Bleacher Report - Articles by Ari Wagner

Detroit Pistons Look for Bright Turnaround After a Dark Season

Ari Wagner — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 12:41:50 -0400

The Pistons trading Billups for Iverson now looks like a bad trade for Detroit, considering Iverson has not played in the post season and the Pistons just got swept.

Meanwhile, Billups is leading the Nuggets to what looks to be a trip to the second round and is once again earning the nickname Detroit gave him, “Mr. Big Shot”

But trades are not always meant to impact the now. Billups was traded to reduce the salary cap, so that Dumars and ownership can pursue offseason free-agent talent.

With a serious class of free agents this year and the next, it will be a bidding war that rivals eBay—and the Pistons now have the cap space to be a contender.

With every team in the league dropping cap space and trying for LeBron James, the Pistons should just face the facts that he will never come to division-rival Detroit over Cleveland or any other big market. Detroit should focus on their needs and offer contracts while teams are still bidding on players like Wade and James.

The Pistons' point guards, Rodney Stuckey and Will Bynum, have showed very good potential. Stuckey has learned the offence and his playing up to his caliber and Bynum now owns the single-quarter franchise mark with 27 points in a quarter—and he did it in the fourth. The point guard spot can be left alone if they are able to re-sign Bynum, who is a restricted free-agent this summer.

Richard Hamilton is a Piston who has been to the mountaintop and back. He just signed a four-year contract with the team is set to be here for the construction of the new-look Pistons. He just needs to stop getting so many technical fouls—and I think if Sheed leaves, that will calm him down.

His backup at shooting guard is Arron Afflalo, who has a very strong body and is able to play physical defense on quick and strong players. Just two years in the league, Arron will have to pick up his game and become a three-point and defensive specialist like Shane Battier is in Houston.

Tayshaun Prince has been the Pistons' cool customer, always staying composed and poised throughout. He knows this team and he knows this system better than anyone else, and he play the defensive style that the Pistons can not afford to forget. However, he needs to pick up his offensive game, or he could be possible trade bait come this summer.

With Walter Hermann being a restricted free agent this year who should be let go, this leaves Detroit needing a backup small forward who can learn from Prince, but hopefully be equipped with more offensive talent. This is a possible draft option for the Pistons' No. 15 selection.

The power forward position is an interesting topic for the Pistons. They have unrestricted free agent-to-be Antonio McDyess, who came back and signed with Detroit over potential championship teams like Boston and Cleveland after being dropped by Denver in the Billups/Iverson trade. This leads me to believe that he would be in favor of signing back in Detroit for another one- or two-year contract.

McDyess is one of the only Pistons who brings leadership and quality play every night. In the Game Four loss to Cleveland most of the Pistons packed it in, but McDyess had a double-double with 26 points and 10 rebounds. If Detroit can re-sign him for a good price, he could become an X-factor for the team heading into the future.

Jason Maxiell is considered the Pistons' backup center and Amir Johnson the backup power forward. But with the way the two players play, their position in the depth chart should be switched. Maxiell plays physical around the basket and has developed a good short range jumper, but he is undersized at 6’7’’, where Amir is a more rebound-oriented player who protects the hoop with his shot-blocking ability, and has two more inches on Maxiell.

The real need for the team is a true center. Former number-one overall pick Kwame Brown is a free agent, and the Pistons have no room for an underachieving center that just takes up room under salary cap.

Amir Johnson, while still very young, has not developed like the team wanted him to. He would make for a great backup in the league, but the Pistons now need a starter. With only two centers projected to go in the first round of the draft—and only one real star—the need will have to come from the free-agent market this summer.

Key options to pick up and pursue for the Pistons this summer at the center spot would be double-double machine David Lee or former Pistons champ and fan-favorite Mehmet Okur.

Lee is a restricted free agent, but it seems New York cares nothing about its team right now, and just about the pursuit of LeBron James in 2010. The Pistons should be able to at least have a go at Lee this summer, and he should be the number-one option.

Okur is an unrestricted free agent with an early termination option on his contract. He would be a great option for the Pistons. However, he is coming off a $40 million contract and who knows what his asking price would be.

If Okur’s price is way too high, then the Pistons could just court Carlos Boozer for just a little more money, although he is speculated to be a sure thing over to Miami.

If McDyess decides to not re-sign and retires this year, Al Harrington would be a great free-agent pick up for the Pistons. He is much like Rasheed Wallace, because he can hit from three and rebound, but he should come with much less technical-foul and brain-lapse issues.

Also, if Bynum decides to leave and test the free-agent markets and the Pistons can swallow some Stuckey pride, Andre Miller is an option as well as Mike Bibby at the point guard slot on the free-agent market.

Now, to address the draft. As I mentioned earlier, the Pistons should try to select a small forward at the No. 15 spot to solidify a back up for Prince.

Earl Clark is a rare breed of SF who makes those around him better with his great vision and unselfish passing ability. He has prototypical small forward dimensions with long arms and a strong wiry frame.

Clark is a small forward out Louisville, and is projected to be drafted just before the Pistons select—but if he can drop a few spots to Detroit he would be a perfect pick.

James Johnson, out of Wake Forest, would be the second option for the Pistons in the draft. He is another small forward that works the offensive side of the ball just as well as he does the defensive. He can move well without the ball and does all the intangibles.

The third option is Sam Young out of Pittsburgh. He is a senior that has a good jump shot with a great shot fake to counter. He is an excellent leaper and athlete and is able to improve on anything. The only problem with him is his game is very awkward.

However, the Pistons could take the best player available and select Danny Green, SF out of UNC, with their second-round pick. Best available is projected to look pretty good, with Stephen Curry and Ty Lawson projected to drop to 15th or lower.

The Pistons also lack in three-point shooting. Their two best shooters from three were Billups and Sheed, and come next year both players should be in different uniforms. Hamilton can shoot the three, but would rather hit the mid-range.

Hedu Turkoglu can hit the three, and could be the Pistons' answer to a backup for Prince, if he rotates out from power forward as well. Also, Ben Gordon can light up from three, but with Hamilton at the two, doesn’t look for Gordon to sign in Detroit.

Wally Szczerbiak or Jarvis Hayes could come in as free agents as well and be solid three-point threats off the bench.

NBA Playoff Wisdom: First Round Matchups and Analysis

Ari Wagner — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:40:06 -0400

The 2009 NBA playoffs have come in with a bang.

The Celtics are limping on bad knees, while the Bulls are trying to take care of business at home and travel back to Boston with a commanding series lead.

Philadelphia came into Game One in Orlando with a little magic of their own, coming from 18 points behind to rally a two-point victory by their new A.I. with only two seconds left on the clock.

Both the Miami Heat and the Portland Trail Blazers got smoked in their first game, however the Blazers came back to even the series with a brilliant performance from Brandon Roy and an excellent night from LaMarcus Aldridge Tuesday night.

The two best matchups of the postseason are between the Nuggets and Hornets and the Spurs and Mavs. Chauncey "Big Shot" Billups posted a hurtin’ on the Hornets by hitting eight of nine from long range, while Tony Parker and the Spurs came back to win Game Two and try to carry some momentum into Game Three on the road.

No surprise that the one seeds are absolutely taking it to the eight seeds. The only difference is who they are playing. The Eastern Conference juggernaut of old Detroit Pistons are out-matched and definitely out-led. LeBron James is more than just a floor general, but a dictator of the game. While Kobe and the Lake-show are smothering every effort of the Jazz to come back, both series are at a 2-0 lead.

Starting off in the East, the Cleveland Cavaliers are showing the league that team unity and superior leadership is the key to a great start in the playoffs. With James averaging close to 33 points, 10 boards and six dimes in the first two games, it will be no surprise to see this series end in four.

The Pistons head home to their Palace of Auburn Hills, but it just won’t be the same atmosphere. The crowd will be into it, as they always are in the D, but 20,000 screaming fans probably won’t even be able to put a spark into this team.

Cleveland will take a hold on this series by winning Game Three in Detroit, and won’t look back until they bring Cleveland a clean sweep of long time Eastern Conference rival Pistons.

The L.A. Lakers have that look in their eye this year, and with a healthy Andrew Bynum, it does not look like the Jazz—a three seed with an eighth seed mask on—can stop them. This is not just a one versus eight matchup, but it’s more of a preparatory matchup for the Lakers who will face equal talent as the Jazz for the rest of the West.

The Okur-less Jazz have no shot at winning this series; however, they will produce a great matchup at home, where they have so much success. The Jazz will take at least one game at home in this series, but I can’t see this going more than six games.

The Chicago Bulls and their Rookie of the Year Derek Rose, alongside scoring machine Ben Gordon, have shown us what the Hawks did last year. Without Kevin Garnett for the Celtics, I have a feeling that this will not just be another first round scare like we saw last year.

Bulls go into Game Three at home, with a rowdy Chicago fan base waiting to see a glimpse of the spectacular things that the Jordan era brought. If K.G. was healthy and holding it down on D, I would tell you that the Bulls have no shot, but without the Celtics defensive anchor, I think they would be lucky to win one on the road, but it seems unlikely.

I see the Bulls taking care of home court and winning in six, bringing their momentum into the second round against the evolved human beast we call LeBron James.

Next we go to the battle of the point guards, one Mr. Big Shot, vs. the cool customer, CP3. These two players should feed off each other all series long, and may the best man win.

However, former finals MVP in Detroit, Billups has the playoff experience and the willpower to get the best out of his team, without having to drop off the perfect pass every play. 'Melo and Co. will come up big in this series and help the Nuggets prevail.

The magical comeback by the 76ers is not something to take serious, it is a fluke 18-point turnaround and last second jumper that led Philly to a 1-0 lead in the series.

Howard had a beastly performance and they still could not get it done. Look for Orlando to have a great three-point shooting night during Game Two, and Turkoglu will have to stick on Iguodala and make sure he does not get a break on defense or the offensive side of the ball.

The Magic need to run their offense through Howard and either have him take the opening, or dish it out to the perimeter in hopes of an open look at three. Philly will probably take one more in this series, but look for Orlando to get serious and take care of business in five or six games.

Dallas and San Antonio is a great matchup. Dallas has Terry and Dirk with their ability to either drive the lane or light up the three-point torch. Jason Kidd can hit killer threes as well, but he also has the ability to rebound and do the intangibles you need your guards to provide in playoff basketball.

On the other side of the court you have the dominance of Tim Duncan and Gregg Popovich, which can never be undermined. Tony Parker is playing brilliant right now, and with the absence of Manu, they need someone to step up big.

As much as I want to say that Dallas and their fire power should take this series, I just can’t be against Duncan and Pop, and Dirk is too much of a softy to take down the beast. San Antonio wins in seven.

Miami and Atlanta. D-wade vs. the entire Hawks roster. There is no way that the outmatched Heat can ride on Wade for a seven game series, it just won’t happen. Atlanta has superiority in every position on the court besides the two-guard spot, which is the Wade/Joe Johnson matchup, and quite frankly, Johnson is not a whole lot worse than Wade.

This series will go no more than six, and will most likely only go five. Don’t sleep on the Hawks this year, people. No matter who wins between Orlando and Philadelphia ,I like the Hawks' chances to get to the Eastern Finals this year.

The knotted up series between Portland and Houston is something that I have a hard time predicting. If Portland and their stars could play the way they did last night every game, I like their chances. But Houston was still leading for the most part of that Game Two, and could have easily stole another one on the road if it wasn’t for Roy’s three pointer with a minute to play.

Houston plays much better without McGrady in the game, and since he has never played his way out of the first round, I think that it would be very bitter and a little sweet to see his team advance.

I think they will advance. All the Houston players are playing as a group and that is what you need in playoff basketball. Sorry, TMac, but you’re going to have to see your team hit the second round in street clothes.

Most Valuable Maybe, but A-Rod is Definitely Not the Most Valued Player

Ari Wagner — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 10:23:13 -0400

Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees underwent arthroscopic hip surgery and is likely to be out until May, according to his doctors.

A-Rod is always a top performer and he is a solid bat in the middle of any lineup, but how big of a loss is A-Rod, really? I say not that big of a deal.

Last season for the Yankees, Rodriguez batted over .300, hit 35 home runs and drove in over 100 RBIs, was a candidate for MVP, but the Yanks still failed to reach the post-season.

In the three years that Rodriguez played for the Texas Rangers, he was always a top player, and won MVP honors, but they never amounted to anything as a team.

Those three years, he never hit under 47 home runs, went for 50 twice, and he never batted in less than 118 RBIs.

The numbers that Alex Rodriguez puts up are always astonishing, but when you look at his team’s performance, it’s like he is a ball-hog basketball player, but in baseball having lopsided numbers at the plate should be a good sign.

Alex Rodriguez may be the single most irrelevant superstar to any of his teams in Major League Baseball, or any major league sport in the history of sports.

He puts up huge numbers every year and has nothing to show for it, and he is always slipping up like Bonds in the playoffs.

A-Rod is a constant disappointment in the post-season, even though he will for sure be back by then this year, it should not go without noting that he struggles in big games.

With the Yankees stacked pitching staff ranging from power pitcher C.C Sabathia to pure accuracy and constancy in Chien-Ming Wang, the line up can struggle some this year and still get away with 2-0 or 2-1 wins.

Speaking of offense, the Yanks have just added Mark Teixeira, Nick Swisher and Xavier Nady to the list of Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui, Bobby Abreu and A-Rod.

With those caliber hitters and pitchers, a break from A-Rod should be no problem.

Even when Rodriguez is playing his best baseball and is driving in every run he sees on base, the steroid story is going to provide a media circus everywhere he goes, and serious fan distractions too, just short of the Barry Bonds extent, but don’t be surprised to see fans hurling syringes at him all season long.

The New York Yankees need to build chemistry with their new additions and with A-Roid out of the line up for the first month and a half, it will make life much easier for that to happen. With all the steroid talk, it seems like his team mates are not very fond of him anyways.

Maybe this will prove that he is a T.O.-type talent for the MLB.

The Yankees will need Rodriguez down the stretch, make no mistake about that, but this current injury and time off will prove to be in the team's benefit come spring and summer.

Michigan State NCAA Tourney Analysis: Spartans One of Four Prom Kings?

Ari Wagner — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 14:51:37 -0400

Michigan State has been a constant threat all year to teams in the RPI top 50, and has a credible roster of stars. Currently MSU is ranked No. 7 in the AP poll, No. 6 in the coach’s poll, and has won the Big Ten outright.

Being led by Kalin Lucas, Raymar Morgan (26 PPG combined), and super-senior Goran Suton giving MSU those quality, heart-filled minutes, this team should be a No. 1 seed come time for the school dance.

With key losses to only North Carolina on a neutral site early in the season, MSU has proven themselves with wins over Texas (then No. 5) and twice vs. Minnesota, once away when they were ranked 21st and then home when they were No. 19.

They also beat then No. 20 Illinois in Champaign and a Purdue team that was also ranked No. 20 within the last 10 days.

The Spartans went to Ann Arbor to play their archrival on an extremely hostile court and won the game by 12 points. Michigan is being considered by many analysts to be a team that is on the bubble, and should get a berth.

The Spartans are 12-2 overall vs. the RPI top 50 teams in the nation. They have three more wins than Pitt, four more wins and one less loss than Oklahoma and UConn, and seven more wins than UNC in the RPI top 50.

This statistic shows that they schedule hard games and also take care of the business that they set out to achieve during those basketball games.

UNC has only played in six RPI top 50 games and has lost one of those games. MSU has won double the amount of RPI top 50 games as UNC has played in this season.

MSU has a proven coach, Tom Izzo, who knows what it takes to get the best out of his team in the big dance.

If the Spartans win the Big Ten tournament they will most likely play and have to win versus more RPI top 50, making them a sure pick for a No. 1 seed in the tournament.

Just because MSU is not a UConn or a Pitt, or just because they are in the Big Ten does not mean they should not have a No. 1 seed in the dance. Their record and opponents clearly show they are more than qualified for a No. 1 seed come March Madness.

2009 NBA Fantasy All-Sleeper Team

Ari Wagner — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 17:46:13 -0400

To succeed in fantasy basketball, one must draft well and make a few solid pick-ups throughout the season. Watching box scores and every live game possible helps, as does being the first one on the waivers to get that key pick-up that will put your team over the top.

Some players are considered locks as great fantasy contributors every game, but you never know who will get injured. There are also the players who get overlooked and are drafted late. You go back and look at your draft, and you kick yourself for not selecting them.

It takes more than just knowledge of the game to predict who will set themselves apart. In some cases it’s just pure luck, but if you want to get into the science of it all, you have to consider roster changes, a player's ability to stay healthy, the system they are in, and how they will react to their teammates.

This is the list of those players who have put up numbers past their potential. They've become household names now, but you may have slept on them during your draft.

We'll start with the point guard position. My pick is a key factor to team success, the fourth piece of a "Big Three."

Rajon Rondo of the Boston Celtics is no longer being slept on, he is a wide-eyed, bright talent in the NBA. The man averages almost 12 points per game and nearly nine assists. He also is a menace when it comes to steals, as he currently sits fourth in the league in that category. Almost every stat of his has gone up since last year, and he continues to climb in every category.

Rondo can be depended upon every night; he has only missed one game this year, and that was the most recent loss to Orlando, March 8. His average draft according to Yahoo! Sports was 92nd overall, or the eighth point guard.

The shooting guard for the All-Sleeper team is a Rookie of the Year candidate: O.J. Mayo of the Memphis Grizzlies. Not a victim of the "rookie wall," he is producing huge numbers for such a youngster.

Mayo was 89th, on average, by Yahoo! Fantasy owners this year, and now people are begging to have him on their Playoff rosters. He is hitting almost two three-pointers a game, averaging almost 19 points, and has a high free-throw percentage.

He has put up 30 points or more six times this year already, and he's hit five or more threes in three different games. His numbers are far superior to what his draft stock showed back at the beginning of the season, and he will not be slept on come next season.

The last guard to make the team is one of the high-flyers of the league, and though he comes off the bench for a bad team, he makes the very most out of his time.

Nate Robinson of the New York Knicks was only drafted by only 27 percent of Yahoo! fantasy owners and was taken an average of 131st overall.

Robinson’s numbers have literally gone up in every major category from last season. The only negative is that includes turnovers, but they went up just a small margin.

He will provide almost 18 points a game but can explode for 30 any given night, and with his athletic jumping abilities, he can rebound the ball very well for a guard.

He will give you almost two steals a night and has gone for 30 or more points six times this year. Dude's also had one 40-point game.

The small forward for the All-Sleepers has made a splash in his second year in the Association. Jeff Green of the Oklahoma City Thunder has really found a home, and now that he's comfortable with his surroundings, it’s really beginning to show in his game.

Averages of 17 points and seven rebounds per game for the player who was drafted around 121st overall in most Yahoo! leagues is a great bargain. He needs to work on his free-throw percentage, but his scoring, rebounding, and consistency gave him a spot on this roster.

The next player is a well-rounded power forward, who, if you never got the memo, probably never showed up on your draft board.

Mehmet Okur of the Utah Jazz really got his time to shine this year in the absence of Carlos Boozer. His ability to play big but also sneak out to the three-point line and be a consistent shooter from the arc makes him a great fantasy player.

Numbers of 18 PPG, 8 RPG, almost 1.5 threes PG, and darn near 50 percent from the field make him a fantasy star.

The last forward on the list is a player that likes to go for 20-plus points, two or three threes, and around eight rebounds every night.

Charlie Villanueva of the Milwaukee Bucks has really shown his true potential this year as a quality NBA and fantasy player. Just like Okur, his ability to hit threes, shoot a high field goal percentage, rebound the ball, and also block the occasional shot makes him a sleeper who provides nightmares for owners who did not select him.

Villanueva was picked 107th on average overall by Yahoo! owners, just a couple spots ahead of Nick Collison, and was picked under players like Jermaine O’Neal and Michael Beasley.

The centers for the team are great examples of this team, and I saved them for last, because you have to save the best for last.

The first big man selected is a player that plays beyond his height (and his hype) every year, especially this year.

David Lee of the New York Knicks is a prime-time player who was taken by 100 percent of teams this year but fell to around 73rd overall on the average Yahoo! draft board.

Lee averages almost 12 rebounds per game tto go with his 16.4 points, and his field-goal percentage is well over 50. He has missed double figures in scoring just four times this year and has played in every game.

He has double-doubled in 11 games this season, though eight of those came in the first nine of the season.

The last player on this team is a fantasy beast this year; he started off ranked low, but now is 10th in the Yahoo! Sports standings.

Troy Murphy of the Indiana Pacers is a diamond in the rough, to say the least. He's averaging almost 12 rebounds per game and supplies almost 2.5 threes every night.

His numbers, like Nate Robinson's, have skyrocketed in every category from last year; plus, he's only missed five games all year, four of which were in December.

Murphy is tied for third in the league in rebounding (with David Lee), and he also hits more threes per game than Ben Gordon, Jason Terry and Jamal Crawford.

The players on this team aren't quite no-names; instead, they're players that really went well beyond what they did last year, or beyond what anyone thought they could do this year.

Here's the list again:

C Troy Murphy

PF Mehmet Okur

SF Jeff Green

SG O.J. Mayo

PG Rajon Rondo

C David Lee

PF Charlie Villanueva

SG Nate Robinson

NBA Award Show: 2008-2009 Regular Season Award Predictions

Ari Wagner — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 23:51:33 -0500

The 2009 NBA season has been a year of great promise and terrible injury. Many players like Brandon Roy and Kevin Durant are showing the NBA what they are all about, but then there is the Andrew Bynums and Greg Odens who can't seem to stay healthy long enough to make a deep impact.

The first award being handed out is to the athletic trainer of the year. Now in most seasons I would actually do some sort of extensive research on which teams have had the least amount of injury and which young players have built their bodies into the NBA caliber that is required.

Not this year though, this year I decided to actually look at the trainer, and only judge that. A man who at one point was looking like he celebrated fat Tuesday every week of the month but now can swim laps in his team polo. Here is what I mean...

Before

After

...And the winner for most outstanding athletic trainer goes to...

Detroit Pistons head trainer Mike Abdenour.

The next award is more serious, it is currently being defended by San Antonio's stud guard Manu Ginobili. Manu has a definite case for the award this year, but injury troubles has left him with only memories of last year’s award.

This year however, Jason Terry of the Dallas Mavericks is averaging close to 20 points per game, and always sparks the team when entering from the pine. Another case could be made for Richard RIP Hamilton, but not enough time spent coming off the bench and the fact that he is really a starter and it was an experiment leaves him out of the running.

Nate Robinson has been coming off the bench this year for Chris Duhon and is averaging 17.6 per game, and recently has been tearing it up on the glass as well. The two finalists are Nate Robinson and Jason Terry.

...And the sixth man of the year award goes to...

Jason Terry of the Dallas Mavericks

The next award is a staple of hard work and development of the game. Hedu Turkoglu set the standard for this last year and took home the Most Improved Player Award.

This year it's a contest between three deserving players. The first player is a quality young talent for the Indiana Pacers, Danny Granger. He has improved his scoring six points per game this year and has elevated himself into a top player in the league.

The next player is young power house for the New York Knicks, David Lee. Lee has improved six points per game and three rebounds, a serious contender for this award.

Finally, Kevin Durant of the OKC Thunder has proven to the world that he is an all star player and will be for a long time to come. The trend continue with increasing six points per game, but Durant seems to have grown into himself, a much more confident player.

The award was judged by overall progress in the player’s game and development. It was a very tough decision, but the Most Improved Player of the 2009 season goes to...

David Lee of the New York Knick.

The next award is an Ari Wagner creation, I figured if there is a defensive player of the year award then I need to give out an offensive player of the year award. Since this is a new award, no one is currently holding the honor so this will be the first ever recipient of the Ari Wagner Offensive Player of the Year Award.

The three top candidates are Dwayne Wade, Chris Paul and LeBron James.

Wade has the current scoring title and seems to explode to the basket on ever play, making himself an offensive threat with his ability to drive shoot and kick the ball out to open teammates.

James is much like Wade in every way, averaging around the same amount of points and assist per game and both can hit from range and drive to the hoop.

Chris Paul gives his own points away to his teammates, and leads the league in assist per game. He too can dive and shoot, but is not as explosive of an inside scorer and the previous two candidates.

The winner of the First Ever Ari Wagner Offensive Player of the Year Award goes to...

Dwayne Wade of the Miami Heat.

Now to the other end of the ball, the D-(insert picket fence). Kevin Garnett currently reigns supreme and holds the 2008 title, but this year is a whole new ball game. Garnett has fallen out of the race, leaving only two players who really deserve the award.

Dwight Howard who collects ample defensive rebounds and is a beast in the lane, he currently leads the league in blocked shots by 43 blocks over second place Turiaf.

Chris CP3 Paul is a good on ball defender and a great off the ball defender, also able to pick up some rebounds for a guard be he is known as the master thief of the NBA. CP3 leads the league in steals by 17 over second place Jason Kidd who has played five more games than Paul.

The defensive player of the year award goes to...

Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic

The next award is given to the best rookie of the year; this award has been taken home by players who almost always turn into stars in the league. It creates confidence in the player’s game and lets the world know who they are, especially the average sports fan.

Brook Lopez and Derrick Rose have had exceptional rookie campaigns and are definitely quality runner-ups for this award. Earlier in the season they were both serious contenders, but then two stars stared to shine just a little brighter.

O.J. Mayo of the Memphis Grizz took it to the next level this year, he is putting up 19 points per game, three assist and is shooting just under 90 percent from the free-throw line. He has elevated his name and game and everyone has been watching.

OKC Thunder guard Russell Westbrook has burst on the scene lately, with 16 points per game and five assist and rebounds along with 1.5 steals, he is an all around baller.

The rookie of the year for 2009 goes to...

Russell Westbrook of the OKC Thunder.

The next award goes to the man behind the marker and white board, drawing up play after play and dealing with over paid player after player. Has to wear a suit and tie to every game while his soldiers wear shots and tank tops. The credit must be handed out where the credit is due, and this guy earns it 100 percent.

Rick Adelman of the Houston Rockets has overcome injury to star players, and key role players and still has his team in the thick of the Western Conference. He deals with Ron Artest and Tracy McGrady on a daily basis, and his 9'0'' former number on pick is just a big softy.

Without any completion Adelman wins 2009 Coach of the Year by a landslide.

Now for the major award of the year, the most valuable player in the NBA award. This award has had a bad decade, given out to Dirk one year when he flopped hard in the playoffs and twice to Steve Nash who might have deserved it once.

Closing this decade of MVPs out strong is a must, and we've got a good start with Kobe taking it home last year.

This year’s candidates are as follows:

Dwayne Wade of the Miami Heat, for most of the same reasons I mentioned for offensive player of the year. He leads the league in points per game and has a very respectable seven assist per game.

He elevates his team and his players to play hard every night and will get the best out of his team.

LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers has been scoring 28 points per game and dishing out seven assist and gathering seven rebounds, not to mention stalking his prey down the court just to smash their lay up into the backboard.

A lot of talk has been around Mo Williams and how key he is for the team, but really LeBron and his elevated play and dedication is what is really making the difference.

Kobe Bryant of the LA Lakers, Kobe has also been scoring 28 per game, and dishing five and rebounding at least 5 times a game. Although the thing about Kobe this year that is different from last year is the race. He had to race Chris Paul for MVP and for 1st in the West, but this year it's just Kobe being Kobe.

I know it is hard to fault him for that, and I’m not trying to, just that the drama is not there like it was last year, and the other two candidates have better numbers.

The MVP of the 2009 season is....

LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Oklahoma City Thunder's Keys to a Brighter Future

Ari Wagner — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 23:52:39 -0500

The Oklahoma City Thunder is a franchise that moved from Seattle to start over.

Not only are they starting over with a new fan base in a new city, but they have a great core of young talent and a plethora of draft picks, and salary.

The core young players I referred to earlier are:

Kevin Durant, the team's very own superstar in the making—currently fourth in the NBA in scoring.

Russell Westbrook—point guard, and floor leader, also a leader for Rookie of the Year honors this year. The kid is a rising star, who can rise well above the rim to throw down.

The last of the "young three" is Jeff Green, who was drafted in the same class as Durant two years ago at number five to Boston, then later traded to OKC for Ray Allen. Green is a power forward who can fill up the scoring sheet, and is in the top 50 in the NBA in rebounding.

All three of these young stars are signed on at least past the 2012 season, all for under $8 million. When you have your core of building blocks all signed on for a bargain, this leaves cap space to go out a pursue the free-agent market, and with the summers ahead this will prove to be vital for their emergence.

Drafting will be very important for the Thunder to make the transition from bottom of the barrel to a playoff team, and a competitor for the future. With 5 picks, 3 in the first round in the next two drafts, the Thunder will have ample chances to take what they need from the NCAA and also make some moves.

First of all, before I get to the plan, I'm going to break down the team and who is on it, who is leaving and who should stay or who should go.

Their starting five is Russell Westbrook at the point, Desmond Mason/Kyle Weaver at the two-guard, Kevin Durant as small forward, Jeff Green as power forward and Nenad Kristic as their starting center.

It seems obvious that they lack a quality center, which is needed with all the trees in the West, and also are in dire need of a starting shooting guard. Which one is more important?

In my opinion it is the center spot, considering there will be ample shooting guards to pick up in the 2009 FA market.

According to ESPN.com, their offensive efficiency is in the bottom three in the league and their defensive efficiency is ranked 23rd overall. This not only means that they need to step it up on both ends, but mostly that they are not experienced and lack chemistry.

Although surprisingly, the Thunder are a top rebounding team in the league, ranked seventh overall in total rebounds per game. They are also in the top 10 in defensive rebounding and in the top five for offensive rebounds.

If they can supply a solid big man down low, this team will be able to control the paint with rebounding and be able to plug the lane with an athletic body.

This year the Thunder have a top-three projected pick. You can never be too sure with the lottery, but for odds sake, we will give them a top-three pick.

Hasheem Thabeet, 7'3'' center from the University of Connecticut is a perfect fit for the Thunder to select with their first-round pick. Thabeet is an above-average runner of the court who does a great job of getting initial post position by using his body wide and sealing off his defender

Thabeet is an absolute beast in the paint. He rebounds the ball on both ends of the floor and has a strict no-fly-zone in effect.

The Thunder also have the San Antonio Spurs' projected 26th-overall pick in the 2009 draft. With that pick and a little bit of luck, the Thunder could steal Tyler Hansbrough out of UNC.

Hansbrough has been slept on by everyone in the country, but with his big body and work ethic he would make a great back up for already young star Jeff Green.

With their final pick in 2009, it might be wise to take a gamble on another seven-footer, Jerome Jordan out of Tulsa. The kid needs some work but has potential to be an NBA pro.

With the 2009 Draft out of the way, the Thunder need to say bye-bye to some players. How about everyone eligible to leave, which includes Damien Wilkins, Desmond Mason, Malik Rose, Joe Smith, and Robert Swift.

Now that they have a probable Rookie of the Year point guard, a superstar in Durant, and quality young players like Thabeet and Green, the Thunder can enter free agency with some cards on the table, plus a lot of chips to toss in the pot.

First of all, they have to take care of your shooting guard problem. By letting Desmond Mason go, all you have is Kyle Weaver at the spot, and that just won’t fly.

The number-one player on their list should be unrestricted free agent Jamal Crawford. Crawford seems the perfect fit for this team, he can play his position well, and hit threes. He struggles some on defense but will be able to run the floor well with the team.

Second option is the Bulls' former swingman, Ben Gordon. Gordon is pretty much a mirror image of Crawford, so I guess either or will do just fine.

If the Thunder can’t sign any of those two players, then they need to go after a Marquis Daniels. But the main point is they must sign one of these three players.

Now they can enter the 2010 season with a roster that looks something like this—mind you, if everything goes as planned:

Point Guards: Russell Westbrook - Earl Watson - Chucky Atkins

Shooting Guards: Jamal Crawford - Kyle Weaver

Small Forwards: Kevin Durant - Thabo Sefolosha

Power Forwards: Jeff Green -Nick Collinson - Tyler Hansbrough

Center: Hasheem Thabeet - Nenad Kristic - Jerome Jordan

By moving Collinson to power forward, Hansbrough has a chance to play off Nick and learn how to play bigger and use his stregth down low. This also frees up possible minutes for Jerome Jordan to play. Getting second-round minutes is key in that player's development.

That is a respectable depth chart in the league today. The Thunder would have most every category covered. If the players take to the team well, put in the time over the summer, especially their two rookies, then this team will be respected—and might even push for a playoff spot.

Now, in all honestly a playoff spot is very unlikely, but it could be in the cards. With a solid starting five in place and some quality bench players, aside from Weaver and the questionable Hansbrough, Oklahoma City can enter the 2010 season with some leverage and not be forced to go after the superstar players.

The deal of the 2010 summer is going to come from Michael Redd, with all the money being thrown around to players like LeBron, Dirk, Wade, Bosh, and Amar'e. And Redd is going to get slept on and might be affordable as well.

Also another steal could come by the likes of still-young and still-maturing Amir Johnson. He would fit in perfectly behind Thabeet and Green, somewhere in that mix. Or T.J. Ford could come in to back up and help mentor Westbrook if Earl leaves.

The Thunder can have a very bright future, but the moves have to be made properly, and everything has to fall in place. It's normally not the lightning that frightens people in a storm, but the Thunder that comes after.

NBA All 1990's Draft Picks Vs. All 2000's Draft Picks

Ari Wagner — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:18:31 -0500

Every draft class has its own talent, its own prospects and its own eventual champions and super-stars. But instead of everyone always breaking down the classes by year as their own respective draft class, I'm going to break them into two teams of 17, by decade.

1990-1999 had players ranging from Gary Payton('90) all the way from Elton Brand('99) and 2000-2008 had players from Michael Redd('00) to Derek Rose('08). Players in the 90's decade have left their mark or are for the most part leaving their last few foot prints in what was great NBA Careers.

The 2000 decade is whom we all know and love today, continuing the growth of not just their own game, but the growth of the NBA.

So who made the cut, and who got snubbed, it was not easy picking through each and every NBA draft to find out, leaving some very quality players out, and having to make decisions on who made the cut.

Starting with the snubs, the players who just barely missed the cut, despite their great NBA game, or players that are too young and have not quite reached the peak to make the list.

The 1990's players who did not make the team:

Gary Payton point guard drafted No. 2 overall in 1990 had a great career with the Seattle Supersonics, and finished it, almost taking home a title in L.A. vs. Detroit in the 2004 NBA finals. He finished his career with 16 points per game and just under 7 assists per contest, quality NBA stats, but just not enough to make the cut.

Baron Davis another point guard drafted No. 3 overall in the 1999 NBA draft. Davis is a quality player, very clutch down the stretch is always filling up the stat lines, but just has not reached the potential that he is worth, and for that I have to leave him off the team as well.

Ray Allen shooting guard drafted No. 5 overall out of UCONN in the 1996 NBA draft. Allen (A.K.A. Jesus Shuttlesworth) is a 21 point per game career scorer who also hits an average of 2.5 three-pointers a game. This guy is a clutch performer and as Dick Vitale would say, he is a real P-T-Per. With all that, and the recent title i still can't give him a spot on the roster.

Steve Smith shooting guard drafted No. 5 overall in 1991, had a very respectable NBA career. Not worthy of the team but definitely worthy of an honorable mention.

Allan Houston selected No. 11 overall in the 1993 NBA draft, played shooting guard for the Ney York Knicks for most of his career. He was a great free-throw shooter, career average of 86 percent from the line and would give 17 points per contest.

Small forward Paul Pierce was drafted No. 10 overall in 1998, this guy is a hard one to leave off the team, but hopefully when you see the actual roster you will know why. Pierce is a career 23 point, 4 assist and 6 rebound per night player. It really hurts to leave him off the final roster.

Elton Brand drafted No. 1overall out of Duke in 1999, still is making his mark in the Association today, but can't find his way on this team. Brand is a career 20 and 10 player who adds 2 blocks per game as well. He is a force down low, and may one day slip on this list when his career is over.

Rasheed Wallace drafted No. 4 out of UNC in 1995, plays power forward for the Detroit Pistons, who he helped bring a title to in 2004. He is a career 15 points and 7 rebounds, and will give you at least 1 three-pointer per game.

Charles Bakrley once said that "Sheed" could be a top-5 player in the NBA if he only played smart. Well, sorry "Sheed", you need to have the night state-of-mind to make this team.

The 2000's players who did not make the cut:

Tony Parker drafted at a very reasonable No. 28 overall in 2001, Parker has the skill set to be on this team, but this decade is full of point guards and Parker does not fit the proper mold, can't keep up with the players who made the team.

Rajon Rondo young point guard drafted by Boston No. 21 overall in 2006. Helped take Boston to the title last year, and the big three are all said to believe that without Rondo was their point they would never have been able to win the championship.

Very good credentials, the big three are all either honorable mentions or on a roster, but even with those guys vouching for you, you still need to produce at the highest level to make this team.

Young super-star on the rise Derrick Rose taken first overall by the bulls in the 2008 draft, has made a splash this year for the rookie of the year, and continues to show promise on the court. He just does not have enough to beat out the point guards that have made the cut.

Michael Redd drafted No. 43 overall, second round pick in 2000, maybe the best second round player on the list. Career 20 point per game scorer adding 2 threes every game. Redd is a very quality player, plays right, plays smart and is level-headed, but with the depth of this decade he barley misses the cut.

Danny Granger taken No. 17 overall in 2005 is an honorable mention only because he has really started to play the last two years. His game will no doubt elevate him to a roster spot sometime in the future unless one of the young guns beat him to it.

Gilbert Arenas (A.K.A. Agent Zero) also taken in the second round at No. 31 in 2001, just misses the cut as well. Sorry Arenas, just take me as another sports writer that slept on you, and I hope you use it as fuel for your game.

OJ Mayo shooting guard out of USC drafted this year at No. 3 overall is just like Derek Rose. Has all the potential in the world and is making a great run at the rookie of the year award, but i cant give him a spot on a 17 man roster for the all decade team.

Caron Butler drafted No. 10 overall in 2002 really stared to show us what he is all about when Arenas went down and he picked up his game, making an all star team. Butler has produced every year he has been around and will continue throughout his entire career.

Rudy Gay drafted No. 8 in 2006, has been in the league only two years and is already making a name for himself. He is a high-flying athlete who can fill up the stat sheet on any given night. This year and last year he is averaging 19 points and 6 rebounds per game.

Carlos Boozer another second round steal picked No. 35 overall in the 2002 NBA draft just barley missed the cut, i had him on, then last minute to cut the roster down to 17 players I had to give him the boot. Boozer makes a strong case at 17 points and 10 rebounds per game, maybe if he gets his stats up to 20 and 10 he will eventually find his way on the team.

LaMarcus Aldridge power forward for the Blazers drafted No. 2 overall in 2006 shows all the right things of one day making it on the team, but today is not that day, and he has a lot of hard work ahead, but still young, like Rudy Gay, he will one day possibly find himself on the team.

Emeka Okafor a No. 2 overall pick in 2004, Center for the Bobcats is a 14 point per game scorer and an astonishing 10.8 rebound per game player. His great rebounding skill and shot blocking ability is what elevated him on this list as an honorable mention.

Greg Oden drafted No. 1 overall in 2007 is not even close to making this team at this stage in his career, but because of his potential and thirst for playing time, i think once healthy, he will make his name and dominate the paint.

Now that you know who did not make the team, some players who obviously should not be on it, and some questionable cuts, here is the rosters for the 1990's draft class and the 2000's draft class.

Starting with the reserves for the 1990's

Jason Kidd drafted No. 2 overall in 1994 shared rookie of the year honors with Grant Hill and has won a few Olympic Gold Medals for the United States. Kidd is a triple-double machine and is a true NBA "gamer."

He comes to play night in and night out, and throughout his career he gives you 14 points, 9 assist and just under 7 rebound per game. Now that is all around play.

Chauncey Billups drafted No. 3 overall by Boston in 1997 makes the team. Billups won the NBA Finals MVP in 2004 when Detroit beat L.A. in 5 games. Billups, nicknamed "Mr. Big Shot" is a very clutch performer and his a leader on the floor. A true General of the court, and is able to get his team to follow his lead.

Anfernee Hardaway drafted No. 3 overall to play along Shaq in the 1993 NBA draft. "Penny" Hardaway was a true high-flyer, he was the Wade of his time, play maker that could get to the rim and finish. He averaged 15 points, 5 assists and just under 2 steals for his career.

Allen Iverson drafted No. 1 overall in 1996, makes the team as a reluctant reserve. Trying to stay true to positions on this roster I had to give a certain player form one of the L.A. teams the nod at shooting guard, even though Iverson is a multiple scoring title holder and a MVP winner who brings 27 points, 6 assists and just over 2 steals a game with his blood and sweat behind every play.

Isaiah Rider drafted No. 5 overall in 1993 and playing in only 9 NBA seasons and making a splash in almost everyone got him a spot as a bench player for the decade team. Rider averaged 17 points per game and 81-percent from the free-throw line.

Vince Carter also taken No. 5 overall in 1998 is a career 24 point per game scorer who can attack the rim better than anyone in the league. He has been a go-to player on every team he has been on every year he has been in the league, Vince is a true superstar in the league today and has earned this spot on the team.

Grant Hill drafted No. 3 overall by the Detroit Pistons out of DUKE in 1994 was the other half of Jason Kidds rookie of the year trophy. He is the parallel for the NBA of Ken Griffey Jr. in the MLB, Hill had all the potential in the world and when healthy he played like the best. But his career was plagued with injury he is still a top performer from the 90's draft class and is well deserved of this spot on the team.

Tracy McGrady taken No. 9 overall in 1997 has emerged as a bright star if the NBA today. A career of 22 points and 6 rebounds a game, who can handle the rock in the closing seconds of the game, pull up and sink the buzzer-beater. McGrady is a quality NBA star.

Kevin Garnett drafted No. 5 overall out of High School in 1995 has performed to his ability every year. He is a model NBA player for any young talent coming into the league and he finally won his first NBA title last year with the Celtics. He gives you passion and great basketball every night he is on the floor.

Dirk Nowitzki taken No. 9 overall in the 1998 NBA draft, has one of the best fade-away jumpers in the game, and can shoot better than any other 7-footer today. He has a pure game from the inside out, and presents a very tough matchup for every team he plays.

Dikembe Mutombo drafted No. 4 overall in 1991 in the backup Center for the team. Averaging just under 3 blocks a game which turns into just under three waives of his finger a game, Mutombo's no fly zone is exactly that. He holds down the paint with force and gives you 11 rebounds every night.

Alonzo Mourning taken second overall in 1992 just after Shaq, is a quality reserve for the team. He has a career average for 17 points, 8.5 rebounds and a hair under 3 blocks per game.

The starting 5 for the 1990's all decade team

Steve Nash drafted No. 15 overall in 1996 has won two MVPs as a member of the Suns. Nash as a serious knack to distribute the ball in the NBA, he can drop 20 dimes at any given time, pull up for a three when you least expect it or drive into the lane and get to the charity stripe, where he shoots a career 90%. He also brings 14 points and 8 assists to the table every night.

Kobe Bryant drafted No. 13 overall by Charlotte then traded to L.A. in 1996 has won three NBA titles and an MVP award. Kobe is the modern day version of Michael Jordan and is the peak performer in the NBA today.

Bryant once dropped 81 on Toronto, the second most points scored by a single player in one game. Bryant is a career 25 point per game scorer, and brings leadership to the team.

Glenn Robinson drafted No. 1 overall in 1994 is the starting small forward for the team. Robinson made big impacts when he played scoring 20 points per game.

Tim Duncan drafted No. 1 overall in 1997 is the starting power forward. His all decade team mate Shaqulille O'Neal calls him "The Big Fundamental," because everything he does is textbook. He has won NBA championships and is a true leader as well as a true champion of the sport. Duncan averages 21 points, 12 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game.

Shaquille O'Neal drafted No. 1 overall out of LSU (Love Shaq University) in the 1999 NBA drat earns the roll as starting center. He is arguably the best center to ever play the game, and can dominate any opponent. Shaq has won 3 titles with L.A. and one title with Miami. O'Neal averages 25 points, 11 rebound and 2.5 blocks per game.

That is the all 90's team, now for the 2000's team, one that is much younger, and players that are still making their way in the NBA right now.

The reserve for the 2000’s all decade team.

Deron Williams drafted at No. 3 overall just before Chris Paul in 2005 makes the team as a back-up point guard, to his counterpart Paul. Williams is a quality NBA player who leads his team to the playoffs every year. Able to dish out 20 assists on a given night and post up 20 points as well. Through his only 4 years in the league he has averaged 16 points and 8.5 assists per game.

Devin Harris point guard drafted No. 5 overall in 2004 has really showed his potential after being dealt by the Mavericks for Jason Kidd. Harris has played well enough, averaging 22 points and almost 7 assists this year along elevated him to the team.

Brandon Roy drafted No. 6 overall by Portland in 2006 has been the talk of the league this year. Elevating his game to a hair under superstar status with 22 points per game this year and a shade under 20 for his career.

Andre Iguodala taken No. 9 overall in 2004 as a shooting guard has been the face of the 76ers franchise ever since the real A.I. left. With 15 points 6 rebounds and 4 assists Iguodala makes this team for his great athletic ability too.

Kevin Durant drafted No. 2 overall in 2007 is the new young face of the league, currently 4th in scoring in the entire NBA. He can hit from three land, drive inside, defend the basket and on the ball, and can also spot up mid range with lethal accuracy. This guy is the total package, and if it was not for the new number 23 he would be a starter on this team.

Carmelo Anthony drafted third in the famous 2003 draft is a bonafide scorer superstar in the NBA. He has not done much in the playoffs or in any games that actually matter, although he has a gold medal for team USA, he is on the team because of his great offensive threat that he presents every game.

Amare Stoudemire drafted No. 9 overall in 2002 is a player who just missed the cut for a starting spot, it was very close between he and Bosh, but I gave the edge to Bosh just because I think Bosh and Howard would play better off each other than Howard and Soudemire.

Amare is a coin flip from starting on this team and is well deserved. Career stats of 21 points and 9 rebounds.

Al Jefferson taken No. 15 overall by Boston in 2004 then traded for Garnett to the Timberwolves. He has really found a great spot there; he gets 11 rebounds and 22 points per game since going to the Wolves.

Pau Gasol taken No. 3 overall in 2001 by the Grizzlies then traded for nearly nothing to the Lakers. Gasol is a career 18 and 9 player who brings intensity to every play. Blocks almost 2 shots per game and his very long, leaving the paint closed for business.

Yao Ming drafted No. 1 overall in 2002 is not starting just because of his lack of intensity, he should average at least 12 rebounds a game for his career, yet he doesn't even average 10 rebounds or 20 points. Message to Yao, MAN-UP!

Andrew Bynum drafted No. 10 in 2005 made this list on pure potential, watching up put up 40 points this year was a key factor in him making this team. Only a career 8 point and 6 rebound player, he has averaged around 13.5 points and 9 rebounds per game the last two years.

The starting 5 for the 2000's all decade team

Point guard Chris Paul taken No. 4 overall in the 2005 NBA draft was runner-up to Kobe's MVP last year, and is a true on the floor leader. Paul has averaged 21 points and 11 rebounds the last two years and is always in the top for steals. He has the all time NBA record for most consecutive steals and averaged almost 3 a game the last two years.

Dwyane Wade starting shooting guard drafted No. 5 overall in 2003 by Miami is a perfect fit for this team. He is a scorer but can also distribute for his position, he is able to get inside and shoot from the mid range. Wade is scoring 29 points per game this year and just under 25 for his career, he is also a career 6.6 assist player.

Lebron James drafted No. 1 overall in 2003 is the starting small forward, self-proclaimed chosen one, is arguably the best player in the NBA today. James has really worked on his conditioning and is in the best shape in the NBA.

He can do anything on the court and has worked on his defense enough to be in the talks for 2008-09 defensive player of the year. James is 27.5 points per game, 7 rebounds and just under 7 assists per game for his career.

Chris Bosh taken No. 4 overall also in the 2003 draft is the starting power forward. Bosh has won Olympic Gold for the USA and is a dominant force at his position. The All-Star power forward averages 19 points and 9 rebounds for his career, but has not scored less than 22 points per game in a season since 2004-05 season.

Starting center for the decade team is Dwight Howard drafted No. 1 overall in 2004 is a defensive beast and an absolute monster on the boards.

Also a member of the Olympic Gold team, he conducts himself like an Olympian should on and off the court. Howard averages 2 blocks per game and 12.5 rebounds for his career and is always leading the league in dunks per game.

That’s the NBA Draft all decade teams for the 90's and the 2000's.

Second-Half NBA Preview: East and West Conferences

Ari Wagner — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 22:17:33 -0500

East:

As we stand right now, the Celtics, Cavs, and Magic are in a close competition for the top three spots. The rest of the conference is up in the air, although Atlanta has almost locked up the fourth spot unless Miami makes a surge.

Let us start with the four through eight spots and breakdown the team’s chances.

Hawks:

As I mentioned before, the Hawks are looking like a lock at the fourth spot. Joe Johnson continues to play quality minutes and score with ease. Mike Bibby's passing ability and mid-range jumper is perfect for this team. He is looking more and more durable, and he has the extensive playoff experience the rest of the team lacks.

Marvin Williams is averaging almost 13 PPG and is pulling down 6.5 RPG at the same time. His athleticism and ability to do the intangibles fits right in with the Atlanta's style of play. Josh Smith and Al Horford hold down the paint offensively and defensively.

When you look at Atlanta’s bench, they have a quality second unit. Pachulia has been playing great ever since he stepped in for an injured Horford. "Flip" Murray and Maurice Evans are also quality second-unit guys who can put the ball in the basket, especially from beyond the arc.

Look for the Hawks to continue their steady pace and secure the fourth spot.

Heat:

We all know that Shawn Marion just left and Miami brought in Jermaine O’Neal and Jamario Moon to replace him, which is a quality move. Miami was in need of more size, a quality that many Eastern teams lack.

As for Dwayne Wade, there is nothing I can say about him that you do not already know. He is a bonafide scorer and a playmaker with the basketball. Do not look for him to do anything different in the second half, except for trying to compete with Lebron James for the scoring title.

The sleeper for Miami is Daequan Cook, who is coming off a win in the 2009 Three-Point Shootout Championship at the All-Star game. He has been drilling three-pointers all year, averaging 2.3 per game, and has the fourth-best percentage in the league.

If he can make big shots at the end of games and continue to be a consistent three-point threat, he will elevate this team.

Look for Miami to finish fifth in the East just behind Atlanta.

Pistons:

Detroit is on a serious downward spiral and cannot even manage to win a home game where they had been dominant for the past eight years.

The addition of Allen Iverson has turned out to be a questionable short-term move. With Rodney Stuckey left to run the offense, the team has not been clicking like the front office had hoped.

With that said, do not count the boys in blue out so soon. They have a decent bench and a lot of quality experience in the starting lineup. Tayshaun Prince has never not been in the conference finals since coming in the league, and he, Rasheed Wallace, and Richard Hamilton all have championship rings. Allen Iverson has also been to the finals.

However, I can see their lack of composure hurting them during playoff run. This is often a problem for high school basketball and collegiate-level teams; this is usually not a problem for NBA teams. But, in this case, it is huge.

Both Hamilton and Wallace are always a threat to get a technical and each could be suspended a few times late in the season when their technical tallies reach the maximum.

Look for Detroit to finish at the sixth spot under Miami.

The top three teams in the East are a lock with Cleveland, Boston, and Orlando. Depending on the severity of Garnett’s knee injury and the return of Delonte West to the Cavs, look for Cleveland to gain some ground on the Celtics. LeBron cannot be stopped, and he seems to have the hunger to get home court this year, make it to the finals, and avenge his embarrassing loss in the finals.

With the loss of Jameer Nelson, the Magic’s chances of gaining a top spot in the East will have to wait until next season. Although their quality three-point shooting and a top-caliber big man, Dwight Howard, will allow them to hold down the third spot, they may not be a huge threat come playoff time.

The final two spots in the East come down to four teams: Chicago, Philadelphia, New Jersey and New York. Sorry Buck fans, but without Redd or Bogut, do not look to make a splash in the playoffs, just a splash on your way down to the bottom.

Guard Devin Harris and superstar Vince Carter will push the New Jersey Nets into the playoffs. Each of these players will elevate his game during the stretch run. Look for New Jersey to take the seventh seed.

Philadelphia will hold onto their playoff spot by pure luck; Chicago will be right on their heels the whole way. Andre Miller and Iguodala will have to play extremely well, and they are capable of doing that

No. 1 Cleveland

No. 2 Boston

No. 3 Orlando

No. 4 Atlanta

No. 5 Miami

No. 6 Detroit

No. 7 New Jersey

No. 8 Philadelphia

West:

As we stand right now, it is obvious that the Lakers are going to get home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.

With that out of the way, every other spot is up for grabs. Remember, the eighth-seeded Jazz are only five games back from second-seeded Spurs/Nuggets. I think the West will have another epic battle for playoff seeding this year.

San Antonio has a relatively easy schedule ahead. They only have two tough tests left in their schedule: Cleveland on April 5 and the Hornets on March 29.

Denver has an away game against the Jazz, who always plays well at home in early March. Later that month, they have a three-game road trip where they play the Suns, Hornets, and Mavs. They also close the season at L.A. followed by a home game against the Kings (easy) and a road battle against the Blazers, who will also be battling for a good seed.

The difference in schedule strengths leads me to believe that L.A. will hold down the top spot, then the Spurs will take the second seed while Denver finishes third.

Portland:

The Blazers just got word that their quality swing man Martell Webster will likely miss the rest of the season. He has not played this season. They are in the fourth spot right now, but this will hurt their chances to break into the top three.

Also, Greg Oden needs to be healthy and needs to produce quality numbers with the minutes he is given. With the race so close, Oden has to be more productive.

Aldridge and Roy will continue to produce big numbers, carry this team on their backs into the playoffs, and keep them in the top four come late April.

Jazz:

As of right now, the Boozer-less Jazz are in the eighth spot in the West. With Boozer coming back soon, they will move up the standings.

You may not have noticed, but Okur is playing huge lately and looks as though he will not slow down. Being a Pistons fan, I understand Okur's contributions, which helped the Pistons win the title in 2004. Look for him to help Boozer with his excellent jump shooting, which spaces out the floor.

Williams will continue to improve throughout the season and will put up pre-injury numbers.

Andre Kirilenko, Ronnie Brewer, Paul Millsap, and Matt Harpring make for a seriously deep rotation, a huge key for a team looking to play well down the stretch and into the playoffs.

Look for Utah to be the fifth seed. But, if they can all stay healthy, Utah could easily break the top four due to their stellar home-court play.

Houston, New Orleans, Dallas, and a depleted Phoenix squad round out the contenders for the bottom three spots in the West.

Unless Nash and Shaq can get back to their MVP roots, Jason Richardson goes crazy, and Grant Hill lives up to his potential, do not look for the Suns in the playoffs.

No. 1 LA Lakers

No. 2 San Antonio

No. 3 Denver

No. 4 Portland

No. 5 Utah

No. 6 Dallas

No. 7 New Orleans

No. 8 Houston

Big Problems: Breaking Down the NBA Big Man Injuries

Ari Wagner — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 13:10:32 -0500

Complete teams are built from the inside out in the NBA. It's almost impossible to win a title without a dominant presence in the paint.

Posting up, drawing the double team, denying the lane, blocking out, collecting key rebounds, and shot blocking are all things that NBA big men do night in and night out. Without that on your team it's not possible to compete in the playoffs, and throughout the season.

You have to go all the way back to the '97-'98 Chicago Bulls with center Luc Longley and forward Toni Kukoc to find a championship team without a dominant big man—and oh-by-the-way they had a player named Michael Jordan.

The last 10 years of champions have been highlighted by players named Duncan and Robinson, Shaq, Duncan again, Big Ben Wallace and Rasheed Wallace, Duncan, Shaq, Duncan then last year with the Big Three being held down by Defensive Player of the Year, Kevin Garnett.

In case you were wondering, in between the Jordan and the Bulls three-year runs it was Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde "The Glide" Drexler teamed with a young Robert Horry. So you see, dominance down low is a key ingredient. It is what Emeril Lagasse would spice a team up with, and "BAM" you have a champion.

This year in the Association it has been one tower after the other falling, and not just for a few games, but for the whole year. Players who are key for their teams' sauces. Just look at the Washington Wizards—no Brendan Haywood and no respect in the league.

Long-Term Injuries

Brendan Haywood

Haywood is not a household name, but he is if you are a Washington Wizards fan. The Wiz are last in the East with only 13 wins, when last year they were the fifth seed in the playoffs. I know you are saying, "Well they don't have Agent Zero!" I know this, and they didn't have him for all of last year either, and still made the playoffs.

This year without Haywood, they are already 27-and-a-half games back of the division—the same division in which they finished second to the Magic last year.

Elton Brand

Brand was supposed to be the knight in shining armor for the 76ers young team. Alongside Samuel Dalembert, they were going to clean up the glass better than Windex ever dreamed. Sorry Philli, but Elton came down with the Big Man bug, and ruined that for you.

Although you are still sitting in a playoff spot, it's going to be hard to get passed a Dwight Howard or a Kevin Garnet this year. Brand is a career 20 and 10 big man with just over two blocks a game.

With stats like that, any team would miss Brand, but the 76ers don't seem to mind. They are playing above .500 without him. I guess the real test will be in the playoffs against a team that can hold down the paint.

Al Jefferson

Jefferson is probably the worst loss for any team this year who has suffered from the Big Man bug. Considering the Wolves are still trying hard to figure out what they are all about, and seem to have a number of pieces together to build around, losing Jefferson is just something they cannot deal with.

Since coming to Minnesota, Jefferson has averaged over 21 a game and over 11 boards per game. Jefferson is the Wolves' go-to scorer and scorer that they go to when they need a bucket. Which pretty much means he touches the ball every time they are on offense. By far the worst loss for any team this year.

Andrew Bogut

Bogut is another key loss to his team. Although the Bucks have had experience playing without him—because he is very injury prone—they still rely on him to do all the intangibles that an all star caliber center should do. With career numbers just under 12 points and 8.7 rebounds a game, he is not a dominant force down low. That is, until you actually watch a game and steer away from the box scores.

Bogut is a player that the Bucks need this year, and with Michael Redd out and Milwaukee sitting on the playoff bubble, this is a major loss.

Andrew Bynum

Bynum is the future of the Lakers, the future of the NBA, and an overall top 50 player in the league. This would be devastating to any team, but not the L.A. Lakers.

Don't get me wrong this definitely makes it harder for them to get home court throughout the playoffs, but with Kobe, Pau, and a charging Odom I don't think this is the most devastating loss for a team.

It's crazy to think that losing 14 points per game and eight rebounds with a chance for 30 every night is not a big loss, but for the Lakers it's not. He will be back come playoff time, and L.A. won't even remember he was gone.

Amare Stoudemire

Stoudemire came off a 42-point, 11-rebound performance trying his best to prove to the Suns that they should not trade him. Then comes the news that he has to have detached retina surgery and will be out for the next eight weeks. This is a huge loss.

Amare not only gives you energy and stats, but provides Shaq with the ability to take nights off, gives Nash a comfortable person to lob ally-oops to, and is the backbone of this run-and-gun team. He can actually run the floor with Nash, and post up whenever on whoever.

With the Suns sitting just outside the playoff picture, I can't see how they are going to get it together especially if Utah (who is half up on the Suns) gets Carlos Boozer back soon.

Other key injuries to the frontcourt of teams that has been paralyzing are players like Al Horford of the Atlanta Hawks, who missed almost the whole month of January.

The Hawks went 5-7 without him. For a team that is looking to catch up with the Big Three teams in the East, that really hurt their chances.

The L.A. Clippers were a team at the beginning with Marcus Camby and Chris Kaman—and the addition of Zach Randolph—that surely would not have trouble down low.

But with injuries to all of them—Camby missing 12 games, Kaman 40 games, and Randolf just getting back from injury, then getting suspended for throwing a punch at Suns forward Louis Amundson—this has left the Clippers with no depth down low after starting with possibly the most depth in the big man game.

Carlos Boozer, Yao Ming, and Greg Oden are all playing for playoff caliber teams in the dominant Western Conference, but have been riddled with injuries. Boozer has been out since mid-November and is expecting to return to a Utah team who is currently the eighth seed.

Yao has played in 52 games already this year, but after playing in only 55 last year and 48 the year before. After coming up limp on his leg last night against Dallas, there is no way I could leave him off this list.

Greg Oden is another player that has been over-hyped and due to injury has crushed his early career. When he plays he performs, but no one can perform while injured. Oden is currently nursing a sore left knee and it is looking less and less likely that he will finish the year. Just keep a close eye on him and where he lands coming down from the basket.

Other bigs that I couldn't leave off this list are recently traded Brad Miller who is averaging 12 and eight this year and Tyson Chandler who couldn't be moved due an injury in his toe. Although Chandler has played 32 games this year, he is having a rough year averaging only eight points and eight rebounds per contest.

Jermaine O'Neal missed half of January and some of November, but is on a new team alongside Dwayne Wade playing on American soil once again. Look for him to try his best to stay away from injury talk for the rest of the year.

Drew Gooden, another big who has been out a lot, has missed the last 11 games and just got traded from Chicago to the Kings. Although the Kings are awful, he will still rehab and get back on the floor to try to get a contract while being a free agent this summer.

The New York Knicks are always on lists that have to deal with the negative and I can't leave them off this one. From throwing stupid money to "Starbury," don't forget that they have overpaid overweight center Eddie Curry. Curry has played in one game this year due to a sore left knee, and only played in 59 last year.

Kevin Garnett just recently came up limp after missing a lob dunk against the Utah Jazz. According to the Boston Globe he will miss the remainder of the West Coast trip and some sources even think he will be out two to four weeks. This is a terrible loss for a team trying to keep home court. Garnett is easily the heart and soul of the Celtics and defensively they cannot afford to be without him.

Finally, with all the negative you must have a few positives, and for the NBA's big men, that positive is Nene Hilario. He is coming off only playing exactly 81 games in the last three years, and he has not missed a game. Nene is averaging just under 15 a game and is pulling down eight rebounds. He is also currently first in the league in field goal percentage with a crazy .611 percent.

Don't think that the addition of Chauncey Billups is the only thing that elevated the Nuggets this year.

Pistons GM for a Day

Ari Wagner — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 18:51:56 -0500

After doing my homework, I've decided that this is what I would do if I was Joe D., Detroit Pistons GM, for a day.

I'd drop Kwame Brown, Allen Iverson, Rasheed Wallace, Will Bynum, and Walter Hermann.

I'd re-sign Antonio McDyess on the cheap; you know he wants to be here. Otherwise, he would have signed with Boston, L.A., or Cleveland after the Denver deal.

I would also shop Rip for one lottery and one second-round pick. A perfect trade partner would be OKC; they have a great young point guard and two great young forwards. Following today's trade with New Orleans, they now have a center, so Rip would round out their five nicely.

My remaining starters are now SG Rodney Stuckey, SF Tayshaun Prince, and PF Amir Johnson. We've got question marks at the point and at center.

Now I'm ready to tackle the free agent market.

Stuckey and Aaron Afflalo cover the two, and both can back up at point, but we really need a new starter there.

We have Prince at the three; he plays serious minutes and we can bank on really anyone to backing him up.

We have Johnson and Jason Maxiell locking down the four, but we do still need a center.

Free-agent point guards to possibly pursue are Mike Bibby, Andre Miller, and Ramon Sessions (though he's restricted).

My list of free agents who could potentially fill the pivot position includes: Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur, Al Harrington, David Lee (restricted), and Charlie Villanueva (restricted).

With our draft pick that we acquired via the Rip trade, we'll target Wake Forest PG Jeff Teague. He's currently in the top five in scoring in the NCAA and is projected at the sixth spot overall in the draft.

With our awarded pick (should be around 17), we'll take Georgetown SF DaJuan Summers. And there will be no trading of first-rounders for second-rounders this year.

Then, with our awarded second-round pick, we either pick up UConn PG A.J. Price or UNC SF Danny Green.

Now the roster looks like this:

Starters

PG: Bibby OR Miller

SG: Stuckey

SF: Tay

PF: Amir

C: Boozer, Memo, OR Lee

Bench

PG: Teague

SG: Afflalo

SF: Summers OR Green

PF AND C: Max AND McDyess

I really think that this would be a championship team, or at least a contender down the road. And if we put in the work this summer, we can just sit back and watch everyone stumble over themselves in the 2010 offseason.

The only free agents we have in 2010 are Amir and Walter Sharpe, so if we can just resign Amir that summer, we’d be in the clear.

Even if we can’t re-sign Amir in 2010, we could always go after a cheap big like Ben Wallace, Mikki More, Brad Miller, Joel Pryzbilla, Tyson Chandler, or Kenyon Martin, all of whom will be on the market come that July.

Detroit Pistons 2008 Draft Day

Ari Wagner — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:24:55 -0400

If I were Joe Dumars on draft day, I would always keep Darko in the back of my mind. Also, unless proven, I would never draft a Euro player with my first pick. Only home grown in Detroit from now on. With the 29th pick in this year's first round, there is no way you can grab best available. Best available picks are only useful when you have a top five pick. Other than that, you have to draft for your roster.

Many lottery teams make the mistake of drafting best available when they have a crucial roster spot that needs to be filled. Just look at Minnesota's first pick last year. They selected Corey Brewer seventh overall because he was the M.O.P. of the tournament that year. He is a huge bust, and probably weighs 100lbs less than Tayshaun Prince.

With the number 29 pick, a steady back-court, and very good forwards with no true center, I think it is clear they need to look at the center position in this draft. Some mock drafts I have seen have Detroit picking Omer Asik, a 7 footer from Turkey who is 22 years old.

"Consistency is his calling card as he always gives his team some points and an equal share of rebounds while being a capable shot blocker at the Euro league level" -Simon Dresden. If this is the best that can be said for this guy, I have a feeling it would be Darko all over again. I would be looking to trade this pick to a team like the Atlanta Hawks, who lost their pick over Joe Johnson a few years ago to the Suns, and will not be picking in the draft at all.

I would offer the number 29 pick, Rasheed Wallace, and cash considerations for Al Horford. If this does not go through, which it probably wont, I would then look at other offers coming my way. Joe Dumars already put most of the team on notice around the league and you have to think he is going to trade to get a pick because he loves to draft.

Offering the Nets a deal for a swap in picks, our 29th pick for their 21st pick to try and get JaVale McGee a center from Nevada. Offering the 29th pick and Chauncey or RIP for their 21st pick, Devin Harris and Sean Williams. But if all trades fail I would hope that McGee falls to the 29th pick or try and get someone like Joey Dorsey, a championship caliber player from Memphis.

With a good draft and some solid off season pick ups, you better believe that the Piston will be right back at the top come next April. Watch out Boston, we'll get you next time.