Bleacher Report - Articles by Taylor Smith

Allen Iverson To Philly: Happy Homecoming or Epic Mistake?

Taylor Smith — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:36:18 -0500

So, Allen Iverson is headed back to Philadelphia.

I've written in the past about how he needs to accept the fact that he's in decline and nobody cares to have a whining, selfish, aging player as a franchise centerpiece.

However, I feel as though Iverson's move back to the 76ers is a perfect match for both sides.

Lou Williams, Philly's second-leading scorer, just went down for eight weeks with a broken jaw. Before the injury, Williams was enjoying a breakout season, averaging 17 points and five assists per game while assuming point guard duties for the Sixers.

Williams is a lightning-quick 6'1" guard with a knack for finding the rim and scoring.

Sound familiar?

What better replacement than a 34-year-old carbon copy of him?

The Sixers are 21st in the league in scoring average per game, and Iverson was born to put the ball in the basket.

Iverson, who has averaged 27 points per game for his career, will come in and start right away for Philly at point guard ahead of rookie Jrue Holiday.

Is Iverson a point guard?

No.

However, he's not coming in and playing off-guard ahead of Andre Iguodala, and we all know how he feels about coming off the bench.

What do the Sixers have to lose?

They're 5-13 and mired in a seven-game losing streak.

Their current starting point guard, the 19-year-old Holiday, has looked overwhelmed at times and doesn't look quite ready to be playing extensive minutes in the NBA.

They're already far outside the playoff picture, and have absolutely no spark right now.

Iverson is (or was) a one-man offensive wrecking machine, capable of scoring by himself whenever he wants to.

If Eddie Jordan lets him roll freely, Iverson could resurrect his career here and may be able to help jump-start the 76ers back into contention.

If AI is stuck in a system that doesn't complement his skills (like last season in Detroit), he'll struggle and eventually flounder.

There's no doubting the talent on Philadelphia's roster.

They've missed second-year forward Marreese Speights in a major way, as he's missed the last eight games with an MCL injury. Before going down, Speights averaged 13 points and six rebounds per game.

Thaddeus Young, still just 21 years old, averages 15 points per game and has tons of room still to grow as a player.

However, the biggest key of all is Elton Brand.

Brand still hasn't gotten going after signing with the Sixers last summer and has struggled to stay on the floor. In 15 games this year, he's averaging 12 points and seven rebounds per game.

If he can start looking like the player he was for the Bulls and Clippers, Philly will have a reliable threat on the low block that can get them easy baskets.

Iverson, Iguodala, and Willie Green give the Sixers a nice little tandem of scoring guards.

So, were Ed Stefanski and Eddie Jordan motivated to bring Iverson in for basketball reasons and basketball reasons only?

Of course not.

"The Answer" is going to sell tickets.

Philadelphia may be the one place that Iverson could have gone and immediately fit right in and feel comfortable.

Based on years past, the fans still love him, and he will always be remembered as a Sixer.

Philadelphia sports fans are notorious for being tough and rough around the edges, and Iverson's style has matched that throughout his career.

Based on how they've been reeling, fan interest in the Sixers can't be too high.

The Phillies are coming off back-to-back World Series appearances, the Eagles are 7-4, and even the Flyers are better than the 76ers right now.

So why should they care about their 5-13 basketball team?

Bringing Iverson back immediately gets people in Philadelphia talking about the team again, and, if they're able to put something together with him, Iverson will own the town once again.

Does the addition of Iverson guarantee the Sixers will make a run?

Of course not.

It's completely possible that Allen Iverson as we've known him for years no longer exists as a basketball superstar.

These Sixers may just not have it and are bound for a top-five lottery choice next summer.

Who knows?

In any case, bringing Iverson back to Philadelphia will certainly generate interest.

Whether or not they end up making the playoffs, the Iverson signing is a smart move for the 76ers.

NFL Fantasy Football Risers and Fallers: Week 13

Taylor Smith — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:08:04 -0500

Week 12 saw quarterbacks going wild, a few old friends reasserting themselves (Miles Austin, Antonio Gates), and the weekly "random running back that puts up insane numbers."

Based on recent performance, here are five fantasy guys I'd pick up or start, and five more that I'd drop or sit going into Week 13.

Risers

Justin Forsett, RB, Seattle Seahawks

Forsett has made the most of his time in the spotlight with Julius Jones out of the lineup.

Against St. Louis last Sunday, he racked up 130 yards rushing and two touchdowns.

This weekend, he'll be facing San Francisco, a much tougher run defense.

However, don't be surprised if he's able to punch another one in, assuming Jones is out once again.

Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, Buffalo Bills

Fitzpatrick is quickly turning into an unlikely hero for the Bills, as he's thrown for over 230 yards and at least one touchdown in each of his past two games. When Terrell Owens is quoted as saying he's "thankful for Ryan Fitzpatrick", you know things are going fairly well in Buffalo.

Fitzpatrick doesn't have the best match-up in the world against the Jets this week, but two solid games in a row and an offense that is quietly on the rise suggests that he's at least a better option than Brady Quinn and Kyle Boller.

Vince Young, QB, Tennessee Titans

Each of these guys put up big numbers last weekend, but they'll be facing much tougher matchups this weekend, as Fitzpatrick faces the Jets, and Young goes up against the 11-0 Colts.

Fitzpatrick may be able to pile up some yardage against New York, but their defense is proficient in forcing turnovers, so buyer beware.

Young was able to throw for a whopping 387 yards against Arizona, but Indy's defense (even if beleaguered) is more stout.

However, he somehow just finds a way to keep getting the job done.

Fitzpatrick and Young are nice flex plays if you have an opening.

Jamaal Charles, RB, Kansas City Chiefs

Charles went off against the Chargers, rushing for 93 yards with a touchdown on just 14 carries.

The Broncos are another tough defense, but Charles is certainly explosive enough to break one against anybody.

Without much of a passing game for the Chiefs, expect Charles to be heavily involved once again.

Kenny Britt, WR, Tennessee Titans

Britt has had two consecutive solid games (each with a TD) in the absence of Justin Gage.

With Gage questionable for the Colts game, Britt appears to still be the No. 1 deep threat for Vince Young.

Chris Johnson will still dominate the ball (for obvious reasons), but don't be surprised if Britt is able to find the end zone.

Knowshon Moreno, RB, Denver Broncos

The Chiefs have one of the league's worst run defenses, so Moreno should have plenty of room to run.

He's flown under the radar so far, but he's put up several games with impressive totals on the ground, and don't expect this week to be any different.

Start him.

Fallers

Jay Cutler, QB, Chicago Bears

If "fantasy football faller" was in the dictionary, you'd likely see a picture of Cutler or Matt Forte next to it.

It's been an inaugural season in Chicago to forget for Cutler, and I wouldn't trust him in any matchup right now.

Yes, they're playing the Rams, but I can't imagine a scenario that would call for me to start him over anyone else.

Steve Smith, WR, New York Giants

I'm not sure I would start any Giant these days.

Since erupting to start the year, Smith has just one touchdown in his last seven games.

He's still putting up decent yardage totals, but if he isn't scoring, there are better options out there.

Matt Hasselbeck, QB, Seattle Seahawks

Hasselbeck threw for just 105 yards against the Rams, and a matchup with the hot 49ers defense isn't going to help him any.

A deficit could force Hasselbeck to have to throw more than he did last week, but I wouldn't anticipate that equaling big fantasy numbers.

Willis McGahee, RB, Baltimore Ravens

McGahee racked up five touchdowns through the first three games of the season and looked like he'd be Baltimore's sure thing goal-line back.

However, he's scored just once since then (last week against Pittsburgh) and has had several zero-point weeks.

Keep him on the pine until it's proven that he'll be able to punch it into the end zone.

Kurt Warner, QB, Arizona Cardinals

If he plays, Warner will be facing a Minnesota defense that has been allowing nothing all season long.

Considering the way the Vikings are able to get to the quarterback, I'd be terrified of the chances that Warner winds up on the ground, and out of the game.

I don't even know if I'd play him if I were Ken Whisenhunt, and I certainly wouldn't play him if I were his fantasy owner.

NFL Power Rankings: Week 13: New Orleans Saints Back on Top

Taylor Smith — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:54:22 -0500

Last night, the New Orleans Saints made all the hype surrounding their matchup with the New England Patriots seem quite silly.

Drew Brees and company made it look easy against the Patriots, cruising to a 38-17 win that puts them back on top of the football world...for now.

1. New Orleans Saints (11-0)

Drew Brees had a perfect passer rating (158.3) Monday night against the Patriots.

It's amazing how he's being so overlooked in the MVP race so far.

2. Indianapolis Colts (11-0)

Another week, another fourth quarter comeback win for the Colts.

Their upcoming game against the red-hot Titans may be Indy's toughest test yet.

3. Minnesota Vikings (10-1)

Every week, they make it look easier and easier.

Sidney Rice has two consecutive games with the same stat line: six catches, 89 yards.

4. San Diego Chargers (8-3)

Don't expect the San Diego train to stop rolling this weekend, as they travel to Cleveland.

5. Cincinnati Bengals (8-3)

What better way to rebound from a terrible loss than with a game against the Browns?

Rookie Bernard Scott has filled in quite capably for the injured Cedric Benson.

6. Dallas Cowboys (8-3)

The Cowboys have a great opportunity to all-but end the Giants' season this Sunday in the Meadowlands.

On another note, Roy Williams scored a touchdown against the Raiders.

No way!

7. Green Bay Packers (7-4)

Green Bay has quietly gotten right back into the NFC playoff picture with three straight wins.

All eyes will be on Aaron Rodgers as the Ravens come to Lambeau Monday night.

8. New England Patriots (7-4)

New England looked completely overmatched against the Saints.

The Pats' 1-4 road record has to be of some concern.

9. Arizona Cardinals (7-4)

Hard to punish the Cardinals for a tough loss at Tennessee.

They're just the latest victims to get run over by the train known as Vince Young and Chris Johnson.

10. Denver Broncos (7-4)

The Broncos looked like the team that started 6-0 in Thanksgiving's whipping of the Giants.

With an extremely light schedule the rest of the way, the Broncos are still in great position to make the playoffs.

11. Philadelphia Eagles (7-4)

They showed lots of heart in Sunday's comeback win over the Redskins.

However, with the talent they have, they should have never been down against the Redskins in the first place.

12. Tennessee Titans (5-6)

Suddenly, Chris Johnson's "wild" proclamation that the Titans would run the table to end the season isn't looking so crazy.

If they beat undefeated Indianapolis Sunday, they could miraculously find themselves in the playoffs.

13. Atlanta Falcons (6-5)

Mark Redman filled in quite well for the injured Matt Ryan in the Falcons' victory over the Bucs, throwing for 243 yards with a pair of touchdowns.

This weekend presents a tougher matchup for Redman as the Eagles fly into town.

14. Baltimore Ravens (6-5)

The Ravens were able to notch a huge win over the wounded Steelers Sunday night to stay alive in the playoff hunt.

They head into Green Bay on Monday night in what could be another must-win game.

15. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5)

Other than the interception that ended up costing the Steelers the game, Dennis Dixon looked solid in his first NFL start.

Unfortunately, Pittsburgh is now on the outside looking in on the playoffs.

16. Jacksonville Jaguars (6-5)

The Jags' offense was essentially non-existent in their 20-3 loss at the hands of San Francisco.

Sunday's matchup with the Texans could make-or-break Jacksonville's season.

17. New York Giants (6-5)

It's incredible to think that this team was once 5-0, and we were debating about whether or not they were the NFL's best.

Now, their season really comes down to this weekend's home game with Dallas.

18. Houston Texans (5-6)

The lack of a killer instinct from Gary Kubiak is likely going to lead to his unemployment this spring.

Nobody was surprised when Houston blew a 17-0 lead against the Colts and lost the game in embarrassing fashion.

19. Miami Dolphins (5-6)

The Dolphins laid an egg against the Bills in a game they had to win in order to maintain any playoff aspirations.

Their next three are tough: vs. New England, at Jacksonville, at Tennessee.

20. New York Jets (5-6)

It had to be a confidence-booster for Mark Sanchez to get to watch Jake Delhomme play quarterback Sunday.

21. San Francisco 49ers (5-6)

Alex Smith played perhaps the best game of his career Sunday against Jacksonville, going 27-41 for 232 yards and two touchdowns.

Smith is only 25-years-old, and has plenty of time to turn his career completely around.

22. Carolina Panthers (4-7)

Sunday's debacle against the Jets added yet another chapter to Jake Delhomme's awful season.

The Panthers QB was 14-34 for 130 yards, with no touchdowns and four interceptions in the 17-6 defeat.

23. Chicago Bears (4-7)

The Bears have lost four straight, and the Jay Cutler trade is looking worse and worse every week.

24. Seattle Seahawks (4-7)

After his terrible eight attempts for nine yards rushing against Minnesota last week, Justin Forsett rebounded against the Rams for 130 yards on 22 carries, with two touchdowns.

25. Buffalo Bills (4-7)

So far, so good for Ryan Fitzpatrick since he was named Buffalo's permanent starting quarterback, as he recorded his second straight stellar game in the win over Miami.

26. Washington Redskins (3-8)

For the second straight week, the Redskins managed to snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

27. Kansas City Chiefs (3-8)

Jamaal Charles has been fantastic since the departure of Larry Johnson, rushing 14 times for 93 yards with a touchdown and catching three more for 54 yards Sunday against the Chargers.

On the season, Charles is averaging a whopping 5.2 yards per carry.

28. Oakland Raiders (3-8)

JaMarcus Russell completed 96 passes for 1,064 yards, with two touchdowns and nine interceptions in nine games as Oakland's starting quarterback this season.

Bruce Gradkowski has completed 52 passes for 546 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions in two starts (plus parts of three other games).

29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-10)

Josh Freeman was great in the loss to Atlanta.

Freeman was 20-29 for 250 yards with two touchdowns and zero interceptions.

So far, he's looked like a nice steal.

30. Detroit Lions (2-9)

Coming off of his heroic effort against Cleveland, Matthew Stafford had a Thanksgiving to forget against Green Bay.

He was 20-43 with 213 yards, one touchdown, and four interceptions.

31. St. Louis Rams (1-10)

The Rams remaining schedule: at Chicago, at Tennessee, vs. Houston, at Arizona, vs. San Francisco.

Steve Spagnuolo is staring at a 1-15 record in his first year as an NFL head coach.

32. Cleveland Browns: (1-10)

The Browns still have games remaining against both KC and Oakland.

It remains to be seen whether or not a single person will be watching either game.

NBA Power Rankings (Nov. 30): Lakers Back to The Top

Taylor Smith — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:40:24 -0500

How rare is this picture of Kobe Bryant donning Laker purple?

Quite.

Just four of the defending champs' first 21 games this season come on the road.

With an NFL -like record of 13-3, L.A. had better hope that their injury woes are behind them, because they'll be facing tons of road games during the second half of the season.

That being said, the return of Pau Gasol has turned the Lakers into a powerhouse again, and they've risen back to the top spot.

1. Los Angeles Lakers (13-3, Last Week: 5)

The Lakers' six-game win streak hasn't come against great competition: Detroit, Chicago, Oklahoma City, New York, Golden State, and New Jersey.

It's about to get tougher, however, with their next four coming against New Orleans, Miami, Phoenix, and Utah (all at home, of course).

2. Orlando Magic (14-4, Last Week: 2)

Dwight Howard and company made a huge statement Thanksgiving night by going into Atlanta and crushing the Hawks 93-76.

Superman lived up to his nickname, posting 22 points, 17 rebounds, and four blocks.

3. Phoenix Suns (14-3, Last Week: 3)

Who would've thought that the NBA's best record would belong to the Phoenix Suns after one month of the season?

Jason Richardson has been the guy the Suns thought they were getting when they traded for him last season, averaging 18 points per game on ridiculous 46 percent shooting from three-point range.

4. Boston Celtics (13-4, Last Week: 7)

The Celts have reeled off a nice little four-game winning streak since their tough loss to Orlando.

On another note, is Rajon Rondo ever going to learn to shoot free throws?

Rondo is a horrid 10-26 (38 percent) from the stripe this season.

Can you really afford to have your franchise point guard on the bench in crunch time because he can't shoot free throws?

5. Cleveland Cavaliers (12-5, Last Week: 6)

The Cavs, who beat Dallas Saturday night, get a nice little rest before their next game Wednesday night.

They'll face the Suns, in a game not being broadcast on national TV.

Shouldn't they be able to flex games like this into the television schedule?

6. Atlanta Hawks (12-5, Last Week: 1)

The soarin' Hawks have come back down to earth a bit with losses in three of their last four games.

Josh Smith's numbers are still stellar, and he's going for 16 points, nine rebounds, 1.6 steals, and three blocks per game.

7. Dallas Mavericks (12-5, Last Week: 4)

It's amazing how well the Mavs have fared so far with all the injuries they've had to deal with.

Erick Dampier's absence due to a mysterious illness is a shame, since he'd been off to a great start before going down, going for eight points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks a night.

8. Denver Nuggets (12-5, Last Week: 8)

Carmelo Anthony was completely unstoppable in scoring 50 points against the Knicks, shooting 17-28 from the floor and 15-16 from the stripe.

Quite the head-scratcher last night for Denver, however, losing to horrible Minnesota on their own court.

9. Portland Trail Blazers (12-7, Last Week: 10)

The Blazers are the only team currently in the Western Conference playoff picture that doesn't score 100 points per game.

However, that isn't a problem when you allow just 90 per game, tops in the West.

10. San Antonio Spurs (9-6, Last Week: 16)

The Spurs appear to be back on track after winning five in a row.

They'll be tested in upcoming games with Boston, Denver, and Utah.

11. Utah Jazz (9-7, Last Week: 13)

Carlos Boozer is helping his free agent stock in a major way.

He's averaging 20 points, 11 rebounds, and is shooting 55 percent from the field.

12. Miami Heat (9-7, Last Week: 12)

December is a huge month for the Heat.

Miami will face all but one of the teams currently in the playoff picture in the West, starting Tuesday night in Portland.

13. Houston Rockets (9-8, Last Week: 11)

Those scrappy Rockets have taken down a couple of Goliaths so far, but in order to stay in the race, they're going to have to beat the teams that they should.

The back-to-back games at the Clippers and Warriors this week are the kinds of games the Rockets have to have.

14. Milwaukee Bucks (8-7, Last Week: 9)

After two years away from the NBA, Ersan Ilyasova has become quite the player for the Bucks.

This year, he's averaging 12 points and eight rebounds a game while playing fantastic defense.

However, the Bucks have lost four straight after starting off so well.

15. Oklahoma City Thunder (9-8, Last Week: 15)

OKC lost 100-91 at home to Houston Sunday night.

The loss marks the franchise's 12th consecutive loss to Houston, dating back to their Seattle days (remember those?).

16. Sacramento Kings (8-8, Last Week: 18)

Remember when the Kings were projected to be the NBA's worst team?

They've now won three in a row (in convincing fashion) over New York, New Jersey, and New Orleans.

17. Charlotte Bobcats (7-9, Last Week: 24)

Despite their unimpressive record, the Bobcats are in seventh place in the Eastern Conference.

They've quietly won four in a row, including a surprising win over the Cavaliers last Friday.

18. Indiana Pacers (6-8, Last Week: 17)

Danny Granger has been struggling lately, shooting just 28-78 in his last four games.

He missed one game with a knee injury (a win over the Clippers), which happens to be the only game Indiana has won in their past six.

19. Los Angeles Clippers (8-10, Last Week: 23)

Since returning from a groin injury, Eric Gordon has struggled from distance, shooting just 1-11 from three over his past three games.

However, the Clippers have won four of five, and don't play another road game until December 16th.

20. Chicago Bulls (6-8, Last Week: 14)

The Bulls are reeling, having lost all four of their games so far on their annual circus road trip.

The trip (thankfully) concludes tonight in Milwaukee.

21. New Orleans Hornets (7-10, Last Week: 20)

Marcus Thornton, a rookie from LSU, has given the Hornets a much-needed perimeter scoring punch.

In just 19 minutes per game this season, the 6-4 Thornton is averaging 12 points a game.

22. Toronto Raptors (7-11, Last Week: 19)

So much for all that money Bryan Colangelo spent over the summer.

Toronto has lost seven of their last nine, including their last three in a row.

23. Detroit Pistons (6-11, Last Week: 22)

After a great home win over Atlanta, the Pistons are looking to gain a little momentum, with their next four coming against Chicago, Milwaukee, Washington, and Philadelphia.

24. Memphis Grizzlies (6-11, Last Week: 26)

Despite a reputation as a loser, Zach Randolph is an incredibly-consistent stat machine.

Z-Bo is averaging 18 points and nine rebounds for Memphis, similar to his career averages of 17 and eight.

25. Golden State Warriors (5-10, Last Week: 25)

Before losing by double-digits to San Antonio and getting absolutely annihilated by the Lakers, Golden State had won two in a row, including an impressive road win over the Mavericks.

In other news, Vladimir Radmanovic has inexplicably been playing many more minutes than Anthony Randolph.

26. Washington Wizards (5-10, Last Week: 27)

The Wiz are 3-3 since getting Antawn Jamison back into the lineup.

Also, the Wizards have been getting a nice boost from 5-5 point guard Earl Boykins, who's been going for 10 points and four assists in seven games since being signed.

27. Philadelphia 76ers (5-12, Last Week: 21)

The Sixers have lost six in a row, including a couple of close losses against Washington and Boston.

The Lou Williams injury is devastating news, opening the door for all the Allen Iverson chatter.

28. New York Knicks (3-14, Last Week: 28)

Still waiting for 2010.

I wonder if it's possible for the bottom three spots in these rankings to stay the same for the entire rest of the season.

29. Minnesota Timberwolves (2-15, Last Week: 29)

Somehow, they broke their 15-game losing streak last night with a road win against the powerful Nuggets.

Is this the beginning of an incredible sprint to the Finals for the T-Wolves?

...no.

30. New Jersey Nets (0-17, Last Week: 30)

The Nets will likely break the record for the worst record to start a season when they face Dallas at home Wednesday night.

Luckily for Lawrence Frank, he doesn't have to be around to witness it.

NFL Power Rankings, Week 12: Indianapolis Assumes Top Spot

Taylor Smith — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:17:55 -0500

We have a new No. 1 in the NFL, and it should come as no surprise that the Colts' recent slew of victories over Houston, New England, and Baltimore is enough to push them just ahead of the Saints for the top spot.

Also, a pair of major AFC North upsets has the rankings shuffling around a bit heading into Week 12.

1. Indianapolis Colts (10-0)

The aforementioned trio of wins has been nice, but don't expect the Colts to let up any time soon.

Their next two games are against two divisional rivals in Houston and Tennessee.

2. New Orleans Saints (10-0)

Drew Brees and company went into Tampa and breezed through the Bucs Sunday.

It won't be so easy next Monday night, when the Patriots come to town.

3. Minnesota Vikings (9-1)

Brett Favre just keeps on trucking along.

Heading into game No. 11, Favre has thrown for 21 touchdowns with just three interceptions and is very much a part of the MVP race.

4. New England Patriots (7-3)

After avenging a loss earlier this season to the Jets Sunday, the Patriots can go a long way towards a first-round bye in the playoffs by marching into New Orleans and beating the Saints next week.

5. San Diego Chargers (7-3)

Remember when this team was 2-3?

They've stormed back in the AFC West, and now the division is theirs to lose.

6. Cincinnati Bengals (7-3)

So, you beat the Steelers and respond by going to Oakland and coughing up a game to the Raiders?

7. Arizona Cardinals (7-3)

Interesting matchup for Arizona next Sunday, as they go on the road (where they're 5-0 this season) to face the suddenly red-hot Tennessee Titans.

8. Dallas Cowboys (7-3)

The Cowboys have scored a grand total of 14 points in their last two games, and Roy Williams piled up zero catches in Sunday's narrow win over Washington.

9. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-3)

Considering how the rest of the AFC North performed Sunday, the Steelers blew a great opportunity to gain some big-time ground with their OT loss to the lowly Chiefs.

10. Philadelphia Eagles (6-4)

It's going to be a tough road to the playoffs for the Eagles.

Their remaining schedule: vs. Washington, at Atlanta, at New York Giants, vs. San Francisco, vs. Denver, at Dallas.

11. Green Bay Packers (6-4)

This team was dead in the water two weeks ago, but back-to-back wins over Dallas and San Francisco have Aaron Rodgers and company right back into the playoff race.

12. New York Giants (6-4)

After winning a game they had to have (barely), how will the Giants respond to the short rest for Thursday night's matchup in Denver?

13. Jacksonville Jaguars (6-4)

If the season ended today, your Jacksonville Jaguars would be in the AFC playoffs.

How did this happen?

Maurice Jones-Drew has been fantastic, rushing for 4.8 yards per carry with 13 rushing touchdowns so far.

14. Denver Broncos (6-4)

After going from 6-0 to 6-4 and out of first place, things are looking bleak in the Mile High City right now.

15. Miami Dolphins (5-5)

Who needs Ronnie Brown?

Ricky Williams made it look like it was 2002 again against Carolina last Thursday, rushing for 122 yards and scoring three total touchdowns in a win.

16. Houston Texans (5-5)

Monday night's loss to Tennessee really dead-legs the Texans' playoff hopes.

However, for the second consecutive game, kicker Kris Brown had an opportunity to send the game into overtime and missed.

17. Baltimore Ravens (5-5)

The Ravens, once 3-0, have lost five of seven and still have two games left with the hated Steelers.

18. Atlanta Falcons (5-5)

With four of their final six games coming at home, the Falcons are still very much alive in the NFC playoff hunt.

19. Tennessee Titans (4-6)

In Monday night's win in Houston, Vince Young looked quite a bit like the guy that almost singlehandedly won a National Championship at Texas.

He ran for 73 yards, including several huge third-down runs to keep Titan drives going.

20. Carolina Panthers (4-6)

DeAngelo Williams has quietly had another stellar season.

He's run it 181 times for 982 yards (5.4 ypc) and seven rushing touchdowns.

21. San Francisco 49ers (4-6)

The Niners looked overmatched at Green Bay in the first half, but Alex Smith managed to turn things around in the second and ended up making it close.

22. New York Jets (4-6)

Mark Sanchez looks far different now than he did at the beginning of the season and has thrown six interceptions in the last two games.

23. Chicago Bears (4-6)

Jay Cutler and the Bears are reeling, and it doesn't get any easier for them this weekend as they play their first of two remaining games against the Vikings.

24. Washington Redskins (3-7)

The 'Skins have looked like a completely different team the past two weeks, with a win over Denver and a narrow loss at Dallas.

However, the season-ending injury to Ladell Betts means your starting running back is...Rock Cartwright?

25. Kansas City Chiefs (3-7)

After stunning the Steelers, the Chiefs are on a nice little two-game winning streak.

Can they do the unthinkable and dethrone the surging Chargers Sunday?

26. Oakland Raiders (3-7)

Oakland is looking like a house of horrors for visiting contenders.

Having already beaten Philadelphia, the Raiders shocked the world again by taking down the high-flying Bengals.

27. Seattle Seahawks (3-7)

Their rushing average in Sunday's loss to Minnesota: 11 inches per carry.

Justin Forsett was the leading rusher with nine yards on nine carries.

28. Buffalo Bills (3-7)

Terrell Owens came back from the dead against the Jaguars with nine catches for 197 yards and a touchdown.

29. Detroit Lions (2-8)

The Lions left everything on the field in their epic win over the Browns Sunday.

Unfortunately, when they take that same field on Thanksgiving Day against the Packers, they'll likely be without both Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson.

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-9)

It was a rough day for Josh Freeman against the Saints, throwing for one touchdown and committing four turnovers.

31. St. Louis Rams (1-9)

The greatness of Steven Jackson is often overlooked because of where he plays.

This season he's second in the league in rushing, having carried it 215 times for 1,031 yards.

32. Cleveland Browns (1-9)

Lost in the shuffle of Cleveland's heartbreaking one-point loss to the Lions was the great game had by Brady Quinn.

Quinn was 21-of-33 for 304 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions.

What would Derek Anderson's stat line looked like had he played?

My guess is something like this: 4-of-52 for 16 yards with no touchdowns and 24 interceptions.

Texans-Titans: For the Second Straight Game, Houston Faces Must-Win

Taylor Smith — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:27:48 -0500

Coming off the bye week, the Houston Texans have had plenty of time to think about "what could've been" after week nine's crushing divisional defeat at the hands of the Colts.

Hopefully, Houston has spent more of its time off thinking about "what will be" than "what could've been."

Tonight, the Texans will play on Monday Night Football for the second time in franchise history, and there's much more to worry about than impressing people on a national stage.

Houston (5-4) is set to face the suddenly red-hot Tennessee Titans (3-6), with Houston native Vince Young making his first start in his hometown since devastating the Texans with a game-winning, 39-yard scamper in an overtime game during his rookie season in 2007.

However, much has changed since then.

The Texans are right in the thick of the AFC playoff race and must win games like tonight's if they want to remain relevant.

In Houston's first game against Tennessee this season, a 34-31 victory in Nashville, quarterback Matt Schaub had his best game as a pro, throwing for 357 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions.

Cortland Finnegan and company had no answer for Andre Johnson, who racked up 10 catches for 149 yards with a pair of touchdowns.

So, nothing to worry about, right?

The Titans started this season 0-6, and the Texans have already beaten them once.

Wrong.

Since Young was inserted as the starting quarterback, the Titans have won three straight and are looking much more like the team that went 13-3 a season ago.

Titans running back Chris Johnson, who gashed the Texans for 284 total yards and three touchdowns in their week two meeting, has been on fire of late.

Johnson leads the NFL in rushing with 1,091 yards so far, and he's played one fewer game than everyone else atop the rushing leader board to this point.

He's amassed six touchdowns during Tennessee's three-game win streak, with a whopping 635 total yards.

Clearly, Houston must gear a huge percentage of its defensive efforts towards stopping him, as he's really the only big-time offensive playmaker the Titans have.

So, how will they do it?

The Texans' defense has been stellar since struggling earlier in the season and has risen from 32nd against the run all the way up to 13th in the league.

The Titans have been careful in easing Young into the action thus far, and he hasn't really thrown the ball down the field much.

This helps the Texans, because it allows them to keep the safeties closer to the line of scrimmage, meaning they'll have two more guys that can hopefully help to contain Johnson before he can really gain momentum.

If Johnson is able to get out into open space, he's virtually impossible to catch, as evidenced by his series of highlight reel plays so far this season.

The Texans' pass rush will also need to get pressure on Young and force him to make improvisational plays.

Do they want Young to be running around? Not necessarily, but they do need to be able to flush him from the pocket and force him to make throws on the move.

The Titans will certainly attempt their fair share of short screens in an attempt to get Johnson out into the open, and it will be important for the Texans' linebackers (namely DeMeco Ryans and Brian Cushing) to be prepared and get into positions to make plays.

Another important factor in tonight's game will be the effectiveness of Houston's running game.

The struggles of Steve Slaton have been well documented, but fumbling hasn't been his only problem.

The second-year back from West Virginia has carried the ball 116 times for just 359 yards this season, good for an awful 3.1 yards per carry.

The Texans started Ryan Moats over Slaton against Indianapolis, but Moats didn't fare any better and had a fumble near the goal line of his own.

Running on Tennessee is no easy task, as they rank just behind the Texans (14th in the league) against the run.

Houston has shown that it can win by relying heavily on throwing the ball, but lack of a running game makes it much easier on a defense to prepare for the pass.

The Texans will also need pass catchers other than Andre Johnson to step up.

Tight end Owen Daniels, who was in the middle of his best year to date, is gone for the season with a torn ACL.

That leaves Joel Dreessen and James Casey as Houston's two primary receiving tight ends.

Kevin Walter, who enjoyed a breakout season a year ago, hasn't been as involved in the offense in 2009, and with so much attention to be focused on Johnson, he needs to find a way to get himself open.

Fortunately for the Texans, Tennessee has struggled in a major way against the pass, ranking 31st in the league.

This just happens to be Houston's strong suit, and they should be able to exploit the Titans' secondary.

If the Texans' offensive line is able to hold up and give Schaub time to pass, he's dangerous enough to do significant damage.

Divisional games are rarely easy on either team, and tonight will be no exception.

Tennessee has more to play for than just spoiling the Texans' season, as they are still barely alive in the playoff race.

A victory for the Texans puts them in control of their own destiny.

A victory for the Titans has the Texans back to thinking about "what could've been."

NBA Power Rankings (Nov. 23): Eastern Powers Asserting Themselves

Taylor Smith — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:22:21 -0500

Though this NBA season is still extremely young, is it possible that the four teams most predicted to finish atop the Eastern Conference are already there to stay?

Orlando, Atlanta, Boston, and Cleveland are flying high, and each of them has already looked like the conference's best team at some point.

Out west, the Suns are still red hot, the Lakers are now at full-strength, the Mavericks are cruising along under-the-radar, while the Spurs and Hornets are still trying to find themselves.

Here's how they stack up going into Thanksgiving week.

1. Atlanta Hawks (11-3, Last Week: 1)

After leaving everything on the floor in the two-point home win over the Rockets Friday, Atlanta lost a tough game to New Orleans Saturday.

All eyes will be on Atlanta Thursday night (where the Hawks are a perfect 7-0 to start the season), when division rival Orlando comes to town.

2. Orlando Magic (11-3, Last Week: 8)

Vince Carter's shooting percentage isn't where he would like it to be at this point, but he appears to be rounding into form.

He's helped his new team to a five-game winning streak, including a tough win in Boston last Friday night.

3. Phoenix Suns (11-3, Last Week: 2)

Which Suns player is second in the league in three-pointers made with 36, and is shooting a stellar 43 percent from beyond-the-arc?

Ready?

You guessed it!

It's ... Channing Frye. Seriously.

4. Dallas Mavericks (10-3, Last Week: 7)

Dallas has won five in a row, including back-to-back overtime victories over Milwaukee and San Antonio.

Dirk Nowitzki is a dark horse MVP candidate so far, averaging 27 points and nine rebounds a game.

5. Los Angeles Lakers (10-3, Last Week: 9)

With the absence of Pau Gasol, Kobe Bryant has had to score more this season than he did during the Lakers' title run last season.

Bryant is averaging 30 points per game, and already has four games in which he's scored 40 or more.

With Gasol now healthy, look for Bryant's scoring average to drop, while the Lakers' winning percentage should rise.

6. Cleveland Cavaliers (10-4, Last Week: 3)

Having gone 10-2 since their 0-2 start, the Cavaliers appear to have straightened things out extremely quickly.

LeBron James has been getting solid help from guys like JJ Hickson, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and Anthony Parker.

7. Boston Celtics (10-4, Last Week: 4)

Since a 6-0 start during which they looked almost unbeatable, Boston has struggled a bit of late, having lost three of its last five.

The Celtics upcoming schedule doesn't look particularly difficult, so the they should have the opportunity to right the ship a bit.

8. Denver Nuggets (9-4, Last Week: 6)

Led by the NBA's leading scorer, Carmelo Anthony, Denver has one of the more well-balanced teams in the league.

Don't be surprised if the Nuggets are 14-4 around this time next week, with their next five coming against New Jersey, Minnesota (twice), New York, and Golden State.

9. Milwaukee Bucks (8-3, Last Week: 11)

Milwaukee's team success thus far has been vastly overshadowed by the individual success of rookie guard Brandon Jennings.

The Bucks' defense has been instrumental in their hot start, as their giving up only 94.5 points per game so far, good for sixth best in the league.

10. Portland Trail Blazers (10-5, Last Week: 10)

Portland is currently tied with Denver atop the Northwest Division, and Greg Oden is off to a nice start.

He's quietly averaging 10 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks a game.

11. Houston Rockets (8-6, Last Week: 13)

Trevor Ariza is still averaging about 18 points a game, but he's shooting just 38 percent from the floor.

If the Rockets are going to make anything out of this season, they're going to need Ariza to start making more of the shots he takes.

12. Miami Heat (8-5, Last Week: 5)

After their 6-1 start, the Heat have lost four of their past six games.

Unfortunately, it's not going to be getting any easier, with upcoming games against Orlando, Washington, and Boston, before they head on a road swing out west where they'll face the Blazers, Nuggets, Lakers, and Kings.

13. Utah Jazz (7-6, Last Week: 20)

The Jazz have won three in a row to climb back over .500.

Carlos Boozer has been phenomenal of late, going for 22.2 points and 12 rebounds over his last five games.

14. Chicago Bulls (6-6, Last Week: 15)

Chicago is in the midst of a brutal road trip during which they face five teams ranked higher than they are on this list.

Behind Cleveland, the Central Division is going to be very competitive this year.

15. Oklahoma City Thunder (7-7, Last Week: 16)

The Thunder have been an all-or-nothing kind of team so far.

In games in which they've scored 100 points or more, their record is 5-0.

In games in which they've scored under 100 points, their record is 2-7.

16. San Antonio Spurs (5-6, Last Week: 17)

The Spurs have looked old so far, and have already battled injuries to several of their key players.

Of course, right when it appeared as though everybody was getting healthy, Manu Ginobili goes down.

17. Indiana Pacers (5-6, Last Week: 14)

The Pacers signed Dahntay Jones to help them with perimeter defense, but he's given them a huge bonus with his stellar offensive play thus far.

Jones is averaging almost 18 points a game for a Pacers team hoping to sneak into the playoffs.

18. Sacramento Kings (5-7, Last Week: 12)

The Kings are in the running for this year's "Where in the World Did They Come From?" team.

If not for Brandon Jennings' hot start, we might be talking about Tyreke Evans for Rookie of the Year.

Evans is averaging 18 points, 4.6 rebounds, and five assists per game thus far.

19. Toronto Raptors (6-8, Last Week: 18)

If the Raptors had a better record, Chris Bosh would be right in the middle of the early MVP talk.

Bosh has led Toronto in scoring in all but two games, and in rebounding in all but three.

20. New Orleans Hornets (6-9, Last Week: 25)

Since CP3 went down, the Hornets have quietly won three of five, including back-to-back wins over Phoenix and Atlanta.

Two rookies, Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton, have been playing extremely well of late.

21. Philadelphia 76ers (5-8, Last Week: 21)

It has to be alarming that, other than a win in the second game of the year against Milwaukee (now 8-3), the Sixers have not beaten a good team.

They'll have plenty of opportunities coming up, as they face Boston, Atlanta, and Dallas very soon.

22. Detroit Pistons (5-9, Last Week: 19)

The bad news: The Pistons have lost five in a row.

The good news: The Pistons have had to play without Rip Hamilton.

Once he's back, expect Detroit to be a little more competitive.

23. Los Angeles Clippers (5-9, Last Week: 22)

It's easy to see that the Clippers are much improved from last year already.

Keep in mind, top pick Blake Griffin is still waiting to play his first minute of NBA basketball.

24. Charlotte Bobcats (4-9, Last Week: 23)

Stephen Jackson has led the Bobcats in scoring in two of the four games he's played since the trade from Golden State.

The leading scorers in the other two games?

Flip Murray and Nazr Mohammed.

25. Golden State Warriors (4-8, Last Week: 24)

It wouldn't be insane to predict that Anthony Randolph may lead the NBA in rebounding some day.

In just 21 minutes per game this season, Randolph is averaging seven boards a game (also, 12.1 points per).

26. Memphis Grizzlies (4-9, Last Week: 27)

Remember the trade that sent Pau Gasol to the Lakers?

Of course you do.

Well, in that trade, Memphis acquired Pau's brother, Marc.

Marc, now 24 years old, has averaged 15 points and 11 rebounds per game this season, and has become one of the league's more underrated young big men.

27. Washington Wizards (3-9, Last Week: 26)

Antawn Jamison has picked up right where he left off last season.

In three games this season since returning from injury, Jamison is averaging 23 and 10.

28. New York Knicks (3-10, Last Week: 29)

As they have every week so far, the Knicks get the "still waiting for 2010" tag.

However, signs of life lately for the Knicks, having won two of three, with the lone loss being a heart-breaking, buzzer-beating, overtime loss to the Celtics.

29. Minnesota Timberwolves (1-12, Last Week: 28)

Minnesota's mediocrity and 12-game losing streak have been completely overshadowed by New Jersey's futility.

The T'Wolves need a reliable swingman that can score on his own.

Corey Brewer has had a nice comeback season so far, but how long can he stay healthy with that wiry frame?

30. New Jersey Nets (0-13, Last Week: 30)

OK, Nets.

You have your best player, Devin Harris, back. No more excuses, right?

The Nets are four more consecutive losses away from tying the NBA's worst record ever to start a season.

Their next five: at Denver, at Portland, at Sacramento, at LA Lakers, vs. Dallas.

See a win in there? Me neither.

As Scooby Doo would say: Ruh-roh.

For more from this writer as well as all things NBA, NFL, and fantasy, head over to www.nflsoup.com and www.robertsroundballreport.com.

Tracy McGrady Situation Is a Dicey One For Houston Rockets

Taylor Smith — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:27:29 -0500

Houston Rockets guard and former cornerstone Tracy McGrady hasn't played in an NBA game since Feb. 9 against Milwaukee last season.

A few days later, it was announced that McGrady would undergo season-ending microfracture surgery on his left knee. Is it any coincidence that, immediately following the announcement, the Rockets went on to win six straight and 11 of their next 13 games?

Maybe, maybe not.

While McGrady was on the floor last season, he often looked disinterested and out of place, often just standing 30 feet from the basket and passing the ball around the perimeter.

Much like Ron Artest, McGrady's presence and demands for the ball made it difficult for Aaron Brooks to assert himself offensively, making him a much more timid player.

McGrady hasn't played a minute so far this season, and the Rockets are 7-5, in second place in the Southwest Division. This year's Rockets team runs the floor, plays hard on both ends, and shoots a high percentage.

So, it begs the question: Does Tracy McGrady and his style of play fit in with these Rockets? Lots of this depends on which version of McGrady the Rockets will get back once he's ready to hit the hardwood.

Will they get the sluggish, disinterested version they got last year before the surgery?

Or, will they get the dynamic, superstar player that McGrady was for several years before that?

Assuming he's back to being 100 percent healthy, there's no questioning McGrady's abilities. When he's asserting himself and attacking the rim, he's one of the more talented scorers in the league. At 6'8", he's a tough check for smaller guards, and quick enough to get around most forwards.

So, does he fit in with Houston's offensive scheme?

These Rockets rely on ball movement, active cutting, and fast breaks in order to get the best possible shot. For McGrady to do his thing, it typically means the ball stops in his hands, and he goes to work individually, as the other four guys on the court stand and watch.

To be fair, sometimes you need a guy like this that can get you a basket down the stretch in a close game. The Rockets are sorely lacking a crunch-time number one option, and maybe McGrady is that guy for them.

However, it was clear that even before the injury, McGrady was unwilling to run in Rick Adelman's style. Yao Ming wasn't the only reason Adelman had to institute a new kind of offense when he initially came to Houston.

McGrady is a slow-it-down, let me beat my guy one-on-one type of player. The Rockets are a team that beats their opponents down the floor and gets easier shot opportunities. T-Mac must show that he's willing to step in and roll with the team, rather than try and do everything himself.

Could McGrady's return screw up the chemistry the Rockets are currently developing? Obviously, any new player has the opportunity to disrupt a team when they first become a part of it.

Much of it depends on McGrady's attitude.

Based on his uniform-wearing tirade with Rick Adelman before Wednesday's game in Minnesota, there's no question that McGrady wants to be on the floor.

It's just a matter of how he conducts himself. He'll undoubtedly be in a different role than he's used to, at least at first.

The Rockets rely on no one player to do everything for them. They don't have enough size or talent to rely on one or two players just to carry them anymore. The Rockets win as a team, and, so far, it's worked out nicely for them.

However, it's extremely important to note that this is an important time for McGrady personally, as he is in the final year of his contract. Will he want to come in and showcase himself and show that he can still be a franchise player?

Who wouldn't?

However, as evidenced by the current Allen Iverson situation, nobody wants an aging, me-first kind of player. McGrady is going to have to check his ego at the door if he wants to help the Rockets win games.

If he comes in and plays poorly, nobody is going to want to take a chance next summer on a 31-year-old, injury prone, ineffective player. On the other hand, if he gets in there and plays within himself, and does what Rick Adelman wants him to, then he'll be showing people around the league that he's capable of stepping in as a piece on a winning ball club.

Microfracture surgery is a serious procedure for an athlete, and has killed many an NBA career in the past. It's going to be a long road for McGrady, and he may not look like his old self ever again, for all we know.

However, some players have been able to recover fully from the surgery (see: Amar'e Stoudemire) and continue to play at a high level. It's likely that T-Mac's game will never again rely on the explosiveness that it once did, which could hurt him, since he's not an outstanding set-shooter.

That being said, I don't doubt that Tracy McGrady has the overall ability to play at a high level in the NBA again. If he comes in and plays for the team, the Rockets will be better for it, and he will make some money next summer.

If he comes in and plays for himself, the Rockets will flounder, and he'll be struggling to find a job next summer.

Allen Iverson To the Knicks: Why Not?

Taylor Smith — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:46:21 -0500

First of all, let me say that I didn't think it was possible for Allen Iverson to actually have a worse stop than he did in Detroit last season.

The photo above is quite the rare one: it captures Allen Iverson playing in a Memphis Grizzlies uniform.

That was quick, wasn't it?

Typically, it seems as though professional athletes lose the "me first" attitude as their careers progress, instead focusing more of their efforts and thoughts to trying to win before they have to retire.

Now, this is not to say that all athletes suffer from "me first syndrome."

I doubt guys like Jeff Saturday are playing sports for the individual glory.

However, Allen Iverson, clearly, has not gotten over himself as a basketball player.

Iverson, 34, recently agreed to "part ways" with the Grizzlies after playing just three games for them.

Apparently, coming off the bench and accepting a lesser role in order to help the team was not on Iverson's agenda for his tenure in Memphis.

The Grizzlies have a budding star at shooting guard in OJ Mayo, and a young point guard, Mike Conley, that they are hoping turns into one of the more reliable point men in the league.

As I wrote here a couple of months ago, Iverson was a terrible fit for the Grizzlies, whether he was coming off the bench or starting.

Besides, how was his role not made clear to him until he actually joined the team for his first regular season game?

Shouldn't Chris Wallace and Lionel Hollins have notified him that if he were to become a Grizzly, he'd be playing as a reserve?

Weird.

Anyway, Iverson's lack of maturity has never been a secret.

There's a reason he was forced to settle on Memphis this summer. Nobody wanted him.

The Grizzlies had nothing to lose, so they gave him a one-year deal, hoping he'd draw some fan interest and put some people in the seats.

However, the entire thing obviously blew up in their faces, and now Iverson is a free agent, and the Grizzlies are free of a headache.

Now, rumors are swirling that there is mutual interest between Iverson and the New York Knicks.

I say, why not?

The Knicks are 2-9, and are actually worse than the Grizzlies are.

Their roster is full of players on the last year of their respective contracts, and the Knicks clearly don't really care what happens record-wise this season.

Their sights are, and have been, set on the summer of 2010.

The Knicks play an up-tempo style with head coach Mike D'Antoni (remember him?), and maybe Iverson would thrive in this style of play.

If he were to become a Knick, he'd replace either Larry Hughes or Chris Duhon in the starting lineup.

The signing would draw some interest, and, since they have no clear star player, why shouldn't the Knicks take a flier on him?

There's a solid chance Iverson could be a 20-point scorer for them again, and people enjoy watching the guy play.

The guy that should have the biggest problem with this is rookie guard Toney Douglas, and I can't blame him.

Douglas, a second-round pick from Florida State, has been a nice find for New York.

In his only three games playing more than 20 minutes, he's scored 21, 23, and 15 points.

Douglas is listed at 6'1", but has been seen as more of a combo-guard due to his knack for scoring.

The Knicks also have another young, exciting guard in Nate Robinson.

The 5'9" Robinson is best known for his Slam Dunk Contest heroics, but is also a nice scoring threat off of the bench.

Hmm.

Sound familiar?

I thought so.

Is there room for Iverson on a team that already has two guys with similar skill sets?

Now, don't get me wrong here: Iverson is a proven NBA scorer and future Hall-of-Famer.

Douglas has played in 10 NBA games, and Robinson appears to be nothing more than an above-average role player.

However, signing Iverson could hurt the confidence of these young guys.

Iverson's presence means the minutes for both Douglas and Robinson could take a hit.

Lots of this depends on how the Knicks see Douglas and Robinson. Will they want to keep these guys around long-term?

Is Iverson worth the potential meltdown just to draw some interest?

Who knows.

What I do know, however, is that Allen Iverson is not going to help the New York Knicks win many basketball games this season.

There's an overall dearth of talent on that roster, and it's clear that Iverson isn't interested in winning, anyway.

Based on various reports, it seems as though Iverson-to-the-Knicks is imminent.

In terms of winning this year, the Knicks have nothing to lose.

In terms of helping their young players, the Knicks have plenty to lose.

Dirk Nowitzki: From MVP To Under-the-Radar Superstar

Taylor Smith — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:50:02 -0500

Let's go back two-and-a-half years to April 2007.

To the objection of many (myself included), Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki appeared to be a mortal lock to win the MVP award.

(Steve Nash had the better season, and actually deserved the award more than he did in the previous two seasons that he had actually won it, but back to the relevant story.)

That season, Dirk averaged 24.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game.

While these are stellar numbers, Nowitzki had better numbers during each of the two seasons prior.

Nowitzki essentially won the award by default, as he was the best player on the best team.

The Mavericks had just finished the regular season 67-15 as they headed into a first-round playoff series with the Golden State Warriors.

Shockingly, the 67-win Mavs came out and were baffled by the high-energy Warriors, and lost the series decisively in six games.

Dirk's numbers for the series: 19.7 points, 11.3 rebounds per game.

After that series ended, Nowitzki was awkwardly named the NBA's MVP, after having been jettisoned from the playoffs in embarrassing fashion.

This entire series of events was so terrible for Nowitzki that he went on a backpacking excursion through Australia for several weeks just after the season ended, in an effort to help him get away from basketball and everything that had recently transpired.

During the 2008 and 2009 seasons, Nowitzki went out and put up the same old stellar Nowitzki numbers, but because Dallas had taken a step back, nobody really noticed.

Dirk's credibility had taken a massive hit because of the Golden State series, and he had gained the reputation as a guy that can't lead and carry a team by himself.

Because of his team's feeble exit from the playoffs that year, Nowitzki's MVP award seems hollow, as if that entire Mavericks season had never even happened.

This season, the 31-year-old Nowitzki has been better than ever, yet he's never mentioned in the same breath as guys like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, or Dwyane Wade.

However, maybe this is all for the better.

Nowitzki has never been one for the glitz and glamour, and I'm sure he's just fine flying with his team under the national radar.

So far this season, the Mavericks sit at 9-3, atop the Southwest Division.

Dirk Nowitzki's numbers have been gaudy.

He's averaging 27.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks through 12 games, including a season-high 41 points in Wednesday night's OT victory over the Spurs.

In that game, Nowitzki put in several key baskets down the stretch, including a swooping tip-in with 14 seconds to go in regulation that put Dallas ahead by two.

In overtime, he scored five points, none bigger than a three pointer with 1:15 to go that essentially put the game out of reach for San Antonio.

In the previous game, Nowitzki scored 32, including a game-winning fadeaway jumper at the buzzer in OT that rattled all over the basket before dropping right through.

Nowitzki has been carrying the Mavericks so far, without much help from a supporting cast.

Dallas' second-leading scorer is Jason Terry, averaging 17 a game.

Terry, a reliable three-point specialist, has struggled from distance so far, shooting a measly 32 percent from beyond the arc.

Several other key parts for Dallas, including Josh Howard, Shawn Marion, and Erick Dampier, have been battling injuries and have missed several games apiece already.

Despite all this, Dallas has the second-best record in the West so far, a half-game behind 10-3 Phoenix.

Nowitzki and his Mavericks are flying high, while still managing to fly well below the radar.

And I'm sure Nowitzki is just fine with that.

Fantasy Football Risers and Fallers: NFL Week 11

Taylor Smith — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:58:15 -0500

In the past couple of weeks, we've seen a slew of running backs go down hurt, including Clinton Portis, Ronnie Brown, Michael Turner, Cedric Benson and Brian Westbrook (again).

With so many injuries at such a key position, you may be scrambling to find a capable fill-in.

There are even a couple of old, familiar faces that made their way back into the fantasy picture during Week 11.

Risers:

LaDainian Tomlinson-RB-San Diego Chargers

LT certainly looked like his old self last week against Philadelphia, rushing for 96 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

He faces another solid defense this weekend against the Broncos, but maybe he's found the fountain of youth.

He'd be deserving of a start if you have him.

Chris Wells-RB-Arizona Cardinals

Beanie broke out last week against Seattle and had his best game as a pro by far, rushing for 85 yards and two touchdowns.

The Rams don't appear to be as bad as we thought, but the Cardinals should be able to get ahead early in the game, meaning they'll be running the ball more and more during the latter stages. That's when Wells could do his damage.

Why not plug him in and give him a shot?

He's run for over five yards per carry over the past three games.

Jonathan Stewart-RB-Carolina Panthers

Stewart's 82 yards and two touchdowns looked almost identical to those numbers of Wells in Week 10.

Stewart has tremendous value once Carolina gets down around the goal line, so he's a big-time threat to visit the end zone.

Keep in mind, if you're going to play him, you'll have to put him in soon. Carolina plays Miami on Thursday night.

Sidney Rice-WR-Minnesota Vikings

Rice is averaging 128 yards receiving per game over his past four.

Last week, he went wild for 201 yards on just seven receptions.

While he didn't find the end zone, it's clear that he's become Brett Favre's No. 1 passing option.

With the Vikings facing Detroit Sunday, expect him to do some damage.

Joseph Addai-RB-Indianapolis Colts

Addai has put together two solid weeks in a row, scoring four touchdowns.

While his yardage isn't through the roof, the fact that he's getting into the end zone makes him a worthy fantasy option.

Start him.

Fallers:

Donald Brown-RB-Indianapolis Colts

The recent success of Addai combined with a nagging shoulder injury has kept Brown's production at a minimum.

While he'll get a few touches, it's unclear if he'll actually get enough to make much of a difference.

He was effective earlier in the season, so don't cut him, just don't expect much out of him right now.

Matt Ryan-QB-Atlanta Falcons

It's been tough sledding recently for last year's Offensive Rookie of the Year.

The Falcons are struggling and are headed into a hostile environment (Giants Stadium) to face a Giants team that will be desperate for a win.

Play him if you must, but don't be surprised if he doesn't give you much of a boost.

Joe Flacco-QB-Baltimore Ravens

Flacco, since starting the season with such explosive numbers, has been quite pedestrian in recent weeks. He had a no-touchdown performance against the hapless Browns last Monday night.

Needless to say, the Colts aren't the Browns. It could be more of the same from Flacco Sunday.

Greg Jennings-WR-Green Bay Packers

Jennings isn't just a faller for this week, he's been a faller all season long.

Green Bay's No. 1 deep threat hasn't gotten many touches at all this season because the Packers' offensive line has had so many problems keeping pass rushers away from Aaron Rodgers.

He only had four catches for 45 yards last week in a game the Packers won.

Until he does something, I would keep him on the bench.

Marshawn Lynch-RB-Buffalo Bills

Lynch has just one rushing touchdown in the five games he's played since returning from his season-opening, four-game suspension.

Fred Jackson has been flat-out better all season long and the Bills don't have much reason to favor Lynch nowadays.

While I wouldn't cut him, I wouldn't play him right now, either.

For more fantasy advice, go to NFLSoup.com

NFL Power Rankings: Week 11

Taylor Smith — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 02:33:34 -0500

The NFL 's two undefeated teams certainly struggled to remain that way Sunday.

The Saints surprisingly had trouble with the one-win Rams, while the Colts needed a rare gaffe by Bill Belichick in order to keep their perfect record intact.

Meanwhile, the Bengals, it appears, are for real.

1. New Orleans Saints (9-0)

The Saints haven't been blowing teams out lately the way they were for the first few games of the season, but it's not necessarily a bad thing to be tested and show that you're capable of winning the close ones every now and then.

2. Indianapolis Colts (9-0)

Everyone is talking about how Bill Belichick gift-wrapped the ninth win of the season for Indy, but give Peyton Manning and company credit for being able to come back from a 31-14 second-half deficit.

3. Minnesota Vikings (8-1)

Somehow, Adrian Peterson's stellar season is getting lost in the shuffle.

Peterson has rushed for 917 yards on 181 carries (5.1 ypc) with 11 touchdowns through nine games.

4. Cincinnati Bengals (7-2)

The Bengals have gone 7-2 through the tougher half of their schedule.

The rest of their docket includes games against lowly Oakland, Cleveland, Detroit, and Kansas City.

5. New England Patriots (6-3)

Outside of a certain controversial coaching decision, the Patriots looked quite formidable for much of Sunday night's loss at Indianapolis.

6. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3)

Having been swept in the season series by Cincinnati, the Steelers may now have to set their sights on a Wild Card berth to make the playoffs.

7. San Diego Chargers (6-3)

Just like last season, the Chargers have come back from the dead and now face Denver this Sunday with the AFC West lead at stake.

Also, it was nice to see LaDainian Tomlinson show signs of life against the Eagles, rushing for 96 yards on 20 carries with two touchdowns.

8. Dallas Cowboys (6-3)

The Cowboys blew a golden opportunity to get some divisional breathing room over Philly with Sunday's loss at Green Bay.

9. Arizona Cardinals (6-3)

The defending NFC champs are just rolling right along under-the-radar, and appear to already have the NFC West won.

10. Denver Broncos (6-3)

The Broncos have lost three straight and are in big trouble with the Chargers surging.

11. Philadelphia Eagles (5-4)

It's tough to figure out who these Eagles really are, and their schedule the rest of the way is no cupcake.

12. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-4)

The Jaguars have snuck up on the rest of the league, and, with several winnable games left on the schedule, are certainly a threat to steal a Wild Card spot.

13. Houston Texans (5-4)

Coming off of a bye, the Texans are suddenly facing a must-win matchup with the dangerous Titans on Monday Night Football.

14. Baltimore Ravens (5-4)

Baltimore's next three games look rough: vs. Indianapolis, vs. Pittsburgh, at Green Bay.

15. New York Giants (5-4)

The Giants are going to need Brandon Jacobs and Eli Manning to find themselves again in order to contend for a playoff spot.

16. Carolina Panthers (4-5)

With Sunday's convincing win over Atlanta, Carolina is officially looking a team that nobody wants to play right about now.

17. Atlanta Falcons (5-4)

Atlanta is still right in the thick of things in the NFC, but without a real marquee victory so far, we're left wondering how good they really are.

18. Green Bay Packers (5-4)

Aaron Rodgers and the Packers essentially saved their season with the 17-7 win over Dallas Sunday.

With a decently easy schedule the rest of the way, their fate rests in their own hands.

19. Miami Dolphins (4-5)

This Thursday's game against Carolina will be a battle of two teams that appear to be better than their records show.

Ronnie Brown's absence opens the door for Ricky Williams, who has been very solid for the Dolphins all season long.

20. San Francisco 49ers (4-5)

Rookie Michael Crabtree has been integrated pretty well so far, with 18 catches for 215 yards in four games.

21. New York Jets (4-5)

The Jets could be in for a rude awakening when they go to New England Sunday to face a Patriots team angry about losing to New York earlier in the season, and angry about the way last week's game ended.

22. Chicago Bears (4-5)

Jay Cutler has thrown a whopping 11 interceptions total in Chicago's three night games so far this season.

23. Tennessee Titans (3-6)

If Vince Young can lead the resurgent Titans into Houston on Monday night and pull out a W, they'll not only be playing spoiler, but will still hold a slim playoff chance as well.

24. Washington Redskins (3-6)

Punter Hunter Smith is 1-1 passing with a touchdown on the season, and has one carry for a TD as well.

25. Seattle Seahawks (3-6)

TJ Houshmandzadeh finally broke out in Sunday's loss to the Cardinals, tallying nine receptions for 165 yards.

26. Buffalo Bills (3-6)

New interim head coach Perry Fewell wasted no time in shaking things up, benching QB Trent Edwards in favor of Ryan Fitzpatrick.

27. St. Louis Rams (1-8)

While they're tied for the worst record in the league, it's clear that the Rams are playing hard, as evidenced by their close loss against the undefeated Saints.

28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-8)

The Bucs were very close to pulling off their second-consecutive win Sunday against the Dolphins, and Josh Freeman looks quite comfortable as the starting quarterback.

29. Kansas City Chiefs (2-7)

Interestingly enough, the Chiefs are 2-3 on the road this season, but 0-4 at home.

30. Oakland Raiders (2-7)

Will Bruce Gradkowski be able to step in for JaMarcus Russell and lead the Raiders to the promised land?

No.

31. Detroit Lions (1-8)

The Lions travel to Cleveland this weekend to face the Browns in what's shaping up to be an all-time NFL stinkbomb.

32. Cleveland Browns (1-8)

Not even LeBron James would keep this team from being the worst team in the NFL.

Would he even want to play for them?

Breaking News: Warriors Trade Stephen Jackson to Bobcats

Taylor Smith — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:26:38 -0500

According to Marc Stein of ESPN.com, the Golden State Warriors have traded forward Stephen Jackson and guard Acie Law IV to the Charlotte Bobcats in exchange for guard Raja Bell and forward Vladimir Radmanovic.

Prior to the season, Jackson voiced his displeasure with his situation in Golden State publicly, saying he'd like to be traded to Cleveland or one of the three teams in Texas, his home state.

Jackson has been feuding with Warriors coach Don Nelson for quite some time now, and it comes as no surprise that they were seeking to oblige to his trade request.

The Bobcats are hoping Jackson can cure their offensive woes.

Charlotte averages an NBA-worst 82 points per game, and its record stands at 3-6.

It can be presumed that Jackson will step in and be the number one option for the Bobcats, alongside Gerald Wallace on the wing.

So far, the guy formerly known as "Captain Jack" is averaging about 17 points, five assists, and four rebounds per game.

For Golden State, this trade eliminates a major headache, while also bringing in a defensive specialist in Bell and a three-point shooting big man in Radmanovic.

Will Jackson be happy having been traded to a team just hoping to be able to sneak into the playoffs?

We'll see.

NBA Power Rankings (Nov. 16) Atlanta Hawks Swoop Into Top Spot

Taylor Smith — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:34:00 -0500

Two losses apiece for the Celtics and Lakers this past week have opened the door for other teams to seize the top spots in the rankings.

The team that overtook everyone was...the Atlanta Hawks?

Indeed, it was.

1. Atlanta Hawks (8-2, Last Week: 8)

We thought the Hawks might be better coming into the season, but this much better?

Atlanta has roared to the top of the Eastern Conference, already with wins over Portland, Denver, and Boston.

They certainly look like they're for real.

2. Phoenix Suns (9-2, Last Week: 2)

It seemed like none of the Suns played well in a blowout loss to the Lakers last Thursday night.

However, due to LA's struggles since that game, the Suns stay in the No. 2 spot.

3. Cleveland Cavaliers (7-3, Last Week: 12)

Since their 0-2 start, the Cavs have won seven of eight, including impressive back-to-back road wins against Orlando and Miami last week.

LeBron is the league's best player right now, and it isn't even really close.

The King is averaging 27.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 7.5 assists through the first 10 games.

4. Boston Celtics (8-3, Last Week: 1)

The "mighty Celtics" haven't looked mighty recently, with two consecutive losses to the Hawks and Pacers, respectively.

Against Indiana, Boston was outscored 27-6 on fastbreak points.

Could this be a sign of the Celtics' age?

5. Miami Heat (7-2, Last Week: 5)

D-Wade's last-second miracle game-winning three-pointer saved the Heat from an embarrassing loss at home to still-winless New Jersey Saturday night.

Behind Wade, who averages 29.7 points per game, the Heat's next few scoring leaders: Jermaine O'Neal (13.6), Michael Beasley (13.1), Udonis Haslem (12.4).

The Heat are going to need one of them to step up if they're going to keep the winning up.

6. Denver Nuggets (7-3, Last Week: 4)

In their first game with the Lakers since the Western Conference Finals last spring, Denver crushed LA 105-79, holding them to just 23 second-half points.

Denver's only three losses are to Atlanta, Miami, and Milwaukee, respectively.

Considering how each of those three teams is playing right now, that's nothing to be ashamed of.

7. Dallas Mavericks (7-3, Last Week: 6)

Dallas' three upcoming games: at Milwaukee, vs. San Antonio, vs. Sacramento.

Currently, it's looking as though San Antonio is the weakest of those three opponents...too bad the Spurs romped the Mavs last week in San Antonio.

8. Orlando Magic (7-3, Last Week: 7)

Dwight Howard's fouling problems (averaging four fouls per game) are keeping him off the floor.

In just over 31 minutes per game so far, Howard is averaging 19 points, 11 rebounds, and just under two blocks.

9. Los Angeles Lakers (7-3, Last Week: 3)

Pau Gasol hasn't played a minute so far, Andrew Bynum has already missed some time, and now Kobe Bryant apparently has a strained groin.

That's an awful lot of early-season injuries for the defending champs.

Hopefully, this doesn't become a season-long trend.

10. Portland Trail Blazers (8-3, Last Week: 13)

Now, with an 8-3 record and a six-game winning streak, why aren't the Blazers higher?

Well, they've been facing some of the worst teams in the league.

Portland has beaten a weakened San Antonio, Minnesota (twice), Memphis, New Orleans, and Charlotte.

Give them credit, though. They're beating the teams they should be beating.

There's a good chance the young Blazers can use this streak as a springboard for the rest of the season.

11. Milwaukee Bucks (5-2, Last Week: 18)

How did rookie Brandon Jennings follow up Wednesday night's career-high 32 point effort in the Bucks' win over the Nuggets?

All he did was stunningly pour in 55 points on insane 21-of-34 shooting Saturday night against the Warriors.

Perhaps even more surprising is the fact that Jennings only shot eight free throws (making six of them).

If Blake Griffin doesn't come back soon, the Rookie of the Year race could be over before it even starts.

(Oh, and by the way, the Bucks are pretty good.)

12. Sacramento Kings (5-4, Last Week: 24)

Since Kevin Martin went down, the little Kings have reeled off a nice four-game winning streak.

Rookie Tyreke Evans has been great, averaging about 17 points, four assists, and four rebounds a night.

So, do the Kings really need Martin?

13. Houston Rockets (6-4, Last Week: 10)

Houston followed up its nine-point loss at Sacramento by strolling into Los Angeles and running the Lakers off the floor.

Aaron Brooks, who scored a career-high 33 against the Lakers Sunday night, is really developing into more of a true point guard.

He's averaging six assists per game so far this season, way up from his career average of 2.7.

14. Indiana Pacers (4-3, Last Week: 23)

Second-year center Roy Hibbert is quietly looking like a budding star at center for Indy.

Hibbert is averaging 12 points, nine rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game.

After dropping their first three games this season, the Pacers have won four in a row, including an impressive victory over the Celtics Saturday night.

15. Chicago Bulls (5-4, Last Week: 9)

Hardly anybody is talking about Joakim Noah, whose numbers are starting to look very similar to the way they were while he was at Florida.

Noah is going for 12 points, 12 rebounds, and two blocks a night.

He clearly worked hard on his offensive game over the summer, and he's shooting a stellar 56 percent from the field.

16. Oklahoma City Thunder (5-5, Last Week: 14)

Kevin Durant's rebounding numbers during each of his first three seasons: 4.4, 6.5, 7.4 (so far).

Pretty soon, this guy could be averaging double-doubles of 30+ points and 10+ rebounds.

Those are numbers that we'd expect from guys like Hakeem Olajuwon or Karl Malone in their respective primes.

Those were centers...Durant spends lots of his time playing shooting guard.

17. San Antonio Spurs (4-4, Last Week: 11)

The notoriously-slow-starting Spurs were able to weather the storm without Duncan and Parker in the lineup.

Now at full-strength, the Spurs will likely just ease into the new year.

Expect them to really turn it on after Jan. 1.

18. Toronto Raptors (5-5, Last Week: 16)

The Raptors were thisclose to stealing a win at Phoenix Sunday night, losing 101-100.

Their schedule has been interesting so far, having already played six games against Western Conference teams, compared to four from their own conference.

On a different note, Toronto's black uniforms are amongst the most-underrated in the league.

19. Detroit Pistons (5-5, Last Week: 20)

After a loss to Dallas at home Sunday, Detroit is heading off to the west coast for a murderer's row road trip: at Lakers, at Blazers, at Jazz, at Suns.

They probably can't wait until they finally get to play a home game again on Nov. 25...until they realize LeBron and Co. will be there waiting for them.

Rough.

20. Utah Jazz (4-6, Last Week: 15)

I'd be terrified of the future if I was a Jazz fan.

Carlos Boozer, who seems to be almost certainly playing his final season in a Utah uniform, has been great lately, and is going for 18 points and 11 rebounds per game this season.

Paul Millsap, Boozer's replacement-in-waiting, is averaging nine points and six rebounds per game in about 23 minutes.

Millsap was phenomenal last season in Boozer's absence, so let's hope that is the player he really can be on a nightly basis.

21. Philadelphia 76ers (4-6, Last Week: 17)

Three of Philly's four wins this season have come against the Knicks and Nets (twice).

In the games against Orlando, Boston, Detroit, Phoenix, Utah, and Chicago, the Sixers have lost by an average of 14 points per game.

On the bright side, Andre Iguodala appears to have established himself as one of the best all-around players in the league.

Iggy is averaging 18 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game.

22. Los Angeles Clippers (4-7, Last Week: 25)

Interesting start for the Clippers.

They started the season by losing four in a row, then won three in a row, then lost three in a row, and now have won one with a home win over OKC Sunday night.

With their next two games against slumping New Orleans and Memphis, the Clips could have a nice little season of streaks going.

23. Charlotte Bobcats (3-6, Last Week: 21)

The Bobcats have already played in five games this season where they scored under 80 points (they even won one of them).

Trading Okafor away has left them with absolutely zero production in the post offensively.

Gerald Wallace, their leading scorer so far (13.7 ppg), is shooting a horrendous 35 percent from the floor.

His rebounding numbers are superb, though, as he averages 12 per game.

Hopefully the brand new addition of Stephen Jackson helps bolster Charlotte's awful offense.

24. Golden State Warriors (3-6, Last Week: 26)

It's too bad the Warriors hadn't traded for defensive specialist Raja Bell before they faced the Bucks Saturday night.

After allowing Brandon Jennings to explode for 55 points, what in the world is Golden State going to do to stop LeBron James Tuesday night?

If that isn't enough, they get to travel to Boston to face the Celtics the very next night.

The biggest travesty of it all to this point in the season for the Warriors is that second-year man Anthony Randolph is only playing 20 minutes per game.

25. New Orleans Hornets (3-8, Last Week: 19)

The Hornets have plummeted to the bottom of the NBA since winning 58 games just two years ago.

Byron Scott is out, and Jeff Bower has fared no better, promptly losing two games in his first two days of taking over the job.

How long until Chris Paul asks out?

26. Washington Wizards (2-7, Last Week: 22)

The Wiz have been in absolute free-fall mode since starting the season off with a promising 2-1 start, having lost six straight.

It's not going to be getting much easier for them, as their next three games are against Cleveland, Oklahoma City, and San Antonio.

One of the lone bright spots for Washington has been the comeback of Gilbert Arenas, who is averaging 23 points and six assists.

27. Memphis Grizzlies (2-8, Last Week: 28)

The Grizzlies have already appeared to have found their replacement for Allen Iverson with the signing of ex-good player Jamaal Tinsley.

What kind of shape can Tinsley possibly be in, considering he hasn't played since 1953?

At this point, they likely would've been better off making assistant coach Damon Stoudamire suit up as the backup PG.

28. Minnesota Timberwolves (1-10, Last Week: 27)

The T-Wolves' only win of the season game was the first game, on a Damien Wilkins buzzer-beating layup over the still-winless Nets.

Since then, they've lost 10 straight games.

Even Memphis beat them by double-digits, and their point differential for the season is an NBA-worst -13.8 points per game.

On the bright side, Jonny Flynn is one of a slew of rookie point guards playing pretty well so far, leading the Wolves in scoring (14.2 ppg) in 28 minutes per game.

29. New York Knicks (1-9, Last Week: 29)

STILL waiting for 2010.

By the way, how did this team beat the Hornets?

I know the Hornets are also horrible, but they still have to be way better than this team.

Are big-named free agents really going to want to go there?

30. New Jersey Nets (0-10, Last Week: 30)

They really can't be worse than the Knicks, can they?

Brook Lopez is playing well again, and Rafer Alston has stepped in for the injured Devin Harris and done a nice job.

The Nets have gotten blown out in their fair share of games, but have also lost several close games, including buzzer-beating losses to Minnesota and Miami, and a pair of three-point defeats at the hands of the Sixers.

In 2009, NCAA Needs College Football Playoff More Than Ever

Taylor Smith — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 17:45:57 -0500

It's quite unfortunate that we'll likely never know if these Florida Gators, Alabama Crimson Tide, or Texas Longhorns are actually better than these TCU Horned Frogs, Cincinnati Bearcats, or Boise State Broncos.

Of the whopping six undefeated teams still left in college football in 2009, only the top three have a realistic chance to get to the National Championship game.

Who's to say that top-ranked Florida, after a slew of relatively unimpressive victories over unranked teams like Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi State, and South Carolina, is really better than fourth-ranked TCU, a team that has made mincemeat of its last six opponents, including lopsided victories against ranked BYU and Utah teams?

Is Texas, which may at season's end have ended up playing just one team that will finish in the top 25 (Oklahoma State), capable of beating Cincinnati who, if still unbeaten at season's end, will have won against three ranked teams?

It could easily be argued that the traditionally powerful Big 12 is inferior in 2009 to both the Mountain West and the Big East.

So why should the Longhorns have a clear-cut path to the National Championship game in a down year for the Big 12, when teams like TCU and Cincinnati have run the table on tougher schedules?

Well, simply enough, they shouldn't.

Now, this isn't to say that Florida, Alabama, and Texas aren't deserving of having their chance to win it all. Going undefeated in any conference is no small feat, and it should certainly be rewarded.

However, the reward should not come at the expense of other equally deserving teams just because they don't play in big-money conferences.

I know the NCAA's necessity for a college football playoff has been discussed and argued to the point of exhaustion since the BCS was invented and screwed everything up, but if everybody wants the playoff, why can't they just let us have it?

The primary pro-BCS argument I've read over the years has gone something like: "Well, the BCS is a work in progress, and it'll only change for the better. The BCS is necessary because it eliminates human bias from manual polls, thus avoiding any manipulation at the hands of the voters."

As the children of my uncle, one Andrew Meyers Sr., the most rabid Louisiana State fan on the planet would say, "Really?" (By the way, when I say he's "rabid," I mean it. He'd watch LSU women's lacrosse play Hofstra in a preseason game on a portable TV during church. He really would.)

Anyway, BCS supporters, if this is your best argument, you've got a terrible case.

Here's another one.

"If there was a playoff, we'd lose bowl games."

And...the problem is...where?

Do we really need to watch a 6-6 team go up against a 7-5 team in something called the Meineke Car Care Bowl? Would you really miss this?

Yet another anti-playoff argument I've heard complains about how a playoff would take too much time.

The date of the ACC, SEC, and Big 12 Championship games is Dec. 5 this year.

The National Championship game isn't until Jan. 7. That's a nice month off for whoever ends up playing for the title.

Sports Illustrated 's website, after the AP rankings come out every Sunday, puts out a bracket that pits the nation's top 16 teams against one another.

SI 's bracket is based on votes from the magazine's college football writers.

You can organize the teams however you'd like.

If you want to keep the BCS around, then use those rankings to determine the best 16. Otherwise, they could just use the good ole "biased" AP rankings. Either way, SI 's idea would work.

Five full weeks pass from Dec. 5 to Jan. 7.

A 16-team playoff would take four weeks to play out if there were no off-weeks.

Therefore, clearly, a playoff would not take too long to play out.

Now, would you rather watch three weeks of bowl games between mediocre teams, or the top 16 teams in the nation playing do-or-die games every week for the same amount of time?

I thought so.

As it now stands, based on the aforementioned SI bracket, here's what we would have in the first round:

No. 1 Florida vs. No. 16 Penn State

No. 2 Texas vs. No. 15 Wisconsin

No. 3 Alabama vs. No. 14 Iowa

No. 4 TCU vs. No.13 Oklahoma State

No. 5 Cincinnati vs. No. 12 Stanford

No. 6 Boise State vs. No. 11 Oregon

No. 7 Georgia Tech vs. No. 10 Ohio State

No. 8 Pittsburgh vs. No. 9 LSU

Is this not phenomenal?

As it now stands, with the dumb BCS in place, we're destined to get matchups like Cincinnati against Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl.

Cincinnati against GT would be a great matchup, but will anybody really care if they're facing off in a game that essentially means nothing on a national scale?

No, they won't. Whoever would win a game like that would end a great season on a nice note, but in the end it just seems hollow.

The playoff system would solve another issue: the fact that 6-6 teams get to play in postseason.

Should a .500 record really be good enough to qualify?

The entire point of a postseason is for the nation's elite to face off to determine which teams are the best.

Should teams that have lost four, five, or six games really be in the position to play against other mediocre teams in postseason play?

If you win the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl and finish 7-6, does this do anything for your program? I fail to see the necessity here.

You can't call it a "postseason" when 33 of the 34 bowl games are essentially superfluous.

If everybody wants to see a playoff happen, why can't the powers that be allow it?

Wouldn't it be fun to see how deep teams that end the season on hot streaks, like Stanford right now, are able to go?

Instead, Andrew Luck and the Cardinals may be stuck squaring off in the Holiday Bowl against a cast-off Big 12 team. Exciting!

Critics would naturally whine, "What about the teams that are the last few left out? Shouldn't they have a chance?"

Quite frankly, if you're not in the top 16 after the regular season is over, what chance do you think you really stand?

Typically, the regular season is more than enough time to figure out which teams belong and which teams don't. Maybe the next group of 16 could play in an NIT-style tournament instead...or something. (This is hardly an issue; nobody cares about or watches the NIT anyway. It wouldn't be any different for college football. Now, back to relevant things.)

In theory, if the playoff were to become a reality, you could play the first two rounds of games on the higher-ranked team's home field.

For the final two rounds, why not match them up at a rotating Final Four-type location?

Since the title game is scheduled to be at the Rose Bowl this year, for the third round, you could play both "Final Four" games at the Rose Bowl on the Saturday a week (or two weeks) before playing the title game in the same stadium.

If this is too many games, then teams should just cut the non-conference schedule down, eliminating useless games against teams like Louisiana-Monroe, Wyoming, UTEP, and Central Florida. (In case you were wondering, yes, that is Texas' non-conference schedule this year. Intimidating! Now I can see why they're ranked so high.)

At the end of the day, TCU, Cincinnati, and Boise State should be allowed to contend with teams from the SEC, Big 12, and Big 10 for the National Championship. ("At the end of the day" happens to be my favorite sports cliche, by the way. It narrowly beats out "They don't play the games on paper," and "They just have to play within themselves." Good stuff.)

Just think, had Iowa not self-destructed and lost to Northwestern and Ohio State in the past two weeks, they would've had the inside track to the National Championship game over TCU and Cincy had a couple of the top three stumbled.

Why would they have had the inside track?

Why, because they play in a major conference, of course.

It's ludicrous.

People claim that the NCAA loves the BCS because it's a hot topic that fuels heated national debates and conversations every single year, keeping people interested in the college football process.

Considering how much of the debate has to do with how the BCS is ruining college football, how can they possibly see this as a positive?

Shouldn't people be talking about games themselves rather than whether the computers have screwed another team out of a shot at a championship again?

After all, "they don't play the games on paper."

This is why they shouldn't play the games in a computer either.

This and more from Taylor Smith can be found at NFLSoup.com

Surprising Atlanta Hawks Bring 6-2 Record into Beantown To Face Celtics

Taylor Smith — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:47:31 -0500

Finally, it appears as though Josh Smith has found "it."

What is "it," exactly?

Quite simply, Smith has looked like the player the Hawks thought they'd be getting when they signed the former high school-draftee to a $58 million contract two summers ago.

The 23-year-old high-flying forward is averaging 16 points, seven rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game through Atlanta's first eight games.

Smith, a career 46 percent shooter, is shooting a phenomenal 58 percent from the floor so far as well.

They key for Smith on offense has clearly been the fact that he has not taken a single three-pointer so far.

Smith is just a 27 percent three-point shooter for his career, yet still fired up 87 last season, connecting on just 26.

Smith, with the help of players like Al Horford, Joe Johnson, and sixth-man extraordinaire Jamal Crawford, has Atlanta flying high, with a 6-2 record.

Tonight, they'll face their toughest test of the season to date when they stroll into Boston to face the rejuvenated Celtics.

The Celtics (8-1) lead the league in defense, allowing a league-best 84.6 points per game.

The Hawks, on the other hand, are fourth in the league in scoring, averaging about 108 points per game.

As they say, something's gotta give.

Boston has a balanced offensive attack, as Paul Pierce, their leading scorer, is scoring just 18 points a night.

The Hawks have lost their past nine games in Boston, and they'll surely be in for a fight tonight if they want to keep that figure from reaching double digits.

Here's how the teams stack up head-to-head.

Point Guards:

Mike Bibby (ATL) vs. Rajon Rondo (BOS)

Mike Bibby's scoring numbers are down, but that hasn't hurt the Hawks.

A career 16 points per game scorer, Bibby is going for just 10 per game so far in '09.

With his brand new contract, Rajon Rondo has shown no signs of slowing down thus far, averaging 11 points, nine assists, and three steals per game for the Celtics, all while shooting a stellar 60 percent from the field.

All things considered, it'll be interesting to see how Bibby is able to handle the quicker Rondo on the defensive end of the floor.

Advantage: Celtics

Shooting Guards:

Joe Johnson (ATL) vs. Ray Allen (BOS)

Upcoming free agent Joe Johnson has gotten off to a solid start, going for 21 points and six rebounds per game.

He's shooting 45 percent from the floor, but has been surprisingly bad from beyond the arc, going just 9-34 this season so far (26 percent).

Allen is still the Celtics' second-leading scorer (14.8 ppg), but his numbers are down from where they were last year (18 ppg).

If Johnson and Allen are matched up, it'll be very tough for the smaller Allen to be able to handle Johnson.

Advantage: Hawks

Small Forwards:

Marvin Williams (ATL) vs. Paul Pierce (BOS)

Williams is just 23 years old, but is already entering his fifth NBA season.

After giving him a brand new five year, $37 million contract over the summer, Atlanta has to be a little disappointed with the way he's started this season, averaging just over nine points and about five rebounds per game.

The aforementioned Pierce is still the focal point of the Celtics' offense, and, because of the talent around him, hasn't had to over-exert himself in order for the team to win.

Advantage: Celtics

Power Forwards:

Josh Smith (ATL) vs. Kevin Garnett (BOS)

Smith has been phenomenal for Atlanta thus far, energizing the Hawks with his play on both sides of the floor.

Like Allen and Pierce, Kevin Garnett doesn't have to put up the scoring numbers that he used to in order for his team to win.

KG is averaging about 13 points per, to go along with eight rebounds and a block.

Quite honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if these two put up similar numbers tonight.

Advantage: Draw

Center:

Al Horford (ATL) vs. Kendrick Perkins (BOS)

Horford has upped his game in a big way so far, going for about 14 points, 11 rebounds, and over two blocks per game.

Kendrick Perkins' value doesn't necessarily show up in a box score.

The big-bodied Perkins is getting over two blocks per game, and has become one of the league's premiere (and more underrated) defenders on the low block.

This will be a very, very intriguing matchup when Atlanta has the ball.

Advantage: Draw

Bench:

Led by newcomer Jamal Crawford, the Hawks actually boast one of the deeper benches in the league.

Crawford has given the Hawks the scoring jolt off the bench they've so sorely needed in recent years.

They have one of the more serviceable backup centers in the league in Zaza Pachulia, flanked by veterans Joe Smith and Maurice Evans in the frontcourt.

The Celtics' bench is no secret.

Rasheed Wallace has fit in nicely, going for about 11 points in just over 20 minutes per game so far.

Marquis Daniels, another new addition, has been pretty much what Boston had expected.

He's a perfect role-playing swingman that plays solid defense and can score when called upon to do so.

Backup center Shelden Williams has been a nice surprise, and appears to have finally found his NBA home.

Advantage: Celtics

While the Celtics are tough to dethrone at home, the Hawks have shown that they won't back down from anybody, as evidenced by their tough victory on the road in Portland earlier this year.

Expect a hard-fought game that could go down to the wire.

NFL Fantasy Football Risers and Fallers: Week 10

Taylor Smith — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:28:16 -0500

The 2009 NFL season hasn't been particularly kind to a few of the running backs that were taken at the top of most fantasy drafts.

Players like Matt Forte, Steve Slaton, and Michael Turner have struggled through disappointing seasons thus far.

Now, it's looking as though one of those guys can officially be marked off the list.

Here are the top five fantasy risers and fallers going into Week 10.

Risers

Michael Turner, RB, Atlanta Falcons

Through the Falcons' first six games of '09, Turner had just one game of over 100 yards rushing.

This is the same guy that led the NFL in rushing a season ago.

Over the past two weeks, "The Burner" appears to have gotten things in order, rushing for 151 and 166 yards, respectively.

He's officially back to "unconditionally start him" mode.

Chris Johnson, RB, Tennessee Titans

Outside of a monster week two game against Houston, Johnson hadn't done much fantasy-wise through the first six games of the season.

That's all changed in the past two weeks after two monster games, in which he has run for 228 and 135 yards, with two rushing touchdowns in each game.

This weekend he and his Titans face the Bills, owners of one of the worst run defenses in the NFL.

Absolutely start Chris Johnson.

Josh Freeman, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Freeman shocked the world in his NFL debut, throwing for three touchdowns in a huge upset of the Packers last Sunday.

While he may not be worthy of a start just yet, he's worth picking up, for injury purposes.

Keep an eye on him.

Ray Rice, RB, Baltimore Ravens

Looking at his numbers, Rice has flown almost completely under-the-radar and has been one of the most consistent fantasy backs in the league so far.

His Ravens face the Browns on Monday Night Football coming up.

Need I say more?

Ladell Betts, RB, Washington Redskins

With Clinton Portis out, Betts becomes the Redskins' No. 1 ball-carrier.

Filling in for Portis last Sunday against Atlanta, Betts amassed over 100 total yards with a touchdown.

He'd be a nice flex option against Denver.

Fallers

Matt Forte, RB, Chicago Bears

It's been a sophomore NFL season to forget for Matt Forte thus far.

Forte has just three rushing touchdowns all season, with two of those coming against the hapless and helpless Browns two weeks ago.

I'd sit him against San Francisco's stout run defense this weekend.

New York Giants, Defense

It's obviously not a coincidence that with the Giants in the midst of a four-game losing streak, their defense has been terrible for fantasy.

Maybe this weekend's bye will help them, but I would hesitate to start them again until they can prove they're capable once again.

Houston Texans Running Backs

Against Buffalo in Week Nine, Steve Slaton was benched because of fumble issues.

Ryan Moats filled in for Slaton and promptly rushed for over 100 yards and scored thrice.

So, what does Moats do for an encore against the Colts?

Fumbles! Of course!

It would probably just be a good idea to avoid starting whomever the Texans choose to start in the backfield coming out of their bye next week.

Shonn Greene, RB, New York Jets

After lighting the world on fire in his first real game action as a pro against lowly Oakland in Week Seven, Greene ran for a cool 18 yards on eight carries with a fumble the very next week against Miami.

He'll get some touches coming out of the bye against the Jaguars Sunday, but do not start him unless your team is absolutely ravaged by injuries.

Tashard Choice, RB, Dallas Cowboys

With the healthy Marion Barber and Felix Jones now back in front of him, Choice's standout performances from the early weeks of the season are a thing of the past.

However, Jones has battled injury problems throughout his first two pro seasons, so you never know when Choice will be thrown right back into the far.

He may not be worth a roster spot at the moment, but keep an eye on him.

For more from Taylor Smith and more fantasy advice, head over to NFLSoup.com

NBA Power Rankings: Nov. 10

Taylor Smith — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:27:55 -0500

Sure, we don't have any unbeaten teams left in the NBA, but there is still a team searching for their first win.

That's just as good, right?

Here's how the NBA teams stack up, 1-30.

1. Boston Celtics (7-1, Last Week: 1)

Boston is already three games up on the second-place Raptors.

Is it too early to say the divisional race is over?

2. Phoenix Suns (7-1, Last Week: 9)

No team made a bigger jump than the Suns.

Beating the mighty Celtics in Boston last week certainly raised some eyebrows.

3. Los Angeles Lakers (6-1, Last Week: 2)

No Pau Gasol plus no Andrew Bynum equals lots of Josh Powell and D.J. Mbenga.

4. Denver Nuggets (5-2, Last Week: 4)

After owning the first week of the season, back-to-back losses at Miami and Atlanta had Carmelo and company looking average.

5. Miami Heat (5-1, Last Week: 11)

Are they really this good?

It's early, but we'll find out more about them during an upcoming four-game homestand during which they host Washington, Cleveland, New Jersey, and Oklahoma City.

6. Dallas Mavericks (4-2, Last Week: 6)

Despite a tough OT loss at New Orleans, it appears as though Dirk's Mavericks are legitimate.

7. Orlando Magic (5-2, Last Week: 3)

A loss at Oklahoma City by a score of 102-74 has to be of some concern.

8. Atlanta Hawks (5-2, Last Week: 8)

Josh Smith was everywhere in Atlanta's huge win over Denver Saturday night.

His line: 22 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, six blocks.

9. Chicago Bulls (4-2, Last Week: 19)

Luol Deng is having a nice comeback season so far, averaging about 17 points and 10 rebounds per.

10. Houston Rockets (4-2, Last Week: 14)

The Rockets head to Dallas Tuesday night for an in-state showdown with co-first place inhabitants, the Mavs.

11. San Antonio Spurs (2-3, Last Week: 5)

While the Spurs are notoriously slow starters, losses to Utah and Portland (two teams that haven't been playing well) is a bit worrisome.

12. Cleveland Cavaliers (4-3, Last Week: 7)

It's been a struggle for Cleveland to integrate Shaq so far.

13. Portland Trail Blazers (4-3, Last Week: 10)

A resounding win over San Antonio at home should be a nice spark for the young Blazers.

14. Oklahoma City Thunder (3-3, Last Week: 16)

The Thunder rebounded nicely from the loss at Houston by crushing Orlando the other night.

15. Utah Jazz (3-4, Last Week: 13)

The Jazz, a team notorious for struggling on the road in recent years, is in the midst of a tough Eastern road swing during which they face both Boston and Cleveland.

16. Toronto Raptors (3-4, Last Week: 18)

Chris Bosh has been phenomenal, averaging 28.5 points and 11.8 rebounds per game.

17. Philadelphia 76ers (3-4, Last Week: 15)

It's been a slow start for Elton Brand, going for just 10 and six a night so far.

18. Milwaukee Bucks (3-2, Last Week: 21)

It's unlikely they'll be able to keep it up, but it's been a nice start for the upstart Bucks.

19. New Orleans Hornets (3-5, Last Week: 17)

Can it get much lower than last week's loss to the Knicks?

20. Detroit Pistons (3-4, Last Week: 20)

Ben Gordon has been well worth the cash so far, leading Detroit in scoring with 24 a night.

21. Charlotte Bobcats (3-3, Last Week: 22)

When your leading scorer is averaging 14 points per game, you know you have scoring issues.

22. Washington Wizards (2-5, Last Week: 12)

What happened?

The Wizards have lost four straight following their 2-1 start.

23. Indiana Pacers (3-4, Last Week: 23)

Tyler Hansbrough shot 10 free throws in his NBA debut against the Wizards; not much different from the Hansbrough we knew in college.

24. Sacramento Kings (3-5, Last Week: 30)

Tyreke Evans has exploded in his past two games, and has the Kings not looking like the worst team in the league. Surprise!

25. Los Angeles Clippers (3-5, Last Week: 26)

Chris Kaman is leading the Clips in both scoring and rebounding.

26. Golden State Warriors (2-4, Last Week: 27)

The Warriors racked up an NBA season-high 146 points against the T'Wolves Monday night, including 31 from Kelenna Azubuike, one of the league's more underrated players.

27. Minnesota Timberwolves (1-7, Last Week: 25)

The Wolves have the exact opposite record as their Minneapolis mates, the Vikings. Fun.

28. Memphis Grizzlies (1-6, Last Week: 24)

What a circus the Allen Iverson situation is.

29. New York Knicks (1-7, Last Week: 29)

STILL waiting for 2010.

30. New Jersey Nets (0-7, Last Week: 28)

Devin Harris is averaging just 15 points per game on awful 32 percent shooting from the floor.

What happened?

Catch weekly NBA Power Rankings, as well as NFL/Fantasy advice at NFLSoup.com

NFL Power Rankings: Week 10

Taylor Smith — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:49:52 -0500

The NFL's two unbeatens coming into the week remained that way ... barely.

With the Saints and Colts appearing to be coming back to the pack, the door is slowly swinging open for a few other contenders.

Who are they?

1. New Orleans Saints (8-0)

The unbeaten Saints face St. Louis and Tampa before their showdown with New England.

2. Indianapolis Colts (8-0)

We'll see what Indy is really made of this Sunday night against the aforementioned Patriots.

3. Minnesota Vikings (7-1)

The Vikes essentially have two consecutive bye weeks, as they face the lowly Lions this Sunday.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)

After a slow start, the defending champs have won five straight, and are officially once again Super Bowl contenders.

5. New England Patriots (6-2)

The Pats will certainly be tested in order to remain on top of the AFC East.

Their next five games are against Indianapolis, New York Jets, New Orleans, Miami, and Carolina.

6. Dallas Cowboys (6-2)

The overtime victory over the Chiefs has served as a springboard for the rejuvenated Cowboys, winners of four straight, including Sunday night's revenge game at Philly.

7. Cincinnati Bengals (6-2)

Just when we think they're finally going to fade, Cedric Benson and company just keep on winning games.

8. Denver Broncos (6-2)

Two straight lopsided losses to AFC North teams has Denver looking quite pedestrian after their 6-0 start.

9. Philadelphia Eagles (5-3)

Big play threats DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin were non-factors against Dallas, combining for just five catches and 73 yards.

10. Arizona Cardinals (5-3)

The defending NFC champs rebounded from an awful showing against Carolina with a dominating 41-21 victory over Chicago behind five TD passes from Kurt Warner.

11. Atlanta Falcons (5-3)

An easy victory over the hapless Redskins was just what the doctor ordered after tough losses to the Cowboys and Saints.

12. Houston Texans (5-3)

A blown call by the officials on the Ryan Moats fumble and countless defensive penalties cost the Texans the game at Indianapolis Sunday.

13. San Diego Chargers (5-3)

Suddenly, the Chargers are looking like a major threat once again, and the Broncos lead in the division is anything but safe.

14. Baltimore Ravens (4-4)

After their second loss to the Bengals, the Ravens should have their sights set on nabbing one of the Wild Card spots.

15. New York Giants (5-4)

What happened to the complete team that started this season 5-0?

16. Carolina Panthers (3-5)

Despite a close loss at New Orleans, it's safe to say the Panthers have turned things around since their 0-3 start.

17. New York Jets (4-4)

Following the bye week, can the Jets stay consistent enough to remain in the playoff race down the stretch?

18. Chicago Bears (4-4)

Somehow, nine weeks in, the Bears still have two games left against division-rival Minnesota.

This doesn't bode well.

19. Green Bay Packers (4-4)

When you can't keep Aaron Rodgers clean against the Bucs, you know you have issues on the front line.

20. San Francisco 49ers (3-5)

The Niners have lost five of six games following their 2-1 start, including three straight against AFC South opponents.

21. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-4)

Just 45,516 showed up to watch the Jags beat the a sorry Chiefs team 24-21.

22. Miami Dolphins (3-5)

It's been tough going for Ronnie Brown following the bye.

In three games since the off week, Brown has rushed for just 48, 27, and 48 yards, respectively.

23. Tennessee Titans (2-6)

With a 2-0 record since Vince Young replaced Kerry Collins, it's too bad Jeff Fisher didn't make the switch sooner.

24. Seattle Seahawks (3-5)

After falling into a terrible 14-0 hole at home against Detroit, Seattle rebounded for a 32-20 victory, led by replacement linebacker David Hawthorne's two interceptions.

25. Buffalo Bills (3-5)

Future destination for Michael Vick?

Tony Dungy says it's a possibility.

26. Washington Redskins (2-6)

They aren't this bad on paper, are they?

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-7)

Rookie Josh Freeman looked like he knew what he was doing Sunday against Green Bay, throwing for three TDs in the Bucs' first win of '09.

28. Oakland Raiders (2-6)

The Raiders face the Chiefs this Sunday.

Nice.

29. Kansas City Chiefs (1-7)

The Chiefs' rally against Jacksonville fell just short Sunday.

30. St. Louis Rams (1-7)

Hopefully, they enjoyed their bye week, as they'll come out of it and face the Saints.

31. Detroit Lions

Matthew Stafford's five-interception effort against Seattle was certainly not his finest hour.

32. Cleveland Browns (1-7)

Brady Quinn was pulled after just 10 quarters of football this season, after games against Minnesota and Denver, and one half against Baltimore.

He wasn't nearly as bad in those games (against good teams) as Derek Anderson has been (against lesser teams).

Read this and more of Taylor's work at NFLSoup.com

NFL Power Rankings: Week 9

Taylor Smith — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:13:21 -0500

Going into week nine, the contenders are separating themselves from the rest, while others are jockeying for draft position already.

Here's my rundown of the NFL, 1-32.

1. New Orleans Saints (7-0)

With three relatively weak opponents coming up, New Orleans could be 10-0 heading into their Monday night matchup with New England in week 12.

2. Indianapolis Colts (7-0)

The Colts face their toughest test of the season when the much improved Texans come to town Sunday.

3. Minnesota Vikings (7-1)

Brett Favre is completing 68 percent of his passes, with 16 touchdowns and just three interceptions.

He's certainly getting himself into the MVP race.

4. New England Patriots (5-2)

The Pats look to hand Miami its first divisional loss of the season this Sunday.

5. Denver Broncos (6-1)

The Ravens' blitzes were giving Kyle Orton fits last week.

How will he respond to Pittsburgh's suddenly rejuvenated D?

6. Cincinnati Bengals (5-2)

The next two games (vs. Ravens, at Steelers) will tell us quite a lot about whether or not the Bengals are for real.

7. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2)

Ben Roethlisberger is having his best statistical season to date, and is rolling along under the radar.

8. Philadelphia Eagles (5-2)

With the way their offense has been overwhelmingly dominant at times this season, how did they go to Oakland and lose?

9. Dallas Cowboys (5-2)

Their Sunday night matchup at Philadelphia this week isn't a "must-win", but it's certainly a "must be competitive" after their 44-6 drubbing the last time they were in Philly.

10. Houston Texans (5-3)

The season-ending injury to TE Owen Daniels couldn't have come at a worst time: the week before the biggest game in franchise history at Indy.

11. Baltimore Ravens (4-3)

The Ravens' defense looked like the Ravens' defense of years past last Sunday against the Broncos.

12. Arizona Cardinals (4-3)

Just when it looked like they were putting everything together, they lay a major egg in a home loss to Carolina.

13. New York Giants (5-3)

If they lose at home this week to San Diego, it will officially be time to panic for the G-Men.

14. Atlanta Falcons (4-3)

What better way to rebound from tough back-to-back losses than a home game with the lowly Redskins?

15. San Diego Chargers (4-3)

A win this weekend coupled with a Bronco loss puts the inconsistent Chargers right back into the divisional race.

16. Green Bay Packers (4-3)

If Green Bay hopes to return to the playoffs, they're going to need to keep Aaron Rodgers off the ground.

17. Chicago Bears (4-3)

We'll see if Chicago is a playoff contender over the course of their next four games: Cardinals, at 49ers, Eagles, at Vikings.

18. Miami Dolphins (3-4)

Three non-offensive touchdowns in the win at the Jets overshadowed the lack of production from Miami's wildcat.

19. San Francisco 49ers (3-4)

Alex Smith and co. were able to hang with the Colts on the road.

We'll see how they handle their third-consecutive AFC South opponent when Vince Young and the Titans come to town.

20. New York Jets (4-4)

A hot start plus recent struggles equals an average team.

21. Carolina Panthers (3-4)

If they're able to run the ball like they were Sunday against Arizona, they could slowly creep back into the NFC Wild Card picture.

22. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-4)

Maurice Jones-Drew had 177 yards rushing in the loss at Tennessee Sunday...on eight carries.

Give him the ball.

23. Buffalo Bills (3-5)

Rookie Jairus Byrd's two interceptions Sunday in the blowout loss to Houston marked one of the Bills' few bright spots.

24. Seattle Seahawks (2-5)

TJ Houshmandzadeh has done a whole lot of nothing during his first season in the Pacific northwest.

25. Tennessee Titans (1-6)

Vince Young looked very comfortable managing the offense in Sunday's win over the Jags, and Chris Johnson was unbelievably good.

26. Washington Redskins (2-5)

Only this year could a team this bad still be so high in the rankings.

27. Oakland Raiders (2-6)

I mentioned this earlier, but it's still baffling.

How did this team beat the Eagles?

28. St. Louis Rams (1-7)

Steven Jackson's game winning run against the Lions was his first touchdown of the season.

29. Kansas City Chiefs (1-6)

In two weeks, the Chiefs are set to avenge a loss earlier this season at the hands of the Raiders, in what's sure to be one of the least-anticipated games in league history.

30. Detroit Lions (1-6)

I was completely shocked that this team lost to the winless Rams at home.

This is the last time I set relatively high expectations for the freaking Lions .

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-7)

The NFL's last winless team has an extremely ominous-looking schedule the rest of the way.

32. Cleveland Browns (1-6)

Derek Anderson said he was upset that Eric Mangini decided to bench him at the end of the game against Chicago.

When your QB rating is 10, and you've been playing on the same level as JaMarcus Russell for several weeks, how can you possibly think that you deserve to be playing?

Defense Is What Separates Young Thunder from Young Blazers

Taylor Smith — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:46:43 -0500

The Portland Trail Blazers and Oklahoma City Thunder have each been heralded in recent years as "the future of the NBA."

Each team boasts several young, rising star players.

Portland has Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, Martell Webster, Travis Outlaw, Jerryd Bayless, and Greg Oden.

Oklahoma City has Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Russell Westbrook, Thabo Sefolosha, and James Harden.

The Blazers were able to start building their core earlier, and, as a result, are already talking about NBA championship aspirations.

The Thunder, thanks to some high draft picks and some shrewd general managing by Sam Presti, look as though they'll be a team to be reckoned with for quite some time.

So, with so many budding stars on each side, which team is better off?

I think Oklahoma City has a brighter future ahead, and there's a simple reason for this: They're a defense-first team.

This starts with how they've been built.

Presti, who came up as the assistant GM to San Antonio's RC Buford, learned during his time with the Spurs that playing great team defense is the first step towards winning in the NBA.

So, what has he done?

Presti has used three first-round draft picks on guys with reputations for playing great defense, in Green, Westbrook, and Harden.

He was also able to nab future All-Star Kevin Durant with the second overall pick in 2007.

Last season, he was able to acquire Bulls castoff Thabo Sefolosha in exchange for a 2009 first round pick (which became Taj Gibson).

This past summer, he sent guards Damien Wilkins and Chucky Atkins to Minnesota in exchange for former Wizards center Etan Thomas.

So far this season, the Thunder are 2-2, and are allowing just 85 points per game, good for second in the NBA.

Sefolosha, as he showed Tuesday while swarming Kobe Bryant all night long, is a phenomenal wing defender, and his length gives opposing swingmen major issues.

Green has become a major playmaker on both sides of the floor, but his defense and rebounding are more notable.

He seems to have a knack for getting his hands on the ball and disrupting plays, and always appears to be a step ahead of the opposition.

Listed at 6'9", Green is also averaging about 20 points and eight rebounds per game so far in '09.

Thomas, who has missed most of the past two seasons with injuries, has given OKC a legitimate post intimidator.

He's a surprisingly athletic big-bodied guy that really gave Andrew Bynum fits in the second half Tuesday night, after Bynum owned the paint on offense in the first half.

Westbrook, while he's a developing all-around offensive talent, has already shown in his brief time in the league that he's going to be one of the better defensive point guards for a long time.

He's 6'3", supremely athletic, and has ridiculously long arms for a guy his size.

Westbrook is an aggressive defender, and poses a tough matchup for smaller guards.

One issue for the Thunder will be their ability to get easy baskets for themselves.

With no real offensive threat in the post, they're going to have to rely on perimeter shooting in order to get it done.

Their fantastic defense will help, but, if they can't score, what good will it do?

One problem the Blazers don't have is scoring.

With Roy and Aldridge, they've got two of the premier offensive players at their positions in the league.

Roy can score from anywhere on the floor, and Aldridge could be the best shooting power forward in the entire league.

However, their commitment to defense remains a concern.

While Oden (a walking foul machine) and Joel Pryzbilla provide a great shot-blocking tandem on the low block, Portland doesn't have a true "stopper" on the perimeter.

Travis Outlaw and Martell Webster have tremendous offensive abilities, but haven't shown the same interest or fire in playing on the other side of the floor.

Head coach Nate McMillan may stress defense, but the Blazers haven't been able to consistently show that they can stop anybody.

This was evident Saturday night in their road loss against Houston.

Aaron Brooks was knifing his way through their defense with ease, setting up easy, open shots for guys like Trevor Ariza.

Ariza finished with 33 points, Brooks with 28.

If those kinds of guys are able to put up those kinds of numbers on the Blazers, what will guys like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Chris Paul be able to do?

There's no question that both the Blazers and the Thunder could have very, very bright futures ahead.

However, unless Portland is able to commit more to playing team defense, I think they will struggle to keep up with the league's elite.

Sam Presti and the Thunder have a winning blueprint in place, and I think, if they can keep this core together, it will be just a matter of time until they're seeing it pay big-time, championship-style dividends.

'09 Houston Rockets Symbolize Team Basketball at its Finest

Taylor Smith — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:04:38 -0500

In case you haven't noticed, the Houston Rockets, without a single player that has averaged 20 points in an NBA season, are 3-1 to start the season.

The Rockets waltzed into Energy Solutions Arena last night and ran the Jazz out of the building, on their way to a 17-point victory in their finest game of the season so far.

Yes, the same Energy Solutions Arena that has been a house of horrors for the Rockets franchise in recent years.

So, how were the Rockets, with their undersized squad of misfits, able to do something their teams with Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady couldn't?

These Rockets are simply outworking their opponents.

Without a clear-cut No. 1 option on offense, they're able to spread it around, and wherever there's an open shot, it's taken, regardless of who takes it.

This is how the Rockets were able to get eight players into double-figure scoring.

Houston doesn't have Yao Ming down low, with his career scoring average of 19 points per game.

No matter, the Rockets' frontcourt of Luis Scola, David Andersen, Chuck Hayes, and Carl Landry combined for 39 points in Salt Lake City.

Houston doesn't have No. 1 scoring threats on the wings either, with Tracy McGrady and Ron Artest out of the picture.

No problem at all, as Chase Budinger, Trevor Ariza, and Shane Battier combined to score 45.

Aaron Brooks and Kyle Lowry, 24 and 23 years-old, respectively, look like seasoned veterans.

Neither of them is taller than six feet, yet they are relentless in their efforts to get to the rim, and it's been paying off.

The pair of point guards epitomizes the attitude of the Rockets in that they won't give up, and they certainly won't be intimidated, no matter how many seven-footers or 20-points-per-game scorers they'll be going up against.

Rick Adelman's up-tempo style has been working to perfection, and the Rockets are beating the opposition down the court, getting themselves easy buckets before the defenses are able to blink.

It seems as though whenever there's a loose ball, it winds up in the hands of Chuck Hayes, Shane Battier, Kyle Lowry, or Carl Landry.

The Rockets are fourth in the league in turnovers forced, at about 19 per game, and this is a trend that is likely to keep up all year long.

Through the first four games, there's been a very noticeable difference in how hard the Rockets are working compared to their opponents.

You know this is meaningful when a team coached by Jerry Sloan is badly out-hustled, especially on their own floor.

This is the absolute key to the Rockets' success.

Is Trevor Ariza going to be a 20-point-per-game scorer all year, as he has been through the first week?

Will the Rockets be able to successfully integrate Tracy McGrady once he returns from injury?

Will Aaron Brooks' frail frame hold up playing significant minutes for 82 games for the first time in his career?

These and many more questions remain, but if the first four games are any indication, the Rockets will be around until the end.

Roundball Roundup: NBA Power Rankings for Nov. 2

Taylor Smith — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:54:08 -0500

The 2009-10 NBA season is less than a week old, and there already appears to be a team that's a cut above the rest.

The Boston Celtics have had to play four games in five days, winning them all in impressive fashion, the latest being a 97-87 victory in New Orleans Sunday night.

KG and Co. defeated LeBron James and the Cavs in Cleveland in the season opener and then destroyed Charlotte and Chicago.

With the Lakers' loss to Dallas last Friday, the '09 champs are now looking up at the '08 champs.

1. Boston Celtics (4-0, Last Week: 2)

Boston's new $55 million man, Rajon Rondo, is averaging 11.8 assists per game through the first four. Does this team have a single weakness?

2. Los Angeles Lakers (2-1, Last Week: 1)

It'll be tough for the Lakers to keep up with the Celtics as long as Pau Gasol is out of the lineup.

3. Orlando Magic (3-0, Last Week: 3)

A relatively-easy first month's schedule should help the new-look Magic work out all the potential issues that come with having several new key players.

They've shown no signs of struggle thus far, with easy wins over Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Toronto.

4. Denver Nuggets (3-0, Last Week: 6)

Carmelo Anthony's 41-point assault in a 97-94 victory in Portland signifies that he and the Nuggets aren't ready to relinquish their divisional crown to the young Blazers just yet.

5. San Antonio Spurs (2-1, Last Week: 3)

We'll see what the Spurs are made of when they travel Utah and Portland Thursday and Friday, two of the toughest places to play in the league.

6. Dallas Mavericks (2-1, Last Week: 7)

After a disappointing season-opening loss on their home floor to the Wizards Tuesday night, the spiffy-looking Mavs rebounded with a resounding win over the Lakers at Staples Friday night.

7. Cleveland Cavaliers (2-2, Last Week: 5)

Cleveland lost just two games all of last season at home.

They're already halfway there less than a week into 2009-10.

8. Atlanta Hawks (2-1, Last Week: 10)

After beating the much-improved Wizards Friday night, Atlanta was impressively able to hang with the Lakers until late in the fourth quarter Sunday.

9. Phoenix Suns (3-0, Last Week: 12)

What better way to start your season than with games against the Clippers, Warriors, and Timberwolves?

10. Portland Trail Blazers (2-2, Last Week: 8)

Greg Oden is averaging 10 rebounds and about three blocks per game so far.

If he can gain more confidence and focus on the offensive end, the Blazers will be a very scary team down the road.

11. Miami Heat (3-0, Last Week: 18)

D-Wade and company are probably the most surprising unbeaten team in the league.

They're about to be tested, however, with their next three games coming against Phoenix, Washington, and Denver.

12. Washington Wizards (2-1, Last Week: 14)

Andray Blatche is finally looking like the player Washington has thought it's had all along, and Gilbert Arenas has shown no signs of rust.

13. Utah Jazz (1-1, Last Week: 9)

Tough road ahead for the Jazz, as they play the Texas trio of Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio in their next three games.

14. Houston Rockets (2-1, Last Week: 16)

Trevor Ariza is averaging 23 points per game through three games, and, although it's extremely early, appears to have been well worth the gamble of giving him a full midlevel exception over the summer.

15. Philadelphia 76ers (2-1, Last Week: 15)

Second-year forward Marreese Speights may be making the Sixers wonder if signing Elton Brand last summer was a necessary move.

16. Oklahoma City Thunder (2-1, Last Week: 20)

OKC is a long way from their horrendous start to last season.

If they're able to make a push into the playoffs, is Kevin Durant a dark horse MVP candidate?

17. New Orleans Hornets (1-2, Last Week: 11)

New pickup Emeka Okafor is averaging an Emeka Okafor-like 11 points, 11 rebounds, and two blocks per game so far.

18. Toronto Raptors (1-2, Last Week: 17)

Though they've struggled through three games, Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani are looking like the NBA's best young frontcourt.

19. Chicago Bulls (1-2, Last Week: 13)

Chicago has one of the toughest opening-month schedules in the league, including a trip out west that takes them to Portland, Denver, and Los Angeles to play the Lakers.

20. Detroit Pistons (1-2, Last Week: 19)

Ben Wallace, after almost retiring over the summer, has looked rejuvenated through three games, averaging over 10 rebounds per.

21. Milwaukee Bucks (1-1, Last Week: 28)

If his first two NBA games are any indication, the Bucks have themselves a huge steal in point guard Brandon Jennings.

22. Charlotte Bobcats (1-2, Last Week: 23)

The Bobcats are averaging just 80 points per game as a team through the first three, including a paltry 59 in their season-opener against Boston.

23. Indiana Pacers (0-2, Last Week: 22)

Danny Granger is picking up right where he left off last season, going for 26 points per game through the first two against Atlanta and Miami.

24. Memphis Grizzlies (1-2, Last Week: 29)

Marc Gasol has been phenomenal so far for Memphis, averaging 20 points and 11 rebounds per game.

25. Minnesota Timberwolves (1-2, Last Week: 27)

Rookie Johnny Flynn isn't playing like one. He's averaging 15 points per game, and even had the gall to attempt the game-winning shot in the season opener.

26. Los Angeles Clippers (0-4, Last Week: 21)

Sure, they're 0-4, but they've had the toughest schedule in the league so far, having played the Lakers, Suns, Jazz, and Mavs.

The Clips might be able to rebound with their next three coming against Minnesota, Golden State, and Memphis.

27. Golden State Warriors (0-2, Last Week: 25)

The first half of the Warriors' November schedule: Grizzlies, Clippers, at Kings, Timberwolves, at Pacers, at Knicks, at Bucks.

Easy.

The second half of the Warriors' November schedule: at Cavaliers, at Celtics, Trail Blazers, at Mavericks, at Spurs, Lakers, Pacers.

Yikes.

28. New Jersey Nets (0-3, Last Week: 24)

Since his monster 27-point, 15-rebound effort to open the season against Minnesota, Brook Lopez has come down to earth, going for 24 points and eight rebounds combined over the past two.

29. New York Knicks (0-3, Last Week: 26)

New York has played two consecutive overtime games, and is giving up 119 points per game.

30. Sacramento Kings (0-3, Last Week: 30)

Kevin Martin is averaging 25 points per game, but is shooting just 35 percent from the floor (22-62).

NBA: The Glass is First-Half Empty for the Houston Rockets This Season

Taylor Smith — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:26:19 -0400

Through 96 minutes of basketball this season, the Houston Rockets are still searching for an identity.

Tough back-to-back road games to open the new year has left them with a 1-1 record, with a loss at Portland and a win the following night at Golden State.

In each of the two games, it's been a "tale of two halves" for Houston.

Tuesday night against the Blazers, the Rockets trailed by 13 at the half, and trailed the Warriors by 10 at the break the following night.

Then, after halftime of each game, the Rockets looked like a completely different team.

They looked much more like the team that won two of the final four games against the eventual champion Lakers in last year's conference semis.

Although they couldn't completely overcome the deficit against the Blazers, the Rockets fought until the final buzzer and ended up losing the game by nine.

All night long, the Rockets were able to fluster the Blazers with aggressive defense and forced Portland to commit 26 turnovers.

The Rockets' main issue against the Blazers was the massive size discrepancy.

The Blazers outrebounded the Rockets, 51-33, and blocked 12 shots.

These undersized Rockets will clearly struggle mightily against teams with good size.

Portland's Travis Outlaw was virtually unstoppable off the bench, pouring in 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting on a series of stop-and-pops that ultimately killed Houston.

The next night in Oakland, the Rockets were able to run neck-and-neck with the young Warriors until the final four minutes of the first half— when the Warriors used an 8-0 run to take a 62-52 lead into halftime.

The Rockets that came out of the locker room didn't look anything like the ones that went in.

Houston surged to begin the third, making its first 11 shots of the quarter, while the defense kept Golden State in check.

Monta Ellis, who grilled Houston for 17 first half points, was held to just nine in the second.

In the second half, the Rockets played their game, and took control up until the final buzzer, when Stephen Curry laid in a meaningless bucket off the missed game-tying three-point attempt by Anthony Morrow.

The main question for the Rockets has to be: Will they be able to consistently play 48 minutes of "their game?"

Trevor Ariza, who came to Houston from the champion Lakers over the summer, has already looked like a much different player than we've seen in the past.

Rockets' coach Rick Adelman is asking more of Ariza on the offensive end of the floor than Phil Jackson did in L.A., and the young forward has responded well so far.

Against the Warriors, Ariza led the Rockets with 25 points, including 4-for-9 from three-point range.

Will he be capable of being the offensive go-to guy all year, or is he just off to a hot start?

The win over Golden State was a necessary one, as the next few games come against Portland, Utah, Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City, and Dallas.

Will Houston have enough firepower to stay with those teams?

If they can maintain their focus the way they have in the second halves of each of the two games so far, they should be able to compete at a high level.

With players like Chuck Hayes and Shane Battier leading the way, there's no doubt these Rockets will play hard.

They've shown so far what they're capable of in various spurts, but the key for Houston will be whether or not they can keep it up for an extended period of time.

Fantasy Football Risers and Fallers: Week Eight

Taylor Smith — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:56:14 -0400

Week seven in the NFL saw several blowouts, meaning some players that don't normally produce much may have shown off more than they're consistently capable off.

Nonetheless, there were also some completely-out-of-the-blue performances (um, Alex Smith?) that have left people wondering if there's more where that came from.

Here are the top five risers and fallers going into week eight.

Risers:

Vernon Davis-TE-49ers

The former first-round pick has been solid all season, but his three-touchdown day against the Texans really opened some eyes.

Until Michael Crabtree is able to completely get his footing in the NFL, Davis should and will be the number one receiving option for the Niners.

This weekend's matchup against undefeated Indy means a second straight three touchdown day may not be in the works, but there's still a decent chance he'll be able to put up some numbers.

If he's still (somehow) a free agent in your league, pick him up immediately.

Alex Smith-QB-49ers

The aforementioned Smith had a career day in Houston on Sunday-in just one half of football.

He's been named the starter and, unless he tanks horribly, should be starting for at least the rest of the season.

Will he be able to keep it up? There's no way of knowing for sure, but he's probably worth picking up, just in case.

Marshawn Lynch-RB-Bills

After missing the first four games of the season due to suspension, Lynch has started to round into midseason form in the last couple of weeks.

He'll be facing the Texans this Sunday, and, while they've been stopping the run at a good rate in recent weeks, they've still given up more rushing touchdowns than any team in the league thus far.

Lynch would be a solid option for a start this week.

Shonn Greene-RB-Jets

Leon Washington's broken leg opened the door for Greene to get a bunch of carries against Oakland, and he responded with 144 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

While Thomas Jones (whose stock is also rising) will still be the primary back, Greene showed on Sunday that he's worth at least a pickup.

Miles Austin-WR-Cowboys

Austin is no longer a secret, and, if he's available in your league (which would be shocking at this point), snatch him up right away.

He followed up his breakout 250-yard, two touchdown performance against Kansas City with 171 more yards and two more scores against Atlanta.

If he's on your roster, he must start.

Fallers:

Roy Williams-WR-Cowboys

All of Miles Austin's success has come at the expense of Dallas' "number one" receiver, Roy Williams.

After his 86-yard performance in week one, Williams has essentially been a non-factor in the Cowboys' passing game.

Don't bother starting him until he comes back from the dead.

Eli Manning-QB-Giants

After being a top-five QB in the first five games, Eli has dropped off the face of the earth in the last two, and don't expect a great game from him this weekend against Philly.

Eli threw just one touchdown pass (a lucky deflection by Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie right into the hands of Hakeem Nicks) and three interceptions.

Unless you have a bye situation, try to avoid starting Eli Manning.

Terrell Owens-WR-Bills

T.O. has done a whole lot of nothing so far as a member of the Bills.

It doesn't help that new QB Ryan Fitzpatrick appears to prefer to throw it to the other receiver, Lee Evans.

It's tough not to start Owens based on the past, but he's looking past his prime these days.

Matt Forte-RB-Bears

Although he has a favorable matchup coming up against the hapless Browns, Matt Forte's second NFL season has been one to forget for fantasy owners thus far.

If he can't get it together on Sunday, it may be time to give up on him for the season.

Larry Johnson-RB-Chiefs

Even if Johnson weren't suspended indefinitely, he'd be buried on my bench or released.

He's nothing near the fantasy stud he was a few years back, and his time as a starting running back in the league may be over.

It looks as though the Larry Johnson era in KC is all but over, and the Jamaal Charles era has begun.

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Roundball Roundup: 2009-10 NBA Preseason Power Rankings

Taylor Smith — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:58:46 -0400

The NBA season tips off tonight, so what better time to roll out some preseason power rankings than the morning of?

1. Los Angeles Lakers

The champs begin their title defense tonight, when the Clippers "come to town."

2. Boston Celtics

Will the Rondo contract situation have much of an effect on the rest of the team? I'm leaning towards "no."

3. Orlando Magic

No contender underwent more of an offseason makeover than Orlando did. Here's hoping Dwight Howard can take a few more steps towards becoming a truly dominant offensive center.

4. San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs reloaded after a disappointing first-round exit in the playoffs last season, and are once again legitimate contenders.

5. Cleveland Cavaliers

If there's ever been a team that needs to win a championship, it's the 2009-10 Cavs.

6. Denver Nuggets

George Karl and Chauncey Billups managed to keep all of the Nuggets' different personalities in check last season, and they won 54 games. If they get off to a bad start, things may not go too smoothly.

7. Dallas Mavericks

The re-tooled Mavs have plenty of firepower surrounding Dirk Nowitzki, and could be right on the brink of being an elite team.

8. Portland Trail Blazers

Coming off of their first playoff berth with this group, this is the year the Blazers are supposed to make real noise come April.

9. Utah Jazz

Will they trade Carlos Boozer? If so, how much will they be able to get in return?

10. Atlanta Hawks

Last season's Eastern Conference fourth-seed could be the league's best-kept secret.

11. New Orleans Hornets

CP3 and company have more than enough talent to finish higher than seventh, as they did last season.

12. Phoenix Suns

The Suns will be back to full strength running-n-gunning this season. Will it translate into wins and a playoff spot?

13. Chicago Bulls

Many are expecting point guard Derrick Rose to make the leap to superstar in just his second pro season.

14. Washington Wizards

The Wizards have plenty of star power, it's just a matter of being able to keep them all healthy enough at the same time to succeed (Antawn Jamison is already out for a little while). In the long run this season, my expectations of them are high.

15. Philadelphia 76ers

Before Elton Brand was lost for the season last year, Philly had trouble fitting him into their system. With a new coach, will they be able to flourish together this season, assuming he's healthy?

16. Houston Rockets

We'll find out a decent amount about the Rockets over the course of their first two games: a back-to-back in two tough places to play, Portland and Golden State.

17. Toronto Raptors

It'll be interesting to see how the Raptors look with so many new faces. Having spent so much money over the summer, they should have something to show for it.

18. Miami Heat

Outside of Dwyane Wade, this team has countless question marks. If Beasley can start looking like the guy he was at K-State, they'll move up.

19. Detroit Pistons

Will the additions of Gordon, Villanueva, and three rookies be enough to keep them in the Eastern playoffs?

20. Oklahoma City Thunder

The "new Blazers" should be one of the more fun teams to watch this year, and could be lurking near the bottom of the Western playoff picture.

21. Los Angeles Clippers

News of Blake Griffin's kneecap injury put a damper on the opener tonight with the Lakers.

22. Indiana Pacers

Danny Granger, one of the league's brightest young stars, hopes to lead his Pacers to the playoffs for the first time.

23. Charlotte Bobcats

The Okafor-for-Chandler trade really makes the Bobcats deficient offensively down low.

24. New Jersey Nets

Brook Lopez looked like a keeper as a rookie center last season, and Devin Harris became an All-Star. They likely aren't going anywhere this season, but at least New Jersey appears to have a solid core.

25. Golden State Warriors

Golden State has tons of young talent, but all the dysfunction in the past couple of years has them looking like an NBA version of fellow Oaklanders, the Raiders.

26. New York Knicks

Still waiting for 2010.

27. Minnesota Timberwolves

Assuming the recent Achilles problem shouldn't be a long-term hindrance, it'll be interesting to see how Al Jefferson returns from last year's season-ending ACL injury.

28. Milwaukee Bucks

Brandon Jennings could be a dark horse Rookie of the Year contender.

29. Memphis Grizzlies

How are they going to be able to divide the ball between AI, Randolph, Gay, and Mayo?

30. Sacramento Kings

Spencer Hawes and Jason Thompson give the Kings an underrated young frontcourt.

NFL Power Rankings: Week 8

Taylor Smith — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:52:37 -0400

With seven weeks in the books, some teams have distanced themselves from others, some teams are still searching for their identities, and some teams are already looking towards next season.

Here's how the 32 clubs stack up going into week eight.

1. Indianapolis Colts (6-0)

Peyton Manning and company have made it look easy recently, with wins by 21, 17, 22, and 36 points in their last four games, respectively.

2. New Orleans Saints (6-0)

Not every team has the ability to come back from a 24-3 deficit on the road and win.

3. Denver Broncos (6-0)

Coming off of their well-timed bye week, America's favorite Cinderella still has matchups with Baltimore, Pittsburgh, San Diego, the New York Giants, Indianapolis, and Philadelphia to look forward to.

4. New England Patriots (5-2)

Back-to-back thrashings of winless teams has these Patriots looking like their old 2007 selves again.

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2)

After a rocky start, the Steelers have quietly won four straight, and second-year player Rashard Mendenhall now appears to have a stranglehold on the primary running back spot.

6. Minnesota Vikings (6-1)

They can't drop too far after playing the Steelers fairly well on the road.

Next up: Brett Favre's not-so-triumphant return to Green Bay next Sunday night.

7. Cincinnati Bengals (5-2)

I'm not quite sure what to make of this team. After looking mediocre in a home loss against Houston, Cedric Benson, Carson Palmer, and the Bengals laid an all-time beat down on Chicago.

8. New York Giants (5-2)

The G-Men have lost two straight after a 5-0 start, and have an extremely difficult schedule the rest of the way.

Their next six games: at Philadelphia, home against San Diego, home against Atlanta, at Denver, home against Dallas, home against Philadelphia.

9. Dallas Cowboys (4-2)

The 'Boys rebounded nicely from their poor showing against the Chiefs, sacking Matt Ryan four times in a big 37-21 win over Atlanta.

10. Philadelphia Eagles (4-2)

After a horrible loss at Oakland, the Eagles rebounded nicely by making it look easy against divisional foe Washington Monday night.

11. Arizona Cardinals (4-2)

Three straight wins have the defending NFC champs in control of the NFC West once again.

12. Atlanta Falcons (4-2)

A blowout loss at the hands of the Cowboys can't have the Falcons feeling too great about next week's Monday night game against the undefeated Saints.

13. Green Bay Packers (4-2)

Aaron Rodgers and the Packers have feasted on the NFL's bottomfeeders thus far, having defeated Chicago, St. Louis, Detroit, and Cleveland.

14. New York Jets (4-3)

A dominating victory over the hapless Raiders was exactly what the doctor ordered for Mark "Joey Chestnut" Sanchez and his Jets after three consecutive losses.

15. Houston Texans (4-3)

Two consecutive victories and a matchup with Buffalo this weekend has Houston hoping for its first 5-3 start in their short franchise history.

16. Baltimore Ravens (3-3)

We'll find out who the Ravens really are in the next few weeks, when their opponents include the Broncos, Bengals, Colts, and Steelers.

17. San Diego Chargers (3-3)

The Chargers looked great in crushing the useless Chiefs yesterday, but they still have a steep hill to climb in order to catch Denver.

18. San Francisco 49ers (3-3)

The Niners have come back to earth since their unlikely 2-0 start, and they're hoping former first-overall pick Alex Smith can give them the jolt they need at QB.

19. Miami Dolphins (2-4)

The best 2-4 team in football blew what would've been a huge victory yesterday against still-unbeaten New Orleans at home.

20. Buffalo Bills (3-4)

Two straight wins and a relatively-weak AFC have the Bills thinking their season isn't close to being lost.

21. Chicago Bears (3-3)

The Bears should be able to rebound from their terrible loss against the Bengals when they face the Browns next Sunday.

22. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3)

The Jags come out of their bye this weekend to face Tennessee for the second time. Will they be able to keep the Titans winless?

23. Seattle Seahawks (2-4)

Their bye week couldn't have come at a better time after having lost a lopsided game to division rival Arizona last weekend.

24. Carolina Panthers (2-4)

The Panthers' lack of a backup quarterback is the only reason Jake Delhomme is still starting for this team.

25. Oakland Raiders (2-5)

Playoffs? Richard Seymour is talking about playoffs? Playoffs?

26. Detroit Lions (1-5)

No matter what happens the rest of the way, the Lions have already had a better season than they did last year.

27. Kansas City Chiefs (1-6)

After two consecutive good showings against Dallas and Washington, the Chiefs were dominated by San Diego yesterday.

28. Washington Redskins (2-5)

Why are they below Detroit and Kansas City despite having more wins? They managed to lose to both of them.

29. Tennessee Titans (0-6)

Based on the bits and pieces we've seen of him in limited action so far this season, don't expect Vince Young (if he starts) to be able to turn these Titans around.

30. Cleveland Browns (1-6)

This team is completely lost, and it's difficult to not put lots of the blame on first-year coach Eric Mangini.

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-7)

Based on their schedule the rest of the way, it looks as though Raheem Morris and his Bucs may not win more than two games at most this season.

32. St. Louis Rams (0-7)

It seems as though this weekend's "much anticipated" battle on the road against the Lions may be the last chance the Rams get at a win this season.

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2009-10 NBA Western Conference Playoff Team Predictions

Taylor Smith — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:20:56 -0400

With the 2009-10 NBA season getting started tomorrow night, and tons of new faces in new places, it's time to predict which teams will finish where at regular season's end.

As always, the Western Conference is expected to be ultra-competitive, with up to 11 teams having somewhat legitimate aspirations of appearing in the postseason.

Let's run down who I think will finish in the top eight.

1. Los Angeles Lakers

Surprise!

While I don't think the Lakers did all that much to improve over the summer, they probably didn't really need to.

Ron Artest has the potential to be an upgrade over Trevor Ariza, but there's just as much potential for him to "go all Artest on them" and perhaps hinder the team's chemistry.

I think the Lakers' best offseason move was the decision to re-sign guard Shannon Brown.

Brown, a throw-in in the Vladimir Radmanovic trade last season, provided the Lakers with a great spark off the bench, especially throughout the playoffs.

I wouldn't be surprised if Brown shows enough this season to supplant Jordan Farmar as L.A.'s point guard of the future.

Barring any major injuries, the Lakers will pick up right where they left off last season.

2. San Antonio Spurs

Apparently the first-round loss at the hands of the Mavericks was enough to get GM RC Buford to do some wheeling-and-dealing this summer.

The Spurs, believe it or not, could be the NBA's most improved team this season after picking up Richard Jefferson, Antonio McDyess, Theo Ratliff and DeJuan Blair during the offseason.

But the biggest change from last season to this one could be the return of Manu Ginobili.

Ginobili missed a huge chunk of last season with an ankle injury. It was clear how much San Antonio missed his perimeter-scoring presence.

Assuming they'll be able to stay relatively healthy, the Spurs are a team certainly capable of getting back into championship contention.

3. Denver Nuggets

I, for one, don't believe last year's Nuggets were a one-year-wonder.

While they certainly have a few volatile personalities, I think the taste of success last season along with solid veteran leaders should keep Denver focused on the ultimate goal.

The acquisition of Chauncey Billups last season was the best move any team made all year. His presence is one of the major reasons the Nuggets won't go away.

Carmelo Anthony is a bona fide superstar. His combination of size and strength makes him a near-impossible matchup for most small forwards.

The attitude and play of JR Smith, once again, will be a key to Denver's success.

If he can keep it together and harness all of his talent effectively, he's one of the most dangerous players in the league

He's a dead-eye shooter with the ability to take it to the rim, seemingly at will.

Last year's Nuggets proved that they were capable of big things and I expect them to continue that in 2009-10.

4. Dallas Mavericks

Much like their in-state rival, the Spurs, the Mavs were extremely active this summer.

While they didn't land prized center Marcin Gortat, Dallas was still able to re-sign Jason Kidd while picking up Shawn Marion and Drew Gooden, among others.

Dallas opened up some eyes in the playoffs last year when they defeated San Antonio. Mark Cuban clearly still wants to win a championship with Dirk Nowitzki as the team's centerpiece.

The 31-year-old Nowitzki had a stellar under-the-radar season last year, averaging 26 points and about eight rebounds per game for the Mavs.

Marion looked phenomenal in his preseason appearances with the Mavericks and their up-tempo style of play may be just what the doctor ordered for the Matrix to revive his career.

The addition of Gooden gives Dallas its first real post-scoring threat to pair with Dirk. He's another player that looked solid during the preseason.

Expectations are high once again for the Mavericks and I think they'll be right in the thick of things in the West.

5. Portland Trail Blazers

The Blazers have been hearing about how they're "the next big thing" for a while now and this will be an important year for them.

After their first taste of the playoffs last season (where they were defeated by Houston), how will Brandon Roy and company respond?

Much of Portland's success hinges on center Greg Oden.

Oden had a largely underwhelming "rookie" season last year, but has shown strong signs of promise so far in the preseason.

In seven preseason games, Oden averaged about 14 points, nine rebounds and almost two blocks in just 22 minutes per game.

If he can start looking like the force Portland expected him to be out of college, the Blazers will have one of the best young frontcourts in the league with Oden and LaMarcus Aldridge.

Portland's signing of point guard Andre Miller over the summer raised a few questions and continues to do so.

Miller, 33, who signed a three-year, $21 million contract with Portland, has already complained about the notion of coming off the bench.

All potential issues aside, Portland clearly has plenty of firepower to make more noise in the Western Conference this season.

Brandon Roy is an MVP-type player and, if the Blazers can keep everything together, he's certainly capable of leading them exactly where they want to go.

6. Utah Jazz

The Jazz begin play with one of the more awkward storylines of the season: the Carlos Boozer fiasco.

If they keep him on board this year, they have plenty of talent to be a sleeper in the West.

If they trade him, depending on what they get for him of course, their formidability could take a hit.

Deron Williams is healthy and should help Utah avoid a slow start like the one they had last season.

Williams, who I believe to be the league's second-best point guard, has yet to make an All-Star team. I think that will change this year.

The Jazz should be able to run with the middle of the pack in the West.

7. New Orleans Hornets

New Orleans made one of the more surprising moves of the summer by adding the salary of center Emeka Okafor.

To get Okafor, the Hornets had to trade Tyson Chandler to Charlotte.

While the fan-favorite alley-oop play may have to be tossed out, Chris Paul and the Hornets should benefit from having Okafor on the block opposite David West.

Okafor has proven to be much more durable in recent years than Chandler and has much more of an offensive repertoire.

Paul put up staggering numbers last season, averaging 23 points, 11 assists and almost three steals per game.

Just 24 years old, Paul should continue to thrive and put up spectacular numbers.

While their record took a hit last season compared to 2007, I think the Hornets will benefit greatly from Okafor's presence down low and may actually finish higher than this.

8. Houston Rockets

Sorry, Suns fans.

I think the injury-depleted Rockets really will have what it takes to sneak into the playoffs.

While it's difficult to predict what their identity will be, this team has shown too much heart to just roll over and die when adversity is staring them in the face.

Without Yao at the end of the second-round series against the Lakers last season, the Rockets were still able to take two of the final four games. They were the only team to take the eventual champions to seven games.

Point guard Aaron Brooks now has full control of the team and is their most potent scoring threat.

While Trevor Ariza won't be the scorer that Ron Artest was, he definitely will fit in better with what Houston is trying to do.

Ariza's a tenacious defender. He's big and athletic enough to defend both guards and forwards.

Luis Scola will be the Rockets' primary low-post threat. He's shown in his two NBA seasons that he's capable of picking up some of the slack.

2009-'10 Eastern Conference Playoff Team Predictions

Taylor Smith — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:03:38 -0400

With the NBA's opening night about 48 hours away, it's time to predict how I think the eight playoff teams in each conference will eventually stack up.

Obviously, it's impossible to predict how injuries will affect things, so let's assume that each of the 30 teams is able to make it through the season 100 percent healthy from start to finish.

Here's how I think things will end up in the Eastern Conference.

1. Boston Celtics

The the additions of Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels should help to give Boston major depth, something that hurt them once injuries to key players set in last season.

The Celtics boast arguably the most talented roster in the entire league, and certainly do not lack veteran leadership.

If Kevin Garnett is able to come back and enjoy a healthy, productive, KG-like season, the Celtics should be back to their 2007-'08 selves.

Rajon Rondo should continue to develop into one of the NBA's premiere young point guards.

If they can stay relatively healthy and their older players can fight off decline for another year, I think the Celtics will be playing well into the summer.

2. Orlando Magic

Last season's surprise Finals participant comes back in 2009-'10 having undergone a major makeover.

GM Otis Smith was throwing money around all summer long, acquiring Vince Carter, Matt Barnes, Ryan Anderson, and Brandon Bass, while re-signing backup center Marcin Gortat to a full mid-level exception.

Will the chemistry that helped lead Orlando to the Finals last season take a hit with all the new faces?

Also, the $126 million man, Rashard Lewis, is suspended for the first 10 games of the season after testing positive for an elevated testosterone level.

I don't think the Magic will have much trouble adjusting to the new personnel, and should have a very successful season.

3. Cleveland Cavaliers

Last season's No. 1 seed made a few changes over the summer, none bigger than the Big Aristotle himself.

While there are questions of how much Shaq's presence will help LeBron and company, I think it was a good, low-risk, high-reward type of move to get him, considering they gave up essentially nothing.

The addition of swingmen Anthony Parker and Jamario Moon should prove beneficial for Cleveland as well, especially on the defensive end of the floor, where Cleveland's tiny backcourt of Mo Williams, Daniel Gibson, and Delonte West had issues defending bigger guards last season.

I don't think the Cavaliers will dominate in the same fashion they did last season, but I do think this team is built better for the long haul.

4. Washington Wizards

Nobody will make a bigger leap from last year to this year than the Wizards, and it's no secret why.

Gilbert Arenas should finally be 100 percent healthy and ready to go, and Washington was also able to hire Flip Saunders as head coach, one of the more underrated coaches in the NBA.

A major key for Washington will be the play of their big men.

JaVale McGee had a fairly successful rookie season, and looks as though he could be the center the Wizards have been looking for for quite some time.

Brendan Haywood should benefit from having his longtime teammate/rival, Etan Thomas, shipped out of town over the summer.

There's no doubt that the Wiz have enough firepower, with a roster that includes Arenas, Caron Butler, and Antawn Jamison, along with new additions Randy Foye and Mike Miller.

I think Flip should be able to lead Washington back to the playoffs, and could be in the running for Coach of the Year.

5. Atlanta Hawks

The third Southwest Division team in the East's top five could be Atlanta.

Last season's fourth seed made some minor moves in the offseason, picking up Jamal Crawford and Joe Smith, while drafting point guard Jeff Teague.

It'll be interesting to see if Josh Smith can finally make "the leap" and show the Hawks that they made a good investment when they decided to ink him to the five-year, $58 million contract last summer.

However, this team doesn't come without its question marks.

Will Smith and head coach Mike Woodson be able to get along?

Will the lack of long-term commitment from Joe Johnson affect the team at all?

Will Atlanta's point guard play be strong enough?

6. Chicago Bulls

While Ben Gordon's departure is certainly an underrated blow, I don't think it'll hurt Chicago enough to knock them out of the playoff picture this season.

New acquisition Jannero Pargo, who came back to the NBA after one season playing in Europe, is a very similar player to Gordon, and should provide Chicago with a nice jolt off the bench.

Last season's Rookie of the Year, Derrick Rose, comes into 2009-'10 with expectations substantially higher than your typical second-year point guard.

The Bulls' success this season also depends very much on the development of big men Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah.

Last year, Thomas showed major signs of an impending explosion, and thinks himself that he's capable of averaging 20 and 10.

Noah is trying to shed his label as a defender/hustle player type, and become more of a threat on offense.

Based on preseason performance, it certainly does seem as though Noah put in plenty of work on his offensive game, and could prove to be an extremely valuable asset to the Bulls.

7. Miami Heat

Not many teams were as inactive over the summer as Miami.

Their "major acquisitions" were Quentin Richardson and Carlos Arroyo.

However, the Heat are expecting second-year forward Michael Beasley's production to improve, thus making him something of an offseason pickup.

The 6'10" 20-year-old averaged about 13 points and five rebounds per game last year, when he struggled to stay on the floor due to lack of commitment to defense.

If he can start to look something like the dominating force he was during his one year of college, the Heat could be dangerous.

Miami's performance this season also obviously has tons of impact on whether or not franchise player Dwyane Wade decides to re-sign before next season.

8. Toronto Raptors

GM Bryan Colangelo spent tons of money to overhaul the Raptors' roster during the offseason, and we'll see what comes of it.

New faces for Toronto include Hedo Turkoglu, Jarrett Jack, Amir Johnson, Antoine Wright, Marco Bellinelli, Reggie Evans, and rookie DeMar DeRozan.

They also signed former first overall pick Andrea Bargnani to a lucrative contract extension.

The Raptors are under an awful lot of pressure this season, because if they don't show that they're able to contend, Chris Bosh may be on his way out of town next summer.

Who Will Be The Houston Rockets' Starting Center?

Taylor Smith — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:16:07 -0400

It's no secret that the Houston Rockets will be "going small" in 2009.

How small, you ask?

Well, there's a very, very good chance that their starting center on opening night will be six-foot-six Chuck Hayes.

Fortunately for the Rockets, Hayes may be the only 6-foot-6 player in the league more than capable of starting on a frontline.

Why?

Quite simply, Hayes is one of the best post defenders in the entire league.

He's deceptively strong and uses it to his advantage when defending down low.

Hayes is proficient at forcing bigger players out of their comfort zones and off the low block.

His quick hands allow him to drive the ball-handler crazy and he always seems to know where to be at the right time.

While Hayes appears to be the frontrunner to start opening night, Houston's tallest active player, 29-year-old rookie center David Andersen, could eventually take his place in the starting lineup.

Andersen, six-foot-eleven, came to the Rockets over the summer from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for a future second-round draft pick, cash and future considerations.

While he has yet to play in a regular season NBA game, Andersen has shown so far in the preseason that he's deserving of meaningful NBA minutes.

Andersen excels on the offensive end of the floor, where he's shown that he can score inside as well as shoot with range up to about 23 feet.

Andersen's rebounding has never been his strength as a basketball player and he hasn't exactly put up eye-popping rebounding numbers so far this preseason.

However, his size in front of the basket gives the Rockets their only shot-blocking threat; something that will be missed sorely without Yao or the recently-retired Dikembe Mutombo clogging the paint.

Six-foot-nine Pops Mensah-Bonsu will make the team, but it doesn't seem as though he'll be getting much (if any) time on the floor early on.

It'll definitely be a different season than the Rockets are used to in 2009-10, and it starts with the men manning the middle.