Paul Pierce (seen here without his trademark wheelchair), may be getting old, but he still made L-Man’s top-10 active players. By Keith Allison, via Wikimedia Commons

LeBron James recently was awarded his fourth MVP award in five years which is an astonishing accomplishment, only have being done by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (6), Michael Jordan (5), Bill Russell (5), and Wilt Chamberlain (4).  Not too bad of company I’d say for LeBron to be in but this got me thinking, who are the top ten NBA players currently in the league? Many people have disagreed about this fact and now I am here to put my input in about the debate. I am basing my order not only on statistics but also mental aspect, hustle, and winning. So here is in my opinion, the top ten current NBA players in order:

1. LeBron James: I can’t even argue this; the man is a freak of nature on the basketball court. This is the easiest placement of the players on my list so I won’t take too long on it. Career Stats: 27.6 PPG, 6.9 APG, 7.3 RPG
2. Kobe Bryant: A lot of people would have placed Kevin Durant here instead of Kobe but I am a person of resumes not just the “now” part of this. Kobe is still the best closer in the NBA defying basketball odds and opponents over and over again. At 34 years old, he can still put up the same of not better numbers than the younger players, which is incredible. Many people overlook the Mamba, but not me. Career Stats: 25.5 PPG, 4.8 APG, 5.3 RPG
3. Kevin Durant: Once Kobe retires then Durant will move up into the number two spot at least on my list but until then he is third which isn’t that bad at all. Durant is a unique talent with his length and shooting ability and I believe he will go down as one of the greatest scorers this league has ever seen. Durant said he was tired of being second all the time, well Kevin you aren’t second…you are third. Career Stats: 26.6 PPG, 3.1 APG, 6.8 RPG
4. Chris Paul: The best point guard in the NBA lands in the fourth spot on my list and I think he fits perfectly here. The way Paul can run the floor, pass and shoot is incredible. Almost like Kobe, Paul is a killer. By that, I mean he is clutch and will end you in a game. Paul is of my favorite players in the game and a great leader on the court. Career Stats: 18.6 PPG, 9.8 APG, 4.4 RPG
5. Dirk Nowitzki: This one might be a bit of a surprise to some as Carmelo or Russell Westbrook are neither in this spot but as I said, I base this off of resumes and every aspect of the game and Dirk has it all. He has won MVP awards, a championship and hits huge shots in huge moments. I don’t care about the age factor, he still is one of the most versatile big men to ever play this game and is still highly productive. The “German Moses” is about a year removed from many people agreeing with me, but I don’t care. He is the fifth best player in the NBA. Career Stats: 22.6 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 0.9 BPG

   //www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU6UHBYJOUw

6. Carmelo Anthony: Carmelo is a tough one to cover because he has so many skill sets but lacks the mental aspect of the game. To me the mental aspect of the game is just as important as the skills part. He is a superstar, no doubt about it, but he needs to learn how to act like one. If he can do that, he could be in the top-5. He can flat-out score the basketball and in my opinion the best scorer in the game at the moment but until he finds his mental toughness he won’t get any higher than here. Career Stats: 25.0 PPG, 3.1 APG, 6.4 RPG
7. Russell Westbrook: Now here is a player that is great at getting people out of their seats, he can shoot, he can dunk, he even plays defense. And what a scary thought that two of the top ten NBA players play on the same team (Thunder) and both are under 25 years of age. Westbrook has a lot of talent and with experience with continue to grow as a player and leader. He might just want to get the ball to Durant for a few more shots during a game. Career Stats: 19.9 PPG, 6.9 APG, 4.8 RPG
8. Tim Duncan: Four championships. That is all I have to say about Duncan, who I believe will go down as the greatest power forward to ever play the game. Career Stats: 20.2 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 2.2 BPG
9. Paul Pierce: The Truth. Well, the truth is that Pierce is still a top ten player even with his age and it is sad that he may be done soon. Even as a Laker fan, I admire Paul Pierce and his game. He has a knack for silencing the crowd on the road and hitting clutch shots. He grew up near the Forum in Inglewood and with the exception of the wheelchair incident, he’s been a pretty tough player throughout his career. Although he had to beat the Lakers to do so, I am glad that he won one title. Career Stats: 21.8 PPG, 3.9 APG, 6.0 RPG
10. Dwight Howard: Much like the Thunder, the Lakers have two of the top 10 NBA players on their roster (for now) and hopefully it stays that way. Howard may not be the offensive beast that Shaq was but he can flat out play defense and is a force at the rim. Many players could deserve to be number ten, but I gave the nod to Howard because of the defense aspect. Defense does win championships and maybe one day Howard will be holding up the trophy he is coveting. Career Stats: 18.3 PPG, 12.9 RPG, 2.2 BPG

While people may disagree with me, at least we can agree to disagree. Obviously this list will change yearly with players retiring, age and just the progression on younger players but for now this is in my list of the top ten current NBA players. What do you think? Leave your comments below.

Since I know many fans of the NBA are Jonesing for some good NBA early-season smack-talk, here it comes. With a German accent, trademark headphones, and a level of passion I didn’t expect, Flula disses the Heat.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=OunWJ1fDByE

WOW. And you know he’s a Dirk fan!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU6UHBYJOUw

Here are a few of my other Flula favorites. Enjoy!

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=63Y5XjlO4vk

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMa1i3ITBbo

Watching Sir’ Dirk diggler his way between double teams then drop the off-foot fade away, with feathered bangs haunting his brow is like hot chocolate with a bust of hand-whipped cream lapping at the tongue…sizzle sizzle and more busty sizzle.

My nizzle.

Fans swore off of Dirk after his Mavs famous meltdown in 06′ and 07′; said he was overrated, couldn’t hit the big shot, seven feet but soft as butter, a lanky vanilla–sweet but melts with contact.

Well not so fast.

In the meantime Nowitski has collected an MVP, eclipsed twenty thousand career points,and freeze framed his Shaggy Doobie Do face in the list of all-time greats. Dirk’s freakazoid bar, with his insante giftedness to dribble like a point, hit the fade away like a guard, rebound as a forward and finish inside is Lady Gaga unparalleled.

Did I just say Lady Gaga unparalleled?  I did because Dirk is the the greatest powerforward to ever play this game.

Yes you heard me. My condolences to Timmy Duncan, but today I am writing with a blasphemous resignation to the truth of things. I have post stamped this through the mailman, and asked his caddy Sir Charles, to verify its arrival. Dirk is not only the greatest powerforward, but when it comes to closers is listed as: MJ….Bird…..West…..Kobe….Dirk.

Monday’s performance was one of the greatest this league has ever seen. Dropping 48 on OKC in game one of the Western Conference Finals, he did it in Gaga fashion: 12-15 shooting, 24-24 from the free throw line, hitting clutch jumpers late to close out the Thunder in the fourth quarter. Setting the tone from the get go, Dirk started 4-4 with the Mavs first ten points, and twenty in the first half. It was obvious  that this Sir’ Dirk is no longer living under the devils of his past.

OKC looked stupefied in his wakes and had no answer for him all evening, throwing seven different defenders his way including: former Defensive Player of the Year Thabo Sefalosha, and block king Serge Ibaka. His unguardable abilities and size caused former NBA coach turned ESPN TV personality Jeff Van Gundy, to continualy pose the X and O question, “How do you stop that?” His sidekick, former point guard Mark Jackson returned, “You got to close the air space.”

Air space?

This is not about some make believe air space, this is about fate. As much as I love the twenty-three year old Durant–a two time scoring champ, and gifted 6’10 wingman with the ability to hit the three, take you off dribble, and get up and finish, I am aware that his moment has not arrived yet.

It was obvious Monday who the better team is. This is not your usual lay-down and die Dallas Mavs team who’ve become more of a hard-nosed defensive squad with their yet classic art of tres droplet supremes. Key moments on Monday included: Barrea sparking Dallas with twelve straight points in the third, and Jason Kidd bringing stability at point when Darantula made it a game scoring Jasseven of his teams ten points in a 10-0 run in the fourth to pull to within five with 3:34 to play. Like a black widow spider dangling from a single thread, only to lose her luscious prey a few inches from her triangular grasp, that is as close as things would get. This year there is no hesitation from the Mavs–a collective of cast-aways, bridging their way to title ascension.

And with a German juggernaut like Dirk taking them there, it bids the question, “will this finally be their year?”

The Lakers are at the final post of retreat. They can fall back no more in this Western Conference Semi-final Series versus the Dallas Mavericks. Its time to stand up and fight, or die.

Can the Lakers even the series two-two in the next two games, or at least, win one in Dallas and extend the series to a game five back in L.A.? If the question of “can” is asked, than the answer is yes. Yes they can.

Will they? That proposition is what is highly in question.

The Lakers obviously have the talent to do so. However, the question that is most valid is not the one previously posed. It is rather the question whether or not they have the will to do so, and, quite frankly, the balls to do so.

How bad do the back-to-back champs want to compete for this second three-peat in the past decade in support of their consummate icon of a coach, Phil Jackson?

I don’t see anything in their body language during these first two games that leads me to believe they want it bad enough. But at the same time, you never count a defending champion out until they are out. Like Yogi said, “it ain’t over ’till its over,” especially with a team like the Lakers.

The more applicable question that prevails anything has become:  what is so blatantly wrong with the Lakers that lead to back-to-back losses at home to open the series?

Offensively they seem clogged. They aren’t running the fast-openers built-in to their offense, or “quickies” as they are termed within the triangle system, that they usually do to combat ball-deny pressure.

It seems they lack the ability to take the game to their opponent, and are having trouble adjusting to how the defense of the Mavericks is taking the game to them.

This is what the basis of the triangle offense is able to combat: when something is taken away, something else opens up. There is a counter to anything a man-to-man defense presents. Look to pass, see pressure, utilize back-doors, and so on down the branches. This is the very root of the triangle-tree. The Lakers aren’t tapping into this reserve like they have in the past. The secret weapon needs to be utilized.

There is simply no immediate pressure being directly put on the defense. They aren’t making them work hard at all. People are wondering why Dirk Nowitzki is going off at such an amazing clip? The answer is simple – he isn’t having to expend any energy on defense.

No threat of the goal from the prefix is being seen. This is what starts the offense and is the gas that fuels it – being deceptive yet decisive. Everything the Lakers are showing their opponents is a dragged-out, quasi-blueprint of how the offense should be ran at its optimum level.

Isolating Kobe in the post just isn’t getting it done, nor has it ever on a consistent basis. This fall-back is the desperate way out, and it is clearly evident that the Lakers are uneqivocally getting to that point on offense, desperate.

Defensively they are allowing themselves to fall into too many pitfalls. They are rushing feverishly at uncommitted shooters much too rapidly. It makes absolutely zero sense.  You need to make them earn it, because a veteran offense like Dallas will kill you if you allow them a distinct advantage time and time again.

There needs to be a realization of who you are closing out on when you close out, or, if even lesser refined, know what you are against as an entire mindset – a team of older jump-shooters.  This needs to be inherently realized, and when it is, have the ability to not close out on shooters so vehemently and haphazardly.

If you make the Mavericks have to hit jumpers, you’ll curb what is possible for them. If you allow them to make you commit on shot-fakes and then, in-turn, they get to play four-on-five from a penetrating possibility, you are playing right into their back pocket. Pick the lesser of two poisons if you are serious about winning.  Make them hit jumpers instead of letting them get in the lane so easily with a decided advantage of numbers.

The pick and roll defense being exhibited versus J.J. Barea by Steve Blake is atrocious. This gnat getting deep in the paint uncontested time and time again and being able to convert lay-ups in the half-court is unacceptable.

Whoever is responsible, be it the coaching staff or the player(s) themselves, that is choosing to chase Barea over the top of high screen-roll situations, needs to have their head checked. Feel free to hedge that situation with your big, and hedge it strongly, with help underneath, from the weak-side, and from the trailing and sagging initial defender of him. Make them beat you by accomplishing the extra pass.  Make them work more to score, not less.

Barea is not a 3-point threat. Make him pass it around the edge after he is hedged, instead of chasing over the top and letting him get deep.  If a player of his amenity is allowed to get to the baseline consistently, and make the defense try to play with eyes in the backs of their collective heads, the result is an instant loss for the Lakers’ defense, or any defense for that matter. Trying to play defense while facing the baseline while diving slashers are cutting to the basket behind you is nearly impossible. Chris Paul and Co. showed you all as much.

The bottom line – if these fundamentals don’t change and don’t change quickly, the defending champions will be well beyond on-the-ropes. And if that happens, and the Lakers bow out in the Western Conference Semi-finals, it will be more than just a little disappointing.

I can handle losing in The Finals to a better team, or even losing to a better team in the Conference Finals, but a team this talented losing in the Conference Semis would garner some harsh and well-deserved criticism from fans and pundits.

If the travesty were to occur, you may have to make some moves to reconfigure your franchise. Some that aren’t working out in purple and gold might have to go, some way, some how, be it via trades or out and out release, and that would be a sad day.  It would be an admission of failure at some level, yet unfortunately necessary.

The fine line between experience and age is just that, a very fine line. Hopefully for Laker-fans, that fine line won’t snap just yet.