Shortly after receiving a verbal committment from Baron Davis, the Los Angeles Clippers reportedly offered Elton Brand a five-year, $70 million dollar contract extension.

Instead of agreeing to the extension on the spot, Brand is contemplating an offer from the Golden State Warriors that is rumored to be $90 million over five-years.

According to Basketball-reference.com, Brand has made $81,543,136 over his nine-year career.  At that point, what difference does an extra $20 million dollars make?  How many homes and luxury vehicles does one person need?

Maybe Elton is having second thoughts about the Clippers roster.  That’s understandable.  When healthy, Davis is one of the NBA’s top five point guards.  But is he any better than the point guard-shooting foward combination of Sam Cassell and Corey Maggette?  Doubtful.  Maggette and Cassell were the Clippers 2nd and 3rd leading scorers on a team that came within one game of advancing to the Western Conference Finals in 2006.

The addition of Davis all but sealed Maggette’s fate.  He won’t be returning to La La Land.

That leaves the Clippers with a starting lineup that will feature Davis, Cuttino Mobley, Al Thornton, Brand, and Chris Kaman.  With Tim Thomas coming off the bench.  LA will be good enough to compete for a playoff birth in the Western Conference.  But they’re still far from championship contention.

There are plenty of All-Star point guard-power forward duos in the NBA.  Deron Williams-Carlos Boozer, Chauncey Billups-Rasheed Wallace, Chris Paul-David West, Steve Nash-Amare Stoudemire.  All of those teams are searching for that third piece.  The Davis-Brand Clippers will be no different.

Triumvirates win NBA championships.  Garnett-Pierce-Allen, Duncan-Ginobili-Parker, Jordan-Pippen-Rodman, Magic-Kareem-Worthy. There have been a few exceptions to that rule over the years.  Shaq-Kobe, Olajuwon-Drexler, and the celebrated team work of Isiah Thomas and Chauncey Billups’ Pistons come to mind.  Although I don’t think anyone would mistake Brand-Davis or the Clippers for those players or teams.

Still, Los Angeles — with Brand and Davis — would be 2/3 of the way there.

Don Nelson’s system puts butts in the seats.  But it won’t win an NBA championship.  It's not a system that plays to Brand's strengths either.

Either way, Brand’s career will end with him having made upwards of $150 million dollars to play a game he used to play for free.

When it’s all said and done, how much of that would he have traded for a chance to win a championship?

We’re about to find out.

BallerBlogger.com

From William Bender of the Philadelphia Daily News via TrueHoop:

TIM DONAGHY might be headed to jail, but he probably won't take any other NBA employees with him, federal prosecutors said yesterday in a letter to the judge overseeing the ex-referee's gambling case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Goldberg, who is prosecuting the Delaware County native, told U.S. District Judge Carol Amon, of the federal court in Brooklyn, N.Y., that his office investigated Donaghy's claims of rigged basketball games and corrupt NBA executives and decided not to file charges.

The investigation, Goldberg said, "did not lead to evidence of prosecutable federal offenses." [Read]

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From Russ Bengston of SLAM:

What ever happened to you, when did you get so bitter?
Used to be a champion, now you’re a quitter
Could have done more in Miami if you only got fitter

If you couldn’t take the fire, should have stayed out the Heat
You’re so out of shape you can barely THINK on your feet

I’m a Laker for life, you’re just another man on a journey
In fact, don’t ever speak to me, just call my attorney
Keep playing with fire, you ain’t gonna burn me

You never really could rhyme, got carried by many
Kind of like how it worked with Dwyane, Kobe and Penny [Read]

Everyone seems to be freestylin' today so I thought I'd share the best one I've come across.  Courtesy of the guys over at SLAM Magazine.

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Patrick Ewing

Career Statistics

20.1 PPG, 1.9 APG, 9.8 RPG, 50 FG%, 35 3FG%, 74 FT%.

"Warrior. That is the one-word description often applied to Patrick Ewing. He was indefatigable and relentless in pursuit of an NBA championship despite being denied on an annual basis. Bold predictions did not always materialize and some took them as empty promises, while others as a will to succeed. One of the finest shooting centers to play, he left the game as the New York Knicks' all-time leader in nearly every significant category and the game's 13th all-time scorer with 24,815 points.

He arrived in New York after a ballyhooed college career with the Georgetown Hoyas that included one NCAA title and appearances in two other championship games. The team's fierce in-your-face style of basketball created a phenomenon known as "Hoya Paranoia" and as the key intimidating defensive presence, Ewing was tagged the "Hoya Destroya." A media star since his schoolboy days, his anticipated arrival to the NBA was unprecedented.

Never achieving the Holy Grail of the NBA, Ewing came painfully close. He led the Knicks all the way to the NBA Finals in 1994 but lost to the Hakeem Olajuwon-led Houston Rockets in seven games, which avenged a loss by Olajuwon's Houston Cougars to Georgetown in the 1984 NCAA championship game.

Also, at the tail end of Ewing's career with the Knicks, he was sidelined with a partially torn Achilles tendon when the San Antonio Spurs defeated New York in the 1999 NBA Finals.

Some hold that Ewing's failure to win a ring is the litmus test defining his career. But timing is everything and Ewing just happened to be born within five months of both Olajuwon and Michael Jordan, whose Chicago Bulls defeated Ewing's Knicks in five playoff series. In fact, from 1990 through 1998, the NBA championship went to teams that featured either Jordan or Olajuwon." [Read]

(Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty Images)

(Sources: NBA.com, YouTube, Basketball-reference.com)

Via TMZ:

Shaquille O'Neal took the mic at a NYC club last night, unleashing a freestyle verbal assault directed at his arch-enemy Kobe Bryant -- blaming his former teammate for ruining his marriage and imploring him to "Tell me how my #### tastes." [Read]

Via AOL Fanhouse:

This video contains foul language.

As a Lakers fan, I can't wait until LA plays Phoenix next year.

I'm also happy that Shaquille O'Neal is finally being exposed as the classless individual he is.  It's no coincidence that he's left every team he's played for on bad terms.  O'Neal even took the opportunity to trash Pat Riley and his former Miami Heat  teammates when he landed in Phoenix.

Upon being traded, Shaq all but promised another ring for the Suns.  He hasn't retired yet but was ousted in the first round by the San Antonio Spurs.  The very same team the Lakers dispatched of in 5 games in the Western Conference Finals.

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Via RealGM:

USA Basketball Men’s Senior National Team managing director Jerry Colangelo today announced the 12 players who will represent the United States in the Aug. 8-24 Olympic Summer Games in Beijing, China.

The player selections were approved by the USA Basketball Executive Committee and will be nominated to the United States Olympic Committee to participate in the 2008 Olympic Games. In addition to Dwight Howard, others named to the 2008 USA Basketball Senior National Team: Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets), Carlos Boozer (Utah Jazz), Chris Bosh (Toronto Raptors), Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers), LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers), Jason Kidd (Dallas Mavericks), Chris Paul (New Orleans Hornets); Tayshaun Prince (Detroit Pistons), Michael Redd (Milwaukee Bucks), Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat), and Deron Williams (Utah Jazz).

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Team USA's minicamp begins next week. Jason Kidd, Michael Redd, Tayshaun Prince, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Deron Williams, and Dwight Howard appear to be shoe-ins.

Joe Johnson, Tyson Chandler, Chris Bosh, Carlos Boozer, Mike Miller, Brad Miller, Luke Ridnour, Antawn Jamison, JJ Redick, Shawn Marion, Elton Brand, Lamar Odom, Shane Battier, Bruce Bowen, Gilbert Arenas, and Adam Morrison are vying for the 2 roster spots.

Of those players, I would select Carlos Boozer and Tyson Chandler.

I think Coach K will start the 6-8, 250 pound LeBron James at power forward in an attempt to jumpstart the fastbreak and capitalize on the US's athleticism. If that's the case, Boozer becomes his backup. Chris Bosh is a very good player but he's not the shot blocker or finisher at the basket that Chandler is.

I'm surprised that Tayshaun Prince is rumored to have been selected. Outside shooting is a premium in the international game. Prince scores most of his points off of post-up opportunities. The international game is also much more physical. It will be interesting to see how Prince's slight build translates to a differently officiated ballgame.

Mike Miller or Bruce Bowen would have been a better fit.

Projected starters:

PG: Jason Kidd

SG: Kobe Bryant

SF: Carmelo Anthony

PF: LeBron James

C: Dwight Howard

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The Boston Celtics are the 2008 NBA champions. Congratulations to the Celtics and their fans.

I didn't pick the Celtics to win the NBA championship. I picked the Lakers over the Celtics in 6 games. But I did pick Boston to advance out of the Eastern Conference before the season began. I broke down the teams I considered to be championship contenders two months ago yesterday.

My concerns with the Lakers (inside scoring, defense) came to the forefront versus the Celtics. Pau Gasol wilted under the pressure and Paul Pierce TORCHED Radmonovich and Walton. When Pierce and Allen penetrated the defense, there was no one to protect the basket.

My only concern with the Celtics was their coaching staff. I wasn't convinced that Doc Rivers was capable of making the in-game adjustments that would be necessary to win the NBA championship.

I was wrong.

Doc Rivers was more than capable. Not only did he make perfect adjustments but he outcoached Phil Jackson -- a championship strategist with 9 rings. Rivers was inspirational. He implored his team to "never stop believing" and to "never give up." The Celtics were an extension of him. They followed his lead in fighting back from a 24-point deficit in Game 4. Looking back, the Celtics won the NBA championship that night.

In total, I missed four picks in the 2008 NBA playoffs. I picked the Wizards to beat the Cavaliers, the Mavericks to beat the Hornets, the Magic to beat the Pistons, and the Lakers to beat the Celtics.

But the only pick I regret making was the Mavs over the Hornets. Honestly, I hadn't watched the Hornets as much during the regular season as I probably should have. New Orleans was a great team and would have matched up well against the Los Angeles Lakers. Tyson Chandler and David West would have been a nightmare matchup for Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom. Especially considering Gasol and Odom's struggles versus Kendrick Perkins and Kevin Garnett.

The Cleveland Cavaliers struggled towards the end of the season before being awoken by the mindless trash-talk of DeShawn Stevenson and Gilbert Arenas. Arenas' injury didn't help the Wizards cause either.

Match-ups (the Pistons and Cavaliers were better defensively than the Lakes) played a part in Boston's early round struggles. But the Celtics simply weren't as good in the opening rounds as the team that won 66 regular season games. To their credit, they got stronger as the playoffs progressed -- and they learned to win on the road in the process.

The Celtics won the first two rounds with only 2/3 of their 'Big 3'. Ray Allen struggled mightily versus the Hawks, Cavs, and through the first five games versus the Pistons but increased his shooting percentage in each round. Allen shot 50% from the field and 52% from the 3-point line versus LA.

Ray was every bit as deserving of MVP as Paul Pierce.

All in all, it was a fitting ending to a season for the ages. With no games scheduled for tonight, I'm already getting the basketball withdrawals. Thankfully, the Olympics are right around the corner!

First round: 6-2

• Picks

Second round: 3-1

• Spurs vs. Hornets
• Magic vs. Pistons
• Lakers vs. Jazz
• Boston vs. Cleveland

Conference Finals: 2-0

• Celtics vs. Pistons
• Lakers vs. Spurs

NBA Finals: 0-1

• Lakers vs. Celtics
  

Prognostication results: 11-4

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President Bush was 0-for-4 from the field and had 3 assists in just under a minute of action.

This blog and my Barack Obama blog yesterday were intended to be humorous in nature.

(Hat tip: My good friend 100%InjuryRate of FanIQ)

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Jimmy Kimmel talked politics and hoops with Presidential candidate Barack Obama yesterday.

If Obama is elected, he plans on replacing the White House's bowling alley with a basketball court.

Barack thinks "Kobe Bryant is the best player in the world." And he "didn't anticipate Boston manhandling the Lakers the way they have so far."

Neither did I Mr. Obama.

Neither did I.

(Hat tip: Ball Don't Lie)

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In 1996, the NBA celebrated it’s 50th anniversary by unveiling the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.

Eighteen of those 50 — were players from two franchises — the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics.

That’s 36%.

Bob Cousy, Dave Cowens, Bill Russell, Bill Sharman, John Havlicek, Bill Walton, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Nate Archibald, Sam Jones, Robert Parish, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor, Shaquille O’Neal, Wilt Chamberlain, George Mikan, James Worthy, and Magic Johnson.

During the 2008 NBA Finals, I’ll profile (nba.com, youtube, basketball-reference.com) one of those Lakers-Celtics legends daily.

I profiled Robert Parish on Saturday.

Today, we’ll take a look at Shaquille O’Neal.

Career Statistics

25.2 PPG, 2.7 APG, 11.5 RPG, 58 FG%, 52 FT%

"One of the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players and one of the most prolific scorers in league history. He owns a career scoring average of 25.6 points, the ninth-highest in league history, and ranks 11th all-time in scoring (25,908) in 1,013 career games. The 16-year veteran is a career 58-percent shooter, third-highest in NBA history, and has led the league in field goal accuracy nine times, matching Wilt Chamberlain’s all-time record. O’Neal has averaged 11.5 rebounds (21st-NBA history) and grabbed 11,630 (21st) boards as a member of the Orlando Magic (1992-97), Los Angeles Lakers (1997-2004) and Miami Heat (2005-2008). The three-time NBA All-Defensive Second Team honoree (2000, 2001, 2003) ranks 8th all-time in blocks (2,485).

Won three NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers (2000, 2001, 2002) and one with the Miami Heat (2006). A three-time NBA Finals MVP (2000, 2001, 2002). Shaq has pulled down the third-most rebounds in NBA playoff history (2,401) and blocked the third-most shots (433). " [Read]

Read more of my NBA blogs at BallerBlogger.com

In 1996, the NBA celebrated it’s 50th anniversary by unveiling the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.

Eighteen of those 50 — were players from two franchises — the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics.

That’s 36%.

Bob Cousy, Dave Cowens, Bill Russell, Bill Sharman, John Havlicek, Bill Walton, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Nate Archibald, Sam Jones, Robert Parish, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor, Shaquille O’Neal, Wilt Chamberlain, George Mikan, James Worthy, and Magic Johnson.

During the 2008 NBA Finals, I’ll profile (nba.com, youtube, basketball-reference.com) one of those Lakers-Celtics legends daily.

I profiled Wilt Chamberlain yesterday.

Today, we’ll take a look at Robert Parish.

Career Statistics

14.5 PPG, 1.4 APG, 9.1 RPG, 54 FG%, 72 FT%

"Robert Parish played in more games than any other player in NBA history. A 7-1 center who combined strength, agility and remarkable endurance, Parish won three NBA championships with the Boston Celtics in the 1980s and teamed with Larry Bird and Kevin McHale to form one of the greatest front lines in NBA history. He capped his career by winning yet another championship ring as a member of the 1996-97 Chicago Bulls.

Parish, whose signature shot was a high trajectory jumper that seemed to kiss the banners at Boston Garden before finding its way to the basket, announced his retirement at age 43 following the 1996-97 season, his 21st in the NBA, and after playing in 1,611 games. Upon his retirement, Parish ranked 13th in the NBA in scoring with 23,334 points, sixth in rebounds with 14,715, sixth in blocked shots with 2,361 and eighth in field goals made with 9,614.

"He's probably the best medium-range shooting big man in the history of the game," said Hall of Famer Bill Walton, who was Parish's backup in the Celtics' 1986 championship season.

The Warriors traded Parish to Boston in 1980, and he enjoyed a remarkable 14-year run with the Celtics. In his tenure with the club, the Celtics went to the playoffs 13 times, won nine Atlantic Division titles, reached the NBA Finals five times and came away with three NBA titles." [Read]

(Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty Images)

Read more of my NBA blogs at BallerBlogger.com

In 1996, the NBA celebrated it’s 50th anniversary by unveiling the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.

Eighteen of those 50 — were players from two franchises — the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics.

That’s 36%.

Bob Cousy, Dave Cowens, Bill Russell, Bill Sharman, John Havlicek, Bill Walton, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Nate Archibald, Sam Jones, Robert Parish, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor, Shaquille O’Neal, Wilt Chamberlain, George Mikan, James Worthy, and Magic Johnson.

During the 2008 NBA Finals, I’ll profile (nba.com, youtube, basketball-reference.com) one of those Lakers-Celtics legends daily.

I profiled Larry Bird yesterday.

Today, we’ll take a look at Wilt Chamberlain.

Wilt Chamberlain

Career Statistics

30.1 PPG,  4.4 APG, 22.9 RPG, 54 FG%, 51 FT%

“He was basketball’s unstoppable force, the most awesome offensive force the game has ever seen. Asked to name the greatest players ever to play basketball, most fans and aficionados would put Wilt Chamberlain at or near the top of the list.

Dominating the game as few players in any sport ever have, Chamberlain seemed capable of scoring and rebounding at will, despite the double- and triple-teams and constant fouling tactics that opposing teams used to try to shut him down.

As Oscar Robertson put it in the Philadelphia Daily News when asked whether Chamberlain was the best ever, “The books don’t lie.”

The record books are indeed heavy with Chamberlain’s accomplishments. He was the only NBA player to score 4,000 points in a season. He set NBA single-game records for most points (100), most consecutive field goals (18) and most rebounds (55). Perhaps his most mind-boggling stat was the 50.4 points per game he averaged during the 1961-62 season–and if not that, then perhaps the 48.5 minutes per game he averaged that same year.

He retired as the all-time in career points with 31,419, which was later surpassed by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone and Michael Jordan. He is tops in rebounds with 23,924. He led the NBA in scoring seven years in a row. He was the league’s top rebounder in 11 of his 14 seasons. And as if to prove that he was not a selfish player, he had the NBA’s highest assist total in 1967-68.” [Read]

(Photo by #### Raphael/NBAE/Getty Images)

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In a four-page letter released Tuesday, Tim Donaghy, said that two officials conspired to fix the outcome of a 2002 playoff series and influenced several other post- and regular-season games.

Court documents filed by Donaghy's lawyer detailed the "inner-workings" of a plot in which top league executives used referees to manipulate the games. Donaghy claims two referees were "company men" whose job was to extend a playoff series in 2002 to a seventh game.

The playoff series in question is the 2002 Western Conference Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings.

"Personal fouls (resulting in obviously injured players) were ignored even when they occurred in full view of the referees," the document says of the unnamed series. "Conversely, the referees called made-up fouls on Team 5 in order to give additional free throw opportunities to Team 6."

Two players from Team 5 fouled out in the game, the document said, and the "referees' favoring of Team 6 led to that team's victory that night." Team 6 also went on to win Game 7 of the series, according to the document.

My advice: Don’t take Tim Donaghy’s statement as truth.

Read the recaps. Study the boxscores. Watch the game again. Look at the series as a whole.

Come to your own conclusion.

For instance, everyone knows that the Lakers owned a 40-25 free throw advantage in Game 6 -- including a staggering 27 attempts in the 4th quarter.

But did you know that “Six of the 27 free throws the Lakers shot were intentional fouls to extend the game, and 10 were less-valuable Shaq attempts?" – Professional NBA gambler Haralabos Voulgaris as reported to Henry Abbott of True Hoop

“Take those out, and an 11-9 disparity doesn't seem as egregious.” - Kelly Dwyer of Ball Don’t Lie

O’Neal shot the bulk of those free throws and finished the game 13-of-17 (77%) from the free throw line.

If the game was fixed, how anyone could put faith in O’Neal to shoot 13-of-17 from the line and win the game at the charity stripe is beyond me.

Especially since he shot just 58% during the regular season and had hit only two free throws heading into the 4th quarter of Game 6.

After fouling out in Game 6, Divac said, "I knew before the game I'd be out of it. (O'Neal) went out (on fouls) up there (in Sacramento). It had to be the same down here."

Divac’s explanation is the most logical explanation for Game 6 and for countless other conspiracy theories.

It’s a matter of make-up calls and homecourt advantage.

There were numerous blown calls in Game 5. The Kings received a 33-23 free throw advantage on the Lakers homecourt. The Lakers were called for 7 more personal fouls. Shaq fouled out with 6 minutes remaining.

Officials are human. They make mistakes. It’s impossible to call a perfect game. If all the fouls that should be called –- were called –- the game would come to a standstill nearly every time down the floor.

The best we can hope for is consistency.

But there are bound to be calls where one team gets the benefit of the doubt. In those situations, the home team receives that benefit –- and rightfully so.

If team ‘a’ receives the benefit from the officiating in one game, you can bet that team ‘b’ will receive the benefit of the doubt in the next game.

Tim Donaghy didn’t officiate the Kings-Lakers Game 6. If he had officiated it, his accusations could be substantiated.

Without having been there, I find it hard to believe Donaghy has actual evidence to back up these claims.

Instead, I think this is a sad-sacked effort to drag the NBA through the mud with the hopes of receiving a reduced sentence.

Donaghy is admitting his guilt while trying to insinuate that he's a product of a disgraced system.

Foxsports has a poll up asking fans:

"Do you believe the 2002 NBA Western Conference finals were fixed?"

One-hundred forty-six thousand, five-hundred and sixty-four people have voted thus far.

Seventy-nine percent responded yes.

Twenty-one percent responded no.

The court of public opinion has spoken.

The damage has already been done.

Read more of my NBA blogs at BallerBlogger.com

In 1996, the NBA celebrated it’s 50th anniversary by unveiling the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.

Eighteen of those 50 — were players from two franchises — the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics.

That’s 36%.

Bob Cousy, Dave Cowens, Bill Russell, Bill Sharman, John Havlicek, Bill Walton, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Nate Archibald, Sam Jones, Robert Parish, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor, Shaquille O’Neal, Wilt Chamberlain, George Mikan, James Worthy, and Magic Johnson.

During the 2008 NBA Finals, I’ll profile (nba.com, youtube, basketball-reference.com) one of those Lakers-Celtics legends daily.

I profiled James Worthy yesterday.

Today, we’ll take a look at Larry Bird.

Larry Bird

Career Statistics

24.3 PPG, 6.3 APG, 10.0 RPG, 50 FG%, 38 3PFG%, 89 FT%

"Once every generation or so, a player comes along who can truly be called a superstar. Larry Bird was such a player.

For 13 seasons with the Boston Celtics, from 1979-80 through 1991-92, Bird personified hustle, consistency and excellence in all areas of play–as a scorer, a passer, a rebounder, a defender, a team player, and, perhaps above all, as a clutch performer. Bird was so self-confident that he was known to waltz up to the opponents’ bench before tipoff and predict a 40-point performance for himself. He was such a deadly shooter that he sometimes practiced three-pointers with his eyes closed. Among Bird’s contemporaries, perhaps only, Earvin “Magic” Johnson was considered a better passer, a player who he would inextricably be linked with forever. Few played tougher than Bird, who would leap into crowds and over press tables for loose balls.

Bird was the embodiment of “Celtics Pride.” He was a classy, confident, hardworking player who thrived on pressure and inspired teammates to excel. Like Bob Cousy, Bill Russell, John Havlicek and Dave Cowens, the low-key Bird force the spotlight upon himself, but rather one who brought out the best in the players around him. But even those legendary players didn’t fill Boston Garden, wowing fans and dominating games as Bird did.

Bird helped rebuild a Celtics franchise that had been suffering from substandard play and poor attendance in the late 1970s. With Bird as the focal point of a well-rounded squad, the Celtics won three NBA titles and 10 Atlantic Division crowns. In addition to his three championship rings, Bird piled up an awesome collection of personal achievements. He became only the third player (and the first non-center) to win three consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player Awards. He was a 12-time All-Star, a two-time NBA Finals MVP and a nine-time member of the All-NBA First Team. He led the league in free-throw percentage four times."  [Read]

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