Atlanta Hawks

Its almost as if Ricky Rubio had took this picture intentionally for the Minnesota Timberwolves and their fans with the middle finger being extended from his hand. That is pretty much the signal Ricky Rubio is giving the NBA, the Minnesota Timberwolves, and all their loyal fans that were excited to see him play this year. It was Rubio’s hands that got him in trouble to start with and signing European contracts that he was unable (or so he says) to get out of. It seems pretty clear that Rubio was not happy on draft night when the Timberwolves drafted him 5th overall and he just doesn’t want to play for their team or that city in America. The NBA’s cities are all great and anyone should be proud that just 1 city or team would want their basketball services, but Ricky Rubio is just a little too spoiled for that.

If this guy or any other European player or player that gets taken in the NBA Draft doesn’t want to play for the team or city that drafted them; then there should be tough penalties on that player. Ricky Rubio should have to accept a contract for less than a million dollars and any other player that decides to hold out or try to skip the team that drafted them. The NBA must take action on these types of matters and prevent a high draft pick like Ricky Rubio from choosing which NBA team or city he wants to play in.

Rubio has signed a new contract and now will have to wait 2 years before he can come back to the States to play in the NBA and for the Minnesota Timberwolves. If he does appear in a T-Wolves uniform in 2 years from now, I hope the fans in Minnesota and across the NBA will boo him every time he touches the ball. This is one spoiled brat that doesn’t belong in the NBA or even in our country for that matter.

It’s good that Minnesota took another PG in the draft and Jonny Flynn can take over the point guard duties in Minny. Flynn is probably a better PG and basketball player too and this is probably a better scenario for the Timberwolves. I think there is way too much hype on Ricky Rubio and I doubt he even has the talent to play in the NBA with grown men. Only thing attractive about this 6′ 4″ point guard from across seas, is the fact that he is only 18 years old. He will have to show tremendous strides to prove he can keep up with the other talented point guards in the NBA. If his game doesn’t improve in 2 years; then its quite possibly we have already seen the best basketball this guy has to offer. He will never be a 20 point scorer or dish out 10 assists in the League like a few of the NBA point guards can do now. The ceiling isn’t going to get any higher on Ricky Rubio and he has seen his best days of basketball at the age of 18. It would seem only natural that he would improve, but European players don’t have much of a track record on improving their basketball skills.

I think the guys working the front office for Minnesota should just avoid the boo’s now and trade his rights to another NBA team that will know they have to wait two years on him. This way they can avoid the wait and the ugly scenes from the crowd when he does decide to show up and play in the NBA. It’s just too big of a gamble to wait 2 years for this guy and he comes in and never pans out. This will just be kicking your self twice if you’re the Minnesota Timberwolves. Go ahead and trade the rights to Ricky Rubio and pick up a late first round pick in next year’s 2010 NBA draft and save face from the curse of Ricky Rubio. This guy isn’t going to be the next Pistol Pete Maravich and no chance of trading a superstar player away. Fill the need for your team now and get rid of a guy that has no desire to be in Minnesota.

The new NBA season hasn’t even started yet and we already have our first draft bust of the year! The 5th overall pick in the first round that went to the Minnesota Timberwolves is a bust and I’m calling it now. The guy that got took 6th overall in the 2009 NBA draft is Jonny Flynn from Syracuse and he just might be the steal of the 2009 NBA Draft. The Minnesota Timberwolves will have an exciting new rookie on their team and he will be giving 110% each night; that is what Minny got when they took an American kid that knows how to play the game. Ricky Rubio doesn’t have the heart or desire to play in 6 overtime games like Flynn did in college. Rubio would have to sign a new contract if he had to play in an overtime game and Jonny Flynn just doesn’t get you to 6 overtime games; he wins them when he gets there! NBA fans every where are with you Minnesota and you guys just picked up a lot of new fans, thanks to the spoiled brat that doesn’t respect the NBA or the Twin City!

It looks like the lights are starting to fade out for the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James. What seemed to be an easy playoff series in their first two match ups has changed around since the Orlando Magic have arrived on the scene. Dwight Howard and his teammates have actually won against the Cavs in easy fashion in each game they played. The poor NBA officiating has led the games to being close and the calls that LeBron James gets every game is just ridiculous. The NBA has tried to create a superstar around LeBron James and he’s just not that good of a player. He may develop into a great player, but he’s no MVP right now. He has a poor attitude on the court and shows off way too much to be considered one of the best players in the NBA. He has a lot to work on and it’s not his game that needs the work. LeBron has a lot of character issues he needs to get worked out and until he figures this part of the NBA game out, he’s just a great player that will never win an NBA Championship. Stay thirsty LeBron my friend, because the 2009 is not your year.

NBA referees are calling the game too one-sided and the Orlando Magic has been on the wrong end of the calls in each game. You can’t draw a charge on LeBron James and teams just need to learn how to give him a hard foul, instead of trying to pick up charges against the man they call King James. The NBA and LeBron must end this partnership they have going with the NBA and all of his marketing potential. It’s just not fair to the other teams in the league and the Orlando Magic is clearly a better team in this Eastern Conference Final series. LeBron can’t win a NBA championship playing one on one basketball and it’s not the guys on his team’s fault. He doesn’t pass the ball and he holds on to it for too long and he’s the reason the other guys can’t get into a flow. The guys from TNT seem to think the other guys on the Cavaliers need to step up, but that is hard to do when LeBron doesn’t pass the ball.

Michael Petrus for the Orlando Magic has played great defense against LeBron James. The officials keep bailing out LeBron on these ridiculous calls and way too much attention is given to number 23 that plays on the Cleveland Cavaliers team. If you take away the poor officiating from these games; then the Orlando Magic would have won these games by double digits each time. It’s only the referees that keep these games close and it’s a black-eye for the NBA. Everyone can see the calls Lebron is getting on the court and he does not deserve half of them. If you are the Orlando Magic, you must foul him hard and make him pay for driving to the hoop. Lebron is a poor free throw shooter and he can’t beat you from the foul line. Don’t try to take a charge on LeBron, because you won’t get the call. Just foul him hard and send him to the line and make him earn his points there. The refs are not going to give you the call over the league’s MVP and it’s an award he didn’t deserve.

Lebron James you need to stay thirsty by friend, because the Orlando Magic isn’t going to let you win this series for a chance to play in the NBA Finals. We should get to see the best two teams play in the NBA Finals and this would be the Los Angeles Lakers and Orlando Magic in 2009.

Game 6 in the series is set for tonight in Orlando. Let’s hope the officials keep the whistles quiet and we can wrap up this series and give the Orlando Magic their chance to play the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals. The NBA playoffs are great, but poor officiating this year has hurt them a little this year.

The legendary coach of the Detroit Pistons is no longer with us. He passed away at his Florida home on Saturday morning. Daly led the Pistons to NBA championships and our Olympic team to a gold medal in 1992. Chuck Daly will be missed in the NBA community and he was good for the league and the sport of basketball. The coach had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer back in March and had been fighting it ever since. He leaves his mark on the NBA after his 78 years of life on Earth.

The coach that use to roam the sidelines up in Auburn Hills, Michigan may no longer be with us, but he certainly leaves behind his mark. All the coaches are currently wearing a pin on their suits with the letters “CD” for the legendary coach that has been battling cancer. He has had tremendous support around the league and the old ball coach fought just as long as he could until passing away early this morning. I’m sure all the coaching staffs around the league will continue to wear the special pin in support and now memory of Chuck Daly. I fully expect the NBA to do special ceremonies before the next round of games begin in the NBA playoffs and we will probably have our first tribute in Atlanta tonight as the Atlanta Hawks host the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3 of their best of 7 playoff series.

The votes are in and we have a winner! The National Basketball Association announced that LeBron James was this year’s Most Valuable Player in the NBA. He was in the running with the Lakers star Kobe Bryant. It seem the voters felt like King James was the top player in the NBA this year and LeBron James is the MVP of the League. He will be given the award tonight in Cleveland as his Cavalier team faces the Atlanta Hawks in the 2nd round of the NBA playoffs. It should be a great time for all to celebrate the award as the NBA playoff excitement increases with the 2nd round games already underway.

LeBron James led his Cleveland Cavalier team to a Central Division Championship in the East with a record of 66 wins and 16 loses. This was also the best record in the Eastern Division and gave the Cavs the top seed in the NBA playoffs. Their first round opponent was no match and the Detroit Pistons got beat in 4 straight games. Many think the same faith is destined for the Atlanta Hawks team too, but the fans in Atlanta are not buying into the hype surrounding LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

LeBron did have a great season and this is perhaps his biggest achievement in the NBA so far. He did lead his team to the NBA Finals two seasons ago, but they weren’t able to win the final series. The fans of Cleveland hope for a better story this year as their favorite player has just won the most special individual award in the NBA. It’s a great honor to be named the best player in the league and only one lucky player gets to hold that honor each year. I’m sure it will be even more special to cap the MVP award with a NBA Championship this year. LeBron James is the first Cleveland Cavalier to ever win the NBA MVP Award. We will have to wait for the rest of this fairy tale story to play out and see if the Cavs do have the best player and the best team in the league right now.

Dwayne Wade did lead the NBA in scoring and he fell short of his NBA Championship for this year. Kobe Bryant led the Los Angeles Lakers to the League’s best record and he placed a distant 2nd in the voting this year. It just seems voters had their minds made up early and they wanted LeBron James to have the MVP. I think it will fit if he does manage to win it all this year. I’m not sure if he deserves the award if the Cavaliers do suffer a defeat in one of the playoff series. They will have to face two more Eastern Conference teams; then if they succeed there, it will be on to the NBA Finals to face the top team in the Western Conference.

The party starts tonight in Cleveland and the trophy for MVP will be presented to LeBron James. The ceremony will take place right before the tip-off between the Atlanta Hawks and the Cleveland Cavaliers. It should be a great night in Ohio for the fans, players, and coaches of the Cleveland Cavaliers. The game starts at 8 Eastern Time for the Cavs and Hawks and this will be the first game of the playoff series between the number 1 and number 4 seeds.

How many games did you think the Chicago Bulls or Philadelphia 76ers would win in their first playoff match ups? Many NBA fans seen Boston and Orlando having an easy time in the first round; yet each team has lost a game to this point in the series. The 76ers are a very talented bunch of kids and they are a lot like the Portland Trail Blazers. The Trail Blazers and 76ers may just advance to the 2nd round and some people may have thought these 2 teams were too young. Factor in the youth for the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks and you have 2 more teams with a lot of youth in the 2009 NBA playoffs.

I’m not sure if it is a surprise with all of these young teams playing so well. The NBA has become a much younger league over the years and perhaps we are starting to see that this year. I think the teams sporting experience isn’t a cherish commodity right now in hoops and most NBA franchises want the next Kobe Bryant or Dwayne Wade. You can build teams around players like these and they both have the ability to carry a team on their back. If anyone seen Brandon Roy or Ben Gordon playing lately; you will see that the young guys can carry a team well too. Brandon Roy is playing great basketball right now for the Portland Trail Blazers and every team in the league would love to have this guy. If you watched Derrick Rose in Game 1 for the Chicago Bulls or seen Ben Gordon’s performance in a losing effort in Game 2, you will quickly realize that the Bulls have a legitimate playoff team. The Boston Celtics do not have home court advantage anymore in their series with the Bulls and Chicago may just advance to the 2nd round.

Before we start handing out championships to the young and talented teams around the league; let’s keep in mind that the best team this year (record wise) is the Los Angeles Lakers. They are in firm control with their playoff series against the Utah Jazz. They have veterans Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Derek Fisher, and Lamar Odom leading them to the 2nd round of the NBA playoffs in strong fashion. A few young guys like Bynum and Ariza are chipping in for the Lakers but look for the veterans to continue to step it up out in LA.

The San Antonio Spurs is another veteran team that you can’t count out right now. They are playing the Dallas Mavericks and the winner of this first round series has a shot at a NBA title this year. Manu Ginoboli is not going to be around for the Spurs this year, but they do find ways to get things done and no big surprise if they beat the Mavs in this series. The Dallas Mavericks have their own talented core of veterans playing well for them, so this is one of the better first round match ups we have going on right now. I think the winner of this series will be a team that could give the Lakers a run for their money. I’m sure Chauncey Billups isn’t done in Denver yet and he has that unique ability to carry a team on his back. You don’t have to do a lot of carrying when Kenyon Martin and Carmelo Anthony are on your team. The Nuggets are another team that will be tough to beat in a 7 game series and it won’t be a easy task for the team that does it.

The Western Conference is lacking Tracy McGrady and Manu Ginoboli in this year’s playoffs. We also have no Steve Nash, Shaquille Oneal, or Amare Stoudamire because the Phoenix Suns didn’t even make the playoffs this year. In the Eastern Conference you are probably aware that the Boston Celtics are playing without Kevin Garnett. It seems this is a touchy subject for Doc Rivers and he has already stated boldly that he won’t answer no more KG questions; which only leave fans and reporters with more questions. In an unrelated matter, Danny Ainge even suffered a mild heart attack and isn’t feeling too well for the Celtic’s brass.

Are there surprises in this year’s NBA playoffs? Or is this just the excitement we get every year from the professional league of basketball that we like to watch so much? I think David Stern and company have to be pleased with all the action to this point and I know they hope to see a couple of teams keep advancing. It’s no secret that the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers would be the perfect championship game for the NBA this year. I’m not sure either one of these teams can make it the full distance with so much competition that remains. I do see the Lakers in the final series of the season, but too many hungry teams in the East, are ready to take LeBron James and his team down. I don’t think the Cavs will represent the East this year and we may see an upset coming soon.

Who are the final two teams you see in the 2009 NBA Championship Series?

You know him well and for many years we got to see Michael Jordan sticking the tongue out for a high flying drive to the basket; where he was probably leading the Chicago Bulls to a win or another championship title. We haven’t seen Michael lace them up lately and he was on the court with the Washington Wizards the last time he played in the NBA. He is now a part of the ownership group in Charlotte; where he works closely with the Bobcats team, trying to make them the next NBA dynasty. The Bulls were a dynasty in the 1990’s and Michael Jordan was a big reason why. Many have called him the greatest basketball player to ever live and now the NBA Hall of Fame recognizes this great basketball player.

Michael was elected in the Hall of Fame today and you won’t find one NBA player, coach, or fan that will say he doesn’t deserve it. Everybody in the world knew he belonged in the Hall of Fame and that has now become official. So what does Michael think about his induction into the prestigious NBA Hall of Fame? ”I don’t like being up here for the Hall of Fame because at that time your basketball career is completely over,” Jordan said. “I was hoping this day would be 20 more years, or actually go in when I’m dead and gone.” Jordan is a very humble athlete and I am glad I got the chance to see him play. He is the greatest one ever and I think the 6 NBA Championships proves that. We may be witnessing another great one in Kobe Bryant and he’s on that Michael Jordan path to success, but for now, all of the comparisons of young talented NBA players will only be compared to Michael Jordan.

Michael Jordan wasn’t the only one to get elected in the NBA Hall of Fame today and some other notable stars and coaches got in too. The Utah Jazz organization and their fans got to see the talented point guard John Stockton and their current coach Jerry Sloan get voted in today. The Admiral David Robinson from the San Antonio Spurs made it in today; along with coach of women’s basketball at Rutgers C. Vivian Stringer. Stockton is the all-time assists leader in the NBA, so most thought he would make it in today. I know David Robinson wasn’t sure if he would make it in, according to a story that Dominque Wilkins told from the Atlanta Hawks. He said that Robinson wasn’t too sure if he would make it in and Nique told him he was a sure lock to make it this year. David Robinson was a great role model for the NBA and his service to the United States Navy.

It has to be a good feeling for NBA players like John Stockton and David Robinson to go in the Hall the same year as Michael Jordan. I have seen all 3 of these guys play and they were great for the NBA and they will be even better for the NBA Hall of Fame. I’m sure people associated with the Jazz team are excited to see two of their own go in with John Stockton and Jerry Sloan. Congratulations to the Utah Jazz, Chicago Bulls, and San Antonio Spurs for creating athletes and coaches that are Hall of Fame worthy. Also, a nice honor for the basketball program at Rutgers and I’m sure lots of young ladies will want to go there now and be a part of a Hall of Fame coaching system for women’s basketball.

The Los Angeles Lakers sit on top of the rankings and for good reason. The best player in the NBA is Kobe Bryant and he may just have enough supporting cast around him now to win a NBA title. I’m sure Jack and all the other Lakers fans are very pleased with the season so far and it should be interesting to see how the Lakers do in the playoffs this year. Just behind them on the latest NBA power rankings is the Cleveland Cavaliers. Ben Wallace going down to injury will hurt the Cavs and this will probably be evident in the postseason play that is set to begin soon. LeBron James is a great basketball player and Mo Williams has helped to carry the load too, but will it be enough in the playoffs in 2009?

A lot of good teams make up the NBA power rankings, but I’m sure the playoffs this year will feature a lot of upsets. We have seen a few upsets in the NCAA college basketball tournament currently going on. I think we may see the same in the NBA when teams show what they are made of in the post season.

Here is a list of the top 10 teams in the power rankings:

1 - Los Angeles Lakers

2 - Cleveland Cavaliers

3 - Boston Celtics

4 - Orlando Magic

5 - Houston Rockets

6 - San Antonio Spurs

7 - Atlanta Hawks

8 - New Orleans Hornets

9 - Denver Nuggets

10 - Utah Jazz

Any surprises?

I’m not sure the Hornets or Jazz deserve a top 10 ranking, but I think the other 8 teams belong there. I think the Portland Trail Blazers, Dallas Mavericks, and Miami Heat deserve a top 10 nod and perhaps they should have been in the top 10 teams too. The Detroit Pistons are listed at number 17 on the list and this seems a bit low for them. Maybe the Pistons don’t deserve a top 10 showing, but higher than 17.

The two last teams on the list are the Minnesota Timberwolves and Sacramento Kings.  The Kings are a bit better than Minnesota in my opinion and these two teams may need to flip flop at the very end of the NBA power rankings. Both teams will need a good offseason in the free agent market and a high draft pick to help them going into next season.

The New York Knicks are in serious trouble and they are at 21 on the list. They actually may not even be this high. I know NY fans can’t be happy seeing teams like the Milwaukee Bucks and New Jersey Nets ahead of them on the NBA power rankings. The most loyal Knicks fan of all is Spike Lee and you can see him going to games that feature LeBron James, so even their biggest fans are not supporting the Knicks right now.

The playoff picture is still being developed but with each passing day, we do get to see a clearer image of how the teams will stack up; when the regular season ends. The NBA is going to be fun watching these next few weeks and seeing how that tough Western Conference picture comes out. Who will be the lucky team that gets to play the Lakers in the first round?

The “Round Mound of Rebound” is getting a taste of the other side of life these days. Charles Barkley turned his self in to the authorities in Arizona; where he we began a 3 day jail sentence for his DUI (driving under the influence) charges. He’s not in the typical jail cell and he’s actually been put in a private tent. This is the way the jail system is set up in Arizona and authorities insist that he’s not getting any special attention. He has been given his own tent, for his own security and nothing to do with the fact that Charles Barkley is a celebrity working for TNT Sports and an ex NBA star in basketball.

Charles Barkley has stated many times publicly that he’s not a role model and I think a lot of people see that now. Barkley claims he’s just a basketball player and that parents should be the role model for their kids. These recent charges in Arizona may hurt the former NBA player in the world of politics too. He had plan to run for the governor’s job in Alabama one day and not sure if the citizens in Bama will be as likely to vote for him now. He did give a live apology while on the air with Ernie Johnson and Kenny Smith on TNT. Barkley has certainly pushed the limits in the past with his brash remarks and the way he criticizes current NBA players. It should be interesting to see if Barkley is as vocal as he once was; when his time is served in Arizona.

Who do you think is the better NBA player when comparing Kobe Brayant and LeBron James? I think Kobe Bryant is clearly the better player and is the best player in the NBA. No one can match Kobe’s skills when he has the basketball in his hands. He is the best basketball player I have ever seen and this includes comparing him with Michael Jordan. Bryant has the total package and he has no weaknesses in his game. He’s truly an amazing player and I wish he was wearing a Hawk’s uniform.

LeBron James has a lot of growing up to do and he shows off too much after dunks and individual plays he does on the court. He’s not really a team player either and likes to control things too much on the offensive side of the floor. When James learns that he has other teammates on the floor, is probably when his stock will rise as an NBA player. He is blessed with a lot of god-given ability, but chooses to use it in the wrong way. His actions after a slam dunk shows the immaturity that King James has and he needs to learn things and just be quiet about it. LeBron James will never be the player Kobe Bryant is for the Los Angeles Lakers. It should be interesting to see how these two guys finish their careers and see which one wins the most NBA titles.