit was motor-city, most of the population clocking a unionized nine to five at a GM or Ford plant, making just enough money to pay their mortgage and put a little food on the table. Every day the city got up, put their hard hats on and went out and earned what was theirs. Those Pistons played the same way, coming to every game prepared and ready to work their asses off. Just like the rest of the city, they weren't the most talented or skilled workers, but no one ever out worked them.

This same mentality came along thirteen years later when Larry Brown arrived in town, molding together what is most likely the least talented team to hoist the Larry O'Brien. A team without a single all-star the year before comes together to post a ridiculous 84.3 points per game against that season. (This was the year before the hand check rules changed, and you can bet that they abused it.) They played a deliberate pace, working hard on both ends to do the best they could. Just like the Bad Boys before them, they put the city on their backs and won a title.

So what the hell happened this year?

Well, champions can't be champions forever. Even the best fall off the top spot, but this is something different. Joe Dumars went out this summer and decided the players most deserving of Detroit's cap space were Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva. Not exactly getting flashbacks to the days of Dennis Rodman and Ben Wallace are we?

Detroit's problems can't be accounted only to Gordon and Villanueva. The team has had two rookie coaches in two years with Curry and Kuester, and two players who no longer fit in with the new, young crowd with Hamilton and Prince. The team is in limbo a bit right now, but with a few draft picks and trades the team could be built for today's faster NBA game.

The point here isn't whether or not the Pistons will become a better team or not, it's the demeanor of the team. Detroit just won't be the same team without that 'never say die' attitude. Detroit needs to be the team that picks the fight and does the dirty work. They need to be more like this:


Joe Dumars needs to bring in quality players who will dedicate themselves to a system, and a coaching staff who will keep the players fiery and focused. Hopefully is this happens, so we can see the toughness that Detroit is starting to sorely miss.

The Death of the Deer

Milwaukee got a big win a few nights ago against Phoenix, bringing them a game closer to the fifth position they have been in and out of all season. One of the best offensive teams in the league, the Suns, had an offensive clinic put on them by one of the best defensive teams in the league, the Bucks. Milwaukee composed a balanced attack, with seven players in double digits and 42 points off the bench, yet after this game Milwaukee's hope for a playoff win is now as low as it has been all season.

The big Australian, Andrew Bogut, fell hard on a dunk attempt in the second quarter, breaking his hand, disloacting his elbow and spraining his wrist all at once. This should effectively end the 'Fear the Deer' Bucks for this year after this year's squad over-achieved and earned an unexpected playoff berth.

It's a sad end to a great season for Milwaukee where almost everything went well for them.

Brandon Jennings was expected to be the second coming of Iverson, but he has committed himself to defense and has kept his teammates involved all season.

Questions were starting to raise of whether or not Bogut would ever live up to the expectations of a first overall pick but he's second in the league in blocks and averaging a double double, while leading his team to the playoffs.

The season began with questions marks all over the bench with an aging Kurt Thomas, an inconsistent Carlos Delfino and an unknown in Ersan Ilyasova, but all three have lived up to or exceeded expectations.

John Salmons' attitude has been questioned in the past, by giving up on teams and calling his own number too often, but he has fit right in with this team and provided them with an offensive punch since the trade brought him over.

Scott Skiles is well known for losing teams with his dictatorship form of coaching, but he has had the team focused and prepared for every game this season.

Between all of this it seems to me like there are just too many variables that could go wrong come April 17th, making it unlikely that they will be able to continue their success through the playoffs. With their anchor, Bogut, they are a much more consistent team on both ends of the court but this injury leaves them seriously short-handed at centre. With Kurt Thomas and Dan Gadzuric in the paint, it will probably mean a first round exit for Milwaukee, but I'm still hoping that the pieces fall into place again and the Bucks can prove me wrong these playoffs.

Is Stephen Curry the Next Steve Nash?

Between the shovel passes, lack of an 'NBA body' and being top-ten shooters in the league, Steve Nash and Stephen Curry are starting to look like they have alot in similar.

Stephen Curry said that he only started comparing himself with Steve Nash when reporters started to ask him who his NBA equivalent was around the time of the draft. Since then, Curry has been watching tape of Nash's play and trying to emulate his composure and vision on the court and by all accounts, things are working out well.

Curry is on pace to be the first rookie to ever put up 45%/40%/85%, and has been averaging more than 7 assists per game since February while maintaining a 2 to 1 assist ratio the entire time. The numbers are nice, but the real point that must have the Warriors brass happy is Curry's demeanor all season. He has never complained about the situation he's in, while gelling with teammates despite some early issues (like Ellis saying they are too small to play together in the backcourt.

If he continues to involve his teammates while keeping his turnovers down and increasing his vision and playmaking, we could be looking at the second coming of one of the league's best point guards.

Trade Dreams: Five Players Looking for a Change

A good change of scenery can really rejuvenate a player's career, in many different ways.

Some players toil for years on a basement dwelling team and are traded to a contender that will let them play for something. With his recent trade to a successful team, Kevin Martin can utilize his efficiency and finally play for a winner.

Talented players can be buried under perrenial All-Stars, and need a trade to enough minutes to make an impact. Devin Harris nearly won last year's Most Improved trophy after being traded from the guard log-jam in Dallas.

When coaches and players feud, the players almost always end up on the back end of the bench until a trade moves them - like Nate Robinson to the Celtics.

So who else in the league could benefit from a trade out of their current situation?

Ramon Sessions
A player who could benefit from getting out from underneath another player, but in this case the other player isn't an All-Star this time. Johnny Flynn has gotten almost all of the PG minutes in Minny, mostly in the name of developing him as a player. I have always felt Sessions has the talent to be a starting PG, you can see it in his career highs of 44 points and 24 assists. He has no defense, but he gets the odd steal in the passing lanes.
Potential Teams to be Traded to: Indiana, Cleveland, Lakers, Washington


Marcin Gortat
A big bodied centre like Gortat doesn't come around often. He is a legitimate seven-footer weighing a sturdy 255 who has decent hands and runs the floor hard, and has shown he is willing to learn and develop under a coach. He uses his physical attributes to cause a bunch of mismatches and is still developing his skills in the paint, but for all his ability he isn't getting many minutes under Dwight Howard.
Potential Teams to be Traded to: Minnesota, Charlotte, Detroit, San Antonio


C.J. Watson
A great two-way player, Watson has extremely quick hands and is great at starting the break and keeps his turnover numbers low. He could be a great fit on a team who could use a spark-plug type player off the bench, and Watson has shown the ability to improve his overall game, and most importantly his shooting. Watson is currently stuck with Don Nelson's erratic minutes and an inconsistent role.
Potential Teams to be Traded to: Utah, Phoenix, Indiana


Ronnie Brewer
This is a bit of an odd inclusion, as Brewer was recently traded to the Grizzlies, but Brewer has had a tough time getting off the bench because of a hamstring injury and Memphis' excellent starting 5. Brewer could be a big piece of Memphis' future, but he has shown in the past that he can be an effective low-usage member of a starting 5, something similar to Trevor Ariza's role with the Lakers last year. More than a few teams could use his efficient scoring and ball hawking ability.
Potential Teams to be Traded to: Raptors, New Orleans, back to Utah


Kevin Love
After only one year at UCLA, Kevin Love came into the NBA and has already established himself as a elite rebounder, especially offensively. He has some skills in the post and finishing under the rim, but has had some trouble with the athletic NBA defenders. Minnesota is a good fit for him, but Al Jefferson is essentially the same player as him. While Jefferson tends to score more and rebound less, they are both undersized PFs who operate in the low post. If Love could get to a new team who could use his inside-outside game and rebounding, he could be a real force in this league.
Potential Teams to be Traded to: Golden State, Oklahoma City, Chicago

Who else does everyone think belong on this list? Let me know in the comments.

Another Great NBA Moment

Last night Kevin Durant continued on his torrid scoring pace, dropping 37 on the Celtics. Knowing Kevin Garnett and his feelings about defense, here's what he had to say on the issue.



A great compliment by a future Hall of Fame member to the one of the best scorers in the league right now. It's one of those times you can feel the old stars like Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce fading away, and having their spotlight stolen away by a young phenom. Great stuff for the NBA.

The Anatomy of an NBA Coach

What it takes to be an NBA coach has always left me guessing. I understand that it is some combination of being able to motivate people, understanding the game and being able to see skills in players, and more things, but there has to be more. There must be hundreds of people who could handle an NBA coaching job, but what exactly makes a coach successful?

To answer this question, I quickly dug up a list of the coaches with the highest win percentages of all time, but only included those past 1979-80 (the year the 3-point line was introduced, and usually taken as the beginning of the modern NBA.) That gave this list of coaches with their career winning percentages, after adding in Larry Brown and Don Nelson for good measure.

Phil Jackson .705
Gregg Popovich .675
Pat Riley .636
Rick Adelman .616
Jerry Sloan .602
Flip Saunders .597
Don Nelson .567
Larry Brown .553

It can be quickly seen that most of these coaches have one thing in common.

Out of the eight of them, half of them had won championships as players with Jackson, Riley and Nelson winning in the NBA and Brown in the ABA.

Popovich never player professionally, instead heading to the military for 5 years before studying under Larry Brown at Pomona-Pitzer in 1985-86.

Flip Saunders played his college basketball with Kevin McHale and was roommates with Tony Dungy.

Jerry Sloan was a two time all-star and was named to a NBA All-Defnesive team six times.

Rick Adelman was once compared to Hitler by Phil Jackson, and if that doesn't say something about him as a coach then I don't know what will.

So what makes a good coach? It isn't dependent on the system, whether they prefer defense to offense or if they yell at or coddle their players. Most of the successful coaches have felt what it takes to win, know how to work hard and maximize what they have in themselves and in those around them. They are used to winning, are surrounded by winners and expect success.

Based on this, I looked through the list of some current coaches who have a chance at joining the ranks above.

Scott Brooks has led this year's young OKC team to a 45 wins so far this year, and are currently jockeying for home court advantage in the playoffs. A 23-win team last year, Scott Brooks has come in and coached this team to work hard every night on both ends of the court. All of these players believe in their team and their talents and believe they can win every single night. The team is constantly motivated, and have had their eyes set on winning, no matter the opponent, ever since the outbreak of the season. It was this motivation and desire that allowed a 5'11" Scott Brooks to stay in the league for ten years and win a championship with the Rockets in 1994. Brooks had the taste of winning early in his life and it seems he hasn't looked back since.

Mike Brown has gathered more wins than any other coach over the last two seasons. A lot of this could of course be accounted towards Lebron, but there are no doubts that Mike Brown has extracted the most he could have out of the team he has. Instilling defense first, last years Cavaliers were able to post the highest defensive rating while possessing probably the best offensive player in the league (and well, he might be the best defensive player as well.) Mike Brown learned his craft under Popovich, after being hired as an assistant coach. The Spurs had three consecutive 58+ win teams while Brown was an assistant coach and after winning the title in 2003, he set himself up for his head coaching job in Clevland. The point here is that Brown learned early to expect to win, and learned how to win from a great coach.

Mike D'Antoni played in the Italian League for a dozen years, piling up five championships there and two Euroleague championships. D'Antoni was Kobe Bryant's motivation to pick number 8 for his jersey, after he piled up win after win along his way to being named one of 50 Greatest Euroleague Contributors. D'Anotni's Suns averaged 58 wins a season, and if not for a crazy call on a Horry hip-check, they could have won a championship. D'Antoni took his winning ways he learned playing and coaching in Italy and applied them to the NBA to bring the Suns franchise to some high heights.

What separates a good coach from a serviceable coach is this precedent of winning, the expectation and desire to win. This Muhammad Ali quote sums things up nicely "Champions aren't made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them -- a desire, a dream, a vision." These coaches have surrounded themselves with winning in their lives since a young age and I think you can expect to see one of these three to be hoisting the Larry O'Brien in the near future.

Learn the Name: Rodrigue Beaubois

Here's my first recurring post - Learn the Name. I'll talk a little about a talented but unheralded player and why you should get to know them a bit better. First up - Rodrigue Beaubois.

Roddy Buckets showing off the ups.

Now Rodrigue is getting noticed a bunch after his 40-point game off the bench, but I've been talking about this guy since the start of the year. This guy has blazing speed, almost a 40-inch vertical and a great shooting touch, all while keeping his head on straight and motivated throughout his rookie season. He's got a great set of mentors in Jason Kidd and Jason Terry, and the Mavs have him on a cheap rookie contract for the next three years, so keep your eye out for this kid. If he can keep improving and gets more consistent, Dallas will have their PG of the future.

Steve Nash: Making People Richer

Just go ahead and watch that video above. I'll wait.

Now I know that Jared Dudley, Robin Lopez and Channing Frye are talented, NBA-worthy players and all that jazz.

But does anyone else think that they really owe it to Nash to take him out for a really expensive dinner at the end of the year?

Can Vince Handle the Pressure?

As a good Canadian boy, as Don Cherry calls em, I've always hated Vince Carter's guts since he quit on the Raptors back in '04. I loved how he carried the Raptors to their highest point, facing Larry Brown and Allen Iverson in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, putting up massive averages of 27, 7 and 5. I was watching when he threw down those insane dunks at the beginning of the new millennium, setting the dunk contest up to be a disappointment for the next decade.

But once he quit on his teammates, I could never see him in the same way. I can understand quitting on Rob Babcock and Sam Mitchell, but giving up on a young Chris Bosh, a still hardworking and effective Jalen Rose and some of the great character guys in this league (Bonner, MoPete and Donyell Marshall) is just unforgivable.

So why am I excited to see this man I can't stand go to the playoffs with the Magic?

Because he is going to crumble like a stale muffin once the Magic are out of the first round.

Early in his career, Vince's skills let me overlook his clear character flaws. He quits when he doesn't see a benefit for him, he never looks like he even wants to be there and I never believed for a second that he worked much harder than Iverson in practice. It didn't matter to me as a teenager, the man was a god in Canada. I can overlook character flaws in supremely talented players (Mr. Bryant, I'm looking at you) as long as they don't effect the team. But once they start hurting the team, it becomes an entirely different issue.

Bill Simmons' book The Book of Basketball features a considerable amount of Russel vs. Wilt talk (and a lot anti-Vince talk, too.) Simmons paints the picture of Russel constantly rising against all odds and Wilt Wilt-ing (check one for bad puns so far) on the biggest stages possible. Meeting in the Finals a few times, with Russel having Wilt under his thumb the entire time.

Now let me change the topic a little bit.

If you asked around the league who the two players who have (or had) the best chance to be the next Air Jordan, I'm betting you would hear a lot of players, coaches and GMs tell you it has to be Vince or Kobe.

Does anyone see where I'm heading with this?

Just like Wilt and Russell, they came in the league a few years apart and they both played the same position. when you compare the two sets, a lot of similarities arise past this.

Both Russell and Kobe have never been traded from their first team, are notorious for stepping up in the clutch moments and has a competitiveness unmatched by any other player. They both maximized their potential as players by constantly working on their games and playing the game the right way. While Kobe might have some problems with his ego and connecting with teammates, no one can ever say he didn't put enough effort forward.

Both Wilt and Vince have been traded in their prime multiple times for scraps (fill in details) and are known to have a passive approach to the game. They both were better known for having bigger concerns than basketball, for not having interest in basketball except for personal gain from their ridiculous talent level. Vince might not have the teams that Wilt had, but for being heralded as having one of the highest ceilings by many scouts, winning the ROY and being an All-Star in his second season, he sure hasn't been in the playoffs much.

But despite all this, not many people would argue that Wilt could have been better than Russel or that Vince could have been better than Kobe.

The issue was never athleticism or talent.

Not size or IQ; not their teammates or their coaches.

It was their unwillingness to co-operate and play a team game, inability to apply themselves to the game, and lack of desire for winning.

That's why I think that no one should be surprised is Vince falls through in the clutch, when the players who have invested their lives in the game start to shine. Kobe will be grinding his heart and mind on every possession once everything is on the line, just like Russell. Meanwhile, players like Vince and Wilt who just went through the motions with their unparalleled talent will fall apart. It all makes me think of when Russel said to Wilt - "No one in the world but me knows just how good you are", and if Kobe meets Vince in a Finals rematch I think Vince could be hearing some similar words.

Life of a Canadian Slammer

Who remembers Henry Bekkering?

A YouTube sensation from 2003, he's famous for the dunk competition above that he won at his high school in Taber, Alberta in Canada. Myers High isn't exactly a basketball hotbed, so it probably wouldn't be surprising if Henry attributes this video in bringing his bit of the spotlight to Taber.

After being recruited to Eastern Washington in 2003, he attended the school for only two years before departing to University of Calgary after having a reduced role in 2004-'05 for the Eagles. Now he plays for the Dutch league team Matixx Magix and has been putting up some good numbers for them.

Now I don't feel so bad giving myself an excuse to watch that clip again. Look here to see him on The Best Damn Sports Show Period.

How to Rebuild a Franchise: The Atlanta Hawks

Atlanta played a complete game of basketball last night against the Magic, being focused on the defensive end and efficient on the offensive end, resulting in their first win against Orlando in their last seven tries. Clearly this years Atlanta Hawks team is going to be a challenger for the Eastern Conference Finals crown.

Anyone remember the 2004-05 Hawks? Here's a picture to remind you:
This 2004-05 Hawks team had highlights such as:
- A 34-year old Kenny Anderson
- A 35-year old Jon Barry
- A 35-year old Tom Gugliotta
- A 42-year old Kevin Willis
- Rookies Josh Childress and Josh Smith
- A rookie coach in Mike Woodson

Obviously, this team didn't fare well, going 13-69 in this season.

So how did Atlanta go from a 13 win team to the 50+ win team they will most likely be this year?

In 2006, they added Joe Johnson through free agency and Marvin Williams through the draft, while continuing to stick with Mike Woodson. The next year, they took a bit of a step back in rebuilding terms. Choosing Shelden Williams in the draft hurt them a bit, as well as adding a long-term contract with Speedy Claxton. They added Zaza Pachulia, a role player that good teams always have, and continued to allow Woodson to preach the things he learned under Bobby Knight and Larry Brown. The 2007-08 off season was the one that really brought together the team you see today. Horford was drafted, and Bibby was acquired for expiring contracts.

Letting Mike Woodson stick to his guns over the years and keeping the core intact the entire time allowed for the team to grow together, and now they are competing for title with this roster.

Pretty amazing how fast things can change in 5 years.

NBA Jam is Back!

I have to admit, I am more of a simulation guy when it comes to my sports games. Nothing annoys my friends more when they come over and ask to play a game of 2K10, and I am too focused on a franchise too pull away. Usually, eventually, I am persuaded to reluctantly play a game or two of multiplayer, but it's never my first choice.

But this right here, this is something I would play with friends.

No one asking me what '3 in the key' is, no one still learning the controls after the tenth time playing and no one is curious how I'm kicking their ass while only doing post moves.

Check this trailer out, and try to not imagine having a good time with friends.



Between all of the dunking, shooting and crazy shit going on all over, you'd be hard-pressed not to have at least a little fun.

The best part of it all is gonna be debating through all the teams, and picking your players. This time around, EA has put the power in our hands and you can actually go and vote for the players you want in the game. So seeing as it's the trendy thing to do as a basketball blogger, here are my picks for the new NBA Jam game.


ATLANTA HAWKS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Dominique Wilkins and Stacey Augmon

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Mike Bibby, Marvin Williams, Al Horford and Jamal Crawford

My Picks: Johnson, Smith and Crawford
It really burns me to leave Horford off, the team needs some thickness and he is so important to this Hawks team in real life. But leaving off Jamal Crawford? The guy is built for NBA Jam basketball: dunks, threes, hops, handles, he's got it all. Johnson and Smith will make this a team an easy pick, especially if they build J-Smoove as more of a PF rather than a SF.


BOSTON CELTICS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Reggie Lewis and Kevin McHale

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo, Rasheed Wallace and Kendrick Perkins

My Picks: Rondo, Pierce and Garnett
Rondo is the future of this team, I feel like this guy will be an All-Star for the better part of the next decade. Leaving Allen’s stroke out of this game is a travesty, but getting KG and Pierce back with some ups will remind all the Boston fans that their team wasn’t always made of dinosaurs.


CHARLOTTE BOBCATS

1993 NBA Jam Team: N/A

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Gerald Wallace, Stephen Jackson, Tyson Chandler, Boris Diaw, D.J. Augustin and Raymond Felton

My Picks: Wallace, Jackson and Felton
Crash and Captain Jack are obvious choices here, these two are the face of the Bobcats right now and they would both be awesome Jam players. I wanted to go Diaw for his crafty passing, but IQ doesn't translate well into this game. Speed sure does, and Felton has that in spades.


CHICAGO BULLS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, Joakim Noah, Kirk Hinrich, Taj Gibson and John Salmons

My Picks: Noah, Rose and Hinrich
Noah is the obvious first choice here - hair like that is once in a lifetime. Rose is in with his hops and speed, but the last spot is a tough choice. I would've liked to give the lifetime achievement nod to Brad Miller, but Hinrich's shooting will help this team be a little more competitive.


CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Mark Price and Brad Daugherty

2010 EA Sports Ballot: LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Antawn Jamison, Anderson Varejao, Anthony Parker and Mo Williams

My Picks: James, O'Neal and Varejao
No words necessary for the man who will probably be the best NBA Jam player ever. Lebron's dunking with this seasons 3-point shooting? Watch - the - eff - out. Shaq has to be in it, he's too much of a legend to not be in it. Once again, this last spot gives me a bit of trouble. I want to go with Varejao because he is probably the second most important part to this team (not to mention that hair!), but Jamison deserves to be in this game and could help the team spread the floor a bit with his range.


DALLAS MAVERICKS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Derek Harper and Mike Iuzzolino

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Caron Butler, Shawn Marion, Jason Terry and Brendan Haywood

My Picks: Nowitzki, Kidd and Terry
Headaches written all over this one. Dirk and Kidd have to be on here, both have good skills for this game and the added athleticism will be awesome for them. Where do you go now? Butler has the skills for this game, Haywood has the size and Matrix has the athletics, but Terry's tenure with the team and his shooting makes me go with him.


DENVER NUGGETS

1993 NBA Jam Team: LaPhonso Ellis and Dikembe Mutombo

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Kenyon Martin, J.R. Smith, Nene and Chris Andersen

My Picks: Anthony, Billups and Nene
Obviously 'Melo is gonna be a beast in this game, all I wanna do is re-create this moment over and over. Billups gets on here because he is what changed this team from a threat to the juggernaut it is now. Nene needs to be on this team, the guy is bigger than Dewey Oxberger and will shatter backboards all day long. Leaving off the Birdman and Earl Smith is obviously tough, these two would be just awesome in this game. Fingers are crossed for some cheat codes to unlock more players.

Anyone remember this cheat code? Yes, that's Bill Clinton on the left.


DETROIT PISTONS

1993 NBA Jam Teamv: Isiah Thomas and Bill Laimbeer

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Rip Hamilton, Ben Gordon, Tayshaun Prince, Charlie Villanueva, Rodney Stuckey and Ben Wallace

My Picks: Wallace, Prince and Hamilton
Ben Gordon is a personal favorite of mine, and Stuckey and Villanueva have had more of an influence on this team this year than either Rip or Tayshaun. But who the hell in their right mind wants to remember this team over the one from 3 years ago?


GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Tim Hardaway and Chris Mullin

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Monta Ellis, Corey Maggette, Stephen Curry, Andris Biedrins, Anthony Randolph and Anthony Morrow

My Picks: Ellis, Curry and Randolph
Ellis and Curry are the obvious choices after this season, they have arguably the brightest future out of any backcourt duo in the league. The only thing the team is lacking with these two is some defense and rebounding, and while Biedrins fits the bill, Randolph's summer league performance gives me hope for the future.


HOUSTON ROCKETS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Hakeem Olajuwon and Kenny Smith

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Kevin Martin, Yao Ming, Shane Battier, Aaron Brooks, Luis Scola and Trevor Ariza

My Picks: Yao, Brooks and Ariza
This Rockets team is so team-oriented that it's a little tough to pick here. Yao makes it in because he is the face of the franchise and the best player on the team. Battier is the consummate Rocket, but he isn't the type of player made for NBA Jam. Brooks has been great this season and has only ever been a Rocket, so he earns his spot. That leaves Scola, Martin and Ariza to choose from, and I would feel bad leaving Ariza's hops out of this game.


INDIANA PACERS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Reggie Miller and Detlef Schrempf

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Danny Granger, Mike Dunleavy, T.J. Ford, Dahntay Jones, Roy Hibbert and Brandon Rush

My Picks: Granger, Hibbert and Dunleavy
Where's my boy Troy? The man has been one of the league's best shooting big men for the better half of a decade and Jones, Ford and Rush get a spot over him? What gives? Anyways, Granger and Hibbert are the first two that come to mind - they will be at the forefront of this franchise for awhile. Mike Dunleavy's all around game will pair well with Granger's and make this team playable, at the least. I just wish I could get the Schrempf-inator back on this team.


LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Ron Harper and Danny Manning

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Baron Davis, Blake Griffin, Chris Kaman, Eric Gordon, Steve Blake and Marcus Camby

My Picks: Davis, Gordon and Griffin
Baron Davis needs to be on this team just because of how well his game translates to the NBA Jam arena. His size, passing, dunking and shooting ability will be awesome without all the bad decision making you're used to. Eric Gordon gets a nod after his nice Dunk-In performance on All-Star Weekend and because the team needs some shooting. The last spot goes to Griffin, and I'll let this do the talking.


LOS ANGELES LAKERS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Vlade Divac and James Worthy

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, Ron Artest, Andrew Bynum and Derek Fisher

My Picks: Bryant, Gasol and Bynum
Kobe gets in for obvious reasons, his all-around game will probably result in him being the second-best player in the game after Lebron. Gasol is one of the most under-rated players in the league, and his awesome mobility for a big will fit well in the game. There is a lot of talent still available, but Bynum will be a force for this squad for a long time and will add a nice shot-blocking side to this team.


MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES

1993 NBA Jam Team: N/A

2010 EA Sports Ballot: O.J. Mayo, Zach Randolph, Rudy Gay, Marc Gasol, Mike Conley and Ronnie Brewer

My Picks: Gay, Mayo and Randolph
This Grizzlies team is composed of a bunch of great one-on-one talents; this should make them a big time threat in the game. Rudy Gay gets in being arguably the best player on the team, but his ridiculous in-game dunks are what makes him a lock. O.J. Mayo’s shooting and handling make him a shoe-in, but it gets tough after that. If the young Gasol still had his beard, he would be in. If Brewer had been here longer, he would be in. It has to be Randolph though, after a career year on a winning team, despite Conley’s marked improvement.


MIAMI HEAT

1993 NBA Jam Team: Glen Rice and Rony Seikaly

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Dwyane Wade, Michael Beasley, Jermaine O'Neal, Udonis Haslem, Mario Chalmers and Quentin Richardson

My Picks: Wade, Beasley and
Wade is obvious, and B-Easy is clearly the second best talent on this team and is still going to improve a whole whack. The last spot is a bit of a toss-up, but I went with O’Neal because of the shot blocking and dunking. The real question is whether or not this team could improve a whole bunch this summer by adding Bosh, Stoudamire or some other major free agent.

Dwayne Wade is gonna be on fire in this game more than Nic Cage in Ghost Rider.


MILWAUKEE BUCKS

1993 NBA Jam Twosome: Blue Edwards and Brad Lohaus

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Michael Redd, Andrew Bogut, Brandon Jennings, Luke Ridnour, Hakim Warrick and Ersan Ilyasova

My Picks: Redd, Bogut and Jennings
Michael Redd is on his way out and likely won’t be a big part of Milwaukee’s future, but I can’t bring myself to pick any of the other options. Jennings and Bogut will be putting up some of the best alley-oops in the league, and with Redd lighting it up with that lefty slingshot from the outside, this team could be a lot of fun to play with.


MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES

1993 NBA Jam Team: Christian Laettner and Chuck Person

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Al Jefferson, Kevin Love, Jonny Flynn, Corey Brewer, Ryan Gomes, Ramon Sessions

My Picks: Jefferson, Love and Flynn
Not a tough set of picks here, these are the three most talented players on this team. I would love if Sessions would get more playing time so I could put him in here, or that Darko was on the list at all. Sessions is a better shooter and playmaker than Flynn right now, and Darko could have a wicked hidden move where he rips his jersey in half and starts cursing uncontrollably.


NEW JERSEY NETS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Derrick Coleman and Drazen Petrovic

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Devin Harris, Brook Lopez, Yi Jianlian, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Rafer Alston and Courtney Lee

My Picks: Lopez, Harris and Jianlian
What can you do with this massacre of a line-up? I would love to put Skip in here for those wicked streetball roots, but considering he already left the team that’s not really an option anymore. Lopez gets in for the size, Harris for the speed and Yi for the Chinese sales.


NEW ORLEANS HORNETS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Larry Johnson and Kendall Gill

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Chris Paul, David West, Peja Stojakovic, Emeka Okafor, Devin Brown and Marcus Thornton

My Picks: Paul, West and Stojakovic
The Hornets two All-Stars are the easy choices – Paul and West get in immediately. Okafor is too much of a robot to get in this game and Devin Brown was traded two months ago. The next choice comes down to the shooters – Thornton or Sotjakovic. I want to go with the young gun in Thornton, but Stojakovic has a long history of being one of the league’s best long bombers and I can’t give up hope of those crazy Peja heads popping up in the stands.


NEW YORK KNICKS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Patrick Ewing and Charles Oakley

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Al Harrington, Danilo Gallinari, David Lee, Wilson Chandler, Tracy McGrady and Chris Duhon

My Picks: Gallinari, Lee and McGrady
The Knicks were the biggest and most physical team in the original edition of the game, but now that D’Anotni is in town this team will be a bit different. The Rooster has to make the team, along with Lee – they will help the team a ton and their shooting and rebounding. McGrady takes the last spot in my mind; it gives the team a bunch of size and passing which could be interesting. My only issue is that Toney Douglas wasn’t an option for the team because the kid has been fire since he got the starting role in New York.


OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER

1993 NBA Jam Team: Shawn Kemp and Benoit Benjamin

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Russell Westbrook, Thabo Sefolosha, Nenad Krstic and James Harden

My Picks: Durant, Westbrook and Green
The rookie Harden has put up a good case this season, but Green brings some size and rebounding which this team desperately needs. Surprisingly, this team doesn’t translate all that that well to the 2-on-2 game. Oh wait, Durant is well known for hitting 40 footers, and he is 6’11”. Heads up.


ORLANDO MAGIC

1993 NBA Jam Team: Shaquille O'Neal and Scott Skiles

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Dwight Howard, Vince Carter, Rashard Lewis, Jameer Nelson, Mickael Pietrus and J.J. Redick

My Picks: Howard, Nelson and Vince
It’s tough to not put the beer pong champion J.J. Redick on the team, but if I kept Vince off this team, I might be burned at the stake by some old Air Canada. So after the inclusions of Dwight, and one of my favourite short players in Nelson, Vince took the last spot. I guess his dunking is nice, but just don’t expect to ever see me playing with that wimp.


PHILADELPHIA 76ers

1993 NBA Jam Team: Hersey Hawkins and Jeff Hornacek

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Andre Iguodala, Elton Brand, Allen Iverson, Lou Williams, Marreese Speights and Thaddeus Young

My Picks: Iguodala, Young and Iverson
I’m expecting Iggy to rip the rim off the backboard in this game over and over, but the choices get pretty limited after this. Brand doesn’t have a single knee between his two legs and I like the idea of a quicker PF like Thad for this team. Iverson gets the final spot over Lou Williams; the Answer has worked too hard for too long to not be in the game.


PHOENIX SUNS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Charles Barkley and Dan Majerle

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire, Jason Richardson, Grant Hill, Channing Frye and Leandro Barbosa

My Picks: Nash, Stoudemire and Richardson
Nash and Stoudemire’s pick and roll game will make them a popular choice when this game is finally released but I just hope that Stoudemire is still on the team at that time. Lots of options for the final spot, but two time dunk champ J-Rich edges out the Brazilian Blur and Frye’s silky stroke.


PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Clyde Drexler and Terry Porter

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, Greg Oden, Andre Miller, Marcus Camby and Martell Webster

My Picks: Roy, Aldridge and Oden
Including Oden is easy because there is no such thing as an injury in NBA Jam. Roy and Aldridge become easy picks after this inclusion, but I think most players will end up using Oden and Roy. Clyde the Glide would still be awesome in this game and he would still look younger than Oden, even with that legendary widow’s peak.

The peak that dreams are made of.


SACRAMENTO KINGS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Wayman Tisdale and Spud Webb

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Carl Landry, Tyreke Evans, Jason Thompson, Spencer Hawes, Beno Udrih and Andres Nocioni

My Picks: Landry, Evans and Hawes
Landry and Evans make this team a big, scary, efficient scoring team for years, but who else will help them out? Thompson’s athleticism is nice and Beno can do some things; Hawes gets the nod so they can have a true big to play with.


SAN ANTONIO SPURS

1993 NBA Jam Team: David Robinson and Sean Elliott

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Richard Jefferson, George Hill and Antonio McDyess

My Picks: Duncan, Parker and Ginobili
Hopefully Manu stays this summer, but even with the option of him leaving through free agency was there ever a question about these three being the team?


TORONTO RAPTORS

1993 NBA Jam Team: N/A

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Chris Bosh, Jose Calderon, Andrea Bargnani, Hedo Turkoglu, Jarrett Jack and DeMar DeRozan

My Picks: Bosh, Bargnani and Calderon
A surprisingly hard choice, the team has a lot of talent on paper when you list it all down. The CB4 and Il Mago have the shooting touch to stretch the floor and get inside, which could make this team a big threat and one of my favourites to play with. A good passer to set either of them up would be nice, and Hedo’s lacking play this season left me with Calderon.


UTAH JAZZ

1993 NBA Jam Team: Karl Malone and John Stockton

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur, Andrei Kirilenko, C.J. Miles and Paul Millsap

My Picks: Williams, Boozer and Kirilenko
Williams and Boozer aren’t quite the tandem Malone and Stockton were, but Boozer has played well this season despite the massive distractions he caused with the trade demands and Williams has continued to be one of the best PGs in the league. The last spot is between Okur and Kirilenko, but AK-47’s all around game is built for this game and it would just look unnatural to see Okur dunk again. He can’t dunk anymore, right?


WASHINGTON WIZARDS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Tom Gugliotta and Harvey Grant

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Randy Foye, Mike Miller, Josh Howard, Andray Blatche, Nick Young and Al Thornton

My Picks: Blatche, Howard and Young
Since the big fire-sale, Washington has become one of my favourite teams to watch, even though they got a lot worse. Blatche looks like he is going to be a headache for ages, even though he has potential. Josh Howard is the closest thing to a sure thing on this team, and Young has got the jumper and the hops for this game.

Amar'e Stoudemire - Playing For a Contract?

Amare's contract is up at the end of this season, and he has been itching to get somewhere where he is really in the spotlight. The man is on his way to getting max money, just check out these post-All Star weekend stats:

26.3 ppg
9.6 rpg
55.6 FG%
0.798 FT%
9.9 FTA/g
2.3 TO

These are the best stats he's posted since he had his two microfracture surgeries back in 2004-05, and if he can keep this up consistently I think we can expect a lot more of this:

It looks like Amar'e can expect a lot more of this : $.