What's Eating Gilbert Arenas?

Gilbert Arenas and his mystique have long eluded my understanding, we're talking a player with all of the physical tools on the court, looks the part or your average NBA "good guy", no crazy ink covered arms, no wild colored hair, well groomed and even seems sorta mild mannored on the court, for the most part. As my mother would constantly tell me throughout my life... You can't judge a book by it's cover. Arenas seems to have the world's largest chip planted directly on the shoulder of his shooting arm, and that's not even half of my problem with the guy. Ok, he went undrafted, "they all thought he was a zero", we all remember the commercial, right? He proved everyone wrong with his outstanding ability to simply play the game. After a strong second season as a Warrior, averaging 18, 6 and 4, he heads to the nations capitol, where he strings together seasons that look something like this.

2003/04:  19-5-5
2004/05:  25-5-5
2005/06:  29-6-3
2006/07:  28-6-5

Those are all star caliber numbers, i remember Gilbert being one of the most dynamic scorers in the league. he was flat-out deadly with the rock. The 2007/08 season comes along and Arenas gets hit with that left knee injury. After numerous surgeries and two and a half seasons pass, Arenas looks set to return to business as usual.. But, that never happens. Instead, he looks like he's lost a step, doesn't seem to even want to play the game, he brings guns into the locker room, then celebrates it on the court in front of the home crowd. He fakes a knee injury because he was bummed that the Wizards drafted their new, possibly improved, furture PG. The furture for Arenas in Washington seems to look hazey at best, he doesn't seem to want to be there, the Wizards don't seem to want him, he has a HUGE, bloated contract, that nobody in their right mind would ever pick up, unless of course, said team has an eaqually bloated contract they're currently looking to unload...

Cue in Otis Smith , the loose with cash, never afraid to make a move, General Manager of the Orlando Magic and the 2010/11 season. He and Arenas have a pleasant past, Otis was the Executive Director of Basketball Operations for the Warriors while Arenas played there. Arenas had publicly said that Otis served as a "father figure" to him in his pro career. Orlando was looking to make some waves after stalling out early in the season, and being publicly critisized by their star player, Dwight Howard. Otis was looking to shake things up and he had a contract that was as equally as disturbing as Arenas's. Rashard Lewis was sitting on a bloated contract and only giving the Magic around 12 ppg. The trade was made, the Wizards sent Arenas to Orlando and recieved the 6'10, small forward Lewis, in return. The Wizards get a fresh start with John Wall and Arenas gets a much needed fresh start in a new city, with an Orlando Magic team, who have been a contender for the past three seasons. So, if Arenas is healthy and he's in a better enviroment, with people (Otis Smith), that he's publicly stated he's fond of, and add in the fact that he's playing with the best "big man" in the entire NBA...... What gives? Gilbert hasn't even managed to break into the starting lineup for more than a single game.. Where is the gun-slinging, three-point-shooting, assasin we saw completely break teams off for three straight seasons? Has he not learned the Stan Van Gundy system yet? Is he not 100% yet? Should we stick a fork in his career? These are all questions that maybe only Arenas can answer, i can think of a couple of stories that started out like this, and none of them ended too well.. Ask Tracy McGrady and Penny Hardaway. Those are two very sad stories of great players who completely lost their magic after a devastating knee injury... Or, there is always Grant Hill and his ankle. Are these the things that the furture has in store for Gilbert? I hope not, and i know the fans in Orlando feel the same way.

The Pride of New York?

The Knicks have taken their fair share of criticism and licks over the past decade. Their last playoff appearance was during the 2003/04 season with a record of 39-43 (7th seed) and they lost in the first round at the hands of the New Jersey Nets. Enter the Mike D'Antoni era. D'Antoni, known for his fast-paced offensive attacks, smaller lineups and lack-luster defense, has been at the helm for a couple of seasons, cleaned a little house and worked well with Donnie Walsh to bring in some talent. The biggest move was bringing in Amar'e Stoudemire, who had formerly played in the D'Antoni system in Phoenix, to serve as their go-to-guy, a move that has transitioned nicely, Amar'e is putting up 26.7 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2 blocks per contest. The Knicks are 16-10 on the season, including a heart-breaker against the Celtics on Wednesday night. Amar'e Stoudemire has scored at least 30 points in his last nine games and has been an absolutely dominating force in the east. I'll be the first to admit that i was a critic of the Amar'e move, i thought that perhaps Amar'e was made to look like a better player than he actually is because of Steve Nash, and most people probably understand my assumption, Steve Nash could probably make any player look better, right? Well, i still believe that Nash is the standard as far as point guards of the last decade go, but, i must admit my poor evaluation and reconsider my take on Stoudemire. This guy is the real deal, with or without Steve Nash, he demands a double team, can out-leap just about any player at the four or five position and can just, flat out, play the game.

Another key reason for Knick success has been a 6'1 point guard from the University of North Carolina, Raymond Felton, the former Tar Heel is on pace for major statistical jumps in points per game (18.7), assists (8.9), steals (2.0) and field goal percentage (.464). He was always a very good on-the-ball defender in Charlotte and showed flashes of offensive greatness, but, always seemed to lack the leeway from Larry Brown to really unleash and run the offense the way he wanted to. I always got the impression that Felton was kind of like coach Brown's puppet in Charlotte and really wasn't allowed to break it open. Well folks, Raymond Felton has broken it open in the Mike D'Antoni system and has became one of the leagues better point guards this season. Felton has posted double-digit scoring in every game except one, this season, and has netted double-digit assists in thirteen games. Felton's play has impressed me thus far and he should really be thrown into the discussion when talking about the leagues top point guards. He and Stoudemire really seem to compliment each other nicely and this should be the start to something very special for Knicks fans.

Now that I've won most of you New Yorkers over, I'm going to give you some tough love. I believe the Knicks have started great and have put some pieces into play, but, these Knicks are not going to win a championship, not without help. They need to land Carmelo Anthony, or another big-time scorer. Right now you're probably thinking, what the heck, this guy just praised Amar'e and Felton for two full paragraphs, and now he's telling me that the Knicks can't win? And, i am. The Knicks can NOT and will not win, or even compete with the top teams in the Eastern conference with their current team. Can they land the 5th or 6th seed in the East? Probably, and they'd likely win a couple of games against a top team, but, there is no way they can hold up for seven game with the likes of Boston, Orlando, Miami or Atlanta. These teams have been there before, they're too deep and they have more weapons. Raymond Felton got worked by Jameer Nelson in the first round last season and the rest of the Knicks players, with exception to Stoudemire, have never even sniffed a playoff game, let alone battled a dominate team for seven games. A couple of harsh facts that stand out to me are, they played at the absolute highest level they can possibly play against the Celtics on Wednesday night, and they still lost, it was a good, close game, but, they played out of their minds and they still couldn't win, at home. Imagine if that game was in Boston? They might have lost by ten. Another harsh fact is that Amar'e Stoudemire is averaging close to 38 minutes per game, which has to concern you if you're a Knicks fan. He's had injury issues in the past and playing that many minutes, while being the focal point of an offense can really put the miles on a guy who plays with his level of intensity. You have got to wonder whether or not he'll break down.

As a New Yorker, I'm glad to see the strides the Knicks have made and hopefully they keep grinding and make some noise later on this season. I just believe they need that extra piece to become a legit contender, maybe they'll get it this season, maybe it will take the off-season. Either way, it's exciting to see this franchise breath some life again.

Nets 2010/11 Assessment:

The post Jason Kidd era has been tough on the Nets. Jason Kidd was traded to Dallas, fifty-one games into the 2007/08 season, they would finish 34-48 and miss the playoffs. Since then, the Nets are a combined 46-118 in the past two seasons, they started 0-18 last season and finished 12-70. Kidd is gone, Richard Jefferson is gone, Vince Carter is gone. The Nets haven't made the playoffs since 2006-07 and they're in a slump, but, these are all things that happen when a team is rebuilding. These are the tell-tale signs, people. This isn't the time for hanging your heads. This should be the time that Nets fans start to get excited about their future. Look at the list, it's all there, these are the things that teams do before and while trying to rebuild, and the Nets have done them all. Here are the four phases, in no specific order, that should let you know that a rebuild is happening/coming.

1- They go out and grab big named help: The Nets landed Vince Carter, believing maybe the talk about him folding in big games was all just hype.

2- Panic sets in and the fire-sale on all big named players with big money ensues: They deal Kidd to Dallas, the move RJ to Milwaukee and they trade Carter to Orlando.

3- They draft a stud, who can essentially be the future of said team: Brook Lopez. In this case, the phases weren't exactly in order, because Lopez was drafted before the fire-sale was completed, that tends to be the way it works sometimes.

4- While dealing these big named guys, the team locks up some young prospects, contracts to dump and draft picks. The Nets did all of these things, they landed prospects such as Devin Harris, Travis Outlaw, Anthony Morrow, Courtney Lee. They got contracts they could dump or trade, like Troy Murphy, Rafer Alston and Tony Battie. They also did a good job of using some draft picks. They got Terrence Williams, Brook Lopez, Ryan Anderson and Derrick Favors.

Fast-forward to the 2010/11 season, and the Nets are still playing abysmal ball, and now my "phases to a rebuild" theory has more holes in it than Dennis Rodman's brain https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVGdI2RQ0uVLNxH4Sxj9WQ9wHcgjClypCYNExc2z_CtUDfylc3Xa7KAokX-vGJGuYl0940UEMxwSeylYe1KgT8MPo5a5IVL20imh9mLsm46TZVJkhdw-j2VzR05aWmUyV6kLyGHKZPe9k/s1600/Rodman+ventral+brain.jpg (that is a real ventral of Rodman's brain, folks). Anyways, the point I'm trying to get at, is this. Things normally get worse before they get better, the quiet before the storm, if you will. Even celebrated franchise teams, such as the Lakers and the Celtics have hard times, people forget things fast, but, both Kobe Bryant and Paul Pierce were asking for trades before their GM's went out and got them help. Brook Lopez is the Nets future player, he's not as good of a rebounder as i though he would be, he's not greatly athletic, but, he commands double teams with his inside post game, can score in bunches, can shoot the ball well and blocks shots. Finding "Big Men" in today's NBA that can score is a big deal, they're not a dime-a-dozen. A lot of teams don't have an answer for it. Name me five NBA centers that you would bet your life savings on to go out and get you twenty points for three games in a row..... Still nothing? I'll make it easier, name three... I didn't think so. Brook Lopez and Dwight Howard may be the only two, and that could be pushing it. The thing is, Brook has a better offensive game than Howard, he has a back-to-the-basket repertoire and he can convert from the line (.812 career). If you think that having a 7-footer with an offensive arsenal isn't coveted, go ask Stan Van Gundy, or watch the fits he breaks into http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rztY0oxObXI when Howard can't convert from inside eight feet, or make ten of his twenty-two free throws to seal a playoff victory.

So now that I've convinced you of Brook Lopez, i have convinced you, correct? If not, scroll back up and re-read. Let's move on to the next step for the Nets. They have some pieces in place to compliment Brook, they have a solid, all-star caliber point guard in Devin Harris, they have prospects in Terrence Williams and Derrick Favors and they also have role players in Travis Outlaw, Troy Murphy, Chris Humphries, Anthony Morrow and Jordan Farmar. To be realistic, my guess is they'll need a SF or SG with big time scoring capability before they become a true contender in the East. Which also means that some of the before mentioned names will have to be on the block, the most obvious is Troy Murphy, because he has an 11 million dollar contract that is nearing expiration and because Murphy is a pretty solid player, making him a decent trade prospect, beyond just his dollar value. Another trading piece the Nets may need to exercise, would be their rookie, Favors. Favors could be the asking price of many teams willing to part ways with a skilled veteran, because of his upside. My last real trading scenario, not a popular one, is dealing Devin Harris, he's a crafty six year vet, with a skill-set that would undoubtedly draw in suitors from across the league. Of course, any of these trades would have to net the Nets something special, whenever you're talking about dealing a player of Harris's ability or a young, raw talent to be, such as Favors, the risk is high. Nobody wants to be the GM to trade the next big time stud. But, as with all trades, there is a risk and reward factor, and that will be for the Nets front office to figure out. Carmelo Anthony in a Navy and Grey uniform does have a subtle, attractive lure to it. Only time will tell. In the mean time. I believe that the Nets still have a decent enough shot at taking the 7 or 8 seed for the 2011 playoffs, it's not impossible. Chemistry is a tricky thing, i think they have a solid eight-man rotation to work with, they have their stars, in Lopez and Harris. They just need to find a way to mesh together and make things work. I can see them finishing 42-40, which could net you a playoff birth in the East, the Bulls netted the eight-seed at 41-41 last season. But, for all of you optimists, lol, for all of you who have given up hope completely this season. Here is a list of free agent help for next season.

Caron Butler, Carmelo Anthony, Tayshaun Prince, Mike Dunleavy Jr., Zach Randolph, David West, Jason Richardson, Carl Landry, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Andrei Kirilenko and Josh Howard all come off the books after next season. All unrestricted free agents, some are far more ideal than others, but, i believe they all have value when mixed and matched correctly. Happy hunting!

Point Guard Power Rankings, Week 2:

This week saw some great point guard action, the league is really starting to shape up into a point guards playground, and these guys make a living at making the opposing defenses look silly. Two new players break into the top 5, leaving two others on the outside, and a Rookie crashes the party!

#1- Derrick Rose (Last week #1): Rose has played five games since our last rankings, leading the Bulls to a 3-2 record, losing their first two against tough conference foes, Boston and Orlando. Rose and company bounced back to win their last three, over the Rockets, Thunder and Cavs, bringing them to 12-8 on the season and two games ahead of the Pacers in the Central division. Rose averaged 21 ppg and 8 assists over this stretch, putting together 30 points, 11 assists, 7 rebounds and 5 steals in a winning effort over the Rockets.

#2- Russell Westbrook (Last week #2): Westbrook turned in a great week of action, the loss to Chicago and Rose may have been the only thing keeping him out of the #1 spot this week, like Rose, Westbrook led his Thunder to a 3-2 record over the last five outings and Russ, averaged 23.4 ppg and 8.8 assists during this stretch, including a near triple-double in a triple overtime win against the Nets on Dec. 1st. Westbrook was absolutely on fire that game, recording 38 points, 15 rebounds, 9 assists and 3 steals in the win.

#3- Deron Williams (Last week #3):  Deron played four games since our last rankings, bringing the Jazz to a 2-2 record over that stretch, Williams averaged 21.2 ppg and 10.6 assists for the week. Deron has continued to be the complete package this season and is really fighting hard to topple Rose in the standings. Rose and Westbrook both turned in monster games last week, leaving Williams in 3rd.

#4- Raymond Felton (Last week #8): Felton makes the big jump from 8th to 4th this week. There are three reasons for that. 1) Felton has looked amazing this week and all season, averaging 18.6 ppg and 8.8 apg. 2) The Knicks won all four of their games this week and eleven of their last twelve, i believe Felton is a huge reason for this. 3) He looked better than last week's 4-7. Felton recorded a double-double in each of his four games this past week, with exception of the Toronto game (18 and 8) and the Knicks are running on a full tank.

#5- Steve Nash (Last week #7): Nash and the Suns went 3-2 this week and Nash brought in a double-double in four of their five games. Nash is averaging in 18.1 ppg and 10.5 apg on the season. This latest run has helped Phoenix reach .500 on the season at 11-11 (2nd in the Pacific) and Nash is the reason for this.

#6- Rajon Rondo (Last week #5): Rondo and his league leading 14.1 assists per game (13.6 on the week) helped Boston cruise to three wins this week, on the December 1st, 3rd and 8th, including a 12 point and 19 assist game. Rondo has been the premier assist man this season and really has a knack for running the Celtic offense. I'm still waiting for an offensive breakout from the four year Kentucky guard, time will tell if Rondo can harness his offensive game.

#7- Chris Paul (Last week #4): Paul has slipped a few spots due to his abysmal offensive performances this week. Paul managed 12 assists per game, but, only gave us two games in double-digit points, while leading New Orleans to 2-2 on the week. You should expect to see Paul break from his slump, he had a bad week in terms of scoring, I'm sure he'll get back on the horse in time for next week's rankings.

#8- Tony Parker (Last week #9): Parker had a non-existent game in the loss to the Clippers on the 1st, but, since then, he's put up 20 and 5, 19 and 7 and 19 and 9, in three straight winning efforts. The Spurs still have the best record in the league and Parker's play can't go unnoticed.

#9- Monta Ellis (Last week #6): Ellis and company lost all four games this week, but, Ellis turned out good performances, averaging 23.2 ppg and racking up 38 point and 29 point efforts on their losing streak. The Warriors may not be winning games, but, Ellis is turning in a convincing all-star bid thus far.

#10- John Wall (Last week NA): John Wall crashes the party this week at #10. The Rookie guard, out of Kentucky has strung together some nice games, as well as some nice highlights http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWInFqVdjyE, Wall has been in double-digit scoring for all four of the Wizards games last week and also turned in 22 and 14 and a 12 and 12 performances for the week. This kid has one of the best stop-and-go moves I've ever seen and should be an elite PG for many seasons to come.

Close but no cigar: Mike Conley, Brandon Jennings, Tyreke Evans, Andre Miller, Jrue Holiday, Devin Harris, Jameer Nelson.

NBA Recap,Wednesday, Dec 1st:

Didn't have a chance to catch all twelve games on Wednesday night? We got you covered!

Hawks edge Grizz for their 4th straight, and they do so without All-Star, Joe Johnson, who will undergo surgery (right, shooting elbow) on Thursday to remove loose objects. Horford leads the way for Atlanta with 20, five other Hawks reached double figures. Rudy Gay had 23 and Mike Conely added 22, in the loss. Memphis loses for just the 2nd time in six games, Atlanta sweeps the season series at 2-0.

The Thunder need triple OT to beat the Nets, 123-120 in NJ. Russell Westbrook explodes for 38 points, 15 rebounds, 9 assists and 3 steals, Westbrook also scored all 13 of the Thunder's overtime points. Apparently Russ read my point guard power rankings and is none too happy with ranking #2, behind Derrick Rose, point taken. Jeff Green had 37 as the Thunder do it without Kevin Durant (sprained knee). Brook Lopez notched 28 points and 10 boards, Jordan Farmar had a career high 28 points and a career high 52 minutes, in the loss. Devin Harris did not play (knee strain) and is day-to-day.

The Raptors knock of the Wiz, 127-108, John Wall returned after missing two games and Gilbert Arenas vanished, shooting 1-10 from the floor and finishing with just 7 points. Wall had 19 points and 9 assists, in the loss. The Wiz face Portland, Phoenix and the Lakers in their next three. DeMar DeRozan had 20 to lead all scorers, Sonny Weems and Andre Bargnani each added 18, there were seven Raptors in all to reach double figures in the route.

Boston Drops Portland by four, 99-95, at the TD Garden. Paul Pierce led all scorers with 28 points, while KG added 17 and Glen "Big Baby" Davis had 16. Wesley Matthews was Portland's high man with 23, Andrew Miller had 20 and Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge both had 18 in the loss. Boston wins It's fifth straight, while on the flip side of that, the Blazers lose their fifth straight.

Pistons at Heat, Miami (11-8) rolls past the Pistons by 25, to win 97-72. Detroit is hardly a worthy opponent, but, I'm sure it will do for the Heat, who have struggled this season. Lebron James led the way with 18, Bosh and Wade helped out with 16 apiece. Detroit continues to have their problems on both ends of the floor, Rookie, Greg Monroe had 15 and Charlie Villanueva added 10 to be the only two Pistons in double figures. Detroit is 6-13 on the season and will probably land somewhere in the lottery for next season.

Orlando storms into Chicago to defeat the Bulls, 107-78. The Magic (14-4), led by Jameer Nelson (24) and Vince Carter (22) looked to embarrass the Bulls on their homecourt, and succeeded. Brandon Bass had 17 and Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis both struck for 13, to round out all Magic players in double figures. Noah had 16, Derrick Rose had 15 and Taj Gibson finished with 10, in the loss. Carlos Boozer made his highly anticipated Chicago debut, but, only managed to score 5 point in 21 minutes of play. Tail of the tape is that Orlando has now won five straight and did so by outrebounding the Bulls, 44-21.

The Hornets stung the Bobcats, 89-73. David West led the way with 22, Chris Paul turned in 9 and 14  assists, while Emeka Okafor grabbed a double-double with 14 and 13. The Hornets (13-5) look to have a good thing going, but, could meet some tough times against division foes such as Dallas and San Antonio. Gerald Wallace had 18, Dj Augustin and Boris Diaw both supplied 13 and Stephen Jackson (suspension) didn't play during the loss.

Dallas (14-4) kept their strong start alive by beating Minnesota (4-14), 100-86. Shawn Marion led the way for the Mavs with 16, Jason Terry had 12, Dirk Nowitzki and Caron Butler both chipped in with 10. Michael Beasley had 16, while Kevin Love and Darko Milicic both connected for 10, in the loss.

Houston stuns the Lakers, 109-99, behind Kevin Martin's 22 points. Shane Battier had 17 and Luis Scola supplied 14 in their payback victory over LA. Houston has struggled with Yao Ming and Aaron Brooks both suffering early injuries, my projected "second best team in the West" has not done so hot thus far. Maybe this is the big win they needed to right the ship. The Lakers (13-6) were led by Kobe Bryant's 27 and Lamar Odom's 25, although it wasn't enough to get the W.

Denver bests the Bucks, 105-94, behind 24 from Nene, JR Smith also kicked in 20 points and 10 rebounds in the win. John Salmons scored 21 for the Bucks and Corey Maggette added 17, in the loss.

The Jazz trump the Pacers, 110-88, led by 24 points and 16 assists from Deron Williams, Kirilenko had 18, Al Jefferson added 17 and Paul Millsap finished the night with 16. With the parting of ways with Carlos Boozer, this has really become Deron's team, and he's really taken to the task nicely. He looks primed for an all star appearance, as well as a playoff birth. The Pacers had five players in double figures, led by Darren Collison, with 16. The Pacers are 9-8 and need to really put a stamp on their season before it is too late.

LA: The Clippers shock the world and grab a W against the Spurs. The Clippers (4-15) have been, well... The Clippers this season and, the Spurs (15-3) have been the Spurs. The Clippers looked pretty good, maybe all they needed was a little Baron Davis, he finished with 7 points but, really controlled the court with 10 assists. Blake Griffin had a huge night with 31 points and 13 rebounds and Eric Gordon chipped in 21. The Spurs were led by George Hill, who had 17 and Manu Ginobili who had 15. Tim Duncan was a non-factor and Tony Parker goes into hibernation, just one day after i ranked him inside the top 10 of the PG rankings, and the Spurs lose.

2010/11 NBA Power Rankings, PG Edition:

As i search the net each day, looking through blogs and articles from a vast population of sports writers and bloggers, i always find opinions on NBA power rankings and overall lists of top teams. The elite players from these teams, Kobe, Lebron, Dwight Howard, Kevin Durant, and the list goes on, always generate a lot of chatter and get tons of face time on these blogs and articles, so basically, i thought, what if somebody did these power rankings, but, instead of doing power rankings for all 30 NBA teams, somebody did power rankings based solely on the players at their respective positions. So, I've decided to start a power rankings system for point guards and possibly extend that to each position. I'll do this on a bye-weekly basis. Here is your top 10.

#1- Derrick Rose: 26.6 ppg, .468 FG%, 8.2 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.0 steals per contest.  Rose has been absolutely on fire this season. Upping his point per game by 7.2 from his career total of 19.4. Rose has also seen increases in his assists and rebounds. The Memphis product, has led the Bulls to an early division lead in the Central, at 9-6, without the newly acquired Carlos Boozer. Rose has notched double-doubles four times this season and has also reached at least 30 points on six occasions. The numbers don't lie, folks, D-Rose is the man right now and you can take that to the bank!

#2- Russell Westbrook: 23.8 ppg, .447 FG%, 8.6 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 2.2 steals per contest. Westbrook has helped lead the young Thunder to a 12-6 record this season, trailing only Utah in the Northwest, by a game and a half. Westbrook has upped his career ppg by 7.3, is a great defender and is also a tough matchup for opposing PG's, the former Bruin has great size and strength for a point guard without lacking speed and quickness on offense. Westbrook has great upside and is knocking on the door for the #1 spot.

#3- Deron Williams:  21.9 ppg, .464 FG%, 9.9 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.3 steals per contest. D-Will is as advertised, big (6'3), strong (210lbs) and possesses an unmatched ability to control the flow of every game. He may not get to the rack as fast as D-Rose or Rajon Rondo, but, he does possess a complete game. He, Steve Nash and Chris Paul are probably the 3 most complete point guards in the game right now, and Deron is leader of the pack. His team is leading the Northwest division at 14-5, he's almost at 10 dimes per game and he averages over 20 ppg. He's really getting it done and Utah's success has him to thank.

#4- Chris Paul: 16.5 ppg, .490 FG%, 10.3 assists, 4.7 rebounds and (league leading) 2.9 steals per contest. CP3 looks to be almost back to form, he's putting up pretty good numbers, we wish he'd score a bit more, but, everything else looks like it's there. I'm assuming he'll be right around 20 ppg before the season ends, and if healthy, he'll probably top this list. His Hornets are 12-5, which puts them 3 games behind the Spurs in the Southwest division, they should contend with Dallas and San Antonio for the entire season.

#5- Rajon Rondo: 11.5 ppg, .511 FG%, (league leading) 14.1 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 2.4 steals per contest. Rondo may find himself out of the top 5 if he can't find a way to do more damage in the scoring collum, he's a great athlete, but, his jump shot isn't coming along and he still seems to rely on the "Big Three" too often. Where is the Rondo that took the league by storm during the 2009/10 playoffs? I'm in the process of faxing a picture of Rondo's scoring ability to every post office in the country, if anyone has seen it, please contact Doc Rovers immediately, because he'll need it for Boston to make a repeat appearance in the 2010/11 finals.

#6- Monta Ellis: 24.2 ppg, .476 FG%, 4.9 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 2.5 steals per contest. Ellis has been a scoring machine for the 8-10 Warriors, eclipsing the 40 point mark 3 times already this season. We'd love to see him dish a bit more, but, playing in a two point guard set with fellow Warrior, Stephen Curry, who averages 5.9 dimes per matchup could be the reason that Ellis is only hovering around 5 per contest. I'm more concerned with watching the damage Monta can cause while driving, he is one of the most explosive players to play the point guard position and is an elite scorer on most nights.

#7- Steve Nash: 18.9 ppg, .490 FG%, 9.6 assists, 3.4 rebounds and about a steal per contest. Let me start by saying sorry to all of the Nash loyalists out there, i understand that it is hard to see Nash outside of the top 5, and believe me when i say that it sort of pains me to stick him here, but, i feel that i have to be true to my opinion and not place Nash inside the top 5 at this point. While he (Nash) is a great talent and probably the best PG of the last decade,  the Suns (8-9) are under .500 and they're competing with the best team in the league (LA) for the Pacific division, and things won't get any easier for Nash and company unless they can find a way to work this smaller unit, without Amare Stoudemire.

#8- Raymond Felton: 18.2 ppg, .471 FG%, 8.1 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 2 steals per contest. I'm jumping on the Felton bandwagon right now and I'm riding that thing all the way to the Knicks first playoff appearance since 2004. Felton is on my radar for most improved player of the year. His last years numbers go something like this: 12.1 ppg, .459 FG%, 5.6 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.5 steals per contest. That means he has improved in every possible way thus far. He's a great defender, shoots 36% from deep and really has the Knicks clicking.

#9- Tony Parker: 17.5 ppg, .513 FG%, 7.3 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.7 steals per contest. TP has been working the helm nicely for the NBA leading Spurs (15-2) and he seems to be at the top of his game. As long as Parker stays healthy and the Spurs start winning, expect to see Parker in the top 10. He's scored over 20 nine different times and, yes, he's done what even Tiger Woods couldn't.. He's done all of these great things in the midst of a cheating scandal (sorry Tony).

#10- Stephen Curry: 20.8 ppg, .479 FG%, 5.8 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game. Curry has been what many thought Curry would become, early into the 2010/11 season. I'll be the first to admit that i was a skeptic, i recall seeing Curry ranked inside the top 10 during a fantasy basketball draft and i thought that there was no good reason for it. He has played beyond my expectations and really could make a convincing argument for the top 5 if he becomes more of an assist guy and the Warriors start collecting some wins. Playing side-by-side with Ellis probably effects his assist numbers, but, probably also helps them in some sense.

Close but no cigar: John Wall, Brandon Jennings, Gilbert Arenas, Devin Harris, Tyreke Evans, Rodney Stuckey, Mike Conley and Jameer Nelson.

NBA Tid-Bits, Tuesday, Nov 23rd:

Tuesday night saw six matchups, including two that were decided in OT.

The Pacers downed the Cavs, 100-89, to win their second game in a row, their previous win came against the Heat. Indana is now 7-6, which puts them a half game behind Chicago in the Central division. Cleveland, now 5-8, have dropped their last three games and really seem to be in trouble. Darren Collinson has now been back for two games and the Pacers have won both. He played limited minutes (22) vs. Miami on Monday, but, saw 34 minutes against the Cavs and took full advantage of the playing time. He was 5-11 from the field, including a 3 and added 7-8 from the line to end with 18 points for the evening. Danny Granger led all scorers with 24, Brandon Rush had 16 and Mike Dunleavy chipped in 10 as the Pacers rolled. Indiana should continue to get solid play from Granger and Collinson, with the added support of their role players, Dunleavy, Rush, Hibbert, McRoberts and Hansbrough, they should be a pretty tough division foe for the Bulls down the stretch.

The Nets (5-9) knocked off the the fading Hawks (8-7) in overtime to defend their home floor, on Tuesday night. New Jersey, led by Brook Lopez and Devin Harris really needed this game, not so much for their playoff hopes, because let's face it, playoff hopes are a pipe dream for this team, but, because Lopez has been struggling and really had a huge performance against the Hawks, who are supposed to be a contender in the East. Lopez led all scorers with 32, on 12-19 shooting from the field, he also pulled in 9 boards, with only 1 turnover. Devin Harris chipped in 27, on 9-17 from the field, including three 3-pointers. Other players in double figures for the Nets were Kris Humphries (12) and Anthony Morrow (13). Atlanta is really starting to fall quickly, after starting the season 6-0, they have now lost 7 of their last 9 games, to fall backwards, almost to .500 on the season. Atlanta only attempted 13 free throws, compared to the Nets 33. Jamal Crawford led the way for the Hawks off the bench with 21, including 3-3 from three-point-land in the Loss, Horford and Joe Johnson combined for 30, while Josh Smith added 20. Atlanta had better figure out a way to end this slide and get back on track because, Orlando and Miami are already thinking about April. The Hawks will catch a bit of a break over the next five games, with the Wizards, Sixers and Grizz at home, Knicks and Raptors on the road. Then the fun begins with Orlando and Miami on the road.

The next overtime game was The Wizards vs. the Sixers, two young teams, trying to find their way in the ever-maturing, Eastern Conference. The Wiz, led by the ever impressive, John Wall and a growing JaVale McGee were able to withstand nine lead changes and three ties to escape Philly and a powerful performance from Andre Iguodala. Iggy, who has had his share of troubles this season, almost notched a triple-double, clocking 23 points, 11 rebounds and 8 dimes to, hopefully, break out of his early season slump. Elton Brand chipped in 19, which looks like something we should start getting used to, and five other Sixers reached double figures, Young (15), Speights (16), Nocioni (11), Holiday (10) and Turner (11). Philly has a young team, with plenty of talent, if Iggy and Brand can take control of this team and bring these younger guys to the next level, they could sneak an 8th seed and maybe give some teams trouble in the playoffs. John Wall was back and led all scorers with 25 off of the bench, including three free throws to send this thing into overtime. McGee had 24 points, 18 boards and 4 rejections, including a huge pass and slam from John Wall for the bucket, plus a free throw, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMGyKnR8OXg, that sent Brand packing with 3:32 to go in the 4th.  Arenas and Blatche both had 17 and Nick Young added 19 to round out all Wizards in double figures.

The Knicks topped the Bobcats 110-107 for their 4th straight victory. They seem to be meshing well, and i give a lot of the credit to Raymond Felton, Felton has emerged as top point guard this season and has finally seemed to find his way in the NBA. Felton, who had 16 points and 9 assists is averaging just under 18 ppg with 8 assists on the season, add in the fact that this kid sees the floor well and is a hard-nosed defender and you can see why he has been a breath of fresh air for Knick's fans. The five year guard out of UNC has really done a great job at connecting with the Knicks big gun, Amare Stoudemire, and has also done a great job at fitting, coach Mike D'Antoni's system of basketball. Felton and Gallinari hit four free throws in the last 15 seconds to seal the win for NY. Tony Douglas led all Knicks, with 22 points off the bench. The Knicks look good and they're starting to find that oh so important, team chemistry. Charlotte (5-10) is having trouble this season and will be vying for a playoff spot in a crowded Southeast division. Things aren't looking to get any easier for the Bobcats, as this should prove to be a long season. They'll be competing with Orlando, Miami, Atlanta and Washington, in what is quickly becoming one of the toughest divisions in basketball. Felton's replacement in Charlotte, D.J. Augustin, has stepped it up this season, he had 24  points and 7 dimes, to lead all scorers in the game, Gerald Wallace had 20 and Stephen Jackson chipped in 18 in the loss.

Dallas downs the Pistons, 88-84. Dirk Nowitzki pours in a season high 42 points and pulls down 12 rebounds in the win. Jason Kidd played his 1,200th game, Richard "Rip" Hamilton also reached a milestone, playing his 800th game. Kidd would finish the game with 7 points, 11 assists and 4 rebounds, Jason Terry had 16 and Caron Butler added 11. The Pistons had 4 players in double figures, Prince and Stuckey each had 19, while Maxiell and Gordan kicked in 10 apiece. Detroit (5-10) appears to be the early candidate for bottom-feeder of the Central division, while we're still trying to get a fix on Dallas. They have a superstar in Dirk and great role players in Terry, Kidd, Marion and Butler, now we'll have to wait and see if they can make it work.

Lakers/Bulls recap:

The Lakers win, 98-91 behind Shannon Brown and Lamar Odom who each had 21 in the contest, Brown's stock couldn't be higher at this point and Odom has been a solid mismatch scorer for the past few seasons. Kobe chipped in 20, while Gasol had 12 points and 11 rebounds. Derrick Rose led the way for Chicago, with 30 points, 8 assists and 4 rebounds, Noah had 19 points, 13 boards and 3 blocked shots, Taj Gibson had 16 and 12 rebounds, while Luol Deng pitched in 13 points to round out all Bulls in double figures.