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.

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?

Stephon Marbury Turning the Celtics Green & the Spurs Burn the Suns

It's only five games into the Stephon Marbury experiment in Boston, but the early returns are hardly eye-bulging.

14-points, 12-assists, one-steal and 10-turnovers and 7-for-21 shooting from the field doesn't exactly light up the stat sheet.

There was always going to be an adjustment period as Marbury and the Celtics acclimatised themselves to each other, but the year-long layoff has made Marbury look like he is out of touch with game.

Boston has gone 2-3 which included a huge home win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night, however, they were crushed by the Orlando Magic, also at home, on Sunday.

Marbury even got the start against the Magic with Rajon Rondo injured. It was his best opportunity to show that he was still able to compete at this level, but his four point, zero assist, three turnover effort suggests that he is a long way from the "Starbury" days.

Boston was still without Kevin Garnett but what Sunday's game showed us was that Kendrick Perkins and Glen Davis cannot hold down Dwight Howard. Between them, there is a lot of bark and noise, but Perkins isn't agile enough and Davis is just not good enough. No matter how much iron these guys lift, it can't compensate for skill.

Furthermore, it's worth remembering that the Magic were without their own all-star Jameer Nelson, so the ledger was almost even on quality of player missing for each team. While Nelson isn't in Garnett's class, the contribution he was making to the Magic this season was about equal to KG's at the C's.

It was also interesting to see how Paul Pierce doesn't strut around with the same obnoxious arrogance he has when KG isn't on the floor with him.

The Celtics will be a tough matchup for any team in the playoffs, but clearly if Garnett, Pierce or Allen go down, they become very vulnerable.

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You have to feel for fans of the Phoenix Suns.

If it wasn't for the San Antonio Spurs, the Suns could quite possibly have one or two championship rings from the last five years or so.

Instead, they have nothing more than a couple of Western Conference finals berths filled with harsh memories of near misses.

Once again on Sunday, the Spurs toyed with the Suns before nosing past them once again. Talk about having the wood over a team, the Spurs had better hope that they're not called before an environmental committee for excessive logging.

It's not that the Suns never beat the Spurs, it's just that they never do it when it counts.

Steve Nash and Shaquille O'Neal made fans think that the Suns might just snatch a victory from their long-time rival yesterday, but then Tony Parker just took control and steered the Spurs home.

Not that it needed confirming, but Tony Parker is an absolute stud. In the middle period of the last quarter, Spurs coach Greg Poppovich kept Tim Duncan on the bench, totally confident that Parker would be able to handle the load by himself.

Duncan eventually came in, but Parker had the Spurs in control prior to that point.

The Suns are five-games over .500 but incredibly are four games behind Dallas for eighth place in the Western Conference. Hopefully the Suns won't make the playoffs this year, because if they do, they'll likely face either the Lakers or the Spurs and be crushed once again...and like "Paris Hilton's BFF" nobody wants to watch that again.

*****

Finding an Answer in the Boozer, Wading through All This Mess !

To the regular readers of The Daily Hurt, apologies for the tardiness in writing, hopefully today marks the return of some more regular content.

Anyway, enough of that...let's get to it.

First off, Allen Iverson is known as "The Answer" but perhaps it's meant more as a question rather than a statement.

It is abundantly clear that the Detroit Pistons are much better off without him. It's a bit sad but for a while, many have suspected that for all of Iverson's offensive talents, he is a terrible team player and he's always more concerned about his own scoring, rather than his team winning.

Iverson will kick around the league for a few more years, but this season has exposed him as a problem, not an answer.

*****

Carlos Boozer has made his return to the Utah Jazz recently, but the strong play of Paul Millsap has made the Booze expandable. Boozer is a solid double-double guy, but he doesn't provide enough at the defensive end. In 18 games this season, Boozer has only four - FOUR - blocked shots, which is simply not good enough.

Millsap is an energy guy and look for the Jazz to let Boozer walk this summer. Boozer has a player option of a few bucks less than $13-million. He'll probably get a lengthy deal, but you can bet the market won't be as lucrative as it might have been at the end of last season.

Boozer is ok, but he isn't in the elite crop of power forwards in the league.

*****

Glen "Big Baby" Davis has no class. Riding the coat tails of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce, Davis acts like he's someone in the NBA.

He's not. All he really is, is lucky. His cheap shot on Friday night on Anderson Varejao deserves a suspension.

The Celtics tried to dump him prior to the trade deadline but found little interest in him. No doubt because he doesn't really have much of a game. He can fill in a few minutes here and there, but his lofty frame means that he is slow on defensive and he is very limited offensively.

*****

Dwyane Wade is on a tear right now and has overtaken Kobe Bryant as the strongest challenger to LeBron James' MVP season. Wade is carrying the Miami Heat to the playoffs and, perhaps even home court advantage for the first round at least.

Chris Bosh should take notice because Wade's supporting cast in Miami is arguably worse than what CB4 has in Toronto, yet the Raptors season was effectively over around Christmas.

*****

Speaking of Bosh, he often gets referred to in the same class as draft mates Wade and James. However, after this season, the question has to be asked as to whether or not he deserves it. The Raptors have been awful and Bosh has to accept a large portion of the responsibility for that.

His season started out well enough, but he has been a huge disappointment. He's had his injury problems, but that's always been another problem for Bosh, he always seems to miss anywhere between 6-12 games every season, further lowering his value. He has one season left on his contract in Toronto, but don't be surprised if Raptors General Manager Bryan Colangelo deals him away this off season.

Loudmouth Stephen A. Smith Well Off the Mark

Loudmouth ESPN reporter Stephen A. Smith's job is to deliver news out of the NBA. Like any journalist, he needs to use reliable sources to find out information for him to be able to break stories. His latest piece of scuttlebutt is that Toronto Raptors forward Chris Bosh wants out of Toronto either now, or after next season and that would certainly qualify as a major scoop.

If it were true.

Smith reported on Sunday that Bosh has already told Raptors General Manager Bryan Colangelo that he won't be staying with the team beyond 2010 when his current contract expires.

Both Bosh and Colangelo spoke after the story broke on Monday and denied that they had had any such conversation.

"No. No. No, I haven't told him that," Bosh told reporters after practice.

"It[the conversation] obviously didn't happen" fumed Colangelo.

Even when he is clearly incensed by having to comment on statements like this, Colangelo remains calm in his delivery and his tone.

With the Raptors season dead in the water however, it was the last thing he needed on a Monday morning. The suave and slick boss has looked anything but lately and this controversy was the last thing he needed.

Now that both the player and GM have denied that Smith's alleged conversation ever took place, the onus is on Smith to come out and prove where he got his information from. Either he is a liar or both Bosh and Colangelo are. If Smith can't prove his information to be correct, then he should be forced to admit it.

It's one thing to have an opinion, it's another to completely fabricate an entire conversation.

This is what infuriated Colangelo further. "It's one of those things that unfortunately I guess there's an obligation to answer the question. ... There just doesn't seem to a lot of accountability with respect to the topic sometimes" he added, as if to challenge Smith to prove himself.

Bosh may well leave the Raptors in 2010 and with the way the team is playing at the moment, it wouldn't be a surprise. They have no discipline and no heart and are one of the softest teams in the league, yet Bosh also needs to shoulder much of the blame.

He has let himself and his team mates down lately and needs to pick up his game.

Colangelo too. Between them, they have failed the Raptors this season. Bosh by sulking and Colangelo for continuing to show blind faith in a roster that is flawed.

Perhaps it's Colangelo's ego that prevents him from admitting that his trade for Jermaine O'Neal has failed, but he won't. At the start of the season, he proudly boasted that he had assembled the strongest team "on paper" since his arrival in February 2006, but he has been proven beyond doubt that is not the case.

This Raptors team might have some good individual talent, but they lack desire and heart. Never knowing how to hold onto a lead or how to close out a game, they have no backbone. When the going gets tough, they feebly crumble and hide like little boys.

Colangelo has endured a dream run with the Raptors to this point into his tenure, but now the pressure is on for him to deliver. For a while there would have been no doubting that he would be able to turn things around, but times have changed and he is struggling as badly as the team he has built is.

Toronto Raptors Continue Stink-A-Thon

The Toronto Raptors dismal season slide has a boring repetitiveness to it, especially during the most recent six-game meltdown. Brainless plays and an inability to execute when it matters is happening with such consistency, that there is no suspense any more.

At least the Raptors aren't having to console any team mates for missing a game winning shot. The Raptors always blow it just before they need one and save themselves the trouble.

Against the Chicago Bulls, Chris Bosh put up a pathetic attempt against sophomore Joakim Noah and was promptly blocked. The Bulls won, Bosh sulked and shrugged his shoulders. Noah looked like a 15-year veteran with steady hands, not the second-year guy who sometimes barely makes it off the bench.

Whomever came up with the cliche about "snatching defeat from the jaws of victory", must have been a Toronto Raptors fan in a previous life.

Forward Jamario Moon is the Raptors worst offender. He should be banned from ever shooting a three-pointer again. Not because he mis-fires them at a horrid 33-percent clip, but because of the times he chooses to take them.

Just when Toronto needs a crucial basket, something clicks in Moon's mind that says "Now Jamario, now" and he launches away with free abandon. They always miss.

Raptors beat reporter Doug Smith from the Toronto Star makes mention of this in his latest article.

It's funny to keep hearing Toronto's broadcasters and commentators constantly referring to each loss as "heartbreaking". In basketball, it should only be referred to as a heartbreaking loss when a bad team is shorthanded and fights life and death over every possession and almost upsets a good team. Not when a mediocre team chokes time and time again.

There can't be much sympathy for a team that puts zero pressure on the defense and vacates their own lane when the other team attacks. If the Raptors only could learn from the their opponents how to close out possessions and games rather than just watch and get embarrassed.

While Monday's loss to the Atlanta Hawks had all these ingredients and more, it was Sunday's collective brain cramp which stands out more.

With the score tied at 102, Phoenix Suns coach Terry Porter called a time out. His choice of play on the reset was to dump the ball into Shaq in the low post and let him go to work against Andrea Bargnani. The result was one that any NBA fan of the last 15 years has seen about a million times. Shaq nudges his way a little closer to the hoop, raises up and drops in a baby hook shot.

A solid, high percentage play. Porter, in his first season as Suns coach after two with the Milwaukee Bucks had no interest in trying to do anything fancy. He just wanted to win the game and chose smart plays to help him do that.

He could have asked Steve Nash to break down his man, or dump the ball to Amare Stoudemire or even he could have designed a play for Jason Richardson, but he decided that his best option was Shaq. Smart move.

Shaq isn't the force he once was, but as we saw, he is still a handful for the best defenders in the league, let alone Bargnani.

For those last six minutes of the game, as the Suns eased their way out of Toronto's reach, Porter could have been San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich. Often regarded to be boring, Popovich's Spurs set the NBA standard in no-nonsense basketball.

It's what good teams do. And the Toronto Raptors are NOT a good team. They have no leadership and no "go-to" guy or even play. When the game is on the line, the Raptors put all their eggs in the "hope someone hits a miraculous game winner" basket.

Raptors General Manager Bryan Colangelo has his hands full. Once a mastermind who was building a mighty house from the ground up, he is starting to resemble a shonky tradesman who is trying to cover up his dodgy work.

Colangelo is praying that Jermaine O'Neal's wonky knees hold up long enough for Miami Heat General Manager Pat Riley to take him and his monster contract on board. If Riley bites, it would mean he would in effect have traded Shaq and his $40-million for Jermaine and his $40-million and he'd be back to where he was a year ago.

Rajon Rondo Being Exposed as the Weak Link on the Boston Celtics

After riding an impressive 19-game winning streak, the Boston Celtics had galloped out to an NBA best ever start of 27-2. Chests were being bumped and fists were being pumped and the smug looks on the Celtics players faces were clear for all the basketball world to see.

The arrogance and self congratulations were growing by the day.

However, five losses from the following seven games has dropped the Celtics record to 29-7 which has quickly doused any talk of them eclipsing the Chicago Bulls record 72-wins from the 1995-96 season. It is still possible that Boston could achieve a new mark, but the Celtics most recent meltdown to the lowly Charlotte Bobcats Tuesday night makes the task seem less likely.

The strutting, preening Celtics have tripped up and are finding that no opponent is intimidated by them.

As reported in Tuesday's edition of the Boston Globe by Frank Dell'Apa, it seems that teams are starting to work out that Boston has at least one critical vulnerability. Point guard Rajon Rondo is a poor shooter and his ball handling is suspect at times, as evidenced by his nine turnovers in the loss to Charlotte.

The Lakers found this out successfully back on Christmas Day. Actually, they found this out last season during the NBA finals, but inexplicably, didn't expose Rondo like they should have.

By keeping Rondo out of the lane and forcing him to shoot the ball, it does two things. It shows him up to be the bad shooter that he is and it also stops him from using his pace to blow past defenders which he has been doing all season.

It also helps to take out the cockiness which has crept into his game.

From his body language, it's easy to tell that Rondo isn't comfortable taking mid-range jumpshots and only looks totally confident when he can drive into the lane. His 1-for-7 shooting performance in Sunday night's loss against the New York Knicks all but confirmed it.

Celtics Head Coach Doc Rivers and General Manager Danny Ainge both noticed it too.

That's why, it comes as no coincidence that as the sudden run of losses have piled up, the Celtics are becoming increasingly concerned about their point guard situation and know that if they don't get a decent back up, it could hurt them down the stretch and in their bid to repeat.

So desperate are the Celtics in fact, that they appear to be holding out hope that Stephon Marbury can orchestrate his release from the Knicks and join Boston.

Rondo will say all the right things, but deep down, it won't be good for his confidence to know that the Celtics want the poisonous Marbury around to share the back court duties with him.

Rondo's form has perhaps come about from him believing some of the reports that were being written about him. He was being touted as an All-Star and the leagues Most Improved Player, however he has become sloppy with the ball and teams are either throwing double-teams at him or daring him to shoot the ball, both of which he's having trouble dealing with.

Rondo will find that other teams will have noticed his weakness and they will be coming at him harder than before now.

Now Stephon Marbury Wants to Play With Kevin Garnett

Sources have told ESPN.com that New York Knicks point guard Stephon Marbury is interested in joining the Boston Celtics if he is released from the Knicks.

If that happens, it would mean that Marbury would be reunited with Kevin Garnett. Garnett and Marbury played together in Minnesota and formed what looked to be a lethal tandem before the Timberwolves got the first taste of Marbury's "me-first" attitude and he forced them to trade him to the New Jersey Nets.

Marbury back then, wasn't happy sharing the spotlight with KG and wanted to run the T'Wolves. Minnesota wisely felt they were better off keeping Garnett, though he didn't reap them much success for a variety of reasons.

Now, as Marbury's career has gone from an All-Star player to an All-Star joke, he has begun to realise that time for winning a championship is running out and he wants to ride KG's coat tails to try to get his hands on an NBA title.

Marc Stein from ESPN has compiled a list of FAQ's which covers the likelihood of Marbury ending up in Boston, assuming he gets his buyout from Knicks General Manager Donnie Walsh.

Marbury refused to play for the Knicks this season even when they were down to seven healthy players and now he expects New York to immediately bow to his wishes and release him - with full pay - so he can join the red hot favourite to win the NBA crown.

Strange as it sounds, Marbury might actually be getting dumber and more selfish than ever.

Marbury's salary for this season is $21,937,500 which works out to $267,530.49 per game. The Knicks play game number 32 Sunday afternoon, ironically versus the Celtics. So, with 50 games remaining the Knicks still owe Steph $13,376,524.39 less the $400,000 that they fined him for refusing to play against the Detroit Pistons back on November 26.

The reason I'm bringing up these numbers is that Walsh might just have decided to pay Marbury out and let him sulk and miss the entire season. Let's hope so.

Marbury no longer deserves anything from New York, especially from Walsh and head coach Mike D'Antoni. Marbury was causing problems in the Big Apple long before those two turned up and in any case, he won't be there next season.

It isn't Walsh's money and even if he decides to release Marbury, any team that signs him will only pay him the absolute minimum, meaning that the Knicks are still on the hook for almost all of his salary still anyway.

No team is going to offer a decent trade for Marbury either. Earlier in the season, Walsh offered to release Marbury if he took $3 million less than his full $21 million. Marbury refused, saying that he'd only do it for $1 million.

Now, Marbury does have every right to expect to be paid the salary he signed up for. However, if he wants to be able to go and sign with whichever team he wants, then he should be prepared to give up a little something in return. 1/7th of his salary isn't too much to ask, but then again it seems that anything that is asked of Marbury is too much.

From a playing point of view, Marbury is still an NBA caliber point guard. He could easily start for several teams, although if he does join the Celtics, he would play back up to Rajon Rondo.

The whole situation has been a black eye for the Knicks, or maybe that should be a tattoo on the side of the Knicks head !

Express Post - Tracy McGrady Mails it in (again !) Against the Toronto Raptors

Houston Rockets guard/forward, Tracy McGrady has been constantly teased throughout his 12-year career for having that "sleepy-look" about him. His heavy eyelids give him an appearance like he's just gotten up out of bed...wake up T-Mac, you've got a game to play !

His dozey eyes haven't affected his ability to play in the NBA, but McGrady certainly conspires to the old theory of "hard work never killed anybody...but why take the risk".

Friday night in Toronto against McGrady's former team, the Raptors, T-Mac didn't feel much inspired to "stick it" to his old team. When a lot of players find that little bit of extra motivation playing against their ex, McGrady instead decided to take the night off.

Rockets beat reporter Jonathon Feigen from the Houston Chronicle sums up very accurately a play that McGrady opted out of against in the 94-73 loss to the Raptors. T-Mac just didn't fancy playing defense, in fact, he barely bothered to show up for the game at all, scoring just four points on nine field goal attempts. A steady reminder of what much of McGrady's career has been.

He would like to win, but he doesn't really want to, especially not if it means he has to try too hard.

Look at his awful playoff record. Seven trips to the post season, seven first-round failures. And it is ok to use the word "failure" with him despite making the playoffs so many times.

Once one of the most exciting players to watch, he now looks burnt out and bored. He treats life in the NBA like its all a bit of a hassle to him and it shows in his attitude and performance. If he doesn't feel like playing, he just mails it in.

Like he did last night.

Playing against the Raptors - hardly one of the most intimidating teams in the league - McGrady just decided he wasn't in the mood. And that sort of attitude is accepted in this current NBA.

“(Effort) is something we’re obviously not giving right now,” McGrady said after the game.

A shrug of the shoulders from a guy earning millions of dollars after he suggests that effort is a part of the game that can't be controlled.

It's ridiculous that he can use such a limp excuse for a weak performance and he is not chastised more for severely for it. With McGrady, most fans have come to accept it.

That's why he'll never be a true winner.

How can McGrady, as the supposed leader of the Rockets, take his 21-12 team into battle against the 12-20 and short handed Raptors - who had lost four-in-a-row at home - and let them get blown out by 21 points?

We all remember McGrady abruptly ending a press conference two seasons ago, with tears in his eyes. His Rockets had just blown a 2-0 lead in the first-round series against the Utah Jazz. Lost for words at his latest failure, but dressed sharply in an expensive designer suit, he just picked up and walked out.

Sadly for McGrady's legion of fans, it's become an all too familiar sight.

Baron Davis in Golden State of Mind

According to a report from the Contra Costa Times out of San Francisco, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Jackson spent this past Saturday afternoon with former team mate Baron Davis and believes that Davis would welcome a return to the Bay area.

Let's hope that this is true and, while it seems unlikely to happen it would be great to see Davis back in a Warriors uniform. Things haven't worked out for him so far in L.A. with the Clippers and he just seems to be the perfect fit for Golden State and especially under coach Don Nelson.

The Warriors were the most exciting team to watch with Davis running the point, feeding guys like Monta Ellis, Jackson and ex-team mate Jason Richardson. Now they still play the same way (Nelson knows no other style), but they lack electricity and Davis was the spark plug.

Will it happen though ? Probably not, it would seem to be a strange move that the two franchises would agree to, especially if the Warriors offered former Clipper Corey Maggette as bait. Nobody seems to want Maggette and I can't see the Clippers pulling the trigger as a favor to the Warriors.

What is it about Corey Maggette ? He's a big, strong guy (6'6", 225lb) can play the two or three, gets to the line whenever he wants(8.5 attempts this year, almost seven for his nine-year career) and is averaging 19ppg this season (over 16 for his career) and 5.7 rpg(5.1 career) yet he seems to be available to any team that wants him. At any price.

While Maggette absolutely loves a shot, he is a pathetic defender and has an Eddy Curry-like ability to turn the ball over and he's not too fond of passing either. And he's getting even worse. He is averaging a paltry 1.8apg (down on his 2.2 career) but his turnovers are bang on his career mark of 2.4tpg.

For a guy who plays 34 minutes a game, in Don Nelson's system especially, he could just let go of the ball and he would get at least a few more assists. Then again, why pass it when he can shoot the ball himself !

Still, the Warriors only have themselves to blame, they couldn't keep Davis with $17-million and then gave $50-million to Maggette.

Firings and Trades...the NBA Season is Rolling !

About a third of the way through the 2008-09 and there has been six coaches fired and some big trades. GM's everywhere have become more impatient and unstable than the economy at the moment.

Some of the coaches deserved to go. P.J. Carlisemo was a poor signing to begin with last season. At 2-21, the Oklahoma City Thunder are on track to record the worst season in NBA history, currently held by the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers at 9-73.

Thunder GM Sam Presti has some work to do. He traded away everything to go young and build around Kevin Durant and Jeff Green, but no matter how good any player is, they need a few (good) experienced players around them.

******

Sam Mitchell had to go too. He lost his way in the last 12-months. There appeared to be a clear difference of idea on how the Raptors should be playing. GM Bryan Colangelo has been lauded for what he's done since arriving in Toronto but his biggest challenge is coming up. Can he convince Chris Bosh to stay ? The fate of not only the Raptors hinges on this decision, but more so Colangelo's reputation.

*******

Randy Wittman getting the boot in Minnesota was probably the best thing that happened to him. Kevin McHale has been - by far - the worst GM in the history of the NBA. He has continually wrecked this franchise with shocking decision making, yet, he somehow keeps his job and firing others for his incompetence.

The T'Wolves should go back to Dwayne Casey, in fact I'm surprised that Casey hasn't picked up another job since getting the boot almost two years ago.

*******

Eddie Jordan was unlucky in Washington. He'll definitely be coaching again before long. The Wizards have been without loudmouth point guard Gilbert Arenas for the best part of two years. The Wizards shouldn't have signed Agent-0 to that $111-million contract in the Summer. The only "0" really relates to "overpaid" or "overrated".

******

It's funny how some players rate themselves. Look at Shawn Marion and Raja Bell for instance. Both thrived in Phoenix under Mike D'Antoni. Marion tried to bluff Steve Kerr and Kerr sent him to Miami. Now, Marion still has exactly the same skill set he always has, but without Steve Nash and not playing under the Suns' offense, Marion isn't anywhere near the All-Star he was.

Raja Bell is the same. He thought he was pretty hot stuff knocking down wide-open 3's every night under D'Antoni's high scoring offense. He was also a "great defender" for clobbering Kobe Bryant in the playoffs when in actual fact, he had to play dirty against Kobe, because the Black Mamba was murdering him.

Bell will struggle in Charlotte because apart from shooting three-pointers, Bell has ZERO moves. ZERO. His supposed defensive abilities won't be of much use to a team that gets pounded every night.

Sometimes guys just don't realize how good they've got it.

Paul Out Duels Bosh in a Battle of the Chris's

Toronto Raptors General Manager Bryan Colangelo witnessed a game of basketball Sunday afternoon played just the way he likes it.

It was fast paced with clean, crisp ball movement, lots of three-point shooting and perimeter play, and had a mix of an inside action as well.

It had that “European” style that the GM admires and it's that way he’s trying to get the Raptors to play.

Unfortunately for Colangelo though, it was the visiting New Orleans Hornets led by the irrepressible Chris Paul, who stole the show and out played Toronto 99-91.

The Raptors boss might feel as if Hornets head coach Byron Scott has stolen his idea. In Jay Triano’s first game as head coach of Toronto against the Utah Jazz, Colangelo stated on air that the Raptors were “still a perimeter team”.

Heading into Sunday's game, it was New Orleans who led the league in three-point accuracy at 41-percent, yet was only eleventh in tries at 18.5-per-game, but seventh in makes with 7.6-per-game.

You can add another 12-for-33 three-pointers to New Orleans stat sheet from today, six of them coming from reserve James Posey, who also had 10 rebounds.

There is no feeling more deflating than being beaten at your own game.

After a slow start to the season, the Hornets have now won eight of their last 10 games and improve to 13-7. Toronto had a two-game winning streak snapped and drops to 10-13.

Paul controls the tempo of a game like no other player in the NBA does. Not Kobe Bryant, not even LeBron James, which is a measure of just how good he is.

In their own right, of course Bryant and James are fantastically entertaining players to watch and much of their teams fate - on a nightly basis - is decided by them. However, there is so much more noise and bang to the way they play.

Every dunk is a thunderous one; every play has highlight reel potential.

It's like watching a heavy metal rock concert.

Paul plays a very different way. He's subtle but deadly effective, instead of being at a rock concert, watching him is more akin to listening to a saxophonist playing in New York’s Central Park on a warm Spring afternoon.

Don't look to the stats sheet to tell the full story of Paul’s dominance. There, you will only see the numerical impact Paul had on today’s game. Twelve points and twelve assists is a moderate return from an All-Star and Olympian.

What the box score won’t tell you is how Paul, after showing total trust in his team mates all day, decided he would drive the final dagger through the Raptors.

Toronto had closed to within five points 92-87 and still over two minutes remaining when Paul fearlessly dissected the lane and scored a lay up to stretch the Hornets lead back out to seven points.

It was a high-percentage play, from a high-percentage player. The type a team expects from its franchise player.

The Raptors franchise man, Bosh, clearly wasn’t paying attention to Paul. The man who he'd spent a lot of time in the summer with as they won Gold medals as team mates at the Beijing Olympics.

Rather than answer back by getting to the basket himself, Bosh launched a three-pointer. It clanked off the rim and Toronto’s fate was effectively sealed.

Just moments earlier, Paul, in total control had confidently confirmed his teams’ advantage. Bosh, unsure of himself, opted for hope and luck. Unsurprisingly, he came up short.

This game was decided on Paul’s watch.

The next possession Paul completely killed off the Raptors. He found Rasual Butler who drained his fourth three-pointer and the Hornets’ 12th.

It's no surprise that Paul’s team mates always seem to be ready. Even if they don’t know that they’re open, he lets them know that they are.

Back on November 27 after finishing practice for the day, a sweaty Chris Bosh told reporters that one of his goals for this season was to win the leagues Most Valuable Player award.

Bosh was playing at a high level and was posting career high numbers in scoring (27.6 points-per-game) and field goal percentage (55.1-percent). The Raptors were at the .500 mark with seven wins and seven losses.

From a statistical point of view, Bosh was posting MVP type numbers.

Since then however, Bosh has been very un-MVP like. Toronto has lost six of nine games and during that dip, Bosh has seen his numbers plunge. He is only averaging 19.6-points-per-game and shooting the ball at 46 percent over those nine games.

The Raptors have also lost their coach Sam Mitchell and after a strong start, Toronto once again finds itself in familiar, disappointing territory.

Maurice Cheeks Squeezed Out of Philadelphia

Mo Cheeks got the flick this afternoon as head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers. This move isn't a huge surprise seeing that the rumours had been swirling about Cheeks demise in the last couple of weeks.

Mo might have been a victim of his own success. The Sixers weren't supposed to make the playoffs last season, but they did and almost knocked over the heavily favoured Detroit Pistons in the first round. Philadelphia led that series 2-1 and should have gone 3-1 up before Detroit regained control and took the series in six games.

The surprise addition of Elton Brand in the summer gave Philadelphia the low-post scorer and genuine inside threat that they lacked last season. Big Samuel Dalembert isn't capable of doing that job. However, Brand has struggled with Philadelphia and the Sixers are 9-14.

The real problem in Philadelphia this season has been Andre Iguodala. Iggy oozes talent and has long, strong arms yet he simply doesn't utilize his strengths enough. Like a lot of "franchise" players, he is undisciplined and settles for too many jumpshots rather than attack the hoop and getting to the free throw line.

His scoring numbers are down across the board. He is averaging 14.9 points-per-game and is shooting a career low 43.9 percent from the field. Certainly some of the reason his scoring is down is due to the presence of Brand and the emergence of Thaddeus Young, but that's no excuse for his lazy field goal shooting.

Philadelphia need Iguodala to forget about the jumpshot and get to the paint.

Look for 76ers GM Ed Stefanski to try and grab former Wizards coach Eddie Jordan to fill the void, though it probably won't happen before next season.

*******

The Toronto Raptors won for the second time in a row last night. Interim head coach Jay Triano's team blew the New Jersey Nets apart by 22 points. Since Triano took over from Sam Mitchell, the Raptors are 2-3, although the wins came against Indiana and the Nets.

It's still too early into Triano's reign to see what sort of coach he'll be and considering that in two of the three losses he's coached, Toronto was ripped by Utah and Cleveland, but the team does look to be playing a bit 'looser' than they were under Mitchell.

Andrea Bargnani's wildly inconsistency continues, but he doesn't look like he's looking over his shoulder all the time, waiting to get yanked at the first error. Raptors General Manager Bryan Colangelo will probably never admit it, but if he could have that 2006 draft all over again, there is absolutely no doubt that he would take Brandon Roy first overall.

Back to Triano and the Raptors and we'll get a better idea of Triano's coaching abilities Sunday afternoon when Toronto hosts Chris Paul and the New Orleans Hornets.

Regular readers of The Daily Hurt know that I believe that Paul is the BEST player in the world right now, ahead of Kobe, LeBron and anyone else.

Chris Bosh MVP ? Try Winning With the Toronto Raptors First.

Chris Bosh has set his sights on becoming the NBA's Most Valuable Player." I came into this season saying I'm going to give it a shot" he told reporters after practice Thursday afternoon.
He should concentrate on winning with the Toronto Raptors first.

On Wednesday night, the Raptors were unimpressive in a 93-86 win over the lowly Charlotte Bobcats. Bosh delivered a solid line, scoring 39-points on 15-for-20 shooting from the field and 9-for-10 from the free throw line. He also grabbed 11 rebounds and had a couple of blocked shots. Bosh was clearly the difference between the two teams.

He was at it again Friday night. Bosh’s 30-points, ten rebounds, seven assists and three blocked shots carried the Toronto Raptors past the stuttering Atlanta Hawks 93-88.

Bosh's outstanding play for Team USA at the Beijing Olympics has carried over to the NBA season. In China, Bosh was arguably the teams most efficient player, coming off the bench to lead the powerhouse Americans in rebounding. He liked the taste of winning a Gold medal and playing with the best players every night.


Bosh has been noticeably more aggressive this season and it’s reflected in his numbers. His 27.7-points-per-game is a career high, so are his nine-and-a-half free throw attempts per game. He’s playing over 42 minutes a night and is shooting the ball at a sizzling 55-percent clip.


In short, Bosh is having a career year and from a statistical point of view, he is producing MVP caliber numbers.


While Bosh has raised the level of his own game to superstar status, he needs to understand that while his numbers look pretty, what makes players truly great is their ability to make those around them better.


It helps if your team mates are already good players but it goes further than that. The best leaders are the ones who are able to get their team mates to believe in themselves and to elevate their own game further than even they had imagined.


However, Bosh’s team, the Toronto Raptors continue to plod along with maddening inconsistency.


Part of the reason that Bosh has produced such big numbers is because he’s not getting the support from his team mates. It’s a double-edged sword though. He doesn’t trust them enough and they don’t deliver when they need to and too often, the Raptors lose as a result.


Three wins to the start the season was followed by seven losses from the next 10 games. The defeats largely came about due to the same problems that have plagued Toronto for the past two seasons; soft defense and poor shot selection down the stretch combined with an inability to close out games.


Often the Raptors start off games well and build big leads, but they are unable to maintain a certain level of play. This season, three times the Raptors have led by double figures only to lose those games.


Toronto's worst loss of the season came against the best, but hopefully Bosh took something out of it.


It was against the Boston Celtics on November 10. Then, the Raptors led by 16 points at one stage before losing by seven. It’s true that Paul Pierce had a huge fourth quarter and the Celtics are the defending NBA champions, but a game like that is where an MVP needs to step up and guide his team to victory.


Paul Pierce did.


Pierce, a possible MVP candidate himself did what Bosh should have done. He took control of his team and the game. Pierce didn’t wait for the ball to come to him, he went and got it and told his team mates to be ready…just in case he needed them.


It was a lesson in leadership and hopefully Bosh was paying full attention.
Furthermore, until the Raptors can get past the first round of the playoffs, Bosh won’t garner MVP consideration. In the last two seasons, the Raptors have fallen too early in the post season. Bosh put up good numbers both times but again, that counts for little as his team was eliminated easily each time.


This season, Toronto are not considered a serious threat to win the Eastern Conference by most analysts and their current style of play and 8-7 record will have done little to change those minds.


The only way to do that is if the Raptors can become consistent and that starts and ends with Chris Bosh.

Chris Bosh leads the Toronto Raptors Past the Charlotte Bobcats

TORONTO, ON (LE)- Chris Bosh scored 39 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead the Toronto Raptors to 93-86 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats Wednesday night at the Air Canada Center.

Bosh shot a sizzling 15-for-20 from the field and 9-for-10 from the free throw line.

Sparsely used back up Joey Graham added a season high 17 points and had six rebounds off the bench for Toronto. Andrea Bargnani scored 11 points, grabbed nine rebounds and had three blocked shots.

Gerald Wallace had 23 points and eight rebounds to lead the Bobcats and Emeka Okafor had 16 points and 14 rebounds. In the first period, Wallace was struck in the face by Jamario Moon going for a rebound and left the game briefly, but returned less than a minute later.

Wallace scored 17 points in the first half.

Rookie D.J. Augustin had another strong game for Charlotte, scoring 13 points and dishing out four assists, though he did commit seven turnovers.

After suffering a heavy defeat to the Boston Celtics on Sunday, during which Chris Bosh controversially refused to join his team mates during a time out, he came out focused and determined from the start tonight.

“I tell Chris…The great ones, they walk on the floor every night and they think they’re the best player on the court” said Raptors Coach Sam Mitchell.

And tonight Bosh certainly was.

He hit 9-of-10 field goals and all six of his free-throw attempts in the first half, scoring 24 points to take the Raptors into 51-46 lead at half-time.

Despite Bosh’s strong play, Toronto was unable to capitalize and Charlotte kept the game close. When Jared Dudley scored a pair of free-throws with 3:45 remaining in the third period, Toronto’s lead was down to four points, 65-61.

Joey Graham then scored five of Toronto’s next 10 points to push the Raptors lead out to seven points, 75-68 at the end of the third period.

“Joey gave us a huge lift coming off the bench giving us energy” said Mitchell.

Raptors point guard Jose Calderon hit a 3-pointer to open the fourth quarter which gave Toronto its biggest lead at 10, 78-68 with 11:03 to go. It looked like Toronto might start to pull away, but when Okafor hit a jump shot along the baseline as the shot clock expired it closed the margin to a single point at 87-86 with 2:58 remaining.

The Raptors then scored the final three baskets of the game. Firstly Bosh hit a jump shot and Graham was credited with a basket after Okafor was called for defensive goal tending and Calderon then hit a pull up jump shot to seal the win.


Notes: Jermaine O’Neal missed the game for Toronto with a knee strain and Jason Richardson sat out for Charlotte, also with a knee injury…the Bobcats have lost five of their last six…Bosh picked up a tech foul for arguing a call in the second period.

Bienvenido Manu ! Ginobili Returns, Now We Can Watch the San Antonio Spurs Again

It's great to have Manu Ginobili playing again. He made his regular season debut for the San Antonio Spurs last night and scored 12 points in about 12 minutes of action. The Spurs easily accounted for Memphis Grizzlies 94-81.


Manu is one of the top FIVE players in the league (behind Chris Paul, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade) and he is always great to watch. He is so tough and never gives up. He is the ultimate team player and the type that gets people (especially me !) through the turnstiles. Bienvenido Manu !


The Spurs win put them at 7-6, the first time they have been over .500 this season. Numbers and wins are funny things. While San Antonio sit just one win better off than the Toronto Raptors, there is absolutely no talk about firings or chemistry problems. The Raptors on the other hand are in disarray. Coach Sam Mitchell is hanging on to his job by a thread and once again the Raptors flimsy defense is being exposed by any and every team that they face.


After an unusually slow start, Gregg Popovich kept the Spurs competitive even with a roster made up of unlikely star players such as journeyman Roger Mason and rookie George Hill. He still had Tim Duncan of course and typically Duncan put up his usual numbers and solid game but still, after losing Tony Parker to an ankle injury, the Spurs didn't make up excuses and allow losses.


That's what makes Popovich such a special coach. Players know what is expected and they perform. Losing happens, but never for extended periods. The Spurs are consistent and epitomize what professionalism is all about.


The Raptors either get smoked by their opponent or cling on for dear life when they win. Mitchell certainly doesn't have the same calibre players as Popovich but in his fifth season as head coach, Smitch has established absolutely no consistency other than total unpredictability and it reflects in so many of his players.


Jamario Moon, Andrea Bargnani and Jason Kapono have all had periods of looking like All-Stars followed almost immediately by extended stretches of looking like they've never played a competitive game of basketball in their lives.


Popovich's Spurs all work hard and get respect even if their name is Matt Bonner ! In Toronto, Bonner was a bit of joke, a burly redhead who could knock down the 3-ball. In San Antonio, he's picked up a championship ring and is in the second year into a 3-year, $9m contract. Who's laughing now ?


*****


The Dallas Mavericks have quietly strung together four wins in a row, including three on the road. They sit at 6-7 but Rick Carlisle is going to have a lot of trouble getting this team anywhere beyond the first round of the playoffs though. They have suffered too many crushing playoff defeats in the three seasons and the Western Conference is stronger now than it was when the Mavs blew their best chance at a championship.


They'll still be competitive though, but really, they are only going to make up the numbers this year.


*****


New Orleans Hornets Chris Paul must win the MVP award this year. He is so dominant it is scary. When you look at the impact Dwight Howard has on a game, a large part of that is because Howard is just so freakin' massive. Chris Paul is barely 6-feet tall yet casts a shadow larger than D-12.


Paul and the Hornets are finding teams gunning for them this year more than they did last year, but after an adjustment period and back-to-back triple-doubles from Paul, the Hornets have won three straight and are looking good.