Steve Kerr accepts Golden State Coaching Vacancy

Congratulations to former NBA sharp shooter and current NBA analyst for TNT Steve Kerr for being named the new head coach for the Golden State Warriors. This was a better fit for Kerr rather than the New York Knicks simply because Golden State already has a better ball club. Not sure what the Knicks President Phil Jackson wants to do with this organization but they need to clean house quick!!!! Good luck in the Bay Area Coach Kerr.

Top 10 NBA Crossovers of the 2013-2014 Regular Season

Now that the playoffs are in full swing here are the best crossover from this season...enjoy!!!

Best Crossovers 2013 Edition

Looks like Kyrie Irving is the new king of the handle in the NBA. I still think that title belongs to Jamal Crawford but these are the best so far. 

Allen Iverson Retires!!!!!

Congratulations on an outstanding NBA career to the 1996 #1 overall pick Allen Iverson!!! Though you never won an NBA ring you have multiple individual accolades and over 100 dozen crossover victims. Your version of the crossover has changed the way point guards dribble today. Here's a tribute you the victims you've abused with your deadly crossover.

NBA Post Season - Eastern Conference

Well first off let me congratulate the Miami Heat for winning the 2011 NBA Title. Once the new Big Three lead by the regular season and NBA Finals MVP LeBron James defeated the Oklahoma Thunder (which has a Big 3 nucleus of their own) in five games, they went into free agency and reloaded. Ten years ago they were teammates in Seattle now they're reunited in Miami. The edition on Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis gives the Heat more scoring options if James, Wade, and Bosh are double teamed. General Manager Pat Riley still             needs to address his ball club's bench but then again, their week bench are NBA Champions.

Who is the best team in the Big Apple? My vote goes to the Brooklyn Nets formerly of New Jersey. Not only did they keep superstar point guard Deron Williams, but they also pulled off a trade to land all-star shooting guard Joe Johnson from the Atlanta Hawks. They backcourt is one of the best in the league and they have yet to play a game together. Keeping Gerald Wallace and re-signing Brook Lopez was also a step in the right direction as I believe Brook Lopez will turn into a better center than Jokim Noah & Andrew Bynum. Their counter part New York Knicks have also made impact signings but which version of New York Knicks will show up. Today the Knicks signed Raymond Felton and last week inked future Hall of Famer Jason Kidd from Dallas. Kidd no longer possesses the same speed as he did the last time he played on the East Coast but his court vision is still the same. If they're offense turns stagnant once Carmelo Anthony gets the ball, they'll remain the Knicks.

My Chicago Bulls drafted ultra quick point guard Marquis Teague  to temporally replace Derrick Rose. Drafted Teague is a steal. Both Rose & Teague had the same college coach and had the same pro-style system while in school. Last week the Bulls agreed to resign Captain Kirk which could be a good and bad thing for Marquis. Signing Hinrich is temporary until Rose return from and ACL injury but hopefully Kirk will come off the bench for Marquis Teague. I'm finally glad CJ Watson is gone to New Jersey but hopefully they can re-sign Kyle Korver for his deadly shooting. The 2012-2013 is washed but lookout for the Bulls to challenge Miami once a healthy MVP Derrick Rose returns.

THIS WEEK IN HOOPS

With Syracuse Orangeman raining as the consistent #1 team in hoops, Simeon the best high school team in the country, the NBA going on it's third week with the Bulls & Heat the best two teams in basketball.....HOOPS IN FULL SWING!!!!!!!

Tom Cream has his Indiana Hoosiers back to college hoops relevance. So far this year they're the only team to defeat the #1 (Kentucky) and #2 (Ohio State) team the same season. The scary part is next year's Hoosier class is scary. It was only a mater of time before the former Marquette coach to turn a program around. I still think he's the next Spartan coach once Tom Izzo bolts for the NBA.

Miami Heat I just don't get them. Earlier this week they loose to the Atlanta Hawks at home then turn around and beat the same Hawks at full strength in triple overtime on Thursday. The amazing part was Miami played without LeBron James or Dwayne Wade who sat out with injures. With a year under their belts, the Heat would not shock anyone if they made it back to the NBA Finals. Speaking of Atlanta, on Tuesday they played a thriller in the United Center dominating the entire game until the forth quarter where Derrick Rose had to show Jeff Teague why he's the reigning MVP. These two teams square off tonight in Atlanta.

Speaking of the Bulls other than Miami, they're the most consistent team in the NBA. Coach Tom has my team playing with a chip on their shoulder as well as they should. Finishing with the best record in basketball last season they should waltz through the Central Division until they face the Heat in the East Finals.  

Congrats to Keith Smart for the new coaching gig in Sacramento. Now that Paul Westphal is out of town, hopefully DeMarcus Cousins will listen to this coach instead of being labeled a headcase. The young former Wildcat does have talent and worked hard on his game this summer. Speaking of talent, that's all John Wall appears to be relying on which is the reason why his Wizards are the only win-less team in basketball. He & Russel Westbrook need to broaden their basketball IQ and become a better point guard.

While I'm thinking about making the transition to Los Angeles full-time, I'm going to the Staples Center this Wednesday to checkout the Clippers play the Heat.

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. 

Chicago Bulls 2010-2011 Season Recap

Now that the Chicago Bulls season has come to a close, I won't say that this team overachieved but lead my the youngest MVP in league history, The Chicago Bulls exceeded all expectations by finishing with the best record in the NBA going 62-20. Going into the season the Bulls were supposed contend with Orlando, Boston, and Miami but not surpass them. The object was to avoid Boston or Miami until the Eastern Conference Finals meaning land the one or two seed.

On that note mission accomplished but after last weeks heart breaking defeat by the Miami Heat at the United Center, the Bulls now must address the missing piece in their lineup which is a scoring shooting guard to compliment Derrick Rose. Towards the end of the season and all through the playoffs, Derrick Rose was our primary scorer and point guard. As a result, teams forced the MVP to take bad shots which resulted in rare losses for this ball club.

Jokim Noah must work on his offensive game this off-season. If Noah comes back an explosive offensive weapon, that means trouble for the Miami Heat. Taj Gibson must continue to be the spark off the bench providing occasional double-doubles. Carlos Boozer must learn to play above the rim and pretty much must learn how to move his feet and play defense overall. Boozer should not lay the ball up when he's underneath the basket he must learn to finish strong like Blake Griffin.

Along with the Executive of the Year, MVP, Coach Tom also collected hardware by winning the Coach of the Year. The defensive minded Thiboodeau made sure less isolation ball was played and more team defense was played. As a result other than the Miami Heat, the Bulls team was the best defensive team in the NBA which lead to a ton of transition points scored. Keith Bogans made all defensive second team but must drastically work on his offensive game this off-season. Once Kyle Korver learn how to create his own shot rather than going through screen, he'll become an unstoppable weapon on offense. At this point the only advice I have for Omar is to remain healthy but once healthy, he must improve his defense if he want to become a dominant force at the center position.

If this core group stays together, I see a minimum two championships out of this group but first they must acquire  a legit shooting guard.

What Basketball has taught me so far....

With the big Miami Heat vs. Los Angeles Lakers game headed this Christmas at the Staples Center, we would have completed two months worth of NBA ball and with college basketball just about wrapping up non-conference play, here's what I've learned..

• Kemba Walker is the best player in college basketball and a future lottery pick. The UCONN Huskies are the surprise of the Big East. With a fast start, they're not ranked in the top 5. It starts and ends with the Bronx PG.

• Kyle Irving should stay in school because a 3 guard lineup with Austin Rivers-Kyle Irving-Seth Curry is flat out scary.

• Illinois is my Final 4 sleeper but a bad loss to Illinois-Chicago then again to Missouri now  make me wonder going into conference play are they the best Big 10 team in the state.
• Speaking of Illinois teams in the Big 10, this is finally the year Northwestern does play in the big dance. 

• Unless the Miami Heat land a point guard via trade, they will not represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals. 

• Don't count out the former champions Spurs & Celtics. Both teams have a lot of miles on them but they're both off to a great start. Let's hope their health holds up come playoff time. 

• The Dallas Mavericks are making a strong case that they're not only the best team in Texas, Western Conference, but in the NBA. Other than Tyson Chandler, no other Maverick is committed to defense.

• Dirk, Amare Stoudamire are the biggest impacts on they're team and have a strong case for MVP but the trophy belongs to Derrick Rose. 

• The new NBA rules are terrible and the Lakers are still the best team in the NBA...they're just bored until the playoffs. 

Potential 1st Time NBA All-Stars

With 2 months before the NBA All-Stars head to the Staples Center for the annual classic the usual suspects such as LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony have their spots secured. Every year players are snubbed and first time players are inducted as all-stars. Last year Derrick Rose, Gerald Wallace, and Deron Williams saw their first action but who are some the players that head to LA?

YES THEY'RE GOING

• Russell Westbrook - With averages of 23 ppg  8 assist 5rebounds he's definitely headed to Staples Center.

• Joakim Noah - Has improved every year in the league. Averaging a career high of 14 ppg and second in rebounding at 12. Expect him to backup Superman. 

• Kevin Love - The coaches should not penalize him because he plays for the Wolves. 20 ppg 15 rebounds...he's going home.

BARING INJURY FROM ANOTHER PLAYER THEY'RE GOING

• Blake Griffin - Karl Malone in training will have a tough time getting the nod over Dirk, Melo, Timmy, Gasol but it's hard to keep 20 ppg 11 rebounds out the lineup. He's also a fan favorite. 

• Monta Ellis - Just like Griffin Ellis has Bryant, Nash, DWill, CP3 to contend. He can only hope for the coaches or injury to get the nod. 

• Brook Lopez - Skills similar to Tim Duncan but unless Noah or Howard stay home, he's not going home. 18 ppg but should average more than 6 rebounds. 

• John Wall - Same story...has to contend with Wade, Rose, Rondo but it's hard denying his 17 ppg 9 assist and 2 steals per game. Then again AI didn't make it his rookie year as well. 

• Andrea Bargnani - Finally living up to his #1 draft pick billing and putting up 20 a night. 

MAYBE NEXT YEAR

• Brandon Jennings - Not even the best PG in his division or on I-94
• Eric Gordon - 24 a night but he plays for the Clippers. If they were a playoff team...yes
• Al Jefferson - Now that he's on a winning team this might be the year...or not 16 ppg 8 rebounds

NO CHANCE 

• Stephen Curry - Great range comes with is 21 PPG and 5 assist. Unfortunately he plays for the Warriors. 

• David Lee - Should have made it last year as a Knick but it will be much harder in the Western Conference. 15 PPG and 9 REB are down from last year. 

Blake Griffin is Karl Malone in Training

The 2010-2011 NBA season almost has a month under it's belt so I just wanted to take the time to reflect on what we've learned so far:

• As usual the Clippers are in mid-season form preparing for the 2011 Lottery but Blake Griffin is proving why he was chosen the top pick in 2009. This monster power forward has power, and is a great ball handler at his position. Griffin has the making to be the greatest power forward of all-time if he can remain healthy. Eric Gordon is also a promising limelight for the Clippers as several defender has taken fiscail slams from teh former Hoosier guard. Gordon is a power point guard who has improved since the FIBA Games. 

• Several more losses form teh Miami Heat and we can expect Pat Riley to become the next head coach of the new Big 3. I've always stated that there is no way Pat Riley puts this team together and not have the desire to coach them. If the Heat do not win this season, then Riley will coach this team next year. 

• Don't count out the San Antionio Spurs yet!!!!!!! Forget Tony Parker's off court issue this veteran team has at least one more title run in them. They're off to the best record in teh League at 10-1 and with a year under Pop's system, Richard Jefferson has found has game again. 

• Shannon Brown has a jump shot!!!!!! Working on his shooting was the best thing for the former Proviso East star. Brown's game is already explosive and his leaping ability is second to none. With his hops to go along with his new jump shot the only thing missing is better ball handling. 

• John Wall & JaVelle McGee are nice together...these two are the cornerstone of the Wizards future.

• Roy Hibbert is proven that he is an NBA player. He's currently leading the league in block shots. 

Who is the best NBA Point Guard

With the NBA season less than 10 games the point guards have dominated this season. If the MVP award were given today, several point guard are making strong cases. The question so far this season and asked by Kenny Smith..."Who is the best point guard in the NBA"? Well lets meet the contestants:

*For argument sakes Chris Paul & Deron Williams will not be mentioned*

• Brandon Jennings - Young Money is not having a sophomore slump already dropping a triple double in the first week. Some say the Kenny Anderson clone is the best point guard in the Central Division. Once his jump shot matches his quickness and passing ability, you'll have to consider the Compton native one of the best. 14pts 7ast 4 reb

• Russell Westbrook - The FIBA game did wonders for the former guard out of UCLA. He's not a true point guard but very explosive and finishes very hard at the rim. Compliments Kevin Durant very well. 20ppg 7ast 6reb

• Derrick Rose - "I WANT TO BE MVP" That's what Pooh said in the latest issue of SLAM. Already strong, fast, explosive, great passer. So far Simeon's finest has proven to be a leader of this team and is not afraid of Miami. He worked on his jump shot over the summer and if automatic, he'll be the king of the PGs hands down. Expect him to be in the running for MVP all season long. 27ppg 8ast 5reb

• Rajon Rondo - Right now the Black Irish PG is not only the best player on his team, but if the MVP award were given today Rondo would win it in a landslide. Rondo is a classic lead guard and has dished out 60 assist over 4 games (Stockton being the other). Still has a tendency to over dribble but his passing ability is second to none. Jason Kidd never worked on his jumper and he's one of the best ever. 11pppg 16ast 6reb

• John Wall - Whatever John Calipari is doing it's amazing. Flashes of Derrick Rose are completely accurate. Speed, finisher, #1 overall pick, athleticism, court vision, potential rookie of the year. FYI...he's only a rookie. 

Final 4 NBA Free Agents

With the 2010 NBA Free Agency buzz pretty much dead, there remains four former mega stars that have yet to find new NBA homes. Stephon Marbury who last played in China is still on the market, former scoring champs Tracy McGrady, Allen Iverson, and Shaquille O'Neal are also waiting on that phone call from an NBA GM. At this point in their careers, these players must realize whatever team picks them up, they're no longer the #1 option on offense. Here's my take to the four free agents available:

1. T-Mac: Ten years ago T-Mac turned down the Bulls to sign with the Orlando Magic and only lasted with that organization for 4 years. This week T-Mac worked out with the Bulls and even has Derrick Rose and newly acquired Kurt Thomas saying positive things. Even McGrady talked as if he were already a part to this team. If McGrady can give the Bulls 20 minuets a night, that's fine with me. Hope he signs.
2. SHAQ - At this point in the career of the Big Cactus, he's slow, lost his scoring ability, and lost the work ethic to play a full 82 games. Reports are the Atlanta Hawks will pick up the Diesel. We all know there's no going back to Cleveland. 
3. Starbury - If the NBA were only a 1-on-1 game, Marbury would make A-Rod money. Over the years this shoot first point guard has found it difficult to catch on to an NBA team whereas he played his 2009-2010 season in China....WOW!!!!!! If Starbury can change his tone he could become a decent backup for...........The Miami Heat. He's cheap but still an excellent passer and ball handler (he's a NYPG duh) and he'll have no choice but to know his role.
4. The Answer - AI revolutionized the game today because all the young ball player emulate his version of the crossover, the shoot first point guard, and stat stuffing. After a brief retirement last season the Sixers resigned him only to send him home a few months later. This 1st ballot HOF player should sign with a team that's on the cusp on an NBA Championship. The clock is ticking AI!!!!!     

Michael Finley, Sam Cassell, Clyde Drexler, Dennis Rodman are former stars that signed with championship teams which resulted in a ring. Let's hope these 4 player are smart enough to do the same. 

Wizards Win Lottery - Conference Finals Recap

Congratulations to the Washington Wizards for winning the 2011 NBA Draft Lottery tonight in New Jersey. This team's 2009-2010 season was not a good one by dealing with the death of longtime owner Abe Polen, trading the core of their team (Antwan Jamison, Caron Butler, Brendon Hayword, and Deshawn Stevenson), followed by the season long suspensions of Javaris Crittenton for gun play. The upside for this franchise is that this team is young and now have the opportunity to draft John Wall or Evan Turner. The main question is with this young team do they draft Wall then trade Agent Zero who has a monster contract that no owner wants to touch. My theory is that the Wizards buy him out then let Arenas pursue other interest with another ball club then start fresh with John Wall as their point guard for the future. Wizard's assistant coach Sam Cassell will make sure John Wall learn the lead guard position from an NBA champion guard.

Game 1 of the NBA conference finals are complete as the Lakers and Celtics were both victorious. The Phoenix Sun could not find an answer for Kobe Bryant who dropped 40 who also made Grant Hill fall off this crossover. I'm not upset that he missed the floater but he still should have converted. The almost highlight of the game was Shannon Brown almost dunking over Michigan State alum Jason Richardson but took off too early. I was also very impressed with Derick Fisher's defense on Steve Nash after getting abused by Russell Westbrook and Deron Williams in the previous series. Game two is tomorrow at the Staples Center.

Boston Celtics took a 2 game to zero lead over the Orlando Magic tonight down in South Florida. At one point the Magic had a one-point lead but KG hit a key fade away shot over Dwight Howard (good defense...better offense). After a smart foul on Vince Carter by Paul Pierce which was his sixth, Vince had the opportunity to but his club up one with less than a minuet but the former Tar Heel had a Nick Anderson moment and missed both free throws. At the end, Orlando had to go the length of the court but Jameer Nelson missed a half-court 3 to send the game to overtime.

Both series are over and I'm already prepared for a Celtics-Lakers Finals.

Chicago Bulls Defeat Cleveland Cavs

The Chicago Bulls defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight 108-106 thanks to Anthony Parker's missed shot as time expired. The Bulls were up by as much as 21 points and then LeBron decided to remind the world that he's LeBron. The highlight of the game was Deng going behind the back vintage Kenny Anderson against LeBron for the score. That play got all the oooh & ahhhs at the United Center. LeBron will average his 30 plus for the series but once again Derrick Rose is making a case that he's the best point guard in the NBA.

Derrick Rose has yet to have a bad game this series and and long as Mo Williams is guarding him, he'll continue to have a great game. Mike Davis decided to have King James guard Rose which did not do any good as Inglewood's Finest displayed a clinic for the home crowd. No matter what happens, I still want Avery Johnson or Mark Jackson as the Bulls next head coach.

Game 4 this Saturday at the United Center...let's hope the Bulls tie the series!!!!!!!

Side-note: Not drafting Jimmy Clausen in the 1st round was a huge mistake!!!!!!!

Playoffs or NBA Lottery

With two games left to go in the season I have a dilemma with my Chicago Bulls about tanking the last two games and heading into the lottery or landing the final playoff spot only to face LeBron James in the opening round. Let's view both sides:

Missing the playoffs: If the Bulls miss the playoffs, they end up with a lottery pick and we all know what happened the last time Chicago was in the lottery. ESPN 100 Radio here in Chicago believe the draft that year was rigged because Derrick Rose declared that year and this year local product and potential #1 pick Evan Turner declared this past Tuesday. The potential of having a Turner & Rose back-court would drive ticket sales at the United Center though the roof and they would really compliment each other since they both have excellent handles, great athleticism, and a Chicago swagger that no other city can handle. Not only would this city have the best back-court in the NBA for years to come, we still have plenty of money to offer Chris Bosh or Amaire Stoudamire this summer. Most importantly, they avoid getting swept by LeBron James in round one.

Making the playoffs: Their playoff experience should be better and more matured after last season's seven game series against Boston. Last year Boston didn't have KG but face the Cavs, the Bulls will face Shaq, LeBron, and Antawn Jamison. Those are three miss matches that will pound the undersized Bulls. Derrick Rose will have his way with Sebastian Telfair and Mo Williams but that's pretty much where the Bulls win. Which Chicago Bulls team will show up...the team that lost the the New Jersey Nets twice this season or the one who overachieves on the court at times.

My Verdict: Miss the playoffs even if we don't end up with the top two pick we still end up with a lottery pick with plenty of money to spend come July 1st. 

GILBERT ARENAS SUSPENDED WITHOUT PAY

The NBA Godfather David Stern has suspended Gilbert Arenas indefinitely without pay due to Arenas's gun allegations that took place a few weeks ago. Agent Zero has made jokes about this on his Twitter page and last night during the Wizards's huddle, Agent Zero shot down his teammates with his fingertips.

David Stern mentioned Arenas making light of the situation was the reason for suspending the Wizards star. This is a very serious moment and not only is he facing a possible season ending suspension, but potential indictment and jail time.

My advice to Gilbert Arenas is first appear on Oprah. Then hire a body guards if you need protection and the most important factor....DO NOT BRING A GUN TO WORK IT IS AGAINST LEAGUE POLICY!!!! !!!!! I only hope Agent Zero realizes that he'll most likely loose some of his endorsement (see Tiger Woods or Charlie Sheen) because the moment a celebrity is in trouble with the law, they always seem to loose their endorsements.

Iverson Retires...Jason Kidd #2

With all the Thanksgiving Tournaments televised on college basketball, the NBA has grabbed the headlines for this past week. Carmelo Anthony giving the New York Knicks 50 points would have been a huge story this week but two individual topped Melo for newsworthy stories of the week: 

• Jason Kidd: I've seen Hardaway, Thomas, Stockton, Jackson, Strickland, Anderson, Johnson (Magic & Kevin) all play in their prime but what separates Jason Kidd from the rest is that he periodically finishes the game with a triple double. A stat line of 15 points 12 assist and 11 rebounds is normal for Kidd. He's never been the quickest point guard he's the greatest passing point guard I've ever witnessed. Kidd is so good that under his leadership at the point guard slot, the New Jersey Nets had back to back NBA Finals apperences. He's been a winner every where he plays and is a guarntee lock for first ballot 6 years after he retires. 

• Allen Iverson - The Answer has decided he no longer wants to crossover other players after 14 season in the NBA. If Allen Iverson decides to hang turn over his crossover card after 14 seasons in the League then I'm disappointed. All the front office general managers refuse to put up with his late coming to practice, taking all the shots, not making his teammates better, and only concerned about his stats. On the positive side he has played with heart, passion, and talent ever since he stepped into the league 14 years ago. His role in Memphis should have been helping the development of Mike Conley and OJ Mayo become better NBA Guards not worrying about this guys stealing your shine. AI is at the stage in his career where he should help those fairly new to the League and teaching them not to make the same mistakes you made on and off the court. The Grizzlies won't win that many games this year but he had the respect from all the young ball players who honed their game after watching you crossover helpless defenders the past 14 season. AI has influenced this game pretty much the same way the Fab Five did. Multiple tattoos, braided hair, shoot first point guard with crazy hops, arriving to the game iced-out.  If those were the final three games of Allen Iverson's career then good luck with the next phase of your life.

What I've learned after week one

With the NBA season 7 days old, there are several things that I’ve learned since opening night

1. Cleveland has no chance beating Orlando or Boston for Eastern Conference supremacy
2. In the Western Conference it’s the Lakers, Nuggets, Spurs….then everybody else
3. John Salmon is no Ben Gordon. Salmon is an upgrade on defense but does not have the scoring output as Ben Gordon
4. Ben Gordon will lead the Pistons in scoring
5. Derrick Rose needs to score more with the departure of Ben Gordon
6. Trevor Ariza will average 20 ppg
7. Brandon Jennings has the making of being the next Kenny Anderson
8. Tyreke Evans and the Kings will loose a bunch but Evans will shine
9. Johnny Flynn has the makings of being the next Chris Paul
10. Brook Lopez will be an all-star

What have your learned? Let me know.....

Opening Nignt 2009

"WE ARE GOING TO WIN THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP"                                           Doc Rivers before tonights game

Four games opened the brand new NBA season started with the debut of Shaq in Cleveland teaming with LeBron James as they faced off against the Boston Celtics. The Celtics steal this one in Cleveland and the highlight of the game was LeBron's block on Rondo as he thought he has a clear cut dunk. Boston is on a mission to win title #18 but Cleveland needs to add another scorer to take the load of LeBron.

Both Wizards & Trailblazers were also victorious and that's all you need to know. Gilbert Arenas is back and Greg Oden played a full game without getting hurt. 

Finally in Los Angeles......Magic, Kareem, Tex Winters, and Rick Fox were among the Laker greats who were present as Kobe collected ring #4 and the Laker franchise raised banner #15 overall. Without Blake Griffin for 6-8 weeks the best players on the floor for the Clippers were Eric Gordon & Sebastian Telfair. I think Telfair will be alright playing in LA backing up Baron Davis because if he fails, he's out the league like his cousin.

Just two more days until my Bulls open up the season at the United Center against the Spurs. Hope Pooh & Co. can pull this one out. Still can't believe Captain Kirk was named the team captian. Oh well......