Anthony will join Tyson Chandler, Kenyon Martin and plenty of other Knicks players who will sit out the regular season finale at The Garden against the Atlanta Hawks.

Apr 14, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) looks to the net during the second quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

However Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant will also sit out the Thunder’s finale Wednesday night against the Milwaukee Bucks, ensuring the fact that Anthony will win the scoring title.

Even if Durant would have played, it was a forgone conclusion that Anthony would win the scoring championship as Durant would have had to score 70 points to unseat ‘Melo, but stranger things have happened.

‘Melo wins his first career scoring title by finishing with a 28.7 points per game average, besting Durant, who finished at 28.1.

The Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant finished third with a 27.3 average.

Winning the scoring title is quite the feat for Anthony, who overtook Durant with an outstanding 15-game stretch to close the season.

During the final seven games in March, Anthony averaged 27.8 points per game, but he really took control of the scoring race by averaging a whopping 36.9 points in eight April contests.

When the playoffs begin, Anthony wouldn’t have played a game in eight days due to resting a sore shoulder. Hopefully for the sake of Knicks fans, Anthony will be able to pick right up where he left off.

Anthony winning the scoring championship breaks a three-year hold that Durant has had on the scoring title and he also becomes the first Knicks player to capture the honor since Bernard King did so during the 1984-85 season.

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Apr 7, 2013; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) dunks the ball against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Nick Collison (4) and Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) during the second half at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

It’s almost hard to believe that a player with such talent and star power holds the worst individual postseason record at 17-38 over the past couple decades. Obviously, as a team game, it’s never all his fault and some bad luck with injury struck his teammates last season, but we still can expect more out of him than being the worst. It doesn’t help that the 1-2 punch the Knicks imagined with Amar’e Stoudemire and Melo has been a failure for a variety of reasons, but the Knicks record shows that they are better without Amar’e in the lineup anyway. This is clearly Melo’s team and there’s no Knick that even comes close to exuding the confidence most fans have in Melo with the ball in his hands.

The current pressure on Melo to lead the Knicks is only partially because of his poor postseason career and that pressure is solely personal for him. Knick fans couldn’t care less about his postseason failures all of those seasons in Denver and all that matters is how he leads this current team. This season is a much different story from last season as well.

Last season, although more was expected, a playoff loss was easier to cope with as the Knicks ran into a Miami Heat team that was dominant and really had no business losing to anyone in the NBA with the way they were playing.

This year, as it stands today, the Knicks boast their best winning percentage since the 1996-97 season and are on pace for their first Atlantic Division title since 1993-94.  Those accolades also bring immense pressure to the team to win in the playoffs, and a first round victory is almost required for this team.

If everything works out in the best way for Melo and the Knicks, the team will be a number two seed and division winner while having the NBA leading scorer as their star player. Even if it doesn’t, this is still a great Knick team that already hit the 50-win plateau. The mood of this team is a change from last year and the record shows that they are a top team. The pressure and expectations continue to rise with every win and most of that pressure will fall on directly Carmelo Anthony to break his bad playoff streak and do some adequate damage in the playoffs.

‘Melo’s heroics haven’t just resulted in the Knicks being on a 12-game win streak, but individually Anthony is pursuing a goal of his own.

Apr 7, 2013; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) dunks the ball against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Nick Collison (4) and Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) during the second half at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

His 36-point performance during Sunday’s victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder has moved ‘Melo past Kevin Durant in the race for the NBA scoring title.

Anthony’s recent hot streak means that Durant officially is in danger of losing the scoring title for the first time in three years. ‘Melo is now leading the NBA with a 28.44 points per game average, slightly ahead of Durant’s 28.35.

For Anthony to win his first career scoring title, he must keep up the pace for six more games.

Three of those games will be at Madison Square Garden against the Washington Wizards, Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks, while three will be on the road against the Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers and Charlotte Bobcats.

Anthony has played 12 games on the season against those opponents and has averaged 27.8 points. That is a bit deceiving though as a six-point effort when ‘Melo was injured and left the game against the Cavs on March 4 brings that average down.

Durant on the other hand has five games remaining and it is unclear if Thunder head coach Scott Brooks may elect to rest his stars a game or two down the stretch to prepare for the playoffs.

The Thunder’s next three games are on the road against the Utah Jazz, Golden State Warriors and Portland Trail Blazers. The Thunder then finish up at home against the Sacramento Kings and Milwaukee Bucks.

To date, Durant has played 12 games against those opponents and has averaged 27.4 points on the season.

The opportunity for ‘Melo to win the scoring title is certainly within reach and with the roll he is on, you have to like his chances.

However even if he captures the crown, Anthony would be the first to tell you that it doesn’t mean much without a lengthy playoff run.

The individual awards are nice, but ultimately Anthony is going to be judged on how far he can lead the Knicks in the playoffs.

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Anthony sits just 0.2 points behind the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Kevin Durant for the NBA’s scoring title and if he plays the way he has over the course of the past week, ‘Melo may just bring home that trophy.

Feb 26, 2012; Orlando, FL, USA; Western Conference forward Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder (35) dribbles past Eastern Conference forward Carmelo Anthony (7) of the New York Knicks in the second quarter in the 2012 NBA All-Star Game at the Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Durant, searching for his fourth consecutive scoring title, is averaging 28.3 points per game, while Anthony is on his heels at 28.1. The Los Angeles Lakers Lobe Bryant sits third in the league at 27.0 ppg, but Kobe has no chance at catching either Durant or ‘Melo.

So how can ‘Melo catch KD?

It’s as simple as continuing to be efficient from the floor. Anthony has scored 90 points in the Knicks last two games, but has done so on 60 percent shooting. If he is taking good shots and more importantly making them, then I can see Anthony overtaking Durant. But if Anthony has days where he is making 7-of-28 shot attempts, then I think the task becomes a little more difficult.

Catching the three-time scoring champ won’t be easy for Anthony, but according to Durant, Anthony can have the scoring title.

“He can have it,” Durant told Jeff Caplan of NBA.com after OKC’s Thursday morning shootaround….

“I mean the stuff he’s doing right now, every time he touches the ball it looks like it’s going to go in,” Durant said. “He’s having a nice run right now and his confidence is high. I’m sure he’s going to take over. If it happens, cool.”

If Durant wins it this year he joins a club with Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain of players to win it more than three years in a row. Considering the fact that this is just Durant’s sixth NBA season, that seems like a bit of an insane accomplishment.

While it would be nice for Anthony to unseat Durant as the NBA’s top scorer, Anthony should be more focused on leading the Knicks to postseason success, ‘Melo has enough individual accomplishments, but so far in his 10-yer career, has failed to prove he can win in the postseason.

I’m sure if you give Anthony the choice, he would prefer to lead the Knicks deep into the playoffs rather than add another individual trophy to his trophy case.

Doing so would do a lot for his legacy.

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So, with the “first half” of the season over with, the All-Star break slowly fading in the rearview mirror, here’s a look at the top five MVP candidates through the 2012-13 NBA season:

1.) LeBron James – 27.3 ppg, 56.5% FG, 8.2 rpg, 6.9 apg, 1.7 spg, 31.4 PER

Team Record: 36-14

LeBron James has been the best player in the NBA for a number of years now; all other arguments were merely attempts to make a change in the scenery. James has been MVP three of the last four seasons, and now this is where it gets scary: This season, James is shooting the best FG% of his career on the fewest number of shot attempts in his career; he’s averaging a career-high in rebounding and rebound rate; his Usage Rate is the lowest since his second year in the league; his Player Efficiency Rating is at the second highest of his career; and he’s playing on the best team in the Eastern Conference. Astoundingly, James has taken his game to another level and it’s been through a more subtle, subdued approach. He’s cut down on his three-point attempts and long jumpers (he’s also hitting both at a better clip), instead focusing more on attacking the basket where he can’t be denied, and operating a large chunk of Miami’s offense from the post, where he abuses smaller players, and hits his teammates, most often, for passes at the rim or behind the arc. Simply said, nobody is playing at the level LeBron James is.

2.) Kevin Durant – 29.2 ppg, 51.9% FG, 7.4 rpg, 4.4 apg, 1.6 spg, 1.2 bpg, 29.2 PER

Team Record: 39-14

If LeBron James is operating at the highest level in the NBA, Kevin Durant is operating on a close second, and likely by himself. It’s a shame that James’s greatness has largely overshadowed the fact that Durant, too, is having the best season of his career and becoming close to being unfairly good. Durant is on pace to become the first player since Larry Bird to lead the league in scoring while shooting 50-40-90 — 50% or over from the field, 40% or over from three-point range, and 90% or over from the free throw line. Durant’s having his best season shooting the ball from all three locations. At only 24 years old, he’s nearly impossible to guard, and it’s becoming even harder now that he has increased offensive versatility (a developed post game) and increased willingness to pass, as evidenced by his career highs in assists per game and assist percentage. If Durant completes the above accomplishment, and the Thunder finish with a better record than the Heat, it might be enough to move Durant into first place in the MVP race.

3.) Tony Parker – 20.8 ppg, 53.6% FG, 3 rpg, 7.6 apg, 24.5 PER

Team Record: 42-12

Unlike Durant and James, Tony Parker isn’t having his best season in quite so many statistical categories, but when evaluating the San Antonio Spurs, it’s pretty clear that the team’s success begins with Parker. Sure, Gregg Popovich may be the finest coach in the league, Tim Duncan has evaded Father Time, the Spurs’ effortlessly integrate new pieces into their system with nary a drop-off, but Parker’s brilliance is perhaps the biggest reason why the Spurs have the best record in the league for the third year in a row. Furthermore, Parker has had to carry the team with Duncan and Manu Ginobili missing a combined 23 games. His scoring and FG% are both near career highs, he’s shooting the three-ball better, getting to the free throw line and making his shots at a good rate, his assists per game are nearly at a career high, and his assist percentage is a borderline ludicrous 40%. Watch a Spurs game and Parker’s value jumps out more than his stats. On offense, Parker just prods and prods until he’s in the lane where he shoots a terrific percentage at the rim, or he can set up his roll-man or kick it out to any number of shooters the Spurs possess. On defense, Parker is still not (and won’t become) a great defender, but he’s capable and his effort is there pretty consistently. Though the Spurs’ greatness is affected by a number of things, one gets the feeling that Parker may now have the keys over Duncan as to how far he can carry the team.

4.) Chris Paul – 16.6 ppg, 48.2% FG, 3.4 rpg, 9.6 apg, 2.6 spg, 26.8 PER

Team Record: 39-17

By most statistics, it would appear that Chris Paul is having a down season. His minutes, scoring, assists, rebounds, steals, and 3FG% are all lower than his career averages. However, similar to Tony Parker, Paul’s worth goes beyond the stats. The Clippers have entered championship contender talk, and while an improved supporting cast certainly deserves mention, Paul may be the lone factor that decides whether the Clippers are actual contenders, or merely a good playoff team. In the nine games that Paul missed in late January and early February, the Clippers went just 3-6 (though some of those were without Blake Griffin). Paul is one of the few players with the ability to seemingly take over a game at any moment. Though he doesn’t look for his shot often, he can score at will, get anywhere on the court with a clever handle and surprising speed and strength, and his teammates greatly benefit from the attention Paul draws when he goes into attack mode. However, missed games, and occasional tendency to operate on cruise control may hurt Paul’s chances at winning MVP.

5.) Carmelo Anthony – 28.6 ppg, 44.7% FG, 6.5 rpg, 2.7 apg, 23.8 PER

Team Record: 32-18

Perhaps it was the Olympic experience, perhaps it was his peer LeBron James winning his first NBA title, but whatever it was, Anthony stormed into the season with a new attitude. Anthony is scoring at a near career best level, shooting the three-pointer far better than at any other point, and defending like he never has before. If the players ranked above him weren’t playing at such a high level, Anthony could be ranked higher based on the immense weight of the Knicks that he carries on his shoulders. Though the Knicks, too, have improved through better coaching and a deeper supporting cast, it seems as though their ultimate fate rests on Anthony’s jumpshot. His scoring eruptions have almost become routine to the point that his five 40-point games this season hardly even stand out. Throw in a previously-unseen willingness to defend and pass (though stats don’t reflect it, the eye test does), and Anthony may be having the best season of his career. Unfortunately for he and the Knicks, it just hasn’t been better than the names listed above him.

Honorable Mentions: Tim Duncan, James Harden, Stephen Curry

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Let’s dive right into the top five potential winners:

5. Kobe Bryant – 29.3 ppg, 47 FG %, 5.3 rpg, 4.9 apg, 1.6 spg, and 3.8 tpg. If Kobe was playing on a contending, or even a winning team, then his name would be much higher on this list. His personal stats are amazing for any player, not just one who has no cartilage left in his knees. His field goal percentage is a career high as is his 3-point percentage (38%). One statistic that does stick out negatively towards Kobe is that the Lakers have struggled severely when he scores over 30 points in a game this season. It’s hard to believe a player as dominant and successful as Kobe has won the MVP award only once before (in 2008). As the Lakers begin to figure things out (they have to, right?) look for Kobe to climb these rankings. 

4. Zach Randolph – 17.2 ppg, 50 FG%, 12.4 rpg, 1.2 apg, and 2.2 tpg. While his stats may not jump off the screen, Zach Randolph is the gritty leader of an amazing Grizzlies team. He has rebounded the ball extremely well this year, and has helped lead the Griz to second place in the tough western conference. He is shooting well from the field, and knows his place in the offense (he has only taken an uncharacteristic four 3-pointers this year). Randolph will probably not win the award caused by his relatively low marquee name compared to the other candidates, but he certainly has earned on a spot on these rankings.

3. Lebron James – 25.5 ppg, 54.2 FG %, 8.6 rpg, 6.8 assists, 1.4 spg, and 2.6 tpg. On paper, Lebron is playing just as good as last year if not better, so doesn’t that merit him winning the award again? No. While Lebron is averaging career highs in rebounding, field goal percentage, and turnover rate, his team is not performing at as high a level as they should be. An even more important reason why he shouldn’t win the award (and the same reason he shouldn’t have won it last season) is that the Heat are a winning team with or without Lebron James. His value, while tremendous everywhere else, is relatively lessened by playing on a team with other future Hall of Famers.

2. Carmelo Anthony – 27.9 ppg, 47.3 FG %, 6.4 rpg, 1.9 apg, and 2.6 tpg. ‘Melo is having an unbelievable year, but what makes it even more special is how well the Knicks are playing with him as the leader. He is averaging a career high 3-point percentage (a staggering 46%), and his leadership on both sides of the floor has made an impact. It may not be clear in the statistics, but ‘Melo’s effort defensively is easily the best of his career, and that is occasionally punctuated with an amazing dive onto the floor or even into the fans. The Knicks are at the top of the Eastern Conference, and ‘Melo is the biggest reason for that. The big test this season–the only reason I don’t have him at #1–is what will happen to his play when Amar’e Stoudemire comes back. They have struggled playing together, and ‘Melo has excelled at the power forward position. If ‘Melo can keep up his production, and learn to be effective with STAT on the floor, then it won’t be a surprise if he wins his first MVP award this season.

1. Kevin Durant – 27.5 ppg, 51.5 FG%, 8.4 rpg, 4.2 apg, 1.6 spg, and 3.4 tpg. Durant has continued his offensive dominance from previous years and is the NBA’s third leading scorer. He is averaging career highs in field goal percentage, rebounds, steals, blocks (1.3), and three-point percentage (43.9%). He is also by far the youngest player on this list, and his team is currently the best in the NBA. The Durantula has improved every year, and right now is playing at an extremely high level. If you take Durant off the Thunder, you might end up taking the Thunder out of the playoffs.

It also is the home to the leagues two best players- LeBron James and Kevin Durant. These two guys can each play all five positions and are the premier players in the sport today. With LeBron and Durant at the top, the rest of the top small forward position players have a lot of catching up to do. The first two players are no surprise but how about the next eight? Here are the Top 10 small forwards heading into the 2013 NBA season.

May 17, 2012; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Caron Butler (5) shoots during the first half in game two of the Western Conference semifinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs against the San Antonio Spurs at the AT

10. Caron Butler- Los Angeles Clippers

Caron Butler comes in at No. 10 on the list. Butler hasn’t been healthy enough to make a jump into the 5-9 range but he is a damn good player when he gets on the court. He does the little things and has always been a leader, showing the world his toughness by playing with a broken hand in last year’s postseason. Playing with Chris Paul can boost your stats and I like Caron to take a nice step forward if he can stay healthy.

9. Gerald Wallace- Brooklyn Nets

Gerald Wallace is a do everything type of guy. He doesn’t do one particular thing great but he does everything well. He can score, rebound, pass, defend and block shots. He is known as one of the best one-on-one defenders in the league and is often near the top of the league in steals. He isn’t the same All-Star type quality player he was with Charlotte, but Wallace doesn’t have to be the go-to-guy on a Nets team that features players such as Deron Williams and Joe Johnson.

8. Luol Deng- Chicago Bulls

Luol will have to be the man in Chicago until MVP Derrick Rose returns from injury after the All-Star break. Deng has always been second fiddle but now he’ll get a chance to shine while Rose is sidelined. He has always struggled staying healthy but has shown up to camp at 100 percent for the first time in a long time. Look for Deng’s numbers to spike this year as he sees more shots with D-Rose out.

7. Danny Granger- Indiana Pacers

Granger is considered the “star” of the Pacers, even though his numbers aren’t “star” quality. He is still an above average player though and has come into his own as the leader of an Indiana team that will be near the top of the Eastern Conference this year. Granger’s three-point shot has steadily improved and he is a solid defender. His scoring production should increase this year as well.

6. Rudy Gay- Memphis Grizzlies

Gay leads the upstart Memphis Grizzlies who have proven to be a tough playoff team the past couple of seasons. When healthy, Gay is an athletic wing who can score, rebound and defend. His three-point shot can be inconsistent at time but make no mistake about it, Gay is the Grizzlies go to guy down the stretch and has proven he can hit clutch shots late in games. He was highly touted coming out of Connecticut and  is finally proving his superstar quality.

Oct 13, 2012; Hartford, CT, USA; Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce (34) dribbles the ball against New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) during the second half at XL Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-US PRESSWIRE

5. Paul Pierce- Boston Celtics

Despite being 34 years old, the Truth is still one of the best, most clutch fourth quarter players in the game today. Despite not being the player he once was, everybody knows that Pierce will still take the big shots in the fourth quarter for Boston and be one of the key pieces in determining whether the Celtics can stay in the upper class of the Eastern Conference.

4. Andre Iguodala- Denver Nuggets

Iggy has turned into quite the ball player. Once just considered a freak athlete, he has polished his game and turned himself into a viable offensive threat. He is one of the premier defensive stoppers in the league today and showed the world that he can now shoot the rock during the Olympic games in London. I think his first season away from Philadelphia will be a huge success. This team and their style of play fits Iguodala’s game perfectly. He is a guy who likes to run and play a high volume game, just like teammate Ty Lawson.

3. Carmelo Anthony- New York Knicks

The time is now for Carmelo. His draft partners (LeBron,Darko,Bosh,Wade) all now have rings, leaving him as the lone top five pick of the 2003 draft who hasn’t won the big trophy yet. Carmelo is a top five offensive player in this league, no doubt about it. He can shoot from the outside, drive to the basket, post up smaller players, and he finally looks to be in good shape.

The knock on him has always been his defensive skills. ‘Melo is a bad defensive player who has no interest in buckling down and making a big stop when he needs too. The other problem with ‘Melo is how he co-exists with teammate Amar’e Stoudemire. The two have yet to click and if it doesn’t happen this year, one of them might be on their way out of New York.

2. Kevin Durant- Oklahoma City Thunder

Never before has the league seen a player as unique as Kevin Durant. The 6″10 small forward is virtually unguardable. He can take it inside or light it up from behind the arc. His length makes it impossible to block his shot and he is arguably the most clutch player in the game right now.

Durant is already a three-time scoring champion and is only 24 years old. He will make a run at Kareem’s scoring record if he remains healthy and he just might break it. KD has taken the once laughable Oklahoma City Thunder and turned them into a powerhouse that game up just short in their first NBA Finals appearance. Don’t be mistaken though, it shouldn’t be long before Durant gets his first ring.

1. LeBron James- Miami Heat

No surprise here. LeBron James is not only the best small forward in the game, but he is unquestionably the best player in the game today. Period. The three-time MVP and now NBA champion might go down as one of the top five players to ever play the game. He can do it all and then some- score, rebound, pass, and defend. He is the ultimate total package. Hate him or love him, there is no denying his greatness. A player like LeBron hardly ever comes around, so cherish the time we have to watch him play the game.

The Gold Medal Game against Spain lived up to the hype expected, but Team USA had their hands full once again. But behind 30 points from Kevin Durant and some late fourth quarter clutch play from Chris Paul and LeBron James, Team USA captured the gold by defeating Spain 107-100.

The battle for the gold was back-and-forth the entire contest as Team USA had problems pulling away from Spain the entire game.

In addition to the 30 from Durant, LeBron had 19 and Kobe Bryant chipped in 17 for Team USA, who led Spain by only one after three quarters.

However as good as Durant, James and Bryant were, it was point guard Chris Paul who was the ultimate difference.

Paul took the game over in the second half and played as well as he has possibly ever played. His stats say he scored only 11 points and dished out a pair of assists, but Paul was so much better than that would suggest. He controlled the pace of the game and knocked down a few huge shots to give Team USA some breathing room and as usual, Paul was outstanding on the defensive end of the floor.

The Los Angeles Clippers guard knocked down a three at the beginning of the fourth quarter and followed that up with a drive to the basket and a layup. Those five points put Team USA up by six and they never looked back.

While Paul was outstanding, it was Durant ho carried Team USA through three quarters. With his 30 points, he became the all-time American Olympic scorer in one Olympics.

Pau Gasol scored 24 and Juan-Carlos Navarro had 21 for Spain, which had to settle for silver in the second straight Olympics. That may not have been the case if Gasol’s brother Marc didn’t pick up four fouls in the first half as the younger Gasol was having his way down low with the Americans. He finished with 17 points, but only played 17 minutes for Spain due to the foul trouble.

This win was the swan song for Team USA head coach Mike Krzyzewski, who coached in his final international game, finishing with an amazing 61-1 record.

As for the New York Knicks involved, Carmelo Anthony scored eight points, grabbed five rebounds and dished out three assists in 21 minutes, and Tyson Chandler finished with two points in nine minutes of playing time.

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Team USA led France only 22-21 after the first quarter, but for the final three quarters it was all team USA as they outscored the Frenchmen 76-50 the rest of the way, en route to a 98-71 win.

Three-time NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant took over and led the Americans with 22 points and nine rebounds and LeBron played the role of facilitator, dishing out nine assists as his unselfish play really got Team USA rolling.

The French featured several NBA-stars including Tony Parker, Nicolas Batum, Boris Diaw and Ronny Turiaf, but the overall talent level of the Americans eventually won out.

It started sloppy for Team USA and they didn’t shoot well early on, which if they were to lose, would be their downfall, but after missing their first six three-point attempts, they made eight of their next 19.

It wasn’t a great performance overall and Team USA showed there is room for much improvement, but they showed the potential for dominance once they started clicking.

The balance on this team is scary as only Durant, Kevin Love (14) and Kobe Bryant (10) finished the game in double figures.

Ali Traore led the French team in scoring with 12 points and Parker was the only other player to reach double-figures with 10.

As for the two New York Knicks playing for Team USA, both Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler, each grabbed nine rebounds as Team USA outrebounded the French 56-40.

Melo played 17 minutes and scored nine points but struggled from the floor, making only three of 10 attempts from the floor, also missing both of his attempts from behind the arc.

Chandler played only 11 minutes, scoring eight points, dishing out three assists, and making 2-of-5 shots from the floor.

Up next for Team USA is a matchup with Tunisia on Tuesday, July 31

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The debate is over as to who should get the cover for the NBA 2K13 game.

A year after Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson all graced different covers, this years edition of the game includes a trio of  stars gracing the cover.

That would be young stars Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin and Derrick Rose.

The game, which is scheduled to be released in October, remains popular among NBA fans and also is a symbol that the league is as popular as ever.

Here are the stars comments through a press release (via Ball Don’t Lie):

“Being crowned as one of the NBA 2K13 cover athletes is a great way to cap off what has been an amazing season,” said Durant, who won his third straight scoring title and led the Thunder franchise to their first NBA Finals appearance since 1996. “It’s humbling to grace the cover after the likes of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.”

“There’s so much young talent around the NBA, so it’s very exciting to be chosen forNBA 2K‘s ‘New Dynasty’ alongside Kevin and Derrick,” added Griffin, who helped lead the Clippers to their first postseason since 2006. “The NBA 2K series has always been my first choice when I want to get a game in.”

“It’s a dream come true to be one of the cover athletes for NBA 2K13,” commented Rose, the 2010-11 NBA Most Valuable Player, who led the Bulls to a league-best 50-16 record this season. “I’ve worked closely with 2K Sports since NBA 2K10, and I’m honored to follow in the footsteps of Michael Jordan as the latest Chicago Bull to be featured on the cover.”

 

I liked the 2K12 game a lot. Hopefully the new version will be even better.

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The Thunder lost 91-85 Sunday night to put the Heat up 2 games to 1 in the series.  The 2 losses have been for completely different reasons.  In game 2, the loss was mostly attributed to the awful start as they went 1-12 in the opening minutes and fell behind 18-2 making it catch-up for the duration of the game.  In game 3, after playing a solid 40+ minutes of basketball, poor decisions in crunch time led to their downfall.

Lets first talk about game 2:

After having such a bad start, a comeback of this magnitude against the Miami Heat in the Finals even with a guy like Durant is hard to come by. Since game 1 was also similar in that the Thunder fell behind early (shot 1-6 from opening tip resulting in a 20-10 deficit in first quarter), people were wondering whether Harden should be in the starting lineup to add scoring to the slow-starting offense. Sefolosha was not posing any offensive threat at the shooting guard position or doing his job on defense (3 points in Game 2) and Perkins wasn’t playing much of a role either (combined 8 points 15 rebounds in Game I and 2), so it was a valid point.

But who in there right minds would want to tinker with the starting lineup in the finals when for the whole playoffs the starting lineup of Russell Westbrook, Thabo Sefolosha, Kevin Durant, Serge Ibaka, and Kendrick Perkins was working – they won 13 of 17 games and went 47-19 in the regular season.  Scott Brooks said in an interview before game 3 “it hasn’t even crossed my mind to change the starting lineup”.  Westbrook in an interview on slow starts said that its all about “coming out ready to play and they were more ready to play than we were…we have to come out and play harder.”  Later he was asked what adjustments they needed to make and Westbrook said he isn’t making any adjustments “regardless of what anybody says.”

The Thunder improved on their game 2 deficiencies in game 3.

1.  They came out with a strong start, never being down by more than 6 in the first quarter shooting 9-19.

2.  Sefolosha came back from a poor game 2 and played outstanding defense on Wade and Lebron coming up with 3 steals, one of which was one of the most important plays of the game when he stripped it from Wade dribbling up the court and finished for a layup to make it a 3 point game with around 2 minutes left.  He also hit the first basket of the game.

3.  Perkins proved all the doubters that he should stay in the starting lineup by going for 10 points on 12 rebounds, 6 of which were offensive.

4. The Thunder’s defense forced 8 turnovers in the 4th quarter, close to as many as all of game 2.

But with all of these improvements, plus Durant still scoring 25 points, the Thunder still lost.  Bottom line is that in a very tight game, the Thunder still did not make smart decisions.  Whether is was Westbrook’s offensive charge, or Harden’s rookie move fouling Lebron with 16 seconds left (they did not need to foul down 3) as he tried to draw a charge with his below par acting skills.  Then the miscommunication on the inbound pass from Sefolosha down 4 with 13 seconds left, which is truly unaccetable… lead to their demise.  This cannot happen if the Thunder want to win the finals.  In game 2, you could come back being down in the 1st quarter, but in game 3 when you make mistakes in the final minutes, there is no coming back.

So How Can The Thunder get to Game 6?

One thing for sure is they need to hit their free throws.  In game 3 they shot 15-24 from the line and with every game being decided by 6 points or less, where leads come and go as fast as a jaguar in the finals, this cannot happen.

Another thing that needs to happen is Westbrook needs to find a medium of aggressiveness.  He needs to pick his spots – when he needs to step up and drive to the basket and when he should just give the ball to Durant and that is a point guard job to do.

In game 3 the thunder improved on their game 2 weaknesses but weren’t smart down the stretch. And in game 4 they need to not only improve on game 2 weaknesses by getting off to a better start but also game 3 weaknesses by finishing the game wisely.

If they overcome all these weaknesses – slow starts, lack of production from supporting cast, Westbrook and Harden playing without intelligence late in the game, and poor free throw shooting, we will see the Finals return to Oklahoma.

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, but league general managers have felt it best to surround their team with three stars and then simply attempt to fill in the rest of the pieces.

What the ‘Big Three’ leads to is very little depth, but enough star power to carry teams deep into the playoffs.

Which NBA team has the best ‘Big Three?’

Dec 25, 2011; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks power forward Amare Stoudemire (1) and small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) during the first quarter against the Boston Celtics at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-US PRESSWIRE

Let’s take a look.

6. New York Knicks (Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire, Tyson Chandler):

The Knicks sold the farm to pair Anthony with Stoudemire after things started to turn around in 2011 when Amar’e signed with New York as a free agent. They completed the trifecta by signing Chandler as a free agent this past offseason.

Yet among the ‘Big Threes’ in the NBA, the Knicks have a long way to go before they figure it out.

Melo and Stoudemire have yet to prove that they can co-exist after a rough first year and a half of the marriage, and they often have terrible floor spacing.

Unlike other ‘Big Threes,’ who have three multi-talented players, the Knicks’ ‘Big Three’ almost seems like a group of specialists.

Chandler is a great defender with a limited offensive package, while the other two have trouble spelling the word defense at times.

Melo is a scorer, and who knows what Stoudemire is anymore in the Knicks gameplan, aside from a guy whose injuries are catching up with him.

5. Boston Celtics (Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen):

They won’t be the ‘Big Three’ much longer, but for now they are still in Boston, so they make the list.

As a group, age and injury have caught up to them.

While KG may have found new life playing the 5, Allen’s best days are behind him and he may be nothing more than a role-player in the future.

As for Pierce, he’s 34, and while he may still have some big moments ahead of him, consistency is starting to become an issue. It was a good run, but it looks like it’s over.

4. Los Angeles Lakers (Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol):

The question surrounding the Lakers’ ‘Big Three’ is whether or not they will still be together next season.

The Lakers should be higher on this list, but they don’t play to their strength nearly often enough, their strength being the length of Bynum and Gasol.

Sure, Kobe is the scorer, but even though he averaged 27.9 points per game this Lakers trio isn’t nearly as dominant when the big men aren’t the primary focal point of the offense.

3. San Antonio Spurs (Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili):

Jan 16, 2011; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs players Tim Duncan (left) and Tony Parker (9), and Manu Ginobili (20) watch on the bench in the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets at the AT

The Spurs trio are all 30 or older, but all are still playing at a very high level.

The bottom line is that they all know how to play winning basketball and are willing to sacrifice production for the betterment of team goals.

Parker played at an MVP level this year, and Duncan and Ginobili showed that they aren’t ready to slow down just yet.

2. Miami Heat (LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh):

This ‘Big Three’ was built primarily through free agency, and you’ve seen the results—the Heat don’t have much depth and likely never will, as long as these three are together.

But when you consider that you have a three-time MVP in James, and 23 combined All-Star selections between the three, you realize that this trio is very good.

The scary part is that Wade is the elder statesman at only 30 years of age.

There are only two things I don’t like about this group.

One is that Wade’s body has shown signs of breaking down this year.

The other is that Wade and LeBron are too similar in style. The both need the ball in their hands, and both are more effective in isolation mode.

Other than my nitpicking there, these guys are fantastic.

1. Oklahoma City Thunder (Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden):

The nicest part about this trio is that they were built through the draft, allowing the Thunder to add a couple of key parts around them.

These guys are young and ultra-talented.

All they have is the three-time scoring champion in Durant, a point guard in Westbrook who averaged 23.6 points per game and the best sixth man in the game in Harden.

The scariest part is that Durant and Westbrook are only 23 and Harden is only 22.

If they win the championship this year, we could potentially see a dynasty in OKC.

May 28, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) reacts during the second half in game one of the Eastern Conference finals of the 2012 NBA playoffs against the Boston Celtics at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

When you think of the NBA and it’s superstar’s first two names that instantly pop up in everybody’s heads are Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.

I define a superstar as a franchise player that you wouldn’t trade for anyone else besides one of the top tier superstars in the league. An NBA superstar throughout the years has had reoccurring traits. These traits include: league leading stats, marketability, leadership, and most of all – winning.

A superstar is the guy you build your whole franchise around for the next 10 years. The guy who is taking the last shot. The player who makes everyone around him better. They are the Michale Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson of today.

Superstars are not just the best players at their position. Andrew Bynum started for the West this year in the All Star game; he’s not even close to been called a superstar. One of my rules is my mother has to know who you are. My mom knows Kobe, LeBron, Dwyane Wade, and obviously Carmelo Anthony because of the Knicks. Superstars sell jerseys and put fans in the seats both home and away.

Do you think if Bynum were on the Houston Rockets they would sell out a Nets game?

The NBA is different from every sport in one way, their faces are always seen. There’s no helmet or cap hiding their face. I think marketability is key in superstardom. Just look at Jordan. The guy has his own clothing company.

The Jordan brand and sneakers has been synonymous with MJ for decades now but it would have never happened if he never won. He had the stats, the looks, the highlight reel plays and dunks, the swag and the likeability.

But it all means nothing if you do not win.

The NBA has several franchise players, but not many superstars. Kevin Love is obviously the Twolve’s franchise player, but he is not a superstar. Here is my ranking in top 10 superstars:

May 21, 2012; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) reacts to the loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in game five of the Western Conference semifinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Thunder defeated the Lakers 106-90. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-US PRESSWIRE

1. Kobe Bryant – For a player who some say he is past his prime, he was second in the league in scoring by .07. He has the 5 rings, the endorsements, and is the king of Los Angeles. Everyone in the world knows his name and who he is. At the end of the day I think he is No. 2 behind Jordan. That number 2 spot will be forever up for debate.

2. LeBron James – Three MVP awards in four years, and is coming off his best statistical year of his career. He is tearing up the league and is just entering his prime. We all know how “The Decision,” went down and how he embraced the villain role, but that shouldn’t take away from the guy’s game. He hasn’t won but he has lead his team to two Finals appearances, on the verge of his third. LeBron and Kobe are the top tier of superstars in today’s NBA.

3. Kevin Durant – This spot is up for grabs by a lot of players, but it has to go to KD here. I don’t think everyone realizes how great he truly is. This is only his fourth year in the league and he has already won three scoring titles, made three All-Star games, won an All-Star MVP, Rookie of the Year, and has been selected to three All-NBA First teams. Did I mention he’s only 23? Durant has a personality that no one can hate, just hard working and keeps to himself. You will never hear bad press about him, never in every headline like LeBron, the guy just balls. The Finals appearances will come very shortly.

4. Dwyane Wade – Before LeBron and Chris Bosh came to Miami, South Beach was all Wade’s. He won a 2006 title by coming back and beating the Dallas Mavericks. He gives it his all every game, and got James and Bosh to come to HIS team. They could have gone other places together but he was the bigger man and sacrificed. Wade is the second best shooting guard in the league, and you can make a case for taking him over Kobe right now.

5. Dwight Howard – The best big man in the league without question I rank as my No. 5. I know he has maturity issues the past year, but I think once he gets out of Orlando and lands in a place like Brooklyn with a top five point guard in Deron Williams, he will flourish. He has made a name for himself and led his team to the Finals with Jameer Nelson and Hedo Turkoglu as his second and third best players. He is extremely marketable and a physical monster. You want to build your franchise with a big man? He’s the way to go.

6. Chris Paul – With the best point guard in the league debate as hot as ever, Chris Paul has been constantly the best or near the best for years now. The guy does everything you need, plays with heart, a media’s dream, and a leader. I believe it is a lot harder for a pass first point guard to single handing lead a team to a championship. You look at the past decade’s champions and the point guard’s are never the best player on the team. With a little more help in L.A CP3 has a good chance of leading the Clippers in deep playoff runs for the next several years.

With the list half way done, think to yourself, would you be mad if the Knicks traded Carmelo Anthony for anyone of these top 6? The only one I can see if Dwight Howard because of the Knicks already crowded frontcourt, but if they didn’t, Melo – Dwight swap wouldn’t upset many. On to the bottom 4:

7. Derrick Rose – Last year’s MVP is turning into the best scoring point guard in the league. When healthy his quickness and speed make it hard for anyone to defend. With his monster deals with both the Bulls and Addidas, D-Rose will be a household name in a few years right up there with LeBron and Kobe. If the Bulls see Finals in the next two years and he beats the Heat, he will sky rocket up this list.

May 9, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) during the second half of game five in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals against the Miami Heat of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the American Airlines Arena. Miami won 106-94. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

8. Carmelo Anthony – And here we go. I am going to tell it how it is with Carmelo coming from a die-hard Knick fan. Melo has been a superstar ever since he came into the league. I think this partly has to do with him winning in college and the draft class he was in. If he were a third pick in any other draft I don’t think he would have gotten that much buzz. When you get drafted with LeBron, Wade, and Bosh along with coming off winning a college championship as a freshman, stardom will come to you no matter what. He has the numbers and all-star games already, now he has to win plain and simple. He is the man on his team and has the coach he wanted. He’s in the city he chose and has proved he is clutch. He now has to advance the Knicks deep into the playoffs, if he does this he will easily be top five.

9. Tony Parker – The best point guard still playing the playoffs this year is Parker. He just beat Chris Paul’s Clippers and chances are he will beat Russell Westbrook and Durant on the way to his fourth championship. I think he is one of the most underrated and disrespected players in the league. Does anyone remember two years ago when there was a rumor he was going to the Knicks or another team via sign and trade? None of these players on his list will ever be openly traded for any reason other than request. Parker is known internationally and is also a household name for marrying Eva Longoria. He is running the Spurs like a well-oiled machine.

10. Dirk Nowitzki – A year removed from his championship, Dirk has become a household name. With most of the country rooting for him vs. the hated Heat last year, Dirk became a hero. He has been an all-star and a solid player for years, but winning a championship and last year’s magnified stage propelled Dirk into superstardom. Without last year, he is not on this list.

Honorable Mentions – Tim Duncan, Blake Griffin, Paul Pierce, Deron Williams
On the cusp – Rajon Rondo, Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook,

Superstars don’t have to be the best talented players playing right now. No question LeBron is the best talent in the world, but Kobe is the bigger superstar. Kevin Love puts up better numbers than Dirk, but clearly Dirk is the bigger star. Superstars win games, sell jerseys, sell out arenas, the public knows them, and are leaders.

Yesterday Team USA won gold at the World Championship, and if you don't think that's impressive or surprising, you couldn't be more wrong. (Source: Yardbarker.com)

The reaction from many friends when I’ve mentioned the US won the World Championship Sunday has ranged from “What is it?  I didn’t even know it was going on?” to “Big whoop.”  Even though less knowledgeable (or more blindly patriotic) people assumed of course we should win, that was far from fact heading into this thing.  Many didn’t even consider us the favorite.  So for the less-obsessed hoops fan out there, let’s go over the seven key points that made this victory so dang impressive and surprising:

1) We hadn’t won the World Championship in 16 years, and for the rest of the world the World Championship is a bigger deal than the Olympics.

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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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Derrick Rose helped the US escape today's game against Brazil with a win. What concerns lie ahead though? (Source: Yardbarker.com)

With the FIBA World Championship Tournament in Turkey now completing its third day, the US squad squeaked past Brazil to now be 3-0.  During the run-up to the tournament, the team had looked better and better as they scrimmaged against other countries.  The pitiful looking team that only barely scraped by against a seriously undermanned French team, managed to not only come out strong against co-favorite Spain, but to even maintain their cool and snatch the one-point win when things got tight in the end.  Before that game, although bookmakers had the US listed as the favorites, everyone in the know (including many big-time USA supporters) had Spain as the true team to beat.  So things look more hopeful now, but there are still 3 big issues to overcome.

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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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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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"Wake up, Al! It's not a dream: in the All-NBA vote I got 43 times the points of former MVP Kevin Garnett!" (source: Yardbarker.com)

No, of course David Lee didn’t make First, Second, or Third All-NBA Team.  However, getting the third highest point total out of the runner-ups is pretty impressive.  Free agent and potential Knick, Chris Bosh, received 80 points, while All-Star Playoff stud Rajon Rondo notched 47.  Oh, you want to know who actually MADE the teams?  Here’s the list:

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As always, I do not support or stand by Shai in any way, so any issues you have with his choices should be completely directed at him.

#	Team	Player	Pos.	School
1	New Jersey	John Wall	PG	Kentucky
2	Minnesota	Evan Turner	SG	Ohio State
3	Sacramento	DeMarcus Cousins	C	Kentucky
4	Golden St.	Derrick Favors	PF	Georgia Tech
5	Washington	Wesley Johnson	SF	Syracuse
6	Philadelphia	Greg Monroe	PF/C	Georgetown
7	Detroit	Al-Farouq Aminu	SF	Wake Forest
8	LA Clippers	Patrick Patterson	PF	Kentucky
9	*Utah	Cole Aldrich	C	Kansas
10	Indiana	Ed Davis	PF	North Carolina
11	New Orleans	James Anderson	SG	Oklahoma State
12	Memphis	Xavier Henry	SG	Kansas
13	Toronto	Damion Jones	F	Texas
14	Houston	Ekpe Udoh	PF/C	Baylor
15	Milwaukee	Gordon Hayward	F	Butler
16	*Minnesota	Avery Bradley	PG	Texas
17	*Chicago	Quincy Pondexter	SF	Washington
18	Miami	Solomon Alabi	C	Florida State
19	Boston	Willie Warren	SG	Oklahoma
20	San Antonio	Lance Stephenson	SG	Cincinnati
21	Oklahoma Cty	Daniel Orton	C	Kentucky
22	Portland	Hassan Whiteside	PF/C	Marshall
23	*Minnesota	Donatas Motiejunas	PF	Lithuania
24	Atlanta	Eric Bledsoe	PG	Kentucky
25	Memphis	Larry Sanders	PF/C	VCU
26	Oklahoma Cty	Stanley Robinson	F	UConn
27	New Jersey	Paul George	F	Fresno State
28	Memphis	Gani Lawal	PF	Georgia Tech
29	Orlando	Elliot Williams	SG	Memphis
30	Washington	Luke Babbit	SF	Nevada

Shai’s Thoughts/Explanations:

I realized that if I just wrote a phrase or two about everyone projected for the first round, it wouldn’t be very interesting, and the non-top-10 picks I don’t know intimately (Editor’s note: I assume by “intimately,” Shai didn’t mean in the sexual sense, but who knows?). Eric Bledsoe and Daniel Orton from Kentucky, for example, didn’t get much pub last year because John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins were so ridiculous. Bledsoe is like Jrue Holiday at UCLA, pure potential (but more of a classic PG), no one really knows what he’ll do. I don’t even know what Orton looks like, but he’s a #10-#20 projected pick based just on flashes. He averaged 3.5 points and 3.5 rebs in 13 minutes a game. Who knows?

It’s an interesting year for the draft. Last year everyone agreed Blake Griffin was #1, but they also agreed that the rest of the draft was quite weak. Instead, a number of rookies played major roles on their teams. Tyreke Evans averaged 20, 5, and 5, which only three guys did their rookie year: Jordan, LeBron, and Oscar. Nice company. Stephen Curry broke the record for threes made by a rookie while shooting 43% from there. Brandon Jennings, as I write, is the starting PG for a team that is ahead of the Hawks 3-2 in the playoffs, after losing their best player to injury. Darren Collison, Thornton, Lawson, Taj Gibson…they are not stars, but they are certainly contributors. A lot of people would love to have DeJuan Blair on their bench right now. I thought Blair was too undersized and raw to do much in the League, but he’s doing a lot of the things he did at Pitt, all on offensive rebounds and putbacks. (In Game 4 against the Mavs, Blair had 7 and 7 in 11 minutes. Not bad.) Also, I have learned that energy is a talent. Lackadaisical college players are likely to be lazy pros. Someone with a bounce and a nose for the ball, like Blair, will show up in the League. Looking back, last year’s draft looks pretty solid, and that’s with the top guy not playing. So I think a lot of GM’s are wondering if their outlook and selection strategy is accurate.

So this year, there is a clear-cut one and two, and I will argue no different. The only way you pass up John Wall is if you have a proven top shelf PG. The comparisons to Derrick Rose are fair. Wall is a better shooter and better defender, but Rose is more powerful and a better finisher. Wall’s ceiling is in the Dwayne Wade range, though I think he will continue to play point, with all these new super-athletic PG’s in the league.

#2 is Evan Turner. This season, he came back from a broken back early and immediately started playing out of his mind. Triple-double machine. 6’7″, solid athlete, excellent rebounder, good passer, good defender. Has ‘star’ written on him too. At that height, their team had him at the point. He’s getting fair comparisons to Wade, better rebounder, not as good an athlete, but really an all-purpose player. Needs to work on his release. Caron Butler is a great comparison for Turner, but Turner is a better passer and rebounder.

Now it gets hazy.

The next group of players is DeMarcus Cousins, Derrick Favors, Wesley Johnson, and Greg Monroe. Cousins is a huge thick PF, a bit under-sized at 6’11″ because he’s not a great athlete, but he’s so big he powers through. He and Wall on Kentucky just ran people out of the gym this year. …but he’s slightly nuts. He was regularly caught on TV yelling at his coach, and the usual whispers of him as a thug. But I bet no NBA manager asks if his mother is a whore. Uncool Jeff Ireland. Derrick Favors is a pure PF at 6’9″ 250 (Cousins is 280), and he is very strong and athletic. The funny thing about him is that Georgia Tech’s guards were so terrible at getting the ball to their big men, no one really knows how good he will be. He’s pretty raw. But his frontcourt mate is also a prospect this year. You’d think a team with one decent guard could get two NBA first-rounders past the NCAA first round. I’m a big fan of Wesley Johnson. I just realized Joe Johnson is a good comparison, maybe Grant Hill in his prime and with range. I think he’ll be very good. 6’7″, good shooter, a little thin, had a huge game in the NCAA first round. Greg Monroe I loved in college, but the concerns about him are accurate. Lamar Odom-like handle, shot-blocker, most skilled big in this draft, but disappeared for long stretches in games big and small (hello again Lamar). This is why Georgetown bounced in and out of the Top 25 all year; GT is in the Big East, so they play tons of games against top teams. They would have done much better if Monroe comes up big regularly, instead of inconsistently.

There have been a couple of super-talented players that came into the league recently and coasted, so GM’s are a little nervous. I’m thinking of Rudy Gay and Charlie Villanueva. (Both UConn guys. Will Stanley Robinson follow a similar path? Great athlete, some fire, but a massive regular disappearing act. Still, he’s a projected first-rounder.) CV hit some 3’s, rebounded, got a big contract and sat back down. Rudy is probably going to get overpaid by someone who loses the LeBron sweepstakes this summer, but his ceiling is Luol Deng. Anyhow, that makes people a little nervous with Monroe.

The next couple are Aminu, Patrick Patterson, Cole Aldrich, Ed Davis, James Anderson, Xavier Henry, Damion James, and Ekpe Udoh. Aminu is still a pretty raw PF at Wake Forest, skills have improved, excellent athlete. His progress has been retarded by his terrible coach. Patrick Patterson was the elder statesman at Kentucky, put up great numbers (scoring and rebounding) in his previous years. Still had a solid year at KY with Wall and Cousins dominating, and extended his range to 3. Also showed himself a character guy, both by restricting his game with the influx of talent, and being a senior leader on an immature, ragged team. I think he will be overlooked in this draft a bit, but he could be a Millsap with better shooting touch.  I don’t like Cole Aldrich. He was a good shooter at Kansas, nice energy, shot-blocking and rebounder, but he has an insanely ugly shot, is not a great athlete or finisher despite his touch. I’m thinking of Eric Montross, the star white center at UNC, drafted in 1994 in the top 10, averaged 10 ppg his first year, a number that never improved. Aldrich will be drafted too high.

I like Ed Davis from UNC, looked great as a freshman, didn’t improve much this year, but a 6’11” PF with nice skills, nice touch around the basket, not enough fire in the belly. James Anderson is a skilled wing player, shooter and slasher. Xavier Henry disappeared for stretches, but he and Anderson could be nice contributors from the wing, or could be Mo Pete or Von Wafer guys who barely make a mark in the league. I think Damion James is really talented, was a freshman with Kevin Durant and DJ Augustin (and that team lost in the FIRST ROUND. Man, Rick Barnes is a bad coach). All purpose forward, 6’7” battler on the boards, needs to work on his release and shot selection, but could be a rebounder and scorer off the bench, like a Brandon Bass. My favorite in this group is Ekpe Udoh. I don’t know why he’s not higher. I didn’t get to see him a ton this year, but when Baylor went up against Duke, check out Udoh’s line: 18 and 10 (7 offensive), 6 assists, 5 blocks. 6’10”, good athlete, and he’s got the fire. I rate him higher than any big other than (crazy) DeMarcus.

For late first-round value:  I like Gordon Hayward, but he needs to work on his handle, passing, and fire. I don’t know if he’s really committed to being an NBA player. I like Avery Bradley, an athletic freshman PG at Texas, and Quincy Pondexter, a 20-ppg wing scorer from Washington. Solomon Alabi is a big 7-footer with ups and long arms, he will be a nice weak-side defender off the bench. Willie Warren, the backcourt partner of Blake Griffin in 2009, could be a very good point guard, strength, shooting and vision like Deron Williams. I should also mention Lance Stephenson, who I didn’t see in many first round projections but should be. PG skills at 6’7”, great passer, can shoot and finish and defend. Could he be a Scottie Pippen? I loved the way he seemed to come up big for his team with regularity.

Is Kobe eyeing the game clock or Father Time? (source: Yardbarker.com)

I posted this on the main page of FanSided:

With the Lakers/Thunder series tied at 2-2, and the winner of Game 5 historically taking the series like 85% of the time, the pressure is on Los Angeles tonight. Specifically Kobe Bean Bryant, aka the Black Mamba. In honor of the occasion, ESPN.com decided to nail the coffin on KB24’s grave by asking their writers six questions exploring what’s wrong with him. Let’s look at their responses and see where they’re spot-on and where they’re spot-off.

1. What’s wrong with Kobe?
Henry Abbott of TrueHoop writes:

This year, any time he’s called on to be truly explosive physically — dunk, block or beat a defender with raw speed — he doesn’t look like the guy he once was. I don’t know what’s wrong, but because it has happened quickly, I have to think it’s one of his many injuries, not just some age-induced slippage.

Several of the writers echo this sentiment, but there’s a key part wrong with it: this is not a new thing.  Kobe’s game has changed over the last three years as he’s aged.  He hasn’t been that explosive constant-driver-to-the-basket in a while.  As Chris Broussard correctly notes:

For the rest of my article, click here.

Wilson Chandler missed his second game, er I mean first game, since that game I imagined against the Cavs was just a bad dream.  Al Harrington started in his place, and Big Al kept his hot streak going.  He was hitting three-

pointers like they were going outta style.  Wait, “going out of style?”  What kind of dumb expression is that?  I feel like in today’s style conscious society, if something’s going out of style we try to instantly get rid of it, not accumulate ‘em.  Maybe in the old days if you knew a pair of pants were going out of style you might get a bunch of ‘em before they disappeared forever, but now it’s gotta be the opposite, right?  Like what kind of idiot would I be if I put up an Obama “Yes We Can” poster now?  Or if I decided that the way to make big money is through internet start-ups and real estate?  Actually, real estate might be coming back, but then that’s more like going retro.  Like getting me a pair of moon boots now might be kinda fun, but back when that fad was dying we knew they were awful even at the time.  Sorry, sorry, I’m rambling.  Where was I?

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"Dude, you said the Knicks sucked!" "Yeah, well you said TMac was done!"

The Oklahoma Thunder have made one of the most remarkable turnarounds in NBA history.  After winning only 21 games last year (or in a glass half-empty view, losing 61 games), they now are 5th in the ultra-competitive Western Conference.  They are in the middle of the longest current winning streak in the league (nine games), and they have third-year phenom, Kevin Durant, a legit MVP candidate.  It could be argued that Durant is second in the MVP race to only LeBron.  Plus, he’s in the middle of a streak of having scored 25+ points in 27 straight games.  At first that last statement didn’t seem that impressive to me, ‘cuz after all like LeBron and Carmelo are averaging nearly 30 a game, while others like Kobe and Allen Iverson have averaged that much (or more) for a whole season too.  However, in the last 35 years there is only one person who has ever accomplished that feat: Michael Jordan.  Yup, no other active player has done it.  Not LeBron, Kobe, Wade, Shaq, AI or even the Knicks’ newbie, TMac (a man who’s lead the league in scoring a couple of times).

All of which goes to say that after the way the Knicks have been playing, it was pretty darn remarkable we almost won this game, let alone played well.  The big story, as everyone’s already heard, is Tracy McGrady’s big game.  That he’s back.  Not to be glass-half-empty again (what am I, thirsty or something?), but I’m skeptical that he can bring that kind of production regularly.  What I do think that he can help keep bringing back is the energy in the Garden.  The crowd was more alive than they are on Free Taco Night.  Okay, there’s no Free Taco Night (the correct question here is: why the hell not?), but Madison Square was rocking Saturday night.  For once, people came to see the Knicks, not the other team, or just to be “seen.”

McGrady's most athletic play of the night: When a Thunder-ite goes to block his shot on the right, mid-air Tmac does a loopedy-loop and scoops it in lefty

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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.