The Case of Thierry Henry and the French Nickers

Before we get into the NBA rounds for today, the big story from Wednesday was France's controversial football world cup qualifying win over Ireland in Paris.

French striker Thierry Henry clearly handled the ball. That is beyond doubt. It was deliberate and it led to the goal that secured victory for France.

The question is whether or not the goal should have been allowed.

The answer is yes.

If the referee didn't see it, then it doesn't matter. Whether or not Henry is a cheat because of it, is a different matter, but unless the referee determines it to be handball or not, then the goal stands.

Simple as that.

This Irish based blogger also posed an interesting question.

Twentymajor says that Ireland captain Robbie Keane was whistled for handball twice during the match, which begs the question, is Keane any different from Henry, just because he got caught?

I mean, wasn't he trying to cheat the ref as well?

I don't see how it is any different.

Best newspaper headline goes to British tabloid, when they screamed "French Nickers".

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Anyway, on to the hoops.

And there was a couple of upsets in the NBA on Wednesday night.

Who would have known that the New York Knicks actually had some fight in them. The Knicks looked gone at half time trailing by 15 points; Indiana led by 30 points from Danny Granger, were shooting a scorching 59-percent.

The Knicks were still down by 13 late in the fourth quarter before storming back to win.

You know it was a bad loss for the Pacers when Eddy Curry, who was playing his first game in about a decade scored 10 points.

Mike Wells from the Indy Star has a few other insights into the Pacers worst loss of the season.

Still on the Knicks and it looks like Allen Iverson will sign with them soon, possibly as early as Thursday night.

They deserve each other really. Iverson will no doubt think that the Knicks want him there because he can lead them to the post season, but in reality, he's just going to be another side show for the circus that is New York Knicks basketball.

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Back to the upsets and how about the Wizards dumping LeBron by 17 points.

Antawn Jamison had 31 points and 10 boards in his return and gave us our first look of what he, Gilbert Arenas (18 points, eight assists) and Caron Butler (19 points, six rebounds) are capable if they can just stay on the floor together.

They might want to work on their three point shooting though; they combined to go 3-for-17 last night.

The Minnesota Timberwolves aren't getting any nearer to a second victory. The T'wolves are just dreadful and coach Kurt Rambis thinks that it is more on the players shoulders than anything else.

He's right.

Minnesota has had its share of injuries, but every team goes through that.

The Wolves just don't have any spark or fire and Rambis was dead right to call his players out on it.

I thought that Rambis would never have walked away from the cushy role he enjoyed as Phil Jackson's assistant, but he stepped out of his comfort zone to take the job in Minnesota.

I hope he can get something out of this franchise that has struggled for most of its existence.

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One franchise who knows about overcome struggles is the Atlanta Hawks.

Yet, the Hawks keep rolling, last night they brushed past the Miami Heat 105 - 90.

It's great to see Atlanta continuing to build on their strong start to the season. Regular readers of this blog know that I've been harping on about Josh Smith's maturity as a major factor behind Atlanta's success and it was evident again last night.

He was whistled for a tech foul (second for the season), but he logged his third straight double-double and also led the team in assists with seven.

It's a different story for the Miami Heat though. Or should that be the same old story in Miami.

They've been playing really badly of late. I personally think that Dwyane Wade is capable of carrying this team deep into the playoffs, but their form of late hasn't been impressive.

Dwyane Wade is too good of a player to let the slide continue and they get the defensively inept Toronto Raptors on Friday night, who Wade averages 27 points on 53-percent shooting against.

Thunder Stun Heat, Suns Comeback Again, Raptors Defence Vanishes

• It shouldn't come as much of a surprise but the Oklahoma City Thunder easily handled the Miami Heat in Florida last night. Kevin Durant had 32 points and nine rebounds, but it was the defence played by Thabo Sefolosha on Dwyane Wade that gave OKC the edge. Wade was just 6-for-19 from the field and had a season worst six turnovers. Sefolosha picked up four steals. He doesn't have the sexiest offensive game in the world, but he makes up for it on defence.


• Also, despite Miami's 7-3 start, they needed a Wade buzzer-beater on Saturday night just to defeat the winless New Jersey Nets. Part of the reason for Miami's recent struggles ?Remember when Jermaine O'Neal had two double-doubles to open the season, well last night's (19 pts, 10 rebs)was his first since October 30. He's also battling injury again. He was a beast in his early days, but his many injuries have worn his body down and he just doesn't have the intimidation he once had.

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• Speaking of old dudes, Steve Nash is showing no signs of slowing down at all. The Suns trailed the surprising Houston Rockets by 15 points mid way through the second period last night, before storming back to win by six, 111-105. The 59-year-old Nash scored only 12 points, but dished out 16 assists, and Phoenix won its fifth game of the season when trailing after three periods.


• Amare Stoudemire was impressive again offensively, scoring 23 points on 8-for-14 shooting, but he only six rebounds. For someone of his strength and explosiveness, he should be getting 10 boards a game in his sleep.


• Channing Frye is one of the most intriguing stories of the season. The scrawny 6'11" Frye plays at centre but jacks up three-balls like he's Baron Davis, only Frye's shooting the long ball at a 46-percent clip, while Davis fires away at a not so friendly 29-percent.

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• One Clipper who's game looks to be coming around is forward Al Thornton. He started out very slowly and scored in double figures once in his first eight games, but is averaging almost 20-points-per-game over his last four. He has tremendous talent, I just hope we get to see it all in Clipperland, but it's never been a particularly great place for a young player to develop.

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• The Toronto Raptors defence has improved lately, but Tuesday night against Denver was a poor performance. Toronto gave up seven dunks to the Nuggets in the third quarter and Denver scored 102 points over the last three quarters to blow the Raptors apart...again. Make it six straight wins over the Raptors in Denver.


• To be fair, the altitude in Denver is a component that you don't really have to face in any other city, but seasoned Raptors watchers know that what they witnessed last night didn't have as much to do with lack of oxygen as it did with lack of effort.

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• This has nothing to do with sport, a ballsy crocodile gets it...check it out.

Allen Iverson Already Thinking Comeback ?

• A day after being released by the Memphis Grizzlies and the New York Knicks are reportedly considering signing him. Seems about right. The Knicks are going nowhere and have are a complete joke right now, so they might as well add Iverson who continues to say that he'd be happy to come off the bench, even if he has clearly proven to the world that that is not the case.


• Actually, considering that the Knicks point guard is Chris Duhon, Iverson would at least be an upgrade there.


• I was talking to a workmate and we agreed that despite the fact that Iverson is the only person in the world who still thinks he's a franchise player, if he did accept a secondary or support role at a team, he would provide a decent option to defer to. Can you imagine when Kobe gets doubled that Iverson would be alone to operate?

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• Tough break for Orlando Magic point guard Jameer Nelson will miss four to six weeks. Just as the Magic get Rashard Lewis back, Nelson goes down again. I love his game and think that Orlando really missed him in the finals last year.

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• The Atlanta Hawks are crowing about being ranked No. 1 by ESPN's Marc Stein. That's a pretty good spot, but Atlanta could only make it to No. 3 on the absolute official NBA power rankings. Atlanta has a very good team and Jamal Crawford is making the most of his role as sixth man. That, and Josh Smith is playing at a very high level.

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• It's hard to disagree with John Krolik from the Cavs blog. Brandon Jennings 55 point night against the Warriors was great to watch and we could all see that he has a very similar shooting style to Michael Redd, the Warriors hardly clamped down on him and made him work.

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• Stephen Jackson got his wish. He wanted to go to a contender and wound up at one in the Charlotte Bobcats. The thing is with the Bobcats is that they probably won't make the playoffs but will finish just outside meaning they won't really be a chance to get the number one pick in next June's draft. The Warriors get Raja Bell and big Vladimir Radmanovic which I have no idea how they'll fit in at Golden State.

NBA Power Rankings: Blazers, Bucks and Pacers Surge; Nuggets Go Top

Milwaukee Bucks rookie Brandon Jennings explosive start to NBA life has made the Bucks relevant again and in first place in the Central division. Meanwhile, the Portland Trail Blazers have quietly won six straight and the Boston Celtics dropped back-to-back games for the first time this season to see them tumble from top spot.

What does it all mean? The week three power rankings provide the answer.

DENVER NUGGETS —While Denver only squeaked by the Bulls and then got caught up in the Brandon Jennings typhoon in Milwaukee, what was most impressive about them this week was how they used defense to stifle the Lakers. Offense is always more fun to watch, but defense is what wins championships.

LA LAKERS —The Lakers went from a 19-point victory at home to the Suns one night, to a 26-point loss on the road in Denver the next. Had the Lakers beaten the Rockets on Sunday night, they'd be in top spot.

ATLANTA HAWKS —Jamal Crawford is averaging 17 points off the bench providing the Hawks with the offensive weapon that's been missing over the last couple of seasons. Atlanta has won three straight and begins a three game homestand on Monday night against the Blazers. I love the way Josh Smith is playing right now. Mature, responsible and unselfish.

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS —Portland has won six straight, but apart from against the San Antonio Spurs, none of their wins have come against playoff-bound opponents. Defensively, Greg Oden's game looks to be coming together, now if he can just provide some consistency on the offensive end, the Blazers will become even more formidable.

PHOENIX SUNS —A thumping loss to the Lakers tempered the Suns' hot start, however, Phoenix has a fairly light schedule for the rest of the month which should keep them among the leaders out West.

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS —The Florida double-header is never easy so that the Cavs went 2-0 in two nights suggests that, after their sluggish start, LeBron has got Cleveland on the right track. The LeBron/D-Wade rivalry continues to live up to the hype.

MIAMI HEAT —In case you missed it, here it is again http://bit.ly/qEPrY3 . Oh, and then he followed that up with this http://bit.ly/2epWTx . Yes, Dwyane it is your house.

INDIANA PACERS —Danny Granger predicted a victory over the Celtics on Saturday night and was good to his word. The Pacers have won four straight and like last year, will be difficult to beat at home. Did anyone expect Dahntay Jones to be Indiana's second leading scorer at 16 PPG?

BOSTON CELTICS —The Celtics stumbled this week and showed a vulnerability against fast-paced teams. An Eastern conference finals rematch at home with the Orlando Magic is a must-watch on Friday night.

MILWAUKEE BUCKS —By now, everyone knows Brandon Jennings went off for 55 points against the Warriors on Saturday night, but did you know that for the week, the rookie shot 9-for-10 from three point range and 60-percent from the field? He's also leading the team in assists.

DALLAS MAVERICKS —The Mavericks overcame a 17-point deficit at home to defeat the Rockets but they couldn't overcome a Spurs team on the road that was missing Duncan and Parker. Dallas gets another shot at the back-to-full-strength San Antonio this week.

DETROIT PISTONS —Will Bynum is a mini-me version of Ben Wallace, but with an offensive game. The Pistons have been treading water without Hamilton and Prince but they face a tough test this week at L.A. (Lakers), Portland and Utah.

ORLANDO MAGIC —The Magic welcome back Rashard Lewis this week and his arrival couldn't come at a better time. Orlando's offense has been inconsistent and with Lewis back on the floor, it will take some of the heat off Dwight Howard.

CHICAGO BULLS —The Bulls begin the first of six straight on the road Tuesday at Sacramento. Chicago scored 60 points in the first half against Toronto on Wednesday but managed only 29 in the second half en route to a loss.

SAN ANTONIO SPURS —San Antonio still hasn't won on the road and dropped their first home game to Oklahoma City on Saturday night. The Spurs leading scorer? Four players are averaging 15 PPG.

OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER —OKC burned the Spurs in San Antonio on Saturday night but then couldn't get it done against the Clippers on Sunday night, despite 40 from Kevin Durant? There is so much to like about the Thunder, but consistency continues to be their biggest obstacle.

HOUSTON ROCKETS —The Rockets are easily the hardest team to rank. They lose at Sacramento but win at the Lakers. I love Aaron Brooks's aggressiveness which is tempered perfectly by the calmness of Luis Scola.

SACRAMENTO KINGS —Just what is going on in Sactown? The Kings are 4-0 since Kevin Martin went down. I can't wait to see Tyreke Evans go up against Brandon Jennings in December. How strange does that sound, looking forward to a Bucks versus Kings matchup?

TORONTO RAPTORS —The Raptors spotted the Clippers a 22-point lead before romping home by 15 points on Friday night. Then on Sunday night, Turkoglu missed a buzzer beater against the Phoenix Suns. If Toronto can be at or over .500 by the time they return home on Friday night to face Miami, it will have been a successful road trip.

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS —Losing sophomore Marresse Speights for up to eight weeks is a severe blow to the Sixers. Philly's main problem, though, remains on the defensive end where they have already allowed more than 110 points four times this season. Elton Brand is averaging less than 10 points per game.

UTAH JAZZ —The Jazz will be happy enough with a split in the two games that they didn't have Deron Williams, who's been dealing with a medical issue with his daughter. Hopefully, she is well and D-Will is back on the court soon.

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES —If there's one player I wouldn't sign to replace Allen Iverson, it would be Jamaal Tinsley. The Pacers gave him $14 million to go away, that's got to say something about his character. Must be good enough for Grizzlies owner Michael Hiesley though.

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS —The dub's squeaked out two wins this week. One was against the Timberwolves and the other against the Knicks. It just goes to show the states of Minnesota and New York that even Golden State, with all their chaos and mess can still keep it together enough to beat them.

LA CLIPPERS —Just as the Clippers looked to be getting it together again, they fell apart. To make matters worse, the Clips opened with a home heavy schedule but could only manage two wins from seven games. Sunday night's win over Oklahoma might have been the Clips' best performance of the season.

NEW ORLEANS HORNETS —Chris Paul deserves so much more than what he's getting from Hornets owner George Shinn. Byron Scott was unlucky to get the boot and the best New Orleans can hope for from this season now is a high lottery pick.

CHARLOTTE BOBCATS —The Bobcats are last in points scored and field goal percentage. They have scored less than 82 points in six of their nine games. It makes you wonder how they've acutally been able to win one, let alone three games.

WASHINGTON WIZARDS —Let me get this straight. Earl Boykins hadn't played in the NBA since April 2008, and he comes off the bench to lead the Wizards in scoring in his first game back. It still wasn't enough to stop Washington from losing their sixth straight.

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES —It's hard to believe that the T'Wolves were unbeaten at one point this season. Sure it was 1-0 and their lone victory was over the Nets but the way they have played since makes you wonder how they ever did it.

NEW JERSEY NETS —The Nets remain ahead of the Knicks because they've at least shown the ability to compete, as was proven against Miami on Saturday night, but when you're down, you're down.

NEW YORK KNICKS —Mike D'Antoni will probably survive the season, but he needs to get this team to show some passion and fight. Anything better than what the Knicks have offered so far will be an improvement.

Rajon Rondo: The Little Boy With The Big Mouth

If Rajon Rondo tried to, he could probably fit all $55 million dollars of his new contract into his huge mouth.

Instead, he would be wise to invest at least some of his newfound wealth in a few lesson on how to be humble and act like a pro. There's already one big baby in Boston, they don't need another.

Rondo is a good player, but one who benefits from being surrounded by Hall of Fame talent. It's a little easier to rack up assists and pad your own numbers when your options include Ray Allen on the perimeter and Kevin Garnett on the inside. If neither is available, there's always Paul Pierce.

Which team in the league is going to focus their defense on stopping Rondo before one of those three?

Shoot the ball himself? Unlikely because unless it's a lay up, or he's left wide open, Rondo barely shoots, as is shown by his 23 attempts through four games this season.

Sure, his field-goal percentage is a respectable 57-percent, and while stats don't lie, they don't always tell the full story either.

He hasn't tried a three pointer yet, nor has he been to the free throw line this season.

Perhaps Rondo is still a shuddering at the thought of entering the paint after LeBron James talked him out of doing so in the preseason and then again on opening night .

Rondo has talent, no doubt about it. He's athletic and plays hard on defense. His long-reaching arms cause many deflections and steals, and he's constantly poking his hands into his opponents' space, trying for more.

But what Rondo has in talent, he lacks in maturity and humility. He is still a little boy who needs attention. Everyone talks about Boston's Big Three, and that means they're not talking about him.

His antics against Chris Paul and the Hornets on Sunday were ridiculous.

According to a report on Yahoosports.com , Rondo said to Chris Paul during Sunday's heated clash, "I've got a ring, and you're never gonna win one."

Classy.

Yes, Rondo does have a championship ring and Paul doesn't. Factually, that is correct. Sometimes though, the best players don't always have the jewelry to show for it. Just ask Patrick Ewing, Reggie Miller or Charles Barkley.

But if we're going by stats, then Rondo only needs two more rings and he'll have as many as Mark Madsen does.

Furthermore, anyone who knows anything about the NBA knows that not only is Chris Paul the best point guard in the league, but he's also one of the leagues best players. Period.

Rondo is not in the same league as Paul. Not even close.

Paul deserves respect. He has always been very respectful towards those who paved the path for him and players like him. He understands that he is in a privliged position, and he carries himself with class and dignity at all times.

Rondo's conduct towards Paul was so tacky that Ray Allen, one of the classiest players in the league, reportedly apologized to Paul for Rondo's childish behavior.

It says a lot about the way Allen felt, that whatever Rondo said to Paul, Allen needed to speak up. Usually teammates of opposing players who got into a bit of a slanging match during a game put it down to "heat of the moment" type stuff.

Not this time. Rondo had embarrassed Allen.

It's not just Allen though. In the past, Rondo has riled up coach Doc Rivers, and in the summer, General Manager Danny Ainge was continually denying reports that he was shopping Rondo. However, that is usually the standard company line until a deal is finalized.

It's also surprising that Garnett tolerates such pathetic and immature behavior from one of his troops. After battling and struggling with the Timberwolves for years, Garnett knows better than most just how hard it is to not only win a championship, but to earn the respect of your peers. Garnett was in a similar position with Minnesota for years, and he can no doubt relate to the situation Paul faces now in New Orleans.

Trash talking is one thing, but mindless drivel is another. Garnett is a perfect example. He barely stops talking from the moment he arrives at the stadium until the last light has been turned off. He gets in the face of his opponents. It's his schtick.

But does he show respect to his opponents? Always. Since winning his championship, his only focus is on winning another. And another.

That's how a man behaves. His championship speaks for itself, but you know that in the back of KG's mind he needs to win at least one more to truly cement his place in history.

Rondo is only young and hopefully his attitude soon changes, because right now all he is proving is that winners can be losers at the same time.

NBA Power Rankings: Week 1

While many teams shook off preseason rust in opening week, the Boston Celtics look to be in midseason form already. KG's knee? Check. Paul Pierce motivated? Check? A deeper rotation despite Big Baby's big boo boo? Check.

The Celtics start the season ranked No. 1 and might be tough to remove from top spot.

1. BOSTON CELTICS: Through four convincing victories, the Celtics points differential is almost at 20 already. It’s very early, but everything is clicking for Boston, though three of their next four games are on the road.
2. ORLANDO MAGIC: The Magic have already knocked down 39 three-pointers this season, putting them on pace for more than a thousand makes if they keep it up. Seeing Jameer Nelson back to full strength shows just how much they missed him in the Finals last season.
3. DENVER NUGGETS: Carmelo Anthony has stormed out of the blocks with two 40-plus point games and 41 trips to the free throw line already. Things figure to get tougher for the 3-0 Nuggets as they head East for six straight on the road.
4. MIAMI HEAT: Jermaine O’Neal broke his nose in Sunday’s victory over the Bulls but isn’t expected to miss any time. He has been very impressive so far and is a large reason why the Heat are 3-0.
5. PHOENIX SUNS: The Suns are unbeaten though they are yet to face a playoff opponent. That ends this week as they take a trek East, where they face Orlando, Miami, Boston, Washington, and Philadelphia all on the road.
6. L.A. LAKERS: Sandwiched between two comfortable victories was a surprising home loss to the Mavericks. It was probably the early wake up that Kobe needed just to remind him that repeating is never easy. Andrew Bynum’s maturity has been more impressive than his career numbers so far.
7. SAN ANTONIO SPURS: The Spurs have looked re-energized at home, though the Bulls easily handled them in Chicago. Back-to-back trips this week to Utah and Portland should give us a closer indication of what the Spurs will be all about this season.
8. DALLAS MAVERICKS: The Wizards strolled into Dallas on opening night and grabbed a win, but Dallas quickly responded by doing the double over L.A. on Friday and Saturday night. Shawn Marion’s energy is just what the Mavericks have lacked in recent years.
9. WASHINGTON WIZARDS: Will Washington’s Big Three ever see court time together again? After missing Saturday nights game, Caron Butler is expected to return on Tuesday but Antawn Jamison is still two weeks away. The good news is that Gilbert Arenas looks to be completely over his knee injuries, though he’s still not talking all that much.
10. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS: There was expected to be an adjustment period with the big Shaq-usition, but after recovering from an 0-2 start, there is talk of bringing O’Neal off the bench. I still have no idea why the Cavs gave Jamario Moon $8 million over three years.
11. HOUSTON ROCKETS: Trevor Ariza wanted to be the man and he’s shown so far that maybe, just maybe, he can be a go-to guy. He’s averaging 29 PPG and the Rockets are 2-1. A matchup with the Lakers on Wednesday should be compulsive viewing.
12. OKLAHOMA CITY: Kevin Durant was just 3-for-21 from the field in the Thunder’s first loss, but last season, OKC didn’t register two wins until November 29, this year they reached that mark before the end of October.
13. ATLANTA HAWKS: There is still something missing from this team. On Sunday night against the Lakers, the Hawks conceded 18 unanswered points en route to their first loss. Mental strength continues to be the issue in Atlanta.
14. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS: The Sixers laid an egg on opening night but responded with two solid victories. They host the Celtics on Tuesday where they get a chance to show if they are for real or not.
15. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS: Greg Oden got his first big chance to show that he was cool in the clutch but fluffed his lines when he missed two free throws late against the Nuggets. Brandon Roy needs consistent help on offense if the Blazers are going to cement their place in the western conference elite.
16. CHICAGO BULLS: The Bulls opened with an impressive win over the Spurs but were crushed by the Celtics one night later. Derrick Rose avoided the rookie wall, but with averages of 10 PPG and 5 APG so far through three games, signs are that he might be facing one in his sophomore season.
17. UTAH JAZZ: The Jazz can’t move forward until they part with Carlos Boozer. He’s moody and just isn’t a good enough defender for a player of his size.
18. NEW ORLEANS HORNETS: The Hornets pushed the Celtics on Sunday, further than any team had so far, but the gap in depth became evident as Boston pulled away at the end. Chris Paul must be fuming after George Shinn gave away Rasual Butler.
19. MILWAUKEE BUCKS: It’s only been two games but Brandon Jennings has settled the starting point guard debate already. It’s his. It’s not good to hear that Michael Redd is already experiencing soreness in his right knee.
20. DETROIT PISTONS: Through three games, Ben Wallace is averaging 10 rebounds and playing more than 30 minutes. I say again, he could just be the steal signing of the summer.
21. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES: Through three games, the Grizz have had three different guys top them in scoring and not one has been Rudy Gay. If Memphis can get everything together, they are capable of doing some serious damage, but it’s not good to hear that O.J. Mayo and Gay had to be separated in Sunday’s loss.
22. CHARLOTTE BOBCATS: 59 points on opening night was a disgusting effort. Getting Raja Bell back should at least help their offense, but it’s hard to believe in Charlotte performing better than they did last year.
23. TORONTO RAPTORS: After a stirring home win over the Cavs to open the season, the Raptors bubble quickly burst with losses against Memphis and Orlando. With seven of their next nine out West and on the road, the Raptors struggle to maintain .500 ball has already begun.
24. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES: Johnny Flynn is another rookie making impressive strides early on. Wonder if Ricky Rubio is paying attention?
25. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS: The Stephen Jackson trade watch continues in earnest but just who would want to hear the words from their agent that they are heading to Oakland to play under Don Nelson?
26. INDIANA PACERS: Danny Granger is doing all he can, but Indiana hasn’t really been close to a victory in either game so far. With four of their next five at home, the Pacers should at least get on the board.
27. SACRAMENTO KINGS: Tyreke Evans is the third rookie point guard to feature in today’s rankings. I like Kevin Martin, but seriously, in 33 minutes against the Spurs, he didn’t get one assist or rebound. That is just not good enough.
28. NEW JERSEY NETS: Seeing Devin Harris already missing time due to a groin strain adds weight to the theory that he’s far too injury prone. Brook Lopez exploded for 27 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 blocks on opening night, but has grabbed just 8 rebounds since.
29. L.A. CLIPPERS: Oh the Clippers. Baron Davis looks in great shape, but his shot selection, which has always been questionable, seems to be getting worse. Blake Griffin must be wishing that he hadn’t been such a lock for the No. 1 pick last June.
30. NEW YORK KNICKS: Did the Knicks work on anything over the summer? It’s OK to lose with dignity, but the way the Knicks are playing, it’s like they don’t even respect themselves.

Dwight Howard Ready To Take the Magic To the Top

NBA POWER RANKINGS

1. ORLANDO MAGIC: Vince Carter was thrilled to get traded to Orlando. He lives there in the off season, but more importantly, playing behind D12 and Jameer Nelson means that VC finally gets his wish that he won’t be relied on to do all of the heavy lifting on offense. If this doesn’t make him happy, nothing ever will. Even though Gortat wanted out, retaining him was a huge coup for the Magic.

2. L.A. LAKERS: I’d still prefer to have Ariza over Artest simply because Ariza is won’t blow up at any point and also he thrived in his role as a sleeper on the Lakers offense. As long as Kobe stays healthy, the Lakers will likely finish atop the West, but should the Black Mamba go down for any reason and L.A. becomes vulnerable.

3. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS: Make no mistake, while Shaq will still be effective, this team goes as far as LeBron takes them. The Cavs might as well try to grab S-Jax from the Warriors because for all his troubles, he’d be a solid addition to this team for this season, and after all, this season is all everything is about in Cleveland.

4. BOSTON CELTICS: The debate on whether or not Rajon Rondo is as good as advertised was answered in game seven against the Magic last season. Rafer Alston ignored Rondo on offense, instead gambling on double-teaming Pierce, daring Rondo to knock down jumpers. He struggled and the Magic destroyed the C’s. Rondo has a lot to prove this season.

5. DENVER NUGGETS: The surprise of last season, Denver faces the dreaded “expectations” this season. Anything less than a top four berth in the West will be disappointment. ‘Melo needs to show that he truly belongs in the conversation with LeBron and Dwyane.

6. SAN ANTONIO SPURS: The additions of Richard Jefferson and DeJuan Blair give the Spurs the injection of freshness they needed. With a rested Duncan and Ginobili, the Spurs will always be tough to beat and Popovich never allows for excuses. Expect another 50 wins, but a championship? Never discount San Antonio completely.

7. PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS: Brandon Roy’s first taste of post season action wasn’t a pleasant one. Somehow he still seems underrated. If Greg Oden comes good and if Andre Miller provides the steady hand needed at the point, the Blazers threaten to become the Lakers biggest challenge. Too many ifs? We’ll see.

8. MIAMI HEAT: Yes, Dwyane Wade is this good. As long as he stays healthy, Wade can carry this team to as high as fourth in the East, even though he won’t be able to rely on the wonky knees of Jermaine O’Neal to provide much help. Michael Beasley is an unknown quantity, but Mario Chalmers is good, very good.

9. DALLAS MAVERICKS: Had the Mavs been able to snag Gortat – and they very nearly did - it would have given them a boost. Instead they had to settle for Shawn Marion who will be hoping the Mavs play a run-and-gun style of play that he is perfectly suited to. Expect the Mavs to try to deal Josh Howard at some point.

10. ATLANTA HAWKS: A very impressive victory over the Heat in the playoffs was followed up by a thumping loss to the Cavs in the semis. Jamal Crawford was a solid addition but you have to figure that either Mike Woodson or Josh Smith won’t still be there at season’s end.

11. CHICAGO BULLS: It’s only his second season, but already the Bulls are Derrick Rose’s team. Tyrus Thomas finally showed signs of maturity last season and John Salmons provided a needed offensive spark. The Bulls need help defensively, but in Rose they have a stud.

12. NEW ORLEANS HORNETS: Okafor is an upgrade over Chandler from a health perspective, but the Hornets will miss Rasual Butler. Peja Stojakovic will always be a deadly shooter, but his continual health problems negate his effectiveness. Chris Paul is disgustingly good, but the Hornets need another scorer to compliment Paul and David West.

13. PHOENIX SUNS: Amare and Nash will run defenses ragged again, but it’s hard to see Phoenix doing much more than making up the numbers in the Western conference playoffs, something that was beyond reach last season. Will Amare still even being in Phoenix at the All-Star break?

14. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS: The loss of Andre Miller was a surprise, but they get Elton Brand back. Eddie Jordan was the right choice to coach this team and expect big things from Lou Williams and Thaddeus Young who should continue their development. They’re not ready to win it all just yet, but there should be big strides made in Philly this season.

15. UTAH JAZZ: Whatever happens with Carlos Boozer – and it seems likely that he’ll be moved – Jerry Sloan will prevent complete chaos descending onto Salt Lake. They’ll make the playoffs again, like they always do, but can you really see them winning the title? Me neither.

16. DETROIT PISTONS: Last season couldn’t end quickly enough for Detroit. Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva are typical Joe Dumars signings – unloved, talented players who just need a home - and they may have found one in Motown. If Ben Wallace gets rejuvenated by his return, he could be the steal of the summer.

17. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER: GM Sam Presti knows that Rome wasn’t built in a day and what he is constructing in OKC looks very promising. Durant we know is a stud and Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook have shown enough to suggest that the Thunder are on the right track and Presti is on the right track.

18. TORONTO RAPTORS: After last season’s disaster, GM Bryan Colangelo stressed the need for the Raptors to get better at rebounding to be tougher this season. Then he went out and signed the defensively challenged Hedo Turkoglu to a monster contract. Reggie Evans might add some toughness, but how much can he contribute if he only plays 15 minutes a night. Rookie DeMar DeRozan and Marco Bellinelli give Raptors fans hope, but any more than 42 wins will be a surprise.

19. HOUSTON ROCKETS: The loss of Yao hurts, but Rockets fans should be used to it by now. T-Mac’s best contribution to the team might be whoever Houston can dump his contract on. However, Aaron Brooks, Luis Scola and Trevor Ariza should prevent the Rockets from a complete meltdown and big man David Anderson might surprise a few with his versatility.

20. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES: Up until they signed Allen Iverson, things were looking up in Memphis. Now it seems as though it will be another season of emptiness, despite the promise shown by O.J. Mayo and star-in-waiting Rudy Gay. I hope Zach Randolph can do a good Elvis impersonation.

21. CHARLOTTE BOBCATS: Larry Brown almost got the Bobby’s to the playoffs last season but the loss of Okafor hurts. D.J. Augustin will push Raymond Felton for the starting PG spot and on last season’s performance, he could be given the duties at some point. Expect a similar, un-sexy season from the Bobcats as last season, hovering around the eighth playoff spot.

22. INDIANA PACERS: Danny Granger doesn’t get the recognition he deserves. Last season Indy took down the Lakers, Cavs and Celtics at home but still missed the playoffs, although only just. T.J. Ford is not the right guy at the point for Indiana, but he’s the best they’ve got since Jarrett Jack bolted for Toronto.

23. NEW JERSEY NETS: Rod Thorn has a knack for getting young legs for old. He did it with Devin Harris for Jason Kidd and he might have done it again with Courtney Lee for Vince Carter. Yi Jianlian hasn’t lived up to expectations yet and the Nets need him to come good this season, but even if he does, the Nets will be in a scrap for the playoffs.

24. MILWAUKEE BUCKS: Michael Redd has missed 88 games over the last three seasons and therefore his standing among the game’s elite has suffered. If the Bucks are to have any hope of making the playoffs, he MUST play in more than 75 games. Rookie Brandon Jennings has been lavished with praise so far in the preseason and should be among the top rookie vote getters at season’s end.

25. NEW YORK KNICKS: Just one question with the Knicks quest for LeBron James next summer. What happens if he stays in Cleveland? It’s a disgrace how shambolic the Knicks franchise has become. D’Antoni’s no defense style of play might be fun to watch, but it doesn’t work in the playoffs, not that New York will need to worry about that this season.

26. WASHINGTON WIZARDS: I’m still laughing that the NBA fined Gilbert Arenas for not talking to the media during the preseason. Note to the NBA: Enjoy the silence. If Agent Zero can return to his All-Star form, then Washington could be in the mix for a playoff berth, but if anything goes wrong, the Wizards are out of it. Caron Butler is a stud.

27. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES: Kevin McHale’s time in ‘sota finally came to an end last season. Kurt Rambis gets his chance in the big chair and we could see just how effective he was as Phil Jackson’s assistant for so many years. Just how much did he learn much from the Zen Master, or was Rambis just a guy with great seats to Lakers home games? How the T’Wolves perform should give us our answer.

28. SACRAMENTO KINGS: The Kings do have a nice mix of players with Kevin Martin, Spencer Hawes, and rookie Tyreke Evans. If Sacramento can break into the teens in the power rankings by season’s end, it will have been a good season.

29. L.A. CLIPPERS: You want the Clippers to shake off 25 years of nothing, but somehow, it always goes wrong. On paper, with Baron Davis, Marcus Camby and the exciting Blake Griffin, the Clippers should be able to win 35-40 games, but history tells us that for one reason or another, it just won’t happen.

30. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS: Complete chaos has engulfed the NBA’s second most dysfunctional franchise and the real stuff is still over a week away. Why can’t the Warriors be like the team from 2007 all of the time, rather than once every 15 years?