Friday Roundtable: The Next Former NBA Player Turned Owner

Which of these guys deserves to own an NBA franchise? Probably not Damon Stoudamire. Sorry. (Tsugufumi Matsumoto/AP)

BDD's Friday Roundtable is a weekly discussion among a group of our writers on a trending NBA or college basketball topic.

This week's question: Shaquille O'Neal recently became an owner of the Sacramento Kings. What retired player do you want buy an ownership stake in an NBA team next?

Alex:

I'm 100 percent sure this is okay within NBA guidelines: Jason Kidd should buy a piece of the New York Knicks. Not only does Kidd have recent history with the 'Bockers, but, if for some reason David Stern and Adam Silver were to look down upon such a purchase, they're overlooking the fact that it would virtually ensure Kidd doesn't become the first NBA player-coach in decades. What we lose in the potential player-coach situation and Kidd backing up Deron Williams while logging minutes with Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, we gain in one of the greatest point guards ever becoming the King of New York. Barclay's Center, where Kidd's Brooklyn Nets play, is the House that Jay-Z Built, but could Hova - now without an ownership stake in the BK franchise - really rival the owner of both New York basketball teams, one who happens to hold multiple assist and three-point records in a professional tenure that includes stints with both the Knicks and Nets? I can't decide, and I'm betting you're likely split, too, since no one has been able to agree who rap's King of New York is since the Notorious B.I.G. passed away. Hip-Hop can't agree that Jay is the top dog in its own community; how would they be able to present a united front against Kidd, whose presence would be felt in more than the two boroughs in which his NBA franchises would reside?

Exactly.

Kyle:
Guys, there's plenty of good answers out there. Shawn's is a fine example. I would very much enjoy Barkley as an owner. Kareem could become an owner and have the power to make himself the coach so he can finally get a coaching job. I can't say this one, because the question says retired player, but who wouldn't want to see LeBron James buy the Cavs once his playing days are over to have the Cleveland sports fans who ridiculed him so much in the palm of his hand. Not to mention keeping Dan Gilbert on but in a new role as one of the boys who wipes down the court during timeouts. Then LeBron could trade for and subsequently trade away Andrew Wiggins to New York, where he then buys the Knicks with Jay-Z and sells the Cavs to Chris Bosh.

But again, LeBron isn't retired yet, so that answer will have to wait. So my answer is ... Brian Scalabrine. Why not? I imagine he got the money when challenging and beating all of those civilians to 1-on-1 games in Boston. And that's exactly why he should be an owner. Everyone will doubt him. He will be the butt of jokes. He's a guy who was the butt of jokes throughout his career, yet played 11 years in the league. Scalabrine will compile a team of underdogs who no one will take seriously, Moneyball style, because how could they compete with Miami and then oh my god they are up by 14 already how is that possible? A movie will be made where Scalabrine will be played by Louie C.K. and he will be one of the most praised owners of his generation.

Shawn:

When I first began racking my brain for a suitable candidate to answer this question, I found myself continuously drawn to players who I thought would make good NBA coaches, rather than owners. There are some prominent names who could potentially be very good coaches, but I struggled to find one I thought would be a good owner. However, when it comes down to it, I was able to settle on one former player I desperately want to see become an NBA owner above all others. And it’s really not even close.

It has to be Charles Barkley. 

Think about it. Barkley has the personality to rival even the most flamboyant and impassioned owners, like a Mark Cuban. His personality is infectious and he would be a fantastic interview for journalists and broadcasters who cover his team. Having worked on the other side of the sport as an analyst and broadcaster, I feel Barkley would be very open with any person who is fortunate enough to earn the assignment of interviewing him. His personality lends itself to being very forthright anyway, so having the experience on the other side would only encourage him to be open and honest, with the frankness that only Barkley can provide.

Barkley also has the well-deserved reputation of being a big spender, so opening up the checkbook to bring in high-priced free agents won’t be a problem. His history of gambling could potentially drive fans crazy if Barkley has a hunch on an unproven player. But overall, the willingness to spend money is a plus for an organization. I think you could potentially see another “Dream Team” similar to the one in Miami, because I think Barkley is more than willing to spend what it takes to bring the best to his team. 

Finally, there is one major reason I feel Barkley would be a fantastic owner: He’s never won an NBA championship. Ever. I remember an instance on TNT where everyone on the panel had been to and won an NBA championship, except Barkley. It was brought up extensively, and you could tell it ate at Barkley. He wants that ring. He wants to hoist that trophy in the air, and this is his best chance to do it. His competitive fire would be fantastic to see on the sideline, and a real asset in the locker room. All of these elements combined culminate to why I believe Barkley should absolutely make the investment and become an NBA owner.

NBA Considers Putting Nicknames On Heat, Nets Jerseys

"King James" could soon make its way to the back of a Miami Heat jersey. (nba.si.com)

The NBA is about superstars. It is also about the money, like any other successful business. The league is considering yet another way to capitalize on player stardom to sell more jerseys; putting the players' nicknames on the back of the jerseys.

NBA.com posted a story from the Associated Press on its website late Monday night that the league may replace Miami Heat and Brooklyn Nets players' last name with their nicknames on the back of the jerseys for one of the teams' four head-to-head matchups. For example, LeBron's jersey would say "King James," Paul Pierce would have "The Truth," Kevin Garnett "KG," Chris Andersen would be "Birdman" and Ray Allen would have possibly the best of them all with "Jesus Shuttlesworth," in reference to his role in the movie "He Got Game."

Allen was quoted in the AP story saying, "It shows growth in our league and it shows we do adapt to what's going on around us. And we're still kids, playing a kids' game. Even though we're now men playing a kids' game, we still remember where we come from. Everybody had a nickname and it's a way to let the fans in a little bit more."

Whether for or against the idea, it is sure to sell jerseys, especially with the younger audience. The NBA is the only sport in which nicknames are prevalent, due to the visibility of players and amount of impact players in the league. The NFL and MLB are leagues where the teams are mostly still the focus more than the individual, minus a few elite quarterbacks. 

The question will be what will happen for players who don't currently have a nickname? Will they just have their last name on the jersey, or pick a name out themselves? Maybe it could be left to a fan vote? Players might not be thrilled when Greg Oden is forced to have "Crutches" on the back of his jersey, or "Grandpa" for Juan Howard thanks to the fans, but it would be interesting.

This is just the latest step in the evolution of the uniform as a marketing tool for the league, and it surely won't be the last.

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Friday Roundtable: Would LeBron James Be A Good NBA Players Association President?

LeBron James is the best player in the world, but would he be a good NBA Players Association President? (sportsspyder.com)

BDD's Friday Roundtable is a weekly discussion among a group of our writers on a trending NBA or college basketball topic.

This week's question: LeBron James is considering running for NBA Players Association President. Would LeBron be a good president?

Alex:
LeBron could be a capable president, given his ability to sway other players' decisions in free agency and reigning best-player-alive status, although I'd be wary of an attempt to turn the NBAPA into an actual King James monarchy. With Maverick Carter in his cabinet, there could certainly be some less than honest behind-the-scenes machinations. My one true hope is that LeBron's Heat teammate Mario Chalmers is brought into the president's inner circle, if for no other reason than to hear he was yelled at during an official meeting.

Fred:

LeBron as president is an interesting idea, but would he be able to focus on the job? I have no doubt LeBron could do great given a 48-hour day, but being the biggest superstar in the NBA brings a lot of distractions off the court. Not to mention he still had to go through an 82 game NBA season.

With LeBron being on the top, would he be able to represent the majority of NBA players? Players who are making four or five million a year and fighting for a roster spot?

I think it’s great that LeBron wants to get involved, but with all the distractions going on around him I’m not sure he could give his full attention to the union.  Perhaps he’s better suited for the executive committee.

Kyle:
LeBron wouldn't be the first great player to serve as president of the NBPA. Bob Cousey, Oscar Robertson, Isiah Thomas and Patrick Ewing have all served the role. But never before has the majority-recognized best player in the world held the position. Michael Jordan never did. Neither did Wilt or Kareem. James has already gotten his feet wet, sitting in on bargaining sessions during the 2011 lockout. The question is would he have enough time, while also shooting $10 million spots for Nike, Beats by Dre and the next company that comes after him for an endorsement. Although he could find a way to kill two birds with one stone, shooting a new commercial for Nike telling owners to "Just do it" when discussing business, or respond to every negotiation question with "Is it in you?" to make the people at Gatorade happy.

What James would have going for him is respect. He's the best player in the game, and has been in the league long enough to know how it works. He also has a personality where he wants to befriend other players and make everyone happy. He's not in it just for himself. Other players would have to think of that as a positive, that James will do what is best for everyone. Michael Jordan would have just done whatever the hell he wanted because he was Michael F'n Jordan and "you can't voice your opinion, Bryon Russell, because I dropped 30 on you last year!" That attitude got him six rings and a spot on the best player ever discussion, but players probably wouldn't feel like he would be a representative for them all. We haven't seen enough of LeBron in that setting to know whether he would succeed (really, how badly could he screw it up?) but it doesn't seem like he would fail miserably. One guy who probably is hoping James doesn't get the job? Mario Chalmers if he turns the ball over a lot this season. 

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Looking Ahead To 2014 NBA Free Agency

Carmelo Anthony and Kobe Bryant join LeBron James and other big names as free agents in 2014. (bleacherreport.com)

This year's NBA free agency period has been far from quiet, with Dwight Howard's move to Houston highlighting a busy month that highlighted some big names on the move, including Howard and players like Josh Smith.

If you enjoyed what this season's free-agent market brought, you'll be in for a treat next year. It will automatically be a bigger spectacle after one free-agent name, LeBron James, given that he is the best player in the world and we learned from the last time that people are interested enough in his decision to make a hour-long TV special out of a sentence-long answer.

But it won't just be LeBron. A pool of stars all have contracts that end in 2014, which means the moves made next summer can completely change who the contenders will be from then on out. Here's a look at some of the teams whose lineups can shift and the big-name players that could find new homes.

Miami Heat - 
Sure, James is the focal point, but pretty much the entire Heat team joins him on the free-agent market. This includes, but is not limited to, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Ray Allen and Udonis Haslem (James, Wade and Bosh all have early termination options in 2014). Obviously, this doesn't mean all of them, or any, are leaving, but the possibility is there for the Heat to look like a completely different team in 2014-15.

Los Angeles Lakers - 
The Lakers are another team with a large chunk of the roster with expiring contracts next season, although the majority are role players. Still, Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol are on the list, and it wouldn't be shocking to see the Lakers clear some space to try and land LeBron.

Indiana Pacers - 
The Pacers have announced themselves as a contender in the Eastern Conference, pushing Miami the last two years in the playoffs, but many have wondered how the Pacers will be able to afford keeping their current lineup as their talent grows. Paul George has turned into a star and should be the player the Pacers wrap up into a new deal first next season. Also with expiring contracts are Lance Stevenson and Danny Granger. Indiana made its playoff run this year without Granger, so it will be interesting to see if he gets dealt away to free up space for George and others.

New York Knicks - 
Like the Heat, the Knicks' star players, Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire, have early termination options in 2014. Anthony and Stoudemire have yet to get the Knicks deep into the playoffs. Would Anthony be interested in being part of a new Big Three somewhere else?

Dallas Mavericks -
The Mavericks' core is aging quickly, and Dirk Nowitzki, Vince Carter and Shawn Marion will all be unrestricted free agents in 2014. It will be interesting to see how Mark Cuban reloads the team, especially if Nowitzki (35), Carter (36) or Marion (35) hang up the jersey after next season.

Sacramento Kings - 
A handful of high draft picks has yet to pull the Kings out from the bottom of the conference standings and now some of those picks will be restricted free agents. DeMarcus Cousins has had plenty of issues to make it not surprising if the Kings want to part ways with the troubled center, while Isaiah Thomas, Patrick Patterson and Greivis Vasquez could also be on the move.

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Danny Green Is San Antonio's Unlikely MVP

Danny Green has evolved from a benchwarmer to possible NBA Finals MVP. (nba.si.com)

Danny Green and LeBron James were teammates once upon a time, although hardly any time was spent on the floor together.

Green was a rookie drafted by Cleveland, who only saw action in 20 games and averaged 5.8 minutes per game, while James led the Cavaliers to the Eastern Conference Semifinals before losing to the Boston Celtics 4-2 in the series.

It was the 2009-10 season, and it also happened to be both players' final seasons in Cleveland. Green was let go and found a new home in San Antonio while James, well, you know what happened with James. Turns out the change of scenery has worked out pretty well for both players.

Green went from only playing in 28 regular season games his first two seasons (without a start) in the league to this year playing in 80 and starting in them all. Still, Green is considered a role player to support the Spurs big three of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.

Yet if the Spurs can close out their 3-2 series lead and win the NBA Finals, Green could be the MVP of the series. Green (averaging 18 ppg for the series) hit six 3-pointers as part of his 24 points in game five, putting his name in the NBA record books. Green now has 25 3-pointers during the NBA Finals, three more than Ray Allen's previous record of 22. More impressive is the fact that those 25 makes have come on 38 attempts, giving him a shooting percentage of 65 percent from behind the arc. For the entire postseason, Green has 53 3-pointers for a 51.5 percentage. Green has been a steady 3-point threat the past two seasons, shooting above 40 percent each year, but this is a give-the-man-a-gatorade-bath-because-he's-on-fire type of streak.

The giant stage of the NBA Finals is a great venue for breaking out as a player, but it hasn't been completely out of nowhere. This has been slowing evolving the entire postseason. Green has gotten better each series (except for a small step back in production from the Golden State to Memphis series), going from 23 minutes per game, seven points per game and three 3-point attempts per game in the first round series against the Los Angeles Lakers to now 34 mpg, 18 ppg and 7.6 3-pointers per game in the Finals, with steady rises from the first round to semifinals and conference finals to the NBA Finals.

Green is another great lesson that players don't have to be superstars as rookies. College is a place to get better, but so is the NBA. There is room for improvement upon entering the league and San Antonio should be given credit for giving Green a chance to grow. It's also no coincidence Green grew in the Spurs' system. That's what Gregg Popovich does.

Green didn't get much time to share the court with James as teammates, but now that the two are sharing the court again, this time as opponents, it may be Green who keeps James from earning that second ring.

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Friday Roundtable: Who Will Win The NBA Finals?

LeBron James is doing all he can to win that second ring. (ibtimes.com)

BDD's Friday Roundtable is a weekly discussion among a group of our writers on a trending NBA or college basketball topic.

This week's question: With the NBA Finals tied 2-2 through four games, who wins the series and in how many games?

Alex:
With the series tied 2-2, Heat-Spurs is going to seven games. San Antonio will bounce back for game five and win on their home court, but once the action returns to South Beach, LeBron James will finally prove he has the killer instinct that he has so long been criticized for lacking. James has already shown flashes of it this season and will submit for final acceptance two noteworthy performances, taking on the scoring load while using his excellent court vision to find his teammates for efficient looks. James can't do it all on his own - Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and the role players need to chip in buckets, too - but when LeBron is on, there's no one in the NBA who can contain him, not even in the Spurs' fundamental system.

Kyle:
The way this back-and-forth series has gone so far, it's hard to not think it will go all seven games. Miami has not lost two games in a row throughout the entire postseason, but they have also not won two games in a row since finishing off the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Semifinals and winning game one against the Indiana Pacers (that was 11 games ago). Even if San Antonio wins game five in front of the home crowd, which seems feasible, it feels more likely Miami wins two straight before losing two straight, sealing the series with two wins in Miami. It's hard to count out the Spurs, as they were really the better team the first three games for all but the second half of game two, but it's also hard to bet against LeBron James, especially if Dwyane Wade continues to play like his former self. If Miami can get more production from guys like Udonis Haslem and Mario Chalmers, they win it in seven.

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Where Will The Heat And Spurs Be In Six Years?

It's been six long years since LeBron James and the San Antonio Spurs met in the NBA Finals. (mysanantonio.com)

It's been six long years since LeBron James faced the San Antonio Spurs in the 2007 NBA Finals. James was with the Cleveland Cavaliers at a time before the burning of his jerseys, an owner's letter written in Comic Sans and the winning of a title.

A lot has happened in six years. The Spurs added to their dynasty argument with a fourth championship in 2007 and then hasn't been back since winning that series. James was being questioned if he could win in Cleveland, which led to The Decision and now he is looking to win his second straight ring.

Which brings Alex Skov and I to wonder, where will James, the Spurs' big three (Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili) and the Heat and Spurs franchises be six years from now? Here's our best (OK, probably not) guesses.

The Spurs' Big Three: Duncan, already at 37, and Ginobili, 35 and now suffering from injuries, will have hung up the sneakers for several years. Ginobili will be resting with a luxurious head of hair(plugs), while Duncan will spend his time setting off-ball screens at second-tier celebrity charity games and yelling at a recently rehabbed Justin Bieber to use his freaking left hand. Parker will probably still playing in the NBA at 36 or 37, even if it will seem like he's closer to AARP age, dishing out assists for the Spurs to a young at heart but dinosaur-aged Tracy McGrady, who is allowed to use a Segway for the first halves of games to stay rested.

San Antonio Spurs: Gregg Popovich will still coaching the Spurs, but also teaching spacing philosophies to roadside garbage pick-up crews as a part-time corrections officer and coaching other NBA coaches on how to make sideline reporters cry. Eventually, Popovich gets bored and moves the team away from it's workman-like, fundamental and strategy-filled style of play in favor of a flashy, if-you-can-see-the-basket-it's-a-good-shot gameplan. Danny Green will go too far with the new freedom and shoot a record 32 shots per game, averaging a career high 13 points per game. Meanwhile, Tiago Splitter releases underground rap mixtapes under the name T. Spitter at the behest of his out-of-the-league former teammate, Stephen Jackson.

LeBron James: With Dwyane Wade getting out of the league after Kobe Bryant's recommended Germany medical trip goes wrong, LeBron makes a decision to play for the Washington Wizards (this time with a more tasteful 30-minute decision show) while wearing a headband twice the normal size in an attempt to retain his *ahem* youthful appearance. Determined to end the Michael Jordan comparisons, James went to Washington to prove he could put up better numbers at the end of his career than Jordan did with the team. Because of this, he makes John Wall only touch the ball to throw alley-oops to him. He is also looking into retiring and purchasing the Cleveland Cavaliers, making them a laughing stock until he comes out of retirement to save the day and win back the heart of the city.

Miami Heat: The Heat are no longer a title contender, making the 14 true, die-hard fans who have season tickets and stay for the whole game very upset. Erik Spoelestra loses credibility and is called Vinny del Negro v. 2.0, proclaiming to the media, "I promise you, I have at least two notebook pages' worth of plays!" Other players decide to leave with James, including Shane Battier, who retired and is offering in-studio NBA analysis while testing teams' interest in bringing him on as an assistant coach, and Mario Chalmers, who refuses to be yelled at by just Chris Bosh, causing him to fill the Irrational Confidence Guy role as an overpaid sixth-man for the New York Knicks and be yelled at by Carmelo Anthony.

Several key role players remain, including Udonis Haslem, who finally adds range to those mid-range jumpers just in time to have a consistent 3-pointer ready for all those times he needs it in retirement. Having matured, Chris Anderson will just go ahead and get the tiny spaces of open skin between his tattoos inked in an attempt to hide the mistakes he took as a young-ish man. Norris Cole? He is still rocking the flat-top. What else matters?

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Letter Of Advice To Dan Gilbert As Cleveland Wins NBA Draft Lottery

Dan Gilbert's Cleveland Cavaliers just won the NBA draft lottery for the second time in three years. (msn.foxsports.com)

The Cleveland Cavaliers are familiar with this situation. They were here in 2003 and again in 2011. Now the Cavaliers have won the NBA draft lottery again, giving them the No. 1 pick in June's draft. It would make them seem lucky and happy if it wasn't failure that brought them here so many times.

The history is well known. Cleveland selected hometown hero LeBron James in 2003. James did not win a title in Cleveland and in 2010 he left for the Miami Heat and Cavs owner Dan Gilbert wrote an angry letter to the fan base in comic sans. The Cavaliers struggled without James and took Kyrie Irving with the first pick in 2011. That has worked out well in that Irving has grown into an All-Star caliber talent, but still the Cavs struggle. Now Cleveland will most likely draft Nerlens Noel in June, and rumors are circling that the Cavs might look to restore peace with LeBron and bring him back to Cleveland when he enters free agency in 2014.

These are important times for the Cavaliers and Dan Gilbert with crucial decisions that will effect the immediate future of the franchise. To help, Beats Dimes and Drives has written you a letter (styled similar to Gilbert's, but sorry, no comic sans this time) with a few words of advice.

Dear Mr. Gilbert,

As you know, you again won the NBA draft lottery. You have an opportunity to drastically improve your on-court product in the upcoming season, which I'm sure this fan base is desperately looking forward to. 

Clearly the last three years have been disappointing to you all. It must have been hard to focus on basketball when there were so many LeBron jerseys to burn.

You deserve more.

The good news is the pieces are falling into place with a talented point guard and now hopefully a dominate low-post presence in Noel, if that is the direction you choose. Heck, maybe your "former hero" and "self-titled former King" LeBron will even forgive you and give you a second chance. 

Wouldn't that be something? Would you even want him back when he disproved your guarantee of winning a championship before him? You would, and should, because the path the franchise has been down isn't getting you anywhere, which is why I would like to offer some advice.

Stop worrying about LeBron. Move on. Of course you would naturally want him back, anyone would, but LeBron seems to consume you, and having him back won't necessarily make that better. Even after winning the lottery you said, "We thought originally after everything had to be reset that it would be a three-year process," and, "For everyone in Cleveland who has supported us through these three years, I think this is for them." 

It wasn't the apocalypse. Yes he is the best player in the league, but you could have put together other competent pieces. Instead you fired your coach, Mike Brown, hired another that did worse, Byron Scott, and now just brought Brown back. Not to mention paying Luke Walton more than $6 million (second most on the team) this season for 3.4 points per game.

Instead of blaming LeBron's leaving on the destruction of the franchise, make some positive free-agent moves to bring experienced and proven players to Cleveland. Because ...

I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE IF YOU KEEP WINNING THE DRAFT LOTTERY THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU ARE RUNNING A FRANCHISE CORRECTLY.

Most importantly, you have a potential great player in Irving and possibly another in Noel. They may not want to be in Cleveland for the rest of their careers, especially if the only thing they are winning is the lottery. 

If they leave, it will hurt, but learn from your LeBron mistakes. No letters. No obsurd guarantees of championships. No curses or bashing of personalities. 


Focus on how to make the team better without them. It is what should have happened in 2010 and your fans are still waiting. 

They are still waiting on that brighter day and that championship you promised them. And I promise you if you keep with these failed promises and guarantees, no one will be listening the next time you pull up a word document in comic sans on your computer.


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Are The Indiana Pacers The Miami Heat's Newest Playoff Rival?

With Oklahoma City out of the playoffs, can the Pacers be the Heat's newest rival? (guardian.co.uk)

It wasn't the playoff rivalry we were expecting. It wasn't in the round we were expecting. But it involves the Miami Heat and has the making of a rivalry with some staying power.

An NBA Finals with the Heat and Oklahoma City Thunder was almost predestined, but the loss of Russell Westbrook and the Memphis Grizzlies spoiled that dream. The Thunder/Heat rivalry could still be a thing of the future, but this year's Thunder team is a prime example of how hard it is to advance to the Finals if you can't remain healthy.

We're going to have to wait another year to see if the Heat/Thunder storyline continues, but right now the Indiana Pacers could step into that role nicely.

It's still in the early stages, but the promise of an intense playoff rivalry between these two is strong. The components for a good rivalry (consistency, competitiveness and drama) are all present, so far, and the next few chapters, starting with game one of the Eastern Conference Finals Wednesday, will show how strong this rivalry can be. Obviously the future of this matchup is up to chance, but the foundation has been laid nicely.

Consistency
It has hardly become a reoccurring theme, but the Heat and Pacers have now met in the past two playoffs, last year facing off in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The stakes are larger this time with a ticket to the finals on the line, and with Miami the sure favorite to advance and win the title for the second consecutive year. Miami doesn't look to be going away soon and Indiana keeps improving, so it's hard to totally discount that the two will meet again in the next few years.

Competitiveness
Remember last year when the national media screamed, "What is wrong with the Heat?" as Miami was being questioned and LeBron was looking to fail again? That was because of the Indiana Pacers. After the Heat won game one of the series, the Pacers won games two and three, with the second win coming by 19 points. The proverbial sky was falling in Miami. Miami went on to win the series 4-2, but don't think the Heat left that series feeling great about themselves. The Pacers got in their heads and forced Miami to respond. If nothing else, the Pacers proved they could compete with the mighty Heat, and players like Roy Hibbert and Paul George have only gotten better in the past 12 months. If this year's series goes six or seven games, the Pacers will be a popular pick to contend with Miami in the future.

Drama
A great rivalry is built on on-court competitiveness and off-the-court distaste. The Pacers and Heat are off to a good start in the distaste portion. Last year it was Indiana coach Frank Vogel being fined $15,000 for calling the Heat the "biggest flopping team in the NBA." This year Vogel is getting under the Heat's skin again, now saying Miami is "just the next team" in the way of Indiana winning a title. You can imagine the reaction of the Heat players, who consider themselves much more than that. Their destiny is "Not one, not two, not three..." and LeBron James has made that clear. Whether intentional or not, the Pacers are trying to get into the Heat's heads and build a level of anger that could do great things for this rivalry. The Heat want to prove they are special while the Pacers are the underdogs doing everything they can to show Miami is not. Seeing which one is right is what will make this series exciting.

This is Indiana's rivalry for the taking. The Boston Celtics team as we know it is coming to an end and until Derrick Rose comes back and shows the same productivity, the Pacers could be the best shot to end the Heat's season early and gaining a new rival in the process.

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New NBA Culture Affects The Game's Rivalries

Is the passion and intensity of NBA Rivalries like Larry Bird vs. Magic Johnson fading? (nesn.com)

Everyone loves a rivalry. Red Sox vs. Yankees, Lakers vs. Celtics, and Duke vs. North Carolina are a few of the more recognized matches we as fans look forward to each year because of the added disdain each team has for the other.

Tensions between these teams have a tendency to rise and boil over, which makes the ultimate goal of victory mean that much more and taste that much sweeter to a team. Who doesn’t have a story with siblings or friends that you hold over them and constantly retell, just to make sure they remember that one time you were the best? And how much do you hate it when you’re the one on the short end of the stick? Take those feelings and desires to never to be on the losing side of backyard bragging rights, and multiply it by infinity. Then you might begin to have an understanding of what rivalries mean to collegiate and professional athletes.

We’ve heard about the killer instinct. Magic Johnson had it. Larry Bird had it. Michael Jordan had it. It was a necessity to be great in the NBA. A requirement. A prerequisite. A burning desire to be better than the guy next to you that ran so deep, you were in the gym long after the janitors had finished their rounds. Once they stepped on the court, they knew they were better than you, and they made sure you knew it.

That’s how it used to be. Anymore, though, we as fans and media see less and less of it. Kobe Bryant is the most notable active player that media and fans would say has that instinct. But outside of him, who else is there? You could make arguments for few players like Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, or Dwayne Wade, but they would all be met with contention and dispute. Even the league’s nearly unanimous MVP, LeBron James, was referred to as a choke artist and not having the desire to take the big shots until he finally won the title. The attitudes players have toward the game have definitely changed and it has created a very different atmosphere on an NBA court.

There has been a movement away from trash talk and wanting to own the spotlight, and a movement toward keeping verbal exchanges clean on the court, and creating “dream teams” during the regular season. This is not to say that teams of old didn’t have multiple talented players on the court at one point. Just look at the Lakers and Celtics teams form the 60s, 70s and 80s. Even more recently, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen with the Bulls, Stockton and Malone with the Jazz and Kobe and Shaq with the Lakers were all dynamic duos that needed each other to win titles.

Now, with the explosion of free agency, players are looking to team up in pursuit of the ever-elusive ring. The Celtics started it when they went out and acquired Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett to go alongside Paul Pierce. Then the Heat dominated the headlines by bringing in arguably the most gifted player to ever grace the court in LeBron to go along with Dwayne Wade, as well as Chris Bosh. Even before those moves, the Lakers brought in Paul Gasol to fill the void in the post left by Shaq and to take some pressure of Kobe, and then this past offseason brought in Dwight Howard as well.

While it is certainly entertaining to see such prominent names play alongside one another, something is lost in sports when players decide they no longer want to be solo in the spotlight and team up: the rivalry. Players are now best friends on the court, as well as off it, rather than being bitter adversaries during a game. Even the Olympics has contributed to this new movement in the NBA, where players like Kobe, LeBron, Carmelo Anthony and many other All-Stars spend their time as friends and teammates, rather than competitors and rivals. And while some of the greats like Jordan, Magic, and Bird played together in search of a gold medal, they didn’t have the added element of having “dream teams” once they were back on an NBA court. It was back to the rivalries, the trash talk, and the desire to beat their fellow man and make sure they remembered it. That element is slowly fading away with today’s current players.

While, as before mentioned, Kobe is one of the remaining players in the league who most fans and media would say has the killer instinct, he may also provide one of the better examples of a player expressing the desire of teaming up with another superstar, as opposed to wanting to own the spotlight and push anyone wanting to share it back into the shadows. In an article written by ESPN’s Jackie MacMullin back in February, Kobe says if the Celtics didn’t want Rajon Rondo to, “send him my (his) way,” and that he, “loves that kid…he’s one of my favorites.”

Think about that for a moment: a Laker expressing his desire to team up with a Celtic. Is there a fan out there who can see Bill Russell teaming up with Jerry West? Or Magic teaming up with Bird? If you happen to be that fan, I imagine you are the only one. Those players wanted to be the best in the world, and to be the best they had to beat the best. While sportsmanship is very important, the decline of trash talk and the killer instinct is leaving the NBA with less and less rivalries and with more and more players wanting to create the next powerhouse in the league with their buddies.

Let’s just hope it doesn’t go too far, or rivalries may soon not have nearly the importance they once did.


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LeBron James Wins Fourth MVP Award, Joining Elite Company

LeBron James won his fourth NBA MVP award in five years. (nydailynews.com)

The hype started in high school. The criticism started once he reached the NBA and has followed him every year since, because that's what hype from a young age brings.

But LeBron James built up more firepower to fight the critics Sunday when he was named the 2012-13 NBA MVP, the fourth of his nine-year career. James received 120 out of 121 first-place votes.

Only James and a handful of players, four others to be exact, have won four MVP awards. That's impressive. But James has won those four awards in the past five years, which is unheard of.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who leads everyone with six MVP awards, Michael Jordan, five, Bill Russell, five, and Wilt Chamberlain, four, are the only other players on the exclusive list to win the award four or more times. While every player above is known for their scoring ability, you must be a complete player to win this honor. Sure, if LeBron wants to score, very few can stop him, but his game has evolved into so much more.

James finished fourth in the scoring race at 26.8 points per game, trailing Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant, but he was the most efficient, joining Chris Mullin as the only players to shoot 55 percent from the field and 40 percent from 3-point range in a season. James also tallied eight rebounds,  7.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game, showing he could dominate a game through all facets. This isn't new. He has averaged at least 26 points, six rebounds and six assists every year since his first season in the league.

At the rate James is playing, it's hard to imagine him not winning two more MVP awards to tie Kareem, especially if, at the age of 28, he is able to play another six or seven seasons mostly injury free.

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Hometown Legends in Their Own Right

Ben McLemore guards Trey Burke during the NCAA Tournament. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

Ben McLemore was clearly the best player on the floor for the Kansas for the majority of the Jayhawks' season before it ended in the Sweet 16 to Michigan, the eventual national runner-up revolving around point guard Trey Burke. Both ended up at their respective colleges after options closer to their hometowns fell through, either because they eschewed them (McLemore) or there was not enough playing time available (Burke).

Despite a push from his mother to attend Missouri, McLemore signed with Kansas before the 2011-12 season and was an unseen factor in the program's run-up to playing in the national championship game during what was expected to be a down year. McLemore was able to practice with the team as a partial qualifier, challenging starters to bring their best in empty gyms, not just in front of packed crowds.

In the same high school class was Burke, a native of Columbus, Ohio. Before his Wolverines squad played in the national championship against Louisville on Monday, Burke admitted his adolescent hoop dreams included counting down imagined buzzers while pretending he was an Ohio State player. When it came time to make a college decision, though, the Buckeyes had a starting point guard that perfectly fit their strategy and the defensive identity of the Big Ten in Aaron Craft. Burke's decision was surely spurred along by the fact that, given its roster, Ohio State did not offer him a scholarship, even with Burke's former high school teammate, Jared Sullinger, powering the Buckeyes.

The rest is well-known by now. Burke went to Michigan, adding to the program's resurgence and sweeping the college player of the year awards after leading his team to the national championship game in his sophomore year. Whether or not Ohio State would have been better off with Burke splitting point guard duties with Craft is an argument without a definitive answer, but it wouldn't be Ohio if everything went right in sports, would it?

Burke was never a Buckeye. He didn't transfer to Michigan and never had the opportunity as Ohio State didn't give him chase. LeBron James was Ohio, through and through, until the summer of 2010. He had grown up in Akron, a stone's throw south of Cleveland. When the in-state product declared for the NBA Draft after his senior year of high school, the Cavaliers were coming off a season in which Ricky Davis led the team in scoring (I was surprised, too) and the franchise finished with a 17-65 mark, won the draft lottery and held the top overall pick. James' arrival instantly changed the culture and the buzz around professional basketball in Ohio then spent the next seven years trying to bring an NBA championship to the state that relied on his young success, but reached the Finals only once and could not bring home a banner.

His supporting cast was never grade-A, and the LeBron James of those seven years was still far from being the LeBron James of today. Somewhere through the progressions of James growing frustrated and experiencing playing with other superstars in the Olympics, he thought it best not to sign an extension with the Cavaliers. He strung along the franchise and fans, considering offers from other teams before announcing his chosen team on national television. The Decision was a debacle. Fans burned jerseys, cursed James' name and stood behind Cavs owner Dan Gilbert's comic-sans promise to win an NBA title for Cleveland before James could earn a ring.

That didn't happen, obviously; the opposite events took place as Miami's new Big Three claimed top Eastern Conference honors and played in the Finals directly after uniting, then won a championship while the Cavs toiled near the bottom of the NBA ranks, though not without collecting young talent, including point guard Kyrie Irving. Nearly three years later, the strife seems to have dissipated and there is hype around James' potential return to his home state to don a Cleveland Cavaliers jersey in 2014 after playing out a final season in Miami.

The previous seven paragraphs are filled with old news in a time-driven cycle, but they lead to an old point: the influence of a hometown in sports is a powerful thing. Whether it is nostalgic magnetism that leads to a triumphant return for LeBron in Cleveland or a renewed disgust of the Cavaliers' fan base after a second scorning next summer; whether McLemore spent his sole year playing college basketball at the right school in choosing a blue-blood powerhouse known for producing pros instead of the one under two hours away from his St. Louis roots; these are personal decisions, but in all these situations, there must be an inkling of what Burke felt. Shunned by the school whose players he grew up idolizing, Burke became a certified star on the NCAA level at Ohio State's fiercest rival. He wore gold and navy, but even before the biggest game of his life to that point, Burke was fondly ruminating on those backyard memories of non-existent crowds roaring as he launched a final shot with a game on the line, clad in grey and scarlet during his daydream.

More often than not, athletes do not get the chance to compete for the pride of their land, that place they grew up. For every Larry Bird at Indiana State, there are a dozen Dorian Green's playing at Colorado State instead of in his backyard Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas. Burke and McLemore are the rule, not the exception. Deron Williams opted to stay with the Brooklyn Nets instead of playing with the Dallas Mavericks, a franchise near his home. But every once in a while, there is a LeBron James who has it both ways; who knows what it is to play at home and away in a sense that most athletes will never understand. Even rarer is someone with the opportunity to return home after turning it into a fiery mess not so long ago, and to be received with open arms.

Of the 82 games in the NBA regular season, 41 are played on the road. When players return, they are typically not returning to an environment where they have spent the majority of their lives or anywhere near such a place. Coming back to a familiar place is comforting for the average person without the scrutiny of innumerable pundits, onlookers and hangers-on carried by professional and, to an extent, collegiate athletes. Loved or hated, hometowns hold a special draw. They all have specifically tailored legends, tall tales and folk heroes. Athletes often get to be all three, but to build such a reputation while performing exactly where you have sown all your seeds? That's truly admirable and, I have to think, exceptionally satisfying.

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The Best Scoring Performances Inside Madison Square Garden

Madison Square Garden (via Wiki Commons)

On Wednesday night Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors set his career high at 54 points. This latest high scoring performance is just the latest in a long string of scoring outbursts inside Madison Square Garden.

There is nothing like it in the basketball world. Playing in the biggest city in America in front of a hostile crowd and knowing what type of players had been there before you. Since 1947, there have been 24 games where 50 or more points have been scored in MSG. “You know, I just enjoy playing here...it’s an electrifying place,” Kobe Bryant said after a game in the historic arena.

• Of those 24 games, Wilt Chamberlain had six of them. The most remarkable having been on November 16th, 1962. Chamberlain scored 73 points while hitting 15 of 19 free throws. That game set a record for most points scored in a game until Chamberlain broke it a few months later on March 2, 1962 with 100 points.

• The second highest scoring output by an individual at Madison Square Garden was done by Elgin Baylor of the Los Angeles Lakers when he scored 71 points on November 15th, 1960. Baylor would go on to average 35 points that season along with 20 rebounds and four assists.

• Kobe Bryant scored 61 points on February 2, 2009. His efficient game included 61% shooting, 20-20 on free throws, and 3-3 shooting on 3-pointers.

• Bernard King went for 50 points three times in the same season. The first game on November 24th, 1984. King scored 52 points, grabbed seven boards, and dished seven assists. On Christmas Day, he set the record for points scored by a Knick inside MSG with 60. He went 19-30 from the field and 22-26 from the free throw line in a loss to the Nets. His last came on February 16th, 1985 with a 55-point explosion.

• Rick Barry of the San Francisco Warriors scored 57 points in a loss to the Knicks on December 14th, 1965. Barry shot 18-29 and had 15 rebounds. He got to the line 22 times and only missed once. The high scoring game ended at 144-137.

• Richie Guerin was the first player in the NBA to break 50 inside the arena. On December 11th, 1959 Guerin scored 57 points on extremely efficient 18 for 21 shooting. He took 26 free throws and made 21 of them. Just three years later, Guerin scored 51 points in a win against Boston.

• Michael Jordan scored 50 on November 1st, 1986. He made 15 of 31 shots and 20 of 22 free throws. On March 28th, 1995 he scored 55 points on 21 for 37 shooting. He shot 11 free throws and made 10. He also made three of his four attempts from the 3-point line.

• Stephen Curry, the newest member of this elite group, scored 54 points on February 27th, 2013. He also notched six rebounds and seven assists while shooting 18 for 28 overall and 11 for 13 from beyond the arc.

Stephen Curry shot chart (via NBA.com/Stats)

• LeBron James has scored 50 points or more in MSG twice in his career. The first on March 5th, 2008. His 50 points, eight rebounds, and 10 assists led to a 119-105 over the Knicks. The second on February 9th, 2009. His well-rounded game ended with 52 points, nine rebounds, and 11 assists.

• Jamal Crawford had 52 points on January 26th, 2007. He only shot four free throws but hit eight of 10 from 3-point range.

• During a triple overtime game, Richard Hamilton scored 51 on 19 for 37 shooting.

• On March 24th, 1990 Patrick Ewing had a legendary game with 51 points and 18 rebounds on 20 for 29 shooting. The Knicks lost to the Celtics 115-110. His second 50 point game at the garden was on December 1st, 1990. He scored 50 on 22 for 31 shooting and grabbed 15 rebounds. The Knicks beat Charlotte 113-96.

• Allan Houston scored 50 on March 16th, 2003. He went 15 for 25 and hit 18 of his 18 free throws.

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Friday Roundtable: Who Should Be The NBA Midseason MVP?

Our roundtable panel discusses if LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony or Kevin Durant would be our midseason NBA MVP. (sportsnet.ca)

BDD's Friday Roundtable is a weekly discussion among three of our writers on a trending NBA or college basketball topic.

This week's question: Who would be the NBA midseason MVP?

Kyle Davis: 
Nike's ad campaign tries to convince you that Kevin Durant is not nice, but his game sure is. This is really a three-horse race between Durant, Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James, but I think Durant is the close winner, and if I had a ballot, that would be my order. Durant has really evolved from being a pure shooter to a complete scorer. His post game has improved, he is great in transition and he is the best shooter out of the three. Durant is also continuing to improve in all other aspects of his game as well. His numbers this year are higher than his career numbers in rebounding, assists, blocks, steals, field goal percentage and 3-point percentage. Not bad. And remember, he's only 24 years old. These numbers could get even better.

James is still the most complete player in the game and Anthony probably would have been my pick after the first month of the season, but has battled injuries that are keeping him out of games. Neither player has been able to get their team to where the Thunder are right now, which always plays a factor in MVP voting (which is why Kobe Byrant is not in this conversation, and the fact he's needing too many shots to get his points). The Thunder look to be on a clear path back to the NBA Finals with Durant scorching opponents along the way. 
 
Alex Skov:
Kevin Durant, already an All-Star and scoring champion, has taken his play to new levels since the Oklahoma City Thunder traded their vaunted sixth-man to Houston. Carmelo Anthony, too, has put together impressive an impressive case for himself with his usual array of offensive weapons (he's second in points per game at 29.3, fifth in total points with 878) and by finally improving the other aspects of his game (his new willingness to pass and play defense have helped him get to fourth in the league in Player Efficiency Rating). Even Chris Paul is worth of candidacy for midseason MVP, having turned the Los Angeles Clippers into a freight train, but he plays relatively few minutes each night (he's outside the top 20 in mpg) and LA's excellent bench makes his impact less apparent when he leaves the floor.

LeBron James is more important to his team than all of those stars and he's still playing at a level competitive to or exceeding them. He's doing it playing the third fewest nightly minutes of his career, too. Miami's Big Three is not Dwyane Wade, a Mega-Pippen and Chris Bosh. It's not even James and two Pippen-type sidekicks. The Big Three is LeBron; an aging and, because of nagging injuries and a loss of explosiveness, often ineffective Wade; and an inconsistent Bosh playing center.

With the weight of three big contracts on his shoulders, James is ranked 10th in assists, 13th in defensive rebounds and tenth in field goal percentage, the latter being a category where Durant barely cracks the top 20 and Anthony is not in the field. Though James may be trailing Durant in other statistical fields (points, Win Shares, Win Shares per 48 minutes), he is the league leader in PER. Part of reason Miami is viewed as "struggling" with a 26-12 record is because of the big names on its roster and the intense speculation that LeBron draws, but he is also the reason this isn't a just-over-.500 team right now.

Shawn Deegan:
My midseason MVP has to go to Kevin Durant. Despite moving James Harden this past offseason, the Thunder have improved again this season, boasting the best record in the NBA. This is in no small part due to Durant’s performance this season. Durant is shooting a blistering 52 percent from the floor so far this year and is again in the top three in points scored per game with nearly 29. He also has raised his game from behind the arc, hitting 40 percent of his shots from downtown, his best since his sophomore season. He has a career high in assists per game and is still rebounding very well. I seriously considered picking Lebron James or Carmelo Anthony. ‘Melo is having a career year, and Lebron is as good as he’s ever been. However, neither has been able to propel his team to where Durant has the young Thunder squad. Durant has been a leader for the Thunder since before the team ever moved to Oklahoma City and it’s showing up this season more than ever. All these components are why Durant is my pick for midseason MVP.


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Anderson Varejao Deserves To Be An All-Star

Anderson Varejao has morphed from a role player into a player deserving of an All-Star nod. (nba.si.com)

When people think of Anderson Varejao, their minds may wander back to the days when LeBron James donned a Cleveland Cavaliers jersey. 

LeBron was the focal point of an otherwise talent-deprived Cavs squad, and Varejao’s responsibilities were limited to that of mop-up man, rebounder or scrapper. In other words, Varejao was a role player. A valuable piece to the puzzle, but not one of the main pieces. Now that LeBron has been gone for a couple of years, Cleveland is desperate for another star that can bring the Cavs back to the forefront of the NBA. The team drafted talented point guard Kyrie Irving two years ago, who has begun to become one of the better guards in the league, averaging just a shade less than 24 points and six assists per game. The team is young, in a small market, and with the emergence of Irving, these elements again put Varejao in the background. This time, however, he doesn’t belong there at all. This time, he belongs with the All-Stars.

I might ask you to set aside your previous impressions of Anderson Varejao, but that would be a disservice to him. All the old elements and style of play are still there. He’s still a scrapper, rebounder and, in some regards, a mop-up man. The difference is Varejao is putting up better statistics than he has ever before in his nine-year career. He’s averaging a line of 14 points, 14.4 rebounds (that .4 is important. Trust me. I’ll show you why later), and 3.4 assists (the .4 is admittedly less important here). He’s been efficient in his scoring, both from the floor and the free-throw line. Varejao’s shooting barely less than 48 percent from the field and more than 75 percent from the foul line this season.

Let’s start with Varejao’s points per game. Varejao’s career average sits around seven-and-a-half points per game. However, this season, he has raised his level of play and is putting in 14 ppg this season. It’s only the second time in his career that Varejao has averaged double digits in points. The last time was just last season, where he scored 10 ppg. While he probably won’t take Dwight Howard to school off the low block, Varejao’s rise in points is a huge deal and not to be taken lightly. It takes pressure off the other young players on the team to score, like Tyler Zeller, Tristan Thompson or Dion Waiters, and allows them to take on more of a third-option role behind Irving and Varejao. His scoring is significant in that he is still efficient from the field, even though his opportunities have gone up this year. He’s averaging three more shots this season than the next highest total in his career, and is still floating right around the 50 percent mark.

Next, while he has had the reputation of a rebounder for his whole career, Varejao is pulling down more boards than ever before. In fact, he’s pulling down more rebounds than anyone else in the league this season. Varejao is averaging 14.4 rebounds per game, .4 more than the man behind him, Kevin Love (I told you the .4 was important). The evidence that Varejao hasn’t lost any of the scrapper in him from his earlier years is that, out of the 14 rebounds he pulls down in a game, more than five of them come on the offensive end. This can account for some of his scoring numbers going up this year, but it also shows he’s giving his team second-chance opportunities throughout a game. It’s also more than any other player in the NBA. Varejao has been better than rebounding studs such as Love, Howard, Zach Randolph and Joakim Noah.

When you look at it, there’s just no reason for Varejao not to be an All-Star. His statistics are comparable with any other post in the league, and he’s been an efficient player who values and takes care of the ball while getting his teammates involved. He’s also come a long way to get to this point, now in his ninth season, and deserves to be rewarded for his hard work. 

However, with a recent knee injury putting him on the sideline, and his reputation as a role player before this season, Varejao probably won’t get the nod. This is unfortunate and a mistake. First of all, he deserves it; plain and simple. Second, if you’re worried about him taking the honor away from a more deserving player, he won’t take the floor again until March, so put that concern to rest (even though I don’t feel there are many that are more deserving). Finally, why not just reward the guy for the work he’s put in to get here? Fathers everywhere will be able to watch the game with their kids, point to Varejao and say, “See him? That guy wasn’t the best on the floor. He got pushed to the back. But he worked hard and now, he’s an All-Star. If you work hard, someday you can be there, too.” Why not support a dream? Do what’s right. Put Varejao in.

Lord knows, he’s earned it.


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