Scenarios Galore

Do I keep any dignity if I beg???
Credit: TonySports

LeBron James is making his announcement on Thursday at 9pm on ESPN.
He's even selling advertisements (for charity, admittedly) for the hour potentially.
Wow. An entire hour. Ego, much?

Question is (okay, question #14 on my list), how long do they (James & ESPN's producers) draw it out? (over/under 9.5 minutes.)
How many people see their blood pressure spike by 150% in the opening 15 minutes?

So is that an hour focused on new beginnings (perhaps a conference call with Amar'e???) in New York or staying in Cleveland (can he bribe Bosh with extra $$$ or an endorsement???).

Man, how sappy could that be (Cleveland for an hour)???
Or how sweet (New York for a lifetime)!?!?!?

Seriously, why is this guy getting so much love right now? I may take Amar'e AND Boozer over him. Seriously.
Credit: Umbrohi

In the end, I think it's down to these two teams (NY & Cleveland, of course). I may be WAAAAY off, by I just can't see how LeBron is going to Chicago (w/ Bosh) any longer. Too many cooks in the Chicago stew. He isn't going to Miami with Wade and Bosh either. That money won't work one way or another. Not enough (basket)balls in Miami, either. Of course, if they (i.e. Bosh & Wade) showed up on-screen a mere 20 seconds after James opened his "press conference"...the world may stop spinning on its axis.

I would call for Miami to be removed from the Union, by the way.

I could speculate on and on and on (and on...), but following my Twitter feed is more fun.
And if you're a Knicks fan, this is a MANDATORY viewing every 6 1/2 minutes (or less, if you wish).

So instead of pulling out what little hair I CHOOSE to have left, I'm going hold tight to anything Knicks I can find (might be tough in this apartment in the 8-0-4) and hold out hope.

Funny thing is, I'll be in a car en route to Atlantic City this weekend when the announcement drops. I'll expect text messages and have several twitter feeds ready to update my phone (sad, right?).

All I know is, I'm currently doing something I didn't expect to do.
I'm allowing myself to have hope.
For better or worse.

New York...it's a hell of a town.

InClement Weather: Defending Bron Bron

I hate to go "10 Things", but I'm going to. It's one of the benefits of working for a blog where the creator and owner realizes how unfocused (yet unmatched) my madness can be.

Remember the brief outcry over this picture? Ridiculous beyond belief.
Guess who handled it flawlessly? LeBron.
Credit: BetorSedge.com

Anyways...

#1. First off, LeBron doesn't need anyone to defend him. Only trailing Tiger Woods (probably) in popularity as an American athlete, Bron Bron has more cash than Wells Fargo (is that saying much these days, though?) and this moment will pass quickly. The legacy is still secured, my friends.

#2. I like LeBron. In fact, I'm a huge fan of the 24-year old. I don't like Kobe. I never have. I never will, either. That night in Denver has been dismissed (not just forgotten) far too easily. That affects my opinion, too. Sure, there are a lot of people who love LeBron and are nailing him for his actions (or inactions); however, a lot of people have been waiting for a moment like this to pile on the King.

#3. The NBA was foolish to all but predict Lakers vs. Cavaliers so early in the Playoffs. It was unfair to talented players like Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, Paul Pierce, and a few notable others. This doesn't dismiss the dissapointment most of us feel for not having the series; however, I don't like when predictions are made on a company basis.

#4. LeBron didn't display sportsmanship. Not even a drop of it. But let's not equate not shaking hands and not giving a press conference with: assaulting another player, directly taunting another player, interacting negatively with fans, cursing on camera (KG!), berrating one's coach (Superman!), or chewing out his team. No breakdowns either. Hell, he didn't even refuse to shake Dwight Howard's hand. Or anyone else's. He looked around, realized the totality of the moment, and left the scene as soon as he could. He also didn't openly sulk, pout, and give up on a sideline after a series slipped away, despite his best efforts (KOBE!). He also remained loyal, as he could, to Cleveland with his most recent comments. If that city feels offended, they're insane.

#5. I don't like people who accept defeat readily. I understand sportsmanship and it being paramount to the game, but I also don't expect people to immediately dismiss a season's effort lost in an instant. I want my team to fight until it's over, maybe even after. I also don't ask them to smile and hug their counterparts. I want true rivalry, not chivalry. If I see Bart Scott hugging Tom Brady next season, I'm hurling instantly.

Sometimes, even I wish he was just a little more serious.
Check that. I don't. Not at all.
Credit: EveryJoe.com

#6. Dwight Howard is a goofy bastard. I think he's an amazing talent and I root for him, but his demeanor would be tough to swallow after a gut-wrenching series. LeBron has his post-victory moments as well, so I don't expect Howard to be gung-ho with the props as well. It's not like Howard needed to mob LeBron after the game-winner a week back.

#7. LeBron had every right to chew out his team, coach, and front office. When you have the talent of LeBron, you don't have guys like Delonte, Wally, Anderson, and Ben next to him. Mo Williams is not a legit #2 on a title-contending team. I've said it before. I'll say it again, too.

#8. ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Yahoo! Sports, and all the other media outlets need a story. While your typical radio call-in is dissapointed in LeBron, they also won't care enough to not watch him. This is just like steroids...a media issue. What else are they going to talk about: hockey???

#9. Mark Cuban is the owner (eccentric or not) of a team who insulted someone's mother. Even though it was Kenyon Martin, Cuban apologized via his friggen blog and lookey lookey...that issue is forgotten. Honestly, do you remember how long ago that was? Me neither. This will pass quickly, too.

#10. It's the NBA. It's professional basketball. No kids are going to become poor sport's (who weren't already) because of this. The youth of America will survive. The game of basketball will go on. LeBron will live to play another game. James Naismith isn't rolling over in his grave. Dwight Howard will somehow recapture his smile. In fact, I guarantee he has already.

In the end, LeBron made a mistake. He didn't rectify it, but he didn't shoulder bump an opponent into the sidelines, admit to smoking weed in the offseason, get a DUI, slap his wife, committ adultery, or kick a cameraman in the crotch.

He didn't shake someone's hand and didn't explain himself to the media.
I wonder if he could've bitten his tongue towards his teammates, which would've been a more serious issue.

Call me a "King"-lover or biased, but I'll call it like it is.
So take a deep breath and a sip of some get-over-it-juice.
We're still better off for the likes of LeBron. Who's still 24.
Oh yeah, if it matters, Wally Szczerbiak did it too. Where's his heat for Wally World??

NBA Pre-Season Power Rankings - Part I: Eastern Conference

Garnett: Impossible was defense before his arrival in Beantown

Credit: ESPN

[EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the first of a 3-pack of pre-season power rankings. Parts II and III will be posted on Wednesday and Thursday. These power rankings will then be used to determine draft order for our first NBA Mock Draft. Yeah, that's how we do.]

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Atlantic Division
1. Boston
2. Toronto
3. Philadelphia
4. New Jersey
5. New York

It's a case of the rich staying rich, but distributing some wealth along the way. Philadelphia and Toronto scored major off-season acquisitions in the form of Elton Brand and Jermaine O'Neal. However, the champions remain the favorites to win the Atlantic Division (and the Eastern Conference). It'll be another depressing year for the Nets and Knicks. Expect more wins from the latter, but the Knicks are at least a year until they can effectively purge their roster of horrific contracts. Let the countdown begin, Coach D'Antoni.

Central Division
1. Cleveland
2. Detroit
3. Chicago
4. Milwaukee
5. Indiana

To say this is a defining season in the career of LeBron James is a major understatement. Ownership has emptied its pockets to build a team around the superstar, bringing in Mo Williams from Milwaukee. Detroit will need steadier contributions from younger players in order to vie with Cleveland for top spot in the Central and to hold off the upstart Chicago Bulls, who won't tank it for two years straight. As for Milwaukee and Indiana, I expect both to win at least 35 games, but neither will be in the playoffs.

Southeast Division
1. Orlando
2. Miami
3. Atlanta
4. Washington
5. Charlotte

Though I'm not in love with Orlando, they won the division last year and no one in the division can defend Dwight Howard (okay, perhaps Emeka Okafor can). When they try, they realize quickly that the Magic can sink the trifecta. Future ROY Michael Beasley will stuff the stat sheet in Miami and get some Ws. D-Wade and Shawn Marion won't disappoint either. Atlanta will remain talented but unfulfilled (Thank you, Josh Childress). And yes, Wizards fans, the season is not in good shape when it hasn't started and two of your three best players have injuries. I'm calling for Mike Woodson to relieved of his job by February and for the Wizards to struggle due to having no Arenas. Stan van Gundy will continue to look like this man.

Conference Rankings
1. Boston
2. Cleveland
3. Detroit
4. Orlando
5. Chicago
6. Toronto
7. Miami
8. Philadelphia
9. Atlanta
10. Washington
11. Milwaukee
12. Indiana
13. New Jersey
14. Charlotte
15. New York

The Post-Camby Nuggets - Next Steps?

Earlier this week, the Denver Nuggets shockingly traded Marcus Camby to the LA Clippers. The cost? A swap of second-round picks. In 2010.

In doing so, the Nuggets have been vastly criticized for handing the 2007-08 Defensive POY to a team in its own conference. On the other hand, Denver shed itself $15.6M worth of salary over the next years. Even without Camby's salary, the Denver has a payroll teetering around the luxury tax threshold of $71M. Why is that important? When crossing into that threshold, teams pay dollar-for-dollar to the league. Whomever in management pulled the trigger in Denver likely stated that they will save as much as $31.2M over the next two years. To put that in perspective, less than 20 players will make that money over the next two years.

Now, let's read between the lines. Despite having four of their five top earners healthy (Nene) for the majority of the season, Denver could only muster the 8th best record in the West. Of course, that still meant 50 wins, which would have garnered a #4 seed in the standardly-deviant Eastern Conference. In giving their best defensive player away for peanuts, it tells me that the Nuggets brass were convinced that they could not win now even with an added piece. That said, this seems like the first of multiple moves to be made by the organization. Who's next? How on earth do you expect the Nuggets to stop teams, when they had trouble stopping teams from scoring all season (even with Camby)? So, where do the Nuggets go from here? Here are a few options.

1. The Status Quo. Give or take a million, the Nuggets are right at the luxury tax threshold of $71.15M. They also have at least two players to sign (teams need to sign at least 13 players). They have a roster with two perennial All-Stars, a former All-Star and a host of role players with amazing offensive talent.

2. Trade AI. Plain and simple, the AI/Melo has not worked out. It's not that they have not been excellent, because they have. Fifty wins is no small accomplishment. In the dog-eat-dog Western Conference, excellent just isn't good enough sometimes. At 33, Iverson is one of the league's best guards and he has an expiring contract ($21.9M). Translation: He could walk for free next off-season and he could be considered the missing piece to a team without a dominant guard at the All-Star break who can get to the line and play through pain.

Who would want him?

The team that comes to mind is the Cleveland Cavaliers. Cleveland would jump at the chance to have AI and they have the disposable salary to do it. A trade with the expiring salaries of Wally Szczerbiak ($13.0M), Joe Smith ($4.8M), Delonte West ($2.8) in addition to JJ Hickson ($1.3M) and future draft picks could seal the deal.

3. Dangle Melo. Multiply the parties interested manifold. Denver has to also think about their marketing strategy if they part ways with Anthony, as he is the face of the franchise.

4. Sign a FA Center. Both Francisco Elson and Jonathan Bender have indicated an interest in wanting to play for the Nuggets, and the only center of the roster is ::drum roll:: … Steven Hunter. Now, the ball is in Denver’s court. Judging the two players, Elson is the more accomplished player and is a proven defensive asset.

5. Seek creative deals involving Kenyon Martin and Nene. I am almost certain that the Nuggets offered these two players with added incentives for nothing to teams with little to no response. Both have been marred by injury and other health concerns, and they make silly money.

Final Finals Thoughts: It’s Time for Some Changes…NOW!

As the NBA Finals end rather unceremoniously, with a borderline disgusting Spurs 4-0 sweep of the Cavs, it seems that everyone is spending the majority of their time beating up the current format of the NBA Finals; specifically, the ridiculous disparity in power between the Eastern and Western Conferences.

Unfortunately, balancing the power of each of the conferences is nearly impossible right now.

Especially since the top two picks in this year’s draft, likely to be future franchise cornerstones Oden & Durant, will both be transplanted into the Pacific Northwest (at least for the time being).

Ironically, following the last game of the 2006-07 season, I’m not even summarizing the impressive sweep the Spurs just completed against the Cavs. Far from it, in fact. Just as the Spurs seem to want it; here I am analyzing what went wrong with the playoffs (again).
In fact, ambiguity may be the best term for symbolizing what the Spurs have done over the past nine seasons (which includes a total of four NBA titles). While I won’t spend much time on the topic, it has to be said – at least once in this post – that the Spurs have in fact molded themselves into a modern-day dynasty. Comparisons to teams like the Patriots, of the NFL, are both realistic and accurate.

While I’ll always be bitter about the Horry hip-check, I won’t be a Spurs hater. Not today at least.

So, as I veer off onto another route with tonight’s post, perhaps one being traveled just as much in recent days throughout the media, the question I can’t escape continues to linger right in front of me: where should we, and we meaning as in the office of the NBA commissioner (you know, that Stern-dude), begin to attempt to tinker with the mess that seems to be the NBA, specifically its playoff system, as of late?

Should we, we now describing the legion of loyal fans, just blame David Stern? Or should we instead blame the networks (ESPN & TNT) for having a dreary stranglehold on the schedule (remember, the Playoffs have to take nearly five months)? Should we consider the recently popular notion of re-seeding? Can we just go 1-16, in order, and worry about things like travel plans and division champions (i.e. hosting games) later?

Is there a possibility to mold the NBA Playoffs into a sort of May to June-Madness?

In all likelihood, none of these questions will be seriously addressed by the Commissioner. Not while profits are high and he continues to fret more about the league’s image, via marketing more than any other facet, 24/7.

While Stern would never directly listen to me, I’d still like to join the ever-growing rallying cry of everyone from experts to novice fans currently pleading with him to DO SOMETHING!

Can I also mention, even if it’s a completely off-the-wall note, that NBC’s coverage back in the day only helped things. Just allow yourself, if you remember of course, to reflect back to the glory days of NBA television coverage. Back to Bob Costas or Marv Albert giving a stirring introduction in the opening moments of the telecast. Whether they were in New York City, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, San Antonio, or Salt Lake City…you felt right next to them.

They were the voices, or perhaps even the catalysts, behind those
unforgettable moments during NBC’s coverage (spanning from 1990 to 2002): who can forget Jordan torturing everyone imaginable (with Ahmad “Little Mike” Rashad dry-humping him throughout the telecasts), the great five-year Suns/Sonics rivalry (from Barkley vs. Kemp to the shot from Rex Chapman), watching Shaq tear down rims and grow before our eyes from Orlando to Los Angeles, or the countless brawl-scenes from the Heat and Knicks (with instant laughter when you remember Zo and LJ flailing their arms at each other as Van Gundy bites at Mourning’s ankles).

Then, perhaps most recognizable, was the unforgettable music “Roundball Rock” (thanks John Tesh) that electrified you before another stacked double or even triple-header began.

Next was the in-studio team. Hannah Storm just plain rocked it. Peter Vecsey always had “insider information”, from his sources, which nobody ever believed. Steve "Snapper" Jones and Bill Walton were ready to choke each other out at any moment. Jim Gray was on the sidelines acting as arrogant as possible. Isiah and Magic were train wrecks, wherever they were. Matt Goukas and Dan Issel were always unexpectedly great #2 analysts. Even when Costas soaked everything out of the moment,
“This may be the last time Michael Jordan sweats on the sidelines of an NBA court while taking a break during his team’s final timeout,”…you ate up every second of it.

Ahhhh, fond memories from the NBA on NBC.

Now we get nauseating amounts of ESPN/ABC-fueled coverage of “The Association”. Where guys like Stephen A. Smith (get over yourself), Tim Legler (read more), Tom Tolbert (admittedly, he was a huge mistake started by NBC), and even Stuart Scott (tool tool tool) get WAY too much camera exposure.

TNT might have a fun studio team, if Charles Barkley wasn’t hoarse twenty minutes into every show. Not to mention Dick Stockton, somehow still breathing, can’t pronounce a single name that isn’t Smith/Jones/Williams/Jackson correctly.

While you could rant about the television aspect as much as you want; perhaps PTI’s Michael Wilbon said it best, “Why on Earth is Phoenix playing San Antonio, with their records, in the second round of the Western Conference Playoffs?”

I guess everyone wants Suns & Spurs in the Finals. And they’re going to whine and moan until they figure out a way they could get it. Assuming both teams could’ve gotten there. However, I still wonder how either team would’ve matched up with the Mavericks. Were the Warriors their only kryptonite in these playoffs for Dirk and Dallas?

Other questions still linger...

-Would the playoffs have looked more appetizing, and shown up more on the ratings radar, with a 1-16 pairing?
-Would we have had Golden State unforgettable upset of Dallas?
-Would J-Kidd have had as many triple-doubles? Or more possibly?
-Would Washington still have been as helpless?
-Would Deron Williams have risen to prominence?
-Would Carmelo and AI have potentially built real momentum following a potential first-round victory?
-Would LeBron have grown before our eyes in the Eastern Conference Finals?
-Would we know who “Boobie” Gibson was?
-Would Tony Parker have become a Finals MVP? {As if Eva wasn’t enough already.]

Or would the new memories be even better???

It’s interesting to ponder, if nothing else.

Just like these issues…

-NBA All-Star Game switches to International versus the USA? [Why not try it, once?]
-Changing the lottery system completely. [Punish teams who tank it.]
-Re-seed the playoffs. [At least explore ideas out loud.]
-Punish instigators more. [A new Robert Horry Rule sounds great.]
-Give out the MVP award after the post-season. [Tim Duncan and LeBron James just might agree with that.]
-Stop starting Finals games at 9:15 pm. [Forget the West Coast; you’re losing the biggest East Coast markets right off the bat with that start time.]
-Never allow the Pussycat Dolls to do a musical promo for the Playoffs. [Just let them dance to someone else’s music.]
-Make a rule, i.e. foul call, against flopping. Make it a foul. It’ll cut it in half. [PLEASE. Call if the F-Duke Rule.]
-Dump this stupid 2-3-2 format immediately. [No explanation needed honestly.]
-Make officials more accountable. [Sorry if it’s tough work, but the quality is slipping big time. Imagine if D-Wade didn’t get fourteen calls in Games 3 through 6 last Finals. Imagine!]
-Give more press for USA Basketball rosters and encourage more debates on TV about them. [It’s much more interesting than you think. Get a guy like Arenas to talk about it more and you’ll see how some players truly feel about it.]

I suppose most of this is all hot-air, but it’s still a hot-button issue…especially at the end of the season.

Fortunately, the NBA Draft is barely two weeks away. While that could end up disappointing, as last years clearly did, mainly due to a complete lack of interesting trades…at least it’s something to look forward to before a long off-season really begins.

After this NBA Finals, even for the purists who can survive by eating up the accomplishments and dominance witnessed during this post-season run by the Spurs…everyone deserves something a little more infotaining.

Until next time…

Note: Credits for photos found in comments section.

NBA Finals Predictions

PHSports always previews the biggest games, and series, the sporting world has to offer.

So why wouldn't we have some fun with the NBA Finals, which begin tonight at 9pm on ABC.

Only one more week of RIGHT NOW!
Credit: NBA.com

A few of the reglar staff writers have included their picks for the 2006-2007 champions, as well as their NBA Finals MVP and their NBA Finals MOP. Don't be fooled into thinking we're talking NCAA-esque Most Outstanding Player. We can't show that much love.

Instead, we're talking about the Most Overrated Player. As in who, while many expect they should, will not be able to make the type of positive impact their team is expecting.

And we're not talking elbow-shots from Big Shot Rob either.

Without further adieu...

Paymon says...
Spurs in 6. [If only to be different, as Pay clearly targets 5 like somebody else who follows.]
MVP: Tim Duncan
MOP: Larry Hughes

Armin says...
Cavs take it in 7.
MVP: LeBron "King" James
MOP: Bruce Bowen

Sum says...
Cavs epic upset in 7.
MVP: LeBron James
MOP: Tony Parker

Clement says...
Spurs win in 5.
MVP: Tim Duncan
MOP: Daniel "Boobie" Gibson

Let's hear YOUR picks [before Game 1 please] to see if you can do it better.

We'll have plenty of analysis, throughout the series, whether it goes 4,5,6, or even 7.

Despite the NBA experts and Vegas all banking on an easy Spurs victory (which would be their fourth title in nine years), some of us are holding out, even with idle wishing, that we may have a better Finals than expected.

Until next time...