Bleacher Report - Articles by Ling Ge

Chris Paul: Patience With Hornets a Losing Cause

Ling Ge — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:47:14 -0500

Just two years ago, Chris Paul was an MVP candidate, and the New Orleans Hornets were one quarter away from advancing to the Western Conference Finals before falling to the San Antonio Spurs. After their magical playoff run, Chris Paul signed a 3-year contract extension and it appeared that the Hornets would be in the category of title contending teams for the next several seasons.

How rapidly this Hornets team has fallen out from that category.

Last year, faced with high expectations, the Hornets never found their stride during the regular season, despite another stellar season from Paul, and were easily dismantled during their series loss to the Denver Nuggets. This season, Paul is averaging 26.6 ppg, 9.7 ast, and 1.9 3PT, yet the team has started 2-5, and could easily be 1-6.

Yesterday, I attended the L.A. Lakers game hosting the Hornets. The Hornets were playing against a Lakers team without their starting big men, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. Still, the game was essentially over after the Hornets’ first possession, when Kobe Bryant stole the ball and dunked it for the first points of the game, en route to an embarrassing 104-88 loss for the Hornets.

Paul was stifled by the Lakers’ defense and the rest of the team was even more abysmal. At one point the Hornets’ missed a lay-up and an open put-back during a three-on-one fast break, while the defense allowed Lakers’ DJ Mbenga and Luke Walton to score at will.

Rajon Rondo said that Paul would never win a championship, I am starting to believe that Rondo may be right.

It has only been a little more than a year since that magical playoff run, but since then, nothing has gone right for the Hornets. Paul’s 3-year extension takes effect this year, and he is hoping that within that time, the Hornets’ organization will bring him help. Yet, the organization is unwilling to sign big names in fear of eclipsing the salary cap and paying the luxury tax. With the 2010 free agency approaching, it appears that lucrative free agents will not be signed by the Hornets’ and the team will fall even further into mediocrity.

Despite Paul’s talent and competitiveness, he will never lead his team to a championship with the current pieces surrounding him. Paul knows that and the fans know that. The longer Paul stays with the organization, the slimmer the chances of winning a championship.

Chris Paul is locked for three more years and is patient for now, but sooner or later he will have had enough with the Hornets organization. It’s unfortunate that Paul’s talent will be delegated to keeping the Hornets just above the Western Conference’s worst teams. Many elite NBA teams have made improvements to their rosters this season, while the Hornets players have become older or are ineffective. Just making the playoffs will be an extremely challenging task.

CP3 and New Orleans fans can only hope that the Hornets can become contenders within the next three years. Otherwise, it is safe to assume that once Paul’s contract ends, the Hornets will lose its franchise player and its future.

Why Kobe Bryant Won't Win the NBA MVP

Ling Ge — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 04:21:04 -0500

With one-third of the 2008-09 season complete, it is a good time to assess our MVP candidates and see who has the best chance to win:

LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers)

James is the clear favorite to win the MVP award. The Cavaliers are 23-4, second best in the league behind the Celtics.

The Cavs also have the best defensive team, with James taking charge on the defensive end.

He is still putting up monster numbers despite playing four fewer minutes thanks to the elevated the play from his teammates.

In short, no one is more important to his team than LeBron James is to the Cavaliers.

Odds: 3:2

Kevin Garnett (Boston Celtics)

Garnett is a close second behind LeBron James. While he may not necessarily be as important to his team compared to James, it is what Garnett does for his team that makes him a viable MVP candidate.

Garnett is anchoring the best team in the NBA. He has helped lead his team to an NBA best 26-2, with an 18-game winning streak.

More importantly, he has brought the same high level of intensity and defense every night, inspiring his team to give the same effort every night.

Garnett will do everything to win, even if it means screaming at a Big Baby.

Odds: 4:1

Chris Paul (New Orleans Hornets)

After a stellar playoff run by the Hornets last year, Chris Paul is making another strong case for the MVP award.

Paul's Hornets are second in the Western Conference, despite dealing with injuries to Tyson Chandler and Peja Stojakovic.

He also broke the record with 106 consecutive games with at least one steal, and amazing feat. He has also improved his game by averaging career-bests in numerous categories.

Only time can tell if the Hornets can make another deep run at a championship, but you can be sure that Paul will be leading the way.

Odds: 8:1

Tim Duncan (San Antonio Spurs)

When the crippled Spurs lost Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker to injuries, who did they turn to? Old Mr. Reliable Tim Duncan.

At age 32, Duncan shows no sign of slowing down, matching career numbers.

When it appeared the Spurs may fall off the charts, Duncan kept the team afloat long enough for Parker and Ginobili to return.

Now it's back to business for the Spurs to win the Southwest Division. For Duncan, it was another day at the office.

Odd: 8:1

Brandon Roy (Portland Trailblazers)

Roy has emerged as a legitimate MVP contender after his 52-point performance that scorched the Suns. Earlier this season, we saw Roy bury a 30-foot buzzer-beater against the Rockets.

We clearly see that the future of the Blazer franchise goes through Roy, not Greg Oden. Roy has been a leader since entering the NBA, and he is only going to get better.

The big question is how far can Roy lead his team in the competitive Western Conference, and if the Blazers can make a deep playoff run.

Odds: 15:1

Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic)

Howard is putting up virtually identical numbers as last year.

What's the difference? Howard's spike in blocked shots, which makes him the catalyst of the interior defense.

That defense has led to the fourth-best record in the NBA at 21-6.

What's stopping him? Poor free throw shooting and two Orlando road wins—one in Utah, without Howard.

Odds: 20:1

Chauncey Billups (Denver Nuggets)

The Nuggets looked like contenders in the West when they acquired Billups from Detroit. At one point, the Nuggets were 16-4 with Billups, but the team has recently lost three-straight games.

Still, it doesn't change that the Nuggets finally have a leader that anchors a good defense and commands a structured offense.

It may be too early to tell whether the Nuggets can really contend in the West, but Billups finally brings a defensive identity to the team.

And Billups knows a thing or two about championship defense.

Odds: 25:1

Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers)

Last year, Kobe clearly deserved the MVP award, so it may be hard to believe that my list puts Kobe at the bottom of the list, and I'll likely get crucified for this. But I don't think he deserves to win MVP, and I also don't think he will win.

The Lakers are 21-5, but have lost three in their last seven after starting out 17-2.

Here are several reasons why the Lakers are struggling: no defense, no intensity, and lack of leadership.

After getting shut down by the Celtics' defense in last years' final, the Lakers vowed to bring a better defensive identity to complement their offense.

We expected to see that defense with the return of Andrew Bynum and Trevor Ariza, yet the Lakers are still giving up over 98 points per game.

The fact is the Lakers defense is still as soft as a marshmallow, and Kobe has not done anything to fix this problem. He has not been to Lakers compared to what Garnett has been to the Celtics.

Kobe has also appeared to have lost some edge in taking over games. It could be due to the amount of talent the Lakers have that he expects his teammates to keep the team in the game or win. But when the role players falter, Kobe has appeared to falter too.

In any case, Kobe has failed to replicate the leadership he showed when he won last season's MVP award. It is still early, but if the same trends continue, we could see Kobe and the Lakers get bounced out of the playoffs sooner than expected.

Realistic Odds: 6:1

My Odds: 25:1

Broncos-Chargers Week 17 Rematch: Bring Back Ed Hochuli?

Ling Ge — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 02:26:02 -0500

Four weeks ago, Denver Broncos had a hammerlock on the AFC West Division over the San Diego Chargers.

The Chargers fell to 4-8 when they lost at home to the Falcons, while the Broncos had a a 7-5 record with a convincing road win over the Jets. It appeared all but over for the star-studded Chargers, trailing by three games with four to play.

Fast forward four weeks, and you'll find the Chargers surging with three consecutive wins, including an impressive road victory over the Buccaneers, while the Broncos are on the verge of a monumental collapse after losing to the Bills.

It comes down to one game that determines who wins the AFC West and a playoff birth.

But Bronco fans should thank referee Ed Hochuli for giving Denver the chance.

In a final regular season game of epic proportions, Charger fans can only magnify the blown call my Hochuli in Week Two, when the Chargers visited the Broncos.

With the Broncos trailing, 38-31, they drove the ball to the Charger 1-yard line. On second-down, Jay Cutler dropped back and scrambled to throw, but he fumbled the ball when it slipped out of his hand at the 10-yard line. Hochuli blew his whistle to signal an incompletion, which he admitted immediately it was a significant mistake.

Two plays later, Cutler threw hit Eddie Royal to pull the Broncos within 38-37. Cutler then hit Royal on a two-point conversion to give them a 39-38 lead.

Ballgame, Broncos.

The Chargers were understandably livid at Hochuli, despite him crucifying himself for the play call. The former Super Bowl ref was scrutinized for the rest of the NFL season.

Of course, it was only Week Two, and it was just one game. Now that one game is amounting to one season. Had that call not have been made, the Chargers would be holding the division and a playoff spot.

After that, the Chargers' season seemed to be defined by tough breaks and heartbreaking losses.

After starting out 3-3, they proceeded to lose their next five of six games by a combined 24 points. The lone victory came when the Chiefs lost on a failed two-point conversion.

The Broncos were only 6-5 after that win, but it was enough to push them to 8-5, needing only one win to clinch the division.

Now Philip Rivers, LT, and the Chargers are playing with confidence, and with some luck finally going their way. Three straight victories included strong wins over the Raiders and Bucs, while a lucky bounce on an onside kick aided the Chargers to a win over the Chiefs again.

The Broncos are choking to the finish line, getting crushed in Carolina, and losing to the Bills after leading, 13-0, in the first half.

We can only imagine what might've happened had Hochuli made the proper call. But now it comes down to the final week of the regular season, any fan's dream unless you're from Denver.

Maybe the Chargers should bring back Ed Hochuli and ask him to return the favor. But in any case, it doesn't get better than this.

Week 17: (8-7) Denver Broncos vs. (7-8) San Diego Chargers.

Did You See That? Sports' Top Defining Moments of 2008, from Beginning to End

Ling Ge — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 22:37:40 -0500

This year was a difficult time for many people because of the nation's financial crisis. But sports always have the power to bring joy and imagination for the people. The people didn’t stop from witnessing some of sports most breathtaking moments and accomplishments. As we wind down towards the end of the year, it is time to reflect on 2008's greatest sports moments. We saw David topple Goliath in Super Bowl XLII. We saw magic during March Madness. We saw Green, not Gold, holding the Larry O’Brien Trophy. We saw 08.08.08 as the beginning of 8 gold medals. We saw Lightning Bolts strike gold three times. And gold was the sweet color of Redemption. Now it’s time to find the Most Defining Moments of 2008. Every month had something buzzing in the air, and this slideshow reflects the best moments for each month. Good-bye 2008, hello 2009!

Begin Slideshow

Play the Blame Game: Players, Coaches, or the System?

Ling Ge — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 07:11:04 -0500

The NBA has seen a flurry of blockbuster trades and free-agent signings over the past year.

Before the summer, we saw Phoenix acquire Shaq for Marion, Dallas get Jason Kidd for Devin Harris, and Ben Wallace sent to Cleveland.

Then in the offseason, we saw Baron Davis sign with the Clippers, Elton Brand go to Philly, Corey Maggette to the Warriors, and Mo Williams head to Cleveland. The Clippers also got Marcus Camby, while Toronto acquired Jermaine O’Neal, and Houston got Ron Artest for virtually nothing.

This season, we’ve already seen New York trade away Jamal Crawford and Zach Randolph, and the Pistons swap Chauncey Billups for Allen Iverson to free up cap space for the 2010 free-agency bonanza.

Some teams have thrived with their new acquisitions. The Cavaliers have crushed their opponents en route to the second-best record in the NBA (17-3), while the Nuggets have found a defensive identity with Billups and are 13-4 since acquiring him. The Nets (11-8) are a pleasant surprise, while the Rockets have stayed afloat without Tracy McGrady.

Then there are the teams that are struggling with their new players. The Clippers and Warriors have an atrocious combined record 10-32, the Pistons are 7-8 with Iverson, the 76ers are 9-12, and the Raptors are 8-11, which led to the firing of Sam Mitchell. The Mavericks were 2-7 before winning nine of 10, while the Suns were only 11-9 after a four-game losing streak.

These teams were expected to compete in their conferences, but instead we find them searching for answers. Toronto’s answer was the fire their coach, which has only left them with more questions.

So who’s to blame for these teams’ struggles: the players, coaches, or an inadequate system?

Dallas Mavericks (11-8)

Blame: System, Mark Cuban

Most of the blame should fall on Mark Cuban—he traded away the Mavericks' future in Devin Harris and two first-round picks for Jason Kidd and an extra $11 million. He also fired Avery Johnson—after three straight 50-win seasons, a trip to the Finals, and the best record in franchise history.

The Mavericks with Kidd barely have a record over .500, and looked terrible during the 2-7 start. Since then, Rick Carlisle has righted the ship by winning nine of their last 10.

The Mavericks still do not look like championship contenders, simply because Jason Kidd does not fit with the players around him. Kidd has always most effective when surrounded with athletic finishers, such as Shawn Marion, Kenyon Martin, Richard Jefferson, and Vince Carter.

Kidd no longer has that luxury, since Nowitzki and Terry are jump-shooters. Only Josh Howard is athletic enough to finish at the rim in the transition game.

The Mavericks are also a better half-court team with Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry running their pick-and-roll. Their half-court offense also allowed them to become a great half-court defense. Kidd, however, is not quick enough to keep up with quicker guards and doesn’t provide enough offense for the Mavericks to survive. Tony Parker said it best when he said he was thrilled to see Devin Harris go, since he was the best defender on Parker.

Mark Cuban is still banking on Kidd to bring a championship, but we can only wonder how good the Mavericks would be if they still had Devin Harris.

Phoenix Suns (12-9)

Blame: System

This one is pretty simple: the Suns aren’t good enough to run a half-court offense and don’t play defense anyways. For the Suns to win, the best defense is a good offense.

Time is running out on Shaq and Steve Nash, and they can only adapt to a new system for so long. Shaq has probably been the best player for the Suns, but he has hurt the number of possessions for the Suns and cannot run the floor with everyone else. Nash’s game is best in transition and pushing the ball.

Neither player is good on defense either; teams have shredded Nash and Shaq on the pick-and-roll, which was evident when Tony Parker and the Spurs beat the Suns in a five-game series win in last year’s playoffs.

Steve Kerr is a smart guy, but he made a mistake thinking that Shaq could be a long-term solution on defense. Kerr should have gone after a younger, more athletic center, such as an Andris Biedrins or Al Horford.

Now Shaq has also compromised the offense, and Phoenix is just struggling to stay in the playoff picture. The Sun is setting quickly, and even Amare Stoudemire might not stick around past 2010.

Detroit Pistons (11-8)

Blame: Player

The Pistons traded for Allen Iverson for his expiring contract to clear up cap space for next season. Still, the Pistons were still expected to be major contenders in the Eastern Conference.

Iverson, however, has not embraced the commitment for Detroit’s system. The Pistons are 7-8 with Iverson in the lineup, and he is clearly disrupting the Pistons' rhythm. He is shooting only 39 percent while turning the ball over three times a game.

Iverson has also played terrible defense on opposing guards—he has allowed big games from Chris Duhon (25 pts, 9 asts), Andre Miller (19 pts, 6 asts), Beno Udrih (18 pts), CJ Watson (17 pts), Rajon Rondo (15.5 pts, 6.5 asts, 2.5 stls), and was torched by Devin Harris for 38 points. It is embarrassing compared to what Chauncey Billups has done to the same guards.

He is also a distraction to his teammates. Shortly after saying he was committed to Detroit’s philosophy, and even joked about his practice incident, he skipped a mandatory practice on Thanksgiving Day.

The Pistons will still make the playoffs, but they are too far behind the Celtics and Cavaliers. This could very well end six straight trips to the Eastern Conference Championship. Iverson will be a one-and-done deal with Detroit, and is not expected to be re-signed.

Philadelphia 76ers (9-12)

Blame: System

The 76ers surprised everyone by making the playoffs last season, and pushed the Pistons to six games. After acquiring Elton Brand, they were supposed to be in the playoff picture and even contend for an Eastern Conference Championship.

However, 21 games into the season, the team isn’t in either picture.

Last season, the 76ers were a great fastbreak team. Andre Miller constantly pushed the ball and frequently found Andre Iguodala for easy baskets. The team’s glaring weakness was interior defense and scoring, and they had hoped that Brand would solve those problems.

While the defense has been adequate, holding opponents to just 95.1 ppg, the offense has completely stalled, averaging only 94.3 ppg. This is due to Maurice Cheeks frequently running the half-court offense to give his defense a chance to set up. However, this system has backfired for several reasons.

Miller was most effective in transition, often scoring on layups or finding open players. Iguodala was most effective in transition, doing most of his scoring on finishing the fastbreak. But both players have had trouble adjusting in the half-court offense.

Iguodala in particular is struggling the most, because he is neither the ball-handler or the shooter for this system. Consequently, his numbers have dropped in virtually every statistical category.

The best system for this team is to mix the transition game to utilize Iguodala, and the half-court offense to utilize Brand. However, it is a new system, so it could take some time for everyone to adjust.

But if there is no visible progress, Cheeks could be the next coach to pack his bags.

Toronto Raptors (8-11)

Blame: Coach

This one is tough, since people believe that Sam Mitchell didn’t deserve to be fired, despite the disappointing start. After all, it was only two seasons ago that he was named Coach of the Year and led the Raptors to Atlantic Division Champions.

They were, however, eliminated in the first round in each of the last two seasons. Last season, the Raptors dealt with a series of injuries that led to a rocky season and a disappointing campaign. They were also severely lacking rebounding and defense, which was exploited during the five-game loss to Orlando.

The Raptors had hoped that Jermaine O’Neal would solve those problems, and Andrea Bargnani would develop more consistency after a disappointing second year. O’Neal is no longer his former All-Star form, but he is playing relatively decent basketball, and Bargnani has improved from last year.

But Mitchell has not shown any consistency or any preach in defense. Over the four years as the head coach, the Raptors have been a good offensive team, but a terrible defensive team. The team did not have a season when opponents averaged less than 97 ppg under Mitchell. This season they are allowing 104 ppg, and clearly they needed a change in philosophy.

The Raptors need a coach that can emphasize the need for defense and consistency without compromising the offense. Sounds like the perfect job for Avery Johnson.

Golden State Warriors (5-16)

Blame: Players

In 2007, Don Nelson led the Warriors to their first playoff appearance in 13 years, and eliminated the first-seed Dallas Mavericks becoming the first number eight seed to defeat a number one seed in a seven-game series. During the 2007-08 season, the Warriors recorded a 48-34 record, but just missed the playoffs.

Don Nelson had turned around a dismal franchise into playoff contenders, which means there was no coaching problem and he had a good system for the Warriors.

Despite losing Baron Davis to free agency, the team named Monta Ellis their starting point guard, signed wingman Corey Maggette, and were still expected to contend for a playoff spot. Instead, the Warriors are 5-16, including a nine-game losing streak.

Part of the blame falls on Ellis, who tried to cover up his embarrassing moped accident. This left the Warriors without a point guard, and has forced Stephen Jackson and Jamal Crawford to fill that position.

Maggette has been a disappointment as well—despite averaging 19 ppg, he is only shooting 41.3 percent from the field. He has been a selfish player, seldom passing the ball, and has been non-existent on defense.

The rest of the blame falls on front office, which refused to give Baron Davis a substantial contract extension. With Nelson supposedly retiring after next season, the Warriors may be fading quickly back into mediocrity.

LA Clippers (4-17)

Blame: System, Coach

It’s not like we expected the Clippers to be good enough to compete for a playoff spot, but few foresaw the team having the second-worst record in the NBA. Many thought Baron Davis could run the offense with Al Thornton, while Camby and Chris Kaman provided interior defense. They acquired Zach Randolph to bolster the interior scoring.

Instead we see very little scoring and very poor defense, despite respectable play from Randolph, Thornton, Camby, and Davis. Coach Mike Dunleavy makes all front-office and coaching decisions, and is only a few years removed from their last playoff appearance.

The main problem is Dunleavy does not have a system that fits for these players. Davis thrives on an athletic running team, but now is responsible for running a half-court offense, which is not particularly his game since he’s not a great shooter and gets many of his points in transition.

Kaman and Camby are also half-court players, so they cannot complement Davis’s style. They also do not provide the interior defense the Clippers need to run anything in transition. Randolph has provided an offensive spark but plays poor defense.

Dunleavy is trying to mix water and oil with his team, so he made it extremely difficult to build any chemistry and find a suitable system that works for everyone. It’ll be interesting to see if the Clippers can develop any consistency to build upon for next season.

Other Really Dysfunctional Teams:

New York Knicks (9-11)

Blame: Front Office, Starbury

Despite trading away Randolph and Crawford, the team has been a surprise under D’Antoni’s offensive system, and could make the playoffs. Overshadowing the Knicks’ success is the Stephon Marbury and the inability of the front office to take care of business earlier.

Charlotte Bobcats (7-14)

Blame: System, Players, Front Office

This team is just really bad. Michael Jordan just can’t seem to find anything to work for this franchise, and Larry Brown isn’t doing much better. There isn’t that much talent on this roster either, so I’m not expecting the Bobcats to go anywhere for a very long time.

Minnesota Timberwolves (4-15)

Blame: Kevin McHale

Kevin McHale single-handedly destroyed this franchise with his Joe Smith fiasco. He left the Timberwolves with no talent to surround Kevin Garnett, and no talent for the future. Bad trades, bad draft picks, bad team.

Oklahoma City Thunder (2-20)

Blame: Everyone

The Thunder could be on its way to making history. The team is on pace to finish the regular season at 8-74, which would beat out the old worst record in NBA history set by the 1972-73 76ers at 9-73. Even OJ Mayo thought it was embarrassing to lose to this team, and Memphis is 6-15.

Who are the NBA's Rising Stars?

Ling Ge — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 02:21:37 -0500

Everyone knows who the superstars are—LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Tim Duncan, and Dwight Howard, just to list a few.

Everyone also knows who the super-rookies are, such as Derrick Rose, OJ Mayo, and Greg Oden.

What about the under-the-radar players, who are making significant contributions for their teams and have taken their games to another level? Who are the NBA Rising Stars this season? Here are the ones that stand out:

Marquis Daniels (Indiana)

With Mike Dunleavy unavailable to start the season, the Pacers needed someone to fill the starting role. Not only has Marquis Daniels played well in that role, it may be his permanent job in Indiana.

The undrafted guard from Auburn got the starting position due to Dunleavy unable to return from his injury. But as a starter, Daniels is putting up great numbers and may retain his starting job for the future. He is averaging 15.9 ppg, while shooting 45.4% and is also grabbing 5.8 rpg. He also has the ability to drive to the basket to get easy scores. His defense isn’t too shabby either, although it still needs improvement to test the best guards.

If Dunleavy is unable to return to last season’s form, Daniels could become a star in Indiana next to Danny Granger.

Al Thornton (Clippers)

The Clippers have very little to be excited about for the rest of the season, who are a horrid 4-16 and virtually out of playoff contention. One of the lone bright sports for the Clippers season is the improving play of Al Thornton.

Prior to the Clippers acquiring Zach Randolph, Thornton had been the Clippers’ go-to man. In only his second season, he is improved in virtually every statistical category. The 6’ 8” forward is averaging 16.5 ppg on a respectable 45.4-percent shooting, while contributing 5.3 rebounds, one block, and getting to the line almost five times per game.

Things can’t really get worse for the Clippers in the future, so expect Thornton and the rest of the team to make improvements going into the 2009-10 season.

Andris Biedrins (Golden State)

Many wondered if Biedrins could be the Warriors’ future center for years to come. Despite the Warriors putrid start, Biedrins appears to be justifying his six-year $63 million contract extension by putting up career numbers.

Last season, Biedrins averaged nearly a double-double at 10.5 ppg and 9.8 rpg, and provided energy on both ends of the floor. His biggest flaws, however, were his poor free throw shooting, few post moves, and lacked the ability to finish with the right hand. This season, however, he has shown some major improvements. Although he still needs work on free throws, he has developed more moves in the post and is better able to finish with his right hand.

The improvement in his game has led to career highs points (14.9), rebounding (11.9, second in NBA), and blocks (1.5). At only 22-years old, the Warriors will expect to see greater things from Biedrins in the future.

John Salmons (Sacramento)

The Kings are far past their powerhouse team beginning a decade ago that started several deep and memorable runs into the playoffs. The Kings have become a lottery team and have struggled to develop young players.

The Kings are once again headed to the lottery, but not without seeing the improvement of John Salmons. Salmons in the starting role has vaulted himself as the second leading scorer on the team, increasing his scoring average, from 12.5 ppg a year ago, to 19.3 ppg this season. He is also shooting 50 percent from the field, an impressive number for a guard-forward. He is also chipping in a three per game, making 42% percent of those attempts, and also getting to the line 4.5 times a game.

Although they are already out of playoff attention, the Kings have young talent to work with, and Salmons will be a large part of the team’s development.

Paul Millsap (Jazz)

When Carlos Boozer was placed on the injured list on November 21, the Jazz needed someone to step up in the post. Fortunately, they had a young strong back up in Paul Millsap, and he has filled the starting role admirably.

While the Jazz are hoping to get Boozer back soon, Millsap’s physical style of play is getting the job done on both ends of the floor. In the past eight games, he is averaging over 18 ppg while shooting 56 percent, and is grabbing almost 12 rpg. His also provides a physical defensive presence as well, something that is still lacking in Boozer’s defense. In the same span, Millsap is averaging 1.6 steals and one block a game, compared to Boozer’s averages of 0.9 and 0.3, respectively.

While Boozer’s return will surely send Millsap back to the bench, the Jazz are fortunate to have another star big man in their future, if they can keep him.

David Lee (Knicks)

David Lee has always provided consistency in points and rebounding. David Lee as a starter has provided him the opportunity to become a star in New York.

Lee has always been a solid contributor, providing a double-double nearly every night. Since Zach Randolph was traded to the Clippers, Lee has been on a tear and put up some incredible numbers. Over the past nine games, Lee has averaged 18.1 ppg on 65 percent shooting, while also grabbing 14.5 rebounds (second behind Dwight Howard in that span). Against the Warriors, he exploded for 37 points, 21 rebounds, and three steals.

David Lee could be a fan favorite in New York, especially if the Knicks can make the playoffs. But that love may only last until 2010.

Nene Hilario (Denver)

After missing the entire 2005-06 season, and 84 games over the past two seasons due to injury, Nene Hilario finally appears completely healthy, and is showing how good he really can be.

Nene is a major factor for the Nuggets surge this season. The main reason is because he is the most efficient big man in the NBA. He is averaging a career high 15.1 ppg, and chipping in 7.1 rpg, but those aren’t his more impressive numbers. He is making 63.3 percent of his field goals, tops in the NBA, while also making 75.6 percent of his free throws. His great improvement is his shooting ability, which allows him to take the mid-range shot or drive to the basket. He provides a strong defensive presence as well, adding 1.6 bpg and averaging 1.5 steals.

With the addition of Chauncey Billups, the Denver Nuggets have a new defensive identity, but will it be enough to finally carry them past the first round of the playoffs?

Danny Granger (Indiana)

Granger was in my last season’s Most Improved article, and I am so impressed with his game that I am sticking him in this article too. He was on my last year’s fantasy team that won me a championship, and I picked him again this year and he has led my team into the top two spots (Yahoo! 12 team H2H).

In only his fourth season, Granger is already deserving of an All-Star spot. He has improved almost every facet of his game every year, and emerging as a true super star. Although Granger has struggled in his past few games, he is still averaging a career-best 23.1 ppg, good for seventh in the NBA, while hitting a respectable 44.6 percent of his shots.

He is also hitting 2.6 threes per game at a 37-percent rate. while also providing defense, blocking 1.6 shots, and getting one takeaway a game. The scary thing for this guy is that he is only going to get better. Listed as a 6’ 9” guard-forward, he is a nightmare to match up with because he can get his shot off at will.

He still needs to improve on parts of his game, such as driving to the basket more and getting to the foul line more often, something Dirk Nowitzki does extremely well. But this guy is still a stud and Indiana could be seeing something very special emerging in the near future.

Rajon Rondo (Boston)

In only his third season, Rajon Rondo is already emerging as one of the better point, and if he continues to improve, he could soon be one of the best point guards in the NBA.

Fresh off the Celtics’ championship year, Rondo has taken his game to another level, and is making life easier for the “Big Three.” He is averaging career highs in assists (7.6), rebounds (4.9), steals (2.3), and is shooting 52.4 percent from the field, an astonishing number for a point guard. During the Celtics’ 12-game winning streak, he is averaging 12.5 ppg, 8.5 apg, 6.0 rpg, and 2.4 spg, while shooting 57 percent from the field. He is looking very comfortable in the Celtics’ offense, pushing the ball at every opportunity and finding the open player.

The Celtics look as dominant as ever, and if Rondo continues to play at this level, there’s no reason to doubt that we will see another green banner in June.

Devin Harris (Nets)

Most figure the Nets to be in rebuilding mode after a dismal last season and trading away Richard Jefferson and Jason Kidd. Thankfully for the Nets, Devin Harris didn’t get that memo, which could result a return to the playoffs much sooner than expected.

The Dallas Mavericks traded away two first-round draft picks, paid $11 million, and traded Devin Harris to obtain Jason Kidd in the hopes he will bring Dallas a championship. I would think most Dallas fans are groaning at the decision (I know I am), especially with every big game Harris puts up. This year Harris is putting up spectacular numbers, thanks to a vastly improved mid-range jumpshot, and extra freedom provided by Nets coach Lawrence Frank.

So far, Harris is averaging 24.4 ppg, which is sixth in the NBA. Equally impressive is that he is hitting 48.5 percent of his shots on midrange jumpshots and frequent drives to the basket.

He is also first in FTM (9.2) and second in FTA (11.2), while also dishing out a career high 6.1 assists and averaging 1.4 steals. Harris also makes terrific decisions and takes care of the ball, averaging only 2.2 turnovers per game. More importantly, he has replaced Vince Carter as the leader of the team, and it has been evident in several games this year.

Harris has broken 30 points in six games this season, including a 47-point outburst against the Suns and 38-point performance against the Pistons, both resulting in victories. In fact, whenever he does break the 30-point mark, the Nets are 6-0. They are 11-5 when Harris plays and 0-3 when he does not.

Harris will be selected as an All-Star, is the frontrunner for the Most Improved Player Award, and could be a possible MVP candidate. More importantly, if the Harris can keep up the same level of play, the Nets could be seeing the playoffs for many seasons to come.

EDIT (Deserving mentions): Here are names and brief summary of players that I omitted and overlooked, but definitely should be on this list.

Thaddeus Young (Philadelphia)

In only his second season, he is posting career bests in almost category (13.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.0 threes, 1.1 spg). He has struggled over the past two weeks, so let's see if he can regain his stroke.

Spencer Hawes (Sacramento)

I completely overlooked his guy since the return of Brad Miller. But even though Hawes has been sent to the bench, his production has not gone down, and he could be the Kings future PF-C. He is posting 12.4 ppg on 48.9-percent shooting, while grabbing 7.3 rebounds and blocking 1.8 shots. He is also chipping in about one three per game.

Chris Duhon (New York)

Duhon is finally putting together a great season, and is looking a lot like Steve Nash under D'Antoni's system. He is averaging 12.1 ppg, dishing out 8.3 apg (good for third in the NBA), hitting 1.6 threes and 85.7-percent of his FTA, while also averaging 1.2 spg. His only blemish is his low FG-percentage, but he has been picking up the slack since losing Zach Randolph and Jamal Crawford, including a 22-assist effort against the Warriors.

Trevor Ariza (LA Lakers)

Ariza has been the Lakers' best guy off the bench, providing instant energy and defense. His play has led to career-highs in points and rebounds, but also provides excellent perimeter defense, and is averaging two steals per game. He will be the go-to defensive guy to guard the opposing stars.

Lakers-Celtics Finals Rematch Would See a Celtics Repeat

Ling Ge — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 20:37:47 -0500

We are only a quarter through the 2008-09 NBA season, but fans and analysts are already anticipating a Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics Finals rematch. The Celtics are an NBA-best 19-2 with a league best 11-game winning streak, while the Lakers are by far best in the West, sitting at 16-2.

There are very few teams that stand in the way between these two rivals. Only the Cleveland Cavaliers (17-3, 10-0 at home) seem to have enough firepower to challenge the Celtics in the East, while the Lakers already appear to be running away with their second Western Conference championship.

David Stern and fans would be looking at a dream rematch, barring upsets or injuries, which begs the question: Who would win the championship rematch between the Lakers and Celtics?

Only time will give a definitive answer in June, 2009. But if the NBA Finals were to start today between these two teams, the Celtics would be celebrating a championship repeat over the Lakers in six games.

The Celtics have relied on the “Big Three” in Kevin Garnet, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen, along with strong team defense, to give them the NBA’s best record. They are holding opponents to a league-best 89.7 points per game while winning by an average margin of 9.4 points.

Rajon Rondo is playing at a very high level, averaging career highs in assists (7.7), steals (2.2), rebounds (4.8), and field-goal percentage (52.5 percent). Rondo is also pushing the ball exceptionally well, scoring on easy layups or finding open teammates in transition.

And despite losing James Posey, last year’s key role player and possibly the best perimeter defender, this year’s role players have stepped up their play and are playing at a high level.

The Lakers have looked dominant in their first 18 games, averaging a league-best 108.6 points per game while outscoring the opponents by 12.2 points. They also lead the league in steals and are second in rebounding.

The starting lineup features Pau Gasol and a healthy Andrew Bynum in the frontcourt, while Lamar Odom and a healthy Trevor Ariza come off the bench. The Lakers are playing very well offensively and are blowing out their opponents to the point where Kobe Bryant does not have to play in the fourth quarter many nights.

Bryant is averaging only 34 minutes a game, the least he’s played since his first two years in the NBA, and has never looked fresher at this point in any season in his career. The Lakers may be the deepest and most talented team in the NBA.

But at this point in the season, the Lakers are not the best team in the NBA; the road to the title still goes through Boston, and the Celtics would repeat as champions if they played the Lakers now.

Although both teams appear even on paper, the discrepancy between the teams are the commitment to defense and intensity.

The Lakers came into the 2008-09 with something to prove after being outplayed defensively and getting thrashed by the Celtics in Game Six in last year’s playoffs. Phil Jackson, Kobe, and the Lakers vowed to come into the season with a new focus on defense, especially by pairing Bynum and Gasol together to clog the paint, and having Kobe and Ariza patrol the perimeter.

But despite the Lakers' stellar record, the team still lacks the focus to play championship defense for 48 minutes. It was apparent in their last four games against the Raptors, Pacers, 76ers, and Wizards, which cost them a game and nearly cost them another.

The Raptors cut a late third-quarter 14-point deficit to six; the Pacers rallied from 17-point deficit to win on Troy Murphy’s last-second tip; the 76ers got into the lane at will and scored on easy layups; the Wizards rallied from a 20-point deficit and would’ve won had Caron Butler’s made his last-second three-point attempt.

In other games, the Lakers have blown large leads, played poor transition defense, and opponents have managed to score easily in the paint.

The Celtics, on the other hand, have carried their defense from the previous season into this season. They have taken care of business defensively from start to finish, and when they get large leads, they rarely allow the other team to get back into the game. During the Celtics’ 11-game winning streak, they have held opponents to 84.8 points per game and have won by an average of 16.2 points.

The Celtics also maintain a high level of intensity throughout all 48 minutes of the game on defense and offense. Even if the Celtics have a 20-point lead, they play as if they were trailing by 10 points, intent on scoring and making stops.

The Lakers, in comparison, relax and become careless, which has led to turnovers and easy transition baskets. This is exactly why the Lakers lost Game Four in last season's Finals despite the Celtics spotting them a 21-point first quarter lead.

We all know that the Lakers have a creative and fun offense to watch, but when it comes to focusing or locking down opponents defensively, the Lakers are nowhere near what the Celtics are capable of.

It is still too early in the season to tell which team will win, or whether both teams will even make it to the NBA Finals. The Lakers have a lot of potential, and Christmas Day should provide us a glimpse of what both teams are about.

One thing is for sure: If the Lakers don’t start committing to defense for 48 minutes of every game, there will be a lot of Green at the end of the season, and very little purple and gold.

NBA Western Conference: The Playoff Push

Ling Ge — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 07:15:57 -0400

The Western Conference is providing one the greatest playoff races in NBA history.

Only 6 games are separated between the top nine teams in the west, and every team is jockeying for playoff position. One win could put a team in first place, but a few losses can easily push a team out of the playoffs.

It time to take a look at what each team needs to do to make the playoffs.

Los Angeles Lakers (45-20)

10 home games

7 road games

Remaining Notable Opponents: Rockets, Hornets, Jazz, Spurs, Mavericks twice, Warriors twice

The Lakers were sentimental favorites to win the championship. Without Pau Gasol, however, the team will struggle just trying to secure a top playoff spot.

The Lakers clearly missed Gasol’s interior presence in their loss against the Hornets Friday night. Having to rely heavily on perimeter shooting, the team shot only 38 percent and hit only nine of 30 three-point attempts. The lack of interior defense allowed the Hornets to shoot 48 percent and hit 11 of 24 three-point attempts. The Hornets’ big men David West and Tyson Chandler were able to score 26 points and grab 34 rebounds.

There is no mercy in the NBA, and teams are breathing down the Lakers’ necks. The Lakers currently have a share of first place, but are only ahead of the eighth place Warriors by four and a half games. If Gasol’s injury is serious, a short losing streak could easily push the Lakers into bottom four of the playoff standings, and maybe out of the playoffs.

Houston Rockets (45-20)

7 home games

10 road games

Remaining Notable Opponents: Celtics, Lakers, Hornets, Jazz, Spurs, Suns twice, Warriors, Nuggets

At one point in the season, the Rockets were 24-20 and were in tenth in the west. 21 consecutive wins later, the Rockets are sitting atop of the Western Conference, showing they should be a major playoff contender.

Winning 21 consecutive games is an incredible accomplishment and merits recognition. Their true test comes this week, when they go on a brutal five game stretch against the Lakers, Celtics, Hornets, Warriors and the Suns. The Rockets will have trouble keeping the streak alive, but if the Rockets can win at least three games, it would silence any remaining critics questioning if they are a legitimate playoff team.

The Rockets could easily lose the next five games, but Tracy McGrady and his team are playing at an extremely high level, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if they easily sweep through the NBA’s elite teams.

New Orleans Hornets (44-20)

7 home games

11 road games

Remaining Notable Opponents: Celtics twice, Pistons, Lakers, Jazz, Mavericks, Rockets, Warriors, Magic, Cavaliers

The Hornets continue to prove that they are a legitimate force in the Western Conference. After crushing the Spurs by 25 points Wednesday, the Hornets beat the Lakers by 10 Friday night and have consistently beaten the best teams in the NBA. Chris Paul is having an MVP-like season and looks to keep his team atop of the conference.

Things don’t get easier for Hornets, when they play 10 of their last 18 games against strong playoff teams. David West, the team’s second leading scorer and rebounder, will also be a concern when he left Friday’s game with a lingering sprained left ankle, and Chris Paul also has a mild sprain. The Hornets have been mostly healthy all year, but they can ill-afford to have injuries now.

The Hornets are still second in the Southwest division, but the Spurs and Mavericks are right behind them and are ready leap the Hornets for playoff positioning.

Utah Jazz (44-24)

10 home games

4 road games

Remaining Notable Opponents: Lakers, Rockets, Hornets, Spurs twice, Mavericks, Nuggets

The Jazz are currently fourth in the Western Conference, but they are in perfect position to move higher in the standings in their quest to secure home court throughout the playoffs.

After the Jazz’s surprising road win over the Celtics, they flopped against the Nets Saturday night. Still, the Jazz play 10 of their last 14 games on at home, where they are 28-3. They also have the easiest schedule among playoff teams, with only seven games against elite teams.

The Jazz are very balanced on offense and defense, and their key players are playing very well at the right time. Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer have been a dominant duo as of late, Mehmet Okur is averaging 20 ppg over his last 11 games, and Kyle Korver continues to provide excellent perimeter shooting.

The only concern is how well the Jazz will play on the road in the playoffs, which is why it is important for the Jazz to secure home court throughout the playoff. Now is a better time than ever to play their best basketball.

San Antonio Spurs (44-22)

9 home games

8 road games

Remaining Notable Opponents: Celtics, Lakers, Rockets, Jazz twice, Suns, Mavericks, Warriors

After winning 11 straight games, the Spurs have lost five of their last six, including a disappointing loss to the Sixers Saturday night. Despite the slump, the Spurs are only one and a half games behind first place, but they will need to play better if they want to get home court and be ready for the playoffs.

Tim Duncan has continued to play well in his last five, averaging 21 ppg and 10 rpg, and Tony Parker has been consistent, but Manu Ginobli and the bench will have to play better much better. The bench is only averaging 13 ppg over the past three games, and the defense has been shaky during their slump, giving up 100 points in four of their last six contests.

The Spurs picked the wrong time to play their worst basketball, but they are still the best team in the NBA until they are dethroned. They have continually proven critics wrong in the past, but if they want to repeat as champions for the first time, they will have to win against a very difficult Western Conference.

Phoenix Suns (44-22)

7 home games

10 road games

Remaining Notable Opponents: Celtics, Pistons, Rockets twice, Spurs, Mavericks, Warriors, Nuggets twice

The Suns appear to have fully incorporated Shaquille O’Neal with the team’s philosophy, and it has finally translated into wins.

The Suns improved to 7-6 with a dominant win over the Kings and are riding a four game winning streak. It’s still too early to call the trade a complete success, but the Suns have had quality wins over the Celtics, Spurs and the Warriors, and four blowout wins over lesser opponents. Amare Stoudemire has been a monster offensively, and the Suns have shown much better defense in recent games. The Suns play their next two games against easier opponents until they hit a three game stretch against the Rockets, Pistons, and Celtics.

Shaq has played exceptional basketball, and has helped anchor a solid half-court offense and a better interior defense. The Suns are only one and a half games behind the Lakers in the Pacific Division, so now is as good a time as ever to make a move and grab the division.

Dallas Mavericks (43-23)

8 home games

8 road games

Remaining Notable Opponents: Celtics, Lakers twice, Hornets, Jazz, Spurs, Suns, Warriors twice, Nuggets

After a tough stretch against the west’s elite teams, the Mavericks are back on track against some of the Eastern Conference’s weakest teams. The Mavericks have pounded the east opponents, winning four straight games by more than 19 points.

Since acquiring Jason Kidd, the Mavericks improved to 8-5 with a victory over Pacers. The Mavericks also added Tyronn Lue to bolster the backcourt and bench. Dirk Nowitzki continues to play extremely well with Kidd, and the offense has been very efficient, recording more than 30 assists over the past three games. Josh Howard has played well recently and looks more comfortable playing with Kidd. Howard and Jason Terry will have to step up their play if they want to make a serious playoff run.

The Mavericks will need to take advantage of having four of their next five games at home, where they have been dominant going 29-4. They are still seventh in the standings despite their win streak, but are only two and a half games behind first place, and they will get their chances to move to the top spot.

Golden State Warriors (41-24)

8 home games

9 road games

Remaining Notable Opponents: Lakers twice, Rockets, Hornets, Spurs, Suns, Mavericks twice

The Warriors are having one of their best seasons in franchise history, yet they remain in eighth in the standings. They are still only four games out of first place, but with most of the west teams playing well, it will be difficult for the Warriors to move up in the standings.

The Warriors have played very well, winning eight of their past 10 games, thanks largely to the great play of their explosive backcourt trio. The Baron Davis has been brilliant during that stretch, scoring 30 or more points in four of those contests and has been clutch in many late game situations. Stephen Jackson has been a deadly three-point threat while Monta Ellis continues to be an unbelievable force on the floor. The Warriors will have a big test at the end of next week, when they host the Rockets Friday, and then play back-to-back games against the Lakers over the weekend.

The Warriors may not be able to move that far up in the standings, but they don’t need to. After last postseason’s monumental playoff upset, they have proven that they are team to be reckoned with regardless of where they end up in the standings.

Denver Nuggets (39-26)

7 home games

10 road games

Remaining Notable Opponents: Pistons, Rockets, Jazz, Suns twice, Mavericks, Warriors twice

The Nuggets have ridden off the play of Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony all season, but it may not be enough to help the team make the playoffs.

The Nuggets are only two games behind of the Warriors, but have a very tough schedule remaining. The Nuggets have eight games against NBA’s elite teams, and 10 games on the road, where they are a dismal 12-17.

The Denver organization’s failure to make a move at the trade deadline could ultimately cost them a spot in the playoffs. They had an opportunity to acquire former All-Star Ron Artest, which would have given them a third scoring option and an excellent perimeter defender. However, they were unwilling to give up Linas Kleiza, and it is proving to be a costly move this season.

Iverson and Anthony are a pair of the most dynamic players in the NBA, but are looking for help from the rest of the Nuggets team. J.R. Smith has provided a spark off the bench, providing instant offense and three-point shooting, while Kenyon Martin and Marcus Camby have provided the interior presence.

It’s now or never for the Denver Nuggets. They still have a great opportunity to make the playoffs, with a pair of games against the Warriors. Unfortunately, the Nuggets are still a very poor defensive team, allowing 104 points per contest, and are a very poor road team. With the majority of their games on the road, the Nuggets will wondering what they’ll need to do in the offseason.

Jordan vs. Kobe: A Difference in Eras

Ling Ge — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 03:51:47 -0500

Who is the better player: Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant?

With all the reasoning by analysts and diehard fans, this heated debate will never have a legitimate answer until Kobe Bryant retires.

Anyone can compare the numbers, records, or awards that both players have achieved, but very few people factor the differences between the Jordan era and the Kobe era.

Let’s take a look at several key factors that are omitted in this Jordan vs. Kobe debate.

Defensive Players

I'm surprised that players in the '80s and '90s receive little credit for their defensive skills compared to players after Jordan retired. Since Jordan entered the NBA in 1984, the league has produced many stellar first and second All-Defensive players featuring:

Hakeem Olajuwon, Michael Cooper, Maurice Cheeks, Dennis Johnson, Kevin McHale, Patrick Ewing, Karl Malone, John Stockton, Joe Dumars, David Robinson, Dennis Rodman, Alvin Robertson, John Starks, Gary Payton, Dikembe Mutombo, Charles Barkley, Dan Majerle, and many others.

Since Jordan’s retirement in 1998, the Kobe’s generation has produced first and second All-Defensive players featuring:

Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Alonzo Mourning, Jason Kidd, Ben Wallace, Ron Artest, Bruce Bowen, Scottie Pippen, Doug Christie, Andrei Kirlenko, Dwyane Wade, Marcus Camby, Larry Hughes, Tayshaun Prince, Gary Payton, Eric Snow, Theo Ratliff, PJ Brown, and several others.

Based on this list alone, my conclusion is that defensive players Jordan’s era are more intimidating than players in Kobe’s era.

Not only do players in Jordan’s era play great defense, but almost all players are exceptional scorers, while many players in Kobe’s era are defensive specialists and lack offensive skills.

There were also many excellent interior defenders in Jordan’s era who altered shots and clogged driving lanes. Kobe’s era has players who are also exceptional interior defenders, but contain very few Hall of Fame caliber players.

Many people argue that there were no great wing defenders that could defend Jordan, but it is virtually the same argument for Kobe. And defense is not an individual effort—it’s a team effort and Jordan played against many of the best defenders.

I have read that wing players in Kobe’s generation are more talented and more athletic than Jordan's era, such as Lebron James, Tracy McGrady, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, or Vince Carter. But only Wade made any of the All-Defensive teams, and Lebron is the only other player to display exceptional defensive skills.

The defensive players in Jordan’s era were not pushovers; they were as good, if not better, than the defensive players in Kobe’s era.

NBA Rule Changes

Before Michael Jordan retired in 1998, the game was much more physical and allowed much more contact. This meant Jordan had to work harder offensively to get his points.

Let’s take a look at some of the major rule changes after Jordan retired:

1999-'00

- In the backcourt, there is no contact with hands and forearms by defenders. In the frontcourt, there is no contact with hands and forearms by defenders except below the free throw line extended in which case the defender may only use his forearm. In the post, neither the offensive player nor the defender is allowed to dislodge or displace a player who has legally obtained a position. Defender may not use his forearm, shoulder, hip or hand to reroute or hold-up an offensive player going from point A to point B or one who is attempting to come around a legal screen set by another offensive player. Slowing or impeding the progress of the screener by grabbing, clutching, holding “chucking” or “wrapping up” is prohibited.

2000-'01

- No contact with either hands or forearms by defenders except in the frontcourt below the free throw line extended in which case the defender may use his forearm only.

- Neither the offensive player nor the defender will be allowed to dislodge or displace a player who has legally obtained a position.

- Defender may not use his forearm, shoulder, hip or hand to reroute or hold-up an offensive player going from point A to Point B or one who is attempting to come around a legal screen set by another offensive player.

- Slowing or impeding the progress of the screener by grabbing, clutching, holding “chucking” or “wrapping up” is prohibited.

What is most impressive is that before these rule changes, Jordan still won 11 consecutive scoring titles, boasting an average 31.5 ppg and shooting an astonishing 50.5 percent during that span. Kobe, who plays in an era in which the rules favor the offensive player, has career averages of 24.9 ppg on 45.4 percent shooting, although I will admit that the numbers are little deceptive because of Kobe's earlier seasons and three-point shooting.

I’m not saying that Kobe would not have done well in Jordan’s era, but it’s impossible to discredit what Jordan was able to do during his career.

Conclusion

Like I said before, there is no legitimate answer until Kobe Bryant retires from the NBA, which may be another decade from now. Kobe could easily end up with more championships and points than Jordan.

If Bryant retired today, however, then Jordan is clearly the better player.

Don’t mistake my statement for saying Jordan is more talented than Kobe, because it is entirely different than saying Jordan is better than Kobe.

I believe Kobe Bryant is a more talented offensive player than Michael Jordan. Looking at both players’ game film, Kobe is a better ball handler and plays much more comfortably on the perimeter than Jordan.

Kobe also has better shooting range and a wider variety of moves compared to Jordan, who prefers to use mid-range game and post game.

But Michael Jordan has undoubtedly been the better leader, and therefore the better player. Throughout his career, Jordan has always been patient and mature, and was eventually rewarded with six NBA titles in eight years.

“There are plenty of teams in every sport that have great players and never win titles. Most of the time, those players aren't willing to sacrifice for the greater good of the team. The funny thing is, in the end, their unwillingness to sacrifice only makes individual goals more difficult to achieve. One thing I believe to the fullest is that if you think and achieve as a team, the individual accolades will take care of themselves. Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.”

-Michael Jordan

NBA Trade Evaluations: Winners and Losers

Ling Ge — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 23:11:27 -0500

This NBA season, we have seen a flurry of blockbuster trades by the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Utah Jazz.

It has been two weeks since the NBA trade deadline ended, so let’s take a look at our early winners and losers...

Winners

Dallas Mavericks

Dirk Nowitzki has played more like last year’s MVP since the trade that brought Jason Kidd to Dallas. In the eight games that Kidd has been with the Mavericks, Nowitzki has averaged 29 ppg on 52 percent shooting. He has also hit 1.6 threes on 52 percent shooting, a major improvement compared to season averages of .9 threes on 33 percent shooting.

Despite the 4-4 record since the trade, the Mavericks have an improved offense and still have a good defense. Kidd has been averaging a double-double and shooting the ball much more efficiently.

Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks are a better team with Jason Kidd, but they will need the rest of the team to step up to make a run for a championship.

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers looked like championship contenders with Andrew Bynum in the lineup, and then looked mediocre after he suffered a knee injury.

Pau Gasol has immediately given Kobe Bryant and the Lakers another chance to win a championship. Since the trade, the Lakers are boasting a 13-2 record while dominating most opponents.

Gasol has been the perfect complement in Phil Jackson’s triangle offense, and has given Kobe more options on offense other than scoring. The Lakers also have the deepest bench in the NBA, and are still awaiting the return of Bynum.

The Lakers have become sentimental favorites to win the championship, but they will still need to find a way dethrone the very hot San Antonio Spurs.

Boston Celtics

This is a no-brainer—the Celtics went from last place last season to having the NBA’s best record this season. Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce are playing extremely well together, and they have a solid supporting cast.

Rajon Rondo is one of the Celtics key surprises, and the bench features exceptional energy players that can score and defend.

The “Big Three” is the heart of this Celtics team, and will look to make a deep run at a championship.

Utah Jazz

The Utah Jazz were only 17-16 before they acquired Kyle Korver. It’s not considered a blockbuster trade, but it has proven to be a very valuable move. Since the trade, the Jazz are 22-6, which is the best record in that span.

Korver gives the Jazz a legitimate three-point threat which spreads the floor and opens easy plays for Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer.

The Jazz are an improved team, but they will need to prove that they can win on the road. They are an NBA best 26-3 at home, but only 13-19 on the road. In the playoffs, losing just one home game could end a playoff series.

Amare Stoudemire (Phoenix Suns)

In the six games that Shaq has played, Stoudemire has averaged 30 ppg on 55 percent shooting, while still grabbing over nine rebounds.

Clearly, Stoudemire has benefited most playing as power forward rather than center. The Suns figured out how to bring the beast out of Stoudemire, but they will have to figure out how to bring wins and a championship soon.

Other Winners: San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, New Jersey Nets, Larry Hughes

Losers

Phoenix Suns

The Suns expected to figure out their interior problems by acquiring Shaquille O’Neal. The Suns do have an improved half-court offense, but their defense has been a problem. The team is 2-4 while giving up over 116 ppg to opponents.

The Suns will need to incorporate Shaq into the team’s philosophy fast if they are to even contend in the playoffs.

Editor’s Note: The Suns defeated the Trail Blazers in Portland 97-92. The Suns shot only 41 percent, but made 34-42 free-throws and held the Blazers to 41 percent shooting.

Memphis Grizzlies

The Grizzlies were trying to rebuild their team through trades and draft picks. But they traded their franchise player in Pau Gasol for mediocre players and two draft picks.

Worst of all for Memphis, they traded Gasol to a Western Conference powerhouse. The west will be extremely competitive over the next few years, so it will be a very long time before the Grizzlies can become a playoff team.

Miami Heat

The Miami Heat didn’t make a bad trade. The Heat traded for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks to provide more energy and athleticism for Dwyane Wade, but they are still losing, going only 2-7 with Marion and Banks.

It may be best for the Heat to shut down Wade so he can be healthy for next season, and the Heat will also get a high draft pick. The management for the Heat will be crucial if they want to re-sign Wade.

Other Losers: Denver Nuggets

Breaking Even

Cleveland Cavaliers

Lebron James needed a better supporting cast in order to help the Cavaliers contend against the elite teams. Dan Ferry pulled off an 11-player trade, acquiring Ben Wallace, Delonte West, Wally Szczerbiak, and Joe Smith.

The new players have improved the Cavaliers’ interior defense and perimeter shooting. But they are still only 3-2 since the trade and they still rely heavily on Lebron James’ scoring. It’ll remain to be seen if the trade will truly make the Cavaliers playoff contenders.

Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks acquired veteran point guard Mike Bibby to provide leadership and help run the offense. Since the trade, however, the Hawks are 3-6 and are ninth in the east standings.

The Hawks still have a chance to make the playoffs in the weak conference, but it is uncertain whether Bibby alone is enough to help push the team into the playoffs.

Other Evens: Chicago Bulls

Hold up! Wait a Minute!: NBA Surprises After the All-Star Break

Ling Ge — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 03:07:42 -0500

In the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons are jockeying for first place, while the top nine teams in the Western Conference are competing for favorable seeding.

The San Antonio Spurs (Surprise!) are first in the West after ripping off nine straight wins. The Miami Heat still ranks last in the NBA.

And at this point, we’re already seeing LeBron James and Kobe Bryant as frontrunners for the Most Valuable Player award.

All told, there is still a lot of regular season basketball left to be played, but there have been plenty of early post All-Star break surprises.

Shaq, Suns Flaming Out

Shaquille O’Neal was supposed to solve the Phoenix Suns’ interior problems on defense, and keep the team running on offense.

So far, neither improvement has been made. The Suns’ have gone 2-4 with Shaq in the line up.

The Suns have been blown out by the Pistons and Hornets, and they lost to the 76ers at home—allowing at least 116 points in all four losses.

Phoenix is still in sixth place in the standings, but could find itself in danger of missing the playoffs.

Shaq has not yet had enough time to adapt to the Suns’ philosophy, and the trade can still prove helpful to the team. Amare Stoudemire has been a monster since the trade, averaging more than 30 points and 12 rebounds. Boris Diaw has also been playing much better.

However with only 23 games left in the regular season, Shaq and the Suns need to figure things out fast, or see their championship aspirations burn out.

Yao-less Rockets Win 15 Straight

I recently wrote an article about how, without Yao Ming, the Houston Rockets would either miss the playoffs or be eliminated in the first round. Now I’m eating my words, having watched the Rockets thoroughly dominate the Denver Nuggets Sunday night.

To win 15 straight games is an incredible achievement, and it’s something the Rockets have not done since 1994 when they won their first championship.

The last four games without Yao looked especially impressive—the Rockets easily crushed their opponents. This winning streak has Houston ranked fifth in the West, just two and a half games behind first place.

Dikembe Mutombo has excellently protected the rim, while Luis Scola and Carl Landry have been active on both ends of the floor. The Rockets’ offense has performed very efficiently, averaging nearly 25 assists a game.

And the defense is still solid despite the absence of Yao. Tracy McGrady has looked very comfortable mixing his scoring and distributing.

The Rockets are flying higher than ever, and not even Yao could cause a crash landing.

Stop Kidd-ing around Mavericks

Jason Kidd is showing he can still play at a very high level. Kidd is averaging 11 points with 46 percent shooting, grabbing seven rebounds, dishing 11 assists, and thieving three steals. His passes have been sharp and crisp.

While the Mavericks still struggle on the road against elite teams—losing to the Hornets, Spurs, and Lakers—things are still looking very good for the team.

Despite a 4-3 record with Kidd in the line up, the losses have been close and the offense and defense are solid. Dirk Nowitzki has been on an MVP-like tear to lead the Mavericks, and Kidd’s passing has produced easy baskets.

The Mavericks find themselves in seventh place in the West, but only separated from first place by three games.

Erick Dampier has been playing well, but Josh Howard and Jason Terry have been mired in very long slumps. Those three will need to step it up if the Mavericks want to make a serious run at a championship.

Still Second-half Losers

Miami Heat

Miami entered Sunday’s game against the Sacramento Kings having won two of their last three, and in search of a two-game winning streak.

Things looked great for the Heat when they raced to a 20-point halftime lead. But not even a 50-point lead is safe with the Heat.

Miami ended up embarrassing themselves again—outscored in the second half 71-40, and losing by 11 points.

Miami is still the worst team in the NBA.

Denver Nuggets

The trade deadline passed with the Nuggets doing virtually nothing to improve their playoff chances. They had a golden opportunity to acquire Ron Artest from the Kings, but did not want to include Linas Kleiza in the package.

Seeing how difficult the Western Conference is, the Nuggets will be lucky to make the playoffs even once in the next five years.

Milwaukee Bucks

Last Tuesday the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Cleveland Cavaliers with Michael Redd’s game-winning, very long three-pointer.

Saturday, the Bucks trailed by two points against the Spurs when Redd had a chance to tie the game at the free throw line. Redd, an 83.3 percent free throw shooter, bricked the first one and purposely missed the second. Then Andrew Bogut missed the close put-back.

It’s just one of those seasons for the Bucks.

Under 20 Wins

New York Knicks, Miami Heat, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Seattle Supersonics, Los Angeles Clippers, and…New York Knicks. GO GIANTS!

Different Players, Same Story

Chicago Bulls

Larry Hughes has averaged 19 points with 43 percent shooting since being traded to the Chicago Bulls. Where was this skill when he was playing for the Cavaliers? Still, this doesn’t change the fact that the Bulls are losing.

Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavaliers acquired Ben Wallace, Wally Sczcerbiak, Delonte West, and Joe Smith to help bolster LeBron James’ supporting cast. The result? Cleveland is 3-2 in the last five, and LeBron has had to score more to win games by averaging 32 points since the trade.

San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs acquired Kurt Thomas to…keep winning?

Great Wall Crumbles: Yao Ming Out for the Rest of Season

Ling Ge — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 07:10:20 -0500

Even with both Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, it was hard enough for the Houston Rockets to compete in the very tight Western Conference.

But after having two stars seemingly healthy, the Rockets blasted off 12 consecutive wins, had sole possession of the seventh playoff seed, acquired bench sparkplug Bobby Jackson, and looked poised to move further up the standings and finally get past the first round.

Then the announcement came which would end the Houston Rockets: Yao will miss the rest of the season with a stress fracture in his sore left foot.

The "Great Wall" was having another stellar season averaging 22.0 ppg, 10.8 rpg, and 2.0 bpg, while shooting over 50 percent FG and a team-best 85.0 percent FT. Yao also anchored the interior on defense and offense, and passed out of double teams to create open shots.

Yao exemplified what a NBA player should be: a dedicated worker, a beloved teammate, and committed to winning. For Yao, "Excellence is not an act, but a habit."

Houston is quietly shedding tears over their gigantic loss. China, where Yao is the NBA's ambassador and his country's icon, also mourns of their fallen star. His teammates will miss him. The Rockets will miss him. The NBA will miss him. China will miss him. The world will miss him.

There are simply no words tall enough to describe Yao's absence.

For the remainder of the season, Tracy McGrady will have to carry his team on his shoulders just to make the playoffs, but the Rockets could only go so far with both stars. With the Western Conference more competitive than ever, it is almost impossible to see the Rockets even securing a playoff birth. The Golden State Warriors and the Denver Nuggets are now poised to push the Rockets out of playoff contention.

This strong promising season has seemingly come to an abrupt end, but the concern for Yao's health will carry on into the Rockets' future. How long can Yao's body support his immense stature? Will Tracy McGrady's back hold up in the long haul? Can both players be healthy at the same time?

The Rockets looked built for a deep playoff run, but the window of opportunity has been shut. The windows are quickly closing on the Rockets.

WIll Ben Wallace Bring a Championship to the Cleveland Cavaliers?

Ling Ge — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 14:46:01 -0500

Cleveland Cavaliers’ General Manager Danny Ferry finally pulled the trigger, and put together an 11-player trade involving the Cavs, the Seattle Supersonics, and Chicago Bulls.

Cleveland received center Ben Wallace, forward Joe Smith, guard Wally Szcerbiak, guard Delonte West, and a second-round pick. The Cavs sent away guard Larry Hughes, guard Shannon Brown, forward Drew Gooden, forward Ira Newble, and forward Cedric Simmons.

Are the Cavaliers contenders in the East? Did Lebron James finally receive the help he desperately needed? Let’s analyze the players’ impact on offense and defense.

Offense

The main problem in the Cavs’ offense was players could not hit open shots when Lebron drew double or triple teams. Larry Hughes was supposed to be the Cavalier’s second option, but he struggled with injuries and hit shooting. Drew Gooden has been inconsistent and the Cavs didn’t receive much from Brown, Newble, or Simmons.

The Cavaliers improved their offense by adding scorers. Wally Sczerbiak is the sharpshooter that the Cavs needed to hit open shots. Delonte West is a decent scoring point guard who can also create shots for other players. Joe Smith is also a consistent scorer with a solid mid-range jump shot and will help compliment Ben Wallace or Zydrunas Illgauskas.

There are still some questions about the Cavs’ new offense. Can experience overcome bigger, quicker, and more athletic players? Will Ben Wallace be able to make any impact on offense? Now who is the secondary scorer?

Defense

Last season, the Cavaliers boasted the fifth-best defense, holding opponents to only 92.9 ppg. This year the Cavs are 12th in scoring defense and allow 98.4 ppg.

The addition of Ben Wallace will greatly improve Cleveland’s interior defense and rebounding. Joe Smith will also provide addition size in the middle, while Delonte West’s length will bother perimeter players. Sczerbiak is primarily an offensive player so don’t expect too much from him on the defensive end.

However, the Cavs traded several young solid defensive players in Larry Hughes and Drew Gooden. Hughes, 29, was still a good perimeter defender averaging nearly two steals a game, while Gooden, 26, was a good interior defender and rebounder.

Ben Wallace will improve his team’s defense, but he will provide little offense. In Chicago, the team struggled to score with a lack of interior scoring. But then they didn’t have Lebron James.

The new additions improve the Cavaliers’ team, but again there are holes to fill with the new team. The Cavaliers don't have a secondary scorer, nor do they have any strong post players. How many years will the new supporting cast last. Chemistry will also be another issue to deal with.

The Cavaliers still have Lebron James, which means they will always have a chance in the Eastern Conference—but that alone won't spell championship in the Finals.

Top Five Greatest NBA Moments in my Lifetime

Ling Ge — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 20:58:34 -0500

Feb. 19, 2008 was my 21st birthday. Congratulations to me! Now I can legally buy beer. HOORAY BEER! (For those who’ve seen the Red Stripe Beer commercial)

During some part of my birthday, I took some time to reminisce over my memories and accomplishments in my life. Then I looked back at all of the NBA moments that I was fortunate to witness.

I wanted to share my greatest and most memorable ones, and see what others have to say as well.

Here are my Top Five Greatest NBA Moments:

5) 2000 Playoffs, Western Conference Finals, Game 7: Portland Trail Blazers @ Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers took a 3-1 series lead after winning both road games over Portland, but the Trail Blazers stormed back to tie the series, and were leading Game 7, 71-58 entering the fourth quarter.

The Blazers proceeded to miss 13 consecutive shots and lost complete control of the game. The Lakers tied the game 75-75, and after a few ties, took the lead for good after Kobe Bryant made two free throws to make it 81-79.

The Lakers completed the rally when Kobe threw a lob to Shaquille O’Neal for a thunderous dunk. O’Neal’s wide open eyes and fingers pointing to the sky was one of the most emphatic moments ever. That momentum propelled the Lakers to the first of three consecutive championships, which would eventually establish them as one of the greatest dynasties in NBA history.

4) 2006 Playoffs, Western Conference Semifinals: San Antonio Spurs vs. Dallas Mavericks

I had to include this playoff series because I am a Mavericks fan. The series featured two teams with the best records in West and very good defenses. I expected to watch a series of slow grind-out games and very low scoring, but there were many high scoring games, and almost every game was very competitive and close.

The Mavericks took a 3-1 series lead with a thrilling 123-118 overtime victory over the Spurs, but the Spurs were able to storm back to tie the series 3-3. In Game 7 the Mavericks built a 14-point halftime lead, but couldn’t maintain the momentum and saw themselves trailing by three points.

Dirk Nowitzki drove to the basket for a layup and was fouled by Manu Ginobli for a three-point play that sent the game into overtime. The Mavericks were able to contain Tim Duncan while pulling away and eventually won the series 4-3.

Nowitzki led his team with 37 points and 15 rebounds while Duncan had 41 points, 15 rebounds, and six assists. Both players had a spectacular series, but after years of futility in the Western Conference, it was the Mavericks’ moment to shine.

3) 2002 Playoffs, Western Conference Finals Series: Sacramento Kings vs. Los Angeles Lakers

This was probably the greatest playoff series that I’ve experienced in its entirety. The rivalry between the Kings and the Lakers was intense, and every single game came down to which team could make the most plays.

The series featured many dramatic moments, such as Game 4, when Robert Horry was at the right place at the right time to drain the game-winning three-pointer that allowed the Lakers to tie the series.

In Game 5 the Kings were back in Sacramento trying to retake the series lead. They found themselves down 91-90, but Mike Bibby came off a screen and hit a wide-open jumper that would eventually give the Kings a 92-91 victory, and gave them a 3-2 series lead.

In Game 6 the Lakers needed a win to force a seventh game, and Shaquille O’Neal delivered scoring 41 points and grabbing 17 rebounds. In Game 7 in Sacramento, the score went back-and-forth the entire game. Bibby hit two free throws to send the game into overtime, but the Kings missed too many free throws throughout the game and the Lakers won to take the series 4-3.

This series had all the moments you could ask for in the playoffs and it was definitely one of my greatest moments.

2) 1998 Playoffs, NBA Finals, Game 6: Chicago Bulls @ Utah Jazz

Although the Chicago Bulls led the series 3-2, the team was going back to face a confident Utah Jazz team that had beaten the Bulls in Game 5 in Chicago. With the series swinging back to the Delta Center, the Bulls were greeted by a hostile and energized crowd.

The game was very intense and physical. The Jazz rode the crowd and led for most of the game. Karl Malone was having another dominant game but Jordan was not going to be denied. In the final two minutes, Jordan scored all of the Bulls’ final eight points.

The key play was when Jordan stripped the ball from Malone when the Bulls were trailing 86-85. Jordan then calmly dribbled to the top of the key, crossed-over Byron Russell, and routinely drained a game-winning jumper with 5.2 seconds left, which eventually gave them an 87-86 championship victory.

It was the Bulls’ sixth championship in eight years and Jordan was given his sixth Finals MVP. That is perhaps the greatest lasting moment I’ll ever have of Michael Jordan.

1) 2006 Playoffs, First Round, Game 4: Phoenix Suns @ Los Angeles Lakers

The reason this game is my Greatest NBA Moment was because I was able to attend the game at Staples Center. The seats were at the top, but I had no problems seeing what was going on and the atmosphere in the arena was unbelievable. The game itself was extremely intense and competitive, despite Kobe Bryant being in some foul trouble.

The game appeared over when the Lakers were trailing 90-85 with 12.6 second left in the game. Smush Parker hit a three-pointer with 7.9 seconds left, but even then I remember my friend saying: “The game is over. They’re going to get it to Nash and he’s going to make both free throws.”

Parker came up with a steal and Devean George got to ball to Kobe, who shot a very difficult high-arching lay-up over the outstretched arms of Boris Diaw to tie the game at 90 and force overtime. The arena exploded and my friend and I went wild with everyone around us, still trying to grasp the sudden turn of events.

Overtime was even more heart-pounding. With the score tied at 95, Nash hit a three-pointer with 50 seconds left for a three-point lead. Kobe responded with a layup that cut the lead to a point.

My depressed friend said: “This time they’re going to get it to Nash and he’s going to make both free throws and Kobe will try to force a tough three-pointer to try and tie the game.” But when Luke Walton forced Nash into a jumpball at center court, everyone in the arena could sense what was going to happen...and then it really did happen.

Walton tapped the ball to Kobe Bryant with 6.1 seconds left. Kobe calmly dribbled the ball to his right, and then swished the game-winner over Raja Bell and Diaw. Again, the arena exploded, but seemingly louder than the first time. The cheering and chants of “MVP” were raining down long after the game was over.

Although I was disappointing that the Lakers eventually lost the series 4-3, I will never forget a moment of that game.

So what are your favorite moments of all time? Reply to this article, or edit and add your favorite moments.

It's Official: Jason Kidd to Dallas in Eight-Player Deal

Ling Ge — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 06:39:10 -0500

Just to review, here is the eight-player deal that was completed today:

Mavericks get:

G Jason Kidd

F Antoine Wright

F Malik Allen

Nets get:

G Devin Harris

G Maurice Ager

G/F Trenton Hassell

F Keith Van Horn

C DeSagana Diop

Two First-Round Draft Picks

$3 Million

How Does This Trade Help the Mavericks?

The Mavericks have always been one of best teams in the Western Conference, but have never had a player with true leadership experience. Finally, after enduring the veto by Devean George and the mouth of Jerry Stackhouse, the Mavericks will get who Lawrence Frank described as a "once-in-a-lifetime type of guy to play with and coach."

Jason Kidd may be 35 years old, but his body is still built like a tank. He will be tough to deal with on both ends of the floor.

The Mavericks also have a playmaker who can find the open guy on the fastbreak or in the half-court, rather than relying on isolations and set plays for Josh Howard and Dirk Nowitzki, who is also seeing more double teams this season.

After being near the bottom of the NBA in assists, we should see a significant increase in those numbers for the Mavericks with Kidd running the offense.

Don't mistake Jason Kidd running the point guard position for a Mavs team with Steve Nash. The difference between the two is that Nash is primarily a fastbreak player, but Kidd can play in the half-court offense as well. The Mavericks also have a focus on defense and Kidd will be able to body up bigger guards such as Baron Davis, as well as forwards.

More importantly Kidd will bring the toughness and leadership that has been missing from this Maverick team. Nowitzki was expected to be the leader, but he's not really that type of player. Now he can concentrate on playing his game rather than trying so hard to lead his team. Still, there will be no doubt that he will be the focus of the Mavericks' offense.

The Mavericks also get young forward Antoine Wright. We can look for him to pair with Brandon Bass to provide energy and solid inside presence. Malik Allen will provide some additional size with the loss of Diop.

The Mavericks are winners in this deal because of Kidd's skill, but the question of whether it will be enough to push them to the top will remain to be answered.

...And the New Jersey Nets?

Despite Jason Kidd averaging nearly a triple-double every night, the Nets still could not find ways to win. Since winning was difficult to foresee in the near future, the Nets decided it was time to get players for the long-term.

The biggest part of the deal was the acquisition Devin Harris, a young talented point guard who is very quick on the fastbreak. With his improving jumpshot, Devin Harris could eventually become one of the league's best point guards, which was what the Nets were looking for.

The Nets aren't expecting too much from the other players. DeSagana Diop can provide some interior defense that the Nets desperately needed. They won't get much offense out of him, but he will provide the energy and second-chance opportunities for his team.

The Nets will get some solid defensive guards in Trenton Hassell and Maurice Ager, and hope that the first-round draft picks can provide some good talent.

The Nets also unloaded Kidd's $20 million contracted, which could be bait to attract other players. With Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson on the team, the Nets could still make some noise in the Eastern Conference if they can get their act together.

Since the Nets weren't winners with Kidd, it's difficult to believe they'll be winners this season without him.

However, in the long-term the Nets will have plenty of young talent to develop around the stars, and could get back into playoff contention in a few years.

NBA Second Half: 30 Teams, 30 Questions

Ling Ge — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 21:46:43 -0500

So now that the All-Star Break is over, it's time to ask a question for every team for the second half. Will the blockbuster trades push some teams to the top? Who's going to be this year's worst team? (Do you even care?)

Let's take a preview of what to look for in the second half of the season. The questions are given in the order of best-to-worst overall records.

1. Boston Celtics (41-9)

With the “Big Three” playing heavy minutes, will they be healthy for the playoffs?

2. Detroit Pistons (39-13)

Are we going to see the red-hot Pistons burnout…again?

3. New Orleans Hornets (36-15)

Can the Hornets overcome inexperience and make a buzz in the playoffs?

4. Phoenix Suns (37-16)

Can Shaq regain some of his former self and power the Suns in the playoffs?

5. Los Angeles Lakers (35-17)

If the Lakers are completely healthy by playoff time, will the starting line-up feature Derek Fisher, Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol, and Andrew Bynum?

6. San Antonio Spurs (34-17)

Are the Spurs prepared to make another strong second-half run again?

7. Dallas Mavericks (35-18)

Can Jason Kidd really make everyone better and help the Mavs make another run at a championship?

8. Utah Jazz (34-19)

Can the Jazz’s balance help overcome quicker or stronger teams in the West?

9. Golden State Warriors (32-20)

Will Don Nelson’s run-and-gun offense run past the bigger and more physical teams?

10. Houston Rockets (32-20)

Can Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady stay healthy and continue their hot play in the second half?

11. Denver Nuggets (32-20)

Are the Nuggets wondering how they are still ninth in the west standings?

12. Orlando Magic (33-21)

Does Hedo Turkoglu feel snubbed after David Stern picked Rasheed Wallace as a reserve?

13. Cleveland Cavaliers (29-23)

Will the supporting cast give more help to Lebron James who has powered the Cavaliers in the last two playoffs?

14. Toronto Raptors (28-23)

Can Toronto play enough defense to make them serious contenders in the East?

15. Portland Trail Blazers (28-24)

Would the Blazers have made it further if they had a healthy Greg Oden?

16. Washington Wizards (25-27)

Will the Wizards’ “Big Three” be healthy in time to make a playoff push?

17. Sacramento Kings (23-28)

Will we see Ron Artest shipped out of Sacramento before the trade deadline?

18. New Jersey Nets (23-30)

Can the Devin Harris fill Jason Kidd’s shoes in the long run?

19. Philadelphia 76ers (23-30)

If Andre Miller remains in Philly, can they finish the season with positive vibes heading into the offseason?

20. Atlanta Hawks (21-28)

Could Mike Bibby be the veteran point guard that can create for the other players?

21. Chicago Bulls (21-31)

Should the Bulls start developing Joakim Noah and Tyrus Thomas more instead of playing Ben Wallace?

22. Indiana Pacers (21-32)

Were the Pacers teasing themselves after starting the season 3-0?

23. Milwaukee Bucks (19-34)

Is there anything to say for the Bucks?

24. Charlotte Bobcats (19-34)

Should Michael Jordan come out of retirement for a third time?

25. Los Angeles Clippers (17-33)

Will we get to see the Clippers’ version of the Twin Towers in Elton Brand and Chris Kaman before the season ends?

26. New York Knicks (15-37)

Will Eli Manning become an elite quarterback and lead the Giants back to the Super Bowl?

27. Memphis Grizzlies (14-38)

Without Pau Gasol, will my NBA 2k8 allow me to score 48 points again with Rudy Gay?

28. Seattle Supersonics (13-38)

Can someone at least tell Kevin Durant to take some better shots and grab some more rebounds?

29. Minnesota Timberwolves (10-41)

Do you care that the Timberwolves may not be the worst team by the end of the season?

30. Miami Heat (9-42)

Will the Heat AT LEAST avoid the NBA’s worst record, 9-73, and then avoid the franchise worst record, 15-67?

2008 NBA All-Star Saturday Night Grades

Ling Ge — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 23:05:05 -0500

The second day of the All-Star festivities featured the Haier Shooting Stars, the Playstation Skills Challenge, the Foot Locker Three-Point Contest, and had a “Super” ending in the Sprite Slam Dunk Contest.

There was plenty of drama, upsets, record setting scores, and everything you needed in the All-Star weekend.

Here are the grades for 2008 All-Star Saturday Night:

Haier Shooting Stars

The reuniting of the “Twin Towers” David Robinson and Tim Duncan, who teamed up with San Antonio Silver Stars shooter Becky Hammon, reminded everyone once again why the road to the championship still goes through the San Antonio Spurs.

San Antonio won the competition in 2006, but needed their 7-footers to make long jumpers, 3-pointers, and half-court shots. Who would’ve thought that Duncan would drain his 3-point attempts and his half-court attempt, while Robinson, who missed his first seven 5-foot bank shots, redeemed himself by making his half-court attempt?

Give credit to San Antonio for making shots when they needed to. Their final round time of 35.8 seconds was good enough to beat out Phoenix, Detroit, and Chicago. Chicago could have won the crown had they not missed 12 consecutive half-court attempts, which summed up the sports-year Chicago is having.

Grade: A-

Playstation Skills Challenge

Deron Williams of the Jazz showed off his skills that make him one of the NBA’s elite point guards. Williams blazed through the final course at a blistering 25.5 seconds, which was only .1 seconds off Steve Nash’s record time, beating Chris Paul’s final round time of 31.2 seconds.

Jason Kidd may have made it to the final round, but like the regular season, Kidd’s shooting woes eliminated him in the first round with a time of 39.9 seconds.

I knew Kidd would lose because of his poor shooting abilities.

Dwyane “The Flash” Wade looked nothing like the two-time reigning champion by losing his dribble, missing his jumpers, and even missing his two layups—receiving an abysmal 53.9 seconds. I don’t blame Sony inviting Wade, but he should’ve prepared for the Challenge.

Overall, it was a good competition, and for one day, Deron Williams is the NBA’s best point guard.

Grade: B+

Foot Locker Three-Point Contest

For the second consecutive year, Jason Kapono proved again Damon Jones is not “the best shooter in the world,” and won his second Three-Point Contest crown.

Kapono hit 20-25 attempts, tying an all-time record by getting 25 of the possible 30 points. He easily crushed Dirk Nowitzki (14 points) and Daniel Gibson (17 points) in the final round by hitting all five money balls, and finished a flurry by hitting 8 of his last 9 shots.

While in the end there was really no doubt who the winner would be, you would’ve expected sharpshooters Peja Stojakovic (15 points), Richard Hamilton (14 points), and Steve Nash (9 points) to put up more of a fight.

And Damon Jones—instead of busting out the purple suit, sporting the Mohawk, and declaring who is the world’s best shooter—keep watching J.J. Redick’s Basketball Shooting DVD.

Grade: B

Sprite Slam Dunk Contest

After several years of the NBA trying to bring some excitement back into the Dunk Contest, Dwight Howard finally delivered a stellar show.

Howard, Gerald Green, Jamario Moon, and Rudy Gay provided the impressive creativity that the contest desperately needed.

The first round contained several great dunks, such as Green’s blowing-out-the-candle dunk, Moon’s mid-air catch 360 dunk, and Gay’s version of Andre Iguodala’s behind the backboard dunk.

But it was Howard that set the tone for the night, and unfortunately for the other contestants, “Superman” flew into New Orleans with an array of creative dunks. If you saw the Dunk Contest, then I don’t need to describe each unbelievable dunk.

Howard’s length and strength enabled him to perform dunks (two of them were featured on YouTube) that are probably impossible to imitate.

Not only where his dunks impressive, but his humor and personality shined when he brought out the Superman costume, in which he proceeded to throw down a monstrous dunk in Superman fashion.

If there things that could be changed for 2009, it would be to ask contestants to not post previews of dunks on YouTube that they cannot or will not do (a.k.a Jamario Moon and Rudy Gay), or not do very similar dunks in the finals (Green).

Other than that, THE DUNK CONTEST IS BACK!

Grade: A

Overall Grade for All-Star Saturday Night: A-

While some things were predictable and some contestants did not live up to their standards, All-Star Saturday was still very entertaining with many surprises and much excitement. Obviously the Dunk Contest capped off the night and electrified the world, and the night was exciting in almost every aspect.

Let’s hope we can expect the same excitement for 2009.

NBA 2007-08 Season's First-Half Studs

Ling Ge — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 09:59:25 -0500

Everyone knows how much Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Tim Duncan, Steve Nash, and other superstars make an impact to their respective teams.

But what about the other emerging stars this season?

In Monta Ellis's rookie season, he averaged 6.8 ppg, on 41.5 percent shooting, 1.6 apg, and 0.7 spg in his rookie season.

Last season, Ellis was awarded the NBA's Most Improved Player, by averaging 16.5 ppg on 47.5 percent shooting, 4.1 apg, and adding 1.7 spg, which made him a premiere stud last season.

So with the All-Star break approaching, who are this season's Top 12 Studs? The Studs are players that have shown the most improvement from last season or have the most impact on their team.

Top 12 Studs

12. Derek Fisher (Los Angeles Lakers) - Other than Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum, has there been anyone that has more impact than Fisher? Although the numbers may not tell the whole story, Fisher's leadership and experience has helped build a championship calibur Laker team. Still, Fisher's line is still solid, posting 12.7 ppg on 47 percent shooting, 1.3 threes, 88 percent FT, a steal and only 1.2 turnovers.

11. Rudy Gay (Memphis Grizzlies) - While the Memphis Grizzlies may not be good, Rudy Gay has been stellar. Gay has nearly doubled his offensive output from a season ago, increasing his scoring average from 10.9 ppg to 19.8 ppg. He also shoots a high FG percent at 47 percent while also contributing 1.8 threes, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.5 steals. Those numbers should increase with the departure of Pau Gasol.

10. Danny Granger (Indiana Pacers) - Danny Granger has become a mini-Marion in just his 3rd season. Granger is an very versatile and athletic player, and can contribute at both ends of the floor. Like Dirk Nowitzki, Granger can put the ball on the floor and shoot the ball like a guard, but can also play the post with his 6' 9" frame. While Granger there's still much to improve in his game, his stat line includes 17.8 ppg, 1.8 threes on 38.6 percent shooting, 84.6 percent FT, 5.8 rpg, 1 steal and 1 block per game.

9. Chris Kaman (Los Angeles Clippers) - With the injury to Elton Brand, Chris Kaman has emerged as one of the elite centers in the NBA. And although Kaman has been dealing with constant double teams and fatigue, he is still in line to win this year's Most Improved Player Award. Kaman currently is shooting 48 percent and averaging career bests of 17.0 ppg, 13.7 rpg (3rd in the NBA), and 3.1 bpg (3rd in the NBA). Those numbers may drop slightly once Brand returns, but Kaman has no doubt made a big name for himself.

8. Hedo Turkoglu (Orlando Magic) - Hedo Turkoglu has finally emerged as one of the premiere small forwards in the league. Turkoglu had always been considered to be a very talented player, standing at 6' 10" who can shoot the three and drive to the basket, but has also been criticized for being very soft. But this season Turkoglu has become more aggressive, looking to drive to the basket and get to the free throw line more often. Along with averaging a career best 19.5 ppg, he has also improved his rebounding and passing, and has hit several clutch shots - just ask the Celtics.

7. Caron Butler (Washington Wizards) - How are the Wizards holding the 6th playoff seed without Gilbert Arenas? Well being in the Eastern Conference helps, but having Caron Butler helps too. But Washington is on a 5-game losing streak, with Butler unavailable in three of those games, and ailing with injuries in the other two. And in games that Butler hasn't played, the Wizards are 1-4. Butler is averaging career-bests in almost every category, including 21.4 ppg on 47.6 percent FG, 4.5 apg, 91.3 percent FT, and 2.4 spg. You bet the Wizards would've loved to have him in their recent 85-77 loss to the Spurs.

6. Andrew Bynum (Los Angeles Lakers) - This was before Bynum went down with the knee injury that would sideline him for 8 weeks. In the 14 games prior to his injury, Bynum was averaging 17 ppg on a ridiculous 70 percent shooting, 12 rpg, and 2.4 blocks per game. You better believe that Kobe was missing the Big Guy before acquiring Pau Gasol. The Lakers were riding a 6-game winning streak that led to a Western Conference best 25-11. Since Bynum's injury, the Lakers have only been 6-6 in the last 12 games, and have fallen to the 6th seed in a very difficult Western Conference. Bynum was particularly spectacular finishing at the rim, whether it was a dunk, and alley-oop, or a putback dunk, things that Kwame Brown could not do. Now that the Lakers have Gasol, imagine a pair of Twin Towers in Los Angeles with Gasol and Bynum guarding the paint.

5. Jose Calderon (Toronto Raptors) - Ok, maybe this placement might be too high out of all the players, mostly because Calderon got the starting job from T.J. Ford's injury and the Raptors play in the East, but I absolutely love Calderon's game. Calderon has been putting up very strong numbers in the starter's roll, averaging 15 ppg and 11 assists. But he is also very efficient, shooting an incredible 52.8 percent, which is best among point guards, and hits 91.6 percent of his FTs, which is third best in the league. He also hits 44.6 percent of his three-point attempts while adding a steal and only commiting 1.6 turnovers. Calderon's play thus far has allowed the Raptors to hold the 5th seed in the East and are looking to claw into the top 4.

4. Baron Davis (Golden State Warriors) - How good has Davis been for the Golden State Warriors? Fresh off their monumental postseason upset over the Dallas Mavericks, Davis finally look healthy, and the Golden State Warriors look as good as ever. The only reason I didn't put Davis in the top 3 is because the Warriors were 0-6 without Stephen Jackson, and he has low FG percent and FT percent. But Davis has made clutch plays late in close games and also creates matchup problems because he is much bigger and stronger than other guards. And how about these impressive numbers: 21.9 ppg, 2.3 ppg, 8.1 apg, and 2.5 spg. His aggressive style of play is perfect for the Warriors' offense, which has vaulted them into playoff contention in the competitive West.

3. Deron Williams (Utah Jazz) - Deron Williams to Carlos Boozer is the new John Stockton to Karl Malone. Williams has elevated his play and has put the Jazz in position to take the next step in winning a championship. The Jazz are the hottest team in the NBA with a 10 game-winning streak with Williams putting up 11 or more assists in all but one of those games. Williams is also averging a career-best 19.2 ppg on an incredible 51.9 percent FG. Doug Collins mentioned in last season's playoffs said that Deron Williams would be Baron Davis in the next five years, but I don't see the Jazz needing Davis anytime soon.

2. Brandon Roy (Portland Trail Blazers) - No Greg Oden? No problem? Not unless you're in the Western Conference. Despite winning 13-straight games and holding a 28-20 record, the Blazersare tied for the 9th and one game out of the 8th and final playoff spot. Tough to be in the west, but at least they have a chance with Roy. Roy is playing like a veteran, and is trying to take a young inexperienced team to the playoffs. The former Rookie of the Year is not a true point guard, but he has been able to run the offense by dishing out 5.8 assists while increasing his scoring to 19.7 ppg, and averaging a respectable 1.9 turnovers. Although his numbers are not as flashy as Baron Davis or Deron Williams, Roy's impact on his team is just as, if not, more important. Imagine where the Blazers could be if they had a healthy Greg Oden, but the Blazers would be awful without Roy.

1. Chris Paul (New Orleans Hornets) - If there wasn't a Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Steve Nash, or Dirk Nowitzki, Chris Paul would've been the sure thing for this year's MVP Award. Now that the New Orleans are finally healthy, Paul has thrusted his team as one of the Western Conference elite teams. The Hornets currently hold a 33-15 record, which is good for 2nd in the West. But it has been Paul's stellar all-around play that has given the Hornets a strong balanced offense that averages 100 ppg and a solid defense that holds opponents to 94.5 ppg. Paul is averaging career-highs in points (20.8), assists (10.8, behind Steve Nash), steals (2.6, leads the NBA), while shooting 48.0 percent from the field and 87.6 percent at the line and adding a three per game. And did you see Paul's 42 point, 9 assist, 8 steal, and ONE turnover performance in the Hornets double OT win over the Suns? While Nash posted solid numbers with 32 points and 12 assists, he only had 1 steal and 10 turnovers, while consistently getting beat off the dribble by Paul. And one more thing: while Phoenix has the West's best record at 34-15 they are only 14-12 against conference opponents, while the Hornets are 3-0 against the Suns and are 24-11 against conference opponents. Paul and the Hornets are creating some serious buzz in the NBA and are poised to make a run at the championship.