NBA Midseason Report

The All-Star break is upon us, as we get ready for some scintillating dunks and major star power this weekend in Phoenix. But first, allow me to take a look back at the first half of the 2008-2009 NBA season, as well as look forward to the upcoming playoff push.

TOP 3 MVP CANDIDATES

1. LeBron James: The best player in the game now has a stellar cast around him, and the Cavs have their sights set on a championship.
2. Dwight Howard: They call him Superman for a reason. The best big man in basketball is an astonishing talent with a Shaq-size personality.
3. Chauncey Billups: Certainly, the Nuggets were already a good team before the Billups-Iverson trade, but Billups has made Denver a viable threat in the West.

TOP 5 TEAMS

1. Los Angeles Lakers: As faithful readers already know, I am not a Kobe fan, as evidenced by his absence on my MVP list. However, much to my dismay, the Lakers are the best team in the league right now. Andrew Bynum's injury makes it much tougher on L.A., but if Lamar Odom continues to play with the same unstoppable intensity that he displayed in Cleveland this past Sunday, Phil Jackson's team are the favorites in the West.
2. Boston Celtics: This has been one streaky team, but the reigning champs are still my pick to win the East. The Big 3 has continued their brilliant play, but it has been the unexpected productivity of the bench, led by Glen Davis and Eddie House, that has kept the Celtics amongst the elite teams in the NBA.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers: Boston should definitely be worried about the Cavs, however. King James has found his wingman in Mo Williams, and it is mighty difficult to beat Mike Brown's team at Quicken Loans Arena.
4. San Antonio Spurs: The veteran Spurs are just gliding along, as they always do in the regular season. But come playoff time, Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobli, and surprise performer Roger Mason will be back in the championship discussion.
5. Orlando Magic: When Jameer Nelson went down, you could almost hear the air being sucked out of Amway Arena. However, The Celtics and Cavaliers cannot afford to overlook this very dangerous team.

THE BOTTOM FIVE

1. Sacramento Kings: Firing coach Reggie Theus only a few months into the season was laughable, as if he was the problem. The Kings have talent in the likes of Kevin Martin and Francisco Garcia, but this is a dismal team far removed from the Chris Webber/Vlade Divac glory days.
2. Memphis Grizzlies: Much like the Kings, firing coach Marc Iavaroni was an idiotic decision. Judging by the Iavaroni dismissal, and last year's baffling Pau Gasol trade, it looks like the front office for the Grizz has no interest in winning.
3. Los Angeles Clippers: Oh, Donald Sterling, how the hell do you still have a job? The Clips have a loyal fan base, but they remain a laughingstock.
4. Oklahoma City Thunder: The Thunder have a dismal record, and they are years away from from being a winning franchise. However, they have far more talent and play with far more heart than any of the above three teams, with a budding star in Kevin Durant.
5. Washington Wizards: I saw this team in person last month when they were in Oakland to take on my beloved Warriors. They looked about as lifeless as a CPR dummy. Antawn Jamison and DeShaun Stevenson provide the occasional spark, but the Wizards are once again struggling without Agent Zero.

The Storyline to watch in the second half.................................

The fate of Amare: It appears that Steve Kerr has every intention of trading away Amare Stoudamire. First of all, this would be a disastrous move by the Suns, completely eliminating their already questionable chances of making the playoffs. Stoudamire is one of the game's finest talents, and shipping him away would be one of the ten dumbest moves in NBA history. But if he is going to be traded, what teams would benfit most from his arrival? Surely, if Amare were to land in Cleveland alongside LeBron, the Cavs have to be considered the obvious frontrunners in the East. But I'd say the Detroit Pistons are the team most in need of Amare Stoudamire. The Allen Iverson trade has not worked out well for the Pistons, and Michael Curry's team has looked surprisingly flat at The Palace of Auburn Hills, a place that used provide a spectacular home court advantage for Detroit. If Joe Dumars acquires Stoudamire, Detroit is once again in the championship hunt.

The Marion-O'Neal trade: Today, the Miami Heat sent Shawn Marion to Toronto in exchange for Jermaine O'Neal. Erik Spoelstra's Heat are an infinitely better team than the disappointing Raptors, and Dwayne Wade and Jermaine O'Neal will make for a potent duo if O'Neal can stay healthy. Then again, so do Shawn Marion and Chris Bosh. The trade is a win for the Heat, but I think the Raptors will start to play better basketball with Bosh and Marion running the show.

And just for fun, here are predictions for tomorrow night's festivities: Kapono 3-peats in the three-point shootout, Joe Johnson wins H.O.R.S.E., and Dwight Howard repeats as Slam Dunk champion. On Sunday night, look for the East to squeak by the West.