Head of State: Top NBA Headlines of 2007-08

This wild NBA season provided several stories that left us speechless, left us salivating like Pavlov's dogs, and kept us debating with each other.

After this season, it doesn't matter what happens next weekend. It only matters if anyone remembers what the year was like.

With that being said, here are the stories that made the '07-'08 season a memorable one.

Beantown Gets Its Groove Back

Last year the Boston Celtics joined the Memphis Grizzlies as the laughing stocks of the NBA by finishing with a 24-58 record. They recorded two wins more than the Grizzlies did, and were 23 games behind the Atlantic Division Champion Toronto Raptors.

But many in Boston wonder which was worse: the 58-loss season or the passing of Celtics legends Red Auerbach and Dennis Johnson?

Regardless, Danny Ainge knew that it was time for a change in Boston.  

"The Big Three" was resurrected with the arrivals of seven-time All-Star Ray Allen and 10-time All-Star Kevin Garnett. With the return of Paul Pierce, the city of Boston wasn't just cheering about the Red Sox winning another World Series anymore.

Fast forward to present day. The Celtics won the title the last time it was this good. The Green Machine has posted up a 65-16 record with the Nets coming to town to finish the season. This isn't just a normal turnaround for Boston. This is officially a "Beantown Turnaround."

Next stop: Playoffs

Texas Catch-22

It was said they couldn't do it. It was said this would not happen to them. They said the streak would never last. But for 22 games, Tracy McGrady and the Houston Rockets defied the odds and cemented their place in history. 

Jeff Van Gundy got his groove back after the fallout in New York, but it's even better knowing that they won the second half of that impressive streak without their powerhouse center, Yao Ming.

Now the Rockets may not be the Lakers, but they sure played like Kobe and Co. during their impressive 22-game winning streak.

Houston has been back and forth in the race for the top spot in the Western Conference. Unfortunately, they may have to settle for the No. 3 spot.

But no matter what happens, no one can deny the magical season of the Houston Rockets.

Wild Wild West

If this season is a sign of things to come in the postseason, expect the West to have a few upsets. For the past two months, the No. 1 seed has been up for grabs, and several teams have been battling for it.

Houston, LA Lakers, New Orleans, and San Antonio have been locked in a shootout for not only the best record in the West but also the top spot in the conference.

In the end, the Lakers are on the verge of winning it after victories over the Hornets and Spurs. However, if they end up tied with Houston, the Rockets earn the top spot with a 2-1 tiebreaker over Kobe and Co.

Despite the race for MVP heating up, this Western Conference Race has everyone in the conference on the edge of their seats. With the bottom half just trying to stay in sync with the top four teams, it would be a pretty good thing to see those four teams battle in the Conference Semifinals. 

But as it has been proven time and time again, you can't script the postseason.

The Chase for the Cup

While everyone is battling for postseason berths, the hottest topic on the set as of right now is the race for the coveted MVP award. This issue has caused more hype and controversy than the OJ Simpson Trial.

On one side of the country, it's all about Kobe Bryant. In the Midwest, it's King James. In the East, it's all about KG. But in the South, look no further than New Orleans' Chris Paul.

I'm young, so I don't know if this is true, but this looks like the first time that all four major regions of the country are divided as far as who deserves the MVP Award.

So let's see if this makes it easier. 

Kobe's Stats: 28.4 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 5.4 APG

KG's Stats: 19.0 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 3.5 APG 

LeBron's Stats: 30.0 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 7.2 APG

C-Paul's Stats: 21.1 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 11.6 APG 

Quick Thought

This year's race involves four great players. Last year's had controversy involving the debate between two former teammates, Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash. Look how that ended. Déjà vu in the future perhaps?

Plain and Simple

This NBA Season left everyone speechless, and it's not over yet. The postseason determines who wanted it more all season.

The Question Is...

Who has what it takes to persevere and lay claim to the most prestigious prize in the NBA?