(UTEP "two-step"... one of the greatest things from Texas)

Michael Jordan had it.  Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwan did, too.  Kareem Abdul-Jabbar might have perfected it and made it worth pursuing. 

But we all know Brandan Wright and Anthony Randolph don’t.  Heck, the last Warrior to really have it might have been Tim Hardaway. 

No, we’re not talking about championship rings or even playoff wins. 

What I’m talking about is "the go-to-move": The impossible to defend and almost 100% score-able move that players can count on and opponents struggle mightily to create strategies for. 

I’ve wondered about "go-to-moves" for a while since many of our Warrior players, sans Stephen Curry and his ever improving 5-15 foot flip shot, drafted are offensively and defensively raw….so raw they make butcher shops seem cooked. 

Although Jordan, Akeem, and Kareem don’t "own" those moves as much as they perfected them and made these moves into iconic poses and moments of NBA history, their timeless moves have been utilized by many players and some with the same success as these greats. 

So, with that said, what makes a "go-to-move" a "go-to-move"?  And what are some of the best ‘go-to-moves’ ever?

In a December 2009 USA Today story titled "Craft can trump athletic with go-to-basketball moves," Jeff Zilgitt talks to a few older NBA players, retired players, and coaches about what a "go-to-move" is.  But based on Zilgitt’s sample of players, the need to be "crafty" (in other words, the need for "go-to-moves") is more a necessity of age and deteriorating athleticism.  In talking to Steve Nash, former NBA player and Pacer great Reggie Miller, and Antawn Jamison, Zilgitt frames this craftiness, using Nash and Miller’s words and Antawn’s age, as "the old guy at the Y" who just knows how to win games with

But what Zilgitt’s article also seems to suggest is that the ‘go-to-move’ can be just about anything.  From a Ray Allen’s smooth and automatic, systematic jumper to Antawn Jamison’s awkward to the point of being almost clumsy "unconventional hook shots and scoop shots with either hand, fade-aways and up-and-under post moves."

Jamison’s random under-hand scoop shots from 10-15 feet out or his turnaround baby hooks from the block are his patented moves, which many have compared to Bernard King for his quick release and incredible ability to score around basket. 

I wouldn’t necessarily call Ray Allen’s jumper a go-to-move as much as he is a sharp shooter, but Zilgitt’s short piece does provide a more flexible idea of what a ‘go-to-move’ could be and how players, like Jamison, are continuously inventing new and, more importantly, effectives moves.   It can’t be random luck that Jamison has consistently averaged 20-10 for most of his career. 

I would say the orthodoxy if not banality of a baby hook or a 10-foot floater or flip shot will get you some groans and more likely little respect by some players at the gym.  But, in recent months, I’ve learned to integrate a few quick, quick easy drop step flip shots from the block or very quick turnaround baby hooks ala Jamison.  This is mostly because I’m getting too lazy and tired to be running around a lot. 

Here are a few youtube videos of some notable and pretty remarkable ‘go-to-moves’ from the past.  Take note kids and spend some extra hours at the gym fine-tuning your own go-to-moves!  Also, GSoMers, feel free to share with fellow-GSoMers what your ‘go-to-move’ is!  Maybe if we are able to share with each other our moves…we will each have an amazing arsenal of moves that will make us ‘unstoppable baby’ on the courts!

(Check the 45-51 second mark for one of the most ridiculous shots ever)

(Everything you need to learn about how to make a proper fadeaway)

(jook moves that will get your defenders twisted)

(A move that might not get you ladies, but may get you into the hall of fame)

(Your go-to-move if you want to get the ladies)

 

 

 

Poll

What is your favorite/best go-to-move?

• crossover?
• skyhook?
• fadeaway?
• tomahawk jam in someone's face?
• other (specify in comments)

  0 votes | Results

Not long after returning from Vietnam, I arrived on the Duke University campus to attend graduate school. My professors were impeccable people, but not all of my classmates welcomed me. I remember one sweetheart called me a "baby-killer." She had embraced some kind of stereotype about about military officers. For the record, during my 20 years' service my memory of my colleagues in uniform was that they were all unique individuals - a practically infinite range of personalities, talents and interests. Just like other people.

We love athletes, but people have stereotypes about them, too. "Dumb jocks." Ha! 

I thought it would be entertaining and instructive to hear what jocks can tell us about life.

On SERVICE:  "Wouldn't it be a beautiful world if just 10 percent of the people who believe in the power of love would compete with one another to see who could do the most good for the most people?" - Muhammad Ali, boxing

On INITIATIVE:  "Good thoughts are no better than good dreams, unless they are executed." - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, basketball

On EFFORT:  “If everything's under control, you're going too slow.” - Mario Andretti, racing


On PERSEVEERANCE:  "Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever." - Lance Armstrong, cycling


On SELF-CONFIDENCE:  "One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation." - Arthur Ashe, tennis


On COMMITMENT:  "What does it take to be a champion? Desire, dedication, determination, concentration and the will to win."  - Patty Berg, golf

On DECISIVENESS:  “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” - Yogi Berra, baseball

On SELF-DEVELOPMENT:   “I don’t know if I practiced more than anybody, but I sure practiced enough. I wonder if somebody, somewhere, practiced more than me.” - Larry Bird, basketbal

On PERSEVERANCE:  “My greatest point is my persistence. I never give up in a match.” - Bjorn Borg, tennis

On CHARACTER:  “Being the first to cross the finish line makes you a winner in only one phase of life. It’s what you do after you cross the line that really counts.” - Ralph Boston, track

So...it takes personal strength for athletes to compete at their level. Plus, they know that. And that just gets us through the A's and B's in my quote database. If you enjoyed this perspective, let me know. I have a ton more wisdom from sports heroes.

Post by Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D., , Copyright 2010. Building Personal Strength .

I can live with someone accusing LeBron James of attempting to boost jersey sales. I can live with someone expressing disappointment with LeBron for not keeping the number that’s become so integrated into his personality and flair.

I cannot live with someone equating either Julius Erving or Bill Russell to Michael Jordan.

Get real.

Russell’s 11 championships came from a league offering eight total teams. Yes, Russell was a great player, and he deserves his due respect—but no, he is not in the iconic category of Michael Jordan.

First, Jordan dominated in a league much greater in team quantity and talent than the one Russell picked clean.

Second, when placed into its proper context, 11 championships against seven opponents doesn’t equate to the highest scoring average in NBA history (particularly considering the fact that his average was marred by his stint in Washington), the spearheading of the most winning season in the history of the NBA, or the distinction of being the only player in the history of the game with a defensive player of the year and a scoring champion award in his resume.

Dr. J’s success is also dwarfed by Jordan’s.

The good doctor lost twice in the NBA Finals, once sporting a 2-0 lead over the Portland Trailblazers and later against a Lakers team missing star center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the deciding Game Six.

Jordan never lost in the Finals—no matter who he played, no matter who was injured, no matter what.

Accomplishments aside, Jordan is hands-down the most electrifying player to touch a ball of any shape. Period.

Neither Dr. J nor Russell revolutionized or popularized the game the way Jordan did. Hell, the man hasn’t been in a playoff series in more than a decade and you still can’t walk through a basketball court without seeing his merchandise.

Russell was given his respect when the NBA Finals MVP award was named in his honor, and Dr. J remains one of the most iconic players in Sixers history.

But at the end of the day, both were merely great players—not the greatest.

All due to respect to both, nobody looks for the next Dr. J or Bill Russell.

People have been trying to anoint a new Michael Jordan practically since the final buzzer in Game Six of the ’98 Finals.

If LeBron wants the league to retire the number of the greatest player in its history, so be it. As amazing as LeBron has become, even he still pays ultimate homage to His Airness.

So should you.

• Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News: "LeBron James playing for the Lakers next year is such a far-fetched, preposterous, outlandish fantasy we have no other choice but to completely and utterly embrace it. And we have every right to, every reason to, because this is Hollywood. Crazy, whimsical dreams like this come true all the time for the Lakers. Just look at their history. They acquired Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the greatest player in the game at the time, from Milwaukee for four players in 1975. They lucked into Magic Johnson and James Worthy after acquiring draft picks (which turned out to be No.1s overall) from lowly Utah and Cleveland. The Lakers have always been fortunate like that, and probably always will be. It's part of their charm, and the main reason they've been the most glamorous team in the NBA since arriving here in 1960. ... The rumor has been out there for a few months now, with longtime NBA reporter Sam Smith floating it out of Chicago back in November. It picked up steam this week when a source close to Phil Jackson told Hoopshype.com that James had expressed interest in playing for the Lakers next year. Within hours, talk radio and Internet message boards were buzzing with the possibility. Some people dismissed it as far-fetched. The Lakers are too far over the salary cap, they argued, and there is no way James and Bryant can possibly coexist on the same team. Details, I say, details. Not only can it happen, if James really wants it to, it will happen."
• Howard Beck of The New York Times: "It has been a good week for the LeBron James tea-leaf-reading club, chock full of hints, innuendo and breathless intrigue. LeBron is changing his jersey number! LeBron attended the Jay-Z show at Madison Square Garden! A disgruntled Nets guard whose agent also represents LeBron said LeBron might have already decided where he will sign this summer! For those keeping score, the jersey change means James is staying in Cleveland; the Jay-Z concert means he is coming to New York; and the commentary by the disgruntled Nets guard means nothing discernible, but may mean that James will not sign with the Nets. Amid all of this winking, nodding and subtle plotting, James found time to rout the Knicks and Nets, presumably his two greatest suitors in July. On Wednesday, James made his final trip to the soon-to-be-vacant Izod Center and scored 26 points to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 111-92 victory. With that, he completed a 7-0 season sweep of the New York market’s two salary-purging, star-hungry franchises."
• Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News: "Perhaps it was because of all the losing they've had to endure and the ill effects it is known to cause on a basketball fan's brain. Or maybe they already know that they're never going to see LeBron James put on a Nets uniform, whether the team is headquartered in Newark, Brooklyn or Moscow. Unlike Knicks fans, Net fans last night didn't plead for James to sign this summer with the worst team in the NBA. They booed him. They taunted him. For all that, they deserve a round of applause. In a league that's gone totally soft, starting with the Garden fans who show up for games to cheer for James, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade and other visiting superstars, the boos were good to hear at the Meadowlands during the Cavs' 111-92 win."
• Woody Paige of The Denver Post: "The utmost 1-2 punch in sports history belonged to John L. Sullivan, the last bare-fisted heavyweight champion. But who possesses the best pair of knockout sledgehammers in the NBA today? The topic was discussed on ESPN's 'Around the Horn' on Wednesday, and the responses were varied — Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, Steve Nash and Amar'e Stoudemire, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd, LeBron James and anybody. Yet, two of the superior dynamic duos, legitimate contenders for the title, converged at The Can on Wednesday night. In the blue trunks were Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, playing out of Oklahoma City, and wearing white were Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups, the locals. Let's get readeeee to rumble! But the Thunder crumbled. The Nuggets won by KO in the third quarter. No más, the Thunder said, and threw in the towel and Kevin Ollie."
• Michael Wallace of The Miami Herald: "The shot still burns the Heat. It matters little that three months, 42 games, dozens of ups and several downs have transpired since then. But when it comes to heartbreaking moments that have defined Miami's season, Kobe Bryant is the undisputed king of the Heat's coronary collapse. If time typically heals all wounds, not enough of it has passed for Miami's comfort. 'That one hurt,' Heat co-captain Udonis Haslem said Wednesday in a hushed and reflective tone. 'Still does hurt. But there's still nothing you can really do about it.' Actually, there is. The Heat (30-31) can't erase its memory of the 108-107 loss against the Lakers on Dec. 4 in Los Angeles. But Miami can avenge the most gut-wrenching defeat of its season Thursday when the Lakers (46-15) visit AmericanAirlines Arena. The last time the Heat saw Bryant, the superstar guard was buried beneath a celebratory pile of teammates on that fateful night at Staples Center after he hit the shot Googled around the world.That three-point, buzzer-beating dagger is almost as difficult to describe as it is painful for the Heat to recall."
• Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times: "As if the Lakers didn't already pay enough dues in January for a home friendly schedule in November and December, now comes the really fun part. It's commonly known as the month of March, but in Lakers circles, it's just The March. The rest of this month will show 11 road games surrounding three home games, the fun beginning Thursday in Miami, part of a three-game trip that also runs through the surprisingly treacherous confines of Charlotte and the Orlando arena where the Lakers won their 15th NBA championship nine months ago. The Lakers are ready to roam … they think. 'On the road it's a different style of play, a different game entirely,' Kobe Bryant said. 'We can't take the game we play here at home and take it on the road. We'll have to adjust a little bit. You've got to keep your energy up, obviously keep the intensity, but on the road you really have to execute.' "
• Frank Iosla of the New York Daily News: "Tracy McGrady carries himself like a superstar, talks like a superstar and acts like a superstar. Whether McGrady can return to superstar status remains to be seen, but its hard not to pull for such a class act. McGrady had his best game since joining the Knicks two weeks ago. He scored 21 points with eight assists and seven rebounds in a 128-104 win over Detroit on Wednesday. His performance was overshadowed by Bill Walker, a throw-in in the Nate Robinson deal who scored 22 points on 9-for-13 shooting in his first start. But it was McGrady who set the tone on both ends of the court. He dug in defensively and was typically unselfish with the ball."
• Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News: "Here's a good quote from Kevin McHale, a TNT analyst on last night's broadcast, regarding the Pistons: 'A cautionary tale of all GMs that have a few bucks in their pocket: sometimes its better not to spend it. They spent it on Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva, two nice players but not players who are going to probably be able to carry your team. They are nice complementary players.' Granted, McHale was a lousy GM himself. But it's a fairly accurate statement regarding the Pistons and Joe Dumars as things stand right now."
• Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune: "Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle called it a preventative decision that shouldn't be misconstrued as disrespect for the night's opponent. Yeah, right, tell the Wolves that. Jason Kidd watched on a night his team persevered and extended its winning streak to nine games -- longest currently in the NBA -- because the Mavericks had just played five games in seven days and nine in the last 15 and Carlisle wanted to give Kidd's 36-year-old legs a break. Before the game, someone asked him if Kidd would be sitting if the Mavericks were playing the Lakers. 'We're not playing the Lakers,' he said. Precisely. 'Defintely, definitely, that's a disrespectful thing,' said Wolves center Ryan Hollins, who started alongside Darko Milicic with Jefferson missing and played 36 minutes (14 points, seven rebounds) against his former team. 'But they've got a loaded team, and they have the ability to do that.' "
• Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle: "If nothing else, the Rockets won't have far to look to know where the season went wrong. The playoff idea had drifted to long shot a while ago, and with the latest demoralizing home loss, the Rockets are back at .500, 30-30, in 11th place in the Western Conference and five games removed from eighth-place Portland. Maybe they can keep things respectable. The three game-road trip and home game against New Jersey ought to get them a few wins. But with just 22 games remaining, it is difficult to imagine they are going to catch the Blazers, who show no signs of slowing down and have a pretty soft schedule coming up, too. It's a long season, with many issues, including the recent injuries to Kyle Lowry and Trevor Ariza. But the games that cost them most are obvious, and perhaps even telling. Pick the Rockets best wins -- either by opponent or performance -- since mid January and every one is followed with a bad, demoralizing loss among the season's worst."
• Sam Amick of The Sacramento Bee: "Tyreke Evans had no answer for Shane Battier, the veteran who showed why he is arguably the league's best defender. Battier simply wouldn't let Evans penetrate, forcing him into a long night of missed jumpers and more deferment than usual. '(Evans) learned a good lesson,' Paul Westphal said. 'Battier was fantastic. He legitimately did a super job on Tyreke, and it'll be interesting to see what Tyreke brings next time he plays Battier. I think he'll learn some things and hopefully Shane won't have his way with him (next time).' "
• Ken Sugiura of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "What about Marvin Williams’ shoes? They were a weird light shade of blue. Something tells me they didn’t come off the rack. Speaking of which, Josh Smith left the locker room in purple shoes that matched a nice purple tie with a pinstriped shirt. I asked him where he got the shoes. Said Josh, 'I can’t kiss and tell.' "
• Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post: "A Rocky Mountain High School senior attended the Nuggets' shootaround Wednesday morning, and the primary person he wanted to meet was coach George Karl. 'I wasn't focused on meeting the players as much as meeting him, because we're going through the same things,' Garrett Karp said. G.K. met G.K., and the two fighters shared stories about their bouts with cancer. Karl is undergoing treatment for throat cancer, while Karp is in remission with Hodgkin's lymphoma, and will undergo a bone marrow transplant today at Children's Hospital. 'He's got a serious surgery coming up, and cancer is an incredible foe for all of us,' Karl said. 'I wish him the best. He looks like a tough, strong kid, and I think I'm a tough, strong guy, so hopefully in six months we'll celebrate us both being cured from cancer.' "
• Steve Luhm and Ross Siler of The Salt Lake Tribune: "Othyus Jeffers might have been just the fourth-leading scorer on the Iowa Energy, but when the Jazz solicited opinions on the NBA Development League's toughest player, Jeffers' name was at the top of the list. Now Jeffers can claim a spot on their roster. The Jazz signed the 6-foot-5, 200-pound guard/forward -- a former NAIA Player of the Year at Robert Morris in Chicago -- to a 10-day contract Wednesday. 'He sure plays with a chip or two on his shoulder, like he's got something to prove just about every single second he's on the floor,' Iowa coach Nick Nurse said. According to a March 2008 story in USA Today , Jeffers was shot in the left thigh while coming to his sister's defense in a dispute with her boyfriend the previous year. Two of Jeffers' older brothers also were murdered while he was growing up."
• Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News: "Funny sight in the locker room before last night's game when rookie Jrue Holiday was downing chicken nuggets and french fries at his locker about 1 1/2 hours before the game. While he walked to his locker, located next to Holiday's, vet Willie Green could only look and shake his head. 'Must be nice to be 19,' said Green, he all of 28."
• Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News: "Tony Parker says he's discovered the culprit for the bout of food poisoning that kept him out of Friday's loss at Houston -- a bad bowl of tortilla soup he had the night before. That delicacy now joins crème brulée, the French dessert responsible for keeping him out of Game 6 of the 2003 Western Conference finals, on Parker's 'do not eat' list. 'I'm only going to eat Eva's tortilla soup,' Parker said, referring to his wife, Eva Longoria Parker."
• Todd Archer of The Dallas Morning News: "Back in their high school days, Caron Butler and Tony Romo shared the same basketball court, growing up in Wisconsin. They were two-fifths of the All-Racine County boys' basketball team in 1998. Butler averaged 24 points and 11 rebounds at Racine's Park High School. Romo averaged 24.3 points and 8.8 rebounds. 'We actually did great against them,' Butler said. 'We were 2-0 against them.' Butler was named a first-team All-State player. Romo was a third-team pick. 'He was a great scorer,' Butler said. 'His IQ for the game was unbelievable. He set you up, put you in great situations.' "
• Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times: "Baron Davis, Internet sensation? A new YouTube video hawking a replica Davis beard -- 'the ultimate swag booster' -- is the first of several online skits starring the Clippers guard planned for release this year. The video has generated nearly 35,000 web hits and might have sparked sizeable sales ... if it weren't a spoof. 'It's just kind of showing a lighter side, a fun side and trying to bring some fun and entertainment to the team,' Davis said."

Back in Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's day, you didn't have tattoos unless you were a sailor. It just wasn't done. That's why, while watching yesterday's Lakers vs. Nuggets game, the NBA legend proclaimed his distaste for inked up arms.

Get those tattoos off your arms, almost every player in the NBA! Only players who were in the Navy can have tattoos, just like David Robinson.

Wait. That's not right. He didn't have any tattoos. This argument is erroneous.

C'mon, Kareem. Tattoos are today's version of a beard in the 1970s. Everyone has them, and a lot of them are pretty cool. The Nuggets just so happen to have the market cornered on bad neck ink.

On the other hand, maybe Kareem has the right idea. Based on his famous jacket, he obviously knows what he's talking about style-wise. I'm going to go get my tattoos removed.

(h/t OC Register)

Earl Lloyd, during a stopover in Chicago in 1972, went from being the first black to play in an NBA game to winning a title as a player and then coaching the Pistons.

Earl Lloyd could be called a pioneer. But one thing you wouldn't call the first black to play in an NBA game is selfcentered.

Lloyd made his debut Oct. 31, 1950, with the Washington Capitols against the Rochester Royals. But as Black History Month comes to a close, Lloyd credits the Boston Celtics for making his NBA dream a reality.

Lloyd was a ninth-round draft choice of the Capitols in 1950. The Celtics made Chuck Cooper the first black player drafted by taking him in the second round the same year. In all, four blacks played in the NBA that season. Lloyd said a "scheduling quirk" shouldn't diminish Cooper's place in history. Cooper made his debut with the Celtics the following night.

"You would have never convinced me that if the Celtics would not have taken Chuck in the second round, they would not have taken me in the ninth round," Lloyd said in a phone interview from his home in Crossville, Tenn. "I don't believe they would have, I really don't. Chuck, his day should not be demeaned in any way."

Nevertheless, history will forever remember Lloyd as the first to play. He played in seven games before the team folded and he went into the Army.

Lloyd later was claimed off waivers by the Syracuse Nationals and won an NBA championship in 1955. He played nine seasons, likening himself to former Spurs player Bruce Bowen.

Lloyd, 81, was inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003 as a contributor.

Lloyd recounts his experiences in the NBA in his book "Moonfixer: The Basketball Journey of Earl Lloyd." Encouraged for years to share his experiences, Lloyd's memoir was released last fall.

"I guess what I was saying in this book without saying it is don't let someone tell you what you cannot do," Lloyd said. "You cannot buy into people's hate."

Lloyd starred at West Virginia State before being drafted. Even though he was playing in the nation's capital, Lloyd wasn't precluded from the racism of the times.

"It was bad," Lloyd recalled. "Sitting up in the balcony watching movies, segregated restaurants. It was easier for me, probably, than Chuck for one reason. Chuck was born and raised in Pittsburgh. I was born in Virginia – Alexandria, the cradle of the confederacy."

Lloyd understood he was more than just a basketball player. His every move would be watched.

Being a good person was just as important as being a good player. Character issues could cost today's prospects considerable money. But a problem with Lloyd in the 1950s could have meant an entire generation of black players might not have the chance to play at the highest level.

While many of today's players bemoan the dress code, Lloyd always wore a coat and tie because he said he didn't want to give anything but the best impression.

"Nobody had to tell me I was carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders," Lloyd said.

That meant handling even the most insulting of situations with grace.

While out with a teammate at a restaurant that was nearly empty, Lloyd was informed of the eatery's policy.

"They said, 'We don't serve coloreds,' " Lloyd said. "I said, 'We don't have a problem. We don't eat them.' "

Lloyd also has a humorous way of explaining how he got into coaching at the urging of Dick McGuire.

First, he had to stop playing for the Detroit Pistons.

"Our second exhibition game was against the Philadelphia Warriors with Wilt (Chamberlain)," Lloyd said. "And I told him, it's over. He took what I thought was a gut-wrenching decision into a no-brainer. By halftime, I had my street clothes on coaching."

Lloyd credits McGuire and then-Detroit owner Fred Lomas for the opportunity to coach. Lloyd coached the Pistons, compiling a 22-55 record from 1971-73.

Lloyd had the misfortune of losing Hall of Fame guard Dave Bing during the 1971-72 season to an eye injury. But as he reflected on his time, he expressed nothing but gratitude over his journey.

He enjoys watching today's NBA. He's fond of players like Bowen – key players to title teams that accept their roles – as well as Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal. Lloyd loved that Barkley excelled as an undersized power forward, and admires O'Neal infectious personality.

"I've had a good run," Lloyd said. "These kids, some old-timers really criticize them. In this capitalistic society, we've been taught a fat salary is what the market will bear. These players have to get what they can get because he can go up and get one rebound and it's over."

Super feats

The O'Neal-vs.-Dwight Howard debate over who is the league's "Superman" was good for a few laughs.

But there's no debating Howard is having an historic season.

Only five players have led the NBA in rebounding and blocked shots in the same season. Howard became the fifth last season.

Entering Saturday's games, Howard led the league in rebounds (13.5 per game) and blocked shots (2.8). Three players to pull off the feat – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Walton and Hakeem Olajuwon – are in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The fourth is Detroit's Ben Wallace.

It's essentially accepted LeBron James will win his second consecutive MVP award after this season. But Howard should at least be mentioned. Not being the first Superman doesn't make him any less valuable.

Earl Lloyd, during a stopover in Chicago in 1972, went from being the first black to play in an NBA game to winning a title as a player and then coaching the Pistons.

Earl Lloyd could be called a pioneer. But one thing you wouldn't call the first black to play in an NBA game is selfcentered.

Lloyd made his debut Oct. 31, 1950, with the Washington Capitols against the Rochester Royals. But as Black History Month comes to a close, Lloyd credits the Boston Celtics for making his NBA dream a reality.

Lloyd was a ninth-round draft choice of the Capitols in 1950. The Celtics made Chuck Cooper the first black player drafted by taking him in the second round the same year. In all, four blacks played in the NBA that season. Lloyd said a "scheduling quirk" shouldn't diminish Cooper's place in history. Cooper made his debut with the Celtics the following night.

"You would have never convinced me that if the Celtics would not have taken Chuck in the second round, they would not have taken me in the ninth round," Lloyd said in a phone interview from his home in Crossville, Tenn. "I don't believe they would have, I really don't. Chuck, his day should not be demeaned in any way."

Nevertheless, history will forever remember Lloyd as the first to play. He played in seven games before the team folded and he went into the Army.

Lloyd later was claimed off waivers by the Syracuse Nationals and won an NBA championship in 1955. He played nine seasons, likening himself to former Spurs player Bruce Bowen.

Lloyd, 81, was inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003 as a contributor.

Lloyd recounts his experiences in the NBA in his book "Moonfixer: The Basketball Journey of Earl Lloyd." Encouraged for years to share his experiences, Lloyd's memoir was released last fall.

"I guess what I was saying in this book without saying it is don't let someone tell you what you cannot do," Lloyd said. "You cannot buy into people's hate."

Lloyd starred at West Virginia State before being drafted. Even though he was playing in the nation's capital, Lloyd wasn't precluded from the racism of the times.

"It was bad," Lloyd recalled. "Sitting up in the balcony watching movies, segregated restaurants. It was easier for me, probably, than Chuck for one reason. Chuck was born and raised in Pittsburgh. I was born in Virginia – Alexandria, the cradle of the confederacy."

Lloyd understood he was more than just a basketball player. His every move would be watched.

Being a good person was just as important as being a good player. Character issues could cost today's prospects considerable money. But a problem with Lloyd in the 1950s could have meant an entire generation of black players might not have the chance to play at the highest level.

While many of today's players bemoan the dress code, Lloyd always wore a coat and tie because he said he didn't want to give anything but the best impression.

"Nobody had to tell me I was carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders," Lloyd said.

That meant handling even the most insulting of situations with grace.

While out with a teammate at a restaurant that was nearly empty, Lloyd was informed of the eatery's policy.

"They said, 'We don't serve coloreds,' " Lloyd said. "I said, 'We don't have a problem. We don't eat them.' "

Lloyd also has a humorous way of explaining how he got into coaching at the urging of Dick McGuire.

First, he had to stop playing for the Detroit Pistons.

"Our second exhibition game was against the Philadelphia Warriors with Wilt (Chamberlain)," Lloyd said. "And I told him, it's over. He took what I thought was a gut-wrenching decision into a no-brainer. By halftime, I had my street clothes on coaching."

Lloyd credits McGuire and then-Detroit owner Fred Lomas for the opportunity to coach. Lloyd coached the Pistons, compiling a 22-55 record from 1971-73.

Lloyd had the misfortune of losing Hall of Fame guard Dave Bing during the 1971-72 season to an eye injury. But as he reflected on his time, he expressed nothing but gratitude over his journey.

He enjoys watching today's NBA. He's fond of players like Bowen – key players to title teams that accept their roles – as well as Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal. Lloyd loved that Barkley excelled as an undersized power forward, and admires O'Neal infectious personality.

"I've had a good run," Lloyd said. "These kids, some old-timers really criticize them. In this capitalistic society, we've been taught a fat salary is what the market will bear. These players have to get what they can get because he can go up and get one rebound and it's over."

Super feats

The O'Neal-vs.-Dwight Howard debate over who is the league's "Superman" was good for a few laughs.

But there's no debating Howard is having an historic season.

Only five players have led the NBA in rebounding and blocked shots in the same season. Howard became the fifth last season.

Entering Saturday's games, Howard led the league in rebounds (13.5 per game) and blocked shots (2.8). Three players to pull off the feat – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Walton and Hakeem Olajuwon – are in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The fourth is Detroit's Ben Wallace.

It's essentially accepted LeBron James will win his second consecutive MVP award after this season. But Howard should at least be mentioned. Not being the first Superman doesn't make him any less valuable.

The retired NBA star gives a rare interview and previews his film On The Shoulders of Giants on behalf of the Endowment for Youth Committee Retired NBA great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar sits down with UCSB Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Dr.

Andrew Bynum is apprehensive in his approach to games in the months of February and January which involve the Memphis Grizzlies and, considering recent history, his concerns may very well be justified.

In January of 2008 Bynum was sidelined by a horrific knee injury which caused him to miss the rest of the season. The injury was at first thought to be one he could return from, but his failure to show progress was a cause of frustration in the Los Angeles Laker organization.

Bynum had just began to show the promise the team had envisioned for him, and his play was instrumental in quieting Kobe Bryant's trade demands which had dominated news for the previous year.

A positive secondary effect of Bynum's injury for the Lakers was the ability to acquire Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies, the team Los Angeles was playing when Bynum's injury occurred.

Gasol's quick assimilation to the triangle offense and his overall versatility enabled the Lakers to earn a trip to the 2008 NBA Finals where they were beaten by the Boston Celtics as Bynum looked on.

Bynum vowed to return the next season healthy and ready to help the Lakers get back to the Finals, and he did just that, displaying what he learned from a summer of tutelage from Laker great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

The tandem of Gasol and Bynum in the middle gave the Lakers the most imposing front line in the NBA, and along with Kobe Bryant and the rest of the supporting cast, the Lakers were widely considered the best team in the league.

But, disaster struck Bynum once again in early February of 2009 on a freak play in which Bryant fell back on Bynum's knee while challenging for a rebound, an injury which resulted in an extended period of missed playing time.

Once again the opponent was Memphis and once again Bynum missed crucial playing time when the Lakers were in the midst of their second consecutive Finals run.

Bynum did return in time for the playoffs, and he played a role in the Lakers' conquest of the Orlando Magic in the 2009 Finals by playing competent defense against Magic center Dwight Howard.

But it was not the impact which the Lakers, nor Bynum had hoped for, and in the hours before yet another February meeting with Memphis, thoughts shift to Bynum's own superstitions about his injuries.

He actually voiced as much to coach Phil Jackson on the eve of an earlier January game against the Grizzlies which was the last of an eight game road trip.

Bynum's minutes that night didn't reflect any particular concern on the part of Jackson, as to a fear of him being injured, but both he and Bynum had to be relieved the game was completed without further hinderance.

There is no question each injury has played a major role in the development of Bynum since both happened at what were seen as turning points in his career, due to the visible maturation of his game.

They both caused him to regress as a player and his inconsistency on the court has mirrored the time he has missed as a result of both injuries, and although he has recovered he lacks some of his previous aggressiveness.

He has shown erratic spurts of the ability to be a great NBA center and he can find solace in the fact his injuries were not they type which lead to the conclusion of him being injury prone.

The second injury was clearly a freak occurrence, and it was nowhere near as serious as the first which was the type that could cause an obvious erosion of a player's abilities.

So maybe it would be prudent of Bynum to be mindful of the past, and if the fear of injury is truly a concern for him, then sitting out this game against the Grizzlies may not be such a bad idea. Better safe than sorry.

At the beginning of the 2009-2019 NBA season, LeBron James led the pack as far as MVP candidates were concerned. He seemed destined to repeat the honor in back-to-back seasons just as Steve Nash, Micheal Jordan, Tim Duncan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Moses Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlin, and Bill Russell had done in their illustrious careers. But then, a little skinny/tall guy from the Oklahoma Thunder began what is now being considered one of the most incredible scoring streaks by a third-year player in all of NBA history. Enter: Kevin Durant Durant has accomplished something that no other active NBA has done, [...]

Post from: EveryJoe

The MVP Discussion Just Got Interesting

Filed under: Lakers, NBA Videos, Sports Business and Media

In the not-so-distant past, the sports business was a small, struggling sector beset by labor strife, drug problems and sagging TV ratings. OK, those problems still exist, but there's no question that the sports business is now a massive, multi-billion-dollar global industry that touches every media platform and attracts the wealthiest, most influential people and corporations on the planet.

As the dollars (and pounds and euros) have increased, there's more scrutiny than ever on the executives making decisions for teams, leagues, TV networks, sponsors and the other important entities in the sports business. These are the real power players -- the off-the-field folks who sign the contracts, negotiate the trades, finalize the media deals and show players the money. Now, FanHouse will give you an informative and entertaining look at the who these people are -- and tell you how they got there, what they do now, and what they're thinking about for the future.

Our first guest: Jeanie Buss, executive vice-president of business operations for the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers. Her father, Jerry Buss, has owned the Lakers since 1979 and has overseen an unrivaled hoops dynasty over the last three decades. Led by stars such as Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, the team has won 9 titles under Buss' stewardship. Likewise, the Lakers' "Showtime" on-court style and hordes of famous fans have come to define the growing confluence of sports and entertainment.

We talk to Jeanie about her dad, the state of the NBA, and her very tall boyfriend, Lakers coach Phil Jackson. Welcome to "The Front Office."

 

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For more, check out our Sixers blog, Liberty Ballers, and our Spurs blog, Pounding The Rock.

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Lou Williams scored 14 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter to spark the Philadelphia 76ers to a 106-94 win over the Spurs.

Andre Iguodala added 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, while Elton Brand went for 18 points and seven boards for the Sixers, who stopped a two- game slide. Jrue Holiday and Thaddeus Young chipped in 13 and 12 points, respectively, in the win.

"We don't have one guy. Whether it's Lou, Andre, Thad, Elton, it seems like when we play like this, everyone gets involved and helps close things," Philadelphia head coach Eddie Jordan said.

Manu Ginobili posted 24 points to lead San Antonio, which fell to 4-3 on its eight-game road trip. George Hill scored 18 points, and Tim Duncan donated 10 points and nine rebounds in defeat.

Tony Parker went 1-for-9 from the floor and netted a mere two points for the Spurs.

Philadelphia trailed throughout the third but quickly erased a 76-73 deficit when Young followed an Iguodala dunk with two free throws to open the final stanza.

With the Sixers ahead 87-86 near the midway point, Williams sank two free throws to start a string of 15 straight points by the hosts.

Brand ended the flurry with a jumper for a 102-86 advantage with 3 1/2 minutes to play, and the Sixers cruised from there.

"The Sixers did a great job of bringing their athleticism and pressure in the second half and we folded. That was the ball game," Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said.

The Spurs led 26-25 after the first frame and scored 10 of the final 12 points in the second -- including eight from Ginobili -- to take a 52-45 edge to the locker room.

Duncan recorded his 3,000th career assist in the first quarter. He became the third player in NBA history to record 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, 3,000 assists and 2,000 blocks in a career (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon)...Sixers center Samuel Dalembert was ejected in the third quarter for arguing a call from the bench...The home team has won the last six meetings in this series...DeJuan Blair ended with 12 points for the Spurs.

The EYC is a nonprofit organization that provides social, cultural and academic programs for underrepresented and underserved youths from local low-income families.

In December 2009, when I interviewed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in Los Angeles, he and his producing partner, Deborah Morales, mentioned a documentary they were working on entitled On the Shoulders of Giants . In 2007, Kareem authored a book of the same title, which focused on the impact of the ...

hoopsaddict posted 95 minutes ago from hoopsaddict.com

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Toronto Raptors

Like so many longstanding college rivalries, the crosstown basketball battles between UCLA and USC have gone in cycles.

The rivalry began with USC, the older school located just south of downtown Los Angeles, enjoying a big edge over the newer school in what was in the beginning located in very rural Westwood.

The Trojan's early edge was established by Sam Barry, the only coach ever to take a basketball team to the final four of the NCAA tournament and a baseball squad to the College World Series. Barry’s basketball fortunes were enhanced by great players such as Bill Sharman, Ralph Vaughn, and Alex Hannum.

After football coach Howard Jones died of a heart attack early in 1941, Barry took over the reins that fall for one season. He succumbed to a heart attack while climbing the steps at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley to scout Cal. His 18 years as a football assistant was second in the history of USC, exceeded only by the 26 years of service of Marv Goux.

Barry set an NCAA record for dominance over a basketball opponent with an incredible 40-year victory skein over UCLA established between 1932 and 1942.

Legend Barry had coached at Iowa before coming west. An Indianan moved west and took over the reins at UCLA for the 1948 season, a former Purdue All-American. For years John Wooden won respect for his coaching, but adulation resulted when he hit his stride with experience after moving into his 50s.

Wooden won a staggering 10 NCAA titles in 12 years and became renowned as “The Wizard of Westwood.” His milestone achievements also corresponded with the building of Pauley Pavilion, an edifice in which opposing teams knew that they were in Bruin Country.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was reportedly recruited to UCLA on the assurance of a beautiful new basketball arena to showcase his talents. It was dedicated in 1965 and became the home of another great college and pro Hall of Fame center in Bill Walton.

As for the Trojans, their coaches and fans lamented that, whereas the Bruins had a devastating home court advantage at Pauley Pavilion, they did not have one at all while playing before sparse turnouts at the Sports Arena across the street from the USC campus.

The USC faithful saw an opportunity to gain a home court advantage amid the new enthusiasm of Galen Center, and Sunday night the Trojans scored their first victory over their crosstown rivals after three straight losses on their home floor amid a partisan crowd, securing a 68-64 victory and sweeping the season series against the Bruins two to nothing.

The current opposing coaches are veterans known for intense defense. Kevin O’Neill took over the reins at USC this season under less than cheery circumstances.

Athletic Director Mike Garrett did not wait for the outcome of an NCAA investigation into the recent past activities of the Trojan basketball program and issued a penalty of his own, barring USC from the Pac 10 and NCAA tournaments.

O’Neill swallowed the bitter pill and explained that his team would have the incentive of having every regular season game loom as a post-season tournament opportunity. The Trojans have played with strong motivation and focus as redshirt senior Marcus Johnson has assumed leadership reins and is being touted as an NBA prospect.

Mentor Ben Howland of UCLA became the first coach since Wizard Wooden to take the Bruins to two Final Fours in a row, then went one better and made it three.

Howland, an aggressive recruiter, lost some of his nuggets to the NBA and has had to rebuild this season with a talented but very youthful squad. While mistake prone in the manner of young teams, improvement has been visible.

For instance, on the crosstown rivalry front the Trojans handed the Bruins one of their most humiliating losses in Pauley Pavilion history with a 67-46 blowout earlier this season. A major catalyst was a large USC rebounding edge over the home team.

While USC managed to win a close one at home, combining a sturdy defense with timely three-point shooting, on Sunday, Howland had the Bruins well prepared this time as evidenced by his team’s 46-25 rebound edge over the home team.

With two young teams playing with maximum intensity a number of mistakes occurred. The high energy intensity, however, resulted in an exciting game that was in doubt until virtually the end.

It looks as if Los Angeles area basketball patrons are in for some highly competitive crosstown matchups pitting two evenly matched and highly astute coaches who stress defense and hate to lose.

Let the Howland-O’Neill games continue and enjoy them!

It's time again . . .

Yeah, buddy.


The Black Super Bowl.  Time again for our annual reading of the classic of American sportswriting (remember, got to get all the way through). Our annual remembrance that everybody's like Mike.

Here are the odds for the Slam Dunk Contest.

DeMar DeRozan +600
Eric Gordon +1000
Gerald Wallace +350
Nate Robinson +200
Shannon Brown +110

So what am I missing? When did Shannon Brown earn this status? Has he ever been in this contest before? Is anyone trying to see this guy win? Gordon seems like a good buy here.

For the 3-point shootout it's:

Channing Frye +550
Chauncey Billups +300
Daequan Cook +275
Danilo Gallinari +400
Paul Pierce +400
Stephen Curry +300

Here I want the guy who's least likely to be hung over from Friday night.  I'm thinking Curry or Billups here.  Thoughts?  If anybody can come up with something good, I'll update this post with picks tomorrow.

As for the rest today:


You'll be blown away by this Cavs website written entirely in Spanish: Los Cavs de Lenny Wilkens (1987-1993) Mis Fantasmas Favoritas.  Whoever wrote this has a lot to say about the Cavs, and whether you speak Spanish or not, it will be easy enough for you to see that this person makes loads of sense.

Witness the paragraph on Kent Benson (emphasis added):

Curioso traspaso, sólo explicable por esa oscura norma de la NBA que exige un pívot blanco paquete por equipo. Uno de los pufos más sonados del draft, Wayne Embry siempre mantuvo que Milwaukee lo eligió contra su opinión y que esa decisión fue fundamental en su salida de la franquicia. Como la venganza es plato que se sirve frío, Benson jugó solamente dos partidos para Cleveland antes de poner fin a una carrera cuyo momento más destacado fue el partido en el que le rompió la muñeca a Kareem Abdul-Jabbar mediante un salvaje golpe de mandíbula.

The caption to the photo of Johnny Rogers is another excellent example. 


And this is the only photo of Johnny Rogers in an NBA uniform that's know to be in existence anywhere.  Benson, Randolph Keys, Darnell Valentine, and Danny Ferry's hair are all there too.  

Anyone who can provide more information about this site is due a major award.  The Cleveland Frowns Person of the Year Nominations Committee is conducting its own investigation. 

This should be plenty to keep you busy for now, but you'll also want to check out Coachie's proper remembrance of Big Pun, who died 10 years ago last week.

Hope everyone's weekend gets off to a good start.  Please do let us know what you think about the All Star Weekend contests.

Every Lakers fan knows that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the NBA's all-time leading scorer. But his points came with two teams, the Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks. There are only 11 players who have scored 20,000 or more points with just one franchise, and...

Every Lakers fan knows that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the NBA's all-time leading scorer.

Kobe Bryant seats alone atop the Lakers scoring plateau, and this has led to a tsunami of chatter on the Internet, near the water coolers, and by the ever-reinventive mass media about his place in Lakers’ history books.

It was a monumental achievement in an organization in which greatness is an expectation and there are more championship rings than fingers. It was a third-quarter fast-break dunk that provided first an exclamation point, then a question.

Does this make Bryant the greatest Laker ever?

This is a very subjective question—and one that’s even tougher to answer with an active player.

In my article Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James: Is Bryant Better Overall? I wrote: "I believe in comparing athletes on finished products. A good example of finished-product comparison would be Jordan vs. Magic, Hakeem vs. David Robinson, or even Wilt Chamberlin vs. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Bryant still has a couple of years—maybe four or five—on those legs of his before he calls it a career.

He might never win another championship; he might win three more. Until then, it's going to be hard to tell where exactly his career is going to rank among the Lakers greats.

But for the sake of argument, how does one decide what makes a player greatest of all time of a franchise—or even in the game?

I would think this would be a combination of individual performances, championships, leadership, clutch play, toughness, resiliency, and many other variables.

However, the question is, how much weight do you give to each variable? This is where subjectivity and allegiances take over. And that’s not even factoring in the challenge that comparing across eras presents.

Let’s be sincere here: Bryant is without question the best basketball player in the world today when considering all factors. (If anyone knows of someone better in Europe or anywhere else, please do share.) Say what you want about the physical talent of Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James, the undeniable ability of Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade, and the intensity of Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett : All are great players, but none is as accomplished in all areas as Bryant is this very moment.

Many of you are in love with stats, and the stats in this case are irrefutable: Bryant holds the Lakers records for scoring in a career, single season, and one game. He also leads the Lakers in career three-point field goals made.

Bryant is a 12-time All-Star, two-time scoring champion, seven-time All-NBA First Team selection, and seven-time all-NBA Defensive Team selection. He has also won four NBA Championships and been named both Finals MVP and regular season MVP.

Even with all those superhuman stats, if he decided to call it quits today, he will not even be considered the best player in his generation. We’re still having heated conversations on Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James: Who is better?

And some have even pointed out that the only reason Bryant is overhyped (Yes, Bryant is called overhyped) is because he got lucky and was drafted into one of the most respected franchises in American sports.

So why is there so much hatred for Bryant? Because as beloved as the Lakers are by their fans, they are equally despised by virtually everyone else. And in recent times, Bryant has become the face of the franchise, resulting in a hatred that runs deep for many non-Lakers fans.

What’s there to like about a guy who always seems to bury your favorite team—and does so with the sense of downright ruthlessness that Bryant always seems to?

Is there anyone in the NBA who scares you more with the ball in his hands late in a basketball game than Bryant?

But we all know the hatred toward Bryant is not because of his play on the court alone, but more toward his on-court antics toward referees during games, his years of being known as a bad teammate and a ball hog, allegations of tanking games in the 2004 NBA Finals, and his troubles with Shaq and Phil Jackson—and Jackson's book really didn’t help. And let’s not forget his escapades in the Mile High City.

Even the press, known to hold grudges long enough to last two lifetimes and for years never liked him, found a way to make the grand moment (passing West to become the Lakers all-time point leader) a point of controversy.

“I’m proud of him; I congratulate him,” Pau Gasol said. “Now we can focus on winning games again.”

Gasol was just getting started.

“Obviously, we’re not making a conscious effort on pounding the ball inside,” Gasol said. “So we settled a little bit too much.”

A day later, with Bryant not available for comment, Gasol and Derek Fisher reiterated the idea that sometimes even the greats can try to be too great.

Gasol talked about getting more players involved, and Fisher even invoked exact statistics from the previous night, saying that one player taking 38 percent of the shots is just too much.

“This is a tough one for me, guys,” Fisher said. “But winning is what it comes down to.”

This was an ESPN.com report about the milestone.

This was complete inappropriate coverage of a milestone.

All I can say to Bryant’s Lakers teammates is: You want the rings? You want him to have the energy and attention required to make those last-second shots? Then you put up with all the earlier ones, too.

Bryant may be the only NBA star who is equally loved and hated at the same time by his club’s fans, and, as it might seem, his teammates.

While it seems like he has completely reinvented himself to become the model athlete, he now faces allegations of being a phony.

This is why is going to be difficult for him to scale the Mount Rushmore-like figures of Lakers land (Magic and West). Bryant will never be completely embraced like Magic—or completely revered like West—because what makes him so great is what makes everyone else so unnerved.

His killer instinct can be unsettling. His serious demeanor can be intimidating, which is bad for his opponents and makes him a force to reckon with. But his past will always define him.

 

Greatest Lakers of all time (A-List Edition)

We all know who the Lakers greats are; Magic Johnson, Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, and more. The question now is, where does Kobe Bryant rank amongst these giants? The A-List team breaks down the careers of the greatest Lakers of all time and ranks them. (Click here for more. )

 

LeBron James, continuing an unprecedented run of NBA player honors, was named Eastern Conference Player of the Month for January.

It was his third consecutive selection this season—he’s the only player in the East to win the award in 2009-2010—and his fifth straight nod dating back to last year.

It’s an unprecedented string of accolades for King James, who put together a dazzling month of January while leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a NBA-best 12-3 mark and the league’s top record.

James averaged 30.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.5 assists in 39.1 minutes per game to kick off 2010. It was perhaps the finest monthly performance of his career, considering that he now essentially runs the offense with Mo Williams and Delonte West both nursing injuries.

Coming off of his first MVP season in 2008-09, James is the early frontrunner to repeat, with his season averages of 29.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game. But there are several other worthy candidates nipping at his heels. Put together, they help form what I’ll call the current “Fab Five”—the NBA’s first team all-stars for the season thus far.

Accompanying James at forward is Kevin Durant, who is emerging as LeBron’s top challenger for the MVP award during the coming decade. The Oklahoma City forward is averaging 29.7 points and 7.3 rebounds a game. More important, he is the leader—at age 21, in just his second season—of the Thunder, who are in the playoff hunt as the current seventh seed in the West.

Other leading contenders at the forward spot are Denver’s Carmelo Anthony and Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki. Anthony has led the league in scoring for most of the season and Nowitzki is just two years removed from an MVP honor of his own, but James and Durant have taken their games to another level.

Dwight Howard remains the premier center in a league bereft of stars at the position. His season averages of 17.8 points and 13.3 rebounds a game have become standard.

However, unchallenged as he is in the pivot, Howard’s statistics simply don’t rival the overall numbers put up by players like Shaquille O’Neal (29 ppg/13 rpg) or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (34/16) in their primes. His modest offensive output is a mystery, considering his unmatched physical gifts, but he’s nonetheless the NBA’s best in the paint.

At guard, Kobe Bryant of the Lakers is a no-brainer, and we give Miami’s Dwayne Wade a slight—albeit ever so slight—edge for the moment over New Orleans’ Chris Paul (the Western Conference Player of the Month for January).

Bryant is clearly in the middle of the league MVP race, hampered though he is by the finger injury. He’s averaging 28.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists for the best team in the league (a title that remains the Lakers’ until someone takes it away). Bryant’s outside shot is still a thing of beauty, and L.A. continues to jostle with Cleveland on a nightly basis for the NBA’s best record.

Wade is compiling another exceptional season, and it’s clear that Miami would be nowhere without him. Even though the Heat continue to hover around the .500 mark, they’re in the playoff picture in the East, and Wade is the reason. He’s averaging 27 points a game while dishing more than six assists. With him, they have 24 wins; without him, they might be lucky to have 10.

Paul is incredible, without question, and his Hornets have a better overall record than the Heat. It’s a judgment call at the moment. The view here is that Wade is called on to carry the greater burden in Miami and has responded with a Herculean performance.

So there you have it, one man’s Fab Five: James, Durant, Howard, Bryant and Wade.

As it stands now, James is the odds-on favorite to repeat as Most Valuable Player, but the other four—as well as Anthony and Nowitzki, and probably Paul before his knee injury—are right on his heels, ready to assume the mantle in the unlikely event that LeBron slows his incredible pace down the stretch.

http://lakers.freedomblogging.com/2010/02/03/lamar-odom-needs-8-assists-to-make-unique-mark/29753/

Needs 8 assists for 6000 rebounds, 3000 assists. If he does it next game, he beats Baylor for 7th fastest to the mark. If he needs two games, he ties Baylor.

1. Larry Bird
2. Chris Webber
3. Kevin Garnett
4. Oscar Robertson
5. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
6. Wilt Chamberlain
7. Elgin Baylor

Kobe needs another couple seasons to get the boards.

---

In the wake of debate about Kobe Bryant's high volume of shots versus the team's lack of inside presence in the Lakers' 95-93 loss Monday to the Memphis Grizzlies, Coach Phil Jackson and Derek Fisher shared their theories on how Bryant will ultimately be ranked among the Lakers' all-time greats. Here's Jackson's main criteria when putting together an all-time list: "How has their team done during their tenure as a player?" So what is his list? "It's going to be Magic [Johnson], Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar], Kobe," Jackson said. Those are the people, you know Jerry [West]. He didn't win as many...

• Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times: "In the blink of a wide eye, it seems, the kid made Lakers history Monday night, setting the franchise career scoring record against Memphis, passing the great Jerry West in his 14th season, Mr. Clutch outdone by, well, Mr. Clutch. It was a monumental achievement in an organization where greatness is an expectation, and there are more championship rings than fingers. It was a third-quarter fastbreak dunk that provided first an exclamation point, then a question. Does this make Kobe Bryant the greatest Laker ever? Spoiler alert. No. Scoring the most points doesn't make Bryant the greatest Laker any more than driving in the most runs makes Steve Garvey the greatest Dodger. It is about more than that, and Bryant may get there yet, but he's not there now. He may be the best player in the current NBA, and could wind up as the best player in NBA history, but amid the rich history of his own team, Bryant remains third. Magic Johnson is first. His five championships are one more than Bryant has won, his revolutionizing of the assist changed basketball, and his leadership in community business development has changed several inner cities. All this while serving as a worthy pioneer in the battle against the former stigma and shame associated with HIV. West is second. He won only one championship as a player, but then as club executive helped build eight more. As a player, he was such a solid presence, the league's logo is a drawing of his silhouette. As a general manager, he's the one who brought Bryant here in the first place. Bryant is third, barely ahead of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Elgin Baylor. It's third with a bullet. It's third with still no stop in sight."
• Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post: "Ever since J.R. Smith's misbehavior in the Jan. 23 game -- and ensuing one-on-one talk with George Karl -- the coach thinks he has a better perspective on how to relate to the volatile guard. Yes, Karl relies on numerous assistant coaches to communicate with Smith, but 'after our meeting, I felt that some of his angst toward me was that I didn't touch him enough -- communicate, touch, tell the truth -- and that's part of coaching,' Karl said Tuesday. 'One, I would get tired (and think to myself) -- he should know by now. And sometimes you don't have enough energy to say it in the right way, so you stay away from it. J.R. is a testy guy. Maybe I got callous to it. You can't say I shut down, but I wasn't as involved. So lately, I've tried to get J.R. involved.' "
• Brian Windhorst of The Plain Dealer: "It is easy to talk about it now because Shaq is playing wonderfully, including his 13 points and 13 rebounds Tuesday against the Grizzlies. He is looking spry, he's shooting at a high percentage again and he's fitting into the offense and defense perfectly. The company line has been that the plan all along was to bring the big man along slowly and then let him turn it up later in the season. That process was sped up when Mo Williams and Delonte West went down with injury, it is often said. Mike Brown takes the blame for Shaq not making the All-Star team because he said he purposely held him back. All of that may be true. The Cavs have closely watched his minutes and worked to keep them down. But there's little doubt that there was significant concern back in December after Shaq returned from his shoulder injury. He wasn't making shots, which was one problem, but even though he was in pretty good shape he wasn't affecting the game much at all. After this game, LeBron James pretty much gave it away talking about how well O'Neal has been playing. You can tell by the quote that he was concerned at some point as well. 'He had a different mindset than we all thought. We all thought he was playing slow and he was just saving it,' James said. 'He tricked all of us, I guess.' "
• Mike Wells of The Indianapolis Star: "I'm not going to sit here and rave about the Pacers ending their three-game losing streak because it's only one game. A troubling trend that's been going on for more than one game is Danny Granger's shooting. Granger is far from the player he was last season. It seemed like every shot Granger took last season was going in. That's not the case this season. Now you wonder how bad he's going to miss when he takes a shot."
• Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press: "Ben Wallace’s normal routine is to grab a quick shower after the game before talking to the media. But considering those tight deadlines, Wallace made an exception tonight when a reporter asked him to talk about become the shortest player in NBA history to record 2,000 blocked shots for a career. 'It was a great feeling,' he said as he sat at a stool in the visitor’s locker room after the Pistons’ 97-93 victory. 'But you know it was more important to get a win. I would trade a couple of those blocks for a couple more wins.' The moment came at the 4:33 mark of the first quarter. The victim was Nets point guard Devin Harris. Wallace finished with eight points and six rebounds. For his accomplishment, Wallace got a game ball. 'It was just one of those things,' Wallace said. 'You go out and play hard every night and play at a high level and good things happen for you.' "
• Josh Robbins and Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel: "In January, Vince Carter averaged 8.7 points per game and shot just 28.4 percent from the field. Is that why Lawrence Frank, Carter's former New Jersey Nets coach, attended the Orlando Magic's shootaround on Tuesday? Is that why Frank is spending the week with the Magic? 'No, no, no, no, no, no,' Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. 'It has nothing to do with that. I just wanted him to come down and just share some knowledge with us and some thoughts and some different perspective.' Van Gundy said he invited Frank to spend some time with the team after the Nets dismissed Frank in November. Van Gundy explained that Frank wasn't able to visit in December and couldn't visit in January because the Magic spent much of the month on the road. Frank said he believes Carter will snap out of his shooting slump. 'Vince will be fine,' Frank said. 'Jason Kidd went through it during the playoffs one year, and if a guy like Jason can lose confidence, anybody can.' "
• K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune: "Last February, Derrick Rose punctuated his dominant victory in the Skills Challenge at All-Star weekend with a nifty double-pump reverse dunk. Look for any possible encores to be fundamental, not fabulous. 'I'm worn out now,' Rose said, laughing. 'I'm just going to get layups.' Rose was joking, but he was seriously happy the NBA took his Rookie Challenge appearance off his plate Tuesday. The Tribune reported Rose wouldn't play in the game last week. 'If I would've had to do that, it would've been a lot on me,' the second-year guard admitted. Rose spoke favorably of his experience in the Rookie Challenge last year. But with Rose earning reserve status in the Feb. 14 All-Star Game and also defending his Skills Challenge title on Feb. 13, the Bulls lobbied the league office to remove the Feb. 12 game from his schedule."
• Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic: "When Jared Dudley was the biggest kid on his Little League team, he would tell his mother and brother that he was going to steal second base if he got a single. Much to their amazement, he always did. When Dudley was a sophomore on his high school's junior varsity team, he told the varsity coach that he would be starting on varsity by the end of the season. Dudley did just that. Admittedly often out of his league athletically in the NBA, Dudley is given defensive assignments once pegged for Shawn Marion in Phoenix. Cover Baron Davis, then Kevin Garnett. Cover Kobe Bryant, then Dirk Nowitzki. 'I don't understand it,' Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. 'I really don't. It's crazy. Some kind of way, he finds a way to get it done. He doesn't always play well but you know you're going to get your best from him every night.' Dudley is indispensable to the Suns, turning a situation with no playing time as recently as a year ago into a role as sixth man in which he often finishes games, guards top players, keeps the locker room upbeat and helps spread the offense with a 3-point percentage (47.0) that, entering Tuesday night, ranked second in the NBA."
• Dan Weber for The Press-Enterprise: "The Lakers lost only 17 games in 2008-09, but Charlotte accounted for two of the losses: 117-110 last Jan. 27 at home, and 94-84 March 31 in Charlotte. 'Like Portland, they play hard, they slow the tempo, they make it uncomfortable for us,' Pau Gasol said, 'but that's not an excuse.' Phil Jackson added, 'They grind things out and come with a certain sense of how to attack our personnel.' The balanced Bobcats, led by shooting guard Stephen Jackson's 21.2 points a game and small forward Gerald Wallace's 19.2, have six players averaging at least 9.9 points a game. That may have been why Jackson ran his team through a full practice Tuesday, a decision that surprised some Lakers staffers given the team's late return from Memphis in the wee hours of Tuesday morning. 'We always say the first game back is the hardest,' Gasol said."

Last night Kobe Bryant scored 44 points in a 95-93 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, and in doing so he vaulted past Los Angeles Laker legend Jerry West into first place on the Lakers' all-time scoring list.

This is important when pondering Bryant's place in Laker lore because West is probably considered one of the top three Lakers of all time, and if this is true then Bryant not only eclipsed West on the scoring list, but on the all-time Laker list as well.

There is a large contingent who will simply refuse to believe this, but when comparing the career numbers of both players Bryant has a slight edge in the category which may matter the most.

They both managed to score 25,000 points in their 14th seasons with the Lakers, but Bryant has three more titles than West, in addition to winning an MVP award, something West was never able to accomplish.

Plus, Bryant has at least four more good seasons in him, a period of time which is more than sufficient to create even more distance between him and West on the scoring list before he retires.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was not only one of the greatest Lakers of all time, but arguably the greatest center the game has ever seen, and is more than worthy to be designated in one of the top three positions.

Kareem is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, but a great portion of those points were accumulated outside of Los Angeles, and Kobe also maintains a slight edge in the number of championships won as a Laker.

In my opinion the greatest player to ever don the purple and gold was point guard Earvin "Magic" Johnson, a player who changed the way the position was perceived, and could be considered a top five player in the NBA's history.

Magic may be the most complete player the game has ever seen, he was able to competently play all five positions on the court, and he was instrumental in helping to save the game during its bleakest hours.

His duel with Larry Bird's Boston Celtics renewed interest in a game which had failed to connect with its fans, and was considered an inferior product compared to other professional sports.

That fact alone separates Johnson from other players on any list because his charm, charisma, personality, and game were partly responsible for saving the very sport itself.

Magic also reigns supreme in the championship department, trumping Kobe's ring total by one, and truthfully, even if Bryant were able to surpass Magic in the title category he would probably still not be recognized as Laker numero uno.

You can attribute that to the "old guard mentality", or a line of thought which says regardless of what Bryant does and who he passes, he will never be considered the greatest.

People who hold these perceptions are unwilling to be strained by the burdens of passing time, but eventually history will force even the most stubborn to bear witness to truth.

Right now Kobe sits at the table with Laker royalty, and he has very likely ascended into the second chair, opposite of the greatest Los Angeles Laker in history, and has the throne within his reach.

Kobe has not bested Magic Johnson yet, but it would be foolish to think with a few more years and a couple of more championships that his name could not be respectfully debated in those terms.

Bryant already has four championships to go along with numerous other accolades, and he is now the all-time scoring leader in the franchise's history as well.

So it's not a stretch to see his future ascension to the pinnacle of Laker history as no more than a matter of natural progression.

 

 

This review was originally published on Stadium Journey.

Amazingly, the Bradley Center is the fourth oldest arena in the NBA.  Opening in 1988, it has the feel of an outdated venue, while still providing excellent sightlines from anywhere in the building.  With $23 million in renovations expected in the years to come, hopefully they’ll be able to give the Bradley Center some much needed attention, especially in the seating areas.  For now, fans will find somewhat cramped seats, but an affordable opportunity to see some NBA action.

 

FANFARE Score

Food & Beverage: 3

You would expect to find sausages and brats in Milwaukee, and you would be right.  I decided to venture off the expected path, and try some BBQ.  In many ways, it’s a great way to know where you are.  In this case, it may have been a mistake.  The pulled pork sandwich tasted like it was bathed in a traditional Chinese sweet and sour sauce—not good at all.

Beer prices were reasonable, and Miller products could be found in abundance as well as offerings from Leinenkugel, a large Wisconsin based brewer.  One of my greatest pet peeves is the lack of offering of a souvenir cup for your soda, which is always an affordable way to find a memento.

 

Atmosphere: 3

I love the enormity of the retired number banners and the 1971 Championship banner that hang from the ceiling of the Bradley Center.  When you imagine Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson suited up for the same squad, you wish that you had been a Bucks fan in the early 70’s.  For this generation X’er, the only other names that I recognized were Sidney Moncrief and Bob Lanier, although I frankly didn’t realize he had an impact on the Bucks organization before the trip.

 

At tip off, music was played well into the first possession, which I thought was overly distracting, but ceased and seemed tame for the remainder of the game.  The Bucks mascot, Bango, was truly hard core, especially when he served as a deterrent for a contest between two fans dressed in sumo gear tackling each as they tried to make baskets the way Bruce Lee would have done it if he were an NFL linebacker.

 

The game I witnessed against the Timberwolves was a blowout so it was hard to get the full effect of how noisy the arena could get, but for the most part the decibel level was fairly tame.

 

Neighborhood: 4

The Bradley Center is situated in the heart of downtown Milwaukee, with plenty of interesting bars and restaurants within easy walking distance.  A walk along the river or down Old World Third Street would be great places to start.  Also, if it isn’t too cold, spend some time meandering along the Wisconsin Sports Walk of Fame.  With 114 members including Hank Aaron, Oscar Robertson, Vince Lombardi, and Al McGuire among others, it’s a great way to spend some time without spending any money.

We began with a stop at Water Street Brewery where they have several homemade brews on tap.  The appetizers were average and the service was very friendly with plenty of TV’s to stay up on the sports action.  Try the “Brew Ton” (think won tons filled with nacho toppings).

Our second stop claimed to have the best brats in Milwaukee, The Milwaukee Brat House.  How that was determined is dubious as they were unspectacular, other than being served on a pretzel roll.  They had a good beer list with 12 beers on tap, and 20 more in the bottle and had a cozy feel.  Being just over a block away from the Bradley Center makes them a good option for pre or post game hang time.

Finally, we tried the Red Accordian, a new bar still trying to find their identity.  The best description I can give is that they are a slightly upscale sports bar and gastro-pub with somewhat goofy sports quotes as the only noticeable wall décor.  They are certainly trying, but perhaps they are trying too hard.  They do have an impressive beer list and a menu that is trying to be avant-garde, but they need to focus a bit more on their true identity.

 

Fans: 4

There is one particularly impressive band of fans in the upper section across from the Bucks bench that deserves a special mention.  Adorned with flags from seemingly every country of the world, and a loud horn, they stood for the entirety of the game cheering fervently for their Bucks, and veraciously against the visiting T-Wolves.  I specially loved their rendition of the J. Geils Band, "Love Stinks" whenever Kevin Love went to the free throw line.

The woman next to me pointed out two Wisconsin elected officials, Bucks Owner and Senator Herb Kohl, and another person, and seemed shocked that I didn’t know who they were.  I told her it was ok, when I went to political games, I could always recognize the basketball players in the crowd.  Apparently, these would be the local celebrities.

 

Access : 5

Parking was an absolute breeze, with a covered lot a block away that cost $10.  It took a little while to get back on the freeway after the game, but certainly nothing unreasonable for a post game exit.  Bathrooms were never crowded, even at halftime.

 

Return on Investment: 3

This was the toughest area to rate.  On the one hand, food was priced effectively and parking is an absolute bargain.  Tickets prices are also very reasonable starting at $9.

On the other hand, my two major complaints are that the food really wasn’t all that good, and the seats are incredibly cramped even in the better sections of the arena.  We sat in about the 15th row, right at center court—absolutely unbelievable seats.  I’m taller than most fans (6’3”) and had my legs pressed against the seat in front of me the entire game.  What’s more, I really don’t understand stadium seating without cup holders.  It affects the fans ability to clap and cheer and is a nuisance (as well as a deterrent to buying additional beverages).

 

Etc: 3

Extra points for the unbelievable fan section I mentioned earlier, the Wisconsin Sports Walk of Fame, and the opportunity to sit below the banners of Abdul-Jabbar and the Big O.

 

Paul Swaney is the Co-Founder of Stadium Journey.

Yeah, so Kobe Bryant broke Jerry West’s record for career points scored by a Laker, which is pretty amazing considering that Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and West played in LA for most or all of their careers. But some people are already calling him the greatest Laker ever, which is patently ridiculous. Greatest HIV-negative Laker ever? I would listen to an argument? Greatest Laker-slash-alleged-rapist ever? Now we’re getting somewhere. I don’t know why I spelled out the slash there.

Anyway, I come not to praise Bryant so much as bury another player from the same game. This is a video of the Grizzlies’ Rudy Gay, who recovered a loose ball only to fire it from three-quarters court with six seconds remaining. And of course, the Lakers pull the rebound and fire a downcourt pass to Bryant, who was waiting on the arc to demonstrate the correct buzzer-beating technique. Nice work and congrats to Kobe Bryant, the greatest HIV-negative Laker ever.

A noite desta segunda-feira poderia ter sido muito especial para o armador Kobe Bryant, do Los Angeles Lakers. O superastro da liga norte-americana conseguiu quebrar mais um recorde individual, no entanto viu sua equipe perder para o Memphis Grizzlies por 95 x 93.

Kobe conseguiu recentemente superar a marca dos 25 mil pontos, que por si só já era bastante significativa para um jogador da NBA. Além disso, terminou a partida com 44 pontos marcados, chegando a 25.208, número que o tornou o maior cestinha da história dos Lakers, à frente de Jerry West (25.192) e de nomes como Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (24.176), Magic Johnson (17.707) e Shaquille O'Neal (13.895).

O camisa 24 profissionalizou-se em 1996, chegando diretamente do basquete do ensino médio, e desde então só atuou pelo time da Califórnia, conseguindo a marca em 13 temporadas - contra 14 de West, que também não teve outra equipe na carreira.

Na partida contra os Grizzlies, Kobe marcou incríveis 44 pontos em 40 minutos de partida. Pegou, ainda, três rebotes e deu mais três assistências. No entanto, o seu time não o acompanhou e viu ótimas atuações de Rudy Gay (25 pontos), Zach Randolph (22 pontos e 17 rebotes) e Marc Gasol (11 pontos e 13 rebotes) que determinaram a vitória da equipe da casa.

Nenê marca 14 pontos e Denver vence
Desta vez atuando como pivô, o brasileiro teve ótima atuação na partida frente ao Sacramento Kings, vencida por 112 x 109 apenas na prorrogação. Em 42 minutos de jogo, Nenê marcou 14 pontos e pegou seis rebotes, e foi muito bem na marcação.

O destaque, no entanto, foi Kenyon Martin. O ala anotou 24 pontos e pegou 12 rebotes. No entanto, a vitória só foi obtida por um desempenho final muito forte de Arron Afflalo, de 12 pontos no jogo. Sempre constante, o experiente armador Chauncey Billups marcou 23 pontos e deu nove assistências.

Confira os resultados da NBA:
Memphis Grizzlies 95 x 93 Los Angeles Lakers
New Orleans Hornets 100 x 109 Phoenix Suns
Washington Wizards 88 x 99 Boston Celtics
Miami Heat 81 x 97 Milwaukee Bucks
Utah Jazz 104 x 92 Dallas Mavericks
Denver Nuggets 112 x 109 Sacramento Kings
Portland Trail Blazers 98 x 79 Charlotte Bobcats

Each weekday morning, BDL serves up a handful of NBA-related stories to digest with your crab cakes.

Mike Bresnahan, L.A. Times: "The shots kept missing, one after the other, Kobe Bryant(notes) misfiring on five of six in the final quarter. He was colder than cold, more so than the 14-degree weather outside, an inopportune time for inconsistency on a team that desperately needed to allay concerns about not being tough enough. Phil Jackson had already asked if Bryant's left ankle was bothering him. Then he wondered why Bryant kept missing shots that normally went down. But Bryant assured Jackson during a late timeout that he would make his next shot. None of it should be surprising anymore, but Bryant buried a 16-footer over Ray Allen(notes) with 7.3 seconds to play, pushing the Lakers to a 90-89 victory over the Boston Celtics on Sunday at TD Garden. [...] In the greater context, they showed they could hang with a physical Eastern Conference team, a necessity after a grinding, pounding loss in Cleveland that had started their eight-game trip a long 10 days earlier. [...] After being humiliated here in Game 6 of the 2008 Finals, the Lakers (37-11) have won their last two games in Boston."

RealGM: "Lakers star Kobe Bryant needs just 28 points to tie Jerry West for the most points scored in franchise history. Following Sunday's win over the Celtics, Bryant has 25,164 points to West's 25,192. He surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for second place earlier this season and he's averaging exactly 28 points per game this year. That puts him on pace to tie, or become the team's all-time leading scorer, on Monday night against the Grizzlies."

Mike Baldwin, The Oklahoman: "The Thunder didn't win the way coach Scott Brooks drew up the game plan Sunday night at the Ford Center. But one byproduct from the Thunder's 112-104 shootout win over the Golden State Warriors was that Kevin Durant(notes) scored 45 points to pass LeBron James(notes) in what is becoming an interesting race for the NBA scoring title. The NBA's scoring leader chart now reads: Carmelo Anthony(notes) (29.7), Durant (29.6) and James (29.4). Posting one of the best shooting percentages in franchise history, Durant drained 16-of-21 shots. He was 11-of-11 at the line. 'Amazing performance,' said Golden State coach Don Nelson. 'To get 45 points on 22 shots or whatever it was, unbelievable. He could post up our smaller guys. He was terrific. Sensational. I'm glad he made the All-Star Game. I thought it was about time.' It's Durant's third-highest scoring outing, trailing a 47-point game last year against New Orleans and 46 points last season against the Los Angeles Clippers."

Gary Washburn, Boston Globe: "Does president of basketball operations Danny Ainge bank on [Ray] Allen, [Eddie] House, and [Rasheed] Wallace warming up down the stretch, or does he add a perimeter shooter who can handle the ball? Because it was obvious in the second half yesterday that the way the Lakers chose to slow down Rondo was to leave him open and not react to his dribble penetration. His outside shot has improved, but in crunch time he remains hesitant. 'You know, Rajon Rondo(notes) had a great game, but he also had a couple of shots we've just got to take,' said Celtics coach Doc Rivers. 'They are going to leave him. I mean, they left him by himself sitting in the middle of the free throw line.' Rondo doesn't have the confidence, while the Big Perimeter Three just aren't making them. So, you bring in reinforcements. An intriguing name could be the Warriors' Raja Bell(notes), a tough defender, premier outside shooter, and the type of veteran Ainge likes. Bell is an impending free agent and underwent wrist surgery in early December. His recovery time was supposed to be three months, meaning he could be healthy at the trade deadline."

Chris Dempsey, The Denver Post: "A weird week of setbacks and 'not quites' has Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony looking at each day, wondering if it's the one when he actually will play again. Sunday was not that day. But according to coach George Karl, today may be. 'I think he'll try to play against Sacramento,' Karl said. '(Not playing against the Spurs), it was maybe the pace of the game, and it's going to be another 36 hours (of rest).' Anthony has missed four consecutive games and may not be out of the woods yet. His biggest setback of the week occurred during the team's flight from Houston to Oklahoma City, when his ankle became more swollen. Although Anthony was fine after the flight from Oklahoma City to San Antonio, Karl was asked if he was concerned about another setback on the flight back to Denver. 'I think different guys have different reactions to altitude,' Karl said. 'There's no question, the flight from Houston to Oklahoma City, there was a setback there. His ankle was sore and got more swollen after that flight.'"

Marc Berman, New York Post: "Timberwolves point guard Ramon Sessions(notes) said a deal was so close with the Knicks last July, he went to bed thinking the next morning it would be done. 'There were plenty of nights I went to sleep thinking it will be done in the morning,' Sessions said. 'There were a lot of different calls back and forth between Donnie [Walsh] and my agent. At the end of the day, it didn't work out.' Sources have indicated the Timberwolves will trade Sessions this summer if they reach an agreement with draft pick Ricky Rubio(notes). Sessions was Minnesota's prime free-agent target after Jason Kidd(notes) signed with Dallas and he would have signed had Walsh not gotten firmer projections in mid-July that the 2010 salary cap would drop to possibly $50 million. 'It was a numbers thing,' Sessions said. 'The salary cap dropped. They're looking to land the big guys this summer. They were trying to hold as much as they could. I thought it was going to be done. The next day it was something different.'"

Terry Foster, The Detroit News: "Magic Hamilton? That might be overstating it, but Pistons guard Richard Hamilton(notes) wants to pass more and get the ball to open teammates like former Lakers and Michigan State star Magic Johnson. 'I have to just be a positive guy on and off the floor,' Hamilton said. 'That means on the floor, instead of being a scorer, maybe be more of a facilitator and try to get guys open and stuff like that. That might help us get more momentum and more into a rhythm in a game and hopefully get us a win.' Hamilton still believes his teammates can score if given the opportunity. Coach John Kuester agrees, but also said the team must do a better job spacing the floor and hitting open shots. He said Hamilton can be a major cog in helping the Pistons spark their anemic offense. The Pistons rank 29th of 30 teams in scoring (91.6 points per game) ahead of only the Nets. The Pistons scored 65 points in a loss to the Heat on Friday."

Fred Kerber, New York Post: "Defensively, the Nets were fine — Philadelphia shot .365 and became the third straight Nets opponent held under 90 points. Offensively, the Nets were the Nets. Enough said. 'We played good defense but we struggled to score,' said Keyon Dooling(notes). 'We're starting to get better defensively but we're struggling to score right now, we're struggling to find points.' And darn that NBA, they put such an emphasis on that whole scoring thing. Maybe if they'd loosen up, the Nets wouldn't be a 4-42 train wreck, the situation they found themselves in as another 'winnable' game became another loss as the offense disappeared in the second half and the Sixers walked off with an 83-79 victory at the Meadowlands. It was a second straight game the Nets played woulda, coulda, shoulda afterwards."

Jonathan Feigen, Houston Chronicle: "Rockets forward Shane Battier(notes) has been playing with a sprained left shoulder that has bothered him since he became entangled with the Spurs' Tim Duncan(notes) on Jan. 22, but it became especially painful Friday against the Trail Blazers. 'It's still sore as hell,' Battier said. 'It feels better not getting hit (Saturday). It was good to have a day not running through the screens Juwan Howard(notes) and LaMarcus Aldridge(notes) were setting.' Battier said the pain increased most when he fell after driving to a charge against Aldridge on Friday. On Sunday he said, he was in pain 'every time I drove the ball.'"

Sam Amick, Sacramento Bee: "Charlotte — which sources say would be very motivated by any trade involving Kings second-year forward Jason Thompson(notes) — has a logjam of centers whom the Kings may inquire about: Nazr Mohammed(notes) (6-foot-10), DeSagana Diop(notes) (7-0), Alexis Ajinca(notes) (7-0) and oft-injured Tyson Chandler(notes) (7-1). The Bobcats may also have interest in the expiring contract of Kenny Thomas(notes) ($8.7 million this season), as he has been highly regarded by Charlotte coach Larry Brown since they were together in Philadelphia."

Brian Windhorst, The Plain Dealer: "On Wednesday, the NBA is expected to announce the contestants for the Three-Point Shootout for All-Star Saturday Night in Dallas. One Cavalier doesn't think he'll be reading his name on the list, but another still may be in the mix. 'I've talked to my agent and we're waiting for an answer,' said Anthony Parker(notes), who has been ranked in the top 10 in 3-point shooting all season. 'I think there's still a chance, but I wouldn't be surprised if they don't select me because they didn't when I was in Toronto.' Daniel Gibson(notes) said on Sunday that the word he's getting from his agent is that he will not be invited. This is despite Gibson being in the top five of the league's 3-point shooters for the last month. Gibson starts the week leading the NBA in 3-point shooting percentage at .478, after making four of five attempts in the Cavs' blowout victory over the Clippers Sunday. 'I've been told it's not going to happen,' said Gibson, a Houston native. 'It is something about not having enough attempts when they were making the decision.'"

45 years ago today, a sold-out Cole Field House at the University of Maryland hosted what is probably the most famous high school basketball game ever played. It featured Power Memorial of New York City against DeMatha of Hyattsville, Maryland.

Power Memorial, led by the phenomenal Lew Alcindor (later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), had won 71 consecutive games. Hardly anyone followed high school basketball at a national level in those days, years before ESPN. Yet, Alcindor had managed to become a national legend. His size (almost 7-3 at the time of the DeMatha game), fluidity, and shooting touch had scouts swearing that he would become the game's greatest center ever. (Some say he accompished this and, in any event, he's the NBA's all-time scoring leader).

DeMatha had no superstar and its starting center, Bob Whitmore, was 6-7. Yet there was little doubt (at least at my Maryland high school) that their fab five -- Whitmore, Bernie Williams, Sid Catlett, Ernie Austin, and Mickey Wiles -- had the potential to beat Power Memorial. In fact, DeMatha had nearly done so the previous year at Cole, falling by a 65-62 margin after Whitmore fouled out (if I remember correctly). Alcindor scored 38 points in that one.

DeMatha coach Morgan Wooton spent the next 12 months gearing up for the rematch. For example, Catlett, who was 6-8, is said to have used a tennis racket during practice to allow the offense to practice against Alcindor-caliber shot blocking.

This time around, Wooton had Whitmore and Catlett double-team Alcindor. The strategy helped limit the great one to 16 points and DeMatha triumphed 46-43. Catlett (only a sophomore) had 13 points and Williams contributed 12.

The game received notice from Sports Illustrated and at least one of the major weekly news magazines. The coverage brought high school basketball a level of exposure it had never enjoyed before.

The two games also put DeMatha and its coach on the map. The program would become perhaps the most storied in the country. When Wooton retired in 2002, his teams had amassed 1274 wins (and 192 losses), and he had already been inducted into the basketball Hall of Fame.

Each member of DeMatha's fab-five would play major college basketbal -- Whitmore and Catlett at Notre Dame; Williams at La Salle, Austin at Syracuse, and Wiles at Maryland. Whitmore would have the dubious honor of guarding Alcindor in the annual UCLA-Notre Dame contest. My recollection is that UCLA won each game, but I think Catlett may have been part of a Notre Dame team that defeated UCLA during one its national championship years after Alcindor graduated.

Only Bernie Williams had any sort of pro career (two years in the NBA and three in the ABA). Catlett had a "cup of coffee" in the NBA. But the fab-five is still remembered after all of these years for their landmark victory, a triumph of teamwork over individual prowess.

After inking a seven year, $121 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1996, Shaquille O'Neal, with the help of Kobe Bryant, lead his new team to three consecutive NBA titles from 2000-2002. 

The Lakers were bounced out of the playoffs by the San Antonio Spurs in '03, but reached the Finals in '04, where they lost to the overachieving Detroit Pistons in five games.

In the summer of '04, management decided to break up the dynamic duo of Shaq and Kobe, who were constantly feuding with one another, and rebuild the team around the much-younger Bryant.  

O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat in exchange for Caron Butler, Lamar Odom, Brian Grant, and future first-round draft pick (Jordan Farmar).

Without Shaq, the Lakers missed the playoffs in '05, suffered first-round exits the following two years, lost in the finals in '08, and then won it all in '09.     

So basically, the Lakers didn't turn into a perennial lottery team by trading O'Neal, but just imagine what may have happened if the deal had never went down.

What if Shaq and Kobe could have worked out their differences and had remained the best of friends and what if head coach Phil Jackson didn't take a one-year leave?

Just how many more championships could they have won together? At least two or three.

It would have been pretty interesting to watch Shaq and Kobe switch roles. Shaq would have went from "The Man" of the team to Kobe's superstar sidekick, much like he did in Miami with Dwyane Wade.

Speaking of D-Wade, he might have been ringless today if he had never joined forces with Shaq. But then again, the Heat could have packaged Odom, Butler, and Grant and acquired another star that Wade could have teamed with to win a title.

You never know.

It's unclear what role players may have been brought in to surround the Kobe-Shaq  duo.

It definetley would have been interesting to see Karl Malone and Gary Payton stick around for at least another year. Malone might have retired with a championship and Payton might have gotten his ring in LA instead of Miami.

You probably would have seen the Lakers sign fairly inexpensive veterans like Alonzo Mourning, who backed up Shaq in Miami, Michael Finley and Antonio McDyess. 

And if the Lakers hadn't traded Shaq, they likely would have owned a lower pick in the '05 draft meaning they could have taken either Danny Granger, Nate Robinson or David Lee instead of Andrew Bynum.

A trio of Kobe, Shaq, and Granger wouldn't have quite been Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and James Worthy, but it would have led the Lakers to tons of victories. 

But does it really matter who the role players would have been?  The Lakers won three titles with a non-All-Star supporting cast that included guys like Derek Fisher, Brian Shaw, and Rick Fox.

As long as they had a healthy Shaq and Kobe, the Lakers could have won with a bunch of middle school kids filling in as the role players.

Yes, the Lakers may have hung a few more championship banners in Staples Center if Shaq was never sent packing, but on the other hand, it could have turned out to be a total disaster.  

We'll never know what may have happened.

Hindsight is 20/20.

By Matthew Belloni Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has sued a New York sports film production company for $1 million for failing to deliver a documentary based on the basketball legend's 2007 book about post-WWI black culture in time to be considered for...

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By Matthew Belloni Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has sued a New York sports film production company for $1 million for failing to deliver a documentary based on the basketball legend's 2007 book about post-WWI black culture in time to be considered for...

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By Matthew Belloni Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has sued a New York sports film production company for $1 million for failing to deliver a documentary based on the basketball legend's 2007 book about post-WWI black culture in time to be considered for...

Basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is speaking out about his diagnosis of chronic myeloid leukemia. Dr. Michael Schuster, an expert on rare cancers and breakthrough treatments, helped us understand what CML is and how we can take a proactive approach to our health.

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True centers are a rare commodity in the NBA, which makes it hard for me to comprehend why the Los Angeles Lakers would even consider parting with Andrew Bynum.

The approaching NBA trade deadline has increased speculation on every spectrum as to where certain players may end up and which teams can improve with a move, but it's just as important to note the deal you choose to decline may be the smartest.

Numerous names have surfaced as posibble targets for the Lakers including Chris Paul, Chris Bosh, and Kirk Hinrich, and all involve trading Bynum, who seriously has a chance to be the NBA's next great center.

Of course, there are numerous obstacles in his path to reach that destination, but the positives in his case far outweigh the negatives, and some opinions which are held about Bynum may not be true.

The biggest fear about Bynum is he will eventually suffer another knee injury and his career will become like Portland's Greg Oden, one that is defined by the body's failure to hold up under duress.

My opinion on Bynum's injury issues differ from the norm because I feel he has been more a victim of coincedence rather than a harbinger of a perpetual injured reserve player.

The injury in 2008 was scary but it could have been worse, and the one in 2009 was caused by Kobe Bryant inadvertently falling into Bynum's knee while off balance.

This is hardly something that's habitual, and his ability to stay relatively injury free this year may stand as a testament to that. Plus, if that's the single biggest concern about Bynum, then trading him would be insane.

Bynum is only 23 years old, in his fourth season in the league, and is trying to master one of the most difficult positions in basketball, and his progress has been exceptional thus far.

Bynum had the privilege of learning the nuances of the game from Laker great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and not only has he accepted Kareem's instruction, he has proved to be a quick study as well.

He was blessed with great size and athleticism, but it's been his aptitude in the paint that has been impressive. He has great footwork, can pivot to either hand, and is developing a decent mid-range shot.

He's also a competent passer in the post and seems to understand the Lakers' scheme, although he does have occassional lapses in judgement and his post defense could use some work.

Bynum's upside is phenomenal, though, as his averages of 15.8 points and 8.4 rebounds this season will attest, and in the absence of forward Pau Gasol, he has at times looked dominant.

This makes me wonder why the Lakers would be interested in dealing a player they have invested so much time and effort into, especially one that is making decent strides to return the investment.

Chris Bosh is the most intriguing option for the Lakers and I am a fan of his talents, but what benefit would a move for Bosh really serve for the Lakers other than to say another player is needed to repeat as champions?

It's not worth trading a player like Bynum, who has the chance to be a legendary player, for someone like Bosh, who is a great player but has little chance to be held in that light.

Furthermore, why should the Lakers make a move at all considering they are the defending champions and they won the title with basically the same roster as they have now?

The deadline is for teams looking to improve their rosters in hopes of elevating their chances for a postseason run, so it makes sense for the handful of other teams with championship aspirations, but not the Lakers.

Los Angeles has shown the ability to be dominant at times this season, and much of that has occurred while Bynum was in the game.  So in truth, the solution for the Lakers lies outside of making a deal.

Bynum does at times look lost in the flow of the Lakers' scheme and there are some areas that could use improvement, but those are problems caused by thralls of youth and are ones that can be corrected.

Remember, he is only 23, so imagine what his game could resemble barring another injury in the next three or four years? We could be witnessing the roots of greatness sprout before our very eyes.

It would be much better to watch those roots blossom into trees in Los Angeles than to see another team receive the fruits of the Lakers' labor because of an ill-fated and unnecessary trade.

I was flipping through channels the other day when I came across the 1992 NBA All-Star Game which was being aired on NBA TV.

There have been many memorable All-Star games over the years, but I strongly feel this game was the best of them all. 

Magic Johnson, who had retired earlier that season upon discovering he had contracted HIV, played in the game after being voted in by the fans to start for the Western Conference.

And Magic didn't let his fans down as he was crowned MVP after recording 25 points and nine assists in a 153-113 victory over the East.

Sure, it was a 40-point blowout, however Magic's heart-warming return to the hardwood made up for the awfully lopsided score.  

The final two minutes of the game brought the Orlando Arena crowd to their feet. Following humorous one-on-one showdowns with Isiah Thomas and Michael Jordan, Magic knocked down a fadeaway three-pointer with about 15 seconds remaining.

Magic's amazing performance wasn't the only reason the game was so enjoyable to watch. 

Fans got to the opportunity to see a plethora of superstars on the court at the same time. In fact, there were twelve of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players of All Time in that game.

Just check out the starting lineups:

 

West                                                                     

Forward—Chris Mullin, Golden State Warriors                                               

Forward—Karl Malone, Utah Jazz                                             

Center—David Robinson, San Antonio Spurs                                        

Guard—Magic Johnson, retired   

Guard—Clyde Drexler, Portland Trail Blazers

 

East

Forward—Scottie Pippen, Chicago Bulls

Forward—Charles Barkley, Philadelphia 76ers

Center—Patrick Ewing, New York Knicks

Guard—Isiah Thomas, Detroit Pistons

Guard—Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls

 

That's nine of the twelve "Original Dream Team" members.

Notable reserves included Hakeem Olajuwon, John Stockton, James Worthy, Tim Hardaway, Joe Dumars, Dennis Rodman, Mark Price, and Brad Daugherty.

Seven players made their All-Star debuts: the late Reggie Lewis, rookie Dikembe Mutombo, Dan Majerle, Jeff Hornacek, Kevin Willis (replacing the injured Dominique Wilkins), Otis Thorpe, and Michael Adams (replacing the injured Larry Bird). 

And just like every NBA All-Star Game, there were several celebrities in the crowd. Among the stars were MC Hammer, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Deion Sanders, Ronnie Lott, and Dwight Gooden. 

It was surely an unforgettable event. 

Maybe one day, we'll get to see an All-Star game that is just as great.

Being the youngest to reach 25K, earlier than Malone, Kareem and Jordan. I think Kobe has a very good shot to catch and breaking Abdul-Jabbar's all-time record, in which i believe he will

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Code:

Kobe Bryant joins an elite list of NBA players by becoming just the 15th player to reach 25,000 points and the youngest of the group.

Name ------------------- Age when reached 25K

Kobe Bryant ------------ 31 years, 151 days
Wilt Chamberlain ------- 31 years, 186 days
Karl Malone ------------ 33 years, 228 days
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ---- 33 years, 249 days
Michael Jordan --------- 33 years, 287 days
Oscar Robertson -------- 34 years, 7 days



Bryant reached 25,000 career points on Thursday,

...

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This man barely beat out The Cancer for Basketbawful's highly coveted "Worst NBA All-Star Ever" award.
NBA All-Star voters: It's official: Allen Iverson is a starter on the 2010 NBA Eastern Conference All-Star Team. You, the fans, wanted it...and now you're gonna get it. I just need to know one thing real quick:

Why in the name of Spiderman's balls did you want it?

When I found out Iverson had been voted in, the first thing I thought was he may be the worst NBA All-Star, well, pretty much ever. Worse than B.J. Armstrong, Chris Gatling, Dale Davis, Jamal Magloire...I had to do some serious digging to find somebody I honestly think was less deserving of an All-Star nod than this season's version of The Cancer. I found one. One guy. His name was James Donaldson. He was a backup center (behind Hakeem Olajuwon and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) on the West team during the 1988 All-Star Game.

Don't feel bad if you've never heard of Donaldson. I was obsessed with the NBA in the 80s, and I had no idea who he was. During his sole All-Star season, J.D. averaged 7.0 PPG, 9.3 RPG and 1.3 BPG with a Player Efficiency Rating of 12.4. According to John Hollinger's reference guide, that PER puts Donaldson somewhere between "scrounging for minutes" and "in the rotation." By the way, in 1988, teams averaged over 108 PPG, which makes his meager 7 PPG average seem even more depressing.

Mind you, the coaches selected Donaldson. At least Iverson has the excuse of being voted in by the fans. Fans are stupid. Coaches are supposed to know the game. (Eddie Jordan, Mike Brown and Vinny Del Negro notwithstanding.) The only thing I can figure is that Donaldson's little girl had terminal cancer and her dying wish was for her daddy to make the All-Star team. And that's all imma say.

On the bright side, the David Stern did some last-minute ballet stuffing to make sure Steve Nash, and not Knee-Mac, got the second starting guard spot on the Western Conference team.

The Los Angeles Lakers: The Lakers are the reigning NBA champs. Do you have any idea what that's like for me? Let's just say I can totally understand what Superman felt like when stopping a volcano sent him to a parallel universe full of evil Super Friends:


On Christmas day, the Lakers were humiliated on national TV by the Cleveland Craboliers. It was a particularly humiliating defeat, not only because they were blown out at home, but because L.A. was outplayed and thoroughly outmuscled by what may be the only team capable of dethroning them in June. The regular season provides relatively few true single-game measuring sticks of a team's ability to contend for a title, but that was one of them for the Lakers.

Fortunately for them, they still had the opportunity for a rematch in Cleveland. Unfortunately for them, they lost that one too. The Lakers wasted a golden opportunity, too, because Mo Williams -- Cleveland's starting point guard and second-leading scorer -- missed the game with a shoulder sprain. (Williams will be out for at least a month.) L.A. started out hot, owning the boards and the paint, and taking a 27-18 lead after the first quarter. But after that, the Crabs got physical and slowly pounded the Lakers into submission.

Remember, this is the same Lakers team that got beaten down by a more physical Celtics team in the 2008 NBA Finals. Last season, they weren't forced to face an elite physical team in the playoffs. If they face the Crabs in the Finals, it could be a problem. Especially if Cleveland wins homecourt advantage, which will be easier now that they've swept the season series with L.A.

After the game, Kobe Bryant questioned his team's toughness: "The mentality has to change a little bit playing against [Eastern Conference teams]. These teams are physical, tough-minded, hard-nosed types of teams. That's not part of our DNA. We have to step up and match that and still play skillful basketball."

Of course, it's worth mentioning that Mamba was out-superstarred by King Crab. Bryant finished with a team-high 31 points, but he shot 12-for-31 and finished with more turnovers (3) than rebounds (2). James, on the other hand, had a game-high 37 points (13-for-25 from the field, 10-for-13 from the line) to go along with 5 boards, 9 assists, 2 steals and a blocked shot. LeBron wasn't perfect -- he had 4 turnovers and went 1-for-8 from downtown -- but he made a convincing argument for Best Player in the League status. And, more importantly, he also illustrated pretty clearly that Ron Artest isn't going to slow him down. Nobody is. He's that good. Imagine what he'd be like with a real coach who ran actual plays.

Kobe bristled at the idea that the Lakers and Crabs have a rivalry -- "No," Mamba said before the game, "not at all." -- but Cleveland has taken seven of their last games against The L.A. Team. You know that has to get under Bryant's skin. Speaking of which...

Kobe Bryant, quote machine: When asked whether he was going to talk to his team about the loss, Mamba said: "They know I'm pissed. I don't have to say anything right now." He also "joked" about strangling "every single one" of his teammates. Again, he shot 12-for-31. I'm just sayin'.

Update! Pau Gasol, the Spanish Marshmallow: As Anish noted in the comments: "how can you not mention Pau's buckle at the end of the game. He couldve tied it up, but decided to miss both free throws and on the next Lakers possession, Kobe passes it to Pau for an almost uncontested layup and manages to get blocked. Quality sequence from the big man in the fourth quarter." Cortez described Gasol's performance thusly: "He was playing like a sheet of damp (with urine) 1 ply toliet paper in the late stages."

Pictured: Kobe blaming his teammates.
The Cleveland Cavaliers: Before the Crabs (and the media) get too happy about this win, somebody should pose the following question: If the hometown Crabs won the rebounding battle and held L.A. to 38 percent shooting, why did the Lakers still have a chance to steal this game going into the final minute?

Mike Fratello, unintentionally dirty quote machine: Submitted by a hammered BW in Cleveland: "Pau doesn't get it up strong enough."

The Los Angeles Clippers: Despite pulling out a close win over the Bulls at home on Wednesday night, Thursday night's 105-85 loss to the Nuggets in Denver proved that the Clippers are indeed who we thought they were. Actually, this was probably a case of the dreaded back-to-back syndrome. The Other L.A. Team kept things close through the first two quarters -- they were actually up by a point at the half -- but got outscored 34-17 in the third quarter. That was pretty much the game.

Mind you, the Clippers were playing without Eric Gordon (sprained left big toe) and Sebastian Telfair (groin), both of whom got injured during the Bulls game. Not exactly the situation you want going into a season-long eight-game road trip.

Weird fact: The Clips went 1-for-17 from three (tired legs) but outscored Denver 48-28 in the paint. The Nuggets went 11-for-22 from downtown and had a 37-19 advantage in free throw attempts, which I'm sure had nothing at all to do with home cooking.

Lacktion report: Phil Jackson singlehandedly ensured Chris would have some lacktion to report:

Lakers-Crabs: Sasha Vujacic climbed up the Deadly Towers for a 13 second Mario, while DJ Mbenga countered a board with a foul and turnover for a 2:1 Voskuhl in 1:34.

If you head over to Cleveland.com you will find an interview with Shaq in which he lists his top five favorite centers. The list is excluding Shaq himself, and starts with Hakeem Olajawon. Following Hakeem is Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell and Moses Malone. Shaq describes his favorite part about each of these centers, and [...]

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On Jan. 19, a new professional league, The All-American Basketball Alliance (AABA), announced that it intends to start its season in June.

However, the AABA is not your ordinary basketball league: it only allows natural-born United States citizens with both parents of Caucasian race to play in the league.

In other words, the league consists of white players only.

Why would the AABA commit to creating a league with such racial implications?

"It has come to the attention of the principals of the (All-American Basketball Alliance) that white basketball players are essentially ’shut out' of conventional professional basketball due to the proliferation of non-organized play on the court," AABA organizer Don Lewis told newsone.com . "With players on other professional teams carrying guns, attacking fans in the stands, and going through the motions of playing the game, fundamentally sound white players are a vanishing species."

"Here's a league for white players to play fundamental basketball, which they like," Lewis added.

By claiming that white players have the ability to play more sound and fundamental basketball stands as a great insult to all the non-white NBA legends over the decades: Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Connie Hawkins, and Kobe Bryant, just to name a few.

Lewis' comments primarily pertain to the athleticism African-American players possess in leagues all over the U.S, particularly in the highest league of all, the NBA, in comparison to the white players who allegedly lack athleticism.

In no way, shape, or form do all white players in the NBA who are deficient in athleticism, for instance, have more fundamentally sound games than other "colored players" in the league.

Lewis even implied that current basketball players do not engage in organized basketball play, while hinting that the AABA players will change that major defect in basketball nowadays.

That's amazing, Mr. Lewis.

The AABA organizer's comments also touched a very delicate and often un-addressed issue in today's society: racism.

Even though Lewis pointed out that his remarks do not indicate any kind of hatred or bias towards one race over the other, his comments contradict his rather outrageous claims.

Hinting to Gilbert Arenas' gun incident and the famous Indiana-Detroit brawl in 2004 while pinning those skirmishes to African-American behavior is saddening and racist.

In addition, if the AABA league truly gets underway by June, there will be a necessary change that will have to occur to the name of the league: The word "American" should be completely omitted.

It's funny to say that a seven-footer is in the shadow of someone that stands 6'8", but that's exactly what is happening in Cleveland this season as Shaquille O'Neal has let superstar LeBron James have all of the spotlight.

But last night, the loveable Shaq stepped out of that shadow for a moment as his 16-point performance made him one of five players in NBA history to reach the 28,000-point plateau.

O'Neal now trails just Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the all-time scoring list. And though it is highly unlikely he will move any further up the list, you simply can't deny that Shaq will be remembered as one of the most dominant players to in the game of basketball.

Some would say Chamberlain's absurd, night-in night-out high scoring performances would make him the most dominant. Others would say Jordan's killer instinct and load of talent in every aspect of the game would give him that label. Eleven-time NBA champion Bill Russell also often enters this discussion.

If you believe O'Neal isn't the most dominant player in NBA history, I would agree with you. However, I am confident that Shaq will be revered as the most physically dominant player to ever play.

His 7'2", 330-pound frame certainly plays a large factor in his dominance, but his ability to do anything he wants in the post, his ability to control defenses by drawing double teams, and his ability to pass out of those double-team situations are what make him the most physically dominant player.

I'm a huge stats guy, so let me throw some statistics your way if I still don't have you convinced. In O'Neal's rookie season with the Magic, he averaged 23 points and 13 rebounds, becoming the first rookie since Jordan in 1985 to be named an All-Star.

He followed his rookie season with 10 consecutive seasons of averaging at least 26 points and 10 rebounds. During that span he also won a league MVP award, three titles with the Lakers, and three NBA Finals MVPs. O'Neal was also named an All-Star during each of those seasons. His 15 All-Star appearances rank him second behind Abdul-Jabbar's 18.

People often argue that O'Neal has always been complimented by another superstar, so his four titles aren't as impressive as they seem. O'Neal tag-teamed with Penny Hardaway and Grant Hill in Orlando, Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles, Dwayne Wade in Miami, and now with James in Cleveland.

He has always benefitted from other supreme talent around him, but during his prime with Los Angeles, O'Neal was the go-to-guy. He was the one who took control of games, he was the one the Lakers looked to in the clutch, and he was the one player they couldn't live without. That was proved mightily as it took the Lakers a couple of seasons to get back on their feet after O'Neal's departure.

Miami was a different story. The Heat were unquestionably led by Wade, but just the presence of O'Neal in the post was enough to keep defenses honest with Wade. And though it was Wade's team, Shaq still averaged 19 points and eight rebounds in three-and-a-half seasons with Miami.

O'Neal's brief stint with Phoenix was regarded as a failure early, but O'Neal proved fans and critics wrong by putting up 17 points and eight rebounds per game to show that he still had something to give to the game of basketball other than entertainment.

Now with the Cavaliers, O'Neal is averaging a meager 10 points a game, but scoring isn't the role that he was expected to fill. That's what James is for. O'Neal was brought in for the sole purpose of putting a defensive powerhouse in the post to handle Dwight Howard and other big men that have plagued Cleveland. So far, so good.

The Cavs are 32-11 after Tuesday's 108-100 victory over the Raptors. And though O'Neal is clearly on the fringe of retirement, all he has to do is stand in the paint to be that physically dominant force we will always remember.

NBA career points leader

1) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - 38,387
2) Karl Malone - 36,928
3) Michael Jordan - 32,292
4) Wilt Chamberlain - 31,419
5) Shaquille O'Neal - 28,014

Impressive, was still a great achievement to be able break in to the top 5 of all time. Kobe will joined the list and be there soon

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CLEVELAND (AP) -- Cleveland Cavaliers center Shaquille O'Neal has become the fifth player in NBA history to score 28,000 points.

With his first basket on Tuesday, a layup in the lane in the opening minute against Toronto, O'Neal joined Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387), Karl Malone (36,928), Michael Jordan (32,292) and Wilt Chamberlain (31,419) as the only players to reach the milestone.

O'Neal, who is in his first season with

...

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Houston (EEUU).- La maratoniana jornada que se celebró el lunes, día la festividad de Martin Luther King, dio paso a otra reducida con sólo dos partidos que permitieron al alero LeBron James ser la gran estrella, mientras que el pívot Shaquille O'Neal y el escolta Dwyane Wade lograron marcas individuales.

De nuevo la figura de James estuvo presente en otro triunfo más de los Cavaliers de Cleveland que se impusieron por 108-100 a los Raptors de Toronto para consolidar el liderato de la Conferencia Este.

El partido llegó con el aliciente de ver el duelo individual de James y el alero Chris Bosh, las dos grandes atracciones en el próximo mercado libre de verano, envueltos en rumores de cambio.

No defraudó el buen espectáculo deportivo que ofrecieron tanto James como Bosh, en el plano individual, al igual que el trabajo de ambos equipos, pero al final fue la presencia y protagonismo de la figura de los Cavaliers lo que decidió el triunfo.

James, que se quedó a las puertas de un nuevo triple doble, lideró a los Cavaliers con una aportación de 28 puntos, 11 asistencias, nueve rebotes, puso tres tapones y recuperó tres balones en 41 minutos que estuvo en el campo.

Junto a James, el base Mo Williams le ganó el duelo a los hombres bajos de los Raptors con la combinación del base español José Manuel Calderón y Jarrett Jack, para conseguir también un doble-doble de 22 tantos con 10 asistencias.

Por si lo anterior no había sido suficiente, el veterano O'Neal, de 37 años, estuvo brillante en el juego ofensivo al conseguir 16 puntos (7-10 de tiros de campo) y capturó cinco rebotes.

O'Neal se convirtió en el quinto jugador en la historia de la NBA que alcanzó la marca de los 28.000 puntos como profesional, aunque al concluir el partido reivindicó que, sin los fallos en los tiros de personal, tendría ya más de 30.000 tantos.

"Me siento bien por la marca, pero creo honestamente que está más que superada si, como mínimo, hubiese anotado la mitad de los más de 5.000 tiros de personal que he fallado", valoró O'Neal. "De cualquier manera estoy contento".

O'Neal con una penetración a canasta al comienzo del partido alcanzó la marca que le permitió unirse a la lista de los legendarios Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38.387 puntos), Karl Malone (36.928), Michael Jordan (32.292) y Wilt Chamberlain (31.419), como los únicos jugadores que llegaron a los 28.000 tantos.

"Estoy feliz de ser el quinto en la lista donde delante de mi hay grandes nombres y también por detrás", comentó O'Neal. "Siempre he sido un jugador que sólo me siento realizado cuando veo toda mi trayectoria profesional y aunque es importante la marca tampoco será algo que me haga volver loco".

La victoria fue la segunda consecutiva de los Cavaliers para consolidar su liderato en la Conferencia Este con marca de 32-11 y la dejaron en 15-3 para los partidos disputados en su campo del Quicken Loans Arena.

Ahora, los Cavaliers esperan con un día de descanso el duelo del jueves contra Los Ángeles Lakers, campeones defensores de liga, y líderes de la Conferencia Oeste.

Bosh volvió a ser el líder destacado de los Raptors (21-21) al conseguir un doble-doble de 21 puntos, pero sólo cinco en la segunda parte, con 10 rebotes y tres asistencias, mientras que Bargnani llegó los 19 tantos y capturó seis balones bajo los aros.

Si O'Neal logró su marca individual, la figura encestadora de Wade, su ex compañero en la conquista del título de la NBA, volvió a tener una noche estelar y también tuvo la suya de los 11.000 tantos en la victoria de los Heat de Miami por 113-83 ante los Pacers de Indiana.

Wade fue el jugador clave y consiguió marca personal, al aportar 18 de sus 32 puntos en el primer cuarto del partido para llevar a los Heat a la tercera victoria seguida ante los Pacers.

El escolta estrella de los Heat anotó 12 de 20 tiros de campo, incluidos 4 de 6 triples, para superar la marca de los 11.000 puntos en su carrera, con una canasta en el segundo cuarto.

"Es el resultado del trabajo de todos los compañeros y los entrenadores que siempre han confiado en mi trabajo", comentó Wade. "Lo importante es acompañar la marca con otro triunfo y seguir mejorando como equipo".

Wade por noveno partido en su carrera anotó cuatro o más triples, distancia que no es su especialidad.

Los Heat (21-19) consiguieron su sexto triunfo en los últimos 10 partidos disputados, para seguir terceros en la División Sureste.

El alero Michael Beasley colaboró con 21 puntos para los Heat, que lograron una ventaja de 36-19 en el primer cuarto y de 23 tantos al iniciar la segunda mitad del partido, sin que en ningún momento los Pacers pudiesen aspirar al triunfo.

El pívot Jermaine O'Neal aportó 10 puntos más para el equipo de Miami, que incluso se dio el lujo de dar descanso a la mayoría de sus jugadores titulares durante el último cuarto.

Los Pacers (14-27), que sumaron dos derrotas seguidas y son últimos en la División Central, tuvieron al escolta Brandon Rush como líder al conseguir un doble-doble de 17 puntos y 10 rebotes.

Rubén Mantilla

Shaquille O'Neal reached 28,000 career points tonight with an opening layup in the Cleveland Cavaliers' win over the Toronto Raptors.

The 15-time NBA All-Star has come a long way since his start as a dominant, but questionably hefty college player at LSU.  

A rap career, a stint acting in movies, and his more recent (more successful) ventures into the reality television and social networking realms all pale in comparison to the overall dominance and scoring ability that Shaq has displayed throughout what has been an unbelievably healthy stretch for a player of his size.

Although Shaq is humbled to be in the presence of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Michael Jordan, and Wilt Chamberlain, the man nicknamed "Diesel" has another goal in mind.

Amid speculation that the Cavaliers' "Shaq experiment" was little more than a ploy to keep LeBron James in Cleveland and belief that it may be a failure, there is nothing that O'Neal would cherish more than another championship ring.

Not even his 28,000 points.

by Caesar Cliffius

Punching someone in professional sports is absolutely unacceptable if the sport is neither boxing nor mixed martial arts.

Sure emotions may run high during the course of a baseball game or any other competitive game for that matter. Violence is not the answer and appropriate actions and penalties should be meted out to deter such incidents from happening.

The springboard for this article is the recent event that transpired in the Dominican Republic. If you haven’t seen the video or heard about the incident please allow me to bring you up to speed.

Jose Offerman, the two-time MLB All-star utility player is the current manager for the Licey Tigers. Catcher Ronnie Paulina was thrown out of the game by umpire Daniel Rayburn for arguing balls and strikes. Offerman rushed out and took up the argument himself before throwing a right hand at Rayburn. On the video it is unclear if the punch even landed but Rayburn fell to the ground as though hit by Iron Mike Tyson.

Offerman was escorted off the field by security officers and taken to the local police station.

This is not the first time Offerman has shown his propensity for violence. In 2007 while a member of the Long Island Ducks, he was batting when he was hit by a fastball thrown by pitcher Matt Beech. Jose charged the mound still armed with his Louisville Slugger, and struck Beech and catcher John Nathans with it.

Nathans subsequently sued Offerman for $4.8M because he was left with permanent injuries which ended his baseball career.

It is time that professional baseball associations take a close look at violence and decide on a penalty which will not only be a deterrent but an absolute non-forgiver.

Yes, I am speaking of suspending a player for at least one year without pay, if not banning him from the sport forever. I am not just speaking of baseball either. Look at basketball. Ron Artest completely disgraced himself and his organization by allowing his emotions to take control of his body.

In 1977 the Los Angeles Lakers were playing the Houston Rockets. A scuffle ensued and Kermit Washington, in retaliation puched one of the Rockets. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar grabbed the Houston play in a protective gesture and Washington looked away to see Rudy Tomjanavich running toward the altercation. As Rudy ran toward him, Washington hit him with a right hand that leveled him in a pool of blood. It was a horrendous sight. Here is is if you wish to view it.

Hockey is undoubtedly the worst culprit when it comes to violence. I believe it has tamed itself to a degree, but there was  a time when you couldn’t wantch a highlight without seeing at least two men throwing hands.

Here is my point: if I want to watch fighting I will watch a boxing match or a mixed martial art bout. I don’t expect baseball players to act like they are performing at the Coliseum in front of Caesar in a death match.

I know some have the mindset that it is no big deal, let boys be boys, a little fighting never hurt anybody (look at the video of Rudy T and tell me that), tired idioms, ad nausem.

If an athlete realizes he will be banished from the sport forever, if he throws a punch, I think there would be a bit more biting of the tongue and letting bygones be bygones.

Basketball aficionados speak about the value of a "Big Three" to a team's championship hopes.
In the 1980s, the Boston Celtics (Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parrish) and the Los Angeles Lakers (Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy) featured prototypical trios that produced NBA titles.

Blake Griffin will undergo season-ending surgery, the L.A. Clippers announced Wednesday afternoon. The forward will spend the rest of the year on the mend in a sport coat, having played zero minutes in a rookie campaign that was supposed to save a moribund franchise.

Today, many Clippers fans will join a crowded bandwagon alongside supporters of the Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers, and Milwaukee Bucks.

Griffin now faces the same uphill battle as Yao Ming and Greg Oden. Andrew Bogut, who missed a large chunk of last season with a back injury, also knows the struggle.

These distraught fans will again ask a popular question. "Why can't these heralded big guys stay healthy?"

The implications of these season-terminating ailments reach beyond the affected franchises.

The list of players hurt most by the Clipper forward's disheartening ankle woes will not include Griffin.

Cole Aldrich, Greg Monroe, Dexter Pittman, Craig Brackins, and Patrick Patterson could all be in for longer nights than expected when the 2010 NBA Draft invades Madison Square Garden's theater. More than ever, teams will be hesitant to use high draft picks on players 6'10" or taller.

If Oden could not stay on the court for half of his young career, if Yao seemed likely to not play at all this season, and if Bogut has showed all the durability of Scotch Tape holding together an 88-story skyscraper, why should franchises invest in more pain when it yields so little gain?

Aldrich, Monroe, and the others highlight a draft class stocked with would-be stellar forwards and a few promising centers. Outside of John Wall, the point guard prospects look sketchy, perhaps shuddersome.

A June night that could have belonged to bigs again may instead turn into another evening of smalls, both guards and forwards.

Aldrich, for example, has shown a lot of potential at Kansas, upping his average from three points and three rebounds to 15 points and 11 rebounds. The NBA comparison, though, listed on NBADraft.net is concerning. Who wants to be the next Raef LaFrentz?

A likeness to Brooz Lopez qualifies as flattering, though the Nets forward—averaging 19 points and 10 rebounds—does his work on a squad that could obliterate the NBA's worst ever regular season mark.

Griffin suffered his initial ankle injury in the preseason. Before that setback, he had displayed a skillset and a determination worthy of a first selection.

The same qualities coaches saw in the forward at Oklahoma manifested in L.A.

He played a brilliant Summer League, winning the tournament's MVP honor. Even if the Vegas showcase amounts to a series of scrimmages where the final outcome is meaningless, Griffin's performances meant something.

Now, a Clippers franchise mired in a perpetual funk must continue its playoff push without maybe last summer's biggest haul.

Larger than the Richard Jefferson trade, the Lakers' Ron Artest coup, the Celtics landing Rasheed Wallace, and the Cavs' trade for Shaquille O'Neal, Griffin's arrival was to give new life to the Staples Center's other tenants.

What now?

 

Take a Pass? Dejuan Blair Becomes More Than an Exception

Passing on a forward or center with impact potential can prove costly. Just ask any team that picked before the San Antonio Spurs last June.

Dejuan Blair, the 37th selection in the 2009 draft, became the first rookie since Tim Duncan to notch a 20-20 game. His hustle and interior bravery helped the Spurs beat the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday in Duncan's absence.

Popovich opted to rest his franchise star a night after Duncan played 39 minutes in a home drubbing of the L.A. Lakers.

In the first seven minutes of the first quarter in OKC, Blair poured in 10 points and grabbed six rebounds. He took advantage of the Thunder's lackluster bulk up front with putbacks in traffic, offensive rebounds to give the Spurs extra possession after extra possession, and several dunks in pick-and-roll situations.

Most have called Blair the undisputed steal of the draft. ESPN True Hoop 's Kevin Arnovitz called the Spurs "robber barons."

It is becoming increasingly clear, however, that other teams just missed what was in front of them. The Spurs were lucky he fell to the second round, and other teams should heed the lesson from this the next time this situation arises.

Medical examinations just before the draft revealed the Pitt product had no anterior cruciate ligaments. That discovery likely prompted team doctors to flag Blair as a prospect not worth the risk.

At the time, it was hard to fault those skeptical physicians.

No ACLs? I cannot remember another NBA player with Blair's rare condition.

Now, the mass concern about the 6'6" forward's durability and size issues looks foolhearted.

If the New York Knicks could do that night over again, would they take Jordan Hill over Blair?

Would anyone who drafted a big outside of Blake Griffin still do the same and pass on a player with a history of responding to doubt?

Giving first-round money to a player with so many questions to answer was a risk—one more GMs should have considered taking.

The NBA is a risk-reward business. By the time Blair fell to 37, right in Spurs GM R.C. Buford's lap, he was all reward, no risk.

 

Why the Clippers, Blazers, Rockets, Bucks Made the Right Choices

Hindsight is convenient for those of us not in a war room on draft night.

It is useless now for the front offices in L.A., Portland, Houston, and Milwaukee. Criticize the selections of Griffin, Oden, Yao, and Bogut if you want, but remember the following.

No team in the last decade won a championship without a dominant back-to-the basket player, the exception perhaps being Detroit. Even in that case, the Pistons reached consecutive NBA Finals because Rasheed Wallace was a persistent post player in addition to a long-range bomber.

It is no coincidence that the Pistons' title chances faded as Wallace's forays inside lessened each year.

Shaquille O'Neal and Tim Duncan won seven of the decade's first nine championships.

The Boston Celtics won with a bruising frontline of Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins. Garnett may be more of a jumpshooter than his peers mentioned above, but he still makes a living hauling down boards at the room.

The L.A. Lakers returned to the NBA's mountaintop thanks to the acquisition of Pau Gasol, a skilled post player with length and remarkable playmaking ability.

Andrew Bynum, another post force who worked for several years with Laker great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, represents L.A's future star.

Dwyane Wade led the Miami Heat's 2006 championship charge, but O'Neal still played effective, muscular ball. The leviathan center had been in the MVP discussion the previous year.

More teams will shy away from big men with size because of injury concerns, preferring to build around hybrid forwards and 6'10" leapers with a jumpshot.

Though Griffin qualifies as the latter and is not yet a post behemoth in the Duncan mold, you can bet Mike Dunleavy wanted him to become more like No. 21.

Even the best jumpshooting forward of this generation, Dirk Nowitzki, needed to add an inside game to realize his potential. Former Dallas Mavericks coach Avery Johnson demanded that Nowitzki bolster his arsenal with some Duncan-like moves.

In 2006, Nowitzki's Mavs ousted Duncan's then defending champion Spurs.

Most of the teams that came up short in 2000s championship series did so because their bigs were not dominant enough.

Dwight Howard too often disappeared on the offensive end in the 2009 Finals. Nowitzki appeared afraid to attack O'Neal in the paint and settled for contested fadeaways and other assorted jumpers.

Some teams will pass on youngsters like Aldrich to their detriment.

I can count with my fingers the number of squads built around or that utilize a back-to-the-basket big. I can also count with my fingers the number of squads with a chance to hoist the Larry O' Brien trophy in June.

There is a correlation, and it explains why Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard selected Oden when most already knew Kevin Durant would be the better player.

A franchise with a chance to take the next Duncan or O'Neal cannot be faulted for doing so when things go awry.

Durant may earn an All-Star berth this year and lead his team to the postseason, but the Thunder need more inside scoring to become a title threat.

They need an inside player. You know, like Oden.

The risk is that a team wastes a pick on the next Sam Bowie. Whether you think Pritchard wasted a golden opportunity, Portland made the right choice.

As did Houston, Milwaukee, and the other L.A. team.

The only first pick to win a title in his first two seasons in 20 years is Duncan, and that matters.

Most of the top-shelf selections since, though, have proven to be injury-prone disappointments, and that also matters.

To Aldrich, Monroe, and any other tall college standout with big plans in June.