Since Rose has never played  a full season since tearing his ACL in his left knee in their first playoff game of 2012 after the NBA Lockout shortened everyone’s schedule.

He missed the entire 2012-13 season recovering from his injury but was largely criticized for not coming back during the playoffs even if he was not mentally ready. Some even called him selfish.

Last season he  returned but again got injured  only playing 10 games into the season, tearing his meniscus in his right knee. This was just another blow to Bulls fan because of the talent and explosiveness  he brings.

This season he has sprained both ankles and most recently injured his hamstring although that’s considered a small injury to Rose. He made more comments about his future:  “I think a lot of people don’t understand that when I sit out it’s not because of this year. I’m thinking about long term. I’m thinking about after I’m done with basketball.”

People say you should keep your personal life away from your sports career but they both affect each other and when the media asks you a question like that you have to answer it even if it affects what others will think of you.

Negative remarks

TNT NBA tip-off on Thursday’s featuring Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal ripped into him like a Thanksgiving turkey. Barkley calls Rose’s comments “stupid” because that’s part of the game and there are people who work just as hard as him and go home to a shack not a big house.

I don’t agree with Barkley’s comments about Rose being “stupid” because everyone allowed their own opinion and I think its better to speak aloud than bottle it up.

Shaq said “if you can walk, you can play, you see how Charles and I walk but it was worth it to provide for our family. Those comments make him look soft as a former MVP.

I like Shaq’s comments better because he defends people that limp after basketball. His soft comment is based off of being selfish and connected to his lack of return last year for the Bull’s playoff games.

Supporting remarks

Nazr Mohammed a veteran  reserve player for the Bulls compares how ridiculous the media is. He donates one million to charity but that’s only one day of news, whereas he comments about the future gets micro-scoped for weeks, sometimes even months.

Joakim Noah said “Everyone needs to chill out.” This is the best comment coming from a teammate who understands what Rose is going through as a player and helps stop the criticism.

Personally, I liked that he was being honest and straightforward about his playing future. Having Derrick Rose most of the time is better than risking him encountering  another season or possibly a career ending injury because he played to often without a break to rest himself.

Some players are injury prone and some never get injured. Brandon Roy is a player who retired at the age of 26 but attempted a comeback only to re-injure his knee and retire for good.  I would say he’s injury prone but the real question is why is he getting injured all the time? He plays hard every time he’s on the court regardless of a potential injury looming.  His body wears and tears like everyone’s. We just don’t hear about it much unless it’s someone in our community of or a well known player.

The bottom line is a person just like everyone else and has a family that needs him after his NBA career. I’ve seen many comments about how selfish he is caring for his future, but really they are the selfish ones that think  an athlete  winning or stats are more important than his life outside of basketball.

The post Derrick Rose Comments Criticized by Many! appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Western Conference
Regular Season Standings
Playoff Teams

1. San Antonio Spurs: I want to choose against the Spurs, and the Cavaliers for that matter, with all of my being. However, it’s pretty difficult in San Antonio’s case when they’re night in and night out the most fundamentally sound squad. The ageless Tim Duncan returns with Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli once again. Add in NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, alongside Danny Green, Boris Diaw, Marco Belinelli and the best coach in the game, and you have yourself a recipe for success. See: The last decade or so.
2.  Los Angeles Clippers: How would things in the NBA be different if the original Chris Paul trade went through? Would CP3, Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard be headlining this city for the Lakers and the Clippers stuck in their usual second-tier rut? We’ll never know, but what we can expect is Doc Rivers to have one of the best squads in the NBA this season, especially with his system implemented for another year.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder: Russell Westbrook may be the highest scorer in the league come December. Afterwards? Not so much. That’s when Kevin Durant will return and lead what will potentially be a middle of the road team back to the top three in the West. Steven Adams showed he could be a decent big man in the league, so Kendrick Perkins may find more and more pine. Anthony Morrow and Jeremy Lamb still aren’t a replacement for James Harden, but they should stretch the floor consistently. That is, if Westbrook and Durant don’t do it enough.
4. Dallas Mavericks: Dirk Nowitzki finally has help again in Dallas. Monta Ellis, Chandler Parsons and Tyson Chandler should form a dangerous starting lineup run by Jameer Nelson. If the Mavericks do make a top four seed in the West, does Rick Carlisle have a case for coach of the year? There’s a strong chance. Remember, the Mavericks took the Spurs to seven games last season. They’d meet them in the second round this year.
5. Golden State Warriors: And here we have the Western Conference team that everyone wants to play as in video games. Do you want scorers? Well, they have Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, Andre Iguodola, Shaun Livingston, Brandon Rush, David Lee and Andrew Bogut. Even new head coach Steve Kerr can knock it down from range. The defense might be a little
6. Portland Trail Blazers: If Damian Lillard played in a bigger market than Oregon, he’d be a superstar in this league. Lamarcus Aldridge is a top tier power forward, but I felt was overhyped during his magnificent stretch of last season. It didn’t carry deep into the playoffs, losing to the Spurs in the second round in five games after eliminating the Rockets in the first. Nicolas Batum might be the key factor if the Blazers can take the next step, while Robin Lopez, Wesley Matthews and Steve Blake will also play significant roles.
7. Houston Rockets: Don’t get me wrong, the Rockets are a strong team with Dwight Howard and James Harden. However, the loss of Chandler Parsons will really hurt. Trevor Ariza ought to bring a strong third option, but I’m not too sold on the depth of this squad. I wouldn’t hold my breath on a championship run.
8. Memphis Grizzlies: The Grizzlies won 50 games in 2014 despite multiple missed games by their stars. Marc Gasol may not be on the squad a year from now, but Tony Allen, Tayshaun Prince, Zach Randolph, Vince Carter and Mike Conley should be enough to push the Grizzlies into postseason play.

Contenders

9. New Orleans Pelicans: Honestly, I had to fix the mistake of putting “Hornets” down. Look at this lineup, though: Jrue Holiday, Tyreke Evans, Eric Gordon, Anthony Davis and Omer Asik. Austin Rivers and Ryan Anderson can come off the bench and form a pesky team throughout the season. I have them ninth, but they should be in the playoff hunt up until the end.
10. Denver Nuggets: Kenneth Faried looked like a top-level player in the FIBA games. Nate Robinson will be back and healthy as a sparkplug. Danillo Gallinari, Ty Lawson, JaVale McGee, Aaron Afflalo, Wilson Chandler and Timofey Mozgov put together a pretty talented roster that might be in the running for a final seed.
11. Phoenix Suns: The Suns played as well as anyone could have expected last year…and still just missed the playoffs in the loaded Western Conference. A step back is more likely than a step forward as they played a little over their heads in 2013.The Rest
12. Los Angeles Lakers: I’m not as low on the Lakers as most. They finished second to last without Kobe in 2013, so with Kobe it ought to be a little better. Or at the very least more entertaining. Carlos Boozer, Jeremy Linn and Nick Young don’t exactly form a stellar “Big Three” to tag along. You might as well have Kobe go for the record 100 points every single game.
13. Sacramento Kings: The Kings could be a surprise team in the sense they might be around the 10^th-seed by year’s end. Could. We’re talking Dumb and Dumber level chances. Ben McLemore, DeMarcus Cousins, Rudy Gay, Derrick Williams and all of the Big Ten’s favorite Nic Stauskas form a young core. If someone like Sim Bhullar turns out to be more than height, they could be dangerous. But don’t count on it.
14. Minnesota Timberwolves: “Why can’t this be Love?” “Do you believe in life after Love?” “Love is a battlefield.” This might as well be the Timberwolves pregame music. Wiggins should sell some tickets, but they won’t win many games.
15. Utah Jazz: I mean, the Jazz have players who could be decent in the future. As for right now? Derrick Favors, Enes Kanter, Alec Burks, Trey Burke, Enes Kanter and Gordon Hayward aren’t exactly striking fear into anybody. Daunte Exum may end up being a good draft pick, but he has looked a little overwhelmed in our limited viewing.

    

Eastern Conference
Regular Season Standings
Playoff Teams

1. Chicago Bulls: The Bulls boast the deepest roster in the league. Rumor has it that rookie Doug McDermott may find a starting role so it looks something like this: Derrick Rose, Jimmy Butler, McDermott, Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah starting, Kirk Hinrich, Tony Snell, Mike Dunleavy, Nikola Mirotic, Taj Gibson rotating off the bench, and Aaron Brooks with Nazr Mohammed available for spot minutes. What worries me? Despite the depth, Rose and Gasol’s health are vital, especially the former. We’ve all heard that enough throughout the past few years for the former.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers: We keep being force fed information about LeBron James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving, so I’ll stray away from them. If Dion Waiters can take a step forward, Mike Miller stays healthy, and Anderson Varejao does the same, the Cavaliers should win the East. The biggest, underrated offseason move of the season? Cleveland getting Shawn Marion. He can provide some defense where Love and Irving don’t.
3. Toronto Raptors: And here we hit the ridiculous amount of solid teams that East has relative to last year. But honestly, most of these teams aren’t making the playoffs in the West. Toronto boasts Kyle Lowry, DeMar Derozan and Jonas Valanciunas among a group of good role players.
4. Washington Wizards: I could see any order happening from teams ranked 3-6, and then again from 7-12. The Wizards are here because they, and I’m going to make up a few words here, outgritted the grittiest team in basketball last year in the playoffs. Sure, it was a banged up Bulls team, but Nene and Gortat took it to Noah and Gibson. John Wall, Bradley Beal and Paul Pierce finish up a starting lineup that could make some noise.
5. Miami Heat: Sure, the Heat lost the best player in the game to Cleveland. That doesn’t mean they’re going to fall as fast and hard as the Cavaliers did when they originally lost James. Wade, Bosh, Chalmers and Anderson all return to the squad. One of the best two-way players in the game in recent years, Luol Deng, joins them and so does Shannon Brown, Danny Granger and rookie Shabazz Napier. The Heat still have plenty of firepower to make an impact on the East.
6. Charlotte Hornets: Outside of any of the Cavs’ moves, Lance Stephenson is the biggest name in the East to change homes this past offseason. Combined with Kemba Walker, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Al Jefferson and Cody Zeller, the Hornets have their best team in the Michael Jordan ownership era. Don’t be shocked if you hear something along the lines of “Al Jefferson” and “MVP” at some point. He won’t win, but he could very well be mentioned if the Hornets get off to a blazing start.
7. Brooklyn Nets: I have so many problems with the Nets. First of all, I said immediately that the Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett trade was one of the worst I’ve ever seen. Secondly, remember when Deron Williams versus Chris Paul was actually a thing? Two more stars of yesterday are featured in this lineup: Joe Johnson and Andrei Kirilenko. Brook Lopez only managed to play in 17 games last year. This team has enough to make the playoffs, but not much more. They’ll be at the very bottom of the East in about two or three years.
8. New York Knicks: Carmelo Anthony received a ton of hatred last year, and in his whole career for that matter, for being lackadaisical, not winning playoff games and struggling defensively. From my perspective, very few played harder for their team – if you can call what is around ‘Melo a team. Phil Jackson’s influence should bring improvements across the board to get this team into the playoffs, and then next year the real rebuilding begins.

Contenders

9. Indiana Pacers: Lance Stephenson left, Paul George broke his leg and there isn’t a bigger head scratcher in the NBA than Roy Hibbert…literally. The core of this team that was supposed to dethrone the Heat is in shambles. It could still have enough to find a postseason berth, but it could also tank to a top pick.
10. Detroit Pistons: This is where the East falls apart. It has no depth on outsiders looking in. The Pistons feature a front court of Greg Monroe, Andre Drummond and Josh Smith. It bothers me to this day that the Pistons shelled out so much cash for Smith, but fortunately, I’m not a fan of any Detroit sports. Brandon Jennings and Jodie Smith will head the backcourt, as the Pistons will make an effort at being swept in the first round of the playoffs. Stan Van Gundy will help matters some, but the current Pistons roster is like three different puzzles thrown into one box.The Rest
11. Atlanta Hawks: The Hawks are here simply by default of making the playoffs last year, albeit finishing 38-44. There may not be a more boring team on paper in the NBA. Or on the court. Kyle Korver is fun to watch shoot threes. That’s it, we’re done here.
12. Orlando Magic: Roy Devyn Marble will score 20 points per game and…oh, forget it. The Magic actually have one of my favorite underrated players in Nikola Vucevic. Victor Oladipo, Aaron Gordon, Even Fournier, Tobias Harris, Channing Frye, Mo Harkless and Seth Curry might be the biggest group of average players to ever grace a professional team.
13. Boston Celtics: Just give it time and that trade off of Pierce and Garnett will look great. Unfortunately for Rajon Rondo, he has to play during that time. I wouldn’t be surprised if he is in another uniform by the All-Star break. There is potential on this squad in Marcus Smart, Evan Turner, Jeff Green and Jared Sullinger, but that’s for down the line.
14. Milwaukee Bucks: At least the Brewers didn’t have a complete meltdown and miss the playoffs after having a huge division lead or anything. Jabari Parker and O.J. Mayo are an interesting backcourt, but that’s about the extent of my interest in this team. It will take a few drafts for the Bucks to be back in the playoffs.
15. Philadelphia 76ers: Outside of Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid, name two players on this team right now. Try it. If you can, I’m sorry, but you shouldn’t be able to. Here is the rest of the roster: Michael Carter-Williams, K.J. McDaniels, Hollis Thompson, Henry Sims, Luc Mbah a Moute, Brandon Davies, Chris Johnson, Jerami Grant, Arnett Moultrie, Alexey Shved, Elliot Williams, Jason Richardson, Tony Wroten and Casper Ware. Yes, Jason Richardson is still in the league, apparently. And yes, the 76ers will have the worst team in the NBA.

Playoff Predictions and Awards

Eastern Conference Finals: Cavaliers over Bulls in six. The Bulls will have the better regular season record, but will continue to struggle to get past LeBron James. At this point, it’s going to put Chicago in a bind about how it can compete going forward. 2014-15 is the window for this Chicago squad. Cleveland will take a little bit of time to get all the kinks out, but should hit their stride come playoff time.

Western Conference Finals: Clippers over Mavericks. That’s right, no Spurs or Thunder in this matchup. The Mavericks will take out the Spurs in the second round, but run into a tougher matchup in the Doc Rivers-led Clippers. Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan and company continue taking positive steps on both ends of the court and get on a hot streak to finish the season.

NBA Finals: Clippers over Cavaliers. The “Jordan wouldn’t have lost,” arguments gain even more fuel as LeBron James reaches his fifth straight Finals. Cleveland will continue to be a threat however by adding a few role pieces and defensive additions in the next offseason to make what should be multiple consecutive deep playoff runs.

Coach of the Year: Rick Carlisle, Dallas. If the Mavericks are able to make a top four seed in the West, I can’t see anybody else staking a claim to this award.

Rookie of the Year: Doug McDermott, Chicago. The rookie will be getting a lot of shot attempts on a Chicago squad desperate for offense. If he does end up starting and Thibodeau continues to like his “swag,” as the coach said during the preseason, then he could out-perform Parker, Wiggins and company.

MVP: Chris Paul, L.A. Clippers. If Chris Paul plays a full schedule last year, his name is right up there with LeBron and Durant. With Durant’s injury, it’s going to be difficult for a repeat MVP performance, so it may come down to CP3, who averaged nearly 20 points to complement 10 assists per game, and James.

Defensive Player of the Year: Marc Gasol, Grizzlies. Once again, LeBron finishes second in this category. Gasol will be the best defensive player on the best defensive team.

The post NBA Preview: Who will surprise out of the West? appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Dwight Howard and the Kobe-less Lakers

After a whirlwind of a regular season, the once-laughable Lakers somehow managed to sneak into the postseason. However, between the devastating news of Kobe Bryant’s ruptured Achilles tendon and the daunting task of facing San Antonio in the first round, Lakers fans have little to celebrate. Without Bryant, arguably the greatest competitor in the game, the herculean task of carrying the Lake Show to an improbable title chase is centered squarely on the massive shoulders of Dwight Howard. With the possibility of free agency looming, Howard’s future in Los Angeles will likely be determined by his performance in the playoffs.

Prediction:

Bryant’s absence is too much for Howard and the Lakers to overcome, and the center turns in underwhelming performances against the Spurs’ big men. Los Angeles musters one win in the friendly confines of the Staples Center, but ultimately drop the series to San Antonio by a count of three games to one.

Boston copes with injuries, tragedy

Less than a week removed from the tragic Boston Marathon bombings, the Celtics were given an opportunity to lift the spirits of their proud city in their first round matchup with the Atlantic Division champion New York Knicks. Under head coach Doc Rivers, the Celtics have already demonstrated their resiliency, having earned a playoff berth after losing star point guard Rajon Rondo to a torn ACL midway through the season. Meanwhile, the streaky Knicks entered the postseason as the East’s greatest threat against Miami’s quest for a third straight Finals appearance.

Prediction:

The people of Boston deserve another gutty Celtics postseason run to distract them from the pain of Marathon Monday, but without their magician at the helm, Boston comes up short in a thrilling series. New York will advance, but I would not be surprised if the C’s stretch this to six games.

Harden vs. Oklahoma City

(Battle of the Offensive Juggernauts, Part I)

By dropping the regular season finale to the Lakers, James Harden and the Houston Rockets likely sealed their postseason fate, as the eighth seed in the West earned them the dubious honor of facing reigning conference champions Oklahoma City in the opening round. For Harden, this series is an opportunity to make the Thunder regret trading him to H-Town, after OKC refused to offer the former Sixth Man of the Year a max contract. Harden has obviously proven his star caliber abilities as the featured man in Houston, but a stellar performance in this series would cement his status as an elite player.

Prediction:

Harden will get his numbers, but Houston’s inexperience against the ultra-talented Thunder results in a commanding series win for OKC. I really hope the Rockets can extend the series to at least six games, but I don’t expect them to do so.

The Wild West

(Battle of the Offensive Juggernauts, Part II)

Despite the fact that Miami is expected to repeat as NBA champions, the Western Conference is still the superior league from top to bottom. As such, the West has provided some of the most thrilling playoff series in recent years, and the Denver-Golden State matchup has all the makings for another highly competitive, highly entertaining bout. Both the Nuggets and Warriors have a knack for scoring a ton of points, and the young talent on each squad should make for some outstanding battles.

Prediction:

I fully expect this series to go to seven games, with the Nuggets’ incredible home court dominance carrying them to the second round. Denver and Golden State both suffered tough blows with the injuries to Danilo Gallinari and David Lee, respectively. Nevertheless, I still believe the offensive firepower of each team will make for an awesome series, including the deciding seventh game in the Mile High city.

The post NBA Playoffs, storylines unfold appeared first on KRUI Radio.

With 15 days of games left in the NBA season the race for the final playoffs push is getting heated up especially in the western conference. Although seeds 1-7 may be already given and may endure small changes the west 8th spot is still wide open. The Utah Jazz, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Dallas Mavericks are still in contention for the last playoff spot. The Jazz holds a ½ game lead over the Lakers and 1 and ½ over the Mavericks.

The Lakers are trying to make that last playoff push trying to avoid having an even horrible season as they are already having. Coming into the 2012-2013 season the NBA had high hope for the Lakers especially since they acquired Dwight Howard from the Orlando Magic and Steve Nash from free agency. With that acquisition the Lakers was front runner for winning the western conference and possibly going to NBA finals for the ideal match up which would include the Lakers vs. the Heat but mainly Kobe vs. LeBron.

But after a rough start to the season and battling injuries, the Lakers are actually starting to play basketball the way some expected. But, can it possibly be too late? Looking at the playoff picture they are not in the playoffs if the playoffs started to today because the Jazz has that last spot. Lately the Utah Jazz has been playing great basketball winning 5 straight games. Besides worrying about the Jazz, the Lakers have the Mavericks to worry about as well because they are finally playing the game the way they supposed to be playing winning 6 out of their last 10. However, the Lakers are the more veteran team, more playoff experience and have Kobe who is showing no signs of slowing down. So don’t count the Lakers out just yet, especially because Kobe promised that they would be in the playoffs and we just have to take one of the greatest players by his own words.

If the Lakers do not get in the playoffs this season would be a disaster, not only that it can mean a possibility of lose Dwight Howard to free agency comes off season. These last two weeks would be a long ride for the Lakers, Jazz, and Mavericks. Which team would come out on top? Does the Jazz have what it takes to finish the season strong? Will Dirk and the Mavericks top off a great post season run? Will Kobe and Lakers not make the playoffs for the first time since the 2004-2005 seasons? Two weeks left in the season and only time will tell!

The post Can the Lakers squeeze in the playoffs? appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Remember at the start of the NBA season when the Lakers was struggling? Remember when the Lakers started the season off with a 1-4 record, which made the Los Angeles Lakers decide to fire their head coach Mike Brown. Now look at where they are. With the first month of the season done, the Lakers record stands at 11-14. Since the Lakers fired Mike Brown and having Mike D’Antoni as their head coach their record is 10-10. This is still not where anybody expected the Lakers to be at this point of the season.

Yes, there has been improvement since the coaching change, but you still can’t blame the failure of the Lakers on their coach. The reason why they are losing is because of the players’ performance. The Lakers could have won so many games if it was not for their horrible free throw shooting. You have Howard only shooting 49% from the charity line and a team average of a 68%. Shooting like this is not going to cut it. With Gasol only averaging 13 points and 9 rebound that not going to cut either especially when you need him to produce way more.

Kobe can’t do himself anymore, and that has been proven. When Kobe scores 30 or more point the Lakers record is 3-11. That shows that he needs help and needs his all-star team to step up and contribute. That is the only way that they are going to win a championship ring. The Laker won their last two games, so hopefully that shows that they are getting on the right track. It’s going to be an interesting season. Some surprises will soon be coming but we just have to wait and find out.

The post Trouble in LA? appeared first on KRUI Radio.

The statement is just crazy. When you look at the stats, they clearly shows that Howard is no doubt the best center in the NBA. Lopez has averaged 17.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in career, and Bynum has averaged 11.7 points and 7.8 rebounds. Howard, by comparison, has averaged 18.4 points and 13 rebounds. In addition, Howard is the only active center in the NBA to average a double-double for his career.This clearly shows that D12 (Howard) is better than the two centers mentioned by O’Neal.

The true question is this: why is Shaq attacking Howard like this? Is it because Howard is following in all of Shaq footsteps? First, it was taking O’Neal’s nickname of Superman, and now it’s his move to Los Angeles. Both of these great centers were drafted by the Orlando Magic, and then went to the Lakers in search of a championship. If the Lakers win the NBA championship this year, D12 would win his first title at the age of 27; the same age Shaq was when he won his first championship, and on the same team.

The final question would then be whether or not Dwight Howard would be as great of a center as Shaquille O’Neal was?

This is going to be a crazy NBA season and we will have to tune in to see what would happen next.

The post Shaq VS D12: The Battle of the Supermen appeared first on KRUI Radio.

It’s a long way to the top.

 Acting in L.A.?: On Thursday night, DeMarcus Cousins of the Sacramento Kings ripped Blake Griffin for his “acting” during their matchup that the Clippers ultimately won.  After taking some hits, Cousins accused Griffin of flopping too much and said it is part of the culture in L.A. because of Hollywood.  Hey Cousins, I know you are a rookie in the NBA, but unfortunately, flopping happens.  Remember the Eastern Conference Finals last season when LeBron James and Chris Bosh appeared hurt, only to have replays later show it was an act?  Just play through it and concentrate on what your team needs to do to win.  Interestingly, Cousins’ impact on the game was minimal and the team actually fought back from many field goals down when he left the game due to foul trouble before eventually falling 93-85.  Sacramento has proven to function better without Cousins, so he should try to keep his mouth shut like NBA rookies often do and learn a thing or two about the sport’s soft spots before trash talking other players’ Oscar-worthy performances.

Performing Magic: Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic is once again trying to make life hard for his team and fans with his latest comments.  He has openly professed to want his coach Stan Van Gundy fired.  Howard has not gotten on my Bottom 5 up to this point, which is surprising considering his constant drama prior to the trade deadline, but he finally gets here this week.  Why do you want your head coach fired?  If you wanted a change of scenery, why did you sign a waiver explicitly stating that you would sign with the Magic for next season?  Howard continues to act out, which is absurd given his enormous talent.  He is by far the best center in the league because no one has a bigger post presence than D12.

I think Otis Smith, the Magic’s general manager, wishes he had made Howard disappear when he had the chance, because Orlando is just looking to get beaten up in the playoffs by Indiana if the season ended today.  No one should expect the Magic to do anything this postseason with the in-house struggles that exist for this franchise.

Guillen Never Shuts Up: Miami Marlins skipper Ozzie Guillen just cannot man up and let bygones be bygones.  He continues to take shots at White Sox GM Kenny Williams about their incompatibility the last couple of years and recently said that Williams was not being a man in the ongoing confrontation.  That seems hard to believe, as Williams is proving to be the bigger man while moving on with his life and focusing on the upcoming 2012 campaign.  Note to Ozzie: the Marlins lost their opening game at home to Kyle Lohse, who threw a no-hitter until the 7^th inning.  The Marlins have some pressure to win games this year with all of their free-agent acquisitions, so Guillen should focus more on winning than blasting his former boss.  The White Sox may not have a good season (I’ll shed a single tear for that), but they at least have some class by leaving Guillen alone.

Trouble in Texas: Three more TCU football players have been charged with delivering marijuana.  This is terrible because university and NCAA officials try so hard to prevent student-athletes from being involved with drugs in any way, but some players simply ignore their coach’s conditioning and persist with an air of arrogant invincibility.  They get free rides to college because of their athletic ability, and in cases like the TCU arrests, their educational opportunities are wasted.  Two f the players charged could face up to 2 years in jail while a third may be facing 10 years if he is convicted for delivering in a drug-free zone.  By the way, the drug-free zone he entered with his products was the field the TCU team practices on!  Talk about thinking you’re too good to get caught.  To make matters worse for these players, they delivered the marijuana to undercover cops, so it’s unlikely they will get off with a slap on the wrist.  TCU has up to 23 players currently under investigation for dealing marijuana and 14 face serious charges.  The team is moving out of the Mountain West Conference and into the Big 12 for next season and will certainly face stiffer competition.  They cannot afford many distractions if they want to have a good season.  But what if head coach Gary Patterson has to boot most of these guys?  They’ll be depleted.  Perhaps he should reassess his recruiting practices and what kinds personalities he seeks in a recruit.

A Simpson Goes to Jail: This is not a reference to current man of incarceration O.J. or to The Simpsons cartoon show (although Homer has been to jail a number of times), but to former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Jerome Simpson, who makes my Bottom 5 after being sentenced to 15 days in jail and three years of probation for marijuana trafficking.  This should be nothing surprising to the Bengals’ upper management, since they often seem to have numerous players with criminal backgrounds while habitually signing, drafting, and trading for players who have shady histories (Cedric Benson and Rey Maualuga, for example).  The recent sentencing has forced the team to release the troubled wide receiver and move forward with younger players at the position.  After everything Simpson has been through (quite frankly, he’s lucky to get such a light sentencing), you would think he would get his life in order.  I doubt his family or other NFL suitors approve of his actions, and wide receivers are definitely needed in the league since so many go through multiple injuries over the course of the year.

The post Bottom 5: Bad Things Happen to Troubled People appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Dwight David Howard grew up in Atlanta, graduating in 2004 after leading his school, Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy to a state title. Howard was the first overall pick right out of high school in 2004 by the rebuilding Orlando Magic. In his second year with Orlando he converted to Center from PF (the position he played in high school).  The giant had an impact immediately and has developed into the most dominant center in the NBA. In his 7 year career with the Magic he has averaged 18.3 PPG, 13 RPG, with 2.2 blocks per game. He has been selected as the NBA defensive player of the year 3 consecutive seasons, from 2009-2011, and has been a 6 time all star.

Howard has incredible talent, incredible athletic ability, and an uncanny personality, so why is the topic of such discussion lately in the NBA?

Simple Answer: Dwight Howard is a free agent after the 2012 season, and he is having the best year of his career, single-handedly keeping the Magic in the playoff hunt. Wherever he ends up will change the NBA as much as when Lebron took his talents to south beach.

The media hype surrounding the Magic’s decision with #12 has been publicized immensely in a time where polarization in the NBA is running rampant because if he follows suit of other superstars like Lebron James or Carmelo Anthony, Dwight could ultimately change the dynamic of the league entirely, depending on where he chooses to spend his future.
This article will not necessarily break down the likelihood of each of the following teams to get Howard, but will explain the scenario that would likely have to take place for Howard to end up there and what it would ultimately mean for that team and the league in general. This article will simply grade locations and evaluate what would need to happen for the big man to end up there.

The Teams (In no particular order):

Dallas Mavericks:
The Mavericks would be an interesting choice for Howard because of the age factor. It is no secret that the defending NBA Champions are an old team and the majority of their players will start to decline rapidly, which is something that we have even seen this season. If Dwight were to go to the Mavs he would have a pretty nice chance to be a part of a quality roster in the immediate though. Dirk still has the skills to play at a high level, obviously (see 2011 postseason). Dallas added Lamar Odom, who has been a role player nearly his entire career and with Howard there, he would be able to get back into that comfort zone for him. The biggest draw here for Howard would be if the Mavericks were able to convince him that they are going to aggressively pursue Deron Williams in the offseason, when his contract with the Nets expires, but Williams has said that he would like to stay in New Jersey. That would all depend on if the Nets brought in any talent around him. Interestingly enough, Williams is from the Dallas area and grew up there.

New Jersey Nets:
The Nets have the three qualifying factors for a team to get Howard. They have the guys to potentially work a trade to Orlando, are a big market team, and would not be completely depleted, as Deron Williams would still be there, and probably stay if Dwight ended up there. The Nets could potentially acquire Howard by moving Brook Lopez, Marshon Brooks and a whole bunch of draft picks, but would they want to do that? The biggest halting factor with that is the little tidbit that Howard’s contract is up and he might not resign. If they were to lease Howard for half a season and do not win a championship and he bolts, they are left with the skeleton of what used to be a roster, no draft picks to reestablish the roster, and a very angry Deron Williams who will probably leave. The Nets would need to be completely sure they could retain the all-star center if they want to pursue him.

Boston Celtics:
The Boston Celtics are old. Very old in fact. Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce are all on the downward part of their careers (even though Pierce is an all-star this year). The Celts made it no secret last year that nobody is off limits when they virtually dangled Rondo out in front of the league to entice them. The biggest issue with this is if they acquired Howard, but got rid of the guy that would be giving him the ball, how long would they have to be successful before they fall into the exact same dilemma that Orlando is facing, with Howard being their only player worth anything. Ideally the Celtics would wait until this season is up when Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett’s contracts come off the books and they could sign Howard while retaining Rondo and Pierce. The biggest issue with waiting is that, by waiting, the list of potential suitors grows exponentially in size and the odds of signing Superman decreases.

Los Angeles Lakers
For some reason, unbeknownst to me, the Laker are actually in the running for Howard. It makes perfect sense that an elite center should Join Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol in LA, right? Yes, that is completely correct, but they have just that in Andrew Bynum, who is arguably the second best center in the NBA (unless you ask Skip Bayless, who will recklessly tell you he is even better than Howard). The Lakers would be an enticing option because of the big market, and that is a huge factor for Howard because of exposure and playing with Kobe would not be half bad. It did work out pretty well for Shaq. The Lakers are on Howard’s list of places he would like to go, but in all reality, it seems implausible that they would essentially substitute an older Howard for a blossoming young player in Bynum, but Kobe is not getting any younger and if they want to win now, they might not be able to allow Bynum to progress.

Chicago Bulls
The Bulls are one of the top teams in the league and seeing them get Howard would seem impossible, right? Not necessarily the case here. The Bulls actually have a lot to offer for Howard. There are 3, count them, 3 possible scenarios that Howard could end up a Bull. The first would be some kind of megadeal, including essentially the entire roster of the bulls (Noah, Gibson, and Deng, Jimmy Butler plus more) for Howard and Turkoglu with Ryan Anderson. This seems much less likely than it did a month ago because Loul Deng is now a well-deserved all-star and the Bulls should not part ways with him. Another version involves Carlos Boozer, Joakim Noah, and Butler for Turkoglu and Howard. The final and most likely situation would be Howard to the Bulls for Noah, Gibson, and C.J Watson. Depending on how much weight the Bulls put in winning championships immediately, these options are viable, but they could also believe in their current team and shy away from mixing it up. A caveat to this is that Howard and Rose are both sponsored by Adidas and are friends off the court. Chicago presents a big market and should be appealing for Howard, as well.

Los Angeles Clippers
It is extremely hard to see the Clippers making a push for Howard, but Howard has noticed the things they are doing in LA with Griffin, Paul, and Jordan, and has recognized that he would not be opposed to going there originally, but since has gone away from it. The Clips would have virtually no options to try and acquire Howard before the deadline, but once free agency hits, they could have a shot at him. Imagine the LA Clippers with Howard, Jordan, and Griffin, with CP3 dishing dimes. Lob city? More like Lob Planet.

Orlando Magic
Hey! Let’s not forget about the Orlando Magic. The Magic is where Howard has spent his entire 6 year career, with a lot of success, and they have expressed interest in retaining Dwight to build a team around him. The biggest problem with him staying in Orlando is that enticing other superstars to come to a smaller market than they are already in, Deron Williams from New Jersey or Dallas to Orlando, seems implausible and very difficult task. The good news for the Magic is that Superman probably is not going to go anywhere before the All-Star break because he would have to go back to Orlanda to play in the All-Star game. This gives them time to court Howard and show him it is worth staying.
Many other factors will play in this too. It surfaced in January that Howard was starting to show signs of verbal leadership for the Magic, yelling at players for not trying and showing a lack of effort. This can be taken either to signify that the star would want out because of the lack of commitment by everyone around him, or it could be seen as a challenge that he could take on, and him getting vocal is a sign that he does want to stay there.

No matter what happens before the trade deadline, Dwight Howard will remain in the backs of everyones minds as the season progresses. Once free agency hits next season, regardless of where the defensive champion is, his contract negotiation and retention will be a hot topic.
Only time will tell, but it should make for some incredible NBA discussion over the next several months.

There is no question at this point in time that Dwight Howards futures could determine the landscape of the NBA for the next 5-8 seasons and that makes him the most interesting man in the league and maybe the world.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHOUpoazkok

The post Move Over Jonathon Goldsmith, There’s a New Most Interesting Man appeared first on KRUI Radio.

The hits just keep on coming…

5. Growing Paynes

While a program is rebuilding, one can expect players to leave because of certain transitions and changes being made to the program. Such as the style of play being implemented, or the players and coaches just don’t see eye to eye.

When Cully Payne announced that he would be transferring no one was utterly shocked. Payne was forced to sit out almost all of the Iowa Men’s Hawkeye basketball team’s regular season due to a sports hernia. Enter Bryce Cartwright, the speedy playmaking point guard from Compton, California. Payne had to sit and watch this junior transfer become the focal point in the Hawkeye offense, a transfer request was needless to say, expected.

If Cully had just cited this as his reason for leaving no one would have stopped him, but lets be honest, he is on this list for a reason. When asked why he was leaving he said, “I’d still be a Hawkeye if coach Lickliter was here.”

So let me get this straight. You would rather be coached by the worst coach in Hawkeye basketball history rather than a coach who is clearly turning this program around? I think I can speak for a lot of Hawk fans when I say, “Happy Trails!”

4. The Corrupt Monarch

Gloria Marie James, mother of LeBron (King) James, was arrested Thursday night after an altercation with a valet parking attendant in Miami Beach, FL. According to the police report, James was “apparently intoxicated” with blood shot eyes and alcohol on her breath. She was arrested and charged with simple battery and disorderly intoxication.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time mama James has shown up in the headlines. In 2006 she was charged with a DWI, where she allegedly kicked out the window of a police car. When LeBron was asked to comment he said it is a “personal matter” and it is being “handled.” And you thought parental embarrassment stopped after high school.

3. Orlando T party.

Orlando Magic center, Dwight Howard, has been suspended after committing his 18^th technical foul on Wednesday against the Bobcats. According to NBA rules a player or coach is automatically suspended for one game after receiving their 16^th technical. For every two technical after that they are suspended for one game.

Howard will be in this NBA equivalent to a timeout during the Magic’s game against the division leading Chicago Bulls on March 7^th. Maybe he will use that time to think about what he has done, or you know…just keep doing what you are doing.

2. The Boston Red Sux.

A lot of Boston fans are begging for restart after the Red Sox’s 0-6 start. I know in hind sight the first half dozen games doesn’t take a team out of the playoffs, especially if they are all away, but it still isn’t exactly a good omen.

Riddled with errors and just old fashion mistakes Boston did not win a single game in their opening week. The Red Sox have a chance to turn it around as they begin their 10 game home stand tonight against the Yankees. So chin up Boston you could have lost to the Cleveland Indians—oh—well that’s awkward.

1. Dog Pile

The stage was set. The hottest team from last year gets another shot at the national title that eluded them the year before against the hottest team in college basketball. But the final game of the NCAA tournament was not the “dog fight” that everyone was expecting but rather something that resembles something a dog would leave in your yard.

The Butler-UConn national title was, in a word, painful. Neither team could hit a midrange jumper to save their lives. Butler shot 18% from the field, 27% from behind arch, and only scored 41 points. UConn didn’t do much better shooting 34% from the field and 9% from behind the arch.

The final score of 53-41 (in favor of UConn) was reminiscent of my little league basketball days. I couldn’t help but feel that 40 minutes of my life had been wasted away in the anti-climactic ending to March Madness. To those who believe that a playoff is the answer in college football we have to only look at this game as proof that the best teams don’t always play in the championship.

The post Bottom 5: Championship Edition appeared first on KRUI Radio.

The NBA regular season is coming to a close soon and people are making their decisions on who should be MVP. It seems like most of the media has already decided that Derrick Rose is this years MVP. While he certainly is a top candidate I don’t think it should be decided quite yet. This should be a tight race and has 4 players with very legitimate cases for the MVP.

Derrick Rose: Like I mentioned he seems to be the leader in the clubhouse and he is having the best year of his young career. He has been the best player on the best team in the East. Here is a breakdown of the stats:

Team Record: 53-20
ppg: 25
FG %: .440
3pt %: .329
Reb: 4.2
Ast: 7.9
TO: 3.5

Pros: D-Rose has been the most important player on the most improved team in the league. The Bulls are legitimate contenders with him running the show and he is putting up career highs in assists, rebounds, and points. He has been strong defensively as well.
Cons: He isn’t in the top 5 of any statistical category. He is shooting the lowest FG% of his career. The team’s improvement could be attributed to new head coach Tom Thibideau. Russell Westbrook has similar numbers. If Russell Westbrook played on the Bulls, instead of Rose, the Bulls probably would have the same record and Westbrook would have better numbers.

Lebron James: Many expected Lebron’s numbers to drop off playing alongside Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh,but they haven’t. He still looks like the best player in the league night in and night out.

Team Record: 51-23
ppg: 26.5
FG %: .504
3pt %: .332
reb: 7.5
ast: 6.9
TO: 3.5

Pros: Despite having to share the ball with two other superstars Lebron is still second in the league in scoring and shooting career high percentage from the field. He leads the Heat in points, assists, 2nd in rebounds. He is outscoring D-Rose by 1.5 ppg despite shooting 1.5 times less than Rose per game. He is also a top 5 defender in the league. Look at what Cleveland is without him.
Cons: The third leading scorer in the league is on the same team and the third leading scorer on the Heat is ranked 26th in the league in scoring. Without Lebron, the Heat would likely still be a 45 to 50 win team.

Dwight Howard: The best big man in the league has taken his game to another level this season. He has been great and his leadership has taken a step forward as well.

Team Record: 47-27
PPG:23.2
FG%: .600
Reb:14.2
Blks: 2.41
TOs: 3.9

Pros: His offensive game has evolved and he now has an array of impressive post moves along with a reliable 12-footer. He is still the top defender in the league. The Magic without Howard would be similar to how Cleveland is without Lebron. He is scoring a career high and tied for his career high in rebounds. He is second in the league in rebounds and FG%, third in blocks, and is the only Center in the league in the top 25 in steals.
Cons: His team is 4th in the East and will finish with a worse record than last season. He is second in the league in turnovers. Shoots sub 60% from the free throw line. Has 17 technical fouls on the season.

Kobe Bryant: Why is he not being discussed much in the MVP race? Basically because his numbers are not as gaudy as they were in previous seasons. Still Bryant is as deserving as anyone on this list.

Team Record: 53-20
ppg: 25.2
FG%: .454%
3pt%: .321
reb: 5.2
ast: 4.8
TOs: 2.9

Pros: He is the best player on the two time defending champion Lakers and he is willing them to another outstanding season. He is by far the best leader in the NBA. The Lakers are tied for the second most wins in the NBA and have been the best team since the All-Star break. Still a lock down defender.
Cons: Not in the top 5 in any statistical category. Numbers not as great as previous seasons. Plays for greatest coach in history of NBA.

Who should win?

Kobe Bryant

If you’re surprised you should take a closer look at the numbers and take a step back from the hoopla surrounding this years MVP race.

In an effort to keep Bryant fresh and healthy for the playoffs, Coach Jackson has limited Bryant to 33.9 minutes per game. That is the lowest mpgs since his second year in the league. While Bryant is sixth in the NBA in scoring, he is first in points per 48 minutes. The Lakers have the same record as the Bulls and Bryant is scoring more points than Rose despite almost 4 less minutes a game than the Chicago all-star. The media has become infatuated with Rose and is ready to crown him MVP. Similar mistakes have been made before. Bryant is 6th all-time in scoring, has 5 NBA Championships, and is considered one of the most clutch players of all-time. Is there any way to justify that he has one MVP for his whole career? The same people that want to award Rose the MVP are the ones that gave two to Steve Nash while Bryant toiled away and continued winning championships. When Bryant starts playing around 40 minutes a game in the playoffs, scores over 30 a game, and leads his Lakers to another Finals appearance, people who voted for Rose are going to want their vote back.

The post Opinion: NBA MVP appeared first on KRUI Radio.