COURTSIDE VIEW: Straight Sixes

Johnny J

Dice have six sides to it--six faces--with one one shot on landing on six for every time its rolled. The odds of rolling a six are 5:1. You can fail five times while only being successful one time. Now moving to a bigger scale. The Miami Heat were favored to beat the San Antonio Spurs, 5:12. That means if someone was betting on the game, they would have received $5 profit for every $12 wagered. But for a team that was favored to win it, the odds are not that high. Now with the Spurs leading three games to two, the outcome of the series can either end in game six or seven. The Heat have to win two games and the odds of them winning are 3:1 in seven games. The odds of the Spurs ending it in game six is 6:1 or 13:2 in seven. The odds are higher because they're not favored. Now for LeBron James to win Finals MVP is 4:9, while Tony Parker's odds are 9:2. But for a role player such as Danny Green on winning are a whopping 30:1. Right now he is the MVP. "Straight Sixes" is the discussion of the Heat's big three vs the Spurs' old three. A look at game six and LeBron James changing his number to six.

The Miami Heat are on the verge of being defeated in the NBA Finals for the second time in three years. James recorded a triple-double in a loss in game one and has been showing flashes of what an MVP should look like by simply looking more for his shots. Triple-doubles are astonishing in an NBA Finals, but it don't mean squat in a loss. Chris Bosh is more of a role player than a star. He puts mediocre stats up, but the biggest surprise to me is Dwyane Wade finding, looking, and driving to find his stats. Wade is doing what he has to do in order to take the pressure off of the King. In game five, he had 25 points and 10 assists. I just now remembered his name is "Flash." Thanks for finally reminding me, D-Wade. While Wade did what he had to, Parker did what he needed to, scoring 26 points. He is the leader of the team.  He knew the Spurs can't be down in the series going back to South Beach. He made Mario Chalmers look like a little kid who couldn't defend. Tim Duncan is amazing at his age. Still a very dangerous low-post threat, posting a double-double in Game Five and has been throughout the series. Manu Ginobili finally found his game in the starting lineup. Welcome to the party; better late than never! It was a great move by Gregg Popovich. It's what needed to be done to get his game going.

Looking ahead to Game Six, I expect the Miami Heat to win. The series has gone win, lose, win, lose for both teams. Home court advantage doesn't seem to matter. I know the NBA is happy as they're getting the most out of this NBA Finals (So is the TV Networks that pony up large sums of money into these Finals--Ed). If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Ginobili will be in the starting lineup again. Put him, Parker, and Duncan around shooters like Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard. That is a dangerous inside and out combination. Green went 6 for 10 behind the arc in Game Five. I felt like everything he threw at the rim was going in. This kid from the University of North Carolina, (Yeah Tar Heels!) has really made a name for himself. No more dancing in the Cleveland Cavaliers circles to entertain James. On the other side, I look for James to be more aggressive in the open-court. It's win or go home!  I don't expect him to do much passing.  I also expect Wade to also be aggressive. He looked good the last two games. I can finally stop saying, "There was a D-Wade sighting on the floor." Besides it's kind of late to make changes in a do or die game. The Spurs experimented with Ginobili and it payed off.

I bet when James and company were dancing on stage in their introduction to the Heat fans a couple of years ago, they probably thought that getting a ring wouldn't be this hard. Now on the verge of dancing back to the couch, I look at the man who changed his jersey number to build his own legacy. James gave up the number 23, for his Olympic jersey number six. He has accomplished a lot, including winning a gold medal. He has only one ring though, which doesn't scream "better than Michael Jordan." So with him changing his number, he showed to Jordan what he thinks about him and all the talk had died down on the comparison. Currently, James does have a lot of individual trophies, but he lacks the most important ones--Championships. Changing your number is fine (Kobe Bryant has went from wearing 8 to 24, but he has five rings!). So it's safe to say he had built his legacy around being a champion and LeBron has built his around being the best player in the game. Jordan changed his number from 23 to 45. Oh wait, he has six rings! How many rings does James have? One. Kobe and Jordan earned the right to change their number. Just like Jordan said, "I'll take Kobe Bryant over Lebron James with the first pick."

Landing on six: Gambling always has the number six involved. The lottery consists of six numbers for at least three of the big games. Straight Sixes: the old big three versus the Heat's big three. It's looking forward to Game Six and the legacy James has built wearing number six. I'm looking forward to see how James is going to come out. Is he going to look to get the Finals MVP with another triple-double, or going to consider winning it all is more important and that he has to take over?  The Heat are better with the floor being spread out, meaning Mike Miller and Ray Allen in at the same time. The Spurs are going to continue to put up points with their "we can't miss mentality." The Spurs are thinking of winning their 5th championship in Game 6 and cementing their own legacy as well.  Game 6 can't arrive fast enough!

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COURTSIDE VIEW: "Revenge is the Sweetest Joy"

Johnny J

2Pac once said, "Revenge is the sweetest Joy" (90% of our readers should know the rest of that line--Ed). To LeBron James, the 2007 Cleveland Cavaliers were suppose to win it all. Instead, those dreams were swept in a dust pan and thrown away by the San Antonio Spurs. Six years later, with a stacked resume, LeBron looks to have the last laugh. Since that defeat, LeBron has won an NBA championship, won Finals MVP, has reached the Finals, three consecutive years, won an NBA scoring title and has two gold medals in the Olympics. Oh, did I mention that he is considered the best player on the planet right now?

This year's best scorer in the NBA, Carmelo Anthony, still hasn't learned that it takes more than one player to win a championship. Now at 28, a mature and focused James is up to the challenge of facing the same team who crushed his chance of winning his first ring.

James also has two other All-Stars on his team in Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Yes, Bosh is soft, but he still was an All-Star. LeBron needed help from other superstars to eventually win a ring last year against the Oklahoma City Thunder.  An Avengers team was created and the Miami Heat have been too hot to extinguish. When the Heat lose, everyone panics--everyone but the Heat. They continue to play their game. My first thought on Game 7 between the Heat and the underdog Indiana Pacers was that LeBron is going to take over. I mean he has to because his team is not showing up. Instead in the first quarter, he passed on a few shots. He had 6 points at the end of the first quarter (on pace for 24 points--that's not too shabby!--Ed) and they were only down by two. He let the game come to him. At halftime he had 18 points (36 points' pace?--Ed) and he finished with 32 points. He scored when he needed to. There was even a Dwyane Wade sighting as he scored 21 points to help LeBron and company advance to the Finals.

But if their is a team, who I believe can put the flames out, it is the Spurs. Over the first three rounds, they showed me that old men can play (besides Uncle Drew that is).  They swept the Los Angeles Lakers, beat the young and talented backcourt of the Golden State Warriors, and swept the Memphis Grizzlies with the same broom they used on the Lakers. That's what opened my eyes, and then I closed them because dirt got in my eyes from the sweep. Oh wait, that was just the thought of me losing $40 bucks for thinking old men can't jump. The Spurs are not a physical team, but they can get up and down the court with the best of them. Even though they have three aging stars, they would have a total of nine days of rest before Thursday's Game 1 match-up.

(Not to be confused with the Louisville Cardinals' Second Wind.  Click here, if you want to read my entry on the Cardinals' march to the NCAA Championship). 

During the regular season, the Heat and Spurs played chess with each other.  Both teams sent messages to one another by not playing their "Big Three" on the road during their regular season match-ups.  The Spurs were fined a quarter of a million dollars for resting their big players against the Heat. Even though they lost, they only lost by five in Miami. That told me that they would still be a great team even without their stars. The Heat countered the Spurs by resting James and Wade in the Alamo (Bosh played so they wouldn't get fined, in my opinion).  Amazingly, the Heat won by two on a Bosh three-pointer. I don't know if they knew they would see each other in the Finals, but they didn't want to give away any scripts. Now is the time to see if that fine was worth it. No scripts given out here!

(Unless you believe in NBA conspiracies--Ed).

I believe this is the last year for the big three in Miami. Between Bosh being soft and Wade's bum knee, they're getting weaker.  Plus, with the Cavaliers getting yet another #1 overall pick, going back to Cleveland looks more appetizing for LeBron (irony much?--Ed). Is Pat Riley going to have to choke a player to get them to do what he wants them to do?  The Spurs have been through this for over a decade. They know what's at stake. A dynasty is getting ready to take the floor. I'll put my dustpan away for this series. It's definitely going to be long. James is going to be looking at making his list of accomplishments even longer and all that work he has put into making a name for himself.  This is the time to use the talents that took him to South Beach.  This is the time to silence all of the critics and haters.  This is the time for James to once again feel the sweet joy of revenge.

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DERRICK ROSE: Running of the Bulls

Johnny J

Derrick Rose has not worn a game jersey all
season long.

Chicago Bulls star guard Derrick Rose is watching his team get outplayed by the Miami Heat. With the Bulls on the brink of elimination, Rose continues to say he isn't ready from his torn ACL injury. The same injury that has kept him on the sidelines for the past year. But that isn't true, Rose has been practicing for the past two months. From what I can tell, he can do everything from run, jump, and clap his hands on the bench, while his teammates continue to play through various injuries and ailments. I wonder what goes through his head when he sees his teammates out on the court giving their all?

Rose is one of my favorite players in the NBA. He is the only Bulls' player whose jersey I actually bought. He is a hometown kid who has won over the city of Chicago with his unique style of play. His quick cuts and his hard play has led to the 24 year-old winning the MVP two years ago. The same player who had been drafted number one overall by the Bulls in 2008. The one who led the Memphis Tigers to the NCAA Championship Game. Named Mr. Illinois Basketball in 2007 and won multiple championships at Simeon High School. So its safe to say that Rose has been a winner all his life. Why would his attitude or credibility be an issue now?

He tore his ACL a year ago. The same-day New York Knicks' guard Iman Shumphert tore his ACL in the first round of the playoffs against the Miami Heat (never wear Adidas and hoop!).  He came back in the middle of the season, in the month of January to be exact and has been better than ever.  This guy is a key player for the Knicks.  He moves pretty well for someone who suffered a serious knee injury 9 months ago or so.  He struggled at first, but he gained confidence over the past couple of months.  He now averages 8.8 PPG, and 6.3 RBP in the playoffs. Rose's confidence may not be there, but he has to play to regain it, to recover it. To once again be at the head of the pack in the "Running of the Bulls."

(I have been saying that he should have done that during the regular season, like his doctors suggested of him as part of his rehab regiment.  Columnist Dan Bernstein shared his sentiments about a month ago--Ed)

The season may end for the Bulls tonight, as they have already stated that Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich will not play in Game 5.  It would be nice for Rose to intimidate the Heat by suiting up.  Shock the country and play. Boost your team up.  Be the hype man as Flavor Flav was to Public Enemy. Do something people won't expect. Let your fans know why they cheer for you and what they mean to you as an athlete. Lead the team out of the tunnel.  Make a public service announcement.  Tell us your credibility is about to take off. The Bulls are still in it, but for how long?  Is it just going to be another trip to South Beach or a round trip back to Chicago?  You maybe the one who makes this playoff series hard for LeBron.

The city needs you; the fans need you.  Your team needs you. Show them that you never lost that first step. Show them your confidence is tilted up. I haven't worn my D-Rose jersey all year long. Give me a reason to pull it out!  Run with the Bulls!  Spain isn't the only country who does that. Defend the United Center, defend the line-up introduction video with the Bulls running through the opponent. Play your game and your skills will slowly get back in form. Get mentally strong in the game.  You have the heart of a champion. Prove it!

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Photo courtesy of Johnny J.

NBA LESSONS: v3.1

Heavy lies the crown. @kingjames may stop pregame dunk routine if criticism continues » es.pn/12amEcP Video: youtube.com/watch?v=oCtteI…
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 27, 2013

Dan P

WHAT’S THE DEAL LEBRON? 

Let’s step away from stats for a minute.  Let’s take a break from over-analyzing pick and rolls and let’s give the cold shoulder to the surging L.A. Lakers who climbed to .500 with a win over the Atlanta Hawks. 

No, I want to focus and dedicate a moment to LeBron James.  I know, what more could I possibly say about this guy that hasn't been said already?  And you would be right; he is the single most scrutinized athlete of the 21st century.  From taking his talents to South Beach, to finally achieving that first title, and now his surprisingly, awkward dance moves in a Harlem Shake parody (I actually enjoyed the Heat version of the Harlem Heat—Ed); everything is documented about LeBron.  We have come to understand he is a different kind of superstar, one that is comfortably concerned with being the richest and most popular athlete of all time, even if that comes at a price of not being the most successful at winning championships.  It always seemed unfair to hold him to seven titles (one more than Michael Jordan) as the measuring stick for a successful NBA career but then again he was part of the Miami Heat, “Big Three,” self-imposed party that said “not 1, not 2, not 3” etc. 

Nonetheless, LeBron James is incredible; not much of an adjective but it’s hard to describe greatness.  He makes everything seem so effortless on the court.  It almost looks like he’s not playing hard and that he could be doing more.  He’s just different and dominates differently than Kobe Bryant or MJ.  LeBron plays with a coolness about him, takes over when he has to, and tries to make the “basketball play” when he sees an open shooter.  Michael and Kobe approach basketball with a ferocity and a level of intimidation that was as important as the talent itself.  LeBron isn’t MJ, he isn't Kobe, and he isn't Magic Johnson (I am willing to open discussions for LeBron/Magic comparisons—Ed).  He’s just LeBron and there hasn't been anyone quite like him before.  He’s done and accomplished more than most NBA lifers will ever achieve--quick resume:  NBA champion, Finals MVP, 3x MVP award (headed for a fourth?), 9 time All-Star, 2x NBA All-Star MVP, NBA Rookie of the Year, 6x All NBA First Team, and Olympic Gold Medalist. 

There isn't any more he can accomplish other than adding more of what he already has; well except for one thing.  LeBron has the opportunity to pull out the defibrillator and revive the Dunk Contest back to life.  It gets brought up every year and time after time LeBron turns it down.  In the grand scheme of things it won’t really matter if he does it or not, but when Magic Johnson offers him $1 million, cold, hard cash, well, you think he would seriously consider it. Not that a million dollars really does anything for LeBron (#Broke—Ed) but it should show him how much people really love to watch him do his thing on the court.  He may have been labeled a “villain” for joining the Heat but he was really turned into a heel by the NBA community.  And like the WWE heroes who become heels usually end up as heroes again (see Hulk Hogan’s career). 

So what would stop the most jaw-dropping, gravity-defying hoopster of this generation?  Well, I don’t know, to be honest.  It’s so baffling that there isn't even a rumor as to why he won’t participate. I haven’t seen a single headline that says: “LeBron is afraid of losing a dunk contest!”  First, there is no chance he would lose a dunk contest.  NONE!  The fans simply wouldn't allow him to lose.  So maybe that’s it.  Maybe he doesn't want to the dunk contest because he KNOWS he would win and would give people another opportunity to make some claim that he didn't win fair and square and that his popularity made it rigged. 

I promise anyone this; if LeBron was in on the Dunk Contest it would definitely attract other stars.  So LeBron, please put aside any reservations about the Dunk Contest regardless of the outcome and give the fans what they want--a spectacle.  It’s you’re one chance to do something that many people think is impossible--save the Dunk Contest. 

SPEAKING OF DUNK CONTEST

This is something that I have been tinkering with for 2 years now and is my two cents about adding a little flair and motivation for the contest.  First a little background:  The winner of the Dunk Contest earns 100,000 cash money.  Not a bad day at the office; unless you’re a professional athlete: we've seen money, we've seen cars, we've seen trips and vacations, you name it.  But no matter what these guys make in salary, there is one thing they cannot buy.  It’s something that only the NBA cream of the crop gets--a shoe deal.  No one actually makes their own shoe company.  Heck why start a shoe company when someone will pay you to sell shoes for them! (SEE DERRICK ROSE CONTRACT!)  For 99% of NBA players though, they will never have the chance to have their own shoe.  So, alas I feel this idea is the carrot on the stick that keeps the critter churning the treadmill.  Why not have the winner of the contest claim a one-year, shoe deal commemorating their achievement?  I’m really hoping a light just went off and David Stern is listening, or, better yet, Adam Silver. 

Why not?  I think this idea has several merits: 

• Better quality players will want to participate for such a prize
• Players will actually have to practice dunks before the contest to make sure they work
• The prototype can be worn by the players during the contest as sort of a promo
• The NBA will make money in negotiating rights with Nike/Adidas/etc.
• And best of all, it becomes a desirable limited edition collectible for fans to purchase. 

If there is anything I know about capitalism, it’s that creating demand and keeping things exclusive always generates business (unless you’re in the comic book business—Ed).  It’s common nature to want what we can’t have.  In this case, it’s a win-win for both players and fans.       

Always a good time with Joakim Noah
(photo courtesy of Felipe M)

NOAH’S DEFENSIVE ARK

Take a look at the below sequence of unnamed players, these are real players and real stats:  

• Player A:  33.2MPG       9.9RPG        1.4BLK     .9STL       3PF
• Player B:  37.6MPG       14.1RPG      2.4BLK     1.4STL     3.3PF
• Player C:  34.7MPG      13.2RPG       2.8BLK    .9STL       3.5PF
• Player D:  35.7MPG      13.8RPG       2.9BLK     1STL      3.4PF
• Player E:  32.8MPG       9.2RPG        1.3BLK     1.4STL     2.3PF
• Player F:  38.3MPG       11.4RPG      2.3BLK     1.3STL     2.8PF

By taking a glance it's hard to pinpoint what to look for.  Do I go with blocks and steals only?  Do I try to find out who is helping their team the most by playing larger minutes and rebounding?  Truthfully, its all of the above and none at the same time.  Defensive stats are difficult to break down because we haven't found a proper method to analyze good defensive play that doesn't result in a statistic.  If a center contests a layup and the shot misses but isn't actually blocked how much credit do we give that center?  How do we measure the defensive effect of that very play if the missed shot comes from Kirk Hinrich as opposed to say Kevin Durant?  Is the player and emotional leader who improves effort (Kevin Garnett) or simply an athletic freak who only knows how to spike basketballs (JaVale McGee) into the crowd?  

By now most NBA fans have heard of PER which stands for Player Efficiency Rating.  You can even visit everyone's favorite four letter sports media conglomerate (Hint: Starts with E and ends in N) and you can find PER right next to traditional stats.  But PER only reflects offensive stats for the most part.  It still cannot adjust for the aforementioned "basketball effort plays" on defense.  This is why we are forced to look at the table above. This table contains only 4 players, one player accounts for three lines (and the year the player reached those statistics):

• Player A: Tyson Chandler (11-12)
• Player B: Dwight Howard (10-11)
• Player C: Dwight Howard (09-10)
• Player D: Dwight Howard (08-09)
• Player E: Kevin Garnett    (07-08)
• Player F: Joakim Noah      (12-13)   

Players (year) A-E are the last 5 winners of the Defensive Player of the Year Award and their subsequent numbers.  Joakim Noah (player F) plays center for my beloved (and increasingly frustrating) Chicago Bulls and is making a huge case to nail down his first hardware.  And at almost 40 minutes per game his impact on the (34-26) Bulls is immense.  The key perhaps is his ability to stay on the floor by limiting his fouls without forfeiting defensive aggressiveness.  It also doesn't hurt to put a mammoth 23 points 21 rebounds 11 blocks 3steals on the Philadelphia 76ers.  

I'm really interested to see how Joakim carries himself down the stretch and if he helps the Bulls make it to the playoffs, we could be looking at the next DPOY.  Stay tuned.  Also don't drink from Joakim Noah's solo cup.

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NBA LESSONS: v2.2

Dan P

When does pleasure outweigh business in sports?

Immediately after I wrote a piece detailing a “Kevin Garnett to the L.A. Clippers” deal, I was made to look foolish by the recent twist in Danny Ainge's thought process as now it looks like KG is staying put with Paul Pierce for the remainder of their NBA tenure.  

I thought it was impossible to conceive how a team would pass up trade value on a soon to be 37 year-old (in May) with 3 years left on a deal that will pay him close to $35 million.  That the fact that KG had helped the Boston Celtics to a title in 2008 was already in the rear-view mirror.  And not to mention even the Suns dealt Steve Nash to their long-time nemesis, L.A. Lakers, simply because they couldn't pass up three, first rounds picks.  Seriously, owner Robert Sarver LOVED Steve Nash and HATES the Lakers.  

So why the change of heart by Ainge?  Why the nostalgia for a player that wasn't drafted by the team and has still spent more years playing for the Minnesota T’Wolves (12) than the Celtics (6).  Much ink was spilled before the start of the season about how Rajon Rondo wanted to make the Celtics his team; that it was time to grab the reins and ease the burden of its aging stars.  But Ainge's refusal to deal Garnett for youth, undercuts that notion and brings back something else nostalgic: pride for greatness and love of the game.  Perhaps it has something to do with the fact Ainge played in the NBA or maybe the spirit and energy of KG is too special to let leave the locker room for good.  

Either way, it helped remind this hack writer that sometimes making a deal for the sake of dealing isn't always the best.  I remember feeling the same way about Michael Jordan, and even now I would love to see if MJ, at age 50, could come back just to prove he still has it (He’s at least good enough to beat Michael Kidd-Gilchrist—Ed). It's irrational for the Celtics to pass up any opportunity and yet it never felt more right.

Re-Occurring DwightMare

I'm really sick of Dwight Howard (I second that motion. Head coach, Gregg Popovich would be counted as the third vote.—Ed).  I'm tired of his clean-cut, “smile first” persona that, by now, real NBA fans know is a load of $#*&.  

First let me get something off my chest: I do believe Howard about the health of his back and that he is nowhere close to 100% (He looks “smaller” than he did last year with Orlando. Then again, it could be the hideous purple and yellow that the Lakers wear that make him seem “smaller,” less dominant, this season—Ed).  

Secondly, I do believe playing with Kobe Bryant takes a certain kind of mental toughness and that at times, Kobe has raked Dwight over the coals unfairly (You can read a bit about that, here—Ed).  Finally, I do believe Dwight is salvageable and is the future of the Lakers and they would be wise to keep him, no matter what.  

That being said, he is a bonehead of the highest caliber and is really ruining his best years with his lackadaisical behavior and refusal to understand how he fits into another team's system.  For as much as he and Stan Van Gundy didn't like each other, Stan built a system solely around Dwight. One center down low and four perimeter shooters to take 3's on kick-outs from the post (Shaq 2.0?—Ed).  Dwight flourished under this system and became the league's best center, yet other than one NBA Finals appearance (2009), always came up short.  He got what he wanted in a trade to LA (Although, according to most “experts,” Howard has wanted to really play for the Brooklyn Nets all along—Ed) and despite his animosity towards SVG, he still wants to play like his days in Orlando.  

NEWS FLASH, Dwight!  That isn't going to happen in the Kobe/Mike D'Antoni tenure so get used to it!  

(Dan P actually believes that Pau Gasol is the better first, “big-man” option over Howard.  Read his analysis, here—Ed)

The Lakers are the Lakers so they will weasel themselves out of this mess, but with the oldest backcourt in the NBA (Nash/Kobe) and a ton of money to cut from payroll in fear of the looming luxury tax increase, it looks bleak for the Lakers to really add the pieces Dwight thinks he covets.  

The Return(?) of Derrick Rose

I know I write too much about the Chicago Bulls (You can never write too much about the Bulls—Ed), but this is the league's all-time, youngest MVP and genuine NBA superstar, so it deserves another look.  

The hot topic surrounding Derrick Rose is not if, but when will he come back to playing NBA games.  He made it clear to reporters last week that he will not come back until he feels completely healthy and is 110%.  To this day, I still don't know what that cliche actually means regarding athletic prowess but hey, it always looks good in print.  

Should Derrick Rose miss the whole season?  Unfortunately, there is no right answer, but I am inclined to have a theory.  I've written previously that the Bulls will do anything (short of transforming themselves into the Sacramento Kings—Ed) to avoid this year's luxury tax, which currently they would have to pay if they stood pat.  This, of course, is the horrible idea of trading Carlos Boozer for Andrea Bargnani, which doesn't even make sense financially, let alone in basketball terms.  

What if Derrick Rose returning this season would embolden management to scrap this idea of selling?  I could only think of Rose's ACL this whole time and what it would mean if he came back too soon: a fear I still have.  I know there will be rust in limited minutes, but if he came back looking like his old self, it would rev Chicago into overdrive (Think Ricky Rubio, Dirk Nowitzki and John Wall, but with a better team—Ed) and perhaps be enough to convince management to stay aggressive.  This team has looked much better than I thought was possible without Rose and the East is still a wasteland (sans the Miami Heat) of mediocre rosters (And even the Heat are full of mediocrity outside their “Big 3”—Ed).  

I would love to see the Bulls trim some fat off their salary cap, but I wish it would be anybody but Bargnani.  I would have liked to see them acquire J.J. Redick: A knockdown, three-point shooter.  In 31 minutes per game Redick is posting 45/39/89 shooting percentages for a really bad Orlando team.  At 28 years old and on the final year of his deal that pays him $6.1 million, he may be affordable.  Unfortunately, a Bulls’ division rival has beaten them to the punch:

Atlanta has pulled out of talks with Milwaukee for Josh Smith, two sources say. Bucks have agreed to acquire J.J. Redick from Orlando.
— Ken Berger (@KBergCBS) February 21, 2013

Rats!  I'm looking foolish, once again! 

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NBA ALL-STAR GAME IMPRESSIONS

Also pictured is Clutch the Bear, the host of the 2013 NBA All-Star Game
(photo courtesy of Ed Mancia)

Johnny J

Johnny looks back and recounts a few of his favorite NBA All-Star moments. And offers his 2-cents on this year's event.

• Nate Robinson winning the dunk contest in 2006 and 2009, 2010. The 5'9" combo guard has mad hops and he always came up big in this event and gave 100% effort and always brought a big bag of tricks. Dunking over Dwight Howard as "KryptoNate" is probably my favorite moment.

• James White of the New York Knick will win this year's Dunk Contest. Although he doesn't get a lot of playing time in New York, this guy has unbelievable hops. He is constantly praised by his teammates who watch him in practice and he has already won the contest in the D-League in 2009. Las Vegas has already favored him to win it. There's a reason why they call him, James "Flight" White.

• Jason Kapono winning the three point contest in 2008. He had tied the record for most made 3-pointers in one round with 25; he still owns the record for most made shots in the final round of the 3-Point Contest.  This guy was an unbelievable shooter for the Toronto Raptors. Unfortunately, he never did progress outside of being a 3-point specialist. He now plays in Greece
• This year I believe Steve Novak, of the New York  Knicks, will win the 3-point contest. I think he's going to beat Golden State's Stephen Curry in the Finals. Novak is an unbelievable shooter. Thats all he does in practice is shoot three-pointers. He is a pure shooter. He led the league in 2012 shooting 47.2% percent behind the arc. He is nicknamed "Novakaine" (Is it because he's unconscious from beyond the arc?--Ed).      
• The Western Conference has beaten the Eastern Conference the last 4 out of 6 times. Despite this fact, I still think the East has better players; then again I felt that was the case in last year's game as well. The East should have just dominated, with the guys they had:
• Derrick Rose 
• LeBron Jame
• Dwyane Wade
• Carmelo Anthony

Basically the same team from the East, sans Derrick Rose.
(photo courtesy of Ed Mancia)

I don't know what the best lineup is of all time, but that lineup should be up there with the all time greats, in my most humbled opinion.  But the West won last year, so I'll give them their respect. Kevin Durant won the game's MVP Award.  Nevertheless, I'm going to predict that Carmelo Anthony wins the award this year.  I strongly believe that its his turn to expand his resume.  I'll be rooting hard for him.

The All-Star game is mostly about, individual plays instead of actually running plays. I don't blame them because its all for show. Everybody wants to go home with the MVP or make the highlight reel for that night. It doesn't get serious until the fourth quarter.  However, even though it can be fun to watch, I would like to see the NBA reward the winning Conference, home-court advantage in the NBA Finals: like they do in baseball.  I'm pretty confident that the players will not wait until the 4th quarter to start taking the game seriously.

But the All-Star game is a fun watch, full of good memories, and full of basketball heroics from both superstar and role players.  This year should be no different and look forward to watching it again and see which star will shine the brightest.

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Check out Johnny's review on this year's Pro Bowl. 

PRO BOWL: To Keep or Not to Keep?

Will the sun set on the Pro Bowl next year?  It will be up to Commissioner Goodell to decide....
(photo courtesy of Josh Chiaratti)

                                       

Johnny J

The Pro Bowl is the "All-Star" game of the NFL. It's there to showcase the best players of the league. But what happens when its not taken seriously? The NFL loses money, fans stop caring, and the Commissioner gets mad.  Roger Goodell noted earlier that "the league must address the quality of the game," and he even mentioned he would consider eliminating the exhibition event if improvements aren't made. "I really didn't think that was the kind of football we should be demonstrating for our fans," said the Commissioner who was referring to past efforts in the Pro Bowl.

The players responded this year, with greater determination not to disappoint the fans or the Commissioner. In an all-out effort, the NFC blew out the AFC, 62-35. It actually was worth watching this year. Players like Peyton Manning  headlined the rally of getting the players to play hard and calling the last 2 years of the Pro Bowl unacceptable.  "Peyton said some things and guys took it personal," said Minnesota running back Adrian Peterson, who finished with 13 yards on 5 carries and a fumble.  J.J. Watt after getting his finger cut after a play, went to the sidelines, and during an interview, as the cameras got a good look of his bloodied finger, and lightheartedly barbed, "Hey, Commish!  We're playing hard."  Even Goodell announced yesterday that the players' play in the Pro Bowl improved greatly this year compared to years past.

Hawaii.  Very likely that NFL Pro Bowlers wake up to this
sight every morning.
(photo courtesy of Josh Chiaratti)

For example, first-year Pro Bowler and Minnesota Vikings' tight-end, Kyle Rudolph, who was named MVP after catching 5 passes for 122 yards and a touchdown.  Rudolph not only made a statement with his game, but also pleaded with the Commish to "keep [the Pro Bowl] here and keep it here for a long time." Rudolph, was not initially voted into the Pro Bowl. He made it after Tony Gonzalez decided not to attend because of injury. In the end Rudolph definitely showed why he deserved to be there: he was Eli Manning's and Drew Brees' top receiver and walked out the stadium with the MVP.

As a fan, the Pro Bowl was just known as a trip to Hawaii and an extra paycheck. I understand that no one wants to get hurt in a game that doesn't mean anything. Some players are still probably still upset about not being in the Super Bowl and so the effort was just not there. Especially if you're a player who has been known as a Pro Bowler throughout your career, but for someone who is new to Hawaii, you're just soaking it all in.

But Going back to Gonzalez, not being there, I feel like if you were healthy enough to play in your last game, then you're healthy enough to play in this game. If I paid for tickets to go to the Pro Bowl, I would like to see players that I voted for playing. The fans deserve that much.  I didn't pay for someone to be called upon because my favorite players were too busy--err, hurt--to come.  Players like: 

• Aaron Rodgers 
• Calvin Johnson
• Matt Ryan
• Clay Matthews

They all could have played because they all played in their last games. They may have tweaked something during the game, but they played. So if you play for your team, then you should play for the fans. This is something the Commissioner needs to address as well.

Hawaii.  You can't get these views in Miami.
(photo courtesy of Josh Chiaratti)

In 2010 the NFL moved the Pro Bowl in front of the Super Bowl, in an effort to get fans to watch. They threw more money toward the winning team and that didn't work: $60,000 to the winner and $45,000 to the loser before, now $50,000 to $25,000 split to the winner and loser, respectively. They even moved the Pro Bowl to Miami for one year and nobody cared.

Finally, the Commissioner said he would cancel the All Star event if players didn't play hard and that may have gotten the players' attention. Proving that being a Pro Bowler still means something; it means you're an elite member of this game, at least for the season your number is summoned upon by the fans and coaches. It also means you're responsible in providing your services for the overall good of the game and most especially for the fans.  Even if the game is just an exhibition event--just come out and exhibit your skills!

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