Around the Association

Hoops fans, gather round the computer. It is time to travel around the greatest league in all of sports, the National Basketball Association:

---Yesterday was a very sad day in the NBA. Jerry Sloan, one of the greatest coaches in the history of the game and a true class act, suddenly resigned. The resignation of Sloan, who had coached the Utah Jazz for 23 exemplary seasons, was nothing short of shocking. Sloan may not have won a championship during his coaching career, but he is as good a coach as the league has ever seen. Whether it be the days of Stockton and Malone or the current era of Deron Williams, Sloan has coached his teams with astounding excellence and professionalism. He will be sorely missed.

---Rumors have surfaced that Deron Williams, the Jazz All-Star point guard and one of the league's elite players, is the man responsible for pushing Sloan out the door. Some believe that Williams' halftime altercation with Sloan during Wednesday's loss to the Chicago Bulls served as the event that triggered Sloan's decision to leave. Count me among those who do not buy the rumor that Deron Williams is to blame. There is no denying the fact that the Jazz have been a frustrating bunch in recent weeks, and their inconsistent play has indeed sparked tension in the locker room. However, both Sloan and Williams know not to let a halftime squabble lead to knee-jerk, emotional reactions. I believe Sloan left because he truly felt that it was time to leave, not because he had an argument with Deron Williams.

---In addition to Sloan, the Jazz will miss the presence of assistant coach Phil Johnson, who stepped down as well on Thursday. As Kenny Smith pointed out last night on TNT, Phil Johnson was synonymous with Jerry Sloan. Sloan and Johnson worked in tandem, and the Jazz will be hard-pressed to find a coaching duo as potent as Sloan-Johnson.

---I wish the best of luck to new head coach Tyrone Corbin, but he has to be as nervous as Charlie Sheen before a drug test. All eyes are on Salt Lake City right now, and Corbin will have to earn the trust of his players if the Jazz are to hold onto their playoff spot in the West.

---Speaking of which, I'm not too confident that Utah will be able to persevere and make the playoffs this season. The Jazz currently possess the seventh playoff spot in the West, but my guess is that the Blazers and Rockets will eclipse the Jazz to make the playoffs.

---The Carmelo Anthony trade rumors persist, and he has now been linked to another suitor: the Los Angeles Lakers. The two-time defending champs are denying the rumors, but a potential Carmelo to L.A. deal is immensely intriguing. If I'm Mitch Kupchak, I would make the trade for 'Melo in a heartbeat. Carmelo Anthony is one of the ten best players in the NBA, and a Kobe-Melo duo would be absolutely frightening for opposing teams. I just do not understand the Lakers' stubborn unwillingness to part ways with Andrew Bynum. Bynum, for my money, is one of the game's most overhyped players.

---However, I hate the Lakers, and I am desperately hoping that Melo does not land in Hollywood. Now back to our regularly scheduled, unbiased programming.

---The Spurs continue to dominate. Gregg Popovich's team is having a season for the ages, and nobody seems to be noticing. I'm sure the Spurs don't mind. That's just the way they like it. I expect Tony Parker, Manu Ginobli, Tim Duncan and company to be back in the NBA Finals this season.

---Congratulations to the great Ray Allen, who passed the great Reggie Miller last night to become the NBA's all time three-point leader. Allen is a first-ballot Hall of Famer who continues to perform at a startlingly high level.

---My thoughts and prayers are with the Cleveland Cavaliers. I feel absolutely terrible for Byron Scott's team, whose historic 26-game losing streak has put them at a stunningly bad 8 wins and 45 losses. Here's hoping the Cavs start winning soon. The fans and the franchise deserve better.

---What Kevin Love is doing in Minnesota is amazing. The T'Wolves are terrible, but Love is absolutely brilliant, averaging 15-plus boards a game. Kudos to Commissioner Stern for appointing Love to the All-Star Game. It would have been a crying shame if Love hadn't made the team.

---I will end with an observation regarding LeBron James and the Miami Heat. Yes, they are playing fantastic basketball. However, I still stand behind my belief that they will be unable to defeat the Boston Celtics come playoff time.

Around the Association

Don't worry football fans, TJB's Sports Universe will have round-the-clock Super Bowl coverage all next week. But now, its' time to travel around the National Basketball Association:



---What a spectacular showdown between two of the game's greats last night in Miami. LeBron James and Dwayne Wade delivered a thrilling game of anything you can do I can do better, as King James' Cavs ultimately prevailed.

---As LeBron showed last night and in the win against Kobe and the Lakers last Thursday, he is the best basketball player on the planet. James has even improved at the free throw line. Once his Achilles Heel, LeBron now is a confident shooter at the charity stripe, draining two clutch free throws in the final seconds of last night's win over the Heat.

---The Chris Bosh-Andrew Bynum trade rumors are gaining steam. Now it goes without saying that Chris Bosh is far superior to Bynum. But ironically enough, I don't like this trade for the Lakers. Bosh may be the better player, but Bynum is the better fit in Phil Jackson's system. Should Bosh arrive in Los Angeles, you would see an ego clash between Bosh and Pau Gasol at the forward position.

---This proposed trade makes perfect sense for the Raptors, however. Giving up Bosh is going to be tough, but his exit from Toronto has always been inevitable. For the rebuilding Raptors, adding the long-term potential of Bynum would be a wise move.

---Tremendous point made by the great San Francisco Chronicle sports columnist Bruce Jenkins, who argued in a recent column that the banning of card games on team flights is a gross overreaction. In the wake of the Gilbert Arenas gun fiasco in Washington, many teams are banning card games on their flights. As Jenkins brilliantly and eloquently stated in his column, such a decision could derail team chemistry. Activities such as card games build camaraderie within a team. It is not smart to take that away.

---I'm all for letting the fans have a say in the All-Star voting process, but the millions of fans who elected Allen Iverson a starter in the Eastern Conference ought to have their heads examined.

---The All-Star reserves are announced on Thursday, and I have a couple of demands: 1)Jamal Crawford must make the All-Star team in the East for his exemplary performance this season with the Hawks, and 2)Aaron Brooks must make the All-Star team in the West for his exemplary performance this season with the Rockets. There are other immensely deserving candidates in both conferences, namely Gerald Wallace, David Lee, Monta Ellis, Zach Randolph, Chris Kaman, and Carl Landry, but Crawford and Brooks are the two players that deserve it most.

---Here's an interesting question: If the Warriors and Blazers suited up to play each other tonight, would there be enough healthy bodies to finish the game? Both Golden State and Portland have been plagued with injuries this season, as crucial players such as Monta Ellis, Andris Biedrins, Brandon Roy, Travis Outlaw, Greg Oden, Ronny Turiaf, and Kelenna Azubuike have all missed extended amounts of time.

---I have been resisting this notion all season long, but I now believe it to be true: The 2010 New Jersey Nets are the worst team in NBA history. The Nets' historically bad season was best exemplified by Keyon Dooling's unintentionally hilarious interview following New Jersey's blowout road loss to the Jazz last week. When asked if this was one of the toughest road trips he has ever had to endure as a pro, Dooling shot back: "Man, this is the worst road trip of my life!"

---And finally, if you are an NBA GM and are looking to take a lightning fast point guard in this year's draft, I suggest you take a look at Wake Forest's Ish Smith. Watching last week's Wake Forest-North Carolina game, I was startled by Smith's electrifying speed and athleticism. Very Ty Lawson-esque.

(1/27/2010: After writing this appreciation on Ish Smith, I realized I had omitted another outstanding college basketball point guard: South Carolina's Devan Downey. Downey is an incredible talent with star potential in the NBA, potential that he flashed in South Carolina's stunning upset over top-ranked Kentucky.)

Around the Association

Alright hoops fans, gather round the computer. It's time to go around the Association:

---The start of Blake Griffin's NBA career has been eerily Oden-esque. The Clippers had hoped for months that their number one draft pick would make a full recovery, but Griffin will have season-ending surgery on his left knee cap. Thus, Blake's rookie season has ended without him even stepping on the court during an NBA game. So sad.

---It was a terrible week for the Los Angeles Clippers. In addition to the Blake Griffin news, the Clips were forced to evacuate FedEx Forum in Memphis as the fire alarm went off in the third quarter of Tuesday's Clippers-Grizzlies game. It made for one of the most bizarre scenes in recent sports history.

---There were a couple of breathtaking buzzer-beaters this week in the NBA. On Thursday night in Salt Lake City, Jazz rookie Sundiata Gaines stunned LeBron and the Cavs with a game-winning three as time expired. On Friday night, Hawks' guard Jamal Crawford drained a deep, buzzer-beating three to shock Steve Nash and the Suns.

---The Gaines game-winner may be the moment of the year so far in the NBA. Two weeks ago, Sundiata Gaines was toiling away in the obscurity of the D-League. Gaines entered Thursday's game on the back-end of a 10-day contract with the Jazz, with only one practice under his belt. He received playing time from Jerry Sloan only because Deron Williams was injured. Gaines made the most of his opportunity, taking over in the fourth quarter and becoming the hero for Utah. Call it a hunch, but something tells me Sundiata Gaines is here to stay in the NBA.

---Jamal Crawford, meanwhile, is the most underrated player in the NBA. The most underrated argument is a tricky one, as you could easily make a case for Brandon Roy, Monta Ellis, Tony Parker, Kevin Durant, Rajon Rondo, David Lee, Joe Johnson, and Chris Kaman, to name a few deserving candidates. But for my money, no player gets overlooked more than Jamal Crawford, one of the most dangerous offensive threats in the league. Crawford has a Kobe-like ability to to go on an offensive tear in crunch time, and he is a major reason why the Atlanta Hawks should be taken seriously as title contenders.

---What the heck has happened to the Orlando Magic? Yes, Orlando is a very good team that has the capability to make a deep run into the playoffs. But the defending Eastern Conference champs have looked awfully sluggish this season, a trait that was painfully evident in last night's blowout loss to Portland. Two players deserve the brunt of blame here: Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson. When Nelson plays at full health, he is one of the best point guards in the league. Sadly, Jameer has been plagued with injuries for the last two seasons, and that has led to a noticeable decline in play. As much as I like Anthony Johnson and Jason Williams, neither player is able to fill the void left by Nelson, and that has been a big problem for the Magic. However, the biggest concern regards Dwight "Superman" Howard.

---Dwight Howard is the best center in the the game, and he is a double-double lock every time he steps onto the hardwood. Still, Howard has come nowhere close to fulfilling his potential. This is a testament to Howard's greatness, yes, but it is also a sign of complacency. Defensively, there isn't much to criticize. Offensively, though, Dwight needs to become far more assertive. There are moments when Howard appears timid on the offensive end, and that has to change if the Magic want to re-enter the championship conversation.

---It was only a matter of time before the San Antonio Spurs re-gained their championship swagger. An inexplicable loss to the Bobcats notwithstanding, Gregg Popovich's team has looked fantastic in recent games, including a dominating win over the Lakers. A big part of the Spurs success has been rookie DeJuan Blair. Blair belongs in the rookie of the year mix, alongside Sacramento guard Tyreke Evans, Sacramento forward Omri Casspi, Golden State guard Stephen Curry, and Milwaukee guard Brandon Jennings.

---A player who is a member of the "Guys Who Look Like Couch Potatoes But Win Fans Over With Their Inspired Play" team: Celtics forward Brian Scalabrine. Watching Thursday night's Bulls-Celtics game, I was struck by how much Boston fans love this guy. Their adulation for Scalabrine is easy to understand. He looks like a guy who constantly snacks on Lays potato chips, but he dives after every loose ball, and isn't afraid to let it fly from behind the perimeter. You can't help but root for a player who plays with such a winning energy.

---The Lakers and Cavaliers square off in Cleveland this Thursday night, and I am giddy with excitement. Any time LeBron can prove to the sports world that he is the best player in the league, I'm in. That sound you hear? It's the sound of angry Lakers fans screaming at their computers.

---This just in: The New Jersey Nets are 15-point underdogs to the All-NBA Over-60 team. Sure, guys like Jerry West, Julius Erving, and Walt Frazier may be getting up their in age, but does anybody doubt that they would be able to have their way with the historically awful Nets? I didn't think so.

---And finally, if you have a decent jump shot and are tired of your day job, call Don Nelson. The injury-plagued Warriors could surely use your help.

Around the Association

Hoops fans gather round the computer. It's time to travel around the association:

---Wow. The Lakers only played with effort for one quarter against the Jazz on Wednesday night, and they still got a blowout victory. As much as it pains me, there is no denying it: Phil Jackson's team is unstoppable right now.

---Still, isn't it about time the Lakers start playing on the road? Kobe and company have only played four road games thus far.

---I will be in attendance at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on December 29th when my Warriors take on the Lakers, and I will be all decked out in my Warriors gear. I fear a blowout loss, but I desperately hope that we can stun the Purple and Gold. Go Warriors! Beat L.A.!

---Remember when Brandon Jennings was the runaway favorite for rookie of the year? That seems like ancient history now, as the Bucks guard has cooled off recently. Now the favorite for rookie of the year is Sacramento point guard Tyreke Evans. Evans' inspired play and steady leadership have made the Kings a pleasant early-season surprise in the West.

---Another rookie to watch: Utah's Wesley Matthews. The Jazz signed Matthews as an undrafted free agent, and he has proven to be a key contributor for Jerry Sloan's team.

---Magic coach Stan Van Gundy is denying the rumors that there is any tension between he and Rashard Lewis. While the rumors may very well be entirely false, they do pose some cause for concern for Magic fans. As evidenced by his clash with Marcin Gortat last season, Stan Van Gundy's boisterous, outspoken coaching style doesn't sit well with some players.

---My goodness, the Cavs looked awful this week. They rebounded with a home win over Portland on Friday night, but LeBron and company looked inexcusably sluggish in losses to the Grizzlies and Rockets. Maybe they were too busy taking dance lessons from LeBron.

---I don't mean to spoil Allen Iverson's honeymoon return to the Sixers, but the recent play of the Memphis Grizzlies show why A.I. can be poison to a locker room. With all the distractions that The Answer brought to Memphis, the Grizzlies were one of the worst teams in the league. Now that A.I. has departed, Lionel Hollins' team is playing with a newfound sense of freedom, and they are showing significant signs of improvement.

---A sign of the weakness of the Eastern Conference: If the season ended today, the Charlotte Bobcats would be in the playoffs. That's right, the same Bobcats team who struggles to put up 80 points, the same Bobcats team that relies entirely on Gerald Wallace and Stephen Jackson-----those same Bobcats would be in the playoffs if the season ended today. They would meet the Celtics in what would be the most lopsided playoff series in NBA history.

---Speaking of the Celtics, congratulations to Ray Allen for becoming a part of an exclusive list of players that have scored 2,000 career points. Allen, one of the best shooters the league has ever seen, is a consummate professional and a class act, and he deserves the respect and admiration of every basketball fan.

---Blazers G.M. Kevin Pritchard continues to publicly voice support, confidence, and optimism regarding Greg Oden, but that is simply a disguise. Deep down, Pritchard has to harbor deep-seated disappointment regarding Oden's failure in the NBA.

---I'll end with some words of advice for Dirk Nowitzki, who sported a headband in Tuesday's game against the Suns: Never repeat that look. Spare our eyes of that fashion faux pas.

Around the Association

Hoops fans gather round the computer. Lets go around the association:

---After a stellar start to the season, the Phoenix Suns looked like a junior varsity high school team this week, enduring two embarrassing blowout defeats at the hands of the Knicks and Cavaliers. The loss to an awful New York team was especially discouraging, as the Suns made Mike D'Antoni's Knicks look like the Mike D'Antoni Suns teams of old. the loss at Cleveland was slightly less disheartening, simply because the Cavs are a formidable opponent. Still, Phoenix was under the thirty-point mark at halftime, and they looked overmatched against an elite team, something that does not bode will for a team that hopes to make some noise in the playoffs.

---Big win for the Boston Celtics last night in San Antonio. The Celtics have lacked that championship swagger in recent weeks, but they were a team on a mission last night. The Spurs, meanwhile, failed in a crucial barometer game, and their sluggish start to the season continues.

---The one bright spot last night for San Antonio was rookie DeJuan Blair. Blair had a monster game, and he is turning out to be the unquestionable steal of the draft. Last year, Hasheem Thabeet was touted as a much better NBA investment than Blair. Now, Blair is the player who has had the bigger impact. While the rookie of the year race is likely to center around Milwaukee's Brandon Jennings, Golden State's Stephen Curry, and Sacramento's Tyreke Evans, Blair belongs in the conversation.

---I hate the Lakers, but my goodness do they look good. The Lakers had such a dominant week, with laughers against the Warriors and Hornets, that Adam Morrison received a lot of playing time. When Phil Jackson is willing to let Morrison take the court, you know the game is out of hand.

---Just when we were willing to count the Rockets out, they flexed their muscles and exhibited their incredible resiliency. Last night's win at the Warriors, a crushing game for this Warriors fan, showed the grit that defines Rick Adelman's team. Trailing by 10 in the final minutes of regulation, Aaron Brooks and Luis Scola willed their team to a comeback win. The injuries may eventually bury the Rockets, but if their season somehow derails, it will not be because of lack of effort.

---LeBron James says that the odds of him participating in this year's Slam Dunk contest at All-Star weekend in Dallas are 50-50. Here's hoping that King James brings his incredible athleticism to the dunk spectacle.

---Allen Iverson was teary-eyed in his press conference the other day, expressing gratitude to the Sixers organization for bringing him back. I don't deny the fact that Iverson's emotions were genuine, but I wouldn't be surprised if in three months, A.I. once again returns to his unhappy, whiny ways.

---Regardless of my feelings for A.I., one thing is clear: He is a first-ballot Hall-of Famer. There is no question about that.

---All is not well in Portland. The Blazers have looked lethargic in three straight losses to the Grizzlies, Jazz, and Heat. One of the problems in Portland right now is the point guard dilemma between Andre Miller and Steve Blake. For my money, Miller is the much better player and a much better fit in Nate McMillan's system. But for some reasons beyond my comprehension, the Blazers are fond of Blake. This uncertainty at the point guard position will cause immense friction and could possibly wreck the Blazers' hopes of making a run in the playoffs. It's time for McMillan and GM Kevin Pritchard to make a decision.

---TNT unveiled the nominees for best playoff dunk of the decade last night. With all due respect to LeBron James, Tracy McGrady, and Shaquille O'Neal, the playoff dunk of the decade came from Baron Davis. B.D's emphatic slam over a helpless Andrei Kirilenko in Game 3 of the Warriors-Jazz series in 2007 was one for the ages. As a diehard Warriors fan, Davis' dunk remains one of my all-time favorite sports moments.

---And finally, if you are looking for some basketball literature this Christmas, you can't go wrong with Bill Simmons' "The Book of Basketball" or Jackie MacMullan's "When the Game was Ours", which chronicles the dominance of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. Simmons and MacMullan are two of the most brilliant NBA voices of all-time, and I can't wait to read both books.

Around the Association

My NBA power rankings are taking a week off, and will return next week. Right now, though, lets go around the association:

---What more do the Atlanta Hawks need to do to be considered an elite team? Last Friday's convincing defeat of the Boston Celtics in Boston served as proof that the Hawks have emerged as a legitimate power in the East. Josh Smith is having far and away the best season of his career, Joe Johnson is proving himself to be one of the most underrated players in the league, and Jamal Crawford continues to dazzle with his scoring ability. And I haven't even mentioned Marvin Williams, Al Horford, Mike Bibby, or Zaza Pechulia, all of whom are key contributors. Mike Woodson's team is the most athletic in the league, and they will be a force to be reckoned with come playoff time.

---That was an ugly loss for LeBron and the Cavs in Washington on Wednesday night. Granted, it came on the back end of a back-to-back, but Cleveland looked disturbingly lifeless in the second half, getting run out of the building by Flip Saunder's Wizards. If the Cavs want to be taken seriously as a championship contender, then they must show more energy and consistency on a nightly basis.

---On the flipside, it was a big win for the struggling Wizards. Gilbert Arenas played well, and Antawn Jamison looked sharp in his first game back from injury. However, the MVP of that game was Earl Boykins. Boykins is proof that small guys can indeed thrive in the NBA. He has so much talent, and he plays with so much heart. To this day, Boykins remains one of my all-time favorite Golden State Warriors. I'm happy to see him thriving in Washington.

---I hate the Lakers, but there is no denying it: They looked scary-good last night against the Bulls. Pau Gasol looked spectacular in his season debut, Kobe Bryant was lights-out, and Ron Artest had perhaps his best game as a member of the Purple and Gold.

---The Spurs, meanwhile, are floundering. I know they always get off to slow starts, and I realize that they have been bombarded with injuries to Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli. Still, their 4-6 start has been extremely disappointing. I picked Gregg Popovich's team to win the West, but I become less confident in that prediction with each passing game. Get it together, San Antonio!

---The Jazz benefited from the Spurs' woes last night in San Antonio, making history in the process. Last night's victory in San Antonio was the first time in ten years that the Jazz have beaten the Spurs in the Alamo City. The Jazz were buoyed by the superb play of Deron Williams and Paul Millsap, and perhaps last night's win will be the win that will finally get Utah out of its' road funk.

---Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith both gave a fascinating dissection of Bulls G Derrick Rose's game last night on "Inside the NBA". Barkley and Smith noted Rose's obvious talent and athleticism, but they remarked on his below-average shooting skills. If Rose wants to permanently establish himself as an elite point guard in the NBA, he needs to become a better jump-shooter.

---Nice to see J.R. Smith back with the Nuggets. In his return last Friday against the Lakers, a game Denver dominated, Smith showed his outstanding scoring ability, but he also showed his maturation at the defensive end. While Smith should not yet be classified as a lockdown defender, George Karl has to be thrilled with the progress that Smith has made on defense.

---Okay New Jersey Nets, the time is now. If you don't beat the lowly Knicks on Saturday to capture your first win of the season, you may not win a game this season.

---Encouraging win for my Warriors last night. We are severely shorthanded, but we still found a way to dismantle a very good Portland Blazers team. Monta Ellis had his best game of the year, Stephen Curry showed why he deserves more playing time, and Anthony Morrow delivered another lights-out, brilliant shooting performance.

---Coach Doc Rivers has expressed disappointment in the recent play of his Boston Celtics, and I don't blame him. For my money, the C's still remain the favorite in the East, but they suffered their second sluggish home loss in the span of one week last night against the Orlando Magic.

---LeBron James says that he plans on changing his number from 23 to 6 next season as a nod of respect to Michael Jordan. King James says that M.J.'s number 23 should be retired by the NBA out of deference to the greatest player of all-time. This is an admirable, genuine gesture by LeBron, but it is not a good idea. While Michael Jordan is indeed the best player to have ever stepped on the basketball court, he is not the player who had the most culturally significant impact on the game. If David Stern were to retire Jordan's number, he would also have to retire the numbers of Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabaar, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird, players who arguably left an even bigger mark on the game of basketball than His Airness.

---There is also something fundamentally misguided about LeBron's idea. If LeBron really wants to honor M.J., shouldn't he play the rest of his career with the number 23? That way he would be honoring Jordan with his greatness on the court. As Larry Bird recently said on "The Dan Patrick Show", he loves to see today's players wearing his number and has no interest in seeing it be retired.

---I was saddened by the news of Kareem Abdul-Jabaar's leukemia diagnosis, but I am also hopeful. Kareem is a champion in all aspects of life, and here's hoping he will be able to overcome this latest battle.