He's For Real

My love of Derrick Rose has been clear since the day that I started this blog. But there is no bias when I say that he has reached the Superstar status.

He's carrying his team and looking good doing it.

Last night against the Rockets, Rose hit a three at the buzzer to put the game into overtime before scoring 5 points in the extra frame to propel his Bulls to the victory. Willing a team to victory is something that only the top tier players can do, Rose is now a part of that group.

As of right now Rose is posting 25.7 PPG and 8.1 APG, making him the only player in the league putting up 25 & 8 in any category.

At the moment the Bulls sit at 10-8 after already going through the toughest part of their schedule with the next three games being all against good teams including the Thunder and the Lakers. After the game against the Lakers, the rest of December could provide one long winning streak. And if the Bulls end the season at at least the fifth seed, Rose is going to be in the conversation for MVP.

Who deserves it ahead of him?

Dwyane Wade and LeBron James ruled themselves out the day they joined forces. Kevin Durant deserves it as well but the emergence of Russell Westbrook will hurt his cause because people will say that his team could continue to be successful without him. Kobe Bryant is the best closer in the game, but right now he might not be the best player on his team.

For the Bulls, if Rose doesn't do it- it doesn't get done.

For the last two years people have been saying that Rose was on the road to becoming a superstar, he's there. And the scariest thing is, he's still getting better.

NBA Regular Season 11-9-10

Pacers vs Nuggets (Slo's pick: Nuggets)

The Nuggets are coming off a tough loss last night in Chicago. Despite being on the road for the second half of back to back games I expect them to win in Indiana.

Nets vs Cavaliers (Slo's pick: Nets)

Brook Lopez is going to punish the Cavs down low and the Nets are going to get their third win of the season.

Heat vs Jazz (Slo's pick: Heat)

The Heat have much more talent and they're at home. No logical reason to go against them in this game.

Hornets vs Clippers (Slo's pick: Hornets)

The Hornets are coming off a monumental victory against the Heat, I expect them to keep it going tonight against a far inferior Clippers team.

Bucks vs Knicks (Slo's pick: Bucks)

The Bucks are going to get it going eventually. With Boozer injured in Chicago the Bucks need to try and get a lead in the Central division because once he comes back the Bulls are going to be a serious force in the league.

Trailblazers vs Pistons (Slo's pick: Trailblazers)

This equation is simple. The Blazers are good, the Pistons aren't.

Lakers vs Timberwolves (Slo's pick: Lakers)

The Lakers are going to destroy the T'Wolves tonight. Minnesota should consider it a moral victory if they can keep it under 10.

Slo's record last night: 6-0

Slo's record on the season: 42-16 (72%)

NBA Regular Season 11-8-10

Bulls vs Nuggets (Slo's pick: Bulls)

This is a tough game to pick. The Nuggets bench is much better than the Bulls' but with Nene and Chris Anderson sidelined the Bulls should dominate the glass with Noah and Gibson. Because the Bulls are at home they get the pick. It will be interesting to see the reaction Carmelo Anthony gets when introduced after all of the Melo-to-Chicago trade rumors surfaced.

Mavericks vs Celtics (Slo's pick: Mavericks)

The Celtics are without question the better team but playing the second half of back to back road games is never easy. It will be close but I think the Mavs will fight out a win at home.

Magic vs Hawks (Slo's pick: Magic)

Both teams have only one loss going into tonight's game. With the home floor the Magic should get the win. This is going to be a high scoring game and I'm sure we're going to be seeing plenty of highlights of it.

Raptors vs Warriors (Slo's pick: Warriors)

Despite being on the road the Warriors are a much better team. There is no excuse for them to lose this game.

Bobcats vs Spurs (Slo's pick: Spurs)

This is a really hard game to pick. The Bobcats are due for a win but the Spurs are far and away the better team. When in doubt you just have to go with who has more talent, and that is the Spurs.

Grizzlies vs Suns (Slo's pick: Grizzlies)

The Grizzlies lost to the Suns in overtime a couple of days ago. Tonight I expect them Grizzlies to avenge themselves with a victory.

Slo's record on November 5th: 7-5

Slo's record on the season: 36-16 (69%)

NBA Regular Season 11-5-10

Celtics vs Bulls (Slo's pick: Celtics)

The Bulls are coming off an extremely frustrating game last night against the Knicks. Every time the Bulls were knocking on the door to come back and take the lead, the Knicks would hit a three, they had 16 of them on the night. Playing the second half of back to backs is never a good thing but playing in Boston after a home loss spells disaster for the Bulls. It's possible that they will play with a chip on their shoulder and grind out a win but it's very unlikely.

Pacers vs Bucks (Slo's pick: Pacers)

As I said in my season preview, the Pacers are no longer a pushover team. With Hibbert down low to battle Bogut I think the Pacers will grab the win in Indiana. Also, don't be surprised when people start pressing the panic button on the Bucks. Fans, and especially writers, love to make a big deal out of slow starts.

Magic vs Nets (Slo's pick: Magic)

At home the Magic should destroy the Nets.

76ers vs Cavaliers (Slo's pick: 76ers)

The harsh reality that LeBron is gone is really beginning to sink in for Cavs fans. It's only going to get worse as they start losing to teams like the Sixers.

Pistons vs Bobcats (Slo's pick: Bobcats)

I'm not confident in this pick because the Pistons are going to win soon and it's probably going to be at home. The reason for picking the Bobcats is because they match up well with the Pistons and because they're much better than they've been showing.

Knicks vs Wizards (Slo's pick: Knicks)

Last night the Knicks shot mind numbingly well in Chicago. I expect that to continue tonight against the Wizards.

Hornets vs Heat (Slo's pick: Heat)

The Heat are going to kill the Hornets, probably with ease. The only teams I would pick against the Heat are the Lakers and Celtics and even then maybe not.

T'Wolves vs Hawks (Slo's pick: Hawks)

The Hawks have been playing well to start the season and I don't think they're going to have much trouble tonight in Minnesota.

Suns vs Grizzlies (Slo's pick: Grizzlies)

The Suns are struggling and the Grizzlies are young and hungry. That equation equals a win for Memphis.

Nuggets vs Clippers (Slo's pick: Nuggets)

Even with trade rumors circulating around their superstar, the Nuggets should still beat the Clippers at home every time. I think it will be a close game but the Nuggets will pull it out in the end.

Warriors vs Jazz (Slo's pick: Warriors)

The Warriors are flying under the radar right now but they're playing well. I don't think they will make the playoffs just because the Western Conference is too tough but they have a good shot at winning this game in Golden State.

Lakers vs Raptors (Slo's pick: Lakers)

The Lakers will beat the Raptors in a blowout.

NBA Regular Season 11-4-10

Bulls vs Knicks (Slo's pick: Bulls)

I'm not sure if it's going to be a blowout or a barn burner but I do know that the Bulls are coming away with the win.

Trailblazers vs Thunder (Slo's pick: Thunder)

The Thunder are looking to break into the hierarchy of the Western Conference and road wins in games like this are the way to get there.

Slo's record on November 2nd: 5-0

Slo's record on the season: 28-10 (73%)

NBA Regular Season 11-2-10

Pistons vs Celtics (Slo's pick: Celtics)

Unless the Celtics take the Pistons extremely lightly, which is possible because the Celtics do that often, then they will win. Rajon Rondo is playing out of his mind right now and I don't expect that to change tonight.

Cavaliers vs Hawks (Slo's pick: Hawks)

Cavaliers fans are used to having their way with the Hawks, not anymore. With no LeBron James the Hawks are going to feast on the Cavs.

Wizards vs 76ers (Slo's pick: Wizards)

The Wizards haven't gotten a win yet and this is a perfect opportunity for them do so. Andre Iguodala is trying to get out of Philly and they're playing with a lot of disfunction. John Wall has been playing well so far and he's going to get his first NBA win tonight.

Heat vs Timberwolves (Slo's pick: Heat)

I can only hope that the Heat grace the T'Wolves with autographs after the game.

Bucks vs Trailblazers (Slo's pick: Trailblazers)

The Blazers were dominated wire to wire last night in Chicago and tonight I think they're going to come out with something to prove. I originally picked the Bucks in this game because the Blazers are going to be playing the second half of back to back games on the road but I think they were embarrassed about last night. To them this game is to show everyone that they're not a middle of the pack team.

Lakers vs Grizzlies (Slo's pick: Lakers)

I'm taking the Lakers basically because I don't have the guts to pick against them in this game but don't be surprised if the Grizzlies upset them.

Slo's record last night: 3-0

Slo's record on the season: 23-10 (70%)

NBA Regular Season 11-1-10

Bulls vs Trailblazers (Slo's pick: Bulls)

With Boozer out of the lineup it has become evident that Rose needs to play at an MVP level for the Bulls to be competitive, so far so good. It will be a struggle but I think the Bulls will pull it out, even if it's not too pretty.

Kings vs Raptors (Slo's pick: Kings)

I think the Raptors will be one of the worst teams in the league this year and the young and hungry Kings will play well at home as most young teams do. The Kings get the win barring any major unforeseen factors such as an injury to Tyreke Evans or something along those lines.

Clippers vs Spurs (Slo's pick: Spurs)

The Clippers will get going sometime soon it's just not going to be tonight. The veteran Spurs will play them close and pull it out in the end.

Slo's record 0n October 29th: 6-6

Slo's record on the season: 20-10 (66%)

NBA Regular Season 10-29-10

Knicks vs Celtics (Slo's pick: Celtics)

The Celtics are coming off an embarrassing loss to the Cavs, because basically they didn't care. Tonight they will get the win before every sportswriter starts saying extremely idiotic, premature things.

Nets vs Kings (Slo's pick: Kings)

Tyreke Evans is listed as likely for tonight's game which is why the Kings are getting the nod. Even if Evans doesn't play the Kings still have a shot. The Nets are better than they were last year bit they're still not great.

76ers vs Hawks (Slo's pick: Hawks)

The Hawks are being overlooked a lot right now and I'm sure they're taking it as an insult. Expect them to start out hot, beating the Sixers tonight will be a part of that.

Raptors vs Cavaliers (Slo's pick: Cavaliers)

Despite losing one of the best players in the game the Cavs are still a respectable team. They should win tonight unless someone on the Raptors goes off which is highly unlikely.

Bobcats vs Pacers (Slo's pick: Bobcats)

Teams are always dangerous in their home openers. The Bobcats are the better team tonight anyway so this is an easy pick.

Nuggets vs Hornets (Slo's pick: Nuggets)

Although the Nuggets probably have the worst chemistry imaginable right now, they are still grossly more talented than the Hornets and shouldn't drop a home game to them.

Thunder vs Pistons (Slo's pick: Thunder)

The Pistons are going to get killed. The Thunder are too fast and too good for the Pistons to contend with for 48 minutes.

Heat vs Magic (Slo's pick: Heat)

The Heat don't have a choice but to win their home opener. This game is going to have playoff intensity and hopefully will be close. A lot of words have been fired back and forth in Florida and tonight both teams will have to let their play do the talking.

T'Wolves vs Bucks (Slo's pick: Bucks)

The Bucks are easily the better team and they need to rack up some wins before the Bulls get Boozer back from injury. Winning now is just about the only chance they have to give themselves a shot to win the division.

Mavericks vs Grizzlies (Slo's pick: Mavericks)

The Mavs are kind of like the Hawks in that they're being overlooked consistently this season. They will also be looking to make a statement in the opening weeks.

Warriors vs Clippers (Slo's pick: Warriors)

The Warriors are a good young team and young teams are often extremely dangerous at home. If their shooters get hot they will win, and I have confidence that their shooters will with the home crowd behind them.

Suns vs Lakers (Slo's pick: Lakers)

The Suns are playing the second half of back to back games and the Lakers are well rested. They will win tonight in Phoenix.

Slo's record last night: 1-1

Slo's record on the season: 14-4 (77%)

NBA Regular Season 10-28-10

Magic vs Wizards (Slo's pick: Magic)

The Wizards are overmatched tonight and don't stand a chance. It's going to be a blowout but I can't wait to see John Wall in action. Right now I feel like he should have stayed in college, let's see if he can change my mind.

Jazz vs Suns (Slo's pick: Jazz)

Both teams are searching for their first win of the season. The Jazz will win because their home and because the Suns are playing the second half of back to back games.

Slo's record last night: 10-3

Slo's record on the season: 13-3 (81%)

NBA Regular Season 10-27-10

Thunder vs Bulls (Slo's pick: Bulls)

The Bulls might struggle a bit out of the gate without their post scoring presence Carlos Boozer. I think the Bulls will win in a close game where Rose and Durant will be trading blows down the end.

Cavaliers vs Celtics (Slo's pick: Celtics)

With no LeBron James the Cavs are obviously nowhere near the powerhouse they've been in years past. I expect the Celtics to go into Cleveland and win convincingly.

Nets vs Pistons (Slo's pick: Nets)

Nobody struggled more than the Nets last season. With their young talent I think the Nets will make a small step forward this year.

76ers vs Heat (Slo's pick: Heat)

If the Heat don't absolutely annihilate the Sixers I will be shocked.

Raptors vs Knicks (Slo's pick: Knicks)

I expect Stoudemire to have a field day down low in his Knicks debut. The Knicks will win comfortably.

Hornets vs Bucks (Slo's pick: Hornets)

I don't think the Hornets will go anywhere this year but I do think they're getting the win tonight. Chris Paul will make it a point to outplay Brandon Jennings. Paul has been overlooked a lot in the conversation for best point guard because he was injured last season, I can't imagine he's taking that well.

Timberwolves vs Kings (Slo's pick: Kings)

I'm picking road teams a lot tonight which I usually don't like to do, well I'm doing it again. I'm extremely impressed by Tyreke Evans and I think he's going to make big strides this year in becoming a serious force in the league.

Grizzles vs Hawks (Slo's pick: Hawks)

The Hawks had a disappointing end to last season, they're going to make a statement on opening night with a solid road win.

Mavericks vs Bobcats (Slo's pick: Mavericks)

The Mavs will start the season with a win in front of their crazy owner and their home crowd. The Bobcats will be decent this year but their nowhere near the level the Mavs are at.

Spurs vs Pacers (Slo's pick: Spurs)

The Pacers improved significantly this offseason but the Spurs are at a title contending level, the Pacers have a long way to go to reach that distinction.

Warriors vs Rockets (Slo's pick: Warriors)

The Rockets are better than the Warriors but I believe Stephen Curry will lead the way to a win in the home opener.

Nuggets vs Jazz (Slo's pick: Nuggets)

Despite all of their off court distractions, the Nuggets will win games. That is until Carmelo Anthony is inevitably traded. Melo has no choice but to play well because he needs his trade value to stay up.

Clippers vs Trailblazers (Slo's pick: Clippers)

The Blazers will be on the road for the second half of back to back games. That spells disaster against a young team that likes the game at an uptempo pace.

Slo's record last night: 3-0

Slo's record on the season: 3-0 (100%)

NBA Regular Season 10-26-10

Celtics vs Heat (Slo's pick: Celtics)

I don't know what to think of the Miami Heat yet. Usually I have a good sense of how a team will develop but in this case I really have no idea. I'm picking the Celtics in this game just because their home. But I really don't know on this one, but I can't wait to find out.

Trailblazers vs Suns (Slo's pick: Trailblazers)

The loss of Amar'e Stoudemire severely hurts the Suns and I'm not confident that they'll be able to contend even for a playoff spot without him. The Blazers are going to be coming out energized by their home crowd and grab a win to start the season.

Lakers vs Rockets (Slo's pick: Lakers)

The Lakers are going to dismantle the Rockets in their season opener. Kobe has had many questions asked about his poor preseason and I think he's going to go off for 30+ points. This one won't be close, Lakers start their title defense with a win.

Slo's record on the season: 0-0

Take a look, and you can tell that he's destined for greatness

Last season Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder at just 22 years old became the youngest scoring champion in NBA history, came in second place in the MVP voting, and was seven tenths of a second from pushing the eventual champion Lakers to a seventh game. Right now Kobe is still the best, Durant is second, and LeBron and Wade follow. By the end of this season I think Durant will be the undisputed best player in the world.

At 6-9 Durant possesses guard skills and a big man's body, a deadly combination for the rest of the league. He can rise up and shoot over pretty much anybody and he will go by whoever is guarding him if they play too far up on him. Because he can score at will, Durant gives the Thunder a great chance to win night in and night out.

This year I expect big things from the Thunder. With Durant and Russell Westbrook leading the pack I think they have a good chance to make a deep run into the playoffs. There's no reason to believe that the Thunder won't be a dangerous team in this year's playoffs.

Durant is better than LeBron because A, he's a better scorer and a much better teammate. Durant gets his shots up but he is not selfish in doing so. And B, because Durant's game doesn't interfere with any of his teammates'. LeBron is a dominant player, but (at least in Cleveland) he has the ball in his hands far too much. Often times his teammates can't get into the game because it's the LeBron James show.

Right now the reason why Kobe is still the alpha dog is because of his ability to close out games. With the game on the line there is nobody in the league who I would rather give the ball to. It seems like every time the game is in his hands he delivers. Durant has hit some game winners but Kobe does it on a consistent basis. Once Durant shows that he's clutch enough to close out games like Kobe he will be the best player in the league.

Once he takes the throne, I don't see him getting knocked off for awhile. Because Wade and James joined forces in Miami they are immediately removed from the conversation. The young wave of all stars like Derrick Rose, Rajon Rondo, and Deron Williams are all game changers and they all consistently lead their teams to the playoffs but they're just not on Durant's plateau.

I am willing to guarantee right now that Durant leads the Thunder to at least two championships before his career ends. I'm happy I get to live in a time where I can see one of the most dominant scorers ever develop and grow. Averaging 30.1 PPG this early in his career is Jordanesque. I can't wait to see what he does for an encore.

The Thunder kick off the season at home against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night on ESPN.

Boozer out 6-8 weeks

Every Bulls fan cringed when they heard the news. Carlos Boozer injured his hand during non basketball activities and will not return to the lineup for 6-8 weeks.

While at his home Boozer tripped over a big luggage bag and broke his hand when he braced himself for the fall.

"It was just dark, my doorbell rang and I tripped over a gym bag, tried to brace myself and it popped," Boozer said. "I jumped back up, opened the door and my hand was still a little numb. I'm 265, 5 percent body fat. I'm heavy, man. I guess I had to brace myself and my weight just collapsed the bone. If I had landed with an open hand, I would've been fine. But somehow my right hand got turned over and that's what caused the break."

Losing Boozer for the first 15 games hurts the Bulls badly. It means that Boozer will miss the annual circus trip that has given the Bulls a ton of problems since 1998. After the last few seasons, the Bulls don't want to spend another December trying to make up for a slow start.

I have no doubt that Derrick Rose can keep the team afloat for a little while but it's going to be tough beating the league's best teams consistently without a low post scorer. The one and only positive is that if the Bulls make the playoffs. Boozer will have the freshest legs by about 15 games.

Dwyane Wade sidelined for two weeks

Three minutes into the new big 3's first preseason game Dwyane Wade pulled his hamstring while chasing Richard Hamilton around a screen.

It was a very good move to pull Wade from the lineup for the next few weeks because a hamstring injury is something that could nag him for the rest of the season if not treated correctly.

If I were in charge I would keep him out until the last game of the preseason. It means absolutely nothing and it's just a bad opportunity to get your star player injured. The only purpose it serves is to give the end of the bench guys a chance to prove they should be on the team.

Bulls, Noah finally agree on extension

The Bulls are locking Center Joakim Noah up for the long term with a 5 year extension. The exact value of the contract has not been disclosed but it's believed to be in the 60 million range but is loaded with incentives. According to reports, those incentives are what made Noah agree on the deal.

Bulls fans were beginning to become restless when Noah and his party kept declining offers, however all along Noah said that he had no intention on leaving Chicago, he just wanted more money.

At this morning's practice when asked about his rumored agreement Noah gave the camera a big smile but declined to comment.

Scal signs with Bulls

For the last few years lovable bench warmer Brian Scalabrine has been a fan favorite for the Boston Celtics. Next season he will be suiting up in Chicago playing under coach Thubodeau who was Scal's assistant coach in Boston.

The contract is non guaranteed but he is said to have a very good shot at making the team in training camp.

Scalabrine brings an enthusiastic attitude and a consistent three pointer. Rumors were that the Bulls were looking for a power forward who could shoot from the perimeter and it looks like they got their man.

LeBron James' popularity takes its talents down south

The Q Scores Company gives out surveys that aim to establish who are the most liked and disliked athletes at any given time. According to the latest results, LeBron James is the sixth most disliked athlete in the world.

In January his public image was positive. 24% of the voting population saw LeBron in a positive light. Now in September, 39 percent view him in a negative light.

Executive Vice President of Q scores commented on LeBron's sudden dip in favoritism.

"Instead of his change to the Heat being seen as the best way he can win a championship, many have looked at it and how he chose to announce it as a selfish move."

I hope LeBron gets used to being hated because unless he saves a kitten from a burning tree, he's going to be playing the role of the villain for the rest of his career.

Bulls, Knicks top Melo's list

As the season gets closer and closer it seems that the marriage of the Denver Nuggets and Carmelo Anthony is destined for divorce. According to a report by Yahoo! Sports, the Knicks and Bulls are the two top destinations on the prolific scorer's new list.

You can pretty much eliminate the Knicks right now because they have nobody who the Nuggets would want which leaves just the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls could give them a replacement small forward in Luol Deng, a very solid young backup power forward in Taj Gibson, and a draft pick.

I know, you're thinking the Nuggets would never do that in a million years. And under normal circumstances you would be right. But right now they have two options. Lose their franchise player for mid level talent, or lose their franchise player for nothing. Don't expect any team to throw the kitchen sink at them. Beggars can't be choosers and right now the Nuggets are beggars. More likely than not they are going to get far inferior talent in return for the man who was once considered the cornerstone of their franchise.

Despite Anthony's wishes of going to either New York or Chicago. The New Jersey Nets, the Los Angeles Clippers and the Houston Rockets have also expressed interest in obtaining the still young all star. All of those teams have more available assets than the Knicks or Bulls. The problem is Anthony is heading into the last year of his contract which means he will need to sign that 3 year, 65 million dollar extension before any trade. The fly in the ointment is that he won't sign it if he knows he would be going somewhere that he doesn't want to go.

A lot needs to be ironed out before any deal is made but nobody close to the situation is confident that Anthony's going to be staying in baby blue for much longer.

2010-2011 Season Preview: Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

1. Boston Celtics

The Celtics are not a team that's going to dominate in the regular season. In fact, if it was up to them the regular season would be abolished all together and we would just skip right to the playoffs. Bringing in Shaq and Jermaine O'neal gives them much more big man depth which they desperately needed in last year's finals. Even without Perkins the Celtics came within 6 minutes of a championship. Although I strongly feel that they're not the most talented team in the east, they're still not the team that I would want to go up against in the playoffs. The bottom line is they know how to get it done when it counts. Their win total will be in the low to mid 50s, and they're not really going to turn it on until the playoffs roll around like last year.

2. New York Knicks

The Knicks brought in all star power forward Amar'e Stoudemire this summer in hopes that he's going to push them to a greater height. They were wrong. The only reason they're number two in the Atlantic division is because it's the worst division in the NBA. They will be in the mix for the 8th spot towards the end of the season but they're not going to make any noise if they get into the playoffs.

3. Philadelphia 76ers

I was tempted to put the Sixers ahead of the Knicks here but I feel like New York has a better overall team. Like the Knicks, the Sixers are going to be in the mix for one of the final playoff spots and it's really a toss up on who gets in. One thing is for certain. Once they get in they're going to be obliterated upon arrival so it almost serves them better not to get in and hope for a miracle in the lottery.

4. New Jersey Nets

The Nets aren't going to be anywhere near the crappy team they were last year. They certainly won't be a good team by any stretch of the imagination but it would be nearly impossible for them to play that badly again. With Derrick Favors now in the fold and Brook Lopez a year better I think the Nets will be in the 25-35 win range.

5. Toronto Raptors

Losing Chris Bosh and Hedo Turkoglu while getting practically nothing back kills the Raptors. I think they're going to struggle immensely this year and the hate for Bosh in Toronto is going to get a lot more severe.

Central Division

1. Chicago Bulls

The addition of Carlos Boozer, Ronnie Brewer, Kyle Korver, CJ Watson and Kenny Thomas is going to catapult the Bulls right into contention for the Eastern Conference crown. This team lost all of its big contributors to major injuries at one point last season and they still ended up with a .500 record. Derrick Rose being a year better and Joakim Noah starting to come around on offense, I see the Bulls making some big time noise in the playoffs this year. I love the swagger this team is carrying themselves with right now. The Miami Heat don't scare this team for one second, in Noah's own words, "We're going to come up and take what they want." Carlos Boozer give them an inside scoring presence and Kyle Korver will help stretch the floor for Rose to operate. It's a great time to be a Bulls fan.

2. Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks are going to be one of two extremes this season. Either they're going to continue to progress and challenge the Bulls or they're going to be a huge disappointment. They ended last season smoking hot and came within one game of knocking off the Atlanta Hawks. All signs point them in the right direction but I'm still skeptical. When I look at their roster I'm not convinced they can go toe to toe with the Bulls, Celtics, Heat, or Magic. John Salmons played much better than he is and he was a huge reason why they were so successful. Locking up Drew Gooden to a big contract was one of the most idiotic front office moves I've ever seen. The Bucks will come second in the central and make the playoffs but I don't see them going far.

3. Indiana Pacers

The trade to land Darren Collison from the New Orleans Hornets was an absolute masterpiece. He's not going to be a superstar but he's a legitimately good point guard to have on almost any team. He could start on every team other than the Bulls, Celtics, Hornets, Jazz, or Suns. The Pacers will be a middle of the pack team and they'll contend for a playoff spot and I just have a hunch that they're going to get it. And if Roy Hibbert starts to come around the odds will get a lot better.

4. Cleveland Cavaliers

Losing LeBron James puts the Cavs far away from where they were last year. Even without that spoiled brat the Cavs are still going to contend for a playoff spot in the east. To me it's a toss up right now between the Cavs and Pacers. I gave the Pacers the edge because they haven't had anywhere near the distractions the Cavs have had. Regardless of who will be higher in the standings, their records will be pretty similar.

5. Detroit Pistons

The Pistons are the most dysfunctional team in the NBA right now. They have about a billion guards and no inside presence to speak up. Frankly, I will be stunned if they're anywhere near the playoff race this year. Signing Tracy McGrady? I think the front office is just screwing around at this point.

Southeast Division

1. Miami Heat

No shocker here. Even if the Heat are not as successful as many believe, they will still beat out the Magic for the division. Let's throw away our jealousy and be honest, if this team plays unselfishly there is no way anyone is going to stop them. Yes, they have depth problems. But they also have two of the best four players in the game right now. When that's the case there is no excuse not to hold the championship trophy come June.

2. Orlando Magic

The Magic have lost their stranglehold on the southeast and they are now the second best team in Florida for the first time since 2005. They will have a chance to come out of the east but I don't think they have enough scoring. Dwight Howard has no offensive game and that's going to be their downfall once again this year.

3. Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks haven't done anything to get better and as a result I think they're going to end up taking a step backwards. The Bulls have leapfrogged them and now the Hawks find themselves out of the top four. They will make the playoffs comfortably but I don't think they're going to escape the first round.

4. Charlotte Bobcats

The Bobcats are another team that will be in the playoff hunt and I like their chances. However, if they do get in they're going to be knocked out in four games so I wouldn't be too excited if I was a Bobcats fan.

5. Washington Wizards

I'm very excited to see how John Wall plays in his rookie season. Whether he plays well or not, the Wizards are still going nowhere. The addition of Kirk Hinrich gives them some more defensive prowess but they just don't have anywhere near enough offensive firepower to contend for anything.

2011 playoff seedings:

1. Miami Heat

2. Orlando Magic

3. Chicago Bulls

4. Boston Celtics

5. Atlanta Hawks

6. Milwaukee Bucks

7. Charlotte Bobcats

8. Indiana Pacers

1st Round: Heat vs Pacers (Heat win in 4), Magic vs Bobcats (Magic win in 4), Bulls vs Bucks (Bulls win in 6), Celtics vs Hawks (Celtics win in 5)

The Bucks will give the Bulls some trouble but for the most part no first round series is going to be close.

2nd Round: Heat vs Celtics (Heat win in 6), Magic vs Bulls (Bulls win in 7)

The series between the Heat and Celtics is extremely hard to predict. I think the Heat would come out on top but I also thought the Cavs were going to knock off the Celtics in last year's playoffs. They can really get it done when it counts but in this case I need to go with the more talented team, which is also very debatable. Dwight Howard will give the Bulls problems but I love the way the Bulls match up with the Magic and I think this is the Bulls' year to finally make some noise in the playoffs.

Eastern Conference Finals: Heat vs Bulls (Heat win in 6)

Expect this to be a heated rivalry in the next 5 years. The Heat have so much talent and athleticism that I'm not quite sure how other teams are going to deal with it. Again, their success all depends on their style of play. If they play selfishly they won't get by the Celtics, but if they play like a team there is no way they will be beaten in a 7 game series.

NBA Finals: Heat vs Lakers (Heat win in 7)

The Lakers will come within one game of a 3peat but they will be denied on the Heat's home floor. The best record in the league will get the Heat home court advantage which will be the deciding factor of this series.

Nuggets give up on Melo; Nets and Clippers possibilities

According to several reports, after a Sunday meeting the Denver Nuggets have given up on trying to retain Carmelo Anthony. The Nuggets are now looking to deal Melo and they're looking for very young talent and draft picks. That being the case, the Nets and Clippers have emerged as frontrunners to land the prolific scorer.

Anthony would be on board with a deal to the Clippers because his wife, Lala Vazquez, is in the entertainment industry and it would be an easy transition for his family. On the negative side, it is the Clippers. There is literally nothing good in the entire history of LA's JV team. If I was Carmelo I think I would rather go play for a crazy Russian guy who could buy a small country. I'm guessing he would be on board going to New Jersey because he would be a short car ride away from his hometown. I'm just not sure that Melo would want to be a part of a rebuilding process at this point in career.

Either way, it's looking like Melo could be taking a little hiatus from the playoffs. That's sometimes a side effect of demanding a trade.

Rondo withdraws from team USA

After getting no playing time in Sunday's scrimmage against Spain, Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo has withdrawn from team USA. I think what really happened is he was cut and the coaching staff agreed to let him withdraw on his own.

Rondo is a great point guard but the international game doesn't favor him at all. Rondo can't shoot and he doesn't play well when there's a lot of contact allowed. That's exactly what international basketball is and that's why he was going to be cut. He started the two scrimmages before the last one against Spain but I think that was just because Coach K was giving him a chance to prove he deserved a roster spot.

There are no excuses

A lot has been said about the lack of size on the US front line. Many reports make it seem as though that's a viable excuse in the event they lose. There is absolutely no excuse for this team to not win it all. One thing I want to make clear. It's the media that keeps making excuses for team USA, not the team itself. The coaching staff and all of the players have maintained the mindset that this is their tournament and that if they lose it's on them.

Ok, so the US media is saying, "Well they have no size, how are they supposed to rebound?"

Do you know what every other team is saying?

"Derrick Rose AND Kevin Durant, how the hell are we supposed to stop that?!"

Other countries have TVs, they know what they're about to go up against.

The US is so much more talented than every other team they play that there is no reason why they should not win. A lot of these guys they are going up against aren't in the NBA, want to know why? It's because they're simply not talented enough. Now why should they lose to a bunch of guys who aren't even good enough to play in the same league as them. The only way I see the US losing a game is if they don't bring enough intensity. Every other country has their game with the US circled on their calender, that's their big game. It's crucial that the US match that intensity every night.

I'm not sure what other teams will do to try and slow down team USA. My guess is that they're going to play some variation of a 2-3 zone. The reason I say variation is because if it was a regular 2-3, the US would just put Kevin Love in the middle and tear it to pieces with cutters and spot up shooters, or at the very least an open jumper for a solid mid range shooter. Don't forget, the international three point line is much closer than the NBA three, don't be surprised to see guys pulling up way behind the line.

Despite its weaknesses, 2-3 seems like the way to go because they will need to make it so Rose and Rajon Rondo can't easily penetrate. Both of those lightening quick point guards will blow by pretty much anyone if they try to play them man to man. And once one of those guys gets into the paint the other team just has to pray that someone misses an open jumper.

I'm fairly certain that most teams won't press either because that's exactly what the US wants. A fast paced game plays right into their hands and if that's the case then it should be a blowout with the athletes the US has.

I know the USA Basketball program puts a lot of emphasis on, "checking your ego at the door." Before training camp starts every summer Coach K gives a long speech about how in order to win on an international stage everyone needs to sacrifice a lot. I completely agree with that philosophy in most cases because most of the time the roster is full of superstars. This year is a little bit different. There are only two players whom I would consider to be superstars and they are Kevin Durant and Derrick Rose. I would tell Rose to play like he plays in Chicago and I'd tell Durant to play like he does for the Thunder. Rose's scoring on his penetration will open up the perimeter, as well as taking a ton of defensive pressure off of Durant. If you don't think so then look at the scrimmage against Spain. At the end of the game Rose started being aggressive going towards the basket and it won the game for them. That's what he's good at, in my opinion he's one of the best players in the league at going to the basket, why fight it?

I am a huge Bulls fan so yes I am 100% biased in this theory but that doesn't make me wrong.

The bottom line is this. No matter what route they take in doing it, there's no legitimate reason why the US shouldn't come out on top.

Lockout

Get used to hearing this word, lockout. A big reason why this summer's free agency frenzy happened is because after this upcoming season the collective bargaining agreement is going to run out. That means that the entire economic system of the NBA is most likely going to be changed. A lot of players wanted to get their new contracts before that happened because more likely than not player's salaries are going to be going down, a lot.

For two years the owners and the players association have been talking and for two years there has been no progress made. Apparently Dwyane Wade and LeBron James went to the meetings and basically threatened the owners. If the owners didn't give in to the player's demands, Wade said he would pursue a modeling career in Paris (I know, disturbing right?), and LeBron James said he would play in the NFL.

It's kind of disturbing to hear that these guys, who so many kids idolize, would be willing to disappoint so many people.

David Stern has been beating around the bush with this subject for awhile but that's no longer an option. Every time someone in the media would ask him about it, he would say something that had absolutely no relevance to the question whatsoever. What's really happening is, the NBA hierarchy is trying to save the owners from themselves and in the process they are slowing everything down. Contracts have gotten so big and outrageous that the league feels like they need to step in. If you disagree then this might change your mind. Last season Nate Robinson made more money than Larry Bird ever made in any season of his career. Robinson's salary was 4.2 million dollars.

What the league wants is for there to be a hard salary cap, which means that you can't spend over a certain amount no matter what. The NBAPA, as you might imagine, is 100% against this idea because it means nearly everyone is going to take a huge pay cut. Some of the owners are against it as well because then teams like the current Miami Heat would be impossible to build.

Because there is such a gap between all sides in the negotiations it's looking like we're heading towards a lockout. In most lockout situations they would take Developmental League players and just fill the roster with them but this lockout would be different. In those cases it's just the players that are on strike, but in this lockout the owners would be on strike too.

If there was a lockout I don't know what I would do. No NBA? Possibly for an entire year? You might as well take my bed, my dog, and my car while you're at it. Hopefully an agreement is reached before a lockout would be necessary but all inside sources (probably Mark Cuban), and even David Stern himself says that things aren't looking good.

But it's not all bad, at least we would still have the WNBA....Good God let's hope there's no lockout.

Reports: Anthony almost certain to leave Nuggets

Carmelo Anthony has had a 3 year, 65 million dollar extension with the Nuggets sitting on his desk for the last 5 months. Whether he signs it or not is still in question, but it has become pretty clear that Melo has no intention on spending the rest of his career in Denver.

It is believed that he's going to refuse to sign it which will force the Nuggets into trading him. If he does end up signing it, it will only be because his future team wants him to.

Not much is known about possible future destinations other than New York but I'm sure other rumors will pop up as time goes by.

We don't know where he's going to go, but all signs indicate that his days in Denver are numbered. As of right now nothing is imminent, but really it's just a matter of time.

Four team, five man deal done

The New Orleans Hornets, the Houston Rockets, the Indiana Pacers, and the New Jersey Nets have agreed on a blockbuster trade including both Trevor Ariza and Darren Collison. This is how the deal breaks down.

Pacers get: Darren Collison and James Posey

Pacers lose: Troy Murphy

Great deal for the Pacers. They lose basically nothing and get a very promising young point guard and a defensive stopper.

Hornets get: Trevor Ariza

Hornets lose: Darren Collison and James Posey

Dealing Collison was done to show Chris Paul that he is indeed the future of the franchise. That was called into question earlier this summer but now we know for sure that the Hornets have absolutely no intention of losing their star point guard. Losing Posey was purely a salary dump and had nothing to do with talent. My guess is that another deal is coming from the Hornets because that's the only reason to dump that much salary at this point in time.

Rockets get: Courtney Lee

Rockets lose: Trevor Ariza

Are they out of their minds?! I have absolutely no idea why they would trade Ariza to help a conference rival. They get a massively overrated guard in return and in my opinion their playoff hopes just took a nose dive. Ariza had a big contract so that's obviously why they traded him but it still doesn't make much sense to me.

Nets get: Troy Murphy

Nets lose: Courtney Lee

Murphy will play limited minutes with the Nets and my guess is that they're going to try to trade him either now or in a few months at the trade deadline.

Rumor: Fernandez to Chicago looking likely

The Portland Trailblazers have been shopping swingman Rudy Fernandez all summer. After getting lowball offers from the Knicks, Lakers, and Celtics they are said to be favoring an offer from the Chicago Bulls. Cap space + a first round pick or James Johnson for Fernandez is the deal that's currently on the table.

Fernandez wants to be traded because he doesn't want to play behind Brandon Roy and play very little minutes. I don't really understand why Chicago would be a better fit for him because they already have a bit of a logjam at the shooting guard position.

The Blazers are reportedly waiting for a better offer to come along but as time keeps going by it looks like this is the best offer they're going to get.

Reports: Shaq Close To Signing With Celtics

After about a month of waiting around it seems like Shaq has made up his mind on where he wants to go. According to numerous sources Shaq is close to signing a two year deal with the Boston Celtics.

The addition of Shaq gives the Celtics more depth at Center, something they definitely could have used in last season's NBA Finals.

Take A Hint

Hey, guys, it's not the year 2003 anymore.

Tracy McGrady and Shaquille O'neal have been struggling to find a home in the hottest free agency summer in NBA history.

Shaq can't find a home because he still thinks he deserves a contract in the 5-7 million range. Clearly, he's delusional. Several teams are interested in him but two have emerged as the frontrunners. The Boston Celtics and the Atlanta Hawks are both said to be seriously considering the once dominant diesel. If the asking price was a bit lower I think the Celtics would jump on it but it's just too much to justify.

Tracy McGrady is willing to accept 1.35 million and his dream destination is to go to Chicago. The Bulls front office said they would sign him on two conditions: 1. He needs to be healthy and 2. He needs to be willing to accept a bench role. According to numerous reports, his workout went fine, but it was his interview that was a disaster. Apparently T-Mac refused to acknowledge that he would be a limited minutes bench player. Just so you have an idea, these were McGrady's words following his day with the Bulls.

"I'd bring what I know about the game and my athleticism and versatility. Knowing my smarts for the game, leadership, anything I can add to help these guys over the edge. Without me, without Boozer, they were a .500 club. With the guys that they added, and if you add me, I think we'll be 30 points better."

When asked if he would be willing to accept a bench role, the former scoring champion had this to say.

"I won't have a problem, but that's not what I'm really shooting for. Yeah, if I was the player that I was in a Knicks uniform, I would have no problem coming off the bench. But I have worked extremely hard and I'm far from being that player. Trust me. It's up to me in training camp to prove I'm a starter."

Does that sound like someone who's ready to accept playing 7-12 minutes per game?

The Bulls already have the cornerstone's of the franchise in Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah. Adding post scoring threat Carlos Boozer, 3-point marksman Kyle Korver, and defensive specialist Ronnie Brewer puts the Bulls in contention for the Eastern Conference crown. Why would they want to jeopardize the team's success by bringing in someone who could and almost definitely would cause a distraction?

Both of these players need to understand that in order to continue their careers, they will need to sacrifice to do it.

5 Biggest Winners And Losers In Summer 2010

5 Biggest Winners

1. Miami Heat

No surprise here. When you land LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Mike Miller to go along with Dwyane Wade then you're doing a pretty good job. I'm not ready to crown them king of the NBA (or even the Eastern Conference) quite yet but it's hard to deny that their front office got it done this offseason. The one and only problem is that they now have literally no money to spend. They're going to need to fill out their roster signing guys to the veteran's minimum. That won't be a problem if guys want to go to the Heat but so far that hasn't been the case. As a matter of fact, Matt Barnes and Tracy McGrady both rejected Miami because they would rather beat them.

2. Chicago Bulls

The Bulls struck out on the big 3 of Wade, Bosh, and James but the package of Carlos Boozer, Kyle Korver, Ronnie Brewer, CJ Watson, and Kurt Thomas is a pretty good consolation prize. In my opinion missing out on Wade and James was a blessing in disguise because they would have without a doubt stunted the growth of emerging superstar Derrick Rose. The Bulls are going to make some serious noise this season because now Rose actually has someone to kick the ball out to. Not to mention now they have a legitimate post threat. With their offseason the Bulls catapulted themselves into the top 4 of the Eastern Conference, maybe even top 3.

3. Golden State Warriors

Signing David Lee was a huge move for the Warriors. Putting an inside presence with Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis can only be a good thing. With this signing the Warriors have the potential to contend for the 8th playoff spot but I'd still be shocked if they got it.

4. New York Knicks

Signing Amar'e Stoudemire was a solid move from the Knicks but I think they would have been better off keeping David Lee and trying to get a guard. Stoudemire is better in a fast paced offense and the Knicks don't run a fast paced offense. Signing Stoudemire was a desperation move from the Knicks front office because they missed out on the big 3. Expectations were so high in New York (I don't know why) and striking out in the offseason would have caused a riot outside of Madison Square Garden.

5. Orlando Magic

The Orlando Magic have plateaued. They overachieved one year and made it to the finals and I don't expect them to go back there anytime soon. The front office grabbed Chris Duhon and Quentin Richardson in the offseason but that's really not going to make much of a difference.

5 Biggest Losers

1. New Jersey Nets

It's a really bad time to be a Nets fan right now. To the surprise of nobody they struck out on literally everybody in the offseason. They went hard after the big 3 but I have a hard time believing they had any shot at even one of them, They are no better then they were last season but hopefully Brook Lopez keeps developing into a star center.

2. Cleveland Cavaliers

First off I just want to say that I applaud Dan Gilbert (Cavs' Owner) for calling LeBron out on all of the things I've been complaining about for the last two years. The highlight of Gilbert's angry rant was when he characterized LeBron's leaving Cleveland as "Cowardly betrayel." Anyway, losing LeBron James makes the Cavaliers the second biggest loser of this year's free agency. The LeBron James era is the only bright spot in Cavaliers history and now that it's over, there is little doubt that the franchise is in for another long dark period.

3. Los Angeles Clippers

Much like the Nets, the Clippers missed out on everybody. However the Nets are judged as more of a loser because they cleared out their entire roster in anticipation for this summer. The Clippers were just sort of sitting there hoping someone fell into their lap.

4. New Orleans Hornets

The last thing the Hornets needed this offseason was to have uncertainty surrounding their star player Chris Paul. Why would any free agent come in now, knowing that Chris Paul could be gone at the drop of a hat?

5, Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks absolutely screwed themselves signing Joe Johnson to a max contract. Johnson has two more quality years left at best. That contract is going to haunt them for the next decade unless they're somehow able to trade it. Those 16.4 million dollars (that number will rise by about 1 mil every year) will sit on their books and make every transaction they try to a very complex situation.

Chris Paul Staying In New Orleans.........For Now.

Apparently a lot can change in just one meeting. A few days ago it seemed as if Chris Paul demanding a trade was imminent. For now, it seems as if the still-young superstar is staying put.

About a week ago Paul came out with a list of destinations he would like to be traded to. However it's looking like the Hornets' brass was convincing enough to change his mind. In a statement from Paul following the meeting he seemed much more optimistic about a future in New Orleans. "I expressed my desire to win and I like what they said about the direction that they want to take the team. I have been a Hornet my entire career and I hope to represent the city of New Orleans and state of Louisiana for many years to come."

Make no mistake about it, if the Hornets are unable to make any moves to put at least a contending team in place then Paul is out of there and I don't blame him. He's too good of a player to waste his time with a franchise that's not looking to contend for a title. And he's not good enough of a player to make it happen on his own. If he wants a championship he has no choice but to get far better talent around him.

My USA 12 Man Roster

Saturday night marked the first time we've gotten to see some of our NBA's stars since the end of the regular season, almost 3 months ago. In this glorified scrimmage the team is split into two, the white team vs. the blue team. Eventually 12 of these players will end up on the same roster to travel to Turkey for the world championships.

This may come as a surprise to you as it did to me but the United States hasn't won at the world championships since 1994. Their most recent world championships memory is a disappointing one. They blew a late lead against Greece back in 2006 to drop the title. That remains the only loss in the Jerry Colangelo era's record.

The first thing I have to say is, turnovers anyone? The turnovers in this game were crazy, 34 in all. As the announcer said 7 billion times, this is really nothing but a glorified scrimmage and not much is going to come out of this as far as team play progression goes. However, as far as cutting guys to get the 12 man roster this game was essential. After taking into consideration everything said in the media in the last week as well as each player's performance in this game, I have come up with what I believe will be the 12 man roster.

PG- Derrick Rose, Rajon Rondo, Russell Westbrook

SG- OJ Mayo, Steph Curry, Andre Iguodala

SF- Kevin Durant, Rudy Gay, Danny Granger

PF-Kevin Love, Lamar Odom

C- Tyson Chandler

Chris Paul Wants Out Of New Orleans

Chris Paul has notified the New Orleans Hornets that he wants to be traded...to the New York Knicks. According to a source said to be close to Paul, the list is as follows, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Dallas Mavericks, and Portland Trailblazers in that order.

This is not a rumor, this is coming directly from Chris Paul himself. I previously reported that Paul made a toast during Carmelo Anthony's wedding dedicated to the Knicks new big 3, himself, Melo, and Amar'e Stoudemire. And this is directly related to that.

According to the source who leaked Paul's list of desired locations, this big 3 believes they are good enough to overcome the big 3 that is currently formed in Miami.

There is one big problem in this new big 3 scenario. The Denver Nuggets have been consistent in their standing that they will not trade Carmelo Anthony. I imagine that it would take for Melo to demand a trade in order for him to be dealt. That's the only way I see this working because there's no way the Nuggets are going to trade their best player for anyone (who's available) on the Knicks, Magic, Mavs, or Blazers.

How Is This Going To Work?

If you don't know by now that Chris Bosh and LeBron James have joined Dwyane Wade in Miami then you seriously need to get out more. Everyone is talking about how unstoppable the Heat will be but I have some big concerns about how that will work.

First off let me say that they're going to be unbelievable to START the season.

Everyone is going to jump on the Heat wave (yeah I said it) in the preseason and in the first month or two of the regular season. In that stretch of time we're going to see some of the best team basketball we've seen since the 80's Celtics and Lakers. However slowly but surely we might start to see a change, the triumvirate of James, Bosh, and Wade could slowly come unglued. Once they all see exactly how much they're going to need to sacrifice is when the real test is going to begin.

Is LeBron happy dropping his career scoring stats to a point that they'll never recover? How about for Wade?

Is Wade happy dealing with LeBron possibly stealing his favoritism in Miami?

Is Bosh ok with completely losing his popularity in the shadow of Wade and LeBron?

Who is the leader of this team? To me it seems that Wade would be the logical choice since he has proven himself on the game's biggest stage. Is LeBron going to be cool with not being "the man"?

How is the publicity of these three players going to effect the rest of the team?

Are Wade and LeBron ok with having no hope in the MVP race as long as their on the same roster?

What happens if they lose 3 or 4 in a row?

And here's the classic question, with the game on the line, who gets the ball? If I'm the coach the ball goes to Wade every time. It's no secret that James' ego is big enough to cover the circumference of the world, is he going to be content as a role player and not as the star who takes the big shots?

To me this all comes down to LeBron James and his ability to put his ego aside. According to the people at USA basketball that's going to be a tough one.

When the Redeem Team went to Beijing in 2008 the players were told to, "check their egos at the door." They were told to learn the names of not just the entire coaching staff, but the trainers, the ball boys, the bus drivers, and anyone else involved in the program. According to several sources no one had as much trouble with this as LeBron. One of the sources went on to say that dropping LeBron altogether was a serious possibility because he was such a chemistry issue.

If LeBron can't play as a role player for 8 games then how is he supposed to do it for 82?

These are all questions that will be answered at some point but everyone needs to think about these before proclaiming the Heat the NBA's next dynasty.

I will say this, if LeBron plays within himself and within the offensive system, the Miami Heat will be unstoppable. It all lies on LeBron's ego.

Sources: Derrick Rose Has A 3 Pointer Now

For the second half of last season Derrick Rose was borderline unstoppable. He was a matchup nightmare and a bleeding ulcer for all opposing defenses. Unfortunately for them the thorn in their side is only going to start digging in deeper. According to Rose, Russell Westbrook and off-season trainer Rob McClanaghan, Rose has developed a consistent three point jumper that he's comfortable shooting at any time.

Rose came into the league as someone who could get to the basket whenever he wanted. Then defenses started giving him a cushion, it was at that point when Rose started hitting them with his midrange game. If Rose really is able to step behind the three point line and hit with regularity then he will be 100% unstoppable.

In my opinion, the gap between Rose and Dwyane Wade is closing fast. I'm making the prediction right now that by the end of next season Rose will be regarded as the better player. Especially because Wade's production will go down significantly now that he needs to share the ball with Chris Bosh and LeBron James.

CP3 To New York?

Chris Paul has stated in the last few weeks that he will demand a trade from the New Orleans Hornets if they don't make major roster upgrades very soon. That in itself was enough to scare Hornets fans and this next piece of information won't make them feel any better. According to a trusted source Chris Paul intends to leave the Hornets for the New York Knicks.

According to the source, Paul made a toast at Carmelo Anthony's wedding to the Knicks future big 3 of Paul, Amar'e Stoudemire, and Carmelo Anthony. This would be extremely difficult for the Knicks to pull off this offseason, most likely next summer is when this plan could be carried out. Another possibility is if the Knicks can pull off a sign and trade for Melo now, and then try to get Paul at the trade deadline, but I have a hard time seeing that happen.

Out Of The Discussion

By going to the Miami Heat LeBron James is 100% out of the greatest player ever discussion. Personally I feel that he was never in it but some basketball fans (97% un-educated basketball fans) felt that he was. LeBron flat out ran away from Cleveland because he was scared that he couldn't create a championship team where he was. Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson all made dynasties where they were, they didn't need nor want to leave their teams for greener pastures.

Michael Jordan:

Jordan went to an embarrassingly bad franchise in the Chicago Bulls and after several years of playoff failures he won 2 3peats which were separated by a short sabbatical in minor league baseball with the Burmingham Barons. Jordan had Scottie Pippen in each one of those championship seasons but he didn't run off somewhere to get him. Michael Jordan is the greatest of all time simply because once he started his championship run there was absolutely nothing you could do to stop him.

Larry Bird:

With the Bill Russell era long behind them the Celtics were in a horrible drought before Bird came along and pretty much singlehandedly resurrected the franchise. Yes, he did have Kevin McHale and Robert Parish but I contest that it was Bird who made them who they were.

Magic Johnson:

Magic got lucky and went to an already thriving franchise but Magic's competitive nature would never allow him to give up on his own team. As the Lakers floor general, Magic orchestrated the offense beautifully leading his Lakers to 5 world championships in his career.

The point is that all three of these guys have a competitive fire in them that would make it completely impossible to do what LeBron did. The second free agency opened a mysterious package was left on LeBron's door. Inside were the original Air Jordan sneakers and a short and simple question. The inside cover of the shoebox read, " You're a king but can you live up to a legend? Can you take on the greatest challenge in sports; look history in the eyes every night. And refuse to blink? The fans of Chicago have a question for you. Do you dare to fill these shoes?"

Lebron's decision to go to Miami proves that he can't. If he could he would. If Jordan, Magic, or Bird were given a similar challenge I think they would have been salivating at the opportunity. LeBron ran.

Beyond all of the legacy reasons for why LeBron is no longer a candidate for that discussion there are also statistical reasons. Presumably LeBron's PPG are going to go way down in Miami because he can no longer jack up as many shots as he wants. Now he has Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh who also expect to get their shots. Without the legacy and without ridiculous numbers LeBron simply has no chance. Even if he wins 5-7 championships with the Heat (which he won't). It still wouldn't put him in the conversation because he basically had to sell out to get them. Jordan, Magic, and Bird all had good pieces around them but they had to carry their teams. By relieving himself of that duty and honor LeBron relieves himself of any Jordan comparison he ever could have had.