For a shaggy-haired Canadian, Steve Nash seems like a pretty fun guy, whether he’s tandem biking, shooting movie trailers with Shaq or helping out Letterman, he always seems to be having a good time. The other night on the team bus, Leandro Barbosa, with Steve Nash on the camera gets the whole Phoenix Suns team to band together to sing Lionel Ritchie’s classic, “All Night Long,” how fraternal!

The Suns + Almost Famous + Lionel Richie, Music Video.

This is another digital short from the mind of Steve Nash. The best part about this for me is that this has to be strange to Grant Hill, and I bet this is strangely normal for the Louis Amundson.

They Sing Lionel Richie’s  All Night Long

PHOENIX SUNS – CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

Cleveland è in ottima forma e una vittoria in casa dei Suns ci sta tutta.

Pronostico: 2

Quota: 2,00

Risultato: 91-109

In continuing with my Top 5 lists, next up is the top 5 stories that were the most influential in the sports world this year.

Some of these have personal reasons, other are somewhat no-brainers, all of them though shaped the way people thought about sports in the world for 2009.

#5 – Shaquille O’Neal to the Cavaliers.

After another disappointing end to the Cleveland Cavaliers NBA playoff run, the team looked for a way to improve. With the strong possibility that superstar Lebron James might leave when he becomes a free agent at the end of the season, the front office wanted to show James that they were making an effort to win a NBA Title.

The answer, Shaquille O’Neal. Acquired in a deal with the Phoenix Suns, the Cavaliers were hoping to rekindle some of the magic that Shaq had. The Cavaliers were hoping that the four NBA titles that O’Neal won with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat would come true for the Cavaliers. They were hoping that the way O’Neal partnered with Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade would work the same way with Cleveland.

While it is still too early to tell O’Neal’s impact, the Cavaliers are 20-8 this season, leading the Central Division and 4th in the Eastern Conference.

#4 – The New York Yankees are World Series Champions once again

It had been quite some time sense the New York Yankees had been the best baseball team in the world. The last time the Yankees won the World Series was against the New York Mets in 2000. In that time, they had lost two World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001 and the Florida Marlins in 2004.

Up until this year, the Yankees were trying to rebuild their farm system, and in the process lower payroll. They also made several mistakes, putting millions of dollars in players such as Gary Sheffield and Carl Pavano. At the end of the 2007 season, they let long-time manager Joe Torre go, and replaced him with former Yankees’ catcher Joe Girardi.

After several years of playing mediocre baseball and missing the playoffs, it was back to the old way of doing things in New York. They spent millions of dollars on C.C. Sabathia, Mark Teixiera, and A.J. Burnett. Once Alex Rodriguez returned from hip surgery, the Yankees were well on their way.

Led by their big named players, the Yankees beat the defending champion Philadelphia Phillies to win the World Series. Ironically, the Yankees won the World Series in the inaugural year of the new Yankee Stadium.

#3 – Jeremy Mayfield’s banishment from NASCAR

It is rare that NASCAR would get talked about on top 5 stories list, but it has nothing to do with racing. Jeremy Mayfield was indefinitely suspended by NASCAR for failing a drug test, believed to be for methamphetamines. Mayfield, initially suspended on May 9 chose to be somewhat difficult over the suspension, decided to go the legal route to have his suspension overturned, rather than the general follow NASCAR’s guidelines.

NASCAR’s drug-testing policy quickly came under fire. The current system says that drivers or crew members are randomly tested throughout the season, and drivers are subject to additional testing if there is reasonable suspicion to test. A driver or crew member is suspended indefinitely from the sport for a positive test, and must follow strict guidelines to apply for reinstatement.

Mayfield filed a lawsuit against NASCAR, saying that he did not use methamphetamines and get his suspension overturned. A judge did overturn NASCAR’s suspension, allowing Mayfield to return to the track on July 1st.

However, not longer than two weeks later, Mayfield again tested positive for methamphetamines, with the judge reversing the intial order, placing Mayfield back on suspension. Mayfield continues to fight this in court, suing NASCAR, rather than following the rehabilitation guidelines.

Mayfield, who has been forced to sell most of his racing equipment to cover legal costs, has continued to deny the positive test, maintaining that it was the mix of Claritin and Adderall that sparked the positive. Mayfield has no intention of following NASCAR’s guidelines, and for all purposes, said that his career is over.

#2 – Concussions

Concussions have always been a major part of the game of football, but in 2009, it seemed that every week we were talking about some player suffering a concussion. Whether it is Ben Roethlisberger, Tim Tebow, or Brian Westbrook, concussions have been moved to the top of the list of things that must be fixed.

While it is seemingly a part of the game, the NFL has been trying to figure out ways to eliminate the frequency of concussions by creating rules and developing safety equipment to help lessen the effects. There might not be a way to eliminate them completely, the NFL and College Football are partnering with independent studies to try and figure out how to fix this problem.

#1 – Tiger Woods

Whether it is coming back from major knee surgery or everything that has happened in the last month, Tiger Woods was the #1 story in my book for the past year. Woods did not win a major tournament this year, but he won several tournaments in his return from his heroics at the 2008 U.S. Open. After every shot, Woods was in a lot of pain.

However, what puts Tiger at number one is the developments that all came to light in the last month. After his early morning accident the day after Thanksgiving, the media frenzy that has surrounded Woods was just beginning. Allegations of numerous extra-marital affairs were revealed, as one after another, women said they were one of Woods’ mistresses.

During this time, Woods has not been seen publicly, and is taking an indefinite leave from golf to save his family and marriage. His wife, Elin Nordegren, has said that she plans to move forward with a divorce. For the world’s number one golfer, the once poster-boy for every product on the market, is now spending his time fixing the image he has now tainted.

As the noughties (officially the worst decade name EVER) draw to a close, it’s the perfect time to consider the most magical, unforgettable, outstanding moments of the last 10 years.

It’s a given there will be a rash of these lists in newspapers and online and there’ll no doubt be a a vague consensus as to which moments are the most memorable. You can expect Kelly Holmes’ golden Olympic double, Lennox Lewis’ knockout of a faded Mike Tyson and Liverpool’s Champions League final comeback to feature prominently. None of these moments make my list, and here’s why.

When I thought about the most personally compelling sporting moments of the last decade, I was drawn to memories of utterly unbridled joy, sadness or exhilaration. With the three examples above, I didn’t see Kelly Holmes’ wins live, I don’t care whether Liverpool win or lose and Lewis’ win against Iron Mike was completely one-sided and nowhere near as memorable as his battles with Evander Holyfield. None of these achievements made me scream, shout, punch the air or even exhale with the release of tension.

The moments I’ve chosen are strictly personal. I either witnessed them live in person or was 100% emotionally invested in them when I watched them live on TV. All 10 took my breath away. So, without further ado, here’s the Sports Bloke’s Top 10 sporting moments of the decade.

Cricket: England vs Australia, 2nd Test, Edgbaston, July 2005
It should have been easy. It turned into the most tense, desperate and ultimately joyous conclusion to a test match. England needed two wickets to draw level in the Ashes. Australia needed an unlikely 107 runs for a series-killing 2-0 lead. On the way to the ground we all felt we’d only see half an hour of play. But Shane Warne and fellow tail-ender Brett Lee had other ideas, carving the English bowling to all parts in a desperate effort to reach their unlikely target. When Flintoff forced Warne to tread on his stumps, the target was down to 62. The partisan Edgbaston crowd breathed an epic sigh of relief. Just one wicket to go. But it didn’t come. the confidence of Lee and last man Michael Kasprowicz grew. The target continued to wittle away. Tension enveloped the ground and was made worse by the group of 50 or so Aussie “Fanatics” chanting “(insert number here) runs to go, (insert number here) runs to go” each time a run was scored.

England were going to blow their chance. I had predicted an English Ashes win about six months before the series and started to receive texts from friends blaming me for getting their hopes up. In the ground, people sat with transfixed looks of horror etched on their faces. The target was down to four. Steve Harmison searched for a yorker but produced a full toss. Lee carved it towards the boundary. It should have been the winning runs. But it went straight to the only English fielder in the area for a single. Then came the moment. Kasprowicz gloved a Steve Harmison bouncer. Wicketkeeper Geraint Jones claimed the catch. And oh-so-crucially, umpire Billy Bowden raised his finger. Pandemonium does not describe the crowd reaction accurately enough. Roll unbridled joy, unparalleled relief and emotional exhaustion into one and you might be close. England won by 2 runs and would go on to win the Ashes for the first time in 19 years. Simply the most amazing sporting moment I have ever witnessed in person.

Usain Bolt Olympic 100 metre final, Beijing 2008
If I was totally objective and not obsessed with cricket, Usain Bolt’s devastating performance in the 2008 Beijing Olympics 100 metres final would have been a clear No 1 on this list. Bolt’s effort was, in equal measure, breathtaking, awe-inspiring, supremely arrogant and uniquely entertaining as he effortlessly powered his way to a previously unfathomable world record time of 9.69 seconds. Knowing he had left the rest of the field in his wake, Bolt extended his arms and eased up with around 30 metres to go as if to say “look how easily I can do this”. He emphasized his dominance of the event one year later at the World Championships lowering the world record to 9.58 seconds, a time that had only seemed possible on 1980s video game Track and Field. I was at a wedding on the day of the Olympic 100 metre final and, at the reception, deliberately spilt food over myself to create an excuse to go to my room to get a change of tie whereupon I watched Bolt’s record-shattering race live. There was no way I was going to miss it.

NFL: NY Giants win the Super Bowl
On their way to a perfect 19-0 season, the New England Patriots didn’t even consider the possibility of losing Super Bowl XLII to the New York Giants. They’d even printed up 19-0 t-shirts to wear after they’d cruised to victory. But Belicheck, Brady, Moss and Co reckoned without the grit of Big Blue. People will always talk about David Tyree’s amazing one-handed catch or Eli Manning’s Houdini act that help him evade the Pats defence and make the pass to Tyree. For me, Manning’s winning touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress is the memory that I treaure most. Riveted on a sofa at 3am in London, I saw the pass in slow motion, floating into the end zone with Burress closing in on it and found time to wake up my neighbours by shrieking “CATCH IT, PLAXICO” at the top of my lungs. Plax obliged, the Giants led and there was nothing the Pats could do.

Football: Germany 1 England 5
The result that fooled a nation into thinking Sven Goran-Eriksson was a genius and prompted the classic News of the World headline “Don’t Mention The Score”. An historically emphatic win over Germany shouldn’t have eradicated the pain of losing to them on penalties in Italia 90 and Euro 1996. After all, this was a qualifier and those were semi-finals. The smug Matthaus and Moller were long gone and Germany were a much weaker team then when they dominated international tournament football in the 1990s. But, but, but…… WE BEAT GERMANY FIVE ONE AWAY!!!! Michael Owen’s hat trick, Steven Gerrard’s late first half thunderbolt, Emile Heskey’s golf putt celebration, Sven laughing when the fifth goal went in. Up to this point, I don’t think I’d ever witnessed a sporting event that made me this deliriously happy. In the long run, normal service was resumed. Months later, England were dumped out of the World Cup at the quarter final stage while the German team they thrashed went to the final proving my Dad’s only football mantra: never bet against the Germans.

Boxing: Marco Antonio Barrera vs Erik Morales I
I came very close to including the first Arturo Gatti vs Mickey Ward fight over this but, in terms of excitement, I think Barrera vs Morales I just edges it for me. I had this fight on a video with a Barcelona vs Deportivo la Coruna in La Liga. Depor came from two nil down to win in the Nou Camp in what was one of the best football matches I’ve seen. It was only fitting that Barrera vs Morales I found a home alongside it. The February 2000 showdown was so ferocious it signalled a shift in the focus on boxing from the heavyweights to the little men. I had seen Morales dismantle an opponent in two rounds on the undercard of a Lennox Lewis pay per view in 1999. I knew nothing about Barrera. So what I witnessed in that first fight had elements of surprise and discovery about it.

Fighting for Morales’ WBC Super Bantamweight title, both Mexcian warriors displayed masses of heart and machismo in addition to iron chins concussive punching power. Pride meant neither men would yield the advantage for more than a few seconds. Throughout the fight, they stood toe to toe exchanging haymakers. There was no let-up in the intensity at any point in the 12-round battle. Both men emerged cut and battered after the final bell. Barrera probably edged it on points. Morales won on a split decision. It was voted Ring magazine’s fight of the year. In my mind, it was the fight of the decade.

PDC World Darts Final 2003: John Part vs Phil Taylor
Darts may be criticised for not being a real sport but I would defy anybody holding that opinion to not be utterly enthralled by John Part’s defeat of Phil Taylor in the 2003 PDC final. Darts purists may point to Raymond van Barneveld beating Taylor a few years later as a better match. For me, Part’s win ranks higher because at the time of his victory, Taylor looked utterly invincible. Relying on 100-120-range three dart checkouts, Part built a 4-1 lead before Taylor won 11 straight legs and roared back into 5-4 lead. The Power seemed certain to bully his way to yet another world title but Part sank pressure doubles to retake the lead six sets to five. Taylor broke back to send the final to a deciding set and again looked favourite to win. But Darth Maple again wound up the pressure on Taylor who, for the first time in nearly 10 years, had no response. Part stayed calm, sank his doubles and slayed the giant of darts to win his second world title.

England vs Australia, Rugby World Cup Final 2003
I’m not going to pretend I’m a huge rugby enthusiast. I watch the England internationals and, like most of the country, fell in love with Martin Johnson, Jonny Wilkinson and Jason Robinson for six weeks at the end of 2003. If you take cycling and rowing out of the equation, English victories in world cups are extremely rare and should be celebrated accordingly. The 2003 rugby world cup final remains memorable as it was the only time in my life I got drunk three times in 24 hours. The night before the game I nervously hit the sauce with my mate Herman. It was only supposed to be a couple of gentle beers but got out of hand.

The next morning we headed to the then Australian enclave of Shepherd’s Bush for 7am and got on the beers in a pub full of Aussies. Watching this game was one of the last times I truly enjoyed watching sport in the boozer. England dominated the game from the scrum but were stymied by some dodgy refereeing. With the game in the dying seconds of extra time and the game poised to be decided on a drop goal shootout, Jonny Wilkinson stepped up and won the game with that drop goal. I remember almost crying and repeating the phrase “we never win anything” over and over again. We then went to Clapham to meet some mates where I ate a fry-up (it was nearly midday by now) and fell asleep in a pub. When I woke up, we drank in celebration of a rare England world cup victory.

Steve Redgrave’s fifth gold medal, Sydney Olympics
This historic moment happened at around midnight UK time. I had the TV on mute and Alan Green’s commentary on Radio Five. I don’t remember much about the race other than Redgrave, Pinsent, Cracknell and the bloke who looked a bit like Emmanuel Petit starting quickly and hanging on for grim death at the end. What lingers in my mind is Green’s manic Irish intonations, urging a nation of listeners to “get up on your feet and salute the greatest Olympian of all time”. I have goose bumps from typing those words. One of the rare times when a commentator dealt with the moment in the most perfect way.

South Africa beat Australia by one wicket, ODI, March 2006
Sometimes, like with Usain Bolt, you watch sport because you know something great is going to happen. Other times, you stumble on great sporting moments by mistake. I’m still not entirely sure why Sky were televising this game but I’m really glad they did. If the 2005 Ashes was the pinnacle of test cricket, this match was definitely the greatest one day international ever played. Ricky Ponting smashed 164 of 105 balls as Australia set a record one day score of 434 of their 50 overs. Surely there was no way back for South Africa.

Undaunted by the mammoth target, Herschelle Gibbs and Graeme Smith set about the Australian bowling. Smith was eventually dismissed ten runs shrt of his hundred but it was Gibbs who ultimately made the impossible possible. He battered 175 runs in just 111 balls and, by the time he was out, had made South Africa favourites for the win. In typical fashion, the Aussies fought back. When Nathan Bracken dismissed Justin Kemp, South Africa needed 77 of the last seven overs. The teams traded wickets and boundaries until, with one wicket left, Mark Boucher struck the winning boundary off the game’s penultimate delivery. 872 runs had been scored off 99.5 overs. That wasn’t the only record set in this match. Aussie bowler Mick Lewis’ 10 over cost him 113 runs, the worst ever figures in a 50-over game.

New York Knicks vs Phoenix Suns, January 2006
This one was very personal to me. It was the best basketball game I’ve ever seen in person pitting my team (New York) against my favourite player (Steve Nash) in my favourite sporting arena (Madison Square Garden). The Suns were (and might still be) the most entertaining team in the NBA at this time. New York were (and still are) mediocre at best. On this night, Stephon Marbury and Co came to compete. Nash turned in a 22-assist performance featuring a handful of alley-oop passes to Shawn Marion. For the Knicks, David Lee had a coming out party, scoring 23 points and hauling down 15 rebounds. Eddy Curry had a 20-10 game too.

The Knicks blew a fourth quarter lead and the game went into overtime. In the end, the Suns wilted in the third extra period and the Knicks, led to Marbury’s 32 points, eventually prevailed 140-133. What stays with me about this game is the way that the play of boths teams bought the MSG crowd to life. By the third overtime, people all over the arena were utterly sucked in to what, in the grand scheme of things, was just another regular season game. My favourite player battling my favourite team in a triple overtime classic at the world’s most famous arena with a sold-out crowd going out of their minds. This was the day I properly gave my heart to basketball.

St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center to Accept Donated Medical Flight at 12/21 Phoenix Suns Game

PHOENIX, Ariz.—Dec. 17, 2009—This holiday season, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center will receive a gift that may save a child’s life. Angel MedFlight Worldwide Air Ambulance will donate a medical flight to St. Joseph’s for a critically ill or injured pediatric patient whose family cannot afford to transport their child to the renowned Phoenix hospital. Patients frequently come from across the country for specialized care at St. Joseph’s.

Medically Equipped Learjet 35

Mary Jane Crist, vice president of philanthropy, and Sister Margaret McBride, vice president of mission integration, will officially accept the complimentary medical flight from Angel MedFlight President and CEO Jeremy Freer during a halftime presentation at the December 21 Phoenix Suns basketball game. Spectators at the US Airways Arena will also have an opportunity to view a two-minute film featuring Angel MedFlight’s air ambulance service. Following the video, the Angel MedFlight critical care flight nurses and paramedics will take center court with Crist, McBride and Freer.

“We are honored to partner with St. Joseph’s Hospital to provide a medical flight for a child in need of treatment,” said Freer. “All of us at Angel MedFlight are passionate about helping patients and we are committed to providing the highest standard of care and service.  We have safely transported patients of every age: from a one-week-old infant to a ninety-seven-year-old senior citizen.”

Air ambulance jets are medically dedicated airplanes, completely outfitted for the safe transportation of critical care patients. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Angel MedFlight Worldwide Air Ambulance has coordinated flights from across the country and around the world. To date, the company has transported patients from five continents.

About St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center

Located in the heart of Phoenix, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center is a -697-bed not-for-profit hospital that provides a wide range of health, social and support services with special advocacy for the poor. Founded in 1895 by the Sisters of Mercy, it was the first hospital in the Phoenix area. St. Joseph’s is recognized for its quality patient care, medical education and research. The hospital includes St. Joseph’s Children’s Health Pediatrics, a 191-bed pediatric facility.

St. Joseph’s pediatrics is an industry leader in pediatric care and has made caring for the needs of children a priority for more than a century. From minor injuries to major surgeries, the hospital’s pediatric services offers a full range of services, including trauma care, and newborn and pediatric intensive care.

About Angel MedFlight Worldwide Air Ambulance Services

Angel MedFlight, founded in 2006 and based in Scottsdale, Ariz., coordinates domestic and international air medical transportation services, commercial medical escorts, ground ambulance services and provides discretionary insurance benefit assistance. Angel MedFlight’s One Touch Promise™ assures that every detail is handled and all resources are committed to guide the process from start to finish with a compassionate team of experts in the fields of medicine, aviation, insurance law and case management. www.angelmedflight.com

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The Suns visit the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday still seeking their first road win in December.

Phoenix Suns vs Portland Trail Blazers NBA Basketball Picks

This is a NBA Regular Season game 2009 on 12/17 at Rose Garden, Portland between Phoenix Suns vs Portland Trail Blazers. If you want watch this NBA game

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The Phoenix Suns are the only remaining undefeated home team in the NBA. The Suns have won all nine of their home games so far this season. The Suns have played far more games on the road this season (16) than in the desert and have still managed to maintain 4th place in the Western Conference.

Led by two time MVP winner Steve Nash, who is having a career year at the young age of 35, the Suns have improved greatly from last years disappointing finish. The 2008-09 season involved the firing of newly fired head coach Terry Porter in February, who was replaced by assistant Alvin Gentry. Amare Stoudemire under went eye surgery which caused him to miss most of the latter part of the season. The team concluded the season with a disappointing 9th place finish in the West kept the Suns out of the playoffs for the first time since 2004. The departure of Shaquille O’Neal during the off season also signaled the end of the “7 seconds or Shaq” era, an idea that only seemed to make sense to General Manager Steve Kerr, and a return to the running and gunning Phoenix Suns high powered offense.

Steve Nash is putting up career numbers that are even better than the ones he had when he won the Most Valuable Player award in 2005 and 2006. He is averaging 18 points, 11 assists and 2 rebounds per game. As always, he is making his teammates around him better as well. Channing Frye, Goran Dragic and Jared Dudley have come alive for the Suns due to Nash’s amazing play making ability and the openness of the Suns fast breaking offense. The returning starters, Amare Stoudemire, Grant Hill and Jason Richardson have all been playing key roles on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball so far this season, and so have Louis Amundson and Leandro Barbosa’s strong contributions off of the pine.

The Suns visit the Portland Trailblazers and then return home for a four game  home stand, capping it off with a Christmas Day game against the struggling Los Angeles Clippers. The Suns have the potential to keep their solid spot in the competitive Western Conference playoffs if they continue their winning ways as of late on both the visitors court and their home court.

A new #1 in the rankings. The Lakers win streak is over, so which of the NBA elite took their place? Let’s go to the rankings:

1. Boston Celtics (19-4) (previous ranking: 2)- 10 straight wins, playing great ball. With the Lakers’ loss to Utah, they take back the top spot for the first time in weeks.

2. Los Angeles Lakers (18-4) (previous ranking: 1)- One loss makes a difference. The loss in Utah, plus the Celtics 10 straight wins drops them to #2. They won’t be there for long.

3. Orlando Magic (17-6) (previous ranking: 3)- Not much room for Orlando to go with the Celtics and Lakers at the top spot. They remain at #3 for a second straight week.

4. Atlanta Hawks (17-6) (previous ranking: 7)- Excellent week from the Hawks, four straight wins moved them into a tie with the Magic for first in the Southeast Division

5. Cleveland Cavaliers (17-7) (previous ranking: 4)- Great week for the Cavs, but they were victims of the streaking Atlanta Hawks.

6. Denver Nuggets (17-7) (previous ranking: 5)- The Nuggets, like Cleveland. They had a good week, and still lead the Northwest, but they were victims of the streaking Hawks.

7. Dallas Mavericks (17-7) (previous ranking: 8]- Dirk is showing why he’s one of the best in the game. The Mavericks know how to win the close ones, reason why they lead the Southwest right now.

8. Phoenix Suns (16-8) (previous ranking: 6)- The Suns are slumping. Is it weird that the Suns started slumping after losing to D’Antoni, and the Knicks are rising after beating the Suns.

9. Utah Jazz (14-9) (previous ranking: 10)- Snapping the Lakers win streak is a very important thing, and the Jazz deserve a spot in the top 10.

10. San Antonio Spurs (12-9) (previous ranking: 13)- Just a matter of time before the Spurs were among the tops in the NBA. Everything looks like it’s coming together. Matt Bonner has been playing very well as of late.

11. Houston Rockets (13-10) (previous ranking: 11)- The Rockets are playing good ball without Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming. We already know Yao’s out, but is McGrady ever going to come back to the team, and if he doesn’t, what team would take that massive salary?

12. Portland Trail Blazers (14-11) (previous ranking: 9)- The Blazers are not the same team without Greg Oden. The psyche of this team is off, and they are not the contenders they were at the start of this season.

13. Oklahoma City Thunder (12-10) (previous ranking: 14)- After three weeks at #14, the Thunder are finally moving up. It’s a matter of time to see if they will move up further or back down.

14. Milwaukee Bucks (11-11) (previous ranking: 16)- The Bucks were in a slump, but seems as if things are slowly turning around for them. It’s a matter of time if this is true.

15. Miami Heat (11-11) (previous ranking: 12)- The Heat are really showing that there is no real supporting cast behind Dwyane Wade. Michael Beasley has not been consistent as he should be.

16. Detroit Pistons (11-12) (previous ranking: 22)- The Pistons are playing improved basketball. Rip Hamilton is back, and Tayshaun Prince and Ben Gordon are on the mend. Perhaps all hope is not lost in Detroit

17. New Orleans Hornets (10-12) (previous ranking: 18)- 2-1 week puts New Orleans up a spot. Chris Paul is back to his old form, but can they get back to among the Western Conference elite?

18. Sacramento Kings (10-12) (previous ranking: 15)- The Kings are still two games off .500. They are going to be special when Kevin Martin returns.

19. Toronto Raptors (11-15) (previous ranking: 20)- Are the Raptors ever going to live up to their potential? Newsflash to Bryan Colangelo: fire Jay Triano.

20. Memphis Grizzlies (10-13) (previous ranking: 21)- How about the Grizzlies? They have beaten the Mavericks, Cavaliers, and Heat all this month. Iverson leaving was the best thing for this team.

21. Charlotte Bobcats (9-13) (previous ranking: 19)- The Bobcats should not be ashamed in their Texas road trip. They came back from double-digits against the Spurs before running out of gas, and then they lost a heartbreaker in Dallas to the Mavericks. They will get the road woes together eventually.

22. Los Angeles Clippers (9-13) (previous ranking: 17)- The Clippers have weathered the storm of not having Blake Griffin. It will be interesting to see how good they will be when they return.

23. Indiana Pacers (8-13) (previous ranking: 25)- No Danny Granger, the Pacers are in a world of trouble. Considering this team is not as great with him there, he does make them better.

24. Chicago Bulls (8-14) (previous ranking: 23) Vinny Del Negro came out and said that he is the right coach for the Chicago Bulls. If that is the case, why are the talented Bulls underachieving so much?

25. New York Knicks (8-15) (previous ranking: 27)- The Knicks have been playing some of their best ball in a long time… Still wonder how Jonathan Bender will fare after being away for three years.

26. Washington Wizards (7-14) (previous ranking: 24)- The Big Three in Washington is not working out. Must be time to blow this team up.

27. Golden State Warriors (7-16) (previous ranking: 26)- No true leader on this team since Stephen Jackson left. Curry’s a rookie and Ellis is nowhere near ready. Still a team that’s in disarray.

28. Philadelphia 76ers (5-18) (previous ranking: 28)- If the Nets or Wolves could string together some wins, the Sixers might be in the cellar. A.I. has not made much of a difference

29. Minnesota Timberwovles (3-21) (previous ranking: 29)- In reality they should be #30, but they did beat New Jersey on opening night. Have to keep them at #29.

30. New Jersey Nets (2-22) (previous ranking: 30)- Team’s getting it together. Still has a long way to go.

If you don’t hit the blog right after writer’s group, the motivation evaporates.

Plus you remember that you have other deadlines.

Meanwhile, I learned that really good mariachi music is much less annoying than mediocre mariachi music. There was a time when I did not think this to be possible.

I can’t go into details here, but in customer service, you are only as smart as the client. Take a deep breath and get used to that.

My father in-law learned that when you can’t keep air in your lungs – its time to go to the hospital – dammit! (Pneumonia – he’ll be fine.)

I’ve lost my notes from the Thursday night group, but I have a ot of writing related links:

For non-fiction: A journalist’s guide to SEO

For fiction, three takes on markets for short fiction:

A summation of the “markey by Nihilistic Kid {writer/editor Nick Mamatis}

Submission strategies from writer/editor Cat Rambo

And the “Last Word” on pay rates from author John Scalzi

A quarter gone by in the NBA and slowly things are walking to where we expected before the season began. The powerhouses are in control, except for Oden we did not have season ending injuries for the teams that matter, and the sleepers are those that we waited for although we did have some disappointments so far.

The Celtics have the best record of the league and are dominating opponents defensively. Kevin Garnett is back and Rasheed Wallace, although fat, has been fairly consistent shooting behind the 3 point line, at least on big games. The Lakers are a ½ game behind and after the return of Pau Gasol they have been the most dominant offense of the NBA (watch out for Kobe’s injury, he won’t undergo surgery no matter what but it can’t affect the way he plays for now on). Orlando is already without Jameer Nelson which allowed them to use the depth acquired on the offseason and maintained them on the top. The only problems on Disneyland have been outside the court. Both Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis had altercations with Coach Stan Van Gundy which is clearly the beginning of something bigger.

One of the biggest surprises so far is the way the Atlanta Hawks have behaved on big games. It’s clear that they have a good starting five in Georgia and that the additions of Jamal Crawford and Joe Smith would boost their second unit but the birds have played elite basketball so far and show that can at least compete with the powerhouses this year. Maybe another surprise for a few people is the run and gun Suns who are back. Steve Nash may be on his way for a 3^rd MVP and the up tempo offense is back to where they used to be two years ago but it’s clear that the results on the playoffs will be the same from two years ago as they can’t guard teams with an inside presence.

The upcoming team of the season is clearly the Oklahoma City Thunder. We all knew they were coming but now that they are actually translating talent into wins, we start to see them as a threat to possible playoff upsets.

The most disappoint teams: the Spurs, the Wizards and the Clippers. We all expected the injuries to be a huge factor for San Antonio but not this early on the season. Parker, Ginobili and Duncan all missed a significant amount of time already and Jefferson hasn’t adjusted to the offense yet. Washington is another team that also has been dealing with injuries however they spent enough money to assure a better record than 7-14. The case is the same with the Clippers. Griffin hasn’t played yet and Eric Gordon has been banged up lately but when everybody was available they didn’t play good basketball anyway. The Clippers were supposed to be the comeback team of the year but the 9-12 record doesn’t fulfill the expectations around them.

On the bottom teams that are treating the season as a throwaway targeting the 2010 free agent summer, like the Knicks and the Nets, and teams that are on rebuilding processes, like the Timberwolves and the Grizzlies.

A team who deserves a whole paragraph about is the Sacramento Kings. They are, hands down, the surprise of the season so far. Expected to have the worst record of the league, maybe 10 wins total, the Kings are now 10-12, doing it without Kevin Martin. Although the schedule Sacramento has had is the easiest of the league on the first quarter of the season, behind Tyreke Evans, who is on the hunt for Rookie of the Year, Sacramento has been able to stand up against the bad teams, something they couldn’t do last season.

Despite the economy the early NBA attendance is down only 2% and that says a lot about the league so far. A down market like Milwaukee found in Jennings, somebody to carry the franchise over and sell tickets. The Sixers went back to basics and signed old franchise buddy Allen Iverson to boost attendance. A quarter gone by in the NBA and slowly things are walking to where we expected before the season began.

The Suns and the Magic were battling it out back and forth last night but in the end the Suns were a little too hot for the Magic. Amare Stoudemire got an offensive rebound with 6.9 seconds left and dunked the ball to seal the deal. He scored 28 in the game.

~Signing Off~
AGE

106-103…Suns over the Magic…Phoenix is a perfect 8-0 at home…only team in the NBA that is unbeaten in their own building…and what did it come down to?  An Amar’e Stoudemire offense rebound and put-back dunk with 6 seconds to go.  Suns had to have this game…had to prove that their recent slump was just a blip…what better way to prove that then beating one of the league’s best road teams…sure Orlando was on the second game of a road back to back, but excuse me if I don’t shed a tear for them since the Suns have been victimized by the schedule makers so far this year with multiple back to backs on the road…the Suns did a great job of shutting down D-Howard and Nash went off with a sultry stat line of 20-18-7…not too shabby…the one worrisome aspect of this game is that it shouldn’t have been this close…Suns gave back leads of 19 and 14 due to team wide shooting slumps…but in the end the game was won and Phoenix improves to 16-7…now play that victory music!

Let’s go ahead and put it out there. I’m a true Orangeblood, all the way. But I’m also a realist. With that being said, I’m extremely happy for Colt McCoy to get another chance to win the Heisman Trophy, but after his performance Saturday during the Big 12 championship game, I really don’t see him winning.

Here’s how I would list the five finalists if I were to vote:

5. Tim Tebow, QB, Florida
4. Colt McCoy, QB, Texas
3. Toby Gerhart, RB, Stanford
2. Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska

and the winner is . . .

Alabama running back Mark Ingram.

Elsewhere . . .

• Cheap shot? Yes. Deserving of fine or suspension? Definitely. The only thing I can’t figure out is why the NFL has taken so long to make a ruling on Flozell Adams.

• It was nice having Pudge back in a Ranger uniform last season. but now, he’s gone again.

• The Spurs lost. And when they do, I always crack a smile. Story.

• The Dallas Mavericks are home tonight to take on the Phoenix Suns. Dallas (14-7) has lost two in a row, while the Suns (15-6) have dropped three of their last four.

• Over on the west coast, the Dallas Stars (13-8-8) will be looking to beat an Anaheim team that has lost five straight games.

• In college hoops, the #2 Texas Longhorns remain unbeaten with a 33-point rout of Long Beach State. Story.

• Seagoville’s Donald Sloan led No. 16 Texas A&M to another win, increasing the Aggies’ record to 8-1. Recap.

• Yes, another story about the Dallas Cowboys’ woes in the month of December. I guess Wade Phillips is not too concerned.

New week of the NBA Rankings, and the top four teams of a year ago are back at the top of the NBA. There is a new number one, and it was a matter of time before the new #1 team got to this position. Although the Nets got their first win, there was thought to putting the Bobcats there just for kicks, but decided against it. With that said, here are the new NBA rankings.

1. Los Angeles Lakers (16-3) (previous ranking: 2) Nine straight wins. Gasol and Bynum are playing well, and of course the shot by Kobe Bryant Friday night to sink the Miami Heat. Not quite at 20-1 like Reggie Miller stated, but 18-3 is pretty good prospect.

2. Boston Celtics (16-4) (previous ranking: 4) The Celtics are right behind the Lakers, winning seven in a row. Rajon Rondo is playing very well and worth the contract, but would he really be playing this well with the talent surrounding him? Either way, Boston’s in good shape right now and are going to be dangerous as long as they’re healthy.

3. Orlando Magic (16-4) (previous ranking: 3) The Magic have won five in a row and are playing some great basketball. Boston has been slightly hotter than them, resulting in them leapfrogging the Magic into the #2 spot. The good thing about this is that Dwight Howard does not have to be the work horse like last year, since this team is so deep.

4. Cleveland Cavaliers (15-5) (previous ranking: 5) The Cavaliers are really learning to play with Shaq. Four straight wins for Cleveland has them right where they should be: among the NBA elite. No need to push the panic button after the 0-2 start, as the Cavs have won 15 of 17 since then.

5. Denver Nuggets (15-5) (previous ranking:7) The Nuggets got their focus back after the Timberwolves loss by going 3-0 in the past week. Good job for this team to get back on track after that embarrassment. Chauncey Billups, however, needs to be more assertive with the ball. The good week has them back in the top five where they should be.

6. Phoenix Suns (15-6) (previous ranking: 1) What happened to the Suns? They were at the top spot a week ago, but a 1-3 week has them tumbling out the top five. Let’s see how they respond after having as many losses this week as they had all season.

7. Atlanta Hawks (14-6) (previous ranking: 8] Atlanta got some of its mojo back after a 2-1 week. They still need to really prove themselves and show that they are serious about contending for a championship. Losing to the Knicks at home is plain unacceptable.

8. Dallas Mavericks (14-7) (previous ranking: 6) The Mavericks went 2-2 in the week. A bad loss to Memphis though was the worst of the week for them. This is another team that needs to be serious about contending for a ring. They have the slumping Suns on Tuesday, so they should take advantage. Luckily the Southwest Division right now is extra mediocre.

9. Portland Trail Blazers (13-8) (previous ranking: 9) The Portland Trail Blazers are one of the biggest disappointments this season. Brandon Roy is being a diva, Andre Miller is not working out as the panned out, and Greg Oden is out for the season with a terrible knee injury. The team many thought would contend with the Lakers are not living up to par.

10. Utah Jazz (11-8) (previous ranking: 11) The Utah Jazz struggled at the start of the season, but they are riding the play of Carlos Boozer. Again, he could be playing hard since it’s a contract year, but he’s also playing for the team, and the wins are coming along with it.

11. Houston Rockets (11-9) (previous ranking: 13) 2-1 week for the Rockets. Trevor Ariza has done a good job being the defensive stopper. The team is shopping Tracy McGrady, since it’s apparent that they don’t want him back and are delaying his return to the team, but nobody will want to take that hefty salary for the season.

12. Miami Heat (11-9) (previous ranking: 12) The Heat went all out with five games, going 2-2, but they blew the Lakers game and the game-winning three pointer from Kobe Bryant on Friday night. They bounced back with a good win at Sacramento on Sunday. Since the Rockets had a better week, they jump over Miami

13. San Antonio Spurs (9-8) (previous ranking: 10) Short week and no wins for San Antonio has them back in the middle of the pack. Still not losing faith in them, and still waiting to see how good this team can be. Richard Jefferson still has not adjusted to the offense, and it is showing.

14. Oklahoma City Thunder (10-9) (previous ranking: 14) For the third straight week, the Thunder reside at the #14 spot. Is this team going to peak at 14, or can they string together some wins to make themselves even more of a problem in the West.

15. Sacramento Kings (9-10) (previous ranking: 16) Despite the 9-10 record, and a 1-2 week, the rest of the NBA has not been that great either, and it’s still a good story to see the Kings doing average ball after a few years of horrible basketball.

16. Milwaukee Bucks (9-10) (previous ranking: 15) The Bucks have not played well lately. One win in the last seven games, and Brandon Jennings’ average has dipped in the last few weeks, and Michael Redd has not had much impact as the surgically repaired knee is still giving him trouble.

17. Los Angeles Clippers (9-11) (previous ranking: 17) If someone said the Clippers would be near .500 before Blake Griffin came back from injury, there would be a lot of naysayers. Since he is the best player from his class, it’s going to be expected of him to do big things. He should be back in a couple more weeks.

18. New Orleans Hornets (8-11) (previous ranking: 21) The Hornets weathered the storm of Byron Scott’s firing and Chris Paul’s injury and are appearing like things will be okay in the Big Easy. Seems like Bower’s getting through to this team when it appeared they were heading in the wrong direction.

19. Charlotte Bobcats (8-11) (previous ranking: 18) The Bobcats really deserve to be in the #30 spot after their loss to the New Jersey Nets, but they did bounce back the next night to beat the Philadelphia 76ers, and salvaged the week and won’t drop too much in the rankings. One win can save a team from a major fall from a not so bad one.

20. Toronto Raptors (9-13) (previous ranking: 22) The Raps are still mired in mediocrity, and it’s such a far cry from a team that looks like they could actually contend with the Boston Celtics on paper. Is it time to really talk about Jay Triano on the hot seat?

21. Memphis Grizzlies (8-12) (previous ranking: 24) How about the Grizzlies? This is a young team that is playing hard and it is paying major dividends. Marc Gasol has played very well since losing the weight, and he could be a major key in the Grizzlies success in the future. Who needs Allen Iverson? Oh yeah, the Sixers.

22. Detroit Pistons (8-12) (previous ranking: 23) The Pistons had their best week in a few weeks. It has been tough without Rip Hamilton and Tayshawn Prince. They weathered the storm with Ben Gordon’s ankle injury. It will be interesting to see if they will still be mediocre when Hamilton and Prince come back.

23. Chicago Bulls (7-11) (previous ranking: 20) The Bulls are slumping badly. In all honesty, they need to not worry about LeBron dancing all over the place and start winning some games. They were pretty high up to start the season, and now they are among the lower tier teams. Very disappointing so far.

24. Washington Wizards (7-12) (previous ranking: 26) The Wizards are improving slowly. Agent Zero needs to be more assertive like he used to be. Flip Saunders is getting a lot more out of his players, which is good, because this team is too good to be down in the Southeast Division cellar.

25. Indiana Pacers (6-12) (previous ranking: 19) The Pacers are sliding in the standings, and it’s going to get worse since Danny Granger came back to the second half of the Clipper game in a walking boot. MRI will reveal true damage on Tuesday. Jim O’Brien might be in the hot seat soon.

26. Golden State Warriors (6-13) (previous ranking: 25) 1-3 week for the Warriors, and seeing the Houston Rockets game last Thursday, this team turns the ball over too much. One thing taken from that game: does Monta Ellis REALLY want to be there? He has not played well in a long time, and he’s really not looking happy after Stephen Jackson left.

27.New York Knicks (6-15) (previous ranking: 29) How about the New York Knicks? Are they finally getting adjusted to the Run & Gun of Mike D’Antoni? This could be very appealing to a certain player who will wear the #6 in 2010. No names will be mentioned, though.

28. Philadelphia 76ers (5-15) (previous ranking: 27) Iverson is back home in Philadelphia, and it couldn’t be at a better time. The Sixers are bad, the fans aren’t coming. A.I. is a box-office attraction, and he will start. The results will have to be seen if he can turn this team around.

29. Minnesota Timberwolves (3-17) (previous ranking: 28) Although the Wolves dropped back to their residence at the #29 spot, they did win their last game at home against Utah. They are going to get better. Still wonder if Ricky Rubio would have made some kind of difference. It shall remain a mystery.

30. New Jersey Nets (1-19) (previous ranking: 30) The Nets snapped their 18 game losing streak against the Bobcats, but it will still be a long road. When Yi comes back from injury, it should make a difference. The Nets have the potential to turn it around, with everyone coming back, but it remains to be seen.

I knew I wasn’t the only one!

Steve Nash has been on a roll lately with the humor stuff, he’s obviously trying to get a gig hosting “Saturday Night Live” or directing a movie with Judd Apatow.

The headline speaks for itself, and Amare Stoudemire is appalled.

The Phoenix Suns as a whole are probably the funniest team in the league, even with the loss of Pat Burke and Shaquille O’Neal the past few seasons.

Steve Nash holds it down.

Here’s “A Steve Nash Joint” starring Suns’ third-year forward Alando Tucker. Tucker was great, but I think Nets swingman Chris Douglas-Roberts would have been better at the role.

Here’s Tucker’s debut in “The Minister of Hygiene.”

The Suns are playing great basketball and are having fun, it’s good to see. Nash has to be one of the best guys to play with in the league, not only does he feed you the rock on the court, he tries to make you a movie star in the process.

Was soll man von diesen New York Knicks erwarten? Erst spielen sie einen beachtenswerten Sieg gegen die beste Mannschaft der Western Conference heraus, um nur eine Nacht später keine Chance gegen die beste Mannschaft der Eastern Conference zu haben. Der Spielplan der Knickerbockers ist alles andere als dankbar, aber schließlich spielt das Team in der NBA, nicht in der D-League, und man sollte von ihnen fordern können, dass sie auch in zwei Spielen „back-to-back“ solide Leistungen abrufen. So hieß es nur “back to life, back to reality.”

Nach dem 126 zu 99 gegen Steve Nash und die Phoenix Suns war man positiv überrascht, um nicht zu sagen erstaunt, denn vor der Partie ging alle Welt davon aus, dass die Knicks 100 Punkte erzielen und die Suns 130. New York profitierte davon, dass Phoenix in der Anfangsphase außer Rhythmus zu sein schien. Die Absprache in der Defense funktionierte nicht und in der Offense gingen sie zu sorglos mit dem Ball um, was wieder und wieder zu Ballverlusten führte. Insbesondere Amar’e Stoudemire (14 Pkt., 5 Reb., 5 To.) wirkte so, als ob er mit seinen Gedanken noch im Flieger von Arizona nach New York gewesen wäre. Auch von Steve Nashs gewohnter Ball- und Passsicherheit war zu Beginn der Partie nicht viel zu sehen und so gelang es den Knicks, sich bereits zur Halbzeit mit 71 zu 58 abzusetzen. Die Mannen von Mike D’Antoni ließen den Ball laufen, suchten immer den freien Mann und kreierten dadurch gute Würfe (49,5 % FG). Larry Hughes hatte zwölf Assists, vier mehr als Steve Nash. Der beste Knickerbocker an diesem Abend war jedoch Danilo Gallinari. 27 Punkte (6-12 3P), zehn Rebounds und zwei Blocks steuerte er zum Erfolg der N.Y. Knicks bei.
Gegen die Orlando Magic fing Gallo da an, wo er gegen Phoenix aufgehört hatte. Erster Schuss, erster erfolgreicher Dreier. Doch von Beginn an sah man, dass es ein ganz anderes Spiel werden würde als gegen die Suns, die vor allem defensiv nicht so stark einzuschätzen sind wie Orlando. Zwei schnelle Ballverluste der Knicks, elf Punkte aus fünf Korbversuchen von Dwight Howard in den ersten vier Minuten und der Zauber der vorangegangenen Nacht war verflogen. Nach dem ersten Viertel hatten die Knicks außerdem bereits acht Turnover auf ihrem Konto.
Im zweiten Viertel kamen sie zunächst besser ins Spiel und legten mit Rookie Toney Douglas (17 Pkt., 21 Min.) auf dem Feld einen 7-zu-0-Lauf hin. Bemerkenswert dabei war weniger der kleine Zwischenspurt der Knicks, sondern die frühe Einwechslung von Douglas. Normalerweise kommt zu diesem Zeitpunkt Nate Robinson ins Spiel, doch auf ihn sollte man an diesem Abend vergeblich warten. Nachdem er schon im Heimspiel gegen die Suns lediglich elf Minuten Einsatzzeit bekam, betrat er das Parkett diesmal gar nicht. Mike D’Antoni scheint fürs erste genug von „Kryptonate“ gesehen zu haben, der sich diese Saison bereits den ein oder anderen Fauxpas geleistet hat. Erinnern wir uns an das Aufeinandertreffen gegen die Magic, das zu Beginn dieser Woche stattfand. Robinson erzielte bei der Heimniederlage sage und schreibe 22 Punkte im letzte Viertel, doch konnte das den Vorsprung der Magic zu diesem Zeitpunkt im Spiel nicht verkürzen. Nate ließ sich nach jedem erzielten Punkt feiern und im Gegenzug erzielten die Orlando Magic jene Punkte, die die Knicks auf Abstand hielten. Bis auf eine eindrucksvolle Show, die Nate zweifelsohne zu liefern fähig ist, sprang nichts Zählbares aus seinem Auftritt raus. Solange Nate Robinson das Siegen nachrangig behandelt und den Fokus auf die Show legt, wird er auf der Bank sitzen bleiben.
Später im zweiten Viertel offenbarten die Knicks eine ihrer größten Schwächen – die Post-Defense. Brandon Bass (17 Pkt., 3 Reb., 18 Min.), der bei den Magic nur sporadisch Spielzeit bekommt, schadete den Knickerbockers besonders. Neun Punkte und zwei Rebounds erzielte er in acht Minuten des zweiten Quarters. Zweimal hintereinander setzte er sich im Post gegen David Lee durch, wobei man staunen musste, wie lange er mit dem Rücken zum Korb dribbeln konnte, um anschließend den Korb aus der Nahdistanz zu machen. Keiner kam zur Hilfe, dabei wäre es in dieser Situation ein Leichtes gewesen Bass den Ball zu klauen.
Zur Halbzeit lagen die Knicks mit 39 zu 51 zurück, hatten nur zwei Dreier getroffen und insgesamt eine miserable Wurfausbeute von 35,6 % aus dem Feld vorzuzeigen. Das System von D’Antoni steht in großer Abhängigkeit zu einem guten Point Guard. Da Chris Duhon der Bezeichnung eines guten Spielmachers keineswegs verdient, brauchen die Knickerbockers einen Larry Hughes in Topform, das zeigte sich nicht zuletzt gegen die Suns. Hughes hatte zur Halbzeit jedoch einen +/- Wert von -17, zwei Ballverluste, ebenso viele Assists und nur einen Treffer aus dem Feld.
Die zweite Halbzeit der Partie eröffnete Gallinari auf seiner der Knicks abermals mit einem Dreier. Es folgten erfolgreiche Dreipunktversuche von Larry Hughes und Chris Duhon. Wer nun gedacht hatte, New York würde ins Spiel zurückfinden, irrte. Wie im Madison Square Garden einige Tage zuvor, entschied sich Rashard Lewis (20 Pkt., 11 Reb., 5-7 3P), dass das dritte Viertel ihm gehören würde. Dem Vorhaben schloss sich auch Mickael Pietrus (17 Pkt., 5-8 3P) an und zusammen netzten sie acht Dreier in Quarter #3 ein. Verteidigten die Knicks die Dreierlinie zuvor ordentlich, so brachen sie jetzt umso schlimmer ein. 41 Punkte scorten die Magic im vorletzten Spielabschnitt, die Partie war entschieden. D’Antoni hatte jetzt die Möglichkeit seine Youngster einzusetzen. Über weite Strecken der des Schlussviertels standen Danilo Gallinari (20 Pkt., 4 Stl., 7 Reb.), Wilson Chandler (24 Pkt., 5 Reb.), Toney Douglas und Marcus Landry auf dem Court und spielten in der Garbagetime ansehnlichen Basketball.

Was wir festhalten können:

1. Chris Duhon muss wieder zurück zu der Form finden, in der er in der ersten Hälfte der letztjährigen Saison war;
2. wahlweise kann Larry Hughes anfangen, konstant so zu spielen, wie es ihm gegen die Suns gelang und zwar mit dem Fokus darauf, Assists zu verteilen anstatt zu scoren;
3. die Knicks brauchen einen gesunden Eddy Curry, denn er hätte Dwight Howard vom Korb ferngehalten, was gereicht hätte, da Howard keinerlei Post-Moves besitzt;
4. daran schließt sich an, dass die Knicks körperlich im Post einfach zu schwach sind, um gegen die Big Men der Liga effektiv etwas ausrichten zu können;
5. außerdem muss Wilson Chandler anfangen konsequent zum Korb zu ziehen; er hat die notwendige Athletik und sollte sie dazu nutzen, um öfter an die Freiwurflinie zu gelangen;
6. Gallinari und Douglas sind zwei sehr hoffnungsvolle Spieler für die Zukunft, Jordan Hill könnte es auch noch werden;
7. Nate Robinson wird noch früh genug erfahren, wie es ist durch die Hölle zu gehen, wenn sich die „DNP-CDs“ in den Box Scores sammeln.

Alando Tucker, the star of this video, plays basketball for the Phoenix Suns. I thought the video was pretty funny, but I enjoyed seeing how ridiculously tall he looked compared to the normal sized people at the party (he’s listed as 6′6″) more than anything else.

Hands up who expected the Knicks to be swept by Orlando and Phoenix in their first three games of the week? Yep, me too. And, true to form, the Knicks got nowhere near the Magic in two attempts, even though Stan Van Gundy’s team sleep-walked their way through the first two quarters of Sunday’s matinee match-up at Madison Square Garden.

Superior shooting from Rashard Lewis sparked a 14-4 third quarter run that the Knicks from which the Knicks could not recover. A one-man fourth quarter rally from Nate Robinson got New York within six points at 92-86 but the Magic’s depth ultimately told and a 114-102 final score didn’t flatter Stan Van Gundy’s men.

The teams faced off again four nights later, this time in Orlando, and the outcome was all too familiar. The Knicks were already trailing when Lewis and Michael Pietrus each drained four 3-pointers in the third quarter to extend the Magic’s lead to 22. Six Magic players scored in double figures including former Maverick Brandon Bass, who had a season-high 17 points. The Magic shot 55% for the game and cruised to a comfortable 118-104 win.

Aside from 20-point games from Danilo Gallinari and (at long last) Wilson Chandler, the only other story of note for the Knicks was Mike D’Antoni’s decision to leave Nate Robinson on the bench for the whole game. The embattled coach cited a “search for consistency” as the reason for Robinson’s omission in the post-game presser but did not elaborate further.

In between twin beating at the hands of the Magic, the Knicks surprised everyone with a stellar performance at Madison Square Garden against the Phoenix Suns. With shots falling and a concerted team defensive effort, the struggling Knicks transformed themselves into an entertaining fluid force as they handed the Suns a shocking 126-99 beatdown. It probably helped that the Suns turned in a performance flatter than roadkill and played next to no defence. The loss ended the Suns’ four-game winning streak and was the first time all season they’d been kept to under 100 points.

Stand-out performances for the Knicks included David Lee’s 24 points (10-13) and Gallinari’s 27 points which included six sweet threes. The much-maligned Jared Jeffries filled the box score with a 25-minute burst that comprised 10 points, four blocks, four asssists, five rebounds, a steal and, most amazingly, no turnovers. Jeffries best moment came when he faked out a charging Amare Stoudemire and drove baseline to score at the hoop. He also guarded Steve Nash for much of the game and kept the free-scoring playmaker in check. Maybe it’s just Jared’s bad luck that he, as a more-than-servicable defensive player, finds himself stuck on an offensively-obsessed team in a system that hardly ever showcases the things he does well.

For most struggling teams, this win would have been hailed as a turning point in the season. However, the Suns were so insipid that not even Mike D’Antoni would label it as such. Combine that with the Knicks’ developing trend for only putting in the required effort once a week (last week it was the road game in Denver, the week before it was the home game against Boston) and you can see why no-one was getting too excited. As it turned out, in view of their loss to Orlando 24 hours later, it was wise to keep the hyperbole in check.

Short of jumping back into Doc Brown’s DeLorean and bringing the Garden greats back to the future, it’s tough to see how the Knicks can change things until July 1, 2010. The team is so used to losing at this stage that every rare win threatens to take on greater significance than it actually has.

The Sports Bloke’s jury is still out on D’Antoni. When he was flying high with Phoenix, nobody stopped to wonder whether his system needed elite players to work. Now, with Chris Duhon and Larry Hughes running the show instead of Nash, it doesn’t look anywhere near as effective. The truly worrying thing is that, deified as an offensive genius, D’Antoni has failed to come up with any alternatives more suitable to the inferior talent on his current roster. Or maybe he, like everyone else, has decided to switch off and see what gifts Donnie Walsh brings him next summer.

Note: this week’s season on the sofa is split in two parts as the Sports Bloke will be away at All Tomorrow’s Parties watching My Bloody Valentine, Sonic Youth and Primal Scream this weekend. Part two will follow on Monday

“Pheeeonix. Come out and play.”

I saw this on The Score tonight and couldn’t believe it. Great tribute to The Warriors, a great film, and you can’t miss with Eye of the Tiger. Varejao and Ilgauskas also rated high on the comedy scale. Combine that with some slick retro jerseys and a win over the Suns, and it was a good day to be a Cavs fan.

Shaq really loves his Cyrus. Don’t forget, this isn’t The Big Replicators first crack at “Can you diggg it!!”