Project Skills Post

1. I learned how to create a blog.
2. I learned how to create a website.
3. I learned how to write a sneeze page.
4. I learned how to write an about me page.
5. I learned how to make a donation page.
6. I learned how to create a contact me page.
7. I learned how to make a purpose page.
8. I learned how to create a privacy policy.
9. I learned how to create Cafepress products.
10. I learned how to place Adsense ads on my blog.
11. I learned how to promote a Clickbank product.
12. I learned how to get my articles on Ezine Articles Database.
13. I learned how to create an Ebook.
14. I learned how to put page counters on my website.
15. I learned how to utilize Google Analytics within my website.
16. I learned how to get my website put in website search directories.
17. I learned how to promote Amazon products on my website.

A Review of NBA.com

NBA.com is a one stop shop for almost everything that is the NBA. It has photos, videos, stores, articles you name it and NBA.com probably has it. The website has direct links to team specific pages as well as affiliated pages with the WNBA, D-League (NBA Developmental League), and USA Basketball. The website is very organized and everything is easy to find. The site also incorporates a search option that enables users to search for specific players, articles, photos, or videos. The site allows users to post many of the things on the site to their Facebook page and Twitter page. The site is extremely user friendly once you get the hang of where everything is.
On a day-to-day basis NBA.com offers NBA fans a great place to see what is happening in the NBA. On the homepage of the website, there is a visual of every game that is happening that day, and there is the ability to go back one day or to go forward one day. On this visual it shows the score of the game, or the time the game starts if the game has not started yet. The visual also provides users with the ability to get other information about the each game depending on what time the user is looking at the visual. For instance, if it is before the game the user can see game information or open the companion to the game which provides a live game play of the game without video. If the user is looking at the visual during or after the game the user can still open the companion, but they can also see the box score and highlights of the game.
NBA.com truly offers fans everything that is NBA. Almost everything on the site is offered to fans free of charge, with the exception of some of the more luxurious content. This website is the best for people who are looking for information about NBA because this site only focuses on the NBA and nothing else. I recommend this site to any NBA fan or anyone that is interested in the NBA at all, because no matter if you’re a hardcore fan or a casual fan NBA.com more than likely has what you are looking for.

NBA Teams This Year

This year like every other year NBA teams have changed by adding or subtracting of players, coaches, and strategies. I have written plenty of articles this year highlighting the changes of some of the NBA teams this year. The articles that I have written on these individual teams provide great insight into what that team was going through this season. So I am going to highlight some of those articles in this blog post.

The first one I did was on the San Antonio Spurs, to view it click here. In this article I talked about how the Spurs switched their entire offensive strategy, even though they basically had the same team roster as the last few years with the exception of a few players.

Next I wrote on the Chicago Bulls, to view it click here. I talked about the Bulls huge off-season overhaul as they got 6 or 7 new players that were used in their main rotation, most notably Carlos Boozer, and they got a new head coach. I also touched upon how good they could be with all their new acquisitions.

I also wrote an article on the Miami Heat, to view it click here. I talked about their new acquisitions of Lebron James and Chris Bosh.

I wrote one on the Los Angeles Lakers, to view it click here. I talked about their chances to repeat as NBA Champions this year.

There was also a good article that I wrote on the Boston Celtics, to view it click here. In it I talked about their new playoffs hopes.

I wrote an article about the New Jersey Nets, to view it click here. In it I talked about their stunning trade that got them all-star point guard Deron Williams.

Lastly I wrote about the Dallas Mavericks, to view it click here. In this article I talked about all the injuries the Mavs have gone through this year, and how they could overcome them.

NBA League Pass

Have you ever wanted to watch an NBA basketball game that was on the national television schedule for that day? I know I have and I have a solution for those of you that have as well. It is called NBA League Pass. This can enable you to watch any game that playing on your television, computer, or mobile device. This way you will never miss any of your favorite team’s games.
No matter if you are watching on TV, a computer, or a mobile device you can watch in HD quality. On your computer there are a few other perks that NBA League Pass brings to you. On a computer you also have DVR capabilities, as you can rewind and pause the games as you watch them. With the DVR capabilities you can also watch any previously played game anytime throughout the season. This way if you have to miss a game for any reason, you can go back and watch it, with full DVR controls of course, whenever you feel like it. If you are watching online you can also choose to watch up to 3 different games at one time. This is great for those fans who love watching more than one game at one time.
The NBA League Pass is truly a great thing to buy if you love to watch NBA basketball. For a modest price you get all the NBA games on your TV, computer, and Mobile device. For more information about NBA League Pass please click here.

http://nbaalldayeveryday.webs.com/

For those of you who like NBA All Day, Every Day Blog or if you are just looking for a more in depth view of everything that is NBA there is a great site called http://nbaalldayeveryday.webs.com//, that you should take a look at. The NBA All Day, Every Day website is there to give all information that is relevant to the NBA, from a true fans point of view.
I am the creator of the NBA All Day, Every Day website, and I am an avid NBA basketball fan. I love to watch the NBA, and I stay up to date with everything that is going on around the NBA. No matter what team is playing the NBA is something that I always found interest in watching. I am very knowledgeable about basketball as i have been playing and watching the sport every since i was a kid. I also am very knowledgeable about how the NBA works from transactions to drafting to the game itself. To contact me email me at nbaalldayeveryday@gmail.com.
The purpose of the NBA All Day, Every Day website is to inform people about the NBA from the past, the present, and the future. NBA All Day, Every Day will give you information about basketball from a true fans point of few; it is information by the fans for the fans. The NBA All Day, Every Day website truly is a great source for basketball insight, and for anyone looking for good information regarding the NBA. Please visit http://nbaalldayeveryday.webs.com and enjoy everything the website has to offer.

I would also like to promote some of the items that i have on Cafepress.com. There is a Chicago Bulls T-Shirt, to view or buy it click here. I also have a San Antonio Spurs Hooded Sweat Shirt, to view or buy it click here. Lastly, I have a Miami Heat hat, to view or buy it click here.

The Chicago Bulls Playoff Hopes

The Chicago Bulls came into the playoffs with tons of momentum after surpassing the San Antonio Spurs for the best record in league, and they locked up home court advantage throughout the entire playoffs in the process. I will admit that I even thought coming into the playoffs that they were the best team; I just couldn’t find any reason that they couldn’t win it all.
Keep in mind that was all before the playoffs started. I have never been more disappointed in a team that was up 2-0 in the series in my life. The Bulls, despite being up 2-0 in the series have played terrible. They won game one only because the Indiana Pacers handed it to them at the end of a game in which the Pacers dominated the Bulls. Game 2 was another disappointing game even though they won, and game 3 (which is currently going on right now looks more of the same. Derrick Rose is playing like the MVP he soon will be, but that is about the only thing that is going the Bulls way. They are playing decent defensively, but terrible offensively. None of the other scoring options are doing anything. Luol Deng isn’t playing his best, and Carlos Boozer, who was a big summer acquisition for the Bulls, has played abysmal on both ends of the court. There is no doubt that the Bulls will win this series, but if they continue to play this way they will be in for a shock. It seems like they are not in playoff mode yet, but they better get there and fast otherwise they will be watching the games from home instead of playing in them.

Dwight Howard - Truly One of the Best

Dwight Howard is truly one of the best basketball players ever. That is sort of a bold statement considering he has only been in the league for 7 years. He has already accomplished things that only few others have. He just a few days ago won his third consecutive Defensive Player of the Year award, something that no one else has ever done. Two other players Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace hold the record for the most Defensive Player of the Year awards with 4. Dwight Howard has 3 and he is only 25 years old. It is safe to say that barring any uncertain injuries Dwight will win many more DPOY awards. There is just no one else in the league that is even close to dominating on defense like he does.
He has not won an MVP yet, but I think he will win one or two before it’s all said and done. If not for Derrick Rose this year, I think he would have won the MVP award. He is always in the discussion and one of these years will be his year. The other thing that he is missing is a NBA Championship. All the great NBA big men have multiple championships. Shaq, Kareem, Wilt, Bill Russell, and Tim Duncan all have plenty of championships, and that's why they are considered the best. He will be a free agent after the end of next year, so if the Magic don't get some better players to play around him than I believe he will leave. Dwight wants to win, and if he doesn't think he can do that in Orlando he will leave for a team he does believe he can win on. One thing is certain Dwight will be a huge force in this league for many years to come

Stunning Start to the Playoffs

The Playoffs are officially here, and boy are they coming out with a bang. It was a terrific first two days of the playoffs this weekend for the NBA. There were so many close games and great finishes that made the games must see television. There were so many good games and great finishes that I thought for a second that “March madness” had come to April.
To start the 1-seeded Chicago Bulls were losing for the entire game against the 8-seeded Indiana Pacers, but somehow came back to win the game in the final minutes. Derrick Rose showed everyone why is the MVP, with his 39 point performance that carried the Bulls to the finish line.
Then there was the Miami Heat vs. Philadelphia 76ers game that also came down to the wire. The Heat were up by 16 points at one point in the game, and let the 76ers crawl back in the game. Though the Heat did end up getting the win thanks to Dwayne Wade who finished the game very well for the Heat.
There were two huge upsets this weekend by both the 8-seed and the 7-seed in the West. The Memphis Grizzlies beat the 1-seeded San Antonio Spurs and the New Orleans Hornet beat the 2-seeded Lakers, to make NBA history becoming the first 7 and 8 seeded teams to both win game one in the same conference. Both games were close and came down to the wire, and both were equally surprising.
There were two other close games, on between the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks and the other between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Denver Nuggets. While both games came down to the wire and the last shot. Both of the teams that were suppose to win won, as the Celtics and the Thunder both won their first games.
The first games of the playoffs were great; I hope the rest of the playoffs are as riveting and entertaining as these were.

Regular Season Awards

With only a couple of days left before the end of the season and the beginning of the playoffs, this is the time of the year when awards are about to be announced. So I figured this would be a good time for me to give out my final regular season awards.

MVP (Most Valuable Player)
1st – Derrick Rose
2nd – Dwight Howard
3rd – Lebron James
Derrick Rose is the only real choice this season, even though I did list my second and third picks. He dominated all season, and he led the Bulls to the best record in the East despite plenty of injuries

Defensive Player of the Year
1st – Dwight Howard
2nd – Andre Iguodala
3rd – Kevin Garnett
Here it is really no contest as well; Dwight Howard is the most dominating player on defense hands down. This will be his 3rd straight Defensive Player of the Year award.

Rookie of the Year
1st – Blake Griffin
2nd – John Wall
3rd – Greg Monroe
This one was a little more close about halfway through the year but Griffin really widened the gap down the stretch. He is going to get this award on a technicality though because he was actually drafted last year, but because he got injured and didn’t play one game he is still considered a rookie.

Sixth Man of the Year
1st – Lamar Odon
2nd – Jason Terry
3rd – Thaddeus Young
This is always a close award and Jason Terry is always a frontrunner for the award and he won the award in 2009. This year though I think Odom had a better year, and he really helped blend the Lakers bench with their starters.

Most improved Player
1st – Lamarcus Aldridge
2nd – Derrick Rose
3rd – Russell Westbrook
Another close one, but Aldridge led the Blazers all year having his best season in his career, and he did it all while the team’s best player Brandon Roy was hurt for most of the year.

Coach of the Year
1st – Greg Popovich
2nd – Tom Thibodeau
3rd - George Karl
This is the closest of the all the awards in my opinion this year. Your splitting hairs as both Popovich and Thibodeau deserve the award. I’m giving it to Popovich because he revamped the Spurs entire offense and brought an aging spurs team who finished 7th last year to this year having the best record in the entire league.

Regular Season Award Teams

To go along with my picks for the regular season awards for this year I also decided to make a post showing who I think deserves to be on the All NBA Teams, All Defensive Teams, and All Rookie Teams. Traditionally every team should have 2 guards, 2 forwards, and 1 center, but with the lack of quality centers in the league another forward or guard can be substituted for the center position

I will begin with my picks for All NBA Teams. These teams are designated for the best players in the league at their respective positions this year. These three teams should represent the 15 best players this season with respect to each position.

All NBA First Team
G - Derrick Rose
G - Lebron James
F - Kevin Durant
F - Dirk Nowitzki
C - Dwight Howard

All NBA Second Team
G - Chris Paul
G - Kobe Bryant
G - Dwayne Wade
F - Pau Gasol
F - Amare Stoudimire

All NBA Third Team
G - Russell Westbrook
G - Rajon Rondo
G - Manu Ginobili
F - Lamarcus Aldridge
F - Al Horford

Next are the All Defensive Teams, these two teams are designated for the best defensive players in the league. These two teams should represent the 10 best defensive players this season with respect to each position

All Defensive First Team
G - Chris Paul
G - Tony Allen
F - Andre Iguodala
F - Kevin Garnett
C - Dwight Howard

All Defensive Second Team
G - Rajon Rondo
G - Lebron James
F - Ron Artest
C - Andrew Bogut
C - Tyson Chandler

Last are the All Rookie Teams, these teams are designated for the best rookies this season.

All Rookie First Team
G - John Wall
G - Landry Fields
F - Blake Griffin
F - Greg Monroe
C - Demarcus Cousins

All Rookie Second Team
G - Gary Neal
G - Paul George
F - Ed Davis
F - Derrick Favors
C - Omer Asik

G=Guard, F=Forward, and C=Center

The 2011 Hall of Fame Class

Yesterday the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame's 2011 class was announced. So today I thought that I would take a look at some of the people that are in this year's class and some of their accomplishments. This year's class included ten people that will be inducted, but I will only cover the notable inductees. I will be talking about the two notable players on the ballot, Dennis Rodman and Chris Mullen, and I will also talk briefly about a couple of other inductees.
Dennis Rodman was an easy choice as far as I am concerned, though some though he shouldn't have made it. Rodman is easily one of the best rebounders to ever play the game of basketball, and he could be the best ever. He was Defensive Player of the Year two times and he also was an essential part of the Chicago Bulls teams that won the NBA championship in the years 2006-08 and the Detroit Pistons who won the NBA Championship in the 1989 and 1990 seasons. Many thought that is many negative on and off the court antics would keep him out of the Hall of Fame, but I think he should definitely be in the Hall of Fame.
Chris Mullen was a little more iffy as far as I am concerned. He was a five time NBA All-star and he was a very good player in the NBA for a long time. He was one of the best shooters in the NBA for many years, but I don't think he was a Hall of Fame player.

Shaquille O'Neal Injury Revisited

In the Article about "Key Injuries" affecting playoff teams (Which can be seen here), I talked a little bit about Shaq's injury and that he should be back by mid April. Today I want to revisit Shaq's injury status since he returned to action just two days ago.
Shaq played for the Celtics for the first time in a little over 2 months after injuring his right Achilles. The Celtics and their fans got to see him play for a few minutes before he injured his right calf. The calf strain is not nearly as alarming as his Achilles injury. It does however mean that Shaq won't be able to play the proper amount of regular season games to get himself into shape for the Playoffs. It also means both his team and him won't be able to get comfortable playing with each other till the playoffs. Even though there is no timetable for his return, he is expected to be back before the playoffs. The question is can he get into shape and can he be as effective as they need him to be.
Looking into the playoffs, the Celtics can get past the first round without Shaq but because they lost their hold on first place they will now have to play the Heat in the second round of the playoffs. Shaq would be a very important player for the Celtics in this series, because the Heat doesn't really have anyone that can guard him. He would also be a very important part of the team if they advance any farther into the playoffs. With Shaq in question for the playoffs, the Celtics are also in question. Their still questionable trade of Kendrick Perkins only makes him that much more important to the team's success. If they had not traded Perkins, then Shaq injury status wouldn't affect the Celtics nearly as much, because Perkins can do many of the same things Shaq can do. We will see how much the trade hurts them, and how far the Celtics will go in the playoffs.

Eastern Conference Playoff Preview

With the season set to end in less than 2 weeks, I figured this would be a good time to take a closer look at the Eastern Conference standings. Right now the standings starting from first to eighth are: 1) Chicago Bulls, 2) Miami Heat 3) Boston Celtics 4) Orlando Magic 5) Atlanta Hawks, 6) Philadelphia 76ers, 7) New York Knicks, 8) Indiana Pacers. With only a few games left in each team’s season, it doesn’t really look like much will change in terms of these standings. Unless something drastic happens the only two teams that can swap spots are the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics. In the grand scheme even if the Celtics, who are only a half game behind of the Miami Heat, overtook the Heat they would still most likely meet in the second round. The only difference would be that the Celtics would have home court advantage instead of the Heat.
Now looking at the playoff matchups I expect the Bulls, Heat, and Celtics to win their first round playoff series with relative ease. The one matchup in the first round that does look intriguing is the 4th and 5th seed matchup between the Magic and the Hawks. The Magic hasn’t been very consistent this year and the Hawks could beat them, but I still expect the Magic to win. In the second round the Bulls will likely face the Magic, and they should win the matchup. The Celtics and Heat are a much different story though this is going to be a very exciting series, and it is one that I can’t wait to see. The fan in me wants to see the Heat win, but the analyst in me thinks the Celtics will win. I think the Celtics will pull it out in a very tough series. Lastly it will come down to the Bulls and the Celtics and I think the trade of Perkins hurts them too much for them to make it to the NBA Finals. I think the Bulls will be the team representing the East in the NBA Finals

Western Conference Playoff Preview

With the season set to end in less than 2 weeks, I figured this would be a good time to take a closer look at the Western Conference standings. Right now the standings starting from first to eighth are: 1) San Antonio Spurs, 2) Los Angeles Lakers, 3) Dallas Mavericks, 4) Oklahoma City Thunder, 5) Denver Nuggets, 6) Portland Trail Blazers, 7) Memphis Grizzlies, 8) New Orleans Hornets. The Western Conference is much more deep than the Eastern Conference, which means it is harder to project who will win each game. With only a few games left there are a few things that could change the way the playoff matchups look now. For one the Spurs could lose their one seed to the red hot Lakers if they keep losing, this could really hurt the Spurs who have been in first place almost all year long. Also the last 3 seeds, the Blazers, Grizzlies, and Hornets are all within a game of each other.
Looking into the first round matchups, no matter whom the Spurs and the Lakers play I’d expect them to win because those are the no doubt best teams in the west. Now depending on whom the Mavericks play they could be in for some trouble. The Mavericks are a kind of soft team so if they play a team like the Blazers, they could be in for some trouble. Right now they are in line to play the Blazers, and I think the Blazers will beat them. The last matchup against the Thunder and the Nuggets will be a good one as well, but I expect the Thunder to pull it out. Into the second round I expect the Spurs and Lakers to get to the Finals, like I said earlier these two teams are just better than everyone else in the Western Conference. This is another one of those matchups where I am split, my heart says the Spurs and my brain says the Lakers. This time I’m going with my heart though I think the Spurs will represent the west in the NBA Finals.

MVP Update

Last time I talked about the MVP award I mentioned four players who were in the MVP race. I wrote a great article earlier in the year about the MVP Race that was called "Who is the MVP", to see that article click here. The MVP race has now become essentially a one horse race. Derrick Rose has distanced himself far from the other candidates, to the point that two other players in the race Lebron James and Dwight Howard have both said Rose deserves the MVP. The Orlando Magic's coach, Stan Van Gundy, has also stated that although he thinks his player, Dwight Howard, is in the running for the award, Rose has already won the award in the media. He meant that the media have already crowned their champion, and that Howard has no chance to win the award even though he deserves it, Van Gundy did go on to say that Rose does deserve the award though. You would have a hard time finding any basketball enthusiasts that would say Rose didn't deserve the MVP.
He has taken his team where no one thought they could go, to first place in the Eastern Conference. Everyone and I mean everyone thought that either the Boston Celtics or the Miami Heat would get first place. Though there is still a couple of weeks left in the season it would be very hard for the either team to catch the Bulls. Rose also is top ten in the league in scoring and assists, and he has fixed his biggest problem from last year which is his three point shooting. The number are terrific, but the fact that he has led his team to first place in the east with all the injuries that the Bulls have battled is the reason he most deserves the award.

Key Injuries

We are a month away from the NBA playoffs, and this is the time where teams should be running on all cylinders. Teams should be in great chemistry with each other and they should be playing their best basketball. This is the time where it is important for all teams to have their final product as a team on the basketball floor. This becomes extremely difficult if important players are injured. I’m going to examine some of the injuries that will affect some of the playoff teams.
Shaquille O’Neal - Shaq has been out of the Boston Celtics lineup for a few months now. He is expected to be back in mid April just before playoff time. This is a problem because the Celtics won’t have enough time to get used to playing with Shaq, and he won’t have enough time to get used to playing with them. Shaq is extremely important to the success of the Celtics because he is now their only center, because they traded Kendrick Perkins.
Tim Duncan – Duncan has only been out of commission for a week or so, but his importance to the San Antonio Spurs is shown by their recent losses. He should be back though very soon and the team should be fine, as he has only been out for a couple of weeks.
Rudy Gay – He is the best player on the explosive Memphis Grizzlies team, and now he is out for the remainder of the season. This is a huge blow for the Grizzlies and the team might actually fall out of playoff contention because of it.
David West – David West is the second best player on the New Orleans Hornets, and he also just got injured and will out for the remainder of the season. He is the post presence for the very shallow Hornets team who does not have a lot of depth. The team will probably still make the playoffs, but they will most likely lose in the first round because of this injury.

The Post Carmelo Denver Nuggets

Many people wondered how the nuggets would rebound after losing their two best players in Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups, and they have shown that they are much more than just two players. The Nuggets since the trade of Anthony and Billups have been on a tear and are surprisingly one of the hottest teams in the league. Many thought that the Nuggets would struggle and the New York Knicks would prosper, but it has been the exact opposite.
While the Nuggets did trade away their two best players they left behind some good pieces. They have Nene who is a very quick and athletic big men that many teams would love to have. They also have some other good role playing big men in Kenyon Martin, Al Harrington and Chris Anderson, all of which are quality players. They still have two quality guards in Arron Afflalo and J.R. Smith, who are very good role players. They also still have Ty Lawson, who is a very good young up and coming point guard.
In the trade the Knicks the Nuggets also got Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, and Raymond Felton. All three of these players are very good as well, and they present the Nuggets with a wealth of talent to play with. The team seems to have better chemistry then it did when Anthony and Billups were on the team. The Nuggets aren't a finished product yet though; they don't have a true star go to player on their team right now. They need a guy that can lead this team in the crunch time of games. They do have enough talent to trade to get that type of player though. There is no doubt that the Nuggets got a good deal in the trade and it may help their team more in the long run than anyone would have ever thought.

The Dallas Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks started the season red hot, but after many injuries the team is left with a question mark about how they will finish. In the off-season the Mavericks promising young guard Rodrigue Beaubois got injured and missed the first few months of the season. Then the team's second leading scorer Caron Butler got injured in the middle of the season and he won't be returning at all. To cap it off the Mavericks best player and then MVP candidate Dirk Nowitzki got hurt and though he was only out for a few weeks, he struggled to regain his MVP caliber form that he had been playing at.
Surprisingly with all that said the team still sits in third place in the western conference and has already locked up a playoff spot. Beauvoir finally returned from his off-season injury and as really helped fill in for Caron Butler. The Mavericks also have one of the best benches in the entire league. With their bench being so good the Mavericks might be the deepest team in the league as well, meaning that they might boast the best team in regards to their entire team instead of just their eight or nine man rotation. They have a MVP candidate in Dirk Nowitzki, they have an older but still very good point guard in Jason Kidd, they have a defensive stopper in Tyson Chandler, they have maybe the best sixth man in the league in Jason Terry, and they also have Shawn Marion, who could be the most versatile player in the league. Along with their other role players it is easy to see that the Mavericks are a very good basketball team and that they could be a big surprise come playoff time.

The New Look Nets

The New Jersey Nets are actually an up and coming basketball team these days. This is the same team who last year broke the all time NBA record for the most losses in a season. The team started this year with the same core team as last year and they were on their way to another terrible season. With a new owner who has plenty of money to spend the team was looking to get some better players.
Over the off-season they tried to get a superstar player but none of them wanted to come to one of the cellars of the league. So they did the next best thing once the season began, they tried to trade for a superstar player. They tried there hardest to get Carmelo Anthony for months. They put together a better offer for him than any other team did, but in the end Carmelo had his heart set on the New York Knicks. It was looking like the Nets would have to wait until this off-season to start the transformation of a winning team, but then they surprised the basketball world an traded for Deron Williams. Williams had suddenly became available after some off the court issues with the Utah Jazz coaching staff and management.
Williams has given this team a new leash on life. They are playing good basketball for the first time in a long time. Now the question is will he stay, as his contact is up at the end of the next year. Either way the New Jersey Nets are in for a very entertaining next season.

Significant Trades Revisited

There were plenty of trades made a few weeks ago at the NBA trade deadline that changed the landscape of the NBA. Today I’m going to revisit some of them and tell how those teams are fairing with their new players.

New York Knicks
To start lets revisit the huge Carmelo Anthony trade between the New York Knicks and the Denver Nuggets. The Knicks got Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups from the Nuggets out of the deal. Both players start for the Knicks and really help the Knicks on the offensive end of the floor. The problem with the Knicks is their defense. Their coach Mike D’Antoni has never been known as a defensive coach and the team hasn’t really been built for defense. The team is almost ready to be among the elites, they just need some better complimentary players to go along with their stars.

Boston Celtics
The trade between the Boston Celtics and the Oklahoma City Thunder involved two teams that are built to win now. The Celtics got Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic from the Thunder. They got a good young player in Jeff Green that is a terrific defensive player who really fits into the Boston Celtics style of play. As most people thought the Celtics look worse since the trade then they did before the trade, but they still have some time to get it together before the playoffs.

Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder got Kendrick Perkins from the Celtics along with Nate Robinson. Perkins has been hurt until just yesterday and he really hasn’t gotten to play with the team yet, in theory though he makes the team better defensively and in rebounding. Both are important for teams that want to win a NBA championship.

Dwight Howard's case for MVP

When talking about MVP candidates this year the main two names that you will hear are Lebron James and Derrick Rose. There is no doubt that those two players are the front-runners for the award. Some have also mentioned Kevin Durant as another MVP candidate, but no one has really given Dwight Howard any consideration. Most analysts would discount Howard as a MVP candidate because his team is currently sitting in 4th place in the Eastern conference, while they were projected to be somewhat better.
Howard should be in consideration for the MVP because of what he has meant to his team. Howard is top ten in scoring in the league, and is shooting a great field goal percentage. He is also a top three rebounder in the league. Most importantly though, Howard is the single most important defensive player in the entire league. He is top five in the league in blocks and has a very high number of steals for a big man. He has won the Defensive Player of the Year Award the last two years. He is the only player on this Orlando Magic team that thinks defensive first. He also commands double teams from his opponents on the offensive side of the court, which leaves all of his teammates open for three pointers. His presence in the paint makes the entire Orlando Magic team better on both ends of the court, isn't that what you would want out of the MVP.
Another thing that people have thought about is the fact that the Magic made a significant trade that changed the makeup of their team. The Magic traded their starting guard Vince Carter and their starting forward Rashard Lewis, and got back in return Jason Richardson, Gilbert Arenas, and Hedo Turkoglu. So this team has even had a full season to gel together, and they are still in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. All in all, I think it is clear to see that Dwight Howard is a MVP candidate. For more information about the Orlando Magic visit their website here.

Miami Heat Getting a Boost

The Miami Heat have the best record in the Eastern Conference, but not many analysts think they have the best chance of even getting to the NBA Finals this year. They have three All-Star players in Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh, but beyond those three all they have are question marks. Their bench and role players are very inconsistent and they have a hard time helping the three All-Stars, especially on the offensive end. Some of this can be attributed to the fact that the Heat has had some injury trouble. Their fourth best player, Mike Miller, missed the first few months of the season, and he is really just now playing on a consistent basis. Miller is an all around guard, who can shoot and pass very well. The Heat also lost their second best role player, Udonis Haslem to injury for the entire year. Haslem was only other quality big men the Heat had besides Chris Bosh.
The Miami Heat might have caught a break though, because two key players have announced that they will more than likely join the Heat. Both Troy Murphy and Mike Bibby have agreed to buy-outs with their teams in order to sign a contract with the Miami Heat. A buy-out is when a player and a team reach an agreement in the terms of money for the player to be released from their contract. Murphy, who is one of the more underrated players in the league, will immediately be the second best big man on the Heat's roster. He brings rebounding and a scoring ability that the Heat would love to have. Bibby, while past his prime, can still shoot the ball very well and could help the Heat in that fashion. The only problem with these two acquisitions is that neither player has signed a contract with the Heat yet. While both players have said that they will go to the Heat, other elite teams are also trying to get these players. The acquisitions of both Murphy and Bibby could be a huge boost for the Miami Heat's championship chances. For more information about the Miami Heat visit their website here.

Joakim Noah: Key to the Bulls

The Chicago Bulls have sneaked into the talk of the elite teams in the NBA. When I say elite I mean teams that actually have a real chance of winning the NBA Championship this year. I believe Joakim Noah is the real key to how far this team will go. It is kind of funny, because he isn't even one of the two best players on the Bulls. Derrick Rose and Carlos Boozer are the Bulls two best players, so how can Noah be this team's key to success?
Well for one he is one of only a handful of "true centers" in the NBA who are any good. When I say "true center” I mean players with the ideal height and weight of a center (around 7 feet tall and 260 pounds) and that has a true post up game style. Today the game has transitioned to place where most big men are quicker finesse players instead of the traditional power post players. This makes "true centers" that much more valuable, and that is a prime reason why Noah is so important to the Bulls. Looking into the other elite teams Noah will be a huge factor in the game because of the players he will have to play against. He will have to guard All-Stars like Dwight Howard, Kevin Garnett, Al Horford, Amare Stoudimire, Tim Duncan, Chris Bosh, Pau Gasol and Dirk Nowitzki. Noah is the anchor of the Bulls defense that ranks top 3 in the NBA; he is a top five rebounder in the league as well. For me it is easy to see why Noah is the key to the Bulls. For more information about the Chicago Bulls visit their website here.

The Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics entered the season widely considered as the best team in the East, even though some though the Miami Heat might be the best. They really have shown up until a few weeks ago that they were not only the most complete team in the Eastern Conference, but maybe in the whole league. When I say complete I mean that they didn't really have any weaknesses. They play great on offense and defense. They have a point guard in Rajon Rondo that is great at distributing the ball, which is evident because he leads the league in assists. They have the newly anointed three point record holder Ray Allen. They have an all around scoring small forward Paul Pierce. They have an ever-tenacious Kevin Garnett who is a great player on both ends of the court. They had a good young center Kendrick Perkins, who rebounds, plays great defense, and is a perfect fit for their team. They also had a good bench.
That was before the trade deadline. Now they have traded Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic. They gave away a young center and a scorer off their bench for a good young forward and a below average big man. Now no one knows if this trade will end up helping the Celtics or hurting the Celtics. Jeff Green is a versatile forward who can defend multiple positions and can drive well to the hoop, while Krstic is nothing special. Now the Celtics have a void at the center position unless Shaquille O'Neal recovers from injury quickly. It was a surprising move for a team that many considered to be the best team in the league. Will the move pay off? We will have to wait till the playoffs for that answer. For more information about the Boston Celtics visit their website here.

The Reigning Champions

The Los Angeles Lakers came into this season as the odds on favorite to win the NBA championship after they had won the last two. The Lakers have the same core players from last year and really only added reserve forward Matt Barnes and backup point guard Steve Blake and let backup point guard Jordan Farmar go. The team still has the same starting lineup as last year including Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum (who started the year on the Injured Reserve, but is now back and starting), Ron Artest, and Derek Fisher. The team also has its most important reserve players including the versatile Lamar Odom and Shannon Brown. So the question is why are they 41-19 and third in the Western Conference by a whopping 8 games, when they have finished the last 3 years with the best record in the Western Conference.
The naysayers (and there aren't many naysayers) say that the team, which is old, is finally showing that it is getting old. The naysayers have a point the team is old as most of its players are upwards of 30 year old. Kobe Bryant, the team’s best player, while still very good, is no longer playing at an MVP level and that is causing a ripple effect throughout the team. Also Ron Artest is absolutely abysmal, he used to be a good player but now he a killing the team on both ends of the court.
The funny thing is that for a team that is playing so questionably, many analysts still pick them to win the Western Conference come playoffs time. Some even believe they will still win the NBA Championship; I am surely not one of them. I do know that whatever the outcome we all can't wait to see what happens to the Lakers come playoff time. Will they show their age in the playoffs or will they "Three-peat” the way they did earlier this decade. For more information about the Los Angeles Lakers visit their website here.

NBA Trade Deadline

Today the NBA Trade Deadline officially passed at 3:00 PM, and there was no shortage of deadline deals. Typically at this point of the season teams know pretty much where they stand with the rest of the league. Teams that are trying to contend in the playoffs (or buyers) are looking to get better now, and teams that consider themselves out of contention (or sellers) are looking to get better for the future. Normally it all works out because the buyers normally trade with sellers, and in theory it should work out for everybody.
There were many trades that came down to the wire, which means many teams got better today. To start of course the New York Knicks got better with their recent acquisition of Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups, they could of possibly put themselves in a position to be a top four team in the east. Portland also got better in their acquisition of Gerald Wallace, and when they finally get healthy he could be a big help. The surprise of the day was the Boston Celtics trading away their starting center Kendrick Perkins, for Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic. It was surprising because the Celtics, who are considered one of the two best teams in the east, didn't get the better of the trade. They traded away a key player for two role players, and that isn't something contending teams do. There were also plenty of teams that got better for the future either by getting rid of large contracts, getting good young players, or getting draft picks. The trade deadline deals once again jumpstarted the excitement around the league for the down stretch of the season. To see all the transactions that happened visit the NBA.com transaction page here.

The Carmelo Anthony Situation (Revisited)

3 days before the trading deadline it finally happened, Carmelo Anthony was traded to the New York Knicks. It was the only team he said he would accept a contract extension for in the first place, and they finally gave in to the Denver Nuggets trade demands. The Knicks had to give up 3 starters including Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler, and Danilo Gallinari, as well as a top prospect Timofey Mozgov, a 2014 first round draft pick, 2 second round draft picks, and cash considerations. They also had to trade Eddy Curry and another talented prospect Anthony Randolph to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Corey Brewer. They had to make the second trade for financial reasons. It seems to me like they traded a lot of assets away to get a player that they probably could have gotten this summer.
Carmelo would have been a free agent this summer, and after saying the only team he would sign an extension with was the Knicks, the Knicks still traded away a lot of their talent to get him. The only other team that even tried to get Carmelo was the New Jersey Nets, and though they did put a very attractive offer out to the Nuggets (who accepted the trade offer, pending an extension from Carmelo), they never had a real chance at getting him because Carmelo wouldn't have accepted an extension from them. So my guess is that the Knicks are still glad they got their man, even though now they will have to rebuild the rest of the team around him and Amare Stoudimire. The Nuggets have to be pleased with what they got for a player that wasn't going to be with them next year anyway. The Timberwolves are ecstatic that they were lucky enough to have gotten a great prospect like Anthony Randolph for what they got him for. So I guess everyone is happy, even though it seems like the Knicks got shafted in the deal, but if they like the trade who am I to argue. For more information about the New York Knicks click here, for more information about the Denver Nuggets click here, and for more information about the Minnestoa Timberwolves click here.

Kobe Bryant

After watching last nights NBA Allstar Game and Kobe Bryant's 37 point 14 rebound MVP performance, it got me thinking how good Kobe Bryant really is. I have never been a big fan of Bryant, the Los Angelas Lakers and he have always been on the lists of teams that i root against. Though i have never been fan, i do realize and respect how good Bryant really is. He has won 5 NBA titles with the same team, and he has been a huge contributor on all 5 championship teams. Many think he should be considered closer to Michael Jordan in terms of how good he really is. He is only 1 championship away from the 6 titles that Jordan has. Also many already consider him to be the second best shooting guard of all time. The biggest thing that he has going for him is that he might not be finished. He is still one of the best players in the NBA, and he still is on one of the elite teams in the NBA. I guess the only question left would be where do we rank him against Jordan.
Most Bryant fans would say he is very close to Michael Jordan because he does have so many championships, but on three of those championship teams he wasn't even the best player, Shaq was. While he has been a dominant player in this league for many years, he also only has won MVP trophy. I'm not trying to take anything away from Bryant because he is an exceptionally great player. At the same time though i think people weigh too much on how many championship teams he has been on, without looking at how good his teammates were. There is no doubt how good Bryant is, but lets leave the Jordan comparisons for someone else.

The NBA All-Star Game

It is NBA All-star Sunday and the game is about to kick off, and it reminds me of all the past All--star games and what the All-star game means to the NBA. I wasn't old enough to see the great All-star games of the 1980s with NBA greats like Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Julius Erving, Isiah Thomas, Dominique Wilkins, and a young Michael Jordan. My greatest All-star memories include an older Michael Jordan playing with the Washington Wizards in a game that went to overtime in 2000, Vince Carter's great dunk contest showing in 2001, that also included a great show of dunks in the game, and of course Lebron James's first All-star game and all the hype that went with it.
As I am watching this year's All-star game in Los Angeles you can see that the fans get a true show of entertainment that lacks nothing in star power. Not only do we see the NBA's biggest stars but also the biggest stars in the entertainment business. I've seen music stars such as Jay-Z, Beyonce, Kanye West, Rihanna, Diddy, Stevie Wonder, Steven Tyler and Justin Bieber, and also movie stars such as Dustin Hoffman, Jack Nicholson, and Denzel Washington. So it really is a treat for fans to see all these people at one place having a great time watching the great basketball stars of today. We all get to see the best of the best playing with and against each other for some of the best basketball entertainment that can be seen. This is the time that everyone gets to see just how good some of the best athletes truly are. For photos from the All-Star Game click here.

The NBA Dunk Contest

NBA Allstar Weekend is just days away and NBA fans can't wait until the festivities start. If you’re a fan like me you watch everything, the NBA Celebrity Game, Allstar Saturday, the Rookie Allstar Game, and the NBA Allstar Game. It's not called "Allstar Weekend" for nothing; the entire weekend is going to be exciting from Friday to Sunday night. The Allstar Weekend has changed a lot though in recent years, and that is because of the falling off of the Slam Dunk Contest. It used to be that the Slam Dunk Contest was a main event on par or even above the Allstar Game. Many NBA fans can remember the epic Slam Dunk contests of the late 1980s involving Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, and Spud Webb. Dr. J is known worldwide for some of his epic dunks in dunk contests in the 70s and 80s. The Dunk Contest used to be "The Event" now it’s just an event.
The main reason that the Slam Dunk Contest isn't so exciting these days is because the best players aren't in it. In the late 1980s, Jordan, Wilkins and Webb were some of the best players in the league and they were facing off against each other in the dunk contest. Nowadays we are lucky to get one star player, and even if we do the other participants aren't up to that stars caliber. The last few notable dunk contests involved only one great player, Dwight Howard in 2009, Vince Carter in 2001, but there was never another start player involved. Even this year there is the much hyped and anticipated Blake Griffin, who has electrified us all year with some amazing dunks, but there is no one else in this year’s contest that can come close to his star power. The league needs to get a true star player showdown if it ever wants to revive the Slam Dunk Contest. For photos from the NBA Dunk contest click here.

The TrueHoop Blog

Today i would like to promote a blog that is very good in the same area of my blog, which is NBA basketball. The TrueHoop Blog, which is on ESPN at http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop, focuses on any and all things that have to do with NBA basketball. The TrueHoop Blog has eight contributors who are all NBA writers for ESPN, they include Henry Abbott, J.A. Adande, Marc Stein, Kevin Arnovitz, Chris Broussard, Chris Sheridan, John Hollinger, and Chad Ford.
The TrueHoop Blog is a one stop shop for all things NBA. They cover everything going in the NBA. They also promote a blog for every NBA team, of course all of these individual team blogs are also ESPN affiliated. They also do a great job of incorporating all the information about whatever topic they are discussing. They will reference other ESPN articles and materials when needed, and they link it right in their blog. The TrueHoop blog has an easy to read layout, and every article shows the which contributor wrote it, as well as the exact time and date it was written. They also have a feature of the blog that lets readers just look at parts of the blog by a specific contributors.
Another great feature of the TrueHoop Blog is that the contributors are all actual writers from ESPN, so they get to talk to all the key people involved in every topic to get the information first hand. Another strength of the TrueHoop Blog is that they always do updates on former posts, so readers get the full story. The TrueHoop Blog is a great inspiration to my own blog and I recommend it to others who are looking for NBA basketball information.

The Miami Heat

The Miami Heat had probably the most highly publicized off-season ever in NBA history. Mainly because they added Lebron James and Chris Bosh along with Dwayne Wade to form one of the absolute best threesomes in NBA history. Through all the love and through all the hate the question on everyone's mind is how will they perform. They were definitely going to be talented but were they going to be one of the elite teams in the NBA.
Many thought the Heat might make a run at the 1998 Chicago Bulls record season where they one 72 games. They started the season terrible, and almost everyone had written them off as an elite team. Then there team started to click, they got healthy and they started winning games. They are as of today the second best team in the Eastern Conference, behind only the Boston Celtics who are a half of a game ahead of the Heat. They have shown all the naysayers that they are an elite team, but can they win the championship. The Heat lost last night to the Boston Celtics for the 3rd time this season, and in the process they have brought up the question of if they could win against the Celtics in the playoffs. The Celtics as of right now are the front-runners to win the championship right now, and the Heat are 0-3 against them. They play once more later this season and believe me they need to win that game. Everyone knows that the regular season record means nothing when playoff time comes, but at the same time when a team dominates you there is a psychological edge that they hold over you. The great thing is we get to see how it all plays out over the next few months, I don't know about you but I can't wait.

Some of the Best of All Time

I've already talked about how this is one of the best ages of basketball ever, and here I'm going to expand on that and talk about the caliber of players that are playing right now. As fans watching today we are able to as the famous Lebron James commercials say it "Witness" greatness in today's game. Every era has its own hall of fame players but I don't think they have this kind of caliber of hall of fame players.
At the point guard position right now we have two of the top 10 point guards of all time in Jason Kidd and Steve Nash. Kidd, who is a 10 time All-star and former Rookie of the year, just recently moved to second all time in assists and Nash is a 7 time All-star and 2 time MVP.
At shooting guard we have Kobe Bryant who is already considered to be the second best shooting guard of all time behind Michael Jordan. He is a 13 time All-star, he has won 1 MVP, he has 2 Finals MVPs, he has won 2 scoring titles, but even better he has 5 NBA Championships so far.
At power forward there is Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan. Garnett is a 14 time All-star, who has one MVP, one Defensive Player of the Year award and 1 NBA Championship. Then there is Tim Duncan who is already considered the best power forward of all time. He is a 13 time All-star, he won a rookie of the year award, he is a 2 time MVP, he is a 3 time Finals MVP, and he has won 4 NBA Championships.
At Center there is Shaquille O' Neal who many believe is already the best center of all time. He is a 15 time All-star, he won a Rookie of the Year award, he has won a MVP, he has won 3 Finals MVPs, he is a 2 time scoring champion, and he is a 4 time NBA Champion.
Not to mention there is Dirk Nowitzki who is the best international player of all time, and Ray Allen who will be the all time 3 point shot leader tonight most likely as he is just one 3 pointer away from tying the record. Also there is a great young group of players that will undoubtedly make it to the hall of fame one day. We should all recognize the great era of basketball we are watching.

All accolades are referenced from NBA.com

Remembering Jerry Sloan

In a surprising decision Jerry Sloan, the coach of the Utah Jazz, resigned today. Just a few days ago he had signed a contract extension to coach through next year, which makes this move that much more surprising. At 68, Sloan was the longest tenured coach in major professional sports, and this was his 23rd season with the Utah Jazz. He started out with the Jazz as a scout and worked his way through the organization and became the head coach. It has been reported by ESPN, that Sloan's deteriorating relationship with his point guard and best player Deron Williams could be what drove Sloan to resign. During halftime of last night’s game there was a heated argument between Sloan and Williams because Williams called a different play than Sloan had told him to. The thought is that this argument was the last straw and Sloan just couldn’t take it anymore.  
Sloan, who will be remembered for his fiery attitude and his truthful speaking, was already inducted to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame a couple of years ago. His career is highlighted by his longevity, and a terrific career record. He has taken the Jazz to the NBA Finals twice losing to Michael Jordan  and the Chicago Bulls in both 1997 and 1998. During the mid 1990s the Jazz had a standout team that included Hall of Fame players John Stockton and Karl Malone, who are still known as one of the best  NBA duos of all time. Sloan is widely considered to be the best coach to never win a NBA Championship and it is easy to see why.   

Who is The MVP?

We are about at the half point of the NBA season right now, and this is the time where people start projecting what will happen for the rest of the season. One question that is always a hot topic is who is the MVP so far.
The way I see it right now there are about four legit candidates for the MVP. While many things could change in the second half of the season, right now I'd say the MVP candidates are Derrick Rose, Lebron James, Kevin Durant, Dirk Nowitzki, and Dwight Howard. For each candidate I will give a brief resume for MVP this season.

Derrick Rose - The Bulls have been a huge surprise this year holding the 3rd best record in the Eastern Conference. This has all happened with both the Bulls second and third best players battling injuries this year. The Bulls haven't been at full strength yet this year, but they still boast such a great record and that is because of Rose's consistency throughout the season. He is top 10 in both scoring and assist, and many believe he is the leading candidate right now.

Lebron James - Lebron is already a two time MVP, and even though he has other superstars on his team (Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh) he some how manages to distance as the leader of this team. He is also top 10 in both scoring and assists though he also boast a great rebounding number as well. Throw in his tough defense and it is easy to see why he is most widely considered the best player in the NBA today, but is he the MVP this season

Kevin Durant - Durant is leading a very young and promising Oklahoma City Thunder team to the fourth best record in the very deep Western Conference after they barely got in the playoffs last year. He is also the leading scorer in the NBA, something that never hurts an MVP candidates chances.

Dirk Nowitzki - He has also already won an MVP before, and he is currently leading his Dallas Mavericks to a surprising second best record in the tougher Western Conference. He is top 10 in both scoring and rebounding, and has kept his team playing great while the entire team has battled injuries.

So Many Point Guards

Point guard is the position that is a must have in today's NBA. The league transitioned from a slower half court game to more of a full court running game, and it is almost impossible to run without a point guard. I can't remember any point in time where there has been so many good point guards in the NBA at the same time. There are the older veteran point guards who are past their prime but still pretty darn good. Then there is the current crop of young point guards who are starting to make a name for themselves in the league. Lastly there are the great point guards of today.

The first category of point guards is the Old-Timers.
Steve Nash - This category has to start with the 2-time MVP who is still one of the most entertaining today.
Jason Kidd - Kidd is considered to be one of the top 3 point guards of all time and has to be the best all around point guard outside of Magic Johnson.
Chauncey Billups - I can't leave out Mr. Big Shot, who is still known for his NBA Final's MVP award

The Second category of point guards is the Up-In-Comers 
John Wall - I have to start with the 2010 first pick of the draft, out of Kentucky, the lighting fast Ultra athletic John Wall.
Tyreke Evans - The smooth 6'6 guard is most of a scorer than a passer but he still is gonna be really good
Russell Westbrook - He came on the scene as a shooting guard but the ultra athletic point guard is having a breakout season.

The Third category of point guards is the Cream of the Crop
Derrick Rose - I start with the unbelievable athletic guard in Chicago that is more of a scorer, but is in the MVP conversation right now.
Chris Paul - The pass first guard is probably the best at mixing his passing and scoring duties.
Deron Williams - He is big, and very versatile, he can do it all at the point guard position.
Rajon Rondo - The best passer in the game today, who also hails from Kentucky
Tony Parker - While many wouldn't even consider his name here, all the French phenom has done since he has been in the league is win NBA Titles and be extremely efficient.

A Silver Age of Basketball

"The Golden Age" of basketball is said to be the 1980s when Larry Bird and Magic Johnson raised the NBA to a national stage, and this is when basketball really started to become popular in America. Now they handed the baton off to Michael Jordan and he took the game further than it has ever gone before. Jordan's departure from the game left many with a void in their basketball watching experience. The league really was dealt a painful blow when Michael first retired in 1999. His retirement along with a lockout being the owners and the player's association over a new collective bargaining agreement (the NFL is currently having the same CBA problems) is was led many people to stop watching basketball.
Basketball was in a recession from that point on but with the amount of talent the NBA has today, it looks like we are digging out of that recession.The NBA is finally rising in revenue instead of dropping, more viewers are watching as well as TV ratings are up. NBA basketball is returning towards being one of the top entertainment choices in America. A lot of the resurgence can be attributed to the amount of star power the league has today. With so many nationally recognizable players the NBA has more star power than any other sport does. Players like Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, Shaquille O'Neal, Rajon Rondo, John Wall, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, Amare Stoudemire, Derrick Rose, and Brandon Jennings to name a few all have nationally televised commercials for their individual endorsements. This all attributes more recognition to the NBA and it makes these star players more attractive to watch. Another huge reason why the NBA is popular again is because the game is faster and more athletic than ever before. This brings more excitement and energy to NBA games, which is what many people want to see. I don't think we are at another "Golden Age" of basketball yet, but a "Silver Age" may be closer than you think.

The New Chicago Bulls

The Baby Bulls, as they were nicknamed a couple of years because of their age and lack of consistent play, are all grown up now. The team is the best it has been since Jordan left and that is primarily because the team has grown up and acquired a few notable additions. The younger players on the Bulls such as Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, and Taj Gibson have reached their potential fast, and they are still getting better.
Derrick Rose has quickly become quite possibly the best point guard in the league overnight. While everyone knew he would be a great player someday not many thought that it would be this soon. Watching him last year there were so many holes in his game. He could shoot from the outside consistently, he didn't play defense, he wasn't an efficient enough number 1 scoring option, and he didn't lead his team the way great point guards do. Now to be fair Rose was just a second year pro last year. All of the sudden though, Rose has played phenomenal this year to the point that he has not only entered, but he may be at the top of the best point guard conversation in only his third year. He has corrected all of his problems in one off-season and has enhanced his game-play incredibly. Joakim Noah has also developed his game quite quickly as well, the young center is one of the top rebounders in the game and is also one of the best defenders as well.
The additions have also helped the team play as good as they are playing. The key addition has been Carlos Boozer who is coming from the Utah Jazz. He is one of the best post scorers in the game and he is also a terrific rebounder. Another key addition was new coach Tom Thibideau. He was an assistant for the Boston Celtics, and like his predecessor, Vinny Del Negro, he is more of a defensive coach. Some of the other more under-the-radar acquisitions included Kyle Korver, Ronny Brewer, and C.J. Watson. Korver and Watson help fill the Bulls void for 3 point shooting which was a main weakness just a year ago, while Brewer is an athletic wing player who can slash and play good defense. All in all the bulls have gone from an overachieving fringe playoff team to a legitimate championship contender, and i promise you no one is calling them "Baby Bulls" anymore.

The San Antonio Spurs

Before this season started no one thought the San Antonio Spurs had a chance to win the NBA Championship. Almost no one even had them in their top 5 teams to start off the year. Not above the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas Mavericks, or even the Chicago Bulls. To be honest many might not even of had them in their top 10 considering they finished 7th place in the Western Conference for the first time since the 1996-1997 season. The Spurs, known recently for winning 4 NBA Championships in a 9 year span that lasted from 1999-2007, were getting old. Known as a modern dynasty for their achievements many had began to write the team who had the same 3 main pieces since 2003. Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili were know as the "Big 3" in San Antonio. Many were saying that while Parker was still in his prime, that the other two were beginning to age. Ginobili had been struggling with knee and ankle injuries for the last 2-3 years, and Duncan was just getting older. So naturally everyone believed this team was done and needed to start rebuilding.
The Spurs, however, believed differently because they have the best record in the NBA right now and are off to the best start they have had in their franchise history. Most analysts credit Coach Greg Popovich's decision to switch the teams style from a slow pace inside out style to a fast pace guard oriented style. While this has helped the Spurs tremendously this year, I believe the real reason they are back and off to a great start is because they are healthy. Ginobili seems back to full strength for the first time in a long time and Duncan hasn't been fatigued this year. If they can stay healthy and rested for the rest of the year another NBA Championship might be in there future. For more information about the San Antonio Spurs click here.

The Carmelo Anthony Situation

Carmelo Anthony is in the final year of his contract with the Denver Nuggets, and as most of us know by now he will not be with the team past this year. This is normally not an uncommon situation in the NBA, where players leave teams via trade and free agency every year. So what makes this instance so different? It's Carmelo Anthony that what makes it so different. He is widely considered one of the top 5 scorers in the entire league. He is so good that he has become too expensive for the Denver Nuggets. Everyone knows all of this, the real question is where will he go next.
Carmelo is easily one of the top 5 scorers in the league as well as one of the top 10 players in the NBA, and at the age of only 26 he is someone that many teams would love to have on their roster. After a stellar high school career at Oak Hill Academy, one of the most prominent basketball high schools around the country, he had a short but unbelievable college career at Syracuse. In 2003, his freshman year, he led Syracuse to their first National Championship, and he was awarded the Most Outstanding Player in the tournament. He was then drafted number 3 overall by the Denver Nuggets in 2003 and he has been the leader of the team ever since.
Carmelo is wanted by many, but the New Jersey Nets and the New York Knicks are the teams pursuing him most heavily right now. The Nuggets have to trade him by the late February deadline or they will receive no compensation for him. They team he wants to go to the Knicks, doesn't have the players that the Nuggets want in exchange for him. The team that does, the Nets, has recently pulled out of the Carmelo sweepstakes, saying it has become too expensive for them. Will he be traded by the deadline, or will we have to wait till the off-season to find out where Carmelo, will be headed.