Not long ago here at the Dose, I wrote what most folks would call a “slam piece” on Kobe Bryant criticizing the superstar of the Los Angeles Lakers of Los Angeles. I was harsh on Mister Bryant, bumping his planet-sized ego down a few pegs. I attacked his attitude, his personality and that sour look that takes over his face once the going gets tough. Well, the buck stops here. During this installment of the NBA’s post-season, I have seen a different side of Kobe. I have finally learned that Kobe Bryant cares about one thing: bringing home the trophy. That’s it. In the midst of the biggest free-agency period in NBA history, full of speculation and free agent “summits”, Kobe has kept a quiet cool on his quest for another ring. While Lebron, Wade, Bosh and Joe Johnson gather in a private villa with bottle service and half-naked models to discuss where they would like to play next season, Kobe has kept his on eye the ultimate prize. Recently, when asked where he thought where Lebron would end up next season, Kobe replied, “I could give a [expletive].” 

Right on, Kobe. He has bigger fish to fry.  

What ever happened the idea of winning it all? This new generation of players seems lost. They seem more preoccupied with sneaker deals and fame instead of winning rings.  

Kobe is playing with 9 fingers, a bloated knee and god only knows what else. He doesn’t complain or whine about officiating (often), just sucks it up and takes his game to the next level when Lamar Kardashian and Andrew Bynum shrivel up like raisins on a July day. Kobe Bryant keeps his head up, tightens up his defense and plays with a fire that we have not seen since – are you ready? Michael Jordan. That’s right, I just compared Kobe to Michael. Kobe doesn’t seem to care about his public image either. He is hated by most who are not Laker fans, much like the way Jeter is hated by those who are not Yankee fans. That does not seem to matter a lick to Kobe. I am by no means a fan of Bryant, but my respect for the man has reached a new high. So while the free-agent summit gets a room at the Trump to discuss contracts and dream teams, Kobe will be smiling, knowing that he is light-years ahead of these other players, this in terms of maturity, pure talent and most importantly, championships.  

Kobe Bryant is the last of a dying breed. 

When the Celtics and Lakers meet for their 12th time in an NBA Finals this Thursday, they will each be renewing a rivalry unlike any other.  Celtics/Lakers is not the longest-standing rivalry in sports, nor is it the most hate-fueled.  But purely in terms of two teams coming together to fight for the top prize in their sport, nothing even comes close.  (To give some perspective, the Cardinals and Yankees have met an MLB-leading 5 World Series', while the Cowboys and Steelers have met in a league-high 3 Superbowls.)  Celtics-Lakers enter anther hemisphere with their now 12th encounter, all the more compelling because this rivalry has spanned three distinct eras.  Now with the Celtics out ahead 9-2 in the finals, 2010 probably won't be tipping the all time rivalry balance, that is, unless we break it down into eras.  Russell & co took era 1, Magic edged out Bird in era 2, and in the current era, Boston leads the rubber match (of sorts, just bear with me here) 1-0.  Let me elaborate.

Era 1: 1959-1969 
Boston wins 7-0

Boston’s Key 5:
Bill Russell
Bob Cousy
Tom Heinsohn
John Havlicek
KC Jones
Coach: Red Auerbach

LA’s Key 5:
Elgin Baylor
Jerry West
Gail Goodrich
Wilt Chamberlain (68-69)
Rudy Larusso
Coach: Fred Schaus

Era 2: 1984-1987
LA wins 2-1

Boston’s Key 5:
Larry Bird
Kevin McHale,
Robert Parish
Dennis Johnson
Danny Ainge
Coach: K.C. Jones

LA’s Key 5:
Magic Johnson
James Worthy
Kareem-Abdul Jabbar
Kurt Rambis
Byron Scott
Coach: Pat Riley

Era 3: 2007-Present
Boston leads 1-0

Boston’s Key 5:
Paul Pierce
Kevin Garnett
Ray Allen
Rajon Rondo
Kendrick Perkins
Coach: Doc Rivers

LA’s Key 5:
Kobe Bryant
Pau Gasol
Derek Fisher
Lamar Odom
Andrew Bynum
Coach: Phil Jackson

Overshadowing what has turned out to be a must watch NBA playoffs, the Lebron James shuffle is now in full swing. In anticipation of July 1st, we have heard countless claims of where Lebron might play next season. I still maintain that King James will be a Knick, but that is because I am contractually obligated to lobby for anything that will benefit New York. Speculating about where Lebron James will end up has become as trendy as hipsters drinking Pabst Blue Ribbon. Everyone is doing it, with each claim getting more ridiculous as we inch closer to free agency. But forget conventional thought. Forget Chicago, Miami, the Knicks and Nets. Lets think outside the box here. Here are five scenarios of where Lebron will end up post-July 1st. 

Scenario 1: Lebron decides to stay in Ohio, forming his own expansion team in Cincinnati. James will team up with Chad Ochocinco and form a two-man squad that plays home games in the parking lot of Paul Brown Stadium. Ozzie Guillen will be the coach. A team name is still up for discussion.

Scenario 2: Lebron decides he’s had enough of the NBA and the fakeness involved, so he takes a year and plays in the NBA’s developmental league. I’m thinking he lands on either the Iowa Energy or the Erie Bayhawks. This way he can keep his mid-western roots while still enjoying the game of basketball. He averages a triple-double per game, but struggles adjusting to the pace of the games.

Scenario 3: Lebron quits basketball all together and becomes the leading advocate for stopping the oil spill in the Gulf Coast. With no diving equipment or proper training, he plunges down towards the spot of the leak and caps it off with his bear hands. Everyone will still criticize him though for not doing it quickly enough or incorporating his teammates. Skip Bayless will still call him selfish. 

Scenario 4: Sighting a 2014 Super Bowl in the New York/New Jersey area, Lebron decides to try out for the New York Football Giants (The Jets tried to sign him, but they ran out of pen ink). Lebron makes the team with ease and signs a 2-year-deal to play middle linebacker for the G-Men. After two solid seasons at the position, Lebron decides to opt out of his contract during Super Bowl week, just in time for more speculation on where he will end up. 

Scenario 5: Lebron decides he’s had enough of pro sports and runs for president of the United States in 2016. He refuses to join to the Democratic or Republican parties, running as an actual king. He wins in a landslide with a kingdom of celebrities including P Diddy, Justin Bieber and Lil Wayne. But by 2018, Lebron gets that itch again and inquires about coming back to the NBA – mid presidential term. 

Now that Lebron James has quit on the Cavs and the city of Cleveland, he has all but punched his ticket to take over The Big Apple when free agency begins this summer. It would appear that King James is ready to leave dumpy Ohio and bring respectability and winning ways to a franchise that has not played with swagger since Latrell Sprewell, the coach-choking bandit, led the Knicks to the finals in 1999. The Knicks were run out of the gym by the Spurs that year, in case you needed reminding. 

Can he start tomorrow, please?

My first clear sports memory was the spring of 1994, and what a spring it was. The New York Rangers won Lord Stanley’s Cup with Mess, Leetch, Graves and Mike Richter between the pipes, after what must’ve felt like an eternity of pitiful hockey and tragic mishaps. Right alongside of them stood the New York Knickerbockers in the NBA Finals. Although the Knicks lost to Hakeem the Dream and the Rockets that year, it was quite a ride. Patrick Chewing was a golden god, alongside Charles Oakley, Anthony Mason, John Starks and entire squad of blue-collar, no-nonsense ballers that strived for nothing less than to bring the Knicks their first championship since the early 1970’s. Since then, the Knicks have had a handful of competitive seasons, from Starbury eating Vaseline to first-round dynamo Jordan Hill.  Now, our time has come. When Lebron shows up, there will be no reason for the United States to ratify Kyoto. The world will be at peace. Jews and Muslims will be holding hands skipping together on 34th Street. Pigeons will soar like eagles above a restored city as Lebron, Chris Bosh, Tony Parker, David Lee and Gallo are making it rain in the eastern conference.

After the listless Cavs lost to Boston last week, Lebron must’ve felt like Lawrence Taylor’s hooker the way the media beat him up. I honestly think Skip Bayless got his best night’s sleep in years, watching King James falter against a Celtics team that was supposedly “too old” and “asleep at the wheel”. By the way, James had a triple double – what a hack, right? Honestly, I was as a big Celtics fan as you can find this series. I almost bought a Garnett jersey and rocked it hard. Because deep down, everyone knows what’s coming.  Lebron is going to tell Cleveland thanks but no thanks, flirt with the Bulls for a minute, drive his Maserati through New Jersey, show up at Donnie Walsh’s office in Penn Plaza on July the 1st and ask “Where do I sign, boss?”

The rest of the NBA has NO idea what is about to happen.

And spare me the chatter about Lebron not being as good as we all think. He’s NOT Michael Jordan, nor will he ever be. Just like Kobe is Kobe, Lebron is Lebron. Dude is 25 and has been playing with Mo Williams and Shaq, who is WELL past his prime. Give him a team and Coach Mike’s run-and-gun style offense and see what turns up. Guaranteed top-three team in the east as soon as the first Lebron jersey goes on sale in Times Square.

 After recently watching ESPN’s “30 for 30” on Reggie Miller vs. The New York Knicks, I realized why the NBA fell off people’s radar following Michael Jordan’s retirement. The intensity was gone. During the Pacers-Knicks rivalry of the mid 90’s, each team decided that they would not give up any lay-ups. So every time a player did attempt a layup, he would end up on his back. That was the way things were back then; teams did not like each other. That's why I love the NBA playoffs. Although you don't know when it’s going to come, sure enough, there will be at least one series that is more intense than Mr. Hand at the start of a new school year (Think last years Bulls/Celtics series. Aloha Mr. Spicoli). With that being said, let’s take a look at the playoff teams that could actually make some noise this year (Sorry Toronto, Miami, Charlotte, Portland and San Antonio. Try again next year): 

• Milwaukee Bucks: Everyone’s favorite story line since the All-Star break, and for good reason too. They’ve won 15 of 19 since the break, they have an exciting rookie who could go for 30 on any given night, they have one of, if not the best passing big man in the game, and a rejuvenated John Salmons who played a crucial part in the previously mentioned Bulls/Celtics series. If I were the Hawks and Celtics, I would do everything in my power to make sure I finish 3^rd to avoid playing the Bucks in the first round.
• Atlanta Hawks: This team is more mysterious than an Agatha Christie novel. Some nights they look unbeatable, other nights they look pedestrian. Clearly they’re a top four team in the East, but what does that really say about them? The Hawks could make a run to the Conference finals if Josh Smith can play to his potential, if Jamal Crawford can limit his bad shots, and if Mike Bibby can get in touch with Brett Favre and figure out how to extend his career. That’s a lot of ifs for a supposed ‘championship contender’. Joe Johnson will be solid, but if they go down 2-0 or 3-1, how hard will he be playing knowing he’s not coming back to Atlanta next year? Do not expect much from this Hawks team.
• Boston Celtics: If the playoffs were a best of three series, I might pick the Celtics to make a run to the finals. Unfortunately, this team has to stay healthy for upwards of 20 straight games. I just don’t see it happening. They proved they are still a tough team to beat by trouncing the Nuggets last week, but there is no way they can chase Lebron around for 7 games and come out on top. Rondo has already proved himself as a top tier point guard but these playoffs provide an opportunity for him to separate himself from the Derrick Rose/Devin Harris area and vault himself into the Chris Paul/ Deron Williams discussion. Rondo is a special player, he just needs help from the other 4 guys on the downside of their careers (Garnett, Wallace, Pierce, and Allen).
• Orlando Magic/Cleveland Cavaliers: Clearly the two best teams in the east. I think it would take a ’07-’08 New York Mets collapse for these teams not to meet in the Conference finals. Dwight Howard vs. Lebron James: How many times do you think they’ll meet in the conference finals before their careers are over? I’ll set the over/under at 8 and I’m leaning towards the over. For NBA fans, there is nothing better. Two high-flying superstars, in the primes of their careers, hungry for their first championship. I’m getting excited just thinking about it. Although the Magic won last year, I don’t see it happening again. They added Vince “Half-man, Half-retired” Carter while getting rid of two key players from last year’s finals team (Raefer Alston and Courtney Lee). The Cavs, on the other hand, went out and got Antawn Jamison, Shaquille O’Neal’s corpse, and managed to re-sign Big Z after trading him months earlier. Let’s not forget the emergence of JJ Hickson, who compliments Lebron perfectly, and the fact that they are peaking at the right time (currently on an 8 game win streak. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if they finished on an 18 game win streak finishing the year at 67-15. I’m not saying it’s going to happen, I just wouldn’t be surprised).

The Pick: Upset Alert for whoever ends up with the 4 seed. Pretty standard from there on out. The Cleveland Cavaliers will represent the East in this year’s finals.

March is the time of year when little known schools from around the country rise to the center stage as millions take to their tvs for the greatest tournament in sports.  While most can guess where schools like Kentucky and Northern Iowa are located (Hint: Kentucky and Northern Iowa), others might not be so obvious.  Here's a quick rundown of sports schools whose locations aren't so self-evident.  Schools that made this years tourney are in bold.

Auburn - Alabama

St. John's - New York

Point: 96 Teams?  The More, The Merrier!
By Peter Hart

So the NCAA is considering expanding The Tournament to 96 teams, as everyone has surely heard.  My first thought: crazy.  My second thought: awesome.  My thoughts now: crazy awesome.

First, let's get the obvious out of the way.  This is a ploy for more money.  CBS and the NCAA want to make more money, and couldn't be more transparent about it.  Who cares?  They are going to take my single favorite thing in sports and make it bigger, longer, wilder, more unpredictable, and more entertaining.  What's not to like?  The coaches and players are already in favor of it; it means a better chance of a validation of their season and an appearance on the national stage.  Clearly CBS and the rest of the sports media will love it; they're already seeing dollar signs.  Fans will love it; what fan wouldn't love more games, more upsets, more buzzer beaters, more...madness?

In 1985, as we all know, the tournament expanded from 32 teams to 64.  There was an initial outcry, but people quickly realized that having 32 first-round games in 2 days (and 48 in 4 days) was the most exciting thing they'd ever seen.  That's what this change means--an extra round of 32 games in 2 days.  This--not the finals--is unequivocally the most exciting and entertaining part of the tournament.  For a few glorious days a year, we are blessed with unending, nonstop basketball, underachieving mid-major squads fighting for their lives, with their seasons--and our brackets--on the line.  No one expects these teams to go all the way, but they don't have to; for the little guys, legends are made in these first few days.  No one can remember the Final Four from 1998, but everyone can remember Valparaiso that year, buzzer-beating its way into the Sweet 16.

So let's analyze a 96-team system and why it would make this perfect tourney even more perfect.  First of all, 96 teams, when you're dealing with well over 300 D-1 schools, is still approximately the same percentage of playoff teams as the MLB, and much lower than the NFL.  In the new first round, the top 32 teams sit with a bye, while the other 64 play it out.  You know the play-in game between the bottom two squads they do now?  That's the idea, but tourney-wide.  The 32 bye teams is appropriate anyway; the ranked teams (top 25) plus 7 more conference winners (probably from mid-majors) get byes.  It makes perfect sense.  So the 64 at-large teams duke it out in a wild, exciting classic first round full of unknown teams, underdogs, and upsets.  Then, ANOTHER ROUND OF 64-TEAM MAYHEM.  What could be better?  Then the tournament progresses as usual, but maybe with a few even more unheard-of teams showing people up.  It will make getting to the Sweet 16 something to really brag about too; either you have to win 3 games, or be a top team and win 2.  Bottom line: we're taking the 48 games in 4 days and changing it to 80 games in 6 days.  Not just expanding the best event in sports, but expanding the best part of the best event in sports.

So what's standing in the way?  Purists.  People who say the sport is cheapened, the tournament is cheapened, the regular season is cheapened.  That teams that don't "deserve it" will get in.  First of all, the regular season isn't cheapened, it's really strengthened; the teams that are really the best teams get a bye.  Second, we've only determined who "deserves it" based on the equally arbitrary 64 team system.  Who says that 64 teams deserve it?  The tournament used to be 32 teams.  Before that, 16.  Before that, 8.  And each time they expanded, the same group of people complained that it would cheapen college basketball, that teams that didn't "deserve it" would get in.  And each time, the tournament became more exciting, more watched, more anticipated, and people quickly got used to the new number of "deserving" teams.  Which really reveals a different concern: people are used to this format.  They don't want the tournament to change because they have come to know it and love it.  They can't imagine something so perfect could be improved.  For many, it's too much to handle.  They can't imagine a bracket with 50% more teams to keep track of.  Well 25 years ago we all got used to a bracket with 100% more teams and look how much better it is.  The argument that 64 just fits on a piece of paper nicely is not enough to outweigh the potential for the overwhelming excitement that 96 promises.

What are we waiting for?  The sooner, the better.  The more, the merrier.

Counterpoint: Just Say No!

By Ben Pogany

I am not a sports purist.  I support limited instant-replay in baseball, an overhaul of NFL overtime rules, and the annihilation of the BCS.  I am generally open to any idea that will make my sports better.  That said, I hate hate hate the idea of expanding the dance to 96 teams.  March Madness is one of the few perfect things in sports.  Now I know that that’s what they said when the field was 16 teams, and again when it was 32 teams, but I wasn’t around for that and am telling you now that 64 teams is the perfect number.  Half the teams get in by winning their conferences, the other half have to prove to the selection committee that they are worthy of an at-large bid.  We are left with the perfect mix of big-time schools and mid-majors.  No one can say that any team doesn’t deserve to be there. 

Of course, we all agree that it doesn’t get any better than those first four days of, well, madness, when teams are playing round the clock.  Cinderellas taking on giants…upsets abounding…Greg Gumble.    Of course, the logical thought would be if 4 days of constant basketball is great, how could 6 days with 32 more teams not be better. Mid-majors don’t enter the tournament expecting to reach the final four.  They know that just being there is a tremendous honor and opportunity in itself.  For many of these smaller schools, it might be the first time they've ever sent a representative to the Dance.  Of course they want to win, but just to be there is an experience to be cherished forever.  Add 32 mediocre teams and see what kind of honor it becomes.  These mid-majors still won’t have a shot at winning, but now the magnitude of having reached the Big Dance has diminished to the point that we can barely even call it an worthwhile accomplishment.  March Madness is great because a select few mid-major schools have a shot to play with the big boys.  Give too many teams a shot and you will kill the magic.

Secondly, expansion will kill any semblance of meaning in the regular season.  While this probably means nothing to 95% of casual fans who only tune into the sport when it’s time to fill out their office bracket, for those that have been paying attention all season expanding the dance will be catastrophic.  Yes, college hoops admits a far lower percentage of its teams to the postseason than most professional sports, but this is only when you take into account the entirety of the 31 conferences.  To be blunt, there are 6 conferences that matter, and by matter, I mean draw substantial interest from viewers across the country.  As it is, over half of these teams waltz into the tournament.  If the dance were to be expanded to 96, and the additional 32 teams were at-large bids, that percentage would skyrocket to 80 or 90%.  Moreover, some of the best basketball of the year is played during the conference tournaments, when bubble teams are fighting for their lives to seize one of the few remaining at-large bids.  With the relaxed qualifications that a 96-team field would entail, these conference tournaments would be exercises in futility.  Any big-6 team that is making their conference tournament will already be all but guaranteed a spot in the Big Dance, thereby robbing these conference tournaments of any true significance, and with it, marketable appeal.

With all this being said, I am not naïve. Expansion will make more money, and sadly, that is often the sole criterion in such decisions.  I only hope the people in charge ultimately put the good of the game over the good of their bank accounts.

Who says there's no parity in college basketball?  One need look no further than this year's class of 65 dancers to see just how even the playing field has become.   Well, actually, you might learn more by looking at who isn't in 2010's big dance.  UCLA? UNC? Indiana?  Arizona?  Illinois?  UConn???  See: NIT.  Oh, how the mighty have fallen.  Here is a look at the ten greatest college basketball traditions of all time, four of which will be watching the madness from their couches this year. 

1. UCLA*-11 championships including a whopping 10 in 12 years. 18 Final Four appearances.
2. Kentucky-7 championships and 13 Final Four appearances.
3. UNC*- 5 championships and 18 Final Four appearances.
4. Indiana*- 5 championships and 8 Final Four appearances.
5. Duke- 3 championships and 14 Final Four appearances.
6. Kansas- 3 championships and 13 Final Four appearances.
7. Louisville- 2 championships and 8 Final Four appearances.
8. Michigan St- 2 championships and 7 Final Four appearances.
9. Florida- 2 championships and 4 Final Four appearances.
10. Connecticut*- 2 championships and 3 Final Four appearances.

Hey Kobe, tell me how my ass tastes. Last week I hailed Kobe Bryant, right here at the Dose as being immortal in big moments. Kobe has hit his fair share of buzzer beaters and has made a career of carving up defenses like a holiday ham. The dude has a near handful of NBA titles, has tasted MVP honors and has been killing it in LaLa land since he arrived back in the 90’s. But Kobe also exemplifies what it means to act like a Private School girl when things don’t exactly go his way. He is like the 17-year-old girl who gets a Mercedes Benz as her first car, but throws a temper tantrum because of the leather interior getting too hot in the summer. Based on his accomplishments, it’s hard to pretend like I wouldn’t want young Kobe on my team. Honestly, I’d trade my entire squad for Kobe. But go ahead and try to find me a more unlikeable, self-centered, me-first guy who has the league by the balls. Here, let me show you why Kobe is about as cool as Hitler, broken down into three separate ego’s.

Kobe, The Face
Kobe has perfected the “trade me if we lose” face in Purple and Gold. It feels like every time the Lakers lose, Kobe gets on his iPhone and calls his agent to see what the NBA trade market is like. Never mind the fiasco that he pulled several years ago asking out of Los Angeles on a radio show, pretending like he didn’t say it and then getting booed on his home floor for it. That shit never happened to Jeter. The City of Angels has embraced Kobe and treated him like he has the cure for AIDS, and Kobe re-pays the people of the Staples Center by trying to bounce like a super ball. Thanks Kobe. Oh and the look doesn’t stop there. God forbid a Lakers teammate misses a free throw, turns the ball over or commits a foul. I am 98% sure Kobe has a voodoo doll for everyone on the Lakers. Play perfect or else, Luke Walton.

Kobe, The Alienator
Phil Jackson? Check. Shaq? Check. Andrew Bynum? Almost. I didn’t know that Kobe was a GM!? Everyone can agree that Kobe forced Shaq-Fu out of town, as if Shaq’s Hall-of-Fame ways weren’t the reason the Lakers won the way they did. Phil Jackson hated Kobe for a bit, so he cleared out so he could meditate and come back and win again. Kobe tried hard to ship Andrew Bynum out of town, but the Lakers brass put their foot down to prevent Kobe the GM from trading away an 18-year-old Phenom who hasn’t even began to peak yet. At least we know what Kobe won’t be doing after he leaves Basketball behind.

Kobe, The Sexual Deviant
Ah yes, the Denver debacle. What a family man. Everyone seems to forget that Kobe at the very minimum cheated on his wife and got himself wrapped up in a Sex Crime mid-season. Now who knows whether or not Kobe raped that poor girl, but Kobe became a leading member of the Tiger Woods/Steve Phillips/Roger Clemens/Barry Bonds “Athletes who Cheat” club at such a young age. Golly, I am impressed. Stay Classy, number 24. Kobe still hears it every time he touches the ball at the Pepsi Center, and probably will until his career ends. You don’t see Melo pulling that shit.

Now I know I am being harsh. Kobe is a lights out performer who has more than a fair chance to retire a top-five player. He is in my top five of players I’ve seen, hands down. But Kobe becomes more unlikeable with every dribble. With every sour look he gives his teammates. With his growing arrogant sense of entitlement. With every voodoo doll he creates. So count your rings Kobe, but remember that you never gave Shaq an answer of how his ass tastes.

      With the trade deadline having come and gone, only one thing is certain: The Cavaliers and Mavericks owe Gilbert Arenas at least one fruit basket. Had he not foolishly followed Plaxico Burress’s example, the Wizards would not have scrapped their whole team and traded Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood to the Mavericks and shipped off Antawn Jamison to the Cavs for a chance to buyout Big Z’s contract. With roughly 20 games left on the schedule it’s time for the elite teams to distance themselves (Orlando, Cleveland, Los Angelos, Denver, and Dallas) while the contenders get themselves ready for a playoff push (Boston, Atlanta, Utah, and Phoenix). In the end, I have Cleveland over Orlando in the east and Dallas over LA in the west with Lebron taking home his first finals MVP to go along with his second regular season MVP.  Here are some other things to think about during the last month of the season:

• Is there a player in the league more under the radar than Brook Lopez? Maybe there is a little bias here because of my Nets fandom (ok, maybe a lot of bias) but this guy is in his second year in the league and has one of the most complete post games in the NBA. Mark my word, this man will be a main-stay in the league for years to come. Brook Lopez on the Nets is like Adam Sandler in Billy Madison. One superstar looking great around a bunch of talent-less kids. It’s only a matter of time before Lopez decides to grow up and move on to high school.
• I think we’ve finally hit the point where Kevin Durant is clearly an elite scorer in the NBA. If I need a basket, he is definitely in the top 5 of players I would want shooting. My list looks like this in no particular order: Kobe, Lebron, Durant, Carmelo, and D-Wade. One more year and the Kobe vs. Lebron debate will shift to a Lebron vs Durant debate.
• While on the issue of Kobe vs. Lebron, the conversation is over. After seeing how the Lakers played with Kobe icing his ankle, it is clear that Kobe’s MVP days are behind him. If you take Lebron off the Cavs, they are a bottom feeder in the East. I guess we can just wait until next year when King James takes his throne in Manhattan to see just how much he meant to that Cavaliers team.
• Watching that Ohio State team from a couple years ago, did anyone think, “Mike Conley will turn into a much better pro than Greg Oden”? Well, it appears that this is the reality we are living in.
• Tracy McGrady on the Knicks is like Mickey Rourke being cast in “The Wrestler”.  T-Mac needed a team where he can showcase his talent to a wide audience. On the Knickerbockers, he can now shoot freely and create offensively while caring less about defense than the ’99 St Louis Rams. Let’s not forget that the Knicks aren’t concerned with winning until next year and bam! Perfect fit for a McGrady comeback.  
• Steve Nash is one of the funniest men in basketball. Need proof? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdNiXidfLcc

For those of you that feel sorry for me for being a Nets fan, don’t. The longer it takes them to get to that magic win number 9, the longer I remain interested in watching the games. I’d rather flirt with loser history than watch another meaningless Knicks or Pacers game.