Boozer has been a thorn in my side ever sense there was talk of the Bulls being interested in him a couple of years ago. I protested as much as a fan could last offseason when it became clear that Boozer was again on the radar. I tossed my hands in the air in disgust on my drive home from work when I heard of the actual signing. I screamed at the radio when I heard he “tripped” over a duffle bag and broke his wrist. Sure, there were a handful of games during the regular season that he looked like a nice fit, but they were few and far between. During the playoffs his game was horrid, only overshadowed by Derrick Rose’s inability to hit a shot. Now the offseason is here again breathing down my neck. Again, the Bulls are “one player away from contending”. What now?

Trade Boozer!

I know, I know, no team is going to take on that kind of money for 4 more seasons, right? I can think of but one trade option and I want to get some feedback on it.

The Orlando Magic are in a pickle right now. They have made big trades in order to keep Dwight Howard happy, but it has backfired in that the Magic went from serious contender the last couple of seasons to a 4-5 seed with no real hopes of getting back to the finals. The writing is on the wall. Again, the Magic are going to have to have to try to pull a rabbit out of the hat. Keeping Howard happy at this point is just as import as winning for the Orlando front office. Oddly, winning is about the only thing that will keep Howard happy. It is the new paradox in today’s NBA. Build a winner around your superstar in a handful of seasons or lose them in free agency. Dwight Howard has to be on the fence right now in his mind, much like LeBron was a couple of years ago and Melo was last year. Heading into the final year of his deal Howard has a lot to toil over.

It is common knowledge that Boozer and Howard are best friends. They hang out in the offseason and are very close. So would the Magic consider a deal that would bring Carlos Boozer down to Florida? What deal would work out for them? Would adding Boozer to the roster be enough to ensure that Howard sticks around? These are the big questions. Here is one proposal.

To continue reading this article check out the link below. Thanks and enjoy.

  http://thesportsheadquarters.blogsp

ot.com/2011/06/boozer-loser.html

While the Magic have not been a super elite team this season they have been fairly solid. Dwight Howard is putting in another season with MVP-like numbers and is the front-runner for the DPOY. The Magic made that big trade and at first it looked like a great move but now I am not so sure. The main issue is Hedo Turkoglu or the Turkish Delight. He offers the Magic a player that can shoot from just about anywhere and that can also play the point-forward. The problem is his defense. He has to be the worst defender of all the starting small forwards in the league.

Last night allowing LeBron James to score 51 is insane, but that maight happen to anyone right? However Turk has had his share of defensive issues over his career and he now should be a major concern to any Magic fan. While the magic have the best bigman in the league, the other elite teams in the east at least have somewhat respectable players at the center position. The Boston Celtics have Perkins, Shaq, and even Big Baby to throw at him. The Bulls have Noah, Thomas, and Asik. The Heat have.... Oh I forget. Anyways, the Magic's biggest strength has been their play from Dwight, but the lack of a starting small forward might be their undoing come playoff time.

The Celtics have Paul Pierce, the Heat have LeBron James, and the Bulls have Luol Deng. "Luol Deng?" you say. Yes, Luol Deng. Deng completely outshine Turk last week with 26 points and 8 rebounds to Turk's 5 points and 4 PFs. Deng scored at will and at the same time shut Turk down. At some point in the playoffs the Magic will face one or more of these 3 players and it might be the x-factor matchup that sends the Magic home. The playoffs are a lot about matchups and without a perimeter defender to slow down the likes of LeBron, Pierce, and Deng, the magic might be in trouble. Against the Bulls Dwight Howard scored 40 points, but that was becaus the Bulls played him straight up and at the same time shut everyone else down. The magic can be beat even when Howard has a huge stat night. Turk struggles against aggressive defenders like Deng and at the same time cannot stop SF that are quick of the dribble and can shot from range. Turk is like a lost puppy on defense. And just like Turkish Delight he is mainly made out of soft jelly.

Well we are about 15 games into the season and it is fair to say that we have a decent sample now to produce a better and more accurate rankings. Again I am only looking at the Top 10 teams. These are the teams that look like they are contenders or close to it at this point. We will alos look at my picks for the Sexy Seven, players that have been plating great since my last rankings. So let us begin.

1. Spurs (10). As long as Ginobili, Parker, and Duncan can stay healthy, I see no real end in sight to their great play. We all new they would be a top 5 team in the west, but nobody thought they would come out of the gate the way they have. Not only are they racking up wins but they are wins against above .500 teams. There is no illusion here, the Spurs are for real. Can they keep this up? Can they stay healthy? Those ar the only two questions I have for this team, but if they are playing like this in the playoffs, then the Lakers are in trouble.




2. Mavericks (7). This team is hot right now and have recently beat Miami, San Antonio, OKC, and Atlanta. They are firing on all cylinders and Dirk is looking like a true MVP again. He ranks 2nd in NBA Efficiency is the league with 26 points, 8 rebounds, while shooting 54% from the field. How do you stop that? Props also have to be thrown at Tyson Chandler, who looks like a perfect fit in Dallas averaging nearly 10 points and 9 rebounds, with 1.6 blocks to boot. Let's hope he can stay healthy.




3. Lakers (1). The Lakers could be number two, but they have just dropped two in a row. I can see losing a game to Utah, but they should have adjusted and beat Indiana. All in all this is still the most complete looking team in the league and could very well reclaim the top spot in my rankings. Kobe is looking better and better with each game and Gasol himself is in the running for MVP. Two MVP level talents together and it is working. Take notes Miami.





4. Celtics. (2). Their record does not show the whole truth as they have been beatin up on the weaker teams in the league lately, but they have adjusted well to losing Rondo to injury, so I have to give then some credit. They still are the deepest and most well rounded team in the east and the favorite to make it to and out of the ECF. As a team they are shooting over 50% fromthe field. It is no wonder that Rondo is averaging near 15 assists per game.





5. Jazz. (-). This is a team on the rise. Out of the deepest corners of the west this team has crept to near the top. Recent wins against both L.A. teams, Portland, and New Orleans has brought this team into the spotlight. We all knew what Deron Williams was, and most of us thought that Al Jefferson would patch the injury left when Boozer left, but few thought that Paul Millsap would become a top ten power forward this quickly. With 19 points and 8.5 rebounds, while shooting 56% from the floor, Milsap has become the next in a long line of great power forwards to play in Utah.




6. Hornets. (4). This team is still hanging in there as one of the top teams in the west. They have a nice inside out game and Okafor finally looks like a good addition. Chris Paul is the real story though. Many wondered, including myself, if he would still be the same player as he was before he got hurt. The answer is yes. He has recaptured the rank of the best point guard in the league is most people's eyes. If not the best, he is certainly top 2 or 3. With a healthy CP3 the Hornets should have a nice season ahead of themselves.




7. Magic. (5). There record is very much like the Celtics in that a lot of the wins have been against weaker teams. Their revenge victory against the Heat however was very nice to see and puts them ahead of the other Florida team for now. Dwight Howard's slight shift from a Defensive to Offensive mindset is almost needed and is a clear sign that this team has a hole. They lack a go to shooter that would clearly make them perhpas the best in the east. Carter and Nelson can light it up from time to time but they need a consistant thread on the wing and they will be complete.




8. Thunder. (8). So who is the best player on this team? In the begining of the season everyone would have killed me for even asking such a question, but not anymore. While Kevin Durant was bathed in talk of the next MVP, Russell Westbrook was transforming into a top 5 point guard. Some could even debate him as the best right now in the NBA. Him and Durant are both top 10 candidates for the MVP. They have started out a bit slower than most thought but they are still winning games and could be a contender out of the west.




9. Bulls. (-). The Bulls have been playing pretty good thus far and better then teir record shows. Close loses to the Spurs and Lakers and a last second loss to the Nuggets without Rose have scarred their record. They have been playing great lately and their 4-3 record on the annual circus trip is a team best since 1998 with MJ and Scottie. Once Boozer returns this week the Bulls will become near complete. They still have needs for a better shooting guard, but with scoring from Rose, Noah, Boozer, and Deng, perhaps a defensive minded Bogans or Brewer might be best.




10. Nuggets. (-). I myself am waiting for this team to implode. Denver knows Carmelo is leaving and his teammates know as well. You would have to think that this will start effecting his temas play. However, having a veteran coach like George Karl might be the difference keeping this storm of emotions in check. As it stands the Nuggets are playing quite well, but Nuggets fans must be more nervous then a Clevelnad fan during the "Decision".





Off the Top 10 this week are the: Heat, Hawks, and Trail Blazers.

Sexy Seven. These are the seven players that have been playing out of their minds over the past few weeks in no order.

Kevin Love. I do not care if he is playing for the Timberwolves or not, the guy is averaging 20.5 ppg and 17.2 apg over the last 10 games. If you are in the NBA and are putting up those kind of numbers then you are the real deal.

Kobe Bryant. Slowly over the past few weeks Kobe is coming to life. Scoring 41 points is only the begining, as he is averaging nearly 30 points per over the last 10 games.

Blake Griffin. Dropping 22.6 and 12.5 over the past 10 games have him a clear favorite for ROY until John Wall can prove otherwise.

Russell Westbrook. He can score, make a play, and defend. He is almost complete and has been playing like a MVP with 24.6 ppg, 8.8 apg, 4.3 rpg, and nearly 2 spg over the past ten games.

Amar'e Stoudemire. STAT is finally making a splash in New York and making him look almost worth the 100 million they spent on him. With 25 ppg, 9.1 rpg, and 2.3 bpg, he has simply been a beast as the Knicks piled up some wins over the last 10. 

Derrick Rose. He now ranks 2nd in the league in scoring with 26.6 points per and 8th is assists with 8.2 per. Rose is clearly a superstar now scoring 30 or more in 5 of his last 6 games in which the Bulls went 4-2 with losses only to the Lakers and Spurs.

Dwight Howard. Over the last ten games he is scoring 22.3 points per, with 12.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks. He has the Magic on his back and is getting it done on both ends.

Hope you enjoyed the read and please reply with your Top Ten and your Sexy Seven or simply give your thoughts. Thanks.

I thought I would start a periodical and I thought that the classic the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly format was perfect. It is a nice way for me to let loose my opinions on current stories in the NBA and allows me the freedom to pick certain stories to discuss. Feel free to give your own lists of the Good, Bad, and Ugly or comment on the topics I throw out there. I hope you enjoy the read.

The Good.

1. Magic making history. The Magic become only the 6th team in NBA history to start the post season at 8-0. Against the Hawks they were amazing, crushing them by an average of 25 points per game and handed the Hawks their worst home loss in the playoffs ever in game three, winning by 30 points.

2. Pau Gasol best bigman in the playoffs? Sure most will point to Dwight Howard, but Gasol is averaging 20.2 points, 13.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.9 blocks, while shooting .564 from the floor. He is 3rd in NBA efficiency overall behind Dwyane Wade and LeBron James and is 11 spots ahead of Dwight Howard.

3. Richardson leads Sun's charge in playoffs. Jason Richardson is the unlikely leader of the Suns thus far in the playoffs. His stats are way up from the regular season. He is averaging 6.2 more points and 1.2 more rebounds per game in the playoffs compared to the regular season and is shooting .510, up from .474. He has been the x-factor.

The Bad.

1. Bulls drag feet looking for new head coach. This could be good or bad I guess, but as a Bulls fan I do not want to see a repeat of what happened last time the Bulls were in the market for a new head coach. They waited way to long and got stuck with a coach with zero experience.

2. Woodson's remarks stike me funny. After being swept by the Magic in an epic fashion, the Hawks' head coach told the media that the Hawks were close to making a legitimate run if they were to add 2 or 3 key players. Wow, I think just about every team could say the same thing right? Just add 2 or 3 good players and we are a contender, silly. My Bulls would be the favorite in the east if they could just simply add 2 or 3 key players. Start packing your things coach.

3. Dampier to have knee surgery. Well, I think it is safe to say that the once effective center Erick Dampier is about as good as done as a starter in the NBA. Infact, he will be lucky to see garbage minutes the rest of his career. Getting old sucks.

The Ugly.

1. The human twig gets into a fight? Memphis Grizzlies center is said to have gotten into a scuffle with R&B singer TID at a nightclub in Tanzania. His agent is denying the story, but does Thabeet need any negative press after averaging 3 points and 3 rebounds this season?

2. Happy times off the court for Wade. Dwyane Wades wife is arrested and held on bond after she failed to show up to court. How stupid do you have to be not to show up to court when you are trying to "get paid" in a divorce case? Hey! Mrs. Wade why not give Mrs. X-Jordan or Mrs. X-Shaq a call. I am sure they can give you some advise.

3. Cavaliers lose game 5 at home. Not only do the Cavs lose this very important game AT HOME, but they get hammered and LeBron James looks foolish the entire game. Perhaps the worst loss in Cavs history.

         The Bulls are falling apart. A couple weeks after being one of the hottest teams in the NBA the Bulls have done a 180 and are now out of the top 8 in the east. They were for a mere moment in the 5th seed while riding a strong month of February then the wheels fell off. Joakim Noah got hurt and now Luol Deng and Taj Gibson are battling injuries of their own. Add to this now an injury to Rose. If the Bulls cannot put at least a healthy Deng and Noah on the floor then the Bulls will miss the playoffs. In reality however it may take Noah returning to fix this mess. The problem is that Noah will most likely return to late in the season, if at all, to get the Bulls into the playoffs. What does all this mean and why is this more then just a short-term nightmare? Let us take a look.

        What we are learning is that Derrick Rose's style of play could have hit often sitting on the bench hurt. Driving on Dwight Howard is a big risk for a point guard. Rose has now been hurt twice by this decision and one has to wonder if Rose needs o chill out a bit when driving to the bucket. I understand it is a huge part of his game and that the Bulls are in a bad spot and he needs to carry them, but in the longterm he needs to make smarter decisions and preserve himself for the long haul. The Bulls might have a superstar on their hands that spends 10-20 games a season injured much like Dwyane Wade.
          Joakim Noah's foot issue might even be the worst of all as it will always be there waiting to strike and take noah out. Remember Andres Nocioni before he had the same foot issue? Remember him afterwards? Scary. Noah is a big part of the Bulls future and this team cannot defend the paint at all without him.
          The nightmare part of this whole losing streak is the fact that it looks like there is a real chance the Bulls will miss the playoffs after most believed them a lock to make the playoffs. Here is my real question. Will a superstar like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, or Chris Bosh sign with a team that cannot even make the playoffs? I do not think the Bulls will sign any of those three without making the playoffs. They might not even be able to attract Amare, Boozer, Johnson, or Lee. Then what? If Miami make the playoffs then Wade will resign in hopes of getting Bosh to sign as well.
          The bottomline is that the Bulls are on the worst path possible heading int the offseason. I really hope they can turn things arounf and make a push back into the playoffs.

    Ok, I thought it would be a good way to mark the midseason by noting my Top Ten lists for various categories. These Top Ten list reflect this seasons play only so dont get your panties in a bunch right away if you dont like something. I am certain to leave something or somebody out. So who has been the best Rookies, Scorers, Defenders, Coahes, Teams, and more. Let us take a look.

Top Ten Sharp Shooters. These are the guys knocking it down from downtown.

1. Channing Frye
2. Danilo Gallinari
3. Mo Williams
4. Aaron Brooks
5. Rashard Lewis
6. Brandon Jennings
7. Steve Nash
8. Chauncey Billups
9. Paul Pierce
10. Jared Dudley

Top Ten Ball Whackers. Not what you think you pervs. This one is for the shot blockers.

1. Dwight Howard
2. Josh Smith
3. Samual Dalembert
4. Andrew Bogut
5. Kendrick Perkins
6. Marcus Camby
7. Greg Oden
8. Brendon Haywood
9. Tyrus Thomas
10. Brook Lopez

Top Ten Playmakers. Not just assists but the ability to drive and create.

1. Chris Paul
2. Steve Nash
3. Deron Williams
4. LeBron James
5. Rajon Rondo
6. Russell Westbrook
7. Dwayne Wade
8. Jason Kidd
9. Kobe Bryant
10. Tony Parker

Top Ten Window Cleaners. This is for the rebounders and I stress the offensive glass.

1. Dwight Howard
2. Zach Randolph
3. Kevin Love- injured but still was amazing on the glass for 27 games.
4. Joakim Noah
5. Marcus Camby
6. Pau Gasol
7. David Lee
8. Chris Bosh
9. Gerald Wallace
10. Ben Wallace

Top Ten Scorers. Points per game and FG% in perfect harmony.

1. LeBron James
2. Chris Bosh
3. Kevin Durant
4. Carmelo Anthony
5. Kobe Bryant
6. Dwyane Wade
7. Dirk Nowitzki
8. Brandon Roy
9. Monta Ellis
10. Zach Randolph

Top Ten Defenders. These guys stick like glue and can shut you down.

1. Josh Smith
2. Dwight Howard
3. Shane Battier
4. Ron Artest
5. Rajon Rondo
6. Kobe Bryant
7. Marcus Camby
8. LeBron James
9. Dwyane Wade
10. Jason Kidd

Ok, here are the five big ones.

Top Ten Guards. These are those little guys in the backcourt making plays, driving hard, and shooting the jumpers.

1. Dwyane Wade
2. Kobe Bryant
3. Chris Paul
4. Brandon Roy
5. Deron Williams
6. Joe Johnson
7. Steve Nash
8. Monta Ellis
9. Derrick Rose
10. Rajon Rondo

Top Ten Forwards. The slashers and high flyers. The low post threats and defenders of the paint.

1. LeBron James
2. Chris Bosh
3. Carmelo Anthony
4. Kevin Durant
5. Tim Duncan
6. Dirk Nowitzki
7. Pau Gasol
8. Zach Randolph
9. Gerald Wallace
10. Josh Smith

Top Ten Centers. The man in the paint and the anchor of the team, in somecases.

1. Dwight Howard
2. Chris Kaman
3. Marc Gasol
4. David Lee
5. Brook Lopez
6. Al Horford
7. Andrew Bogut
8. Joakim Noah
9. Nene
10. Andrew Bynum

Top Ten Players overall. This is the big one.

1. LeBron James
2. Dwyane Wade
3. Kobe Bryant
4. Dwight Howard
5. Chris Paul
6. Chris Bosh
7. Carmelo Anthony
8. Kevin Durant
9. Brandon Roy
10. Tim Duncan

Top Ten Teams so far. Things could change but for now these are my top ten and the only teams that have a shot at the title.

1. Cavaliers
2. Lakers
3. Celtics
4. Hawks
5. Nuggets
6. Magic
7. Mavericks
8. Jazz
9. Trail Blazers
10. Spurs

Hope you all enjoyed the lists. Please leave your thoughts and your lists as well. Thanks.

     It has become clear to me that Joakim Noah is now my favorite player in the NBA. If anyone is missing from the Allstar ballot it is him. I cannot believe the league has Brad Miller on it and not Noah. Silly. In this blog I am going to make a case for Noah to be a reserve on the eastern conference Allstar team and I will also give you my top ten centers in the league today. I understand the noah has a couple of weaknesses and I will talk about them as well. I am a bit bias, but I am not a fool. So what has Noah done to make me a huge fan? Let us take a look.

     Rebounds Per Game. 12.2. First we will look at perhaps Noah's biggest strength and that is his rebounding. He is second in the league behind only Dwight Howard and is half a rebound ahead on Marcus Camby. Noah is not a biggest or the strongest center so how does he grab so many missed shots? With his brain. He is very smart and knows were to go on every play and understands how to box-out. Couple this with his nasty take-no-crap attitude and you get a rebounding machine. If Noah puts on another 10 pounds of muscle this summer like he did last summer then he could lead the league in rebounding next year.

     Field-Goal Percentage. .495. Now we will look at one of Joakim's weaknesses. He has come a long way on the offensive side of the floor and is averaging 11.2 points a game, but to be considered a major threat in the paint you have to shoot a higher percentage from the floor. Somewhere above .550 for a center seems like the qualification to me and Noah still needs to work a bit more on this part of his game, but he has been getting better every game this season. He has a back to the basket game but needs to perfect his 15 footer. If he can hit the jumper with consistency then defenders will be drawn out of the paint and that will open things up for Derrick Rose to drive and create a nightmare for other teams to defend. Then Noah can learn from Brad Miller about the power of the shot fake and drive to the hole maneuver.

     Blocks Per Game. 1.74. Noah is a top 10 shot blocker in the league and to me shot blocking is one of the keys to being a great center along with rebounding and shooting a high percentage shot. In todays game the power forward is typically the scorer and the center tends to play of the scorer and block shots and score on put backs. Dwight Howard is really the last old school type center that does it all on both ends. Cases could be made for Brook Lopez and Chris Kaman in this regard. Not every team is so lucky as to have a scoring center. They are just rare these days. The bottomline is that the role of the center has changed over the last decade or so into more of a support player and less of a focal point.

     Double-Doubles. 20. Noah is tied for second amongst centers in total double-doubles and ranks sixth overall in the NBA. He is also one of only 4 total centers to be averaging a double-double.

     The Intangibilities of Noah. There are many like his passing ability that ranks in the top 3 amongst centers or his overall NBA Efficiency score of 20.79 that ranks 7th. If you add up his points, assists, and rebounds he ranks 8th amongst centers. But the real key to Noah is what you will see every time he steps foot on the hardwood. It is his passion and love for the game. He plays hard and focused every second on the floor. He more then makes up for his weaknesses with his heart and desire. He plays nasty defense and will not back down to anyone and is not afraid to speak his mind. Just ask LeBron James. He is not the quite leader, but a vocal leader that also leads by example. Much like Ben Wallace was once the heart and soul of the Detroit Pistons, Noah is now become that kind of player in that he can light a fire under a teammate with a little yell in the ear or by inspiring his whole team by making an incredible offensive rebound and then pushing off a defender and slamming home the ball for an and-one. Noah's overall game has few limits. He is a great athlete and has a great basketball mind. Just watch him take the ball up court by himself and you will see his great ball handling skills or you can always just watch his now epic steal in game 6 of last years playoffs were he runs 80 feet with the ball and beats Paul Pierce to the basket and slams in home. That moment just might have been the turning point in Noah's career. Here take a look.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUuQxaAZ7HU

Just a few stand out games from the last few weeks:

vs Wizards. 17 points, 15 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks
@ Celtics. 15 points, 11 rebounds, 4 blocks
vs Pistons. 16 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists
vs Timberwolves. 20 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals
@ Bucks. 10 points, 18 rebounds,
@ Pistons. 15 points, 21 rebounds, 4 assists
vs Hornets. 17 points, 18 rebounds, 4 blocks
vs Knicks. 10 points, 21 rebounds
vs Lakers. 11 points, 21 rebounds, 6 blocks
vs Warriors. 18 points, 14 rebounds, 3 blocks

And these are only going back through december. There are many more great games from Noah during this time, but I do not feel like typing them all out.

My Current Top 10 Centers in the NBA.

1. Dwight Howard. The Best and it is not really close.
2. Brook Lopez. A distant second with a big upside.
3. Marc Gasol. Another young guy with a lot of upside.
4. David Lee. A center in a PFs body. Is he just a product of a system?
5. Chris Kaman. A classic 20 and 10 center. Watch out for injuries however.
6. Al Jefferson. Getting better with every game. Was my number two center last season.
7. Joakim Noah. See above.
8. Al Horford. Wonder what his numbers would look like on another team?
9. Andrew Bynum. Shows promise, but needs to become consistant.
10. Nene. Good defender and solid in the paint on both ends.

Honorable Mentions: Andrew Bogut, Brendon Haywood, and Kendrick Perkins.

     Well there have been a few big moves in the NBA over the last week and I am not so sure it is for the best of the NBA or not. The Cavaliers which were already in this last seasons eastern conference look to have locked up Shaq for next season and gave up basically nothing in return. Vince Carter is going to play for the Magic next season. The Spurs, who are still a good franchise but have battled injuries, have bolstered their lineup with the addition of Richard Jefferson. The Celtics look to be adding Rasheed Wallace and now there are talks of Ron Artest joining Kobe on the Lakers. Are all these moves good for the NBA? Let us take a look.

     I guess there are to theories to go by on this one. One, that having a handful of great teams will make the conference finals and NBA finals better. You know that these blockbuster teams will all go deep into the playoffs and that the Finals should include two of the teams mentioned above. The other thinking is that these teams are now just all too good and that the regular season and the entire season for that matter is pointless to watch for fans of other teams. Do fans of the Hawks or Mavericks have anything to hope for?
    I for one am torn on the issue. I consider myself a true fan of the sport so part of me can not wait for the season to begin to see how Shaq and LeBron coexist or if Vince Carter can be the missing part to push the Magic to the next level. On the other hand I am a fan of the Chicago Bulls which are a good young team with depth and promise, but really are no match for onr of these new Mega-Teams.
     The rest of the NBA stands little chance agaist these new teams. Part of me thinks it could hurt the NBA fanbase a bit. I am sure it will attract a ton of new fans, but some diehards may just give up on their teams. Why keep watching their team when we all know who is going to be in the Finals. I am not saying that I am one of these fans, but i can understand that view.
     Let's look at these new Mega-team's lineups for a minute. Who stands a chance againts these five teams is my real question.
     Lakers- Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom, Ron Artest, and Pau Gasol. This team has it all. A legend in the making leading the way in Kobe. A great inside force in Gasol. A versatile wingman in Gasol and a bonecrusher in Ron Artest. Crazy.
     Spurs- Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, Richard Jefferson. The best power forward ever in the middle. I understand that Duncan is older but he is still great. Manu if healthy is a nightmare for other teams. One of the best, if not best penetrateing point guards in Parker and now a allstar caliber wingman in R.J.
     Celtics- Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Rasheed Wallace. If Boston can keep Allen and sign Wallace then, if healthy, they will have a great shot at another NBA title. That is an older but still great lineup. They could cause a lot of damage with this team.

     Magic- Dwight Howard, Vince Carter, Jameer Nelson, Rashard Lewis. You have to think that Turkoglu is going to go elsewhere for the money, but a guess he too could still be in the fold in Orlando. This team has all the parts needed to win a title with Howard anchoring this team. I think Carter might just be the player the magic needed in the Finals. A guy who can hit the clutch shots and draw defenders out. If they somehow manage to keep Turk as well then they are going to go back to the Finals.
     Cavaliers- LeBron James, Shaq, and Mo Willaims. Not quite as deep as the others as far as talent, but Shaq might work out very well for the Cavs. If James and him can work off eachother well then most teams will have their hands full facing the Cavaliers next season. Shaq draws the double team and so does James. That is a recipe for a Championship.

     Well as a Bulls fan, unless we trade for Chris Bosh or Amar'e this summer, I can hope for no more then maybe a trip to the second round of the playoffs next year and that is better then I can say for most other teams. So do you think that these new Mega-Teams will cause some fans to finally give up on their teams or are you just excited to see how all these move play out? I for one can not wait to watch these new teams, but to be honest part of me is a bit sad that my team is on the outside looking in.