Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Steve Nash, even at 38 years of age, is one of the best players in the NBA.

He has won two MVPs and has been a dominant player for the Phoenix Suns, but the organization was incapable of surrounding the veteran with talent, so he is texting free agency.

Where will he land?

It depends upon who you ask, but there are several teams in the Nash sweepstakes, and whichever team lands the skilled point guard will definitely be upgrading their roster.

One team that would be a nice fit for Nash would be the New York Knicks. Ironically, the Knicks’ current point-man Jeremy Lin has drawn several comparisons to the future hall-of-famer.

The prospect of reuniting with former Phoenix Sun power-forward Amare Stoudemire would be intriguing, as well as playing alongside one of the best scorers in the NBA, Carmelo Anthony.

The Knicks would become one of the top teams in the East, and playing in New York City is always an attractive option. Will New York have the cap space to sign him? Chuck Schilken of the Los Angeles Times, recently came across a very interesting quote by Stoudemire discussing the possibility of reuniting with the talented point guard.

“What team wouldn’t want a two-time MVP and assist leader, veteran point guard? What team wouldn’t want that?” Stoudemire said of Nash. 

Where will Nash land?

New York Miami Dallas Orlando Submit Vote vote to see results

Where will Nash land?

New York

0%

Miami

0%

Dallas

0%

Orlando

0%

Total votes: 0

Another team that would be an intriguing fit would also involve another reunion with a former teammate—the Dallas Mavericks. Nash and Dirk Nowitzki sure were one hell of a tandem, and the team now has a much better roster than before.

Nash left the team in 2004, and has to be bitter that he missed out on an NBA Championship. Although the Mavericks are going to put on the full-court press for Dallas-native Deron Williams, they wouldn’t be upset if they landed Nash either.

Another squad that would be a great fit would be the Miami Heat. Observing the Heat this postseason, they are in dire need of another playmaker, and Nash is one of the best to ever suit up at the point guard position. Playing alongside Dwyane Wade and LeBron James certainly wouldn’t be a bad idea, and who wouldn’t want to live in Miami?

The Heat would then become the likely favorites for the NBA title, and at 38 years old, you have to wonder how much tread Nash has left on those tires. It is remarkable that he has played this long, but you’d better believe he can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Another possibility that is least likely would be the Orlando Magic. This of course depends upon several things.

Who will be the coach?

Also, will Dwight Howard stick around if Nash comes on board?

What will the Magic do with current point guard Jameer Nelson?

There is no way that Nelson would be happy with this move, but sorry Jameer, we are talking about Steve Nash here.

One thing is for certain, the 2012 NBA free agency will be very exciting, as there is generally not an offseason where a sure-fire hall-of-famer is up for grabs.

Stay tuned.

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Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New Jersey Devils – March 17, 2012


Image by Dougtone
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New Jersey Devils – Prudential Center – Newark, New Jersey – March 17, 2012

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Dwyane Wade had the worst game of his NBA career on Thursday night, leading to another playoff loss for the Miami Heat.

The team’s chances of reaching self-imposed high expectations are once again slipping away, giving credence to the idea that dealing Wade would give the Heat a better chance to win.

With Chris Bosh sidelined and Miami’s bench unable to fill the void, there was extra pressure on Wade and he failed to deliver. He made just 2-of-13 shots and turned the ball over five times as the Indiana Pacers cruised to a 2-1 series lead.

The normally reserved Wade even had a verbal confrontation with head coach Erik Spoelstra, a sign that frustrations are starting to boil over for the team that many people expected to dominate the NBA for years to come.

Wade, Bosh and LeBron James certainly believed it. The trio’s level of confidence at their introductory press conference was astonishing, even more so looking back on it now. It seems like they truly believed they were just going to steamroll opponents.

What the Big Three seemingly forgot was the fact that basketball is a team game. It takes a lot more than a few superstars to win a championship. Without reliable role players to fill in the holes, the Heat will always be living on the brink.

Can the Heat win a title with the current roster base?

Yes, just give it more time. No, changes are needed. Submit Vote vote to see results

Can the Heat win a title with the current roster base?

Yes, just give it more time.

40.6%

No, changes are needed.

59.4%

Total votes: 621

Sure, the Heat can dominate the regular season based on pure athleticism alone. But when playoff time rolls around and every possession matters, it’s not as easy to put your head down and attack the basket. Not to mention that the Heat’s style of play is tiring.

So, while the Heat are struggling to find players who can provide solid minutes, the Pacers are showing them the benefit of depth. Indiana has a player at basically every position who can produce off the bench, allowing the Pacers to succeed even if a main contributor is having an off night.

The only depth the Heat have is in the elite-slasher category—unfortunately, it’s filled by both Wade and James. And since only one of them can fill that roll at a time, it often leaves the other guy to wander around aimlessly.

In other words, Wade and James just aren’t a good fit together. Neither one has developed a reliable outside shot, so they both fall back on their ability to drive to the hoop. That makes defending them a whole lot easier.

Think about the NBA’s other successful trios.

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

The Boston Celtics have Paul Pierce (who plays the same role as Wade and James), an elite shooter in Ray Allen and a reliable post presence in Kevin Garnett. Of course, Rajon Rondo has improved greatly to give them another weapon.

In the Western Conference, the San Antonio Spurs have a slashing point guard in Tony Parker, a dynamic shooter in Manu Ginobili and the “Big Fundamental,” Tim Duncan. The Spurs also have a boatload of bench players who understand their roles.

As you can see, both those teams have three key players who all do something a little bit different to help the team win. And, just in case things aren’t working, they have other pieces who can help fill in the gaps necessary to make a title run.

The Heat have two players that like doing the same thing, an injured power forward that is prone to off games and not much else.

Fact or Fiction: The Heat should attempt to deal Wade.

Fact Fiction Submit Vote vote to see results

Fact or Fiction: The Heat should attempt to deal Wade.

Fact

49.6%

Fiction

50.4%

Total votes: 575

That’s why trading Wade in the offseason would optimize their chances of winning a title.

At 30, he still has plenty of value on the trade market and should allow the Heat to get some pieces to build around James, who has more years left on his legs.

It’s not a guarantee by any means—nothing is—but it’s the best thing the Heat can do for the long-term outlook of the team. Even if they were to win one title with the team that’s currently constructed, that would be a massive disappointment in the grand scheme of things.

Building a more complete roster starting with James as the cornerstone gives the franchise a much better chance of success. Even though it may not be a popular move with fans, they won’t be complaining when the banners finally start getting raised.

Ultimately, trading Wade is a lot better than trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.

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Pacers’ Hibbert was huge in Game Three
Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

In today’s world of focusing on the most recent event, many are writing off the Miami Heat. After last night’s 94-75 dismantling of the Heat by the Indiana Pacers, there are plenty of broken ankles from jumping off the moving Heat bandwagon.

A reasonable response or typical overreaction? That’s what we’re here to discuss.

In Chris Bosh’s absence the Pacers frontline was dominant, led by Roy Hibbert’s 19 points, 18 rebounds and five blocked shots. Danny Granger had 17 points, seven rebounds and four assists while David West had 14 points and nine rebounds.

For the Heat, Joel Anthony, Ronny Turiaf and Udonis Haslem combined for 15 points and 12 rebounds.

The only player that played well for Miami was Mario Chalmers with 25 points, six rebounds and five assists. LeBron James? Twenty-two points on 10-of-22 shooting with seven rebounds and three assists. Just OK. With no Bosh and Dwyane Wade scoring five points on 2-of-13 shooting, LeBron can’t just be OK.

Ever since LeBron and Bosh came to Miami, there has been talk of their weakness at center. A perfect draft choice for the Heat would be former Syracuse center Fab Melo, but I digress.

That weakness was on full display last night. Miami not only had no answer for huge Pacers center Hibbert, but it had no understanding of the question. In this series, the Pacers have outscored the Heat by 30 points with Hibbert on the court. While big Roy rests, the Heat have outscored the Pacers by 17.

And what do we make of Wade yelling at Heat coach Erik Spoelstra? Not a big deal at all, according to Spoelstra. I agree. These things happen all the time in the heat of a game, especially a big playoff game that isn’t going well. Spoelstra has demonstrated an ability to handle his players and the media very well during his time as coach in Miami. He’s had plenty of practice handling difficult situations.

Wade and Spoelstra okay?
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

So back to our original question. Are the Heat done?

The Heat have not always reacted well to being punched in the face. Make no mistake about it, the Pacers smacked the Heat right between the eyes. This is the moment LeBron has always been criticized for—the lack of killer instinct.

There are two things to consider here: 1. Do the Heat have the intestinal fortitude to punch back? and 2. Do they have the weapons on the court to do so successfully?

I’m answering both questions with a no. The Heat might win Game 5 in South Beach but won’t be back for Game 7.

What does that mean for next year? Fab Melo would absolutely be a great addition for the Heat. His size and defense are exactly what they need. Should they trade one of the Big Three? I don’t think so. Let’s not diminish the loss of Bosh. A little more size up front and they can come back strong next year.

Follow me on Twitter @sprtsramblngman

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Gregg Popovich is aiming for his Spurs to be number one for the fifth time.
Steve Dykes/Getty Images

With the second round of the playoffs underway, the cream of the NBA is beginning to rise to the top. 

The most impressive playoff team so far? That would be the San Antonio Spurs. 

All too often fans of every team are besieged by a barrage of cliches and catch-phrases. You hear about how a team will “take it to the next level in the postseason.”

That’s what the Spurs are doing, though. San Antonio entered the playoffs with high expectations, but there were also some questions. Yes, the Spurs were the top seed, and they had the best regular season record in the NBA. They also were 16th in points allowed per game at 96.5 per game. That’s an unremarkable ranking for a Spurs team with its sights set on the fifth title of the Popovich/Duncan era. 

In San Antonio’s other four championship seasons—1999, 2003, 2005 and 2007—the Spurs were third in points allowed in 1999 and 2003 and first in the league in 2005 and 2007. Would the Spurs be able to rise to the occasion?

Ask the Jazz or the Clippers. Ask anyone that’s been watching the NBA Playoffs. The Spurs are currently seventh in points allowed per game at 87.4. That’s an improvement of 9.1 points per game from the regular season. Better still, the Spurs are first this postseason in point differential. San Antonio is beating its opponents by an average of 16 points per game.

Watching a Spurs playoff game this season has been fairly boring. San Antonio wears opponents down with impressive defense and an offense that is seemingly always on the attack. The Spurs are deep, they have solid veteran leadership and hungry young players with limitless energy.

San Antonio can get out in transition and run, or they can operate with surgical precision, slicing up opposing defenses with deliberate and effective half-court sets.  

Tim Dunan is not longer dominant every night but he’s got a great supporting cast to help him in his quest for a fifth ring.
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Just how good is this Spurs team? This team is deeper than the previous championship teams with up to 10 players getting meaningful time. Tim Duncan isn’t quite as dominant as he was in his hey-day. Tony Parker, on the other hand, may have just concluded the best season of his career.

San Antonio had a 50-16 record which comes out to a .758 win-loss percentage.That’s the second best of the Popovich era and better than any of the four teams from 1999, 2003, 2005 and 2007 that went on to win NBA titles. The 2005-2006 team went 63-19 ( .768 ), but that team lost in the Western Conference Finals to the Dallas Mavericks.

It could end up as the best team Gregg Popovich has ever had the privilege of coaching. The Spurs are 6-0 in the playoffs. Not only has San Antonio not lost, but if the first and second games against the Clippers are any indication of the immediate future, then it might not be wise to expect close games. 

The Spurs are a well-oiled machine not only by the standards of the teams they’re matched up against, but also when matched up against the great Spurs teams of the past.

Gregg Popovich’s best team ever? It’s a little too soon to make that claim. Check back after 10 more wins. Then the answer might be pretty obvious. 

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Despite missing a game winning shot Wednesday, Steve Blake is best three point option for L.A.
Brett Deering/Getty Images

As the Los Angeles Lakers prepare to meet Oklahoma City in Game Three tonight at Staples Center, one glaring statistic that jumps out and screams “surrender” is L.A.s pathetic three-point shooting in the playoffs.

It’s a big reason—maybe the most important—why the Lakers may bow out in four or five games if they don’t improve in a hurry.

Four players on the Lakers took a total of 15 three point shots in their 77-75 loss to the Thunder on Wednesday.  They made just two, one by Metta World Peace and the other by Steve Blake.

Kobe Bryant was 0-6 and Blake just 1-5, including a miss at the buzzer that would have won the game for L.A.

Matt Barnes took just one long distance shot in Game Two and missed it.  In nine playoff games, Barnes is shooting just 17 percent from beyond the arc, missing 25 of 30 shots from long distance.  He looks shell shocked.

Point guard Ramon Sessions has fallen off a cliff with his play, including his three point shot.  Sessions has missed 17 of 21 shots in nine games.  He’s taken none in this series.  I believe the team has issued an APB (all points bulletin) because he seems to be missing in action.

The Lakers as a team are shooting 31 percent from three point land in the playoffs.  Yet there are some silver linings in all of this doomsday talk. 

The club hit on seven of 16 in Game One against the Thunder and Blake has had his moments, most notably the 19 points he scored off the bench in the Lakers’ Game Seven elimination game of Denver last week.  Fifteen of those points came on five of six shooting from beyond the arc.

What is the single most important factor for Lakers to beat OKC?

Big improvement on three point shooting Less Turnovers More of the old Kobe and less of what we saw Wednesday Nothing will help Submit Vote vote to see results

What is the single most important factor for Lakers to beat OKC?

Big improvement on three point shooting

0%

Less Turnovers

0%

More of the old Kobe and less of what we saw Wednesday

0%

Nothing will help

0%

Total votes: 0

Blake has made 42 percent of his three point shots in nine playoff games, a decent stat which would be much higher had it not been for Wednesday’s debacle.  And MWP has made 7-18 in the three games he’s participated in, that’s good for 39 percent.

Not all of the team’s problems are relegated to three point shooting.  The Lakers need much more from Pau Gasol – his 12.7 ppg average for the playoffs is five points below his season percentage. 

But collectively, it’s the outside shooting that is making it so difficult for the bigs because the perimeter players are not keeping the Thunder defense honest.

Tonight is obviously the pivotal game in this series.  Bounce back, win it and the Lakers suddenly have new life—well, at least for 24 hours while they rest up for a back to back playoff game on Saturday caused by the strike-shortened season.

The bottom line is Oklahoma City has the better team and the Lakers now need to win four of five from a team that is 4-1 against them this season.  To do that, Bryant, Sessions, Blake, Barnes, MWP and anyone else out on the perimeter with the ball in his hands who has a good look needs to make their three point shots.

If they do, the Lakers will live to play another day. 

If they don’t, they’ll be making travel plans as early as next week.

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MLB 2008 All-Star Game – Statues of Liberty on Parade


Image by Al_HikesAZ
We attended the 2008 MLB All-Star Game in New York. These Statue of Liberty on Parade statues were displayed in numerous locations all around Manhattan. This is the Arizona Diamondbacks Statue at the ESPNZone on Times Square.

To celebrate the 2008 Major League Baseball All Star Game, which took place in Yankee Stadium, in its final season, on July 15, 2008, Major League Baseball launched "Statues on Parade." Forty-two replicas of the Statue of Liberty were stationed around the city leading up to the game–each uniquely designed with bold graphics and colors featuring each of the 30 Major League Baseball clubs, the Brooklyn Dodgers, the New York Giants, the American League, the National League, four All-Star statues and statues commemorating the final season of Yankee Stadium and Shea Stadium. The 8½ feet tall, 250-pound statues are made of resin and rest on a 530-pound cement base.

The College Basketball Hall of Fame


Image by The West End
A photo of Georgetown coach John Thompson III making a point during the 2007 Final Four in Atlanta.

Justin Edmonds/Getty Images

The Los Angeles Clippers stuck around for part of Game 2, but the San Antonio Spurs once again proved how impressive they are as a team, rolling to a 105-88 Game 3 victory to take the 2-0 series lead in their Western Conference semifinals.

San Antonio got out to a big early lead before the Clips valiantly fought back and pulled within four at halftime. 

Of course, the game showed why basketball is a game of runs after San Antonio jumped out to yet another big lead in the third quarter and never looked back.

Let’s take a closer look at Game 2′s action and result. 

Video Highlights

Off a second-quarter turnover by Chris Paul, the Spurs got into transition and showed why they can be so effective when running the break:

Yes, that’s right. Stephen Jackson to Tiago Splitter, and it was still an effective fast break. Impressive.

Of course, the Spurs weren’t dominant on offense the whole game. Randy Foye got things started with this impressive block on Tony Parker:

Twitter Reaction

The NBA Guru reminds us how deep and how talented this Spurs team actually is:

Spurs are just a machine. You may be able to mess with one of their parts, but it takes more than that to deconstruct them.

— NBA Guru (@NBAGuru) May 18, 2012

Not only are they a machine, but they are also a well-oiled machine. When this team is on, it is scary good. 

In the second quarter, Grantland’s Sebastian Pruiti pointed out just how “old school” Tim Duncan truly is:

I don’t believe that Tim Duncan texts…I don’t even believe he has a cell phone

— SebastianPruiti (@SebastianPruiti) May 18, 2012

At halftime, Jose 3030 realized something odd about the scoreboard. It appeared they weren’t keeping score at all, just counting the insane number of flops, a common theme during these playoffs:

Spurs 46 Flops – Clippers 42 Flops.Halftime.No score to this game, just flops.

— 3030 (@jose3030) May 18, 2012

Charlotte Bobcats beat writer Rick Bonnell noticed how aggressive and uh, “fouly,” the Clippers got. Unfortunately for L.A., it was too late.

Somebody told the Clippers it’s time to get chippy. Too late.

— Rick Bonnell (@rick_bonnell) May 18, 2012

And finally, Not Bill Walton raises a very, very interesting question:

If the Spurs somehow win the title this year, does that make Tim Duncan, and not Kobe, the best player of his generation?

— Not Bill Walton (@NotBillWalton) May 18, 2012

Grades for Key Clippers Players

Chris Paul: C-

Paul just didn’t have a very good game. Give credit to the Spurs for hounding him all night, but CP3 just never got comfortable on offense.

What’s worse?

Chris Paul’s 8 turnovers Blake Griffin’s 1 rebound Submit Vote vote to see results

What’s worse?

Chris Paul’s 8 turnovers

41.4%

Blake Griffin’s 1 rebound

58.6%

Total votes: 99

That resulted in a porous eight turnovers to just five assists. Sure, he added 10 points and two steals, but it was not a good game for Paul. He needs to turn it around in Los Angeles for the Clips to have any shot at making it a series.

Blake Griffin: C+

Griffin looked good on offense, hitting jumpers and actually displaying a couple of nice post moves. That resulted in 20 points, which led the team, but he didn’t do much else.

One rebound in 37 minutes? That’s not good. Griffin’s sore knee must really be bothering him, because he wasn’t his normal aggressive self on the glass. Much like Paul, he has to be better. 

Grades for Key Spurs Players

Tony Parker: A-

I’m docking him just a bit because he didn’t shoot the ball very well, but everything else Parker did was near perfect.

He racked up 22 points to go with five rebounds, five assists and three steals. Not only did he fill up the stat sheet, but he also played very solid defense on Chris Paul and forced him into a very poor game. 

Steve Dykes/Getty Images

Tim Duncan: A

Another vintage Tim Duncan performance. He scored out of the post, he hit mid-range jumpers, he played solid defense, he ran the break (seriously), and he even made a couple fancy passes.

It was a joy to watch.

The Big Fundamental finished with 18 points on 9-of-14 shooting, five rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Deciding Factor: Spurs’ Offensive Execution

The Clippers kept making solid comebacks and stayed within striking range, but the Spurs were simply too good on offense.

There were instances in the second quarter when San Antonio became stagnant and in turn missed open shots. At the point, the Clips fought back into it.

But when San Antonio drives and kicks and swings the ball for open shots, it is simply unstoppable on that end of the court. The Spurs started doing that in the second half, and that’s what won this game. 

Overall, they shot 53.2 percent from the field, but that impressive number was even higher in the second half. 

Who deserves MVP?

Tony Parker Tim Duncan Boris Diaw Danny Green No one. Split it between everyone Submit Vote vote to see results

Who deserves MVP?

Tony Parker

20.2%

Tim Duncan

35.3%

Boris Diaw

10.9%

Danny Green

1.7%

No one. Split it between everyone

31.9%

Total votes: 119

Game MVP: No one

It just wouldn’t be San Antonio’s style to have one player singled out as an MVP. 

Parker was great, Duncan was great, Boris Diaw had 16 points without a missed shot, Danny Green knocked down four three-pointers, Manu Ginobili had a good first half, Kawhi Leonard played solid defense. 

Everyone contributed in their own way.

The Spurs are the epitome of a balanced team, and you should expect more all-around performances from their countless role players as the playoffs roll on.

What’s Next: Game 3

The Spurs and Clippers travel to Los Angeles for Game 3, which takes place on Saturday, May 17, at 3:30 p.m. EDT.

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Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

For any Bulls fan, it is pretty common knowledge that the prognosis for Derrick Rose’s recovery from his ACL could be as long as one year.

The best case scenario puts Rose back on the hardwood around January of 2013, while the ominous flipside has him missing the entire 2012-2013 season.

There’s no doubt that questions are arising about the path the Bulls should chart for next season.

Should they try to find a one-year replacement to keep the team in contention?

Should they proceed without him and hope for a speedy recovery?

Should they approach next season with the mindset that Rose will not be returning at all?

The approach the Bulls should take for next season should be an approach that is consistent with management’s style of planning for the long-term success of the franchise; Chicago should plan on playing next season without Rose and without any kind of free-agent point guard to fill in for the year.

Granted there are more than a few notable point guards that will hit free agency this summer. However, any of those who might be able to really contribute enough to help the Bulls stay atop of the Eastern Conference are well out of the team’s price range.

The Bulls could exercise some team options they have on a few players’ contracts and free up some cash to land one of the notable guards like Kirk Hinrich or Jameer Nelson, but that seems like an awful lot to go through for a one year rental.

Whick would be a better solution for Bulls next season?

Playing the season without Derrick Rose. Signing a free agent point guard to fill in. Bring in better supporting talent for Rose’s eventual return. Submit Vote vote to see results

Whick would be a better solution for Bulls next season?

Playing the season without Derrick Rose.

0%

Signing a free agent point guard to fill in.

0%

Bring in better supporting talent for Rose’s eventual return.

0%

Total votes: 0

If Chicago were to do any wheeling and dealing to bring in more talent, it should be for a player who can better serve as the second shot creator the team desperately needs.

A legitimate scorer would better serve Chicago next season more than a “Derrick Rose Light.” That would allow Chicago’s already experienced reserve point guards to play a diminished, yet still important role. It would also lighten the load they would have to carry in Rose’s absence over the course of a full regular season.

Forging on without Rose also provides a tremendous opportunity for Carlos Boozer, Luol Deng and Joakim Noah to establish themselves as legitimate, capable leaders.

This past season, Chicago played 27 of their 66 games without Rose. Even though they won 18 of those contests, no one core player regularly led the way as the undisputed second in command.

That may sound like a great testament to how the Bulls are capable of winning as a team instead of taking cues from someone else. But that logic falls flat when watching them perform like they did against Philadelphia in the playoffs: lost without anyone to show the way.

It is very clear that there is a head/body composition to this Bulls team that needs to be rearranged. They need hierarchal leadership with clearly defined primary and secondary roles that compensate for missing key players.

Despite the struggles that are to come, next season can be a great learning experience for the Bulls.

Anyone who’s been any more than just disappointed about not winning a championship yet in the Thibodeau era needs to realize that this team has only paid two years worth of dues. They could stand few more lessons before truly being championship ready.

It’s about time for these guys to really learn what they are capable of so that they can thrive on levels never thought possible when Rose actually returns.

Follow @JDouglasDavis

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