So this is where John Lucas became, in the words of Jeff Van Gundy, a “step-ladder” for LeBron James. Simply, wow. But, hey, at least Lucas knows he will be on Sports Center tonight.

McGee and Blatche, giving their best Thizz faces.

With Adrian Wojnarowski reporting that the Washington Wizards have fired head coach Flip Saunders, the team appears to be headed towards a major rebuilding commitment.  While owner Ted Leonsis has attempted to improve the Wiz by small movements, it is very apparent that this team cannot be a playoff caliber team (or anything close) with the selfish trio of Andray Blatche, Nick Young, and JaVale McGee.  All three of these players are athletic and young, so it stands to reason that other teams would have desire in the raw talent in the hopes of maybe turning around their bad tendencies.

Andray Blatche

Blatche is never going to be a defensive presence, but there is something terribly off about his shot selection this season.  His FG% is down from .445 last season to .380 this year, and while he’s received the brunt of the Wizards’ ridicule, he has actually been taking 3 less shots per game than he did last year.

Could work for:

Phoenix Suns

The Suns took a huge offensive step back when they lost Amar’e Stoudemire.  Since then, their big man game has been weakened as well.  Robin Lopez has been unimpressive, and a creative trade might be an easy way of getting rid of their Josh Childress contract.

Miami Heat

I know how it sounds, but Erik Spoelstra is one of the few coaches who might be able to make Blatche an acceptable help defender.  He has the athleticism to defend, maybe putting him in a position where his offense is superfluous would be good for him.

Nick Young

Young is a prime example of how Gilbert Arenas was poisonous to this team’s mindset.  He’s wonderful with the ball in his hands, but he is cocky, selfish, and when needed to facilitate the rest of his teammates, finds himself unable or unwilling to help.

Could work for:

Dallas Mavericks

While Lamar Odom is a spectacular player, he hasn’t been playing well at all for the Mavs.  Eventually, he will be able to be his old self, a cannonball that few can match up well with, but as of now, this team could use him in order to produce in the same capacity that they employed Caron Butler and DeShawn Stevenson last season.

Chicago Bulls

Now, Young already plays with an excellent young point guard, but there is no chance that Young could be able to lead the Bulls in scoring like he did last year with Washington.  This could help Young to develop a little sense of humility with a team that’s not known to pander to its players.  Discipline, discipline, discipline.  Also, the Bulls are watching Luol Deng’s injury very closely, and might need some extra scoring to maintain their record.

JaVale McGee

If I were a betting man, I would say that McGee is the most likely to remain with the Wizards.  He’s more driven than the other stooges, he’s liked by fans (on occasion), and if the league ever allows double-dunking in games, he has a significant lead on all other players.  Not saying it’s going to happen, but Leonsis is a “forward-thinking” owner, you know.  However, with the right training and mental preparation, McGee could be a mixture of Pau Gasol and Ralph Sampson, long and lean, with great hands.

Could work for:

Minnesota Timberwolves

This team has some promise, but they’ve got to trim some fat first.  If the Wolves could find a way to pair McGee with Kevin Love, Love’s work ethic could rub off, and a starting five including Ricky Rubio, Wesley Johnson, Derrick Williams, McGee, and Love would be rather imposing when they hit their primes.

Milwaukee Bucks

While the Bucks already have a few players of his size, they are also ranked 25^th in the league in rebounds and 24^th in blocks.  McGee could add something to this anemic offense, and further lock down the paint.

Johnson's defensive numbers are impressive

Defense, for as much as it is touted, is a rather intangible element in basketball. Aside from a block that sails into the crowd or a steal, defense rarely shows up in highlights. Those are the visible results of defense. The rest is a form of the mundane for the casual observer: footwork, ball-hawking, boxing out, quick hands, help-side defense, anticipation, and body positioning. Offense is the flashy part of the game. That is where the highlights are made. Every player on the court plays defense, and just like offense, some are far better at it than others. However, good defenders are often overlooked in the NBA by casual observers because their contributions to the game cannot be neatly calculated in a box score.

In Toronto, James Johnson is an unsung defensive hero. Offensively he leaves much to be desired, except during a brief stint in the D-League, but that is not where he makes an impact on the game. His skills are finely honed in on defense above all else. He is doing everything he needs to, other than scoring, to keep himself in the rotation and Dwane Casey clearly approves. Through 13 games, Johnson has played approximately a third of the number of minutes he played all of last season with the Chicago Bulls and Raptors. Casey wants him in the game.

Johnson’s per game numbers are not terribly impressive, however, on a per 36 minutes basis they garner plenty of attention. Per 36 minutes he is averaging 5.3 defensive rebounds, two steals, and 2.4 blocks. These are some of the better numbers in the league for a perimeter forward. Johnson is tied for 13th in the league for total blocks and 15th for blocks per game at 1.5. It is not just his averages that are good, his percentage of defensive plays are good as well. While on the floor he grabs 16.4 percent of the available defensive rebounds, steals the ball on 2.9 percent of possessions, and has a block in 5.7 percent of the time which is good for seventh in the league. Both his steal and block percentages are the best on the team. When added together, Johnson creates a positive defensive play for the Raptors 25 percent of the time he is on the floor. These numbers translate into the best defensive rating on the team with a 97.

Despite those impressive numbers, Johnson is far from a perfect defender. He has trouble fighting through screens in order to keep pace with his man. This has the effect of him occasionally drifting through a play rather than trying to fight through the screen. However, when he does maneuver through a screen he has the ability to keep his body in front of the offensive player. Drifting also becomes an issue when the man Johnson is guarding is not in possession of the ball. In these situations, he has a tendency to watch the ball and hedge towards it rather than sticking with his assignment. This has the result of Johnson being forced to close out, when the ball is swung around to his man, over a longer distance than necessary.

Is it time to start placing Johnson in the Defensive Player of the Year discussion? That is probably premature. Yet, credit must be given where it is due. Under the tutelage of Casey, the Raptors are a much improved defensive squad. Last season they were dead last in the league in defensive rating. This season they are ranked 17th and Johnson is at the forefront of that defensive improvement. He will not contribute offensively for the Raptors, but as long as Johnson shows a commitment on the defensive end and a willingness to learn and improve, Casey will find minutes for the third year player. He might not be getting much attention for his defense now but if his play continues, it will be hard to ignore his contributions.

Repeat?

Earlier today the 20 finalists for Team USA were announced. These players will compete for a chance to represent the United States at the Summer Olympics in London. Here is the list:

Guards:

Deron Williams

Chris Paul

Russell Westbrook

Chauncey Billups

Derrick Rose

Kobe Bryant

Eric Gordon

Dwyane Wade

Forwards:

LeBron James

Andre Iguodala

Rudy Gay

Kevin Durant

Carmelo Anthony

Kevin Love

Blake Griffin

Lamar Odom

LaMarcus Aldridge

Chris Bosh

Centers:

Tyson Chandler

Dwight Howard

The vast majority of these players have played for Team USA before. Only Griffin and Aldridge have not suited up in the red, white, and blue.  What will be interesting to see is how these players fare after a brutally compacted season. If anything, the final 12 players selected to play in the Olympics might come down to a matter of health above all else.

From this list of 20 there are clear shoe-ins, most of whom played on the Redeem Team in Beijing. Paul, Rose, Bryant, and Wade are the top guards in the group. Bryant expressed his interest in returning to play for Team USA long ago and Wade has stated that this will be his last run as member of the squad. However, Wade’s future with the national team is up in the air presently as he is out indefinitely with an ankle injury.

As for the forwards, where Team USA is loaded, James, Anthony, Durant, and potentially Love or Bosh will be the main candidates to make the final roster. Bosh is playing exceptionally well this season but his ability to be multidimensional will come into question if he is to make the cut. If head coach Mike Krzyzewski’s philosophy remains the same, Howard will be the only center who makes the final cut. Under Coach K, the national team has become a model of hybridization. 2010′s gold metal team at the FIBA World Championships in Turkey was a pure experiment and subsequently a benchmark for teams composed of hybrid, multi-positional players. That team started Odom at center over Chandler and it worked.

With that in mind, and assuming that none of the “shoe-in” players listed above have health setbacks, there are still three positions left to make the full 12-man roster. Williams, Iguodala, and Aldridge would be, in my opinion, the best choices to round out the squad. Aldridge, because of his size and shooting ability, would serve the team nicely as a power forward/center. Iguodala, who shined in Turkey, should be included for his defense which will lead to transition offense for the team. Williams is easily the most replaceable player that I have mentioned who has a chance at making the roster. It might be wise to go with another rangy, multi-positional forward instead like Gay or even Odom, who can play three positions on the team not including point forward.

Whatever the final makeup of the roster, health allowing, Team USA will be heavy favorites this summer in London. Hopefully, they have another catchy nickname and congeal as a team. I wonder if Bryant will be spotted in the stands at the beach volleyball tournament this time. Let’s hope so.

Still hungry after all these years

“It’s better to burn out than to fade away” the youth-centric Neil Young quote goes. The line from “Hey Hey, My My” became a mantra for those who felt that their lives were more important in their youth, when they were fully engaged and vibrant rather than seeing themselves age and grow increasingly irrelevant. Yet, with age, there are some that disprove if not completely smash this perceived notion of the young. Kobe Bryant is one of these people.

The Lakers were considered shaky at best as the season began. There were new faces and plenty of lingering injuries. As with all things Lakers, the biggest questions surround Bryant. During the lockout, he traveled to Germany to undergo experimental procedures on his left ankle and right knee. His right knee was the focus of much attention last season as Bryant had to have it drained to reduce swelling on multiple occasions. Then, as the current season began it was discovered that he was playing with a torn ligament in his right wrist. Bryant shoots right-handed.

It was understandable, considering the list of injuries combined with age, and going through a divorce, that some began speaking about  Bryant in the past tense. He has had a remarkable career. No one can take away his accolades and accomplishments. He was a high school kid from Philadelphia who came into the league and was immediately cast under the specter of Michael Jordan. He survived. Bryant casts his own shadow now entirely independent of Jordan’s. Perhaps this is the season that he would fade away.

To imagine that outcome is farcical. This is Kobe Bryant, the most competitive and self motivated player in the game today. Despite his quest for perfection, he is  a flawed individual, like anyone, yet no one is more intense and focused than Bryant. Not for a moment did he think he could not compete at the level he is accustomed to. If anything, the doubters fueled his fire.

The past three games, against the Suns, Jazz, and Cavaliers, showcased Bryant’s desire to steal the league and the headlines from everyone. He scored 48, 40, and 42 points respectively in those contests while shooting a combined 50.5 percent from the floor. By doing so, Bryant is now the oldest player, 33 years old, in NBA history to have three consecutive 40 point games. The most impressive game might be the one against Phoenix where none of his 48 points came from behind the three-point arc. And lest we forget, he did this all with a torn ligament in his right shooting wrist. So much for fading away.

Bryant leads the league in scoring with 406 points and a per game average of 31.2. He also leads the league in usage percentage at 40.1 and why not? Mike Brown has said that he wants Bryant to shoot the ball and he is happy to oblige his head coach. It is no wonder, even with Lob City sharing the same building, that fans flock to Staples Center and religiously chant “M-V-P” for Bryant. With the season he is putting together, it looks as though he is gunning for that award again.

Kobe Bryant will not burn out, nor will he fade away. He exists beyond that. It would be unfair to make judgements about whether he is a better player now than he was in his youth. They are two separate entities with two completely different styles of play. His mind, however, is as sharp and as focused as it may have ever been short of the NBA Finals. With Bryant there cannot be absolutes surrounding the waning years of his career. For now, he is here to stay and amaze the fans that watch him while also enduring a level of worship and vilification that few have. When Bryant eventually leaves the game, he will not be forgotten. Right now, he is reminding us of why that is.

The NBA champion Dallas Mavericks finally had their opportunity to visit the White House and meet President Barack Obama. Initially, the league did not schedule a trip for the Mavericks to visit the White House as the team was not scheduled to play the Washington Wizards in D.C. due to the shortened season. Mark Cuban would have none of that and arranged the visit.

Honestly, I cannot be unbiased about this moment, nor can I write about it in an even-handed fashion. This moment simply made me happy and proud. I have been a Mavericks fan since I discovered what basketball is and seeing the team standing behind the President is wonderful.

President Obama makes plenty of cracks about the Mavericks’ age, Jason Terry‘s Larry O’Brien Trophy tattoo, and Dirk Nowitzki‘s talent for singing. One of the best moments is when the President displays a bit of homerism saying that it will be the Chicago Bulls who he meets next year. Everyone involved was clearly having a good time.

On a side note, Ian Mahinmi got swag. Check out his plaid print shirt, bow tie, Black rim glasses, and black cardigan. Baron Davis and James Harden have been put on notice. Mahinmi’s hipster status is untouchable.

Video via PBT

Leonard is one of a few promising rookies this year

Usually, this list consists of ten rookies to keep an eye on during the season. With the shortened season, however, this list is also smaller. Call it laziness on my part, call it whatever you want. It is what it is. Last year’s draft was something out of the Bizzaro universe. It was more notable for the peculiar name pronunciations than anything else. The popular rookies will get press elsewhere so there is no need to cover them in depth on this little blog. Plus, do you really need to read another article about the parallels between Jimmer Fredette and Tim Tebow? No, I didn’t think so.

The way in which the rookies were chosen to appear on this list is completely arbitrary and is a result of hope, sometimes terribly misguided, that these players will transform into household names in the future. Certainly, though, at least one is on here because of the sheer absurdity surrounding his journey to the NBA. (Can you guess which one?)

Norris Cole – PG, Miami Heat

Upon being drafted, Cole quickly discovered how he, as a player, is merely a commodity to teams. He was a member of three different teams on draft night, eventually landing with the Miami Heat. In college, Cole was the focal point of his team’s offense as he took 28.9 percent of his team’s field goal attempts. In Miami that will not be the case (understatement of the year, perhaps). What will set Cole apart will he his ability to pass the ball to the prominent scorers on the Heat as well as conform to the defensive system that Erik Spoelstra employs. His passing is already above average; however, he does have trouble passing out of a double team. Again, though, it will be unlikely that he sees many doubles while on the floor. It would not be surprising if Cole was inserted into the starting lineup at some point during the season so that Spoelstra can bring Mario Chalmers off the bench as an offensive kick for his second unit. Cole must continue to learn and play at a high level for that to happen.

Kawhi Leonard – SF, San Antonio Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs are a damned crafty bunch when it comes to drafting players. For them to have traded a promising young talent in George Hill to the Indiana Pacers for the draft rights to Leonard caused heads to turn. He would have been a great addition to an already scrappy Pacers squad, but they were overloaded at his position. Leonard made his mark in college as a premier (or monster) wing defender, forcing a turnover on 23.8 percent of the possessions in which he was the isolated defender as well as holding opponents to 37.5 percent shooting when he was defending them. His seven feet two inch arm span certainly helped him in these respects. Not only is he a stout defender but he is also a good defensive rebounder. Essentially, Leonard is the ideal Spurs player. Where he needs improvement, which Greg Popovich will administer in his own special way, is with his offense, both his shot and offensive sets. The Spurs are notorious for successfully developing players, much to the ire of rival fans, so Leonard should be in good hands. Also, with San Antonio shopping Richard Jefferson over the summer it looks as though Leonard could quickly move up the depth chart.

Ricky Rubio – PG, Minnesota Timberwolves

Oh, Ricky, Ricky, Ricky. What a zany (channeling Mitt Romney for that one) path Rubio has taken to the NBA. He was drafted what seems like a decade ago only to hold out until the final year of his rookie contract before agreeing to leave his beloved Spain to play in the cold wintery confines of Minnesota. This was either incredibly shrewd or insanely selfish. Rubio is not a typical rookie. He has played at a high level in Spain and internationally with the Spanish national team which is made up of mostly NBA players. One of the major criticisms of Rubio has been his scoring ability, however, he, like other Spanish point guards (read: Jose Calderon) is a pass first, offense facilitator. In Rick Adelman’s up-tempo style of play, especially with a team full of mediocre talent, Kevin Love aside, but that is incredibly athletic, Rubio should learn to thrive in the open court. He must first distinguish himself as deserving the playing time over the 1,000 other point guards that David Kahn has signed, though. That task should not prove to be a problem.

Iman Shumpert – PG/SG, New York Knicks

Shumpert was the buzz of New York after two preseason games. The hype was palpable. Shumpert was drafted for his defensive prowess but his offensive skills soon were apparent once the preseason began. Due to the Knicks’ lack of backcourt depth, he was slated to be a staple in the rotation. However, he suffered an injury in the first game of the season and will be out for several weeks. When he returns to the lineup, Shumpert needs to improve his shot selection, like most rookies, and his ability to finish at the rim. Against the Celtics he only made one of six shots at the rim. Boston maintains a physical defense, especially around the paint, but no NBA team is going to give up easy points around the rim if they can help it. With his usage percentage projected to remain high upon his return, Shumpert must finish the opportunities he is given.

Tristan Thompson – PF, Cleveland Cavaliers

Thompson was drafted pretty high, fourth overall, for a player that possesses little ability to operate away from the rim. He does, however, possess the ability to work off the ball offensively away from the rim in space but this is to free him up on a dive or cut to the basket. He will need to improve his ball-in-hand offense, specifically in the post, in order to adapt his game to the NBA level. Another area of concern for Thompson is his poor defensive rebounding ability. This, for one, is striking due to Thompson’s size, even as a young man, and good post defense. Yet, he cleans the offensive glass rather well which should benefit a team destined to miss a lot of shots. Despite his immediate drawbacks, Thompson has plenty of raw potential and other than Kyrie Irving, represents the only potential the Cavaliers have.

Kemba Walker – PG, Charlotte Bobcats

Michael Jordan has a special place in history when it comes to the draft lottery. That place is specifically referred to as Kwame Brown. MJ, let us hope you done right this time. Walker comes into the league with a solid NCAA pedigree. He was a member, and respective leader, of the national champion UConn Huskies. Not too shabby, right? Walker works well as a primary scoring threat for a team in pick-and-roll and off the ball screens. What will be interesting to watch for this season is if his ball hogging tendencies, he shot the ball 63.8 percent of the time coming off of a ball screen while at UConn, will carry over to the NBA. It is apparent that Walker will split and share time with D.J. Augustin in Charlotte, where is off the ball offensive movement will be on display. However with the ball in his hand, how will he react? One game is not a benchmark for anything, but Walker totaled just three assists, each leading to a shot from 16-23 feet, in 21 minutes in his first NBA game. He is a score first point guard.

Tip of the hat to NBA Playbook for many of the statistics used above.

Merry Christmas

With much fanfare and an obnoxious LMFAO ad that was played almost every commercial intermission, the NBA season kicked off in superb, albeit rusty, fashion. Yes, lockout legs could be seen throughout the five games that were aired but that is to be expected with abbreviated training camps. chemistry was also an issue as many teams have a number of new players to integrate into their rotations. Nonetheless, the NBA is back and fans and players are happy. A reaction:

Boston Celtics 104 – New York Knicks 106

Carmelo Anthony looked great in this game. His 17 points in the fourth quarter were the difference and why the Knicks thought it necessary to gut their team to acquire him. Throughout his time in the NBA, Anthony has proven he has a knack for performing in the clutch and he showed it on Sunday. However, the already shaky depth of the Knicks has grown even more unstable with a knee injury to rookie Iman Shumpert which will sideline him for at least a couple of weeks.

As for the Celtics, Rajon Rondo and Brandon Bass, who is finally free from the tyranny of Stan Van Gundy, were the offense with Paul Pierce missing the game. Rondo continually broke down New York’s defense and got to the rim. When Pierce comes back to the lineup the Celtics should be a more rounded offensive unit, until then this will be Rondo’s team.

Naughty: Kevin Garnett choking Bill Walker.

Nice: Carmelo Anthony’s clutch play.

Miami Heat 105 – Dallas Mavericks 94

The Mavericks raised their championship banner but that is all they had to celebrate on Sunday. Dallas came out looking flat and out of sync, in essence, they looked old. That should be no surprise because their entire core is over the age of 30. Rick Carlisle is integrating Vince Carter, Lamar Odom, Delonte West, who played well, and Brandan Wright into the rotation while dealing with key losses across the board. Jason Terry was the only Maverick who showed up to this one.

Miami looked like they were just rolled off of a German assembly line. They were well oiled and fine tuned. What they did to the Mavericks was scary. Say what you will about all the exhibition games this summer but they seem to have kept LeBron James and Dwyane Wade in game shape, that and their complete desire to destroy everything in their path. This was a blowout, like a brand new Mercedes-Benz S-Class versus a Trabant. Not only were the Heat good but they will get better. Rookie Norris Cole turned some heads with his play in 24 minutes of action. If he continues to improve he could supplant Mario Chalmers as the starting point guard.

Naughty: The Mavs’ 37.8 percent field goal shooting.

Nice: LeBron James‘ box score: 37 points, 10 rebounds, six assists.

Chicago Bulls 88 – Los Angeles Lakers 87

Forget Showtime, these are the Slowtime Lakers. That is not a knock on them, however, not in the least bit. This Lakers squad proved to be as scrappy and gritty as any I have seen. Perhaps this is what Mike Brown brings to the team, perhaps this is what a bunch of blue-collar white guys bring to a team, or perhaps this is just what happens when you lose Odom and Andrew Bynum serving his suspension. Nonetheless, I like the Slowtime Lakers. Where they do need to improve is offensive player rotation. Too many times they reverted to Hawks-esque isolation with three players around the perimeter and one near the post.

Chicago played well throughout, with the exception being the third quarter. With the game close, Luol Deng stepped up and made the big plays. It was his defense against Kobe Bryant and his steal late in the game that allowed the Bulls to go on a 7-0 run, capped by Derrick Rose‘s floater in the lane, to win the game. Rip Hamilton started for the Bulls but did not contribute much due to foul trouble therefore his time was split with Ronnie Brewer. Brewer is a solid defender with good court vision and should see more minutes this season.

Naughty: Kobe’s last shot attempt.

Nice: Rose’s floater to win the game.

Orlando Magic 89 – Oklahoma City Thunder 97

Much like the Heat Mavericks game, the final score does not do justice to the thrashing that actually occurred. Like Miami, the Thunder look ready for the season. Very ready.  Oklahoma City pounced on Orlando early and never relented. Their team is largely the same as it was last year so their learning curve is near zero when it comes to knowing each other and how to execute plays…when they are not freewheeling. Speed and athleticism are the monikers of this team and they will serve them well out of the gate. If only they could improve their shot selections *cough* Westbrook *cough*.

Where the Thunder took plenty of questionable shots when they had built their sizable lead, the Magic took even more haphazard shots throughout the entire game. I have said it many times: the Magic’s offense is terrible. There is nothing more that can be said. It looked like they thought that there was a pit of lava inside the three-point line. Get Dwight Howard the ball in the post and let him work.

Naughty: Hedo Turkoglu clearly indulged his gluttonous side during the lockout. Dude is chunky.

Nice: Kevin Durant. Need I say more?

Los Angeles Clippers 105 – Golden State Warriors 86

If ESPN had their way, this would have been a documentary about Mark Jackson and the greatness of his coaching style. Nevermind the fact Chris Paul and Blake Griffin were on the court, this broadcast was about Mark Jackson, hands down (man down). They showed a clip of him quoting Shakespeare before the game. He was the only coach shown in the huddle, mostly saying cliché motivational shit like “execution” and “focus.” That is all fine and good, but he does have a decent team that the broadcast could have talked about. I think Jackson will be a good coach but that much attention is unwarranted, especially on a nationally televised game. His first coaching milestone was the hack-a-Jordan technique he used on DeAndre Jordan.

The final score is not indicative of how the Warriors remained close for much of the game. Clearly, the Wizards of Lob are the better team but last night they showed chinks in their armor. The aforementioned hack-a-Jordan technique stymied the Clippers offense and brought it to a halt. Luckily, the Clippers have Paul, Chauncey Billups, and Griffin. All played well as they were able to outlast the Warrior. The new look Clippers are a work in progress to say the least and last night they showed it.

Naughty: ESPN’s love affair with Mark “Momma, there goes that man” Jackson.

Nice: Caron Butler‘s circus shot.

There was one upside to the recent NBA lockout and it had nothing to do with basketball related income, griping owners, David Stern, Billy Hunter, the union dissolving, or money. Instead, the lockout provided everyone a distraction. If the lockout had not occurred the summer and fall would have been dominated by talk about LeBron James.

Make no mistake, this is James’ league. Yes, there are other great players but none is as scrutinized and as vilified as he. The lockout granted us and him a brief, albeit tedious and blunderous, reprieve. James’ miscues on and off the court have been well documented. His method of leaving Cleveland and his fourth quarter performances with Miami are headline news. He has no private life, and at times it seems that he wants the attention.

Since James was in high school at St. Vincent/St. Mary’s, he has been anointed as the next great player, the next Kobe, the next Jordan. However, that his not who he is. He is a different player with a different build and athletic capabilities. That does not matter, though. The comparisons will continue to pile on.

He has carved out a swath for himself in the NBA. James is not a niche player. With the attention his game, and sometimes his antics, garner, critics will continue to make a living reveling in his misfortune. They are not friendly pandas who James can have a pleasant photo-op with.

The lockout shifted the spotlight away from James. It gave everyone the room to breathe and take a step back. As the Miami Heat began training  camp this year, the throngs of reporters had subsided from a year ago. Perhaps the Heat and James are old news. They did not make any big acquisitions. They just lost a few players. Nothing special there. Of course, to think that James will not garner headlines this season would be beyond naïve.

With games resuming on Christmas day, James has just a few more hours of personal time to enjoy. The present under his tree will be watching the team that beat him in the Finals raise the championship banner. It will be at that moment that the critics will reawaken after their lockout slumber. James will again be the center of attention. It is not right and it is not wrong, it is just how it is.

Merry Christmas, LeBron. It is going to be a very long, shortened season. Next year ask Santa for a little more reprieve and a few more pandas. James  does not even like to play on Christmas, a day in which his critics hope to feast. He has two children he wants to spend time with. That is good for something, at least.

Even with Chandler, D'Antoni has his work cut out for him

The New York Knicks enter the protracted season with high hopes and deep playoff aspirations. Why should they not? This is a team that has, since the trade deadline in February, been one of the largest movers on the market. They have brought in star talent to contend now. However, with all the moves that they have made, are the Knicks ready to compete with the likes of the Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, or the Boston Celtics? It appears that everything is riding on this season no matter the fact that it is shortened and they have a heap of new players to work into the rotation. The clock is already ticking and the start of the season is less than 24 hours away.

Though they did not make the biggest splash in the hectic free agency period, that honor goes to the Los Angeles Clippers for wresting Chris Paul away from the New Orleans Hornets, the Knicks did land the most coveted center on the market. Tyson Chandler, coming off his career defining championship season with the Dallas Mavericks, chose New York over a host of suitors. New York was a likely fit for Chandler because they could offer him the money he thought that he deserved; roughly $56 million over four years.

During his time in Dallas, Chandler proved to be the backbone of a stout and flexible defense that was quite adept at employing complex zone schemes which allowed Chandler to operate autonomously in and around the paint. As defensively porous as the Knicks were a season ago, a defensive rating of 110.1 which was good for eighth worst in the league, it is no wonder why they spent the money to acquire Chandler. They need defense, and badly.

Yet, one player cannot change the defensive structure of an entire team, it takes each individual on the court to put forth a concerted effort. Carmelo Anthony knows this and believes that the Knicks “can be a great defensive team.” As with anything, words are easier to come by than action.

Last season the Knicks’ best defenders, in terms of defensive rating, were Amar’e Stoudemire and Ronny Turiaf. Each checked in with a rating of 108. Cult hero Anthony Randolph had a lower rating than either Stoudemire and Turiaf but his time on the court was so negligible it renders the rating moot. Determining defensive ratings for players relies heavily on the defensive rating of the team so it is understandable why all the players would own bad ratings.

Mike D’Antoni, the head coach since 2008, is known for an offense first game plan. Defense is an after though, if it is even thought of at all. Chandler is not an offensive powerhouse and can take seven seconds or more to run the length of the court if he is caught under the defensive rim when the Knicks transition to offense. How will he integrate into D’Antoni’s uptempo system? It will be D’Antoni who will have to adjust to Chandler’s presence.

With the lackluster defensive talent on the Knicks’ roster it would behoove D’Antoni to implement similar zone schemes to the ones Chandler anchored in Dallas. From there an individual mandate and trust can be passed to each player when the team plays man-to-man. Trust will be one of the most important issues for the Knicks to cultivate this season if they are truly committed to improving defensively.

On the opposite end of the floor, D’Antoni’s team packs an offensive punch, with two players at least. Combined, Anthony and Stoudemire were used in 60 percent of the offensive sets. The next five players in terms of offensive usage are no longer on the team. In terms of scoring, the four players immediately behind Anthony and Stoudemire are also gone. Toney Douglas is the next player on the list, in both categories, that is still on the team.

Of course there is Chandler, but as stated above he is not going to be a go-to guy on offense. Instead, the Knicks will have to rely heavily on some new and returning players. This includes the aforementioned Douglas, who will quarterback the team, Landry Fields, Iman Shumpert (oh, how he is hyped already), Bill Walker, Mike Bibby, Jared Jeffries, Steve Novak, and Baron Davis. Davis, however, will not take the court for some time as he is dealing with a bulging disk in his back. Not only that but he has lost a step going into his thirteenth season.

This is a team with serious depth issues. This is none more apparent than at point guard. D’Antoni’s system relies on strong play from his point guard (see: Steve Nash) and his options going into the season are far from promising. Douglas is far from Nash and had a two-to-one assist to turnover ratio last season. Now that Raymond Felton is in Portland, Douglas’ ratio could become worse.  Since coming to New York, D’Antoni’s teams have committed the most turnovers. Until Davis is healthy, Bibby will be the backup point guard. Anyone who watched his play with the Miami Heat last season knows that his time on the court is met with groans rather than cheers. The turnovers will continue to be plentiful.

New faces are nothing new for the Knicks, they have also had the most player turnover of any team over the last four years. Therefore, the current Knicks situation is no different that it has been during D’Antoni’s tenure. Nothing in New York should ever be all that easy. Unfortunately for D’Antoni, this is the last year of his contract. If he cannot but all the new pieces together he could be in a long unemployment line.

To expect much of this team in a shortened season would be foolish. Despite their formidable frontcourt, there are too many places where they need to improve, especially defensively, and be able to integrate new players. Not only that but their lack of depth will really hurt them with the increased number of back-to-back games and the inclusion of back-to-back-to-backs. Finishing sixth in the East, as they did last season, would seem to be about right for the new-look Knicks of this season. The Anthony trade gutted this team of a young core and the effects of that will be seen this season. Knicks fans can take solace, though, now that Eddy Curry is no longer on the team. That is a win in and of itself.