The rankings are out again, and there is a new #1. Who is it? How far did the former #1 fall? When will New Jersey get it together? The rankings begin right now.

1. Orlando Magic (11-3) (previous ranking: 9) Five straight wins have vaulted the Magic to the best record in the NBA and the top spot in the rankings. Despite losing Jameer Nelson for four to six weeks, this team is still deep and they are really coming together.

2. Atlanta Hawks (11-3) (previous ranking: 2) If the Hawks had not of lost to New Orleans last night, the talk of them being #1 would be a no-brainer, but this team is still one of the tops in the East. They are really showing themselves as a contender. This is another team that is deep, and if they can stay healthy, they could go a long way in May.

3. Phoenix Suns (11-3) (previous ranking: 1) The Suns loss to the Hornets prevented them from holding the top spot for the week. With Orlando and Atlanta on fire as of late, they had to be bumped down two spots. Not many impressive wins for them to stay among the tops in the rankings

4. Los Angeles Lakers (10-3) (previous ranking: 4) The Lakers stay put after a 3-0 week, and it is good for them that Pau Gasol is back, he will be able to take the load off Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum. The team is complete again, but Phoenix is still holding their ground against them for first in the Pacific Division.

5. Dallas Mavericks (10-3) (previous ranking: 5) The Mavericks may have beat the Lakers, and have won five straight, they were all hard fought victories. The Lakers right now look better than Dallas and with Gasol back from injury, they look more like a better team. If Dallas can beat the Lake Show for a second time with Gasol in lineup, it will be good enough to overtake them. Good 3-0 week for them.

6. Boston Celtics (10-4) (previous ranking: 3) The Magic and Mavericks rise has knocked Boston down a couple of spots. The C’s were a victim of Orlando’s win streak, which was their only loss of the week. Thank Kevin Garnett for avoiding an embarrassing loss to the Knicks at the Garden.

7. Cleveland Cavaliers (10-4) (previous ranking: 5) The Cavs took a pounding from the Wizards this past Wednesday, but responded with wins over Indiana and Philadelphia. At least Shaq has been at home for the games he’s been injured from, and not just the Washington game. Those that know the backstory can have a good laugh.

8. Milwaukee Bucks (8-3) (previous ranking: 10) The Bucks could not beat the Mavericks, but they did take advantage of the weak part of their schedule, beating, New Jersey, Charlotte, and Memphis to cap a 3-1 week and stay tied for first with Clevleland in the Central Division.

9. Denver Nuggets (9-4) (previous ranking: 8] The Nuggets crush the Lakers at home 10 days ago, and in the next week, they lose to the Clippers at Staples Center. This team started out strong, but have been hot and cold since. They have to find a way to stay consistent.

10. Portland Trail Blazers (10-5) (previous ranking: 6) The Blazers went 4-0 last week, but only 2-2 this week. They lost to the Hawks, which wasn’t a surprise, but they also lost to Golden State. Just like the Nuggets, they have to find a way to stay consistent as well. They are good, but we forget that this team is young still.

11. Miami Heat (8-5) (previous ranking: 7) The Heat continue to free fall down the rankings. A huge loss at home to the Thunder, and another bad loss to the Raptors. Udonis Haslem did save the team’s free fall from being worse with a game-winning jumper to sink the New Orleans’ Hornets

12. Houston Rockets (8-6) (previous ranking: 12) The Rockets won the games they were supposed to win (Timberwolves and Kings), but loss the games that they were expected to lose (Suns and Hawks). The 2-2 week has them staying put at #12.

13. Utah Jazz (7-6) (previous ranking: 20) Playing the Cavaliers, and coming close to beating them has had a great effect on the Jazz. They have won three in a row since the Cavs loss, and have a long homestand ahead of them in which they have six straight at home (they started it by beating Detroit on Sat. night).

14. Oklahoma City Thunder (7-7) (previous ranking: 16) Another big win against a good team on the road as OKC beat the Heat on South Beach. That along with a win at Washington were good wins. Tough losses against Orlando and the Lakers result in a split week, but as with the Thunder’s season, those wins keep going a long way.

15. Chicago Bulls (6-6) (previous ranking: 14) A 1-2 week puts the Bulls at .500, They beat the surprising Kings, in which that was no surprise. They have loss to the Lakers and Nuggets in this West Coast road trip and then have two tough games in the Blazers and Jazz on the road. Some injuries have set them back, but this team should be better and are better than what their record shows.

16. San Antonio Spurs (5-6) (previous ranking: 17) The Spurs are still struggling to maintain the high expectations. They all haven’t been healthy together, as the Big Three of Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili have been injured at various times of the year. Richard Jefferson has really been non-existent. It’s still early, but when will they finally start to peak?

17. Indiana Pacers (5-6) (previous ranking: 13) Three straight losses has the Pacers dropping four spots. A loss to the Cavaliers is one thing, but to lose to the Knicks and Bobcats is a MAJOR setback, especially blowing a huge lead to New York and losing the game.

18. Toronto Raptors (6-8) (previous ranking: 19) The only team to go 1-3 and move up, it must be because the teams below are doing awful, but the Raps did just run into teams that are better than them, losing two in the mountains (Denver & Utah) and Orlando, but an impressive win over the Heat was their saving grace this week.

19. Sacramento Kings (5-7) (previous ranking: 15) The Kings have lost three straight, against the teams they should really lose to (Chicago at home, Dallas and Houston on the road), but the schedule is encouraging for them to get back to .500 by Wednesday with games at Memphis and against the New York Knicks. Still playing hard and playing with fight, something that has not been seen in Sacto in a long time.

20. New Orleans Hornets (6-9) (previous ranking: 25) Had it not been for Udonis Haslem’s jumper to sink them at Miami, the Hornets could have risen further in the rankings. The team looked like it was in major trouble, but they had impressive wins over Phoenix and Atlanta. Maybe hope is not lost in the Big Easy.

21. Philadelphia 76ers (5-8) (previous ranking: 21) The Sixers escaped with victory over the Charlotte Bobcats in a game that they weren’t supposed to win, but they followed that up with a very bad loss to the Memphis Grizzlies and the fell to the Cavs on the road. This team is not that impressive, but luckily for them, a lot of teams are not that impressive either.

22. Los Angeles Clippers (5-9) (previous ranking: 22) The Clippers lost a couple of bad ones in New Orleans and in Memphis, but they did come on national television this past Friday and won a good game over the Denver Nuggets, so their ranking stays put for another week.

23. Detroit Pistons (5-9) (previous ranking: 18) During the five year anniversary of the “Malice at the Palace”, many bloggers and media people were so focused on how the Pacers have been rebuilding. Sure the Pistons have been in the playoffs consistently, but has anyone noticed that Indiana is ahead of Detroit right now. Five straight losses has the Pistons in the Central Division cellar, and John Kuester needs to know that Joe Dumars has very little patience.

24. Golden State Warriors (4-8) (previous ranking: 24) The Warriors winning percentage in 2009 before Stephen Jackson trade: .333. The winning percentage in 2009 after Stephen Jackson trade: .333. Not much of a difference since Jax’s departure, but it is good to see Stephen Curry get more playing time for the Warriors.

25. Charlotte Bobcats (4-9) (previous ranking: 23) The Bobcats winning percentage in 2009 before acquiring Stephen Jackson: .333. The winning percentage in 2009 after acquiring Stephen Jackson: .250. The one thing that is said though is that they have shown a lot more offense in the last few games, and they ended their seven game losing streak with a win over the Pacers Sunday night.

26. Memphis Grizzlies (4-9) (previous ranking: 27) The Grizz are 2-1 since Allen Iverson was officially released from the team. This team is playing with more confidence, and more loose since the departure of A.I., and by beating and staying with teams that are better than them, it can go a long way (just ask the Sacramento Kings and Oklahoma City Thunder)

27. Washington Wizards (3-9) (previous ranking: 26) The Wizards have their Big Three healthy and together again, but they are still playing the same? What is with this team? It looked as if they turned a corner when they beat their rivals, the Cleveland Cavaliers, but they have lost big to the Thunder and to the Spurs. This team is just hard to figure out. Is Gilbert Arenas on to what he says about this team and “hidden agendas”?

28. New York Knicks (3-10) (previous ranking: 28) The poor Knicks go 2-1 over the week, and can’t move up anywhere. Mike D’Antoni’s bunch could have moved up quite a bit if they could have beaten the Celtics last night, but a 1-7 record at MSG is not going to help matters in this team’s quest to improve.

29. Minnesota Timberwolves (1-12) (previous ranking: 29) The Timberwolves have quietly lost 12 in a row, if it wasn’t for their only win against New Jersey, this team would be 0-13. The question is with them has to be: What does Ricky Rubio think of this? The worst thing about losing 12 in a row is that majority of these losses have been extremely bad.

30. New Jersey Nets (0-13) (previous ranking: 30) The only chance for the Nets to win was lost on Saturday at the hands of the New York Knicks. Lawrence Frank is still around has to be due to the fact that management knows that this team is ravaged with injuries. But at the same time though, there seems to be no wins in sight as they hit the West Coast for a road trip. How much longer will the rope hang for Frank?

Gewinner

LA Lakers
Kobe ist heiß und erzielt den Großteil seiner Punkte im LowPost. Als Shooting Guard! Keine guten Nachrichten für den Rest der Liga. Danke nochmal an “The Dream“. Andrew Bynum ist neben Chris Bosh der einzige Spieler der Liga mit 20/10. Kann Andrew endlich mal eine Saison durchspielen, winkt vielleicht sogar das ASG. VierViertel wünscht es ihm. Und nun ist auch noch Pau Gasol zurück. Nach seiner hartnäckigen Oberschenkel-Verletzung ist Pau fit und macht die Lakers noch gefährlicher, weil eben vielseitiger. Apropos, Lamar Odom kehrt freiwillig in die 2nd Unit zurück, sehr zur Überraschung von Phil Jackson. Auch nicht leicht zu bewerkstelligen. Und Shannon macht seine eigene Top10 in jedem Spiel, weil, man weil er einfach höher springt als alle anderen!! Die Lakers machen einen Run, auch weil RonRon eben nicht auffällt, außer durch Defense und Teamspiel. Allen Iverson, you hear me??

Atlanta Hawks
Nach Jahren in den Tiefen der Eastern Conference kann dies das Jahr der Hawks werden. Kleine Veränderungen im Team, große Veränderungen auf dem Court. Letzte Woche waren die Hawks sogar die Nummer 1 in diversen Power Rankings. Alle reiben sich die Augen. Josh Smith nimmt keine dummen Dreier mehr und spielt wirklich Defense. Jamal Crawford gibt der 2nd Unit Scoring Punch. Joe Johnson spielt mal wieder auf All-Star-Level. Und so langsam füllt sich auch die Halle endlich mit Fans. Wird der Höhenflug anhalten?

Dallas Mavericks
10-3? 5-game-winning-streak? Was hab ich verpasst? Heimlich still und leise haben sich die Mavs unter die Spitze der Western Conference geschlichen! Und das ohne Josh Howard und teilweise Shwan Marion…Nowe ist mal wieder in MVP-Form, Jason Terry rockt von der Bank und Kidd, naja Kidd ist immer irgendwie noch Jason Kidd, außer dass er in 13 Spielen nur 2 FTA hatte und mehr Assists (9.1) als Punkte (7.1) macht. Momentan scheint das Team aber einen Run zu haben und gewinnt insbesondere die knappen Spiele. Weiter so!

Verlierer
Orlando Magic
Ich weiß ich weiß. Aber ich spinne nicht! Seit Rashad Lewis von seiner Sperre zurückgekehrt ist, gabs zwar 5 Siege in Folge. Darunter ein wichtiger Sieg gegen Boston. Doch Jameer Nelson hat sich mal wieder verletzt und wird langsam als “fragile” eingestuft. Dies zwingt White Chocolate zu mehr Regular Season Minutes als geplant. Dwight Howard trifft immer noch keine Freiwürfe und Vinsanity wird zum puren Jump-Shooter, 3 FTA pro Spiel sind zu wenig. Außerdem ist die Abhängigkeit vom 3er zu groß. Momentan reichts noch um zu gewinnen, doch dies sind alles Faktoren die bis zu den Playoffs ausgeglichen werden müssen.

Lebron James
Seine Stats sind mal wieder Super. Nach schlechtem Start (0-2) läufts auch wieder rund, seitdem Shaq seine Schulter auf der Bank auskuriert. Aber kann es sein dass sich Bron zum CNN-Reporter aufgeschwungen hat? Kein Tag vergeht ohne das der King nicht zu irgendeinen “wichtigen” Thema Stellung bezieht. Erst die übertriebene und undurchdachte Jordan-Huldigung. Dann die “I could be really good” Sache mit den Cleveland Browns. Schon vor einiger Zeit kam das Thema Lebron und NFL mal auf. Vorher sollte er sich jedoch nochmal das anschauen. Verliert Lebron vielleicht das Interesse am Basketball? Hat Shaq ihm von der schönen Welt abseits des Courts mit Film und Musik erzählt? Oder wird Lebron einfach ein Opfer seines seit frühester Kindheit medial aufgeblasenen und gepushten Egos? Und jetzt scheint eine unangenehme Handgelenks-Verletzung den King auch noch auf dem Court zu behindern. Come on King, Get Focused! Play Ball!

Chris Paul & Byron Scott
Was ist hier los? Seit CP3 Verletzung gabs Siege gegen Atlanta, Phoenix und die Clippers sowie ne 1-Punkt Niederlage gegen Miami. Ist Darren Collison besser als CP3? Oder haben die Spieler einfach genug von Byron Scotts Coaching-Style gehabt? Hoffen wir mal das es letzteres war und das Talent von CP3 nicht in New Orleans verschwendet wird. Er fällt wohl noch 2 Wochen aus und dann wird man sehen ob das Hoch von Peja & Co nur ein Strohfeuer war oder ob die Hornets wirklich “competitive” sind!!

Allen Iverson
Wars das? Raus in Memphis? (Imagine That!) Und dann wollen ihn nicht einmal die next-to-worst-Knicks? Was kommt als Nächstes? Iverson in Ludwigsburg? Bei Alba?

(I am going to enjoy this tonight even if it is an almost full-strength squad barely getting by a Chris Paul-less Hornets team)
Udonis Haslem has been there and done that. As the power forward on the 2006 Heat Championship squad, Haslem was producing and making plays on a stage where many great players succumbed to the pressure. There were put-backs, jumpshots and rebounds that were crucial to that squads Finals wins. Without Haslem there probably would not have been Riley’s prophesized parade down Biscayne Boulevard. And tonight, coming back from a strained shoulder, Haslem again showed the composure of a champion as he, along with Dwyane Wade, lifted the Miami Heat from yet another potentially disappointing loss, one partly orchestrated by another 2006 Heat champion— James Posey. Haslem’s jumper from the corner in the clutch and banked prayer from the key (along with some solid rebounding and defense) were the plays that put Miami on top tonight. Speaking of champions, Wade was back to form. His game was smooth as buttah as he continually slashed to the rim and had his J going most of the night. With a 95-91 deficit with 6:23 left Wade hit 2 back-to-back threes to give the Heat a crucial lead in the fourth. Yeah, he may have went to the well there a little too much with his next three, but it didn’t cost Miami the game. It has been a few nights, but #3 finally put up Wade-like stats again with 12-21 shooting , 6 rebounds and 3 dimes. Luckily, his team seems to have gotten back on track offensively as well. Mario Chalmers, Michael Beasley, Jermaine O’neal and Udonis Haslem each scored in double figures to balance out a solid offensive night from the supporting cast… and they needed every point. Mike Thornton, whom the Heat passed up on draft night, showed up the Heat brass by putting up 24 including 5 of 7 on threes and anchoring the Hornets. James Posey and Peja Stojakovic kept it going with timely threes and Posey in particular kept the Heat on their toes with solid defensive work and a few convincing flops. The Heat scheme seems content in letting teams try their luck in hitting beyond the line and that’s what kept it close for the Hornets because Miami shot a quite good 52% on fg’s and about 54% from 3-point land. Michael Beasley had a rather great night as he finally shot over 50% and had 9 rebounds and 2 assists. That is Beasley’s third night in a row with good rebounding numbers. Mario Chalmers was aggressive when Wade would come out of the game and he ended up with 12 points and a very solid 9 assists. That’s what Miami has to be looking for: high assist numbers, double figure scoring, and a good 3 point percentage from Chalmers. Jermaine O’Neal looked especially spry as well. His jumper was money for the first 3 quarters before cooling off a bit at the end.

stats

#1 – Atlanta Hawks

The best team of the NBA so far. Josh Smith has been superb in the first 14 games. He has been the horse they have been riding. The Hawks had a weird loss to the Hornets Friday but that’s Ok on the road and on a second of back-to-backs.

#2 – Cleveland Cavaliers

Without Shaq, the team plays better. He just doesn’t fit there and with him out for a while now, they were able to give minutes to JJ Hickson who could be the solution for their problems, certainly not offensively but maybe defensively.

#3 – Phoenix Suns

The Suns remain red hot. 2^nd best record of the league so far, even with the loss to the Hornets on Thursday which shouldn’t be a shock because every time that the Suns are dominated on the boards, they lose, and it’s a lock just like that.

#4 – Los Angeles Lakers

Gasol is back and that means the Lakers should make their push to the league’s best record now. With the Spanish Center there, they are just so tough to beat, they are big and physical.

#5 – Orlando Magic

With Rashard Lewis back, they become a matchup nightmare again. The win against the Celtics highlighted that. Vince Carter is coming alive, against Boston he scored 26, turned the ball over a lot but took the game over in the end and that what you expect from your superstar and the reason why Orlando traded for him.

#6 – Denver Nuggets

Carmelo Anthony has been terrific so far and put himself in the MVP race however they are still not on the same level as last season. Their defense has been OK but when Billups doesn’t play well, all of a sudden nobody else but Carmelo produces.

#7 – Dallas Mavericks

Nowitzki has been carrying them because the bunch of injuries already started, Marion and Howard haven’t played together for a decent amount of time, and it’s not close to end.

#8 – Boston Celtics

On back-to-backs they look old. The loss against the Magic can be faced as a problem but when healthy, they are still the best team in the NBA. The question is: for how long will they remain healthy?

#9 – Milwaukee Bucks

The Jenningsmania is all over the NBA, even in this Power Rankings.

#10 – Portland Trail Blazers

Travis Outlaw is out with the same injury that held Webster for the entire season last year and that’s a hit on their second unit. The 3 men backcourt has survived so far but maybe is time to trade Miller.

#11 – Miami Heat

As Wade goes, they go which means that so far, they are a playoff team.

#12 – Houston Rockets

Even I’m convinced that this team needs somebody who can create his own shots on clutch moments. That guy is neither Ariza nor Brooks. Hopefully McGrady won’t screw the good vibe around the team.

#13 – Oklahoma City Thunder

When those four guys score, they are tough to hold. Lately even when they lose, they are on the game until the end. As the season progresses, they progress and the Western Conference should watch out.

#14 – Utah Jazz

With Williams back and Boozer stepping up, the Jazz won all three games this week including one against the Spurs which was their first in San Antonio in 20 games.

#15 – Toronto Raptors

They won 42% of their games. With all the money spent in this team and with playoff expectations around them, they have to perform better.

#16 – San Antonio Spurs

Ginobili and Parker out this week, injuries caught with them like expected. They always start slow, so no worry there.

#17 – Chicago Bulls

Derrick Rose has struggled a lot and that’s a real problem. This is a team that has a lot of variations and formations but it’s only 8 deep.

#18 – Indiana Pacers

They are who we thought they were: a .500 team.

#19 – Detroit Pistons

With Hamilton and Prince out, they have been able to hang in there but the problems are the same, lack of size inside and no rebounders, and when they face decent competition, that’s a problem.

#20 – Sacramento Kings

They are 5-7. Can you believe that?! The Kings won 41.7% of their games and that’s crazy. Tyreke Evans and Omir Caspi have been big so far.

#21 – Los Angeles Clippers

Yes, they have been a disappointment but when Gordon and Griffin return, they should be better. The push to the playoffs is yet to come but Kaman has played the best basketball of his career and Baron Davis is finally finding himself on that offense. Their second unit is amazing.

#22 – New Orleans Hornets

Without Chris Paul and with the new coach, they played well this week. Rookies getting more playing time and when Stojakovic shows up to play, they are not that bad. It’s tough to see them over .500 though.

#23 – Philadelphia 76ers

They are the ones to open a playoff spot on the East. They face problems on offense and defense. With Brand there, they haven’t been as committed to Iguodala on offense which they should if they want to save the season.

#24 – Golden State Warriors

Jackson is gone and the Warriors got cap relief instead. They’ll play shorthanded for the rest of the season but Don Nelson likes it this way. Nelson who, by the way, is 23 wins away from his record which means he’s 23 wins away from retirement what could mean that next season, maybe the Warriors will be OK.

#25 – Charlotte Bobcats

Probably the dumbest team in the NBA. The franchise is for sale but yet they took on Jackson’s awful contract in a move that won’t make them better than those teams they are fighting.

#26 – Memphis Grizzlies

Iverson is now gone for good. It’s time for them to translate talent into wins.

#27 – Washington Wizards

They have been the most disappointing team so far.

#28 – New York Knicks

Apparently they refused going after Allen Iverson, which would at least entertain us, because of Eddie Curry and Toney Douglas. I have no words for that.

#29 – Minnesota Timberwolves

They miss Kevin Love but as expected they would be bad anyway.

#30 – New Jersey Nets

They have been banged up but nothing justifies that awful start. Douglas Roberts is back, so is Harris, which means the offense should be better but the 0-17 start looks real.

Check More At: MVN

Power Rankings III: http://basketballoutsider.wordpress.com/2009/11/18/power-rankings-iii/

Για να ξεσκουριάσει το πληκτρολόγιο θα ξεκινήσουμε ένα παραδοσιακό post που από καιρό μας είχε προταθεί. Αφορά την προέλευση των ονομάτων των ομάδων του ΝΒΑ.

• Atlanta Hawks. Τα γεράκια της Ατλάντα δε πήραν το όνομα τους από το πτηνό όπως ίσως φαντάζεστε αλλά από τον Ινδιάνο αρχηγό Black Hawk ή όπως θα ήθελε να τον φωνάζετε Makataimeshekiakiak . Για αυτό και το πρώτο τους όνομα μέχρι το 1951 ήταν Black Hawks. Έτσι οι Αμερικάνοι, αφού έσφαξαν μερικές χιλιάδες ινδιάνους, χάρισαν  το όνομα του ενός σε ομάδα ΝΒΑ και εξιλεώθηκαν. Τα χρώματα της φανέλας προφανώς προέρχονται από το μαλλί του.

Ο πρώτος fan των Atlanta Hawks

• Denver Nuggets. Nuggets είναι οι βόλοι και στη περίπτωση της ομάδας αναφέρονται στην ανάπτυξη των μεταλλωρυχείων στις αρχές του 19ου αιώνα. Το πρώτο τους σήμα δείχνει έναν μεταλλωρύχο να ανακαλύπτει μία μπάλα μπάσκετ.

• Detroit Pistons. Ο πρώτος πρόεδρος της ομάδας ήταν ιδιοκτήτης εργοστασίου που έφτιαχνε πιστόνια. Το όνομα παρέμεινε κι όταν μετακόμισαν στο Detroit που είναι η πρωτεύουσα των αυτοκινητο-βιομηχανιών στην Αμερική.
• Indiana Pacers. Pace car είναι το safety car για όσους γνωρίζουν από Formula 1. Pacer επίσης είναι τα άλογα αγώνων που βαδίζουν έτσι. Κι επειδή δύο από τους βασικούς επενδυτές της ομάδας ήταν θαυμαστές τόσο των αλόγων όσο και του περίφημων αγώνων αυτοκινήτων Indianapolis 500, έγινε το βάπτισμα.
• Los Angeles Clippers. Επειδή το όνομα Losers δεν είναι εύηχο, ψηφίστηκε το Clippers που αναφέρεται στα  μεγάλα ιστιοφόρα που περνούσαν από το λιμάνι του San Diego (πριν πάει η ομάδα στο LA).
• Los Angeles Lakers. Η ομάδα ιδρύθηκε στη Minnesota, τη “γη των 1000 λιμνών”, και κακώς κράτησε το όνομα όταν μετακόμισε στο Los Angeles αφού λίμνες δεν υπάρχουν…
• New Jersey Nets. Το όνομα προέρχεται από τα διχτάκια (nets) και επιλέχθηκε το συγκεκριμένο για να κάνει ομοιοκαταληξία με τις άλλες ομάδες της (τότε) Νέας Υόρκης, Mets και Jets.
• New York Knickerbockers. Knickerbockers όπως είναι ολόκληρο το όνομα των Knicks, είναι ένα είδος κοντού παντελονιού (μέχρι το γόνατο περίπου), που φορούσαν οι Ολλανδοί μετανάστες στην Αμερική το 17ο αιώνα. Θα ήταν ενδιαφέρον να βλέπαμε τον Eddy Curry να τα φοράει.

• Utah Jazz. Οι Jazz ξεκίνησαν από τη Νέα Ορλεάνη, το μέρος που αναπτύχθηκε κη ατ’εξοχήν μαύρη μουσική Jazz . Πού να ήξεραν ότι κάποτε η ομάδα θα μεταφερόταν στη πιο λευκή και ρατσιστική πολιτείας της Αμερικής, τη Utah.
• Seattle SuperSonics. Το καιρό που μετακόμισαν στο Seattle, μία αμερικάνικη εταιρεία κατασκεύαζε ένα υπερηχητικό αεροσκάφος για να ανταγωνιστεί το concord. Το αεροπλάνο ποτέ δε φτιάχτηκε αλλά το όνομα έμεινε στην ιστορία.
• Boston Celtics. Η Ιρλανδική καταγωγή της περιοχής είναι αυτή που φυσικά έδωσε το όνομα στην ομάδα.
• Houston Rockets. Αποτέλεσμα ψηφοφορίας ήταν το όνομα Rockets και δε τους “χάλασε” καθόλου όταν μεταφέρθηκαν στο Houston όπου βασίζεται η NASA.
• Orlando Magic. Τα κυρίαρχα ονόματα στη ψηφοφορία ήταν Magic και Juice και ευτυχώς επικράτησε το 1ο.
• Washington Wizards. Για όσους το πρόλαβαν, το προηγούμενο όνομα της ομάδας ήταν Bullets και βγήκε γιατί η ομάδα κάποτε έκανε προπονήσεις  κοντά σε ένα εργοστάσιο που παρήγαγε σφαίρες για το 2ο παγκόσμιο πόλεμο. Μετά φυσικά άλλαξε σε Wizards λόγω της σχέσης των Bullets (=σφαίρες) με την εγκληματικότητα. Το Wizards δε ξέρουμε πως προήρθε, αλλά πιθανότατα ο πρόεδρος να ήταν θαυμαστής του Harry Potter.
• New Orleans Hornets. Το αρχικό όνομα για την τότε Charlotte ήταν Spirit αλλά οι οπαδοί ξεσηκώθηκαν και απαίτησαν διαγωνισμό. Έτσι ψηφίστηκε το Hornets (= σφήκες), διότι ένας Βρετανός Στρατηγός είχε δηλώσει στο πόλεμο ότι οι ντόπιοι πολεμούν σαν “φωλιά από σφήκες”.
• Miami Heat. Αυτό που αξίζει να ειπωθεί είναι ότι αν δεν κέρδιζε το όνομα Heat, οι Miami τώρα θα ονομάζονταν Flamingo

Τα περισσότερα, αν όχι όλα, από τα υπόλοιπα ονόματα, ψηφίστηκαν σε τοπικούς διαγωνισμούς. Αν κάποιος έχει περισσότερες πληροφορίες, ας μας τις πει!

credited to Nea_Liosia_7

When Chris Paul went down with his ankle injury it not only twisted and tore at the tendons and ligaments in his foot but also put in jeopardy the stability of the New Orleans franchise as a whole. It’s true that Paul has a history of endurance and coming back sooner than usual from injuries but that was when he had a lot more to fight for with a team he had a lot of faith in. Thats not to say that the hornets do not have the ability to be competitive but it is quite obvious that they have taken large steps back as a team in the last two years and have lost the confidence of their team leader.

Only three years ago this was a floundering team in a city that was rebuilding itself from a major catastrophe. There were questions of whether or not the city had the money to even keep the team and then all of a sudden they became the number one seed in arguably the deepest conference in american sport history. They rejuvenated a city and a fan base. Their impact culturally was much more significant as it gave a much-needed sense of hope to a battered city and an stimulated the economy. With that came Chris Paul who assumed the responsibility as the face of the organization and took the helm as the greatest point guard in the league in a now pg heavy association. With that CP3 became enormously active within the community and in the rebuilding efforts.

Unfortunately the organization did not show their appreciation. They let their best bench player in Jannero Pargo go away to Moscow last year and signed an aging 3 in James Posey (whose age and defencies were highlighted on a team that relied on less of a team concept like the Celtics and more on the creativity and playmaking of one individual). After an awful showing in the playoffs last year and a historic 58 point defeat they did nothing to solidify an already awful bench. On top of that the Hornets traded away Pauls best friend on the team in Tyson Chandler in hopes of getting a better back to the basket center in Okafor. Yet its obvious that Paul works better with more athletic bigs who can attack the basket or pop out for a mid range jumper. In admission of their mistake there is already talk of trading Okafor to the Kings for Kenny Thomas in hopes of making cap space. To compound things the organization then fires Byron Scott after a weak start as the team struggles to find chemistry despite the strong play of CP3. And the biggest blunder by the owners and GM… they did not confer with Chris Paul before firing his head coach. The only coach he has known in the league and another good friend of his.

Whats a shame more than anything is that New Orleans is a city that greatly needs this team. They need a sense of hope more than any other city in America. And for a moment they had it as the Hornets came out of nowhere and looked to be competitors for years to come for the NBA championship. Chris Paul is the consummate professional and there is no doubt that he wants to come back and fight for this city. Unfortunately it is also true that might have lost faith in the Hornets organization and as a result will take his time coming back as it’s quite obvious that unless they make a big move, they will be left behind as the rest of the west elite pull away.

Thank god for the Saints.

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#1 – Atlanta Hawks

#2 – Phoenix Suns

#3 – Denver Nuggets

#4 – Houston Rockets

#5 – Boston Celtics

#6 – Cleveland Cavaliers

#7 – Los Angeles Lakers

#8 – Portland Trail Blazers

#9 – Orlando Magic

#10 – Dallas Mavericks

#11 – Miami Heat

#12 – Milwaukee Bucks

#13 – Chicago Bulls

#14 – Oklahoma City Thunder

#15 – San Antonio Spurs

#16 – Toronto Raptors

#17 – Detroit Pistons

#18 – Utah Jazz

#19 – Indiana Pacers

#20 – Sacramento Kings

#21 – Philadelphia 76ers

#22 – Los Angeles Clippers

#23 – Charlotte Bobcats

#24 – Washington Wizards

#25 – Golden State Warriors

#26 – Memphis Grizzlies

#27 – New Orleans Hornets

#28 – New Jersey Nets

#29 – Minnesota Timberwolves

#30 – New York Knicks

Check More At: MVN

Power Rankings II: http://basketballoutsider.wordpress.com/2009/11/10/power-rankings-ii/

I suppose it was inevitable that the Warriors would trade the player formerly nicknamed “Captain Jack,” Stephen Jackson. Since the offseason, Stephen Jackson hasn’t done much captain-ing, and has generally been a disturbance to an already disturbed team.

This probably isn’t the place to go on and on about the general incompetence of the Warriors coaching and management staff, with regards to the overwhelming sense of discontent and near-riot status of the Warriors’ locker room, so I’ll limit myself to on-court talk. It should be enough to say that I can’t wait for Nelly to leave, for Rowell to be fired, and for Cohan to sell the team.

Let’s talk about the trades that weren’t made first.

Supposedly, the Cavaliers offered a resigned, and only partially guaranteed Wally Szcerbiak and Delonte West for Jackson. This trade meant that they could keep Zydrunas Ilgauskas, giving them someone to throw out there when Shaq takes his periodic breaks (like right now) and/or they would still have something they could turn into a better piece before the trade deadline.

While this trade would have meant that the Warriors would have more salary cap space (they could waive both Szcerbiak and West for very little monetary penalty), it would have meant that the Warriors essentially traded Jackson for money. And given the injury problems haunting the Warriors right now, they could not bring themselves to pull the trigger on this deal.

Another scenario was that Charlotte would have offered the same two players, Raja Bell and Vladimir Radmanovic to Philadelphia for Samuel Dalembert. Given the shaky status of Tyson Chandler right now, I’m sure the Bobcats would have appreciated the shot blocking of Dalembert. Also, his contract expires in 2011, much earlier than Jackson’s, which expires in 2012 (although Jackson is paid less). However, as much as they need a defensive presence down low, the Bobcats also need scoring, and tons of it. Thus the move for Jackson.

Let’s now talk about the actual trade that went down – Stephen Jackson and Acie Law for Vladimir Radmanovic and Raja Bell.

For the Warriors, the trade accomplishes two things. They get some salary cap relief, stemming from the fact that Raja Bell’s deal expires next season for $5.3 million, while Radmanovic has a player option next season for $6.9 million, which he will probably pick up, but that’s a deal that will clear the books earlier than Jackson and for less money. The second thing it accomplishes is that it puts some people who might actually play on the roster. The Warriors have been missing Andris Biedrins and Ronnie Turiaf, their main two big men, Kelanna Azabuike is out for the season thanks to his leg injury, and CJ Watson has swine flu. Coupled with Brandan Wright being out for the season as well, and the corpses known as Devean George and Speedy Claxton, the Warriors would have been down to 6 players if they accepted Cleveland’s deal.

Recent developments though have alerted us to the fact that Raja Bell has opted to take wrist surgery, so he’s out as well, reducing the Warriors to just 7 active players.

It’s clear that Bell doesn’t want to be here, although his veteran presence would have been great in the locker room, especially with Steph Curry, but it’s looking more likely that he’ll be waived and then sign with a championship contender, or traded.

I like the move for the Warriors. They really needed to be rid of Jackson, and they got some nice contracts in return. In total, the Warriors now have 5 2010 expiring contracts, totaling to $14.4 million. These will make for excellent trade bait for teams that are trying to clear cap space, or they can use it to clear cap space for themselves. Either way, the only time I’m going to be ecstatic over this deal is if the Warriors can package those contracts plus someone like Monta Ells (who reportedly now wants out as well) into an All-Star caliber player, or use that space to sign someone in 2011 (when they’ll only have around $34.6 millionshould all team and player options be picked up). Should the Warriors just stand pat, then this deal looks a lot worse.

On the other hand, this deal doesn’t make that much sense for Charlotte. True they needed scoring, and acquiring Jackson gives them a good trio when combined with Gerald Wallace and Boris Diaw. Also, Jackson can bring down the ball and run an offense, something the Bobcats point guards have been failing at lately. The problem though is twofold: age, and money. Jackson is too old that when the Bobcats are in a position to contend for the 8th spot in the East, it’ll be in spite of him, not because of him. Secondly and relatedly, Jackson’s contract is ridiculously long and more money than he really deserves. The team is already burdened with DeSagana Diop’s bloated deal that come 2012, when the team will have only $29 million on the books, the two will make $18.8 million of that amount.

True, it still remains to be seen if Jackson will really stay. Part of the appeal of executing a trade like this so early in the season is the chance to move the players around if things don’t work out with plenty of time before the trading deadline in February.

Grade for the Warriors: B (but incomplete)

Grade for the Bobcats: C-

Crank Up the Trade Machine!

- GSW trades S. Claxton, R. Bell, M. Ellis and V. Radmanovic to NOH for C. Paul, J. Posey and P. Stojakovic
Why GSW Does It: It’s Chris-Freaking-Paul
Why NOH Does It: Dumps their two biggest contracts and compensates for the loss of Paul with Ellis

- CHA trades S. Jackson, A. Law and R. Felton to CHI for K. Hinrich and T. Thomas
Why CHA Does It: Upgrades their point guard position and gets them the secondary shot blocker and potential monster player.
Why CHI Does It: Salarywise, Jackson makes less per year than Hinrich. Coupled with the two expiring contracts, this gives them more cap space to make a run at Chris Bosh or Dwayne Wade.

We had some pretty interesting shakeups in the rankings this week. We are truly beginning to see how interesting the season will be. The rankings will definitely fluctuate each week. one minute a team looks like they will tumble a lot, but then a team ahead suffers a bigger loss. Let’s just go to the rankings and see where each team lies.

1. Phoenix Suns (previous ranking: 1) (9-2)- The Suns may have lost to the Lakers, but despite all of that, they still have the best record in the NBA. There was no other team that could take the top spot, especially with the Lakers losing to the Rockets Sunday night, and the Suns thrilling win over Toronto earlier that day.

2. Atlanta Hawks (previous ranking: 5) (8-2)- They simply overmatched the Boston Celtics in the TD Garden, capping off a 3-0 week, and currently have the best record in the Eastern Conference. If you have to question this team still, why try? They are deep in every position, and if they can keep their intensity up, they may be more of a problem than most think.

3. Boston Celtics (previous ranking: 2) (8-3)- It’s one thing to lose the the Hawks, but to the Pacers? The C’s need to maintain their focus and not take all these games for granted. Teams like the Pacers are gunning for them and upset-minded each week. They are lucky enough to still be at 3 after the Pacers’ loss

4. Los Angeles Lakers (previous ranking: 3) (7-3)- So Reggie Miller, how’s that 20-1 prediction going for you? Right. Anyway, the Lakers have received great play from Andrew Bynum, as he has played at the caliber of an All-Star starter, but it’s apparent that this team really needs Pau Gasol.

5. Cleveland Cavaliers (previous ranking: 11) (7-3)- The Cavs have won four straight and seven of eight since starting the season 0-2. They have really found their stride as of late with the victories. The only thing about it though: everyone else in the Central Division is in a good stride as well.

6. Portland Trail Blazers (previous ranking: 12) (8-3) The Blazers faced some of the lower echelon teams in the league this week, making it an easy 4-0 one for them. They get a big test starting Monday night in Atlanta. Maybe they can move up further facing one of the Association’s better teams.

7. Miami Heat (previous ranking: 4) (7-2) Hard to make the Heat fall even three spots, but with Portland’s 4-0 week and a loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, it was only right to drop the Heat three spots. Dwyane Wade had a great week, posterizing Anderson Varaejo, and hitting the game-winning three pointer against the Miami Heat.

8. Denver Nuggets (previous ranking: 6) (7-3) The Nuggets didn’t have a bad week, heck, they blew out the Lakers at home, but they were just a victim of Cleveland and Portland rising in the rankings. They did lose to the Bucks, but the Bucks are rising as well.

9. Orlando Magic (previous ranking: 7) (7-3) The Magic handled business like they were supposed to, beating Charlotte and New Jersey, just like Denver, they were victims of two rising teams in the Cavaliers and Trail Blazers. Their only loss this week came to: Cleveland.

10 (tie). Milwaukee Bucks (previous ranking: 13) (5-2) Why aren’t the Bucks higher than the Nuggets? Although this team is good, and really good, led by Brandon Jennings, lets see if this team can get a significant road win or beat a top-10 team. They are playing the team they are tied with in the rankings, the Dallas Mavericks tonight.

10 (tie). Dallas Mavericks (previous ranking: 9) (7-3) The Mavericks lost to the Spurs, but bounced back with wins over Minnesota and Detroit, which are winnable games anyway. They are tied with Milwaukee due to the Bucks’ winning streak. Hard to put them out the top 10, and not put Milwaukee in the top 10. They are in Milwaukee tonight.

12. Houston Rockets (previous ranking: (6-4) Disappointing losses to Dallas and Sacramento contributed to this downfall, but they Rockets’ saving grace was a 101-91 win over the Lakers. Thank Aaron Brooks and his explosive second half for saving the Rockets to a huge drop.

13. Indiana Pacers (previous ranking: 23) (4-3) Four straight wins… the first three weren’t all impressive, but beating the Boston Celtics at home is a huge deal. This team is really coming together and it looks like Tyler Hansbrough is looking pretty good, averaging 10.3 PPG in just 14.7 MPG.

14. Chicago Bulls (previous ranking: 10) (5-4) Crushing loss at home against Denver and a loss to Toronto contributed to the drop from the Top 10. They need to get it back together, especially going on their west coast road trip starting with the upstart Sacramento Kings.

15. Sacramento Kings (previous ranking: 20) (5-4) It’s been over three years since the Kings even had a winning record, but after four straight wins and five of their last six, this is a team that is really buying into Paul Westphal’s system, and the play of Tyreke Evans is amazing. If they can keep this up when Kevin Martin returns, the Kings just might be a problem in the West.

16. Oklahoma City Thunder (previous ranking: 14) (5-5) The Thunder split four games this week, including two with the Clippers, but the most impressive win this week had to be a ROAD win at San Antonio. The Thunder. Big wins at the elite teams can go a long way.

17. San Antonio Spurs (previous ranking: 18) (4-4) They lost to the Thunder at home, but at least this team has Tim Duncan and Tony Parker back. It’s just a matter of time before we see the Spurs back at the top of the list again. The season is still early.

18. Detroit Pistons (previous ranking: 19) (5-5) The Pistons are still a tough team to figure out, but at least you can say that they are winning the games they are supposed to (Charlotte, and Washington before losing to Dallas)

19. Toronto Raptors (previous ranking: 16) (5-5) Still waiting for this team to explode, but now is it really time to question if Jay Triano is the right head coach for this team. They have a big time player in Hedo Turkoglu, a top pick in Andrea Bargnani, and of course, Chris Bosh. Too much talent on this team to be mediocre.

20. Utah Jazz (previous ranking: 22) (4-6) The Jazz still have a way to go to be among the top of the Association, but they did have two wins on the road at New York and Philadelphia, but two losses at Boston and at Cleveland helps them move up, just not much.

21. Philadelphia 76ers (previous ranking: 17) (4-6) Just like last week, this team went 1-2, with the only win going against the winless Nets. It’s going to be even tougher with Mareese Speights being out six to eight weeks due to a knee injury. Where is Elton Brand in all of this? He needs to step up, immediately

22. Los Angeles Clippers (previous ranking: 22) (4-7) The Clippers went 1-3 this week, with the only win coming against Oklahoma City. The Clippers got a huge break from a major drop since the rest of the Association is just plain bad. Even though it is Oklahoma City, this can be the start of something. After all, it just takes one win to get things going.

23. Charlotte Bobcats (previous ranking: 15) The talks of the ‘Cats having an offense dissipated quickly with three lackluster performances in all three games this week. They did get a scorer today in Stephen Jackson from Golden State, along with Acie Law. They had to sacrifice giving up Raja Bell, but the Bobcats need scoring. Desperately.

24. Golden State Warriors (previous ranking: 26) (3-6) The Warriors finally got rid of Stephen Jackson. Maybe this can be the start of something new. The move was made early, so maybe the Warriors can put a reset button on the season. They do need Andris Biedrins to heal so he can be a factor in the post. Don Nelson’s job is safe so it’s time for this team to right the ship, they have a good defender acquired in Raja Bell and Vladimir Radmanovic should be a good three point specialist.

25. New Orleans Hornets (previous ranking: 24) (3-8) If the rest of the NBA was not atrocious, the Hornets would definitely be lower than what they are. Bad move in firing Byron Scott, and now without Chris Paul for three to four weeks. Long season ahead in NOLA. And why bring Tim Floyd back after being dissatisfied with him after one season in any capacity.

26. Washington Wizards (previous ranking: 25) (2-7) Not a good start for the Wizards, mainly b/c the injury bug is back in the District. The question for this team has to be: When is Antawn Jamison coming back to the lineup. The Wizards need ALL three of their players healthy apparently for this team to have any kind of relevance. Still early enough for them to turn it around.

27. Memphis Grizzlies (previous ranking: 28) (2-8) The Grizz got their second win of the season, and are 2-4 without Allen Iverson in the line up. Iverson will be 0-4 in his career in a Grizzlies uniform since he ended up leaving the team and being released today. It’s a shame since he was on the verge of starting. Sucks for Memphis fans and for Michael Heisley who needed a box office attraction. Iverson has plenty of days left in his career, just don’t see it in the NBA anymore.

28. New York Knicks (previous ranking: 29) (1-9) How bad are the Knicks? Apparently so bad that they can LOSE six straight and move UP a spot. Looking at them on SportsCenter really makes you wonder if LeBron would REALLY want to associate himself with a bad franchise like this team. Only time will tell in that regard.

29. Minnesota Timberwolves (previous ranking: 27) (1-10) The Timberwolves have lost 10 straight games, matching the team that they beat on opening night, the New Jersey Nets. In fairness to Minnesota, they don’t have all of their weapons, with Kevin Love out, and Al Jefferson not fully 100 percent. This team will go up a little bit once they come back.

30. New Jersey Nets (previous ranking: 30) (0-10) So no change at the top, and no change at the bottom. Even if the Nets win, they need more wins than Minnesota to get out of this cellar. Like Minnesota, New Jersey doesn’t have everyone on the floor due to injury. Lawrence Frank luckily was not the first coaching casualty, but his leash is VERY short at this point.

Well that’s this week’s edition of the NBA rankings, check back next Monday for next week’s edition.

Verlierer
New Orleans Hornets
Erst wird Headcoach Byron Scott gefeuert – ist der Coach of the Year Award verflucht – sehr zum Unmut von CP3, dann verletzt sich eben jener auch noch und fällt 2 Wochen aus. Als wenn die Hornets nicht schon schlecht genug waren (3-8). Neuer Coach ist GM Jeff Bower und sein “ghost assistant” ist Tim Floyd, welcher schon einmal erfolgreich unerfoglreich mit den Chicago Bulls war! Und jetzt überlegt das Management das “Okafor-Experiment” zu beenden und die Saison richtig zu “tanken”.

Memphis Grizzlies
Erst bekommt Rudy Gay als Franchise Player keine Vertragsverlängerung. Nach 7 Spielen stellt sich heraus das Hasheem “the-Beat” gar nicht so gut ist, um schon an Nummer 2 gedraftet zu werden und dann bricht ihm auch noch sein eigener Mitspieler den Kiefer. Aber Zach Randolph war ja noch nie ein Teamspieler. Dazu das Drama mit Iverson und seiner entschudligten Abwesenheit. Und nun verpflichtet man den besten Spieler auf den Markt, Jamal Tinsley um “Erfahrung” ins Team zu bringen. Wo führt das alles hin? Iverson endgültig weg? Conley zu schlecht? Das Image zu gut? Memphis (2-8) bleibt unten aber weiterhin interessant.

New Jersey Nets
Das einzige Team ohne Sieg bislang. Devin Harris verletzt. CDR mit Schweinegrippe diagnostiziert. Knappe Niederlagen gegen Boston, Philly (2x), Miami und Sota. Das einzig gute daran – es kann nur besser werden.

Golden State Warriors
Ebenso wie bei den Grizzlies läuft hier Reality TV par excellance. Monta vs. Steph. Jax vs. ALLE. Nelson vs. ALLE. Nelson vs. Monta. Achja, Basketball spielen die Warriors auch, obwohl man eher von one-on-five sprechen könnte. Coach Nelson macht einfach was er will, zB. den Break-out-Kandiadat Randolph nicht spielen zu lassen, oder Top-Rookie Steph Curry vom Starter zum Benchwarmer zu degradieren. Aber er will einfach nicht gehen.

Gewinner:

Milwaukee Bucks

2 Worte. Brandon Jennigs. 55 Punkte. 29 im dritten Viertel. Und das alles nach einem – jedenfalls statistisch gesehehen – enttäuschenden Jahr in Italien, was ihn bis an Position 10 des Drafts hat rutschen lassen. Nun ist er Kandidat für den ROY. Jennigs hat den staubigen Bucks Leben einghaucht und nebenbei seine Kritiker verstummen lassen (“his jumpshot has been inconsistent“). Aber die wirklichen Leute vom Fach haben das Potenzial schon früh erkannt. Plötzlich sieht die Zukunft wieder rosig aus in Milwaukee.

Michael Jordan
Nach dem Verständnis von LeBron sollte die Nummer 23 ab kommender Saison nicht mehr von aktiven Spielern getragen werden dürfen. Natürlich aus <a href=”“>reinem Respekt vor dem GOAT. Die Mischung unter den “betroffenen” Spielern ist gemischt, wobei der Großteil eher dazu neigt, Lebrons Petition zu folgen. Im Baseball und Eishockey sind die Nummern 42 respektive 99 “gesperrt”. Auch Phil Jackson sieht diesen Zug als Interessante Geste um die Leistungen Jordans bzgl. der Liga zu würdigen. Aber nicht nur er sieht dabei die Gefahr, andere Größen des Sports zu “dissen”.

Denver Nuggets
Carmelo in MVP Form und mit neuem Spielverständnis. Ty Lawson in ROY Form und mit anständig Hoops. JR Smith als Instant Offense von der Bank. Die Lakers mit 26 aus der Halle geschossen und nur 23 Punkte in Halbzeit 2 zugelassen. Spielen die jetzt etwa auch noch Defense?
Die Nuggets haben eine erste Duftmarke gesetzt und wollen mehr. Sie haben an den Finals geschnuppert und wollen dieses Jahr dorthin. Der wahre Katalysator scheint meiner Meinung nach Mr. Big Shot zu sein, der den ganzen wilden Haufen zusammenhält. Sie kommen so weit, wie er sie leiten kann.

Joakim Noah
Rache ist süß, oder in diesem Fall wohl eher hot. Dieser Autor hatte wenig Liebe für Noahs Spiel und fragte “You must be Joakim?” am Tag nach der Draft.
Joakim Noah, der am College wohl zweitmeistgehaßte Spieler nach JJ Reddick, hatte auch in der NBA einen schweren Start. Mittlerweile führt er die NBA bei den Rebounds pro Spiel an und ist defintiv kein Bust, sondern der Starting Center der Chicago Bulls. Trotzdem wird er es scheinbar mit seiner offenen, energetischen Art schwer haben auch in Zukunft zum Favourite der Fans zu werden, was man auch leicht in der anschließenden Kolummne des Autors heraushören kann.
Paul Pierce wird jedenfalls nicht so schnell zum Fan werden.