Many people have been trying to hail Dwight Howard as the next Shaquille O’Neal. The comparisons are there. Howard has become the most dominant force in the league and he is leading the Orlando Magic. O’Neal was the last big man to do such a thing. There are many comparisons between Howard and O’Neal, but there are some differences.

When Shaquille O’Neal first came into the NBA, he was a scoring threat. Dwight Howard, on the other hand was more of a defensive player. At times, though, Howard is able to score the ball. In the 2009 Eastern Conference Finals, he played very well, offensively. But, most of his damage is done with blocks and rebounds.

In order for Dwight Howard to truly become a force in the NBA, he needs to develop an offensive game. At his peak, not only was Shaquille O’Neal a threat on offense, he was also a diverse scorer with many moves. Howard only has one move and it has become quite predictable. When the two played each other a few weeks ago, O’Neal exposed this.

As the leader of his team, Dwight Howard is going to have to learn how to become the Magic’s first scoring option. He is a great player and he delivers the points when they are needed the most, but he is going to have to score more points if he ever plans on leading this team to a NBA championship. Had Howard been more of a focal point on offense in the NBA Finals, perhaps the Magic would have the title right now.

Playoffs?

oh, hey! sorry for my tardiness but I got em’

1. Los Angeles Lakers: OK, an early home schedule is good and all, and Pau Gasol is back and doing work, and everythings clicking. But, there is no but, the Lakers are the number one team in the league. However, I’m not sure Kobe’s increased scoring is a good sign or not.

2. Atlanta Hawks: Disclaimer: Yes I am writing this after watching their cold effort in their falling to the Orlando Magic, at home. But coming into Monday this team was still on fire, yes they deserve to be here now. Next week? watch out.

3. Denver Nuggets: Coming into the season I was concerned about Denver. Yes, drafting Ty Lawson is a HUGE plus, but they made no offseason moves to improve the team. But then, Carmello Anthony stepped up, he finally is dishing out points and rebounds like a true superstar. Tracking Anthony’s development at a recent trip to the pool really sold me on the Nuggets, they’ve come a long way. They had Allen Iverson around this time last year.

4. Phoenix Suns: Have the Suns winning become bland again? reference my analysis last week because nothing has changed for Steve Nash, Amare Stoudamire and Company.

5. Orlando Magic: Vince Carter takes bad shots. Sometimes. Now Dwight Howard’s lobbying Stan Van to ease up. They aren’t exactly dominating the league. Tough loss to Miami, questionable call? Don’t ask Pietrus.

6. Cleveland Cavaliers: My Cavs are doing alright. Not dominating, not losing. I also feel LeBron has not exactly turned it on yet. The win against Orlando was the most intense of the season, compared to the lackadaisical effort, a win at least, against the Pistons. The Shaq injury does hurt the depth of the team. And JJ Hickson, well expect a bromance post pretty soon from the Champ.

7. Boston Celtics: When did the Celts get so cold? Now theyre barely beating teams like Philly, Minnesota, and New Jersey. OK. No real significant injury problems. Is Iverson the answer? reference Stephon Marbury.

8. Dallas Mavericks: What’s up with past MVP’s having great seasons? Dirk, Steve Nash, Hey even AI’s back in the news. Oh well, the Mavs look alright I guess. West elite? no. Top Four seed? yes.

9. Portland Trailblazers: The three guard combo of Blake, Miller, and Roy was interesting, but maybe the Blazers weren’t as potent. Although I feel that might be a good matchup issue in the playoffs so giving those three guys time on the floor together is a good thing in my eyes. Greg Oden’s coming around too, good for him.

10. Milwaukee Bucks: OK, the Bucks can stay. Brandon Jennings.

(thats all I have to say about the Bucks)

Missing from Last Week:

Miami Heat: Wait until next week. The win over Orlando was huge, and the Champ, maybe just a little bit is starting to finally be won over by Michael Beasley, not for the game winning dunk though, although that helped a little bit.

Yeah, we’re back.

The Champ sits here in his home writing this in anticipation of tonight’s game. The Octagon is now here, good to see him. We’re still waiting on the arrival of The Franchise, and The Custodian is MIA.

The Octagon thinks Kyle Korver looks like Ashton Kutcher. Ok he has a point.

Now we see a Ashton Kutcher camera commercial, which really sucks.

We now ponder the past prospects of the Hawks drafting Chris Paul. ooooh.

That’s the Hawks uniforms: ATL? ha.

Tipoff: Still no Franchise.

The Octogan is moderately surprised when Vince Carter hits a three pointer.

Jason Williams puts up a very bad shot and misses.

Craig Sager and camo? Really? Fucking camoflague?

Josh Smith: big dunk.

The Octagon is suggesting the Magic employ a whitewash to get their hearts back into the game.

Josh Smith is talking about his maturation, not something else…

Howard’s picking up his game now.

Adam Morrison: Human Victory Cigar – the Octagon.

The Octagon points out that the longest losing streak is less games than the longest winning streak- so its easier to be really good than really bad?

Where is the Franchise? This will not go unsettled.

The Octagon thinks Anthony Johnson has breasts.

Jamal Crawford once put up 50? News to us.

Joe Johnson, the Octagon feels he's underrated.

BUCKS/THUNDER! yeah baby!

Zaza Pachulia, what a dumb foul.

Marcin Gortat should open a ski resort on his face – The Octagon

OK: If you could punch a basketball player in the face past or present who would it be?

The Champ – Tyronne Hill: to see if he could get any uglier.

The Octagon – Ben Wallace? Adam Morrison? Damon Jones?

The Franchise – Ron Artest 

Mike Bibby looks great in a chef’s hat.

Joe Johnson hits for three, we lament his leaving of the Suns.

The Franchise has finally arrived… with his sister.

Vince Carter and the Magic look to rebound in the second half.

The Octagon has been looking up basketball books on Amazon. (Hey Freelancer! put our Amazon link here)

But anyway Orlando has brought the score within four. Orlando 56 Atlanta 60

Hey Look! Dwight Howard has a type!

The Octagon is willing to take one for the blog come May.

REDDDDDICCCCCCKKKKK!!!!!

Anthony Joshnson should not be in the NBA.

Look it’s Anthony Johnson!

We hate the Fred Martin Car Guys.

So the Octagon was watching YouTube videos for the past half hour maybe?

Anywho, Orlando 80 Atlanta 71.

Where is the Hawks’ offense?

Anthony Johnson oh my lord.

OK the Magic win, the Freelancer is the best live blogger.

We really don’t have anything left to say other than: Go Herd.

Hey Look! Dwight Howard has a type!

I am a member of a rare class of basketball fans who appreciate both the college and professional games. As I write this, I am watching Gonzaga play Cincinnati in the championship of the Maui Invitation on mute on my parents’ big-screen HD TV. I am watching the Knicks play the Kings, with audio (unfortunately), on my computer.

Most of my friends who love college basketball can’t stand NBA basketball. One of roommates, Greg, refuses to use the word “basketball” to refer to what goes on in the NBA. When I ask friends like Greg why they hate the NBA so much, I hear a whole list of responses. NBA players don’t try, especially early in the regular season. There are too many isolation plays in the NBA. No one in the NBA plays defense. NBA players are all selfish, ball-hogging, tattooed jerks. And, the grand-daddy of all complaints about the NBA, the refs never call traveling.

Most of my friends who love the NBA don’t hate college basketball, but most of them don’t particularly care for it either. Maybe it’s that there isn’t enough star power. Maybe the zone defenses and hand-checking slow down the game too much.

Fans are an odd bunch. It’s tough to say how they operate. But there do seem to be a couple of predictors for why someone prefers one style of basketball over the other. In general, the people I know who like the NBA are from cities that have NBA teams. My friends who hate the NBA are from rural areas or from Midwestern cities devoid of pro basketball. It also seems that the more organized basketball my friends have played, the less they enjoy the NBA. My friends who played high school hoops almost all dislike the NBA. My friends who have never played much basketball or who have played mostly pick-up basketball think the NBA is great.

Based on those predictors, I probably shouldn’t like the NBA. I played varsity basketball, and I’m from a rural area. The closest NBA team growing up in northwest Pennsylvania was 2 hours away in Cleveland. Still, for some reason, I have always loved the NBA. It was different basketball than is played on the college or high school level, but it was basketball just the same. I never really bought into many of the arguments against that NBA game. 

Until the Magic played the Heat tonight. The final score was 99-98, the Heat winning on a dunk in the final seconds by Michael Beasley, but it was easily the worst basketball I have seen played in quite awhile. Remember, this is coming from someone who watches the Knicks fairly regularly.

The Magic came into the game 11-4. The Heat 8-5. Last season, the Magic played in the finals. Dwyane Wade plays for the Heat. When I sat down to watch, I was expecting a good game. Instead, the game became a microcosm of every criticism of the NBA game.

For the first three quarters, the Magic played solid team basketball and the Heat didn’t try at all, leading the Magic to a comfortable lead. In the fourth quarter, the game degenerated into a stagnant one-on-one contest between Wade and Vince Carter, who combined to shoot 14-for-40 in the game. At one end, four Heat players would stand around while Wade isolated and took an impossible shot. At the other end, four Magic players stood around while Carter isolated and took an impossible shot.

Carter started the fourth on the bench, entering with about six and a half minutes left. He quickly made up for lost time, taking six of the Magic’s next seven shots, not counting a trip to the foul line. He made two of those seven shots.

Jeff Van Gundy and Hubie Brown, the color commentators informed us about a million times that Wade was a great fourth-quarter scorer and that he was having yet another great fourth quarter. But after Wade made his first three shots of the fourth, he missed his last five. Wade made all of his nine fourth-quarter free throw attempts, thanks mostly to a bunch of questionable calls that seemed to be going his way because of his star power.

On one play, Wade drove to the three-point line where he jumped to a stop. He threw a head-fake drawing his defender, I’m pretty sure it was Mickael Pietrus, into the air. Wade elevated, trying to jump into Pietrus to draw the foul, but Pietrus did a nice job of controlling his body and avoiding contact. Knowing he had failed to draw the foul, Wade decided to pass rather than shoot at the last moment. It didn’t matter because the ref had blown his whistle (and the call) right as Wade prepared to leave the ground and well before any contact would have occurred. Plus, it was pretty clear that Wade traveled, switching pivot foots after making the fake. The ref didn’t need to see the play to make his call. All he needed to know was the name on the back of Wade’s jersey.

In the final 2:08 of the game, the Magic shot just 3-for-8 from the foul line, but they were still winning by one point with two seconds left because during that same 2:08, the Heat didn’t take a single decent shot. Miami scored four points in the final two minutes, both on put-backs of ugly misses by Wade.

In this game, Greg was right – what happened on the wooden floor was not basketball. Maybe the problem is that players like Wade and Carter are too good. Sometimes they make seemingly impossible shots. Maybe their egos have convinced them that they can make seemingly impossible shots on every possession. Still, I’m not sure that justifies attempting an impossible shot every time down.

This game was awful. Sadly, since it was close, Sportscenter will probably make it out to be a wonderful game. That’s certainly not how I, or probably anyone else who watched, will remember it. I’m not going to stop watching the NBA, but I am going to take a month or two off from saying anything nice about Vince Carter, Dwyane Wade, the Van Gundy brothers or Hubie Brown.

This was probably the weirdest game I have ever seen in my life. Everything was cool in the first half…the Heat were clicking thanks to good ball-movement by Miami and great offense by Michael Beasley. Some 3’s by James Jones and a couple of J’s by O’Neal put Miami in a good groove. Everything was clicking except for Wade, who was having some trouble with his offensive rhythm. Luckily, everyone was playing great help defense….uhh, except for covering the three-point line (again!). The Magic looked terrible on offense but were brilliant from outside. Dwight Howard was put in check by triple teams the whole night but really got on my nerves when he gave an inexplicable cheap hit on Jermaine O’Neal which actually got called as a foul on O’Neal. He then proceeded to walk away like a pansy. I think that Shaquille O’Neal “Superman” music is starting to get to his head a little, but I digress… The second half began with more of the same, except the Heat stopped looking crisp offensively as they got behind by as much as 11. That’s when this game went absolutely insane. Wade caught fire, bringing Miami back with a flurry of drives and threes. Putting Miami up. But then Wade stopped going to the hole and started chucking up three-pointers and missing. Over and over again. I have never seen a guy with such a high basketball I.Q. play such horrible ball. He was pulling a “Kobe 81″ on shot selection, except he was missing. I don’t know why, but his team seemed content to watch Wade chuck threes and play no semblance of winning basketball. Luckily, the Magic were even worse. They became allergic to rebounding as this Miami team dominated the offensive glass for the first time this season. JO had 16 rebounds (!) against D12 of all people! Then, finally, after so many terrible drives to the basket… Vince Carter finally settled down and hit a couple of J’s and a 3 to give Orlando the lead. Thats when the game went from insane to completely surreal. Neither team wanted to win the game. Wade bricked a 3, but Haslem was able to tip in the miss. Then, after matador defense by the Heat sends JDubb to the line to ice the game, he proceeds to miss both freethrows. Luckily James Jones fouls out and Spo is FORCED to insert Mike Beasley who is completely cold from sitting on the bench the last 20 mins and looks frustrated as hell. Wade then proceeds to chuck ANOTHER BAD SHOT which is on it’s way to be an airball when all of a sudden Beasley grabs it and flushes it down for the lead with 1.6 sec remaining! What!?! This Heat team did not deserve to win tonight, but neither did Orlando. Both these teams have major issues and I don’t expect either of these coaches to remain with their teams very long. Miami seems to let Wade do whatever he wants out there on the court and has terrible personnel decision-making (even having Cook guard Rashard Lewis a few possesions) , Van Gundy seems to be losing his team with all of his whining, panicking and negativity. I need some sleep , so maybe I am wrong …but that is how I see it. Free Beasley.

With Thanksgiving less than 24 hours away, it got me thinking about the holiday lineup of games that will be made viewable to myself.  It got me thinking about which of the next three holidays has the best slate of games, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s Day.  It’s a valid question indeed.

Lets start with Thanksgiving.  As we all know, Thanksgiving is always known for their NFL games and turkey legs.  This year’s lineup is very questionable though.  Detroit always plays a home game, which in itself makes it less than exciting, the Lions host the Green Bay Packers.  Then Oakland travels to Dallas for the Cowboys annual turkey day game.  I know Cowboy fans are excited about this (Jesse) but not so much for me.  The final NFL game of Thanksgiving day features the New York Giants traveling to the struggling Broncos.  To me this is the game with the most intrigue.  Thanksgiving also has two NBA games scheduled, and both are good games.  Orlando Magic at the Atlanta Hawks then the Chicago Bulls at the Utah Jazz.

Next lets focus in on Christmas day.  Christmas day is all about the NBA, and the NBA on ABC.  Five games are scheduled and all are on either ABC or ESPN.  The Quartet of games is headlined by Lebron James and his Cleveland Cavaliers traveling to play Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers.  The other headline game is a big Eastern Conference game between the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics.  Other games include the Heat vs the Knicks, the Clippers battling the Suns, and the Nuggets playing the Blazers.  One NFL game is scheduled for Christmas day, the Chargers travel to the Titans, and the game can be found on the NFL Network.

Finally lets look at the games on New Year’s Day.  College football is well known for hogging up the television time when the new year hits.  The biggest two bowl games on New Year’s Day include the BCS Rose Bowl and BCS Sugar Bowl.  Teams are still being determined. Other bowl games include the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl, the Capitol One Bowl, and the Outback Bowl.  One NBA game is being televised nationally, and that game features the New York Knicks playing at the Atlanta Hawks on NBA TV.

So looking at those three days, to me it’s really not even a toss up to which day of games I am looking forward to the most.  I am extremely partial to the NBA and basketball, so I am very excited about Christmas day and that Lebron Kobe game, but that’s not the best day of this bunch. Nothing beats the college football bowl season, and with two BCS games on the dial, it gets even better.  The Rose Bowl looks like it might be a Ohio St. Oregon matchup that would be a really great game.  The Sugar Bowl with include either Florida or Alabama (loser of SEC title game) and most likely Cincinnati.  I won’t be tuning into that NBA game but New Year’s Day gets my award for having the best day for sports viewing.

Every Wednesday, from today until the end of time, my close friend and bitter foe Mad Adam is going to stop by and attempt to clarify his delusions of grandeur, dominance, and defeatism. He’s very complex. And, as you’ll soon find out, most of what he has to say comes out of his ass, but man, is he angry! And I’m not talking the kind of angry that can be aptly expressed with all caps and exclamation marks, or even simple declarations of anger… you’ll have to use your imagination a little. Picture the bright red face. Picture the popping veins. Picture the holes in the wall, the shattered remotes, the hospitalized “friends”. Now, multiply it by 386. That gets you halfway there. But here, we’ll let him explain it…

Hello everyone.  Allow me to introduce myself.  My name is Mad Adam.  That’s right, not Mad Hatter (Les Miles), Mad Max (Mel Gibson) or Mad Men (those booze swilling cats at Sterling Cooper).  No, just Mad Adam.

Why Mad Adam?  First, I have an anger control problem. This is particularly true when it comes to my sports teams.  I get mad when they let me down.  I get mad when they get screwed over.  I sometimes get mad even when things are going well. What can I say….I’m Mad Adam.  As a bonus, my name is a palindrome.  Don’t know that is? Look it up loser.  And while you are at it, send some hate mail to your language teachers who obviously let you down.

Now that I have revealed that much of my anger is centered on my favorite teams, I better let you in on who those teams are.  Warning, I grew up as a military brat, so I never stayed in a place long enough to pick a team based on geography.  So, I have a pretty disparate set of favorite teams (with the exception of my college team which is clearly a result of the totally awesome education I received at the undergraduate and law schools of the institution listed below).  So, in no particular order, here are the teams that matter most to me: New York Jets (last Super Bowl….1969, the roots of my anger begin to surface); Los Angeles Dodgers; Los Angeles Lakers; Manchester City Citizens (EPL soccer you morons); and of course, my beloved OU Sooners.  Looking for a hockey team?  Go (ice) fish.  Not a fun game to watch on TV.

My proclivity for temper tantrums does not end with my favorite teams.  I also get mad about betting on sports (i.e. placing bad bets, not the act of betting on sports which I am very much in favor of), bad calls, terrible commentators, incomprehensible TV twists, bad uniforms, those who don’t appreciate good music, politics, stupid fans, silly traditions, inane rules….you get the idea.  I am Mad Adam.

The gracious, yet logic deficient Ed Honcho, has asked that I occasionally drop by this site and let all of you know what I am currently mad about.  I appreciate the forum and the opportunity to vent.  I would be remiss if I did not kick things off with a mailbag devoted to my legions of fans and their questions.  So, without further ado, away we go…..

Q: Did you see the Patriots throw a deep pass with only 30 seconds to go this past weekend when they were up 31 – 14 on the J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets? How did that make you feel? Cuz, I will tell you how it made me feel.  It made me feel like punching Tom Brady in his pretty face and defecating on Bill Belichik’s car.

- Francis Anastasio, Elizabeth, New Jersey

A: Francis, or can I call you Frank? No? OK. Francis, you could not be more right (except the part about shitting on his car, which is a tad bit weird). Not since Michael Bay decided to have “ghetto” robots in the newest Transformers movie have I seen such a brash and uncalled for decision.

What is he hoping to accomplish?  By kicking the Jets when they are down, does he hope to draw attention away from the most colossal coaching mistake in his career from the week prior against the Colts? By allowing a long pass to Randy Moss did he hope to show that Moss does in fact own Darrelle Revis? (if so, too bad, because Moss turned in a pedestrian 5 catches for 34 yards against my boy Revis).

Or is this just one more bully move by a guy that thinks he is God, but is in fact still the same a-hole that could not turn around the Browns and WHO WALKED OUT ON THE JETS IN 1999 A DAY AFTER TAKING THE HEAD COACHING JOB? What a loser. I HATE that guy. And, I really hate those spy-gate cheating, pretty boy Pats(ies).

Q: How are you feeling about the Lakers so far?

- Bonita Benson, Culver City, California

A: In a word….AWESOME.  So far, Khlomar has not been a distraction.  The return of Gasol has transformed the team.  Ron Artest is playing within the system and has not punched Nicholson in the face on his way down the court yet. And Kobe? Well, he is busy doing work.

Since the Lakers’ Western Conference coronation is all but assured, let’s turn to the more important issue.  Will those turd burgers from Boston make an appearance and get the whupping they deserved two years ago? As of this writing they are 10-4, and look pretty good (for a team in puke green adorned with a picture of a leprechaun sporting a vest, hat and bow-tie covered in freaking shamrocks).  I don’t want another beat-down on Orlando.  I want Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and “look at me I am yelling a lot, I must be really intense” Kevin Garnett to face the music like they did in 1985 and 1987 when Magic and crew beat Bird and his brigade of losers (like Kevin “the Armpits” McHale and Robert “Reefer” Parrish). SCREW THE CELTICS!

Q: When are you going to talk about the Sooners? Texas Tech destroyed Stoops and company and the crowd turned the House of Pain “Jump Around” into an anti-Sooner anthem.  And, don’t forget Capel’s b-ball team that got rocked by the VCU Rams, his former team.  Seriously, did you jump off a cliff this weekend?

- Rusty Jackson, Texhoma, Texas

A: I am typing out this response from the rather large ravine that I did indeed toss myself into after the collective DUMP THAT OU TOOK ON ME THIS WEEKEND.  This is the kind of showing that makes you want to give up sports.

That raises the issue.  Is it possible to really give up on your favorite team?  I say no.  The first time I ever tried to do it was when I was 8 years old and the Dodgers were on a serious losing streak. I declared that I was no longer a fan of Dodger blue and tried to become a Cincinnati Reds fan.  However, each morning when I would look through the box scores in the local paper I found my gaze straying from the Reds to find out what the Dodgers had done the night before. The reason?  If you are a true fan, you can NEVER give up on your team.  Even when they TEAR OUT YOUR HEART, LIKE OU DID TO ME THIS WEEKEND.

Did I kinda avoid answering your questions Rusty? You bet. Stay tuned, though, because if those goat loving, tobacco chewing troglodytes from Stillwater win Bedlam this weekend, then I may have to dedicate an entire column to how FREAKING BAD THIS OU FOOTBALL SEASON HAS REALLY BEEN.

Q: So, how about Les Miles and his clock management skills?

- Earl Papadeaux, Natchez, Louisiana

A: Oh, how I detest Les Miles.  What an overrated, egotistical, arrogant insipid little man crowned with an ill-fitting hat. How many times must he do something like this before Tiger Nation rises up and says enough is enough.  The LSU school newspaper, “The Daily Reveille” is calling for the firing of offensive coordinator Gary Crowton over this debacle.

First, “The Daily Reveille,” really? I had to look up “reveille” to even know what the students there are referencing.  It is a bugle call associated with the military.  So, the newspaper is a daily bugle call.   Whatever.

Second, firing the offensive coordinator is completely missing the point.  Did anyone see Les Miles’ patented “deer in headlights” look as the precious seconds ticked away in the game against Ole Miss? He was befuddled, bamboozled and flummoxed all at the same time. This man could not coach his way out of a paper bag when decisions that are tougher than what to eat after the game are on the line.  Speaking of food…

Q: Don’t you think that Mark Mangino is just mean, mean, mean!

- Dolores Bitterbottom, Mulberry, Kansas

A: Look, I have had my share of crude talking insensitive coaches.  Heck, it is really part of the job description as far as I can tell.  Reminds me of a funny story.  Ed Honcho and I used to have a baseball coach that referred to him as “Colonel Sanders” because he was too “chicken” to get down on the ball when fielding grounders in practice.  That was funny. What Mangino (allegedly) has been doing?  Not cool.

When a college student confides in a coach about his alcoholic father, that should remain between him and the coach. Same thing with a player that tells coach about his brother getting shot in the neighborhood he grew up in .  To use that information against the players is the sign of a man that has lost touch with reality.  He is not breaking players down and then building them up.  He is just breaking them.

While we are on the subject, I am wondering if any Jayhawk ever gave it back to the coach? In case they have not, and current Jayhawks are looking for some ideas, here is my humble proposal for a dialogue with Mangino:

Mangino – “Hey, stop loafing WR!  You keep that up and you will wind up on welfare and turning tricks in an alley for crack cocaine like that story about your mom you shared with me in a closed door meeting the other day.”

WR – “Hey Coach.  Here’s a thought.  Maybe you should drop your daily caloric intake by, I don’t know, maybe 40,000 calories.  Seriously, do you really need that entire rack of ribs to go with your 22 ounce steak, double cheese-burger and fried okra covered in brown gravy?  I’m just looking out for you.  Well, I am also looking out for the players that keep getting hit by one of your 17 chins when you move suddenly on the sideline.”

Q: How about Jimmy Clausen getting cold-cocked by an angry Irish fan at local bar?

- Gaye Barr, Elkhart, Indiana

A: This had to be the first time anything associated with the Irish was on target this whole season.  My only question is why not track down and punch Charlie Weis?  The guy is pushing 3 bills and his knees are shot.  There is no way he could get away quickly enough to avoid a total pummeling. (please note that Mad Adam, while prone to fits of anger, does not condone nor promote violence against athletes and/or coaches….you know, unless they really deserve it).

Q: As an unabashed fan of front-running, big money teams like the Lakers and Sooners, is it any surprise that you’ve recently declared yourself a Manchester City fan? And even though you’ll do your best to spin the answer, it’s mostly rhetorical, as the indisputable answer is “no.”

- Ed Honcho, Sunbathing on the French Riviera

A: Nice try Ed.  You are clearly trying to bait me into a fit of rage.  However, unlike Tila Tequila, I am not that easy.  You see, what you are failing to tell our readers is that it is “undisputable” that I became a fan of the Blues prior to September 2008 when Man City was purchased by the Abu Dhabi United Group, making it the wealthiest club in the world.

Which means that I became a fan of Man City, a team that has not won silverware since 1976, before this fortuitous twist transformed them into the Champions League chasing team they are today.  So, SUCK IT ED.  Seriously.

Q: Is it true that you’ve been in the same fantasy football league for almost 20 years and never won?

- Bjorn Bjornssen, Hammerfest, Norway

A: Bjorn, now I am starting to get pissed.  Your “source” is mistaken.  Allow me to provide you a history lesson. Yes, I have been in the same fantasy football league since 1988.  In fact, Ed Honcho, myself and friends may have indeed invented fantasy football.

No, it is NOT true that I have failed to ever be crowned champion.  My team has a long and storied history.  I consistently make the playoffs, and I have been in not one, not two, but THREE championship games.  Several years ago Ed Honcho and I squared off in the championship game.  The game ended in a tie according to an on-line fantasy sports site that will not be named.  Incredibly, after nearly two decades of fantasy sports our collective group had never devised a tie-breaker scenario.  So, we declared a tie and the championship was split between Mad Adam and Ed Honcho.

Now things get interesting.  Approximately 6 months later, one of our friends and fellow fantasy owner, we will call him “ass-wipe,” decided to peruse the web-site because he had nothing better to do.  He was surprised to see that the CRAPPY, STUPID AND PROFESSIONALLY NEGLIGENT web-site that shall not be named had changed the score for Jeff Garcia (my starting QB at the time) by one measly STUPID point.  Ass-wipe decides to share this information with the league.  The result? Years of bickering and a COMPLETELY FALSE AND WHOLLY UNSUBSTANTIATED CLAIM of an undisputed and sole championship by Ed.

Many of you may ask, and rightly so, how in the world can you change the score of a fantasy sports championship MONTHS after the fact?  Isn’t that like tuning in for the Super Bowl and watching the Pats lose to the Giants, only to find out the following summer that the NFL had changed its mind and declared that the David Tyree “helmet catch” was an incompletion and the Pats actually won?  Good point.  And Bjorn, you no fantasy knowledge having dude from Hammerfest, did you stop to ask what would have happened if we applied the tie-breaking rules we have today?  No? Well, let me tell you what would have happened. I WOULD HAVE WON.  And, what would have happened if we played the next week (since we tabulated the points just to see)?….wait for it….that’s right….. I WOULD HAVE WON.

Dammit.  Now my blood pressure is though the roof.  Bjorn, I am sure you can see from the foregoing synopsis that in fact I DID WIN A FREAKING CHAMPIONSHIP.  And, if you don’t agree with me then you CAN JUST ENJOY YOUR CITY WHICH REEKS OF REINDEER MANURE.  That’s right, I said it.

Q: Why so angry? Childhood trauma? Life stacked against you? What?

- Adolfo Ocampo, Ushuaia, Argentina

A: As I am sure you can see from the questions posed by some ingrates above, as well as the other stupid topics that got me riled up, there are plenty of reasons I am angry.  SO, STICK YOUR POP PSYCHOLOGY UP YOUR ASS ADOLFO.  I will be sure to call if I ever need your attention.  Don’t hold your breath in the meantime.

Thank you loyal readers.  Until next time, keep watching sports and DON’T PISS ME OFF!!!

As the Hawks prepare for their showdown on Thanksgiving with the Orlando Magic, they need to realize one thing – that despite sharing the best record in the East with Orlando, they still have a long way to go to get any respect, especially after losing to the Hornets the other night. The talk about the Hawks has pretty much since disappeared and all they did was lose to the Hornets to end their seven game winning streak. This season is still early, but in order to get some more real respect and to try and regain the lead in the Southeast division, they are going to have to come up with a good effort against the Magic. Last season, the Hawks went 1-3 against the Southeast division champions, with the lone win being the Hawks opening night win, meaning its been over a year since the Hawks defeated the Magic, so a win is important in help deciding the pecking order of the division this year. Even though they lost to the New Orleans Hornets last Saturday, the Hawks had a bigger loss, which was losing Mike Bibby to an ankle injury in the first quarter of the game. He is currently listed as day-to-day. The good thing for the Hawks is that they have and won’t have a game until the Thanksgiving showdown, giving Bibby pretty much the whole week to receive treatment and hopefully be ready to play Thursday, but if not, it is going to be up to Joe and Jamal to lead the team. To me, Teague just looks too lost and raw to be able to help the team out right now. He still needs the game to slow down for him, because he looks lost out there. But either way, the Hawks better not be just content to play on national TV on Thanksgiving, because if they do, the Magic will spank them. The Hawks need to come out hungry, with something to prove. Well, because they do.

Do fans enjoy the overlap in seasons that happen a few times throughout the year?  The MLB season rolls into the beginning of the NFL season, and the NFL season coincides with a big chunk of the NBA season.  Personally,  it’s tough for me to get involved into two sports simultaneously.  The St. Louis Cardinals made it into the playoffs this year, and I spent the entire summer following their season religiously.  So when the Dallas Cowboys began their season it was tough for me to jump right into football season and be as excited about it since baseball was still taking place.  And there is no way in hell I ever think about any other sport when the NFL is going on.  Of course, I love watching college football and basketball but nothing compares to the NFL.  Once the NFL is over, I jump right into basketball with March Madness approaching and the NBA playoffs.  Do most people follow this cycle?  I know it depends on the sports you enjoy and the teams you follow, but in general, do sport’s fans go from one season to the next or are they able to maintain devotion to multiple teams at once?

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?

Los Orlando Magic perdieron a Hedo Turkoglu (30 años) y ganaron a Vince Carter (32 años). El turco fue uno de los protagonistas de la gran temporada de los Magic el curso pasado, y el equipo se apoyó mucho en él, sobre todo en los momentos decisivos de la final.

Turkoglu es un jugador versátil capaz de hacer muchas cosas sobre el parqué. Su dominio del bote le permite subir el balón y apoyar al base en situaciones complicadas; tiene un gran tiro exterior que complementa con penetraciones inteligentes en las que lo mismo deja una bandeja que se echa hacia atrás para lanzar un tiro desde media distancia; maneja correctamente el poste bajo y se aprovecha de sus 2,08 cm de altura para sobrepasar a aleros más pequeños que él; sabe leer muy bien el juego y asiste a sus compañeros de manera natural. Es un buen jugador de equipo.

Sin embargo, los Orlando Magic decidieron deshacerse del turco para fichar a Vince Carter, un jugador consagrado que nunca ha estado cerca del anillo. El ocho veces All-Star aterrizó en Orlando con el objetivo de ponerse por fin el anillo en el dedo. La trayectoria de ambos jugadores ha sido muy distinta. A pesar de tener una edad parecida, la percepción es que la carrera del americano está en declive, mientras que la del turco sigue creciendo. Turkoglu completó temporadas bastantes grises hasta que en 2008 le dieron el premio al Jugador Más Mejorado de la NBA. En cambio, las lesiones y el hecho de no haber participado nunca en un proyecto importante hacen de Carter un jugador que huele a rancio. “Air Canadá”, como era conocido en Toronto, posee un estilo de juego completamente diferente: es un buen tirador y, pese a sus problemas físicos, sigue siendo un gran matador. Se le acusa de individualista y de abusar de sus tiros. Desde luego, no es el jugador de equipo que es Hidayet.

Pese a todo, la realidad es que, a día de hoy, Hedo Turkoglu promedia en Toronto, su nuevo equipo, 14,4 puntos, 4,9 rebotes y 4 asistencias por partido. Vince Carter, por su parte, mete 18,7 puntos, coge 4,5 rebotes y da 2,2 asistencias por partido. Hay que añadir que Turkoglu juega 4,5 minutos más que Carter por partido.

Es cierto que, el porcentaje de acierto del turco es mejor que el de Vince, pero la realidad es que el role de líder lo cumple mejor Carter. Los Orlando necesitan un jugador que tire del equipo en los momentos difíciles, aunque eso suponga un riesgo. Dwight Howard no es esa clase de jugadores, principalmente porque jugar sólo dentro de la zona limita mucho. En cambio, un escolta como Carter con 1,98 cm de altura es capaz de crear opciones de canasta incluso ante una buena defensa.

Por ello, el intercambio de Carter por Turkoglu ha sido acertado, aunque eso suponga para Orlando siete millones de dólares más de ficha.

(Técnicamente no puede hablarse de intercambio porque Turkoglu se fue como agente libre y Carter llegó a Orlando a cambio de Rafer Alston, Tony Battie y Courney Lee).

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?

It was a tough one to lose today as Vince Carter once again got the better of his former team.  Watching him out there is both energizing and demoralizing if you are a fan.  The crowd was once again all over him for the entire game but he seemed to feed off of the poisonous energy for one of his better games since coming back from injury.  The Raps went cold in the 4th quarter and Carter stuck it to them like an ex girlfriend dating your best friend.

Vince drives past Turkoglu on his way to another dominating performance against his old club

Zan for Three

Perimeter Defense

Is it just me, or could we put this one in here every game?  Gee, I wonder if word is getting around the league that Calderon, Jack, and Derozan can’t guard the outside.  The Magic took advantage of the terrible D all afternoon.  JJ Reddick looked like he was wearing his Duke uniform as he knocked down big jumper after big jumper, Jason Williams glided to the net with ease and then there was Dark Lord of the ACC that once again dominated, especially in the fourth quarter.  You can handle Carter having a big game from a coaching standpoint but making Reddick look like an All Star is where you have to draw the line.  Get a hand in his face, hell, force him to the basket where he isn’t that effecient.  The guy is about as one-dimensional as they come so why not get up on him and guard the three? Belinelli was seriously missed today.

Derozan

Heir Canada got schooled today, plain and simple.  The teacher dominanted  the pupil.  Derozan didn’t really show up today and ended the game with only 1 point.  If he plans on keeping his starting job he is going to have to pull up his socks and start living up to his self annointed nickname. He looked more like Air Canada circa 2004 when he started phoning it in.

Vince

The guy loves to stick it to Toronto fans.  It hurts a little inside everytime he does it. It’s like a slow motion car crash:  you know it’s coming but you can’t  look away.  Once again he used our hate to fuel the Magic’s victory, that and our terrible defence on the perimeter.   He was a true game changer and snatched away what could have been a huge victory.  It is scary to think this guy now plays with Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis and Jameer Nelson….the Magic are stacked.

Honorable Mention…

Amir Johnson

Quickly becoming a fan and blogger favourite.  Provided key minutes and points off the bench today.  Looks like a keeper.  Keep your feet moving on defence and avoid that foul trouble though.

Zan of the Night

Air Canada

Who else?  The guy is pure Evil.  He has been dubbed ‘He who shall not be Named’ and tonight he gave the Raptors D the Imperius curse.  Once again the Evil one shoved our boos right back down our throats and enjoyed every minute in doing so.

Not Zan of the Night

Jose Calderon

Dude, play some D! He’s beginning to resemble a pylon out there on a regular basis. He is a black hole and everyone in the building knows it. Offensively he missed three big buckets in the 4th that sealed victory for the Magic…not a good day at the office.

Another thing: Did anyone see Jay break the clipboard over his knee?  That was awesome! The only thing that would have been better would be have been if he turned green and his arms ripped through his suit.  I like the passion and anger.  This is what Jose’s Defence is doing to all of us.

Here we are at the 1 month point in the NBA regular season. This week has been a great one. One thing I have noticed to this point, the good teams are winning, the bad teams are losing. There is a pretty big disparity in the top teams and the bottom teams. I understand trying to get free agents in the off-season coming up and some teams have dumped players in hope of picking up these great players, but do you think they are going to want to go to a team that finishes 20-62? I wouldn’t. I know damn well LeBron doesn’t want to go to the Knicks with the team that they have now.

Performance of the Month

This time, I am looking the best performance of the month. A lot to choose from but its got to go to the YungBuck3 (his Twitter name) Brandon Jennings. He dropped 55 against the Golden State Warriors, which takes away from the performance a little bit because they are not good plain and simple, but still, 55 points is 55 points. Here is a clip of that night when he served the Warriors the speed limit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFBg1LLYC_k

Play of the Week

Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pawMSgU-E-k&feature=player_embedded

The one bad thing about this weeks play of the week, it didn’t count. Kevin Garnett made a shot from the other team’s foul line after time expired in the 2nd qurter against the Golden State Warriors. This is something we all do every time we go into a basketball gym, chuck up a full court shot and see if we can make it. Most of the time, we don’t. That one lucky time we do make it however, it’s always “OH MY GOD DID YOU SEE THAT!?!?!?!” It’s something very hard to do, and that’s why we get so excited when we make the shot. Garnett made the shot even harder then it usually is. He did a spin move into the shot, and then chucked it one-handed. Most of us shoot it like we would pass a chest-pass, but we just chuck it up. The one-hander is a lot harder than the chest-pass shot. Unfortunately, it was after time had expired. Get’em next time KG.

Stock Up, Stock Down

Let’s start in the eastern Conference and the Orlando Magic. They are on a 5-game winning streak. Two of the wins were quality while the other three were over “cupcake” teams. They took down the Celtics in a 83-78 victory, which was very impressive. Now, the Magic know they not only can contend with the C’s, but can also beat them. They also beat the Raptors which is not a team to sleep on. What I like about this streak is that the Magic are getting it done from every position on the court, not only Dwight Howard. Jameer Nelson dropped 16 one game, Rashard Lewis tracks a double-double the next, Vince Carter leads them with 26 against the Celtics, and sharp-shooter JJ Redick lights it up for 19 the next. If the role players can take some of the pressure off of Superman, there chances of getting back to the title round rises tremendously.

Moving on to stock down, the New Jersey Nets. Need I say more? Like really, 0-13. They are horrible. It’s pathetic that the metropolitan area has a combined 3 wins total. That area is the mecca of basketball in the entire world and yet, they have 3 wins. They really don’t even deserve my time. A few years ago, they were winning rings with JKidd, VC3, and RJ. Now, they are 0-13. You guys don’t even get pictures.

I’ll stop bashing on the NJ Nets and move on to stock up in the west. The Mavs get this weeks stock up. They are on a 5-game winning streak where they beat the Spurs in a 99-94 thriller. Dirk Nowitzki is playing at a MVP lever. When he is on, no one can stop him. There is no one in the league that can match up with a 7-foot shooter. He is the best big man shooter in the history of the league…EVER. If you think there is a better shooter 7-feet and over, please name him. Jason Terry is a great compliment to Dirk. When they get the pick-n-roll working with those two, they are very hard to beat. Shawn Marion was a great pick up for them even though he was injured in the Spurs game and did not play. In the latter-end of the season, this squad will be one to reckon with.

The Timberwolves take stock down in the western conference for the second straight week. I wasn’t sure if it was possible for a team to get this award 2 weeks in a row, but the T-Wolves managed to pull it off. Any team on a 12-game losing streak deserves it. After trading away Garnett, the Wolves have been on a drastic decline. Liek the Nets, the really don’t deserve my time to look for pictures for them. Congrats Timberwolves for the 2nd straight week.

Eastern Conference

The way I see the East taking shape, right now, I only think two teams can contend for the Eastern Conference Championship. The Magic and Celtics are clearly the 2 best teams. However, the Atlanta Hawks are playing great ball right now and you can never count out LeBron. I still can’t put these two teams on the first tier with the Magic and C’s, but we will see how the rest of the season continues to progress. It should be a tight one in the east.

Here are the standings after a month of action:

1. Boston Celtics (10-4) (previously 1st in the East)
2. Orlando Magic (11-3) (previously 2nd in the East)
3. Atlanta Hawks (11-3) (previously in 4th the East)
4. Cleveland Cavaliers (10-4) (previously 3rd in the East)
5. Miami Heat (8-5) (previously 5th in the East)
6. Milwaukee Bucks (8-3) (previously 7th in the East)
7. Chicago Bulls (6-6) (previously 6th in the East)
8. Toronto Raptors (6-8) (previously 8th in the East)
9. Indiana Pacers (5-6) (previously 9th in the East)
10. Philadelphia 76ers (5-8) (previously 10th in the East)
11. Detroit Pistons (5-9) (previously 11th in the East)
12. Charlotte Bobcats (4-9) (previously 12th in the East)
13. Washington Wizards (3-9) (previously 13th in the East)
14. New York Knicks (3-10) (previously 14th in the East)
15. New Jersey Nets (0-13) (previously 15th in the East)

Western Conference

In the West, one thing has stood out to me after this week. No one can beat the Lakers. Did you see how easy everything has been for them with Pau Gasol back in the lineup? This is one of the best front lines of all time. Adding Ron Artest into the lineup gave them something Trevor Ariza did not, another big man. Ron can play both a guard position and a forward position if needed. The Lakers have 5 players that can play in the post, causing so many match-up problems. Pau, Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom, Ron Arter, and Kobe can all score from the post. Most teams only have 2 or 3 post players at most. I really don’t think anyone can stand in the Lakers way of a repeat besides injuries.

Standings after 4 weeks of play:

1. Los Angeles Lakers (10-3) (previously 1st in the West)
2. Dallas Mavericks (10-3) (previously 5th in the West)
3. Phoenix Suns (11-3) (previously 2nd in the West)
4. Portland Trailblazers (10-5) (previously 3rd in the West)
5. Denver Nuggets (9-4) (previously 4th in the West)
6. San Antonio Spurs (5-6) (previously 7th in the West)
7. Houston Rockets (8-6) (previously 6th in the West)
8. Utah Jazz (7-6) (previously 8th in the West)
9. New Orleans Hornets (6-9) (previously 12th in the West)
10. Oklahoma City (7-7) (previously 9th in the West)
11. Los Angeles Clippers (5-9) (previously 11th in the West)
12. Sacramento Kings (5-7) (previously 10th in the West)
13. Memphis Grizzlies (4-9) (previously 14th in the West)
14. Golden State Warriors (4-8) (previously 13th in the West)
15. Minnesota Timberwolves (1-12) (previously 15th in the West)

Special thanks to Yahoo! Sports for all of their great photos. Keep an eye out for next week’s updates as well. Thanks for the read and feel free to leave any comments you have.

]]> http://basketballoutsider.wordpress.com/2009/11/22/power-rankings-iv/ Mon, 23 Nov 2009 02:03:46 +0000 Rafael Uehara http://basketballoutsider.wordpress.com/2009/11/22/power-rankings-iv/

#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/

Toronto’s bench shows game but can’t seal the deal at the ACC

It was one of those games that could have gone either way…if the Magic were playing Cleveland or Boston. But against the Raptors on Sunday afternoon, Orlando kept up the pressure and proved the Raps are once again a predictable squad as the game winds down.

Orlando came back from a weak first quarter and traded momentum with Toronto until both teams let their second line players ultimately decide their fates. Jason Williams, starting for the injured Jameer Nelson, and J.J. Redick hit decisive threes in the fourth quarter to put Orlando up by 10 and an eventual victory, 104 – 96.

“I think that our bench is deep,” Redick said. “We missed Vince and Rashard for several games early in the year. We’ve played with that lineup before and we’ve been successful.”

Vince Carter, who was customarily booed all afternoon, finished with 24 points, twelve of them in the third quarter. The former Raptor started the game poorly but kicked it up a notch in the second half…literally.

“The first half was a rough one,” Carter said. “I was just trying to be aggressive, trying to get into the paint, just make plays. Make the referees decide what is what. I think I was a little overly aggressive, playing a little too fast. I was trying to get there but not really playing under control. The second half when I changed my shoes, it was OK.”

Andrea Bargnani struggled for the Raps, scoring just 11 points to go along with 9 boards and fouling out with 4 minutes left in the game. Chris Bosh scored 22 points but was contained well by the Magic who made him settle for jumpers most of the game. Hedo Turkoglu was a non factor, scoring twelve points on 3 of 11 shooting from the field, while Calderon scored 16 points but managed just 4 assists.

The bigger story may have been the disappearing act of DeMar DeRozan. The rookie failed to step up against Carter and was not a factor at all throughout the game. Once again, speculation on whether or not DeRozan will still have the starting job when either Wright or Evans returns is swirling around the ACC. Head Coach Jay Triano appears to be trying to instill confidence in the young guard, but what is it costing the Raptors in the interim? DeRozan scored 1 point and 1 rebound in just over 17 minutes of playing time.

Meanwhile, Jarret Jack continued his strong play of late, handing out 9 assists to go along with 8 points and 7 rebounds.

The Raptors fall to 6 – 8 on the season and will face the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday at the ACC.

Superman and the Magic got the best of the Raps

Thanks for showing up, Hedo “fourth quarter” Turkoglu, and thanks for bringing your buddies. The Raps entered the final 12 this afternoon tied, but watched a crew of Orlando scrubs led by J.J. Redick run wild and put it away before Superman and Vince Carter got back on the floor, winning 104-96. Turkoglu, Toronto’s supposed difference maker this season, finished 3-of-11 for 12 points against his former team.

This was a tough game, but one the Raptors could’ve won if they’d played to their strengths. Chris Bosh drew a couple first quarter fouls on Dwight Howard, then decided to loft jumpers the rest of the game. CB finished with 22 points on 10-of-22 shooting and grabbed five boards. Andrea Bargnani, in foul trouble most of the day and ineffective offensively when on the floor, led the Raptors with nine boards.

Turkoglu’s the guy that’s really getting to me, though. Early in the fourth with the game tied, Jason Williams found Marcin Gortat underneath for a layup that Turkoglu didn’t even both contesting, despite Gortat missing a pair of free throws minutes earlier. Yeah, and thanks Matt Devlin for pointing out that we brought him in because he shot 42% in the playoffs last year. That’s an impeccable number.

After a rough first half, Carter did his usual second half damage against Toronto, finishing with 24 points — 18 on 7-of-12 in the final two quarters. Redick had the second-best game of his career (the best coming at the ACC a few weeks ago), finishing with 19 and five assists.

The loss drops the Raptors to 6-8, with the Pacers coming to Toronto on Tuesday.

He whined his way out of Toronto nearly six years ago, with very little to show for himself since. A player that was once touted as the next Michael Jordan has never really lived up to his potential as an NBA superstar. Today, Vince Carter is probably best known for a dunk he made in the 2000 NBA Slam Dunk Competition while still a member of the Toronto Raptors (which is pretty sad for someone with his talent).

Yet, when Vince Carter returns to Toronto, he always seems to have a flare for the heroics. He torched the Raptors as a New Jersey Net on several occasions and looks poised to do it again as a member of a very talented Orlando Magic squad.

Carter is best known for a slam dunk competition.

Raptor fans loath him and the rest of the league (except for Orlando) seem to realize his indifference to winning makes him more of a problem than an asset. He is a figure of the past, yet every time he returns to Toronto, he gets booed. As a Torontonian, I understand the hate, the disappointment, the feeling of abandonment Carter has caused – but booing him only adds fuel to the fire.

It’s clear Vince Carter is anything but a self motivated individual, so let’s not give him a reason to want to win. Rather than reminding him that we still remember, why not let him know that we forget? In the grand scheme of things, Vince Carter will never be a true difference maker in the NBA. Let’s let him finish out his career knowing we don’t care.

Bosh and Superman are set to battle

I see you’re not gonna sit this one out with an “injury”, hey Vince? Alright, I’d be lying to myself if I said Carter didn’t love coming to Toronto and torching the Raptors. Air Canada and the Magic are in for the second time this season, tipping at 12:30 this afternoon at the ACC. As always, check out the full preview over at Raptors Republic.

I honestly believed coming into this season Orlando would be worse off with Carter than Hedo Turkoglu, but as much as it kills me to say it, I was wrong. Vince seems to have found the perfect scenario — one where he’s not pressured to be the top guy, or better yet, one where he can routinely take nights off and people won’t notice because Rashard Lewis and Superman will pick up the slack. Yeah, Turkoglu was killer in the clutch, but Vince has been known to hold up alright come crunch time when he feels like it. The Magic, behind Carter’s 18.1 points per game, come in at 10-3, including a 125-116 win in Toronto on Nov. 1.

As usual, the key for the Raptors will be D’ing up, especially on the perimeter against a team like Orlando. The Magic drilled 17 threes in their previous win over Toronto, and that came without Carter, who’s averaging almost three per game. Chris Bosh & co. will also do well to attack Dwight Howard early and try to get him in foul trouble.

Anyway, fresh off a home win over Miami Friday, it would be nice to make it two and a row with a walk in the park coming in the form of Indiana on Tuesday.

Have you ever heard people say, ‘they brought their A game’? Or a coach will demand, ‘you need to bring your A game’? Better yet, someone in the losing locker-room explaining to a reporter, ‘we just didn’t bring our A game’.

To me, that’s all wrong.  You need to bring something stronger. Something much better. Something that gives you a better chance of winning.  How about your A+ game!

In big games, your A game will not cut it. In any game, your A game may help you stay close, but in order to win the big games, you need to bring your A+ game.

Every possession matters.  Every shot, every pass and every rebound…matters! Each time you step between the lines, play with energy, defend and take care of the ball.

Step up your game and bring your A+ game!

Observations:

I watched the Denver Nuggets go into LA to play the Clippers Friday night. Bad news for the Nuggets. LA decided to play.  Play hard that is.  Carmelo Anthony started off the game scoring 17 points helping Denver to a 12 point lead early.  He was scoring from all angles.  But Chris Kaman, by way of Central Michigan University took it upon himself to dominate the low post.

The Clippers bench also did a great job led by Sebastian Telfair who thought he was back in Coney Island pushing the ball in transition and dribbling like he was auditioning for the latest And 1 Mix Tour.  Rasul Butler chipped in with 27. Clipper came out on top 106-99.  Do you think Clippers head coach Mike Dunleavy and Telfair sit down and talk Brooklyn Hoops? Dunleavy played at Nazareth High School, Telfair at Lincoln.  Would love to hear those two debate which is better, the CHSAA or PSAL?

“We have to somehow realize that we are everybody’s big game,” said Denver guard Chauncey Billups. “It’s not like a few years ago where you play the Clippers or somebody and it is just another game.”

That’s right CB, you guys are being hunted now!

Speaking of another ‘CB’, Charlie Bell of the Milwaukee Bucks (formerly of Flint Southwestern High School) has filled in for Michael Redd at the shooting guard position and has done a solid job. Last night he scored 19 points on 7-15 shooting including 5-11 from way downtown in leading the Bucks to a 103-98 win over Memphis. Milwaukee is now 8-3.

The New Jersey Nets are now 0-13 after losing to the Knicks on Saturday 98-91. Bring back Foots Walker, Mike Newlin and Mike Gminski!

Rasheed Wallace of the Boston Celtics is shooting 22 of 70 on the season from way downtown. Including 0-8 Friday night against the Orlando Magic.  What, him worry?

“I ain’t worried about it, honestly,’’ said Wallace, after he missed all eight 3-point attempts. “I probably rushed about two or three of them. Other than that, it’s good looks, they’re just not going for me. I’m not worried about my offense now. It’s still early in the season, I know I won’t be shooting like this for the duration of the season.

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