Williams, Durant, Zito, and random observations on the wonderful world of sports

In the words of the great San Francisco Chronicle sports columnist Scott Ostler, here are my deep thoughts, cheap shots, and bon mots:



---With all due respect to Chris Paul, Steve Nash, Chauncey Billups, Jason Kidd, and Rajon Rondo, Deron Williams is the best point guard in basketball. D-Will has exhibited consistent brilliance this season for the surging Jazz, a big reason why Utah will be a tough out come playoff time.



---Speaking of the Jazz, aren't they glad they didn't trade Carlos Boozer? Without Boozer, Utah would have no legitimate big man to challenge the likes of Bynum and Nene out West come playoff time. By keeping Boozer, and pairing him with the superb Paul Millsap, Jerry Sloan's team is a smart dark horse pick to win the West.



---Last night on "Inside the NBA", E.J., Kenny, Sir Charles, and Chris Webber had a fascinating discussion about the frustrating inconsistency of the Los Angeles Lakers. Talent wise, the Lakers tower over the rest of the league. With Kobe, Gasol, Bynum, Odom, Fisher, Artest, Farmar, and Brown, the Lakers have eight players who are capable of going off for a double-double on any given night. On paper, L.A. should be even more dominant than they actually are. But they occasionally play with a careless sense of entitlement, and their laziness could very well prevent them from repeating as champs. This complacency was painfully evident in last night's loss to Dwayne Wade and the Heat.



---The NBA MVP award belongs to LeBron James. That is an undeniable fact. After King James, though, there are a handful of candidates that many consider to be runner-up in the MVP race. For me, it's not much of a debate as to who should come in number two. With all due respect to Carmelo Anthony and Kobe Bryant, the runner-up is clearly Kevin Durant. K.D. may very well be the most prolific scorer in the NBA, and he is the biggest reason why the Oklahoma City Thunder should be taken seriously come playoff time.



---Great article from Chris Ballard in this week's Sports Illustrated on the battles between Reggie Miller and the Indiana Pacers and Patrick Ewing and the New York Knicks in the 1990's. Ballard's article shows why the NBA is the best league.



---The baseball season is fast approaching, and I am giddy with excitement. I can't wait for my beloved Orange and Black to commence their regular season. But the San Francisco Giants don't have to wait until Opening Day to make some headlines. In Yesterday's Spring Training opener against the Brewers, Barry Zito drilled Prince Fielder in retaliation for Fielder's foolish home-run celebration against the Giants last year. One could argue the merit of retaliation in the game of baseball, but Zito did what he needed to do. He sent a message and protected his players. Job well done.



---You can look for my comprehensive preview of all 30 MLB teams in my season preview, coming to a computer near you in a couple of weeks.



---March Madness is right around the corner, and the parity in college hoops this year is bound to make for one of the most exciting tourneys in recent memory. It's any one's guess as to who will be cutting down the nets in Indianapolis, but as of today, my money is on Syracuse.

---With stars like Wes Johnson and Andy Rautins, Jim Boeheim's team is a good bet to make the Final Four.

---Today was the first day in NFL free agency, and several key players (Julius Peppers, Brandon Marshall) changed sceneries. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Wake me up in September. Look, I love football just as much as the next guy, and I will pay attention to the NFL Draft in April. But right now, basketball and baseball deserve the spotlight. Until September, football should remain on the down-low.

--And finally, I have succumbed to the temptations of 21st Century technology. I now have a twitter page, and you can follow me at twitter.com/tjb1121.