The dark cloud surrounding the NBA lockout is growing larger with every passing day that a deal between the players and owners is not agreed upon. Fans of the sport may have to soon settle into a reality void of professional basketball, where are favorite hardwood stars are scattered throughout the world like pieces on a Risk board.

One way of escaping such a reality might be getting your main fix from the collegiate scene, with the occasional grainy highlight of Kobe Bryant scoring 97 points in an obscure (at least to most NBA diehards) Chinese league. However, if college athletics aren’t your thing, there may be another way to ease through your withdrawals. In order to aid basketball fans in the coping process, I have composed a list of 10 of the greatest basketball movies ever to grace the big screen.

Let the healing begin.

10. The Sixth Man (1997)

I encourage you to begin with this movie, because it will make the rest of this list seem Oscar worthy.

On a more serious note, this might be my favorite movie featuring any one of the dozen Wayans Brothers (minus Blank Man).

On an even more serious note, I actually enjoyed this movie. It is guilty pleasure number one that made it onto my list. Any sports movie that can end with one of the main characters walking off the court to go play for the basketball team in Heaven touches me in ways The Notebook never could.

9. Space Jam (1996)

This is my second guilty pleasure selection, but I am fully prepared to defend its merits. I’ll begin by admitting that I was right in the target demographic when Space Jam first came out, and my judgment might be a little lost in the fog of nostalgia.

However, here is my defense. Space Jam featured the most talented basketball player ever to walk the planet, paired with iconic cartoon characters than spanned multiple generations.

It may be the most accessible, albeit superficial, version of Jordan that fans have ever seen. He lives life with a chip on his shoulder and an unrivaled competitive nature that often manifests itself into a public persona most find off putting. In this movie he was the loveable hero that many fans want him to be.

8. Glory Road (2006)

Although it might get trapped in a familiar framework that surrounds a lot of movies driven by racial tension, it still manages to generate a lot of genuine emotion.

Based on the true story of Texas Western Coach Don Haskins, and his decision to be the first collegiate coach to feature an all black starting line-up, the movie delivers a strong message in the triumphs that take place both on and off the court. Think “Remember the Titans,” if it were to cross over to the hardwood.

7. White Men Can’t Jump (1992)

Seriously, they can’t. Not if the sample size you are using includes Woody Harrelson and myself. Cue Wesley Snipes, in a movie where two basketball hustlers pair up to become more profitable.

There is something special about watching Woody Harrelson, who actually has a pretty natural stroke, and Mr. Snipes wipe the floor with their opponents in comically ugly clothing.

The end of this movie still breaks my heart. Damn you Billy. Damn you.

6. Finding Forrester (2000)

A movie that centers on an unlikely friendship between an aging writer, Sean Connery, and a black youth recruited to a private school for basketball, played by Rob Brown.

Connery and Brown have great chemistry, and I’m a sucker for the duel focus on writing and athletics that propels the movie forward.

It is a flick that is both tense and honest in its delivery, and although basketball may not be the heart of the film, it does involve an impressive display of free throw shooting. I would like to see Rajon Rondo hit five free throws in a row, let alone 50.

I try not to be too pushy with my reviews and let you readers make up your own minds about which games you’re going to buy, but there’s really no other way to put this – you need to play NBA 2K11.  Played last year’s game? Doesn’t matter – this year’s game trumps everything that came before it. Don’t like sports games? You’ll appreciate the level of depth and production values that the development team put in the game.  Simply put, NBA 2K12 isn’t just a great sports game, with all it has going for it — it’s a great game in general.

For the second year in a row, 2K spotlights arguably the greatest player to ever grace the hardwood  — his airness Michael Jordan, but this time he’s not alone. 2K12 celebrates the complete history of the sport with players like Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Patrick Ewing and Scottie Pippen all unlockable and playable.  This opens up an incredibly awesome mechanic in 2K12; the ability to match up the best young stars of today with the greatest of all time. How would Jordan’s Bulls, in their prime match up with the Lakers’ dynasty? This year’s Miami Heat? Or what about a battle of the big-men, pitting an in his prime Shaq against someone like Dwight Howard? It’s here that NBA 2K12 really begins to establish its own identity; if Madden is a sports simulation, this is an all out love letter to a sport, its history and most importantly, its fans.

Of course, NBA 2K12 does not rely on the past, as its real strength, much like in previous years, is in its core mechanics. Most of last year’s game remains intact, but the developers have included little tweaks that make the game better, including addressing the faults from last year’s game. Chief among these faults; at least for most gamers was the AI, which had a reputation for being absurdly cheap, it’s been addressed this go-round, and even though it still happens, it’s much more rare. To the developers credit, they didn’t just dumb down the AI more, instead, they gave you more control; control over your players movement and your offense, but be warned, the AI is incredibly realistic and aggressive and will pounce on any weakness you show.

NBA 2K12 comes packed with a ton of depth, and each is sure to appeal to a different type of player. I for instance am a franchise player, it’s always the first mode I go to in any sports game I play, and in NBA 2K12, it’s incredibly rewarding. Unlike other franchise modes, 2K12’s Association Mode truly puts you in control of a team – through the good times and the bad. Play as a team just coming off a losing season and you’re playing to practically empty arenas, but start winning and watch the fans start to come back in.  For example, I took the Milwaukee Bucks, who had a so-so season last year, and through a series of business decisions, free agent signings and a lot of wins, I was able to turn a good profit.  The coolest addition to this year’s Association Mode is the ability to take it online and complete a whole season.

My Player also returns to this year’s game, and though much of it remains unchanged, it’s a much more streamlined endeavor than in years past.  You’ll still create your player, but instead of dropping in to a few pickup games to prove your worth, you’ll be dropped in to one game and then go into an interview to prove your mental wits and then it’s off to the draft.  Hearing NBA Commissioner David Stern call out your name (if you’ve given him a somewhat normal name), but the real payoff comes from the amount of time and depth you’ll put in to the mode. Your long term goal is to make it to the NBA Hall of Fame, and you’ll do that by reaching goals on both the per-game and season basis.  It’s not an easy task, but a rewarding one none-the-less.

Far and away though, NBA 2K12’s most remarkable feat is in its astounding production values. Of course, there are some hiccups, like some of the lesser known players still having weird alien like faces, but the big names, the Lebrons and the Kobes have all received a face lift and look much more like their real life counterparts.  Even the crowd, an aspect most sports developers have had a hard time with looks remarkably lifelike. The players, and arenas are impressively detailed and everything feels crisp. NBA 2K12 also features what could be the most lifelike commentary of any sports game, as while there is a bit of repetition, still feels remarkably fresh even after countless games.

 The Blast Factor: NBA 2K12 isn’t just a great basketball sim, with all of its depth and superb presentation; it’s a phenomenal game in general.  The perfect combination of accessibility and realism, NBA 2K12 tops every basketball game before it – becoming one hell of an experience in the long run. Simply put – it doesn’t get much better than this.

The world of sports and its presence in the video game industry has become huge for many reasons. For one, the average person can sit on their couch and immerse themselves in a professional sport and be throwing touchdowns and pulling off 360 dunks just like their favorite stars in no time. You can hop on PSN or Xbox Live and compete against your friends and talk trash, which is a personal favorite past time of mine.  These games also give players the ability to play out the future and see how it stacks up to how the next season really plays out.

Two developers have dominated the sports genre over the past decade EA and 2K who bring us yearly renditions each year of basketball, football, baseball, and other sports games such as EA’s Fight Night boxing titles. The masses line up for each new edition just to hop into a franchise mode or start with bragging rights online, whether the game has any new features or qualities or not. This year, 2K has brought a NBA title to the shelves that has a legend on the cover and his name is Michael Jordan.

This title is by far the best year over year improvement in a sports franchise I have ever seen. That statement alone I know is huge but this game packs a basketball lovers punch. There isn’t just one aspect of the game that makes it so spectacular. I don’t want to spoil too much but the game begins with Michael Jordan in the tunnel at the 1991 NBA finals game one looking back at you saying “are you ready”. The fun doesn’t stop there before even seeing a menu screen you play out that game as the 1991 Chicago Bulls against Magic Johnson and his Lakers. This alone had me floored and wanting more right off the bat.

Now you are probably wondering with Jordan on the cover this year “does that mean Jordan is a big part of the game?” YES it does. The title offers a Jordan challenge section that allows you to play through 10 historic scenarios in his career. They are called challenges because you have to do as well as he did in those historic games to complete the challenge. That isn’t where the love stops either for completing different aspects of the game you unlock different Jordan edition sneakers that have cool attributes, such as +2 to speed. The best Jordan feature in the game in my opinion is once you complete every Jordan challenge you have the ability to bring Michael Jordan into the current NBA league as a rookie. This gives you the ability to see how he fairs against the leagues best like Kobe, Lebron, or Dwayne Wade. The amazing Jordan experience is alone enough to warrant the purchase of this game but that’s just the surface of this title.

The presentation of the game is phenomenal with great character models except for a few like Kobe Bryant for some reason he looks like he is from another world. This is the first basketball game that truly feels like you are at home watching a real NBA game 2K really nailed the simulation this year. The commentating is top notch and where there is a little repetition its not enough to take away from the great feel of the game. The player animations and player specific reactions like Kobe Bryant’s fist in the air after a great dunk are spot on.

Now earlier when I said this is a basketball lover’s dream that is exactly what this game is. The weird player mechanics and horrible AI of past NBA titles are long gone with 2K11 there is a new standard. The AI is amazing in this game they make the right defensive switches on their own and challenge you on defense at every turn. The ability to throw a lob pass and dunk every time down the court is long gone. The AI in this game is too smart. You have to think your way down the court this year and be aggressive. You can call plays for each position, picks, and alley oops with ease. The end of every game is just as much a treat as it was playing the game. The player of the game highlight is amazing to watch and intelligent. There is a photo reel that is full of close up snap shots of the action that you can upload to the 2K servers. You can also record replays this year and make your own high light reels.

The franchise mode is amazing and the best I have ever seen with the ability to be in a sixth or seventh season and the league not be in total shambles. It also is smart enough to keep things realistic as well. The Miami Heat will not be giving you Lebron James for a couple early draft picks so you can create a monster team. This is where I will talk about the few aspects of the game that keep it from a perfect grade. This title is the most realistic sports game experience I have ever had. That aspect actually holds it back a little because the level of the difficulty can be a little frustrating. This really is apparent in the weakest part of the title the My Player mode. This create your own player mode is detailed and fun its just too darn hard and it takes FOREVER to up your skills enough to just get drafted into the NBA. I would say most players would start this mode and probably give up. Which is a shame because it is a lot of fun playing in the NBA and seeing your player rise to be a star. You actually hold press conferences after each game and decide whether you want to be loved or hated by the fans. The last aspect that needs improvement is the passing in this game. The passing won’t hinder your fun with this title too much but sometimes you will end up chucking a ball down court when you just wanted to toss the rock to the man five feet in front of you.

The Blast Factor: In closing this game was an amazing surprise and is the best sports game to hit the shelves in years. The people at 2K really put in the hard work and attention to detail that warrants having a legend of the NBA like Jordan on the cover. This is an NBA lovers dream game and will keep you hooked with the Jordan challenges alone. If you are looking for a fun wacky arcade basketball experience pick up NBA Jam, but if you want the most realistic sports experience out there pick up NBA 2K11.

SAN DIEGO — Jay Leno is going home.

Home, that is, to late night television.

In a statement from NBC Universal TV chairman Jeff Gaspin "The Jay Leno Show," currently in the primetime 10 p.m. slot will end after February. The network’s plans are to move the veteran host to a later 11:30 time slot.

Gaspin made his announcement during the Television Critic’s Association Press Tour held in Pasadena, Calif.

"My goal right now is to keep Jay Leno, Conan O’Brien and Jimmy Fallon as part of our late-night lineup,” Gaspin said. “As much as I’d like to tell you we have a done deal, we know that’s not true."

Gaspin’s response came during wide speculation from various media outlets and social networks that the cancellation of "The Jay Leno Show" was imminent.

In an opening monologue last week, Leno made light of the awkward situation and joked, saying: "There’s a rumor, I don’t know if you’ve heard, that we’re canceled. I heard it on the radio on my way down here…If we did get canceled it would give us some time to do some traveling. In fact I heard FOX is beautiful this time of year."

NBC’s plan also calls O’Brien to retain his job with “Tonight” but at the later hour of 12:05 a.m. Jimmy Fallon and “Late Night” would be pushed to 1:05 a.m.

Seven-time NBA all-star Scottie Pippen issued the following statement about his role in a movie called “Midgets vs. Mascots:”

FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla.,– “Given the recent controversy surrounding Gary Coleman, the fact that I’ve been repeatedly asked questions about my small part in the movie ‘Midgets vs. Mascots,’ and a related video posted online which shows me being assaulted by a group of Little People, I want to clear up any misunderstandings.

“In 2008, I agreed to play a cameo role in a movie titled ‘A Tribute to Big Red’ (now titled ‘Midgets vs. Mascots’). My role was scripted, and the first two scenes went off without any problems. During the third scene, I was told that four Little People, along with actor Gary Coleman, were going to become angry with something I said and storm off as the scene ends. Instead, they basically attacked me, with Gary Coleman apparently climbing on a chair behind me to hit me over the head with a phone (twice).

“A short fight ensued before I heard the film’s director yell ‘cut.’ As I recall, some of the Little People were laughing as the director explained that the scene was ‘sort of like an episode of the TV show Punk’d.’ At that point, I left quickly without a clear understanding of what was going on.

“As for the Little Person who claims he was injured in the attack, I really don’t think I caused the injury or can be held to blame. To the best of my knowledge, there is no action being taken against me, nor am I pursuing any action. For the record, I have never seen the movie and, in hindsight, wish I’d not been involved with it. I simply wanted to make clear my role and position as I understand the movie is coming out soon. I will not be answering any further questions regarding the film.”

“Pit Bulls and Parolees” premieres tonight at 10 on Animal Planet. On Sunday, look for Dr. Drew’s sex rehab show on VH1 at 10 p.m., and another reality program, “Styl’d” to start off on MTV at the same time.

NBC is canceling its brand new drama, “Trauma,” with the production stopping after the initial 13-episode order. NBC has not said whether or not it will even air the remaining episodes. NBC did order six new mid-season episodes of “Chuck,” so it’s not all bad news. This expands the season to 19 episodes. “Chuck” was originally going to open after the Winter Olympics, but it may come sooner.

ABC announced that “Scrubs” will premiere with two episodes on December 1 at 9 p.m. The regular time period will be Tuesdays at 9. “Better Off Ted” will premiere December 8, and will regularly follow “Scrubs” at 9:30.

Syfy ordered 13 new episodes of “Being Human,” an American port of a British series based on three roomates — a ghost, vampire and werewolf — who lead double lives. The show will premiere in the summer.

Finally on this Friday, we know that NBC is working on a “Monk” ripoff with a few twists. Variety reported that a washed up magician with agoraphobia will be approached by an elite law enforcement group to use his talents to solve the hard cases.

I need to make a few changes from last year’s Top ten players in the NBA.

10. Dirk Nowitzki: Dirk beats out Danny Granger because he’s been performing at a high level for more seasons. And also because he’s a better player. Granger is having a great year, but don’t be mesmerized by a player putting up great numbers for an awful team. Somebody has to score.

8 & 9. Paul Pierce & Kevin Garnett: They play huge in huge games. They also play huge in non-huge games. The Eastern Conference playoffs will be very interesting this year with Cleveland and Orlando getting better. It means that Pierce and Garnett will need to play huger.

7. Chris Bosh: Who would have thought that Toronto would be this bad and at the very bottom of the Atlantic Conference? Do you think that Bosh will be back in Toronto when his contract runs out? In related news, Jermaine O’Neal is making over $21 million this year.

6. Chris Paul: CP3 is the best point guard in the NBA and there’s no arguing that except if you are from Utah.

5. Dwight Howard: Dwight Howard is an absolute monster. Can you imagine if Orlando took Emeka Okafor with the number-one pick in 2004 and Howard went to Charlotte? Actually, it’s quite possible that Charlotte would have drafted Shaun Livingston. Anyway, Dwight Howard is an absolute monster.

4. Dwayne Wade: He was absolutely spectacular to watch during the Olympics this past summer and he hasn’t slowed down at all. I would love to see Wade face Lebron in the playoffs this year, because he is quite capable of out-shining the Cleveland phenom. It’s nice to have a healthy Dwayne Wade back in the NBA. There aren’t any flaws in his game. Well, besides 3-point shooting.

3. Tim Duncan: I always get hammered for putting Tim Duncan up so high in my top-ten lists, but I will continue to do so until he stops winning. All the new-age fans love the flashy, playground-style, highlight-reel players, but they don’t always win you games. However, Tim Duncan does. Who was more important to have on their team last year during Game 7 of the Spurs-Hornets game (in New Orleans)? Chris Paul or Tim Duncan? The answer was Tim Duncan.

2. Lebron James: As soon as Lebron wins his first NBA title be prepared for a run of about six in a row. Also be prepared for Lebron to jump up and sit on the rim this year. It’s very close to happening. If Lebron was in the slam dunk contest this year I would love to see him jump from the 3-point arc and dunk Nate Robinson. If Nate got stuck in the net, Pau Gasol and Rudy Fernandez could hit him with sticks like he was a pinata.

1. Kobe Bryant: We can debate about who is better between Kobe and Lebron until our faces turn blue or until Yao Ming plays a full season without getting injured. The reason I put Kobe at the number-one spot is that there is no other player in the NBA that I want shooting the ball with the game on the line more than him. Furthermore, Kobe has mastered the turnaround jumper, something that Lebron is still trying to perfect. Lebron might be able to jump out of the building and provide SportsCenter with endless highlight dunks, but there isn’t a better assassin in the NBA than Kobe Bryant.

An NBA official says that mercurial guard Allen Iverson has been shipped to his third team in roughly three years. On Monday, the Denver Nuggets sent the 33-year old Georgetown product to the Detroit Pistons for guard Chauncey Billups and forward Antonio McDyess (an ESPN News report also says that center Cheikh Samb is headed to Denver as well). The NBA official spoke on condition of anonymity because the trade has not been officially announced.

The Detroit Pistons were determined to shake up a core group of players that got bounced from the Eastern Conference Finals for a third straight year. Most expected a major deal would have come much sooner than this.

Iverson, a four-time NBA scoring champion with a career average of 27.7 points per game, is averaging just 18.7 points through three games this season with the Nuggets. But that can’t be the reason for the deal, this was in the works for quite some time and not dependent on Iverson’s production through three games.

While the Pistons did want to shake up their roster, the real reason could just be cap relief after this year. Iverson is in the final year of his contract, which pays him $21 million this year. Getting that kind of money off the books would free up the Pistons to do a lot of other things.

This past Sunday around 3am in Las Vegas, Nevada, Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce was pulled over for “erratic driving (illegal lane change).” Pierce passed the field sobriety test and a Breathalyzer determined that his blood alcohol content was below the .08 legal intoxication limit in Nevada.

However, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Pierce was initially “uncooperative” after being stopped but calmed down after being handcuffed. The cuffs were removed after about 15 minutes, and Pierce was not cited for a traffic violation.

Sounds to me like the cops were just trying to act tough with an NBA star.

More on the Celtics’ forward. Last week Pierce stated he was the “best player in the world.” Can we deny this? Before last year’s NBA playoffs, the majority of people would have said Kobe or Lebron. However, Paul Pierce outplayed both players offensively and defensively on the way to winning the NBA championship.

I at least think Pierce should be thought of in the same light as Kobe and Lebron (and a healthy D-Wade?). You can’t deny what he did last year winning NBA Finals MVP. Moreover, Pierce should be on the USA roster for the Olympic games. And I’m not talking about representing the track and field team in the hammer throw.

Video game basketball hasn’t been improved upon much lately. Arcade basketball games haven’t gotten better in 15 years.

Double Dribble. NBA Jam. Barkley: Shut Up and Jam! There’s your peak folks.

NBA Ballers: Chosen One featuring Dwight Howard isn’t at that level. It’s not addictive. It doesn’t have that classic video game feel. It’s got good graphics, a lot of nicely rendered players and great sounds. Like every video game (except Wii titles).

Don’t read too far into this review. Ballers isn’t a bad game, it’s just drawn that way. It sells itself as a pick-up-and-go arcade basketball title, but it’s so clouded with fancy controls and RULES that you lose sight of virtual reality.

Fouls. There shouldn’t be fouls in an arcade basketball game. Better yet, there should be, but the other player should have to call his foul on you like in street ball. And the more he calls fouls on you, the worse his player shoots. That’s a great idea.

Goaltending. GOALTENDING. Why is there goaltending in this game?

The game’s most honest attempt at originality is “act a fool” combos. You start by holding shoulder and face buttons together while standing near a player. Buttons appear onscreen and you have to press the corresponding ones on the controllers as quick as you can before the other player (or, rarely, the computer AI) does. Successful combos leads to bigger and better dunks. The problem is that it’s way too complicated for a simple arcade

Make it simple. NBA Jam got famous for (among other things) the “he’s on fire” mode — and all that took was three made shots in a row. — Gameplay leads to better gameplay. And in a modern arcade basketball game, every, single slam dunk should be spectacular and off the freaking wall.

Ballers isn’t off the freaking wall. It’s very much on the wall — of your local game store, and it’s staying there as its Ebay stock falls from $40 to $10.

Let’s get a little plug in here. I saw a demo of 2K Sports’ NBA 2K9 at E3 a few weeks ago. Hold off and buy it when it comes out.

ESPN is reporting, “NBA front-office sources told ESPN.com on Tuesday that Brand has informed the Sixers that he will accept a five-year deal worth an estimated $82 million.”

Brand and the Sixers do indeed have to wait until the clock strikes midnight to make everything official. If this is all true and Brand signs with Philadelphia, the focus now goes to resigning restricted free agent Andre Iguodala. If Golden State signs him to an offer sheet, the Sixers will have seven days to match, which they most likely will do. Bringing in Brand was not the precursor to getting rid of Iguodala. Keeping the core together and bringing in the missing piece was GM Ed Stefanski’s plan all along.

Brand, 29, has a career average of 20 points and 10 rebounds. In the 2006-07 season, Elton didn’t miss one three-point shot going one-for-one. Philadelphia should be very excited about their basketball team for next year and that they have a GM that knows what he is doing.

610 WIP afternoon radio host Howard Eskin has stated on his show that the 76ers are very close in making Elton Brand part of their roster. Eskin also stated that it could be a sign-and-trade.

In this day and age, the sign-and-trade is a very popular approach for NBA teams to use in getting something for their free agents. In baseball and football when a team loses a key free agent they are compensated with a draft pick. In basketball, not so much.

NBA trades are usually very close to being dollar for dollar in matching salaries, so Philadelphia would need to send the Clippers Reggie Evans and almost $9 million more? Andre Miller? I would think Brand would come to Philly knowing he would play with Miller. Jason Smith? That’s only another $1.3 million. Willie Green at $3.3 million? Maybe.

Do the Sixers sign and trade Andre Iguodala at the same time? I don’t think they do that.

I don’t see how the numbers can match up in a sign-and-trade unless the 76ers clean house.

If Philadelphia somehow steals Brand away from L.A., I think they will just sign him for the maximum.

My opinion is that he stays with L.A., but something is telling me Philadelphia GM Ed Stefanski has something up his sleeve after trading Carney and Booth today (tomorrow) to free up cap space.

I will be constantly updating this and you can keep checking in for my latest version here. I also have all good intentions to live blog the NBA Draft tomorrow starting at 7 p.m. should I not pass out on Early Times whiskey first. Actually, the only reason it wouldn’t happen is if I have technical difficulties. So, here is the mock draft:

1. Chicago Bulls select Derrick Rose, Memphis
Derrick Rose’s nickname is ‘Pooh,’ given to him by his grandmother because she thought he looked like Winnie-the-Pooh. He attended Simeon Career Academy where he led his team to back-to-back titles in the Chicago Public League and compiled a 120-12 career high school record. This guy is a leader, a winner, and the only no-brainer pick in this year’s draft. Chicago has found their man.

2. Miami Heat select Michael Beasley, Kansas State
Don’t get sucked into the rumors of the Heat trading this pick. It’s not gonna happen. However, he’ll have to work on his defense if he wants to live up to being the number two pick of the draft. His offense is not a question. This kid can flat-out score.

Kevin McHale is one of the worst GMs in this league. Common sense is to take OJ Mayo with the third pick, but McHale does not have common sense. This is the GM that cost his team $3.5 million and five draft picks by trying to sign Joe Smith to a max contract under the table. Part of me believes McHale thinks he is still employed with Boston after he hand-delivered Kevin Garnett to the Celtics in exchange for Al Jefferson and a 20% off coupon to Bed Bath & Beyond. My point? Some other team is getting OJ Mayo tomorrow night.

3. New York Knicks select OJ Mayo, USC (assuming a trade, but not predicting the details)
If the Knicks don’t get him here then someone will. The intriguing story here is that OJ Mayo and Lebron James are friends. In a perfect world, OJ Mayo lands in New York Thursday night, the Knicks somehow clear cap space for next year, and Lebron James becomes a Knickerbocker for 2009-10 season.

4. Seattle Sonics select Brook Lopez, Stanford
Tons of rumors about Seattle moving up to the two-spot in a trade with Miami, but really don’t see that happening. Seattle doesn’t have anyone to trade other than Chris Wilcox. If Seattle does trade, it will be down, but I see them drafting Brook Lopez.

5. Memphis Grizzlies select Kevin Love, UCLA
I liked him in college and I think he will be a solid pro. Memphis needs a big man, so why not take the best available?

6. Minnesota Timberwolves select Eric Gordon, Indiana (moving down from the three-spot)
Worst case scenario for Kevin McHale. He’ll trade his third pick hoping to get Lopez or Love with the sixth pick, but has to settle for his third option, Eric Gordon, who I like. I don’t like this mock draft right now. Kevin McHale is screwing this up for me. This is very similar to how Minnesota had to buyout Troy Hudson’s contract ($12.3 million), because GM McHale signed him to a six-year, $37 million contract. Yeah, Troy Hudson.

7. LA Clippers select Jarryd Bayless, Arizona
The Clippers have a lot of off-seasoning to do this summer. What is Elton Brand gonna do, are we trading Corey Maggette, is Shaun Livingston ever going to be good? Lots of questions. So, with two of those questions at the guard position, why not take the best guard available? Jarryd Bayless has tremendous upside. The only reason I say this is to prepare you for how many times ‘upside’ will be used tomorrow night. Last year it was used 2,381 times with 152 different words used before it.

8. Milwaukee Bucks select Joe Alexander, West Virginia
All the talk has Milwaukee taking Joe. In the top ten picks, there seems to be two definites. Rose at number one and Alexander at number eight. Joe was predicted to be taken in the middle to end of the first round a couple months ago, but GMs/coaches/scouts have been falling in love with his athleticism, work ethic, and size. I’ve been saying this for awhile now.

9. Charlotte Bobcats select Russell Westbrook, UCLA
This is a Larry Brown guy. I’m preparing you again. Whoever is taken at this spot, whether its Love or B. Lopez dropping to this pick or they take a reach on Augustin, you will hear the announcers say, "This is a Larry Brown guy" numerous times. You will also hear this during the 38th pick or if Charlotte acquires another first round pick in attempt to get Roy Hibbert, because Hibbert is a Larry Brown guy!

10. New Jersey Nets select Danilo Gallinari, Italy
Alright, this guy shouldn’t have dropped this far. I don’t know how this happened. He worked out really well with the Knicks, twice. So, if my fun little trade doesn’t happen then Danilo probably won’t be here. At this point of the draft there will be at least two significant trades that will shake this whole mock draft up. I see the Clippers and the Bobcats making some movement.

11. Indiana Pacers select DJ Augustin, Texas
If Toronto and Indiana somehow can agree to exchange TJ Ford and Jermaine O’Neal and ‘players with contracts’ then maybe this won’t be the pick. However, I don’t see that happening, so DJ is the pick here. What does Perry mean when he says ‘players with contracts?’ Don’t they all have contracts? Thanks for asking. Yes, they do, but some aren’t viewed as players anymore, just contracts. For example, Keith Van Horn is just a contract. Theo Ratliff is an expiring contract. And thanks to Isiah Thomas, everyone on the Knicks is a ridiculous contract. These are the players you need to include in trades so the salary numbers are close to being equal.

12. Sacramento Kings select Mario Chalmers, Kansas
Mike Bibby was one heck of a point guard for Sacramento and now he plays in Atlanta. Nobody better to fill that void than Mario Chalmers. Also look for the Kings to take Anthony Randolph or Roy Hibbert.

13. Portland Trailblazers select Brandon Rush, Kansas
I’m a big fan of Brandon Rush. Not as an NBA star, but a solid NBA player. Put him with Greg Oden, Lamarcus Aldridge, and Brandon Roy, and you have yourself a team that will dominate.

14. Golden State Warriors select Darrell Arthur, Kansas
I have no clue if the Warriors are even looking at this guy, but I thought it would be a good idea to have three straight Kansas players selected.

The lottery portion of the draft is over. Picks 16 thru 30 will now be listed without explanation due to the fact this is taking way too long.

15. Phoenix Suns select Anthony Randolph, LSU
(look for Leandro Barbosa to be dealt to Toronto)

16. Philadelphia 76ers select Kosta Koufos, Ohio State

17. Toronto Raptors select Robin Lopez, Stanford
(look for TJ Ford to be dealt to Phoenix)

18. Washington Wizards select DeAndre Jordan, Texas A&M

19. Cleveland Cavaliers select Jason Thompson, Rider

20. Denver Nuggets select Marreese Speights, Florida

21. New Jersey Nets select JJ Hickson, NC State

22. Orlando Magic select Roy Hibbert, Georgetown

23. Utah Jazz select Donte’ Greene, Syracuse

24. Seattle Sonics select Alexis Ajinca, France

25. Houston Rockets select Ante Tomic, Croatia

26. San Antonio Spurs select Chris Douglas-Roberts, Memphis

27. New Orleans Hornets select JaVale McGee, Nevada

28. Memphis Grizzlies select Courtney Lee, Western Kentucky

29. Detroit Pistons select DJ White, Indiana

30. Boston Celtics select Jamont Gordon, Mississippi State

I will be doing a live blog of the draft on Thursday starting at 7 p.m. I will dish out my thoughts on the picks and make sure I put in writing every ridiculous thing that comes out of the mouths of Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy.

After overcoming a 24-point deficit last night against the Los Angeles Lakers, the Boston Celtics are on the brink of another NBA Championship. With just one more win, Boston fans will become exponentially more obnoxious and annoying.

The Celtics were phenomenal Thursday night as they knocked of the Lakers 97-91 to take a 3-1 lead in the series. Most prognosticators (Perry) had the Lakers winning in six games or less.

Kevin Garnett was asked if he could sense the fans getting closer to pissing off the rest of the nation.

“Yeah,” Kevin Garnett said. “I can taste it.” (okay, he wasn’t really asked that)

No team has ever overcome more than a 15-point deficit after the first quarter, and Elias Sports Bureau said it was the largest comeback in the finals since 1971.

If the Celtics pull this series out, it will give Boston fans all the more reason to be loud and belligerent. Previously, the Red Sox and Patriots were the main reason.

The Boston Celtics clamped down on defense in the second half, outscoring the Lakers 52-37 leading them to a 98-88 Game 1 victory. I’m not going to get into this game too much, because the best is still to come with both of these teams still feeling each other out. But here’s a couple thoughts from the game:

-Kendrick Perkins left the game with 6:19 left in the third quarter after straining his right knee. The Lakers were leading 62-58 at that point. The combination of PJ Brown and Leon Powe provided a quicker lineup (especially on defense) that was more effective against this Lakers team. The Celtics outscored them by 14 points with Perkins on the bench. In hockey, Perkins would be considered a minus player. Hopefully, for Celtics fans, Perkins will see limited time from here on out.

-Lakers forward Vladamir Radmanovic could be one of the worst starting forwards in the league. He can’t cover Paul Pierce. I’m not sure how much playing time Vlad will get next year when Andrew Bynum comes back.

-What happened to the pick-and-roll for the Lakers in the second half? When they closed out the first half, Kobe and Pau were starting to click, but this did not carry over to the third and fourth quarters. You have to credit the Celtics defense on that. Adjustments were made, rotations were solid, ball pressure was great, and the passing lanes were non-existent. The Celtics defense in the second half is what won this game for them. That and Perkins being on the bench.

-Sam Cassell either makes a really good play or a really stupid play. Nothing in-between.

-I love Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy calling these games.

-The refs made a great call on the Kevin Garnett almost-back-court save, but Pau Gasol’s back-court was a horrible call. Maybe instead of having a huge trophy painted on the court, they should put a half-court line so they wouldn’t have this problem? Just a thought.

-Kobe’s shots were hitting both sides of the rim (the rim is a circle, it doesn’t have sides?) and popping out. Look out when they start falling, which they will…soon.

-The Lakers were only 3-14 from 3-point land (21.4%). For the season they were a 37% three-point shooting team.

-The Celtics bench matched the Lakers bench. This needs to happen more often than not if they want to win the Championship.

I just realized this is more than just a couple thoughts.

Oddly enough I received an email today from a third party that sent me a transcript (verbatim) of an interesting meeting that happened today. Apparently, Paul Pierce called a joint meeting between the Celtics and the Lakers today after both teams’ shoot-arounds to discuss the NBA Finals. It was a quick meeting, but I wanted to share the conversation that happened today with our readers. Enjoy:

Paul Pierce: First off, I want to thank everyone for being able to make it tonight. This might seem very odd that I requested we all get together, but I thought it would give us time to reflect on how important this series is to the NBA past and the NBA future. People write about how the NBA is going downhill, and how the players aren’t as good as they used to be, and how we lack the fundamentals that made this sport so popular back in the day.

Eddie House: Are you saying that isn’t true? I mean, Doc only puts me in there to shoot the ball. I don’t even know how to do anything else. And I don’t even shoot the ball that good to be perfectly honest. I’m a career 40% shooter. But when I make a big play I want everyone watching to know it was me, so I scream and pound my chest.

Paul Peirce: Eddie, this is what I mean. We need to focus on the game. We have a lot of talent in this room and we have a perfect opportunity to prove these people wrong. We can play this game just as well as Bird, Magic, McHale, Worthy, Walton…

Luke Walton (interrupts): Thanks Paul.

Paul Pierce: No, I meant your dad, Luke. Your dad knew the game. He knew how to play his position. He knew how to play his role. Let’s show everyone we can do that. And by the way, we have pizza over there compliments of Kobe, so thank Kobe when you get a chance.

Glen Davis: Oh yeah!! Thanks Kobe, how many slices does everyone get?

Paul Pierce: Settle down, Glen, we have a game tomorrow. Don’t stuff your face. You’re fat as it is.

Jordan Farmar: Kobe’s a great teammate. He hangs out with us and buys us dinner. He even surprised us during Game 7 of the Spurs/Hornets series with a Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor Chronograph timepiece, personalized with an engraving of our names and the year.

**Kevin Garnett is in the corner punching his face, grunting, and talking to himself**

Ronny Turiaf: Hey Paul, is Kevin alright over there?

Paul Pierce: Yeah, just ignore him. He’s getting himself pumped up for the game. We haven’t been able to communicate with him for a solid month, now. Half the time I don’t even know who he is talking to. Today at the shoot-around he made a fifteen-footer and started walking down the court yelling obscenities at Tom Thibodeau. Then he proceeded up the aisle between Loge 13 and Loge 14 pounding his chest. He disappeared into the concourse for about two minutes until we heard him over the loud speaker screaming “Nobody can stop me” in Chinese. It’s something we have grown accustomed to.

Ronny Turiaf: Did Yao teach him how to say that?

Paul Pierce: I think so. I think it was that game in March of ’06 when Yao dumped thirty on’em. KG’s a quick learner. He didn’t even need college. He’s crazy.

James Posey: Yeah, I just hug him a lot. And not the quick handshake hug. I grab him and hold him for about ten seconds and whisper things in his ear. I even do this right before the game starts. Right before KG steps on the court for the opening tip. That’s my role on this team. I actually hug everyone before they go into the games. I just like to hug KG for an extra nine seconds.

Lamar Odom: Yeah, I noticed that, that’s kinda creepy. By the way, I know we said we wouldn’t talk strategy, but which one of you is going to guard me? I’m a serious match-up problem.

Paul Pierce: It actually might be me, but let’s get our focus back. Derek, in your opinion, who are the players in here tonight that you think play a fundamentally sound game?

Derek Fisher: Well, Kobe of course. I’d say myself. On your team, you, KG, and Ray Ray.

Pau Gasol: You forget me Derek?

Derek Fisher: Don’t get me wrong Pau, I think you are a great player, but you gotta play tougher. I think you might be in for a rude awakening when KG is posting you up. I don’t want you to get soft on the defensive side of the ball. Defense is a huge part of this game.

Lamar Odom: And me?

Derek Fisher: Well, Lamar, sometimes you completely disappear during games. Sometimes I forget that you are even on the court. You are an amazing player when you want to be, but you need to want that all the time. Like you said, you are a huge mismatch in this series. You could be the X-factor if you want to be.

Paul Pierce: This is why I called this meeting. I want us to get upset. I want you guys to not just prove to them out there that we can play this game, but let’s prove to ourselves that we can make this an amazing NBA Finals. We have that chance, despite our coach not understanding our personnel and when to play who with who.

Luke Walton: Yeah, I’m glad we have Phil coaching us. You guys have a severe disadvantage with Doc Rivers as your coach.

Coby Karl: My dad coaches for Denver.

Luke Walton: I don’t think that is anything to be proud of, Coby. My dad knows the game better than your dad knows the game.

Paul Pierce: Stop it you two…

**Glen Davis heads back to get more pizza**

Ray Allen: Yo Big Fatty, save some for us.

Glen Davis: This pepperoni is sooooooo good. The grease just melts in my mouth.

Rajon Rondo: When are we going to discuss the fact that I ruin the flow of our offense by not taking the open shot? I don’t think I have the confidence to hit the open jumper. That’s why I always pass the ball with two to three seconds left on the shot clock. Luckily, KG has bailed me out during these playoffs. I mean, if anyone other than Sam Cassell was coming off the bench to replace me I might not be getting the playing time that I’ve been getting.

Paul Pierce: Just shoot the ball. You need to hit that jumper. Kobe, correct me if I’m wrong, but you guys are gonna give that shot to Rondo all day, correct?

Kobe Bryant: All day baby, but let me get this straight, you said you might be guarding Lamar? Then who is guarding me?

Paul Pierce: It actually might be me. We don’t know yet. Lamar is creating problems for us. Maybe Ray will guard you, I don’t know.

Ray Allen: I don’t want to guard Kobe. I don’t even know if I found my shot again or not. I’ve been concentrating soley on that. And if I’m guarding Kobe, I’m spending all of my energy on stopping him, so my offense will most likely be non existent.

Kobe Bryant: Yeah, Ray Ray can’t guard me, so it has to be you Paul.

Lamar Odom: So, is KG gonna guard me then? Or is Ray?

Paul Pierce: We don’t know. We probably won’t know the best match-up until Game 4. We said we wouldn’t talk about this. GLEN, GET AWAY FROM THE PIZZA. YOU’VE HAD ENOUGH!

Brian Scalabrine: If I may interject here…

Everyone (Interrupts): “Shut up Brian!”

Brian Scalabrine: Fair enough, I’ll just sit right back here in the corner like I have been.

Sasha Vujacic: I honestly think I am going to be a big player in this series. Actually, our whole bench is going to dominate. I feel Jordan is going to cause major problems for Sammy if Doc keeps on putting him in for some stupid reason. And I really don’t think Posey can handle Luke at all. How old are you PJ? Look for us to spread the lead during the beginning of the second and fourth quarters with our 3-point shooting.

PJ Brown: Thanks for that Sasha. I didn’t realize you could speak that well. And I’m 38 by the way. Our bench has veteran leadership. It doesn’t matter that we suck and we are too old to play this game. What matters is experience. Sammy couldn’t even guard Eric Snow right now, but he has two rings. And that is why Danny brought him here.

Chris Mihm: I just want to introduce myself to everyone. I’m Chris. I play for the Lakers.

Everyone: “Hey Chris.”

Paul Pierce: I think we got away from what I wanted to accomplish tonight, but I guess I can expect that due to the situation and all. All I’m saying is that we all should focus on making this a great Finals. The talent is obviously here in the room to make this a great series. Everyone that ever put a Laker or Celtic uniform on will be watching us and I don’t think we want any of them thinking to themselves, “What happened to the talent in this league…”

Kendrick Perkins (interrupts): Do you think they will make an exception for me? I try to blend in with you guys by talking smack and having a cocky look on my face after every good play we make. When I walk off the court with my chin up I want the world to know I’m the starting center for the Boston Celtics. But at the end of the day, I’m still the guy who runs like he took a huge dump in his pants.

Paul Pierce: Yes, there might be worse starting centers in this league, Kendrick (leans over to Kobe and says under his breath, “but not many”), but you’re our starting center and we need you. So guys, let’s make this the best NBA Finals. Let’s treat the NBA fans to something special. Let’s show everyone that the NBA isn’t dying. This has a Game 7 written all over it.

Kobe Bryant: I don’t mean to be a party pooper, but I’m ending this thing in five.

Perry: This is actually what I imagined happened today. However, I feel the same as Kobe, Lakers in five.

The “D” in Sammy D. does not stand for “details,” apparently. As in, the detail that his business partners didn’t actually have the rights to license products and merchandise for “Speed Racer,” despite the Philadelphia 76ers center investing more than a million dollars in the project back in 2006.

Well, the seven-footer wants some money back and, according to TMZ.com, is filing a lawsuit to recoup more than $50,000 from a New York City design studio.

Richard Hamilton of the Detroit Pistons is ready to play tonight in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics. Detroit needs to win tonight to force a Game 7 back in Boston.

After shooting with the team, Hamilton said he had discomfort in his right elbow, but would play through it.

“Once I get out there and the adrenaline is going, I’ll be fine,” Hamilton said. “I told my teammates, ‘Don’t look at me as handicap.’ … I’m fine. I’m ready to roll.”

It hasn’t been reported yet, but Rip will most likely be wearing a protective mask on his elbow.

San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has signed a contract extension that will keep him on the Spurs bench thru 2010-2011.

Spurs chairman Peter Holt told reporters last week that a handshake agreement was in place.

“If we never had a signed deal that would have been fine,” Holt said Tuesday. “That’s the way the relationship has always been.”

Chicago sat in the ninth spot before the draft lottery last night with eight teams having a worse record in the 2007-08 season. They had a 1.7% chance that their ball would be picked first. And it was picked first. The Chicago Bulls will have the number one selection in the upcoming NBA draft that will be held in June. Now they have to decide between drafting Kansas State power forward Michael Beasley or Memphis point guard Derrick Rose. If they do select Rose, one might wonder what Kirk Hinrich’s future holds.

Here is the order of the next NBA draft (lottery part):

1. Chicago
2. Miami
3. Minnesota
4. Seattle
5. Memphis
6. New York
7. LA Clippers
8. Milwaukee
9. Charlotte
10. New Jersey
11. Indiana
12. Sacramento
13. Portland
14. Golden State

NBA fans also have to be excited about the future of the Miami Heat. Dwayne Wade and Shawn Marion will soon be joined with either Michael Beasley or Derrick Rose.

Led by Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce (The Big Two), the Boston Celtics defeated the Detroit Pistons last night 88-79. Garnett had 26 points and 9 rebounds. Pierce had 22 points, 6 boards and 6 assists. Rajon Rondo was also very active on the defensive side, seemingly beating Detroit to every loose ball and collecting five steals.

Detroit looked very rusty coming off a week of rest. They missed their first five shots of the game and fell quickly into an 8-0 hole. Overall they shot 42% from the field and never really found their offense (couldn’t hit wide-open shots). Billups, Sheed, and Hamilton all had their switch turned off. Expect these three players to step up their game for Game Two.

Pierce looked like a new man out there with no Lebron on the court to defend. With all the pressure off from guarding Lebron, Pierce looked very sharp attacking the hoop and continued where he left off from Game Seven.

Also, there is no "Big Three" anymore. As noted above, it’s "Big Two." Ray Allen is not a big-time player anymore. He had a sweet wide open air ball last night. It looked like the shot came from an MTV Rock and Jock game thrown up by Malcolm in the Middle.

In February I ranked who I felt were the best players in the NBA. We are almost half way through the NBA playoffs and I feel I need to address this again, because I would like to make some changes. It’s one thing to rank the players in the regular season, but the post season brings out the best of the best.

10 STEVE NASH (previous ranking, 10) What this guy brings every night to the Phoenix Suns is spectacular to watch. If the Suns didn’t play San Antonio in the first round, I believe we are still watching Phoenix flying up and down the court in the second round and Mike D’Antoni is still the coach of the Suns.

9 MANU GINOBILI (previous ranking, 6) Manu didn’t drop on my list because of anything he did, but more because of what Chris Paul, Deron Williams, and Kevin Garnett are currently doing. When Manu is playing at his best, the Spurs are nearly unbeatable. His energy and fearless attitude can’t be matched by anyone in this leauge. I’m sure any coach in this league would love to have Manu on their team.

8 YAO MING (previous ranking, 5) Yao was having another fantastic season for the Rockets, but a broken foot sidelined him again and left his team hanging by a T-Mac thread. If Yao was healthy for the playoffs, we might be watching the Rockets and not the Utah Jazz right now. I’m still a firm believer that a true big man is the most important piece to a basketball team.

7 DWIGHT HOWARD (previous ranking, 4) Superman dropped three spots because he was MIA in a couple playoff games this year against Detroit. Howard is getting better and in two to three years will be the best big man in the game.

6 KEVIN GARNETT (previous ranking, 9) The Big Ticket had a great regular season and is playing outstanding in the post season. I ranked him nine on my last list because he missed the playoffs the previous three seasons. However, he’s back and playing as impressive as ever.

4,5 CHRIS PAUL/DERON WILLIAMS (previous ranking, 10,10) These two point guards were drafted three (Deron) and four (Paul) in the 2005 NBA draft and both are well on their way in becoming the two best point guards in this league (if not already). I can’t rank either one over the other, because I feel both are amazing and spectacular. However, heads up, Deron has gotten the better of Paul. They play in very different offenses that both fit perfectly in.

3 LEBRON JAMES (previous ranking, 3) Wait until Lebron gets teammates that can actually play basketball. He has too many responsibilities playing with this core of players. Once he is surrounded with the right personnel there is no doubt in my mind a beast will be released and numerous NBA Championships will follow. D’Antoni will be waiting for him in New York once Bron’s contract is up.

2 KOBE BRYANT (previous ranking, 2) Kobe is awesome. Plain and simple, just completely awesome.

1 TIM DUNCAN (previous ranking, 1) The majority of coaches in this league would start by picking Tim Duncan and building a team around him.

Dropping off the list (but still great): Dwayne Wade (7), Carmello Anthony (8), Jason Kidd (10) & Baron Davis (10)

Honorable Mentions: Dirk Nowitzki, Carlos Boozer, David West, Rasheed Wallace, Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Chauncey Billups, Tracy McGrady, Pau Gasol, and Chris Bosh.

UPDATE: Perry has updated his Top 10 players in the NBA. You can find his 2009 version here.

I’m not really going to get into detail about the game tonight, because it really doesn’t matter. The Celtics stink. They got completely embarrassed on the road again by a team that also stinks. Their is something wrong with the Celtics that can’t be fixed. They dominated the regular season, but this is the NBA Playoffs and they clearly don’t have a good enough team to contend unless everyone on the Pistons get blood clots in their ankles.

Todd Ramasar, agent for Golden State Warrior Baron Davis, says contract negotiations are so far apart that Davis would consider opting out of the final year of his deal and hitting free agency.

“After sitting down with the Warriors organization (Thursday) regarding Baron’s future, I don’t know what direction the Warriors are going,” Ramasar said. “Baron is adamant about remaining a Warrior but based on my conversations with the team (Thursday), we have to consider all of his options.”

He’d be quite a prize for a team with plenty of cap room this offseason. Currently, Davis is slated to make $17.8 million next season.

Former Phoenix Suns coach Mike D’Antoni has accepted a four-year, $24 million deal to coach the New York Knicks. D’Antoni has a 267-172 career coaching record with the Suns and Denver Nuggets. The Suns won at least 54 games in four of his five seasons, and he has a 26-25 record in the playoffs.

It is not being reported, but it is assumed that Isiah Thomas will not be allowed to speak to, touch, be in the same building as, write to, or contact Mike D’Antoni from now until ever.

Without Finals MVP Chauncey Billups, the Detroit Pistons showed why they are the team to beat in the Eastern Conference with their 90-89 victory over the Orlando Magic this afternoon. The victory gave them a three-games-to-one series lead as they travel back to Detroit for Game Five. Richard Hamilton was absolutely clutch scoring 10 of the last 14 points for Detroit and ended up with 32 for the game.

With eight seconds left on the clock, Tayshaun Prince shot a left-handed runner through the lane to take the lead by one. Orlando came out of the timeout with a play for Hedo Turkoglu. With four seconds left he drove past Prince to his left, towards the hoop, but his runner hit the rim and the ball was rebounded by Detroit with the clock at triple zeros. Turkoglu was on absolute fire in the fourth quarter dropping thirteen points and finished the game with 20.

Besides Game Three of this series, the Detroit Pistons have looked great ever since falling behind in the first half of Game Four against the Philadelphia 76ers. The other two Eastern Conference teams, Boston and Cleveland, have looked absolutely horrible. Boston’s starting center Kendrick Perkins wouldn’t even see playing time for any other NBA basketball team. The Celtics bench and role players are pathetic. The only thing more pathetic is Cleveland’s bench and role players. That consists of everyone, but Lebron. And even Lebron has played like horse poop. Detroit is the team to beat in the East.

League sources have told the Seattle Times that Kevin Durant will win this year’s Rookie of the Year award.

Durant averaged 20.3 PPG, 4.4 RPG and 2.4 APG. He was the second overall pick in this year’s draft behind Ohio State’s Greg Oden, who got hurt before the season even started.

During Iverson’s tenure as a Sixer every year I would hear, "Iverson has never played with anyone" and "Give Iverson another scorer and you’ll see him win." Alright, well he’s surrounded with legitimate players now in Denver and now what? His team stinks. They got embarrassed in the first round of the playoffs by the Los Angeles Lakers who swept them back to their ‘And One’ style lives. I don’t want to hear anymore Iverson B.S. He’s a heck of a talent, but his style of basketball will never win anything more than a scoring title.

Iverson is not a natural number one or a natural number two. He’s a tweener. Name the last team that won an NBA Championship with a tweener being their star player? It’s never happened. Look it up. Furthermore, he can’t defend. Derek Fisher, Kobe Bryant, and Jordan Farmar had their way with Iverson. Allen is very undersized and can be out-muscled anywhere on the court in a one-on-one match up. He also gambles way too much on defense. Off-the-ball he gets steals, but most of the time he creates a five on four situation that leads to an easy basket, because he misses the steal.

I’m a Sixers fan and I was thrilled when we traded Iverson last year. I think the development of the young Sixers’ players (who are still in the playoffs) in the past year speaks volumes on how important it was to get this plague off the team. During Iverson’s years as a Sixer there was not one player that was able to develop because Iverson was a ballhog and played basketball in an unconventional way. A way that never equates to winning. Iverson has a career losing record as an NBA player. It’s not a coincidence.

In conclusion, if the Lakers win last night doesn’t convince you that Iverson is a horrible player to have on your team, then you are clueless about the sport. The Denver Nuggets arguably had one of the best starting fives in basketball as far as talent, but if you can’t play basketball the correct way (i.e. like the San Antonio Spurs), you’ll never win.

If I learned one thing about Iverson during his years as a Sixer, it’s that he won’t change and he’ll always be a loser (I guess that’s two things). And if I learned one thing about Andre Miller during his current stint in Philadelphia, it’s that he is 100 times better than Iverson and more important to have as a teammate.

A Perry note: I didn’t boo him when he came back to Philly last month, because I appreciated his love for Philadelphia. However, this rant is how I really feel about him.

Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett became the first Celtic ever (really??) to be named Defensive Player of the Year.

Garnett averaged 7.3 defensive rebounds per game, 1.2 blocks per game, and 1.4 steals per game.

The #7 seed Philadelphia 76ers shocked the #2 seed Detroit Pistons Sunday night 90-86. The Pistons have been there done that and their lineup is just filthy. But, the Sixers are young, they play defense and they run all damn day. This could be a problem for the Pistons if the series drags on. The Sixers will wear you out, especially an older team like Detroit.

If you haven’t checked out this Sixer team, it’s worth it. Louis Williams is 21 years old and is growing into a decent player. Andre Iguodala’s athleticism is disgusting. Andre Miller is the veteran glue. Thaddeus Young is a 19-year old rookie that is developing quickly. Rodney Carney – we believe – is in the process of leaving his bust status in the rear view.

It’s official, this series is worth watching.

Allen Iverson returned to Philadelphia for the first time on Wednesday night, and I was one of the people in the sold-out Wachovia Center. Here’s my diary from the evening:

For the last week my friends were asking me if I would ‘boo’ Iverson. I really thought I was going to. His attitude about practice, towards coaches, and his selfish play on the court really helped him wear out his welcome with me. And since it’s all about me, I called Billy King and told him to trade Iverson to Denver for Andre Miller, Joe Smith, and two first round draft picks. However, I didn’t ‘boo’ him last night. I couldn’t.

He brought me too much excitement over the years. The 2000-01 season and play-off run still goes down as one of my favorite Philadelphia sports seasons. I’ll always remember Allen stepping over Tyronn Lue after draining a basket at the end of Game 1 of the ’01 Finals as I watched the game in a packed bar in Buckhead (Atlanta), Georgia. His ovation last night was deserved. There may have been a few boos early, but they all changed to cheers and claps. Philadelphia loved and valued his time here and as Iverson pounded his chest we knew Iverson felt the same. Philadelphia fans get a bad wrap, but last night they did the right thing, me included.

Then it was game time. Denver throws out Iverson, Carmello Anthony, Kenyon Martin, Anthony Carter and Marcus Camby. How the heck is that team not one of the best eight teams in the Western Conference? Those five players are arguably the best starting unit in the NBA. However, they don’t play defense. I don’t know how many dunks the Sixers had last night, but Denver gives up too many easy buckets. Offensively, they are unstoppable, but George Karl needs to start coaching this team or they aren’t making the playoffs.

More on Karl, at every timeout he stands at the free throw line as the team just sits and relaxes on the bench. One of the assistants kneels down and talks about something, but I didn’t see one player listening. Also during the timeouts, Stacy Augmon comes from the first row, walks around the bench and joins the team on the court. When the timeout ends, he walks back to his seat. Very weird. I looked it up and Augmon is the player development coach for Denver. Therefore, I concluded that the Nuggets feel it’s more important to have Augmon in their huddle rather than their head coach. This team is fighting for a playoff spot. George, what are you doing?

I witnessed something for the first time last night. In the second half, Iverson was at the line and after his first free throw a lane violation was called. The NBA does not have one-and-one foul shots. There is no reason to get in the lane after the first shot. The ball is dead. However, the refs got together and reversed the lane violation. What? How does that happen?

Andre Miller is awesome by the way. He is always under control and you can tell he has that basketball sixth sense. He knows where everyone is on the court and he knows when he needs to shoot the ball. He dropped in 28 points, had 12 assists and came up huge with 1:17 left in the game when he drove the lane and got fouled by Iverson, making the basket and the free throw to give the Sixers a 113-110 lead against his former team. To add to the dramatics, 11 seconds later Iverson drained a three to tie it back up, which caused a roar in the crowd like it was a Nugget home game. On this night it seemed everyone in the stands would be happy with any outcome. During the whole second half it didn’t matter who scored and from what team, the crowd was going completely nuts with every basket.

However, there was a team of Sixers and Sixers’ coaches that wanted nothing more than a win. All night, you could see it in Andre Iguodala’s eyes. You could see it in Willie Green’s eyes. Andre Miller’s as well. They had a point to prove last night. They needed to show Philadelphia how good they are without Allen Iverson. They needed to prove to themselves that they had moved on. And when Iguodala threw the ball up over his head with 32 seconds left and Samuel Dalembert grabbed it, slamming it home to take the lead back, they knew they were one possession away from their biggest victory of the season.

It couldn’t have been written to be any more dramatic. If Iverson nailed a three to win, the roof would have blown off the building. If Iverson tied the game the place would have erupted with anxiousness for another five minutes of free basketball. But neither happened. Iverson was defended perfectly by Iguodala and Green forcing him to miss a shot with seven seconds left. Then, Camby missed a shot with five seconds left. Finally, Iguodala got the loose ball and sprinted down the court. Everyone in the building thought he was coming in for a classic Iggie dunk, but as time ran out he threw the ball up in the rafters, victorious over the original A.I. that ran this city for ten years.

At that moment, they had made their point. This Sixer team can play basketball with the best of them. They play hard, they play as team, they’re young, and they’re exciting. They deserve the city’s support. The Wachovia Center should be rocking every night like it did last night. It was a great moment. I still have chills. I didn’t want to leave. I love this game.

UPDATE: Here is Perry’s updated 2009 list of the Top 10 players in the NBA.

10) THE POINT GUARDS: Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, Deron Williams, Chris Paul, and Baron Davis. I struggled with this list a lot, because all five of these players are deserving to be here. Each one of these players understand and play the point position in a way that makes everyone on their team better. You don’t learn how to play this position. You are born with the unselfish ability to want everyone on your team to excel. Each one of these point guards makes life easier for the following NBA players listed below.

9) KEVIN GARNETT: In his 13th season, The Big Ticket, has been reborn in Boston, leading his Celtic team to the best record in the NBA. The 6-foot 11-inch big man has dominated the East inside thus far (with one exception listed below). Drafted out of Farragut Academy HS in Chicago, Garnett has a 2000 Olympic gold medal and a 2004 NBA MVP under his resume. I list him this low on the list, because he is a little past his prime. It showed the last three seasons in Minnesota when he failed to lead his team to the playoffs.

8. CARMELLO ANTHONY: ‘Melo was the 3rd overall pick in the star-heavy 2003 draft after leading his Syracuse Orangemen to a win in the NCAA National Championship game over Georgia Tech. ‘Melo, statistically, is the most clutch end-of-game player in the NBA right now. Check out these stats that were updated through the 2006 season. I had to do a little research through last season and found out ‘Melo has added five more game-winning shots (don’t quote me) to that tally.

7) DWAYNE WADE: It pains me to put Wade this low, but he hasn’t been healthy the last two seasons. When healthy, he is a top-five player in this league. D-Wade, or Flash as his teammates call him, led his Miami Heat team to the NBA Championship in 2006 and was named 2006 NBA Finals MVP. His Heat team is a mess right now, but Pat Riley mortgaged the future to win it all in 2006. He accomplished that goal, but has left D-Wade nothing to work with. It pains me to see talent get wasted like this, but hopefully the Heat organization will surround Wade with the players he needs or trade him to a team that will know how to appreciate him.

6) MANU GINOBILI: Manu has been part of three NBA Championship teams with the Spurs and led the Argentina national basketball team to the 2004 Olympic Gold Medal, also being named the tournament’s MVP. Manu is becoming one of the NBA’s best all-around players and is best known for his fearless attacks to the rim. As I was writing this article last night, Manu dropped 46 points (8 for 11 3PFG) on the Cavs on 75% shooting and dished out 8 dimes.

5) YAO MING: I realize Yao Ming has never won a playoff series, but this is not his fault. The Houston Rockets are plagued by the "Tracy McGrady Disease." A disease that spreads during playoff time, not allowing his team to advance past the first round. McGrady has never won a playoff series in his 11 year career. The Rockets need to build this team around Ming. He is 7-foot-6 and can touch the rim with his feet still on the ground. Shaquille O’Neal summed up Yao’s abilities right before their first meeting in ‘02 with this statement, "Tell Yao Ming, ching-chong-yang-wah-as-soh." I couldn’t have said it better myself.

4) DWIGHT HOWARD: I hesitate to put him this high, but I only see three other players that I would want more (presently). Three years from now he could be number one on this list. This guy is a monster. Nicknamed "Thunder," Howard was drafted out of Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy with the #1 overall pick in 2004. Orlando was criticized for not taking UCONN’s polished power forward, Emeka Okafor with the first pick, but who’s laughing now? Actually, I don’t hesitate putting him this high.

3) LEBRON JAMES: His ceiling has been set so high ever since being drafted out of St. Vincent – St. Mary High School with the first overall pick in 2003. Lebron led a team of scrubs to the NBA Finals last year, which included one of the most memorable playoff performances in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Detroit Pistons. Lebron scored 29 of the last 30 Cavalier points, leading his team to a double-overtime victory. The only knock I have on Lebron is at times he tends to coast with the flow of the game. Unlike the next two…

2) KOBE BRYANT: It took him three years to realize that he can’t win by himself. I was disappointed to see the Shaq/Kobe era end, but it helped Kobe mature into the player he is today. Black Mamba (Kobe’s nickname for himself) has finally developed into the unselfish player that we all wanted him to become. His offensive, killer instincts are second to none, but what is most impressive is that he can play the opposite end of the court with the best of them, being named to the NBA All-Defensive team seven times. In my opinion, there’s not a more exciting player to watch in the NBA.

1) TIM DUNCAN: There shouldn’t be any argument here. Tim Duncan is the cornerstone for the San Antonio Spur dynasty. Two-time NBA MVP and Three-time NBA Finals MVP, Duncan continues to perform at the highest level, dominating the NBA. Any logical basketball connoisseur understands you build a championship team around a big man and nobody has done this better than the Spurs with the Big Fundamental.

HONORABLE MENTION: Josh Howard, Dirk Nowitzki, Carlos Boozer, Tony Parker, Chris Bosh, Ray Allen, Rasheed Wallace, Chauncy Billups, Richard Hamilton & Paul Pierce

THE WHY NO MENTIONS: Allen Iverson & Amare Stoudemire. These are two of the biggest defensive liabilities in the game. They can’t guard anyone one-on-one. Iverson gets picked apart by bigger guards and gambles way too much for steals that usually backfire into an easy two-on-one situation for the opposing team. Stoudemire gives absolutely no effort on the defensive side of the ball.

THE UP AND COMER: Monta Eillis, Golden State Warriors. This kid can play. Drafted (2nd round) out of Lanier High School, Mississippi, Ellis is on an absolute tear right now. He is a smaller version of Manu Ginobili.

Play five on five online with 10 human players.

Electronic Arts released the free downloadable feature called Online Team Play for NBA Live 08 that lets 10 people on 10 consoles anywhere in the world play with and against each other. The new feature is automatically available on Playstation 3 when connected online, EA said Monday. It will be available on the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system later this month.

In NBA Live 08, all 10 players on the floor can now be controlled by individual users on 10 different consoles, removing the use of artificial intelligence altogether. Player movement, decision making and game outcome can now be completely dependant on how you play as an online team, bringing you closer to a real life game of basketball than ever before. This new game mode enables any number of players from one to five on different consoles to connect and play online against another team of up to five players on five different consoles. The CPU will take control of any players not controlled by users.

NBA Live 08 is available now in retail stores everywhere. Click here for more information.