Halftime Hype

The NBA season kicked off yesterday with plenty of hype surrounding the opening day. The defending Eastern Conference champions, the Boston Celtics, won an 88-80 home victory over the Miami Heat, a team which some pundits expect to set records with a 73+ win season. On the West Coast, the Los Angeles Lakers began the evening with a ring ceremony and concluded with a 112-110 win against the Houston Rockets.

Although the games were entertaining, it's crucial to note that it was Day 1. The Heat's Big Three of Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh had barely played three minutes together prior to Monday. Adjustments will be made and players' conditioning will improve - and that goes for every team. However, with that said, there were some observations to be made:

• The New Technical Foul Policy - With more discipline regulations in place for this season, some personnel complained that the modifications would have a detrimental effect. TNT commentator and former player Reggie Miller asserted that sometimes, especially in a playoff atmosphere, players just need to vent and will then proceed down the court. One can certainly understand the arguments against the rules.
  
  Whether you agree with the new rules or not, the games did seem to go by faster. It was awfully nice the delay of players holding on to the ball and chatting with the officials. Plus, as Commissioner David Stern pointed out, a call is never changed by a player's subsequent argument. On the flip side, the conspiracy theorists may claim that it affects the referees' future calls but that's another debate.
  
  
• The Big Three, Nay Miami Heat, Are Not Invincible - Despite injuries which limited the Big Three's preseason minutes together, all the off-season hype caused many to have great expectations. Last night, the trio did not deliver. Sure, James was the high man with 29 points, but that's not the area of concern. Between James and Wade, there were 14 turnovers. Additionally, Bosh only had 8 points - as many as Udonis Haslem - on 3-11 shooting. Furthermore, Wade, easing his way back from injury, was even less less efficient with 13 points while only connecting on 4-16 field goals.
  
  Outside of the Big Three, Miami's roster is not deep at all. Joel Anthony, who started at center, and Arroyo, who started at point guard, are just not enough to support the establishment in place. It helps to have perimeter threats in Mike Miller and Eddie House, but until they mesh and play influential roles, Miami still has some work to do.
  
  Taking into account that a) it was the first game of the season b) it was a road game c) it was against the Celtics, it's easy to justify the squad's struggles. In fact, the Heat bounced back with a win against Philadelphia today, in which Wade scored 30 points on 10-20 shooting. The point is that talk of shattering the 72-win record or the 33-game winning streak is far-fetched.
  
  
• Rondo's Relevance - Once considered to be the area of concern in the Celtics' lineup, he's now arguably the best of the starting five. If you haven't noticed, when he's out there, every play goes through Rondo. On a fast break, he can outrun the opposition and take it to the cup or find Shaq for an alley-oop. In a half court set, he has an eagle's eye in finding Ray Allen on curls and delivers bulls' eye passes. Defensively, don't even think about throwing lob passes. Once it's out of your hand, it is a Rondo interception.
  
  
• Lakers 3.0 - While the media concentrated on South Beach, the Los Angeles Lakers added depth to an already stunning roster. Just when you thought general manager Mitch Kuptchak was out of tricks, he selected two of the best prospects possible in Derrick Caracter and Devin Ebanks. To replace an inconsistent Jordan Farmar and help share point guard duties with Derek Fisher, the Lakers found the perfect replacement in Steve Blake - who hit the key three-pointer to win last night's game. In the long run, Fisher won't need to overextend himself during the regular season and will be fully prepared, as he always is, to hit the big shots come playoff time.
  
  While DJ Mbenga was a fan favorite, he simply can't get the job done remotely as well as veteran Theo Ratliff. The former All-Star will be particularly crucial during Bynum's absence and can mentor the young fella once he gets back on the court. To counter Miami's array of perimeter threats, the Lakers combated by signing the gritty Matt Barnes. Between Barnes and Blake, L.A. has also spread the floor with long-range shooters.
  
  In spite of injuries to Bynum and Kobe Bryant, it's incredibly helpful to have the ultimate Swiss Army knife in Lamar Odom, who's in great shape after competing in the FIBA World Championships during the off-season. The new and improved Lakers also features Shannon Brown, who added an impressive perimeter touch. No longer exclusively a dunker, he is capable of knocking down mid and long-range jumpers.
  
  Overall, this new squad is much deeper and more improved. The juxtaposition of those in search of another title along with the new acquisitions hungry for their first ring should work well to L.A.'s advantage.
  
  
• Don't Rule Out the Bigs - Amidst age and injuries, many have been too quick to bet against the credibility of the Celtics' Shaquille O'Neal and the Houston Rockets' Yao Ming. Yet, as fans saw last night, O'Neal is still a Big Diesel as he finished plays around the rim. Ming, who will be limited to a maximum of 24 minutes a game, still had a presence in the paint, which is all the Rockets ask. Just having his 7'6" frame alone is intimidating. If he can make some plays too, like he did last night, well, the Rockets' circumstances are that much better.
  

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant and rapper Marshall Mathers, a.k.a Eminem, are two very different people, with the most glaring difference being their occupations. However, after listening to Eminem's tracks multiple times and keeping up with the Black Mamba, there are certain connections between Mathers' lyrics and Bryant's career. Above all, "Not Afraid" seems to best represent the Black Mamba's tenure in the Association.

Exhibit A: "Not Afraid"

• "Yeah, it's been a ride/I guess I had to go to that place to get to this one"

• "I don't give a damn/What you think, I'm doing this for me"

• "For better or worse/He's married to the game"

• "His gift is a curse"

• "You said you was king, you lied through your teeth/For that [expletive] your feelings, instead of getting crowned you're getting capped"

• "This...black cloud still follows me around"

• "Haters can make like bees with no stingers, and drop dead"

• "It's a little too late to say that you're sorry now/You kicked me when I was down/[Screw] what you say/You ran me into the ground"
  

• "These fools can't drool or dribble a drop anymore/And you can never break my stride/You never slow the momentum at any moment I'm about to blow/You'll never take my pride/Killing the flow, slow venom and the opponent/Is getting no mercy, mark my words/Ain't letting up, relentless"
  

• "Nobody knows me, I’m cold, walk down this road all alone/It’s no one’s fault but my own. It’s the path I’ve chosen to go"

• "It disgusts me to see the game the way that it looks/It's a must, I redeem my name and haters get mushed"

Shaquille O'Neal still has a job. "The Big [insert nickname here]" signed a two year, $3 million deal with the Boston Celtics on Wednesday. In the last few years, Celtics general manager Danny Ainge has done a great job of finding the right pieces to improve his team. However, with O'Neal there are always questions to be answered.

First of all, will he be able to lay low? It's no secret that O'Neal loves attention. At this point in his career, though, more often than not he will be on the bench. After all, with the exception of the 2004 Los Angeles Lakers team with O'Neal, Kobe Bryant Gary Payton, and Karl Malone, the current Celtics roster is the most star-studded O'Neal has played for. Whereas he was only overshadowed by LeBron James in Cleveland and by Steve Nash and A'mare Stoudemire in Phoenix, he will now have to take a backseat in the media to Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and probably even Ray Allen and Jermaine O'Neal.

If he can handle receiving less publicity than he's ever had to, O'Neal has already fulfilled a share of his duties.

Then there's the matter of how O'Neal will fit. After last season, it was clear that the Celtics needed more depth at the center position and O'Neal could be an asset as a second-string or third-string center. It will be particularly interesting to see how coach Doc Rivers juggles Shaquille O'Neal and Jermaine O'Neal in the rotation.

In addition to the two O'Neal's, both former All-Stars, the Celtics have two other centers in recent signing Semih Erden and veteran Kendrick Perkins. One shouldn't expect Erden to step on the hardwood too often, but Rivers has a tough task ahead of him in figuring out the rotation.

Perhaps Rivers will try playing them both throughout games, possibly creating a Twin Towers tandem similar to the Pau Gasol-Andrew Bynum duo that defeated the Celtics in Game 7 last season.

Another question on everyone's mind is, will he be able to stay healthy? In the past six seasons, O'Neal has missed 492 regular season games. In fact, just last year, he was out for 29 games. It's almost a sure bet that he will be injured at some point next season. Fortunately for the Celtics, they signed Jermaine O'Neal.



The main concern is how much O'Neal will be able to contribute. O'Neal impressed many in the playoffs last season with averages of 11.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 22 minutes. Nothing too impressive, but definitely a key contribution - a contribution much more than anybody had expected.

At 38 years of age, though, many are skeptical of just how much fuel is left in "The Big Diesel." In his 19 seasons in the NBA, O'Neal has picked up quite a bit of mileage. Especially with the minutes he'll play, I cannot see O'Neal averaging more than 10 points and/or 5 rebounds.

Regardless, having won nearly every award and accolade possible, O'Neal is not worried about statistics, nor should he be. He was brought to help the Celtics in the paint and assist the team in their pursuit of another championship. At the end of the day, as long as he continues to be a force to reckon with, he has filled his job description.

Lastly, what will his nickname be? Throughout his career, O'Neal has had the most nicknames in NBA history, and possibly in all of sports. He has been called everything from "The Big Fella" to "The Big Diesel." During his tenure with the Phoenix Suns, he was dubbed the "The Big Cactus" and "The Big Shaqtus" while with the Cleveland Cavaliers, he was sometimes referred to as "The Big Witness" alongside LeBron James. At times, when O'Neal was in touch with his inner philosopher, he preferred to be nicknamed "The Big Aristotle."

Other nicknames include: "Shaq Fu," also the title of a video game he was featured in; "Dr. Shaq," a title he received after earning his MBA; and after making 12-12 free throws in two games , he proclaimed himself "Shaqovic," a play on the surnames of Serbian players (i.e. Sasha Vujacic, Vladamir Radmanovic, etc.), who tend to be good shooters.

Luckily, O'Neal's new fanbase will have a chance to advise him on a nickname. I can't wait to hear some of them.

I'll elaborate on trades (i.e. the Mavs-Wizards deal) after the trade deadline on Thursday. RealGM.com already has my head spinning with rumors.

creativity [kree-ey-tiv-i-tee] –noun: the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.; originality, progressiveness, or imagination

All of the above was nowhere to be found during a three-day period dubbed as "NBA All-Star Weekend." I wasn't actually in Dallas, so I can't comment on the array of parties, but there was nothing particularly flashy - or creative - about this year's events. When the venue is getting more attention than the event, something's wrong. Sure, Cowboys Stadium can fit A LOT of people. But is it neccessary to pack 108,000+ people into a dome to watch a basketball game? In one word, as my cousin described it, the whole thing was "wack."

The celebrity game may be the most boring event of all. I'd like to elaborate on my opinion, but, truth be told, I barely watched it. I will praise whoever selected the teams, as it was nice to see memorable retired players come out for another hoorah, as well as participation from a few Harlem Globetrotters. Judging from the small snippets I saw, the league may want to consider limiting the Friday game solely to former NBA players or having former NBA players face off against Globetrotters. Although, and I'm sure many will agree, it was fun(ny) to see Mark Cuban out there. On Friday night, it was nice to finally see the rooks win for a change. Although, it was equally impressive to see Russell Westbrook score 40 points. At halftime, The dunk-in between Eric Gordon and DeMar DeRozan was somewhat interesting. Personally, I thought Eric Gordon was more creative and had better dunks, but he needed multiple attempts and DeMar didn't.

The following day, the 2nd annual H-O-R-S-E competition was a disappointment - for the second consecutive year. I question the motives behind Omri Casspi's selection, but, what the heck, let the foreign rookie get involved in All-Star weekend. Anyway, due to time constraints, the contest turned into a three-point shootout, with Kevin Durant beating Rajon Rondo (who didn't see that coming). Saturday's festivities continued with the Shooting Stars Challenege, a respectable way to hype people up. I haven't done enough research on the WNBA participants, so I can't be too sure when I say this, but the squads seemed pretty fair. The only thing that perplexed me was seeing the bigs from Team Sacramento and Team Los Angeles, Chris Webber and Pau Gasol, starting off shooting from behind the arc (position 3), rather than a mid-range shot (position 2).

The Skills Challenge, for the first time in recent history, may have been more enjoyable than the Dunk Contest. Props to Steve Nash for winning despite his age and fatigue from participating in the Winter Olympics opening ceremony then flying to Dallas - less than 24 hours before the Skills Challenge. I'm still trying to figure out how a jetlagged 36 year old beat players more than a decade younger than him. But right when things were starting to get exciting, the three-point shootout toned down the mood. When you think about it, there's nothing stirring about watching six players take some wide-open shots from behind the arc. Of course, the league leader in three-point percentage, Paul Pierce, went on to win. A half-court shootout may have been a little more climatic, but that's just another idea for the league.



At last, fans were free to relish the highlight reel of highlight reels: the Dunk Contest. Besides Gerald Wallace, I knew all the other contests were capable of putting on a show. In the end, though, the whole thing went awry. Shannon Brown, hyped by legions of fans at LetShannonDunk.com, was the most disappointing of all. Some actually favored him to win it all, yet he probably could've produced better dunks in a game. Nate Robinson was mildly impressive, but Lebron James, had he participated, could have very well provided more showmanship, as well as more creative dunks. Charles Barkley had the best line of the night when he quipped that "maybe nobody's gonna win [the Dunk Contest]."

Then there was the game itself. Without Shaq and/or Kobe for the first time since '97, the game lacked personality and talent. During the starters' introductions, a friend watching the game with me remarked: "They should let Shaq play in the All-Star Game every year just to make it funny." Honestly, it wasn't the same without Shaq trying to imitate the Jabawokees. I don't know how much more interesting Kobe could have made it, but I'll bet he could have gotten the West a W. At least there were less "snubs." Numerous injuries allowed otherwise deserving players to participate. It was a surprise to see so many first-timers. Who else was surprised that it was Deron Williams' first All-Star game? Regardless, I, for one, appreciated the fact that it was a competitive game, though it could've used a better ending. Imagine if Carmelo had made that three for the win?

As for the performances at the All-Star Game , the acts were satisfactory. Usher undoubtedly fit the demographic and although I didn't think his songs were particularly amazing, the choreography made up for it. Although I enjoyed her performance, Shakira's discography strays away from that of the typical NBA fan's. To conclude halftime on a good note, Alicia Keys showcased her vocal abilities, despite the fact that she wasn't much of an adrenaline-pumper.



Not to be forgotten was the actual site of All-Star Weekend, Cowboys Stadium, massive enough to seat the 108,713 obersvers in attendance. The only people who may feel more disappointed than fans, are the fans that paid to see the events live at Cowboys Stadium. Ever since I saw tape of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, or Lew Alcindor as he was known then, and his UCLA teammates versus Houston University at the Astrodome way back in the day, I've never understood the motive behind playing basketball in a large dome or football stadium. It just doesn't fit. Even though the players were amazed by the scene surrounding them, basketball was meant to be played in its own facility. During the Final Four, the sight of coaches and reserves lower than the court was simply strange. During NBA All-Star weekend, it was even stranger. However, it seemed like the players and fans both enjoyed the venue, so I guess the people that mattered weren't that alienated by it.

Was this All-Star Weekend relatively memorable for the fans? Not really. Without the presence of Kobe Bryant, humor from Shaquille O'Neal, a proper venue, and an all-around lack of creativity or excitement, the NBA gave many fans forgettable performance upon forgettable performance. At most, the 2010 All-Star Weekend will be remembered historically for its attendance record and little else.

Ever since then, things have declined dramatically. You'd think a championship team would at least continue to contend the next season, but they didn't exactly come out with a bang against Chicago in a 108-66 loss. That 42 point defeat began a gloomy season for the Heat, who endured a multitude of injuries. This was the year when Shaq's aging and fatigue became more apparent as he missed 30 games because of a knee injury. D-Wade briefly injured his wrist then later suffered a season-but-not-playoff-ending dislocated shoulder. James Posey and Antoine Walker, though later reinstated, failed body mass exams. Two potentially Hall-of-Fame players in Antoine Walker and Gary Payton were being benched at the expense of mediocre talent in Jason Kapono and Dorrel Wright. Although, the Heat really got their act back together in the last stretch of the season. Without their star player in Dwyane Wade, they proved pundits wrong by making the playoffs as they won 11 out of 14 games at one point, and in total, went 16-7. The playoffs are what really turn this into a depressing story, as the Heat became the first championship team since 1957 to win the title one year and then to be swept in the first round the following season.

In medieval times, Shaquille O'Neal would have undoubtedly been the court jester. Always joking around and having good time, his grin has become a trademark of the NBA. Although, after so many years of professional experience, it's time that the veteran starts acting professional - and by acting, I mean in his day to day behavior, not on his new reality show. The Cleveland Cavaliers signed him this offseason to ensure that the team could get over the hump, reach the Finals, and win once they get to the promised land. The Big Aristotle is supposed to be the missing piece in the puzzle; the Cavs lacked a legitimate post presence (sorry, Big Z) and now they got one. However, the so-called "Big Witness (Protection)" is now turning into a larger-than-life distraction.

The front office is expecting him to sell tickets. Lebron is expecting him to dominate. His teammates look up to him - in most cases, literally. Yet, Shaq still isn't getting the message. He still believes that he is the world's divine entertainer and that he must extend himself outside of what he does best, referring to basketball, of course. There was an awful lot of optimism when O'Neal came to Cleveland. Suddenly, the Lakers had competition and the Cavs team was no longer limited to a single solo act. How much effort is Shaq really putting in, though? Is he working at all?

What's with the reality show, Shaq? For the record, this isn't the first time the man is engaging in a reality series. Nonetheless, in 2007, I actually admired him for helping overweight children lose weight in the ABC series, Shaq's Big Challenge. I remember quite well when Shaq would talk about the sacrifices he had to make everyday (i.e. no more mayo, etc.), and how the little additives can really hurt. Even if the big guy doesn't appear to be the most physically fit player, I applaud him for taking time to keep our youth healthier - in a non-hostile way, mind you. Indirectly, he also showed that he cares about his weight and in the end, sent a good message to viewers. If you must participate in another series, at least make it a meaningful one.

Instead of his devoting his time to a good cause, though, The Man of Steel is compromising quality time to work on his game for a pointless show. For those who aren't fully informed, he's going out of his way in an attempt to prove he can play another sport better than that sports' superstar (i.e. in football he is "vs. Ben Roethlisberger"). One reason why this may turn out to be particularly damaging, is because, unless scripted, each episode should, indeed, result in a loss for the Cavs' center. What's the point of embarrassing yourself? Why waste so much precious offseason time on this show when you could be bonding with teammates or practicing free throws?

Don't get me wrong. Just like many, I will be watching the show and at times, laughing. In fact, as a Lakers fan, I confess that I totally approve of this reality show; it gives my Lakers a better shot at another title. But the analyst side of me knows that this can't be good for Cleveland, and was a dumb decision on the part of Shaq. The world can tolerate your somewhat humorous Twitter addiction. On the other hand, you're only hurting yourself, your teammates, and Cavaliers fans with this reality show. Hopefully, it doesn't impact your season too much. If it does, you've just done an enormous favor for 29 teams in the NBA.

Chalk is Cheap
I already tweeted this great headline, "chalk is cheap" but it's worth mentioning on the blog. Lebron may be the Most Valuable Player in the NBA. He may have the coolest kicks. He may have the most emphatic dunks. He may be the greatest thing that's happened to basketball since Kobe. But he is definitely not the best leader and has proved nothing and will continue to remain unjustified hype until he can take home a title. After all, chalk is cheap. I don't believe that the Cavs will win the championship next year, but at least they've elevated themselves to contender status. What everyone is waiting to see is how the two superstars will get along. Until this point, LBJ has never had to share the ball with anyone better than himself. How (much) will he facilitate with the acquisition of Shaq?

Danny Ferry said himself that this trade will wind up being a hit or miss deal - and I agree. I'm that Shaq won't be able to contribute anymore - even if he receives enough passes - just because he's closing in on retirement. It's not secret that Shaq isn't as beastly as he was several years ago. It's the fact that he may drastically hurt the team which Ferry should fear. When he came to Phoenix, the Suns were the best team in the Western Conference and subsequently missed the playoffs during Shaq's full year. You could attribute a drop in standings to the loss of Amare, but that's still no excuse for going from the penthouse to the outhouse.

In order to get some scoring from Shaq, though, the Cavs need a playmaker or more specifically, a passer, who can throw the ball into Shaq when he has position. Despite Lebron's high assist numbers, he is a scorer not a passer. Which means if and when the Cavs get hold of a passer, the point guard will have to find a way to appease the Big Aristotle and #23. My primary issue here is that even when Shaq was playing with arguably the best passer in the game and two-time MVP, Steve Nash, he was not able to take the Suns into the postseason. Last I remember, the Cavs wanted to win in the NBA Finals.

Also, as Shaq's previous teams have experienced, Mr. O'Neal has some fine print. Every time he moves on with another team, he doesn't technically move on for awhile. What I mean by this is that he never forgets to acknowledge all the shameful people in his past engagement (i.e. Kobe, Wade, Van Gundy, etc.). Make sure your players have thick skin, Ferry, especially that Mo kid, and make sure that they're out of the gym when Shaq is shooting free throws - you don't want them to learn bad technique.

Hego Turkoglu?
Having traded for Vince Carter, the Magic basically embraced the fact that Hedo's departure is imminent, especially since he opted out of his contract and had previously rejected an extension. What interests me in this deal is what the Magic sacrificed to get VC. They gave up on this year's playoff sensation, Rafer Alston, a somewhat effective big man who could possibly contribute more if he received more minutes, Tony Battie, and a promising mid-range shooter and a developing scorer, Courtney Lee. Although, in the end, this was at the worst a decent deal for the Magic. They needed someone who can create their own shot. In the Finals, we saw that the Magic didn't know who to turn to in clutch time. Imagine how much things would have changed if it were Vince Carter dunking that alley-oop pass in the final second instead of Courtney Lee missing it off the glass. Besides pick-and-rolls and Howard drawing double teams and kicking the ball out, the Magic couldn't design a complex strategy.



The only issue with this trade is similar to that of the Cavs: how will the ball be distributed among themselves? Vince Carter is currently surrounded by three other All-Stars in Jameer Nelson, Rashard Lewis, and Dwight Howard. Each player has their own unique style and way of contributing, but in order to do so, they need the ball in their hands. Surely, the statistics of those All-Stars will decrease in the upcoming season. And when they do, how will the players deal with it? Jameer Nelson and Dwight Howard still haven't reached the primes of their careers and are working to build a reputation. Even if Rashard Lewis is okay with a drop in numbers, will his two All-Star teammates acquiesce?

Plus, Vince Carter, just like Shaq, is no longer a young powerhouse in the game. We saw him fade out during his time with the Nets and I'm afraid this may be the last stop of his career. However, the Magic have given themselves a better chance of winning it all with this transaction and in the end that's all that matters.

Roundup of Draft '09



As expected the Clippers selected undoubtedly the best player in the draft, Blake Griffin, with the first pick. Something has to go very wrong for Blake to turn into the busts of Clippers' past, but as I was watching the best briefing in sports, Around the Horn, my favorite sportswriter, J.A. Adande, made a great point: the Clippers are already stacked in the front court. And "who's going to pass Blake the ball? Baron Davis?" If anything the Clippers should look for a shooting guard and get an upgrade over Steve Novak. Not that Novak is a bad player, because he's not (I was at the game to see him drain a game-winning three pointer over the Nets during the season), but there were some promising guards in this draft that the Clippers could have taken. Still, it's not too late to trade for one.

Memphis really did themselves a favor drafting Hasheem Thabeet. Regardless of what analysts may say, the Magic have given O.J. Mayo support in the front court and this could get them to the playoffs. I won't go as far as to say that he is the perfect replacement for Pau Gasol, but with a little more work, he could become a threatening presence in the league.

The big discussion of the draft emerged when the T-Wolved picked two points guards with at 5 and 6. How is that going to help them? Well, with Ruboi claiming that he won't play in Minnesota because it's "too cold" and his father saying that Ricky will stay in Spain for one or two more years, I quote Kobe Bryant when I write "Ship his [expletive] out!" As Jay Mariotti pointed out on yesterday's episode of ATH, the T-Wolves need to trade Rubio "while everyone still thinks he's hot." Give him to the folks in NYC, which qualifies as the big cities that Rubio is fond of, and get something in return. There's no way that Minnesota can keep both Rubio and Flynn, and Rubio has already expressed negative thoughts so you might as well deal him.

After the T-Wolves picked Flynn, Golden State disappointed everyone in the draft facility when they selected Stephen Curry. This is, without a doubt, a great selection by the Warriors. Having traded Jamal Crawford for Acie Law and Speedy Claxton, the Warriors desperately needed a better starter. This pick at least gives them a great chance of securing a playoff spot and who knows, maybe the Bay Area boys will overcome the odds once again in a David vs. Goliath match-up (i.e. GSW vs. Dallas).

Kudos to the stars with their steal of DeJaun Blair in the second round. I was surprised to see him slip so low, even in mock drafts, after how much he impressed the nation with his play in Pittsburgh during the tourney. Nevertheless, you could say that the Spurs replaced Kurt Thomas and Oberto with this move, which is another reason to praise the minds of this franchise.

Also, congrats to the Sacramento Kings for the kosher selection of Israeli prospect Omri Cassipi at 23. The guy has long arms and will hopefully be a good representative of his country and restore confidence in the NBA's foreign players.



DARKO?!
In case you didn't hear the news, the Knicks traded cash and Quentin Richardson to the Grizzlies for Darko Milicic. Tim Cowlishaw made an interesting point yesterday when he said "I'm still figuring out what happened to Quentin Richardson's career." I don't know why anyone would trade specifically for Darko. This trade just confuses me and there's no question that Memphis is on the better end of this deal.

Rumors
Amare has been the protagonist of many rumors lately. He knows that too, just check his twitter. He has been mentioned in rumors sending him to Golden State, but at this point, I don't think the Suns can afford to degrade their team further. Which leads me to...

Steve Nash is waiting to see how the organziation will conduct business this summer before making a decision about a contract extension. If I were Steve, I would let them know very clearly that I'm gone unless they can make amazing happen and surround me with the talent I deserve. But then again, I'm not Steve Nash.

Yahoo! Sports brought this to my attention and I think it's worth mentioning: There is the possiblity that Jason Kidd could head to New York (interest is mutual), Portland, or Cleveland. If he went to Cleveland, the Cavs would have a strong chance of winning a title with Kidd, Lebron, and Shaq. It seems that the point guard is always the glue in these scenarios.

Ed-Note: Soccer!
USA Soccer has never looked this good. Some are calling the semifinal win over Spain the greatest victory in US soccer history. While Jim Rome of ESPN may be burning on how this win isn't that significant, I strongly disagree. Spain had gone undefeated in their last 35 matches! They hadn't suffered a defeat since 2006. Team USA now has some global attention, but they have to finish the FIFA Confederations Cup with a win in the final game against Brazil.

Many gave them no shot at winning against Spain and they proved soccer/futbol fans wrong around the world. But before we get too excited, Brazil is probably the most fluid team in the world and their mesmerizing passes and speed make them one of the hardest teams to match up with. USA has to remember that if they can beat the #1 team in the world, they are capable of beating anybody. The main issue will be defense. If Tim Howard doesn't have to make miraculous saves and the defense does a good job of clearing out, USA will have a chance at winning the game. That said, the offense must show up and a spectacular performance from Donovan, Dempsey, and Altidore will be instrumental in a USA win. Make sure to root for these newfound underdogs tomorrow at 11 AM on ESPN.