NBA Preview

The NBA makes its triumphant return on Christmas Day and I couldn't be more excited. First of all, I don't have to work, which is fantastic news. I thought that the chock full Christmas Day slate in the NBA would keep me in CT for the holidays. I'm also excited because it finally seems like my beloved New York Knicks are legitimate contenders in the Eastern Conference for the first time in over a decade. Trust me when I tell you that I've watched far too many Knick games featuring Stephon Marbury, Steve Francis, Tracy McGrady, Zach Randolph, Jamal Crawford (I loved him), etc.

In an effort to subside my hard on for the return to the hardwood I've decided to write a quick team by team preview for the upcoming 66 game season.

I've ranked the teams by conference and projected their 2011-12 record (Yes, the total wins and total losses are equal).


Eastern Conference

1.) Miami Heat (52-14)- The Heat lost in Game 6 of the NBA Finals last year and they’re only going to get better. If you gave me the Heat or the field to win the 2012 NBA title I would take the Heat and I wouldn’t even think twice about it.

2.) Chicago Bulls (48-18)- They certainly upgraded at the 2 with the addition of Rip Hamilton, but he’s wayyy past his prime. The Bulls are very solid, but who’s their #2 scorer? Carlos Boozer? How’d that work out last year?

3.) Boston Celtics (42-24)- I get it, they’re a year older. People keep pointing to this like Rondo, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett aren’t good anymore. I’m sure the compact 66 game schedule will affect them a little especially because their depth isn’t what it once was (which is only exacerbated now that Jeff Green is out for the year), but I’m not ready to sell the Celtics yet.

4.) New York Knicks (40-26)- The Knicks biggest concerns last year were defense, defensive rebounding, defending the low post, and protecting the rim. Tyson Chandler is the perfect addition because he does all of those things well, but he can’t cure all of the team’s ills. His unselfishness on the offensive end will also be a plus because there already aren’t enough shots for Melo and Amare. While Chandler makes perfect sense the Knicks had to give up Chauncey Billups and stability at PG to get him.


No, that's not Kimbo Slice. It's the Knicks new PG.

Enter Baron Davis. I’m very intrigued by this signing. For starters, ESPN’s Ric Bucher seems to think that Baron will only be out 4-5 weeks instead of the 8-10 that’s been reported. Everyone keeps saying that if Baron is healthy and motivated he’ll be great for the Knicks. “If he’s healthy and motivated.” I wish it were that easy for me. It’s almost like people are treating Baron like a supermodel/actress that gained a little weight. If she gets healthy (loses weight) and is motivated she can start wrecking dicks again.

5.) Atlanta Hawks (34-32)- The Hawks are stuck in a perpetual cycle of mediocrity. They are never going to win an NBA championship with this roster (especially with the absurd amount of $ they have invested in Joe Johnson). The way I see it the Hawks can either be the 4-5 seed for a few more years and never get past the 2nd round or they can blow the entire team up, bottom out, and hope to land a future superstar in the draft.

6.) Indiana Pacers (34-32)- I really like what the Pacers did this offseason in adding George Hill (a great sparkplug backup PG to push Collison) and David West (he was so underrated that he became overrated, but now he’s underrated again). A foundation of Darren Collison, Danny Granger, and David West may not be enough to win the title, but it’s certainly good enough for 6th place in the East.

7.) Philadelphia 76ers (33-33)- Doug Collins did a hell of a job with this team last year. They were young and he brought a sense of stability. They should get better with another year of experience.

8.) Milwaukee Bucks (32-34)- They lost Corey Maggette, John Salmons, and Keyon Dooling and replaced them with Mike Dunleavy, Jr., Stephen Jackson, and Beno Udrih. I’ll call that a slight upgrade. If Andrew Bogut stays healthy and Brandon Jennings takes a few less contested 3-pointers (he was 98 for 303 from deep last year) this team may climb back to the 6 spot, which is where they finished in 09-10.

9.) Orlando Magic (31-35)- I think Dwight will be traded before the trade deadline in March, but he’ll be around long enough to keep this team around .500.

10.) Detroit Pistons (29-37)- The Pistons are a worse (albeit younger) version of the Hawks. Sure I think that they’ll see a little addition by subtraction with Rip Hamilton gone, but how far are they going when Rodney Stuckey, Ben Gordon, Tayshaun Prince, Charlie Villanueva, Austin Daye, and Greg Monroe are their top 6 players?

11.) New Jersey Nets (24-42)- A full year (66 games, but you know what I meant) with Deron Williams running the show and the Nets should improve significantly. They swung and missed with Carmelo last year, but they seem to be one of the two landing spots for Dwight and he’s a game changer.

12.) Washington Wizards (21-45)- They will be very young, but there is a lot of talent on this roster. John Wall is the only star, but Syracuse native Andray Blatche and Nick Young can score, and Javale McGee protects the rim better than most.

13.) Charlotte Bobcats (18-48)- The Bobcats roster is horrendous. This is an easy comment to make, but I seriously think that Michael Jordan, at age 48, would be their best player. Seriously, this is their potential starting five...

PG- DJ Augustin
SG- Corey Maggette
SF- Boris Diaw
PF- Tyrus Thomas
C- Melvin Ely

14.) Cleveland Cavaliers (16-50)- Kyrie Iriving and Tristan Thompson better grow up in a hurry because there isn’t too much else on this roster other than a washed up Antawn Jamison and Anderson Varajeo.

15.) Toronto Raptors (15-51)- DeMar Derozan showed some signs last year, but I can’t get behind the foreign trio of Andrea Bargnani, Jose Calderon, and Linas Kleiza.


Western Conference

1.) Oklahoma City Thunder (49-17)- I still feel like they’re still a year away, but the West is theirs for the taking. Durant is an assassin, Perk slimmed down significantly, and James Harden stepped up in the playoffs. If Russell Westbrook can stop going 9855783 miles per hour at all times and learn to value the basketball the Thunder will be the team to beat in the West.


He either snorted a lot of cocaine, worked out a lot, or gave up Cap'n Crunch like C.C. Sabathia did.

2.) Dallas Mavericks (44-22)- They’re the defending champs, so I have to give them respect, but losing Chandler and Barea may come back to bite them. There’s no doubt that they’re talented, but I can’t figure out what they’re doing in the frontcourt. They essentially have 3 awkward forwards. Shawn Marion is a PF trapped in a SF’s body, Dirk is a SG trapped in a center’s body, and Lamar Odom is a SF trapped in a PF’s body.

3.) San Antonio Spurs (43-23)- Weird to think that they were the #1 seed last year. The roster didn’t change too much, which means that they’ll probably trot out an impact foreigner they drafted 3 years ago. Tony Parker, Manu, Richard Jefferson, and Tim Duncan may be old, but they know how to win and Gregg Popovich is one of the few coaches in the league that actually matters.

4.) Los Angeles Lakers (42-24)- Kobe may be a better player off the court this year (Hide your wives, hide your daughters, hide the hotel maids),but he’s still a top 3 player in the NBA (LBJ and Durant). Maybe he and Pau, who was clearly rattled in the playoffs after his GF dumped him, will get it together. Can't you see Kobe going on a one mission to avenge the wrong that David Stern did the Lakers by nixing the Chris Paul trade? All that said, the Lakers still have major concerns- PG defense, Andrew Bynum’s health, and first year head coach Mike Brown.

5.) Los Angeles Clippers (39-27)- The addition of CP3 may be slightly overstated, but it’s still a big deal. The Clippers starting 5 (CP3, Chauncey, Caron Butler, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan) is legit, but I question their depth. They do have 4 point guards (CP3, Chauncey, Mo Williams, and Eric Bledsoe), so they'd be the odds on favorite to win a ball handling competition (which is a lot more gay than it is noteworthy).

6.) Memphis Grizzlies (39-27)- The Grizzlies gained valuable experience in the playoffs last year (beat the Spurs in 6 and lost to the Thunder in 7). Z-Bo was simply a man among boys, which was FTW (fun to watch). Now they lost Shane Battier to the Heat, but they get Rudy Gay back from injury, so I expect them to build on last year’s momentum a little bit.

7.) Portland Trail Blazers (38-28)- They have great length in the frontcourt (Gerald Wallace, LaMarcus Aldridge, and the ageless Marcus Camby) as well as some firepower in the backcourt (Raymond Felton, Jamal Crawford, and Wesley Matthews).

8.) Denver Nuggets (38-28)- The Nuggets biggest problem this year may be in dealing with Chinese legalese as Wilson Chandler, JR Smith, and Kenyon Martin seem to be stuck in China until March. As for the team they’ll actually put on the court, Ty Lawson is an exciting PG, Nene is a solid center, and they have plenty of pieces to fill in the rest (Gallinari, Al Harrington, Andre Miller, etc.).

9.) Phoenix Suns (35-31)- The Suns will continue to fade in terms of NBA relevance as long as their roster is built around the 37-year-old Steve Nash and the 39-year-old Grant Hill. Sorry I’m not sorry that I can’t get excited about Shannon Brown (who I actually like), Channing Frye (it’s almost like there’s an electric fence around the 3-point line and he gets buzzed when he tries to go towards the rim), and Jared Dudley. The Suns do have great team chemistry, but that can only get you so far.

10.) Utah Jazz (34-32)- Their backcourt is highly questionable (Devin Harris, CJ Miles, Gordon Hayward and Raja Bell), but I like Derrick Favors and Al Jefferson, and I’m interested to see what Enes Kanter brings to the table.

11.) Golden State Warriors (32-34)- They can score. That much we know. The real question for them will be whether or not first year head coach Mark Jackson can bring some of that St. John’s/New York Knicks/post up point guard toughness to this team. I think they start to get things going in the right direction, but you aren’t going to the playoffs if Kwame Brown is your best defender.

12.) Houston Rockets (28-38)- This team is a collection of decent to not very good complimentary pieces. Kevin Martin and Luis Scola are solid, but they aren’t taking you anywhere.

13.) Sacramento Kings (23-43)- I really liked the addition of Chuck Hayes and it’s sad to see that his contract was voided because of a heart condition, but I still think that the Kings have improved. First and foremost, they drafted the Jimmer. I’m not sure what he’ll really bring (probably not much more than what J.J. Redick has done for the Magic), but he’s got a slight Tebow quality to him. Their best two players are clearly Tyreke Evans and DeMarcus Cousins and Marcus Thornton, J.J. Hickson, and John Salmons are fairly solid pieces to put around them.

14.) Minnesota Timberwolves (19-47)- They have three white PGs (Rubio, Barea, and Ridnour), three white bigs (Kevin Love, Darko, and Brad Miller), and a bunch of Player X’s. By Player X’s I mean that there are 4-5 guys that are not distinguishable from the others. If a casual NBA fan watched the Timberwolves play they’d be hard pressed to tell the difference between Wesley Johnson, Derrick Williams, Wayne Ellington, Michael Beasley, and Martell Webster.

One more point about the Timberwolves. For those people that say that Kevin Love is a top 10 player in the NBA. Stop it. I like Kevin Love. He’s a star with a unique skill set. He’s the best rebounder in the league and he can stroke it from deep, but here’s the problem. He’s at his best as the #2 or #3 option on offense. He can’t carry a team on his back. Just look at his track record. He was the best player on this team last year and they won 17 games. He’d be perfect on a team with a proven scorer like Kobe or Durant, but his skills aren’t fully utilized when he’s deferring to Michael Beasley.

15.) New Orleans Hornets (18-48)- The Hornets are going to be bad this season. Eric Gordon is a budding superstar and Chris Kaman is a serviceable center, but are they enough to win 20 games? I don’t think so.

Dream Team

The world of sports talk was set ablaze Tuesday when NBA superstar LeBron James sent this tweet to ESPN NFL Reporter John Clayton.

“@ClaytonESPN When is the deadline for a team to sign a free agent?”

The debate began almost immediately because it seems like ESPN thinks it’s news every time LeBron tweets (regardless of the subject matter). Is LeBron serious? If so, should a team sign him? He was an all-state wide receiver in high school, but could he play in the NFL? Look no further than Antonio Gates or Jimmy Graham.

Ok LeBron, even though I don’t think you’re remotely serious and you probably just want the media to speculate about how great of an athlete you are, I’ll bite too.

Could LeBron play in the NFL? In a heartbeat. The dude is 6’8 250 and probably runs a 4.4-4.6. Sure, he’d be extremely raw and he wouldn’t know what he was doing half of the time, but with an ounce of coaching, practice, and dedication he could be a force. The people that say that the best athletes in the world are in the NFL are wrong. The best athletes in the world are in the NBA and I don’t think there’s much of a debate.

Of course this begs the question, “What other NBA players could successfully make the transition to the NFL?”

Well to answer that question I put together an NFL roster of NBA players. You may not know all of the following names, but I did my best to assign players to a position that best fit their body type, mentality, and skill set. Most NBA players are simply too tall to realistically have a place on the football field, other than as a kick blocking expert, so you won’t find a Dwight Howard or Kevin Garnett anywhere on my suggested roster.


Depth Chart

Offense

WR- LeBron James, Heat F (6’8, 250)- Most people say that LeBron would make for a premier tight end because of his size, but I’d keep him at his natural position so he doesn’t have to get in a three point stance, block anyone with real size, or get chipped coming off the line. He’d be unguardable on the goal line. Even if he was double covered he’d still catch fades.

WR- Monta Ellis, Warriors G (6’3, 185)- I wanted to make his teammate Steph Curry my slot WR, but Curry doesn’t have the toughness to go across the middle. Ellis isn’t that well known, but he’s an electrifying athlete.

OT- Al Horford, Hawks C (6’10, 245)- Horford has extremely long arms, enormous hands, a wide base, quick feet, and a calm and cool demeanor. He’s my first pick to protect the blind side.

OG- Chuck Hayes, Rockets C (6’6, 238)- Chuck Hayes is an absolute bad ass. He just goes about his business grabbing every rebound in sight and playing stellar defense even though he’s undersized without ever seeking praise or admiration for his hard work. This selflessness is rare for an NBA player and much needed for an offensive line man.

C- Luke Harangody, Cavs F (6’7, 251)- He’s a little tall, but centers need to be smart in order to make protection calls and Harangody’s Notre Dame education would go far.

OG- Craig Smith, Clippers F (6’7, 265)- Smith has some serious meat to him and after sitting next to his mother at a BC basketball game I think he could easily pack on the 50-60 pounds he’d need to effectively play at the NFL level.

OT- Jon Brockman, Bucks F (6’7, 255)- Brockman has the perfect frame and agility to play tackle. He’s built like a house and could quickly beef up to 330-340.

TE- Amare Stoudemire, Knicks F (6’10, 240)- STAT’s combination of size, speed, soft hands, and toughness would make him an elite TE almost instantly.

WR- Kevin Durant, Thunder F (6’9, 230)- Durant is such a gamer that I thought about making him the quarterback. He heats up like nobody else in the league and I could see him doing the same as a receiver. If you need a big catch in the 4th quarter with the game on the line Durant would be your guy.

QB- Jason Kidd, Mavs G (6’4, 210)- I’ve scanned through every player in the league and Kidd just seems like the obvious choice. He has the ideal size, vision, and leadership qualities, but I question his intellect.

RB- Derrick Rose, Bulls G (6’3, 190)- I think this is the best fit of any position. Rose is out of control fast, agile, and powerful. I see him as a cross between Adrian Peterson and Ray Rice.


Defense

DE- Blake Griffin, Clippers F (6’10, 251)- Good luck blocking him coming off the edge. He arguably has the best blend of speed, power, and aggressiveness in the league.

DT- DeJuan Blair, Spurs F (6’7, 270)- Blair’s mass and quickness would make him a disruptive force in the A and B gaps.

DT- Glen “Big Baby” Davis, Celtics F (6’9, 289)- Big Baby is enormous and has ideal size for offensive tackle, but he’s way too dumb to play offense. I also think he’s a little unstable and that’s the exact quality I want in players that play defense.

DE- Joey Dorsey, Raptors F (6’8, 268)-I honestly didn’t know that Dorsey was still in the NBA, but anyone that saw him play at Memphis knows that he’s an absolute freak of nature.

OLB- Shannon Brown, Lakers G (6’4, 210)- Easily one of the most athletic players in the association. He’s fast, quick, gritty, and ferocious. Exactly what I want in a LB.

MLB- Gerald Wallace, Blazers F (6’7, 220)- He doesn’t have elite level speed for an NBA player, but I think he’s faster than most middle linebackers in the NFL. He’s also one of the most intimidating guys you can imagine. Picture the last person you want to see in a dark alley late at night. You’ve just pictured Gerald Wallace.

OLB- Tony Allen, Grizzlies G (6’4, 213)- One of the best on ball defenders in the NBA. Prototypical size for a LB. In fact, he could probably play SS, but I can easily see him shedding blocks and tackling anyone in sight.

CB- Nate Robinson, Thunder G (5’9, 180)- He played cornerback at the University of Washington and would make the transition to the NFL the easiest especially from a technical stand point.

FS- Rajon Rondo, Celtics G (6’1, 171)- Rondo would be an absolute ball hawk and his inefficiencies as a shooter wouldn’t come into play in the NFL.

SS- Russell Westbrook, Thunder G (6’3, 187)- The dude is a blur and he’s super aggressive. He’d probably bite on every play fake for the first year or two of his career, but I think he could be an impact player.

CB- Kyle Lowry, Rockets G (6’0, 205)- Probably the feistiest player in the NBA. I don’t think he’d be a lockdown corner, but he’d thrive playing bump and run and would hardly ever miss a tackle.


Special Teams

K- Steve Nash, Suns G (6’3, 178)- He plays in a soccer league in NYC in the summer, so I assume he can kick. He’d also be at least the 2nd biggest kicker in the league (Sebastian Janikowski).

P- Tracy McGrady, Pistons F (6’8, 223)- I went to a game 10 years ago in Orlando where McGrady punted the ball into the stands not once, but twice, so I imagine that he’d at least be interested in the position.

KR- Manu Ginobili, Spurs G (6’6, 205)- Manu’s 6’6? Either way, he’s crafty, elusive, and dynamic.

PR- Brandon Jennings, Bucks G (6’1, 169)- He’d probably dance too much and try to make the home run plays, but if he could be coach to make 1 move and then go north and south he could be explosive. He’d also see some action as the 3rd down running back.


Bench

OT- Kevin Love, Timberwolves F (6’10, 260)
OT- DeMarcus Cousins, Kings C (6’11, 270)
OT- Josh Harrellson, Knicks F (6’10, 275)
OG- Reggie Evans, Raptors F (6’8, 245)
OG- Jason Maxiell, Pistons F (6’7, 260)
WR- Rudy Gay, Grizzlies F (6’8, 230)
WR- Dwyane Wade, Heat G (6’4, 220)
WR- Matt Barnes, Lakers F (6’7, 226)
TE- Carmelo Anthony, Knicks F (6’8, 230)
TE- Jason Richardson, Magic G (6’6, 225)
QB- Chris Paul, Hornets G (6’0, 175)
QB- Kirk Hinrich, Hawks G (6’4, 190)
RB- Deron Williams, Nets G (6’3, 209)
RB- Chauncey Billups, Knicks G (6’3, 210)
DE- Ron Artest, Lakers F (6’7, 260)
DE- Corey Maggette, Bucks G (6’6, 225)
DT- Joey Graham, Cavs F (6’7, 230)
DT- Jeff Adrien, Warriors F (6’7, 243)
OLB- Sam Young, Grizzlies F (6’6, 220)
OLB- Andre Igoudala, 76ers G (6’6, 207)
MLB- Tyreke Evans, Kings G (6’6, 220)
CB- Ty Lawson, Nuggets G (5’11, 195)
CB- Kemba Walker, Bobcats G (6’1, 176)
CB- John Wall, Wizards G (6’4, 195)
FS- Raja Bell, Jazz G (6’5, 206)
SS- Ben Gordon, Pistons G (6’3, 200)

If this 53 man roster quits basketball tomorrow and fully commits to becoming the best football players that they can be for a full year I think they'd be able to beat at least 1-2 NFL teams. They'd still be extremely raw even after a full year of devotion, but they would be the biggest, fastest, and most athletic team in the league. The only real question I'd have is at quarterback.
 
PS- I consider myself to be a Kobe apologist, but even I know that he's too much of a nancy boy to play football.

Battle for Conference Supremacy

During the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament there's been a lot of talk about how each conference has performed. Did the Big East deserve to have 11 teams in? How did they only have 2 teams advance to the Sweet 16? Is a bubble team from a major conference more worthy than a mid major?

Well, forget about the tournament for a minute, why don't we just look to the NBA to see which conference is the best? My newly married friend posed this question to me last week and I found it to be fascinating. He said, "If you had to make a 10 man roster of current NBA players from the same college conference, what would be the best team?" After some serious consideration I have compiled the teams from each of the major six conferences. I also expanded the rosters to 12 (the same as NBA active rosters) and included a brief synopsis of how good I think each team is. Feel free to agree or disagree.

(Conferences are listed alphabetically)

ACC



PG- Chris Paul, Hornets (Wake Forest)
SG- Vince Carter, Suns (North Carolina)
SF- Luol Deng, Bulls (Duke)
PF- Chris Bosh, Heat (Georgia Tech)
C- Tim Duncan, Spurs (Wake Forest)

Bench

Raymond Felton, Nuggets (North Carolina)
John Salmons, Bucks (Miami)
Shane Battier, Grizzlies (Duke)
Carlos Boozer, Bulls (Duke)
Elton Brand, 76ers (Duke)
Grant Hill, Suns (Duke)
Antawn Jamison, Cavs (North Carolina

Synopsis- Pretty remarkable that Vince Carter still starts after all of these years. Quite frankly, I like Salmons more, but Carter’s name carries some weight (as in dead weight because that’s what he is). This team’s clear weakness is at the wing. They have nice size (Bosh, Duncan, Boozer), a great floor general (CP3), and great complimentary veteran role players (Battier, Hill, Jamison), but they lack an elite scorer, athleticism at the wing, and a real threat from behind the arc.


Big East



PG- Dwyane Wade, Heat (Marquette)
SG- Ray Allen, Celtics (UCONN)
SF- Rudy Gay, Grizzlies (UCONN)
PF- Carmelo Anthony, Knicks (Syracuse)
C- Roy Hibbert, Pacers (Georgetown)

Bench

Ben Gordon, Pistons (UCONN)
Wesley Matthews, Blazers (Marquette)
Caron Butler, Mavericks (UCONN)
Jeff Green, Celtics (Georgetown)
Emeka Okafor, Hornets (UCONN)
Wilson Chandler, Nuggets (Depaul)
Ron Artest, Lakers (St. John’s)

Synopsis- No true point guard was good enough to make the roster (Sorry Jonny Flynn) and that hurts them quite a bit. They do have two superstars (Wade and Melo), the best shooter of all time (Ray Ray), offensive firepower (Gordon, Chandler), and an emerging star (Rudy Gay), but they have mediocre and limited bigs and no true ball handler.


Big Ten



PG- Deron Williams, Nets (Illinois)
SG- Eric Gordon, Clippers (Indiana)
SF- Jason Richardson, Magic (Michigan State)
PF- Zach Randolph, Grizzlies (Michigan State)
C- Carl Landry, Hornets (Purdue)

Bench

Mike Conley, Grizzlies (Ohio State)
Jamal Crawford, Hawks (Michigan)
Shannon Brown, Lakers (Michigan State)
Kris Humphries, Nets (Minnesota)
Juwan Howard, Heat (Michigan)
Evan Turner, 76ers (Ohio State)
Devin Harris, Jazz (Wisconsin)

Synopsis- Where is the size? Carl Landry is a nice player, but he’s not a center. Outside of him I love the starting lineup. D Will is arguably the best point guard in the game, Eric Gordon has taking a huge leap forward this year after playing with Team USA in the summer, Jason Richardson is one of the most underrated players in the league, and Z Bo is an absolute beast. Their bench has some nice pieces (Crawford, Shannon Brown), but it’s rather underwhelming compared to the rest of these teams.


Big 12



PG- Chauncey Billups, Knicks (Colorado)
SG- Paul Pierce, Celtics (Kansas)
SF- Kevin Durant, Thunder (Texas)
PF- Blake Griffin, Clippers (Oklahoma)
C- LaMarcus Aldridge, Blazers (Texas)

Bench

Daniel Gibson, Cavs (Texas)
Kirk Hinrich, Hawks (Kansas)
Tony Allen, Grizzlies (Oklahoma State)
Michael Beasley, Timberwolves (Kansas State)
DeAndre Jordan, Clippers (Texas A&M) D
J Augustin, Bobcats (Texas)
Nick Collison, Thunder (Kansas)

Synopsis- Easily my favorite starting lineup of the major conferences, but like the Big Ten there’s just not a lot of depth behind it. Another weakness that doesn’t jump out at you right away is that this team really has no low post presence. Aldridge’s low post game is improving, but he’s basically a face up shooter. Blake Griffin is an uber athletic 4 that drives to the rim (he doesn’t operate in the post). Beasley, who can’t win for losing, plays more like a 2 than a 4 even though he dominated the glass in college. That all said, this may be the best of the six purely based on the firepower in their starting lineup.


Pac 10



PG- Jason Kidd, Mavericks (California)
SG- Russell Westbrook, Thunder (UCLA)
SF- Andre Igoudala, 76ers (Arizona)
PF- Kevin Love, Timberwolves (UCLA)
C- Brook Lopez, Nets (Stanford)

Bench

Jason Terry, Mavericks (Arizona)
Gilbert Arenas, Magic (Arizona)
Nick Young, Wizards (USC)
Richard Jefferson, Spurs (Arizona)
Channing Frye, Suns (Arizona)
Aaron Brooks, Suns (Oregon)
Brandon Roy, Blazers (Washington)

Synopsis- Believe it or not, the Pac 10 had the most players that seemed worthy of making the team. Players like Baron Davis, Trevor Ariza, and OJ Mayo didn’t make the cut. This team would definitely operate best playing an up-tempo style. Jason Kidd would have a field day taking outlet passes from Kevin Love and running with super athletic wings like Westbrook and Iguodala. Brook Lopez is a true low post scorer who would love (excuse the pun) playing alongside Kevin Love because Love would make up for Lopez’ softness on the glass. I love Jason Terry, Arenas, and Nick Young coming off the bench and if Brandon Roy could ever stay healthy he would probably be in the starting lineup.

SEC



PG- Rajon Rondo, Celtics (Kentucky)
SG- Joe Johnson, Hawks (Arkansas)
SF- Gerald Wallace, Blazers (Alabama)
PF- David Lee, Warriors (Florida)
C- Al Horford, Hawks (Florida)

Bench

John Wall, Wizards (Kentucky)
Mo Williams, Clippers (Alabama)
Mike Miller, Heat (Florida)
Glen Davis, Celtics (LSU)
Joakim Noah, Bulls (Florida)
Marcus Thornton, Hornets (LSU)
Tayshaun Prince, Pistons (Kentucky)

Synopsis- I’d be very interested to see how Rondo would play without Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. This team would dominate the glass, but who’s their go to scorer? Joe Johnson? He’s a talented 2, but he’s the go to guy on the Hawks and they aren’t even a top 4 seed in the East. This team does have an intriguing bench, but not a lot of players that can fill the scoring void. As weird as it sounds, this team would probably play like a typical SEC team who slows it down, plays aggressive defense, and grinds out tough baskets. They say defense wins, even in the NBA, but you still need to have elite offensive weapons and this team doesn’t have any.


Well now that two mid-majors have advanced to the Final Four (Butler and VCU)I think it's only fair if we take a look at a team comprised of players from non major conferences.

Mid Majors



PG- Derrick Rose, Bulls (Memphis)
SG- Stephen Curry, Warriors (Davidson)
SF- Danny Granger, Pacers (New Mexico)
PF- Paul Millsap, Jazz (Louisiana Tech)
C- Andrew Bogut, Bucks (Utah)

Bench

Tyreke Evans, Kings (Memphis)
Kevin Martin, Rockets (Western Carolina)
Lamar Odom, Lakers (Rhode Island)
David West, Hornets (Xavier)
Javale McGee, Wizards (UNLV)
Jameer Nelson, Magic (St. Joseph’s)
Kyle Korver, Bulls (Creighton)

Synopsis- I would take this team to beat any and all of the teams from the major conferences. Sure they have more schools to pick from, but they are easily the most balanced. They have 4 players who played PG in college (Curry and Evans are now shooting guards), 5 elite scorers (Rose, Curry, Granger, Evans, and Martin), 4 top notch threats from deep (Curry, Granger, Martin, and Korver), and above average big men that have unique skill sets (Millsap is your prototypical low post scorer and rebounding, Bogut is as good of a low post defender as you’re going to get, Odom is arguably the most versatile player in the league as well as an elite rebounder, West can play in the post and has a nice mid-range game, and McGee is an athletic freak who can come in and grab rebounds and block shots). The only weakness I can see, and it’s not much of one, is that they one have one true superstar (Rose) and other teams have more.

*Steve Nash, Suns (Santa Clara) was not considered because, as a Canadian, he is also eligible for our next category. Similarly, other players that were eligible for more than one category (ex: Linas Kleiza, Raptors (Missouri) (Lithuania)) we're not considered.

Foreign



PG- Tony Parker, Spurs (France)
SG- Manu Ginobili, Spurs (Argentina)
SF- Hedo Turkoglu, Magic (Turkey)
PF- Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks (Germany)
C- Pau Gasol, Lakers (Spain)

Bench

Jose Calderon, Raptors (Spain)
Danilo Gallinari, Nuggets (Italy)
Andrei Kirilenko, Jazz (Russia)
Andrea Bargnani, Raptors (Italy)
Nene Hilario, Nuggets (Brazil)
Marc Gasol, Grizzlies (Spain)
Luis Scola, Rockets (Argentina)

Synopsis- As much as I’d like to say that this group of foreigners would suck, I can’t. This team is loaded. Two legitimate superstars in Dirk and Pau. One of the best late game scorers in the world in Manu. Six viable threats from behind the 3 point line (Manu, Hedo, Dirk, Calderon, Gallo, and Bargnani). Great size (the Gasol brothers, Nene, Scola). Two true pass first point guards (one of which is a former NBA Finals MVP and a confirmed swinger). The biggest question for this team is defense. Kirilenko and Nene are the only two notable defensive players on the roster and Kirilenko is way past his prime. So how good are they? I’d take them to beat any team yet.


If you're even a remote fan of the NBA you know that there's a team that we haven't gotten to yet. You should also know that it's probably the best team of them all.

High School



PG- LeBron James, Heat (St. Vincent’s/St. Mary’s in Akron, OH)
SG- Kobe Bryant, Lakers (Lower Merion in Philadelphia, PA)
SF- Amare Stoudemire, Knicks (Cypress Creek in Orlando, FL)
PF- Kevin Garnett, Celtics (Farragut Academy in Chicago, IL)
C- Dwight Howard, Magic (SW Atlanta Christian Academy in Atlanta, GA)

Bench

Monta Ellis, Warriors (Lanier High in Jackson, MS)
J.R. Smith, Nuggets (Saint Benedict’s in Newark, NJ)
Josh Smith, Hawks (Oak Hill in Mouth of Wilson, VA)
Al Jefferson, Jazz (Prentiss High in Prentiss, MS)
Andrew Bynum, Lakers (St. Joseph’s in Metuchen, NJ)
Tyson Chandler, Mavericks (Dominguez High in Compton, CA)
Dorell Wright, Warriors (South Kent Prep in South Kent, CT)

Synopsis- This team lacks a true point guard (even though some would argue that PG is LeBron’s natural position), but they have 4 current super stars (LBJ, Kobe, Amare, and Dwight) and one former star who’s past his prime (KG). They have explosive scorers on their bench (Ellis, J.R. Smith), unmatched size, six elite defenders (LBJ, Kobe, KG, Dwight, J.R. Smith, and Josh Smith), and 4 solid 3-point shooters (Kobe, Ellis, J.R. Smith, and Dorell Wright). This team’s pure talent and other worldly size makes them virtually unbeatable.

Poetry In Motion

A few "weekends" ago (Tuesday-Wednesday for those keeping track at home) I made my way back to the city of hopes and dreams. As always, my time there went by too quick, but it was very comforting. I don't get to spend enough time in the city where I grew up, but I know that my experiences there are always with me. That might seem a little too sappy for the first paragraph, but bear with me. In fact, I partially stole that line from a recent Mad Men episode. If you don't watch the show, you should start, because you get lines like, "When a man walks into a room he brings his whole life with him," on a regular basis.

Anyway, whenever I'm home I find myself reading a poem that my sister Maura wrote because it's posted on a cabinet in the kitchen. I'm not sure if she wrote it as part of a class or just of her own volition or if she followed some sort of structure or just wrote free verse, but it speaks to me everytime I read it.

I am from the side hall bench
Pass down cleats two sizes too big
I am from three stolen bikes and sidewalk chalk
Pine cone wars and the three-legged dog that could run faster than my brothers
I am from cops and robbers with the neighborhood kids
Salem Hyde Park and Sedgwick Farm

I am from watermelon and magic markers
From GI Joes and hairless Barbies
I am from Clifton Place and Brattle Road
I call On The Rocks my home too
Cook Ave block parties is where I grew

I am from lost glasses and blame it on Kackie
One of the three dudettes and young Uncle Tim
Marie and Irene and all in-between
From, “Stop it Danny!” to “Say CHEESE!”
To “That’s a dollar” and “Find me my keys!”

I am from the love of high school sweethearts
And four big brothers who give me pillars of support
From the girl that looks exactly like me
To the immeasurable connection
That makes me complete

I am from the dome
Sunnycrest and hot cocoa
From high school parking lots and football fields
Blue minivans and snow mounds
I am forever Syracuse bound

I am from Autumn stew and pigs in the blanket
Pudding snacks and freeze pops
Memories filled in a turtle sandbox
Ticket stubs and old mixed tapes
I am from photographs and newspaper scraps
Family videos capturing the “good old times”
For all of time.


In case you didn't pick up on it, the poem is essentially about how she was shaped by her childhood experiences. Also, in case you didn't know she has an identical twin and the two of them used to play in a sandbox that was a large plastic turtle. Obviously this poem speaks to me because I shared many of her experiences, but that aside I like her use of personification and love the lines "I am forever Syracuse bound" and "For all of time."

Now I haven't written a poem since my senior year of highschool. FYI- I was big into rhyming couplets. In fact, about 80% of the speeches I gave in my CAPS (Current Affairs/Public Speaking) class rhymed. So as I read Maura's poem this time around I thought about the things, places, etc. that I would include in a poem about my childhood. So a few days ago I began jotting down a few of those images, phrases, places, etc. and shortly thereafter I realized that I could probably also write a poem about my time in college. I planned on putting both poems together tonight, but I got an idea for a third such poem earlier today (I'll put the other two together in the near future).

I was at work, talking to my cousin who will not be named on gchat and he asked me when I'll be going back home next because he claims that he wants to come with, saying, "I need some dome (that's what she said) and Suds in my life." As he mentioned the dome, all sorts of thoughts and images rushed back to me. Syracuse University athletics have played an important role in my life. How important? Well, you decide...

I am from The Loud House
A Real Men Wear Orange t-shirt that’s ripped and faded
I am from storming the court 3 times against Pitt
6 OT’s against UCONN and Big Sh#@!
I am from standing and clapping until the first made field goal
Thirddddd down and “it’s good if it goes!”

I am from dome dogs and SUper 44oz soft drinks
Varsity Pizza and pitchers at Chuck’s
I am from 311 Heaven and the 2-3 zone
From “The ‘Cuse is in the house. Oh my God! Oh my God!”
To “We wouldn’t have won 10 fucking games!”

I am from Warrick’s block and the Brominski catch
Pace’s floater and Freeney’s sacks
From Coach P and Jimmy B
To Melo’s headband and Moten’s socks
Jonny’s smile and Spotwood’s returns

I am the dome ranger
Mr. Excitement and Otto the Orange
The Pride of Scranton and 6 first half three’s
From “Wal-ter Rey-es!” and “WE ARE S U!”
To Kevin Abrams picks and Donovan Darius hits

I am from G-Mac’s run in the Big East Tourney
Our One Shining Moment and big men coached by Bernie
From beating Georgia in ’96 on John Wallace’s three
And going deep to Johnnie Morant and David Tyree
I am from retired jerseys and championship banners
Along with 34,616 (or 49,249) of my closest friends
For all of time

Top 5 SportsCenter Commercials

First of all, I apologize for the week hiatus, but as many of you know, I have been going through a little bit of a transition in my young career. In order to appease my readers (the five of you that still check this site everyday) I looked at what my buddy Frank in Syracuse has recently written to try to get some sort of material on here. Frank's work has been featured on this blog before; however after reading one of his recent posts, I felt like I could improve upon it. So here are my "Top 5 'This is SportsCenter' commercials."

1.) Rookie Camp


You gotta raise it up

I think what makes this commercial great, aside from Kenny Mayne, is that they picked two of the most arrogant athletes of our generation. For those of you that have forgotten, Keyshawn was the trendsetter to what Stephon Marbury is doing now and if getting paid to stay away from a team and not play doesn't speak enough for his arrogance, I think this might. Kobe's arrogance is a part of his brilliance. Most people associate his arrogance with driving Shaq out of LA and choosing a number that is one digit higher than Michael Jordan's (Kobe wore 24 in highschool. Don't read too much into things). The epitome of his arrogance; however is his relationship, if you could even call it that, with Raja Bell, formerly of the Phoenix Suns. Bell is well known for his defensive prowess and has had some memorable showdowns with Kobe. This video sums it up. Bell, as you should have heard in the video if you click on these links, once called out Kobe's arrogance to which Kobe responded by saying.

"Does he know me? Do I know this guy? I don't know this guy. I might have said one word to this guy. I don't know this kid ... I don't need to know this kid. I don't want to… Maybe he wasn't hugged enough as a kid."

Of course, this commerical now has personal resonance for me because I just completed my own stay in "Rookie Camp."

2.) New Kid



This commerical almost served as a social commentary about highly touted prep basketball players going straight from highschool to the NBA. Every kid in America had dreams of being a SportsCenter anchor and "The Kid" was a pretty accurate representation of what would happen if someone that young was given such an opportunity. I mean, let's be honest, Jimmy Key was riding out his career worse than Julio Franco.

3.) American Cheese


Yeah that's right

For those of you that read Frank's post, and I'll assume that's none of you, he got this one right. Not only do I always request American cheese, but I even ask to get my French Toast Americanized because we don't throw in the white towel like those scrumpet eating Frogs. As embarassing as it is to be a Frenchie, imagine being from a place that used to be a French colony. Canada's only saving grace is the wonderful franchise that is the Toronto Bluejays. Our neighbors to the north do nothing of global relevance and that's not the only thing we blame them for.

4.) Parking Spot



Anyone that's listened to Scott Van Pelt knows that parking at ESPN is very difficult. This commercial is perhaps the most creative of the 'This is Sportscenter' brand. Although Danica has a legititmate gripe in the commercial because of her name, she, as a woman, shouldn't be driving in the first place. Which reminds me of this classic test question.



5.) Captain America



This commericial blends two of the things that I hold near and dear to my heart; Syracuse University's 2003 NCAA Men's National Championship and America. I loved the fact that Carmelo was a captain on Team USA. Along the same lines, The Sports Edge guys once debated which superheroes they would have in their starting five of a basketball team. The only unanimous decision was that Captain America would be the player/coach.

My superhero starting five was
PG- The Flash
SG- Captain America
SF- Superman
PF- The Hulk
C- Mr. Fantastic (of the Fantastic Four that can stretch his body into incredible lengths)