Donyell Marshall: Where's my jersey!?

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Donyell Marshall hasn't played in so long...he forgot to wear a uniform!

Tayshaun Prince downs the Lakers

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Tayshaun Prince downs the Lakers with a clutch three pointer.

Chauncey gets rough with Fisher

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Chauncey Billups gets ticked at Derek Fisher.

Al Thorton flies!

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We heard Al Thorton was being injected with fluids to stay hydrated. And just check out what he does to All-Star Josh Smith the Atlanta Hawks!

Elton Brand on-court footage

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Elton Brand is back on the court, and looking really good.

Deron Williams crosses Collins

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Deron Williams makes Mardy Collins look silly, well sort of.

Ref hit in the face

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This ref gets one in the face ouch!

UPDATE: The good people (or person) at Hardwood Paradoxism linked up this video! Holla HP!

Balkman major elbows Vujacic

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Rendalo Balkman deserved a flagrant foul for this ridiculous elbow to Sasha Vujacic's face.

UPDATE: Balkman later got a Flagrant Two and a one game suspension. What did I say?

UPDATE: This video is linked up on DIME Magazine. Check it.

Houston mascot injured!!

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A mascot collision not worth laughing at...too much. She was okay, if you're wondering.

UPDATE: Fellow hoops blog boy, Fear The Beard (awesome stuff) has something to say about the fiasco. Check it, please!

UPDATE, again: Fellow hoops blog boy, Awful Announcing (awesome stuff as well) has something to say about the fiasco. Check it, please!

Andray Blatche gets hit in the nuts

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The price of good defense.

Joe Johnson and Marvin Williams BANG!

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Joe Johnson and Marvin Williams don't looking where they're running.

Parker pushes OT

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Anthony Parker sends the Raptors and Wizards into overtime with a clutch three.

Clippers' empty bench

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The Clippers had nine active players. You have to feel for the lonely Sam Cassell.

This is pathetic.

Josh Powell power dunk

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Josh Powell posterizes Gerald Wallace. This man is finally feeling comfortable with his game. It must feel odd for Wallace to be on the receiving end.

Chris Paul cross overs (3x)

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Chris Paul dominates Anthony Carter not once, not twice, but thrice! Rarrrrrrr!

Chris Paul misses open layup

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Chris Paul misses a wide open layup against the Nuggets. I think he confused himself at the last second if he wanted to dunk or lay it in. Thankfully, he was able to get the ball quickly back and pickup his 14th assist.

J.R. Smith dunks on Pargo

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J.R. Smith takes a really hard fall after dunking over Janero Pargo.

Reggie Miller look-alikes

With all the talk about Reggie Miller and Barack Obama being separated at birth and all, we thought it appropriate to do Reggie a favor and find out who he REALLY looks like.

Yes, be thankful MyHeritage didn't bring up a picture of a rhinoceros (but I'm sure he'd look 'G'ed up' in a nice suit as well). Let's go through the Top 8 matches for Reggie Miller. Only one of the eight is American. We'll let you find out who that person is for yourself.

1. Mike Leigh (70 percent match): English film and theater director most known for his films Secrets & Lies (1996) and Vera Drake (2004)...Best known quote is: "Given the choice of Hollywood or poking steel pins in my eyes, I'd prefer steel pins"...Vera Drake was is known as a predecessor of Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain.

2. J.K. Rowling (64 percent match): To wit, Time Magazine's 2007 second runner up for Person of the Year...Author of the Harry Potter series, now a global brand worth an estimated $15 billion...Subject of a number of college-student podcasts and a recent ITV documentary film.

3. Konrad Adenauer (64 percent match): 27th German Chancellor, and the 1st Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, whatever that is...Chairman of the Christian Democratic Union from 1950 to 1966...Time Magazine Person of the Year 1953. You go man.

4. Reggie Miller (62 percent): Retired American professional basketball player...Doesn't cooperate with media...Likes short shorts...Thinks Barack Obama "is good looking."

5. Valdus Adamkus (61 percent match): Current president of Lithuania...Lived in Chicago for 49 years from 1949 to 1998.

6. Boris Becker (61 percent match): Former World No. 1 professional tennis player from Germany...Posed nude with ex-wife for the cover of Stern Magazine...Attended 2007 NBA All-Star game.

7. Bob Marley (60 percent match): Jamaican singer, songwriter, guitarist, and activist...performer of reggae music....prophet

8. Pierluigi Collina (59 percent match): Italian former soccer referee...Lifelong supporter of Fortitudo Bologna, one of Europe's leading basketball clubs.

Brad Miller throws Kurt Thomas

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Can the Kings play a game without loosing their temper?

Brad Miller loses his temper after not getting a foul called. So what does he do? Complain to the referee? Bit his tongue? Imagine that he wasn't touched at all (you know, pretend reality is real)?

No BMiller decides to pick up Kurt Thomas and throw him out of the way. This could've cost the Kings the win.

I feel sorry for good people like Kevin Martin who what to make a game winner because of guys like Artest and Miller.

Davis ready for All-Star game

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If it wasn't for this Baron Davis, the Warriors wouldn't even be in the game against the New York Knicks!

This guys is ready for the All-Star game. Isn't this the average distance they shoot from in that contest, anyway?

And since there's no defense on the part of the Knicks, it might as well be an ASG exhibition.

TMac injures finger

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Tracy McGrady, playing fairly well against the Jazz, was holding his finger after falling into the crow. It's only a matter of time before he's missing games again.

The piece of glass wanted to come out of the game, but had to got to the line to shot his free throws. He was visibly shaken by the finger injury and missed both shots.

TMac still finished the game. Yet as soon as Yao Ming returns, that means it's a green light for McGrady to go back into perpetual rehab.

TMac wants a foul

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Tracy McGrady wants a foul called on Kyle Korver...but drains the jumper anyway. Hilarious!

Mo pulls an Arenas against Washington?!

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Does anyone else see a little bit of Gilbert Arenas here?

Yeah, Mo Williams and Arenas are about the same size, team captains and sport goatees, I know. But look at the GW 3-pointer action! That's clutch!

The only thing that would've made this more freaky is if Arenas was defending Williams on this shot. One can only dream, though.

Harpring "not bullied" by Artest

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Matt Harpring plays with a football player mentality. If a "bully" comes to play, he's going to "bully" him back.

Of course, that bully is Ron Artest. The teacher had to separate the two an put them both in the corner. Little Ronnie got a longer time in the corner than Young Matty because he was disrupting other kids in teh class as well.

Totally acts and talks like a father of two youn children. That's right Matt, keep that language PG.

Steve Smith does palates

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Steve Smith makes a confession about his softer, more feminine side.

I love the Atlanta broadcast duo. While Steve Smith isn't joking here about palates, he's been full of jokes all season long. Only a handful of teams can boast broadcasters like Smitty.

Hilarious Deron Williams commercials

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Deron Williams needs a little help moving his stuff.

I have to admit, these are some fairly clever commercials. They're no Mars Blackmon or anything, but for a moving company in Utah, this is pretty great. I love how all Deron's boxes are in his kitchen.

Here's another Deron commercial. It begins the same, but the second features him calling all his teammates, and this time a little surprise at the end.


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Illinois represent!

Salim Stoudamire is a vegan!

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We knew there was a reason Salim Stoudamire was sitting on the bench still. Get this man some protein!

I remember back in his college days at Arizona there was always something peculuar about this guy. He was an obsessive compulsive and a super neat freak. The only thing about him that wasn't neat was his face and hair.

While he face and hair are all clean now, I guess he's got a new diet going for him. I don't think there's anything wrong with being a vegan, but it's interesting to know there now is a pro athlete who doesn't eat animal products. I wonder how much the team chefs hate him for it.

Well, it's done at least one thing for him...and that's help shed some pounds.

UPDATE: Apparently the WSJ is reporting that Tony Gonzalez is also vegan. So it can be done.

Daily Dime reactions

I tend to agree that Paul is the MVP. You look at what he's done with his team this year, now that he's fully healthy, and you see the tremendous impact he's had. A huge win against the defending champions last night also is telling. The difference between Paul and Garnett is the caliber of team on which they play. The Cs have two other HOF players, the Hornets...none.

LBJ's stats are the best in the League, no doubt. But, yeah, somehow a team's record plays a immeasurable bias in the MVP voting. I totally agree with your assessment that the Cavs need to be first in their division (or at least a close second behind the Pistons) for LeBron to merit any sort of consideration for the award. It's just interesting to see how much record plays a part, especially when one's opinion about it can be so subjective.

***

Garnett's production is still the same. He's just playing less minutes...which lowers his overall numbers. Yet, he's still deadly effective when on the court.

***

Dirk and Mavs won 67 games. C'mon now...and Nowitzki was playing lights out all seasons long. He was thrown into an early season funk premeditated by his offseason sabbatical and lack of training.

The Celtics are on a similar pace this year. KG clearly is the difference maker and should win the award if the current trends continue. I think Paul's still too young to win the award. I know it's trite to say, but age also seems to play a role -- whether a cat's earned his stripes long enough.

The Cavs need to land a fourth or fifth seed this season, otherwise they have no hope of playing the Celtics for rights in the East. If the Cavs land a sixth of seventh spot (which they probably will), they've got no chance beating Orlando and Detroit to get to Boston in the Eastern conference finals. No chance whatsoever.

***

I feel like you all are hating on some of the best players to ever play the game -- Kobe, KG, Dirk? Wow.

For one thing, I'd much rather put the ball in any of their hands than Paul or LeBron at the end of a game because of their massive experience. They all know how to get to the line in those situations and stop the clock. You need to look at their ability to lock it down and Odenize themselves at the times of extreme pressure.

LBJ and CP3 have not proved their ability to Odenize and make the right play when it really comes down to it. They haven't learned how to lead a team with their heart and sole.

***

If the Lakers do NOT fade, and play over .500 ball, then there's no question Kobe's the League's most valuable, regardless of how many shots he puts up and how well he shoots. A team without key cogs Ariza and Bynum is nothing, and to carry that on your back for two months is Atlas-esque.

***

The only thing the Lakers were predicted to do was trade Kobe to the Chi or trade Bynum to the Nets. Somehow they didn't do either, and overcame all the diversity to become an elite team. What a story. You have to recognize this with an award for Kobe, who was the key person in the 180 turnaround.

***

The MVP this season may be the most debated selection in recent history. That said, there's still a half a season to consider after this. How players' team's perform will without doubt play a large role.

That said, here's who I project to be the top three MVP candidates at the season's end: 1) KG, 2) Kobe, 3) Paul

I'm not trying to diminish LeBron's game in any way. I'm just saying that playing .540 ball in the East is not good enough.

***

Yes, I think the big three really play as a unit -- helping each other out and complimenting each other's game. Still, Garnett is the piece that makes it all work. There's no saying how good the team would be without Garnett (because they theoretically would still have Ryan Gomes and Al Jefferson...and Gerald Green...and Sebastian Telfair), but I'd wager it wouldn't be anywhere near 60-65 wins at the end of the season.

Garnett's the key to the Celtic's resurgent season. That's why he's the MVP.

***

I'd totally disagree about the career achievement. Steve Nash, when he won his first MVP, was an All-Star, but certainly not deserving of the League's best player award in Dallas. He came into his own when he signed with Phoenix, and the NBA rewarded him for his spectacular performance during those seasons.

On the other hand, I do think a player needs to have played at least a couple years in the League before he wins the MVP. I can't think of an MVP in recent times who's won an the award in his first three seasons. Or am I wrong? I think you have to earn your stripes in the NBA before you can be seriously considered for the award. That's why Paul's not winning anything but an First Team selection this season...which is no chump change by any means.

***

Not only are the starters in New Orleans playing more minutes than other teams, they're also young. There's two things going on here, in my mind: 1) They're young and they can handle the burn, and 2) They're young and don't have the experience to "pace" themselves for when it comes playoff time.

It's a long season and I definitely agree that the Hornets most likely will not make it to even the Western Conference Finals. However, if they do make it that far, I'll be leading the NOH bandwagon with the rest of Bayou.

***

The younger a player is, the less likely he'll be given the reigns to a team. The only exceptions would be poor, rebuilding teams who have no other choice but to let their young guns play (I.e. Seattle this season).

However, in those instances, when a young player is a main option, only very rarely will that team also be also a factor in the playoff picture. Most of the time, these young teams don't even make the playoffs.

***

If teams are blowing people out the majority of the time (Hornets recently, Celtics not so recently), there's no need to "close out" teams. I guess being a good closer implies that you're not doing enough during the first three quarters to be comfortable going into the final period.

***

Howard and Paul are different. Paul's a small guard and very prone to injury. Whereas, Howard is about one of the League's biggest (most muscular) players in the NBA. Howard's never missed a game in his career. Not only that, but he's played one year longer.

***

Sometimes I get caught up looking to the numbers for answers to these questions. Still, nothing substitutes for watching a player play the game to really assess how valuable he is.

Clippers comeback and demise

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Kyle Lowry was getting the lane all night. Chris Kaman was out because of a bad shinny that's more frail than my grandmother's...who slides around in a plastic tube device, thing.

Yet, all of a sudden, the Clippers got a little bit of Captain Marvel in themselves, and decided to pull off a stop on the Griz. They busted out heir suppreme defender, Brevin "The Dark" Knight who put the stop on Lowry....finally.

Without their patented pattern of points (sorry, y'all), the play got really sloppy.

Lowry loses the ball on a key possession down the stretch to turn the tides in the Clippers favor. Corey Maggette dunk off a fast break.

108-108. Tied for the first time in 48 minutes of play.

O-T, BABY!

So then guess who turns the tides?


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It's the man, K-Low, with a ridiculous rebound over Sammy Cas.

Final 125-120. Great game...even without the big name bigs Kaman and Pau "The Gassy Spanish Fly" Gasol.

Gerald Wallace can't dribble

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Instead of hitting a big-time shot, G-Force makes a big-time turn over behind-the-back style. I don't know why he made this turnover like a French breadmaker does while making dough in the morning.

It was a two shot possession, and while the Cats needed a quick score, there was no need to put on another highlight. However, as G-man found, his attempt at making SC again would turn into a definite loss and...another for the super stingbean rubber band jumping man Andre Iguodala on the other side.

So Gerald passes the ball behind his back to the other team. The other team throws the baseball outlet...

Iggy flushes it home unclogging the rim for your viewing pleasure.

It seemed like the Bobcats had a bit of momentum up until this fatal error.

Iguodala comes out with a better dunk than he's performed in any dunk contest. I guess he had to put a little bit of flare into the Sixers' first win in the Bobcat's stadium.

Heat snap losing skid

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WOOOOO CHAMPIONSHIP CHAMPIONSHIP CHAMPIONSHIP CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!!!!!!!!!

The way a 15-game losing streak ends, especially when at home, is a laughable matter. Both for the team that celebrates like it just won a chip (Heat) and the team that sunk so low to have lost the game (Pacers).

The Pacers put together a sizeable lead coming into the second half, but stopped working inside against Heat who have NO ONE in their frontcourt. And when the game ended with an errant half-court bomb from Andre Owens, the Pacers looked like Little Red Riding Hood caught sleeping with a wolf.

How did this happen? How could we loose?

Travis Diener is now the world's best "Gimme a career night" defender. Kirk Hinrich, Michael Redd and Dwyane Wade all lit him up for 35+ points in the last three games. The Pacers are injured as well, without Jermaine O'Neal and Jamaal Tinsley, but still...

Don't tell me they're any good, even when healthy.

You can't trade JO for a pair of used Cuba Gooding Jr. whittie tighties!

Praise Jesus! The losing streak is over!!! Everyone get out those rally caps! The Heat are on top of the planet! Everyone gets a "Winner" sticker. Goodbye.

Artest ejected 01/25/2008

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Ron Ron was just asking for it against the Utah Jazz. I was getting worried about Tru Warrior starting another brawl with Matt Harpring.

There were a series of things that really got me on edge. They should've tossed dude sooner. Reggie Theus was jawin' at the refs, Jerry Sloan almost got a T. But in the end, getting rid of Artest calmed it all down. Artest literally caused the entire brouhaha himself.

What a dick.

It's not hard to tell when Artest's head is out of the game. He gets all up in everyone's dome and starts playing truely sloppy defense. It's only a matter of time before Artest is out of the game when he's mad.

Quite bluntly, he's dangerous. The look in his eyes is of pure malice and hatred like a bull seeing red.

All you can do is hope he's not coming after you.

J.J. Putz: "Keep the Sonics in Seattle"

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Seattle Mariner star closer J.J. Putz supports the Supersonics staying in Seattle. Is there anyone who doesn't want the Supes to stay?

You just have to love athletes supporting other sports teams in their city. Putz, though, wasn't the only one. He mentioned the entire Mariner bullpen was at the game.

Unfortunately the Sonics had 31 points on 31 percent shooting at the half! Ugly game. You wish it wasn't a rebuilding year.

Yet, with strong support through tough times, you know this team would do fine if it was to stay.

Garnett injury 01/25/2008

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A look at a possible Kevin Garnett injury in tonight's game.

This from a report in the Toronto Star:

"It felt like I got sniped from the rafters or something," Garnett said. "I just had a sharp pain come from my stomach and I just wanted the doctors to look at it. They looked at it and said I was fine, so I came back out.''

The doctor said Garnett could go back in, but the trainer said no, Celtics coach Doc Rivers said, holding one thumb up and one thumb down. Eventually, Garnett begged his way back on to the court."

While it could have been a bad cramp, the sideline reporter said Garnett went "onto one knee for about a minute before preceding into the locker room." This was a very painful thing for Garnett. Hopefully, it won't turn into something lingering.

Have the C's gone to great lengths to conceal pain in their fearless leader? Is this a reoccurring problem for Garnett that's been pushed under the table?

It's quite certain Garnett has been getting less minutes this year. Might it be to save his ailing health?

Well, probably not, but it's fun to guess.

Al Jefferson: What's PF mean?

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Al Jefferson doesn't understand the stats sheet. This may explain why he never gave college a second thought.

Tough loss for the Wolves, who have been playing far better than their 35 losses might dictate. KG, Ryan Gomes, Jeff, and dunk contestant Gerald Green all seemed to enjoy themselves. How can you not when the Garden has the revived atmosphere that it has this season?

We're just really glad Kendrick Perkins was kind enough to divulge this great Al Jefferson moment...at Jefferson's behest, of course.

Reggie and Barack: Separated at birth

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Marv Albert: "This is my all-time favorite, the so-called Separated at Birth. They just put it up on the video screen, and the crowd went bizerk! You and Barack! And a chant of REGGIE followed!"

Reggie Miller: "Hey, I've been compared to worse. To be with Barack, a presidental candidate..."

MA: "I don't know if that's a compliment - I've been compared to worse."

RM: "Barack is a good looking guy. So to be compared to someone like that, that's great because I've been compared to other people who are not so..."

MA: "You're looking at the aesthetics of it."

RM: "I look better than Barack. I'll tell you that right now. And my suit is Ged up!"

EXCLUSIVE: Blazers just coasting

Yet another exclusive expert team opinion from Dave at BlazersEdge.

I emailed him last night and received a fast and very insightful response.

I’d recommend reading the following carefully.

"The chances that the Blazers will make any moves before the trading deadline are very small. For one thing they have a good rhythm and chemistry going. Second they don't want to take on any extra salaries with cap room coming along after next season.

"Finally and most importantly they're awaiting the second coming of Greg Oden. They know that's the key acquisition.

"Nothing done this year is going to make or break the season--they won't stink and they won't win a championship. Next year and beyond matter far more. Any potential moves will come then."

I enjoyed most his candidness about the 2007-08 campaign. Dave tells us the Blazers are not in the championship mindset.

In fact, they're just coasting until they’re full strength.

While some might be angry at the notion of not “trying” for a chip, I implore you to look at the facts. They’re in a conference containing powerhouses Lakers, Mavs, Spurs, Suns, and Hornets. Not to mention those pesky favorites in Boston. New Orleans beat them handedly last night. They’re still very week in the frontcourt.

Although the Blazers may certainly win 50 games this year, a championship will remain far outside their grasp. And they know it.

But for a team that’s coasting to win 50? Now that’s something you don’t mess with.

Watch out Larry O’Brian, 2009’s the time!

EXCLUSIVE: Bulls will not trade

Tell me your team couldn’t use one player from the Chicago Bulls.

The mere fact that Chi-town hoards young talent like a grain elevator hoards, well, grain has put the Bulls in the middle of just about every trade rumor.

Well, there’s no way this deal would work unless we could somehow through in Andres Nocioni from Chicago.

Or…

This will work perfectly if we could clone Joakim Noah and trade him to both of us!

With the Bulls’ season being such a disappointment thus far, it often follows that a trade is necessary to turn things around.

I asked Bulls reporter Mike McGraw what the Bulls' deal was in terms of making any trades.

You won't like it, but you probably won’t be surprised either about the Bulls expert's response.

“I think the most likely scenario right now is the Bulls do nothing before the trade deadline.

“Obviously, Paxson is exploring the options, but there are too many issues working against the Bulls making a major deal. If anyone is likely to be traded, it might be Chris Duhon, since he's about to become a free agent and may not be back next year anyway.”

Chris Duhon!? I’m not trading if I can’t get at least Tyrus Thomas.

Sonics have PFs

Seattle isn’t looking for much out of this season.

I don’t know how they’re going to do it, but the team needs to find some more pieces to get better…and fast.

However, it seems like the Sonics seem to have a wealth of decently talented players log-jammed at the power forward position – all of whom have unique strengths and weaknesses.

With three feasible starters in Nick Collison, Chris “Weezy” Wilcox, and rookie Jeff Green who should get the nod? Who should the Sonics keep long term and can they co-exist?

Jayda Evans, Sonics reporter and blogger for the Seattle Times, answered some of my questions via email.

“I like Wilcox to start and Collison off the bench. Collison is the better rebounder, but he plays well no matter where you put him.

“Since the others are fussy, I'd give the unwanted (but still highly important) role of reserve PF to Collison, start Wilcox at PF and start Green at SF. The latter is only because it's a rebuilding year, however. If the Sonics were contending for wins, then I bring Green off the bench.”

However, this all could change depending on the moves Seattle makes before the deadline, and the outcome of the 2008 Draft, in which the team will most likely get another Top 3 pick.

It’s a long road ahead for the Sonics, and it’s not just the roster that might end up in turmoil.

Narducci: Iguodala not going anywhere

Speculation of Andre Iguodala leaving the Sixers as a restricted free agent has once again invited Lady Controversy's pimpled face to hang with the Sixers fandom.

Oh God save us!

Rumors are rampant. And many surround the man with a plan, the other AI, the guy from the Chi. So is a trade necessary to get some value for the Sixer’s best player?

I mean, it is possible Iguodala will leave the Sixers in the dust, with only 19-year-old Thaddeus Young to rely on?

It seems dumb to trade Andre unless you're 100 percent certain he’s not going to stay with the team. And besides Shaq missing games during the regular season, there aren't a whole lot of things that can be predicted with that type of accuracy.

Yes, there’s a lot that can happen between now and this July.

Trades should never be made out of pure speculation, but let’s just take a moment and assume the absolute worst hypothetical.

So Dre leaves. What then?

The Sixers are left with cap space to go after a forward like Antawn Jamison. If they don’t see a player they like, they take the year to rebuild and give the young guns some run.

Then they hit the free agent pool hard the next summer, and keep its fingers crossed for a high draft pick.

See, not so bad.

However, Philapelphia Inquirer reporter Marc Narducci told me he doesn’t foresee the Sixers parting with Andre Iguodala before the trade deadline.

In an email correspondence he wrote to me:

I'm an Iguodala guy and wouldn't trade him. People say he isn't a first option and maybe that is so, but he plays good defense and even though his offensive game is a work in progress, I think he's already a very good player who should continue to get better.

So I wouldn't trade him, and try to get a power forward another way, either through free agency (Antawn Jamison) or a trade.

The Sixers would have to find more cap room. If they can't sign Jamison then it's doubtful that nobody else will be able to and he'll likely resign with Washington.

Philly will probably opt for a scorer in the draft, and the team seems to have endless opportunities coming up this summer.

Narducci breaks these issues down and much more on his Deep Sixer blog, which is certainly worth a gander.

Luol out for a long time

K.C. Johnson of the Chi-town (Chicago) Tribune reported this afternoon that Bulls forward Luol Deng will be missing many weeks due to a heel injury.

Believe you me, stressing your Achilles is about the worst injury known to man. If not torn but still bad enough, an Achilles injury can sideline a player up to two months.

Luol may never be the same player ever again. A injury like this is likely to bother you for the rest of your life.

In other news, the Bulls season is already tanked.

In yet another blow for the Bulls, interim coach Jim Boylan said Wednesday that forward Luol Deng would be "shut down" for "a significant period of time" because of his sore left Achilles.

This is great news to people like myself who have money hedged on the Bulls not making the playoffs. Make your bets now before they find out the news!

Run! This is the last time in the foreseeable future that the Bulls may not be contenders for the NBA Championship. This might be the final straw that causes GM John Paxson to pull the trigger on one of his two million trade offers on the table.

Plus, with a little lottery ball luck coming up, the Bulls might be able to land a top draft pick this summer. Derrick Rose back in Chicago to run with his hometown Bullies, anyone?

I would die.

Monroe: Guest Spurs Odenizer

Odenized takes a look at the Spurs, who probably will not make a roster change before the February trade deadline (stranger things have been known to occur, like the invention of chocolate wrenches). We’ll present arguments in favor and against making a trade.

Then, we’ll Odenize the San Antonio Spurs, all straight-faced, cold-blooded and final. Our guest odenizer is Spurs expert Mike Monroe, who provided us with an EXCLUSIVE email about what the team might end up doing.

Yes sir!

SAN ANTONIO SPURS
The Controversy: Should the Spurs trade?

Arguments in favor:

• The rest of the NBA will outgrow the Spurs if they don’t grow with it
• Need an energy guy to motivate a team full of the same old faces
• Players are older and more prone to injuries this season
• Need a young big to compliment Duncan
• Could use a young athletic shooter
• Could use a decent backup point guard
  

Arguments against:

• Spurs credo: “Don't panic guys, sometimes the best moves are the ones you don't make.”
• Spurs hoping for Brazilian big Tiago Splitter to make a difference next season
  
• Franciso Elson is a decent complement to Duncan, when healthy
• Fabio (whops, Fabrico) Oberto's been consistent, also when healthy
• Don’t want to make a “kneejerk” trade

Spurs expert: Mike Monroe, SA Express-News, columnist

ODENIZED:
Monroe:

“The Spurs committed last summer to the group that won the 2007 title, bringing back all the core players. Added Ime Udoka, who is beginning to work out quite nicely, and traded Beno Udrih and Jackie Butler for nothing but cap space.

"They seem to like Jeremy Richardson, and I expect him to play the next couple of games so they can determine if they want to keep him when his second 10-day expires. In other words, they like their team.

“That said, they made February trades each of the past three seasons (last season's was pretty much one box of rocks for another box of rocks, Eric Williams for Melvin Ely), If they were to do something, it's certainly not likely to involve any of their key guys.”

Windhorst: Guest Cavs Odenizer

Odenized takes a look at the Cavs, who may make a roster change before the February trade deadline. We’ll present arguments in favor and against making a trade.

Then, we’ll Odenize the Cleveland Cavs, all straight-faced, cold-blooded and final. Our guest odenizer is Cavs expert Brian Windhorst, who provided us with an EXCLUSIVE email about what team might end up doing.

Yes sir!

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
The Controversy: Should the Cavs trade?

Arguments in favor:
• Getting rid of Larry Hughes – overpaid, overhyped
• Shannon Brown allegedly is at ends with Cavs organization, and stated he will not resign this summer
• Crawford and LeBron James might create an unstoppable backcourt
• Bibby is an underrated point guard when healthy who also knows big-game situations

Arguments against:
• Draft picks most likely will be involved
• Brown, at $1.1 million, is worth keeping around for his upside this season
• Crawford hasn’t worked out for any team he’s played with
• If the Cavaliers want Bibby, they will have to take on Kenny Thomas’ fat contract as well

Cavs expert: Brian Windhorst, Akron Beacon Journal, columnist & Cavs Insider blogger

ODENIZED:
Windhorst:

“The Cavs most tradeable asset is Drew Gooden because he's a young, athletic big man and he's got a reasonable contract. However, I find it unlikely that the Cavs will pull off a major trade because Danny Ferry has proven to be very conservative when it comes to changes to his roster.

“So that said, I find it more likely the Cavs will move Shannon Brown more than anyone else.”

Brown had "spies on him"

The Knicks franchise keeps looking worse and worse.

Former Coach Larry Brown accused the Knicks of having "spies throughout the arena" during his season with the team in the February issue of "Philadelphia" magazine.

This is espionage!

“Imagine when you get to work, they don’t talk to you. They had security people standing close to me in press conferences, and spies throughout the arena.”

I see no reason for Brown to lie about this. MSG's media policy is antiquated, arcane, intrusive. Owner Jim Dolan runs the operation like an Iraqi invasion.

The Garden has become the most paranoid place in America. The Knicks clearly care more about PR than winning.

Brown’s firing brought on the Isiah Thomas rampage of the past four-and-a-half years. The damage Brown caused in one season is nothing compared to the damage the Knicks suffered at the hands of Thomas.

However, Brown hasn't exactly the Yoda the franchise hired him to be. And he his ineptitudes with the team probably were not spy-induced.

Here’s a guy who advocated the Steve Francis deal, thought Trevor Ariza was a bum, gave David Lee no burn, and wanted wash-ups like Eric Snow and Theo Ratliff.

Usually, dirt comes out when teams are doing poorly. You won't hear too many negatives about the Spurs organization while they’re still getting wins and championships.

Yet, it’s possible teams that do it the right way are the teams that eventually win games. And, clearly, the Knicks are doing everything but "right."

In the end, it all comes down to one fact: The Garden treats everyone horrible. Another day/week/month, another embarrassment.

Thank you Mr. Dolan.

Memo ficks off the cameras

ORIGINALLY POSTED: 01/21/08

Mehmet Okur flicked off the television cameras after heading to the bench with 3:36 left in the third quarter this afternoon.

The Jazz were winning by a double-digit margin against center Chris Kaman (right) and the Clippers at the Staples Center.

Odenized will post the YouTube clip as soon (if) its posted. You know we love this meaningless stuff!

EDIT: Finally! I'm not crazy, it's up on YouTube.

The iRoy: rare collectors item

Regardless of the fact that Brandon Roy cannot make the All-Star team instead of other deserving players like Kobe, Nash, Paul, Baron Davis, Iverson, Ginobili, Tony Parker and Deron Williams, the iRoy is a tight little piece of NBA politics.

I've heard of coaches calling coaches and Mark Cuban's sending out emails, but giving away free pieces of technology?! With Brandon Roy highlights already on them?!

Awesome!

I figure since iRoy will be in the hands of only 15 NBA coaches and a very select group of national media members, this technology could become the Holy Grail of a Roy memorabilia collector's showcase.

I don't know about you, but I'd put up a month's rent or three for an iRoy! Not only would I be boppin' to the best tech around, but I would also have something to show my grandchildren in 50 years. Yes!

Hill gave away his suits

Grant Hill finally gave away the majority of his massive suit accumulation from his injured seasons in Orlando.

Several news outlets reported Hill’s collection was nearing 128 complete outfits, costing him a grand total of $403,293. Damn.

The Salvation Army charity must’ve really loved Hill for the Armanis and Ralph Laurens that he gave away to charity.

NBA commissioner David Stern issued him a lifetime pardon on team community service projects, and hinted at a new annual award in Hill’s honor.

You’d think Hill was out of his mind for giving away thousands of dollars worth of clothing. Well, dude had other reasons in mind besides dappering up the poor, 6-8 guy without a home.

Grant did it because he doesn’t want to stay injured.

“I had to get back because I was running out of suits," Hill, who participated in the Suns' brief but full-speed practice Monday, joked after declaring himself ready for tonight's game at Milwaukee.

He might be kidding…or, then again, he probably isn’t.

Wade might leave Heat

After another loss Monday night to the Cavaliers, Heat coach Pat Riley finally came out and said it.

The Heat have a new focus: making Miami better in two years.

Yes, in two years, Dwyane Wade will be making an all-important decision about his future with the franchise.

First, though, the 2007-08 season for the 8-32 Miami Heat is officially over. Shaquille O’Neal sustained another injury in the loss, and Riles essentially told the media he wants Michael Beasley.

Of course, he wants Beasley to complement Wade, so Wade might resign.

This morning's South Florida Sun Sentinel quotes Riley saying they’re done looking for immediate help…it’s back to the drawing board.

Riley finally acknowledged that the current season would not be the focus at the Feb. 21 trading deadline.

"If we were .500 or a little bit above .500," he said, "then I would be looking for instantaneous help for this year. I think we're a little bit beyond that right now.

"I've made a couple mistakes with personnel and those things haven't worked out and it's costing us."

Ehem, uh, how about signing Shaq to a monster long contract? That was dumb.

Yet, what the Heat have in store for the near future and the seasons to come could be very interesting. I wonder how untouchable Wade will be this summer and if Riles thinks free agency might lure his star away from his dismal setting.

At this point, the Heat’s future wide open and almost exciting. We can definitely expect some wholesale changes in the two seasons before Wade’s free agency.

Riles needs Miami to look more inviting if he is to have a of retaining Wade.

Scott could hand pick Chandler, West

Watching the New Orleans Hornets finish of the Milwaukee Bucks this afternoon was beautiful.

Play-by-play guy Bob Licht (absolutely awesome to listen to) and color commentator Gil McGregor were of course basking in the glory of a Hornets’ dream season. And, naturally, since the All-Star game is coming to their very backyard, the two courtside announcers began to speak about coach Byron Scott becoming the Western Conference’s head coach.

It may be urban legend, but Licht and McGregor confirmed the All-Star head coach can hand-pick two or three of his players to make the All-Star squad.

Certainly, Chris Paul, the best point guard to play basketball since Isaiah Thomas will be a shoe-in for the game. But the real question remains: Will Tyson Chandler or David West make the roster?

This decision is difficult because, truly, both Chandler and West deserve All-Star births.

Chandler leads the NBA in offensive rebounds and his team in total rebounds. West averages 20 and 10 and leads the team in blocks.

But here's the crux. It’s difficult to place Chandler above other western centers Marcus Camby, Yao Ming, Amare Stoudemire and Chris Kaman. Even if Chandler deserves the bid, and even if Scott is the coach, I doubt Chandler can be chosen without someone yelling bloody murder.

West, on the other hand, might have slightly more of a chance, but not much. Carlos Boozer, Shawn Marion, Dirk Nowitzki, Al Jefferson and Carmello Anthony each legitimately deserve to be in the mix.

Anthony may sit it out with an ankle sprain (sustained 01/21), and Tracy McGrady might take the weekend off to rest his back. This opens up two more spots on the bench. Then, snubbing Jefferson for West, forwards on teams at the polar opposites of the conference standings, doesn’t seem as bad.

Byron Scott has said for weeks he will literally campaign for David West and Tyson Chandler like Barack Obama is campaigning for the presidency. Yet, if his team continues to lead the conference in wins, he may be able to “hand pick” his two gunners to play on his bench.

It may be the only chance Chandler and West have to make the team.

Buyout business

Detroit News’ Chris McCosky thinks David Stern should limit player buyouts to prevent major fraud and imbalances of power in the NBA.

Of course buyouts are great in a very limited context – mostly for injury situations like former Bull Jay Williams. However, recently healthy players are using the buyout as an only-way-out device to break their contract with their employer.

What I could see Stern doing is putting a stipulation on players who are bought out for non-health reasons -- make that player sit out the remainder of the season he was bought out in. Put those players in the free-agent pool for the following season.

Another idea is imposing a maximum payable percentage of player’s salary in buyout situations in order to dissuade healthy players from leaving.

Say it were 60 percent […] They would have to truly hate their current situation to leave 40 percent of their money on the table.

Creating new rules always and forever will create a bad taste in another’s mouth. In the average NBA fan’s, though? I’d wager there’s nothing sour about this idea.

Seeing players like Damon Stoudamire, Sam Cassell, Stephon Marbury moping around until their team lets them go is inexcusable for a professional organization.

Shaquille O’Neal famously forced a buyout with the Lakers organization because of an ego clash with ultrastar Kobe Bryant. Chris Webber simply stopped playing basketball for the Sixers until they found a team that won more games.

C’mon, this is supposed to be a League of acting role models.

On the other hand, we’re talking about a democratic organization where players and management should be able to make agreements.

A change, such as McCosky outlines, is completely biased toward the management. The last thing the NBA wants is a bunch of players who feel like they’re in shackles and mucking through situations they can’t stand.

Nonetheless, it should be a topic brought up in future Players’ Association/League Executive meetings. If a cordial agreement can come out of this, I think everyone will be happier in the long run….including the fans.

While few teams are still buying out contracts, now is the time to act.

While it would be nice for Sam I Am to play in Boston and compete for another championship, a forced buyout or trade should not precede his playing in Beantown.

You sign a deal. You honor it.

Sonics = United Airlines, Advil

Water! Finally!

Forty-eight hours of no running water can really get you appreciating the everyday stuff we take for granted. I’d recommend it, but you might want to invest in a Gatorade cooler first.

*****

Not being from the Seattle area (nowhere close), I’m still new to the issues of public ownership.

Clearly, when you’re talking about anything that has to do with the people, you’re inviting those pesky old guys in blue and red ties. They bring in a bunch of other (non)issues – mostly those that can help them gain popularity – into the sporting realm.

Yuck.

A great column in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer written by Art Thiel focuses on this entity that is political corruption and how it can never get the right thing done.

Thiel suggests if teams are privately owned and publicly funded, and the right thing will get done every time.

Rep. Frank Chopp came up with a plan to build a public stadium for the University of Washington. UW is a public institution, supposedly making it okay to use $300 million of public money on a new playing field.

Yet Chopp is also the biggest legislative opponent of public help to keep the Supes in Seattle! Why? Because the Sonics are a private entity.

A little bit of bigotry here? Thiel says if airline companies, private institutions, can use taxpayer dollars, so can the Sonics.

I agree.

So I would recommend that Chopp in this session immediately propose legislation to shut down the ports of Seattle and Tacoma, so that these public enterprises can be decontaminated. The private airlines and shipping companies that make millions from operations at facilities that were built and sustained in part by taxpayer dollars are, to use Chopp's reasoning, unacceptable.

If private-enterprise rodents are infecting our sports facilities, it only seems fair to exterminate the profiteers from the rest of the public realm, too.

This just seems bogus again and again. Politicians can never get it.

Here’s the answer – for collegiate and profession sports:

• Private ownership
• Public funding

Bam.

The "untradeable" Body

I loved to watch Ben Wallace once.

Yet, now, I don’t think Big Ben could find one fan even in the Chicago area…heck, even in the front office of the team who owes him $28.5 million over the next two seasons.

The notion that Ben Wallace is untradeable doesn’t come from the unwillingness to get rid of him on the Bulls’ part. Actually, the Bulls would love to dump Wallace and everything in his locker on the United Center's cold entrance before the next home game (making for some potentially nice memorabilia for fans).

Wallace's "untradeability" comes from chiefly two factors: 1) His super HUGE contract, and 2) His basketball skills are no longer magical.

Yes, Ben Wallace has long fallen past “ordinary;” his game is now “upchuckable.”

Chicago Tribune’s Sam Smith opined about Joakim Noah already taking over for Wallace, something the Bulls front office didn’t expect until next season at the earliest.

Yet, with all the negatives about The Body, would it be possible for the Bulls to get rid of this stray cat? Or would they end up screwing themselves even further in doing so?

Smith’s got a plan...involving who? Oh, everybody’s favorite prognostication plaything: the Lakers!

Wallace makes sense for the Lakers with Andrew Bynum's injury, and they can give the Bulls enough to make sense of a deal.

You take Kwame Brown's expiring contact of $9 million and add Vladimir Radmanovic at $5.6 million and it's a deal. The Bulls wouldn't want to take on Radmanovic's deal, which goes through 2010-11, but it's much cheaper than Wallace and may be the best way to get out from under his deal.

As Chicago native, I like this scenario because it rids Chicago of Ben Wallace. You could give me sardines for The Body. Vlad’s deal is quite long, but every team can use another white-Euro-big-man-shooter-when-healthy.

I'm sure this deal "makes no sense" for the Lakers who only need a big for eight weeks until Bynum's return. However, if they're really looking for a chip this season, The Body could be that experienced vet you're going to need.

But most likely not.

Vecsey: Kidd and/or Jefferson trade "almost garenteed"

I followed up with Peter Vecsey about his NY Post column, Tear Down Nets, via email. Being the great guy he is, Vecsey got back to me in the very same day.

I asked the odds of the Nets making a deal before the trade deadline. This is Vecsey's reply:

I can almost guarantee the Nets won't stand still; they'll either move Kidd and probably Jefferson and/or acquire a big man.

As I mentioned in an earlier post on Odenized, I think it's a great time to move Kidd -- that is, when dude still has value tons of value. Might the Nets still be able to get a young and talented big man (ahem, Andrew Bynum?, ahem) to build its Brooklyn franchise around?

Of course, this isn't straight from the Nets' front office, but it's pretty much as exclusive as you're going to get 31 days before the trade deadline.

Imagine the possibilities...the final Jason Kidd blockbuster is one month away!

Rest the Cs

Winners' Manual for Old Bones: Rest. Relax. Lose games.

The Celtics have no choice but to go for 70 wins.

Mitch Lawrence thinks the Celtics aren’t going to be ready to win a championship if they runs their gears at 10 percent all season to make history.

I agree.

First, I don’t want to see this Celtic team make history. Secondly, they’re not good enough to do it. Third, and most important, they’re too old.

The Boston Three Party have played nearly 40 seasons combined. Still coach Doc Rivers is playing these guys minutes like they’re in their prime.

Whether it’s because they’re still looking for the ever-elusive seven-zero or if it’s because the team has absolutely no chance to win games with Garnett, Allen and Pierce on the bench, the Celtics are clearly not dominating teams anymore.

Check this enlightened idea…

“They're still on a pace to win 68 games, but haven't played a game against San Antonio, Phoenix, Dallas or New Orleans, and still have to take two five-game road trips after the All-Star break.

So 70 wins ranks as a real longshot. Maybe they should not even try. The last two teams to pursue 70 into the final weeks of the season not only came up short, but they also didn't win the title.”

Yeah, isn’t winning the championship the key here? The Spurs have done it more consistently than anyone post-MJ and they’ve always been around a respectable 60-wins.

TD’s never going to break the single season record for wins, but he’s certainly going down in history for his handful of rings.

Rings are all that matters. The Celtics should get some rest…if they know what’s best for them.

D'Antoni hates blogs

If you were really the best, you wouldn’t need to say nothin’.

You wouldn’t be hounded by people watching for your next mistake. You wouldn’t feel the pressure from others.

You’d have a confidence.

And clearly the Suns players and coach do no have that confidence.

The news that the Suns have no heart and soul, the idea that they’ve got nothing going for them outside of Nash and Marion. The idea that they’re a bunch of scrubs and three All-Stars

The news is getting to them because they know it’s true.

Under their mask of confidence and 28 wins, they’re scared shitless for an injury to Nash or Marion to further expose their lack of…well, everything.

The Arizona Republic opined this morning that people like me are wrong. I especially enjoy the cheep shot by coach Mike D’Antoni to all those opinionated people not employed by the League.

“D'Antoni said it's important that he and his team embrace "a bunker mentality." But because players hear things, it requires a coach "to do more maintenance on players."

"Most don't listen to it," he said. "But you have to as a coach make sure that everybody is cool."”

The coach says bloggers are vermin.

"That's just how the Internet and business is today. People who didn't have a voice before have a voice, and they think they know what they're talking about, and they have no idea."

When a coach takes offense to what people like me have to say, then I know I’m right.

Kobe still selfish

Has Kobe's heart thawed for Bynum? Hell no!

So the sage continues fo water in my apartment. I’ve found that I’m also the only one in the complex to have this problem because, yes, my apartment is connected to the same water supply as the washer machines.

And no one’s complained about their laundry yet. Hmmmm…

Anyway, it IS really freezing out there, so I guess the maintenance guys do have a little bit of an excuse on their end. Still, I’d like to be able to use the toilet, take a shower, and drink today.

So there’s the update, and, now, on to the really good stuff – basketball!

An article in the LA Times this morning says Kobe Bryant’s heart is not made of stone. It’s a good thing to know, especially for teammates wondering why he’s not hitting them off the triple team.

Apparently, Kobe wished injured center Andrew Bynum the best, adding: "We're a championship-caliber team with him in the lineup."

Time reporter Mark Heisler says Kobe talking about a championship post-O’Neal is like Tim Burton making a movie without Helena B. Carter.

Well, that is, at least until recently.

“For the first time since demanding a trade last spring and excoriating management, Bryant tipped off a change of his no longer cold, dead-beating, two-timing, double-dealing, mean mistreating, loving heart.

Always stubborn, almost always controlled, Bryant rarely gives hints, even with teammates or Phil Jackson, but there has been no missing his thaw.”

I personally like “mean mistreating” the most. I always thought of the cat as selfish, and his comment about a championship doesn’t really change it. As a matter of fact, it might’ve actually caused me to question his caring about others even more.

When a Lakers reporter admits Kobe’s selfishly self-agrandizing flaws, there’s no question that Kobe’s all about me me me.

When talking about Bynum getting healthy, is Kobe really concerned for his boy’s health or more about his chances for winning another chip.

Certainly Kobe has turned around his smack talk about demanding a trade now that he see Bynum’s potential to dominate the paint. Kobe thinks Bynum can get him another championship.

And he sure hopes Bynum can return to full health so they can get it done soon.

I'm out of agua

Yes, I really will talk about basketball...after I complain a bit.

Being starved of water is a tough thing.

It’s so freezing cold here in the middle of nowhere Illinois that the pipes have frozen, and I’m sitting here still with a dry mouth from last night.

I’ve called maintenance already, but it’s a Sunday morning, so I’m not getting my hope up too soon.

I got the sink on so as to know when the very first drops of ice-cold water are running through the apartment’s pipe veins again. I’ve never been without running water, and I’m already experiencing my saliva drying up.

So here I am, with an aching pain in my heart, and calls going out to maintenance every 15 minutes until they wake up their still-half drunken asses. So what more can I do than read the news (like I wasn’t going to be doing that anyway).

So Peter Vecsey of the New York Post is getting gall over the Nets for their horrible play of late. Sure they’ve lost three times in a row to the bain of all basketball in the NY Knicks.

Please try your best to ignore the rumors of JO for VC. Please, this would help neither team, and most certainly not the Nets. Ask Vecsey notes in his punned column Tear Down the Nets:

“I assume owner Bruce Ratner realizes it would be an expensive and enduring miscalculation to think a big man like, say, Jermaine O'Neal, can be a difference maker now or next season or the one after that. He's readily available for a reason, $44 million of 'em, actually, as well as being injury prone and a non-winner.”

So far this season we’ve heard complaining from beat writers covering the Bulls, Clippers, Jazz, Heat, Knicks, Minnesota, Atlanta, the Bucks, Seattle, Memphis. Pretty much every team that’s not rolling with a .500 record at this point.

Not to mention the last chance to do anything about it is coming up within only a month from now.

Vecsey says get rid of Kidd while they can still get something for him. I say good call, it’s blasphemous for anyone to say it, but thank goodness someone was able to.

Obviously, we're calling for a Nets rebuilding phase. Theoretically, it's not going to be years and years, but should be a miniature extravaganza before the 2010 move to Brooklyn. But ready Knicks, big brother might be coming to town.

Warriors need to get hurt

Hope this doesn't bother your padding, Baron. That would be a loss...

...well, no.

The Warriors are running out of bodies, which could be a really good thing.

The team seemingly sustained injuries to all five of its starters at some point during the first half against the Bucks. It’s a definite possibility with the playoffs nearing and Don Nelson at the helm that some of the Fighter’s young talent might get some burn.

Experience is a good thing for those youngin’s at the end of The City’s bench, especially if it doesn’t come at the cost of throwing away a season. Watching Stephen Jackson and Monta Ellis lumber around on sore body parts tells me it’s time to give ‘em a bit of rest.

Here, at the season’s midpoint, presents the perfect time to recoup some of that spent energy.

Plus, I don’t think there’s a more interesting and intriguing frontcourt than Pat O’Bryant (another fine Illinois prospect) and Brandon Wright. This thought has haunted Warriors fans since Stern announced a particular draft day trade this past June.

Boy, POB and BW can develop their NBA games this season, the Warriors are going to stay hot hot hot for the foreseeable future.

A Bullish puppy?

Somehow, Boylan looks like a New Yorker here.

I'm really weirded out by the Bulls interim coach Jim Boylan. Apparently, this is his apology to Noah, as told to the Chi-Town Trib.

“To me, he's just like a puppy. You get your puppy and you pet him, you play with him and he's fun. Then you wake up the next day and he ate your best pair of shoes. Once you deal with that, he's still your puppy and you love him.”

I don’t know whether I want Scott Skiles back or if Boylan should just get himself a muzzle.

Warriors are dumb

Has Nellie not slept enough on this road trip?

Michael Pietrus was listed as both active AND inactive on the roster sheet before tonight's game in Milwaukee.

Somehow, this made Matt Barnes, who is healthy, ineligible.

Am I dense, but how does Matt Barnes have to be penalized for the error? Isn't it enough to have the French MJ out for the game?

Caron the Butler

Mike Wise knows what he’s talking about.

He’s a columnist for the Washington Post, which, as far as newspapers go, is equivalent to the San Antonio Spurs. These Post columnists know how to write and they all really love their Wizards.

Even without Gilbert Arenas.

Wise makes us ask if Caron Butler is a franchise player.

This is a decent question since he’s been able to the lead the Wizards through injury and inexperience and trying times this season to a very respectable record. The team is on pace for making the playoffs, and you wouldn’t know they have the biggest trump this side of Elton Brand.

I’ve seen Caron play a couple times this season, and the man has become one of my favorite leaders. While he’s not the most physically gifted, he always finds ways to fill up the stat sheet.

Most importantly, he knows what needs to be done to get under his opponents skin. This is some real Scottie Pippen shit.

Here’s to a player who’s revived his career in Washington, revived his injured team in Washington and revived what it means to be a great player in Washington.

Nate Robinson soared!

Okay, bring him back at All-Star weekend. I don't care how long he takes.

I just saw Nate Robinson get pissed at the rim. I would get a picture up, but I'm sure it's still being transported over the airwaves from the stadium right now.

He took it off the rim from another Zach Randolph clanker. Boy, given his success at the Dunk Contests and the level of difficultly in this one, I'd say the probability that Nate would've completed this is about 0.0000303000005 percent.

Thanks to that lady luck was in the front row tonight!

I should have a YouTube of it...and at least a picture by the end of the night.

If this doesn't make the Top plays of the month, well, Yao Ming isn't Asian.

Potential, tapped

JO: worth less than the ice on his knees.

I like Empty the Bench’s idea. Its article, “Untapped Potential: Ten NBA Players We Want to See on the Court More Often” is something I’ve always thought a lot about as a fantasy hoops GM (and one who doesn’t draft well, at that).

Certainly, more than a good handful of playas get unfair bench splinters in the this League. If given PT, they would/could be studs, but for a host of reasons, don’t get the opportunity.

ETB thinks these 10 deserve to be on the court more:

Amir Johnson
Sean Williams
Gerald Green
Renaldo Balkman
Thabo Sefolosha
Rodney Carney
Julian Wright
Craig Smith
J.R. Smith
Lou Williams

You don’t have to be named Alert to do it. This is easy. A challenge you to look at any roster, and NOT find rooks, sophs, or possibly even a third year guy who hasn’t really been shown love.

I’m not disagreeing with this list. I’m just saying it’s too easy to make it. I mean, there’s a host of players I’d like to see get their time, but that’s the just the facts of life.

The NBA life that is.

Thank goodness for the D League so some of them can work on their game rather than “develop” from the sidelines.

Surely, there’s a lot factoring into how much PT players receive. A lot has to do with salaries. Young guys just don’t make as much as the vets who put in their time. It’s the great travesty of modern agriculturalized, civilized society, of course.

These young guns who unfairly get no burn will get theirs quite soon. There’s no need to worry about Amir Johnson getting some because he’s still 21. It’s only a matter of games before the Pistons’ depth chart finds a healthy and prominent place for him.

Yet, here’s a more interesting list. I’d rather list the top 10 players whose production has fallen to the point of uselessness. We’re going to reverse this osmosis and look at some of the untapped potential players who have deviated far from the spigot.

It’s now grandma bone dry!

Ben Wallace
Shaquille O’Neal
Eddy Curry
Stephon Marbury
Antoine Walker
Steve Francis
Tim Thomas
Kwame Brown
Jermaine O’Neal
Bobby Simmons

You could have ample numbers and long explanations to back these choices up. But I’d rather not because I have Saturday night games to watch. To prove my list is right, just say it aloud. If you’re like me you won’t finish without a little upchuck in the back of your throat.

Yummy.

Ben Wallace was a MY BAD

Good dunk, bad player, bad contract.

If the Chicago Bulls have gotten so bad that no one's got an opinion on them anymore, here's two NBA analysts who have something to say, Sam Smith and Kelly Dwyer. They're both talking about the free agent signing of Benny Wallace a couple summers past.

SAM SMITH
"[Wallace] was replacing Tyson Chandler, then the object of fan fury. Chandler, the conventional wisdom held, was mentally weak and always in foul trouble, accounting for a huge disparity in free throws.

“It's no coincidence that Chandler's increased production with the Hornets comes while playing with a great point guard, Chris Paul. It makes all the difference for big men.

“With contract extensions coming, 2006 was the last summer the Bulls would be under the salary cap. The alternative big men available were Nazr Mohammed and Joel Przybilla.

“The signing of Wallace and subsequent trade of Chandler were widely praised."

KELLY DWYER
“Not by me.

I knew that Chandler would perk up as he got older, and return to his 2004-05 form once he got in better shape. He was out of shape in 2005-06 after staying away from the court while waiting for a contract offer from the Bulls, and Chris Paul's presence has no bearing on how well this guy rebounds and plays defense.

“Nazr and Przybilla are both playing better than Ben Wallace right now, and we've ignored both Chris Wilcox and Drew Gooden (two power forwards, both available in 2006, who could have played with Chandler). For Wallace's price, the Bulls could have gotten two players at the same time, while retaining Chandler, that are contributing more per-minute than Ben Wallace right now.”

You go Kelly. Shed some stats power on the situation, and suddenly you’re right!

My 2008 All-Stars

This talented man is undoubtedly an All-Star starter in '08.

I haven’t voted for this season’ All-Stars.

But I might as well put out a bid now since the ESPN Weekend Dime is doing the same. It’s sort of like voting for political elections, in mine eye, but with more candidates, countries and much more corruption.

Anyway, here’s who should be starting in the NBA All-Star game in February:

EAST

Guard: Jason Kidd, Dwyane Wade
It’s a tough choice between Wade and Billups this season, but Wade’s numbers are still better than Chanuncey’s despite Wade’s super-ridiculous TO totals. And, believe it or not, Jose Calderon should make the team as a backup.

Forward: LeBron James, Kevin Garnett
Duh. Josh Smith, Caron Butler and Chris Bosh are ballin’ out of this world, and deserve spots on this team.

Center: Dwight Howard
Another duh. I feel less and less intelligent as I repeate the actual fan choices here. Since no other Eastern center deserves to be an All-Star this season, I say give Shaq the nod like they did in ’03 with Michael Jordan. Make it the Diesel’s last with the sympathy vote.

WEST
Guard: Chris Paul, Baron Davis
Paul deserves to start no questions asked. It’s tough to bench Kobe and Nash, but I have to because Baron Davis is ballin out of his mind as well. The Warriors are stay hot this year entirely due to BDiddy’s amazing firepower. Allen Iverson and Manu Ginobili are VERY close calls.

Forward: Shawn Marion, Tim Duncan
I’m so used to seeing Kevin Garnett in this category! Carlos Boozer and Al Jefferson deserve to be in the mix. No Dirk or Melo this year, if all things were right in the world.

Center: Marcus Camby
Ming’s going to be a lock at Center until he can’t tie his shoes due to the huge bed of support that is China. Amare Stoudemire certainly deserves the nod this season. Andrew Bynum, if not for his partially dislocated left knee should garner HUGE consideration for an All-Star bench role.

Top team, top crowd

As seen on HoopsVibe

I caught seven of the 10 games tonight. Not bad. Quite hectic, actually, since I was doing homework and IMing three fellow hoops fans as well.

Naturally, you might think, “Why not just pick one game, and just relax with it? After all it’s Friday night!” Then you’d continue, “Why not get high and wasted like Hunter S. and write a great gonzo piece?”

Well, my friends, I don’t know.

Tonight begins an on-going report of crowd support in NBA arenas around the nation.

Only one champion will be crowned per night, which obviously leaves many unhappy fans and supporters to ruminate about how incredibly pathetic they are…or at least how pathetic I think they are.

At the end of the season we’ll determine the city that REALLY runs it! Or, even more interesting, we’ll pick the fans who couldn’t tell the difference between an 81-point performance and…well, Kwame Brown.

So without further ado, the list of last night’s home crowds in order of most to least rowdy…

1) Boston
The crowd seemed like one entity with its own smell, personality and farts.

Tonight, I got a good sense of the New England fan, and I liked it. Apparently, Boston safely packed away its rowdiness under a pillow for 20 years and brought it back again this season.

Early on, the crowd started its own chants almost every trip down the court. I was thoroughly impressed with how they reacted to every score. The only other contemporary team with a crowd so in-tune with the game was the Chicago Bulls during the glory days of the 1990s.

You could feel a higher level of sports intelligence circulating throughout the stands. There was always a consistent, wonderful din that made you want to be there. The Garden has a Wrigley Field atmosphere – being there is better than the game’s outcome, win or lose.

I loved how the fans even got up for Leon Powe during garbage time. Paul Pierce and the rest of the team were cheering along with their fans. Now, that’s support.

2) Detroit
If I had to play in an NBA arena, it surely wouldn’t be the Palace. These people seem like they had knives in their coat pockets, ready to stab at you…or maybe they were just taking a necessary precaution with Ron Ron in the building.

This was a close game throughout. The Pistons were playing catch-up against the Kings almost the entire game, and the crowd stuck with it, urging them on.

Of course, you have to have the “SHEED” chants. I used to hate it when I wasn’t a Pistons fan, so I know annoying it is. Yet, I too was chanting “SHEED!!” tonight whenever dude shot the big money ball.

Compared to Celtics’ fans, though, Detroit’s are bootleg.

At times you can tell most of the fans are from Very Midwestern Suburb Exhibit A – very reserved in their expensive jackets and scarves. Yet at other times, they completely shed this persona and got buck!

Still, I question this crowd. Even during close moments, you’d hear pockets of fans very audibly, creating a very hollow hiccup in the mood.

I’m thinking Detroit fans might be serious candidates for being the most overrated.

3) Toronto
Here’s where we fall into the NBA fan mediocrity, where the lines distinguishing teams begin to blur…a lot. However, it was clear tonight the Toronto crowd came to support its team.

The best word to describe the fans is decent. I mean, it sounds like they’re supporting the team via the sound system’s conductance. For example, DE-FENCE would only be cheered if the loud speakers were leading the way.

However as the game progressed into the third and fourth quarters, you could tell an NBA franchise can survive in another nation.

This crowd was quite possibly the loudest of them at tonight, when it literally growled like a tiger during the final minute. Certainly, Toronto fans love their Chris Bosh, who finished with other All-Star performance.

Without the strong, redeeming support at the end, the Toronto fans would be much further down on tonight’s list.

BOTTOM OF THE BARREL:

4) Phoenix
Phoenix has a solid crowd. Yet, tonight was never a game. I haven’t seen such a clinic in weeks, maybe months! The game was so one-sided that I think the fans got tired of cheering.

5) Wahsington
I took me until the third quarter to even notice any cheers from this crowd. I’ll chalk it up as an off night from an otherwise decent fan base. After all, they were playing the Knicks, who even New York fans can’t get up for these days. Still, I watch out for Washington fans to be among the most overrated in the long run.

6) Utah
Rather disappointing tonight, but what can you expect from a blowout over another mucky team? The crowd never seemed into it in the first place, though, which pushes Utah fans to #6. I wouldn’t be surprised if fans came directly from a long day at work and just wanted to kick back to some entertainment.

Salt Lake City embodied what I mean by having a very hollow atmosphere. Echoes where everywhere, making you wonder why only 10 percent of the crowd was making noise.

7) New Orleans
Just a total disappointment. With the team winning like it is, having NO fans would’ve been better than this measly turnout. Seriously, this has to be embarrassing for Paul & Co.

You can hear a pin drop even after a CP3 highlight.

No compromises: Only Rose

A question in an email got me thinking about college basketball again. Yes, really thinking!

I sort of enjoyed it because it reminded me of how I knew every player in the 2005 Draft (of course, I didn't know EXACTLY how good they would all be, but that's another story for another day).

So the question was, "The Bulls have no choice but to make a blockbuster deal and start fresh, don't they?"

My answer...well, technically was, "Yes." But with a rather strong and rigid caveat. Check out my quick take on the issue:

Most people believe the Bulls need to trade for an established All-Star, I.e. Kobe, TMac, Gasol. But opinions are cheep especially when it comes to an "underachieving" Eastern Conference team.

Yes, it's true the Bulls need a superstar. But trading for a veteran ( I.e. Kobe) is as far from the answer as bread is from gasoline. The team tried this under different management a few years back with Jalen Rose, who managed to bring them from horrible to unbearable.

So here's what I would do if I had the Gulls' GM job -- follow what the Lakers did with Kobe in '96. That is, trade decent, immediate impact player(s) to a team who just drafted a future All-Star...a guard who's going to take the National Spotlight.

This man is Derrick Rose. No questions, no compromises.

The Bulls need to do everything in their power to get a #1 or #2 pick in this year's draft. Since they're already going to have a lottery choice (around 10), I suggest they package Ben Gordon and this pick for Derrick Rose. Plain and simple. It might be a high price to pay, but will certainly reap major benefits in the long run.

This I can assure you.

The Chi needs Derrick Rose to rally around, not Mayo, not Eric Gordon. Rose is the ONLY player who will work. The Bulls can not settle for less.

He's a player with name value, charisma -- someone likely to be a fixture for plenty of Nike ads. Rose can electrify the court and score in droves. Derrick Rose, born in the Chi, belongs in the Red and White.

The Ray Allen phenomenon

As published on HoopsVibe!

Every now and then I like to shave my beard.

People generally tend not to know who I am afterward. This is because all that’s left behind of my former identity lies around the sink and down the drain. Along with a new identity, I’ve repeatedly found that I also pick up super powers.

I’ve called it the Ray Allen phenomenon.

When a man shaves his beard or shaves completely hairless, he becomes a confident superstar. Sometimes, his identity changes to an all-time great, provided he already has game in the first place.

Last night smooth Ray scored a season-high 35 points and the Boston C’s rebounded from their first consecutive losses of the season with a 100-90 win over the Blaze.

Dude single-handedly won the game with 26 points in the second half alone. Don’t tell me the old vet didn’t do some shaving at halftime!

Razor television ads are not kidding about how you turn into a new man when you’re clean-shaven. Ray Allen apparently knows it. When you have the smooth, refreshing feel of only a super sharp, five-blader can provide, there’s no question you’ll be playing above the rim!

Having tried this myself, I contend beards in the NBA must cease if we ever to see another Golden Age anywhere near the likes of the 1980’s.

Pundits have been scratching their heads since Jordan’s (another bald man) retirement about if and when the NBA will revitalize. The answer has always been simple.

Yes, there will be, with proper razor product placement.

Players like LeBron James and teammate Drew Gooden have the wrong idea. They’re thinking of the Biblical Samson story which described man deriving strength and power from not cutting his hair.

The Bible was wrong…well, at least when it came to shaving recommendations.

If LeBron and Drew were to accidentally pick up a razor and clean up their faces before a game, there’s no telling what they might become. Seriously, we might be in the midst of another NBA Golden Age on our hands…if players want to use the now frighteningly efficient Quatro technology.

No one would recognize James as himself, but rather an Oscar Robertson reincarnation, as a shaved James would become the first to average a trip-dub in over 30 years!

Gooden would transform his identity as well. He’d become the second coming of the great Daryl Dawkins who shattered the backboard twice in 40 days. In place of a beard, his legs and arms would grow extra muscles strong enough to break even the new, supposedly “shatter proof” glass.

“Chocolate Thunder Flying, Glass Flying, Robinzine Crying, Babies Crying, Glass Still Flying, Catch Crap, Rump Roasting, Bun Toasting, Thank You, Wham, Bam, I Am Jam!" Gooden would recite.

Pau Gasol not only would look more like his well-combed self from his rookie season but also like Pistons retired forward Bill Laimbeer. The oft-soft Gas Man will become the NBA’s enforcer, kicking ass and taking names.

The beardless potential of Baron Davis? He’d be second to only Nate "Tiny" Archibald to lead the League in both scoring and assists in the same season.

Guaren-Sheed? Oh yeah, Wallace in D-Town, well, his secret beardless identity would be Elvin Hayes – an offensive machine who could rebound and defend. Big E is a Top 50 player of all-time and is still Washington’s leader in points and blocked shots.

Just imagine what would happen if not only these players took on new razor-induced identities, but also DeShawn Stevenson ,Tyson Chandler, Ronny Turiaf, Chris Wilcox, Scott Pollard, Anthony Johnson, Jeff Foster, and (of course) Brian Skinner!

Yes, Ray Allen would be out of a job.

The stats DO lie

As published at HoopsVibe!

The stats DO lie. To all those fans who think they can what happened in a game from a box score…you’re DEAD WRONG!

I must confess. To each and every one of you. For about the past couple years, the way I used to “watch” NBA hoops – outside of my hometown Bullies – was through the numbers. Yeah, the numbers were my lovers, y’all.

I was just like you…all 73,291 of you reading this today.

After many years of commissioning a tight, 15-team, head-to-head fantasy league, I thought I could read a box score better than an Atlanta Hawks stat guy. Forget NBA League Pass (who has the money?), forget radio broadcasts.

Well, folks. Just reading the box score to an NBA game is like eating noodles without butter. And we all know what that fatal error will lead to.

Yikes!

To be more exact, it’s like reading a movie script to a British movie made in the 1930s. How the hell can that script tell you what the movie was?

Let’s twist it back to contemporary times. Yeah, with the saggy shorts, headbands and grills.

Let’s just pretend you’re one of 79, 230 people who might think Andre Iguodala is a good player. You may not think he’s great, but you think he’s darn good. Good enough, as a matter of fact, for the Sixers franchise to base its future around.

Okay.

If you think this about Dre. You’re dumb. You’ve been watching too many highlights and box scores. Too many dunk contests and reading way too much about the correlation between muscle tone and sports performance.

Stats-wise, he’s all-around decent in most respects. He was even better last season. Heck, you went along with the billion or so people who play ESPN and Yahoo Fantasy Basketball and drafted the swingman in the second round of the draft this season.

Yeah, above Chauncey, Chris Bosh, Carmello. You know the usuals.

The season began. The highlight reels are still cranking. His numbers are fine. Nothing great. You’re a bit disappointed, but at least his inner tight area isn’t pulling a Kevin Martin.

So you catch a rare game on television.

Last night, Rox vs. the Six.

It’s crunch time, and the team is going to Lou Williams, Willie Green and Thad Young instead of your boy?!

This somehow is like slow coking beans without the seaweed.

Now you’re watching more carefully. Iggy’s randomly pogo-sticking around the court, getting poked and bumped. He’s looking dumb out there. Heck, you start to worry more worried about him injuring himself than him getting you any more stats.

Finally, you come to realize, as they say. You’ve been watching the stats and highlights like a good little boy, but it just slipped past you.

Now you realize Iggy needs seriousness in his game. He’s a poor man’s star. A poor man’s Rudy Gay. Yeah, even the second year baller is getting more love in your mind. However, it’s too late to trade for that stud now.

You continue to watch the Rox beat up on your boy. He goes out. When he’s on the pine, the team plays better.

It's no coincidence.

Don’t get me wrong. The Sixers are a terrible team with or without Iguodala. But, if you watch them, the Sixers suck the MOST with Andre Iguodala in the game.

Most people – you know, maybe 57,204 people – might look at his numbers and say, “What the heck are you talking about, cat? 17, 7 and 5. 10-11 from the stripe. Only one turnover. I’ll take that.”

You watched the game and knew. The Sixers won because the 19-year-old rook, Thad Young, stepped up for 24 minutes to make up for Iguodala’s major shortcomings and ineptitudes.

Andre Iguodala is the reason I’m giving up box score and number-crunching from now on. He’s also the reason I’m giving up highlights and three-play game recaps. True talent is measured by the eye, not the numbers. Players like Iguodala are just Sports Center whores.

Once again, doing it old school wins.

Shaq had five!

For once it’s not the referee’s fault.

This time, it’s all on the stat guy.

While we should admit the Atlanta Hawks stat crew belongs back in kindergarten counting class, replaying the Dec. 19 Hawks/Heat game is not the answer.

A “re-do” of the last 51.9 seconds of an NBA game is like redoing the Starry Night masterpiece. It could only be completed by Vincent van Gogh, while in the village of Saint-Rémy, France, in mid-September 1889. Anything less would’ve produced something much different.

This game, although nowhere near the perfection of a Van Gogh, can also never be replicated at another time.

Just leave it at the $50,000 fine. Call the Atlanta stat men "grossly negligent" in failing to address the mistake. But do not go out on the court as if you could just “pickup” where the mistake left off.

A ton of factors play into a loss. What if the referees call 30 BS fouls? Should that be looked at? Happens every game. What about when a referee makes an obvious error on a goaltending call and the team loses by one point?

Deep down Heat don’t mind another loss. Right now, there’s one equation for Miami:

Losing = Winning

Obtaining Derrick Rose is the goal, so why make it harder to accomplish?

"In my mind," Udonis Haslem said, "We didn't play well enough to win and didn't deserve to win, so I was trying to move on."

Amen big man.

Leave it to the Hawks to create infamy out of thin air. This is the franchise that took a chance on Isaiah Rider, once made a ridiculous playoff guarantee and is still trying to sort out an embarrassing court battle for ownership of the team has a new entry for its hall of shame.

"It's always something with the Hawks," Tyronn Lue moaned.

The injured Suns

The Suns have the best record in the Western Conference, the best offense in the NBA, and three perennial All-Stars.

But when the flu bug plastered Nash to the porcelain and a shoulder injury knocked Marion out for a game, we got a whole new look at the essence of the Phoenix Suns.

To put it bluntly, this team is HORRIBLE!

NBA fans, never write off a game as a fluke, an injury glitch. NEVER say injury is a cause for a loss. To overlook last night would be to irresponsible and naive. I implore you to look at injury as a way to assess a roster's depth and motivation.

Believe it or not, yesterday told me more about the Suns than any other game this season.

First, they're done. The days of contention are over. This team is nothing but a measly carcass of success.

Outside of Nash and Marion, this roster lacks a very necessary fire up its ass. A great team would push past injury and at least contend with opponents. The Suns just sat and sulked. The Suns told the world they deserve no respect without Nash and Marion, and it's not even worth trying to win. The Suns told us, deep down, they have no motivation.

Secondly, Stoudemire's a first-class role player. For a long time I contended Amare was better than Dwight Howard. Yeah, I was an Amare Stoudemire fan!

Yet, at this point, I'm very confident saying Stoudemire would never achieve anywhere close to the success Howard is having if put in a similar situation.

Following that thought, I imagine a whinny Stoudemire sitting out with a made up, Shaq-esque injury for half the season and demanding a trade to a team with an elite point guard a la Tony Parker, Nash, Chris Paul or Deron Williams. Stoudemire cannot lead a team to victory by himself.

His value is more dependant on a good point guard than a newborn child to his mother.

Third, the Suns' bench reeks of mediocrity, bordering on straight up ineptitude. Tell me Barbosa knows an English word not called "score." Tell me Marcus Banks is a valuable player. Boris Diaw needs to eat more fromage and chocolat to get a bit fatter. And Brian Skinner is the most flamingly gay person in the NBA.

How can you expect to win with this motley excuse for a bench? Heck, Barbosa is the only player who possesses something remotely close to a game. These are role players who cannot even play a simple role.

The team's mind is in the clouds, not on a chip.

While the Suns played horribly last night because they were missing key players, it also showed how weak their roster truely is. Outside of Nash and possibly Hill and Marion, the Suns are a lazy, grunting mob of brutes (and one Frenchman and one queer).

It's a sorry situation for Nash, who I believe is the only true contender on the Suns. With a team that has its head in the clouds like mission control, the Suns can never hope to be serious contenders.

A winner's attitude shines through in the face of injury.

As much as I'm not a Spurs fan, this team has the attitude it takes to win. This season, they've done it without Duncan, Parker and Ginobili. No wonder San Antonio is still atop the power rankings. The same is true with the Pistons' attitude, although they have not suffered injuries like San Antonio this year.

The Suns have no motivation or winning attitude, and thus have no hope when it comes to playing a team like SA in the playoffs.

To be Gilbert, oh yeah!

To be like Gilbert Arenas would be sick.

Yes, sick in all senses of the word.

Not only is he getting paid millions to sit pretty on the bench in super nice clothes, but he’s also a blogger on NBA.com. What a way to boost that readership!

Now, there’s a ton of great NBA bloggers out there. Everyone from Kelly Dwyer on Yahoo to Henry Abott with ESPN are getting NBA love, but there are a couple others who don’t get the same limelight, IMO.

The NBA Box Score Blog is home to a score of bloggers who do a great job every morning of recapping the action and focusing you on the fantasy impacts. This morning, Josh Whitling spoke about my personal favorite WW pickup, Rodney Stuckey.

Stuckey also got some love on the blog earlier when they mentioned he might be one of the few fantasy relavant players to play less than 20 minutes per night. Yes he is. Stuckey’s been big for the Pistons right away, and against some solid teams as well.

The Basketball Jones have a blog to accompany their prolific NBA podcast as well. While I’d recommend the podcast over the blog (especially since you’ll lose money hedging their bets), but at least it’s a solid way to interact with the hommie from Canader sic*.

SLAM magazine, one of m all-time favorites has a world-class blogger in Lank Whittaker in his daily Links column. That’s a definitely one to check out. Plus, there’s a ton of other writers on the good ‘ole SLAMonline that will keep you fresh with information.

Oh! OH!!! And there’s RotoWorld with all their amazing fantasy columnists, who are always on top of the recommendations. “Dr. A” Steve Alexander is the main man on the NBA front over there, and I trust his advise more than any other fantasy expert.

Dude got at me with his Blackberry one evening when I had a desperate quandary as to weather to trade Carlos Boozer for Tim Duncan and Marv Williams. Because of a oh so quick response, I was able to 1) Deal Boozer yesterday for MUCH more, 2) not take on Marv Williams’ NEGATIVE trade value (thanks to Ed for coining that term), 3) Never sweat TD’s lingering injury problems this season.

Those Spurs are going to coast, said Dr. A. And he was right!

All right, that’s all. Check out that news!

Juno: ehhhhkkk!

I really wanted to let you all know Juno is a great movie. Top 10 of the year great as a matter of fact. But after seeing it last night with my younger bro, I most certainly can not tell you anything of the sort.

Sorry.

Juno (Ellen Page) is a knocked up 16-year-old who will just piss you off. Her geekness and infatuation with the 70s literally kills me. This chick has a mouth and an attitude would warrant a nice dropkick on the face. Her logic is already so skewed to the paranormal, she literally is going insane.

And while kids like Juno are not portrayed as the common teenager (thank god), she most definitely is unlike any person I have ever met. No wonder Michael Cera (who is hilarious, naturally) looks like he’s going to shoot himself every time they’re on-set.

Sure, this movie is well-done. I love the runners motif as the seasons pass and how the ugly music completely matches Juno’s messed up lifestyle. However, the humor in this movie is not for me. Neither, truly, is Ellen Page. She does the best job for the character as anyone possibly could, but you still can’t overcome the oddball writing.

This movie just isn’t funny outside of a couple jokes. Let’s hear it for an end to unplanned pregnany movies for a loooonnnnngggg time!