Top 10 MVP Candidates Week 1: Giving Thanks

Lebron is off to a quick start. But remember, he was off to a fast start last season and didn't bring home any hardware to show for it.

Weekly MVP Rankings 1st Edition

Were a little over a month into the season and just days removed from Thanksgiving – and it seems like everyone is already done giving thanks. Why stop when there is so much to be thankful for?

I give thanks everyday for family and friends, the opportunity to continue my education and the fact that I’m not an Oklahoma City Thunder fan (or a Detroit Lions fan, yikes!). I’m definitely giving thanks to the wonderful job that Kobe Bryant and the Lakers have done and to LeBron James (yes, Lebron James) for his endless highlights this season.

I continue to give thanks to the Portland Trailblazers for the few times that I’ve gotten to see Rudy Fernandez and Sergio Rodriguez on the floor together. Is there a more exciting Spaniard in sports outside of Rafael Nadal? Absolutely not, and that is why I give thanks.

I give thanks to Michael Curry for holding a practice on Thanksgiving morning, supplying the basketball world with another shipment of what already seemed like an endless supply of Allen Iverson “practice” jokes. Not a game, not a game, not a game. We’re talking about Thanksgiving practice.

I have to give thanks to guys like Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, Baron Davis, Jose Calderon, Devin Harris, Derrick Rose, Chauncey Billups and Ramon Sessons (!) for giving us one of the deepest collections of pure point guards since the mid 90s. It’s been amazing watching all of these guys, especially Rose, who has been as good as any rookie point guard I’ve seen in a while, during the course of this first month of NBA basketball.

I’m definitely still giving thanks for signing up for Khlid El Amin’s mailing list so I can get coupons to the El Amin Fish House out in Minnesota. I swear, when I get the time I’m going to get out of California and get to that fish house so I can get the Special #7 – 50 catfish steaks for $64.99. You just can’t beat that.

I give thanks for my seven-month old nephew who cried when Celtics highlights were being shown on Sports Center and when a Boys II Men song was played. Not that I have anything against Boys II Men, I just think it’s hilarious that he has something against them – but best believe that I can’t stand the Celtics.

I give thanks for Dwyane Wade’s return as one of the leagues elite, for Dwight Howard being a man and for Tracy McGrady exclaiming, “Welcome to Houston, BABY!” in one of those Addidas Brother hood commercials, it gets me every time.

(Side note: McGrady and Tim Duncan pick teams between the kids for what I’m assuming is going to be a pick up game and T-Mac says, “My team’s going to win and if you’re not on my team you’re going to wish you’re on my team.” Every time I watch that commercial I think, “there’s no way a McGrady led team is going to beat a Timmy led team.” I’m right, right. I mean, I don’t know if anyone else has noticed, but McGrady is looking ridiculously old. He isn’t the guy he was three years ago. Injuries have ruined his career, and I wouldn’t be surprised, even with Ron Artest and a healthy Yao Ming, if the Rockets still couldn’t make it out of the first round of the playoffs. His window is closing very fast, and could be closed by the time his contract expires after the 2010 season. There will be a lot of stars on the market that off season, and so will McGrady. By 2010, he will not be a superstar anymore. In fact, I feel like I can argue that he isn’t a superstar now, but I digress).

Last but not least, I give thanks just because I have basketball. I don’t have a lot of things in life that I’d like to have, but I have what I want right now, and it’s basketball. I could fail my History final (which I might have done), I might not remember the last time I got a full night’s worth of sleep and my relationships with some friends may have faltered during the course of this last year, yet, none of that matters, at least not right now because it’s basketball season (and the new Kanye West album just dropped). I’m definitely thankful for that.

Without further ado, here are your 2009 MVP candidates after one month:

1. Lebron James (12-3) 27.9ppg 7.2rpg 6.3apg
Just because I gave thanks to James and have him at the top of this list don’t get the idea that I’m becoming a fan of his. His jump shot is still abysmal (24.6 3P%) and I’m still waiting for him to completely take over the league by developing a post game. However, James has been great this season. The Cavaliers have the second best record in the Eastern Conference and have the third best record in the league – and that credit is not going to Mo Williams. James has been nothing short of spectacular this season and has the funniest shoe commercial out right now.

2. Kobe Bryant (12-1) 23.7ppg 5.0rpg 1.77spg
Kobe definitely isn’t second in the MVP voting because of his statistics. For almost anyone else in the league these would be great numbers, but this is a down season for Bryant, but you can’t argue with the results, a 12-1 record. The Lakers only loss this season came on the only night Bryant took over 30 shots, this is something you might want to monitor. Another thing you should definitely monitor is the number of unnecessary no-look passes (UNLPs) Bryant throws. My friend Davion pointed this out to me a few weeks ago and now I can’t watch a Lakers game without keeping track of his UNLPs. There have been countless times this season when it was strikingly obvious who Kobe was throwing his pass to, yet, he still looked the other way – but the worst part is he always looks the other way after the pass. Can we please get Kobe to stop trying to look cool can continue to play as one of the most fundamentally sound guards of all time? Thanks.

3. Dwight Howard (12-4) 21.2ppg 13.5rpg 3.9bpg
Dwight Howard has six games with at least 20 points and 15 rebounds – and I’m disappointed in this. Howard is A MAN (!), I don’t see why he couldn’t have 20 and 15 at the very least every other night. Outside of his lack of a killer instinct, I’ve loved watching the development of Howard’s game. I mean, just think of what he would be if he got angry every once in a while, it would be scary. I remember at one point in The Incredible Hulk when Tim Roth’s character, before he became the Abomination, was fighting the Hulk and asked him, “Is that all you got?” Immediately after asking the question the Hulk kicked the hell out of him and Roth went flying into a tree. I loved that. Why can’t Howard get that pissed and start kicking people – or at least dunking on them and yelling in their face and blocking their shots into the 47th row of arenas and pulling down rebounds with his elbows out? It has to happen at some point.

4. Chris Paul (9-5) 20.6ppg 12.0apg 52.4 FG%
The only reason Chris Paul isn’t higher on this list is because of the Hornets unexpected slow start. Despite starting off the season with seven straight games with at least 20 points and 10 assists, the Hornets were only able to manage to win four games, just imagine what their record would have been if he wasn’t playing out of his mind. Since the Hornets embarrassing loss to Sacramento, they have won four straight with Paul logging two triple doubles during that span. Also, his 52.4 field goal percentage is outstanding considering he and Tony Parker are the only two guards in the NBA shooting over 50 percent from the field with at least 10 field goal attempts per game. Sometimes I find myself wondering if there has been a better point guard in my basketball watching lifetime (from any season after the 1991-1992 season) and I can’t think of any. Not one.

5. Dwyane Wade (7-8) 27.4ppg 7.5apg 2.53spg
I understand that the Heat’s record is under .500 right now (and they were blown out 106-68 by Portland), but you have to understand what Dwyane Wade has done this season. With a rookie starting at both point guard and power forward, a starting center who is 6’8’’ with shoes on and Shawn Marion’s jump shot, Wade has almost single handedly made the Heat a competitive team while posting some ridiculous numbers. Wade has already had a stretch of four straight 30 point games and a four game stretch with ate least three or more steals. If the Heat had a legitimate center you’d be looking at a team that was three to four games over .500 instead of one under right now. I’m just glad Wade is back and healthy. He’s looked quicker this season that he has at any other point in his career, and that’s just scary.

Rounding out the rest of the Top 10
Tim Duncan
Duncan is the reason the Spurs are still a winning team despite injuries to both Manu Ginobli and Tony Parker. This is going to be a tough team when everyone’s healthy.

Chris Bosh
Bosh is second in scoring and fifth in rebounds. Even with those great numbers, the Raptors are just 7-7.

Paul Pierce
For some reason, he still thinks he’s the best basketball player in the world and for some reason, that’s still beyond me. He’d be higher, but his stats are down in scoring and assists this season – and he wasn’t an MVP last year (don’t forget he plays for the Celtics).

Chauncey Billups
The Nuggets are 9-3 since Billups has joined the team. Even though his numbers have been far from great, why are there still Nuggets fans mad about Iverson being traded?

Amar’e Stoudamire
Stoudamire’s numbers started out great, but he’s only had one multi-rebound game since his 49-point, 10-rebound game on November 5th. He needs to average more than eight boards a game.

Let me know who is too high or too low. Who got left off? Who shouldn't be on the list?

Why I'm obligated to buy Kanye's album

One of the things I love in life almost as much as basketball is hip hop. I’ve been a Nas fan for as long as I can remember (actually since the “I am” album, my stuttering friend Reggie bought the album when it came out and we listened to that shit in my friend Marcus’ room for hours while playing Madden ’99 on Nintendo 64). I remember loving the album cover because I was a fucking nerd (I’m saying was like I’m not anymore, don’t let the past tense fool you, I’m still a fucking nerd), and I thought the Ancient Egyptians were some of the illest people in history and Nas’ King Tut looking album cover made me a fan, yeah, it was that simple back then, but I was only 12.

I also remember around the same time Beanie Sigel dropped “The Truth,” something I normally wouldn’t have paid attention to back then. However, being the nerd that I was, I loved (I can’t emphasize the word LOVED enough) great production because I was in band and just loved the way some instruments can be put together. I remember watching 106 & Park (I was 12 haha) back when AJ and Free were still there and Sigel’s song The Truth from The Truth album debuted at something like 10 or something and I remember that beat being ridiculous. It’s not very often I hear a beat and just instantly start feeling that shit, but that Graham Nash sample with those simple, but effective drums had me bobbin my head with a face looking something like I just tasted some mashed peas. A few weeks later my friend Reggie had the Beanie Sigel album and brought it over Marcus’ house and we played Madden while listening to it.

The first two songs on that album were “The Truth” and “Who Want What.” These two songs were the cause for our second longest debate about hip hop (the first being about who we thought was better between Red Man and Method Man, I’m still not sure who I like more, but I digress). We argued for hours about which beat was better produced. At this time both, no one really knew who the two producers were. One was Just Blaze and the other was Kanye West. Don’t get me wrong, I loved “Who Want What,” but I just thought “The Truth” was one of the coldest beats I’ve ever heard. Later that year Jay-Z released “The Dynasty” and I thought Just Blaze was the best thing to happen to hip hop because of that damn intro (still a top 10 beat to me) and “Streets is Talking.” Kanye was on the album too, but he just produced “This Can’t be Life” and I really can’t listen to that shit.

The next year J-Hova released the Blueprint (I still think the album is overrated, but whatever) and I had to switch back over to Kanye as the best thing to happen to hip hop (as far as producers go, of course) because of “Heart of the City.” “Izzo” and “The Takeover” get a lot of love, but “Heart of the City” is still my favorite beat of all time (I even wrote this article about how I knew the Lakers were going to win Game 3 of the finals because their pre-game montage was shown with the Heart of the City instrumental playing in the background). Since I’ve heard Heart of the City, I’ve been a Kanye West fan – die hard Kanye West fan at that. As far as fandom goes, it’s the Raiders, the Lakers, USC football and basketball, the Giants, Nas, Kanye West, UNC basketball and Lupe Fiasco. Everything else falls somewhere after those.

I remember how I felt when I heard Kanye West was releasing The College Dropout the same way I remember going to see Eddie Jones play at the Great Western Forum for the first time. I remember where I was the first time I heard Through the wire the same way I remember where I was when Jordan drained the game winner over Bryon Russell. I remember getting goose bumps when I heard the “Good Morning” beat the much like the way I got them when Baron Davis bumped on AK47 and sent the game to a commercial break. I remember not knowing what to do with myself when I heard “Diamonds,” (maybe my second favorite beat of all time and the second verse may be the best 32 bars of his career) just like the way I sat there not knowing what to do with myself when Kobe dropped 81 on the Raptors. Kanye is the only artist who has points in his career that I look back and reminisce on the way I do with sports, which is why I was so pissed when I learned that he was releasing an album that was going to be strictly recorded in auto-tune.

You see, much like several god awful sports moments, there are god awful moments in music, and I thought 808s and Heartbreak would be one of those god awful moments in music. I must say that I definitely overreacted when I heard that the album was in auto-tune. I mean, did I overreact when I learned that the Raiders traded Marcus Allen (who was a god to me in elementary school) to the fucking Chiefs? Probably. But did I stop loving the Raiders? Absolutely not. What about when the Lakers got rid of Eddie Jones or when the Giants traded Matt Williams for Jeff fucking Kent (I’ve never hated a baseball player more than I hate Jeff fucking Kent). I still haven’t stopped loving the Lakers and I still haven’t stopped loving the Giants.

So why should I stop loving Kanye’s music? I shouldn’t. There is nothing I hate more than Chingy, and people who lack loyalty is one of those things. I’ve been loyal to Kanye’s music for too long for me to just drop him off because of what I thought was a potentially bad career move. The funniest part about it is his album leaked about a week ago and I still haven’t stopped playing that shit. Hip hop heads will probably hate it, but artistically, it’s an amazing album. It’s definitely completely different from anything anyone has out right now. Even though he’s using that heinous auto-tune affect, it’s not nearly as obnoxious as the way T-Pain uses it. The production is still amazing, he has some good messages, it’s definitely his most personal album and its creativity is on another level (which for him is amazing considering the fact that he’s been one of the most creative men in hip hop over the last decade).

I’m obligated to buy Kanye’s new album the same way I’m obligated to watch the Raiders game tomorrow. I may hate the way the Raiders are playing, but I’ve invested too much of my life into the team that I have to be there through the good and the bad – except this album isn’t bad as much as it is different. I just thought it would be bad. I’ll write an actual review of his album and Ludacris’ new one after my finals next week. Time to study. Yikes.

Ball don't lie

Talkhoops.net was linked to yahoo.com's Ball Don't Lie blog. It's not something completely huge, but the more readers we get the better. We got linked for a picture talkhoops.net editor, Zach Harper, posted on the 8 Second violation (ESV). Readers on the yahoo.com blog can post and come up with their own captioins, you should go through and post your own.

Here is the link for the Ball Don't Lie post on our 8 Second Violation

Here is the actual ESV that was posted.

It's the second time I've had something written posted on the blog and the fifth or sixth time the website has been posted there. It's good recgonition I guess.


NICEEEEE!

Notes on the NBA [pt. 2]

I'm back with another edition of my NBA's observations. You can read this post, along with the rest of talkhoops.net's Eight Second Violation here.

This edition of my observations I get into the Atlanta Hawks. Also, my cousin asked me my thoughts on the Lakers and NBA.com moving Lebron James up six spots in the MVP voting, so I'll share my thoughts on that here too.



Atlanta Hawks
After an impressive first round loss to the Celtics in last season’s playoffs, many wondered if the Atlanta Hawks were going to be able to come back this season as a legitimate threat in the Eastern Conference. After seven games, the Hawks have answered those questons going 6-1 with their one loss coming from a last second shot dropping from the NBA Final’s MVP (I just threw up realizing that Paul Pierce has a Finals MVP), with Al Horford in early foul trouble and without Josh Smith. How have they been doing it?

The Hawks have been winning by playing defense. The Hawks have the league’s fifth best scoring defense allowing just 91.4 points per game. The Hawks didn’t allow any team to break the century mark against them until Smith went down with an injury and only allowed one team (Toronto) to break 90 before Smith’s injury. What’s been most impressive about the Hawks is they’ve played extremely well on the road. Before Smith’s injury, they were only giving up 83 points per game on the road, which included trips to Orlando (85) and to New Orleans (79).

Their athleticism has translated into a legion of versatile defenders. Unlike most teams, the Hawks are able to switch on the majority of screens set by their opposition, which has really given opposing offenses fits. Guys like Joe Johnson, Josh Smith and Marvin Williams are able to guard multiple positions and have been able to reduce the number of open looks teams would normally have off of pick and rolls. If veterans like Mike Bibby, Johnson and Ronald Murray can keep the youngsters in line and if they can stay healthy, this could be a very dangerous team in the East.

Not expected: I just spent the previous two paragraphs talking about Atlanta’s defense, but Mike Woodson has seven guys currently averaging double figures. They’re also turning it over at a low rate (just overt 13 per game, seventh in the league) and they have the leagues eighth best assist to turnover ratio (1.57). Also, the Hawks have shown that they won’t have to rely on Joe Johnson to have big numbers or to take over fourth quarters for them to win games. Against Chicago, Johnson was only four for 16 with 17 points, but got 27, 17 and six blocks from Al Horford and nine points from Mike Bibby in the fourth quarter.

Something to consider: Atlanta’s next nine games are against teams that are a combined six games under .500, playing only two teams (Indiana and Cleveland) who currently have winning records. If the Hawks continue to keep their defensive intensity up, they could finish November with a record somewhere between 16-1 and 14-3. I’m not saying that’s how it’s going to play out, but it’s a definite possibility. They’ve been playing as well as anyone in the league outside of the Lakers and the Jazz. This beyond belief considering that some predicted that Mike Woodson would be the first coach fired this season.



Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers have been scary good to start off this season, and in my opinion, they haven't even scratched the surface of how good they can be on the offensive end. There have been several times this year where the Lakers have gone more than three minutes without scoring, with the majority of those times coming when there were at least three starters on the floor. The Lakers' second unit has played brilliant this season and can be directly attributed for at least two of their wins so far.

What I've liked most about the team so far is the fact that their average margin of victory has been something like 18 points per game (I don't feel like looking up the actual number right now lol) and Kobe still hasn't had one of those games where he's "Kobe." I love the fact that he's keeping opposing teams defenses honest while still getting his (just over 24 ppg). Just knowing Kobe can still go off at any time (as we've seen in three separate fourth quarters this season), makes me feel great about where this season is headed.

When the Lakers traded for Trevor Ariza last season I couldn't be more excited, and all of my boys who hate the Lakers couldn't under stand why -- now they do. He's been amazing off the bench for the Lakers, and so has Jordan Farmar (who I think will be the Lakers starting pg either by the end of this season or the beginning of next). Sasha has been streaky, but that was expected and I love the way Phil Jackson's been using Luke Walton. Every time the Lakers go on those 5-7 spurts of one-on-one basketball (like we saw at the end of the third and the beginning of the fourth against the Hornets) he brings in Walton who he knows will move the ball around. Just the fact that Jackson has the personnel to do that makes me smile (lol).

I can't wait for this game against Detroit tonight.



NBA.com's MVP Voting
As far as NBA.com moving LeBron ahead of Kobe in the MVP race (from 7th to 1st is a huge jump) I could really care less at this point. It's the middle of November and Bron was at the top of everyone's list at this point in the season last year. I do think, if he can keep numbers like this all season and the Cavs win 50 games, I think he'll win the MVP as long as the Lakers don't win something like 70 games or CP3 doesn't continue this ridiculous streak of 20 and 10 games. I really like what Joe Johnson has done this season and he could be a major player for the MVP if the Hawks can stay atop the Eastern Conference. Dwyane Wade's numbers this last week have been stupid. I think he might be quicker than he was before the surgery, and that's just scary.

Gone 'Till November... 10th

I'll be making my four day trip covering about 36 percent of California's length. I'll be heading out from Bakersfield to Tulare on Friday to visit my mom and a few friends. From Tulare to Fresno early Sunday morning to catch up with a cousin. Then from Fresno to Turlock after that to meet up with another friend, then from Turlock to Sacramento for the Kings-Warriors game after that.

On Monday morning, I'll be attending Associated Press Sports Editors Conference. I'm pretty excited because I'm going to get to meet Randy Harvey, the Sports Editor of the Los Angeles Times, a newspaper I grew up reading.

Then I'll be back in Bakersfield on Tuesday morning to layout my newspaper more inspired than ever to become one of the nation's top sports journalists. I figure three more years of hard work and I'll be well on my way to where I want to be. Three more years...

The Iverson-Billups Trade

[Note: I started this at 4:30 and just finished it now. It has not been edited in any way, so please, excuse any grammatical errors, spelling errors or any factual mistakes about the game of basketball. Thank You.]


One of the negative aspects about being a college student is the fact that you have ridiculous priorities – essays, newspaper editing, meaningless reading etc. – that you’re forced to put ahead of more important things, like analyzing the recent Pistons-Nuggets trade involving Detroit’s Chauncey Billups and Denver’s Allen Iverson.

Talkhoops.net editor, Zach Harper, wrote this article on the day of the trade on why it was terrible for both sides, and before I really had a chance to think about it (I was editing news stories at the time I heard the news), I pretty much agreed. However, just days after the trade, I have a couple thoughts on why this works for both sides – which will be listed in no particular order. Let’s look at the Pistons’ side of the deal first.

1. Since Chauncey Billups joined the Pistons, ‘Detroit Basketball’ has been the same “go out and play tough on defense and team ball on offense.” We got six years of that, and those who consider themselves true basketball fans who love the game in its purest form had to love every minute of it, I know I did. However, with age becoming a factor (Rasheed Wallace) and the development of their youth (Jason Maxiell and Rodney Stuckey), it can be argued that Joe Dumars is doing the right thing in getting rid of Billups and bringing in Iverson. He brings a change of pace to a core of guys who know how to play together. Instead of not knowing who they’re going to go to at the end of games (Chauncey wore out the nickname “Mr. Bigshot after the 2004 Finals), they now have a proven scorer in Iverson who can close games out.

2. Allen Iverson is in a contract year, and this is important because A) Iverson is 33 and will need to prove that he’s still “The Answer” so he can cash in another huge payday and B) Iverson is being paid over $19 million this season and would he a huge cap relief at the end of this season considering that Billups is just in his second season of a four year contract worth about $46 million. Also, Wallace’s contract also expires at the end of this season, giving Dumars and the Pistons the option to completely make over this team with their young core without completely giving up on this season. Iverson is still the NBA’s toughest competitor and you know he’s going to do his job night in and night out. If he can take the collection of Theo Ratliff, Dikembe Mutombo, Aaron McKie, Eric Snow, Tyrone Hill, George Lynch, Tony Kukoc and Matt Geiger (yes, I did need to name the next eight leading scorers from that team – just for the effect – hell I’ll add in Rodney Buford too) to the NBA Finals, and take a game from a Lakers team who went into the Finals unblemished, it’s safe to say that this Pistons team with Iverson can definitely compete.

Why does this work for the Nuggets? Keep reading.

1. Chauncey Billups has been the leader for the most consistent team in the NBA over the last six years, this cannot be argued. Billups spent six years in Detroit, made six trips to the Eastern Conference Finals, made two trips to the NBA Finals and took the title in 2004 (and yes, I’m still bothered thinking about that season). Unless you’re giving up Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Lebron James, Chris Paul or Deron Williams (I’m only considering parameter players), your team doesn’t get worse by acquiring Billups. In fact, I think that Denver actually gets better with Billups in Iverson’s place. Denver is stacked with guys who can put points on the board (Carmello Anthony, Kenyon Martin, J.R. Smith and Linas Kleiza all averaged double figures last season), but they really haven’t had a guy who could control the pace of the game, especially in the half court set – which happens to be everything that has made Billups’ a great basketball player.

2. Let’s just take a moment and reflect on last year’s post season’s biggest joke: The Nuggets defense. In their four games against the Lakers, Luke Walton averaged over 13 points per game. Luke Walton! Not only that, but they gave up over 114 points per contest in that series. As the old homage goes, defense wins championships, which is why Billups has a ring and no one on the Nuggets does. Instead of two guys who don’t play any defense playing over 78 combined minutes per game, you’ll only have one guy out there who’s allergic to playing both ends of the floor and Billups, one of the leagues best defending point guards. Just his presence on the defensive end could make this a second place team instead of a third place team in the Pacific Northwest.

Who got the better end of the deal? In the short run, it’s definitely the Nuggets. There was a possibility of them not even making the playoffs in the Western Conference this season, but with the addition of Billups, I don’t think there’s anyway they don’t make the post season. Are they title contenders now? Absolutely not, but they are a much better basketball team and George Karl might actually get some sleep not having to worry about how to make the Nuggets a more defensive team with Iverson and Melo logging significant minutes.

However, in the long run, this could potentially be a huge deal for the Pistons considering in the summer of 2010 the likes of Lebron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh become free agents. Dumars will have ample amounts of cap space to lure in one of the big names, but again, you really can’t count out the Pistons this season. Iverson, Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, and Sheed is still a great core, especially when Jason Maxiell, Jarvis Hayes and Rodney Stuckey on the bench. I like the trade for both teams.

Thought's on the trade yourself? Let me know!


Obama '08! I hope you voted!

Two Things

1. Fuck that essay. Glad that shit is over with.
2. Go out and vote tomorrow. I don't care who you vote for as long as he (or she) is not a republican lol.

ps
3. Basketball is back! I'll have thoughts on the Iverson for Chauncy trade either later on tonight or sometime tomorrow.