The final two rounds of the NBA playoffs are poised to determine not only the league’s next champion, but also which players make the biggest strides as corporate pitchmen this summer.

On that front, the 2010 postseason is shaping up as a classic battle of point guards: the Suns’ Steve Nash vs. the Celtics’ Rajon Rondo. Both are underdogs in their respective conference finals (though the Celtics’ Game 1 road win over Orlando gained them an early edge). But should they both advance to set up a Boston-Phoenix final, a lot of endorsement dough could be at stake.

Nash has been one of the league’s brightest stars for years, winning two MVP awards, but his less than explosive game (he doesn’t soar and dunk) and lack of a championship ring has left him off the radar of top advertisers. If he beats Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in the Western Conference finals, and then goes on to win it all, a new audience appears, experts think.

“His strength is that he’s a player the average kid can identify with,” says sports marketing specialist Bob Dorfman of Baker Street Partners of the 6-foot-3, 180 pound guard. Often passed over by Nike ( NKE – news – people ) as a featured endorser, Nash set out to expand his marketing horizons by making humorous Vitamin Water videos and interning at a New York advertising agency during the off-season. The image of his wounded eye during the Suns’ second-round sweep of San Antonio would seem to make him ideal for a funny spot for Band-Aids or aspirin.

Rondo, meanwhile, has spent his first three seasons deferring to the Celtics’ veteran stars. But his recent dominant play has the 2010 playoffs shaping up as his coming out party–he outplayed LeBron James during the last round in front of a national audience. A title this year would be his second, but his first as top banana, almost always a springboard to riches off the court.

Among other key players in this year’s final four, the Lakers’ Kobe Bryant has the least to gain after nabbing his first championship ring without co-star Shaquille O’Neal last year. At this point in his career, another league title (he had three during the Shaq years) might seem as routine as the fifth moon landing. Among the Lakers, there’s more marketing upside for center Pau Gasol, seen as an interesting guy who’s known to hang out with tenor Placido Domingo, and Zen master coach Phil Jackson, who has long encouraged his players to read novels on the road. A humorous cellphone spot for Gasol, perhaps chatting with Domingo or his brother Marc, a fellow NBA center, might hit the spot. For Jackson, why not match his voracious reading habits with technology in a plug for the Amazon Kindle?

Then there’s the subplot of the Eastern Conference final between Boston and Orlando: the battle of Gatorade big men Kevin Garnett and Dwight Howard. A featured player in Gatorade’s new “G” campaign a year ago, Garnett has yielded screen time to the younger Howard in this year’s “Gatorade has Evolved” version of the campaign.

Call it investing in the young and dynamic over the old and injured. But Garnett seems to be on the verge of turning things around, scoring lots of positive press for his willingness to play hurt and for his intense “win at all costs” approach. At the same time, there’s a growing sense that Howard, good as he is, hasn’t quite lived up to the hype generated by his wide marketing appeal. His popular Super Man imitations, used on ESPN SportsCenter ads, would resonate more with an NBA title.

“I think he’s got to win it this year,” Dorfman says. “And he hasn’t had a great playoff so far.”

Steve Nash, Rajon Rondo serious players for endorsement dough is a post from: AroDrive

Even after a complete and utter annihilation of the Orlando Magic in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals, a game that the Celtics dominated early and never looked back, Doc Rivers insisted that this series wasn’t over. His team had won the game, yes, but they hadn’t broken the Magic’s spirits.

“They’re going to come back in the next game and they’re going to give us their best shot,” Rivers said after Saturday night’s 94-71 laugher. “They’re a competitive group, and we know that. Quite honestly, we’re not good enough to let up. I can tell you that. And they’re good enough to get it going. And so we have to be very conscious of that.”

There you have it. Straight from the coach’s mouth — the Celtics have this Magic team down, but not out.

But then you listen to the guy manning the other sideline. He’s singing a totally different tune.

“The most disappointing thing to me was that I didn’t have our team better ready to play,” said Stan Van Gundy, humiliated and crushed after Saturday’s loss. “That was what was disappointing to me — my job. That was the most disappointing. It starts with me. It’s my job. I’m the coach of this team. It starts with me. I’m not happy with where I had our team tonight, anything about what I did, my plan, any adjustments, anything.”

He sounds like a man who’s been thoroughly defeated. Outclassed, outwilled, outcoached by Rivers and the Celtics.

This series is a battle of the last two champions in the Eastern Conference. Both teams have proven their mettle in recent memory — the Celtics took down the East and won the NBA Finals in six games two years ago, and the Magic made the finals last spring. There should be no confusion at this stage. Everyone knows what they’re playing for.

And yet somehow, inexplicably, the Magic sound lost.

“I just think that right now we’ve got to find ourselves,” Dwight Howard said. “These last three games, we haven’t played like Orlando Magic. Seemed like tonight our bodies were here, but our minds weren’t. Our hearts seemed like they weren’t into it. I don’t know what happened.”

You could sense all night long that the Magic just didn’t have the heart — the “compete level,” to borrow a hockey term — to keep up in Game 3. Every loose ball, the Celtics dove for it and the Magic were a step slow. Every rebound, the Celtics were all over it and the Magic barely tried. The playoffs are a test of who can be tougher, who can fight harder. And the Magic got absolutely humiliated in that department.

“All season long, I don’t think there’s been a game where the other team outplayed us, outhustled us, and just worked harder than us,” Howard said. “But they’ve done that for the last three games. And that’s why they’re ahead.”

This is how bad it got: Early in the fourth quarter, with the Celtics up 30 and a 3-0 series lead for the men in green looking pretty much certain, the fans at the TD Garden broke into a full-on chant of “Beat L.A.” with Orlando, statistically the best team left standing and the absolute hottest team in the NBA over the last two months, right there soaking it in.

Fans in Boston can say a lot of nasty stuff, but “Beat L.A.?” That’s just offensive.

“A lot of things offend us on the court,” Howard said, “but we just have to keep playing. We can’t allow that to, like, mess with our heads. Like I said, we know we’re in a tough situation, but we’ve just got to keep fighting. Like I said, I won’t give up. You know, my team, we’re going to come out with a better effort and just try to make it a series.”

Of course they’ll try, but with their current mind-set and their defeated attitude, it’s hard to imagine them finding much success.

Stan Van Gundy, Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic in a State of Confusion is a post from: AroDrive

He can envision looking toward the home crowd and seeing President Barack Obama in the stands, cheering him on as he tries to resurrect the Washington Wizards.

“That would be big time,” he said.

That would also describe the task at hand if he winds up in Washington, where the Wizards are coming off a brutal 26-56 season that included the death of longtime owner Abe Pollin and Gilbert Arenas’ suspension for bringing guns into the Verizon Center locker room.

They finally got some good news on Tuesday when they won the draft lottery, and now, they have a decision to make.

Do they take Wall, the dynamic freshman point guard from Kentucky or Evan Turner, the national player of the year for Ohio State? Or someone else?

The NBA draft is June 24, and while Wall appears to be the front-runner, Turner isn’t conceding. Whoever doesn’t get picked by Washington, could wind up with Philadelphia at No. 2.

“That’s a goal for everybody growing up as a kid,” Turner said. “You want to be the one picked. If it doesn’t happen that way, I’m going to be cool with it. As long as I get to play in the NBA, that’s my dream come true.”

The same goes for Wall. The two figure to have some explosive matchups when they meet in the NBA, though the competition playing out at the moment is pretty intense, too.

“I think they could choose between two really good players,” Turner said Thursday at the NBA draft combine. “John’s a great player, he’s young, he’s smart, he’s a nice guy.”

Wall was a highlight reel staple last season while leading Kentucky to a 35-3 record, the SEC regular-season and conference tournament titles and the NCAA regional finals in its first season under coach John Calipari. The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 16.6 points and 6.5 assists per game and was SEC player of the year.

Now, he has a chance to be taken with the No.1 pick after one year in college, just like another spectacular point guard who played for Calipari — All-Star Derrick Rose, who went to the Bulls in 2008 after a year at Memphis.

If Wall doesn’t go to Washington?

“I won’t really be too surprised,” Wall said. “A lot of people say I should be the pick. That’s what I feel for myself. I work hard all year, and I’m going to keep working hard. It’s whatever the organization needs for their team at that time.”

Wall talked with Rose and LeBron James during the season, hoping to pick the brains of two players who were heavily hyped entering the NBA.

He said Rose told him, “You’ve got to work hard. You can’t let it get to you. They’re going to say certain things. Some of it’s going to be positive, some of it’s going to be negative. Whatever’s negative, you’ve just got to deal with it.”

If the Wizards go with the 6-foot-7 Turner, they would be getting a player who missed 4 1/2 weeks with broken bones in his back, yet wound up leading Ohio State to one of its best seasons.

The Chicago native averaged 20.4 points, 9.2 rebounds and 6 assists while shooting 52 percent from the field as a junior after being moved to point guard. Ohio State posted the second-most wins in school history while going 29-8, capturing a share of the Big Ten title, winning the conference tournament championship and reaching the NCAA’s round of 16 before falling to Tennessee.

Turner will work out with the Wizards, and he believes his versatility could sway them. After all, he made a smooth transition to the point after a decision by coach Thad Matta that raised a few eyebrows since he was prone to mistakes with the ball and had never played the position. Turner doesn’t care which guard position he plays in the NBA.

“I don’t think it matters at all,” Turner said. “As long as I’m out there being able to play basketball and compete, I’ll be fine.”

Asked why he should be the No. 1 pick, Turner said: “I did a lot of work this year, all the adversity I came back from, my maturity level now. Not to be arrogant or cocky, I won every national player of the year award. That kind of puts a little inner confidence toward me, and I think I can help a team.”

John Wall, Evan Turner: A Fight for the No 1 Draft is a post from: AroDrive

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was fined $100,000 for making public his interest in Cleveland Cavalier LeBron James in advance of the July 1 start of the National Basketball Association’s free agency.

Cuban’s comments during an online interview May 18 violated the league’s anti-tampering rules, said Joel Litvin, NBA president of League and Basketball Operations.

Cuban was asked during his appearance on CNNMoney.com if he was interested in acquiring James.

“Come July 1st, yeah, anybody would be interested in LeBron James,” Cuban said. “If he leaves via free agency, it’s going to be tough. If he does like I’m guessing, I’m hoping that he will, which is to say ‘I’m not going to leave the Cavs high and dry’ — if he decides to leave — there’s still a better chance he’s going to stay — then he’ll force a sign-and-trade and that gives us a chance.”

Cuban acknowledged the fine on his Twitter Web site.

“For those of you who care about these things,” Cuban wrote. “NBA just fined me 100k for comments regarding another teams’ players.”

Steve Kerr, Phoenix Suns president of Basketball Operations, was fined $10,000 for violating the anti-tampering rules during Sports Illustrated’s radio broadcast, The Dan Patrick Show, on May 14.

Patrick asked Kerr where the Suns stood among those who wanted James.

“If he’ll take mid-level, we’ll give it to him,” Kerr said, laughing. “Five and a half million. I think he’ll take it, don’t you? I want him to stay in Cleveland. I think it’s good for the league when stars stay with their own team. It’s good business when teams can keep their core together and fans can get connected to those players.”

David Stern Fines Mark Cuban One Million Dollars is a post from: AroDrive

Kobe Bryant-LeBron James: The dream NBA finals that might never happen

The NBA, Nike and their TV partners (ABC and TNT) have been selling this dream finals ever since LeBron was drafted number one overall.

Everything has been done by these two franchises to see this dream final comes to pass, a Kobe-LeBron finals will be a blockbuster series in every way possible and in these hard times-the league and its partners really needs it.

So, what have they done so far to make this dream a reality?

Kobe and LeBron has arguably the first and second best teams in the NBA, Kobe is a part of maybe the best ran sports franchise in America and they have once again put together a cast of talent that can continue winning championships for the next two to three years.

LeBron on the other hand has an organization faced with the presence of a once in a generation talent  and just like the Chicago Bulls in the late 80’s, they are working tirelessly to ensure they are able to get the best result possible out of this talent.

The Cleveland Cavalier’s are faced with the possibility of losing LeBron to a big market franchise and have thus put together a squad built to win a championship today.

Now, let’s talk reality.

The Los Angelis Lakers and the Cleveland Cavaliers face some very tough challenges this year in the playoffs.

From the article Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in a World of Trouble (Berber-shop Conversations):

In two previous seasons the Lakers have always played their best basketball at the end of the regular season and roar into the playoffs, this season they literally crawled into the playoffs.

Kobe had been carry this team all season long and it’s continuing again in the playoffs. In game two of the first round playoffs series against the Oklahoma Thunder, no one on the Lakers team was willing to take a shot and the best closer in the game today essentially grabbed the ball and said stop me, scoring 15 fourth-quarter points, including six consecutive after the Lakers fell behind.

That has become the mantra of this Lakers team; Derek Fisher just looks tired, Bynum can’t stay healthy, Artest can’t seem to pick up the triangle offense, Lamar and Gasol though solid on some nights are still performing disappearing acts most nights.

The Lakers bench the main reason they won last year seems to be more than content with the ring they already won.  This team has become so dependent on Kobe that Phil Jackson played the 14 year veteran an average of 40 minutes a game this season. Click here to read the complete article.

In the second round series between the Los Angelis Lakers and the Utah Jazz this trend continues, in game one the black mamba had to take over the game again in the fourth quarter while everyone else just sat back from the best seats in the arena and watch Kobe win another game for them.

Yes, the rest of he’s cast came around and helped out in game two with Bynum, Gasol and Odom posting double-doubles and crushing the spirit of the Utah jazz in the fourth quarter.

And like I said above, this has become the major issue with the Lakers. Kobe’s supporting cast not consistent and though they are the best team in the league talent wise, they don’t play like it on most nights.

The West has some of the NBA’s best talents as evident in the The NBA’s Best Players 2009-2010 A-List Edition with the West having more players ranked than the East teams. Click here to see the complete list.

NBA History say experience will always beat talent and with the west boosting some of the best talents and experience, the Lakers inconsistencies might have worked well to eliminate the young and inexperienced Oklahoma Thunder and might be good enough to eliminate the shorthanded Jazz.

But, the second Western conference semi final has two of the most consistent and experienced teams still left in the playoffs in San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns.

From the article Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in a World of Trouble (Berber-shop Conversations): San Antonio by virtue of the talent and experience on the team are the Lakers true threat if they ever meet. The other true contender is the Phoenix Suns.

Steve Nash who in the article The NBA’s Best Players 2009-2010 was ranked number two by the A-List team and deservingly so is playing at a different level, no matter which players are removed or added to this team the Phoenix Suns never miss a beat.

The Suns have the personal to match up well against the Lakers and have the experience needed too.

The Spurs and the Suns unlike the Lakers are playing the best basketball of any team right now and everyone on the squad contributes equally helping the stars on the teams to play more relaxed basketball.

If the Lakers don’t start playing consistent basketball, look for the Spurs or the Suns in the NBA Finals.

Unlike Kobe who is playing for arguably the best coach in the game today in Phil Jackson, LeBron James biggest problem in my opinion is he’s coach.

While Mike Brown seems to be a very good defensive coach… he has no idea has to run an offense.

A team with Daniel Gibson, Delonte West and Mo Williams all good point guards in some respects-and yet LeBron James runs the offense while everyone else stands around. Mike Browns strategy: give the ball to LeBron and hope for the best.

Last year’s Eastern conference Finals, Mike Brown was out coached by Van Gundy and his excuse: we couldn’t stop Dwight Howard. Ok, now they have Shaquille O’Neal and in the three games this year against the Orlando Magic Dwight was completely subdued. So I guess that took care of that. So now we await this year’s excuse.

From the article LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers a runaway Freight Train The Cleveland Cavalier are the deepest and the most complete team in East, with the addition of Antawn Jamison and Shaquille O’Neal the Cavs are a match-up nightmare for the best in the League and that’s where the problem begins for the rest of the East.

Boston, Orlando and the Atlanta Hawks are the other good teams in the east and each team has its own major issues.

In a team with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo has become the super star, as the other stars on the team continue to struggle while Rondo has been as steady as a rock and the main reason they are still competitive. With stats like PPG: 13.7 RPG: 4.40 APG: 9.8 Rondo is ranked 12th on  The NBA’s Best Players 2009-2010 by the A-List and is the only Boston Celtic on the top 15. Click here to see the complete List.

But, experience will always beat talent, hence pedigree says that, by virtue of the championship rings that litter their starting lineup — the Celtics are the only team in the East with Championship experience. From the article LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers a runaway Freight Train. Click here to read the complete article.

Everyone seems to have written off the Boston Celtics as old and tired and already placed LeBron and the Cavs in the NBA Finals. The only problem with that is: the Celtics might be old but you can be rest assured, they are not tired.

This is a championship caliber group of guys and just like the San Antonio Spurs in the west, these guys know how to win it all.

The Orlando Magic on the other hand looked like they are ready to make a run again at the NBA finals with a very impressive beat down of the Atlanta Hawks in game one of the Eastern Conference semi finals.

Again from the article LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers a runaway Freight Train: The Magic are the biggest disappointment in my book and Van Gundy is up to his old tricks. In Miami he was unable to include Shaq into his offense; Pat Riley took over and won a championship.

Then for some dumb reason the Orlando Magic with a younger version of Shaq in Dwight Howard hired a coach who does not know how to use big men in his offensive strategies.

Dwight Howard is not a part of the offense, he makes his baskets from rebounds or a pass to him after all other options has been exhausted. A team like this cannot be a threat to a team like the Cavs or the Celtics.

So, will the Cavs meet the Lakers in the Finals? Or better still, are we going to have a LeBron-Kobe Final?

A consistent Lakers team and a change in Mike Brown’s strategy is what is needed to have that dream come true this year.

We don’t know how many good years Kobe really has in him.

So if it doesn’t happen this year, it might never happen again.



Kobe Bryant-LeBron James: The dream NBA finals that might never happen is a post from: AroDrive

This freight train is on a wild ride and taking down everything in its path.

The Bulls went down in four, ok, so they won a game. But, I guess anyone can win a game in front of a home crowd especially if you have Derrick Rose taking over games to the point that James decides he needs to guard him down the stretch.

While the west is entangled in a virtue dog fight with Kobe and the Lakers facing all sorts of troubles, LeBron James is having a party in the East-kicking ass and taking no prisoners. For more on Kobe Bryant and the Lakers troubles in the West-read: Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in a World of Trouble (Berber-shop Conversations)

The Cleveland Cavalier are the deepest and the most complete team in East, with the addition of Antawn Jamison and Shaquille O’Neal the Cavs are a match-up nightmare for the best in the League and that’s where the problem begins for the rest of the East.

Boston, Orlando and the Atlanta Hawks are the other good teams in the east and each team has its own major issues.

In a team with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo has become the super star, as the other stars on the team continue to struggle while Rondo has been as steady as a rock and the main reason they are still competitive. With stats like PPG: 13.7 RPG: 4.40 APG: 9.8 Rondo is ranked 12th on  The NBA’s Best Players 2009-2010 by the A-List and is the only Boston Celtic on the top 15. Click here to see the complete List.

In the off season Boston added Rashid Wallace and so far, that has been a bust.

The Celtics might still have the same personnel on the squad but they are in no way the same squad that won a championship two seasons ago. For some reason they can’t seem to find that magic touch again.

Ok, here’s the funny part: With all the above issues with the Celtics-they are still the Cavaliers biggest threat in the East.

Experience will always beat talent, hence pedigree says that, by virtue of the championship rings that litter their starting lineup — the Celtics are the only team in the East with Championship experience. From the article Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in a World of Trouble (Berber-shop Conversations) Click here to read the complete article.

Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks are both young and still looking for their identity and are in no way a threat to the charging Cavs.

The Magic are the biggest disappointment in my book as Van Gundy is up to his old tricks. In Miami he was unable to include Shaq into his offense; Pat Riley took over and won a championship.

Then for some dumb reason the Orlando Magic with a younger version of Shaq in Dwight Howard hired a coach who does not know how to utilize big men in his offensive strategies.

But, Van Gundy is not all to blame. From the article Shaq is Superman and Dwight Howard?: Howard stands about 7 feet and yet he finds it hard to dominate around the basket, mostly because he’s fundamentals are flawed – for a big man he has yet to master the art of keeping the ball high above he’s shoulders when he catches or rebounds the ball.

He also lacks the know how to make a layup around the basket without bouncing the ball first and that’s the main reasons he’s easily stripped by 6 feet guards and why he turns the ball over so much under the basket. Click here to read the complete article. Howard is ranked 5th on the The NBA’s Best Players 2009-2010.

The Cavs have done everything to ensure that LeBron has enough help and now they boost a team that can easily defeat an all star team from around the league.

Having issues with Dwight Howard from last years conference finals, so they got Shaq.

Can’t get enough scoring from Mo William? so they got Jamison and so far everything has worked out like a charm.

It’s worked out so much that the old Shaq annihilated Dwight in all three meetings this year. So, who is Superman now? I guess LeBron as he’s Ranked at the top of the pie in The NBA’s Best Players 2009-2010.

The freight train has no threats in the East, so who can stop the Cavs from the West?

Read: Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in a World of Trouble (Berber-shop Conversations)

LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers a runaway Freight Train is a post from: AroDrive

This is not an overreaction to the Lakers losing two games in Oklahoma to a team that is nowhere close in comparison to the Phil Jackson’s all star cast in experience or even in talent.

Everyone seems to be comparing the Lakers crisis in Oklahoma to last year’s situations against an inexperience and shorthanded Houston Rocket squad. But I tell you this is not the same in any stretch of the imagination.

Finally back in DC and went to my favorite Barber shop to see all the guys giving me a hard time on the AroDrive.com page on facebook with regards what they call “my Kobe bias”- all because of my article Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James: Is Bryant Better Overall? – Barber-Shop Conversations where I emphasized the difference between LeBron and Kobe and how much more Bryant’s talent was refined at this point in time and I got blasted from all angles even with all the legitimate points I made.

Needless to say almost everyone I know believe LeBron James is the best basketball player in the NBA. Read the article Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James: Is Bryant Better Overall? – Barber-Shop Conversations for yourself and tell me what you think.

That said, I walked into a mob of Kobe and Lakers haters at the shop and they couldn’t wait to gloat, they believe the era of Kobe is over and a new generation is born.

So let’s examine the points against the Lakers and their goal to repeat as champions.

In two previous seasons the Lakers have always played their best basketball at the end of the regular season and roar into the playoffs.

The Lakers might not have played perfect basketball in the past but Kobe had always had the Midas touch even in poor shooting nights. But for some reason-call it injuries or age he has was unable to deliver in those two loses to Oklahoma and no one else on the squad seem to be able to step up to the plate and help out.

Kobe had been carry this team all season long and it’s continuing again in the playoffs. In game two of the first round playoffs series against the Oklahoma Thunder, no one on the Lakers team was willing to take a shot and the best closer in the game essentially grabbed the ball and said “stop me”, scoring 15 fourth-quarter points, including six consecutive after the Lakers fell behind.

That has become the mantra of this Lakers team; Derek Fisher just looks tired, Bynum can’t stay healthy, Artest can’t seem to pick up the triangle offense, Lamar and Gasol though solid on some nights are still performing disappearing acts most nights.

The Lakers bench one of the the main reason they won last year-seems to be more than content with the ring they already won.  This team has become so dependent on Kobe that Phil Jackson played the 14 year veteran an average of 40 minutes a game this season.

The Lakers performances the last month of the regular season and through the first round of the playoffs has been more unsightly than inspirational.

They have blown early leads, been out rebounded, out hustled and in most cases simply manhandled by opponents and after a long season Kobe is beginning to show signs of exhaustion.

These signs have been more evident in the playoffs with Kobe unable to find he’s shots and have even missed free throws when he gets to the line which has been seldom.

Kobe no doubt is hurt and thus not driving hard to the basket, so he has to live and die by the jump shot. This means Kobe will have to have a good shooting night every night if he hopes to win a series against better opponents in the West.

With all the above points, I guess I can see why everyone will think the Lakers are in crisis and will not repeat as Champions.

But, everyone has forgotten that this is the NBA, the most predictable of the four major sports in America.

History always repeats itself and in this case history says that, by virtue of the Lakers winning their first two games to start the series — Phil Jackson’s teams are 44-1 when they begin a postseason series with a win.

And, experience will always beat talent, hence pedigree says that, by virtue of the championship rings that litter their starting lineup — 10 for the Lakers and zero for the Thunder and Jazz — they will win this series.

But I guess the outcome of the Lakers Semi Final series is not what’s in question here.

The West might be filled with very solid teams but most lack the needed playoffs experience it will take to beat a Phil Jackson coached team.

All the so called experts said the Dallas Maverick were Lakers true threat. Like I’ve said a thousand times before, as long as Dirk Nowitzki is the center piece of that squad they will never be a threat to anyone and San Antoniomade the point to everyone again in their first round series by not double teaming the perennial all star and formal league MVP and the results? Well, you tell me.

San Antonio by virtue of the talent and experience on the team are the Lakers true threat if they ever meet. The other true contender is the Phoenix Suns. Steve Nash who in the article The NBA’s Best Players 2009-2010 was ranked number two by the A-List team and deservingly so, is playing at a different level, no matter which players are removed or added to this team the Phoenix Suns never miss a beat.

The Suns have the personal to match up well against the Lakers and have the experience needed too.

There is no other squad in the west that can beat the Lakers four times in a seven game series, so with all the crisis that seem to be plaguing Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, I still see them playing basketball in June.

Will they win a championship this year? That depends on the NBA Finals opponents from the Eaast.

Read: LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers a runaway Freight Train from the east.

Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in a World of Trouble (Berber-shop Conversations) is a post from: AroDrive

LeBron James scored 15 of his 40-point haul in a spectacular fourth quarter display as the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Chicago Bulls 112-102 on Monday to seize a 2-0 lead in their Eastern Conference playoff series.

James added eight rebounds and eight assists in helping the Cavs retain homecourt advantage in the best-of-seven first round series over a determined Bulls team.

“(The Bulls) kept scrapping and every time they would do that (we) would hit a big shot,” James told reporters after making 16-of-23 shots from the field.

“In Game One, I was feeling out the defense too much and they were giving me the jump shot. I had to take it.”

The score was tied 77-77 at the end of the third quarter before the Cavaliers scored five unanswered points at the start of the fourth.

The Bulls twice pulled within three points in the final few minutes but Cleveland responded with three-pointers from James and Jamario Moon, who finished with 12 points.

The Cavaliers were strong from long range the entire game and shot 56 percent from the field while making 10-of-20 three pointers.

Joakim Noah scored 25 points and made 13 rebounds for Chicago, while Derrick Rose scored 23 and made eight assists.

Game Three is in Chicago on Thursday.

LeBron James shuts up Joakim Noah and the Bulls with 40 points is a post from: AroDrive

Everyone is making a big deal of the Joakim Noah comments with regards Cleveland and Kevin Garnett. The Cleveland comments were not really that interesting or surprising, so we focus on the Garnett comments.

First of all, Noah is right about Garnett, he’s very dirty player and that’s just how he plays. Rodman was a dirty player too and yet maybe the best defensive player of all time.

I know Noah have no right to be talking about another series especially because he’s series with the Cavs is beginning to look like a sweep. Notwithstanding, he’s absolutely right and with he’s team facing a sweep he might as well enjoy watching the games like the rest of us.

After the Bulls’ Game 1 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday, Noah said he watched the other three Game 1s later that day and had some interesting commentary on the heated game between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat.

“That was unbelievable yesterday, that Boston-Miami game,” Noah said Sunday following the Bulls’ workout at Quicken Loans Arena. “He’s unbelievable, that guy. I’m gonna say it: He’s a dirty player, man. That’s messed up.”

The dirty player in question is Boston’s Kevin Garnett, who was ejected for hitting Miami’ Quentin Richardson with an elbow during a stoppage. After his unsolicited condemnation of Garnett, Noah was asked if the Celtics All-Star should be suspended for Game 2.

“I don’t make the decisions, but he’s always swinging elbows, man,” Noah said. “I’m hurting right now because of an elbow he threw. It’s unbelievable, man. He’s a dirty player. I mean, it’s one thing to be competitive and compete and all that, but don’t be a dirty player. He’s a dirty player.

“He knows what he’s doing is wrong. And then afterward he says … I shouldn’t even be talking about this stuff. It’s crazy.”

And for the record, Paul Pierce really, really needs to stop being a drama queen.

Joakim Noah: Kevin Garnett dirty, Paul Pierce a drama queen is a post from: AroDrive

The Bulls saw the all new lean and mean Shaquille O’Neal who returned to the Cavs lineup after missing the team’s final 23 regular season games with a thumb injury which he underwent surgery on and had a solid outing with 12 points on 5-9 shooting, five rebounds, four assists and three blocks in 25 minutes.

Thanks to the brilliant play from the big man the Cavs didn’t even need a legendary game from LeBron James to handle the Chicago Bulls 96-83 Saturday afternoon at the Q in Cleveland.

Mo Williams is working hard to put last year’s miserable playoff performance behind him as he scored 19 points on 8-14 shooting and a career playoff-high 10 assists in 38 minutes, as the Cavs got off to a fast start, outscoring the Bulls 32-18 in the first quarter and never looked back.

Just like in the Lakers V Thunder game, the Cavs just lost interest in the game down the stretch and let the bulls back into the game. What happened to sticking it to a team when they are down and sending a message that they don’t stand a chance in the series?

Bulls guard Derrick Rose had a double-double with a game-high 28 points on 13-28 (.464) shooting, 10 assists and seven rebounds in 43 minutes. Joakim Noah tallied 10 points on 4-9 (.444) shooting, eight rebounds, three assists, a postseason career-best three steals and three blocks in 35 minutes.

Hopefully game two will be a blowout?

LeBron James and Shaq’s return too much for Derick Rose and the Bulls is a post from: AroDrive

Just like everyone else I was looking forward to the Kobe V Durant battle at the Staples Center, instead Artest put the proverbial lockdown on the NBA scoring leader, Durant. While Thunder guard Rusell Westbrook, revealed to the world a second scoring threat for Oklahoma City in a 87-79 losing effort to the Los Angeles Lakers Sunday at Staples Center in Game 1. Westbrook scored 23 points.

It was Ron Artest for the Lakers and Russell Westbrook for the Thunder. Not a Kobe Bryant V Kevin Durant battle. I don’t know about you but I thought the Lakers seemed disinterested down the stretch and allowed the very young Thunder squad to get back into the game.

The game looked like a blowout from the get go and with Artest clicking on defense and Andrew Bynum playing like an allstar there was no reason for the game to be so close throughout the fourth quarter.

Bynum scored 13 points, grabbing 12 rebounds to go along with four blocks in 30 minutes of playing time. Pau Gasol had 19 points and 13 rebounds and the Lakers twin towers just proved to be too long and too tough for the inexperienced Oklahoma Thunder.

Durant felt the pressure as he finished with 24 points, but never looked comfortable. He was just 7-of-24 shooting from the field in his first playoff game.

Kobe Bryant was he’s usual casual demeanor as he played loose and finished with 21 points.

I personally really didn’t enjoy the game, for some reason I really expected to see the Kevin Durant of the regular season and hoped (and prayed) he goes for 40 points. But I guess it’s just game one of the best of seven. Game two is on Tuesday April 20 at 10:30 p.m. ET on TNT.

Ron Artest performed a Kevin Durant disappearing act – Lakers vs Thunder is a post from: AroDrive

Is time for the NBA playoffs a time where stars are made.

But first we thought we look back at the season that was and rank the best players in the league this season.

Please keep in mind this is not a lifetime achievement award the question here is: who played the best basketball in the NBA for the 2009 – 2010 season?

To rank these players we used a combination of individual stats, team’s performance and individual’s contributions to games outcome.

These are the A-List top 15 of the NBA 2009-2010

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15. Brandon Jennings – PPG: 15.5 RPG: 3.50 APG: 5.8

Brandon Jennings has been a spark for the perennial loosing Bucks, scoring 55 points — including 29 in the third quarter in a game this season and has revived the career of the big Aussie Andrew Bogut. Jennings’ amazing performance set an NBA record, passing LeBron James as the youngest player ever to score 50 points.

Jennings has Milwaukee Bucks set at the number 6 spots in the eastern conference and looking to make some noise in the post season for the first time in a long time thanks to the brilliance of A-List candidate for rookie of the year Brandon Jennings.

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14. Gerald Wallace – PPG: 18.3 RPG: 10.10 APG: 2.1

Charlotte Bobcats (or as I like to call them Jordan Bobcats(Add Link) have gone from a team nobody wants to see – to one of the most exciting franchise in the NBA. The Gerald Wallace – Steven Jackson combo has delivered the franchise’s first winning season.

Gerald Wallace’s amazing offense and he’s individual defensive prowess has lifted the play of his teammates and revived the spirit of basketball fans in Charlotte. Read Michael Jordan, the Face of the Bobcats – for more on the struggles, disappointment and emergence of the Charlotte Bobcats.

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13. Dwyane Wade – PPG: 26.5 RPG: 4.90 APG: 6.6

This is a no brainer, Wade is nothing short of spectacle unfortunately he’s playing for a very bad team and most nights he’s best efforts has not helped he’s team win. This is why he’s been ranked this low on our list.

The Miami Heat’s are playoffs bound again thanks to the play of Wade and partly due to the fact that the east is full of bad teams.

He’s also a candidate for a super team for the 2010 free agency: read LeBron, Dwyane, Durant: NBA Dynasty of this Decade for more on 2010 free agency and NBA Super Teams.

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12. Rajon Rondo – PPG: 13.7 RPG: 4.40 APG: 9.8

This is a team with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen but all three guys have had their struggles this season but Rondo has been as steady as a rock and is the main reason they are still competitive.

He has come through for the team when they needed a spark on offense with clutch shots or a crucial assist and is fast becoming one of the NBA’s best defensive players providing he’s team important stops or steals that has resulted in thrilling victories this season.

Rondo is young and gutsy and I strongly believe he will be a good leader on a Super Team, read LeBron, Dwyane, Durant: NBA Dynasty of this Decade for more on 2010 free agency and NBA Super Teams.

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11. Dirk Nowitzki – PPG: 25.1 RPG: 7.70 APG: 2.7

Dirk’s numbers over the years have always been solid and for the first time he might actually have a shot at going all the way and this time actually winning a title.

Dirk’s cast of characters includes future hall of famer Jason Kidd, the human Matrix Shawn Marion, a happy Caron Butler and a center I never liked in DC but seem to have found he’s second wind in Dallas – though he never had a first!

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10. Manu Ginobili – PPG: 16.6 RPG: 3.80 APG: 4.9

Manu like every other member of the San Antonio Spurs was bugged down by injury all season long but he came back with a vengeance and now has the Spurs positioned for a strong playoff push.

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9. Brandon Roy – PPG: 21.5 RPG: 4.40 APG: 4.7

The talent of Brandon Roy is undeniable and for another season he is playing out of he’s mind and has he’s team positioned for the playoffs again.

With Portland’s acquisition of Marcus Camby and Roy getting healthier this team will make some noise in the playoffs.

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8. Carmelo Anthony – PPG: 28.3 RPG: 6.60 APG: 3.3

This team is going through some very serious internal issues from George Karl’s re-occurring cancer to the whole team finding it hard to keep a winning streak going late in the season.

But this has been another monster season for Anthony and with the addition of Chauncey Billups this team looks like they could be ready to give the Lakers a run for their money if they can find their mojo this playoffs.

Anthony is the heart and soul of this very solid team and with he’s recent performances against the best teams in the league (Lakers, Orlando, Boston and Cavaliers) this team might be ready for an NBA finals appearance and might even be lifting the title in june.

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7. Kevin Durant – PPG: 30.1 RPG: 7.60 APG: 2.8

They might call LeBron James the King and that might be true in the Kingdom of Cleveland, Ohio but Durant is the undeniable emperor of the NBA this season, so far he’s been virtually unstoppable and for the first time Oklahoma Thunders are going to make the playoffs.

Am personally looking forward to the first round matchup of Kobe v Durant.

He’s also a candidate for a super team for the 2010 free agency: read LeBron, Dwyane, Durant: NBA Dynasty of this Decade for more on 2010 free agency and NBA Super Teams.

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6. Joe Johnson – PPG: 21.2 RPG: 4.60 APG: 4.9

The Hawks has improved tremendously since the arrival of Johnson in Atlanta and with excellent play in the clutch from Johnson this team has beating some of the best teams in the league this year in convincing fashion including a beat down of Boston earlier this year.

He’s also a candidate for a super team for the 2010 free agency: read LeBron, Dwyane, Durant: NBA Dynasty of this Decade for more on 2010 free agency and NBA Super Teams.

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5. Dwight Howard – PPG: 18.4 RPG: 13.20 APG: 1.7

I will like to rank Dwight Howard much lower than number 5 as I don’t think Howard really impacts games as much as he’s been hyped to be doing.

From the article Shaq is Superman and Dwight Howard?: Howard stands about 7 feet and yet he finds it hard to dominate around the basket, mostly because he’s fundamentals are flawed – for a big man he has yet to master the art of keeping the ball high above he’s shoulders when he catches or rebounds the ball, and lacks the know how to make a layup without bouncing the ball first, these are the reasons he’s easily stripped by 6 feet guards and why he turns the ball over so much under the basket. (Click here to read the article)

However, Howard is still one of the biggest presence in the middle and he’s team is the second best team in the NBA and he’s numbers are solid all around.

I also believe he can be a great center on a Super Team with the right coach and a pass first point guard. He has nonetheless been very vital in a couple of games this season hence he’s ranked number 5.

He’s also a candidate for a super team for the 2010 free agency: read LeBron, Dwyane, Durant: NBA Dynasty of this Decade for more on 2010 free agency and NBA Super Teams.

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4. Deron Williams – PPG: 18.7 RPG: 4.00 APG: 10.6

The Jazz are on a tear and Deron Williams is leading the charge with teammate Carlos Boozer this team had a breakout season that has not been seen in Utah since the days of Karl Malone and John Stockton.

Williams play is vital for a Super Team read LeBron, Dwyane, Durant: NBA Dynasty of this Decade to see which other stars he might fit best and for more on 2010 free agencies and NBA Super Teams.

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3. Kobe Bryant – PPG: 27.0 RPG: 5.40 APG: 5.0

The Black Mambo is the best player in the NBA but then again that is an argument that will go on for as long as this two players are are still playing, from the article: Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James: Is Bryant Better Overall? – Barber-Shop Conversations: Kobe breaks down opponents with finesse while hardly breaking a sweat. He reminds me of Jordan’s game after he came back from he’s first retirement for the 1995-1996 season. (Click here to read more)

The defending NBA Champions are in a very good position to win it all again and Kobe Bryant though hampered by injuries all season seem to have not lost a step hitting one game winner after another and still putting up big numbers.

If you are wondering why Kobe Bryant is ranked so low though he’s having a very remarkable year and he’s team has the best record in the western conference again.

Kobe has probably the best team in the NBA and though Ron Artest and Gasol have not played relatively well this season and Bynum can’t seem to stay healthy, they are still the best team in the league with arguably the best coach in Basketball.

So in my opinion they should have a better record.

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2. Steve Nash – PPG: 16.6 RPG: 3.30 APG: 11.0

The best all around offensive player in the NBA is at it again, pushing he’s team again into the playoffs.

No matter which players are removed or added to this team Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns never miss a beat thanks to the brilliant mind of the floor general.

I truly believe that the Phoenix Suns along with the Dallas Mavericks are the only threat to the Lakers in the west.

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1. LeBron James – PPG: 29.7 RPG: 7.30 APG: 8.6

What more can I say? From the article Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James: Is Bryant Better Overall? – Barber-Shop Conversations: For now LeBron is still improving on he’s game and adding new assets to he’s portfolio every day. Last year he added the long range shot and so far it seem like he’s 3 point shots are getting better. (Click here to read more)

LeBron James is a triple double waiting to happen every night and with the addition of Shaq and Antawn Jamison this team looks to be set to win it all this season.

This is LeBron James one chance to win a championship in Cleveland and I have a strong feeling both David Stern and the referees will ensure that happens.

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So what do you think of our rankings?

The NBA’s Best Players 2009-2010 is a post from: AroDrive

For anyone in doubt that LeBron James is too Big for Cleveland and might want to make the move to the media capital of the world this off season to take full advantage of what the big apple has to offer should think again.

You’ll be able to see LeBron James in theaters this fall in the documentary ‘More Than a Game,’ which follows his high school basketball career, but that won’t be all. Next summer, James will make his feature-film debut in ‘Fantasy Basketball Camp,’ where he’ll play himself. The story follows five guys as they go to Vegas to live out their fantasy by attending James’ camp, according to the Associated Press. The film begins production next summer and will be produced by Brian Grazer.

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For more on all the LeBron James Championship run, off season trade, movies and much more click here.

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“I initially sought LeBron out because my 8-year-old son, Thomas, and I were just dying to meet him,” Grazer told AP. “But I felt that beyond being one of the world’s great superstar athletes, here was someone so relaxed and comfortable with himself that he would have the capability to be that way on screen. Later, when I watched him host ‘Saturday Night Live’ and saw his advertising work, it was clear he can do this.”Could LeBron be following the footsteps of his new teammate Shaquille O’Neal?

From Brian Windhorst at the Plain Dealer:

James said Wednesday that his summer schedule, which apparently is getting closer to being finalized with a movie he’s set to star in taking shape, may not allow him to take part in the FIBA World Championships in Turkey in August and September. [. . . ]

The Hollywood Reporter reported this week that Malcolm D. Lee has signed on to direct the movie and Peter Steinfeld is writing the screenplay. Lee has directed “Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins” and “Undercover Brother.” James said he met with Lee in Cleveland last week. Steinfeld has written “Analyze That” and “21″ among others.

James wants to be not just the biggest basketball player but the biggest sports star on the planet and with Tiger Woods caught with he’s pants down literally, (Click here for more on the Tiger Woods Saga) the stage has been set for King James to step in and he knows that will never happen with him in Cleveland.

For more on all the LeBron James Championship run, off season trade, movies and much more click here.

LeBron James – Yes to Hollywood, No to FIBA Championship is a post from: AroDrive

For years, people have been asking what the Cleveland Cavaliers could do for LeBron James.

Now, if you’ll pardon a less than presidential paraphrase, it’s time to ask what LeBron can do for the Cavs.

That’s not to say he hasn’t done a lot already. In late spring 2007, James delivered the franchise to a place it had never been, before or since – the NBA Finals. Looking back, one is well-advised to recall Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals in which James scored the Cavaliers’ last 25 points in a 109-107, double-overtime win in Detroit.

Never mind that the Pistons made their rep on defense; no one had ever scored as many consecutive points in a playoff game. It announced James as a player whose game might actually match his hype. Almost a decade after Michael Jordan’s last appearance in the Finals, James seemed a legitimate heir, a possible successor even, to Jordan’s “best-ever” title.

But three intervening seasons now feel like three decades, as evidenced by the fact Cleveland’s opponents in the 2007 playoffs included the New Jersey Nets (yes, just what I thought, those very same Nets who had already spent years blathering about the move to Brooklyn). As it happened, San Antonio swept Cleveland in the Finals. Still, that shouldn’t diminish James’ accomplishment, as I cannot recall a weaker supporting cast making it to the championship round.

It is generally accepted that the least talented ensemble ever to win a title were the 1975 Golden State Warriors, who, after Rick Barry, started Jamaal Wilkes, Clifford Ray, Butch Beard and Charles Johnson. By contrast, Cleveland started James, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Drew Gooden, Sasha Pavlovic and the inestimable Boobie Gibson in the Finals.

Looking back, it’s a wonder San Antonio didn’t sweep them in three.

Of course, people like me have spent the years since insisting that James – now in his seventh pro season – has absolutely nothing around him.

Meanwhile, the general manager, Danny Ferry, keeps adding players. Once the coach, Mike Brown, puts recently acquired Antawn Jamison in the starting lineup, James’ fellow starters will include Shaquille O’Neal, Jamison, Mo Williams and Anthony Parker – a future Hall of Famer and two other former All-Stars. Delonte West and Anderson Varejao come off the bench. Leon Powe will soon come back from injury. And Ilgauskas is expected to return from salary cap limbo. Not only does this roster give the Cavaliers more of a defensive presence than ever, but they’re also excellent from long distance, trailing the league’s best three-point shooting team, Phoenix, by just two-tenths of a percent.

In other words, this one, this season, is on LeBron James.

I’m not arguing his legacy depends on the Cavs beating a team I presume to be the Lakers. But I am saying he needs to come away from the Finals with three or four wins. If not, what was all the fuss about?

This is the most intensely coveted player of all time. Teams like the Knicks have devoted almost three seasons to the sole purpose of freeing cap space to woo James. It’s an embarrassing state of affairs for the league. Still, you wonder: Who gives him a better chance to win than his hometown Cavaliers?

“We’re a no-excuse team,” he said after a controversial non-call three years ago in the Detroit series. He said the same thing leading up to the 2008 Olympics, “We got to be a ‘no-excuse’ team.” The theme doesn’t change now.

For the first time in a couple of seasons, the Cavs have lost three in a row. Obviously, this has more to do with integrating Jamison than with James, who’s only averaging 33 points, 8 boards and 10 assists through this same stretch. The Cavs, now tied in the loss column with the Lakers, still have the league’s best record.

Then again, they won a league-best 66 games last year – only to be upset by Orlando in the conference finals. Even with the return of point guard Jameer Nelson, I don’t think the Magic is as good as last year. I like an offense that goes through Hedo Turkoglu more than an offense with Vince Carter.

Either way, by adding Parker, Powe, Shaq and Jamison, Cleveland has done more than Orlando. It takes time to blend talent, especially when it’s acquired right before the trading deadline. But time is one commodity the NBA season grants in abundance.

What’s more, Cleveland has another advantage in James. It’s his ball, his team and his responsibility. Michael Jordan won a title in his seventh season. It’s not too much to ask James for a few games in June.

No more excuses LeBron James, time to WIN a Championship is a post from: AroDrive

LeBron James became the youngest player to score 15,000 career points, breaking Kobe Bryant’s mark by about two years, as the Cleveland Cavaliers pulled away late to beat Chicago, 92-85, Friday for their 12th win in 13 games.

Three points short of the milestone when the night began, James soared in for a hard right-handed dunk on a break about 4:40 into the game. He then hit two free throws about 40 seconds later, giving him 15,001 career points

James reached the milestone at 25 years, 79 days, and he did it in his 540th game. Bryant was 27 years, 136 days and playing his 657th game, according to STATS LLC, when he did it for the Los Angeles Lakers.

James scored 13 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter, giving him 15,026 in his career, and had 11 rebounds. He scored seven straight late in the game as Cleveland increased its lead to 10, sending the Bulls to their 10th straight loss.

LeBron James’ 15,000 Large is a post from: AroDrive

After a career in Basketball that is second to none – a career that has lead to numerous milestones set, Michael Jordan today set another milestone by becoming the first former player to become a majority owner of an N.B.A. team.

With his $275 million purchase approved by the N.B.A. on Wednesday, Michael Jordan has become the new face of the Charlotte Bobcats. Now comes the hard part: he must remake the image of this troubled franchise both on the court and in the community, where fans have long been jaded about the league.

“If you had asked me 5, 10 years ago if I would be here with the opportunity to own a basketball team, I would have never believed it,” Jordan said at Time Warner Cable Arena. “Yet it’s a dream come true for me.

“I just want the city to experience what winning is all about.”

With those words Thursday during his first statements since the purchase was announced in a 2 a.m. news release on Feb. 27 he appeared ready for the challenges of the job.

Though fans in Charlotte are still angry with the way they’ve been treated by the NBA and its owners and promises might not be enough to bring the loyalty of the fans back: George Shinn in 2002 moved the Hornets to New Orleans after the Hornets led the N.B.A. in attendance for eight years until the city soured on Shinn’s demand for a new arena.

Then Robert L. Johnson the founder of Black Entertainment Television entered the picture, he paid $300 million for the expansion franchise in 2003 but the team never finished above .500 under Johnson. He lost as much as $100 million on the franchise. Fans were angered again by the city’s decision to build a downtown arena for an expansion franchise after voters rejected the plan in a referendum.

Furthermore, Johnson put the Bobcats on a cable network that was not seen by most people in the region and later berated local business owners for failing to support the Bobcats.

Jordan did little to soothe that anger after buying a minority interest in the franchise and becoming the managing member of the basketball operation in 2006. He did not use his considerable star power in North Carolina to help draw fans to the arena.

Jordan said that would change now that he is the majority owner.

“Now that I have invested in this process, I assume his responsibility in terms of putting my face on this organization and obviously trying to move to the next level,” said Jordan, who will buy a home here but remain a resident of Chicago.

Why is going to be hard to win the fans back and while all the promises from a legend might be too little too late, If the Bobcats continue to win the fans wouldn’t be that far behind. The Bobcats have won seven of their last eight games and are in position to clinch the first playoff berth in franchise history.

Michael Jordan, the Face of the Bobcats is a post from: AroDrive

Are the Portland Trail Blazers centers cursed? First, Greg Oden is lost for the season with a knee injury. Next, Joel Przybilla suffered a serious knee injury and is also out for the season. To fill the whole in the middle, the Blazers traded for Marcus Camby.

Guess what?

Now Marcus Camby is injured.

Camby was acquired on Feb. 16 from the Los Angeles Clippers for Steve Blake, Travis Outlaw and cash considerations and that trade seemed to have fallen apart.

From my article NBA’s Top 15 Best Players 2009-2010: The talent of Brandon Roy is undeniable and for another season he is playing out of he’s mind and has he’s team positioned for the playoffs again.

With Portland’s acquisition of Marcus Camby and Roy getting healthier this team will make some noise in the playoffs. (Click here to read the article)

I guess that dream is no more, “Hey, Camby, welcome to Portland,” McMillan said referring to the Trail Blazers’ injury-plagued season. “It’s amazing what our guys are going through. I think he’s going to be OK.”

Brandon Roy could only shake his head after the game.

“Is our center spot cursed?” he said.

Hopefully Camby’s injury will not be too serious because I really want the Blazers to be healthy to make the western conference playoffs more exciting.

For more on Brandon Roy, Dwyane Wade, Kobe bryant, LeBron James and other elite players ranking: NBA’s Top 15 Best Players 2009-2010:

Marcus Camby inflicted with the Blazers Curse is a post from: AroDrive

This was truly funny, Michael Beasley of the Miami Heat said: My name is not Tito Jackson.

Really? You could have fooled me!

That statement was made in response to a comment TNT broadcaster and hall of famer Charles Barkley made referring to the Miami Heat as a team with Michael Jackson (that would be Dwyane Wade) and a bunch of Titos, Michael’s brother and a background member of the famed Jackson 5 singing group.

From the article NBA’s Top 15 Best Players 2009-2010: This is a no brainer, Wade is nothing short of spectacle unfortunately he’s playing for a very bad team and most nights he’s best efforts has not helped he’s team win and no one else on the team is helping either. (Click here to read the article)

Calling Beasley Tito Jackson is an insult to Tito who was not just a backup singer on the Jackson 5’s but a very vital component to the success of the group. Beasley has spent the better part of he’s time in the NBA doing he’s best to look good on and off the court shying away from rebounds or hustle plays that could help them win games, he’s effort on the court is tantamount to the teams cheerleaders effort towards outcomes of games.

At 6-10, 235 lbs this kid is a giant amongst men – yet he plays like a punk on the playground: PPG: 15.8, RPG: 6.70, APG: 1.4 on a team that badly needs any one to help Dywane Wade out on offense, defense or any other way that could help this team win some games.

The real funny thing about all of these is that this comment was made before the season even began and was made in jest, one of those off-the-cuff remarks that makes Barkley funny.

But Heat forward Michael Beasley didn’t laugh nine months ago but was too afraid to talk then  as he didn’t know how their season was going to pan out, then all of a sudden Mr. Beasley has something to say at the halfway point of the season.

It bothers Beasley so much he’s brought it up twice in the last month.

“It’s just disrespectful,” Beasley said after Monday’s practice. “Not disrespectful to Tito Jackson. The way Charles worded it, it makes us feel a little disrespected.”

“You don’t say things like that about people’s craft,” he said, “especially when you’re a playoff team.” Beasley added.

Playoff Team? The Miami Heat’s are a 500 team and might finish the season that way and though they currently seat on the 7^th spot for the east playoffs does that really makes this team playoff worthy team?

If the New Jersey Nets can manage 2 more wins they too can make the playoffs in the east will that make them a playoff team?

Beasley is another example of a lazy tall athlete who thinks he’s a super star because he’s playing on a bad team.

Barkley did call the collective team Tito and as it might seem Beasley isn’t alone in being angry. After the Heat defeated Memphis, 100-87, in double overtime on Friday veteran forward Udonis Haslem leaned over to Beasley and said, “Ask Charles Barkley if he knows our names now.”

I do, the Miami Heat’s varsity team, what a bunch of cry babies.

Wade, a.k.a. Michael Jackson, disagrees with he’s teammates. Wade, who has starred in T-Mobile commercials with Barkley for a few years, laughs off the entire deal.

“I don’t really worry about what Charles says,” Wade said with a smile. “To me it’s a bunch of gibberish. Use that word. It’s a bunch of gibberish.”

The Heat has been having fun with the comment since Barkley first uttered it prior to last season’s playoffs. Spoelstra has already spliced some Jackson 5 video into game film and he plans on doing it again.

“This kind of thing is playful,” coach Erik Spoelstra said, “so we’ve joked about it. I’ve used it on some films and I’ve talked about it with the group a little bit. But it’s more in fun and it’s another thing that brings a group together.”

Now, that sounds like the best way to go with this whole fiasco instead of some overgrown rich kids crying that bad Chuck called them names.

Wade knows some of his teammates are angered by Barkley’s remarks. But he thinks they should chill out.

“I’m sure it bothers them,” Wade said. “I really don’t see why. Tito and the Jacksons made a lot of money. Barkley knows their names for a reason.”

Beyond that, Wade reasoned, his teammates should enjoy the 15 minutes of fame.

“If I’m them, I have with it,” Wade said. “You know who you are. You don’t want a comment like that to make everyone try to be Michael Jackson. You can’t have a team full of Michael Jacksons.”

Well with Wade’s sprained left calf injury maybe Beasley and the rest of the gang will rise to the occasion and showcase the world’s first 12 man boy band with 12 lead singers.

For more on Dwyane Wade, Kobe bryant, LeBron James and other elite players ranking: NBA’s Top 15 Best Players 2009-2010:

Charles Barkley: Michael Beasley and Heats bunch of Cry Babies is a post from: AroDrive

The NBA playoffs are fast approaching and we think is time to rank the best players in the league so far.

Please keep in mind this is not a lifetime achievement award the question here is: who is playing the best basketball right now in the NBA?

To rank these players we used a combination of individual stats, team’s performance and individual’s contributions to games outcome.

These are the A-List top 15 of the NBA 2009-2010 (Half way Rankings)

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15. Joakim Noah

PPG: 10.9, RPG: 11.60, APG: 2.0

Though Noah is currently struggling on the court trying to recover from plantar fasciitis, the Bulls are still in good position to make the playoffs this year thanks in big part to the play of Noah who has been a rebounding machine and a bright spot on offense.

If he continues to struggle the Bulls might just fall out of playoff contention.

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14. Gerald Wallace

PPG: 18.9, RPG: 10.80, APG: 2.1

Charlotte Bobcats might end this season with their first winning season in franchise history and might even make the playoffs thanks to the dynamic duo of Gerald Wallace and Stephen Jackson.

Gerald Wallace’s amazing offense and he’s individual defense prowess has positioned this team to have their first winning season in franchise history.

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13. Brandon Roy

PPG: 22.3, RPG: 4.40, APG: 4.8

The talent of Brandon Roy is undeniable and for another season he is playing out of he’s mind and has he’s team positioned for the playoffs again.

With Portland’s acquisition of Marcus Camby and Roy getting healthier this team will make some noise in the playoffs.

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12. Stephen Jackson

PPG: 20.9, RPG: 4.80, APG: 3.9

Charlotte Bobcats might end this season with their first winning season in franchise history and might even make the playoffs thanks to the dynamic duo of Gerald Wallace and Stephen Jackson.

While Wallace (Gerald) got an all star selection the coaches and commissioner continue to punish Jackson (Stephen) for he’s checkered past – yet he continues to be the best player on the floor for the Larry Brown’s Bobcats.

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11. Chris Bosh

PPG: 24.5, RPG: 11.40, APG: 2.3

Another super season for a super talented star that is single handedly carrying this Raptors team again and have them positioned for the playoffs again.

He’s also a candidate for a super team for the 2010 free agency: read LeBron, Dwyane, Durant: NBA Dynasty of this Decade for more on 2010 free agency and NBA Super Teams.

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10. Joe Johnson

PPG: 21.7, RPG: 4.70, APG: 4.6

The Hawks has improved tremendously since the arrival of Johnson in Atlanta and with excellent play in the clutch from Johnson this team has beating some of the best teams in the league this year in convincing fashion including a beat down of Boston earlier this year.

He’s also a candidate for a super team for the 2010 free agency: read LeBron, Dwyane, Durant: NBA Dynasty of this Decade for more on 2010 free agency and NBA Super Teams.

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9. Rajon Rondo

PPG: 14.0, RPG: 4.40, APG: 9.7

This is a team with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen but all three guys have had their struggles this season but Rondo has been as steady as a rock and is the main reason they are still competitive.

He has come through for the team when they needed a spark on offense with clutch shots or a crucial assist and is fast becoming one of the NBA’s best defensive players providing he’s team important stops or steals that has resulted in thrilling victories this season.

Rondo is young and gutsy and I strongly believe he will be a good leader on a Super Team, read LeBron, Dwyane, Durant: NBA Dynasty of this Decade for more on 2010 free agency and NBA Super Teams.

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8. Dwight Howard

PPG: 18.5, RPG: 13.50, APG: 1.6

I will like to rank Dwight Howard much lower than number 8 as I don’t think Howard really impacts games as much as he’s been hyped to be doing.

From the article Shaq is Superman and Dwight Howard?: Howard stands about 7 feet and yet he finds it hard to dominate around the basket, mostly because he’s fundamentals are flawed – for a big man he has yet to master the art of keeping the ball high above he’s shoulders when he catches or rebounds the ball, and lacks the know how to make a layup without bouncing the ball first, these are the reasons he’s easily stripped by 6 feet guards and why he turns the ball over so much under the basket. (Click here to read the article)

However, Howard is still one of the biggest presence in the middle and he’s team is doing very well and I also believe he can be a great center on a Super Team with the right coach and a pass first point guard. He has nonetheless been very vital in a couple of games this season hence he’s ranked number 8.

He’s also a candidate for a super team for the 2010 free agency: read LeBron, Dwyane, Durant: NBA Dynasty of this Decade for more on 2010 free agency and NBA Super Teams.

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7. Dwyane Wade

PPG: 26.1, RPG: 4.60, APG: 6.4

This is a no brainer, Wade is nothing short of spectacle unfortunately he’s playing for a very bad team and most nights he’s best efforts has not helped he’s team win. This is why he’s been ranked this low on our list.

He’s also a candidate for a super team for the 2010 free agency: read LeBron, Dwyane, Durant: NBA Dynasty of this Decade for more on 2010 free agency and NBA Super Teams.

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6. Carmelo Anthony

PPG: 29.2, RPG: 6.40, APG; 3.5

Another monster season for Anthony and with the addition of Chauncey Billups this team looks like they could be ready to give the Lakers a run for their money in the playoffs.

Anthony is the heart and soul of this very solid team and with he’s recent performances against the best teams in the league (Lakers, Orlando, Boston and Cavaliers) this team might be ready for an NBA finals appearance and might even be lifting the title in june.

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5. Deron Williams

PPG: 18.3, RPG: 4.20, APG: 9.9

The Jazz are on a tear and Deron Williams is leading the charge with teammate Carlos Boozer this team is on a verge of a breakout season that has not been seen in Utah since the days of Karl Malone and John Stockton.

Williams play is vital for a Super Team read LeBron, Dwyane, Durant: NBA Dynasty of this Decade to see which other stars he might fit best and for more on 2010 free agencies and NBA Super Teams.

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4. Kobe Bryant

PPG: 28.0, RPG: 5.30, APG: 4.6

The Black Mambo is the best player in the NBA but then again that is an argument that will go on for as long as this two players are are still playing, from the article: Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James: Is Bryant Better Overall? – Barber-Shop Conversations: Kobe breaks down opponents with finesse while hardly breaking a sweat. He reminds me of Jordan’s game after he came back from he’s first retirement for the 1995-1996 season. (Click here to read more)

The defending NBA Champions are in a very good position to win it all again and Kobe Bryant though hampered by injuries all season seem to have not lost a step hitting one game winner after another and still putting up big numbers.

If you are wondering why Kobe Bryant is ranked so low though he’s having a very remarkable year and he’s team is tied with the Cavs for the best record in the NBA.

Kobe has probably the best team in the NBA and though Ron Artest and Gasol have not played relatively well this season and Bynum can’t seem to stay healthy, they are still the best team in the league with arguably the best coach in Basketball.

So in my opinion they should have a better record and they don’t.

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3. Steve Nash

PPG: 17.6, RPG: 3.30, APG: 11.2

The best all around offensive player in the NBA is at it again, pushing he’s team again into the playoffs.

No matter which players are removed or added to this team Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns never miss a beat thanks to the brilliant mind of the floor general.

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2. LeBron James

PPG: 30.0, RPG: 7.10, APG: 8.4

What more can I say? From the article Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James: Is Bryant Better Overall? – Barber-Shop Conversations: For now LeBron is still improving on he’s game and adding new assets to he’s portfolio every day. Last year he added the long range shot and so far it seem like he’s 3 point shots are getting better. (Click here to read more)

LeBron James is a triple double waiting to happen nightly and with the addition of Shaq this team looks to be set to win it all this season.

So why is he not at number one although he has the Cavaliers holding the best record in the NBA?

The reason is Kevin Durant!

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1. Kevin Durant

PPG: 29.8, RPG: 7.50, APG: 2.9

They might call LeBron James the King and that might be true in the Kingdom of Cleveland, Ohio but Durant is the undeniable emperor of the NBA this season, so far he’s been virtually unstoppable and for the first time Oklahoma Thunders might actually make the playoffs.

He’s also a candidate for a super team for the 2010 free agency: read LeBron, Dwyane, Durant: NBA Dynasty of this Decade for more on 2010 free agency and NBA Super Teams.

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So what do you think of our rankings?

NBA’s Top 15 Best Players 2009-2010 is a post from: AroDrive

I discussed at length in the article LeBron James, Dwyane Wade a Super Team: NBA’s Solution to Ratings Woes! Why the NBA needs one or more Super Teams to get the league back to the status the league held in the Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan eras. Please click here to read the article to understand more about Super Teams.

Some team owners in today’s NBA have worked hard to build their own version of a Super Team i.e. the Celtics version with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen which ran all over Kobe and the Lakers in one of the highest rated NBA Finals in a long time.

Dominant teams with multiple stars do not only raise TV ratings but it also raises the quality of other teams in the league forcing them to draft better or make mega trades to help with matchups against the dominant teams, hereby raising the quality of the game overall. (From the article: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade a Super Team: NBA’s Solution to Ratings Woes!: Click here to read more )

The Celtics thumping of the Lakers forced them (Lakers)to go back to the drawing board and improve their team tremendously which also helped Kobe win he’s 4^th championship and has forced other teams in the western conference to also add key personnel’s to help compete against the Lakers here by improving the quality of the league over all.

Age has finally slowed down the Celtics and they might even be breaking up the big three with all the trade rumors about Ray Allen. The Lakers (Ron Artest, Derek Fisher, Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant) and Cavs (LeBron James and Shaquille O’Neal) might be the only thing close to a Super Team left in the NBA, the league is ripe for a new Super Team with young super stars that will dominate long into the next decade.

With so many big names in the 2010 free agent class (LeBron, Dwyane, Amare Stoudemire, Chris Bosh etc) owners could put together a Super Team given the right circumstances.

All these guys are going to be getting maximum contracts and are going to be impossible to team stars up and also give them complimentary players unless something is done about the current salary restriction the league imposes on teams.

For now we can fantasize, so in a perfect world with unlimited cap which combination of players do you think together can become the next Super Team?

Here are the Combination of players I think together can make a Super Team:

The three best young players in the league today that a Super Team can be built around are: Kevin Durant, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James.

There’s lots of talk about Dwyane Wade and LeBron James teaming up in south beach – while that sounds like a good idea it will also mean that one of these guys will have to sacrifice personnel stats to make it work.

Every Super Team in history always had a leader and then one or two other great players complimenting him and between Dwyane Wade and LeBron which one of them will decide to sacrifice he’s personnel stats and watch he’s teammate win MVP’s and other individual accolades every year while he seats back and take solace in just winning championships? Any one remembered the Kobe, Shaq story in LA?

So if you have any ideas of how this can work I’ll like to hear it.

In the main time, I believe LeBron will remain in Cleveland where he’s a god literally and the Cavs will continue to surround him with talent and he will win multiple championships hopefully with the guys I suggest below.

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So here are the combinations I believe LeBron needs to lead the NBA’s next Super Team:

LeBron can play any position between 1 to 4 on the court so he needs guys that are not necessary specialist in their given position but guys who are floaters. (guys who can play multiple position)

Rajon Rondo of the Celtics is a perfect fit for LeBron and a cast of super stars as he knows how to run an offense while being able to get he’s own shots, he reminds me of a younger Scottie Pippen only shorter. A combination of Chris Bosh, Carlos Boozer and Josh Smith alternating the 3 and 4 position with Dwight Howard  or Andrew Bynum at 4 or 5.

This combination of players will be too fast for any other team on offense and solid enough on defense to win championships for the foreseeable future.

Combination 1: LeBron James / Rajon Rondo / Chris Bosh / Josh Smith / Dwight Howard

Combination 2: LeBron James / Carlos Boozer / Andrew Bynum

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Here is Dwyane Wade’s Super Team Combination:

Dwyane Wade loves to play point guard but he’s better when he plays off the ball, a strong point guard like Deron Williams of the Jazz will make that back court the most feared in the league and with a combination of Brandon Roy, Amare Stoudemire and Bynum at 5 you are looking at a super team of the decade.

Dwyane Wade has a killer instinct that even LeBron does not have and with excellent finishers like Deron Williams running the offense and Brandon Roy and Amare Stoudemire who are good at playing without the ball at small forward they can even  beat a team lead by a combination of LeBron and Kobe Bryant.

Combination 1: Dwyane Wade / Deron Williams / Brandon Roy / Amare Stoudemire / Andrew Bynum

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Here is Kevin Durant’s Super Team Combination:

Kevin Durant is a brilliant scorer and other parts of he’s game is still developing and no one knows he’s potentials yet but he’s already a great player and if LeBron does not win a championship soon Durant will and prevent King James from winning any for the rest of he’s career.

Combination 1: Kevin Durant / Chris Paul / Chris Bosh / Joe Johnson / Greg Oden

Combination 2: Kevin Durant / Deron Williams / Andrew Bynum

So what do you think of my combination’s and what do you think will be the perfect combination?

Read LeBron James, Dwyane Wade a Super Team: NBA’s Solution to Ratings Woes! for more on Super teams.

LeBron, Dwyane, Durant: NBA Dynasty of this Decade is a post from: AroDrive

David Stern said Saturday the NBA is projecting league-wide losses of about $400 million this season and has lost hundreds of millions in each previous year of the current collective bargaining agreement.

in my opinion the problem with the current collective bargaining agreement is that is too archaic with the biggest problem being that unrealistic salary cap, a salary cap that prevents teams from going out and getting the players needed to compete and win games.

in the last couple of years the NBA has been plagued with falling TV ratings and lose of fan interests all these problems in an era were the talent on the court is better than it has ever been in history.

So what exactly is the problem?

Ever since David Stern came into the league in 1985 he has worked hard to make sure every team in the league had at least one super star. This was a bad formula and has lead to today’s NBA crisis.

The NBA needs Super Teams.

With all the trade talks going around the NBA these days, I couldn’t help but to wonder while watching the NBA All-Star game and seeing the stars play alongside each other if it would not save the NBA to go back to the era of Super Teams, having multiple super stars on one team.

Everyone keeps talking about how LeBron James and Dwayne Wade in the same team will not work and how it’s bad for the NBA to have Super Teams. First of all if NBA history teaches us anything is that multiple super stars on one team do not only work, but is a formula for success and even championships.

Case in point was the Bill Russell, Bob Cousy and John Havlicek’s Boston Celtics, (they eventually won it all for more than a decade) the Magic, Kareem and James Worthy Lakers, (the team that dominated the 80’s), Bird, Kevin Mchale and Bob Parish of the Celtic. (The other 80’s teams)

The list goes on and on with Joe Dumas and Isaiah Thomas, Hakeem the Dram and Clyde or David Robinson and Duncan, Shaq and Kobe, Shaq and Dwyane and the greatest combo of all time; Jordan, Pippen and Denise Rodman, all these combos provided something for the game that is missing in today’s NBA: a dynasty.

For any Major or Minor league sport to survive it needs its heroes and villains and dedicated fans to follow the stars and each storyline. While other leagues like the NFL and MLB has found ways to create dominant teams and added in-depth story lines to other teams to generate fans interest, the NBA has relied solely on its super stars and tried to have one on each team to create a league with no dominant – hence the stupid and unrealistic salary cap.

The result is years of sagging interest from it’s core fans that has resulted in bad TV ratings.

The NBA has been here before – years before the arrival of the Magic Man (Elvin Johnson) the league was suffering from lose of interest from fans and owners who couldn’t make enough money to justify keeping their doors open. (Ok, maybe it wasn’t that bad. But you get the picture)

Dominant teams with multiple stars do not only raise TV ratings league wide but it also raises the quality of other teams in the league, other teams are forced to draft better or make mega trades with match-ups against the dominant teams in mind, hereby raising the quality of the game overall.

Think about how teams use to pick players to try and matchup against the Lakers of the 80’s or the Shaq and kobe Lakers of the 90’s. These lead to other teams like the Bird’s Celtics or Isaiah’s Detroit to raise their game and eventually won championships.

The NBA will never fix their ratings issue until they find a way to rectify their stifling salary cap and allow owners to put together Super Teams that can become dynasties.

Why Dynasties?

Everyone talks about how Magic saved the game with the excitement of he’s ShowTime Lakers, but the excitement of the Lakers team was not the reason casual sports fans kept coming back year after year to see this team.

The Phoenix Suns with Steve Nash and Mike D’Antoni were able to duplicate the excitement of the ShowTime Lakers of the 80’s and for a while the casual sports fan tuned in to watch the exciting basketball the Suns were showcasing.

The NBA and their broadcast partners did their best to get the Suns games on national TV as much as they could, but their version of ShowTime did not last. Why? They did not win a championship.

What kept the casual fans coming back in the 80’s was the fact that the ShowTime Lakers were not only exciting to watch but they were also winners. These group of guys won 5 champions and they were a legitimate dynasty for the whole decade.

There are not enough diehard sports fans in the world to go around and to make it worse, sports has to competes for prime time TV with other form of entertainment (Reality Shows, Movies, Sitcoms, TV Series and more) that provide thrilling story line that casual fans live for.

The NFL and MLB has found ways to compete year in year out with winning streaks commonly found in the NFL and old rivalries found once again in the NFL  and also in MLB.

There’s no better story line than a team that will not lose, think Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls 72 games season, Peyton Manning‘s Colts, Drew Brees Saints or Tom Brady’s Patriots going for perfection or the annoying added storyline of the 1972 Miami Dolphins team that celebrates every year after another undefeated falls, all these teams had the ability to pull casual fans away from other form of entertainment and have them glued to their TV screen watching every second of the games and in most cases rooting against the Super Team team.

There’s no better story in sport than to see an underdog knock down a Goliath.

So, if the NBA wants to increase ratings and interest with this generation they are going to have to let guys like LeBron and Wade give Kobe Bryant a run for he’s money and watch other teams come together and build their lineup to create a competitive league we all be proud to dedicate our prime time viewing pleasure to.

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LeBron, Dwyane, Durant: NBA Dynasty of this Decade: With so many big names in the 2010 free agent class (LeBron, Dwyane, Amare Stoudemire, Chris Bosh etc) owners could put together a Super Team given the right circumstances. (Click here to read more)

LeBron, Wade a Super Team: NBA’s Solution to Ratings Woes! is a post from: AroDrive

I am yet to see this remarkable edifice Jerry Jones dropped in north Texas but NBA players, who have seen just about everything and possess nearly as much, are a jaded bunch who are not easily impressed.
However, playing the All-Star Game inside gigantic Cowboys Stadium of Sunday left many of the players in awe of the facility, where nearly every major component is built on a Texas-size scale.

“I came to this stadium expecting the craziest stadium I had ever seen and I was still awestruck when I first walked in,” New York forward David Lee said. “Every single one of the All-Stars were awestruck. Every one of us were like little kids going to the amusement park for the first time, staring at the different attractions.”

With a crowd of 108,713, the most ever to watch a basketball game, the game in many ways was overshadowed by the venue and the crowd.
The Eastern Conference All-Stars beat the Western Conference team 141-139 and Miami guard Dwyane Wade was voted MVP of the game. But that wasn’t what most people were talking about.

“Not even in my dreams have I played in front of this many people,” Wade said. “I got a few little butterflies playing in front of this crowd.”

The stadium, where the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys play their home games, has a video screen that is longer length-wise than an NBA court. When they weren’t actually playing — and sometimes when they were — the players stole glances at the video screen, which produce startling clear high-definition images.

“It almost nauseated you, because you were so close to it,” Lee said. “The most surreal part of it was the screen was longer than the court, that was unbelievable.”

Some of the players weren’t overwhelmed by playing in the stadium. Carmelo Anthony, who attended Syracuse and played his college basketball games inside the 33,000-seat Carrier Dome, said the largeness of Cowboys Stadium was no big deal.

“It’s just a basketball game,” Anthony said. “And the basketball court is the same size.”

Whenever a basketball game is played inside a large stadium, there is some concern about the background and depth perception for players. But the players said they weren’t affected.

“It’s not that difficult,” said Atlanta guard Joe Johnson, who scored 10 points and shot 50percent from the field. “If you’re a shooter, you can shoot anywhere.”

Not that the players were too concerned about shooting, because the All-Star Game is rarely a game, it’s more of a show. And the 2010 version of the game placed a much bigger emphasis on the “show” than in past years.

Each of the starting players rose from somewhere underneath the floor and then jogged down a runway while high-fiving fans. Many of the starters mugged for the cameras as the crowd roared its approval. While none of the players could duplicate Shaquille O’Neal’s hilarious “Jabbawockeez” dance during player introductions at the 2009 All-Star game, they did play to the crowd that filled all five levels of the stadium.

“It was a lot of fun to play in front of a huge crowd,” Phoenix forward Amare Stoudemire said. “I never thought I would be playing in front of a crowd of 108,000. It was a great experience.”

Wade emerged cupping his ear and Dwight Howard was dancing — sort of — as he surfaced. LeBron James was kind of dancing when he emerged and led the East starters into an impromptu dance.

Oh, by the way, a basketball game was played Sunday. Wade scored 28 points on 12 of 16 shooting and had 11 assists, six rebounds and five steals. Anthony led the West with 27 points on 13 of 22 shooting and had 10 rebounds.

The teams gave hometown favorites plenty of opportunities to score. Toronto forward Chris Bosh, who grew up in Dallas, scored 23 points for the East. Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki scored 22 points for the West and Utah guard Deron Williams, also from Dallas, scored 14.

Memphis forward Zach Randolph, playing in his first All-Star Game, scored eight points on 4 for 10 shooting in 19minutes. The former Blazer also had six rebounds.

Notes: The Blazers’ Brandon Roy, who couldn’t play because of his hamstring injury, simply waved during his introductions. He probably would have incurred the wrath of Blazers management and fans had he done anything more. … Blazers forward Nicolas Batum briefly switched careers and was broadcasting Sunday night at the game. Batum said he was a reporter for a French television network. “I did it last year during the rookie game,” Batum said. “It was fun.” …

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he was a little concerned about attendance before the game but expressed hope the crowd would enjoy the experience. “What we’re trying to do is for the fans to see the game like they’ve never seen it before,” Jones said. “I’ve been really rewarded by this great crowd.” … Sunday’s game marked the sixth time the All-Star Game was played in a dome. The previous games: the Pontiac Silverdome in 1979, the Hoosier Dome in 1985, the Kingdome in 1987, the Astrodome in 1989 and the Alamodome in 1996.

All I can add at this point; I need to see this baby.

by – Geoffrey C. Arnold

A Historic Night at Cowboys Stadium with Dwayne Wade is a post from: AroDrive

It’s amazing how Nate Robinson was disrespected going into this year’s Slam dunk contest especially with the group of guys he was going against; DeMar DeRozan, Gerald Wallace and Shannon Brown all in game dunkers with no real creativity.

With a little help from the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, Knicks’ guard Nate Robinson became the first three-time winner of the NBA’s Slam Dunk contest.

Robinson wowed the crowd in an otherwise dull dunk contest with an alley-oop off the backboard, flushing it home with a two-hand reverse. After, Robinson took a set of pom poms and flashed the T.O. sign, in a tribute to Terrell Owens, who is in the house.

Robinson beat Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan, who might have had the most creative dunk of the night. In his first attempt in the finals, DeRozan trailed teammate Sonny Weems, who hit the ball off the side of the backboard as an alley-oop.

DeRozan took the ball from the left side of the rim to the right before sending it down with his right hand.

Charlotte’s Gerald Wallace and Shannon Brown of the Lakers did not get out of the first round. Wallace and Brown finished with 78 points apiece.

This was probably the worse dunk contest I’ve ever seen with only three dunks the whole way that was worth seeing (one from DeMar DeRozan and two from Nate) and at the end Charles Barkley echoed the sentiments from my article: Shaq’s Idea is just a start on how to revamp the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. He said something needs to be done to revamp the event.

Watching NBA games every night you see some of the most athletic and most creative dunks, yet every year it seem like the Slam dunk contest is getting worse, and in this year’s version it actually got worse.

So how do we revamp the Slam Dunk Contest?

From my article; Shaq’s Idea is just a start on how to revamp the NBA Slam Dunk Contest:

There’s only one solution here that’s also realistic.

Make the slam dunk an exhibition event with a Million dollar bucket and not a contest that pays 35k.

The format; at least 10 to 15 contestant, each contestant dunks once and the judges vote for the top 4 to move to the next round which will also be the final round.

Here each contestant just needs 1 more dunk each and the fans get to vote for the winner. (Click here to read the article)

Former Mavs Mark Aguirre, Rolando Blackmon and Derek Harper served as the judges with Dominique Wilkins and Spud Webb, who had a much more thrilling dunk contest when the NBA All-Star Game was played at Reunion Arena in 1986.

Pierce won the 3-Point Shootout during the NBA’s All-Star festivities Saturday night, proving his lackluster performance the last time he was in the competition was an aberration.

Pierce scored 20 points in the final round, making all five of the 2-point money balls, to beat Golden State’s Stephen Curry (17) and Denver’s Chauncey Billups (14).

When Pierce last competed in the Shootout in 2002, he scored only eight points — what he called leading into this week’s competition “almost a record low.”

Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash also was a winner Saturday night, beating the young guys to capture another Skills Challenge title.

Nash, who turned 36 last Sunday, became a two-time Skills champion when he beat a trio of 20-somethings.

It’s been quite a run this weekend for the Canadian, who helped light the Olympic cauldron at Friday’s opening ceremonies in Vancouver, British Columbia. He also will be on the court Sunday for the All-Star game in the same area where he played from 1998-2004.

With a time of 29.9 seconds in the final round, Nash beat Dallas native and 2008 champion Deron Williams of Utah, who is 11 years younger.

In Saturday night’s opening event, hometown favorite and former Nash teammate Dirk Nowitzki hit a shot from midcourt to cap Team Texas’ victory in the Shooting Stars competition.

Texas, which also consisted of San Antonio Silver Stars player Becky Hammon and former Houston guard Kenny Smith, beat Team Los Angeles with a time of 34.3 in the finals. The Texas trio needed 13 shots to complete the final round.

Lakers All-Star Pau Gasol, former NBA player Brent Barry and Marie Ferdinand-Harris of the Los Angeles Sparks came in second, finishing in 55.2 seconds.

Los Angeles hit its first five shots in the finals in less than 30 seconds, but only had a couple of chances from midcourt to beat Texas’ time.

Atlanta (Joe Johnson, former Hawks guard Steve Smith and Angel McCoughtry of the Atlanta Dream) and Sacramento (Tyreke Evans, former All-Star Chris Webber and former Sacramento Monarchs player Nicole Powell) were eliminated in the first round.

Texas completed the first round in 1:28 and Los Angeles finished in 1 minute.

Three-person teams have to hit a total of six shots from different locations on the floor, culminating with a shot from midcourt.

In the skills competition, the course started with a layup or a dunk, then a weave through pylons before having to complete a chest pass, a bounce pass and a jumper from the top of the key. Then they have to make an outlet pass, go through more pylons and end with another layup or dunk.

Nash completed every obstacle in the final round in one try — save for a second shot from the top of the key. Williams was perfect until needing five shots at the outlet pass, when he had already exceeded Nash’s winning time.

Saturday night’s events were at the American Airlines Center, but Sunday’s All-Star game will be at Cowboys Stadium, where more than 90,000 people are expected to attend.

Nate Robinson the Great – 3 time Slam Dunk Champion is a post from: AroDrive

Cleveland Cavaliers are on a row literally with 13 victories in a row and doing it in a dominant fashion with Lebron James beginning to look like the best player in the NBA – though Kobe Bryant might have something to say about that – read: Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James: Is Bryant Better Overall? LeBron v Kobe is an argument that will go on for as long as these guys are playing, but the race for MVP is definitely not up for discussion as Lebron has clearly wrapped that sucker up again.

As good as the Cavs have been half way through the season they are still not the best team in the league and the current 13 game winning streak is really not that impressive either giving the teams that the Cavs have be flexing their muscles at: New Jersey, New York, Memphis, LA Clippers, Indiana, Minnesota and when they are not playing the leagues bottom feeders, they are playing teams coming off back to back games like Miami twice and Orlando, playing for the fourth time in five nights.

Adding to playing bad or young teams and road weary teams, the Cavs have had lots of rest between games this season not having to play lots of games on back to back nights and they have also played most of their games at home. I guess you can’t blame the Cavs for scheduling, but I find it premature that we are already celebrating this team as the best team in the league giving their body work.

They head into the All Star break in the midst of a franchise-record-tying 13 game winning streak, and with the best record in the NBA, but the goal for this team has been clear since the season began: Win a Championship. To do that though, you must be the last team standing in the Eastern Conference playoffs, and as the Cavs saw last year their biggest obstacle is the Orlando Magic.

The Cleveland Cavaliers fans excitement with the 4 wins over the Lakers and the Magic (2 teams they struggled against last year) might be a little bit premature: the 2 wins against the Lakers was against a shorthanded Laker team with an injured Kobe Bryant, and like I said above; the win on Thursday night over the Magic was against a road weary team playing for the fourth time in five nights.

This is a long season and wins like these why important to deciding who gets home field advantage in the playoffs and NBA Finals (if both teams have the same record) it really doesn’t count much, LeBron said it best after the Magic game “We swept San Antonio in the regular season (in 2007), then got to the finals and they swept us in the finals,” James said. “You want to win those games, of course. What you do in the regular season is good, but once the playoffs start, everyone is 0-0.”

My sentiments exactly, the Cavs have always been hot ever since LeBron rolled into town, they have made some good showings in the Playoffs and the NBA Finals, but can never seem to get over the hump, some believe Shaq might be the solution and in the rematch of last season’s Eastern Conference finals, O’Neal, who had 10 points and six rebounds made a huge difference for Cleveland. (Read more: Shaq is Superman and Dwight?)

So Is Shaq the missing link for this group of guys? He has made both the Lakers and the Magic’s big men work twice as much and has helped deliver victory in both cases, So I guess you can say he has proven to be an important piece of the puzzle, but is this the piece the King needs to win it all in June?  and is this the piece the Cavs needs to keep the King in town in front of all he’s witnesses?

We just have to wait and see.

For more on Shaq and Dwight Howard Superman Conflict Read: Shaq is Superman and Dwight Howard?

LeBron James and Shaq NBA Finals bound after 13 straight? is a post from: AroDrive

“Don’t compare me to nobody,” O’Neal said, borrowing a line from Jay-Z. “I’d rather not be mentioned. I’m offended.”

These were Shaq’s words after the game against Orlando Magic (February 12, 2010) in response to comparing him to Dwight Howard who is also called Superman.

Shaq made no secret of the fact that he wanted to be remembered as the most dominant big man in the history of the NBA and I will place him in a close 2^nd or 3^rd behind  Wilt “the Stilt” Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Every team Shaq went immediate became contenders and the Lakers were no different… (From the article: Greatest Lakers of all time. Click here to read more)

Shaquille O’Neal is not just the most dominant Big man of he’s era, he’s one of the most dominant big man of all time and the first of he’s kind, no one before him was like him – not even Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabber or Bill Russell.

The NBA had to radically change the rules of the game to help teams defend him, yet for the best part of the last 2 decades he completely dominated the game even with the new rules and looked super human while he did it, hence the term: Superman.

For years – teams searched in vain to find the kryptonite to at least slow him down, but, at 37, age has become the elusive kryptonite the rest of the league has been looking for.

Dwight Howard puts on a cape in the slam dunk contest and all of a sudden he’s Superman?

Howard is an elite big man in today’s NBA that’s all, he’s as good as the other elite big men in the game i.e.: Andrew Bynum.

He also lacks the know how to make a layup around the basket without bouncing the ball first and that’s the main reasons he’s easily stripped by 6 feet guards and why he turns the ball over so much under the basket.

When he arrived in Cleveland, Shaquille O’Neal made it clear there would be no more double-teaming Orlando’s Dwight Howard.

Last year, the Cavaliers lost to the Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals. With no way to stop self-proclaimed “Superman” Dwight Howard without double-teaming him, the Magic presented a pick-your-poison threat. Double-team Howard, and it left the perimiter open for their shooters. Leave him one-on-one, and he would do his damage in the paint.

Enter, Shaquille O’Neal, or as he is known by one of his many nicknames: “Superman”. With Shaq on the floor for the majority of the time Howard is on the floor, the Cavs have no need to double-team Howard, thus allowing them to play the rest of the floor straight-up. If you need any proof of what Shaq’s effect on Howard, you need look to only the final minutes of last Thursday’s game. In a game that was tied at 96 with under six minutes remaining, Howard was a non-factor with O’Neal on the floor for the rest of the game, and in fact was held scoreless for the final seven and a half minutes. (From the article: LeBron James and Shaq NBA Finals bound after 13 straight? Click here to read more)

This is the guy that’s been compared to Shaq or better still been called today’s Shaq – Superman.

“I don’t really consider it manning up until you play me straight up,” O’Neal said. “I’ve never doubled anybody. So you tell me who the real Superman is?”

O’Neal might have really been offended by Howard’s recent commercial using the “Superman” something he takes credit for creating upon entering the league. Even James acknowledged the nickname battle has stung his teammate.

“The whole Superman thing kind of bothers him,” James said. “That’s definitely his nickname.”

If Dwight Howard is Superman, then Shaq is Superman’s kryptonite.

For more on LeBron James and Shaq journey to the NBA Finals, Read: LeBron James and Shaq NBA Finals bound after 13 straight?

Shaq is Superman and Dwight Howard? is a post from: AroDrive