All NBA Talk

Classic Post Game Interview By Hedo Turkoglu

Sherron Shabazz — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 00:07:00 GMT

2010 NBA All-Stars Announced

Sherron Shabazz — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 02:01:00 GMT

2010 Eastern Conference All-Stars

No.	Player (Team)	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Birthdate	College/HS/Country	Selections
4	Chris Bosh (Toronto)	F/C	6-10	230	03/24/84	Georgia Tech	5
5	Kevin Garnett (Boston)	F	6-11	220	05/19/76	Farragut Academy (HS)	13
15	Al Horford (Atlanta)	F/C	6-10	245	06/03/86	Florida	1
12	Dwight Howard (Orlando)	C	6-11	265	12/08/85	SW Atlanta Christian Academy	4
3	Allen Iverson (Philadelphia)	G	6-0	165	06/07/75	Georgetown	11
23	LeBron James (Cleveland)	F	6-8	250	12/30/84	St. Vincent/St. Mary HS	6
2	Joe Johnson (Atlanta)	G	6-7	235	06/29/81	Arkansas	4
34	Paul Pierce (Boston)	F	6-7	235	10/13/77	Kansas	8
1	Rajon Rondo (Boston)	G	6-1	171	02/22/86	Kentucky	1
1	Derrick Rose (Chicago)	G	6-3	190	10/04/88	Memphis	1
3	Dwyane Wade (Miami)	G	6-4	210	01/17/82	Marquette	6
3	Gerald Wallace (Charlotte)	F	6-7	215	07/23/82	Alabama	1

2010 Western Conference All-Stars

No.	Player (Team)	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Birthdate	College/HS/Country	Selections
15	Carmelo Anthony (Denver)	F	6-8	230	05/29/84	Syracuse	3
24	Kobe Bryant (L.A. Lakers)	G	6-6	205	08/23/78	Lower Merion HS	12
21	Tim Duncan (San Antonio)	F	6-11	260	04/25/76	Wake Forest	12
35	Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City)	F	6-9	230	09/29/88	Texas	1
16	Pau Gasol (L.A. Lakers)	F	7-0	227	07/06/80	Barcelona, Spain	3
13	Steve Nash (Phoenix)	G	6-3	178	02/07/74	Santa Clara	7
41	Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas)	F	7-0	245	06/19/78	Wurzburg, Germany	9
3	Chris Paul (New Orleans)	G	6-0	175	05/06/85	Wake Forest	3
50	Zach Randolph (Memphis)	F	6-9	260	07/16/81	Michigan State	1
7	Brandon Roy (Portland)	G	6-6	211	07/23/84	Washington	3
1	Amare Stoudemire (Phoenix)	F/C	6-10	245	11/16/82	Cypress Creek HS	5
8	Deron Williams (Utah)	G	6-3	207	06/26/84	Illinois	1

2010 NBA Rookie Challenge Rosters Announced

Sherron Shabazz — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:32:00 GMT

Chicago Bulls Taj Gibson and Derrick Rose will be partying in Dallas for the NBA Rookie Challenge.

Rookie Team roster

Player (Team)	Position	Height/Weight	School/Country
Omri Casspi (Kings)	F	6-9/225	Israel
DeJuan Blair (Spurs)	F-C	6-7/265	Pittsburgh
Stephen Curry (Warriors)	G	6-3/185	Davidson
Tyreke Evans (Kings)	G	6-6/220	Memphis
Jonny Flynn (Timberwolves)	G	6-0/186	Syracuse
Taj Gibson (Bulls)	F	6-9/225	USC
James Harden (Thunder)	G	6-5/220	Arizona State
Brandon Jennings (Bucks)	G	6-1/169	Lottomatica Virtus Roma (Italy)
Jonas Jerebko (Pistons)	F	6-10/231	Sweden

Sophomore Team roster

Player (Team)	Position	Height/Weight	School/Country
Michael Beasly (Heat)	F	6-9/245	Kansas State
Marc Gasol (Grizzlies)	C	7-1/265	Spain
Danilo Gallinari (Knicks)	G-F	6-10/225	Italy
Eric Gordon (Clippers)	G	6-3/222	Indiana
Brook Lopez (Nets)	C	7-0/260	Stanford
Kevin Love (Timberwolves)	F-C	6-10/260	UCLA
O.J. Mayo (Grizzlies)	G	6-4/210	USC
Derrick Rose (Bulls)	G	6-3/190	Memphis
Russell Westbrook (Thunder) G	6-3	187	UCLA

The Genius of J.R. Smith

Sherron Shabazz — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 15:54:00 GMT

Allen Iverson Retires

Sherron Shabazz — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:20:00 GMT

The best little man of all time has reportedly walked away from the game. Yahoo Sports has reported that 76er great Allen Iverson has decided to retire.

"I would like to announce my plans to retire from the National Basketball Association," Iverson said in a statement. "I always thought that when I left the game, it would be because I couldn't help my team the way that I was accustomed to. However, that is not the case."

Just a little over a week ago Iverson's contract was terminated by the Memphis Grizzlies after The Answer voiced his displeasure about not being a starter. Many thought that Iverson would find a home on another NBA team but that never came to fruition.

I have often been critical of Iverson and his unwillingness to be a good teammate. Many accuse me of being an Iverson hater, but that's not the case. I happen to be a huge fan of Allen Iverson--I just wished at times that he would do the "right thing."

I remember 10 years ago seeing Charles Barkley carried off the court in Philadelphia in a Rockets uniform and thinking, "This is no way for such a great player to go out." While Iverson is not being carried off with an injury, his last public moments are of him complaining about starting in Memphis and Detroit.

I'd like to take this time to focus on the greatness of Allen Iverson.

Everyone remembers Iverson crossing over Michael Jordan in his rookie year. In the eyes of many that moment represented a changing of the guard.

In 2001 Iverson single-handedly led the Philadelphia 76ers to the NBA Finals. The defending champion Los Angeles Lakers were undefeated in their Playoff run until they ran into Allen Iverson and the 76ers. While only winning one game, everyone remembers Iverson's 48 point performance in game one of that series.

In 2004 Larry Brown led the U.S. Olympic team to a bronze medal. Brown being allergic to youth refused to give quality minutes to the likes of LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony--Iverson carried the team. While many of the U.S. players were embarrassed to be receiving a bronze medal Iverson received his medal with pride--pride in himself, his team, and his country.

It appears as though Iverson will never be an NBA Champion but he is surely a first ballot Hall-of-Famer.

Check the resume:

1995 Big East Rookie of the Year

1995 & 1996 Big East Defensive Player of the Year

1996 NBA first overall draft pick

1997 NBA Rookie of the Year

2001 NBA MVP

2001 & 2005 NBA All-Star Game MVP

10 time NBA All-Star

4 time NBA scoring champion

2004 Olympic bronze medalist

and the list goes on....

Iverson is 17th all-time on the NBA scoring list with 24,020 points, and 5th all-time in scoring average with 27.0 points a game. Iverson is 2nd behind Michael Jordan in Playoff scoring average with 29.7 points a game.

A.I. has career averages of 27.0 points a game, 6.2 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.2 steals. Not bad for a guy barely 6 feet tall and 165 pounds.

Bryan Crawford of Slam Magazine recently wrote, "For some reason, I always felt a connection to him [Allen Iverson]. At one point, I even wanted to “be” Allen Iverson."

Bryan is not alone.

Iverson has touched the lives of many--mostly in inner city neighborhoods. Without asking to be, Iverson was a role model to people in hopeless situations. He was one of us and he made it.

Regardless of your opinion of Allen Iverson one thing is for sure, he is an American success story and a true warrior on and off the basketball court.

"Stepping away from the game will allow me to spend quality time with my wife and kids," said Iverson. "This is a reward that far exceeds anything that I've ever achieved on the basketball court. I have prayed for this day and I see it as my greatest gift."

Here's to the Answer... Thanks for your blood, sweat, and tears on the basketball court. You were appreciated.

Scottie Pippen and Clyde Drexler Discuss Isiah's Dream Team Snub

Sherron Shabazz — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:21:00 GMT

Larry Bird and Magic Johnson's book "When the Game Was Ours" has sparked a lot of controversy. In the book Magic, a once close friend of Isiah, states that Thomas' personality or lack thereof kept him from the 1992 Olympic Dream Team.

"Isiah killed his own chances when it came to the Olympics,"Johnson said in the book. "Nobody on that team wanted to play with him. ... I'm sadfor Isiah. He has alienated so many people in his life, and hestill doesn't get it. He doesn't understand why he wasn't chosenfor that Olympic team and that's really too bad. You should beaware when you've ticked off more than half of the NBA."

"I'm just disappointed and hurt," Thomas said. "I wish he would have called me. I alwaysbelieved that our friendship was good and close enough that wewouldn't have to talk about this stuff in such a public venue."

Everyone has an opinion about Isiah's exclusion from the 1992 Dream Team, even the guys who made the team. Scottie Pippen and Clyde Drexler recently appeared on Chris "Mad Dog" Russo's Sirius Satellite Radio show and gave their opinion on Isiah Thomas being snubbed from the '92 Dream Team.

2009/2010 NBA Predictions

Sherron Shabazz — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 23:40:00 GMT

The 2009/2010 NBA season is here and like every other so-called expert I like to make predictions. Here goes...

Most Valuable Player: LeBron James

Forthe second consecutive year LeBron James will be crowned the league'sMVP. Bold prediction, right? LeBron James has gotten better in each andevery season that he's played in--2010 should be no different. With asoft Eastern Conference to beat up on James should lead the Cavaliersto the best record in the East while putting up amazing numbers.

Runners-up:

2. Dwight Howard

3. Kobe Bryant

4. Dwyane Wade

5. Chris Paul

Rookie of the Year: Blake Griffin

Withmy second bold prediction I'm going to predict that Blake Griffin willbe the 2010 Rookie of the Year. Griffin is a flat out beast and should walk away with the trophy easily. In sports you never say never--Griffin does play for the Clippers.

Runners-up:

2. Tyreke Evans

3. Jonny Flynn

4. Brandon Jennings

5. James Harden

Defensive Player of the Year: Dwight Howard

Onceagain I'm going out on a limb and picking Dwight Howard as theDefensive Player of the Year. I wonder how many consecutive years willhe lead the NBA in rebounds and blocks?

2. Ron Artest

3. Dwyane Wade

4. LeBron James

5. Chris Paul

Most Improved Player: Greg Oden

This pick is a crap shoot. Last seasonI predicted that Tyrus Thomas would be the Most Improved Player. WhileThomas did improve, the award went to Indiana's Danny Granger. Thisseason I'm going to go with Portland's Greg Oden. Oden is 2007's numberone pick and has yet to play like a number one pick. Oden has worked onhis game over the summer and is ready to roll. Greg Oden is my pick forMost Improved Player.

2. Lou Williams

3. Anthony Randolph

4. Joakim Noah

5. Michael Beasley

Sixth Man of the Year: Lamar Odom

Lamar Odom won an NBA title, signed a $33 million dollar contract, and married a Kardashian all in one summer. Now it's back to business and Odom has to help Kobe & Co. defend their NBA title. With Ron Artestin the fold Lamar Odom will continue to come off the bench for theLakers. Odom should prove to be the most efficient bench player in theNBA.

2. Ben Gordon

3. Paul Milsap

4. Jason Terry

5. Rasheed Wallace

Coach of the Year: Flip Saunders

Usuallythe Coach of the Year is the Head Coach that turns a once horrible teaminto a good team. Few teams were worse than the Washington Wizards lastseason. Washington begins the new NBA season with a new coach, newplayers, and healthy stars. I believe that Flip Saunders will turn theWizards around and walk away with Coach of the Year honors.

2. Mike Dunleavy

3. Stan Van Gundy

4. Phil Jackson

5. Greg Popovich

Executive of the Year: Danny Ferry

DannyFerry traded Ben Wallace in exchange for Shaq, is there anything leftto be said? The signings of Anthony Parker, Jamario Moon, and Leon Powewent under the radar but were huge for the Cavaliers. Danny Ferry is mypick for Executive of the Year.

2. Danny Ainge

3. David Kahn

4. Otis Smith

5. R.C. Buford

Eastern Conference Standings

1. Cleveland Cavaliers (c)

2. Boston Celtics (a)

3. Orlando Magic (se)

4. Atlanta Hawks

5. Washington Wizards

6. Philadelphia 76ers

7. Chicago Bulls

8. Toronto Raptors

9. Detroit Pistons

10. Miami Heat

11. Indiana Pacers

12. Charlotte Bobcats

13. Milwaukee Bucks

14. New York Knicks

15. New Jersey Nets

Western Conference Standings

1. Los Angeles Lakers (p)

2. San Antonio Spurs (sw)

3. Denver Nuggets (nw)

4. Dallas Mavericks

5. Portland Trailblazers

6. Utah Jazz

7. New Orleans Hornets

8. Phoenix Suns

9. Houston Rockets

10. Los Angeles Clippers

11. Golden State Warriors

12. Oklahoma City Thunder

13. Memphis Grizzlies

14. Minnesota Timberwolves

15. Sacramento Kings

Eastern Conference Champion: Cleveland Cavaliers

Western Conference Champion: Los Angeles Lakers

NBA Champion: Los Angeles Lakers

Free Agent Movement

Sherron Shabazz — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:41:00 GMT

10 days ago NBA free agents were allowed to meet with teams and negotiate contracts. Few people expected the amount of movement that would take place this off-season. I'm having a hard time keeping up with it all but here goes....

The Detroit Pistons made the most noise by firing head coach Michael Curry and replacing him with Cavaliers assistant John Kuester. Detroit then snatched away key players from two division rivals in Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva. Gordon signed for 5 years and $55 million, Villanueva 5 years, $35 million. Chris Wilcox also signed a 2 year deal with the Pistons.

Leaving the Pistons were forwards Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyees. Wallace signed a 2 year deal with the Boston Celtics worth over $11 million dollars. McDyees signed with the San Antonio Spurs.

Ron Artest and Trevor Ariza switched teams when Artest agreed to a three year deal worth $18 million dollars with the Los Angeles Lakers. Ariza signed a 5 year deal with the Rockets for$33 million dollars.

Hedo Turkoglu and Shawn Marion changed teams in a complicated 4 team trade. Marion signed a 5 year deal worth $40 million dollars before being traded to the Dallas Mavericks. Dallas also received Kris Humphries and Nathan Jawai from Toronto--and Greg Buckner from Memphis.

The Raptors got Hedo Turkoglu in the deal for five years and $60 million dollars. Toronto also received Devean George and guard Antoine Wright from Dallas. Jarret Jack was signed for four years and $20 million dollars.

The Grizzlies received veteran guard Jerry Stackhouse from Dallas and a 2016 second round pick from the Toronto Raptors, while Orlando gained cash in this transaction from Dallas and Toronto.

Orlando also signed former Mavericks forward Brandon Bass to a four year deal worth $18 million dollars and Matt Barnes to a 2 year deal.

The Bulls signed guard Jannero Pargo to a one year deal for $2 million dollars and also resigned Lindsey Hunter.

The Indiana Pacers signed Nuggets guard Dahntay Jones to a 4 year deal worth $11 million dollars.

Bolting from Memphis to Dallas with a 2 year deal is guard Quinton Ross.

Channing Frye left Portland for some sun as he signed a two year $3.8 million dollar deal in Phoenix.

Some free agents decided to stay put over the past week. Leading the pack is Mavericks guard Jason Kidd who signed a 3 year deal for $25 million dollars.

Mike Bibby is still a Hawk after agreeing to a 3 year deal worth $18 million dollars. The Hawks also resigned big man Zaza Pachulia.

The Birdman will continue to fly in Denver as Chris Anderson signed a 5 year deal for $26 million dollars.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are keeping big man Anderson Varejao for 6 more years and $50 million dollars in addition to signing Raptors guard Anthony Parker.

Grant Hill will return to the Suns for two more seasons and $6.24 million dollars.

The Lakers resigned guard Shannon Brown.

The Kings signed forward Sean May to a one year deal.

2009 NBA Draft Grades

Sherron Shabazz — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:19:00 GMT

Grade:B+
The Hawks may lose Mike Bibby in free agency. Adding Jeff Teague fills the void left by Bibby. Gladyr gives the Hawks another shooter besides Joe Johnson.
Grade:C
Lester Hudson is a decent guard who may have a hard time making the C's roster.
Grade:A-
Charlotte added Gerald Henderson who will boost their offense from the wing and Derrick Brown who can play both forward positions.

Grade:B+
My Chicago Bulls drafted James Johnson and Taj Gibson to compensate for the inconsistencies and injuries of Tyrus Thomas and Luol Deng. I like both players as insurance policies.
Grade:C
Cleveland got a fist full of wing players they may never step foot in Ohio.

Grade:B+
Detroit picked up three versatile forwards in Austin Daye, DaJuan Summers and Jonas Jerebko. The post Rasheed era has begun.
Grade:A-
Tyler Hansbrough is a Larry Bird kind of guy. In an up-tempo offense Hansbrough will do the dirty work for Indiana. A.J. Price can become a quality back up to T.J. Ford.
Grade:B
Miami picked up Robert Dozier and Patrick Beverly in the second round. These are low paid guys who can make the roster and contribute from the wing for the Heat.
Grade:B
Milwaukee came away with Brandon Jennings in the first round and Jodie Meeks in the second. I guess this means bye-bye to Ramon Sessions.
Grade:B+
Terrence Williams should fit right into Vince Carter's old spot.
Grade:B+
The Knicks got a competent big man in Jordan Hill and a guard in Toney Douglas. The Big Apple is movin' on up.

Grade:Inc.
No picks meant no moves for the Magic. But they did make a draft day trade for Vince Carter!
Grade:A
Jrue Holiday may be a steal for Philly at the 17th pick. Andre Miller will likely not return to the City of Brotherly Love.

Grade:A
The Raptors picked up DeMar DeRozan who was much needed in Canada. Anthony Parker is a solid player but won't push the Raptors over the top. DeRozan may get the job done.
Grade:Inc.
The Wiz traded the 5th overall pick before the draft for Mike Miller and Randy Foye.

Grade: B
Dallas picked up two point guards in Rodrigue Beaubois and Nick Calathes, and a power forward in Ahmad Nivins. Dallas is trying to fill the one spot in case Jason Kidd leaves Big D.
Grade:A
With no picks in the 2009 Draft the Nuggets traded next year's first round pick for Ty Lawson. Ty will be the perfect back up to Chauncey Billups.
Grade:A
Stephen Curry is the real deal, I just wonder how he'll fit in with Monta Ellis?
Grade:B+
Houston had no picks and walked away with 3 second rounders. Chase Budinger, Jermaine Taylor, and Sergio Llull all have a shot at making the Rockets roster.
Grade:A+
The Clippers got the best player in the draft in Blake Griffin. Now let's hope they don't blow it.
Grade:C-
L.A. traded their first round pick for cash and took Chinemelu Elonu in the second round. What does the best team in the NBA really need though?

Grade: A
The Grizz walked away with the biggest player in the draft in Hasheem Thabeet in addition to Sam Young and DeMarre Carroll. They are slowly building a competitive team in Memphis.

Grade:B
I thought Kevin McHale got released? Minnesota picked two point guards back to back. HUH? Ricky Rubio and Jonny Flynn better be prepared to guard the Kobe's, Durant's, and McGrady's of the west. Good luck. Wayne Ellington was a good pick at 28 and Henk Norel has a cool name.

Grade:B
The New Orleans Hornets picked up two guards to help out Chris Paul, good job.

Grade:A-
Phoenix is in rebuilding mode. Steve Kerr drafted Earl Clark and Blake Griffin's brother. I think Griffin's brother should fit in nice with Brook Lopez's brother. Clark will be a very good player in Phoenix as Grant Hill calls it quits.

Grade:C
Once again the Blazers picked a bunch of guys who may not even make their team. This was an underwhelming draft for Kevin Pritchard.

Grade:B-
The Kings needed a point guard and walked away with 2 wing players and a big. Tyreke Evans, Omri Casspi, and Jon Brockman are all good players who will contribute, but are repetitive on the current Kings roster.
Grade:B-
With no first round picks the Spurs lucked into DeJuan Blair as well as Jack McClinton and Nando De Colo who like Henk Norel, also has a cool name.

Grade:A
The Jazz came away with the perfect back up for Deron Williams in Eric Maynor and Goran Suton is the prototype Jerry Sloan player.

Grade:A+
The Thunder were the second biggest winner of draft night behind the Clippers. Oklahoma came away with James Harden, B.J. Mullens and Robert Vaden. They have two quality scorers and their center of the future to pair up with Russell Westbrook, Jeff Green, and Kevin Durant.

2009 NBA Draft Recap

Sherron Shabazz — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 10:36:00 GMT

1 Blake Griffin

2 Hasheem Thabeet

3 James Harden

4 Tyreke Evans

5 Ricky Rubio

6 Jonny Flynn

7 Stephen Curry

8 Jordan Hill

9 DeMar DeRozan

10 Brandon Jennings

11 Terrence Williams

12 Gerald Henderson

13 Tyler Hansbrough

14 Earl Clark

15 Austin Daye

16 James Johnson

17 Jrue Holiday

18 Ty Lawson (traded to Denver)

19 Jeff Teague

20 Eric Maynor

21 Darren Collison

22 Victor Claver

23 Omri Casspi

24 B.J. Mullens (traded to Oklahoma City)

25 Rodrigue Beaubois (traded to Dallas)

26 Taj Gibson

27 DeMarre Carroll

28 Wayne Ellington

29 Toney Douglas (traded to New York)

30 Christian Eyenga

Round 2

31 Jeff Pendergraph (traded to Portland)

32 Jermaine Taylor (traded to Houston)

33 Dante Cunningham

34 Sergio Llull (traded to Houston)

35 DaJuan Summers

36 Sam Young

37 DeJuan Blair

38 Jon Brockman (traded to Sacramento)

39 Jonas Jerebko

40 Derrick Brown

41 Jodie Meeks

42 Patrick Beverley (traded to Miami)

43 Marcus Thornton (traded to New Orleans)

44 Chase Budinger (traded to Houston)

47 Henk Norel

50 Goran Suton

52 A.J. Price

54 Robert Vaden (traded to Oklahoma City)

Trades Galore!

Sherron Shabazz — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:24:00 GMT

Before the NBA Draft begins I'd like to update myself and the reader on who got traded where! This has been the busiest build up to the draft that I can ever recall. Here is the rundown:

The Suns traded Shaquille O'Neal to the Cavaliers for Ben Wallace, Sasha Pavlovic, the 46 pick in the draft and $500,000.

The Nets traded Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson to the Magic for Rafer Alston, Courtney Lee, and Tony Battie.

The Bucks traded Richard Jefferson to the Spurs for Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas and Fabricio Oberto.

The Bucks traded Fabricio Oberto to the Pistons for Amir Johnson.

The Timberwolves traded Randy Foye and Mike Miller to the Wizards for the number 5 overall pick, Etan Thomas, Darius Songaila and Oleksiy Pecherov.

The Warriors traded Jamal Crawford to the Hawks for Acie Law and Speedy Claxton.

The Blazers traded the 24th pick in 2009, the number 56 pick in 2009, and a second round pick in 10 to the Mavericks for the 22nd overall pick.

The Grizzlies traded Darko Milicic to the Knicks for Quentin Richardson.

Sherron Shabazz Appearing On BlogTalkRadio.Com

Sherron Shabazz — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:42:00 GMT

Listen to yours truly on BlogTalkRadio.com discussing the upcoming NBA Draft with Jon & Rich of 643 Sports.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/643sports/2009/06/23/643-Sports

All NBA Talk 2009 Mock Draft

Sherron Shabazz — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 01:51:00 GMT

1. Blake Griffin, Oklahoma
The first pick of the NBA Draft is a no-brainer. Blake Griffin all the way. Now if the Clippers could just find a way to get rid of Baron Davis and Zach Randolph they'd be in business!

2. Ricky Rubio, Spain
The Grizzlies have to take Rubio with the second pick. There are rumblings that Rubio wants no part of Memphis, but that's his issue. Rubio could be an impressive trading chip to help the Grizzlies franchise.

3. Hasheem Thabeet, UCONN
The Oklahoma City Thunder will take UCONN center Hasheem Thabeet. Their biggest need is rebounding and defense in the paint, Thabeet fills that need.

4. Jonny Flynn, Syracuse
The Kings had the worst record in the NBA last season and wound up getting the fourth pick in the NBA Draft. Can the Kings catch a break? They won't get Blake Griffin but they will get a good player in the 2009 draft. I have the Kings selecting Syracuse point guard Jonny Flynn to make up for the mistake that is Beno Udrih.

5. James Harden, Arizona State
The Wizards were also big losers in the Blake Griffin sweepstakes but that won't stop them from getting a quality lottery selection. I have the Wizards picking James Harden from Arizona State. Washington needs a quality shooting guard to play next to Gilbert Arenas.

6. Tyreke Evans, Memphis
The Timberwolves need a shooting guard. Tyreke Evans is just that.

7. Jordan Hill, Arizona
The Warriors are one of the worst drafting teams in the NBA. I don't know who they'll pick but my guess is Arizona power forward Jordan Hill. They need size but Nellie loves to play small ball, who knows?

8. Stephen Curry, Davidson
The Knicks will get their guy as sharp shooter Stephen Curry falls to the Big Apple.

9. DeMar DeRozan, USC
The Raptors need an upgrade at the 2. DeRozan could be the scoring option to make Chris Bosh want to stay north of the border.

10. Jeff Teague, Wake Forest
The Bucks need a point guard, Teague is an Indiana guy like coach Skiles. Teague it is.

11. DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh
New Jersey is a team with one big man, Brook Lopez. The Nets need size and toughness in the post, Blair brings both.

12. Tyler Hansbrough, UNC
Hansbrough can sell tickets in North Carolina. He can also scrap and claw for rebounds while Emeka Okafor betters his offensive game. Tyler is also a Larry Brown type of guy.

13. Gerald Henderson, Duke
Henderson gives the Pacers a wing player to take some of the burden off of Danny Granger.

14. James Johnson, Wake Forest
The Suns missed the playoffs last season for the first time in a long time. They need more than a lottery pick to fix their problems. Wake Forest forward James Johnson is an insurance policy for the day when Grant Hill walks away.

15. Earl Clark, Louisville
Earl Clark is a combo forward with a versatile game. The Pistons will likely lose Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyees to free agency. Clark is their guy.

16. BJ Mullens, Ohio State
The Bulls have lacked a post scorer since they traded Eddy Curry in 2005. Mullens is a project but has the potential to be a good post scorer in the NBA.

17. Brandon Jennings, Italy
With Andre Miller in limbo the 6ers need a point guard. Jennings has one year of pro experience and may be able to step in and lead this young Philly team.

18. Jrue Holiday, UCLA
The T-Wolves could use another point guard as Randy Foye is often missing in action. Holiday is more than a steal at 18.

19. Ty Lawson, UNC
Lawson is a good pick for Atlanta. The Hawks are likely losing point guard Mike Bibby. Lawson is a cheaper, younger option at the 1.

20. Terrence Williams, Louisville
The Jazz could use a little shooting and Williams provides that. Ronnie Brewer has yet to develop a consistent jumper while Kyle Korver couldn't guard the 67 year old Jerry Sloan at this point. Williams is an upgrade.

21. Wayne Ellington, UNC
New Orleans has a hole at the 2 position. Sharp shooting Wayne Ellington could be the recipient of many drive and kicks from Chris Paul.

22. Eric Maynor, VCU
What does a team that needs everything do with the 22nd pick? Take a point guard. Jason Kidd is a free agent this summer and even if he resigns with Dallas he's a little long in the tooth. It's time to find his replacement.

23. Chase Budinger, Arizona
The Kings have a lot of confidence in Andres Nocioni but he doesn't appear to have much confidence in them. It's time to fill the small forward spot with a guy who actually wants to play for Sacramento.

24. Sam Young, Pittsburgh
The Blazers need help at the small forward position. Consistency is an issue. Sam Young is a player that can play the 3 and spell Brandon Roy at the 2.

25. Marcus Thornton, LSU
Thornton gives OKC the shooting they sorely need to compliment Kevin Durant.

26. Omri Casspi, Israel
Loul Deng can not be counted on to be healthy. The Bulls have a strong interest in Omri Casspi to play back up small forward.

27. Austin Daye, Gonzaga
Memphis needs size and versatility in their front court. Daye provides a shooting touch that's rare for players his size.

28. Nick Calathes, Florida
With their third first round pick the Minnesota Timberwolves should go with Nick Calathes. Calathes gives Minnesota size and ball handling in the back court. The current combo of Foye and Telfair just doesn't cut it.

29. DaJuan Summers, Georgetown
What does the team with everything need? A small forward of course! Lamar Odom and Trevor Ariza are free agents and likely to leave La La Land. Summers gives the Lakers a few buckets from the 3 spot. Besides, do you trust Adam Morrison to contribute anything?

30. Taj Gibson, USC
The Cavaliers need size in the back court and youth in the front court. It's always safe to go with size. I have the Cavs taking Taj Gibson with the last pick in the first round of the NBA Draft.

Kevin McHale Out As Timberwolves Coach

Sherron Shabazz — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:20:00 GMT

After 16 seasons with the Timberwolves organization as VP of Basketball Operations and head coach Kevin McHale will not be asked back to the team.

"I would like to thank Kevin McHale for his many years of service to the Timberwolves organization," said Wolves owner Glen Taylor.

McHale drafted future Hall-of-Famer Kevin Garnett and led the Wolves to 8 straight playoff appearances, including the 2004 Western Conference Finals. The former Celtic was also embroiled in controversy after making a secret deal with free agent forward Joe Smith to circumvent the league's salary cap rules.

Smith agreed to sign three one-year contracts with the Timberwolves for less than his market value. In return, Smith received a promise that the Timberwolves would give him a multi-year contract down the line. Upon learning of the secret deal NBA Commissioner David Stern voided Smith's contract, took away three of the Timberwolves' next five first-round draft picks, and fined the team $3.5 million dollars.

Minnesota struggled to excel with no young talent coming in from the draft.

In the 2005 season McHale fired his longtime friend Flip Saunders and briefly coached the Timberwolves. McHale would return to a coaching role in 2008.

Newly hired Timberwolves president of basketball operations David Kahn decided that McHale's time was up in Minnesota.

"I have the deepest respect for Kevin McHale and his many accomplishments as a player, basketball executive and basketball coach--especially those that have occurred in the State of Minnesota," said Kahn.

Kahn sure has a funny way of showing respect. McHale is disappointed in the decision of Kahn and the T-Wolves.

"I was willing to come back, but they never offered me a contract," McHale said. "They told me last week they were going in a different direction. I said, 'I think you're making a mistake, but that's up to you guys.'"

McHale was a much better coach than a general manager. Timberwolves fans will remember him for trading Brandon Roy for Randy Foye. Just last year McHale drafted O.J. Mayo and promptly traded him for Kevin Love. His legacy also includes turning down several superior offers for Kevin Garnett in favor of sending KG to Boston for Al Jefferson and spare parts.

The Timberwolves made the best move ever. I suppose they will begin their coaching search now. For the sake of the fans I hope that they hire a player friendly coach to ease the minds of disappointed Timberwolves players.

Timberwolves forward Kevin Love leaked word of McHale's departure with a Twitter posting that read, "Today is a sad day."

Lakers Win 2009 NBA Title

Sherron Shabazz — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:59:00 GMT

It's official, the Los Angeles Lakers are the 2009 NBA Champions. After making the NBA Finals one year ago and being embarrassed by the Boston Celtics, the Lakers returned to the Finals with a vengeance to be crowned champion.

The Lakers disposed of the Orlando Magic in game 5 of the Finals with a 99-86 win. The result was never in question after the first quarter. The Magic seemed shell shocked by the aggressiveness of L.A. and never seemed to pull it together.

"I thought our guys fought hard,'' Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. "But they just had an answer for everything.''

"It hurts, it hurts a lot.'' Magic center Dwight Howard said.

You can't discuss the 2009 NBA Champions without discussing two men, Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson. Kobe Bryant led the way for the Lakers scoring 30 points and being named Finals MVP.

For Bryant, this was more than just his fourth championship. This NBA title was a message to the critics who said that Bryant could never win without Shaquille O'Neal.

"It was like Chinese water torture,'' Bryant said of the criticism. "I would cringe every time. I was just like, it's a challenge I'm just going to have to accept because there's no way I'm going to argue it. You can say it until you're blue in the face and rationalize it until you're blue in the face, but it's not going anywhere until you do something about it."

Bryant did something about it.

With the 2009 title win Phil Jackson won his 10th ring and has passed the late Red Auerbach as the head coach with the most NBA championships.

Like Kobe, Phil Jackson has also been the subject of criticism. The naysayers believe that Jackson was "given" 9 NBA Champions by having the likes of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, and Scottie Pippen at his disposal.

The beauty of Phil Jackson is his ability to bring men together for a common goal. The Jordan's and Bryant's of the world may not have needed the nurturing of Jackson, but the Paxson's, Fisher's, Kerr's, Longley's, and Fox's did.

The Bulls and Lakers were conference finals choke artists before Phil Jackson arrived on the scene. Somehow, this goes unnoticed.

Jackson was the only head coach besides the late Chuck Daly to harness the energy of Dennis Rodman and allow him to be one of the greatest defensive players of all time. Phil won three consecutive titles with Bryant and O'Neal constantly at each others throat. I imagine that was not easy to do.

Phil Jackson is a manager of men and the greatest NBA coach of all time--he has the rings to prove it. Debate over.

The Orlando Magic have nothing to be ashamed of. They did the unthinkable. Every NBA fan had the Cleveland Cavaliers penciled in as Eastern Conference Champions this season, yours truly included. The Magic beat the Cavaliers like a drum.

Orlando played with a sense of energy and togetherness that it takes to win an NBA title--they just ran into a better team. Stan Van Gundy is a very good coach and in a good position to duplicate this seasons success with Dwight Howard as his centerpiece.

Hedo Turkoglu will likely opt out of his contract for a bigger payday. The Magic would be wise to resign him. Rafer Alston should be traded in the off-season as Jameer Nelson returns to 100% health.

The fans in L.A. should be proud of their Lakers. This is not a team with a 3 headed monster like the Celtics of last season. This Laker team is the epitome of what a team should be. They are great on offense, good on defense, and selfless. It's the ultimate formula for success.

Many questions remain for Los Angeles. Will Phil Jackson return to coach the team? Can the Lakers afford to resign Lamar Odom and Trevor Ariza? Only time will tell, for now just enjoy the ride.

Congratulations to the Los Angeles Lakers, the 2009 NBA Champions.

NBA Examiner

Lakers Take 3-1 Series Lead In Finals

Sherron Shabazz — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:30:00 GMT

The Los Angeles Lakers have taken a 3-1 series lead on the Orlando Magic after a 99-91 overtime victory in game 4 of the NBA Finals. The hero of the game was Derek Fisher.

Fisher hit two key 3-pointers--one with 4.6 seconds left in regulation, the other with 31.3 seconds to go in overtime. Fisher was an unlikely go-to guy as he was 0-5 on 3-pointers until the fourth quarter of the game. Fisher looked every bit of his 34 years in the 2009 Playoffs, but the young Derek Fisher showed up when it counted.

"He's been there before,'' said Kobe Bryant. "He has been there and done that. That's Derek. He just has supreme confidence and I think those shots at the end of the game are actually easier for him than the other ones.''

The Lakers were down 3 points in regulation with possession of the ball and 11 seconds on the clock. Orlando's Jameer Nelson failed to guard Derek Fisher who stepped into an easy 3-pointer that tied the game and forced overtime. The Magic were pummelled in overtime only scoring 4 points while L.A. scored 12.

"I just sensed that was the dagger,'' Fisher said. "That was the one that would put us in a position to close out the game - even though the game wasn't over.''

Magic coach Stan Van Gundy regrets not fouling Fisher.

“It was my decision with 11 seconds not to foul,” he said. “Yes I regret it now. That one will haunt me forever."

None of this would be an issue if the Magic had made their free throws. The Magic missed 15 free throws in game 4. Dwight Howard and Hedo Turkoglu missed critical free throws that may have changed the outcome of the game.

"I just missed them,'' Howard said. "I've been working on my free throws. They just weren't falling tonight.''

Howard was awesome in game 4 scoring 16 points, grabbing 21 rebounds, and setting a Finals record with 9 blocked shots.

Orlando has to be mentally defeated. After playing a stellar first half they crumbled in the second half digging themselves a 1-3 hole.

"There's no reason for us to hold our heads down,'' Dwight Howard said. "We will believe until there's no more games to be played.''

Game 5 takes place Sunday on ABC.

NBA Examiner

Paul Westphal Named Kings Head Coach

Sherron Shabazz — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 21:21:00 GMT

The Sacramento Kings reached an agreement to hire Paul Westphal as their new head coach. Westphal is a former head coach of the Seattle Supersonics and Phoenix Suns. He has a career coaching record of 267-159. Westphal led the Suns to the 1993 NBA Finals.

The Kings chose Westphal over Lakers assistant Kurt Rambis, and Boston assistant Tom Thibodeau after weeks of negotiating.

"I have been looking for a good opportunity to get back and do what I like to do and I think that the Kings present an exciting challenge for me," Westphal said. "I'm really happy I got the job and whatever winding turns it had to take -- I don't even know all the winding turns that it took -- I'm just happy that they decided I'm the guy for them and I can't wait to get started."

Westphal agreed to a two-year deal worth $1.5 million per season, with an option for a third year at $2 million. This deal makes Westphal the lowest paid coach in the NBA. He inherits a team that finished with the league's worst record of 17-65, the worst in franchise history.

Kings president Geoff Petrie said, "We set some parameters at the start of this coaching search to look for a successful, experienced leader and Paul certainly meets those qualifications. He was very impressive during the interview process and in the subsequent conversations we have had since the interview. Paul also was greatly supported over the past few weeks by many of his former players and staff and others around the NBA game."

Kings co-owner Joe Maloof echoed the sentiment of Petrie, "I think he's terrific, he came highly recommended."

"He's an offensive genius, I think," Maloof said. "I think what he'll do is hire an assistant who's super on defense.

Defense is what the Kings need most. If Westphal can turn the selfish Kings into a defensive team he will surely be named Coach of the Year in addition to miracle worker.

"I'm really excited," Westphal said. "This is a great opportunity, and I really appreciate the confidence the Maloofs and Geoff Petrie are showing me. I can't wait to get to work."

NBA Examiner

Magic Win Game 3 Of Finals

Sherron Shabazz — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 13:21:00 GMT

A little home cooking was all the Orlando Magic needed as they shot a sizzling 63% from the field and defeated the Lakers 108-104 in game 3 of the Finals. The Magic set an NBA Finals record for shooting percentages and their formula was simple.

"Well, it was going in the basket. That always works,'' Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. "That formula's always tried and true.''

"We lost this game on the defensive end,'' Kobe Bryant said. "We had been playing very good defense and the team tonight shoots 63 percent from the field.''

The Magic were the epitome of a team as 5 players scored 18 or more points. Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis scored 21 points a piece. Hedo Turkoglu and Mikael Pietrus contributed 18 points each while the previously absent Rafer Alston scored 20 points for Orlando.

Alston was 3 for 17 from the field in the first two games of the Finals. In game 3 he exploded to shoot 8-12 from the floor. Alston was the difference.

“Well, I was aggressive from start to finish,” Alston said after the game. “I was able to mix it up. That’s what I do best.”

The Lakers got 31 points from a fatigued Kobe Bryant. Bryant made critical turnovers and missed 5 free throws down the stretch of game 3 which is very UN-Kobe-Like.

"We're all frail as humans,'' Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "Sometimes not as much as others.

The telling sign of game 3 is that the Magic shot lights out and still only won by four points. The final two points were free throws by Rashard Lewis with 0.2 seconds to go. Orlando technically shot 63% and won by 2 points.

Will Orlando be able to play at this level for three more games? I don't think so, but Orlando's best player is full of confidence.

"We lost two games, but there's no need to roll over,'' Dwight Howard said. "It's a seven-game series. A team has to beat you four times to end the series."

The Lakers recognize the challenge that's ahead.

"This is a tough team, not a cupcake team,'' Kobe Bryant said. "Extremely well coached, execute well and we've got our work cut out.''

Game 4 takes place Thursday on ABC.

NBA Examiner

Raptors Trade Jason Kapono to 76ers For Reggie Evans

Sherron Shabazz — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 19:38:00 GMT

The Toronto Raptors have shipped sharp shooting guard Jason Kapono to the Philadelphia 76ers for rebounder Reggie Evans.

Kapono gives Philadelphia the much needed 3-point shooting that they've missed since the departure of Kyle Korver. Kapono is a former 3-point shootout champion and shoots 42% from behind the arc. The 6ers are annually one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the NBA.

The Raptors won't get any scoring out of Evans but they are getting a good defensive player who is tough on the boards. The Raptors are one of the softer teams in the league and sorely need a bruiser like Evans.

League sources say the trade will be officially announced later this afternoon. This is a trade that works for both teams but comes at an usual time. You rarely hear about trades being orchestrated during the NBA Finals. This leads me to believe that both teams have something up their sleeve for NBA Draft night on June 25th.

NBA Examiner

Lakers Take 2-0 Lead On Magic

Sherron Shabazz — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:01:00 GMT

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Orlando Magic 101-96 in overtime of game 2 of the NBA Finals. This game was much different than game 1 as Orlando actually competed in the second half.

"I don't think we dodged a bullet,'' Kobe Bryant said. "They bounced back like we knew they would, played extremely well, and we got out of here with a win.''

The Magic had their chance to win game 2 with 0.6 seconds left on the clock. Hedo Turkoglu inbounded the ball to Courtney Lee who missed an open layup that would have won the game.

"I caught it and just tried to make a play,'' Lee said. "We didn't lose the game just because I missed the layup. We could have won the game.''

"Hedo made a great pass, and we missed it,'' Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy said. "I just don't know what else to say about it. It was a great pass, it was right there, and he missed it.''

"It was just a brilliant play,''Kobe Bryant said. "It was just a very, very smart play that he (Van Gundy) drew up. He knew my eye was more on the shooters coming up and just a hell of a play by a hell of a coach.''

Great play, poor execution by Lee. Maybe being a rookie in the NBA Finals is too much pressure for Mr. Lee?

The Lakers countered every big play by Orlando in overtime with an ever bigger play. Pau Gasol scored 7 of his 24 points in the overtime session. Kobe Bryant helped out with a modest 29 points in the game.

Orlando was led by Rashard Lewis who shot lights out. Lewis had 34 points and shot 6-12 from behind the 3-point line. Hedo Turkoglu added 22 points for the Magic.

The Lakers now take a 2-0 series lead into Orlando. Since the NBA went to the 2-3-2 format in 1985, 11 of 12 teams winning the first two games have gone on to win the championship.

Kobe Bryant didn't seem impressed by that stat.

"What's there to be happy about?'' Bryant asked. "The job is not finished.''

Kobe has the right idea going into game 3. The Orlando Magic have been known to bounce back from adversity in the 2009 Playoffs. Dwight Howard believes his team will step up to the challenge.

"We've just got to go home and take care of business,'' Howard said. "We've been in some tough situations. We've just got to fight our way out.''

Game 3 takes place Tuesday on ABC.

NBA Examiner