Kevin Love looks as if he is going to be calling Cleveland home for the 2014-2015 season. Love has spent his entire six-year career in Minnesota, longing for a playoff berth at the very minimum. Too bad for Minnesota and Love, the Timberwolves couldn’t clinch a spot in the postseason even once with Love on its roster. Fast forward to summer 2014. Love wants out and LeBron James heads back to Cleveland, thus creating a want for star players such as Love to join him. Love has been rumored to go be headed different teams such as the Lakers, Bulls and Warriors but it’s the Cavs of all teams that have a deal in place with the stubborn Wolves to acquire the all star.

Kevin Love seems headed to Cleveland, will he Kryie Irving and LeBron help Cleveland finally win a title?

In a deal that will send #1 overall picks Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett along with a first round pick, the Cavs somehow got the Wolves to agree. It’s not the Warriors proposition of David Lee, Harrison Barnes and Klay Thompson but it’s a close second right? The Wolves didn’t want to end up like many other teams and call Love on his bluff only to have him leave Minnesota without getting anything back for him. With Love presumably on his way to Cleveland to join LeBron James and fellow all star Kyrie Irving, the question now comes about, which big three featuring LeBron is better? LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh or LeBron James, Kevin Love, and Kyrie Irving?  I would also like to point out that although LeBron had much of the spotlight during his time in Miami and it was well deserved but Dwayne Wade was the most crucial player on those teams. The two seasons that Wade played up to his ability the result was a title, coincidence? I don’t think so.

The new big three in Cleveland is much more of a shooting bunch with Love and Kyrie but adding LeBron to that mix with his excellent passing skills should put fear into opposing defenses. Plus this new big three is much younger being that LeBron probably won’t have to worry about any teammates’ knees going out after every game. Many may look at the two big threes and break them down and compare stats and how they predict the new one will do but for me, the answer to the question shouldn’t even be a thought.

Kevin Love has been in the league six seasons; Kyrie Irving has been in for three for what do they have to show for those seasons? Neither one of them has even played in one single playoff game, not one. I understand that neither had much help on their respective rosters but the point remains the same, there is no individual winning whatsoever from either of them. It’s an unfair comparison, but Kobe Bryant carried a team with Kwame Brown and Smush Parker in the starting lineup to the playoffs and almost a playoff series win. Looking at the Miami big three, when LeBron joined Dwayne Wade had won a title with several playoff appearances and Bosh also had a few sightings in the postseason with the Raptors. Of course being fair to at least Kyrie, he has only been in the NBA for a few seasons but the Miami big three was light-years ahead of LeBron’s new one in Cleveland.

The Cavs are on the rise and could prove me wrong but for now at least, LeBrons’ old gig gave him more of a chance to win a title in the next season or two.

Free Agency isn’t over yet, but that won’t stop Matt Levine from breaking-down the Eastern Conference.

LeBron James going back to Cleveland has shaken up the Eastern Conference. By Keith Allison from Baltimore, USA (LeBron James) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Once LeBron James decided that he wasn’t returning to Miami and would join back with the Cavaliers, it shifted a balance of power in the East. No longer would the Miami Heat run roughshod all over the conference as a de-facto lock for the NBA Finals. With that in mind, here’s an outlook on the future in the Eastern Conference:

Chicago Bulls: Although they missed out in the Carmelo Anthony sweepstakes, they will still be putting a star player out onto the court in Derrick Rose — assuming he can stay healthy. Adding Pau Gasol and rookie Doug McDermott should help the offensive problems Tom Thibodeau’s team has had, while also adding some more star power to add to an already excellent team. Assuming Derrick Rose stays healthy and competes at a high level, expect the Bulls to compete for a title again.

Indiana Pacers: A Jekyll and Hyde metaphor nicely sums up how the Pacers’ 2013-2014 season ended. This team has so much talent on it but never got over the hump. Even with them playing so poorly through much of the playoffs, they were still two wins away from the NBA Finals. Losing Lance Stephenson is a blow to this team that struggles with offense at times. Adding a gritty player and scorer like CJ Miles likely will soften that blow. The best team in last year’s regular season, the Pacers will once again contend in the East.

Cleveland Cavaliers: LeBron James comes home. That will be the headline surrounding the Cavs all season long no matter how good or bad they are. Teaming up with Kyrie Irving and rookie Andrew Wiggins should give the Cavs a big-three for years to come. The Cavs will be a very good team simply because LeBron is on it but the storyline of LeBron winning a title for Cleveland at least this upcoming season is probably not very realistic, given the Cavs’ recent past.

Miami Heat: Even with the loss of LeBron James, the Miami Heat should still compete in the East. They still have Chris Bosh and assuming Dwayne Wade stays healthy, the Heat really aren’t all that bad. They replaced LeBron with Luol Deng who is a gritty defensive player and can also score the basketball. They added Danny Granger — a former All Star and leader of the Pacers. Although Josh McRoberts isn’t a household name, he can play. While the Heat likely won’t contend for a title for a while, don’t expect them to just fade into irrelevance.

Washington Wizards: Don’t look now but the Wizards are back and look like they are here to stay for the long haul. The back-court duo of John Wall and Bradley Beal can both flat out ball it up. Marcin Gortat and Nene up front make for a scary tandem for anyone who dares to enter the paint. They did lose Trevor Ariza, but the cherry on top of their offseason was the addition of Paul Pierce. Pierce clearly isn’t the same player as he used to be but can still be vital to a contending team. Watch out for Washington.

Toronto Raptors: Throughout all the LeBron and Carmelo Anthony madness, it seems as everyone has forgotten about the Raptors. The #3 seed in the East last year shouldn’t be overlooked either. They might slip a bit in the standings but not by much. Kyle Lowry, Demar DeRozan Terrence Ross are all young stars in their own right. Adding Lou Williams and rookie DeAndre Daniels from Connecticut will help fill in additional depth. Finally Toronto has a team to cheer for, for the first time since the Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady days.

Brooklyn Nets: The Nets went all out last season by teaming up Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Robin Lopez and Deron Williams but only got to the second round and paid a steep luxury tax in the process. Injuries and lack of chemistry were the demise of this team yet they started clicking towards the end of the season. While the Nets won’t surprise anyone or be a top team in the East, I think they will still make the playoffs and could get back to the second round yet again — even without Pierce or their ousted head coach, Jason Kidd.

New York Knicks: The Knicks have taken a lot of heat from fans and media over the past few years, but for some reason I believe in them this year. This is a team that won 54 games two seasons ago and has a lot of the same players. They brought in Phil Jackson to run the team and I don’t bet against the Zen Master. My beloved, Derek Fisher, is now call the shots as the head coach. Fish which will at least bring a new sense of culture to a team that seems to badly need it. The Knicks also got rid of some dead weight in Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton while acquiring Jose Calderon. On top of it all, they were able to somehow draft Cleanthony Early from Wichita State after he dropped to them in the second round. The Knicks look in pretty good shape especially after a very disappointing season last year.

Charlotte Hornets: Am I the only one who thinks it’s so cool that the Charlotte Hornets are back in the NBA? Not only are they back in the league, they also they look like a team that could compete. As the Bobcats last season, the made the playoffs as the #7 seed so they will be looking to improve from that. They still have big Al Jefferson and Kemba Walker and added Noah Vonleh in the draft from Indiana to add to their strong front court. They also may have gotten the steal of free agency by signing Lance Stephenson. Despite his playoff antics, Stephenson can be a huge piece of the puzzle for the Hornets. Michael Jordan may have finally built a team that can compete.

Every NBA season some surprise teams jump up and contend for the playoffs and in the East those could be the Hawks, Pistons, and Magic. The NBA season is a bit away from us but its never too early to look at the upcoming year especially one where there isn’t a clear favorite in the East for the first time in four years.

What do you think? Who is the favorite in the East now? Which team do you think will surprise people?

The promise of Andrew Wiggins needs to be weighed against the known star power of Kevin Love as the Cavs and Timberwolves remain in discussions. By TonyTheTiger – Own work, via Wikimedia Commons

Over the last few days, one of the biggest questions that has the sports world burning is whether or not the Cleveland Cavaliers should part with #1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins in order to acquire all star Kevin Love. LeBron James’s return to the Cavs has made the entire NBA a brand new league. Before LeBron’s return, Kevin Love wouldn’t even think about becoming a Cavalier– it would have been the same situation that he is currently in with the Timberwolves. The only difference is that he would be in the Eastern Conference instead of the West. Since LeBron has rejoined Cleveland, it has become a desirable landing spot for players like Kevin Love.

Teaming up LeBron James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving could cause the league to go into a frenzy. It could be an even bigger deal than when LeBron joined Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami, due to the age of the players and how long a still-young James-Love-Irving trio could dominate. If they can make the trade, the question remains for the Cavs — What is Andrew Wiggins’ upside and should they trade him? A related question, from a different perspective is whether Minnesota should send Love to Cleveland for Wiggins, and in doing so create yet another super team? Here is my breakdown of the trade for both teams:

Cleveland Cavaliers: LeBron is home and the Cavs should do whatever it takes it keep him in Cleveland for the long haul. If LeBron says he wants Kevin Love then, as the Cavs management, you should do whatever it takes to get him to Cleveland. Parting with Wiggins and mortgaging some of the future could be seen as risky but would be worth it.

Wiggins isn’t even 20 years old and has so much potential, but that’s all it is…potential. We don’t know how Wiggins and his game will translate to the NBA, at least not yet. Wiggins could become one of the next NBA stars and if the Cavs trade him, they are potentially losing a future superstar. Love, on the other hand, is a known commodity. The city of Cleveland has suffered enough and it’s not clear what the right answer is beyond doing what LeBron wants and trying to avoid the Cleveland curse.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Kevin Love is an absolute stud. He averaged 26.1 points and 12.5 rebounds per game last season while playing on a losing team. If I’m the Wolves, there is no way in hell that I trade Love for an unproven rookie, no matter what his potential is. If I’m the Wolves I wait and see how Wiggins plays to see whether he’s worth it.

Wiggins being an unknown commodity is what has allowed other teams like the Bulls and Warriors to get more heavily into the conversation recently.

My take: You obviously won’t be able to get the same value and talent for Kevin Love if you trade him, but the Wolves can try and get as much back as they want because they know that their star is highly coveted. Based on optimistic projections and upside Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett for Love might be a good deal, but how could it actually turn out for the Wolves?

If I’m the Wolves, I take a step back and wait until the trade deadline to trade Love in order to get as much back as possible from a truly desperate team. The deal that intrigued me the most was the offer from the Warriors where they would have sent David Lee, Harrison Barnes and possibly Klay Thompson for Love and Kevin Martin. If I am the Wolves, I pull the trigger on that deal as soon as it is presented. Sorry LeBron.

As far as the Cavs go, if I were running the team, I wouldn’t be inclined to trade Wiggins for Love — not yet at least. Andrew Wiggins is so raw but shows so much promise. Having a player like LeBron next to him in these critical developmental years is probably the best thing to happen to the rookie from Kansas. James is the perfect role model for Wiggins and the Cavs should realize that. Andrew Wiggins, Kyrie Irving and LeBron James could be an absolutely scary trio for teams to face off against, and the Cavaliers at least owe it to themselves to see how that would play out before shipping Wiggins off to Minnesota.

The question will be how patient everyone can be. Especially Cleveland’s star from Akron, who has an out clause in his contract at the end of the season.

It’s never too early for predictions.

Since LeBron James (or Ray Allen depending who you talk to) sealed the Miami Heat’s second straight NBA title, the other 29 teams have been making many moves to try and compete with the defending champs. While not all teams will even be given a chance to dethrone the champs, I thoroughly believe that most teams throughout the league improved from a year ago, which is going to make a great NBA season in 2013-14.

Will the American Airlines Area be hosting it’s 4th NBA Finals in as many years? By Ines Hegedus-Garcia, via Wikimedia Commons

1. Miami Heat: How can I not put them at the top of the East? They are the two time defending champs who didn’t lose any players plus added Greg Oden to try and add to the championship mix. I’m not sure if they will win the three-peat but they will definitely be a strong contender for it.

2. Indiana Pacers: This team has pushed Miami to the brink the last two seasons in the playoffs, and Paul George had an incredible coming out party in the playoffs. They kept David West and added swingman Chris Copland from the Knicks and Luis Scola from the Suns. Plus Danny Granger should finally be healthy, look for the Pacers to have another great season.

3. Chicago Bulls: While they lost Nate Robinson, they welcome back former MVP Derrick Rose, which should make Chicago fans cheerful again. They are pretty much the same team as last year whom was pretty darn good despite all the injuries. Hard-nosed defense and Derrick Rose back, seems like a good combination to me.

4. New York Knicks: For some reason people doubt the Knicks and I don’t understand why. They finally won a playoff series last season only to lose to a great Pacer team in the second round. They have improved the 2^nd place team by adding Andrea Bargnani, Metta World Peace and drafting Tim Hardaway Jr. Until proven otherwise, the Knicks still own New York as far as I’m concern.

5. Brooklyn Nets: Having Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Deron Williams, Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson as your starting lineup looks amazing on paper but only time will tell if they mesh well together under rookie head coach Jason Kidd. As we saw last year from the Lakers, names don’t mean wins.

6. Cleveland Cavaliers: Adding Andrew Bynum will give the Cavs an inside presence that they have been looking for, as long as he stays healthy. With both Bynum and Irving healthy, I really like this Cavs team. Also adding Jarrett Jack adds scoring off the bench and veteran leadership on a young team. For the first time since the whole LeBron James decision, the Cavs make it back to the playoffs.

7. Washington Wizards: It is about time the Wizards start winning with John Wall. They are a young team with tremendous upside, and to many peoples surprise the Wizards were one of the league best defensive teams last season ranking 8^th in the league. Not too bad for a bottom of the standings team last year.

8. Detroit Pistons: This was a hard choice because both the Pistons and Raptors could make the eighth seed but as of right now I think the Pistons edge them out a little bit. Adding Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings should improve this team enough to make the playoffs for a short date with the defending champs in the first round.

9. Toronto Raptors: Having Rudy Gay makes the Raptors somewhat relevant but not enough to make the playoffs. Maybe with one more piece to the puzzle, Toronto could win but not this year I don’t think.

10. Atlanta Hawks: Losing Josh Smith was a big blow and I’m not sure they can recover from that but adding Paul Millsap helps a little bit. The Hawks will drop, not to the bottom but out of the playoff race.

11. Charlotte Bobcats: I am going to go out on a limb here and say that the Bobcats won’t be completely terrible this season, good enough for 11^th in the East. I liked the signing of Al Jefferson to a young team. Don’t expect the Bobcats to do more than play spoiler for on the bubble playoff teams at the end of the season.

12. Milwaukee Bucks: While the Bucks made the playoffs last year, I believe it was because of how weak the East was and that isn’t the case as much this season. They lost both Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis and replaced them with Brandon Knight and O.J. Mayo whom aren’t bad but this isn’t a playoff team for the second straight year.

13. Boston Celtics: The roster looks very, very different for the first time in awhile except for Rajon Rondo. The Celtics will drop to the bottom this season but with players like Rondo, Jeff Green and Avery Bradley they won’t be the worst team in the East. It’s a rebuilding process for the green that starts in 2014.

14. Orlando Magic: The Magic will be just as bad as they were a year ago except this time they will have added a soon to be star in Victor Oladipo. He is a special talent and I believe will translate in the future to being a star but for now, he like the rest of the Magic must wait out the bad years to get to the good ones.

15. Philadelphia 76ers: Yikes….that is what I thought when looking at their roster with the exception of Nerlins Noel and Michael Carter-Williams whom are both rookies. It’s going to be a dark year in Philadelphia unless Kwame Brown somehow decides to finally play like he was supposed to when the Wizards drafted him years ago. But even if that long shot happened, it probably won’t be enough for the Sixers.

Since the start of the 2000’s century, it has become a normalcy for teams in the NBA to have one or more high scoring player on their rosters in order to make the NBA Finals or to win the title. With duos like Shaq and Kobe, and trios like Duncan, Parker and Ginobili running the show, the NBA rarely has had many teams find success using only one main player as their offensive production. But two teams come to mind that used this type of system, the 2001 Philadelphia 76ers and the 2007 Cleveland Cavaliers, both of which lost in the NBA Finals but represented their conference that year in the championship series. Like many people, I sometimes wonder what it would be like to pit two teams from different times against one another. So I am going to match-up the 2001 76ers against the 2007 Cavaliers. Let’s see who comes out on-top.

2001 Philadelphia 76ers:

Record: 56-26

Coach: Larry Brown

Leading Scorer: Allen Iverson, 31.1 PPG

Next Leading Scorer: Theo Ratliff, 12.4 PPG

Playoff Results: In the First Round, beat the Indiana Pacers (reigning Eastern Conference champions) in four games

In the Semi-Finals, beat the Toronto Raptors in seven games

In the Conference Finals, beat the Milwaukee Bucks in seven games

In the NBA Finals, lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in five games

2007 Cleveland Cavaliers:

Record: 50-32

Coach: Mike Brown

Leading Scorer: LeBron James, 27.3 PPG

Next Leading Scorer: Larry Hughes, 14.9 PPG

Playoff Results: In the First Round, swept the Washington Wizards

In the Semi-Finals, beat the New Jersey Nets in six games

In the Conference Finals, beat the Detroit Pistons in six games

In the NBA Finals, were swept by the San Antonio Spurs

While LeBron’s 2007 performance was amazing, Iverson’s complete domination on an NBA Finals team is something that won’t soon be repeated. By thanasim25 (Arthur Mouratidis), via Wikimedia Commons

Both of these teams made it to the NBA finals, yet the 76ers were actually able to win a game, even if it was only because of a huge 48-point game by Allen Iverson to halt the Lakers perfect postseason. But, as I said, in the recent NBA it takes at least two (if not three) “star” caliber players to make it to the Finals, let alone win it. In the 2001 season, the 76ers had a 18.7 point per game difference between their top two leading scorers while the 2007 Cavaliers only had a 12.4 PPG difference. Neither of the two teams has made it back to the Finals since these marvelous seasons and the stats are the reason why. My hat is off to what LeBron James and the entire 2007 Cavs team did by making it to the Finals but what Allen Iverson was able to accomplish in 2001 was simply amazing and can’t ever be repeated. He not only won the MVP award that season but led his team to a win in the Finals, which was the only loss the Lakers surrendered that entire postseason.

The 76ers’ second leading scorer was Theo Ratliff, and no disrespect to him, but his 12.4 PPG in the 2001 season was the highest of his entire career and because of that Iverson was forced to put the team on his shoulders and that is exactly what he did. Yes, they lost in the Finals but looking back, I respect everything Iverson was able to do that season. I am not an advocate of ridiculous individual statistical performances as I see basketball as the main “team” sport but both Iverson and LeBron had great seasons and I congratulate both of them for what they accomplished in their respected seasons.

Advantage: Iverson.

You might think this premise is faulty. If so, you might be correct. Three total games have been played so far in the entire league. But I don’t think you have to watch a team for very long to get a “read” on them. Looking at the big-picture, Tuesday night’s games gave us all the information we have thus far. For three teams, that information is not good. How they take that information and improve will decide their respective seasons.

Cleveland 94 , Wahington 84

Let’s start off with the worst two teams that played on Tuesday night. While Kyrie Iring looks like a star in the making, John Wall didn’t play for the Wizards (out for about a month with a knee injury). The Wizards have made some really head-scratching moves in the offseason, leaving Wall as really their only reliable player. Irving scored 29 for the Cavs and nobody scored more than 11 for the Wiz.

Looking at the Cavs nucleus, including Irving, rookie Dion Waiters, and second-year forward Tristan Thompson, they are actually poised to be a lot beter this year than last. Veterans C.J. Miles and Daniel Gibson anchor a young bench that could help the Cavs to at least 10 more wins than the 21 they managed last season.

The Wizards, well…. it’s going to be a while before they see the 30 win mark again. Any loss for Washington is no surprise, but realizing that you are definitely not as good as Cleveland has to be a real downer for Wiz fans on Day one of the season.

Miami 120, Boston 107 

Miami has come into their own. They look like a team that could win “not one, not two. not three, etc…” rings. LeBron James played under 30 minutes and still managed a double-double (26 points, 10 rebounds) in a blowout win over the team that is tabbed to be the Heat’s biggest Eastern Conference rival this year.

It will be important for Miami to limit James’ and Dwayne Wade’s minutes as much as possible on the heels of a very short offseason, but if Tuesday night’s game is any indication, that shouldn’t be an issue. The loss is potentially crushing for Boston and their fans. There will be other chances to beat Miami, but the Heat, on a night they received their championship rings, sent a message to the Celtics and the rest of the league: The title still goes through Miami.

Mike Brown is installing a new offensive system for the Lakers this year. The question is whether Lakers fans or Mitch Kupchak have the patience to wait the season to see if it works. By Keith Allison from Baltimore, USA derivative work: Chris! my talk (Mike Brown NBA.jpg) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

OK, so there isn’t really a question. Nationally, this was the biggest disappointment. The headline on Yaho0! Sports called it a “flop.” After scoring 29 points in the first quarter, the Lakers managed only 37 points in the next two combined. Mavs coach Rick Carlisle made the adjustments a championship coach makes and Dallas was able to largely shut-down new Lakers additions Steve Nash and Dwight Howard.

Howard had 19 points and 10 rebounds, but shot his free throws worse than Shaq, making only 3 of 14 free-throws in the 8-point loss. I wonder how his back has impacted his ability to shoot free throws in the offseason… Howard missed his first dunk too. It was pretty much uncontested. I wonder how often a healthy Howard has had that happen too.

For a team whose fans are expecting the world this season, it was an inauspicious debut. This year’s Lake-Show is winless in the preseason and regular season – ’bout nine games, and counting. If you are going to win 55 games, as “experts” have predicted for the Lakers, then losing to a Dirk-less Mavs team at home is probably not going to get you there. With four stars on a particular roster, expectations are through the roof. One has to wonder what the threshold for is for Mike Brown’s seat to start warming-up.

Dallas, a team that many experts tabbed to finish with a win total in the mid-30’s, showed that their roster isn’t THAT bad, even without the injured Dirk Nowitzki. With eclectic additions of Elton Brand, OJ Mayo, and Darren Collison, the Mavs have guys who know how to play the game and who will buy-in to the established system of their championship coach. The underrated Collison, who learned under Chris Paul in New Orleans and was a big part of Indiana’s success last season, is a flat-out winner. Dallas is better than people think this season. They’ll be over .500 and in the playoffs.

Meanwhile, the Lakers are still struggling to find their identity. They better hurry-up. Lakers fans are not a patient bunch.

Watching hopes crumble in a Hollywood (Hollyweird if you’re from Cali) fashion is best suited for an American TV landscape where reality is as popular as a colonoscopy.

Enter the surreal. Worlds where Jersey Shore and steroids are the barometers by which we judge the nature of reality.

The one year anniversary marking the Cavaliers messy fall from grace to that of NBA serfdom is not only a sour topic for its last remnants of fandom, but a juicy one as well.

LeBron James—the God turned dark satanic villain—is the caricature that never sleeps. In fact he is the group of spring breakers who party next door for the entire night: pounding the walls an bumping their jams. 

His desolation of a city is still inconceivable and for that unforgivable, not to mention, his new menage-twois in South Beach is a fornication of talent that is ripping apart the league at its seams.

This fuel for the fire, is a hot topic for sport pundits all across America. Alone James has altered the NBA world forever like a fault line moves the earth’s ecology.

Unfortunately, the organic evolution an NBA champion is now a distant memory for the multi-generational sports fan. For my father it is every reason why he is now more in tuned with a dog and pony show than that of the NBA Finals.

Last he checked the mid-thigh short was far too long, the mullet haircut and the Burt Reynolds mustache trend setting masterpieces and Slice the leader in pop.

But today, good luck finding an athlete whose shorts aren’t slung at the ankles, making a fortune on a series of linked sex tapes or masquerading on an MTV pop reality show.

For this reason alone, I am hopeful that an NBA lockout can help redirect a league that as been starring in a series of Lost. Every which way I turn there is a Tim Donoughy scandal or a new issue defacing the Lakers franchise with a picture of Lamar and Chloe Odom.

The guaranteed contract and the easy movements of the free agent, have defiled the puritanical originations of this great game. Making players work for their money not only holds them accountable, but quite honestly, weeds out the nay- sayers.

If Deron Williams cannot come to the table and arrange his life to help the greater good than I say go, go as far away as possible and never leave Turkey. Sorry Nets fans.

For Cavaliers fans I am eagerly hopeful. The Heatles were ousted by a Mavericks team of role guys, and their leader Dirk Nowitiski is a hardworking floor general with the genuine heart of a champion.

This is sweet revenge for fans that for seven years fell under the spell of LeBron James nicities. Happily, for an entire off-season they get to watch the star wallow in his defunct narcissism and mock his tainted legacy. 

If they are to redirect their own franchise it IS now or never. Sending away a player like J. J Hickson to the Kings for Omri Cassapi was a move in the right direction. Hickson is up for a max contract come next June, and to be honest, he reminded too many fans anyways of LeFraud.

His 13.8 points per game were a freckle on the vast expanse of what Gilbert and many upper management leads thought he was capable of. With the drafting of Tristan Thompson, it was a perfect ridding to head in a positive direction.

Yet this exodus is still in need of a little more magic.

Ridding the bloated contract of equally Hollywood adoring Baron Davis will be difficult but necessary. A player bobbing on 1/4 knee is without question unworthy of the 13 million dollars owed him next season.

His days of leading a team with an insatiable will to get to the hoop are long, long gone, and his oft-uncoachable attitude is grossly distasteful. Watching him come to camp over weight and sit with injuries in Los Angeles was bad enough. But what was worse, was what he did with his free time. 

While “rehabbing,” Davis was guest starring in multiple TV series. Hiring an agent in the process, Davis continued to work on his entertainment direction, while collecting a mega sized paycheck from the Clippers.

Sending the Hollywood cast-off to a playoff franchise in need of a new general or a back up point guard not only frees up cap space to sign free agents in the future but does away with an unneeded headache.

Entering, the number one pick Kyrie Irving, an unproven Coach K disciple, and the team at the least has a new face to adore. Though I am admittedly skeptical of the kid’s hype, I am enriched by his humility to the situation.

Not once has he self-aggrandized or touted his worthiness, but instead, smiled and acted happy at his fortune to play in one of the league’s greatest cities.

This interview on draft night proves the kid’s willingness to play as a part of a team and his desire to “fit in” with the organization. His kind-hearted nature and desire to look past the LeFraud pressures is worthy of recognition.

Most importantly he is extremely gifted. With a wonderful step back jump shot, skilled three point shooting and ability to get in the key for drop off passes to bigs, Irving is the right direction for a team looking to renew itself.

For the City of Cleveland and Dan Gilbert, a new sense of self could be emerging. On the horizon, just one year later, there are coming showers of hope.

Fresh off of one of the worst splits in NBA history, LeFraud will forever be in moral limbo rethinking his divorce from the city that loved him first. 

For the rest of us, and most importantly Cavs fans, clarity and vision are the very things to populate a 2nd anniversary, a revival with far more glory than the one that was here before.

LeBron James’ career has burst into flames, after his self-aggrandizing title prophecies with the Miami Heat ended Sunday in a game six loss to the Dallas Mavericks. The NBA’s darling just one year ago–a mild tempered family man, with the dribble speed game of MJ, and the passing and rebounding finesse of Magic, is not only the league’s most wanted but is now left for another off-season to ponder his lowly 2-8 record in NBA Finals games and dismal 2-6 record in must-win elimination games.

As much as the league has tried to endorse James as the predecessor to MJ’s greatness, one is left to wonder whether he will go down as the games biggest bust. Despite this ever-evolving debate in the eight year relationship fans and critics have had with James, the man himself seems undeterred.

“I pretty much don’t listen to what everybody has to say about me or my game or what I’ve done with my career,” James said. “I don’t get involved in that. This is year after year after year for me. Me as an individual, people write or say what they want to say about me. It doesn’t weigh on me at all.”

This is yet another form of kindling for the LeBron hatred across the country, and is the type of thing that has taken the “King” mantle from James and placed his name among the all-time villains. Something LeBron seems indifferent towards.

“All the people that was rooting on me to fail, at the end of the day they have to wake up tomorrow and have the same life that they had before they woke up today,” James said. “They have the same personal problems they had today. I’m going to continue to live the way I want to live and continue to do the things that I want to do with me and my family and be happy with that.”

Despite the criticisms, LeBron’s mantra is simple: his life is better than yours. Today the man woke up to a multi-million dollar mansion with his family, and is currently sipping prepared pina coladas by an aqua lagoon furnaced by his own personal natural hot spring. As his wife kisses his forehead, his children have the best education money can buy, and his hard-working mother — the one who worked day and night as a single mother — is doing just the same.

So what gives?

“It hurts of course,” James said. “ I’m not going to hang my head low. I know how much work as a team we put into it. I know how much work individually that I’ve put into it, when you guys are not around. That’s something people don’t see. I think you can never hang your head low when you know how much work, how much dedication you put into the game of basketball when the lights are off and the cameras are not on.”

LeBron’s confidence in his work ethic is the saturation necessary to help him get past this on-going bout of losing when it matters most. In fact LeBron seems half-right. In eight elimination games in the playoffs, his career numbers of 29.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 7.4 assist would argue his point.

Yet for Cleveland fans and many across the country the problem has never been LeBron’s abilities, rather his inabilities to close out games in the final minutes. Cavs fans are left to ponder not only James inappropriate decision parade on national television, one in which took them from title hopefuls to cellar dwellers, but his final game against Boston in the Conference Semi-Finals where James looked as if he’d quit on the franchise and aloof thereafter.

This loss, whether it be just another loss in a long seemingly successful hall of fame career for James, is vindication for many across America. For Cavs owner Dan Gilbert it was everything he needed to move on with his career. After the loss, Gilbert tweeted: “Old Lesson for all: There are NO SHORTCUTS. NONE.”

The longtime friendship Gilbert and James had, rooted in the franchise selection of the Akron native, continued its bitter feud. Gilbert has never waned from admitting his disappointment in the player he believed was faithful and would help change the course for Cleveland fans’ long drought without a professional title.

This is like the “Young and the Restless,” but better–it is Brokeback Mountain the sequel, starring Jamie Foxx and business mogul Bill Gates. But jest aside, this is the life of a man left to wonder whether his career will ever culminate into anything more than best greatest loser of all-time.

For James and any other NBA great, the tiers of hall of fame stars is a real topic, one of which none of these player can run from. It is like having your name sprawled next to MJ, Magic, or Bird instead of Iverson, Dominique, or Ewing.

And despite the majority, who are beginning to wonder whether James is the latter, the star is limitless in his drive. “The only thing that weighs on me is when I don’t perform well for my teammates and the guys that I play for every day,” said James. Which as of now, seems like the theme to his rocky unabashed career.

Everything in the world of history is a mystical equation. And every equation has a variable. We are trained to solve the variable X-factor through basic deduction, arithmetic, and logic. Take away the numeric value to its right or left and divide the sum total by X. The answered NOW breathes in life, becoming more and more tangible, as the ability to solve the paradigm reveals itself.

Like a spring flower, our answered world grows in its vibrancy.

Life’s dominoes begin to fall one by one, aligning into our new normal. All interpretation becomes a reflection of what Quantum Physicists call a mirrored image–our new normals interpretation of current circumstance: time and space. But according to Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity, time is boundless and void of the boundary points of mathematics: X, Y and Z.

So where are we and why? We don’t really know.

This is where imagination becomes crucial and comes into play. Our emporium of memories are the elements that drive us into Einstein’s boundless dream-like state. The world tips, lilts, rocks, and the fathomable presence of NOW is lost in the surreal.

So we float.

Everything became surreal in the NBA after last summer’s shopping spree, and I believe we are in the most confusing shift between superpowers. In the midst of this all, the media has sounded like quaking tabloid writers spewing asinine hot topics.

Were not the Spurs too physical and too potent for the defending champion Lakers? Not if a 99-83 blowout at the hands of the Lakers two nights ago has anything to say about it.

So what NOW?

We know that we are top heavy with teams like the Bulls, Mavs, Thunder, Heat, Magic, and Knicks.

The Lakers, Celtics, and Spurs are still the elite of the elite. But what does that mean in an upside-down environment? It means I would abstain from betting the house, boat, or wife in Las Vegas.

A blockbuster trade involving Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups to the Knicks made things, shall we say, interesting. All of a sudden the Knicks have become a serious contender; a team that could knock off an over confident one, two, or three.

Even smaller trades can shift time’s mirrored world. When the Celtics rid themselves of Kendrick Perkins in a deal to Oklahoma City for an underachieving swing in Jeff Green, questions arose. Are the Celtics tough enough NOW? A team who had lived on its brutal team defense now has to rely upon a thirty-eight year old Shaquille O’Neal to anchor them defensively.

Most critics believe Perkins will act as the cog defensively that will help the Thunder deal with Western bigs like Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Tim Duncan, and LaMarcus Aldridge. Yet can we really have faith in a team relying upon two teenagers in the world of stardom? It has yet to be seen if Kevin Durant or Russel Westbrook can hit the big shot.

Who really knows? Still twenty games away from the most talked about postseason in recent history, die-hard fans are feeling more insecure and unsure than ever before.

…

Security is a gift, and boy do I miss it.

It was mortgaged last Summer when the NBA’s star faces tip-toed elsewhere like dancing ballerinas, creating what scholar Malcolm Gladwell calls a tipping point: A tipping point is the moment when an idea created by either a large corporal entity or an individual, spreads to the masses. It’s a non-discriminatory personality that can be better understood by humanities need for evolution because everything “new” at some point becomes old and stagnant. Humanity tires of the old.

I guess the NBA God was sick of Lakers vs. Celtics, and so he decided to blow our minds and flip us off in the process.

If LeBron James had stayed a Cleveland Cavalier, it is fair to say much of this shift would not have happened. Whether you like the guy or you don’t, LeBron James is a very powerful athlete on and off the court. He is the association’s fault-line star, with the power to change the league.

On the court, the 6’8, two-hundred-sixty pound point-forward is athletically in a world of his own. His developed jump-shot has made him nearly impossible to guard. Blend in his power-forward like strength, his explosive speed, forty inch vertical, and you have a machine that cannot be stopped.

Well, you do; just ask him to deliver in the clutch…

LeBron is a fan favorite. He is the highest paid player off the court with various endorsement deals. He interviews well, which is something lacking in today’s athlete, giving him a like-ability that is a key component to a tipping point. This is what Malcolm Gladwell refers to as stickiness in his book The Tipping Point, making the evolution taking place as painless as possible. There is no tipping point without the stickiness (like-ability) of an emerging idea.

Does not a fad proceed what was at one point stylistically original?

****

It is hard to believe Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh did not know about LeBron’s desire to complete the ‘trifecta’ in South Beach. Wade and LeBron have been close friends since splashing on the scene together in 2003. And I don’t know about you, but my friends and I talk. Also, considering LeBron had a more than a productive situation in Cleveland, it would be hard to believe he went into the South Beach Experiment without knowing first that Wade and Bosh would join forces with him there.

Whether or not Wade is the better of the two (he is), he played second fiddle to LeBron in last season’s free agent fray. For most of the 09-10 season, Wade had hinted he would like to go back home to Chicago, joining a potent squad with the talent that has now become Derick Rose. His situation was average in Miami, and at twenty-eight, Wade with a lot of miles on his smaller 6’5 frame, was in need of making a decision that would alter his hall of fame career forever.

Chicago made an offer right away. Bosh had already made it known that he would leave Toronto.  Who would blame the guy?  He also made it known he would be comfortable as a secondary role alongside either LeBron or Wade. Spending seven years in the wasteland of Toronto, the lengthy perimeter-oriented forward had learned life the hard way in the NBA, that he was nothing but a second rate star.

Now he is nothing but a Horace Grant. Ouch.

Just because Bosh and Wade co-mingled their visits with Chicago together, does not mean they were intending to couple on the same team. I think it is fair to say that the league was awaiting LeBron’s decision before big names like Wade, Bosh, Amare, and Boozer landed elsewhere. If you notice the trend, every time LeBron visited one of his top picks–New York, Jersey, Miami, or Chicago; Wade and Bosh setup meetings a couple days afterward. It was almost as if they were gauging LeBron’s visits. It’s like a high-roller shop-around for a lap dance at a club. His first pick decides she wants to ride his richer, better looking friend, so he goes after her slightly less attractive twin.

The South Beach Experiment was the biggest heist in league history, a three headed Godzilla in the making, one that has ended up in lack of the “balls” needed to win big games. As of today the Heat are 1-9 against the top five teams in the NBA. And yet somehow it was LeBron who not only altered careers forever but changed our perception of the league with a trend as cheesy as an eighties horror flick.

“Attack of the Sporting Threesomes!” coming to a theater near you.

Everything from this point on fell into place. LeBron to Wade to Bosh to Amare to Boozer.

Amare signing with the New York Knicks for max dollars before the LeBron signing was like the Knicks dangling a piece of raw beef in front of a starving dog. The Knicks wanted LeBron and had made that known all along. So signing a dynamic piece like Amare gave them the thundering bargaining chip they needed when wooing the King.

Woo all you want. According to Andy Stevens on fansmanship.com, when you are wooing the King, you are wooing a “kingdom of clutch bricks.” Over the last week LeBron has wilted under the pressure. His Heat blew a twenty four point lead to the Orlando Magic, and lost numerous close games in which LeBron, like a pizza delivery boy in training, was unable to deliver on time.

It is interesting that Chicago never really made headlines when it came to signing LeBron. Though they were one of LeBron’s top choices, they courted Wade and Bosh as a duo. It makes me wonder if LeBron made it clear early on that he did not want to play with the Bulls. If so, the Bulls were trying to dismantle a powerful menage a twa. A triage that would be impossible to beat.

Uncertain and in need of a scoring big man, the Bulls did the smart thing, ditching the sweepstakes by signing Carlos Boozer; a guy who had toyed with the idea of signing in Miami with Wade early on. Boozer has solidified the Bulls, a group of team players who have the gel, firepower, and defense to terr Miami and many other elites a new one. They are the victors in this all, losing out on Bron, Wade, and Bosh, but as of today, with a core of Rose, Boozer, Noah, and Deng, are 3-0 against the Miami “Meat”.

Had LeBron stayed in Cleveland, I believe either Amare or Bosh would of paired with him there. This would have made the Cavs a bigger threat in the postseason and kept them at the top of the Eastern Conference food chain. Wade would of signed alone in Chicago, becoming the face of a fresh franchise. Bosh or Amare sign with the Knicks for top dollars. Boozer stays in the Western Conference and signs with his third choice, the Thunder.

Boozer in Oklahoma City voids the trade for Perkins because the Thunder as a small market team would be unable to take on his large contract extension. Therefore he stays in Boston, making our lives a lot easier because the Celtics are still, well, the tough-nosed Celtics.

…

Humanity relies on our greater purpose. We purport to have control over our circumstances, but life would say otherwise. Natural disasters, life decisions: good or bad, death, commerce, and history, creates a difficult and unsolvable equation. In the world of sports, things are the same. One player, just ONE, has the power to gamble away everything we knew or know. So let it take you, and dangle upside down. The dizzying merry-go-round of the world will, like a magician, continue to fool you.

Just because LeBron James has the power to shake the entire league, does not mean he is worthy of mention in the talk of all-time greats. Weren’t the Backstreet Boys a mentionable name in music in the late nineties? In and of the same, as of now LeBron, like Dominique Wilkins or Vince Carter, is a living highlight reel. Nothing more. His significance as a player took a nose-dive when he cowered as the face of a franchise and jumped ship to be a fellow juggler in a circus parade.

And as of now he can only juggle one, losing.

The hyped hoopla of the NBA all-star break is long gone (thank God). Now as we push through the final eight weeks of NBA regular season play, it is fitting to look forward to the postseason.  This article is as objective as possible. What I mean by this, is that no matter how much I hate the Lakers(this is true..want to be honest), they are a legitimate champion with the fire power to win championships for the next two to three years.

Before I continue with the rankings, I want to answer some of the questions the average fan has mused over this season:

1) Are we seeing the decline of Kobe Bryant? Yes and No. Kobe is 32. Whether we want to admit it, the guy has played professional hoops for fourteen years.  There has been a lot of wear and tear on the knees, which can be atributed to the lack of lift on his jumpshots, explosions toward the hoop, and that tired look in the closing stretches of big games. Nonetheless we are talking about one of the greatest this league has ever seen, and like MJ or Magic, Kobe is smart and should be able to find ways to turn it on come playoff time.

2)  Can the Heat beat the elite teams (top 5)? It should be noted that as of today, the Heat are 0-6 against the top five teams in the NBA.  Yet I think we can all admit that when a lineup boast the likes of Bron, Wade, and Bosh, the likelihood of that zero remaining in the win collumn come playoff time, is a silly assertion.

3) Is a power shift occuring from West to East? Yes. The East is the strongest it has been in quite sometime with the “mighty 3” in Miami, a healthy Boston, Chicago’s flowering from young promise to seasoned reality, Atlanta’s firepower, Orlando’s depth, and now, the rebirth in New York.  I believe that the biggest shift is occuring with the Knicks resurgence. Two superstar faces like Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony joining the Eastern Conference not only enhances the Knicks as a team, but switches some popularity from West to East. Not to mention the trade of Deron Williams to the Nets, continues in a trend of big name stars exiting  the Western Conference.  The West from seeds 6-8 in the postseason is still legitimately stronger, but that gap is closing.

NBA Rankings

1. L.A. Lakers (40-19): I know, I know, this seems cliche. But like the Bulls dominated stretches in the 90’s, the Lakers have been nearly as dominant in the 21st century’s first decade. The last ten years the Lakers have won five titles, been in seven finals, and are built with a team now that can find ways to win come playoff time. This year’s team has underachieved, no doubt.  Yet how dominate is a team that underachieves at 40-19? They remind me of the first three-peat Bulls team that limped to a 57-25 finish and a #2 seed in the East. No Kobe is not Michael, but Michael never had the likes of Pau, Odom, Artest, and Bynum.

2a. Boston Celtics (41-15): This team wins when it matters most.  This is the best this team has looked in three years, as each of their “big-3” are healthy and playing the best ball of the season. Pierce has increased his shot production–which was down the last two years–attributing to his increase in points per night by nearly two. Allen is smooth as silk and KG is playing with the fire necessary to drive this unit. Add in dime dropping Rondo, a somewhat motivated Shaq, bench sparks like Big Baby, and this team will be tough to beat at home this postseason.

2b.San Antonio Spurs (47-10): The most fad and cliche pick this season is San Antonio. Why? Their dominate start at 47-10, does not spell championships.  Having three guys like Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili leading the way is huge. They have won three titles in the Century’s first decade, and have the poise necessary to help their young stars stay calm in the postseason. At the same time, this team has relied on the thirty three year old Ginobili like never before. With Duncan having his least productive scoring season of his career (13.6), the Spurs have become more of a run n’ gun team with isolation sets for the aging Ginobili. Ginobili has been brittle for most of his career, which scares me come playoff time. But with Pop at the helm,  three guys hungry for their fourth ring, and the best record against the top ten teams this season (.688),  I have to give them the cred necessary.

3. Miami Heat (42-16):  If this was a ranking for most intriguing and dramatic, then the Heat would rank atop this list.  The league learned a huge lesson in 2004, when the Lakers, boasting the likes of Shaq, Kobe, Malone, and Payton, lost to a group of role guys — the Pistons. The inconsistency of this method makes me question whether or not the Heat’s big three will know when and where to demote their shot to one another. I also wonder whether or not the lack of a post presence will burn them when facing a team that plays tough perimeter defense.  Who scores inside? Until that is answered, I cannot in good faith put a team with no post presence and an 0-6 record against the top 5 teams at the top of this list.

4.Chicago Bulls (39-17): The Bulls are like a wine that has finally fermented to a perfect age. Plenty of tannin: 3rd in team defense, Robust flavors: increased scoring, Flowering nose: go to guy like Derick Rose, and Complexities: better depth–Boozer, Deng, Noah, Brewer. The ascension of Derick Rose from semi-star to a top 3 point guard in basketball, has legitimized the Bulls come playoff time with a serious scorer who has the ability to put this team on his back. When you add in a healthy Boozer (19.9 pts a night), and the comeback of defensive minded Joakim Noah, this team has the components to challenge anyone. The addition of Carlos Boozer has given the Bulls a legitimate 2nd scorer and the post offense they have lacked the last three years.  One concern? 25-4 at home, but just 13-13 on the road.

5. Dallas Mavericks (41-16): This is where things get murky.  I know the Mavs are arguably the most disappointing franchise of this Century’s first decade. Their collapse against the #8 seed Warriors in the 1st round of 2007 still lingers in many peoples minds. But this is not 2007. The Mavs have the 2nd best record against the ten best teams in the league, 4th best against the top five. They are the most balanced team at Home (22-8) and Away (19-8), which means they can beat anyone, anywhere. They are in the top-5 defensively and can score, ranking top-10 offensively. Add in a winner like Jason Kidd, a go to guy like Dirk, sparks like Marion, Terry, and Stojakavic, and this team realistically could make a deep run in the playoffs.

6. Oklahoma City Thunder (36-20): The trade for Nate Robinson and Kendrick Perkins from Boston, gives the Thunderdepth on their bench and solidifies a struggling defense. With Perkins now in the front court, the Thunder can defend any big in the postseason. One question though, is who scores besides Durant and Westbrook? Trading Jeff Green to the Celtics, proves the Thunder were not willing to continue giving  the underachieving Green a shot. Yet without Green, the Thunder will look for scoring from Jeff Harden, who has yet to develop into the scorer we thought he would be in the pros.  At the same time, this team thrives on defense. Their dip in this area is the reason for the trade and should re-center them defensively come postseason. Not to mention they are confident, after nearly knocking off the #1 seed Lakers last season in the 1st round.

7. Orlando Magic (36-22): It seems the Magic are once again lost in la la land. After losing in 1995  to the Houston Rockets in the NBA Finals, the Magic splintered and went into a fourteen year drought. Now nearly two years later since losing to the Lakers in the Finals, the Magic are the worst they have been in three years. They are still very good defensively (top 5) , but struggle offensively at times. Why? Their reliance upon the defensive-minded Dwight Howard proves such. Despite Howard’s career year (22.4 pts), the Magic are scoring nearly seven points lower this season and shooting the three-point shot eight percent lower than last season. Attempting to run a post offense has never been who this team is; a run and gun, fast paced, three point shooting team. Incredibly deep, it seems the Magic are deep with the wrong players: shoot first, oft injured point guards in Gilbert Arenas and Jameer Nelson, a one-hit wonder forward in Turkoglu, and an erratic scorer in J-Rich. I argue that the move for Vince Carter a year and a half ago set this team back a few years.

8. Portland Trailblazers (32-25): Despite Brandon Roy’s banged up body, the Blazers continue to stay afloat with great defense (top 7), an emergent star in Lamarcus Aldridge, and a group of roll guys like Rudy Ferndandez, Andre Miller, Nicolas Batum, Wesley Mathews and Marcus Camby.  They are tough to beat at home, and play with a poise necessary to win tough games on the road in the postseason. The trade for Gerald Wallace from Charlotte, should take pressure off of Roy offensively and gives the Blazer another  facet on a dangerous unit.

9. Atlanta Hawks (34-23): It seems every year, we wait for the Hawks to become a dominate force in the Eastern Conference. This year is not the year. Once again, they are a middle of the pack team with the elements  to beat anybody. The trade for Hinrich from the Wizards is silly, considering they lose a talented veteran point guard in Mike Bibby for a disappointing, aloof point guard in Hinrich. Nonetheless a lineup withguys like  Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Al Horford, and a bench with the likes of super- sub Jamal Crawford, gives this team the ability to beat much of the top teams comes postseason. Unfortunately ability is not reality, and I don’t think Joe Johnson is right star to lead them to greatness.

10. New Orleans Hornets (34-25): Yes the Hornets are renewed after their disappointing 09-10 season. But they still lack a true post presence with the a more defensive minded Emeka Okafor. Disappointments like Trevor Ariza, have caused the Hornets to take a step back offensively, after being one of the top teams two years ago.  The leagues top team defensively, the Hornets cause a bunch of turnovers and can get in the open floor. Chris Paul and David West drive this team, but they lack the cohesiveness on offense to make a  run.

11. Memphis Grizzlies (32-27): I love this team. They are still two years away from really competing. But when you boast a lineup with a star in Rudy Gay, an up- and- coming point guard in Mike Conley, a front court with two tough nosed guys in Zack Randolph and Marc Gasol, you’re destined to be really good.  I like the Battier trade, because it further strengthens their defensive prowess and gives them the veteran necessary come playoff time.

12. New York Knicks (29-26): The Carmelo trade makes things interesting out East. Melo gives this team the star wing player they’ve been lacking. Add in a veteran winner like Chauncey Billups, and return- to- dominance Amare Stoudamire, and this team has the trio necessary to bounce a higher seed early. The Knicks are my definite dark horse come playoff time.

13. Utah Jazz (31-27): Did I like D-Will in Utah blue? Absolutely. Do I think the Jazz made out well in the trade? Yes. I am never a proponent, as most of you aren’t, for sending your franchise guy in a flash trade. But the Jazz got a looming star point in Devin Harris, a project talent in Derrick Favors, two first round picks, and a nice pod of  three million. With bigs’ like Al Jefferson, and Paul Milsap, this team has the players to compete for the next five years.

14. Philadelphia 76ers (28-29): The Sixers are balanced: middle pack offensively and defensively. They have an exciting crowd pleaser in Andre Igoudala, and a nice blend of veterans–Elton Brand, with young talents–Thad Young. No point guard, and the disappointing rookie season of Evan Turner have this team looking on the outside in when it comes to seriously competing.

15. Phoenix Suns (28-27): Steve Nash just gets better and better with age. But who are we kidding? You have no shot when it comes to tired and old Vince Carter, and shoot first role guys like Channing Frye and Jared Dudley. And why trade for another bomber in Aaron Brooks?

16. Denver Nuggets (34-25): “Who needs Melo?”. Okay Denver, I loved that chant last night in a win over Boston. But…you went in the opposite direction with a trade that brought you an nonathletic wing in Galinari and a me-first wing in Chandler.  Your two central figures for the future should be Felton and Nene.

17. Golden St Warriors (26-30): The Warriors will not make the playoffs. And I don’t think the more you shoot the more you win. Except for Monta Ellis and Steph Curry, this team is awash in no-namer raw talents.

18. Indiana Pacers (26-30): What is the hype with Indiana? I cannot figure it out. Collison is not a franchise point guard, and just because you have a seven footer in Roy Hibbert averaging 13.3 pts, 9.0 reb, does not mean you are going in the right direction. Is it just me, or is the streaky shooting Danny Granger becoming the most overpaid wing in hoops?

19. Houston Rockets (28-31): This team is multi-talented and can win without a guy like Yao. But that was when they had a point guard–trading Aaron Brooks to the Suns for Goran Dragic is silly, and a wing like Ron Artest. I also think the trade of Battier to Memphis is perplexing, considering Battier was their defensive heart and soul. Sorry Scola, you are now stuck in a bad situation.

20. Los Angeles Clippers (21-37): Finally this team is going in the right direction, with two franchise players in Eric Gordon and Blake Griffin. Ditching Baron for Mo Williams and JamarioMoon was smart. Davis was overpaid and screwed with the Clippers chemistry. Watch out next year, when they get Chris Kaman back from injury and gel for an entire off-season.

21. Charlotte Bobcats (25-32): They start Kwame Brown–nuff’ said.

22. Milwaukee Bucks (22-35): I am a fan of the Bucks. They are a team of role guys who make it happen. Things caught up to them this season with the injury to Bogut and Jennings innability to rise into a star point.

23. Detroit Pistons (21-38): Hey,  how bout them Tigers?

24. Toronto Raptors (16-42): All I can say is that I like Calderon and their young prospect DeMar DeRozen.

25. New Jersey Nets (17-40): Things in Jersey are sad. Yes they just acquired Deron Williams from the Jazz, but they gave away their entire team doing it.

26. Minnesota Timberwolves (13-45): I know it sounds far-fetched but this team does have three good pieces to build around in Kevin Love, Michael Beasley, and Johnny Flynn.

27. Washington Wizards (15-41): The only bright side to things is that I truly believe John Wall will be a top five point guard in two years.

28. Sacramento Kings (14-41): Tyreke….ahhhhhhhhh…how can a multi-talented guy like you play so awkward?

29. Cleveland Cavaliers (10-47): It is comical when your biggest franchise face is Baron Davis. Bron Bron–bad on you.

Most Valuable Player: LeBron James over Derick Rose, though my heart believes it is Rose’s to win this year. Imagine the Bulls without Rose. Now imagine the Heat without James. Nonetheless it is more economical for the league to give James his third MVP in a row.

Rookie of the Year: Can you say Mr. Griffin in L.A.? Wow.

Most Improved Player: Roy Hibbert, C, Indiana Pacers. Numbers have doubled from last season, and he is now considered an up-and-coming franchise center.

Coach of the Year: Gregg Popovich. Hard to argue with his team’s 47-10 start, considering they hardly cleared 50 wins the last two years. Their evolution proves Pop’s ability to quickly route a franchise into the right direction.

Playoff Darkhorse Eastern Conference: New York Knicks. It will be interesting to see if this team gets into a four v five matchupin the first round. With Melo, Amare, and Billups, they have the veterans and star power to surprise someone.

Playoff Darkhorse Western Conference: Portland Trailblazers. They fly under the radar because of the injury to Brandon Roy. But this team has enough without a healthy Roy to upend a conference elite. With Aldridge playing like he is, and the addition of Gerald Wallace, the hard nosed Blazers could make some noise come playoff time.

Finals Prediction: It will be an L.A. Lakers v. Boston Celtics rematch. Boston will have home court, which is huge. Series goes seven. I say it is a toss up. What do you think?