2011 NBA All-Star Weekend Predictions

Charles Barkley said it best:  The NBA All-Star weekend is THE greatest such event in all of sports, in terms of the quality of the festivities and the celebration of the sport.  Charles, among the other great analysts on TNT, makes for great entertainment himself – both on TV and at the party scenes throughout the weekend.  Has there ever been such a weekend where he HASN’T lost his voice?  If so, the weekend festivities should forever be banned from that city.  That’s a pretty safe standard to set for the All-Star weekend city selections every year.

As far as the weekend itself – both fans and players love it.  For those who aren’t involved, they get a good weekend of rest in the midst of the regular season grind to either go home or partake in the off-court events with their peers.  It’s such a great weekend, though, that a lot of players forgo potential time to spend with family on this weekend to attend this.  All sorts of parties are going on, and a high concentration of basketball wives probably file for divorce during this time frame every year. 

LA's Staples Center is the place to be for all athletes and sports fans this weekend

All-Star weekend is the one weekend where I don’t mind being a complete hermit – where I stay in and watch the games.  Since I’m friends with mostly older, boring married people, that’s seemingly what I’ve been stuck with doing lately, anyway.  But for this one weekend only, I don’t really mind.   It’s also a set of games where I prefer not to watch it in a public setting where I can't hear the commentary (i.e. a bar or restaurant showing the games on TV).  All of the great personalities on TNT cover every event of the weekend, and it is really worth watching and listening to them.

I'm going to take a look at each of the events on Saturday and Sunday night in Los Angeles this weekend.  Since I didn’t have time before the Rookie/Sophomore game to put together an assessment, I obviously am not posting a prediction for it.  For the record, I thought the Sophs would win – simply because the Rookie Teams won just once in the past 8 years.  In all fairness, this and the Sunday All-Star game are the hardest to predict, since they’re both the friendliest of competitions.

This weekend comprises of more partying than actual competition, so predicting the events is a bit useless.  But it’s still fun to take a look at the participants and break them down.

Shooting Stars:

Participants:

Team Atlanta: Al Horford (Hawks), Coco Miller (WNBA's Atlanta Dream), Steve Smith (Legend)

Team Chicago: Taj Gibson (Bulls), Cathrine Kraayveld (WNBA's Chicago Sky), Steve Kerr (Legend)

Team Los Angeles: Pau Gasol (Lakers), Tina Thompson (WNBA's L.A. Sparks), Rick Fox (Legend)

Team Texas: Dirk Nowitzki (Mavericks), Roneeka Hodges (WNBA's S.A. Silver Stars), Kenny Smith (Legend) 

Predicted Winner:  Team Texas (Dirk, Hodges, Kenny Smith)

This is an event that’s not taken very seriously – especially since it involves WNBA and retired players.  Still, I enjoy watching it.  If you’re not familiar with this competition, it’s a contest where three players on each team score from designated spots on the court as fast as they can.  Each of these teams has one representative each from the current NBA, current WNBA, and retired NBA player groups.  I’m not gonna lie:  I don’t know about 99.5% of WNBA players.  But I do know that a lot of them are better shooters than a lot of NBA players.  In this prediction, I am assuming all 4 WNBA representatives shoot comparably well and offset one another.  

This event is exactly what the name implies:  it comes down to shooting.  Let’s compare the retired guys:  Steve Smith and Steve Kerr are obviously two of the greatest shooters of all time, but I think they spend a bit more time on air than Kenny Smith does.  Therefore, I think Kenny has more time to keep up with his play than the other two.  In contrast, Rick Fox probably spends absolutely 0 time playing basketball, and most of his time on his “acting” career and hitting on washed-up celebrities.  I expect him to be completely washed up himself, and drag down Team LA. 

Team Texas is poised to defend their 2010 title

On a side note, I don’t think the NBA on TNT would be nearly as amusing without Kenny Smith.  As I’ve said multiple times, the three-man booth of he, Barkley, and Ernie Johnson has been by far the best sports TV studio crew.  Chris Webber has really added to the great mix of personalities, also.  Take a look at the one of many great clips of their escapades.  My personal favorite moment was when Barkley lost a bet, where he didn’t think Yao Ming (in his rookie year) wouldn’t score 19 points in a game and had to kiss Kenny’s ass.  Everyone knows Charles is hilarious, but Kenny’s presence makes the studio show even more entertaining.  C-Webb has only been in the studio for a couple years (after just retiring in 2007), but he has been a great addition to the team after some of his own great-but-uncivilized moments with Gary Payton on NBA TV (here’s one of the many great segments of theirs making fun of Joe Johnson).  Anyway, I’m glad that TNT covers this weekend every year.

Back to the competition:  out of the current NBA guys in this one, it isn’t even close – Dirk is by far the best shooter.  With Dirk and Kenny having the advantages over their respective counterparts, I pick them to win. Team Texas destroyed the competition last year, and I expect more of the same this time around.

Skills Competition:

Participants:  Stephen Curry (GSW), Chris Paul (Hornets), Derrick Rose (Bulls), John Wall (Wizards), Russell Westbrook (OKC)

Predicted Winner:  Derrick Rose (Bulls)

This event has only been around for a couple years, and it’s been very successful and entertaining (unlike the horrible H.O.R.S.E. competition the previous 2 years).   Point guards in the NBA are extremely skilled, and any one of these dynamic guys could win it.  In this contest, players go through dribbling and passing obstacles, with a shot drill in between. Usually, the competition comes down to who makes that one shot the quickest – as all of these players are similar in terms of speed and ball handling abilities.  There is also a bounce pass drill that is fairly difficult, unless Steve Nash is doing it.  Ultimately, this will come down to the player with the best combination shooting and passing, assuming speed and ball-handling skills are a push among the five players.

D-Rose can reclaim his 2009 title

Chris Paul is the most seasoned of the players, making him the favorite to win the competition.  Curry is the best shooter, but I get the feeling that the losing culture of being on Golden State will get the best of him somehow (just as it did in last year’s three-point shootout).  Rookie John Wall might be the most gifted passer, but his shooting woes have been well documented – the pressure to hit that one shot might be too much for him.  Eliminating Curry and Wall, it should be a toss-up between Paul, Rose, and Westbrook.

At the end of the day, I think Derrick Rose is set out to prove his worth as the NBA’s best point guard.  With an improved jump shot and his usual blistering speed and quickness, he has all the weapons to win.  Although this is a friendly contest, it can’t hurt Rose’s case for the title of best point guard if he goes on to win. 

Three Point Shoot-out

Participants:  Ray Allen (Celtics), Kevin Durant (OKC), Daniel Gibson (Cavs), James Jones (Heat), Paul Pierce (Celtics), Dorell Wright (GSW) 

Predicted Winner:  Ray Allen (Celtics)

Can KD get hot and be the three-point King?

In my opinion, this is the best event of the weekend in terms of pure competition.  The Slam Dunk Contest is a good way to wrap up the Saturday night festivities, but there haven’t been very many down-to-the-wire competitions.  The three-point shootout, on the other hand, usually comes down to 2 or 3 great shooters. 

As far as the prediction, I think this would only be fitting, as Ray has recently surpassed Reggie Miller as the NBA’s All-Time leader in three pointers made.  Surprisingly, he’s been in the contest four times (01, 02, 05, and 06) and has only won once (01).  Still, with his lightning quick release and devastating accuracy, he should be the favorite in every shootout he participates in.  After Paul Pierce pleaded for both he and Ray to be in it, I am predicting the contest to come down to the two of them. 

Pierce broke the scorers-cannnot-win stereotype last year, surprisingly out-shooting great gunners like Stephen Curry and Chauncey Billups (as well as defending champ Daequean Cook).  But I just can’t see him winning two straight years.  James Jones, Dorell Wright and Boobie Gibson are all more of catch-and-shooters with slow and methodical strokes in rhythm, so I’m having trouble seeing them making any noise.  Durant has great range and consistency as a jump shooter, and I could see him being a sleeper.  I just can’t see back-to-back years of a scorer winning the competition.  I’m going with the Greatest Shooter Ever.

Slam Dunk Contest: 

Participants: DeMar DeRozan (Raptors), Blake Griffin (Clippers), Serge Ibaka (OKC), JaVale McGee (Wizards)

Predicted Winner:  Blake Griffin (Clippers)

This is as foregone of a conclusion as the Rookie of the Year debate is.  This competition usually comes down to the atmosphere – the buzz from the crowd (and players in the crowd) usually dictates how this contest goes.  It’s really hit-or-miss. 

The problem with this contest is usually the lack of star power.  In the old days, all the high-flying superstars gladly participated.  Now, the great dunkers come up with one lame excuse after another.  In my opinion, LeBron really hurt his popularity by never participating.  At first it was because he didn’t want to be known as a “dunker.”  Now, he just side-steps the opportunity and quietly dodges any questions that try to prompt him to justify why he declines every year.  Many players outright decline to dunk, but LeBron tends to enjoy teasing the fans by declaring his intent to enter the contest (only to back out of it later on).  Out of all things people bash LeBron for, I’ll be bitching about that every time the subject of him and All-Star weekend comes up.

If players want to be like MJ, they should at least do the dunk contest

The other problem with the contest is that a lot of players are one-and-dones, especially if they feel they get jipped by the judges.  Andre Iguodala had one of the greatest slam-dunk performances in 2006 vs. Nate Robinson (especially with this incredible behind-the-backboard dunk), but got completely hosed in the final round.  He was so jaded by the experience that he refused to do it again.  Vince Carter, who had arguably the best display of all-time dunk-manship in 2000, decided not to defend his title in following years.  I guess players these days have a bigger fear of losing their pride.  MJ, Dominique, Jason Richardson – they all did the competition multiple times out of respect for the fans.  During All-Star weekends, you can put pride aside and make it all about the fans.  Unfortunately, today’s players can’t seem to grasp that.

The Slam Dunk title is Blake Griffin's to lose

Thankfully, Blake Griffin is more than willing to participate.  DeRozan is the only opposition in the field that I can see making some noise, if he comes up with some creative ideas.  McGee is a flashy put-back dunker, but I think he and Ibaka will both fail to shed the heavy discrimination that big guys receive at this contest.  Dwight Howard was an exception, as he anchored his athleticism with unprecedented creativity (embracing the label of ‘Superman’). 

At the end of the day, the heavily favored Griffin will be one of those guys that will command the crowd’s attention – ala Dominique, MJ and Vince.  Even simple dunks will look spectacular for him.  The others will have to really raise the bar with their creativity to make him sweat, and I just don’t see that happening. With his ups and powerful finishing abilities, Griffin is easily the favorite to win the contest. I also think he will be motivated to win to honor his friend and ex-teammate that died due to complications of Hodgkin's lymphoma on Wednesday.

All-Star Game

Participants:

EAST TEAM
Starters
Dwyane Wade, Guard, Miami Heat
Derrick Rose, Guard, Chicago Bulls
LeBron James, Forward, Miami Heat
Amare Stoudemire, Forward, New York Knicks
Dwight Howard, Center, Orlando Magic

Reserves
Ray Allen, Boston Celtics
Chris Bosh, Miami Heat
Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics
Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks
Joe Johnson, Atlanta Hawks
Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics
Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics

WEST TEAM
Starters
Kobe Bryant, Guard, Los Angeles Lakers
Chris Paul, Guard, New Orleans Hornets
Carmelo Anthony, Forward, Denver Nuggets
Kevin Durant, Forward, Oklahoma City Thunder
Yao Ming, Center, Houston Rockets (injured, will not play)

Reserves
Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
Pau Gasol, Los Angeles Lakers
Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs
Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers
Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves (injury replacement)
Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks
Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
Deron Williams, Utah Jazz

Predicted Winner: East

Out of all the events, this is most futile to make a prediction.  First, you never know which players are hung over from drinking heavily over the weekend.  I suspect David Stern will never, ever allow an All-Star game to take place in Las Vegas ever again, after the 2007 fiasco.  Lots of variables are there off the court.  On the court, every player screws around for 3 quarters and whoever happens to have the lead clamps down and wins the game in the 4^th. 

I don’t know if East coach Doc Rivers will do this, but he has the option of playing all four of his guys (Rondo, Allen, Pierce, KG with a choice of Dwight or Al Horford at Center) at the same time.  Remember the 2006 game, when Detroit also had four All-Stars (Chauncey, Rip, Sheed, Big Ben)?  When all four of them were put in the game, the East went on a huge run and eventually won the game.   Generally, throwing 5 All-Stars (on different teams) on the court for one game doesn’t make for good chemistry – as greatly evidenced by pre-2008 USA Olympic team failures.  When four players with great chemistry are on the court together, they will pick apart five guys on the other team that never played together – even in a non-serious scrimmage-type atmosphere.   Because the possibility of that strategy being implemented for Doc, I am going with the East.  I’ll go out on a limb and say Derrick Rose will be MVP of the game, to further put his stamp  on the league as a star among stars. 

If East head coach Doc Rivers really wants to win, he can play all of his guys

In the end, you shouldn’t bet money making predictions on All-Star events.  Everyone involved is there to have fun, and that’s the beauty of it. Players want to party, not get hurt.  Coaches don’t really want to coach.  Still, it’s spectacular seeing so much star-power all together in the same place and it’s fun to break down the contests.  Next year, when the games take place here in Orlando, I am going do to everything I can to snag tickets for the event. I would really like to see what the atmosphere is like in person, as that is what the weekend festivities are really all about. 

Season Award Predictions through 50 NBA games

Now that the All-Star teams have been selected, time to look at who’s contending for individual awards now that that we’re at the more-than-midway point of the season.  For each of the awards, I’ll put down contenders, who I think should get it, and who I think will get it.

Most Valuable Player

Contenders: 

LeBron James, Miami Heat

Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls

Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat

Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks

Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets

Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs

Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers

Kevin Durant, OKC Thunder

Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic

Amare Stoudemire, New York

Easily the most debatable award of the 10-11 season, as there’s lots of candidates in this one.  Seemingly every year, a lot of guys have a pretty good case with one or two of them usually standing out.  But this year, there is no clear cut winner.  The Heat have two guys in the top 3 in Hollinger’s Personal Efficiency Ratings (PER) – LeBron and Wade at 1^st and 3^rd, respectively. 

Who I think should win:  Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks

Now, I know this is a bit of a head scratcher.  But hear this:  I have two criteria for separating an MVP from a list of legit contenders: 

1) Player MUST be on a team considered to be a serious title contender.
2) Player is the clear-cut alpha dog carrying his team (i.e. there is a large drop-off to the 2^nd best player on the team).  

Unfortunately, players that satisfy these particular conditions – particularly the 1^st rule – don’t always represent players who mean the most to their team – which is what an MVP award should be.  But looking at the history, this award has generally been awarded to players on title contenders.  At this point in the season, the teams I could foresee being contenders are the following:  Miami, Boston, Chicago, LA, OKC, Dallas, and San Antonio (I’ll explain this, as well as omissions, in another post).  In turn, this weeds out guys like Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, and Amare Stoudemire on this list (and the reason why we don’t even mention those not on the list, like Steve Nash and Deron Williams) – who are all extremely important and indispensible to their teams.  Team records and championship contention matter.  Period. 

Either D-Wade and LeBron should be co-MVPs, or neither should win

The 2^nd rule eliminates LeBron (who has Wade), Wade (who has LeBron – you know, just to be clear), Manu (Duncan), Kobe (Pau), and Durant (Westbrook).  Having a great 2^nd fiddle dilutes an alpha dog’s accomplishments a little bit, since defenses can’t afford to gear their entire attention toward them.  Obviously, Wade and Lebron have both always been tops in the league in PER even as clear-cut alpha dogs.  While this makes their feat this year that much more impressive, both deserve credit for their team’s success.  Unless voters can vote both of them in as co-MVPs, I can’t vouch for one or the other exclusively. 

Let’s look at Dirk:  he lost arguably the 2^nd best player on his team (Caron Butler) to a season-ending injury.  Hell, he’s even resurrecting Tyson Chandler’s career just by his presence.  Dallas had a horrendous record while he sat out with a sprained knee, forcing him to come back a little early and tough it out for his team.  Remember when Steve Nash’s absences during injury (and subsequent team struggles) sealed his bid for the 2005 MVP award?  Also, unlike the other contenders, none of his teammates are anywhere to be found in the league’s top 40 in PER.  He is the clear alpha-dog on this team, and his absence should bolster his case just as it did for Nash.   Oft criticized and given the ‘soft’ label, Dirk has been remarkably healthy his entire career for a Power Forward.  If he was just a jump shooter, I could get behind that ‘soft’ argument.  But that’s far from the case – he has a complete offensive repertoire both in the post and on dribble penetration.  When he does get injured, he seems to bounce back freakishly quickly – just look back at any ankle injuries he’s had – rarely does he miss much time from those.  I’ve been as hard on Dirk as anyone, particularly during the Mavs’ 2006 collapse vs. D-Wade’s Heat, but this shouldn’t take him out of the running for a regular season award. 

Dirk should get his due for carrying the Mavs

Of course, by saying Dirk qualifies for this award, I’m saying Dallas is a legitimate contender.  I know people struggle with this every year given their recent 1^st round woes, but Dallas still has an outside chance to contend for a title.  I know I said I would explain my reasons for listing contenders, but I’ll briefly explain Dallas’ hopes.  Surprisingly, I could see them making a run if things hold up and they retain the 2^nd seed in the West.   Even without Butler, they have talented perimeter players and plenty of size and depth to surround Dirk.  In fact, this might be Dirk’s most ideal supporting cast he’s ever had.  Not that they’re the most talented teammates he’s had, but they may be the best compliments.  Ugh, this may derail his MVP argument.  Oh well.  Anyway, I’m assuming they would handily defeat a 7^th seed this year (if you recall, they were a 2^nd seed last year, too – except they wound up against San Antonio, which was perhaps the best 7^th seed in playoff history) and be a tough matchup for either LA or OKC.  Can they beat San Antonio?  I’m not sure, but they’ve done it before.

Who I think will win:  LeBron James, Miami Heat

 LeBron and Wade will split a lot of votes (depending what happens the remainder of the season), but votes will not be diluted enough to let one of the other contenders win (since the other contenders will split votes amongst themselves as well).  And because LeBron has a lot of things going for him numbers-wise (he’s #1 in the league in PER, as well) and is Miami could end up being the 1^st seed in the Eastern Conference, he is probably the favorite to win his 3^rd straight MVP award. 

With a 3^rd MVP award, LeBron would join Kareem, MJ, Bill Russell, Wilt, Bird, Magic, and Moses as the only players to accomplish that feat.  That is an incredibly exclusive list, but of course he would be the first from that group to get there without winning a title first.  Does he deserve that honor?  I say not yet.  I personally think Wade would deserve the award as much, if not more than LeBron.  Remember that the Heat played relatively poorly until Wade got his rhythm earlier this season.  But LeBron has the better numbers, and that generally sells the MVP voters.  It is worth noting, though, that Cleveland became the worst team in the league upon LeBron's departure (though Z leaving and Varejao, Parker, and Mo all having injuries didn't help, either).  

I do have one wildcard in the MVP race, though:  Derrick Rose.  If Chicago somehow goes on a tear to finish the season with Noah and Boozer healthy, they would be a dark horse to contend for the title and Rose can win MVP.  Considering the injuries that Noah and Boozer have had, Rose would deserve a ton of credit for what he’s done.  Right now, I think the Bulls are a little too inconsistent to be considered serious contenders.  We also need to see how they mesh with everyone healthy.  We also need to see if Thibodeau wises up and benches Keith Bogans.  Since that’s all up in the air, I’m predicting that LeBron will win.

Rookie of the Year

Contenders:

Blake Griffin, LA Clippers

Blake Griffin, LA Clippers

Blake Griffin, LA Clippers

Okay, you get the point.  I dare you to argue with me about this one.  The funny thing is, the only wrench I’ve seen thrown in this argument is saying that Griffin is not really a rookie (he was injured all year last year and couldn’t play).  Umm..OK?  The Rookie of the Year award is the complete opposite of the MVP race, in that there is no race.  I think I’ve already talked about how awesome he’s been in several posts so far, so I need not say more. 

Before I make this one more suspenseful, the winner is…

Who I think should win:  Blake Griffin, LA Clippers

Prediction:  Blake Griffin, LA Clippers

 If this vote isn’t unanimous, someone needs to off anyone who doesn’t vote for him.  No contest whatsoever.

Sixth Man of the year

Contenders:

Jamal Crawford, Atlanta Hawks

Lamar Odom, LA Lakers

Jason Terry, Dallas Mavericks

James Harden, OKC Thunder

Who I think should win:  Lamar Odom, LA Lakers

Like every regular season, the Lakers have their ups and downs.  But one of the most consistent guys, ironically, has been Odom this year.  Always a tough matchup for any team’s 1^st and 2^nd units, Odom uses his size and quickness to aid Kobe and Gasol.  This particular year, with Pau’s up-and-down play and the Ron Artest- Matt Barnes tandem being relatively non-existent, Charles Barkley put it best:  Lamar might be the 2^nd best Laker.  For all the criticism they’ve received, LA is still 36-16. 

Who I think will win:  Jason Terry, Dallas Mavericks

This is assuming Dallas will have a better record than LA, since LA has a tougher remaining schedule. Terry’s won this award before, and I somehow doubt that Dirk will get the MVP consideration he deserves.  Rick Carlisle probably won’t get Coach of the Year consideration, so I’m guessing the one way they reward Dallas is with this award.  That usually is the case for their regular season success, as their “sixth men” the past several years have contended for the award (Jason Terry, Antoine Walker, Jerry Stackhouse, Antawn Jamison, etc.). 

Coach of the Year

Contenders:

Monty Williams, New Orleans Hornets

Doc Rivers, Boston Celtics

Erik Spoelstra, Miami Heat

Nate McMillan, Portland Trailblazers

Greg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs

Who I think should win:  Nate McMillan, Portland Trailblazers

I’ll admit that this is a bit of a pity award for the Blazers.  The league’s most injury ravaged team needs some credit for staying afloat in the playoff race.  Since LaMarcus Aldridge wasn’t given any credit for this (by not being voted onto the All-Star team despite multiple big games so far this season), McMillan should.  You see a lot of teams, when facing injuries, that have the wounded tiger syndrome, where they come together and put together a good stretch.  However, it’s only a matter of time before injury depletion takes its toll.  With the Blazers, McMillan has continued to motivate his players through yet another rough period of injuries.   Take a look at this graphic from last year.  No other team (except maybe last year’s Golden State Warriors) would fill up even ¼ of that chart.  Give McMillan the credit he deserves for continuing to keep his team afloat in the loaded Western Conference despite the injury curse. 

Who I think will win:  Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs

This is contingent upon the Spurs holding the league’s best record.  If that does happen, I wouldn’t be too opposed to this choice.  Amazingly, Popovich has only won the award once despite his immense success with the franchise.  He’s one of the few coaches whose coaching brilliance is taken for granted, along with Phil Jackson and Jerry Sloan (who STILL has never won the award in 20 straight years with Utah).  In the NBA GM’s survey this past offseason, Popovich was voted the best coach at making in-game adjustments.

Given that the Hornets are the only real "surprise" team of the league, first-year head coach Monty Williams could also very well win this award.  Of course, having Chris Paul as your floor general helps, too.  

Most Improved Player

Contenders:

Dorell Wright, Golden State Warriors

JJ Hickson, Cleveland Cavaliers

Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves

Roy Hibbert, Indiana Pacers

Who I think should win:  Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves

Who I think will win:  Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves

This is 2^nd least suspenseful award that will be handed out.  Announced as an All-Star reserve, Love is averaging 21.3 ppg and a ridiculous 15.6 rpg.  Last year?  14 ppg and 11 rbg.  To qualitatively state  how much better he is, he only started 22 of 60 games played last year and started all 50 for the Wolves this season.   Granted he plays for the 2^nd worst team in the league, his improvement has been very impressive.  The other three on the list, particularly Wright, have improved considerably as well.  But this is Kevin Love’s breakout year. 

In the end, this is what you get:

Most Exciting Players to Watch in 2010-11

Lots of buzz around the league after watching the Bulls and Clippers last night, with studs Derrick Rose and Blake Griffin squaring off in a must-see game.  Too bad it was a 10:30 game and only fans like me care enough on the East coast to stay up til 1 or 1:30 AM EST to watch it.  This was just a regular season game; I’ve watched countless Western Conference playoff games that ended at 2 AM EST and hardly had anyone to talk about them with.  I really think the NBA would be a whole lot more popular on this side of the country if the West coast games were on earlier.  Instead, we’re subjected to seeing a lot of so-so games during prime time.  Since there’s only 5 good teams in the East (Chicago, Miami, Boston, Orlando, Atlanta), there are not too may combinations of good games to watch.  And since those 5 teams don’t play every night, you get the occasional-but-not-infrequent Milwaukees, Washingtons, Charlottes and Clevelands playing each other, even on national TV sometimes.

All eyes are on these two guys when they take the court

I’m not saying those teams’ games are always boring (okay, maybe Cleveland games really are always boring these days), but we’re just missing out on so many intriguing matchups in the West.  Even the so-so teams in the West (Utah, Portland, Golden State, LA Clippers, Memphis, etc.) are so much more entertaining than the East’s perennial cellar dwellers.   Even in the playoffs the last few years, the 1^st round matchups in the East are hardly ever competitive.  Just look at how many All-star snubs there will be when the All-Star reserves are announced tonight on TNT; the deeper pool of talent (and thus a lot of the deserving players that will be left out) is in the West. 

Anyway, back to the Clippers-Bulls game:  Griffin and Rose had so many eye-popping plays between the two, the cameramen probably forgot there were other players on the court.  The two of them scored a combined 17 points in the game’s first six minutes.  These two guys make up a small group of certain players who make every game worth the price of admission.  In case you haven’t noticed, NBA advertising heavily relies on stars – especially high-flying superstars on good teams.  I decided to give a shot at ranking the most electrifying and must-see players in the league.

This is one of those rankings that are completely futile to come up with for four main reasons: 1) this topic  is so subjective, 2) it’s fairly limited to widely known NBA players that are actually helping their team win with their exciting play (I could probably pull up some names from the And-1 mixtape tour that would be contenders on this list), 3) fans of great players who wouldn’t make this list (prime example being Tim Duncan) are going to be offended even though there is a distinct difference between the "best" and “most exciting” players, and 4) this is a very fluid list that could change drastically as the season progresses.  With that said, I expect a whole lot of disagreements with who I have on here.

Just keep these points in mind:

-          I’m ranking these players based on their play THIS year thus far; there are many players who used to be a bit flashier and would easily have made the top 5 of this list some time ago, but their play has calmed down (for better or worse).  Examples of such active players that come to mind include (but not limited to) Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter, Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion, Tracy McGrady, Grant Hill, and Jason Williams.  That’s right, Jason Williams – that is, when he was in Sacramento.

-          This is strictly my opinion of who the most electrifying players are.  This is not meant to say I don’t respect players that didn’t make this list.  This is strictly “watchability,” not necessarily player effectiveness.

Let’s get on with it:

5.  Steve Nash

A perennial top-5 on this list, Nash is one of those guys that every player in the league would want on his team.  One of the most likeable guys on the planet, Nash has a great reputation for making other players better (and their wallets thicker).  A lot like Jason Kidd, Nash truly makes his team appealing to potential free agents.  Take a look at some of his current and former teammates whose careers he resurrected, or those who haven’t been the same without him the last few years:  Raja Bell, Boris Diaw, James Jones, Quentin Richardson, Tim Thomas, Channing Frye, and Leandro Barbosa.  A lot of folks (myself included) thought Amare wouldn’t be as good this season without him, but he is a rare exception.  Given that track record, there is no question Nash deserves his two MVP awards.

Nash's creativity makes him a must-watch in every game he plays

As far as watchability, he’s the real deal.  His ball handling, shooting, and court vision are all impeccable.  He’s one of those guys who has eyes on the back of his head.  He’s got every flashy move in the book – circus shots, fadeaways, crossovers, behind-the-back passes, spin moves, floaters.   You would find 10,000 Youtube clips of all of these moves in his repertoire.   Hell, he was in the highlights of a dunk contest even though he doesn’t dunk!  A talented soccer player as well, he has the ability to see plays before they happen; he’s the Luke Skywalker of the league.    You can’t leave the NBA’s Jedi master off this list.

4.  Dwight Howard

He may be the most taken-for-granted player in the NBA right now, even to people Orlando (where I live).  The league’s current “Iron Man” (he’s missed a TOTAL of 3 games in 6.5 seasons), he’s been a dominant force on the Magic.  Oft criticized for deficiencies in his offensive repertoire, Dwight has improved his low-post game considerably this season.  He started shooting 10-12 feet bank shots, which has opened things up for him.  Widely known as strictly a dunker and rebounder, he’s gotten pretty good at running hook shots and drop steps.  With improved footwork, he seems to have a lot more weapons than he did a year ago.  His problem, as he will tell you, is that he doesn’t fully utilize his repertoire during crucial moments.  His freethrow shooting ability, or lack thereof, doesn’t help his case either, as opponents foul him when he has the ball late in games.  This takes Dwight completely out of the offense during the last few minutes of any close game. 

Dwight is still learning how to fully utilize his unparalleled athleticism

Through the criticism, his popularity has been steady – not only because of his remarkable athletic ability, but also his friendly personality.  From what I’ve seen and heard, he seems to be an extremely approachable and sociable with everyone.  He always takes the time to reply to his fans’ tweets and Facebook messages.  Of course, being the most athletic big man in the history of the league helps his case, too.  He is often not mentioned in the same sentence as the Lebrons and Kobes of the NBA, but I think he should be.  He is by far the best center in the league, and the one guy who can absolutely torch Miami in this year’s playoffs (if they meet). 

On a side note, is it just me or should Magic fans be really worried about Dwight opting out and leaving the Magic when his contract is up in 2012?  He says he and Mickey Mouse will be together forever, but I wonder if he’ll start looking for greener pastures if the Magic don’t win a championship from now until then.  Lately, it seems as though he’s been getting frustrated with his team during their recent rough stretch.  As the anchor of the defense, he has been calling out his teammates more often for constantly letting perimeter players blow by them.  Otis Smith, the Magic’s GM, was able to ship out Vince Carter and Rashard Lewis – perhaps to appease Dwight.  But if those trades don’t pay off, how long is he going to put up with this?  It’s the elephant in the room that no one wants to mention, as far as Orlando is concerned.  The good thing is that he seems a lot more genuine about wanting to stay in Orlando than Shaq was while he was there.  And as I touched on before, he seems to be a very people-oriented and loyal person. 

3.  Derrick Rose

This year, D-Rose has clearly taken his game to new heights.  We knew he could dribble and drive, but now he can shoot threes and finish at a ridiculously high level.  He is THE quickest point guard in the NBA, and his improved game has fueled his MVP candidacy this year.  If the Bulls somehow get a better record than Miami this year, Rose is my season MVP pick. With Boozer and Noah in and out of the lineup, Rose has carried the load offensively.  Barkley thinks he is the best point guard in the NBA, and I don't think anybody can really argue that.  I wasn't all that impressed with Rose when he was on Team USA in the World Championships this past summer, which makes this run of his all the more impressive.

Rose is the most exciting - and perhaps best - point guard in the league

I can’t wait to see how D-Rose meshes with both Noah and Boozer when fully healthy.  The Bulls are the one wildcard I can see knocking out Boston this year.  Also, any show

2.  Blake Griffin

Do I even have to explain this?  The league leader in dunks, this guy has a complete stranglehold on every week’s highlights.  After the first two weeks of this season (his ROOKIE season, by the way), he ALREADY had his own top-10 plays countdown on NBA TV.  Seemingly every other game, one of his teammates – usually either Baron Davis or Eric Gordon – toss him alley-oops from 40+ feet away.  I’ve never seen that with such regularity before.  Check out these insane plays from Griffin vs. the Knicks.  That’s all from the same game!

Highlights aside, Blake has become such a dominant force on both ends of the floor.  If the Clippers continue to improve, they still may overcome their 1-13 start and threaten to make the playoffs.  That would be a great blessing for TV ratings, as people will still want to watch the Clippers get pwned by the Spurs or Lakers as long as Griffin is in it. 

Blake is above the rim more than anybody else in the league

After the Slam Dunk competition in a couple weeks, this highlight generating machine could very easily move to #1 on this list.  He may even In fact, the ONLY reason why he’s at #2 is because of the league’s highest rated duo..

1.  Dwyane Wade/LeBron James

90% of the world would probably shake their heads at this.  But whether you’re rooting for or against them, they’re definitely fun to watch – aren’t they?  Like it or not, these two paring up is clearly the storyline of the league this year.  And individually, they’re the two best players. 

We’ve seen D-Wade through his ups and downs.  But it seems like injury is the only thing that could stop him.  When healthy (or 85% healthy), Wade makes one electrifying play after another.   Most complaints about Wade are regarding the number of calls he’s able to get from the referees.  But he’s not the one calling them – he’s always the aggressor that’s forcing the officials to make those calls.  In the 2006 Finals, he absolutely devastated the Dallas Mavericks franchise, which is still mentally fragile from that experience (as well as their 2007 beat-down by the 8^th seeded Golden State Warriors).   Wade’s tactic of slowly lulling his opponents to sleep while he seemingly lazily dribbles up the court has worked countless times, as he’s able to turn on an instant-quickness switch and break his opponents’ ankles on a regular basis. 

What makes Wade particularly exciting to watch is his great sense of the game itself.  He truly knows the balance between getting his teammates involved and taking over a game.  Also, his ability to make clutch shots has been proven time and again.  Remember his steal and buzzer-beater vs. Chicago two years ago?  I think Kobe is the only other guy you can say could legitimately have done that.   This year, he’s turned in several 30+ point games and dominating performances against great teams.  He also knows when to take a back seat on offense, as well.  Against the Lakers on Christmas Day, he played conservatively on offense and had a poor shooting night.  But he focused most of his energy defending Kobe (in my opinion, he’s the best Kobe defender in the league – Shane Battier is a close 2^nd), helping put him in a relatively poor shooting night (6-16) as well. 

I called LeBron the most hated player in the NBA, but it’s still fun watching him (and in most people’s cases, rooting against him).  His game has calmed down since he first joined the league, but he still shows off his signature dunks – both on fast-breaks and half court situations.  He also has patented the run-from-behind block of opponents on fast-breaks.  Now that he’s not in Cleveland, he doesn’t have to run as many 1 on 5 plays anymore (though sometimes he insists on doing so, which blows my mind).  Like Wade, he has great court vision, and has become Miami’s point-forward who runs the offense. 

Get used to seeing these two at the favorable end of fast-break highlights for years to come

Together, Wade and Lebron in fast-break situations is becoming an unstoppable force.  There’s not much you can do when the two of them are charging at your defense full-speed.  Over the course of the season, they have figured out how to play with one another.  Early on in the season, it seemed they were alternating having good games.  Now?  They are both unstoppable.  The one way you can stop them?  When they shoot jumpers in the half court. 

You can argue that they may not be the best two players in the game, but you can’t tell me that these guys aren’t getting the most attention. 

Guys I kicked myself over leaving off this list:  

Kevin Durant, Rajon Rondo, Russell Westbrook, Jason Kidd, Josh Smith

As I warned, this is an extremely fluid and subjective list.  I’d be glad to see how other analysts would rank their top 5.  It’s not easy.  But there’s a reason why the five I have on this list raise ticket prices significantly, wherever they play.