Hawks Soar over Miami

Jamal Crawford found his perfect fit and loves playing in Atlanta. Joe Johnson rips 30 points, he’s averaging 30.3 points in his last three games. The Hawks hold the best record in the league at 10-2 after this win. Miami takes their second loss in a row and slip to 7-5. Dwyane Wade was held to a measly 15 points tonight, he’s currently averaging 28.9 points a game.  Both Horford and Josh Smith for Atlanta had double -doubles. The win marks the sixth straight for the Hawks.

In other ball news, the New Jersey Nets suffer their 12th loss tonight, they have yet to win a game all season. Their star guard, Devin Harris is still out with a groin injury. The Milwaukee Bucks moved on to 6-3 after defeating the Nets, 85-99. Jennings tallied 19 points and 8 assists, while Chris Douglas-Roberts erupted for 31 points and 10 boards for New Jersey.

Dated: Nov, 18, 2009

No Surprises

The first strokes of the ‘09 NBA season have taken place and the true colors of each team is beginning to unveil. The disappointments and surprises have been soaked by the sports press. The injuries have surfaced throughout the league to leave holes in numerous rosters. The stars have shined harder than ever and the praised rookies are living up to the standards. This young season can easily be cut down into sections to help defy what this season has brought forth. Here’s the first set of what was expected this season.

The Lakers (7-0) and Celtics (8-1) both hold the finest records in the league.

It’s no surprise to see last season’s NBA finalists back to where they left off. The Lakers have all collectively played their part to help put together an undefeated record to this day. Players like Ariza and Farmar are the pride of the Lakers bench. Bryant is quietly averaging around 25 points and 5 boards a game and no one is complaining because the team is clearly unstoppable. The Lakers have taken down Houston, Dallas and most importantly, New Orleans tonight. Boston hasn’t seen the roughest schedule yet, and their 16 point loss to Indiana wasn’t pretty. Paul Pierce, who’s been playing with a sprained hand the past week, sunk the game winner against a 6-0 Atlanta team tonight to silence any doubters. 

New Jersey, OKC and Washington share a combined record of 4-17.

What can be said here, these team’s lack another trade or two before they see any differences for the year. The Wizards avoided an 0-6 record behind Butler’s 27 points tonight, but their need of Arenas is tremendous. It’s good to see the NJ Nets give out free tickets to their unemployed set of fans, maybe it will encourage a couple of individuals to give the NBA a shot after watching their team get smacked around the league nightly. The only ring of lighting coming from Oklahoma City is the numbers both Jeff Green and Kevin Durant.

 

LeBron James, Chris Paul and Dwight Howard are league leaders.

After somewhat of a slow start, James has emerged as the league’s leading scorer, averaging 29.8 points a night. He’s also bringing down 8.4 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game for the Cavs. Chris Paul’s unlimited trail of double-doubles will never see an end. Chris can score the ball and dishing out an assist is seems effortless when watching him orchestrate. Paul is averaging a career-high, 21.3 points, 11.7 assists, 3.3 steals and 5.2 rebounds per game. Dwight recorded a triple double tonight for the Magic, 30 points, 19 rebounds and 10 blocks, yeah, ten. Howard is averaging 23 points a night, along with 14.4 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game. 

Anticipated rookies living up to hype.

Number one pick, Derrick Rose leads his team in assists with 5.3, while putting up 18.8 points a night. Rose exploded for 26 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists in his last game against Atlanta. Beasley’s the team’s second leading scorer with 16.7 ppg., respectively behind DWade. Michael appears to be comfortable as Wade’s sidekick and reliability for when it comes to scoring the ball. He’s also averaging 6.3 boards per game. My personal favorite rookie, Rudy Fernandez is a 23-year-old menace for the Blazers on both sides of the ball. The Spaniard is logging healthy playing time coming off the bench and has held the best composure out of all the rookies. Tonight, Rudy scored 25 points along with 2 steals, 2 assists, 3 boards and a block. All under 29 minutes. O.J. Mayo can’t stop scoring the ball, he’s now averaging 21 points per game. His teammate and rookie, Marc Gasol is also another machine for Memphis, averaging 10.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. 

Wednesday Dimes

Bullets for Wednesday, Oct. 30th, 2008

• Kevin Love’s NBA debut: 18 min., 12 points (5/8), 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks and a steal. Efficiency? check.
• Dalembert lead the league in boards tonight with 17. Chris Bosh scored 27 points behind 4 assists and 11 rebounds, while helping his Raptors win 95-84. Philly’s leading scorer tonight? Lou Williams with 16. So much for Brand’s debut.
• Udonis Haslem, Dwyane Wade, Shawn Marion and rookie, Mario Chalmers all had respectful performances for Miami tonight. Second round pick, Michael Beasley struggled, shooting 4/14 for 9 points. 
• The Knicks swung their uppercut tonight against Miami though, the reckless jacker, Jamal Crawford was on tonight and we all know when he’s on, he’s on. Jamal had 29 points, shooting 9/19. Players such as David Lee, Wilson Chandler, NateRob and Zach Randolph put forth an amazing effort to make D’Antoni a winner in his New York debut.
• Danny Granger is blossoming. 33 points, 5 rebounds. The team isn’t quite there yet, Indy lost 94-100 to Detroit.
• As expected, Phoenix and San Antonio shared a close game tonight. Duncan looked flawless. Parker started off slow, scoring his first points in the second quarter, but both players had 32 points tonight. 
• Shaquille O’Neal went 5-8 from the free-throw line tonight, that hack-a-shaq strategy will never fade. 15 points, 13 boards and 2 blocks for the Big Cactus though. Nashy also proved he hasn’t slipped a step, 13 points and assists.
• Hornets slipped past the Warriors tonight. Without Monta Ellis, both Maggette and Jackson shared most of the scoring, while Biedrins put up 12 points and 14 rebounds.
• CP3’s line- 21 points, 11 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 steals. Oh, and a block. 
• Main concern for Mayo? Shot selection. O.J. shot 5/20 tonight, ouch. Marc Gasol put work tonight though, 12 points, 12 rebounds and 2 blocks.
• Lakers out-rebounded the Clippers 51 to 32. Baron Davis was electric in the first quarter in front of his Grandmama, but the Lakers easily slowed all the Clipper hype down immediately after the first quarter, 117-79.

Division Previews: Southeast

Southeast Division

The Overview

A division that was ruled with frustration last season. For Washington, the annoyance of various injuries preventing the team from building the court chemistry. For Miami, the unbelievable inability to win games, with or without Wade. For Charlotte, the failure too show any signs of a breakout season since their debut back in ‘04. The division also had its shares of respected dominance at times, with Orlando putting up a 52-30 record and become the third seed in the playoffs. The Gilbert-less Wizards held their own against LeBron’s Cavaliers, before getting eliminated. And after landing the final eighth seed in the playoffs, the Hawks put a vicious scare to the number one-seeded Celtics, in a series that lasted seven games. Excluding Miami, the division didn’t undergo any monumental changes in each of the teams as the others did, leading to roughly similar results this season.

The Ranks

1. Orlando Magic
2. Washington Wizards
3. Charlotte Bobcats
4. Miami Heat
5. Atlanta Hawks

 

The Previews

1. Orlando Magic (52-30)

The Magic shocked the division with their excellent adjustment to Rashard Lewis’ game. The move gave them 12 more wins compared to their previous season. For Orlando, their offense just seemed limitless with the wing attack coming from Hedo Turkoglu, Lewis, and Bogans. Turkoglu shined amazingly for Orlando, winning the Most Improved Player Award behind 19.5 points, 5.0 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game last season. Turkoglu didn’t miss a single game last season, his clutch game-winners and leadership brought together this talented crew. Dwight Howard became a stronger headache for any opposing head coach to get around. Howard led the league in rebounding with 14.2 boards a night. He statistically improved his game in every department, from points to steals. Dooling and Evans have left the team but Orlando quickly responded by upgrading the roster with defensive maestro, Mickael Peitrus and the experienced Anthony Johnson. The Magic are a much better team in every aspect this season then they ever were in 12 years.

Finals Odds: 67%

Player Spotlight: Keith Bogans

Keith Bogans, the 27-year-old graduate from Kentucky University, first kicked off his professional career in Orlando. The steady 6′5” guard has been in the league for five years without brushing any erractic attention. His solid game doesn’t glow towards anything specific, unless you want to count his perimeter instinct for the jumper. After his rookie year in Orlando, Bogans was traded to Charlotte, then Houston, before landing back in Orlando in 2006. In his last two seasons with his familiar team, Keith has provided a substantial role as a respected bench player for the Magic. Last season, he pumped his stat line up a bit, with 8.7 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. Though his career high averaged are held in Charlotte during the franchise’s first season, it’s much more appreciated here in Orlando, with the talented set of players he’s around. With the Magic not doing anything major to their shooting guard spot this off season, Bogans should receive more playing time around J.J. Redick and newcomers, Jeremy Richardson and Courtney Lee.

Why they will be NBA Champions.

The Orlando Magic are packed with respected leadership and clutch play behind players, Turkoglu, Lewis and Howard. Their strong, 52-30 record last season screamed to the league the amount of talent and athleticism this team holds. Even without a stellar shooting guard, Orlando can spread the floor with the best of them, while also being able to dominate in the paint. The Magic have a current unique force to the league that remains unmatched.

Why they won’t be NBA Champions.

Unless you count Hedo Turkoglu, the Magic lack post-season experience and big time play. They currently have the players to build on that, but last season’s 1-4 series exit to Detroit explained their weakness. The Magic continue to be slapped in the post season with either an early exit or no entrance at all. Though last season marked their second consecutive playoff year in a row, the Magic haven’t been in the playoffs before that since 2003 (the McGrady era). They will have extreme difficulty when matched up against teams such as the Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

 

2. Washington Wizards (43-39)

In a season that was left for dead without Arenas, the Wizards pulled together to become one of the most solid teams of the season. Behind Antawn Jamison and Butler’s comeback from injury, the Wizards made strong punches for a deep finish. Stevenson took his dip into publicity by lashing out against LeBron James while jacking numerous three-pointers throughout the season. As expected, Gilbert Arenas came back in time for the playoffs but sat out for the rest of the season after four games, leaving Washington out-numbered in their first round exit against the Cavaliers. Washington didn’t really make any noticeable moves over the summer, besides picking up their drafted rookie, JaVale McGee, a 7-footer from Nevada. Washington didn’t really need any moves anyway, for their roster is well-set for a convincing championship push. Now, if only this team can do the same they did last season until early January, when Arenas returns.

Finals Odds: 40%

Player Spotlight: Andray Blatche

Blatche is a player that has had his own unique journey into the NBA. Declaring himself for the draft straight from high school in 2005, Blatche got the lucky opportunity to play for Washington, after being selected as the 49th pick. Andray then went on to miss the team training camp when he was shot in a carjacking. Luckily, he recovered successfully and had a chance to play for the Wizards as a rookie. His 6′11” stature as a forward has great upside potential. Since he was straight from high school, at one point, Washington had him spend some time in the NBDL. Blatche returned to the Wizards to play for most the season. Last season, Blatch hit career highs in his stats, averaging 7.5 ppg. compared to his 3.7 from the previous season. The injuries in Washington caused Blatche to receive more playing time. He also participated in all 82 games of the season for the Wizards. With such great size, Andray may see more minutes this upcoming season playing different positions.

Why they will be NBA Champions.

The Wizards highly praise themselves as one of the division’s top elite teams when healthy. Without a question, that statement has its substance. Their big three consisting of Butler, Jamison and Arenas is a dangerous bunch to deal with, on both sides of the ball. With confident companions in Stevenson and Nick Young, while also supplied by a solid set of front court players led by Brandan Haywood. The 31-year-old, Jamison just had one of his best seasons, averaging 21.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. Butler showed promise after coming back from his hand and hip injuries. With Arenas’ comeback scheduled to be some time in early 2009, the Wizards will have time for the big three to get comfortable before attacking in the post season.

Why they won’t be NBA Champions.

While claiming to be one of the division’s top elite teams when healthy, the Wizards have a problem being healthy. Arenas played a career-low, 13 total games last season. Butler’s explosive play led him to miss a total of 43 games in his last two seasons. Their reliable player remains in Antawn Jamison who was present for 79 games last season, while putting up great stats. It’s terrific that players like Juan Dixon and DerMarr Johnson are added into the roster for the season, but they won’t be enough. The Wizards need Arenas to make a strong comeback from injury without suffering another knee injury. Besides Butler, Washington also lacks defense, something that’s critical in this league for a team to even glance at gold.

 

3. Charlotte Bobcats (32-50)

They underwent another struggling season, this time behind their  head coach, Sam Vincent.  This season they come into the season with what is hopefully a vintage Larry Brown. Jason Richardson, individually, had an impressive year for Charlotte, averaging 21.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. The explosive, yet injury prone, Gerald Wallace managed to show up for 62 games last season, his presence has been impacting for Charlotte every game. This upcoming season, the Bobcats haven’t made any moves to stir up the division. With Earl Boykins’ short stint in Charlotte over, the Bobcats went and drafted Texas guard, D.J. Augistin to help back up Raymond Felton. Emeka Okafor is still in Charlotte progressing a reliable center, averaging 13.8 points and 10.7 rebounds last season. The this team is silently talented, but still lack their ability to get together for strong strings of wins for a playoff spot.

Finals Odds: 32%

Player Spotlight: Raymond Felton

The former Tar Heel has been a stud for Charlotte ever since he was drafted. Felton crawled into the starting line-up during his rookie season and has been the team’s default point guard since. His on-court leadership along with unmatchable quickness has put him in the drivers seat for Charlotte’s maturation. Ever since being drafted, Felton has become the perfect recipe for Charlotte’s explosive and high-octane offense. His praise is hurt by the team’s difficulty in stacking up wins. Still, once Charlotte becomes a competitive playoff team, (which could be sooner than you think) Felton will become a fan-favorite guard that possesses a game many envy.

Why they will be NBA Champions.

Ever since their debut back in 2004, the Bobcats have been progressing each year to before a true force in their division. This season could give Charlotte fans something to enjoy. The Bobcats are becoming more and more of a complete team as years go by. This year could prove out to be a successful one for the franchise. The Bobcats carry extreme talent in Gerald Wallace, Emeka Okafor, Jason Richardson and Raymond Felton. It’s almost a crime to see this team drop to last in their division with this squad. The Bobcats just need a playoff spot before they grind out upsets.

Why they won’t be NBA Champions.

Though there’s talent all around, the Bobcats are still short one player and one or two role players before winning anything major. Charlotte desperately needs a stronger scoring threat inside, Okafor’s 13.8 ppg. just isn’t enough. This team needs to build chemistry and develop a respectable character in the league to atleast scare any of the elites in their division. 

 

4. Miami Heat (15-67)

The Miami Heat couldn’t do anything right to win games in 2008. Losing Wade for 31 games really did it to the team, Miami couldn’t even win game with Dwyane suited up either. The Wade-less team made losing a habit, with L’s across the calendar. In December, they notched just 3 total wins for the month, not to mention their 15-game losing streak that carried on into January. The team was a mess without their leader, the scoring was so divided that Wade ended up having the most points for the team, despite playing 51 games. Losing Udonis Haslem for more than half the season, didn’t help either. With a season-worst record of 15-67, Miami turned in their 2nd overall draft pick for Michael Beasley. The moves Miami made this summer can’t do anything but make fans exciting for what’s ahead. Of course, Beasley will make his mark, but the main stories down in Miami include Dwyane Wade’s resurgence from injury and the team’s commitment to win. Dywane Wade’s olympic performance was nothing less than epic, Wade looked relentless when scoring the ball. With the addition of Jamaal Magloire, Miami fixed their post for the most part. Alongside Wade and Marion, rookies Chalmers and Beasley will make significant changes to the team’s overall attack, making this one of the most interesting teams coming into the season.

Finals Odds: 35%

Player Spotlight: Deaquan Cook

Last season rookie, Deaquan Cook came into the league after being formally drafted by Philadelphia before getting traded for Jason Smith. With the absence of Dwyane Wade into his first season with Miami, Cook was given healthy playing time at 24.3 minutes per game. With his great size at 6′5”, Cook explored different parts of his game in the league, shooting threes and taking the ball inside. His play resulted in 19 starts in the 58 games he participated in. Cook ended up averaging 8.9 points alongside 3 rebounds per game. He also had his career high (23 points) against the Clippers back in March. With Dwyane Wade, Beasley and Marion headlining the 2009 season, Cook will look to squeeze himself into the line up with his proficient play.

Why they will be NBA Champions.

Rewind back two seasons ago, Miami were 2006 NBA Champions. Sure, this championship race isn’t solely based on experience and recent events, but Dwyane Wade’s performance blinded us as they went on to uppercut Dallas in the Finals. Though the team did also have Shaquille O’Neal, Shaq’s dominat presence can be backed up statisically, with the players they have now. Another point being, Dwyane Wade’s play this summer proved he’s much better than he was ever before. Wade’s explosive play can lead any team in the league and push them for a run. Hopefully no body forgot about his rookie year, where the 22-year-old Wade dragged his team alongside Eddie Jones and Odom to a close semifinals series. The Heat are an aspiring young group, surrounded by hope and dedication.

Why they won’t be NBA Champions.

While the Heat are expanding and upgrading their roster, they still lack the most important positions in the game, a point guard and a center. Dwyane and Marion can’t single-handledly bring gold for Miami either. The Heat still lack a blockbuster trade that would put them in a serious conversation relating to the NBA Finals. The absence of Shaquille O’Neal and Alonzo Mourning is deadly felt for Miami, they’re need of a physical presence will continue to hurt them also.

 

5. Atlanta Hawks (37-45)

The Hawks were running with a 22-29 record heading into the break, their acquisition of Michael Bibby in a trade developed more character behind a team that’s been in the shadow. Under a whole different offensive scheme, Michael Bibby and the Hawks meshed together to produce a 15-17 record after the trade. The move slipped them into the last seed in the playoffs, resulting in some unparalleled noise against the current NBA Champions, Boston. Bibby who was undergoing thumb, heel and quad injuries, tallied 16.1 points and 6.6 assists per game with Atlanta. Childress left the team to play overseas, but there are plenty of players ready to fill his spot, though his unique play will be missed by some. They’ve added some size with Randolph Morris, and some isolated scoring with Maurice Evans and Ronald Murray. Working out a contract to keep Josh Smith away from places like Philadelphia was tremendous. Atlanta’s roster is exploding with firepower while lacking veterans. Still, their ‘08 campaign only brought them closer to becoming a seriously competitive team this season.

Finals Odds: 32%

Player Spotlight: Marvin Williams

Williams progressed beautifully last season with the Hawks. The lengthy, 6′9” forward, started all 80 games he participated in for Atlanta, showing promise and consistency. Williams also stretched his crafty, all-around game, having better stats in every department besides assists. His 5.7 rebounds per game tremendously helped the Hawks in the front court, alongside young teammates, Josh Smith and Al Horford. Heading into his fourth season with the Hawks, Marvin should continue to expand his game along with his stats. His position on the starting roster continues to be guaranteed and with Bibby on the starting line-up for a full season, Williams should receive the same amount of looks, if not more than what he had with Anthony Johnson has the point guard. 

Why they will be NBA Champions.

The Hawks surprised the NBA when they squeezed a seven-game series against the Boston Celtics in the first round. The Hawks slid into the playoffs as the eighth seed and looked like a 4th seed when facing the top-seeded Boston. Their underdog praise grew immensely as they weren’t phased by the big three. Their re-signing of Josh Smith will prove out to help them for many years to come. 30-year-old Bibby hasn’t lost any part of his game and his leadership will be soaked by Atlanta as the long season begins. The real rookie of the year, Al Horford had an impressive first year and will develop to become a true menace around the boards. If things go as they expect, the Hawks should find themselves in a more comfortable seed and will have the opportunity to go great lengths in the post season. 

Why they won’t be NBA Champions.

The Hawks haven’t won a Championship since 1958, back then when they had Bob Petit and Cliff Hagan. Fifty years later they’re roster is once again composed of young and very talented players. Atlanta horribly lacks veterans. Besides Bibby, Joe Johnson and Speedy Claxton, this group is one of the youngest on the floor. The Hawks have a good set of offensive weapons but also need to put more emphasis on their defense. Horford is a ridiculously tough and physical player, but he solely can’t bring Atlanta the presence they need down low.

Heat Flashbacks

Injuries, turnovers and no long range shot have been the only negatives surrounding Dwyane Wade’s game. Banging out a championship season alongside Shaq for Miami back in ‘06 immediately put his name alongside many greats. Wade’s killer instinct was never rattled before heading into the the playoffs in 2006, averaging 28.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game before hoisting that Larry O’Brien Trophy above his head. Sure, being accompanied by O’Neal draws forth questions regarding whether DWade could ever lead a team so far, but never forget his rookie campaign. Dwyane’s rookie season has it’s longevity, teammates such as Eddie Jones and Lamar Odom stood still with their season on the line, as the 22-year-old flew by Baron Davis and tear-dropped a game winner during a critical playoff game against the Hornets. His name then became the hottest topic in any basketball talk with his ridiculous composure and clutch play after that season.

MJ comparisons settled, as they usually do when a ball player dazzles in the big stage and brings home victories like Michael would. This satisfaction has become a natural necessity to common basketball fans who are thirsty for relative greatness all over again. Due to Wade’s decline flogged by injuries, Bryant has become the leading candidate for the MJ comparison, with much respect. Such talk is no where close to what Wade has been trying to accomplish, which is bringing home more rings while creating his own legacy.

The legacy couldn’t of been written with a better introduction, but the last few pages have been something to forget. The 2008 Olympics have been the perfect stage for redemption, when people called USA the “Redeem Team” the nickname is represented best whenever Dwyane steps on to the court. Coming off the bench while still being the team’s second leading scorer has proven Wade’s comeback to the game of basketball. Dwyane Wade’s game has notably improved in all parts and most importantly his slashing explosiveness is definitely still there.

Think Jay-Z or the man behind #45. Just like both of them, Dwyane Wade has never left us, he’s always been there, the significant amount of missed games have left us the impression that he was gone. But check, www.miamiheat.com for the use of any evidence. Dwyane remains the same, but this time with stronger cuts, haircuts and dunks.

USA vs. Lithuania Recap

Young Summer

Both Michael Beasley and Derrick Rose made their debut against each other in a summer league game between the Heat and the Bulls. As expected, Beasley came out with victorious behind his stats and in the win column. Behind a 94-70 win, Beasley backed his expected rookie value with 28 points and 9 boards in 22 minutes. Derrick Rose put up 10 points along with 4 assists in 28 minutes. Though the competition wasn’t grade-A, Beasley held his own against NBA minute-grabbers, Joakim Noah and Tyrus Thomas. The real stage will be set when these two meet up during the regular season. We’ll most likely be blessed with this game on national tv.

Freshmen Headlines

Thursday night was a night filled with immense headlines and changes for the League. After soaking in all of the decisions by each team for several hours, I felt I couldn’t pick a better time to write this up ’til after the following blockbuster trade which took place a little pass 1 a.m.

T’Wolves receive Kevin Love, Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal and Jason Collins from the Grizzlies for O.J. Mayo, Marko Jaric, Antoine Walker and Greg Buckner.

After all the lights were turned off at MSG, Wolves GM Kevin McHale rolled up his sleeves and made the moves necessary to bring more skill to the front court, along with a stronger perimeter shooter in Mike Miller. The Grizzlies finally bring home the desired O.J. Mayo to create a congested backcourt with guards, Kyle Lowry, Javaris Crittenton and Mike Conley. The deal turns out to work for both teams equally.

The Grizzlies back court will face tension in the minutes that are to be spread from the guards. The loss of Juan Carlos Navarro, with his decision to leave the team and play overseas and Mike Miller’s departure due to the trade help out the cause. The production from the back court is not the factor to worry about for Memphis now,

the back court does become the question though. With the loss of Pau Gasol in their infamous trade, Memphis is left with Darko Milicic (7ppg., 6rpg.), Hakim Warrick (11ppg., 4rpg.), Kwame Brown. The execution to get Mayo define GM, Chris Wallace’s obsession to have Mayo on the roster. It is now up to Wallace to put forth one or two moves to add help to the front court.

The Timberwolves, on the other hand are a developing team with a healthy line-up. O.J. Mayo would’ve done nothing but give this teams a solid 10 to 15 more wins then last season. But the acquirement of Kevin Love helps stretch the length of this young team. Alongside, Al Jefferson (21ppg., 11rpg., 1.5bpg.) and Ryan Gomes (12.6ppg., 5.8rpg.), and Craig Smith (9.4ppg., 4.6rpg.), Kevin Love is surrounded by plenty of young big-men that have been in his position not too long ago, to help relate. Love fell into a comfortable spot to express his game for this team that’s exploding with potential. The guard position wasn’t hurt either Thursday night, even after losing Mayo. With Foye and Telfair coming back, along with the selection of Mario Chalmers, McHale is upgrading smoothly after the loss of KG.

With the #1 Draft pick, the Chicago Bulls select guard, Derrick Rose from the University of Memphis.

Not a soul was a surprised with this pick. The only reason this pick drew questions was due to Chicago’s mass amount of effective guards. The list includes, Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon, Larry Hughes, Chris Duhon, Thabo Sefolosha, JamesOn Curry, and Shannon Brown. There is no mystery as to why the Bulls chose Rose, the best guard in the draft. But, passing on Michael Beasley, the best player in the draft causes talk. Derrick Rose’s playmaking ability will be Chicago’s reasoning throughout the season as many will compare the two. Rose has a tremendous amount of pressure in his rookie season, anything less than stellar will be held against him and the organization’s decision-making. Derrick Rose’s talents are unexplainable for his position, his career will be put to the test right off the bat in his hometown. Many will think the Bulls are senseless in drafting another guard, but they see elements in Rose that most don’t understand. It is still extremely early in the off-season to assume this will be the final roster for Chicago. With their amusing stack of guards, expect their chase after a big time player down low. Rose’s presence will help turn this franchise around in a matter of 1-3 years, if you’re a Bulls fan, prepare for a set of grateful years ahead.

Miami overcomes all the rumors and selects Michael Beasley with their second pick.

Everyone was fed with abundant talks of Riley desperately trying to nab an explosive guard from the draft or a big time player like Elton Brand. It is still questionable whether Pat Riley and the Heat will stick through with this decision of Beasley and not push for a trade. It is still obvious the Heat want to make another significant push for a guard this off-season. Miami fans can only hope it doesn’t involve Beasley. Drafting Michael Beasley masked Miami as one of the smartest teams in the Draft by not letting Beasley drop on Minnesota or Seattle’s lap.

It’s been said many times on this page and it’ll be repeated, Michael Beasley is the best player in this Draft. Michael Beasley brings forth size, strength, jumping ability, quickness and scoring. His left-handed stroke is the essence of his shooting ability. He can pretty much get by defenders at will with his strong triple-step jab moves. Accompany that with an unbelievably soft touch around the basket with both hands and you have yourself a prime time scorer. It is only a matter of time before his name is mentioned in the same category as Carmelo, McGrady and Pierce.

New York Knicks draft Danilo Gallinari with their 6th overall pick in the Draft.

This decision has D’Antoni written all over it from top to bottom. The 6′9”, 212 pound Italian will be sporting a Knicks jersey to being his career in the US, with a great deal of pressure behind him. Gallinari is only 19 years of age but is said to contain all the maturity. Though his body is steps away from being on the NBA level, Gallanari is a consistent shooter with plenty of range. Danilo can become a scoring threat for the Knicks a few years from now with his numerous intangibles. Scouts also say the Italian is a crafty shooter with a knack for scoring the basketball, while also being able to sell a foul call like Ginobili. Danilo Gallinari may not be the perfect for the Knicks just yet, but as the years go through he’ll become a fan favorite once his weapons expand along with his age.

Sacramento makes the bold move in selecting Jason Thompson with their 12th pick.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you, hence the words on the last entry,

“…and please don’t sleep on Jason Thompson. Just don’t.”

I wasn’t at all surprised with Sacramento’s decision to grab what they feel is the right player for the team. Jason Thompson, a 6′11”, 21-year old power forward from Rider University was the best kept secret in the draft. The late bloomer has great fluidity in his footwork and a nice set of low post moves. He’s also a quality defender, something necessary for Sacramento to help Artest.

After drafting Arizona’s Jerryd Bayless, Indiana trades away Bayless and Diogu for Portland’s Brandon Rush, Jarrett Jack and Josh McRoberts.

This column has extreme love for Jerryd Bayless. So when the news struck that Bayless was traded to Portland, this immediately turned into a headline. It would’ve certainly been nice to see Bayless turn into a quick NBA start and plump his stats in the traditional basketball place of Indiana, but teaming up with Brandon Roy isn’t bad for an NBA career. Bayless has one of the best pull up jumpers in the game, along with amazing body control, it will be a treat for Portland fans to see this team blossum with Oden coming back next season. The following trade for Indiana made it evident that their primary guard, Jamaal Tinsley is going to be shipped out of Indiana.

New Jersey Nets draft Brook Lopez, eying LeBron, Wade or Bosh in their Brooklyn future?

After trading away a fundamentally skilled Richard Jefferson, the New Jersey Nets received Bobby Simmons, Yi Jianlian and the Bucks draft pick which turned out to be an obvious steal with the acquisition of Brook Lopez. The key theory of this trade for the Nets isn’t focused towards Yi Jianlian’s potential, but the amount of salary cap relief he’ll bring to the Nets in 2010, which is when DWade, ‘Bron and Bosh might be available. The main attraction for the Nets organization would be bringing LeBron to Brooklyn. Such a move would explode the Nets fan base for several years.

Philadelphia drafts Marreese Speights from the University of Florida.

Philadelphia’s choice of Speights was no surprise. I’m incredibly proud of Philadelphia’s decision this year with this one. It looks like Stefanski is a GM with a head on his shoulders, who’s trying to work this team out to be completely successful in every area. The 6′10”, 250 pound forward has a wingspan that could potentially allow him to be a situational center for the Sixers. Speights has a good offensive attack, can work beautifully off pick-and-rolls and brings the adrenaline of Joakim Noah or Reggie Evans, whom the Sixers already posses. Adding another player like this only upgrades the bangers down low for Philly to get dirty.

Off The Wall

The 2008 NBA Draft is only two days away and the mock drafts are mostly in dead set print. Though the top 3 picks are nowhere close to being 100% accurately reassuring, most expert analysts are sticking close to what they already have, which reads, Derrick Rose to Chicago, Michael Beasley to Miami and O.J. Mayo to Minnesota. But let’s spice things up a bit and fall deep into the black hole of NBA rumors that evolve daily.

Feeling the Heat?

The first batch of news that struck my eye effectively was from Miami. It appears as though Shawn Marion will end up being a Miami Heat for the 08-09 season which remains as a huge athletic plus for the Heat. After a pathetic season, resulting in a 15-67 record and a 2nd overall draft pick for Thursday, it appears as though Pat Riley is willing to give away his 2nd draft pick to teams such as the Grizzlies, Clippers, Sonics and the Timberwolves. Apparently the Heat are trying to land a young guard or some sort of a big man with a presence. Something you can’t blame the Heat for, with players like Mark Blount, Chris Quinn and vets like Jason Williams, ‘Zo Mourning who don’t have an assuring time line on how long they’ll be sporting the red and black.

What puzzles me is the near possible chance of Riley’s Miami Heat passing on Michael Beasley, the best player in the 2008 Draft. Yeah, it will take a few, 20 games or so before Beasley gets his feet wet in the NBA, but Michael Beasley has unrealistic intangibles and is a unique player many GM’s would drool over. The mix of athleticism mashed together between Dwyane Wade, Shawn Marion and Michael Beasley could become unmatchable. Players will be able to spread the floor and score the ball more efficiently and quickly than average NBA teams. Yeah, the ironing out of a true point guard to run this squad is a task that would come into affect but it’s a case that’s easier to solve than trying to find another legit big-man in the NBA.

With the league runned by quick, explosive guards and swingmen, it would only be good vibrations for Miami to settle down with the pick they earned after canning the rest of the season with Dwyane getting “fit for the Olympics.” Sure, there’s a brief understanding as to why Riley craved Rose in the Draft but trading away the 2nd pick (aka Beasley) isn’t the best answer. Again, sources include Miami is making the 2nd pick availible to teams with high picks to bring home a young solid guard, along with a 3rd, 4th or 5th pick, to then grab a big guy. All of this, which has its own understanding to it, but doesn’t fall under gaping nor relevant success.

Jermaine O’Neal & Chris Bosh for ‘09?

Chris Bosh already headlines the Toronto Raptors after gripping on the to the leadership role that VC left vacant a few years ago. But the strong rumors screaming J.O. could positively end up in Toronto alongside C4 are eye-gazing. Two, lost-post bangers with all the tools needed down low. And for all those saying, J.O. lost it, you lost your mind. After pulling through eight years in Indiana, 29-year-old, Jermaine O’Neal hasn’t missed a beat in his game and a season in Toronto can help prove this fact.

If this trade were to go through as implied, T.J. Ford and Nesterovic would both be shipped to the Pacers, leaving Toronto with Calderon, who’s proven-out to be a much better overall point guard than T.J. Ford will ever be. Calderon, a 26-year-old guard from Spain has a much better sense of the game, carries vision and perimeter shooting over Ford. While humbly obeying the sequence of time before getting the rotation and expressing his skill, Calderon simply out-balled T.J. Ford out of Toronto. This resulted in Ford’s refusal to play back-up for the Raps, leaving his future elsewhere in the League.

Game Changers

Out of the 60 ball players to be chosen Thursday night, there will only be a set few who will make a definite difference for teams in their rookie year. It’s evident that the first three picks, consisting of Rose, Beasley and Mayo will have their own respectable impact for their struggling teams, but let’s turn face towards other names that will keep the league buzzing.

Whether he’s top 5 or top 10, Jerryd Bayless has the proper tools to make a difference for whatever team he plays for. Top quality for this dude is boldly his scoring presence. Bayless also brings forth an NBA body figure (no homo) to keep himself above water when being matched up with other defensive stoppers.

Secondly, Brook Lopez is one of the few big-men in this draft that has a good-set of moves down low while carrying his 7 foot size. Lopez carries a great understanding of the game and what he has to do to get the ball in the basket for a forty minutes. There are many teams in the league in need of a big man like Lopez, and most likely it’ll have Lopez in good position to have a notable affect on whichever team he plays for.

Another player that have scouts raving is the swingman from West Virginia, Joe Alexander. The 6′8” forward plays the game with high intensity while being able to shoot the ball well. Alexander has the ability to do many things on the floor and his height is only an added feature to what this guy can already bring to the court.

Danilo Gallinari from Italy is said to be a lengthy 6′9” forward version of a Many Ginobili. That’s probably saying too much obviously, but his workouts have yet to prove comparisons wrong. It’s been said that Gallinari has been getting his over in Italy and now it’s time to mix it up with what the NBA has to offer. Other names I don’t want to leave include, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love, Darrell Arthur, Mario Chalmers and please don’t sleep on Jason Thompson. Just don’t.