Chris’s Eastern Conference NBA All-Stars

By Chris Le

Compared to my Western Conference ballot, which seemed as wide open as the Democratic and Republican primaries, my picks for the East’s starting five were walks in the park. The ease with which I selected my All-Stars probably attests to the Eastern Conference’s relatively weaker pool of talent. And that’s why the East will continue to be inferior to the West. It’s still a talent-based league.

Interestingly though, if I looked at each starting five, I’d probably have to say that the East’s is stronger. It’s in the reserves where the quality of the two teams is separated. The Western bench wouldn’t look like a bad starting All-Star squad. I mean, Steve Nash, Brandon Roy and Chris Paul didn’t even make the fans’ starting lineup, and one of them will make the First Team All-NBA. This fact speaks to the fans’ insanity of choosing Allen Iverson over the aforementioned three, but it also highlights the level of competition in the West. Geez, even in an article about the East, I can’t help but bring up the West.

Eastern Conference Squad

Guards

Chauncey Billups, Detroit – Admittedly, I kinda left Chauncey out to dry at the beginning of the season. I thought he was slipping and in position to be passed by maybe five or six established and rising point guards. As things turned out, though, Billups has been the most consistent floor general behind perhaps only Steve Nash and Chris Paul. Strong as an ox, as clutch as they come, Billups does everything you expect of a point and does them well.

Jason Kidd, New Jersey – The Nets are pretty awful but without Kidd, they’re on the level of the New York Knicks. He remains a nightly triple-double threat on a team that barely knows what to do with his passes. A player as gifted as Kidd deserves better teammates than Vince Carter, the poster boy for underachievers. Too bad All-Star and Team USA games are so far and few between because those are the only times Kidd is surrounded by decent players.

Forwards

LeBron James, Cleveland – Watching him every year, we acknowledge the frightening fact that he has room to grow. But when he actually does improve, like he has this year, it never ceases to amaze. Once again his numbers are ridiculous, and he continues to carry a weak team in a strengthened Eastern Conference. Definitely a top-three MVP candidate. A no-brainer top choice whether your criteria include excellence or excitement.

Kevin Garnett, Boston – Finally with teammates that deserve him, KG has taken the Celtics to levels beyond expectations. His intensity, unselfishness and commitment to defense have been contagious. He is the heart of the team with the best record in the NBA and as a result, he leads the MVP race – not to mention the Defensive Player of the Year Award (well, him and Marcus Camby).

Center

Dwight Howard, Orlando – Who would’ve thought Howard would be this good – putting up 25 and pulling down 20 with regularity, Moses Malone good – this fast? Even with an expanded but still limited offensive arsenal, Howard has evolved into the scariest center in the league. With the dearth of quality big men in the East, this was the easiest choice on my ballot.

Eastern Conference Reserves

Richard Hamilton, Detroit
Paul Pierce, Boston
Caron Butler, Washington
Antawn Jamison, Washington
Chris Bosh, Toronto

East Beats West In NHL All-Star Game

By Bryan Jeon

In the 56th NHL All-Star Game on Sunday, the East beat the West, 8-7, to take an 8-5 series lead between the two conferences. 15 of the 42 players made their All-Star debut, which was without Sidney Crosby, the defending NHL MVP and scoring champion who pulled out due to a sprained ankle, and starting goalies Martin Brodeur and Roberto Luongo, who both withdrew for personal reasons. Still, it was an exciting game that saw the Eastern Conference blow a four-goal lead but score the game winner with 20 seconds left, Rick Nash score the quickest goal to open the game and get the 15th All-Star Game hat trick in the defeat and Evgeni Nabokov record the first shutout of one period since Nikolai Khabibulin did it in 2002.

The NBA’s Best Power Forwards

By Chris Le

(original post on 11/20/07)

Power Forward, unquestionably, the marquee position of the last decade. And there’s a nice crop of young, budding superstars waiting in the wings for their turn in the spotlight. As of right now, however, the old school veterans dominate this position, and I don’t expect them to relinquish their stronghold any time soon.

My top three selections have won four the last six MVP trophies, and, most importantly, four of the last ten championships. Though, credit the latter accolade to one man…

1. Tim Duncan – There really isn’t anyone else that could rationally hold this spot. His numbers may be modest compared to those directly proceeding him on this list and his game considered boring by some, but all TD has done since entering the league in 1998 is win—and that’s all that really matters. Not to mention he’s made the All-NBA and All-Defense Team every year he’s been in the game. It’s hard to imagine anyone doing it quietly, but Timmy has inconspicuously built a strong argument as the best player in the post-Jordan era.

2. Kevin Garnett – If anyone in the NBA deserves an NBA championship, it’s KG. Nobody plays as fervently, works with his soldier-like mentality, or wears more of his emotions on his sleeve. That’s been the case for many years now. This season, however, it appears that his team, at least on paper, might be good enough to win one. Either way, he’s still going to post 20-12-4.
3. Dirk Nowitzki – How can the reigning MVP merely be the third best player at his own position? Answer: when the reigning MVP was barely the second best player on his own team (Josh Howard), when the Dallas Mavericks were upset by the 8-seed Golden State Warriors. In the postseason, Nowitzki saw his regular season numbers drop in points (24.6 to 19.7), field goal percentage (.502 to .383), three-point percentage (.416 to .211), and increase in turnovers (2.14 to 2.33). Still, I’m being supercritical (though we should be when analyzing supposed superstars and MVPs). Dirk remains a matchup nightmare for any coach, and you won’t find a better 7-foot shooter…ever.
4. Chris Bosh – Give Bosh credit for making the LeBron-Wade-‘Melo 2003 draft class discussion into the LeBron-Wade-‘Melo-Bosh debate. Give him even more credit for taking a Toronto Raptors team that was 27-55 in 2006 (12^th in the East) to 47-35 last year (4^th in the East). If Bosh recovers well from his recent foot injury (which he should), I wouldn’t automatically give the Atlantic Division to KG and his Boston Celtics just yet.
5. Carlos Boozer – Booz was a stud a year ago (20.9 ppg, 11.7 rpg, 3.0 apg), and even more of a monster in the playoffs, posting 23.5 ppg, 12.2 rpg, 2.9 apg. He also served the man who occupies the number one ranking on this list one of the sickest rejections I’ve seen in a while. The upcoming years in Utah are looking pretty good with two franchise caliber players in Boozer and Deron Williams (my 8^th best point guard in the NBA).
6. Elton Brand – What a difference a year makes. Two seasons ago, he was being showered with MVP and All-NBA consideration. Now, he’s all but forgotten, due to the Clippers missing the playoffs and a ruptured left Achilles tendon, which is expected to sideline Brand for several months into the 2008 season. Even with the injury, Brand warrants a high ranking because when healthy, he’s an elite power forward, evidenced by career marks of 20.3 ppg, 10.2 rpg, and 2.1 bpg.
7. Jermaine O’Neal – Speaking of precipitous drops from the limelight, it was only a few seasons ago that O’Neal was considered a top three power forward. Marred by injury and a dysfunctional relationship with the organization, it appears O’Neal is ready to re-enter the elite of the elite—and that may mean moving to another team. Teams will definitely be interested in this baby-faced big man, with his double-double dependability and defensive stoutness (2.6 bpg in 2007, 3^rd in the league).
8. Rasheed Wallace – The Detroit Pistons are testing out ‘Sheed at the center position, but until I see him for a full season at center, I’m considering him a power forward—and a good one at that. When he keeps his temper in check (and he did somewhat in the past season), he is one of the best one-on-one defending fours in the league. And though his 12.3 ppg in 2007 is paltry by comparison to the other power forwards on this list, they don’t indicate Wallace’s effect on the offensive end, stretching an opposing defense with his three-point capabilities.
9. Pau Gasol – One of the many stars this summer to demand a trade and another PF that could possibly play center in the upcoming season, Gasol has been flirting with 20 and 10 for the last couple of seasons. This could be the year in which he becomes a legit double-double machine. That goal will be delayed with Gasol recently suffering an ankle injury, but with incoming rookie point guard Mike Conley Jr., I expect both to put up big numbers.
10. Antawn Jamison – Playing alongside Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler, you can imagine not getting many shot opportunities or much time in the spotlight. But Jamison still managed to put up 19.8 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, and when his two All-Star teammates went down just before the postseason, he displayed some true scoring proficiency, exploding for 32.0 points and 9.8 points per game in the first round booting by the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Honorable Mention: Zach Randolph, Al Jefferson, Lamar Odom

Italian Cyclist Headbutts Competitor In Race

By Bryan Jeon

Italian cyclist Elia Rigotto was disqualified from the the Tour Down Under on Friday for headbutting Australia’s Mathew Hayman, causing him to fall and break his left collarbone. On the fourth stage of the tour in Australia, it appeared that Rigotto was leading the race with less than a 1,000 yards to go and his headbutt allowed those behind him to move up and win the stage. Despite the obvious headbutt, Rigotto was fined for just about $180, and Hayman accepted his apology that it was an accident. Of course, I had to find the video for it. Sorry, it only gets good after 3 minutes in.

Bryan’s Western Conference NBA All-Stars

By Bryan Jeon

I view the All-Star game as one of entertainment and high-scoring and the participants in the game should be very capable scorers or absolutely dominant in at least one facet of the game. Thus, if you don’t make my list of NBA All-Stars, you are probably a “team player” and/or are boring to watch. And with that, the “real” team that should be on the floor on February 17 at New Orleans Arena.

Western Conference Squad

Guards

Steve Nash, Phoenix – I got to make my floor general the league’s leader in assists and in addition to his 12.1 per game, the two-time MVP has a lot more to offer. In the Western Conference, he owns the second-highest FG% at .513, the highest 3P% at .468 and the highest FT% at .903. The Canadian is about as “perfect” as they come. (Light me up, even with the quotations around the word.)

Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles – Kobe’s 27.4 points per game is his lowest season average since the ‘03-04 season, threatening his chances as a starter on my team. (That’s right. I’m all about the now what.) He has averaged 31 points in four games since Andrew Bynum went down so I’ve been reassured he still knows how to play selfish ball. In his first game since Bynum’s absence, No. 24 went 21-of-44 from the field in dropping 48 points at Seattle.

Forwards

Carmelo Anthony, Denver – Props to Melo for getting USC’s O.J. Mayo in trouble with NCAA regulations, by giving him free tickets to watch him sprain his ankle against the Lakers. But the best part of the story is how O.J. Mayonnaise said he got them, “I was talking to him like, `Man, you’re out pretty late. You’ve got a game tomorrow night against Kobe [Bryant],”‘ Mayo said. “He said, `Nah, it will be all right.’ And then he asked, `You want to come to the game?’ And I was like, ‘Sure.’ ” What a winner. Definitely on my squad.

Carlos Boozer, Utah – What may seem like an unpopular pick may be influenced by team record and there being a stack of worthy forwards in the Western Conference. This guy isn’t an MVP candidate and sure doesn’t have as much of a fan base as the regulars but he’s a double-double machine, who I feel has finally paid his dues. In fact, he beats Tim Duncan in double-double games this season, 30-23.

Center

Yao Ming, Houston – I think Yao has been an All-Star every year since he’s been in the league just because of the fact that he’s 7′6″. At least, that’s why he’ll always get the starting nod on my team, averaging 22 and 11. Despite his decrease in points from last season, he actually has career-highs in rebounds (10.7), assists (2.5), blocks (2.3) and minutes (37.4). And let’s not forget that he’s a career .826 free throw shooter.

Western Conference Reserves

Chris Paul, New Orleans
Allen Iverson, Denver
Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas
Tim Duncan, San Antonio
Amaré Stoudemire, Phoenix

Comparison (Who’s got the better team?)

Chris Le’s West All-Stars Bryan Jeon’s West All-Stars

PG – Chris Paul Steve Nash
SG – Kobe Bryant Kobe Bryant
SF – Dirk Nowitzki Carmelo Anthony
PF – Tim Duncan Carlos Boozer
C – Yao Ming Yao Ming

B – Steve Nash Chris Paul
B – Brandon Roy Allen Iverson
B – Carmelo Anthony Dirk Nowitzki
B – Carlos Boozer Tim Duncan
B – Amaré Stoudemire Amaré Stoudemire

Chris’s Western Conference NBA All-Stars

By Chris Le

We’re almost half way through the regular season, and it’s been an unexpected couple of months to say the least. At one point or another, six or seven teams could’ve justifiably been called the best in the West. Traditional powers likes San Antonio, Dallas, Phoenix and Houston saw momentary dips in productivity, while New Orleans, Portland, and Los Angeles most of all have been pleasant surprises. And that’s not even mentioning Utah, Golden State and Denver. Needless to say, the West is stacked from top to bottom, probably more than it’s been in the last few years.

But I digress. This article is about the All-Star team. I’ve always thought being labeled an All-Star was vastly overrated. Yeah, it’s nice to have the admiration and support of the fans, but really, they don’t know jack. That’s why injured superstars who have missed most of the season have undeservingly started All-Star games over the past years. Forget an All-Star nomination, I’d much rather be selected to the All-NBA squad.

So my list is more like the All-NBA team – not a popularity contest – for the first half of the season. Enjoy.

Western Conference Squad

Guards

Chris Paul, New Orleans – Don’t tell Steve Nash, but so far this season Paul has looked like the best point guard in the league. A truly dominant offensive player, who can score at any moment he desires, as well as a precise floor general. Though he doesn’t quite run an offense as well as the two-time MVP from Canada, Paul’s all-around game, particularly his defense, gives him the edge thus far.

Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles – The way it began, with all the trade demands and war of words, who would’ve thought this would be Kobe’s best year post-Shaquille O’Neal? Sounds crazy, but I think his bitch attitude entering the season is a big reason why the Lakers have improved so much. He gave up on the team and decided not to score a million points every game, which put some onus on his teammates. And guess what – they’re actually pretty decent. The improvement of Andrew Bynum and the Lakers bench has been a welcome surprise, but give credit to Kobe for unwittingly learning how to win.

Forwards

Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas – After a rough start where it looked like Josh Howard was Dallas’ best player, Dirk has regained his MVP form and, consequently, the Mavs went on a tear. The funk is gone and I expect to see more of the ’07 Dirk.

 

Tim Duncan, San Antonio – His numbers (18.6 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 3.1 apg) are well below his career averages. Do not be fooled, though, Timmy remains one of the most effective players in the NBA. He’s been showing it recently, too, by regularly posting 20 and 15 nights, with recent injuries to Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. And to think, he was almost robbed of his eleventh All-Star start when the league listed him as a center on the ballot.

Center

Yao Ming, Houston – I’m surprised he isn’t the vote’s leader. Come on, China, you’re slacking! But a billion votes or not, he deserves to start this game. In all honesty, he’s really the only true center in the Western Conference; though they’re sort of a rarity in the East as well. This was pretty much a two-man race between Yao and Amaré Stoudemire. Though not as “sexy” or explosive as STAT, I think Yao is the more impacting center. Plus, Stoudemire has Nash to spoon feed him alley-oops, while Yao has been alone most of the season thanks to the injury-riddled Tracy McGrady.

Western Conference Reserves

Steve Nash, Phoenix – Still playing at an MVP level, just not on CP3’s level.

Brandon Roy, Portland – I tried so hard to rationalize him as a starter. Almost did.

Carmelo Anthony, Denver – Dominant scorer, but importance to team is looking lesser and lesser than that of Allen Iverson and Marcus Camby.

Carlos Boozer, Utah – Has monster numbers, but being only four games over .500 against high expectations hurts.

Amaré Stoudemire, Phoenix – I keep waiting for him return to the Amaré of the 2005 playoffs. He’s almost there; don’t think he’ll ever reach that level again though. Still damn good.

Toughest Omissions: Baron Davis, Portland; Allen Iverson, Denver; Manu Ginobili, San Antonio; Marcus Camby, Denver

Preview of the Conference Championships

By Bryan Jeon

Apologies for my near-three week hiatus while taking care of personal matters. I’m back on the Couch and ready to share my wisdom.

The NFL has not featured the regular season’s top two teams in the Super Bowl since 1993. That streak will stretch for one more year, as the Cowboys fell to the New York Giants last week, 21-17. Hell, Dallas became the first top-seeded NFC team to fall in the divisional playoff round since the current 12-team playoff system began in 1990. The San Diego Chargers also repeated their regular-season win over the Colts, upsetting them in Indy despite a slew of injuries to their stars for a 28-24 victory. Meanwhile, the Patriots stayed perfect with a 31-20 win over the Jaguars while Brett Favre’s magical season continued with a 42-20 romp over the visiting Seahawks. I give to you a quick preview of what each team must do to advance to the NFL’s biggest game.

AFC Championship – San Diego (11-5, 4-4 away) @ New England (16-0, 8-0 home), 12 PM PT on CBS

What San Diego must do to win: First off, they’ll need an absolutely healthy corps to have a shot against the Pats. If LaDainian Tomlinson (bruised left knee), Antonio Gates (dislocated toe) or Philip Rivers (partial ACL tear on right knee) spend a significant amount of time on the sideline during the game, the Bolts’ offense will sputter. Right now, it’s looking like that will happen, as Rivers is listed as doubtful, despite his optimism in playing. I’ll tell you right now, Billy Volek will not be able to engineer any game-winning drives this time around. He hasn’t attempted more than four passes in a single game this season. With that, the weight of the offense will fall back on L.T.’s shoulders, who has 28 carries for 70 yards (2.5 YPC) and one touchdown in the Chargers’ two playoff wins. The Pats have never scored less than 20 points all season so L.T. must have a monster game (100+ yards rushing) and hit paydirt multiple times for the Chargers to contend.

What New England must do to win: Play like they’ve been playing, play like they did last week and especially, play like they did in Week 2. These two teams met up then in New England, which is where this game is as well, giving them a thorough 38-14 spanking. In that game, they limited L.T. to 18 carries for 43 yards and no scores. What’s the game plan this time around? Much of the same, really. The Chargers led the league in takeaways and turnover margin so Tom Brady and co. will focus on ball control and time of possession. Brady showed the world last week that he can win a big game without giving the ball to Randy Moss, who had just one catch for 14 yards. So if the Chargers think that by shutting out Moss, who had 8 catches for 105 yards and 2 scores against them in Week 2, will win the game, they better think again.

My take: With a high of 25 degrees expected Sunday in Foxboro, things will get really cold and dark quick for the Chargers, who are riding an 8-game winning streak. I say the Pats cover the spread of 13.5 to improve to 18-0 and be just one game away from shutting up every member of the 1972 Miami Dolphins.

NFC Championship: NY Giants (10-6, 7-1 away) @ Green Bay (13-3, 7-1 home), 3:30 PM PT on FOX

What New York must do to win: For Eli Manning, every game is the most important game of his career. The more surprising Manning to remain in the playoffs has made it three consecutive solid performances, and a win here could salvage his disappointing regular season. His most impressive statistic in the two games combined is throwing for four touchdowns and no interceptions. He needs to keep that up, and the Giants ‘D’, which has four takeaways, needs to contain Brett Favre and Ryan Grant for the Giants to pull off the upset at Lambeau Field.

What Green Bay must do to win: Think those two early fumbles had rookie running back Ryan Grant packing it up and calling it quits. Think again. He finished with an impressive 201 yards on 27 carries and 3 scores, as the Packers recovered from an early 14-0 deficit to score touchdowns on six consecutive possessions. Snow showers usually make for an ugly, low-scoring game but the Packers went on to score the most postseason points in franchise history. Brett Favre continued his magical season with 3 touchdown passes and no interceptions, and what better way to end his 17-year career with another trip to the Super Bowl (granted, he retires after the season).

My take: No NFC team in the last 20 years has been able to win a third time on the road in the playoffs and for the Giants, that stop would be here in the conference championship game. The Giants are on an amazing 9-game winning streak on the road, including the playoffs, but will have never encountered a tundra like in Green Bay, where more of the same snow showers that covered the field last week will come again. The high is currently 6 degrees with wind chills possibly approaching -20 degrees, perfect for Favre’s liking.

Peterson Named Offensive Rookie of the Year

By Bryan Jeon

Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, hauling in 46.5 of the 50 votes. Cleveland tackle Joe Thomas, the third overall pick out of Wisconsin, received the other 3.5 votes.

Peterson, the seventh selection out of Oklahoma, had one of the best rookie years ever for a running back, despite missing two games with a sprained knee and not being a starter until the sixth game. A quick look at his accomplishments:

Rushing yards: 1,341, 1st in NFC, 2nd in NFL
Rushing TDs: 12, 1st in NFC, T-2nd in NFL
Yards per carry: 5.6, 1st in NFL (sorry, 6.9 carries per game doesn’t count, Jerious Norwood)
Record for most rushing yards, game: 296, 11/4 vs. San Diego
Record for most rushing yards, first eight games: 1,036
200-yard games: 2
100-yard games: 6

I would argue that the numbers from Peterson’s rookie campaign not warranting a unanimous vote is an outrage, but I guess it’s a moot point with how easily he still won the award. Last year’s winner was Tennessee’s Vince Young while the last Viking to win the award was Randy Moss in 1998.

Why the BCS Should Have a Playoff System

By Bryan Jeon

As I sit through the first week of bowl games, I realize something I never put too much thought into before. Something about the teams in the first couple of weeks of the bowl season was wrong, especially as I was attempting to make my bowl picks. And it hit me – three-fourths of these schools don’t belong. What should be an honor to play in a bowl is now consolation for many schools that don’t make it to the title game, as coaches and BCS decision-makers look to even expand on the current 32-bowl, 64-team system.

At first, whenever someone mentioned that college football should implement a playoff system, I always blew it off, saying that it was best to have as many schools participate in the highest stage of college football. Trying to be understanding towards smaller schools having a bowl game mean a lot to them, I have to take the side of the public now. We want a championship game without having computers crunch numbers on who are the two best teams to go at it so consequently, we want a playoff system. This year will mark the first season that the National Championship Game will host a two-loss team in LSU, and the controversy and chaos over who should play in the NCG and BCS bowls only get worse each year.

The question to ask is why shouldn’t college football have a playoff system? College basketball (March Madness) and college baseball (College World Series) crown a national champion only after a series of playoff games. So I’ve devised how simple college football playoffs can be.

Crosby Scores Shootout Winner In Outdoor Winter Classic

By Bryan Jeon

Sidney Crosby scored the game-winner in a shootout to give Pittsburgh (21-16-2) the victory over the Sabres (19-16-3) 2-1 at Buffalo on Tuesday in front of an NHL-record 71,217 fans.

This was the second NHL outdoor game and the first in the United States. In November of 2003, 57,167 fans saw Edmonton fall at Montreal, 4-3, the previous record for attendance. I say the Winter Classic be an annual New Year’s event, such as having NFL games on Thanksgiving Day. It sure says something when attendance is 381% of its capacity.