Perhaps most important of all, however, Anthony led the charge as the Knicks continued a win streak that has now reached 12 games. In the process, the Knicks moved two and a half games ahead of the Indiana Pacers for second place in the Eastern Conference, locked up the Atlantic Division, and reached 50 wins for the first time in 13 years. Likewise, Anthony’s absolutely torrid shooting led the Knicks to wins over four playoff teams in a row – the Miami Heat (who the Knicks took the season series, 3-1, against), Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks, and Oklahoma City Thunder.

April continues to be a favorable month for ‘Melo. Last season, when Anthony was moved to power forward because of Amar’e Stoudemire’s back injury (the spring is not favorable for Stoudemire, apparently), Anthony averaged nearly 30 points on 49.5% shooting, 46% from downtown, with 7.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game.

Anthony’s reception of the award follows J.R. Smith’s after Smith was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week last week.

The Knicks only have six games remaining in their season, but they still face three important tests in the Chicago Bulls (Thursday 4/11), Pacers (Sunday 4/14), and Hawks (Wednesday 4/17). If Anthony and the Knicks can continue to play at this level, it’s conceivable that they could win out and reach 56 wins for the first time since the 1996-97 season.

ESPN.com reported that the Seattle group, headed by Valiant Capital’s Chris Hansen and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, will purchase 65 percent of the Kings, a controlling interest, from the Maloof brothers and a minority owner. They also reported that NBA teams were “formally notified” of the purchase agreement’s terms on Sunday.

Yahoo! Sports then reported that the Seattle group will pay the Maloof’s “approximately $340 million” for their stake, based on a $525 million “valuation” for the franchise.

A formal announcement on the deal from the NBA could come as soon as Monday.

That’s big for the Seattle group of owners  because they must apply to the league by March 1 in order to move the franchise to Seattle  for the 2013-14 season, which appears to be a foregone conclusion as it is expected that the NBA Board of Governors are expected to “overwhelmingly ratify” the proposed move, according to a  Yahoo! Sports report.

Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson has fought hard to keep the  Kings in Sacramento and NBA commissioner David Stern has said that Johnson will be given the opportunity to make his case in front of the Board of Governors.

However with the proposed sale, he will be fighting an uphill battle as the Kings appear all but gone.

The Kings are expected to switch to the SuperSonics name, who played in Seattle from 1967-68 until 2008, when they were relocated to Oklahoma City.

In addition it appears as if  they will play in the old Key Arena for two years until a new arena in Seattle is complete.

Follow Matt Shetler on Twitter for news, reaction and analysis from around the NBA.

Follow Buckets Over Broadway on Twitter and on Facebook

Jan. 7, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) and Boston Celtics power forward Kevin Garnett (5) argue on the court and are issued technical fouls during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Boston won 102-96. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

Anthony will miss his seventh game of the season, though for the first time, not because of injury. With all of the hullabaloo made over the altercation(s) over the past two days, it’s not surprising that the NBA suspended Anthony. Though no physical harm was actually done, the intentions and projections were pretty clear; Anthony was upset. The NBA has been strict and unwavering in its punishment of any types of altercations in the past – especially when it leaves the court – so Anthony surely got what he had coming to him.

In the meantime, the Knicks will have to face a red hot Indiana Pacers team that has been especially stingy on the defensive end. Normally, this could be an opportunity to let Amar’e Stoudemire spin as the main feature in the Knicks’ offense, but even today, Mike Woodson said Stoudemire’s minutes will be limited because of his extended play on Monday’s game.

J.R. Smith will likely see a boatload of minutes, but with no other truly dominant, self-capable scorers, the Knicks may really have a hard time getting the ball in the basket against the Pacers.

The question still remains, especially no with an impact on the team: were Anthony’s actions justified, or did he take it too far? It would seem this question could largely be determined by the outcome of the game on Thursday night.

Who has moved up and who is sinking like the Titanic? Can the Memphis Grizzlies hold onto the No. 1 spot for the third week in a row?

Let’s not waste any time and answer all of those questions in my latest NBA Power Rankings.

Nov 28, 2012; Memphis, TN, USA; Toronto Raptors shooting guard DeMar DeRozan (10) brings the ball up court during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at the Fed Ex Forum. Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Toronto Raptors 103-82. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden–USA TODAY Sports

30. Washington Wizards (2-13): A surprising win against the defending champs, but the Wizards are still the worst team in the league. The good news is that after 12 straight losses to start the season, Washington has won two of three. Last Week’s Ranking- 30.

29. Cleveland Cavaliers (4-14): Losers of 10 of 12, the Cavs aren’t very good, which is a shame given the way Anderson Varejao is playing. Kyrie Irving also isn’t close to returning, so they will continue to struggle.  Last Week’s Ranking-29

28. Toronto Raptors (4-14): The Raptors have dropped seven of their past eight games and are 1-10 on the road. Last Week’s Ranking-28

27. Sacramento Kings (4-12): They have lost three straight and have the worst record in the Western Conference. Tyreke Evans was on a roll offensively, so his knee injury doesn’t help matters out.  Last Week’s Ranking-25

26. New Orleans Hornets (5-11): They are changing their name to the Pelicans. I’m sure that will turn everything around. Last Week’s Ranking-27

25. Phoenix Suns (7-12): The Suns lost five of six on their recent six game road trip, including four in a row. Lucky for them they return home for eight of their next 10. Last Week’s Ranking-22

24. Charlotte Bobcats (7-9): The Bobcats have lost four in a row, including a tough overtime loss against the Blazers where they blew an 18 point second half lead. Last Week’s Ranking-17

23. Portland Trail Blazers (8-10): They stopped a four game skid by winning two in a row-both in overtime- but they were the first to lose to the hapless Wizards. Last Week’s Ranking-23

22. Los Angeles Lakers (8-10): No point guard and now Pau Gasol is also injured, this Lakers team has issues, none bigger than Dwight Howard’s inability to make free-throws. Howard alone cost the Lakers two straight wins, where the Hack-a-Howard strategy worked for both the Magic and Rockets. Maybe he should have spent less time crying and complaining last year and more time working on making free-throws. The 46.8 percent Howard is shooting from the charity stripe is pathetic.  Last Week’s Ranking-16

21. Orlando Magic (7-10): Wins against the Warriors and Lakers on the road were impressive. You have to hand it to Jacque Vaughn. His team may not be a playoff team, but they compete every night. Last Week’s Ranking-24

Nov 30, 2012; Memphis, TN, USA; Detroit Pistons center Greg Monroe (10) drives against the Memphis Grizzlies at the FedEx Forum. Memphis defeated Detroit 90-78. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

20. Dallas Mavericks (8-9): Nice move by Dallas by adding Derrick Fisher.  They’ve won only four of their past 12 and a veteran point guard could help. Last Week’s Ranking-21

19. Detroit Pistons (6-13): The Pistons 0-8 start is a memory as they have gone 6-5 since. However they are 1-10 on the road which could be a huge problem all season.  Last Week’s Ranking-26

18. Milwaukee Bucks (8-8): The Bucks are the most inconsistent team in the league. They beat the Celtics one night and lose to the Hornets without Anthony Davis by 21.  Last Week’s Ranking-14

17.  Chicago Bulls (8-8): The Bulls are getting it done the same way they always do, with rebounding and defense, but they’ve had problems putting together consistent wins. They suffered a tough division loss against the Pacers but have upcoming winnable road games against Detroit and Cleveland before hosting the Clippers and Knicks. After that we will know more about Tom Thibodeau’s team. Last Week’s Ranking-18

16. Utah Jazz (9-10): If only the Jazz could play all their games at home. They blew a lead and lost their first home game of the season to the Clippers on Monday but overall are 6-1 at home compared to 3-9 on the road. Three consecutive losses overall don’t help matters much either. Last Week’s Ranking-10

15. Minnesota Timberwolves (8-8): Since returning, Kevin Love has averaged 19.4 points and 14.6 rebounds in his seven games, but the ‘Wolves have only gone 3-4 in that span. Last Week’s Ranking-20

14. Houston Rockets (9-8): The Rockets have won five of six and have wins over the Bulls, Knicks, Lakers and Jazz in that span. The youngest team in the NBA is playing very well right now. Last Week’s Ranking-19

13.  Indiana Pacers (9-9): Everyone in a Pacers uniform not named David West has been very inconsistent all season, but they lead the Central Division despite scoring only 90.3 points per game. Last Week’s Ranking-15

Nov 25, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Jrue Holiday (11) celebrates making a basket during the fourth quarter against the Phoenix Suns at the Wachovia Center. The Sixers defeated the Suns 104-101. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

12. Denver Nuggets (9-9): The Nuggets blew fourth quarter leads in three straight losses before beating the Raptors on Monday. The up-and-down Nuggets now have five straight on the road where they are only 4-8 on the season. Last Week’s Ranking-11

11. Philadelphia 76ers (10-8): Jrue Holiday has been great and the Sixers sit over .500 thanks to beating up on some bad teams. They are allowing only 89.3 points per game, but are scoring only 88.6 Last Week’s Ranking-13

10. Boston Celtics (9-8): The Celtics went 1-1 while Rajon Rondo was suspended. They can’t afford many more blowups like that from their best player. Last Week’s Ranking-8

9. Atlanta Hawks (9-5): They have won four of five, but we will find out more when they face Memphis and Denver this week.  Last Week’s Ranking-7

8. Golden State Warriors (10-7): The Warriors won five of six, then came out and lost to the Magic at home. It may be a while still before we figure Mark Jackson’s team out. Last Week’s Ranking-12

7. Los Angeles Clippers (11-6): They snapped an odd four-game skid by rebounding to win three in a row. It’s safe to say Chris Paul and company are back on track. Last Week’s Ranking-9

November 26, 2012; Washington, DC, USA; San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker (9) dribbles the ball against the Washington Wizards at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

6. Brooklyn Nets (11-6): The Nets saw their five-game win streak snapped with losses to Miami and Oklahoma City, showing that they still have a ways to go to hang with the NBA’s elite. Last Week’s Ranking-5

5. San Antonio Spurs (14-4): Probably would have the top spot had they not rested their starters and beaten the Heat. But they have gone 2-2 against the teams that are ranked ahead of them. Last Week’s Ranking-2

4. Miami Heat (12-4): It’s safe to say the Heat overlooked the Wizards and had their eyes on the Knicks, but you can’t lose to the Wizards regardless, especially when LeBron James has a triple-double. Last Week’s Ranking-3

3. New York Knicks (12-4): They’ve rebounded to win three in a row after losing to Brooklyn. The Knicks are perfect at home, with all four losses coming on the road. Carmelo Anthony is playing at an MVP level and will need to keep it up as the Knicks take on the Heat on Thursday. They have received scares though with injuries to Jason Kidd and Raymond Felton. Last Week’s Ranking-6

2. Oklahoma City Thunder (15-4): The Thunder have won six in a row and nine of 10. It’s safe to say they are clicking on all cylinders and have figured out how to win without James Harden. Last Week’s Ranking-4

1. Memphis Grizzlies (13-3): Zach Randolph had a performance for the ages with a 38 point, 22 rebound performance in a win over the Suns. Despite the loss against the Spurs, the Grizzlies hold onto the top spot for the third week in a row. One item of concern though is that Memphis is only 5-3 against the Western Conference.  Last Week’s Ranking-1

Biggest Climb-Detroit Pistons (+7)

Biggest Drop-Charlotte Bobcats (-7)

Who has moved up and who is sinking like the Titanic? Can the Memphis Grizzlies hold on to the No. 1 spot for the second week in a row?

Nov 27, 2012; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao (17) grabs a rebound in the second quarter against the Phoenix Suns at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-US PRESSWIRE

Let’s not waste any time and answer all of those question in my latest NBA Power Rankings.

30. Washington Wizards (0-12): The guys on TNT started calling the Wizards the Washington Generals. That is incorrect. The Generals would beat the Wizards by 20. Last Week’s Ranking- 30.

29. Cleveland Cavaliers (3-12): The Cavs have lost 10 of 11 and their coach Byron Scott said everyone on the team except Anderson Varejao stunk after a recent loss. Pretty accurate assessment. Last Week’s Ranking-29

28. Toronto Raptors (3-12): The Raptors have lost five in a row and get seven of their next eight on the road. Last Week’s Ranking-25

27. New Orleans Hornets (4-9): This team could be surprisingly good with Eric Gordon and Anthony Davis in the lineup but Gordon has missed the entire season an Davis has played in only six of 12 games. Without them the Hornets don’t have a chance. Last Week’s Ranking-22

26. Detroit Pistons (4-11): The Pistons have won three of five and Greg Monroe is putting together a good season. How long though until Lawrence Frank turns the team over to the youngsters? Andre Drummond is averaging only 16 minutes per game. Last Week’s Ranking-27

25. Sacramento Kings (4-10): Tyreke Evans has been on a tear, averaging 21 points during the last five games, in which the Kings have wins over the Jazz and Lakers. Last Week’s Ranking-28

November 26, 2012; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard (0) is defended by Detroit Pistons point guard Brandon Knight (7) in the fourth quarter at The Palace. Detroit won 108-101. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-US PRESSWIRE

24. Orlando Magic (5-8): The Magic face a tough stretch of games against San Antonio, Brooklyn and the big one in Los Angeles vs. Dwight Howard and the Lakers. While they are likely rejoicing in the fact they didn’t trade for Andrew Bynum, is there any chance they aren’t kicking themselves for not taking Brook Lopez? That lottery pick that Brooklyn traded to Portland also turned out to be Damian Lillard. Last Week’s Ranking-26

23. Portland Trail Blazers (6-8): Portland has lost three of four, but their trio of Lillard, Nicolas Batum and LaMarcus Aldridge are having good seasons, even though Aldridge is only shooting 44 percent from the floor. Last Week’s Ranking-18

22. Phoenix Suns (7-8): The Suns have won three of four and have winnable games against Detroit and Toronto upcoming. That’s a good way to build momentum. Phoenix is seventh in the NBA in scoring at 99.9 points per game. Last Week’s Ranking-23

21. Dallas Mavericks (7-8): That 4-1 start to the season is a thing of the past as the Mavs have lost seven of 10 since. They badly miss Dirk Nowitzki as after O.J. Mayo’s 20.8 points per game, no one else is averaging more than 14.2 (Chris Kaman). The news doesn’t get any better as 10 of their next 14 are on the road. Last Week’s Ranking-16

20. Minnesota Timberwolves (6-7): The ‘Wolves lost five in a row before Kevin Love’s monster game helped break that skid Tuesday against Sacramento. More performances like that and Minnesota should get back on track. Last Week’s Ranking-17

19. Houston Rockets (7-7): The Rockets drilled the Knicks and have won three straight. James Harden has been big, but the youngest team in the NBA is getting contributions from everyone, most notably guys like Patrick Patterson and Chandler Parsons have turned in huge performances this week. Last Week’s Ranking-24

18.  Chicago Bulls (6-7): The Bulls have lost four of five and blew a 27-point lead Monday against the Bucks. The struggles shouldn’t come as a surprise.  The Bulls still have talent but you just can’t replace an MVP like Derrick Rose. Last Week’s Ranking-12

November 27, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers power forward Pau Gasol (16) and shooting guard Kobe Bryant (24) during a stoppage in play against the Indiana Pacers during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

17. Charlotte Bobcats (7-6): The Bobcats have already matched last season’s win total, but showed how far they really have to come still in Monday’s 45-point loss to the Thunder. Last Week’s Ranking-19

16. Los Angeles Lakers (7-8): So let me get this straight. Kobe Bryant scores 40 points and the rest of the Lakers’ team scores 37? In Mike D’Antoni’s offense? No point guard hurts badly as does the lack of depth, as the Lakers get very little production from their second unit. They look lost at the defensive end and have lost three of four. Last Week’s Ranking-8

15.  Indiana Pacers (7-8): A big win over the Lakers makes it three of four for the Pacers, but two of the wins came against Washington and New Orleans. They have to find offense somewhere. Roy Hibbert has been a disappointment, averaging only 9.5 points per game while shooting 38.8 percent from the floor. Shooting is a problem for the Pacers as they are shooting only 41 percent as a team. Last Week’s Ranking-21

14. Milwaukee Bucks (7-5): The Bucks ended a three-game skid with a big comeback win against Chicago, but every time you show faith in this team they make you pay for it. They are still a talented team though and should be a handful for the Knicks on Wednesday.  Last Week’s Ranking-7

November 24, 2012; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors small forward Harrison Barnes (40) dunks the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the fourth quarter at ORACLE Arena. The Warriors defeated the Timberwolves 96-85. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

13. Philadelphia 76ers (9-6): Trading for Bynum looks like a mistake. Giving Jrue Holiday an extension was not. The Sixers are winning with defense, allowing only 93.7 points per game, but they are 26th in the league in scoring and not having Bynum should catch up with them. Last Week’s Ranking-13

12. Golden State Warriors (8-6): They have played eight of their first 14 on the road and are getting Andrew Bogut back soon. Rookie Harrison Barnes, along with having the dunk of the year, is starting to come along nicely. Last Week’s Ranking-15

11. Denver Nuggets (8-7): The Nuggets could be the streakiest team in the NBA. The followed up three straight losses with four straight wins before losing to Utah on Monday. They will need to get hot again with eight of their next 10 on the road. Last Week’s Ranking-14

10. Utah Jazz (8-7): The Jazz are 6-0 at home and only 2-7 on the road with a three game road trip coming up against the Hornets, Thunder and Rockets. They are talented, young and deep and have won four of their past five games. Last Week’s Ranking-11

9. Los Angeles Clippers (8-6): It’s funny how things can change in a week. Just a week ago you could make the case that the Clippers were the best team in the league, but that is no longer the case after four straight losses. No excuse for losing to the Hornets without Anthony Davis in the lineup. Last Week’s Ranking-3

8. Boston Celtics (8-6): Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce are still playing at a high level and what Rajon Rondo has been doing is amazing. However this team is allowing over 100 points per game which is concerning. Last Week’s Ranking-10

7. Atlanta Hawks (8-4): Atlanta has won five straight victories and wins in six of their past seven. The defensive-minded Hawks are allowing only 92.1 points per game while scoring 95.2 and are the No. 1 team in terms of defensive efficiency. They’ve had a pretty soft schedule, but do have wins over both the Thunder and Clippers. Last Week’s Ranking-20

Nov. 26, 2012; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) drives to the basket as New York Knicks center Tyson Chandler (6) defends during the second half at the Barclays Center. Nets won in overtime 96-89. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

6. New York Knicks (9-4): After and NBA-best 8-1 start, the Knicks have dropped three of their last four. Not having Jason Kidd against the Nets hurt and not having Amar’e Stoudemire is starting to show up as the Knicks could use his scoring and rebounding. Last Week’s Ranking-2

5. Brooklyn Nets (9-4): The Nets made a statement by beating the Knicks. They haven’t had a meaningful win all season, but have won three in a row two of which have been against the Clippers and Knicks. Lopez is off to a great start, averaging 19.2 points per game. Last Week’s Ranking-9

4. Oklahoma City Thunder (11-4): The Thunder have won eight of 10 and prepare for Harden’s first trip into town wearing a Houston Rockets jersey. Serge Ibaka has been a surprise on the offensive end, chipping in 14.5 points per game. Last Week’s Ranking-6

3. Miami Heat (10-3): The Heat have won four in a row and are 6-0 at home, which is good news for them considering the fact that they play only two road games between now and Christmas. Last Week’s Ranking-4

2. San Antonio Spurs (12-3): The Spurs are the first team to reach 12 wins and even without Kawhi Leonard and Stephen Jackson they should keep on winning. What’s impressive is how good they are on the road, winning 27 of their last 31 away from home. Last Week’s Ranking-5

1. Memphis Grizzlies (10-2): After seeing the winning streak ended with a home loss to the Nuggets, the Griz rebounded nicely with a win against the Lakers. They didn’t look great against the Cavs, but have Detroit and Toronto coming up before a showdown with the Spurs. With Rudy Gay (among others) playing at an All-Star level, the Grizzlies will keep on winning. Last Week’s Ranking-1

Biggest Climb-Atlanta Hawks (+13)

Biggest Drop-Los Angeles Lakers (-8)

The Knicks are the top team in the league in jersey sales, climbing a spot from No. 2 and overtaking the Chicago Bulls, as the NBA released their jersey sales numbers this morining.

That is largely due in part to the popularity of the Carmelo Anthony jersey, as ‘Melo comes in at No. 4 in terms of individual jersey sales. Miami’s LeBron James tops the list, followed by Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant. Anthony and Derrick Rose round out the top five.

Here’s a look at the top sellers (Per NBA, via Sun Sentinel):

Top individual jersey sales

• 1. LeBron James, Miami Heat
• 2. Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder
• 3. Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
• 4. Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks
• 5. Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls
• 6. Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics
• 7. Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
• 8. Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers
• 9. Dwight Howard, Los Angeles Lakers
• 10. Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers
• 11. Deron Williams, Brooklyn Nets
• 12. Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
• 13. Steve Nash, Los Angeles Lakers
• 14. Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics
• 15. Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks

Top team sales

• 1. New York Knicks
• 2. Miami Heat
• 3. Los Angeles Lakers
• 4. Chicago Bulls
• 5. Boston Celtics
• 6. Oklahoma City Thunder
• 7. Brooklyn Nets
• 8. Los Angeles Clippers
• 9. San Antonio Spurs
• 10. Dallas Mavericks

With that being said, I have always heard these rumors that Madison Square Garden is the “Mecca of Basketball’ but never understood it. With this fantastic start of the season by the Knicks, it looks like Madison Square Garden has finally become a real home court advantage.

Everything just seems different this season. All the years of building up a championship team and clearing out salary cap have led to right now. This is the season Knicks’ fans and the entire organization has been waiting for and we all know it’s here. There was no better way to send a message to the league and New Yorker’s than the 20-point blowout of LeBron James and the defending champion Miami Heat on opening night. The Knicks punched the Heat in the mouth and got New York fired up.

The Knicks have played four games at home and have beaten their opponent by an average 15.8 points. That is no easy feat especially since a majority of those teams are no joke: Heat, 76ers, Mavericks, and Pacers. It’s no secret a major reason why the Knicks have been dominant so far is the MVP-type play of their leader Carmelo Anthony.

As of November 25, ‘Melo is third in the league in scoring with 25.6 PPG and has stepped it up in front of his hometown crowd, delivering 28.6 PPG at the Garden in five games. He has been a loyal Mike Woodson soldier so far and has been doing anything and everything to win games.

I feel like a few things have factored into why MSG is finally living up to its name as the “Mecca of Basketball” and is truly a home court advantage.

Mike Woodson has a lot to do with it and deserves all the credit in the world. The Knicks are 26-7 on his watch, which is built on the foundation of teamwork, defensive intensity, and unselfishness. The Garden is also in phase two of its transformation and renovation. New Yorker’s are getting the state of the art arena they finally deserve while still keeping the arena they have been calling home forever.

New Yorker’s are now reenergized with the excellent play of the Knicks with addition to improvements of the World’s Greatest Arena. Knicks’ fans have always supported the Knicks, selling out games even when the team was one of the league’s worst. It is now time for the Knicks to return the favor.

A final reason why the Knicks’ players and their fans are very prideful of their home court this year is the arrival of the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets organization and fans have been talking a lot of smack this offseason, saying they are now the city’s basketball team. This is a Knicks city and I feel like the entire Knicks’ nation took offense when the Nets thought they could just swoop in and take the city’s fans. The Knicks are giving New Yorker’s one hell of a show especially at home. They are playing with a chip on their shoulder, proving everyone that this is their city.

New York City basketball is back. Madison Square Garden has been dying for elite basketball and huge games to be played under its roof. It’s time for the Knicks to win and they know it, especially in front of the best fans in the whole world.

Let’s not waste any time and get right into this week’s power rankings.

Nov 18, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving (2) during the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wachovia Center. The Sixers defeated the Cavaliers 86-79. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE

30. Washington Wizards (0-9): Jordan Crawford leads the woeful Wizards in scoring with 12.2 points per game. Enough said. Last Week’s Ranking-29

29. Cleveland Cavaliers (2-8): Six straight losses and now Kyrie Irving is out four weeks. It’s going to be another long year in Cleveland. Last Week’s Ranking-25

28. Sacramento Kings (2-8): The Kings have lost five straight, can’t shoot the basketball, and have as many suspensions as wins (two each). Last Week’s Ranking-24

27. Detroit Pistons (2-9): After an 0-8 start, they have won 2-of 3, including wins against the Sixers and Celtics. Last Week’s Ranking-30

26. Orlando Magic (3-7): Do you think the Magic are happy they didn’t deal Dwight Howard for Andrew Bynum? A string of five straight losses was halted with against the Pistons, but things could have turned out worse. Last Week’s Ranking-27

25. Toronto Raptors (3-7): DeMar DeRozan and Jose Calderon are playing his best basketball of their career, but this team needs Kyle Lowry healthy and Andrea Bargnani playing at a higher level. Last Week’s Ranking-28

24. Houston Rockets (4-7): Despite James Harden and Omer Asik off to good starts with their new team, the Rockets have won only two of their past nine games. Last Week’s Ranking-17

23. Phoenix Suns (4-7): The Suns had a brutal schedule over the course of the past week with games against Denver, Chicago, Miami and the Lakers. Give them credit for getting one win. Last Week’s Ranking-23

22. New Orleans Hornets (3-5): Anthony Davis has been everything he was advertised and more. But New Orleans has lost three straight and aren’t playing good team defense, allowing 109 points per game in the losing streak. Last Week’s Ranking-16

21. Indiana Pacers (5-7): The Pacers lead the NBA in defensive efficiency, but their offense is brutal. Danny Granger is out for three months and even though he had a good game Monday night, Roy Hibbert hasn’t been himself after signing his big contract, I just don’t know where the points will come from on a consistent basis. Last Week’s Ranking-20

November 16, 2012; Sacramento, CA, USA; Atlanta Hawks small forward Josh Smith (5) drives in against Sacramento Kings small forward John Salmons (5) during the second quarter at Sleep Train Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-US PRESSWIRE

20. Atlanta Hawks (5-4): Josh Smith isn’t quite playing like the J-Smoove we have seen over the past couple of seasons. Too many missed jumpers and free-throws so far. Al Horford and Lou Williams have been pretty good though. Last Week’s Ranking-15

19. Charlotte Bobcats (5-4): The Cats are competing and have two excellent building blocks in Kemba Walker and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, who are both off to great starts. Don’t look now, but Charlotte has won four of its last five, including a nice win Monday against the Bucks. Last Week’s Ranking-26

18. Portland Trail Blazers (5-5): The Blazers have some nice pieces with Damian Lillard, LaMarcus Aldridge and Nicolas Batum just to name a few and have put together a nice three game win streak. Last Week’s Ranking-22

17. Minnesota Timberwolves (5-4): Their promising start to the season could be derailed by injuries already as Chase Budinger, J.J. Barea and Brandon Roy have joined Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio as Wolves that are out of the lineup. Last Week’s Ranking-10

16. Dallas Mavericks (6-6): O.J. Mayo is playing his best basketball of his career, which helps lessen the blow that Dirk Nowitzki’s rehab isn’t going as well as Dallas may have hoped. Considering the Mavs have lost 5-of-7, they need every bit of Mayo as they can get right now. Last Week’s Ranking-11

November 15, 2012; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried (35) dunks the ball during the second half against the Miami Heat at the Pepsi Center. The Heat won 98-93. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-US PRESSWIRE

15. Golden State Warriors (6-5): A few other rookies are getting all of the attention, but don’t overlook Harrison Barnes, who is getting better by the game. Despite losing Brandon Rush for the year and still seeing Andrew Bogut banged up, the Warriors won three of four during the week, including an overtime victory against Dallas on Monday in which Steph Curry was tremendous. Last Week’s Ranking-21

14. Denver Nuggets (5-6): Kenneth Faried is a beast, but Ty Lawson, JaVale McGee and Danilo Gallinari have all been disappointments on the NBA’s most disappointing team early on. Monday’s win against the Grizzlies was big and could possibly get George Karl’s team on a roll. This is the best offensive rebounding team in the NBA which is a strength. It has to be considering how poor Denver has shot the ball so far. Last Week’s Ranking-7

13. Philadelphia 76ers (6-4): Bowling? Really? Do you think the Sixers would rather have Andre Iguodala back right now? Last Week’s Ranking-9

12. Chicago Bulls (5-5): After a very nice start, the Bulls are not playing Tom Thibodeau basketball, allowing four consecutive opponents to score over 100 points. Last Week’s Ranking-8

11. Utah Jazz (6-6): Al Jefferson is starting to come alive and the Jefferson-Paul Millsap-Derrick Favors frontcourt is something to be feared. Last Week’s Ranking 18

10. Boston Celtics (6-5): Rajon Rondo is on some kind of pace when it comes to dishing the ball, but is there anything else going on in Beantown right now to get excited about? Last Week’s Ranking-13

9. Brooklyn Nets (6-2): The Nets have been on a five-game tear, but those wins have come against Boston without Rajon Rondo, Orlando (twice), Cleveland and Sacramento. Brook Lopez is improving and the Nets are playing well, but we have to see them beat some better teams before we say they are for real.  Last Week’s Ranking-12

8. Los Angeles Lakers (5-5): The Lakers have rebounded to get to .500, but none of those wins have come against good teams. But Mike D’Antoni is ready to take over and Steve Nash should be back in a week or so. Then we will see this team likely start rolling. Last Week’s Ranking-19

7. Milwaukee Bucks (6-3): Milwaukee is off to their best start in over 10 years and are riding a three-game win streak. Two of those wins came against a couple decent teams in Philadelphia and Indiana. The Brandon Jennings-Monta Ellis backcourt has been great, winning despite a not-so-stellar frontcourt.  Last Week’s Ranking-14

6. Oklahoma City Thunder (8-3): Kevin Durant’s first career triple-double is a sign that the Thunder are moving the ball better as a team. They won three of four games during the week but lost to the only good team they played in Memphis. Last Week’s Ranking-6

5. San Antonio Spurs (8-3): After their rare collapse against the Knicks, the Spurs bounced back nicely against Denver, but ended up falling Monday night to the Clippers. Manu Ginobili is starting to play well, which they need with Kawhi Leonard out of the lineup for a couple of weeks. Last Week’s Ranking-3

Nov 19, 2012; San Antonio, TX, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) brings the ball up court against during the second half against the San Antonio Spurs at the AT

4. Miami Heat (8-3): They lost to Memphis but won 3-of-4 during the week, rebounding from that to beat Denver and Phoenix. Their size is an issue against some of the bigger Western Conference teams, but it’s the same talented Miami team with LeBron James and Chris Bosh off to fantastic starts. Last Week’s Ranking-4

3. Los Angeles Clippers (8-2): The Clippers are No. 4 in offensive efficiency and No. 2 in defensive efficiency. Jamal Crawford was somehow snubbed off the All-Star ballot, but he has proven to be the missing piece in Vinny Del Negro’s offense. They have beaten the Grizzlies, the Spurs (twice), the Lakers, Heat and Bulls. Chris Paul is playing at a MVP-level again and there are very few better in the league at closing out games.  Last Week’s Ranking-5

2. New York Knicks (7-1): New York is doing it with defense, good shooting and efficiency. They are taking care of the basketball and making teams pay at both ends of the floor. They are the first team in history to win their first six games and get outrebounded in each one. However it is hard to find anything else negative about a 7-1 start.  Last Week’s Ranking-1

1. Memphis Grizzlies (8-2): This is the best start Memphis has got off to, even though they gave away one to Denver on Monday, snapping their eight game win streak and 15 game home win streak (dating back to last season). Even when they’ve made the playoffs the past three years, it hasn’t been because they have gotten off to hot starts, which is something new to this franchise. They already have wins over the Knicks, Thunder and Heat and if anyone thinks Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph and company aren’t for real, think again. Last Week’s Ranking-2

Biggest Climber- Lakers (+11)

Biggest Fallers- Nuggets, Timberwolves, Rockets (-7)

As we enter the third week of the regular season, there has been a lot of movement from where things stood on opening night.

Oct 26, 2012; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons power forward Andre Drummond (1) saves the ball from going out of bounds during the third quarter against the Atlanta Hawks at The Palace. Detroit won 104-88. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-US PRESSWIRE

With that being said, let’s jump right into our bi-weekly NBA Power Rankings.

30. Detroit Pistons (0-7)- How long will it be until Lawrence Frank joins Mike Brown on the unemployment line? The Pistons aren’t just losing, they are getting crushed, being outscored by an average of 11.4 points per game. Previous Ranking: 28

29. Washington Wizards (0-5)-  Washington has defended pretty well, but they have major issues scoring the ball, averaging only 88 points per game without point guard John Wall in the lineup. Previous Ranking: 24

28. Toronto Raptors (1-5)- Toronto has shown that they aren’t nearly as good a team without Kyle Lowry in the lineup, allowing 108.5 points per game since he’s been sidelined. Previous Ranking: 25

27. Orlando Magic (2-4)- The Magic won a couple of games early and there will be nights on which they compete, but the facts are that this team lost too much talent and didn’t replace it with enough NBA-ready players. The result is the lowest scoring team in the league at 87.8 PPG.  Previous Ranking: 30

26. Charlotte Bobcats (2-3)- The Bobcats have been competitive a couple of nights, but have still allowed 107.9 points per game on the season.  They won’t get better until they learn how to defend. Previous Ranking: 29

25. Cleveland Cavaliers (2-5)- They did upset the Clippers, but teams are scoring at will on the young Cavs. They have some talent offensively  that could win them some games, but their effort on defense will hold this team back. Previous Ranking: 27

24. Sacramento Kings (2-5)- They’ve been competitive even in their losses, which makes their 2-4 start disappointing. DeMarcus Cousins is now suspended for a pair of games which means the Kings could once again find themselves in a big hole to dig themselves out of. Previous Ranking: 22

Nov 8, 2012; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard (0) brings the ball up court against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Rose Garden. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-US PRESSWIRE

23. Phoenix Suns (3-4)- Phoenix has three wins, but they have come against Cleveland, Detroit and Charlotte. On most other night’s they haven’t been too competitive, including blowout losses to Orlando, Utah and Miami. Previous Ranking: 23

22. Portland Trail Blazers (2-4)- Rookie Damian Lillard has exceeded all expectations already and the Blazers have a starting five that should be able to compete with most teams in the NBA, but their second unit is hands down the worst in the league. Previous Ranking: 21

21. Golden State Warriors (3-4) - After getting out of the gates rather nicely, the Warriors have dropped two straight to the Lakers and Nuggets. Now we will see how Mark Jackson’s team responds. They may have the best shooting backcourt in Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, but when the Warriors are going well, it’s the inside game. Sixth man Carl Landry has been a very nice addition. Previous Ranking: 17

20. Indiana Pacers (3-4) - The fact that Danny Granger is out for three months doesn’t help Frank Vogel’s team much. This team can still defend well, but points won’t come in bunches. Previous Ranking: 7

19. Los Angeles Lakers (3-4) - Lakers’ fans can say they are better than their record suggests, but the facts are that they aren’t right now. Until they start playing like their talent suggests, you have to take them for what their numbers say they are and that’s not a very good basketball team. With a new coach in Mike D’Antoni it might not be long before they get things turned around. Previous Ranking: 2

18. Utah Jazz (3-4) - With Paul Millsap, Al Jefferson and the rest of the Utah frontcourt, the Jazz can bang with the best of them. The rest of their cast, which includes the likes of Mo Williams, Gordon Heyward, Randy Foye and Marvin Williams will determine if the Jazz are just an average team or if they can take that next step. Previous Ranking: 15

17. Houston Rockets (3-3)- The Rockets backcourt of Jeremy Lin and James Harden can become one of the better ones in the league, but do they have the supporting cast to make the playoffs in a very tough Western Conference? Previous Ranking: 26

16. New Orleans Hornets (3-2)- The Hornets are playing well as a team defensively, allowing only 88.6 points per game. The problem is that they are only scoring 88.2 and managed to score only 62 in a loss to the Sixers.  But they rebounded nicely and put up 107 in a  win over Charlotte. Previous Ranking: 20

Nov 7, 2012; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Brandon Jennings (3) walks off the court after the Memphia Grizzlies beat the Buck 108-90 at the Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-US PRESSWIRE

15. Atlanta Hawks (2-3)- The Hawks have lost two straight, but those defeats came at the hands of the Heat and Clippers. This Hawks team has two legitimate stars in Al Horford and Josh Smith and more depth than it has had in a very long time, led by Lou Williams. In addition, this team can shoot the ball as they have shooters everywhere. Previous Ranking: 18

14. Milwaukee Bucks (3-2)- The Bucks came out of the gates hot and have proven they can function well offensively. They have split with the Celtics and much of their hot start can be attributed to Brandon Jennings, who may take the next step and put himself among the elite point guards in the league. Previous Ranking: 19

13. Boston Celtics (3-3)- The 2012-13 season is just like any other Celtics season- a slow starting one. The Celtics as a team really haven’t been impressive although Rajon Rondo has been playing out of his mind. Previous Ranking: 4

12. Brooklyn Nets (3-2)- This could be a little generous for Brooklyn,  who look more like the New Jersey Nets on some nights, but they are getting better defensively (90.4 PPG), which should lead to a lot more wins. Previous Ranking: 11

11. Dallas Mavericks (4-3)- The Mavs have lost back-to-back contest, but have been competitive early on even without the services of Dirk Nowitzki. Behind O.J. Mayo’s 21.9 points per game, the Mavs are the second highest scoring team in the NBA (104.7). That’s the good news. The bad news is that they are allowing over 100 points per game so they need every bit of that offense. Previous Ranking: 14

10. Minnesota Timberwolves (4-2)- No Kevin Love. No Ricky Rubio. No problem for the Timberwolves, who have got off to a great start without their stars. They are winning with defense, allowing less than 90 points per game, but must find some additional scoring to keep it up. Previous Ranking: 16

Nov 10, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls small forward Luol Deng (9) drives to the basket against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second half at the United Center. The Bulls beat the Timberwolves 87-80. Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-US PRESSWIRE

9. Philadelphia 76ers (4-2)- Six games into the season and there is absolutely no doubt that the Sixers are the ugliest team to watch in the NBA. But despite losing back-to-back games against the Knicks, the Sixers are 4-0 against the league, even without Andrew Bynum in the lineup. Previous Ranking: 9

8. Chicago Bulls (4-2)- Luol Deng and Joakim Noah have stepped up as leaders and the Bulls are still getting it done on the defensive end. The only question here is whether or not Deng can handle being a closer in Derrick Rose’s absence. Previous Ranking: 13

7. Denver Nuggets (4-3)- They got off to a slow start but since then have proven that they could be the best  rebounding team in the league, especially on the offensive glass. That rebounding has got the Nuggets on a four-game tear. Previous Ranking: 12

6. Oklahoma City Thunder (5-2)- The Thunder are a top seven team in both scoring offense and scoring defense and game-by-game they are getting more comfortable learning to play without Harden. Kevin martin averaging 18 points per game is making that easier to deal with. Previous Ranking: 3

5. Los Angeles Clippers (5-2)- Watching this Clippers team defeat the likes of the Spurs, Lakers and Grizzlies, it makes you wonder how they lost to the Cavaliers and Warriors. Chris Paul has this team playing at a great pace and Jamal Crawford has provided the perimeter scoring they didn’t have a season ago. Previous Ranking: 5

4. Miami Heat (5-2)- LeBron James is playing like LeBron is expected to and the Heat offense has been rolling, averaging an NBA-best 107.7 PPG until they got slowed down by the Grizzlies on Sunday. With the talent on this team, there’s no reason to think they will slow down too often this season. Previous Ranking: 1

Nov 5, 2012; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker (9) reacts to a call during the first half against the indiana Pacers at the AT

3. Memphis Grizzlies (5-1)- The Grizzlies have won five straight and are doing so by an average of 12.6 points per game and looked especially impressive in taking apart the Heat by 18. Having Zach Randolph (15.8 PPG, 15.0 RPG)healthy for an entire season makes a ton of difference for the Grizzlies and their core of Randolph, Rudy Gay, Marc Gasol and Mike Conley look great together. Previous Ranking: 8

2. San Antonio Spurs (6-1)- Manu Ginobili is averaging only 8.8 points per game, but Gregg Popovich’s Spurs keep getting it done. It’s the same unselfish style as San Antonio leads the NBA in assists and Tim Duncan is off to a “vintage” start to the season, averaging 18.9 points  and 9.7 rebounds. Previous Ranking: 6

1. New York Knicks (4-0)- The only undefeated team remaining in the league gets the top spot. They’ve defeated the Heat by 20, the 76ers by margins of 16 and 22 points and the Mavericks by 10. New York has scored 104.7 points per game (third in NBA), exceeding the 100-point mark in every game and have allowed a league-best 87.5 points per game. They get better as the game goes as well as no team has scored more than 40 points in the second half against them yet. Mike Woodson’s team is deep and talented and the Knicks are for real, even if it is only four games into the season. Previous Ranking: 10

Nov 05, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) shoots a jump shot during the second quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wachovia Center. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE

Buckets Over Broadway’s Matt Shetler and Thunderous Intentions’ Andrew Kennedy return to take a look at the only remaining undefeated team in the New York Knicks.

They also dive into the start of the season for Kennedy’s OKC Thunder.

In addition they look at the disappointing start to the season for the Los Angeles Lakers, who can stop the Miami Heat offense and much more.

After looking a some surprise performances to start the season, the duo hand out their Player of the Week awards.

Who gets the honors for Week 1?

You have to listen to find out.

You can listen to the show simply by clicking the player at the bottom of the page.

Tune into the FanSided NBA Podcast every week and make sure you check out all of the great programming on FanSided Radio.

Some rookies have showed up to play and some vets have shown us their age.

Here is a look at my fantasy basketball outlook for the coming week with players you should target in free agency and some players that you may have to give up on.  (The players listed are those who are still readily available in the free agent pools of ESPN and Yahoo! leagues)

Nikola Vucevic (C/F- Magic):  Hardly given a chance to play last year in Philly, he is taking advantage of the lack of size on Orlando’s roster.  One of the pieces of the trade that sent Dwight Howard to LA, he has averaged 13.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and a steal through three games.

While getting only 16 minutes in the first game he has come back with games of 37 and 42 minutes.  With Orlando clearly rebuilding and not having many options, he is someone that will garner a lot of minutes, even in blowout losses.  The only knock here is that he has only attempted seven free throws in those three games.   He’s going quickly on the waiver wire.  Don’t’ wait any longer to get him.  (40% owned in ESPN, 52% owned Yahoo!)

November 7, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats guard Ramon Sessions (7) looks to shoot as he is defended by Phoenix Suns center Marcin Gortat (4) during the game at Time Warner Cable Arena. Suns win 117-110. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-US PRESSWIRE

Ramon Sessions (G- Bobcats):  Sessions has ALWAYS had the talent of a true point guard, but until his trade to the LA last season, has never really been given the opportunity to play the position full time.  Stuck in timeshares with guys like Luke Ridnour and Kyrie Irving, he truly excelled when given the reigns to the Lakers offense.  He is showing improvement in his 3-point game and is a player who likes to take it to the hole which subsequently led to his 4.4 FT attempts per game last year.  With Gerald Henderson out for at least 2-4 weeks, Sessions will get more minutes and could slide into the shooting guard position while Kemba Walker is on the floor.  Not bad if you can get SG eligibility out of him, too.  (42% ESPN, 32% Yahoo!)

Kevin Seraphin (C/F- Wizards):  Only 22-years old, Seraphin has room for improvement, but this 22-year old from French Guiana is already rising up the free agency hit list.  Many aspects of his game are still very raw, but finding center help in fantasy basketball leagues is always vital to any teams’ success.  With Nene seemingly always nursing an injury (this time it’s plantar fasciitis) and Emeka Okafor looking every bit his age, Seraphin will log heavy minutes on a team not shy to play it’s youth.

Last year, from March 15^th on, he averaged 14 ppg which also included a stretch of 16 consecutive games in double-digits.  This is a guy that when given the minutes he produces.  Because he started the year injured and D.C. has only played one game he has been overlooked by fantasy owners.  Get this guy now before it’s too late.  (13% ESPN, 24% Yahoo!)

Other guys to get bullish on: 

Jarrett Jack (G- Warriors):  Brandon Rush ACL injury makes him a full rotation player.  Will be a good source of assists, 3’s, steals and FT’s.  (26% ESPN, 41% Yahoo!)

Gerald Green (G/F- Pacers):  This guy’s got hops.  With Danny Granger officially sidelined up to 3 months, he will be called upon to fill a big hole in that lineup.  (1.9% ESPN, 12% Yahoo!)

Marcus Morris (F- Rockets):  The twin brother of the Suns’ Markieff, this rookie is averaging 12 points and 5 boards a game in 20 minutes.  A thin bench will get him playing time (0.1% ESPN, 2% Yahoo!)

Al-Farouq Aminu (F- Hornets):  With No. 1 pick Anthony Davis sidelined, he has stepped up his game, dropping 13.3 points a game to go along with 7 rebounds.  He has gotten 2 steals in each game as well.  He should stay in the starting lineup when Davis comes back with Ryan Anderson moving back to a sixth man role.  (68% ESPN, 48% Yahoo!)

Trending Up:  Nate Robinson, Dorell Wright, J.J. Reddick, E’Twaun Moore, J.J. Hickson, J.J. Barea, Larry Sanders, Danny Green

Rookies on the Rise:  Marcus Morris (see above), Kyle Singler, Jonas Valanciunas, Harrison Barnes, Jae Crowder

Stock Is Falling:  MarShon Brooks, Lamar Odom, Nene, Andrew Bogut, Wilson Chandler, Samuel Dalembert, Ben Gordon, Elton Brand, Derrick Favors, Bradley Beal

The New York Times‘ Howard Beck tweeted the bad news on Wednesday afternoon:

Billy King confirms game canceled.

— Howard Beck (@HowardBeckNYT) October 31, 2012

The NBA announced on Tuesday that the game would take place as scheduled. But shutdowns of mass transit due to the hurricane would’ve caused significant problems for fans trying to attend the game.

That news was also confirmed by Knicks’ general manager Glen Grunwald.

Grunwald said he spoke to NBA executive Stu Jackson, who confirmed that Thursday’s game will be postponed. Grunwald said he has been told that Friday’s game against Miami at Madison Square Garden is still on.

At this point, a makeup date has not been announced for the highly anticipated Knicks-Nets clash.

Follow Matt Shetler on Twitter for news, reaction and analysis from around the NBA.

Follow Buckets Over Broadway on Twitter and on Facebook

However as of right now, that game will tip-off as scheduled.

Tim Frank, the NBA’s senior vice president of basketball communications, updated the situation as it pertains to Thursday’s openner.

Knicks-Nets game will be played as scheduled this Thursday at 7 p.m. at Barclays Center

— Tim Frank (@tfrank14) October 31, 2012

While plans can still change as the damage is assessed, it’s probably good news that the game is being played. If anything it will serve a a distraction to those effected by all of the damage.

Oct 8, 2012; New York, NY, USA; Aerial view of the Barclays Center. The venue is the home arena for the Brooklyn Nets of the NBA. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

The new arena didn’t sustain any damage from Hurricane Sandy, a Nets spokesman confirmed Tuesday, but the storm forced the shutdown of public transportation throughout the tri-state area. This is problematic because fans traveling to the Barclays Center are expected to rely heavily on public transportation. The arena is in close proximity to major subway and Long Island Rail Road stations.

Fans may not be the only ones that will have problems getting to the game, as Nets’ rookie point guard Tyshawn Taylor,  tweeted Tuesday night that he’s currently stranded at his Hoboken, N.J., apartment building as a result of the hurricane.

My building is literally an island .. flooded by water on all sides !!!

 

Taylor also tweeted that he has no power and can’t call out.

So while people in the area are slowly trying to pick up the pieces left behind from Hurricane Sandy, the Knicks and Nets are set to go off as planned.

It could prove to be the perfect distraction that people effected by Sandy really need.

Here are my picks of sleepers and rookies and also the guys that you should avoid.  Draft correctly or you may wind up being the pumpkin at the ball.  In the spirit of Halloween, let’s proceed….

Dracula’s (Sleepers)

O.J. Mayo (Dallas Mavericks)

Oct 26, 2012; Dallas, Tx, USA; Dallas Mavericks shooting guard O.J. Mayo (32) dribbles during the second half against the Charlotte Bobcats at the American Airlines Center. Dallas won 99-82. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-US PRESSWIRE

O.J.’s namesake might scare you into not drafting him, but that would be a mistake.  This is not Orenthal James, but actually Ovinton J’Anthony (you can see why he shortened it), and he may be looking at a career year.

Since being drafted by Memphis in 2008, he has seen his numbers gradually decrease.  His rookie year stats of 18.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists were very good.  He even made 1.8 3-pointers a game to boot.  Actually they were good enough to garner him enough votes to finish second only to future-MVP Derrick Rose in the Rookie of the Year balloting.

Unfortunately for Memphis fans after that breakout season his game faded.  Last year he finally adjusted to the sixth man role that he was given the previous season and flourished, hitting key 3-pointers and also improving his defensive game.  Eventually though the welcome had worn out in Tennessee.

He is now with Dallas, who brought in some new players to a team that has already made the playoffs 12 years in a row.  Figuring to be the starting SG alongside PG Darren Collison, Mayo has breakout potential.  His competition for the position is very lackluster and once Dirk Nowitzki is back and healthy he should draw many double-teams that will give O.J. many open looks.  His quickness may be what the Mavs need to reenergize their offense.  USC has been known to breed slasher-type players, and O.J. fits this role…Mayo, not Simpson…but now that I mention it…

Carlos Boozer (Chicago Bulls)

Like many horror stories of yore, Carlos Boozer has been a name many have forgotten since the Bulls acquired him before the 2010-11 season.  Stuck in a rotation featuring MVP Derrick Rose, Luol Deng and a dearth of front-court talent (Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson, Omer Asik), Boozer has simply not gotten the minutes to make a fantasy impact.

Excluding his rookie season, he averaged the fewest PPG and RPG of his career in 2012.  Many people drafted him last year hoping he would turn around the mess that was ’10-11 campaign, be he wounded their hearts by playing below his talent level.

This year will be different for the Alaska native.  With Derrick Rose gone until at least March, or possibly the entire season, and Asik earning  a freakish $25 million (?!!) in the Lone Star State, Boozer will have to shoulder a lot of the scoring load, as well as play more minutes inside, which should garner him more rebounds.

He has never been a shot blocker, but is a good passer for a big man, so three assists per game and possibly one steal per game could be likely.  Look for his scoring and rebounding averages to creep back up into the 20/10 range.  Especially with the possibility of earning the much coveted center eligibility, drafting him in the middle rounds could be less trick and more treat.

Raymond Felton (New York Knicks)

Two of the issues that have always haunted the Knicks’ newly-acquired point guard have been his consistency as well as his fluctuating weight.  When management decided to do a sign-and-trade for Felton it pretty much squashed any chances of them re-signing media and fan sensation Jeremy Lin, but in doing so the Blue & Orange have brought in a more prototypical floor general.

This is good news for Knicks’ fans and fantasy owners who draft him.  He had a forgettable one-year stint in the Pacific Northwest, but should enjoy another quality year in the Big Apple, much like he did in 2010-11 before he was shipped to Denver in the Carmelo Anthony trade.  His numbers that year in New York were the best of his career and there’s no reason to believe that he can’t produce similar stats across the board.

His rapport with Amar’e Stoudemire that year using the pick-and-roll became one for the ages.  Amar’e looks to be out for a month or more, which is a little unnerving, but Felton should have no trouble accumulating assists with jump shooters like ‘Melo, J.R. Smith and Steve Novak draining shots.

There has been some hubbub about his propensity for, let’s call it “rotundness”, but he seems to be in shape coming into camp this year.  Having played most of his career injury-free, taking a flyer on him in the middle rounds could be a fang-tastic move for you.

Others to consider:

Oct 24, 2012; Winnipeg, MB, CAN; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Luke Ridnour (13) is chased by Detroit Pistons power forward Andre Drummond (1) during the 3rd quarter at the MTS Center. Timberwolves win 95-76. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Fedyck-USPRESSWIRE

Luke Ridnour (Minnesota Timberwolves):  With Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love out due to injury, look for “Cool Hand Luke” to conjure up some points and assists.

Jerryd Bayless (Memphis Grizzlies):  He’s stuck behind Mike Conley and Tony Allen on the depth chart, but there is little talent after that.  He’s an injury away from playing big minutes.  In four years he has averaged 16.3 points and 5.2 assists as a starter, thus making his potential to put up big numbers enchanting.

Arron Affalo (Orlando Magic):  He will pretty much be THE offensive spark in Orlando.  As the “prize” of the Dwight Howard trade massacre, there is no reason for Jacque Vaughn to not have him log big minutes.  He is coming off a career year in Denver where he averaged a frighteningly good 15.2 points on 47 percent shooting.  His 1.4 three’s per game should actually increase.  Could be the steal of the draft.

Byron Mullens (Charlotte Bobcats):  The Bobcats are rebuilding (aren’t they always?) and this is one of the pieces they plan on getting them there.  He is eligible at center and can shoot the three, which is a rare commodity.  Analysts have had a ­bone to pick with his inside game, but some big rebounding performances in the preseason may be signs of him turning the corner.

Anthony Randolph (Denver Nuggets):  Now this is a DEEP sleeper, like comatose, but still only 23-years old, he is still on that “breakout” list.  The classic “hype” player, his lack of focus has over-shadowed his amazing athleticism.  He is on the Nuggets now which features the “Manimal” Kenneth Faried, but is also rostering sluggish ogres like Kosta Koufos and Timofey Mozgov and JaVale McGee who has talent, but lacks intuitiveness.  He’s not draft worthy, but keep an eye on him in free agency if any of those other players should become George Karl’s black cat.

Michael Beasley (Phoenix Suns):  The former No. 2 overall pick has never fully come into his own.  After only two seasons in Miami he was jettisoned to the Great North to make room for LeBron and Co.  His first season in Minneapolis was a success, averaging career high in points per game.  However last year, with a much more limited role, he failed to meet the expectations that had been bestowed upon him after coming out Kansas State as the Big 12 record holder in many categories.

This is a fresh start for Beasley in the desert.  He is pretty much guaranteed lots of minutes on a Suns team that will need his scoring.  His streaky shooting can be spine-chilling, but if he can be consistent on more of a regular basis he could be a find.

More under-the-radar guys that could put a spell on you:  Brandon Knight, Devin Harris, George Hill, Chandler Parsons, Gordon Hayward, Evan Turner, J.R. Smith, Wesley Matthews, Derrick Favors, Nikola Pekovic, J.J. Hickson

The Plague (Avoid these guys at all costs)

Oct 19, 2012; Portland, OR, USA; Golden State Warriors shooting guard Stephen Curry (30) drives the lane in the first quarter of the game at the Rose Garden. Curry left the game with an injury in the second quarter as the Warriors won the game 101-97. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-US

Stephen Curry  (Golden State Warriors):  Yes, I know how much talent this kid has, and many people are drafting him in the first couple rounds, but the fact of the matter is that he has way too many issues with his gimpy ankle that are worth stressing about all year long.  When healthy he has put up great all around numbers, but he missed 40 games last year and has already had another mishap with the same surgically repaired ankle in the preseason.  Bury him on your draft list.  Let him be someone else’s problem.

Eric Gordon (New Orleans Hornets):  see “Curry, Stephen”.  Same deal here, just a knee problem instead of an ankle problem.  Put a nail in his coffin.

Jason Richardson/Dorell Wright/Nick Young (Philadelphia 76ers):  All three of these guys essentially play the same position and will eat into each other’s time on the court.  Not bad fillers in free agency on a daily basis if you’re desperate for scoring categories (namely 3-pointers and points), but their field goal percentage’s will be murder on your in the long run.

Anyone in the Sacramento Kings backcourt:  This list would include: Isaiah Thomas, Aaron Brooks, Marcus Thornton, Tyreke Evans, Jimmer Fredette and John Salmons.  While many of these players are talented there are too many of them to go around and most of them will hurt your team in specific categories.  While Evans and Thornton will see more consistent minutes than the others, their shooting percentages will give you nightmares!

Andrea Bargnani (Toronto Raptors):  While many had doubted the former No. 1 overall pick over the past few seasons he has really turned out to be a great scorer.  But scoring is mainly what you’ll get from him.  Being center –eligible is nice, but five boards, a sub-par FG% and almost no blocks or steals to speak of is not what you’re looking for on a daily basis.  He’s basically like teammate DeMar DeRozan, just taller and speaks better Italian.  Chronic injuries are a problem with him as well.  With Bargnani you never know if you’ll get Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde, don’t take the risk.

Hedo Turkoglu (Orlando Magic):  Hedo has had his good years, but those years are behind him.  He is starting for the Magic now, but don’t let his projected minutes fool you into selling your soul for this guy.  Once the Magic start 3-20 he’ll most likely be traded to a contender where he’ll move back to a bench role and be a non-factor.  Tread lightly with this Turk.

Nene (Washington Wizards):  Nene is a highly talented player who is good for career averages of 12 points and seven rebounds a game.  The problem is that over a 10 year career, out of 804 possible games, he has only played in 457 of them, which translates to 57 percent.  Draft this guy and you’ll be heading to an early grave.

More guys you’ll feel have put a hex on you if you draft them:  Chris Kaman, Corey Maggette, Nate Robinson, Gerald Henderson, Andrew Bogut, Amar’e Stoudemire, Robin Lopez, DeMar DeRozan, Marvin Williams, Metta World Peace, and Caron Butler

Fresh Blood (Rookies)

Angels:

October 25, 2012; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard (0) controls the ball during the first quarter against the Utah Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-US PRESSWIRE

Damian Lillard (Portland Trailblazers):  He had a great rookie camp and is the starting PG on a team really lacking in depth.  New coach Terry Stotts will give him lots of minutes and he does have some formidable scorers (LaMarcus Aldridge, Nicolas Batum, Wesley Matthews) that can help him pad his assist totals.  He should be given a very long leash.  Drink this potion and you’ll find yourself a sneaky point guard pickup in the later rounds.

Jae Crowder (Dallas Mavericks):  He had a great career at Marquette, but rarely do you see a second round pick blossom so quickly.  He has impressed coach Rick Carlisle in preseason and is a tweener big man who hustles a lot.  He will see minutes because he brings youth to a team that desperately needs players that aren’t on death’s bed.   He should also fill a big role while Nowitzki continues to nurse a bad knee.

Dion Waiters (Cleveland Cavaliers):  The Cavs are bad.  Aside from the ­otherworldly  Kyrie Irving they have very few players who are legitimate scorers.  Waiters will be shooting and shooting a lot.  Don’t expect good percentages, but the points will be there.

Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards):  The highly regarded SG from Florida will take no time to get on the NBA map.  With franchise player John Wall out for a few months they will need to rely heavily on Beal’s scoring ability.  What have they got to lose by playing Beal, after all they are the Wizards, and unless they perform some kind of voodoo, they are going to be at the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

Brian Roberts (New Orleans Hornets):  No, this is not the Brian Roberts who plays second base for the Baltimore Orioles.  This Brian Roberts is a 29-year old rookie who has made heads roll during training camp.  I don’t think Greivis Vasquez is suited for a full time role as the starting PG in ‘Nawlins and Austin Rivers is more of shooting guard, which leaves Roberts as the potential rock handler for the Hornets.

Perry Jones III (Oklahoma City Thunder):  What is it with Baylor guys and the “III” after their name? Robert Griffin “Tres” has mightily impressed in his rookie year as the Washington Redskins QB so why can’t Jones III do so in OKC?  Well, he might.  With the trade of Sixth Man of the Year James Harden to the Houston Rockets, the Thunder will need more punch off its bench.  Harden’s ghost may not haunt Chesapeake Energy Arena for long as Jones III is a very athletic big man who could easily supplant the older and slower Kendrick Perkins in many crunch minutes.

Andre Drummond (Detroit Pistons):  A very, very, very raw talent, but Drummond possesses a lot of upside.  A defensive minded beast, he could get you sufficient rebounding and blocked shot numbers in your fantasy league.  The Pistons aren’t very good and have no reason not to play their first-round draft pick.

Others:  Marquis Teague, Harrison Barnes, Thomas Robinson, Moe Harkless (when he returns from injury), Jonas Valanciunas

Devils:

Oct 23, 2012; Raleigh, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats head coach Mike Dunlap talks to Charlotte Bobcats small forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (14) on the sidelines against the Miami Heat in the first half at PNC Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark Dolejs-US PRESSWIRE

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Charlotte Bobcats):  I think it might take a while for him to find a position that is best suited for his abilities and then he may finally rear his fangs, but for now he’s a deer in headlights.

Tyshawn Taylor (Brooklyn Nets):  Stuck behind D-Will and C.J. Watson in the depth charts.  His fantasy season can rest in pieces.

Anthony Davis (New Orleans Hornets):  I think that the consensus No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft will be a great player one day and I’m not saying he’s not a great player now, but I think his game is limited with the players that are currently surrounding him.  If Gordon has made a deal with the devil and can stay healthy I can see myself changing my tune on this, but for now he’s at best a late round pick.

Kendall Marshall (Phoenix Suns):  Newly acquired PG Goran Dragic got paid the big bucks and will log most of the minutes.  Though he is sound defensively, Marshall’s offensive game still has cobwebs on it.

However, as the league survived a lockout a season ago and is set to begin an 82-game regular season for the first time in two years, Stern made the surprising announcement that he would be stepping down in 2014.

June 28, 2012; Newark, NJ, USA; NBA commissioner David Stern in attendance during the 2012 NBA Draft at the Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-US PRESSWIRE

It shouldn’t be that surprising, as it has appeared he has been laying the groundwork for his departure for the past several seasons. However today’s announcement was still surprising nonetheless.

During the NBA’s Board of Governors meetings in midtown Manhattan, Stern advised the league’s owners of his intention to retire on Feb. 1, 2014, the 30-year anniversary of his taking the job. In doing so, Stern, who turned 70 last month, has stayed very much in the character he’s developed during those three decades.

He made it clear he will remain in charge of league operations for the next 15 months, making sure his hand-picked successor will be installed. The league owners said they will begin negotiating with deputy commissioner Adam Silver to take over for Stern when those 15 months end.

“It’s been a great run. The league is in, I think, terrific condition,” Stern said (via ESPN). “I’d like to think I did an adequate job. But one of the things I did best was provide a successor. I’m not going anyplace in the next 15 months, but this gives us the opportunity to have a very smooth transition.”

He’s right about the league being in great shape.

During Stern’s tenure the league’s annual revenue from its television contract increased 40 times, and the average player salary jumped from $250,000 a year in 1984 to more than $5 million right now.

Stern has always been surrounded by controversy and has always been viewed as a shrewd negotiator, but he has impacted his game in a more positive fashion than any of the commissioners in the four major sports during that time frame.

On his watch, there has been extremely strong revenue growth throughout the league, the expansion from 23 to 30 teams, the movement into small markets such as Sacramento, Memphis and Oklahoma City, the spreading global reach spurred on by the league’s backing of letting its players take part in the Olympics, and the establishment of the WNBA.

Stern also oversaw the implementation of drug testing that helped root out a major league issue in the 1980s.

In addition the value of franchises went up in a big way. When Stern took over in 1984, teams were being sold in the $20 million range. In 2010, the Golden State Warriors set a record when they were sold for $450 million.

On the surface, Stern is not a likeable guy and for every good thing he has done, there have been whispers of conspiracies behind the scenes, ranging from the very first draft lottery in 1984, in which the New York Knicks won the rights to draft Patrick Ewing, to last season’s lottery, and everything in between.

Heck, there was even an FBI investigation about one of his referees involved with illegal gambling.

Stern has angered as many people in his near 30 years as he has reached out to. He often seems to not care about his fan base, one that has made the NBA what it is today.

During his watch, he’s made sure to protect his larger market teams, while not necessarily giving the same due to the smaller market teams.

But with everything negative associated with Stern, you can’t argue about the success the league has had and the shape that it is in right now and at the end of the day, that is really all that matters when evaluating his legacy.

Fifteen years from now, Stern likely won’t be missed much among the fans of the NBA.

However, here’s hoping that Silver can have similar success and a similar tenure to that of his predecessor.

Follow Matt Shetler on Twitter for news, reaction and analysis from around the NBA.

Follow Buckets Over Broadway on Twitter and on Facebook

Looking at the league as a whole, only Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum are dominant centers in today’s game, a game that has transitioned over the past couple of decades to a league filled with talented and athletic guards.

It appears NBA commissioner David Stern has taken notice.

Mar 31, 2012; New York, NY, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers small forward Alonzo Gee (33) defends New York Knicks center Tyson Chandler (6) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-US PRESSWIRE

The league is set to tweak its All-Star Game balloting process, doing away with position designations for forwards and centers and instead asking fans to vote for three “frontcourt” players, according to NBA.com.

The website said the announcement is scheduled for Wednesday and the change is based on the more nebulous definition of player positions in NBA lineups and a reaction to San Antonio’s routine designation of Tim Duncan – a listed power forward who often played like a center.

“It makes sense,” vice president of basketball operations Stu Jackson said to NBA.com. “It made sense to our competition committee. Having a center is the only specific position that was singled out on the ballot. It just seemed a little outdated and didn’t represent the way our game has evolved. By the same token, it also affords the same opportunity, if you have two good centers in a given year, pick ‘em both. They both can be selected. Which is impossible right now.”

It’s really not that big of a deal, considering that there aren’t many All-Star worthy centers throughout the league.

But it hurts the chances of players such as Tyson Chandler, Marc Gasol, Joakim Noah, Al Horford and other productive centers around the league from potentially making All-Star teams in the future.

Bynum and Howard would likely be the starters in each conference, but if they don’t get voted in by the fans and are picked by the coaches as reserves, there’s going to be one less spot to be had for a deserving big man.

The NBA is scheduled to debut the 2013 All-Star ballot on Nov. 13 with the All-Star Game slated for Feb. 17 at Houston’s Toyota Center.

Mike Conley Jr. Memphis Grizzlies – Mike Conley is a name you don’t hear that often. Many people forget he was drafted fourth behind Greg Oden, Kevin Durant, and Al Horford back in 2007. Now entering his sixth year in the league at 26 years old he will run the show for an established Grizzlies team this year. They have had the same starting five for a couple years now so the chemistry should be there. Conley is ready to break out and lead the Grizz past the first round this year. Don’t be surprised if Conley averages 15 and 7 this year.

Oct 21, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (15) during the preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-US PRESSWIRE

DeMarcus Cousins Sacramento Kings – The Kings are very young and learning the game together but they can’t go anywhere without Cousins. Hopefully he has matured and grown up and has learned that basketball is a full-time career and that he can’t act like a baby anymore. He is only 22 years old but he played last year like he was a 10 year vet. Cousins can put up elite big man numbers and with the Kings getting better, defenses will have to worry about the players around him as well. Cousins should have a big year in only his 3rd season.

DeMar DeRozan Toronto Raptors – Now entering his fourth year, DeRozan needs to justify his Top 10 draft selection and break out. He is still very young but I believe he will break out this year. He can get to the rim with ease and is an amazing dunker. I think DeMar puts it all together this year.

Danilo Gallinari Denver Nuggets – Gallo came into the league when he was 19 and was thrown right into the New York spotlight. Now in Denver he has matured and learned both the NBA and American culture. The Nuggets have a lot of great pieces and I think he will shine this year as the Nuggets have built a great time after Carmelo Anthony left.

Jrue Holiday Philadelphia 76ers – The 76ers a very fast and young team.  Holiday is becoming a great under the radar point guard. He might not have the star power as all the other point guards in the league, but Jrue can play with them all. Look for him to break out this year as the 76ers make noise in the Eastern Conference.

The aging Boston Celtics are hoping to stay on top of the division and make a final chase at the NBA title while the New York Knicks attempt to continue their ascent up the Eastern Conference standings. The Brooklyn Nets made some big splash signings in honor of their move from New Jersey to Brooklyn. Also the Philadelphia 76ers made a big move as well trading for Andrew Bynum, hoping he could take the Sixers to the next level. The Toronto Raptors are a team with no identity and will most likely be the basement dweller in this highly competitive division. Now here are my predictions.

June 9, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers talks to Paul Pierce (34) and Rajon Rondo (9) against the Miami Heat during the third quarter in game seven of the 2012 NBA Eastern Conference finals at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

First Place: Boston Celtics

Starters:

PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Avery Bradley
SF: Paul Pierce
PF: Brandon Bass
C: Kevin Garnett

After last year how could this aging Celtics team have anything left in the tank? Both Garnett and Pierce are getting up there in age so how will they be able to even repeat their success of last year? It’s quite simple actually, the young backcourt tandem of Rondo and Bradley. When Ray Allen was hobbled last season Bradley stepped up and put the NBA on notice, he’s ready to be a contributor to the Celtics. Before he was injured in the playoffs, he made the old Celtics look like a team poised to ruin the NBA title dreams of the Miami Heat. I think that Bradley takes an even bigger step then he took last year and becomes a big threat in the Atlantic Division.

Rondo is a huge reason why the Celtics will stay atop the Atlantic. He’s one of the elite point guards in the NBA. It’s no longer the big three in Boston, it’s now Rondo’s team and if he goes so will the Celtics. Don’t get me wrong, Garnett and Pierce are both a HUGE part of this team but due to their advanced age and judging by how head coach Doc Rivers managed their minutes last year, I don’t see them as the stars of the team. However, KG is still the heart and soul of this team and is still a huge presence on the floor and his health will be a huge factor in the Celtics title hopes. Also, Pierce is still a legit scoring threat and one of the most clutch players in the game. This season could be the last shot for the core of this team to win another NBA title, but I still view them as one of the few that can challenge the Heat from winning back-to-back titles.

Key Bench players: Jason Terry, Jeff Green, Courtney Lee, and Jared Sullinger.

All of these players are new editions to the Celtics roster (Green didn’t play last season). I love the signing of Jason Terry because he is a lethal scoring threat off the bench and provides a go-to option for the second unit. Green can do a little of everything and is extremely versatile on the defensive end. However, he’s coming off major heart surgery that required him to miss all of last season. He should be eased back into things but expect him to have a major role when the season is in full swing. Both Lee and Sullinger provide the depth, along with Green and Terry, which the older Celtics need.  Sullinger is an interesting player off the bench for the Celtics but I think he will take on a similar role that Glen “Big Baby” Davis occupied during his tenure in Boston.

Team MVP: Rajon Rondo

Rondo is in his prime as a basketball player and this season should be the season he truly takes over the Celtics. He’s one of the best ball handlers and passers in the NBA today, however in order to become an elite player he needs to become a consistent offensive threat and this season should be the season for him. If Rondo takes it to the next level this season he should carry this team to an Atlantic Division title and deep into the playoffs.

This is it for the core players of the Boston Celtics. All of the teams below them that they have beat up on for the last few years are now becoming big threats to their Atlantic Division title of “Head Honcho.” It’s now or never for this team to get it done and win another title. If they don’t succeed expect some big changes in Beantown because this team may be headed for an overhaul next season.

Second Place: New York Knicks

Starters:

PG: Raymond Felton
SG: J.R Smith
SF: Carmelo Anthony
PF: Amar’e Stoudemire
C: Tyson Chandler

Oct. 1, 2012; Tarrytown, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony at media day at the MSG Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

The Knicks have made major changes each of the last three offseasons with the hopes of becoming an elite NBA team. They have made the playoffs the last two seasons and finally relevant again in the NBA. However, the Knicks exited the playoffs in the first round the last two seasons. This season they made a change at point guard, bringing in Felton who was with the Knicks two years ago and put up quality numbers. Head coach Mike Woodson hopes to get similar production out of Felton this season. J.R. Smith was re-signed this off-season after opting out of his two year deal with the Knicks. He’s starting at shooting guard for the time being with Iman Shumpert and Ronnie Brewer coming back from knee injuries. Smith is a streaky shooter, but if he catches fire can carry an offense for long stretches of a game.

The fate of the team rests on the core of the Knicks team, Melo, Stat and Chandler. Melo looked great in the Summer Olympics and the Knicks are hoping he can build off his performance in the games. He is the main guy on offense and towards the end of the season found his offensive groove. However, he needs to find it sooner or else it will be another up and down season for the Knicks. Now for Stat, this could be his last season with the Knicks. His play last season was awful and there is no better way to put it. It could just be him and Melo can’t both play together and succeed. If Stat can get back to the form he had before Melo arrived the Knicks will be hard to stop, if not, look for Stat to be dealt at the deadline. Tyson Chandler is the reigning defensive POY and is the heart of this Knicks defense. Look for the overall team defense with a full training camp and preseason under coach Mike Woodson.

Key Bench players: Jason Kidd, Iman Shumpert, Marcus Camby, Ronnie Brewer, and Steve Novak

The Knicks got exactly what they were looking for this off-season, quality depth at each position. Jason Kidd isn’t what he used to be but he will have the ability to make this second unit better offensively and is a leader on and off the court. Shumpert and Brewer are athletic twos who are coming off injuries. Look for them to play big minutes upon return because of their great defense. Marcus Camby is in his second go-round with the Knicks and will provide a huge help to Chandler. He’s still a fierce defender, shot blocker and rebounder off the bench. Steve Novak is back, he led the league in three-point percentage last season and he will continue to make it rain coming off the bench.

Team MVP: Carmelo Anthony
This is Carmelo’s 10th season in the league and he has only been out of the first round once. It is his time to take his game and team to another level. He needs to have an NBA MVP type season to help carry the Knicks to that elite level in order for the Knicks to compete for an NBA title. Melo is one of the top 10 players in the game; he is too talented to not be able to get his team past the first round. Expect a huge year out of Melo.

The time is now for the Knicks to take the leap from playoff team to championship contender. First things first they have to finally get past the top dog Celtics. There’s no excuse for the Knicks if they don’t take it to the next level, they simply have too much talent, depth and experience to not get it done. If the Knicks play to the best of their abilities, expect them to overtake the Celtics and make an appearance in the conference finals against the Heat.

Third Place: Philadelphia 76ers

Starters:

PG: Jrue Holliday
SG: Jason Richardson
SF: Evan Turner
PF: Spencer Hawes
C: Andrew Bynum

The starting lineup looks a lot different compared to last year. The 76ers parted ways with Elton Brand, Louis Williams and traded away Mr. Everything Andre Iguodala, in order to get Andrew Bynum. They have a whole new identity now with Bynum in the middle. Last season they used a bunch of good role players to reach the playoffs and advanced into the second round, taking down the No. 1 seeded Chicago Bulls in the process.

May 18, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum (17) controls the ball against the defense of Oklahoma City Thunder center Kendrick Perkins (5) during the first half of game three of the Western Conference semifinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

Losing Iguodala could have a huge impact because he does everything well and was the leader of this team. Also losing Williams was pretty big as well, he was the sixth man coming off the bench but was the leading scorer on their team. Now they have a legitimate superstar in Bynum along with two very good, young role players in Holliday and Turner. With opposing teams focusing on Bynum I think they both will benefit.  Richardson should be able to get open looks with opposing teams double-teaming Bynum in the low post.

Key Bench Players: Thaddeus Young, Nick Young, Kwame Brown and Dorell Wright

The bench took a serious hit losing Williams due to the fact he was a proven scorer. However, they did a good job replacing him with another good scorer in Nick Young. They also added sharpshooter Dorell Wright, who struggled last season in a starting role. If he can return to his form of two seasons ago this bench becomes significantly better. Thaddeus Young is their sixth man and one of the better players on their team. He fits in at the small or power forward and does a lot of intangible things to make the team better.

Team MVP: Andrew Bynum
Bynum is no question the star of this 76ers team. Last season was his best season as pro, averaging 20.5 PPG and 11.5 RPG and those monster stats were all under the shadow of Pau Gasol. Throughout his career Bynum has been labeled as a guy with a low motor and a clown. I look for him to have a bigger year than last year and stepping up as the star and leader of a young talented Sixer team.

As I mentioned before the 76ers were a good team last season, defeating the Bulls and advancing to the second round. However, they are a new team this season and with the addition of Bynum they are a serious threat in both the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference. This team is young and talented, but I think it will take some time getting used to each other. They are built for the long haul and while I think they will contend this season, they will probably be much better next season and will be a team to be wrecking with for years to come.

Fourth Place: Brooklyn Nets

Starters:

PG: Deron Williams
SG: Joe Johnson
SF: Gerald Wallace
PF: Kris Humphries
C: Brook Lopez

The Nets have moved from New Jersey to a $1 billon new arena in Brooklyn, New York. With the change of scenery for the Nets they also made some big changes with the starting five. They were considered to be the front-runners in the Howard sweepstakes from the moment he wanted out of Orlando. However, the Nets went a different route in order to keep star point guard Deron Williams; they traded for shooting guard Joe Johnson and re-signed Gerald Wallace and Kris Humphries. By doing that, they eliminated themselves from Howard contention. They also re-signed Brook Lopez to a 4 year $56 million deal.

Apr 14, 2012; Newark, NJ, USA; New Jersey Nets point guard Deron Williams (8) brings the ball up court during the second half against the Boston Celtics at the Prudential Center. The Celtics won 94-82. Mandatory Credit: Jim O

I believe the Nets did an incredibly smart thing by not trading for Howard, what they would have given up would have decreased there depth even more. Instead of adding one superstar they managed to add a star in Johnson, keep a top three point guard in Williams and re-sign quality front court players Humphries, Wallace and Lopez. The starting five is one of the best in the entire league. With Williams still running the point he should be able to help the rest of the starting five together.

Key Bench Players: MarShon Brooks, Reggie Evans, and C.J. Watson

This is the thing holding the Nets back from being a legitimate championship contender. They simply have no depth, which will put a tremendous burden on the starting five. Brooks is a quality scorer off the bench but has his times where he can’t hit the broad side of a barn. Reggie Evans provides experience and toughness on the interior but provides absolutely nothing for the Nets on offense off the bench. Watson did a nice job filling in for Derek Rose throughout last year and will be a solid option off the bench. He’s good enough to give Williams much needed rest so he will remain fresh throughout the season.

Team MVP: Brook Lopez

Lopez was the most talked about player on the Nets last season, but for the wrong reasons. He was frequently brought up in the trade rumors for Howard. However, the Nets decided to stick with Lopez re-signing him to a big max contract. He is a lot better for the Nets then Howard simply because he is a legitimate offensive weapon. He is the key to the Nets playoff hopes. He was injured just about all of last season but prior to that he averaged 17.6 PPG and 7.5 RPG throughout his career. I expect Lopez to take a big step in his progression as a player this season with all of the talent around him. He should become a 20/10 player this season and lead the Nets to the playoffs.

The Nets spent a lot of money with the move to Brooklyn and to bring in quality talent in order to become a contender immediately. However, their lack of depth will probably be their Achilles heel. They have one of the elite starting five’s in the NBA and have a superstar in Deron Williams leading the way.

The Nets could possibly win the Atlantic Division but the starting five will have to mesh quickly and they will be racking up a lot of minutes along the way. If they are able to be a top team in the Atlantic and Eastern Conference, I see fatigue slowing them down towards the end of the year leading to this fourth place finish. They should still make the playoffs but like I said, fatigue for the starting five should hinder their ability to make a deep run in the playoffs.

Fifth place: Toronto Raptors

Starters:

PG: Kyle Lowry
SG: Landry Fields
SF: DeMar Derozan
PF: Andrea Bargnani
C: Jonas Valanciunas

The Toronto Raptors are an extremely young team this season, with an average age of their starters of 23.8 years old. Although they are young they are not inexperienced. However, there are a lot of new faces in this Raptors starting lineup so it’s hard to see what their identity is.

Feb 28, 2012; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets point guard Kyle Lowry (7) posts up Toronto Raptors point guard Jose Calderon (8) during the third quarter at the Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Campbell-US Presswire

Trading for Lowry was big for the future and while Fields didn’t have a great sophomore season with the Knicks, shooting 26 percent from 3-point range and averaging 8.8 PPG. He’s still a decent 2-guard who still needs time to grow as an NBA starter and Toronto has faith in him, signing him to a 3 year $20 million deal.

DeMar DeRozan is a former lottery pick of the Raptors and has struggled to find his identity as a player in the NBA. He’s only 23 years old but has been in the league for several years, the Raptors are hoping DeRozan can take his offensive game to the next level, especially on the perimeter. Bargnani is a former No.1 overall pick of the Raptors who missed more than half of the games last season and is struggling to live up to the No. 1 pick status. Valanciunas is the baby of the group, only 20 years old. He’s seven footer out of Lithuania. He was drafted in last year’s draft and has decided to come over to the U.S. this season. It’ll be interesting to see how the big man transitions from overseas to the NBA this season, but he has the skill set and size to become a threat for the Raptors.

Key Bench Players: Terrance Ross, Jose Calderon, and Linas Kleiza

The Raptors don’t have a lot of depth. Terrance Ross is their latest lottery pick, selected eighth in the 2012 draft. He’s a lethal three-point shooter but some consider him being selected No. 8 a reach for the Raptors. He should provide instant offense for the Raptors off the bench if he can knock down three’s. Calderon is their best option off the bench; he was the starting point guard last season. He could be a starter on a few NBA teams and expect him to see a lot of minutes this season even though he won’t be starting. Kleiza is a good player coming off the bench, averaging about 10 PPG for the Raptors over the last two seasons.

Team MVP: Andrea Bargnani

Last season Bargnani looked good in the time he was able to stay on the court, which wasn’t often (missed 35 of 66 games). If he can stay healthy this season he is the key to the Raptors success. The Raptors are a young team in need of a superstar and Bargnani has the skills to be that star. If Bargnani can stay healthy I predict he has a monster year because he is a mismatch for opposing teams.

The Raptors aren’t rebuilding but they are at the same time. They have some proven NBA talents who could help them have a good year and possibly push for the eighth seed in the Easter Conference. However, they do have some young players who will need time to develop before they can be serious contributors. There is a small possibility for them to be a surprise playoff team but I don’t see it just yet especially with how good of a division they play in. They will be the basement dwellers of the Atlantic Division this season and will be on track for yet another lottery pick.

But while Stern should be given credit for recognizing and attempting to deal with the problem, when he stepped in to do something about it, he did exactly what every NBA defender has done as of late – Stern flopped.

He not only flopped, he did it in a big way.

On the surface Stern will have you think that he’s doing something about the flopping problem that’s running rampant in the NBA, but his new rules, what New York Knicks’ fans should dub the LeBron James Rule, do very little to address the problem of flopping in the NBA.

The league announced on Wednesday a new anti-flopping policy that starts with a warning and steps up to some major money. During the regular season, the steps will be warning for the first violation, $5,000 fine for the second, $10,000 fine for third, $15,000 fine for the fourth and $30,000 fine for the fifth violation.

The NBA Players’ Association is not happy with the ruling, nor should they be. But while both sides argue about the potential of losing money, they should realize that Stern missed the boat altogether when it comes to taking flopping out of the game.

The current rules do nothing to prevent flopping during game action. With the average NBA salary at close to $2 million and more and more superstars making in the $15-$20 million range, does Stern really think a $10k or even a $30k fine is going to get the message across?

No, the LeBron James Rule is completely flawed.

Stern had the opportunity to step in and really do something to clean the game up and he’s the one who flopped.

The NHL has a rule for embellishing and the NBA could have done so as well.

There’s still nothing in the game to prevent guys from flopping. Do you really think that with the game on the line that players won’t still flop to get calls? They won’t be worried about fines one bit.

Instead, Stern could have taken the opportunity to really do something to take flopping out of the game.

How about awarding free throws to the other team? How about awarding a personal foul every time a defender flops? How about allowing the officiating crew to check the monitor to determine whether or not a defender flops and calling the foul accordingly?

Those are more proactive solutions to get rid of the flopping problem in the NBA. Hitting someone with a $10k fine may sound like a lot, but it’s not and Stern is still allowing flopping to impact the direct results of games, which is a problem.

Whether the players want to admit it or not, flopping is a problem in the  NBA, especially when you have stars such as James, Manu Ginobili, Anderson Varejao and others that spend more time impersonating actors than they do playing basketball.

No, the LeBron James Rule is a waste of time as it will accomplish nothing to clean up the NBA product.

At the end of the day, Stern had the chance to step up and do something, but instead of playing good defense and making a point, he flopped just like everyone else.

Miami shot the ball better than their opponents and was a huge reason why they won. Miami shot 46 percent from the field and 34 percent from three point range during the playoffs. In comparison, opponents shot 43 percent from the field and 30 percent from three against the Heat. It seemed like it was a different hero every night. Mario Chalmers, Mike Miller and Shane Battier all had their nights to shine. They of course have LeBron and Wade to rely on but with the additions of Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis, their shooting advantage may have gotten only stronger.

Shooting can either carry a hot team or be the downfall of them. Take James Harden for example. Harden shot 49 percent from the field and an amazing 60 percent from three in the Western Conference Finals against the Spurs. Harden cooled down and couldn’t get it going shooting 37 percent from the field and a horrible 31 percent from three. Harden is one of the reasons why the Thunder fell flat to the Heat in the Finals.

So do the New York Knicks have enough consistent shooting in order for them to contend?

Oct. 1, 2012; Tarrytown, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Steve Novak speaks to the media at the MSG Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

A year ago, the Knicks ranked 21st in the NBA in three-point shooting, only knocking down 33.6 percent of their attempts and that was with the NBA’s leader in three-point shooting as Steve Novak knocked down 47.2 percent of his long-range attempts.

History shows it’s hard to repeat this success but Novak shouldn’t fall off the planet and will hit his shots. Many things can be said about J.R. Smith but one of them has to be is his love to shoot the ball. When Smith is hot, he is on fire. When he can’t buy a shot he will continuously shoot until he fixes it, which can kill a team in a close playoff series.

None of the guys the Knicks have on their roster from last season or any of the guys they brought in are considered good shooters other than Novak as no one wearing a Knicks’ jersey this season other than Novak can lay claim to knocking down 35 percent or better of the attempts from behind the arc. But while that’s true, the Knicks should be fine shooting the basketball.

Carmelo Anthony will be the Knicks’ best and most consistent shooter. No one is worried about Melo, as other players need to step up and consistently shoot all year and especially in the playoffs. Jason Kidd can hit an open shot with the best of them but Kidd isn’t in a position to create his own shot off the dribble anymore. Felton is a known for his point guard and driving skills. Shumpert has shown he can hit the three, so if he can get a consistent shot going, that is one less thing the Knicks have to worry about from Shump.

The Knicks don’t have any Ray Allen’s, Mike Miller’s, Kyle Korver’s, or deadly shooters on their team. This team will have to figure out scoring options if they want to contend in the East. Carmelo can’t do it all. These shooters have the potential but just have to become consistent. Carmelo will handle the clutch part.

10. Ricky Rubio – Minnesota Timberwolves (21 years old)

We had a small sample size of the Spanish sensation, but I saw all what I needed to see. The 21 year old has been playing basketball at a professional level since he was 14 years old. Sounds like a point guard prodigy to me. Playing in 41 games last year including 31 starts, Rubio looked like a wizard with the ball. The guy has all the upside in the world. He averaged 10 and eight in his rookie season and I believe he can easily put up close to 15 and 12 if he plays the majority of the game. The Timberwolves have a bright future with him and Kevin Love on their roster.

9. Ty Lawson – Denver Nuggets (24 years old)

Former UNC National Champion has established himself as a top tier point guard in the NBA. Only 24 years old, his points and assists have increased every season so far in his career, averaging 16 and six last year for Denver. He might not be no Carmelo Anthony, but he is definitely a corner pierce for this franchise that has an awesome nucleus of young players in Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, Javele McGee, and Olympian Andre Iguodola. Lawson has great pieces around him to succeed and thrive in Denver this season.

8. Kyrie Irving – Cleveland Cavaliers (20 years old)

Kyrie showed last season he earned the right of being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 draft. Winning the Rookie of the Year award and giving Cleveland hope for the future was all Kyrie did while being only 20 years old. Starting all 51 games he played in, he had no problem translating his game from college to the NBA. Averaging 18 and five during his rookie campaign while shooting 46 percent from the field and 40 percent from three, Kyrie is as cool as it comes. I met him on vacation over the summer and he is a levelheaded, laid-back guy who has his head on straight. Very bright future for the Jersey product.

7. Russell Westbrook – Oklahoma City Thunder (23 years old)

Surprised by Russell’s low ranking? Russell is one of the best scorers in the league and a freak athlete. I am not sold on his point guard skills compared to the other six in front of him. I am not one of those people who think Russell should shoot less because clearly the man can put the ball in the hoop averaging 23 points last season. He needs to increase his assists this season especially since he has one of the best teams in the league and that Durant guy also. Westbrook needs to work on his basketball IQ and cut out the turnovers. He is an elite player but needs to become a better natural point guard.

6. Tony Parker – San Antonio Spurs (30 years old)

Feels like Tony Parker has been in league forever but he is only 30 years old. He was a maestro with the Spurs last season leading them to the best record in the NBA. I will not be the one to doubt Gregg Popovich’s system and how he gets the best out of his players. This team played so fluidly with Parker at the point. He makes it look easy added with his leadership skills and championship experience, Parker is one of the league’s best.

5. Steve Nash  - Los Angeles Lakers (38 years old)

I have no problem saying that Steve Nash is the best point guard ever behind Magic Johnson. He is the best passer I have ever seen. He has averaged 10 or more assists in seven out of the last eight seasons (averaged 9.7 in the other), and has lead the league in five of those. The last two seasons with the Suns he averaged 11.4, which led the league, and 10.7 assists. Considering the team around him that is an absurd number. He is now with the league’s best shooting guard, best center, and a top five power forward. The sky is the limit this year for Nash as he runs the Lake show.

4. Rajon Rondo – Boston Celtics (26 years old)

Rondo has separated himself in Boston and is now the Celtics’ best player and face of the franchise. You can count on one hand how many people can keep up with him when he has the ball in his hands. His court vision is second to none and his fearlessness at the rim is what makes him special. If he gets a consistent jump shot, Rondo would be unguardable at the point guard position.

3. Derrick Rose – Chicago Bulls (24 years old)

There’s no doubting the 2011 MVP’s skills. He is a special talent and one of the many young superstars in the NBA. When he was at full health, Rose did it all for the Bulls. In only his third season, he lead the Bulls to the best record in the Eastern Conference while averaging 25 points and seven assists a game. He is a score first point guard like  Westbrook but still gets his team involved and one of the league’s best passers and playmakers. He is lightning with the ball in his hands and is fearless when going to the rim. Add all this to his polished jump shot and Rose is the real deal. A quiet leader who when healthy, is unstoppable.

2. Deron Williams - Brooklyn Nets (28 years old)

Deron is now entering the prime of his career with the face of the franchise for the new Brooklyn Nets. Williams does it all balancing his scoring ability and elite passing to be one of the league’s best floor generals. He can shoot the ball from anywhere on the court, get to the rim and make unbelievable passes. Averaging eight points on a terrible Nets team is a feat in itself, but Williams averaged 21 points; the Nets clearly have their franchise player. Deron is different than all the other elite point guards in that he really hasn’t been on a great team so far in his career. I don’t know if I would call the Nets a great team yet but he now has the opportunity to make some magic in Brooklyn.

1. Chris Paul – Los Angeles Clippers (27 years old)

Out of all the previous elite point guards in NBA this season, CP3 stands out at the best. He is an unquestioned leader of the Clippers and of Team USA. His basketball IQ is second to none as he is the best floor general in the game. Averaging nearly 20 and 10 last year (19.8 and 9.1), CP3 does it all. He has lead the league in steals per game two seasons in a row and four out of the last five. He can shoot from everywhere on the court and has a pretty good big man in Blake Griffin to pass too and run the floor with. One of the good guys in the NBA who is a family man and a role model. Chris Paul is the league’s best and smartest point guard.

I just want to start off by saying that the New York Knicks are ranked 12^th overall and 19^th on offense, meanwhile they are ranked 5^th on defense. Yeah I don’t understand either. The Nets also beat them on Opening night in Brooklyn.

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

Knicks Final Stats:

Carmelo Anthony – 28 PPG 6 RPG

Amar’e Stoudemire – 21.5 PPG 7.2 RPG

Iman Shumpert 13.1 PPG

J.R. Smith – 11.3 PPG

Raymond Felton – 8.3 PPG 3.1 APG

Jason Kid 6.6 PPG 7.5 APG

Tyson Chandler 3.5 PPG 9.4 RPG 1.8 BPG

As expected, Carmelo Anthony has a huge scoring year finishing third in the league just behind Team USA teammates Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. Amar’e Stoudemire gets back to form scoring 21 a game. This might foreshadow the Knicks offensive problems this season, but after Melo and STAT, the Knicks will have trouble finding another consistent high scorer. Shumpert will be the 3^rd leading scorer with 13 right in front of JR Smith’s 11 per game. This is a solid number for the duo but one of them will have to score a little more a game so the Knicks have another legit scoring threat.

Raymond Felton and Jason Kidd do what is expected of them and serve as a solid point guard duo. Nothing special here but Felton would need to at least double his assists if he wants to be considered a success as Jason Kidd could score a little more. I think Chandler will score more than 3.5 points a game but his defense will be just on point again and make everyone on the defense better.

Season Awards:

MVP – LeBron James – 25 PPG 8 RPG 5 APG

Rookie of the Year – Anthony Davis – 14 PPG 10 RPG 2 BPG

Feb. 15, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks point guard Toney Douglas (23) dribbles the ball during the second half against the Sacramento Kings at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 100-85. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

Sixth Man – Toney Douglas – 10 PPG 3 APG

Defensive Player of the Year – Dwight Howard-11 RPG 2 BPG

Coach of the Year – Eric Spoelsta 64-18

All-NBA First Team

Brandon Jennings – 22 PPG 9 APG

Russell Westbrook 28.4 PPG 6 APG (Scoring Champion)

LeBron James – 25 PPG 8 RPG 5 APG

Kevin Durant – 28.1 PPG 9 RPG

Dwight Howard – 21 PPG 11 RPG

All-NBA Second Team

Kyrie Irving – 25 PPG 7 APG

Kobe Bryant 25 PPG 5 APG

Josh Smith – 21 PPG 9 RPG

Kevin Love – 24 PPG 12 RPG

DeMarcus Cousins – 18 PPG 10 RPG

All-NBA Third Team

Deron Williams – 22 PPG 8 APG

Monta Ellis – 23 PPG 6 APG

Danny Granger – 23 PPG 6 APG

Blake Griffin 18 PPG 12 RPG (Rebound Leader)

Al Jefferson – 20 PPG 9 RPG

All-Defense First Team

Dwyane Wade

Paul George

Kevin Durant

Paul Millsap

Dwight Howard

All-Defense Second Team

Kobe Bryant

Stephen Curry

Josh Smith

Tyrus Thomas

Anthony Davis

July 17, 2012; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Dion Waiters (3) drives to the basket as Phoenix Suns forward Matt Howard (54) defends during the game at the Thomas and Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

All-Rookie First Team

Damian Lillard – 15 PPG 6 APG

Dion Waiters – 15 PPG 4 APG

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist – 14 PPG 7 RPG

Thomas Robison – 11 PPG 10 RPG

Anthony Davis – 14 PPG 10 RPG

All-Rookie Second Team

Bradley Beal – 13 PPG

Austin Rivers – 8 PPG

Terrence Ross – 7 PPG

Jeremy Lamb – 7 PPG

Harrison Barnes – 12 PPG 6 RPG

There were a few surprises in these season awards. No Derrick Rose, Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler, James Harden, Chris Paul, Tony Parker, or Rajon Rondo on any of these teams. The MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Rookie of the Year were very predictable but Toney Douglas winning the Sixth Man of the Year award makes my jaw drop. Brandon Jennings had a break out year as Russell Westbrook over took Durant’s 3-year reign as scoring champion.

Let’s take at the Playoff Picture:

 Eastern Conference:

1. Miami Heat – 64-18 (NBA Best Record)
2. Chicago Bulls – 55-27
3. Milwaukee Bucks – 48-34
4. New York Knicks – 45-37
5. Brooklyn Nets 42-40
6. Indiana Pacers – 42-40
7. Washington Wizards 42-40
8. Philadelphia 76ers – 38-44

There were a few surprises here. The Bucks not only making the playoffs but also being a top team in the east. Jennings and Ellis lead this team to a great season. The Washington Wizards also took a big step by making the playoffs. The Boston Celtics failed to make the playoffs after losing Ray Allen, as did the Atlanta Hawks after losing Joe Johnson. New York basketball gets its dreams come true as the Knicks and Nets square off in round one.

 Western Conference

1. Oklahoma City Thunder – 61-21
2. Los Angeles Lakers 55-27
3. Denver Nuggets – 53-29
4. Memphis Grizzlies – 46-26
5. Los Angeles Clippers 48-34
6. Phoenix Suns 45-37
7. Minnesota Timberwolves 44-38
8. Sacramento Kings 42-40

No surprise with the Thunder and Lakers taking the top two spots in the West. Nuggets, Grizzlies, and Clippers are right where they are projected to be as the Suns, Timberwolves, and Kings all take huge strides and surprise people by making the playoffs. It is pretty amazing how the Spurs missed the playoffs after they finished with the Western Conference’s No. 1 seed last season. The Mavericks and Jazz also fail to make the playoffs after making it in 2012.

First Round Results

East:

Heat over 76ers 4-2

Nets over Knicks 4-1

Bucks over Pacers 4-3

Wizards over Bulls 4-2

Miami winning was the only predictable first-round series. Milwaukee in a 7 game series over the Pacers seems like some tough-nosed basketball. The Wizards beating the Bulls is a huge upset as the Bulls failed to have playoff success and exit in the first round two years in a row. With all this, the Nets beating the Knicks in five games on the Garden’s floor has to be the story here. Bragging rights and the shift in New York basketball could be changed forever.

West:

May 20, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) dribbles the ball during game four of the Western Conference semifinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs against the San Antonio Spurs at the Staples Center. The Spurs defeated the Clippers 102-99 to win the series 4-0. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

Thunder over Kings 4-0

Clippers over Grizzlies 4-2

Nuggets over Suns 4-3

Lakers over Timberwolves 4-0

All higher seeds win here as the dream ends for the Suns, Timberwolves, and Kings. The young Wolves and Kings get some playoff experience but aren’t much for the powerhouse Thunder and Lakers. Clippers beat the Grizzlies just like last season as the Suns push the Nuggets to 7 but fail to complete the upset.

Semi-Final Results:

East:

Heat over Nets 4-3

Bucks 4-1 over Wizards

Knicks fans have wait another whole year to have their shot against the Heat, but they don’t have to go far to watch. The Brooklyn Nets almost pull off the historic upset by losing to the Heat in seven games. LeBron likes Jay-Z but not enough to give his Nets a shot at the championship. The Bucks and Wizards square off as two teams that weren’t picked to make the conference championship. The Bucks take care of the Wizards early and now will try to pull off the ultimate upset as their small market team takes on the big bad Miami Heat.

West:

Lakers over Nuggets 4-3

Clippers over Nuggets 4-2

The Lakers face the Nuggets in the playoffs for the second year in a row and once again beat them in seven games. The Thunder will try to have another playoff repeat if they can beat the Clippers to face the Lakers again, but the Clippers get it together as the NBA Championship will defiantly be played in the Staples Center; the only question is which tenant will playing for the ultimate prize? A Nets-Knicks first round matchup would be huge the NBA but a LA-LA Western Championship would have the NBA drooling. Let the Battle of Los Angeles begin.

Conference Finals Results:

Clippers over Lakers 4-3

Bucks over Heat 4-2

We’ll start off in Milwaukee where the Bucks pull of the all-tie underdog story in beating the Miami Heat. The Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis experiment works off, as the Bucks will be playing the NBA championship for the first time since the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar days. The Battle of L.A. couldn’t be more exciting as Game 7 would be an instant NBA classic. The Lakers were up 3-1 in the series and just couldn’t put the Clippers away as the Clips tilt the basketball world and beat the Lakers in seven.

2013 NBA Finals: The Underdog Story

Might be only a video game simulation, but the impact of a Clippers-Bucks NBA Finals matchup would be something the NBA hasn’t seen in a long time. Almost every year the Finals have included a marquee franchise or an early season favorite. The Clippers were supposed to be very good but not NBA Finals good. The Bucks would be happy to make the playoffs, but beating the Heat and playing in the Eastern Conference Finals would shock the world. The underdogs of the world would be rooting for them and Brandon Jennings would vault into superstardom (and a huge payday).

The Clippers continue with their huge momentum and stop the Bucks train in their tracks. The Clippers win the series 4-1 as Chris Paul wins Finals MVP honors. The best point guard in the league doesn’t need any regular season honors, as he’ll easily take a championship ring and Finals MVP trophy over making an All-NBA team.

Apr 28, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) during the second half of game one in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals against the Miami Heat of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

Carmelo Anthony – 92 (2K12 Rating: 91)

Carmelo has solidified himself as one of the best players in the league. He can do it all on the offensive side of the ball and showed off his skills to the entire world at the Olympics. I don’t have the specific ratings for categories, but you have to imagine most of his offensive categories are all A’s. He can hit the 3, money at mid-range, and is a bully down in the post. I think his rating would be 95 or higher if he played better defense and had more assists, but hey can’t complain about an upgrade in rating.

Amar’e Stoudemire – 84 (212K Rating: 88)

I would say Stoudemire’s rating is pretty fair. He had a bad season but his standards but is still one of the best power forward’s out there. He needs to prove a lot to the fans and his teammates this year. He was dominant in the post before he was injured and I believe he will be back to peak form. He hasn’t been the same since Carmelo came to town, but an 84 rating is right where he should be coming off last year.

Jason Kidd – 80 (2K12 Rating: 77)

Jason Kidd is a first ballot Hall of Famer and is in the top 5 point guards of all time discussion. He will be turning 40 this season, which will be his 19th in the league. Age will definitely play a factor in his play, but there’s no denying he can still play point guard. He still has the natural skills of a ball handler and a leader. I can’t explain his upgrade of rating but I’m not complaining.

Iman Shumpert – 80 (2K12 Rating: 78)

Iman Shumpert showed when he was healthy that he is one of the best on ball defenders in the league. As a rookie Shump had his up and downs on the offensive side of the ball. With Raymond Felton and Jason Kidd aboard, Shump will dedicate his time to only playing the 2 position. Iman can shoot the three and isn’t afraid of contact when he drives to the rim. His upgraded rating is defiantly deserved as he was one of the league’s impact rookies and is a freak athlete.

Tyson Chandler – 77 (2K12 Rating: 77)

Is 2K seeing something we are not? Tyson is coming off his defensive player of the year season on top of shutting down the Heat in the Finals with the Mavericks the year before. I know the guy isn’t the best offensive big man, but he had one of the best field goal percentage seasons of all time last year. I know it was mostly dunks, but that has to count for something right? Brook Lopez is an 80 while Chandler is an 77. That’s a joke, Lopez barely played. This rating is straight out terrible and I believe he should be at least over an 83.

J.R. Smith – 75 (2K12 Rating: 74)

This rating seems about right for the Knicks only current healthy shooting guard. J.R. Is very inconsistent but when he is on his game; he is an above average scorer in this league. He loves to shoot which can either give his team a big boost or kill them. Smith has a good three point ball and isn’t a bad defender. 2K was on point with Smith.

Apr 23, 2012; Memphis, TN, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving (2) dribbles the ball up the court during the first half against the Memphis Grizzlies at the FedEx Forum. Memphis Grizzlies defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 109-101. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden-US PRESSWIRE

Point Guard: Jason Kidd/Raymond Felton/Pablo Prigoni vs. Kyrie Irving/Donald Sloan

Kidd and Felton need to navigate this offense and give the Knicks a strong point guard presence. Kidd is a leader and knows how to get things done at a championship level while Felton has the talent to be an above average point guard in this league. Kyrie Irving is far from a veteran but has the talent to become an elite point guard for many years to come. I would take Kyrie over both the Knicks point guard. I actually met Kyrie this summer in the Bahamas and he is an awesome guy who seems levelheaded and will not let the fame and success get to him.

Advantage – Cavaliers

Shooting Guard: J.R. Smith/Iman Shumpert/Ronnie Brewer vs. C.J. Miles/Daniel Gibson/Dion Walters

Both these shooting guard squads aren’t the best in the league. This is the Knicks weak spot in their roster with J.R. Smith the only healthy player. Iman Shumpert is the best player out of these six but he will not be on the court to start the season. Miles and Daniel “Booby” Gibson aren’t two players to write home about. The Cavs are looking for huge things from Dion Walters seeing they drafted him with the 4th overall pick. The Syracuse product will take a while to develop but the Cavs are hoping him and Kyrie become a strong backcourt duo for years to come. I have to give the Knicks the advantage over the less proven Cavs, especially when Shumpert is healthy.

Advantage – Knicks

Small Forward: Carmelo Anthony/Steve Novak vs. Alonzo Gee/Omri Cassipi/Kelenna Azubuike

This one is really a no brainer. The Cavs have a trio of guys who aren’t too good and might have hit their ceiling already. Alonzo Gee is really the only one who can be a middle of the road NBA player. I don’t need to tell you about Carmelo Anthony. Melo is one of the league’s best scorers and a superstar. Not many can keep up with him.

Advantage – Knicks

Power Forward: Amar’e Stoudemire/Kurt Thomas vs. Tristan Thompson/Samardo Samuels

May 6, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks power forward Amare Stoudemire (1) shoots a free throw against the Miami Heat during the second half of game four in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 89-87. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

The Cavs used their 4th pick in 2011 on Tristan Thompson hoping him and Kyrie Irving will be corner stones for the future. I think Thompson will be a very good pro averaging 8 and 6 in his rookie year. He can only go up from there when he figures out the game seeing he is only 21 years old. But for now Amar’e has the advantage. He is one of the best power forwards in the league and will have a bounce back year.

Advantage – Knicks

Center: Tyson Chandler/Marcus Camby vs. Anderson Varejo/Tyler Zeller

Anderson Varejo is very good NBA big man. Him and that LeBron guy worked well but not good enough to keep him from playing with Chris Bosh. Zeller is going to be the 4th 1st round pick in 2 years for the Cavs as they rely on youth and development to lead them back into the playoffs. The Knicks have no unproven youth in the center position with Tyson Chandler and Camby on the roster. Tyson might be the 2nd best big man in the league behind Dwight Howard while Camby is a veteran who has been consistent his whole career. Tyson Chandler is probably the best center in the East, Varejo can’t keep up.

Advantage – Knicks

Coaching: Mike Woodson vs. Bryon Scott

Byron Scott has enjoyed a pretty successful NBA career. As a player he won 3 championships with Magic Johnson and the Lakers. He translated that into early coaching success by taking the New Jersey Nets to back-to-back Finals appearances. Scott than won NBA Coach of the Year in 2008 by leading the Hornets to the playoffs and also making Chris Paul one of the best point guards in the league. The Cavs are hoping Scott recreates that success only this time with Kyrie Irving who has a similar style of play of CP3. Mike Woodson hasn’t had the same success as Scott but this doesn’t mean he is a good head coach. Woodson and the Knicks was a great match last year and he got the contract everyone thought he deserved. I like Woodson, but I think Scott is a better coach.

Advantage – Cavaliers

If the Knicks and Cavs see each other in a first round matchup, who would win? You have to imagine for the Cavs to make the playoffs, even in a weak lower half of the East, they would have to be playing pretty good basketball The Knicks would have home court advantage and a whole city thinking big things. Kyrie Irving could put on a show on a national stage, but there isn’t much behind him. I think the Knicks would sweep the Cavs.

Knicks win 4-0

Apr 26, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA Charlotte Bobcats point guard Kemba Walker (1) goes up for a shot during the second half against the New York Knicks at Time Warner Cable Arena. The New York Knicks defeated the Charlotte Bobcats 104-84. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-US PRESSWIRE

The night before the Cavs beat the Bobcats by 14 and the Heat beat them by a whopping 39 three nights before. It was a wake up call for the Knicks, but this year is a whole new ball game. The Bobcats unluckily missed out on the number one pick and Anthony Davis but did get workhorse Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Let’s see how these teams matchup.

Point Guard: Raymond Felton/Jason Kidd/Pablo Prigioni VS. Ramon Sessions/Kemba Walker

Every matchup is basically going to be proven players against players trying to make a name for themselves. The point guard position is a perfect example. The Knicks have Jason Kidd and Raymond Felton running their show, which makes me pretty confident. The Bobcats have journeyman Ramon Sessions who couldn’t find a groove with the Lakers, which is probably any point guard’s dream to play for. Walker might be another college star that you can add to the list of players who couldn’t figure out the NBA. I’ll be rooting for Kemba, but this one is one-sided.

Advantage – Knicks

Shooting Guard: J.R. Smith/Ronnie Brewer/Iman Shumpert VS. Ben Gordon/Gerald Henderson/Reggie Williams

This one in the closest matchup due to the fact that this is the Knicks weakest position on paper. J.R. Smith is the only healthy guard on paper, which I think will hurt the Knicks early. With Shump and Brewer healthy, it is a different conversation. The Bobcats paid a heavy price for Ben Gordon (top 8 protected 2013 pick, top 1 protected in 2015 and unprotected in 2016). Bad move for the future of the Bobcats and no brainer for the Pistons. For right now though, I’ll take Gordon and upside over just Smith. A healthy shooting guard depth for the Knicks is a different story.

Advantage – Bobcats

Small Forward: Carmelo Anthony/Steve Novak/Chris Copeland/James White VS. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist/Jeffery Taylor

The Bobcats must be thinking what else can go wrong when they missed out on the No. 1 pick and Davis, but they didn’t get no scrub at pick No. 2. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is known to be a workhorse and a do all player who will only get better once he knows the game and catches up the speed of the NBA. Unfortunately for MKG, Carmelo Anthony knows his away around the league. This one is a no brainer with the rookie vs. one of the league’s best.

Advantage – Knicks

May 6, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks power forward Amare Stoudemire (1) shoots a free throw against the Miami Heat during the second half of game four in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 89-87. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

Power Forward: Amar’e Stoudemire/Kurt Thomas VS. Bismack Biyombo/Tyrus Thomas

Another matchup where it’s experience against a young gun. Amar’e knows his way around and is looking to have a big bounce back year. The Knicks brought in Kurt Thomas for leadership on and off the court, is a true professional. Biyombo is a work in progress especially in offense and the Bobcats knew that when they drafted him. His defense is his strong point and will only get better. Tyrus Thomas is on the down side of his career and shouldn’t be considered much of a factor. Amar’e is an easy choice here.

Advantage – Knicks

Center: Tyson Chandler/Marcus Camby VS Brandon Haywood/Bryon Mullens/DeSagana Diop

This isn’t another matchup on experience against youth, as Haywood has been in the league for seems like forever. This is a matchup of an elite center in his prime against one on his way out. Tyson Chandler is a no brainer here against Haywood. Bryon Mullens shouldn’t be in the same breath as Marcus Camby. Knicks have the advantage hands down.

Coaching: Mike Woodson VS. Mike Dunlap

You know the deal by now, experience against youth. Mike Woodson has been a head coach since 2004 and has enjoyed success. Woodson has the player’s respect and brings an urge of defense to the Knicks. Mike Dunlap hasn’t had the label head coach since 2006 where he coached Metro State; I know such a historic school. An assistant since 2006 and most recently with my current school St. John’s, a head coach for a team like the Bobcats is no easy task. We don’t know his philosophy or how he will handle his young team and it’s personalities. Have to give it to Woodson here.

Advantage – Knicks

The Knicks should make the playoffs baring any major injuries and it would be the king of all disappointments of a healthy Knicks team did not make the playoffs. The Bobcats on the other hand are a different story. It would be a huge surprise and big underdog story if this team played postseason basketball. You got to think if the Knicks and Bobcats square off in the playoffs that the Bobcats have to be doing something right and have a little momentum. I’ll give them one game because I’m having a good day. The Knicks should roll on this team.

Knicks win series 4-1

With all the wheeling and dealing and the season set to start the day before Halloween (Heat vs. Celtics), now seems like the perfect time to assess the Eastern Conference and how the New York Knicks look to figure in the playoff picture.

2012-13 Eastern Conference Playoff Predictions (listed in order of finish):

1. Miami Heat

No matter how much other teams improve, unless you are completely dismantled like the 1997 Florida Marlins, my opinion is that if you are the reigning champs you’re the team to beat.

That being said, not only did the Heat win the title, but they DID improve on an already stellar squad.  With the Big Three of LeBron, D-Wade and Chris Bosh already on board, they added seasoned vets Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis to the mix.

Allen will provide a nice lift in scoring and deadly shooting to go along with his leadership skills.  Lewis has been sort of an enigma the past few years, clearly not living up to what was in fact the largest salaried contract in the NBA.

My feeling is that this will change as he will learn he is no longer the star player and will try to contribute in any way to help the team get another ring.  Also having long time Miami vet Udonis Haslem as well as a seemingly healthy Mike Miller and a much improved Mario Chalmers should almost guarantee this team another spot in the NBA Finals, but who knows, this is why we play the game, folks.

 2. Boston Celtics

June 9, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers talks to Paul Pierce (34) and Rajon Rondo (9) against the Miami Heat during the third quarter in game seven of the 2012 NBA Eastern Conference finals at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

What can I say about Boston?  For the first half of the season they looked every bit their age.  They had no depth and their aging stars seemed have lost all their ferocity.  It looked like an era was finally coming to an end…until after All-Star Break when they caught fire and became only the fourth team in NBA history to win their division after having a sub-.500 record before the break.

While Allen has departed to the sunny shores of South Beach, the Celts still have first ballot Hall of Famers Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett and arguably the best, or one of the best, point guards in the league in triple-double machine Rajon Rondo.

KG seemed possessed in the second half of the year and carried that all the way through the playoffs.  One of the more lacking aspects of the Celtics was their bench depth so they went out and signed super sixth man Jason Terry and acquired Courtney Lee from Houston.  Terry is so determined to shine in Celtic green that he tattooed their logo on his arm.

Chris Wilcox is back this year after he had somewhat of a breakout campaign and after dangling Brandon Bass around, they decided to keep him, which was smart because he proved very valuable with a 12.5/6.2 season.  He also had a very good stretch of games in the playoffs.

Rookie guard and defensive specialist Avery Bradley had a surprisingly good season and Jeff Green is back after missing the entire year due to heart issues.  Take into account some risky, yet possibly high reward draft choices in big men Fab Melo and Jared Sullinger and you’ve got yourself a very, very good team.

3.  Indiana Pacers

One of the more upstart teams of the 2012 season was the Indiana Pacers.  Seemingly loaded with untapped potential, they barely made the playoffs the prior year.  This past season, under the guidance of Coach Frank Vogel, they put everything together.  The Pacers were one of the deeper teams in the NBA and have since added point guard D.J. Augustin (now free from the burdens of playing in Charlotte) and former dunk champ Gerald Green to the mix.

Moving George Hill into the starting point guard role seemed to really get their offense going towards the end of last season thus making Darren Collison expendable, who was subsequently shipped off to Dallas.  In return the Pacers got young C Ian Mahinmi to back up budding superstar Roy Hibbert.

With the high scoring Danny Granger, the insanely athletic Paul George, do-it-all Tyler Hansbrough and wily vet David West, Indiana looks like a team who can make a championship run.  Although the Pacers are a quality team, this ranking is highly predicated on the injury to the Bulls’ Derrick Rose.

4. Chicago Bulls

Apr 28, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose (1) brings the ball down the court during the first quarter in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-US PRESSWIRE

Coming into last season the Bulls were on many people’s lists as the team to beat.  They had incumbent MVP Derrick Rose and a slew of other stars returning to improve on their 4-1 Conference Finals loss to the Heat.  Unfortunately for them, the injury bug hit Rose…and it hit him hard.  With numerous ailments including injuries to his groin, back and ultimately a torn ACL in the playoffs, he ended up playing only 39 regular season games.

This team is very good without him, but with him they can be arguably the best in the league.  But to the chagrin of Chicagoans everywhere, D-Rose is not due back on the court until at least March, so they will have to make due without him.  Luol Deng, Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah are no NBA saps and they will try to keep the Bulls’ record afloat until their star player comes back.

General Manager Gar Forman brought in former Bull Kirk Hinrich and Nate Robinson and drafted Kentucky’s Marquis Teague to help man the point in Rose’s absence.  While they HAD to let Omer Asik go with what Houston is now paying him, Taj Gibson should now flourish in an expanded role.  Nazr Mohammed adds some front court depth and Italian sharp shooter Marco Belinelli should fill the same role Kyle Korver had here, but with more scoring ability.

Coach Tom Thibodeau is a defensive mastermind and that should keep the team in the hunt until Rose arrives.  They could be a scary team come playoff time when they are working on all cylinders.

5. New York Knicks

The major news for the Knicks in the offseason was the decision to not match the $25 million offer the Houston Rockets’ made to sensation Jeremy Lin.  While many look at this as a failure on their part to keep a great player and media/marketing sensation in the Big Apple, in the end it may be viewed as a smart move.

Looking at the decision in financial terms it makes sense.  In my opinion that is a lot of money to commit to someone who pretty much has 25 games under his belt as an NBA starter.  As aforementioned, the Knicks no longer have Jeremy Lin…yup no more Lin, so they brought back former guard Ray Felton and future Hall of Famer Jason Kidd to man the point.  While that duo may not light up the scoreboard like the Harvard alum, they will play more sound basketball and commit fewer turnovers, which was a major flaw in Lin’s game last season.

Depth has been an issue for New York for a while and bringing a guy like Kidd off the bench along with big man Marcus Camby will help out a lot.  They will also add a lot of veteran leadership to the team.  The Knicks also acquired the versatile G/F hybrid Ronnie Brewer, who has since had knee surgery but expects to be back for opening night.

Hope has emerged on the defensive front with Tyson Chandler winning the Defensive Player of the Year Award and the re-signing of defense first coach Mike Woodson.  J.R. Smith is back to provide a bench spark and rookie standout Iman Shumpert is set to return from offseason knee surgery around January.

Of course the main concern in New York is whether Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire can EVER co-exist.  It’s been a rough going for the pair since Melo was acquired in 2011.  If these two superstars can finally figure things out the Knicks should be a team to be reckoned with.  If this can’t be accomplished I think I flip-flop their seed with the Nets.

6. Brooklyn Nets

After an entire offseason of “Dwight Howard Drama” the New Jers…err…Brooklyn Nets finally removed themselves from that debacle, re-signed their own big men, Brook Lopez and Kris Humphries, and plan on beginning their first season in the new Barclays Center with a bang.

While they didn’t trade for Superman, they DID make another big move, landing perennial All-Star Joe Johnson from the Atlanta Hawks.  Johnson should fit in nicely on this team and should thrive with Deron Williams dishing him the rock.  Gerald Wallace, who was acquired late last season, is also back and is a proven star in the league.  By not trading for D12 they were able to keep one of the brighter young stars in the game in MarShon Brooks and added some more talent through the draft with former Kansas star Tyshawn Taylor.

The signing of Bosnian sensation Mirza Teletovic could prove to be a boon and adding rebounding machine Reggie Evans will surely give them some tenacity on the glass.  I like the signing of C.J. Watson as one of the more underrated moves of the offseason.  He should bring some experience and scoring punch to the backup point guard role.

The health of Lopez should be a concern all season long, but if he can stay on the court I expect the Nets to make the playoffs in their first season in The Borough.

7. Philadelphia 76ers

May 26, 2012; Boston, MA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard Evan Turner (12) reacts during the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics in game seven of the Eastern Conference semifinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-US PRESSWIRE

Philly basketball is finally back.  They had a very good season and beat the highly favored Bulls in the first round of the playoffs.  Basketball minds everywhere are so impressed that there are rumors of Coach Doug Collins being the next coach for Team USA.  Capitalizing on their success from last season, the Sixers involved themselves in the Dwight Howard proceedings and in doing so were able to land stud center Andrew Bynum from the Lakers.

One of the knocks on Philly last season was their depth in the front court.  Spencer Hawes proved to be a valuable asset when he was healthy, but bringing in a still young Bynum makes them a huge threat.  While the rest of their “big men” are more like tweeners (Thaddeus Young and former-Warrior Dorrell Wright), they have upgraded tremendously from last season.

In getting Bynum they had to send All-Star Andre Iguodala to Denver, but I still think they made out very well.  In that huge trade the Sixers also got Jason Richardson from Orlando.  He seemed like a very unhappy person in the Sunshine State and the move up north may help turnaround what has become a downward spiral in his career.

PG Jrue Holiday had a breakout season last year and the addition of former no. 1 pick Kwame Brown (really Wizards??) and Nick Young will help bolster the bench. Former No. 2 overall pick Evan Turner now has his time to shine in the City of Brotherly Love. The versatile Turner improved a ton over his rookie season and will fill the void left by Iguodala and if he continues to make improvements, he could become a star at both ends of the floor.

8. Milwaukee Bucks

With apologies to the Atlanta Hawks and the much-improved Washington Wizards, the Bucks are my final pick to round out my projected Eastern Conference standings.  Milwaukee made one of the biggest mid-season splashes last year shipping former No. 1 overall pick Andrew Bogut to Golden State.  In return they got multi-talented guard Monta Ellis and blossoming center Epke Udoh.

While Ellis’ scoring came down with the Bucks, he contributed elsewhere.  I think an offseason of meshing with Brandon Jennings will remedy that.  While Udoh is still somewhat of a project, he and newly acquired centers Samuel Dalembert and Joel Przybilla represent something Milwaukee has been lacking in many years which is depth in the form of true centers.

Drew Gooden had a tremendous season last year and Turkish import Ersan Ilyasova proved to be a star while averaging a double-double in the second half of the year.  Ilyasova was one of the best offensive rebounders last season and he also can provide a 3-point touch.  The Bucks have a solid bench led by Mike Dunleavy, Beno Udrih and rookie Doron Lamb.  The bottom half of the East has lots of potential, but I see the Bucks eking out the last spot.

Point Guard: Raymond Felton/Jason Kidd/Pablo Prigioni VS. Mario Chalmers/Norris Cole

Two different types of point guards here on both teams. Felton and Kidd are more game managers and like the half court game. They don’t play much defense but do have the respect of their teammates, which is key at the point guard position. The Heat have two young guns in Chalmers and Cole. Chalmers was one of the more important players in the NBA Finals and played like a great point guard. Rio hits the three and is gradually earning the respect and trust of his superstar teammates and also isn’t afraid to play some defense. Norris Cole flashed brilliance in some games but couldn’t cement a spot in the rotation. He can only get better with his teammates. I think the Heat’s young ballers have the advantage over the Knicks point guards.

Advantage – Heat

Shooting Guard: Dwyane Wade/Ray Allen/Mike Miller VS. J.R. Smith/Ronnie Brewer/Iman Shumpert

What you are going to read right now isn’t going to surprise you. The Heat might have from top to bottom the best shooting guard depth in the league. Wade is still elite and is up there with Kobe Bryant as the NBA’s best 2-guards.

Ray Allen isn’t going to be asked to do much in Miami, just sit back like a fat cat behind the three and wait for the kick out and shoot lights out. Mike Miller’s health is a big concern but if he plays and is effective, it only adds to the three-point threats that the Heat have. With J.R. Smith being the only healthy guard the Knicks have with Brewer and Shumpert both out for opening day, the Knicks weakness might be the Heat’s strength. No brainer here.

Advantage – Heat

Small Forward – Carmelo Anthony/Steve Novak/James White/Chris Copeland VS. LeBron James/Rashard Lewis/James Jones

The premier position battle with these two teams is Carmelo vs. LeBron. Maybe before last season you can make a debate for Carmelo since he is one of the best scorers in the league, but LeBron proved last year he is on another level, by silencing the critics and showed the world there is not much he can’t do.

I think his fourth quarter play is still up in the air and that is where Carmelo shines, but this one isn’t close anymore. Rashard Lewis, like Allen, is just going to be asked to sit in the corner and shoot. James Jones is pretty good at that too. Steve Novak is nice off the bench and his three-point shooting should be taken seriously, but the Heat are better here. LeBron will do that for you.

Advantage – Heat

Power Forward: Amar’e Stoudemire/Kurt Thomas VS. Shane Battier/Udonis Haslem

I guess on paper these are the Heat’s power forwards. I thought Chris Bosh would be listed as one but I guess he is the team’s center. If this is the matchup, the Knicks have it here. Shane Battier isn’t a true PF and really is only effective on offense when he gets his shot going. He is a great perimeter defender but I don’t think he can hold his own in the paint vs. a scoring big man.

Amar’e should be the Amar’e of old which is what the Knicks need. Haslem is a leader but not making on jaws drop. Kurt Thomas gives STAT a nice break off the bench and brings leadership to the Knicks. Just hope no fire extinguisher cases come in the way agian.

Advantage – Knicks

Center: Tyson Chandler/Marcus Camby VS. Chris Bosh/Joel Anthony/Dexter Pittman

Really good matchup here in Tyson against Bosh. Tyson is a proven fierce defender while Bosh proved last year he is no cupcake. The Heat are a different team with him on the floor and need him to win. Head-to-head, I think Tyson takes him here. I’ll give Marcus Camby the advantage over Anthony as well. Tyson can handle Bosh and I think he can easily get in his head with a little trash talk.

Advantage – Knicks

Coaching: Mike Woodson VS. Eric Spoelsta

A lot of things have been said about Heat coach Eric Spoelstra but now there is one thing you must say about him- NBA Finals champion. At times he seems like he doesn’t know how to handle his super team then he looks like he calls all the shots. Mike Woodson showed last year he knows how to get his player’s respect and he turned a sinking ship around last year with the Knicks. He turned a team that played defense like a bunch of cones on the court to a team that started to play a little hard-nosed defense. Woodson hasn’t been in the same coaching situations as Spoelstra, but I’d take Woodson as my leader over Spoelstra.

Advantage – Knicks

If these two teams butt heads again in the playoffs how will it play out? Hopefully for the Knicks they earn a higher seed than last year and avoid Miami early. An Eastern Conference Finals matchup would be a dream come true for the NBA, but it wouldn’t be for the Knicks. The Knicks need another team to knock off the champs in hopes of making it to the finals. I just don’t think this team as it stands is not built the right way to beat the Miami Heat. I hope I am dead wrong, but Miami will beat them again.

Heat win series 4-2

Kicking things off,  you have the older but still very talented Boston Celtics, who despite losing Ray Allen to the Miami Heat, look even better now after signing both Courtney Lee and Jason Terry. The Brooklyn Nets now look like playoff contenders after signing Deron Williams and Brook Lopez to hefty extensions and resigning Kris Humphries and Gerald Wallace. In Philly, the 76ers had easily the  steal of the summer by adding  All-Star center Andrew Bynum and shooters in Nick Young, Jason Richardson, and Dorell Wright. Even the Toronto Raptors are now showing promise with the additions of Kyle Lowry and Landry Fields.

The New York Knicks had a successful summer as well, adding Raymond Felton and Jason Kidd along with defensive pieces in Ronnie Brewer, Kurt Thomas, and Marcus Camby. Still it’s a pretty safe bet that the Celtics will win the Atlantic Division crown once again, but if the playoffs started today,  it is very likely the Knicks and 76ers would find themselves against one another.  Here I give my take on who has an advantage at every position if these two hungry teams clashed.

Point Guard:
Raymond Felton/Jason Kidd/Pablo Prigioni vs.  Jrue Holiday / Royal Ivey / Maalik Wayns

Nov 07, 2010; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks point guard Raymond Felton (2) and Philadelphia 76ers point guard Jrue Holiday (11) battle for a loose ball during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. 76ers won 106-96. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-US PRESSWIRE

Jrue Holiday is already one of the better point guards in the league and surprisingly at only 22 years old, still has tons of upside. This year at the very minimum, Holiday will register  another solid season for 76ers or make the next step toward superstardom. Royal Ivey is a solid defensive combo guard that can play serviceable minutes and Maalik Wayns can be something special for the 76ers down the road with scoring ability and leadership.

Now that Raymond Felton is back with the Knicks, he will certainly like to pick up where he left off two years ago, where he had an All-Star caliber season under Mike D’Antoni. Jason Kidd and Pablo Prigioni are both seasoned veterans that know how to run an offense and will both provide leadership and mentoring to their team.

Although, the 76ers have the best point guard in this group in Holiday, the collective experience and resume of the Knicks’ point guards give them the edge here.

Advantage: Knicks

Shooting Guard:
Ronnie Brewer/J.R. Smith/ Iman Shumpert vs.  Jason Richardson / Nick Young

J.R. Smith and Nick Young practically cancel out each other with their respective roles for their teams. Both can light up the scoreboard and inconsistent on the defensive end, but Smith is definitely a better defender when willing.

Jason Richardson use to be “the guy”  back in the day for the Warriors, but his high flying days are now numbered. He’s is now more of a long range bomber with the occasional drive to the basket. And because of this the younger Ronnie Brewer and Iman Shumpert will be able to contain him on the perimeter while also scoring on the other end of the floor.

Advantage: Knicks

Small Forward:
Carmelo Anthony/ Steve Novak/ James White/ Chris Copeland vs. Evan Turner / Thaddeus Young / Dorell Wright

Evan Turner is no doubt the second coming of Andre Iguodala for the 76ers because of his versatility and playmaking skills. While Thaddeus Young has been an absolute workhorse for Philly–on both ends of the floor–and is starting to make a name for himself. Dorell Wright will provide a nice a nice scoring touch and stretch the floor with his long range shooting.

Carmelo Anthony is easily the third best small forward in the league, behind Lebron James and Kevin Durant, but when he catches fire he’s as dangerous as either one of them.  Steve Novak was one of the few bright spots at the Garden last season during the Knicks’ struggles because of his lights out shooting from three-point land.  The addition of athletic freak James White and promising Chris Copeland will make for great back ups at this spot.

But with all the talent in the world that Carmelo Anthony has, it isn’t enough here with the up and coming forwards in Philly. Young can definitely make it difficult for Anthony to score (although he will still get his 30) but then you still have Evan Turner and Dorell Wright to contend with which the Knicks don’t have suitable subs to do so.

Advantage: 76ers

Power Forward:
Amar’e Stoudemire/ Kurt Thomas vs. Spencer Hawes / Lavoy Allen / Arnett Moultrie

Spencer Hawes started last season for the 76ers  on a mission before going down with an injury. But with the addition of Andrew Bynum we will see him play more of a Pau Gasol role for this team and showcase his versatility. Lavoy Allen showed poise beyond his years going toe to toe with Kevin Garnett in their playoff showdown last season and will look to improve on this. Arnett Moultrie probably won’t see much playing time but can play both forward positions and stretch the floor at 6’11.

Amar’e Stoudemire will no doubt be back to All-Star form after an offseason honing his post moves and new found commitment to defense. And backing him up will be the the very old but still serviceable Kurt Thomas to serve as a defensive anchor.

Despite the depth the Knicks have at this position, Stoudemire will be an unfortunate nightmare for Allen and Hawes with his evolved offensive game.

Advantage: Knicks 

Center:
Tyson Chandler/Marcus Camby vs. Andrew Bynum / Kwame Brown

February 25, 2012; Orlando FL, USA; Western Conference center Andrew Bynum of the Los Angeles Lakers address the media prior to the start of the 2012 NBA All-star team practice session at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE

Andrew Bynum will be using his first year in Philly to stake his claim as the best center in league now that he’s the number one scoring option. Bynum will also see a lot more double (even triple) teams than he is accustomed to but he will adjust to this by passing the ball to his open teammates. Indeed Kwame Brown is one of the biggest bust in NBA draft history, but after a decade in the league he has found his niche and is solid backup center.

With the addition of Marcus Camby and already having the reigning Defensive Player of the Year Tyson Chandler, the Knicks have formed an intimidating rim protecting duo that will make drives to the basket very difficult for opposing teams.

Still, Andrew Bynum is too much of a force down low even for both Chandler and Camby that the 76ers will no doubt use this to their advantage.

Advantage: 76ers

Coaching:
Mike Woodson vs. Doug Collins

Both coaches are great with their respective teams and both will definitely trying to establish chemistry with the new pieces they have attained this offseason and will no doubt be trying to move into the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference. And because of this both coaches still need more time before I could make an assessment on their progress with their teams.

Advantage: Tie

Prediction:

In a seven game series, I would have to pick the Knicks in six games because the veterans, experience, and starpower they have on their team. Also because Andrew Bynum will still be adjusting to being “the guy” on the 76ers and it might take him a year or two for him to really do damage in the playoffs.

Both teams improved their rosters this off-season and are ready to make that next step and challenge the Miami Heat for the East crown. The Knicks let go of Jeremy Lin and acquired Jason Kidd and Raymond Felton to run the point. The Knicks also added frontcourt depth by adding veterans Marcus Camby and Kurt Thomas. The Nets resigned their franchise player Deron Williams and paired him with All-Star shooting guard Joe Johnson. They also kept Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries, and gave Brook Lopez a huge deal. So who has the better team? Let’s break it down by position.

Point Guard: Raymond Felton/Jason Kidd/ Pablo Prigioni VS. Deron Williams/C.J. Watson/Tryshawn Taylor

A lot will be asked and expected out of both squads’ ball handlers. The Knicks are bringing in the duo of Kidd and Felton hoping giving everyone a quick memory of Jeremy Lin. They are hoping to get Felton in his prime and to play like he did his first go around with the Knicks. Jason Kidd was originally brought in to be a mentor to Lin but that clearly quickly changed. Jason Kidd is here to establish a veteran, winning and intelligent presence to a Knicks team that needs it.

In Brooklyn, the Nets have arguably the best point guard in the game. An Olympian and All-Star, Deron looks to elevate his game to an even higher level. Watson is no stiff either and is very good off the bench. Both Pablo Prigioni and Tryshawn Taylor will have to prove many things before they crack either rotation. No debate here that Deron is better than every Knicks point guard.

Advantage – Nets

Shooting Guard: JR Smith/Ronnie Brewer/Iman Shumpert VS. Joe Johnson/MarShon Brooks/Keith Bogans

One of the weakest points on the Knicks roster is their shooting guard depth. While Iman Shumpert recovers from injury, the Knicks will have to be patient with J.R. Smith and Ronnie Brewer. Both have been bench guys and spot starters through out their career and will be asked to start and bulk up the minutes.

Joe Johnson should compliment Deron beautifully as Deron is one of the best passers and least selfish players in the NBA. Expect Joe Johnson’s numbers to go up playing with Williams. MarShon Brooks is a great scorer and could be dangerous off the bench. These both lack what the Knicks have, pure scoring in this position.

Advantage – Nets

Small Forward – Carmelo Anthony/Steve Novak/James White/Chris Copeland VS. Gerald Wallace/Jerry Stackhouse/Tornike Shengelia

Carmelo Anthony is an elite scorer and looks to be in the best shape of his career. He showed the world in the Olympic games his outside range added with his low post scoring is deadly. The Knicks will go wherever Melo takes them. Steve Novak was the best three-point shooter last year, but will he repeat his success? The Knicks gave him a pretty big deal for a journeyman three specialist so they think he will.

Gerald Wallace is a very savvy and gritty player. He is no bum and is a great third option. He is no Anthony that’s for sure. Jerry Stackhouse should have no impact on this team, and if he does the Nets are in trouble.

Advantage – Knicks

Power Forward – Amar’e Stroudemire/Kurt Thomas VS. Kris Humphries/Reggie Evans/Mizra Teletovic

We all know Amar’e’s story. He needs go back to his dominating ways and be the player the Knicks signed him for. He has worked with Hakeem Olajuwon this off-season and all signs point to he will bounce back. Kurt Thomas might not play a lot but when he does I really don’t expect much out of him. He gives the Knicks much needed depth in the frontcourt and will be used when the Knicks need to take out STAT or Tyson Chandler and doesn’t want to go small.

I don’t buy the Kris Humphries hype. Yes he puts up doubles doubles but he really isn’t a player you can rely on in a big game. If he were so good, the Nets wouldn’t have been garbage the last few years. Reggie Evans is solid bench guy and will hustle and give you that hard foul when needed. I’m picking a proven STAT over Humphries any day.

Advantage – Knicks

Center – Tyson Chandler/Marcus Camby VS. Brook Lopez

This is the closest position battle between the two teams.  Chandler is the defending Defensive Player of the Year and like Deron and Carmelo, is an Olympian. Tyson was the starting center and is in the best shape of his life. We all know his defensive skills are second to no one, but his offense needs improvement. Camby is a big body off the bench and I think he will fit in New York just fine.

Brook Lopez battled injuries last year and really hasn’t proved anything to me. I believe the Nets were forced to sign him when they missed out on Dwight. He is a very good center who does a little bit of everything, but I think Tyson will lock him up

Advantage – Knicks

Coaching – Mike Woodson VS. Avery Johnson

Mike Woodson and Avery Johnson are both coaches who are finally expected to win. Woodson was no expected to beat the Heat last year and Johnson’s Nets weren’t expected to compete until they revamped their roster this season. Now the heat is on. Avery Johnson had success in Dallas with a talented team, making it to the Finals and constantly being a high seed in the always-tough west. Mike Woodson always had a talented team in Atlanta but could never escape the first round. I believe Woodson has good control of this team and good chemistry with his players, but Johnson is the better coach.

Advantage – Nets

So who would win a 7 game series? Its is very likely these two New York teams clash in the first round this year which would be great for the NBA and basketball in the city. With no travel but being under the constant microscope of New York media, this series would be the best in a while. The Nets have the big advantage in the backcourt but the Knicks frontcourt might be too much for the Nets to handle. I believe both starting fives would give us a very even series, but baring any moves, the Nets bench will catch up to them. With no other center on the roster, no other big men to keep up with Chandler and Camby will be tough. I think the Knicks would win this series with Carmelo going off.

Knicks win 4-2 on Brooklyn’s floor

Aaron Rodgers and LeBron James

Both are in their prime and are the best in their sport. Both have one championship ring and are coming off an MVP season. Rodgers might be more liked right now but LeBron is defiantly regaining his popularity. No question they are the best and will dominant their sports in the years to come.

Tom Brady and Kobe Bryant

Brady and Bryant have both dominated the 2000′s. A combined eight championships and 12 championship appearances are just amazing. Both are first ballot Hall of Famers and can make the case of being the greatest of all time. Brady and Bryant’s teams both reloaded and want to win now. Don’t be surprised if both these superstars add another ring to their fingers this year.

Calvin Johnson and Kevin Durant

Megatron and Durant both are freak athletes that never fail to make your jaw drop. Calvin and Durant are both on the covers this year of their respected league’s video game. Both are so young yet the most dominant scorers and playmakers in their sport. The Lions and Thunder both are very young and are built to win now and for the future. Johnson and Durant will be making highlights for the next decade.

Drew Brees and Chris Paul

Drew Brees and CP3 are both two of the most professional and likeable athletes in their leagues. Brees and Paul are top two at their positions which are loaded with talent this year. Both are also media favorites and born leaders. They both were key to New Orleans recovery after Hurricane Katrina. Even though Paul has left, he will forever be remembered as one of the best Hornets. Brees is the best Saints player of all time and is a god in that city. They put up amazing numbers and want nothing less for their teams than a championship.

Darrelle Revis and Dwight Howard

Revis Island and Dwight Howard have had similarities in their career. In uniform, they are both the most dominant defenders in their league. Revis is the definition of a shut down corner and most Jets fans take for granted what they actually have in Revis. Howard is just a beast in the paint and has won multiple Defensive Player of the Year awards. Off the court and field, both have been headaches for their front offices. Revis hasn’t been bad this year but when he held out for a new contract he was talk of Jets camp. He was rumored to hold out this year again but decided against it. We all know the Dwight story and his constant cry to leave Orlando. He got his wish and now is playing in LA. Both defensive stars play for the two biggest cities in the USA.

Michael Vick and Derrick Rose

Vick and Rose are MVP candidates when healthy and kill their team when they are hurt. Vick and Rose are wizards with the ball and are human highlight reels. Both their speed and quickness can win their team’s game with one play. But neither guy can stay healthy enough and they must if they ever want to lead Chicago or Philly to a coveted championship their cities are dying for.

Philip Rivers and Carmelo Anthony

Rivers and Melo have all the talent in the world. Both put up huge numbers every year and fill up the stat sheet every game. They both share one common flaw – postseason failure. The Chargers were the favorites for years and always came up short. Carmelo is a top 3three scorer in the league but has only led his team out of the first round of the playoffs once. Both the Chargers and Knicks expect these guys to lead them to the glory land and win now. These talented guys are in their prime and need to win now before it’s too late and are labeled failures.

10. Hiring Larry Brown: In 2005 Brown was given a 5-year, 50 million dollar contract to help revitalize The Knicks. He ended up going 23-59 in his only season with the team, and was subsequently fired.

9. Trading Marcus Camby, Mark Jackson, and Nene: In 2002, The Knicks traded Camby, Jackson, and Nene in exchange for Antonio McDyess, Frank Williams, and a second round pick (Maciej Lampe). Camby went on to earn a Defensive Player of the Year award and Nene ended up on the All-Rookie First Team. On the other hand, McDyess, Williams, and Lampe barely lasted for 2 seasons, and helped the Knicks to continue avoiding the playoffs.

8. Signing Allan Houston to a max contract: In 2001, The Knicks and Houston agreed to a contract that paid him over 20 million dollars a year. Houston would barely be able to play any games under that contract due to his serious knee problems over the next four years, and in 2005 he announced his retirement. You can’t blame Houston, but the Knicks giving a 30 year old such a huge contract was a risk that resulted in restricted cap space throughout the first half of the 2000′s.

7. Trading Patrick Ewing: In 2000, Patrick Ewing was nearing the end of his contract, and the Knicks could not reach terms for extending their aging center. Stories differ that Ewing requested his trade or that the Knicks pushed him out, but the result was trading away an 18 million dollar expiring contract for bad contracts that would continue to hamper them from signing free agents through the first half of the decade.

6. Signing Jerome James: Are you kidding me? Jerome James was signed to a 5 year, 30 million dollar contract by Isiah Thomas. James supposedly deserved this contract due to his better than average play in the playoffs the previous season. In his 4 seasons with the Knicks, he played in a whopping 90 games, and was traded away for Larry Hughes in 2009.

5. Drafting Jordan Hill: I know this sounds crazy, but I partly blame this rare poor decision by Donnie Walsh for Lebron James not coming to the Knicks. The Knicks chose Hill over Brandon Jennings, yes you read that correctly. Jennings would be the best point guard this team has had all decade, but instead we took half a season of Jordan Hill. Many said that Lebron did not want to have the pressure of leading the Knicks all by himself, but could you imagine a trio of Jennings, Stoudemire, and Lebron? Not to mention that Jennings would have still been on his rookie contract, and therefore we could have filled the roster with great talent! I dream on, but still no one can deny that Jordan Hill was a big bust.

4. Acquiring  for Eddy Curry: The Knicks gave up a couple draft picks, but in case you don’t know who they turned out to be let me enlighten you: LaMarcus Aldridge and Joakim Noah! As a fan you may be able to live with that, if Eddy Curry did not turn out to be a bloated player with a bloated contract. He did not rebound or defend, and ended up playing almost no games once Mike D’antoni took over in 2008, while still earning 13 million dollars a year.

3. Trading for Stephon Marbury: There is not that much to say, because everyone knows why this was a bad move for the Knicks. He was a selfish and temperamental star. His feud with Larry Brown contributed to Brown’s firing, while his feud with Mike D’antoni resulted in Marbury’s firing. After a few years in New York, Stephon Marbury’s career ended up much like his shoes–falling apart. 

2. The coming of Isiah Thomas: His terrible contracts, his atrocious draft picks, and his poor trading decisions got him to number 2 on this list. He is responsible for Steve Francis, Ronaldo Balkman, Jared Jefferies, Fred Jones, Jerome James, and many many more terrible players getting a chance to play for an NBA team. How would someone like this keep his job for so long? Well, you become best friends with your boss of course! James Dolan and Thomas are famously friends, and it has long been rumored that Thomas is still pulling strings behind closed doors. Which brings us to…

1. Viacom selling MSG properties to Cablevision and ITT Corporation: This was the move in 1994, that ultimately led to what may be the worst day in Knicks History, because 2 years after Cablevision bought out ITT in 1997, James Dolan was made the Chairman of Madison Square Garden. I want you to scroll up to the top of this article, and read # 10 – #2 again, because these were all under Dolan’s supervision. In a world where Viacom sells the Knicks to ANYONE ELSE, all of the above would erased. James Dolan continues to make mistakes even with the newfound success of the team. Two years ago he traded everyone and their brother to Denver for Carmelo Anthony, and this summer he paid player after player to come to the Knicks before deciding that signing Jeremy Lin would be too much money.

You can make a legitimate case that all five teams in the division are playoff worthy teams, but it’s highly doubtful all five will make the postseason.  Top to bottom, the Atlantic has it all- superstar talent, championship teams and great young talent.

May 9, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; New York Knicks guard Landry Fields (2) dunks past Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (3) during the first half of game five in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

With that being said, here’s a look at how these teams stack up against each other in my latest Atlantic Division Power Rankings.

5. Toronto Raptors: I like what the Raptors have done probably a little more than most people, and in any other division they could be a playoff team. But in the Atlantic, they are still likely the bottom team.

They add a pair of young pieces in Terrance Ross, Jonas Valanciunas, signed Landry Fields and added Kyle Lowry via trade with the Houston Rockets. Add to that two quality young players in Andrea Bargnani and DeMar Derozan and the Raptors are getting better and could be a surprise team in the Eastern Conference.

This is a good young team whose on their way, however they may still be a year away for competing in the Atlantic. It won’t be long though before the Raps are legitimate contenders in the Atlantic.

4. Philadelphia 76ers: Even though they made the second round of the playoffs a season ago and acquired Andrew Bynum, I almost listed the Sixers as the worst team in the division, but the Bynum acquisition should pay immediate dividends.

However gone are leading scorer Lou Williams, team leader Andre Iguodala and a whole bunch of other pieces. Truth be told the Sixers have only five players returning from last season’s team, so I don’t know how long it will take this team to gel.

They did sign Nick Young and acquired Dorrell Wright and Jason Richardson in separate trades, so their perimeter shooting should be better.

Everyone talks Bynum, but the keys to the Sixers could be both Thaddeus Young and Evan Turner, who could be ready for breakout seasons. If they do, the Sixers could end up being much higher on this list.

3. Brooklyn Nets: After the offseason, no team has spent more money than the Nets and they are a much improved team who could easily win the Atlantic as well as be a team who struggles to make the postseason.

I like the starting lineup of Deron Williams-Joe Johnson-Gerald Wallace-Kris Humphries-Brook Lopez. I also like the Mirza Teletovic and C.J. Watson signings, but the Nets overall depth on paper just isn’t exciting. Of the rest of the group, only MarShon Brooks and Reggie Evans will likely contribute significantly. The nets will be improved and will be a playoff team, but I don’t see them being legitimate contenders in the east for another year.

Feb 12, 2011; Newark, NJ, USA; New York Knicks point guard Raymond Felton (2) brings the ball up court during the first half against the New Jersey Nets at the Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim O

2. New York Knicks: They lost Jeremy Lin and despite having no cap room going into the offseason, they still found a way to add over $60 million to the payroll. New York is the deepest team in the division with the additions of Ronnie Brewer, Jason Kidd, Marcus Camby, Pablo Prigioni, Raymond Felton and Kurt Thomas to an already talented team.

I could make the case for the Knicks being a Top 3 team in the Eastern Conference and winning the Atlantic and that’s certainly how things could play out. But with Iman Shumpert out until January, they still will be missing a key component for the first two months of the season.

But the Knicks success will come down to an improved defense under Mike Woodson and what type of seasons Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire have. Stoudemire just got done working with Hakeem Olajuwon and Anthony torched everyone in the Olympics, so on paper at least, this team looks good.

1. Boston Celtics: The Celtics lost Ray Allen in free agency but Danny Ainge did a fine job of replacing him and keeping Boston very competitive.

The C’s will return a starting lineup of Rajon Rondo-Avery Bradley-Paul Pierce-Brandon Bass-Kevin Garnett that is not only outstanding defensively but also a group that was one win away from the NBA Finals a season ago.

In addition they add a pair of quality guards in Courtney Lee and Jason Terry, plus a pair of rookies in Jared Sullinger and Kris Joseph who could possibly contribute right off the bat. They don’t have much size behind KG other than rookie Fab Melo, but the Celtics should be extremely competitive in 2013.

Follow Matt Shetler on Twitter for news, reaction and analysis from around the NBA.

Follow Buckets Over Broadway on Twitter and on Facebook

The winner joins the 1973, 1995 and yesterday’s winner the 1998 Knicks in the Sweet 16.

That brings us to today’s matchup and just like the other ones, you get to vote and decide the winner, who will go onto play the 1995 team in the second round.

Here’s a look at today’s matchup.

1984 New York Knicks: 47-35 regular season; lost in Eastern Conference Semis

1971 New York Knicks: 52-30 regular season; lost in Eastern Conference Finals

The ’84 team, led by a huge season from Bernard King, finished the season third in the Atlantic Division and the No. 5 seed in the East. They were able to sneak by the Detroit Pistons in five games in the first round of the playoffs, but lost in seven games to the Boston Celtics in the second round.

The ’71 team was trying to win a second consecutive championship and was the No. 1 seed in the east. But after defeating the Atlanta Hawks in the first round, they lost in seven games to the Baltimore Bullets, ending their chances of repeating.

Here’s a look at how they stack up against each other.

1984 Knicks

Coach- Hubie Brown

Starters

C- Bill Cartwright (17.0 PPG, 8.4 RPG)

F- Truck Robinson (10.8 PPG, 8.4 RPG)

F-Bernard King (26.3 PPG, 5.1 RPG)

G- Rory Sparrow (10.4 PPG, 6.8 APG)

G- Ray Williams (14.8 PPG, 5.9 APG)

Bench- Louis Orr, Len Elmore, Trent Tucker, Darrell Walker, Ernie Grunfeld, Rudy Macklin

1971 Knicks

Coach- Red Holzman

Starters

C- Willis Reed (20.9 PPG, 13.7 RPG)

F- Dave DeBusschere (15.6 PPG, 11.1 RPG)

F- Bill Bradley (12.4 PPG)

G-Dick Barnett (15.5 PPG)

G- Walt Frazier (21.7 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 6.7 APG)

Bench- Phil Jackson, Dave Stallworth, Cazzie Russell, Mike Riordan, Greg Filmore

My Take: This actually wouldn’t be as close of a game as I thought it would be initially. The ’71 team is loaded and while they were only 14th of 17 teams in scoring at 110.1 PPG, they did lead the league in points against, allowing 105.0 per game.

The ’84 team by comparison scored 106.9 points per game and allowed 103.0, which made them a very good defensive team for that era of basketball.

Cartwright and King could potentially play Reed and DeBusschere to a draw if the ’84 team was lucky, but they have no answer for Frazier, who had one of the finest seasons of his career in ’71. He’s the X-factor and a big reason why the ’71 team wins this going away.

Your Vote: Your vote is the one that counts though, so make sure you vote for the winner in the poll on the right hand side of this page. Voting is open until tomorrow afternoon and the winner will advance to the Sweet 16.

Up Next: We head to the Southeast Region as the No. 1 seed 1993 Knicks take on the No. 8 seed 1952 Knicks.

Follow Matt Shetler on Twitter for news, reaction and analysis from around the NBA.

Mar 7, 2012; Milwaukee, WI, USA; New York Knicks forward Amare Stoudemire (1) during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the Bradley Center. The Bulls defeated the Bucks 106-104. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE

There’s more good news coming out of a slow month around the New York Knicks.

That news comes from forward Amar’e Stoudemire, who just got done working out with the legendary Hakeem Olajuwon, and the results have been positive.

“He helped me a lot,” STAT said to Houston’s FOX affiliate (via ESPN’s Jared Zwerling). “A lot of moves that he has really, really translate to my game. To now develop a post-game is going to be remarkable for me. It’s going to catch a lot of my opponents off guard and it’s going to be a great year for me.”

That is music to Knicks’ fans ears if things play out that way for Stoudemire.

You have to give Stoudemire credit for recognizing a weakness in his game and showing the willingness to correct it. Even though STAT is a six-time All-Star, there’s always room to improve one’s game, and hopefully Amar’e did exactly that.

Similar to Olajuwon, Stoudemire has great quickness and strength, so learning from him makes perfect sense.

If Stoudemire can become a force to deal with in the post, it makes the Knicks a very dangerous team. With an established front-court that features STAT, Tyson Chandler and Carmelo Anthony, the one thing missing is a guy that can score consistently on the block.

Learning to score on the block can’t be easy for Stoudemire, who has made his name scoring in pick-and-roll situations and on isolation plays. It’s going to be a different world altogether for Amar’e, so the work must continue. However the early signs are positive.

“I have the IQ to implement this and learn fast, but it’s not easy,” he said. “There’s a lot of detail that goes into it. He’s very, very swift with his footwork, and he’s very agile also at 50 still. It’s great to learn from him. This is a great opportunity because you never how long he’s going to be able to do this. So while I’m young and can still learn from one of the best, I’m very blessed to be a part of it.”

The reality of the situation is that STAT will still learn on his mid-range jumper a ton, but that’s not what coach Mike Woodson needs from him for the Knicks to contend in 2013.

The Knicks need a consistent post scorer in the worst way and if Stoudemire can provide some semblance of that this season, then the Knicks will take a huge step in the right direction.

Follow Matt Shetler on Twitter for news, reaction and analysis from around the NBA.

Follow Buckets Over Broadway on Twitter and on Facebook

Apr 7, 2012; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Raymond Felton (5) during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the Bradley Center. The Bucks defeated the Trail Blazers 116-94. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE

Point guard Raymond Felton won’t be the only player this season making his return to the Big Apple as former Knick Kurt Thomas will also be donning a Knicks jersey in 2013 for the second time in his career.

Until we see Felton on the court with the rock in his hands, there will be some questions surrounding Felton that will remain unanswered until then. Will Felton be in shape? Can he perform at a high level in Mike Woodson’s offense? Those are questions that we can speculate on, but we really just don’t know the answers to at this time.

One question that we do know the answer to right now is concerning Felton’s motivation for the 2013 season.

Thomas recently spoke with ESPN’s Ian Begley and had the following to say:

“He’s definitely motivated, he’s definitely excited, he definitely wants to come back to New York,” Thomas, who was dealt from Portland to New York along with Felton in a sign-and-trade. “He’s looking forward to this season.”

Felton will have a lot of pressure on his shoulders this season and be expected to perform at a higher level than the player that averaged 11.5 points and 6.5 assists, and shot only 41 percent from the field for Portland last season. The Knicks are hoping they got the Felton that averaged 17 and nine in 2011 for the Knicks before being dealt to Denver as part of the Carmelo Anthony trade.

In addition, there is the fact that Felton is replacing fan favorite Jeremy Lin, which like it or not, is some added pressure on Felton’s shoulders.

The fact that Thomas says Felton is motivated is great news for the Knicks as a player with a chip on his shoulder can be a dangerous one.

The rest of the questions won’t be answered until Felton actually steps on the court with his new teammates, but the fact that he is motivated and has something to prove is great news to hear, as everything else should just fall into place for the Knicks point guard.

Follow Matt Shetler on Twitter for news, reaction and analysis from around the NBA.

Follow Buckets Over Broadway on Twitter and on Facebook

Offense wins games, but defense wins championships.

July 22, 2012; Barcelona, SPAIN; USA center Tyson Chandler (4) reacts during the second half of an exhibition game against Argentina in preparation for the 2012 London Olympic Games at Palau Sant Jordi. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-US PRESSWIRE

That theory will prove especially true if the New York Knicks plan to make a run at a title in 2013.

While many will look at this Knicks roster and see guys like Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire as the Knicks leaders, this team will go as far as Tyson Chandler leads them.

While ‘Melo and Amar’e will certainly have to play major roles if the Knicks will have success, Chandler has to be the leader.

Leading is a mentality that Anthony either doesn’t have or isn’t willing to do through nine years of his career. Leading isn’t about scoring points, although the Knicks certainly need that from ‘Melo. Leading is about doing whatever it takes, whether it’s major thing or minor things, to win games. Leaders do the little things needed to win and don’t mind getting dirty or banged up to do it.

Leaders don’t worry about their numbers; instead they worry only about winning.

The Knicks should have one leader of the locker room and that is Chandler. Period.

Anthony and Stoudemire are the best players on this team and will be required to produce at a high level but its still Chandler that will be the quiet leader of this team.

He’s done what ‘Melo hasn’t and that’s win a title. He knows what it takes, but winning a title isn’t entirely why he’s the leader of this team. He simply impacts the game more than any other player.

Just look at the 2011 Knicks team that allowed were third-to-last in the NBA in points allowed per game with 105.7 and allowed teams to shoot 47.2 percent from the field against them, also bottom five in the league.

Throw Chandler in the mix in 2012 and those numbers dropped to 94 points per game and 44.2 percent (Top 10 in the league).

He single-handily turned this team from a laughingstock defensively to a team that was tough to score on, especially at the rim, where opposing teams shot only 48 percent on the season. Chandler blocks shots, gets steal, rebounds and more importantly protects the paint.

Defense Wins Championships.

Chandler’s lone season in the Big Apple saw him not only win the Defensive Player of the Year Award, but change a culture that desperately needed changing. The Knicks improved a great deal defensively and did so with the likes of Anthony and Stoudemire on the floor- two guys not known for giving great effort at the defensive end of the floor.

Despite all the accolades thrown on Chandler for his defensive prowess, the guy was the NBA’s most efficient scorer a season ago as well, shooting 67.9 percent from the floor, more than 10 percent better than anyone else in the league, which also could suggest that Chandler get more than five attempts per game from the floor this season.

Now look at how important that Chandler is to the Knicks by the fact that Mike Woodson is focusing on putting a defensive team on the floor in 2013, mostly because he has Chandler.

Like it or not he has to be the leader of this team. Chandler not only sets the tempo defensively, but he does exactly what it takes for a team to be successful. That can’t be said for everyone in the Knicks locker room.

Chandler is the Knicks best defender, most efficient scorer and the guy that single-handily changed the way the Knicks will play the game in the next few years.

If he’s not the leader of this team, he’s certainly the most important player on the roster. As we saw a season ago, the Knicks are simply not the same team without him.

Again. Defense Wins Championships.

Follow Matt Shetler on Twitter for news, reaction and analysis from around the NBA.

Follow Buckets Over Broadway on Twitter and on Facebook

Thanks to your votes, the No. 2 seed in the East Region, the 1995 Knicks defeated the 1978 rather easily. So far the top two seed in the east have advanced as the 1973 squad defeated the 1951 team on Monday.

That brings us to today and another East Region battle when the No. 3 seeded 1998 Knicks, in one of Patrick Ewing’s final seasons as a dominant NBA big man; battle the No. 6 seeded 1983 Knicks. led by Bernard King.

Let’s take a look at this matchup.

1998 New York Knicks: 43-39 regular season; lost in Eastern Conference Semifinals

1983 New York Knicks: 44-38 regular season; lost in Eastern Conference Semifinals

The ’98 Knicks, behind Ewing, Allan Houston and Larry Johnson finished the season in a tie for second in the Atlantic Division. Despite their lowest winning percentage since the 1990–91 season, the team qualified for the NBA Playoffs as the seventh seed. They defeated the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs in a series that featured the famous brawl between Alonzo Mourning and Johnson. They couldn’t sustain the success though as they lost in the next round to the Indiana Pacers in five games.

The ’83 Knicks finished fourth in the Atlantic and defeated the New Jersey Nets in the first round before being swept by the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round.

Here’s a look at how they stack up against each other.

1998 Knicks

Coach- Jeff Van Gundy

Starters

C- Charles Oakley (9.0 PPG, 9.2 RPG)

F- Larry Johnson (15.5 PPG, 5.7 RPG)

F- Chris Mills (9.7 PPG, 5.1 RPG)

G- Allan Houston (18.4 PPG)

G- Charlie Ward (7.8 PPG, 5.7 APG)

Bench- Patrick Ewing (20.8 PPG, 10.2 RPG), John Starks, Terry Cummings, Chris Childs, Buck Williams, Chris Dudley

1983 Knicks

Coach-Hubie Brown

Starters

C- Bill Cartwright (15.7 PPG, 7.2 RPG)

F- Truck Robinson (9.5 PPG, 8.1 RPG)

F- Bernard King (21.9 PPG, 4.8 RPG)

G- Trent Tucker (8.4 PPG)

G- Paul Westphal (10.0 PPG, 5.5 APG)

Bench- Sly Williams, Rory Sparrow, Louis Orr, Ed Sherod, Marvin Webster, Ernie Grunfeld

My Take: Ewing played in only 26 games during that season, so that has to account for something. With Ewing out of the lineup, only Houston, Johnson and Starks finished the season averaging double figures in scoring.

The ’83 team had a little more quality depth, being able to bring a productive big man like Williams off the bench, as well as guards like Sparrow and Orr.

There won’t be much scoring in this game as both teams were excellent defensive teams. The ’83 team allowed the fewest points per game in the league at 97.5, while the ’98 team allowed only 89.1, good for second in the NBA.

I have Ewing coming off the bench in this one since he missed most of the season, but the difference here will be whether or not Bernard King can go off against a very tough defensive team.

Never doubt what King could do with the ball in his hands and as much as I liked the ’98 squad, King could be the best player on the floor in this one.

I’m calling the first upset of the tournament.

Your Vote: Your vote is the one that counts though, so make sure you vote for the winner in the poll on the right hand side of this page. Voting is open until tomorrow afternoon and the winner will advance to the Sweet 16.

Up Next: The final East Region first round match between the No. 4 seed 1984 Knicks and the No. 5 seed 1971 Knicks.

Follow Matt Shetler on Twitter for news, reaction and analysis from around the NBA.

July 9, 2012; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Team USA center Tyson Chandler during practice at the UNLV Mendenhall Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

While injuries and coaching changes have made it difficult for some players to adjust to new lineups, there’s a great chance the Knicks will make huge strides this year with the addition of many key players and coach Mike Woodson in the fold from the get-go.

But what millions of people really want to know is… “How are these players going to do for my Fantasy Basketball team??”

This is part three of a six part series looking at the outlook for Knicks players for the 2012-2013 season, from a Fantasy perspective. Today we look at Tyson Chandler.

Chandler was the most pleasant surprise for the Knicks last season.  One of the very few offseason moves that the front office can actually be proud of.

After years of turmoil at the center position, Chandler had a fantastic season and won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, the first ever for a Knicks player.  While fantasy owners should expect much of the same defensive statistics this season, I actually think his offensive stats will get better.

With the Raymond Felton/Jason Kidd/Pablo Prigioni combo at point guard, look for more pick and roll opportunities for Tyson and Amar’e Stoudemire.  The ones running through Amar’e should leave open looks for Chandler in the post.

Even though Chandler has elected not to work out with Hakeem Olajuwon like Stoudemire did, I still see an increase in his numbers on the horizon.

Season Predictions:  12.4 PPG, 10 RPG, 1.5 BPG, 63% FG

Expected Draft Position:  3^rd Round

Follow Seth on Twitter @SethDaSportsMan

No division in the NBA has improved as much as the Atlantic Division has, and with good reason as the teams in the Atlantic made it a point this offseason to spend a ton of money. For an example of how much money every team in the Atlantic spent, all five teams in the division spent more than any team in the Southeast Division.

Where do the Knicks stack up in money spend on free agency? Let’s take a look. (Note: The Salary figures reflect free agent spending only and not contracts brought on via trade)

Brooklyn Nets: $243.053MM (Keith Bogans, Reggie Evans, Kris Humphries, Brook Lopez, Jerry Stackhouse, Mirza Teletovic, Gerald Wallace, C.J. Watson, Deron Williams)

No team in the NBA went on a spending spree like the Nets did, throwing money around as if it were Monopoly money.

The $98 million they gave to Williams was way more than any contract any team handed out to any player during the offseason.  Besides spending about $200 million on Williams, Wallace, and Lopez alone, the Nets signed Evans, Humphries, and Teletovic worth more than the minimum, AND took on Joe Johnson’s remaining $89 million via trade.

All in all the Nets added about $350 million to their payroll in the matter of a couple of weeks.

Boston Celtics: $133.606MM (Brandon Bass, Dionte Christmas, Jason Collins, Keyon Dooling, Kevin Garnett, Jeff Green, Courtney Lee, Jamar Smith, Jason Terry, Chris Wilcox)

Boston has committed almost $100MM to new deals, including $15MM+ each to Bass, Garnett, Lee, and Terry and they had the cap room to do so, but after all of the spending, are the Celtics any closer to winning a title. However that’s a fair question to ask any team in this division?

Feb 12, 2011; Newark, NJ, USA; New York Knicks point guard Raymond Felton (2) brings the ball up court during the first half against the New Jersey Nets at the Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim O

New York Knicks: $61.976MM (Ronnie Brewer, Marcus Camby, Chris Copeland, Raymond Felton, Jason Kidd, Steve Novak, Pablo Prigioni, Chris Smith, J.R. Smith, James White)

The Knicks had no cap space and didn’t bring Jeremy Lin back, but still managed to spend over $60 million, thanks to a handful of sign-and-trade deals and having the Bird rights of other free agents. the deals for Felton, Kidd, and Novak are all fully guaranteed, which is odd for a team that balked at Lin’s price tag.

Philadelphia 76ers: $32.797MM (Lavoy Allen, Kwame Brown, Spencer Hawes, Royal Ivey, Maalik Wayns, Nick Young)

Most of the Sixers free agent money was thrown at Brown and Young, after spending most of the offseason shedding salary. Andrew Bynum’s dollar figure isn’t included in that number so even after shedding the contract of Elton Brand, the Sixers still found a way to spend about $50 million. Yet shedding as much money as they did, and spending as much as they did, the Sixers really didn’t make an impact signing on the free agent market.

Toronto Raptors: $26.837MM (Landry Fields, Aaron Gray, John Lucas III)
The Raptors cleared cap room in the hopes of signing Steve Nash, but had to throw cash at other players instead. They overpaid for Fields, but I like the rest of the Raptors’ moves, which included using their cap space to take on Kyle Lowry’s salary in a trade with Houston.

Follow Matt Shetler on Twitter for news, reaction and analysis from around the NBA.

Follow Buckets Over Broadway on Twitter and on Facebook

July 12, 2012; Las Vegas, NV, USA; United States center Tyson Chandler (4) reacts against the Dominican Republic in the second half at the Thomas and Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

However, the Knicks won’t be watching both of their big men improve in the post this season as center Tyson Chandler has elected to pass on training with Olajuwon this summer.

Chandler, fresh off winning a gold medal in London, told the New York Post that he wouldn’t be training with Olajuwon due to “logistical issues.”

Instead, Chandler is taking a couple of weeks to get some much needed rest.

“I’ll take about a week or two off and get back at it,’’ Chandler said. “There’s no need to let this go to waste. I’m in great shape now and want to continue to climb.’’

While it would have been nice to see what Olajuwon could do with Chandler as far as turning him into a threat in the post, some rest could be a good thing for Chandler, who just came off a shortened season in which he was extremely banged up and went straight into representing his country in the Olympics.

The reigning Defensive Player of the Year dislocated a finger on his right hand while working out before the Olympics and re-aggravated that injury in the Team USA win against Tunisia.

Rest could be just the thing for Chandler before the attempts to help lead the Knicks to a place they haven’t been in almost 40 years- the NBA championship.

Follow Matt Shetler on Twitter for news, reaction and analysis from around the NBA.

Follow Buckets Over Broadway on Twitter and on Facebook

Just like yesterday, you the reader get to determine the winner. In our opening round game, you decided that the No. 1 seeded 1973 team, led by Walt Frazier and Willis Reed defeated the 1951 squad.

Today it’s another East Region battle between the No. 2 1995 team and the No. 7 1978 squad.

Let’s get into the matchup.

1995 New York Knicks: 55-27 regular season; lost in Eastern Conference semis

1978 New York Knicks: 43-39 regular season; lost in Eastern Conference semis

The ’95 team, one of my favorites, finished second in the Atlantic Division and went on to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round, before losing to Reggie Miller’s Indiana Pacers in the conference semi-finals.

The ’78 squad also finished second in the Atlantic and defeated the Cavs in the first round, but they ran into Dr. J and the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round and were swept, ending their season.

Here’s a look at how the teams stack up against one another.

1995 Knicks

Coach: Pat Riley

Starters

C- Patrick Ewing (23.9 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 2.0 BPG)

F- Charles Oakley (10.1 PPG, 8.9 RPG)

F- Charles Smith (12.7 PPG)

G- John Starks (15.3 PPG, 5.1 APG)

G- Derek Harper (11.5 PPG, 5.7 APG)

Bench- Hubert Davis, Doc Rivers, Anthony Mason (Sixth Man of the Year), Charlie Ward, Doug Christie, Monty Williams, Herb Williams

1978 New York Knicks

Coach- Willis Reed

C- Lonnie Shelton (14.9 PPG, 7.1 RPG)

F- Spencer Haywood (13.7 PPG, 6.6 RPG)

F- Bob McAdoo (26.5 PPG, 12.8 RPG)

G- Earl Monroe (17.8 PPG, 4.8 APG)

G- Butch Beard ( 9.4 PPG, 4.3 APG)

Bench: Phil Jackson, Ray Williams, Jim McMillan, Jim Clemons, Toby Knight

My Take: The ’95 team would have their hands full with the ’78 starting five. McAdoo had a fantastic season and even though Monroe was closer to the end of his career, he was still a force to be dealt with. Yet I don’t know if the ’78 squad could deal with the physical play that Riley’s Knicks would bring. Between the physical play and the outstanding depth of the ’95 squad, I have to give them a slight edge, but this will be a close game.

At the end of the day, the key to the ’95 team winning or losing could be how well Starks shoots the ball. If he’s hot the ’95 team wins, but we all know that he could shoot the Knicks out of a game as easily as he could win won for them.

Your Vote: Your vote is the one that counts though, so make sure you vote for the winner in the poll on the right hand side of this page. Voting is open until tomorrow afternoon and the winner will advance to the Sweet 16.

Up Next: Tomorrow’s matchup will be another first round game in the East Region between No. 3 1998 Knicks vs. No. 6 1983 Knicks.

Follow Matt Shetler on Twitter for news, reaction and analysis from around the NBA.

Follow Buckets Over Broadway on Twitter and on Facebook

Our opening round matchup of the East Region features the No. 1 seeded 1972-73 team against the no. 8 seed 1950-51 squad.

Their resume’s look like this:

1972-73: 57-25 regualar season and won the NBA championship

1950-51: 36-30 regular season; lost in NBA Finals

The ’73 team was the last Knicks team to win an NBA championship. They finished third in the Atlantic Division that season before going on a roll in the postseason, knocking off the Baltimore Bullets and Boston Celtics before defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in five games to capture the title.

The ’51 team finished third in the Eastern Division before beating the Boston Celtics and Syracuse Nationals to advance to the NBA Finals, losing there in seven games to the Rochester Royals.

Here’s how the two teams stack up against each other.

1972-73

Coach: Red Holzman

Starters:

C- Willis Reed (11.0 PPG; 8.6 RPG; 1973 Finals MVP)

F- Dave DeBusschere (16.3 PPG; 10.2 RPG)

F- Bill Bradley (16.1 PPG)

G- Earl Monroe (15.5 PPG)

G- Walt Frazier (21.1 PPG; 7.3 RPG; 5.9 APG)

Bench: Phil Jackson; Jerry Lucas; John Gianelli; Dick Barnett; Dean Meminger; Henry Bibby

1950-51

Coach: Joe Lapchick

Starters

Vince Boryla (14.9 PPG)

Harry Gallatin (12.8 PPG; 12.1 RPG)

Max Zaslofsky (12.7 PPG)

Connie Simmons (9.2 PPG; 6.5 RPG)

Dick McGuire (8.4 PPG; 6.3 APG; 5.4 RPG)

Bench: Nathaniuel Clifton; Ernie Vandeweghe; Tex Ritter; Ray Lumpp

My Take: The 1973 team is just a a great team filled with great players who accomplished what hasn’t been accomplished by players wearing Knicks jerseies in almost 40 years.

Their starting five will be tough for any Knicks team to matchup with in this tournament and should go on to win this game fairly easy.

Your Vote: Your vote is the one that counts though, so make sure you vote for the winner in the poll on the right hand side of this page. Voting is open until tomorrow afternoon and the winner will advance to the Sweet 16. DeBusschere is going to be the difference maker in this one as his ability to not only score, but crash the glass will give the ’73 Knicks a big edge.

Up Next: Check back tomorrow to not only see who wins this matchup but also vote on the second game in the East Region, featuring (2) 1994-95 Knicks vs. (7) 1977-78 Knicks.

Follow Matt Shetler on Twitter for news, reaction and analysis from around the NBA.

Follow Buckets Over Broadway on Twitter and on Facebook

Feb 04, 2011; Philadelphia, PA, USA; New York Knicks guard Raymond Felton (2) during the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center. The 76ers defeated the Knicks 100-98. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE

The Miami Heat are the heavy favorites to finally lock up a number one in the LeBron James era. In the two years Miami’s Big 3 have been together, the Chicago Bulls have claimed the number one seed in the East. That will most likely change. Not only will their star point guard Derrick Rose miss the beginning, but also they lost a lot of their bench and depth this offseason. With the uncertainty of Rose, loss of chemistry, added with the improvement of the Pacers, the Bulls will not be the one seed and might not win the division. I would pick the Indiana Pacers over the Bulls for the division this year.

Seeds 2-8 are up for grabs in the East. I believe the 2nd seed and most of the higher seeds will come out of the Atlantic Division. Four out of the five teams are most likely making the playoffs: New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics, and Philadelphia 76ers. Avoiding a bottom four seed would be clutch since you want home-court advantage and avoid playing Miami early.

I think the Knicks can finish 2nd but they will struggle with all their new faces. The Philadelphia 76ers will be their competition for the division. I’m not buying the Nets stock just yet. No depth, pressure of becoming the NBA’s new “hot” team, and I really don’t think Brook Lopez is a top tier big man like everyone makes him out to be. The Celtics of course will always be there with Rajon Rondo and Doc Rivers, but them capturing the division would shock me.

The race for the Atlantic and possible No. 2 or 3 seed will come down to the Knicks and Philly. If the Knicks gel quickly and don’t struggle early like they did last year under Mike D’Antoni, there is no reason why they can’t finish 2nd or 3rd. I believe the Pacers will be up there as well in the top 3.

Last year’s No. 6 seed Orlando Magic will probably not make the playoffs so that is one spot open. The fifth seed Atlanta Hawks will take a step back and I wouldn’t be surprised if they missed the playoffs, or are an eighth seed at best.

My Top Seven teams in the East look like this: Miami Heat, Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, and Brooklyn Nets. Those 2-7 seeds can shape up anyway. I would love the see the Cleveland Cavaliers capture the No. 8 seed and have LeBron go back there to start the defense of his first title. Talk about Must-See TV. Kyrie Irving taking down big bad LeBron? We can only dream.

The Knicks have high expectations this year. They must try to finish in the top three to try to avoid Miami in the first and second round. I feel like they can beat anyone else in the first two rounds and I can’t put into words of what an Eastern Conference Finals against Miami would mean to basketball in New York. The games still have to be played and I am beyond excited for this upcoming season.

What we are going to do here at Buckets Over Broadway is hold a tournament to crown the best New York Knicks team of all-time.

The way it works is simple. Thirty-two different Knicks teams from 1950 until 2013 have made the field. To qualify, a team had to finish the season over .500.

Each day a matchup will be featured and the rules are easy- win and you advance.

This will be done just like the NCAA Tournament with four regions, concluding with the Final Four and eventually crowning a champion.

How does a team win and advance? That’s entirely up to you as we have left this open to our readers to decide who wins each matchup. All you have to do is vote on the daily poll on the front page or vote on our Facebook page. Whichever team has the most votes that day advances to the next round.

Here’s a look at how the brackets shape up:

East Region

(1) 1972-73 vs. (8) 1950-51

(2) 1994-95 vs. (7) 1977-78

(3) 1997-98 vs. (6) 1982-83

(4) 1983-84 vs. (5) 1970-71

Southeast Region

(1) 1992-93 vs. (8) 1951-52

(2) 1996-97 vs. (7) 1967-68

(3) 1971-72 vs. (6) 2010-11

(4) 1991-92 vs. (5) 1973-74

Midwest Region

(1) 1993-94 vs. (8) 1958-59

(2) 2012-13 vs. (7) 1953-54

(3) 1999-00 vs. (6) 1989-90

(4) 2011-12 vs. (5) 2000-01

West Region

(1) 1969-70 vs. (8) 1954-55

(2) 1998-99 vs. (7) 1949-50

(3) 1988-89 vs. (6) 1952-53

(4) 1995-96 vs. (5) 1968-69

So there it is, all 16 opening round matchups. Make sure you check back every day and submit your vote. The opening game in the East Region will be posted later this afternoon.

Follow Matt Shetler on Twitter for news, reaction and analysis from around the NBA.

Follow Buckets Over Broadway on Twitter and on Facebook

Apr 22, 2012; Atlanta, GA, USA; New York Knicks power forward Amare Stoudemire (1) lines up against the Atlanta Hawks during the second half at Philips Arena. The Knicks won 113-112. Mandatory Credit: Paul Abell-US PRESSWIRE

There’s a great chance the Knicks will make huge strides this year with the addition of many key players and coach Mike Woodson in the fold from the get-go, but what millions of people really want to know is… “How are these players going to do for my Fantasy Basketball team??”  This is the second part of a six part series looking at the outlook for Knicks players for the 2012-2013 season, from a fantasy perspective.

Today I feature Amar’e Stoudemire.

Last season was a huge disappointment for Amar’e.  His chronic injury issues that had seemed to be in the past came back with a vengeance in 2012, not to mention a stupid self-inflicted injury during the playoffs.  Stoudemire has vowed that he is now healthy, and while we can be skeptical, even at 90 percent health, Amar’e is still a pretty good fantasy option.

The key when drafting him will be whether you are willing to accept him possibly missing a chunk of games and whether he and Carmelo Anthony will be able to finally function on the court together.

One thing that the Knicks have been able to do in this offseason is add some depth, which should allow him to get ample rest during games when needed and keep him healthy for the stretch run.  Another noticeable change is the departure of Jeremy Lin, a shoot first point guard, and the addition of three traditional PGs to the roster.

Stoudemire really seemed to struggle with Lin at the helm.  The pick-and-roll offense that was utilized so well with Raymond Felton in the 2010-2011 season will be back and that should help to improve his numbers as well.   The almost two blocks per game he had in the 2010-2011 season may never be replicated, but his percentages and rebounding will be up from last year, notably FG% and FT%.

Season Predictions:  22.7 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 1.4 APG, 1.5 BPG, 51% FG, 79% FT

Expected Draft Position:  3^rd Round

Follow Seth on Twitter @SethDaSportsMan

Amar’e Stoudemire will be joining the likes of Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, and Dwight Howard as players who have trained with Hakeem Olajuwon in his summer camp. The camp has been known to have a dramatic effect on a players post play, which is something that STAT has lacked in his game.

Mike Woodson spoke after the season about a few ways he wanted his players to improve during the offseason. He thought that Carmelo Anthony could slim down, which resulted in Anthony heading into the olympics 12 pounds lighter than he ended the season at. Woodson’s other request was that he wanted to use Amar’e more in the post next season, and he subsequently set up a training camp with Olajuwon. 

Stoudemire had a far less productive season last year than in 2010. His scoring dropped form 25.3 ppg to 17.5 ppg, his field goal percentage dropped from 50% to 48%, and his rebounding decreased as well. STAT had a few excuses including the death of his brother and the bulging disk in his back, but critics accused him of losing athleticism and the season marking the beginning of his decline.

The hope is that by learning from one of the best post players ever to play the game Amar’e will be able to implicate his new skills into the Knicks’ offense. Besides ‘Melo, the Knicks have no powerful post threat on the team, and that makes the offense much easier to defend. With the addition of STAT in the post it will create a new look on the court, and allow him to pass out of the double team to the open perimeter players.

The Olajuwon Camp has created two of the best post games in the league: Kobe Bryant and Lebron James. Both players won championships after working with Olajuwon. Dwight Howard solidified his place as the most dominant big man in the league after his time at the camp.

Stoudemire is also working with Olajuwon in order to improve defensively, which is something that can help the already improved defensive Knicks. Defensive Player of The Year Tyson Chandler with a new and improved Amar’e Stoudemire would be hard to defend and score on, and if you include Marcus Camby on the bench then you are looking at a more than capable front line rotation.

The bottom line is that we can expect a much greater Amar’e next season, and a much greater Stoudemire is the key to a much greater Knicks team.

There’s a great chance the Knicks will make huge strides this year with the addition of many key players and coach Mike Woodson in the fold from the get-go, but what millions of people really want to know is… “How are these players going to do for my Fantasy Basketball team??”

This is a look at the outlook for Knicks players for the 2012-2013 season, from a fantasy perspective as Part One in a six part series takes a look at Carmelo Anthony.

Melo is returning from a sub-par year, albeit for his standards.  The 22.6 PPG represented his lowest total since his second year in the league and his 43 percent shooting was his lowest percentage since his rookie campaign.

Yes, he did have some nagging injuries that caused him to miss 11 games, but in all this was a dismal performance for a player the Knicks traded half their squad for two years ago.  If he and Amar’e Stoudemire can work on their on-court chemistry I expect him to turn around his game this year.

Under the leadership of the formerly “interim” coach Woodson, I think these two superstars can co-exist.  Don’t expect his gaudy three-point percentage during the London Olympics to carry over, but with more minutes being logged at power forward, he should see his rebounding numbers to return to a more respectable 7-8 RPG range.

The Knicks have brought in many new weapons so the burden he had to carry the offense last year will be gone and he should be more confident in his shot.

Season Predictions:  26.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 3.2 APG, 47% FG, 1.6 3PM/g

Expected Draft Position:  Early-Mid 2^nd Round

Follow Seth Klein on Twitter @SethDaSportsMan

It looks like this “Dwightmare” (corny I know, deal with it) seems to finally be over. Dwight Howard is about to join the list of Hall of Fame big men that have worn the Los Angeles Lakers uniform. He will join superstar Kobe Bryant, a dominant passer in Steve Nash, champion big man Pau Gasol and mental case but a top defender in Ron Artest.

The four-team trade looks to be this:

Lakers receive: Dwight Howard who won’t sign an extension

76ers receive: Andrew Bynum and Jason Richardson

Nuggets receive: Andre Iguodala

Magic receive: Arron Affalo, Al Harrington, Nikola Vucevic, a first-round pick from all three teams, and 76ers first round pick Moe Harkless out of St. John’s.

I really think this is a fair trade for all four teams. The Lakers get the best big man in the game. He is a monster on the defensive side of the ball and with Steve Nash; his potential on offense can be even more dominant. The 76ers give up their All-Star and current first round pick, but get arguably the 2^nd best big man in the game and a consistent scorer and rebounder, something they desperately needed. The Nuggets finally get a big name and with Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, JaVale McGee, and Ty Lawson, the Nuggets have improved their team. The Magic lost their headache and gain a scorer in Affalo and youth and upside with Vuecvic and Harkless.

This was an obvious win right now move for the Lakers who look to get Kobe his sixth ring and more. You really can’t ask for a better offseason if you are a Laker fan in adding Steve Nash and Dwight Howard. A Lakers-Oklahoma City Thunder Western Conference finals would be must watch TV. A Lakers-Heat and Kobe vs. LeBron NBA Finals would be historic.

Let’s just pray Dwight likes LA and doesn’t do this all over again next year. Hollywood, championship rings, life on the beach, and the world’s most beautiful woman. Dwight if you don’t like that we can easily switch lives if you want.

PS:  I call dibs on the Lakers in 2K13.