[Wrencytet]

Alright here is my all star break review.


Mavs-Easily the best team in the league, having only 9 losses at the all start break. This team has finally got the missing piece to the puzzel. Dirk. I've never been a big fan of his as long as he has been in Dallas. But there IMO are two things that take you're game to the next level. Getting your teammates involved and showing up when it counts(the 4th quarter). This week alone Dirk as won 2 games for us in the 4th quarter. He finally has stepped up and said its his team in the 4th and we aren't going to lose with him. Lets see if he can do this in the playoffs. Josh Howard having to be named an all star sub is ridiculous. The suns without Nash are not a great team but they somehow have 2 more all stars then the Mavs? Bitter? Yes.


Suns-This team needs the all star break. They are 5-5 over their last 10 games and have lost 3 in a row. Nash is making more of a case for being MVP when he's not playing then he has during his play. Without him in the lineup this team is average. Its not that they don't have great players but they don't have a deep bench. When you take out Nash you still have Barbosa. The problem with that, is now they don't have someone to come off the bench and spell Barbosa. They also only have a winning record against one of the top 5 teams in the West. They are 19-10 against the West and 20-3 against the East. That's not a good stat come playoff time. Even with that stat, I feel they can beat any team in the West in a 7 game series minus the Jazz and Mavs.


Spurs-As Hof predicted at the beginning of the year this is the 4th best team in the league. Their bench consists of 36 year old has-beens and they have 2 centers that are almost as bad as Nazr. This team is in serious trouble. Ginooobbbllliiii also has not elevated his game like he was supposed to the past 2 years. Udrich who looked like a promising young player a couple of years ago has fallen to the ways of Manu and has not improved/regressed. The experience on this team is deep so you can't count them out early in the playoffs. However, with their older players and lack of bench, they will wear down and be exposed.


Jazz-I've been waiting for this team to pull a Magic and just disappear. I figured it would happen when Boozer went down. This team is the real deal and if AK47 ever gets his game to closely resemble what it was last year they will be even better. This team doesn't have the playoff experience so we will see how that affects them. They could make it to the conference finals if they get a 2nd round match up against the suns and not the mavs.

Rockets-Without Yao, the Rockets have been pretty impressive. This team plays solid defense and the role players like battier and Alston are stepping up. McGrady supposedly has a new remedy for his back and that's why he's been able to play lights out night in and night out. With the sharp shooters on this team, combined with McGrady and a healthy Yao. This team could be dangerous in the playoffs. This is the one team I fear playing as a Mavs fan. If Yao can come back from his leg injury like Amare did this year, that's the key to this team making a run.


Lakers-Going down in a hurry, the only team looking forward to the All-Star break as much as the suns. Bynum is too young to handle the load full time. This isn't looking like the Lakers year as much as it did earlier but this is a good building block for the youth on their team. Need a PG but they may not be able to land one that can learn the offense in time for the playoffs.



The East.


Cavs-This team plays like they are lost. Gooden and James give 100% effort on every play but no one else on this team bothers to. Hughes has to stop settling for his jump shot and drive to the lane. Z has to pretend he is a poor mans Yao Ming instead of a poor mans Shaun Bradley. James also needs to learn to make a damn free throw. He keeps saying its mental. This guy was the next MJ? D Wade each and every night outshines James. Desperate need of a PG or Hughes to step up his game


Wizards-The suns of East. Everyone's said that offense alone isn't going to get you far in the playoffs. It won't. 2nd round exit.


Orlando-What the hell happened to this team? Dwight Howard needs to call for the ball on every single play...end of story

Indiana-This team is way too inconsistent. Some nights they play great others they play worse then the Celtics. They also can't stay out of trouble. Its really getting old hearing about them getting into fights and threatening people.


Chicago-As much as bulls fans don't want to hear this. You NEED Gasol. This team with Gasol(even giving up deng or gordon and thomas to get him) will lead you to the finals. Which finals? That depends on Detroit/Miami. Gordon has the most inconsistent stat line of any player in the league. I have stopped calling him Ben Jordan and will now call him Ben Grossman.


Raptors-Not gonna lie I don't really know much about this team. They are growing and have a good foundation. They'll make it to the playoffs but not past the first round.


Pistons- I'll admit it, that C-webb singing was a lot better for them, than I or most pistons fans thought it was going to be. My favorite play to watch is when you give the ball to C-Webb in the box and Hamilton runs up behind him. Webber passes the ball and screens Rips guy, and rip hits the open mid range jumper. They should run this play every single time. I've never seen it fail(in the 2 games I've watched) If the bulls don't trade for Gasol, its between the stones and Heat for the East.


Heat-D Wade for MVP? This guy has carried this team on his back without Shaq. With Shaq coming back it frees up J Will and Kapono for some open 3's. It also frees up the lanes more for D Wade to T-bad someone when he dunks. Kapono is shooting over 50% from 3 point land. Why this guy doesn't get more shots is beyond me. Anybody that thinks the Heat are done. Remember that's what people said last year. And how easily we forget that you can't lay a pinky of D wade in the finals. He's as clutch this year in the 4th quarter as MJ. I'm not saying he is Jordan but man this guy owns the 4th quarter.



MVP Voting
1. Nash
2. Dirk
3. D Wade.

Most improved player
1. Josh Howard
2. Kevin Martin
3. I know I'm forgetting an obvious guy but I can't think of his name


Bivetta vs Barkley Prediction
Barkley easily. He can't be beat by a 67 year old man.


Finals prediction

Mavs in 6 over the Pistons

[Erunsenef]

Alright here is my all star break review.


Mavs-Easily the best team in the league, having only 9 losses at the all start break. This team has finally got the missing piece to the puzzel. Dirk. I've never been a big fan of his as long as he has been in Dallas. But there IMO are two things that take you're game to the next level. Getting your teammates involved and showing up when it counts(the 4th quarter). This week alone Dirk as won 2 games for us in the 4th quarter. He finally has stepped up and said its his team in the 4th and we aren't going to lose with him. Lets see if he can do this in the playoffs. Josh Howard having to be named an all star sub is ridiculous. The suns without Nash are not a great team but they somehow have 2 more all stars then the Mavs? Bitter? Yes.


Suns-This team needs the all star break. They are 5-5 over their last 10 games and have lost 3 in a row. Nash is making more of a case for being MVP when he's not playing then he has during his play. Without him in the lineup this team is average. Its not that they don't have great players but they don't have a deep bench. When you take out Nash you still have Barbosa. The problem with that, is now they don't have someone to come off the bench and spell Barbosa. They also only have a winning record against one of the top 5 teams in the West. They are 19-10 against the West and 20-3 against the East. That's not a good stat come playoff time. Even with that stat, I feel they can beat any team in the West in a 7 game series minus the Jazz and Mavs.


Spurs-As Hof predicted at the beginning of the year this is the 4th best team in the league. Their bench consists of 36 year old has-beens and they have 2 centers that are almost as bad as Nazr. This team is in serious trouble. Ginooobbbllliiii also has not elevated his game like he was supposed to the past 2 years. Udrich who looked like a promising young player a couple of years ago has fallen to the ways of Manu and has not improved/regressed. The experience on this team is deep so you can't count them out early in the playoffs. However, with their older players and lack of bench, they will wear down and be exposed.


Jazz-I've been waiting for this team to pull a Magic and just disappear. I figured it would happen when Boozer went down. This team is the real deal and if AK47 ever gets his game to closely resemble what it was last year they will be even better. This team doesn't have the playoff experience so we will see how that affects them. They could make it to the conference finals if they get a 2nd round match up against the suns and not the mavs.

Rockets-Without Yao, the Rockets have been pretty impressive. This team plays solid defense and the role players like battier and Alston are stepping up. McGrady supposedly has a new remedy for his back and that's why he's been able to play lights out night in and night out. With the sharp shooters on this team, combined with McGrady and a healthy Yao. This team could be dangerous in the playoffs. This is the one team I fear playing as a Mavs fan. If Yao can come back from his leg injury like Amare did this year, that's the key to this team making a run.


Lakers-Going down in a hurry, the only team looking forward to the All-Star break as much as the suns. Bynum is too young to handle the load full time. This isn't looking like the Lakers year as much as it did earlier but this is a good building block for the youth on their team. Need a PG but they may not be able to land one that can learn the offense in time for the playoffs.



The East.


Cavs-This team plays like they are lost. Gooden and James give 100% effort on every play but no one else on this team bothers to. Hughes has to stop settling for his jump shot and drive to the lane. Z has to pretend he is a poor mans Yao Ming instead of a poor mans Shaun Bradley. James also needs to learn to make a damn free throw. He keeps saying its mental. This guy was the next MJ? D Wade each and every night outshines James. Desperate need of a PG or Hughes to step up his game


Wizards-The suns of East. Everyone's said that offense alone isn't going to get you far in the playoffs. It won't. 2nd round exit.


Orlando-What the hell happened to this team? Dwight Howard needs to call for the ball on every single play...end of story

Indiana-This team is way too inconsistent. Some nights they play great others they play worse then the Celtics. They also can't stay out of trouble. Its really getting old hearing about them getting into fights and threatening people.


Chicago-As much as bulls fans don't want to hear this. You NEED Gasol. This team with Gasol(even giving up deng or gordon and thomas to get him) will lead you to the finals. Which finals? That depends on Detroit/Miami. Gordon has the most inconsistent stat line of any player in the league. I have stopped calling him Ben Jordan and will now call him Ben Grossman.


Raptors-Not gonna lie I don't really know much about this team. They are growing and have a good foundation. They'll make it to the playoffs but not past the first round.


Pistons- I'll admit it, that C-webb singing was a lot better for them, than I or most pistons fans thought it was going to be. My favorite play to watch is when you give the ball to C-Webb in the box and Hamilton runs up behind him. Webber passes the ball and screens Rips guy, and rip hits the open mid range jumper. They should run this play every single time. I've never seen it fail(in the 2 games I've watched) If the bulls don't trade for Gasol, its between the stones and Heat for the East.


Heat-D Wade for MVP? This guy has carried this team on his back without Shaq. With Shaq coming back it frees up J Will and Kapono for some open 3's. It also frees up the lanes more for D Wade to T-bad someone when he dunks. Kapono is shooting over 50% from 3 point land. Why this guy doesn't get more shots is beyond me. Anybody that thinks the Heat are done. Remember that's what people said last year. And how easily we forget that you can't lay a pinky of D wade in the finals. He's as clutch this year in the 4th quarter as MJ. I'm not saying he is Jordan but man this guy owns the 4th quarter.



MVP Voting
1. Nash
2. Dirk
3. D Wade.

Most improved player
1. Josh Howard
2. Kevin Martin
3. I know I'm forgetting an obvious guy but I can't think of his name


Bivetta vs Barkley Prediction
Barkley easily. He can't be beat by a 67 year old man.


Finals prediction

Mavs in 6 over the Pistons

Matt Carroll is having his best season by far for the Bobcats. Kind of came out of nowhere.

[kneexyFreedly]

i would vote for Dirk for MVP.

the mavs won't win anything. they are one of those teams that will go down in history as shoulda woulda coulda. although if the pistons don't win, i would want the mavs to win. Cuban 4 Prez.

[Infiseeenvelp]

What? No Sixers review?

Shenanigans.

[IRMartin]

wolves are just finding ways to win right nw

how are they not on your list

[bapimporb]

Darko = most improved player.

Howard doesn't deserve that award. he was already a very very good player. this award is for guys who are below average that turn into good players. not borderline great players who turn into great players. spare me the garbage that he helps in ways that don't show up in the stat line. i don't care. he was already good. already was their best defender. already the #2 guy.

[Lipitorseffec]

What? No Sixers review?

Shenanigans.

I say Shenanigans on the NBA.

[chootsonege]

Darko isn't the most improved. He averaged 7.6 PPG with the magic last year. Thats gone up a whole one point.

Matt Carroll while he is done great, 4 PPG isn't going to win the award.

Also both those players mentioned above just improved one aspect of their game.

Howard has turned into a superstar in this league. With every year that he's gotten better so have the mavs. I'll concede that Martin is going to win it but Howard should be top 3. Howard was good last year but most considered him a role player. He's turned his game into being a star this year.

I still can't think of the guy that I wanted to put in 3rd

[Immusaatmonna]

I feel good about your preduiction

You said the Mavs were gonna win last year too

I like the Pistons chances

[Lt_Apple]

Deron Williams. Thats who I was thinking of. I'd actually put him above Martin. You want a guy thats improved his all around game(like Howard) it's Williams

[Marlboro-oroblraM]

Darko isn't the most improved. He averaged 7.6 PPG with the magic last year. Thats gone up a whole one point.

Matt Carroll while he is done great, 4 PPG isn't going to win the award.

Also both those players mentioned above just improved one aspect of their game.

Howard has turned into a superstar in this league. With every year that he's gotten better so have the mavs. I'll concede that Martin is going to win it but Howard should be top 3. Howard was good last year but most considered him a role player. He's turned his game into being a star this year.

I still can't think of the guy that I wanted to put in 3rd

11 1/2 ppg actually.

[xADMlNx]

11 1/2 ppg actually.

I meant a 4 ppg increase

[illignocearia]

Luke Walton should be in the most improved discussion.

He's the reason the Lakers are slumping right now. They need him back quick.

[lakraboob]

I meant a 4 ppg increase

Just like Howard, but I guess that extra board and half a block seals it.

[Zavdpacq]

Luke Walton should be in the most improved discussion.

He's the reason the Lakers are slumping right now. They need him back quick.

The lakers are struggling because their whole team has been injured this year.

Brown, Mihm, Walton, Odom. Thats 3 out of 5 starters that have missed a lot of time.

Yes Walton should be talked about as well.

[appabessy]

Just like Howard, but I guess that extra board and half a block seals it.

He'll spin that quickly enough ima sure

[Abarricoss]

Just like Howard, but I guess that extra board and half a block seals it.

You mean actually playing defense, being a hustle player, and a go to guy down the stretch now?

Yes


Is Carroll any of those?

[Yartonbler]

I found this. Take it for what its worth.

5 Votes for Martin
1 Vote for Howard
1 Vote for Walton
1 Vote for Boozer

http://www.nba.com/features/midseaso...timproved.html

[Unlopssesuj]

The lakers are struggling because their whole team has been injured this year.

Brown, Mihm, Walton, Odom. Thats 3 out of 5 starters that have missed a lot of time.

Yes Walton should be talked about as well.

They weren't struggling until the last 12 games. Luke Walton has missed 11 games in a row. I don't think it is a coincidence. Walton runs that offense better than anyone on the team other than Kobe. And he's the intangibles guy on the team.

But you are right in that they'd be much farther ahead if the injuries weren't there. Odom needs to round in playing form and Brown is going to take awhile to get back into playing shape after missing 2 months.

[Starichok]

You mean actually playing defense, being a hustle player, and a go to guy down the stretch now?

Yes


Is Carroll any of those?

i was kidding about Darko. i figured you would see it.

see this stuff in your post here is what i am talking about. Howard did all of that stuff really really good last year.

Deron Williams will take this award or should take this award running away. You could actually make a case that he is a more valuable player than your boy Howard.