LeBron's Unfortunate Desire to be the Next Magic

LeBron's desire to be a better Magic could bode poorly for his legacy.

It's well known that LeBron James wants to go down as the NBA's greatest player, he wants to be well liked and he wants to win a bunch of championships. But unfortunately for us (and for him) he's doing it (or trying to do it) in a way we've never seen before. Or at least never seen it done for a fully completed career.

People wrongly compare him to Michael Jordan. He is not MJ and will never be MJ. He has no desire to be anything "Like Mike" except for Michael's greatness. LeBron has always inspired to be Magic Johnson, a man who dominates the game in a multitude of ways, not just by scoring. LeBron doesn't care about scoring, though I do believe he cares about stats. He's always trying to make the perfect play instead of taking the ball into his own hands to propel the team. There's this realization that he is the best basketball player on earth and can display those otherworldly talents in whatever way he wants. But that leads us to dislike his game, to call him passive, to repeatedly say "He'll never be Jordan."

Hey, that may be the case. He may never win six title or six NBA Finals MVPs. But he doesn't look up to Jordan and that's where the issue is derived with so many people; he looks up to Magic. Since we never saw Magic Johnson finish his career as he was stricken with AIDS before the age of 32, there was much more to be accomplished in Magic's career. Maybe he would've made it tough for Jordan to win those six rings, maybe he would be right there in the discussion of "The NBA's greatest player ever," but it never happened. We never saw a guy with the mastery of the game like Jordan, that did so in a different manner than Jordan. Magic was the player who controlled the game and didn't have to score more than 20 points. Jordan and Magic probably produced the same amount of baskets for their teams, but since MJ did it by soaking the twine (a much more difficult thing to do) no one ever believes he'll be dethroned.

There are plenty of times that you watch LeBron hit the hole, rise to nearly three feet from the rim and then kick it out to a three-point shooter who is wide open. When the shooter clanks it we scream and yell, "WHY IS HE BEING SO PASSIVE." When the shooter swishes it we scream and yell, "MY GOD THIS GUY IS UNBELIEVABLE." We then revel in his triple-doubles, gaudy PER Diem numbers and soak in his growing legacy. But still, if his teammates fail him, the questions continually arise, "Can he really do it on his own? Can he takeover games consistently?"

Well that's not how he does it. Yes, he can take over a game, we saw it in Game 6 of the 2007 ECFs and last year in Game 6 of the ECFs. He can go "Michael" on people, but he'd rather not. He'd rather go Magic. He'd rather distribute. He'd rather rebound. He'd rather play suffocating defense. That's his style, he's a teammate first and most certainly foremost. And while we don't like a "ballhog," say a Carmelo Anthony or Joe Johnson, but we also get annoyed when great players pass up makable shots for three-pointers such as LeBron or Rondo do.

That will always be the issue with LeBron. If he continues on the track he's on he will enter the discussion with Jordan as the greatest player of all-time, there is no doubt. But his style doesn't make us feel the greatness as much as Mike's did. We don't see him go on game-changing scoring binges, even though he can reel off five nasty assists that effectively do the same thing.

People don't sit awestruck by LeBron until after the game, when they see that he went off for 27, 12, 11. People were awestruck with Jordan during the game, when he'd pull of his 12-0 runs. That's the difference. If LeBron can win himself as many rings as Mike then we can place him in the discussion. But for now, and always, he will be Magic's successor, not Mike's.

So if he can ever gets to that plateau Jordan will be considered 1A and LeBron will be considered 1B. At that point (if it gets there) it'll depend on your taste.

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The KG vs. Duncan Discussion

Duncan and KG are about as different as they come, but their legacies will forever be compared. (Credits: Nathaniel S. Butler/NBA E via Getty Images)

Kevin Garnett was drafted, a lanky, athletic, intense power forward out of high school in 1995. Tim Duncan was drafted, a polished, fundamentally sound, quiet power forward out of Wake Forest in 1997. Though the two entered in different years, they were both born in 1976, less than a month apart. But little did they know that they would emerge as the two best 4s of their generation and maybe even of all-time. Now that both are in the twilight of their careers, the question remains who was the better power forward?

At first glance it seems like a landslide in Duncan's favor. His postseason success overwhelms Garnett's. It's not even on the same planet. Four rings to one. Two Finals MVPs to none. Straight up, 204 playoff games to 131. There is no question, Duncan's postseason play has put him on the forefront of not only this argument but of all-time. It's impossible to argue against postseason success, but there's a different issue that might never get discussed in the future.

KG much like Allen Iverson in his day was a top-5 player, but more vitally he was a top-5 player on what would've been a lottery team without him. He averaged at least 21 points, 11 rebounds and four assists in all of his seasons in Minnesota from 1999 on. As a natural four unlike a LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony or a Kevin Durant, KG was putting up that innovative "new power forward" numbers far before the idea of having a versatile four was thought of. But it's not about the numbers he put it up, it's about the teams he played on.

Garnett never played on a team like Duncan when KG was in Minnesota. He never had the supporting cast that Timmy had. There were no other future hall-of-famers on his squad. His best teammates were aging veterans Latrell Sprewell and Sam Cassell as well as Stephon Marbury. Not much of a comparison when you put them up against David Robinson, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker as well as the slew of well constructed role players that the flawless Spurs organization surrounded Duncan with. Garnett was playing with garbage, Duncan was playing with gold.

When KG left to join the first "super team" in Boston, he clearly left with a serious chip on his shoulder. The guy had only gotten out of the first round once, yet he was a NBA MVP and was clearly considered a superstar. Of course, once he got to Boston he won his first championship and many think he would've had a second if Perkins didn't go down in that Lakers, Celtics rematch. Either way, he clearly showed that once he was surrounded by a true supporting cast, he became a "postseason winner."

I'm not much for posturing, but I actually am. I don't think the Garnett, KG discussion is as lopsided as many people think. For one, their best seasons are all pretty much similar, though Garnett's assists totals are a bit higher (out of necessity). For two, Duncan's personality makes me question if he could have thrived as much if he was in a different market. Timmy's quiet, we know that all too well. He doesn't want the limelight, he just wants championships. In San Antonio, he became a god almost instantly. Would that have happened in New York, Chicago, L.A. or Boston? You would hope that he has the "heart of a champion" no matter where he played, but you never know with some guys. The perfect situation could bolster the perfect result. KG's personality on the other hand? A big market's dream. He's got a fiery personality both on and off the court. He's a proven player on both sides of the ball and ever since he came to Boston he's exhibited this aura. He's your consummate superstar, even if he likes to play (and talk) a little too dirty at times.

You have to think back about the NBA's dark ages (the early 2000s) and think about what dominated the sport. For one, players were emulating what the NBA thought was gangster (criminal) rap personas. Two, the sport was dominated by teams, not as much individual superstars. Plus the markets that dominated, New Jersey, San Antonio and Detroit weren't exactly sexy. To make matters worse, the player who most people considered to be the best at the time was Duncan, possibly the most boring superstar in the history of basketball. Actually he's probably the most boring person to ever do something "great" in the history of the world. I'm not kidding. The personality, at least publicly, was lacking for Duncan and for the Spurs as a whole. That meant the NBA couldn't really override their "thug issue" or whatever they wanted to call it with exciting basketball.

Now that's not Duncan's fault. I'm not blaming him for being stone-faced all the time and playing a style of basketball that is meant to perform rather than excite. But I think there's something to be said of personality in terms of all-time greatness. I'm not talking about personality as electric as a Shaq or Dominque, but someone who at least has a pulse. Duncan's bland, we get that. And it doesn't really take away from his legacy that much. But it still matters. The Big Fundamental will always go down as someone who wasn't interesting and in some twisted, overanalyzed way that makes him sort of interesting. Right?

Overall I'm not saying that Garnett is better than Duncan, especially not if Timmy can pick up another ring and beat the Heat, whom many already consider one of the greatest teams of all-time (ehhhhhhuhhhhh). However, I am saying that you should give the argument a little bit more thought. Just speculate what could've been if Garnett played with Kobe or Iverson or anyone for that matter in his prime years. Duncan played with three future hall-of-famers in his prime. As much as one player can affect the outcome of a basketball game, it is still a team sport. Name me one player that won by himself, like he had no sidekick, that had no great player supporting him. You can't. It's impossible. It's why AI never won. It's why KG never won in Minnesota. It's why Dwight Howard never would've won in Orlando or LeBron wasn't winning anything in Cleveland.

So while speculation about the "what-if" is always a tired thought, it's a legitimate one here. Switch Garnett with Duncan and you will see a difference guaranteed. Would it be five titles? Can't be sure, but I know Garnett would've collected at least three. He's just too damn good. Just like Duncan.

Ironic that these two are reported to hate each other's guts because they will always go down in history together. I know Duncan will always get the nod simply out of the way we operate as the jury of NBA lore; this is a success-driven league. If you win we remember you for winning. If you lose we only remember your losing. But let's not leave Garnett out in the cold, there's something about Garnett that makes me think he's an unlucky version of Bill Russell. Call me crazy but I'd draft Garnett over Duncan if the choice was in front of me. It just feels right. And yes, I just went there.

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Paul George's Ascension

Paul George has put the world on notice. (Credits: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

There's been this talk, this feverish talk especially of late, about Paul George becoming a "superstar," that he's now among the elite. That talk is clearly a product of our overanalysis of everything that occurs these days, however. Don't get me wrong, Paul George is clearly coming into his own, a growing two-way player that seemingly gets better every game. But we need to relax with this talk about him being a game-changing, franchise altering player for now at least. I mean that's what a superstar is, isn't it?

Just two years ago the Pacers selected a little known, but highly touted wing out of Fresno State with the 10th pick. That, of course, was Paul George. Coming off the bench, the rookie showed flashes of brilliancy but he was cast deep in the shadow of an emerging star in Danny Granger. While Granger was out there dropping 20 point games with his eyes closed, George was struggling to adjust to the NBA on the offensive end. His athletic talents were being well showcased on defense, but he was ages behind Granger in the other regard.

Year two in the NBA brought about a lot of improvement in George's game. He was given a starter role and benefitted from playing more minutes. Across the board his stats rose, but still he was simply Granger's backup, a nice role player who could lockdown the opposing wing and give you a cutting bucket here and there. 12.1 points, 5.6 rebounds a game wasn't knocking anyone off their feet. Even with Granger taking a small step backwards in 2011, Paul George was still an afterthought.

Then came this year when George was asked to take on a much larger role with the news that Granger would miss a majority of the season. Granger instead missed the entire season (basically) and George flourished. The 23-year-old made this Pacers team his squad. He was the defensive leader. He was the offensive leader. He became the catalyst. If he struggled, the whole team struggled. Across the board his stats ascended (17.4 pts/7.6 rebs/4.1 asts), all while his defense continued to be strong as ever. Paul George, in a blink of an eye, transformed into a two-way All-Star from an afterthought. It kind of a hit everyone out of nowhere. As if we were supposed to know that some guy from Fresno State, who was stuck on the bench behind one of the more overrated players in the game, (cough...cough...Granger) would become a legitimate player in this league. Well his legitimacy is growing.

There's this part about playing LeBron James that happens before you even touch the hardwood. It's mental. It's preparation. It's confidence. It's not giving a you know what that you're about to go up against the best player in the world. It's about truly believing you can beat him. If you don't have this attitude to start the game, you've already lost. That's the biggest thing Paul George has brought so far this series. Yeah, he's put a couple good games on the stat sheet while badgering LeBron into some inexcusable turnovers. But he's playing with this I'm-your-equal attitude that has really shifted this series, that's made LeBron think twice about driving to the hole against him. Paul George has introduced himself to the world, in a thunderous way.

A lot was made of the George-poster-dunk-LeBron-three point-answer scene. Their little after-the-play slap of the hands. LeBron's odd post-basket giggle. LeBron has a clear respect for George, but does it go even further? Was LeBron's laugh a sign of a weakness? Was he engaging in one of those "Wow, I've bitten off a lot more than I can chew" moments? I mean it was one sequence, but James feared George's defense down the stretch of that game forcing him into two "Classic LeBron overpassing" turnovers. Could Paul George be in LeBron James' head? Didn't LeBron exorcise those demons in Game 6 of the ECFs last year when he eviscerated the Celtics with that pissed off look on his face? At this point it's gotta have you thinking, is George really this good? I mean is he "I'm going to get inside the head of the now mentally tough best player on earth" good?

I'm not sure, but I think we need to slow our roll about George. He's certainly playing at a high level, a level the King has taken legitimate notice of, but I see this ceiling with George. He doesn't strike me as a guy who will ever average more than 20 points a game. His shot's not exactly pure and offensively he lacks the consistency to carry a franchise. But then again he's 23. There's milleniums for this guy to grow. And hey at least we now know that the Pacers mistakenly had George on the bench for two years, when it really should have been the one dimensional Granger who was sitting at tip-off. He can pretty much wipe those two years in Granger's shadow off the books; he has arrived.

But let's relax and let him grow in his own time. Let's enjoy that growth. We know what over-expectations can to do to people, just look at LeBron.

Superstar? Not yet. Face of the franchise? Definitely. Chipping away at LeBron's confidence? That's where we'll just have to sit back, kick our feet up and let it all play out.

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The Brad Richards Disaster

Brad Richards has been non-existant in the playoffs this year. Is this a sign of things to come? (Credits: Debby Wong/USA Today Sports)

Playing in New York is not for the weak-hearted. It's not for those that strive for greatness through the back door (cough...cough...LeBron). The media are critical, intense and overwhelming. Press conferences are like walking into a buzzsaws. Losing is absolutely unacceptable and the fans' booing is random, uncontrollable and relentless. Playing in New York is not for the weak-hearted.

Brad Richards came to New York in 2011 on a fat, "franchise changing" deal. He was a 31-year-old play-maker smacked dab in the middle of his prime. There was $58.5 million and nine years to be given out to the star, but it was worth it. Or at least that's what GM Glen Sather told us. The offensively challenged Rangers were in for a facelift, right?

Well not exactly. Richards tallied 66 points in his inaugural blueshirt campaign, which isn't bad, but also isn't great. The team actually scored seven less goals than the year before and it's not like he's that much of a two-way center; he finished a meager -1. So while the star was far from a bust, he still wasn't living up to his billing. But the playoffs were different for him. He stepped us his play, tallying 15 points in 20 games and helping the Rangers reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since the Great One led New York to that point in '97. Things didn't work out as the blueshirts fell to their cross town rival Devils in six games. But it was an extremely successful step forward for the franchise in terms of getting to the promised land. They overachieved in the playoffs, which in New York, means that expectations will rise; that they did.

Then the summer came and the Rangers made another offensive-centric addition by acquiring the oft-criticized, but extremely talented goal poacher Rick Nash. Expectations sky-rocketed, not only did the Rangers acquire Nash but they did so without giving up that much. This team was ready to repeat the epic '94 run. And then the lockout happened. New Yorkers were worried that in the one season they were supposed to be true Stanley Cup contenders, there was a lockout. Classic. But the campaign was saved at the last minute as the NHL slapped together with ducktape and staples a 48-game season.

Obviously the lockout derailed any plans of Nash, Richards and the entire team truly gelling. One week of preseason and the teams were thrusted into a wild year. The Rangers fell right out of the gates and didn't regain that "championship contender" feeling until April when they put together a 10-3-1 finish to the season to jump into the six spot. A matchup with the Capitals was in order for the first round, a per usual thing these days.

While the Rangers fell down 2-0, rallied back, fell down 3-2 and again rallied back to win the series, Brad Richards was nowhere to be found. He talled one meager goal, was a -1 for the series and pretty much was along for the ride. It didn't (or it did) help that Rick Nash was also equally unimpressive scoring one point, but either way the Rangers were onto the next round. Against the Capitals it was fine that these two didn't perform, but against the Bruins? The well-rounded Bruins? No, no there was no "not showing up" allowed. It was time for these to earn their combined $15 mil.

Yet here we are deep into this series with the Rangers down 3-0, a scary thought when the Bruins fourth line is producing at a thousand times better rate than the Rangers big guns. Nash tallied his first goal of the playoffs in Game 2 and while that isn't great at least he's shown a pulse. Richards has looked absolutely non-existant out there. His confidence is shot. He looks confused. He's lost. John Tortorella has slowly shaved off his minutes by sending him to the fourth line before completely ousting him for most of Game 3. It was announced early Thursday that Richards is a healthy scratch.

Now think about that. A guy who has 78 points in 93 career playoff games. A guy who has a Stanley Cup ring and a Conn Smythe. A guy who gets paid $6.6 million a year is a HEALTHY SCRATCH in the most meaningful game of his team's season? Riddle me that. I cannot fathom what happened to this guy. What has gone wrong in his mind. Has he completely lost it? Is he done at 33? He can't be, right? There's no way. But Brad Richards has become a complete afterthought. The team is supposed to being win because of him and yet now their winning (or were winning) in spite of him. It's a stunning turn of events and it's looking like a serious problem for a team that has to pay this guy for six more years.

It could just be a postseason issue, there's no telling that this brutal postseason could derail Richards' career. But we've seen this before with the Islanders, shelling out lots of money over lots of years is truly toeing the line. Then again if the Rangers could somehow pull this out with Richards as a healthy scratch who knows how badly his career may spiral out of control.

Now without him the Rangers face an uphill climb, would you have thought this two years ago when they signed him? Absolutely not.

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Urlacher Takes the High Road to Retirement

Urlacher's departure from the game was a noble one. (Credits: Allen Eyestone/Palm Beach Post)

Over the years we've seen so many great NFL players prolong their careers for all the wrong reasons. Emmitt Smith left the confines of Dallas in order to break Walter Payton; he just looked awkward in red. The oft-troubled Terrell Owens wasted away in Buffalo as nobody wanted him with his selfish attitude; he should have retired once the Cowboys cut him, but obviously we found out Owens was tirelessly broke and needed the money. Most famously we had Brett Favre who just simply could not retire, there was no way he could leave the spotlight until his body dragged him out of it (he's probably off somewhere plotting another return). The latest of greats to retire, Ray Lewis and most recently Brian Urlacher, did it in the way they should.

Urlacher had a spectacular 13-year career, basically becoming the backbone of the Bears defense instantly. Though his stats will never blow you away (he never led the league in any category) he was the quarterback of some of the better defenses we saw in the NFL. The era he played in was an offensive one and yet his defenses, year in and year out, were elite. The guy wasn't a box score guy, he was an eye test guy. There was this ease to his game in which he read almost every situation down to its core. Made plays with such precision and fluidity. He's a bonafide first-team hall-of-famer and a class act. The Lombardi trophy never called his name and he only appeared in the playoffs four times in 13 years, but he was a legitimate leader who simply wasn't ever gifted with a high quality offense. His '07 squad was the best one he played on and he led that defense to a third-best ranking. But he was out-dueled by the high-flying Colts offense, something he only could do so much to stop.

But what's even more impressive is that Urlacher recognized his game was on the decline and that the future wasn't going to hold much more for his legacy. After his wrist surgery in the 2009 season, Urlacher was never the same. 2010 he returned with gusto, but you could see he was a step slower; again he wasn't the same. So now with his contract up, Urlacher wanted to come back to Chicago. The organization did what it had to do and let their team leader go, especially with Urlacher ousting himself with the people of Chicago last year. There obviously had to be some tension with the Bears and Urlacher, but he eventually let it go.

You couldn't have blamed him for signing with the Vikings if he did. If your services are still desired like they reportedly were then you surely can pursue those options. But Urlacher recognized that his skills were on the downslope. Once he realized it himself, he made the right decision. There's no reason to go to Minnesota, no reason to spurn the only organization to go to its rival just to make a buck. The recognition of playing past your true prime is a hard to thing to grasp and it seems that Urlacher has got it. Putting aside your ego, whether it is self-produced or a product of your success, is something very few athletes can do. You have to salute the future hall of famer for taking higher road, for cementing his legacy in the appropriate way.

The greats of my childhood continue to fall, at least he fell the right way.

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Is Nerlens Noel the Final Piece to the Cavs Playoff Puzzle?

Irving and Waiters have formed a great backcourt duo, could Nerlens Noel be the final piece to a Cavs playoff run? (Credits: Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Three summers ago the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise was flipped on its head. Of course, I don't need to go into detail about the who, what, when, where, how and the why. But most importantly, he-who-shall-not-be-named's decision prompted a statement out of Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert that elicited overwhelming passions out of Cav fans alike. You know what I'm talking about, "I personally guarantee that the Cavs will win a championship, blah, blah, blah." For the sake of paraphrasing, Gilbert was so angry that he made the kind of statement that he'd love to retract at somewhere down the line. Anyways back to the point, the Cavaliers rebuilding process had to begin immediately.

Following that summer of hell for Cleveland, the Cavs won only 19 games, struggling to find a semblance of identity in the post-LeBron era. Things looked up though, as that awful regular season ended and the playoffs began. First, the Cavs won the lottery for the first time since 2003 when they drafted the man (and savior) that they now hated. Secondly, LeBron's superteam crashed and burn in the NBA Finals. Most importantly, James had a putrid Finals and made a complete fool of himself in a Game 6 interview. Although Dallas did actually lift the Larry O'Brien trophy, there was a figurative one held up in the city of Cleveland. The final wonderful thing that came out of the summer of 2011 was the drafting of Kyrie Irving first overall, who was a risky pick considering he had played only 11 collegiate games before breaking his foot. It didn't matter, the next franchise cornerstone was found.

Now we can fast forward to this summer. The Cavs might not be much better record wise, only winning a combined 46 games in the past two seasons, but their future is extremely bright. Irving has morphed into the best young point guard the game has to offer. I'd even go as far as to say if he played on a contender he'd be considered top-5 maybe even top-3. Cleveland's other first round pick (fourth overall) was Tristan Thompson who took some time to develop but eventually earned himself second team all-rookie honors in 2011. Last year they selected combo guard Dion Waters, who like Thompson slowly developed into a legitimate player (first team all-rookie team this year). Later on in last year's draft, the team picked up big man Tyler Zeller who has morphed into a solid rebounder and low-post defender. These core four guys might not have produced a lot in terms of record sake, but their promise and upside as a whole unit had people excited. Then last night happened.

Call it rigged. Label it Stern's last dance. But Tuesday night's lottery victory for Cleveland could immediately boost them into the playoff picture. It's the second time in three years that the Cavs hold the top pick and it's a sort of "rightfully so" situation. This franchise and fanbase had their hearts ripped out in such a menacing and awful way that they deserved another moment like this. That it was time to bring the Cavaliers back into winning basketball. Or maybe in Stern's eyes, how often we believe he sees it, it was time to fire up the first Cavs-Heat playoff series. Sounds more like it, right?

Who knows what Nerlens Noel will bring, of course that's if they draft Noel. Who knows how healthy Noel's knee is, but I don't see any of their needs being filled by any of the top-5 picks except for Noel. Who knows if Noel is even that good, but we could've say the same thing about Irving's first-overall selection. Scouts know when they see legitimate talent and rarely do they whiff on the first-overall pick (beyond that it's a crap shoot). Noel will be good, but how good will he be? That's the question. He brings supreme athleticism, a polished low-post defensive game and a lot of work to be done offensively. But much like Anthony Davis, you have a seven-foot monster down low that will hopefully clog the interior and, in the future, give you a solid inside-out game.

The Cavaliers can't become a playoff team overnight just by adding Noel and whoever they draft with the 17th overall pick, but last night allowed them to take one giant step toward's that goal. Bringing in Mike Brown will certainly help get the best out of the defensive prospect in Noel, but he as a coach hasn't proved himself to be anything but a successful product of LeBron James. Kyrie Irving also needs to stay healthy. He's only played 110 out of a possible 164 games in his career; hopefully for Cleveland that's just a coincidence. I don't care how good Noel or Waiters become, Irving is the key cog to any Cavalier success going forward.

I can't tell you exactly what the future holds, but it's impressive that the Cavs have built such a monster core of solid young players (with a little outside help) so fast. This team should make the playoffs next year, but should doesn't mean a sure thing. Just ask the Heat two fond years ago.

Cleveland is back...well...at least in theory.

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Who Ya Gonna Take?

Marc Gasol has emerged, out of nowhere, as the league's best center. (Getty Images)

So you're building your superstar team and you've got LeBron. Maybe you've got CP3, maybe you've got Steph Curry or Kevin Durant. But who you going with at the center position? Dwight Howard right? Well, maybe if he ever gets healthy. Tyson Chandler? Ehhh he's getting eaten alive by Roy Hibbert. So Hibbert? Nahhh he's still too soft. Pau Gasol? Maybe a couple of years ago. Actually the answer is hidden in a far off land, where the NBA has almost never mattered, sort of basketball graveyard in Memphis. The answer: Marc Gasol.

The younger Gasol has been slowly building his resume over the years, showing himself as an immovable low block player with a growing offensive game. As the Grizzlies have improved into one of the better teams, their center has grown in wonderful synchronization (no coincidence there). It was showcased in Spain this year when he and his brother almost single-handedly took down one of the most disgusting collection of superstar athletes the world's ever seen (if you need a clue it starts with United). Marc Gasol has arrived.

With Gasol you know exactly what you're going to get. His consistency is so valuable, especially for a Grizzlies team we still don't know much about. The paint presence he brings is immense. At 7-foot-1, 265 lbs his paint presence is literally immense. But his ability to shift his feet and move to slashers on defense is what really makes him a monster. It's as if he looks like a doofus out there, but he plays with absolute precision and toughness. I'm not talking about the toughness that Kenyon Martin thinks he brings, I'm talking about not letting big men back you down. I'm talking about meeting contact while remaining in position. I'm talking about making guards fear you, avoid you. Now that Gasol has developed a solid low post game? That's scary and it's not even like he needs to score, not when you have an offensive low-post option like Zach Randolph right next to you. Marc Gasol has arrived.

As we watched the Grizzlies surprisingly (we shouldn't have been so surprised) upend the Clippers in six and absolutely take care of business against the hobbled Thunder, Gasol has emerged as a leader. He's a leader on the court behind a rambunctious and rugged bunch that are coming together beautifully. The stability he provides has set in stone an example for the rest of his team and they're following it.

Out of nowhere Marc Gasol has emerged as the league's best center. Why out of nowhere? Probably because most people don't realize there's a basketball team in Memphis, let alone a damn good one. If you disagree you're both crazy and you're not staying up past your bedtime to watch the west coast games. There's a very distinct possibility if this team continues to play efficiently on both sides of the ball (in large part due to Gasol's play) they could beat the Heat. Dwyane Wade is hobbled. Gasol is ascending. The best front court in basketball is surging. The Memphis Grizzlies are for real. Really real.

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Creating Buzz Without Much Substance

USC signed David Sills when he was 13, basketball sensation Seventh Woods is getting that same hype at age 14. What a mockery.

With the way our world is connected these days, it can almost be considered a mockery when a young, athletic sensation comes to our attention. Like the time when a 13-year-old QB committed to USC or when a 5-foot-6 guard explodes onto Youtube before we realize that his character issues have already gotten him into serious legal troubles. Youtube, Twitter and the rest of social media has helped heighten athletes to places many never will actually get to. The next youtube sensation? 14-year-old forward Seventh Woods out of Columbia, SC whose mixtape showcases a serious high-flyer even at that young of an age.

First off, before I delve into how ridiculous it is for us to crown him the next LeBron James or even the next Andrew Wiggins, what a name. I'm sure there is some asinine reason behind the name, but imagine if this dude actually lives up to the hype? Seventh Woods has to be one of the freshest names in sports and will make him unbelievably marketable.

Anyways, there's nothing in that video above that makes me anymore excited than watching Aquille Carr's tape, but there is one play in the mixtape that really embodies the mythical/legendary status of this freshman. At like the 55 seconds mark Woods gets bumped out of bounds and lobs a shot over the backboard and in. A purely lucky play, but when they show the shock and awe of the crowd it kind of reveals the level of disbelief people have when watching (and hearing about him).

I'm about as confident about this kid fizzling out as I am this kid living up to the hype.

P.S. HoopMixtape.com makes the best high school basketball videos ever. 

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The Re-Emergence of Harrison Barnes

Harrison Barnes' athleticism and IQ is pay dividends for the Warriors (Credits: John G. Mabanglo/EPA)

There was this sense around Harrison Barnes when he was being recruited out of the strong program at Ames High School in Iowa that he was the real deal. People were slapping the "Next MJ" label on him, which can be a death knell for player's careers even where they're pretty good (ask Vince Carter). How could you not be excited about a 6-foot-8, 200 pound phenom athlete who had the ability to slash and finish around the rim with gusto? His basketball IQ is high, his lateral quickness was amazing and his leaping ability makes him an all-around playmaker. But the expectations at North Carolina to literally fill Jordan shoes seemed too much for the freshman.

It took Barnes 20 games before he reached 20 points in a game, a number people expected Barnes to reach with great regularity. Multiple single-digit games really had scouts wondering what was wrong with the superstar prospect. As the season wore on Barnes slowly started to re-discover that scoring touch he had mastered in high school, but still he hadn't had that performance yet that really instilled the belief in people that this kid was an future NBA talent. That was until the ACC Semifinals where, under the bright lights, the freshman put on the kind of show that made people revel in his athleticism and versatility. He scored 40 points on an efficient 12-17 shooting, including a 6-of-8 performance from beyond the arc, something that really opened eyes. His slashing to the basket provided a little glimpse into what kind of in-and-out presence he could be. The stats told one half of the story, but actually watching him shred the Clemson defense it seemed like Barnes was all coming together.

In a surprising, but intelligent move, Barnes decided to stick around for his second year to attempt to refine his game even more. It was a decision that eventually paid off. As a Sophomore, Barnes upped his consistency and his efficiency as a player leading his Tar Heels to the Elite Eight before bowing out to the nation's runner-up Kansas Jayhawks. With Barnes polishing up his all-around game to his standards, he decided to forgo his junior year and enter the draft. He was selected 7th by the Golden State Warriors, a team which already was developing a nice core of young players and needed that athletic swingman to further their core.

That leads us up to now. Barnes has had his ups and downs this season, but he has really matured into a solid piece in the playoffs. He hasn't been asked to score the way he was asked in UNC because he has a lethal back court of Klay Thompson and Steph Curry to do that it for him. The rookie has been able to really play the gel role, bringing his athleticism and intelligence to every facet of the game. His stats aren't going to wow you, but that's because he's done a little bit of everything and he has really shown consistency on defense which has been key for a team that isn't exactly a top-tier defense. The playoffs, however, have really been where we've seen Barnes' emergence. He's scored more than 20 points in three games (he only scored 20-plus twice in the regular season). His scoring average is up almost seven points from the regular season as well as his rebounding numbers up two per game as well. Overall Barnes has been ultra consistent for the Warriors who are surprisingly knotted at 2 in the semis with the Spurs. Barnes' best game of the year? Well that of course game Sunday in a pivotal Game 4 as he scored 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds with all the pressure on the line.

Really Barnes' game is meant for the NBA and for the bright lights. He's a silky smooth player, who can't really be boxed in by a rigid system or a slow game like college ball. Don't expect him to pour in 30 a night like people originally thought, but this guy's athleticism is elite and his basketball IQ is really starting to shine. Mark Jackson has let his rookie play a free-flowing game and asked him to really shoulder the load on defense and he's done an impressive job. There's something about Barnes' awareness that makes me believe his ceiling is seriously high and I think these playoffs have showed us that he's the real deal. 

Will the Warriors take this series? Well that's still to be told, but I'll tell you what, Harrison Barnes is going to be as a key of a piece to this squad as Steph Curry and Klay Thompson are going forward. 

Sometimes you've got to let a man play ball. Barnes' is balling and the Warriors are winning. Coincidence  I think not.

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Have We Seen this Movie Before?

The playoffs are often a lonely place for Lundy, will Monday night be another lonely night for the Rangers puck stopper? (Credits: Greg Fiume/Getty Images North America)

As the seconds ticked on and the shots kept raining down on the Rangers and Henrik Lundqvist, I realized I was watching something I've seen over and over again in the last few years. It was a classic Lundy game, 27 tough saves, a magnificent shutout brewing and yet still in the last five minutes of the game he was stopping the kind of shots that make Rangers fans hearts skip a beat. There was no need for this to be a game and yet the Rangers still only led by one goal, a scene we've seen all too often. Aside from last year, most of Lundy's dominant playoff performances go to naught because of the Rangers inability to find the twine; will this year be a repeat?

Lundqvist and the blueshirts have struggled to really take any sort of foothold in this series. They're 0-3 in the Verizon Center and had to hold on for dear life in Games 3, 4 and most recently in Game 6 just to get here. Offensively, their big boy combo of Richards and Nash have yielded a meager two points: one goal, one assist. They've been led by an unheralded hero in Derick Brassard and a exciting, but not yet refined speedster in Carl Hagelin. The Dan Girardi, Ryan McDonagh blue line has been the only pairing that's really been solid. Overall the Rangers haven't been that great and yet they're still here staring at the proverbial "anything can happen" Game 7.

As I said before though, it's kind of like we're watching the same movie over again here. Lundqvist putting on an absolute show in front of a deafening Garden crowd forcing what should be a magical Game 7, before throwing up a heartbreaking dud a night or two later. In the '09 quarterfinals New York grabbed a stunning 3-1 lead against the #2-seeded Capitals, before blowing it in three straight games by a combined score of 10-5. Lundy had a shutout in Game 2 and stopped 38 shots in Game 4. They blew an early 1-0 lead in Game 7, losing 2-1. Before that in the '07 semis, King Henrik was putting together one of the greatest series ever until 7.7 seconds remaining in a pivotal Game 5. He posted 38 saves in a Game 3, 2-1 victory, he then had 29 saves in another 2-1 win in Game 4. In one of the most impressive goaltending performances I had ever watched, Lundqvist posted 35 magical saves and almost completed a shutout before Chris Drury buried a tying goal with 7.7 seconds left. Maxim Afinogenov finished the job in OT. As the team's fans would say these days, "Classic F'ing Rangers."

So will it be a classic Rangers dud on Monday night, Lundy standing on his head while Nash and Richards play hide and seek? Or will it be a new chapter in the Lundqvist-era where the Rangers actually step up, take the momentum they gained from their superstar goaltender and head on to the semis?

We'll know tomorrow night, but I'll tell you what, if Tortorella's directing another Hollywood blockbuster bust, the Rangers brass might have to re-think this big-mouthed boss.

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A Summer of Mystery Lies Ahead of U.S. Soccer

The mix of aging veterans, and up-and-coming players breeds an interesting future for USMNT. (Credits: John Todd/SIPhotos.com)

Landon Donovan. Clint Dempsey. Michael Bradley. Jozy Altidore. Tim Howard. Carlos Bocanegra. Steve Cherundolo. DaMarcus Beasley. These are all names you've heard before, core pieces to what was the U.S. puzzle over the past six years or so. Those same names that gave us an awesome Gold Cup title in '07, a wild Confederation Cup run in 2009, a magical run to World Cup knockout run in '10 and a roller coaster ride since.

Geoff Cameron. Herculez Gomez. Omar Gonzalez. Maurice Edu. Graham Zusi. Matt Besler. Brek Shea. Fabian Johnson. These are all the name we're starting to learn about, beginning to grasp their games. These same names that have got us our first ever victory in the hell hole that is Estadio Azteca, our first victory against Italy in years and a same collection of names that leave us with a whole heaping of mystery for what the future will hold.

Begin by adding the names in the latter group and start subtracting the former and you have an unknown entity that must start building toward a greater goal: advancing deeper in the World Cup then the U.S. ever has. We all know that we still know very little about Jurgen Klinsmann, but we  certainly cannot denounce his confidence or bash his brass, this guy is someone to be comfortable with even if we don't know exactly what we're comfortable with. He's been given an ultimately vicious task of combining a group of aging, successful veterans with a collection of unknown, but talented young players. A completely different mission than his predecessor Bob Bradley, whom inherited Klinsmann's aging vets when they were just entering their prime.

This summer will be where he and his volatile outfit will make their money, where they will etch their names into the history books. Right now they sit tied for second place in CONCACAF qualifying after a tough loss to Honduras on the road, a wild victory at home vs. Costa Rica and after gaining their second ever legitimate point in Estadio Azteca. A comfortable place as long as they build on it, but also a dangerous place where one loss could triggered the panic button. 19 different players have made up the three different starting lineups in qualifying so far, an indication that this merger between the old guard and the fresh produce has not been a sure thing. But the more that Klinsmann sees how the chemistry plays out and which new players aren't wide-eyed in the bright lights, the more this United States unit will grow.

It's quite common knowledge that the talent in the CONCACAF group doesn't rival the difficulty that its away matches bring. This is where the young players will most be tested, where they have to stand up to the horrendous playing and living conditions provdied by these third world countries and play through the raucous bottle-tossing crowds. CONCACAF gets no love because very few greats come out of the region, but it's hell on earth (literally) for those that are new to the pastures. Summer will bring hellish temperatures to the region as well. But I think they'll be ready.

I think Klinsmann is beginning to finger that trigger on what lineups will work and what wont. What substitues will propel the lineup and what will deter it. Most importantly I think the United States has the young talent, once it grows in chemistry and its maturity develops, to push past the World Cup Quarterfinals which is as far as the United States has ever advanced.

Mystery will remain for the USMNT until summer begins, but out of mystery often comes hope.

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'Melo vs. KD: The Anatomy of a Scorer

There's no denying that 'Melo and KD are the ultimate bucket-getters in the game. (Credits: Mike Seger/Reuters)

As the great Bill Russell once said in a Pepsi Max commercial, "This game has been, and always will be about buckets." LeBron James might try to dispute that, but Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony will nod their head in agreement before they drop fifty in a blink of the eye. You can try and argue Steph Curry into the mix after this season, but Durant and 'Melo head up the bucket-getting department in the NBA. Yet as similar as their points per game averages are, their styles of getting there are vastly different.

Durant is an ultra-athletic, uniquely long big man. He stands 6-foot-10, but his reach makes him 7-foot-5, which as a scorer gives you an ultimate advantage. KD's biggest strength is his long arms which allow him to fire off shots right over even the tallest of defenders. Once those defenders close in on him, he'll blow right by them with a quick first step. That reach again comes into play when finishing. Not only is he an explosive leaper (despite the chicken legs) but his arms are so long that he can finish up-and-under defenders with ease as well as slamming it right in their faces. He might not be the biggest body, but he absorbs contact pretty nicely.

'Melo is quite different. He's a pretty average athlete, with not the greatest pop and not the most explosive first step, though it's still relatively quick. What is quick for Melo, and I mean blindingly quick, is his hands. There is no one better in the game at getting off a shot, no one is even close. When he pulls up out of his 3-point attacking stance, the defender can't blink or the basketball will be in the hoop. By the time 'Melo has released the ball, most of the time his defender will have barely raised his hand in defense. This also benefits Carmelo when he attacks the rim. Though he doesn't have the world's greatest first step, 'Melo is a monster at absorbing contact and finishing. LeBron is probably the only guy with a greater ability to absorb contact. But another thing Anthony does so well is getting his own rebound. He doesn't always explode to the rim and finish, but his second step (and ability to find the ball) is amazing. This is a huge reason why 'Melo often finishes with two or three extra missed shots during the course of a game that makes his field goal percentage look so horrendous at times. Even in some of his inefficient box score games, he still scores the ball efficiently. Strange, I know.

The question remains to who the better scorer is. Most people will go with Durant simply because he's the better offensive player and is far more likable. People see 'Melo as a ball hog and a complainer. The latter I agree with, the former I don't. But this world is all about perception and it is perceived that KD is the better scorer. I mean his stats would back it up, but stats and perception only tell half of the story.

Look at what 'Melo has to work with in terms of physicality. Durant is a freak of a nature, much like LeBron and Dwight Howard. These guys are gifted specimens not just gifted athletes. They are already ahead of the curve simply because they can fly through the hair and have explosive first steps (well not Dwight but you get my point). 'Melo is an average physical specimen. Yeah he is big, but he's not swollen like LBJ or freakishly long like KD. 'Melo is like you and I, if we were 6-foot-8, 230 lbs. Tall, big, but seemingly average in every other athletic category.

That's a big reason why I believe 'Melo is the better scorer. He is isn't exactly naturally built to put the ball in the basket like Durant, he's had to work at is game. Yeah he has some exceptionally quick hands, but other than that it's his offensive game which has really been crafted over the years. I like Melo's quick release and unbelievable ability to grab his own rebound and put it back in one sync motion. I like that 'Melo has to work for his buckets with a tough post game and a beautiful turn-around shot. I like that 'Melo grinds and grinds, absorbs aggravated assault and still finishs. I love Durant's high-flying athleticism, but that is one seriously unfair advantage Durant has over 'Melo. If we're talking scoring in the purest form, I'm taking Carmelo Anthony. Just think pure. Think about that word, think of what it actually means. Scoring in its basic form runs through 'Melo's blood.

So say what you want, pull the bias card, but it's undeniable that these two are the best in the game. Save me the Steph Curry talk because he can't absorb the contact that 'Melo can or explode to the rim like Durant. There are no two players I enjoy watching more than these two when their clicking, it's as beautiful as any artwork you ever could display.

Maybe if we're really lucky we'll see these two in the NBA Finals. Really, really lucky. 

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Bulls Are Unbreakable, But Very Beatable

The Bulls and Jimmy Butler might look great on the eye-test, but we know their ceiling. (Credits: Joe Skipper/Reuters)

There are times when the Chicago Bulls are playing great basketball and then there are times when the Bulls are highly overrated by the overanalyzed sports society we live in. Most of time there is a synergy between the Bulls playing great basketball and the public over crediting the Bulls. Confused? Let me make it simple, no matter how great the Bulls play we know where their ceiling lies.

Chicago plays an intense, smart game with a plethora of effort. They're the kind of team that makes the basketball purists cheer and their style of play is a perfect role model how most people want their kids to play ball. Coach Tom Thibodeau is somewhat of a genius, not so much a genius of the game of basketball, but a genius of his own system. He's perfected the art of getting the most out of his players, turning their hard work and effort into actual results. Sometimes it works so well that his players are mistaken as talented players, when they're really just playing their hearts out. But that's the problem. It's not that he creates the ceiling for his players, but his players have created a ceiling for him.

Thibs has gotten the absolute best out of Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson, Jimmy Butler, Kirk Heinrich, Luol Deng and formerly C.J. Watson and Ronnie Brewer. We mistook the pick ups of Watson and Brewer by the Nets and Knicks as shrewd moves, when really they were ultimately products of Thibodeau's system, similar to the way a college football player can be considered great even though he's actually just a perfect product of a system. Is Jimmy Butler really a guy that puts up 21 points, 14 rebs all while hounding LeBron James into a mediocre game like he did in Game 1? Maybe, but the way Thibodeau increases performance makes me believe Butler's no better than a decent NBA starter.

Joakim Noah is probably the most interesting emanation of Thibs' system. His game is still so raw, so wild and yet it grows ever better every year. Noah posted his best point and rebound totals of his career this season on the heels of the Derrick Rose injury. Is that a product of Thibs or an indication of Noah's true growth? I'd say a little bit of both. The 28-year-old center is definitely coming into his own, but it's hard to think a guy with that ugly of a jump shot and still such a wild game is without some legitimate help from the guru of effort.

If you're screaming at me about Derrick Rose and how much he would change this team, let me tell you this. Yes, the Bulls are much better off with Rose. That's a given. However, I don't think their ceiling really changes as much as one would think. Anyone remember the 2011 ECFs? The Bulls had the #1 seed going into that series, though they entered as the underdog facing the new look Miami Heat. Surprisingly they took Game 1 at home in dominating fashion (much of a similar level of surprise was abound after Game 1 of this current Heat, Bulls series). It looked as the Bulls were going to take the series with ease, possibly discarding the Heat in five or six, instead the Heat reeled of four straight victories and sent the Bulls home in relatively easily fashion.

Think back to that Heat team. They relied too much of guys like Joel Anthony and Mike Miller instead of Chris Anderson and Ray Allen. They had a banged up Dwyane Wade. LeBron James wasn't yet of the full mental fortitude to win an NBA Championship. Simply put, they were half the team they are today. And yet they still took care of the Bulls with Derrick Rose quite easily. I fully expect the same to happen in this series and it will be done so with great vigor.

The Bulls are a team and most importantly a team. But their ceiling is a lot lower than how some people fathom it to be. With or without Derrick Rose they wouldn't beat the Heat. Thibodeau knows how to get the best out of his players, but when his players' talent doesn't match up to his opponents it's eventually a case of "Talent triumphs effort."

That's the case with these Bulls. Heat in 5. The Derrick Rose "what-if" stories abound. Another season where the people proclaim the unworthy Bulls a great team.

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An Isle of Dread Turns into an Isle of Hope

Led by an energized Kyle Okposo, the Islanders are creating quite the story. (Credits: Gene J. Puskar/AP Photo)

As Chris Kunitz's blast rang off the cross bar and down past the goal line, the air was sucked out of Nassau Coliseum, something the Islanders organization has been used to for most of the past 30 years. But that silence doesn't represent what the Islanders have proved to us so far this season and so far this series; they are a legitimate team.

Yeah, they got absolutely shellacked in Game 1, looking like deer in the proverbial headlights, swallowed whole by the Penguin faithful. But they found their mojo midway through Game 2, scoring two goals and knotting the game at 3 before an epic third period. Shocked is a bit of an understatement to describe the Pittsburgh crowd who, as they held a 3-1 lead, felt like this series was going to end in a broom (punny right?). But a charging Matt Martin had changed the entirety of the best-of-seven with a gritty rebound finish; the Islanders weren't going away. Then deep into the third, Kyle Okposo delivered a violent blow to the Penguins confidence ripping a shot off the boards that caromed into the net off an unexpecting Marc-Andre Fleury. Fluery slammed the ice in disgust and the crowd groaned awkwardly. Their sacred precincts violated. Their foundations cracked. Not only did the Islanders announce it would be a series, they declared it would be a difficult one.

Okposo has become a catalyst for this Islanders squad. The right winger has often been criticized for wasting legitimate talent, sometimes lacking the professional effort NHL players are supposed to give every night. You can't blame him for being drafted by the Islanders, a franchise who hasn't made it out of the first round in exactly 20 years. But you can blame him for putting forth lackadaisical performances throughout his five years in the league. Those days seem behind him. Game 3 proved to be a sensational performance for Okposo. On the stat sheet he had a shorthanded goal, an assist and was plus-one. But the stat sheet was half the story. The 25-year-old played 24 intense, fast, concentrated minutes. He stopped the Penguins explosive four-goal run by ripping top cheddar on shorthanded breakaway. In the late third and in overtime he was making all type of non-boxscore plays, keeping the Islanders right in the thick of a series most thought wouldn't get past Game 4.

The Isles ultimately lost in overtime on a stupid penalty, but that shouldn't take away from the level of intensity (and surprisingly skill too) the boys from Nassau are bringing. They're also bringing a level of hope to a fan base that has not only its dignity but its soul ripped out over the tears. This team is young with their core players averaging a tad under 25. But the Islanders have played with such grit and intensity this series that there's a belief that they could do this, that they could pull off the upset. If they level it up in Game 4, who's to say they can't do it? They already invaded the Consol Energy confines once, I don't see why they can't do it again. It's not like the Penguins are playing with the focus and intensity themselves; they're playing not to lose. And although Pittsburgh is definitely the more talented team, they just might not be clicking like the Isles are.

Of course this series could fall apart as we've seen most Islanders squads do so over the past couple decades, but at this point, with the magical way the Islanders are playing, it seems unlikely.

The Penguins have officially been put on upset alert.

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