In what was evidently a strange convergence of energy from the sports gods, four injured All-Stars returned to their respective teams Wednesday with just two weeks left before the the NBA playoffs begin.

Isn’t this why we love professional sports?

• A funny thing happened just hours after Mavericks coach Avery Johnson said it looked like it would require more time before Dirk Nowitzki would return from the left ankle and knee injury he suffered on March 23 in a loss to the Spurs … he started. Nowitzki scored 18 points in 27 minutes during the huge 111-86 win over the Warriors, moving the Mavs alone into seventh place in the West. The Mavs were 2-3 since the injury, but now have a two-game lead and the tie-breaker over the ninth-place Warriors and a one-game lead over the eighth-place Nuggets, who also have the tie-breaker with the sliding W’s.

• Nobody has known what to think about Gilbert Arenas, who has been talking for six weeks that he would return from November surgery on his left knee, but Wednesday night was it for Agent Zero. He came off the bench to score 17 points in 19 minutes for the Wizards in a bizarre, 110-109 loss to the Bucks during which teammates Antawn Jamison (sprained right shoulder) and DeShaun Stevenson (sprained right ankle) were helped off the floor after a scramble for the ball with 6.3 seconds left. The result dripped with irony, not only because it was Arenas’ return, but both Caron Butler (strained hamstring) and Antonio Daniels (sprained wrist) returned after missing a game with injuries as well … so much for the full compliment of players that coach Eddie Jordan was expecting.

• Everything returned to normal for the Lakers when Pau Gasol made his first appearance since suffering an ankle sprain on March 14. He played 32 minutes, contributing 10 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds in the 104-91 win over the Blazers – a huge lift considering the Lakers were 5-5 since he got hurt. They remain just 1.5 games out of the top seed in the West, and have the third seed with first place in the Pacific Division, a game ahead of the Suns.

• And in perhaps the biggest surprise of all, Clippers forward Elton Brand entered the game midway through the first quarter against Seattle, playing for the first time since suffering a torn Achilles tendon in the summer. Predictably rusty, Brand scored 13 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter as the Clippers came from behind to run away from the Sonics, 102-84, to end an eight-game road losing streak.

Brand’s move was typical of a quality guy not only showing that he wanted to play when he was ready, but also that he’s worth every penny to someone as a player and a leader if he does opt out of his contract this summer.

But the biggest boon certainly is the return of Nowitzki and what this game did for the Mavs and Warriors in divergent circumstances. Left for dead by so many critics, this was the second win in a row for the Mavs, and certainly the commentary by Johnson earlier in the day about Nowitzki’s status came at the expense of his mentor in gamesmanship – Warriors coach Don Nelson. The Mavs, who still have to travel this weekend to play the Suns and Lakers, suddenly are loaded with momentum after beating their first over-.500 team since acquiring Jason Kidd 22 games ago. They were 0-10 before Wednesday night, but Nowitzki’s return further girded this group – as Kidd had 17 assists compared to just 10 for the Warriors as a team in the game.

That statistic was reflective of how the Warriors have come apart of late. They’ve lost three of their last four and five of eight to slide out of what looked like a strong seventh place. Not only do they lose the tie-breakers to the Mavs and Nuggets, but they’ve lost two in a row for the first time since the Jan. 2-4, and only the second time since an 0-6 start with captain Stephen Jackson suspended. Furthermore, after 37 consecutives games of 100 points or more as the highest scoring team in the league, they had just 86 against the Mavs after managing only 92 in a 24-point loss to the Spurs Tuesday. Jackson, not coincidentally, was 1-for-11 with 2 points against the Mavs and 2-for-12 with a pair of 3-pointers against the Spurs. Eight points in two games won’t do for Captain Jack, averaging 20.4 for the season.

Where they go from here, with a game at Memphis Friday and the road trip ending at New Orleans on Sunday, is anybody’s guess. They do finish the season with four of their last five games at home with a game at Phoenix in between, so this thing could turn again depending on the Mavs and Nuggets. Of the four home games, the Nuggets are the only winning team, with the Clippers, Kings and Sonics the other three.

The Wizards’ position in the East is just as shaky – although they are far from falling out of the playoffs in the less competitive conference. However, the loss dropped them from the fifth seed pushing the Cavaliers for home court into a three-way tie for fifth with the Raptors and Sixers – three games ahead of the eighth-place Hawks – and light years (OK, seven games) ahead of the Nets and Pacers. The status of Jamison and Stevenson is huge moving forward – not only for the remaining seven games but for the playoffs.

As for the Lakers, they’re still waiting for 20-year-old starting center Andrew Bynum to return from the knee injury that has sidelined him Jan. 13. They are hopeful over the next few days, and obviously they’d love for him to play at least a handful of games before the playoffs.

Nobody figured this first Wednesday in April would be so significant, so you never know.

 

Voting on the top-five for the most valuable player in the NBA this season will be easy compared to figuring out how to pare down to the top three coaches.

In the Western Conference alone there are at least eight great candidates, and three more in the East. Trying to squeeze 11 guys into three spots isn't going to be easy.

But we will go about this unenviable task over the next month and start thinking about it seriously right now. Since the East has only a few contenders, let’s start there with the best one -- Doc Rivers of the Celtics. Rivers is proof positive how much better a coach can be the second time around, and with this team he has been magnificent. Sure, he was handed Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen on a silver platter by general manager Danny Ainge, who is a lock to be executive of the year. Ainge even did a brilliant job of filling in the blanks with veterans to augment what Garnett, Allen and incumbent All-Star Paul Pierce do. Let’s not forget the development of youngsters Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins, Leon Powe and Glen Davis by the coaching staff either.

But what we couldn’t know is that they would become the best defensive team in the league. Not only do they have the best scoring differential, but they are leading the league in fewest points allowed, lowest field goal percentage and lowest 3-point percentage, while ranking third in offensive field goal percentage and ninth in scoring. That translates into the team sticking to the game plan, rotating and closing out, and most importantly, really playing hard. Some of that comes from the great leadership of Garnett, et al, but Rivers has put it all together. With already 30 more wins than last season, they will shatter the all-time turnaround record.

Stan Van Gundy has coaxed the Orlando Magic to an entirely different level, too. He’s got evolving Superman Dwight Howard to dominate, but he has also pushed Hedo Turkoglu to playing at All-Star status, even if he didn’t get picked, and integrated Rashard Lewis to create the best frontcourt in either conference. They don’t have the goods to go anywhere in the playoffs, but he has managed to have the second best road record in the league and at least stay in shouting distance of the Pistons for the second best record in the conference despite very pedestrian point guard play.

Speaking of the Pistons, we have to mention Flip Saunders attempting to get the Pistons to a record sixth consecutive Eastern Conference final, as he and management have figured out how to develop a bench this season. Too bad they haven’t figured out how not to be so dependent on mercurial Rasheed Wallace to win a playoff series.

Let’s throw kudos to Eddie Jordan for preventing the thin Wizards from falling apart despite not having Gilbert Arenas for virtually the entire season and losing Caron Butler for the bulk of the second half as well. And only a pure cynic would overlook the job Mo Cheeks has done prodding the young Sixers back to not only respectability but into the seventh seed in the East and on their way up.

Cross the Rockies and this coach of the year stuff is much more complicated, with 2.5 games separating the top seven teams, 4.5 the top eight and 6.0 the top nine.

Consequently, we’re start from the top, with the Rockets and Lakers tied. It’s impossible not to be overwhelmed by the job Rick Adelman has done in Houston, coaching the Rockets to an amazing 22-game winning streak in his first season -- reeling off the last 10 without All-Star center Yao Ming. They’ve done it with a great synergy on defense and on the offensive end. It’s hard to know how they’ll respond from Tuesday’s loss to the Celtics and finishing the season with 10 of 15 on the road could cause them to drop like a rock in this tight race. But that doesn’t minimize the second longest streak in the history of the league.

Hanging at or near the top all season have been the Lakers, and the way coach Phil Jackson has kept them together may ultimately make this the best coaching job of his career. He had to compartmentalize the Kobe Bryant trade demand and sit him out of training camp for a while, develop youngsters Andrew Bynum and Jordan Farmar, re-integrate Derek Fisher into the starting lineup and then take it to another level with the theft of Pau Gasol from Memphis. As if that wasn’t enough, Bynum has been out for months with a knee injury and won’t play until the playoffs and Gasol may not either with a high ankle sprain. Of course, Bryant makes all of this easier … but Jackson makes it all hum.

On the other hand, nobody has done a better job than Byron Scott has with the Hornets, which oddly enough seems almost like a secret. They’ve been hanging out near or at the top of the conference and the rugged Southwest Division all season. Budding superstar point guard Chris Paul has had plenty to do with it, as has young All-Star forward David West and rapidly developing center Tyson Chandler. But Scott, like Rivers, is proving that a lot of the criticism from his first job has paid off in the second one, and the Hornets – despite a lack of depth – are legit challengers in the West. Having won two conference titles in the East as coach of the Nets plus his three championship rings playing for Pat Riley on the Lakers make him eminently qualified to compete with anybody.

Always overlooked in the balloting, but constantly in the discussion is Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, who now has coached the Jazz 20 seasons, the longest tenure in league history. Their 29-3 home record is the best in the NBA and will be the best in franchise history, built around Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams, a second generation Stockton and Malone.

Despite winning just 32 games last season and losing top overall pick Greg Oden for the season to knee surgery before training camp even began, Nate McMillan has develop the Trail Blazers into a legit team above .500 in the West. They won’t make the playoffs, but that’s not the point. After a 5-12 start, they won 18 of 20, including 13 in a row and he has developed youngsters Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge and Travis Outlaw into explosive young players. They all defend every night and they’ll be scary next year with Oden in the middle of that lineup.

Of course, Gregg Popovich has once again done a stellar job keeping the defending champion Spurs in contention and the same goes for Avery Johnson, despite the exaggerated criticism he gets even with the Mavericks always in the mix. And it’s great to know the howling has stopped around Suns coach Mike D’Antoni now that they’ve won five in a row while assimilating the huge round peg – Shaquille O’Neal – into a quite small square hole in their lineup.

It also would be wrong not to mention how well last season’s darling Warriors have hung on for Don Nelson and the bizarre possibility the Nuggets could win 50 games for George Karl and still not make the playoffs – but the latter two carry asterisks because both teams have the fatal flaw of not playing a lick of defense.

Now that we’ve gone through the exercise, it’s time for the top three, with the caveat that I still have a month to change my mind on the second two – particularly if the Rockets and/or Hornets crash:

1. Doc Rivers
2. Rick Adelman
3. Byron Scott

Give us your top three …

Just as we suspected, the landscape of the Western Conference continues to change-- which means the big trades that seemed so clearly defined have taken a U-turn as well.

In other words, this is all still shaking out.

We’re all still flabbergasted by the crazy 22-game winning streak of the Rockets -- second only to the 1971-72 Lakers in NBA history -- which has leapfrogged them into the top seed of the West. It’s a remarkable story that is continuing to add chapters.

And then there is the eye-widening tale of Shaquille O’Neal’s 330 pounds of mass leaping into the stands last Sunday that may not only have tilted the foundation of the U.S. Airways Center in Phoenix, but the Pacific Division and the West as well.

You see, well on their way to yet another defeat at the hands of the Spurs, O’Neal’s wild hustle play to save a ball from going out of bounds ignited the home crowd and sparked the Suns to a come-from-behind win and that may have very well changed everything.

While everyone has been singing the praises of the Pau Gasol theft from the Grizzlies that pushed the Lakers to the top of the conference and the Pacific Division (and rightfully so); lost in the excitement had been Gasol’s failure to play 60 games in two of the previous three seasons with foot problems until he sprained his ankle last week. Now he’s out indefinitely.

Not coincidentally the Lakers have lost three of four.

People had begun writing off the Mavericks for giving up so much to get Jason Kidd. Now they’ve won five in a row.

Throw in the Hornets, Jazz and Warriors keeping pace and a measly 4.5 games separate the top eight teams in the West with 4½ weeks left in the season.

So how did O’Neal’s play change the balance other than the obvious effect on the Richter scale in the southwest?

It guaranteed for the first time in five years the Suns wouldn’t lose the season series to the Spurs, and at least gave some credence to the concept shared by Suns owner Robert Sarver and general manager Steve Kerr that O’Neal could be the difference-maker matching up against Tim Duncan and the San Antonio machine.

That’s not to say you can point to that one play or game as to why the Spurs have lost three in a row and five of six. But for whatever reason, their edge is gone and the Suns have grabbed it. Sure, the Suns miss Shawn Marion -- his rebounding, nose for the ball, perimeter defense and speed on the floor -- from the O’Neal trade. They may even miss him more as time progresses.

Too many people gave up on the Suns too quickly when they lost four of their first six with O’Neal in the lineup. It has already become patently obvious Boris Diaw does not have the aggressive nature to pick up the slack for Marion. His 2006 NBA Most Improved Player Award was more a product of circumstances than how significant a role he would play in the Suns future with a freshly minted and fat long-term contract. That will become more of a story as time progresses. The drop in Leandro Barbosa’s productivity this season hasn’t helped either.

And yet, whatever Grant Hill has left in the tank will pick up some of the slack for time being. Even the recently signed Gordan Giricek had a big hand in their 79 first-half points as they trashed the Kings Saturday night. That helps the cause, too.

But Amare Stoudemire is approaching pre-knee surgery numbers and that speaks volumes for what the Suns have figured out around O’Neal.

The key to what has brought the Suns back to within a game of the Lakers in the division and two games of the lead they had in the Western Conference has been the adjustment made by not only O’Neal, but point guard Steve Nash and Mike D’Antoni -- the masterminds to this franchise. And Stoudemire is now reaping the benefits.

Of course O’Neal doesn’t fit into their fun-and-gun offense that turned the NBA upside down; nor does his skill-set work in their halfcourt pick-and-roll preference. Consequently, the response was D’Antoni is a one-trick pony as a coach and Nash has lost his remarkable feel that made him the top point guard in the game the past three seasons. To arrive at those conclusions in a couple of weeks was ludicrous.

Given time, D’Antoni has stolen a page out of the Tex Winter’s legendary triangle offense to run some of the plays through O’Neal. Now Nash knows not only is the lane more cluttered with bodies, he throws lob passes at or below the rim for O’Neal to dunk. O’Neal’s presence in the post has also opened up Stoudemire’s vastly underrated mid-range game. This wasn’t going to be a sudden change. It just required some time and patience, which nobody seems to have these days in any walk of life -- let alone in the world of sports.

That’s not to say the Suns are now all on the same page and will run the table come playoff time into the Finals. Rather, the turnaround has added credence to the notion that they need to overcome the physical and mental obstacle posed by the Spurs. The Suns are just 8-15 against them with Nash since 2004-05 explaining why their 2-1 series lead this season is so vital. And in the big picture, O’Neal’s presence to deal with Duncan removes a tremendous load from Stoudemire’s shoulders.

With anywhere from 15-17 games remaining on the regular season for these eight teams in the West -- and the Rockets playing in their own stratosphere -- it’s impossible to get a handle on the last team standing in this amazing race. But the past week has reinforced what we learned many years ago … it may get cloudy in Phoenix from time to time, but it never stays that way for long.

We’ve all seen what has happened to the Lakers since acquiring Pau Gasol – 11-1 overall, including their present 10-game winning streak headed into the weekend. It’s allowed the Lakers to move into the top seed in the West and just four games behind the Celtics for the best record in the NBA.

Despite a torn ligament in Kobe Bryant’s right pinky that requires surgery, he’s playing at optimum level, and they are showing no signs of slowing down with the hope that young center Andrew Bynum is back from his knee injury and ready to contribute before the end of the regular season.

But the guy whose game has opened up more than anybody since the Gasol acquisition is versatile forward Lamar Odom. So often the target for failing to live up to his vast potential as the key figure in the Shaquille O’Neal trade to Miami,  the 6-10 Odom has done it all with Gasol in the lineup. Already one of only 16 players to average a double-double this season -- 13.5 points and 10.0 rebounds -- he’s been particularly effective over the past dozen games.

Since Gasol joined the team, Odom has failed to reach double-figures in scoring twice and rebounding once -- averaging 14.6 points, 12.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists. He is the facilitator for so much, finally playing the kind of role without pressure that coach Phil Jackson has wanted. It is Odom who is the lightning rod for success on this team, as is the case with all the best teams.

It isn’t the superstar whose numbers put the team over the top -- it’s the other guy that has to show up down the stretch. Now that we’ve gotten past the Lakers and Odom, let’s look at the other dozen teams that figure to be the battling it out for the key playoff spots in the conferences. We’ll ignore the bottom three playoff teams in the East, if only because it’s painful to discuss playoff teams that have no shot at reaching .500. And we’ll also skip the Rockets, now that Yao Ming is down, they will quietly delete themselves from the West race. There’s no way Tracy McGrady has the physical tools he had last season to carry that team.

Rasheed Wallace, Detroit Pistons: ‘Sheed does everything when he’s on his game, which is why his teammates love him. Yes, they get their points from Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton. Tayshaun Prince does all the little things. But at 6-11, Wallace can dominate the paint offensively and defensively, then step outside and drain a 3-pointer. He’s also an exceptional passer. The key phrase always is … when he’s so inclined. Remember, the Pistons have been in the conference finals five years in a row, the last four with Wallace – which is no coincidence.

Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs: We went over this before with this tough and slick southpaw, but he is the key ingredient that puts them over the top. He hits shots from all angles, runs the break, handles the ball and really opens up the floor for everybody else. On defense, he is renowned for taking the charge – or flopping, if you prefer. At 6-6, 210, he is stronger than most shooting guards with great hands that allow him to dominate a lot of players he’s matched up against defensively, as well as scoring. Injuries and occasional loss of focus have gotten in the way, but he is a big-time winner – just check out his three NBA titles, Euroleague Championship and Olympic gold medal.

Ray Allen, Boston Celtics: We know Kevin Garnett is the one who makes everything go for the Celtics and Paul Pierce is the leading scorer, but it is Allen who will be the key to them winning the Eastern Conference. The 18.7 points a game he’s putting up mark the lowest scoring average in nine years, and he just has raised his field goal percentage the past couple of weeks back up to his norm. Approaching his 33rd birthday in July, his ankles are a major concern. And yet, he remains arguably the purest shooter in the game. His performance late in the fourth quarter of the All-Star game gave the East the win and that is exactly what the Celtics will need to be better than a very good team … he can make them great.

Stephen Jackson, Golden State Warriors: Everyone has their eyes on point guard Baron Davis, and rightfully so. He’ll set the pace and create for everyone. Young Monta Ellis does too. But it is Jackson on both ends of the floor who pushes this team to another level. When he’s getting his hands on balls, running the floor and draining 3’s, they are almost impossible to stop from putting a stranglehold on the tempo. Whatever it is emotionally he brings to the table, his teammates feed off of and gain confidence. He has taken so much flak for his occasional temperamental bursts on the court and knucklehead escapades after hours that people sometimes forget what a special basketball player he is. If he stays focused, the Warriors will be dangerous again.

Marcus Camby, Denver Nuggets: This team obviously revolves around the scoring of Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony, but they do special things when Camby puts up extraordinary numbers. Camby’s blocks and rebounds, along with Iverson’s steals, seem to be the only real defense they play (although Kenyon Martin is coming on strong lately). He is first in the NBA with 4.0 blocks a game and second at 14.1 rebounds per. And there have been special games. In their win over the Celtics, he nearly had a triple double with 11 points, 13 rebounds and 9 blocks. He is not a scorer, but while beating the Jazz earlier in the season, his 8 points told us nothing compared to the 24 rebounds and 11 blocks. Last year’s NBA Defensive Player of the Year, it’s hard to believe he wasn’t added to the All-Star game this season, but Camby doesn’t allow it to be a problem anyway. He’s got the perfect demeanor for this team with two high-profile scorers, and when he’s on his game, they are that much better.

Hedo Turkoglu, Orlando Magic: Approaching his 29th birthday in a few weeks, Turkoglu is having his best season in the NBA, and it has everything to do with the success of the Magic. While Dwight Howard is the superstar, and rightfully attracting all of the attention on and off the court, it is Turkoglu that is giving them consistency. The Magic obviously vastly overpaid Rashard Lewis with the maximum salary to give them 18 points and 5 rebounds, but it has been the 6-10 Turkoglu who has made them competitive with the likes of the Celtics and Pistons. He’s averaging 19.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.7 assists – proving to be their best playmaker. It also brings to mind what Kings president Geoff Petrie and their coach at the time Rick Adelman said about him potentially being a terrific point guard despite his size. Maybe the point-guard deficient Magic should consider it.

Leandro Barbosa, Phoenix Suns: If the Suns are going anywhere in the playoffs this season, Barbosa has to be productive scoring, defending and running the break coming off the bench. He earned the Best Sixth Man award last season and he has to get back to that level. For all the focus on Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire, plus the acquisition of Shaquille O’Neal, it is up to Barbosa to give them that extra pop. Grant Hill can still score some, but Barbosa takes it to another level. With the loss of Shawn Marion in the O’Neal deal, a lot of eyes have turned to Boris Diaw, but Barbosa hasn’t been as effective this season as he was a year ago, and with Nash showing signs of age, they need Barbosa to turn on the turbo-jets for the stretch run. His scoring off the bench is a necessity for their success.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Cleveland Cavaliers: Even though LeBron James dominates virtually every game the Cavs play, it is Z who can be the difference every night. It’s always been confounding why they don’t run the ball through him in the high and low post more often. Sure, it happens early in the game, but when they keep him involved the entire game, they are really tough to handle. At 7-3, he has amazingly soft hands and a great touch inside and on the perimeter. He is slow and often sluggish on defense and even rebounding on occasion with those problematic feet of his. But he is a terrific offensive player, both scoring and passing, who is underused when you consider what little help James has. Considering he’s averaging 13.5 points, a career-high 9.6 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks, it’s amazing they’ve gotten this much out of him with his 33rd birthday in June. And despite the trade that brought Ben Wallace to help at center, along with Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West for scoring, Ilgauskas gives them balance. They are 9-4 when he scores 17 or more points – that figure is significant as they prepare for the playoffs.

Mehmet Okur, Utah Jazz: On a team dominated by their dynamic twosome of Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer, they are only a special team when Okur is scoring and rebounding. His size and skill level play out like Bill Laimbeer’s younger, gentler brother. He was hurt early in the year and his numbers were down substantially from last year, but they are 10-3 when he scores 16 or more points. He has to rebound on the defensive end, but more importantly he has to spot up and hit open shots on the perimeter. If he’s moving at all and getting open, then they are a much tougher team. Yes, it removed some pressure from him with the addition of the superb shooting of Kyle Korver, but Okur draws a big man out of the post with his shooting ability if he’s hitting the shot. Watch his numbers – if they’re good, the Jazz will challenge for the Western Conference title.

Josh Howard, Dallas Mavericks: When the Mavs won the Western Conference in 2006, they did not lose a game all season when Howard scored 20 or more points … until the NBA Finals. All eyes are always on Dirk Nowitzki, and how he handles the pressure as the anointed superstar and high scorer, but Howard is the one player who gives them that extra pop. He’s the one coming up with the loose balls, taking rebounds and flying up the floor, and hitting 3-pointers. Howard is a solid, if unspectacular defender, but he does have great hands, and good anticipation for slipping into the passing lanes. Most importantly, they need him to score when Nowitzki is having an off night. Averaging 19.8 points and 7.3 rebounds, the Mavs are 19-5 when he scores 20 or more this season. In other words, keep your eyes on his numbers.

Jose Calderon: Toronto Raptors: There was not only hand-wringing going on in Toronto over the well-being of point guard T.J. Ford when he took yet another bad fall on his already delicate spinal cord, but what would happen to the Raptors chances of competing in the East. Calderon picked up the ball and ran the club without missing a beat and featuring extraordinarily effective numbers. Although 12.7 points 8.7 assists and 1.0 steal aren’t special numbers, his clutch play and shooting percentage really are. Consider that he’s shooting 54 percent from the field, 46 percent from 3-point range and 92 percent from the free throw line. In fact, those kind of numbers scream that as the season progresses, he probably should be shooting the ball more than nine times a game, and start scoring in the 15-point range. On the other hand, they are only 11-9 when he scores 15 or more. Just know that his consistency is the key to what makes Chris Bosh and everybody else on this exceptional 3-point shooting team work.

David West, New Orleans Hornets: The drums are beating louder for Chris Paul to be a serious MVP candidate as long as the Hornets remain in the Western Conference race for one of the top four spots. Rightfully so, considering his consistently great numbers. And yet, West earned his spot on the All-Star team, and at 19.7 points and 9.0 rebounds, he is on the verge of joining that exclusive 20-10 club as well. Not only does he score and rebound, but he blocks 1.3 shots per game. West has had at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in a dozen games this season and they’re only 7-5 in those games, but it’s also an indication of how much an effect he has on every game he plays. When he was preparing for the remarkable 2003 draft after an All-American career at Xavier, he was informed at 6-9, 240, he was too small to be a power forward and too slow to be a small forward. So he slipped to 18th in the draft … lucky Hornets. If he plays well, the Hornets will continue to be a factor – even in the first playoff hunt for the young guys.

The post-trade deadline window is slowly coming down on the teams jockeying for playoff position to sign players receiving buyout contracts, and the intensity is gaining steam.

This can be a frustrating time of year for the mediocre teams, because it only allows the rich to get richer. And we’re talking about the players and the best teams gaining more talent for a cut rate.

We don’t like it one bit … allowing the players to moan, groan and finagle their way out of a contract … and get paid! Yikes. Nonetheless we’re here to figure out who has the most to gain by Saturday’s deadline. Anyone signed after that would not be eligible for the playoffs.

It began with the Spurs getting sweet-shooting little guard Damon Stoudamire, bought out and released by the Grizzlies, on Feb. 3 and it has gained steam from there. In this case, it made sense for the Grizzlies considering they have three other point guards.

The Nets rid themselves of center Jamaal Magloire for a price last week, and the Mavericks picked him up for some much-needed depth in the wake of losing DeSagana Diop in the big Jason Kidd trade. Magloire was essentially a ghost with the Nets, so it was hardly much of a loss with the young big bodies they have, but the Mavs figure there's still some juice left in this lemon.

Wednesday, the Celtics confirmed they had signed P.J. Brown, who did not necessitate a buyout, however, since he retired after playing 20 minutes a game for the Bulls last season. A stout defender and rebounder, the 38-year-old Brown is in his 15th season.

The Pistons, who waived guard Flip Murray to open up a roster spot for a big man, were foiled in their desire for Magloire, and perhaps Brown to a lesser extent. Now it appears they’ll turn their sights on the dormant Dale Davis, who played 37 games for them last year and would be in his 17th season.

The Hornets are holding out hope that Chris Andersen, banned for violating the substance abuse policy two years ago, will get reinstated over the next 48 hours, so they can sign him. A dynamic figure of raw energy who blocks shots and rebounds as a way of life on the court, Andersen would be a huge difference-maker for their lean bench. This is a long-shot.

That leaves three players of interest left – Brent Barry, who was already bought out and waived by Sonics after he, Francisco Elson and a first round draft choice were sent to Seattle by the Spurs for Kurt Thomas; Sam Cassell, still hoping for a reasonable buyout from the Clippers; and Gordan Giricek, on the verge of a striking a deal to be released by the Sixers.

Barry had considered the Celtics, Rockets, Suns and a return to the Spurs -- and a couple of other destinations on the NBA map -- but has reportedly narrowed it to the Suns and Spurs, where he has earned a couple of championship rings and presently lives with his wife and two boys. However, the Suns' open-court style better suits him and he can’t play for the Spurs until March 21 -- the first day a player dealt by a team is allowed to return. So he is stuck in a quandary between allegiance and opportunity for change. Then again, he’s been plagued by a bum left calf the past couple of months and at 36, he’s a bit o####amble for this season. Nonetheless, he is still a great 3-point shooter and exceptional passer.

Should he pass on the Suns and stay put with the Spurs, Phoenix turns its fickle love interest to Giricek, whose most notable contribution this season has been being dealt by the Jazz to Philly with a No. 1 draft choice for Kyle Korver. Since then, Korver has helped the Jazz to a 21-5 burst and they have secured a hold on the Northwest Division lead. Sure, Giricek can shoot the rock, but he also comes with no hops and plenty of whine.

That brings us to Cassell, who led the Clippers to the conference semifinals two years ago. The Celtics and Nuggets badly want his services at point guard for the stretch run. The problem is the Clippers appear amenable to letting him go, but not playing him close to the $2.1 million left on his contract for this season. In fact, they reportedly don’t want to pay him anything.

Quite frankly, why should they? That’s not to pick on Cassell and who would ever have believed that beleaguered Clippers owner Donald Sterling would set a good precedent for the NBA? And this would be a great one. Cassell is the one who wants out. They’re not getting any value in return. So if he’s not playing for them anymore, why should he get paid?

Consequently, if Cassell decides to bolt for nothing, the Celtics or the Nuggets would stand to gain the most, and he would stand to lose the most financially. Isn’t that just lovely irony?

For months, the work coach Eddie Jordan and the veteran leadership had forged for the Washington Wizards had become a blueprint for success in the Eastern Conference.

They lost leading scorer Gilbert Arenas to knee surgery eight games into the season when it was apparent that the surgery he had in April had failed and his play reflected that. Center Etan Thomas had emergency open heart surgery during training camp to repair a leaking aortic valve. So it was no surprise the Wizards began the season 0-5.

The revelation of this team, however, came in the subsequent 24-14 run that put them into the thick of the race for the fourth seed in the East … until now.

The tough one-point loss at Phoenix Sunday night was their seventh in a row, dropping them to 24-26 -- their first seven-game losing streak in four years. Six of these seven games have come not only without Arenas and Thomas, but also All-Star forward Caron Butler, who strained his hip flexor. And veteran point guard Antonio Daniels (starting in place of Arenas) has missed the last two games with ankle and knee problems.

Finally, the dam has given way to injuries for the Wizards. Sure, All-Star forward Antawn Jamison had his 28th double-double of the season Sunday night, with 28 points and 10 rebounds. Underrated shooting guard DeShaun Stevenson continued to fight through his own knee issues to start his 218th consecutive game, scoring 18 points and hitting a 3-pointer just before the buzzer. And 7-footer Brendan Haywood finally appears to be maturing as a player -- he battled Amare Stoudemire with 21 points, 10 rebounds and a block.

But one game doesn’t tell this story, nor does their present losing streak. Under the circumstances, Jordan has been forced to play rookies Nick Young, Dominic McGuire and Oleksiy Pecherov more than he would have under normal conditions. And while the added minutes have been great for the development of 21-year-old power forward Andray Blatche, it’s also tougher to run an offense when reserve Roger Mason Jr. is really playing out of position at point guard.

The good stuff really began a couple of weeks after Arenas went down. That’s not to say the team is better without Arenas, who is expected to be back within three weeks. The concept is ludicrous, but it allowed Jordan to wisely employ the classic Princeton offense he learned from guru Pete Carril as an assistant in New Jersey attending Carril camps during the 1990's.

They moved the ball better, more players were involved offensively, and that carried over to the defensive end of the floor and rebounding. With everyone getting touches instead of Arenas dominating the ball, players were consistently more focused and content with their roles.

The next step was Butler and Jamison went into the locker room after a loss and split up the rookies. They were spending too much time together and not taking losses seriously enough. So they spread them out among the veterans -- a classic move of leadership.

Along with putting up great numbers scoring and rebounding, Jamison is unequivocally one of the top players in the league when it comes to living life the right way and handling himself in a professional manner as teammates, in public and with the media. He is one of the NBA’s truly good guys and he’d be great for any team as the good cop.

Butler is the classic bad cop, and we mean that in the most complimentary of ways. Having spent 15 months in jail when he was 14 for possession of an unloaded gun and a small amount of cocaine, nothing has stopped him from achieving success on the right track. The epiphany of life transformed him into an exceptional high school star, he went on to become an All-American for Jim Calhoun at Connecticut and was a lottery pick for the Heat. He was a key figure in the trade to the Lakers that sent Shaquille O’Neal to Miami and then was the guy that the Lakers shipped to Washington in the Kwame Brown deal.

The word was his deteriorating knees were those of a much older man. Since then he has been an All-Star twice. Young players do not question Butler. He is old school, the kind of guy who tapes it up and gets out on the court. It was not wise last Sunday when he attempted to come back from the hip flexor and played 39 minutes in the loss to the Lakers. It set him back. Nonetheless, his toughness and leadership are at the core of the Wizards.

Daniels, too, is a throwback player who turns 33 next month. The 11-year vet is a former lottery pick and has a championship ring from playing at San Antonio. Despite the creaky knees and ankles that also caused him to miss eight games in December, he is a factor on the floor and in the locker room -- perhaps even more so when he’s coming off the bench when Arenas is playing to lead the young players.

With two more road games awaiting them as they stumble into the All-Star break -- at the Warriors and the Clippers -- the long weekend will be a blessing for the Wizards. It will provide Butler and Daniels some time to heal. It will be that much closer to Arenas practicing full scale with the team for the stretch run.

The Wizards aren’t likely to have enough pop to fight there way back into a fourth seed, but until Butler and Daniels went down, they learned an awful lot about each other that will pay dividends at the end of the season. Jordan proved that he is an exceptional coach and knows how to push players to a higher-level of performance, utilizing the leadership of Butler and Jamison as a balance of influence.

The key is Arenas, who will have the ball in his hands. He must know it is more imperative that he fits in with the rest of team as opposed to they fit in with him. No longer does it fall upon him to shoot them into or out of games. There is no arresting his dynamic personality, that’s who he is.

But the future of this team is in their collective play -- not only Arenas, Jamison and Butler -- but everybody else too as they prepare for the playoffs. If healthy and on the same page, they’ll be dangerous -- whether it’s to the rest of the Eastern Conference or themselves, remains to be seen.

Are you listening, Gil? 

If we’re to believe the Big Buzz … he’s the biggest and most expensive package of damaged goods ever on the NBA trade market and on the verge of being dealt.

He is Shaquille O’Neal, and if it’s true that the Phoenix Suns are ready and willing to acquire the fading Miami Heat center in exchange for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks, the Western Conference race just got infinitely more interesting despite the physical problems of the 7-1 O’Neal, who turns 36 next month.

Superficially, it will be a big relief for Heat superstar guard Dwyane Wade to get Marion for help as opposed to the terminally injured O’Neal – and Banks will help their sad point guard situation some. But the story here is about how O’Neal – The Big Question Mark – has any trade value at all as the Feb. 21 trade deadline comes upon us.

Sure, the Suns figure to have a rapidly closing window with the aging of point guard Steve Nash and Grant Hill, plus O’Neal would allow Amare Stoudemire to match up at his more natural power forward position. The move would also presumably allow the Suns to play both their natural speed game and in the halfcourt against the likes of the Spurs, Jazz, Nuggets and Rockets among others in the West.

Then again, that’s assuming a lot … such as whether or not O’Neal can actually fit through the window; and just what could the criteria be for him to pass his physical – considering the hip, knee and ankle problems that have manifested over the years.

So before we get too carried away with this, let’s get realistic for a moment about the Big Fella. He has missed 14 games for the woebegone 9-37 Heat and coach Pat Riley this season and averaged less than 50 games over the previous two seasons.

His 325-pound plus body is suffering the consequences of his 16-year career with hip, knee and ankle problems that have rendered him just a shadow of his former self – although it is that very large shadow that still makes him attractive to the Suns to take a big rip at the wide open 2008 title. Obviously the feeling is if they can prop him up for minor minutes until late in the season, he could be the deciding factor in the playoffs.

Although he has missed so many games, and is averaging a career-low 28.5 minutes more because of foul trouble than anything else, O’Neal still is averaging 14.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.66 blocks – all of which pales is comparison to his career averages of 25.6 points, 11.5 rebounds and 2.4 blocks. Nonetheless, just his sheer physical presence is a big factor in every game, and if you put him in the middle of a team like the Suns, they become that much more frightening in the big picture – on paper.

Outside of the Suns, would anybody else have taken a deal for Shaq seriously?

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has always been intrigued by the possibility of adding him to the middle … how about Devin Harris, Jerry Stackhouse and Erick Dampier for Shaq?

And what about the Nets, so intent on dealing Jason Kidd? Would a package of Kidd, Josh Boone or Sean Williams and Boki Nachbar – with Ricky Davis coming back with O’Neal to make the salaries work, be intriguing to both teams?

LeBron James and the Cavs need something else, but O’Neal certainly isn’t it.

The Denver Nuggets, as always, are working the phones hard - but primarily to see if they can get a point guard, such as Kidd or Sam Cassell. They certainly wouldn’t be better off gambling on the Big Question Mark than having Marcus Camby, the reigning defensive player of the year and Kenyon Martin, who is remarkably getting closer every day to being all the way back from a second microfracture surgery.

Everyone likes to look at the Chicago Bulls, because they have failed so miserably this season and they have a slew of young players who aren’t quite cutting it. If so inclined, they can easily throw Ben Wallace’s contract in there with Thabo Sefolosha and either Ben Gordon or Kirk Hinrich. Does that make any sense for the Bulls to get 2½ seasons of Shaq? He’d be the ultimate low-post presence they haven’t had, however diminished his movement may be – but would that make them serious contenders? That would be a big risk, although they’d still have Hinrich or Gordon, Luol Deng and Andres Nocioni. They would be a lot more formidable, and Gordon, Wallace and Sefolosha make the Heat much better as well – provided the Heat can agree to a contract with Gordon.

But it isn’t likely owner Jerry Reinsdorf would commit that $50 million to O’Neal through 2010. In fact, it doesn’t make sense for anybody … almost.

And that brings us back to the Suns, who have had issues with the 29-year-old Marion for years, both in the locker room and over money. Now he wants an extension that will pay him in the $20 million range per season, when the $17 million per he’s making over the next two seasons is a stretch. He has also very often been a disappointment in the postseason offensively, which has hurt them in big games.

On the other hand, there are those who believe he is the lightning rod for the success because he is the guy who gets the loose ball, comes up with the steal, blocks shots and runs the floor better than anyone else on the team.

And they almost won it last season, so is it worth the gamble with quasi-Shaq?

Realistically it makes more sense for the Suns than other teams, if only because Marion’s head and mouth may no longer be worth the internal aggravation And the Suns won’t have to play O’Neal big minutes, just enough to indoctrinate him into the halfcourt offense.

They have reportedly brought in the Big Question Mark for their medical team and the rest of the big shots in the organization to take a good look at his physical condition. But you’d have to think if they peer too closely, it’s only logical they’ll find that to deal a talented young player such as Marion and commit the nearly $10 million left of his contract this season and $20 million in each of the next two years is really a shot in the dark for a guy obviously on his last legs – despite their obvious belief that this is their best chance for a title – which would be O’Neal’s fifth.

The logic is if nothing else they’ve found on the market for Marion is attractive and they have to pay him about the same money as O’Neal, owner Robert Sarver figures it’s worth the risk. That’s a tough call, but it’s his money.

In this odd NBA season where the New Orleans Hornets stare down the forthcoming All-Star break with the best record in the Western Conference, is the next step awaiting “The Birdman” to cometh?

As the clock ticks loudly and the Feb. 21 NBA trade deadline approaches, the biggest player transaction may not be a trade at all. It may be the Hornets re-signing forward Chris Andersen, a.k.a. The Birdman, if all the i’s are dotted properly and the t’s are crossed just right.

And it very may well be the final piece that makes the Hornets absolutely legitimate contenders to win the West -- as if they aren’t already.

You see, the jury is still out on the future of Andersen, both figuratively and literally. Andersen was banned and disqualified from the NBA on Jan. 26, 2006 after testing positive for “drugs of abuse,” which include amphetamines, opiates (codeine, heroin, morphine and PCP), cocaine, LSD and methamphetamine. Since he hadn’t tested positive for any other drugs, it is likely the positive test came from one of the aforementioned drugs of abuse.

Nicknamed “The Birdman” because of his wild, aggressive style attacking the ball and the boards, the 6-10, 230-pound Andersen has apparently followed all the rules and is going through all the steps necessary with both the commissioner’s office and the players association to gain a speedy reinstatement. Although his four-year contract was revoked by virtue of the banishment, the Hornets, who have the best record in the Western Conference at 31-12, would have a 30-day window to sign Andersen if and when he is reinstated. However, it could be weeks before a conclusion has been reached by the two offices.

If he is restored to eligibility and re-signed by the Hornets, it would be huge despite what’s on paper. His numbers have never been sensational and he is not a refined athlete by any means. His last full season in the NBA he averaged 7.7 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.49 blocks -- providing the kind of energy off the bench that Anderson Varejao provides the Cleveland Cavaliers. And the Hornets need it.

They have an exceptional starting five that has carried them to this point, but that was never the question. They have a terrific young coach in Byron Scott, who twice coached the New Jersey Nets to the Finals, and was the starting shooting guard for Pat Riley with the Lakers on three championship teams. So the fiber is there.

With Chris Paul and Morris Peterson in the backcourt, along with a versatile and talented frontcourt of Tyson Chandler, David West and Peja Stojakovic, Scott has a nice balance of shooting, defense and quickness. Whereas perimeter players Bobby Jackson, Jannero Pargo and Rasual Butler blow hot and cold individually coming off the bench, collectively they contribute. It’s much more of a struggle to get significant help up front from Melvin Ely, Hilton Armstrong, Ryan Bowen and rookie Julian Wright.

That has been patently obvious whenever one of the frontcourt starters gets hurt. It killed them last year when both Stojakovic and West were out for significant stretches. Then Paul’s ankle sprain virtually wiped them out of the playoff picture for good. Nonetheless, that’s where Andersen comes in.

Instead of a downgrade up front as soon as West or Chandler need a blow, Andersen brings a different kind of energy for the Hornets. It may include silly fouls for climbing over someone’s back or diving into a pile late. But it is the infusion he brings that kicks everybody into another gear.

Of course, that’s presuming the Hornets want to gamble on him being clean for good.

Should they?

If he doesn’t have the requisite tests and other proof that he has remained clean, then this is a waste of time and space. But if he has, should the commissioner’s office and players association rubber stamp his return?

Andersen is the first banned player to apply for reinstatement since Roy Tarpley did it in 2003 -- a full eight years after he was given the boot for violating the substance abuse policy. Tarpley, who was 37 years old and hadn’t played since 1995, was summarily rejected.

This is different. Andersen reportedly has been working out under supervision and adhering to every nuance of the NBA policy because of his age and the realization of how quickly his career his career is slipping away.

Provided he has answered all the questions the right way and can provide proof he has remained clean, why wouldn’t the Hornets want him back? His pro-rated $3.5 million contract would still keep them below the luxury tax limit, and the depth he brings would be significant.

Even more to the point is why wouldn’t the NBA bring him back? Considering the issues of spousal abuse, guns, fights and any number of other issues that have produced extended suspensions followed by the return of those players to the court, this is hardly a more significant matter to the league.

That’s not to minimize drug usage. Andersen was damaging himself, nobody else and the two-year ban that cost him millions of dollars severely spoiled and possibly ended his NBA career. If he proves that this was a period of awakening and maturity as opposed to convenient contrition because the two-year period allowed him to apply for reinstatement, then bring him back.

Everybody deserves a second chance and Andersen’s story in New Orleans could be a special one. The league already has the All-Star Game coming in attempt to help this horribly blighted city. Allowing The Birdman to swoop in would just be one more. 

The NBA Finals start tomorrow, and you are the general manager/coach in this fantasy series.

In an excruciating turn of events, you lost your point guard in yesterday’s massive media session. He got his leg caught in the mass of wires from television cameras and fell in the throng of media members as he was coming down off the podium in the corner of the gym (if you’ve ever seen this mess, you’d understand how this could happen). The consequence was a torn knee ligament in his knee.

Everyone is irate and the NBA humiliated.

Consequently, you get your choice of point guards for the series from all the non-competitors.

Two future Hall of Fame vets – Jason Kidd or Steve Nash; or two stars on the rise, Chris Paul and Deron Williams are on the list. Granted, Williams and Paul are only in their third season, but both are on the brink of greatness, and both Kidd (35 in March) and Nash (34 next month) are close but not quite on that slippery slope.

It’s tough to justify Paul (22) or Williams (23) due to their lack of experience, but both are so explosive and do so many things well, it’s worthy of discussion. Paul is smaller, slicker and quicker with his hands and the ball for the Hornets – similar to Nash – averaging 21.1 pts., shooting almost 49 percent from the field, 36 percent from long-range and .884 from the line, plus 10.4 assists and 2.4 steals. Meanwhile, Williams is bigger and stronger like Kidd, with a better long-range stroke than anybody but Nash – averaging 19.3 points, 9.2 assists, while shooting .517 from the field, .396 from 3-point range and .782 from the line.

It’s a tossup between the two youngsters in a lot of ways because it’s so early and they’ve yet to establish substantial playoff profiles. Would you pick one of them instead of the vets?

There’s plenty to think about in the case of both Kidd and Nash. Kidd has played in 100 playoff games, including the 2002 and 2003 NBA Finals with the Nets. Nash has played in 97 postseason games, but has yet to make it to the NBA Finals has been to the conference finals with the Suns twice.

They are still the premiere passing point guards in the game today, making passing the ball on the break not a skill but an art form with either hand.

But they reach those moments from divergent angles and skill sets. Kidd is the triple-double king of this era with his ability to clean the boards, find his teammates and score when necessary. And while he has hit 3-pointers at a tolerable .333 pace, he has barely been a 40 percent field goal shooter in his career. What makes him special is his defense – strength and hands – better than any other point guard of the era with the exception of his childhood mentor Gary Payton.

Nash won back-to-back MVP awards in 2005 and 2006, taking the run-and-gun Suns to a new level of play and really creating an accelerated style the NBA hadn’t seen in years. He is not only a spectacular passer, but one of the best shooting point guards in NBA history – shooting better than 50 percent from the field the past four seasons, nearly 47 percent from 3-point range and 90 percent from the free throw line. And while Kidd’s Achilles’ heel is his shooting and his knees, Nash is a sieve on defense with a reluctant back and shoulder issues. Oh, he has great hands, but his feel for the game is built for scoring, not preventing it.

My first reaction is to take Paul, having the best year of any point guard and leading the surprising Hornets to first place in the Southwest Division.

Or I could take Kidd because of his extraordinary ability to get the ball in so many different ways, and then make things easy for his teammates to score. The problem is what happens when he has to shoot it.

Or there's Nash ... if he can’t get the ball to a teammate for an easy score, he can do it himself.

That leaves the ultimate question -- do you go with offense or defense? In most cases I’d go with defense, but in this one, at this moment, I’ll take Paul. He has no playoff experience, but he has to start somewhere.

Once again the Denver Nuggets came crashing down out of first place in the Northwest Division, this time with the weight of the sprained left ankle of Carmelo Anthony.

You have to wonder when this will end for the Nuggets. That’s not to say Anthony’s loss is expected to be very long. It certainly looked bad when he landed on Kobe Bryant’s right foot and rolled the ankle after sinking a jumper from the wing. And the hope is he could be back by the weekend, but it’s more about the cumulative effect of what keeps happening to the Nuggets than the 17-point loss Monday night or the rolled ankle that ended Anthony's night in the second quarter.

They just haven’t gained any momentum because coach George Karl just hasn’t been able to keep players healthy.

It would be an exaggeration for him to cry poor, that’s for sure. Anthony is the fourth-leading scorer in the NBA and hasn’t missed a game until he very likely sits out Wednesday’s home game with the Hawks. Allen Iverson is the third-leading scorer in the league at 27.2, with 6.9 assists and 2.1 steals playing in all 40 games so far, while Marcus Camby leads the league in blocks at 3.92 and is second in rebounding at 14.3 in 39 games.

They’ve even gotten stellar play off the bench from explosive scoring Linas Kleiza and rugged Eduardo Najera.  But even Najera sat out Monday’s loss with elbows the size of cantaloupes (well, small ones), and Kleiza has missed some games.

More reflective of the situation is it was the first game back for the embattled Kenyon Martin, after sitting three games with a staph infection of the, uh, derriere. That hit K-Mart while he’s trying to keep from injuring any part of his legs coming off microfracture surgery on both knees over the past couple of seasons. Nonetheless, he has managed to average 9.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.43 blocks in 26.5 minutes in 30 of the 40 games after playing just 58 of 164 the previous two years.

Of course, Martin’s story pales in comparison to the adventures of Nene, their even more injurious big man. He tore a ligament in his thumb the first week of the season, came back just after Christmas, and sat down soon thereafter to have surgery to remove a malignant tumor from his testicle. He’s played in 12 games, and that’s after playing 120 games out of a possible 246 the past three seasons.

And that’s before we even get into the plight of the point guards they brought in this season to relieve Iverson of ballhandling duties – Chucky Atkins and Anthony Carter. Atkins was their free-agent signing and the expected starter, but suffered a strained groin in training camp. He sat until December, then played in all of nine games before it worsened into a sports hernia (including the groin and abdominal muscle) that required surgery. He isn’t expected back until at least March. Carter has played in 25 games, but first had to overcome a broken hand from training camp.

So what is this about … being a Mile High? Has the karmic flow changed through the Rockies, affecting the ecosystem and the water?

There doesn’t have to be a reason, only a result. And that’s where Karl comes in as a veteran coach. The Nuggets should still win the Northwest Division, if only because the disappointing Jazz just don’t seem to have it this year, and the first-place Trail Blazers are awfully young to maintain this pace all season.

But even more to the point, Monday’s loss gave Karl a lot of perspective. It was the first regular-season game in which he coached against his son Coby, a second-round draft choice of the Lakers, who has spent the bulk of the season in the Developmental League. Within the past two years, both Karl and Coby have had successful cancer surgery. It's brought them much closer together and by the end of the night, they were just happy to be on the same floor.

That would be the best reason of all for George Karl to be confident the karma will come back around for the Nuggets by the spring.  His stolen moments with his son gave him plenty of positive feedback during a game that otherwise would have really hurt.

In the wake of Kwame Brown being forced into the Lakers starting lineup until Andrew Bynum recovers from his knee injury, it brings to mind just how highly regarded Brown was coming into the 2001 draft and what a big hit Michael Jordan took for taking him No. 1 overall for the Washington Wizards.

So we figured it was time to take a look at the drafts beginning in 2001 to see just who has been the biggest bust. It used to be that three years were required to really get a feel for a player, although that has lengthened somewhat with so many high school players going so high (until the rule changed last year).

Clearly, Brown has been the biggest bust of the 2001 group, particularly when you compare the varying degrees of success Tyson Chandler, Pau Gasol, Jason Richardson and Eddy Curry have had after being taken immediately after him.

In 2002, Yao Ming was a no-brainer first overall pick and he's the best all-around center in the game today. Immediately after Yao were Jay Williams, Mike Dunleavy, Drew Gooden, and get this one ... Nikoloz Tskitishvili by the Denver Nuggets. Williams is impossible to gauge because a motorcycle accident after his rookie year ended his career. Dunleavy and Gooden have had solid, if slightly disappointing careers. Tskitishvili? He quickly faded into the woodwork and back to Europe. To make matters worse, the Nuggets took him instead of Amare Stoudemire or Caron Butler.

Unlike the lean 2002 draft, it was tough to go wrong in the 2003 draft, led by LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, et al. But somehow in a quirk of fate that gave them the second pick after a previous trade with the Grizzlies, the title-contending Detroit Pistons did blow a golden opportunity. With James the first pick overall, they gambled on this talented but completely unproven 18-year-old from Serbia & Montenegro -- the now infamous Darko Milicic. While the other guys became stars, Milicic languished on the bench before finally being traded to Orlando. Perhaps, ultimately, the pick the Pistons got in the deal that brought them Rodney Stuckey this season could help a lot, but Milicic failed to develop in Detroit because of no playing time on a contender. He improved in Orlando, but now seems to have completely stagnated on a Memphis team that badly needs him.

The 2004 quintet of Dwight Howard, Emeka Okafor, Ben Gordon, Shaun Livingston and Devin Harris didn’t have particularly great expectations, but Howard has already become a young superstar, Okafor an All-Star caliber power player, Gordon one of the great streak shooters in the game, and Harris has been solid in his growth at point guard for the Mavericks. But the best talent of all is Livingston, who had physical concerns in high school and they have manifested in the NBA. He is a spectacularly skilled point guard, but he could be out the rest of the season after a horrible knee injury last February. Will he ever become the player he teased to be? We can only hope.

The group from 2005 has been solid across the board. Top pick Andrew Bogut isn’t the immediate All-Star some had figured him to be, but he is a very good all-around center with every skill well developed. He’s just not the kind of aggressive personality necessary to dominate. Second pick Marvin Williams didn’t get it going until this season, but he’s got the skills to be a top-