Revised - NBA Draft 2009 Prediction

Happy NBA Draft Day! Here is a quick updated draft prediction. For more about team needs/who they should draft/who they will draft, check out my previous entry: "NBA Draft Preview"

NBA DRAFT 2009:

1. Los Angelas Clippers - Blake Griffin
2. Memphis Grizzlies - Hasheem Thabeet
3. Oklahoma City Thunder - Ricky Rubio
4. Sacramento Kings - Stephen Curry
5. Minnesota Timberwolves - James Harden
6. Minnesota Timberwolves - Johnny Flynn
7. Golden State Warriors - Brandon Jennings
8. New York Knicks - Jordan Hill
9. Toronto Raptors - Tyreke Evans
10. Milwaukee Bucks - DeMar DeRozan
    
11. New Jersey Nets - Terrence Williams
12. Charlotte Bobcats - Gerald Henderson
13. Indiana Pacers - Earl Clark
14. Phoenix Suns - B.J. Mullens
15. Detroit Pistons - DeJuan Blair
16. Chicago Bulls - Tyler Hansborough
17. Philadelphia 76ers - Ty Lawson
18. Minnesota Timberwolves - DaJuan Summers
19. Atlanta Hawks - Eric Maynor
20. Utah Jazz -Jrue Holliday
21. New Orleans Hornets - Chase Budinger
22. Portland Trailblazers - Omri Casspi
23. Sacramento Kings - Taj Gibson
24. Dallas Mavericks - Jeff Teague
    
25. Oklahoma City Thunder - Austin Daye
26. Chicago Bulls - Derrick Brown
    
27. Memphis Grizzlies -Sam Young
    
28. Minnesota Timberwolves - Josh Heytvelt
    
29. Los Angelas Lakers - Wayne Ellington
    
30. Cleveland Cavaliers - Toney Douglas
    

Top 3 Players to come out of the 2009 NBA Draft:

1. Blake Griffin
2. Ricky Rubio
3. Johnny Flynn

Top 3 Busts to come out of the 2009 NBA Draft:

1. Jrue Holliday
2. Tyreke Evans
3. Stephen Curry

Top 3 Sleepers in the 2009 NBA Draft:

1. Eric Maynor
2. DaJuan Blair
3. Sam Young
   

2009 NBA DRAFT PREVIEW



1. Los Angelas Clippers - Blake Griffin

• Team Needs: Point Guard

• Who the Clippers should draft: Blake Griffin
  

• Why Blake Griffin: The Clippers finished the season 27th in scoring offense and 26th in scoring defense this past season. Griffin will immediately supply the clippers with scoring, defense, and toughness. Griffin should become an 18 ppg/10 rbp player within three seasons.

• Who the Clippers will draft: Blake Griffin

• About Blake Griffin: 6'10, 248 lbs. sophomore power forward out of Oklahoma. He averaged 22.7 ppg and 14.4 rpg. Griffin was the 2009 Big 12 player of the year, 2009 1st team All-American, and 2009 Player of the Year.
  

• NBA Comparison: Carlos Boozer
  

• Clippers Projected Starting Lineup
  

1. PG - Baron Davis
2. SG - Eric Gordon
3. SF - Al Thornton
4. PF - Blake Griffin
5. C - Chris Kaman

The Bottom Line: With the 1st overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Los Angelas Clippers will and should select Blake Griffin out of Oklahoma. He will be an all star caliber player in three seasons.




2. Memphis Grizzlies - Hasheem Thabeet

• Team Needs: Power Forward, Point Guard

• Who the Grizzlies should draft: Jordan Hill, Arizona, 6'10, 232 lbs.

• Why Jordan Hill: The Grizzlies finished 29th in scoring offense in '08-09. Hill's stock has soared over the past few weeks. He has excellent athleticism for a 6'10 power forward. In fact, Hill's combination of size, athleticism, and scoring ability will translate well to the NBA. He would fill a glaring hole at the power forward spot for the Grizzlies for years to come.

• Who will The Grizzlies draft: Hasheem Thabeet

• About Hasheem Thabeet: 7'3 Center averaged 13.6 ppg, 10.8 rbg, 4.2 bpg. 2008 Defensive Player of the Year and 2009 Big East Co-Player of the Year.

• NBA Comparison: Samuel Dalembert
  

• Projected Starting Lineup:

1. PG -Mike Conley
2. SG - O.J. Mayo
3. SF - Rudy Gay
4. PF - Hakim Warrick
5. C - Hasheem Thabeet
   

The Bottom Line: Even though the Grizzlies sorely lack a true power forward in their lineup, they will most likely draft Thabeet based on his size and defensive prowess. In my opinion, Thabeet will turn out to be an average center in the league.




3. Oklahoma City Thunder - James Harden

• Team Needs: Shooting Guard, Center

• Who the Thunder should draft: James Harden

• Why James Harden: The Thunder finished 24th in scoring offense and 8th in scoring defense. Harden would provide the Thunder with the most polished scoring guard in the 2009 draft. Adding Harden would make the Thunder a much more formidable opponent.
  

• Who the Thunder will draft: James Harden

• About James Harden: 6'5 sophomore SG out of USC. Averaged 20.1 ppg, 4.2 apg, and 5.6 rbp. 2009 Pac-10 Player of the Year. 2009 All American.

• NBA Comparison: Paul Pierce
  

• Projected Starting Lineup:
  

1. PG - Russel Westbrook
2. SG - James Harden
3. SF - Kevin Durant
4. PF - Jeff Green
5. C - Nenad Kristic

The Bottom Line: The Thunder have two major needs in their current lineup including shooting guard and center. Since Thabeet came off the board already, Harden would be the best value with this pick for the Thunder.




4. Sacramento Kings - Ricky Rubio

• Team Needs: Point Guard

• Who the Kings should draft: Ricky Rubio

• Why Ricky Rubio: The Kings have some talent but really lack a point guard to lead the team. Drafting Rubio makes all the sense in the world. If you haven't watched Rubio before, I highly recommend checking out his YouTube clips. He's a poor man's Steve Nash (doesn't quite have the shot yet). He has the innate ability to make all the players around him better. In addition, he is only 18 years old and has a ton of potential for improvement.

• Who the Kings will draft: Ricky Rubio

• About Ricky Rubio: 6'3 PG out of Spain. Rubio was the Spanish league rising star in 2007. Rubio was the FIBA European Young Player of the Year in 2007 & 2008. In 2008, Rubio was Mr. Europa European Player of the Year. This past season, Rubio was named Spanish League Defensive Player of the Year.

• NBA Comparison: Steve Nash
  

• Projected Starting Lineup:

1. PG - Ricky Rubio
2. SG - Kevin Martin
3. SF - Fransico Garcia/Donte Green
4. PF - Jason Thompson
5. C - Spencer Hawes

The Bottom Line: The Kings will be extremely fortunate to have Rubio fall to them at the #4 pick. A month ago, he was projected to go as high as #2. They must draft Rubio to fill their void at point guard.







5. Washington Wizards - Jordan Hill

• Team Needs: Center, Shooting Guard

• Who the Wizards should draft: DeMar DeRozan, USC, 6'7, 211 lbs.
  

• Why DeMar DeRozan: DeRozan fills a gaping hole at the two guard for the Wiz. At 6'7, DeRozan's size at shooting guard will provide match up problems for almost every team in the NBA.

• Who the Wizards will draft: Jordan Hill

• About Jordan Hill: 6'10 sophomore power forward out of Arizona was an honorable mention all-Pac-10 and Pac-10 all-Defensive team selection this past season. He averaged 18 ppg and 11 rpg.
  

• NBA Comparison: Chris Bosh
  

• Projected Starting Lineup:

1. PG - Gilbert Arenas
2. SG - Deshawn Stevenson
3. SF - Caron Butler
4. PF - Antawn Jamison/Jordan Hill
5. C - Brendan Haywood

The Bottom Line: Even though I believe selecting DeMar DeRozan would fulfill one of the Wizards major two needs, it is more likely that they will draft Jordan Hill based on his potential and the probability of trading Antawn Jamison in the near future.






6. Minnesota Timberwolves - Stephen Curry

• Team Needs: PG, SF

• Who the T-Wolves should draft: Johnny Flynn

• Why Johnny Flynn: The Timberwolves were 21st in scoring ppg and 22nd in scoring defense. It is apparent to me that Sebastian Telfair will never be a great point guard in the NBA. Drafting Flynn will dramatically improve the T-Wolves point guard play.

• Who the T-Wolves will draft: Stephen Curry
  

• Who is Stephen Curry: 6'3 junior point guard/shooting guard hybrid was a 2008 Wooden All-America, Sporting News Player of the Year, and Southern Conference Male Athlete of the Year. Curry is known for his unbelievable shooting ability and leadership attributes. Curry averaged 28 ppg, 4 rbp, and 6 apg.

• NBA Comparison: Ben Gordon
  

• Projected Starting Lineup:

1. PG - Stephen Curry
2. SG - Mike Miller/Randy Foye
3. SF - Corey Brewer
4. PF - Al Jefferson
5. C - Kevin Love

The Bottom Line: The T-Wolves need immediate assistance at point guard and small forward. Drafting Curry will help the T-Wolves score, but can he make the transition to being a true point guard at the next level? Only time will tell.






7. Golden State Warriors - Brandon Jennings

• Team Needs:Center, Point Guard

• Who the Warriors should draft: Johnny Flynn

• Why Johnny Flynn: Currently the Warriors have Jamal Crawford playing point guard. Although Crawford is a good scorer, he is too streaky and selfish to be an upper echelon point guard. Flynn possesses more innate point guard characteristics and drafting him would improve the rest of their lineup.

• Who the Warriors will draft: Brandon Jennings

• Who is Brandon Jennings: 6'1 freshman point guard who played this previous internationally in Italy. Jennings is a talented point guard who did not produce very well overseas. He only average 5 ppg and 3 apg.
  

• NBA Comparison: Kenny Anderson
  

• Projected Starting Lineup:

1. PG - Jamal Crawford/Brandon Jennings
2. SG - Monta Ellis
3. SF - Stephen Jackson
4. PF - Anthony Randolph
5. C - Andris Biedrins

The Bottom Line: The Warriors are a very talented team and the addition of Jennings will pay dividends in a few seasons. Jennings' will be ready to step into the point guard role by 2011-2012 season.




8. New York Knickerbockers - Johnny Flynn

• Team Needs: Point Guard, Center

• Who the Knicks should draft: Johnny Flynn

• Why Johnny Flynn: Flynn fits the mold of a D'Antoni system. He's a strong, durable scoring point guard who loves to play in a fast break tempo style of basketball. It is likely that Nate Robinson will not be re-signed due to monetary issues and Flynn will step into the starting point guard role.

• Who the Knicks will draft: Johnny Flynn

• Who is Johnny Flynn: 6'0 , 185 lbs. Sophomore PG out of Syracuse. Flynn was the 2009 Big East Tournament MVP and Team USA U19 Team in 2007. He averaged 17.4 ppg, 2.7 rbg, and 6.7 apg.

• NBA comparison: Deron Williams
  

• Projected Starting Lineup:

1. PG - Johnny Flynn
2. SG - Larry Hughes
3. SF - Wilson Chandler
4. PF - Al Harrington
5. C - David Lee

The Bottom Line: Flynn is a prolific scorer who will replace Nate Robinson in the lineup. I expect him to be a solid point guard in the NBA for many years if used correctly by D'Antoni.




9. Toronto Raptors - Tyreke Evans

• Team Needs: SG

• Who the Raptors should draft: Tyreke Evans

• Why Tyreke Evans: The raptors lack a true slasher and Evans can immediately provide them with a player who has the athletic ability to consistenly drive to the basket. Evans has ideal size for a shooting guard at 6'6, 219 lbs. His athleticism would fit the raptors perfectly.

• Who the Raptors will draft: Tyreke Evans

• About Tyreke Evans: 6'6, 219 lbs. freshman shooting guard out of Memphis. Evans was the only freshman finalist for the 2009 U.S. Basketball Writers of America National Player of the year award. He averaged 17.1 ppg, 3.9 apg, and 5.4 rpg.

• NBA Comparison: Josh Howard
  

• Raptors Starting Lineup:

1. PG - Jose Calderon
2. SG - Tyreke Evans/Anthony Parker
   
3. SF - Shawn Marion
4. PF - Chris Bosh
5. C - Andrea Bargnani

The Bottom Line: Tyreke Evans would be an ideal fit for a team that lacks a true slasher. Evans has the potential to be a prolific scorer in the NBA if he develops a more consistent outside shot.



10. Milwaukee Bucks - Jrue Holliday

• Team Needs: Point Guard, Center

• Who the Bucks should draft: Ty Lawson
  

• Why Jrue Holliday: After losing Mo Williams to the Cavs last off season, the Bucks have still not found a point guard solution. Lawson would step right into the starting point guard role.

• Who the Bucks will draft: Jrue Holliday

• Who is Jrue Holliday: Jrue Holliday is a 6'3, 180 lb. freshman out of UCLA. He averaged 8.5 ppg, 3.7 apg, and 3.8 rbg this past season. Drafting Holliday is purely based on potential since he did not put up great numbers at UCLA this past season.

• NBA Comparison: Delonte West
  

• Bucks Potential Starting Lineup:

1. PG - Jrue Holliday
2. SG - Michael Redd
3. SF - Richard Jefferson
4. PF - Charlie Villaneuva
5. C - Andrew Bogut

The Bottom Line: The Bucks are in dire need of a point guard and drafting Holliday will help fill that void. I believe drafting Lawson would be a better fit and Holliday will end up being a bust.



11. New Jersey Nets - Terrence Williams

• Team Needs: Small Forward, Power Forward

• Who the Nets should draft: DeJaun Blair

• Why DeJaun Blair: Blair is a powerful, bullish player who has a knack for scoring and rebounding. He will provide the Nets with a complimentary post-up player alongside Brook Lopez.
  

• Who the Nets will draft: Terrance Williams

• About Terrance Williams: A 6'6, 220 lbs. senior swingman out of Louisville. Williams averaged 12.5 ppg, 8.6 rpg, and 5.0 apg. He was a 2009 All Big East selection. Williams is versatile player who can play shooting guard or small forward.

• NBA Comparsion: Shawn Marion
  

• Nets Potential Starting Lineup:

1. PG - Devin Harris
2. SG - Vince Carter
3. SF - Terrance Williams
4. PF - Yi Jianlian
5. C - Brook Lopez

The Bottom Line: The Nets need to fill the scoring void left by the departure of Richard Jefferson last off season. Adding DeJaun Blair will help the Nets down low but I see Rod Thorn drafting the versatile Williams as a possible future replacement for Carter.





12. Charlotte Bobcats - Gerald Henderson

• Team Needs: Shooting Guard, Power Forward

• Who should the Bobcats draft: Gerald Henderson

• Why Gerald Henderson: Henderson would fit right with the Bobcats backing up Raja Bell at shooting guard and Gerald Wallace at small forward. He is a natural scorer and leader who should help the Bobcats make the playoffs next season for the 1st time ever in their existence.
  

• Who the Bobcats will draft: Gerald Henderson

• About Gerald Hederson: 6'4, 215 lbs. junior shooting guard out of Duke. Henderson averaged 16.5 ppg, 2.5 apg, and 4.9 rpg. In 2009, Henderson made the 1st-team All-ACC.

• NBA Comparison: Caron Butler
  

• Bobcats Potential Starting Lineup:

1. PG - Raymond Felton
2. SG - Raja Bell/Gerald Henderson
3. SF - Gerald Wallace
4. PF - Boris Diaw
5. C - Emeka Okafor

The Bottom Line: 2009 was the best year in franchise history for the Bobcats. Adding Henderson will help the Bobcats at shooting guard and small forward. With the addition of Henderson, I believe the Bobcats will finally make the playoffs for the first time in their franchise history.





13. Indiana Pacers - Earl Clark

• Team Needs: Shooting Guard, Point Guard

• Who the Pacers should draft: Ty Lawson
  

• Why Ty Lawson: Lawson was a terrific point guard in college who is ultra-quick and athletic. He has the potential to be very good point guard in the NBA and can be a great asset eventually replacing T.J. Ford.
  

• Who the Pacers will draft: Earl Clark

• Who is Earl Clark: 6'9, 225 lbs. junior power forward out of Louisville. He averaged 14.2 ppg, 3.2 apg, and 8.7 rpg. He was a 2009 3rd team all Big East selection in 2009. Clark has some off the court issues but is known as a versatile, talented player.

• NBA Comparison: Boris Diaw
  

• Pacers Potential Starting Lineup:

1. PG - T.J. Ford
2. SG - Mike Dunleavy
3. SF - Danny Granger
4. PF - Troy Murphy/Earl Clark
5. C - Roy Hibbert
   

The Bottom Line: In my opinion, the Pacers would be best served by drafting a point guard, such as Ty Lawson to replace T.J. Ford, but I feel it is more likely they will select Earl Clark with at the 13th pick. With the addition of Earl Clark, the Pacers have a solid, versatile player who can fill in at power forward and for short periods backing up Danny Granger at small forward.




14. Phoenis Suns - B. J. Mullens


15. Detroit Pistons - DeJuan Blair


16. Chicago Bulls - Tyler Hansborough


17. Philadelphia 76ers - Ty Lawson

• Team Needs: Point Guard, Shooting Guard

• Who the 76ers should draft: Ty Lawson

• Why Ty Lawson: Andre Miller is 33 years old and finding his replacement with Lawson is a great idea. Lawson would be an absolute steal this low in the draft. He does have flaws (can't drive left very well) but his leadership, strength, and speed are huge positives.
  

• Who the 76ers will draft: Ty Lawson
  

• Who is Ty Lawson: 5'11, 195 lbs. junior point guard out of UNC. Lawson averaged 16.6 ppg, 6.6 apg, and 2.1 steals per game. He was the 2009 ACC Men's player of the year and 2nd team All-American.

• NBA Comparison: T.J. Ford
  

• 76ers Potential Starting Lineup:

1. PG - Andre Miller/Ty Lawson
2. SG - Willie Green
3. SF - Andre Iguodala
4. PF - Eltron Brand
5. C - Samuel Dalembert/Marreese Speights

The Bottom Line: At this point in the draft, drafting Ty Lawson would be great value for the sixers. I believe the have a much bigger present need at shooting guard, but their I have Lawson rated much higher than any other available shooting guard at this juncture in the draft. Lawson will be a very solid point guard in a couple years when he steps into the starting lineup replacing the aging Miller.

Just SHUTUP Awards, Volume I

First Edition:


1. Plaxico Burress (WR-Free Agent)

• Burress was quoted stating he'd like to go to the Jets to throw it in the Giants' faces.
  
• The Bottom Line: What an idiot, why would he be angry at the Giants? The Giants put up with all his prior infractions and bullshit. All of a sudden he insists the Giants have wronged him? Hey Plaxico, you're the idiot who shot himself in the leg. If it wasn't for you, the Giants would have headed to a second straight Super Bowl. Just shutup and try not to shoot yourself again, actually, I take that back.
  

2. Brett Favre (Quaterback - Free Agent)

• How can you not be sick of the Favre saga. He pulls this garbage every year and no one cares! It's partially ESPN's fault for informing us about every ridiculous move he makes.
  
• The Bottom Line: Favre, come back or don't, but just shutup. You're not even that good anymore.
  

3. Brandon Jennings (Point Guard, Italy)

• Jennings, a 19-year-old American, starred at Dominguez High School in Compton, Calif., and Oak Hill Academy in Virginia. He played professionally in Italy this past season rather than attend college and is considered a lottery pick.
• "Well, put it like this — if Rubio was in a workout with me, Jonny Flynn, Jrue Holiday, Ty Lawson, Stephen Curry, he wouldn’t probably be at the top," Jennings said.
• "I can shoot the ball better than he can," Jennings said. "The only time I’ve seen him do something is when he’ll have a home run pass or something like that. I think the dude is all hype. I can’t even (lie)."
• The Bottom Line: Hey BJ, why don't you stop crying about who will be getting picked ahead of you in the draft. How about you worry about yourself and work on that mediocre jump shot of yours instead of running your mouth. Maybe you should have been paying attention last summer when Rubio was tearing it up against the likes of Jason Kidd and Deron Wiliams.
  

4. Rex Ryan (NYJ Coach)

• Ryan told WFAN last week that he didn’t come to the Jets to kiss Bill Belichick’s rings. Ryan also anointed the Jets as the new beasts in the AFC East. Furthermore, he continuing to trash talk with LB Channing Crowder of the Dolphins.
• The Bottom Line: Hey Rexy, you'll be lucky to go 8-8 this year without a proven QB starter. You should probably concentrate more on preparing your team rather than disparaging perhaps the best coach in all of football and a trash talking with an average linebacker.
  

Hey Schiano, Play Savage!

Background:

Tom Savage:

• 4 star QB
• Offers from RU, PSU, Tennessee, Miami, etc.
• Ranked #8 Pro-Style QB according to Rivals.com

The Debate:

Should Coach Schiano play Savage or redshirt him? This is a heavily debated topic within the Rutgers Football world.

In my opinion, it is imperative to give Savage playing time. Here are a couple reasons to support my thinking:

1. Remember 2005 Rutgers fans? Of course you do! This was the first time Rutgers Football made a bowl game in 30 years! Incumbent QB Ryan Hart, coming off his prolific junior year (3rd year starting) was set to break nearly every school record. Coincidentally, much heralded freshman QB Mike Teel had just joined the scarlet knights on the banks. Teel was widely known to be the Rutgers QB of the future. Coach Schiano decided to play Teel in 2005 and he made 101 pass attempts. Teel looked nervous and shaky at times, but the experience from 2005 served to be invaluable in his progress as a quarterback. Going into the 2006 football season, Rutgers fans felt much more comfortable having a starting quarterback with some playing time under his belt. It is feasible to surmise that without gaining the game experience in 2005, Rutgers great success in 2006 may not have occurred.
2. As a Rutgers fan, if you believe in the success of your program, you must believe you can recruit a player of Tom Savage's caliber every 2-3 years. If this is the case, burning his freshman year of eligibility is a non-issue.
   

The Bottom Line:

• Allowing Tom Savage to get some reps under his belt is imperative for having a successful 2010 season. Their will be ample opportunity for Savage to get playing time versus weaker opponents on the 2009 schedule and I hope Schiano will take advantage of those opportunities. As long as Rutgers continues to win, getting another "Tom Savage" in 3 years should be expected.

What do you think?

Who is 3rd Best?

Lebron, Kobe.... Kobe, Lebron....does it matter? It's obvious that they go 1-2 as the NBA's best.
The real question is, who is 3rd best?

In my opinion it comes down to a brief list of players:

1. Dwight Howard
2. Tim Duncan
3. Carmelo Anthony
4. Chris Paul
5. Dirk Nowitzki
6. Dwayne Wade
   

Here's the case for each of these players:

1. Dwight Howard (Magic): 20.6 ppg, 13.8 rpg, 2.9 bpg

• 3-time all star
• 3-time all-nba team selection
• 2-time all-defensive member
• 2009 defensive player of the year

My take: Howard is one of the most dominant inside defensive presences in the NBA. He still lacks the inside post game to really be a great center. Currently, he is 24 years old and should develop to be a better offensive player which will compliment his dominant defensive prowess. His main weaknesses include his inside post moves and his free throw shooting.


2. Tim Duncan (Spurs): 19.3 ppg , 8 rpg, 1.2 bpg

• 4-time NBA champion
• 3-time NBA Finals MVP
• 2-time NBA MVP
• 11-time All Star
• 12 All-NBA teams
• 12 All-defensive teams
  

--> What else can you really add about this future hall of famer commonly known as the big fundamental? He's so fundamentally sound it's incredible. Unfortunately, it seems he's on the downside of his career. At this point, it's hard to say he's the 3rd best player in the NBA.


3. Carmelo Anthony (Nuggets): 22.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 3.4 apg

• 3 time NBA All Star
• 3 time All-NBA 3rd team

--> Melo really made a case for himself in this current NBA playoffs. He raised his scoring average to 27 ppg. It is an interesting coincidence that his best year occurred when Chauncey Billups joins the team. Was this post-season a fluke or a sign of great things to come?


4. Chris Paul (Hornets): 22.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 11 apg

• 2 time NBA All Star
• 1 time All-NBA 1st Team
• 1 time All-NBA Defensive First Team
• NBA Rookie of the Year

---> Chris Paul really made a name for himself in 2008. Paul brought the New Orleans Hornets to the conference championship and really showed off his spectacular playmaking skills and leadership. His assists per game really speak for itself. On the negative side, Paul's Hornets lost in the 1st round this year to the Nuggets. Isn't a great player supposed to elevate his team to a higher seed and moreover, a 1st round win?


5. Dirk Nowitzki (Mavericks): 25.9 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 2.4 apg

• 8-time NBA All-Star
• 4-time All-NBA 1st Team
• 3-time All NBA 2nd Team
• 2-time All-NBA 3rd Team
• 1-time NBA MVP

--> Nowitki is the most skilled big man in the NBA. He has unbelievable range for a 7 footer. Nowitzki led the Mavs to an NBA Finals appearance and has been a great player in the NBA for years. On the other hand, Nowitzki has never lead the Mavericks to a NBA Championship.


6. Dwayne Wade (Heat): 30.2 ppg, 5 rpg, 7.5 apg

• 1-time NBA Finals MVP
• 1-time NBA Champion
• 5-time NBA All Star
• 1-time All-NBA 1st Team
• 2-time All-NBA 2nd Team
• 1-time All-NBA 3rd Team
• 2-time All-NBA Defensive Team
  

-->Flash has been one of the most prolific scorers in the NBA the past decade. His knack for the basket is uncanny and he has already won an NBA championship. He's an ultra talented guard who has the potential to win more championships. Negatively, his only championship came as the team's 2nd option (after shaq). Can Wade lead a team to a championship? This is a question he will have to answer for years to come.



The Bottom Line:

• It's incredibly difficult to decipher which player is 3rd best. I think the best way to decide who is the best player is to imagine yourself as General Manager of a franchise who needs to win for the next 5 years. Next, you must decide who you'd like to start your team with. When I put myself in this scenario, I would begin my team with Dwight Howard. It is extremely difficult to find big, dominant big men and Howard is already a star. The next player I would choose would be Chris Paul. Paul has unbelievable skills and can make everyone around him better.
• My NBA Top 5: (1) Lebron (2) Kobe (3) Howard (4) Paul (5)Nowitzki

what do you think?

NBA Finals - Lakers/Magic

Some things really irritate me when it comes to the NBA Finals.

1) Finals format:

All NBA playoff series up until the finals are formatted as 2-2-1-1-1. This means that the favourite plays at home the 1st 2 games, game 5, and game 7. On the other hand, once you get the Finals, things change. Since the 80's, the NBA Finals are of a 2-3-2 format. This format gives the home team an even bigger advantage than previously.

Up until the 1980's, the 2-2-1-1-1 format was utilized during the NBA Finals. The favourite team won roughly 70% of series. Right around when the celtics/lakers dynasties in the 1980's began, they decided to go with the 2-3-2 format. Since going to the 2-3-2 format, home teams have won 78% of the series. Talk about odds!!

Thus, if you're the underdog and lose the 1st 2 games, you're pretty much done. This is the case this year for the magic. Can you really expect them to win 3 in a row at home?


2) Is anyone else sick of the Kobe/Lakers love. I know they're the most marketable team in all of basketball but come on! The Magic set a record for shooting percentage in a Finals game in game 3 , yet all they did was talk about Kobe and the Lakers ad nauseum. We get it, the Lakers are great, Kobe is god, but seriously where would the Lakers be right now if they didn't practically steal Gasol from the Grizzlies last year?

Mets/Phillies & Yanks/Sox- my take

First of all, I'd like to welcome you to my first blog entry!
I'd love feedback and am always open to constructive criticism, fire away!

With that said...HERE WE GO!




These 2 series are eerily familiar.

Before these series' began, it was

AL East: 1) Yankees 2)Boston
NL East 1) Phillies 2)Mets

For some reason, both 1st place teams keep losing to their 2nd place counterparts. Just look at the season head to head records. I have no idea why, but right now the red sox absolutely own the yankees and up until last night (where the mets blew the game) the mets have owned the phillies this season.

I know it's still very early in the baseball season, they will be playing each other numerous more times, but it's just an observation.

By the way, currently:

AL East: 1) Red Sox 2) Yankees
NL East 1) Phillies 2) Mets



AL East Breakdown:
- When it comes down to it, both the Red Sox and the Yankees will make the playoffs. There's just too much talent ($$ spent) for them not to make it this season. Even though the yankees current starting pitchers are a bit shaky right now , they'll shape up.

- The difference will come in the playoffs where the Red Sox will have a big advantage due to their superior relief pitching.


NL East Breakdwon:
- Unlike the red sox/yankees, I'm not so sure both of these teams (Mets/Phils) will make the playoffs this year. Whomever finishes in 2nd place is in serious danger of not making the playoffs due to the resurgence of the Cardinals and Giants this year. This makes every game between the Mets/Phillies even more important. In the end, I believe both the mets/phils will make the playoffs, but it's not such a sure thing like it is for the yanks/sox