Basketball is Back!!!!!!!!!!!!

Welcome back NBA!!!!!!! Christmas time is coming and so is the NBA. The opening game of the 66 game NBA season is between the Chicago Bulls lead by the reigning MVP Derrick Rose facing The Los Angeles Lakers with Kobe Bryant and new coach Mike Brown. The NBA Finals rematch between the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks where they receive their rings also take place. Overall there are six games on Christmas which have all the marquee stars playing on opening night. Dwight Howard, Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin, and Stephen Curry also highlight the Christmas night. The NBA was smart to have their young stars open the season trying to capture the fans that strayed away during the lockout. Building back the fans trust is key. Let's hope when this new bargaining agreement expires the owners and players are at peace to avoid another lockout. 

In college hoops over the weekend the two team that I project will meet in April to cut down the nets played in Lexington, KY as Kentucky defeated North Carolina by a last second block from 2012 #1 pick Anthony Davis.  Watching that game featured at least five future 1st round NBA picks. Harrison Barnes, Anthony Davis, Marquis Teague, Kidd-Gilchrist are lottery picks and Kendall Marshall is late lottery mid-round one pick. 

NBA free agency begins this week and training camp next week looking forward to all the signings. Also My ILLINI are 8-0 and ranked in the top 25 this week. 

Offseason Hoops Stories

One of the NBA's motto use to be "I Love This Game" well now that we're on day 75 on the lockout the new motto should be "I Miss This Game". I admire that several marquee players pros and college stars are seeking employment in the Euroleague but I want the NBA lockout over IMMEDIATELY!!!! Since the summer leagues have come to an end and negioation are at a standstill, fans like myself will have to wait for Digger Phelps, Dick Vitale, Bobby Knight, and Steven Bardo for basketball to appear again on television. Let's take a look at some of stories this offseason/lockout:

• Turkey has become the new hot country for U.S. players to ball. Deron Williams, Demetri McCamey, Sherron Collins are playing there but DWill is the only player with the out clause once the lockout ends. Allen Iverson played there briefly last year. The competition has picked up in Turkey as well.
• Rucker Park has lost it's flavor as the best summer ball. The Drew League in LA was the most talked about league this summer have players like Brandon Jennings, Kevin Durant, John Wall, and Kobe Bryant play this summer.
• Chicago Pro Amms is now a joke. There were three leagues this summer, Marquette Park, South Suburban College, and my favorite Phoenix H.S. I never made it to the Marquette Park games this summer but I heard they were pretty intense but the few times I've attended South Suburban, it's not even a glimpse of IIT. South Suburban charges and they don't even have the marquee names to attract the crowds. Phoenix H.S. was the closet thing to IIT drawing up & coming Chicago stars like Jerome Randle, Sherron Collins, Oris Eldridge, Jermey Pargo, Royce Parren with cameo appearances by Will Bynum. No NBA players played at Phoenix and most notably, south side players did not play. All the game at Phoenix were intense (especially Sherron vs. David Bailey) with a Pro Amm like atmosphere with the crowds chanting WHAT WHAT WHAT!!!!!!!!
• Unlike 1998, players are bound together and are a lot smarter in 2011. Player President Derrick Fisher wrote a letter to the players in the League updating them on what's going on during the negotiations and wants them to remain sharp and hopefully they'll get back to work soon.
• Marquee underclassmen being smart and deciding to remain in college rather than turn pro. The 2012 NBA Draft is going to be one of the most loaded draft classes in NBA history.
• In conclusion..........I MISS THIS GAME

USA vs. Russia Recap

The game is airing now live on ESPN and I'm not enjoying what I see out of Team USA. Way too much 1-on-1 play for the American team that I think I'm watching guys play at X-Sports or the Y on 63rd Street. If Kevin Durant & continue to play the isolation game, I would not be surprised if they ended up going home. But if they decide to play team ball, this game could be a rout. Coach K's group needs to show offensive & defensive patience.

With 90 seconds left in the 3rd quarter USA has decided to show patience on offense & defense and own a commanding 15 point lead. Kevin Durant (23 points) has played the entire game but is still in isolation mode. Good hang time move by Velvet Hoop to finish strong with the left hand...no foul was called.

KD finished with a game high 33 as Team USA advances to the semifinals. Once again Russell Westbrook provided us with two highlight dunks to send the USA bench off their seats. Pushing the Lakers to 6 games plus FIBA experience has done wonders for Westbrook & Durant. I can't wait to watch Thunder basketball this year.

FIBA World Championship

With everyone projected Spain vs. Team USA in the championship both teams have struggled in the FIBA World Championships so far. The difference is, Team USA remains undefeated. The defending world champions Spain have lost 2 out of their last 3 losing most recently to Lithuania?!?!?!? Exactly other than Team USA, Spain has the most NBA ready players on their roster.

Last night Brazil gave Kevin Durant & company a scare as this new group of American ball players held on to defeat a Leandro Barbosa squad by a single bucket 70-68.If Team USA is healthy then someone needs to check Andre Iguodala's ankles. Close to the end of the game, Barbosa gave Iggy a sick behind the back dribble that sent AI to the ground. USA Basketball still has two major problems that they need to adjust:

1. Turnovers
2. Consistent lineup

I'm aware any player on Team USA can score 20 plus any given night but Coach K needs to focus on a consistent lineup. Other than Kevin Durant, nobody know if they'll play the next game. Turnovers continue to be a problem for Team USA as they are sloppy and needs better clock management.

Once those two problems are solved, Team USA should win the FIBA Championship as well as the 2012 Olympics. 

USA Basketball Recap

With Kevin Durant's game winning block against Spain a few night ago, Team USA remained undefeated in International play. Team USA is in the pursuit for their first gold medal since 1994. Chicago's own Derrick Rose dominated down the stretch hitting clutch free throws and finishing strong with the left hand (and one).

Ricky Rubio impressed me the most as he showed why the Minnesota drafted him fifth in the 2009 NBA Draft Draft. Rubio reminds me of a taller version of Steve Nash minus the 3-point range. Spain and USA have become quite a rivalry the past five years and I can pretty much say these two teams will meet in the World Basketball Finals.

Without Howard, Boozer, Bosh, Team USA has to rely on Tyson Chandler, Brook Lopez, and Kevin Love as their big man. This current group is more athletic than the Redeem Team but not as talented. Kevin Durant is the new leader of this group according to the coaching staff and the media but Big Shot Chauncey Billups is the one these young ball players need to listen to.

Way too many slashers in this group and not enough big men and shooters. Therefore when the next cuts take place, Coach K should say goodbye to Russel Westbrook, Ruddy Gay, and Danny Grainger. Reasons being Curry, Gordan, Billups are the shooters. Rose, Rondo play the lead guard. Odom, Wallace, and Iggie are the athletic do everything forwards.

The group is good enough to win the gold along with the 2012 Olympics but they better not take Spain for granted.

Potential Western Conference All-Stars

Earlier I announced the candidates for the East All-Star lineup. Now I will announce who should represent the Western Conference Dallas and land their first all-star bid.

• Deron Williams - Near double-double averaging 19 pts 9 ast but since this a popularity contest it does not bold well......again Verdict: OUT
• Al Jefferson - Putting up 19 pts 9 reb but with Dirk, Timmy, Stoudamire, Melo plus his team stinks his chances are not that well but is deserving...Verdict: OUT
• Kevin Durant - Velvet hoop is in his third year and is having a career year. Pure scorer droppiong 30 a night will not be left out in the cold....Verdict: IN
• Tyreke Evans - 20 pts 5 reb 5 ast has all-star numbers all day. The problem is Bryant, Nash, Parker, CP3, Billups are also guards that play in the west (plus they're teams are winning) Verdict: OUT
• OJ Mayo - 19 pts per night will have many all-star games in his career but just don't expect any this season or the next. Verdict: OUT
• Rudy Gay - 20 pts 6 reb for the former Huskie but once again too many forwards come out the west. Verdict: OUT

Players of the Week

Congrats to Velvet Hoop aka Kevin Durant for being named Western Conference player of the week. I predict the Thunder star will lead the league in scoring next season. I'm sure if Portland could do it over again, they would have drafted Durant. After watching his Thunder beat my Bulls at the United Center on Monday, the Thunder will make the playoffs this year as an 8th seed then get worked by the Lakers. 


Derrick Rose was named Eastern Conference player of the week for averaging 28 per night. With the departure of Ben Gordon it's about time the 2008 #1 pick stepped his game up because the scoring is not coming from John Salmon. My prediction is that when it's all said and done, Rose will be the top point guard in the league over Paul, Williams, Jennings, and Westbrook, and John Wall.


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