Rudy Gay, Welcome To Toronto!

In an impressive win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night, it looks like the newest Raptor, Rudy Gay is settling in to his new home just fine. Whilst playoffs seem highly unlikely for the Raptors, the new Toronto duo of Gay and DeRozan have potential to do big things for the team, for the remainder of the season and for the upcoming seasons.

Toronto has never had much luck in the NBA since joining the league in 1995. They have a had a few promising seasons the past decade, including a few playoff appearance but the thought of them being NBA champions has never seemed likely. Since the departure of Chris Bosh in 2010, the Raptors have had a bit of rebuilding to do. Whilst they have a ways to go yet, the inclusion of Rudy Gay is certainly a good start.

Rudy Gay

Gay made his debut for Toronto on Wednesday night against the Clippers. I admit, I expected a solid performance from Gay and the Raptors but I held no belief that they would win, let alone win by as much as they did. The convincing win (99-73 was the final score) ended a 3 game losing streak for Toronto. Gay played 33 minutes, shooting 50% from the field, including three 3 pointers, to finish with a game high 20 points. DeMar Derozan shot just under 50%, finishing with 19 points and 7 assists, including 2 beautiful alley oops to Gay.

Not to take anything away from Toronto, but let's be honest, one win against the Clippers (who were missing key players) doesn't mean a lot. The following game, the Raptors went down to the Heat, 100-85. It was still a good showing from Gay and DeRozan. The question is, can these two bring out the best in each other and continue to do so?

DeMar DeRozan

Derozan will have to be able to continue to effectively move the ball around, with minimal turnovers. A struggling team cannot afford to turn the ball over. He needs to develop his jump shot and increase his range to the 3 point line. If he can consistently score, it will make it easier for him to pass the ball around. Ideal averages for him would see his points at around 15-20 a game, with his assists somewhere around 10 a game. He is already a great defensive player, so he needs to keep his pressure up to try and force a few turnovers for some easy points.

Gay is going to have to score in bunches with a high percentage. His percentage is at 40.8 at the moment which is good, but with good shot selection there is no reason why he cant increase to 45%, maybe even close to 50 percent. I would like him to score around 25 points a game. I don't expect a lot of assists from him, but if DeRozan does become a better shooter, Gay will be able to draw the double team and kick it out for an open shot. Gay does need to rebound a lot more, his average is 5.9 rpg, but if he works hard in the paint, he can increase that to around 10.

If both players can achieve like that (both are doing well together so far) it will be a great start for Toronto. Basketball is a team game though and no matter how good those two get, they will need a solid team around them if Toronto wants playoff success.

Andrew Wiggins

Currently favored to be picked number one in next year's draft is Canada's own, Andrew Wiggins. Wiggins is widely considered the hottest basketball player outside of the NBA. At just 17 years of age, he would be in for a great career if he lives up to his hype, and it seems very likely that he will.  Now I'm not suggesting Toronto throw the rest of the season to get a better chance at drafting him, but if they won the draft lottery and picked up Wiggins, the playoffs would seem almost certain for Toronto. It's a nice thought to have Wiggins bring Toronto to success but they cannot pin all their hopes on the Draft Lottery.

They are a fairly young team and need to continue to play basketball with everything they have got. Fields, Lowry and Johnson all have something to bring to the table. Behind DeRozan and Gay, the rebuilding phase for Toronto looks just about over.

NBA All-Stars - Who Missed Out?

For those of you who live under a rock, here is the starting line up for each conference (and reserves list) for the upcoming All-Star game.

EAST : Dwayne Wade, Rajon Rondo, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Garnett

Reserves : Chris Bosh, Tyson Chandler, Luol Deng. Joakim Noah, Paul George, Jrue Holiday, Kyrie Irving

Coach: To be determined on Sunday, February 3rd (Not Tom Thibodeau)

WEST : Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin, Dwight Howard

Reserves : LaMarcus Aldridge, Tim Duncan, James Harden, David Lee, Tony Parker, Zach Randolph, Russell Westbrook

Coach : To be determined on Sunday, February 3rd (Not Scott Brooks)
As always not everyone who deserves a spot on the team has been selected, and this year there are a few players who have a strong claim to be in the line-up, but were not selected. 

Lopes is averaging 18.6 ppg, 7.3 rpg and 2.1 bpg

Perhaps the biggest oversight was that of Brooklyn's Brook Lopez. His averages (18.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game) seem just as good, if not better than All-Stars Tyson Chandler (12.1, 10.9, 1.1) and Chris Bosh (17.2, 7.2, 0.8). You could also argue the case that Lopez is more deserving than Chicago's Joakim Noah, his point average significantly lower than Brook's, averaging just 12.2 a game. Noah, however is ranked in the top 10 in rebounding, and passes the ball extremely well for a center, having a strong claim to the best passing big man in the game. With that being said though, it is a real shame that Brook Lopez is missing out on this year's All-Star game. Brooklyn is currently sitting 4th in the East (26-18) and I'm sure Brook Lopez, along with Deron Williams and Joe Johnson (both also having been looked over for the All-Star game) will continue to play successful basketball after the All-Star break.

Stephen Curry will make an All-Star
appearance more than once in his career 

Fans of the Golden State Warriors have a bittersweet celebration, overjoyed with the selection of David Lee, but were surprised not to see Stephen Curry selected for the game. Curry is averaging 21 points per game, to go along with 4 rebounds and 6.5 assissts. Golden State is sitting 5th in the West, much of the thanks going to Curry and Lee. Lee is averaging a double double with 19.5 points and 10.8 rebounds, along with 3.6 assists. As sad as it is that Curry was overlooked, he needs to remain focus on the remainder of the season, I have no doubt that he will be selected for numerous All-Star squads in the coming years of his young career.

I imagine Josh Smith is tired of being over looked

No surprises in Atlanta, where once again, Josh Smith was overlooked for an All-Star spot, despite the fact he is always a consistent forward. Smith does a bit of everything for his team and majority of his averages have continued to rise since his rookie year. He is currently averaging 16.7 points, 4 assists and 8.5 rebounds per game, up on his career average of 15.2 points, 3.1 assists and 8 rebounds per game. Atlanta is sitting at 6th in the east, just 2 games behind 2nd placed Knicks, and 4 behind conference leaders Miami. Josh Smith is just 27 years of age, and providing he remains healthy he still has another 10 or so years left in his career. As long as he continues to improve, he can't be overlooked forever.

Many were surprised this man wasn't
selected for this year's game

Chicago's Luol Deng and Joakim Noah have both been selected, but one Bull who is missing out is Carlos Boozer. Boozer is having a fantastic season, consistently getting results every single game. Whilst his stats don't jump out, they are very solid : 15.9 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. Of his last 11 games, 10 of them have been double doubles (in points and rebounds). He has 24 double doubles this season, that's 4 more than LeBron James. Boozer has kept his head in the game though, continuing to play well for the third place Chicago Bulls. He is happy for his two selected teammates and just wants to continue playing winning basketball. Maybe next year, if he keeps this effort up, Boozer will be selected.

LeBron James (selected for his 9th straight All-Star game) seems to agree about the amount of people overlooked each year, tweeting " I always believed there should be 15 players on both rosters, so there's no snubs". Maybe in an ideal world, but even selecting 15 players there will always be someone missing out, someone who can argue that their numbers aren't that different from someone who was selected. Unfortunately, its just the downside of the All-Star weekend : We can't see every star in the game each year. Here is a shortlist of players who could also argue a point : Brandon Jennings, Marc Gasol, Jordan Crawford, DeAndre Jordan, Bradley Beal, Serge Ibaka...really the list could go on forever.

Wall has been great since his return 2 weeks ago

As well as players simply being overlooked each year, injuries almost always prevent a talented superstar from making the All-Star game. Missing out in this year is star point guard, Derrick Rose. However, I'm not going to talk about Rose. There is another player who missed out due to a knee injury this year. If he was healthy this season, I have no doubt that Washington's John Wall would be in the All-Star game. After being diagnosed with a knee injury in the off season, John Wall made his return on the 12th of January against the Hawks. He played just 20 mins but got 14 points and 4 assists off the bench, giving the Wizards just their sixth win of the season. Since his return, the Wizards have won 6 of their last 9 games. They've gone from laughing stock of the league, to a team you have to respect and one everybody should pay attention to. Wall refuses to take credit for this turnaround, saying it is a team effort, and whilst that may be true, Wall is certainly the centerpiece of this team. I have no doubt, that if he remains healthy, not only will he be an All-Star next year, a playoffs run for the Wizards might not be as far fetched as we once believed.

Rondo has torn his ACL

Speaking of injuries, it has just been announced that Celtics' Rajon Rondo has torn his ACL. This is a terrible blow for the struggling Celtics', sitting 2 games below .500. Not only will Rondo miss the All-Star game, he will miss the remainder of this season, and likely the first half of next. As a fan of basketball, injuries are something I always hate to see. An ACL injury is one of the worst and hardest to recover from. The rehab is a lengthy and difficult task. Rajon Rondo is an incredible player, and it is a huge blow to the world of basketball to lose him. I pray for a speedy recovery for him and eagerly await his return to action, hopefully late this year.

The All-Star weekend will commence on February 15th, ending on the 17th. Houston is the host for this years show and I am sure, like always it will be a fun weekend showcasing the very best of the great game of basketball.

NBA Officials and the Tech Foul

We all know that being a referee isn't an easy task. It takes training and a lot of concentration is involved in making a decision in a split second. They don't always have the luxury of the right camera angle or a slow motion replay like we have. Mistakes will be made, that's a given. However, this season I've seen a lot of officiating that I am unhappy with. Inconsistent calls, poor decisions or unnecessary technical fouls have altered the momentum or outcome of a game. I've seen referee's lose control of games, to the point where the fans chant "these refs suck" (Chicago vs New York, 22nd December). I wish to make it clear that I understand how tough their job is, and that they generally do it well, but something needs to change.

Noah vs Chandler

Let's look first at the Chicago vs New York game last December. It was a physical game from the start and the referees made the decision to let a bit of pushing and shoving go. I was fine with this decision. One of the things I love about basketball is how fast paced it is compared to other sports. Seeing the whistle blow and stop play all the time is irritating. I'm not opposed to seeing a bit of contact between players. Where this all went wrong, was when the officials changed the way they were calling the game. Suddenly, any form of contact wasn't being allowed. The whistle was blowing every thirty seconds, calling fouls on plays identical to one's earlier that weren't deemed fouls then. This was of course frustrating for players and coaches on both teams. Yet, any time a player or an coach argued a point, the refs weren't shy about giving a technical foul. Several players received techs, along with both coaches. Mike Woodson (coach of the Knicks), was ejected from the game after getting his second tech foul. Tyson Chandler was ejected after a brief fight with Joakim Noah (who also received a technical foul for the scuffle). The fans began to chant "these refs suck" and no one could really blame them. Every one has a bad night, but the officiating that night was terrible and they lost control of the game. Security had to escort the refs away after the game. Whilst it was nowhere near as bad as the "Malice in the Palace" incident, it was still not a good sight and upsetting as a fan.

Dwight couldn't believe it either.

Everybody is familiar with the Dwight Howard ejection against Toronto on the 21st. I didn't see the game myself, but when I watched the replay of his second technical foul I could not believe it. From my eyes, I saw two players fighting for a rebound. Yes they got a bit annoyed at each other, but it was diffusing as quickly as it began. It was harmless contact, no different to what we see every single game. Yet the referee saw fit to call a technical foul on both players. Unfortunately for Dwight, it was his second, meaning an automatic ejection from the game. The struggling Lakers, lost their big man, arguably costing them the game against Toronto. Also for any Dwight Howard fans in Toronto, they lost their only chance to see him play this season.

Tom wasn't happy.

Indiana Pacers vs Chicago Bulls, 5th of December last year. 14.1 left in the game, Chicago trailing by 2. Coach Tim Thibodeau draws up play, executed successfully by his team. The play was supposed to end with Luol Deng, taking a base line jump shot or layup. However, on his way to the basket, he was met and stopped by Pacers Roy Hibbert. After the contact, Luol fell down and lost the ball out of bounds. No call was made and the Pacers went on to win 80-76. There are two sides to every story. The officials maintain Hibbert played good defense, and the Pacers agree. Luol felt he was fouled and coach Thibodeau was furious, describing the incident as a "train wreck". In my eyes, it was very clearly a foul. That contact is called every other game, this one should of been no different. However, it was called differently and cost Chicago the chance to tie up the game.

These games and decisions are just three of many this season. As a fan its very frustrating to see this happen, especially down the stretch of a game. Now I don't believe any official is doing this intentionally, like the unfortunate Tim Donaghy saga. I don't believe allegations made against the NBA implying they instruct referee's to favor one team or certain players in order to make more money. I do believe a change needs to be made, not only to the officiating of matches, but also to the rules in regards to the technical foul.

I love the fast-paced action of basketball, so I certainly don't want to see every play reviewed to make sure the right decision was made (and lots be honest, even after replays the bad call can still be made). I believe in order to get a better performance out of the referee's, they just need more incentives. The average salary of an NBA referee, varies between $100,000 and $550,000, depending on how long they have been in the company. Not a bad wage, but what if instead of being based on how long they have been in the NBA, it's based on how well they perform? I certainly think more money would encourage better decisions from the refs, regardless of their age. Better NBA players receive more money than the less talented ones, doesn't make sense that it would be the same for the officials?

Long time NBA referee Dick Bavetta

A poor performing NBA player, as well as receiving a smaller contract, usually spends a lot more time on the bench or is sent to D-League until he improves. If it was the same for the referee's, maybe they would try harder to get the calls right. And what about the games the referee called? Maybe the NBA should give a choice to the better performing referee's of what games they would like to call. Now I'm not saying we should punish a referee for the occasional bad decision, they are human and it will happen from time to time. If it continues to happen, is when the punishments should occur. Just like if they continue to perform well, they should get some of the mentioned benefits.

Joe Crawford calls a Technical Foul

What about the technical foul rule? After Dwight's ejection, I think the NBA needs to change this rule. Let's look at an example. Player A receives a technical foul for flopping. Later on in the game, player A picks up his second technical foul for hanging onto the rim too long after a slam. Now this doesn't seem necessary to eject him, but NBA rules states that after two technical fouls he has to go. Doesn't seem fair does it? Wouldn't it be better if we had different levels of technical fouls, ejection being optional depending on the severity? Don't get me wrong, I don't care who the player is, they do need to be held accountable for their actions. I think the NBA should have technical fouls still, just a little different. For example, a player's first technical remains the same - one free throw and possession for the opposing team. Now the second technical foul could be something like two shots and possession plus a fine for the offending player. Third technical foul? Four shots, possession and another fine. And so on. Ejection still remains an option, and the punishment seems severe enough to deter the player from re-offending. I think this would be a much better option for the NBA and would prevent unnecessary ejections happening in the future.

As a general rule, the NBA officials do an outstanding job of making tough calls in a matter of seconds. Majority of the time, they make the right call. Lately it has just seemed that the same level of care hasn't gone into every game, and calls are being made poorly and inconsistently. I believe the above mentioned incentives and punishments will make a huge difference in some of these games. Add that to a change in the technical foul rule, and the game will do nothing but benefit from the changes.

SuperSonics in Seattle

One of the hottest topics in NBA at the moment, is the potential move of the Sacramento Kings to the city of Seattle. The much loved SuperSonics where taken away from Seattle in 2008, relocating to Oklahoma City to become the Thunder. However, it seems that Seattle fans can rejoice in the homecoming of their beloved team.

It was announced in the Seattle Times on Monday, that Chris Hansen and Steve Ballmer have agreed to purchase the Sacramento Kings. Pending the NBA's approval, the move will take place at the close of this season, in order for the SuperSonics to begin playing in Seattle by the beginning of the 2013-14 NBA season. Let's take a quick look at why Seattle moved, and why the Kings are planning to.

In November of 2007, the Seattle SuperSonics where sold to Oklahoma City, leaving behind the city in which they had played since 1967. The relocation took place after the Washington government decided not to provide funding to update KeyArena (home of the Sonics). As a result, Howard Schultz (head of the ownership group of the Sonics) sold the team to Oklahoma City. Without going into too much detail, this was a lengthy process, but one that was ultimately successful for the franchise. However, the loyal and loving fans of Seattle where forgotten, and through no fault of their own, lost their team.

Upset Sacramento fans

In 1985, the Kings started playing basketball in Sacramento. For the most part, they have had little success as a team, but their fans have remained nothing less than loyal. It's almost guaranteed that the Kings will be sold, then renamed and relocated, leaving the city of Sacramento behind, but why are they moving?

As loyal as the fan base in Sacramento is, the one in Seattle is bigger and better. The Sleep Train Arena can often look like an abandoned stadium, you can see more empty seats than people. You can't really blame the fans for that. Nobody wants to go pay money to see their team lose each and every night. And it's not like the team has star attraction either. With all due respect to DeMarcus Cousins (who comes across as immature and unlikable) or the rest of the Kings, none of them really have the attraction of LeBron, Kobe or D-Rose, do they? Now think back to KeyArena. How often did you see two empty seats next to each other? Even if the Sonics were losing, at least you could go watch Kevin Durant. Maybe the change in the scenery will bring out the best in the current Kings lineup, if not some trades and a good draft pick will make a world of difference.

The Seattle SuperSonics, playing in front of a sold out crowd in KeyArena

Although I have never been to either of the cities, I get the impression that Seattle is nicer, and one better suited to host a sports team, considering they already have the Seahawks and the Mariners, whereas Sacramento only has the Kings. Seattle also has a much larger population than Sacramento. A larger fan base will mean success for numerous reasons. More ticket sales, more merchandise sales and television contracts just to name a few. And it's not like the move is going to be difficult or expensive.

Larry Bird would be great for the Seattle SuperSonics 

So, unfortunate as it is for Sacramento, the move looks to be best for the franchise and is very likely to be set in stone by the end of the season. Chris Hansen, Steve Ballmer and Co. have plans to completely rebuild the franchise. Current GM, Geoff Petrie is set to retire at the close of this season. Two names being mentioned as his replacements are the Spurs general manager R.C. Buford and basketball legend, Larry Bird (former president of the Indiana Pacers). Whilst Buford seems an unlikely choice (he is very happy in San Antonio), Bird is looking to return to the NBA in the 2013-14 season. Larry has a great basketball mind, and worked wonders for the Pacers in his time there. He was voted NBA executive of the year in 2011, before having to step away for health reasons last year. Bird seems to be the perfect choice to make the franchise very successful. He would make sure the team has the right coaching staff and the right players to bring success to the franchise, and smiles to the fans. 

As good as it would be for both Sacramento and Seattle to have teams, this is very unlikely, at least for many years. It was very unfortunate what happened to Seattle fans in 2008, and whilst this will give them back what they deserve, its at the expense of Sacramento, who must lose what they also deserve. I can only imagine the immense joy felt by Seattle, and likewise of the sadness that must be felt by Sacramento. I know I would be devastated if I ever lost my team to another city. This move does seem to be nothing but good for the franchise though, and will bring nothing but success to the city of Seattle. I pray that the fans of Sacramento move on from this loss, and will one day have a team in their city again, to bring joy back to the faces of their loyal fans.

Player Spotlight : Kobe Bean Bryant

7 years ago today, I was lucky enough to witness history in the making. The Los Angeles Lakers were hosting the Toronto Raptors for a regular season match up. Few people imagined that Kobe Bryant (at the time aged 27) would set an NBA record, scoring a breathtaking 81 points, in just 42 minutes. His scoring performance was the best seen in the NBA since March 2nd, 1962 when Wilt Chamberlain dropped 100 points against New York. If you haven't seen any footage of this game, you should definitely check it out. It is very unlikely that we will witness such a game ever again. So, to celebrate the seventh anniversary of this milestone, I've decided to take a small look at the life and times (so far) of Kobe Bean Bryant.

Kobe Bryant was born in Philadelphia, on the 23rd of August, 1978. He was the only son (he had two older sisters) of Philadelphia's Joe "Jellybean" Bryant. From a young age, Kobe loved basketball, playing from three years old. His grandfather sent him NBA tapes, which Kobe would enjoy watching and studying. Funnily enough, Kobe's favorite team was the Lakers. From six years of age, he grew up in Italy, after his father left the NBA and moved there to continue playing basketball. In the summer months, Kobe would return to America to play basketball in a summer league. The Bryant family stayed in Italy until 1991, when Joe retired from basketball, moving the family back to America.

His passion for basketball carried on into his teenage years, playing on his high school's team in Lower Merion, Philadelphia. During his junior year as a player he averaged 31.1 ppg, 10.4 rpg and 5.2 apg, being named player of the year in the process. In his senior year, the Aces (Lower Merion's team) won their first championship in 53 years. Kobe averaged 30.8 ppg, 12 prg, 6.5 apg, 4 spg and 3.8 bpg. Kobe ended his high school career with a total of 2,883 points (more than Wilt Chamberlain) Just about every college in America was ready to recruit Kobe : North Carolina, Duke, Villanova and Michigan were at the top of his list, however Kobe was considering heading straight to the NBA. Bryant was picked 13th overall in the NBA draft of 1996, being selected by the Charlotte Hornets. The Hornets had previously agreed to trade their draft selection to the Lakers, who requested Bryant be selected. In return, the Hornets received center Vlade Divac.



Too look into Kobe's stellar career with any detail would take days, if not weeks. We all know what a great player he has been, continuing to improve every single year. The Lakers haven't missed the playoffs since drafting him, with the exception of his rookie year in 1996. Kobe has led his team to 5 championships, including a threepeat in the years 2000-2002. In the years 2005-2007, he was the league's leading scorer, and in 2008, he was awarded the MVP title. He has been selected to 14 All-NBA teams, 12 All-Defensive teams and has played in 15 All-Star games, winning the All-Star MVP award 4 times (2002, 2007, 2009 and 2011). Slam Dunk contest winner in 1997. Not to mention he was the youngest player ever to reach 30,000 career points.

Even though Kobe and the Lakers are struggling this season (17-24, 12th in the west) no one can deny Kobe Bryant was, and still is, one of the greatest NBA players of all time. I don't expect to see Kobe win anymore rings or titles between now and his retirement, but with a player like Kobe, anything is possible.

The Battle of New York - Game Recap 01.21.2013

Martin Luther King day match between the Brooklyn Nets (24-16) and the New York Knicks (25-13). Madison Square Garden is tonight's location, where the Knicks are 14-5, looking to gain a 3-1 advantage of the Nets in the season series. Brooklyn fans are hoping for the 2 all series tie.

Madison Square Garden, seconds away from tip-off.

First quarter shows the promise of a closely contested game between these two teams, The Nets winning the quarter 26-23, despite the fact they turned the ball over 7 times compared to the Knicks, only once turning the ball over. Tyson Chandler picked up his seventh technical foul of the season, the explanation given, "trash talk", after his big slam early in the quarter. Carmelo Anthony was doing a bit of everything for the Knicks, 3 assists, 8 points, 1 rebound and a questionable block was added to his stats after he clearly fouled Stackhouse. For the Nets Joe Johnson was lighting it up, 4 of 4 from the field including three 3 pointers (one from way down town) totaling 11 points for the first quarter. Arguably one of the best point guards in the league, Deron Williams had a quiet 5 points in the quarter, making 2 of them at the free throw line, pushing his streak to 50. 55 straight free throws is the current Nets record.

Brook Lopez

Start of the second and the Knicks continued to shoot poorly, finishing with a poor 36 percent at the close of the half. The only things keeping them in it are the Nets continuing to turn the ball over with 11 turnovers in the first half compared to just 2 for the Knicks. In the past 3 encounters with the Nets, Melo has got it done offensively scoring 35, 45, 31. He started to heat up towards the end of the half, making his last 3 jumpers and bringing his total up to 18 points, putting him on track for another big game. JR Smith needed to get going for the Knicks, shooting a woeful 2-9 making up just 5 points. In the other locker room, Humphries had 12 minutes off the bench, putting up 9 points and 8 rebounds. The Knicks played loose on him, leaving him open in the paint for easy buckets.They needed to tighten up on him defensively. Joe Johnson cooled down, missing all four of his shots in the second, bringing his percentage down to 50, however he did make 2 free throws bringing his points up to 13. Brook Lopez started to make an impact, 11 points with a fantastic 5 of 6 from the field. D-Williams finished the half with 7 assists, more then the entire New York team who had just the 5 assists. In order to stay in the game, the Knicks needed to start moving the ball and getting more than just Anthony going offensively. Going into the third, Knicks trailed 47-41.

Start of the third and Deron Williams proved he could do more than just pass the ball, knocking in a couple 3's to start the second half. He continued his great play throughout, dropping a few more dimes, bringing his assists up to 10. Knicks continued to struggle at the start of the half, shooting very poorly. The crowd started to get involved after an unlucky travel call against Amar'e Stoudemire (yes he did take 3 steps, but tell me a player who doesn't on the fast break). JR Smith slowly started to heat up, knocking down a few jumpers, but the turning point for the Knicks was Jason Kidd. 5 steals in the game, he also came up with the momentum swinging play, taking a hard hit from Gerard Wallace to get the charge call, which led to a jump shot from Smith, bringing the Knicks within 1 and the crowd right back into the game. Carmelo Anthony continued to get the job done, 27 points and 5 assists at the close of the quarter. Add 15 turnovers by the Nets and a 10-0 run, the Knicks led by three after winning the quarter 27-18. Brooklyn 65 New York 68.

JR Smith finished with 16 points (7/18)

Both teams looked sloppy at times throughout the fourth, neither team able to take a good lead or put the other team away. Down the stretch, several big players had chances to take the lead for their team but seemed to crumble under the pressure. Melo missed a base line jumper. Kidd missed a free throw that could have brought the Knicks back within one. Then on the other end, Deron Williams missed a free throw (also cost his chance at the Nets record, his streak ending at 52) that could have put the Knicks away for good. With a few seconds left JR tried to tie it up with a 3, but narrowly missed it off the bank. Nets hang on to win 88-85, the go ahead jumper going to Joe Johnson, who came up big for the Nets in the final quarter. Johnson finished on 25 points, 8/20 shooting (5/8 from deep) to go along with 5 assists. Whilst Kris Humphries only scored once in the second half, he walked away with a double double, 11 points and 13 boards. Brook Lopez also finished with a double double, 14 points, 10 rebounds and 4 blocks credited to his name. However, the stand out player for the Nets was Deron Williams. 14 points, 5 rebounds and 12 assists closed out a stellar night for him. For the Knicks, Melo was clearly the best player but it seemed for most of the game he was out there by himself, his teammates showing up too late for this one. He finished on 29 points and had a season high in assists, picking up 7. JR finished on 16 (7/18 - not bad considering how he started the game) and Amar'e was just behind him with 15. Whilst Melo gets most credit offensively, full points to Jason Kidd for his 6 steals and efforts defensively to try and bring his team the win.

Brooklyn turned the ball over an astonishing 19 times, compared to just 5 turnovers for the Knicks. Yet despite this fact, the Knicks still didn't get the job done, spending most of the game trailing. Steve Novak never really showed up to the game, taking just 3 shots and missing them all. Everyone expects more from him than that, but everyone has a bad night and I'm sure he will bounce back. The 3 point line has been a great aid to the Knicks this season, but Brooklyn stole the show tonight, shooting 12-22 from down town. Add that to the massive rebound difference and the real wonder is why Brooklyn didn't win by more (the obvious answer being turnovers). Still, Brooklyn with a solid performance to tie the season series at
2-2.

Jimmy Butler : The Future of Chicago

After a career high game in both points and minutes (and first career start) in last nights OT loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, I have decided to look into the life and potential greatness of this 6"7' Small Forward/Shooting Guard.

Jimmy Butler has perhaps the saddest story of not only the 2011 draft, but of most NBA players today. Abandoned as a baby by his father, and then by his mother at the age of 13, Butler never really had a home of his own growing up. Prior to his senior year in high school, he made friends with Jordan Leslie, a basketball player at Tomball High School. It wasn't long after that Jordan's family had taken Butler into their home, along with their six other children.

In his senior year at Tomball High, Butler averaged 19 ppg and 9 rpg as well as being voted the teams MVP. However, he didn't attract much attention for college, choosing to attend Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas. After his freshman year, Butler moved to Marquette University averaging 5.6 ppg and 3.9 rpg before moving into the starting lineup in the 2009-10 season where his averages increased to 14.7 ppg and 6.4 rpg.

Butler was drafted in the 2011 NBA Draft, selected 30th in the first round by the Chicago Bulls. In the 2012 NBA Summer League, Butler averaged 20.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg and 2 apg.

In his rookie season as a bull, Butler didn't get a lot of playing time, playing only 42 games averaging 8.5 mpg and a low 2.6 ppg. However I kept a close eye on Jimmy whenever I got the chance and was always impressed with not only his constant hustle but the confidence that seemed to radiate from him. Sure, his numbers weren't very impressive but Butler always did what he needed to do to help the very successful Chicago Bulls stay on top.

In the off season, Chicago's bench underwent a lot of changes, leaving a huge hole in the team itself, especially with the absence of Derrick Rose. If Chicago is going to have success, not only do they need Rose back into the starting lineup, they need a bench as powerful and reliable as the previous season's. Recently the team has started to step up and I believe it is because they are getting some positive production from the bench. Taj Gibson has certainly stepped up and really come into his own as player this season, providing a great (if not better) big guy coming into the game to replace Carlos Boozer (who is also having a stellar season). Marco Belinelli continues to grow in confidence every game he plays, putting up points whenever the Bulls need. The position of PG off the bench is well looked after with Kirk Hinrich, Nate Robinson and Marquis Teague (who is a very underrated player).

In my opinion though, the best player on the Chicago bench is Jimmy Butler. And, as he proved last night against the Grizzlies, Jimmy Buckets (as Stacey King calls him) can do whatever needs to be done to help the Bulls. After a shaky start on offence (1-8 for the first 3 quarters) Butler relaxed and started putting the ball in the basket, when it seemed no one else on the team could (much like the night before in OT against Boston, Jimmy provided 3 important baskets in a row). Butler also showed great confidence shooting 8-8 from the free throw line. Not only was offence vital, but his defense was excellent, effectively shutting down Rudy Gay and coming up with a couple of huge steals in the final minutes. 48 minutes, 18 points and 8 boards was a great effort from Jimmy, filling in for the injured Luol Deng. Whilst I hope to see Luol back ASAP, I am certainly not opposed to seeing Jimmy get as much playing time as he can. He is only going to continue to improve and will one day, in the not to distant future, be a fantastic starter, if not for the Bulls then any team in the NBA.