After leading the Denver Nuggets to a franchise best 57 win regular season, George Karl was named the NBA’s Coach of the Year.

May 2, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach George Karl looks on against the Golden State Warriors during the fourth quarter of game six of the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Nuggets 92-88. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Karl worked wonders with a lineup that lacked an All-Star, was hit hard by injuries to several starters and twisted its way through a brutal early-season schedule in which 22 of the team’s first 32 games were on the road. In leading the Nuggets to the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, Karl was named Coach of the Year for the first time in his 25-year coaching career.

It was well deserved.

Despite not having a dominant scorer- Ty Lawson led the Nuggets by averaging only 16.7 points per game- the Nuggets finished an amazing 38-3 at home on the season and finished with the fourth best record in the NBA.

Karl received 62 first-place votes, followed by the Miami Heat’s Erik Spoelstra with 24 votes from a panel of sports writers and broadcasters.

The Knicks Mike Woodson finished third and San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich, who won the award last season, was fourth.

Karl had 404 votes overall, which blew away Spoelstra’s 190.

He is 1,131-756 in his 25 seasons as head coach and his 21 straight non-losing seasons ties Phil Jackson for the longest streak in league history.

Overall he was the right choice. It would have been nice to see Woodson win the award, but this was Karl’s to lose. If anyone had a legitimate gripe it would have been Spoelstra, who led the Heat to the best record in the league and saw them win an amazing 27 games in a row.

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Knicks over Celtics in 6

Pacers over Hawks in 5

Bulls over Nets in 7 Heat over Bucks in 7

Knicks over Celtics in 5

Pacers over Hawks in 4

Bulls over Nets in 7 Heat over Bucks in 4

Knicks over Celtics in 6

Pacers over Hawks in 5

Bulls over Nets in 5 Heat over Bucks in 4

Knicks over Celtics in 6

Pacers over Hawks in 6

Nets over Bulls in 7 Heat over Bucks in 4

Knicks over Celtics in 6

Pacers over Hawks in 6

Bulls over Nets in 7 Heat over Bucks in 4

Knicks over Celtics in 6

Pacers over Hawks in 5

Nets over Bulls in 7 Heat over Bucks in 4

Knicks over Celtics in 6

Pacers over Hawks in 5

Bulls over Nets in 7 Heat over Bucks in 5

Knicks over Celtics in 4

Pacers over Hawks in 6

Bulls over Nets in 7 Western Conference 1^st Round Thunder over Rockets in 7

Spurs over Lakers in 6

Nuggets over Warriors in 7

Grizzlies over Clippers in 7 Thunder over Rockets in 7

Spurs over Lakers in 6

Nuggets over Warriors in 6

Clippers over Grizzlies in 7 Thunder over Rockets in 4

Spurs over Lakers in 4

Nuggets over Warriors in 6

Clippers over Grizzlies in 7 Thunder over Rockets in 5

Spurs over Lakers in 6

Warriors over Nuggets in 7

Clippers over Grizzlies in 6 Thunder over Rockets in 7

Spurs over Lakers in 6

Warriors over Nuggets in 7

Clippers over Grizzlies in 7 Thunder over Rockets in 5

Spurs over Lakers in 4

Nuggets over Warriors in 5

Clippers over Grizzlies in 5 Thunder over Rockets in 5

Lakers over Spurs in 7

Nuggets over Warriors in 5

Clippers over Grizzlies in 6 Thunder over Rockets in 6

Spurs over Lakers in 6

Nuggets over Warriors in 5

Clippers over Grizzlies over  in 7 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals Heat over Bulls in 6

Knicks over Pacers in 6 Heat over Bulls in 6

Knicks over Pacers in 5 Heat over Bulls in 5

Knicks over Pacers in 7 Heat over Nets in 4

Knicks over Pacers in 5 Heat over Bulls in 6

Knicks over Pacers in 7 Heat over Bulls in 6

Knicks over Pacers in 5 Heat over Bulls in 5

Knicks over Pacers in 5 Heat over Bulls in 6

Knicks over Pacers in 6 Western Conference Semi-Finals Thunder over Grizzlies in 5

Nuggets over Spurs in 6 Clippers over Thunder in 7

Nuggets over Spurs in 6 Thunder over Clippers in 6

Nuggets over Spurs in 7 Thunder over Clippers in 7

Warriors over Spurs in 7 Thunder over Clippers in 7

Spurs over Warriors in 6 Clippers over Thunder in 7

Spurs over Nuggets in 4 Thunder over Clippers in 5

Nuggets over Lakers in 4 Thunder over Clippers in 7

Nuggets over Spurs in 7 Eastern Conference Finals Heat over Knicks in 6 Knicks over Heat in 7 Heat over Knicks in 6 Heat over Knicks in 6 Heat over Knicks in 6 Knicks over Heat in 7 Heat over Knicks in 6 Knicks over Heat in 7 Western Conference Finals Thunder over Nuggets in 5 Nuggets over Clippers in 7 Thunder over Nuggets in 5 Thunder over Warriors in 6 Thunder over Spurs in 5 Clippers over Spurs in 7 Thunder over Nuggets in 5 Thunder over Nuggets in 7 NBA Finals Thunder over Heat in 7 Knicks over Nuggets in 7 Thunder over Heat in 7 Heat over Thunder in 6 Heat over Thunder in 6 Knicks over Clippers in 6 Heat over Thunder in 6 Thunder over Knicks in 6 Finals MVP Russell Westbrook Carmelo Anthony Kevin Durant LeBron James LeBron James Carmelo Anthony LeBron James Kevin Durant

When we look at the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder are looking to take the next step and win an NBA championship, but seven other teams will look to have something to say about that.

There are plenty of storylines in the Western Conference other than in OKC. Can James Harden make the Thunder pay for trading him? Will the Clippers and Grizzlies show the hate for each other that we expect? Can the Lakers beat the Spurs without Kobe Bryant? Will the Spurs get things figured out and make a run at their fifth ring? And will the Nuggets and Warriors break the scoreboard with what promises to be a fast-paced and exciting series?

Those questions and plenty more will answered over the course of the next couple of months.

Feb 20, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets shooting guard James Harden (13) drives to the basket during the fourth quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Toyota Center. The Rockets defeated the Thunder 122-119. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

As the postseason begins gets set to begin this Saturday, here’s a look at everything you need to know about each first round series.

No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 8 Houston Rockets

Season Series: OKC 2-1

How they matchup:

Oklahoma City- 60-22

Points per game: 105.7 (third in NBA)

Rebounds per game: 43.6 (sixth)

Assists per game: 21.4 (21st)

Points allowed per game: 96.5 (ninth)

Field goal percentage: 48.1% (third)

Three-point percentage: 37.7% (third)

Free-throw percentage:  82.8% (first)

Houston- 45-37

Points per game: 106.0(second)

Rebounds per game: 43.4 (seventh)

Assists per game:  23.2 (sixth)

Points allowed per game:  102.5 (28th)

Field goal percentage: 46.1% (ninth)

Three-point percentage: 36.6% (eighth)

Free-throw percentage:  75.4% (17th)

What to expect: This should be an exciting series filled with a lot of up and down action as it features two of the three top scoring teams in the league.

The storyline here is James Harden against his old team, but Harden’s first taste of leading a team into the playoffs as a franchise player will likely be a quick one.

The Rockets are a nice story but they have their issues at the defensive end of the floor.

The difference between the two teams is that the Thunder can get stops when they need them.

Prediction: Oklahoma City in five

Here’s a look at how the teams stack up at the end of March.

30. Charlotte Bobcats (17-54): The Bobcats have gone 4-6 in their past 10, bit the only real question is will they win the draft lottery this year? Last Week’s Ranking-30

29. Orlando Magic (18-54):The Magic are doing everything they can to finish with the NBA’s worst record. With Arron Afflalo now out for the year and double-double machine

Mar 19, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) takes a jump shot against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Pat Lovell-USA TODAY Sports

hurting, they just may do that. Last Week’s Ranking-29

28. Detroit Pistons (24-48): The Pistons have gone only 1-11 during the month of March. They can’t wait for the season to end. Last Week’s Ranking-27

27. Cleveland Cavaliers (22-48): It was fun while it lasted, but Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters have joined Anderson Varejao as injured Cavs and they have responded with a six-game losing streak. Last Week’s Ranking-22

26. Toronto Raptors (26-45): Remember what happened to the Raptors contending for a playoff spot? The Raps have gone just 3-12 in their past 15 games. Last Week’s Ranking-21

25. Minnesota Timberwolves (25-45): Tough loss to the Lakers Wednesday night, marking the 22^nd straight defeat to the Lakers, which is just insane. Overall though it hasn’t been a horrible 10-game stretch for the ‘Wolves as they have won 4-of-6. Last Week’s Ranking-28

24. Phoenix Suns (23-50): If the Lakers miss the playoffs, the Suns get two lottery picks this year. That’s the only thing to root for with this team right now. Last Week’s Ranking-25

23. Philadelphia 76ers (28-43): The Sixers have lost 33 of their past 47 games, yet somehow remain within striking distance of a playoff spot. Last Week’s Ranking-26

22. New Orleans Hornets (25-47): Say what you want about the Hornets, but they play hard for head coach Monty Williams and have wins over the Celtics, Grizzlies and Nuggets lately. The future is bright for the Hornets/Pelicans. Last Week’s Ranking-24

21. Sacramento Kings (27-46): Despite not showing much to get excited about this team, the Kings have won 6-of-10 down the stretch. Last Week’s Ranking-23

Mar 25, 2013; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards point guard John Wall (2) celebrates on the court after the Wizards

20. Portland Trail Blazers (33-38): Seven losses in their past nine games means no playoffs for the Blazers, but it is probably more beneficial for them to be in the lottery anyway. Last Week’s Ranking-18

19. Washington Wizards (26-45): Talk about a difference maker, the Wizards were 5-28 when John Wall returned but have won 16 of last 24. Last Week’s Ranking-20

18. Milwaukee Bucks (35-36): The Bucks have been reeling, losers of 6-of-8 before defeating the Lakers on Thursday night. It doesn’t help their cause much when they have an unhappy Brandon Jennings. Jennings could be all but gone from Milwaukee in the offseason. Last Week’s Ranking-16

17. Utah Jazz (36-36): The Jazz have lost 9-of-14 yet somehow sit only a half game out of the playoffs. Last Week’s Ranking-19

16. Boston Celtics (37-34): Doc Rivers’ squad has played very soft as of late, especially from an effort perspective. Not having Kevin Garnett doesn’t help matters much as the Celtics have gone only 3-7 in their past 10. Last Week’s Ranking-10

According to the New York Post’s Marc Berman, the Knicks will be very interested in Denver Nuggets center Timofey Mozgov when he becomes a restricted free agent this summer. In addition, Berman noted that Mozgov really enjoyed his time in New York and would consider re-signing in the summer.

February 1, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets center Timofey Mozgov (25) during the first half against the New Orleans Hornets at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

The Knicks also inquired about Mozgov at the trade deadline, as the 7’1″ center has fallen out of George Karl’s rotation, averaging fewer than 10 minutes per game on the season.

But while there is mutual interest, the Knicks don’t have much cap flexibility to improve a disappointing team next season.

The Knicks would love to re-sign Mozgov, but only have a $3.1M mini mid-level exception and may want to use it on a proven veteran. They also won’t be able to do a sign-and-trade this summer with any team under new CBA rules penalizing teams well over the luxury tax. The Knicks will be over $4 million over the tax line, so that will hamper anything they want to do this offseason.

As I illustrated in a previous article, general manager Glen Grunwald’s plan to load this team with veterans failed miserably and will hamper the Knicks for the next couple of seasons.

With that being said, several teams showed interest in Mozgov at the trade deadline and I would expect that to be the case with him as a free agent.

Mozgov is only a season removed from his career year in 2011-12, when he started 35 games and averaged 5.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.0 block per game in 44 total contests.

If the Knicks did attempt to sign Mozgov, the Nuggets would have the right to match. That’s something they may do considering the Knicks would come in with a very low offer as they demanded a hefty haul for him at the trade deadline.

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A couple teams are riding monumental win streaks, while the rest of the teams are positioning themselves for the playoffs or the lottery.

With that being said, let’s get right into this week’s rankings.

30. Charlotte Bobcats (14-52): The Bobcats have gone only 7-47 since starting the season 7-5. They are 27^th in the NBA in both points per game and rebound, 28^th in points allowed per game and last in the NBA in assists. Maybe this year they can actually win the draft lottery. Last Week’s Ranking-30

29. Orlando Magic (18-48): Four losses in five games for the Magic, heading into a brutal five game stretch that features games at Milwaukee, Indiana and New York before returning home to host Miami and Oklahoma City. Last Week’s Ranking-29

28. Minnesota Timberwolves (22-41): The ‘Wolves have lost four out of five to continue their swoon, but did upset the San Antonio Spurs behind Ricky Rubio’s first career triple-double. The good news is that Kevin Love could return by late March or early April. Last Week’s Ranking-28

27. Detroit Pistons (23-45): The Pistons have lost 11-of-12 and Brandon Knight continues to be on the wrong end of highlight reel plays. This time courtesy of DeAndre Jordan’s monster dunk. Last Week’s Ranking-23

26. Philadelphia 76ers (25-40): The Sixers have lost 13-of-16 and looked like a rather young and sloppy team down the stretch against Miami, even All-Star Jrue Holiday. But they earned a tough and surprising win over the Pacers on Saturday. Last Week’s Ranking-27

February 1, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; New Orleans Hornets guard Austin Rivers (25) during the first half against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

25. Phoenix Suns (22-45): Four consecutive losses for the Suns and 6-of-7 overall after getting blown out by the Wizards. But one bright spot has been Wesley Johnson. Since moving into the starting lineup five games ago, the Syracuse product has shot shooting 49 percent from the floor and averaged 14.3 points per game. Last Week’s Ranking-24

24. New Orleans Hornets (22-44): The Hornets have lost 5-of-6 and lost rookie Austin Rivers to a broken hand, although Rivers was having a terrible freshman campaign. Among the recent losses, the Hornets blew a 25-point lead to the Los Angeles Lakers and saw a 17-point lead evaporate to the Orlando Magic. Last Week’s Ranking-25

23. Sacramento Kings (23-43): The Kings have won 2-of-3, including hammering the Chicago Bulls by 42-points.Overall, they have played some playoff teams very tough as of late. Last Week’s Ranking-26

22. Cleveland Cavaliers (22-44): The Cavs have lost 6-of-8 and lost All-Star Kyrie Irving for likely the rest of the season. If you’re the Cavs, you have to be a bit concerned about the amount of injuries the young star has accumulated the past three years, dating back to his one season at Duke. Last Week’s Ranking-20

21. Toronto Raptors (26-40): Andrea Bargnani is done for the season and the Raptors can’t put together a winning streak, alternating wins and losses throughout their past six games. Last Week’s Ranking-21

20. Washington Wizards (23-42): The Wizards are riding a three-game winning streak, but they may have a few more of those if they could keep rookie Bradley Beal healthy as his 14.2 points per game could help the NBA’s worst offense. Last Week’s Ranking-22

19. Utah Jazz (34-32): It’s been eight losses in the last 11 games for the freefalling Jazz, who now are looking up at the Lakers for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. But a win against the Grizzlies on Saturday shows that Utah isn’t ready to concede a playoff spot just yet.  Last Week’s Ranking-16

18. Portland Trail Blazers (31-34): Damian Lillard torched the Knicks on Thursday and became the fastest rookie to reach 1,200 points and 400 assists since Allen Iverson in 1996-97. Lillard has all but locked up Rookie of the Year honors, leading all first-year players in points (19.1) and assists (6.5), and he has upped his scoring to 22.4 points per game since mid-February. The Blazers still are in striking distance for a playoff spot, but it could be better for their future if they miss out, as making the postseason would cost them a first-round pick in this summer’s draft.  Last Week’s Ranking-19

17. Dallas Mavericks (31-34): The Mavs were swept by the Spurs for the first time in 15 years, but five wins in their past six games have Dallas sitting only three games out of a playoff spot. Last Week’s Ranking-18

16. Milwaukee Bucks (32-32): After a recent hot streak, the Bucks have dropped three in a row. While they are firmly in the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference, Milwaukee sits only 3.5 games out of the No. 5 seed. Last Week’s Ranking-17

Mar 6, 2013; San Antonio, TX, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose (1) warms up before the game against the San Antonio Spurs at the AT

15. Atlanta Hawks (36-29): Wins over the Lakers and the Suns have stopped a recent slide, but the Hawks are fading fast and could find themselves the No. 7 or No. 8 seed before it is all said and done. Last Week’s Ranking-15

14. Chicago Bulls (36-29): The Bulls rebounded nicely with a win against the Warriors, but that still doesn’t excuse the fact that they lost to the woeful Kings by 42 points, nor does it excuse the fact that they have dropped 12-of-18 since February 4. Last Week’s Ranking-11

13. Golden State Warriors (37-30): The Warriors have rebounded off a 3-10 stretch by winning four of their last seven games, but Mark Jackson’s team is one that is clearly trending in the wrong direction. However the Warriors have nine of their final 15 games at home so they could still make a late charge. Last Week’s Ranking-10

12. New York Knicks (38-25): The Knicks have lost their past three games on their current west coast trip by an average of 22.5 points per game and have gone only 20-20 since their impressive 8-5 start to the season. The injuries have piled up and the Knicks look nothing like the dominant team they appeared early on, right now they are mediocre at best.  Last Week’s Ranking-8

11. Houston Rockets (36-30): The Rockets have won 3-of-4 and continues to hold on to the No. 7 seed in the west. That’s a bit surprising because they haven’t won more than two in a row since January and their defense sits among the bottom 10 in the league in efficiency. Last Week’s Ranking-12

10. Boston Celtics (36-29): Just look back ant where the Celtics were when Rajon Rondo got hurt and what has happened since. Somehow the Celtics, winners of 7-of-9, sit only two games away from earing home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.  Last Week’s Ranking-13

9. Los Angeles Lakers (35-32): The Lakers have gone 17-7 in their past 24 games and would be in the playoffs if the season started today, but now there are concerns about Kobe Bryant’s ankle. However if Dwight Howard keeps focusing on playing basketball instead of being a crybaby, the Lakers will be fine as Howard looks healthy and has been outstanding as of late.  Last Week’s Ranking-14

8. Brooklyn Nets (38-27): The Nets have won 4-of-5 and trail the Knicks by only one game for the Atlantic Division lead. However Brooklyn’s true test is upcoming when they go on the road for an eight-game trip from March 18-April 3. On the season the Nets are only 16-14 away from the Barclay’s Center. Last Week’s Ranking-9

7. Indiana Pacers (40-26): Recent losses to the Lakers, Heat and Sixers mean the Pacers have gone only 4-5 over their past nine. But despite the recent slide, Indiana is still the second best team in the east right now, although the Knicks and Nets are within two games. Last Week’s Ranking-7

6. Los Angeles Clippers (45-21): The Clippers are still in a solid spot despite dropping 3-of-5. However two of those losses came at the hands of the Grizzlies and Nuggets, who are now both ahead of them in the rankings.  Last Week’s Ranking-4

Mar 13, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried (35) dunks the ball during the first half against the New York Knicks at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

5. Memphis Grizzlies (44-21): The Grizzlies are 15-5 since trading away Rudy Gay and have moved up to the No. 3 seed in the West for a moment. But they saw their six game winning streak snapped with back-to-back losses at the hands of the Nuggets and Jazz. Last Week’s Ranking-5

4. Denver Nuggets (45-22): If it weren’t for the Miami Heat making history, the 11-game win streak of the Nuggets would be drawing much more attention. Denver sits only a half game away from being the No. 3 seed, and home court would be big for them in the postseason as the Nuggets are an amazing 30-3 at the Pepsi Center. Last Week’s Ranking- 6

3. Oklahoma City Thunder (49-17): The race for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference is tightening as the Thunder now sit only one game behind the Spurs for top honors. That alone would be big in the Western Conference Finals as the Thunder one 20-1 at home against Western Conference opponents. Last Week’s Ranking-3

2. San Antonio Spurs (51-16): The Spurs reached 50 wins for the 14^th consecutive season. But as good as the Spurs have been, they have won only three of their last five, which includes a 30-point loss to the Blazers and a 24-point waxing at the hand of the Timberwolves. With or without Tony Parker in the lineup, that can’t happen. Last Week’s Ranking-2

1. Miami Heat (50-14): Miami’s 21’st consecutive win means they are one of only four teams in NBA history to win as many as 20 games in a row in the same season. The defending champs are on some kind of roll and hold on to the top spot for at least another week. Last Week’s Ranking-1

Biggest Climber: Lakers (+5)

Biggest Faller: Knicks, Pistons (-4)

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Mar 13, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) reacts during the first half against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

In what seems like an event that is a year or two overdue, Carmelo Anthony finally returned to Denver as a visiting player. The homecoming was not as he had planned.  Melo’s troublesome knee acted up, causing an early exit to a game where he never could get it going in a 3/12 shooting, three-turnover performance. Since the injury, his game looks flat, which is both a detriment to himself and the Knicks if he’s not himself. Tyson Chandler also went down early in this one, exiting with a knee injury of his own to add injury to the already depleted front line.

It’s hard to take any positives out of this game, in a night where the Knicks suffered their second consecutive embarrassing loss. The Nuggets fast-paced style allowed for more shots for the Knicks, boosting some individual numbers, but it should not fool anyone into thinking the Knicks were competitive. Denver ran the floor on them all night, even when the reserves were in, and the pace and finishing ability was way too much for the Knicks to keep up with. With the Nuggets daunting home record, a 22-point halftime lead, and no Melo or Chandler, this game was over very early into the night.

Individual grades don’t seem fitting for a performance like this and as I said, positives were hard to come by and also to validate because of how the whole complexion of the game changed, but there are a couple of minor pluses for the Knicks.

Iman Shumpert was a bright spot in putting up a season-high 20 points on 8-10 shooting (4-5 from three). It was only the third time this season that he scored in double digits and a confidence boost for Shump would be huge, as he hasn’t really been able to get it going outside of the first quarter of play this season. With Melo out against the Blazers on a tough road back-to-back, the Knicks would be served well by an increase in offensive production from their young guard.

J.R. Smith was able to post a 15-5-8 line in the loss on 5-12 shooting (3-5 from three). Nothing too out of the ordinary for him, but it’s good to see him bounce back so quickly from the dreadful game he had at Golden State, which saw a poor performance followed by an ejection. He will undoubtedly be relied on heavily with Melo out against Portland, so he will need to be at least somewhat efficient for the Knicks to have a chance.

Mar 11, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; New York Knicks power forward Kenyon Martin (3) battles for the loose ball against Golden State Warriors power forward David Lee (10) during the second quarter at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Kenyon Martin’s four blocked shots and two steals in just over 20 minutes is maybe the biggest positive to come out of this one. K-Mart stayed aggressive all game, which is something the Knicks have been lacking all season from the big men. With Amar’e out for the time being, you don’t expect K-Mart to come near replacing his offense, but the hustle and defensive capability is something the Knicks can benefit greatly from as long as he stays on the court.

On a whole, the Knicks still get a failing grade on this one and they played some of the most uninspiring basketball seen all season. The Knicks have been nothing more than around a .500 team for the past couple months and that’s a big enough sample size to take it for what it is. They will need both health and major improvements to a team that was so promising early on in order to get back to that status.

Anthony is sure to get a less than favorable reception from the Nuggets crowd, after turning into a diva and a distraction for the first half of that season, ultimately getting his way by being dealt to the Knicks.

Mar. 3, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) looks to pass the ball against the Miami Heat during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Miami won 99-93. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

But enough time has passed since then and Anthony has become the centerpiece of what Knicks’ fans hopes is a lengthy playoff run that eventually ends with their first championship since 1973.

There are still draft picks to be used in the massive 13-player trade, but enough time has elapsed that we can finally judge who got the better end of the deal.

First let’s take a look at the entire trade.

The Knicks sent Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Timofey Mozgov, a 2014 first-round pick, two second-round picks and the conditional right to swap the 2016 first round pick to Denver; they also sent Anthony Randolph, Eddy Curry and cash to Minnesota.

The Knicks received Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Anthony Carter, Renaldo Balkman and Shelden Williams from Denver and Corey Brewer from Minnesota.

Since that deal, the Knicks have managed to go only 8-67 in the regular season and 1-8 in the postseason. In addition, Anthony is the only remaining player on the Knicks roster from that trade.

New York brought back Felton and added Tyson Chandler, but when you look back and consider how much the Knicks gave up to get him,  you would hope to see better results.

This is his third year in the Big Apple, to make this trade worthwhile for the Knicks, the pressure is on Anthony to lead the Knicks on a  lengthy playoff run.

The Nuggets have had a little bit better  results.

Denver has gone 98-57 in the regular season and 4-8 in the playoffs since shipping ‘Melo away, even more impressive considering the fact that they play in a much tougher Western Conference.

They have gotten good results from both  Chandler and Gallinari and used the 2014 pick the Knicks sent them to acquire Andre Iguodala.

Brewer, who the Knicks acquired from the Timberwolves and released is productive for the Nuggets, as is  Kosta Koufos  who the Nuggets acquired from Minnesota in that deal. Throw in the fact that Mozgov has been productive at times and the Nuggets got a huge haul for a player that didn’t want to be there.

My take on the trade now is that the Nuggets got the better end of the deal in the short-term but the Knicks could come out on top in the long-term.

Neither team has made it out of the first round since the trade, but the Nuggets, with all of those pieces acquired from the Knicks have been one of the hottest teams in the NBA over the past couple of months. Right now they appear to be the team more equipped to win a playoff series or two.

However even though the chemistry on the Knicks hasn’t been as good as prior to when he arrived, ‘Melo is one of the best scorers in the NBA today and has the ability to carry the Knicks a lot further in the playoffs than the group of players that the Nuggets received.

But now Anthony has to lead and it is something he hasn’t shown the ability to do in the postseason throughout his career.

The bottom line is that three years later, this trade still has a lot of “what ifs” attached to it.

One thing is for sure and that’s if they had the chance to do it over, many people probably wouldn’t.

It may have made more sense to chase ‘Melo as a free agent after that season, as there was no way he was going to accept a deal to another team.

Had they signed Anthony as a free agent or instead thrown the  money at Chris Paul and were able to hold on to some of their other young pieces, the Knicks would likely be in much better shape today.

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The Knicks badly need frontcourt depth, which brings me to a familiar name in Denver Nuggets’ center Timofey Mozgov.

January 18, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets center Timofey Mozgov (25) warming up before the first half against the Washington Wizards at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

According to Marc Berman of the New York Post, the Knicks have inquired on the availability of Mozgov.

Mozgov, 26, was part of the Carmelo Anthony deal two years ago and has done some decent things in Denver until recently falling out of George Karl’s rotation.

The seven-footer is averaging 2.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 0.6 blocks in 10 minutes per game but have nice per 36 minutes averages of 10.5 points, 10.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocks.

It’s doubtful that a deal goes down with the Nuggets as Mozgov is drawing interest from a number of teams besides the Knicks. In addition, it appears that Denver is looking for a big haul in return; something the Knicks would be foolish to do at the moment.

But if the price goes down, they could definitely be a player for Mozgov.

According to a report, Denver has already turned down a proposal from the Minnesota Timberwolves that included Brandon Roy and a first-round pick.

Grunwald must decide whether or not to target a big man or roll the dice with Rasheed Wallace and Marcus Camby, who are both injured and remain injury risks going forward.

If a deal for Mozgov doesn’t go down, Berman also noted that he is a guy that the Knicks will target this summer when he is set to become an unrestricted free agent.

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Here’s a look at where each team stands as we get ready to head into the All-Star break.

30. Charlotte Bobcats (11-37): Remember when the Bobcats started 7-5? They have gone only 4-32 since. Last Week’s Ranking-30

Feb 6, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio (9) carries the ball during the first quarter against the San Antonio Spurs at the Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

29. Orlando Magic (14-35): The Magic have won only two of their past 24 games, including losing an NBA –worst 11 in a row. Last Week’s Ranking-28

28. Minnesota Timberwolves (18-38): The ‘Wolves have lost eight of 10 and it makes you wonder where they would have been without all of the injuries. Last Week’s Ranking-27

27. Sacramento Kings (17-33): The Kings have lost eight of their past 10 and have not defeated a team with a winning record since December 30. Last Week’s Ranking-25

26. Phoenix Suns (17-33): The Suns don’t have a high ceiling this year but they have been improved under Lindsey Hunter, going 4-5 since he took over. Last Week’s Ranking-26

25. New Orleans Hornets (16-33): Anthony Davis is looking like a star in the making, but the wins aren’t coming just yet. Last Week’s Ranking-23

24. Cleveland Cavaliers (15-34): The Cavs have looked much improved as of late, winners of 6-of-10. That is because Kyrie Irving has been one of the best players in the NBA as of late. Last Week’s Ranking-29

23. Detroit Pistons (18-32): The Pistons have won only three of their past 10 and haven’t won a game since trading away Tayshaun Prince. That will change soon as the Pistons have a good point guard in Jose Calderon and some nice young talent around him. Last Week’s Ranking-22

22. Washington Wizards (13-35): The Wizards have gone 8-7 with John Wall in the lineup and have defeated the likes of: the Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls, Denver Nuggets and Atlanta Hawks. Last Week’s Ranking-24

21. Toronto Raptors (17-32): Rudy Gay has averaged 24.7 points and 6.3 rebounds per game while shooting 43 percent from the floor since he was acquired by the Raptors. It will take some time to build chemistry, but this Raptors team has talent. Last Week’s Ranking-18

Feb 7, 2013; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant (24) with the ball during the first quarter against the Boston Celtics at TD Banknorth Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

20. Los Angeles Lakers (23-27): Kobe Bryant has been fantastic, but this team is still a circus, especially with Bryant calling out Dwight Howard. However every time you think this team is turning the corner, they go out and get bet down, this time by the Boston Celtics. Last Week’s Ranking-21

19. Philadelphia 76ers (21-27): Jrue Holiday is making a name for himself, but even though the Sixers have split their past 10, the wins aren’t coming frequently enough. Last Week’s Ranking-20

18. Dallas Mavericks (21-28): The Mavs have split their past 10 games and Dirk Nowitzki is looking better, although he is far from looking like the superstar he was pre-injury. Dallas needs that Dirk again to make a run at the playoffs. Last Week’s Ranking-17

17. Portland Trail Blazers (25-24): The Blazers are hanging in the playoff race, but because of the fact that they don’t have a bench, their starters have to be great every night, something LaMarcus Aldridge certainly is. Last Week’s Ranking-16

16. Milwaukee Bucks (25-23): The Bucks have split their past 10 and are starting to slide back down closer to the .500 mark. Last Week’s Ranking-13

15. Atlanta Hawks (27-21): Despite the loss of Lou Williams, the Hawks are staying above the .500 mark thanks to some improved play from Jeff Teague as of late, who has averaged 19.6 points and 7.6 assists per game over his past five games. Last Week’s Ranking-14

14. Houston Rockets (27-24): The Rockets have rebounded from a horrible stretch to win 6-of-10. But while the young Rockets are the second highest scoring team in the league (105.8), they are 27^th in points allowed (102.9). Last Week’s Ranking-15

13. Boston Celtics (26-23): Somehow it took Rajon Rondo going down for the Celtics too figure things out as they have won their past six and have proven they are still a team to be taken seriously in the Eastern Conference. Last Week’s Ranking-19

12. Utah Jazz (28-22): The Jazz have won 13-of-18 and could be a piece away from being a major player in the Western Conference. They have a loaded frontcourt that they could use as a trade piece. Last Week’s Ranking-11

Feb 4, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Taj Gibson (22) is upset over a referees call during a game against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Indiana defeats Chicago 111-101. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

11. Brooklyn Nets (29-20): Brook Lopez and the Nets have been very good, but it is hard to get a good read on them considering only eight of their 29 wins have come against winning teams. Last Week’s Ranking-12

10. Chicago Bulls (29-20): Taj Gibson is filling in for the injured Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer rather nicely and the Bulls just keep on winning without their best players. Last Week’s Ranking-8

9. Golden State Warriors (30-19): The Warriors haven’t lost to a team with a losing record since before Christmas, but they move down a couple of spots after getting smacked by the Rockets and Thunder this week. Last Week’s Ranking-7

8. Memphis Grizzlies (33-18): Losing Rudy Gay hurts in the short-term, but the Grizzlies will be better in the long-term. They aren’t going anywhere. Last Week’s Ranking-9

7. Los Angeles Clippers (35-16): The Clippers have lost 7-of-10, but it is hard to drop them down too far considering Chris Paul hasn’t been in the lineup. Last Week’s Ranking-3

6. Indiana Pacers (31-19): The best defensive team in the NBA has won five in a row and 7-of-10 and if Paul George and David West keep playing like beasts, they will be a factor to come out of the Eastern Conference. Last Week’s Ranking-10

5. New York Knicks (31-16): Amar’e Stoudemire is back and Raymond Felton and Iman Shumpert are healthy so the Knicks are scary good once again. Don’t underestimate the impact that Felton has on this team, but Tyson Chandler’s play at both ends of the floor as of late has been the biggest difference maker. Last Week’s Ranking-6

4. Denver Nuggets (32-18): The Nuggets have won eight straight and 14-of-16 overall.  They are deep and talented and very dangerous. In addition they are third in the NBA in scoring and second in both rebounds and assists. Last Week’s Ranking-5

Feb 6, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker (9) carries the ball during the third quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center. The Spurs defeated the Timberwolves 104-94. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

3. Miami Heat (32-14): The Heat are cruising, winners of 8-of-10 with their only losses coming to the Celtics and Pacers. I have run out of adjectives to describe the play of LeBron James, especially after his 13-of-14 shooting performance against the Charlotte Bobcats when he recorded 31 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Last Week’s Ranking-4

2. Oklahoma City Thunder (37-12): The Thunder are only 6-4 in their past 10, but I will leave them at No.2 for now because I still feel they are one of the two best teams in the NBA. Last Week’s Ranking-2

1. San Antonio Spurs (39-11): The Spurs have won 11 in a row and are playing so well that it makes you wonder if they will lose again. They stay in the top spot for a second consecutive week. Last Week’s Ranking-1

Biggest Climber- Celtics (+6)

Biggest Faller- Clippers (-4)

The Knicks are a deep and talented team, evident by their bench scoring 82 points last week in a beat down of the Sacramento Kings. Add to that the resurgence of Amar’e Stoudemire, whose play as of late gives the Knicks one of the best second units in all of basketball.

But are they the best?

Here’s a look at the five best benches in the NBA.

Feb 4, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks power forward Amar

5. Denver Nuggets: George Karl goes nine, sometimes 10 deep on a regular basis and the Nuggets get consistent production from the likes of: Andre Miller, Corey Brewer and JaVale McGee. That trio was a plus-3.2 per 100 possessions through January. Now that Wilson Chandler is back, it gives the Nuggets just another weapon off what has turned into a very deep and talented second unit.

4. New York Knicks: The Knicks only come in at No. 4 mostly due to the fact that they haven’t been healthy, as key reserves Marcus Camby and Rasheed Wallace are still out with injuries. But it hasn’t been all rosy for the Knicks bench this season.  They are averaging 39.4 points (5th best in the NBA), has the most three-pointers made and a well-rounded second-best defensive efficiency rating. But they are 18th in rebounding and 12th in overall efficiency. J.R. Smith, even though he is having a great season, often prevents this bench from being as good as it is capable of being.

However the past 10 games, which coincides with Stoudemire’s improved play, the Knicks’ bench averages a league-best 44.5 points a game, 15.4 rebounds (seventh) and are the third most efficient around. But there are still better benches in the NBA. While the Knicks have gotten production from STAT, Smith Steve Novak and Pablo Prigioni, they still have Kurt Thomas, Ronnie Brewer, James White and Chris Copeland who have been unable to provide consistent production on the season.

But the Knicks bench is rolling now and if I revisit this topic a month or two from now, I wouldn’t be surprised if they were right near the top.

3. Dallas Mavericks: Surprised? Don’t be. The Mavs second unit, which features the likes of: Vince Carter, Brendan Wright, Elton Brand, Jae Crowder and plenty of others produces on a nightly basis. The Dallas bench ranks third in points, second in rebounds, third in steals and third in efficiency. Simply put, that is outstanding production. Even though the Mavs have disappointed and are eight games under .500, their bench has performed very well.

2. San Antonio Spurs: It’s the same old story from the Spurs bench.  They get production one through 13 on the roster. You ever wonder why they are among the best teams in the NBA every year? It’s because of their depth. This year their bench ranks among the leaders in points, rebounds, steals and both offensive and defensive efficiency. In addition they lead all second units in assists by over two assists per game.

1. Los Angeles Clippers: The Clippers were a team without depth last season and were swept by the Spurs in the second round of the playoffs as a result. That is not the case this season as the Clippers have the most dangerous second unit in the game. The Clippers second unit of Eric Bledsoe, Jamal Crawford, Matt Barnes, Lamar Odom and Ronny Turiaf could be a starting unit for some NBA teams.  When they are on the floor together, the Clippers are a plus-14.5 per 100 possessions. Also throw Grant Hill in the mix and the Clippers have by far the best bench in the league. Because of their depth, they have been able to hang in there without Chris Paul in the lineup.

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First you have the defending Western Conference Champions,  the Oklahoma City Thunders (ranked 3rd last season in points per game), who have three of the youngest and most dynamic scorers in the league. The Denver Nuggets (ranked 1st last season in points per game)  who made noise last season in the playoffs against the Lakers with their high octane offense. The Utah Jazz (ranked 4th last season in points per game) despite lacking an All-Star, can still  put points on the board because of their potent front-line.

But the most intriguing team here is Carmelo Anthony’s former team the Nuggets. Not only would the games be thrillers because of the two contrasting styles but the history between the teams in the last couple of years gives more meaning to this matchup.

Can Melo justify taking his talents to the Big Apple? Here I analyze a clash between these two up and coming contenders.

Point Guard:
Raymond Felton/Jason Kidd/Pablo Prigioni vs. Ty lawson/Andre Miller/ Julyan Stone

May 10, 2012; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Ty Lawson (3) reacts during the second half of game six in the Western Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-US PRESSWIRE

I hope Raymond Felton, Jason Kidd, and Pablo Prigioni make sure they bring their track shoes when guarding Denver’s road runner, Ty Lawson. The former Tar Heel is fast, compact, and ready to run you ragged. He’s also quietly a top ten point guard in this league. And to complement Lawson for minutes is Andre Miller, who even at 36 can run any offense to his own pace making very little mistakes.

The Knicks simply don’t have an answer for Lawson because of his blurring speed but they can try to make him work on the defensive end to try to slow him down.

Advantage: Nuggets

Shooting Guard:
Ronnie Brewer/Jr. Smith/ Iman Shumpert vs. Andre Iguodala/ Corey Brewer/ Evan Fournier

Iggy was one of the big names on the move this offseason and for good reason. The All-Star wing player is versatile on offense while still being able to guard the opposing team’s best wing scorer. Ronnie and J.R. will have have to keep discipline when covering this athletic player that has become a much improved three-point threat.

Corey Brewer is another defensive minded wing player but he provides little to no offense. Evan Fournier has good size for a scoring guard and instincts but has to build his strength to be consistently effective in this league.

The Knicks are again at a disadvantage here because of the lack of star power they have at this position.

Advantage: Nuggets

Small Forward:
Carmelo Anthony/ Steve Novak/ James White/ Chris Copeland vs. WIlson Chandler/ Jordan Hamilton/ Quincy Miller

I like what the Nuggets have here at small forward.

I love Wilson Chandler’s game. Before the former Knicks was traded to Denver for Melo, I would always describe as a “poor man’s Carmelo Anthony.” His game is very similar to Anthony’s offensively but is less prolific and explosive. But both players can score virtually anywhere on the court when the offense is ran through either one of them.

Jordan Hamilton had a rough rookie season for the Nuggets last year trying to find a niche on this team. But  after a stellar summer league showing this summer,  he might be coming into his own next season. The Nuggets drafted Quincy Miller this year and even though I believe he should have stayed a year he can be sleeper pick and provide energy minutes for Denver next season.

But the Knicks have too much firepower here in the form of Carmelo Anthony. Anthony will be more than motivated to stick it to his former team and prove to them he made the right decision. Look for Melo to go for 40 a couple times in these games.  Novak will also do what he does best: knock down open three pointers.

Advantage: Knicks

Power Forward:
Amar’e Stoudemire/ Kurt Thomas vs. Danilo Gallinari/Kenneth Faried/ Anthony Randolph

The Nuggets are very athletic here between the “Manimal” Faried and Randolph. Faried is just a hard worker at whatever he’s doing. Whether rebounding–something he’s exceptional at–diving for loose balls, or running out on the break, Faried is an phenomenal hustle player.  Randolph has all the skills in the world to be something truly special in this league but hasn’t been able to produce consistently for his teams.

But the star in this rotation is Gallinari, who has put the league on notice that he can score in a variety of ways. Whether it’s shooting, driving to the basket, or finishing in the transition this Italian can score buckets.

Amar’e Stoudemire with his improved post game will definitely leave his mark on this matchup but Stoudemire will struggle to guard Gallinari. And Thomas will be too slow to cover Faried or Randolph who will be constantly moving on offense.

Advantage: Nuggets

Center:
Tyson Chandler/Marcus Camby vs./ Kosta Koufos/ Timofey Mozgov

Jan. 21, 2012; New York, NY, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nene Hilario (31) and New York Knicks center Tyson Chandler (6) jump for the ball during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Denver won in double overtime, 119-114. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

The Nuggets did an amazing job the last couple of years in acquiring centers that fit their offense. The common denominator between all of them is their great size, quickness, and athleticism for men their size.

Javale McGee has all the physical gifts–including superhuman athleticism–but not the skills yet. But after spending time with Hakeem Olajuwon just like Stoudemire to work on his post moves he might be an All-Star in the making. Mozgov has skills to be a starter on a fair amount teams in this league because of his size and strength.  And Kosta Koufos can can provide very good minutes because his great touch around the basket.

The Knicks have the edge here because of the Chandler and Camby two-headed defensive monster. McGee may have learn new post moves this summer but given his track record it will take him a couple of seasons to use them effectively.

Advantage: Knicks

Coaching:
Mike Woodson vs. George Karl

George Karl has the edge here because he knows both Carmelo and Felton very well having coached both of them.  But this matchup will be won with proper execution.

Woodson will like to slow this game down and pound the ball down low and get to free-throw line to allow the defense to reset and cut down on fast breaks.

While Karl will like to run and gun, push the pace, and get into high scoring duel with the Knicks. Karl will know how to bother both Felton and Carmelo on defense to give them the age here and I don’t see how the Knicks can slow down this speedy team.

Advantage: Nuggets

Prediction

This will be the first matchup that I predict the Knicks will lose–I’d say in 6 games. The Nuggets are a very dangerous team and the Knicks don’t have fast enough guards to stop Lawson and he’s the spark plug for their dangerous offense.

Last night’s contest was a tale of two teams that have gone in completely opposite directions since the Carmelo trade last season.

Anthony's poor play sank the Knicks last night against the Nuggets

The Knicks this season have developed a reputation of being a rather selfish team; the Nuggets on the other hand, have been the antithesis of the Knicks—displaying great team play and taking advantage of their abyss-like depth, an asset that the Knicks were largely responsible for providing the Nuggets with by making  the aforementioned Anthony deal.

During the game, these two teams played true to their respective forms. The Nuggets had 6 players score in double figures, including a massive performance out of Al Harrington who had 24 points, 15 of which came in the 4^th quarter.  Former Knick Danilo Gallinari severely outplayed Carmelo Anthony and dropped 36 points in the victory.

The Knicks played an impressive first half in which they shared the ball to the tune of 15 team assists and lead by 8 points at the break. Unfortunately for the Knicks the old cliché, old habits die hard, rang true for them in the second half.

The Knicks offense was incredibly stagnant, at times if even bordered on unwatchable. This was particularly true when Carmelo Anthony was on the floor.  Melo’s 10-30 shooting night was as bad as it sounds. His willingness to settle for long jumpers instead of attacking the basket, or moving the ball, is a huge reason, if not THE reason, that this team lost last night.

At points in the game the Knicks had success running the screen and roll, both from the top of the key and, to a larger degree, from (more…)

According to Seth Rosenthal over at Posting and Toasting, Josh Harrellson will be out an extended period of time after suffering a fractured wrist in last night’s loss to the Denver Nuggets.

This is obviously crushing news for the Knicks who can ill afford to lose another big body inside. Jorts is a guy who has brought pretty much everything the team needs so far, and without him someone else is going to have to step up and give the Knicks solid minutes off the bench.

In the meantime it looks like you will probably see more minutes from Novak, Jefferies, Balkman and possibly even Jordan in order to try and replace the minutes provided previously by Harrelson.

At this moment it is not known how long Harrelson will be out for.

At the time of the trade, both teams were satisfied.  The Knicks shipped four starters to the Nuggets,

Did the New York Knicks give up too much for Carmelo Anthony?

including Timofey Mozgov, Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari and Raymond Felton.  In return, the Nuggets sent Chauncey Billups, Renaldo Balkman, Shelden Williams, Anthony Carter and of course Carmelo Anthony to New York.

Former Knicks Gallinari and Mozgov now start for the Nuggets.  The Nuggets traded Felton for veteran point guard Andre Miller.  On the other hand, the Knicks have made little use of their pieces from Denver (aside from Anthony).  Billups was let go to make room for center Tyson Chandler.  Renaldo Balkman is on the bench in a reserve role.  Shelden Williams and Anthony Carter are no longer on the roster.

Since the trade, the Nuggets have thrived while the Knicks have struggled.  The Nuggets are playing well this season.  They hold an 11-5 record and are on a three-game winning streak.   The Knicks are heading in the opposite direction.  They are three games below .500.  The Knicks have lost five games in a row, including an embarrassing 100-86 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks last night at the Garden.  It was their low point of the season.

And it can get worse for the Knicks.  The former Knicks, now playing for the Nuggets, could really demoralize them by winning tonight.  The Nuggets are flying high, while the Knicks seem to be at square one.  A loss by the Knicks would be further evidence that the Nuggets got the better end of the Anthony trade.  If you thought the Knicks gave up too much for Anthony, stand up and shout “I told you so!”

The Knicks’ main problem this season has been offense.  Last season, they were second in the league in scoring.  This season they are 17th.  Ironcially, it is the Nuggets who are second in the league in scoring this season.  The problem lies at one position:  point guard.  The Knicks do not have a solid point guard to orchestrate their offense.  Rookie Iman Shumpert has played well, but he is still a rookie.  The Knicks need Baron Davis on the court.  When healthy, Davis is an elite point guard.  The offense will improve with Davis on the floor.  It has to improve.  If not, it could be a horrible season for the Knicks.  It could be a horrible few years ahead too.

Edwin Torres was born in New York City.  He has been a Knicks fan since the early 1980s. He has visited Madison Square Garden on many occasions to watch the Knicks and his favorite player, Patrick Ewing. For more articles, follow him on Twitter @FlipPoker.

Sources:

NBA Statistics – Yahoo! Sports

According to RealGm the New York Knicks will not be visiting the Denver Nuggests this season, squashing any hopes that Nuggets fans had of getting a chance to express their disdain for the former star of their team. Melo was acquired in a blockbuster trade in February after spending the entirety of his NBA career in Denver. (more…)

Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups return to Denver for the first time as Knicks. (more…)

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Despite rumors, Knicks can still land Carmelo Anthony

Despite all the rumors eternally linking Denver and New Jersey, the New York Knicks (Anthony’s preferred team) can still pull off a trade for the star Small Forward, without giving up prized forward Wilson Chandler.

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Amar'e Stoudemire is the new King of Broadway (Source: Yardbarker.com)

After attending last night’s heartbreaker to the Celtics, I figured it would be a good time to add my initial contribution to the site .I don’t want to get too much into the nuts and bolts of the game, but just add a few observations of the scene at MSG before during and after the game. I’ll start out by saying that this is my 7th season covering the Knicks so I have witnessed some dark days at the World’s Most Famous Arena.

• Stephon Marbury anointing himself “the best point guard in the NBA” before the 2005 New Year’s Day tilt with the Jason Kidd’s Nets. We all know how that proclamation turned out.
• Nate Robinson’s circus act leading to a vicious brawl with the Denver Nuggets in December of 2006.
• Jerome James. Enough said.
• The poisonous atmosphere that existed during Isiah Thomas’ last days at the helm with the continuous “Fire Isiah” chants booming down from the rafters. The fact that two Italian dudes constructed this rap song just about says it all.

Last night, all of the darkness seemed to have drifted far away from that hallowed cathedral of hoops. There was life again in Madison Square Garden, the kind of life not seen since Latrell Sprewell roamed the court more than a decade ago.  It was the most pregame anticipation I had ever felt at that place. There was a tangible buzz in the crowd and the place erupted when the lights dimmed and the Knicks were introduced. Amar’e Stoudemire, the new hero on Broadway, got the loudest ovation any Knicks player has gotten in years. I’d say the guy deserves it with the way he’s been playing.

Ronny Turiaf then did his now customary twirling dance, circumventing the the rest of the Knicks players as they huddled under the basket. It almost like he’s a witch doctor casting some kind of voodoo on the opposing team. Pretty cool to see in person. Unfortunately on this night, there wasn’t quite enough voodoo to hold off what I would consider the best team in the Eastern Conference if not the entire NBA. Paul Pierce is a cry baby and gets phantom fouls a aplenty, but the guy is a cold-blooded killer in the 4th quarter. The second best closer in the NBA behind Kobe Bryant in my book. He stuck the dagger in the Knicks, but that does not temper the positive vibes I took from their performance last night.

Mike D’Antoni, Amar’e and Raymond Felton all expressed their disappointment in not being able to close the Celtics out during their postgame meetings with the press. Sometimes, you hear guys talk about no moral victories in losses, but you could tell each one of these guys was proud of the effort the Knicks put forth and you could see and hear a confidence and swagger continuing to build, even in defeat. Here is a little sampling of what I heard:

“Everybody has their own opinion. Real basketball players and people who understand the game know we have a good team and we can play with anybody. We lost a tough one against possibly the best team in the league.” -Raymond Felton

“I guarantee you that Boston respects us. We are not slouches. They know how good we can be and how good we are. We’ll see them again.” -Amar’e Stoudemire

Before I close up shop, here are few scenes I witnessed and heard while moving between the media room and the two locker rooms:

• Nate Robinson hooting and hollering and spitting out more obscenities than Rex Ryan as the Celtics left the court and headed to the visitor’s locker room. Pipe down Nate. Your act was one of the reasons this franchise was such a joke the past few years. Once a punk, always a punk I guess
• A smiling Kevin Garnett and the huge rocks in his ears talking to a small gathering in front of the media room after I left the Knicks locker room. He was chatting with a blond-haired woman about two feet shorter than he was and said something to the effect of, “Whew boy, did you feel the electricity in here tonight? [The Knicks] thought they had us but we are bunch of champions. Not gonna argue that one.
• Amar’e Stoudemire walking toward the exit leading out to the where the Knicks park their shiny vehicles next to Amber Rose. You may want to click on the link provided. Check out Amar’e's tweet from Dec 5th at 10:41 PM. That my friends is a bird call. It appears as if we may be seeing a lot more of Ms. Rose at MSG in the coming days

Bring on LeBron and crew. It appears these Knicks are not afraid to tangle with anyone.

Danilo vs. Carmelo: a spirited battle of ridiculously Italian first names. (Source: Interbasket.net)

After failing to get LeBron James in the off-season, followed by a pre-season loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, things looked bleak this summer, but what a difference a few months makes.  Antony Marino takes us through the lows of our past, up to the highs of our present (without using drugs):

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To Become Believers, The Monkees Needed To See Her Face. For Basketball Fans, They Needed To See Some Knick Victories Over Quality Opponents.

The New York Knicks win over the Denver Nuggets should turn even the skeptics into believers, writes Stan Chin:

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Could this trio still unite in New York? And who else should be on our radar? (Source: jockpost.com)

The New York Knicks should pursue some of these possible free agents and trade targets on teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers, Sacramento Kings, Philadelphia Sixers, writes Joshua Sage:

The Knicks continue to surge, led by the stellar play of Amar’e Stoudemire, while the Blazers, Hornets and 76ers all continue to stumble. To the joy of Knicks fans everywhere, the Houston Rockets have also played poorly this season [Editor's Note: this is particularly good because in the Tmac trade we gave Houston the right to swap 2011 draft picks if they want.  So since they'll likely have a worse record, we won't have to give 'em nuthin' this summer]. If these trends continue, come time for the trade deadline, the records of all these teams could affect the futures of several quality players around the NBA.

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Melo ain't looking too committed to Denver, but how can we get him here without carving up our own team? (Source: Yardbarker.com)

New Buckets writer, Joshua Sage, has the following thoughts on the continuing Carmelo Anthony saga:

Ever since Chris Paul made a toast at Carmelo Anthony’s wedding, proclaiming his (alleged) desire to form his own big three with Amar’e Stoudemire and Melo, the New York media has been swarming around Carmelo Anthony like vultures over an injured animal.

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Kobe bites his shirt! Does that mean he's worried the Lakers won't be on top this year? Nah, probably he just forgot to eat dinner. (Source: Yardbarker.com)

With the season beginning tonight, it’s time to rank how strong all the teams are at this point.  This isn’t who will be strongest at the end of the season or who will have the best regular season.  This measures how strong each team is right NOW.  If a team engaged in a seven game series today with any of the teams listed below them, I’m saying they’d win.  So yeah, injuries count big time.  And chemistry.  And like, how good they are.  It’s basically a highly complex formula that you mere mortals wouldn’t understand.  Either that or it’s all based on pure opinion.

1. Los Angeles Lakers — Even with the recovering Kobe shooting 28% this pre-season they’d still beat everyone.  Hell, he only shot 24% in Game 7 of Finals.

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New whispers of Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks... for the 17th time. (Source: Yardbarker.com)

Sorry things have been sparse here lately but I’ve been traveling, and now it looks like it’s possible a certain Carmelo Anthony also could travel to the Knicks.  A few weeks ago, it seemed like his trade to the Nets was a sure thing.  Even after that fell through, many journalistic idiots (like say, me) propagated the unfounded rumor that the Denver Nuggets were bitter with the Knicks and refusing to listen to us.  But it turned out, shockingly, that they weren’t running a business worth hundreds of millions of dollars as though they were spiteful five-year olds who when they get mad cover their ears and won’t listen.  They just weren’t enamored with the options we offered them.  According to ESPN.com, things have now changed:

The offers the Knicks have proposed have always centered around packages including Anthony Randolph, the expiring contract of Eddy Curry and a first-round draft pick they would acquire from a third team, and New York has softened its stance on including forward Danilo Gallinari in a trade.

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Would you be willing to part with any of our new acquisitions for Melo?

According to Chris Broussard’s twitter page, sources tell him that Melo’s preferred destination is with the New York Knicks.

Isiah also thinks it’s down to Chicago or New York.

Take this for what it’s worth, but the fact that Broussard didn’t throw out Chicago as well might actually mean this is true. In Isiah’s case he’s just talking just to talk.

With all the Melo rumors still swirling around one HAS to believe the Nuggets are going to trade him rather then lose him as a free agent this summer. This strategy sounds nice, but if I was I in this new GM’s shoes there is no way I’m trading my franchise player unless he specifically tells me he’s not re-signing, which I doubt he has.

Melo would obviously be a great fit here and would put up some outrageous offensive numbers, but at what cost? The new Nuggets GM is not just going to give Melo away, but he’s also made it clear he will be moved before Melo’s contract is over. This puts the Knicks in a really tough spot because if the Nuggets front office doesn’t have any interest in any of the Knicks pieces then the Knicks just have to hope Melo gets moved to a team like the Nuggets where he has no intention of signing an extension, which is pretty unlikely. Best case scenario right now is if the Knicks can get a third team involved with good young pieces and draft picks to sweeten the deal so the Knicks could ultimately obtain Melo.

Personally, the only players on the roster that would be off limits in a deal for Melo would be Randolph, Felton and Stoudemire. Notice I left Gallinari off because with Melo there would be no use or minutes for him.

I’d love to see the Knicks grab Melo, but it really just depends on the price.

Could Phil Jackson, the Zen Master himself, get fired this season? Of course not, you idiot, but where do the rest of the coaches in the league stand? (Source: Yarbarker.com)

I seem to be in a major ranking/grading/evaluating the whole NBA-mode, so today we’re gonna check out which coaches might not make it through the season.  Every year it seems like about six coaches are fired in the middle of the 82 game grind.  And a few more who made it through the grist then are shown the exit during the summer.  But we just finished one summer, so we ain’t talking about the next one yet.  Just this upcoming season.  Who’s Bulletproof?  Who’s on the Hot Seat?  And where does everyone else stand and why?  Well, you’re lucky ‘cuz we’s about’s ta answer these questions fer ya.

Bulletproof (again, for this upcoming season only):

Doc Rivers – Celtics

George Karl – Nuggets:  He might quit if it’s too grueling, but ya can’t fire a guy coming back from cancer.  Ya just can’t.  If you disagree, grow a heart, dude.

Phil Jackson – Lakers

Gregg Popovich – Spurs

Jerry Sloan – Jazz

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Many view Kevin Durant as the Second Coming. We see him and the Thunder more likely coming Third through Sixth. (Source: Yardbarker.com)

On Wednesday we discussed what the Eastern Conference Playoff picture looks like, and today we go west, young man.  We’d already previously examined how much teams improved/regressed during the off-season, but now we’re talking about how they stack up against each other.  Meaning, we gave Orlando a zero for their summer and the Wizards a +2, but now we’re here to tell you that yes, of course Orlando is still gonna be far better.  For those who haven’t seen those posts on off-season grades, click the following links to see what we had to say about the Northwest, Atlantic, Central, Southeast, Pacific and Southwest Divisions.  Also, we’re only gonna be talking about the regular season here.  So even though we don’t think the Celts will be a top two team record-wise, it doesn’t mean we think they’re incapable of making it through the gauntlet again.  Lastly, some teams will be put in clusters ‘cuz they’ll likely end up with similar records and what does a victory or two here and there matter amongst friends?

#1 – Lakers

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Will Al Jefferson replacing Carlos Boozer on the Utah Jazz be an upgrade or downgrade? (source: Yarbarker.com)

In this final chapter of our series we’ll be finishing up with the teams of the Northwest: Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland Trail Blazers and the Utah Jazz.  For the first five parts, check out our reviews for the Atlantic, Central, Southeast, Pacific and Southwest Divisions.  Once again, for the newcomers, here are the rules:

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Could These Two Be Swapping Teams Soon?

On Michael Kay’s radio show today Kay noted he has sources claiming the Knicks will offer Danilo Gallinari, Eddy Curry and future first rounder for Carmelo Anthony.

Carmelo recently got married in NYC. Ya figure, while he's here he might as well just stay and join the Knicks, no? (Source: Yardbarker.com)

Yesterday Carmelo Anthony officially stated his uncertainty about remaining a Denver Nugget.  The team has offered him a $65 million extension, and as Melo said:

“at this point in time, I have to do what’s best for me and my family.  I’m just taking my time, figuring out if I want to take that extension or not.”

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Melo to NY

According to Alex Kennedy, all signs point to Melo not signing an extension and will test free agency next summer even with potential lock out on the horizon.

Could Melo be on the move?

Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post is reporting the Nuggets front office are really pushing Melo to sign a 3 extension with the club worth 65 million, and if he doesn’t sign the extension soon the Nuggets might look to trade the superstar.

Carmelo's staying in Denver 'cuz he wants the $$. (source: Yardbarker.com) Okay, okay, I gotta confess or I'll go to Hell for besmirching his image: that big check is for charity, not himself.

New York Knick fans have been dreaming that if we strike out this summer, perhaps next summer we can lure Carmelo Anthony here.  It’s time to wake up.  When Melo last visited the media asked him if he thought he’d enjoy playing in New York.  Unsurprisingly, he didn’t respond, “Honestly, this city sucks, so I bet I’d be miserable.”  Even a player who feels that way would be well-versed enough in Media 101 to avoid saying that.  That’s why it’s news when someone like Joakim Noah states that Cleveland’s boring and he’s never heard anyone say they want to go there for a vacation.  Is that information about Cleveland news to you?  But because a player’s actually honest for once, it wakes us all up.  It’s why everyone loves Charles Barkley.  Unlike most sports commentators, He’ll call out players, saying when they suck.

All of which goes to say, of course Carmelo said it’d be cool to play in New York, as any other player (except perhaps Noah) would say.  However, with the sports media always looking to drum up material, they turned an innocuous comment into a story.  Look, if we’d asked him if he’d like to play with Kobe, he’d've said yes.  Would we then persist in speculation about him joining the Lakers for the next two years?

Okay, we probably would.  But the point is it’s due to an insubstantial comment.  However, with the high likelihood that LeBron ain’t coming in through our front door with a cavalry, we Knick fans have talked about ‘Melo as possible back-up plan to soothe our nerves.  Today there came proof that we’re dreaming about pipes (huh, where does the expression pipe dreams come from anyway?  If anything, I’m thinking if I have a dream about pipes that it’s pretty boring, not that it’s something great that’ll never happen).

ESPN reports the following:

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New Bulls' coach Tom Thibodeau got his defensive chops from one of the best coaches in the game: Jeff Van Gundy. Unfortunately, it seems he also co-opted Jeff's same clothing/grooming style. (source: Yardbarker.com)

There has been confirmation that both the New Jersey Nets and the Chicago Bulls have hired new coaches.  The Bulls have hired Celtic’s assistant coach Tom Thibodeau, widely acclaimed for his defensive schemes.  Many have argued that his addition was equally as key to turning the Celts into defensive juggernauts in 2008 as getting Kevin Garnett.  The Bulls were great stoppers just a few years ago under former coach Scott Skiles (who this year turned the Milwaukee Bucks from matador defenders into, um, what’s the opposite, brick wall defenders?).  While the Bulls’ whirl-a-gig center, Joakim Noah, has kept the team from slacking too much, the arrival of Thibodeu should catapult the team back to a spot as one of the top defensive squads.

Meanwhile, the Nets, after a 12-win season where the only thing they stopped was your team from playing a quality opponent, is already being brought back to life by their new 6’5″ Russian katrillionaire, Mikhail “Don’t Call Him Mikey P” Prokhorov.  It’s a nice coup for him to snag Avery Johnson, the coach with the highest winning percentage in NBA history.  He turned the Mavericks from the offense-only laughingstock 200s posse which included the Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns, into a solid defensive ball club.  And that was with a star player, Dirk Nowitizki, who due to his complete lack of D, almost legally changed his name to “Irk.”

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Knicks Reunion On the Horizon?

Donnie Walsh has already made it known that he will not name a GM until after this summer’s free agent frenzy, but there are already a few candidates on Walsh’s radar.

Walsh’s short list consists of Chris Mullin and Kiki Vandeweghe, but perhaps Walsh needs to look in another direction to take on the GM role.

Mullin was the Golden State Warriors GM from 2004-2009 after the Warriors didn’t renew his contract.

Now let us take a look at Mullin’s track record, but let me warn you it’s absolutely awful.

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Don't let Oakley's refined dapper look fool you: He ain't someone with whom ya wanna get into a feud. (source: Yardbarker.com)

Inspired by Quentin Richardson and Paul Pierce’s recent war of words, SB Nation put together a fun little Haters’ Guide On NBA Feuds in recent years.  Amongst the list:

Charles Oakley and Tyrone Hill

Easily the most hilarious of any NBA feuds and a good lesson to all of us. After Sixers’ forward Tyrone Hill failed to pay a gambling debt of $54,000, then-Raptor Charles Oakley waded into the 76ers shootaround in Toronto and pegged a basketball at Hill, nailing him right in the head. Pretty insane, right? Charles Oakley showing up out of nowhere, no doubt spewing expletives, and probably throwing multiple basketballs at Hill (no way he hit him on the first shot).

[...] Oh, and what’s the lesson? DO NOT. MESS. WITH OAK.

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Would YOU want to live in Cleveland? (Source: Yardbarker.com)

1. Okay, everyone knows about this quote ‘cuz the Chicago Bulls’ Joakim Noah has been relentless in his digs at Cleveland. When given a chance to recant after Game #2, he offered this nugget (amongst others):

“I never heard anybody say I’m going to Cleveland on vacation.”

For the other two quotes, check out the end of the article here.

It doesn't matter if you hate Chicago's Derrick Rose. As a Knicks' fan you should root for him to expose Cleveland's Mo Williams so that a certain King will get frustrated and wanna leave the Cavs. (Source: Yardbarker.com)

It’s Fan Appreciation 101 to root for your team to win, but as anyone who’s taken higher classes in Team Supportation knows, that’s just the tip o’ the iceberg.  Sometimes you gotta see the larger picture, which may require you to hope your team actually loses for say a better draft position.  The Indiana Pacers finished the season playing some of their best ball, but that annoyed many true-blooded Indy fans since it destroyed their lottery chances.  Other times, you may root for your team to lose so that the owner finally wises up and sees it has to fire that crappy coach or GM (or both — hello Isiah Thomas and Mike Dunleavy Sr.).

Frequently, as a member of the faithful, you may even have to root for outcomes in games featuring other teams.  Say you’re battling for the 8th seed in the playoffs, then you gotta watch the games involving the other teams in the battle so you can root against them.  Or maybe you’re assured of being in the playoffs, but you know you match up against one team better than another.  Now you gotta cheer for the right teams to win and the wrong ones to lose all so that everything falls perfectly for your one true team.

However, with the Knicks’ eliminated from the playoffs long-ago, what’s a Knick fan to root for?  Things that will help us out in free agency.  I spent the last month of the regular season caring less about the Knicks’ wins/loss total than about the outcome of the Raptors/Bulls’ battle for the final playoff spot.  I figured that if the Raptors don’t make the playoffs, then surely Chris Bosh’s chances of remaining in Toronto drop rapidly.  Does this mean he’s a sure-fire Knick, or even that he’s my top choice?  No, but I like to improve my odds as much as possible.  Had the Pacers finished with the fifth worst record instead of the tenth, they still might not have won the lottery, but it wouldn’t have hurt.

Thus, for a true Knick fan, here are the things for which we should be rooting in order to increase our chances during the free agency period:

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Joe Johnson – Atlanta Hawks

As we discussed after the recent Knicks/Hawks game, JJ has a nice relationship with Coach Mike D’Antoni from their time together in Phoenix, plus the Knicks have somehow managed to look competitive this year in the three games he played against us.  When JJ was on those D’Antoni Suns teams, although he was huge for them, at the time he was considered to be at best their fourth most important player (after Steve Nash, Amar’e Stoudamire & Shawn Marion).  Joe rightly felt he could be more, a centerpiece, and he wanted to be paid accordingly.  Having achieved all that with the Hawks, he now has reached the point most vets get to: the main thing he wants now is the chance to play for a championship.  He is even one of the few stars who has literally put his money where his mouth is and has stated he’d be willing to take a bunch less money to be on such a team.

Now don’t misunderstand: he knows he has a very good thing going with the Hawks and that they are a really, really good team.  He’s not gonna just leave them to play on a mid-level Knick team.  So ignore this quote in the NY Daily News:

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With a few of them likely to sit out this summer so they don’t injure themselves before they get a new contract (in other words the guys the Knicks would chase after: LeBron, Wade, Bosh, plus A’mare Stoudamire who made the pool too), it does provide some openings.  Not to mention that say a banged up Kobe might need to take the summer off to get his body healthy again.  Of course, included in those free agents-to-be are none other than David Lee, so he himself might have to bow out.  Oh, and another thing in Lee’s favor is that once again the Knicks’ coach Mike D’Antoni will be one of the assistant coaches on the USA team.  It’s always nice having someone on the inside to help plead your case.

Anyway, the remaining invitees include the Denver Nuggets’ Chauncey Billups, LA Lakers’ Lamar Odom, plus a who’s-who of all the young and upcoming players in the NBA according to ESPN: the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Kevin Durant (pretty much a lock to make the final roster since he almost made it last time and he’s only gotten better), Chicago Bulls’ Derrick Rose,

Minnesota‘s Al Jefferson and Kevin Love; Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo of Memphis; Philadelphia‘s Andre Iguodala; Boston‘s Kendrick Perkins; Indiana‘s Danny Granger; New York‘s David Lee; New Jersey center Brook Lopez; Oklahoma City guard Russell Westbrook; Portland‘s LaMarcus Aldridge; Charlotte‘s Gerald Wallace; and Clippers guard Eric Gordon.

The Americans will choose a group from the roster to take part in their minicamp in Las Vegas in July. They are expected to play an exhibition game in New York before heading to Turkey for the world championships, which they haven’t won since 1994.

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“If a player fouls out in a game, can they keep on playing?”  Had you asked me that question before this past Friday, I’d've called you a moron for asking it.  Duh, if they get 6 fouls and foul out, clearly they can’t stay in the game anymore.  Seems that’s not true.  Apparently there’s a little clause that perhaps has never actually been invoked before.  The Golden State Warriors have had more injuries this year than a Yao Ming family reunion.  As a result, they went into Friday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks with only 8 players (the minimum allowed under NBA rules).  Within a few minutes Anthony “Don’t Call Me Rob” Morrow tweaked his knee, adding him to the infirm group that included Ronny Turiaf, CJ Watson, Kelenna Azabuike, Vladamir Radmanovic, plus some others that I’m blanking on.

Fine, the Warriors still had two subs.  Unfortunately, D-League call-up, Chris Hunter then fouled out in just 11 minutes.  No worries.  The Warriors pull within 3 with less than a minute left.  And Andris Biedrins fouls out.  Okay, less than a minute to go, no subs.  However, to get the clock to stop running, the Warriors purposely foul the Bucks twice.  And both times it’s rookie Stephen Curry who does it.  The last time there’s only four seconds left.  But it’s his sixth foul, which’d leave the Warriors with just four players.  What happens then?  Do you play four on five?  No, apparently the last guy who fouled out (in this case Curry) gets to come back in!  However, the other team gets a technical free throw in addition to the foul shots they were already getting.

Sad Post-Script #1: Due to the NBA’s minimum requirement of 8 players, for Monday’s game against Chicago the Warriors called up some dude named Anthony Tolliver from the D-League for a 10-day contract.  Did he feel alone being the new guy from the minors?  No, the whole 3-person bench was D-League call-ups.  Tolliver even lucked out and got to start the second half.  That’s when his luck dried out.  He injured his knee and had to leave the game.

Sad Post-Script # 2:  Despite playing against a team with a bench of D-Leaguers, Chicago still lost that Monday game.  By nearly 20 points.

Sad Post-Script #3: Which D-Leaguer got the least minutes on the team?  Answer: None.  Pathetic NBA “regular” Devean George, who started the first half, only played 6 minutes.

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According to NewsOK (apparently that’s the name of an Oklahoma newspaper, although isn’t that kinda like naming your paper NewsFineWhatever?):

Hawks forward Joe Smith, who has written 400 to 500 songs, released his first CD, a 19-track debut entitled “The Beginning,” last season when he was with the Thunder. Smith, whose music name is Joe Beast, hopes to release his second rap CD before the NBA All-Star break.

Really?  400 to 500 songs?  And Joe Beast?  I thought the era of bball players trying to become rappers was over.  With him spending that much time writing songs, it’s no wonder that the former #1 pick has never amounted to anything more than a role player.

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U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan (a former baller at Harvard) at a recent NCAA convention pretty much said the NBA’s policy of basically “forcing” kids to go to one year of college before they can enter the pros, well, that it sucks donkey meat.  It’s not that he wants everyone to be able to go to the NBA straight outta high school, it’s that he feels like the one-and-done players aren’t getting the true value of the educational experience.  One possible solution is allowing high school players to make the jump straight to the pros, but if they do decide to go to college they then have to stay for two years.  For more info, check out this New York Times’ article, as well as TrueHoop’s exclusive interview with Arne “Don’t Call Me Tim” Duncan.
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Who’s the best player in the NBA?  Dwight Howard’s answer may surprise you:

I tell my friends all the time if I had to chose between LeBron, Kobe and Carmelo, I’m gonna choose Carmelo.

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Would Lakers’ coach Phil Jackson like to also be a General Manager someday so he can control what players his team has?

“I have no interest in that. I don’t want to have to deal with agents. I don’t want to have to lie.”

Wait a sec, doesn’t the General Manager hire and fire the coach?  In other words, the Lakers’ GM is Phil’s boss.  Forget about the fact that Phil makes $10 mill a year or that he’s won 10 championships, who wouldn’t want his job just so you could publicly call your boss a big ol’ liar?
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Nate Robinson painting.  And yes, I want it if it’s painted on velvet.

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In a recent post, I showed the Pacers & Knicks beating each other up and lamented that those days are gone.  However, it wasn’t all roses and glory for those Pacers.  Sadly, back then people felt they had to keep their homosexuality secret.  It’s time to come out of the closet.  C’mon Mark Jackson, you’re better’n that!

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Yao Ming in an Esquire interview on forcing himself to dunk:

When I was young, [in China] we were taught not to dunk. We were taught not to stand out from the rest of the team. It’s different now. The young guys in China are new age. They want to show their stuff. But I am old-school. It was a big adjustment when I first came here to play at a camp. The coaches told me to dunk, but I would lay the ball in. Finally, the coaches made everyone else on my team run laps when I didn’t dunk. I didn’t want my teammates to be punished because of me. That’s how I learned to dunk.

Pretty smart that in order to get him to “stand out from the rest of the team,” they used his desire to be part of the team.

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Lastly, Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs and his lovely wife, actress Eva Longoria-Parker (of ABC’s “Desperate Housewives”) do an amazing job of recreating “Summer Loving” from that Olivia Newton-John classic, “Grease.”  Between this and Joe Smith’s 500 songs, how much free time do these guys have on their hands?