JOCKEYING FOR POSITION

JOCKEYING FOR POSITION

It's been a very interesting 24 hours in the NBA. Teams are making moves and jockeying for position to get in the first five spots of this race we call the NBA draft.   It is a frantic race to the finish with a little more than 24 hours left until teams are on the clock.  The Minnesota Timberwolves have already made news by trading former Villanova star Randy Foye and Mike Miller to the Wizards for Etan Thomas, Darius Songalia, Oleksiy Pecherov and most importantly the #5 pick.  Minnesota now has the 5th, 6th, 18th and 28th pick all in the first round.  That is a lot of leverage and the Wolves are in love with Ricky Rubio as well as Hasheem Thabeet.  Both may be gone by the time the Wolves pick at 5, but the wolves could trade a few of those picks and try to move up to #2.  24 hours is a lot of time.  I guarantee that the Wolves will do something.  

DIME A DOZEN

All I want to know is what is really up with this situation? Rajon Rondo's name has come up more than Bret Favre's over the past few days.   Despite Danny Ainge's attempt to come on television and quell the situation I am not fooled.  Something is going on in that locker room and it's serious.  Why would the Celtics be even mentioning one of the up-and-coming point guards in the league being on the trading blocks?  Rondo has already helped the Celtics win a ring and was a KG away from possibly bringing them back.   The "KID" gets triple doubles like Jason Kidd and is one of the best rebounding point guards I've ever seen since...... well Jason Kidd.  This has to be a joke right?  I think not.  Rumor has it that Rondo is not a great teammate in the locker room and has a huge ego.  Doc Rivers is having problems reeling the kid in and if that is the case, then the Celtics are not kidding.  Ray Allen is a great shooter at 6-5, Kevin Garnett is a defensive force, Paul Pierce is one of the most crafty scoring veterans in the league.  But Rondo, with all his bravado, ability and athleticism is a 6-1 point guard.  Sorry to say, he is replaceable. Point guards come a dime a dozen.  If you need evidence look at this year's draft.  

DECISIONS

It seems like all the pieces are starting to fall into place with the first three picks of the draft if the positions stay as they are now.   Blake Griffin will go #1 to the Clippers, Hasheem Thabeet #2 to the Grizzlies, and Ricky Rubio #3 to the Oklahoma City Thunder.  Now is when things get interesting.  The Sacramento Kings own the #4 pick and are in real need of a point guard to run the show.  Most people have the Kings leaning towards the freshman phenom Tyreke Evans.  But I'm not sure about this pick.  The Kings are the worst team in the league.  Their best players are Kevin Martin and the young talent out of Rider, Jason Thompson.  Not sure if Evans, who is a combo guard, is a good fit here.  Although I love Curry, I would go with Flynn.  He can start from day 1 and will bring some fire to a organization that is in desperate need of some flair.  Sacramento is one of the most boring cities in the NBA.  Ask any veteran for his top 5 least favorite cities and I bet you Sacramento will be in there.   Go with Flynn.  His smile and energy can light up a gym.

NO NEW YORK, NO NEW YORK, NOOOOOO! 

Since Celevision resides in the New York metropolitan area and the draft is taking place at Madison Square Garden, we have to talk a little New York Knicks.  A lot of the Celevision fans are Knicks fans.  So who are you going to end up with?  The Knicks have been notorious for bad draft picks for a long time now.  And I have to say that they may be at it again.  The Knicks, with the #8 pick are rumored to now be leaning towards Jrue Holiday from UCLA.  Not sure if he is ready for the bright lights of New York City.  He didn't perform that well out in Hollywood.  He is 6-4, 200 lbs, but this is New York City, home of the point guard and you have to have some major game to get it done here.  If Steph Curry is still on the board the Knicks will go with him.   But he'll be gone says Celevision and that's a fact.  They still have a chance at picking the exciting but erratic Brandon Jennings.  I'd take him over the flavorless Holiday.  Jennings is the type of point guard New York City likes.  At least he'd throw a no look pass and get me on the train to the Garden.

SLOW DOWN YOUNG BUCK

Most #1 picks ooze confidence and they should.  Being selected #1 in the NBA draft means you're the best available player in the World!  That means something.  What it doesn't mean is that you can change things for the Clippers. If the Clippers drafted God, the world would end tomorrow! Nothing can change the fate of this cursed franchise, yes I said it.  I don't care how confident Blake feels about turning around the franchise, it won't happen.  The Clippers have messed up every big time draft pick they've ever had.  Quentin Richardson, Darius Miles, Shaun Livingston, Terry Dehere, Bo Kimble, Danny Ferry.  Most times after a player leaves the franchise he's never the same, meaning he becomes an even worse player.  As if he can't get the Clipper stench off of him.  The only guy I can ever remember leaving there and being a factor somewhere else is Lamar Odom.  I hear you Blake, I know your supposed to say the right things. But in my opinion, Griffin will be changing that tune like a DJ soon enough.   

STILL CAN MOVE

Shaq is on the move again as last night while we all slept he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers.  Shaq who avg. 17.8 points, 8.4 rpg and shot 60.9% from the field this season can still be a potent force on offense.  The Diesel is still a very adept passer and teamed with Lebron James gives the Cavaliers two distributers that can pick your team apart.  This is a good move for the Cavs as they aren't giving up much in Sasha Pavlovic the non-existent Ben Wallce and the 46th over pick which wouldn't really land them much.  The question is how much can Shaq give the Cavs on the defensive end?  Can he guard in the pick-and-roll?  Obviously they have acquired him so they can get past Orlando and I think that now this makes the Cavs the favorite in the eastern conference.  

CELEVISION TOP FIVE WORST DRAFT PICKS EVER

#1 SAM BOWIE  1984 PORTLAND TRAIBLAZERS

First of all look at the shorts on this guy.  People always say you go with size but obviously he didn't with the shorts.  Ok, so that's how the shorts looked back then.   But I remember a guy named Michael Jordan being in this draft as well as Charles Barkley.  Trailblazer fans will never forgive management for this.  Not sure I or Sam Bowie will ever either.  

#2 KWAME BROWN 2002 WASHINGTON WIZARDS

They selected him with the #1 pick that year.  Brown hasn't even come close to resembling a player in his career.  He's been on three teams in the NBA  and has yet to play to his potential.  And now some are beginning to question what that even is.  The worst part is that the greatest player to ever play the game was responsible for the pick.  That guy is Michael Jordan. He, on the management side, has never seemed to recover either.

#3 Darko Milicic 2003 Detroit  

He was dubbed the best thing out of Europe since Tony Kucoc.  Boy were we all hoodwinked.  Hasn't developed into even a player that can come in and contribute off the bench.   Milicic was the start of the decline of the effective European player.  For a few years the players out of Europe were hot.  NBA execs were saying that they understood the game better than our home grown boys.  They were saying the the league was going to change.  Milicic was the red flag for our mass European flirtation.  And now everyone is singing the right song again.  

#4 MICHAEL OLOWOKANDI 1998 Clippers

Maybe the worst.......no, it is the worst #1 draft pick ever. First and foremost the kid went to Pacific University, a basketball powerhouse by no means.  But hey, what did we expect from the Clippers?  He even had a nickname, "The Kandy Man."  How could you?  This is another mistake by one of the most mistake prone franchises in sports.  In the NBA they always talk about size.  The great question in life is "Does size matter?"  Obviously for the Kandi man and the Clippers it didn't.  He is now out of the league. 

  

Leon Smith, 1999 San Antonio Spurs

So you're wondering who this is?  Well let me tell you.  This is the guy who was drafted directly before me.  I was so desperate to get into the 1st round of the 1999 NBA draft as it offered security, a minimum 3 year deal and time to develop in the NBA.  It would never be.  The Spurs would draft Leon Smith and I would be the 30th pick, 1st pick of the second round.  Much less longevity on the contract and more importantly much less money!  Leon Smith would never suit up that year as he was traded to the Mavericks on draft day and released soon after.  Before being drafted, Smith had been committed to a psychiatric ward a month earlier for throwing a rock through a car window and swallowing about 250 aspirin tablets.  The Spurs must have really not liked my game.  Damn! 

2009 NBA DRAFT

With the NBA draft looming, it's time to discuss some of the more talented prospects of this year's crop.  There are a few guys that can help some of these NBA teams immediately.  But, I must say this year's draft is one of the weaker drafts in my memory.  Not an overabundance of talent here this year and many teams may be looking to make some trades to prepare for drafts in the future.  With that said here we go. 

Blake Griffin

First of all, you have to be a stud to have a picture like this.  You dunk backwards, hang on the rim and point?   Probably the most hip picture of the year.  The Kid has the entire package.  He has a decent face up, he can post up and handle the ball off the dribble.  He is an outstanding athlete with great hands and incredible footwork.  The kid has a work ethic that is unmatched and I feel as most he will be a star from Day 1 as he averaged 28.5 point per game this past year.  The only issue is......he's going to the Clippers.  The Clippers are the graveyard of the NBA.  It's so easy to become a nobody when being drafted by the Clippers.  They are not only the worst franchise in NBA history, but maybe the worst franchise in sports history.   This is the only thing that worries me about Griffin.  The most difficult thing he may encounter in his NBA career is trying to get past the bouncer at the front door of any club in Los Angeles.  Once they find out he's a Clipper, he might  as well turn around and go home.  

HASHEEM THABEET

Defensively he will impact the NBA the day he arrives.  His is an eraser, a deleter, a shot blocking machine.  He averaged 4.2 blocked shots per game finishing 2nd in the country.  He has improved with his ability to catch and finish with authority in the paint.  He has improved his footwork.  But Thabeet, who only begin playing basketball at 15 years old, has a long way to go on the offensive end.  He is mechanical with the basketball and may not be an offensive threat in the post immediately.  He also disappeared in a few Big East Conference games this year when I covered him.  But, the kid is a 7ft. 4 inches tall  and all the deficiencies in the world can't outweigh that.   The Memphis Grizzlies may be looking to take him with the 2nd pick even though he cancelled a workout with them citing a shoulder injury.  

Ricky Rubio

The dude's basketball IQ is off the charts.  He has already played professional ball in Europe and understands how to play the team game. He is probably the best passer in the draft and has played in the Olympics so he wouldn't be in awe of NBA competition.  Was a defensive force in those same Olympics picking the pockets of a few NBA stars.  There is still a possibility he may be the #2 pick, but it is slim chance as Rubio has voiced that he doesn't want to play in Memphis.  Hell, who does Ricky?  All joke's aside, Rubio's ability to run a team and adjust to his teammates are positives for him.  But he does has a few negatives.  His strength, for one must improve.  This is not the Euroleague and guys are much bigger and faster here in the States.  Those touch fouls on the perimeter will not be called here.  The second negative is that Rubio has had problems getting out of his contract with his Spanish team DKV Jovenaut and that may scare some NBA teams away.  Rubio may decide to stay in Spain and finish his contract out as coming to the NBA he may lose lots of money.  The final negative are the moves that his management team have made.  Rubio refused to work out for Memphis and didn't work out for Sacramento, who has #4 pick, last week because of illness they say.  This may cause him to slip in the draft.   Sources say that Rubio did work out yesterday for Sacramento but was alone, which didn't allow him to be seen in competition with other fellow draft prospects.  

Stephen Curry

If you're looking for a weakness on offense, save yourself the trouble because the kid has none.  He is a tremendous shooter just like his dad was.  His dad had the purest form I ever saw.  His son is not far off.  He is elusive off the dribble and his ability to move without the ball and use screens is the most refreshing thing I have seen in basketball in a long time.  Never seems to get rattled on the court and showed us that he is a very underrated passer.  On defense however, is where he can get murdered.  His is very frail and may get abused down on the block. Obviously he has to get stronger but he has a tremendous upside.  Don't be surprised if the kid goes as high as #3 in the draft to Oklahoma City.  But likely will land at #6 to the Timberwolves.  Again, on offense Curry is complete.  The only other thing that he may need to add to his game is a mustache.

James Harden

I don't know a lot about Harden as he plays in the PAC-10 and I am a east coast guy.  But I do know he was the Conference Player of The Year and is one of the most complete players in the draft.  Harden is not flashy at all, but can do just about everything.  He is respected for his efficiency and his ability to score the basketball.  He can shoot it, create his own shot and already has an NBA body at 6-5, 220 lbs.  He is a really safe pick in this NBA draft.  You know what you are getting.  Look for him to be gone in the first five picks.  No way he slips past the 7th or 8th pick.  

Tyreke Evans

The dude's handle is sick.  He's from Chester, Pennsylvania, one of the lesser known hoods in America, and is tough.  Not trying to be a hater, but for some reason I've never liked his game.  He can get to the basket with the best of them.  Very strong and physical guard at 6-5, 22o pounds.  Can really be a problem for smaller guards.  Rumor has it he assassinated Stephen Curry and Johnny Flynn in one-on-one drills at a Sacramento Kings workout.  But Evans loves to keep the ball in his hands and seems to over-dribble sometimes.  Not a great shooter yet and would need to improve that to become a good NBA point guard.  But the physical tools are there.  Sacramento is in real need of a point guard and being that Rubio didn't make the workout, they may take Evans at #4.  Strong possibility.  

Johnny Flynn

Hands down my favorite player in this year's NBA draft and the one I am most familiar with.  Has probably helped himself more than any player in the NBA draft during his workouts for different teams.  Flynn is a born leader and very charismatic.   Always seems to enjoy playing and competes with the best of them.  Very athletic and explosive and if you don't believe me then watch this clip here.  Flynn has deep range from beyond the arc and is very explosive off the dribble.  Can also play a lot of minutes as he averaged 37.3 mpg for Syracuse last year while playing 67 minutes in the classic six overtime game vs. UCONN that I saw in person while calling  on the radio.  The only drawback for Flynn may be his size at 6-foot which may be generous.  But his heart and his athletic ability may make up for his lack of extra inches.  The Kings really like Flynn and may draft him as high as #4 if they don't take Evans.  Flynn is working out today for the NJ Nets and could go there at #11 pick as well or maybe even #10 to the Bucks who also need a point guard.

Brandon Jennings 

First and foremost I have the utmost respect for any young player that respects the past and goes with the old school high top fade!  The kid must have heart to pull that one off.  He's also a trailblazer becoming the first kid to leave high school and go over to play professionally in Europe.   His season was by far not a success.  But none of that matters as being a former Euroleague player I understand how crazy it can be for an American player across the waters.  Jennings may have the most foot speed of any player in the NBA draft.  Coast to coast he is a blur and is phenomenal in the open court with the basketball.  With that said, his decision making and outside shooting is questionable as well as his defense.  Out of all the point guards he may have the most natural talents and abilities, but in the NBA that is only one side of the coin.   A very difficult prospect to decipher.  The Knicks like him, and the Bucks could use him, but with Curry, Flynn, Rubio, Ty Lawson, Jeff Teague all in the draft I wouldn't be surprised if he slipped out of the lottery.  And yet, I would be surprised if he went in the top 5 picks.  That is how much of an enigma he is.  

Gerald Henderson, Earl Clark and Terrence Williams

It's weird but these three guys are all the same player but in some areas very different.  Henderson is probably the best shooter out of the bunch.  Clark, has the most upside as he is 6-10 and can do a little bit of everything.  Williams, I would say is the most NBA ready, most well rounded and the toughest out of the bunch.  I've seen Williams affect a lot of Big East basketball games without even scoring the basketball.  I think he would be the most mentally ready to go in and contribute right away.  Clark I feel may end up the best player out of these three.  Reminds me of Lamar Odom with more speed off the dribble, but Clark can sometimes get punked into shooting jump shots and disappear for long stretches.  Henderson, for some reason reminds me of a poor man's Kobe Bryant.  He can hit acrobatic shots, fadeaways and has a nice mid-range pull up game.   Not sure about how much "dog" he has in him though.  Williams and Henderson, rumor has it, are fighting to be picked at the 12th slot by Charlotte.   Right now Williams is in the lead.  

Dejuan Blair

The biggest beast in the draft.  This guy is a straight bully.   One of the best offensive rebounders I've ever seen.  They say he's undersized, they wonder if he can score in the NBA.  Let me tell you this, Blair will get it done.  Outside of Johnny Flynn I don't know if there is anyone else in the draft that can match his passion when playing.  If you don't think he can score against bigger guys you want want to check out this box score which shows what he did to Hasheem Thabeet the best shot blocker in the draft.   Don't forget to check out what Thabeet did not do that game.  Blair is only 6-7 but has the wing span of a 7-2 player.  Think of a better, nastier, more athletic Glen Big Baby Davis who plays for the Celtics.  Also, Blair has lost about 15 lbs since the season, which makes him even more scary.   He could be the lowest drafted rookie of the year ever.  

MOST UNDERRATED PLAYER IN THE DRAFT

Sam Young.  He's what you call an athletic freak.  I have him here because I have seen him abuse people for two years in the Big East Conference, the best conference in college basketball.  Night in and night out this guy showed up and scored the basketball.  He is physical and has an NBA ready body.  I really feel he can show up, play right away and be a factor on any team in the NBA.  Don't be surprised if this dude is the surprise player of the draft.   By the way, he has the most deceiving pump fake I ever seen in basketball.  Young has the look of a grown man.  I haven't seen anyone, outside of Greg Oden, look like a 40 year old man playing college ball. 

MOST OVERRATED PLAYER IN THE DRAFT

Jrue Holiday.  Not really impressive to me.  Not truly a point guard.  Not really a two guard.  More of a tweener, the worst label you can get in the NBA.  Hasn't performed well in many workouts with NBA teams and lacks confidence sometimes.  A lack of confidence is not something you don't  want to carry with you to the NBA.  The sharks will be in the water waiting to feed on you. 

BEST SHOOTER IN DRAFT

Stephen Curry.  Dad's name is Del Curry.  Enough said. 

BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER IN DRAFT

Terrence Williams.  He could guard p0sitions 1 through 4 in college.  In the NBA I think he can guard the point, shooting guard and small forward positions.  If you're in a bind you can put him in and let him attempt to guard the power forward, that's how much heart this kid has.  Brings intensity every night.  He is afraid of nothing.  Outside of Hasheem Thabeet, no player will be more valuable on the defensive end. 

MAKING MOVES

NEXT IN LINE

To all my baseball fans, you better read up on this guy. Hell, even if you're not a big baseball fan, you need to read up on this guy.  Bryce Harper is next in line.  Dubbed "The Chose One" by Sports Illustrated Harper is about to break new ground in the baseball world.  At 6'3 205 pounds the kid is a monster.  He hit a 570 ft home run at Tropicana Field, he throws a 96 mph fastball and the kid is only 16 years old.  Harper attends Las Vegas High School in Las Vegas, Nevada.  The City of Sin is known for its high priced gambling, but this kid is the farthest thing from a gamble.  This kid is more like a sure bet.  The odds of his success are almost guaranteed.  Harper is said to be the biggest high school sports prodigy since Lebron James.  And he is about to make a splash that maybe even bigger than the King.  

MAJOR LEAGUE THINKING

To say Harper's talent is impressive would be the biggest understatement of the year.  That in itself is not what is making headlines.  Harper's decision to leave high school after his sophomore year is.  Harper and his parents have decided that he will get his GED so he can graduate high school early, then enroll at The College of Southern Nevada a community college in the area.  Before we all judge let's talk some numbers here. Harper is hitting .626, with 14 home runs, 55 RBI's and 36 steals this past year all with pitchers barely pitching to him.   The kid has a 3.5 GPA, does community service and attends religious classes every morning before school.  His talent is being compared to Alex Rodriguez's and Ken Griffey Jr.'s but the catch is this: His talent as a sophomore is being compared to their talents when they were seniors!  Scouts are saying that if the kid is eligible for the draft in 2010 he may be the #1 pick.  You're talking about a contract above $20 Million.  The question is, would you let your kid do it?  Please respond honestly. 

REAL ANSWERS

We all know about the money.  But what about the lifestyle for the kid?  Does that ever come into question?  I always think about the childhood stars.  Are the kids growing up too fast?  What about when it's finally over?  One would also have to think about the quality of life for a 17 year old kid now on the road in the minor leagues with grown men. Hotels, road trips, buses and all kind of late night corruption may come to mind.  But some answers have surprised me.  Reco Owens, my friend and former wide receiver at Duke University who is now a Financial Analyst for the Goldenberg Group had an interesting perspective. He said, "You go to college to create opportunites for yourself... $20 Million buys a lot of opportunities."  I thought that was a great point.  We have so many people who say go to high school and get a diploma so you can have a good job.  What better job than to play baseball and become a multi-millionaire before 18 years old?  But not everyone was so quick to say go and get the money.  Corey Smith, who played at the same high school I graduated from (Piscataway High) and was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the first round in 2000 had a difference in opinion.  "Playing in the minor leagues ain't that easy.  He's going to be a first round pick regardless if he goes to junior college or if he waits and graduates high school.   There's a certain maturity level that you have to reach once you get into this game.  Once you get to the professional level the game is very humbling."  This was coming from a guy who was one of the top five baseball players nationally back when he graduated high school in 2000.  But everyone had a different take.  I spoke to Dr. Emmett Gill, who is a professor over at Rutgers University near my home.  I know that he loves sports, but that also he is a proponent of higher education.  His answer surprised me.  "I believe with professional sports, especially baseball, kids should get it while the getting is good.  Baseball players are prone to physical setbacks and what I call the politics of baseball.  Why go to college and let a university profit when your family can prosper?"  

So what if the kids stays in high school and gets hurt.  Then what?  It's a good question.  But Curtis Bynes' answer, a former Police Officer and high school basketball coach in Piscataway, New Jersey was the best.  "If a parent says that they wouldn't let their kid do it, then their kid must be a scrub.  It's easy to say no when you know it's not an option for your kid.  How many of us if we had an option to make $20 Million wouldn't take it?"   Real answers from real people.  

IT'S BEEN NICE

Epiphanny Prince is the real deal. Prince announced yesterday that she would be skipping her senior season at Rutgers to play ball professionally overseas in Europe.  Prince would only be the 2nd woman athlete to ever make this move.  Let me tell you something, this girl has real game.  I don't live too far from the Rutgers campus and have played pick up basketball with them in the summer many times.  She put a move on me one time, I had to go to the sideline and stretch out a little more.  She can shake and bake off the dribble with the best of them.   A lot of times when I play summer pick up with the Rutgers women I go about 70% because I am stronger than them.  When I was guarding "Piph" I had to play for real.  She was voted a 3rd Team All American for the past two years at Rutgers.   And don't get it twisted, you can make big money over in Europe.  There are many players that have played in the WNBA that have made over $400,000 per year over there.  Prince may not start out that high, but there is no doubt she can get there.  

SAY WHAT? 

So you got to explain this one to me.  I'm not sure if I am understanding the justice system.  And in no way shape or form am I sticking up for Mike Vick because what he did was wrong.  But Vick after his dog fighting days, was sentenced to 23 months in prison.  That is a little under two years.  Then yesterday online I read that Donte Stallworth, the Cleveland Browns wide receiver gets 30 days for DUI manslaughter!   The victims' family is getting a substantial amount of money in which the terms were unreleased.  Stallworth on the other hand will be released in no time.  

CONFESSION SESSION

So everyone I see always wants to bring up the past.  They say "Hey Celestand why don't you talk about the time when Vince Carter crossed you over?"  When I was coaching my AAU team that's all my players ever wanted to talk about.  Well I don't have no problem digging it up for you guys.  No sweat.   You see no one is immune on CELEVISION.  Not even myself.   I got crossed by one of the greats.  So here it is and remember I was going for the steal!   If you can't laugh at yourself you shouldn't laugh at anyone.   Oh yeah, my wife was at that game, which made it even worse. 

MAILED IT IN

GOING BACK TO CALI, I DON'T THINK SO

LL Cool J made that line famous.  Now it applies to the Orlando Magic and Dwight Howard.  There will be no more extension of these finals.  Is it a hard pill to swallow for the Orlando Magic?  Yes.  And here's why.  How easy could this have been a 3-1 finals lead for the Orlando Magic going into yesterday's game? Besides the first game of the series and yesterday the Magic were in every game.  They should've won Game 2 on the alley- oop layup miss by Courtney Lee.  They should've won Game 4 but instead, Howard missed two freethrows, Turkoglu missed two more and then Fisher nails the 3 point shot to force overtime.  So close, but yet so far.  The Magic will be back and every team in their quest for a championship usually experiences heartache.  They have a few things to address, but there's a possibility the confetti could be blue and white in the years to come.   Orlando won't be going back to Cali this year, but the championship trophy will be. 

RESPECT

Not sure if it is possible to say something bad about Phil Jackson.  He now has passed the great Red Auerbach with 10 championship rings as a coach.  I never met Coach Auerbach, but I did play for Phil Jackson.  I think Derek Fisher said it best yesterday when he said "He allows you to be yourself."  I don't ever remember him telling me not to shoot.  I don't ever remember him telling me hot to play my game.  I was only there for a short time with the Lakers, and I didn't play a lot, but I never remember worrying about how I was going to play for him.  He allowed you to learn on your own.  Probably the best coach I ever had and he played me the least of any coach I ever had.  And with that said he never made me feel any less important than Kobe Bryant or Shaquille O'Neal.  The dude is the best, even if we had to do Yoga and he beat a war drum during practice sometimes.  

FOUR ME? 

Kobe Bryant has now won his fourth championship ring.   I know there are many Kobe haters out there.  I understand that many people just hate the great.  But I have to admit that I was happy for him.  I have always respected the guys work ethic.  I saw it first hand.  The guy almost beat me in a game of horse with his left hand, but that story is for another day.  I am happy for him for all he has gone through.  The problems with Shaq, that I must say weren't always his fault, the Colorado situation, the trade talks, the "can't win without Shaq" talks.  Some say Kobe was a bad person, I never saw that.  I saw a person that was so driven to win he didn't dare hang out late.  I saw a person who was so driven to win he didn't even drink alcohol.  I saw a person so driven to win that when he broke his wrist in 1999 he worked on his left hand so much he shot a lefty jumper in a real game.  I saw a guy that was the hardest worker in practice that I had ever seen and if you didn't work hard, he didn't respect you.  I never went to his house, never rode in his car, never had dinner with Kobe.  None of that mattered, what mattered is at work he was the greatest co-worker I ever had. 

STRENGTH

Too many times outsiders don't really understand how great it is to win a championship.  How when the struggle of a year finally culminates and you are standing on that platform taking it all in it is true paradise. People don't understand how these athletes really struggle.  Too many of them are labeled as pompous spoiled brats.  Not always true.  This Laker team has seen much tragedy off the court and pushed through.  Derek Fisher almost lost his daughter a few years ago to a rare form of eye cancer and yet he fought through to become a champion.  Lamar Odom lost his infant son that suffocated in his sleep and yet he fought through to become a champion.  Trevor Ariza lost his little brother who fell from a balcony when he was young and yet he still has become a champion.  Kobe Bryant almost lost his career amid rape allegations back in 2003 and yet he fought through to become a champion.  This is all on one team.  We always see the finished product, but so much more struggle goes on behind the scenes, if we only all but knew. 

ORLANDO MAILMEN

Ok, I had to do this.  It's not right, but it had to be said  The Magic have a new name because they gave up last night.  They mailed this one in early.  Now at home you may not understand this.  Why would a team not give the effort in a close out game?  Let me explain.  You are already down 3-1.  You know as a team that there is no way you can beat Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers three games in a row, with two of them being on the road.  It would also be a cross country trip for the Magic if they headed to LA and then right back after they got their backsides handed to them.  So they're thinking why even make the trip?  Why go through the hotels, the planes, the practice, the leaving the family.   Doesn't make much sense.  So what do they do?  Hell, let's just mail it in.  It's easier, it's quicker and it's less painful.  Jemele Hill a great writer for ESPN had this on her twitter page, "Did Dwight Howard use Fed Ex or UPS to mail in tonight's performance?  And why didn't he cover himself in bubble wrap?"  That was classic! 

THE GREAT DEBATES

Answer: Undecided

People are funny.  Lots of people were saying that Lebron was better than Kobe.  Even the great Jerry West said that Lebron had passed Kobe.  I wake up this morning and now everyone is saying Kobe is hands down the greatest in the game today.  Not sure I can jump on this bandwagon.  Lebron is an awesome player, awesome athlete.  In a one on one game in my opinion Lebron would win, but basketball is a team game so that means nothing.  Kobe has a new championship ring, but if you put Lebron on the Lakers would he have not won a championship this year?  I think most definitely.  Not sure if I can chose as of yet.  But I love Stan Van Gundy's answer on this one, "You want to compare the two of them, what I always say is 'You pick first,  I'll take second pick and I'll be happy as hell.'  Those guys are great great players."  

Answer:  Not yet 

That's not a slight to Kobe, but just a compliment to Jordan.  Jordan was that great and it's hard for me to say Kobe is better.  But I hate when people say we can't even have that argument.  It is a discussion and it is a valid discussion.  What keeps MJ on top right now is that he won 6 rings.  And probably should have won more if he didn't retire to go play baseball for awhile.  It's conceivable that Jordan could've been in the  Bill Russell talk of rings if Jerry Krause wouldn't have broken up the bulls.  Jordan also still has the edge because I have to say that his teams were a little less talented than Kobe's championship teams.  Mike had Pippen, Rodman, Cartwright, Paxon.  Think about Kobe's teams, Shaq, Robert Horry, Fisher, Rick Fox, Glen Rice, Gasol, Odom, Ariza, Bynum.   But still, we have to have this conversation. The man scored 81 pts in a game!  

Answer: Phil Jackson

The reason why I say this is because Phil Jackson did it with two different teams.  He was able to lead the Bulls to six championships and now the Lakers to four.  He may not be done.  Red Auerbach did it all with the Celtics.   Phil also had to make two of the greatest scorers in the history of the game conform to his style.  He did that.  He also took two of the greatest players ever to play the game in Kobe and Shaq and made them co-exist when they weren't the fondest of each other.  His body of work is more diverse.   Phil is not only the best coach in basketball.  He may be the best coach ever in any sport outside of John Wooden from UCLA.  

SHAQ TO THE CAVS?  ANSWER: NO

I love Shaq.  He was my favorite player growing up.  Shaq has been known to deliver championships to franchises.  He did it in Los Angeles, he did it in Miami.  He could probably do it in Cleveland if he goes there in this trade.  But the question is who would you be giving up?   It would be a short term thing.  The Cavs probably then would be favorite to win the Eastern Conference and maybe even the NBA title.  But Shaq is 37 years old.  Now much left in the tank even though he was very impressive this year and seemed to have found the fountain of youth.  But I'm not sure about this one.  It's like taking a shortcut through the grass in your brand new white sneakers.  You'll get there faster, but you'll probably mess up your shoes as a result.   Besides Shaq is the Terell Owens of the NBA.  

WHAT'S NEXT FOR CELEVISION? 

Don't worry ladies and gentlemen, CELEVISION will continue.  We have a few more basketball topics like summer league and the NBA draft coming up.  But hey, we're not going to be one dimensional here.  We also will get rolling during football season, doing a little NFL and college football as well.  We will also be covering college basketball next year.  Stay tuned and thank you for being a part of CELEVISION.  We are getting a tremendous following!!! 

STUPIDNESS

STUPIDNESS
Good luck on looking that word up. It's called stupidness. You won't find it in the dictionary. But here's my definition: An act of stupidity. Dumbness in it's rarest form. Hedo Turkoglu said it best when referring to the loss, "We had it and it kind of slipped away because of our stupidness." I agree Hedo. A lot of stupid things happened, like Orlando turning the ball over 17 times or Mickeal Pietrus who has done a solid job guarding Kobe not putting his hands up to contest a Black Mamba jump shot. Not to mention letting Derek Fisher get off a clean three to tie the game. And what would really be stupid is if Orlando fans actually think that the Magic still have a chance. Turn off your televisions. Don't read Celevision anymore. Don't torture yourselves. Get ready to follow the Miami Dolphins as they may be entertaining this year. Coming back won't happen. This series is o-v-e-r. You don't have to be too smart to spell or understand that. But then again if your an Orlando Magic true fan you've been engulfed in stupidness anyway.





FISHER PRICE
What are you thinking? You can't toy around with Derek Fisher! You can't be stupid enough to not guard Derek Fisher from beyond the arc right? Wrong. Down three, D-Fish is allowed to waltz right on in and drain a shot he's been hitting for years. This is a guy who's made 40 three point shots in his NBA Finals career, trailing only Robert "Big Shot Bob" Horry and Michael "His Airness" Jordan. How could you? How dare you? But maybe I do understand. When I first joined the Lakers back in 1999, I was confident that I could outplay Fisher. He was too short, not quick enough and I felt that at some point I could take his position. Everyday he would beat me up in practice. Make shots that I couldn't believe and I'd be on the bench watching him perform. Now here I am ten years later watching him still perform. I'm writing a blog while he's still hitting clutch threes. Guess we all underestimated him huh?



YOU DO THE HOKEY POKEY
I am still not understanding the mindset here. Rafer Alston has helped lead your Orlando Magic team to the NBA Finals. The man has 20 points in Game 3 and is responsible for you winning the ball game. He comes out on fire in the first quarter in Game 4. And then in the crucial part of the game Rafer "Skip to My Lou" Alston doesn't see the floor at all. Hmmmm. Not sure what's going on here but it has to be something behind the scenes. Jameer Nelson made a few nice plays but in no shape or form is he in condition or even close to 100% healthy in these finals. What is Van Gundy thinking? How can you disrespect Alston this way? I think that this move may have lost the Magic the series. Hey Van Gundy, word to the wise, make up your mind. Either Alston is in or he's out, this ain't the damn hokey pokey!





THE RZA
Now if you don't know who the RZA is shame on you as a Hip Hop head, but let me educate you. The RZA was one of the most underrated members of the Wu-Tang Clan, the greatest rap hip hop group ever in my opinion. Everyone talks about Method Man, Old Dirty Bastard, Raekwon "The Chef", but we tend to forget about the RZA one of the most important parts of the group. He made the beats, kept everything together. This is my new name for Trevor Ariza. He's is now known as "The RZA". He goes for 16 pts last night on 3-4 from downtown. The guy is a force with his ability to "produce" just like the RZA was the producer for the Wu-Tang Clan. The RZA, by far, wasn't the best rapper in the group but he got the dirty work done and without him the Wu-Tang Clan doesn't go down in history as the greatest rap group. I think when we look back on this series years from now we will realize that Trevor Ariza was an integral part. Ariza is "The RZA" and The RZA is he.

FIVE BIGGEST CHOKE JOBS IN NBA HISTORY

Since I feel like last night the Orlando Magic just gave the game away I had to think about some of the greatest choke moments in the NBA. Here are a few that I remember. If you know of anymore please feel free to comment and we can add some more.

It pains me to write this, but I remember this so vividly. I was a New York Knick Fan growing up and I will never get over this one. He scored 8 pts in 11 seconds. The Knicks had the game won. There was no reason to believe it wouldn't happen. You could've turned off your televisions. I wish I would have. Because I see this moment in my dreams. And then he did it. He looked over at Spike Lee and gave him the choke sign. It will forever make me hate Reggie Miller.

Couldn't find a picture of Charles Smith in a Knicks jersey but hey it doesn't matter. I will never forget all the layups he missed against the Chicago Bulls during that one fretful game back in 1993. It crushed me. He had so many chances! You mean he couldn't have made one? He couldn't have drawn a foul. Why? As you can see, there is a pattern coming here.

Let's get this straight. I loved John Starks. I'd give him my left arm if I had to, not my right, because that's my shooting hand. The guy had heart, the guy left it all on the court. The guy never gave up. But he should've given up shooting in Game 7 of the 1995 NBA Finals when he went 2-18 from the field. He just kept shooting and shooting. It was classic John Starks, but I will never forgive him. I remember going to school and getting killed by all the Knick haters. Starks is known for "the dunk" when he hammered it down on Pippen and Jordan, but the 2-18 night, at least in my mind erased that great accomplishment.





Nick Anderson was usually a reliable free throw shooter at 70%. But in the 1994-95 NBA Finals vs. the defending champion Houston Rockets Mr. Anderson missed 4 consecutive free throws that could have sealed the game for Orlando. Kenny "The Jet" Smith then hit a 3 pointer that sent the game to overtime where Orlando would lose. They ended up getting swept in the series and Big Shaq left for Los Angeles shortly after. Who knows how things would have changed had Anderson made those free throws. The nightmare for the Orlando magic fans unfortunately was relived last night.



I remember this one vividly because I was on the bench during the game. This was the 2000 Western Conference Finals Game 7 when I was a Laker and we were playing the Portland Trailblazers. We were down 18 pts in the 3rd. At the beginning of the 4th quarter we were down 15. Portland was making everything. I remember sitting on the bench thinking "Wow, I don't even have a plane ticket home yet. I got to pack tomorrow. How am I going to get my car back to Jersey?" There was no way I thought we would come back. Then Portland started getting real tight. Rasheed Wallace started missing layups. Pippen couldn't make a shot, they turned the ball over every other possession. History was made. Thanks Portland, because without you I would've never won a championship ring. We also wouldn't have that amazing commerical where Kobe crosses over Pippen and throws the lob to Shaq!