#32 Magic Johnson, 6-9, 225, greatest Laker of all time... Member Basketball Hall of Fame... dominated 1980s with 5 championships and 9 NBA Finals appearances... 3-time regular season MVP... 3-time Finals MVP... 2-time All-Star Game MVP... 12-time NBA All-Star... 10-time All-NBA... #1 all-time career assist per game average...  led NBA in assists per game 4 times... led league in steals 2 times... career averages of 20 ppg, 11 apg, 7 rpg, 2 spg, 52% FGs and 85% FTs... one of a handful of players to win a NCAA championship, NBA championship, and Olympic Gold Medal... triple-double machine who can play all five positions... played with arguably the greatest center of all-time... only Lakers player with a statue outside Staples Center.

#23 Michael Jordan, 6-6, 210, greatest Bull of all time... Hall-of Famer... dominated 1990s with 6 NBA titles in 6 Finals appearances... 5-time regular season MVP... 6-time Finals MVP... 3-time All-Star Game MVP... 14-time NBA All-Star... 11-time All-NBA... #1 all-time career points per game average... led NBA in scoring avg 10 times... led league in steals 3 times... career averages of 30 ppg, 5 apg, 6 rpg, 2 spg, 50% FGs, 83% FTs... one of a handful of players to win a NCAA championship, NBA championship, and Olympic Gold Medal... scoring and dunking machine deluxe who can play three positions... played with arguably the greatest lockdown defender of all time... only Bulls player with a statue outside United Center.

Forget Kobe vs. Michael guys. If you want to compare another legend to Jordan, the great Earvin Johnson is the player we need to be talking about.

Although their primary positions were different, both made other teams adjust their strategies in order to counter the impact they made on the game which was tremendous.

Both players could score and get to the foul line at will. Both were as clutch as they get. Both were great defenders (Magic was a tremendous defender early on in his career, leading the NBA in steals at 3.4 per game and 2.7 per game in '81 and '82). Both were leaders who made their teammates better players. Both were marketing icons - Magic with Converse and Jordan with Nike. And above all, both players defeated the best teams and the best players in their respective eras convincingly and resoundingly.

But I'll tell you why Magic Johnson, as an overall player and team leader, makes a bigger impact on the game and on his team than His Airness.

Jordan accounted for 30 points per game and 5 assists per game during his entire career, which amounts to roughly 40 points of production for his team (for these purposes we will only equate his 5 apg as two-point field goals, giving him ten points of production for his team). His career average in steals was a little over two per game, so if we were to say one of those two steals led to a bucket, we can stretch it a little bit and say Jordan's overall impact on each game accounted for 42 Bulls points.

Magic, on the other hand, accounted for 20 points per game and 11 assists per game over his career, amounting to 42 points of production for the Lakers. He also averaged two steals a game, so if we were to take one steal that led to a bucket we're looking at 44 points that Magic was accountable for. In addition, Magic's career FG% was 52% to Jordan's 50% and his FT% was 85% to Jordan's 83%.

It's not much of a difference by the numbers, but Magic's overall career averages are still better when it comes to overall influence on a game. If we were to compare career playoff averages, it's about a tie (Jordan's 46 to Magic's 45).

Of course, many will undoubtedly say Michael Jordan is greater because many grew up in the Jordan era and witnessed the legend that was Air Jordan. And many will say Magic had Kareem and Worthy without taking into account that Jordan had Pippen and Rodman. But for those who were around to enjoy the Lakers-Celtics and Lakers-76ers rivalries of the eighties, you may be apt in siding with Johnson because he actually made us believe in magic. 

I witnessed both dynasties up close and personal and I watched thousands of Bulls and Lakers games - preseason, regular season, and playoffs.  I've seen both players play in their primes, live. Jordan was an amazing and unbelievable offensive weapon who didn't come around to be an all-out team player until his fifth year in the league, while Magic led his team to a title his rookie year. And throughout his career, Magic won five championships and went to the Finals a ridiculous 9 times in a 10-year span with three drastically different Laker teams with two different coaches. Not even the ringmaster Bill Russell could have done that.

Magic Johnson is the ultimate NBA legend because he dominated all categories and was the ultimate winner at the same time. His triple-doubles are living proof of this. The artistic and graceful Air Jordan is close behind, but not even His Airness could play all five positions in the grandest stage and win a championship doing so. Magic was so great and influential that Michael wanted to be like him - he took Magic's number 32, reversed it, and decided to go with 23.

What makes a champonship team? What ingredients are needed in order for a team to win it all? What factors allow a team to achieve ultimate greatness?

Through the years, the two constants that form the makeup of a championship team have always been great players and great coaching staffs. But what is it that truly makes up a title winning squad and what types of players are contenders trying to create in order to establish the character of a championship team?

I believe I've got the answer (Because there are so many great teams of all time that all possess pretty much the same characteristics, I will only talk about teams of the last 20 years in order to keep you from having to read a novel. But please feel free to comment about past players on pre-1980 teams).

1. Two Superstars/All-Stars. This is the first obvious element in the make-up of a champion. Great teams of the past such as the Showtime Lakers, Larry's Celtics, The Bad Boy Pistons, Jordan's Bulls, the Dr. J and Moses Malone Sixers, the Shaq-Kobe Lakers, and Duncan's Spurs all had two superstar players who could easily be number one options on other teams. These players were go-to guys and at least one of them was a superior clutch player. No team in the history of this league has ever won a championship without having an All-Star caliber player. It just doesn't work that way.

2. Two role players who are consistently solid through a seven-game Finals series. We can start with Rajon Rondo and James Posey of the Boston Celtics since the memory is fresh in our minds. Brent Barry and Michael Finley excelled in their roles for the 2007 Spurs, as did Stephen Jackson and Malik Rose for the 2003 championship version. The 2003-04 Pistons that manhandled the Lakers had a couple of consistent role players by the name of Mehmet Okur and Tayshaun Prince who were extremely pivotal in the Finals that year. Hakeem Olajuwon had a couple of teammates named Robert Horry and Sam Cassell, who not only were clutch but brought a ton of energy to a veteran team, helping the Rockets win back-to-back titles in the mid-nineties. If it weren't for Ron Harper, John Paxson, B.J. Armstrong, Horace Grant, and Luc Longley, would the Bulls have been able to secure two three-peats despite the greatness of Jordan and Pippen? And we can't ever forget the huge contributions of Mo Cheeks, Andrew Toney,  A.C. Green, Kurt Rambis, Byron Scott, Danny Ainge, Dennis Johnson, John Salley, and Bill Laimbeer to their respective championship teams. Perhaps the most  important ingredient to the recipe, role players who are toughminded, reliable, and steady are perhaps overlooked at times by fans, but they are certainly never undervalued by coaches who've been there done that.

3. Two "specialty" players who can provide instant offense or suffocating defense and take over for spurts during a seven-game Finals series. This is a different breed of role player, simply because there are stretches in games when the superstars get cold and teams desperately need a sniper or an energizer to ignite a spark. At times, these players are the ones who contribute largely to forming the identity of their team. Late in Game Six of the 1992 NBA Finals, Jordan was on the bench while guys like Bobby Hansen and Craig Hodges shot the Bulls back in the game just in time for M.J. to do his thing late in the fourth. Celtics fans surely won't forget Eddie House, and that's why Ainge decided to extend the outside shooting specialist to a new contract. Leon Powe came in and also gave the Lakers fits with his tenacity, thoroughly outplaying even the Lakers starters. Because of these two players, the Celtics stole all momentum in Game Two and the results speak for themselves. The Spurs always had Steve Kerr and Steve Smith to keep them in games with their outside shooting, and Rose and Horry to keep them in series with their ability to hustle, bring energy on defense, and willingness to guard just about anybody. Kerr and Horry, the NBA's version of the good luck charm, brought their specialty to the 1996-'98 Bulls,  1994-'95 Rockets, and the 2000-'02 Lakers as well. And what about the Bad Boys and Celtics? I'll never forget The Microwave Vinnie Johnson and his instant offense, The Worm's defensive energy against Magic and the Lakers, Jerry Sichting's outside touch for the Celtics, Cedric Maxwell's offensive expertise and creativity, and Gerald Henderson's defensive savvy. Last but not least, if it weren't for Brian Shaw there would be no such thing as the Shaw-Shaq Redemption, and if it weren't for Derek Fisher the Lakers of 2000-'02 lose any semblance of true grit and toughness.

4. The Enforcer. This list is easy. Every team in every sport needs one, even Team USA. You see them in hockey and football. You'll need them in basketball if you want to win it all. The original Dream Team had Charles Barkley. The current one has Kobe Bryant and Carlos Boozer. This year's Celtics had a couple of bruising tough guys, one a kid and the other a veteran - Kendrick Perkins and P.J. Brown. The Spurs have always had Bruce Bowen there to pick on another team's best scorer, using his reputation to intimidate and his scissor-like hands to tie up foes. The Rockets had their own version of Bowen, a toughminded veteran by the name of Mario Elie who did just about everything his team needed, including blowing kisses to opponents' benches in order to rub it in. And who'll ever forget Rick Fox, who's as tough as nails and who's charmingly good looks can easily fool anyone. His victims include Peja Stojakovic (an All-Star), Scottie Pippen (a Legend), and Doug Christie (a has-been). Before Fox, there was Michael Cooper, whom Larry Bird said was the player that gave him the most fits during all those battles with the Lakers. Of course, the Bad Boys wouldn't be the Bad Boys if it weren't for Rick Mahorn, who's still an active enforcer to this day. Just ask Lisa Leslie. The Pistons' championship formula continued years later with defensive enforcer Ben Wallace manning the frontline. And the Bulls were so impressed with the Pistons that they had to hire one (Dennis Rodman), so that they'd have someone to frustrate the great Karl Malone in the 1997 and 1998 NBA Finals. Sure enough, The Mailman uncharacteristically  failed to deliver.

5. The Great Leader  who knows how to make in-game and in-series adjustments. It's plainly obvious that 2008 was the year of surprises in the world of sports. One of the biggest ones was the emergence of Doc Rivers as a highly regarded championship coach. His ability to keep a brand new team on the same page for an entire year and conclude it with a rousing title run and embarrassing arguably the greatest coach of all time in the NBA Finals, speaks volumes worthy of the utmost respect. His tactfulness and motivation style kept his team mindful, prepared, and ready to play the best series of their lives. The bottom line is that his team played with a purpose, and Phil Jackson's team did not. Speaking of the Zenmaster, one only has to look at his treasure chest filled with nine championship rings as a coach to know that he belongs on this list. His ability to use the force and the mind as weapons still baffles onlookers to this day. It's almost as if he's Yoda incarnated. 

It is no mistake that teams who win titles have great coaches who are great strategists and masters of their craft. Not only are they magnificent at utilizing the talents of their players to fit a particular system, they are also second to none in coordinating game situations. Chuck Daly always had great timing with his substitution patterns. Gregg Popovich's philosophy and coaching style have made his team the winningest NBA team since the new millenium. He learned his craft from Larry Brown, who not coincidentally  has also won an NBA title. Pat Riley's excellent combination of tenacity and brains allowed him to turn the Showtime Lakers into the most balanced team of all time, able to run-n-gun for a full 48 minutes and wear down the opposing team or slow it down when the situation calls for it in order to physically beat down an opponent.

So who's the next championship team? You already know my answer. Using this formula, why don't we all argue back and forth as to why your favorite team has it and why mine doesn't. 

 

 

Don't ask me where my sources come from. I have telepathy, thought transference, E.S.P., a sixth sense. Just kidding. I simply like starting rumors because I believe I should be a GM in this league. Just kidding again. But I'm sure the Clippers could use me.

With Donnie Walsh all but promising that Zach Randolph will be moved, it makes logical sense to think that the new Knicks GM will send him to his former team, the Indiana Pacers.

Especially with Jermaine O'Neal being traded to Toronto, it makes even more sense for the Pacers to go after a decent power forward.

Meanwhile the New York Knicks, who decided to go with Danilo Gallinari in the draft, never got the point guard they were seeking although they still have Stephon Marbury and recently added Chris Duhon. Marbury isn't going anywhere because of his contract and diminishing skills. Duhon can play both guard spots, which means Nate Robinson is major trade bait.

Therefore, I wouldn't be surprised to see the following trade happen:

Indiana receives: PF Zach Randolph, PG Nate Robinson

New York receives: F Troy Murphy, PG Jamaal Tinsley

There have been headlines coming out of Atlanta reporting that SF Josh Smith and the team are far from agreeing on a long term contract. Smith, who had a breakout year both on offense and defense, was heavily coveted by Philadelphia and the L.A. Clippers, among others, but we all know what happened with those two teams.

With Mike Bibby's ridiculous $15 million contract due to come off the books after next season, Hawks management is taking their time and completely weighing their options. Are they going to resign both Bibby and Smith to lucrative long term deals or do they believe that the future of their franchise is better off heading in another direction? Atlanta's recent history suggests the latter.

This is the same team that failed to keep Dominique Wilkins, Kevin Willis, and Doc Rivers together for many years and the same team that broke up Dikembe Mutombo, Steve Smith, and Mookie Blaylock after they couldn't get past Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the nineties.  

So what's the deal in Atlanta? Here's a potential sign-and-trade deal that can be consummated in the next couple of months if the Hawks are indeed only looking to build for the short term.

Atlanta gets: F Lamar Odom

Lakers get: F Josh Smith

For several years now, the Chicago Bulls' roster has been out of balance. And that's why the Bulls never seem to make any progress. By picking up Derrick Rose in the draft, they basically sent the message that they were no longer happy with Kirk Hinrich and the $10 million they owe him each year for the next five years. Moreover, with Duhon bolting for The Big Apple, the Bulls no longer have a reliable back up point guard. And best believe Ben Gordon is not going to be playing the point guard position either.

By trading away Ben Wallace for Drew Gooden (and his expiring contract) last season, they made it known they weren't satisfied with the progress of Tyrus Thomas and his lack of low post offensive production. It was clear they needed a player who could operate down low and make plays. Chicago is definitely going in another direction and most importantly, they want to go young and rebuild all over again.

For several months now, the L.A. Lakers have made it clear they no longer believe Lamar Odom is their man at the small forward position. Though he shows flashes of brilliance, his lack of consistency in playing at a high level just doesn't cut it for a championship contender like the Lakers. In fact, they even offered Odom to the Bulls last year in an attempt to acquire the relentless Argentinian Andres Nocioni. It might happen now.

Lakers receive: F Andres Nocioni and PG Kirk Hinrich

Bulls receive: F Lamar Odom and PG Jordan Farmar

And finally, wouldn't it be nice if the Sacramento Kings could get a former player back? The Kings' freewheeling offense, led by Kevin Martin and Beno Udrih, seems to be the perfect fit for outside shooter deluxe Hedo Turkoglu. Hedo would return to his former team, but this time around he's a better and more complete player.

The much talked about Ron Artest, therefore, moves east to Orlando to play alongside Dwight Howard to form one of the most imposing defensive tandems in the NBA. On paper, this looks like a quality and reasonable trade for both teams. Artest is given the chance to show his worth by playing for a legitimate playoff contender in Orlando. Meanwhile the Maloofs get a low-risk player in Hedo at slightly under $7 million per year for only two more years, and most importantly they are familiar with him.

Kings get: F Hedo Turkoglu

Magic get: F Ron Artest

Other significant players who could quite possibly change zip codes before next season are the Hawks' Josh Childress, the Pistons' Chauncey Billups and Tayshaun Prince, the Mavericks' Josh Howard, Utah's Andrei Kirilenko, and Miami's Shawn Marion.

The wheeling and dealing isn't done, folks. In fact it's only just begun.

 

A follow-up to the 2007 NBA Pre-Camp Power Rankings, here is the current power list as we approach the halfway point...

**In parentheses (pre-season rank, overall record, home record, road record, and record against teams in their respective conference)**

POISED FOR THE POSTSEASON...

1. Boston (#2, 30-5, 16-2, 14-3, 20-5 vs East):  Why are the Celtics the best right now? They are tops in the NBA in points allowed per game, opponent FG%, and are beating opponents by a 12-point margin. And they recently went 4-0 on a West Coast road trip, temporarily silencing all critics.

2. Dallas (#6, 26-11, 17-3, 9-8, 17-5 vs West): The Mavs' recent 102-86 shellacking of Detroit and current seven-game win streak puts defensive minded Dallas ahead of the Pistons in the power rankings, for now. And Detroit has already lost twice to Chicago, whom Dallas defeated last month.  

3. Detroit (#7, 28-9, 13-3, 15-6, 19-3 vs East):  Still contending, the Pistons now feature a younger and deeper bench than in years' past. They're second in the league in points allowed per game, opponent FG%, and they lead the league with fewest turnovers per game. The key to their success thus far has been their overall balance and efficiency. Detroit wins on the road just as much as they do at home.

4. L.A. Lakers (#8, 24-11, 14-5, 10-6, 15-5 vs West): The Young Guns' ascent in the rankings is due to their ability to consistently beat the top teams in the West. The Killer B's (Bryant and Bynum) lead the way for the Lakers, considered by many as the deepest and most dangerous team in the NBA. L.A.'s well-balanced machine can score and play defense with the best of them. Case in point: #3 in the NBA in PPG and FG%, #4 in the NBA in opponent FG% and steals per game. And their average 7-point margin of victory is third in the league and tops in the mighty Western Conference.

5. Phoenix (#3, 26-11, 13-4, 13-7, 12-9 vs West) : Amid talk of discord, the Suns continue to remain competitive despite their serious lack of size, depth, rebounding, and defense. The most telling stat about Mike D'Antoni's bunch, however, is that they only feast on the east, where they are 14-2, but have lots of trouble against their western counterparts. Although they once again lead the league in scoring, they are still 28th in points allowed and 18th in opponent FG%. This is a disturbing trend for a team with serious talent, but one that also finds it difficult to keep up with opponents who possess that rare combination of size, athleticism, balance, and championship-caliber coaching. Against the top eight teams in the Western Conference, Phoenix is a paltry 2-6 while the Lakers, on the other hand, are 7-3 against the same competition.

6. San Antonio (#1, 24-11, 18-3, 6-8, 17-9 vs West): There is absolutely no reason to panic as the defending NBA champions have lost two in a row, gone 5-5 in their last 10, and are seemingly sliding. Why so? They are 20th in the league in opponent FG%, a defensive category they usually lead the NBA in. The reality is they are pacing. They go through this every year and despite talk of getting old, they remain third in the NBA in points allowed. It's the same old San Antonio Spurs come playoff time, when they'll be number one in most people's minds. For now, they are sixth because they lost to the Suns last month while playing without this year's team MVP Tony Parker.

7. New Orleans (#18, 24-12, 10-7, 14-5, 17-8 vs West): The Hornets should not be a surprise to people, only because we know that Byron Scott is their coach and Chris Paul is running the show. Coach Scott has instilled defense into this young nucleus and his players are responding much like the New Jersey Nets responded to his leadership on their way to the Finals earlier this decade. Now the key is... can they stay healthy, particularly veteran sharpshooter Peja Stojakovic?

8. Portland (#24, 22-13, 17-3, 5-10, 16-7 vs West) : It appears the Blazermaniacs have resurfaced. The red-hot Blazers have won 17 of their last 18 games and along the way defeated Utah three times, Denver twice, Golden State twice, New Orleans, Toronto, and appear headed for the playoffs without Greg Oden. And imagine if Oden comes back this season. Btw, Brandon Roy is the real deal and so is Coach Nate McMillan, who is my midseason Coach of the Year.  

9. Denver (#11, 22-13, 15-5, 7-8, 13-10 vs West) : The Nuggets' dynamic duo of Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson keeps them in games offensively and their team defense isn't too shabby either (first in the league in steals per game and eighth in opponent FG%). However they are extremely thin at center, and their lack of depth at the point guard position could spell doom for the Nuggets come playoff time, where they will try to compete against the likes of Steve Nash, Tony Parker, Baron Davis, Chris Paul, Deron Williams, and Derek Fisher. That is not a very good sign for an inconsistent team.

10. Orlando (#19, 23-16, 7-8, 16-8, 14-6 vs East): The Magic started off strong but have tailed off lately, losing 12 out of their last 21, primarily because they are a jumpshooting team. Dwight Howard continues to be a monster, but besides him there isn't much else to be excited about. High-priced Rashard Lewis isn't even averaging 20 ppg and is shooting a disappointing 38% from three-point range. What baffles me about Orlando's management is why they picked up Lewis, who is essentially the same type of player as Hedo Tukoglu. Their stats and percentages are similar, making me wonder why they didn't go out and get a point guard like Steve Blake or Mo Williams instead.

11. Cleveland (#5, 19-18, 12-6, 7-12, 10-12 vs East): Don't let that .514 win percentage fool you. The defending Eastern Conference Champions got off to a slow start this year because of the holdouts of key players, Sasha Pavlovic and Anderson Varejao. Now both are back playing their customary roles, and the Cavs have quietly won seven of their last ten with King James putting on MVP-type performances. More importantly Cleveland is 9-6 against the mighty West, with wins against the Lakers, Dallas, Golden State, and Utah. 

12. Golden State (#14, 21-16, 10-7, 11-9, 14-10 vs West): The run-n-shoot Warriors, led by quarterback Baron Davis, continue to pile up the points and play nonexistent defense. Because of their style, they are last in the league in points allowed. However their depth keeps them in most games and the solid all-around play of Andris Biedrins has been a pleasant surprise for Nellie's rag-tag bunch.

 13. Utah (#21, 21-17, 15-3, 6-14, 11-10 vs West): Before the season began I specifically said  that Jazz fans will be wondering if Derek Fisher was really the difference maker. Three months later D-Fish has proved my point, making a huge impact on both the Lakers and the Jazz. Utah sorely misses the leadership and locker room presence that Fisher provides, not to mention his defensive savvy and toughness on the court. Ronnie Brewer has done an admirable job replacing him at shooting guard, but there is no replacement for chamionship experience and this is the main reason why the Jazz, despite their overall efficiency, have slipped in the West after making it all the way to the West Finals last year.

14. Houston (#10, 20-17, 9-6, 11-11, 10-11 vs West): The Rockets are currently on their longest winning streak of the season at five games and seem to be on a roll without their leading scorer, oft-injured Tracy McGrady. Although they are fourth in the league in points allowed and third in opponent FG%, something remains missing in the grand scheme of things for this underachieving ballclub. Some say that Yao Ming is too soft, yet others say inconsistencies in their rotation is what has caused the inconsistency in their record. Whatever it is, they need to figure it out fast or else a huge trade may be on the horizon. 

15. Toronto (#12, 19-17, 9-8, 10-9, 12-9 vs East): The absence of point guard T.J. Ford for half of the season has really hurt the Raptors thus far. Despite missing his leadership on the floor, they are sixth in the NBA in points allowed and second in steals per game. Notable wins so far have come against San Antonio and Dallas, and once Toronto gets Ford back in the lineup expect them to make a run for either the third or fourth playoff spot in the East. 

16. Washington (#16, 19-16, 11-8, 8-8, 13-10 vs East): The Wizards have been a mild surprise as they currently hold the four spot in the East despite being without top scorer Gilbert Arenas for most of the season. Former Laker Caron Butler has done a tremendous job leading the way, averaging 22 ppg while shooting 50% from the field and 40% from long distance. Antawn Jamison has also pitched in by averaging 21.6 ppg and 11 boards. Maybe they're better off without Arenas, whose commitment to winning an NBA title has been questioned of late.

POISED TO BATTLE 'TIL THE END...

17. New Jersey (#15, 18-18, 9-12, 9-6, 13-12 vs East): When Jason Kidd trade rumors seem to always persist, something is bound to happen. Kidd for Pau Gasol and Mike Conley? Kidd for Arenas? Kidd for McGrady? Kidd for Mike Bibby? If I'm Rod Thorn, I choose one because either way I won't go wrong. Unless a move is made, the Nets will continue to hover around mediocrity.

18. Atlanta (#29, 15-17, 10-8, 5-9, 9-13 vs East): The fact that the Hawks are 6-4 against the West seems promising. With the emergence of Josh Smith as a bonafide potential All-Star player and Marvin Williams as a consistent scorer, there is hope in Atlanta after all. Now to see if they can develop team chemistry and defensive consistency with Joe Johnson as their leader. A playoff spot is definitely within reach.

19. Chicago (#9, 14-20, 7-10, 7-10, 11-11 vs East): With all that talent, the struggling Bulls still lack a strong inside punch. Looking on the bright side, they are 5-3 under new coach Jim Boylan. Now to see if they finally structure a deal to pick up Pau Gasol or Amare Stoudemire.

20. Indiana (#20, 17-21, 8-9, 9-12, 9-11 vs East): How is it that the Pacers are ranked seventh in the league in scoring and fifth in opponent FG% yet they're only 2-8 in their last ten games and are playing terribly of late? Maybe it's because Jermaine O'Neal has lost interest. His averages of 15 points and 7 rebounds are not typical of the All-Star forward and his style of play doesn't seem to fit Coach Jim O'Brien's system. You can expect O'Neal to be dealt by the trading deadline, especially if Indiana continues to slide.

POISED FOR THE LOTTERY...

21. Milwaukee (#25, 15-22, 10-5, 5-17, 10-12 vs East): There is no question that on paper, the Bucks have talent. Then why is it they can't seem to get over the hump? Because they are 28th in the league in opponent FG%, while only 22nd in scoring.

22. Sacramento (#23, 14-21, 10-9, 4-12, 6-13 vs West): They have been without Mike Bibby, Ron Artest, and Kevin Martin for most of the season. Martin is back, with Artest and Bibby soon to follow. But the big question is still whether or not Bibby and/or Artest will be traded. Chances are they'll be shipped out, especially since young players like Francisco Garcia, Mikki Moore, and John Salmons all have done fairly well in the Kings' youth movement.

23. Philadelphia (#26, 14-23, 7-11, 7-12, 8-12 vs East): Losers of six in a row, the 76ers are insisting they won't part with either Andre Igoudala or Andre Miller. Philadelphia is acting as if they're both franchise players, and if they continue to believe that they won't be winning anytime soon. At best, Igoudala is a third option on a contending team and Miller is a starter on only a quarter of the teams in this league.

24. Charlotte (#22, 13-23, 11-11, 2-12, 9-20 vs East): The story of their season will be beating the Celtics in Boston and Michael Jordan's return (to the practice court).

25. L.A. Clippers (#30, 10-23, 5-13, 5-10, 6-14 vs West): GM Elgin Baylor says he is extremely disappointed with the Clippers' performance this year despite the injuries to Elton Brand and Shaun Livingston and the All-Star caliber play of center Chris Kaman. What else is new?

26. Memphis (#17, 10-26, 6-12, 4-14, 5-17 vs West):   The Grizzlies hired a new coach in Marc Iavaroni, who came from Phoenix, a team that doesn't have the word 'defense' in its vocabulary, and what is the result? 29th in the NBA in points allowed per game and 29th in opponent FG%. With all that talent in the lineup, there is no reason why Memphis should be this bad.

27. New York (#13, 9-26, 7-13, 2-13, 6-13 vs East): Hmm... now what to do with Isiah, Stephon, Eddy, Jamal, Quentin, David, Nate, Renaldo, Fred, Malik, Zach, Jared, Wilson and Mardy?

28. Seattle (#27, 9-27, 5-12, 4-15, 3-16 vs West): On to Oklahoma City we go...

29. Minnesota (#28, 5-31, 4-13, 1-18, 3-21 vs West): The Timberwolves recently beat Miami by 10, one of the few bright spots (along with Al Jefferson) in a year when they could possibly break the all-time record for futility. The only thing else worth looking forward to is February 8th, the homecoming of Kevin Garnett. Will the fans boo or show their appreciation? My guess is they won't respond the way Jazz fans jeered when Derek Fisher returned to Utah as an opposing player.

30. Miami (#4, 8-28, 4-11, 4-17, 3-17 vs East): 10 losses in a row and counting. When it rains, it pours. Led by The Big Everything Shaquille O'Neal, the Heat have shown that although they can fool us all by buying a championship it's just a matter of time until the true colors begin to reveal themselves. Now Little Pookie and Riles have come to find out what Kobe, Phil and Jerry have known all this time about the Big Liability - he's only there for the money.  

LAKERSFAN19 recently spoke about how boring the NBA has become then went on to write about the proliferation of haterfans in our precious blogosphere, mentioning in particular the constant perceived hate that is dumped on our once revered SHAQUILLE O'NEAL and the so-called brat of the NBA, KOBE BRYANT. As I was commenting on his blog, I began to remember and my comment turned into paragraph after paragraph. So I decided to write a little sumthin sumthin, courtesy of Lakersfan19's original idea. 

The NBA is certainly not boring. In fact, it is exciting. It's where "Amazing Happens."

Seven teams in the Western Conference are on pace for 50+ win seasons and the two teams with the best record in the league are both surprisingly from the Eastern Conference. Boston is on pace to for 70+ wins, which has caused Michael Jordan to pay more attention of late. The Minnesota T-Wolves are threatening the record for futility and the New York Knicks is in another league of their own. Scoring is up while defense continues to determine who wins, and never has there been this many international players in the NBA. The great Scottie Pippen has gone international as well, at the ripe young age of 42, and is apparently still harrassing opponents from the defensive end. I guess the only thing missing is THE RETURN OF THE WORM, Dennis Rodman. Okay, maybe not.

Nonetheless, unprecedented talent has given way to parity which, in turn, has provided fans a ton of great basketball to watch.

But nothing will ever duplicate the drama that developed from the love triangle that was Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, and Phil Jackson. Not even the famous Jordan-Pippen-Rodman triad from Chicago.

Here, I attempt to briefly revisit what once was and why so many of us have come to "hate" although deep down inside we "love". And more importantly a glimpse of what is to come with these two lead actors, one OSCAR worthy and the other an ESPY nominee.

As far as the "hating" is concerned, I can see why so many fans do it. If you notice, most people will intensify the hate when things are going bad for a particular player on court or off it. It's in our nature as fans and it is, believe it or not, a normal behavior for extremely passionate fans.

What I don't understand, however, is when people continually bring up the past and use this as an excuse to hate even if that particular player has changed. Case in point, KOBE.

Everyone is now beginning to see with the Lakers' drastic improvement that KOBE's immature remarks this offseason may have served a purpose. In fact, Bryant and Jackson may have tactically strategized this in order to get more from the rest of the team.

We all know that the ZENMASTER is known for his psychological ploys, so as fans do we really know for sure that KOBE was all to the bad here?

Bottom line: KOBE BRYANT is a leader and among the fiercest competitors the game has ever seen. Ever.  Always has and always will be. In due time he will get the respect from fans that he rightfully deserves (he always had the respect of his peers) because after all, like former pro sports brats ahead of him - Terrell Owens and Randy Moss - and like that old cliche, "winning solves everything."

I was around to digest everything MICHAEL JORDAN had to endure throughout his early years in the NBA and I see a similar pattern here with the two players, especially since JACKSON is the coach of the two stars.

KOBE is only 29 and for those who have paid attention to all the nuances of his entire career, one can only have utmost respect for his dedication to the purity of the game of basketball. Never mind the off-court antics and stuff because that is really irrelevant.

We as working class people  have issues outside of work that tend to affect our professional careers at times. It's normal folks.

Haters fail to look at what KOBE has brought to his team and to the game. Instead, they find someone to blame and something to blame that someone for. And in a place like Los Angeles, everything becomes all the more magnified.

Why the heck would Jerry Buss pay KOBE all that money in the first place and let SHAQ go for less-than-equal value? Because BUSS not only is a smart businessman but he also recognizes hard work and discipline. Game recognizes game.

And isn't Lamar Odom's 15 and 9 panning out much better than Shaq's 14 and 7 right about now? As far as O'Neal is concerned, he got what he wanted. The cash, the quick championship, and the short-lived glory. Shaq knew in 2004-2005 that guys like 'Zo, Antoine Walker, Gary Payton, White Chocolate, James Posey, D-Wade, and Coach Riley were all hungry to win so he squeezed in at the opportune moment, fit in perfectly, and took advantage.

It was good enough for him to do it for one year, just like it was always good enough for him to treat his conditioning half-heartedly once he earned his contract and delivered three titles to Los Angeles. His contentment is the nature of his personality, unlike Kobe who always believes he can get better. This is the difference between a superstar and a legend. This is what sets apart the Michaels, the Magics, the Kobes, and the Larrys from every other Hall-of-Famer.

Shaq had always been The BIG QUOTATION, so he told Miami fans that he would bring two more titles although he probably knew deep down inside that he was probably done. He will try to mask his inadequacies by simply taking time off here and there in order to play out his contract and honor his fans. But we all know what's best for the team. The Heat should buy him out if they want to be competitive. 

Simply put, The BIG ARISTOTLE is running out of excuses and things to say. His best one came recently when he mentioned that he at least has a Master's Degree to fall back on. A sign that he has reached the end? Definitely so.

I actually believed he had one more solid year in him in 2007-'08. Guess I was wrong. The BIG DIESEL is now The BIG INACTIVE, while KOBE continues to lead the LAKERS' ASSAULT to everlasting greatness and basketball immortality along with THE BIG BYNO-MITE, Andrew Bynum. 

When it's all said and done, KOBE will have more rings than SHAQ and his LAKER legacy will undoubtedly leave a more lasting effect on all of our hearts.

I am sure of this only because KOBE puts more work into his craft than O'Neal ever did.

In any profession, the ones who demonstrate unrelenting work ethic and desire to be the best at what they do regardless of innate ability or talent usually move higher up the ladder (look at the careers of MJ, OLAJUWON, BIRD, MAGIC, who all improved different parts of their games as they got older). Since 2002, tell me one thing SHAQ has improved in his game? Free throws? A go-to move? Rebounding? Defense? Absolutely nothing. Shaq will continue to (and always has) rely on his sheer size and strength in order to intimidate, be physical, and get easy buckets (which helps to explain his high career FG%).

His huge miscalculation about the nature of the game has led him to be ineffective because injuries have now taken their toll on his body and he can no longer rely on what was once his only major strength.

A dedicated center like DWIGHT HOWARD, who continues to work hard on his craft, may wind up becoming a better basketball player than SHAQ (even if he winds up with less rings or no rings at all) because we can see that HOWARD is starting to develop a wide array of post moves, is a force on the boards, and blocks shots like Olajuwon once did. Shaq, with his size, should have led the NBA in rebounding and blocks EVERY year since '99 but he never did so except for maybe one year.

Upon making these points, one would see that no matter SHAQ's dominance between '99-04, he still would not have won those rings without KEY ROLE PLAYERS like Kobe, D-Wade, Rick Fox, Glen Rice, Ron Harper, Brian Shaw, Robert Horry, Derek Fisher, Horace Grant, A.C. Green, Alonzo Mourning, Jason Williams, Gary Payton and Antoine Walker. Think about it. This was SOLID talent built around Shaq.  

After all, when was the last time we saw SHAQ make a game clinching bucket to decide the outcome o####ame?

Way back in 1997-'98 during the last Lakers' home game of the regular season against UTAH. Turn around 12-foot jumper from the left baseline to seal the deal. Del Harris was the coach and L.A. was swept by the same Jazz squad in the playoffs that year.That's probably the only time he ever made a basket at the end of the game when it counted most.

Don't get me wrong, I will not discount Shaq's greatness in his era. However, if you compare his basketball abilites against some of the greatest of all time, in my opinion he is not even top five.

From SHOWTIME to the LAKE SHOW, it's a new era in LAKERLAND. As we look ahead, it might not be long until THE YOUNG GUNS conquer the WILD WILD WEST and the rest of the 'boring' NBA.

- New Jersey is 9-12 with their Big Three and slipping, as everyone awaits a major transaction...

- Four other teams besides the Nets likely to make a move of significance before the trade deadline: Bulls, Sixers, Grizzlies, and Knicks...

- Three more teams that need to be looking for trade partners: Heat, Kings, and Cavaliers...

- Multiple THUMBS DOWN to ALL Jazz fans for booing Derek Fisher, the epitomy of class, during his first game back in Utah as an opposing player...

- 29 other teams would absolutely love to have Shaquille O'Neal and his 15 point 7 rebound average, but at $1.3 million...

- Surprising to say but Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony averaging 25 apiece for the Nuggets is NOT gonna get it done...

- On the other hand, the Lakers have four players averaging in double-figures and two more right under 10 ppg with Jordan Farmar and Vlad Radmanovic at 9.8 and 9.4 respectively. Watch out, it's only the beginning...

- Lebron James, hands down, is the MVP of the NBA right now, with Hammer Howard second...

- Josh Smith is the best team defensive player in the league, while Kobe Bryant remains the best one-on-one defender in the game...

- Just imagine if  Kobe and Smith were on the same team...

- Like I said after the second week of the season, by Christmas time the Clippers would be back in their old true form...

- Most suprising team is Orlando while Miami is the most disappointing...

- San Antonio, in its quest to repeat as champions for the first time, is serious about gaining home court advantage throughout the postseason and having the best regular season record in the NBA...

- Sleeper to win the Western Conference has to be the L.A. Lakers and the sleeper in the East has to be the Cleveland Cavs...

- Most likely teams to be disappointed in the playoffs: Phoenix and Detroit...

- My TOP 10, with special mention in parentheses:

1) San Antonio (12-0 at home)

2) Boston (10-0 at home)

3) Phoenix (10-3 on the road)

4) Orlando (11-2 on the road)

5) New Orleans (only 6-5 at home, but 8-2 on the road)

6) L.A. Lakers (above .500 both home and away)

7) Detroit (above .500 both home and away)

8) Utah (only 5-7 on the road)

9) Dallas (only 4-6 on the road)

10) Denver (only 4-5 on the road)

And Finally...

A team that considers itself a title contender and then loses to the Minnesota Timberwolves (worst team in the NBA and is on the verge of threatening the all-time record for futility) is probably not going to win the championship anytime soon. Boy I can't wait for Christmas Day...

 

The 2007-08 NBA season will see a major shift in the balance of power in the Pacific Division. Over the last three years, the LAKERS-SUNS matchup has turned into an extremely bitter rivalry not only for the players and coaches but also for the thousands of loyal fans that support these two tough teams.

After keeping serious tabs on these two teams over the summer, one thing is obvious to me. The LAKERS are vastly improving both on offense and defense and gaining more confidence by the second, while the SUNS look like their same old predictable selves and are getting more brittle and more frustrated as each passing day comes. Let's begin with the LAKERS.

As I've been saying all along, THE LAKERS ASSAULT IS COMING. In fact, it's already happening.

I know it's early and people will say that the Lakers' recent one-sided victories against Phoenix (119-98) and Utah (119-109) came at the expense of their opponents' second night of back-to-back games. But do you expect me to believe that these professional athletes this early in the season will have weary legs? Give me a break. Back-to-back games in the first week of the season should not be an excuse. Players are in shape and they should be more pumped up to play, especially with Phoenix playing in their home opener and Utah having to travel only 1 hour to get to Los Angeles from Oakland. The Lakers were flat out better and it is a major sign of things to come.

As for the KOBE BRYANT saga, we are not trading Kobe. We never will. Kobe for the unproven and hyped-up Luol Deng, Ben Gordon, and a throw-in? What a joke of a proposal. The Bulls are 0-3 and the reason is because they have no superstar. I feel bad for the Chicago Bulls because they should have gone after Pau Gasol this summer. Instead you have Chicago fans chanting KOBE-KOBE-KOBE in their own stadium in front of their own players after a loss to the lowly Milwaukee Bucks. How sad it is, the reality of it all.

Kobe wants to be a Laker for life and that's a fact. He's said it before. The only reason the rumors kept flying out of the bird cage was because Jerry Buss said he would entertain offers. It surely doesn't mean he will trade him or that Kobe would waive his no-trade clause. In fact, Bryant has never came close to even hinting at waiving the no-trade clause. Even Buss has repeatedly said that the Lakers are going to build a contender with KOBE as the cornerstone of the Laker franchise. In due time the role players will prove themselves worthy enough to satisfy Bryant's unrelenting will to win and when the time is right Kobe will announce his desire to remain with the Lakers the rest of his career. Then Phil will extend his contract and we will all say to ourselves that we knew it all along.

It has been obvious since the summer, when I was repeatedly backing up the entire Laker organization, that we were never going to trade Bryant. Why in the world would it make business sense for the Buss family to give up the best player in the game after we went 26-13 last year and defeated all the NBA's elite teams at least once (2 out of 3 against the World Champion Spurs and 2 out of 3 against West Finals participant Utah) before the injuries hit? And why would Kobe want to start over with another team with no guarantee that the other team would have better role players than what he's got here in Los Angeles. After all, the Lakers would basically look to gut another team's roster in exchange for Kobe. So that automatically means L.A.'s trading partner would have to forfeit their top two or three players. Kobe wouldn't want that and neither would Dallas, Chicago, or Detroit. The Pistons, for example, still have their nucleus intact and are still highly competitive in the East so it would not make good business sense for Joe Dumars to Rip it all apart just to get the league's top scorer.

I have maintained for many months that L.A. should not break up their roster to bring in old All-Stars like Jermaine O'Neal and/or Jason Kidd (with all due respect to their greatness). Why not? Because... 

1)  the new players you bring in will have to learn the triangle and start from scratch, thereby throwing away all chemistry that was developed over the last three years with the original nucleus,  2) O'Neal and Kidd are both on the downside of their careers and there is no guarantee that either will make the Lakers better than what they are now, and 3) In Los Angeles, we build for dynasties and long-term success. We don't go out there and rent aging superstars who are in the final one or two years of their contracts in HOPES that we get to the FINALS, much like Phoenix (Grant Hill), Dallas (Eddie Jones), Miami (Ricky Davis), and Detroit (Chris Webber) do. It is no surprise that all of the aforementioned players have never appeared in the NBA FINALS. They have a history of mediocrity and that's exactly what they will bring to their respective teams - a mediocre attitude that will rub off on their teammates.

Moreover, we are not trading Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum or anyone else not named Brian Cook.

We have size. We have athleticism. We can run-n-gun. We can play half-court. We have the best player and coach in the game. We have wingmen, slashers, guys who can post up. We have role players who bring a ton of energy off the bench. The players have a renewed defensive fervor about themselves. We have veteran presence. And above all, we have youth and balance, and we are starting to develop and maintain the work ethic that is needed to become champions. All of this is on KOBE's shoulders as the leader and he knows it and accepts it. That's why he's the greatest of his era. 

This team is so scary, that only people who really know basketball know what I'm talking about. Everyone else who can deny this are simply hating.

The Lakers can play with any team in this league. Utah is tough but they have no one to contain Bynum and we have a tremendous size advantage. San Antonio handled Utah last year in the West FInals because of these same two factors: Domination down low and the Jazz had nobody to stop Duncan. The only team that will give the Lakers fits in the West are San Antonio, Houston or perhaps Denver because all three teams have legitimate centers. The rest of the teams are cakewalk if the Lakers can continue to play EVERY GAME like they did the last two. It starts with TOTAL TEAM EFFORT and I strongly believe the Lakers have finally gotten it.

I feel terrible for the entire state of Arizona right now because Suns fans can slowly feel in their hearts what is coming. I'm sure they're already saying, "Uh-oh." Hey, at least you guys still have the SUN DEVILS.

The way Phoenix looked in their first three games lets me know this...

1) Nothing has changed for the better. The SMURFS' lack of size will absolutely KILL them this year (they have been outrebounded in all three games by sorry Seattle, the Lakers, and the undermanned Cleveland Cavs who were missing one of their top rebounders in Varejao)

2) Amare Stoudemire's lingering knee problems will spell doom for the Suns if they persist throughout the year. If Bynum, Ronny Turiaf, and Kwame Brown can rough him up and limit him to 7 points and 1 rebound, imagine what the rest of the West can do to this overhyped new version of Antonio McDyess. Phoenix should have traded him for KG but there is a reason why the Boston Celtics have all the history and Phoenix doesn't - the upper management in Boston has more moxie to take risks than Phoenix's shot-callers do.

3) Mike D'Antoni is not as good as everyone thinks he is. Phil Jackson is already in his head, and the simple fact he makes a big deal about that silly timeout for which Phil had a very legit reason for calling, lets me know he has his own insecurities about his own team. Take the loss like a man D'Antoni and quit crying like Adelman and C-Webb were doing when the Lakers kept shoving it against the Kings' you-know-what back in the day. You haven't won squat, and I'm sure you haven't earned that respect from Jackson the way he admires and reveres Jerry Sloan, Gregg Popovich, and Pat Riley.

4) If Steve Nash ends up having to carry the load offensively, then expect the Suns to lose in the first round because come May Nash's back will be all but done, and Amare's legs will be worn out, and the rest of the Suns players will have zero confidence once they realize they can't hang with the bigger teams (Houston, Utah, Lakers, Dallas, Denver, New Orleans) who can play a half-court game and run-n-gun when the situation calls for it. And we already know that D'Antoni play his starters 40 minutes a game and never uses his bench (he's already done so the first three games) so the Suns may be in for a long season. And what if Grant Hill ends up getting hurt? Now what?

5) The signing of Hill, although beneficial for them, was the wrong move. It will limit the productivity, shots, and minutes of guys like Raja Bell and Leandro Barbosa, two very key elements in their past success. And Hill's below average long-range shooting does not make him a great fit for this system either.

6) The Suns' poor upper management decision makers should have realized that in the Western Conference, you need tough big men who can hold the paint in order to contend. Why do you think Kurt Thomas skipped town? Because he knew that Phoenix is not as good as everyone thinks they are and he didn't want to shorten his career by playing an up-tempo no-defense style the rest of his life. And Thomas knew better, considering he played for the big, bad, and tough New York Knicks in his heyday and knowing what it takes to contend, Thomas made a very intelligent business move and went to a young team who could value from his services. Phoenix should have gone after C-Webb, Jamaal Magloire, or even PJ Brown to get stronger inside but they didn't, and that's why they'll never make it to the FINALS.

7) The Suns are one-dimensional. It's way too obvious and with most of the teams employing an up-tempo style, it will be even harder for the Suns to win close games because not only do they lack beef up front, they also WASTE POSSESSIONS with their style of play jacking up shots left and right with no post game. Like I've been saying for years, they are predictable and will continue to be as long as they have Nash and Stoudemire.

It's early in the season, but many things are becoming clear in the Pacific Division. And nothing is as exciting as the drama that unfolds every time the Suns and Lakers hit the floor.

And on the other side... they must play on. I present the spring semster report card for the east.

THE EASTERN CONFERENCE

1. Detroit - The revitalized Chris Webber arrived basically for free, and all of a sudden the Pistons are atop the conference. There is a strong possibility of another Miami-Detroit showdown in the second round. Grade: B+

2. Cleveland - Lebron James managed to lead the Cavaliers to a number-two seed and 50 wins despite not having a legitimate sidekick. But then again this is the East. Grade: B

3. Toronto - The reason the Raptors made the playoffs is because they move the ball and play the game just like an Olympic team with all of those international players on the roster. Grade B-

4. Miami - The defending champs get this seed by virtue of being division leader, but they open on the road with an aging and slower Shaq, a more tentative and less aggressive D-Wade, a disgruntled White Chocolate, an uninspired A-Walker, and a Glove that no longer fits. Good luck, Riles. Grade: B

5. Chicago - Now is the time for Ben Wallace to show us why he arrived in the first place. Because the Bulls could have played a guy named Tyson, who pulled down more boards and blocked more shots than Ben all year but now plays for the Hornets. Grade: B+

6. New Jersey - In what may be the last run together for Kidd, Carter, and Jefferson, the Nets can't help but look forward to Brooklyn. Grade: B-

7. Washington - Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler might as well go blogging full time because there won't be much to appreciate in the playoffs for the Wizards who, at this point, lack bullets to put up a fight. Antawn Jamison will put up 30 each night as the Wiz go quietly into the night in four games. Grade: C

8. Orlando - There is only so much Dwight Howard can do, when your team's second best player is Hedo Turkoglu. Therefore it'll be tragic, when Orlando runs out of magic. Grade: C

Please check out my playoff predictions in Part 3... Thanks for stopping by...

I was at my homie's pad the other night and a very serious discussion broke out as to who was the best team of all time in the NBA. Some of my buddies made terrible arguments to support their claim, and as I enjoyed ripping people's head off backing up my '87 Lakers, I'll cut them some slack since a bottle of Remy Martin 1738 managed to get the best of us.

One of them said the Houston Rockets of '94-'95, and while I can certainly give Olajuwon and company a lot of credit for being a six-seed and coming back from behind in spectacular fashion against the Jazz and Suns and sweeping Orlando, I'd have to say my buddy was smoking something. Then I looked over and indeed he was choking on a blunt.

I know the hardest thing to do when it comes to debating which team is the best ever is to compare eras because the competition was vastly different, the rules are no longer the same, and the most important element of luck cannot ever be quantitatively measured.  But at least we can talk about it and compare our opinions, right?

So here, I start the debate of ALL-TIME BEST NBA TEAM of the Modern Era, post-1980. The compensating factors that will be measured are playoff opponents, level of regular season competition and roster quality for that team's respective year.

Please feel free to add honorable mentions since I will undoubtedly leave out other great teams. And the nominees are (in no particular order)...

1996 CHICAGO BULLS (72-10): 

Playoff Opponents- Orlando (60-22) w/ a young Shaq and Penny and Indiana (52-30) with a deadly Reggie Miller were the other two East contenders, as well as an aging yet formidable New York squad (47-35) that still fielded a lineup that included Ewing, Starks, Mason,and Oakley. These three teams would give today's Eastern Conference a run for their money. And considering the Bulls swept Mourning's Heat in the first round, go 4-1 against the Knicks and then sweep Orlando 4-0 before going on to take care of the 64-18 Sonics in the Finals in six games, you can appreciate the Bulls' accomplishment that much more. This was not an easy opposition. Jordan, Pippen, Rodman, and Coach Jackson all had something to prove and prove it they did... in record setting fashion.

Regular Season Competition- There were a total of seven teams that won over fifty games, but a more telling statistic is that there were three teams that won over 60 and San Antonio, with The Admiral and Sean Elliott, won a respectable 59 suggesting that there may have been a lack of any serious competition.  All in all, Olajuwon, Robinson, Ewing, The Mailman, Stockton, Miller, Shaq, Penny, Grant Hill, Jason Kidd, Shawn Kemp, and Gary Payton were still all in their primes and Jordan was still a step above everybody else.

Roster Quality- You really can't argue much with Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman and the contributions of role players such as Toni Kukoc, Steve Kerr, Luc Longley, Ron Harper, Jason Caffey, Randy Brown, Jud Buechler, and yes Jack Haley. If there was ever a weakness on this team it was at the center position. The fact that Chicago didn't have a legitimate center made Jordan's impact much more special than it really was. This Chicago team, throughout the regular season, displayed a consistency unmatched by any other and it's propensity to play tough-nosed defense all 48 minutes o####ame made the Bulls a team for the ages.

OVERALL GRADE: A

1987 LOS ANGELES LAKERS (65-17):

Playoff Opponents- Los Angeles steamrolled through the playoffs with their trademark fastbreak, beating Alex English and Doug Moe's fun-n-gun Denver Nuggets 3-0 in the first round, Don Nelson's Run TMC Warriors 4-1, and the game Seattle Supersonics 4-0 before manhandling the mighty Boston Celtics 4-2 in the Finals. This came after the Lakers were seeking major redemption for not winning it all the previous year after Houston upset L.A. on that Ralph Sampson shot, allowing Larry Legend to sort of "escape" with a title. This Laker team presented "Showtime" at its finest and perfectly displayed that in the playoffs.

Regular Season Competition- The Lakers dominated the West considering that there were only two teams in the conference with over 50 wins, but they still faced the Warriors, Drexler's Blazers, and Seattle five to six times a year. Dallas was supposed to be the Lakers' biggest matchup with Derek Harper, Rolando Blackman, Roy Tarpley, Mark Aguirre, Sam Perkins, and James Donaldson but they were upset in the first round by Seattle, who the Lakers swept. Not until 1988 did L.A. play Dallas, in the West finals where Los Angeles won in seven. The NBA featured a cast of all-time greats including Bird, Jordan, Barkley, Malone, Stockton, Dr. J, Isiah Thomas and the Bad Boys, Joe Dumars, Clyde Drexler, Olajuwon, Moses Malone, and Dominique Wilkins. The Lakers were just in a league of their own because not only could they run any team out of the gym, they could also play defense and play physical if the situation called for it.

Roster Quality- This is perhaps the most balanced roster of all time. I say this because you have the ultimate floor leader in Magic Johnson, the ultimate finisher in "Big Game" James Worthy, the ultimate scorer in Kareem, the ultimate outside threat in Byron Scott, and the ultimate defender in Michael Cooper, who won defensive player of the year. The Lakers were the deepest team in the NBA as seven players averaged in double figures, and as a team averaged 118 ppg while giving up 108, a 10-point differential. This means they pretty much blew out every team they played in which they won. Unbelievable.

OVERALL GRADE: A+

1986 Boston Celtics (67-15):

Playoff Opponents- Swept a young Jordan's Bulls 3-0 in round one, defeated the Atlanta Hawks of Dominique Wilkins, Doc Rivers, Antoine Carr, and Kevin Willis 4-1, then swept the Milwaukee Bucks of Sidney Moncrief, Jack Sikma, Paul Pressey, and Terry Cummings before dispatching Akeem's and Sampson's Rockets 4-2 in the Finals. Although the Celtics, in a sense, played a consolation team in the Rockets after the heavily favored Lakers failed to meet their end of the bargain in the annual Boston-L.A. ratings extravaganza, they still dominated their opponents with their precision and toughness.

Regular Season Competition- Six teams won over 50 games and only two, L.A. and Boston, won over 60. The contenders throughout the year were the Sixers of Barkely, Dr. J, and Mo Cheeks, but they too were upset in the playoffs making the Celtic championship drive that much easier in the playoffs. Nevertheless, you can't discount the fact that they still finished the season a remarkable 82-18, with a margin of victory of 111.8 to 102.5 in the regular season., finishing third in the league in offense and number one on defense.

Roster Quality- This was perhaps the best and most consistent team the Celtics fielded during their dynasty. Larry Bird was in his prime averaging 26 ppg, 10 rpg, and 7 apg. McHale averaged 21, Parish and DJ averaged 16, and Ainge averaged 11 on mostly three pointers. Plus they had a dependable yet fragile Bill Walton off the bench, who gave them huge minutes. This team was balanced all the way around but what made them great was their knack for hustling, superb defense, and ability to put teams away when they were down. Only a few teams in history struck as much fear in their opponents as the 1986 Celtics.

OVERALL GRADE: A-

Other teams worth mentioning are the 1989 Detroit Pistons, 1983 Philadelphia 76ers, 1995 Houston Rockets, 2001 Los Angeles Lakers, and 2005 San Antonio Spurs.

The Bad Boys were indeed a dominant bunch but they're run was stopped short by the Bulls because they got old too quickly. In any case, they maximized what they had as they went to the Finals three straight years, winning two.

The Sixers dominated 1983, losing only one game in the playoffs and sweeping the Lakers in the Finals. This was perhaps Moses Malone's best season as he averaged 24.5 ppg, 15.3 rpg, and 2 bpg and was the league's MVP and Finals MVP. Bobby Jones was a key contributor off the bench, winning the sixth man award, and Dr. J (21 ppg), Andrew Toney (19.7 ppg) and Mo Cheeks' uncanny leadership and defensive genius rounded out the best 76er team of all time.

We all know the story of Hakeem Olajuwon's Houston Rockets of 1995. When teams "underestimate the heart of a champion" you get what the Rockets accomplished, which was special considering they were number six in the West, down 3-1 against the Jazz and the Suns before coming back to win both series. The performance of Olajuwon in the playoffs is arguably the single-most dominating performance in the postseason in quite some time.

The Lakers of 2001 is an honorable mention simply because they orchestrated perhaps the most dominant playoff run of all time, going 15-1 against the West which fielded seven 50-game winners. The magnitude of this accomplishment can be felt once we look back and see that they swept the Blazers (50-32), who literally had an all-star cast with Scottie Pippen, Rasheed Wallace, Steve Smith, Arvydas Sabonis, Dale Davis, Detlef Schrempf, Bonzi Wells, Damon Stoudamire, and Greg Anthony. Then they went out and swept the Sacramento Kings (55-27) of Chris Webber, White Chocolate, Vlade, Peja, and Bobby Jackson and also swept the one-seed San Antonio Spurs (58-24) who still had The Admiral, Sean Elliott, Steve Kerr, Avery Johnson, and  Derek Anderson to support Tim Duncan. Lastly, we all know what they did to A.I. and Mutombo in the Finals.

You also can't argue with the 2005 Spurs as being worthy simply because of the way in which they won with their defense that year. They beat the Pistons in a grueling seven-game series in the Finals and it was Detroit who was supposed to have a much tougher defense that year. This team deserves some recognition despite the fact that they weren't the most fun to watch. They are arguably the most fundamentally sound team in the modern era and thanks to their acquisition of Robert Horry they also became one of the most clutch teams in the postseason in recent memory.

SUMMARY IN A NUTSHELL:  All of these teams could beat each other at least twice in a seven-game series on any given two-week period. So the debate boils down to which team would be more likely to have a higher winning percentage against each other should they all face each other at least once in a seven-game series.

So here goes... the All-Time Best NBA Team of the Modern Era is the 1987 Lakers, with the '96 Bulls a close second, and the '86 Celtics not that far behind.

The Lakers win out because of their overall balance as a team offensively and defensively. Magic and Jordan would have neutralized each other as would Worthy and Pippen. The Bulls would have no match against stopping Kareem despite the toughness of Rodman. Plus the Lakers could have used Michael Cooper to tire out Jordan, allowing Magic to do his thing. The Lakers also had a much deeper bench than both Chicago and Boston and would have run the heck out of them. The Lakers' versatility also made them formidable in a slow-it-down tempo since they could have gone to Kareem at will in the low post or allow Magic to post up the smaller guards. Jordan would have gotten his 30-50 points but Magic, Worthy, Kareem, and Byron Scott would have consistently combined for 80 points night in and night out.

 

 

This is where bloggers and the rest of you sports freaks can spread more rumors. We all love to speculate about potential deals just as much as we'd like to know if there are aliens residing somewhere near the Kuiper Belt. Last I heard, the aliens did not create the rings around Saturn...

In L.A. word around town is that Maggette will be dealt soon. But to whom? Golden State has some moveable pieces, as does Sacramento who would like to reunite Bibby with Webber. My Lakers have a chance at a number four seed if they continue improving but could win it all if  Buss finds a way to land K.G. and managing to keep Odom at the same time.

Rashard Lewis may be