Caleb Cattivera
01/17/06, 11:46 AM
NBA Insider.Jan 17: All-Star game; Kandi-Man; Bruce Bowen, Hollinger, Marc Stein chat
Who deserves a spot in the All-Star Game?
By John Hollinger
Editor's note: All-Star balloting ends on Sunday, Jan. 22.
Can a player on a terrible team still be an All-Star?
With this year's soiree in Houston less than a month away, that question looms larger than ever this season. Several players whose teams are hovering near the bottom of the standings have performed so well that they're worthy of consideration.
His team and shot selection aren't great, but Gil's got skills.
Players such as Washington's Gilbert Arenas, New Orleans/Oklahoma City's Chris Paul, Boston's Paul Pierce and Seattle's Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis, for instance, all have played at a high level for teams that are well south of the break-even mark. Additionally, at least two players -- Houston's Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming -- seem to be en route to All-Star bids via fan voting, despite their team's suffering through a miserable 12-24 season.
But perhaps no player best exemplifies this year's All-Star quandary better than Toronto's Chris Bosh.
That the Raptors are a bad team is beyond question -- Toronto's 13-24 mark leaves it out of the playoff chase even in the lowly East. But it's hard to pin the blame for that on Bosh, who has been nothing short of superb. The forward averages 22.4 points, 9.2 rebounds and is shooting over 50 percent from the field -- making him, along with LeBron James, the only Eastern Conference players averaging better than 20 points and shooting over 50 percent.
"I think he's deserving," said Raptors coach Sam Mitchell. "He's obviously one of the best power forwards in the NBA. Our record could be a lot worse if we didn't have Chris playing the way he's playing."
Unfortunately, the coaches (who select the reserves for the game) haven't been nearly as kind in their judgment of players from losing teams. In recent years, several players from teams with sub-.500 marks have lost out to players from teams with winning records. Secondary players on top contenders are particularly popular. Look back at almost every shaky All-Star pick from the past few years -- Dale Davis, Otis Thorpe, Wally Szczerbiak, Jamaal Magloire -- and you'll see that common thread.
"Winning always helps, but this is my situation," Bosh said. "I can't really help how things are. To me, it's all about the future, so I think what I do from here on out will dictate [being selected]."
We can't look in our crystal ball and tell whether Bosh will be selected despite his team's record. What we can do, however, is take a look at the landscape in each conference and determine, as of today, which players deserve selection. And that's exactly what I intend to do below.
Before we start, let's go over the process. The fans select five starters from each conference, so we're stuck with those picks no matter how much we might disagree with them. After the fans choose the first five, it's up to the coaches. The 15 coaches in each conference select seven reserves by secret ballot. The rules are that coaches must select at least two guards, two forwards and one center, in addition to two extra players to fill out the roster. However, they aren't limited by positions listed on the All-Star ballot -- a coach can nominate a player at any position he feels appropriate. Thus, a coach could list Tim Duncan or Pau Gasol as a center on his ballot if, in his judgment, that produced the best team for his conference.
With those rules in mind, let's take a look at how it will shake out in each league. Along with each player, I've included his per-game averages and Player Efficiency Rating (PER) this season (all stats through Monday):
EASTERN CONFERENCE: STARTERS
Although the voting isn't complete, it's pretty apparent who the five will be on each side, so we can fill in the starting lineups and go from there:
Allen Iverson, G (33.2 ppg, 7.5 apg, 26.95 PER): Can't argue with the fans' choice on this one.
Dwyane Wade, G (26.6 ppg, 7.1 apg, 27.84 PER): Or this one.
LeBron James, F (31.1 ppg, 6.0 apg, 29.23 PER): Or this one. Let's move on to the juicy stuff.
Jermaine O'Neal, F (21.4 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 22.07 PER): OK, here's one I suppose you could quibble with. O'Neal is a tough defender and a reliable post scorer, but he's not having his best season by any stretch. Still, I can't think of another forward in the East except the guy above that the Pacers would trade him for.
Shaquille O'Neal, C (18.2 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 22.30 PER): Shaq has earned the benefit of the doubt based on his past results, but he's done little to deserve nomination this season. He missed 18 games to start the year and has been sluggish since coming back. Of course, a down year for Shaq is a good year for anyone else -- he still has the highest PER among Eastern centers.
EASTERN CONFERENCE: RESERVES
Chauncey Billups, G (19.0 ppg, 8.6 apg, 24.29 PER): We have to take two reserve guards for the team, and the first choice is a no-brainer. Billups has been the best player on the league's best team and remains on the tips of everyone's tongues in terms of MVP consideration. His selection means that Byron Scott and Mike Bibby once again have the honor of being the best players ever to not be selected.
Gilbert Arenas, G (28.6 ppg, 6.3 apg, 23.77 PER): Arenas has his detractors because he isn't a pure point guard and can get very shot-happy. But his skill as a scorer is undeniable, and it's hard to imagine how bad the Wizards would be right now without him.
Paul Piercee, F (26.1 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 24.56 PER): As with Arenas, Pierce's team isn't exactly setting the world on fire. But, in a conference with only six winning teams, we have to take a few players from losing teams. And it's hard to deny Pierce's credentials -- one could argue that this has been his best season, and unlike a lot of stars he plays both ends of the floor.
Vince Carter, F (25.1 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 23.72 PER): For the first time in ages Carter wasn't voted in, and one could argue against his selection as karmic retribution for the many times he was undeservedly chosen by the fans. But in terms of basketball, there's no question that he should be our fourth forward. As the best player on the Atlantic Division's best team, his omission would be unprecedented.
Ben Wallace, C (8.4 ppg, 12.7 rpg, 18.78 PER): The backup center spot in the East is an interesting one. A case can be made for Bosh here, since he plays the middle so much for Toronto, but he's also frequently overmatched physically in the middle. The other strong contender here is Cleveland's Zydrunas Ilgauskas (16.2 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 22.45 PER). Z crushes Big Ben on PER, but he's a defensive liability, while Wallace is the league's reigning Defensive Player of the Year. The tiebreaker here is court time -- it's tough to pull the trigger for Ilgauskas when he's playing barely 30 minutes per game.
Chris Bosh, F (22.4 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 23.55 PER): We have two wild-card spots left in the East, so let's take a look at the remaining candidates. There's Bosh, Jason Kidd, Richard Hamilton, Michael Redd and Ilgauskas. Of the group, Bosh has the best PER, the second-best scoring average, the best rebound average and the best field-goal percentage, which makes it an open-and-shut case -- no matter how bad the Raptors are.
Jason Kidd, G (14.7 ppg, 7.9 apg, 20.31 PER): The final spot in the East is where we have a real problem. Because the Pistons are 30-5, many will argue that they deserve at least three players on the squad. That argument has never held water for me. The supposed logic is that there's no way a team can be that good without at least three of the conference's top 12 players, but that's absurd. If Hamilton is only the 13th-best player in the conference, that means he's still better than all but 10 players on the conference's other 14 teams. A team could easily be 30-5 under those conditions -- especially if, as in Detroit's case, two other starters are also among the top 20 to 25 players in the East.
Having dismissed that argument, it comes down to Hamilton (21.5 ppg, 3.1 apg, 19.23 PER) against Kidd, Ilgauskas and Redd (24.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 20.44 PER). Ilgauskas trumps them all in PER, but again I have trouble giving him the nod with only 1,026 minutes on the season. The next-best PER belongs to Redd, but he's a poor defender and not ahead of Kidd by much. That leaves us with Kidd. Not only does he outrate Hamilton on PER, but he's undeniably the stronger defender and the more commanding leader.
Best of the rest: Hamilton, Ilgauskas, Redd, Rasheed Wallace, Gerald Wallace.
WESTERN CONFERENCE: STARTERS
Steve Nash, G (19.1 ppg, 11.3 apg, 21.85 PER): A clear choice in a weak crop, the reigning MVP leads the league in assists once again and has the Suns surprisingly positioned atop the Pacific Division.
Kobe Bryant, G (34.3 ppg, 4.4 apg, 27.36 PER): A no-brainer. Next.
Tracy McGrady, F (25.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 24.02 PER): It's easy to get up in arms about this pick until you remember the Rockets are 0-12 when T-Mac doesn't play and 12-10 when he does. He's been hurt, but he clearly belongs.
Tim Duncan, F (20.3 ppg, 11.7 rpg, 25.19 PER): Another selection that requires no explanation.
Yao Ming, C (19.9 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 22.31 PER): A questionable pick until you look at the other names on the ballot -- all the other top big men in the West are either perennially injured (Marcus Camby), defensively lacking (Brad Miller) or drawing comparisons to Elvis (Mehmet Okur). Thus, it's Yao by default.
WESTERN CONFERENCE: RESERVES
Tony Parker, G (19.4 ppg, 5.9 apg, 21.43 PER): Parker has stepped up his play this season and now stands out in a weak group. With some of the West's top point guards having off years (Baron Davis and Mike Bibby, for instance), Parker is an easy selection.
Chris Paul, G (16.1 ppg, 7.2 apg, 21.81 PER): This pick might surprise a few people, but if we have to select two reserve guards, Paul is the clear choice as the second. The only other guards who are close in terms of performance are Ray Allen (24.1 ppg, 3.6 apg, 21.83 PER), Baron Davis (18.1 ppg, 9.3 apg, 18.28 PER), Mike Bibby (19.9 ppg, 5.4 apg, 17.84 PER) and Jason Terry (17.0 ppg, 3.8 apg, 18.72 PER). Allen is slightly ahead in PER but is a terrible defender on one of the worst defensive teams in history. Davis isn't close in PER and is earning scorn for his brutal shot selection. Bibby and Terry are solid players but haven't been in Paul's league at either end of the floor. The only other remotely plausible pick here is Manu Ginobili (15.7 ppg, 3.0 apg, 24.27 PER), and he's been out of the lineup for most of the season.
Kevin Garnett, C (22.2 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 27.63 PER): Arguably the best player in the game over the past three seasons, Garnett is an obvious choice. But note that I've chosen him as a center. Basically, there isn't a deserving center from the West, so we have to move one of the conference's many dominant power forwards to the middle. With Camby injured, we'd otherwise be stuck with somebody like Okur as an "All-Star" center.
Dirk Nowitzki, F, (26.1 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 27.64 PER): Obviously deserving. Let's move on.
Elton Brand, F (25.2 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 27.84 PER): If you haven't been following the Clippers, Brand has put together what is by far the best season of his career. While the Western coaches seem to take a peculiar delight in shafting him come All-Star time, doing so this year would be an absolute travesty.
Shawn Marion, F (20.9 ppg, 12.0 rpg, 21.86 PER): OK, we have two wild-card spots left on the team, so let's review the candidates. We have Marion, Carmelo Anthony, Pau Gasol, Andrei Kirilenko, Manu Ginobili, Marcus Camby, Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis. Let's delete a few right away: Allen and Lewis don't play any D, while Ginobili and Camby have missed major time due to injuries. That leave Marion, Gasol, 'Melo (25.7 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 21.33 PER) and Kirilenko (15.0 ppg, 3.1 bpg, 20.56 PER). Of those four, Marion has the second-best PER, has stayed in the lineup all season and has been one of the key defenders on the league's second-best defensive team. He gets the nod.
Pau Gasol, F, (19.9 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 22.49 PER): It's amazing how much better a guy can look when the coaches finally play him more than 32 minutes a game. Now that the Grizzlies realize that the guy who is perhaps their best player should be on the court longer, Gasol is putting up the per-game averages that can get him noticed at All-Star time. He outranks Anthony and Kirilenko in PER and, though not exactly Defensive Player of the Year material, has played much tougher D than in past years for one of the West's top teams.
Best of the rest: Kirilenko, Anthony, Davis, Camby, Ginobili.
NBA Rumor Central: Blount-Kandi Trade Imminent?
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Mark Blount
Celtics
Grizzlies?
Timberwolves?
Blount-Kandi Trade Imminent?
Jan 17 - According to two league sources, a deal that would send Mark Blount to Minnesota or Memphis could be completed soon, reports the Boston Globe. One source described a deal as "imminent." The most likely scenario would have the Celtics shipping Blount to Minnesota for Michael Olowokandi.
One source told the newspaper that Marcus Banks appears a likely addition, if a third team is needed.
(Insider Note: Blount's contract, which includes a 15% trade kicker, has 4 years and $28 million remaining after this year. The trade kicker would give him an additional $5 million.)
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Los Angeles
Sprewell Unlikely To Join Clippers
Jan 17 - Despite Sam Cassell's efforts, it is unlikely the Clippers will be able to lure Latrell Sprewell to the team, reports the Los Angeles Daily News. According to the newspaper, Sprewell is said to be seeking more than the veteran's minimum of $1.1 million and if he does not hook on with one of those few teams, he likely will handpick a championship contender and sign sometime next month.
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Steve Francis
Magic
At Least Six Teams Ask About Francis
Jan 17 - Several clubs inquired about trading for Steve Francis while he was suspended, NBA sources told the Orlando Sentinel. The team told Jeff Fried, Francis' agent, that they had no plans to deal him. "Yes, I asked," Fried said. "The answer was, 'No.' " NBA sources told the newspaper there were more than a half-dozen teams that inquired about Francis' availability.
Tough choices for Houston trip
Chris Broussard blog
As we near the end of voting for this year's All-Star Game in Houston -- the final day of voting is Jan. 22 -- I feel compelled to name my Eastern and Western Conference reps.
In the East, the starters are simple: AI and D-Wade at the guards. LeBron and Jermaine O'Neal at forwards and Shaq in the middle.
I'll pick my seven reserves according to league rules: at least two guards, two forwards and one center. The center is easy -- Ben Wallace.
It gets a little tougher at the forward spot, but I'm going with Paul Pierce and Chris Bosh. I know, I know, both guys are playing for losing teams. But it's certainly not their fault.
I hate to leave off Richard Jefferson, but Pierce is having a monster year (career highs of 26.2 ppg, 7.5 rpg and 49.1% FG), and Bosh is fantastic, regardless of the Raps' record.
C Webb's playing well, but his 20 and 10 gets diminished in my eyes because even with AI playing great, the Sixers are still just .500. Plus he's shooting 42 percent and not exactly shutting folks down on the defensive end. Despite the nice numbers, this is nowhere near vintage C Webb. If it were, the Sixers would be a force, not just a team that squeaks into the playoffs.
As difficult as the forward selections are, the guard spot gets downright crazy. Chauncey Billups and Vince Carter are musts, which leaves me with only two spots for Michael Redd, Rip Hamilton, Jason Kidd and Gilbert Arenas.
I can't win here because all four are legitimate All-Stars. See, this is what happens when centers cease to score. Now we've got all these guards putting up "all-star numbers'' because many centers are all but useless. I could also throw in Stephon Marbury and Steve Francis as All-Star caliber guards in the East, though there's a slight drop-off there, particularly with Francis.
Anyway, here goes: I have to put Redd on the squad because he's averaging a career-high 24.7 points and most importantly, the Bucks (19-16) are winning. They've gone stretches without Mo Williams, T.J. Ford and Bobby Simmons and yet, Redd keeps them alive.
At first, I gave my final spot to Rip, then I thought, "How can I leave J Kidd off?" Then I said, "Arenas is averaging 29 points and six dimes. Am I nuts?"
I could easily pick this last spot out of a hat and be satisfied, but I guess I have to go with Arenas. His numbers are pretty ridiculous and his league-high turnover average (4.1) is less than one gaffe higher than Kidd's 3.29 miscues a night.
It seems unthinkable to leave Kidd off -- I'm second-guessing myself as I type -- because he's still a top three PG in the league. But the East is so full of guards it's ridiculous.
On to the West.
Starters:
Guards -- Kobe and Steve Nash; Forwards -- Tim Duncan and Elton Brand; Center -- Marcus Camby.
My reserve at center is Yao, and one of my guards is Tony Parker. My last guard spot is between Warriors' teammates J Rich and Baron Davis and New Orleans rookie Chris Paul.
I'm going to shock you with my choice because I'm going with the youngster, Paul. If the Warriors were still winning, I'd pick Davis since he makes them go, but Paul is winning more with a much weaker roster.
He's also ahead of Davis in steals (2.17 per game to 1.7), turnovers (2.2 to 2.89), FG shooting (43 percent to 38 percent), FT shooting (79.9 to 65.7) and rebounding (5.7 to 4.5). Davis is ahead in ppg (17.9 to 15.9) and assists (9.3 to 7.2).
Now it gets even harder because as the East is full of guards, the West is full of forwards.
KG, Dirk and Shawn Marion are no-brainers, leaving me with one spot for three deserving players: T-Mac, Carmelo and Pau. Four if you throw in Kirilenko.
Pau's the first to fall. He's having a great year and once again leading the Grizz to 50-plus wins, but it's just that tough in the West.
Carmelo is really balling, and T-Mac has been laden with injuries. Nevertheless, I'm going with T-Mac.
I realize that Camby, Yao and T-Mac may miss because of injuries, which could make the center spot fairly ugly out West. If Commissioner David Stern stuck to adding two centers as reserves, you're probably looking at Mehmet Okur and Brad Miller.
Ouch.
Now that I'm done, here's a suggestion for the league: increase the All-Star rosters from 12 players in each conference to 15. Now that there are 30 teams, it's only right. Then just about all the truly deserving players would make it.
And it would save me from trying to explain how I can leave J Kidd and Rip out of the midseason classic.
Can Kandi Man be first to be dealt?
Chris Sheridan blog
NEW YORK -- When the dam finally breaks and the first trade of the NBA season is made, don't be surprised if Michael Olowokandi is involved.
He certainly won't be.
The No. 1 pick of the 1998 draft was expecting to be traded at any moment after Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor indicated Saturday that there was a strong chance Olowokandi would be dealt within 72 hours.
"I have no idea where," Olowokandi said as he walked off the court after warm-ups before Minnesota's 96-90 victory against the New York Knicks on Monday.
Olowokandi logged 24 minutes against New York and was his usual lumbering self, having the same type of negligible impact -- no points, six rebounds, four fouls -- that has typified his 7½-year NBA career. With Olowokandi's contract expiring at the end of this season, the Timberwolves have deemed him expendable as they look to pry an offense-minded player off someone else's roster in an effort to improve the league's sixth-worst offense.
"Obviously it carries a lot more gravity because it came from the owner's mouth, and obviously there's a little anxiety as to where you are and where you stand," Olowokandi said. "This situation, I did try to make the most of it. Whatever situation I find myself in, I'll have to make the most of it."
Olowokandi sat out Minnesota's previous two games, against Denver and Chicago, although coach Dwane Casey said those DNPs were a result of matchups particular to those two opponents. The 7-footer played the entire fourth quarter against New York, holding opposing center Eddy Curry to four points in the final period.
Olowokandi said no one from the team had sought him out to explain what might be going on, nor had he sought an explanation himself. One league source with knowledge of the Timberwolves' thinking said an Olowokandi deal was expected by Wednesday at the latest.
There was speculation that Orlando would be Olowokandi's destination, but a source with the Magic said that was untrue. The Chicago Bulls have been desperate for size since dealing Curry and Antonio Davis to New York, and Olowokandi would seem to be a nice fit if the price was low enough, such as a package of Othella Harrington and Eric Piatkowski -- both of whom also come off the books at the end of the season. Such a trade would not jeopardize the 15-plus million dollars of cap space the Bulls will have at their disposal this summer, and that deal would give the Wolves an aggressive forward, Harrington, who could help improve their last-place ranking in offensive rebounding.
Backing up a report in Tuesday's Boston Globe, league sources told ESPN.com that Minnesota and Boston have discussed a trade that would include Olowokandi and Mark Blount. Although Celtics boss Danny Ainge would be exchanging a productive center for little more than an expiring contract, it would make playing time available for youngsters Kendrick Perkins and Al Jefferson.
If Minnesota were to acquire Blount, it would all but take the Wolves out of the mix in terms of pursuing a midlevel free agent next summer. Blount, under contract for $5.5 million this season and owed $28 million through 2009-10, has a 15 percent trade kicker clause in his $38.6 million contract. If he were to be dealt, Blount would reap an extra $4.3 million in salary over the next four seasons.
Chat with NBA writer Marc Stein
Welcome to The Show! On Tuesday, ESPN.com senior NBA writer Marc Stein will drop by to talk about the NBA season!
Send your questions now and join Marc in The Show, Tuesday at 11 a.m. ET!
Stein Archive: Chats | Columns
Marc Stein: Hello, all. Thanks for joining us. Time is tight today so we'll take as many questions as we can. Here goes . . .
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nashbaar (mn): some of us rubes have come to grips with the fact that minny is not getting artest. that said where does Kandi end up and for whom? The hot item yesterday was Portland for Miles?
Marc Stein: No. The hot item is the Kandi-to-Boston scenario and it is legit. But there's a decent chance the deal will expand to include at least one more team -- not Memphis -- and the talks are not yet complete.
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Ashton (Brooklyn (NY)): Is Latrell Spreewell ever gonna join another team this season? What seems to be holdup in him getting to another team?
Marc Stein: The only holdup is Spree. He wants a multiyear deal that starts as close to $5 mil as he can get. The teams that want him right now, like the Clips and Rockets, can't offer more than the veteran minimum because of their salary-cap limitations. We'll see, as the playoffs draw near, if Spree changes his mind. if he doesn't drop his price, I don't think we'll see him.
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C.C. (Bay Area, CA): Would you consider Pietrus a younger Artest? Maybe that's why Mullin won't part ways with him?
Marc Stein: If the Warriors want Artest, they have to give up SOMEONE good. They rate Diogu as an untouchable, so that means they'd have to part with Pietrus. If Pietrus were an untouchable, too, GS would have zero shot.
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Mark(Tampa, Florida): Steve Francis suspension has been lift. Do you think thats to increase his trade value or are they sincere on keeping him? They said teams are calling. What teams do you think would/are interested in him?
Marc Stein: Based on everything I've heard so far, yes it's to build up some trade value . . . but it's the Magic who are doing the calling around. Stevie is going to be a tough guy to move because of his contract, past transgressions, etc., so it would really help the Magic if he were playing (and playing well) to move him.
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Will (NYC): Andrew Bynum!!! Your take?
Marc Stein: It's the same take I've had since the Lakers drafted him. I thought it was a great pick then and it has nothing to do with the dunk last night. Lakers need to swing for home runs to get Kobe the help he needs. Bynum is years away, obviously, but I'd rather gamble on someone like him than take someone in the teens who doesn't have a higher ceiling than SERVICEABLE.
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Cassidy (Fishers, IN): Is Ike Diogu a better player/prospect than Nene at this point, or is the Pacers' apparent preference for the rookie just a contract issue?
Marc Stein: Nene is headed for free agency and would be expensive to re-sign. Pacers' payroll is already too high, so free agents-to-be like Nene or Al Harrington are problematic. Diogu is an outstanding frontcourt prospect on a rookie contract. Golden, in other words.
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Harry (kentucky): Best rookie this year not named Paul?
Marc Stein: A. Bogut.
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Dallas, TX: The Dampier experiment seems to have worked so far. What is your take? You think this is a long or short term thing?
Marc Stein: Long-term unless Dampier re-earns his starting spot. Dampier has lost the confidence of his teammates with his lack of production. There is only one way to get it back and that's by playing as hard as you can. Mavs have always believed that, so long as Dampier gives them something, they're dangerous. But he's been giving them nothing.
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Michael (Willoughby, OH): What's going on with the Cavs? Have we hit rock bottom?
Marc Stein: Rock-bottom? Are you really a Cavs fan? If so, I think you've seen a lot worse than this.
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Andrew (Flagstaff AZ): Do you think that Gasol will be an all-star this year? Do the Grizzlies win a playoff series this year?
Marc Stein: Not sure on Gasol. As a big-time proponent of rewarding team success, I feel Pau definitely deserves it, because the Grizz have been consistently good all season and should be recognized with at least one All-Star. The West frontcourt, however, is as crowded as ever. Brand and Melo also have powered their teams to winning records, but with even gaudier production than Pau. I'm just as interested as you are to see how the coaches vote.
Marc Stein: As for the playoffs, don't see it . . . unless the Grizz finish sixth. Then they'd play the Northwest Division winner, which would give them a shot. If they finish fifth in the West, that means Spurs or Mavs in Round 1. Which means bye-bye.
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Brad (Kansas City): Oklahoma City seems to be embracing an NBA idea. Will the Hornets stay there, will they get another team, or none of the above in your opinion?
Marc Stein: The official announcement from the league will come at month's end, but the early indications are that the Hornets will be back in OKC for one more season . . . and then will stay on the NBA's radar for possible relocations if the Hornets indeed return to New Orleans in 2007-08. OKC has definitely made a great impression, but don't forget that Las Vegas is also awaiting a team of its own. Any team moving in the near future is going to be interested in Sin City.
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Brian (Dallas): Titan alum here... Have you seen Bobby Brown? Legit NBA prospect or no?
Marc Stein: My heart says first-rounder. All my friends in the scouting community tell me he's more like a second-rounder unless he stays in school for another year after this one. But it's early in the season still. If he steps it up a gear and gets our Titans to the tournament, maybe that changes.
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Joe (KY): What's your take on the Shaq/Kobe makeup?
Marc Stein: Can't say it any better than Shaq said. Yesterday was a day of peace, in Dr. King's honor, and he took the initiative to bury the hachet. You have to applaud him.
Marc Stein: I've stayed as long as I can today. Gotta get back to it. We'll do it again next week. Thanks for all your questions.
Chat with Bruce Bowen
Welcome to The Show! On Monday, San Antonio Spur small forward Bruce Bowen will stop by to take your questions on the Spurs season and more!
Bowen is averaging 7.7 points per game and 3.7 rebounds in helping the Spurs to a 27-9 record and first place in the Southwest division.
Send your questions now and join Bruce in The Show on Monday at 1:30 p.m. ET.
See Bowen in action as the Spurs visit the Heat on Friday (8 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Buzzmaster: Bruce will be with us shortly so keep the questions coming!
Bruce Bowen: Very happy to be here, hope I can answer your questions!
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Brian (Memphis): Bruce, which player is the toughest defensive matchup for you...Kobe, Lebron, AI, or Ray Allen...and why?
Bruce Bowen: I can't say becaue they're all so different. The one common denominator is they all play hard and are competitors and will keep coming until the game is over. You have to prepare for a full 48 minutes no matter who you're guarding. AI is quick and you don't want to put him on the line, he's good at draqwing contact as well as scoring in bunches. Kobe can get any shot at any spot on the floor. With him you just have to limit his touches, whereas AI is bringing it up the court a lot. Still, that doesn't guarantee a lot. With LeBron, he is a great competitor but hasn't been seasoned enough to fully grasp his entire game yet. I see him twice a year, but I see Kobe four times year so it's harder to asses becuase he's done so much so early.
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joe live oak, fl : How well are you playing now compared to last year?
Bruce Bowen: We have a lot of room for improvement, as we've shown against the Pistons. And playing the second of back to back games we haven't been as good as last year. We can do a better job of moving the ball and getting back to our defensive principles. Because of the new guys and all the injuries we haven't been able to show them the correct way just yet. We have to do a better job of that.
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Steven (San Antonio, TX): How has the birth of your first child changed your outlook on the game and how has it effected it?
Bruce Bowen: It hasn't changed it a whole lot. I'm just more aware of the way my actions are perceived. At some point you have to convey to your child that things don't always go your way and there's a good way to handle it, and that's what I want to show him on the court.
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RK (motown): Bruce, how is like guarind Richard Hamilton, especially guarding him in all 7 games in the finals.
Bruce Bowen: Familiarity breeds more consistency when guarding a guy like that. When you're guarding someone like Rip for seven games you shouldn't be tricked by the way he comes off screens, and you want to try to limit the open catches he gets off those screens.
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sweeney, az: who is the most "dangerous" team in the west to keep you guys from playing the pistons again in the finals?
Bruce Bowen: You have to look at Dallas, Phoenix and Memphis. I don't put us above those teams right now. The Mavs are playing inspired defense, the Suns are playing at a high level without Stoudemire and he will add something when he comes back, and the Grizzlies are playing playoff basketball right now. They value each possession and that's what's important in the postseason.
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przem (Poland): What are the spurs players do when they are having a day off? (You , Tim , Manu, Tony)
Bruce Bowen: A lot of times we get away from the game a little. A day is enough time to spend time with family, take care of your body and do things you can't at other times becuse of practice and travel.
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Mike (Sudbury, MA): Bruce, which road arena do you look forward to playing in and which road arena has the best fan atmosphere?
Bruce Bowen: Tough one. Detroit, Miami, Phoenix, Dallas of course. The fans are rowdy, loud, really looking forward to their team dominating the defending champs.
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bo(toronto): Bruceee- Remember that little scuffle between you and Vince. It looked like that was an accident. How are your relationships with guys that you play against knowing that you can hold them to lows in scoring and they get frustrated??
Bruce Bowen: It doesn't carry over off the court. There has to be respect for the player you're going against. Vince is a great player and I'm not about making it personal off the court. I don't think there are too many players in this league who would benefit from thinking about stuff like that on the floor.
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Andrew (Starkville, Mississippi): Do you think you will end your career as a Spur?
Bruce Bowen: I hope so.
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Micah (Cambridge, MA): How has David Robinson stayed connected to the Spurs players since he retired?
Bruce Bowen: David is not one to stick out and draw attention. We see him from time to time and comes to a lot of games, but he's not trying to step on toes or give rah-rah speeches. But we know he's there for us and someone we can give a holler to if we need anything.
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Anthony (Chicago): Bruce, Who is the best defender of all time? You may pick three.
Bruce Bowen: Nate McMillan, Michael Cooper, Charles Oakley stick out to me. Jason Kidd is up there, too, as well as Alonzo Mourning.
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Micah (Cambridge, MA): It seems like good defensive who play in the post (like Ben Wallace) have lots of stats (like blocks & rebounds) to show their defensive skills. How can a perimeter defender like you prove his case for Defensive Player of the Year?
Bruce Bowen: I was happy to be runner-up and would of course like to win one day. It's motivation and it makes me do all I can, but the award itself wouldn't make my day or career. I'm just happy to be considered among the top guys.
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Jon (Austin): Hey Bruce, it seems like Coach Pop is a bit more relaxed out there on the bench this year, more so than in the past. What's changed in his attitude from the years past and how do you think it will affect the team's goals this year?
Bruce Bowen: I don't know that he's laid back, but we've been together for some time and he's not as worried about constant coaching becuase he has a trust and a feel with this team.
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Boris (CHILE): what do you think about guarding manu in the world cup ?
Bruce Bowen: I would welcome that. I would relish the opportunity to represent my country. It's a great honor, moreso than a high school, city or university. That would ratchet things up a little more and give me the extra incentive. I would REALLY love that. We used to see each other a lot in his first year and it's been enjoyable to go against him.
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Reed (NY,NY): if u werent playing basketball, what would u be doing
Bruce Bowen: I would be involved in some kind of youth organization. It's important to keep kids on the right path and unfortunately there are a lot of kids with avenues to the right things.
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Bruno (France ) : Hello Bruce . When you played in France , you were a great scorer . How do you become a great defenser ?
Bruce Bowen: Part of it was that in order to get on the court in the NBA I had to do something different because a lot of guys in the NBA can score. I was taught defense from the time I started learning this game, so I had a foundation and I just built on it.
Bruce Bowen: Thanks for all the questions! I appreciate the time and I hope we can do it again!
Chat with John Hollinger
Welcome to The Show! On Monday, NBA columnist John Hollinger will stop by to chat about the season.
Send your questions now and join John in The Show on Monday at 3 ET.
Hollinger archives: Columns | Chats
John Hollinger: Greetings from Philips Arena everyone. I'm at the Rockets-Hawks game right now, where Houston is trying to avoid going to 0-14 without T-Mac. Not looking good right now -- Hawks lead 40-33 in the second quarter. But I have a feeling most of you would rather not talk about the Hawks or Rockets right now. Let's hear what's on your mind.
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Al Jefferson, Boston MA: Why can't I get consistent minutes? And, will my fellow players Delonte West and Kendrick Perkins develop into above average NBA regulars?
John Hollinger: I like the youngsters in Boston quite a bit. West is really coming along nicely and Perkins has his moments too, especially if he could go more than three trips without setting an illegal screen.
As for Jefferson, the problem is that Doc likes a) veterans and b) guys who space the floor, and Jefferson is neither. Doc has never been a coach who liked to run things through the post, and that's the environment Jefferson needs. I don't necessarily think Rivers is a bad coach, but I do think he's a bad fit for this roster, and I've thought that since the day he was hired.
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John (Chicago): Within a conference, teams play at least 78 common games, so the divisional alignments are entirely arbitrary and serve no competitive purpose. What's the league's justification for not just seeding the playoffs 1-8?
John Hollinger: You'll have to ask David Stern that one. I don't think it makes any sense either. The 1-4 matchups we're looking at for the playoffs just underline the stupidity of the current system.
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Luke (Clevland): With the Cavs struggling right now, what can the Cavs do to solve this? I think a trade is needed to help keep Cleveland in the Playoff race.
John Hollinger: Cleveland's probelm is that they lost two starters and don't have much of a bench. Getting Sideshow Bob back should help, but they really need a defensive guy in the backcourt -- Luke Jackson isn't cutting the mustard and they're about three years too late on Ira Newble.
John Hollinger: Dikembe just got T'd up for throwing an elbow at Marvin Williams. Welcome back to Atlanta Deke.
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Chris (Vegas): John - what are some possible trade scenarios for the Jazz to bring in some guard help?
John Hollinger: It all depends on Boozer. I think Utah would be abundantly open to moving him, but first he has to play a few games and prove he's healthy. Otherwise the Jazz don't have many assets to throw into a deal -- I doubt they could get much for Kris Humphries.
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Greg (LA): What do the Spurs have to do to be able to beat Detroit in the Finals?
John Hollinger: Basically, they have to score, and they haven't been able to in the teams' two matchups so far this year. The secondary guys -- Finley, Barry, Van Exel, Mohammed -- are giving them nothing.
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Jason (Orlando FL): Wouldn't it be smart if Orlando traded Francis for solid role players and good draft picks to build around Nelson/Howard?
John Hollinger: Yes, and good luck with that. Francis's contract and history make it difficult to exchange him for anything of value.
John Hollinger: 49-39 Hawks at halftime. Get well soon T-Mac.
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Quan, Dallas: Hello John. I always have respect for your opinions. Concerning the Mavs, obviously they had to send Dampier a message and bench him, but what are his chances of responding positively considering his fragile demeanor? Also, if we have any chance of going deep, we need him involved.
John Hollinger: Flattery will get you far Quan. As for the Dampier sittuation, what we're seeing a lot of at this time of year is what might be called "motivational benchings." Eddie Jordan did the same thing with Brendan Haywood in Washington -- sit the guy down for a couple of games to remind him that playing him has to be earned. I think Dampier will work his way back into the starting group at some point, but he'll have to pick up the effort first.
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Micah (Cambridge MA): Who's your coach of the year so far? D'Antoni?
John Hollinger: Several good candidates, but D'Antoni is at the top of my list right now. Flip Saunders, Rick Carlisle, Avery Johnson and Mike Fratello also merit consideration.
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Rob (NY): I've been arguing with friends over this one. The Hawks need a PG and they have the trade assets to land Marbury or Francis, who are much maligned. But aren't they better than anyone Atlanta can get through the draft or free agency?
John Hollinger: Here's the problem with that scenario -- by the time the Hawks are ready to win anything, both guys will be past their prime and still drawing big dolalrs. Francis/Marbury really only make sense for teams that are a) underachieving and b) not terribly young. Unfortunately, the teams that fit that description best are the ones they already play for.
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jack (pasadena, texas): It seems that the Rockets this year are a lot like the Spurs in 1996-1997 when D. Robinson went down, they got the top pick, and got a healthy D. Rob AND T. Duncan. Do you think maybe the all the injuries may actually be a good thing longterm for the Rockets?
John Hollinger: I'm glad you brought that up, because I was thinking about that same topic the other day. If Houston ends up with a high lottery pick, it could end up being a blessing in disguise, because they're shockingly devoid of talent after Yao and Tracy.
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Brian (Lawrence, KS): Is it detrimental for Glen Taylor to basically tell reporters Olowokandi is going to be traded before the deal is done? And where might he end up?
John Hollinger: I don't think that was very wise, no, and I'm not sure where Kandi will end up. He has an expiring contract, so it may be for somebody with a longer deal in the same salary range (5-6 Mil) but a bit more talent. Obvious name No. 1 that comes to mind is Earl Watson, but that's pure speculation on my part.
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Jack (Sactown): Do you see the Kings making any moves soon? And do you think they will weather the storm and maybe get into the playoffs?
John Hollinger: I think Sacto has to have almost everybody on the market right now. Peja is the most obvious candidate since it's his walk year, but don't forget Bonzi Wells either. I don't see the Kings as a playoff team, no, though I must add that they're sneaking back into the picture a little bit.
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Shawn (Washington DC): If the season ended today, would Kobe be the MVP?
John Hollinger: No, but he'd show up on a lot of ballots. An unusual number of players are playing at an MVP caliber, making this year' s race quite interesting.
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Jake (Detroit): The Pistons are still #1 in offensive efficiency and are moving back up the chart in defensive efficiency (up to #9 from #16). Was their performance against the Spurs evidence that they can still turn on their suffocating defense when they need to?
John Hollinger: Detroit has picked up the D a bit of late, but I think that particular game may have been more indicative of San Antonio's recent offensive struggles. Spurs are still the favorites in the West, but they're looking much more vulnerable than I had expected. They may need to make a deal similar to the one last year for Mohammed to shake things up a little.
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Joey (Denver): John, how do you feel about Denver's chances to get back in it once they get healthy (except for Nene). With Camby back and if Martin can heal up, they could have another dangerous second half.
John Hollinger: I fully expect to see Denver in the playoffs, especially if they can exchange Watson or Miller for a true shooting guard or a big man. Camby's return will help, but I'm getting real worried about K-Mart -- at what point do we describe his problem as "chronic"?
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Elyse, Santa Barbara: How can Phil Jackson not be a candidate for coach of the year? Prior to the season, everyone said the lakers would be a lottery team. Well, Kobe and Phil have put them into seventh and looking up. They are doing it with a starting guard that wasn't drafted, a center that has been second string at best on every other team, and with the second youngest roster in the league. I think that merits at least mentioning.
John Hollinger: Forgot about Phil. My bad. Definitely deserves a mention.
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lew (atl): Why don't the Lakers get a PG like Jalen Rose in a trade, and let Odom move to a real forward role?
John Hollinger: I would love to see the Lakers play Odom at the 4 and let him take bigger players off the dribble. In the triangle he could do that repeatedly from the top of the key, which is similar to the play Miami ran for him all the time. They can't get Jalen due to cap issues, but yes, they'd need another guard to really make the Odom switch work.
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Ben (Oakland): Can the Warriors turn it around or are they doomed to return to the lottery?
John Hollinger: To early to start using the L word, but Golden State certainly has some concerns. It's taking Montgomery an awful long time to realize that Diogu and Murphy can't start together because of defensive issues. And I'm still waiting to find out why Dunleavy got paid.
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CJ (Scottsdale): How far do you think the Suns can go if Amare does not come back?
John Hollinger: The scary thing about Phoenix is they might be able to win the West even without him. It'd be an uphill climb, but they look like they'll have a favorable seeding as West No. 2 and, as I mentioned above, San Antonio has a few chinks in its armor right now.
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Matt (Morristown, NJ): Where do you see the Sonics ending this year? Can they make the playoffs?
John Hollinger: No, they're heading right down the tubes. Sonics haven't defended any better under Hill than they did under Weiss, and that's what they need to do to make any kind of run. I can't mince words here -- they are just an unbelievably bad defensive team.
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Rory (Boca Raton, FL): Is it just me or is Milwaukee wishing they didn't pick Andrew Bogut and had picked Chris Paul?
John Hollinger: It's just you. Paul is fantastic, but good bigs are harder to find than good guards, and Milwaukee was already two deep at the point.
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Jason (Baltimore): No Wizards love here? Is there any chance Grunfeld shakes up the roster and gets rid of Jeffries and Atkins?
John Hollinger: Eye-opening blowout of Philly today, which makes it four straight since Jordan shook up the lineup. I think Jeffries will stay, but Atkins has been made expendable by the emergence of Donnell Taylor, and plenty of teams are looking for point guard help.
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Brandon (Cali): The Utah Jazz are holding onto a half game lead in the Northwest Division over Denver and Minnesota. Who do you think will win that division?
John Hollinger: I think it's Denver's to lose, but if they can't stay healthy than Minnesota can swoop in and grab it. I only llke Utah's chances if Boozer can play half a season, and I don't see that happening right now.
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Brett(Jacksonville,FL): You stated it will be difficult to move Francis. With that said, have you heard of any teams interested or any proposals that could be out there?
John Hollinger: I haven't heard of anyone who is even interested. Orlando's best bet is to try to get Francis back with the program, but obviously that's easier said than done.
John Hollinger: Rockets have closed it to 55-53 in the middle of the third. Say this for Van Gundy -- he has these guys playing hard. But it's not easy when you've got 6-2 guys guarding Al Harrington and rookie/10-day guys getting key minutes. Houston is basically a glorified CBA team right now.
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Todd (Tucson): Is there any clarification of exactly what Francis' "conduct determinental to the team" was?
John Hollinger: He refused to re-enter a game, which has become an unusually popular form of protest in the past couple of years.
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Michael (Houston, TX): We know that, but it still hurts to see it in print...we need healthy bodies or a couple of new ones
John Hollinger: I feel your pain. Hey, at least you're getting the All-Star game.
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King -NJ: John, You're not taking any Nets question today. Is there any good 4 player out that can Help help the NetS?
John Hollinger: By "King", do you mean Albert or Bernard? As for the Nets, they've been hot and heavy for Chris Wilcox for some time but haven't had the goods to entice L.A. Also, Jersey may feel less urgency now than they did a month ago.
damon (pittsburgh): Am I the only one who doesn't see the "superstar potential" in Marvin Williams that everyone seems to be talking about? People have been calling him the next James Worthy or Bernard King, but I see a 6'9" guy who plays hard but is without great ball-skills and breaktaking athleticism and has small hands. Maybe I'm just living in a vacuum.
John Hollinger: Actually, Marvin has done some eye-opening things the past few games -- big-time jams and offensive boards (including one just now to put the Hawks up by five). He's got a real nice jumper too and could be a serious outside threat in a couple years. But let's face it, the Hawks are hoping that he'll become the player Chris Paul already is.
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joe (new york): 'Melo seems to have really stepped it up this season. Has he finally made the leap, and is he an All-Star this season?
John Hollinger: Karl has been real good for Anthony, getting him to go to the basket more and stop settling for 20-footers. As for the All-Star game, I'll be addressing that in my column tomorrow. Stay tuned.
John Hollinger: Zaza Pachulia just made a leaping behind-the-back pass to Harrington for a lay-up. Now I've seen everything ... Hawks by 8.
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Homero (Buenos Aires): Is Pierce finally going to be dealt? There were rumours about him going to either the Los Angeles Clippers or Chicago Bulls.
John Hollinger: I've heard a lot of talk about the Celtics finally being ready to make a move, and Pierce may not be the only guy in play. I wouldn't be surprised it all if something went down fairly soon. I'm still not sure that's the right direction for Boston, but I'll withhold judgment until I see what they get in return.
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zaza(On the court): I was a superstar in Milwaukee and now in the A.T.L as well!!!
John Hollinger: Nice to see you're keeping your wireless browser with you on the court. Now play some defense -- Mutombo's 72 years old and he's killing you on the offensive boards.
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Kevin Garnett: Can I get a legit All-Star to help me any time soon? Pierce, Franchise, Artest, anyone?
John Hollinger: Not sure about an all-star, but maybe somebody a tier below to round out the rotation. Let's see what's going on with the Olowokandi situation -- help may arrive soon.
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Minh (SF, CA): One of your ESPN colleague in a chat last week said Houston is going into the Artest sweepstakes. Can you further comment?
John Hollinger: I'm sure they've made an offer, and I'm equally sure it was summarily rejected. Not sure what Houston has to offer that would be remotely tempting for Indy.
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Dieter (Gig Harbor, WA): Why did Nate McMillan and Bob Weis keep Robert Swift on the bench for his first seasons in the NBA. I mean he didn't play hardly at all and they didn't even bother to put him into a developmental league. Finally coach Bob Hill is letting him play. What are your thoughts about the previous coach's decisions to bench him?
John Hollinger: I can't argue with the previous coach's decisions, becuase their perspective was that they were a contending team and couldn't afford to use the minutes on him. It was true last year, too. Now that Seattle knows they're rebuilding, it makes more sense to play him. I like what I've seen too -- he's a lot more aware defensively than most guys his age and seems to have good hands around the basket.
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Jack (NEW BRITIAN): Who has the best chance to win Rookie of the Year?
John Hollinger: Chris Paul will win unless he gets hurt. Bogut is a distant second.
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Chris Kaman (Los Angeles): Hey Mr. Hollinger. What do you think of my game? Do you think, in another year, people might be talking about me with the other top centers in the league? Be honest. I can be better than Zydrunas Ilgauskas, right? Knock-knock-knockin' on Yao Ming's door.
John Hollinger: No, no and no. Kaman scores a little in the post and is playing better D this year, but the only reason Clips fans are so excited is because they watched Michael Olowokandi for so long. Kaman is still way too turnover prone and not nearly as accurate as those guys.
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John (Oakland): Why is Diogu untouchable in a potential trade for Artest? He plays the same position as Troy Murphy. Artest is definitely a top 20 player. Diogu isn't even close to that yet, and may never be.
John Hollinger: What it boils down to is that Artest is considered a great enough risk that nobody wants to give up anything they really value to get him. The Warriors place a high value on Diogu because they figure in two years he might give them a 20-point scorer on a rookie contract, so there was no way they'd include him in a trade.
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Andrew (Newton, MA): What do you think of Jamal Crawford? I know he's not superstar material, but he's really working well in a sixth man role -- substantially better numbers in fewer minutes than as a starter.
John Hollinger: I'm glad you brought up Crawford. I didn't think it was possible for a Knick to become underrated, but he's having a real good year and nobody's talking about it. He's gotta be near the top of the list as far as Sixth Man candidates are concerned.
John Hollinger: Alright folks, I need to clear out of here. Thanks again for all the questions and we'll do this again next Monday at 3. Enjoy the holiday!
Who deserves a spot in the All-Star Game?
By John Hollinger
Editor's note: All-Star balloting ends on Sunday, Jan. 22.
Can a player on a terrible team still be an All-Star?
With this year's soiree in Houston less than a month away, that question looms larger than ever this season. Several players whose teams are hovering near the bottom of the standings have performed so well that they're worthy of consideration.
His team and shot selection aren't great, but Gil's got skills.
Players such as Washington's Gilbert Arenas, New Orleans/Oklahoma City's Chris Paul, Boston's Paul Pierce and Seattle's Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis, for instance, all have played at a high level for teams that are well south of the break-even mark. Additionally, at least two players -- Houston's Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming -- seem to be en route to All-Star bids via fan voting, despite their team's suffering through a miserable 12-24 season.
But perhaps no player best exemplifies this year's All-Star quandary better than Toronto's Chris Bosh.
That the Raptors are a bad team is beyond question -- Toronto's 13-24 mark leaves it out of the playoff chase even in the lowly East. But it's hard to pin the blame for that on Bosh, who has been nothing short of superb. The forward averages 22.4 points, 9.2 rebounds and is shooting over 50 percent from the field -- making him, along with LeBron James, the only Eastern Conference players averaging better than 20 points and shooting over 50 percent.
"I think he's deserving," said Raptors coach Sam Mitchell. "He's obviously one of the best power forwards in the NBA. Our record could be a lot worse if we didn't have Chris playing the way he's playing."
Unfortunately, the coaches (who select the reserves for the game) haven't been nearly as kind in their judgment of players from losing teams. In recent years, several players from teams with sub-.500 marks have lost out to players from teams with winning records. Secondary players on top contenders are particularly popular. Look back at almost every shaky All-Star pick from the past few years -- Dale Davis, Otis Thorpe, Wally Szczerbiak, Jamaal Magloire -- and you'll see that common thread.
"Winning always helps, but this is my situation," Bosh said. "I can't really help how things are. To me, it's all about the future, so I think what I do from here on out will dictate [being selected]."
We can't look in our crystal ball and tell whether Bosh will be selected despite his team's record. What we can do, however, is take a look at the landscape in each conference and determine, as of today, which players deserve selection. And that's exactly what I intend to do below.
Before we start, let's go over the process. The fans select five starters from each conference, so we're stuck with those picks no matter how much we might disagree with them. After the fans choose the first five, it's up to the coaches. The 15 coaches in each conference select seven reserves by secret ballot. The rules are that coaches must select at least two guards, two forwards and one center, in addition to two extra players to fill out the roster. However, they aren't limited by positions listed on the All-Star ballot -- a coach can nominate a player at any position he feels appropriate. Thus, a coach could list Tim Duncan or Pau Gasol as a center on his ballot if, in his judgment, that produced the best team for his conference.
With those rules in mind, let's take a look at how it will shake out in each league. Along with each player, I've included his per-game averages and Player Efficiency Rating (PER) this season (all stats through Monday):
EASTERN CONFERENCE: STARTERS
Although the voting isn't complete, it's pretty apparent who the five will be on each side, so we can fill in the starting lineups and go from there:
Allen Iverson, G (33.2 ppg, 7.5 apg, 26.95 PER): Can't argue with the fans' choice on this one.
Dwyane Wade, G (26.6 ppg, 7.1 apg, 27.84 PER): Or this one.
LeBron James, F (31.1 ppg, 6.0 apg, 29.23 PER): Or this one. Let's move on to the juicy stuff.
Jermaine O'Neal, F (21.4 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 22.07 PER): OK, here's one I suppose you could quibble with. O'Neal is a tough defender and a reliable post scorer, but he's not having his best season by any stretch. Still, I can't think of another forward in the East except the guy above that the Pacers would trade him for.
Shaquille O'Neal, C (18.2 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 22.30 PER): Shaq has earned the benefit of the doubt based on his past results, but he's done little to deserve nomination this season. He missed 18 games to start the year and has been sluggish since coming back. Of course, a down year for Shaq is a good year for anyone else -- he still has the highest PER among Eastern centers.
EASTERN CONFERENCE: RESERVES
Chauncey Billups, G (19.0 ppg, 8.6 apg, 24.29 PER): We have to take two reserve guards for the team, and the first choice is a no-brainer. Billups has been the best player on the league's best team and remains on the tips of everyone's tongues in terms of MVP consideration. His selection means that Byron Scott and Mike Bibby once again have the honor of being the best players ever to not be selected.
Gilbert Arenas, G (28.6 ppg, 6.3 apg, 23.77 PER): Arenas has his detractors because he isn't a pure point guard and can get very shot-happy. But his skill as a scorer is undeniable, and it's hard to imagine how bad the Wizards would be right now without him.
Paul Piercee, F (26.1 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 24.56 PER): As with Arenas, Pierce's team isn't exactly setting the world on fire. But, in a conference with only six winning teams, we have to take a few players from losing teams. And it's hard to deny Pierce's credentials -- one could argue that this has been his best season, and unlike a lot of stars he plays both ends of the floor.
Vince Carter, F (25.1 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 23.72 PER): For the first time in ages Carter wasn't voted in, and one could argue against his selection as karmic retribution for the many times he was undeservedly chosen by the fans. But in terms of basketball, there's no question that he should be our fourth forward. As the best player on the Atlantic Division's best team, his omission would be unprecedented.
Ben Wallace, C (8.4 ppg, 12.7 rpg, 18.78 PER): The backup center spot in the East is an interesting one. A case can be made for Bosh here, since he plays the middle so much for Toronto, but he's also frequently overmatched physically in the middle. The other strong contender here is Cleveland's Zydrunas Ilgauskas (16.2 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 22.45 PER). Z crushes Big Ben on PER, but he's a defensive liability, while Wallace is the league's reigning Defensive Player of the Year. The tiebreaker here is court time -- it's tough to pull the trigger for Ilgauskas when he's playing barely 30 minutes per game.
Chris Bosh, F (22.4 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 23.55 PER): We have two wild-card spots left in the East, so let's take a look at the remaining candidates. There's Bosh, Jason Kidd, Richard Hamilton, Michael Redd and Ilgauskas. Of the group, Bosh has the best PER, the second-best scoring average, the best rebound average and the best field-goal percentage, which makes it an open-and-shut case -- no matter how bad the Raptors are.
Jason Kidd, G (14.7 ppg, 7.9 apg, 20.31 PER): The final spot in the East is where we have a real problem. Because the Pistons are 30-5, many will argue that they deserve at least three players on the squad. That argument has never held water for me. The supposed logic is that there's no way a team can be that good without at least three of the conference's top 12 players, but that's absurd. If Hamilton is only the 13th-best player in the conference, that means he's still better than all but 10 players on the conference's other 14 teams. A team could easily be 30-5 under those conditions -- especially if, as in Detroit's case, two other starters are also among the top 20 to 25 players in the East.
Having dismissed that argument, it comes down to Hamilton (21.5 ppg, 3.1 apg, 19.23 PER) against Kidd, Ilgauskas and Redd (24.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 20.44 PER). Ilgauskas trumps them all in PER, but again I have trouble giving him the nod with only 1,026 minutes on the season. The next-best PER belongs to Redd, but he's a poor defender and not ahead of Kidd by much. That leaves us with Kidd. Not only does he outrate Hamilton on PER, but he's undeniably the stronger defender and the more commanding leader.
Best of the rest: Hamilton, Ilgauskas, Redd, Rasheed Wallace, Gerald Wallace.
WESTERN CONFERENCE: STARTERS
Steve Nash, G (19.1 ppg, 11.3 apg, 21.85 PER): A clear choice in a weak crop, the reigning MVP leads the league in assists once again and has the Suns surprisingly positioned atop the Pacific Division.
Kobe Bryant, G (34.3 ppg, 4.4 apg, 27.36 PER): A no-brainer. Next.
Tracy McGrady, F (25.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 24.02 PER): It's easy to get up in arms about this pick until you remember the Rockets are 0-12 when T-Mac doesn't play and 12-10 when he does. He's been hurt, but he clearly belongs.
Tim Duncan, F (20.3 ppg, 11.7 rpg, 25.19 PER): Another selection that requires no explanation.
Yao Ming, C (19.9 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 22.31 PER): A questionable pick until you look at the other names on the ballot -- all the other top big men in the West are either perennially injured (Marcus Camby), defensively lacking (Brad Miller) or drawing comparisons to Elvis (Mehmet Okur). Thus, it's Yao by default.
WESTERN CONFERENCE: RESERVES
Tony Parker, G (19.4 ppg, 5.9 apg, 21.43 PER): Parker has stepped up his play this season and now stands out in a weak group. With some of the West's top point guards having off years (Baron Davis and Mike Bibby, for instance), Parker is an easy selection.
Chris Paul, G (16.1 ppg, 7.2 apg, 21.81 PER): This pick might surprise a few people, but if we have to select two reserve guards, Paul is the clear choice as the second. The only other guards who are close in terms of performance are Ray Allen (24.1 ppg, 3.6 apg, 21.83 PER), Baron Davis (18.1 ppg, 9.3 apg, 18.28 PER), Mike Bibby (19.9 ppg, 5.4 apg, 17.84 PER) and Jason Terry (17.0 ppg, 3.8 apg, 18.72 PER). Allen is slightly ahead in PER but is a terrible defender on one of the worst defensive teams in history. Davis isn't close in PER and is earning scorn for his brutal shot selection. Bibby and Terry are solid players but haven't been in Paul's league at either end of the floor. The only other remotely plausible pick here is Manu Ginobili (15.7 ppg, 3.0 apg, 24.27 PER), and he's been out of the lineup for most of the season.
Kevin Garnett, C (22.2 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 27.63 PER): Arguably the best player in the game over the past three seasons, Garnett is an obvious choice. But note that I've chosen him as a center. Basically, there isn't a deserving center from the West, so we have to move one of the conference's many dominant power forwards to the middle. With Camby injured, we'd otherwise be stuck with somebody like Okur as an "All-Star" center.
Dirk Nowitzki, F, (26.1 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 27.64 PER): Obviously deserving. Let's move on.
Elton Brand, F (25.2 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 27.84 PER): If you haven't been following the Clippers, Brand has put together what is by far the best season of his career. While the Western coaches seem to take a peculiar delight in shafting him come All-Star time, doing so this year would be an absolute travesty.
Shawn Marion, F (20.9 ppg, 12.0 rpg, 21.86 PER): OK, we have two wild-card spots left on the team, so let's review the candidates. We have Marion, Carmelo Anthony, Pau Gasol, Andrei Kirilenko, Manu Ginobili, Marcus Camby, Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis. Let's delete a few right away: Allen and Lewis don't play any D, while Ginobili and Camby have missed major time due to injuries. That leave Marion, Gasol, 'Melo (25.7 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 21.33 PER) and Kirilenko (15.0 ppg, 3.1 bpg, 20.56 PER). Of those four, Marion has the second-best PER, has stayed in the lineup all season and has been one of the key defenders on the league's second-best defensive team. He gets the nod.
Pau Gasol, F, (19.9 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 22.49 PER): It's amazing how much better a guy can look when the coaches finally play him more than 32 minutes a game. Now that the Grizzlies realize that the guy who is perhaps their best player should be on the court longer, Gasol is putting up the per-game averages that can get him noticed at All-Star time. He outranks Anthony and Kirilenko in PER and, though not exactly Defensive Player of the Year material, has played much tougher D than in past years for one of the West's top teams.
Best of the rest: Kirilenko, Anthony, Davis, Camby, Ginobili.
NBA Rumor Central: Blount-Kandi Trade Imminent?
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Mark Blount
Celtics
Grizzlies?
Timberwolves?
Blount-Kandi Trade Imminent?
Jan 17 - According to two league sources, a deal that would send Mark Blount to Minnesota or Memphis could be completed soon, reports the Boston Globe. One source described a deal as "imminent." The most likely scenario would have the Celtics shipping Blount to Minnesota for Michael Olowokandi.
One source told the newspaper that Marcus Banks appears a likely addition, if a third team is needed.
(Insider Note: Blount's contract, which includes a 15% trade kicker, has 4 years and $28 million remaining after this year. The trade kicker would give him an additional $5 million.)
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Los Angeles
Sprewell Unlikely To Join Clippers
Jan 17 - Despite Sam Cassell's efforts, it is unlikely the Clippers will be able to lure Latrell Sprewell to the team, reports the Los Angeles Daily News. According to the newspaper, Sprewell is said to be seeking more than the veteran's minimum of $1.1 million and if he does not hook on with one of those few teams, he likely will handpick a championship contender and sign sometime next month.
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Steve Francis
Magic
At Least Six Teams Ask About Francis
Jan 17 - Several clubs inquired about trading for Steve Francis while he was suspended, NBA sources told the Orlando Sentinel. The team told Jeff Fried, Francis' agent, that they had no plans to deal him. "Yes, I asked," Fried said. "The answer was, 'No.' " NBA sources told the newspaper there were more than a half-dozen teams that inquired about Francis' availability.
Tough choices for Houston trip
Chris Broussard blog
As we near the end of voting for this year's All-Star Game in Houston -- the final day of voting is Jan. 22 -- I feel compelled to name my Eastern and Western Conference reps.
In the East, the starters are simple: AI and D-Wade at the guards. LeBron and Jermaine O'Neal at forwards and Shaq in the middle.
I'll pick my seven reserves according to league rules: at least two guards, two forwards and one center. The center is easy -- Ben Wallace.
It gets a little tougher at the forward spot, but I'm going with Paul Pierce and Chris Bosh. I know, I know, both guys are playing for losing teams. But it's certainly not their fault.
I hate to leave off Richard Jefferson, but Pierce is having a monster year (career highs of 26.2 ppg, 7.5 rpg and 49.1% FG), and Bosh is fantastic, regardless of the Raps' record.
C Webb's playing well, but his 20 and 10 gets diminished in my eyes because even with AI playing great, the Sixers are still just .500. Plus he's shooting 42 percent and not exactly shutting folks down on the defensive end. Despite the nice numbers, this is nowhere near vintage C Webb. If it were, the Sixers would be a force, not just a team that squeaks into the playoffs.
As difficult as the forward selections are, the guard spot gets downright crazy. Chauncey Billups and Vince Carter are musts, which leaves me with only two spots for Michael Redd, Rip Hamilton, Jason Kidd and Gilbert Arenas.
I can't win here because all four are legitimate All-Stars. See, this is what happens when centers cease to score. Now we've got all these guards putting up "all-star numbers'' because many centers are all but useless. I could also throw in Stephon Marbury and Steve Francis as All-Star caliber guards in the East, though there's a slight drop-off there, particularly with Francis.
Anyway, here goes: I have to put Redd on the squad because he's averaging a career-high 24.7 points and most importantly, the Bucks (19-16) are winning. They've gone stretches without Mo Williams, T.J. Ford and Bobby Simmons and yet, Redd keeps them alive.
At first, I gave my final spot to Rip, then I thought, "How can I leave J Kidd off?" Then I said, "Arenas is averaging 29 points and six dimes. Am I nuts?"
I could easily pick this last spot out of a hat and be satisfied, but I guess I have to go with Arenas. His numbers are pretty ridiculous and his league-high turnover average (4.1) is less than one gaffe higher than Kidd's 3.29 miscues a night.
It seems unthinkable to leave Kidd off -- I'm second-guessing myself as I type -- because he's still a top three PG in the league. But the East is so full of guards it's ridiculous.
On to the West.
Starters:
Guards -- Kobe and Steve Nash; Forwards -- Tim Duncan and Elton Brand; Center -- Marcus Camby.
My reserve at center is Yao, and one of my guards is Tony Parker. My last guard spot is between Warriors' teammates J Rich and Baron Davis and New Orleans rookie Chris Paul.
I'm going to shock you with my choice because I'm going with the youngster, Paul. If the Warriors were still winning, I'd pick Davis since he makes them go, but Paul is winning more with a much weaker roster.
He's also ahead of Davis in steals (2.17 per game to 1.7), turnovers (2.2 to 2.89), FG shooting (43 percent to 38 percent), FT shooting (79.9 to 65.7) and rebounding (5.7 to 4.5). Davis is ahead in ppg (17.9 to 15.9) and assists (9.3 to 7.2).
Now it gets even harder because as the East is full of guards, the West is full of forwards.
KG, Dirk and Shawn Marion are no-brainers, leaving me with one spot for three deserving players: T-Mac, Carmelo and Pau. Four if you throw in Kirilenko.
Pau's the first to fall. He's having a great year and once again leading the Grizz to 50-plus wins, but it's just that tough in the West.
Carmelo is really balling, and T-Mac has been laden with injuries. Nevertheless, I'm going with T-Mac.
I realize that Camby, Yao and T-Mac may miss because of injuries, which could make the center spot fairly ugly out West. If Commissioner David Stern stuck to adding two centers as reserves, you're probably looking at Mehmet Okur and Brad Miller.
Ouch.
Now that I'm done, here's a suggestion for the league: increase the All-Star rosters from 12 players in each conference to 15. Now that there are 30 teams, it's only right. Then just about all the truly deserving players would make it.
And it would save me from trying to explain how I can leave J Kidd and Rip out of the midseason classic.
Can Kandi Man be first to be dealt?
Chris Sheridan blog
NEW YORK -- When the dam finally breaks and the first trade of the NBA season is made, don't be surprised if Michael Olowokandi is involved.
He certainly won't be.
The No. 1 pick of the 1998 draft was expecting to be traded at any moment after Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor indicated Saturday that there was a strong chance Olowokandi would be dealt within 72 hours.
"I have no idea where," Olowokandi said as he walked off the court after warm-ups before Minnesota's 96-90 victory against the New York Knicks on Monday.
Olowokandi logged 24 minutes against New York and was his usual lumbering self, having the same type of negligible impact -- no points, six rebounds, four fouls -- that has typified his 7½-year NBA career. With Olowokandi's contract expiring at the end of this season, the Timberwolves have deemed him expendable as they look to pry an offense-minded player off someone else's roster in an effort to improve the league's sixth-worst offense.
"Obviously it carries a lot more gravity because it came from the owner's mouth, and obviously there's a little anxiety as to where you are and where you stand," Olowokandi said. "This situation, I did try to make the most of it. Whatever situation I find myself in, I'll have to make the most of it."
Olowokandi sat out Minnesota's previous two games, against Denver and Chicago, although coach Dwane Casey said those DNPs were a result of matchups particular to those two opponents. The 7-footer played the entire fourth quarter against New York, holding opposing center Eddy Curry to four points in the final period.
Olowokandi said no one from the team had sought him out to explain what might be going on, nor had he sought an explanation himself. One league source with knowledge of the Timberwolves' thinking said an Olowokandi deal was expected by Wednesday at the latest.
There was speculation that Orlando would be Olowokandi's destination, but a source with the Magic said that was untrue. The Chicago Bulls have been desperate for size since dealing Curry and Antonio Davis to New York, and Olowokandi would seem to be a nice fit if the price was low enough, such as a package of Othella Harrington and Eric Piatkowski -- both of whom also come off the books at the end of the season. Such a trade would not jeopardize the 15-plus million dollars of cap space the Bulls will have at their disposal this summer, and that deal would give the Wolves an aggressive forward, Harrington, who could help improve their last-place ranking in offensive rebounding.
Backing up a report in Tuesday's Boston Globe, league sources told ESPN.com that Minnesota and Boston have discussed a trade that would include Olowokandi and Mark Blount. Although Celtics boss Danny Ainge would be exchanging a productive center for little more than an expiring contract, it would make playing time available for youngsters Kendrick Perkins and Al Jefferson.
If Minnesota were to acquire Blount, it would all but take the Wolves out of the mix in terms of pursuing a midlevel free agent next summer. Blount, under contract for $5.5 million this season and owed $28 million through 2009-10, has a 15 percent trade kicker clause in his $38.6 million contract. If he were to be dealt, Blount would reap an extra $4.3 million in salary over the next four seasons.
Chat with NBA writer Marc Stein
Welcome to The Show! On Tuesday, ESPN.com senior NBA writer Marc Stein will drop by to talk about the NBA season!
Send your questions now and join Marc in The Show, Tuesday at 11 a.m. ET!
Stein Archive: Chats | Columns
Marc Stein: Hello, all. Thanks for joining us. Time is tight today so we'll take as many questions as we can. Here goes . . .
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nashbaar (mn): some of us rubes have come to grips with the fact that minny is not getting artest. that said where does Kandi end up and for whom? The hot item yesterday was Portland for Miles?
Marc Stein: No. The hot item is the Kandi-to-Boston scenario and it is legit. But there's a decent chance the deal will expand to include at least one more team -- not Memphis -- and the talks are not yet complete.
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Ashton (Brooklyn (NY)): Is Latrell Spreewell ever gonna join another team this season? What seems to be holdup in him getting to another team?
Marc Stein: The only holdup is Spree. He wants a multiyear deal that starts as close to $5 mil as he can get. The teams that want him right now, like the Clips and Rockets, can't offer more than the veteran minimum because of their salary-cap limitations. We'll see, as the playoffs draw near, if Spree changes his mind. if he doesn't drop his price, I don't think we'll see him.
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C.C. (Bay Area, CA): Would you consider Pietrus a younger Artest? Maybe that's why Mullin won't part ways with him?
Marc Stein: If the Warriors want Artest, they have to give up SOMEONE good. They rate Diogu as an untouchable, so that means they'd have to part with Pietrus. If Pietrus were an untouchable, too, GS would have zero shot.
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Mark(Tampa, Florida): Steve Francis suspension has been lift. Do you think thats to increase his trade value or are they sincere on keeping him? They said teams are calling. What teams do you think would/are interested in him?
Marc Stein: Based on everything I've heard so far, yes it's to build up some trade value . . . but it's the Magic who are doing the calling around. Stevie is going to be a tough guy to move because of his contract, past transgressions, etc., so it would really help the Magic if he were playing (and playing well) to move him.
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Will (NYC): Andrew Bynum!!! Your take?
Marc Stein: It's the same take I've had since the Lakers drafted him. I thought it was a great pick then and it has nothing to do with the dunk last night. Lakers need to swing for home runs to get Kobe the help he needs. Bynum is years away, obviously, but I'd rather gamble on someone like him than take someone in the teens who doesn't have a higher ceiling than SERVICEABLE.
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Cassidy (Fishers, IN): Is Ike Diogu a better player/prospect than Nene at this point, or is the Pacers' apparent preference for the rookie just a contract issue?
Marc Stein: Nene is headed for free agency and would be expensive to re-sign. Pacers' payroll is already too high, so free agents-to-be like Nene or Al Harrington are problematic. Diogu is an outstanding frontcourt prospect on a rookie contract. Golden, in other words.
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Harry (kentucky): Best rookie this year not named Paul?
Marc Stein: A. Bogut.
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Dallas, TX: The Dampier experiment seems to have worked so far. What is your take? You think this is a long or short term thing?
Marc Stein: Long-term unless Dampier re-earns his starting spot. Dampier has lost the confidence of his teammates with his lack of production. There is only one way to get it back and that's by playing as hard as you can. Mavs have always believed that, so long as Dampier gives them something, they're dangerous. But he's been giving them nothing.
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Michael (Willoughby, OH): What's going on with the Cavs? Have we hit rock bottom?
Marc Stein: Rock-bottom? Are you really a Cavs fan? If so, I think you've seen a lot worse than this.
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Andrew (Flagstaff AZ): Do you think that Gasol will be an all-star this year? Do the Grizzlies win a playoff series this year?
Marc Stein: Not sure on Gasol. As a big-time proponent of rewarding team success, I feel Pau definitely deserves it, because the Grizz have been consistently good all season and should be recognized with at least one All-Star. The West frontcourt, however, is as crowded as ever. Brand and Melo also have powered their teams to winning records, but with even gaudier production than Pau. I'm just as interested as you are to see how the coaches vote.
Marc Stein: As for the playoffs, don't see it . . . unless the Grizz finish sixth. Then they'd play the Northwest Division winner, which would give them a shot. If they finish fifth in the West, that means Spurs or Mavs in Round 1. Which means bye-bye.
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Brad (Kansas City): Oklahoma City seems to be embracing an NBA idea. Will the Hornets stay there, will they get another team, or none of the above in your opinion?
Marc Stein: The official announcement from the league will come at month's end, but the early indications are that the Hornets will be back in OKC for one more season . . . and then will stay on the NBA's radar for possible relocations if the Hornets indeed return to New Orleans in 2007-08. OKC has definitely made a great impression, but don't forget that Las Vegas is also awaiting a team of its own. Any team moving in the near future is going to be interested in Sin City.
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Brian (Dallas): Titan alum here... Have you seen Bobby Brown? Legit NBA prospect or no?
Marc Stein: My heart says first-rounder. All my friends in the scouting community tell me he's more like a second-rounder unless he stays in school for another year after this one. But it's early in the season still. If he steps it up a gear and gets our Titans to the tournament, maybe that changes.
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Joe (KY): What's your take on the Shaq/Kobe makeup?
Marc Stein: Can't say it any better than Shaq said. Yesterday was a day of peace, in Dr. King's honor, and he took the initiative to bury the hachet. You have to applaud him.
Marc Stein: I've stayed as long as I can today. Gotta get back to it. We'll do it again next week. Thanks for all your questions.
Chat with Bruce Bowen
Welcome to The Show! On Monday, San Antonio Spur small forward Bruce Bowen will stop by to take your questions on the Spurs season and more!
Bowen is averaging 7.7 points per game and 3.7 rebounds in helping the Spurs to a 27-9 record and first place in the Southwest division.
Send your questions now and join Bruce in The Show on Monday at 1:30 p.m. ET.
See Bowen in action as the Spurs visit the Heat on Friday (8 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Buzzmaster: Bruce will be with us shortly so keep the questions coming!
Bruce Bowen: Very happy to be here, hope I can answer your questions!
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Brian (Memphis): Bruce, which player is the toughest defensive matchup for you...Kobe, Lebron, AI, or Ray Allen...and why?
Bruce Bowen: I can't say becaue they're all so different. The one common denominator is they all play hard and are competitors and will keep coming until the game is over. You have to prepare for a full 48 minutes no matter who you're guarding. AI is quick and you don't want to put him on the line, he's good at draqwing contact as well as scoring in bunches. Kobe can get any shot at any spot on the floor. With him you just have to limit his touches, whereas AI is bringing it up the court a lot. Still, that doesn't guarantee a lot. With LeBron, he is a great competitor but hasn't been seasoned enough to fully grasp his entire game yet. I see him twice a year, but I see Kobe four times year so it's harder to asses becuase he's done so much so early.
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joe live oak, fl : How well are you playing now compared to last year?
Bruce Bowen: We have a lot of room for improvement, as we've shown against the Pistons. And playing the second of back to back games we haven't been as good as last year. We can do a better job of moving the ball and getting back to our defensive principles. Because of the new guys and all the injuries we haven't been able to show them the correct way just yet. We have to do a better job of that.
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Steven (San Antonio, TX): How has the birth of your first child changed your outlook on the game and how has it effected it?
Bruce Bowen: It hasn't changed it a whole lot. I'm just more aware of the way my actions are perceived. At some point you have to convey to your child that things don't always go your way and there's a good way to handle it, and that's what I want to show him on the court.
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RK (motown): Bruce, how is like guarind Richard Hamilton, especially guarding him in all 7 games in the finals.
Bruce Bowen: Familiarity breeds more consistency when guarding a guy like that. When you're guarding someone like Rip for seven games you shouldn't be tricked by the way he comes off screens, and you want to try to limit the open catches he gets off those screens.
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sweeney, az: who is the most "dangerous" team in the west to keep you guys from playing the pistons again in the finals?
Bruce Bowen: You have to look at Dallas, Phoenix and Memphis. I don't put us above those teams right now. The Mavs are playing inspired defense, the Suns are playing at a high level without Stoudemire and he will add something when he comes back, and the Grizzlies are playing playoff basketball right now. They value each possession and that's what's important in the postseason.
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przem (Poland): What are the spurs players do when they are having a day off? (You , Tim , Manu, Tony)
Bruce Bowen: A lot of times we get away from the game a little. A day is enough time to spend time with family, take care of your body and do things you can't at other times becuse of practice and travel.
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Mike (Sudbury, MA): Bruce, which road arena do you look forward to playing in and which road arena has the best fan atmosphere?
Bruce Bowen: Tough one. Detroit, Miami, Phoenix, Dallas of course. The fans are rowdy, loud, really looking forward to their team dominating the defending champs.
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bo(toronto): Bruceee- Remember that little scuffle between you and Vince. It looked like that was an accident. How are your relationships with guys that you play against knowing that you can hold them to lows in scoring and they get frustrated??
Bruce Bowen: It doesn't carry over off the court. There has to be respect for the player you're going against. Vince is a great player and I'm not about making it personal off the court. I don't think there are too many players in this league who would benefit from thinking about stuff like that on the floor.
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Andrew (Starkville, Mississippi): Do you think you will end your career as a Spur?
Bruce Bowen: I hope so.
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Micah (Cambridge, MA): How has David Robinson stayed connected to the Spurs players since he retired?
Bruce Bowen: David is not one to stick out and draw attention. We see him from time to time and comes to a lot of games, but he's not trying to step on toes or give rah-rah speeches. But we know he's there for us and someone we can give a holler to if we need anything.
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Anthony (Chicago): Bruce, Who is the best defender of all time? You may pick three.
Bruce Bowen: Nate McMillan, Michael Cooper, Charles Oakley stick out to me. Jason Kidd is up there, too, as well as Alonzo Mourning.
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Micah (Cambridge, MA): It seems like good defensive who play in the post (like Ben Wallace) have lots of stats (like blocks & rebounds) to show their defensive skills. How can a perimeter defender like you prove his case for Defensive Player of the Year?
Bruce Bowen: I was happy to be runner-up and would of course like to win one day. It's motivation and it makes me do all I can, but the award itself wouldn't make my day or career. I'm just happy to be considered among the top guys.
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Jon (Austin): Hey Bruce, it seems like Coach Pop is a bit more relaxed out there on the bench this year, more so than in the past. What's changed in his attitude from the years past and how do you think it will affect the team's goals this year?
Bruce Bowen: I don't know that he's laid back, but we've been together for some time and he's not as worried about constant coaching becuase he has a trust and a feel with this team.
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Boris (CHILE): what do you think about guarding manu in the world cup ?
Bruce Bowen: I would welcome that. I would relish the opportunity to represent my country. It's a great honor, moreso than a high school, city or university. That would ratchet things up a little more and give me the extra incentive. I would REALLY love that. We used to see each other a lot in his first year and it's been enjoyable to go against him.
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Reed (NY,NY): if u werent playing basketball, what would u be doing
Bruce Bowen: I would be involved in some kind of youth organization. It's important to keep kids on the right path and unfortunately there are a lot of kids with avenues to the right things.
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Bruno (France ) : Hello Bruce . When you played in France , you were a great scorer . How do you become a great defenser ?
Bruce Bowen: Part of it was that in order to get on the court in the NBA I had to do something different because a lot of guys in the NBA can score. I was taught defense from the time I started learning this game, so I had a foundation and I just built on it.
Bruce Bowen: Thanks for all the questions! I appreciate the time and I hope we can do it again!
Chat with John Hollinger
Welcome to The Show! On Monday, NBA columnist John Hollinger will stop by to chat about the season.
Send your questions now and join John in The Show on Monday at 3 ET.
Hollinger archives: Columns | Chats
John Hollinger: Greetings from Philips Arena everyone. I'm at the Rockets-Hawks game right now, where Houston is trying to avoid going to 0-14 without T-Mac. Not looking good right now -- Hawks lead 40-33 in the second quarter. But I have a feeling most of you would rather not talk about the Hawks or Rockets right now. Let's hear what's on your mind.
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Al Jefferson, Boston MA: Why can't I get consistent minutes? And, will my fellow players Delonte West and Kendrick Perkins develop into above average NBA regulars?
John Hollinger: I like the youngsters in Boston quite a bit. West is really coming along nicely and Perkins has his moments too, especially if he could go more than three trips without setting an illegal screen.
As for Jefferson, the problem is that Doc likes a) veterans and b) guys who space the floor, and Jefferson is neither. Doc has never been a coach who liked to run things through the post, and that's the environment Jefferson needs. I don't necessarily think Rivers is a bad coach, but I do think he's a bad fit for this roster, and I've thought that since the day he was hired.
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John (Chicago): Within a conference, teams play at least 78 common games, so the divisional alignments are entirely arbitrary and serve no competitive purpose. What's the league's justification for not just seeding the playoffs 1-8?
John Hollinger: You'll have to ask David Stern that one. I don't think it makes any sense either. The 1-4 matchups we're looking at for the playoffs just underline the stupidity of the current system.
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Luke (Clevland): With the Cavs struggling right now, what can the Cavs do to solve this? I think a trade is needed to help keep Cleveland in the Playoff race.
John Hollinger: Cleveland's probelm is that they lost two starters and don't have much of a bench. Getting Sideshow Bob back should help, but they really need a defensive guy in the backcourt -- Luke Jackson isn't cutting the mustard and they're about three years too late on Ira Newble.
John Hollinger: Dikembe just got T'd up for throwing an elbow at Marvin Williams. Welcome back to Atlanta Deke.
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Chris (Vegas): John - what are some possible trade scenarios for the Jazz to bring in some guard help?
John Hollinger: It all depends on Boozer. I think Utah would be abundantly open to moving him, but first he has to play a few games and prove he's healthy. Otherwise the Jazz don't have many assets to throw into a deal -- I doubt they could get much for Kris Humphries.
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Greg (LA): What do the Spurs have to do to be able to beat Detroit in the Finals?
John Hollinger: Basically, they have to score, and they haven't been able to in the teams' two matchups so far this year. The secondary guys -- Finley, Barry, Van Exel, Mohammed -- are giving them nothing.
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Jason (Orlando FL): Wouldn't it be smart if Orlando traded Francis for solid role players and good draft picks to build around Nelson/Howard?
John Hollinger: Yes, and good luck with that. Francis's contract and history make it difficult to exchange him for anything of value.
John Hollinger: 49-39 Hawks at halftime. Get well soon T-Mac.
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Quan, Dallas: Hello John. I always have respect for your opinions. Concerning the Mavs, obviously they had to send Dampier a message and bench him, but what are his chances of responding positively considering his fragile demeanor? Also, if we have any chance of going deep, we need him involved.
John Hollinger: Flattery will get you far Quan. As for the Dampier sittuation, what we're seeing a lot of at this time of year is what might be called "motivational benchings." Eddie Jordan did the same thing with Brendan Haywood in Washington -- sit the guy down for a couple of games to remind him that playing him has to be earned. I think Dampier will work his way back into the starting group at some point, but he'll have to pick up the effort first.
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Micah (Cambridge MA): Who's your coach of the year so far? D'Antoni?
John Hollinger: Several good candidates, but D'Antoni is at the top of my list right now. Flip Saunders, Rick Carlisle, Avery Johnson and Mike Fratello also merit consideration.
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Rob (NY): I've been arguing with friends over this one. The Hawks need a PG and they have the trade assets to land Marbury or Francis, who are much maligned. But aren't they better than anyone Atlanta can get through the draft or free agency?
John Hollinger: Here's the problem with that scenario -- by the time the Hawks are ready to win anything, both guys will be past their prime and still drawing big dolalrs. Francis/Marbury really only make sense for teams that are a) underachieving and b) not terribly young. Unfortunately, the teams that fit that description best are the ones they already play for.
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jack (pasadena, texas): It seems that the Rockets this year are a lot like the Spurs in 1996-1997 when D. Robinson went down, they got the top pick, and got a healthy D. Rob AND T. Duncan. Do you think maybe the all the injuries may actually be a good thing longterm for the Rockets?
John Hollinger: I'm glad you brought that up, because I was thinking about that same topic the other day. If Houston ends up with a high lottery pick, it could end up being a blessing in disguise, because they're shockingly devoid of talent after Yao and Tracy.
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Brian (Lawrence, KS): Is it detrimental for Glen Taylor to basically tell reporters Olowokandi is going to be traded before the deal is done? And where might he end up?
John Hollinger: I don't think that was very wise, no, and I'm not sure where Kandi will end up. He has an expiring contract, so it may be for somebody with a longer deal in the same salary range (5-6 Mil) but a bit more talent. Obvious name No. 1 that comes to mind is Earl Watson, but that's pure speculation on my part.
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Jack (Sactown): Do you see the Kings making any moves soon? And do you think they will weather the storm and maybe get into the playoffs?
John Hollinger: I think Sacto has to have almost everybody on the market right now. Peja is the most obvious candidate since it's his walk year, but don't forget Bonzi Wells either. I don't see the Kings as a playoff team, no, though I must add that they're sneaking back into the picture a little bit.
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Shawn (Washington DC): If the season ended today, would Kobe be the MVP?
John Hollinger: No, but he'd show up on a lot of ballots. An unusual number of players are playing at an MVP caliber, making this year' s race quite interesting.
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Jake (Detroit): The Pistons are still #1 in offensive efficiency and are moving back up the chart in defensive efficiency (up to #9 from #16). Was their performance against the Spurs evidence that they can still turn on their suffocating defense when they need to?
John Hollinger: Detroit has picked up the D a bit of late, but I think that particular game may have been more indicative of San Antonio's recent offensive struggles. Spurs are still the favorites in the West, but they're looking much more vulnerable than I had expected. They may need to make a deal similar to the one last year for Mohammed to shake things up a little.
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Joey (Denver): John, how do you feel about Denver's chances to get back in it once they get healthy (except for Nene). With Camby back and if Martin can heal up, they could have another dangerous second half.
John Hollinger: I fully expect to see Denver in the playoffs, especially if they can exchange Watson or Miller for a true shooting guard or a big man. Camby's return will help, but I'm getting real worried about K-Mart -- at what point do we describe his problem as "chronic"?
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Elyse, Santa Barbara: How can Phil Jackson not be a candidate for coach of the year? Prior to the season, everyone said the lakers would be a lottery team. Well, Kobe and Phil have put them into seventh and looking up. They are doing it with a starting guard that wasn't drafted, a center that has been second string at best on every other team, and with the second youngest roster in the league. I think that merits at least mentioning.
John Hollinger: Forgot about Phil. My bad. Definitely deserves a mention.
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lew (atl): Why don't the Lakers get a PG like Jalen Rose in a trade, and let Odom move to a real forward role?
John Hollinger: I would love to see the Lakers play Odom at the 4 and let him take bigger players off the dribble. In the triangle he could do that repeatedly from the top of the key, which is similar to the play Miami ran for him all the time. They can't get Jalen due to cap issues, but yes, they'd need another guard to really make the Odom switch work.
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Ben (Oakland): Can the Warriors turn it around or are they doomed to return to the lottery?
John Hollinger: To early to start using the L word, but Golden State certainly has some concerns. It's taking Montgomery an awful long time to realize that Diogu and Murphy can't start together because of defensive issues. And I'm still waiting to find out why Dunleavy got paid.
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CJ (Scottsdale): How far do you think the Suns can go if Amare does not come back?
John Hollinger: The scary thing about Phoenix is they might be able to win the West even without him. It'd be an uphill climb, but they look like they'll have a favorable seeding as West No. 2 and, as I mentioned above, San Antonio has a few chinks in its armor right now.
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Matt (Morristown, NJ): Where do you see the Sonics ending this year? Can they make the playoffs?
John Hollinger: No, they're heading right down the tubes. Sonics haven't defended any better under Hill than they did under Weiss, and that's what they need to do to make any kind of run. I can't mince words here -- they are just an unbelievably bad defensive team.
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Rory (Boca Raton, FL): Is it just me or is Milwaukee wishing they didn't pick Andrew Bogut and had picked Chris Paul?
John Hollinger: It's just you. Paul is fantastic, but good bigs are harder to find than good guards, and Milwaukee was already two deep at the point.
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Jason (Baltimore): No Wizards love here? Is there any chance Grunfeld shakes up the roster and gets rid of Jeffries and Atkins?
John Hollinger: Eye-opening blowout of Philly today, which makes it four straight since Jordan shook up the lineup. I think Jeffries will stay, but Atkins has been made expendable by the emergence of Donnell Taylor, and plenty of teams are looking for point guard help.
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Brandon (Cali): The Utah Jazz are holding onto a half game lead in the Northwest Division over Denver and Minnesota. Who do you think will win that division?
John Hollinger: I think it's Denver's to lose, but if they can't stay healthy than Minnesota can swoop in and grab it. I only llke Utah's chances if Boozer can play half a season, and I don't see that happening right now.
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Brett(Jacksonville,FL): You stated it will be difficult to move Francis. With that said, have you heard of any teams interested or any proposals that could be out there?
John Hollinger: I haven't heard of anyone who is even interested. Orlando's best bet is to try to get Francis back with the program, but obviously that's easier said than done.
John Hollinger: Rockets have closed it to 55-53 in the middle of the third. Say this for Van Gundy -- he has these guys playing hard. But it's not easy when you've got 6-2 guys guarding Al Harrington and rookie/10-day guys getting key minutes. Houston is basically a glorified CBA team right now.
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Todd (Tucson): Is there any clarification of exactly what Francis' "conduct determinental to the team" was?
John Hollinger: He refused to re-enter a game, which has become an unusually popular form of protest in the past couple of years.
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Michael (Houston, TX): We know that, but it still hurts to see it in print...we need healthy bodies or a couple of new ones
John Hollinger: I feel your pain. Hey, at least you're getting the All-Star game.
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King -NJ: John, You're not taking any Nets question today. Is there any good 4 player out that can Help help the NetS?
John Hollinger: By "King", do you mean Albert or Bernard? As for the Nets, they've been hot and heavy for Chris Wilcox for some time but haven't had the goods to entice L.A. Also, Jersey may feel less urgency now than they did a month ago.
damon (pittsburgh): Am I the only one who doesn't see the "superstar potential" in Marvin Williams that everyone seems to be talking about? People have been calling him the next James Worthy or Bernard King, but I see a 6'9" guy who plays hard but is without great ball-skills and breaktaking athleticism and has small hands. Maybe I'm just living in a vacuum.
John Hollinger: Actually, Marvin has done some eye-opening things the past few games -- big-time jams and offensive boards (including one just now to put the Hawks up by five). He's got a real nice jumper too and could be a serious outside threat in a couple years. But let's face it, the Hawks are hoping that he'll become the player Chris Paul already is.
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joe (new york): 'Melo seems to have really stepped it up this season. Has he finally made the leap, and is he an All-Star this season?
John Hollinger: Karl has been real good for Anthony, getting him to go to the basket more and stop settling for 20-footers. As for the All-Star game, I'll be addressing that in my column tomorrow. Stay tuned.
John Hollinger: Zaza Pachulia just made a leaping behind-the-back pass to Harrington for a lay-up. Now I've seen everything ... Hawks by 8.
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Homero (Buenos Aires): Is Pierce finally going to be dealt? There were rumours about him going to either the Los Angeles Clippers or Chicago Bulls.
John Hollinger: I've heard a lot of talk about the Celtics finally being ready to make a move, and Pierce may not be the only guy in play. I wouldn't be surprised it all if something went down fairly soon. I'm still not sure that's the right direction for Boston, but I'll withhold judgment until I see what they get in return.
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zaza(On the court): I was a superstar in Milwaukee and now in the A.T.L as well!!!
John Hollinger: Nice to see you're keeping your wireless browser with you on the court. Now play some defense -- Mutombo's 72 years old and he's killing you on the offensive boards.
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Kevin Garnett: Can I get a legit All-Star to help me any time soon? Pierce, Franchise, Artest, anyone?
John Hollinger: Not sure about an all-star, but maybe somebody a tier below to round out the rotation. Let's see what's going on with the Olowokandi situation -- help may arrive soon.
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Minh (SF, CA): One of your ESPN colleague in a chat last week said Houston is going into the Artest sweepstakes. Can you further comment?
John Hollinger: I'm sure they've made an offer, and I'm equally sure it was summarily rejected. Not sure what Houston has to offer that would be remotely tempting for Indy.
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Dieter (Gig Harbor, WA): Why did Nate McMillan and Bob Weis keep Robert Swift on the bench for his first seasons in the NBA. I mean he didn't play hardly at all and they didn't even bother to put him into a developmental league. Finally coach Bob Hill is letting him play. What are your thoughts about the previous coach's decisions to bench him?
John Hollinger: I can't argue with the previous coach's decisions, becuase their perspective was that they were a contending team and couldn't afford to use the minutes on him. It was true last year, too. Now that Seattle knows they're rebuilding, it makes more sense to play him. I like what I've seen too -- he's a lot more aware defensively than most guys his age and seems to have good hands around the basket.
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Jack (NEW BRITIAN): Who has the best chance to win Rookie of the Year?
John Hollinger: Chris Paul will win unless he gets hurt. Bogut is a distant second.
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Chris Kaman (Los Angeles): Hey Mr. Hollinger. What do you think of my game? Do you think, in another year, people might be talking about me with the other top centers in the league? Be honest. I can be better than Zydrunas Ilgauskas, right? Knock-knock-knockin' on Yao Ming's door.
John Hollinger: No, no and no. Kaman scores a little in the post and is playing better D this year, but the only reason Clips fans are so excited is because they watched Michael Olowokandi for so long. Kaman is still way too turnover prone and not nearly as accurate as those guys.
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John (Oakland): Why is Diogu untouchable in a potential trade for Artest? He plays the same position as Troy Murphy. Artest is definitely a top 20 player. Diogu isn't even close to that yet, and may never be.
John Hollinger: What it boils down to is that Artest is considered a great enough risk that nobody wants to give up anything they really value to get him. The Warriors place a high value on Diogu because they figure in two years he might give them a 20-point scorer on a rookie contract, so there was no way they'd include him in a trade.
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Andrew (Newton, MA): What do you think of Jamal Crawford? I know he's not superstar material, but he's really working well in a sixth man role -- substantially better numbers in fewer minutes than as a starter.
John Hollinger: I'm glad you brought up Crawford. I didn't think it was possible for a Knick to become underrated, but he's having a real good year and nobody's talking about it. He's gotta be near the top of the list as far as Sixth Man candidates are concerned.
John Hollinger: Alright folks, I need to clear out of here. Thanks again for all the questions and we'll do this again next Monday at 3. Enjoy the holiday!