Kings already have one of the best big men in basketball and he's only 21. Who will the Kings draft for a future big-3 with DeMarcus Cousins and Tyreke Evans?

Sacramento Kings are the team that can conceivably improve the most with the fifth pick in the draft and become a playoff contender in the West as soon as next season.

The reason being that DeMarcus Cousins is a franchise type big man who is just an absolute beast.  Put any character concerns to the side for a second and look at his game, 18.1 points per game, 11.0 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game at the extremely young age of 21-years-old.  With his potential to be a monster in the paint, there is not reason that a top-5 pick in this years’ loaded draft class won’t boost them out of being a total disaster.

Tyreke Evans gives them another solid player although he hasn’t made the star strides some expected as of yet.  The 6-6 combo guard averaged 16.5 points per game, 4.5 rebounds per game, and 4.6 assists per game last season.  If they decided to keep Evans in town then this pick could give them a big -3 of the future.   Add in another big man or a prototypical small forward and the Kings are onto something in Sac-town.

Here are the players that the Kings are choosing from with the fifth pick in the draft:

Harrison Barnes and Michael Kidd Gilchrist.  Odds are that the Wizards or the Cavs will select one of these guys with the No. 3 and No. 4 picks and the Kings may have to take whichever one falls to them.  Either player would be huge for the Kings.  Barnes will give them a better offensive player who is deadly from about anywhere and isn’t a selfish player while Gilchrist will give them the lock-down defender needed to put the clamps on the big guns.  Kings can’t lose with either of these two and I will be very surprised if the fifth pick doesn’t come down to a future star small forward.

Both Barnes and Kidd-Gilchrist are NBA ready which is why they are a much better option for the Kings than taking a player like Andre Drummond, who they might have to wait a few years to develop.  While Cousins and Drummond would be an absolute brutal force with their physical gifts in the paint, the Kings don’t have that kind of time.

Kings also really need a point guard with Jimmer Fredette not looking like the ball-handler of the future.  He appears to me at best some instant offense off the bench and not a guy who can keep up athletically with NBA guards.  Selecting Damian Lillard with the fifth pick would give them a very good scoring guard, but that might not be good for Cousins.  Either way I believe that Evans will take a third scorer type role and have the ball in his hands much less this upcoming season.  Lillard would give them somebody who can get buckets from the outside, but the Kings need someone who will force-feed Cousins in the paint.

I’ve heard the rumors that the Kings want to trade Evans, which could be the case if shooting guard Brad Beal slips to the fifth pick or they decide to reach for a player like Jeremy Lamb, Austin Rivers, or Dion Waiters.  I don’t think there is any need to do this as Evans is slowly developing into a team player and I doubt the rumblings about him being shipped off have any validity.

Thomas Robinson would be the best possible pick for Sacramento and would give them a bruising power forward who is great on the boards to put next to Cousins.  There would be few front courts in the NBA ready to get physical with those two on a nightly basis.  Unfortunately, I highly doubt Robinson gets past the Bobcats with pick No.2, but if he does then lookout for him to slip all the way to No. 5.

At the end of the day tomorrow, the Kings are going to be the team who has improved the most.  I know it seems like that every year, but with Cousins becoming a dominant beast last season, there is little doubt that the team is going to improve with another top-5 pick especially in a talent pool as deep as this years’.  My guess for the pick is Harrison Barnes out of North Carolina which would be a huge boost at the small forward spot.

I was all for the Knicks signing J.R. Smith, but after observing his game last season the right move would be to let him go in free agency.

J.R. Smith has declined his $2.5 million option to stay with the Knicks and instead is testing free-agency.  However, the word is that he wants to resign in New York and just wants a slight pay raise.  I’m here to plead with the Knicks to let him walk and pursue other, more stable talents.

Smith shot a disgusting 24-for-76 in five playoff games against the Miami Heat.  Granted, he was forced to take on a bigger scoring role because he was one of the only healthy capable scorers on the team with all the injuries, but he was bad.  He went 6-for-30 in the final two games of the series.

When the Knicks first inked Smith from China, I thought it was a good move that would add some much needed potency off the bench.  I don’t feel that way anymore.  He has all the skills to be a lethal scorer, but his basketball I.Q. is Forrest Gump.  He doesn’t take the right shots or make the right plays with the ball in his hands.   I respected his defensive efforts, but that isn’t the strength of his game at all.

This is a guy that is taking his Chinese team to court because he didn’t get paid a little over a million dollars for meeting and practices that he didn’t attend.  And furthermore, him declining his option with the Knicks to get more money that he didn’t earn just proves that he is anything but a team player.  I don’t want to call him a team cancer because I think he would be a great fit somewhere, but New York isn’t the place for him.

Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire are enough of talents who need to get their shots to be effective.  I don’t think it’s a good thing to have a guy off the bench who is going to jack up 15 jumpers on any given night. Every once in a while he will catch fire and it will all be worth it, but that didn’t happen near enough this season.  Mostly it was groans and cursing him out for firing up contested jumper off of a cross over early in the shot clock that drew heavy iron.  He wasn’t nearly as good of a jumper shooter as I’ve seen in the past and I’m sure a lot of that was getting acclimated to a new team.

The on-the-court reasons for not wanting Smith back are debatable.  I mean there’s a part of me that still wants to have that type of firepower as a sixth man, but off-the-court seals the deal.  From putting pictures of Tahiri’s ass on twitter or just seeming to be more interested in NY night life than the success of the basketball team just screams out that the Knicks should sever ties.

Declining that option to me should spell the end of him in New York.  I think the Knicks would be much better off pursuing a free agent with proven class and leadership skills like Ray Allen, Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, or someone like Randy Foye, who already said he wants the Knicks, the list of guys that can help the team in more positive ways than J.R. Smith is long.

There are plenty of guys who can fire up jumpers and shoot 40% from the field.

Some team is going to get lucky in the back half of the first round with freakishly athletic 6-11 big man Arnett Moultrie. With a little added strength he will be a force on the glass and in the transition game at the NBA level.(AP Photo/Dave Martin)

Arnett Moultrie out of Mississippi State most-likely isn’t going to end up in the lottery as once projected during Thursday’s NBA Draft, but instead will be a steal for any team picking from 14-30.

Moultrie led the entire SEC in rebounding last season with 10.6 per game meaning he played in the same conference as No. 1 pick Anthony Davis and out-rebounded him.  On top of his ability to clean the glass, Moultrie added 16.4 points per game with his improving post game and perimeter skills.

The 6-11 235 versatile post man spent two seasons playing in Conference USA where he averaged just under ten points per game and six or seven rebounds.  Then he transferred to Miss St. where he was considered the top transfer in the country and showed immediate improvement in his game playing in a tougher conference.  He took over the scoring duties from incumbent big Renardo Sidney and out-shined his teammate all season long.

Moultrie is an extremely intriguing prospect because of the versatility that he could bring to a team.  He is a natural four, but has the perimeter skills to play the small forward at times and has the size the slide in at the center position when needed.  Possesses elite athleticism and quickness for a guy with his measurements.

Explosive leaping ability and the willingness to run the floor in transition and finish at the rim has the scouts drooling.  His post up game is improving, but he still tends to float to the perimeter and play too much like a wing at times.  His struggles from the free throw line are real.  Any team that selects him will want to try and put a quick 10-15 pounds of muscle on his long frame right away.

He had a pair of 28 point, 13 rebound games this last season and was a doulbe-double machine.  His athleticism gives him the ability to rebound at a high level even without elite strength for a guy of his size.  One of the largest weaknesses in his game is the inability to use his leaping skills to block shots as he has never averaged even one block per game.

I really like him as a player because there aren’t any huge holes in his game that can’t be worked on and he has the size and quickness to be a force in the NBA.  Any team picking in the last half of the first round is going to be extremely lucky to get a guy like this who would have probably been the second overall pick last season.

Pheonix, Dallas, Houston, Orlando, Boston, Denver all have mid to late first round picks and are all places I could see Moultrie going and making an impact immediately.  He isn’t going to be an elite superstar, but he has a similar skill set to Chris Bosh and that’s probably his ceiling.  I would take him before I would take Jared Sullinger or even John Henson, who is projected to go just before Moultrie in most mock drafts.  Whoever falls in love with this big man is getting a player who doesn’t lack any confidence and will put in the work to be good.

Dion Waiters star potential at age 20 has NBA teams in the lottery ready to take the risk on drafting based on potential.

Combo guard Dion Waiters out of Syracuse is unlikely to fall out of the lottery in Thursday’s 2012 NBA Draft and for good reason despite barely being on the radar at this time last year.  He has star potential, but plenty of question marks.

Standing at 6-4 and weighing 215 gives Waiters the NBA strength he needs to handle opposing guards defensively the way he did as a Sophomore at Syracuse.  At 20-years-old Waiters potential is virtually untapped and extremely high.  His stat line last season at Syracuse was far from impressive with 12.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists coming off the bench.  His 1.8 steals per game in 24 minutes showed what he can do to force the other team into turnover and create transition baskets for his team.

Waiters struggles in the half court when the game is slowed down at times because he isn’t a great athlete and will settle for the fall away contested jumper.  This is where all the Dwyane Wade comparisons come in and while I don’t know if he will be a star of Wade’s caliber, I think that there is some validity to them because of a similar skill set and weaknesses.

Waiters jumper is the area where he has showed enough promise to make scouts believe he can develop into a very good mid-range and 3-point shooter at the next level.  Although it was very inconsistent at times last season, he showed the ability to hit the big jumper when it counted during clutch time for the 34-3 Orange.

He shut down all predraft interviews and workouts after the first day of the Draft Combine in Chicago which means he most likely has a lottery promise and many believe it’s Phoenix at 13.  If he goes to the Suns he would start or be the sixth man immediately and be a big re-building piece in the start of the post-Nash era.

I’ve heard talk that he might be drafted even earlier than 13.  DraftExpress has him going with pick No. 8 to Toronto where he could resume his sixth man role behind DeMar DeRozan or take over the vacant point guard spot as he has the skills to play with the ball in his hands although ideally he wouldn’t be the main distributor for a team.

Portland is another team that could take him as they have the sixth pick and are in desperate need of help in the back court with Raymond Felton and Jamal Crawford being free-agents.  Drafting Waiters and putting him with LaMarcus Aldridge is a good look for the future.

I worry about teams taking him too high and expecting him to be a superstar right away. If he goes in the top-10 then the team who drafts him is getting a player they can mold into a future star and know very well that there are some dark rebuilding days ahead. A month ago, I thought he would have went later in the first round to someone like the Nuggets with pick 20.  It would be much more ideal for him to be a sixth man type of player like James Harden with a lot of firepower on the roster already, but teams think he can be better than that because of how good he is on the defensive end.

Waiters has that Sixth Man of the Year potential as he is really not a pure point guard and too short with less than elite athletic skills, but still strong enough to score. I think that he could become a successful everyday starter in the future, but it’s going to take a couple of years like most 20-year-olds.  He’s got enough talent and forces teams into turnovers with high energy which is something that is crucial for success as a combo guard without the one-on-one skills to get his own every time down.  If he has the drive and someone shows the patience and confidence in him then Waiters can mold himself into a very good all-around, major impact, everyday player in the NBA.

Conference USA Player of the Year, Will Barton dominated his sophomore season at Memphis while shooting over 50% from the field and isn't even a lock for the first round. Somebody is going to win big with Barton.

Will Barton is a name that stands out to me when looking at a player with huge sleeper potential in the upcoming NBA draft taking place on June 28 at Prudential Center in New Jersey.

Barton was the Conference USA Player of the Year averaging 18.1 points per game, 8.1 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game, and 1.4 steals per game.  Impressive numbers and he did all of that scoring while shooting a very efficient 51% from the field on the season and he lacks no confidence on what caliber of player he can become in the NBA.

“I respect all the other guys in the draft, I think they’re real good. I’m not saying they’re bums or anything and can’t compete with me. I just think I’m the best at the end of the day,” said Barton at  NBA Draft combine.

Everybody is always looking for the next Rajon Rondo, who was selected with the 21st overall pick in a very bad draft.  This years class is loaded which is why Barton is going to slide to the late first round.  I can’t see him slipping to the second because if he’s still available at pick No. 25 then I can’t see the Memphis Grizzlies not taking the Memphis University product from Baltimore.  Barton is one of nine players in Memphis history to break 1,000 points in two seasons.

Barton showed impressive improvement from his freshman to his sophomore seasons.  His showed maturity and patience in the offense improving his shot selection and becoming the clear-cut leader of a team full of dynamic athletes.  The strength of his game is his versatility and athleticism.  I think he has the ability to guard positions 1-thru-3 at 6-6 with great speed and athleticism, but the only real concern in his game is the lack of strength.

Barton is thin weighing in at merely 180 pounds and it doesn’t look like he’s going to be able to add much strength.  It’s a concern that he will get bullied by NBA 2′s and 3′s.  He shies away from contact when overmatched with physical strength, but he is just too impressive all-around to become another James White.  White was an amazing athlete similar to Barton, but had similar strength issues and could never stick in the league.

His strength outweigh his weaknesses and I look at him like a smarter, longer J.R. Smith with the way he will impact the transition game and finish at the rim.  Rip Hamilton is a guy that has had a great career even though he is extremely skinny.  Barton doesn’t have the mid-range that Rip has, but is very strong at shooting off the dribble.  Hamilton never had the athleticism that Barton does as he is a highlight reel waiting to happen.

I think Barton is too good on the offensive end to not stick in the NBA.  I think he can be a starting caliber 2-guard who will thrive in both the half court and in transition and lift up any team with his versatility.  I see him as an absolute steal in the late first round and while he has taken a back seat to shooting guards like Austin Rivers, Brad Beal, and Jeremy Lamb,… Barton could very well end up being as good as any of them.  I’m predicting that we will look back in five years and say wow how did he fall to the 20′s in the first round.

Places I could see him landing: Atlanta at 23, Cleveland at 24, Memphis at 25, Chicago at 29, Golden St at 30, or Wizards at 32.  I would be surprised to see him go before that and would be shocked if he falls to the second round.  Mario Chalmers is a guy recently that has been a very successful second round pick and Barton will have similar success if he lands in the right spot.

After eight seasons of try and fail LeBron finally won his ring after a triple-double in game-5 ended the NBA Finals.

Game-5 of the NBA Finals in Miami and the theme didn’t change, LeBron James was just too dominant for the young Thunder in the quest for his first NBA Championship.  The Chosen One took his game to another level this season and answered every critic to prove he is nothing less than the best player in the world.

Today marks the end of James ringless era and the start of race to see how many he can get before the end of his career.

All of the big-3 were extremely efficient in the first half going a combined 14-for-21 including 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists from James.  Mike Miller rose up from the dead and seized his opportunity to make a huge impact despite looking hobbled as usual.  Miller went 4-for-4 from deep in the first half for 12 huge points. Oklahoma City was outmatched right from the first play of the game when James punched it home and right then I knew he was getting that championship tonight.

Russell Westbrook reverted back to his usual play in these finals and couldn’t hit anything after a brilliant performance in a losing effort in game-4.  James Harden was completely ineffective once again.  These two didn’t provide enough firepower for the Thunder to have a shot at winning.  Kevin Durant got his points as usual, but it wasn’t enough with all the Heat stars locked in. Valiant effort from Durant with 32 points and 11 rebounds and he will get his turn, but it just wasn’t their time yet.

Miami’s three stars continued to dominate the second half and found themselves up by 23 points after the third quarter.  The Thunder were just jacking up 3-pointers that didn’t have a prayer and were treated like children by a team on a mission to win a championship.

This ring secures Erik Spoelsta’s spot as the long term coach of the Heat.  If they would have lost in the Eastern Conference Finals to Boston I thought that he would be replaced.  He proved to everyone that he could motivate this group of stars and get them in the right mental place to play hungry for a championship.

Mike Miller put on an amazing shooting display out of nowhere and was on all night long and had his best game as a member of the Heat.  He went for 23 points on 7-for-8 from 3-point distance in a performance that won’t be soon forgotten.

Chris Bosh had a great game from the field and misses were rare hitting for 24 points on 9-for-14 shooting while Dwyane Wade added in 20 points. LeBron finished with an amazing 26 points, 13 assists, and 11 rebounds.

Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole put in great games from the point guard position and the others that were once doubted for the Heat proved everybody wrong on their way to the Finals victory.  Juwan Howard,although he didn’t play, is the first member of the legendary Fab Five team to get an NBA Championship ring.

The biggest story is LeBron getting the championship that the critics said he never would and he didn’t slip up one time along the way.  He looked like a force of nature for the entire post-season and left nothing to be desired in any area of the game.  He turned his perceived mental weakness, and lack of aggression in past finals into strengths and that’s what the truly great players do.  His will to win was strong and it all started when the Heat fell down 2-1 to the Pacers in the second round and James came out like an uncaged beast and dropped 45 points.  From then on, if he wasn’t before, he was a man on a mission who wasn’t going to lose.

It looks like James finally has figured out how to be a champion and I’m truly happy for him to get this huge weight of the world to win a ring off his back.  I didn’t always feel that way, but with his play and demeanor he redefined himself and became a championship leader whose team responded to their superstar in a big way.

How many rings can LeBron win? I can’t answer that, but I am positive that this isn’t going to be the only championship that defines his legacy.  At 27 years old the potential to win many more championships exist.  Not one more, not two more.. okay that speech from 2010 is now dead and gone and everybody is instantly going to realize that there isn’t a match for him in the game.  I just hope my Knicks can somehow someway someday build a team that challenges them.

Adding Steve Nash or Jason Kidd in free-agency could be the push that the Knicks need in the lockerroom and on the court to be a true championship contender next season.

Legendary point guards Steve Nash and Jason Kidd have both confirmed that the Knicks are an attractive option for them in free agency if New York comes calling.  Both players resume’s speak for themselves and either would be a huge push in the right direction because any championship caliber teams must have a championship caliber locker room.

2X NBA MVP Steve Nash is the guy that the Knicks hope Jeremy Lin is trying to pattern his career after.  When asked about the possibility of playing in New York, Nash had this to say “The Knicks are a great franchise and I live in New York City, so I’d definitely consider them if they were interested.”

The problem with getting Nash would be that he would take Lin’s starting job.  Mike Woodson had already come out before the roster has been fully assembled and said that Lin is the starter.  Lin proved he was a versatile and exciting player last season capturing the attention of the world before it ended with a torn meniscus that forced him to watch his team lose to the Heat in a suit at the end of the bench.  I’m doubting that the Knicks would have the money to retain Lin and get Nash anyways unless they win the bird rights hearing which will give them Lin + a $5.5 million mid-level exception.  If that’s the case then they should without a shred of doubt try and pick up the Canadian who averaged 13 points and 11 assists this season at 38 years old. There has never been a player that has been this good and most are long retired before they are his age, but he just keeps going.

Add to that the fact that he sat in Phoenix this season on a non-contender and didn’t have one trade demand and kept playing hard every night tells you what Nash’s character is all about.  He’s never been a good defender, but he’s amazing on the offensive end and would be monumental in putting the right guys in the locker room.

Amare Stoudemire is another huge reason why bringing in Nash would be gold.  Stoudemire played he best seasons with Nash as his point guard.  The Knicks are desperate to get Stoudemire and his huge contract back to being the dominant player that they paid $100 million for in the first place.  I guarantee that Stat is all about getting Nash on the team and would be a better player because of it.

Jason Kidd is a very attractive option for the Knicks because he would come cheap and he’s already came out and said that he would enjoy playing behind Lin.  “That would be a lot of fun to help a player like that,” Kidd said according to ESPN. “Just share the things that helped me be successful in this league.”

Kidd has three NBA Finals appearances, one ring, and 18 years of experience and the Knicks need that veteran guy to come off the bench and bring a winners mentality similar to what Derek Fisher does for the Thunder.  Kidd averaged 6.6 assists per game in the playoffs and despite being swept by OKC he played very well.

Either option would be great for a Knicks team who everybody seems to have a negative opinion on.  These aged vets with a million years of experience are invaluable to a young and sometimes fragile locker room like the one in New York.  The Knicks should be extremely disappointed if they can’t reel one of these guys in because it would be a big step forward in competing for a championship and plus Lin hasn’t showed that he isn’t injury prone.

It’s just nice to finally hear two respected guys think that the Knicks are an attractive option because I still sour about Phil Jackson’s terrible attitude toward the team.

Mario Chalmers was blessed with the clutch gene that allows him to rise up and make the huge play when the big lights are on and time is running out.

Mario Chalmers came out of nowhere to score 25 points on 9-for-15 shooting including 12 points in the fourth quarter while LeBron James was cramping up to all but seal a NBA Championship in Miami.  Chalmers can be streaky as a player, but was blessed with a tremendous clutch gene that allows him to shine in the biggest make or break moments no matter what happened during the rest of the game.

We all remember when he nailed the miracle 3-pointer at the very end of regulation to send Kansas into overtime in the National Championship game, where they won.  No one shot has ever given me as much joy as when Chalmers splashed that one.  He isn’t the best player ever to play at Kansas, but no KU fan will ever forget that he brought them their first title in 20 years.  He’s a hero in those parts and the Heat stole him in the second round of the draft hoping that clutch would translate to the NBA and it did.

All of his ability to make huge plays in the biggest moments stem from his crazy confidence level.  There a saying that goes “only naive people change the world.”  I wouldn’t be surprised if Mario thinks that he should be getting the shots instead of the big-3.  Many times he comes off as arrogant and cocky, but without that sense of him believing every shot that he takes is going to go down then his clutch gene wouldn’t be nearly as elite.  He is never intimidated by any player or any moment on a basketball court and it’s very rare that an average player can rise up like Chalmers does when the big game lights come on.

Chalmers is on his way to being an aspiring Derek Fisher, another point guard who is wearing five rings and has hit some big shots himself over the years.  With LeBron James on his team, there is no telling how many championships they can win in Miami.  You often see LeBron and Dwyane Wade yelling at Chalmers during the game and it never discourages him.  Thick skin goes along with that confidence to allow him to strike when nobody is expecting with the game on the line.

Overall Chalmers has shown improvement as a point guard every season in the league and is now a very capable starter who continues to make the right plays on both sides of the basketball.  For LeBron, whose clutch gene has been questioned, to have a guy who shines in the biggest moments as a roleplayer is an absolute blessing.  Chalmers is the perfect point guard to put with the big-3 because he knows his role, but at the same time he doesn’t have one ounce of fear in him about taking and making season-altering shots.

Chalmers now has two high school state championships, a NCAA National Championship, and is about to add another championship to his legacy as NBA champion and he has done his part on every single one of those teams to bring home the hardware.  You can’t teach the confidence that Chalmers has and while it doesn’t always work in his favor, it’s moments like last night with everything on the line that make him such a valuable player.

How do the Thunder slow down LeBron James? Box and 1, double-team, zone.. cryptonite? Scott Brooks needs to figure it out soon to avoid being the runner-up of the lockout season.

Heat came out in game-3 of the NBA Finals in Miami and set the tone with great energy and physicality while dominating in the paint and on the glass.

LeBron James is too big, too strong, and too fast to be stopped.  James had it in his head to get to the rack and finish strong every play and it worked to perfection.  Whether it was at the top of the key with the ball or freeing himself up to catch it in the paint, it looked like James has realized he’s physically superior to everybody who’s ever played the game and he can out-muscle anybody to get points in the paint and own the boards.

James is playing at a different level than we have ever seen him especially on an NBA Finals stage.  He has become a better decision-maker this post-season whereas in past years he would pass too much or settle for too many jumpers or whatever, but something was missing.  Players grow and improve with experience and that’s what he gained in two previous Finals appearances and nine seasons in the league.  He finished with 29 points, 14 rebounds, and 3 assists today in dominant fashion.

LeBron loved the physicality and was a vicious beast tonight out for the kill. 14 rebounds and five of them came on the offensive end.  This entire playoffs he has made the right decisions and finally set it in stone that this is his team.  It should have been obvious from day one, but for some reason they wanted to pretend Wade needed the ball for a year and a half.  James is very gifted basketball player who just happens to be the size of Julius Peppers and as fast or faster than nearly any guard in the league.  It’s an obvious advantage especially with skinny Kevin Durant, whose only notable weakness is his lack of strength.

Dwyane Wade did what he has failed to do in every game that the Heat have lost this post-season and got off to a hot start.  He hit his first two shots and then missed a couple, but it was high energy that was his most valuable asset.  Flash was making big plays on defense, crossing people over and getting in the lane, and making the right pass for a change.  He doesn’t even have to carry the energy level through the entire game, but it’s crucial that he does it at the beginning like tonight.  Wade and James are the stars who set the tone for the team and other players observe and feed off that energy. Wade only shot 8-for-22 and he is just not a very good jump shooter at all, but was able to get to the rim.  If he could cut the jumper out of his arsenal all-together then he would be a much more efficient player. He scored 25 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and dished out 7 assists.

Chris Bosh scored 10 points on just 3-for-12 shooting, grabbed 11 big rebounds, and blocked 2 shots.  He had an awful shooting performance just like Wade, but also just like Wade he brought the early energy and did other things to help the Heat win.   Two ferocious dunks to start off the game and grabbed four boards on the offensive glass overshadow the bricks.

Shane Battier is just an anomaly.  This guy was not a good shooter all season or in the playoffs and in the NBA Finals is lighting it on fire from deep.  2-for-2 from 3-point range tonight, but it was clear the Thunder were making a big effort to stop the 3-ball especially Battier, which in turn freed up the driving lanes for Wade and LeBron. I disagree with this strategy by Scott Brooks, I would invite Battier to shoot all day long and if they beat you that way then ok.  If the Thunder were my team, I would focus all of my efforts on containing LeBron and beg anyone else to beat you.  I might even run a box and 1 like the Spurs did to beat LBJ’s Cavs in the ’06 Finals.

This was a winnable game for OKC down to the very end and I thought they played well considering it was the first game in Miami.  The Heat had more to lose than the Thunder in this one.  If the Thunder can win just one game out of the next two in Miami, then the series heads back to Oklahoma where they will need to win two straight.  With that in mind, this loss isn’t devastating.

Kevin Durant has proven he can score on anybody and today was no different putting in 25 points on 11-for-19 and six rebounds with zero assists.  He got in foul trouble again having to go to the bench in the third with four and watch as the Heat regained control of the game.  He also only shot four free-throws and missed two of them in the fourth quarter.  Miami is a very good defensive team and while Durant is a lethally dangerous scorer with a silky smooth jumper, he has to free himself up better and be more aggressive to get to the bucket.  He shows flashes of the aggression, but is trying to become a small-forward because his natural position is shooting guard.

James Harden and Russell Westbrook's jumpers have both been broken for the majority of three NBA Finals games,leaving even more pressure to score on Kevin Durant.

Russell Westbrook continues to struggle with his jumper, but still played a good game before missing a wide-open 3-pointer that would have tied in up late in the fourth quarter.  It was the right shot to take and he unquestionably did the right thing by pulling the jumper, but it just didn’t go down.  Westbrook takes a lot of criticism that is completely unwarranted at the age of 23 and he will only be better because of it. 19 points on 8-for-18, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks and was benched in the third for a small spell after getting erratic.  There’s no way this series is going to go by without Westbrook having a huge game and it hasn’t happened yet.

Kendrick Perkins played great on the defensive end and scored 10 points while grabbing 12 rebounds for a very solid performance. However his counterpart on the block, Serge Ibaka has provided next to nothing offensively and only pulled down five rebounds tonight.  In the San Antonio series, Ibaka’s mid-range game was a weapon and he even went 11-for-11 for 26 points in game four.  He shot just 2-for-5 for 5 points which all of the sudden gives the Heat two Thunder big men they can sag off of a neglect in order to stop OKC’s three stars.

James Harden was a complete non-factor tonight scoring the basketball, shooting just 2-for-10and scoring 9 points.  The Beard has only gotten off in one half during the Finals and that was his 17 in the first half of game-2 which was an eventual loss.  He did some other good things including 6 assists, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals which is commendable for a shooter whose shot isn’t falling.  But his job is to score and he needs to find his jumper and find it quick.  His jumper has been uncharacteristically busted so far this series so he needs to either hit or stop firing.

Heat have the momentum in this series with an opportunity to win the next two games in Miami and bring home the trophy.  I picked the Thunder in seven games because I felt the quality of roleplayer on the Thunder was much higher with just as much firepower.  I’m not ready to change the pick, but the forecast is sunny right now for the Heat due to LeBron’s dominance.  While picking the Thunder in seven, I didn’t account for LeBron being this great.  If you are one of millions of LeBron critics, there’s still hope that he will still find a way to not win a ring, but up to this point there isn’t a match for his size, athletic ability, versatility, and skill.  I feel like if the Thunder are going to win this series then they must find a way to disrupt James and let somebody, anybody else on Miami’s roster try and beat them.  Thunder must get physical and stop these guys from taking the ball straight to the basket and force them to take jumpers.  There’s a lot of basketball left to be played in this series and just like when OKC was down to the Spurs 2-0, anything can happen. However the Spurs didn’t have #6.

Does Phil Jackson really believe the Knicks stars are clumsy or is the fact that he was never offered the job helping to form his opinion?

Phil Jackson trashed the Knicks roster in an interview with HBO’s Real Sports that will air Tuesday and said it was a relief when the job offer to be the next head coach in New York never came.

“I wasn’t gonna take that job, that’s for sure,” said Jackson who then went on to call the current stars ‘clumsy’. “Well, they don’t fit together well.  Stoudemire doesn’t fit well with Carmelo. Stoudemire’s a really good player.  But he’s gotta play in a certain system and a way. Carmelo has to be a better passer and the ball can’t stop every time it hits his hands.  They need to have someone come in that can kinda blend that group together.”

Jackson is considered the best coach of all-time after winning 11 NBA championships.  All those rings came with Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant leading the way.  The Knicks were a playoff team last season who were hampered by injuries in the playoffs and Jackson’s comments just show how big of a front runner he is. I don’t know why I had a different perception of him like he would even consider taking on even a remote challenge.  Making his comments even more baffling is the fact that he won two championships as a player with the Knicks.

Jackson comes off as a bit scorned that Jim Dolan never even picked up the phone to offer him the job. Of course he says that he doesn’t want the job now that the Knicks have committed to Mike Woodson as the head coach.

The comments about Carmelo Anthony stopping the ball really anger me.  Did Jordan and Kobe not ‘stop the ball’?  Anthony does need to improve his passing, BUT he showed on more than one occasion last season that he was willing to do so.  The ball doesn’t stop in his hands, it usually ends up in the basket.  Instinctively, Melo is a very good passer, but who was he going to pass to in the playoffs this season with everyone hurt.  Anthony is more willing to play team basketball than people believe, but he’s a scorer and that’s the strength of his game.

He makes it sound like Stoudemire is a good player and Anthony is holding him back.  In reality, Stoudemire wasn’t very good last season.  It was one excuse after another from the power forward who was riddled with injury for most of the season.  I believe he will bounce back, but he wasn’t the Stat we all know and love and that has nothing to do with Carmelo Anthony.

Both years the Knicks have made the playoffs with Anthony and Stoudemire together and both seasons Stoudemire has been hurt during the post-season leaving Anthony to shoulder the load.  I think this version of the Knicks is going to prove people like Jackson wrong because they will get better.  The talent is there and it’s not clumsy talent.  Becoming a championship caliber team doesn’t happen overnight and the Knicks are on the right path.

Also Phil Jackson is on a 4-game losing streak as a coach after being swept by the Mavs last season.