All-Star Snubs

Every year around this time the NBA all-star game rosters are finalized. And like every year before there is controversy about who will not be participating in the game. This year there are some surprising cuts and guys who are deserving of an appearance, but just couldn't beat out other players who made the team. Without further ado, here are a few players who did not make the all-star team.

Anthony Gruppuso/USA TODAY Sports

Chris Paul

17.5 points, 9.7 assists, 5.3 rebounds per game, 47% FG, 40% 3pt FG

Chris Paul is more than deserving of making the all-star game. His numbers aside he has been the best player for the Clippers every season and is essential to the team's success. Without Paul, the Clippers would not be at the top of the Western Conference. Since Paul went down with his Thumb injury the Clippers have gone 1-3. It hasn't been recently either. This season the Clippers are 3-8 without Paul as opposed to 27-9 with him.

His injury may have swayed the coaches to not vote for him. The coaches knew that he could not participate so they may have decided to give that vote to someone else. From that perspective it is understandable, but Paul has been an all-star every year since 2008. It isn't right that the fifth best team in the league did not have their best player voted in. With that said DeAndre Jordan will represent the Clippers in the game so they have at least one player making the trip to New Orleans.

ESPN

Joel Embiid

19.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, 46% FG, 35% 3pt FG, 25 minutes per game

Although the 76ers are the 12th seed in the eastern conference they have been playing well as of late. The team is 8-2 over there last 10 games and seem to be moving in the right direction. A lot of their success is due to rookie center Joel Embiid. His numbers are impressive, but what makes them incredible is that he is averaging 25 minutes per game. Embiid is on a minutes restriction yet he is still putting up about 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks in each contest. Basically, in half a game he is doing what most rookies can't do in a full game. 

To have a better reference of how productive he truly is, just take a look at his per 36-minute numbers. This stat skews numbers so we can see how productive a player would be if their minutes were the same as a typical starters minutes, which is about 36 minutes. For Embiid he averages 28.3 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks per 36 minutes. Those are easily all-star level numbers. In comparison to other players, Embiid is fifth in points and first in blocks per 36 minutes. It is beyond impressive and that is why Embiid is a snub.

Jabari Parker

20.5 points, 5.9 rebounds per game, 49% FG, 39% 3pt FG

Parker is in an odd position. He is deserving of an all-star spot, but there is no one to remove from the roster in favor of Parker. If his team was higher in the standings it would help his case for making the team over say Paul George or Paul Millsap. But that is not the case and ultimately the coaches went with the players on winning teams. However, not making the all-star game does not deny how well Parker is playing.

This is his first season where he is fully healthy. After tearing his ACL early in his rookie season and a down year returning from his knee injury, Parker is finally showing off why he was worthy of the number two pick. He is also shooting very well for someone who was never regarded as a knockdown shooter, especially from three. Parker is shooting 39% from three and he is taking 3.6 threes per game. That is way up from 25% his first two seasons. He has also tripled the number of threes he has taken so far this year from the number of threes he took during his first two seasons. 

Verdict

Chris Paul and Joel Embiid were the obvious snubs from the all-star game, but Parker needs some recognition for what he has done. A few names not mentioned here are Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins, Eric Bledsoe, Andre Drummond, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwyane Wade. Overall the all-star rosters this year were solid. No one that made the team is questionable like Kobe Bryant was last year.

The all-star weekend starts February 17th and will continue through the 19th. The all-star game will take place on the 19th. It should be fun to watch the best talent the league has to offer all share the same stage. 

James Harden Vs. Russell Westbrook Debate

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James Harden had another mind-blowing performance last night posting 40 points, 10 assists, and 15 rebounds. James Harden became just the 4th player in NBA history to have back-to-back 40 point triple doubles. The other three are Pete Marovich, Michael Jordan, and Russell Westbrook. The last guy of those three is currently competing with Harden for this year's NBA MVP award. The case could be made for both players to win the award, but here is a quick comparison of what they are doing this year.

James Harden

28.5 Points, 11.8 Assists, 8.4 Rebounds, 44% FG, 35% 3pt FG

James Harden has been somewhat of a surprise this season after Mike D'Antoni made the decision to have James Harden become the point guard for this team. There was a lot of speculation about how well Harden would make the transition. Clearly, Harden has adjusted fine to playing point guard. He has more than doubling his career assist average of 5.4 to 11.8 this season. Harden has also had a huge jump in his assist percentage. This year Harden has assisted on 52.2% of his team's field goals when he is on the floor. Looking at the team Harden has around him it is a little surprising that the Rockets are 31-9 and only 2.5 games behind the Golden State Warriors. The team's success is not all thanks to Harden, though. Much of their success should be credited to Mike D'Antoni. D'Antoni's offense is a perfect fit for the group of guys he has. That's not to take away from Harden's performances, but he may not have the high-level success he is having without the offense he is in.

Russell Westbrook

31.2 Points, 10.4 Assists, 10.6 Rebounds, 43% FG, 34% 3pt FG

Westbrook currently is the MVP favorite. Westbrook is averaging a triple double, something that has been done this far into the season since Oscar Robertson. Aside from Westbrook's numbers he has a lot more carrying to do with his team. Unlike Harden, Westbrook is in an offensive system that relies solely on his ability to create for others. Westbrook also has a higher usage percentage than James Harden. While Harden is at 34%, Westbrook is at 42.2% which proves that Westbrook has to do a lot more for his team when he is on the floor. Westbrook also has a higher assist percentage than Harden assisting on 57.6% of his team's baskets when he is on the floor. Westbrook is statistically beating out Harden in every category except win shares. Harden currently has more win shares than Westbrook. This makes sense considering the Thunder have a record 23-16 and are seventh in the Western Conference.

Harden is performing very well this season and if continues to string together games like he has had lately he may be able to pass Westbrook as the MVP favorite. Another thing in Harden's favor is his team's performance. The Rockets have 8 more wins than the Thunder right now and are currently on a 9 game winning streak going into tonight's game against the Timberwolves. The Thunder, on the other hand, are 5-4 in their last nine games going into tonight's game against the Grizzlies. With half a season to go Harden still has a shot at catching Westbrook.

NBA All-Star Voting Surprises

NBA All-Star voting is slowly coming to an end. With 9 days to go there is still time for people to go and submit their votes. There are a few surprises in the current polls. The first and biggest surprise is that Zaza Pachulia is second in votes for the Western frontcourt. That's right Pachulia is second to only Kevin Durant in All-Star votes for the frontcourt ahead of players like Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins, and Blake Griffin. It goes to show how powerful fans votes are. Pachulia has a lot of support from people in his home country and that is one of the main reasons for him being a top vote-getter.

Another surprise vote-getter is Jeremy Lin. Lin has only played 12 games so far this season and his team is dead last in the NBA standings. And in the few games Lin played his numbers do not scream All-Star. In fact, the best player on the Nets is Brook Lopez and he does not crack the top 10. This is just the matter of a popularity contest. Lin is 8th in backcourt votes just because of his name and the fact that he plays in the big apple again.

Mark Ehrmann/Getty Images

The final surprise is Joel Embiid. Embiid has played very well for a rookie on a minutes restriction, but his team has not performed well. With the 76ers owning the second-worst record in the NBA it is hard to justify Embiid making the All-Star roster. One of the things really helping Embiid make his case for the All-Star team is his tweets. Embiid is one of the funniest people on social media and he has been that way since day one. He tweeted the day he was drafted that his celebrity crush told him to come back to her when he is an All-Star. Two years later and Embiid sent out a tweet to make his dream of dating her come true by voting him into the All-Star game. Personally, I am curious what will happen if he makes the team and clearly I am not alone. Embiid is fourth in frontcourt voting for the East. He is only trailing Kevin Love by about 30,000 votes. So there is a chance Embiid could pick up the last front court spot. But that will also depend on the new All-Star voting format this year.

Luckily this year the NBA has changed the format for All-Star voting. For the first time ever, NBA players and select media members will vote for All-Stars. When calculated the fans own 50% of the votes while players and media members will own the other 50%. Hopefully, this will help with more deserving players making the game.

Why All the LeBron James Hate?

Recently I watched a video of analysts debating if LeBron James is better than Michael Jordan. This has been a popular debate ever since James won the championship this past June. Whether James is better than Jordan is still up in the air, but that is not the focus of this article. I want to prove how awful some of the counter arguments are for Jordan being better than James.

The first counter argument is that LeBron has never had to face future Hall of Famers throughout the playoffs, unlike Jordan. Well, that argument is invalid. James had to face Chauncey Billups, Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Carmelo Anthony. Even Paul George and Dwight Howard could also have an argument made for themselves. So the idea that James has never had to face Hall of Fame players in the playoffs is false.

Another knock people are putting on James is that he allows Kyrie Irving to close out a game. The one shot that is on everyone's mind is the three Kyrie hit in the NBA finals that basically clinched Cleveland their first championship in franchise history. But for those that always point that out, check out game 6 of the 1993 NBA finals. It wasn't Jordan who hit the game-winning three to win the Chicago Bulls a third straight championship. Nope, it was John Paxson. And how about 1997 NBA finals game 6 when Steve Kerr hit the game-winning shot. Once again it was not Jordan taking the big shot it was his teammate. Seems like these situations are lost in these debates, but clearly not taking the last shot does not make someone any less of a basketball player.

Whether people like it or not LeBron is a great player. Trying to find every reason to make him seem like the inferior player is just ridiculous. If you are still not convinced LeBron is in the same room as Jordan read my article Michael Jordan and LeBron James. I compare James career so far to Jordan's whole body of work. LeBron is on track to pass him in a lot of categories if he stays healthy. The truth is James and Jordan are two different players and both play in different eras. That is why the only comparisons that can be made are their career accolades.

Richard Jefferson Stepping into the Time Machine

Richard Jefferson used to be a high flyer with the New Jersey Nets back in the early 2000's. As his career went on Jefferson slowly faded and started to become a rotation player. Jefferson has now become the veteran that can mentor but also still be productive when he is subbed into the game. Much like Vince Carter, Jefferson still has some dunks left that he can pull out from time to time. A few years ago in Dallas Jefferson pulled out a crazy posterizing dunk on Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, but he was called for an offensive foul. Yesterday though Jefferson delivered two gifts on Christmas day.

Jefferson first had a dunk over Kevin Durant early in the fourth quarter. After the dunk, he looked at KD and winked at him. He would receive a technical for taunting, but that did not stop Jefferson from creating another poster. Around the four minute mark, Jefferson took it hard to the basket and dunked on Klay Thompson. Jefferson who is now 36 had two dunks that would make everyone question if that is his true age.

The Cavaliers would go on to win the game 109 to 108. Kyrie Irving would hit a go-ahead jumper in the final seconds of the game. It was truly a Deja Vu moment for the Warriors as Irving hit a go-ahead three with under a minute remaining in the fourth quarter of game 7 the past June. Yesterday's game was probably one of the best games so far this season and it only makes fans wish they could watch these two teams go at it every night. For now, we will just have to wait until they meet again on January 16. The good news is we do not have to wait long.

DeMarcus Cousins' Dominating Performance

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Last night DeMarcus Cousins and the Sacramento Kings went up against Damian Lillard and the Portland Trailblazers. Damian Lillard would finish the game with 24 points and 15 assists for the game. His teammate, C.J. McCollum however, had a much better shooting night than Lillard putting up 36 points on 59 percent shooting. But their performances were overshadowed by DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins helped the Kings to a 126-121 victory behind his 55 points and 13 rebounds.

This was only Cousins second 50 point game of his career. What really grabbed fans attention was the moment Cousins received his second technical of the game. What made the technical unusual was that it was rescinded after Cousins had already made his way back to the locker room. Cousins had to be fetched from the locker room to get back out on the court.

Cousins is a target for referees and they always keep a close eye on everything he does. In this case, the ref called a technical on him for spitting his mouthpiece out at the Blazers bench. The refs got together after the call and quickly talked it over. They came to the conclusion that his mouthpiece fell out of his mouth and rescinded the technical. In the post game interview, Cousins said, "It's ridiculous. It's obvious what's being done out here. It's on a nightly basis. I hope the world can see now what's really going on out here."

Maybe this will be the start of change amongst referees looking for any excuse to remove Cousins from the game. Cousins is at fault sometimes, but he has really come a long way with controlling himself since entering the league. His reputation with his emotion still warrants refs to take any precautions so that nothing escalates to the next level. Hopefully, refs will take it easier on Cousins when it comes to technicals because he is by far the heart and soul of the Kings, without him, the Kings have no shot at winning games. In any matter, it was nice to see the refs come together and fix the mistake they had made.

Tim Duncan's Jersey Retirement

Tim Duncan is arguably the greatest power forward of all time. He has a number of records and accolades to back up the argument. So it is easy to understand why not even 6 months after retirement the San Antonio Spurs decided to retire Duncan's number 21 after spending his entire 19-year career in San Antonio. Duncan is a 15-time all-star, a back to back MVP, 3 time Finals MVP, and a 5 time NBA champion. Here is a chart of all of Tim Duncan's accomplishments.

Stat	Number	All-Time
Points	26,496	14th
Rebounds	15,091	6th
Blocks	3,020	5th
Minutes	47,368	12th
Games	1,392	8th

Tim Duncan is truly an all time great. He was one of four legends to retire this summer. The other three being Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Kobe Bryant. These four walking away from the game shows the end of an era is near. The only 90's Hall of Fame bound players still active are Vince Carter, Paul Pierce, and Dirk Nowitzki. It won't be much longer until the 90's draft classes finally disappear from the NBA.

Darren Abate/AP Photo

Either way, all the names mentioned are great company for Duncan to be with. If anything Duncan may be the best player out of all the names above. Kobe Bryant may be the only exception, but it constitutes an argument to be had. Both players are very different and had very different careers. Not to mention both players also have completely different personalities.

Like with any players retirement, it is sad to see them go, but on nights like this the player is remembered and celebrated for everything they have done for the organization and the city. Duncan may not be a member of the San Antonio Spurs roster, but he will always be a part of the Spurs family going forward. He left the team in good hands and should be happy that he helped create the winning culture that is in place there today.

Remembering Craig Sager

Last night an icon in broadcast journalism, Craig Sager, passed away after two years of battling acute myeloid leukemia. Sager was in broadcasting for well over 30 years that included hosting and co-hosting sports shows, running radio broadcast, and conducting sideline interviews. Sager became a full-time member of Turner Sports in 1987. During that time he was only doing sideline reporting for Atlanta Hawks when they had a game aired on the network.

Later in his career Sager found his calling working the sidelines during basketball games. This was the role he was most well known for and he became a special part of the NBA community. He will be remembered for his eye-popping suits that he would wear every night. What made Sager really special is his personality. He had a connection with the players and coaches that always made the interviews feel much more personal with those watching at home.

But when Sager became sick and couldn't work the sideline his son stepped up to fill in. In an interview with Greg Popovich, Popovich probably spoke the most he had ever spoke during a sideline report. And what he said had nothing to do with basketball. He said, "You did a great job, but I'd rather have your dad standing here. Craig, we miss you. You have been an important part of all this for a long time doing a great job. We want your fanny back on the court. And I promise I'll be nice. Get back here. Good luck." In the first interview between Craig and Pop since Craig's return, you can tell how heartfelt the exchange was. (7:26 in the video above)

In March of 2016, Sager announced his Leukemia had returned. He was told he had about three to six months to live without any treatment. Sager kept fighting though and underwent his third bone marrow transplant. Knowing that his fight was slowly coming to an end, Turner sports loaned Sager to Disney to work his first ever NBA Finals in June of 2016. The very next month Sager received the Jimmy V Perseverance award at the 2016 ESPYS. And just two days before his death Sager was introduced into the Broadcasting Hall of Fame on December 13th, 2016.

Sager's passing sent shock waves through the NBA. Teams paid tribute to Sager, like they have all year long, by wearing goofy style t-shirts during warm-ups. Broadcasters across the country had been paying tribute all year long by wearing outlandish suits and dresses on game nights. Although Sager is no longer with us, his will to fight will always carry on. He has influenced everyone to continue being Sager Strong and make every second count.

Is the NBA at its Best Right Now?

There is always a debate on which decade of NBA basketball is the best. For most, they would immediately point to the 90's calling it the golden age of basketball. The league was filled with stars from Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, and so much more. There are too many names to list. In the 90's there were also newcomers such as Jason Kidd, Shaq, and Grant Hill were all emerging as stars. And then, late in the decade, fans were welcomed with one of the best draft classes of all time with Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant being the two top names associated with the 1996 draft.

For some folks, the 80's were the best decade in basketball. The rivalry between the Celtics and Lakers was renewed with new faces leading the teams. Larry Bird vs Magic Johnson was always the talk surrounding the NBA. Throughout the 80's and especially the 1984 draft fans were introduced to young players who would become the future stars of the league. The 80's were also Julius "Dr. J" Erving's final seasons in the NBA. A passing of the torch from one of the most iconic basketball figures ever.

If you are old enough or have grandparents who loved basketball, the 70's might be their favorite decade of basketball. Dr. J was the face of the ABA and was a polarizing figure in that league. In the NBA players such as Lew Alcindor (A.K.A. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), Bob McAdoo, Elvin Hayes, and much more were setting the league on fire. It is crazy to think at one point in this country there were two big professional basketball leagues. The merger mid-way through the decade would bring over some rules from the ABA into the NBA. The most relevant one being the three point line.

Hoopsinthehollandhouse

All this leads to today. The NBA is having the most commercial success the league has ever seen before. TV ratings are up, the league is making a lot of money, records are being broken each year, and there is an endless amount of talent. For all these reasons people debate that the NBA is at its best right now.

Now there is a reason why the word debate is in the title. There is no clear answer as to if the NBA is at its best. Statistically, in terms of money, performance, and player performance the league has never been healthier. Then again each decade was different. The NBA never had as much coverage as it does today mostly due to the technology that is available now. It is also unfair to compare decades to each other because each decade is different. Older rules may affect how well current players perform or new rules may hinder players of past generations. Also, we will never be able to see players from one decade play players from another.

The short answer is, yes the NBA has never been more successful. As always comparing players from one decade to another is just not feasible. It is all speculation and a matter of opinion. The best thing to do is just enjoy what these players are accomplishing right now.

Nets Fans: LeVert is Finally Here

For Nets fans it has been a long season. And we are only one month into the season. The Nets have been hard to watch this year just due to the talent alone. Their best player is Brook Lopez and he is not exactly the most exciting player to watch. If you're a Nets fan he's great and we have all come to love him, but to NBA fans he is a bore. It is understandable considering the NBA is a guard driven league. The rest of the Nets roster is nothing to gloat about either. The Nets have nice pieces who would compliment playoff teams, but overall the team lacks talent.

But one of the few bright spots on this roster are the younger guys. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson has been getting better and better each game. Plus he is only 21. Isaiah Whitehead has played fairly well, but he is a 21-year-old rookie still trying to transition to the NBA as well as learn the point guard position. And then there is the Nets 20th overall pick Caris LeVert.

LeVert has yet to play this season due to a foot injury that he suffered his last year in college. He has been recovering from his injury, but he has finally been listed as available for the Nets tonight. This is probably the most exciting news all year if you are a Nets fan. LeVert was considered a lottery pick in past years, but his injury history scared away a lot of teams. The Nets, however, need to take chances considering they have a swap pick this off-season with Boston and no pick in 2018. With no tradeable assets either the Nets have no choice, but to give guys a shot.

This mentality has lead to the signings of Anthony Bennett and now Donatas Motiejunas. It is the reason the Nets drafted Whitehead and LeVert. The Nets are trying to find the diamond in the rough. There is no guarantee that any of these guys are that, but the Nets are hoping that at least one of them is that diamond.

The Nets play the Wizards tonight at 7:30. Expect LeVert to play but in limited minutes. I'm sure the Nets do not want to take a risk of LeVert having any set backs. It is likely they will slowly work LeVert into the rotation as the season continues on. Hopefully LeVert proves himself worthy of the Nets trading Thaddeus Young for or else this will become another in a long line of bad trades for the Nets.

Can the Clippers Contend this Year?

Philip Dengler

Every year the Clippers start off hot, but at some point, they hit a low during the season. The Clippers may have hit that low sooner than later this season. 

The Clippers are now 14-5 after losing three in a row to the Pistons, Pacers, and Nets. All these teams are well below the level of talent that the Clippers have. With that said the Clippers may have hit a wall early this season and will have to try to figure out what they are doing wrong. It is still early and a 14-5 start is great for any team through the first 19 games. This team should really pick it up after last night's loss and will be well on their way to winning 50 to 60 games this year.

However, every season the Clippers make the playoffs but can't advance past the first or second round. They have done this countless times now and the team's best player has never made a conference finals appearance. And it will not be any different this year. The Spurs and Warriors are much better teams that look as if they are a tier higher than the Clippers. The Clippers are that team will make the playoffs every season, but fans know that they do not have a chance of reaching the finals or winning it all. Even with the Thunder being one less team in the way the Clippers still have a mountain to climb.

It would really take everything to go right for the Clippers in order to make a deep playoff run and have a shot at winning the finals. That means staying healthy, showing up in big moments, and playing well as a unit. Until then they have proven to fans and the media they will never be the favorite to advance deep into the playoffs. This year I, and many others, expect much the same. They will make the playoffs as a 3 or 4 seed. Then they will most likely advance to the second round where they will fall to either the Spurs or Warriors.

Utah Jazz on a Four Game Slide

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The Utah Jazz are expected to finally make it over the hump this year. Last season the the Jazz missed the playoffs by one game and looked poised to make a run at the playoffs this year. After reloading their roster with some veterans and retaining their best players, it is easy to say that they should make the playoffs. The Jazz started off the season 7-4 and were proving doubters wrong early. Even with Gordon Hayward out to start the season the Jazz were able to go 3-3. Once Hayward came back the team went 4-1 in their next five games. But after the 7-4 start the Jazz have been on a four game losing streak. What went wrong?

Injuries are a big part of this teams struggles. The Jazz brought in point guard George Hill this summer to be the veteran presence on and off the court. Hill was a steal for the Jazz because he is still a highly productive player and he knows the point guard position very well. The problem is he has played only 7 of Utah's 15 games. Another injury that has impacted the Jazz is Derrick Favors knee injury. There is no timetable for his return currently, but it is expected he will miss an extended period of time. Favors is one of Utah's best players. With him out it will be harder for Utah to win games. The final injury to the roster is Alec Burks ankle and knee surgery over the summer. He had a ankle surgery done to his left ankle and is also expected to miss an extended period of time. Add that to Hayward missing a portion of the season early on and this team has not had a complete roster this season. Even excluding Alec Burks this team has only had a full roster for one game this season.

Jennifer Stewart/USA TODAY Sports

Not only have injuries been a factor in their current down fall, but their schedule has not been friendly either. The Jazz's last four games came against the Grizzlies, Bulls, Rockets, and Nuggets in that order. Three of those four teams have winning records and Denver has a front court advantage with Derrick Favors out. This was a huge change from their 4-1 stretch where they beat the Knicks, 76ers, Magic, and Heat. All those teams teams at the time had losing records and were easy wins for the Jazz. The Jazz harder schedule couldn't have come at a worse time.

In the next week and a half the Jazz face the Nuggets twice, the Hawks, the Timberwolves, the Rockets, and the Heat. They could beat the Nuggets one of those two times and have a chance at beating the Wolves and the Heat. But this schedule does not sound to favorable for a team currently in a rut with two of their key players.

The Jazz take on the Nuggets tonight at home after losing their last game on the road in Denver. Luckily the Jazz had two days of rest while the the Nuggets are traveling to Utah for a second night of a back to back. Joe Johnson and George Hill are both questionable for tonight's game, but the Jazz should be the favorite to come out with a win.

Rise of Andrew Wiggins

Andrew Wiggins is a player that does not receive much attention around the league. With people so focused on the Timberwolves as a team and all the talk surrounding Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins sometimes gets a back seat. There is no doubt that Wiggins is part of the blossoming big three in Minnesota, but clearly Karl-Anthony Towns is their best player. Also with a sub par record of 4-7 the media does not talk much about the Timberwolves. The Wolves and the 76ers are teams of the future and are expected to have a couple more years of growing pains before reaching the playoffs. The media will focus more on elite teams that have proven themselves contenders. With Minnesota in a smaller market and not contending they will not receive much coverage.

For all the reasons above this is why Wiggins is not receiving the attention he deserves. It was expected that Wiggins would soon become one of the top players in this league. He was the number 1 draft pick in 2014 and he won the 2014-15 rookie of the year. And with a jump from 16.9 points per game his rookie season to 20.7 his second season it was obvious that he is on an upward trend. But this year he has taken an even bigger leap early on. 

 Andrew Wiggins put up 35 points against the Philadelphia 76ers last night. It is his sixth straight game with 20 or more points. During that span he had a 47 point game against the Los Angles Lakers. His 27.7 points per game ranks him 8th in the league behind DeMar DeRozan, Russell Westbrook, Damian Lillard, Anthony Davis, James Harden, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry. That is some pretty good company to be with. Not only has he improved his scoring average, but he has also improved his field goal percentage and three point percentage from a year ago. This could be the year that we see Wiggins transform into an elite player or at least an elite scorer. Considering there are 71 games left for the Timberwolves and the fact that only 5 of their 11 games were against winning teams, it is still too early to tell. 

James Harden Vs. Russell Westbrook

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Tonight two of the leagues elite players will be going head to head as the Huston Rockets face off against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Both players are playing at MVP levels so far this season. Russell Westbrook is averaging 32 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 9.9 assists per game. James Harden is averaging 30.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 12.6 assists per game. With both players being the clear face of the franchise for the first time in their careers it should be fun to watch.

Harden has made the transition to point guard seamlessly and is fitting very well in Mike D'Antoni's system. For a team expected to decline this season the Rockets have all the right personnel on the team to execute D'Antoni's offense perfectly. The team is reminiscent of the 2008 Phoenix Suns and that is no a bad thing at all.

Westbrook is getting used to life without Durant and so far he has personally played well. His team on the other hand has some what struggled as of late. With a 4 losing streak the Thunder are looking to get back to what they were doing early in the season. It will be hard against this Rockets team, but it should be a close game.

What is the Nuggets Next Move?

uip.com

The Denver Nuggets have been in rebuilding mode for the last 3 years now. Considering their roster and their current start to the season the Nuggets will miss the playoffs for a fourth straight season. With the team rebuilding they are not looking to move players immediately. There are players on the roster that can be moved now, but the Nuggets are looking for the right offer. The Nuggets have a lot of players that other playoff teams could be interested in. Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, Jameer Nelson, Kenneth Faried, and even Darrell Arthur. Now some of these players would be easier to move than others based on contract and talent.

Danilo Gallinari has the biggest contract of the all players, but he also has a player option after this season. He is the most talented player on the team and has the least years on his contract. If a team really needs that position and has the money, adding him could be the right move. A team that would look to add him would be one on the edge of making the playoffs and knows by adding Gallinari will make them more competitive.

Kenneth Faried is another big name on this list. He is also the second highest paid player on the Nuggets. With three years and a little more than $38.5 million left on his contract it would be hard to move Faried. A team that is weak at the power forward position could seriously look into obtaining Faried. What makes Faried hard to move is his contract. Any team that would take a look at Faried would need to committed to him long term. He is under contract until 2019 so any team trading for him has to think this is their only way to upgrade their power forward position. Luckily with the salary cap increase his $13 million a year is not too bad. It would all depend on what team would like his service and if they do not have a lot of options for upgrading talent.

A fairly easy player to move would be Jameer Nelson. Nelson has given the Nuggets solid minutes at back up point guard and would bring veteran presence to any team he plays for. Nelson also has an affordable contract with only two years about $9 million left. At Nelson's age it will come down to if he wants to leave. If he wants to join a playoff team and a playoff team shows interest in him, the Nuggets could move him easily due to the type of contract he is on.

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Darrell Arthur is another guy that the Nuggets could have an easy time moving. With a contract of three years and about $23 million left Arthur has a friendly contract. With his third year being a player option there is a good chance he could opt out considering the cap increase. At 28 years old Arthur still has valuable years left in him. He is by no means a starter, but he is a formidable back up power forward.

And last, but not least, Wilson Chandler. Chandler is probably the hardest player on the roster to move considering his age and contract. At 29 years old Chandler is locked into a three year $36 million contract. Chandler is a good player, but there are plenty of players in the league that can do what he does a cheaper price. It would be hard to imagine any team looking to take back Chandlers contract due to how long it is. With better options throughout the Nuggets roster alone, Chandler is the least likely player to be traded.

There is a chance the Nuggets stand pat this year and just ride out one more season of being in the lottery, but making a trade will increase their odds of having a higher pick and there is a chance they can receive another pick for trading one of the players mentioned here.

Greg Oden Biggest Bust in NBA History

Greg Oden was the number 1 draft pick in 2007. Oden is forgotten by many after injuries derailed his career. What he is known for now is being picked before Kevin Durant. Kevin Durant has had a far more successful career than Oden and that is why even the most casual of NBA fans call Oden a bust. While all these facts are known about Greg Oden he never really spoke on how his career unfolded. 

In the past month or so Greg Oden has officially announced his retirement from professional basketball. After multiple injuries Oden was forced to step away from the game. Today Oden finally addressed the media about how his career went and how it will be perceived. He stated that he will go down as the biggest bust in NBA history. It is unbelievable to hear him come to grips with how his basketball career has panned out. He said that he would love to continue playing basketball, but his health prevents him. At 28 years old Greg Oden is officially beginning life after basketball. For comparison Kevin Durant is at the top of his game and is in serious position to win an NBA title. It truly is a tale of two stories.

Greg Oden could have been special in the NBA. He had all the physical tools to make him a great center. He performed extremely well at Ohio State and was a safer choice for Portland on draft night. Portland already had budding all-stars in Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge. With no solid center on the roster adding Oden was a no-brainer. The team already had a good scoring wing player. By drafting Oden the Trail Blazers knew they could add a guy who will immediately impact the team. A trio of Roy, Aldridge, and Oden was supposed to be a super team in the near future. Each player was under 23 years old. Not to mention in 2008 the Trail Blazers drafted Nicolas Batum. Batum was the perfect pick for this team. He was a guy who shoot the ball and was a good scorer, but he was a role player. In his career so far he has averaged 11 points per game. He would have filled his role perfectly since the team had two scorers in Aldridge and Roy. And of course Oden would want to get touches on offense too. This group of guys never had the chance to reach their full potential due to injuries to Oden and Roy. Roy would be forced to retire early in 2011 and Oden only played 82 total games with the Blazers. This is what got this team a spot on my all time what-could-have-been teams. It is an unfortunate story, but all these players seem to be at peace now.

Just how Good are the Lakers?

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The Lakers have been a surprising team so far this season. With 4-3 record the Lakers have shown a lot of positives. For starters all the players keep talking about how there is a different atmosphere surrounding the team this year. With Kobe gone the team has officially started life without Kobe Bryant. Just think this is the first time in 20 years that Kobe Bryant's name is not on the Lakers roster. Although it is sad it is also a big step for the organization. What's even better is the team has played very well in their early games.

This Lakers team had wins over the Atlanta Hawks and Golden State Warriors last week. Both those teams are expected to make the playoffs. Finishing the week with a 3-1 record is very impressive. But all this buzz raises the question, just how good are the Lakers? NBA.com's power rankings has the Lakers currently sitting at 11. That is much higher than anyone would have expected them to be ranked this season. It is also impressive considering 6 of the Lakers main rotation players are younger than 24. The Lakers seem to have just the right mixture of veterans and young guys. It shows during the games as there is a lot of energy surrounding all of the young players. That energy then effects the fans and other players on the team. It brings that new atmosphere that they continue to talk about.

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The problem is holding on to that energy. The Lakers are off to good start so far, but the NBA season is a long one. With 75 games remaining it is too early to judge this team. Most young teams start to fall off around the end of December or early January. And around all-star break rookies start to see a drop off in production. That is normal considering they are not used to the grind of an NBA season.

With this current Lakers team it is hard to tell if they will have a drop off. On one hand it is expected that they will fall below .500 at some point. The other side of the coin is there veteran presence. Luol Deng is a respected veteran and was an all star at one point. Timofey Mozgov is an NBA champion and brings experience from back-to-back finals with the Cavaliers. And Luke Walton brings his championship experience and coaching knowledge from the Warriors. If those three guys can get the rest of the team to believe in themselves and buy in to the long season there is a small chance that they can make the playoffs.

Considering the way the Lakers are playing right now I expect the Lakers to be in contention for a playoff spot up to late December to all-star break at the latest. At that point the Lakers will start to string together some losses and loose all momentum they had. Seeing at how young their team is I don't think they will recover and end up missing the playoffs for a 4th straight season.

The Lakers are still a team in rebuilding. Having a season with over 20 wins would still be considered a success. It is about growing and building chemistry between all the young talent on their roster. They are only going to get better so where ever they land this year expect them to top it next year.

Durant and Westbrook's First Meeting

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This was the first match up between Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant since Durant bolted for Oakland California in July. All the media has been talking about is Westbrook and Durant's relationship since Durant left. Last night we finally got to see them face off against each other for the first time in their careers.

For the record Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant did not shake hands before or after the game. With that out of the way here is what happened in last nights game. To no surprise Westbrook came out attacking earlier and wanted to make a statement. Even though the Thunder took an early lead it did not last long. Soon enough Durant caught fire and it was all over. Durant put on a show last night scoring 39 points on 15-24 shooting. For Westbrook he had a double double with a stat line of 20 points, 10 assists, and 6 rebounds.

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What stands out is Westbrook shot 4-15 from the field and had 6 turnovers. His shooting and turnovers are what really hurt his team. 15 shots is not a lot, but his teammates expect him to make somewhere around half of those shots. Westbrook's percentage was 26.7% meaning he made about 1/4 of the shots he took. For him to also have 6 turnovers on top of a bad shooting night hurt his team's chances of winning. Combine that with Durant's performance and what you have is the 122-96 blowout that occurred.

What was significant about this game was the story line between the two players. But at the end of the night Durant and Westbrook never really played each other. Westbrook went up against Klay Thompson while Durant was doing work against every player the Thunder threw at him. The only plays that standout that involved Durant and Westbrook were when they blocked each other. Westbrook had a block from behind on Durant and Durant did the same thing to Westbrook a few plays later. Other than that there is no one-on-one match up between the two players.

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A take away from this game for the Warriors is how will they share the ball? Durant was feeling it last night and just kept demanding the ball. One play Curry brought the ball down and Durant stood at almost half court behind him calling and clapping for it. Since Durant was feeling it and the focus of the game was on him, they let him take over. But what happens late in the season when the Durant wants the ball, but the Warriors want to run their offense to get open threes? Do they let Durant have isolation's or do they tell him to go in the corner while Curry runs a pick-and-roll? It will be interesting to see.

For Thunder they are completely reliant on Westbrook. He now has one less guy to share the ball with, but that means he has a lot more weight on his shoulders. Will this season wear him down or will he be able to carry the load? Westbrook's teammates are ok, but none of them can score like Durant. The Thunder need to add more shooters to their team. This will open up the lane more for Westbrook and allow him to hit the open man on the perimeter when the defense collapses. The Thunder may have a line up that helps them on offense. It is just the matter of Billy Donovan experimenting with line ups and finding one that works.

Westbrook with Another Triple Double

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Coming into the 2016-17 season Westbrook is considered an MVP candidate. Some even feel Westbrook could be the first player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple double for a season. Although it is still early Westbrook has two triple doubles in three games. Right now Westbrook is averaging 38.7 points, 11.7 assists, and 12.3 rebounds per game. Westbrook's numbers have been good enough to win him Western Conference player of the week for the first week of the season. It is impressive considering how many players had outstanding opening week to the season.

If Westbrook can continue his current rate of production it will be hard to not consider him for MVP. It was only two seasons ago that Westbrook made a late push to gain votes for MVP. This year he is starting off well and is no longer sharing the stage with Kevin Durant. It is Russell Westbrook's team now and it should be exciting to see what he will do unleashed.

Anthony Davis Needs Help

The NBA season is really starting off with a bang this year. Historic performances are happening left and right. For Anthony Davis he played very well in his season opener. He had a stat line of 50 points, 16 rebounds, 7 steals, 5 assists, and 4 blocks. Davis became only the 4th player in NBA history to score 50 points in a season opener. The other 3 were Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, and Elgin Baylor. That is some elite company to be with.

Davis did not stop there though. Last night Davis had 45 points and 17 rebounds. Davis became the seventh player in NBA history to have 45 points and 15 rebounds in consecutive games. The other six were Charles Barkley, Elgin Baylor, Walt Bellamy, Wilt Chamberlain, Moses Malone, and Bob McAdoo. Davis was also only the second player in the last 50 years to score 90 plus points in their team's first two games. The other was Michael Jordan in 1986. This just further solidifies how good Anthony Davis is.

But Davis' Pelicans are now 0-2. It clearly is not Davis fault. He is doing everything he can to win these games. It is Davis' supporting cast that is at fault. Of the two games, the lose against the Nuggets is much more surprising. The Nuggets are projected to be a lottery team come next offseason. So how in the world did the Pelicans lose when Davis had 50 points? Simple his teammates were awful. Davis shot 17-34 from the field. An even 50%. The rest of the team shot 21-58 from the floor. That's 36%. It is going to be a struggle for Davis and his team the rest of the season if the Pelicans cannot find a way to improve their roster.