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GORDON PROVES HE’S STILL GOT IT - By Zack Elkhaldy  

(Photo: David Zalubowski/STF)

Second chances don’t around very often, let alone a sixth.  But when it comes to the Houston Rockets’ backup shooting guard, Eric Gordon, his opportunity to shine this season has proven he’s been  one of the most underrated acquisitions in this past summer’s free agency frenzy.  With the All-Star break right around the corner, the leading Sixth Man of the Year of candidate is none other than Gordon.

While players this past offseason were taking advantage of the increased salary caps, and walking away with more than they probably should have, Gordon quietly signed a four-year, $12.4 million dollar contract with the Rockets.

Why?  Well because of his proven history of being injury prone.  

Gordon’s missed 173 games out of a 394, 43% of the possible games played, in his five-year stint with the New Orleans Pelicans.  It was like the Pelicans’ fan base barely knew him, let alone the rest of the NBA.

But the difference between the Rockets and the Pelicans for Gordon are the expectations.  While Gordon is in the middle of his eighth season in the league, the primary role on his last two teams, the Pelicans and the Los Angeles Clippers, was to be a starter. Now that he’s with the Rockets, he can come off the bench for All-Star and regular season MVP candidate, James Harden.

This role of being a backup is new to Gordon, but is paying dividends, especially with how well the Rockets are doing.  Led by coach Mike D’Antoni’s fast-paced offense, the Rockets are currently the fourth best team in the league, with a record of 34-14.  Not bad for a team that many predicted would not even make the playoffs at the start of the season.

And to quote one of the greatest basketball coaches of all-time, John Wooden, “It’s not so important who starts the game but who finishes it.” Gordon is playing his best ball since the 2011 campaign with the Clippers, where now he is averaging 17.4 ppg on 30 minutes and has played 46 games out of a possible 48 (he also started 8 of them).  

Since the addition of Gordon, D’Antoni mixed up the lineup to have Harden play point guard.  The payout on this move has been tremendous, as both Harden and Gordon are balling out of their minds to close the games.  Harden, a former Sixth Man of the Year himself, is averaging 28.6 ppg, 11.6 apg, 8.1 rpg and has not missed a single game this season.

"Before the season, they expected us to be eighth or ninth in the West, 10th in the West," Harden said. "We're third (in the conference) with a chance to be second or first. Obviously, I'm not doing it alone. Eric Gordon is the second-leading scorer. He's top ... in 3-pointers made. He's doing it at an extremely high level. You can't overlook that. 

"For us to be where we are midway through the season, obviously our team is playing well but Eric is playing at an extremely high level."

If anything, this year was supposed to be the changing of the guard for the Sixth Man award, since its’ the big men who have been making a strong case. The 26-19 Oklahoma City Thunder have center Enes Kanter who’s averaging 14.6 ppg and 7.5 rpg, and the 26-20 Memphis Grizzlies have power forward Zach Randolph 13.7 ppg and 8.2 rpg.  Both Kanter and Randolph were also starters for most of their careers until their recent transition to the second unit helped bolster their teams’ chances of making it to the playoffs.

Since 2005, 11 of the last 12 players awarded Sixth Man of the Year are shooting guards (including swingman Mike Miller).  The prototype of a successful sixth man for any team has been a great shooter off the bench.  Past winners – J.R. Smith, Jamal Crawford, and Lou Williams – are already out of the race for the season, for each of their or team’s respective issues.  The last one to represent the shooting guards proudly is Gordon.

Nobody may have predicted the Rockets to be a top contender in the league thus far.  And nobody else but the Rockets may have wanted to give Gordon another chance. But to see Gordon serve the role of the co-pilot on the Rockets’ quest to win a championship is what makes this mission possible.  Houston is ready for takeoff, all thanks to the steady hand of the possible Sixth Man of the Year.

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GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN -- By Zack Elkhaldy (Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)

December 19th, 2016.

It was halftime of the San Antonio Spurs game as they were hosting the New Orleans Pelicans, and the Spurs’ organization decided to hold a 40-minute jersey retirement ceremony for the franchise’s best player, Tim Duncan. What’s remarkable about this event is the fact that Duncan retired back in July, so to see his jersey hanging from the rafters of the AT&T Center over five months later is rather… quick.

The event would include a highlight reel of Duncan's best plays, all of his close teammates, general manager R.C. Buford, head coach Gregg Popovich and Duncan himself.  

The ceremony could have gone on longer if Duncan had anything to say, rather than awkwardly standing at center court with an unprepared speech for four minutes and 14 seconds.

"I lasted longer than 30 seconds," Duncan joked to close off his speech.

It was no secret that the 6' 11" giant had his tendencies of being shy in the spotlight, but only when he had a microphone in his hand, not with a basketball.

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One of the phrases we hear when a person passes away is "Gone, but not forgotten".  But if the phrase was ever to describe a certain professional athlete of such a prolific career, then it can perfectly sum up Tim Duncan's 19 years in the NBA.  

Duncan was a part of all five San Antonio Spurs' championships, and joins John Salley as the only two players to win a title in three different decades.  His accolades also include 15 time All-Star, 10 time All-NBA first team, eight time All-Defensive first team, three Finals MVP and two regular season MVP awards.

Yet, the thing he mastered most throughout his career was to continually slip our minds when another season would start. It was almost as if with each successful season he had, the media and fans were saying "Now he's done" when it came to racking up each of his accomplishments.

But it was one of the fine perks for a quiet, humble guy playing for a smaller market team: Staying under the radar.

In a day and age where the NBA is more about being flashy than fundamentals, it took “The Big Fundamental” to restore things back to order.  

It was normal to be distracted by the bigger market teams that had the likes of Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Dwayne Wade or Lebron James.  Those four superstars were special because they were a part of back-to-back championship teams and were even Finals MVPs.  

Duncan never was able to repeat.  He had won championships in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014.  But if anything, that’s even more remarkable than a repeat. It shows that he had helped build a team into a perennial contender every year.

After his first title, every other championship was to interrupt another team from writing their way into history.  In 2003, the Spurs stopped the Los Angeles Lakers, who were on their way to winning their fourth consecutive NBA Finals.  In 2005, San Antonio defeated the Detroit Pistons, who were pursuing back-to-back titles.  In 2007, the Spurs swept the Cleveland Cavaliers, putting a young Lebron James to a halt of seeking his first ring.  Then in 2014, the Spurs thrashed James’ new team, the Miami Heat, from winning a third consecutive title in the four years that James had been there.

All of those championships he had won were at a time where the league needed to be reminded this sport is about the team and not the individual.  It just took an unselfish leader like Duncan to remind his teammates that there was nothing wrong with sticking to the fundamentals, no matter how archaic they were.

In the end, Duncan’s numbers will show a different story.  He’s ranked all-time in points (14th), rebounds (6th) and blocks (5th), while averaging a career double-double with 19 ppg and 10.8 rpg.

Going back to the whole big market versus small market conversation, even Duncan had his fair share of problems off the court.  The biggest difference is not everyone knew the news, as compared to Kobe’s bad night in Colorado or Lebron’s mother being infatuated with a teammate.

Duncan was going through a nasty divorce in the spring of 2013, where most allegations point to his ex-wife cheating on him with a disguised gym trainer.  It was his same ex-wife who talked him into staying with the Spurs in the midst of his free agency period in the summer of 2003, where Duncan was offered a seven year, over $220 million dollar contract with the Orlando Magic.

Again, as history shows, Duncan came away with championships after each of those decisions. After picking the Spurs over the Magic, Duncan was able to acquire a ring in three of the next five seasons. Then after the divorce, the following season he was able to win his final championship for San Antonio.  

And what many disregard when it came to Duncan during those two seasons, during and after the divorce, was the fact he was playing at a level as if he was in his prime again.  In the 2013 season, the 37-year old Duncan averaged 17.8 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 2.7 bpg and shot his career best 82% from the line (he was a 70% career free throw shooter). Then in 2014, the 38-year old averaged 15.1 ppg, 9.1 rpg and 1.9 bpg.

With adversity came a more focused individual in Duncan.  He averted his way from the spotlight so he can gather his own energy and use it out on the court.  With each success brought more opportunity to San Antonio.

After the Spurs wrapped up the 2015-2016 season, where the team won a franchise best 67 games, the free agency began.  And after talks of the Spurs acquiring All-Star and NBA Champion, Pau Gasol, did Duncan finally hand a press release out to the media announcing his retirement.

It was almost as if he waited until the Spurs were in a position to still be contenders so he can move on.  After all, San Antonio drafted him first overall in the 1997 draft, after tanking the previous season with a record of 20-62.  In all 19 years of Duncan’s career, the Spurs have never missed the playoffs.  His relationship with San Antonio was the role of a protector, like how Batman was to Gotham.  

Even while retired, Duncan still embraces in an unofficial role with the organization.  During the offseason, he would often come and do drills with Gasol and the rest of the big men.  He still talks basketball with Popovich, and gives him some scouting leads on players he think would be a great fit.  

Coaching?  Hell no! Not that he has the basketball I.Q. for the job, it’s just he knows he’s too awkward to speak.  His instructions were more through body language, kind of like his retirement speech.

There will be many more NBA players that will come and go, while winning multiple championships.  But none will be as humble or great of a leader, than Tim Duncan.  He is gone, but certainly not forgotten.

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HITTING THE TARGET -- By Zack Elkhaldy (Photo: Sam Forencich/Getty Images)

This past November was my first time visiting Portland, OR.  Just a really beautiful city with a community that is jointed by three things: breweries, healthy diets and Trailblazers basketball.

It was so strange to see such an alternative city support their professional sports teams (they are also huge fans of the MLS team, the Portland Timbers), but all throughout the city, people alike were wearing a player t-shirt with the red or white number zero on the back, as if they were all moving targets.   The last name above the number read "Lillard", as in the All-Star point guard Damian Lillard.

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The 2013 Coach of the Year and now retired NBA coach, George Karl, wrote a book, releasing on January 10th, "Furious George: My Forty Years Surviving NBA Divas, Clueless GMs, and Poor Shot Selection".  Karl did an interview with New York Magazine in late December to publicize his book. 

One of the quotes in the interview was about the head coach of the Trailblazers, Terry Stotts, and the Portland's beloved Lillard.

"I was watching the Portland Trailblazers play, and I was trying to figure out, 'What the hell is wrong with this team?'" Karl said, "My conclusion is that Damian Lillard is getting too much attention.  Who controls the team? The coach and the point guard. And that team is not working. I think their coach, Terry Stotts, is a great coach. So I’m going to say the problem is Lillard."

Ok... Fair assumption from a guy that has been in the league for forty years, right?

Karl has dealt with some selfish, bad tempered players, both on and off the court - Shawn Kemp, Carmelo Anthony and DeMarcus Cousins to name a few.

But with the case of Lillard... Maybe Karl's just jaded as hell.

"I owe a lot to George. I got my start in coaching with George. I wouldn't be here if not for him," Stotts said, in response to Karl’s comments. "But when it comes to my team and my players, he needs to stay in his own lane.

"He doesn't know Damian Lillard. He doesn't know how coachable he is. He doesn't know what a great teammate he is. He doesn't know how much Damian cares about winning and how important he is to this franchise. I thought his comments, however well intended they may have been—which I can't understand—I can't tolerate."

Lillard is in his fifth year, and is averaging 26.8 points and 6.3 assists a game this season.  Aside from Lillard, the only other star player the Blazers have is shooting guard C.J. McCollum, who's averaging 23.3 ppg. 

Other than that, Portland has been lacking in their frontcourt since the departure of forward LaMarcus Alridge two offseasons ago.  While the original one-two punch for the Blazers was an old-school method of having a stellar guard and a solid big man, McCollum has stepped up in Alridge's absence to create one of the most intimidating backcourts in the entire league. 

Last year, the Blazers didn't miss a beat, as they had a 44-38 record and were ousted in the second round of the playoffs by the defending NBA champions, the Golden State Warriors.  Ultimately, if the team had Alridge, they would've suffered the same fate with maybe a few more wins in the regular season.

This year, the formula is not working.  The Blazers are teetering out of the playoffs with a below .500 record, 16-22.

And it's not because of Lillard, who's 11th in the league in offensive real plus-minus stat at 4.50 through 33 games.  Nor is it Stotts, who would have won Coach of the Year in 2016, had it not been for Golden State's record breaking 73 win season. 

The problem stems from the unavoidable void of their frontcourt.  The Blazers’ most notable forwards (Maurice Harkless, Al-Farouq Aminu, Ed Davis) and centers (Miles Plumlee and Meyers Leonard), based on the heavy minutes they are out on the floor, are the true kryptonite.

Plumlee is leading the team in rebounds with 7.6 a game, followed by Aminu at 6.4 rpg.  That’s not exactly impressive for two guys who are each averaging 27 minutes a game. 

Not to mention that aside from Leonard, the rest of the frontcourt are terrible free throw shooters.  Harkless is 69% from the charity stripe this season, Davis is 66%, Aminu is 60%, and Plumlee is at a shaky 54%.  As we remember from school, anything that’s 60% is a ‘D’, and that’s not a passing grade.

The Blazers are also 28th in the league for points allowed, by surrendering 111.2 a game, which is the whole team’s problem.  However, if the frontcourt cannot rebound, shoot free throws, or even defend, then that should have stuck out to a basketball mind like Karl. 

Now granted, it looks as if whoever gets the eighth seed in the Western Conference will have a below .500 record.  And currently, it’s a race between the current eighth seed Blazers, and the last two teams Karl had coached, the 15-21 Sacramento Kings and the 14-22 Denver Nuggets.

But, as long as Lillard stays healthy, then the Blazers can realign their expectations of the season and just make it to the playoffs.  Then look to improve their frontcourt woes in the offseason, or consider sticking to their guns and hoping that the frontcourt players will all mature (the average age between the five core players is 25 years old).

Everyone but Karl can see it though; it’s not Lillard’s fault.  And even though he may have a giant target on the back of his jersey, there are so many coaches, players and fans that would come to defend Lillard.  It takes a certain level of respect to be that kind of leader.

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MAN ON A MISSION -- By Zack Elkhaldy

It's August 2016, and the five time NBA champion, Kobe Bryant, is not used to the whole "retirement" thing.  After scoring 60 points in his grand finale of a career back in April, it doesn't seem much of a shocker to see the future Hall of Famer back on the court. 

Bryant was doing an interview with Jim Rome, in which he was asked, "Who reminds you most of yourself?"  In other words, who is the next Kobe in the league today?

Bryant didn't hesitate with the answer, since the name was someone he had seen recently.

"Russell Westbrook." Bryant said.

“When I turn on the TV and I watch players play, the player that plays with the same kind of emotion and grit and competitive intensity is Russell.”

Bryant picked three superstars to train with over the offseason: Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard and Westbrook.  Why these three?  Well, because they represent the future of this league. 

All three players are still in their 20's and have accomplished significant accolades thus far in their career.  Irving just came off of an impressive postseason which resulted in a championship for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Leonard was the 2014 Finals MVP for the San Antonio Spurs, and... Westbrook? 

Well as far team accolades, he came close to a championship.  In 2012, his Oklahoma City Thunder were the runner-ups in the Finals.  Westbrook just so happened to be the second best player on the team that won the Western Conference Champions.

Since then, he has morphed into the alpha of a team that has only set franchise records.  Last year, Westbrook received All-NBA First Team selection and finished fourth in the MVP voting - behind Stephen Curry, Leonard and Lebron James. 

The person who Westbrook finished one ranking above in the MVP race was then teammate but now Golden State Warrior, Kevin Durant.  Just a month before Bryant was speaking to Rome about Westbrook, Durant left OKC to join the 2015 NBA Champions, to improve his odds of finally winning a title.

With Durant, the Thunder were contenders every year.  Now that he is gone, OKC's chances of winning a championship have dropped significantly before one minute of the NBA season was even played. 

A lot of questions were looming around how Westbrook was going to do this season with a team that lost two of its' key players (counting Serge Ibaka after he was traded in June to the Orlando Magic), but there was something that Bryant, and the rest of the league, saw in Westbrook.  He was something special.

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It's January 1st, 2017.  Welcome to the New Year!  Current NBA standings look so far intact to what many had predicted in the preseason, but now we see that the Thunder are tied for fourth place in the Western Conference with a record of 21-13.  Not bad.

Ok, so why don't we check Westbrook's stats and to be honest, these numbers don’t even look human.  These stats look as if it's straight out of a video game, or if he was playing back in the 60's when stuffing the stat sheets were common. 

Through 34 games, Westbrook is averaging 30.9 points, 10.5 rebounds and 10.7 assists a game.  Not to mention he's gotten a triple-double in 16 of those games played.  That's just absurd!

Ok, before I go any further let me just say that there are a LOT of people who wish to be in Westbrook's shoes.  I'm not talking about skill-wise, I'm talking about that "revenge" factor.  I'm talking about those guys who get dumped because their girlfriends upgraded.  I'm talking about getting fired from a company who you now wish goes under.  Heck, even Bryant must feel some kind of envy towards Westbrook, because once Shaquille O'Neal left the Lakers, even Bryant missed the playoffs the following year. 

Westbrook's motives for this season are clear: "I'm fine without you".  He is perfectly fine without Durant on the team.  Even when the Thunder lost to the Warriors at the Oracle Arena in November, Westbrook tried his best to keep his composure despite suffering a blowout loss, 122-96.  It was as if Durant had invited his ex over to his new house just to brag about how much better his new lover is treating him.  Meanwhile, Westbrook had to just get through the night gritting his teeth while having to say numerous times "I'm fine". 

Ok, so not everything is perfect in Westbrook's world.  The Thunder do have a slight turbulence of losing streaks and as expected, Westbrook has his emotional tendencies - such as December 29th's ejection against the Memphis Grizzlies, where he didn't even have an assist. 

On top of that, Golden State has the best record in the league, 29-5, and Durant is leading the Warriors in points (25.9) and rebounds (8.9) a game.  The Warriors are the favorites to win the championship this year and Durant has gone back to being the leader, instead of being second fiddle like when he was on the Thunder.

But... Westbrook got what he wants. He is the alpha on the team.  In fact, Westbrook has been able to prove that he deserves this position just by getting OKC to within home court advantage in the first round, which is pretty much a routine for the organization since moving from Seattle at the start of the decade.

The Thunder are just a bit off rhythm with Durant gone, but Westbrook has been helping the franchise keep their beat by being the lead conductor now.  If Westbrook is able to average a triple-double for the rest of the season, it would be the first time since 1962 when Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson did it for the then Cincinnati Royals.  If Westbrook can keep up these stats, imagine how many soon to be free agents would want to play with him.

So going back to August, when Bryant was talking to Rome, we can easily see why he chose Westbrook.  If there was anyone who was left by themselves to raise a franchise to championship glory, it was Kobe.  Whether or not Bryant is rewriting history to help OKC win a championship, there’s one thing we can say about Westbrook thus far: He’s playing in a league of his own.

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Pacing Himself

"Timing is Everything."

January 2nd, 2016.  The Indiana Pacers were wrapping up a home win versus the Detroit Pistons, 94-82, inside the Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.  With less than five seconds on the clock, the Pistons were going to wave the white flag by essentially holding for last possession.  Pistons forward Marcus Morris had the ball and was being tightly guarded by Pacers swingman Paul George.  George hit the ball out of the hands of Morris, as the loose ball went out towards half court.  As both players went after the ball, Morris intentionally pushed George.  The final buzzer went off, but George had some unfinished words to say.  As both players were face-to-face right in the middle of the court where the ball was tipped over two hours ago, Morris shoved George again, initiating both teams' benches to clear.  

Fans were watching this, thinking it was déja-vu of the "Malice in the Palace".  Same teams involved, same scenario regarding it being late in the fourth quarter with the Pacers being up by double digits, and a miniature scuffle causing both benches to be empty.  The repercussions of that incident in November 2004 was that the Pacers had three key players suspended for a long time.  So now with the 25 year old Paul George, sparking the shades of that ever-lasting memory, Pacers fans couldn't help but to feel the same way a boxing fan would feel if they saw their fighter up against the ropes, "Get out of there, George!"

Pacers head coach, Frank Vogel, ran over to grab his star player away from the conflict.  It wasn't worth it anyways.  The Pacers had just lost George for 76 games last season because of a fractured leg during the U.S.A. Basketball intrasquad scrimmage.  There was no way the team was going to let their leader miss any more games. 

What people need to realize is that George was being George.  He was going to play every second of the game as if it was competitive.  Granted, it was poor sportsmanship for him to even guard Morris when he wasn't a threat to score.  But George was using his leader mentality, that same mentality he has been gifted since he has brought the Pacers back into relevancy since the previous brawl between the two franchises.  

On November 19th, 2004, the brawl that went from on the court to in the stands was an event that changed the dynamics of both franchises.  Not only was there suspensions to key players, but both teams (more so with the Pacers) had players be labeled as “thugs” since that altercation.  By the following offseason, the Pacers were able to get rid of the biggest troublemakers from the melee – Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson – and from 2007 to 2010, the franchise was just a lottery pick team.  The silver lining from the melee and the years of missing the playoffs was with the 10th pick in 2010 draft, the Pacers selected Paul George.

For two seasons ('12-'13, '13-'14), George had been undoubtedly one of the best players in the league, averaging over 19 points a game and making NBA All-Defensive Team twice. With the Pacers being in the Eastern Conference, George has been casted in the shadow of the greatest player of this generation, Lebron James, specifically when James won two championships with the Miami Heat those same seasons. When the two forwards would square off during the regular season, their stellar all-around play on both ends of the floor would be exciting to watch.  At times, George would get the best of James in those matchups, but in the playoffs it would be James who would dominate.  There's about a six year age difference between the two competitors, so many basketball fans would think that with this playoff experience under his belt, George would pass James eventually.

When George suffered that fractured leg in August 2014, it was as if all of his potential had hit a wall.  It was discouraging to look around the league and see past MVPs, Derrick Rose and Kobe Bryant, suffering one major injury just to now hop back and forth on the injury reserve list every year.  However, George has played in every game for the Pacers this season and has if anything improved since the injury, averaging just below 25 points and 8 rebounds a game.  The Pacers are back to being a playoff contender in a now crowded conference with ten teams above .500, compared to a few seasons ago where there were only six.  

George's return has been an underrated one at best.  His team may not be the East's finest anymore, which brings as to why his performance is being overlooked.  But everyone in the Pacers organization and fanbase know just how valuable Paul George really is.

So it makes sense as to why the Pacers missed the playoffs last season.  It makes sense as to why George was being held back by his coach from a fight that could have escaladed into the next Pacers-Pistons brawl.  But why George decided to swat that ball out of Morris' hands in the closing seconds of a game should come from an opinion that's from his perspective; He wants to makeup for all of the time he had missed.  What George has learned from that altercation is that his strength in being competitive can be a weakness in the sense that it was not needed at that moment.  After all, Paul George is pacing himself to become one of the greats of this generation.  

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Rowdy Roddy Piper #RIP Artwork by Jeremy Wheeler

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Lebron’s Redemption

“You may shoot me with your words, You may cut me with your eyes… But still, like air, I’ll rise.” - Maya Angelou

Game 3. Eastern Conference Finals. The final buzzer just went off in a thrilling overtime victory. After helping the Cleveland Cavaliers come just one win away from a Finals appearance, the superstar of the NBA is not seen celebrating. He is found collapsed on all fours, heavily breathing, with his head down.

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It seems as if the hardest thing to do nowadays is to ask or accept forgiveness. The relationship between the Cavs organization/fanbase and Lebron James was something that four years ago, never thought to be fixed. James went from hero to villain not just with his hometown team, but with most of the fans around the league.

And when James decided to come back this past offseason, Cleveland had the same lingering question a divorced woman would say if the man that she loved, cheated and came back: “Can they be trusted?”

Let’s be honest, this regular season gave the same type of feel of a reunited couple between Lebron and the Cavs. You see them together all over facebook, but outside of social media, you knew there was something wrong.

And there was. Between a rookie coach, a superstar who didn’t seem to “want to fit in,” and the new face of the franchise who’s unwilling to relinquish that title (let alone any of the shot attempts), James had to rebuild the trust to the Cavs while enduring a completely different team than the one he left behind when he fled to South Beach. New and, if anything, difficult chemistry.

What a lot of NBA organizations fail to realize is chemistry involves a history of rapport. The last team to win a championship in their first year with a new roster was the 2008 Boston Celtics, and even then they kept the core players for a few seasons because they knew they could have won another one.

James’ first season with the Miami Heat was a loss in the Finals to the Dallas Mavericks. The next two seasons, he got a pair of rings. His final season in the Heat was another loss in the Finals to the San Antonio Spurs, and while the Spurs looked unbeatable in that series, the chemistry between James and the two superstars he came down to South Beach for - Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh - was out of sync. That’s because the true light was shed on to James; He wanted to go home.

Chemistry. It’s the kind of thing you take for granted.

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So now looking at him and this season with Cleveland, the Cavs were for most of the season dangling in the middle seeds of the Eastern Conference. With each game results came a cry for change.

“Coach David Blatt is on the hot seat!” “Kevin Love says he doesn’t want to fit in, and may leave after this season!” “Point guard Kyrie Irving is a ball hog!”

Somehow in all of these headlines, Cleveland went from worrying about James to not trusting what was surrounding him.

And while Cleveland was eager to forgive, the rest of the league was still looking at this relationship as if it was “Beauty and the Beast,” but with an extra emphasize on the Stockholm Syndrome.

But the thing we can all respect about James is he is in the same predicament with the Cavs as he was before. It’s just him.

It feels as if Karma came down to slap a sense of reality into him. Out of all the great players that stuck out in their respective decades - Bill Russell, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, etc. - James has had the unfortunate task of having the worst win percentage in the Finals out of all. Going to the Finals six times, and now his chance of getting a third ring are slim to none? Karma really has been cruel to James.

But that brings a sense of humility to this new found leader. No more choking in the Finals, no more fleeing to other teams because of insecurities, and no more problems with chemistry between teammates. Just win, or learn for James.

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I’ll end out on my personal favorite memory of Lebron James; Remember when James first went to Miami, and he shot a two minute commercial with Nike where he says, “What should I do?” It basically was showing a side of him embracing the role of the villain, by telling the public ‘I’m gonna do what I’m gonna do.’ One of the examples he brought up was if he should just do slam poetry, and then he quotes that Maya Angelou piece you saw at the beginning of this blog post.

That’s the thing about Lebron. With every fall, comes a person we respect. It’s almost as if he’s tearing down the perfect image we despised him for but accept this state of nirvana he’s reaching because of us witnessing the vulnerability to him.

After all, we are all witnesses. We witnessed an exhausted Lebron James at the end of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals, and just one win away from a place he is all too familiar with. It was at that moment though, him on all fours, that you couldn’t help but forgive Lebron James for everything.

Cause “still, like air, (he) rises.”

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The Giants Return to the World Series, Face an Unusual Opponent in Royals

The San Francisco Giants did it… Again.  (Uggghhhh!)  They were supposed to lose another series because they were the heavy underdogs, but thanks to that “October Magic” they beat the St. Louis Cardinals four games to one, for a third trip to the World Series in five years.

Manager Bruce Bochy has never lost a playoff series during his time up in the Bay, and you begin to wonder, “Is his team ever gonna lose?”

Ummm… The answer may jinx them.  Or the opponent.  You know what, at this point, does it even matter?

The Giants have won eight consecutive playoff series – joining an exclusive list that includes the greatest Yankee Dynasties for most consecutive series won – yet you cannot help but feel as if the Kansas City Royals are the Giants biggest test.  Why?  Well, they got that Fall Classic magic too.  It’s just theirs looks a lot better.

When was the last time you saw a team barely make it into the playoffs, only to crush all of the competition away as if they were the favorites the whole time?  How many games have the Kansas City Royals lost this month? Zero.  How many have the Giants? Two. 

Who’s got the better magic?  Exactly.

Well at least San Francisco can say this; they not only won the pennant, but from the four California teams that made it into the postseason this year (The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Oakland A’s), the combined record in the state is 9-9.  The Giants are 8-2.  So the Giants are holding it down for the best area in baseball.  Mind you, the state of California has played host to the team with the most wins all season long.  That title of course traveled across the state periodically, and ended in the hands of Angels.  Before the Angels had the best record, it was their division rivals the A’s, and before the A’s, it was the Giants. 

Both the Angels and A’s were eliminated by the Royals.  Both teams witnessed the rarity of October baseball being played in Kauffman Stadium and both teams only lasted a day in Kansas City.  Yikes!

So we take a look at the Kansas City roster and who do they exactly have?  Their go-to pitcher, James Shields, must certainly be good, right?  Nope, he isn’t.  I’m sorry but he has got to be the most overrated pitcher this entire month.  In his three appearances this month, he is 1-0 with a 5.63 ERA.  He has thrown at least 88 pitches in each of the five inning games he worked, and has only gone six innings once.  Gives up too many hits (21 total hits so far) and it’s not like experience from that one World Series appearance with the Tampa Bay Rays back in 2008 is helping him at all. 

It’s not him.  Trust me, it’s not. 

They say pitching is what gets you wins in October.  Yeah well, it’s all coming from the Royals’ bullpen.

The Royals have relied on Greg Holland, Wade Davis, Kelvin Herrera and Jason Frasor to carry them the rest of the way after five or six innings each game and they have delivered thus far. 

As a matter of fact, the trio (Holland, Davis, and Herrera) have all given up but three runs in 25.2 innings and have been dominant since the regular season, all posting an ERA below 1.50. 

Then their offense has had the magic touch, especially in those extra inning affairs.  28 year-old Lorenzo Cain won the ALCS MVP because he batted over .500, 24 year-old Eric Hosmer is on a six-game hitting streak and is currently batting .400 in October, and 26 year-old Mike Moustakas homered in four of five postseason games.

The Royals’ bats are young, athletic, and absolutely on-fire!

As for the Giants, well… you may know their household names by now.  Of course, they are only down to eight now. 

Catcher Buster Posey and NLCS MVP Madison Bumgarner are the battery to start Game 1 on Tuesday night.  They are also among an elite group to be the players who have played in the World Series at least three of the first five years in the league – Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, Chippers Jones, Mark Wohlers, Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, Hank Bauer, Babe Ruth, and Stan Musial.  Legendary names, and to think of the accolades Posey and Bumgarner have already achieved in their first five years. 

The bullpen has been pretty much the same since 2010, minus Brian Wilson.  Santiago Casilla is now the closer, Sergio Romo moved back to setup man after closing the series in 2012 to the Detroit Tigers, and Jeremy Affeldt and Javier Lopez are still reliable than ever.  Third baseman Pablo Sandoval is still consistent as he had a 14 game hitting streak in the postseason -- that carried over from 2012 -- end in Game 4 of the NLDS versus the Washington Nationals. 

As for the fan favorite Tim Lincecum… He’s yet to play this month.  But it’s ok, because he is still on the roster if they win it all. 

Afterall, must we not forget who’s been the instrumental piece to the franchise since the team started off in rock bottom, or is also called “Post-Barry Bonds Era”.  Yeah, that “era” only lasted three years before the team won it all in 2010.  And Tim Lincecum by then had two Cy Young awards and pitched brilliantly in every game that Fall.  For Lincecum’s 5-11, 170 pound frame, you got to give the man credit for hauling a franchise over his back just to give them a kick-start and to find the likes of veteran players throughout this run of World Series trophies.

To add to the pitching staff was former Cy Young winner Jake Peavy (who managed to resurrect his season after an appalling start in Boston), 16 year veteran Tim Hudson, the unsung hero of baseball the last four years Ryan Vogelsong and the unsung hero the last two playoff series Yusmeiro Petit. 

Petit pitched a total of nine innings and has only give up two hits and four walks.  He has struck out 11 and is currently 2-0 this postseason. 

So looking at from this perspective, what do the Giants have that the Royals don’t?  Experience.

The A’s had brief glimpses of October the last three years but failed to win a series.  The Angels returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2009 – besides the fact they have experience in players like Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton, David Freese and others.  The Baltimore Orioles have been to the playoffs twice within the last three years, but have been ousted from the Division Series both times. 

The Royals have not met a team with experience in October quite like the Giants and the Giants have not met a team this hot in October quite like the Royals.  Both teams have gutted their opponents off of capitalizing on their mistakes.  For all we know, this could be a series where we see who cracks first.

 But all we know is history will be made.  Whether it’s the first World Series title in Kansas City since 1985 or the leap year title would be making it a three peat for San Francisco on even number years. 

Whatever it is, it’ll be Torture… Cause the Giants are in it again.  Damn, they’re so good!

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“It’s sobering to think that in just a few weeks Derek Jeter won’t be doing any of this anymore, and will be reduced to picturing himself in action, just the way the rest of us do,” Roger Angell writes.

(Accompanied by next week’s cover, “Derek Jeter Bows Out,” by Mark Ulriksen)

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It pays to be Cinderella.

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Time’s Threat to the Throne

It was just six years ago when the City of Sacramento saw its lone professional sports team make it to the playoffs.  And six years from that, it seemed as if the Kings were truly amongst the finest of what the NBA had to offer. 

Today, with talks of the franchise relocating, the Kings may soon be dethroned from the capital of California. 

Time is truly the strangest thing about life, because no one really knows where they are going to be a half-dozen years from now.  But with how good that Sacramento Kings team was at the start of the millennium, it was awfully hard to see the fall of a sports organization in such a short period of time.

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June 2nd, 2002 -- Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals

The memory is vivid for every Kings fan.  For a Los Angeles Laker fan, the memory maybe gone considering all of the rivalries they have had since then -- San Antonio Spurs, Detroit Pistons, Phoenix Suns, Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks.  But boy, did these teams clash better than any other iconic rivals would.

Walking into Arco Arena (Now renamed to Sleep Train Arena), it was difficult finding a person that would wear the color yellow to a Kings game.  It wasn’t hard to find anyone wearing purple, but just so long as they had it mixed with the basic color pattern of black and white.  For you see, anyone accused of being a Laker fan at this time would be heavily scolded by the sound of the cowbells rattling in their ears. 

After a miraculous (and now thanks to former NBA official, Tim Donaghy, controversial) Game 4 loss at the Staples Center, the Kings find themselves going the distance with the two-time defending champs in a series that should already been over.  The series was 3-2 heading back to Sacramento but Game 6 was another chance that got away.  As for the final game that was decided at the end of regulation?  Well, it was just the Lakers’ destiny to win, I guess. 

Down by two with less than 90 seconds to go, in front of the loudest NBA arena; the final possessions for the Kings were nothing to cheer about.  Mike Bibby dribbled down and missed a 18-foot jumper, followed by a turnover from Hedo Turkoglu, a Doug Christie 3-pointer that hit the side of the backboard and a long range attempt by Chris Webber that touched every single part of the basket but the net itself.

Destiny may have helped the Lakers advance to the NBA Finals, but it was the better team that failed to capitalize on the four key opportunities.

After that collapse, the Kings vowed to come back to that stage.  But as history now shows, nothing is guaranteed. 

Regardless of how many games a team has played in a season, there will always be one game that defines the fate of a franchise.  For the 27 years in Sacramento, the Kings have only been to the W.C.F. once and held the best record in the conference twice.  Despite the loss to the Lakers, most basketball fans could have sworn the Kings would return. But also basketball fans today would be left to say that those memories were short lived.  Still, it is hard not to argue that the early 2000’s Sacramento Kings was one of the best squads to not win a championship. 

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Oh, the memories.

From C-Webb and Peja Stojakovic’s chase for the regular season MVP to the questionable but in the end beneficial trade for Mike Bibby, there was just so much in between for a group of guys that seemed out of place with the setting.  Webber’s collegiate and professional career was what put him in the spotlight, but it would make even more sense for him to play for a team in a bigger market. Bobby Jackson and Lawrence Funderberg looked as if they belonged back in the middle of the country. Scot Pollard gave off the playboy vibes, having most of us believe he was stuck at a frat party in some college near his hometown of San Diego.  And if Stojakovic, Turkoglu or Vlade Divac was handed a map of the United States when they first entered the league and was asked to locate Sacramento, it probably would have taken them the longest out of all the other 27 locations (‘Golden State’ would be an exception).

But what made the Kings the best at the time was the collective chemistry with the talent that they had.  The post players could hit mid-range jumpers efficiently but the backcourt was even better from beyond the arc.  The post players would also pass the ball better than any frontcourt in the league, so the offense would be continual movement of the rock until someone would be open for the best shot opportunity.  And, who can forget, the variation of great of defensive players.  By variation, I mean from the Doug Christie “Up-in-your-face” D to Divac’s masterful flopping techniques (which unfortunately, is no longer legal in today’s game).   

With the way I am describing the Kings, someone who was just learning about them would be given the impression that they were ‘good guys’.  And the ironic part about it was, they really weren’t. 

They were in a way, a second coming of the Detroit Pistons squad back in the late 80’s.  They were the “Bad Boys” and they enforced that cliché belief of nice guys finishing last.  Hopefully the team picture above will help clarify their identity, but what most of the NBA fans remember about the Sacramento Kings at the start of last decade was that they were the team you loved to hate. 

Here’s the thing about hate; it’s a sign of respect.  People hated the Kings because they were so damn good and the attitude they carried around was something no fan from the opposing team would like to see.  But at the end of the day, the Kings were a team you had to tip your hat off to.

After 2006, there was a lot less ‘hat tipping’ to the Kings.  The franchise hasn’t come close to making the postseason and two seasons ago was the start of talks about the Maloof brothers moving the team elsewhere.  While the Maloofs are given the stink eye by most fans, Mayor Kevin Johnson is looked at as a hero for keeping the Kings in Sacramento for the time being.

It has been over a decade since that Game 7 versus the Lakers took place.  And for the citizens in Sacramento, it still haunts them till this day.    

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Alone on the Mound

San Francisco is an interesting city.  It's not too loud, but far from quiet.  There's iconic bridges, diverse colleges, and just the simple Nor-Cal living that gives the Bay a certain magic to all of it's citizens.  It is also home to one of the beloved teams in baseball, the Giants.  

With a rising fan base since the franchise captured the 2010 World Series title, people are familiar with some of the stars that are still on the team.  And by some, I (unfortunately) mean some.  It's not like Giant fans would not have liked to say goodbye to Cody Ross or Jonathan Sanchez, send 'Get Well Soon' cards to Brian Wilson or Freddie Sanchez, see the mental collapse of unsung hero Aubrey Huff, or wish for Tim Lincecum to have such a terrible season.  But who's to complain if the Giants are still on top of the National League West division, right?  After all, that's what the fans like to see.

The 2010 motto "Torture," was a meaning held close to all Bay area fans since the team first moved from New York in 1958.  And ironically, just like the rise of the Giants since the Post Barry Bonds era, the new face of the franchise is experiencing just what the peak of his career really is.

Everyone, meet Matt Cain.  

This Alabama-bred machine has gone unnoticed up until the magical 2010 season, and has moved to the front of the pitching rotation this year.  For a right-hand thrower that has had a sub 3.00 ERA his entire career, his record does not give him much credit (78-76).  

And really, it hasn't been Cain's fault so much.  It's just been a terrible inconvenience for him since the Giants have not had a solid batting lineup.  But the past is the past and Cain is past the halfway mark of the season, not to mention is in a race with the New York Mets pitcher, R.A. Dickey, for the N.L. Cy Young award.  Cain is having the best year yet, with a 10-3 record and a 2.74 ERA.  

Who wanted to say the Giants G.M., Brian Sabean, didn't make a smart move by offering Cain a contract extension worth five-years and $112.5 million dollars?  Two years ago, most fans could not have predicted the Giants picking Cain over Lincecum as their franchise pitcher.  Lincecum has two Cy Young awards in his trophy case, while Cain is still fishing for his first.  While Lincecum has been on the decline since those vintage days, Cain has looked the same: efficient.  

Started off the season with a one-hit shutout on opening day at AT&T Park and came back two months later to become the 22nd major league pitcher to ever throw a perfect game.  The only thing that really is changing from the stat sheet is the run support, which is able to get Cain more W's for the season.  

It's good seeing Cain getting the recognition he finally deserves.  And for the Bay Area to keep him practically a secret all these years, knowing full well what he was capable of doing.  

Again, the city isn't the loudest.  But how can anyone be so quiet not to share that Matt Cain would become this good over time?

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The Man in the Iron Mask

It's scary to think that Kobe Bryant has been in the NBA since 1996 and still has a lot left in the engine.  Even if he has broken bones and (because of Dwayne Wade) a broken nose to go with it.  Bryant has been banged up for most of his career, yet he refuses to sit out any games unless it's physically impossible for him to get back out on to the hardwood.  Unlike the other players that went prep to pro, Bryant is determined to still be out on the court and let the adrenaline take the pain away with the risk of him inflicting more pain to himself.   

The most games Bryant has ever missed in a season was 32, and that was in his third year with the Los Angeles Lakers.  The high school phenoms that have had their young, fragile bones get demoralized because of the transition to all-year round basketball -- Trace McGrady, Jermaine O'Neal, Amare Stoudemire, Shaun Livingston and others -- have had injuries plague them and possibly stop from making any further progress in their careers.  Bryant, with all of the injuries he has sustained throughout his career, is no exception to getting hurt but you still see him out every night carrying the load of the Lakers' brunt work every night.  

What is Bryant's secret?  Did he take a few notes when he played with the NBA Iron-Man, A.C. Green, at the start of the Millennium? Is he so motivated to prove his critics wrong? So far, he's surpassed former teammate and future Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal in career points and Championship rings.  Plus, he's already got an edge in that Lebron debate and is the closest thing to greatness that everyone from generation has seen since Michael Jordan.  So what can it be that drives Kobe Bryant to still be standing?

Whatever it is, this plastic mask that the new Iron-Man will be wearing is something that will be iconic as Jordan wearing the number 45 for a brief time.  Who knows, maybe it will be something that he wears for the rest of his playing days.  One thing is for sure: There is no stopping Kobe Bryant!

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Merry March Madness all you College B-Ball fans!

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Thursday's Top 5: NBA Fantasy’s Hidden Mysteries (excluding Jeremy Lin)

Well it’s that time of year again: the half-way mark of the NBA season.  For those of you playing fantasy basketball this season, your team is either sitting comfortably on top of the rankings or struggling to make the moves you need in order to get that star player you most desperately want.  Well fear no more because there are players that may have not been chosen on draft night but can still add to your production (or can even use as trade-bait). 

Of course, Jeremy Lin was the greatest surprise and has not only fantasy owners but even the New York Knicks up and running.  There are however 32 teams in the league and there have been a lot of players flying under the radar as this lock-out stricken season begins to hit its peak.  Here are some other names that you should be on the lookout for as this Thursday’s Top Five is basically “The Best Undrafted Fantasy Players, Besides Jeremy Lin”.

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#5: Rodney Stuckey, Point Guard, Detroit Pistons

Ok, so he might have been drafted and he might have been well known because of his previous years with the Detroit Pistons (averaging around 16 points and five assists the past two seasons), but still with the way Stuckey started off, things did not look good.  He got hurt on January 4th and rookie Brandon Knight seemed ready to take off with the starting job, but then Stuckey returned later that month and was able to grab it right back.  At one point, Stuckey was owned by only half of the fantasy teams on ESPN and now he is practically on every team.  What to expect from Stuckey for the second half of the season is for him to continually get to the charity stripe (Averaging 11.2 free-throw attempts in his last five contests) and the occasional outbursts of assists.

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#4: Jeff Teague, Point Guard, Atlanta Hawks

Did you draft him?  Did you really draft him?  Because if you did, then you’re practically a fortune-teller!  Jeff Teague has been nothing but superb for the low-key Atlanta Hawks.  Despite the Hawks losing five of their last six games, Teague has been a vital part for the team.  He was really an uncertain pick for most owners on draft night, but the glimpses of Teague in college days at Wake Forest transformed into a casual thing.  Not bad for a guy who’s started all 34 games for the Hawks and is able to provide all-around qualities for fantasy owners who are in desperation for certain stats to be filled (FG%, FT%, steals, and assists-turnover ratio).