After 25 games... (NBA Edition)

As the 2009-10 NBA season is well under way, it is time to evaluate the experts' (those affliated with the NBA) preseason picks for the various divisions and awards. Let's see which teams are actually on their way to living up to expectations and which are underperforming:

First let's start with the Eastern Conference:

The Boston Celtics were picked to represent the East in the NBA Finals and to also win the Atlantic division. With a record of 20-4, they are currently tied for the best record in the league. Their play hasn't been stellar at times but their defense has shown flashes of dominance. If Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen can stay healthy, and Rasheed Wallace can continue to find his role on this team, expect them to make a deep run in the playoffs.

The Cleveland Cavaliers were selected to win the Central division and have recently shown signs of living up to the hype, even though the LeBron James - Shaquille O'Neal tandem has yet to gel, partially due to the games that O'Neal missed a couple of weeks ago. However, there's still over 50 games for them to get things together, expect to see improvements as Shaq has shown the ability to adjust to other star players in the past.

The surprise of the East thus far into the season, is undoubtedly the Atlanta Hawks. They are currently second in the conference, above predicted power houses, Cleveland and Orlando. The Orlando Magic were predicted to easily win the Southeast division; however, if Atlanta continues to play at this level, the Magic may be looking at a lower seed than they expected come playoff time.

Onto the Western Conference:

The reigning world champion Los Angeles Lakers have been stellar thus far into the season. After a shaky start and a complete beat down from the Denver Nuggets, the Lakers have bounced back and have the look of a possible repeat champion. Kobe Bryant is looking like the MVP of 2 years ago, Pau Gasol has finally grasped the importance of him becoming a dominating big man, and Ron Artest has remained under control. They are tied with Boston for the best record in the league; however, they have been much more impressive in their wins.

Randy Martinez, a longtime Lakers fan and resident of Albuquerque, NM had this to say about the 2009-10 Lakers team in comparison to last season's 2008-09 NBA Championship team. "The Ron Artest addition and the mature and healed Andrew Bynum has upped the Lakers' defensive intensity while still containing an offensive threat to their opponents. Last season, the Lakers were what some may say as a mediocre defensive team, allowing 100 plus points a game and allowing a role player of the opposing team to have a career night. Compared to last season, the Lakers are now No. 1 in opponent field goal percentage and opponent 3-point field goal percentage, allowing some teams to score approximately 95 points or lower a game at a rather fast paced tempo. All in all, the Los Angeles Lakers are a much better team than last year solely due to their high-risen defensive intensity."

If the Lakers can maintain the defensive intensity and stay focused over a long NBA season, they will be extremely difficult to dethrone.

To the surprise of many critics, not including myself, the Denver Nuggets are currently sitting in second place in the Western Conference and have a solid hold onto the top spot in the Northwest division. Apparently, last year's run was thought to be a fluke, as the Portland Trailblazers were expected to win the division and challenge the Lakers for the Western conference crown. With the stellar play and growth of Carmelo Anthony, it appears as if the Nuggets are prepared to reach the Western conference finals and possibly the NBA finals. I expect to see a rematch of last year's Western conference finals between the Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Lakers, home-court advantage will be key.

The surprise of the West goes to the Dallas Mavericks, who are currently third in the Western conference and first in the Southwest division over the San Antonio Spurs, who were thought to be contenders this season after their acquisition of Richard Jefferson. The Mavericks have gone under the radar so far this season but expect for teams to take them seriously from now on.

That's it for this installment folks! Be sure to keep watching the NBA season and I will bring you more of my thoughts on how things play out more often! Again, be safe this holiday season and cherish the time spent with your families.

Photo Courtesy of www.nba.com/lakers

Road to Redemption Cut Short

As most were tucked away in their warm beds Thursday morning, another NFL football player was lost at approximately 6:36 a.m. Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry died from injuries sustained in an incident that authorities have labeled a domestic dispute between Henry and his fiancé, Loleini Tonga, Dec. 16th.

Reports indicate that Henry and Tonga were involved in a heated argument at their home in Charlotte, N.C. before Tonga attempted to leave the premises in Henry's pickup truck. It is unclear how or why Henry ended up in the bed of the pickup truck but multiple 911 calls were made by onlookers, claiming that Henry was banging on the glass window of the truck before eventually falling out. When paramedics arrived at the scene, Henry was unconcious and foaming at the mouth. Coroners have yet to release the cause of death.

The news comes at a time when Bengals fans, players and coaches, and various members of the NFL community were rooting for Chris Henry, as he attempted to rid himself of his troubled past and focus strictly on emerging as the once formidable offensive force he had shown flashes of becoming.

Bryan Robinson, a fan of the Cincinnati Bengals had this to say about Henry's on field play, "Henry was always a deep ball threat. It seemed like every time he touched the ball, he made a play for his team. It showed the team's depth at the wide receiver position, that they could bring him off the bench."

In the 8 games in which Henry played in, prior to this season-ending broken left arm injury against the Baltimore Ravens on Nov. 8, Henry had 12 receptions for a total of 236 yards, 2 touchdowns, and an average of 19.7 yards per catch.

Unfortunately it appears as if Henry's on-field accomplishments will forever be overshadowed by his off-field antics. In his relatively short collegiate and professional careers, Henry was arrested five times, suspended from a collegiate game while playing at West Virginia, suspended for half of the 2007 NFL season, and eventually released by the Bengals before being reinstated by Bengals president Mike Brown shortly after.

Carson Palmer, starting quarterback for the Bengals had this to say about this his teammate prior to the start of the 2009 season, "He ran into some trouble, made some bad decisions, and realized that. He's sorry for them, apologized for them, and has done everything he can to make himself a better person. I'm just proud of him."

It is my hope that up and coming athletes, no matter the sport, will take from this situation the importance of being a professional at all times. My heart goes out to his family, friends, and the entire Bengals organization.

On that note, I say so long to all my readers and I hope you all have a safe and beautiful holiday season. Until next time folks!

Photo courtesy of www.bengals.com

Big Names Expected to Miss Big Time

After a few weeks into the season, the Minnesota Lynx have already suffered a major loss, with an injury to their "all-everything" starting small forward, Seimone Augustus. During the 2nd quarter of what would become a 108-84 loss to the Phoenix Mercury, Augustus tore her ACL and will miss the remainder of the season.

With Augustus, the Lynx had been a formidable offensive force, however, without the WNBA's third-leading scorer, the road ahead may look to be rather bumpy. If Augustus' supporting cast is unable to overcome this early season obstacle, they may find themselves on the outside looking in, as they did during the 2008 playoffs.

Head Coach Jennifer Gillom had this to say about how her team would respond, "I think you're going to be surprised by some of the players that are going to step up and contribute to this team. The players coming off the bench: Roneeka Hodges and Rashanda McCants... who I think can step up and take this role."

Gillom makes a very valid point. Although the odds appear to be against the Lynx, realistically with the talent that General Manager Roger Griffith has surrounded Augustus with over the past two seasons, anything but an appearance in the 2009 playoffs will be considered a failure. Key acquisitions in the off-season include point guard Kelly Miller and Center Christi Thomas, both Thomas and Miller will bring veteran leadership to a very young Lynx team. Also, the growth of Candice Wiggins, Charde Houston, and Nicky Anosike, who were all rookies last season, will definitely give the Lynx enough firepower to outscore quite a few teams in the WNBA.

The Los Angeles Sparks have also suffered yet another causality to their extremely accomplished front line as Lisa Leslie went down with a right knee sprain. Leslie is listed as day-to-day but could be out of the Sparks lineup for as long as 6 weeks.

The Sparks, who have been short-handed since the start of the season with the absence of 2008 Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year, Candace Parker due to maternity leave, will be looking for Olympians Tina Thompson and Delisha Milton-Jones, along with all-star Betty Lennox to step up until Leslie and Parker return.

Unfortunately, the Sparks have been extremely inconsistent this season, winning big at home and self-imploding on the road. In part, team chemistry could be to blame as only five players have returned from last year's team, two of those being Parker and Leslie. Coach Michael Cooper could also be at fault, with the lack of equal distribution of minutes for a team that on paper, is the favorite to win the 2009 WNBA Championship. There are numerous other factors that can be contributed to the underachievement of the Sparks but whatever the reason, Los Angeles will need to rebound rather quickly in what is shaping out to be a tough playoff race in the Western Conference.

That's all for this installment folks! For all you Lynx and Sparks fans, keep your heads up, all the great champions of the past had to face some type of diversity. Until next time, enjoy your summer!

Tiger Dominates the...Fairway!?

Just when everyone thought Tiger's game was at a new low and maybe he needed a few more weeks to recover from the ACL surgery he had on his left knee last year, the cat struck again, in what became one of his most impressive driving tournaments in...forever.

"I heard people on TV say he was lost," said Hank Haney, golf instructor and swing coach to Tiger Woods. "How can anybody say he's lost? It makes no sense. I thought he deserved an opportunity to get himself back feeling good. It was a pretty serious injury [ACL reconstruction] for an athlete. And then you consider how long he was out of competition. This was a huge confidence boost for him."

Haney is of course, correct in his analysis of golf fans and writers across the world but he also has to realize who he is talking about. Tiger Woods is known for his flare, impressive shots from all angles on the golf course, his famous fist pumps, and most importantly, for his complete domination of his fellow golfers. So of course, when the man returns to play and doesn't win every single tournament, people are going to analyze every swing or stroke of his putter, and blame this or that of his game as the reason for is troubles.

Although many were calling for a total overhaul of Tiger's swing, ask Tiger why he struggled to win after his return and he'll tell you, "practice." Unlike, his fellow professional athlete, Allen Iverson, Woods considers practice to be very vital to the development of quality play on the big stage.

"My practice sessions started getting longer at home," Woods said. "Hit more balls, play more golf, all these things. People don't realize you need to do that. You need to have that ability. You can't just think about your swing and how to be great the next day. I needed to do the reps and do some good practice sessions the past couple of weeks."

Tiger, after a 68 in the first round, an ugly and rare 74 in the second round, and another solid 68, in the third round which put him in a great position heading into Sunday's final round only four shots behind the leaders, shot a 65 Sunday and won Jack Nicklaus' tournament by one stroke over veteran Jim Furyk.

He hit all 14 fairways on Sunday, leaving himself the opportunity to attack the flags and score low. Although the rest of the field tried their best to push the lead, Tiger came storming back with miraculous shot after shot. The most important shots coming at the par 5 11th hole and the par 4 18th hole, in which Tiger made two phenomenal shots to position himself for his 67th win in his career.

On the 11th hole, Tiger smashed the ball onto the green before it rolled off the green and settled in thick rough. Terrible lie, with a little to no chance of getting the ball close for a birdie, Tiger steps up and chips the ball straight into the hole, controlling the spin by virtually hitting the ball with one hand. Thus, giving Tiger an eagle on the 11th and placing him one shot behind the leader, Jonathan Byrd.

On the 18th hole, Tiger hits once again, another great tee shot and leaves himself a great look at a birdie and the opportunity to clench the win. Most with the lead would play it safe and hit the ball in the middle of the green and take a par, but Tiger, wanting to leave no opportunity for his competitors to come back and force a playoff, went for the hole. After another great swing, Tiger knocked the ball about one foot from the hole, leaving a tap in for yet another win on the PGA Tour.



That's in for this installment. Tiger will be competing in two weeks time at the U.S. Open, aiming for the 17th major of his career. According to Tiger he's not quite 100 percent, so golfers beware! After two weeks of more practice, he may just walk away with another major unscathed.

Most talented season in the WNBA

After cutting the number of available players on each team's roster from 13 active players to 11 active players and with the loss of the storied Houston Comets franchise, the talent in the WNBA has gotten extremely better.

Although the Los Angeles Sparks are the favored team on paper, to win the championship this season, with the recent cuts made by each team the depth across the league is astonishing. Fans can expect the level of competition to skyrocket, leading to the possibility for the WNBA to gain more followers and sign bigger sponsors.

Although, the loss of roster spots and the Houston franchise are due to the financial challenges that the WNBA is undoubtedly facing, the WNBA has actually been more financially secure than the NBA, who was forced to take out a loan for teams across the league who were losing money simply from their daily operations.

Unfortunately for the league, some NBA owners who also own the rights to WNBA franchises feel that the only way to counteract the losses and keep their NBA teams, would be to sell their WNBA teams. A prime example of this case comes in the form of Indiana Pacers and Fever owner, Herb Simon, who has lost money with each Pacers season and although the Fever have been productive, they have not made Simon any more money.

Who is at fault? Obviously not the Fever but with the bigger market being the NBA, the Fever will undoubtedly be the first financial burden to be dropped by Simon in an attempt to save his "beloved" Pacers.

How does the WNBA plan on increasing attendance and increasing their revenue this season to ensure the longevity of the league? The increase in competition definitely helps their cause, along with a new plan to allow corporations to advertise on the jerseys of teams across the league.

"These kind of (economic) times present opportunities to change paradigms. Everyone feels encouraged and has permission to push the envelope in different ways. That contributes to a lot of businesses making bold new steps. The jersey is part of inventory. Why not utilize it?" said WNBA President Donna Orender.

The Phoenix Mercury and the Los Angeles were the first to gain sponsors for this new revenue increasing technique brought forth by the WNBA with the advertisements across the front of their jerseys from LifeLock and Farmers Insurance Group. Expect to see more teams looking to lock up sponsors as the season continues.

That's it for this installment! The WNBA season tips off tomorrow with the battle between the Los Angeles Sparks and the 2008 defending champion Detroit Shock in L.A. Expect a physical game as usual and everyone enjoy the first day of the 2009 season.

Heading into Round 2 (West Edition)

Kobe Bryant's Lakers were dominate against the Utah Jazz, advancing to the Western Semi-conference finals after a relatively short 5 game series. They will face a much tougher team in the Houston Rockets, who beat the Portland Trailblazers in 6 games.

At one point this season, the Rockets looked as if they would be primed to challenge the Lakers for the top spot in the West but as the playoffs neared, the Rockets cooled and fell to fourth in a tightly contested battle for the 2nd seed in the West. The most impressive aspect of the Rockets this season? Winning without star shooting guard Tracy McGrady. The Rockets lost McGrady after he was sidelined with an ailing knee and forced to have surgery. Most expected the team to flop and fall well below the fourth seed in the West, but the Rockets rebounded and quickly became title contenders.

The Lakers will need to show tenacity and bring effort to the court against a physical Rockets team who have been led by stellar play from their bigman, Yao Ming, and the backcourt of Rogers and Lowry, who have stepped up since the trade with Orlando sent the Rockets starting point guard, Alston to the Magic.

Unfortunately for all the Rockets fans, I'm picking the Lakers to win in 6 games, with a possibility of a win in 7 games. Although, the Lakers have not shown that they will constistantly bring the effort and defensive tenacity to win a title every night, I expect them to do so in the games that count. They are the better team and although I always love rooting for the underdogs, I have to go with the better team in this match up.


Moving on to the Denver Nuggets, who completely thrashed the New Orleans Hornets in their first round match up. I'm expecting them to do the same against the undersized and notably soft Dallas Mavericks, alhough I doubt the Mavericks will lose by 58 points like the Hornets managed to do.

I think the Nuggets are much too deep and are playing the best basketball of the playoffs right now and they are doing so as a team. Yes, they have the big names in Chauncey Billups and Carmelo Anthony, but it is the overall contribution from every player on the team, that has the Nuggets playing so well right now.

I think this series will be over quickly, with the Nuggets sweeping the series. The Mavericks will need to add a post up player in the off-season and more depth to their bench if they want to make a deep run in the playoffs next season. As for now, nice series against the San Antonio Spurs but unfortunately your season will be coming to an end very shortly.


That's all for this installment everyone. Enjoy the Western conference Semis.

Heading into Round 2 (East Edition)

After a dominate performance against the Detroit Pistons, the Cleveland Cavaliers will continue their quest for a NBA title against the Atlanta Hawks, who limped past the Miami Heat after a game 7 win.Although the front office of the Hawks has done an outstanding job in free agency and the NBA draft the last few seasons, the young and talented Hawks will undoubtedly struggle against a much more experienced and talented team in the Cavaliers.

The Cavaliers are obviously anchored by MVP candidate Lebron James but their talent goes beyond the All-Star small forward sensation. Mo Williams and Delonte West spur the back court for Cleveland and all year, this dynamic duo has provided much offensive help for James. The front court of Ilgauskas and Varejao isn't as stellar as most, but they are very solid role players who bring energy and effort. The bench for the Cavaliers is the only striking weakness. Ben Wallace, once a feared defender in the league, has fallen off, mostly in part to due injuries. Daniel Gibson, known for his heroics against the Detroit Pistons two years ago, does not see very much time off the bench. Also, Aleksander Pavlovic, a sharp-shooter from Serbia, like Gibson, is also seeing his minutes dwindle as the season progresses. Former No. 1 overall pick, Joe Smith, is the only bright spot off the bench for the Cavaliers. Since his signing late in the season, Smith has provided much needed shot blocking off the bench and also a savvy array of offensive versatility that has greatly given James more room to maneuver around the basket.

Unfortunately for the Hawks, they will be lucky to win one game against the Cavaliers. They are thoroughly outmatched in this series but Hawks fans can still expect their team to go out and give it their all. I'm picking Cleveland in four games, five at the most.

Onto the most exciting match ups of the Eastern semi-conference finals, the showdown between the No. 2 seeded Boston Celtics and the No. 3 seeded Orlando Magic. These two teams have been on a colision course all year as they continually swapped places below the Cavaliers for the fight for second in the East. Even though, the Celtics are wthout Kevin Garnett and will undoubtedly face some type of fatigue due to their 7 game series against the Chicago Bulls, do not expect the Celtics to lay over and let the Magic run all over them.

The Magic will need solid play from Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis. Also, at this point in his career, Dwight Howard is going to have to show that he is indeed the unstoppable force he dubbed himself a few seasons ago. Howard has the opportunity to reap the benefits of the short-handed front court of the Celtics. I'm expecting this series to go at least 6 games. I want to pick the Celtics because of the resiliency they have shown since losing Garnett but at this point, the Magic are the better team and it would be surprising if they found a way to lose to the Celtics.

That's it for this installment! Enjoy the Eastern semis everyone!

WNBA Draft (Part II)

Let's continue with our analysis of the 2009 WNBA Draft, picking up with the Sacramento Monarchs.

Sacramento Monarchs

The Monarchs selected Courtney Paris with the 9th overal pick, Whitney Boddie with the 20th overall pick, and Morgan Warburton with the 33rd overall pick of the draft. Paris, who was recently announced as a first-team All-American for a record setting four times during her career at Oklahoma.

Although Paris is a virtual lock to make the team, it will be interesting to see if the coaching staff for the Monarchs try to get Paris to lose a few pounds. Her game is astounding and her body allows her to position for rebounds and score easily from down low, but the Monarchs have a fast-paced system in place, looking to push the ball as much as possible. It will be difficult for Paris to maneuver up and down the court without quickly getting tired unless she loses weight. She will also need to further develop her game. Paris will not be able to simply push her opponents out of the way down low. It will vital that she shows the ability to consistantly score at least 10 to 12 feet from the rim.

Expect Paris and possibly Boddie to make the roster. It will be difficult for Warburton to survive the first round of cuts.

New York Liberty

New York's draft can be summed up in one word, "dreadful." Kia Vaugh will be an undersized big who will most likely not see very many minutes, Abby Waner is just another Erin Thorn with better ball-handling skills, and a better passer. Both will most likely make the team but don't expect them to have a major impact this season.

Connecticut Sun

The Sun chose to take Chante Black with the 10th overall pick in the draft and Lyndra Littles with the 17th overall pick. Black adds size to the frontline of the Sun; however, she will need to hit the weightroom and vigorously attempt to put on some muscle. Otherwise, she will get pushed around with easy and have little to no impact down low. Littles's chances are good but slightly unclear. It would not be surprising if she or another shooting guard/ small forward combo is traded for a post player.

The picks were not amazing but the Sun did get the job done so for now they are winners. It will be interesting it they look to trade some of their guards.

Detroit Shock

The Defending champion shock entered the draft with little to no areas of need. They are balanced down low and also have a nice guard rotation. Shavonte Zellous will need to impress to win a spot on the roster and so will Brittany Miller. Expect to see these two battling it out for the last roster spot even though Zellous is a guard and Miller is a center.

Seattle Storm

The Seattle Storm had major areas that they needed to address in this draft because it still remains unknown whether Lauren Jackson, their franchise player, will re-sign with Seattle or sign with the Phoenix Mercury. It appears as if the Storm were unsure of who to pick in this draft. They took Ashley Walker with the 11th overall pick in the draft and Mara Freshour with the 38th overall pick. Freshour will not make the team but expect Walker to have a chance. The Storm were lacking in the forward and center positions. Whether Jackson chooses to re-sign or leave for Phoenix, Walker will still be a much needed addition.

Overall, the Storm did what they could with thi draft and went in with the intention of finding a big body to play down low. For that, they can be considered a winner.

Los Angeles Sparks

Unfortunately for the Sparks, there were not any point guards remaining on the board, that they confidently felt would make their roster. So what did they do? They drafted two more post players with I am assumming, the intention of trading for a guard. The Sparks took Lindsay Wisdon-Hylton, Ashley Paris, and Britney Jordan in this year's draft. All were immediately placed on the trading block before they were even drafted. The Sparks added Tina Thompson and Betty Lennox to the roster this off-season, giving them even more talent to choose from; however, they are still without a solid starting point guard.

Expect at least one of the three drafted players to be signed and traded, with one, either Paris or Wisdom-Hylton making the roster. Unless of course, Coach Cooper plans on playing 5 bigs and doing away with the need for a point guard. The Sparks are winners for drafting players that they should be able to get a point guard for, but losers for not securing a starting point guard in this draft. They will have to hope that another team is willing to trade with them as on paper, they are once again the favorites to win.

San Antonio

Did not have one pick in the first round and went under the radar for this draft. Expect their picks to do the same. Megan Frazee has a chance to make the team but Sonja Petrovic and Candyce Bingham have little to no shot whatsoever.

Another loss for San Antonio.

That's all for this installment! Check back for news on possible trades and also an analysis of the first few games of the NBA playoffs. I will break down each conference. Enjoy your week!

WNBA Draft (Part I)

The 2009 WNBA Draft took place last week, with Louisville Cardinals guard Angel McCoughtry being chosen by the Atlanta Dream who had the first pick of the draft. Some teams came out of the draft winners, getting exactly what they needed and also possibly getting a few steals. While some others came out loser, making questionable picks and addressing none of the needs for their team. Let's go over our winners and losers.

Atlanta Dream

The Atlanta Dream chose Angel McCoughtry with their 1st pick, Shalee Lehning with the 25th overall pick, and Jessica Morrow with the 27th pick overall. Looking at their roster, McCoughtry is the only likely pick that will stick and win a spot on their roster. With Marques, Latta, Shields, and Teasley all ahead of her, Lehning will most likely be unable to beat out someone for a spot on the roster. The same would virtually go for Morrow, because even though she can bring rebounding and defense to the guard position, her outside shot is very inconsistant and will hurt her chances of making the team.

So even though Atlanta didn't get a reliable point guard, they were still able to add onto their athleticism, youth, and talent by getting Angel McCoughtry. Not to mention, the girl can flat out play! Either way, they are what you would call a "draft winner."

Washington Mystics

The Mystics were also draft day winners. They drafted Marisa Coleman with the 2nd overall pick, Camille LeNoir with the 23rd overall pick, Jelena Milovanovic with the 24th overall pick, and Josephine Owino with the 28th overall pick. Coleman will definitely make the team and if Milovanovic impresses during training camp, she could be an under the radar steal of the draft.

The Mystics will need to address the issue of the lack of depth in the post position so they may have to make a trade but Coleman was the right pick at #2.

Chicago Sky

Unforunately for the Sky, I have to dub them as one of the biggest losers in this year's draft. Kristi Toliver over Renee Montgomery? No, wrong move. The Sky should have drafted Montgomery with the 3rd pick. She has shown the leadership, work ethic, and tenacity that would be perfect for Chicago. She is also in my mind, the better passer and defender of the two. Yes, Toliver is the better shooter but Renee is the better point guard. Other than that, no one else will make the roster.

Minnesota Lynx

The Lynx can thank the Sky for giving them Montgomery. Even without Montgomery, the Lynx had a very solid draft, adding Rashanda McCants and Quanitra Hollingsworth. McCants and Hollingsworth are not locks to make the team but expect to see them in a Lynx jersey at the start of the season.

Phoenix Mercury

DeWanna Bonner will be the only Phoenix draft pick to make the team. Unfortunately for the rest of the Mercury's picks, the team is too talented and deep for them to have an impact and possibly steal someone else's roster spot.

Indiana Fever

The Fever are definitely winners in this year's draft. It is shocking how they addressed nearly every need in the draft and have players that should be able to hang around and make the team. Brianna January will be a very balanced back up point guard behind Tully Bevilaqua and will bring scoring, defense, speed, and energy to the second unit. Christina Wirth will need to consistantly nail shots from long distance to stay with the team. If she does, it will surround Tamika Catchings with more outside weapons. Danielle Campbell is a bit of a stretch to make the roster, even though the Fever are lacking in the post. Expect to see a possible trade made by the Fever for a post player. Maybe a point guard and post player swap between Los Angeles and Indiana?

That's it for this installment! Be sure to check back for part II of the WNBA Draft! I will analyze the picks made by the remaining teams.

Round 1 (East Edition)

Today, the playoffs open up with the defending Champion Boston Celtics beginning their title defense against the Chicago Bulls. Boston will be without their leader Kevin Garnett for the playoffs due to a knee injury that he sustained in the latter part of the season.

"It's not official that he's out for the entire playoffs, but it's official as far as I'm concerned," said head coach of the Celtics, Doc Rivers. "I just don't see how. I hope I'm wrong, but I just don't see it."

Garnett sprained the knee against the Utah Jazz on Feb. 19, missing the next month before returning for four games. He then re-aggravated the knee against the Orlando Magic while going for a rebound, causing Coach Rivers to make the decision to rest him for the remainder of the regular season, before the playoffs began.

The loss of Garnett should give the Bulls a better opportunity to upset the Celtics in the first round but they will need to play well every game and hope that either Ray Allen or Paul Pierce struggle throughout the series.

The match up between the Cleveland Cavaliers, who will have home court throughout the playoffs, and the Detroit Pistons, expect the Pistons to only win one game, if that. The Pistons made the mistake of trading the foundation of their team, Chauncey Billups, for a player that has known to not be much of a team player, Allen Iverson. The Pistons barely managed to squeeze into the playoffs and were rewarded with the right to play the Cavaliers without Iverson, who is out for the rest of the season with a back injury. This is going to be route so Detroit fans can expect to see more trades this off-season. Iverson is already rumored to be heading to Charlotte for a reunion with ex-head coach Larry Brown.

One of the more exciting match ups should be between the Orlando Magic and the Philadelphia 76ers. Orlando has been a powerhouse all season but the 76ers have a young core group of players that are known to give 100 percent every night, no matter the opponent. Last year the 76ers gave the Pistons a scare in the first round before losing in Game 6 of the series. Expect much of the same in this series, with Orlando barely making it to the next round.

The Miami Heat will be relying on the heroics of Dwayne Wade to beat the Atlanta Hawks. Wade will most likely need to score nearly 40 points per game and get nearly double digits in rebounds and assists. If Wade does not show signs of another Flash sighting, expect Atlanta to blowout the Heat in this series. Atlanta will most likely win and advance to the next round in 5 to 6 games unless Wade is able to pull off a miraculous performance and will his team to a victory.

That's it for this installment! Enjoy this weekend's games within the Eastern Conference.

Round 1 (West Edition)

The Lakers begin their quest for the 14th NBA Championship of their storied franchise against the legendary coach, Jerry Sloan and his Utah Jazz. The Lakers pulled away from the pack of playoff jockeying teams this season, winning the western conference by eleven games and once again entering as the favorite to represent the west in the NBA Finals.

The Utah Jazz have been inconsistent all season, enjoying long winning streaks but also suffering through lengthy losing streaks, one of these losing streaks coming at the end of the season, causing them to fall from fifth in the west to eighth and win the opportunity to play the Lakers in the first round. The Jazz do have a valid excuse for their short comings early this season because many of their players were missing in action due to various injuries. It was miraculous for them to even be in a position to capture the fifth seed. The collapse at the end of the season came when they had been playing very good basketball and had all of their players healthy.

"I think our players will come together and if the effort's not there, then we don't have much of a shot," said Jerry Sloan in an interview before the start of the series. "If you don't play hard, it doesn't make a difference who you're playing."

What was the reason for the collapse? The Jazz were unable to win on the road. Going into the playoffs they were an atrocious 15-26 on the road. Don't expect them to suddenly find the answer against the Los Angeles Lakers. The end of the road will quickly come for the Jazz. Expect this series to go to a Game 5 with the Lakers winning 4-1.

The #2 seeded Denver Nuggets will be facing the New Orleans Hornets in the first round. This series should be a thriller. Expect a lot of flash and high scoring games as these two teams can definitely light up the scoreboard. 

The Nuggets have been unable to make it out of the first round while Carmelo Anthony has been the face of the franchise but this team looks to be more dangerous than previous teams. They have better shooters: Billups, Smith, Kleiza, and Anthony have all had break out games and can take over the game with their scoring if they get hot. Denver's defense has also drastically improved. Chris "Birdman" Anderson is the 2nd ranked shot blocker in the league and he comes off the bench for the Nuggets. 

The Hornets key asset, Point Guard Chris Paul will need to take his game up a few notches for his team to have a shot at winning. In many ways, he will need to play the same roll that Dwayne Wade is playing for the Miami Heat, simply take over the game. In last season's playoffs, Paul was able to do just that and will his team to the Western Conference Finals before coming up short against the Lakers. Paul will need to average nearly a triple-double and also score nearly 30 points per game for the Hornets to have a shot at scoring enough to beat the Nuggets.

Expect to see the Nuggets advance to the second round. Their athleticism and scoring ability should be enough to catapult them to the next round. Their shooters are firing at all cylinders, their defense is continuing to get better, and they seem to lack the stretches in the game where they would make numerous bad decisions and give up easy points to their opponents. Billups's leadership has them looking like a legitimate contender this season. Carmelo Anthony will need to continue with his balanced all-around game and also become more efficient offensively for them to have a shot at making it to the NBA Finals.

The match up between the San Antonio Spurs and the Dallas Mavericks is interesting because it is not quite clear who will win the series. The Spurs have suffered numerous injuries this season to three big three: Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobli. The most recent blow they received was news of Ginobli's season-ending injury to an ankle that has bothered him all season since he had surgery on it in the off-season. Although the Spurs have added key pieces in Drew Gooden and Roger Mason Jr., it will still be up to Duncan and Parker to pull them through the playoffs.

The Mavericks on the other hand, played very well towards the end of the season, moving up to the #6 seed after being picked not to make the playoffs at All-Star break. Their hot streak leading into the playoffs could actually be the momentum they need to quickly disperse the Spurs and move into the 2nd round. Sports analysts do not feel confident that they will advance in the playoffs and it appears to be bothering the Mavs.

"It feels disrespectful when you watch these shows, TNT, ESPN, and they're talking, 'Walk through the Mavericks, that's who you want to play," Jason Terry said. "Ok. We'll see if that's who you want to play."

Unfortunately for Jason Terry and the Mavericks, even though they are hot heading into the playoffs, they are exactly who the Spurs want to play and who they will knock out of the playoffs in the first round. It is difficult to believe that the Spurs who are seeded #3 in the west, will lose in the first round. They have withstood the diversity throughout the season so expect them to get past the Mavericks and meet the Nuggets in the next round.

The final match up in the west involves the Houston Rockets and the Portland Trailblazers. The Blazers were able to move up to the fourth seed in the western conference but they are picked as the underdog to advance. The reason for being deemed the underdog? They are the youngest team in the playoffs and most of their players lack playoff experience. It will be up to Brandon Roy, to set the tone in the series for Portland and lead them past the Rockets.

The Rockets on the other hand, have had an up and down season. They lost Tracy McGrady to a knee injury after the All-Star break and yet they are still seeded fifth. Their defense and outside shooters to surround Yao Ming have enabled them to quietly surprise teams around the league and continue to win. 

In this match up, I'm going to pick the underdog to beat out the favorite. Portland has the younger team and lacks experience but they have played every game this season with tenacity and gave 100 percent. Roy will put this team on his back and carry them into the second round where they will lose to the Lakers in another exciting series.

That's all for this installment! Enjoy the playoffs and I will be back to go over the results of the first and and second games of the first round.

Will she pay it back?

After recording 112 consecutive double-doubles and leading her team to the Final Four during her senior year, Courtney Paris has made plans to pay back her $64,000 scholarship to the Oklahoma Sooners.

In a speech on senior night, Paris said, "When you're good enough and don't do something, then you have to take accountability for that and that's your own fault," Paris said last month. "We can win a national championship. If we don't, I'll feel like I didn't earn my scholarship."

Unfortunately for Paris and the Sooner faithful, the team fell short of winning a national championship, when Louisville shocked them in the semifinals last week. Paris has been known to be fearless when it comes to sharing her opinions but her enthusiastic promise to pay back every dime of her scholarship if the Sooners did not return to Norman, OK seemed to be a flighty expectation, even for her.

"I do make good on the guarantee," Paris said after the national semifinal game. "Not today, though. Obviously, I don't have $64,000 waiting, but I do make good on it."

Luckily for Paris, Oklahoma Athletic Director Joe Castiglione has refused to except Paris's scholarship money. "It's even more meaningful when someone who committed herself for four years to help her teammates become better, making that kind of symbolic gesture," Castiglione said. "But having said that, I don't know of anyone who has had any expectation whatsoever that we would accept the monetary aspect of that gesture."

On Apr. 7, the WNBA announced University of Tennessee Head Coach Pat Summitt as the recipient of the 2009 WNBA Inspiring Coach Award. Summitt was given the accolade because of her impact on female athletes across the country and her dedication and commitment to basketball, her family, and the Knoxville community.

"We are absolutely thrilled to honor Pat Summit for all of her professional accomplishments," said WNBA President Donna Orender. "On the court, she is an extraordinary coach who has won eight NCAA Championships and now holds the all-time record for most wins in NCAA history. But what is more important is that she leads with her heart and soul. Her commitment and dedication to the development of women's sports and her passion for inspiring young athletes to achieve their dreams has been a source of inspiration to us all."

Summit will be honored during the 2009 WNBA season. The date has not yet been announced.

Congratulations are due for the 2009 National Champion Connecticut Huskies. They beat Louisville 76-54 in Tuesday's championship game, finishing the season undefeated at 39-0. It was the third time one of Auriemma's teams has gone undefeated in a season.

That's it for this installment folks! Be sure to check back for final match ups in the NBA Playoffs and also a look at the WNBA Draft!

Final Hours (Women's Edition)

After North Carolina was crowned 2009 National Champions following last night's 89-72 win over Michigan State, it's the women's turn. Tonight the 38-0 top-seeded Connecticut Huskies will battle the #3 Louisville Cardinals at Scottrade Center in St. Louis, MO.

Much like last night's game with North Carolina and Michigan State, the Huskies will be undoubtedly favored to win. The question on everyone's mind is: by how many points will Connecticut win? In the two previous meetings between the Huskies and the Cardinals, UConn has walked out unphazed, winning by 28 and 39 points respectively. Did I mention that the Huskies are also 38-0? They have dominated all of their opponents this season, winning by double-digits in every game. Not an average of double-digits mind you, but by double-digits every single game.

"I think that's the key to our success all year," Moore said. "Not getting too wrapped up in being afraid of, 'What if we lose?' Just getting excited and showing up and playing UConn basketball for 40 minutes."

If UConn is able to defeat Louisville, it will mark the fifth time a team in Division I Women's Basketball, has gone undefeated for an entire season. It will also be the third time that a team under Huskies Head Coach Geno Auriemma has gone undefeated.

Louisville, on the otherhand, is hoping to cut UConn's reign as #1 all season short. The Cardinals have indeed played better since their last meeting against the Huskies in the Big East Championship title game, but it will be a large task and they will need to be near perfect to defeat UConn because the Connecticut program is not known to lose National Championship games.

Louisville Head Coach Jeff Walz had this to say about tonight's upcoming match up. "Motivation is not tough if you're honest with players," Walz said. "As for myself, it's going to be fun. There's no question UConn is the best team in the country. There's no doubt. What we have to do is find a way to play better for 40 minutes."

Hopefully, this game will come down to the wire. Fans will either witness the crowning of UConn as the National Champion for the sixth time in program history or the first championship for Louisville and the fall of Goliath.

Congratulations to the National Champion North Carolina Tar Heels! The Tar Heels were able to competely dismantle the Spartans last night in the hostile environment created by hometown Detroit fans. Now North Carolina Head Coach Roy Williams can only wait to see which of his players will stay for another season and make another run at a National Championship next year.

That's it for this installment! Check back for news on the 2009 Women's National Champion and information on UNC's title-defending roster for next season. Enjoy the game everyone!

Final Hours (Men's Edition)

After the smoke has cleared and the championship teams have been established for the Men's and NCAA tournament, it is now time to make a decision on who will walk away from tonight's game.

In the Men's championship game tonight, the favorite North Carolina Tar Heels will face off against the underdog and surprise finalist, Michigan St. Spartans. North Carolina who beat Villanova 83-69 on Saturday, has underachieved in the last few years but will have the opportunity to live up to the haughty standards that were cast upon them earlier this year. The Tar Heels were picked to go undefeated this season but when Ty Lawson went out with a bad big toe, many thought North Carolina's season was over. However, when Lawson returned, sporting a large amount of tape wrapped securely around his big toe, once again, fans and sports analysts hopped on the Tar Heel bandwagon. 

"You saw the articles and heard the talk and the whole bit after the 0-2 start and everybody complaining about [Lawson] wasn't as good," North Carolina Coach Roy Williams said. "He gets a lot of criticism after Tyrese Rice and Jeff Teague, but he doesn't have to take a backseat to anybody. He is tougher now mentally. He is tougher physically."

There is a reason for the rock star-ish hoopla surrounding this team. They bring to the court length, speed, power, athleticism, talent, and most of all, an understanding of the game of basketball. This team understands what they need to do on and off the court to win a championship. 

Michigan State on the other hand, was never a favorite to win the NCAA championship. Although they were seeded #2 going into the tournament, their advancement to tonight's game has come as a shock to most. Too bad they won't be an underdog to the large Detroit crowd that will undoubtedly be in attendance at Ford Field in Detroit. Michigan State will need to be running on full cylinders throughout the game as although they are talented, North Carolina did completely tear them apart offensively and defensively in their previous meeting earlier this season. The Spartans lost by 35 points in that Dec. 3rd match up.

In the last few months, Detroit, or rather, the state of Michigan has had very little to celebrate. Their mayor was impeached, their economy has fallen apart due to the loss of automotive jobs, and their crime has skyrocketed. Michigan State is hoping to not only win a championship but to also reenergize a city that has little to smile about.

"I think they kind of forget about the hard times," Walton said after the 82-73 win over Connecticut. "That's one thing we talked about is bringing hope to the city for a whole weekend. For the moment we were on that court and we won that game, people didn't think about what they were going through outside of this. They were just happy that we won and that they can continue to cheer for us on Monday."

Expect to see Michigan State's Ervin "Magic" Johnson screaming his heart out at the game tonight and maybe even North Carolina's Mr. Michael Jordan in attendance as well. Michigan State will definitely require some magic if they hope to get past the Tar Heels tonight. Enjoy the game everyone! That's all for this installment.

Losing Time, Players, & Money

After a tough season with the Detroit Pistons, it sounds as if future Hall of Famer, Allen Iverson is ready to call it quits. At the moment, the Pistons find themselves fighting to hold onto the 7th playoff spot in the Eastern conference. They are a 1/2 game ahead of the Chicago Bulls and only 2 games ahead of the Charlotte Bobcats who have been on a tear recently. Now with only 7 games left in the regular season, Iverson is stirring up more controversy stating, "I'd rather retire before I do this again," Iverson said. "I can't be effective playing this way. I'm not used to it. It's tough for me both mentally and physically. If I'm able to go out there, I should be able to get it done and I can't right now."

Iverson has been known to over-dramatize things over his career but after only 2 games of coming off the bench, it seems as if he was waiting for the opportunity to share his disgust with the idea of becoming a bench player. His complaints would have been valid but he initially voiced his unhappiness by addressing the lack of minutes he was receiving.

"Eighteen minutes, c'mon, man. I can play 18 minutes with my eyes closed, with a 100-pound truck on my back. That's a bad feeling," Iverson said, after a 79-73 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night.

Now only two days later, he changes his story and claims that he needs to start so that his back does not tighten up. The fact of the matter is, Iverson is not buying into the scheme presented by Head Coach of the Pistons, Michael Curry, and in his past, when Iverson did not agree with the coach, all parties involved usually suffered. General Manager Joe Dumars and Coach Curry will now be faced with the choice of making Iverson happy and having little to no shot of defeating Boston or Orlando in the first round of the playoffs, or dealing with a disgruntled Iverson which would better your chances of advancing in the playoffs but could cause Iverson to leave Detroit after one season. This Iverson distraction will definitely not make it any easier for the Pistons to hold onto the 7th seed.



The Boston Celtics have chose to shutdown Kevin Garnett for the remainder of the regular season. Garnett missed 13 games earlier this season due to a right knee injury and after making an attempt to return sooner than expected, Garnett has been forced to street clothes until the playoffs begin.

Boston Celtics Head Coach, Doc Rivers had this to say about his emotional leader's future, "He's not feeling great and we're just not going to take the chance," Rivers said. "A day of rest . . . it's more just the whole knee strain. We're just going to go day by day. I'd say that because we're sitting him down that we'd probably do it for more than one game. But I'm not sure yet."

Knowing Garnett, even if he had to play on one leg, he would play if it meant helping his team win another championship. He would also sit out for the remainder of the season if he felt he was hurting the Celtics. When you think of the words "teamwork" and "teammate" Garnett should immediately come to mind. It wouldn't hurt if Iverson took a few notes.



As the end of the season draws near, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers have emerged as favorites for this year's championship. Both have distanced themselves from the teams in their conference and look to be well tuned for the start of the playoffs at the end of the month. Match ups will most likely not be determined until the final week if not the final day of the regular season for the first round of the playoffs, but no matter the opponent, both teams should at least advance to the 2nd round. As for the rest of the teams, it is up in the air how the playoff picture will pan out and how far they will advance. Good luck to all those involved because they will need it.



That's it for this installment! Be sure to check back for an update on the Men's and Women's Final Four. Also, as the regular season comes to an end, we will analyze the first round match ups and discuss the possibilities of upsets occurring. Enjoy your day everyone!

Ladies Night

Two months after releasing the news of her pregnancy, women's basketball phenom, Candace Parker became the first woman to grace the cover of ESPN the Magazine in its relatively short 11 year publication history. Did I mention that she appeared 7 months pregnant, clutching her stomach as if it were a basketball she was showcasing to the world?

Parker made headlines late last year, when news of her elopement to long-time fiance, Sheldon Williams, who is a professional basketball player in the NBA for the Minnesota Timberwolves, leaked to the press. Many fans and former teammates where shocked by the news but were not surprised as Parker was expecting to travel to Russia to play overseas during the WNBA off-season and would undoubtedly have no other time to plan a big "dream" wedding. In January, with the official announcement of her pregnancy, fans and media outlets finally understood the motives for the elopement and an explosion of mixed reactions followed. Some argued that her pregnancy was selfish because she could possibly lose her endorsement deals and provide more negative press for the WNBA. Others fully supported Parker and were happy to hear the news.

WNBA commissioner Donna Orender had this to say about Candace's pregnancy, "It's a miracle of life, and it doesn't always happen on your time schedule. That's how it goes, you know? Parker will come back - and we'll have one more fan."

Head Coach of the Los Angeles Sparks Michael Cooper, was quite upset at the thought of losing his star player for the upcoming 2009 season, "Yeah, I cried when I got the news. We need her on the floor," he said. "Her game is truly like Kobe's. She has the moves, the action. She's slinky. Her hands are huge. She palm's a men's basketball."

Parker's expected due date is in early May and she hopes to make a full return by July, which would be in time for the playoffs. "I'm stubborn. I've been through knee, ankle, shoulder injuries. I feed off of doubt, people telling me I won't be able to come back. We'll see about that."

The Women's NCAA tournament kicked off this week, with 2 major upsets after the first two rounds, including #1 seed Duke's stunning 49-63 loss to #9 Michigan State University and#5 University of Tennessee's 55-71 loss to #12 Ball State. The most unexpected loss was Tennessee getting bounced in the first round, capping off the worst season in Tennessee Women's basketball history, in which Pat Summit's team went 22-11. One year ago, Candace Parker was leading Tennessee to the sweet 16 and eventually the 2008 National Championship. Those days are long gone for Coach Summit, who was often seen upset and frustrated with the lack of effort shown by her team on a consistent basis. She went so far as to take most of the team's luxuries away, including their gorgeous bright orange locker room.

"I thought we were tentative, maybe uptight," Summit said. "But you have to give credit where credit is due and that's to the Ball State basketball team. They had a lot more toughness. They beat us to loose balls. They made shots."

The lady volunteers entered this year's tournament with the lowest seed in the program's history but still with expectations to continue Summit's 42-0 record of leading her team past the first 2 rounds.

After weeks of speculation, longtime WNBA veteran, Tina Thompson finally signed a contract with the Los Angeles Sparks. Thompson will undoubtedly play a major role with Candace Parker expecting to miss the first 2 months of the 2009 season. On paper, the Sparks will once again be the favorites but like last season, they will need their guards to step up.

That's it for this installment. Expect to hear more on both sides of the NCAA tournament (Men's and Women's) and also more news on the NBA as the playoffs side draw nearer.

Playoff Push

As the end of the season quickly draws near, teams across the league are looking to improve upon their playoff positions and fine tune every aspect of their game. In the western conference, the Los Angeles Lakers have virtually clinched the number 1 spot, but the remaining 7 spots are still up for grabs. The San Antonio Spurs, who are in the second spot, and the Dallas Mavericks, who are currently holding strong to the eighth and final spot in the western conference, are separated by only 5 games, leaving a lot of space for teams to jockey for the remaining spots in between.

The Phoenix Suns, who have slowly inched their way closer to the Dallas Mavericks, currently sitting 3 & 1/2 games back, are on the outside looking in. The Mavericks have the tougher schedule between the two teams, but the Suns have been very inconsistent this year, especially since Amare Stoudemire went out with an eye injury, shortly after the All-Star break. With less than 15 games left in the season, the Suns will need a major collapse by the Mavericks and also a win in Dallas on Apr. 5th, when the two teams meet for the final time this season.

In the eastern conference, the Boston Celtics and the Orlando Magic are battling for the 2nd and 3rd spots, as Cleveland has made no plans to relinquish their hold on the top spot in the east. The race for the final spots in the east are not nearly as exciting as the race in the west but the fight for the eighth spot is providing much excitement. Lose 1 or 2 games in a row, and a team on the outside could capture your spot in the playoffs.

In other news around the league, the Houston Rockets have lost key reserve, Carl Landry, for at least 2 weeks, after Landry was shot in the leg following a win over the New Orleans Hornets on Tuesday. After going out to celebrate in Houston, a car hit Landry's SUV, forcing him to crash into a utility pole. Landry got out of the car to inspect the damages when the two occupants in the car fired two shots at him. Landry then fled from the scene, running from one of the shooters. In doing so, he was shot in the leg and fortunate to make it to an occupied home close to the scene.

"I could have been dead," Landry said. "The shooter was 10 yards or less away. I'm 6-9 and I had a bright shirt on. I don't know how he missed, but thank God he did and he hit the lower part of my leg."

As of now, Houston police have no leads on the suspects but hope to find the shooters in a timely matter. Landry is expected to make a full recovery and will be back to full-contact within the next week or two.

That's all for this installment! Not much going on in the league besides playoff position jockeying, but expect to hear much more news as the end of the season draws nearer, and we get a better idea of who will be in the playoffs and the possible 1st round match ups.

Feuds, Waivers, Suspensions

This week, Shaq and Coach Stan Van Gundy of the Orlando Magic traded heated words after the Phoenix Suns played the Magic. In what was quickly dubbed as the "Battle of the Supermans," Shaq and up and coming star Dwight Howard traded blows Tuesday night. Howard's team pulled out the win but Shaq, who is turning 37 on Mar. 6, held his own against the 21 year old in his fourth year out of high school. Shaq matched Howard's 21 point, 8 rebound, and 1 block effort with a 19 point, 11 rebound, and 2 block effort of his own. The controversy, according to Coach Stan Van Gundy, came with 4 minutes to go in the third quarter, when Shaq flopped, in an attempt to get the foul called on Howard, and Howard dunked on Shaq. After exchanging words with Shaq on the court, Coach Van Gundy proceeded to express his dissatisfaction with Shaq in his postgame press conference.

"I was shocked... and very disappointed," Van Gundy said with a straight face. "Let's stand up and play like men, and I think our guy did that tonight."

Shaq responded the next day by saying, "One thing I really despise is a frontrunner," O'Neal said Wednesday before the Suns' game in Miami. "I know for a fact he's a master of panic and when it gets time for his team to go into the postseason and do certain things, he will let them down because of his panic. I've been there before. I've played for him." He went on to call his former coach a nobody.

Coach Van Gundy responded today by apologizing for hurting Shaq's feelings. Hopefully, that will be the end of the drama between the two for the rest of the season. It seems everyone these days are taking shots at Shaquille.

After the team suspended him for Tuesday's loss, 100-95, against the Detroit Pistons, Denver Nuggets Forward Carmelo Anthony will be returning to the starting lineup tonight against the Portland Trailblazers. Anthony was suspended after Sunday's game against the Indiana Pacers because he refused to come out of the game when Nuggets Head Coach George Karl tried to send in a sub for him in the third quarter. Karl, although unhappy with the suspension, justified the decision by stating that Carmelo "crossed the line between passion and professionalism." Anthony disagreed with the suspension but agreed that he would put the entire situation behind him and learn from it.

Anthony's beef with the suspension makes sense as he had just started to heat up, hitting back to back shots. Karl needs to loosen his reigns on his superstar captain. In no way was Carmelo disrespectful nor did he put any of his teammates down, he simply felt he had the hot hand and wanted to keep the Nuggets in the game. Anthony's peers, Chris Paul, LeBron James, and Dwayne Wade would have been allowed to share their opinions with their coach and possibly make the decision if they wanted to stay in the game. The Nuggets went on to lose the game to the Pacers 100-94.

Teams across the league took another step in their preparation for the playoffs by signing players off waivers. The San Antonio Spurs signed Power Forward Drew Gooden, who should fit well in their system as he's a very good rebounder and defender. The Cleveland Cavaliers added Power Forward Joe Smith to their roster, hoping to gain another big man to include in their rotation after Ben Wallace was injured last week. The Miami Heat signed Point Guard Luther Head, surrounding Dwayne Wade with another 3-point shooter. The Phoenix Suns, in an attempt to make it into the playoffs and fill Amar'e Stoudemire's void, also made a key acquisition signing veteran Power Forward Stromile Swift, who should fit in very well with the uptempo style. It will be interesting to see which team benefits the most from the new signings and which teams stay the same or suffer.

That's it for this installment! Make sure to pay close attention to which teams are making moves in the rankings and possible matchups for the playoffs.

Retiring, Signing, Visiting

When fans of the NBA think of the pre-Dwayne Wade Miami Heat, it is virtually impossible not to think of Alonzo Mourning. Mourning spent 11 of his 15 years in the NBA playing for the Heat, averaging 17.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game. During his career, Mourning epitomized the word tenacity. He was known as a hard-nose defender, sacrificing his body to challenge every shot at the rim. His greatest contribution to the organization and city of Miami came in 2003, after he successfully fought a life-threatening kidney disease, focal segmental glomerular sclerosis (FSGS), requiring him to need a kidney transplant. After his successful recovery from the kidney transplant, Mourning went on to establish his charities, Alonzo Mourning Charities Inc. and Zo's Fund for Life. Zo's Fund for Life was created to raise funds for research, education, and testing for the disease. Mourning retired from the NBA on Jan. 22 as a member of the Miami Heat.

As a way to show their gratitude for all that Mourning has done for the Miami Heat organization and the Miami community, the Heat plan to retire his #33 jersey on Mar. 30, making Mourning the first to have his jersey retired in the history of the Miami Heat. Dwayne Wade had this to say about his former teammate, "If he can hold those tears back at that time, you're not human. It's fitting. You think of Miami, you think of Alonzo Mourning."

The Boston Celtics made news again this week in signings and suspensions. Last week, the Celtics signed free agent Mikki Moore and Stephon Marbury. Moore, a journey man in the NBA, having played for now his 9th team in his 10 year career, was signed to provide energy and veteran leadership off the bench. He will also be another big body for the Celtics to utilize in their quest to repeat last year's championship performance. Marbury was the more talked about addition to the Celtics. After, a tumultuous career with the New York Knicks, resulting in the buyout of his contract and subsequent signing with the Celtics. In his first game with Boston against the Indiana Pacers, Marbury dazzled the crowd, scoring 8 points in 13 minutes and igniting a key 16-4 run for Boston in the fourth quarter. Boston went on to win the game 104-99 and Paul Pierce had this to say about his new teammate, "[Marbury] really looked good for no practicing and just coming in and Coach throwing him into the fire. He's a guy who can make plays. He's a pretty good defender at the 1 and 2 and a guy who can knock down shots and get into the lane and find open people."

After news of his arrest for a misdemeanor driving under the influence (DUI), Gabe Pruitt was suspended for two games by the Celtics. Pruitt was arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department on Feb. 26 after failing a sobriety test. Pruitt rarely saw much time on the court prior to the offense, so expect him to be pushed even further down the bench since he's now undoubtedly in Head Coach Doc Rivers' doghouse.

After scoring 45 points in last Friday's 133-113 win over the Toronto Raptors, Shaquille O'Neal led the Phoenix Suns to a huge 118-111 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. O'Neal followed his 45 point night up with a 33 point performance against the Lakers. The win was much needed for the Suns, moving them 2 games behind Dallas for the final playoff spot in the West. Matt Barnes of Phoenix finished with 26 points and 10 rebounds, while Kobe Bryant finished with 49 points in the loss.

In a much anticipated appearance by President Barack Obama, the Washington Wizards had their best performance against the Chicago Bulls winning 113-90. President Obama relaxed in his court side seats, watching as the Wizards had eight players in double figures and quickly pull away from Obama's hometown Bulls in the third quarter. The Wizards should invite President Obama to more games, since it seems to inspire them to play better.

That's it for this installment. Expect to hear more reactions about Marbury's signing with the Celtics and a more in depth analysis into the possible playoff runs for the teams on the bubble. Also, we'll take a look at the upcoming conference tournaments in both Men's and Women's College basketball. Everyone enjoy the beginning of your week and stay safe!