The All-Time NBA Team

Let’s suppose for one second that the plot of Space Jam could come true. A race of super basketball playing aliens has come down from the heavens and challenged us earthlings to a game of hoops. Thanks to their advanced technology, they allow humans to pick a team of NBA superstars in their primes. This includes players living or dead, active or retired. Placed in charge of creating this uber-team, here is what we came up with for the 12-man roster.

STARTING LINEUP

PG- Magic Johnson: The NBA’s all-time leader in assists per game with 11.19, Johnson was the obvious pick because of his amazing versatility. He could famously play all five positions on the floor, and do so fairly well. How many 6’8 point guards do you see today?

SG- Michael Jordan: The easiest pick on the roster. Jordan is hands down, the greatest player in NBA history. The league’s all-time leader in Player Efficiency Rating, Jordan averaged a whopping 30.1 points per game for his career. Led the NBA in win shares nine times.

SF- Larry Bird: One of the greatest shooters ever, Bird really could lead a team on both ends of the floor. He finished in the top 10 in Defensive Rating five times in his 13 year NBA career, and led the league in Defensive Win Shares four times. Oh, and he was an offensive guru who could score from just about anywhere on the floor.

PF- Karl Malone: Durability is the main reason Malone gets the start. He’s fourth all-time in games played with 1476, and he played in all 82 contests an amazing 10 times. Malone has made (and taken) more free throws than anyone in the history of the NBA, and has pulled down the most defensive boards as well.

C- Wilt Chamberlain: One of the most gifted players ever, in terms of both offense and defense. Was a member of the All-NBA team nine times, and a member of the NBA All-Defensive First Team twice. Oh, and he once scored 100 points in a game. That helps too.

BENCH

6. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (C)

7. Moses Malone (F)

8. John Stockton (PG)

9. John Havlicek (G/F)

10. Kobe Bryant (G)

11. Jerry West (PG)

12. Tim Duncan (PF)

HEAD COACH: Phil Jackson

Mock Draft 2.0

With our first extremely early mock draft nearly a full month old, it’s time to update where each player stands. Without further ado, here is The Technical Foul’s Mock Draft 2.0! As always, the draft order is determined by the current NBA standings, in reverse order.

1. New Jersey Nets– John Wall (PG, Kentucky)– I know they already have Devin Harris, but Wall is far and away the top player on the board.

2. Minnesota Timberwolves– Xavier Henry (SG, Kansas)– Super Frosh Henry keeps climbing draft boards. The Wolves need a two-guard more than another young big.

3. Golden State Warriors– Derrick Favors (PF, Georgia Tech)– Another freshman that will certainly go in the top three.

4. Philadelphia 76’ers– Ed Davis (PF, North Carolina)– Very raw but very talented. One drawback is that he only plays 15.6 minutes per game at UNC.

5. Indiana Pacers– Willie Warren (PG, Oklahoma)–  Big (6’4) for a point guard, Warren is an offensive wizard who often lacks on the defensive end.

6. Washington Wizards– Wesley Johnson (SF, Syracuse)– Transfer from Iowa State is an athletic scorer.

7. Detroit Pistons– Cole Aldrich (C, Kansas)– The best true center on the board, Aldrich has been a force to be reckoned with in the paint for the Jayhawks.

8. New York Knicks– Patrick Patterson (PF, Kentucky)– The 6’8 Patterson probably has the most NBA ready body in the draft.

9. Milwaukee Bucks– Evan Turner (SG, Ohio State)– Replaces another Buckeye, Michael Redd, in Milwaukee.

10. Sacramento Kings– Al-Farouq Aminu (SF, Wake Forest)– Kings would be thrilled to take this freakish athlete with the tenth pick.

11. Charlotte Bobcats– Donatas Motiejunas (SF, Lithuania)– Seven footer with inside game who can also step back and knock down a three.

12. Chicago Bulls- John Henson (PF, North Carolina)– Like Davis, his lack of minutes is hurting his draft stock.

13. Los Angeles Clippers–Devin Ebanks (SF, West Virginia)– Extremely skilled swingman will help the Clips offense.

14. Toronto Raptors– Solomon Alabi (C, Florida State)– 7’1 center could help offset the potential loss of Chris Bosh.

15. New Orleans Hornets– Elias Harris (SF, Gonzaga)– Quick player who loves to run and can rebound with the best of them.

16. Memphis Grizzlies–Greg Monroe (PF, Georgetown)– 6’11 forward has talent and power.

17. Utah Jazz– Avery Bradley (SG, Texas)– Young and skilled. Will compliment Deron Williams in the backcourt.

18. Miami Heat– Terrico White (SG, Mississippi)– White can help offset some offense with the Heat potentially losing D-Wade.

19. Oklahoma City Thunder– Craig Brackins (PF, Iowa State)–  Down in every major statistical category from a year ago, probably should have gone pro last season.

20. Houston Rockets– Jan Vesely (C, Czech Republic)– Another foreign big man thriving in Houston.

21. Portland Trailblazers– DeMarcus Cousins (PF, Kentucky)– Has been impressive in the shadow of Wall and Patterson.

22. Phoenix Suns–Paul George (SF, Fresno State)– Think Wilson Chandler with a better outside shot.

23. Denver Nuggets– Jarvis Varnado (PF, Mississippi State)– Tremendous shot blocker.

24. San Antonio Spurs– Stanley Robinson (SF, Connecticut)– Lanky body, great wingspan. A great value pick for the Spurs.

25. Atlanta Hawks- Malcolm Lee (PG, UCLA)– Raw talent but still very young.

26. Dallas Mavericks– Kyle Singler (SF, Duke)– A Mike Dunleavy Jr. type of player.

27. Orlando Magic– Jeff Taylor (SF, Vanderbilt)– Needs to improve his outside game to rise on the board.

28. Boston Celtics– Jordan Hamilton (SF, Texas)– Uber-Athlete is like Rashard Lewis but shorter.

29. Cleveland Cavaliers– JaJuan Johnson (PF, Purdue)– One of the best athletes in the draft.

30. Los Angeles Lakers– Dexter Pittman (C, Texas)– Solid backup for Bynum/Gasol.

The Top 5 NCAA Basketball Games of the Decade

This decade has seen it’s fair share of historic college basketball games. While Louisville-Memphis from the 2005 Conference USA title game, Illinois-Arizona from the ’05 Elite Eight, and Syracuse-Kansas in the 2003 championship game were all outstanding games in their own right, they couldn’t quite crack our top five. Without further ado, here are the top five college basketball games of the decade:

5. Michigan State 94, Kentucky 88 (2OT)– Patrick Sparks’ three with mere seconds to go hit the rim four separate times before falling through the cylander to tie this elite eight game from 2005. State’s tough defense prevented Kentucky from even getting off a shot at the end of overtime, and they coolly handled the Cats in the second extra frame.

4. George Mason 86, UConn 84 (OT)– This 2006 Elite Eight game saw 11-seed George Mason shock top seed Connecticut en route to the school’s first Final Four appearance. The selection committee was roundly criticized for including the Patriots in the field as an at-large bid, especially by CBS analyst Billy Packer. But GMU battled back from a nine-point halftime deficit to tie up the Huskies and force overtime. Denham Brown’s final shot attempt rimmed out in OT, sending George Mason to the Final Four.

3. Duke 98, Maryland 96 (OT)– A regular season game on the list? Well, in this Instant Classic, Jason Williams led the Blue Devils back from 10 points down in the final minute to shock Maryland back in 2000-01. The Terps led 90-80 with :54 left before Williams went to work, scoring eight points in the next 13 seconds. Two Nate James free throws tied the game and forced OT, where the Blue Devils held on. What a comeback.

2. Syracuse 127, UConn 117 (6OT)– One of the most thrilling games of all time took place in the 2009 Big East tournament. Eric Devendorf’s 28-foot heave as time expired swished through the nets, but a lengthy review dissallowed the goal. Each subsequent overtime had tremendous buzzer beating attempts, but the game just kept going. An Andy Rautins 3-pointer at the start of the sixth overtime game the ‘Cuse it’s first lead since regulation, and the Orange held on for the 10-point win in six overtimes.

1. Kansas 75, Memphis 68 (OT)– The 2008 National Championship game tops the six OT thriller simply because it was the NCAA title game. Kansas trailed by nine with 2:12 to go, but Memphis simply could not hit it’s free throws. Mario Chalmers’ 3-point heave with 2.1 ticks remaining tied the game, and the Jayhawks pulled away from an exhausted Tigers team in the extra frame for their first National Championship since Danny Manning’s tenure in Lawrence.

Boston Celtics All-Decade Dissapointment Team

Continuing our (along with everyone else’s) retrospective look at the past decade, let’s take a look at some of the moves my beloved Boston Celtics have made with our Boston Celtics All-Decade Dissapointment Team. Now, for those of you with extremely poor memory, the Celtics weren’t always the juggernaut they are now. In fact, before the 2007 title team, the C’s had been one of the laughingstock franchises of the NBA for quite sometime, having completely lost everything that made those dynasty teams of the NBA’s early days, right up through the mid-1980’s so impressive.

PG- Joe Forte: After a solid two-year career at the University of North Carolina, Forte was selected by Boston with the 21st overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft. The 2001 ACC Player of the Year struggled mightily trying to make the switch from his natural two-guard position to the point guard spot, and his NBA career quickly became something of a joke. He scored only six points in eight games with the C’s during his rookie campaign and was traded to Seattle as part of the Vin Baker trade in 2002. Probably best known for the Scooby-Doo shirt he wore on the sideline during a playoff game, Forte washed out of the league in a hurry and is currently playing overseas. He was the easy choice for this honor simply because the Celts passed up Tony Parker and Gilbert Arenas to take him.

SG– Kedrick Brown: Another horrendous first round pick in that 2001 NBA Draft, Brown was taken 11th overall by Boston out of Okaloosa-Walton Community College. Brown played a little over two seasons in green before being shipped to Cleveland as part of the Ricky Davis trade in 2003. Brown averaged a meager 3.6 points and 2.4 rebounds per game in his four year NBA career. He is currently playing professionally in Turkey.

SF- Gerald Green: I know, I know, Green isn’t really a small forward. But with Paul Pierce taking up just about all of the playing time at the three, there really aren’t too many options. Taken 18th overall in 2005, Green was an athletic freak, but couldn’t really do anything else at all. He won the Dunk Contest in 2007, but never produced much during actual NBA contests. Green was eventually shipped to Minnesota as part of the Kevin Garnett to Boston trade, and is currently playing in Russia.

PF- Vin Baker: Just typing that name brings back dozens of horrible memories. While his numbers weren’t all that bad, his contract situation was a joke. Problems with alcoholism derailed his career, and he essentially cost the Celtics almost $100 million to play in just 89 games over two seasons in Boston.

C- Mark Blount: A seven-footer who couldn’t rebound and really didn’t care. The straw that broke the camel’s back came in a 2001 game against Golden State in which Blount registered eight points, five fouls, and no boards in 22 minutes. If you’re seven feet tall, rebounding is basically what it all boils down to. A center with no rebounds, especially in the NBA, is just pathetic. Blount may be the captain of this miserable squad.

Coach- Rick Pitino: Larry Bird isn’t walking through that door. While Pitino was ousted by 2001, he is still the only true choice for this spot because of the combination of arrogance and incompetence that he possessed. It all went downhill after Pitino and the Celtics lost out on the Tim Duncan sweepstakes in 1997. Pitino’s woeful tenure was truly one for the ages.

NCAA All-Decade Team

Now that the new year is just about here and the decade is winding to a close, let’s take a look back at some of the best players in college basketball during that time. In the past ten years we’ve seen both four year standouts and one and done studs. Who will make the list? Who will be left off? Here are our picks for the NCAA All-Decade Team. Agree or disagree? Let us know in the comments section.

STARTING FIVE

PG- Jason Williams (Duke)– Williams was about as good a point guard as there was in college basketball this decade. Who can forget the Williams-led Duke comeback at Maryland when the Blue Devils trailed by 10 with a little less than one minute remaining? Williams, the 2001 Naismith Award winner, gets the nod to start over Texas star TJ Ford because unlike Ford’s Longhorns, J-Will’s Devils won an NCAA Championship.

SG- Juan Dixon (Maryland)- The one and only player in NCAA history with 2,000 points, 300 steals, and 200 3-pointers, Dixon was the undisputed leader on a very talented Terrapin squad that finally overcame Duke in 2002 to win an NCAA title. Despite starting his career in the last decade, Dixon starts for the team because of his clutch play on both offense and defense.

SF- Adam Morrison (Gonzaga)- The former Bulldog and nasty moustache afficionado was one of, if not the, best college players in the country during his time at Gonzaga from 2003-2006. Remember his heated showdown with Duke star JJ Redick for the NCAA scoring title and the National Player of the Year award? While his NBA career has been virtually non-existant, his college career will forever live in history.

PF- Tyler Hansbrough (UNC)– An All-American for all four years at North Carolina. Great numbers. A national championship. Psycho T definitely deserves to start for the All-Decade team. Hansbrough’s talent was outmatched only by his desire to succeed. And succeed he did, as evidenced by UNC’s 2009 NCAA Championship.

C- Joakim Noah (Florida)- The superstar center was undoubtedly part of some great teams in Gainseville, but he gets the nod in the middle because of his leadership and his play in big games. Noah, a two-time champion at Florida, essentially took over the 2006 championship game. A big man with unmatched enthusiasm for the game, Noah was an all around force for the Gators from 2004-07.

BENCH

JJ Redick (Duke), Shane Battier (Duke), Emeka Okafor (Connecticut), Sean May (UNC), Carmelo Anthony (Syracuse), Kevin Durant (Texas), TJ Ford (Texas)

HEAD COACH

Roy Williams (UNC/Kansas)- Williams won a pair of National Championships with the Tar Heels this decade, and led Kansas to the National Championship game, a loss to Syracuse, in 2003. Despite having won the same number of titles as Florida coach Billy Donovan, Williams led his squads to four Final Four appearances to Donovan’s three, and has his team in position to compete year after year, despite significant annual losses to the NBA.

Kobe or LeBron: Who You Got?

Heading into yesterday’s Christmas day battle between LeBron’s Cavaliers and Kobe’s Lakers, everyone was weighing in on who they thought was the better player: James or Bryant. David Thorpe of ESPN and Scouts Inc. even graded the players in a variety of categories such as perimeter shooting and impact in transition. Thorpe’s total tally? King James 77, the Black Mamba 75. Picking one of these tremendous talents over the other is a damn near impossible task. So instead of looking at LeBron vs. Kobe or Kobe vs. LeBron, I think we should change up how we look at this entire argument. Both are ridiculously talented players that any team in the league would be ecstatic to have. But…

If I was starting an NBA team and could pick one player to build around, it would be LeBron James, hands down. James will be 25 on December 30. He has only been in the league since 2003, and doesn’t have nearly the same amount of wear and tear on his body as Bryant. While he doesn’t yet have a championship ring, James did almost single handedly carry Cleveland to the Finals in 2006, and has put up a ridiculous 27.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 6.8 assists stat line for his six year career thus far. James is bigger and stronger than Bryant, and unlike the Black Mamba, he could theoretically play all five positions.

But if I needed to win one game, I’d take Kobe Bryant in a heartbeat. Bryant is a cold blooded killer, there’s no doubt about that. In a recent game against Milwaukee, Bryant missed a fallaway jumper over Charlie Bell at the end of regulation to send the game into overtime. With time winding down in the extra session, Bryant got himself into position and took the exact same shot, drilling the jumper and sending LA home with a win. When Kobe went up for the dagger the second time, there was no doubt in anybody’s mind that it was going in. None. LeBron doesn’t quite have that pedigree in end of game situations. At least not yet. Though James’ body doesn’t have the mileage of Kobe’s, he doesn’t have all that experience either. Bryant has been in just about every sitaution one can face in an NBA game. There’s nothing he’ll see that he hasn’t already seen before. I mean, the man’s been in the league since 1996 and has played in five NBA Finals, winning four of them. And lest you think he’s all about offense, Bryant has been named to the All-Defensive First Team a whopping seven times, and the second team twice.

So to recap, if I was starting a team and could build around one player, the choice is King James. If i needed a player to win one game, or someone to take the shot at the end of a game, that answer is the Black Mamba. While you may not agree with my picks, or David Thorpe’s, or anyone else’s for that matter, hopefully there is one thing we can agree on: There will never be another Michael Jordan. Period. So let’s stop comparing these greats to MJ. He always has and always will be in a class all his own.

NBA 2K10 Season Simulation

With Dan Patrick’s FBCS College Football Championship simulation in mind, we decided to sim the current NBA season on 2k Sports’ NBA 2k10 for X-Box 360 to see what might be in store on the hardwood this year. Here are the results:

WESTERN CONFERENCE

1. San Antonio OVER 8. Houston

2. Denver OVER 7. Dallas

3. LA Lakers OVER 6. Sacramento

4. Phoenix OVER 5. Utah

1. San Antonio OVER 4. Phoenix

3. LA Lakers OVER 2. Denver

3. LA Lakers OVER 1. San Antonio

EASTERN CONFERENCE

1. Orlando OVER 8. Charlotte

7. Indiana OVER 2. Atlanta

6. Detroit OVER 3. Boston

4. Cleveland OVER 5. Toronto

1. Orlando OVER 4. Cleveland

7. Indiana OVER 6. Detroit

1. Orlando OVER 7. Indiana

NBA FINALS

Orlando Magic 4

Los Angeles Lakers 1

AWARDS

Playoff MVP: Dwight Howard- 26.2 ppg, 16.1 rpg, 4.1 bpg in 19 games

MVP: Tim Duncan- 18.1 ppg, 11.3 rpg

Rookie of the Year: Tyreke Evans- 14.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 6.3 apg, 1.7 spg

Sixth Man: Jason Richardson- 15.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.5 apg

Defensive Player of the Year: Josh Smith- 10.1 rpg, 2.4 spg

Most Improved Player: Chris Douglas-Roberts- 16.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg

Coach of the Year: Gregg Popovich- Led Spurs to 56-26 record, the best in the NBA

Rookie of the Year Race Already a Two Man Show

Blake Griffin of the Clippers was the near unanimous pre-season pick for the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award. After breaking his left kneecap in LA’s final exhibition tuneup though, the top overall pick out of Oklahoma is still looking forward to suiting up in his first NBA game. With the season already about a quarter over, Griffin’s Rookie of the Year hopes are dwindling. Add in the outstanding play of Sacramento’s Tyreke Evans and Milwaukee’s Brandon Jennings, and the Rookie of the Year race is pretty much down to two.

All due respect to the talents of Jonny Flynn, James Harden, and DeJuan Blair, but Evans and Jennings are clearly a cut above. Evans, a 20-year old point guard who spent last season playing for John Calipari at Memphis, is averaging 20.2 points, 5.1 assists, and 5.0 rebounds per game. The former fourth overall pick also appears to be getting more comfortable as the season wears on. His numbers so far in December continue to improve, as his points, assists, and steal averages have all increased since the end of November. Evans’ stellar play is one of the main reasons the Kings are a respectable 9-12, including 8-3 at home in Arco Arena.

Another suprising (in the sense that they aren’t terrible) team in the early going is the Milwaukee Bucks, who are led by 10th overall selection, Brandon Jennings. Jennings has certainly been helped by his time playing professional basketball in Italy, where he spent last season after failing to score high enough on his SAT’s to suit up for the Arizona Wildcats. Playing for Lottomatica Roma of the Italian Lega A, Jennings averaged 5.5 points and 2.2 assists in 17 minutes per game. More important than the numbers, though, is the experience. Playing professional basketball overseas prepared him more than any college could have, and his game is probably more complete now than it was one year ago. Since returning to the United States and being taken by the Bucks, the 20-year old point guard has scored 21.2 points, 5.7 assists, and 1.1 steals per game.

While Jennings has been spectacular at times, his shot selection is still questionable, and his shooting has been incredibly streaky. Jennings’ recent slump puts him just behind Evans for the top rookie in the league, but is still scores ahead of all other first year players out there. Though the end of the season is still a long way away, the two finalists for the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award are pretty much already set. The only question is which 20-year old point guard will get to take home the hardware.

Greg Oden Reminds Me of Someone….

As we mentioned oh so briefly yesterday, Portland center Greg Oden will miss the remainder of this season after fracturing his left kneecap in a win over the Houston Rockets on Saturday night. For Oden, the timing could not have been worse. The big man from Ohio State was showing signs of breaking out and had been flashing glimpses of the potential that made him the top overall choice in the NBA draft just a couple years ago.

Unfortunately for Blazers fans, Oden’s constantly recurring injuries conjur up thoughts of other big men from Portland’s past. Taking Oden, who missed his entire first season in the league after microfracture surgery, ahead of Thunder forward Kevin Durant brings to mind the 1984 draft, when the Blazers selected center Sam Bowie ahead of Michael Jordan with the second overall pick. Bowie, a 7’1 center from Kentucky, was a solid player when healthy, which unfortunately was not very often. After appearing in 76 games his rookie season, Bowie played in only 63 more over the next five years. While he put up solid numbers, Bowie’s claim to fame was that he was picked ahead of the greatest player in NBA history, making his injury woes that much more noticeable. Though it’s far too early to compare Durant and Jordan, KD’s 28.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game make him one of the fastest rising players in the NBA.

And of course, no recap of oft-injured Blazers centers is complete without at least a mention of Bill Walton. Another top overall pick, Walton broke his nose, foot, wrist, and leg all within his first two seasons in the Pacific Northwest. While he did help Portland to one championship, his potential was so much greater. Greg Oden still has time to ensure he doesn’t end up being compared to Walton and Bowie for the rest of his career. This latest injury, though, is another step in the wrong direction for a Blazers team that can’t believe it’s happening again.

Playing the “What If” Game

Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston recently posted an interesting article about the Celtics wheeling and dealing to bring the Big Three together back in the summer of 2007. What if the Celtics hadn’t dealt the fifth pick to Seattle for Ray Allen? What moves would Boston have been able to make? Let’s see if we can find some answers.

Let’s suppose, then, that the ping pong balls did bounce in the Celtics favor prior to the draft. Had the order been, say, Portland, Boston, Atlanta, Memphis, Seattle, Kevin Durant winds up in beantown and Ray Allen, presumably, does not. With Allen staying with the Sonics, the Celtics still have Delonte West, and Wally Szczerbiak under contract. And more importantly, the Celtics don’t receive the rights to the 35th overall pick, LSU power forward Glen “Big Baby” Davis.

Now, with no Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett wouldn’t have accepted a trade to Boston, and the Big Three never would have come together. Since the Garnett trade never happened (in our scenario), Gerald Green, Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, future first round picks, and Theo Ratliff’s expiring contract are  all still under Boston’s control. The Celtics rotation would have looked something like this:

PG: 1. Rajon Rondo           2. Sebastian Telfair

SG: 1. Kevin Durant           2. Delonte West

SF: 1. Paul Pierce                2. Wally Szczerbiak

PF: 1. Al Jefferson              2. Leon Powe     3. Ryan Gomes

C:   1. Kendrick Perkins    2. Theo Ratliff

The important thing to remember here is that without Garnett or Allen, the Celtics don’t sign Eddie House or James Posey to come off the bench. While having Durant would be pretty sweet, it’s important to remember that these trades opened the door for smaller moves that helped solidify Boston’s roster for the 2008 season. No Allen means no Garnett. No Big Three means no Posey or House. Big Baby never dons Celtic Green, and we are, in all likelihood, in a similar situation right now.

Thankfully, Danny Ainge pulled the trigger on these moves and the Celtics raised banner number 17 in June, 2008. While Jefferson and Durant would be a tremendous tandem, they just can’t compare to Ray Allen and KG.