LeBron James Finally Earns His Long Deserved Championship

(Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
He's finally done it. LeBron James is an NBA champion.

It might have taken him nine seasons, but LeBron James can finally be called King James. James and the Heat took care of the young and restless Oklahoma City Thunder in only five games.

Despite defeating tough veteran teams like the Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, and San Antonio Spurs, the Thunder weren't able to defeat the team closest to their playing style.

James will always face criticism for as long as he plays in the league, but with this championship, he will silence a few critics. Some might never forgive him for leaving Cleveland, while others might never forgive him for his cocky "not three, not four, not five..etc" comment during his introduction two summers ago. But unless you're a bitter Cavs fan, or a jealous Knicks fan, there is no reason to hate The King.

How can we, as sports fans, hate the most talented player on the planet? This guy might go down as one of the greatest, if not the greatest (I went there) player of all-time.

From a physical standpoint, the league has never seen a player like James. As a 6-8, 250 lb beast, James can play any position on the court. He's known as a point forward- a player who takes up the ball and acts as the point guard or floor general, when really he is more comfortable playing in the post. Now add to James' already amazing physical stature, his world class speed and agility. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson both had the bodies and skill to be point forwards, but neither had the speed that James possesses. That's why James loves to grab tough rebounds on the defensive end, sprint across the court, and finish hard with a layup or dunk on the other end. No one does it better in the league.

The road to this championship wasn't a walk in the park for the Heat.

For starters, the season may have never happened if it weren't for a twentieth hour move by the league and commissioner David Stern just a week before Christmas. What the Heat didn't know though was that they were getting the best Christmas present of their life.

The Heat finished the 66-game season with a record of 46-20, which was good enough to earn the second seed in the Eastern Conference. When Derrick Rose went down with a heartbreaking ACL tear in the first round of the playoffs, the pressure on the Heat quadrupled. Everyone knew it was their championship to lose.

After a very easy first round series against the New York Knicks, the Heat figured they'd be fine. They assumed they would roll over the Indiana Pacers just as easily as they did against New York.

They assumed wrong. Despite winning Game 1, the Heat would go on to lose Games 2 & 3 and all of a sudden, the sports world was turning again on Miami. Analysts were saying that if the Heat were to go home early again without a championship, then the Big Three would need to be broken up. Others said they still needed more help than they already had.

None of that mattered though, because James and the Heat would respond and win three straight games to take the series. LeBron combined for 98 points in the three wins. He wasn't losing this year, no matter what.

After the Pacers, came the Boston Celtics. Again, the Heat found themselves in a similar hole. Despite going up 2-0 and looking unstoppable, Miami blew three straight games, and again faced extreme criticism and adversity. One more loss and their season was over. No surprise though, James came up huge in Games 6 & 7 (45 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists in Game 6; 31 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists in Game 7), and the Heat were once again back in the NBA Finals.

But this time, the Heat weren't the favorites. The red-hot Oklahoma City Thunder were coming off an impressive series win against the Spurs, and looked as if they were the best team in the world. Many thought that Durant's clutchness would outshine James' lack of clutchness in the Finals.

Boy did LeBron prove them wrong once again.

The Heat found themselves in an unfamiliar situation after dropping Game 1 in Oklahoma City. It was as simple as Durant outplaying James in Game 1. His 36 points were greater than James' 30, Westbrook was a better sidekick than Wade, and Ibaka and Perkins outplayed Bosh in the post.

When the Heat won a Game 2 thriller though, everyone figured the series would go to seven. Everyone except for the Heat, that is.

James and the Heat came out firing in Game 3, jumping out to a six point lead at the end of the first quarter. James' 29 points matched Durant's 29 points, but it was James' 14 rebounds that decided the game. The Thunder actually out-shot the Heat in Game 3, shooting nearly 5% better from the field. It was Miami's seven rebound advantage that won them the game. They lived off of second chances, both in this game, and in this past season.

Game 4 was another barnburner. Russell Westbrook played the best game of his life, but a brainless last second foul ruined any chances Oklahoma City had of winning the game. James posted another double double, this time with 26 points and 12 assists.

Despite leading 3-1 and having all the momentum in the world, the Heat still weren't the clear favorites going into Game 5. Thunder hopefuls believed their team would respond and force a Game 6 back in Oklahoma City.

Not on the King's watch. As he did in every pre-game huddle this series, LeBron told his teammates to treat this game like Game 7. No regrets.

And that's exactly how they came out tonight, in Game 5. Relentless, powerful, and determined, the Heat came out ready to end the season and be declared champions. By the time the game was in the third quarter, the Heat had built up a 25 point lead. No chance was Durant and Co. coming back from this one. When it was all said and done, Miami had conquered Oklahoma City, 121-106.

James again had another Hall of Fame worthy performance, finishing his MVP season off with a triple double. He also continued his streak of 25+ points in a game, a streak he began 15 games ago during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

But he's not clutch, right guys? It's crazy to think that LeBron James' postseason career is based off of six games against the Dallas Mavericks. It's as if the world forgot that his stats are actually BETTER in the postseason than they are in the regular season. It's as if the world forgot he has made it to the NBA Finals three times in nine years. It's as if the world forgot that he torched the Detroit Pistons a few years back, putting up 40+ point games with ease.

Hopefully tonight, fans remember just how talented LeBron James is. Hopefully fans remember that James is in fact clutch, that James is in fact the best player on the planet, that in fact James is human just like the rest of us. Hopefully fans tonight will realize that they are witnessing the next Jordan, that there may not be another player like James, and that this could be the first of many to come for James and The Big Three.

I'll say it again just like I did last June. The Miami Heat will be champions next year too. Never count out on King James ever again.

New York Yankees Back On Top

(Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
The Yankees have been red hot in the month of June. Robinson Cano has been leading the
Yankees at the plate recently, batting .333 this month.

Last time we checked up on the New York Yankees, they were 23-21 and fourth in the AL East. Since then, the Yankees have gone 17-4, and have propelled themselves to the top of the entire American League.

What has caused the Bronx Bombers to turn it around lately?

Ever since late May, the Yankees have been getting more production from their bats, specifically from Cano, Teixeira, and Rodriguez, who all struggled early on in the season.

Let's start off with Cano. The second basemen has turned it around as of lately, and has now reached the .300 plateau on the season. He's getting on base more often than he was earlier in the season, with a OBP of .424. That means he is getting on base in nearly half his at-bats. Cano's success with getting on base has actually sparked the play of Mark Teixeira.

Tex had a painfully slow start to the 2012 season, but has begun to find his groove. He's up to batting over .250, and is second on the team with 39 RBI's. In addition to Teixeira, A-Rod has also been playing better.

But what is really helping out the Yankees on offense is the continued success of Derek Jeter and Curtis Granderson.

Where would the Yankees be if they didn't have their captain, Derek Jeter? He brings so much to the team, whether it's his leadership, fielding, or batting. Jeter is leading the team with a .314 batting average, and has struck out just 37 times in over 275 at-bats. And despite being the oldest every day batter on the Yankees, Jeter has only missed one game this season, which is second best on the team.

While Jeter leads the team at getting on-base, Granderson has been converting those base hits to runs. Granderson is batting .257 but leads the team with 21 home runs and 40 RBI's. He has the third most base hits on the team, and leads them in Slugging %.

Nick Swisher has also been great all season long. Swisher is batting .262 with 10 homeruns and 40 RBI's in just 58 games.

 In addition to the stellar offensive improvements, the pitching has been phenomenal. Now, it's not just CC Sabathia who is winning games for the Yankees, but it's Phil Hughes, Hiroki Kuroda, Ivan Nova, and Andy Pettitte too.

Ever since Pettitte made his returns to the Major Leagues, the Yankees have been lights out. Pettitte is 3-2 with a 2.77 ERA, which is the best ERA on the team. Kuroda has dropped his ERA by one whole run, and is now 6-6 with a 3.43 ERA. Nova's ERA is still high for his standards, but the young ace still leads the AL with a 9-2 record. And who can complain about CC? He is in the Top 5 in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched.

The Yankees, who have won their past nine games, look to continue their win streak with a series against the Braves tonight. After Atlanta comes another Subway Series with the Mets, before returning to American League play.

Miami Heat Returning To The NBA Finals

(Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
LeBron James and the Heat will be returning to the NBA Finals for the second year in a row.
They will face Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Thanks to two great performances by MVP LeBron James, the Miami Heat will be returning to the NBA Finals. Despite being down 3-2 to the Boston Celtics, the Heat rallied to win two big games, Game 6 in Boston and then Game 7 in Miami in order to make it back to the title series.

James and the Heat won Game 6 with ease, defeating the Celtics 98-79. Just when he needed to quiet the critics, LeBron had one of the most spectacular games in NBA playoffs history. In fact, he became the first player since Wilt Chamberlain to score 45 points and grab at least 15 rebounds in a playoff game.

From the opening tip, James dominated the game, scoring 14 points on 6-7 shooting in the first quarter. But it didn't stop there for James. He made 12 of his first 13 shots, putting the Heat up 55-42 at the end of the first half. With Dwyane Wade not playing his best basketball, and Chris Bosh playing with limited minutes it was crucial that James stepped up

The current MVP was going to make sure that if the Heat went down, it wouldn't be because of him. Not only did James have a prolific night on the offensive end, but he shut down the Celtics on offense. Guarding multiple positions all night, James helped the Heat limit the Celtics' Big Three to just 33% shooting. Pierce, Garnett, and Allen combined for 31 points, the lowest of any playoff game they've all played in together.

While Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh combined to shoot 8-25 from the field, James shot over 70%. With the Celtics trying to make several runs early in the second half, the Heat weren't giving into anything. Every time the Celtics would come close to getting back in the game, James would silence them with a basket.

Despite James' historic night, it wasn't enough to turn his reputation around. Critics were still saying that if the Heat didn't win Game 7, then they would need to make major offseason moves, which could have possibly included breaking up their Big Three.

James and the Heat didn't get off to the hot start they wanted to in Game 7. James shot the ball just four times in the first quarter, and the Heat found themselves down four at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter was composed of many runs from both teams. Every time the Heat would tie up the game, the Celtics would go on a run of their own and push the lead to double-digits.

While the Heat were weren't shooting great in the first half, the Celtics were hitting everything. Even Brandon Bass was contributing for the Celtics, scoring 10 points in a span of four minutes in which the Celtics out scored the Heat 14-3.

The Heat came out red hot in the second half though, and by the time the game entered the fourth quarter, it was tied up at 73. Chris Bosh had his best game of the postseason, scoring 18 points on 8-10 shooting. Bosh also hit three clutch three pointers that gave the Heat leads. In addition to his 18 points, he grabbed eight rebounds in just 31 minutes of play.

As Bosh was heating up in the second half, LeBron's game improved as well. He started driving to the basket more, and was either making layups or getting fouled on every possession.

Regardless of how well the Heat played in the third quarter, Boston wouldn't go away. There were over seven lead changes in the third quarter, and once the Heat tied it up, neither team led by more than two points for the rest of the quarter.

The Heat would eventually pull away in the fourth quarter. Thanks to another three pointer by Bosh, and a 30 foot three pointer from James, the Heat got themselves a comfortable lead early in the fourth.

By the time there were under five minutes to play, the Heat were up by nearly ten points, and Boston's season looked finished. When the final buzzer sounded, it was 101-88 Miami.

LeBron finished the game with 31 points and 12 rebounds. Wade had arguably the best game of the series, finishing with 23 points, six rebounds, and six assists.

The Heat will now play the Thunder, with Game 1 kicking off tonight.

Despite making their second trip to the NBA Finals in as many years, the Heat are still underdogs by most standards. The Thunder are playing fantastic basketball, coming off a six game series with the Spurs. After dropping the first two games in San Antonio, the Thunder rallied back to win four straight games and send Tim Duncan and Co. home.

Here's my NBA Finals Prediction:

Despite how temping it is to take them in five, I'll take the Miami Heat in Six. Here's why.

LeBron James is deservingly playing like the best player on the planet. It has been said that when it comes down to such a close matchup like this, the team with the best player wins. That being said, if Durant outplays LeBron, it's a no-brainer that the Thunder will win the title.

But LeBron isn't going to be outplayed by anyone. If you haven't noticed, or you've lived under a rock since last June, LeBron can't stand the fact that he played so poorly last year against the Mavs. He's been quoted saying that he's going to have no regrets in the finals, and go all out.

With that being said, LeBron is going to put up the series of his career, and quiet the haters one more time, at least for now. He may not get to the six and seven rings he promised, but I'll promise he brings one home this year. It's his ninth year in the league, and his third trip to the NBA Finals. He knows exactly what he has to do, and will deliver.

The only man standing in his way is Kevin Durant. In my opinion, both players have very close skill sets, and it will come down to LeBron's physical strengths. I think it will be too difficult for Durant to stop James on the drive, since he is too strong for Durant.

LeBron isn't going to be the only one who steps up for the Heat. Dwyane Wade is going to need to play much better than he did against the Celtics and Pacers if the Heat want to win it all. Chris Bosh has been playing great in the minutes he has gotten, but will need to provide some offense down-low for Miami. Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins are going to make it tough for Bosh, so he needs to make sure he can score on them.

In the end though, it all comes down to the James vs. Durant matchup. Whoever outplays the other will come home with the ring. Some thing it will be Durant and the Thunder winning this matchup, but I've got LeBron and the Heat. I just don't think he can live with himself knowing that he has gotten this far just to lose again.

The 2012 NBA Draft Lottery And Other NBA Conspiracies

(Bustasports.com)
The Hornets landed the top overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft.
Was it by luck, or was it a favor the NBA owed the Hornets after losing Chris Paul?

When NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver announced that the New Orleans Horntes would select first in the 2012 NBA Draft, a whole new NBA conspiracy was created. What exactly is an NBA conspiracy? It's a very sketchy story that includes some inside and possibly illegal moves that the NBA is involved with. The thing is, no conspiracies have been proven. That's for us to decide. But before we go into NBA conspiracies, here's how the 2012 Lottery turned out.

1. New Orleans Hornets
2. Charlotte Bobcats
3. Washington Wizards
4. Cleveland Cavaliers
5. Sacramento Kings
6. Portland Trailblazers
7. Golden State Warriors
8. Toronto Raptors
9. Detroit Pistons
10. New Orelans Hornets
11. Portland Trailblazers
12. Milwaukee Bucks
13. Phoenix Suns
14. Houston Rockets

So now that you have the lottery results in your mind, let's figure out how this could have possibly happened (from the mind of a conspiracist). As many NBA fans already know, the New Orleans Hornets are currently owned by the NBA, since they were bankrupt. Although the New Orleans Saints' owner Tom Benson, bought the team two months ago, the NBA doesn't hand over operations until this summer. Going into Wednesday night's lottery, the Hornets were projected the 4th pick and had a 13.7% chance of landing the top pick.

Here's how a meeting between Commissioner David Stern and Tom Benson could have went:

Stern: So I hear your Saints aren't doing too well?

Benson: Yeah, it's unfortunate.

Stern: Well how about I give you a nice low-ball deal to buy the Hornets and keep the attention away from the Saints?

Benson: No way, the Hornets stink, and I would only buy them for $100 million less than your offering.

Stern: What if the Hornets somehow landed the top pick in the draft though?

Benson: What do you mean?

Stern: You know exactly what I mean.

Benson: Commish, you've got yourself a deal.


Did Tom Benson have inside information on whether or not the Hornets would select the top pick in the draft? No one will ever know, and that's why it's a conspiracy.

After losing franchise player Chris Paul right before the start of the season, the Hornets were doomed to find a new owner. With Eric Gordon sidelined for the majority of the season, nothing was looking good in the Big Easy. But with a healthy Gordon next season, and two Top 10 picks, along with Emeka Okafor, this team doesn't look too bad anymore.

And that's exactly what David Stern was thinking (in the mind of a conspiracist).

But why would Stern screw over the Bobcats, who just last season, had the lowest winning percentage of all-time?

Maybe Stern knew Davis wouldn't be a good fit for Charlotte. Maybe he knew that Michael Jordan would be much better off grooming a 6-7, 230 lb small forward than a 6-10 frail as could be power forward. Maybe Stern knew that the Bobcats needed a scorer, and a leader, and not a shot blocker and rebounder.

Maybe Stern had nothing to do with it at all.

With that being said, here are three of my all-time favorite NBA conspiracies.

1985 NBA Lottery


Ladies and Gentlemen, this is where conspiracies all began. In case you didn't know, here's the background info you need. It's 1985, and the New York Knicks (David Stern's favorite team growing up as a kid) hadn't had a productive season in years. Good news for them though, was that the 1985 draft class was headlined by the next big-man superstar, Mr. Patrick Ewing. Supposedly Ewing was the best franchise player coming out of the draft in years.

The only thing wrong was that the Knicks weren't projected the #1 pick in the draft. So how could David Stern turn his team back into the championship team they were a decade before?

Back in 1985, the way the lottery worked was that each team had a large envelope, and those envelopes were placed in a large sphere that was to be spun around to "randomize" them. After the envelopes were shuffled, David Stern was supposed to then look away and randomly select an envelope, which would then decide who would get that pick. Rumor has it that Stern folded a crease on the Indiana Pacers envelope, so he knew to take that one out of the sphere to give them the #2 pick in the draft. This would leave his Knicks with the #1 pick in the draft, and line them up to select Patrick Ewing.

Watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bX1kMlG8c7Y to see how the lottery unfolded. As you can see, Stern selects the Pacers' envelope giving them the #2 pick in the draft. Former Knicks star, and at the time the president of basketball operations, Dave Debusschere, then acts shocked when finding out that the Knicks had won the lottery.

As we now know, Ewing never won that NBA title Knicks fans (Stern included) had been dreaming for ever since the day of the lottery. Ironically, many stars ended up coming out of that same draft including Joe Dumars, Chris Mullins, Karl Malone, and A.C. Green.

Even if David Stern runs the NBA, karma is always looking over his shoulder.


Michael Jordan's Secret Suspension


So here's the background information you need to know on this one. MJ is coming off of his third straight title, and is clearly the best player in the world. The only problem is, the NBA knew he had a gambling problem, and they believed that his father's death could have been related to a gambling or debt issue.

But how could David Stern suspend the greatest player of all time? Would that mean, like Pete Rose, Jordan would never be matriculated into the NBA Hall of Fame? Would that mean that people would stop buying Jordan's sneakers and other brands he endorsed?

No, because David Stern wasn't going to let the world know that Michael Jordan gambled on basketball. He wasn't going to humiliate and defame the reigning 3-time NBA champion and Finals MVP. So what was he going to do?

In a supposed secret meeting with NBA officials, Jordan was told by Stern that he would be suspended for one year, to get his mind off of gambling. In order to cover it up, Stern told Jordan that he should try playing baseball, to stay in shape, and to make it seem like his retirement didn't come out of nowhere.

So why does this make sense? Jordan was a competition and a gambling freak. He took things so seriously that he would bet thousands or even millions of dollars that he could do certain things. Isn't it also fishy that Jordan missed exactly 100 games, before coming back mid-season to play?

Again, none of this has been proven true, and it is likely a big coincidence, but it is something interesting to think about.

2002 Western Conference Finals


Out of the two conspiracies already mentioned, this one is the most likely to be true. In fact, it's already been written about on multiple websites and even in a book.

Here's the background info you need. The Lakers and Kings are set to play each other in the Western Conference Finals. The Lakes were coming off of two straight championships, but believe it or not, weren't the better team in the series. Mike Bibby, Chris Webber, Vlade Divac, and Doug Christie were playing unbelievable basketball at the time, and helped earn the Kings the top seed in the conference.

So how did the Lakers manage to come back from being down 3-2 in the Western Conference Finals?

By shooting ridiculous amounts of free-throws.

So how could this happen? Because Tim Donaghy was refereeing the game. Not only did Donaghy bet on the Lakers, but so did most of America. They were America's team. The NBA knew that a having the Lakers in the finals would bring so many more viewers than if the Kings advanced to the finals. It was simply a business move. But how could the refs control the game, and make sure the Lakers won?

The Lakers got every call possible in Games 6 and 7.

In fact, the Lakers shot 40 free-throws in Game 6, 27 of which came in the fourth quarter alone. Not to mention that they shot 17 more free throws then the Kings in the fourth quarter. Is it a coincidence that the game ended 106-102. No chance, that game definitely came down to officiating and free-throws.

Same story in Game 7. The Lakers outshot the Kings from the free-throw line, and won in a six-point game in overtime.

Don't believe me. Read straight from Tim Donaghy's book here: http://deadspin.com/5392067/excerpts-from-the-book-the-nba-doesnt-want-you-to-read

And the rest of you should know the story from here. The Lakers advanced to the NBA Finals, swept the Nets, and clinched their first three-peat in over 45 years.


Again, don't go off after reading this thinking that all of these stories are true. Because they're not (at least not yet). These stories are conspiracies that get the mind thinking.


I would like to know your thoughts on your favorite NBA conspiracies. Comment below with your opinions.

Top 5 Point Guards Of All time

Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images
Magic Johnson's skills, leadership, and determination make him the greatest point guard of all time.

After a debate with someone online, I'd like to make my case for the top five point guards of all time.

Honorable Mention: Steve Nash, Clyde Frazier, Allen Iverson, Tiny Archibald, Bob Cousy

5. Jason Kidd

Kidd has been the greatest point guard of the century. His height and strength (6 ft 4 in, 210 lbs) combined with his skills (13 points and nine assists per game) give him this prestigious rank. Kidd won co-Rookie of the Year with Grant Hill in '95. In addition, Kidd is a 10-time All-Star, six-time All NBA team member, and nine-time All Defense team member.

Kidd is second all-time in steals with 2,559, trailing only John Stockton. He is second all-time in assists with 11,842, and again only trails Stockton. Kidd has also made the third most 3-point field goals in history with 1,874. He won two olympic gold medals ('02, '08), and also won his first NBA championship last year with the Dallas Mavericks. When thinking about Jason Kidd, think about one of the most well-rounded point guards to ever play the game. He has over 100 career triple-doubles, and is still going strong at age 39.


4. John Stockton

Arguably the greatest point guard of the 90's once Magic retired, Stockton was the king of the pick and roll with teammate Karl Malone. Every year, Stockton and Malone's Jazz teams would find themselves in the top three of the Western Conference standings. Stockton was a 10-time All-Star, and even won All-Star Game MVP in '93. His lifetime averages are 13.1 points and 10.5 assists per game. How many guards can say they averaged a double-double for their career?  In addition, Stockton won two gold medals in the olympics in '92 and '96. Stockton's one problem was that he and Malone never won a championship. In all their years of winning 50+ games, the Jazz could never capture the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

Stockton is the all-time leader in assists with 15,806, and also holds the record for the most assists per game in a single season with 14.5. He is also one of three players all time to have at least 1,000 assists in a season (in fact, he did it seven times). On the defensive end, Stockton is the all-time leader in steals with 3,265. Think of him as a smaller, and more efficient version of Jason Kidd.

3. Isiah Thomas

When the younger generation thinks of Isiah Thomas, they think of the terrible GM and head coach that ruined the New York Knicks (along with owner Jim Dolan). What the younger generation doesn't know is that "Zeke" was one of the greatest point guards ever.

Unlike the first two guards on the list, Thomas was one of the best scoring point guards to ever play the position. One could actually argue that Thomas was ahead of his generation, and that his playing style compares to the styles of guards today like Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook. Thomas' lifetime averages are 19.2 points and 9.3 assists per game. He was a 12-time All-Star and won All-Star MVP twice in '84 and '86. He was a five-time All-NBA team member, and was considered one of Michael Jordan's few rivals.

What separates Thomas from Kidd and Stockton was that he was a winner. Thomas won at the college level (Indiana Hoosier 1981 National Champions) and won twice as a pro. Isiah led the "Bad Boy" Pistons to two NBA Championships in '89 and '90. As Bill Simmons loves to write about, Isiah Thomas understood "The Secret". Thomas understood basketball better than anyone during his playing time, and used it to his advantage. Despite being just 6 ft 1 in and 180 lbs, Thomas was one of the toughest and feistiest point guards ever.

2. Oscar Robertson

Talk about playing ahead of his generation, Oscar Robertson was one of the most forward-thinking players to ever play in the NBA, regardless of any position. Statistically speaking, Oscar Roberston was the most talented point guard to ever play the game. Roberston's career numbers are 25.7 points, 9.5 assists, and 7.5 rebounds per game. The Big O was the most well-rounded player of all time. In fact, Robertson is the only player in NBA history to average a triple-double for an entire season. Robertson averaged over 30 points per game in six of his first seven seasons, and also was in the top five for assists per game.

As for accolades, The Big O was a 12-time All-Star, three-time All-Star Game MVP ('61, '64, '69), and nine-time All-NBA team member. He won the 1961 Rookie of the Year award, and was awarded the MVP in 1964. Despite all his talent, Oscar only won one NBA championship.

Oscar was also a very special player because of what he had to deal with on and off the court. Robertson played in the '60s when racism was still very present in the US. He was harassed by opponents, hecklers, and even his own teammates during his career. Robertson's struggles off the court could have led to his temper on the court, which was the only negative part of his entire game.

The Big O should be remembered as one of the most talented players of all time. He won an olympic gold medal, an NBA championship, and almost every individual award The Association has. His playing style was decades ahead of his time, and his career averages were elite.

1. Magic Johnson

Was there any doubt in your mind that Magic WOULDN'T be #1? His leadership, skills, ability to win, and perseverance make him the greatest point guard of all-time. Magic dominated in college and in the NBA.

After winning an NCAA basketball championship against his lifetime rival Larry Bird, Magic entered the NBA and dominated from the start. He won his first of five NBA championships in his rookie season, and is the only player ever to win Finals MVP in a rookie season. Johnson along with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ran the "Showtime Lakers"for a decade, winning five NBA championship together.

Johnson was a 12-time All-Star, and won All-Star Game MVP twice ('90 and '92). He was also a member of the All-NBA team 10 times. He won three regular season MVP's ('87, '89, '90) and three NBA Finals MVP's ('80, '82, '87).

Magic's career averages were 19.5 points, 11.1 assists, and 7.2 rebounds per game. He holds the NBA record for most assists per game. If his career wasn't cut short due to being diagnosed with HIV, Magic's numbers could have been even more incredible than they already were. Magic won an olympic medal with the Dream Team in '92, after being retired from the NBA at the time.

At 6 ft 9in, and 255 lbs, Magic Johnson was the most unique point guard of all time. In fact, we may never see another point guard like Magic. Earvin "Magic" Johnson will go down as the greatest point guard to ever play the game of basketball, because of his incredible stats both individually and as a teammate, his leadership, and his determination both on and off the court.

What's Wrong With The New York Yankees?

(AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
A-Rod homered twice last game, but the Yankees need more from their star 3rd baseman.
Rodriguez has only seven home runs this season, and is batting under .300.

With about a quarter of the season in the books, the Yankees find themselves just one game above the Red Sox for last place in the AL East.

What?! How could the Yankees and Red Sox both be at the bottom of the standings with 40 games already played? Usually the two teams are near the top of the standings, with the Rays, Blue Jays, and Orioles trailing, but this year the standings are flipped.

So how could this happen?

The first obvious reason for the Yankees' early struggles is their injuries.

Mariano Rivera went down with a season ending torn ACL before he could even play in 10 games. Rivera was shagging fly balls during batting practice, when he fell awkwardly and grimaced in pain.

Mo's injury left a hole at the closer position. Initially, the Yankees moved David Robertson to closer, since he had been pitching well, but then Robertson got injured himself.

Robertson hasn't pitched in two weeks, and is still on the 15-day DL with a strained left oblique. Robertson's oblique has been feeling better, but Girardi is still locking him down until he is 100% healthy. He will likely return in the beginning of June.

The Yankees have also missed starting left fielder Brett Gardner, who has been out since mid-April with an elbow injury. Fortunately for the Yankees, Gardner should be back in the lineup soon. While Raul Ibanez has been playing good baseball in Gardner's spot, Andruw Jones has been playing poorly in left field. Ideally, the Yankees would like to play Ibanez at DH, and slide Gardner back to left field.

The next reason for the Yankees' early struggles is their pitching.

With the exception of CC Sabathia, the Yankees' starting pitching has been horrendous. The Yankees rank in the bottom third of the league in almost all pitching categories. New York ranks 22nd in ERA (4.13), 24th in WHIP (1.36), 24th in BA (.264), and 27th in quality starts with just 17. That means that in over 40 games, the Yankees have had quality starts from their pitchers in less than half the games.

How should the Yankees expect to win games if they are giving up the 10th most runs in the league?

Specifically, Phil Hughes and Hiroki Kuroda have been absolutely atrocious. Hughes is 4-5 with an ERA of 4.94, while Kuroda is 3-6 with an ERA of 4.56. In addition, Ivan Nova, who had a streak of 17 straight wins at one point, has an ERA of 5.69. Nova can't expect to win games when he's giving up nearly six runs a game.

Good news for the Yankees is that Andy Pettitte is backing and pitching well. In three starts, Pettitte has had two quality starts, and has the lowest ERA on the team. Also, the Yankees' bullpen has been solid so far, with Robertson and Rafael Soriano both pitching well.

The next problem for the Yankees is their bats.

With the exception of Derek Jeter, Curtis Granderson, and occasionally Nick Swisher, the Yankees' bats have been almost as bad as their pitching. Robinson Cano, Alex Rodriguez, and Mark Teixeira have all been missing in action this season. The Yankees' three, four, and five hitters respectively are all batting under .300, all have under eight home runs, and have combined for less than 60 RBI's so far.

The Yankees aren't scoring, because when Jeter and Granderson get one base, no one can bat them in.

The bottom of the Yankees' lineup has been just as bad as the middle of their lineup. Russell Martin, who got off to a fantastic start last season, has been miserable from the plate this season. Martin is batting just .173, and has only four home runs and 10 RBI's.

New York's bats have been decent so far, but with the lack of pitching, they need to produce more runs in order to win games.

And believe it or not, a big contributor to the Bombers' early season struggles is their schedule.

Who would have thought that playing the Orioles and Blue Jays would give them so many problems. The Yankees are just 9-9 in divisional games this season. In addition to a tough division schedule, they have already played the Rangers, Tigers, Reds, and Angels.

The Yankees, who are 4-6 in their last 10 games, have a series coming up with the A's before they travel to LA and Detroit to play the Angels and Tigers again. Their upcoming road-trip is the longest of their season so far.

Fans shouldn't be too worried about the Yankees, who are 23-21. Eventually the Orioles and Blue Jays will cool down, and the Yankees will only have to worry about the Rays and Red Sox. Also, the Yankees will be getting a few players back from the DL in early June, which should help them win more games.

The most important aspects of turning around the season though, are getting quality starts from starting pitchers, and getting production from Cano, A-Rod, and Teixeira at the plate. Manager Joe Girardi needs to keep the team focused during this upcoming road-trip if the Yankees want to make a push for the top of the standings.

New York Rangers Advance To First Eastern Conference Finals In 15 Years

(Photo by Scott Levy/NHLI via Getty Images)
The Rangers are headed to their first conference finals appearance since 1997. 

The New York Rangers will advance to their first Eastern Conference finals appearance in 15 years after defeating the Washington Capitals in a Game 7 thriller.

The 2-1 victory was their second Game 7 victory of the postseason, after defeating the Ottawa Senators 3-2 in the first round. Now, the Rangers will face off against their cross-Hudson rivals, the New Jersey Devils.

The Rangers knew they needed to score first if they wanted to beat the Capitals. The Rangers' three wins leading up to Game 7 all came when scoring first, while the Capitals' three wins came when they scored first.

The offensively challenged Rangers turned it around in Game 7, scoring just a minute and a half into the game. Rookie Carl Hagelin chased down the puck behind the net, and found Brad Richards for a one-timer. Richards' goal was his sixth of the postseason.

The Rangers dominated play in the first period, but Capitals goalie Braden Holtby wasn't letting anything else by him.

The Capitals came out strong in the second period, but couldn't catch a break. Vezina nominee Henrik Lundqvist denied everything that came his way. Washington got its best chance of the game at the nine minute mark of the second period when the Rangers were unable to get a line switch. For about three minutes, the Capitals' top line was drilling shots at the goal, but none of them got by Lundqvist.

After a scoreless second period, New York went back on the attack and outshot Washington 11-4 in the final period. With about ten minutes to play, defensemen Michael Del Zotto gave the Rangers a two-goal lead. Del Zotto received a crisp pass from forward Marian Gaborik, and sniped the puck past goalie Braden Holtby.

New York's two goal lead would be brief though, with the Capitals responding just a mere 38 seconds later. With Lundqvist screened in front of the net, Roman Hamrlik was able to get the puck past the all-star goalie.

The Rangers' defense wouldn't slip for the rest of the game though. Despite just a few minutes left in their season, the Capitals were unable to get the puck out of their zone. Washington's defensive struggles didn't allow them to pull Holtby until a minute left to play. The extra attacker didn't help though, as the Rangers continued to keep the puck in Washington's zone. With just seconds left, the Capitals were unable to get a shot off, giving the Rangers the win.

Henrik Lundqvist raised his arms in joy. He knew just as well as anyone else in the building that he played an MVP-like game. He finished the game with 22 saves.

While Henk played a stellar game, it was Richards who got the Rangers going early on. Richards' goal gave the Rangers the momentum boost they needed after losing it all following a Game 6 loss.

The puck drops against the Devils Monday night for Game 1. The Rangers defeated the Devils  four times this season, with the Devils defeating the Rangers just once. The Rangers know they have the Devils' number, but they can't get too confident.

The Rangers will need more offense if they want to make their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance since 1994. While the first line has been productive, the Rangers need more offense from Callahan, Boyle, Anisimov, and Stepan, who have all slouched lately. Brandon Dubinsky will also look to return to the ice after being a scratch the past few games.

The New Jersey Devils are playing the best hockey of their season. Future Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur shut down the redhot Flyers in five games. Offensively, the Devils have had no problem, as they averaged nearly four goals a game last series. Lundqvist is a much better goalie than Bryzgalov, but the Rangers' defense is up for a tough task.

It will come down to the Rangers' forwards though if they want to get by the Devils. Even with Lundqvist in net, the Rangers need to play aggressive hockey if they want to make it to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Andrew Luck vs. Robert Griffin III: NFL Edition

(AP Photo/Rod Aydelotte and Paul Connors)
Now that everything's official, The Andrew Luck vs. RG3 NFL rivalry has begun.

For the rest of their careers, Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III will always be compared to each other, so why don't we start off the great quarterback debate now?

The top two picks in the 2012 NFL Draft have tough tasks ahead of them. Luck, who was drafted #1 by the Colts, will have to lead his franchise back to being one of the best teams in the league. RG3, who was drafted #2 by the Redskins, will have to make his franchise relevant for the first time in over a decade.

The two have a ton of traits in common, but also a whole lot of differences.

Both Luck and Griffin III are tremendous athletes who led two of the most dynamic offenses in college football last season. Luck led Stanford to an 11-2 record, and threw for over 3,500 yards and 37 touchdowns. Griffin III led Baylor to a 10-3 record, and threw for nearly 4,300 yards and 37 touchdowns.

Both quarterbacks can get it done with their arms, but also with their feet, a talent not every quarterback has.

Ironically, despite being the most talked about college football player since Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck never won a Heisman. Instead, it was the quietly talked about Robert Griffin III who won the prestigious college football award.

How could it be that the most "NFL ready" quarterback never dominated in college? Sure he led his team to an 11-2 record and threw for 3,500 yards, but why couldn't he lead them to a 13-0 record, with over 4,000 passing yards? Why is it that the sports world declared Andrew Luck, and not Robert Griffin III the next Peyton Manning?

There is no doubt that the 22-year old quarterback can throw the ball better than most, but why is it that we automatically can assume he will be a 10-time Pro-Bowler?

The expectations for Luck have been set extremely high. Ever since his sophomore year at Stanford, NFL analysts have declared him as the next superstar. While all the attention has been on Luck, other quarterbacks like Cam Newton and Robert Griffin III have had equal, if not more success.

On top of the already high expectations, comes the fact that Luck will have to replace the man that everyone is expecting him to be. Not only will Andrew Luck be compared to RG3, but he will be compared to his predecessor, Peyton Manning.

While Luck's pressure to succeed is ridiculously high, RG3 is flying under the radar when it comes to expectations.

Unlike Luck, the quarterbacks before Griffin III were nothing special in Washington. Unlike Luck, the team RG3 is playing for hasn't won a Super Bowl in over 15 years. If Griffin III has immediate success in Washington, he will be hailed as the Redskins' hero. If not, too bad, the Redskins are used to it.

Will Griffin's unique playing style transfer over well in the NFL, or is he better off playing in a standard  pocket style? Will Luck's traditional play help him in the NFL, or will it make him fit in with the rest? Andrew Luck has the DNA to be the better NFL player, but RG3 has the raw athletic ability to outshine his rival.

Both the Colts and Redskins cut ties with many players, and will have completely new offenses in 2012. Luck and RG3 will struggle early on with the tools they have to work with, and will have to adjust accordingly. In addition, Luck and RG3 will have to adjust to the ball-hawking cornerbacks in the NFL, since they won't have the pleasure of throwing against college-level cornerbacks anymore.

While their roles and expectations are completely different, their goals are identical: To be the best NFL quarterback they could be.

Both Luck and RG3 are very well spoken, and know the situations they are in. Both are very hard workers, and will put in the effort to become stars at the next level. The two will take very different paths in the NFL, but in the end, will both try to accomplish the same goal.

Andrew Luck vs. Robert Griffin III to be continued...

Reigning MVP Derrick Rose Out For Postseason With Torn ACL

(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Derrick Rose's heartbreaking injury will sideline him for the rest of the postseason. Rose, who had
already missed 27 regular season games, tore his ACL with a little more than a minute to play in Game 1.

The Chicago Bulls' worst nightmare became a reality Saturday, when Derrick Rose suffered a torn ACL and MCL with just a minute left to play in a 103-91 win against the Philadelphia 76'ers.

Rose came down awkwardly on his left leg after trying to hop past Lavoy Allen. Although there was no contact, Rose seemed to land funny on his leg, and instantly jumped to his right leg to take away pressure.  Rose then fell to the floor, and grabbed his left knee in pain. When he didn't jump back up moments later, everyone inside the United Center knew something was wrong.

MRI results would eventually confirm that the 2011 MVP would be out for the remainder of the playoffs.

ACL tears are athletes' worst nightmare. Knee injuries usually keep athletes out for the longest periods of time. Doctors say Rose will be sidelined for 6-8 months. That means that he will miss the postseason, the Olympic games in London, and possibly the start of next season.

This injury wasn't Rose's first of the season. The all-star guard actually missed 27 games this season with toe, ankle, back and groin injuries. His past injuries, combined with the shortened season likely had an impact on his season-ending injury.

Who is to blame for Rose's gruesome injury?

Is it coach Tom Thibodeau, who allowed the star to stay in the game despite leading by double-digits? Is it the NBA's fault for creating such a compressed season that has caused fatigue and injury issues for multiple players in the league? Is it just really bad luck? The answer is a terrible combination of the three.

Coach Thibodeau's reasoning was that he wanted Rose to get as many reps as he could in real game situations to make up for the 27 games he missed in the regular season. Although the team has backed Thib's decision to keep Rose in the game, it probably wasn't the greatest idea. 

Many athletes and NBA stars have reached out on Twitter to wish Rose and Knicks guard Iman Shumpert (who also tore his ACL Saturday) speedy recoveries.

Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) tweeted, "Prayers up for Derrick Rose and Iman Shumpert! Hope u guys have a speedy recovery!" while Kevin Love (@kevinlove) added, "Let's keep the rest of the NBA playoffs healthy. D Rose and Shump, speedy recoveries".

The Bulls were 7/2 favorites to win it all this year, but are now just 15/2 favorites to win the 2012 NBA Finals.

Chicago was 18-9 this season without Rose in the lineup. 

For the rest of the Bulls, their postseason continues on Tuesday for Game 2. The Bulls still may be the favorites to beat the Sixers, but their road to the NBA Finals doesn't look too bright from there.

Top Ten Picks: Hits And Misses.

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Kuechly is a popular name on NFL team's draft lists. The linebacker out of
Boston College is the top linebacker prospect in the draft, and should fall in the top ten.

This post was written by Hall Of Fame Sports Blog featured columnist Jared Weiss.


Hits:
Luke Kuechly: Is a top ten guy really a sleeper? Probably not. However, this is a guy that is simply incredible at the linebacker position. He broke many tackle records at Boston College, where he was dominant. He also has the ability to be a captain, as he was a great team leader for BC. To go along with this, he is a very good athlete. Not the strongest guy, but he is strong enough. He also has great speed and quickness to go along with his NFL-ready build. Expect him to go number nine to the Carolina Panthers, another talented guy to join into their rotation of talented, yet injury prone LBs.

Matt Kalil: Matt Kalil is the most talented player is this draft. However, right now it looks as if he might fall outside of the top five, which is ridiculous. This OT made Matt Barkley one of the most dominant QBs in all of CFB last year. He dominated every team he faced, allowing 0 sacks all season. He has an NFL ready physique. Noted for his excellent footwork, he also showcased his strength at the combine, finishing as one of the top guys in the bench press. He is the type of guy that any QB would love to have protecting their blindside. He will go fifth overall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a great pick for a team in need of almost every position. He will be able to work with veteran Donald Penn to become a Pro Bowler in years to come.

Misses:

Ryan Tannehill: Ryan Tannehill is a guy who has taken advantage of the belief that to get a great QB you need to pick one in the top ten. He is not someone who is ready to come in and lead a team. He was pretty good at Texas A&M, but there was not much dominance seen in his game. He was a WR in his earlier years, which could serve as an advantage in some ways (wildcat package?). However, he lacks the experience and the consistency to be able to lead an NFL team at this point. He has a lot of pro potential, but at this point he is not ready. He should go number 8 to Miami, with the potential to start right out of the gate. Unfortunately, he doesn’t seem ready for the job.

Trent Richardson: Finding busts inside of the top ten is not the easiest thing in the world. This is a guy that I think has the potential to be a solid NFL RB for a decade. However, there are two big red flags with his game: his work ethic and his durability. Both were major problems when he was playing at Alabama. If he is going to be a guy that is getting 250+ carries a year, he needs to be able to keep his head in the game and he must stay healthy. If he doesn’t do this, his career could end pretty quickly. He also lacks the true explosive style of play to dominate in the NFL. He has solid strength and decent speed, but neither of those characteristics will be enough for him to dominate at the next level. Expect him to go number four to the Cleveland Browns, which has been the consensus pick.

Saints Offseason Troubles Continue

(AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
If the allegations are true, GM Mickey Loomis might be in some serious trouble
with the league and the federal law. 

In what has already been a horrendous and forgettable offseason for the New Orleans Saints, more troubling news is headed their way.

In early March, ESPN's Adam Schefter broke the news that the Saints have been running a bounty program - a malicious program where players are rewarded for injuring offensive players - for the past three seasons.

Now, the latest accusations are that the Saints implemented a system in their stadium that allowed them to listen in on opposing coaches' radio communications. Supposedly GM Mickey Loomis' press booth could wiretap the radios and headsets used by opponents inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

The Saints have denied the claims reported by an ESPN source, calling them "absolutely ludicrous" and "1,000% false".

Loomis was already suspended by the league for the first eight games of the regular season for his role in the bounty scandal. He could face further disciplinary actions, and could even be found guilty of a federal crime.

Also suspended for their roles in the bounty scandal were defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who was suspended indefinitely by the league, and head coach Sean Payton, who was suspended for the entire upcoming season. Also, several players, including Jonathan Vilma, could face possible suspensions or fines from the league.

The Saints' miserable offseason started off on the wrong note instantly, when the Saints refused to offer  six-time Pro-Bowler, and starting quarterback Drew Bres a new contract. Instead they gave him a slap in the face, or what is known in the NFL as a franchise tag.

Brees says he wasn't that upset, and that he is ready to go in 2012, but we all know how offended he was by the Saints' stingy move.

The next bad sign for the Saints was Bountygate, which made headlines when filmaker Sean Pamphilon released tapes of Gregg Williams telling players to go after Michael Crabtree's ACL, and Frank Gore's head. Pamphilon was making a documentary on former Saints safety Steve Gleason who was recently diagnosed with ALS.

The program began in 2009, the same year the Saints won the Super Bowl, and was active up until the end of last season.

With the Saints already on thin ice, the recent wiretapping allegations really puts them in a bad situation. Although the Saints deny it, and the league says they were unaware of any such situation, investigations are underway.

Hopefully for the Saints, this wiretapping accusation is nonsense. It would be a shame to see a top team like the Saints go down with a terrible legacy, after working so hard to rebuild their franchise after Hurricane Katrina.

Heat, Lakers Claim Sunday's Star-Studded Double Header

(Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images)
It wasn't easy, but the Heat escaped a packed Madison Square Garden with a win Sunday afternoon.

Two of the hottest teams in basketball, the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers, continued their dominance in wins over the New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks respectively. Both matchups were potential playoff previews

The Knicks found themselves in a hole in the first quarter, with the Heat doubling them in points halfway through the quarter. While the Knicks were bricking free throws and turning over the ball, Miami was shooting over 50%, and had no turnovers. Tyson Chandler's foul trouble didn't help the situation either.

Despite everything Carmelo Anthony had going for him in the first quarter, Dwyane Wade had an answer for him. Wade had 12 points in only eight minutes in the first quarter, while Carmelo had finished the quarter with 14 points.

The Knicks came marching back in the second quarter though. A Steve Novak three, followed by another Anthony layup cut the lead to only two points with six minutes to play. Then, on the next possession following a Heat timeout, JR Smith sunk a three to give the Knicks their first lead of the day.

MSG played a major factor in the east coast matinee in the first half. Knicks fans made sure LeBron James heard it every time he touched the ball. When Woodson told Novak to enter the game, Knicks fans probably had their loudest cheer of the first half. The World's Most Famous Arena definitely gave the Heat issues early on, but they adjusted.

Nonetheless, a pair of LeBron James free throws gave Miami a 46-44 lead at the half. Anthony finished the first half with 20, while James and Wade had 14 each. Miami had the advantage on the glass, out-rebounding the Knicks by double-digits.

Two minutes into the third quarter, James went down with an apparent ankle injury. Replay showed he stepped awkwardly on a spectator's foot, causing him to fall back in pain. No worries for James though, as he returned to the game following a timeout by the Heat.

The third quarter was an exchange of back and forth buckets, with the Heat leading by three heading into the final quarter.

Despite an early late run by the Knicks to put themselves up four, the Heat eventually pulled ahead late in the fourth quarter. A 12-1 run would give them a seven point lead with four minutes to play. The Big Three combined for more than 75% of Miami's point production. James and Wade couldn't be stopped late in the fourth, while New York struggled to make anything.

Although the game finished in an eight point loss for the Knicks, it was much closer than the final score showed. Carmelo Anthony shined with 42 points, nine rebounds, and five assists on great shooting numbers. The rest of the team just wasn't on his level, as the rest of the Knicks shot 17-46.

As for the Heat, this game showed they can win tough games on the road, after struggling in the past few weeks. Wade started off the game strong for the Heat, while LeBron finished it off, for a change.

(AP Photo/Bret Hartman)
The Lakers improved to 4-1 without Kobe Bryant in the lineup, following an OT win against the Mavs.

With the first game fully living up to expectations, round two in Los Angeles had a lot to live up to. Would a surprisingly impressive Kobe-less Lakers team continue to strive against the Mavs, or would Dirk show them who's boss?

The Mavs jumped out to an early lead, led by Jason Kidd's strong shooting. The future Hall of Famer is only averaging five points per game this season, but he already had eight points in only five minutes. The quarter started off strange with Nowitzki, Gasol, and Bynum all scoreless on a combined 0-9 shooting.

Despite being severely outshot by Dallas, the Lakers were only down five after the first quarter.

Unlike the first game of the double header, the pace of this game was very slow at first. With Kobe out the past five games, Metta World Peace has stepped up in his spot, averaging 17 points per game, but he started off the game weak on 1-6 shooting. Instead, the Lakers were led early on by Ramon Sessions, who had 10 points in the first quarter.

With 2:26 left in the second quarter, Dirk Nowitzki hit his first shot of the game, ending a 0-6 slump. Pau was 1-4 at this point while Bynum was 3-10. But despite Dirk's woeful shooting, the Mavs as a team shot over 50% from the field while the Lakers shot under 40%. In spite of their poor shooting, the Lakers only trailed the Mavericks 54-48 at the half.

The Lakers would come back in the third though and take a brief lead, behind Metta World Peace's eight third quarter points. Bynum and Gasol also came back strong in the third quarter, and both were in double figures by mid third quarter.

Following two Andrew Bynum free throws and a three by Matt Barnes, the Lakers entered the fourth quarter up one.

The Mavs came back strong in the third quarter, and led the Lakers by as much as seven with about six minutes to play. The Lakers would respond to the Mavs' run with a run of their own, causing the Mavs to call timeout up by only one. Not one player on the Mavs was having an "on" day, but instead five different players were in double-figures.

The timeout by the Mavs seemed to do nothing, as the Lakers continued to pound the ball inside and continue to score. Not only did Metta World Peace and Andrew Bynum pick up their play in the second half, but Ramon Sessions continued to ball. In arguably his best game as a Laker, Sessions finished with 22 points and 5 assists.

The Mavs never gave up though, and tied the game up in the final minute, sending the game to overtime. This game definitely lived up to the expectations that Game 1 set. By mid fourth quarter, the tempo picked up, and shots were falling every possession.

Down 110-108 with 15 seconds left in OT, Dallas called timeout with one last chance to tie up the game, or go for the win.

Jason Terry slalomed through defenders and got a great chance to tie up the game with a layup, but his angle was altered by Matt Barnes, resulting in a missed shot at the bottom of the rim. After Pau Gasol iced up the game with two free throws, the Lakers took home the win, 112-108.


The Mavs shooting cooled down in the second half, and Dirk never got in rhythm. He ended the day on 9-28 shooting.


This game showed that the Lakers are tough enough to battle with elite teams, even without Kobe. It also showed that they can play comfortable at their tempo, and at their opponents' tempo. An all-around team effort, the Lakers had four players with 18+ points (Bynum, Sessions, Gasol, and World Peace).

Both games were exciting and gave us a good tease of what May and June basketball will look like. If it's anything close to what we watched today, we are all in for a treat.

Kentucky Overpowers Kansas To Win Eighth National Championship

 (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
On a night where Anthony Davis shot 1-10, Doron Lamb rose to the occasion
and sparked Kentucky's offense with a game-high 22 points.

John Calipari's philosophy of scouting one-and-dones has finally paid off, after the Kentucky Wildcats defeated the Kansas Jayhawks 67-59 in the Men's National Championship. From the get-go it was all Big Blue Nation, as the Wildcats jumped to an early ten point lead minutes into the game.

Even on a night where Anthony Davis shot 10% from the field, Kentucky had no problem fending off one of the best teams in the country. Sophomore Doron Lamb led the team with 22 points on 58% shooting. Marquis Teague, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and Terrence Jones followed with 14, 11, and nine points respectively.

What made this Kentucky team so special was their distribution on offense. One night it could be Michael Kidd-Gilchrist with 25 points, another night it could be Terrence Jones with 22 points, or it could be Anthony Davis with 20 points. A perfect box score for John Calipari would be to have all eight players in double figures, and not just one guy with 30 points.

It's crazy to think how much Anthony Davis can impact a game on both ends of the court. He knows he is having a bad night offensively, so he boosts his defensive game even higher, and focuses more on getting his teammates the ball. Not only did he lead the team in blocks and rebounds last night, but he also led them in assists, with five!

As for Kansas, Kentucky's uptempo style was too much for them to handle. Right from the beginning, an Anthony Davis rebound would lead to a fastbreak bucket or an in transition basket for the Wildcats.

The Jayhawks played their best basketball this season when they were ahead, but unfortunately, they never got that opportunity last night. Kansas' defense usually propelled them to first half leads, but last night, they trailed from the opening possession. This put the Jayhawks in an uncomfortable position because they had to keep up with Kentucky's explosive offense.

Kansas made a run late in the game to cut the lead to six, but Kentucky just couldn't be stopped on offense. Kansas' offensive production wasn't helping either They shot 33% from the field, as Robinson and Taylor combined for a 14-34 effort. The clutch factor just was not in Kansas' favor.

This game did not mean more to anyone other than Coach Cal. After losing to Self and the Jayhawks just four years ago, he was able to get revenge, but this time with a new team. Although Coach Cal is one of the most prolific coaches in the game today, he had actually never won a championship before, even with stars like Marcus Camby, Derrick Rose, and John Wall on the court.

With speculation that Coach Cal might become the new coach of the New York Knicks, he downplayed the situation by saying he wasn't done with college basketball. According to Coach himself, he has a lot left to achieve. "Before I leave coaching, I would like to coach an undefeated team," Calipari told ESPN's Andy Katz. He followed that up by saying that he'd then like to go undefeated and win every game by 25 points.

High expectations, but if anyone could do it, it's Calipari.

As for Kansas and Kentucky, the two perennial universities will likely have different players suiting up next season. For Kentucky, Davis, Kidd-Gilchrist, Jones, Lamb, Teague, all might enter the draft, in addition to Darius Miller who is a senior. For Kansas, it's likely that Robinson and Taylor will depart for the NBA Draft.

The Kentucky win could encourage top recruits Shabazz Muhammad and Nerlens Noel to finally make their decisions. Muhammad is stuck between Kentucky, Duke, and UCLA while Noel is pondering between Kentucky, Syracuse, and Georgetown. The two could become the next best tagteam in college basketball.

In the end though, this Kentucky team could go down in the books as one of the greatest college basketball teams of all time. Their unselfishness and willingness to make everyone else better really transformed them from a young, inexperienced team, to a team that ended up cutting down the nets in New Orleans.

It's A Done Deal: Peyton Manning To The Broncos

(Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
Manning will be calling Denver his new home for the next five years, pending health. The future Hall of Famer
 turned down San Francisco, Tennessee, and Arizona to become the Broncos next starting quarterback.

In what seems to be one of the most unique two-week stretches in NFL history, future Hall of Famer and four-time MVP, Peyton Manning, has signed with the Denver Broncos. The move comes just a week after Manning was cut by the Indianapolis Colts.

 The Broncos and Manning wrapped up the deal yesterday, agreeing on a five-year, $96 million contract. The contract does have a few conditions, all based around the superstar's health. The star quarterback will be forced to take physical before the 2013 season in order to lock him in for 2013 and 2014.

Other teams that pursued Manning were the Titans, 49'ers, and Cardinals. Some think that Manning chose the Broncos over the other teams, not for talent, but because of his relationship with Broncos vice president of football operations, John Elway.

Maybe Manning chose the Broncos because of Denver's air. It has been proven that footballs travels farther in Denver because of the air in such high altitude. Critics have been complaining about Manning's arm strength, so a little gust of wind could help him complete long throws down the field. On the other hand, Manning will be playing outside in cold weather, after spending his whole career in domes.

Manning is used to playing alongside pro-bowl wide receivers like Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne, but his newest targets will be Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker. Along with Manning in the backfield will be running back Willis McGahee. Not the most dangerous offense in the league, but Manning is known for giving wide receivers names, like Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon. If anyone can turn Thomas and Decker into pro-bowlers, it's Peyton.

Now that the Broncos have found their starting quarterback for the next five years (pending health), what do they do with that other guy who went 7-4 as a starter last season?

Yes, I'm talking about Tim Tebow.

It looks like the two teams that could land Tebow are the New York Jets and the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jets actually completed a trade for Tebow earlier today, but it was nullified due to complications in the contract. Although the Jets and Jags seem to be the two biggest suitors for Tebow, the Patriots, Packers, and Dolphins could all make surprise offers.

As we know, the AFC West is a toss up every year (that's why they call it the Wild Wild West). The Chiefs have had a pretty good offseason and could compete at full strength next year. The Raiders were a win away from making their first playoff appearance in ten years, and let's not forget the San Diego Chargers, who seem to be the favorite every year out of the AFC West. The Broncos will head into the season as the frontrunners, but anything can happen out West.

Only time will tell though. Did Denver make the right move by bringing in Manning and kicking out Tebow, or will karma come back to haunt the Broncos?

NBA Trade Deadline Winners/Losers

(AP Photo/John Raoux)
Dwight seems to be happy with Orlando for now. The Magic are currently
third in the Eastern Conference with a 29-16 record. 

Although the Magic retained the deadline's grand prize, there were still a good number of trades involving stars from across the league.

Winner: Magic- Clearly the biggest winner of the week, maybe even the year, the Magic kept on to Dwight Howard for at least one more season. Let's all forget about the commotion he caused, and just think about how the Magic could upset the Bulls or Heat, and make another run into the NBA Finals. No player dominates their position better than Dwight. While their are many point guards, shooting guards, and forwards who compete for #1, no one can compete with Dwight for the league's best center (Bynum is getting their, but still isn't close). If the Magic make a deep run in the playoffs, Dwight will probably sign a new contract, and ask them to bring in some help, but even if the Magic lose early, they still can trade him at next year's deadline.

Winner: Bucks- The Bucks and Warriors pulled off the first trade of the week, when they sent Stephen Jackson and Andrew Bogut to Golden State in return for Monta Ellis, Ekpe Udoh, and Kwame Brown. This trade definitely makes the Bucks a better team. First, with Andrew Bogut out for extended time, Ellis provides instant offense for this team, and also gives them a dynamic backcourt of Ellis and Jennings. Additionally, the Bucks freed of cap space so they could sign Ersan Ilyasova, who has had a standout year this season. Upfront the Bucks already had Gooden and Ilyasova, so their was no need to hold onto the overpaid and injured Bogut.

Loser: Warriors- Why would the Warriors want another overpaid big man when they already have David Lee and Andris Biedrins? Look, I understand why Golden State made this move (to tank the season and retain their draft pick if it falls to #7 or worse, because if not Utah owns it), but I still think they could have gotten more for Monta than just Andrew Bogut. Right now it looks like the Warriors will need to lose a few more games before they can be projected as the #7 pick (NBA uses a lottery technique to set draft order). Before the season, it looked like the Warriors were making progress, but now it looks like they have to start all over again.

Loser: Sixers- Why would a team that already has four guys that can play shooting guard (ET, Iggy, Jodie Meeks and Lou Williams) trade FOR another shooting guard, while giving up a talented prospect who plays on the post, where the Sixers lack depth? It makes no sense to me. Pre-deadline, the chatter around the league was that the Sixers would move either Evan Turner or Andre Iguodala for a combination of picks, size, and skill. Philadelphia went the opposite direction, and instead acquired Sam Young for the rights of Ricky Sánchez. Not a great move, but we will see how this turns out.

Loser: Pacers- Indiana has been playing great basketball this season, and many still think this team is one star away from seriously contending in the East. But as the deadline approached, the Pacers didn't look to bring in a veteran star. Instead they traded for Leandro Barbosa. Barbosa is a great player, but not what this team needs. The Pacers needed a scorer, not another lock down defender. Good news is they gave up practically nothing for him (a 2nd round pick), but bad news is that they are still going to be a four-eight seed in the playoffs for the next few years.

Winner: Lakers- Although it was sad to see Derek Fisher leave the Lakers, it was time. The Lakers made great upgrades at point guard and big man depth by adding Ramon Sessions and Jordan Hill. Sessions will add quick offense, and excitement off the bench (for now), while Hill will allow Pau and Bynum to get more rest. The Lakers didn't add Michael Beasley, but made two small moves that can pay off big in the future.

Wash: Nets- The Nets didn't get Howard, but at least they got some help for now. The Nets acquired Gerald Wallace, who is the league's most underrated and under-appreciated player in the league, for practically nothing. He is a defense and hustle player first, who can also score on the other end (that's why they call him Crash). Now the Nets will have a starting five of Williams-Brooks-Wallace-Humphries-Lopez...not that bad at all. We don't know if that supporting cast will be good enough to keep D-Will, but it will definitely win some games in the latter half of this season.

Winner: Rockets- Houston added a veteran big man in Marcus Camby for a few unproven young players and a draft pick. The Rockets haven't played great basketball since the break, but Camby can add some leadership and talent to this team. The Rockets are currently a seven seed in the West, so Camby will help them hold that spot in a very competitive conference.

Winner: Wizards- The Wizards acquired Nene and a draft pick for Javale McGee, which is a pretty big upgrade at center. McGee is fun to watch, but Nene is clearly the better player. John Wall will have a guy to go to in the post, who can also run the pick and roll offense. Washington has had a terrible season, but they are definitely moving in the right direction.

Loser: Nuggets- Why would the Nuggets want to break up their great chemistry to add a player who is worse, and more problematic than the player they originally had? They traded their longest tenured player (maybe even star player) for a guy who will put up 12 points and nine rebounds a night. If the Nuggets slip out of the playoffs, you know why.

Winner: Clippers- The Clippers didn't make any big moves, but they got the shooting guard they needed for nothing. Los Angeles has needed a big upgrade at shooting guard ever since Chauncey Billups went down with an injury. The Clippers didn't get Ray Allen, but they did a get a young scorer for free. A rare, great move by the Clippers' front office.

Losers: Celtics and Knicks- The Celtics and Knicks have had very disappointing seasons, yet neither made moves at the deadline. For the Celtics, there were plenty of moves that could have been done. They could have gotten rid of Rondo, who appears to not be gelling with his teammates, or they could have traded their veterans (Allen, Pierce, Garnett) for younger talent and picks. The Knicks' only move this week was to fire coach Mike D'Antoni. Not sure if the Knicks needed a player change, but the coaching move seems to be working fine (2-0 since Woodson became interim Head Coach).

2012 March Madness Bracket

Let me know what you guys think of my bracket. It's perfect as of now, then again, we are only six games in.

AFC East Draft Profile: New England Patriots

(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Gronk and the Patriots won't need to change up the roster too much this offseason, but a few
upgrades at certain positions can definitely give the Patriots the final pieces to the puzzle.

The AFC champion New England Patriots were just minutes away from winning their fourth Super Bowl with Tom Brady under center, but a few unlucky breaks were what separated them from the Giants. Many fans believed the Patriots were the most talented team in the league last year, and expect them to upgrade at certain positions rather than change around the whole roster this offseason.

2011 Record: 13-3, 1st in AFC East

Strengths: Quarterback, Wide Receiver, Tight End, Nose Tackle, Inside Linebacker, Cornerback, Free Safety

It's true, the Patriots don't have many flaws. Tom Brady will go down as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, and for all we know, he still has plenty of years left in the tank. Brady has great options to throw the ball to in Wes Welker, and the dynamic tight end duo composed of Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski. Scoring is not a problem for the Patriots, as they finish near the top of the scoring charts every season. Even the Patriots defense, which receives the most criticism, isn't that bad. Vince Wilfork is a nightmare for any offensive linemen, while Jerod Mayo and Rob Ninkovich also pressure opposing quarterbacks. In the secondary, the Patriots always have a breakout guy, whether it's Patrick Chung, Devin McCourty, or Kyle Arrington. Again, this team doesn't need much help, as they are the favorites to win Super Bowl XLVII.

Weaknesses: Running Back, Offensive Line, Defensive Ends, Linebacker Depth

For most teams, weaknesses are huge problems that opposing teams try to bring out against them, but for the Patriots, weaknesses are just a step down from perfection. BenJarvus Green-Ellis has never fumbled the ball in his career, but might not return to the Patriots next season. Either way, the Patriots could afford to add some depth at running back, especially a young, speedy player like Oregon's LaMichael James. Also, there's no better way to prolong Tom Brady's career than to keep him healthy. That starts with the offensive line. Nate Solder is the only linemen who will be under 30 years old throughout the season. Plus, it never hurts to have young linemen learn from some of the best. On the defensive end, the Patriots could upgrade at a few spots. While Wilfork does a great job, the Patriots need to apply more pressure from their ends. Additionally, adding depth at linebacker would be another good idea. Finally, the Patriots need to make their secondary better. For all the turnovers they create, they give up just as many big plays. The Patriots need to work on not giving up plays of 20+ yards next season.

Possible Options with 1st round pick (27th and 31st overall): Andre Branch, Peter Konz, Kevin Zeitler, LaMichael James

Branch- The outside linebacker makes perfect sense from what I was saying earlier about applying pressure from the outside. So much of opposing offensive line's focus is on the middle of the field, so that will open up holes for guys like Branch to make plays. 

Konz- Both Konz and Zeitler were dominant on the Wisconsin offensive line last year. As usual, these Wisconsin limenen are huge, but also quick with their hands and feet. Don't be surprised if the Patriots go with an offensive linemen, since their current line is old. Remember Patriots fans, drafting linemen just helps out Tom Brady's career even more.

LaMichael James- This pick is more of a creative pick than a realistic one, but would still make sense for the Patriots. Adding a star running back to the Patriots would also make Brady's life easier, but James adds more to a team than just running the ball. He could be used on special teams and also catch balls in the open James has flown under the radar surprisingly, but I still think he would make a great NFL player if he can stay healthy.

What the Patriots need in later picks (assuming they take Konz and Branch): More OL, OLB, RB, S, WR

Recap: I can't stress it enough that the Patriots are so close to returning to the Super Bowl next season. All this team needs is to upgrade a few positions, and they'll be golden come next season. As long as Tom Brady can stay out of Bernard Pollard's way, this team should have no problems.