PHOTO BY Jed JacobsohnPhoto by Eric MillerPHOTO BY Jed Jacobsohn

The Magazine

NCAA MARCH MADNESS EDITION

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Los Angeles based monthly NBA magazine. Non-biased real opinion about the NBA and it's players.

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LAMAR ODOM REACHES ROCK BOTTOM

P. 18IN THIS ISSUE

Suns Rising In The WestP. 4

Laker Theatrics P. 7

Fear The Deer P. 11

All-NBA P. 14

Photo by Issac Baldizon

New-Look GrizzliesP. 6

Caron’s Comeback P. 11

All-Rookie TeamP. 13

Trade Deadline DealsP. 15

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CAN’TGETENOUGHFO

RTHO

SEW

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WHAT THE BUCK?MILWAUKEE PREPS FORA PLAYOFF PUSH

P. 11

Odom’s Fall P. 19

China’s Starbury P. 27

Dwight’s Saga EndsP. 33

Ranking ‘Em P. 38

The Spurs Legacy P. 22 Lowry’s Seasoning P. 32 Who Is Ryan Anderson?

P. 37 In Transition: Kids

P. 39 Photo by Gary Dineen

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Long gone are the Mike D’Antoni version of the Phoenix Suns, who prided themselves on their ability to score in 7 seconds or less. No more are the Suns who perfected the pick and roll offense with Steve Nash dishing out perfect passes to Amar’e Stoudemire and Shawn Marion. Finished are the Suns who won 60 games a season and were in contention for an NBA championship every year. The current rendition of the Phoenix Suns are led by 38-year old Steve Nash and 39-year old Grant Hill. Rounding out the Phoenix Suns are starters Jared Dudley, Channing Frye, and Marcin Gortat--a far cry from the Phoenix team that was in the Western Conference Finals just two years ago.

Before the Suns’ season started, everybody wondered whether the organization would trade Steve Nash in an attempt to give him an opportunity to compete for the championship that has eluded him his whole career. Nash, however, made it incredibly easy for Phoenix as he publicly acknowledged his affinity for the organization and the community alongside his appreciation for loyalty and his teammates. With Nash doing that, gone was the speculation and drama that haunted teams like the Denver Nuggets with Carmelo Anthony last year and Orlando Magic with Dwight Howard this season.The Suns began the 2011-12 campaign with new faces including Sebastian Telfair, Shannon Brown,

Land of the Rising SunsPhoenix gets hot just in timeBy Daniel Brewster

Steve Nash is only getting better with age. Can he lead a resurgent Suns team to the promised land?

Photos by Ron Hoskins & Joe Murphy

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Ronnie Price, and rookie Markieff Morris. The early results were not good, as they won 4 of their first 13 games and went into the All-Star break with a 14-20 record. The Suns would sign Michael Redd with hopes of him regaining the stroke that made him one of the deadliest shooters in the game during his Milwaukee days. Nobody outside of Phoenix believed that this team had what it took to be in playoff contention in the West, where teams are so close to each other in the standings that one loss could drop you from fourth place to nearly out.To everyone’s surprise, the Suns came out of the All-Star break as the hottest team in the league, winning 9 of 11 games and throwing themselves back into the playoff conversation. Robin Lopez, who hasn’t been the same player since Amar’e Stoudemire left town, has began to contribute again, showing signs of why he was a lottery pick. Also contributing heavily has been Michael Redd, who with the help of the Suns innovative training staff, is starting to show signs of his former self--leading the Suns in scoring on several occasions. Emerging as the clear cut No. 2 behind Nash has been Marcin Gortat, who is having a breakout year, averaging 16 points and 10 rebounds a game and had many

people thinking he should have been an All-Star. Jared Dudley has increased his scoring and is settling in nicely to the shooting guard role that warranted the Suns giving him a $20 million in-season contract extension. Channing Frye has also come out of his slump and is expanding his game from just being a 3-point shooter into someone who at least tries to play in the post on occasion and gives a more concerted effort on defense.What this all means is that you shouldn’t count Steve Nash and the aging Phoenix Suns out just yet. With Nash playing at an All-Star level this year, there is no reason why the 38-year old can’t lead this team to the playoffs despite not having Grant Hill. Hill, who defends the opposing team’s best player and brings invaluable veteran leadership and experience, will probably be sidelined for most of the regular season with an injury. To say that the chemistry is improving on this team is an understatement. Alvin Gentry continues to prove that he is one of the most underrated coaches in the game. Having to incorporate new players into this year’s team, Gentry literally had to spend half of a shortened season trying to find the combinations that give the Suns the best chance to win on any given night. Gentry has to be given credit because he has instilled confidence in a team that should probably be competing with the New Orleans Hornets for worst record in the Western Conference rather than being 2 games behind the Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, and Dallas Mavericks for the #8 playoff seed.The Phoenix Suns have a tough stretch to finish the season as they have games against the Nuggets, Spurs, Thunder, Clippers, and Lakers. However, because the Suns are only a few games behind several teams, all they need is one of those teams to go through a rough patch. If that happens, and Nash is able to keep going strong till the end, the Suns should have no problem capturing a playoff spot■

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“To everyone’s surprise, the Suns came out of the All-Star break as the hottest team in the league...”

Photo by Barry Gossage

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Grizz KidsThe not-so familiar names making noise in MemphisBy Kryston Tillett

If I asked who Marreese Speights, Tony Allen, Dante Cunningham, and Quincy Pondexter were, not even some so-called “die hard” fans would be able to tell me what NBA team they played on or what colleges they played for. Most casual fans, however, will know the key players for the Memphis Grizzlies. There is Rudy Gay, a high flyer from the University of Connecticut, who has been an All-Star caliber player. Most are also familiar with Marc Gasol, a first time All-Star this year and younger brother of Lakers center Pau Gasol. Zach Randolph is a known 20-point, 10-rebound player, but due to his role on the “Jailblazers,” was thought to not be a winner until the Grizzlies playoff run last year.The Grizz beat San Antonio as the #8 seed last year without Rudy Gay. They are currently 35-24 and sit fifth in the Western Conference with Zach Randolph coming back

from injury and being a shell of his normal play. You may wonder who has been stepping up for this steadily improving young team.Speights was acquired from the 76ers to take Randolph’s spot in the starting lineup. All he’s done is average 9 points and 6 rebounds in only 20 minutes per game. Dante Cunningham, yet another quality player the Bobcats and Michael Jordan let walk away only to contribute for another team, is averaging 5 points and 4 rebounds in 19 minutes. Pondexter is adding 5 and 2 in 15mpg. Tony Allen is another role player starting for Memphis and in only 27 minutes per game he chips in 11 points, 4 rebounds and 2 steals, while defending the best perimeter player on the opposing team each game.The key role players and unexpected depth of their bench--despite injuries--is one reason the Grizzlies find themselves in the position they are in as the

shortened NBA season approaches the playoffs.As for their coach Lionel Hollins, who took over coaching the team in 2009, he has the Grizz steadily improving, with players such as O.J. Mayo buying into being the sixth man, and Rudy Gay buying into the defensive concept. It all paid off last season as the Grizz got into the playoffs as the #8 seed and upset the #1 seeded San Antonio Spurs. Memphis is getting healthy now, too, and are making a strong push towards the top half of the playoff brackets. With all their core players locked up long term and all entering their respective primes, this is just the beginning for the Memphis Grizzlies■

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You may not know their names yet, but the “other” guys in Memphis have the Grizzlies thinking big.

Photo by Joe Murphy

Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph can dominate games on the inside.

Photo by Wilfredo Lee

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The Los Angeles Lakers 2011-12 season has the looks of something straight off of a Sony Pictures desk. That’s nothing new for Showtime. They’ve been bringing Hollywood to the NBA for over a half-century. This year’s Lakers, however, seemed to have drifted from the action-adventure genre of recent seasons and taken to the drama category.

Act I ~ Making Do

With Kobe Bryant, one of the greatest to ever play the game, leading a team one year removed

from back-to-back championships, it was hard to determine if the Lakers would look more like that or like the team that was embarrassed in the second round of the West playoffs last May.What was clear, however, was that the Lakers would be active in the offseason, as they had been for decades.Around 4PM on December 8, 2011, the Lakers traded away Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol in a three-team deal that would land All-Star point guard Chris Paul in the purple & gold--or so they thought.By six o’clock, the trade had been nixed by commissioner David Stern after outcry from league

Hollywood’s HeroesThe story of the 2012 LakersBy Eric Lemus

He has been called the greatest performer of all-time.It has been called, “One of the most compelling seasons ever captured on film.” Now you can see it for yourself.

Kobe Bryant in...

The 2012 Los Angeles Lakers

Photos by Andrew D. Bernstein

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owners that the trade set forth by the league-owned Hornets undermined the spirit of the Collective Bargaining Agreement that was merely a week old.Although the parties would try to resubmit a new deal, Paul would eventually land in Los Angeles, but wearing the red, white, and blue of the Clippers.The Lakers had no choice but to go about business as usual, but first they had to mend the broken hearts of the power forwards they had all but shipped out.In all fairness, I wouldn’t want to leave the comforts of La-La Land for New Orleans either, but the NBA is a business and these player are (very well paid) professionals. Although

Gasol was obviously disappointed with management’s actions, he would move on fairly quickly and continue to give his full effort to the team. Odom wasn’t as forgiving. Lamar sulked and was offended by Mitch Kupchak’s undertaking, so much so that within days, Odom requested a trade. The Lakers obliged.Odom was dealt to the Dallas Mavericks for a trade exception. The Sixth Man of the Year, dealt to a conference rival, coming off a World Championship? With that perplexing move, the Lakers seemed to have given up hopes of landing another star like Deron Williams or Dwight Howard during the season, as Odom

would have been a key trade asset. L.A. would take on the upcoming season with subtractions, rather than additions, to the roster.But who needs help when you have the Black Mamba and his German-engineered knees?Bryant is top 5 in the NBA in minutes played and even led the league in the category for most of the year. Kobe is also leading the league in scoring, at nearly 30 per on a team averaging just north of 95 points a game. But even though the bottom of the Laker roster has had trouble

“But who needs help when you have the Black Mamba...”

Photo by Ezra Shaw

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“The Lakers had no choice but to go on about business as usual”

Next page photo by Noah Graham

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scoring, Bryant has gotten a lot of help from the top of the roster.Pau Gasol continues to play at the high level he has been known to throughout his career and Andrew Bynum has finally made it through a season with a clean bill of health--and has paid dividends.Gasol’s 17 points and 10.5 rebounds on the year are impressive, but Bynum’s 18.4 and 12 are magnificent. Not only has “Drew” been consistent, he has even taken over a number of games and looked unstoppable against the rest of the NBA’s centers. With Bynum’s on-court improvements resonating throughout the team, he has also had another less desirable effect.

End Act I

Act II ~ The New Look

With All-Star seasons from Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum, the Lakers have remained atop the Pacific Division all season. With their superb defense--anchored by the two seven-footers--the Lakers, along with the Thunder and Spurs, have been one of the few consistent teams in the West this year.With the success the Lakers have had this year--I assume somewhat surprising to the team as much as to the fans--the team decided it would make a roster adjustment after all.Week after week, Pau Gasol played through rumors that he would be traded. One week for Howard, the next week for Rajon Rondo or Michael Beasley. When the trade deadline came around, the Lakers would send a veteran away, just not the one anyone thought they would.Derek Fisher was sent to Houston for Jordan Hill, and the Lakers also acquired Ramon Sessions from Cleveland for Luke Walton and Jason Kapono.The Lakers had long since desired a point guard that could create on offense and defend the faster points in today’s NBA. After the shock set in that Fisher had been traded--and that Gasol had NOT been--the Lakers now took to the court with a starting lineup that boasted four guys that could put the ball in the net.But in Tinseltown everything is scrutinized under a microscope, and with the Lakers being known for not putting forth their best effort at all times, Mike Brown soon became the lightning rod for criticism

on the team. The Lakers hadn’t had too many rough stints apart from losing four of six in January, but after they lost back-to-back road games to Detroit and Washington, fans clamored for Brown’s head. They would right the ship and continue their good play, but aside from Xs and Os, Mike Brown was now being called out for his inability to control his young center.

End Act II

Act III ~ The Saboteur

Andrew Bynum, who was now enjoying stardom as the newly minted “best center in the West,” began sipping the proverbial Kool-Aid. Already being labelled immature, Bynum got a reputation as a dirty player after he shoved the five-foot-nothing J.J. Barea in the back at the end of the Lakers final playoff game last season. Yet a 5-game suspension (later reduced) was not enough to aid in Bynum’s maturing process.Bynum has shown a world of talent, but he also shown a world of recklessness. Many times throughout the season Bynum’s effort has fallen short, his decision making has been puzzling, his focus has been on something other than winning the

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game, and his mouth has gotten him ejected from games, costing his team victories. On one particular instance in Oakland, Andrew slowly ran up court to join his teammates on offense, and decided he would shoot a three with sixteen seconds left on the shot clock. Mike Brown was disgusted at both Bynum’s effort and decision making and pulled the center from the game. Bynum would be seen on the bench joking and playing to the camera, afterwards stating he planned on continuing to shoot threes in order to expand his game.

Soliloquy:Honestly, I think playing alongside Pau Gasol has made Bynum want to play like the Spaniard. I have racked my brain so many times watching Bynum attempt head fake after head fake only to settle for fading away jump shot from 10 feet out. Pau Gasol has one of the most complete repertoires any seven footer has ever had in the game. No, he’s not Akeem, but Gasol’s finesse gets him great looks at the basket and he has a jump shot he can hit from 20 feet away. Bynum doesn’t. But Bynum wants to. He is a beast and needs to accept it. Get down there and get messy, you will be unstoppable.

~Resume~

The fact of the matter is that the Lakers need Andrew Bynum to dominate the low block on both sides of the ball. If he can do that, Kobe Bryant is capable of taking the team to a very familiar place, but as of now, the Lakers aren’t ready.Let me not single out one player. Kobe also needs to improve his shot selection. The bench needs to make open jump shots. Metta World Peace needs to stay out of his own way at times. Most importantly, the Lakers need to remain strong on the defensive side of the ball, as they have lost sight of that recently--giving up 350 points over three games against the Clippers, Rockets, and Suns (going 1-2).The Lakers have to keep their focus on their goals; first and foremost, winning the division. It honestly doesn’t matter who the Clippers have, they don’t have two seven footers and they don’t have Kobe Bryant. If the Lakers simply play well, they will win the Pacific, but they have a tendency to slack off, making things tighter than they should be. Then again, what is Showtime without the show?

End Act III■

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The Lakers current roster has exceeded expectations and has the NBA’s greatest franchise thinking it can win another championship in June.

Photos by Layne Murdoch & Barry Gossage

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Tough JuiceBy Preston Newsom

It’s been a rough couple of years for Caron Butler. After going through tough times with the Wizards, he was traded to the Mavs, only to start the season off great and then suffer a season-ending injury. I couldn't imagine how he must have felt, after all the hours in the gym, the tough times coming up as a kid, the trades from one team to another, to then finally reach the Finals, only to have to sit and watch from the sidelines. Then he starts this new season a part of a Clipper Organization

that hasn't done anything positive for years. But that has now changed, and much of it has to do with Caron. He does a lot of the little things that go without praise and has helped the Clippers become one of the better teams in the NBA this season. He gives the Clips 13 points, 4 rebounds, over 1 assist per game, and will guard the opposing team’s best perimeter player. He brings a toughness and desire to win that every championship team needs. Its good to see him back and playing at a high level■

Going Buck WildMilwaukee’s new squad is making a runBy Daniel Brewster

The Milwaukee Bucks, like every other team, began the NBA season with hopes of making the playoffs. Led by Brandon Jennings, Andrew Bogut, and the freshly acquired Stephen Jackson, the Bucks looked to make that jump into the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference.Now both Stephen Jackson and Andrew Bogut are gone, replaced by Monta Ellis and Ekpe Udoh.The addition of Monta Ellis has the Bucks playing their best basketball of the season, while the New York Knicks--currently in the final playoff spot--hold on for dear life.When the Golden State Warriors traded Monta Ellis to the Bucks, I was one of the many critics who felt that the pairing with Brandon Jennings wouldn’t work. Jennings is one of the up-and-coming point guards in the game, but he also has a high propensity to dominate

the ball, often looking for his own shot instead of creating them for his teammates.Ellis is known as one of the league’s high-volume scorers and has the ability to go for 50 on any given night. With these two similar type players in the backcourt, you would think that one basketball may not be enough to satisfy each.

Well, to everyone’s surprise, the heavily tattooed guards have formed one of the most dangerous backcourts in the league. Since the Bucks acquired Ellis at the trade deadline and paired him with Jennings, Milwaukee has led the league in assists. That’s a span of 16 games.The “other” person in the deal that brought Monta Ellis to

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“[Brandon] Jennings is one of the up-and-coming point guards in the game...”

Photo by Sam Forencich

Caron Butler missed most of last season with injury, now he is a vital part of a Clippers team with high hopes

Photo by Glenn James

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Milwaukee is Ekpe Udoh, and he may be steal of the trade. We all know what Monta can do, but it’s Udoh who has the most upside. Standing at 6’10 and 245 pounds, Udoh is known as a hard-nosed defender and high energy guy, and has easily made the transition into coach Scott Skiles rotation--and Skiles couldn’t be happier. Upon hearing about the trade, the defensive minded Skiles had this to say about Udoh, “He’s got a pretty good knack for blocking shots and protecting the basket area.” In Udoh, the Bucks were able to get an ever so important cost-controlled big man who can contribute immediately without having to wait his turn like he did while in Golden State.The biggest upgrade for the Bucks, however, is moving forward with without Stephen Jackson. Jackson, now in San Antonio, never quite found his niche while playing in Milwaukee. After the Charlotte Bobcats traded him to the Bucks before the lockout, he showed up for camp out of shape, struggled badly on the floor, took a suspension from the team for missing a bus and from the league for arguing with a referee. Jackson was knocked out of the starting lineup and then the rotation, to boot. Captain Jack was expected to be a key contributor for the Bucks, but instead found himself at the end of the bench. Once it became clear that Jackson wouldn’t play, the only other option for Jackson was to be traded--which worked out for him now that he is chasing a championship with Tim Duncan & Co. Considering everything, I’m sure Skiles is happy that Jackson is Gregg Popovich’s problem and not his own.Moving forward, the Milwaukee Bucks find themselves in a position where the playoffs are in their grasp. As of now, the Milwaukee Bucks are 29-31 and 2 games behind the New York Knicks, who lost both Jeremy Lin and Amar’e Stoudemire for the rest of the regular season.

The Bucks are 3 games behind the seventh place Philadelphia 76ers, who are in the midst of a slump losing 6 of their last 10 games. The battle for the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot is a fluid situation, and the Knicks and 76ers alike are drowning near the cold waters of mediocrity. This is music to the Bucks’ ears, who with Jennings and Ellis, are doing everything they can to get invited to the eight-team party.Judging by their schedule--as well as the Knicks’--it’s becoming easy to think the Bucks will make the playoffs. The fact that the Bucks are even in the conversation is remarkable considering all the turmoil and change they had to deal with this season.The Bucks' schedule isn't too difficult to finish off the year, which is why it is believable that they'll pass the Knicks. They don't have to face the Heat and Celtics in the span of a week, like New York. Instead, they'll be greeted with two games against Indiana, and a back-to-back against Philadelphia and Boston to finish off the season.The Bucks' squandered an opportunity to make up some ground by losing to the Knicks, but with New York dealing with a tough schedule and injuries, the Bucks should be the ones who end up taking the eighth seed. With a guard tandem of Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings, I am sure neither the Bulls nor Heat will be excited to play Milwaukee. The league’s newest most explosive backcourt may have Chicago or Miami fearing more than just the deer■

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“The battle for the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot is a fluid situation...”

Photo by Ned Dishman

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Sixth man. The last pick in the draft, huh? Isaiah Thomas is posting 11 points and 4 assists a game for Sacramento. For every test, drill, and measurement they do at all these pre-draft camps and workouts, the one thing they can never measure is a player’s heart--and there is no skill that is more important than that. This guy can't be any bigger than 5'8 and doesn't have Nate Robinson’s athleticism, but he gets it done. He is fast, skilled, tough, and most of all, has the heart of a lion. I hope he continues to impress and holds on to the starting role with the Kings.

By Preston Newsom

My first pick is the same one the Cavs made in the offseason--and the smart choice. Kyrie Irving. His game is smooth as silk and very similar to Chris Paul’s, but Irving is a much better shooter at this stage in his career. He hasn't been able to get the Cavs into playoff contention but he has helped the team get better and win some games. He gives them hope after the departure of Lebron James two seasons ago. They have a long way to go before they'll be making noise in the postseason again, but if Kyrie can continue to grow as an individual player and help his teammates get better, he could easily be a top 5 point guard in three years. His 19 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds with a steal is a lot to build on. The future is bright in Cleveland.

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ALL-ROOKIE TEAM

Ricky Rubio is not the best shooter, but he's a wizard with the ball and his enthusiasm for the game had helped turn the Wolves into a serious playoff threat. He just sees the floor better than most. This throwback, pass-first point guard is fun to play with and any player will tell you it’s easier to run the floor when you know your going to get the ball. His recent season-ending injury will make it very difficult for the Wolves to make the playoffs but when he comes back they will be a team to watch for seasons to come. Perfect player for the perfect coach and perfect system. Rubio's 10ppg, 8apg, 4rpg, and 2spg were great in his rookie season.

I've been watching Marshon Brooks play since college and if I could describe his game in one word it would be "buckets." D-Will's new running mate has been the only other consistent scorer in Jersey the entire year. His 13ppg, 3rpg and 2apg are great numbers for a guy learning the ropes. They haven’t translated to many wins this season, but even if they’re unable to make a move and get Dwight Howard, Brooks, Williams, and their numerous draft picks give the Nets something to look forward to in Brooklyn. Marshon is a flat out scorer and will easily be a 20-point scorer in the next two seasons. Let's just hope he doesn't become a one trick pony and continues to expand on his game.The best thing about Kawhi Leonard is that his contributions are helping the Spurs win. This long, athletic player has “Gerald Wallace” written all over his game. He rebounds, defends, and plays hard every minute he is on the floor. He gives you 8 points, 5 rebounds, and a steal in just 24 minutes per game. With him being able to learn from savvy vets like Manu, Duncan, and Parker, this kid has a bright future. He's being coached by one of the greatest ever and hasn't become overwhelmed at any point during the season. I can't wait to see what he brings during the playoffs.

Kenneth Faried is putting up 10 points and 7 rebounds in 21 minutes on the floor. What is there to say about this guy? You never have to run a play for him. He's tough. He goes and gets the ball off the glass. He’s a great teammate. He’s a coach’s dream. He’s like Dennis Rodman or Kenyon Martin sans the off-the-court issues. This guy is a championship piece. Hopefully, Denver can get healthy and upset someone in the playoffs so he can show his skill on national television. He's full of energy and just a guy you love to root for.

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By Preston Newsom

Russell Westbrook. In just a few short years he has helped turn around a franchise that hasn't seen this much success since the early 90s. He has teamed with Kevin Durant to become one of the best 1-2 punches in the league. He has not missed a game in three seasons in the NBA, has improved his shooting percentage in all categories, and has his team in first place in the Western Conference heading into the playoffs. 24ppg, 4.6rpg, 5.4apg, and 1.7spg. Yes, his assists have taken a slight dip, but he's still learning the position at this point in his young career.

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ALL-NBA 1ST TEAMKobe Bryant. 28 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists a game with a hurt wrist, broken nose, concussion, bruised shin, and an ongoing battle with Father Time. What more could you ask from the man? He brings it every night, every second of every game. Kobe clearly started the season with something to prove, tearing defenses to pieces. He couldn't be more correct when he said, "I have no rivals." He doesn't. He's beyond that. He's chasing history. Chasing the gods of the game. There would be nothing more beautiful than to see him prove all the so-called experts wrong with another championship and Finals MVP.

Kevin Durant. His team is the favorite to come out the West and he is leading them in such a flashy manner: 28 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists. He's improved every year that he's been in the league and so has his team. He and Westbrook arguably make the best 1-2 punch in the league outside of James and Wade. 7-foot, ball handling skills, a soft shooting touch, and has added an unstoppable Dirk-like fadeaway to his game. He will be one of the greatest to ever play the game.

LeBron James. I find this hard to believe, but LeBron may be having the best year of his career. Adding a post game to his already impressive skill set, he has become much more efficient and doesn't find himself shooting as many threes. 27 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists per game with his always improving defense has him on his way to his third NBA MVP and possibly his first championship. Hopefully, we can continue to see him grow and take those last second shots we want to see him take--and make.

Kevin Love. 27 points, 13.5 rebounds, 2 assists per game. He doesn't have the freaky hops or speed that most in today’s NBA have, but what he does have is a nose for the ball and a knowledge of the game. He's highly skilled for a big man, with range out to the three-point line, and grabs every rebound that goes up. He's gotten better every year he's been in the league and, until Ricky Rubio went down, had put the Wolves in position to make the playoffs for the first time since the Kevin Garnett days. He is easily the best big man in the game and is only improving. He deserves not only to make All-NBA first team, but also some votes for league MVP. A player Coach Wooden would be proud to say played at UCLA.

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Every year before the NBA trade deadline, players across the league are on pins and needles as they are one phone call away from having their whole world shaken up. A player’s performance, or lack thereof, is usually the key contributing factor in getting traded. In other cases, situations arise where players become available and organizations have to make tough decisions for what they feel is the betterment of their franchise. As fans, it is one of the most exciting days of the year because of the shock value that is involved. Twitter provides us up-to-date information on all the player movement--in some cases we know when a player has been traded before they do. At the conclusion, we see countless columns with the cliché headline, “Who won and lost at the trade deadline,” but in actuality we do not know who wins these trades because there are so many other factors involved--mainly draft picks. Yet even though it is too early to tell, I will try to make sense of what happened at the March 15 trade deadline.

The Portland Trailblazers went from a playoff contending team at the beginning of the season, to a team who fired their coach, traded Gerald Wallace to the Nets, Marcus Camby to the Rockets, and waived former #1 pick Greg Oden all in the same week.The Blazers had plans to trade guards Raymond Felton and Jamal Crawford as well, however both deals fell through the crack in the eleventh hour. By trading Wallace, the Blazers put themselves in a position to keep Nicolas Batum, who probably has the most upside of anybody on the Blazers’ roster. However, the little known steal of the deal is that the Blazers acquired a protected first round pick from the Nets. That pick is top 3 protected, meaning that if the New Jersey Nets get a top 3 pick in the upcoming lottery, it will go the Blazers, who are still looking for somebody to replace former All-Star Brandon Roy. Roy was forced to retire due to reoccurring knee injuries. Portland is out of the playoff picture, so their own pick--which will likely be in the lottery--in addition to New Jersey’s pick, should be enough to get a solid player in a draft that is considered to be one of the deepest in years. When the Milwaukee Bucks acquired Monta Ellis, everybody--including myself--thought pairing him with Brandon Jennings was a mistake. But I was wrong. The biggest reason for the trade was to get rid of Stephen Jackson. Jackson was a cancer on the team and was benched by head coach Scott Skiles. Andrew Bogut was also sent to Golden State with Jackson, making it clear that the Bucks had given up on the injury plagued former #1 draft pick. With Ellis in Milwaukee, gone are the concerns that the Bucks offense will ever go south. And with Jennings hinting at the possibility of leaving Milwaukee for a bigger market, having Monta locked in for

The Winds of ChangeDissecting the NBA’s biggest tradesBy Daniel Brewster

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“The Portland Trailblazers...traded Gerald Wallace to the Nets, Marcus Camby to the Rockets, and waived former #1 pick Greg Oden all in the same week.”

Photo by Cameron Browne

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at least another 3 years is a good insurance plan. If Ekpe Udoh (traded to Milwaukee as well) can maintain his steady climb, then the Bucks will be just fine moving forward. It has been a long season in Washington and John Wall had seen enough of it. He openly complained about his team’s approach to the game and he couldn’t have been any more correct. The Wizards were a team full of young knuckleheads, all looking for individual accomplishments while completely forgetting the team concept in the process. Wanting to rid themselves of these problems, they sent JaVale McGee to the Denver Nuggets and Nick Young to the Los Angeles Clippers. The Wizards received Nene, a proven All-Star quality player who has never been questioned for lacking professionalism or effort on the court. The

fact that the Nuggets were willing to give up somebody who they felt so highly about should be music to the Wizards’ ears. McGee’s upside is superior to Nene’s, but when somebody is as inconsistent as McGee, it makes it hard to build anything. The Wizards have John Wall as their point guard and Nene at the center, so they can now focus on finding a good power forward in the upcoming draft. The pick will be high because the Wizards will be in the lottery AGAIN! The Los Angeles Lakers probably shocked the basketball world by trading long-time point guard Derek Fisher to the Houston Rockets for seldom used big man Jordan Hill. In another deal, the Lakers acquired Ramon Session from the Cleveland Cavs, so we assumed that the expendable guard on the roster would have been Steve Blake.

Washington and Denver swap centers and hope they made the right decision.

Photos by Ron Hoskins & Garrett W. Ellwood

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The Lakers Achilles’ heel had been the point guard position, manned by Derek Fisher. At 37-years old, Fisher was still playing huge minutes and was constantly being eaten alive by point guards across the league. By moving Fisher, the Lakers not only get younger, but save a little under $4 million in the process. Saving as much money as possible is important for teams like the Lakers who are trying to get under the salary cap in order to avoid paying a repeat violator luxury tax fee. Moving forward, Sessions will be the type of point guard the Lakers been wanting for a while now. The San Antonio Spurs probably get the award for the steal of trade deadline with the acquisition of Stephen Jackson. Captain Jack was traded to the Golden State Warriors and then was immediately sent to San Antonio for the services for Richard Jefferson, who never seemed to be a good fit in San Antonio. Jackson has always been a favorite of coach Gregg Popovich going back to his first stint with the Spurs in 2003 when Jackson helped the Spurs win a championship. The Spurs could not pay Jackson what he wanted, so he left and had stops in Atlanta, Indiana, Golden State, Charlotte, and Milwaukee. Jackson joins a Spurs team that

is deep and primed to make another run for a ring. Just because Nick Young can be a knucklehead at times doesn’t mean that he isn’t talented, and his flat out scoring prowess is exactly what the wounded Clippers needed. There are nights when Young can go out and drop 40 points, and there are also nights when he can go out and lay an egg. Since Chauncey Billups went down with an achilles injury, the Clippers backcourt--apart from Chris Paul--has been overwhelmingly inconsistent. With Young in the fold, he can contribute and get opportunities to produce right away. For the Nuggets, you can argue that getting a younger, more athletic center like JaVale McGee is worth the risk. The cap relief the Nuggets get from trading Nene away went toward signing Wilson Chandler, who is fresh off his lockout stint in China. George Karl himself said he thought that Nene spent too much time in the training room, so the acquisition of McGee should sure up those concerns. Playing in Washington, McGee was surrounded by players and coaches who did not make him accountable for his play. The Nuggets are not the Wizards, and McGee joins a team that is full of veteran players and a coach who is not going to go for any

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Both Los Angeles teams were active at the trade deadline.

Photos by Ron Hoskins & Rocky Widner

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of his shenanigans. McGee is in a situation in Denver where he can continue to grow under one of the leagues best coaches and potentially flourish into what many thought he would when he was drafted out of Nevada. With the Warriors, I’m not sure taking on Richard Jefferson's extra year at $11 million was worth the first-rounder they got from the Spurs in the Stephen Jackson deal--even though this is going to be a deep draft and that pick is going to be in the low 20s. Taking a chance on Andrew Bogut is worth the risk, especially when trading Monta Ellis cleared playing time for Klay Thompson, but it is a risk.

Perhaps the biggest trade of the 2011-12 season was the trade that didn’t happen...

Not to go too far with the metaphors, but the Orlando Magic's building was burning, the plane's engines had stalled, the ship was sinking, the peanut butter had gotten mixed with the chocolate, Laverne had left Shirley and the Fat Boys had broken up. Then Alex Martins went to work, and somehow, on Thursday following the deadline, there was Dwight Howard, professing his love for the city and the team he'd asked publicly to be traded from in December. That is a remarkable save by Martins, who took over as Magic CEO last year with one job: keep Dwight. He did. Maybe it is just a short stay, but Orlando, again, has hope it can put a team around Howard

that will be good enough for him to truly challenge for a title and sign a long-term extension. Who truly knows what to make of all of these trades--or lack thereof in Orlando’s case? Nobody really knows what these moves will mean down the line so this is an educated guess. It seems like Portland did the right thing in blowing up its roster and starting over, while what New Jersey did doesn't make a lot of sense at first blush--but then again it's only the first blush, the wine isn't mature yet. The newspaper, it is said by historians, is the first rough draft of history. So these bits and bytes aren't even the outline of history, they're more of a topic sentence. Check back in and we will all know what those picks meant for Portland, or what Stephen Jackson will do in San Antonio, or whether Dwight Howard will sign a contract extension in Orlando■

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“...there was Dwight Howard, professing his love for the city and the team he’d asked publicly to be traded from in December.”

Photo by Fernando Medina

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What Could Have BeenLamar Odom’s mark on the gameBy Kryston Tillett

If I were to say that prior to the 1999 NBA Draft, some deemed Lamar Odom a new-age Magic Johnson, would you believe me? If I added that he was a six-foot, ten-inch forward with the court vision of a point guard, slashing ability of a wing player, and the rebounding ability of an elite center, would you consider that the Lamar Odom we’ve seen throughout his career?Odom grew up in Queens, New York. After attending 3 high schools and transferring from UNLV

without having played a single game there, he had one good season at Rhode Island (powerhouse, I know *enter sarcasm here*) averaging 17.6 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. In 2012, his “background” would set off red flags with NBA brass around the league, but in 1999, everyone was enamored with Odom’s skill set and he was drafted #4 overall by the Los Angeles Clippers. In his rookie year, Odom showed tremendous promise, averaging 16 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4 assists plus a steal and a block per contest. He

showed flashes of a player who could spot minutes for his team at any position and who with moderate improvement from season to season, could become a guy who’d averaged 20+ points, 10+ rebounds, 5+ assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks per contest. And here we reach the essence of this article: Lamar Odom has had a solid NBA career, BUT he should have been so much more. After his rookie year, Odom played three more seasons with the Clippers and did indeed start games at multiple positions, helping a

Lamar Odom’s career in Dallas has reach a tragic end

Photo by Ronald Martinez

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young Clipper team show some potential. In his last two seasons with the Clips he had some injury issues, but what should really have concerned teams interested in him as he approached free agency is that none of his shooting percentages went up. A 6’10” guy shooting only 43% should have been a concern, and with his ability to play inside and out, improvements in his 3-point shooting would have been welcomed by the Clippers, as well. As a restricted free agent, many saw Odom as an up-and-coming player going into the 2003 offseason. But looking again at those rookie stats he had, with assumed improvement, thinking he should have already had an all-star appearance on his NBA resume would not have been farfetched. Like I previously stated, Odom has been a solid player, but should have been so much more.So the Clippers declined to match his contract offer from the Miami Heat and decided instead to keep other players, sending Odom to an upstart Miami squad that had just drafted future superstar Dwyane Wade. Odom again showed flashes of brilliance, averaging 17 points, 10 boards, and 4 assists. Some contend he should have been an all-star, as he helped the Heat

reach the second round of the playoffs after not too much was expected of them.Little did we know, this would arguably be Odom’s best overall season. SOLID I know, but if you were someone who watched this guy play season to season, you would have expected him to be a MONSTER by now.So in the 2004 offseason, Miami saw an aging Shaq as a greater asset than a relatively young Odom, and he was traded to the Lakers to be Kobe’s left-handed, right-hand man. Some would say his years with the Lakers were his “best” seasons, but “inconsistent” was what I saw more often than what Odom’s “best” should have been. After not being able to become the “Scottie” to Kobe’s “Mike,” and more time missed to injury, the Lakers endured their worst seasons in over a decade. It wasn’t until the 2007-08 season, when Andrew Bynum started showing promise before being injured, and the Lakers were

handed Pau Gasol, that Los Angeles returned to prominence--losing to the Celtics in the Finals. In the next two years, the Lakers would win NBA titles with Odom serving as the sixth man while putting up, once again, SOLID numbers--winning Sixth Man of the Year for the 2010-11 season. Don’t be fooled by the Sixth Man Award, everyone who wins it plays starter’s minutes, they just aren’t on the floor during the tipoff.Are you to tell me that during the Lakers’ back-to-back titles, Andrew Bynum was a better offensive or defensive player than Lamar Odom? But Odom never appeared bothered by coming off the bench, never really playing inspired enough to earn a starting spot again. He just continued to put up solid numbers despite his immense talent. Not to mention the fact that somewhere along the line, both Odom and Laker brass forgot that Odom was a versatile player, almost exclusively playing the PF position (I suppose if he

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“Odom has been a solid player, but should have been so much more.”

Photos by Andrew D. Bernstein

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himself forgot he could play all 5 positions, he must have one day woke up no longer having that ability).And so this past offseason, the Lakers thought Chris Paul a greater asset than both Odom and Gasol and had a three way trade lined up with the Hornets and Rockets before David Stern vetoed it. Odom’s feelings were obviously hurt, and after complaining to Laker management and in the media, he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks for (get this...) a TRADE EXCEPTION! Dallas had just won the championship and is in the same conference as the Lakers; Odom had just won Sixth Man of the Year and the Lakers agree to trade him for “cap relief ?” Started to make me wonder if Laker brass saw what I’d been looking at for years: a talented, inconsistent ball player who puts up SOLID numbers, but with mere EFFORT could have been so much more of an NBA player. This leads to the latest chapter for Odom. Going to the Dallas Mavericks where the former “next Magic” has been designated Dirk Nowitzki’s back up. Had Odom remembered that he was capable of playing all five positions, he may have earned the starting small forward spot for the Mavericks, but that’s not really Lamar’s style. So while Odom was seemingly out of shape and having probably the worst season of his life (I’m sure even his middle school stats were better than the 7 points and 4 rebounds he averaged), he gave way for Shawn Marion to have the starting small forward spot (yeah, the Shawn Marion with no upper body strength, who can’t dribble and shoots like a grade school kid). Odom hasn’t had stretches good enough to even say he’s been “inconsistent,” missing games for a variety of reasons and even flirting with a stint in the NBDL (not even going to get into that), Dallas thought they were getting the best sixth man in the league, but instead acquired a mediocre NBA player seemingly in decline at age 32.It had gotten to be so bad that Odom has essentially been cut by Dallas. The only reason he is still on the roster is in hopes that the Mavs can obtain something in the offseason for his expiring contract. Sixth Man of the Year? Dallas has decided that when it comes to defending their NBA title, Lamar Odom can’t help AT ALL!He was out of shape coming into the strike-shortened season, and now Dallas sends him home early. I’m fearful of the type of player he’ll be next

year, but if Odom has any pride, he won’t let this be the final chapter in his career. Still, I can imagine Dallas having big problems trading him, and may end up cutting him, buying him out, or using their amnesty clause to rid themselves of Odom. A career 14-point and 8-rebound guy, Odom has put up some quality NBA seasons, but to be an athletic 6’10” guy and barely have career averages of one steal and one block per contest, to me that’s a lack of effort--inconsistent effort. Look back at his rookie season…Odom has had a SOLID career, but should have been so much more than just SOLID■

“Odom hasn’t had stretches good enough to even say he’s been ‘inconsistent’...”Photo by Stephen Dunn

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The saying goes, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” In the case of the San Antonio Spurs, that statement couldn’t be more accurate.In the nineteenth game of the 1996-97 season, the Spurs fired head coach Bob Hill after starting 3-15 and handed over the reins to Gregg Popovich. At season’s end, the Spurs would finish with the league’s third worst record and, as if fated by the NBA gods, would win the NBA Draft Lottery. With the #1 overall pick in the 1997 draft, the Spurs selected Tim Duncan out of Wake Forest. Two

summers later, Tim Duncan and Gregg Popovich would hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy for the first of four championships over the next nine seasons. Since the selection of Duncan, the Spurs have posted winning percentages of at least .646 each year, 12 consecutive seasons of 50+ wins from 1999-2011, and 15 consecutive playoff appearances, while finishing either first or second in their division.When the Spurs last had a losing season, the Grizzlies were still in Vancouver, the Hornets still in Charlotte, the Oklahoma City Thunder were still the Seattle Supersonics, the Washington Wizards were still named the Bullets, and the Charlotte Bobcats

Familiar Faces in High PlacesA decade and a half of Spurs excellenceBy Eric Lemus

A look back at the San Antonio Spurs dominance under Head Coach Gregg Popovich and Tim Duncan, and a look forward to a promising 2012 playoff run.

Photos by Bob Rosato & Kevin Martin

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had not yet been dreamt up. Finals MVPs Michael Jordan, Akeem Olajuwon, and Shaquille O’Neal have retired, along with other former stars like Reggie Miller, Scottie Pippen, Larry Johnson, Karl Malone, and John Stockton and the NBA has ushered in new stars like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Derrick Rose--James, the oldest of the bunch, having yet reach his thirteenth birthday by the time Duncan started his rookie season.Through it all, the Spurs have been a model of consistency.In Duncan’s rookie campaign, the Spurs led the NBA in points allowed at 88.5 per game--a full 10 points per game better than the previous year. The Spurs would fall in the second round of the Western Conference Playoffs, but the team now had an identity that would last nearly two decades.The following season was marred by a lockout that would sway Michael Jordan into retirement and shorten the season to fifty games. With the game’s most dominant player now gone--and with him the game’s most dominant dynasty--the NBA title was up for grabs. The Spurs, using Pops’ and Duncan’s defensive pedigree, excelled in the strike shortened regular season (37-13) and absolutely dominated the postseason.The Spurs advanced through the West playoffs beating the Timberwolves 3-1, then sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trailblazers in successive order. The Finals were no different, as the Spurs defeated the #8 seeded Knicks in five games. Throughout the ‘99 Playoffs, only twice did the Spurs allow over 90 points--both the Lakers (91, 107).Although San Antonio remained competitive over the next three years, they, just like the rest of the NBA, were not able to overcome the Los Angeles Lakers and could only stand and watch the three-peat.The Spurs would reach the pinnacle once again in 2002-03, as they capped off Tim Duncan’s second of back-to-back MVP seasons with another championship. Derek Fisher’s heroic (or villainous) acts would prevent the Spurs from repeating in ‘04, but Duncan would steamroll the West again en route to his third championship and third Finals MVP award the following season. If memory serves me right, the conclusion of the 2004-05 season marked the first rumblings of the

Spurs getting old--and to this point, they actually were.Age didn’t keep San Antonio from remaining successful, however. With a nucleus that included thirty-somethings, Brent Barry, Bruce Bowen, Francisco Elson, Michael Finley, Robert Horry, Fabricio Oberto, and Jacque Vaughn along with Duncan, the Spurs were able to capture a fourth championship in 2007.For the most part, R.C. Buford (Spurs GM) assembled that cast to solidify the team defensively, as was the calling card of the Spurs under Popovich. San Antonio rode the league’s top defense and a dominant Tim Duncan through the playoffs; without needing Duncan’s dominance in the Finals, Tony Parker was awarded Finals MVP.By now, the Spurs had began molding the team into a new shape. Although the faces remained the same, Parker and Ginobili were now the primary scorers while Duncan looked to get his in the flow of the offense and on the boards.The Spurs, in fact, were trendsetters in the NBA. As Tony Parker developed his jump shot, the once 19-year old rookie was already an absolute terror in the paint. By the time San Antonio won it’s fourth championship, Parker was a near unstoppable scorer. Whereas now, every team is looking for that Derrick Rose/Russell Westbrook-type point guard that can get buckets by the boat loads, Tony Parker (along with Steve Nash) was already doing that without the body and athleticism of today’s point guards.The Spurs also led the NBA to follow in another now-common tendency, the sixth man. Although early on in his career Manu Ginobili was stuck behind Stephen Jackson on the roster, he was always one of the most talented players in the entire league. Popovich decided that the best way to maximize Manu’s efficiency was to use him off the bench, so that the Spurs would still have an able scorer when Duncan and Parker needed their rest. Now, every NBA team looks to have a big time playmaker off the bench (see: Jason Terry) to aid in winning a championship.

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“The Spurs, using Pops’ and Duncan’s defensive pedigree...absolutely dominated the [1999] postseason.”Leo Praesen

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But the Spurs also began changing the look of the roster. Over the next few years, the Spurs absolved themselves of veterans like Kurt Thomas, Horry, Elson, Oberto, Finley, Barry, and even the heart and soul of their defense, Bruce Bowen. Because the Spurs loved reinforcing their defense by bringing in solid veteran forwards and centers (to take up the mantle David Robinson left empty in ‘03), getting younger also meant getting smaller.The transition was taken in stride, as the Spurs continued the same regular season success they had come to know throughout Popovich’s tenure, including a trip to the Western Conference Finals in ‘08.The years following the Spurs ‘07 championship were also marred by injury, as Parker, Duncan, and Ginobili took turns landing on the medical reports. It is hard to say whether the Spurs could have done more if the original “Big Three” could have managed to stay healthy at the same time.By the time the 2010-11 season rolled around, Popovich could no longer ignore the effects that

Father Time had on his star forward. Although Duncan was said to start the season (and finish it) in the best shape of his career, Pops still managed his playing time very carefully.Duncan’s minutes fell under 30 per game for the first time in his career, and his points average fell by five from 18 to 13. Pops wouldn’t let Duncan play on tail-ends of back-to-backs and oftentimes sat him for extended periods in close ball games.San Antonio remained atop the standings, though. This time using a high-powered offense in lieu of a lockdown defense. Using the ball penetration skills of Parker, Ginobili, and George Hill along with the sharpshooting long-range skills of Matt Bonner, Richard Jefferson, Gary Neal, and Steve Novak, the Spurs rose to sixth in the league in scoring--while falling to fourteenth in defense.The Spurs finished 61-21--second in the NBA and first in the West. Although the playoff seeding wouldn’t be decided until the final game of the year, the Spurs had high hopes.

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And then, like punishment from the NBA gods for not playing any D, it all changed on one fateful night. On the same day the Spurs learned they would play the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs--their worst possible matchup, splitting 4 regular season games--they also lost Manu Ginobili to an injury in the last game of the regular season.While defending a pick-n-roll, Ginobili stuck his arm in to reach for the ball and it was caught in between the guard and the man who set the screen. San Antonio hoped Manu would recover with rest, as they thought the injury was a strain, but he would play through the pain in the first round of the playoffs.San Antonio was dominated in the paint by Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol, and lost the series 4-2, becoming the third #1 seed in history to lose in the first round. Afterwards, the Spurs learned that Ginobili was playing with a fractured arm.Entering the 2011-12 season, many in San Antonio feared the Spurs’ shot at another championship with Tim Duncan had passed. With a strike-shortened season that would see each team play 66 games in 126 days--including three games in three nights twice for the Spurs--teams led by older veterans such as the Spurs, Celtics,

Mavericks, and Lakers were perceived to be unable to make it through the season with their usual high marks.The Spurs, however, had been monitoring their stars’ minutes for a few years now and had a leg up on not only the veteran-led teams of the NBA, but all teams.But in the fifth game of the season, Manu Ginobili would once again be lost to injury and the Spurs would look towards unproven guys like Gary Neal, Danny Green, and rookie Kawhi Leonard to fill the All-Star’s shoes. Did they ever!With the Spurs struggling on the road early and losing their most dynamic player, getting to the playoffs now seemed like an insurmountable feat. San Antonio would find their groove in a familiar, yet unexpected, place--the Rodeo Road Trip. Every February, the Rodeo comes to San Antonio, and more specifically to the AT&T Center, sending the Spurs on an elongated road trip, usually 8-10 games. Having won the four games prior to the road trip, the Spurs reeled off the first seven away games and eight of the nine RRT games before the All-Star break.San Antonio has used terrific ball movement and bulk three-point shooting to get to the top of the West standings. R.C. Buford also made a few key roster additions to bolster the rotation. Bringing in Stephen Jackson for Richard Jefferson and adding Boris Diaw and Patrick Mills from free agency has made the Spurs the deepest team in the league. On multiple occasions since the roster upgrades, the Spurs have used twelve and even thirteen men in a game.The Spurs new look has given Pops the opportunity to monitor minutes even more efficiently without losing quality on the floor. So much so, in fact, that San Antonio swept its first back-to-back-to-back while resting Parker, Ginobili, and Duncan in successive nights.Even though Tony Parker was on an MVP-level tear in the Spurs amazing February run, he seems to have benefited from the

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For over fifteen years, Gregg Popovich has led his Spurs to dominance over the NBA.

Photo by Christian Peterson

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stellar play that Danny Green and Patty Mills have put out--ensuring them more minutes and Parker more rest. Tim Duncan has also benefited from fresh legs, and although last year’s minute-watching seemed to get him out of rhythm more than anything, this season he has used the increased stamina to his advantage, putting up “‘03 Duncan-esque” numbers on a few occasions.With Ginobili back from injury, San Antonio is running through its opponents. In April, the Spurs pulled off their second 11 game win streak of the season and catapulted past the Thunder for the top spot in the West.Their is a lot of talk--especially in cities like Memphis and Los Angeles--that the Spurs are a desirable match-up in the playoffs. Based on the Grizzlies success last season, teams think that the Spurs are bound to fall early in the playoffs again.A lot has changed in twelve months, however.Primarily, the Spurs, like every team, are hoping that their top three can finally have a healthy playoff run together. Injuries change everything and don’t discriminate from team to team.But the Spurs style of play is different this year as well. Tony Parker has become the top playmaker and scorer this year over

Ginobili, and Tiago Splitter and Matt Bonner have had huge improvements in their defensive play.More importantly, I think the Spurs have finally accepted their new identity. Last year the Spurs rolled through the regular season putting up points and focused on the perimeter, but once the playoffs started--whether because of Ginobili’s injury or just habit--San Antonio reverted to their “grind it out” half court offense and air-tight defense. The problem was they didn’t play defense all that well and although Duncan played very well, they weren’t able to overwhelm the much bigger Grizzlies.The Spurs know who they are now, and even if they must resort to the half court for a few games, Duncan looks better prepared to handle it.San Antonio is having an amazing regular season and their past failures do not reflect their current goals. If any team thinks they want to play the Spurs in May, they will be in for a bad surprise. This team is led by the best coach in basketball and three stars that have been through every situation imaginable in this league.The Spurs will not go down easy and, like in years past, Gregg Popovich and Tim Duncan will look to bring the Larry O’Brien trophy back to the River Walk■

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“...the Spurs have finally accepted their new identity.”

Photos by Christian Peterson & Darren Abate

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Starbury’s Road to a ChampionshipThe career of Stephon MarburyBy Eric Lemus

Stephon Marbury was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York--Coney Island to be exact. He made quite a name for himself on the court. In 1995, Stephon was named Mr. Basketball for the state of New York. As a blue chip recruit, Marbury was the focus of much media attention during his college-decision process. Once it was all said and done, Marbury chose to follow in the footsteps of fellow Brooklyn-native Kenny Anderson and play for coach Bobby Cremins

and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.In Atlanta, Stephon averaged 18.9 points and 4.5 assists per game in a freshman year that saw the Yellow Jackets reach the Sweet 16. He was named a Third Team All-American and would declare himself eligible for the ensuing NBA draft.Marbury was selected #4 overall by the Milwaukee Bucks and then traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves for #5 pick Ray Allen.In Minnesota, “Starbury” was born. In his rookie

season, Stephon averaged 15.8 points and 7.8 assists per game and, teamed with Kevin Garnett, led the Timberwolves to the playoffs.But the honeymoon soon ended.Unhappy with his role in the Minnesota offense, Marbury and T’Wolves management would have a falling out, and in the lockout-shortened 1999 season, Marbury demanded and was granted a trade.Now in New Jersey, Marbury began to look like the player everyone expected he would become.

Stephon Marbury had a troublesome career in the NBA. It took a journey to China to finally be at peace with his basketball career.

Photo by Xinhua

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Starbury would average 23 points and 8 assists per game with the Nets and was selected to two All-Star games. In 2001, he scored his NBA career-high of 50 points against the Los Angeles Lakers.The Nets, however, never had much team success with Marbury at the helm, and after the 2001 season they traded Steph to Phoenix for Jason Kidd.Although New Jersey got the better of that trade--Kidd would lead the Nets to back-to-back Finals appearances in 2002 and 2003--Marbury continued his stellar play in Phoenix. Teamed with Shawn Marion and Amar’e Stoudemire, Phoenix made the playoffs, but Marbury’s style of play never really allowed for his team and teammates to improve as they should have.Then in 2004, an eight-player, two-draft pick trade sent Starbury back home to play for his beloved New York Knicks.

It is important that we take a moment here and discuss Stephon Marbury a bit more in-depth at this point.Nearly a decade in to his NBA career, Starbury was no angel before he got to New York. In Minnesota, Marbury’s antics landed him a reputation as a selfish player and a diva. Stephon wasn’t modest about his ability on the court, even though he never played as well as he thought he did.Marbury’s selfishness is Minnesota even cost his cousin, Jamel Thomas, the big break he longed for in the NBA, according to Thomas. Jamel Thomas released an autobiography in 2008 in which he states that Kevin Garnett told Thomas that both Garnett and Marbury lobbied to get Thomas on the Timberwolves, but Marbury’s falling out with management would keep the Wolves from wanting any part of Thomas. While playing against KG in 2000, Garnett said, “I could’ve got you here, but the way Steph demanded everything, like the same money I got that they didn’t have for him, and then by forcing a trade, this organization didn’t want no part of you. I could have pulled some strings for you, but your cousin is a fucked up dude,” according to Thomas’ book. Thomas told the New York Daily News:

“Stephon’s selfish--it’s just the way he is. He never put himself out there at all to help me. He left me out to dry. Too many false promises. I still love him, but he’s selfish.”

Ouch.Marbury’s game was always good, except it was more akin to the And 1 circuit than the NBA. Even though as fans of the game we love to watch the

“Stephon’s just selfish--it’s just the way he is...I still love him, but he’s selfish.”

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killer crossover and the no look passes that transformed Marbury into Starbury, we became like adults that catch a child acting out and, though disagreeable, we find the antics cute or funny. Considering it was just a child, our laughs turn into encouragement instead of giving the kid stern punishment for his or her actions. Likewise, with Marbury, we loved watching him, never considering how much we were fortifying his egotistical stance.As Marbury journeyed through the league, he never outgrew his reputation as an immature, selfish player. Even though Marbury has been a quite generous philanthropist--donating millions of dollars to Hurricane Katrina survivors, the NYPD, FDNY, etc. and creating an affordable shoe and clothing line so that even the least well-off of children could sport the threads of an NBA star--it never seemed to help Starbury in the court of public opinion. His repeated spats with teammates and coaches, his refusal to take accountability for his actions, his losing interest in playing hard at times all resulted in Marbury being labeled a cancer to any team he was on.

Then Stephon Marbury became a New York Knick.The Knicks signed Marbury for 5 years and $90 million. The contract was the handiwork of none other than Knicks President of Basketball Operations, Isiah Thomas. Thomas and Marbury began a partnership that would alter the once revered franchise into one of the most pitiful in all of sports. After Marbury helped the U.S. Olympic team to an embarrassing bronze in the summer of 04, he then helped the Knicks to an even more embarrassing 33-49 season.Thomas attempted to make the Knicks a contender by hiring Larry Brown, a legendary coach with a winning pedigree; Brown and Marbury would never see eye-to-eye. Marbury’s quarrels with Brown became front page material for the New York media and the fan base sided with Brown. That year the New York Daily News would call Marbury, “The most reviled athlete in New York,” but Marbury won out and Larry

Brown was gone after just one season in which the team went 23-59.That set the stage for Isiah Thomas to take over as Knicks head coach.New York didn’t improve much--as they would only win 56 games over the next two seasons under Thomas--but the Knicks found space on front pages for other reasons. Isiah Thomas and Stephon Marbury’s relationship was more like The Rock’s relationship with Stone Cold Steve Austin back in the early 2000s--and I mean that literally. The story goes: Isiah Thomas decided to bench Stephon and center Eddie Curry. Curry learned about this on the team’s flight to Phoenix and let Marbury know. Enraged, Marbury confronted Isiah on the plane, then, according to a Daily News source, came back and addressed his teammates:

“Isiah has to start me. Ive got so much [stuff] on Isiah and he knows it. He

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“As Marbury journeyed through the league, he never outgrew his reputation as an immature, selfish player”

Photo by Harry How

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thinks he can [get] me. But I’ll [get] him first. You have no idea what I know.”

Rumor has it that Isiah and Steph had a fist fight on that plane. Isiah Thomas would be jeered vociferously and the Knicks players booed throughout Thomas’ tenure.Unable to find a suitor that would take Marbury’s attitude and contract, the Knicks ended up buying Marbury out in 2009; he would finish that season with the Boston Celtics. The 2008-09 season would be Marbury’s last in the NBA, and with it concluded a career filled with ups and downs, family betrayal, fist fights, and blackmail...in AmericaStephon Marbury would go to China and join the Shanxi Brave Dragons of the Chinese Basketball League. The move was of little risk to each side as the Chinese welcomed a high profile player that would sell tickets and promote his “Starbury” shoe brand, and Marbury would be able to make more than the veteran’s minimum salary he was offered to stay with Boston.Marbury became Starbury again, and he captivated the hearts and souls of Chinese basketball fanatics. However, Stephon again found it hard to come by success on a team level, and he became a journeyman in China, as he was in America. After stints with Shanxi and the Forshan Dralions,

Stephon found a home with the Beijing Ducks--along with something that eluded him his entire career.No one can say if Marbury lost a passion for the game of basketball in the States, but it seemed as if he never had as much fun as a pro as he did when he was a much sought-after recruit coming up in Brooklyn. In China, Stephon looked to be having fun again. Maybe it was him being so much better than everyone else, maybe it was the huge following he had, or maybe it was simply a change of scenery, but he was having fun again. Marbury told China Daily:

“So far, I love my new life in Beijing. I am excited about the possibility of my new business venture with the S t a r b u r y B r a n d . B u t m o s t importantly my heart is filled with love for my new extended family--the billion-plus people in China who have shown me nothing but unconditional love...China has given me a new lease on life in ways I could have never imagined. I have been restored by a culture filled with love, compassion and care.”

In March 2012, Marbury led the Beijing Ducks to the franchise’s first ever CBA Finals championship. Marbury averaged 33.4 points and 6.2 assists in 5 Finals

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matches, including a 41-point, 7-assist performance in the series-clinching game. CBA rules don’t allow for foreign players to be named MVP, but for all intents and purposes, he was it.Although it wasn’t in the NBA, Marbury didn’t downplay the significance of his team accomplishment. After clinching a spot in the Finals, Marbury began to cry as he realized he had never been to a Finals in his professional career. After winning the title, Marbury called the experience incredible and gave credit to his teammates.Not only has China changed Marbury, Marbury has had an enormous affect on the Chinese, as well. Fans idolize him, root for him, and love him. You can’t help but feel happy for Stephon Marbury■

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Marbury lets all his emotions out after his Beijing Ducks clinch a spot in CBA Finals. Stephon had never before tasted this level of success.

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Lowry’s Rise in HoustonBy Kryston Tillett

He went from playing in a 3-guard lineup at Villanova that included the Clippers’ Randy Foye, to being drafted in the first round of the 2006 draft. Enter Kyle Lowry.He was drafted as the “point guard of the future” by the Memphis Grizzlies, but that quickly changed when the the Grizz used their 2007 first round pick on Mike Conley Jr.This made Lowry expendable very early into his career.While the Grizzlies seemed more willing to nurture Conley’s growth than Lowry’s, he was traded to the Houston Rockets during the 2008-09 season. Lowry was a backup for Houston until last season after the Rockets traded Aaron Brooks. Lowry was able to start 71 games. Despite Houston’s struggles as a team, Lowry showed he was finally ready to be a starting point guard in the NBA. He averaged career highs across the board: in minutes (34), points (13.5), rebounds (4), assists (6.7), steals (1.4), and 3-point percentage (37%). This season he has only improved on those numbers: 7.2 asists, 2 steals, 5 rebounds, and an impressive 15.5 points per game.

This season’s stats don’t tell the story of how he seems to be vastly improving from game to game and how he has begun to consistently show that ability to take over games. Many felt he was an All-Star snub this year as he has been the leader of an unexpectedly playoff contending Rockets team. He has helped the team to a 32-27 record and currently the sixth seed in the very competitive Western Conference--in addition to what is probably the most competitive

division in the NBA, the Southwest.At the pace he’s improving since given the opportunity to lead, he will no doubt be an All-Star next season and for many seasons following.He has recently returned from an injury that caused him to miss fifteen games, but Houston is hopeful he can make a return to peak condition in time to help the Rockets make some noise in the playoffs■

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Kyle Lowry is a future All-Star in this league.

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Professional athletes, especially those in the NBA, are some of the biggest babies around. Dwight Howard is the latest in a long line of whiny, overpaid NBA players who make a public mess of their free agency and many people, including myself, are tired of it. Of course, there are huge differences when trying compare professional athletes and working class citizens, but the base of the situation is the same. Dwight Howard went on and on about being traded this year and it makes you think about what kind of message he sending to those who idolize him. His

actions this year basically told everybody that it is okay to gripe and make a public spectacle of yourself until you get what you want. Welcome to today’s NBA.As soon as the 2011-12 season started, the speculation began on what team would land Dwight Howard. Before deciding to stay in Orlando for another year, Dwight Howard would have been a free agent at the conclusion of the season. At the time, Howard let it be known that he did not want to re-sign in Orlando unless management made a conscious effort to make the Magic a legitimate championship contender. That couldn't have been

Do Dwight ThingOrlando’s soap opera season concludesBy Daniel Brewster

Armed with a preferred teams list and a whole lot of leverage, Dwight Howard was all but out in Orlando. Until he decided to stay.

Photos by Michael Perez & Fernando Medina

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good news for Magic, considering the moves that general manager Otis Smith already made. Smith gave Rashard Lewis a $112 million contract. He traded for Gilbert Arenas after the knee problems, after the near-max contract, and after the gun incident. He let Hedo Turkoglu leave in free agency due to cost concerns, watched Hedo sign an incredibly large deal then underperform that contract with two different teams over the span of a season and a half...and then traded for Hedo. And he gave up Brandon Bass for the opportunity to sign Glen Davis to a multiyear deal. Seeing how serious the Magic were about becoming contenders, Howard let it be

known that he indeed wanted to be traded, and provided a list of preferred teams that included the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Dallas Mavericks and the New Jersey Nets. Howard always made sure to mention that he preferred to stay in Orlando, but it was hard to believe him considering the fact that he consulted with Carmelo Anthony, who held the NBA hostage last year with his trade demands while playing in Denver.Of the teams listed on Howard’s preferred trade list, the only ones who had a legit chance to land Howard were the New Jersey Nets and the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers were willing to trade Andrew Bynum,

possibly Pau Gasol and other pieces for the services of Howard. Howard would then get in contact with Kobe Bryant and talk about the potential trade. Bryant would tell Howard that the Lakers are his team, and if he were to come to Los Angeles he would be Robin to Bryant’s Batman. Apparently, that’s not what Howard wanted to hear and he let it be known that if he was indeed traded to the Lakers, he would not sign a contract extension with them. Howard would go on to say that he did not want to follow in the footsteps of Shaquille O’Neal, who also left Orlando for Los Angeles. The Nets, on the other hand, offered a potential

“...Howard let it be known that he indeed wanted to be traded...”

Photo by Sam Greenwood

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package that would include Brooke Lopez, Mehmet Okur, Marshon Brooks, and a slew of other players to make the logistics work. Howard would go on to say that the Nets were his preferred choice, and we can only assume the reasons why. For one, The Nets are moving to Brooklyn next year, meaning that Howard would have access to the New York media, which would be essential for a potential acting career. The Nets also have one of the league’s most dynamic point guards in Deron Williams, who with Howard could form one of the most potent 1-2 punches in the league. Lastly the Nets are owned by billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, who has let it be known that he is willing to spend whatever it takes to build a contender. Unfortunately for Howard, the centerpiece of the Nets offer, Brook Lopez, would suffer an injury to his foot that would nullify the potential trade.With the trade deadline rapidly approaching, teams all over the league then offered deals for Howard, hoping to catch lighting in a bottle and risk trading for Howard even with the possibility of him leaving after the season. These teams, namely the Golden State Warriors, Chicago Bulls, and Houston Rockets, figured they could make a run at a championship this year and pray that Howard would want to

stay at the conclusion of the season. However, Howard wanted none of this, and at the trade deadline, the Magic would call a press conference that would shock the basketball world.After months and months of saying he wanted to be traded, Dwight Howard surprisingly announced that he would sign an amendment to his contract, waiving his right to opt out and staying with the Orlando Magic for the 2012-13 season. Howard would go on to say:

"I have gotten some bad advice. I apologize for this circus I have caused to the fans of our city. They didn't deserve none of this. I'm sorry from the bottom of my heart. I will do whatever I can to make this right and do what I was put in Orlando to do."

After months of stress for Magic execs, everybody was now all smiles as Howard told jokes and lauded about how loyal he is to the Magic organization (you read that right, Howard actually believes that he was loyal to the Magic this whole time). I guess asking to be traded, toying with a city and organization for a year, compiling a list--and checking it twice--means that you are loyal to your team. What made Howard’s press conference even more amusing was the fact that he took a shot at

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“...Howard told jokes and lauded about how loyal he is to the Magic organization...”

Photos by Gary W. Green & Rocky Widner

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other players (LeBron James and Chris Bosh) who left their teams in the past for better situations. Dwyane Wade also found Howard’s press conference funny as he famously tweeted, “Loyalty hahahahaha.” What’s even funnier than that is that Howard only opted into his contract for the next year, meaning that unless he signs a new contract--which he hasn’t--he will be a free agent at the conclusion of next season.The events that have taken place with Dwight Howard this year have been some of the most bizarre in recent history. At one point, Howard was as good as gone. Whether via trade or free agency, Magic fans knew they were enjoying their last days with Superman. Then all of a sudden, Howard was signing an agreement saying that he would remain in Orlando for at least one more year. One would think that there is more to this chain of events than what meets the eye. Jeff Van Gundy, who is coincidentally the brother of Magic coach Stan Van Gundy, spoke out on the issue saying:

“To me, only the most gullible fans would believe that this was about loyalty. I think it was about power and control. I don’t know what they agreed to, but anybody who doesn’t think senior management and Howard have come to an agreement on either trading players to get people he [Dwight] likes or changing the coach or changing the general manager or changing the marketing of him. Whatever they agreed to, there’s been an agreement made. What the Magic senior executives are doing right now is unbecoming. The groveling and begging is hard to read and watch. His [Dwight’s] opinion should matter, but the strong organizations stand for something rather than fall for anything.”

Jeff Van Gundy is absolutely right, You don’t just wake up one morning and decide loyalty is important to you. Dwight had plenty of time to think about loyalty, and it was clear throughout the entire ordeal that he wanted to leave for greener pastures. Obviously, Orlando’s ownership did something to convince Howard they are going to fertilize their own grass over the offseason. So instead of a sigh of relief, Howard has instructed everyone to take one more deep breath, because it’s going to be another year of drama, whether you like it or not■

“To me, only the most gullible fans would believe this was about loyalty. I think it was about power and control. I dont’ know what they agreed to, but...there’s been an agreement made.”

Photo by Alissa Hollimon

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Ryan Anderson was not always the starting power forward for the Magic. He was drafted in the first round in 2008 by the New Jersey Nets after averaging 21 and 10 for Cal in Berkley. He spent just one year with the Nets, averaging 7 points and 5 rebounds while starting 29 games for a New Jersey team that struggled to find wins. As a player who doesn’t offensive rebound much (due to stretching the floor), his rookie 3-point percentage of 36.5 wasn’t very impressive. He arrived with the Magic in 2009 in the trade that brought Orlando Vince Carter. In his sophomore season in the NBA, his rebounding and minutes decreased as Orlando had various other players capable of playing the 4 position. In his third year, he was finally able to get more than 20 minutes a game and despite only starting 14 games last season, the increase in minutes led to career highs in points (10.6), rebounds (5.5), and 3-point percentage (39). He was now providing the Magic with a forward that helped open up the middle for Dwight Howard.

Before his fourth year in the league began, the Magic thought so highly of him that they lessened the logjam at power forward by trading Brandon Bass. This essentially made Anderson the front-runner to be the starter for the Magic and this year he has started every games thus far. His minutes have increased and with that he has put up stats that have him in discussion for most improved player. So far this year he is averaging 16 points with 7.5 rebounds per game. Although his stats have greatly increased, they hardly tell the story of his impact for the Magic. 7.5 rebounds is hardly elite for a power forward in the NBA, but considering he plays next to Howard, he is doing what is needed for the Magic to dominate the boards. His biggest impact for Orlando would have to be his shooting ability as he is shooting 43 percent from behind the 3-point arch. This has made it increasingly difficult for teams to crowd Dwight Howard under the basket because one big from the opposing team has to play defense consistently on the perimeter. Anderson may be limited as an overall player but he is the perfect complimentary player for the down-low Howard. Because he isn’t a primary option for the Magic his stats thus far are even more impressive and also the reason why I see him as the NBA’s most improved player■

The Evolution of Ryan AndersonOrlando’s biggest sharpshooterBy Kryston Tillett

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“His biggest impact for Orlando would have to be his shooting ability...”

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1. San Antonio Spurs (42-16) The Spurs bench scored 82 points against New Orleans. The “Original” Big Three are getting plenty of rest while the reserves have San Antonio surging to the top of the NBA and our Rankings. -E.L.

2. Chicago Bulls (45-14) As soon as Derrick Rose returns from a groin injury he leaves with a right ankle injury. The Bulls are still tearing through their schedule, however, and will have a top 2 seed and hopefully a healthy D. Rose for the playoffs. -E.L.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder (44-16) The Thunder remain one of the best teams in the league, but what will they do in the playoffs? James Harden is their best ball handler yet Russell Westbrook still dominates the ball. What will this team do when there are no fast breaks and they have to play in the half court? -D.B.

4. Miami Heat (41-17) Miami continues to show kinks in the armor as they lost consecutive games against the Memphis Grizzlies and Boston Celtics AT HOME! -D.B.

5. Los Angeles Lakers (38-22) After a big win against the Clippers the Lakers then lost two unexplainable games to the Houston Rockets and Phoenix Suns. The Lakers biggest concern may be the health of Kobe Bryant who has missed a whole week with a shin injury. -D.B.

6. Memphis Grizzlies (35-24 Zach Randolph is slowly but surely getting healthy and Rudy Gay is the undisputed leader of the team. They are good inside and on the perimeter. As long as they don’t forget that championships are won on the low block, they will be on top of the NBA for years to come. -E.L.

7. Indiana Pacers (38-22) The Pacers are improving defensively and George Hill and Danny Granger are playing at a high level. This team is clicking at the right time. -E.L.

8. Boston Celtics (35-25) Rajon Rondo is dominating games at the point guard position and the veterans are hitting their stride. -E.L.

9. Los Angeles Clippers (37-23) The Lob City hype is long gone. The Clippers biggest concern is who will take over games if Chris Paul can’t? Blake Griffin? Yeah right. Holla back at me when Griffin develops a 15ft jumper and can make free throws. -D.B.

10.Atlanta Hawks (35-24) Despite the loss of Al Horford, the Hawks remain solid and near the top of the Eastern Conference. Not bad considering the fact that they have both Jerry Stackhouse and Tracy Mcgrady on their team. -D.B.

11.Houston Rockets (32-27) The Rockets play every game with full effort. That’s how you win games in this league. -E.L.

12.Orlando Magic (34-25) The Magic have more drama than the Lakers right now, which is saying a lot. Let’e see how long Stan Van Gundy and Dwight Howard can play best friends. -D.B.

13.Phoenix Suns (31-29) You can also throw Alvin Gentry in the bunch for Coach of the Year candidates. No way the Suns should be as good they are right now. -D.B.

14.Denver Nuggets (32-27) The Nuggets have played well all year even though they have battled injuries. Tired legs may be catching up to them now. -E.L.

15.New York Knicks (31-28) Fighting for their playoff lives right. Linsanity is over and the Knicks have reverted back to Carmelo Anthony jacking up shots again. -D.B.

16.Milwaukee Bucks (29-31) 9-5 since acquiring Monta Ellis. Ilyasova continues his stellar play. -E.L.

17.Philadelphia 76ers (31-28) Philly is fading fast in the East standings. Every pre-game should include clips from Rocky from now on. -E.L.

18.Dallas Mavericks (34-26) The Lamar Odom experience is over in Dallas and I know everyone in the city is happy. It was a bad fit from the beginning. -D.B.

19.Utah Jazz (31-30) Utah is right behind Phoenix fighting for that last playoff spot in the Western Conference. -D.B.

20.Portland Trailblazers (28-32) Management blames Nate McMillan, I blame Raymond Felton. -E.L.

21.New Jersey Nets (22-39) Gerald Green has given Brooklyn a shot in the arm. New Jersey*** -E.L.

22.Detroit Pistons (22-37) Another lousy year for the Bad Boys. On the bright side, it looks like Greg Monroe and Brandon Knight can actually play. -D.B.

23.Minnesota Timberwolves (25-36) Ricky Rubio getting hurt really hurt this team’s chances of making the playoffs. Kevin Love remains a beast nonetheless. -D.B.

24.Golden State Warriors (22-37) At least the Warriors helped the Bucks and Spurs improve. -E.L.

25.Toronto Raptors (21-39) I’ll take DeMar DeRozan and Andrea Bargnani in a 2-on-2 against anybody. -E.L.

26.Sacramento Kings (19-41) One of the most talented but horrid teams in the league. -D.B.

27.New Orleans Hornets (17-42) They play so hard and remain competitive. #respect -E.L.

28.Cleveland Cavaliers (20-38) Kyrie Irving should and will be Rookie of the Year. Everything else in Cleveland however...yeah. -D.B.

29.Washington Wizards (14-46) Nick Young and Javale McGee are gone yet the Wizards still remain who they are, and that’s horrible. -D.B.

30.Charlotte Bobcats (7-51) Brittney Griner could beat the Bobcats, singlehandedly. -E.L.

Addicted2TheGame Power Rankings 4/15/12AD

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Every year for the past 20-30 years, there have been rankings throughout high school basketball. All-City, All-Section, All-Americans, McDonald’s All-Americans, and for the past decade or so, Jordan Brand All-Americans. They start ranking players as early as middle school now. I understand that the college and pro games are measured by wins and losses; that a losing season or two can mean breaking out the resume and looking for a new job. But does that make it okay to put so much pressure on these kids? To exalt them as the saviors of a certain program or franchise? How can you make an honest assessment on a 13-year old? He's hardly reached what he's going to be physically at 20 years old. You don't know what kind of passion he really has for the game. Most 13-year olds can't decide what they want for dinner, let alone if basketball is what they want to do for the rest of their lives. Mentally, you have no idea what they will become. All you are really doing is judging a kid that is more physically developed than the others in his age bracket, so he can do things they can't. They flame out once everyone else catches up to them. For every LeBron James, there are thousands of kids that don't make it--whether it’s from lack of passion, getting lazy after feeling like they’ve “arrived,” or just burning out. One such “next LeBron,” Demetrius Walker, is now at his second college as a solid role player on a very good New Mexico team. Or how about Auri Allen? Labeled “Baby Shaq,” a 7-foot, 300-pound center in ninth grade who isn't even playing college ball.LeBron and Shaq? This is way too much for a 12- or 13-year old to live up to. When it comes to recruitment, there should be set rules with stiff penalties for violators. Allow kids to be kids and just have fun playing a game that they enjoy. Then later down the line, in tenth or eleventh grade when they’re a little older, and a little more mature, allow the recruiting process to begin. Telling children that they are the best thing since sliced bread allows them to grow up with a sense that they are above authority and instills in them a me-first attitude.To play in college and the NBA should be an opportunity and a blessing, not a right. Many athletes today have a mentality that these privileges are owed to them. But it all goes back to my point. Are we giving young athletes too much too soon with all the press, the games on television, the magazines and newspapers? It’s over exposure.Just let them be kids. Let them enjoy this pure and beautiful game for what it is, before it becomes about money and the vultures come out.

-Stay Addicted2TheGame,

Daniel Brewster - Founder, Co-EditorPreston Newsom - WriterKryston Tillett - WriterEric Lemus - Co- Editor

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To be added to our mailing list please email A2TGmagazine@gmail.com

InTransitionBy Preston Newsom

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Addicted2TheGame StaffDaniel  Brewster  (@Addicted2ThGme):  Founder/Co-­‐EditorEric  Lemus  (@Eric_Lemus):  Co-­‐Editor/ContributorKryston  Tillett  (@Tillgetsbucketz):  ContributorPreston  Newsom:  Contributor

Webpage:  http://www.Addicted2TheGame.comTumblr:  http://www.Addicted2TheGame.tumblr.comFacebook:  http://www.facebook.com/Addicted2TheGameEmail:  A2TGMagazine@gmail.com

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