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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