Little Wolves

Its no secret that the Minnesota Timberwolves have been a below average team in the NBA over the past half decade. Ever since the departure of Kevin Garnett in a trade which featured Theo Ratliff, Sebastian Telfair, Ryan Gomes, Al Jefferson and Gerald Green, who each had tremendous upside, and two first round draft picks they were supposed to be looking towards a more positive light for their team. However this investment would ultimately fail; as Telfair bounced from team to team eventually finding his way back to Minnesota, Ratliff was used as a pawn in order to match salaries, Green was a let down as he failed to develop into an All-Star, Jefferson filled the role of the team's franchise player for a few seasons but he didn't suit the team's plans and disrupted their offense, and Gomes was used as trait bait this past summer to take Michael Beasley off of the Miami Heat's hands. The most significant peices of the trade were the two draft picks, as they were used to select Johnny Flynn and Wayne Ellington.
Over the first 15 games of the 2010-11 campaign they have started a disappointing but not shocking 4-11. Yet they have received good publicity and have been on the national spotlight. Kevin Love posted the first 30/30 game in a win over the New York Knicks that the NBA has seen since Moses Malone accomplished the feat in 1982. Michael Beasley is finally coming into his own after spending his rookie and sophomore seasons playing Robin to Dwyane Wade's Batman. He is proving he can carry the scoring load for his young team while battling down the stretch of the game. He should receive serious consideration for the Most Improved Player Award. Johnny Flynn is looking to improve from an exceptional rookie year by running Coach Kurt Rambis' triple post offense more effectively while finding the comfort to play his game. Corey Brewer continues to improve as an athletic wing defender and reliable glue guy for his teammates. And last but not certainly not least, Ricky Rubio, who has yet to play a game in the National Basketball Association is expected to change the culture of the Timberwolves franchise when he finally arrives in Minneapolis from Spain to sport a T'Wolves' jersey.
Over the past few seasons in the NBA we have seen young squads such as the Kevin Durant led Oklahoma City Thunder and the Portland Trailblazers shock the rest of the league by drastically improving. Don't be surprised if the Timberwolves became 2011-12's darkhorse. Another season of getting bullied by elite teams in the Western Conference may be enough for this young Minnesota team when next season tips off. A long stretch of wins this season may be all it takes to boost their confidence and development as a team. Do not sleep on these Little Wolves.

Mr. B.Diddy Brown!

Cast your vote here!

Who Run It? We Run It.

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1.03.01

Pre-thoughts: Lebron James to the New Jersey Nets.

What if all the big name free agents put their pride aside and signed to play for the Knicks in New York next season?

TML

Truly inspired by R&B and the Hip Hop pioneers before him, Drake hit a home run with his highly anticipated debut album Thank Me Later. Since the release of his remarkable mixtape So Far Gone, the hype surrounding Drizzy Drake Rogers hit the United States like a natural disaster. However, fans should expect a more evolved Drake; similar to the one who was featured on Jay-Z's "Off That". Drake has respectably paid homage to those who have paved the way for aspiring artists like him, but it is very debatable that Drake is far ahead of his time.
Early on in his career, Drake was often referred to as nothing more than the counterpart of fellow label-mate Lil Wayne. But predictions of Drake being successfully capable of leaving that image behind him will soon become accurate. Nevertheless, questions about Drake's loyalty to Lil Wayne and Young Money will rise, due to the fact that most rappers choose upon creating their own label as soon as their career peeks in order to establish a new identity and hopefully make more money. Sir Aubrey Graham will long be forgotten as just the character Jimmy Brooks from Degrassi and this album could possibly jumpstart his career as a multi-talented entertainer who has been unofficially crowned as the next Fresh Prince.
As for the album, Drake has outdone himself. Thank Me Later could best be described as the soundtrack for those who have triumphed over adversity. Tracks like "Fireworks" featuring Alicia Keys and "Unforgettable" featuring Young Jeezy illustrate the heartfelt maturity that Drake has obtained while preparing to create this masterpiece of a compact disc. While songs like "Over" and "Miss Me" featuring Lil Wayne celebrates his recent success and "here to stay" mentality. The biggest disappointment of the album is his failure to extend it to the whole 80 minutes that a CB can hold. But other than that, we can expect to be satisfied with what Drake has done and will continue to do, not only as an artist but as one of the better perfectionists of our generation.

Empire State of Mind

"Concrete jungle where dreams are made of, there's nothing you can’t do, now you're in New York!"
James Dolan, the owner of the NewYork Knicks, has been waiting for this very moment over the past 3 years. He fired Isiah Thomas, he refused to play Stephon Marbury, he hired Donnie Walsh and brought in Mike D'Antoni as well, he even traded for Tracy McGrady. For what? For LeBron James to suit up in a New York Knicks jersey and call Madison Square Garden his home. This investment, in what seems like an extremely high risk move, will make or break his legacy as an NBA owner. He didn't completely reshape this franchise to only falter and settle for the likes of Amare Stoudemire or Rudy Gay. Landing Dwyane Wade only would be considered a failure. But the inquiry of it all is not will LeBron sign to become a Knick, it's actually why should he?
Nobody exactly understood the drama behind Isiah Thomas and Stephon Marbury's beef a few years back, but it did raise a lot of questions behind the dignity of the franchise and exactly how far the owner will go to hide his dirty laundry. When the off-court tension reached it's highest peak, Dolan quickly "took charge" and hired Donnie Walsh to take over. The exits of Isiah and Marbury were handled very poorly by the personnel. For those of you who don't remember, D'Antoni refused to give Marbury any sort of playing time as some sort of punishment for the large expiring contract that the front office blessed him with, showing their gratitude for his popularity. Soon after when Walsh began clearing house with all sorts of trades, the veterans on the team felt more like expiring pawns rather than valuable pieces to the future of the team. Which in result, led to the team's unsuccessful run over the last two seasons.
This "LeBron Watch" frenzy started because of Dolan, who looks like he will go to all types of measures to lure LeBron to the city of Gotham and play the role of Batman. However, every Batman had his Robin(and his Alfred and his Inspector Gordon for that matter but I don't really feel like going through the analogies of all the characters but the creativity of it all makes it that much more appallingly interesting.) The point is the Knicks are in the best position to give him the media-crazed/highlighting high-life legacy he needs to be potentially be the greatest player to ever play the game of basketball.
Exhibit A: Oscar Robertson is without question one of the top 5 greatest player ever, nevertheless because of the lack of a big marketing city to play for like Chicago or Los Angeles, he will likely remain the most underrated player ever. LeBron would most likely remain a megastar if he chose to stay in Cleveland, but his remembrance in the game could be a toss up. It all depends on if LeBron wants to be compared to Jordan and Magic or Dr. J and Dominique Wilkins when his career is all said and done.
New York could offer the celebrities. Growing up in small town such as Akron, Ohio you dream of a lifestyle where grade A celebrities greet you and cheer you on, repeatedly chanting "MVP" as you shot mere shots from the charity stripe. New York could offer the respectable front office. Donnie Walsh is respected by most in the league, ke knows how to get the job done and he proved that when he took Mike D'Antoni from a playoff team like Phoenix to a lottery team like New York. LeBron never really had either a legit front office nor a respectable head coach, which no other team with significant salary cap space can offer LeBron. New York could offer the partner in crime(s). There have been rumors circulating around the league that Nike could possibly hand out bonuses to Joe Johnson, Chris Bosh and LeBron James if they each take pay cuts and sign to play for their biggest marketing city, New York. However, several sources have declined this scenario stating no such bonuses exist. But imagine a world where those three players take a reasonable paycut to potentially make much more in millions than they can possibly dream of.
The cast behind James, if he chooses to sign, is unknown as of now. But come July 1st things should get very interesting.
So next time you listen to these lyrics, keep free agency in mind. Empire State of Mind. The "LeBron to NY" campaign anthem.

His Courtship. His Call.

Prepare yourselves for this summer because much like the past two, you are going to hear about one trending topic. It probably won't be about Brett Favre but that of LeBron James. If that's too hard to swallow then you should stay away from TV, radio, newspaper, and even the internet because this story is media friendly and is likely to force us to commit mass suicide (during and after). It has been more than 2 years in the making and the very exciting part is that it's finally here. Coverage will be anywhere you can look.
I am preparing to post a series of blog entries that could each describe LeBron's possible fate. The future of LeBron James belongs solely to LeBron James and he will influence this free agency class drastically this off-season. He can bring your fanhood tears of joy or tears of pain. Where he decides to call his home when next season tips off will obviously impact the culture of the NBA for years to come. The LeBron Campaign has already started and if you miss its probably because you're socially retarded or dead. No in between.
The wooing begins now. But first a few suggestions:

• Name your babies after LeBron
• Change your street names in honor of LeBron
• Leave your first born on the street for LeBron to choose among to keep
• Offer LeBron any and everything you have
• Give LeBron absolute power of everything you've had, have or will have
• WWLBJD (What Would LeBron James Do) and then do it for him

The rest is in your play. Do not screw things up or you'll spend the rest of your life wondering 'what if?'

Seth Douglass Galaviz: Where Dedication Happens.

Suspense Much? The Prom King.

Just like the race for the MVP award, the crowning for Prom King and Prom Queen are nothing more than a popularity contest. But in defense of this, the usual victors have done something right to earn their popular status. If you don't believe this theory then you don't believe that Barack Obama or any past president of the United States earned their title. The world we live in is a democracy, but in Kevin Tran's case this is a tyranny.
Kevin Tran? If you haven't had the chance to experience a few minutes with "Thanh Long Ong" then consider yourself unfortunate. You feed off his presence unknowingly. Until this day most of his peers have no idea of this fact. But this is a result of the secret identity Kevin Tran possesses. And yes. I am about to reveal it. Brace yourself: Tran is actually a ninja assassin. This means he is not only a ninja but he is a ninja who kills other ninjas in honor of the Ninjahood.
Now you're probably thinking to yourself, 'This guy is a racist.' But if you found that the least bit humorous then so are you my sincere reader.
Much like the NBA's reigning MVP this year, Kevin Tran should be the unanimous winner. Why? Don't ask why. Just read. And for that matter subscribe to my blog.
I'm about to give you a few reasons why Kevin Tran will win this year's 2010 Chavez High School Prom King:

1. He is Kevin Tran.
2. Kevin Tran has an entire blog post dedicated to him.
3. The ladies love Kevin Tran.
4. The homosexual men love Kevin Tran.
5. The unhomosexual men love Kevin Tran.
6. He has a dog named Bentley that he hasn't eaten yet.
7. He is Kevin Tran.
8. Seth left that infamous scar next to his left eye and I feel kind of sorry for him.
   

Understand yet?
If not then continue reading. If so then keep reading anyways because I'm sure you'll enjoy the rest of this post. Kevin Tran has already teleported away with his crown. And he didn't need to clinch the NBA's best record to do so. The only reason they're letting other people run against him is because of the satisfaction he is going to get beating the people who think they can beat him. If you think you know Kevin Tran then go kill yourself right now because I wouldn't want to encourage someone to go on with the rest of their life with false ideas.
Prom Queen is an irrelevant topic as of now. They might as well call the Prom Queen: "The hopefully sexy girl that's worthy enough to wear a fake plastic crown with Kevin Tran and dance with him alone." The landslide this thing holds is so unbelievable that there is a chance Kevin may lose for thee sole reason that there will be so many pity votes that they could outweigh the earned ones.
This race is simply unfair. Kevin Tran is to Chavez High School what LeBron James is to the NBA. Second place is at best what Paul Peirce is to the NBA. And that's not a compliment.
If Kevin's beastfulness translated into stats in the NBA he would be averaging anywhere from 33 ppg, 11 rpg and 11 apg on 59.9% shooting from 3-point land.
Watching him you can't help but wonder to yourself if Jesus Christ could be more Kevin Tran than Kevin Tran.
Kevin Tran isn't your ordinary asian. His parents were both born Vietnamese. But Kevin has developed the usual habits of a Chinese kid in Taiwan. But his sense of style is like that of a Japanese. But most of his friends at school are Hispanic and Black. In fact Kevin Doesn't even associate himself with the asian kids that attend his school. Is it because he thinks he's better than them? No way. Kevin knows he's better than them.
Prom is May 14, 2010 and no matter what the results say Kevin Tran will always be this year's true Prom King. so when you fill in the ballots this year vote smart. Because Kevin is a ninja assassin and he will know if you don't vote for him.

Kevin Tran for Prom King!

Orlando/Atlanta Series Preview

The Orlando Magic, obviously have high goals after failing to beat the Los Angeles Lakers in last year's NBA Finals. The Atlanta Hawks, on the other hand, were swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Their goals seem a lot more easier to satisfy. Just a few seasons ago both teams struggled to make it to the postseason. But after several years of a building process and key moves to their roster, they have both become respectable teams. While they both share homes in the NBA Southeast's Division, they have no history of a rivalry. At least not yet. Th reason for me writing this preview is mainly for the fact that I want to document my bold prediction. I want to clear any air up about the Magic's success in last year's playoffs. They are not the same team that made last season's Finals. Jameer Nelson is healthy and is on a mission, They have no Rafer Alston. They have no Hedo Turkoglu. Vince Carter is not Hedo and Rashard Lewis is much easier to expose now that Hedo is gone and a lot less productive or deadly. The Hawks unnoticeably added 6th-man wonder Jamal Crawford to their core for virtually nothing more than rarely used guards. The Breakdown: This series will not come down to individual match ups. However there are X-Factors to the series. Watch the Josh Smith/Rashard Lewis face off, this will be crucial. When Lewis strikes you'll feel it and it'll hurt a lot. J-Smoove's main goal is try to limit Lewis's opportunities while providing extra offense that the Hawks may need down the stretch. If he can not do either then the Magic sure will capitalize. The bench play will also be an important key in the series. The Hawks need to outshine the Magic once the reserves check in the game. However, the main recipe for success of either team will be determined by big man play. Al Horford and Dwight Howard are both All-Star centers. Horford is a young asset to the Atlanta's future and has come on in game play since being named an All-Star but his impact on the court can be filled if absent. Dwight Howard though is too much of a presence to replace. If not on the court, the Magic can hold on for a short period but will eventually break down. Both are legit (not an understatement) defenders in this league but are very distinctive in their own repsective manner. Dwight is a beastful help defender while Horford is a "straight up guard you man down low in the post" type of blue collared player. It would be wise if Mike Woodson, the head coach of the Atlanta Hawks, to get the ball to Horford early down low and to go to work on Howard in an attempt to get him into early foul trouble and have him going from x-factor to no factor. Stan Van Gundy, the head coach of the Orlando Magic, doesn't have the same luxury. We should see a rotation of guards a lot to try to slow down Joe Johnson and Crawford on the court.
This series should be fun and memorable. Maybe even a start to a new rivalry as the Magic try to accomplish a goal that they were unable to last year and with the Hawks trying to add to an agenda that may surprise a few fans. The Hawks in 6.

The Great White Shark

He eats weights. He eats rims. He eats backboards. Don't be surprised if Dwight Howard eats babies too. I can go on about how great of a professional he is, both on and off the court. His work ethic is amazing and he is a great role model. No tattoos, no drugs, no negative publicity. He gives back to the community and takes care of his responsibilities. If you dislike him there probably isn't a good reason behind it. If you're like me you most likely once thought to yourself 'I wonder if Dwight Howard would kill me if he punched me in the face'.
If you've ever seen Dwight Howard play then you'll know what I mean when I say that you'll never know what to expect from him. The game plan against Dwight Howard is simply: take him out of the the game. If you can't do that then you stand little chance of winning. He may not be the go to scorer on the Orlando Magic but Stan Van Gundy's offense does run through him. Easy enough, he stands around in the middle while the perimeter players chill somewhere near the three point line and get ready to aim, shoot, and fire. Basically, that's as simple as it gets.
So when I say that you'll never know what to expect from him I mean that you can either be watching a really exciting game where Dwight goes for 25+ points, 20+ rebounds and 3+ blocked shots or a game when he has 13 points, 8 rebounds, no blocked shots with 7 missed free throws and 6 fouls. Inconsistency? Basically. But what bothers me more is the fact that he denies any sort of gap to his game. He could easily win an MVP award in this league. He could easily be mentioned among the Hakeems, the Kareems, and maybe even the Wilts and the Shaqs. But his game isn't polished enough. It's more raw talent and athleticism with a combination of brute strength than anything. The "coulds" are huge considering he is a first overall selection. If he continues to play on this level would he be considered a bust? Of course not. Would he become a hall of famer? Maybe eventually yes. But not turning that potential into production is like spitting in face of God (Yes! I just so went there Dwight Howard).
Where must I start..? Do I start on the limited/predictable go-to moves in the post (I don't dare call those "post moves")? Nah. How about the lack of one on one defense? I mean Dwight Howard is a great shot blocker, rebounder, and help defender. But he is too easily exposed by centers with any sort of offensive repetiore. His blocked shots don't come off of the man he is supposed to be guarding but rather smaller opposing guards who come into the lane. There's nothing wrong with that but he would record a lot more if he managed to not foul and stay in the game. I'm not even gonna mention that though. Free throw shooting? Mid range jump-shot? Forget about it. I doubt Dwight Howard even knows what he needs to improve on as a player. But I have a strong feeling he will soon find out. He was by far a liability against the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals. He didn't play with a sense of urgency. Hell, he looked like he was satisfied with just being there. Writing this makes me want to piss in his mouth while he's asleep because its so incredibly disappointing to know that he could be better than he is at this point in his career. You should always expect more out of yourself even if you're good.
Shaquille O'Neal has verbally attacked Dwight Howard publicly, saying that Dwight isn't the real Superman. Dwight has refuted by crying. We can only imagine why Dwight hasn't spent a summer trying to improve on his basketball talent rather than his impressive physique. It may take another hard defeat by a heavyweight in the postseason for Dwight to gain the hunger, thirst, and starvation it takes to become a champion. Aside from that the universe isn't even the limited to Dwight's potential. He can and may be the greatest basketball player in the world some day and we'll look back and ask ourselves why we ever criticized Dwight Howard's game when he's holding up one of his multiple NBA Final's MVPs. Then this will be cited and whoever reading it will say to themselves 'I always had faith in D12'. Lies! Don't believe them.
Dwight Howard's time is now. We're waiting for him. This is his ocean and he can have whatever he wants. He just needs to figure out how to get it.

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His Name: LeBron James

LeBron James. In elementary school we are taught a "strategic" way of writing. This strategy includes a mind pausing opening sentence to capture a reader's attention. The government name of "The Chosen One" is such a powerful title that it deserves its own entry in the dictionary (maybe somewhere between "leave" and "lecherous"). Which is why I hope my first sentence was able to execute this perfectly.
As we can all obviously notice, I am a huge fan of LeBron James, but for now, these exclusive reasons are irrelevant. Just for the record, in case of any speculation, I am not LeBron James. I am not a friend of LeBron James. I am not an associate of LeBron James. I am not involved with "the people" of LeBron James. I have no connection whatsoever to LeBron James. I don't know people who know people who sleep with people's wives who've had their chests autographed by LeBron James. I dearly wish I could say I was but due to unfortunate reasons (aka no reason at all), I am not.
Right now LeBron James is in his greatest position to win an NBA Championship for the first time in his professional basketball career. He is joined by former all stars Mo Williams and Antawn Jamison and 4 time NBA champion Shaquille O'Neal. The Cleveland Cavaliers have put together this heavyweight team in hope to be the victor come June but also and even more importantly to keep LeBron James employed with their franchise.
This upcoming off-season he can opt out of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent. Meaning he can freely sign to whatever team he wants. Several teams, including the New York Knicks, the New Jersey Nets, the Los Angeles Clippers, and the Miami Heat, have spent the past few years working on salary cap flexibility and building young talent to potentially offer the King a very attractive deal come July. But what fans and analysts seem to almost always rule out is that LeBron James' future is not limited to these teams. Next season he will play for whatever team he wants to, whether this comes in a sign in trade or any other possible transaction. LeBron James' agency is by far the greatest of the upcoming free agents. And yes, that includes Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. So do not be surprised if LeBron James is playing in Utah for the Jazz next season. Or if Lebron James is joining forces with Dwight Howard in Orlando as a Magic.
On the court LeBron James is unstoppable. He is the true meaning of dominant. Standing at nearly 6'9 and weighing in at an estimated 270 lbs, he is built to play the power forward position. But he possesses incredibly outstanding athletic abilities. His intangibles blow coaches out of their brains. His offensive arsenal gives defenders nightmares while they're awake. He obtains a uniquely entertaining charisma that makes fans adore him and opponents hate him. He is the NBA's poster-child of a superstar. LeBron James has been quoted as saying that he won't leave Cleveland until he accomplishes his goal there, and that's to bring a championship to the city. That could mean anything ranging from absolutely everything to absolutely nada. But what happens when he does win a championship in the Forest City? Where we could he possibly go?

It would be a luxury for any team, no matter how talented, to upgrade at whatever position LeBron James will play next season (imagine Ray Allen, Paul Peirce, or Kevin Garnett coming off the bench behind LeBron James in Boston next season).

LeBron James' unquestionable talent has thus far yet to be seen. We know that an angry LeBron James is a much more aggressive statistical monster than a patient, relax, or excited LeBron James. But what seems more interesting is that LeBron James has grown as an "on the line" performer. This is what makes him the best basketball player in the game today. In the King's first six years he reached the postseason all but twice. Each time, somehow, coming up short. LeBron James has tasted his fair share of criticism (most of it coming from those who believe he has not earned an unfair credit of glory and hype). As a young, inexperienced player LeBron James often failed to be LeBron James when great defensive teams payed such attention to him that their wives became jealous and suspicious of them having a confusing love affair with LeBron James. Now he (and he being LeBron James) plays with composure through adversity.
Between LeBron James' losing series in his first playoff appearance (whereas he averaged 27.7 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 5.2 apg, 0.5 bpg, 0.25 spg, 4.2 TO, and 2.7 fpg on 51% shooting from 2 point field goals, 26% shooting from 3 point field goals, 77% from the free throw line with 9 attempts per game, in about 44.7 minutes of action per game) and his losing series in his second playoff appearance (whereas he averaged 22 ppg, 7 rpg, 6.7 apg, 1 bpg, 0.5 spg, 5.7 TO, and 2 fpg on 40% shooting from 2 point field goals, 20% shooting from 3 point field goals, 68% from the free throw line with 7.2 attempts per game, in about 42.5 minutes of action per game), the King was evidentially not prepared to take on elite talented teams such as the Detroit Pistons and the San Antonio Spurs. Then he was still a baby barely getting his feet wet. But we all know the single game that changed LeBron James' career and if you don't click here. After a shaky start, he ended the series on a high note with a great game posting 28.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 6.5 apg, 1.5 spg, 0.75 bpg, 5.75 TO, and 3 fpg on 42% 2 point field goal percentage, 11% 3 point field goal percentage (yeah that's right 11 as in eleven/the number after ten and before twelve), 80 % of his free throws on 13. 7 free throws attempted per game in 43.2 minutes per game. Although his stats are nearly identical ever since, after losing that series and winning an Olympic gold medal with the rest of the Redeem Team LeBron James became a much more rigid, relentless, ruthless, rigorous, revengeful and any other word with the same or similar meaning that begins with the letter "R" than ever before.
Despite all of this, LeBron James' castle he calls his team and his coaching staff began to crack, crumble, and fall apart against the Orlando Magic the following postseason. I mean you could blame him since he is LeBron James and he can do anything but c'mon! Did you see his stats? 39.7 ppg, 8 rpg, 7.7 apg, 1.2 spg, 1.5 bpg, 3.7 TO, and 3.2 fpg on 56% 2 point field goal percentage, 31% 3 point field goal percentage, 71% of his free throws on 15.7 free throws attempted per game in 44.2 minutes per game. There's no way it could be your fault if you averaged that and lost that series. No way guey.
LeBron James' destiny is in his hands (along with the world and everything in it). LeBron James will only get as far as LeBron James guides him and anyone else ready to take flight. Get used to him being LeBron James. Because he shows no signs of slowing down. Only signs of exploding right out of your television when he prepares for his pregame ritual. Get ready to witness greatness.
Coming soon. Look for the King in a town nearest you.

Michael Jordan: Where Relevance Happens

What do LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, Dirk Nowitzki, Paul Peirce, Carmelo Anthony, Joe Johnson, Deron Williams, Andrew Bogut, Steve Nash, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant, Chris Bosh, Tim Duncan, Derrick Rose, Brandon Roy, Marc Gasol, David Lee, Danny Granger, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, Andre Iguodala, Rodney Stuckey, Yao Ming, Gilbert Arenas, Tyreke Evans, Al Jefferson, Monta Ellis, and Brook Lopez all have in common? They are the face of their franchise. They represent their respective team and are what sports call "franchise players". Some teams have better franchise players than others and a few have two or even three but nevertheless each team has one. Except for the Charlotte Bobcats. We can make the argument that Stephen Jackson is the franchise player for Charlotte but outside of him there really isn't anyone else. And besides Jackson is not a franchise caliber player. Yes he does bring scoring. Yes he does bring defense. Yes he does bring play making. Yes he does bring experience. And most of, yes he does bring leadership. But Captain Jack can not potentially carry a team. It's just out of the question. For the first few years in Charlotte, the obvious franchise player was Emeka Okafor, but he hasn't developed much since and failed to reach his expectations. Gerald Wallace is the team's only all star in the club's history but he would be a better third option for a contender. The team has gone through it's history without any history and because of this reason we will now know of them as the "Charlotte (Enter Team Name Here)". This drought, however, looks like it will come to a near closing once the team finally clinches a playoff spot for the first time in franchise history.
When Michael Jordan, the president of basketball operations, named Larry Brown to the head coach position for this team it was predicted that a roster rehaul was in order. Sooner rather than later the (Enter Team Name Here) began making it's makeover. Along with drafting DJ Augustine, Alex Ajincia, and Gerald Henderson; Jordan managed to move Matt Caroll, Adam Morrison, Jason Richardson, Shannon Brown, Ryan Hollins, Flip Murray and Emeka Okafor for Tyrus Thomas, Boris Diaw, Tyson Chandler, DeSagana Diop, and Stephen Jackson.
Then immediately the culture of the Charlotte (Enter Team Name Here) changed when Michael Jordan became the majority owner of this franchise. Obviously the roster features a supporting cast of players directed by a hall of fame head coach in Larry Brown. The path of the team is unknown. And Jordan's status in the front office is unclear. It's likely he'll hire a new personnel, including a new GM and possibly head coach if Brown decides to leave, as MJ should be a very busy owner trying to turn this ball club around.
Before the (Enter Team Name Here) were established as an expansion franchise, there were already issues with the team. The previous majority owner, Bob Johnson, dealt with lots of criticism surrounding the team and the city. He was accused of naming the franchise after himself but has since declined any truth behind that. He also was criticized for not investing in his own club and acquiring the proper talent that would obviously cost a high price but would likely lead into great reward; being a winning team. After Jordan's ownership was approved by Commissioner David Stern and the league office, Johnson felt the need to express the frustration with the city, the fans, and it's business owners. Not to mention how George Shinn was forced to move the former Charlotte Hornets to the city of New Orleans because of reasons including poor attendance and problems with it's home arena.Throughout their short stint, the (Enter Team Name Here) have constantly faced the problem of lack of attendance. What I suggest is the team cuts Stephen Graham and Jordan signs himself while rocking the number 23 jersey. Not only will the team sales in uniforms rise but their attendance will rocket into the sky as most Carolina residents will fill the stands for a chance to see the one and only Michael Jordan playing as the very first team owner/player. Or Jordan can possibly sit back and relax as an owner and recruit big name free agents, such as the likes of LeBron James or Dwyane Wade, to play for him while his godliness presence presents an unbelievable opportunity players their ages can only dream of.
In recent years I have always had somewhat of a fascination by the (Enter Team Name Here) and have always kept them on my playoff predictions in the preseason with the exception of this season. Finally the year I slept on them, this underdog unit looks like they'll enjoy their ride into the postseason and for once they can begin to build some history.
Heading into the playoffs the only consistency the (Enter Team Name Here) have managed to accomplish is their ability to be inconsistent. They have proved that they can defeat the likes of the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Boston Celtics, and the Los Angeles Lakers but meanwhile continue to lose against teams below .500, including two losses to the low sorts of the New Jersey Nets. Although their record on the road doesn't do their team's talent justice, if they can toughen up and manage to get things together they could pull off a first round upset.
If Jordan can give the "Jordanians" the desire and drive he once had then he can once again begin a new era in the NBA as an owner and erase any mistakes he had in the past questioning his decision making as a man in the front office. He can take this team further than he may even know. But don't worry. I think he knows how pressure tastes.

Houston We Have Lift Off

Notice the allusion right off the back? I wonder how many times we heard this in a movie and/or book possibly where a protagonist somehow reaches the climax of the plot. For the Houston Rockets this is the exact same scenario. In previous seasons it has been do or die for the Rockets. It was do when Tracy McGrady was brought into town for the uncoachable Steve Francis and his sidekick, Cuttino Mobley. When Jeff Van Gundy couldn't succeed in taking Houston past the the depthless Utah Jazz he was fired and replaced by Rick Adelman. Of course team owner, Leslie Alexander thought it was do for Adelman, but he too was unable to incorporate an offense revolving around McGrady and Yao Ming. Other players on the roster became stagnant and were unable to take advantage of their small roles. However, Rockets' GM Daryl Morey had a plan. A plan with little fault. A plan so fool proof not even a fool could mess it up. It had been well calculated and formulated into a blueprint of perfection. It was almost as guaranteed to work as a Joel Osteen self-bettering book. Through cunning trades and sly draft picks, Morey kept the Rockets relevant. While powerhouses in the NBA's Western Conference slept peacefully at night, Houston was at their children's bedside; petting their hair and properly tucking them into bed softly promising "Everything is gonna be ok. Don't worry about daddy. He's gonna have to learn not to sleep on us anymore. Its not your fault, nor his. What do you expect him to do? He's absent minded." And before they kissed them on the forehead goodnight, they left a note to the parent, warning them that they in fact know where their children sleep at night. But they guessingly figured Houston was playing a game of poker. What would you do when an enemy who seems all but a threat to your goals is potentially bluffing? 22 wins in a row and a 7 game second-round series with the eventual NBA champions later nothing has changed except the renovation of the culture in Houston's locker.
Ron Artest is gone. Rafer Alston is gone. Tracy McGrady is gone. Dikembe Mutumbo is gone. Carl Landry is gone. Von Wafer is gone. And Yao Ming is sidelined with a serious foot injury. With Luis Scola clearly the best and most experienced player on the roster since acquiring Kevin Martin from the Sacramento Kings, the Rockets look like they're in position to make a run next year at the NBA Championship when Yao returns to full health.
The back-court provides much youth and a loaded offensive explosiveness. Even though Martin, Aaron Brooks and Trevor Ariza are each "shoot first ask questions later" type players; they have much versatility and can compliment each other well on the court. Another special quality they share is their work ethic early on in their careers. Neither of the 3 were lottery picks coming out of college and not much were expected of them in the NBA. But they eventually found their place and have now come together to challenge any defense in the league. Brooks is arguably the best shooter on the team but has tendencies of taking low percentage shots. Martin is not the world's best defender but is undoubtedly the best scorer on the Rockets. He plays with a knack for drawings fouls and getting to the free throw line, where he shoots a high percentage, but doesn't usually create much offense for his teammates. Ariza, on the other hand, is the most exciting player Houston has seen since McGrady was healthy an uncertain time ago. He too has bad shot selection but is showing signs of his play-making potential with solid statistical numbers. He is a superb defender who bothers opponents with weapons such as athleticism, length, and a harassing style of play. His intangibles are highly appreciated. In regard to all these facts the engine that gets the Rockets going is Kyle Lowry. He is a special individual, with a tough game, he also defends well and collects a considerable amount of rebounds for his size. He can create instant offense, whether coming off penetration or drawing defensive fouls. He and Brooks have caused havoc in the past as one of the fastest duos the league has to offer.
Scola, who deserves his own paragraph, has taken on an entirely new role as the Rockets go-to guy after the departure of Landry. This has built his confidence tremendously and he hasn't let anybody down. Ever since his rookie season in the NBA, Scola has put every amount of effort he could into every single play. As a defender he tends to annoy the opposed and create turnovers against the other team. He can also guard the pick and roll to disrupt any flowing offense and force teams into bad shots. As an offensive player he has been credited for being one of the better scorers from out to 15 feet, where he has a reliable mid-range jump shot and a trickery array of moves in the high and low post. He has also proven to compliment Yao very well, whereas without the ball he can cut and help his guards by setting good screens.
As of right now it looks like this team will be able to make the playoffs if only a miracle can occur suddenly. This season hasn't been a full waste. Morey has built better, much more youthful compliments for the Great Wall to play around. Houston fans have plenty to look forward to next season as this summer may be even busier than most fans and analysts predict or hope it will be due to the progress of this team that has been a era in the making. So if the Red Nation can please step this way, I'm very afraid the flight has been stalled.

Great

The most cliche terminology in the sports world today is great. Great players on great teams making great plays in great games are what we know as great moments. But what is great? It seems as though anything can qualify as great. But that's not what great is at all. That's only mediocrity. And mediocrity isn't even as good as good, which obviously is far off as good as great. Dictionary.com defines great as: of extraordinary powers; having unusual merit; very admirable. But that still leaves great at question. It looks and sounds very unclear which puts it at jeopardy. Great should be distinguished and should be one of the strongest descriptive characteristics any one can be categorized as.
The concept of great is supposed to be like a beautiful teenage virgin girl. So pure and rare. Like the 8th wonder of the world. We find ourselves shortchange and valuing it because of its amazing beauty. Instead great turned into the school hoe. What once used to be looked upon as magnificent if ever obtained is now mere common. She's nothing special anymore. Because she's been played like a flute so many times she's still pretty nice but nothing to get wet over.
Contrary to popular belief great is averaging 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists as an 18 year old rookie coming out of high school into the NBA. Great is leading your team to the NBA Finals at the age of 22. Great is pouring 50 points, 8 rebounds, 10 assists on March 5, 2008 and then 52 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists on February 4, 2009; both in Madison Square Garden. Great is being criticized of how weakly aggressive your ability to score in the clutch is and then scoring 29 of your team's final 30 points (48 in total), including it's final 25 in a double-overtime victory during the Eastern Conference Finals as an opposing player in the Palace of Auburn Hills. Great is leading your team to a 39-2 homestand while finishing with an overall record of 66-16.
Great is scoring 81 points. Great is reaching the NBA finals after being prosecuted of felony rape charges. Great is 4 rings. Great is being the all-time leading scorer for a franchise who has won 14 championships and reached the playoffs all but 5 times in team history. Great is wearing two jersey numbers for the same team with the possibility of having both retired when your career is over. Great is pouring 61 points in Madison Sqaure Garden, where the opposing fans chant "MVP" when you're at the free throw line.
We aren't grateful of greatness. And its about time that changes.

2/18/10

February 18th 2010- the day the history of the National Basketball Association had forever changed.
The Portland Trailblazers acquire C Marcus Camby; the Los Angeles Clippers acquire G Steve Blake and F Travis Outlaw. This transaction put both teams in a good spot for their needs. The Blazers have been looking to trade Blake ever since Jerryd Bayless emerged into the guard he failed to prove he was during his rookie season. It was relatively easy for the Blazers to nab Camby at the deadline. His inside presence was desperately needed after Greg Oden and Joel Pryzbilla suffered season ending injuries. Blake gives the Clippers a solid veteran who makes smart decisions when he has the basketball. Outlaw gives the Clips much needed versatility and athleticism as well as a high energy player coming off the bench.
The Dallas Mavericks acquire F Caron Butler, G DeShawn Stevenson, and C Brendan Haywood; The Washington Wizards acquire F Josh Howard, F James Singleton, G Quinton Ross, and F Drew Gooden. For the Wizards the move was nearly meant to mean that the Wiz are seeking to recover now rather than rebuild from what may seems like "a series of unfortunate events". With Howard's arrival in the nation's capital he is now the team's number one scoring option and hopefully he can flourished in Flip Saunder's offense, which Caron Butler was lost in. The Mavs however got the better end of the stick by acquiring the NBA's best all-around player behind Lebron James in Caron Butler. Who, now playing alongside Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki, is free to create offense with and off the ball. While Haywood is not a prolific NBA center, he is however a very efficient one, who makes little mistakes and has improved his rebounding over the past season. He along with Butler can make a nice contribution to Dallas and may be able to push Denver into the third seed in the Western Conference.
The Cleveland Cavaliers acquire F Antawn Jamison and G Sebastian Telfair; The Los Angeles Clippers acquire F Drew Gooden; The Washington Wizards acquire F Al Thornton, C Zydrunas Ilgaskaus, and Cleveland's 1st round draft pick. This deal almost met most team's goals. As the Clippers looked to ship Telfair and Thornton out of town because each fell out of the team's favor due to their lack of productivity. By acquiring Gooden , whose contract comes off the books after this season, they are now in position to sign a marquee free agent this upcoming summer. The Wizards, however, did not have the same goals as the Clippers even with their season crumbling right before their eyes. They looked to blow their team up instead of getting value from them. With Arenas now looking at a suspended season and time behind bars, it's time for Washington to move on from the Arenas era and give their core an entire new look. Even if that means moving their most consistent player in Antawn Jamison. Thornton can now operate on the wing in Washington adding his toughness and ability to attack the basket. But the real winners of the trade are the Cavs. Who will resign long time center, Zydrunas Ilgaskaus after the Wizards buyout his contract and release him. Telfair, may now better than ever finally get his chance to blossom because of the fact that he can relax on offense and not fully focus all of his offensive duties on creating for his teammates. He will now be able to attack defenders off the dribble, as he has a great chance to securely steal Daniel Gibson's spot and maybe even some of Delonte West's minutes in the rotation. Plus now adding Jamison to the roster means the Cavs finally have their final piece to potentially win a championship in June. Jamison can not only provide scoring, rebounding ability and veteran leadership but versatility as well. He and Lebron James can take advantage of smaller lineups and bigger lineups with their abilities to match almost any and every shooting guard, small forward and power forwards in the Eastern Conference. Including Rashard Lewis and the Orlando Magic, who the Cavs were unable to defend last year in the playoffs.
The Boston Celtics acquire G Nate Robinson; the New York Knicks acquire G Eddie House, G JR Giddens, and F Bill Walker. Obviously with Boston adding Robinson into their backcourt rotation they are providing much needed energy and scoring ability. He can take loads of pressure off of Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen and can even finish games. The only question is how long will it take for him to adjust and is he a liability on the defensive end? The Knicks acquire not only more toughness but much needed veteran leadership out of Eddie House who can mentor players like Wilson Chandler, Danillo Gallinari, and Toney Douglas. House will fit well playing D'Antoni again and has a great opportunity to earn minutes playing behind Chris Duhon for the remainder of the season.
The Houston Rockets acquire G Kevin Martin, F Jared Jeffries, F Jordan Hill, the rights to swap 1st round draft picks with the New York Knicks in 2011, and the New York Knicks 2012 1st round draft pick; The Sacramento Kings acquire G Larry Hughes, F Carl Landry, and F Joey Dorsey; the New York Knicks acquire G Tracy McGrady and G Sergio Rodriguez. This trade is significant to the New York Knicks era of error. Due to the fact the Knicks always manage to screw up. The blockbuster deals they make are based upon potential and chance. Such as this one. With the potential of the Knicks finishing the season off strong so they wouldn't hurt as much with this year's 1st round draft choice going to the Utah Jazz. The Knicks also are hopeful that Jordan Hill fails to acheive his potential in Houston where he will team again with former Arizona Wildcat, Chase Budinger. They are also hopeful that this summer they can sign two big name free agents like the likes of Lebron James, Chris Bosh, or Dwyane Wade where they will be in position to compete for an NBA championship. The Kings on the other side are looking in another direction. With the new acquisition of Larry Hughes' expiring contract this off season they could sign a free agent who could compliment their new franchise player in Tyreke Evans well. Now with the addition of Carl Landry the Kings get a player who can score in the post. A void that needed to be filled. Landry is best at coming off the bench with high energy and terrific explosiveness. He can score in loads but lacks the the rebounding abilities and defensive skills his position requires. Houston however got the best of the deal. Kevin Martin fits the needs the Rockets lacked. He is a terrific athlete and a very creatively aggressive scorer. He would strive in Rick Adelman's offense, where he played under him in Sacramento several years ago. He makes smart decisions and can play well in a starting lineup featuring Aaron Brooks, Trevor Ariza, Luis Scola, and Chuck Hayes. Where he becomes the score to scorer and can take over late in games where he will explode for 40. With Jordan Hill the Rockets add a young athletic forward who many have compared to Chris Bosh coming out of college. He gives the Rockets better height and can create his own shot against less athletic players.
A lot of the teams in the NBA who were active at the deadline got what they wanted. The biggest winners were the Cavs and the Rockets., as both teams gave up little and gained more than they could ask for (not really but yeah). Depending upon how the rest of the season plays out will prove exactly how significant this day was and what it means to the history of the most anticipated summer of sports ever and what impact it will create to the rest of everyone else. The losers will continue to lose while most winners will begin to lose. Because there is only one winner. And that's where his thrown is.

Live During the 2010 NBA All-Star Game in Dallas, TX

Rumors will never be new in sports. No matter what they are or what people seem to believe they will always be there. Here we go again you may think. Ultimately turning on a computer and logging onto ESPN news or slamonline you'll find what most fans seem to enjoy. The possibilities of what could be. Remember in the summer of 200z when Kobe Bryant told Stephen A. Smith that he wanted to ride the first plane out of LA after witnessing Lebron James carry a less than mediocre Cleveland Cavalier team to the NBA finals only to be swept by the then Western Conference powerhouse San Antonio Spurs? All sorts of rumors began to surface. Kobe was being pursued by the Phoenix Suns, Chicago Bulls, and even the New York Knicks. Even Kevin Garnett's days left as a Minnesota Timberwolve began to count down. He was rumored that he was going to be shipped to Los Angeles where he would pair with Kobe to change the entire NBA. Imagine what would have happened! There would be no Big Three in Boston. Pau Gasol could be well in Memphis still begging for a new home.
Now we're looking towards the most anticipated off-season in sports history. Tons can change from now and then. Lebron can opt to stay in Cleveland which looks very unlikely. Or he can decide to join the Lakers in a sign and trade in what would be the most fun, fire-driven, nightmare giving team anybody has even dared to imagine. You somewhat get the chills of thinking about Lebron James and Kobe Bryant pairing together for a full 82 games under the philosophy of Phil Jackson's triple post offense designed to showcase the individual and team oriented talents of each player. Or he can stun even the good lord himself and swim in the swamps with his business partner and close friend Sean Carter's team the soon to be Brooklyn Nets. Where he would add to his legacy and evolve the NBA's worst team ever and make them an instant championship contender where he could be coached by the likes of Jeff Van Gundy or Avery Jonhson. He would be surrounded by All-Star point guard Devin Harris and blossoming center Brook Lopez who has come into his own during his sophomore season. The supporting cast of Yi Jianlian, Terrence Williams, Courtney Lee and possibly the likes of John Wall looks very attractive despite their lack of success. Wherever the King ends up rocking his no. 6 uni next season, sportscenter won't stop talking about it for months and it would change history drastically.
As of this moment the most likely potential free agent to jump ship looks like Chris Bosh. He believes he is good enough to be THE GUY for a championship team. But he's yet to prove he can carry a Raptor team out of the first round of the post season. It would be in Bosh's best interest to join a major market team such as the New York Knicks or the Chicago Bulls or the rumored Miami Heat where he alongside former 2008 olympic teammate Dwyane Wade would pair to create havoc in the Eastern Conference and challenge the Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic, and the declining Boston Celtics.
Now where to go when you're a team without cap space who's looking to get better this summer? If you're the Celtics it looks like right now is your best chance to get better for the long term. Of course you're going to look at the most realistic trade chip in Ray Allen and use him as trade bait to discuss names like Kevin Martin, Kirk Hinrich, Monta Ellis and even Andre Iguadola. Of course Ray Allen can still contribute but apart from Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins, the Celtics are beginning to look rather anti-young causing them to fall to Cleveland, Orlando and Atlanta although they may have the best depth in the NBA. Danny Ainge's moves have spelled strong in the past but its time he looks at the long term rather than the short term even though he may be able to pull off both.
We're more than mid-way through the NBA season and the biggest stories are "Gilbert Arenas' gun charges", "Brandon Jenning's rookie outburst of 55 points over the Golden State Warriors", "The All-Star surge of Kevin Durant, who looks to be leading the Oklahoma City Thunder into the playoffs in just his 3rd year", " Blake Griffin and Greg Oden's unfortunate season-ending injuries", "The much successful duo of Lebron and Shaq", and "The 4-48 New Jersey Nets". By season's end we shall see new homes for Amare Stoudemire, Antawn Jamison and Tyrus Thomas. Vinny Del Negro, Mike Brown, Eric Spoelstra, and Alvin Gentry will no longer have coaching gigs. Both Greg Poppovich and Tim Duncan will be contemplating retirement. Gilbert Arenas contract will be voided before serving time in jail. And Carlos Boozer will join Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls to create a force to reckon with.
But remember its all rumors... So spread the word!