Sports Blog Movement NBA Preview: Pacific Division

With the NBA season right around the corner, we here at Sports Blog Movement are doing exactly what you would expect a bunch of sports bloggers to do; pretend like we know what the fuck we are talking about when it comes to what this campaign may bring us.  With that, here’s my rundown on the Pacific Division, complete with five good questions that may make or break each team’s year.

1) Golden State Warriors

I know that with the impending demise of the Lakers, the Clippers have become the sexy pick to reign over this division. I just don’t buy it. There’s a host of reasons why, but I will get into those when I get to the section on the Clippers. Right now, I’d rather point out the five questions that with the right answers point to the Warriors winning the Pacific.

SBM Exclusive Feature: Sports Doppelgangers, Volume 1

Welcome to a new exclusive feature available on on Sports Blog Movement. Today marks the first episode of what we like to call Sports Doppelgangers. This is an exercise in pointing out look-alike relationships in the sports world you may not have thought about before.  We would call it a public service if it weren’t a bit too pointless to be of any civic value.  But what the hell, this is a blog, not the Nobel Prize committee.

For our inaugural episode, we offer the following Sports Doppelgangers: Los Angeles Lakers head coach Mike D’Antoni and the Monopoly Guy.

TALES OF DEPRESSION AND SORROW: THE 2012-2013 LOS ANGELES LAKERS‏

The Lakers’ credit score is not very high right now

by Ryan Meehan

By now, all of us have developed our own little theories as to why the Lakers are not living up to expectations this season.  People blame the decision to have Mike D’Antoni.  They blame Dwight Howard for being overrated and not playing up to his potential.  There are so many things wrong with the Lakers with the current roster they have that it’s hard to blame just one.  It’s also inaccurate to do, as each of those compontents have given us the sub-average level of basketball we’re seeing from a team that was assembled by someone whom we can almost clearly assume knows better. 

The Dubsism NBA Post-Mortem: The Indiana Pacers and the Los Angeles Lakers

The NBA tends to fall off off my radar sometime after the two teams I watch have their seasons end.  The Lakers are the team I grew up watching and the Pacers are the team I now see every day since I now live amongst the Hoosiers.

Indianapolis and Los Angeles in many ways are worlds apart.  Indiana’s capital is a small city with a distinctly midwestern flavor not far removed from its bucolic roots, whereas Los Angeles is a cosmopolitan megalopolis whose roots as remote outpost of orange groves and date farms seems as distant from the present as the surface of Mars.  Indiana has the blessings of the four traditional seasons, whereas In Los Angeles the four seasons are sunshine, wildfire, monsoon, and earthquake.  Indiana is the kind of place where it is perfectly normal for a complete stranger to walk up to you in the supermarkert and strike up a conversation, in Los Angeles, such an act could get you maced.

Despite the differences in their home cities, the Pacers and the Lakers are opposite sides of the same “enigma” coin.  As for being on the same coin, I really can’t figure out what these two teams really are, except for the fact which makes them heads and tails.  One one side, the Pacers are a team with depth that lacks a star; on the other, the Lakers have a star and lack depth. Both teams are an easy bet for the second round of the playoffs just as they were this year, but the Pacers are young with a future; the Lakers can see their window closing.

Can’t Build Around Bynum

Andrew Bynum isn’t even 25 years old yet.

The Los Angeles Lakers have been waiting for Andrew Bynum to mature for the past 5 seasons. He finally broke out this year as the 2nd best center in the NBA, putting up 18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds per game during the regular season. Dominating numbers from a dominating physical presence. But don’t let his physical stature and the numbers fool you, Bynum still possesses the mind of a child.

That mind is not going to change.

Andrew Bynum has been somewhat of an enigma all season for the Lakers. The infamous 3-point shot that sent him straight to the pine encapsulates most everything that Bynum is and has been for Los Angeles. After the benching, Bynum sulked for much of the game, refusing to join the huddle in team timeouts and subsequently played some uninspired 4th quarter basketball. He reacted to the situation like a petulant child.

Immaturity is a good excuse for only so long.

Are New Look Lakers Now Contenders?

After a long trade deadline process, the Los Angeles Lakers made the decision to keep starting power forward  Pau Gasol. With his name being mentioned throughout this whole process,  Gasol has delivered despite the trade rumors. At the end of the day on Wednesday March 15th, point guard Ramon Sessions was a Laker along with Center Jordan Hill. Sadly the Lakers parted ways with veteran guard Derek Fisher, but that also saved them oodles of money. Luke Walton and Jason Kapono were also dealt to Cleveland along with a 2012-13 draft pick they also DON’T have to pay. In acquiring Ramon Sessions the Lakers definitely improved at that point guard position that deeply needed maintenance. Personally, I’m ecstatic that Gasol remained a Laker, and now Pau along with Kobe Bryant are the captains of the team. Its been thrown around on ESPN and at any local barbershop, that the Lakers have moved into contention for an NBA title. With that being said I too believe that L.A. will be playing in June, that was a totally UNBIASED (those of you that know me know I’m a Laker Fan) answer. Futhermore, I’m going to reveal the reasons why I believe the parade may be in Los Angeles this year.

The first, and most important reason is the fact that Kobe Bryant is still in a Laker uniform. To add, the Lakers also obtain the largest frontcourt in all of basketball, (which is why I’m happy Gasol was not dealt) by keeping Pau Gasol the Lakers obviously want to play to their strength which is their SIZE. Andrew Bynum has been impressive a bulk of the year, and was named Western Conference Player of the Week 3/13/2012 thru 3/18/2012. During that span Bynum went bonkers averaging 27.5 ppg, 14.8 rpg, also”Drew” shot a notable 66.5% from the field, while corralling 1.6 bpg. Quite deserving of the honor needless to say.

People speak about the Lakers offense mostly, but we do need to recognize their swarming defense as well. Los Angeles ranks seventh in the NBA in points allowed at 92.6 ppg, and that’s good enough for second in the Western Conference. Again, their size allows them to alter a galaxy of shots and their quick enough to get in passing lanes for steals. One thing Mike Brown does preach is defense, even dating back to his days in Cleveland he was recognized as defensive orientated. But…that’s another topic.

With the Big Three in tact, and adding that key ingredient in Ramon Sessions the Lakers are aiming to cause turbulence out West. Trailing only the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs, the new look Lakers are third in the West standing at (28-17), Home (19-3), Away (9-14). If the Lakers get solid production out of Metta World Peace, and the bench plays kosher, title #6 for Kobe is within arms reach.

*Since acquiring Guard Ramon Sessions the Los Angeles Lakers are 1-1

Razor Ramon played his first game as a Laker March 16, 2012, that night he posted seven  points to go along with five assist, and scrapped up four rebounds. Lakers beat the Timberwolves 97-92,  Sessions didn’t look so hot in the 103-99 deficiency against the Utah Jazz, he tallied 10 points, but shot a nefarious 1-7 from the field. Sessions did manage to distribute 6 assist and took first-class care of the ball with 0 turnovers. The Lakers travel Tuesday night to Houston taking on the Derek Fisher-less Rockets.

Why the Lakers are now Contenders:

No team in the league can match their size down low, the Lakers were a defensive liability at the point guard position nightly. With the addition of Sessions that is no longer a debate, now the Lakers are able to match Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook and San Antonio’s Tony Parker. Oh and not to leave out Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers (step-brother). Am I saying Sessions will hold these guards score-less NO, but he is quick enough and strong enough to be quite disruptive on defense.

*Ramon Sessions is  6 foot 3 inches tall and weighs 195 lbs.

Offensively, Sessions can give you anywhere from 10-13 points a game and makes commendable decisions with the basketball. Also, Ramon is bona fide athlete who is quick off the dribble and can finish at the rim with either hand. Not mentioned in a  defensive light very often, but Sessions can stay in front of the quicker guards Lakers have struggled with containing in the past.

The last Laker point guard who could generate his own shot was retired guard Nick Van Exel. Kobe has never had a backcourt counter-part that was athletic and could handle the ball quite like Sessions. The Lakers have compiled all the necessary components needed to make a legit dash for a championship this season. More importantly the team is buying into Mike Brown’s system, and players are adapting to their new roles, it won’t take much time for the Lakers to gell in my opinion.

Another advantage the Lakers have along with the rest of the 28 teams, is this breve stagione. This has given the older teams time to rest those ancient bones, franchises such as the Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs and the Los Angeles Lakers. Extra rest means a lot come playoff time, that’s when the game becomes more slothful, and teams need to  execute in half court sets. Again that will play to the Lakers advantage, because they are a half court team.

The achilles heel for the Lakers has been the production from the bench. Without Lamar Odom, or Shannon Brown coming off the bench Lakers personnel has been looking for answers. Producing one of, if not the lowest total of bench points in the league is this Lakers gang. Steve Blake, and Matt Barnes, make up 66% of the Killer Bee’s now that Shannon Brown has been emancipated. Strange enough the bench blossoms in front off the home crowd at the Staples Center, its away from home that causes the headaches. If the Laker bench can put up standard numbers life would be a lot easier

Point blank period the Lakers are contenders in the Western Conference no matter how much you try to down play it. When playoff time rolls around this new look Lakers team will be put to the test. Most people want to throw Oklahoma City in the Finals, but believe it or not folks Los Angeles is equipped to make some serious commotion come playoff time.

*Follow me on Twitter @JdotBras also be sure to check out my additional sports blog at thesportsoutlaw.com please stop by sportsblogmovement.worpress.com and see bio and get a good read  a host of different writers including myself.

Consumed By Linsanity

The Knicks are a car accident to watch. It’s such a frightening mess and I know it’s bad to look at yet I still drag myself to a television set to watch this pathetic mess almost every night.

Last year they couldn’t play defense, this year they forgot how to score.
Bill Walker is a lackadaisical mess. Toney Douglas gets too trigger happy. Amare Stoudamire is the black David Lee (I told everyone this when he was signed but no one listened to me). Carmelo Anthony has no scoring help and all Mike D’Antoni could do was sit around and watch.

I wanted D’Antoni fired last year for his constant lack of detail, I wanted him fired this offseason for a defensive coach like Mike Brown, I want him fired this year because I’m sick of seeing him and his mustache.

Yet none of this matters right now in New York because Knick fans are on cloud nine thanks to a 6-3, 200 pound, undrafted point guard from Harvard that has become an overnight sensation.

His name is Jeremy Lin, and he is a gift from the heavens above.

Ok maybe I’m exaggerating a little, but jeez not even last year’s acquisition of Melo brought this much buzz an joy to the basketball Mecca that is the NYC.

Lin’s emergence came at a time when the Knicks desperately needed some good news. At 8-15 and flirting with a disastrous season that would’ve surely ended the D’Antoni era for the Knicks, Lin has caught fire and has led the Knicks through their best stretch of the season.

He’s been the missing piece that the fast pace D’Antoni offense has needed to get going. A pick and roll point guard with excellent vision and passing skills that is able to create shots for his teammates as well as fend for himself offensively.

Funny thing was that he was almost released to make room for the return of Baron Davis, I guess that won’t be happening now.

Ever since he stepped onto the court against the New Jersey Nets Lin has created a buzz across the league and has turned skeptics into believers.

He schooled Deron Williams and ran circles around him two Saturdays ago, he treated Devin Harris like a rag doll, he embarrassed John Wall with a sick crossover and dunk that was replayed over and over on Sportscenter, his performance against the Lakers last Friday will be talked about for years, and he showed toughness and moxie in gutting out a win in Minnesota.

He’s done it all from knocking down clutch free throws, reigniting Tyson Chandler’s game and leaving Derek Fisher flat-footed as he spun by for a highlight worthy lay in.

Yeah, I’m in love with this guy. But it took me a while to get into him.

Like most people I had to actually see him to believe him. Watching highlights of Lin didn’t tell the whole story. Yeah it was nice to see him drive at will against Utah and destroy the Nets already grim confidence but I wanted more.

I wanted to know three things about Lin while everyone was already crowning him the next big thing:

1. Can he handle the mounting pressure that comes with being an athlete in New York?
2. How does he deal with failure in a game and can he still stay on point when he’s not on his A game?
3. How will he play with the return of Stat and Melo (yeah, forgot about then right?)

My first question got answered on Friday against the Los Angeles Lakers.

The last few times the Lakers have hit The Big Apple it’s been Kobe Bryant’s town without question. He has carved his own name into Madison Square Garden lore with huge performances like scoring 61 points in a game there just years ago.

It was the perfect test for my Lin theory, play arguably the best player in the game and keep the Knicks on pace with the Lakers.

That was the first full time that I actually got to watch Lin, safe to say I was shocked by what I saw.

He didn’t just keep the Knicks in the game, he controlled it. He dominated the pace and flow of the game by continuously attacking the rim, floating lobs to Chandler, coming up steals on the defensive end and destroying Fisher and Steve Blake when the ball was in his hands.

He looked like a younger Steve Nash, honest to god. Just his style of play and the way he maneuvered around the Lakers reminded me of the two-time NBA MVP.

Every time the Knicks needed a big play or a big shot the ball found its way to Lin. He never backed down and always came through. 38 points & 7 assists later I was starting to get sold on the NBA’s Tim Tebow.

(yep I made a Tebow reference but all of the similarities and hype and mass coverage are there. The big difference? Lin can ball out, Tebow’s a bum… Just saying.)

The next test came the next night against the Timberwolves in a hyped up battle versus Ricky Rubio.

The main reason I wanted to see him fail is because I wanted to see if he was more like Eli Manning or Tony Romo.

When things don’t go Manning’s way his demeanor doesn’t change and he pressed on. For Romo he panics and loses his cool. I wanted to see if when things get too tight of Lin folds or rises to the occasion.

(yeah I fit an Eli reference in there, so what? By the way did you know that the New York Giants are Super Bowl Champions? God that makes me happy)

The T-Wolves game was a game of two halves. Lin was his usual self in the first half 7-12, 4 dimes and running the offense efficiently. In the second half Lin was totally taken out of rhythm. He only hit 1-12 shots and the Wolves forced him into bad shots and 4 turnovers.

However, I got the impression from Lin that even in tough stretches he still doesn’t get rattled.

Even with all of the turnovers and with his shots not finding the net he still continued to set up his other teammates including Steve Novak’s game tying three with less than a minute left. He also scored the winning point from the free throw line after being fouled getting to the basket.

Even without a dominant performance Lin still found a way to pull out a win for the Knicks. That was enough to make me even more of a believer.

Now the third and most interesting task is at hand… Can Lin, Melo and Stat all work together to be effective?

Carmelo Anthony has received a lot of bad press in the last week with all of the Linsanity spreading through NY.

It’s as if we forget that we wanted Melo here in the first place, it’s not his fault that the Knicks traded the farm to get him (thanks James Dolan). Melo has always needed a point guard to stabilize this offense to make more effective. Sorry Toney Douglas wasnt the answer.

With Lin’s emergence Melo and Amar’e for that matter now have a lot less pressure on their shoulders to score.

The main question is can Melo let Lin run the offense without asking for the ball too much?

As dynamic of a scorer as he is, Melo holds onto the ball for too long in too many stretches of the game. With Lin at the point now Melo will have to find his rhythm in the game and let it come to him.

Besides elevating Chandler, Landry Fields has found his game and confidence and Novak has become a reliable shooter off of the bench. The Knicks have gone from a two horse team to an actual team with a good rotation.

If Melo can stay dominant while letting this mix still cook then the Knicks will be making noise come playoff time.

If not then he’ll be the one taking most of the criticism if the Knicks go back to struggling.

The next stage of Linsanity is upon us. He won’t be throwing up 25 shots a game any more or dropping 38 on defenses, but I believe that after watching Jeremy Lin he is the answer to a lot of the Knicks woes.

Lin has dazzled America, balled out on every opponent that he’s faced and is getting better by the day.

In a city consumed by sports with the Giants winning Super Bowls, the Rangers leading the NHL and the Yankees always on the back pages, the Knicks have wiggled their way back into the minds of New Yorkers.

Linsanity is here and hopefully it’s not a flash in the pan.

Kevin Howard is The Brooklyn Buckeye because he is from Brooklyn, NY and is a graduate of The Ohio State University. Follow him on twitter @brooklyngohard and on his blog site at brooklynbuckeye.wordpress.com

KOBE BRYANT IS UNDERRATED – IT’S NOT AS ABSURD AS IT SOUNDS

By Sam Brief (Sam’s Sports Brief)

A bona-fide superstar, Kobe Bryant has become a household name--and then some.

Since his inception into the league in 1996, Kobe Bryant has been worldwide known and revered. He has won five NBA Championships, two NBA Finals MVPs and a regular season MVP Award. He is a nine-time all-defensive team selection. He is a 14-time NBA All-Star and a four-time NBA All-Star Game MVP. He has an approximate net worth of $200 million and that’s not all from his nearly $30 million per-year contract with the Lakers. In fact, a large majority of it is from the endless endorsement deals he’s signed and the worldwide tours that he has embarked on. His jersey is the second best-selling in the NBA, and he is a worldwide phenomenon. How can someone this popular be underrated? As absurd as that does sound, Kobe Bryant is an underrated player.

When someone says, “Best player in the NBA,” many players might come to mind: LeBron James, Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant, Dwyane Wade and Dwight Howard, to name a few. According to TrueHoop on ESPN, Kobe Bryant is the seventh best player in the NBA with a score of 9.40 (don’t ask me what that means). He simply is not in his prime anymore, and, therefore is not viewed with the same sense of amazement as he was five years ago. Consider, though, that he is playing with a lackluster supporting cast. His backcourt mates are Derrick Fisher, Steve Blake, Jason Kapono and Andrew Goudelock, none of whom inspires greatness. Pau Gasol’s skill is declining, and Josh McRoberts and Troy Murphy aren’t necessarily Messiahs. He does have Andrew Bynum, but he has been injured every season in his career so far, and Kobe has led the Lakers to plenty of titles without that cornerstone. The fact that the Lakers are 14-11 and in position to make the playoffs is a miracle on it’s own. Kobe Bryant is the Peyton Manning the NBA, as he means more to his team than any other player in the league.

“Kobe Bryant is the Peyton Manning of the NBA, as he means more to his team than any other player in the league.”

His supporting cast may be disappointing at times, but the resilience of Kobe Bryant has propelled the Lakers to a 14-11 record.

During the NBA preseason, Kobe tore a ligament in his wrist. The team’s doctors said that it was an injury that could take up to three weeks to heal and that he “won’t be ready to play for two weeks.” Three days later, Kobe put up 28 points on opening day against the Bulls, one of the stingiest defenses in the NBA. He went on a stretch of four straight games with more than 40 points. He’s averaging 29.3 points per game, not to mention the almost 40 minutes per game for which he’s on the floor. In a new era of the NBA where each star has a high-profile partner in crime, Kobe is simply left out in the cold, without a healthy, established star to share the load.

“LeBron has Wade. Wade has LeBron. Rose has Deng and Noah. Durant has Westbrook. Paul has Griffin. Anthony has Stoudamire. With Bynum often-injured, Kobe has Josh McRoberts, Andrew Goudelock, Troy Murphy and Jason Kapono.”

(GRAPHIC MADE BY SAM BRIEF)

Everyone else. (MADE BY SAM BRIEF)” src=”http://sambrief.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/screen-shot-2012-02-08-at-7-03-44-pm.png” alt=”” width=”416″ height=”402″ />

Even on the All-time list, Kobe had better be near the top. If championships count for anything, his five should be a difference maker. Add in his incredible career statistics, and you have the perfect combination of wins and individual performance. He makes the difference for his team like Peyton Manning does, yet he has four more rings than him…

I know it does sound pretty absurd, but in a world of the LeBrons, Roses, Howards and Durants, Kobe is the lone soldier out West, leading a team with talent ranking the among NBA’s worst into the playoffs (for now).

“Kobe is the lone soldier out West, leading a team with the talent to be among the NBA’s worst “

In October, ESPN’s Ric Bucher ranked Kobe Bryant as the #1 player in the NBA. This came with an unprecedented amount of backlash. He was right though, because if LeBron, Rose or Durant were put into the same situation that Kobe is in, they would be as perplexed as any.

As most fail to see, Kobe is still #1.

You just heard the cold-hard truth: Kobe Bryant is as underrated as any – except when you start talking about Paul Milsap, but that’s an entirely different story…

By Sam Brief

Agree? Disagree? Leave a comment, I would love to know what you think!

Follow me on Twitter (@SamsSportsBrief)

The Sports Blog Movement

Spicing Up This NBA Season

Do u realize that in the span of five plus weeks that there have been 20 or more NBA games played by every team in the league? That’s one almost every other day. What is David Stern trying to do, kill everyone?

Play has been sloppy, shooting percentages are down, refereeing has been atrocious (oh wait that’s normal), and some teams look tremendously out of sync (hi lakers).

Some nights you can see players at their best, then the next they look like they went to a Waka Flocka show the night before and stayed for the Diddy and Rick Ross after party.

The stuffing of games into a tight schedules has made for some hilarious parody (the 76ers and nuggets are divisional leaders), and some pathetic results (I’m talking to you New York Knicks). Are we all happy to have basketball back? Absolutely, but how much longer can this brand of basketball be acceptable for the human eye?

The funny thing about it is all some teams need is a jolt of energy to get their mojo going. For the teams that are out of sync and looking for a way to revive themselves the best way to get that jolt is by acquiring some fresh blood.

There are seven deals that I would make right now if I were an NBA GM that could put my team into title contention, make them a legitimate playoff threat, or just make their team better for the present and future. Call me crazy or reckless but the deals make sense to me:

Orlando Magic trade Dwight Howard and Ryan Anderson to the New York Knicks for Tyson Chandler and Amare Stoudemire

WHY IT WORKS: the Magic desperately need to get rid of Dwight Howard before he eats that team alive with his need to skip town.

Howard has said hat he has wanted to play for New Jersey, Chicago, Dallas and the Clippers (yeah, that line was right) and has two feet out of the door with his coat on and a carry-on bag.

The Dwight Howard saga has gotten to the nauseating level where I’m ready for it to be over and done with.

Trading to the Knicks works for both teams because he fits in with Carmelo Anthony much better than Amare Stoudamire does.

The Stat and Melo project had been a complete disaster as they can’t seem to find a decent flow at all. They are two players that do the exact same thing at two different positions.

Bringing in Howard would give Melo his freedom on the outside while Dwight controls the inside. Plus Ryan Anderson is the perfect forward for D’antoni’s offensive system and is a better rebounder than Amare.

The Magic get a better offensive upgrade from Dwight in Amare and Chandler still gives them a great defensive presence. Plus the Magic could still be looking at a 4 or 5 seed without Dwight in the middle.

The Boston Celtics trade Ray Allen to the Chicago Bulls for Taj Gibson, Kyle Korver and a draft pick.

WHY IT WORKS: the Bulls need scoring, the Celtics need youth.

Allen would give the Bulls a consistent third scoring threat behind Derrick Rose and Carlos Boozer. Plus his leadership could help push the Bulls into the NBA Finals.

The Celtics would get a starter for the departing Kevin Garnett in Gibson who is a good rebounder and defender and could bring constant energy. Korver could replace Allen on the offensive end and has a friendly contract. With the acquisition of a second pick in one of the deepest drafts in years the Celtics could address multiple needs in this draft and begin their rebuilding process.

The New Jersey Nets trade Deron Williams and Kris Humphries to the Los Angeles Lakers for Pau Gasol, Devin Ebanks, Derek Fisher and two picks

WHY IT WORKS: The Nets ain’t keeping Deron Williams… At all. Their fire sale to the Utah Jazz a few years ago failed and failed miserably and now they need to recoup at least a minimal amount of the damage.

This works for the Nets simply because the get two picks for the future in the next two drafts, a veteran in Gasol who when teamed with a healthy Brook Lopez gives them a formidable front line and a multi-dimensional and underused swingman in Ebanks. I know it’s not a lot but hey at least the fans in Brooklyn get a chance to see a former champion on there team

(jay-z probably regrets that line “the Nets could go 0-82 and I’ll look at you like this ***** gravy!”)

It works for the Lakers because the Lakers DESPERATELY NEED A POINT GUARD!!! And why not acquire one of the top five in the league.

With Williams there, there can finally be a balance between Andrew Bynum and Kobe Bryant that the Lakers need to be successful. Bryant can shoot the ball only so many times before someone gets annoyed.

(plus there would be that awkward moment when Humphries steps into the game and cameras cut right to the Kardashian family… Pure comedy.)

The Cleveland Cavaliers trade Ramon Seessions to anyone for a pick

WHY IT WORKS: so every other day me and my buddy Will’s conversation won’t be interrupted by this line…

Me: the lakers need help.
Will: they should trade for Ramon sessions and give us a pick.
Me: the Mavs could use a pure point guard with this Kidd injury.
Will: the Cavs could give em Sessions for a pick.
Me: this republican nominee race is foolish.
Will: it is. I wouldn’t vote for any of them… Unless they took Ramon Sessions for a pick.

The Washington Wizards trade everyone except Jordan Crawford, John Wall and Jan Vesely…

WHY IT WORKS:… I don’t care where they trade them or how they trade them they all have to go. SELL SELL SELL!!!

The Wizards are a dysfunctional mess and the only to clean up this glorified AAU team is to get rid of everyone except your two best pieces an your last draft pick.

This team is a bunch of knuckleheads who shouldn’t be major contributors unless there is a savvy veteran there to smack fire out of them everyday. Their lack of maturity cost Flip Saunders his job and is making Wall wish he stayed in Lexington for another year.

Teams could use these guys as serviceable parts. Trade Nick Young to the Clippers for Eric Bledsoe, they need more points off the bench. Trade Aundray Blatche to the Thunder do they can have another big body. Trade Jervale McGee to Minnesota for a true Center… JUST GET THEM AWAY FROM EACH OTHER AND DO IT NOW!!!

The Boston Celtics trade Paul Pierce to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Derrick Williams, Wayne Ellington and a pick

WHY IT WORKS: see the Ray Allen trade earlier.

(side note: let’s say that trade does happen, would the Timberwolves be a contender?

Since the arrival of Rubio and Rick Adelman the Wolves look like a different and more confident team. Then you add a veteran like Pierce who comes through in the clutch like clockwork and you would be hard pressed to find a team that could put together a better five than Rubio, Pierce, Wesley Johnson, Love and Darko. Doesn’t that get you at least a four seed in a weak Western Conference? )

The Los Angeles Lakers trade Kobe Bryant to the Philadelphia 76ers for Lou Williams, Andre Iguodala, Evan Turner and two picks…

WHY IT WORKS: listen, the Lakers ain’t doing nothing this year or next, they are looking rebuilding dead in the face and they have no way of avoiding it. So why not dump your most valuable piece for a ton of young talent and start rebuilding right now.

When you look around the western conference the old guard is dying. The Spurs are old, Steve Nash is dwindling away in Phoenix, the Mavs won right before Dirk’s window closed and the Lakers time has past.

In order to compete with the Clippers, Thunder and Blazers you gotta get younger and to do that you gotta part with your number one asset.

Kobe Bryant is playing at an extremely high level and he won’t play like this for much longer. Why not use him to your advantage and get all you can for him.

What have you got to lose? You’re not a contender.

For the 76ers… Why not? Go for it while you can. You lead the eastern conference, take a shot.

Sounds crazy but hey, this has been a crazy season so far. Why not add to the insanity?

Kevin is the brooklynbuckeye, why? Because he’s from Brooklyn,ny and is a graduate of the Ohio State university. Follow him on Twitter @brooklyngohard

The Battle Of Los Angeles

Back in 1999, one of my favourite bands, Rage Against The Machine release an album entitled “The Battle Of Los Angeles.” The album, which debuted at No. 1 on the billboard charts that summer, was a statement on how different the City Of Angels was perceived by outsiders compared to the citizens living in Los Angeles. As guitarist Tom Morello noted.

“Most people see Los Angeles as Hollywood or Oscar night. They see the glitz and glamour of the city. Meanwhile there is a different story going on in Los Angeles. If you look deeper there are stories of despair, heartbreak and shattered dreams. But also stories of hope. That’s the Los Angeles we want people to see.”

To most NBA fans, the two Los Angeles teams represent both parts of the city very well. The Lakers are the glitz and glamour of LA. Back in the 1980s it was Showtime, led by Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul Jabbar and James Worthy. In the 2000s, it was the Lake Show led by Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. The Lakers were incredibly successful winning 17 NBA titles, the most recent in 2010.

On the other side there is the Clippers. While sharing the same home arena, (The Staples Centre) with the Lakers since 1999, (ironic isn’t it) the Clippers have been for the most part the laughingstock of the NBA. With the exception of 2006, in which the Clippers made it to the second round of the playoffs, the Clippers have always been the poorer cousin to the Lakers. The Clippers represented despair, heartbreak and shattered dreams. The franchise has been noted more for first round flops than superstars. “Luminaries” such as Danny Ferry, Bo Kimble, Terry Dehere, Michael Olowokandi, and Darius Miles dotted the Clippers history. To top it off owner Donald Sterling was named the worst owner in professional sports in Sports Illustrated a few years back.

However, there is now hope for Clipper fans. Young talent has started to emerge. Power forward Blake Griffin is one of the brightest stars in the NBA. Point guard Chris Paul is considered in the top 3 at his position. Paul and Griffin have formed a dynamic one-two punch which is akin to John Stockton and Karl Malone in Utah back in the 1990s. Coach Vinny Del Negro is a young but very bright coach who will work his players hard, but is also a good teacher.

Meanwhile the Lakers are slipping. Yes they still have Kobe but the supporting cast is either aging or lacking. Pau Gasol has looked like he’s lost a step, Derek Fisher can’t play forever, and the artist formerly known as Ron Artest (now known as Metta World Peace) is a loose cannon who could spontaneously  combust at any moment.

These two teams have met twice the season with each team winning once. After the second meeting in which the Lakers won, Bryant told Yahoo Sports:

“We’ve got five championships… Rivals come from the playoffs.”

While Kobe may be right, there is a distinct possibility that these two LA teams could very well meet in the playoffs this year. And if they did meet, it could very well be the start of the next great rivalry. And the NBA would be overjoyed with that!

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