Today I was, as I am sometimes prone to do, listening to The Ringer’s NBA Show podcast with Chris Vernon. Vernon had Tim Bontemps (FANTASTIC name, right?) on the show. Bontemps is a national NBA writer for the Washington Post.

The two of them were discussing who would be the frontrunners for the MVP voting this season. It’s conceivable, they agreed, that James Harden, Russell Westbrook, and Kevin Durant could be the top-three players in voting. In case you forgot, those three guys played on the same team. Oklahoma City had ALL THREE OF THEM, along with Serge Ibaka, and couldn’t hold anything together.

The Thunder did go to the finals — in 2012. They lost to the Miami Heat and LeBron’s superteam four games to one.

The splitting of the drafted super-team (OKC), I have come to realize, started with their loss to the manufactured super-team (Miami).

If you were a 23 year-old Kevin Durant, how would you have felt? He put up a 28/8/3.5 stat line that season, only to be throttled in the finals by peak LeBron.

What if you were Westbrook. He averaged 23/5/6, and yet the Heat found a way to keep him out of rhythm and dictate the way he played just enough in the finals to disrupt the flow Scott Brooks’ team had managed to build.

How about James Harden? He was a 22 year-old BENCH player on this OKC team and would probably be the frontrunner so far this season for MVP. Harden averaged 17 points off the bench that season.

All three of them saw what happens when you choose your own superteam. All three of them knew they’d never be out of each others’ shadows in OKC. The Thunder tried to get ahead of the curve, trading Harden and paying Ibaka. Kevin Durant got hurt. Instead of growing into a great second-banana, Russell Westbrook decided he was going to be the prima ballerina, and the rest is history. At least until this season.

Sometimes radio or TV people play this game: “If you could build your team to win now with a player or three players or five players, who would they be?”

If you asked an NBA fan right now, LeBron would be there, probably along with the three former Thunder teammates (aged 28, 28, and 27 now) and maybe Steph Curry. KD and LeBron could play the four and the five. Don’t get too caught up in that part.

Russell Westbrook is flat-out putting on a show this season. By Erik Drost from United States (Russell Westbrook) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

But what if they had kept everything together? Would we be delighting in all that is Russell mania this season? Would Harden ever been able to run point forward like he is in Mike D’Antoni’s offense? Would there be a superteam like the Warriors to hate?

We wouldn’t have any of the fun that comes with the split-up Thunder WITHOUT LeBron, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh both crushing Oklahoma City’s soul and showing the youngsters in 2012 that super-teams work.

The last thought I’ll leave with is this: If you look at all the decisions Harden, Westbrook, and Durant (and Oklahoma City’s management) made since those 2012 finals through the lens of that loss, you start to see motivations for guys that are just under the surface at all times.

It was there when Durant signed his Golden State contract — you never know when you’ll get another chance at the finals, especially when you’re not always healthy. He just about guaranteed himself that with his decision.

It’s there every time James Harden has some crazy 45 point triple double. Like a middle child he’ll always be looking for attention and always have something to prove until the day he retires. He wants to show everyone that HE was the unicorn of the group.

In Westbrook, it’s more outwardly apparent. Everything that has happened over the past four years bubbles to the surface on the floor for the UCLA kid. Remember when Westbrook had to play behind Jordan Farmar in college? Remember when he had to defer to Durant all game and then to Harden in crunch time? Remember when Durant was out, and Russell thought he earned the right to be the top dog?

And remember when the Heat trashed their whole world?

Look a little deeper. Have a little context. This NBA season becomes even more fun and interesting than you thought. Maybe a re-watching of the 2012 NBA Finals is in order. I’ll buy the pizza and pops.

It’s happened before. Teams have ramped up their roster in exciting off-seasons, bringing about delusions of grandeur, but when the playoffs finally arrive the said team doesn’t play up to their potential and has an early postseason exit. The 2013-2014 Houston Rockets are the latest team to fall victim to this phenomenon.

Next season will bring much criticism for James Harden and the Rockets after a first round playoff exit. By Game Face (Flickr: The Beard), via Wikimedia Commons

They finished as the fourth-seed in the tough Western Conference and met-up in the playoffs with a young-and-gun Portland Trailblazer team who, at one point, was the best team in the NBA. Portland quickly took the first two games of the series in Houston, an impressive feat for a young team and the Rockets could never recover. Houston rebounded and took game 3 in Portland but dropped game 4 to the Blazers and after that the Blazers had full control. It wasn’t like the Blazers were destroying the Rockets — most games were very tight and could have gone either way — but they mainly went the Blazers’ way.

So, the Blazers move on to the second round and the Rockets, disappointingly, go home way earlier than most people expected.

It is very clear that Dwight Howard has found a home in Houston with the Rockets and that he enjoys playing second-fiddle to Harden, but are those two enough to get the Rockets over the hump? I don’t believe so.

They need another star-type player to make another big three in the NBA. We all know that Dwight Howard isn’t the best offensive center in the league and James Harden sometimes doesn’t play his best, especially on defense. Having another star to carry them would go a long way toward putting them over the hump.

Next season will be very interesting for the Rockets because even though most people didn’t expect them to compete for a title in the first year together, losing in the first round of the playoffs with home-court advantage isn’t a good sign. For their sake, I hope they use this season as motivation to figure out what ails them. If not, the reputations of both Harden and Howard as true stars in this league are at stake.

Nothing compares to a good individual rivalry in the NBA. Since one-on-one is the name of the game in the League, individual match-ups are analyzed and torn apart. Fans ask the age-old question of who is better than who? By the time a game is over, we sometimes even get a definitive answer.

Until recently, we hadn’t seen any huge individual rivalries in quite a while. While Kobe Bryant has won five titles over the past decade-and-a-half, other players have come and gone. But Kevin Durant and LeBron James have changed that. Since meeting up in the 2011 NBA Finals, Durant and LeBron have been known as the two best players in the league and everything they do gets compared.

Kevin Durant is a great player but will be second to LeBron until he starts to win. By Keith Allison, via Wikimedia Commons

Durant vs. LeBron has become a matchup that is an event each and every time that the two match-up. Since 2010, when LeBron joined the Heat, Miami has a record of 9-4 against Oklahoma City, including their NBA Finals matchup.

Now why is this? It is actually very simple in the fact that the Thunder just don’t matchup very well against the Heat. I believe that if the Thunder and Heat met up in the Finals again, it would be the same boring outcome that is was back in 2011 when the Heat won the series 4 games to 1.

People can talk about how the Heat aren’t as good this season and how they won’t win a third NBA title in a row, but I give them a very good chance to do so. Until the Heat no longer have LeBron James on their roster, I will probably pick them to win each season. In my opinion, there are only three teams right now that could actually beat the Heat in a playoff series based on match-ups.

The Pacers and Spurs have proven they can play with the Heat so I give them a realistic chance to do so. The third team may be of a surprise to people but I think that the Rockets could give the Heat a run for their money. Having James Harden, the size of Dwight Howard, and all the shooters they have could cause problems for Miami.

The debate of Durant vs. LeBron is just getting started and I am excited to watch these two great players go at each other over the next several seasons. For now, though, the debate needs to stop because LeBron James is the best player in the world and will hold that title for a long time. Until Kevin Durant starts adding some NBA titles to his resume he will be second to his rival and friend LeBron James.

The 2013 NBA offseason had major implications on the fate of the league in the coming years. This offseason brought fans many unusual moves. Big-name players switched teams, the “bad” teams got better, and some of the most historic teams in history look as they are going to fall off the map for awhile. Clearly, the league is going through some changes both in players and perception.

Can LeBron and the Heat win a third straight NBA title or will another team de-throne them? By Steve Jurvetson (Flickr: LeBron James), via Wikimedia Commons

Josh Smith joined the Pistons, Andre Igoudala joined Golden State (this one happened before Howard), Al Jefferson joined the Bobcats, Chris Kaman and Nick Young went to the Lakers, Metta World Peace joined the Knicks, Paul Millsap went to Atlanta, Brandon Knight and Brandon Jennings were traded for each other, Monta Ellis went to Dallas, Greg Oden and Michael Beasley joined Miami, Chauncey Billups went back to Detroit and Andrew Bynum and his hair move to Cleveland, where (of course) a bank is located.

Within all the madness, there were a few retirements and coaching moves too. Doc Rivers left Boston to become the Clippers coach, and Jason Kidd became the Nets coach. George Karl and Lionel Hollins lost their jobs despite the Nuggets and Grizzlies having great seasons. In addition to Jason Kidd retiring, Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady also decided it was time to hang it up.

For me, one move made me feel sick to my stomach and I’m a Lakers fan. Longtime Celtics Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett were dealt to the Nets and for some reason that makes me mad. It has recently come out that LeBron and the Miami Heat are critical of the move since both Pierce and Garnett criticized Ray Allen last season for leaving Boston and joining Miami. Unlike Allen, Pierce and Garnett were traded away, and although Garnett waived his no trade clause he did it because he wanted to keep playing alongside Pierce. The move of Pierce and Garnett means the Celtics (like the Lakers) will probably have less than spectacular seasons ahead.

The NBA looks as it is shaping up to be great in the next ten or so years and I for one, am very excited. There is so much young talent in the league and it will only get better. The 2013-14 season tips off in a couple weeks and I will be glued to my TV all season long.

Who do you think was the biggest NBA move of the summer? Comment below!

Dwight Howard is taking his smile and game to Houston. By scott mecum, via Wikimedia Commons

After being bounced in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs for the second straight year in 2012, the Los Angeles Lakers are in unusual territory.

They aren’t being considered serious contenders for the upcoming year.

Trading for Steve Nash and Dwight Howard in separate deals to pair with Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol last year brought the promise of a hugely successful season. Fast-forward to the 2013 offseason, and dejected Lakers fans wondered, will Dwight Howard re-sign?

While many in the Lakers’ organization seemed optimistic, fans and executives around the NBA thought it unlikely Howard would continue in the Purple and Gold. With 16 NBA titles under its belt, I think the Lakers organization and must have been confident in re-signing Howard. They have Hollywood, legends, and banners, everything that Dwight Howard has said from the beginning that he wants. How can any star player deny a chance to become another legend that wore the famous purple and gold jerseys?

Don’t get me wrong, Howard is a great NBA player. When healthy, he is the best center in the league. But he is still immature and sometimes delusional, and never quite seemed like he belonged.

He has finally made his decision, spurning the Lakers to join James Harden and the Houston Rockets. Howard becomes the first superstar to leave Los Angeles for another team. He made it clear that he didn’t like playing under Mike D’Antoni but the Lakers didn’t budge and made it clear that he would be back as the coach. All that being said, I don’t believe Howard ever really wanted to be in Los Angeles in the first place. From the beginning he had other cities in mind — Brooklyn for instance. His relationship with the fans in Los Angeles seemed to mirror his relationship with every coach he’s ever had. Fans marveled at his talent and raw ability when healthy. They groaned when they considered the player he could be. The fans never accepted this #12 even as much as they accepted another #12 — Vlade Divac. Howard never wanted to be a Laker and rightfully so shouldn’t be one.

One last message to Dwight: Thank you for choosing the Rockets over the Lakers. At least now us Laker fans and organization don’t have to deal with all your problems. Have fun in Houston playing for a team that has won only two championships in its franchise history and the only reason they won those are because Michael Jordan left the league in 1994 and only played in 17 games in 1995. In a few years you will be sitting on your couch watching the Lakers hold up that trophy you so desperately covet and will be thinking, “I’ve made a huge mistake.” But again, thank you Dwight for leaving, you don’t want to be a Laker then the Lakers don’t need you. And Houston, this time you really do have a problem, a 6’11” problem.

Here we go again…Dwightmare 2.0 or even 2.5 as some people are calling it, is among us. New rumors swirling each and every day. The latest basically says that the Houston Rockets, who are probably the strongest competition for the Lakers in the Howard sweepstakes, are getting good signs about him leaving Los Angeles for Houston. Add the recruitment of Rockets star guard James Harden and it seems as if Howard’s days in Los Angeles are numbered. While he hasn’t come out publicly and said it, Howard seems to have trouble playing under coach Mike D’Antoni. Lakers management, who brought in D’Antoni to replace Mike Brown last season, isn’t budging and have decided to keep D’Antoni for next season. It is uncertain at this time whether or not that will be one of the deciding factors in Howard’s decision.

If Dwight Howard doesn’t want to be in Los Angeles, the Lakers don’t need him back. By Howcheng (Own work), via Wikimedia Commons

With regard to the D’Antoni mess, I completely understand where Howard is coming from. Despite Howard recovering from an injury, D’Antoni didn’t use him correctly during the first half of the season. After the mid-way point, Howard felt better and something clicked. The Lakers went 28-12 over the last 40 games and had a top-3 record over the second half of the season. Lets not forget that and if not for a bizarre occurrence of consistent injuries to Kobe, Nash, Steve Blake and Jodie Meeks right before the end of the season, the Lakers might have made a playoff run. With a starting backcourt of Darius Morris and Andrew Goudelock, the Lakers were in no shape to be playing in the playoffs. Watching the series felt like I was watching a really bad D-League game. That being said, in his final game as the Lakers were about to be swept off their home court, Howard got ejected. When Kobe Bryant walked on the court only a few minutes later, fans made it known whose team it really was, and still is.

As a Laker fan, I have decided that I no longer care whether or not Howard stays or leaves the Lakers. Don’t get me wrong, Howard is a great player and I would love to have him stay with the Lakers but if he doesn’t want to be in Los Angeles then good riddance. The Lakers have 16 championships and come with a storied history. If I am the Lakers, I don’t need anyone here who doesn’t want to be here. Dwight Howard could become another Hall of Fame big man to play for the Lakers if he wants too but that all depends on what he does this summer. If Howard really wants to win as bad as he has always said, then he stays in Los Angeles where he has the best chance to win a title (maybe not next season but in 2014 and beyond when the team would only have one or two players under the salary cap.)

I have a message to Howard: “Man up” and finally for the first time in your career take charge and stop complaining about the perfect fit and just win where you are. You left Orlando because they didn’t put pieces around you and now you are thinking of leaving the Lakers? Even after they put Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash and Pau Gasol around you? What more could you want? Whether or not you stay, the Lakers will revamp the team to be contenders again like they always do. Go ahead and go to Houston but in a few years when you are sitting on your couch watching the Lakers hoist up that trophy you so desperately want, you will regret not being a part of it and don’t say we didn’t tell you so.

I needed to hide in my proverbial cave before entering back into the world of sports. The media’s recycled replay has stolen anything and everything fresh to talk about. For days I’ve thought about Super Bowl XLVII and come up with zilch. Nada.

I scratched on a lined sheet of paper a few ideas, but each fell flat.  Ray Lewis retiring was too obvious. Joe Flacco’s soon-be and well-earned mega contract was too recycled.  Jim Harbaugh’s over-conservatism on offense. Ah, now there’s a hard hitter, but it is too early to say if that’s really a problem yet.  And the next landing spot for Alex Smith is boring.

The media spinsters have stolen every crumb worth discussing from a football-related standpoint. ESPN is truly the evil empire. But Dan Patrick and his Fox Sports getaway aren’t void of such a name tag either.

When thinking back to what was ultimately a pretty damn good game between two brothers on opposing sidelines, I’m left dumbfounded at the obvious: the game seemed rigged. Yes, rigged—at least on some level it was.

When the lights went out it was a little too weird. Too cliche of a  story line. Like a classic horror spot on with the scene when the lights flicker and the down and out(the 49ers) are tested to their ultimate limit.

A league as pretentious as the celebrity driven NFL, in my opinion, is not far removed from making this sort of thing happen. Albeit it’s out-there to think so, sure. But absolutely impossible? I don’t think so.

Seventeen points were put up in a four minute stretch following the return of the lights, by a team that mustered only 6 in all of the first half. I timed that. It took me four minutes this morning to brush my teeth and tie my tie. By the time I put my shoes and socks on, it had gone from 4 minutes to 6, 7, maybe 8 or 9. In half the amount of time it took me to brush my teeth, tie my tie and put my shoes on, the 49ers offense magically unveiled 17 points on a defense playing out of their minds?

Give. Me. A. Break.

That was a storyline straight from the Goodell playbook. And it was well-timed. It was a strategic move attempting to draw back the league’s growing disenchanted fan base.  Super Bowl XLVII had the lowest rating in 7 years.

Yes, the lowest.

This means there is a chance for other popular leagues like Major League Baseball or the NBA to reclaim what once was a more equitable balance of American sports power.

Beyonce’s halftime show was… interesting. Maybe it should have had a rating on it though. By Beelover9481 (Beyoncé Knowles), via Wikimedia Commons

Inception, Leonardo Dicaprio, remember? Goodell needs a story to manipulate the masses, draw us back, make us live, eat and and pray the game of football, but it’s not working. The media has been muted on the issue. After all, they are more invested in the NFL’s success than anyone. We’re slowly, but surely, tiring of the league’s ridiculous rule changes and unlawful bounties.

And then there was Beyonce Z at halftime.  Oh God, her crotch grabs and tongue licks were enough to make a five year old dream about making love. And that’s just gross. I threw up in my mouth with each and every one of her ego-maniacal dance moves. I would have rather seen Meatloaf beat box half-naked in a pair of high heels. Her manifestation of what some people define to be music, was as bad if not worse than the infamous Janet Jackson nip-slip. Soft core porn has become a byproduct of an NFL clearly grasping at straws.

In 30 years, I believe, the NFL will cease to exist as we know it for a variety of reasons. It could be because of an alien invasion. Or simply people moving on. Some other steroid-hungry sport will come along and strike our fancy. Like Glass Eating. Ten wine glasses wins. Most blood determines league MVP.

Whether or not such a prediction is true, you can count on this. Tomorrow you will wake up, you will tune into ESPN and listen to whatever ESPN anchor spout the same nonchalant stupidity in a neverending diatribe of bafoonery. NFL, NFL, NFL. All NFL.

Turn the TV off. Have a conversation with yourself in the mirror. Discuss the implications of growing a beautiful beard (or not; or if you’re a lady, the implications of growing leg hair) and join James Harden in his ultimate quest.

There are a number of glorious beards in football too, after all.

James never impressed me when he was at Arizona State. He scored most of his points off garbage put backs and had an erratic jump shot.  He was good at playing within a system, but displayed little to any characteristics that made me believe he could get open and excel the way he has in the NBA.

When he was drafted 3rd overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2009, I scoffed at the selection. And early into his rookie campaign I seemed to be right. But fast-forward three years and Harden is now a bonafide superstar with the Houston Rockets. Averaging 25.9 points per game, he’s slowly become one of the NBA’s most versatile players.

We can link this this steady rise to the very thing that makes every man more of a man: the Beard. Yes, the beard. I’m not “talking bout practice,” Allen Iverson. I’m talking about the beard. Harden’s “Mustafa”. Make no mistake about it, the beardonian’s improvement has grown literally while the beard has each and every year of his NBA career.

The national beard registry states this holy beardism: “Ninety-nine Civil War Generals and Admirals wore beards, three went on to become President of the United States, (their beards went with them). All beards are beautiful and worthy of registration.  But the majestic and magnificent full aged beard is the ultimate quest.”

What does this all mean? This means that James Harden is not alone in his quest for the ultimate beard. Each and every man capable of growing such a beard is meant for greater things. Throw the tie and cubical away. If you can rightfully possess a beard you can become the all star of your very own universe.

Here was Harden as a bland set-structured player in College.

And here is Harden enrobed with the essence of beard today.

James Harden, the prophet of the beardism, with the all-mighty Mustafa.
By Derral Chen, via Wikimedia Commons

If you are or were a woman, would you rather sleep with James Harden then or James Harden now? The obvious answer is James Harden now. Clearly the modern day Harden is strong as a timber man and deep as a Barry White. The James Harden now is, for the 1st time, a Western Conference All Star and, arguably, an MVP candidate.

There is one perennial force you will face if you decide to become a follower of Beardism: the Woman. Unlike Harden, you probably aren’t as wealthy nor as stunningly athletic, so you naturally already have two major points against you.

Most women can’t stand the beard for a variety of reasons, some fair (“You don’t have a beard, you have what looks like random pubic hairs all across your face. Gross”) and some not so fair. But mostly not-so fair. Some of these reasons are: “I miss seeing your face,” “We have to take Christmas pictures,” “You’re scary,” “It’s pokie,” “It gives the baby a rash,” and “Your job wouldn’t like that.” But I’m here to assure you that all those excuses are a bunch of lies.

The enemy would want you to run from who you truly are because when you are truly who you are, you are like a love child between Conan the Barbarian and Paul Bunyan. This same enemy during the long Winter months secretly grows sharp tufts of leg hair that feel much like splinters of fiberglass. They will deny this if you bring this up… so don’t! Use this truth as ammo when she decides to buy you a state of the art, electric 10-blade razor system. In return, buy her Nare strips, and if she has the guts call you a chauvinist pig and an anti-feminist, close the debate with this: ” You’re an anti-maleist and a sicko who likes me best when I look like a sophomore in high school. That’s disturbing. I’m really weirded out right now.”

That line will always work. It’s a Beardonian truth.

Your first Beardonian reading is this from Chapter 1, Verse 1-10 in the Book of Scott Pollard :

“In the beginning a boy was born and his name was James. He wanted to be the kind of man his friends referred to as James. But instead they called him Harden, making him feel like less of a man; like he had not respect from his teammates; like he wasn’t worthy of utter domination; like he was being dominated, posterized, internally dunked on by Gheorghe Muresan. He wanted to be Gheorge Muresan. And so he set out on a journey into the tangles of his chin. And up rose into the crest of his lip, the lingering rivers of hair that flowed from his lip to his sideburns, on down the neck in a sea fuzz, empowering him to accomplish great things.. When he woke the following morning he had inherited the kingdom of Houston. “

If you have converted to beardism today you might be wondering what type of beards you can grow. The follow up to this article will be from the book of Baron Davis and will educate all beardites on the various styles of beards. Don’t ever give up. Keep growing.

For the San Antonio Spurs, none of this new. While the league  has celebrated the Lakers, Hollywood part deuce — the Clippers, the return of the Chowds — Boston Celtics and evil three (now two) in Miami, the poised veteran Spurs quietly go about their business, methodically behind the scenes. 

It’s well established that Metta World Peace AKA Ron Artest AKA Ron Ron plays his best when harnessing some combination of his raw anger and at the same time manifesting that anger not in confrontation but in ferocious play, inspired defense, and an iron will.

For most of his time with the Lakers, Ron/Metta has lulled Lakers fans with uninspired play combined with a “great” attitude. It seemed as though he had finally put his demons to rest and, in doing so, became a pretty mediocre NBA player.

You can see here an important diagram of what Ron looks like at his best and worst.

For the last few months though, his game has been showing signs of life. With or without Kobe in the lineup, World Peace has ascended back to a place of importance in Los Angeles. In many recent wins, World Peace has been back in the head of his competitors and has even appeared active and engaged on the offensive end. But at what cost.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=so3TR0bcx9k

As outlined in the earlier article, there is a fine line between a Metta World Peace who is lackadaisical, smiling, and happy, a World Peace who goes into the stands in Detroit, and the great player who is somewhere in-between.

On Sunday, James Harden found out the hard way what happens when you find yourself in the heart of Artest’s inner battle.

After dunking on the Thunder on a fast-break, World Peace beat his arm against his chest. James Harden took a few steps toward the baseline and took a step toward Artest, who was celebrating. Like a child sneaking up on a wild animal, Harden never knew what hit him. Unlike a child though, I would argue that Harden had to know what he was getting himself into.

Harden, who has established himself as the third offensive threat on the Thunder this season, felt the need to do something about Ron’s chest-beating. In passively taking that step toward Metta, Harden took an elbow the likes of which haven’t been seen since The Rock retired from wrestling (he is retired, isn’t he?).

I am not arguing that Harden deserved what he got in any way, but he did not have to take that step toward Ron-Ron. He did not have to get in Metta World Peace’s personal space. But he did. And he paid dearly for it.

Here are some questions to ask in the aftermath:

1) How badly was Harden actually hurt? Harden is a savvy guy. He has been since his college days at Arizona State. He could even turn into this generation’s (poor man’s version of) Reggie Miller, kicking and scrapping his way to more points than his talent commands. But if I were Harden, I would have gone down in a heap as well. Having had a basketball concussion before, I think that if Harden plays again within a week, it’s entirely possible that he didn’t get hit as hard as he claimed. He was hit hard, don’t get me wrong. But if you thought you could gain an advantage by painting World Peace as even more of a villain than he already is, wouldn’t you?

2) It was not an accident. World Peace said, “It’s unfortunate that James had to get hit with an unintentional elbow…” Metta, he didn’t have to get hit. You hit him. Perhaps he was running his mouth or trying to stand up to you and that’s why he “had” to get hit.

3) If these two teams meet in the playoffs, will Metta be around? If so, how will the Thunder try to get him to blow up again? Can he be as effective for the Lakers if he is constantly monitoring his behavior and not just playing? I don’t think so.

No matter what suspension the NBA hands down, Metta World Peace isn’t going to learn any kind of lesson. The stigma of being Ron Ron can’t be shed with a name change, smiles, or even by winning citizenship awards. Other players, the media, and the NBA will continue to treat him differently and he will continue to act out. He is a human ticking time bomb and the closest thing to Dennis Rodman the NBA has ever had.

As for Harden, if there really was a lesson to be learned, it’s to steer clear of the beast.

Hopefully Harden learned his lesson… if he even remembers what happened. Because you don’t step to crazy.