A Pivot Points Christmas: 10 Holiday Wishes for the NBA

I'm not really that big on Santa Claus. I've always felt that he gets way to much credit for parents who work multiple hours of overtime and sometimes go into debt in order for their children to have a decent Christmas.

However, I do believe in the spirit of giving, minus all the commercialization that has come to be associated with the holiday season.

In that spirit of giving, I have compiled a list of 10 things I would give to the NBA if I were in a position to do so.

Of course, there are many more things that the NBA needs that didn't make my list, and one of them would be the ridiculous clear path call on fast-breaks.

I've never seen that foul called the same way twice, and I am led to believe that the officials don't understand the rule themselves.

Another thing would be the amazing number of television timeouts called during the course of a game.

It's hard for me to understand how any team grasps momentum when a timeout is seemingly called every three minutes.

Those are just two of the more egregious that failed to make my list, but I feel that I have encompassed a wide range of differing issues that cover the scope of the entire league.

I'm sure that during the course of my research that I may have missed some that could be considered in need of some Christmas charity.

I encourage you to offer those as alternatives to my list, and, if you feel that I have erred in my choices, please feel free to voice your opinions in the comment section.

Keep in mind that this is a subjective list and therefore it is subject to flaws, and I welcome all to point out any discrepancies that I may have made.

I hope you enjoy the show and to all, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, or whatever may suit you best. Thanks.

10. A Post Game For Dwight Howard

I realize that I've been hard on Dwight Howard in the past, but it's just hard for me to understand how someone with all that potential fails to capitalize on it.

I also know that even in his unpolished state, he is better than 90 percent of the centers in the league right now.

Imagine, though, what Howard could be if he took the time to learn some low post offensive moves, and demonstrated defensive discipline on the other side of the court.

Simply put, Howard would hear his name mentioned alongside the greats like Russell, Chamberlain, and Abdul-Jabbar.

There have been numerous excuses put forth about Howard's failure to advance his game, but that's just what they are, excuses.

Howard is at the point in his career where he should have complete control over the basic fundamentals, not just learning how to play.

Here's to hoping that someone pushes Howard to see what type of historical impact he could have on the game, because right now, the Patrick Ewing thing is not working.

Come to think of it, that may be the problem.

9. Closure for LeBron James

I'm sure that LeBron James loves the fact that his name remains on the lips of every NBA observer due to his indecision about free agency.

This has to be doubly worrisome for Cleveland fans who probably feel that James is just toying with their heartstrings in an effort to keep them on the edge of their seats.

I hope that's the case, and he's not preparing to leave a whole city devastated in the wake of his probable departure.

James says that he's not going to discuss the offseason any more, and I wish that fans would get a clue and do the same thing.

However, I realize that's not the nature of the beast, and people love to run a subject into the ground until every possible avenue has been explored.

To be honest, it's a tiring exercise, and I'm sure all 30 NBA teams have been exposed to the "what if LeBron comes to my town" scenario.

I would love to have a time-warp to fast forward to the future and see the conclusion of this whole ordeal.

Since that's not happening I guess I have to wait along with everyone else until James has garnered just the right amount of attention needed to make his decision.

8. Pixie Dust for Greg Oden

This latest injury to Greg Oden continues a trend that has become all too familiar for the city of Portland and its fans.

It seems as if they just can't catch a break when it comes to drafting what are supposed to be franchise centers and saviors.

The curse goes back to the days of Bill Walton and the only championship that the city has won.

Since then, it has been heartbreak after heartbreak, from Walton's feet, to Sam Bowie, and now Greg Oden.

I propose a generous dash of pixie dust for Oden if he is able to return from this latest catastrophic injury, in hopes that he will be protected in the future.

The city of Portland, after all, deserves a break from the maddening wheels of fate that seem to continuously run over their hopes.

7. More Competition in the East

I know that the bottom-tier teams in the Eastern Conference are pitiful, but are they really this bad?

I understand that fans of these teams are proud and fiercely loyal, but I have yet to understand exactly why.

Could it be that due to the fact someone has to fill the last three playoff spots, all of the teams are left with a small glimmer of hope for their franchise?

The New jersey Nets are so bad that I would take Kansas, the No. 1 college team in America, in a game against the Nets on a neutral court.

Hell, we could play the game in the Meadowlands, and I'm almost certain that the Jayhawks would prevail.

Seems like the only really entertaining games take place among the top five teams, and the Philadelphia 76er's miracle win in Boston is very much the exception instead of the rule.

Even the teams like the Toronto Raptors and the Washington Wizards, who were supposed to be decent, can't advance because they keep falling over themselves.

Here's hoping that one or two of those teams can turn their seasons around and help make the East a more competitive environment for all.

6. A Realization of Truth for Allen Iverson

It looks like the days of Allen Iverson being the answer have slowly and painfully come to a bitter end.

The final straw may have come when his Philly team had the audacity to go into Boston and steal a win without the need of his services.

I've heard the numerous reasons as to why Iverson has been unsuccessful in his attempts to regain glory, and they have become petty and contrite.

As much as Iverson needs to understand that his time has passed, his misguided fans are in need of the same hard dose of reality.

He's dealing with arthritis and a dawning truth that his quickness and toughness are not the same attributes that they were in his heyday.

I wish that Iverson could get a clue and realize that he will never be the same player that he was earlier in the decade, and then maybe he can end his career with a small piece of his legacy intact.

5. Shaquille O'Neal Is Able To Bow Out Gracefully

Shaquille O'Neal has become a shell of his former self, and his time on the court seems to be about taking up space instead of being the dominant post presence of the past.

Maybe he's saving himself for the postseason, but the initial indications don't seem that noble.

It would be an understatement to say that he's lost a step, and a slow Shaq with no lateral movement is more of a problem than a playoff solution.

Cleveland fans will say that O'Neal is just biding his time, but, to me, he's just another player that the game has passed by.

It has become hard for me to remember the days of a dominant Shaq who was a terror to defend whenever he roamed into the post.

Now, he just looks lazy and fat, and with each passing moment the vestiges of his past are diminished by this version who struggles to score five points in an entire contest. Just sad.

4. A Winning Team in New York

It's a good thing that New Yorkers have the Yankees, because nothing close to professional basketball is currently being played in the city limits.

What a sad state of dysfunction for such a proud city that has to continue to bear witness to such an inferior product.

There is plenty of blame to go around and a large part of it goes to Isaiah Thomas, who gets his kicks by getting beaten up in college basketball now.

Will the Knicks ever be able to come out of their seemingly perpetual funk? Or are New York fans destined to live with something that passes as a team for the foreseeable future?

Only time will tell, but here is the good news. Due to the lack of competition in the East, the Knicks currently find themselves in the thick of the playoff race.

To me, the fact that a team so many games under .500 is in a position to make the postseason is a testament to the state of basketball in the Eastern Conference.

3. The MVP Race Is Not Based on Popularity

Although Dirk Nowitzki and Carmelo Anthony are having MVP-caliber seasons, how many people believe that they will get proper consideration for the award?

I didn't think so. The MVP award is the most subjective piece of garbage that has come out of all the postseason awards combined.

It is rarely awarded on merit and has become the ultimate popularity contest that constantly involves the same group of players.

Not that Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade are unworthy, it's just that the argument needs to be expanded to be more inclusive.

The lack of prior awards for Bryant and the fact that Steve Nash was able to capture consecutive awards is more than enough evidence for me.

Maybe we should go ahead and hand the award over to James right now, and cut out the phony state of suspense that now exists around the league.

2. Help for Dwyane Wade

The plea for help in the form of another star player alongside Dwyane Wade is a call that has resounded far and wide.

I personally don't feel that his team is that bad, but that's what everyone seems to think is the main problem for Wade and his Miami Heat team.

I recognize that Wade is a superior talent and is probably the second-best shooting guard in the entire NBA.

If a player or two is all he needs, then, by God, Pat Riley, get him the help. It's better to go over the salary cap than to risk losing the face of your franchise to free agency.

Besides, it would be great to see how much better the Heat could be if Wade had an all-star caliber player to go to war with.

Then all the incessant noise about the lack of help that surrounds him could finally be put to rest.

1. A Championship Rematch Between Boston and L.A.

It's the rematch that the world wants to see. At least the world that pertains to the cities of Boston and Los Angeles.

In reality, a championship rematch involving the Celtics and the Lakers would probably be the most viewed series in the history of the game.

Paul Pierce and his Celtics feel that injuries robbed them of the chance to successfully defend their title of 2008.

The Lakers feel that injuries are part of the game and sometimes you get the breaks in your favor and sometimes not.

The perfect way to settle the beef would be a brawl for it all in the championship series of 2010.

Kobe and the Lakers are sure to have a sour taste from their beatdown of 2008 that even the championship from the following year can't fully erase.

Pierce and his Celtics will continue to proclaim their NBA superiority until someone is able to close his mouth for him.

My final wish for the holiday season of 2009 is that Los Angeles and Boston reprise their epic series and that it is truly a repeat matchup for the ages.