Rafer Alston mulls Retirement

The return of Rafer Alston to his beloved Miami Heat has not been as good as he expected. Following his successful stint with the Orlando Magic, he was traded to the New Jersey Nets in exchange for the aging Vince Carter. While with the Nets, they went from being just out of playoff contention to being the worst team in the NBA. After playing in the NBA Finals, Rafer Alston wanted out and rightfully so.

After not landing Lamar Odom, the key to the Miami Heat and their new championship-contending team did not come to be. Instead, they boasted of how they had rebuilt from within. They bragged of how consistent Mario Chalmers, the breakout rookie point guard, would be in his second year. But, as the New Year approached, the Heat had established themselves as the most inconsistent team in the NBA. They struggled to beat the lowly Nets that Alston played for.

Rafer Alston and a second stint with the Miami Heat seemed like a match made in heaven. But, even after he ws signed, the Heat continued with the up-and-down play. Recently, the team has been on an upswing, but they have grown upset with Alston. The main reason that he was signed was because the team felt that he could bring some consistency. However, he has brought more of the same to a team that wants to win 50 games. On Friday, the Heat held a mandatory practice that Rafer Alston did not attend, which led to him being suspended, indefinitely. They could bring Alston back for the next game, or he could miss the remainder of the season.

The Miami Heat are upset with Alston because he does not keep frequent contact. With everything that he has been through, it appears that Rafer Alston's best season was last season. Keeping all of that in mind, Rafer Alston may just retire before the end of this season.

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NBA Scores for March 6, 2010

The NBA scores for March 6, 2010.

Warriors   90
Bobcats 101

Hawks  94
Heat   100

Nets 113
Knicks 93

Mavericks 122
Bulls            116

Rockets      112
Timberwolves 98


Spurs  102
Grizzlies 92

Cavaliers 85
Bucks    92

Pacers 105
Suns   113

Clippers 85
Jazz     107

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NBA Scores for March 5, 2010

The NBA scores for March 5, 2010.

Pistons    92
Cavaliers 99

Celtics 96
76ers    86

Bucks 102
Wizards 74

Knicks     96
Raptors 102

Lakers    83
Bobcats 98

Warriors 122
Hawks   127

Magic 97
Nets    87

Kings          100
Mavericks 108

Pacers    114
Nuggets 122

Hornets  91
Spurs   102

Thunder 104
Clippers    87

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Kobe is let down by Lakers again

The intensity and mental toughness of the defending NBA champion, Los Angeles Lakers, has been doubted all season long. One thing that has never been questioned is the intensity and mental toughness of Kobe Bryant. For one short period, during his injury, the Lakers proved that they could still win important games without their star. Upon his retun, they came in and one four games in a row.

The four game winning streak came right before their trip to Miami to play the Heat. Unlike in previous years, the Heat are not contenders. Earlier this season, Kobe Bryant hit a game-winning three pointer that sent the Heat in a downward spiral. Because of their good record and their championship aspirations compared to the Heat's playoff aspirations, the only person who took the Miami game seriously was Kobe Bryant.

For years, Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade, the Miami Heat star player, have been rivals. When they are playing against each other, both players turn their respective game up a notch. Despite Wade being among the best players in the NBA, his team is only an average team in an average conference. Because of that, the rest of the Laker squad does not take games against the Heat seriously. That is one of the main reasons why the Heat won in a balanced effort against the Lakers. Kobe Bryant scored 39 points, while Dwyane Wade only scored 27. Even with a lackluster effort from the Lakers, the game still went into overtime. The final score was 114-111 in favor of Miami.

The Lakers, especially Kobe Bryant, were looking to rebound against the Charlotte Bobcats. The Bobcats are the youngest franchise in the league. Their first season occurred in the season that Shaquille O'Neal had departed for the previously-mentioned Miami Heat. Because of that, the Bobcats have beaten up on the Lakers. Even last season, they swept the Lakers in the regular season series. But, this season, they were not fortunate enough to get a win in Los Angeles. Despite not winning in Los Angeles, they had to play a game in the Queen City of Charlotte, too. Expecting to bounce back after a tough loss, the Lakers were defeated 98-83. Again, Kobe Bryant led all scorers, while his teammates did not show up.

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Zydrunas Ilgauskas prepares Return to Cavaliers

Last month, the Cleveland Cavaliers dealt Zydrunas Ilgauskas in an effort to bring Antawn Jamison to the squad. Going into the playoffs, the Cavs need a good three-point shooter to match up with the shooters of the Orlando Magic. Ilgauskas had been the longest-tenured player on the team, but the trade ended that streak. Since LeBron James arrived in Cleveland, he was the only player that was there every season since. When he was traded, it was assumed that he would find his way back to Cleveland before playoff time.

Three weeks have passed since Ilgauskas was traded to the Washington Wizards. He never showed up to any of the practices and it did not take long for his contract to be bought out. This benefits Cleveland because they can now offer him less money to sign on for the rest of the season. While the Cavs are not going to be major players in the upcoming free agency period, they can offer a bit more money to their star, LeBron James. There are rumors of him leaving the team after this season.

The lure of playing alongside LeBron James is enough for the man called Big Z. Before James joined the franchise, he had played through multiple losing seasons with the Cavaliers. He was also forced to wear those horrible jerseys of the 1990s that matched the Cavs' consistent losing. In 1999, Zydrunas Ilgauskas had played in three playoff games and it would be seven years before he returned. Since that return, he has been in the playoffs every year. In 2007, he got as far as the NBA Finals with LeBron James. He knew that he would be trade bait, so being traded to the bottom-feeding Wizards did not come as much of a surprise. But, the games are over and Big Z wants to return to his team.

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Vince Carter was the Next Michael Jordan?

When he first came into the league, there was a lot of hype surrounding Vince Carter. He hailed from the University of North Carolina and he was playing for the Toronto Raptors. Early on, he showed the people how things were done. It did not take him long to become the best dunker in the league. Aside from dunking, Carter showed that he was a great player. On the opposite side of the league was Kobe Bryant, a backup guard for the Lakers. He was not much yet, but he showed flashes of what he could be.

At the time, Michael Jordan had just retired from the NBA and the media was looking to fill that void. Often, sports analysts would ask certain NBA players, current and former, about who they felt would fill Jordan's void. Almost everyone would agree that Vince Carter was that man. Early in his career, there were many parallels between himself and Michael Jordan. But, when the man, Michael Jordan, himself, was asked about who he felt was the future, he chose Kobe Bryant.

There was never any doubt that Bryant would be a good player, but to say that he would one day become the best player in the league was outrageous. Vince Carter continued to carry the Raptors on his back and he was putting up big numbers. Meanwhile, Kobe Bryant was just stepping into the role of Robin to the Batman of Shaquille O'Neal. Even with Shaq as the leader, Kobe soon began to prove his worth. By 2000, there was not a person in the league who would not agree that Bryant was every bit as good, if not better, than Vince Carter. When Carter became injury prone and Kobe became a champion, everyone began to see exactly what Michael Jordan was saying way back in 1998.

Now, ten years later, Vince Carter has become a role playing journeyman, while Kobe Bryant has made himself into the second-best player in NBA history. So, Vince Carter was the next Michael Jordan?

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The Heat finally defeat a Contender

After showing much promise last season, a lot of people expected the Miami Heat to make a big move during the offseason. That big move never came to be. As the new season approached, it was expected of the Heat to be just as good, or not as good, as they were the season before. But, they surprised the entire league when they got off to a 6-1 start. Their only loss during that stretch came when they slipped against the Phoenix Suns, but they could have won that game.

However, as the season progressed, the Heat lost close games against the Cavaliers, Lakers, and Celtics. Those losses must have gotten into the head of the Heat players. Before long, they were also losing to teams like the Raptors and the Bobcats. These losses, which could have easily been wins placed the Miami Heat in a tough situation heading into last night's game against the Lakers. The last time that the teams played, Kobe Bryant buried a buzzer-beating three pointer that gave Los Angeles a one-point win.

With that memory fresh in the minds of Dwyane Wade and Jermaine O'Neal, they came into their most-recent meeting with the Lakers as tough as they could. For most of the game, the Heat led, but late the Lakers came charging back, much like their meeting on December 4. Just like in the first meeting, the last shot in regulation was taken by Kobe Bryant, but unlike in the last meeting, it was only good enough to force overtime. In the overtime session, Carlos Arroyo held the team down. Miami escaped their most-recent home game with a close 114-111 victory over the Lakers. This win was important on many different levels. Against the top teams in the league, Miami had a combined record of 3-8. They had two early wins against the Magic, but those wins could never spark a run.

But, when their backs were against the wall, Miami lost in overtime to Boston after Dwyane Wade seemingly hit the game-winning shot. If that was not the case, they gave up in the fourth quarters to Boston, fell by one at home to Cleveland and got blown out bad on the road. Early on, the Heat played with the same confidence that it showed during the Shaquille O'Neal era. But, after their first loss to the Cavs, the team lost its stride and could not regain it. The loss to the Lakers only did more to ruin the confidence of the team and the injury to Dwyane Wade in the middle of their five-game win streak did little to help. Had Wade remained in the lineup, the Heat probably could have kept the streak going.

While their confidence has taken a lot of blows, this win over the Lakers may do something to lift them just for a little while.

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Carlos Boozer may remain in Utah

Not until he signed with the Utah Jazz was Carlos Boozer considered a star. He began his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers and he left right as LeBron James was beginning to make his mark. Boozer played with the Utah Jazz in the early stages of the post-Karl Malone era. Playing the same position as "The Mailman," Boozer had big shoes to fill. By 2006, the team was a playoff contender and they made it all of the way to the Western Conference Finals in 2007.

The favorite season of Carlos Boozer was that 2006-2007 season that saw his team push the San Antonio Spurs to five games before losing. Each year since that year, the Jazz have taken a step back. In 2008, they fell in the second round to the Los Angeles Lakers 4-2, and last season they were swept by the Lakers in the first round. Last season was Boozer's least favorite season in Utah. It angered him to lose everything that he felt that he had built and he openly demanded out.

During the summer of 2009, Miami Heat president, Pat Riley, devised a plan that included Carlos Boozer. In an attempt to please Heat star, Dwyane Wade, Riley tried to build a contender on the fly. His plan was to sign free agent forward, Lamar Odom. If Odom had signed with the Heat, they would have then made a three-way trade that would have sent Udonis Haslem to Utah in exchange for Carlos Boozer. Then, to compliment the deal, the Heat would have signed Allen Iverson. Just out of curiousity, the sports media was in favor of this deal, but when Odom re-signed with the Lakers, everyone moved on except for Boozer.

Boozer demanded that the Utah Jazz trade him to Miami because he did not want to play in Utah anymore. He is good friends with both Dwyane Wade and Jermaine O'Neal. Plus, during the offseason, he vacations in Miami. From his talks with Pat Riley, he liked him and he was willing to build a relationship with the Heat head coach, Erik Spoelstra. But, the Utah Jazz declined trading Boozer. They let him know that they ran the organization and it was not the other way around. The Jazz refused to be bullied into trading Boozer and receiving nothing in exchange. Most likely, Haslem would have returned to the Heat after his season in Utah with the Jazz.

After not being traded during the offseason, Carlos Boozer entered training camp with the Jazz. But, when the season started, he was not playing to his full potential. Because of that, the team held a session that led to them going on a winning streak. At one point, this season, the Jazz held a record of 13-15, but they got things in gear and they are right behind the Mavericks and the Nuggets for the second seed in the West. Now, it appears that Boozer is having fun on the court, instead of wishing that he was in Miami. Even as recent as the trade deadline, there were rumors of the Jazz talking with the Heat about trading Boozer. But, as the trade deadline passed, no deal went through and with his free agency coming after the season, Carlos Boozer may end up re-signing with the Utah Jazz.

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Jason Terry is done for the Season

Earlier this week, Jason Terry's face was met with an elbow. It was enough to cause a minor injury for the Dallas Mavericks' guard, but no one knew just how serious the injury would be. The exceptional play of Terry alongside Dirk Nowitski had the Mavs playing their best basketball since 2007. The team has been right there in the race for the entire season. One of the main reasons that the Mavericks have been so tough is because of the strong play of Jason Terry.

The blow to the face, as previously stated, has done more to Terry than anyone had previously thought. Right after he was hit, it was clear that he was going to need surgery to repair his face and it was expected that he was going to miss up to a week of action. Losing one of the best players on the team for a week is rough, especially this time of the season. But, further evaluation has placed Jason Terry out of the lineup for the next two months.

Jason Terry has been the extra spark for the Dallas Mavericks all season long. Without him, a lot of close games that the Mavs won would have gone the other way. Now that he is done for the season, if Dallas ends up playing more close games, they may not go in their favor. That is not a good thought with the Utah Jazz and the Denver Nuggets chasing the Mavericks down in the standings. As of March 5, 2010, the Dallas Mavericks are holding the second seed with a 41-21 record. Meanwhile, Denver is holding down third with a 40-21 record and the Jazz are standing at the fourth seed with a 39-22 record. Now that Dallas is missing its X-factor, it will be very hard for them to maintain this slim lead over two competitive teams.

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NBA Scores for March 4, 2010

The NBA scores for March 4, 2010.

Grizzlies 105
Bulls          96

Lakers 111
Heat    114

Jazz 116
Suns 108

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Dwyane Wade seeks revenge on Kobe Bryant

Not so long ago, this was a one-sided rivalry. The rivalry was created by former Los Angeles Lakers' center, Shaquille O'Neal. His feud with former teammate, Kobe Bryant reached a head and he was traded to Miami. With his new team, O'Neal formed a duo with Dwyane Wade. He used his new sidekick to get back at Kobe Bryant. Their friendship, put friction between Wade and Bryant. During one game in 2006, Wade and Bryant nearly came to blows. But, four years later, O'Neal stepped out and maturity stepped in.

Over the past few seasons, Kobe Bryant has returned his Lakers to winning ways. Meanwhile, Dwyane Wade has learned what it is like to play for a lackluster team. His Miami Heat have shown flashes of dominance, but in between those flashes, they are not much better than the New Jersey Nets. During one of those flashes of dominance, the Heat went into the home of the Lakers and almost won. With only a few seconds left in the game, Miami led 106-102. It appeared as if the Heat were going to win a big game.

However, the Lakers stormed back and cut the lead to two. Two clutch free throws were missed by the Heat and Kobe Bryant capitalized when he hit the game-winning three-pointer as time expired. That game has been some time ago, but it remains fresh in Dwyane Wade's memory. After all, he was the one that Bryant shot over to win the game. In the mind of Wade, that shot was personal and he plans to avenge that loss. He feels that his team should finally use their homecourt advantage to their advantage and build a large lead over the defending NBA champions. That way, if Kobe Bryant hits a three-pointer when time expires, it will not matter. Dwyane Wade has promised a performance for the ages tonight.

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Don't Forget About Derrick Rose

With the emergence of Tyreke Evans and Stephen Curry, along with the upcoming 2010 free agency period, the NBA seems to have forgotten about Derrick Rose. Last season, he proved that he was worth the first overall pick. He led the Chicago Bulls back to the playoffs after a lackluster season and they almost took out the defending-champion Boston Celtics. On a nationally-televisied series, Derrick Rose proved that he was a force to be reckoned with.

The Chicago Bulls were expected to do a lot better than they are this season with the return of Luol Deng. While they are not competing for home court advantage this year, they are right there in the playoff hunt. A lot of that has to be credited to the new team captain, Derrick Rose. There is a lot of hype surrounding third-year pro, Kevin Durant, but the NBA media is overlooking Derrick Rose.

Unlike Durant, Rose led his team to the playoffs as a rookie and in his second year, he will probably lead his team back to the NBA Playoffs. Last season, the endorsements lined up for Derrick Rose and he has not disappointed. What has changed is the fact that LeBron James has taken the spotlight with his new teammate in Shaquille O'Neal. Then, Dwyane Wade was let down by his teammates in Miami, while Kobe Bryant is trying to lead his team to another NBA title. With all of this going on and the strong play of Durant, along with the stellar play of the rookies, Evans and Curry, Derrick Rose has been lost in the shuffle.

Of all of the younger players mentioned, Derrick Rose will likely lead his team to a championship before any of the other players. While Evans and Curry are playing well, their teams are not in playoff contention. Durant, on the other hand is in his third season and his team is finally contending for a playoff spot. Not only is Derrick Rose a great player, but he also has good leadership. In his first two seasons in the league, Rose has been one of the youngest players on the Bulls team. It is tough to be the youngest player on the team and then be the team captain. The fact that Derrick Rose has gotten seasoned veterans to come in and listen to him and allow him to lead is an impressive feat. Kevin Durant was given the reigns to a young team, while the rookies are high-scoring rookies on bad teams.

Do not forget about Derrick Rose.

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NBA Scores for March 3, 2010

NBA Scores for March 3, 2010.

76ers     93
Hawks 112

Warriors  90
Magic   117

Bobcats  80
Celtics 104

Cavaliers 111
Nets           92

Pistons   104
Knicks  128

Grizzlies 104
Hornets   100

Wizards 87
Bucks 100

Timberwolves 109
Mavericks    112

Kings    84
Rockets 81

Thunder    90
Nuggets 119

Pacers              79
Trail Blazers 102

Suns      127
Clippers 101

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Looking at Shaq's injury in the Long Run

Last season, the Cleveland Cavaliers stormed through the regular season. The efforts of LeBron James earned him his first MVP award. Not only was he the MVP, but his team posted the NBA's best record. When the playoffs began, the Cavs swept through the first two rounds before experiencing some trouble with the Orlando Magic. This trouble would prove to be too much for James and the Cavaliers. As a result, the Magic would go on to beat the Cavaliers.

While the Cavaliers were exposed on many levels by the Magic, the one thing that stuck out the most was their lack of a true center to defend Dwight Howard. In the 2009 playoffs, it was Howard, alone, that dominated the Cavs' front court. In the final game of the series, Howard posted 40 points and 14 rebounds. During the offseason, the Cavaliers were determined to find a center to hold Dwight Howard.

After an unsuccessful experiment with Shaquille O'Neal, the Phoenix Suns were willing to deal. In the end, they traded Shaq for a bunch of spare parts from the Cleveland Cavaliers. With Shaq in the mix, Cleveland has had little problems when it comes to beating Orlando, or the Los Angeles Lakers for that matter. Things with Shaq have been going great, but recently he went down with a thumb injury that will keep him out for the rest of the season. Experts say that O'Neal may not return to action until sometime in the second round of the playoffs. Worst case scenario, the Cavaliers lose their grip on the first seed in the Eastern Conference.

If that is the case, Orlando will probably end up posting the top record in the East. With an injured and already old Shaquille O'Neal, Dwight Howard will run all over him. Just O'Neal's defense on Howard has held him down during the season series. But, Dwight Howard will be turned up to another level come playoff time and with his thumb injured, Shaq will not be forcing too much on Howard. That will give him the chance to dominate O'Neal just as if he was Anderson Varejao. Even if Cleveland does hold on to the first seed, they will most likely face Boston or Orlando. With Shaq partially injured, their big men are going to run all over the Cavs.

This late-season injury to Shaquille O'Neal may cost LeBron James the 2010 NBA Championship.

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Amare Stoudemire ready to Focus on Phoenix Suns

Last month, Amare Stoudemire received more press that he had received in a very long time. Sadly, it had nothing to do with his game play. Instead, it was about Stoudemire being traded to another team. He has played with the Phoenix Suns for the past eight years, his entire career. In those eight years, the closest that the team came to an NBA title was when they lost in the Western Conference Finals to the Spurs in 2005. For the most part, he has not delivered what they want.

Add to the Phoenix Suns' disappointments the Miami Heat's interest. They have lacked a big man ever since they traded Shaquille O'Neal to the very same Phoenix Suns. The Heat seemed locked to make a suitable deal for Stoudemire. He is good friends with the Heat's star guard, Dwyane Wade and he is from Florida. Just as the Heat talks became deep, talks began of Stoudemire heading to the league-leading Cleveland Cavaliers.

The trade deadline came and went without Amare Stoudemire being traded. He had very well expected to be in a new uniform by now, but he has remained in a Suns uniform. After the recent attempts by the Phoenix Suns to shop him around, it is unlikely that Stoudemire will re-sign with them following this season. Currently, the Suns are in the playoff race and they seem to be a lock in the playoffs. That, not his next team, is what Amare Stoudemire will focus on from now until June. No matter what his decison is about next season, right now, he is a member of the Phoenix Suns.

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Tyrus Thomas and Gerald Henderson are the Future of the Bobcats

As good as the Charlotte Bobcats have been for the past two seasons, they have proved the age-old fact that a team can only go so far without star players. In the past, they have tried to hand the reigns over to such players as Raymond Felton and D.J. Augustin, but they have faltered for one reason or another. The Bobcats do intend on finding a player, or players to build around.

Coming into the 2009 NBA Draft, the Bobcats wanted to draft a future star. Their preference was the 6'6 guard Terrence Williams. He was exactly what they needed, plus he had striking similarities to the team's current owner, Michael Jordan. While Williams was their favorite, Gerald Henderson was their backup. Before they settled on Williams, the Bobcats had interest in Henderson, as he had led Duke throughout the 2008-2009 season. He made himself into a college star and many predicted that he could become a consistent scorer for the Bobcats in the following season.

After the New Jersey Nets drafted Terrence Williams, it became clear that the Bobcats were going to draft the Duke guard, Gerald Henderson with their pick. Henderson would end up being the pick and the Bobcats began marketing him as a star. But, when the regular season began, Henderson did not receive much playing time. It would not be until their record victory over the Toronto Raptors that Henderson showed the team what he could be if he were given more playing time. Larry Brown, the head coach of the Charlotte Bobcats, said that Gerald Henderson would slowly become a bigger part of the offense until he becomes the focal point of the offense.

Despite promises of Gerald Henderson being the future of the Charlotte Bobcats, he was on the trading block right before the trade deadline. He was not traded, but there were rumors that he may be traded during the offseason. But, the idea of him being dealt does not mean that he will surely be dealt. It was a strong possibility that he would be an Indiana Pacer by now and he is not. The trade deadline did not see Henderson leave the Bobcats, but it saw them give a chance to troubled Chicago Bulls forward, Tyrus Thomas. He has shown a little of what he could be, too. While the Bobcats enjoy the strong play of Stephen Jackson, he is not the type of player that a franchise can be built around.

But, they could possibly have a strong inside-out duo with Gerald Henderson and Tyrus Thomas if they are given a chance. It is looking like the Bobcats will make the playoffs this season, so they will have a chance to gel together. If things go according and the Bobcats have to call on these two players, they are likely to build around them for future seasons. Some people have predicted that Henderson will end up being a very solid player, along the lines of Vince Carter. If that is indeed the case, the Bobcats will need to hold on to him and Thomas had big expectations when he first arrived in the league. But, all of the negative press ruined him in Chicago. Now, with a new team and possible chemistry with Gerald Henderson, he could go on to be one half of a powerful duo in Charlotte.

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NBA Scores for March 2, 2010

The scores for last night's NBA games.

Celtics 105
Pistons  100 

Warriors 106
Heat      110

Kings 107
Thunder 113

Pacers    99
Lakers 122

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Allen Iverson is done for the Season

The oddest season in Allen Iverson's career has come to a premature end. Yesterday, Iverson announced that he would leave the season early. He is the point guard for the Philadelphia 76ers, but he is no longer the focal point of the team. Even if he was, they are not in playoff contention, so he would not be missing out on much. Because his young daughter is suffering from an illness, Iverson has decided to sit out.

Allen Iverson has not played in a game since February 20, but there was a chance that he would return. Had his daughter's health began to improve, Iverson would have resumed playing. However, things have not worked out that way and his four-year-old daughter has gotten worse. Her medical status has led to Iverson taking an indefinite leave of absense, but with no signs of improvement, Iverson will have to miss the season.

As previously stated, the Sixers are too far out of the playoff race to be a serious threat, anyway, so it really does not matter if Allen Iverson sits for the remainder of the season. After all, there is only one month left before the season is over and Iverson is only a role player for a team now built around Andre Iguodala.

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LeBron James gives up on Number 23

There has been talk about the jersey number, 23, ever since Michael Jordan retired for a second time in 1998. When he left the game, a lot of new players came in wearing the same number. Among those players was LeBron James. However, unlike the rest of those players, James was expected to live up to that number. While James has been great and his team has had great runs, he just could not live up to the last notable person to wear this number in 23.

LeBron James was not feeling the pressure about the jersey number situation until after the 2007 NBA Finals. The fact that his team could not score a victory, let alone a championship ended any chance of his legacy even touching that of Michael Jordan's. Ever since that time, many critics, mainly Skip Bayless, have let LeBron James have it. He has said numerous times on the ESPN program, "ESPN First Take," that James should change his jersey number.

It was not until after the 2009 Eastern Conference Finals that LeBron James actually began considering the idea of changing his jersey number. He is now in his seventh season in the NBA and he has yet to deliver a championship to the city of Cleveland. Some people feel that this is their year, but James is afraid of a repeat of last season. All of the talk of LeBron James giving up his jersey number is no longer talk. He has filed the proper papers to have his jersey number changed from 23 to 6 for the upcoming 2010-2011 season. Some people see a hidden message in his jersey number change.

There has been quite a bit of talk about LeBron James leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers for the spotlight that is the City of New York or down to South Beach with his buddy, Dwyane Wade. If that were indeed the case, when he signed with a new team, he could simply pick a new jersey number. But, the fact that he chose to file paperwork to receive a new number could provide symbolism that he may be staying in Cleveland for a few more seasons.

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Do the Boston Celtics still have a Chance?

Two years ago, the Boston Celtics brought in Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to assist a frustrated Paul Pierce. Immediately, the team dropped its losing ways and paced the league with an outstanding 66-16 record. Along the way, they developed a rivalry with the Cleveland Cavaliers. In the playoffs, they were surprised by the Atlanta Hawks, but they overcame and they did what they had to do to win the NBA championship.

Last season, the Celtics were expected to contend again, the window for a second title was wide. That was right up until the team lost Kevin Garnett. When he went down with injury, the Celtics went from being the team to beat to just another good team. At one point, they were on pace to win 70 games, but they ended up winning 62. Still, that was good enough for the second seed in the East. But, the team was exposed on national television by Derrick Rose and they have yet to regroup.

The absence of Kevin Garnett was obvious when the Celtics were beaten by the Orlando Magic in the second round. Coming into this season, the Boston Celtics were expected to contend again, but that is looking unlikely. At 36-21, they are still a tough team, but they are losing steps. Because of their age, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen simply cannot compete with such guys as LeBron James and Derrick Rose. Now that the once-reliable Kevin Garnett is injury prone, it is a strong possibility that he will be abused by Dwight Howard if they have to play the Magic in the playoffs. Aside from opening night, the Celtics do not stand a chance against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Because of the fact that they are often injured and aging, the Boston Celtics are no longer a part of that big three in the Eastern Conference. They now find themselves in a dog fight with the Atlanta Hawks. This is a fight that they lost 0-4. If they were to face the Hawks in the playoffs, they would likely lose to them. While the Celtics should be able to dominate a team like Miami or Charlotte, they would be in trouble because they would have to face either Cleveland, Orlando, or Atlanta. As great as they once were, the Boston Celtics are no longer the class of the Eastern Conference. There have been miracles before, like the 2006 Miami Heat, but it is unlikely that the Boston Celtics, with their record overall and against other contenders, that they can even break past the second round.

Danny Aingle, the Boston Celtics general manager, said that the team would be looking to rebuild itself during the offseason.

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Greg Oden has let Portland down

By 2007, the Portland Trailblazers had settled into the bottom of the Western Conference standings. That summer marked the fourth consecutive season where they had failed to make the playoffs. But, the team was showing promise behind their Rookie of the Year guard, Brandon Roy. The plan was to create an inside-out duo that would consist of Roy and the upcoming rookie, Greg Oden. After playing only one year of college basketball, he had established himself as a force.

Because of his immense talent, teams were lining up to get a piece of Greg Oden. Even before he played in the NBA, Oden was receiving comparisons to other legendary centers. While a lot of teams, mainly the Boston Celtics, wanted Oden, it would end up being the Portland Trailblazers that landed the first overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. The team was expecting a big season with their new dynamic duo, but Greg Oden was injured during the summer leage, so he sat out his rookie season.

Greg Oden was classified as a rookie for the 2008-2009 season and the Blazers had built without him, now there was the hassle of adding him to the mix. His rookie season was limited, due to injuries, but the Blazers still had a great season behind the heroics of Brandon Roy. But, because Oden was limited with injuries, the team fell in the playoffs to the Houston Rockets. Greg Oden was simply unable to contend against the Rockets' own 7 footer, Yao Ming.

The Portland Trailblazers were expecting something major with Greg Oden, but all that they have received is an injury-prone center. There is still a chance that Oden could be great, but that would not happen in Portland. The Blazers were tired of waiting, so they built their team around LaMarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy. It may not be exactly what they wanted, but they do make a strong one-two punch. During the offseason, it should come as no surprise if Oden is used a trade bait. If he were moved out of Portland and to another team, he could prove his critics wrong and end up being a legend, regardless.

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Michael Beasley promises to Improve

This season, the Miami Heat are playing right at expectations, but they are still disappointing. While the sports media predicted a season like this, the team plays well, at times, then horrible during others. A lot of this up and down play is because of Michael Beasley. Despite the predictions, Beasley promised that he would be a much better player than he was during his rookie season. At this pivotal point in his career, Dwyane Wade needs a sidekick.

Early in the season, Dwyane Wade had two sidekicks with both Beasley and Jermaine O'Neal. Many critics expected O'Neal to fizzle out because of his age. But, on the other hand, Michael Beasley is only 20 years old. There is no real excuse for his lackluster play. One thing has been confirmed about this Miami Heat team and that is when Michael Beasley plays well, the Heat usually win. This is the type of consistency that Dwyane Wade needs.

Now, with the regular season winding down, the Heat lost at home to a horrible Minnesota Timberwolves team and got blown out by the Orlando Magic. When the pressure is on, Michael Beasley has disappeared, more than once. There will be times when Dwyane Wade will be out, like he was last week. With pressure from the Heat front office, teammates, and the head coach, Michael Beasley has made the promise to improve and make sure that the Heat dominate for the next 22 games. While he does hope to improve, Beasley is confident that his team will make the playoffs. Still, he realizes that his captain wants to do more than make the playoffs.

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NBA Scores for March 1, 2010

Scores from last night's NBA action.

Mavericks 89
Bobcats    84

Knicks      93
Cavaliers 124

Magic 126
76ers  105

Hawks 119
Bulls      92

Trailblazers 103
Grizzlies        93

Spurs   106
Hornets 92

Raptors   92
Rockets 116

Nuggets 85
Suns     101


Jazz        104
Clippers 108

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What makes LeBron James so Great?

Sure he dunks the basketball with flair, but who doesn't? Sure his team has the best record in the league, but they had the best record last year, too. To make a long story short, LeBron James is nothing special in the NBA. He came into the league straight out of high school and won the Rookie of the Year award. But, with all of the hype surrounding him, why is he being applauded for living up to it.

Take a closer look at his rookie season. The Cleveland Cavaliers were indeed the worst team in the NBA and LeBron James did wonders for the franchise. In only one season, James led the team from a 17-65 record to a 35-47 record. The turnaround was fantastic, but the team still did not make the playoffs. Coming into the league, James was said to be the next Michael Jordan, but Jordan made the playoffs his rookie year.

LeBron James put up MVP-like numbers during his sophomore year and he led the Cavs to their first winning record in ages. Still, the team failed to make the playoffs, as their 42-40 record was not enough. It was during the 2004-2005 season that "King" James proved that he cannot handle pressure. The team sat at 30-20 before the All-Star game as they held on to the fourth playoff spot. But, he managed to lead the team to a 12-20 record for the remainder of the season. Meanwhile, Dwyane Wade, drafted the same year as James, led his team to the best record in the Eastern Conference and to the Conference Finals in only his second year.

In his third season, LeBron James finally broke through and led the Cavaliers to a 50-32 record. It took him three years to make the playoffs. Initial expectations had James winning his first NBA title by 2006. While it would not be James to win a championship that year, another 2003 draftee in Dwyane Wade would do so, leading seasoned veterans to their titles. Despite all of his accomplishments, the spotlight remained on LeBron and he barely led his team out of the first round. They beat the Wizards in six games, before posting a NBA record low 61 points in their game seven loss to Detroit.

By his fourth season, the focus had shifted from LeBron James to Dwyane Wade. It was Wade with the endorsements, wins, and fans, but a serious shoulder injury cost him two seasons. Because of this James was able to lead the Cavaliers to another 50-32 season and with the Miami Heat banged up throughout the roster, his team received a free pass. They would sweep the Washington Wizards, who were without their star, Gilbert Arenas. In the second round, they faced an injured New Jersey Nets team that pushed them to six games. LeBron James was able to pull off a great comeback to defeat the Detroit Pistons, who also had an easy road to the Conference Finals.

Everyone was ready to annoint LeBron James the new Michael Jordan when he made it to the NBA Finals in his fourth year. But, James did something that Jordan never did when he left the Finals empty-handed. History tells the true basketball fans that when Michael Jordan goes to the NBA Finals, he goes home with the NBA title. History also tells true basketball fans that when LeBron James goes to the NBA Finals, James not only goes home without a ring, he also goes home without a win. That was the first time, of many, when James would crack under pressure. Throughout the season, he performed heroics in games that simply did not matter.

Despite LeBron James eliminating himself from the greatest-ever discussion, sports media still backed him and with Dwyane Wade battling injuries for a second consecutive season, big things were expected from the Cavs. With their leader, LeBron James, he managed to lead the team to a 45-37 record, five less than the previous season. In the playoffs, he led them to a six game victory over the Wizards and then a game seven loss to the Boston Celtics. That loss was said to inspire LeBron James to come into next season and win the NBA Championship. Sports media was ready for him to have it, but James did not deliver, again.

During the 2008-2009 season, LeBron James led the Cleveland Cavaliers to a league-best record at 66-16. There was not a single person in the basketball world that doubted the Cavs. Even in the playoffs, James led the Cavs to sweeps over both the Detroit Pistons and the Atlanta Hawks. It appeared as if LeBron had punched his ticket into the NBA Finals. They drew an Orlando Magic team that was supposed to have lost in the second round of the NBA Playoffs. But, the Magic did the impossible and stole game one and would go on to stop LeBron James in his tracks. He still managed to win the NBA Season MVP award, the one that sports media gives to their favorite.

This season, the sports media is all over LeBron James again. He is poised to win another MVP Award, but with more competition than he had in 2007, his chances of getting to the Finals are slim. His chances of getting to the NBA Finals and defeating the Jazz, Lakers, or Nuggets are even slimmer. LeBron James is a great individual talent, but he is not an effective team leader. When it comes to talent, no one can match up with him, but leadership is mixed in when dealing with a team sport. He lacks the killer instinct of Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, or even Kevin Durant. Maybe one day it will come, but that day does not appear to be any time soon.

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Kobe Bryant to Finally Return

For the past few games, the Los Angeles Lakers have been without their all-time leading scorer. He went down with an ankle injury and he has missed every game since. But, his absense proved just how tough of a team that the Lakers are. With Bryant out of commission, the team continued to win and they even gained ground on the league-leading Cleveland Cavaliers. The deep roster of the Lakers surprised a lot of NBA analysts, but now, the captain is back.

While the team was doing pretty good without him, they will be much better off with him. Kobe Bryant is still one of the best players in the game and the team cannot go but so far without him. They have played well and with a healthy Bryant back in the lineup, they are poised to only play better. Throughout the season, the Lakers have been doubted on, but they held their own.

Kobe Bryant hopes that he can lead the Lakers to another win tonight against the Memphis Grizzlies.

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Carlos Boozer has the Jazz rolling

Before the start of the season, Carlos Boozer wanted to be out of Utah. His desire was to play in Miami and he felt as if he could bully the Jazz into trading him. The only way that the Jazz would trade Boozer would be to receive budding star, Michael Beasley, in return. When the season started, Carlos Boozer was very unhappy with being on the team, but he had no choice but to play. At the end of the season, he will be an unrestricted free agent. It is likely that he will end up staying with the Jazz.

Because he was fed up with playing for Utah, Boozer played below his potential. As a result, the team sufferred, but when the New Year arrived, the Jazz got things in gear. They started the season with a 15-17 record, but since that time, Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams have united to form a strong inside-outside duo and both have played like MVPs. As a result, the Jazz now hold a 36-19 record and the team is staring the Denver Nuggets down for the second seed in the playoffs. The turnaround came so fast and the Jazz are now title contenders.

This change came about when Carlos Boozer decided to change his attitude and help his team compete for a title. Ever since they reached the Western Conference Finals in 2007, the Jazz have taken a step back each year until they were swept by the Lakers last year in the playoffs.

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Amare Stoudemire remains in Phoenix

Despite all of his accomplishments for the Phoenix Suns, Amare Stoudemire has been the topic of trades for quite some time. Dating back to the 2006-2007 season, he has been on the trading block. But, never before has Stoudemire been involved in rumors the way that he has been for the past few days. Most of these rumors involved him being traded to either the Miami Heat or the league-leading Cleveland Cavaliers. In the end, nothing happened.

Rumors first began of the Heat wanting to trade for Stoudemire because they were in the midst of a five-game losing streak. Their star player, Dwyane Wade was upset because of the losing and the front office wanted to do something to please him. Offering some of their spare parts for Amare Stoudemire would have done the trick. Not only is Stoudemire one of Wade's best friends, but in the offseason, he stays in Miami. He is still speculated to sign with the Heat following this season.

When the Heat rumors became hot and heavy, the Cleveland Cavaliers emerged as front-runners in trying to acquire Amare Stoudemire. For three days, straight, there were rumors of the Cavs being willing to offer up such players as longtime center, Zydrunas Ilgauskus and the emerging J.J. Hickson. These rumors continued until last night when the Cavs made a deal for the more-affordable Antawn Jamison with the Wizards. Of all of the rumors surrounding the Suns' star, the craziest one was the one that said that he may end up staying with the team, as opposed to being traded.

The most outrageous rumor could not be farther from the truth, as the trade deadline passed an hour ago and the Phoenix Suns remain the team that Amare Stoudemire plays for.

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Antawn Jamison traded to the Cavs

Before the trade rumors emerged surrounding Amare Stoudemire, the Cleveland Cavaliers were said to be interested in acquiring Antawn Jamison. For years, he was a thorn in the side of the Cavs, now he is just one of their many weapons. He had grown to become one of the key players on a potent Washington Wizards team. But, the Wiz have struggled for two seasons and they decided to rebuild. Josh Howard is their future, so Jamison is a part of their past.

It turns out that Clevleand was never as interested in Stoudemire as many reports tried to say that they were. From the beginning, the team's first choice was to acquire Antawn Jamison. Now, they have their man. It has been said that since this deal has gone through that the Cavaliers have no interest in Stoudemire.

Other players involved in this deal include Drew Gooden, who did not want to play for the Wizards. He was dealt to the Clippers meanwhile Sebastain Telfair was dealt to the Cavs. Washington will receive longtime Cavalier, Zydrunas Ilgauskus, Al Thornton, Brian Skinner, and a first round pick from Cleveland. This deal should provide LeBron James with the sidekick that he has so desperately wanted. If not, Danny Ferry has proved before that he is willing to dismantle the team to appease their star.

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Tracy McGrady may land in Chicago

Over ten years ago, the Chicago Bulls offered a deal to the Toronto Raptors that would have sent Scottie Pippen to their team in exchange for Tracy McGrady. That deal came very close to going through, but Michael Jordan threatened to retire if they traded his longtime sidekick. Had the trade happened, there is no telling how many more titles the Bulls would have won. Also, Tracy McGrady would have a better-respected legacy.

Everything happens for a reason and Tracy McGrady would soon bolt Toronto to become a star in Orlando. However, constant injuries led to the Magic never improving, only staying as an average team. After four years of disappointments with McGrady, the Magic traded him to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Steve Francis. The deal obviously worked out in the favor of Houston, while the Magic ridded themselves of Francis.

The same problems that plagued McGrady in Orlando ended up plaguing him in Houston. There were some people that thought that Tracy McGrady teaming up with Yao Ming would result in the Rockets becoming NBA title contenders. While the possibilities are unlimited, injuries limited McGrady. He was injured for so long that the Rockets played better without him. Houston won its first playoff series since the 1990s while Tracy McGrady was out with injuries. They even took the eventual NBA champion, Los Angeles Lakers to seven games.

Initially, Tracy McGrady said that he would sit out the 2009-2010 season, but he felt good enough to try and play this season. When he returned to the Rockets, he no longer had a spot, so McGrady tried to sit out until the executives bought his contract out. However, the Houston Rockets do not believe in buying their players out, instead, they try to trade their players to get something in exchange. Ever since December, the Rockets have been shopping McGrady around. There have been many rumors about where T-Mac will land. Now, it is looking like Tracy McGrady will land in Chicago with the Bulls.

It has been almost two years since Tracy McGrady has played basketball the way that he plays basketball. He was injured for a year and he has been on and off since the start of this season. McGrady is very eager to play basketball the way that he used to. He said that if a deal can be made with the Bulls, he could end up playing as soon as Saturday's game against the Philadelphia 76ers.

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Stoudemire is Prepared to Move

For the past week, there have been rumors of the Phoenix Suns trading their star forward, Amare Stoudemire. He has been with the team for eight years and all they have to show for his time are disappointments. In his time with the Suns, Amare has proven to be injury-prone, but still great when he wants to be. Most Suns fans look at him as a slacker. His numbers, 21 points and 8 rebounds a game, are solid, but they feel that he could be doing much better.

Those numbers may not be the best that Stoudemire can do, but it would be enough to make the Miami Heat contenders again. They were the first team to express interest in the forward/center. When it was revealed that Pat Riley was ready to trade for Stoudemire, ESPN, along with other sports outlets ran with the story. Analysts looked at the duo that he would create with Dwyane Wade and how that Heat team would stack up against the top teams of the East.

Speaking of top teams in the East, soon after the scenarios of an Amare Stoudemire-to-Miami deal began floating around, they expressed interest in trading for him. Right off of the bat, their proposal seemed better than the Heat's. The Cavs are willing to offer J.J. Hickson and Zydrunas Ilguaskus to the Suns in exchange for Stoudemire and some other spare parts. Even the way that they are built now, the Cavs are predicted to win the NBA championship. A deal for Amare Stoudemire would either solidify their championship status or completely ruin it.

But, with his name being involved in over seven trade rumors, Amare Stoudemire has prepared for the worst and he has prepared to be traded to a new city. His choice of destination is with either LeBron James to be his sidekick, or to Miami for the weather, and to become the newest big-man sidekick for Dwyane Wade.

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NBA Scores for February 16, 2010

Here is a list of the scores of last night's NBA games.

Miami Heat @ Philadelphia 76ers
Heat 105<
76ers  78

New Jersey Nets @ Charlotte Bobcats
Nets     103<
Bobcats 94

Minnesota Timberwolves @ Detroit Pistons
Timberwolves 85
Pistons          108<

New York Knicks @ Chicago Bulls
Knicks  85
Bulls   118<

Dallas Mavericks @ Oklahoma City Thunder
Mavericks  86
Thunder     99<

Phoenix Suns @ Memphis Grizzlies
Suns      109<
Grizzlies  95

Utah Jazz @ Houston Rockets
Jazz      104<
Rockets 95

Los Angeles Clippers @ Portland Trailblazers
Clippers        87
Trailblazers 109<

Boston Celtics @ Sacramento Kings
Celtics 95<
Kings  92

Golden State Warriors @ Los Angeles Lakers
Warriors 94
Lakers  104<

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Drew Gooden seeks Buyout from Wizards

Drew Gooden was having fun playing for the Dallas Mavericks. He came off the bench and he was a key part of the team's second unit. But, the business of basketball means that members of the second unit will be trade bait. The Mavericks were looking to sell Josh Howard for some better parts in return. But, Gooden was placed into the deal to sweeten things up. If Gooden had to choose where he wanted to play, he would choose to stay in Dallas.

Only a few days after the trade was made, there are already talks about Drew Gooden asking for a buyouy. The Mavericks are contenders in the West, while the Wizards are obviously rebuilding. Recently, the Wiz had their first team practice since the trade. Josh Howard, the key part of the trade, obviosuly was in practice showing his stuff. Meanwhile, the other part of the trade, Gooden, did not show up for practice. It is said that he will end up refusing to play for the Wizards.

The plan is for Drew Gooden to receive his buyout and then he will return to the Dallas Mavericks, being a key factor of the second unit.

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Kobe Bryant will miss More Games

In an effort to lead his team to a strong finish to the season, Kobe Bryant decided to sit out of the 2010 All-Star Game. His decision came as no surprise, but it was a disappointment. At the time, Bryant promised that he would be ready for the game visiting the Warriors. For the past two weeks, Kobe has been hampered by a nagging ankle injury. Even without Bryant in the lineup, the rest of the team has picked things up. Right now, the Lakers have won three games in a row.

Tonight, Kobe Bryant was expected to return against the Golden State Warriors. In the past, Kobe has led the Lakers to dominating wins over this team. But, he will be missing tonight's game and possibly the next few games. He promised that he would be ready for the second half of the season. Since their opponent tonight, the Warriors, are not contenders, the Lakers can afford to sit Bryant tonight and still manage to win tonight.

Coming into the game, Kobe was listed as questionable before the game. Up until a few hours ago, many assumed that he would be good to go tonight. Going against all of the assumptions, Kobe Bryant was not good to go and the Los Angeles Lakers will have to wait a little longer to get their star back.

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Mark Cuban wants Mavs to play at Cowboys' Stadium

Mark Cuban and Jerry Jones have had a close relationship for some time now. Both men are known for being very close to their teams, which are both based in Dallas, Texas. Cuban owns the Mavericks of the NBA and Jones owns the Cowboys of the NFL. Prior to this season, Jones finished work on a state-of-the-art $1.2 billion stadium for the Cowboys to play at. Last season, Mark Cuban lobbied to the NBA to host the All-Star Game in 2010. When it was a done deal, he arranged a deal to host the main event at the brand new Cowboys' Stadium.

Ever since Cuban first took over the team, back in 2000, the Mavericks have led the league in attendance. The largest crowd in the history of the NBA showed up to watch the All-Star Game two nights ago. Sensing the marketing possibilities and more cash in his pockets, Mark Cuban hopes to have the Mavericks play a few home games at Cowboys' Stadium. The last time an NBA game was hosted at the venue, positive results followed. The team already has the best attendance and in a bigger arena, more seats will be available to basketball fans.

Mark Cuban first shared this idea with ESPN.com. He has yet to pitch his plan to Jerry Jones or David Stern, the commissioner of the NBA. While Cuban and Stern do not see eye-to-eye on many issues, this is probably something that they both could agree on. Given his relationship with Jerry Jones, plus the money that could be made off of the deal, they could possibly reach an agreement. The Dallas Mavericks could very well end up playing a number of their home games at the new Cowboys' Stadium.

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Will the Wizards build around Howard?

Only a few years ago, Josh Howard was a major factor in the Dallas Mavericks nearly winning the NBA championship. He was also instrumental in the Mavericks posting the league's best record the following season. But, when the Mavs lost in the 2007 playoffs, everything fell apart. Every year since 2008, Josh Howard has been involved in trade rumors. Most of these rumors involved him going to play in Miami, but he ended up going to the Washington Wizards.

The past few seasons, the Washington Wizards have had very bad luck. After deciding to build around Gilbert Arenas, they lose him for two seasons because of injuries. Upon his return, he could not lead the team the way that he once did. Then, on top of all of the frustrations, he threw this season away playing with guns. But, during the All-Star break, the Wizards shook things up. They traded some of their key parts in Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood to the Mavericks in exchange for Josh Howard.

In Dallas, Josh Howard never could reach his full potential. The franchise was built around Dirk Nowitski when he arrived and they were when he left. Also, the chances of Howard playing second fiddle were low because that spot belonged to Jason Terry. He was pushed to the team's fourth option, but he still managed to put up All-Star caliber numbers. But, because the team already boasted the likes of Nowitski, Terry, and later the established Jason Kidd, Howard was forgotten.

It is clear that if Josh Howard is given the reigns to a team, he can put up big numbers and successfully lead a team. People often credit Jason Terry and Dirk Nowitski for the Mavericks going to the Finals a few years ago, but without Josh Howard, that team would have been beaten, badly, by the Spurs in the second round. With Gilbert Arenas throwing his career away, the Wizards have traded for Josh Howard. If he sticks around, the Wiz could have some success with him as their new star. He is definitely marketable and he is proven.

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Are the New Jersey Nets tanking?

The New Jersey Nets were contenders for many years in the NBA. In 2001, they signed Jason Kidd and they went from cellar dwellers to the NBA Finals and twice. Richard Jefferson emerged as a star and the Nets dominated a weak Eastern Conference. In 2004, their Finals streak was stopped by the Pistons, so the Nets traded for Vince Carter. With Carter, they ran into roadblocks in Miami and Cleveland.

By 2008, Jason Kidd was aging, he wanted to contend. Preferrably, he wanted to contend with the Nets. Richard Jefferson even stated that he would not mind being traded to make this happen. But, February 2008 was a lot like this February in the NBA. First, Shaq was traded to Phoenix and then the Lakers traded for Pau Gasol. To keep things fresh, the Nets traded Jason Kidd to his original team, the Dallas Mavericks. The trade for Kidd did little to help the Mavericks and Devin Harris was given the reigns to a team on the decline.

After Jason Kidd left, the Nets missed the playoffs for the first time in seven years. Following the 2008 season, the Nets traded Richard Jefferson to the Bucks for Yi. The next season was held together by the heroics of Vince Carter, but he was traded to the Magic at the end of the 2009 season. So far, this season has seen the Cleveland Cavaliers dominate and the Nets fall to pieces. They drafted Terrence Williams in hopes that he would become the new franchise player. So far, he has proven that he is better off as a role player. But, the college ranks are looking better and better, DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall could possibly enter the NBA Draft this year and with the Nets record, they could end up drafting one of these players.

As bad as the Nets have played, they have no chance at landing LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, or Chris Bosh. James plays for a title contending team, so he is likely to stay. Wade plays in Miami and they have promised him that they will deliver him a sidekick. Chris Bosh is finally coming into his own in Toronto and his Raptors squad could finally begin to make noise from this point forward. The chances of these players leaving are high, but leaving for New Jersey is unlikely. But, surely the Nets are better than their 4-48 record shows them to be.

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Heat not giving up on Stoudemire

Last week, rumors emerged of the Miami Heat being interested in bringing Amare Stoudemire to join Dwyane Wade. Not long after their intentions were revealed, Wade said that he would most likely re-sign with Miami this summer. Predictions were made with this new and improved roster and many predicted the Heat to move up in the standings and possibly play in the Eastern Conference Finals. But, after it was evident that Miami wanted Stoudemire, the Cleveland Cavaliers made strong moves to bring him to their team.

The past few days have seen many sports media outlets speaking on a possible Amare-to-Cleveland deal as if it has already happened. It seemed as if it were all-but-done, but now Miami has re-entered the picture. At first, it was said that the Suns would want Michael Beasley in return for Stoudemire. Heat owner, Micky Arison, then personally came out and said that Beasley is being groomed as the sidekick for Dwyane Wade for years to come. Then, the Cleveland rumors went into high gear.

After two days of hearing about LeBron James finally getting a sidekick and winning his first championship ring, the Miami Heat have emerged as players once again. Now, it is said that they are willing to part with Michael Beasley is it means getting Amare Stoudemire in a Heat uniform before the end of this week. If he is traded to Miami, the Heat would have the solid one-two punch that they possessed in 2006. With Wade handling the outside and Stoudemire on the inside, they immediately rise to become the second-best team in the East, behind Cleveland. Essentially, this would give the Heat a chance to contend for another title.

With their primary rival moving in on their man, Miami has stepped their trade offer up and they are rumored to be trying to involve a third team to sweeten the deal.

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Kevin Durant will prove Himself Tonight

With Kobe Bryant out for the 2010 NBA All-Star Game, the biggest star from the West will be Kevin Durant. He has already received many comparisons to LeBron James of the East. In only his third season, many pick Durant over Carmelo Anthony, another dominant forward. He possesses a unique talent for a man that stands at 6'10. There is a wide-open chance for Kevin Durant to solidify himself later on tonight.

As previously stated, Kobe Bryant is out for tonight's game. The room is expected to be filled with over 90,000 people at the largest sports arena, Cowboys' Stadium. Had Bryant been in the game, he would have been the focal point of all of the Western All-Stars. But, now that he is out, along with Brandon Roy, all of the attention when speaking of the West points towards Kevin Durant.

Durant is a very similar position to LeBron James in 2006 and if history continues to repeat itself, Kevin Durant will have a big game tonight in Dallas. Kevin Durant has a chip on his shoulder. As great as he has been, he has yet to play in one playoff game. Making the playoffs is a team effort, but making the All-Star Game is a personal effort. He has yet to play for a playoff-caliber team, but the next best thing is the All-Star Game. With all of the other stars out, Kevin Durant will be given a chance to prove himself.

All eyes will be on the matchup between Kevin Durant and LeBron James. Tonight, both players will be bringing their A-game. Kevin Durant will definitely show the East what he has got.

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Janet Jackson creates Theme Music for New Film

Janet Jackson is only one of the many R&B artists to begin working with Tyler Perry. In 2007, she starred in his hit film, Why Did I Get Married?. The film was one of the many box office hits created by Tyler Perry. Due to the popularity of the film, Perry decided to create a sequel to the original film.

Filming began for the sequel, Why Did I Get Married, Too?, last summer and Janet Jackson was involved. However, the death of her older brother, Michael Jackson, forced her to leave the filming for the movie. Because of his cultural impact, almost the entire cast left to mourn the loss of Janet Jackson's brother.

She returned to work on the film during the fall. Not only is she doing the acting for the film, but for the sequel, Janet Jackson will also be singing for the theme music.

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50 Cent is pissed at Dr. Dre and Eminem

Things have not been going great for 50 Cent over the past few years. He went from having everyone answer his every command and right then to being ignored. When he stopped moving the numbers on his albums that he used to, his people stopped answering his every wish. In the past, Dr. Dre and Eminem would stand by everything that 50 Cent said. If there was an enemy that 50 Cent had, they had an enemy, too.

But, 50 Cent's feud with Game placed a strain on his relationship with Dr. Dre. Many people do not realize that Game had been on the label longer than 50 Cent. Had 50 Cent not joined the label when he did, it would have been Game releasing his debut album in 2003. But, because 50 Cent was so popular, they had to release his album. To repay Game, he was added to the G-Unit roster.

The experiment went bad and fast. When it became clear that a choice was going to have to be made between the two rappers, Dr. Dre was forced to choose 50 Cent. For three years, Game went at it on his own. On both of his album recorded without Dr. Dre, he spoke of reuniting with Dre. He even dedicated a song to the issue of his sophomore release, Doctor's Advocate.

Over time, things change and Game is more popular than 50 Cent at the moment. This has led Dr. Dre to reunite with his former artist. Not only have they reunited, but Dr. Dre also signed Game to the Aftermath label. Because Game has returned to the label, 50 Cent has left it. There have been a lot of issues going on behind the scenes and Dre had even begun working with Ashanti, Ja Rule, and Crooked I. All of those artists record for Murder Inc. Records. From 2000 through 2005, Ja Rule was 50 Cent's biggest rival.

50 Cent is known for his feuds with Game and Ja Rule, but he also dislikes Lil Wayne. Wayne had been wanting to work with Eminem for some time. Late last year, he received his wish and Eminem was even featured on Rebirth. Because of this, 50 Cent is also upset with Eminem. While he is furious at both Eminem and Dr. Dre, 50 Cent will not publicly diss them. Even though he feels betrayed, without them first believing in him, 50 would have never become the star that he is.

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Josh Howard traded to Wizards

Ever since the 2006 NBA Finals, Josh Howard has been rumored to be on the trading block. Howard stepped up in the Finals to become a consistent star for the Mavericks. His stellar play in those Finals also gained the attention of other teams in the league. After the 2007 NBA Playoffs, rumors began circulating about the Dallas Mavericks possibly trading Josh Howard.

Throughout the course of this season, the Mavericks have played very well. Aside from their blowout loss in Denver, they have looked like contenders. Most of their strong play was attributed to Josh Howard. He and Dirk Nowitzki have formed to become a dominant one-two punch in Dallas. Despite their chemistry, the Mavs have been interested in trading Howard.

Dallas had been rumored to be attempting to trade Howard to the Rockets in exchange for Tracy McGrady. There were also rumors that tied the star player to the Knicks, Cavaliers, Heat, Wizards, and Pistons. After all of these rumors, yesterday afternoon rumors began about the Mavericks trading Howard, along with Drew Gooden, Quinton Ross, and James Singleton in exchange for Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood, and DeShawn Stevenson.

The Mavericks are currently holding the third playoff spot in the Western Conference. Meanwhile, the Washington Wizards are well out of playoff contention in the Eastern Conference. They have one of the worst records in the East, only ahead of the lowly New Jersey Nets in the conference.

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The Celtics are falling Apart

Paul Pierce had become used to playing alone in Boston. It took him three seasons to actually make the playoffs and once he got there, he had the Celtics on the brink of the NBA Finals. From 2002 until 2005, the Boston Celtics did not miss the playoffs. In that small frame of time, some thought that Pierce had the potential to become something great.

In 2006, his Celtics disappointed and they ended up missing the playoffs. The following season, they hit a new low, posting the worst record in the league. The losing was taking a toll on Paul Pierce. He was very close to demanding a trade. At the time, Paul Pierce felt as if he were all alone. Little did he realize that Kevin Garnett had a similar story in Minnesota. Also, Ray Allen's Seattle SuperSonics were underperforming with two stars on their team.

The summer of 2007 would end up becoming a game-changer. The front office of the Boston Celtics sought to end the Celtic curse. Sports fans in Boston think that the Celtics deserve the success that the Spurs enjoyed for a decade through Tim Duncan. The Spurs were a talented team that had one horrible season, due to injury, but they were contenders. With Duncan on the team, along with the rest of their roster, they returned to the top of the standings. Meanwhile, the Celtics would have minimal success with Paul Pierce. Pierce demanded more talent around him for the 2007-2008 season.

Danny Ainge held conversations with his former teammate with the Celtics, Kevin McHale about possibly trading for Kevin Garnett. At the time, Garnett was tied to rumors about being traded to the Lakers, Magic, and Heat. While McHale was willing to trade Garnett to the Celtics, Kevin blocked the move because he wanted to see what other moves would be made. Soon, Ray Allen informed him that he had been traded to the team, once that happened, Garnett also jumped on board. In one season, the Boston Celtics went from zeroes to NBA champions.

But, the Celtics gave up their soul, so to speak, to win in the "right now." All of their "success" has come back to bite them, hard. The following season, they got off to a quick start, but an injury to Kevin Garnett ended any hopes of repeating. While the Celtics came in strong this season, age has begun to catch up to Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett. Injuries have hit all of the "Big Three." Now, there are rumors of the franchise being willing to trade Ray Allen. His destination of choice is either Orlando, or Miami, his destination of choice in 2007. It was not the fact that the Celtics rose fast, but how they rose fast that is costing them right now.

As fast as it all came together is how fast it is falling apart. Right now, the Celtics are on the verge of losing their grip on the third playoff spot and if they slip to fourth, they will face some stiff competition in either the rising Charlotte Bobcats, the hungry Toronto Raptors, the emerging Chicago Bulls, or the resilient Miami Heat, which feels that they should have beaten Boston all three times that they played. If something is not done, and fast, the Boston Celtics will find themselves returning to the bottom of the standings by next year.

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Ray J gets another VH1 Series

Ray J has had tremendous success with VH1 through his hit dating series, "For The Love of Ray J." His series began airing on the network a little over one year ago. In the time since it began airing on VH1, it has become a hit. Each night, the viewership seems to increase. But, after the controversy surrounding the finale of the show, Ray J is unlikely doing a third season of the show.

After Ray J picks his woman, the network brings the entire cast back together for a reunion show. In this interview show, the fans are updated about their favorite contestants. Everyone is invited to the stage to talk about what they've been up too. If a contenstant from a previous season is notable enough, they may also make an appearance. That happened to be the case with the reunion for Ray J.

His ex, Cocktail, came onto the stage to advise his winner, Mz. Berry against dating Ray. She told of how he had treated her and asked if she wanted to get into all of that. The entire time, Ray J was back stage and when he came out, he accused Cocktail of being a lesbian. In a matter of minutes, their friendship was ruined, as was his possible relationship with Mz. Berry. She decided that a life with Ray J was too much and she has since reunited with her ex. A lot of what happened with her and Ray J was because the host of the reunion show kept things going.

That experience, alone, will probably keep Ray J from doing another dating show with VH1. They claimed to have his best interest at heart, but they ended up exposing him for the ratings. While Ray J might not date with the VH1 network, he has to admit that they have a big audience. Being on VH1 means that he will have exposure. Also, the network knows that they need Ray J to keep a connection to the black audience. That paired with the desperation from Ray, and his sister, Brandy, has led to the network creating a new reality series based on the entire family.

There is no set date for this new project, but it will likely come before the end of 2010 or at the beginning of 2011.

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What About Carmelo Anthony?

When speaking about the best players in the NBA, often the discussion turns towards three players. Those three players almost often end up being LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Dwyane Wade. The now-fourth wheel, Carmelo Anthony, is almost forgotten. Out of all of those players, Anthony is the only one to make it to the postseason for the past seven seasons.

Carmelo Anthony entered the NBA with a lot of hype surrounding him. Many critics willingly referred to him as the second-best player out of the draft, behind LeBron James. However, as their rookie seasons played out, James received the most media attention and Dwyane Wade turned heads when he led an undermanned Miami Heat squad to a six-game standoff with the Indiana Pacers.

What was overlooked was Carmelo Anthony leading his Nuggets team from 17 wins to 43 wins and to their first playoff appearance since the mid-1990s. He turned the Denver Nuggets' franchise all of the way around in only one season. Meanwhile, LeBron James failed to even make the postseason his rookie year. Even into the next season, Anthony was overlooked as Wade led his Heat to the Eastern Conference Finals and James continued to set records. The 2005 season was another solid season for Anthony, as he led his team back to the playoffs.

By 2006, Kobe Bryant had revived his career and scored 81 points in a game. LeBron James not only made the playoffs, but his team won a playoff series and nearly upset the league-leading Pistons. Dwyane Wade set franchise records for the Heat as they did upset the league-leading Pistons and then they upset the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals. Wade became the NBA Finals MVP, Kobe Bryant regained a lot of fans, and LeBron James continued his run in the spotlight. Meanwhile, Carmelo Anthony received no credit for maintaining.

Each year since he has been in the league, he has led his team to the playoffs. Even last season, his Nuggets almost defeated the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers. This season, there is so much media attention focused on the losing record of Wade's Heat, Kobe being Kobe, and James' incredible season with the Cavaliers. But, the Denver Nuggets went into Staples Center and beat the Lakers by 13. The Nuggets are right behind the Lakers in the standings, most of this can be credited to the play of Carmelo Anthony. But, it seems like no matter what he does, he will never receive the same type of attention that LeBron James does.

In actuality, Carmelo Anthony has accomplished more than LeBron James because of the fact that he has led his team to the playoffs every year. Also, there is not much separating Anthony from the legend of Dwyane Wade. If Anthony leads the Nuggets to a championship this year, which is highly possible, his legacy is better than Wade's and not far off from the status of Kobe Bryant. The next time, the infamous discussion of Kobe/LeBron/Dwyane, comes up, someone needs to throw Carmelo Anthony's name in there.

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Cleveland Cavaliers willing to Shake Things Up

The Cleveland Cavaliers are the hottest team in the NBA coming into the All-Star break. Not only are they on a 13-game winning streak, but they hold the best record in the league. As it currently stands, there is not a single team in the NBA that can compete with them, but sources close to GM, Danny Ferry, say that he is looking to add more talent to the team.

It goes without saying, but the Cavaliers' roster already has LeBron James and Maurice Williams. They have formed an imposable duo and Shaquille O'Neal is playing third fiddle. Their lineup, along with other players, such as J.J. Hickson, create matchup nightmares for other teams. The roster that the Cavs have, already could easily defeat any team in the East.

Even as favorites to win the NBA championship, the Cleveland Cavaliers are willing to roll the dice. The team is said to be talking, heavily, with the Phoenix Suns about dealing J.J. Hickson in exchange for Amare Stoudemire. If that deal does not work out, the Cavs are willing to deal Jamario Moon to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Antawn Jamison. While those deals will definitely bolster the talent on the Cavs' roster, their chemistry could be ruined. Also, Jamison and Stoudemire have become stars in their own right. While LeBron is the man in Cleveland, they are the stars in their respective cities.

It is a wonder that Shaquille O'Neal has not clashed with LeBron James, the other teammates have allowed him to believe that he is number two in command. But, if Jamison or Stoudemire is brought in, or both, this would most certainly create friction and ruin the chemistry and the fun that the team has on the floor. With the roster that they have, Cleveland can win the title, if they do any of the mentioned moves, they are still tough, but this kills them in the long run.

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