Around the Sports World in 80 Words

With the passing Fourth of July holiday, the Hat Trick has been vacant the past few days. I thought I'd catch everyone up with a few words from yours truly on the sports world.

NFL

The plummet of Aaron Hernandez from stardom is third in NFL history to only O.J. Simpson and Michael Vick. And Vick has redeemed himself to an extent (so far). Hernandez, who was charged with first degree murder in the shooting death of 27-year old Odin Lloyd, was immediately cut by the New England Patriots. The Patriots offered full refunds and exchanges on Aaron Henandez jerseys. Owner Bob Kraft said he felt "duped" by Hernadez and former teammate Matt Light, who is retired, took time to throw Hernandez under the bus.

The latest disassociation? EA Sports has announced that it is removing Hernandez from its Madden NFL video games. Bad news comes in bunches!

That's a damn shame. 1

NBA

The Rockets won the Dwight Howard sweepstakes. On a team already featuring All-Star guard James Harden, and forward Chandler Parsons, the Rockets have become overnight contenders in the Western Conference. In addition to the blockbuster deal that sent future Hall of Famers Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to an already talented Brooklyn Nets team, the NBA can expect to see more parody at the top in 2014.

2

MLB

The Los Angeles Dodgers are going to make the second half of the season a very interesting one. While trading for or seemingly buying up all of the A-list free agent talent in the majors in the last year, the Dodgers acquired starting pitcher Ricky Nolasco (5-8, 3.85 ERA, 90 Ks) in a trade with the Miami Marlins over the weekend. The acquisition of Nolasco and the rise of rookie sensation Yasiel Puig (.409, 8 HR, 19 RBI, 1.102 OPS) have the formerly last place Dodgers as the first topic of conversation. The Dodgers are only 3.5 games back of the first place Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League West.

Puig has done more in a month than many have done in three. I hope he makes the All-Star team. 3

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Who’s Your Daddy? Father Time – Part II

The Hat Trick recently ran its first in a series of pieces on star athletes in the NFL, the NBA, and MLB who are approaching the ends of their careers. Where have they been? What can we expect during their remaining time as an active professional athlete? How much time might they have left?

RAY LEWIS

Baltimore Ravens middle linebacker Ray Lewis tore his triceps, possibly ending his 2012 season. Speculation has run rampant that the injury may have ended the career of the 17 year veteran. While I personally cannot imagine Lewis allowing his career to end in the middle of a season due to injury, if this year is the last we see of Lewis, it could possibly represent the end of the greatest defensive career in the history of the NFL. 

Lewis entered the league in 1996 out of the University of Miami. He was a first round draft pick in the first year in the recorded history of the Baltimore Ravens franchise. Lewis made an immediate impact as a rookie and reached the Pro Bowl in his second season. Lewis led one of the greatest single season defenses in the history of football in the 2000 Ravens. Those Ravens went on to win Super Bowl XXXV, a game in which the Baltimore defense did not give up a single point.

Many are aware of Lewis legal troubles in early 2000. Following Super Bowl XXXIV in Atlanta, Lewis was near the scene of an altercation that resulted in two stabbing deaths. Lewis’ limousine was riddled with bullet holes. Lewis and two of his associates were taken into custody and Lewis was booked with double murder. While there was no evidence against Lewis, the murder charges were dropped, and his associates were acquitted of the killings, the incident permanently stained Lewis’ image and reputation.

I expect Lewis to return in 2013. I hope he gets through the season without injury. Should that happen, I would think the odds are less than 50/50 of Lewis playing beyond next season. Father Time is undefeated, especially in a physical position like middle linebacker. I do expect him to coast right into the Hall of Fame five years after his retirement.

I cannot accpet this being the final play of Lewis' career and I doubt Ray-Ray can, either. 1

KEVIN GARNETT

Garnett was an 18 year old sensation who entered the league directly from high school. Drafted by the then lowly Minnesota Timberwolves with the fifth pick in the 1995 NBA Draft, Garnett immediately injected hope into a franchise that had none in its existence.

Garnett helped lead the Wolves to their first, ever, playoff appearance in 1996 and made the Western Conference All-Star team that year. The Timberwolves came within two games of the NBA Finals, falling to the Lakers in six games in the 2004 Western Conference Finals. Garnett was a first team All NBA member three times while with Minnesota.

Garnett was traded from a depleted Minnesota team to the equally depleted Boston Celtics following the 2007 season. Joining Paul Pierce in Boston, which also acquired Ray Allen in free agency, Garnett and the Celtics ran roughshod through the Eastern Conference en route to winning the NBA Finals in six games over the Los Angeles Lakers. The Celtics would win the Eastern Conference again, in 2010, losing the Finals to the Lakers in seven games.

Entering his 18^th year in the NBA at the age of 36, Garnett’s remaining years in the NBA are a mystery. He could conceivably play for five more seasons, barring a major injury. At the same time, there was significant media speculation over whether or not the 14 time All-Star and 2004 Most Valuable Player would return for the 2012-2013 NBA season. My guess is that as long as Garnett can play at a high level and his team can compete in the Eastern Conference, Garnett will continue to play. Having recently signed a three year extension paying him $12 million per season, count on seeing the Big Ticket, minimally, through 2015.    

LeBron may be the road block in Garnett's path to another NBA title. 2 

ALEX RODRIGUEZ

Alex Rodriguez is a true lightning rod, no pun intended off of his nickname, “A-Rod”. When great players become tabloid headliners, it can be very easy for even sophisticated sports fans to lose sight of just how talented that player is. I doubt that the younger casual baseball fan is even aware that Alex Rodriguez made a name for himself with the Seattle Mariners. After five All-Star seasons with the Mariners, the Texas Rangers took note and offered him a record 10 year, $250 million contract. Rodriguez became an overnight A-list sports celebrity.

While his first two seasons with the Rangers were statistically superior, Rodriguez won the American League MVP in his third and final season with the Rangers in 2003, impressive considering that the Rangers never reached the playoffs during A-Rod’s tenure there. The team simply did not have the pieces to put around Rodriguez to make a pennant push. Part of the Rangers’ challenge was complicated by the weight of Rodreiguez’s contract. Which team could take on a $25 million/year contract (in the mid-2000s) and still be competitive in acquiring other free agents? Hmm….

Following its second loss in the World Series in three years, the New York Yankees acquired Rodriguez in a trade with the Rangers prior to the 2004 season in an effort to return to the top of baseball’s mountain. It took longer than expected, but the Yankees returned to the World Series, dethroning the defending champion Philadelphia Phillies in 2009. Rodriguez put the team on his back and helped lead the Bronx Bombers back to the promised land.

The 37 year old A-Rod has five years remaining on a contract that will pay him $114 million during that span. Following an above average regular season and a disappointing postseason, rumors have been abound about the possibility of Rodriguez being traded. Rodriguez has failed to hit .300 in four consecutive seasons. His slugging percentage in 2012 was the lowest it had been since his rookie year. He has hit less than 100 RBIs and less than 30 homeruns in back-to-back (full) seasons for the first time, ever. Rodriguez, while still productive, is a declining player.

Considering the salary, I expect Rodriguez to play out the remainder of his contract, regardless of how far his play declines. A-Rod will likely surpass Babe Ruth on the all time homeruns list. And, in spite of the taint of a positive steroids test in 2003,  I expect Rodriguez to be voted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame sooner than later, although probably not on the first ballot. Baseball writers will have to ask themselves if Rodriguez would have had an exemplary career (while playing against steroid using opponents) without the use of Performance Enhancing Drugs. His post 2003 resume is still impeccable. And I doubt that any reasonable person truly believes that Rodriguez would have been anything but his dominant self without the use of PEDs. Time will tell. 

Rodriguez was benched in Games 3 and 4 of the ALCS this year. His days as a bona fide superstar are limited if not up. 3

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The Daily Hat Trick is sponsored by Sports N Stuff. For great deals on jerseys, shirts, cologne, and other guy stuff, visit http://www.sportsnstuff.biz/.

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Witnessing Greatness – Forwards

Prior to the start of the NBA Playoffs, the Hat Trick offered some thoughts on which NBA guards, currently active, will be in the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts after their careers are over. Today, we will look at forwards. The league is loaded with talented 3s and 4s. Sit back, take it in, and feel free to reply.

SLAM DUNK

LeBron James, Small Forward, Miami Heat – Prior to the end of this NBA season, I was on the fence on whether The King already had his ticket to Springfield punched. By winning his first NBA Championship, I am ready to punch the ticket, without reservation.

After nine seasons in the NBA, James’ career accomplishments are staggering. Even more staggering is that he is only 27 years old and just getting warmed up. “Not one…not two…not three…,” was not a punchline; it was a threat!

James is third all-time (#1 among active players) in points per game among players with a minimum of 10,000 career points, averaging 27.6 per night. In addition to stratospheric scoring, James averages 7 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals per game for his career. He has appeared in eight consecutive All-Star Games, won three league MVP awards and was the MVP of this year’s Finals.

James can retire after 20 seasons or can retire in 20 minutes. The vote on James on the Hall of Fame ballot is no more than a formality.

Can The King become the greatest of all time? 1

Paul Pierce, Small Forward, Boston Celtics – There has already been some debate on where Paul Pierce place is among the greatest Celtics of all time. What is not in dispute is that the 2008 NBA Finals MVP is among the greatest players of all time. Pierce’s ticket has been punched for quite some time.

The Truth is a 10 time NBA All-Star. Even after age 30, Pierce continues to average close to 20 points per game. He is in the top 10, all time, in NBA history for three point shots attempted and made. Pierce is second among active players for free throws made and attempted, a career 81% shooter at the foul line.

Simply put, Pierce has consistently played at the highest level over a 14 year career and is still among the best in the NBA at age 34. The up or down vote on Pierce Hall of Fame candidacy will require very little critical thinking.

Pierce is a slam dunk for the Hall. 2

Kevin Garnett, Power Forward, Boston Celtics – The Big Ticket has dominated the NBA during his 17 NBA seasons. The long, slender, imposing Garnett was drafted directly out of high school in 1995 because of his complete tool chest of abilities.

The 2008 NBA champion is a 14 time All-Star, a four time member of the Associated Press First All-NBA Team, and was the league MVP in 2004. Garnett is the career leader among active players in total rebounds and fourth all-time in total career defensive rebounds. With a 19 points per game career average, there had not been a more complete pure power forward (i.e. excluding Tim Duncan) to play over the span of Garnett’s career.

The Big Ticket 3

Dirk Nowitzki, Power Forward, Dallas Mavericks – Nowitzki will probably be the first European player to have spent the vast majority of his professional career in the NBA to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Nowitzki was the ninth overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft by the Dallas Mavericks. If you hadn’t heard of him then, you’d better recognize!

Nowitzki has an active streak of being on 11 consecutive All-Star teams. He is a four time First Team NBA member. He won the league MVP in 2007 and was the MVP of the 2011 NBA Finals.

For his career, he has averaged 23 points per game and 8 rebounds per game. He is in the top 5 among active players for career field goal attempts, field goals made, free throw attempts, free throws made, defensive rebounds, and points scored. He is a career 88% free throw shooter.

Nowitzki’s adaptation to American basketball required him to develop the more physical aspects of his game. While he presents the threat of a 7 foot tall forward able to bury an open jumper anywhere from 25 feet and in, Nowitzki spent much of his career being criticized for being “soft”, particularly on defense. During past two seasons, in spite of aging, Nowitzki’s post game and defensive aggressiveness and physicality have noticeably improved. Personally, I think Nowitzki’s improvement on D was the difference between the Mavs winning the NBA championship in 2011 and the Mavs being bridesmaids again.

4

ON TRACK

Carmelo Anthony, Small Forward, New York Knicks – After nine years in the NBA, Anthony has emerged as one of the elite players in the game. Anthony can flat out score, averaging 25 points per game in his career. Anthony is fourth among active players in points per game average.

As stellar as Anthony has been offensively, his defensive game has been noticeably lacking. If the five time All-Star wants to further ensure that he will be in Springfield one day, he has to place more emphasis on his defensive game. Of course, if he plays another five years averaging over 20 points per game, which appears to be a certainty, barring injury, his defensive game may not be relevant to his Hall of Fame evaluation. Some post season success (Anthony has only advanced to the second round of the playoffs once in his career) would help his cause, too.

5

Chris Bosh, Power Forward, Miami Heat – While Bosh was not a household name prior to his acquisition by the Miami Heat in the 2010 offseason, Bosh dominated opponents north of the border with the Toronto Raptors for the first seven years of his career. The seven time All Star helped a Toronto franchise with few highlights be competitive and reach the playoffs multiple times, including an Atlantic Division title in 2007.

Bosh averages 20 points and 9 rebounds for his career and has a career 49% field goal percentage. Winning an NBA championship last week helped bolster Bosh’s already credible Hall of Fame credentials. Bosh has played for nine years in the NBA. Another championship and/or 3 to 5 more seasons of high level play will likely cement Bosh’s place in the Hall.

He may be the "Ringo Starr" of The Heatles, but he's in the group! 6

POSSIBLE BRIDESMAIDS

Vince Carter, Small Forward, Dallas Mavericks – Vinsanity took the NBA by storm when Carter first entered the NBA in 1998. The eight time All-Star is among the top 10 among active players in career points per game, total points, field goal attempts, and field goals made. He averages 21 points per game for his career.

Given the length of Carter’s career and the high level at which he has played, a Hall of Fame induction would appear to be a forgone conclusion. Carter has some factors that may delay or deny his induction. First, Carter’s defensive game has never stood out among his peers. Second, he only averages 5 rebounds and 4 assists for his career. That is not bad, but far from what one would expect of a Hall of Fame Player. Even the aforementioned Anthony averages more rebounds per night.

Last, Carter’s productivity has plummeted drastically in recent years. Carter has not averaged over 20 points per game in three years. His scoring average has dropped to 17, 14, and 10 points per game in 2010, 2011, and 2012, respectively. This could call the longevity of Carter’s Hall of Fame level play into question.

Father Time: still undefeated. 7

Amare Stoudemire, Power Forward, New York Knicks – Stoudemire is a baller, without question. The 10 year NBA veteran has averaged 22 points and 9 rebounds per game during his NBA career. Stoudemire is a six time All-Star and earned First Team All NBA honors in 2007. He is among the top ten active players in points per game, and field goal percentage.

The threats to Stoudemire’s chances at the Hall of Fame are his durability and declining play. Stoudemire’s points per game average plummeted from 25 points per game in 2011 to 18 points per game in 2012. Some have theorized that the addition of Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks roster in late 2011 cut in to Stoudemire’s scoring. However, Anthony has very little impact on the sharp decline Stoudemire experienced in assists and blocked shots (falling by roughly half in those categories). Stoudemire also experienced declines in minutes played, field goal percentage, free throw percentage and rebounds per game. He has also vanished in the playoffs since joining the Knicks, averaging less than 16 points per playoff game during the past two seasons.

In addition, Stoudemire has missed substantial playing time in his career. Stoudemire missed 25% or more of his team’s regular season games in four of his 10 years in the NBA, including missing almost the entire 2006 season. Injury prone plus a possible career decline with limited post season success makes a tougher sell to the Hall of Fame Committee.

Stoudemire did not help his cause by punching the glass on a fire extiguisher door. 8

FUTURE HOPEFULS

Kevin Durant, Small Forward, Oklahoma City Thunder – The Durantula is one of the brightest stars in the game today. The three time NBA scoring champion, three time First Team All NBA member, and three time All-Star played in his first NBA Finals in 2012. If Durant’s next five years are like his first five years in the NBA, he will be a no brainer for a trip to Springfield.

9

Blake Griffin, Power Forward, Los Angeles Clippers – Having completed his second NBA season, Griffin is already a two time All-Star and has been among the league leaders in points per game and rebounds per game in each of his first two seasons. Averaging a double-double per night (22 PPG, 12 RPG) in his fledgling career, Griffin simply needs to continue to improve on his fundamentals, such as ball handling and jump shooting. Spread out over a full career, if Griffin’s performance continues to improve and peak, he will be an easy selection for the Hall.

10

LaMarcus Aldridge, Power Forward, Portland Trailblazers – The 26 year old Aldridge appears to be approaching his peak as he heads into his seventh NBA season, meaning he should be an unrestricted free agent after 2013. Aldridge will be THE big name in his free agent class.

Aldridge has averaged 22 points per game in each of the past two seasons, up from 18 points per game in the three years prior. He made the All-Star Game for the first time in 2012 and has consistently been among the better rebounders in the NBA. The second half of his career will dictate whether or not Aldridge can reach the Hall of Fame.

LaMarcus is about to get PAID! 11

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The Daily Hat Trick is sponsored by Sports N Stuff. For great deals on jerseys, shirts, cologne, and other guy stuff, visit http://www.sportsnstuff.biz/.

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The Green Mile

The fork is on the counter. The bird has been in the oven for an hour. The meat thermometer needle is juuuust to the left of the “turkey” marking.

Not yet, Celtics Fan; not yet! 1

NOT DONE YET

Don’t stick the fork in, yet. They aren’t quite done yet. But the Miami Heat are in deep, deep doo doo. The Heat had ample opportunity to slam the door on the Boston Celtics in Game 4, but, instead, lost in overtime after LeBron James fouled out and the Celtics launched a monster defensive surge in overtime, led by Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo.

Heat Fan thought, “So what? We have home court.” Not anymore! It is this simple: the Heat must win Game 6 in Boston the return home and win a Game 7 to win the Eastern Conference Finals. The Celtics, for all practical purposes, have one opportunity, which appeared to be out of reach after a gut wrenching loss in Game 2 in Miami, to clinch an improbable conference title.


HOME SWEET HOME

The home court advantage in the NBA playoffs cannot be understated. I could throw every statistic in the book to you, demonstrating how tough a playoff road win is. But all we need to do is look at both conference finals series. In both the Celtics-Heat series and the Thunder-Spurs series, the home team won the first eight consecutive games, 8 of 10 to date. Both higher seeded teams in each conference, the Spurs in the West and the Heat in the East, not only handed home court over to their opponents, but also handed those opponents a home close out game.

The Heat have had trouble, in general, winning in Boston and the Celtics have had few problems defending their home court in the playoffs. What the Heat have, mitigating their perilous circumstances, are a younger team with more total talent from players 1 through 12 on the active roster. The Heat have demonstrated that they are capable of competing with the Celtics at T.D. Garden in Game 4.

Wade may rue Game 4. 4

TALE OF THE TAPE

For all of the criticism, the Heat still have the best player in the game, three time MVP LeBron James, in his prime. They have 2006 NBA Finals MVP Dwyane Wade in his prime. They have All-Star Chris Bosh in his prime. The Celtics have four heavy hitters, but only one is in (or is entering) his prime, Rajon Rondo. Ray Allen has been a shell of himself during the playoffs with a gimpy ankle while Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce are simply older and do not have the total stamina of their younger Miami counterparts.

That isn’t to say that Boston’s “Big Three” of Allen, Pierce, and Garnett are incapable of playing like the future Hall of Famers that they are. Garnett has answered that bell repeatedly during the playoffs. These guys are veterans who know what they have to do to win in big playoff situations. But sports medicine and physics are what they are and the energy and youth factors are on the side of the Heat.

Is this Garnett's future or a mirror? 2

COULD WE JUST SKIP GAME 7?

Here is what you need to know. The Celtics are in the driver’s seat. They are tough at home. The Heat are bad in Boston. The Game 6 winner wins this series, in my opinion. The landscape strongly favors the Celtics.

HOW-EVER…should the Heat manage to finally take one in Boston and win Game 6, it’s over. You can quote me and put it in bold print: THE HEAT ARE NOT GOING TO LOSE A GAME 7 AT AMERICAN AIRLINES ARENA IN MIAMI. Not…gonna…happen.

The historic trend in the NBA is overwhelmingly favorable to Miami. The Heat have been stifling at home all season. The Celtics already have one win in Miami during this series; earning a second would be Herculean. The Celtics would have to travel for a fourth time after having played a seven game marathon with a young, up-tempo Philadelphia 76ers team in the prior round. All of the weights that are placed on the scale of a playoff series would completely shift to the Heat in the event of a Game 7.

For now, however, the Heatles must walk The Green Mile back to Boston. The Celtics have a chance to make sure the Heat are carried out and cannot walk out. If not, it was a great ride for Boston’s Big Three.

Will the Heat go out like Wild Bill at "The Green Mile"? 3

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Last Dance

Tonight, the Boston Celtics host the Miami Heat in Game 3 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals. We may witness the end of an era.

The foursome of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Rajon Rondo have been together for five seasons, winning the Eastern Conference twice and the NBA Championship once, in 2008. The arrivals of Garnett and Allen in the 2007 offseason and the rise of Rondo to that of an All-Star caliber player brought the long dormant and once proud Boston Celtics franchise back to NBA prominence. The odds are significant that the rebirth effectively will die tonight.


NOT A CLOSE OUT GAME, BUT...

Yes, this is a best of seven series. No the home team has not lost yet in the series. But never in the history of the NBA has a team fallen behind 0-3 in a best of seven series and come back to win. It is extremely rare in professional sports, period. A Celtics loss will put them in an 0-3 hole; Garnett and Allen are probably not coming back next year.

The Celtics must win all three of their games at home and, minimally, win one game in Miami, who has been a tough out at home, to win the series. Their best chance to nab that difficult road win likely came on Wednesday night in an overtime loss. Rajon Rondo (12 PPG, 12 APG) was Superman for a day with 44 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds in Game 2.

The Celtics are 2.5 point favorites tonight, very slim. The Fat Lady hasn't sung, but she is warming up. Should the Celtics lose tonight, it will all but close this exciting chapter in the annals of the Boston Celtics and the NBA.

2008 NBA Champions

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The Big Secret

One half of the Eastern Conference Finals has been set in the NBA playoffs, with the Miami Heat advancing last night. The other half will be determined on Saturday in Game 7 of the conference semifinal series between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics. This could be Garnett's last game as a Boston Celtics, if not as an NBA player.

I cannot help but wonder if model Marraya, rumored to have been Garnett's mistress, will be on hand in Boston for moral support.

If you're going to take a swing that could backfire on you, swing for the fences a la The Big Ticket!

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The Big THREE in N.Y.C.

“The Big Three”: This label became a requisite element of NBA-speak in the 2007 offseason when the (then) last place Boston Celtics traded for Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett to play with Paul Pierce. The Celtics went from worst to first, beating the Lakers in the 2008 NBA Finals and winning the Celtics’ first NBA Championship since 1986.

The Big Three 1

“The Big Three” label grew legs this past summer when LeBron James of the Cavaliers took his talents to South Beach to join forces with newly acquired Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat. Subsequent promotional appearances including simulated smoke filled stages and speculation about the 2011 Heat breaking the 1996 Chicago Bulls’ record of 72 regular season wins followed. Many thought that “The Big Three” in Boston and “The Big Three” in Miami were on a collision course in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.

The Big Three 2

Last week, the New York Knicks completed a blockbuster trade to acquire All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony and other Denver Nuggets players. Anthony teamed up with Amare Stoudemire, whom the Knicks acquired in free agency from the Phoenix Suns this past summer. The sports media has been abuzz with talk of how the team of Melo and Amare would shift the balance of power in the Eastern Conference. There has been constant talk of how this tandem has brought the spotlight back to New York. I have heard talk about how the Knicks might match up against one of the teams with a “Big Three” in the playoffs (the Celtics or Heat).

Who is that guy on the right and why is he in the picture with Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire? 3

HELLOOOOOOOO! Was I the ONLY person who noticed one of the “other” players that came with Melo to the Big Apple? I know that I am a sports fanatic and guys like me tend to notice the activities of more obscure players, role players, and anonymous athletes who chip in their contributions to their teams by toiling in anonymity. So perhaps I am placing too much stock into one of those “other” guys who hitched his wagon to Carmelo Anthony’s star by ceremoniously moving the ball up and down the court to hand it off to one of the two big dogs.

Was Chauncey Billups not one of the pieces that the Knicks also demanded in exchange for being fleeced of draft picks and four of its starters? I thought I had been misinformed about Billups being part of the deal. Certainly, had Billups been included in this heavily covered trade, there would be talk of “The Big Three” in New York! Certainly, Billups would be one of three critical pieces upon which the Knicks would hinge their short term success if he were a part of the deal.

Nope! I must have heard all wrong. Billups must still be in Denver. Perhaps he has an undisclosed injury and just hasn’t been seen at the Pepsi Center. After all, the catchy “Big Three” label would be applied immediately to a point guard averaging 17 points per night. The acquisition of the 2004 NBA Finals MVP, a five time All-Star, joining Anthony and Stoudemire would trigger “Big Three” ink over every sports page in the country if it happened.

Melo said that last night was not just about the big stars. Look at him supporting one of the little people on the team. 4

I suppose the Knicks, one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA at the time of the trade, were able to hold the Heat Index (Miami’s “Big Three”) to under 90 points in the Heat’s own building on national television because Melo lifted the defense onto his shoulders and vicariously forced the Heat’s backcourt to turn the ball over nine times (side note: kudos to Melo for stepping his D UP last night against The King). The Knicks must have had a “#4 – Billups” jersey sitting around that some stunt double wore and sunk the go-ahead basket heading into the final minute of the game.

That’s only something I would expect to see from a member of a “Big Three”. If the Knicks did have a “Big Three”, the top seeded teams in the East might be on notice, heading into the playoffs. If the Knicks had a “Big Three”, the New York area might have some cause for optimism THIS year.

I am sure Doc Rivers, Eric Spoelstra, Tom Thibodeau, and Stan Van Gundy are all sleeping soundly in spite of the possibility of facing the Knicks in the playoffs…unless, of course, the Knicks have a “Big Three”.


Don’t forget to vote in the fan polls!



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