Tag: Denver Nuggets

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NBA General

Around the Rim: It’s a Ring Thing


1. Lord of the Rings to Be?
Now that the trade deadline has passed, the only interesting move left for teams to make involves the veteran champion, Scottie Pippen. Looks like the two leading candidates in the Pip sweepstakes are the San Antonio Spurs and the Los Angeles Lakers. Pippen would be an excellent addition to either team, but he could probably adapt to Phil Jackson’s system a little bit quicker since he has some past experience with the Zen Master. San Antonio would offer a better opportunity for Pippen to get his seventh ring. He’d be joining a veteran team and most likely assume a role similar to the one Robert Horry has filled for the past few years. Pippen can’t be the player he once was, but any team would be happy to acquire a guy who has big game experience as the season is reaching its end.

2. The Nowitzki Experience
The Mavericks franchise tried to give their superstar a push for MVP last night by passing out about 20,000 T-shirts to the crowd. But Dirk didn’t really need any help as he scored 31 to go with 11 rebounds, six rebounds and two blocks. There’s lots and lots of big-time talent in the league this year, but Dirk has outshined them all. The Mavs have been riding on the back of Dirk all year en route to the league’s best record on three separate 10+ game win streaks. With one of the sweetest strokes in the game today, Nowitzki has been shooting the lights out all year long as he is averaging 25 points per game. And considering that the award usually is simply handed to the best player on the league’s best team; Nowitzki is definitely in the driver’s seat for the NBA’s most prestigious individual award.

3. Headbandless Hero
Remember at the beginning of the season when everybody thought that something was wrong with Ben Wallace? Well, that doesn’t seem to a topic of conversation anymore. Big Ben might have had the greatest game of his career last night against the Cavaliers when he had 14 points, 19 rebound, five assists, two steals and seven blocks. After a slow start to the year, Wallace has methodically increased his rebounding average back to double digits (10.5). But the Bulls are still sitting five games behind the Central Division leading Pistons. Chicago could have probably benefited from a trade, but Luol Deng and Ben Gordon just have too much potential for the Bulls to let them go.

Thursday’s Player of the Day: Gilbert Arenas vs. Sacramento 45 min, 43 pts (FG: 12-22, 3FG: 3-8, FT: 16-17), 7 reb, 7 ast, 3 stl

Friday’s Game to Watch: Utah (35-18) @ Denver (26-26) Every game involving the Nuggets is interesting as everybody is waiting to see Carmelo

Anthony and Allen Iverson finally gel. So far, it hasn’t happened. In fact, the two have still yet to even play in a significant number of games together. Overall, the Nuggets are 9-4 over their last 13 games with the latest loss coming while the dynamic duo was intact. Utah hasn’t been the team they were when the season started, but they are still a very dangerous club. The Jazz have won six of their last seven as Mehmet Okur and Deron Williams continue to pick up the slack while forward Carlos Boozer continues to watch from the bench.

Buzzer Beater: As usual, we approached the trade deadline with lots of talk about superstars changing teams. But, as usual, the deadline came and went and nobody of significance was involved in a swap. Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, Pau Gasol, Mike Bibby and Ray Allen were just a few of the names dropped in the weeks leading up to yesterday. And what about Corey Maggette? Trade rumors have been swirling around him for months now as his relationship with Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy seemed to deteriorate daily. Apparently, they are going to have to tolerate each other for a few more months. In the end, only lower tier players got new addresses; Anthony Johnson to Dallas, Fred Jones went to Portland in a deal for Juan Dixon who got sent to Toronto and the Jazz picked up Alan Henderson.

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NBA General

Around the Rim: Jordan Judges and Kobe Critiques


1. Dunking Royalty
Finally, the league has brought together the best of the best for the slam dunk competition. Too bad they’re only there to repeatedly hold up placards with the number 10 on them. Michael Jordan, Jul ius Erving, Dominique Wilkins, Kobe Bryant and Vince Carter make up the list of superstar judges who will grade an all new group of mediocre dunkers. But this year, the league has decided to spice things up by throwing in a couple of big fellas into the competition as Dwight Howard and Tyrus Thomas join Nate Robinson and Gerald Green. And thanks to Robinson’s time consuming performance last year that lulled the audience to sleep after 14 attempts, there is a two minute time limit placed on each player.

2. Money Hungry
Most players will tell you they simply love playing the game, it’s their childhood passion and it’s a privilege to make a career out of a game. Then there are the players that will tell you the truth, like Chicago’s Tyrus Thomas. When asked how it felt to be a part of the All-Star experience, Thomas replied, “I’m just going to go out there, get my check and call it a day.” He was then asked if it’s beneficial for a rookie to take part in such an event. “I’m just into the free money,” said Thomas. At least he’s honest.

3. All-Star Performance?
Carmelo Anthony did something last night that most people would assume he had done numerous times before. While everyone is aware of Melo’s scoring abilities, last night was the first time he ever displayed his complete array of talents by racking up his first triple-double. Could this performance help convince David Stern to put Melo on the All-Star team?

Melo’s triple dip marks the 17th time someone has gotten a triple-double this season. Only Jason Kidd with eight and Andre Igoudala (two) have pulled off the feat more than once. The other players on this season’s list include LeBron James, Boris Diaw, Ryan Gomes, Andre Miller, Chris Paul and John Salmons.

Monday’s Player of the Day: Carmelo Anthony vs. Phoenix 40 min, 31 pts (FG: 12-27, 3FG: 0-2, FT: 7-8), 10 reb, 10 ast

Tuesday’s Game to Watch: Phoenix (38-10) @ Portland (20-29) Phoenix is always just one win away from ripping off another massive win streak, and chances are tonight will be one of those wins. The Suns won their last game against Denver, so a win tonight would officially begin another streak. Amare Stoudemire has an interesting matchup with Zach Randolph who is looking to sneak onto the Western Conference All-Star team. A big performance against one of the league’s best teams could go a long way in helping David Stern come to a conclusion.

Buzzer Beater: Caron Butler did a lot to quiet his critics last night when he dropped a career-high 38 points on the Sonics. The young journeyman is en route to his first All-Star Game, where he will join up with the Wizard’s main man, Gilbert Arenas. And while he is having a solid season, if you want to get picky about it, he’s the most questionable Eastern Conference All-Star. But when the coaches are forced to choose between Joe Johnson on a pathetic Atlanta squad or Butler who plays for one of the conference’s best squads; unfortunately, they’re gonna automatically take the winner every time.

Overtime Buzzer Beater: Read yesterday’s Buzzer Beater and simply replace the words “three” with “four,” “Sunday’s” with “Monday’s” and “Hawks” with “76ers” in the next to last sentence.

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NBA General

Around the Rim: David’s Dilemma


1. Save Face or Send a Message?
In an ironic twist of fate, commissioner David Stern now holds Carmelo Anthony’s All-Star future in his hands. Earlier in the season, Stern dished out a 15 game suspension to Melo for his involvement in the New York brawl. Now, the commish is responsible for assigning two players to the west’s team to replace the injured Yao Ming and Carlos Boozer. Anthony got snubbed by the coaches and the fans this year despite leading the league in scoring. Stern backed off the synthetic ball issue after player complaints continued to mount; will he be able to forgive and forget when it comes to Melo? If Anthony doesn’t make the squad, he would become the first player ever to miss the All-Star game while leading the league in scoring.

2. Wade’s Way
Dwyane Wade carried the weight of his entire team during the fourth quarter of last night’s game against the Cavs as he single-handedly outscored the entire Cleveland team. In the final 12 minutes, Wade went off for 24 points while LeBron’s boys could only muster 23. Making matters worse for Cleveland is that they held a 12 point lead with less than eight minutes remaining. The 24 points were also a Heat record for points scored in the final quarter. Wade finished with a fat 41 point game to go along with five assists, three steals and two blocks.

3. Low Blow
After writhing around on the floor because of an allegedly inadvertent pop to the face by Kobe Bryant on Sunday, Manu Ginobili decided to dish out a little “unintentional” punishment of his own last night. With about nine minutes remaining in the game, Ginobili drove to the hoop and delivered a running knee shot right to Amare Stoudemire’s unborn children. As most men would do, Stoudemire crumpled to the ground before jumping up and looking to throw down. After the game, Stoudemire said that he thought the knee was on purpose and called Ginobili a flopper; he was right on both counts. (We also want to point you to this hilarious video of Avery Johnson getting too excited and hitting Josh Howard in the nuts by accident.)

Thursday’s Player of the Day: Amare Stoudemire vs. San Antonio 43 min, 24 pts (FG: 9-18, FT: 6-7), 23 reb, 1 stl

Friday’s Game to Watch: Los Angeles Lakers (28-18) @ Indiana (24-21) The Kobe Show has hit the road, and it’s going to be a while before the performance returns to Hollywood. Tonight’s game is the third in an eight game road trip for the Lakers; so far they’re 1-1. The Pacers have only lost seven games at home this year behind the great play from Jermaine O’Neal, who was named an All-Star last night. Indiana has also won four of their last five with the last win coming at the expense of the pathetic Celtics. The same Celtics that Kobe scored 43 against on Wednesday.

Buzzer Beater: How did the fans get the West so wrong? Steve Nash has won the last two MVP’s and his biggest competition for this year’s award seems to be Dirk Nowitzki, yet both players were forced to make the team via a coach’s vote. The fan vote has become a pathetic popularity contest where performance is apparently irrelevant. Heck, health doesn’t even matter to the fans; Shaq got voted in despite playing in only four games by the time the votes were due. To borrow a phrase from Bill Walton; “How sad.”

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NBA General

Around the Rim: Agent Zero calls his shot


1. He Said It
Like Babe Ruth, Muhammad Ali and Joe Namath did before him; Gilbert Arenas has called his shot. While it might not have the same dramatics as a Super Bowl guarantee, Agent 0 did prophetically predict he’d drop fity’ on the Trailblazers when they hook up on February 11. “Well, it’s not the most important, but that’s the game I’m going to say is my next 50-pointer,” wrote Arenas on his NBA.com blog. “Tune in. I think ESPN or TNT needs to pick that game up.” Arenas already has three 50 point games this season and that number could grow in the next three weeks. So far, Arenas has been able to back up any talking he might want to do as he has the Wizards on top of the Eastern Conference for the first time in a long time.

2. The Answer is Carmelo
Who said that Melo and A.I. couldn’t share the rock? Well, maybe it’s a bit early to call this experiment a success but Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson did manage to handle their scoring roles quite nicely in Melo’s return to action against Memphis. By halftime, both had reached double figures in scoring. Granted it’s only the Grizzlies, but Denver looked sharp with their new lineup. Anthony led the way, scoring a game-high 28 points, as Iverson played second fiddle with 23. But regardless of who gets the majority of the points, it’s going to be tough for any team to match up with a backcourt that can put up 51.

3. Hot Heat Streak
Miami was down 3-2 early against New York last night, but that would be the last time they trailed in the game. That’s because it was at that point that the Heat ripped off a franchise record 27-0 run, giving themselves a 26 point cushion at 29-3. That’s a pretty impressive feat in itself but then you realize that the Heat were missing both team superheroes as Superman and Flash nursed injuries on the bench. The Knicks missed ten consecutive shots over the miserable span; even the Miami faithful cheered when New York finally hit a field goal.

Monday’s Player of the Day: Deron Williams vs. Minnesota 38 min, 21 pts (FG: 9-16, 3FG: 1-3, FT: 2-2), 3 reb, 15 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk

Tuesday’s Game to Watch: Phoenix (32-8) @ Washington (24-16) They did it once, now let’s see if they can pull off another stunner. It was way back on December 22 when the Wizards went into Phoenix and promptly ended the Suns 15 game winning streak behind 54 points from Gilbert Arenas. Since then, the Suns have lost one game and are riding a 13 game winning streak into Washington, where the Wizards are 17-3. Both teams are sitting at the top of their conference and they currently rank one and two in points per game (Phoenix: 111.5 ppg; Washington: 107.5 ppg). If this game even closely resembles their first meeting, then it’s definitely must see T.V.

Buzzer Beater: George Karl appears to think that Carmelo Anthony’s punishment was a bit severe after Kevin Garnett’s actions got the former M.V.P. a mere one game suspension. Karl references how similar the two incidents were, except for the fact that Melo’s punch landed. Sure, Karl has to stick up for his players but, Hello!, one situation ended with a some pushing and trash talk while the other ended with superstar sucker punches and players spilling into the crowd. Image is everything in today’s NBA. If you make the league look bad, David Stern will make you pay.

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NBA General

Around the Rim: Heat Check



Too much Stackhouse

1. Finals Rematch
Thanks to some clutch shooting in the fourth quarter by Jerry Stackhouse, the Mavericks were able to defeat the Heat 99-93 on Sunday. Dallas continues to mow down opponents, winning seven games in a row and 20 of their last 21. But Miami put up a decent fight as they wait for Shaq’s return to action. The Heat’s starting backcourt went off for 48 points and Udonis Haslem came close to a double-double with 15 and eight. Even the recently pudgy Antoine Walker got into the act with 11 points. Miami’s record isn’t pretty but if they can make the playoffs with a healthy O’Neal, then they can’t be counted out simply because of a low seed.

2. Wishful Thinking
Phoenix is like the Energizer Bunny; they just keep winning and winning. And they do so in fast breaking fashion. Last night, the Suns put up a whopping 131 points against Minnesota in regulation. Steve Nash has led the Suns to 13 straight victories, scoring over 105 points in ten of the contests. The Suns have three legitimate All-Stars who are capable of going off on an opponent on any night, which can be bad enough, but when the trio of Nash, Amare Stoudemire and Shawn Marion are all clicking at the same time, it turns into to 120+ point night quite easily. If only the NBA would arrange a mid-season seven game series between the Suns and Mavs. Oh, what a series it would be.

3. Hairy Situation
It’s not just the Suns win streak that continues to grow longer with each victory. The team’s facial hair is beginning to get out of control as well. Steve Nash isn’t even sure how the trend got started but sometime during Phoenix’s current win streak, some of the players on the team decided to avoid the razor and let their beards appear. Nash admitted to hating the look but like most athletes, he’s just superstitious enough to buy into the routine. Shawn Marion, on the other hand, isn’t giving in to temptation. “I can’t do it, man,” Marion said. “My face gets too itchy.”

Sunday’s Player of the Day: Dwyane Wade vs. Dallas 44 min, 31 pts (FG: 12-21, 3FG:1-4, FT: 6-9), 6 reb, 6 ast, 2 stl

Monday’s Game to Watch: Memphis (10-31) @ Denver (20-17) Memphis sucks but who cares, after all, he’s baaaack!! Carmelo Anthony will be in Denver’s lineup for the first time in 36 days after being suspended 15 games for his part in the mayhem that occurred between the Nuggets and the Knicks in mid December. Finally, after all the speculation and anticipation, we will get to see if Melo and Allen Iverson can coexist when Memphis makes the trip to The Mile High City tonight. Since A.I. joined the club, the Nuggets have gone 5-8, which included several double-digit losses. Anthony’s presence on the floor can do nothing but help as he remains the league’s best scorer with 31.6 points per game.

Buzzer Beater: Josh Smith gave a double barreled salute to the crowd as he walked to the locker room after being ejected in the second quarter of a 104-85 blowout loss in Charlotte on Saturday. There must be something in Atlanta’s water, or should I say in Atlanta’s water bottles, to make this Hawk think throwing the bird would fly in Mr. Stern’s NBA. Expect the commish to dish out some punishment early this week, possibly today.

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NBA General

Around the Rim: All-Star Saturday Night Fights


1. Forgive and Forget? Uh, No.
J.R. Smith is hoping he can earn back some of the cash he lost during his suspension by participating in either the three-point or slam dunk contest at the All-Star Game in Las Vegas. Apparently Smith hasn’t heard about the vendetta David Stern has against the leagues trouble makers. The aftermath from the brawl in Detroit is still being felt in the league today; it’s safe to bet he hasn’t forgotten about Smith’s bad behavior in New York just yet. Smith returned from his ten game suspension on Wednesday and proceeded to shoot and miss all four of his three point attempts; not a good endorsement for his long range skills. But Smith can certainly dunk in impressive fashion and it’s a shame that the fans won’t be able to enjoy his talents because of a flagrant foul gone wild.

2. New Life in New Jersey
For a guy who’s supposed to be going through one of the more traumatic experiences in life, Jason Kidd sure isn’t showing any ill effects on the court. His team is currently winning the Atlantic Division and Kidd picked up the 82 triple-double of his career with 23 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists in a win over the Bulls last night. Since filing for a divorce from an allegedly violent Joumana on Tuesday, J-Kidd has led his team to a perfect 2-0 record and the Nets have won five of their last six games. So, something about the bachelor life must be treating Kidd right. It could be the cold pizza in the morning. It could be Jason simply finds sanctuary from his problems on the court. But it’s probably the lack of physical abuse.

3. The Antique Road Show
The Kings use to be one of the best home teams in the NBA; now, not so much. But one thing remains the same from the early part of the decade, and that is that the Kings are not good hosts. As of now, visitors have a 50/50 chance to take home a win when traveling to Sac Town but that’s still not enough motivation for some players to want to take the trip to Arco Arena. Even coaches hate the accommodations. Phil Jackson recently compared the locker room to a dungeon. It’s situated in a confined area with a small rack for clothes and there’s no television for players to watch while they are kicking back in folding chairs during their stay. Oddly enough, one of the most hated men in Sacramento loves the amenities offered by the Kings. “I’m a traditionalist,” said Kobe Bryant. “Look at that chalk board, the stains all over it. This is Arco. I love coming here. I don’t want them to change a thing.”

Thursday’ Player of the Day: Jason Kidd @ Chicago 43 min, 23 pts (FG: 8-17, 3FG: 3-5, FT: 4-6), 14 reb, 11 ast, 2 stl

Friday’s Game to Watch: Orlando (22-14) @ Los Angeles Lakers (23-13) Orlando has worked their way back to the top of the Southeast Division after a stretch where they lost ten of 14. Behind the play of Dwight Howard, the Magic are riding a five game winning streak into Los Angeles where the Lakers are 16-4. L.A. has amassed a remarkable list of victims who have all fallen within the walls of the Staples Center, including Phoenix, Utah, San Antonio, Houston, and the recent, streak ending victory over Dallas. But the Lakers have lost their last two games; a defeat to the lowly Grizzlies and a 25 point beat-down by the Rockets.

Buzzer Beater: Could any one play better sum up the season of the Boston Celtics than the attempted dunk during the final moments of the game against Indiana on Wednesday? The answer is no. Late in the fourth quarter, guard Tony Allen went for an unnecessary, uncontested dunk after the whistle had blown and in the process of landing tore two ligaments in his left knee which will cause him to miss the remainder of the season. Poetically, Boston lost the game, 97-84. In addition to Allen, the Celtics are without Paul Pierce, Theo Ratliff and Wally Szczerbiak.

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NBA General

Around the Rim: Overlooked


1. Forgotten Nugget
With Yao Ming on the sideline with an injured knee, it’s unsure if he can make a return in time to suit up for the All-Star game in mid-February. Maybe the NBA should consider inserting Denver center Marcus Camby as a replacement. Camby is currently averaging 12 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks and he is coming off an impressive game against Milwaukee that saw him score 19 points, grab 15 rebounds and swat seven shots. And that was with a broken finger. Unfortunately for Camby, if he’s going to receive a ticket to the game it will have to come via a coach’s decision because despite his solid season, he’s still sitting in the fifth spot for Western Conference centers behind Yao, Amare Stoudemire, Erick Dampier and Mehmet Okur. As always, the fans don’t have the tightest grip on reality, but hopefully the coaches’ vote will more accurately portray reality and not popularity.

2. New Face in S.A.?
San Antonio broke out of a three game losing slump on Sunday when they easily defeated the Grizzlies without guard Tony Parker, who missed the game with a strained hip. When asked about the team’s improvement in the absence of the soon to be Mr. Longoria, Tim Duncan responded, “We need to trade (Parker) or get rid of him or something.” Obviously Duncan was being sarcastic with his comment, but the Spurs are serious about making a trade, but not for Tony. S.A. would love to add the athleticism of Corey Maggette to their lineup and an aging Brent Barry along with Beno Udrih is a small price to pay for the ability to run with the West’s progressively up-tempo style. But at this point, what team isn’t on Maggette’s radar as a possible new destination. Toronto’s Morris Peterson is also drawing some attention from Gregg Popovich as a possible compliment to the team’s guard/forward rotations.

3. Redd Alert
It’s going to be tough for any team to replace 27.7 points per game, but for the Milwaukee Bucks it’s going to be impossible. The injury to Michael Redd will keep him sidelined for anywhere from four to six weeks and by the time he returns, the Bucks ship might be sunk. Milwaukee is currently clinging to the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and they can directly attribute that to the offensive outbursts by Redd. Look at how the Sixers have handled losing their star scorer; and Philly actually got something in return when they lost 30 points from the lineup! Their upcoming schedule is not exactly terrifying, but nobody on the calendar can be taken lightly when your only 16-18. And with the mediocrity that saturates the East, there are far too many teams with losing records who are dying to back into the playoffs for Milwaukee to think they can survive without their shooting star.

Monday’s Player of the Day: Ruben Patterson @ Denver 38 min, 29 pts (FG: 13-21, FT: 3-6), 12 reb, 7 ast, 4 stl

Tuesday’s Game to Watch: Dallas (27-8) @ Utah (24-10) The Jazz have been sporadic of late but they remain strong at home where they are 14-2. Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams continue to provide a modern day version of Utah Hall of Famers Karl Malone and John Stockton. But the Stockton/Malone pick-n-roll might not be enough to slow down the white hot Mavs. Even though Dallas lost to the Lakers and had their impressive streak ended, nobody has been better than the Mavericks this season. Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard can already make their reservations for Las Vegas in February. However, Dallas’ weakness has been in their blue uniforms as they’ve dropped five games away from home.

Buzzer Beater: You’ve got to love a guy like Melvin Ely who can ask for a trade with a smile on his face. The Bobcats’ forward realizes that he is going to be stuck on the bench behind youngsters like Emeka Okafor and Sean May but instead of making waves, Ely has demanded for a trade in a professional manner that can only improve his appeal to other teams. Too often trades involve negative feelings between players and management, but its guys like Ely who understand they make an extremely profitable livelihood by playing a child’s game, and despite the unfavorable circumstance, there is no losing situation.

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NBA General

Around the Rim: Happy New Year!


1. Kevin Likes It! He Really Likes It!
Well, at long last, the leather ball has returned and it has already been approved by Kevin Garnett. The Minnesota forward put up a season high 32 points against Charlotte in the NBA’s first game with the new old ball. “There is a God,” said Garnett. And K.G. wasn’t the only one feeling the magic of the rock. Four other players scored 20 or more points in the contest. The Celtics seemed to enjoy the change as well. After losing to Seattle on New Year’s Eve with the synthetic ball, Boston opened 2007 with a win over Portland, shooting 44 percent and snapping a six game losing streak in the process.

2. Philly Comes to Town
It wasn’t that long ago when Allen Iverson wore a Sixers uniform. Now, after over a decade of hoops, Iverson will play his first game against Philadelphia. Philly has been a joke all year long and A.I. would love nothing more than to make this reunion a memorable one. Obviously, he could do so by leading his new team to a victory over his old team but, he can also etch his name into the record books with a high scoring performance. If Iverson can drop 40 on his old franchise then he will move into fourth place on the list of players with the most games of 40 or more. The Answer is currently tied with Oscar Robertson with 77 such games. Only Wilt Chamberlain (271), Michael Jordan (173) and Elgin Baylor (88) are ahead of Iverson on the list.

3. Shaq’s Back?
Coaches around the league are searching for a team schedule as they are looking to see when they have to play Miami next. That’s because Shaquille O’Neal is expected to return to the Heat’s lineup on January 15. And what a surprise, if all goes according to plan then Shaq first game back will be against his old Los Angeles Lakers team. Consider it a late Christmas present since Shaq missed the now traditional L.A. versus Miami X-Mas match-up. But late is better than never as Miami has struggled this season and they are currently sitting in third place in their division.

Monday’s Player of the Day: Kevin Garnett @ Charlotte 42 min, 32 pts (FG: 12-18, FT: 8-10), 14 reb, 3 ast, 1 blk

Tuesday’s Game to Watch: Phoenix (21-8) @ Chicago (19-12) Chicago has the best home record in the league and they will need to take full advantage of their crowd’s support as the Suns come to town. Phoenix is only 9-5 on the road but most of their road woes came early in the season. Steve Nash and Co. has won nine of their last ten away from home. No team has hotter than the Bulls recently and a four-time Defensive Player of the Year might be the only person that can slow down a now healthy Amare Stoudemire.

Buzzer Beater: Denver is not the safest place to live if you are a professional athlete. Just ask Nuggets guard Julius Hodge who was shot four times on April 8, 2006. Hodge considers himself lucky to be alive after the drive-by shooting. Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams was not so fortunate after he was gunned down inside of his limousine. Oddly enough, Williams was killed in the same neighborhood where Hodge currently lives.

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NBA General

Around The Rim: The Telestrator is Calling


1. The Czar
When you’re the worst team in the NBA and can only amass six wins in 30 games, something has to change. So, Memphis management decided that coach Mike Fratello was the logical choice to be replaced. Bad decision. The Grizzlies have been without their best player for a majority of the season which could be devastating for any team. Management should have given Fratello more time with Pau Gasol before delivering the final blow to the coach. This season was lost when Gasol went down during the summer, so why not allow Fratello to ride out the year? After all, he did win at least 40 games in both of his previous years and took Memphis to the playoffs both seasons as well. Not too bad in a stacked Western Conference.

2. Bizarro World
Before the season began, who would have guessed that Toronto and Washington would be winning their divisions at this point in the season? Probably nobody, except for Raptors and Wizards fans, but that is exactly what has happened. Both teams are on pace to have home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. That’s something that doesn’t happen often in these cities, especially for the league’s lone Canadian team. But don’t get too arrogant if you live in these cities. Despite their status among division mates, neither of these teams will even come close to sniffing a championship. Overall, Washington is the 11th best team in the league and Toronto is the 19th best team. So, enjoy your reign at the top while you can.

3. X-Factor
While nobody knows how things will shake out once Carmelo Anthony returns from his 15 game suspension, it seems that Denver is pretty happy with their latest acquisition. Allen Iverson has been nothing less than impressive since joining the Nuggets where he has been given new life along with championship hopes. Iverson has put up a double-double in all three of his games as a Nugget and he has won two games in a row for the first time since Philadelphia won their first three to begin the season. Iverson is not only dominating games but he is now making his teammates better. With all eyes on A.I., other players like Earl Boykins, Reggie Evans and Eduardo Najera are inspired to play larger roles for the team. Just imagine how players like Anthony, Marcus Camby and J.R. Smith will benefit from the presence of Iverson.

Thursday’s Player of the Day: Allen Iverson vs. Seattle 43 min, 44 pts (FG: 17-29, 3FG: 1-2, FT: 9-12), 3 reb, 10 ast, 2 stl

Friday’s Game to Watch: New York (13-18) @ Phoenix (19-8) It’s not too often that New York is considered to be a must watch team, but it’s also not too often that New York wins four out of five. The Knicks will be taking a 5-8 road record, along with a new sense of worth, to Phoenix where the Suns are 11-3 on the year. But Phoenix has also been on quite a tear of late, winning 18 of their last 21 games. The Suns will be hoping to end this game in regulation as New York is a perfect 4-0 in overtime games.

Buzzer Beater: What happened to the Magic? Since starting the year off 14-5, Orlando has performed a disappearing act as they have only won three games since. The team is now struggling to simply reclaim first place in their division. The Magic are 17-13 but with a win tonight over Washington, Orlando can climb back to the top of the Southeast Division.

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NBA General

Around The Rim: The Big Uneasy


1. New Orleans Hor-nots
The Hornets started off the year looking like a team that was determined to make the playoffs. Now, they look more like a team that is simply determined to get off the trainers table. Chris Paul twisted his ankle on Tuesday against Seattle and is expected to miss two more games. Paul is just the latest Hornet to be bitten by the injury bug. Peja Stojakovic is scheduled to miss at least two months after having surgery on his back and David West is expected to miss anywhere from two to eight weeks after surgery on his shoulder. But losing three starters just isn’t enough for this team. Sixth man Bobby Jackson is out until next month due to a cracked rib. The problems continue to mount for the team with no home as they have lost three in a row and eight of their last ten.

2. The Waiting Is the Hardest Part
Now that Allen Iverson has been traded to Denver, who is going to be the next big star to don a new uniform? The answer might be in California where it appears Corey Maggette is ready to leave the Clippers. Recently, Maggette was quoted as saying, “Me and coach Dunleavy, we don’t see eye to eye.” Apparently the team is talking with Sacramento about a trade involving Ron Artest. It is certain that Maggette’s days are done in L.A. but finding a proper trade has been difficult for the team. The Kings want more for Artest and the Clippers don’t want to lose too much of their current squad. This could turn into another waiting game as the Clippers continue to search for a reasonable trade. But at 12-16 and sitting at the bottom of their division, time is definitely not on L.A.’s side.

3. 20/20 Vision
Jason Kidd was fined $20,000 after referring to the referees in New Jersey’s game versus Detroit as “three blind mice.” The comments came after a questionable no-call at the end of the game when Vince Carter and Rasheed Wallace made contact as Carter took what could have been a game-winning shot. Net’s coach Lawrence Frank was not fined after he yelled at the referees after the game. Kidd did not back down from his comments after being fined by the league. Perhaps he had yet to review the tape as it appeared that Carter was more responsible for the contact as he pushed-off of Wallace. Maybe Kidd should be the one to schedule an appointment with an optometrist.

Wednesday’s Player of the Day: Gerald Wallace vs. Washington 42 min, 40 pts (FG: 15-27, 3FG: 0-2, FT: 10-11), 14 reb, 6 stl, 4 blk

Thursday’s Game to Watch: Phoenix (19-7) @ Dallas (21-7) It’s a battle between up-tempo and really up-tempo. Dallas is 12-3 at home and has won seven in row while the Suns are attempting to start a new streak after having their 15 game win streak snapped by Washington. Steve Nash returns to Dallas with two consecutive MVP awards as former teammate Dirk Nowitzki is hoping to take the trophy away from his buddy this season. Expect a barn-burner tonight in Big D.

Buzzer Beater: Chris Webber returned to Sacramento last night but there was certainly no home-coming party. Webber struggled throughout the game and ended the night with a pathetic four points on 2-9 shooting in 26 minutes. It seems like Webber would be motivated to step-up his game with A.I. gone and his old team on the schedule. But the poor performances just continue to mount for the former double-double King.