Players file unfair labor charge against NBA

From Yahoo! Sports:

"NEW YORK (AP)—The NBA players’ association filed an unfair labor charge against the league Tuesday with the National Labor Relations Board, a move it hopes could block a lockout it feels owners want.

The players union says the NBA hasn’t bargained in good faith, has made financial demands without offering concessions to the players, and has bypassed the union to deal directly with players.

The charge filed with Region 2 of the NLRB seeks “an injunction against the NBA’s unlawful bargaining practices and its unlawful lockout threat.”"

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Make David Stern's Day

David Stern recently warned coaches and players to stop criticizing officials. And he said that "if someone wants to me in the rest of this playoffs, you know, make my day." Stern said that these individuals' "corrosive" comments will make the consumer confidence drop. Stern already looked like a fool with the Tim Donaghy issue...and now this?

Fix the source of the problem commish!!! Coaches and players wont complain this much if your referees do a good job officiating. And consumer confidence won't drop because of comments against the official. Consumer confidence will drop because your referees make WRONG calls. I don't understand why referees don't get fined when they are the ones who are making the DUMB calls. The coaches and players are simply telling the truth.

I really hope NBA fans could flood Stern's email and let him know how stupid of a warning he sent out.

Ben Gordon-Bulls Breakup

Bad news for the Chicago Bulls organization.

Ben Gordon, who led the team in scoring for four years now, has signed a 5-year, $55 million offer from division rivals, the Detroit Pistons.

The Bulls were an up-and-coming team with a bright future. Despite having a core that had not yet hit its prime, and a rookie franchise player/point guard and head coach, this team snuck into the Eastern Conference playoffs as the seventh seed and gave the defending champion Boston Celtics a scare. They had the rookie of the year, and one who is envisioned by many to be a perennial all-star someday soon, in Derrick Rose. They had a frontline of second-year Joakim Noah and third-year Tyrus Thomas. This was a team that was looking forward to the return of starting forward Luol Deng, who missed the end of the regular season and the playoffs. They had two draft picks in 2009 draft, too.

Now, the future doesn't look much of anything. Not that this team is going to stink next season, no. It's just that, you're not really sure where the franchise is headed at the moment. Sure, they're bringing back a solid group with Rose, Noah, Thomas, Deng, Kirk Hinrich, John Salmons, Brad Miller and maybe #16 pick James Johnson. That's not a bad team. But it doesn't have the same kick without the pintsized 20-point scorer, Gordon.

To be fair, Bulls fans should've seen this coming. We endured two, three years of negotiations with Gordon, when he turned down offers of $50 and $54 million the previous two offseasons. We heard the rumors that the Pistons made an $11 million promise to Ben. We knew we could keep him if really wanted to; Gordon stated he wanted to remain a Bull. But we also knew the price had to be right, and the price the organization wanted and the price Gordon wanted would be far apart.

Now, resigning Gordon would've meant compromising some flexibility in 2010. Only time will tell whether the Bulls did the right thing by not overcommitting to Gordon. Rashard Lewis was overpaid, too, but look where that brought the Orlando Magic.

If there was a plan behind this - if keeping Gordon meant giving up on a solid plan that the organization was working towards, then I can live with this decision. Say, a plan to trade for Chris Bosh or Amare Stoudemire and have the flexibility to resign them and add another free agent next year. But if the plan is to let Ben walk and see if this current roster can win without him, then this would be a very sad loss.

Thing is, only time will tell. Much like the seemingly sound Billups-for-Iverson trade of Joe Dumars, we can only really judge this in retrospect. If Rose and Amare take the team to the playoffs, we'll look back on this day with kindness. But man, this is going to suck if this turns out to be a step back for the Bulls; not after the strides it took last season.

Melo has Arrived

In 2003, the basketball world was anticipating the arrival of two young stars-to-be in the NBA. Some even dubbed this duo as the next Larry Bird-Magic Johnson rivalry. A high school phenom that has a more NBA ready body than half of the league, and a college freshman that carried his team to the National Championship. Their names are LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony. But after a year of pitting these two against each other, Melo disappeared. LeBron James continued to wow the basketball world. He would be included in MVP talks with Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade, while Melo would fail to make the All-Star team every season. The rivalry was dead.

The NBA wants to see a Kobe-LeBron finals. But after seeing how Denver is playing this post-season, I think it is better for the NBA to see a Melo-Bron showdown. This is what they were dreaming of in 2003. And it is not like Carmelo is just chillin' like he did the past post-seasons. He is dominating the playoffs...especially the Lakers. If not for 2 bad plays by Denver in the end game of Game 1, the Nuggets might have been up 2-0 right now. Chauncey Billups has been a big reason for Denver's success, but in my opinion, its Carmelo's decision to be a "Superstar" that changed Denver's attitude. Now, the series is tied at 1 apiece. The series shifts back to Denver where Carmelo will announce to the people that he has arrived.

Rubio to Enter 2009 Draft

Ricky Rubio's agent said that the Spanish Sensation will enter this year's NBA Draft. Rubio will have until June 15 to withdraw his name from the draft. However, his agent sounded confident that he's staying in.

Rubio has been in the No.2 spots of most of the draft sites online. Rubio showed in the last Olympics that he can play with NBA point guards such as Chris Paul and Derron Williams.

Rubio has been a starter in the European League since he was just 16 years old.

The Bulls Are Going All Out in Playoff Push

Just a couple of weeks ago, the Chicago Bulls were struggling in holding on to the 9th spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Yes, they were actually defending a spot that isn't worth anything. Fast forward to today, and the Bulls are now 7th in the East playoff picture with a realistic chance of catching up with the Miami Heat. The Bulls won their 6th game in 7 tries by beating...the Heat. Dwyane Wade's 31 points was no match to a Bulls team that had 6 players in double figures. John Salmons top scored for the Bulls once again as he is beginning to make the Bulls front office look good by acquiring him during the trade deadline. Since the arrival of Salmons and fellow former King Brad Miller, Chicago's offense improved a lot in terms of flow. Miller's perimeter game and his ability to drive to the basket gives Rookie Sensation Derrick Rose so much options now. And at times when their offense didn't look pretty, they now have Salmons to give the ball to and create something out of nothing.

The Bulls have been playing inspired basketball lately because of the new acquisitions. But one thing was revealed lately during the Bulls' run -- Kirk Hinrich is still valuable to the Bulls. Some critics said that with Rose's arrival, Kirk was a dispensable player. Kirk has proven this to be a fallacy. Kirk has been the stabilizer of the Bulls lately when things get out of control. Plus, when D-Rose was sidelined because of his wrist, Kirk stepped in and gave Vinny Del Negro an All-Star performance at the point.

The Bulls' future is looking bright. So much brighter compared to 2 months ago. Plus with playoff experience just around the corner, I expect to see more maturity in the games of Derrick Rose, Tyrus Thomas, and Joakim Noah come opening night next season. The Bulls are still far from being a contender, but adding one key piece and some post-season experience for the team might just get the Bulls back to the glory days.

Thunder Bring The D without KD

The Oklahoma City Thunder franchise is defined by Kevin Durant. When they picked up 'Durantula' (hehe.. is that seriously going to stick?) as the #2 pick in last year's draft they immediately decided to build around him. The then-Seattle Supersonics traded away Ray Allen for someone who could fit better (essentially, Jeff Green) and let Rashard Lewis walk for nothing. So the fact that KD is their franchise guy probably needs no further establishing.

And the kid has responded, averaging 26 points and 6.6 rebounds per game this year. He's in the running for Most Improved honors this year, which is rare for players as highly regarded as this guy. Just goes to show how good he's been this year.

But advanced stats pundits have noticed that, well, for someone who's so important to his team, he's been kind of a detriment, especially on defense.

So I guess it's interesting to note that since he went down with an injury during the OKC-Dallas game last February 27, the Thunder have gone 4-1 without him. How? Well, they've held opponents down to 92, 87, 83 and 74 points in their four wins. That probably says good defense about as much as it says that the teams they beat kind of sucked (included Memphis, Washington and Philadelphia, a team that hasn't been very good of late).

They also played the last four without Durant's running mate Green (OKC is 3-1 without him on this stretch). The one loss was an 18 point blowout by the Hornets. Why? Chris Paul, probably. But here's another reason. Recent acquisition Thabo Sefolosha sat out the game.

I'm not saying Thabo is the savior of this squad (even though I've been a fan of his from his Bulls days), but he does have a rep for being a defensive stopper. And the team has been playing better defense of late. Coincidence? I don't think so.

Well, he has averaged a respectable 13.5 points and 7 boards, with 3 assists, 2 steals and 1.75 blocks. More importantly (maybe), he's accumulated a plus-minus of +58 in Durant's absence. That says something that the team plays so well when he's on the court.

Still KD is undoubtedly the cornerstone of this franchise. But two things could be worth noting. Thabo Sefolosha was a darn good pickup for the Thunder. And if Durant starts playing more defense, this could be a very dangerous team.

No KG, No Problem. No Rondo...hmm...?!

The Boston Celtics had a pair of tough games this past week taking on the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Orlando Magic. They got by Lebron and the Cavs, but lost big to Superman 2 and the Magic. Without Kevin Garnett, the Celtics are 5-3 but they do not look like a worse team. However, the game against the Magic showed one important thing: The Celtics wouldn't win a title (or win the East) without Rajon Rondo.

Without Rondo, Boston's offense just didn't flow. Starbury started in place of the injured point guard but was just not close to being a point guard. Paul Pierce had to really work for his shots. Ray Allen connected with shots, but that's Ray Allen. The C's just had no offensive flow, and if there is someone they need to stay healthy come playoff time, its Rondo. The C's could survive without Garnett, or even Paul Pierce and Ray Allen (ofcourse not all at the same time), but if you take away Rajon Rondo away from this team, it will make them the 3rd best team in the East for sure!

Rafer Alston Sent to Orlando

Rafer Alston was sent by the Houston Rockets to the Orlando Magic. In exchange for Alston, the Rockets received Kyle Lowry from the Memphis Grizzlies, and Brian Cook from the Magic. The Grizzlies received Adonal Foyle, Mike Wilks and the Magic's first round pick in the 2009 draft.

This trade, in my opinion, is huge for the Magic. Alston is not only a player who can fill in the void left by Jameer Nelson's injury, but he also is one who can do an amazing job at it. I think Alston is one of the underrated players in the NBA. I don't think people realize how good Alston can run a team. He is a good point guard in addition to being a good shooter. This would help the Magic spread the floor more by adding another shooter to the mix. With Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu, and now Rafer Alston being threats on the outside, Dwight Howard will find himself more space to operate inside. If not, he can just pass the ball to one of these shooters to knock-in the three!

I think this trade has been the biggest in terms of impact on the team. I think with Rafer Alston on board, the Cavs now has a big challenge in the Orlando Magic. With Nelson's injury, the Eastern Conference was pretty much a two-team race between the Celtics and the Cavs. Now, they are back to three.

Who's Afraid To Pull Off A Blockbuster Trade? (Suns-Bulls-Raps Proposal)

With the trade deadline fast approaching, and a number of teams at a crossroads, I’m looking forward to seeing a blockbuster deal that can alter a franchise’s course completely. Of course, you’re always looking for a win-win deal (unless you’re Memphis GM Chris Wallace – man, that Pau Gasol trade is one-sided). But since you probably can’t trust NBA GMs to have the guts to pull them blockbusters off, I’m just proposing my own (and hoping Steve Kerr, John Paxson and Bryan Colangelo are reading this right now).

*note: salaries match on ESPN’s trade machine, but I couldn’t find a way to incorporate the Bulls’ 5-million plus trade exception or draft picks into the system. The deal I made works fine without the exception, but I’m throwing in a draft pick for good measure.

Suns get: Tyrus Thomas, Drew Gooden, Joakim Noah

Suns lose: Amar’e Stoudemire

Why I do this deal: Amar’e is a star, but he hasn’t fit in well with Shaq this season. He’s disrupted team chemistry, said all the wrong things, and hasn’t been producing. Plus, there’s that fact that the Suns risk losing him for nothing in 2010. Phoenix gets two young prospects that fit in with the team in the long term. Tyrus Thomas plays a bit like Amar’e on the offensive end though with considerably less efficiency. He does have plenty of upside though, because of his age. He also displays a willingness to play defense never seen in Amar’e. This makes him a valuable player and potential franchise cornerstone. Of course, these are all based on his performance for the past few games, an admittedly small sample size. Still, he seems to have ‘turned the corner’ of late and Suns management has expressed much interest in him, as well as a strong desire to move Stoudemire. Joakim Noah is a solid big man who can play big backup minutes so as not to strain Shaq. Noah also has that upside and can potentially replace Shaq when he retires. He’s a much better option than Robin Lopez, though his hair is just as goofy. The Suns also get another solid big in Drew Gooden, but he’s more valuable for the 7.1 million cap relief he offers next season. You know Suns owner Robert Sarver likes him some cap relief.

Bulls get: Chris Bosh, Jason Kapono, Marcus Banks

Bulls lose: Tyrus Thomas, Drew Gooden, Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, Thabo Sefolosha, Chicago 1^st round pick

Why I do this deal: The Bulls are not a championship team, and won’t be with this lineup. As the Celtics have proven, championship teams need superstars on the roster. Right now, the Bulls have one potential superstar in Derrick Rose. It’s hard to see anything of value past him. Bulls management have been hesitant on the Amar’e trade because of the doubts on Stoudemire’s ability on the defensive end but it’s hard to pin any kind of criticism on Chris Bosh. Bosh is almost certainly the best player involved in the deal. I would willingly trade anyone on the roster, and even gut it if necessary (which is essentially what I’m doing), to acquire a player of that caliber to pair with Rose. Role players are easy to get, superstars are not. If you get a chance to trade for one, you do it. Rose and Bosh will be left with a lousy crew of teammates, but with both of them wearing the same uniform, they’ll both be closer to winning a championship than they ever had in their careers. If they are somehow able to clear enough cap space (don’t resign Ben Gordon in 2009, allow Larry Hughes to expire in 2010, or find a way to trade the long term commitments to Kirk Hinrich, Andres Nocioni or both), they might also have enough star power to attract another superstar in the summer of 2010. Possibly, Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade, a Chicago native and good friend of Bosh’s.

Raptors get: Amar’e Stoudemire, Luol Deng, Thabo Sefolosha, Chicago 2009 1^st Round Pick

Raptors lose: Chris Bosh, Jason Kapono, Marcus Banks

Why I do this deal: It will hurt to lose Chris Bosh, but I would have to seriously consider the risk of losing Bosh in 2010. The team stinks right now, and that increases the chances of losing Bosh. In fact, rumors say that Bosh has already informed Toronto GM Bryan Colangelo that he will refuse to resign with the Raps. With this deal, I get a superstar in return. And though Stoudemire’s contract expires in the same summer, chances are better that he’d resign with the Raptors. For one thing, the addition of Luol Deng and Chicago’s possibly high 2009 draft pick (as well as their own 2009 draft pick) to the team that already has Jose Calderon, Andrea Bargnani and Shawn Marion makes this a more talented team than the one Bosh will be leaving behind. Thabo Sefolosha can potentially fit in as well, but it depends how well the Swiss prospect develops. With the Eastern Conference being as bad as it is in the lower playoff seed race, though, I see this team as a playoff contender. Amar’e also has good relations with Colangelo, who drafted him as an executive at Phoenix in 2001. This could also potentially increase the chances of the Raptors landing Canada native Steve Nash in 2010. The SSOL-era Suns have all done considerably worse since their breakup and a redux in Toronto with some decent players them and in the Eastern Conference could give them a shot at redemption. All that would be missing is New York coach Mike D’Antoni. While this team is not a lock as a deep playoff team, this could gain the Raptors a level of popularity unprecedented in the only non-US team in the NBA. Not a bad deal for a bad team in very real danger of losing their franchise cornerstone.

Pacers Beat LeBron on a Make-up Call

Heh. These referees.

With about 20 seconds remaining and the game tied at 93, the Pacers start a possession that either gives them the win or sends the game to overtime. Point guard TJ Ford, guarded by former teammate/playing time rival and newly-minted All-Star Mo Williams, dribbles out most of the clock and makes a clutch mid-range shot, leaving 0.8 seconds in the game. Classic stuff. Watch for it on NBA TV's Top 5 plays.

All the Pacers have to do is stop one hurried Cleveland shot and they've got the win. The Cavs run a play that where they lob the ball to LeBron. Pacers star Danny Granger reads it perfectly and taps the ball away. Game over.

But not quite.

Cause the referees call a foul on Danny G. Now, this is crazy stuff because Granger made a great read on the play and if there was more than the usual incidental contact, well -- it's not enough to make up for the fact that the reason why James doesn't finish the play is because of Granger's defense and not because of contact. Interesting to note is the observation of the TV commentator (gotta apologize, I'm not sure which network I was watching) that the referee doesn't call the foul until LeBron complains about it. So with .2 left on the clock, the King steps up to the free throw line to send the game to extra minutes. He makes both.

Now, by this time, I'm kind of feeling for the Pacers. I'm a Bulls fan, so it's in my best interest for Indiana (a team in contention for the same final playoff spot my Bulls are aiming for) to drop this game. But I can't help it. I feel like these guys were robbed by a superstar call.

So what do the Pacers do?

They do the same thing Cleveland does. They send a lob in Granger's direction, with James defending. There's contact, as you can expect. And the referees? They call it the same way they did on the other end of the floor. Foul on James. Free throws for Danny. He ices the game with the first one and takes an intentional miss to run out the clock. Pacers win by one.

Mike Brown was complaining about the call, but as the announcers pointed out -- how can you complain about the call when they give you the exact same one on the other end? Way to put pressure on the refs, Jim O'Brien. They had no choice but to call it that way. Great play call by the Pacers coach, great execution by Pacers first-time All-Star. Gotta love it, even if you're rooting for the opposite team.

By the way, the Pacers have beaten the Lakers, the Celtics, the Magic and now, the Cavs on their home floor. Is it fair to start calling them a good team now (though should that still come with this asterisk)?

Breaking Down the Contenders part 1, LA Lakers

Last year, when young Lakers big man Andrew Bynum went down with an injury, most NBA observers thought LA's championship hunt was over. Fortunately for Kobe and Co., their season was saved by GM Chris Wallac... er, Mitch Kupchak when he traded spare gym equipment and a couple of meal stubs to Memphis for Spanish stud Pau Gasol. The season still ended in heartbreak, though, as the Lakers were manhandled in a six-game series with the Boston Celtics amidst questions on the Lakers toughness.

It's deja vu for the Lake Show when Bynum was declared injured yet again. Initial reactions were similar to last year's, with the team's championship aspirations seemingly derailed. The Lakers, though, immediately made it clear that this was nothing like last year.

Kobe Bryant issued a clear statement with his record-breaking Madison Square Garden performance (61 pts on 19-31 shooting). There is no lack of firepower on this roster. The Black Mamba alone has enough ammunition for a whole army. The game worried head coach Phil Jackson for a bit, as the team seemed to revert back to its pre-'Kobe Nash' habits. But Kobe wasn't making a statement to his team; this was a clear warning to all their rivals, to the entire league. Everyone should stop talking about Bynum, because this team was about Bryant. The statement was loud and clear.

Any fears of Kobe being the selfish Kobe were quickly diffused with last night's Celtics game. In this game, played in Boston's home court, the Celtics were out to test LA's toughness yet again. Kobe led an all-around team performance, scoring 26 points to Gasol's 24 (and 14 rebounds). Lamar Odom chipped in 20 points as they nipped the defending champs by 1 point in overtime. Though the game could obviously gone either way, it was how the Lakers picked up the win that was so impressive. The Celtics pushed them, the same way they did in last year's Finals. The Lakers pushed back. Boston talked their trash, like they always did. LA talked right back. Boston challenged the toughness of the Lakers, who were fielding practically the exact same lineup they had when the Celtics roughhoused their way to the championship, and boy, were they up to the challenge.

There's no need for a drastic trade deadline deal, or a veteran free agent signing, or any action whatsoever. This LA team, right now, is good enough to win it all. With or without Bynum. They know it. And with these statement games behind them, the rest of the league should take notice as well. These aren't last year's Los Angeles Lakers -- and I'll say this. I've never been more scared of them than I am right now.

Towel Wavers Recap of the Day 12/25/08

Welcome to the first ever Towel Wavers Recap of the Day. Here we do a rundown of the best and the worst of each gameday. The Towel Waver of the Day is the end-of-the-bench player that stepped up the best during the day and the Towel Waver Wannabe is the highly-regarded player that played like he deserved to be buried in the back of the rotation the most. Yep, this is Towel Wavers, where we honor the meek and mock the mighty. So without further ado, the Towel Wavers Recap of the Day.

Towel Waver of the Day



Mike James
PG
Washington Wizards
26 pts
10-14 FG, 5-8 3pt
4 reb, 3 ast

Our first ever Towel Waver of the Day is Wizards PG Mike James. Though James is technically a starting guard in Washington, it's probably the only place he'd be a starting guard in. Before he was traded by New Orleans, he had appeared in only 8 of the team's 17 games, where he averaged 2.5 points and 1 assist per game. He hadn't played in the last 6 games, and had given his team no points in the last 10 games (9 of which he sat out). He actually played quite decently in his first seven games in Washington, where he was putting up 10.8 points per game (and 14.5 points in the last four games). None of them were wins.

Today, he gave the Wizards a fighting chance in a near upset of the unbeaten-at-home Cleveland Cavaliers. He shot about 70% from the field and over 60% from three point range as he dropped 5 threes on the Cavs. LeBron, who had 18 points on 6 of 13 shooting, and the Cavs pulled off the 93-89 squeaker, but Mike just may have been the better James out on the floor tonight.

Towel Waver Wannabe



Greg Oden
C
Portland Trailblazers
4 pts, 5 reb
2-6 FG
0-3 FT
3 TO

It's never a good thing when you have more missed shots (4 from the field and 3 from the charity stripe) and turnovers than you have points and rebounds. Even more when you're a former number 1 overall draft pick facing insurmountable expectations from the entire basketball universe (save the front office of the Blazers, they want to be patient with you). Oden also committed 4 fouls and wasn't even on the floor for the final minutes of the 102-94 loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

What's Up With the Lake Show?

It's been a bad month for the Lakers. It wasn't long ago when they were being primed as the team that could challenge the 96 Chicago Bulls record 72-10 mark. In December, they're a mediocre 7-4. And that record isn't even what's worrying - it's how they accumulated it that's got the Laker fans sweating.

Losses to under-.500 teams Indiana and Sacramento. A blown 20-point lead to Eastern Conference-worst Washington. They even had to scramble to beat the rebuilding New York Knicks after being down 15 points at the half. Now, their first losing streak of the season. Back-to-back losses to Miami and Orlando.

The Lakers' vaunted depth? Missing. Kobe has taken 55 shots in the last two games. Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom are averaging a combined 7 points in those two games. So-called MVP candidate Pau Gasol is averaging just 12. And the greatest closer in basketball? Mamba missed two at-the-buzzer shots that could have sent either game in overtime.

Meanwhile, their rivals from Beantown are on a 17-game winning streak and are at 25-2. The Lakers have dropped down to 21-5 and are now third (behind the 22-4 LeBronaliers) in the league.

Have they been overlooking the past few games - excited for their Christmas Day rematch against the Celtics? Or have they been exposed? That they're essesntially the same team that lost to Boston last year, so expecting this year to be any different is wishful thinking.

Guess we have to wait til Christmas to find out.

Tough Enough

The Houston Rockets have been all about their big two the past few years. Ever since they brought Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady together, expectations have soared. And why wouldn't it -- with two otherworldly talents like Yao and T-Mac together?

However, this is what their dynamic duo has given them: a first round loss to the Mavs in 05, missed the playoffs in 06, and a pair of first round losses to the Jazz in 07 and 08. Oh, and 154 missed games between them. I'm talking regular season here - not counting the playoffs.

So far, McGrady and Yao have shown two chinks in their armor. The first is durability. Both players have had to carry the Rockets on their shoulders all by their lonesome for long stretches because of injuries to the other. They rarely ever get any real momentum as a team because one of their stars is always in street clothes. The second weakness is mental toughness. T-Mac is a guy who can do this, but never when it really matters. Yao has a size advantage on maybe about... yeah, 100% of the league and yet he's had issues with agressiveness. He's only averaged double figures in rebounds twice in his career. At his size, he should be putting up Shaq-in-his-prime numbers, not Shaq-at-age-32-or-33 numbers.

In the offseason, the Rockets acquired defensive superstar/rapper/headcase Ron Artest in a trade. Now Artest is best known for his toughness, something they hope he can impart on the rest of this team. But it's been less than 20 games into their season and it looks like T-Mac is already shutting it down. He's missed the last 5 games, and still out indefinitely.

This is what the Rockets starting five looked like before McGrady got injured:

G Alston, Rafer
G McGrady, Tracy
C Yao Ming
F Scola, Luis
F Artest, Ron

and after the injury:

G Alston, Rafer
G Artest, Ron
C Yao Ming
F Scola, Luis
F Battier, Shane

Now, it looks to me that this second lineup looks a lot tougher than the first. NOTE: NOT NECESSARILY BETTER. But tougher. It may be the insertion of the tough-as-nails Battier. Or maybe it's addition by subtraction (sorry, Tracy) but it just looks tougher physically AND mentally. Plus it's not doing a shabby job. When Rockets coach Rick Adelman has used this starting lineup, the team is 2-1 with that one loss being a one point heartbreaker to the Pacers. Sound familiar?

Yao has upped his scoring from about 17 points per game to 21. Artest has raised his from 14.5 to 19. Alston is averaging about 15 points and 6 dimes since Tracy went down. And with the depth this team has (remember their record 22-game winning streak last year with many of the wins without Yao?), well, it looks like it can survive without the talented but frail T-Mac. With him on board, they always seemed like they were a team that could collapse under extreme pressure. The new starting unit (plus bench players Carl Landry, Aaron Brooks, Luther Head, etc) seems like they're tough enough to just want to get the job done in the playoffs. No excuses.

They're the big three now, sure. But should the front office consider trading T-Mac and get some value in return (maybe someone like Detroit's Rip Hamilton, who has struggled to fit in with Allen Iverson)? Or should they just reduce his role and move from the Yao and T-Mac era to the Yao and Artest era. The latter pair seems like it has the necessary toughness to push past the first round, something the former pair has never done. Addition by subtraction? When it comes to mental toughness? Nothing against McGrady but the team might do well in fashioning its personality after newcomer Artest over its resident leading scorer. Then maybe they can finally get something done in the playoffs. It's been long overdue.

They've always been good, but never tough enough. Until now. But can they have T-Mac log heavy minutes without compromising their toughness? Maybe we have to wait one more first round flameout to find out.

The Bulls are Driving Me Nuts

It's always tough to get an accurate read on a team that you root for. One minute you think they're ready to crash the playoffs party, maybe get an upset in the first round and with a little luck, maybe the second round as well -- the next minute your overly-critical mind can't get over how badly your team stinks. It's hard enough to do that for any team you like, but it's even harder when the team you like is the Chicago Bulls.

In 2007, you take out the defending champions in a first round series sweep and take the Pistons to six games. Then, with practically the same lineup, you go out and lose 49 games and miss the playoffs one season after -- a season where a few experts expected you to be the cream of the crop in the Eastern Conference.

Everyone expected a rocky start to this season (Derrick Rose being a rookie point guard and Vinny Del Negro a rookie coach) but could anyone have expected this? You blow out the Phoenix Suns (tied for 2nd in the West) in a game where you lose starter Kirk Hinrich to a injury that has him out three months. Then after losing games you were expected to (CLE and ATL) and winning games you were supposed to (DAL and IND), you set out on the dreaded annual circus trip.

You alternate between staying competitive with the freakishly dangerous Lakers, then get blown out of the building by the Blazers. Win against the Dubs, then have a fourth quarter meltdown at Denver. Suck at Utah before pulling off a win at the buzzer in the same game (that's not even alternating -- you sucked and won in the same game). Then you lose by 10 at San Antonio. Everytime the Bulls give their fans any hope that things are getting better, you lay an egg to remind us of how far there is to go.

During the Utah game, I was all set to write about how the more Bulls games I watch, the more I come to the realization that the team, outside of Derrick Rose, really isn't very good. Sure, Ben Gordon is a 20-point guy, and Drew Gooden puts up decent numbers but neither of them play much defense and give up almost as much as they score. I wanted to make a case for more playing time for Noah, Tyrus Thomas and Thabo Sefolosha, and yet every time they step on the floor, they make a stronger case against it. And what's up with Luol Deng this season? Then Larry Hughes hits a game winner. Larry. Hughes.

These guys are driving me nuts.

The Bulls are at a surprisingly decent 7-9, 10th in the East, especially considering the tough schedule. They're in contention for the low playoff spots in the conference and they've got a light schedule coming up: PHI (7-9) twice, MIL (7-12) and WAS (2-12) to end the week. If you asked me where I wanted the Bulls after 16 games, this wouldn't be far off.

So yeah, I can't make heads or tails off it. One day I'm asking to blow up the roster and fire the coach, and the next I'm perfectly content where we stand. Heck, I'm even optimistic about the near future. Darn you, Bulls. You guys are driving me nuts.

Marbury Refuses To Play...Again!

Stephon Marbury refused Head Coach Mike D'Antoni's offer to play in their game against the Pistons. The Knicks organization has been fed up with Steph's antics that one source said Marbury will be suspended immediately.

Marbury has no right to demand not to play. Any NBA player doesn't have that right. Marbury is being paid almost $20 million by the Knicks, and he can sit if management asks him to work? And for those who say that its just fair because Steph was treated badly by being benched in other games, its the company, in this case the Knicks, who decides what's best for them. Marbury doesn't fit D'Antoni's system, and they should've bought out his contract at the start of the season. Marbury's ego will just destroy a locker room. Yes he can score 20+ points in a game, but that doesn't make you a good player. If there is some people to blame, its Donnie Walsh and Jim Dolan. D'Antoni asked them to buy this player out because he is not going to use him anyway, but the owner refused. I don't get how you could pay so much to make your team worse (acquiring Steve Francis, Stephon Marbury, Jerome James), but can't buyout Marbury's contract to make your team better?

To the Knicks management, I hope you learned your lesson with this recent chapter in the Marbury Saga. LeBron or Bosh wouldn't want to join a team this chaotic, so you guys better clean this whole mess up before 2010.

Did Detroit Get The Raw End Of The Deal?

Many reactions to the Chauncy Billups-Allen Iverson trade had the Pistons getting the upper hand in the deal. Some say that inserting an elite scorer in the Pistons' sound defensive system can win the Pistons a championship. Some say Billups has lost his touch to win games for the Pistons. But from the start, my reaction to this trade was this: The Nuggets had traded a big time scorer for a WINNER!

Yes, Allen Iverson can score 30 points a night for you, but that doesn't guarantee you a win. Iverson carried the Philadelphia 76ers to an NBA Finals appearance, and that was about it when it comes to team achievements that AI had been involved in. But Billups had been in six straight Conference Finals appearances, and two stints in the NBA Finals. You can say that Detroit has other players to support Billups. Denver has the same quality of players talent wise.

One reaction I got to this trade is "Iverson wasn't winning in Denver because they were badly-managed and badly-coached." Well, here is my answer. If the Nuggets' being badly-coached is the reason for their losing, how can they have a 9-3 record, which included a win over Boston, after the Billups-Iverson trade? The Pistons are at 5-5.

And now, what everyone in Detroit feared already happened - The Answer missed practice. Iverson chose to be with his family while the whole team was sweating their butts off in the gym. Coach Michael Curry said that Iverson will definitely be fined and won't start in their next game.

The way I see it is that this trade will have mixed reactions or grades until we reach 2010. The Pistons claim that they did the trade to net LeBron James in free agency. So if that doesn't happen, or the Pistons don't win a championship from now until that time, I think they wasted a high value player, a leader, and a WINNER in this trade.

IS RANDY FOYE STILL NOT OVER KG TRADE?

Wolves point guard Randy Foye - one of only three players on roster who was present for the Kevin Garnett era in Minnesota - hasn't really been himself since the Big Ticket punched out of the Twin Cities. Leading up to their game against the Celtics, the first that Garnett was to play in Minnesota against the team he led for 12 years, Foye had these things to say about his old teammate:

"One thing I miss about him is, he just let me go. That's why I was so successful my rookie year,'' said Foye, who has sputtered in the season-plus since. "No matter what happened, if I made a mistake, I'd look at him and he'd go [Foye balls up a fist and pumps it], like 'It's all right. Keep your head up.'

"It makes you feel better. It'd be like that for anyone in their work, if there was a legend who pumped you up. For a young player, that just boosted my confidence. Sometimes, in my rookie year, I felt like an All-Star out there because he let me do what I wanted and when I got it going, he let me go.''

It sounds to me like he wasn't really over that time. It's hard to blame him. Sure, it's been over a year, and KG has surely moved on (especially after winning a ring in his very first season outside of Minnesota). Sure they played him once in Boston last year, but never at the Target Center - where even the crowd still loves him, maybe even more than they love the Wolves. Well, after stinking up the gym in the Boston game (4 points on 2 of 12 shooting, 1 assist to 2 turnovers), it may have finally sunk in that Ticket is gone and Foye has to do things his way now. It just may be the most important game in Foye's young career. It might be the game he finally lets go of Garnett.

He seems to have moved on now - and how. On his very next game, he torched the Pistons with 23 points and a career-best 14 assists in 106-80 rout of the Iverson-led unit; the Wolves' first road win of the season. He's finally playing like someone you'd trade Brandon Roy for (although technically, Roy was traded for Randy and a million dollars - so if Foye can be worth at least that, it'd be fine). The game against KG may be a turning point. I won't be putting my money on the Wolves (still just 3-9 this season) anytime soon, but I sure will be keeping an eye on Foye in the coming weeks.

(Update: In the four games Foye has played since, he's been averaging 17 points and 8 assists.)

THE BIG RELEVANT

Phoenix center Shaquille O'neal doesn't seem quite ready to pass on the big man torch. In his first matchup with Blazers rookie sensation Greg Oden, Shaq showed why he was the best center of his time - posting 19 points on 8 for 12 shooting, 17 boards and 2 blocks. Oden, meanwhile, finished with just 5 points and 5 fouls. Guess he was the Big School Bus tonight, the way he took the young one to school.

Many have started to brand the Marion-for-Shaq trade, and the subsequent let-go of coach Mike D'Antoni as failed moves for the Suns, especially after the team burned out of the first round of the playoffs last year. Some have started to count the team out as contenders - with Shaq, two-time MVP Steve Nash and on-borrowed-time forward Grant Hill all aging another year. Phoenix, though, is currently 9-5, good enough for a three-way tie for second in the West (behind just the powerhouse Lakers). More than that, it's starting to look as though their new commitment to defense might be key in making a deeper run into the playoffs - just as Suns GM Steve Kerr predicted when he agreed to end the Fun and Gun era in Phoenix.

What's behind the newfound relevance? Part of it is Shaq. In the new offense installed by coach Terry Porter, he's finding more and more touches. And he's responded. After averaging 12.9 points for the Suns last season, he's upped his scoring to 15.4, with a team-high 8.6 boards and 1.2 blocks. He's had some pretty dominant games this season - dropping 29 and 11 on Milwaukee last November 8, and a 29-point, 13-rebound, 6-assist effort in a close win against Sacramento six days later.

Nash isn't having a particularly great year numbers-wise - but I think that speaks more of the offensive philosophy than his losing a step. They've been making the most of Shaq's talents, unlike last year where the offense was leaving him behind. I think there's a better balance this year, and I'm sure Nash wouldn't mind if it can get them back into contention. The addition of Matt Barnes gives their lineup a little more depth now, something the Suns sorely lacked last season. It might be too early to tell, but I think the Suns are for real this year. I'm not saying they're going to beat the Lakers, or that they're even making it to the second round.

I'm just saying - don't count them out yet. Not if Shaq can keep turning back the clock.