JR Smith: “I Thought We Were Ahead.”

June 1, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

With the NBA Awards Show rapidly approaching, they’re going to need to add another category; Dumbest Person In The World.

There’s no need to keep you waiting in suspense. JR Smith is going to win by unanimous vote.

Thursday night, JR Smith took dumb, stupid, idiotic, moronic, mindless, senseless, and dense to a whole new level.

Watch….then we’ll talk:

WOW!! Just, wow.

So, let’s start with the game, which is getting completely overshadowed by JR Smith’s mind numbing I.Q. This game was a lot closer than anyone expected. Kevin Love played like a real guy (21 points and 13 rebounds) after being cleared from the concussion protocol hours before tip-off. And LeBron James was, well, LeBron James:

51 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block (in 48 minutes)

Even in defeat (124-114 F/OT), he continues to climb the all-time rankings.

The problem is, LeBron scored 51 points, shot 59.3% from the field, and his team still lost. We can hem and haw over “missed” calls and an overturned charge all day long, but the fact is, the Cleveland LeBrons are staring a 1-0 deficit in the face.

**Okay, let’s hem and haw anyway. LeBron James sacrificed his body to draw an offensive charge on Kevin Durant with 36.4 seconds remaining in regulation. The referees, however, determined they couldn’t determine whether LeBron’s feet were outside the restricted area.

Looks pretty clear to me….

Evidently, the referees have the prerogative to overturn the call, for any reason, under the guise of “we were checking if he was in the restricted area”. While that whole premise is bogus, they got the call right in the end. So, if the result is correct, does it matter how they got there??

AND NOW, without further ado, let’s dissect JR Smith’s (scary) thought process with 4.7 seconds left in regulation. **Clearly, the game was tied at 107.** Watch the replay again, and you’ll notice Smith, just prior to George Hill’s free-throw, has his hands in the air, looking in the direction of his bench, trying to figure out the score. So when he rips down a great rebound, and makes a bee-line toward half court, it’s because HE THINKS THEY’RE WINNING!!!!

HE THINKS HE’S SUCCESSFULLY DRIBBLING OUT THE CLOCK!!!!

You’ll also notice LeBron James absolutely lose his mind. When LeBron realizes Smith is driving a 6th of the way across the country in the WRONG DIRECTION, he vehemently points at the basket, as to say, “go that way idiot!!!!”

Yes, George Hill could have made the free-throw. And no, there’s no guarantee the LeBrons score in the final 4.7 seconds (even if Smith didn’t have that face/ass transplant surgery). And Yes, the LeBrons could have won the game in overtime. But JR Smith didn’t help their cause.

My favorite part was JR Smith’s post-game experience, after having time to collect his “thoughts”:

“No, I knew we were tied,” Smith said. “It’s just, I thought we were going to take a timeout because I got the rebound. And then I looked over at Bron [LeBron James], and he looked like he was trying to call a timeout. So I stopped. And then the game was over.”

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!

While that story is completely fabricated, he did provide the rest of the world, outside of Cleveland, a wildly entertaining moment. Especially for Knicks’ fans. But hey, Knicks’ fans are entitled to a good laugh too….

Is this the biggest blunder in NBA Finals History?? Can the LeBrons possibly bounce back from this??

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Since you LOVE my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. You can also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! NOW GO TELL ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS!!

If 7 Isn’t Your Favorite Number….It Will Be!!

May 24, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

7.

It can mean so many things:

7 days of the week. Lucky 7. The 7 Dwarfs.

But when 7 and Game collide in the same sentence, the world is a better place.

Eastern Conference Finals (NHL style)

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The Washington Capitals and Tampa Bay Lightning spoiled us with a Game 7 Wednesday night. The winner, would face the Las Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Finals. The loser, would get reacquainted with their couch.

It’s not often a game-winning goal is scored just 1:02 into a game. But Alex Ovechkin made sure of it. Check out his one-timed slap shot of beauty here:

Capitals’ goaltender, Braden Holtby, stood on his head for the 2nd consecutive game, posting another shutout, 4-0 (29 saves). The Capitals are heading to their 1st Stanley Cup Finals in 20 years, shedding the “choke artists” label one win at a time. The general public is now guaranteed a brand spankin’ new Stanley Cup Champion, as the Golden Knights continue their historical inaugural season.

The puck drops on the Stanley Cup Finals Monday @ 8:00 P.M. EST on NBC.

Eastern Conference Finals (NBA style)

Celtics-Beat-Cavs-96-83-in-Game-5-Lead-East-Finals-3-2-696x521

Stop me if I sound like a broken record….

LeBron James’ teammates SUCK!!!!

Oh, okay, I’ll stop.

It’s literally LeBron against the Boston Celtics. Now staring a 3-2 deficit in the face, LeBron MUST reach into his bag of tricks and pull out something amazing — again. If LeBron wants to see a Game 7, he’ll need to add to his list of 40-point playoff games.

Now, it’s hard to feel TOO bad for him, as he requested this band of losers:

J.R. Smith, Tristan Thompson, Kevin Love, Larry Nance Jr., Rodney Hood, Jordan Clarkson, and George Hill.

Outside of the occasional Kevin Love sighting, this is a REALLY BAD TEAM. Without LeBron, this is a 25-win team (at best).

The Celtics held serve (96-83), as both teams have done in this series, sending the series back to Cleveland. Last time I checked, you can’t win a basketball game with 83 points. Anyway, LeBron will do what he does, and will gift us another Game 7. And we all know what LeBron does in Game 7s….

Do you still have faith the Cleveland LeBrons will win this series?? If not, explain yourself!!

LeBron James Does His Best Superman Impersonation

April 19, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 5 Comments

One day I’ll be gone.

We always think we have more time, and then, it’s up. Too depressing?

We thought Kareem Abdul-Jabbar would play forever. Magic Johnson. Larry Bird. Michael Jordan. But their time came to an end.

LeBron James will not play forever. His game will decline. And he’ll retire. We have no idea when, but that sad day will come.

So, appreciate me while I’m here, for one day I’ll be gone.

LeBron James

Wednesday night, LeBron James did ‘Superman’ things. Hell, he did Batman, Superman, Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America, and Thor things. 13-0. Through 3 minutes and 31 seconds of the game, the score was LeBron James 13, Indiana Pacers 0. LeBron scored his team’s first 16 points, and finished with 20 points in the first quarter.

LeBron’s final stat-line: 46 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals

Despite LeBron’s Herculean performance, his Cavaliers won by just 3 points; 100-97. His supporting cast is NOT GOOD. Kevin Love is either hobbled or streaky. The Cavaliers’ trade deadline acquisitions, Jordan Clarkson, Rodney Hood, Larry Nance Jr., and George Hill are utter disappointments. And J.R. Smith, well, you know….

All season, I’ve proclaimed LeBron James and the Cavaliers would represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals. While I still believe that, I’m less confident than I was three months ago. This supporting cast isn’t 2007 Cavs bad, but it’s close.

There’s virtually no way to overstate LeBron’s greatness. He’s a transcendent talent who should be appreciated every step of the way. While he contributes to nearly 60% of his team’s total offense, uncertainty is natural.

MJ had Pippen. Magic had Kareem. Wilt had Oscar. And Kobe had Shaq.

When LeBron won his titles, he had Wade, Bosh, and Kyrie. But who does he have now?!

LeBron can’t win an NBA Championship by himself. I mean, he’s only human….

How far can LeBron James take this Cavaliers team?? Post your prediction in the comment section below.

You can now find me on the Radio too. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’ll be on live every Wednesday from 6:10 P.M. – 8:00 P.M EST. I also broadcast every show on Facebook Live via my DaveTalksSports.com Facebook Page: http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. You can also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends!!

LeBron — Is That A Smile In Your Pocket, Or Are You Happy To See Me?!

February 13, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

Tonight’s the night!!

The “new look” Cleveland Cavaliers will finish up a mini-road trip against the Oklahoma City Thunder. This will be their last game before the All-Star break. Catch the action @ 8:00 P.M. EST on TNT. Despite winning 3 straight, this will be a much needed hiatus for a struggling Cavaliers team. Heading into this 3-game winning streak, the Cavaliers were 7-14 in their past 21 games. That’s what they call, not good!!

A tough matchup, in Oklahoma City, will be a good test for newly acquired Cavaliers, Jordan Clarkson, Rodney Hood, Larry Nance Jr., and George Hill. I know everyone’s jumping up and down after Sunday’s blowout victory over the Boston Celtics (121-99), but it takes more than no time at all to adjust to 4 new teammates.

I love how the world pretends the Cavaliers weren’t going to the NBA Finals prior to their roster makeover.

Last time I checked, LeBron James still plays for the Cavaliers. Regardless of his supporting cast, LeBron James plays in the NBA Finals. It’s practically an NBA law. Admittedly, the Cavaliers dug themselves a hole, stuck 5.5 games behind the Celtics, and 6.0 games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference. This means, without an epic comeback over the final 27 games, the Cavaliers will have to win crucial playoff games, on the road, to meet the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals — again.

First of all, do you remember that the Cavaliers weren’t the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference last year?? All the “experts” brainwashed the public, convincing them the Cavaliers couldn’t beat the Celtics without home-court advantage. So much for that….

Second of all, do you realize none of this matters?? Barring catastrophic injuries to at least 2 of the Warriors’ best players, they’re going to win the championship — again!!

After tonight’s loss to the Thunder, yes the honeymoon will be short-lived, we’ll next see LeBron James Sunday night. “Team LeBron”, riddled with injuries, will take on “Team Curry” in an All-Star showdown.

Check back for updates on All-Star Weekend.

Will the Cavaliers play in the NBA Finals this year?? Will the Warriors win back-to-back championships?? Tell me in the comment section below.

BREAKING NEWS: Cavaliers Overhaul Roster

February 8, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

With just over an hour until the NBA trade deadline, the Cleveland Cavaliers made multiple, big, somewhat surprising moves. After only having played 15 games this season with the Cavaliers, Isaiah Thomas has been shipped out of town….

Lakers Get: Isaiah Thomas, Channing Frye, and the Cavaliers’ 2018 1st-round pick

Cavaliers Get: Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Clarkson

Yesterday, Thomas was asked about how he felt playing for the Cavaliers. This question came in reaction to Thomas’ comments earlier in the week:

“That’s been our biggest problem all year, adjusting. Teams are going to make adjustments, and we have to do the same thing too, and we’re not that good at that right now.”

Yesterday’s response:

“I want to play where I’m wanted. I like it here. I’m tired of being traded.”

Apparently, LeBron and company weren’t too fond of Thomas’ original comments. That. Or his inability to play defense. Either one. In Thomas’ defense, he wasn’t afforded a lot of time to adjust to the Cavaliers’ system. Here’s a guy (Thomas), missing the 1st 38 games of the season due to injury, and after just 15 games, is sent packing.

Now, it’ll be a miracle if Thomas can lock down a big contract at the end of the season.

With Thomas and Frye both becoming unrestricted free agents at season’s end, the Lakers have cleared enough salary cap space for 2-max contracts. Did LeBron just mastermind this deal in order to create cap space for himself???? And Paul George too????

The Cavaliers, however, received young talent in Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Clarkson.

The Cavaliers didn’t stop there. Evidently, they’re going for the record for trades at a single deadline.

The Cavaliers are also sending Dwayne Wade back to the Miami Heat for a heavily protected 2nd-round pick.

AND, the Cavaliers are ALSO sending Iman Shumpert to the Sacramento Kings, as well as Jae Crowder and Derrick Rose to the Utah Jazz. In return, the Cavaliers will receive Rodney Hood from the Utah Jazz and George Hill from the Kings.

Take a deep breath, and try to keep up….

The Kings will also receive Joe Johnson from the Jazz.

To recap….

Cavaliers Added: Cavaliers Subtracted:

Larry Nance Jr. Isaiah Thomas

Jordan Clarkson Channing Frye

George Hill Iman Shumpert

Rodney Hood Jae Crowder

Derrick Rose

Dwayne Wade

The Cavaliers tax bill will jump to $50 million with the acquisitions of Hood and Hill. Without a commitment from LeBron James beyond this season, this seems silly. They must think these moves gives them a shot against the Golden State Warriors. They would be wrong.

Once your head stops spinning, check back for more updates on the wild, 2018 NBA Trade Deadline….

What do you think of these trades?? Tell me in the comment section below.

I Think I Left My Clutch Gene At Home Today

May 25, 2013May 25, 2013 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

When your team wins you get all the accolades, and when your team loses you get all the blame. Thats how it works in superstar land. Today, Lebron James is shouldering 100% of the blame for Friday night’s loss. It was an enormous loss for James and the Heat as the Indiana Pacers secured home court advantage in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Pacers will travel back home with their confidence at an all time high after coming within inches of stealing both games in Miami. The biggest question after their heartbreaking Game 1 loss was how would they respond? Well I think we all found the answer to that question. The Pacers stayed true to themselves and they continued to highlight their strengths on the floor. They stayed physical with Miami, they used their length and size on the defensive end, and most importantly they utilized Roy Hibbert early and often. In turn he responded with another career game in these playoffs. He put in 29 huge points while grabbing 10 rebounds. While Hibbert was a big part of their victory, the Pacers showed that you don’t need to rely on one superstar to win. The Pacers starters all scored in double figures and their bench only contributed 5 points. This shows you how balanced they are, and that they all subscribe to the “team” concept. At the same time I must not overlook Paul George’s effort last night. He is truly solidifying his ranking as one of the best all around players in the NBA. He has the daunting task of guarding Lebron James, and at the same time is being asked to contribute 20+ points every night. Yes, Lebron’s stat line was godly (as it always is), but when it mattered most what did “king” James do? To find out you gotta keep reading…

With the game on the line, Lebron committed two consecutive turnovers!! Ouch!! This was not one of his brighter moments. The first turnover was really bad. Let me set the scene for you: George Hill had just knocked down two clutch free throws to put the Pacers up 95-93 with 48 seconds left. As Lebron brought the ball up he attempted to lob a pass over David West across the top of the key. Instead West stuck his arms up as if he were a cornerback who didn’t turn back to play the ball and stole the ball. The Pacers went on to turn the ball right back over on a shot clock violation. So despite the Pacers trying their darnedest to give another game away, Lebron just wanted to not win it even more. He got the ball just inside half court with the clock running down. Everyone was holding their collective breaths wondering if Lebron could pull some more heroics out of his you know where, but NOPE. He drove the lane and attempted to swing the ball outside, but the pass was intercepted by George Hill. Hill calmly walked down the floor and knocked in two more clutch free throws. This put the game nearly out of reach with the Pacers going up by four with 8 seconds to play. Chris Bosh threw up a last effort 3-pointer but it missed and the Pacers held on to win 97-93. Now in just 48 short minutes the momentum has completely shifted and there is a new question to ask today. How will the defending champion Miami Heat respond to losing on their own floor in the playoffs? I, like most, think that the Heat will still win this series, but Indiana is a difficult place to win basketball games. The road to the finals has been slightly tilted uphill for the Miami Heat, and now it is their turn to stare adversity in the face. To see what happens in the next chapter of this story, tune in to TNT on Sunday @ 8:30 p.m.

If you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. Also you can follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

1 Down 2 To Go

May 17, 2013 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

I’m glad I was wrong about the New York Knicks (for game 5 at least). The Knicks handled their business by beating the Indiana Pacers by a score of 85-75 Thursday night, at Madison Square Garden. They stared elimination in the face and came out on top with a solid team effort. Now, they will travel back to Indiana for game 6 where they’ll look to extend the series to a decisive game 7. In order to do that they will need to duplicate their effort from game 5. And what did they do in game 5 to earn a victory you ask? I’ll tell you, just calm yourself please.

There were multiple reasons that contributed to the Knicks win Thursday night, but one sticks out above all the rest. And that reason is……Ah, I’ll give you a hint: What wins championships? Ah yes, Defense. The Knicks swarming team defense remains the most important aspect of this series. And last night the Knicks showed the energy required to hold the Pacers to 75 points, and to force 19 turnovers. Those are the numbers they’ll need to see night in and night out if they are going to win this series. The Pacers are inept offensively to begin with so this shouldn’t be too difficult. Plus, George Hill will most likely not play in game 6 due to the concussion he suffered in game 4. The NBA has strict policies when it comes to concussions, and it seems that the process of getting Hill back on the floor could take at least a week. As for the Knicks offense (which has seemed rather inept itself as of late), they showed a balanced attack that found 4 players in double figures. It wasn’t so much the scoring that was so key (considering they only scored 85 points themselves), it was the fact that more than Carmelo Anthony was taking and hitting shots. Raymond Felton hit some timely jump shots, and he also remembered that he is allowed to drive into the paint and force the defense to make quick decisions. J.R. Smith decided to hit a couple of shots as well (which was really nice of him don’t ya think? Thanks J.R.), but he still needs to play better. He needs to take the ball to the basket, period. It was also the fact that Jason Kidd and Amar’e Stoudemire were left on the bench while Pablo Prigioni and Chris Copeland actually saw some playing time. Playing Prigioni is smart because he is truly a team player. He is a pass first point guard who can also hit an open shot when asked. More importantly he infuses the kind of energy that I’d love to see from everyone on the roster. Playing Copeland stretches the floor in a good way because he’s big and he can shoot the three ball. Coach Mike Woodson tried going big in game 4 and that backfired because Kenyon Martin is useless offensively unless he’s catching a pass off of a high pick and roll going toward the basket. Woodson needs to stick with what works for game 6, and implore his team to give it their all. If they do that and show the kind of urgency necessary for another elimination game, than they just might force a game 7.

I’m not going to lie to you; I thought I was watching a team that was going to throw in the towel last night. After their game 4 performance, the lifelong Knicks fan part of me said, “hey I’ve seen this before; they are going to give up now”. But, to their credit, they didn’t. They fought through game 5, and I think they are capable of fighting through game 6. I am still skeptical of the Knicks though, seeing as they haven’t strung 2 solid performances together in about 14 years. Plus, don’t forget game 6 will be played in Indiana. However, I believe the absence of George Hill and the pressure that is mounting in the Pacers heads will prove to be too much or them to overcome. This will be no easy feat for the Knicks, but I think they can pull out a gritty win on the road and force game 7 back home. Tune in to ESPN on Saturday night @ 8:00 P.M. to watch the Knicks and Pacers battle it out in game 6. 89-87, Knicks.

Mid-Season NBA Awards

February 12, 2013February 12, 2013 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 3 Comments

It’s that time of year again. We’ve played about 50 games so far, and it’s time to gear up for the All-Star Game. It is also time to dish out some mid-season awards. The awards to be given out are MVP, Sixth man of the Year, Defensive Player of the year, Most Improved Player, Coach of the Year, and Rookie of the Year. Some of these races have clear cut winners at this point in the season, and some are so difficult to differentiate a front-runner that we need to delve further into each category. I am here to clear up any confusion as to what you’ve seen thus far in the 2012-2013 NBA season.

Let’s start with the easiest debate, Rookie of the Year. If the season were to end today, the obvious winner for this award would be Damian Lillard of the Portland Trailblazers. There are some other nice rookies this year(Anthony Davis, Bradley Beal, and Dion Waiters come to mind), but Damian is head and shoulders above everyone else right now. He has started every game this season for the Trailblazers. In those games he is averaging 18.2 points on 42% from the field in 38.5 minutes per game(not to mention he’s shooting an impressive 85% from the charity stripe). That is the easiest award to give out, but the rest are a little tougher. Don’t be scared. Just close your eyes, count to three, and rip off that band-aid.

Let’s move on to Sixth Man of the Year. For me this is a two man race between Jamal Crawford and JR Smith. Both have been instant offense off their teams bench. They have both been an integral part of their teams success this season. As much as I love the Knicks, this award has to go to Jamal Crawford. Not only did he outplay JR this past Sunday in a head to head match up, but he has been the better player all season, barely.

Next let’s talk about Coach of the Year. This is a tough one, so let’s throw all the potential candidates out there and then break them down until this makes sense. The candidates are Mike Woodson, Mark Jackson, Frank Vogel, and Tom Thibodeau. If you read my blog you know I am a die hard Knicks fan, and while Woodson has done a phenomenal job with the team so far, their most recent struggles against good teams might hurt him for now. He did, however, do a great job right from the start of the season. He was motivating Carmelo Anthony, JR Smith, Jason Kidd, and even Rasheed Wallace to maximize their potential out on the floor. He had everyone buying into his concept of team defense and an uptempo offense. It was working perfectly until Amar’e Stoudemire and Iman Shumpert came back from injuries. I believe it will work out in the end for the Knicks, but there is definitely a growing period that the Knicks and Woodson are going through right now. The final chapter for the Knicks will determine whether Woodson is the Coach of the year or not. As of now, I say he is not. As for Tom Thibodeau, he has impressed by continuing to succeed without his superstar. For the second straight season Derrick Rose has missed a significant amount of time, yet the Bulls continue to put up winning records. His team plays a defense first, physical brand of basketball that creates nightmare match-ups for smaller teams and turnover prone teams. It is also extremely impressive to win with Luol Deng as your best player(no offense to Luol he is a nice little player, but let’s be real, he is NOT a #1 guy). With all that being said Tom is still not the coach of the year. Who is? I’m getting there just calm down! The popular pick right now is Mark Jackson. I like what Mark Jackson is doing with Stephen Curry and the rest of those boys, but his team is not good enough to push him to the top of this debate. While I always liked him as a player, and I personally always thought he would make a good coach some day(ahem, Jason Kidd, ahem), he is not the coach of the year at this point of the season. My pick for coach of the year right now is Frank Vogel. I bet most of you don’t even know what team he coaches. That is part of the reason why he is coach of the year right now. He is a nobody to most people, and he is succeeding with nobodies. Even his best player who is not playing right now due to injury is a nobody amongst the ranks of superstars. I like Danny Granger’s game, but he like Luol Deng is not a #1 guy. The only problem for the Indiana Pacers(ohhh that’s who Vogel coaches) is that Granger IS their #1 guy. Frank Vogel is my pick for Coach of the Year.
There could have been a nice segue into this next category, seeing as The Pacers have two candidates for Most Improved Player, George hill and Paul George. They have both vastly improved their games, but I think this award is a two man race. Greivis Vasquez and Jrue Holiday have both taken their game to the next level. They have both increased their points and assist totals tremendously from a year ago, and they both have bright futures ahead of them. No disrespect to Greivis, but Jrue Holiday has taken his game into another stratosphere. He has quickly become one of the premier point guards in the NBA, and the league recognized this by selecting him to his first all-star appearance. My award for most improved player goes to Jrue Holiday.
This next category is the toughest for me to choose. It is difficult to find a clear cut winner for Defensive Player of the Year. There are many worthy candidates so far this year that include: Tyson Chandler, Serge Ibaka, Larry Sanders, Lebron James, and Joakim Noah. Larry Sanders and Serge Ibaka will most likely be battling each other for this award for years to come. They are both physical presences underneath the hoop and both block approximately 3 shots a game. It is not due to their lack of defensive effort that they aren’t going to win this award, it’s because someone else on this list has managed to stand out above all the rest. This is me building suspense. Next, what else can you say about Lebron James? The guy is as physically gifted an athlete as anyone who has ever stepped foot on the hard wood. He can guard 4 positions at anytime while still managing to dominate on the offensive end. He is not going to win this award though(at least not this year), but don’t feel too bad for him I’m sure he’ll win another award real soon(hint hint). The reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Tyson Chandler, has yet again found his way into contention for this award, however when he played the Bulls earlier this season he learned why he isn’t going to repeat as DPOY(he would get my vote for the most intimidating man on the planet though if that was a real award). Joakim Noah has placed himself at the forefront of defensive forces in the NBA. Man is he ugly!! Anyway, as much as I dislike Noah, he does anchor the best defense in the NBA. When he’s on the bench they give up 10 more points then when he’s on the floor. Joakim Noah gets my vote for Defensive Player of the Year.
Finally, last but not least, the MVP award. This is always a fun debate because people think it’s strictly about offense. It mostly is, but you really need to look at the overall skill-set of a player plus his impact on his team to measure the MVP. The candidates this year are: Lebron James, Kevin Durant, and Carmelo Anthony. There are two honorable mentions for this category, Chris Paul and Tony Parker. Parker is doing spectacular things that go mostly unnoticed, especially with a banged up Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobli on his team. Chris Paul will be in this conversation at the end of the year because he is clearly the best point guard in the NBA. For right now though he has missed too many games to be considered for this award. I love what Carmelo Anthony is doing this season, and I hope he can sustain his outstanding play throughout the whole season, but he doesn’t do enough of the little things to make his teammates better. Let me see if I can use an analogy that makes sense for this argument. Kevin Durant is like The Utah Jazz in the 90’s. If it wasn’t for that Jordan guy and the Chicago Bulls, they might have a couple of rings right now(sorry John, sorry Karl). Get it? Not yet? See, Kevin Durant has improved every facet of his game this year. The problem is that there is this guy named Lebron James in the NBA. As good as Durant is(28.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 51% from the floor, 43% from three point range, and 90% from the free throw line), Lebron is better. Sorry Kevin, I know I’m pulling for you because I certainly don’t like Lebron “I can’t win a title without an all-star roster” James, but Lebron is on his way to another MVP. As much as I don’t like Lebron, I must give credit where credit is due. My vote for MVP and best player on the face of the earth is Lebron James.

HE THINKS HE’S SUCCESSFULLY DRIBBLING OUT THE CLOCK!!!!

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