The Decision

LeBron James has formally announced "The Decision": that he will join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami.

Well, it is not unexpected, really. We all knew that LeBron was going to leave Cleveland, and that he was going to choose either the Bulls, the Nets or the Heat. (Please, the Knicks and the Clippers never had any real chance.) And after Bosh had committed to join Wade, it was logical for him to go down to Florida and to create possibly one of the biggest "Big Three" in the history of NBA.

And I just hate that.

Makes no mistake, I know LBJ gave up not less than $30m of money for the chance to play with his two friends. And I do not think that there will be any major chemistry problem between the three, after they had played together in Team USA for a few years. I too do not think that James and Wade would argue over who is going to take the last shot. Well, not until they fail to score the champion after 3 years. And I genuinely believe that Pat Riley can somehow work things out and fill up all the now empty roster with serviceable role players.

But I still hate it.

1. I Hate the Reality Show

First and foremost. I hate the way James revealed The Decision by way of a national televised 1-hour reality show. This is ridiculous. Why on earth did he still need such publicity? That's just narcissistic. Such a prima donna. What didn't he just make a simple statement to the press, or at most hold a press conference and announce the decision just like the way MJ made his comeback announcement? Why did he need a freaking "show"? What so special? Has he ever considered the feeling of the Cavs supporters? That is so cruel to Cleveland fans. Quoted from the mailbags of ESPN's Sports Guy:

"Imagine you're an average dude in high school. Somehow, you begin dating the hottest girl in school. It goes good not great, but hey, she's beautiful and you aren't really going to complain. Senior year, she breaks up with you and begins dating the new quarterback that just transferred into the school. Exceptshe did this on stage at the homecoming coronation, embarrassing you in front of the whole school. This is what LeBron did to the city of Cleveland."

Read more.

The thing is, I think The Decision had been made long before. It was particularly obvious after Bosh's commitment to the Heat. These three players had planned to play together FOR YEARS and somehow they finally found one genius (Pat Riley) who managed to dump ALL players to create enough salary space to do that. LBJ had known that he's going to Miami. Despite that, somehow, LeBron and his buddies decided to play around with the world, inviting all the potential teams to make their pitches, sending all the mixed signals via unofficial sources while keeping their mouth shut officially. And then finished the whole bonanza with a "grand finale" on TV. That's real bad. That's so self-absorbed. The worst is, LeBron had the gut to say during the show that the decision was made that morning? Who on earth is going to believe that? It might make him feel better by saying so, but it did nothing but harm to all the sports followers around the world. I feel bad about all those teams that had made their pitches. I think this reality show has really alienated LeBron from not only the Cleveland fans, but also other NBA teams, other NBA fans who do not support the Heat.

And, why did you need a reality show to make The Decision? I know I had asked before, but tell me, why? Why?

2. I Hate His Cowardice

I hate this because it is a loser's play. It is a coward move.

When LeBron said it's all about winning, I believed him. That's because he needs it. He wants to be a global icon, and he needs one. Without a ring, he will never be a global icon the way Kobe or MJ or Tiger are. So I genuinely believe that the decision is about ring and not about money (which he has way way more than enough). Also, LeBron is a smart guy. After having tried for 7 years, he knew he could not win with this team (which I have reservation, we will revisit this later.) He thought he needed help. Give him credits, he had tried to stay in Cleveland. He had tried to lure Bosh to come to Cleveland and the Raptors had principally agreed to a sign-n-trade with the Cavaliers. The deal-breaker was that Bosh did not want to go to Ohio. He prefers Miami, which makes sense because of the weather and the state tax free of Miami. So with Bosh joining Wade, James can either (1) join Wade and Bosh in Miami to form The Big Three; (2) go to Chicago (Rose, Boozer, Noah); or (3) stay in Cleveland (Mo Williams, Jamison, Varejao). Eventually he chose the easiest way. James is so calculating. He knew that no matter he goes to Chicago or stays in Cleveland, he needs to fight hard to beat the Heat AND the Magic. Objectively, the best chance for him to win a championship is to join Wade and Bosh. He did not want to fight hard. He wants the safest way just to get a ring. In that sense, he made the right choice.

But that also is a shameless and coward choice. He simply shows that he has no balls. In fact, that's the main difference between him and the guys like Kobe and MJ. Balls. Guts. He is just not competitive enough. He thought he was competitive but he is not. He always goes for the easy way. He quits easily. To me, he has never lived up to "The Chosen One" label. If he is indeed THE Chosen One, he should have stayed in Cleveland and fight against all odds to beat out Wade and Bosh's Heat, Howard's Magic, the Celtics, Kobe's Lakers and grab the championship. That is what a Chosen One should do. A Chosen One should go through a lot of tests and obstacles, fight all the battles and play it all out and eventually win the ultimate prize. If he fails to do it after repeated tries, then he is simply proven that he is NOT the Chosen One. But at least he tried. Alternatively, he could still keep the "Chosen One" name tag somehow even if he goes to Chicago, because that would be another challenge for him. The Chosen One should win the championship on his own. No Chosen One would admit failure and choose the easy way to be PART of a championship. I tell you, if the Heat won the championship, it would be remembered that it is won by three players, not the Chosen One.

Further, don't blame your teammates or Cavs' GM. I've said it again and I will say it once more, the Celtics series was lost by LeBron James. He played horribly in game 5 and game 6 which led to the early exit of the team. Don't blame Mo Williams or Jamison for not stepping up. Think about it, other than Scottie Pippen and later Dennis Rodman, who did MJ have? BJ Armstrong? Will Purdue? Steve Kerr? Horace Grant? If you ask me, I think MJ can still win the championship with Mo William, Jamison and Varejao.

In a way the games were lost by coach Mike Brown too but LBJ should get most of the blame. And somehow, he chose to leave business unfinished and find a greener field in Miami with a more easy road. I mean I won't blame anyone doing that, just anyone not self-proclaimed The Chosen One.

After this decision, I am glad that we can settle all the arguments about how great LeBron is. He's far from MJ or Magic. He's not even Kobe or The Dream. At most he would be in the rank of Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing and David Robinson. KG quitted the Wolves too, but I respect KG more than LBJ because at least he did try for 10+ years. And BTW KG was traded, not signing as a free agent and hosting a reality show to announcement his decision.

3. I Hate The Creation Of The Evil Empire

I hate that The Decision has made the League less competitive. This is not just about LeBron, but the Heat. After getting James, Bosh and Wade, the Heat is officially the team to beat. The Heat has become the Evil Empire. I could hardly imagine any team other than the Lakers would post serious threat to the Heat. Forget the Celtics, they are one year older and one year slower. Forget the Magic, we have seen that D12 can be contained in the playoffs, and the so-called sharp shooters like Rashard Lewis could disappear in the playoffs. (Can you imagine JJ Redick was a more important player than Lewis in the Playoffs?) With proper addition of role players (3-pt specialists, bangers), who could stop the Heat in the East? It would be so boring in the East for years to come. As for the Lakers, yeah, they would remain competitive this year, but I doubt whether they can remain a real threat to the Heat 2 years down the road. After all, no teams has won 4 straight since the Celtics in the 60s, when there was just 8 teams in the league.

Had James gone to Chicago, we would have got one of the most competitive rivalries in the history of the game. LBJ & Rose vs. Wade & Bosh. But nah, that's not gonna happen, because James chickened out and played it safe.

Also, the Heat has surpassed Lakers and has become the public enemy in the league. Everybody wants to beat them. All the fans outside Miami hate them. They want them to lose. They have become the Yankees or Duke of the NBA. People would boo them hardly.

But well, at least I am happy that the guessing game is over. I am so sick of all the guessing and analysis and speculating all these months.

Yes, we are all witnesses of this mess.

2010 NBA Draft

Yo!

I was going through my blog in the past couple of weeks, and found them kinda boring. Seems like I had considered myself being knowledgeable and tried to pretend to be an analyst rather than just a joker hanging around, making the mails getting unreadable.

OK, I will not try to pretend to be Jeff Van Gundy or Mark Jackson. I will give up any in-depth analysis, because you can always read those stuffs elsewhere. I will try to be cool and be like Chuck, Kenny and Ernie.

Here are my findings from the 2010 NBA Draft, pick-by-pick:

1. Washington – John Wall, 6’4”, PG, Kentucky, Fr.

Comparison: Derrick Rose

Grand prize of this draft. Super quick and talented, has good size and huge potential. A taller version of Derrick Rose. Like Rose, he doesn’t have his jumper yet. Can’t wait to see him play. Most imminent right now, is for the Wizards to send away Agent Zero ASAP so that he won’t have any negative influence on Wall. Why would they still want a cancer in the locker room?

2. Philadelphia – Evan Turner, 6’6”, SG, Ohio Sts., Jr.

Comparison: Brandon Roy

Again no surprise. NCAA player of the year; a versatile and smooth scorer who could play both guard positions; not super athletic but most NBA-ready. Philly now has 2 combo guards, Jrue Holiday and Turner. They will shift Igoudala to SF and bring Nocioni off the bench. Dalembert is gone, but Speights and Hawes will man the paint. Not bad a team. Oops, I forgot they also have a 15-million-dollar 6th man, Brand.

3. New Jersey – Derrick Favors, 6’10”, PF, Georgia Tech., Fr.

Comparison: Antonio McDyess/Al Horford

The Russian Billionaire playboy owner had to make a tough choice between Favors (athletic big man), Johnson (versatile SF) and Cousins (true C). Favors is a long and explosive, a terrific rebounder and defender. He runs the floor quick and is a dunking machine. Yup, huge upside, but unpolished. But frankly, does it really matter whom they draft? They just need to get LeBron. Period.

4. Minnesota – Wesley Johnson, 6’7”, SF, Syracuse, Jr.

Comparison: Shawn Marion

A long and athletic SF who is terrific in transition, and can play on the defensive end, but lacks the ability to create shots. The Shawn Marion comparison concerns me. The Matrix is not exactly a star, although he himself might not agree. Does that mean that Minny is drafting a supporting cast with the No. 4 pick? Anyway, last time I checked, Minny has 5 centers and were starting Ryan Gomes at SF. Johnson should fill the needs while they are till waiting for Ricky Rubio.

5. Sacramento – DeMarcus Cousins, 6’11”, C, Kentucky, Fr.

Comparison: Al Jefferson

Cousins is the most interesting guy in this draft. He is a rare true center with huge frame. He is super-skilled, has soft touch, and is able to score down low. He rebounds well too, and will probably be the best player in this class in a couple years’ time. People say he’s a better and taller version of Al Jefferson. The problem? Mental issues. He’s loose cannon. Read more:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2010/columns/story?columnist=katz_andy&page=cousins-100620

6. Golden States – Ekpe Udoh, 6’10”, PF, Baylor, Jr.

Comparison: Jason Thompson

OK, we have our first awkward name draftee! Full name? Ekpedeme Friday Udoh! From ESPN’s Chad Ford: “can block shots and defend”. What? That’s it? More: “unfinished product”. But he’s 23. If you are still an unfinished product at 23, you are probably already finished. Man, I wish the Warriors good luck. Geez, when was the last time the Warriors had luck? Yeah, back when Wilt Chamberlain was playing.

7. Detroit – Greg Monroe, 6’11”, PF, Georgetown, So.

Comparison: Brad Miller

A skilled left-handed big man with great size and finesse game. Not very athletic therefore an average rebounder and defender. A good passer too. Yup, exactly what Brad Miller is. Detroit need a big man desperately. They can’t hang on with Kwame for too long, although everybody loves Kwame, including MJ. And he Lakers.

8. LA Clippers – Al-Farouq Aminu, 6’8”, SF, Wake Forest, So.

Comparison: Josh Smith

Scout report: “athletic and super long combo forward, runs the floor and plays D, excellent rebounder. Excel in run-and-gun. Big upside but extremely young.” Reports are that the Clippers have given him the promise to take him at No. 8. No comment from me. Just good luck to his ACL.

9. Utah – Gordon Hayward, 6’8”, SF, Butler, So.

Comparison: Mike Miller / Mike Dunleavy Jr.

The great hero for Butler’s championship run. An example of how a good tournament helped you going up the chart. As a SF, he has good size. A smart player who can create his own shots. Good team player but average athlete. A FUNDAMENTAL guy. Looks like a good fit for the Jazz. BTW, he absolutely looks like a nerd:

http://www.nbadraft.net/players/gordon-hayward

10. Indiana – Paul George, 6’7”, SF, Fresno St., So.

Comparison: Danny Granger

A strong athlete who can shoot, finish and defend. Huge upside potential but a long term prospect. Larry Bird picked the best talent available at #10. Yes, they are picking a guy who is similar to Danny Granger. It would be interesting to see 2 Grangers running down the floor at the same time.

11. New Orleans (traded to OKC) – Cole Aldrich, 6’11”, C, Kansas, Jr.

Comparison: Joel Przybilla

The Hornets traded this pick to OKC. Aldrich is a true center with terrific size and frame, a big time rebounder who plays physical defense. Good hands around the basket but really limited offense. I like these types of big men. They could be very valuable for teams with terrific perimeter scorers. Yes, someone like Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. OKC’s GM has really done a good job accumulating talents and filling in all the missing pieces.

12. Memphis – Xavier Henry, 6’6”, SG, Kansas, Fr.

Comparison: Martell Webster

A swingman with good size and can really shoot. Not a great athlete and may struggle to create his own shots at pro level. Seems to me a straight complimentary player. The Grizz already have OJ Mayo so they don’t need Henry to start at SG. But the point is, is he the best choice at #12?

13. Toronto – Ed Davis, 6’9”, PF, UNC, So.

Comparison: Al Horford

A big man with nice frame and length, he has very high basketball IQ, and can be a great rebounder/shot blocker, though not very skilled. Davis was a top-5 recruit beginning this year but wrist injury has hurt his drafting position. Can be the steal of this draft. A nice consolation prize for the Raptors after they lose Chris Bosh.

14. Houston – Patrick Patterson, 6,8”, PF, Kentucky, Jr.

Comparison: Carl Landry

Third player from Kentucky. According to Chad Ford: “a meat-and-potatoes big man”. I am not sure it is good or not. And I am not sure the Carl Landry comparison is good or not either. Everybody loves Carl Landry. He hustles, works his ass off and plays all out. However, Carl Landry is also undersized with limited talent. Carl Landry is a steal at 31st pick (in 2007), but using a lottery pick to get a Carl Landry? I am not so sure. Plus, the Rockets just traded away their own Carl Landry last February.

That’s it for the lottery pick. I will be brief from now on.

15. Milwaukee – Larry Sanders, 6’10”, PF, VA Commonwealth, Jr.

Comparison: Theo Ratliff

A huge shot blocker with limited offense. Replacement of Dan Gadzuric as Bogut’s backup.

16. Minnesota (traded to POR) – Luke Babbitt, 6,9”, SF, Nevada. So.

Comparison: Keith Van Horn

The Wolves traded this pick to the Blazers for Martell Webster. He is a long-range shooter with good passing skills. Not sure he’s better than Webster or not.

17. Chicago – Kevin Seraphin, 6’9”, PF, France

Comparison: Jordan Hill

The Bulls traded this pick to Washington as part of the Kirk Hinrich deal. The only international player in the first round. A long, athletic big man but very raw. Likely to stay in Europe for a couple of years.

18. Oklahoma City (traded to LAC) – Eric Bledsoe, 6’1”, PG, Kentucky, Fr.

Comparison: Keyon Dooling / Marcus Banks

Probably famous for being the teammate of John Wall. Fourth Wildcat in the draft. Extremely quick and athletic. Despite at 6'1”, he played at SG most of the time while Wall played PG at Kentucky. Looks like a career backup to me.

19. Boston – Avery Bradley, 6’3”, SG, Texas, Fr.

Comparison: Monta Ellis

Top high school player last year, but did not bode well in college. Undersized SG with quickness. A risky pick by Danny Ainge.

20. San Antonio – James Anderson, 6’6”, SG, Oklahoma St., Jr.

Comparison: Daequan Cook

Swingman with nice size and average athleticism. Good shooting skills but not a good defender. Not sure why Popovich picked him. I was expecting some interesting gamble by Pop.

21. Oklahoma City (traded to NOH) – Craig Brackins, 6’10”, PF, Iowa St., Jr.

Comparison: Jason Thompson

Part of the trade together with #11 pick. Goes higher than expected. Offensively talented and seems like that’s it.

22. Portland – Elliot Williams, 6’4”, SG, Memphis, So.

Comparison: Rodney Stuckey

Another athletic combo guard aka tweener aka undersized SG. I thought the Blazers had combo guard in Jerryd Bayless already. Why need another?

23. Minnesota (traded to WAS) – Trevor Booker, 6’7”, PF, Clemson, Sr.

Comparison: Brandon Bass

A PF who makes up his lack of size with hustles and strength. Hmm, well, I always admire such kind of player, but I probably wouldn’t want to have such a player for my first round draft…

24. Atlanta (traded to NJN) – Damion James, 6’7”, SF, Texas, Sr.

Comparison: Lou Mbah a Moute

Tough-minded SF that finished his college career being Big 12 Conference's all time leading rebounder. And it took him 4 years to do so. Can’t do much else.

25. Memphis (traded to DAL) – Dominique Jones, 6’4”, SG, S. Florida, Jr.

Comparison: Rodney Stuckey

Another “combo guard”, powerfully built and can score a lot but can’t shoot too well.

26. Oklahoma City (traded to NOH) – Quincy Pondexter, 6’7”, SF, Washington, Sr.

Comparison: Mickael Pietrus

Sent to the Hornets as part of the Cole Aldrich (#11 pick) deal. An athletic forward, can guard several positions and get rebounds.

27. New Jersey (traded to ATL) – Jordon Crawford, 6’4”, SG, Xavier, So.

Comparison: Flip Murray

Swapped with the Hawks for #24 pick. Probably most famous for his dunk on LeBron (see Youtube). Seems like a selfish and showcase player who only knows how to dunk.

28. Memphis – Greivis Vasquez, 6’6”, SG, Maryland, Sr.

Comparison: Goran Dragic / Zoran Planinic

Had a terrific college career with Maryland. I can smell some JJ Redick or Adam Morrison in him, aka successful college players who never manage to get to another level.

29. Orlando – Daniel Orton, 6’10”, C, Kentucky, Fr.

Comparison: Branden Hayward

The fifth Wildcat in the first round. A true center body and has all the physical attributes, but very raw and could have used one more year in college.

30. Washington (traded to MIN) – Lazar Hayward, 6’6”, SF, Marquette, Sr.

Comparison: Ryan Gomes

Despite 6’6”, he spent most of the time playing PF at Marquette. Enough said.

That is it for the first round. This is one of the most boring drafts. No suspense, no surprises and no one is making any gutsy moves. Moreover, the players other than the top five are hardly worth-mentioning. And you know what? The GM know. That's why teams are so keen on trading their picks. The biggest story of the summer remains the free agency bonanza.

My prediction is:

(1) Wall and Turner to compete for ROY, but Cousins will post up some big stats in Sac-to to make a strong push;

(2) Favors will be a bust (at least for this year), with or without LeBron;

(3) OKC will be another notch better with the addition of Aldrich; and

(4) Ed Davies will be the ultimate sleeper.

Let the free agency begin!

2010 NBA Playoffs First Round Prediction

I know it's late, but let's just a quick look at each series. I am working on the season review and the award prediction as well. Stay tuned.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

#1 Cleveland Cavalier vs. #8 Chicago Bulls

Congratulations to the Baby Bulls to make it this far. Talent-wise, they do have some: reigning ROY Derrick Rose, versatile Luol Deng, MIP candidate Joakim Noah. But that's it. Too bad they need to face the best team in the league with the best player in the league with one of the deepest rosters in the league. But frankly, what do you expect for a team which had been deliberately cutting down salary to get prepared for this summers' free agent market? Getting into the playoffs is already an accomplishment for the Bulls. Imagine the team with the core three, then add an marquee superstar (Joe Johnson, Wade, Bosh, Boozer), do you dig it?

Prediction: 4-0 Cavaliers

#2 Orlando Magic vs. #7 Charlotte Bobcats

Kudos to Larry Brown, who once again proved he is still one of the best coaches alive, after the not-so-pretty brief stint in New York. Yet, it is still hard to imagine Captain Jack & Co would be able to beat the Magic, one of the best defense teams in the league. No, I don't think this year's Magic is better than last year's mainly because of, ahem, Vince Carter, but the Bobcats are just poorly undersized. And their bench is just too weak. However, I think Larry Brown and Captain Jack is gutsy enough to put up some fight and get at least 2 wins.

Prediction: 4-2 Magic

#3 Boston Celtics vs. #6 Miami Heat

Just like the Bulls, the Heat is a team waiting for the summer, so can't imagine to have such determination to beat the Celtics. The Heat is just too easy to defend. A pure one-man team. In the regular season, some supporting casts, like Beasley or JO might surprise you. But for a 7-game series, the opponents just need to clamp down Wade. Period. Let the rest shoots, do whatever they can. Worse is that Wade tends to dominate the ball more during playoffs, which makes defending him even easier. And did I mention that Wade is also their lone defender on the other end? As for the Celtics, their chemistry that won the championship two years ago was long gone. But their Big Three plus Rondo are just too much for the Heat to handle

Prediction: 4-0 Celtics

#4 Atlanta Hawks vs. #5 Milwaukee Bucks

The Hawks is a year matured and a year better. Yes, the addition of Jamal Crawford is huge. One intangible factor is, this is their last year. There's no way the Hawks, given their low attendance and poor revenue, are going to afford re-signing Joe Johnson. This single factor makes me put them as the dark horse to go to the Conference Finals. Oops, sorry they have to meet the Cavs in the next round. The Bucks have done a good job this season to be the team of surprise, give credits to coach Scott Skiles. And I really love Branden Jennings, though he will not win the ROY. But without Bogut and Redd, there's no way they can beat the Hawks. This year's Hawks I mean.

Prediction: 4-0

WESTERN CONFERENCE

#1 LA Lakers vs. #8 Oklahoma City Thunder

Yes, this year's Lakers look complacent and disinterested at times. Yes, Kobe is hurt. Yes, Bynum is not 100%. And yes, OKC is the team of surprise in this side of the continent. But let's face it, there's no way Phil Jackson nor Kobe would allow a young team led by an inexperienced coach to beat them in the first round. Durant is super-talented and one day should challenge LBJ to be the best player in the league/world. Westbrook and Green are very promising talent too. But just not this year. Not yet.

Prediction: 4-1

#2 Dallas Mavericks vs. #7 San Antonio Spurs

Once again it's Mavs vs. Spurs. Only is that this time the Mavs have the upper hand. They are the deepest team in the West, and they stole Caron Butler, and to a not-so-lesser extent, Branden Haywood, from Washington. On the other hand, the Spurs has yet to integrate the newly acquired Richard Jefferson into their system (normally it takes players at least 2 years to blend in). However, the Spurs had a real good run to finish on a high note in the regular season. Eventually Popovich's strategy works: he strictly limited the PT of the Big Three during regular season and now at least Ginobili and Duncan is healthy. One big problem is that they would miss Tony Parker. A lot. Mr. Longoria has not been his usual self all season, and he certainly won't be in the playoffs. No matter how much I love the Spurs, I just can't see them beating the deeper and more talented Mavs. But for sure it would be one of the most exciting series in the first round.

Prediction: 4-3 Mavericks

#3 Phoenix Suns vs. #6 Portland Trailblazers

The Suns once look like their old self, scoring at will, but they also have a new thing: defense. To say they are a good defense team is an overstatement, but at least they do play SOME defense. Plus, their window is closing. This year, like the Hawks, would be their last chance. Amare is all but certain to leave town (Hello, Miami!) and Nash is getting a year older. Unlike Kidd, the way Nash plays and the way the Suns play, Nash can't be as effective as Kidd at the age of 37. And the Blazers without Roy stands no chance to beat the red hot Suns, no matter how many shots Marcus Camby blocks.

Prediction: 4-1 Suns

#4 Denver Nuggets vs. #5 Utah Jazz

I have never liked the Nuggets. I hate thugs. I hate Martin, and I hate 'Melo, though I must confess that he is one of the most unstoppable scorers in the league. But without Coach Karl, they are an entirely different team. The Jazz and Jerry Sloan are no normal pedestrians. Like the Hawks and the Suns, they too know that this is the final year to have Boozer in Salt Lake City. His back up Paul Millsap is anytime ready to start, but he just ain't no Boozer. I like D-Will, much more than the overrated Chauncey “Big Shot” Billups. When was the last time he made a big shot anyway? Probably in 2004. Yeah, I can smell upset here, though arguably a #5 beating #4 could hardly classify as “upset”.

Prediction: 4-3 Jazz

2010 All-Star roster

It is kinda late, but let's take a look at the roster voted by fans and selected by the coach:

EAST

Starters:
G Allen Iverson, PHI (filled in by Joe Johnson, ATL, replaced by David Lee, NYK)
G Dwyane Wade, MIA
F LeBron James, CLE
F Kevin Garnett, BOS
C Dwight Howard, ORL

Reserves:
G Joe Johnson, ATL
G Derrick Rose, CHI
G Rajon Rondo, BOS
F Paul Pierce, BOS
F Gerald Wallace, CHA
F Chris Bosh, TOR
C Al Horford, ATL

Substitute:
F David Lee, NYK (replacing Allen Iverson)

First, there is no way on earth that Allen Iverson should be in, so I am glad that he did not participate, for whatever reason. Let's face it folks, he's no longer an all-star. Secondly, like AI, KG was also voted due to reputation. He seems like to have lost a considerable athleticism and agility after the knee injury, most notably he didn't jump as high as before. And he's not as quick in defense rotation (i.e. slow lateral movement). Luckily, KG's still an all-star, but I think Chris Bosh deserves the starting spot more.

As for the reserves, welcome Derrick Rose to play his first ASG. He deserves it. JJ, PP, Bosh's return is no-brainer. Rondo? borderline case, although he's better than AI. The Bocats deserve a spot and Gerald Wallace is a logical choice, especially he no longer falls in love with jumpers. But Horford? C'mon. I know he's good, and the Hawks play well. But All-Star spot? Over David Lee and Andrew Bogut at C? Please. I would have put Josh Smith in and move Bosh to C.

Again, I respect David Lee as the sub-in, but I genuinely believe Josh Smith deserves the spot more.


WEST

Starters:
G Steve Nash, PHO
G Kobe Bryant, LAL (filled in by Dirk Nowitzki, DAL, replaced by Jason Kidd, DAL)
F Carmelo Anthony, DEN
F Tim Duncan, SAS
C Amare Stoudemire, PHO

Reserves:
G Deron Williams, UTA
G Chris Paul, NOH (replaced by Chauncey Billups, DEN)
G Brandon Roy, POR (replaced by Chris Kaman, LAC)
F Dirk Nowitzki, DAL
F Kevin Durant, OKC
F Zach Randolph, MEM
C Pau Gasol, LAL

Substitutes:
G Chauncey Billups, DEN (replacing Chris Paul)
G Jason Kidd, DAL (replacing Kobe Bryant)
C Chris Kaman, LAC (replacing Brandon Roy)

I am perfectly fine with the starting lineup. But I'm biased. I know Dirk deserves the starting spot more than Duncan. But I am a Spurs fan, so bear with me. I'm so glad that 'Melo made it to the starting lineup. He really deserves it this season, after seeing him go unstoppable so many times this year.

As for the reserves, CP3, Roy, Dirk and Gasol are no-brainers. And congratulations to Deron Williams for his first All-Star appearance. It is long due. The fact that the Jazz played so well this season is also worth mentioning. Durant, is another pleasant surprise this season. He is getting better and better and is arguable one of the top 10 players this season. And did I mention that OKC is playing damn good this season? As for Randolph, well, I know he has terrific stats, and I know the Grizz are entertaining. But I cannot forgive what he had done is the past few years after signing a fatty fat contract, namely being lazy and disinterested. And I will never allow a player who has absolutely zero interest in playing D to be an All-Star. Instead of Z-Bo, I will opt for Billups, to represent the Nuggets, the second best team in the West.

Now for the subs, Billups is no-brainer. The choice of J-Kidd is understandable due to "home court advantage", and I'm biased. Kaman is an interesting choice. I may give the nod to Carlos Boozer, though I have been a Boozer-hater all along. I think the Jazz deserves one more spot than the Clippers. But as an injury-sub, Kaman is an acceptable choice. Aaron Brooks of the Rockets is worth mentioning.

All in all, had there not been so many injuries, this year's picks are just fine, maybe except a couple in the West, and Iverson and Horford in the East. The injuries of Kobe, CP3 and Roy have really screwed the otherwise acceptable Western All-Star roster.



The Game

As for the game itself, well, it was boring. I didn't see many flashy moves, significantly fewer alley-oops and complicated dunks, with the exception of the throw-the-ball-to-the-board-and-get-it-back-himself-and-dunk aka "T-mac Dunk" by Wade. It was a close game, but not necessarily an exciting game. The worst probably is that the winner was determined by free throws. Argh. I mean, how did you compare with the unforgettable 1992 ASG aka The Magic All Star Game, which the league celebrated during half time this year? Sigh.

The McGrady soap opera

Tracy McGrady, who had microfracture surgery on his left knee in February, recently returned to action but was frustrated with his playing time. He eventually took an indefinite leave and he and the team will seek a trade. Read here. And here.

A professional sports player earnings $20 million a year openly demanding for trade? Geez, I hate seeing that. It's really nasty. It happens every now and then and I really hate such thing.

However, as critical as I have been on players playing solely for money, I won't put all the blame on T-Mac.

For sure, McGrady has his own agenda. First, he did not inform the team before his decision to undergo the microfracture sugery. Back in February, he knew that the Rockets are going nowhere and his knee is not healed, so he decided to have the surgery, which normally takes 6 to 12 months to heal (See Jason Kidd, Kenyon Martin, Amare Stoudemire), while some never heal (see Penny Hardaway, Chris Webber, Allan Houston). The motive is clear: abandon the team, scratch the season (last year in his contract) and heal, so that he can be back in "full health" (he hoped) this season, last year in his fatty contract, and he can "maximize" (he hoped) his value in the 2010 free agent market.

Flash forward to present, T-Mac thinks he is ready, and would like to have enough playing time to showcase, so that other teams would know how good he is. So he was frustrated with his playing time, a meager 8 minutes a game.

Selfish? Calculating? You bet.

Allegedly, he's far from ready. As Rick Adelman said, "He's coming back from major surgery, he's rehabilitating and who knows when he's going to get there. Right now, he wasn't there." He went on, "I don't think the explosiveness was there. He didn't get to the basket like he used to, he didn't have that first step where he could blow by people."

Should we blame T-Mac? Hell, yeah.

But, oops! This is where the Rockets and Adelman went wrong.

His explosiveness is not there? He lost his first step? I mean, his explosiveness has been LONG GONE. He could no longer blow by people ever since he had that chronic back spasm. He had been relying on his long range jumper ever since he came to Houston. Yes, even before Rick Adelman replacing Jeff Van Gundy as the head coach of the Rockets. Now, Rick Adelman, you are saying that he is not as explosive as before? C'mon, give me a break. 10 months after a microfracture surgery, of course he would be rusty. Nobody can be 100% ready immediately returning from such a major knee surgery. As young as Stoudemire, he was rusty when he came back from microfracture surgery and needed to take more rest.

So Adelman, or the team, id you thinks he is far from ready, why would you want to put him on the floor in the first place? Knowing the risk of re-injuring his surgically repaired knee again, why did you still play him? Either you think he has a shot to play, or you just don't care about whether he will be injured again.

And, why only 8 minutes a game? If you think he is not ready, then why didn't you shut him off completely? Otherwise, if you think he could somehow play, why not let him play more, somewhere close to 20 MPG? What kind of progress did you expect to see in 8 minutes? Alas, he has not yet been warmed up in 8 minutes! To say T-Mac is rusty in 8 minutes of playing time is absolutely insane. OK, you may say that the coach should have seen enough during practice. They knew he was not yet ready. So it doesn't matter whether they played him 8 minutes or not. Again, if that is that case, why did you play him in the first place? I really couldn't comprehend.


Rick Adelman is simply playing the media card. He is trying to portrait T-Mac as a stubborn star player who whines about playing time without fully assessing his own condition. Adelman may be right, but I really could not tell based on the 8 minutes T-Mac played each game. I can tell he is rusty. But how bad he is? I can't tell. How far is he from ready? Can't tell either. Nobody can be rust-free playing 8 minutes a game, in particular someone who had been a starter in the past 9 or 10 years. We "know" T-Mac is not ready based on what Adelman said. To me, there is no hard evidence.

To say Rick Adelman has no personal agenda is a joke. His team overperformed this season. They are 19-13, #7 in the competitive Western Conference as of 29 December 2009. They simply play hard and win games with heart. They beat elite teams by starting a 6'6" Chuck Hayes at center. Man, I really appreciate that. I admire their bravery and confidence. I love their competitive mindset. They are textbook example of teamwork and team spirit. It is the reason why Rick Adelman does not want T-Mac to come back. Adelman knew the return of T-Mac would hurt the surreal team chemistry, and given his ball hogging style and his rustiness, that would hurt the game flow too. The Rockets would not be the same with T-Mac. That, I agree.

But come to think of the big picture. Frankly, where would this year's Rockets go? Luckily they would make the playoffs (if they could manage to continue overpeforming the entire season, which is a big if). But then? The NBA ain't no NCAA Tournament. You hardly see any genuine Cinderella story. As amazing as the 1994 Nuggets or the 2007 Warriors, they did not survive past first round. Look at the West, Lakers and Nuggets just picked up where they left last season, the Mavericks and the Suns regaining their elite status, and the Spurs are just warming up. How could the Rockets beat any of them in a 7-game series? Plus, OKC, currently #9 in the West, has a shot to make the playoffs too. To me, I think OKC has a better chance to make the playoffs than the Rockets.

Playing T-Mac is too risky for Adelman's job. They would be worse than now, and people would blame the coach by bringing back T-Mac too soon. So in order to save his job, Rick Adelman decided to make a huge scheme by playing T-Mac little minutes, showing how rusty he is, and then alienating from him, putting all the blame on him.

Selfish? For sure. You may say he is sacrificing T-Mac for a bigger good. He puts team success before a player's personal interest. But to me, those are all excuses. He is just trying to save his job.

Make no mistake, I am not saying that the Rockets should play T-Mac big minutes. The problem is, I do not have enough information to have a conclusion. The thing I have the most problem, is that the team should not have played T-Mac 8 MPG. Either you played him meaningful minutes, or you simply didn't play him at all. My view is, Rick Adelman and the Houston Rockets totally mishandled the situation.

NBA 2009-2010 Season Preview Part II

This is Part II: The East:

EAST

1. Cleveland Cavaliers

Depth Chart:

PG: Maurice Williams / Daniel Gibson
SG: Delonte West / Anthony Carter / Coby Karl
SF: LeBron James / Jamario Moon /
PF: Andersen Varejao / JJ Hickson / Leon Powe / Darnell Jackson
C: Shaquille O'Neal / Zydrunas Ilgauskas

Preview:

I like the addition of Anthony Carter and Jamario Moon. A lot. These two players are extremely useful yet extremely underrated, back to their days in Toronto. We all know the problem of adding Shaq, but as long as his minutes are limited to 25-30, it should be fine. Mike Brown should play Leon Powe more. This is the hungriest team in the league, but that doesn't mean that they would succeed. The Celtics and Magic are real threats.

Player to watch:

LeBron James – how would he respond to the embarrassing loss in the playoffs will define what kind of player he is. If he comes back stronger and better and lead the team to the promised land, he will earn the rep to be compared with MJ and Kobe. Otherwise, he would be just another over-hyped self-centered superstar who has all the talent but not the determination to win it all.


2. Orlando Magic

Depth Chart:

PG: Jameer Nelson / Jason Williams / Anthony Johnson
SG: Vince Carter / Mickael Pietrus / JJ Redick
SF: Rashard Lewis / Matt Barnes
PF: Ryan Anderson / Brandon Bass
C: Dwight Howard / Marcin Gortat / Adonal Foyle

Preview:

I hate them letting Turkoglu go, and I hate the addition of Vince Carter, cuz he is overpaid and overrated. Vince will flop in the playoffs and they will be beaten by the Celtics or the Cavs. But the addition of Ryan Anderson and Brandon Bass is flat out brilliant. Only is that without Turk they could not cause mismatch to opponents, which was their most powerful weapon last year. But they are still one of the best three teams in the East.

Player to watch:

Ryan Anderson – he played well in New Jersey. With a starting role in a quality team, I can see him getting a breakout season this year.


3. Boston Celtics

Depth Chart:

PG: Rajon Rondo / Eddie House
SG: Ray Allen / Marquis Daniels / Tony Allen / J. R. Giddens
SF: Paul Pierce / Bill Walker
PF: Kevin Garnett / Glen Davis / Brian Scalabrine
C: Kendrick Perkins / Rasheed Wallace / Sheldon Williams

Preview:

People say they are old, Ray Ray will deteriorate, KG is not healthy, Rasheed is chemistry killer blah blah blah. I'd say they are more determined than ever. The Big Three knew their dates are numbered and this year might very well be their last chance to win it all. I'm skeptical about adding Rasheed Wallace but nonetheless a calculated gamble for them. If I have to pick, I will pick them to win the East, because they have the best chemistry.

Player to watch:

Kevin Garnett – just one question: is he 100%?


4. Atlanta Hawks

Depth Chart:

PG: Mike Bibby / Jeff Teague (r)
SG: Joe Johnson / Jamal Crawford
SF: Marvin Williams / Maurice Evans
PF: Josh Smith / Joe Smith / Othello Hunter
C: Al Horford / Zaza Pachulia / Jason Collins / Randolph Morris

Preview:

The East is boring, as the top four teams are exactly the same as last season. The addition of Jamal Crawford is nice, but I don't think it makes any real difference. They will remain the 4th best team in the East and will exit in 2nd round. This team has peaked IMHO.

Player to watch:

Joe Johnson – if you follow the news closely, you should know that JJ will also become a free agent in 2010. Yes, contract year. What would he do in order to earn a big contract amongst a pool of talent that includes LBJ, Wade and Bosh?


5. Chicago Bulls

Depth Chart:

PG: Derrick Rose / Kirk Hinrich
SG: John Salmons / Jannero Pargo
SF: Luol Deng / Derrick Byars
PF: Tyrus Thomas / Taj Gibson (r) / James Johnson (r)
C: Joakim Noah / Brad Miller / Aaron Gray / Jerome James

Preview:

Everybody loves the Bulls, just like the Blazers in the West. I love the Baby Bulls too. I think John Paxson did a good job in getting John Salmons last year, and sensibly let go Ben Gordon. No, they are still undersized in the frontcourt. But their main problem? The clueless Vinny Del Negro. There's no way they can be good with Coach Vinny. Fire Vinny!

Player to watch:

Derrick Rose – the reigning ROY. Can he make the leap to stardom this season? I'd say yes.


6. Washington Wizards

Depth Chart:

PG: Gilbert Arenas / Randy Foye / Mike James / Jarvis Crittenton
SG: DeShawn Stevenson / Nick Young
SF: Caron Butler / Mike Miller / Dominic McGuire
PF: Antawn Jamison (inj.) / Andray Blatche / Paul Davis
C: Brandan Haywood / JaVale McGee / Fabricio Oberto

Preview:

This is my dark horse in the East. I think they would be good. Flip Saunders is a better coach than you thought. And with Butler, Foye, Mike Miller, they have a solid rotation at SG/SF. Agent 0 is back, but too bad Jamison is injured (just a few weeks). Blatche is good enough to hold the fort. I've never liked Agent Zero but I like the chance of this team.

Player to watch:

Randy Foye – he has been overshadowed by Brandon Roy ever since he joined the league. That is not fair IMHO. Injuries plus lousy management made him look lousier than he actually is. He will be good under Flip Saunders. I guarantee it.


7. Philadelphia Sixers

Depth Chart:

PG: Lou Williams / Royal Ivey / Jrue Holiday (r)
SG: Andre Iguodala / Willie Green
SF: Thaddeus Young / Jason Kapono / Rodney Carney
PF: Elton Brand / Jason Smith
C: Samuel Dalembert / Marreese Speights / Primoz Brezec

Preview:

Elton Brand has a huge chip on his shoulder. But the loss of Andre Miller will be huge. They don't have a real PG and their SF is weak. I am not sure how they can advance past the 1st round amidst the improved Eastern Conference.

Player to watch:

Elton Brand – in my mind, he is always overrated. He played well for lousy teams and the only playoffs experience he had is the improbable playoffs runs of the Clippers in 2006. Personally I want him to fail, because I hate what he did to the Clippers (and Baron Davis) when he jumped ship to Philly. No land for opportunist.


8. Miami Heat

Depth Chart:

PG: Mario Chambers / Chris Quinn / Carlos Arroyo
SG: Dwyane Wade / Daequan Cook / Yakhouba Diawara
SF: Quentin Richardson / James Jones / Dorell Wright
PF: Michael Beasley / Udonis Haslem / Joel Anthony / Shavlik Randolph
C: Jermaine O'Neal / Jamaal Magloire

Preview:

They did absolutely nothing in the summer (except swapping the Matrix with Quentin Richardson). This is the same one-man show. The team will go as far as Wade's body goes. They are in the “waiting for the 2010 sweepstake” mode. Just like the Knicks and the Nets. But they have Wade, so they will still make the playoffs.

Player to watch:

Michael Beasley – fresh back from rehab, let's see whether this talented young man can play up to expectation. Shifting to his natural position at PF should help.


9. Toronto Raptors

Depth Chart:

PG: Jose Calderon / Jarrett Jack / Marcus Banks
SG: DeMar DeRazon (r) / Marco Belinelli / Quincy Douby
SF: Hedo Turkoglu / Antoine Wright
PF: Chris Bosh / / Amir Johnson / Reggie Evans
C: Andrea Bargnani / Rasho Nesterovic / Patrick O'Bryant

Preview:

You know what, I like this year's Raptors. Turkoglu will provide them versatility and improvise offense. Belinelli should play better now with countryman Bargnani. Rookie DeRazon looks promising. These, plus Calderon and Bosh, and the newly improved Bargnani, I think they have a good chance to make the playoffs.

Player to watch:

DeMar DeRazon – people says this rookie will win the starting job over Belinelli. I would like to see how good he is.


10. Detroit Pistons

Depth Chart:

PG: Rodney Stuckey / Will Bynum / Chucky Atkins
SG: Richard Hamilton / Ben Gordon
SF: Tayshuan Prince / Austin Daye (r)
PF: Charlie Villanueva / Jason Maxiell / Chris Wilcox
C: Kwame Brown / Ben Wallace

Preview:

After so many years, the Pistons finally has a new look. I am still skeptical about the $90 million committed to Ben Gordon and Villanueva, but at least Joe Dumars has the balls to make moves, instead staying pat with a worsening and ageing team. But Kwame Brown starting at C? You kiddin' me? In rebuilding mode meaning that they will likely miss the playoffs.

Player to watch:

Rodney Stuckey – without Allen Iverson, Stuckey finally has the full time starting job. While Billups' memory are still fresh, can he win the fans' heart?

11. Charlotte Bobcats

Depth Chart:

PG: Raymond Felton / D.J. Augustin
SG: Stephen Graham / Raja Bell (inj.) / Flip Murray / Gerald Henderson (r)
SF: Gerald Wallace / Vladimir Radmanovic
PF: Boris Diaw / Derrick Brown / Alexis Ajinca
C: Tysan Chandler / Nazr Mohammed / DeSagana Diop

Preview:

They were desperate for scoring but due to financial constraint they did not address such issue during offseason. Raja Bell's injuury just put things worse. Or the swap of Okafor for Tysan Chandler. Even the coach is Larry Brown, I just don't think they can make any progress this year. Question is, how many games will MJ attend?

Player to watch:

Tysan Chandler - I miss those Chris Paul-to-Tysan Chandler alley-oops. Can Raymond Felton throw those alley-oops passes like CP3? Guess not.


12. Indiana Pacers

Depth Chart:

PG: T.J. Ford / Earl Watson / Travis Diener
SG: Dahntay Jones / Brandon Rush / Luther Head
SF: Danny Granger / Mike Dunleavy Jr.
PF: Troy Murphy / Josh McRoberts / Tyler Hansbrough (r)
C: Jeff Foster / Roy Hibbert / Solomon Jones

Preview:

I have almost forgotten the Pacers in the past couple of years. They were so quiet in the past few years. They didn't do much in offseason and retain most of the players. What the heck Larry Bird is thinking? If you couldn't do it last season, why on earth do they think they can do it this season? This team certainly has no identity.

Player to watch:

Tyler Hansbrough – with Jeff Foster sidelined, Hansbrough should have more PT than expected. I always think he's a bust. We'll see.


13. Milwaukee Bucks

Depth Chart:

PG: Luke Ridnour / Brandan Jennings (r) / Roko Ukic
SG: Michael Redd / Charlie Bell / Jodie Meeks (r)
SF: Luc Richard Mbah a Moute / Carlos Delfino / Ersan Ilyasova
PF: Hakim Warrick / Kurt Thomas / Joe Alexander
C: Andrew Bogut / Dan Gadzuric / Francisco Elson

Preview:

Another team in cost-saving mode. They did not blink or shed a tear losing 60% of his starting lineup (Ramon Sessions, Villanueva and Richard Jefferson.) Good luck to all the Milwaukee fans. Redd is wasted in this cold state. Alas, he should have gone to Cleveland last year.

Player to watch:

Hakim Warrick – he played well with limited PT. Now that Villanueva is gone, will he make further improvement?


14. New York Knicks

PG: Chris Duhon / Nate Robinson
SG: Wilson Chandler / Larry Hughes / Toney Douglas (r) / Cuttino Mobley
SF: Jared Jeffries / Danilo Gallinari
PF: Al Harrington / Marcus Landry
C: David Lee / Darko Milicic / Jordan Hill (r) / Eddy Curry

Preview:

A complete chaos. No leadership, no offense, no defense, no size, no nothing. They are waiting for the coming of LBJ in 2010. Good luck. Just beware, if they could not move Eddy Curry this season, they will not have the salary cap space to sign two superstars (including LBJ). Without another superstar, why on earth would LBJ wanna go to Big Apple, playing along, err, Danilo Gallinari and Darko? Because of David Latterman? Or Derek Jeter? And who would want Eddy Curry at such a price? Please, get real, New Yorkers.

Player to watch:

David Lee – poor David Lee, he's such a good guy with terrific working ethics. A fan favorite, but only got a 1-year contract. He is perfect to excel under D'Antoni's system.


15. New Jersey Nets

Depth chart:

PG: Devin Harris / Rafer Alston / Keyon Dooling
SG: Courtney Lee / Jarvis Hayes / Chris Douglas-Roberts / Terence Williams (r)
SF: Bobby Simmons / Eduardo Najera / Trenton Hassell
PF: Yi Jianlian / Tony Battie / Sean Williams
C: Brook Lopez / Josh Boone

Preview:

Another “praying” team, as in “praying for LBJ to join us and we will be almighty and live forever and ever”. The Nets is even worse in terms of talent. But three good things about the Nets (over the Knicks): 1. they will have the full cap space to sign two superstars at max contract next season, and 2. they have Devin Harris. 3. they will have a deep pocket Russian owner. The last advantage is that they probably will win this year's lottery. Good luck, Brooklyn.

Player to watch:

Devin Harris - with Vince gone, he is not the official leader in this lousy team. Let's see how he would respond to that.

NBA 2009-2010 Season Preview Part I

Yo! Long time no see. It's a bit late, but nonetheless, my lengthy NBA 2009-2010 season preview.

I assume you should have read enough about all the teams so I won't be writing the obvious, like the risk of taking Ron Artest, the good and bad of getting Shaq etc. Instead, I will try to be concise and draw your attention to certain points that I consider worth mentioning, or points that others have overlooked. So here we go, Part I: The West:

WEST

1. LA Lakers

Depth Chart:

PG: Derek Fisher / Jordon Farmar
SG: Kobe Bryant / Sasha Vujacic / Shannon Brown
SF: Ron Artest / Luke Walton / Adam Morrison
PF: Pau Gasol / Lamar Odom / Josh Powell
C: Andrew Bynum / D.J. Mbenga

Preview:

Last year's champion is #1 by default in my preview. Ron Ron in La La Land seems a perfect storm coming. Please stop all the MJ-Rodman/Kobe-Artest comparison. Kobe ain't no MJ, and Artest ain't no Rodman. I don't think Kobe (or even Phil Jackson)can do any magic to turn Artest into a useful player like what MJ did to Rodman. Artest's problem is more on court than off court. He thinks he's a franchise player. Rodman never did. Rodman just thought he's best rebounder in the world. And he was. But Artest certainly is NOT a franchise player. Can't see them repeat this year.

Player to watch:

Ron Artest – He was the player to watch last season in Houston. And that include any mayhem to watch.


2. San Antonio Spurs

Depth Chart:

PG: Tony Parker / George Hill
SG: Manu Ginobili / Roger Mason
SF: Richard Jefferson / Michael Finley
PF: Tim Duncan / Antonio McDyess / DeJuan Blair (r)
C: Matt Bonner /Theo Ratliff / Ian Mahinmi

Preview:

One of the best off-seasons the Spurs ever had for years. They got better and younger. But don't get too carried away. Can McDyess and RJ make a smooth transition? Under the Spurs system, RJ will be more in the shooting and facilitating role than slashing, where he excels. Plus they need to mesh together. Regardless, all it matters in the end is the health of the Big Three.

Player to watch:

Manu Ginobili – just curious, how many times can he roll his ankles before they completely blow up?


3. Portland Trailblazers

Depth Chart:

PG: Steve Blake / Andre Miller / Jerryd Bayless
SG: Brandon Roy / Rudy Fernandez
SF: Martell Webster / Travis Outlaw / Nicolas Batum (inj.)
PF: LaMarcus Aldridge / Juwan Howard
C: Greg Oden / Joel Przybilla

Preview:

Everybody loves the Blazers. Like the Spurs, they had a great off-season. Better, Oden is back and looks healthy. Again, don't get too carried away. Remember, they looked terrific towards the end of last year's regular season, but then the playoffs? Such a nightmare. This is a red flag. However great he is, I just don't think Nate McMillan is the coach that can lead them to the next level.

Player to watch:

Greg Oden – Two years from drafting, so how? We have seen how great Kevin Durant is, show us your true self, Greg.


4. Denver Nuggets

Depth Chart:

PG: Chauncey Billups / Anthony Carter / Ty Lawson (r)
SG: J.R. Smith / Aaron Afflalo
SF: Carmelo Anthony / Renaldo Blackman
PF: Kenyon Martin / Chris Anderson
C: Nene / Malik Allen

Preview:

I think last year's Nuggets overachieved. I don't think they can repeat last year's success. George Karl will soon lose his player's respect. The positive impact of Billups will gradually wear out in the second season. Losing Dahntay Jones will hurt their defense, although Afflalo should compensate the scoring. This team does not have enough depth to compete with the Lakers, Spurs or even the Blazers.

Player to watch:

J. R. Smith – he is forever a mystery. During the last playoffs, he played like the best player in the team; on some nights, he may just kill the team's chance by shooting 30 3s a game. Will he ever be consistent?


5. Dallas Mavericks

Depth Chart:

PG: Jason Kidd / Jose Juan Barea / Rodrigue Beaubois (r)
SG: Quinton Ross / Jason Terry / Josh Howard (inj.) / Matt Carroll
SF: Shawn Marion / Shawne Williams
PF: Dirk Nowitzki / Tim Thomas / Kris Humphries
C: Erick Dampier / Drew Gooden

Preview:

Sure the Mavs have improved their roster. The pick-up of the Matrix and Drew Gooden is nice. But all rest on Josh Howard. JH is critical to the success of the team. Without him, it would be hard for them to become contender, no matter how great Kidd, Terry, Matrix and Dirk are. They are ranked #5 as long as Josh Howard would be back in a month's time.

Player to watch:

Shawn Marion – didn't see him play for awhile, ever since he left the Suns. How good is he right now?


6. New Orleans Hornet

Depth Chart:

PG: Chris Paul / Bobby Brown / Darrell Collison (r)
SG: Morris Peterson / Devin Brown
SF: Julian Wright / Peja Stojakovic / James Posey
PF: David West / Darius Songaila / Ike Diogu
C: Emeka Okafor / Hilton Armstrong

Preview:

This team is in cost-saving mode. So do not expect the owner to address the depth issue on the wing positions. They not only lost Chandler and Rasual Butler, but also considerable of athleticism along with them. It is sad watching such a promising team self-destruct like that. Yeah, blame the owner.

Player to watch:

Emeka Okafor – not as athletic as Chandler, so don't expect rains of alley-oops from him. On the other side, how can CP3 help him to improve?


7. Phoenix Suns

Depth Chart:

PG: Steve Nash / Goran Dragic
SG: Jason Richardson / Leandro Barbosa
SF: Grant Hill / Jared Dudley / Alando Tucker
PF: Amare Stoudemire / Louis Amundson / Earl Clark (r)
C: Channing Frye / Robin Lopez

Preview:

I don't like this year's Suns. I think the team had a serious identity crisis after D'Antoni left. Steve Kerr wanted a traditional, defense oriented team but the players think otherwise. Shaq experiment failed completely and now they were trying to restore run-n-gun offense. But where are the sharp shooters and athletic slashers which are instrumental to the SSOL offense? I guess Grant Hill couldn't even get past the mid-court in seven seconds!

Player to watch:

Channing Frye – Frye has never been a full-time starter in his entire career. Now he has the chance, and he is in a good system that he fits in well. If he can't perform in Phoenix, he will never have another chance.


8. Utah Jazz

Depth Chart:

PG: Deron Williams / Ronnie Price / Eric Maynor (r)
SG: Ronnie Brewer / Kyle Korver (inj.)
SF: Andrei Kirilenko/ CJ Miles / Matt Harpring
PF: Carlos Boozer / Paul Millsap
C: Mehmet Okur / Kosta Koufos / Kyrylo Fesenko

Preview:

This squad had peaked in the 2007 Playoffs (Western Conference Finals). Now, for Boozer, given his impending free agency this coming summer, he will likely try hard to perform, but do so at the expense of the entire team's chemistry and success. Yes I hate Boozer. And I have not mentioned their lack of shooters.

Player to watch:

Deron Williams - too many people saying that Deron Williams is underrated and now he is getting a bit overrated. Make no mistake, I like him. But he is wasted in this Jazz team. His All-Star selection is long due.



9. LA Clippers

Depth Chart:

PG: Baron Davis / Sebastian Telfair
SG: Eric Gordon / Rasual Butler / Mardy Collins
SF: Al Thornton / Ricky Davis / Steve Novak
PF: Blake Griffin (r) (inj.) / Craig Smith / Brian Skinner
C: Chris Kaman / Marcus Camby / DeAndre Jordan

Preview:

Bold pick: the Clippers is my dark horse in the West. I know, Blake Griffin is hit by the Clippers curse and will be out for at least 6-8 weeks. And I know their coach is the notorious Mike Dunleavy Sr. But even without Griffin, BD + Eric Gordon + Al Thornton + Cmaby + Kaman is solid enough. Rasual Butler is underrated, so is Craig Smith. Of course, at the end of the day, whether the Clips would succeed entirely depend on whether Baron Davis want to play hard or not.

Player to watch:

Blake Griffin – Andrew Bynum broke his knee cap and sat out nearly 50 games in 2007. So 6-8 weeks is an optimistic estimate for Griffin. Nonetheless, he remains the rookie to watch. Fingers crossed.


10. Oklahoma Thunder

Depth Chart:

PG: Russell Westbrook / Shaun Livingston
SG: Thabo Sefolosha / James Harden (r) / Kyle Weaver
SF: Kevin Durant /Ryan Bowen
PF: Jeff Green / Nick Collison
C: Nenad Krstic / Etan Thomas / B.J. Mullens (r)

Preview:

This should be one of the most entertaining teams in the league. They will not win many games, but will be as fun to watch as hell. It should be some “zero-defense, shoot-it-and-no-question-ask” type of games. They are young and fearless. Expect Westbrook, Durant and Green to pile up big stats, and the team ends up with 30-35 wins. This, however, is good to be 10th in the weakened West.

Player to watch:

Kevin Durant - #5 rank in fantasy draft? Is he up to that? Can he make the All-Star Game? We'll see.


11. Houston Rockets

Depth Chart:

PG: Aaron Brooks / Kyle Lowry
SG: Trevor Ariza / Tracy McGrady (inj.) / Jermaine Taylor
SF: Shane Battier / Chase Budinger
PF: Luis Scola / Carl Landry / Brian Cook
C: Chuck Hayes / Yao Ming (inj.)

Preview:

I am not sure whether I have put the Rockets too high or too low here. Yao will miss the entire season. And no matter what y'all say, I am certain that T-Mac will play not more than 50 games this season. He will take his time to heal in order to preserve his free agent value. And how can they survive in the West with a frontcourt (Battier, Scola, Hayes, Landry) that average 6'8”?

Player to watch:

Trevor Ariza – he's the single Laker that I liked last year. No, I don't think he is a franchise player, but probably one of the best complementary 2nd/3rd banana in a championship team. Can he take up the load and be the leader? Although I want to say yes but my conscious says otherwise.


12. Golden State Warriors

Depth Chart:

PG: Stephen Curry(r) / C.J. Watson / Acie Law / Speedy Claxton
SG: Monta Ellis (inj) / Anthony Morrow / Kelenna Azubuike
SF: Stephen Jackson / Devean George
PF: Corey Maggette / Anthony Randolph / Brandan Wright
C: Andris Biedrins / Ronny Turiaf / Mikke Moore

Preview:

With Nellie, expect at least 20 different starting lineups and once again rank bottom in assist and miss the playoffs. Same old Warriors.

Player to watch:

Stephen Curry – he won the starting job for now. I liked him during the NCAA Tourney run in 2008. He is fearless and has the ability to play PG in the pro level. Let's hope Nellie would not kill his confidence after 100 times of roster reshuffle.


13. Memphis Grizzlies

Depth Chart:

PG: Mike Conley Jr. / Allen Iverson / Marcus Williams
SG: O.J. Mayo / Marko Jaric
SF: Rudy Gay / DeMarre Carroll (r) / Sam Young (r)
PF: Zach Randolph / Darrell Arthur
C: Marc Gasol / Hasheem Thabeet (r) / Steven Hunter

Preview:

This is a promising team that lacks leadership. No discipline at all. Now with Iverson and Z-Bo, this team is going to be more selfish. With such a poor management, it is hard to imagine them to get to the playoffs any time soon. It will be forever a mystery why Iverson joined such a lousy team. I know they offered him the best money, but he is not exactly short of cash, is he? So why? WHY?

Player to watch:

Marc Gasol – he might not be as talented as his big brother, but I am betting on him having a breakout season in his sophomore year.


14. Minnesota Timberwolves

Depth Chart:
PG: Ramon Sessions / Jonny Flynn (r)
SG: Damien Wilkins / Wayne Ellington / Sasha Pavlovic
SF: Corey Brewer / Oleksiy Pecherov
PF: Ryan Gomes / Brian Cardinal / Kevin Love (inj.)
C: Al Jefferson / Nathan Jawai / Ryan Hollins / Mark Blount

Preview:

They should have gone higher had Kevin Love not been injured. The addition of Sessions and Flynn is good, but they sorely need outside scoring. Wayne Ellington won't contribute right away. More people will be interested in how they are going to deal with the Ricky Rubio situation.

Player to watch:

Jonny Flynn – everyone is high on him. But exactly how good is he?


15. Sacramento Kings

Depth Chart:
PG: Tyreke Evans (r) / Beno Udrih
SG: Kevin Martin / Desmond Mason / Francisco Garcia (inj.)
SF: Andres Nocioni / Omri Casspi (r)
PF: Jason Thompson / Donte Greene / Sean May
C: Spencer Hawes /Kenny Thomas

Preview:

A consensus worst team in the league. Nothing to expect from them. None. Nada. People is focusing on whether the Maloof Brothers will be moving this team to cities like Kansas City or even Las Vegas.

Player to watch:

Tyreke Evans – It's a tradition to focus on rookie watch for lousy teams. Another rookie starting at PG. Though not a traditional playmaker, he has the license to do whatever he wants. So let's see what kind of stats he can pile up.