The State of College Basketball

Sorry, Carolina. Not quite, California. Nice try, Indiana. But Tennessee is the best state in college basketball right now. You can argue about the best team—a debate that will be resolved with the tournament—but the Volunteer State reigns supreme among the 50 in the world of college basketball.

On Saturday, the University of Tennessee traveled to Memphis and knocked off the previously undefeated Tigers to unseat Memphis as the number one ranked team in the nation. Tennessee didn’t have long to celebrate their big win and first number one ranking in school history, though, as they traveled in state to visit conference rival Vanderbilt on Tuesday.

The Volunteers were defeated 72-69, and the game wasn’t even as close as the final score. While the win may make Bruce Pearl’s stop atop the polls a short one, Vanderbilt should move up in the rankings. They are currently ranked 18th in the AP poll and 14th in the USA Today/ESPN poll. It’s not unthinkable that the Commodores could soon join Memphis and Tennessee to give the state three teams in the top 10 in the country. The shakeup in the Volunteer State has me wondering if Tennessee is college basketball’s best state today.

A closer look at the rankings shows that the state of Tennessee is among exclusive company. Only three states currently feature at least three teams in the top 25: California, Indiana and Tennessee. While Indiana leads the way with four teams in the top 25, none is ranked higher than 12th. California has two teams in the top 10, UCLA and Stanford. But it’s only other ranked team is St. Mary’s College at 25 in the AP poll.

Both Memphis and Tennessee have a viable shot at a number one seed in the NCAA Tournament. The state’s third team, Vanderbilt has a chance to earn as high as a number three seed with a strong finish in conference.

That’s enough for me to give Tennessee, the rocky top position among all the states playing college basketball today.

How the West Will Be Won

Heading into Tuesday night’s action, nine teams in the Western Conference are separated by just 6 games with approximately one third of the season’s schedule left to play.

A look at the schedule shows that these teams will be doing a lot of beating up on each other down the stretch. Each of the nine teams in playoff contention plays at least 10 games against the other eight contenders.

The schedule is bad news for Dallas as they lead the way with 13 of their remaining 25 games against fellow Western Conference playoff contenders. The Lakers and Hornets have the lightest load, facing just 10 games against Western contenders down the stretch.

Meanwhile, the Houston Rockets, winners of 12 in a row, were dealt a major setback today when they learned that Yao Ming will miss the rest of the season with a stress fracture in his left foot. Forty-two percent of their remaining schedule is against their top competition in the West.

Here’s a snapshot of the Western Conference standings as they stand heading into Tuesday night’s games, along with the teams’ total games remaining and games remaining against other teams on the list. Also, check out John Hollinger’s Playoff Odds page at ESPN.com.

Western Conference standings

1. L.A. Lakers, 39-17 (26 games remaining, 10 vs. the other 8)
2. San Antonio Spurs, 38-17 (27 games remaining, 12 vs. the other 8)
3. Phoenix Suns, 38-18 (26 games remaining, 11 vs. the other 8)
4. Utah Jazz, 36-20 (26 games remaining, 11 vs. the other 8)
5. New Orleans Hornets, 37-18 (27 games remaining, 10 vs. the other 8)
6. Dallas Mavericks, 38-19 (25 games remaining, 13 vs. the other 8)
7. Houston Rockets, 36-20 (26 games remaining, 11 vs. the other 8)
8. Golden State Warriors, 33-22 (27 games remaining, 11 vs. the other 8)
9. Denver Nuggets, 33-23 (26 games remaining, 12 vs. the other 8)

Podcast 2/27/08

Matt and Mike recap the college basketball battle for Tennessee. Plus, they talk about the Yao Ming injury and a debate about the best team in the NBA's Eastern Conference. They also begin an eight-part series previewing the NFL Draft, beginning with the NFC East.

Listen/download (Run time: 37:50)

March Madness A-Z

The buzz is in the air. March Madness is still several days away, but it's never to early to prepare. What’s everybody talking about? Here are 65 people, places and things listed from A-Z to help even the most casual basketball fan get ready for the 2008 NCAA Tournament, the best event in sports today.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

The Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, will play host to the 2008 Final Four.

Lew Alcindor (now Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) is arguably the greatest college basketball player of all-time. In his three seasons at UCLA (freshmen were ineligible to play back then), his Bruins teams went 88-2 and won the national title each year. Alcindor also earned tournament Most Outstanding Player honors each year from 1967-69.

Anonymous players always seem to come out on the big stage. Some of the tournament’s greatest performances came from players who never went on to make a significant splash in the NBA. In the past 20 years alone, MOPs have included Anderson Hunt, Donald Williams, Miles Simon and Jeff Sheppard. The four players combined to play 23 games in the NBA.

B

Bands from the various colleges and universities provide the soundtrack for the tournament. Everyone wants to hear their school’s fight song as their team marches on through the bracket.

The Big Dance is one of the most prominent nicknames for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Everyone wants an invite, but only 65 teams receive one. Thirty-one schools win automatic bids by winning their conference tournament (or Ivy League regular season championship). The other 34 spots are at-large selections determined by a special NCAA committee.

Jay Bilas is a basketball analyst who splits time between ESPN and CBS. His business approach to basketball and knowledge of the game has helped him become one of the college basketball’s most prominent voices in recent years.

Bracketology is defined by dictionary.com as the practice of predicting the field of the NCAA basketball tournament; by extension, parsing things into discrete one-on-one matchups to determine a winner.

Brackets turn into an art form this time of year. All the matchups weave together in a symmetrical pattern leading to the championship.

Bubble teams are teams on the fringe of being selected into the tournament. The bubble bursts for those teams that don’t quite make it. Those that are given at-large berths are then under scrutiny to vindicate their inclusion in the tourney.

Buzzer beaters are part of the thrill of March Madness. There are always a few fantastic finishes that come down to the buzzer. If you’re lucky enough to hit one of those shots, your highlight will be replayed every year at this time when they recap the most memorable moments of tournaments past.

C

CBS has covered the NCAA Tournament since 1982. Unless you have DirecTV, CBS is the place to watch the games on TV.

Cinderella stories provide hope for the little guy. Tales of Cinderella champions like the 1983 North Carolina State Wolfpack and 1985 Villanova Wildcats are told this time of year, as are the magical runs of small schools like Gonzaga in 1999 and George Mason in 2006.

Coaches are the faces of colleges and universities, where star players often leave after one or two years of school. Roaming the sidelines, these men all vie for a chance to reign supreme in their sport.

Conference supremacy is one of the subplots of the tournament. The power conferences are the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Southeastern Conference and Pac 10. They all want to have the most teams in the tournament as well as the most teams advancing through each round. Meanwhile, the other conferences, often referred to as mid-majors try to spoil the party for the big guys.

Cutting down the nets is a tradition that started back in 1947 by North Carolina State. Today, school’s advancing to the Final Four each cut down the nets. The coach usually goes first and the players follow, each clipping a piece as a keepsake of their tournament run.

D

Daytime games are rare in sports today when primetime TV ratings are heavily coveted, however, March Madness tips off on a Thursday shortly after noon Eastern Time.

Decreased productivity is a yearly consequence of the NCAA Tournament. Estimates suggest that the tournament costs employers than 1.4 billion dollars because workers spend time filling out brackets, watching and talking about tournament games.

Duke University is the New York Yankees of college basketball. They are traditionally one of the favorites to win it all, and have a devout fan base as well as a large segment of the population that loves to see them come up short.

Dunks were banned by the NCAA from 1967 to 1976, but expect plenty of above the rim action this year. Nothing electrifies a crowd more than a thunderous slam dunk.

E

The Elite Eight refers to the fourth round of the tournament. Eight teams vie for a chance to advance to the third and final weekend.

Emotions run high in March as coaches and players are put to the test under the national spotlight. Tears will fall, fists will pump and adrenaline will flow as teams battle against the inevitable fact that players on 64 teams will see their championship dreams fall short.

F

The Fab Five was the nickname for the University of Michigan’s recruiting class of Chris Webber, Juwan Howard, Jalen Rose, Ray Jackson and Jimmy King that led the Wolverines to back-to-back Final Four appearances in 1992 and 1993, losing in the championship game each time. Webber turned pro after his sophomore season and Howard and Rose followed after their junior years. Michigan’s Final Four banners have since been forfeited due to violations.

The Final Four occurs on a Saturday. Four regional champions square off in semi-final matchups with the winners advancing to compete in the championship game on Monday.

Foul trouble will surely play a role in at least one big game. In football, a penalty can cost you 15 yards and a first down. In hockey, a penalty will get you a few minutes in the penalty box. But five fouls disqualifies you from a college basketball game, so star players have to avoid fouling out or they run the risk of watching the end of the game from the bench.

Free throws are either the easiest or most difficult shots to make in basketball, depending on the player. Pressure free throws late in a game often decide the fate of a team.

G

Guards may be the most important players in the tournament. While basketball is a big man’s game, point guards are the floor generals, directing traffic and controlling the ball most of the time. Strong guard play is an essential ingredient to success in March.

H

History is a big part of the lure of the tournament. Some interesting historical facts:

• A 16-seed has never defeated a number one.
• All four number one seeds have never made it to the Final Four in the same year.
• As an eight seed in 1985, Villanova was the lowest seeded team to ever win the tournament.

I

Individual matchups are an essential part of the bracket system. Scouting comes to a forefront as coaches try to find the best matchup and use it to their benefit.

J

Gus Johnson is one of the best play-by-play announcers in sports today. His enthusiasm and excitement captivate audiences and he is a perfect fit for March Madness.

K

Mike Krzyzewski leads all active NCAA coaches with three national titles. Additionally, he has led Duke to 10 Final Four appearances in his 28 years there. He is also the all-time leader in NCAA Tournament victories with 68.

L

Joe Lundardi is ESPN’s resident bracketologist. His study of college basketball and the history of tournament seeding enables him to predict the field of 65 nearly perfectly each year.

M

Mascots ranging from the Stanford Tree to Syracuse’s Otto the Orange to The Blue Blob of Xavier do more than star in “This is SportsCenter” commercials. They’ll be out in full-fuzzy-bodied force come tournament time.

Most Outstanding Player is the NCAA Tournament’s award for the best player. Many sports name an MVP, but the MOP is the award given to the tournament’s standout performer.

N

The National Championship gold-plated plaque is not really a trophy, but in a world of glitz and glamour, it’s refreshing to have such a simple symbol of success.

O

Office pools galore make March Madness interesting to the serious and casual fan alike. Everyone wants bragging rights for having the most correct picks.

“One Shining Moment” is the theme song played at the conclusion of the tournament by CBS. It is played over a montage of highlights from the tournament, ending with a shot of the newly crowned champions.

The Opening Round is a game played between the teams determined to be the 64th and 65th best in the tournament. On a Tuesday night before the first round begins, these teams play for a chance to advance and play a number one seed.

P

Billy Packer has been the color commentator for every Final Four since 1974. A polarizing figure, Packer has been involved in a number of controversies during his broadcasting career.

Bruce Pearl is the head coach the Tennessee Volunteers. In just his third season with the Vols, Pearl has taken his team to its first number one ranking in school history. The charismatic Pearl made waves in Tennessee when he showed up bare-chested with a V painted on his chest in support of legendary Tennessee women’s coach Pat Summitt and the Tennessee Lady Vols.

Predictions will start to fly fast and furiously as soon as the brackets are announced. Be weary of the “sleeper” pick that every “expert” is predicting to advance far in the tournament.

Q

Quitting is not part of the NCAA tournament lexicon. “Don’t give up, don’t ever give up,” were the famous words of Jim Valvano at the ESPY awards in 1993. The legendary coach led the North Carolina State Wolfpack to the 1983 title. His memorable speech was given just months before he died of cancer. To date, the V Foundation, a cancer research foundation in his honor, has raised more than $70 million.

R

Bill Raftery is a college basketball color commentator known for his many catchphrases such as “Man-to-man!” and “With the kiss!”

Regionals in the NCAA Tournament are named East, Midwest, South and West. While I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before the regions will be named McDonald’s East, General Motors Midwest, Coca-Cola South and Starbucks West, it’s nice to have something non-corporate for the time being.

Rivalries permeate college basketball, especially within the conferences. When rivals meet during the tournament, the stakes are raised and wins become even more meaningful. The rivalry between North Carolina and Duke is widely regarded as the fiercest in college basketball. Despite the success of both programs, the teams have never met in the NCAA Tournament.

S

School colors are as diverse as the rainbow. Every arena hosting first-round action is filled with fans of the various teams competing.

Seeds are the way teams are ranked for the NCAA Tournament. Teams are seeded 1-16 with one being the best in four different regions. One plays 16, two plays 15 and so on down the line. It’s set up for the top-seeded teams to have the easiest path to the championship, but upsets inevitably alter the course of the tournament from round to round. The tournament is not re-seeded at any point.

Selection Sunday is one of the most events in sports that doesn’t involve any actual competition. The field of 65 is announced and everyone begins to break down the matchups.

Spring and March Madness go hand in hand as hope springs eternal, so it’s only fitting that the first round kicks off on the first day of spring in 2008.

The Sweet 16 refers to the third round of the tournament. Teams that win their first two games advance past the first weekend to play on in the Sweet 16.

T

Team nicknames in college are varied to say the least. There is the Stanford Cardinal and the Louisville Cardinals as well as everything from Golden Flashes (Kent State) to But you’ll likely have plenty of tournament teams to pick from if you like Wildcats (32 schools including Arizona, Kansas State, Kentucky and Villanova), Bulldogs (39 schools including Butler, Drake, Gonzaga and Mississippi State) or Tigers (45 schools including Auburn, Clemson, Memphis and Missouri).

Text messaging makes it easier than ever to relay score information during the tournament. It wasn’t long ago, that the only way to find scores was on TV or in the newspaper the next day.

Three points. Dunks may make highlight heels, but a shot from farther than 19’9” is good for an extra point. The 3-point shot has become such an integral part of the college game that it’s hard to believe it wasn’t introduced nationally until 1986. Beginning next season, the NCAA will move its 3-point line back a full foot to 20 feet, 9 inches. Expect plenty of 3-balls to fall during the final tournament at the current distance.

Three weeks is the duration of the tournament. Unlike the Super Bowl, which is two weeks of hype for one big game, March Madness delivers 64 games on eleven days spread over three weeks.

Tournament experience is a phrase you’re likely to hear often throughout the tournament. Teams with players who have played in the tournament before often feel they have a competitive advantage based upon their experience of years gone by.

Tradition is a big part of college sports, in general, and the tournament, specifically. Some “basketball schools” steeped in tradition include UCLA, Kentucky, Indiana, North Carolina and Duke.

U

UCLA has won an NCAA-record 11 national championships. Ten were won under coach John Wooden and the 11th came in 1995 under Jim Harrick. The Bruins made it back to the Final Four each of the past two seasons, losing to eventual champion Florida each time.

Undefeated seasons are rare in all team sports. The last college basketball team to do so was the 1976 Indiana Hoosiers. The UCLA Bruins had back-to-back undefeated seasons in 1972 and 1973.

An undisputed champion results from the grueling tournament that forces a team to win six games in three weeks against stiff competition. Unlike college football, there is no argument about who is number one at the end of tournament.

Upsets can be bracket busters as low-seeded teams knock off powerhouses predicted to play into the Sweet 16 or beyond.

V

Dick Vitale is the unofficial bald-headed spokesperson of college basketball. Working for ESPN, Vitale does not get to broadcast tournament games, however, Vitale represents college basketball more than any announcer represents any other sport.

W

John Wooden is the legendary former coach of UCLA. The 97-year-old “Wizard of Westwood,” Wooden is widely regarded as one of the smartest and most genuine men in the history of the game. He coached UCLA to a record 10 national championships, including seven in a row from 1967-1973.

X

X-factors are little things that make a big difference in a game or throughout the tournament. Turnovers are always a costly X-factor, especially late in the game.

Y

Youth is on display in this tournament as players as young as 17 and 18 compete on a national stage. Freshmen were once not allowed to play varsity basketball in college. Today, many of the top rated players are in their first year of college. For some, this will be their only appearance in the tournament before turning pro.

Z

Zags is the unofficial nickname of Gonzaga University. They are technically known as the Gonzaga Bulldogs, however they are popularly referred to as Zags and the school has become the poster-child of small school success in the NCAA Tournament. After making a shocking run to the Elite Eight in 1999, the Zags’ basketball program has regularly been ranked among the top 25 in college basketball.

Podcast 2/21/08

Mike joins Matt in studio to discuss the world of basketball. Hear their thoughts about the Lakers-Suns game, the upcoming battle for college basketball supremecy in Tennessee, and the local high school hoops scene.

Listen/download (Run time: 24:20)

Revisiting the Lakers' decision to trade Shaquille O'Neal

On a night when Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant are preparing to meet for the first time as division rivals, it’s hard to believe that it’s been just four years since one of Hollywood’s most tumultuous relationships (the Lakers’ Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant) ended in divorce.

After eight years, more than 400 wins and 3 NBA championships together, the Shaq and Kobe feud finally reached its breaking point during the summer of 2004 and O’Neal was traded to Miami for Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, Brian Grant and a first round draft choice.

In the immediate aftermath of the trade, many observers (myself included) and experts (Bill Simmons’ take) crushed the Lakers for making this move, and they appeared to be justified.

2004-05, the first season after the trade:

• The Lakers finished 34-48 and out of the playoffs for the first time since 1994 when O’Neal was still in Orlando and Bryant was still a sophomore in high school.


• The Heat finished 59-23, good enough for first place in the Eastern Conference and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals where they lost in seven games to the Detroit Pistons.

2005 off-season

• The Lakers drafted center Andrew Bynum, a 17-year old, 7-foot project straight out of high school with the 10th overall pick, the team’s first lottery selection in more than a decade.


• The Lakers drafted forward Ronny Turiaf from Gonzaga in the second round with the 37th overall pick.


• The Lakers sent Caron Butler, who was acquired in the O’Neal deal, along with Chucky Atkins to Washington for Kwame Brown and Laron Profit.

2005-06, the second season after the trade:

• The team improved to 45-37, which was good for a seventh seed in the Western Conference playoffs. They then lost to Phoenix in seven games in the first round.


• Miami went 52-30, a slight drop-off from the previous year, but they made everyone forget about their second place Eastern Conference regular season finish by avenging their loss against the Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals and then coming back from an 0-2 series deficit in the NBA Finals to win four straight and the championship against the Dallas Mavericks.

In a “what have you done for me lately?” society, the verdict on the Lakers’ trade of O’Neal was in, and the Lakers were the losers. General Manager Mitch Kupchak was heavily criticized. O’Neal was hoisting another championship trophy, and he was not wearing a Lakers uniform. While most people even didn’t bother weighing in on this trade anymore after O’Neal helped Miami win a championship, the story didn’t end with Miami’s championship.

2006 off-season

• The Lakers drafted point guard Jordan Farmar from UCLA with the pick acquired from Miami in the O’Neal trade.

2006-07, the third season after the trade:

• The Lakers finished 42-40, which is once again good for seventh in the West. Again they faced Phoenix in the first round, and again they lost, this time in just five games. Three less regular season wins, two less postseason wins and another first round exit were not welcomed by Lakers fans. Neither was the news that Caron Butler was named to the All-Star team as a member of the Washington Wizards while Kwame Brown played just 41 games and averages 8.4 points and 6.0 rebounds for the year.


• Because of the Lakers inability to show progress, the regression of the Heat was overlooked. Miami won only two more games than the Lakers, going 44-38, before being swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Chicago Bulls. O’Neal played in only 40 games, averaging a career-low 17.3 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.

2007 off-season

• Kobe Bryant demands a trade, then rescinds his demands. This pattern seemingly repeats a dozen times and rumors of Bryant’s imminent departure continued to swirl even after the 2007-08 season began.


• The Lakers signed Derek Fisher, one of the mainstays from their championship seasons earlier in the decade, and someone to bring leadership into the locker room.

2007-08, the fourth season after the trade:

• The Lakers exceeded everyone’s expectations by starting the season strong. They defeated the Memphis Grizzlies on Jan. 13 to improve to 25-11, but center Andrew Bynum, who was having an all-star caliber year injured his knee in the win. The Lakers went just 3-5 in their first eight games after losing Bynum, but then they acquired 2006 All-Star Pau Gasol in a deal that sent Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, Aaron McKie, the rights to Marc Gasol and two future first round picks to Memphis. Since they made the deal, the Lakers are 8-1, currently one game back of Phoenix and New Orleans atop the Western Conference standings.


• Miami began the season 0-5, and things haven’t gotten much better. The Heat have lost 24 of their last 25 for a league worst record of 9-42. Aware that the playoffs were not in the cards this season and that their roster was not getting any younger, Miami traded O’Neal to Phoenix for four-time All-Star forward Shawn Marion and fifth-year guard Marcus Banks.

The fourth season is not yet complete. The Lakers are in the middle of a playoff push that currently has the top nine teams in the West separated by just five games. Adding to their difficulties, Bryant is attempting to play out the rest of the season with a torn ligament in his finger after doctors advised him to have surgery that would keep him out for six weeks. The Lakers are also waiting on the returns of injured players Bynum, which likely will not happen until late March, and Trevor Ariza, whom they acquired earlier this year by sending Brian Cook and Maurice Evans to Orlando.

Still, the Lakers are being picked by some to represent the West in the NBA Finals this season. Miami’s postseason highlight will be the NBA Draft Lottery. It’s taken four years—and patience is not something Lakers fans are known for—but the Lakers and Mitch Kupchak finally can make a legitimate argument that they got the better end of the O’Neal deal.

The trade resulted in just one season out of the playoffs. Most teams would die for that short of a “rebuilding period.” And for their troubles, the Lakers drafted Bynum, who appears to be on his way to becoming one of the best low-post threats in the league.

With the pick from Miami, they also drafted Farmar, who looks to be the Lakers’ point guard of the future.

Odom has led the team in rebounds each season since he’s been in L.A. while scoring between 13 and 15 points per game. And while the decision to deal Caron Butler may have been a mistake, the ability to deal Kwame Brown for Pau Gasol made amends.

Four years later, the trade looks something like this:

• Los Angeles Lakers acquire: Andrew Bynum, Jordan Farmar, Lamar Odom, Pau GasolMiami Heat acquire: 2006 NBA Championship, Shawn Marrion, Marcus Banks

That championship is still hard to argue with. So if you go back to the summer of 2004 and you’re the Heat, I think you still make this deal. But I think the Lakers do it all again too. And when you factor in that only one player on the Lakers will be in his 30s during this year’s postseason—Derek Fisher is 33—this is a team that will contend for a title this year and for the next several years.

Easter Basketball

When I looked at the calendar a month or so ago to find the start of the 2008 NCAA Tournament, I was surprised to find that it coincided with the Catholic Church’s Holy Week.

Being a Catholic myself that meant that I wouldn’t spend March 23 simply watching eight games determining the second half of the sweet 16. I’d spend it celebrating Easter, only the biggest day of the year in the church.

Schedule conflictions and religious convictions aside, March 23 seemed like a very early date for Easter to me, so I did some research and found that I was right. Dating back to 1875, March 23 is the earliest date that Easter has been celebrated. And 2008 will mark just the second time it’s happened. Easter also fell on March 23, 1913.

That means it’s been 95 years since Easter came this early! World War I hadn’t even happened yet, let alone March Madness. Back then, the NCAA didn’t have a tournament to crown its champion. In 1913, Navy was voted national champions by the Helms Foundation after posting a 9-0 record—for the entire season. Today it takes six games just to win the NCAA Tournament.

In the past, several Final Fours have been played on the Saturday before Easter with the championship following on Monday. But only twice in the past 30 years have teams played NCAA Tournament games on Easter Sunday.

In 1989, Illinois beat Syracuse 89-86 and Duke defeated Georgetown 85-77 in two regional final games held on Easter.

The most recent games played on Easter also came in the regional finals of the 2005 NCAA Tournament. Michigan State edged Kentucky 94-88 in two overtimes and North Carolina defeated Wisconsin 88-82.

With Easter coinciding with second round action in this year’s NCAA Tournament, a record 16 NCAA teams will be competing on Easter. So after church and a search for your Easter basket, basketball won’t be hard to find. Celebrate the holiday with friends and family and the most exciting event in sports.

Dunk or Not a Dunk?

There's no denying that Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard put on quite a show last night in New Orleans, winning the 2008 NBA Slam Dunk Contest. His creativity and freakish leaping ability, especially for a 7-footer made it one of the best all around performances in the history of the competition.

I don't question that he was the best dunker, but I'm not sure that one of his dunks was actually a dunk at all. It was creative. It was exciting to watch. But Howard's "Superman" dunk, which came complete with cape and Superman t-shirt, was really more of a throw into the basket than a traditional dunk. His hand was several inches away from making contact with the rim.

Judge for yourself. It's easy to get caught up in the hysterics of TNT's Kenny Smith and Magic Johnson, but it looks to me like Howard took off from about one step too far. The resulting play was still incredible to watch, and unlike anything anyone had seen in the dunk contest before, but I still don't think that makes it a dunk.

Yes, he was above the rim, and yes he threw the ball downward, but it wasn't like he was throwing it straight down. He was throwing it forward too. My reaction? Great play. But not a dunk. Not really a shot either. I don't even know what you'd call it. Never seen that done to a basketball before. Howard's athleticism is amazing and his other dunks made him championship worthy.

Plus, he got ripped off last year for the sticker dunk, so maybe Howard deserved a pass.

I still think he should have had to re-try this one, though. I'm pretty sure he would've made it, but this is not an all-time best dunk because if you watch the slow-motion replay, it doesn't look like a dunk.

Friday Notes and Links from the Association

• The newest Hall of Fame class will be announced April 7. Hakeem Olajuwon and Patrick Ewing lead the list of candidates and appear locks to be voted in. Other finalists include Dennis Johnson, Adrian Dantley and Chris Mullin, all of whom were among my 40 finalists for inclusion among the 61 Greatest Players in NBA History.
  
  
• The trade of Jason Kidd to the Dallas Mavericks now has two different snags that may keep it from happening. First, Devean George is refusing to be included. Second, Jerry Stackhouse may have said too much about his team’s plans to circumvent league rules.
  
  
• Kobe Bryant is the latest in a long line of Los Angeles Lakers players to suffer an injury this season. Doctors said Bryant has a torn ligament in his finger. The team is already without Andrew Bynum (knee), Trevor Ariza (foot) and Chris Mihm (heel). Bryant has bowed out of this weekend’s 3-point shootout but is likely to play in the all-star game. He said he wants to put off surgery until after the season and the 2008 Summer Olympics in August. If he can get by with the pain and without causing further damage to his finger, this is a huge relief for the Lakers. Despite being third in the West, L.A. is just 3 games ahead of 9th place Denver in the loaded Western Conference. Any missed time from Bryant could see the Lakers fall out of the playoff race.
  
  
• The rookies/sophomores game is tonight at 9 p.m. In the 8-year history of the game, the rookies have won only twice. The sophomores have won the last five games by an average score of 133-109. Expect that trend to continue this year.

Podcast 2/14/08

With Mike out for the week, Matt goes solo to talk about the NBA and his latest column about the greatest players in NBA history.

Listen/download (Run time: 12:32)

The NBA at 61

Who are the 61 greatest players in NBA history?

Why 61? Well, in celebration of the first 50 years of the National Basketball Association, the NBA named its 50 greatest players of the first 50 years prior to the 1996-97 season. Eleven seasons later, assuming that the one player per year ratio remains the gold standard, that brings us to 61 players for 61 years.

As with any best-of list, there was debate about several names left off the original list of 50. Today the debate is even more difficult. To make matters a little easier, I decided that the 50 players already on the list are safe. Their honor cannot be taken away from them. They’ll always be remembered among the greatest players ever.

So I set out on a quest to add 11 names to the list, making it the greatest 61 players in the 61 year history of the NBA. To make sure this list is not short-changing anyone, I considered current and recently retired players along with past greats who didn’t make the original list.

Active NBA players needed at least four full seasons of NBA experience in order to warrant consideration because that was what Shaquille O’Neal had as the youngest player named to the original top 50 list. That eliminated names like Dwight Howard, Chris Paul and Brandon Roy from contention, but the list of qualified candidates remained extensive.

I used basketball-reference.com for the majority of my research and to compile statistical data on the players. In order to find the most deserving candidates I looked primarily at Hall of Fame inductees and NBA All-Star game participants.
After developing an original pool of nearly 75 candidates, I narrowed that list down to 40 finalists comprised of 20 current players and 20 retired players spanning every generation of NBA basketball. The 40 finalists have combined for 248 all-star game appearances.

Categories that I took into consideration included but were not limited to: points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals per game; player efficiency rating, All-NBA team honors; All-Defensive team honors; All-Star game selections; MVP awards and championships won. (Click to download an Excel spreadsheet full of data on the 40 finalists).

Taking all of these factors into consideration, I found this to be an extremely challenging process. It was easy to add players to the list but almost impossible to decide which players to leave off. I went back and forth about the final spots for hours. Every time I thought I had the debate settled, I found a different player who stuck out and the process restarted.

Eventually I settled on a group I was comfortable with, but it wasn’t easy. With only 11 spots up for grabs, the list of names not on the list read’s like a basketball almanac. But in the end, 11 players stood above the rest as newly named members of the basketball’s most elite fraternity, the 61 greatest players in NBA history.

• Kobe Bryant
  With 10 all-star game appearances, 5 first-team All-NBA selections, 5 first-team All-Defensive selections and 3 NBA championships, there is no debate for Bryant’s inclusion among the top 61. Throw in the fact that he is still only 29 years old and it’s pretty clear that the real argument may be for Bryant as the best player ever by the time he retires. Currently playing on a Lakers team that many are picking to represent the West in the NBA Finals, Bryant may yet add another championship ring to a résumé that is already Hall of Fame material.
  


• Tim Duncan
  If Bryant isn’t the most established NBA player today, it’s because of Tim Duncan. A 4-time NBA Champion, Duncan has the seventh highest player efficiency rating in NBA history. For those not aware of the new-age statistic, check out the story behind PER. As if his PER and 4 titles weren’t enough, Duncan has also been an all-star every year he’s been in the league, making the All-NBA first-team 9 times, the All-Defensive first-team 7 times and winning 2 league MVPs and 3 Finals MVPs along the way. Despite all of these accolades and accomplishments, Duncan is still underappreciated by the average fan because he doesn’t come with the glitz and glamour. He’s all business, and it seems to be working just fine. Just ask any Spurs fan.
  


• Kevin Garnett
  Before reinvigorating his career this season in Boston, where he may win a second league MVP and perhaps his first NBA Championship, Kevin Garnett played himself into the Hall of Fame with the Minnesota Timberwolves. An 11-time all-star, Garnett is the T’Wolves franchise leader in points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals. And second place isn’t even close in any of the categories. If the numbers weren’t as great as they are, you could make a case for Garnett to get on this list based on passion alone. Few would argue that anyone plays as hard as he does for the full 82 games.
  


• Allen Iverson
  The 32-year-old Iverson is currently 25th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list and his career scoring average of 27.8 points per game trails only Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain in NBA history. He was the NBA’s MVP in 2001 and is a 9-time all-star. Seven times he’s been named to the All-NBA team, including 3 first-team selections. But perhaps the most amazing fact of all is that Iverson has done all of this at 6’0” tall and 165 pounds. He’s the size of an ordinary man, but his ability to perform on the court is nothing short of extraordinary.
  


• LeBron James
  He just turned 23 years old in December, but he’s already one of the greatest players in NBA history. In his first season he was rookie of the year. Each season since then, he has been an all-star. Now in his fifth season in the league, James is averaging more than 30 points per game. He averaged 31.4 in 2005-06. But while he wears number 23, his all-around game has people comparing him to Magic Johnson as much as Michael Jordan. He almost single-handedly willed the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Eastern Conference championship last year, and he’s the most feared matchup in the East again this year. His résumé is a work in progress, but no one has entered the league with as much hype—Sports Illustrated cover as a high school junior, for starters—and then lived up to it and exceeded it, as James has. With such great returns so early in his career, there’s no limit to his potential. But James’ name belongs among the game’s greats right now.
  


• Dennis Johnson
  Playing the last 7 seasons of his career with the Boston Celtics, Dennis Johnson was overshadowed by the likes of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish, all of whom made the NBA’s 50 at 50 list. But Johnson was an NBA Finals MVP back in 1979 with the Seattle Supersonics. For his career he averaged 14 points and 5 assists per game. But he made his greatest impact on the other end of the court where he was 6 times named to the NBA’s All-Defensive first-team. Johnson enjoyed great individual and team success in his career as a 5-time all-star and 3-time NBA Champion, earning him a spot among the best ever to play the game.
  


• Neil Johnston
  You’ve probably never heard of Neil Johnston. I hadn’t either, but the Philadelphia Warriors great is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame and for good reason. His career average of 11.3 rebounds per game is 19th best in NBA history. Plus, he led the league in scoring three years in a row from 1953-55. He was named an all-star six times and named to the All-NBA first-team 4 times. He also played a key role on the Warriors’ 1956 championship team. Finally, while there was no such stat as PER back in the 50s, Johnston’s PER is 9th best in league history, directly ahead of Charles Barkley, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. If that’s not elite company, I don’t know what is.
  


• Jason Kidd
  Arguably the best point guard of his era, Jason Kidd is still producing at a high level. He was named to his 9th all-star team this season. He is currently 5th on the NBA’s all-time assists list, and he’ll likely pass everyone other than John Stockton on that list within the next 2-3 years. He’s also 11th in steals in NBA history. Additionally, Kidd has made the All-NBA first-team 5 times and the All-Defensive first-team 4 times while leading the New Jersey Nets to consecutive NBA Finals appearances in 2002-2003. Known as a teammate players want to play with because of his passing ability, Kidd has to be included in any discussion about great NBA point guards.
  


• Gary Payton
  If Kidd was not the best point guard of his generation, Gary Payton was. Known as “The Glove” for his tenacious defense—he was named to the NBA All-Defensive first-team 9 times—Payton was also a gifted scorer, averaging 18.9 points per game for his career. Only six players have recorded more minutes made in their career than Payton, who ranks 3rd all-time in steals and 7th in assists. After falling just short of a championship in 1996 with Seattle, Payton returned to the Finals as a Laker in 2004 before finally winning a ring in 2006 with Miami. His ability to contribute to winning teams late in his career despite a decline in his physical ability helped put Payton on this list ahead of others offering stiff competition.
  


• Dwyane Wade
  In the midst of Miami’s horrid 2007-08 campaign—they have a league worst 9-41 record at the all-star break—Wade was the last inclusion on this list, narrowly edging the other 29 finalists who did not make the cut. Yet despite having completed only four seasons and missing significant parts of this and last season, Wade’s performance has been so good and his potential is so great that I cannot see him failing to justify this selection among the greatest players of all-time. Consider this the Shaquille O’Neal exemption. What Wade has done, however, that even O’Neal hadn’t at this stage of this career is win an NBA Championship. Wade was even named Finals MVP. That honor coupled with 4 all-star appearances in five seasons suggests that Wade deserves this recognition despite his relative youth.
  


• Dominique Wilkins
  The final name on the list, alphabetically, is one that many felt should have been included on the original list. Many also felt he should have been included on the original Dream Team roster (Christian Laettner? Really?). Wilkins was a 9-time all-star not to mention a 2-time slam dunk champion. He was voted to the All-NBA team 7 times, including once to the first-team and 4 times to the second-team. He averaged nearly 25 points per game for his career, and is 9th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. He was known as “The Human Highlight Film” for his thunderous dunks, but his dunks should not overshadow the rest of his career as a big scorer in the NBA that rivaled Michael Jordan and Larry Bird in the late 80s.

Nearly 2,000 words later, there’s your answer to the question about the 61 greatest players in NBA history. Add those 11 to the original list of 50 (see sidebar, top right, for the complete list). Who should be selected as number 62 next year? Who should be on this year’s list that was not included? Who snuck onto the list that should not have? Weigh in with your thoughts.

I'm a Shaq Fan

As a diehard Lakers fan and a dedicated Shaquille O’Neal supporter, the recent trade sending O’Neal to the Phoenix Suns has me torn. To read the other side of my internal debate, read “I’m a Lakers Fan.”

Challengers beware. The Suns just turned up the heat out west.

Suns General Manager Steve Kerr knew exactly what he was doing when he gave up a four-time all-star and key member of the Suns’ run-and-gun offense, Shawn Marion, to bring Shaquille O’Neal to Phoenix. And just like that, Pau Gasol was only the second biggest acquisition in the Western Conference.

In three previous NBA stops O’Neal has led his team to the NBA Finals. He teamed with Penny Hardaway in Orlando, Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles and Dwyane Wade in Miami. Two-time MVP Steve Nash must be excited to welcome the Diesel to Phoenix.

Forget points per game or age. The only number that matters in this equation is four – the number of championship rings O’Neal has won.

Cast aside the questions of how O’Neal will fit in with Phoenix’s seven seconds or less mentality. This isn’t about offensive schemes. This is a character acquisition. He may be in the desert, but Shaq is Hollywood. He’s a larger than life personality. And, most importantly, he’s a winner. In fact, O’Neal has never played a season in the NBA on a losing team. Only in his rookie season did he not play on a playoff team—his Orlando Magic lost a tiebreaker with Indiana for the eighth seed in the East.

O’Neal brings star power to the Suns that even Steve Nash can’t come close to. They suddenly got the bump from supporting actor to lead role in the story of how the 2008 West was won.

And if Phoenix is to get over the hump, it’ll be the man who rapped on Shaq Diesel and acted in Kazaam that will make it happen. What figures to be the final installment in a surefire Hall of Fame career will take place in Phoenix, and the rest of the league has to be worried because they’re going to encounter a motivated Shaquille O’Neal.

Motivated to show Miami he still had Diesel left in the tank. Motivated to show the Lakers that their acquisition of Pau Gasol still isn’t enough to get them back to the level they were at when O’Neal was in purple and gold. Motivated to show everyone who said the Suns were crazy to make this deal that the doubters are the crazy ones.

O’Neal doesn’t want to bookend his career with close calls in Orlando and Phoenix. The Suns were close before making this trade. So this isn’t about coming close. They have to win it all, or the trade will be viewed as a bad move. O’Neal knows that and welcomes the challenge.

I'm a Lakers Fan

As a diehard Lakers fan and a dedicated Shaquille O’Neal supporter, the recent trade sending O’Neal to the Phoenix Suns has me torn. To read the other side of my internal debate, read “I’m a Shaq Fan.”

Sorry Phoenix, but I know what it’s like to be on the wrong end of a Shaq trade. We made the mistake of giving him up then. You made the mistake of picking him up now.

You gave up Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks for a behemoth, plodding big man. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a charismatic, public relations godsend behemoth, plodding big man, but he’s closer to 40 than 30 and his best playing days came two teams ago—with the Lakers.

The Lakers are the team that gained the most steam heading into the all-star break. In two trades, the Lakers were helped in four key ways.

1. The Lakers acquired Pau Gasol.
A 2006 all-star and the best player on a Memphis Grizzlies team that went to the playoffs three years in a row from 2004-06, Gasol gives the Lakers a short-term fill-in while Andrew Bynum recovers from a knee injury. More importantly, at 7-feet tall and 27 years old, Gasol is both a size and age appropriate complement for Kobe Bryant.

2. The Lakers got rid of Kwame Brown.
The former number one overall pick in Washington had fallen so far out of favor in L.A. that he was mercilessly booed at home this season. While he may be able to offer an NBA team a quality presence on the defensive end, it’s hard to envision him starting anywhere in the league given his struggles and inconsistency finishing around the basket on offense.

3. The Suns acquired Shaquille O’Neal.
Phoenix is known for its seven-seconds-or-less offense. They have been the highest scoring team in the NBA for each of the past three seasons since acquiring point guard Steve Nash and are leading the NBA in scoring again this year. Their offense is predicated on fast break opportunities and quick shots. Neither of those categories fits into Shaquille O’Neal’s traditional repertoire. His methodical low-post game is essentially the anti-Phoenix offense.

4. The Suns got rid of Shawn Marion.
Say what you will about Marion being a discontent in Phoenix. The fact remains Lakers fans should be more excited to see him go than Suns fans should be to see Shaq’s arrival.

In four games against the Lakers this season, Marion has averaged 16 points, 13 rebounds and 3 steals per game. The common denominator for all those numbers? They’re higher than his season averages.

Marion was always the toughest matchup for the Lakers. Mike D’Antoni seemed to think so too because he played Marion more than any Suns player—nearly 200 of the 240 minutes possible—in the Suns-Lakers playoff series last year. By comparison, NBA MVP Steve Nash played just under 180 minutes in the series. Marion averaged better than 18 points and 10 rebounds per game in helping the Suns to a 4-1 series victory.

O’Neal will slow down the league’s fastest, highest-scoring offense. He’ll clog the lane on defense, sure, but he’s also had difficulty staying out of foul trouble this season. He’ll be challenged by young big men such as Tyson Chandler of the Hornets and Andrew Bynum of the Lakers as well as more experienced players like Yao Ming and Tim Duncan. You could easily rank all four of those players ahead of Shaq in terms of best big man in the West. And don’t forget about Marcus Camby, Mehmet Okur, Brad Miller or Chris Kaman either.

O’Neal’s numbers show he’s not the dominant center he once was. His 14.2 points per game put him ninth among centers. And his 7.8 rebounds per game leave him at 21st among centers. But it’s watching Shaq miss layups, failing to get enough lift to throw down a dunk that has me convinced this trade will not have a happy ending for Suns fans.

With a win in either of their final two games before the all-star break, Phoenix will enter the all-star break with the most wins in the Western Conference. But they’ll come out of the break facing a grueling schedule that features the Lakers, Celtics, Pistons and Hornets before the end of the month. Don’t be surprised if the Suns are looking up at the Lakers in the standings by the time the calendar turns to March.

Podcast 2/7/08

This week, Matt and Mike recap Super Bowl XLII, discuss the recent trades in the NBA, and get excited for the onset of March Madness in college basketball.

Listen/download (Run time: 26:40)

Tyree is 'That Guy'

New York Giants wide receiver David Tyree earned Super Bowl XLII That Guy honors with his clutch performance against the New England Patriots.

His three catches—he caught four during the entire regular season—included a five yard touchdown to give New York a 10-7 lead early in the fourth quarter and a historic highlight reel 32-yard grab that kept the Giants’ game-winning drive alive.

My prediction for that guy (Donte’ Stallworth) also made three catches, which netted 34 yards for the Patriots. However, it was the little-known New York wideout who made the out-of-this-world catch and earned himself a Super Bowl ring.

Falling just short was Giants’ defensive end Justin Tuck, who recorded six tackles and two sacks. Tuck and the Giants defense held New England, the highest scoring team in NFL history, to a season-low 14 points.

Eli Manning may have won the MVP, but he couldn’t have done it without help from the likes of Tyree. Congratulations to David Tyree, the latest NFL player making Super Bowl viewers everywhere ask, “Who the hell is that guy?”

An Apology, A Thank You

Dear Eli,

I have to begin with an apology. I’m sorry I doubted you. As the oldest of three brothers, it was just too natural for me to pick on you. When you struggled with turnover problems and first round playoff exits, I jumped on your case.

I refused to believe that you were a talented young quarterback learning the ropes. I thought you were just riding the Manning name. But it only took you four years to defeat Tom Brady and the Patriots and win a Super Bowl (not to mention the Super Bowl MVP). It took Peyton nine years to accomplish all of that.

Peyton may have all the individual numbers, but in the only category that really matters – championships – you’re now tied at one apiece and you’re five years younger than him.

I’m sorry that I called you the other Manning all these years. From now on, Eli it is. By joining Joe Montana as the only players to lead a come-from-behind game-winning touchdown drive in the final 3 minutes of a Super Bowl, you went from Eli to elite.

Is there room for improvement? Sure there is, but we’ll save that for another day. Some quarterbacks have been a part of Super Bowl winning teams (Trent Dilfer comes to mind), but you helped win the Super Bowl. There’s a difference, and I didn’t think you’d ever be a part of the latter group. But you proved me wrong, and for that I apologize.

I also want to thank you, though, Eli. As a Raiders fan, your Super Bowl victory gave me hope. SEC quarterback. Number one overall draft pick. Scrutinized for non-football related contract issues immediately after being drafted. Not an opening day starter. Lofty expectations.

That was you, Eli, but that also describes the tumultuous path of JaMarcus Russell, the Raiders’ QB of the future, who will be called upon to lead the silver and black next year. Eli, your manifestation from bumbling little brother into clutch playoff passer has given me high hopes for Russell, but it’s also a cautionary tale—don’t expect too much too soon.

So I’ll try my best to be patient with Russell. If he gets Oakland a Super Bowl in the next three years, I’d be ecstatic. And for giving me the hope to think it’s possible, the patience to wait it out and proof that anything can happen in the NFL, I thank you, Eli.

Of course, if Russell is a bust, I’m lobbying the Raiders to look into a free agent signing of Cooper Manning, who is now the official black sheep of the Manning clan.

Sincerely,
Matt

Podcast 2/2/08

In the first installment of the MattHubert.com podcast, Matt and his brother Mike preview Super Bowl XLII, discuss the Lakers' acquisition of Pau Gasol and ask for podcast theme music.

Listen/download (Run time: 16:21)

Kupchak Deserves Credit, No Kidding

When the Lakers were trying to deal for Jason Kidd last season, New Jersey was intent on landing either Lamar Odom or Andrew Bynum. Most Lakers fans assumed any deal to land a big name would include one or the other, as they represented Los Angeles’ two greatest assets next to Kobe Bryant.

That’s what makes today’s acquisition of Pau Gasol such a steal for the Lakers. If Bynum is able to return healthy by April, the Lakers can head into the postseason with a starting five of Bynum, Gasol, Odom, Bryant and Derek Fisher. There’s no weak link to be found. Plus they have a deep, young bench.

What did the Lakers give up in the deal?

• Kwame Brown. I understand why Memphis took him for his huge expiring contract, but let’s face it. He had to go. After he was booed at home against Phoenix, there was no chance Brown was going to be a vital piece of a Lakers championship team.
  
  
• Javaris Crittenton. A lot of potential here, but definitely more expendable than Farmar, who has really shown flashes of becoming their point guard of the future.
  
  
• Two first round draft picks. Never easy to part with first rounders, but the Lakers have to expect these will be picks in the upper 20s.
  
  
• The rights to Aaron McKie and Marc Gasol, Pau’s brother.

I’ll admit it. I was clamoring for the Lakers to trade Bynum last season to acquire Kidd. And I was upset when they didn’t. But Bynum has had a breakout season, and now I’d much rather have Gasol than Kidd.

I like the combination of Fisher and Farmar at the point guard position. While neither is as talented all around as Kidd, both are better shooters than he is, which is important when teams are double-teaming Kobe.

Mitch Kupchak took a lot of heat for trading Shaquille O’Neal, and perhaps rightfully so since Miami went on to win the NBA title, but if his succession of moves—bringing in Odom as part of the Shaq deal, holding onto Bynum rather than acquiring Kidd, and now trading for Gasol—result in a championship for the Lakers, he deserves more just this heartfelt apology. Congratulations Mitch Kupchak on officially restoring the Lakers as a Western Conference power, or should I say Pau-er.