Best of 2010: Top 25 Things We'll Remember About The NBA This Year
Change.
That is the most fitting word that I can use to describe the NBA in 2010.
People all over the world swear to change in the New Year, and the NBA actually came through on their resolutions.
There have been more changes in the last 12 months than anyone could have predicted at this time last year.
Last season's No. 1 regular season team now finds themselves at the bottom of the Central Division in the East with eight wins.
The Cleveland Cavaliers' fall from NBA elite to laughing stock all came from possibly the biggest change in all of professional sports.
LeBron James taking his talents to South Beach to join the Miami Heat.
James, along with many other NBA stars, opted to move on to new homes during the summer of 2010 adding to even more of the changes to the NBA landscape.
2010 will be forever known as the year of change in the NBA, but there were plenty of amazing things to happen during the year that fans will never forget.
And this is why I am going to count down the top 25 things that we will remember from the NBA during 2010.
Obviously this list is too small to count down all of the great things that happened this year, so feel free to comment with your own!
25. The Passing of Manute Bol
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At 7'7" tall, Manute Bol was one of tallest players to ever play in the NBA.
His career lasted 10 years with four franchises, and while he will never be remembered as an "NBA Great", he will forever be remembered as one of the greatest men off the court of basketball.
Before his death on June 19, 2010, Bol spent years as an activist for many charities and causes all over the world.
The most notable were the ones for his home nation of Sudan.
He created many foundations and charitable organizations during and after his NBA career, and for that the loss of Manute Bol is something that will be forever remembered in the hearts of NBA fans all over the world.
Bol's charitable activities set the groundwork for many of the programs that are currently being used in the NBA today.
And I'm sure any players will tell you that his generous contributions are just one of the many reasons why they have chosen the path of giving back to those less fortunate than themselves all over the world.
24. Minnesota and Sacramento Are Bad, and It's Not Changing Any Time Soon
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I know this is going to make some people mad, but it's true.
The Sacramento Kings were picked to be one of the "break out" teams of the 2010-2011 season.
They have one of the game's brightest young stars in Tyreke Evans, and top draft pick DeMarcus Cousins along with a decent supporting cast.
Instead of surprising people, the Kings have sputtered out to a 5-23 start and are looking like a team that is closer to the No. 1 pick in the draft next season than the playoffs in the next three years.
But even 5-23 isn't enough to make me think the Kings are worse than the Minnesota Timberwolves.
I mean, how can you have that much young talent and be so bad?
Minnesota has one of the game's top young big men in Kevin Love, and many other young players and they are still 8-24.
But instead of moving forward with their team, Minnesota seems to still be moving backwards.
Nothing shows this better than their idiotic trade of Al Jefferson in the offseason.
I mean, the organization should be fined for giving him up for a bag of peanuts and two racks of basketballs.
Okay, so it was for Kosta Koufos and future draft picks...but you get the picture.
Jefferson is a walking double-double machine and just starting to hit his prime.
He was also once the centerpiece of the Kevin Garnett trade.
Congratulations Minnesota, you essentially traded Kevin Garnett for Kosta Koufos!
How does that make you feel?
Both of these organizations are in a continuous downward spiral, and it is going to take new management to save either.
Unless Ricky Rubio decides to come to Minnesota next year...but is he even enough?
23. Joe Johnson's Big Contract
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The summer of 2010 will forever be remembered as the time when LeBron James and Chris Bosh joined Dwyane Wade on the Miami Heat.
But one thing that people should remember is that the biggest maximum contract didn't go to any member of the new "big three".
The biggest contract went to a man who shot 29 percent during a second round exit against the Orlando Magic.
Joe Johnson looked out of it in the series.
The whole team looked as if they didn't care about winning, and it showed with four consecutive beatings after winning game one.
Johnson's best performance of the series was in game three in which he scored 19 points on 5-16 shooting from the field.
Instead of waiting to see what offers Johnson would get, Atlanta decided to "set the market" and give Johnson six years and $120 million.
Oh, and not to mention Johnson turned 29 years old during the summer.
If this deal doesn't work out for Atlanta, they will be looking for any taker on that contract within two years.
If you don't believe me, take a look at what the Washington Wizards just did with Gilbert Arenas.
22. Kevin Love's Big Game
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Making this list is probably the best thing that has happened to the Minnesota Timberwolves all season.
And it is thanks only to the play of Kevin Love.
He has been one of the few bright spots this season, even after there were rumors he was seeking a trade out of Minnesota.
The brightest game his the young season came against the New York Knicks, a game that Love decided to join elite NBA company.
Love entered the 30-30 club, scoring 31 points and grabbing 31 rebounds in the win over New York.
If that isn't amazing enough for you, how about the fact that Love is the first person in 28 years to join the 30-30 club?
If it wasn't for Kevin Love's performance this season, Minnesota may have only four wins at this point in the season.
21. A Coach's Job Isn't Safe, No Matter How Successful He Is
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You would think winning games and getting your team to the playoffs would be enough to keep a job in the NBA.
But the year 2010 proved that sometimes winning just isn't enough for an NBA coach.
If you don't believe me, ask Mike Brown, Mike Woodson and Vinny Del Negro.
Brown, former coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, compiled two consecutive 60 win seasons and led his team to the playoffs every year during his tenure with the team.
Granted he had LeBron James to help him do it all, his installation of one of the game's most vaunted defenses helped the Cavaliers redefine basketball in Cleveland.
Mike Woodson did the same thing with the Atlanta Hawks.
While the Hawks were not as successful as the Cavaliers, Woodson still led the team to consecutive 50 win seasons and was able to turn the franchise into a winner.
These two coaches are not currently head coaches in the NBA, and Mike Brown can be found assistant coaching his son's youth basketball team.
At least Vinny Del Negro got another chance after the Chicago Bulls fired him.
Del Negro led the Bulls back to the playoffs in the last two seasons, and had led a young and inexperienced team back to the .500 mark in the regular season.
Even though he brought life back to the Chicago Bulls organization, he found himself on the outside looking in come their first round playoff loss to Cleveland.
Luckily for him, the Los Angeles Clippers gave him another shot and he is still coaching in the NBA today.
I guess restoring teams to prominence, winning a lot of games and taking your team into the playoffs doesn't give you job security these days.
20. Another Greg Oden Injury Proves That Portland Messed Up in 2007
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With the first overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft the Portland Trail Blazers select...Kevin Durant.
That's what fans all over Trailblazer Nation are probably wishing the commissioner said on draft night.
Hell, they probably would have taken Al Horford.
But instead Portland made the one and done freshman sensation from Ohio State the first overall pick in the NBA Draft.
Oden was supposed to be the next great center in the NBA.
He had the size and power of Shaq, and was only 19 years old.
But instead of becoming the next Shaq, he has reminded Portland more of Sam Bowie.
If you don't know who I am talking about, see the 1984 NBA Draft.
A draft in which Portland decided to draft the best available forward/center instead of some kid from North Carolina.
That kid from North Carolina was named Michael Jordan...you may have heard of him.
Fast forward 26 years later, and Portland is kicking itself for making the same mistake again.
Maybe Greg Oden will turn into something one day, but as Kevin Durant continues to amaze the NBA Portland is left shaking their heads yet again.
19. John Wall Provides Hope in Washington
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Basketball in Washington was at an all-time low.
I'm not talking about wins and losses, I'm talking about the team on the court.
Last season saw their star player Gilbert Arenas pull a gun on a teammate.
It also saw the core of the team blown up and traded around the league.
Antawn Jamison went to the Cavaliers, while Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson were sent packing to Dallas.
A team that had been to the playoffs a few times in the previous seasons was being blown up right before the fans' eyes.
And then the Wizards had a stroke of luck.
They won the NBA Lottery, and the right to draft John Wall.
Wall has been nothing short of spectacular in his rookie season, averaging 15.9 points and 8.8 assists per game.
Many people thought that Wall would have trouble in his rookie season, but his emergence allowed the team to trade Gilbert Arenas away much earlier than they thought was possible.
Wall's speed and ability is something that the Wizards will have to build off for many years to come.
18. The NBA Lockout Threat Is Real
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When leagues and owners start talking lockout, it normally is just positioning to get what they want in the next Collective Bargaining Agreement.
The owners want player salaries reduced, and the league wants more protection for its revenue.
These issues, along with many others are making the threat of a lockout in 2011 real.
A lockout would not only be detrimental to the players and the teams, it would also pose a problem for the fans and college players.
The NBA Draft would still occur next season, but how many players are going to leave college early for a chance at not getting paid?
Collegiate and NBA athletes need to start planning for a lockout, because it is looking more and more like it is going to happen.
17. Chris Paul and the New Orleans Hornets Can Still Ball
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Forget about all the trade rumors.
Let's not even talk about taking basketball out of New Orleans.
These Hornets are for real this year.
After a disappointing 2009-2010 season which saw their superstar point guard hurt for the majority of the season, the Hornets are back and are 18-13 in the second season of 2010.
Chris Paul has played in all 31 games this year and is back to averaging his normal 16 points and 10 assists per game.
As long as CP3 and the Hornets are playing well, there is no way the team is going to trade him.
The team has made moves that make their rotation more versatile and athletic, and also has gained more flexibility for bringing in players in the future.
Can you say Carmelo Anthony in a Hornets uniform next season?
Okay...let's not go that far.
16. The Rise of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Kevin Durant
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The Oklahoma City Thunder defy the rules of the NBA.
NBA teams spend millions and millions of dollars bringing in complimentary pieces to build a team around.
The Thunder have built a team through draft picks.
The oldest player on their roster is 30, and their starting lineup features a plethora of guys who are four years away from their prime.
Not to mention they have one of the game's top three players in Kevin Durant at the age of 22.
The future is bright in Oklahoma City, and fans got a glimpse of how great it could be in a thrilling six game series against the eventual NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers this year.
The Thunder had the Lakers scrapping for wins, and nearly pulled off the upset of the decade in the 2010 playoffs.
In the new season, the Thunder are already over 20 wins and are poised for another playoff run in 2011 under the direction of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, one of the game's up and coming stars.
With a core of Durant, Westbrook, Jeff Green and James Harden...expect the Thunder to compete for the next ten years.
15. The Emergence of Blake Griffin
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All right, so the Clippers might still be bad, but at least they have Blake Griffin.
After a catastrophic knee injury sidelined him for his rookie season, Griffin has shown the world that nothing is wrong with his knee in 2010.
He has amazed the world with his high-flying abilities, and has already dropped a monstrous performance of 44 points and 15 rebounds this season.
Griffin has a strong cast of young players around him, and if the Clippers organization can manage not to screw this one up, he could lead them out of the NBA cellar.
Griffin has the opportunity to do for Clipper basketball what LeBron James did in Cleveland.
He can make it relevant, exciting and not a side act to every other sport in the city.
Yes, Blake Griffin is the first glimmer of hope the Clippers have had in a while...let's hope it is here to stay.
14. The Summer Swing and Miss by The New Jersey Nets
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At the end of the day, when your two biggest acquisitions are a new coach and owner, your team has failed in the offseason.
That's exactly what happened to the New Jersey Nets.
The Nets had an enormous amount of cap room for the big free agent class of the summer of 2010.
LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Carlos Boozer, David Lee and Joe Johnson were the big name free agents out there for the taking.
The Nets had the opportunity to redefine basketball for their organization, to set up a great foundation for their new arena and possible move to Brooklyn.
Instead they ended up with a cast of role players, and still find themselves in the cellar of the Eastern Conference.
Jordan Farmar, Anthony Morrow and Travis Outlaw were the big free agent acquisitions for the Nets in the summer of 2010.
For the time being, the summer of 2010 was a huge bust for the Nets, and there are only two ways they can come out of this situation looking good.
The first is if they can lure Carmelo Anthony in during the summer of 2011, and the second is if Derrick Favors can turn into a superstar.
If either of those things happen, the Nets will not look as stupid for giving over 50 million dollars to three role players.
13. The Collapse of The Cleveland Cavaliers
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What a difference a year makes.
This time last season, I was joking with my friends about how many rings LeBron James was going to win in Cleveland.
The Cleveland Cavaliers were on their way to a second consecutive 60 win season and No. 1 overall seed in the playoffs.
LeBron James won his second consecutive MVP award, and it didn't seem like the Cavaliers could be stopped.
I mean, in 2009 the only reason they lost to the Magic was because they didn't have length on the perimeter and size down low.
In order to combat that the Cavaliers brought in veteran defenders Anthony Parker and Jamario Moon, and the one of the game's greatest big men in Shaq.
But the Cavaliers forgot about one thing, in order to beat the Magic they had to get through the Boston Celtics.
And the Celtics proved they still had a few tricks up their sleeves in the second round against the Cavaliers.
I could sit here and talk about how LeBron tanked, but I won't because it doesn't matter.
In just a year's time the Cavaliers have gone from NBA elite to the cellar.
They fired their coach and general manger, have lost the two faces of their franchise in LeBron James and Zydrunas Ilgauskas and have only eight wins this season.
New coach Byron Scott thinks the Cavaliers can still make the playoffs, while the rest of us are looking at who the team will be selecting in the top three of the 2011 NBA Draft.
2010 showed the city of Cleveland the true meaning of the following quote:
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."
As a Cleveland fan I can only hope that the age of something better is upon us soon.
12. The Orlando Magic Will Do Whatever It Takes To Win
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In the 2009-2010 season the Orlando Magic won 59 games and were the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.
The Magic were a team that people thought would only lose to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs, but like their counterparts, they fell to the eventual NBA Finals runner-up Boston Celtics.
With a talented starting lineup and the game's most dominant post player, the Magic didn't seem like they needed much coming into the new season.
This is why they were not particularly active in free agency, opting to add depth in the forms of Chris Duhon and Quentin Richardson.
The Magic are currently 19-12, but still the organization felt something needed to be done to add a spark to their team.
So they went out and traded Vince Carter, Rashard Lewis, Marcin Gortat and Mickael Pietrus: all key parts of their 2009-2010 team.
Normally when you trade key components of that caliber, you are getting back at least one sure thing in the deal.
Which is what makes the move by the Magic the biggest gamble I have seen in my life time.
They acquired troubled guard Gilbert Arenas, former Magic standout Hedo Turkoglu, lifetime third option Jason Richardson and youngster Earl Clark.
I'm not sure if this is a reactionary move to the Miami Heat's additions in the offseason, but the Dwight Howard era will live and die by these two trades.
If these players can mesh together and help Howard and the Magic to a championship, it will go down as a great move.
But if this move fails, it could be the thing that causes Magic fans to wave goodbye to another big man, as Dwight Howard leaves town the way Shaq did.
11. Gilbert Arenas Falls From Grace, Then Gets a Second Chance
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Remember when Gilbert Arenas was screaming Hibachi and knocking down shots from all over the basketball court?
Agent Zero's fall from grace began with a slew of knee injuries, continued with bad comments and finally hit a climax when he pulled a gun on a teammate.
The long time "good guy" of the Washington community saw his image destroyed over one stupid decision, and now makes his home in Orlando.
It seemed like this move was coming for a couple of years, as the NBA saw the toll injuries were taking on Arenas in Washington.
But the gun charges were the final straw, and Arenas got his walking papers and a second chance in Orlando this season.
The gun charges will be a huge dark spot on a legacy that has shown people that even guy's who don't get minutes can one day achieve great things in the NBA with hard work and dedication to the game.
It's a shame that Arenas had to prove that one stupid decision can ruin all of that for you as well.
10. The Dallas Mavericks Keep Getting Deeper
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The Dallas Mavericks haven't won less than 50 games since the 1999-2000 season.
Unfortunately for a team that has been one of the most consistent winners in the NBA, they haven't won an NBA Championship in that time frame either.
In fact, they have been the king of the early exit, being ousted in the first round of the playoffs in the last three of their four seasons.
But it seems that the 2010 Dallas Mavericks mean business a little more than usual this season.
They used the second half of the 2009-2010 season to add the likes of Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson to their rotation.
They spent the beginning of the 2010-2011 season showing everyone that Tyson Chandler is still a force at the center position.
The Mavericks boast one of the NBA's deepest teams, with a rotation that can go 11 and 12 players deep on any given night.
This depth has propelled the Mavericks to a 24-5 start this year, and have fans thinking that the NBA Finals could be something that their team can win this season.
But before they do that, their depth has to get through the likes of the Lakers, Spurs and Thunder in the West.
9. The San Antonio Spurs Still Have Something Left in The Tank
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Tim Duncan is too old.
Tony Parker has nothing left and is leaving for New York.
Manu Ginobili gets beat up too much.
These were the trending comments you could find about the San Antonio Spurs during 2010.
After ousting the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the 2010 playoffs, the Spurs showed their "age" by allowing the Phoenix Suns to sweep them right out of the playoffs.
This was supposed to be the end of an era.
The Suns finally beat the Spurs, which meant the Spurs were too old and going to allow another team to take their spot in the playoffs.
Well, ummm...we were all kind of wrong about that one.
Not only are the Spurs not dead, they are the best team in the NBA right now.
They have a 26-4 record, and look like they are closer to winning an NBA Championship than finding themselves watching the playoffs from home.
Their veteran starting core, coupled with their energetic youth off the bench has shown the NBA the Spurs aren't going anywhere any time soon.
8. A New Core of Stars Is Emerging in the NBA
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Don't look now, but their are a group of youngsters showing the NBA they belong in the superstar category.
Derrick Rose, Rajon Rondo, Brandon Jennings and Brandon Roy are just a few of the players who made a name for themselves in 2010.
Brandon Roy showed that he has the heart of a champion by playing through an injury that would have ended most players' seasons.
Derrick Rose has burst on the scene and taken the Chicago Bulls from a town searching for a new star, to a town looking for another NBA Championship.
Rajon Rondo has shown the NBA that the Boston Celtics are more than just the "big three", and that he can take over a game whenever he wants.
And Brandon Jennings proved to be the spark that the Milwaukee Bucks needed last season when the rest of their team was on the injured list.
These players are just a few of the new generation of NBA basketball.
A generation that has a large number of potential stars and superstars waiting for their chance to shine.
And contrary to LeBron James' comments, not all of them need to be on teams of three or four stars to do it.
7. The End of the Yao Ming Era in Houston
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Another injury, another season of disappointment for Yao Ming.
After spending the majority of the last few seasons injured, Yao Ming was confident he could return and give the Rockets 25 minutes a game this season.
Unfortunately that confidence ended this season, and it looks like his career could be over after the latest injury.
Yao's career has led him to seven NBA All-Star appearances, and allowed him to lead the Rockets to the playoffs in a number of seasons.
But injuries short-circuited Yao's desire to lead the Rockets to the NBA Finals.
Yao will be forever known as the man who branched NBA basketball into Asia and China, but to Rocket fans he will represent an experiment that didn't go as planned.
6. The New York Knicks May Be Better Off Without LeBron
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Yes basketball fans, I said it.
The New York Knicks may actually be better off without LeBron James.
I will give you a second to let that sink in.
No, I am not saying this because LeBron bolted the Cleveland Cavaliers for Miami.
I am saying this because the group of players the Knicks got with the money is actually pretty good.
Amar'e Stoudemire and Raymond Felton have been just what the Knicks needed this season.
Not to mention that with a distributing point guard the Knicks are finally able to let Wilson Chandler run loose.
And if that wasn't enough for you, Amar'e is putting up legendary numbers that date back to Patrick Ewing.
Oh, and did I mention the Knicks STILL have cap room to sign Carmelo Anthony next season?
These are all things that wouldn't have been possible if the Knicks brought in LeBron James and Chris Bosh like many Knicks fans wanted in the offseason.
The flexibility the Knicks have created will allow this team to be right in the middle of the pack in the East this season, and give them the opportunity to add Melo to that group next season.
I'm sorry Miami fans, but as scary as you think LeBron, D-Wade and Bosh will be they are all players that thrive on the same type of game.
Felton dishing, Carmelo creating and Amare doing everything else inside is a pretty nice combination of players that has a lot more depth around it than Miami has.
Yes, basketball is back in New York.
5. The Boston Celtics Are Not Done Yet
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While the rest of the world was awarding the 2010 NBA Championship to the 60 win Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James, the Boston Celtics were studying.
This cast of "old guys" wasn't supposed to be able to compete last season.
They limped through the regular season with a bunch of injuries to their key players, and question marks around their roster.
Instead of rolling over and playing dead, the Boston Celtics shocked the NBA by ousting the Cleveland Cavaliers and Orlando Magic on their way to the NBA Finals.
Not only did they make it to the finals, they took the eventual champion Lakers to game seven.
Not bad for a bunch of old guys who weren't supposed to compete.
In the offseason, they did nothing but make their team better.
They added depth in their frontcourt with the additions of Shaq and Jermaine O'Neal.
They added defensive toughness with Delonte West.
And more importantly, they got healthy.
Outside of Kendrick Perkins, the Celtics have remained healthy for the majority of this season.
Rajon Rondo has missed a couple of games, but nothing that has slowed the team down.
The Celtics are currently 23-5 and playing much better than they were at this point last season.
Just like the San Antonio Spurs, the Boston Celtics are showing people that it doesn't matter how old you are, it is how you execute.
And right now, the Celtics are executing like a team who wants to win another NBA Championship.
4. The Summer of 2010
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The Summer of 2010 was hyped up to be the biggest free agency market in NBA history.
LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Joe Johnson, Carlos Boozer, Amar'e Stoudemire and David Lee were just a few of the big names on the market.
Chicago, New York, New Jersey and Miami all had a ton of money to do damage to the rest of the NBA by adding a superstar or two to their roster.
But the Summer of 2010 didn't go according to plan for all of these teams.
James, Wade and Bosh took less money to team up in Miami.
Joe Johnson scored the $120 million to stay in Atlanta.
Carlos Boozer decided to hook up with Derrick Rose in Chicago.
Amar'e took on the task of returning the Knicks to glory with Raymond Felton.
And David Lee took the money and ran via sign and trade to Golden State.
Not to mention the Utah Jazz replaced Carlos Boozer with the young Al Jefferson for next to nothing.
Players were on the move all over the NBA during the summer of 2010, and their movement could set in motion something that the NBA isn't ready for.
What they aren't ready for is the AAU style of teams in the NBA.
James, Wade and Bosh took less money because they wanted to play together.
Normally stars of this caliber all lead separate teams, which means more revenue is distributed among the NBA teams.
If players keep joining forces like this, the summer of 2010 won't just go down as the most movement in history, but it will go down as the year that parity left the NBA.
3. NBA Legends Are Not Big Fans of What LeBron and Wade Have Done
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Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Charles Barkley.
These are just a few of the NBA legends who have frowned upon the trio of players taking less money to play together in Miami.
They have described these players as "gutless", and "afraid of a challenge" on separate occasions.
Jordan and Bird each stated that they weren't trying to play together, they were trying to beat each other.
The legends are normally outspoken, but the new "big three" has ignited a fire in the legend community.
Personally, it was nice to see them speak up and voice their opinions on the topic.
But what's done is done, and the only way this experiment works out is if they win multiple championships.
2. The Decision and The Words of LeBron James
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When 2010 began LeBron James was one of the move beloved athletes in the NBA.
The worst thing he had ever done was destroy teams on their home courts, and create a funny atmosphere of joking and dancing on the sidelines in Cleveland.
It's funny how handling one situation wrong has changed everything for LeBron James.
LeBron held a one hour special on ESPN in order to announce that he was leaving Cleveland for Miami.
Or as he put it "Next season, I will be taking my talents to South Beach".
He attempted to justify the one hour special as a method of raising money for the Boys and Girls Club of America.
Now, I am not against raising money for charities, but it's the manner in which James did it.
He could have let Cleveland know beforehand.
Thanked them for the time there, but that the following night he will be announcing his new team on national television.
It would have spared the city the humiliation.
Since then, LeBron's decisions haven't gotten any better.
He has blasted people over his Twitter account, called out legends through a Nike commercial and most recently eluded to the fact that the NBA needs more stars on the same teams to make the NBA more competitive.
Really LeBron?
Did you have to drop the contraction word?
But don't worry, he took that comment back and admitted he didn't even know what contraction was until he looked it up on the Internet.
Wow.
It has been an up and down year for LeBron to say the least.
1. Back-To-Back For Kobe Bryant and the Lakers
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Injured pinkie finger, no problem.
Kobe Bryant played through the pain and led the Lakers to their second consecutive NBA Championship.
After a first round scare against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Lakers went on to dominate the Western Conference and knock off the pesky Boston Celtics in seven games in the Finals.
The Los Angeles Lakers have shown the NBA that they are still the team to beat, and are looking to turn that back-to-back into a three-peat this season.
This season, they have started off with a 21-9 record.
The team added veterans Steve Blake, Theo Ratliff and Matt Barnes in the offseason to an already veteran, playoff experienced depth chart.
And while Kobe Bryant thinks the team lacks a "winning attitude", I'd say they are doing just fine for now.
The Lakers back-to-back will be the most memorable thing from the 2010 NBA season.
While the LeBron James saga has grabbed the attention of the world through ESPN and other media outlet's, the Lakers have remained steady and business oriented.
Because at the end of the day, only one thing matters to Kobe and the Lakers.
And I can promise you, it isn't how many times they were mentioned on television.
