NBA

He wanted to. He really, truly wanted to. LeBron James wanted to play for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Deep down, LeBron wanted to be a Cav. He never wanted to leave his home state, and he never wanted to become the single most hated man in the state of Ohio. But he couldn’t come back, and it’s not his fault. The Cavaliers management just couldn’t give him a winner.

Sure, LeBron has never had a true sidekick. Antawn Jamison? Shaq? Mo Williams? Come one now. Sure, LeBron has never really come through in the clutch (yes, I saw that fist pump, Skip Bayless). Yes, he made it to the finals, but he was swept. Yes, he hit a buzzer beater in the Eastern Conference Finals, but if he didn’t make that prayer-of-a-shot, the Magic would have swept the Cavs.

You may not have liked The Decision, but all of the procedes went to the Boys and Girls Club of America

But everyone has flaws. LBJ is a narcissistic egomaniac. Did he really need a 1-hour ESPN special to rip the heart out of his hometown? No, but what NBA player doesn’t have big fat Sean May-sized ego? LeBron meant well when he set up the press conference with all proceeds going not to the LeBron James Bank Account Fund, but to the Boys and Girls Club of America.

LeBron wasn’t just in a lose-lose situation last Thursday night; he was in a lose-lose-lose-lose-lose-lose situation. If James chose the Knicks, Nyets, or the Clippers, he would have been looked at as a money grabber who is more about money, fame, and publicity then winning. If he chose Chicago, he would always be looked at as a lesser Michael Jordan, always hidden in the shadow of the Greatest of all Time. If he went back to Cleveland, he’d be taking the most money and succumb to staying on a franchise doomed to mediocrity.

Miami was the logical choice. Without any teammate close to the caliber of Dwyane Wade or Chris Bosh, LeBron managed to drag his team along to 61 wins. Mo Williams was his best sidekick. That’s enough said. Cleveland had plenty of chances to keep LeBron by pairing him up with another star. Mo Williams and Antawn Jamison just won’t cut it. The fact that GM Danny Ferry refused to trade Wally Szczerbiak’s $13 million expiring contract for a true star was inexcusable, instead opting to stay with the same old group of depressing players like Ben Wallace, Sasha Pavlovic, and Joe Smith.

Bosh and Wade had next to no help on their respective teams, yet won a combined 87 games. None of these three superstar players have played alongside someone near the caliber of their new teammates. The only time one of them ever teamed up to a high quality player, Shaq was joining forces with D-Wade and Miami won the NBA Championship.

Joining Miami, not Chicago, represented LeBron’s best chance to win. Derrick Rose will one day be a superstar, but he, Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer don’t have anything on D-Wade and Chris Bosh. LeBron tried to build a championship team in Cleveland when he asked Bosh to join forces. Toronto even told the Cavs’ brass that they would send their superstar big man to Cleveland, but Bosh just didn’t want to go. But in the end, LeBron chose to join up to create the most talented team in decades, instead of just being on another contender in Chicago or Cleveland.

As much as fans and media want to rail on LeBron, he did a noble thing. He put winning before money. We are always witness to players going to the biggest paycheck and avoid high-pressure situations, but LeBron took less money to play for a winner. Isn’t that what we always ask of athletes? The King just wanted to run the basketball world with two of his best friend.

(As a side note, how many best friends does LeBron have? I though Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony were his best friends. What about all his high school buds, Jay-Z, World Wide Wes, and Maverick Carter?)

There is no doubt that Miami will succeed; they have three of the top players in the game along with several key role players. James, Wade, and Bosh averaged 80.3 points, 17.5 assists, and 22.9 points per game, but they have plenty of help on hand. Mike Miller shot an unreal 50.1% from the field including 48% from beyond the arch? Do you think he’ll get some open looks? With Udonis Haslem, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Joel Anthony, and Juwan Howard down low, rebounding shouldn’t be too big of an issue.

LeBron James is 25. He’s a grown man. LeBron can make his own decisions. He doesn’t owe anything to Cleveland, a city that ultimately can’t couldn’t give him what he really wanted: a championship and to become a global icon. Miami is an international city with better weather and a better winning opportunity. He gave his home state 7 years of high quality basketball and entertainment. But in the end, Miami provided more opportunities to LeBron.

So, now, I give a salute to King James. Thank you for making the right choice to join up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Sure, he’ll never be Michael Jordan at this rate, but that’s really never who he’s been. LeBron can now take on the role of Magic Johnson, a role he could never play in Cleveland since he had no great scoring sidekick. With Wade, Bosh, and Company alongside, LBJ can be a fantastic distributor and a triple-double threat every time he steps on the court. Even if he’ll always have one less ring then D-Wade, he can still be the most transcendent player in a generation of basketball, or more.

In addition to bringing a brand new contender to the NBA, LeBron also brings remarkable hype to the entire sport. When Heat training camp opens, all eyes will be on how this team gels and distributes the ball. When pre-season rolls around, Miami will draw unprecedented ratings and attention to the sport. SportsCenter will open every day with the Heat, and when they lose, NBA insiders will have to scramble for answers as to how this dream team lost.

Colin Cowherd, an ESPN Radio personality is one of the bigger NBA proponents at the Four-Letter Network, yet he never talks about the season until the All-Star Break approaches. With NBA superpowers in Miami, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, and Orlando, the NBA will be more popular then baseball in the summer of ’98 and it will highlight nearly every sports talk radio station. The Heat will sell out every arena they play at, and every team they play will give them their best punch — giving us the best basketball there is to see.

Not only has LeBron started a new trend in viewership and interest in the NBA, but he also started a trend among athletes. After seeing what the King could do, Chris Paul offered the idea of starting his own Big Three in New York of himself, Carmelo Anthony, and Amare Stoudemire. Chris Paul has done wonders for the city of New Orleans, but ultimately, it would help the game of basketball if he were teamed up with another superstar (or two) in a big market. The same is true for why Bosh had to leave Toronto and LeBron had to leave Cleveland.

Over the last month, LeBron James has manned up. He left money on the table to play for the team with the best winning opportunity. When his former boss ripped him for his “cowardly behavior”, LeBron was the bigger man, saying, “I think it’s unfortunate that he did that … But Dan and whoever his partners are have to look themselves in the mirror and understand what he may have done may have cost them in the long run.”

LeBron grew up over the past month; he left the city of his childhood for a better opportunity. In the same way that each of us jump for the best job opportunity or situation, LBJ is moving on up. So, no matter how many over-enthusiastic fans call you out or media members want to rip you, I salute you, King James.

No, we won’t see Bird and Magic. No, we won’t see Red Aurbach and we won’t get the old school Lakers. But what we will get is a classic finals matchup. Kobe and Pierce. Gasol and Garnett. Jackson and Rivers. Steve Nash and Dwight Howard aren’t the best the NBA has to offer, its Lakers versus Celtics.

There is a saying used well too much across sports, especially in the NBA: you can’t just flip a switch and turn on your game. Well, the Celtics proved that cliché wrong. The Celtics started out strong (28-13), but finished the year barely at a crawl (22-19). Rasheed Wallace looked like a $19 million waste of space and the Big 3 looked overmatched. Many picked them to lose to Miami in the first round. No one, and I mean no one (except for myself and Skip Bayless) took them to take down LeBron James. And everyone loved Orlando over Boston in the Conference Finals. And now here they are, back in the NBA Finals for the 21st time.

The Lakers, on the other hand, had a much easier path to the Finals. Clearly the best in the West, they cruised through the first three rounds. Oklahoma City was a nice appetizer, but there youth was no match for the been-there-done-that Lakers team. Utah couldn’t do much, especially considering they were missing Andrei Kirilenko and Mehmet Okur. The Suns’ zone defense did a number on LA, but Phil Jackson eventually figured it out and Kobe led them on.

Born just outside of Los Angeles, Paul Pierce always makes it a mission to play big in LA

The teams are different, although their cores have remained the same since they last met in June two years ago. Rajon Rondo has matured into superstar, and Kendrick Perkins has become a great defender. Rasheed Wallace and Nate Robinson provide energy off the bench. For the Lakers, Andrew Bynum has become a force down low and Ron Artest replaced Trevor Ariza. So are both teams better? Sure, but how much of a difference will they make?

Two years ago, the Celtics rode the back of the Big 3 to make the Finals. This year, Rajon Rondo brought them to the promise land. Rondo has been able to take over games, and he will pose a humongous problem to the Lakers. The biggest weakness for the Lakers all year has been at point guard. While Derek Fisher is clutch late in games and in big games, he is one of the worst defenders at his position. Russell Westbrook torched him for 20.5 points per game while Deron Williams and Steve Nash racked up 22 and 17.6 points per game respectively. Rondo is a better scorer then the three of them.

While Rondo has been the best scorer in the East, no one has been as dominant as Kobe Bean Bryant. This man cannot be stopped. Its only if he can withstand all of the injuries he’s had over the last three years, and if he is rested enough after playing nearly three straight years of tough basketball. Paul Pierce will do his best to contain the Bean, but you can’t stop him.

The battle down low will be key to this series. Not too long ago, Andrew Bynum had he knee drained, and the Lakers need him to be playing well to win. Pau Gasol has been historically soft, especially versus the Celtics. KG is fully healthy and should be able to mostly take Gasol out of the game. Kendrick Perkins won’t do much offensively, but should be able to contain Bynum, assuming he doesn’t receive a seventh technical foul and gets suspended.

There are three X-Factors to this series: Rasheed Wallace, Lamar Odom, and Nate Robinson. Whichever player is best off the bench will play a huge role in determining who will win this series. If Rasheed plays like he is 28 and not 35, the Lakers will have no chance. Odom is a two faced player, like a player on a sugar high and low. He can have 19 point/19 rebound performances like in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, or he can put up a 3-12 shooting night like in Game 7. Odom is clearly one of the most talented players in the league, but he doesn’t always have the motivation. Nate will likely only come in when Rondo is on the bench, but he is a one of the most electric players in the league and can provide offense by the bunches.

In the end, the Celtics are a more mature team with more winners. They have four Hall of Famers (Pierce, Garnett, Allen, and Wallace) with another potential HOFer on the way (Rondo). The Lakers haven’t faced a defense as stringent as that of Boston in a long time. Players like Ron Artest, Andrew Bynum, and Lamar Odom are too risky to be depended on in the key moments. Now that Kobe has his ring without Shaq, he’s gone into Selfish Kobe mode, more focused on the scorecard then the rings.

Boston has made 20 finals and won 17. Boston has faced the Lakers 11 times in the finals, winning 9. Boston has won 32 road games this season most in the leauge, and they will take one of the first two games in the Staples Center before closing it out on the road. We will see one tough series with lots of hostilities. Boston will take home the hardware in 7.

The Wizards won the lottery, so what does this mean for the rest of the league? This is what I’m here for, your semi-sports expert with insider knowledge. In case you missed my first mock draft, there are many changes across the board. With my beloved Bobcats lacking draft picks, this could just be my least biased mock draft ever. Here is my projected first round with analysis plus the next five picks.

1. Washington Wizards – John Wall (PG, 6’4″ 196 lbs, Kentucky)
Wall is clearly the best talent in the draft with his freakish athleticism, speed, and play making ability. The question for Washington won’t be if Wall can fit in with incumbent point guard Gilbert Arenas, but if Arenas can survive with Wall. Arenas plays more like a shooting guard then a point guard, so the fit should be great.

2. Philadelphia 76ers – Evan Turner (SG, 6’7″ 214 lbs, Ohio State)
The Sixers are ecstatic to jump four places in the draft, nearly ensuring them a star for the future. Turner is the most versatile player in the draft, able to play the point and both wing positions. As long as the Sixers still have Andre Iguodala, Turner will either start at small forward (where he will be undersized) or come off the bench. The Sixers could also take a big man such as Derrick Favors or DeMarcus Cousins here.

3. New Jersey Nets – Derrick Favors (PF, 6’10” 245 lbs, Georgia Tech)
No one was more disappointed after the NBA Draft Lottery then the Nets and their Russian billionaire owner. They didn’t get the top two picks, so they won’t get Wall and likely won’t get Turner. All of that being said, Derrick Favors is a very nice consolation prize. While Cousins is the greater talent, Favors will work better with All-Star caliber center Brook Lopez. Favors has perhaps the biggest upside in the draft with great measurements and a fantastic offensive game.

4. Minnesota Timberwolves – Wesley Jonson (SF, 6’8″ 206 lbs, Syracuse)
DeMarcus Cousins would be a great value pick here, but the Timberwolves have greater needs. Wesley Johnson fills three voids: small forward, star power, and a major scorer. Cousins isn’t on the floor long enough to make the kind of impact Minnesota needs at this pick. With big men like Hassan Whiteside and Donatas Motiejunas potentially available at 16, Johnson is the right pick here.

DeMarcus Cousins is the 2nd biggest talent in the draft, but he's a headcase

5. Sacramento Kings – DeMarcus Cousins (C, 6’11” 292 lbs, Kentucky)
If Cousins falls all the way to the fifth pick, the Kings will be overjoyed. After Wall, Cousins has the most potential in the draft. When he isn’t in foul trouble, there is no one more efficient on the boards and offensively the Cousins; this man is a beast. The Kings have spent two of their last three first-round picks on big men, but neither Spencer Hawes nor Jason Thompson have truly shown flashes of brilliance. The Kings would really like to get a guard here, but Wall and Turner will be long gone and any other guard here would be a stretch.

6. Golden State Warriors – Greg Monroe (PF/C, 6’11” 247 lbs, Georgetown)
The Warriors are set for the future in their backcourt between Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis, but their frontcourt is horrendous. Towards the end of the year, undrafted Anthony Tolliver and career backup Ronny Turiaf were starting. Georgetown big man Greg Monroe has two things that Warriors’ coach Don Nelson absolutely loves: size and great passing ability. At Monroe’s size , he will start at center and be a perfect fit in Nelson’s fast-paced offensive system.

7. Detroit Pistons – Ed Davis (PF, 6’10” 227 lbs, North Carolina)
This is an unfamiliar situation, landing in the lottery the first time since they messed up in 2003, drafting Darko Milicic over Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwayne Wade. Of the biggest needs for the Pistons is front line depth. With Ben Wallace and Jonas Jerebko starting down low, a big man will be order with the seventh pick. Ed Davis is the best remaining power forward, although things could turn awkward if Davis gets playing time over the Pistons $55 million man, Charlie Villanueva. Kansas center Cole Aldrich could be an option here, but inside sources shot down this idea. Al-Farouq Aminu has much better potential, but the last thing the Pistons need is another 3-4 forward scorer.

8. Los Angeles Clippers – Al-Farouq Aminu
Despite what most fans say, the Clippers actually have a bright future with some great young talent. Between Eric Gordon, Blake Griffin, and Chris Kaman to go with veteran point guard Baron Davis, all they are missing is a small forward. With the departure of Al Thornton, Aminu is a perfect fit. His freakish athleticism and upside are tremendous for this pick.

9. Utah Jazz – Cole Aldrich (C, 6’10” 236 lbs, Kansas)
Utah will face the departures of Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur this off-seasonm so they’ll need to pick a big man here. Utah probably is hoping that Greg Monroe will be around, but more then likely he will be gone. With Paul Millsap as a more then capable backup, drafting a power forward like Ekpe Udoh may not be productive. Kansas center Cole Aldrich was just about the most dominant big man in college, but he is being undervalued by scouts.

10. Indiana Pacers – Ekpe Udoh (PF, 6’10” 237 lbs, Baylor)
After failing to make the playoffs and falling below expectations, the Pacers are now in no mans land: not in the playoffs and no high draft picks. Danny Granger needs a side kick, and Ekpe Udoh won’t cut it for a worthy side kick. Sadly, Ekpe Udoh is the best they’ll be able to get. High upside swingmen Gordon Hayward and Xavier Henry won’t work well alongside Granger and Brandon Rush, so Udoh will be the pick.

11. New Orleans Hornets – Gordon Hayward (SF, 6’8″ 211 lbs, Butler)
The Hornets could use help down low, but drafting Hassan Whiteside or Daniel Orton would be a stretch here. Peja Stojakovic is getting old and the Hornets need help on the perimeter. Hayward plays more like a guard then a forward, so he could end up playing the 2-guard in the pros, plus he won’t have to guard athletic small forwards like LeBron and Carmelo. Hayward really needs to bulk up and could have really benefited from another year in college. Xavier Henry or Avery Bradley could be another pick here, but they would be a bit of a stretch.

12. Memphis Grizzlies – Eric Bledsoe (PG, 6’2″ 192 lbs, Kentucky)
The Grizzlies have lots of problems to address. Of them, point guard and small forward (assuming Rudy Gay leaves via free agency) are the biggest shortcomings. While Bledsoe is a slight stretch at #12, he is an elite talent that was smothered in Kentucky in the massive shadow of John Wall. Bledsoe would immediately become the starter, splitting time with incumbent Mike Conley. Bledsoe is a great talent that many people are overlooking, and he could be the greatest value in the draft.

13. Toronto Raptors – Avery Bradley (SG, 6’3″ 180 lbs, Texas)
When he signed with the Texas Longhorns, Avery Bradley was the fourth biggest recruit. He never became that big time scorer, only putting up 11 points and 2 assists per game. However, the Raptors need a scorer with the departure of Chris Bosh (I am going to assume Bosh is traded to the Lakers for Andrew Bynum, so the Raptors won’t need to stretch to pick Hassan Whiteside or Donatas Motiejunas). Bradley will start as the first guard off the bench, but may eventually evolve into the point guard of the future or compete with DeMar DeRozan for starting shooting guard duties.

14. Houston Rockets – Donatas Motiejunas (PF, 7’0″ 220 lbs, Lithuania)
The Rockets lacked height last season after missing Yao Ming for the entire season; they had to start 6’6″ Chuck Hayes at center. Motiejunas is a very skilled forward (similar to big European forwards Dirk Nowitzki and Pau Gasol) and will add much needed size to Houston’s front line. Motiejunas can either get stronger in Europe or play off the bench under the wings of Yao, Luis Scola, and Jordan Hill.

15. Milwaukee Bucks – Paul George (SF, 6’9″ 214 lbs, Fresno State)
The Bucks shocked the world last year when they made the playoffs last year, thanks mostly to explosive rookie point guard Brandon Jennings. With Andrew Bogut emerging as a great center, the Bucks now need a quality forward – at least one better then Luc Richard Mbah a Moute or Carlos Delfino. Paul George is one of the players with the biggest upsides, he has size with range on his shot.

16. Minnesota Timberwolves – Hassan Whiteside (C, 7’0″ 227, Marshall)
Minnesota seems to be set on playing Al Jefferson at power forward and letting Kevin Love come off the bench, so after drafting a wing scorer, a big man will be in order. Hassan Whiteside not only is tall, but has a freakish 7’7″ wing span. If he can improve his offensive game, he could end up being a force on the boards. Otherwise, he could be the next Alexis Ajinça.

17. Chicago Bulls – James Anderson (SG, 6’6″ 210 lbs, Oklahoma State)
Chicago needs a scoring sidekick to Derrick Rose, and James Anderson is the perfect fit. Anderson was one of the best scoring guards in all of college basketball last year, and he’s one of the most NBA-ready prospects in the draft. With a young core of Rose, Anderson, and Joakim Noah, the Bulls will be set for the future. Chicago will still have cap space to land a max player like LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, or Carlos Boozer.

18. Miami Heat – Daniel Orton (C, 6’10” 269 lbs, Kentucky)
Miami needs a post presence after the corpse of Jermaine O’Neal leaves via free agency. Even though he only average 3 points and 3 rebounds per game at Kentucky, he big body makes him one of the more sought after prospects in the draft. With his 7’4″ wingspan, Orton can become a dominant big man, albeit being a little undersized.

19. Boston Celtics – Xavier Henry (SG, 6’7″ 210 lbs, Kansas)
The Celtics’ Big 3 is aging, and Ray Allen is a free agent. They need another wing scorer and will be ecstatic if Xavier Henry falls this far. Henry has an adult body with a mature game, although he is only 19 years old. Henry could step in to be a major contributor next to Rajon Rondo and Paul Pierce.

20. San Antonio Spurs – Damion James (SF, 6’8″ 227 lbs, Texas)
Richard Jefferson was one of the biggest disappointments this year, so the Spurs will need to pick up another forward. Damion James is one of the most mature and polished players in the draft and going under the radar. James won’t have to start at the beginning of the year, so there won’t be the pressure of higher drafted players placed on James’ shoulders.

21. Oklahoma City Thunder – Patrick Patterson (PF, 6’8″ 245 lbs, Kentucky)
For the first time since moving from Seattle, the Thunder won’t be picking in the lottery. OKC really needs a center, but there are no centers available here. Luke Babitt will be enticing here, but they don’t want to hurt the progress of Kevin Durant. Patrick Patterson will bring more maturity to the Thunder and will provide insurance off the bench behind Durant and Jeff Green. His inside and outside presence are both above average plus he has a big body which is key on defense.

22. Portland Trail Blazers – Luke Babitt (SF, 6’9″ 214 lbs, Nevada)
Portland would be shocked if Babitt fell this far, and they’ll find great value in this big-time scorer. Drawing comparisons to Adam Morrison (for better or for worse), Babitt is an immediate upgrade over Nicolas Batum and Martell Webster. Babitt is lacking on defense, but he can make the Blazers instant contenders next to Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge.

23. Minnesota Timberwolves – Kevin Seraphin (PF, 6’10” 258, France)
The T-Wolves will be taking their third player in the first round, so they can take a big swing here (and not another point guard). Seraphin will likely remain in France for another year or two, so Minnesota will stash him with Ricky Rubio in Europe in hope that they will get a Boris Diaw- or Joakim Noah-like return. While they don’t necessarily need another big man after Jefferson, Love, and now Whiteside, Seraphin could be a key piece in their future plans.

24. Atlanta Hawks – Larry Sanders (PF, 6’11” 222 lbs, VCU)
One of the biggest reasons the Hawks couldn’t take one game from the Magic was their size. Starting 6’10” Al Horford at center and 6’9″ Josh Smith at power forward, they couldn’t match up with Dwight Howard. Larry Sanders will add size to their front line and fits perfectly into the Hawks’ system. He is extremely long with great athleticism and can run along with Smith, J-Smooth, and Joe Johnson. Solomon Alabi would add more size, but he isn’t a great fit with the team.

25. Memphis Grizzlies – Quincy Pondexter (SF, 6’7″ 220 lbs, Washington)
With Rudy Gay’s impending departure, the Grizzlies will really need to find an heir apparent. They like Luke Babitt, but the twelfth pick was too early and he’ll be gone by this pick. Pondexter was one of the top seniors in college with a great scoring ability while still crashing the boards.

26. Oklahoma City Thunder – Solomon Alabi (C, 7’1″ 237 lbs, Florida State)
When it comes to top-line centers, Nedad Krstic and Nick Collison hardly ever come up. Therefore, Solomon Alabi is the perfect pick here. Alabi and Serge Ibaka should step up this year to form a big man rotation. Alabi is a nice value here and adds size to a team that desperately needs an inside presence.

27. New Jersey Nets – Lance Stephenson (SG, 6’6″ 227 lbs, Cincinnati)
Assuming Evan Turner doesn’t fall to the Nets with the third pick, the Nets will need a swing man who can flat out sore. Lance Stephenson is a slight stretch at the end of the first round, but he has something that the Nets really love: starpower. Stephenson was a highly sought after recruit that ended up going to Cincinnati because the coach essentially lets his players run wild. He will bring his streetball back to the place he grew up (Brooklyn) and take the Nets’ fan base by storm.

28. Memphis Grizzlies – Craig Brackins (PF, 6’10” 229 lbs, Iowa State)
At this point in the draft, the Grizzlies have already addressed their needs at point guard and small forward, so all they have left is at power forward. Zach Randolph was a force last season, but he is crazy and could be facing a suspension for drug charges. Memphis is fairly thin at the 4, so Craig Brackins and Keith Gallon would be the best fits here. Brackins is more polished and has a better shot, plus he is a high character player.

29. Orlando Magic – Willie Warren (PG, 6’4″ 210 lbs, Oklahoma)
Although the Magic don’t necessarily need another 3-point shooter, Warren is quite the steal at the end of the first round. Coming into the year, Warren was a projected lottery pick, but due to injuries and a rift between he and his coach, his stock has fallen dramatically. That being said, he is a lights out shooter who can play the point or go out to the perimeter. Orlando will need a backup point guard and a spark off the bench and a spark off the bench, especially if they don’t bring back J.J. Redick.

30. Washington Wizards – Keith Gallon (PF, 6’10” 302 lbs, Oklahoma)
The Wizards have plenty of needs to address; they are really just a mess of a franchise. They have plenty of selfish scorers between Gilbert Arenas, Josh Howard, Randy Foye, and Mike Miller, so they need a big man down low who can rebound and alter the opposition’s shots. Keith Gallon had a poor year considering his expectations coming out of high school, but he has a gigantic body and a solid offensive game.

Next 5 off the board: Stanley Robinson, Devin Ebanks, Elliot Williams, Dexter Pittman, and Jordan Crawford

A month ago, it was a forgone conclusion that the Cavs and Lakers would meet in the Finals. The Celtics were going to lose in the first or second round to younger, faster teams. The Suns didn’t have enough star power. The Mavs could out-talent the rest of the West. Public opinion would be 0-4-1 with a maybe on the Lakers behalf.

So what does this mean? Don’t listen to the court of common knowledge! Things aren’t as they seemed when the playoffs started in late April. The Lakers look lazy. The Celtics look three years younger. Steve Nash clearly has hockey-like toughness.

Old men are the new thing with Steve Nash (36), Paul Pierce (32), Kevin Garnett (33), Ray Allen (34), and Kobe Bryant leading their teams deep into the playoffs. But injuries to players like Kobe and Andrew Bynum could make the difference between a third round exit and the finals spotlight.

We are now 15 days away from the NBA Finals, so we are about to see the best of the best put it all on the line and fight for a ring.

Celtics (3) over Magic (2) in 6

Last season, the Magic caused matchup problems to every team. With Hedo Turkoglu leading the way, no team could match their length and size. Now, Hedo is gone and Vince Carter is in, so the team is certainly different then before. Now, there is no apparent player who will take a last second shot. Dwight Howard can’t shoot. Rashard Lewis isn’t dependable enough. Jameer Nelson isn’t even 6′, and Vince Carter is known for dunking (which he can’t do too well any more) and coming up short late.

You can't be a superstar if the other team wants you to shoot free throws

One of the biggest surprises of the playoffs has been how much of an enigma Dwight Howard has been. Not only has he not showed up to play his best, but he is constantly sitting on the bench with multiple fouls. And when he is on the court, he hasn’t been doing much right. The Celtics have two players who can absolutely stop Superman. Rasheed Wallace and Kendrick Perkins can’t do much on the offensive end, but both have turned their game up a couple notches for the playoffs. Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen have a killer instinct that no one on the Magic is even close to having. Boston also has the best player on the court: Rajon Rondo. Rondo has been averaging nearly 18 points, 11 assists, and 6 rebounds these playoffs – and he’s doing it without much effort.

In the end, the Celtics have experience. In the regular season, youth tops age. But in the playoffs, experience tops rawness. No one will step up for Orlando. Boston wants it more. Orlando is rusty after running over a under-prepared Atlanta Hawks team and getting a week off. It all adds up and when Boston takes one or even two in Orlando, this series will be over in 6.

Suns (3) over Lakers (1) in 7

The Lakers absolutely symbolize Los Angeles. Kobe is crazy, and the rest of the team is lazy. The coach is a great strategist, but incredibly passive at the same time. The Suns are just the opposite. Up-beat. Run n’ Gun. All offense no defense. In a clash of opposites, we will see blow outs on both sides.

Steve Nash is a man on a mission these playoffs. Already a two-time MVP, he has never found success in the playoffs. Now that Phoenix defeated their long-time rival Spurs, the only team left in their way is the Lakers. Amare Stoudemire has been a force and no one can run the pick-and-role. Robin Lopez will be coming back and will be essential to stop LA bigs Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. Normally, inserting a player who has been out for an extended period of time is a good way to mess up chemistry, but any time you can take out Jarron Collins from your starting lineup, it will likely help.

The Lakers historically have gone as Kobe has gone. Now that Kobe won a championship ring without Shaq, Kobe has switch from selfish record book Kobe to win at all costs Kobe back to selfish Kobe. He would rather prove that he can outscore and out-stat LeBron James and everyone else in the game. Derek Fisher can’t guard any point guards, so Steve Nash should have his way with Fish and the Lakers. Grant Hill can do a respectable job guarding Kobe, and since he has so little offensive expectations, he can focus exetensively on stopping the Black Mamba.

Phoenix is deeper, quicker, smarter, and have more reasons to win. They will be more focused and will surprise the Lakers and their fans by sneaking a Game 7 win in the Staples Center from a underwhelming crowd.

No one, and I mean no one, was under the radar and crushed by experts like the Celtics and Spurs. They’re too old. They can’t run with the young guys. They’re done. But after respective five and six game first round routes, these two teams looks like they can take down the giants in these playoffs. So what is the difference between the Spurs and Celtics of the regular season and the newer versions? Health.

In the playoffs, the cream rises to the top (Paul Pierce and Tim Duncan) while the B Class players (Jermaine O’Neal and Caron Butler) can’t come through. When people start to play tough defense and referees swallow their whistles in the playoffs, you need top-flight players, or at least former All-Stars. Oh yeah, and health.

During the regular season, the Celtics and Spurs were overcome with injuries. Between Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen’s injuries, Boston only played 59 games with a fully healthy starting lineup. Add on the fact that Big Baby missed six weeks because of surgery and Rasheed Wallace had to play over 22 minutes per game, it’s a wonder they won 41 of those games. The biggest problem for the Celtics during the regular season was age, which consequently led to injuries. Now that Boston is healthy, they are the same, deep team that won it all in 2008. Especially when you consider the fact that there will be nine off days between seven games, Boston looks like they have a great shot to take down LeBron and crew.

As for the Spurs, they have had their share of injuries, too. Tony Parker had a pair of bad knees before he broke a bone in his hand six weeks before the playoffs. This could actually prove to be a great thing, however, because he will now be at full strength when he has to run with Steve Nash and the Suns.

And now, for my Conference Semifinals predictions:

Boston Celtics (4) over Cleveland Cavaliers (1) in 7

Before the year, I picked the Celtics, Magic, Lakers, and Spurs to reach the conference finals, so why back out of my picks now? The Celtics are back to full health, so there’s no reason the Big 4 (yes, I went there) can’t make this a series. LeBron has an injured elbow, which will only make Paul Pierce’s life easier on defense and offense. You can make an argument that after LBJ, the Celtics have the next four best players on the court. And while neither team has a stellar coach, the Cavs clearly have the worst of the two. I can imagine what a conversation in a Cavs’ timeout probably sounds like…

I wonder if Mike Brown's expression of confusion ever leaves him?

Mike Brown: “Bron, I want you to drive to the rim then dish it out to Delonte or Mo on the wing for a three.

LeBron: “Nah, coach, I’m straight. I’m gonna take this one.”

Mike Brown: “Oh. Alright then.”

Not quite the confidence booster. Add on the fact that one team has been there and done that while the other was a miracle shot away from being swept in the Conference Finals. I’ll take the Celtics to sneak out of the series, silencing their doubters. Also, expect Skip Bayless to erupt in at least 20,000 “I told ya so”s and Peyton Manning comparisons.

Orlando Magic (2) over Atlanta Hawks (3) in 5

Okay, I’ll admit I was a little off picking the Bobcats over the Magic – but that was assuming Stephen Jackson would shoot more then 35.8% and more ridiculous barrage of three-pointers wouldn’t fall on Charlotte. Anyways, people are overlooking the reigning Eastern Conference champions. They have the most dominant big man in the league and a plethora of outside threats.

Atlanta, on the other hand is one of the most inconsistent teams in the league. They have plenty of star power between Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, and Al Horford, but have looked terrible at times. They let the Bucks take them to seven games, even though Milwaukee was missing its best player, and they are 1-3 against the Magic and Cavaliers. Their leaders aren’t clutch down the stretch (see Johnson, Joe) and their coach is not too dependable.

In the end, the Hawks are 20-24 on the road and the Magic is 36-7 at home. The Hawks need to steal one game in Orlando to win this series, and they just can’t do it. Orlando, while they can be shaky, absolutely ran over a tough opponent in the Bobcats. This series won’t be as close as many make it out to be.

Los Angeles Lakers (1) over Utah Jazz (5) in 6

The Lakers are clearly the most talented team in the Western Conference, but the question is if and when they will turn on their A Game. Pau Gasol is too relaxed, Andrew Bynum can’t stay on the floor, Kobe Bryant and Ron Artest are too aggressive, Lamar Odom is waiting for a candy high, and Derek Fisher can’t guard anyone. That said, they have a clear coaching advantage and more depth then the Jazz.

At full strength, the Jazz would have a great chance to take down to take down LA. Unfortunately, they will be without Andrei Kirilenko for most of the series and Mehmet Okur for its entirety. This forces the Jazz to start Kyrylo Fesenko and Wesley Matthews, two players who really shouldn’t be getting even 20 minutes per game. Deron Williams should be a force this series, but Utah’s lack of size will ultimately prove too costly against Los Angeles’ two seven footers and Odom.

Going into the series, the Jazz had lost the last 14 matchups in the Staples Center – 6 of which are in the playoffs. The Jazz need to win at least one on the road, and that stat does not bode well for the men from Salt Lake City.

San Antonio Spurs (7) over Phoenix Suns (3) in 6

Old rivals meet again, but this time a different team is favored. San Antonio and Phoenix have had a history of bad blood against each other over the past decade, and this time there are new faces. The Spurs have the same core of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobli, but they also added frontcourt depth in Antonio McDyess and DeJuan Blair along with George Hill and Richard Jefferson on the wings. The Spurs have better depth, experience, and are frankly better then the new Suns.

The Suns have gone into the playoffs nearly every year with high hopes – only to get shot down by San Antonio. Whether they have Joe Johnson, Boris Diaw, Shawn Marion, Shaq, or Jason Richardson, they fall in five, six, and five games. The Suns are back to their Run n’ Gun style, but they don’t have Johnson, Diaw, Marion, or Raja Bell anymore. Those All-Stars are replaced with Robin Lopez (who is still injured), Richardson, and 37-year old Grant Hill. The Suns haven’t been able to down the Spurs before, so I don’t see a different outcome.

San Antonio my pick to meet Boston in the finals, and I am going to stick with that pick; they have the bets combination of talent and motivation among all of the teams remaining (yes, that’s knocking you, Los Angeles). Clutch players come through down the stretch, and you need star power to win. Give me the Spurs and give me the Celtics, we’ll talk in the next round.

It was only five and a half years ago that the Bobcats trotted out perhaps the worst starting lineup in NBA history: Brevin Knight, Primoz Brezec, Jason Kapono, and young Emeka Okafor and Gerald Wallace. Jason Hart and Steve Smith (no, not that Steve Smith) were key contributors off the bench and the ‘Cats won a whopping 18 games.

Since then, the Bobcats added Stephen Jackson, Raymond Felton, Boris Diaw, Tyson Chandler, and most importantly, Larry Brown. Coach Brown put his “Play the Right Way” stamp on this team. Play defense. Good shot selection. Pass the ball. All of a sudden Charlotte is six games over .500 and in the playoffs. They won 19 games versus winning teams, including three versus the Cavaliers and another versus the Lakers.

The Bobcats don’t have the big stars of the Celtics, Lakers, or even the Heat. Big Shot Jack has (somehow) never made the All-Star Game, so Gerald Wallace is Charlotte’s lone All-Star; he was a reserve in Dallas this February. That said, this team has players who, well, play the game right. Raymond Felton has blossomed into a very nice point guard under LB and is a great leader late in games. Diaw, while undersized, often defends the other teams’ best big men, and defends them well. He can shoot well from anywhere on the floor and can pass as well as any point guard in the league.

We’ve all heard the phrase … defense wins championships. This concept works in every sport. Dominating defenses in the NFL make winners, just look at the Steelers, Ravens, Patriots, and Giants this past decade. Even in baseball, fielding is become a highly important skill, especially as new defensive metrics have come out. In 2008, the two best defensive teams were the Rays and World Champion Phillies while the worst was Texas, who only finished with 79 wins. And basketball is no exception.

The Bobcats are not only a great defensive team; they are the best defensive team. They led the league in points allowed with just 93.8 PPG. Gerald Wallace was just about the bets defensive small forward, shutting down LeBron James and several other swingmen. Stephen Jackson is another elite defender, along with Tyson Chandler down low. Off the bench, Tyrus Thomas and Theo Ratliff are terrific at blocking and altering shots and just clogging the lane. In fact, the biggest strength of the Bobcats is the biggest weakness of the Magic.

Ask this to yourself: Do you really think a team who depends on Vince Carter can win it all?

Sure, the Magic have Dwight Howard and Matt Barnes, two of the best defenders in the league, but their other tree starters play no defense at all. Jameer Nelson, Rashard Lewis, and Vince Carter play defense that wouldn’t even impress in a church basketball league. What this means is that Stephen Jackson, Gerald Wallace, and Raymond Felton will run train on Orlando’s lackadaisical defense for about 80 points combined per game. Tyson Chandler isn’t much of an offensive force, so Dwight Howard won’t be taking much out of Charlotte’s offense.

As mentioned earlier, the biggest addition to the Bobcats over the last two years has been Larry Brown. Coaching makes a variable impact; it’s always hard to tell how much a coach really helps. Football Outsiders said that only two postseason head coaches impacted their team, Bill Belichick as a plus for the Pats and Norv Turner as a minus for the Chargers. Only four coaches in these NBA playoffs are Gregg Popovich, Phil Jackson, Jerry Sloan, and Larry Brown. LB is perhaps the best coach ever in basketball, and his stamp on Charlotte is finally sealed.

Ultimately, the Bobcats play defense, rebound, play the right way, and out hustle their opponents. The last time the Bobcats and Magic played, the ‘Cats out-rebounded Orlando by 12. On the road. With Chandler coming off the bench. The Bobcats are giant killers and they have their sights set. Catch the fever, Bobcats fever, and jump on the bandwagon before it’s too late.

Cleveland (1) over Chicago (8) in 5
I don’t necessarily like the Cavs to win it all (contrary to popular picks), but they over-match the Bulls in almost every way. LBJ should cruise through this series without too much sweat. Shaq should become more acclimated to playing alongside Antawn Jamison and the new Cavs team.

Charlotte (7) over Orlando (2) in 7
See above.

Atlanta (3) over Milwaukee (6) in 5
Milwaukee played well this year, but no one can convince me that a streaky Brandon Jennings and old Michael Redd can take down the young run-and-gun Hawks team. Joe Johnson, J-Smooth, and Al Horford should have no problem penetrating with Andrew Bogut out for the year.

Boston (4) over Miami (5) in 6
Nearly everyone is down on the Celtics this year, but the hate has gone too far. All this team needs is to be healthy for the remainder of the year and play like a well-prepared team. Paul Pierce and Ray Allen can still shoot as well as anyone and Rondo has become a top-5 NBA point guard. Miami can’t depend on D-Wade to win, and no team can win with Carlos Arroyo starting and giving major minutes to Dorrell Wright.

Los Angeles (1) over Oklahoma City (8) in 7
The Lakers are the defending champs, but the swap of Trevor Ariza for Ron Artest has been detrimental to the team. Because Andrew Bynum is still injured (no surprise here), Lamar Odom will start and leave the Lakers’ bench as the worst second string in the league. The Thunders have chemistry and young talent, but ultimately don’t have the playoff experience to down the Lakers.

Dallas (2) over San Antonio (7) in 7
Just like the Celtics, all the Spurs need to succeed is health. Tim Duncan will always be a beast in the paint and Manu Ginobli has been a man possessed the last month of the season. Tony Parker is finally healthy, and they still have Richard Jefferson. Unfortunately, they are up against Dallas. The Mavs are perhaps the deepest team in the playoffs since they added Caron Butler at the trade deadline. Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Butler, Shawn Marion, and crew will be too much for even Popovich and Duncan to handle.

Phoenix (3) over Portland (6) in 6
The Portland Trailblazers have faced a New York Mets-esque injury plague this season. First Greg Oden, then Joel Pryzbila, and most importantly Brandon Roy. They are a great young team full of talent, but without Roy, this team is average. Phoenix is back to it’s run-and-gun style, and any team with Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire has a chance in this league.

Utah (5) over Denver (4) in 7
Both teams have a great shot at going to the Championship Game, so its a shame Denver and Utah have to play each other in the first round. Utah has the modern day version of John Stockton and Karl Malone in Deron Williams. The Nuggets have a superstar scorer and perhaps the best playoff point guard of the past decade, Chauncey Billups. The reason I give the slight edge to the Jazz is coaching. Jerry Sloan is one of the best in the league, while Denver’s George Karl will miss the series.

On Friday, October 13, 2009, LeBron James announced to the world that next year he will change his number from 23 to 6 to honor Michael Jordan. Whether as a Cavalier or, as many New Yorkers think, the Knicks, LeBron will have a new jersey to sell. Now, I’m not claiming that LeBron and Nike want to get the most money possible by switching jersey number, as Kobe Bryant did in 2006, because he is very likely to switch teams meaning he will have a new jersey. But I am calling shenanigans on what he is doing.

At this start of LeBron’s career, I would not have suggested that he pick 23 to wear. He should have worn a special jersey that he could wear that no one else has. Instead of when little kids see the number 23 they are split between saying, “That’s Mike” and, “That’s LeBron.” He probably should have gone with a number retired by no one, like 26, 28, or 29. That would be the best way to expand his brand.

To start off, I have a major problem with what LeBron has done and will do is when he said, “(Michael Jordan) can’t get the logo, and if he can’t, something has to be done. I feel like no NBA player should wear 23. I’m starting a petition, and I’ve got to get everyone in the NBA to sign it. Now, if I’m not going to wear No. 23, then nobody else should be able to wear it.” He went on to say that he would switch to number 6 because it was his Olympic number and the number of his favorite player, Julius Erving. Currently, there are no numbers retired throughout the NBA, although both Chicago and Miami have retired Jordon’s number. In Major League Baseball, Jackie Robinson’s number is the only number retired throughout the league. 42 isn’t retired because Robinson was a transcendent player; it is retired because he broke the racial barrier in MLB. Jordan was the transcendent player, not a barrior breaker. In the NHL, Wayne Gretsky’s 99 is retired and Mario Lemieux’s 66 is “unofficially retired”, and they both fit LeBron’s mold of a transcendent player. But then again, hockey is hockey so lets not put too much impact on that sport.

The problem is not to get players to switch from 23 because after James, Jason Richardson and Kevin Martin are the only notable players to don that number. LeBron James wants the NBA to retire MJ’s 23, but why? He was a transcendent figure for the sport, but what else major did he accomplish? Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier so that modern day superstars Ryan Howard, Albert Pujols, and Barry Bonds could play. Jordan made shoes. Also, what makes Jordan the best candidate to have his number retired? What about the two men with the number LBJ want to wear next year, Julius Erving and Bill Russell. LeBron wants to wear 6 because Dr. J was his favorite player growing up. What about Russell for his unprecedented 11 rings? Larry Bird and  Kareem Abdul-Jabbar share the number 33 and certainly made a huge impact on the NBA. So what he is saying is that his he wants to change jersey numbers to honor a player he thinks is great, only to switch to the number of his favorite player. It makes no sense.  The point here is that no number should be retired across a league unless it made an impact beyond statistics and milestones.

This has been a major topic of discussion for the last few years and will be until next fall: where will LeBron James sign? The popular choice has been the New York Knicks, but my question is why would he do that? Sure he’d be playing in Madison Square Garden every other night, but who else would be on the team? Do you really want to join a team who’s core is Danilo Galinari, Jordan Hill, Chris Duhon, and maybe David Lee? They have no talent on their team and are banking their franchise’s future  on signing two max contract players, which is highly improbable by now. And to top it off, they have no first round pick this year due to their trade for Stephon Marbury. Now to add a twist to the story. What if LeBron said that he was going to be changing his number because he already knew his team he will be signing with has retired 23 or has a player wearing it. The Hawks, Celtics, Bulls, Heat, Nets and Rockets have all retired 23 while only the Suns, Magic, Kings, Celtics, and Sixers have retired. So which other teams could have a real need for a small forward and would be a good fit for him. I have a list of four teams: The Nets, Clippers, Heat, and Trailblazers. You are probably in shock because I just suggested that LeBron James sign with the Clippers, Blazers, and Nets, but calm down and lets go on.

The Nets have a great young nucleus featuring Devin Harris and Brook Lopez along with Yi Jianlian and guards Chris Douglas-Roberts, Courtney Lee, and Terrance Williams plus a likely top-5 draft pick this year. The only thing missing from this team is a scoring small forward. They are very likely to be moving to Brooklyn in a year or two. LeBron has a clause in his deal with Nike that will double if he plays in New York or LA. Brooklyn counts as NYC. And LBJ being good friends with Jay-Z, a co-owner of the Nets, can’t hurt.

The Clippers have long been considered cursed after freak injuries to star players, top-5 pick busts, and losing season after losing season. Like the Nets, the Clips have a great core of young players, though. Baron Davis isn’t so young, but he can still play while Eric Gordon, Blake Griffin, and Chris Kaman have yet to reach their primes (Griffin has yet to play a game). Add on Al Thornton, Marcus Camby, and Sebastian Telfair, and that’s one stacked roster. He would also get that contract bonus from Nike.

Could these Olympic teammates become actual teammates in 2010?

The Heat in a great situation for the 2010 season. Only Michael Beasley and Daequan Cook are guaranteed contracts for the season and they have team options on Mario Chalmers and James Jones while Dwayne Wade has a player option he will likely decline. They are the only team in the NBA who can legitimately offer two max contracts, say for a combination of two of the three between Dwayne Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh. Also, what’s not to love about South Beach?

The Blazers are the wild card out of this group of teams. They currently are starting two point guards and Brandon Roy at small forward, showing little faith in Rudy Fernandez and Martell Webster. If they could muster up the cap space to land King James, they would have a great starting five of Andre Miller, Brandon Roy, LeBron, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Greg Oden. The only problem is that it is highly, highly unlikely that LeBron would sign to a market as small as Portland.

I trust that LeBron isn’t as stupid as a high school drop out, so I think he had something planned when he said that he would make the switch from 23. I think that he knew that he had something in mind, and that was going to play in South Beach with Dwayne Wade. It has been well documented, as I did in the Shaq Theory, that D-Wade is a great teammate and won’t hog the ball as much as a player like Kobe will. The Heat fit the bill for a team which has retired the number 23, for Jordan in fact, and won’t necessarily have a player wearing the number 6. Mario Chalmers, who currently is wearing six, isn’t guaranteed a contract with Miami, but if he returns, will likely give up six to James.

On November 24, Dwayne Wade said of his dream teammate, “If I could pick one player in the league today to play with, and most people think I’d say LeBron James, I would pick Dwight Howard.” Was he softening up an opponent he would play the next night or talking from his heart, who knows, but I’m sure that he wouldn’t mind playing with LBJ.

LeBron James is a great guy who likely does honor NBA history, but I just don’t think that he would switch numbers from the one he has worm since at least high school just to honor arguably the greatest player ever. I respect King James, but I think he is up to something

Since his rookie season in 1992, Shaquille Rashaun O’Neal has been considered one of the most dominant centers in the league, if not most dominant players altogether. But what kind of player is he off the court? And for that matter, how good is he anymore? Shaq has now left four teams on bad terms: the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, and Phoenix Suns. He allegedly stole a television series idea from a teammate and burned several bridges. Maybe a closer look into the career of Shaq Diesel will reveal what kind of player and person he really is.

When Shaq came into the league out of LSU, he was a force from the start. As a rookie, he started in the All-Star Game and won the Rookie of the Year Award while scoring 23.4 points, 56.2% shooting, 13.9 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks per game. He got better and better over the next few seasons, developing into arguably the best center in the league. In his second season, he paired up with rookie Penny Hardaway and led the Magic to their first ever playoff appearance, while averaging 29 points, 60% shooting, and 13 boards. In his third season, he even led the league in scoring and led Orlando to the NBA Finals, where they were swept byt the Rockets. In his fourth and final season with the Magic, he made his fourth All-Star Game although he missed 28 games of the season due to injury. Eventually the Magic lost in the Eastern Conference Finals to the Bulls.

That off-season, O’Neal left the team who drafted him number one four years previous to bolt to a bigger market, namely Los Angeles. Shaq was able to expand his fan base and he could also better show off his rap and acting skills. Shaq was able to match up with Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson, winning three straight NBA Championships from 2000-2002. but ran into a rough spot with fellow alpha dog Kobe Bryant in 2003. The Lakers started out the year 11-19 and Shaquille O’Neal was hurt with a toe injury. The Lakers eventually made the playoffs, but lost in the quarter-finals to the Spurs. During that off-season, Bryant was accused of rape and had to miss training camp because he had to recover from knee surgery. The Lakers also added Karl Malone and Gary Payton, and they were anointed by most to be a lock to win it all. They didn’t end up winning, and Shaq and Kobe were at odds. O’Neal said that Kobe needed to be more of a passer and hinted that Kobe wasn’t that important to the team. One of the two had to go. O’Neal requested a trade after head coach Phil Jackson left, and he was traded to Miami for Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, and a 1st-rounder. Kobe was made out to be the bad guy, partly to do with his rape charges, but was he really the villain?

Dwayne Wade is about the only superstar Shaq has been able to get along with

Shaq had already burnt bridges in two cities, but decided to join up with rising superstar Dwayne Wade for a chance at another championship. In his first season in Miami, he helped lead the Heat to within a game of the Finals. Shaq signed a 5-year/$100 million extension and a year after signing, he assisted Dwayne Wade to a third straight Eastern Conference Finals trip and eventually to a championship. But just like in LA, Shaq Diesel ran into problems and forced a trade. His numbers were down, for the first time ever, he didn’t make the All-Star Team, and he wasn’t getting along with Pat Riley, the coach and GM of Miami. Shaq ended up the best team player in South Beach, partially having to do with the fact that Dwayne Wade isn’t doesn’t strong of a need for shots like Kobe needed.

For whatever reason, the Suns decided to blow up their up-tempo team by trading high-flying Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks for Shaq. Before the trade to acquire the Shaqtus, the Suns had the best record in the West at 34-14, but wanted a big man to match up with Tim Duncan and Yao Ming. But like most people thought, the trade didn’t work. The Shaqtus couldn’t run with Steve Nash, Raja Bell, and Boris Diaw, and they had to reconstruct their offense to accommodate O’Neal. The Suns ended the year as the 6th seed in the West with a 55-27 record, but were a shell of their old team. They were beat down if five games by the team they acquired Shaq to beat, the Spurs. The next season wasn’t any better. He nearly set career lows in rebounds, assists, blocks and points. Word came out that Shaq stole the idea to his show on ABC, Shaq Vs., from Steve Nash. Nash later said that either he or O’Neal had to go, and for Steve Kerr, the choice was easy. Shaq was so dumped off to the Cavs for Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic, both of whom were bought out a few weeks later.

On to the Cavs chapter. While many thought that the move to Cleveland would lead them to the promise land. But here are some points to show why it hasn’t. Shaq, for the first time, isn’t in a warm city. Cleveland is way colder than Orlando, LA, Miami, or Phoenix. Also, Shaq is still an alpha dog, and the Cavs already have one, namely one certain LeBron James. This could bring up another Kobe/Shaq feud. Shaq has, so far, been terrible in Cleveland. He is averaging 11 and 7 while his team is 6-3, a far cry from the kind of year they expected. He has slowed down the Cavs just like he did with the Suns.

Now, lets take a look back at what happened after Shaquille O’Neal left the Lakers and Suns. Last season, the Lakers won the title and Kobe looked like he was a changed man, or he was never the bad guy. Maybe Shaq was the bully the whole time. After all, he did force himself out of four cities and doesn’t seem to get that he’s not the same dominant guy he used to be. The Suns replaced Shaq with Channing Frye, a former lottery pick considered by most a bust. They are now back to their up-tempo team before they traded The Matrix to get Shaq Diesel.

So what is the moral of this story, or rather, the point of this theory? Shaq is no longer an asset to fast paced teams, they have to fit his needs. He is an alpha dog who has aged rapidly, but still demads the same amount of touches per game. Maybe Kobe isn’t that bad and Shaq is the villain. So we should celebrate the career that was for Shaq Diesel and try to forget what has happened since he won it all in 2006.

The NBA season is here with lots of new players on new teams. Vince Carter is a Magic, Ron Artest is a Laker, Rasheed Wallace is a Celtic, and Hedo Turkoglu is a Raptor. Here are my predictions for each league with a short description of each team.

Eastern Conference

Boston Celtics

You take the Big Three and add on Rasheed Wallace and Rajon Rondo and that’s a great team. They have a deep bench and great leadership, so its hard to pick against these guys.

Orlando Magic

The defending Eastern Conference champs swapped versatile Hedo Turkoglu for former All-Star Vince Carter and a deeper bench. They still create huge miss-matches on both sides of the ball and have tons of super-stars.

Cleveland Cavaliers

After LeBron James, the Cavs don’t have much. Shaq may want to be the alpha-dog again, so he could clash with the King to cause major problems. Mo Williams is their second leading scorer, and that tells you a lot about the team.

Miami Heat

The Heat have MVP-to-be Dwayne Wade who makes any team great along with big man Jermaine O’Neal. You also take young Michael Beasley and former Knick Quentin Richardson and that is a deep team, especially with 3-point shooting champ Daequan Cook off the bench.

Chicago Bulls

Like Miami, the Bulls have tons of talent, but in Chicago’s case it is really young. Derrick Rose, Tyrus Thomas, Luol Deng, and Joakim Noah create a great nucleus for the future. With veterans like Brad Miller, John Salmons, and Kirk Hinrich added into the equation, they are a team to look out for.

Detroit Pistons

Rasheed Wallace and Chauncey Billups are gone, but the Pistons added Charlie Villanueva, Ben Wallace, and Ben Gordon to their core of Richard Hamilton, Rodney Stuckey and Tayshaun Prince. They are a very veteran team, but they have loads of experience and talent.

Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks have a lot of players on the brink of stardom, but no great players. Sure, Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, and Al Horford, but no legitimate big guy to bang down low. That is, unless you count Zaza Pachulia.

Charlotte Bobcats

The Bobcats have one of the top five coaches in the league and two very underrated players, Gerald Wallace and Tyson Chandler. They will really miss Raja Bell, who will possibly miss the first four months of the season, and should’ve signed Allen Iverson as a big time scorer.

Philadelphia 76ers

The Sixers will miss Andre Miller, so they will have to go with either rookie Jrue Holliday or Lou Williams at the point. They have two solid but aging big men in Elton Brand and Samuel Dalembert and a great young scorer in Andre Iguadala.

Washington Wizards

After compiling only 19 wins last year, the Wizards will get back Antawn Jamison, Gilbert Arenas, and DeShawnStevensonfrom injury and have added proven scorers in Randy Foye and Mike Miller. But even with all of those stars, there’s a reason they won that little last year.

Toronto Raptors

The Raptors will score a ton of points this year with All-Star Chris Bosh and Hedo Turkoglu, Andrea Bargnani, Jose Calderon and DeMar Derozan, but they won’t play very much defense. Denver and Phoenix have proven that you need defense to succeed, so don’t expect much from Canadian basketball this year.

Indiana Pacers

After Comeback Player of the Year Danny Granger, the Pacers have no one. Troy Murphy? Mike Dunleavy? Really?

New Jersey Nets

The best new for the Nets this year is that they may be on their way to play in Brooklyn and possibly land LeBron James this summer, when he hits free agency. They do have two up-and-coming stars in Devin Harris and Brook Lopez.

New York Knicks

The Knicks are in big trouble. They are depending on Al Harington and David Lee for scoring and hoping and praying that LeBron will come to play in Madison Square Garden next year. There is very, very, very little talent on this roster.

Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks may be the worst team this season after dumping Richard Jefferson for three role players. They have Michael Redd as their only legitimate scorer, and they may trade him during the season.

Western Conference

San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs may be aging but they have the most talent in the league. All-Stars are everywhere between Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Richard Jefferson, Manu Ginobli, and many others. Their bench is as deep as anyones’ and they have a great coach in Gregg Popovich.

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers won it all last year but hurt themselves when they essentially swapped Trevor Ariza for Ron Artest. Artest will take the last second shots that Ariza would let Kobe Bryant take. The Lakers have tons of talent but their playerswill eventually get tired from playing so many games over the past two years. Two fun questions are will Andrew Bynum actually stay healthy and will Lamar Odom be more hurt by his candy fetish or his marriage with Khloe Kardashian

Dallas Mavericks

The Mavs added super athletic  forward Shawn Marion for a small price and inserted him into a talented starting lineup that includes All-Stars Dirk Nowitski and Jason Kidd. They also have several more talented swing men including Josh Howard and Jason Terry.

Portland Trailblazers

Portland is one of the best young teams with superstar Brandon Roy and big men LaMarcus Aldridge and Greg Oden. If their young players can mature and Andre Miller can live up to his free-agent contract, they will be a team to reckon with.

New Orleans Hornets

It was only two years ago that the Hornets were a game away from the Western Conference Finals. Now, with one less Tyson Chandler and one more Emeka Okafor, the quick Hornets could be a Western Conference power. They should also flip one of their many small forwards for another quality big man.

Utah Jazz

Utah has solid players across their starting lineup, Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer leading them. The Jazz certainly have the talent to play well, but will they stay healthy enough to compete. Mehmet Okur, Andre Kirilenko, and Boozer’s health will be the key.

Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets, lead by new acquisition Chauncey Billups to the Western Finals last year, and look to repeat. Unfortunately, they didn’t make any improvements except drafting Ty Lawson. If you don’t make any improvements, you are taking a step backwards.

Phoenix Suns

Gone are the Suns of the past: Shawn Marion, Shaquille O’Neal, Raja Bell, Boris Diaw, and Joe Johnson. They still have Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire to run their fast paced team, but they are aging quickly. They’ll need Leandro Barbosa and Channing Frye to show up in order to make the playoffs.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Look for Kevin Durant to put up MVP-type numbers with at least 30 PPG

The youngest team in the leauge has one of the brightest futures in the league. They have four lottery picks from the past three years starting: Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden. Imagine if the trade that would have landed them Tyson Chandler would have gone through last year, that would be a great team.

Golden State Warriors

Don Nelson continued his small guard love when he drafted Monta Ellis look-alike Stephen Curry and did not trade for Phoenix big man Amare Stoudemire. There are problems in the locker room, but the good news  is that the bottom of the Western Conference is not very good.

Memphis Grizzlies

Although they have been as dysfunctional as the Washington Nationals and Oakland Raiders over the past few years, they have a ton of talent on this squad. They took their young nucleus of Rudy Gay, O.J. Mayo, and Mike Conley and added lottery pick Hasheem Thabeet and problematic high-scoring veterans Zach Randolph and Allen Iverson. If the locker room doesn’t explode, this could be a great sleeper team.

Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers have also been dysfunctional over the past decade, but they also have a solid young team. Baron Davis is a top-10 point guard and Eric Gordon and Blake Griffin will soon develop into All-Stars. Big men Marcus Camby and Chris Kaman are also solid. Don’t laugh, but LeBron could sign here to rival Kobe Bryant and complete a very good young team.

Houston Rockets

After losing Yao Ming for the year and Tracy McGrady for most of it, the Rockets are looking pretty awful. Think about what Houston’s announcer has to say: “NOW STARTING FOR YOUR HOUSTON ROCKETS…TREVOR ARIZA, AARON BROOKS, AND LUIS SCOLA!!!” Doesn’t sound to good does it?

Minnesota Timberwolves

The T-Wolves looked solid at the end of last season with everyone healthy, but now they blew two lottery picks when they took two straight point guard, one of whom won’t leave Italy to play in Minny. They are too young and untalented to win 20 games.

Sacramento Kings

The Kings make every other team look incredible. Its just that simple. At least they can look forward to draft John Wall number one next year to have a solid young starting lineup of Wall, Tyreke Evans, Kevin Martin, Jason Thompson, and Spencer Hawes next year.

Playoffs:

Boston (1) over Charlotte (8)

Orlando (2) over Atlanta (7)

Cleveland (3) over Detroit (6)

Miami (4) over Chicago (5)

Spurs (1) over Phoenix (8)

Lakers (2) over Nuggest (7)

Utah (6) over Dallas (3)

Hornets (5) over Blazers (4)

Celtics (1) over Miami (4)

Orlando (2) over Cleveland (3)

Spurs (1) over Hornets (5)

Lakers (2) over Jazz (6)

Celtics (1) over Orlando (2)

Spurs (1) over Lakers (2)

Celtics over Spurs in 6