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.

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After getting no playing time in Sunday's scrimmage against Spain, Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo has withdrawn from team USA.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.

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.

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.

Paul Pierce Expected To Stay In Boston

To the surprise of no one, it looks as if Paul Pierce is going to re-sign with the Celtics. Pierce has always said that he wanted to retire as a Celtic which is why everyone was shocked when he opted out of his contract, giving up 21.6$ million dollars next season.

Pierce is one of the greatest Celtics legends ever right behind Larry Bird, Bill Russell, and John Havlicek. It would devastate Boston sports fan to see the Celtics' captain wearing another team's colors. It looks as if they won't have to.

Garnett Suspended for Game 2

Boston Celtics PF Kevin Garnett is suspended for game 2 of the Celtics' first round playoff series against the upstart Miami Heat. In a small fight with 40 seconds left in the game Garnett elbowed Heat SF Quentin Richardson in the face which drew the suspension.

The loss of KG obviously hurts the Celtics significantly as they barely escaped game 1 with him in the lineup, without him they may not be so lucky.

Returning To Form

The Boston Celtics are emerging. A playoff quality win tonight in Dallas tells me they're getting ready for another push to the finals.

Two weeks ago it looked like the C's were headed to a nursery home, never mind the postseason. A major reason for the reemergence is Paul Pierce. The Captain is averaging 23.4 PPG in his last 5 games and he's stretching the floor for Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins down low.

Pierce playing well is going to do some damage but for any hope at the title Kevin Garnett is going to need to step it up. It's pretty clear that his knee is still greatly hindering his athleticism but he still needs to knock down that 15 foot jumper that he has made his name off of. His defensive production hasn't dropped too much but he has been basically useless offensively. That needs to change.

Here's why the Celtics were so successful in the past. They would be in a moderately close game (6-8 point lead) and then they would go on a massive 15-2 run and blow it open. With shooters Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, defenses couldn't rotate fast enough to cover both.

The most important thing however is the defensive tenacity. Tonight the Celtics played with the effort they showed in the 07-08 championship season. In tonight's win against the Mavericks KG had 5 steals, that type of defense is what it takes to win a title.

Right now it looks as if the Celts are going to be running into the Heat in the first round and my only concern is that the Heat will not be taken seriously. For the last two years the Celtics have been in two unnecessarily long 7 game series', first against the Atlanta Hawks and then in the following year against the Chicago Bulls. The key is not to let the worse team believe they can play with you. Once you give a team hope amazing upsets can happen. The Celtics need to jump on the Heat (or Bobcats) early and then keep their foot on their throat. Never let the team gain confidence. Once a team gets something going amazing things happen, shots start falling, and all of a sudden they get their hands in the passing lanes. Before you know you're locked in a dogfight for your playoff lives.

Hopefully the Celtics have learned from their past mistakes. If they have not, they are doomed for another first round gauntlet.

As they regain their health and their championship swagger I see the Celtics making a very strong push for the big stage in June. The pieces are in place, now all they need is the desire. I don't know if the Celtics still have it in them, but I sure can't wait to find out.

Time to Blow Up the Big 3?

Heading into the All-Star break the Celtics sit in the fourth seed with a 32-18 record. This was a team that I thought was good enough to win a championship, I obviously miscalculated. At this juncture it's pretty clear that the Big 3 is aging, very quickly. Ray Allen's three point percentage is 33%, that's horrible considering he shot 40% just last season. Kevin Garnett still brings that fire and intensity which is amazing to watch, but he's no longer dependable for a double double every night. Paul Pierce is the one who really hasn't dropped off that much, he's still producing solid numbers night in and night out.

Breaking them up makes sense, as it stands, this team is good enough to be a very dangerous team in the East. But they're not good enough to seriously contend for a title. Back in the early 90's the Celtics held onto the original Big 3 (Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish) for a few years too long. The result was having to go through an entire decade without a competitive team. That's what is going to happen again if they keep this nucleus together too long.

Despite their age and declining level of play many teams would be interested in both Garnett and Allen. They should try to package them to get a superb young talent to play alongside Rajon Rondo for years to come. The first name that jumps to mind is Kevin Durant but I don't think the Thunder would trade him for anyone. The next name that pops up is Brandon Roy, now that's a real possibility.

It all depends on how the rest of the league views Kevin Garnett. They could still view him as a force in the league, or they could see him as a superstar reaching the end of his career.

If a blockbuster is out of the question, then at the very least they need to trade Ray Allen. His mammoth of a contract expires at the end of this season, and considering his recent play I have a hard time seeing the Celtics sign him back. It makes sense to get something back for him instead of losing him for nothing.

If I were in Danny Ainge's seat right now I would try to get my hands on O.J Mayo. I'm not sure how exactly they're going to be able to do that but him and Rondo would be a fantastic duo who could play together for years and years. Maybe they could try to do something like this:

Grizzlies get: Ray Allen, Randy Foye

Celtics get: O.J. Mayo, Mike Miller

Wizards get: Zach Randolph

Here's why this makes sense. The Grizzlies get rid of Zach Randolph's big contract, while taking on Ray Allen's expiring contract. That means that 18.7 million dollars would be coming off the books after this season. That gives them sufficient funds to make a run at LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, or any other upcoming free agent.

It makes sense for the Celtics because they get a great young player in O.J. Mayo while also acquiring a sharpshooter in Mike Miller.

The Wizards would gain a formidable big man down low. There are many rumors right now concerning Brandon Haywood. If he were to be traded, this would be a major upgrade in Washington.

You may have noticed that I left Paul Pierce out of the trade consideration. Pierce stuck with the Celtics through miserable seasons, he deserves the respect to not be traded, and end his career in Boston. Loyalty is a big deal, Pierce is one of those guys who just simply can't be traded. He's like Tim Duncan in that way. The fans would absolutely flip if they saw one of the greatest Celtics ever in another jersey. Also, Pierce is still producing so trading him makes little sense right now.

There's no doubt that breaking up the Big 3 would cause the Celtics to be much less successful in the next 2 years. But what it really comes down to is this. Are the Celtics satisfied with just being a good team, with little championship hopes. Or are they willing to sacrifice the next year or two for a better chance to win multiple championships down the line.

The Celtics aren't done yet. They could still turn this season around. I just have a hard time seeing them beat the Cavs, Magic, or Hawks in a seven game series. For that reason breaking up the Big 3 makes a lot of sense.

Well It's official, The Celtics Are Already Bored With The Regular Season

Regardless of their record, ever since thrashing the Bulls 118-90 back in October, the Celtics have been playing poorly to say the least. Most nights they are so much better than the other team that it won't matter, but against teams like the Hawks and the Suns you have to show up like it's a playoff game.

Some people may think that the Celtics are playing bad because Rasheed Wallace doesn't fit, or because the big 3 is getting too old, or even because they're not as good as advertised. The real reason is that they're horribly bored and can't wait to get these next 73 games out of the way to get to the playoffs. Read their body language, some nights the entire team doesn't look in the least bit interested.

Kevin Garnett, the most intense basketball player I've ever seen isn't bringing anywhere near the hunger to win which he has brought in years past. He looks as if he's going through the motions and the rest of the team is following suit. When Garnett originally went to Boston he changed the entire culture of the Celtics with his intensity and defensive prowess. Look at Kendrick Perkins before and after the arrival of KG. Garnett has turned Perkins into an intense, and slightly meniacal defender just like him. But as Garnett has stopped bringing that desire every night and as a result so has the rest of the team.

This is going to be a recurring theme all year as the Celtics will continue to play like this until they find the motivation to play better. The Celtics think they can turn it on whenever they want but it's not like you can just flip a switch and all of a sudden play well. That is the only concerning aspect of this, that the Celtics will play like this for too long and put themselves in a bad position once the playoffs roll around. Still, I strongly feel that the Celtics are going to win the title this year, barring injuries. This team is built for the playoffs and more specifically a championship.

There's good news for the Celtics in all of this, April 14th is right around the corner.

Rondo, Celtics Agree to 5 year, 55 Million Dollar Extension

After refusing to give him an extension all summer the Celtics have finally agreed in principle to a 5 year, 55 million dollar deal with star point guard Rajon Rondo. Danny Ainge and the Celtics ownership were concerned that Rondo's leadership abilities were not good enough to warrant giving him big time money. However since training camp Rondo has been more active in the locker room and at practice to the point where the Celtics front office feels comfortable with Rondo as their long term point guard.

What this whole negotiation was really about was if the Celtics ownership felt comfortable with Rondo as their anchor after the big three is retired. Personally I'm not sure Rondo would be nearly as effective on his own. If he was without Garnett, Pierce, and Allen then defenses would focus on him rather than his teammates. If he was to face a double team every night then I highly doubt he would be racking up the assists the way he has in the last two years.

Last summer reports surfaced that the Celtics were shopping Rondo, citing his inability to receive coaching as the driving factor. Apparently sometimes he avoids the play and tries to take control on his own. After they realized that were not going to get sufficient value in return, both Doc Rivers and Danny Ainge emphatically denied the rumors.

Tony Allen Questionable to Start New Season

Tony Allen is currently rehabbing from arthroscopic right ankle surgery and posterior tibial tendon repair which he endured during the offseason. After missing practice for the last few days with soreness it appears that he might not be ready to go for the season opener on October 27th, in Cleveland.

Allen's absence will not make a big impact because of the recently acquired Marquis Daniels, who in my opinion would have won Allen's backup job anyway. The only situations where Allen will be seeing the floor are defensive situations or in the case of severe foul trouble. Of course, that's assuming that the Celtics can stay healthy which is not a given.

Anything Is Possible

Celtics' superstar PF Kevin Garnett appears to be healthy heading into the 2009-10 NBA season. The rest of the league is currently in a group voodoo session, from where I'm sitting that's just about all they can do at this point.

It is no secret to any NBA fan that KG has the most intensity of anyone in the league, maybe ever. If any of you saw him on the Celtics' bench in the playoffs, you will have seen that he was a ticking time bomb. And now that time bomb is about to explode. Expect KG to come into this season hungrier and with more emotion than ever. After injuring his knee, KG has probably come to the realization that his career is not going to go on forever, and he's going to take advantage of the time he has left.

Have you ever seen KG at the end of a play when someone on the other team takes a shot heading into a timeout or a dead ball? Well KG jumps up and either catches it or blocks it from going in EVERY time. This is just an example of the grit that Garnett brings to the floor every night. Nobody I've ever seen gets up for each and every game like Garnett does. The heart with which KG plays is a model that every young basketball player should try to imitate.

After missing so much time and feeling the pain which the sidelines brings, expect KG to be hitting his head even harder off the basket support before games. And expect him to be once again hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy in June at the expense of the Lakers.

It's About Time: Michael Jordan's Hall of Fame Induction is Here

Michael Jordan is a global icon, a marketing genius, and a hero to basketball fans everywhere. In his fifteen year NBA career, Jordan won the rookie of the year award, 6 championships (all with Chicago Bulls), 6 Finals MVP awards , 5 MVP awards, 2 Olympic Gold Medals, 10 scoring titles, and the defensive player of the year award. In addition he was selected to 14 all star teams, and has won the all star game MVP 3 times. Jordan was named one of the best 50 players ever at the 1996 all-star game.

Jordan started as a kid chasing a dream in Wilmington, North Carolina. Being cut from the basketball program at Laney High School as a sophomore pushed Jordan to work endlessly. He played good enough in his Junior and Senior seasons to earn a full ride to play at the University of North Carolina (UNC). At UNC Jordan scored 17.7 PPG in his 3 seasons playing under Coach Dean Smith. MJ's college career is highlighted by his baseline game-winner in the 1982 national championship game against the Georgetown Hoyas. This is the first of many big moments in which Jordan will deliver throughout his basketball journey. MJ decided to forgo his senior season at UNC and declare his eligibility in the 1984 NBA draft.

If you're a Portland Trailblazers fan I suggest that you skip over this next section. Jordan was picked third overall by the Chicago Bulls. The Houston Rockets were justified in drafting Hakeem Olajuwon because he led them to two titles (Jordan was retired) and he was a very safe pick. The argument can even be made that Olajuwon is the best center ever. But the Blazers, for some reason, decided that Sam Bowie was going to be a better NBA player than Jordan...Blazers fans are still recovering from this catastrophe.

Jordan wasted no time getting his career on the right track, in his rookie season Jordan scored 28.2 PPG, early in his career Jordan was more known as a scorer than anything else. Many writers attributed the Bulls playoff woes to Jordan's inability to trust his teammates. Longtime teammate and friend Scottie Pippen didn't arrive in the windy city until the 1987-88 season where the Bulls would still face difficulties with the, "Bad Boys," Pistons teams. A team that included future Bulls star Dennis Rodman.

In 1991 Jordan and his Bulls would begin a championship run to rival all others. In the 1991 finals the Bulls beat the Lakers in 5 games, in 1992 the Bulls defeated the Portland Trailblazers in 6 games (that had to hurt), and in 1993 John Paxson sealed the Bulls third consecu

tive championship. At the time, the Bulls were just the third team in NBA history to accomplish winning 3 championships in a row.

In the summer that would follow their third title in three years Jordan had his world turned upside down when his father, James Jordan, was fatally shot in the chest. Before his death, Jordan and his father had talked about MJ trying to start a career in professional baseball. In February 1994 Jordan announced that he was going to play for the Birmingham Barons.

Fortunately for basketball fans Jordan came to his senses very late in the 1994-95 season where MJ tried to lead the Bulls to yet another championship, in such little time. In 13 games Jordan averaged 26.9 PPG, that's outstanding considering that he had missed 69 games and was not at all in game shape. The Bulls would advance all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals only to fall to the Orlando Magic.

The next year dawned a new beginning for the Bulls, they added a great defensive and rebounding PF in Dennis Rodman. The Bulls were set to make their presence felt around the league . Chicago went an NBA record 72-10 in the 1995-96 season, they would re-establish their dominance and all the while ripping back their NBA crown when they eliminated the Seattle Supersonics in the NBA finals. The Bulls then beat the Utah Jazz in the Finals for the next two seasons. Jordan put the perfect exclamation point on his career when he crossed up Byron Russell for his championship winning 15 footer. Jordan would retire after the 1998 championship season and there could be no better way for him to have gone out, he hit his last shot, he won a championship, it was perfect. If you're a Bulls fan, this is how you view Jordan's career ending.

In the 2001-2002 season Jordan returned to the NBA with the Washington Wizards. The reason why Jordan was on the Wizards and not the Bulls is because Jordan was the GM of the Wizards before activating himself on the 12 man roster. As one might expect there were no complaints from the coaching staff, it's probably very hard to tell the best player ever that he has no spot on a mediocre team. To the surprise of many Jordan put up very high numbers for a 40+ year old player. In his two seasons with the Wizards Jordan averaged 21.5 PPG. Even in his old age Jordan wasn't done setting records. In the 2003 all-star game MJ passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the top scorer in all-star game history, he was the first 40 year old player to score 43 points in a game, also Jordan passed the 30,000 point mark.

When the Wizards visited the United Center (Bulls home court) for the last time in the 2002-03 season, Jordan received a four- minute standing ovation.

Michael Jordan is the best basketball player to ever live, Celtics' great Larry Bird was certainly convinced when he talked about Jordan after a playoff game, "I didn’t think anyone was capable of doing what Michael has done to us. He is the most exciting, awesome player in the game today. I think it’s just God disguised as Michael Jordan." That was following Jordan's 63 point performance in the Boston Garden. Magic Johnson also has chimed in saying, " There's Michael Jordan and then there is the rest of us."

Jordan's induction ceremony is big enough that the NBA was forced to change the venue of his enshrinement. It has been moved from the Hall's center court room which seats 1,200, to the Springfield Symphony Hall which more than doubles the HOF at 2,611.

The bottom line is that MJ is the best basketball player ever and his induction into the NBA hall of fame has been long awaited. The Hall is now complete with his airness joining those other pictures on the ceiling in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Top 5 Fantasy Point Guards

The fantasy basketball season is right around the corner and there are a few hazards to be weary of. For instance, make sure you're picking players who will bring in big numbers, not necessarily win games. I will give you my top 5 point guards to take in this year's fantasy games. When reading this post keep in mind that the fantasy game that I'm guiding you through is the Sportingnews Ultimate Salary Cap Challenge. In this particular fantasy game you are given a 35 million dollar salary cap. You need 2 guards, 2 forwards, a center, and a sixth man.

1. Chris Paul (NO)

Estimated cost: 11.6 Million $

CP3 will likely cost you a decent chunk of your salary so be prepared to bargain hunt for the rest of your draft. That being said, Paul is the most productive point guard in the league. Last season Paul led all point guards in both points (22.8 PPG) and in assists (11 APG). More likely than not Paul's numbers will increase this season as they have for the past 3 years. With the addition of center Emeka Okafor (in exchange for Tyson Chandler), Paul will most likely tally at least 1 or 2 more assists per game.

2. Derrick Rose (CHI)

Estimated cost: 9.8 million $

It will be very interesting to see what Rose is priced at this season, it will either be very high based on his potential, or very low based on his numbers last season. It will probably be somewhere in the middle. If it is below 10 million get him. Expect Rose to far surpass his rookie numbers of 16.8 PPG and 6.3 APG. My prediction is that Rose and Paul will be the top two in PPG and APG for point guards. Be very careful with Rose, with him turnovers seem to come in bunches. If you see that he had a 5 turnover game, sell him, and buy him back 2-3 games later.

3. Deron Williams (UTA)

Estimated cost: 10.4 Million $

Deron Williams is on par with Rose and Paul. It pretty much just comes down to which player you like better, although Williams and Paul will almost definitely be more expensive than Rose. Williams' numbers were just behind Paul's last season (20.2 PPG, 10.8 APG) , those numbers will for the most part stay where they are. Keep in mind that Williams led all point guards in turnovers last season (4.2 per game). Much like Rose, monitor his assist/turnover ratio as often as possible.

4. Rajon Rondo (BOS)

Estimated cost: 9.0 Million $

Rondo's numbers have been consistently jumping throughout the first 3 years of his young and promising career, that pattern won't end anytime soon. With scoring options all around him, expect Rondo to make the jump into double digit assists this season. Last season Rondo's numbers were 11.9 PPG, and 8.2 APG, nothing special. However after the 2009 playoffs I expect Rondo to soar into the point guard spotlight. Rondo has a tendency to play to the level of his opponent. Sometimes that can be a great thing, but most of the time it holds him back. For instance in the first round of the 09' playoffs (against Derrick Rose), Rondo nearly averaged a triple double. But in the next round, when he was put up against an inferior point guard, his numbers dipped. Rondo is an excellent player to take if you're planning on breaking the bank over someone like LeBron James.

5. Tony Parker (SAS)

Estimated cost: 8.7 Million $

The Spurs had an unusual year last year as Parker, Ginobli, and Duncan all missed games due to injury. Now that all three are healthy at the same time Parker will have many weapons in his arsenal. With his veteran bench and an imported Richard Jefferson expect Parker's APG to skyrocket, somewhere in the 11-13 range. The reason why he's at number 5 is because as his APG goes up, his PPG will go down drastically. I predict his numbers this season to be: 14 PPG, 10.5 APG (ballpark numbers).

NBA All-Time Starting 5

When talking about the best players ever the argument will undoubtedly come up, "If you had to make one team of all time players who would you pick?". There is no correct answer to this question, so many guys have such a strong case to be made that no matter what, many great players will be snubbed. Here is my all-time team, just a reminder, this is 5 guys that would be the best team, not necessarily the best players ever at their respective positions. 

Point Guard- John Stockton

In his best years Stockton was a high double double point guard who played good defense and could knock down the big shot. Many would probably expect to see Magic or Isiah here but this team needs a point guard who will run the offense for the star player and not look for his own shot and his own spotlight as Magic or Isiah would.

Shooting Guard- Michael Jordan (C)

Jordan is the best ever, plain and simple. Jordan and his Bulls flat out embarrassed the NBA after Jordan returned from his baseball sabbatical. Including the 1995-96 season where the Bulls went 72-10 and started their second three peat with a championship over Shawn Kemp, and Gary Payton's Seattle Supersonics (Now Oklahoma City Thunder) . Jordan is the catalyst on this team as most of the offense will come from him, many isolation plays would be run for him and he would pretty much have free roam to do whatever he wants.

Small Forward- Larry Bird

Bird is probably the smartest basketball player ever and his unselfishness led his Celtics to three championship titles. The reason why Bird is on this team is because he is a great three point shooter who would be perfectly content with not being the number one option on offense.

Power Forward- Kevin Garnett (C)

KG's defensive prowess is unparalleled, every single night KG leaves it all out on the floor like a championship game, who wouldn't put a player like that on their team? Along with the fact that he can put up 20 and 10 every night, nobody could pass that up. The one and only reason why he doesn't average very high numbers on the Celtics is because they blow out teams so badly that he only ends up playing about 30 minutes which is not enough time to get big numbers. What Garnett brings to this team is his intensity, on this team he will be the emotional anchor defensively, and nobody  will play lazy with KG around to tell them about it.

Center- Hakeem Olajuwon

Olajuwon won two NBA titles in the mid 90's (Jordan was retired at the time) and he is a dominant low post scorer and rebounder. Hakeem is what ties this team all together, his ability to draw double teams in the post opens everything up for Stockton, Jordan, and Bird. 

Notable Snubs: 

Wilt Chamberlain: Wilt's numbers are off the chart, but I'm a firm believer that if he were to be put in the NBA today he would not be anywhere near the force that he was in his day. All of the players on this team would be great players in any era.

Bill Russell: Russell's 11 championships are hard to ignore but he falls under the same category as Chamberlain, he would not be a great player in the 80's, early 90's, or today. He (and Chamberlain) would still be very good players and all-stars but they wouldn't be able to carry a team by any means.

Magic Johnson: Magic was snubbed because I don't believe that he could play alongside Jordan. Magic creates for his teammates but this team revolves around MJ and I'm not convinced that Magic would be able to deal with not being the guy who handles the ball for the majority of the game.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: Kareem was snubbed not because of anything he did, it's just that I'm a big fan on determination and Garnett's is too strong to pass up.

Oscar Robertson: The Big "O" is nothing short of phenominal, averaging a triple double for a full season is magical but he, like Magic, would not fit well around Jordan.

Cavs Sign Powe

The Cleveland Cavaliers have inked former Celtics PF Leon Powe to a two-year, 1.7 million dollar deal. Powe, in my mind, is one of the most underrated players in the NBA. The reason why the Cavs were able to obtain Powe for so cheap was because of his nagging knee injury. He is scheduled to miss at least the first half of the season and apparently the Celtics didn't want to wait it out and see what happened. 

Davis Re-Signs with Celtics

Emerging PF Glen "Big Baby" Davis is going to be staying in Boston for the time being. Davis signed a two- year, 6 million dollar contract to stay with the Celtics. Davis was stellar in the absence of the injured Kevin Garnett during the 2009 playoffs and many believe that his star is still rising. 

Biggest Rivalries Heading into the 2009-2010 Season

Here are the biggest rivalries with bad blood between them heading into next season.

 

1. Bulls vs. Celtics

After the classic seven game series in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs the Bulls and Celtics are undoubtedly the two teams with the most bad blood between them. Rajon Rondo will be booed for the rest of his career in the United Center and likewise for Kirk Hinrich in the TD Banknorth Garden. By game 5 during their epic series a flagrant foul had become a normality, that's when you know that these two teams are hot for each other. There are emotional players on each side, KG for the Celtics and Joakim Noah for the Bulls. And don't think that Brad Miller has forgotten about Rondo's bitch slap in game 5. Don't be surprised to see Rajon hitting the floor hard at the hands of Brad Miller.

 

2. Celtics vs. Lakers

The Celtics and Lakers have been bitter rivals going all the way back to the Russell\Chamberlain era. The players have changed but the rivalry has remained the same. It is my personal opinion along with many others that if the Celtics didn't lose KG to injury they would have repeated as NBA champions. Going into the season the Celtics are going to be eager to show that they are still the powerhouse of the Eastern Conference. And God knows they have re-loaded themselves with talent, adding Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels to go along with their already star studded lineup. Assuming that there are no injuries to major players on either teams it is my prediction that they will meet in the championship again and once again the Celtics will come out victorious. A major reason for this is because right now KG is like a land mine ready to explode, he had to watch his team get knocked out in the second round of the playoffs while he could do nothing. Expect Kevin to enter this season hungrier than ever and hitting his head even harder off the Basket support before games. 

 

3. Nuggets vs. Hornets

After the New Orleans Hornets got trounced by 58 points on their home floor I expect them to come into this season eager to show that they are a contender. Once Denver makes their first trip to New Orleans I expect a very physical and emotional game on the Hornets part. If they don't have any different attitude towards Denver then they have no soul and don't deserve to even take the floor. 

 

4. Detroit vs. Cleveland

This rivalry won't attract as much attention as the others but I still believe that there is a strong motivation in the Pistons' mind to disassemble the Cavs this season. Detroit has added the very dangerous and streaky scorer Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva. For the whole decade the Pistons have been at the top of the Eastern Conference and for 8 seasons in a row they were in the Conference Finals. Detroit is going to be looking to enter into the Eastern Conference hierarchy, which consists of the Celtics, Magic, and Cavs. 

 

I love bad blood between teams, it makes for a more interesting and emotional game. And at the same time, the level of competition is unquestionably raised. I look forward to seeing these rivalries develop this season.