Late in the 4^th quarter, MKG caught the ball in the lane and took one dribble before launching himself towards the basket. Monroe stepped up to try and stop him, but it was too late.

Kidd-Gilchrist finished with 11 points and 6 rebounds, but the Pistons held off the Bobcats 105-99.

February 8, 2013; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats guard Gerald Henderson (9) drives past Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) during the game at Time Warner Cable Arena. Lakers won 100-93. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports

Jordan Crawford is a complete enigma to me. Shot selection isn’t exactly his strong suit, but he can definitely score the ball. His streakiness could certainly provide some bench scoring for some team. Perhaps if he’s playing along side some better quality teammates, he’ll find his most effective role. Several teams are interested in bringing in Crawford. My first thought at the best fits would be the Celtics, Warriors or Pacers, all projected playoff teams that are thin at shooting guard and bench scoring.

Blair is sure to be gone from San Antonio before the deadline, which the Spurs have said they’ll take the best offer for him, likely a second-round pick. With Duncan, Splitter, Diaw and Bonner getting the bulk of the big man minutes, Blair is out of the rotation. There’s no way he re-signs with them again next season, so it’s definitely time to move on, where he can help another team. Blair could help teams like the Sixers, Pacers and Celtics.

I’m a little puzzled as to why the Bobcats are so eager to move Gerald Henderson. He’s their third leading scorer at 12.8 points per game and is a very solid perimeter defender. After the Ben Gordon meltdown, he’s sure to be moved, leaving the Bobcats very thin at the shooting guard position. Trading Gordon and NOT Henderson makes the most sense. But alas, it is the Charlotte Bobcats and true to form, Michael Jordan’s ownership skills are once again leaving people scratching their heads. It sounds like they’re asking for a first-rounder for Henderson, which they’ll likely screw up in the draft anyway. Henderson could help any NBA team in need of an above average wing defender, which pretty much includes ALL of them.

Latest Yahoo! Sports NBA trade deadline buzz. tinyurl.com/aqr2xrv

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) February 20, 2013

Stay with us at SavingtheSkyhook.com as we continue to report more on the highly anticipated NBA trading deadline. We will be getting news out as soon as we hear about it.

A report from Yahoo! Sports Adrian Wojnarowski states that Gordon and head coach Mike Dunlap got into it during the team’s morning shootaround prior to the game against the Boston Celtics. Dunlap had his squad huddled around for a chat and as he was speaking, Gordon was continuously bouncing a basketball. When Dunlap asked his player to stop dribbling while he spoke, Gordon refused to. At that point, Dunlap asked for Ben to give him the ball. This prompted Gordon to tell his coach that he needed to “humble himself,” and he tossed the ball over towards a ball rack.

Feb 6, 2013; Cleveland, OH, USA; Charlotte Bobcats head coach Mike Dunlap reacts in the second quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

It was also reported that Bobcats GM Rod Higgins was in attendance for the shootaround and he was the one who took action and intervened. Charlotte’s Front Office decided not to suspend Gordon because they believed that it would diminish his trade value going into the deadline.

Wojnarowski reports that a league source stated that the situation was, “beyond disrespectful.”

In 22 minutes per game, Ben Gordon is currently averaging 12.6 PPG while shooting about 41% from beyond the arc. The 22 MPG are well below his career average of 29 per game which is the direct cause of why his 12.6 PPG are almost 4 less than his career average of 16.2.

Ever since his days in Chicago, Gordon hasn’t been the same player he once was. In 5 seasons with the Bulls he never averaged less than 15 PPG. Over his last 3 and a half years, his highest points per game average was 13.8, which he achieved throughout the 2009-10 campaign as a Detroit Piston.

Whether he has been misused or hasn’t developed chemistry with teammates since leaving Chicago can’t be said for sure. However, it’s clear that after four years of mediocre play on bad teams, Gordon’s patience has run out. Within the next few days, the man out of UCONN might get his wish. Rumors have come up that the Bobcats and Brooklyn Nets have been talking a Ben Gordon/Kris Humphries swap, per TNT’s David Aldridge.

Ben Gordon-Kris Humphries deal has been discussed by Brooklyn/Charlotte, but is a back burner possibility for now.

— David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) February 8, 2013

Although Aldridge mentions it’s a back burner possibility, this was reported before the incident. Since the incident occured this past Monday, it could be a huge sign for the Front Office that they need to get Gordon out of Charlotte.

Stay tuned and keep checking in with us at Savingtheskyhook.com. We’ll keep you up to date with any more information we get on this situation as well as more trade rumors as we hear about them.

Follow @TimMacLean_StS

Jan 15, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; New Orleans Hornets guard Greivis Vasquez (21) shoots a layup during the first quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

The NBA is a star studded league filled with incredible talent. Guys like Kevin Durant and LeBron James run the Association. However, it’s easy to overlook the talent of the other immensely gifted players, because a lot of people pay closer attention to the best guys on teams that are successful. If you’re on the Magic then forget it you must stink, right? Wrong. I put together a list of five guys, on losing teams, that hardly get noticed for their play. Enjoy.

Kemba Walker, Charlotte Bobcats Kemba Walker is a star in the making and since he plays for the lowly Bobcats, he’s often overlooked. I’ll admit that he didn’t live up to expectations in his rookie year but he’s really made an impact in his sophomore season. Walker has really improved in every facet of the game since last year. Through Tuesday, he’s averaging 17.3 PPG which is almost 5.0 more points a game than last years average. Although, he’s stood pat at 3.5 RPG he has increased his averages in assists, steals, and blocks. In fact, he has either tied or bettered the averages of All-Star, Kyrie Irving. Now I’m not saying that Walker should be an All-star but what I am saying is that his numbers call for more attention than he’s getting. Walker’s field goal, 3-point, and free throw percentages are also all up from last year.

Andre Drummond, Detroit Pistons Am I the only one that thinks Lawrence Frank is out of his mind for playing Drummond a measly 20 MPG? According to Basketball-Reference.com, the guy is averaging 13 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 blocks per 36 minutes. Those are unbelievable numbers for Drummond, who was thought to be extremely raw coming out of college. There is really no justification for starting Maxiell over Drummond and I would love to hear any sort of reasoning Frank might have. Drummond is an explosive athlete with loads of potential. Unfortunately, fans hardly know about his success due to the small amount of playing time he gets and because he plays for the Detroit Pistons. I can’t imagine it will be too much longer until Drummond makes a name for himself in this league.

O.J. Mayo, Dallas Mavericks For some reason I feel like only a handful of people have noticed how vital O.J. Mayo has been for Dallas. The USC product did everything he possibly could to keep the Mavs relevant until Dirk returned from injury. Since Dirk has returned, Mayo hasn’t been as effective but he continues to show us what he can be as a basketball player. After failing to meet expectations in Memphis a fresh start in Dallas was just what he needed. He’d no longer be buried on the bench and he would be able to silence the doubts people may have had. Mayo has averaged career highs in almost every major category. This includes his conversion rate of 42% from beyond the arc. If I’m Memphis, I wish I had kept him because he would’ve been able to fill the void left by Rudy Gay seamlessly. Oh well, all they can do is watch as he quietly does his thing for a struggling Dallas squad.

Greivis Vasquez, New Orleans Hornets Greivis Vasquez is having a career year but playing for the 15th ranked team in the Western Conference doesn’t help. It also doesn’t help that he has rookie phenom Anthony Davis, who garners all of the attention, for a teammate. Vasquez ranks third in the league in assists per game, second if you don’t count Rondo. He’s only trailing Chris Paul by 0.1 assists.

Ill give you a moment to let that sink in. Ok, time’s up. Seeing as Greivis only trails two other point guards in the race for the assist crown, that also means for more mind boggling news. Vasquez has more assists than the likes of Deron Williams, Russell Westbrook, Steve Nash, etc. Those guys are all considered elite and while Vasquez isn’t elite yet, he definitely has the whole passing thing down. Look for him to only get better year after year.

Earl Clark, Los Angeles Lakers Earl Clark was supposed to be a throw in so the Lakers could get Dwight Howard, right? Well if he is just a throw in, he’s a pretty good one. Clark isn’t the kind of guy that’s going to put up eye popping numbers. However, he is someone that’s going to give 110% night in and night out. In 21 minutes per game, Clark is putting up 7 points and 6 rebounds. Again, not exactly star numbers but he’s not really a star, he’s a glue guy. He’s been a small bright spot in the Lakers nightmare of a season, filling in admirably for the likes of Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol. We’ll get to see a lot more of Clark now because of both Howard and Gasol being injured. I wouldn’t be shocked if he was a 10 and 10 guy when Gasol returns in 6-8 weeks.

*All stats from NBA.com unless otherwise noted.*

Follow @TimMaclean_StS

December 21, 2012; Oakland, CA, USA; Charlotte Bobcats shooting guard Gerald Henderson (9) reacts after an injury during the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors at ORACLE Arena. The Warriors defeated the Bobcats 115-100. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Regardless of sport, the Clippers remain the hottest team in the entire world right now… even fat Lamar Odom can’t screw this one up. Meanwhile the Spurs, Rockets, Blazers and Raptors are pushing for the title of December’s hottest team.

Several big names are still unimpressively hovering around (or even below) .500. Yes, we’re looking at you Nuggets, Lakers, Nets and Celtics.

And finally, the Wizards are happily unseated by the Bobcats for the wine cellar throne. It comes with the 18 straight loss territory.

Welcome back to The Skyhook’s NBA Power Rankings, where any given week, things can change faster than a James Harden trade.

Previous weeks:
Preseason | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 7 | Week 8

Week 9 – December 31, 2012

Biggest jump: Bucks (+4) | Biggest drop: Magic (-3)

1. Los Angeles Clippers | 25-6 (W17) | Last week: 1

Like Will Ferrell’s character in Old School, the Clips are (still) going streaking, to the tune of 17 straight wins. Other than a couple of minor close calls, they’ve been blowing teams away (average margin of 15.2 points per game during the streak).

2. Oklahoma City Thunder | 23-6 (W2) | Last week: 2

How do the Thunder respond to getting beat down in Miami? With a grind-it-out win against the Mavs and then an absolute beat down against their old buddy James Harden in Houston. Serge Ibaka still playing insane basketball in the OKC shadows.

3. San Antonio Spurs | 24-8 (W5) | Last week: 3

Popovich alert: Spurs have 3 games in the next 4 days. What will he do, what will he do? Meanwhile, the “old” guys keep killing teams. It’s too bad this team is so deep that Kawhi Leonard can rarely get over 30 minutes… so fun to watch.

4. Memphis Grizzlies | 19-8 (W1) | Last week: 6

Still 19-8, the Grizzles now look like an average team (remember, they started 12-2). They lose at home to an underachieving Sixers team, then hold the Nuggets to 72 points. Go figure. Seems like they need to acquire a new toy near deadline time.

5. New York Knicks | 21-9 (L1) | Last week: 4

A bit of a letdown week for the Knickerbockers as they lose a big game to the Lakers on Christmas Day, then James Johnson buries them at the buzzer on Friday night. Hope everyone’s ready for the return of STAT, it’s around the corner now.

6. Miami Heat | 20-8 (L2) | Last week: 5

I want to rank the Heat higher for their win over the Thunder, but Pistons loss (and their defense in the Bucks loss) offsets that. Though, it might be a perfect example of how much Wade really does mean to this team.

7. Golden State Warriors | 21-10 (W3) | Last week: 7

Warrior love continues to grow. First, they go into one of the hardest places to play in the league in Utah and impress, then they absolutely handle the Celtics by 18 at home. Whatever seed they grab, this will be a dangerous team come playoff time.

8. Atlanta Hawks | 19-9 (W4) | Last week: 8

In an all-Central division week, the Hawks go 3-0 with a very nice win against a hot Pacers team. Looks like Larry Drew is doing some tinkering with the lineup by inserting Lou Williams in as a starter. Fortunately, Lou has totally responded.

9. Chicago Bulls | 16-12 (W1) | Last week: 9

Nothing like a timely matchup with the Wizards to forget about getting pounded by the Hawks (17) and the Rockets (23). Boy has Taj Gibson taken a step backward this season. 6 points and 4.5 rebounds per game? Starting to look like a bogus contract extension.

10. Indiana Pacers | 17-13 (L1) | Last week: 10

Burning question for a hot Pacers squad: Could David West (17.5 pts, 8.0 rebs) sneak into the All-Star Game? It’s too bad the Boxing Day showdown with the Bulls got postponed, that could have been a statement game. I guess they will get the chance.

11. Los Angeles Lakers | 15-15 (W1) | Last week: 12

One could get picky, but the Lakers are 6-1 in their last 7 games and have battled back to .500. The inner city showdown with the Clippers on Friday should be a slugfest, especially if the “streak” is still alive. FYI – Kobe Bryant is 4th in the league in Minutes.

12. Milwaukee Bucks | 16-13 (L1) | Last week: 16

The wins over the Heat and Nets get them a bump up, but how do you explain losses to the Cavs and Pistons? The Bucks are keeping their rivals close, as they’ve played 21 of their 29 games against their own conference, going 14-7.

13. Denver Nuggets | 17-15 (L1) | Last week: 11

The Nugs survived Kobe’s 40 points on Wednesday and then used a terrific 39-point Gallinari night on Friday to take down the Mavs. But the inconsistency still remains. We can only rank the Nugs this high on “potential” for only so long.

14. Brooklyn Nets | 16-14 (W2) | Last week: 14

So on queue, the Brooklyn mess results in Avery Johnson getting canned and drawing more (mostly negative) unnecessary attention to the franchise. Who will be the next coach? Is Phil coming? Is D-Will a coach killer?

15. Minnesota Timberwolves | 14-13 (W1) | Last week: 13

Pretty uneventful 2-game week for the Wolves, who split a pair against the Rockets (tough loss) and Suns (close win). They’ll have a very important all-division week coming up as they visit Utah and Denver and host an improved Portland team.

16. Houston Rockets | 16-14 (L2) | Last week: 15

The Rockets had been hot (5 straight wins) before running into the Spurs/Thunder wall of death. January gets even more difficult as they play 17 games, 12 of which are on the road. Yikes!

17. Portland Trail Blazers | 15-14 (W1) | Last week: 19

The Blazers have found some winning ways of late, finishing with a 9-4 month of December. As one of my personal favorite teams to watch, I’d like to see J.J. Hickson (12.7 pts, 11.0 rebs, .568 FG%) get some mention for Most Improved.

18. Boston Celtics | 14-16 (L3) | Last week: 18

If there’s a team needs to make a deadline deal, it’s the C’s. What in the blue hell happened last week? We know East teams going West is challenging, but they didn’t even SHOW UP in the losses to the Clippers (by 29), Warriors (by 18) and Kings (22).

19. Utah Jazz | 15-17 (L3) | Last week: 17

Not too much shame in the Utah Jekyll and Hydes losing to the Juggernaut Clippers and Warriors last week. I recommend you read further into the “Will they or won’t they trade Paul Millsap?” debate by checking out Skyhook newcomer Reece Hooker’s article here.

20. Philadelphia 76ers | 14-17 (L2) | Last week: 20

Things have gone almost as bad as expected on Philly’s 8-game road trip (1-3 so far). The worse news? They’re only half way and have the Lakers, Thunder and Spurs left. Yuck. Hey, at least Spencer Hawes got a damn haircut.

21. Toronto Raptors | 11-20 (W2) | Last week: 24

After a putrid 4-19 start, the Raps are suddenly winners of 7 out of 8 games. To capture the significance of their run, they now sit only 3.5 games out of a playoff spot in the East. Unfortunately for Andrea Bargnani (and his trade value), he’s been on the sideline for all the fun.

22. Dallas Mavericks | 12-19 (L6) | Last week: 22

The only silver lining hidden in their 6-game slide is that they’ve just played the toughest 6-game stretch (MIA, @MEM, @SAN, @OKC, DEN, SAN) that will be seen in the entire league this season. Cuban’s trigger finger might be getting itchy.

23. Phoenix Suns | 11-20 (L5) | Last week: 23

The Suns will be as excited to see 2013 arrive as anyone after they finished December with a 4-11 record (which looked like this: L5, W4, L6). With a squad full of average Joe’s, this team is in dire need of a superstar. Nash is sorely missed.

24. Orlando Magic | 12-18 (L5) | Last week: 21

More significant Magic moment of the season so far: Beating the Lakers by 10 in Los Angeles or losing to the Raptors at home by 35? After dropping 5 straight, the next crack the Magic might have at a win comes January 14th at Washington.

25. Sacramento Kings | 11-19 (W2) | Last week: 25

Solid week for the Kings as they’re probably still on a high from beating the Knicks at the buzzer and then ambush the Celtics behind DeMarcus Cousins triple double. And throw in ALL the irony of it being against the Celtics, a potential landing spot for Boogie.

26. Detroit Pistons | 11-22 (W2) | Last week: 26

A really nice win against the Heat (*cough*without*Wade*), as they withstood 35 from LeBron. As little as he’s talked about, Jason Maxiell provides some of the nastier highlights in the league. Go YouTube some of his blocks and dunks. Do it.

27. Cleveland Cavaliers | 7-25 (L2) | Last week: 27

Tristan Thompson is trying hard, but he’s no Varejao. They need him back to even compete and move past a 3-13 December. Cavs are likely looking forward to another high lottery pick come June. Two alarming Cavs stats: Alonzo Gee playing 33.6 minutes per game and Dion Waiters shooting .363% for the year.

28. New Orleans Hornets | 7-23 (W1) | Last week: 29

Lots happening in NOLA this past week. The return of Eric Gordon (who dropped 24 in his season debut) and them winning an NBA basketball game without scoring a single fast break point were among the highlights. Also, this Hornets article by Skyhook newcomer J.P. Pelosi.

29. Washington Wizards | 4-24 (L1) | Last week: 30

And they shall be set FREE! The Wiz climb out of the Rankings basement with a big home win over a (depleted) Magic team. NOT having an 18-game losing streak certainly has its perks. So in 17 games, Nene is rocking a very unnoticed +20 PER rating.

30. Charlotte Bobcats | 7-23 (L18) | Last week: 28

Well, it’s not like we can say the B-Cats aren’t recently familiar with this dreaded losing streak territory. Am I the only one that giggles when I think about this team going from 7-5 to 7-23 in what seems like the blink of an eye? I didn’t think so. Just look at poor Gerald Henderson up there.

Dec 29, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA; New Orleans Hornets guard Eric Gordon (10) drives to the basket and shoots against Charlotte Bobcats forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (14) during the game at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports

The amazing thing about a team that ranks as lowly as the New Orleans Hornets, is that on certain nights, when the opponent is weak, motivation low, and everybody just wants to stay in and watch TiVo’d Homeland, they can still dig out a win. The recent match-up with the Charlotte Bobcats, featuring the NBA’s two top rookies, at least provided some incentive, if nothing more than to see the clash of long eyebrows with long socks.

There was also a weird symmetry at play in the meeting with an unremarkable ‘Cats ball club, whose lack of wins—and brand recognition—found itself pitted against its alter-ego. (It’s widely believed that once New Orleans changes its moniker, the Bobcats will transform into the Hornets, colours, pin stripes and everything). After all, the nickname dates back to the Revolutionary War in Charlotte, when British General Charles Cornwallis likened the resistance in Charlotte to a hornet’s nest. There’s also the small fact that Charlotte is home to the original Hornets.

In this instance, the current Hornets shot 43% from the field, seemingly not enough against the Bobcats’ 49%, who even more impressively hit a ridiculous 63% in the first-half. That equated to a 17-point lead at the break, a tally compiled mostly by the No.2 overall pick, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, who made 9-of-11 shots, and Kemba Walker’s 6-of-8. This type of near-immaculate effort would sink the majority of NBA teams, who, post Christmas turkey, would surely be thrilled to have an early night. But unfortunately for the home team, the future New Orleans Pelicans are plucky. Who knew?

If the startling shooting wasn’t enough for New Orleans to overcome, they were also out-rebounded and scored fewer points in the paint (58 to 32). And that’s still not even the whole story. The Hornets didn’t log a single fast-break point, while Charlotte, with 17 straight losses, had 27 on the break. Those points, driven by the relentless Walker, were a tangible difference: But the impact of running the opponent up and down the court, too, can’t be underestimated. And still the Hornets stayed abuzz.

So how in the world did New Orleans win this rather meaningless game? Well, No.1 overall pick, Anthony Davis, helped with 10 boards, and Grievis Vasquez’s 8 assists fueled the offense. But the return of shooting guard, Eric Gordon, who’s missed 29 games rehabbing a sore knee, ultimately powered the pinstriped squad. His 24 points off the bench ignited a second-half rally that bodes well for the Hornets in the new year.

As if he hadn’t missed a beat, Gordon was 12-of-14 from the free-throw line and scored 16 of his points during the Hornets’ second-half comeback. It wasn’t just his scoring though, for which the barrel-chested guard has become recognized. Gordon added seven assists and two steals to his tally. Importantly, he’s provided a much needed shake to the hive. Gordon looks happy to be back on court with his teammates, and said so after the game. But if this very young Hornets team has trouble posting more wins, these types of fun nights with Gordon at the two-spot will become as much a memory as the color of teal in New Orleans.

It’s me, Sonny. I just wanted to get this out there before the big day. I understand you are probably really busy this time of year, but I assure you that this is important. Last year you helped to deliver the greatest Christmas present any basketball fan could ask for: the return of the NBA after a 16 game lockout. This year on my Christmas list you will see a drastic change from years past where I typically didn’t ask for much NBA related stuff besides an occasional jersey or DVD. I would really appreciate it if you didn’t necessarily have your elves craft me any handmade products this year. Rather, I’m just asking you to use your mystical powers to make sure the following things occur:

May 3, 2011; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Memphis Grizzlies power forward Zach Randolph (left) exchanges words with Oklahoma City Thunder center Kendrick Perkins (5) during the fourth quarter in game two of the second round of the 2011 NBA playoffs at Oklahoma City Arena. The Thunder defeated the Grizzlies 111-102. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

- I want to see Zach Randolph and Kendrick Perkins face off in a UFC fight, back alley brawl, backyard wrestling match, or just putting the dukes up at midcourt. Some sort of violent altercation between the two of them is all I ask for, and really it doesn’t seem like it’s out of the question.

- I need you to keep Stephen Curry and the rest of the Golden State Warriors healthy please. I know this is a lot to ask since Curry has had chronic ankle issues since his junior season at Davidson and Andrew Bogut’s arm almost snapped off of his body a few years back, but this is a hell of a story that should not be derailed. Plus I picked them to finish 7^th in the western conference before the season started, and not many people can say that, but that’s beside the point. Additionally, not too many people realize that this is one of the better teams in the league. Their win in Miami 9 days ago was far from a fluke, and neither was their 7 game road trip that they went 6-1 on, defeating 3 eastern conference playoff teams along the way. As long as Stephen Curry remains healthy and playing at an MVP caliber level (actually, David Lee has been just as good), the Warriors are an intriguing contender in the western conference. - For all of the past, present and future abolitionists everywhere, please make sure Andrew Bynum never cuts his hair and continues to look like a modern day Frederick Douglass.

- Since I hold you in higher regard than I do David Stern, and it’s much more likely you’ll actually listen to me, I’m going to blueprint how we can make NBA All-Star weekend better, and you do your best to put it into action. To make this as simple as possible, I’ll map it out in chronological order.

• On All-Star Friday night, everything is just about perfect. As long as Kevin Hart is involved in the celebrity game, it becomes can’t miss TV after his performance last year.  The Rising Stars Challenge is also as good as it can get. As long as we keep super athletic guys whose sole devotion is to make the SportsCenter Top 10 at the end of the night, we should be fine.
• We move to All-Star Saturday Night, which happens to be my least favorite night of All-Star weekend since it is in desperate need of star power, particularly in the Dunk Contest which is on life support after the atrocity of last year. Let’s just say that last year it was trending on Twitter for all of the wrong reasons. It’s a relatively simple fix: Offer some sort of incentive to some of the top guys in the league to get some big names in the contest. If you need to throw in a donation to a charity of the winner’s choice, the league should definitely do so to avoid a collective clamor from fans to get rid of the contest all together. After LeBron, Blake Griffin, Russell Westbrook, etc. are coerced into the contest, tell them to cut all of the corny stuff out. I don’t need to see someone jump over a car or wear a goofy outfit when they are dunking; I just want a throwback to every pre-2000 dunk contest when guys just dunked the ball and the crowd went nuts for the right reasons. Not because Dwight Howard decided to pretend he was Superman just two years before he would start being the biggest A-hole in all of the NBA. And as long as big names remain in the 3-Point Contest and Skills Challenge then things are good.
• The All-Star game should be treated the same way that the Rising Stars Challenge was last year. Two captains pick their respective teams, without what their conference mattering. The captain’s would be chosen by fan vote as a means to keep the fans somewhat involved, but not involved enough for uneducated/slightly biased fans to vote Jeremy Lin as a starter (at the last ballot returns, Lin was 3^rd in the voting for western conference guards). Hypothetically, let’s say that LeBron James and Kobe Bryant maintain their lead in the voting standings; it’s then up to those two to pick their teams with the only rule being you can’t pick more than two of your own teammates for your team. Can you imagine the rivalries that would be formed and animosity between the teams, especially if the teams were formed in a schoolyard pick’em? I would be willing to bet it would be the most competitive All-Star game yet. For the sake of this idea, this column and my own personal entertainment, here are the 24 players who I would like to see playing in the All-Star game this year, paying no attention to conferences:
  -Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry, Tim Duncan, Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin, James Harden, Jrue Holiday, Dwight Howard, Kyrie Irving, LeBron James, Al Jefferson, David Lee, Kevin Love, OJ Mayo, Joakim Noah, Chris Paul, Rajon Rondo, Zach Randolph, Josh Smith, Anderson Varejao, Dwyane Wade, and Russell Westbrook.

- Would it be totally out of the question to ask for everyone to fully appreciate just how good LeBron James is? Yeah, I’m probably getting a little ambitious with this one.

- I know that sequels are rarely as good as the original version, but I want Stephen A. Smith going off on Kwame Brown for 2 minutes straight, part two. Maybe it won’t happen with Kwame Brown since Kwame will never be this relevant again, but it’s totally in play that Stephen A. could snap and go off on just about anyone.

- Have you checked out the franchise names that have been trademarkedfor New Orleans? Santa, I’m thinking we go with something a little snazzier than the likes of the New Orleans Mosquitos. Bayou Ballers, maybe?

- To no surprise of my own, the Bobcats went from 7-5 to 7-18. How much fun would it be if their owner, Michael Jordan, made yet another comeback? Look, it can’t be that difficult to use your powers to coax the most maniacally competitive athlete of all-time out of his management position and back onto the basketball court. He clearly has the itch to do so. I don’t care how ripped apart I get for saying this, but I think for a four minute stretch MJ can still be an effective player, despite the fact that he is 49 years old and has been retired for a decade. You can’t convince me that if Jerry Stackhouse, 38 years old, can get crunch time minutes for Brooklyn, a playoff team, then the greatest basketball player of all-time couldn’t play down the stretch for a team who has lost 13 straight games. Sure, Jordan would likely be a complete defensive liability and limit any kind of fast paced tempo you wanted to play at, but wouldn’t teams still be terrified of Jordan late in games? I’d think so. At the very least, even if Jordan was clearly in over his head, this would make the Bobcats completely relevant every single night. They’d be the top story on SportsCenter, PTI, Around the Horn, First Take, etc. and would be by far the hottest ticket in the NBA if Jordan made a 3^rd return to the NBA. Realistically, that is probably the only way it could ever happen. Unfortunately for Charlotte, this is totally unrealistic… unless you can come through Santa.

- Am I the only one that misses the seeing a basketball playing dinosaur on an NBA uniform? I hate to turn this into a fashion column, but I would like to make a request that the Raptors, Grizzlies, Hawks, and Pistons all permanently wear their retro uniforms.

- I’m convinced that Charles Barkley isn’t wrong, and that Dwyane Wade is far from the player he used to be. Since the Big Three were formed back in the summer of 2010 it hasn’t been difficult to see that Wade has lost a step physically and statistically every year. Of course you have to factor in Wade taking a backseat to LeBron James, playing less minutes and the Heat bringing in more and more weapons each season, but at the same time, it’s glaringly obvious that Wade has lost a step. He isn’t the same physically and it’s understandable. He plays a very physically and sometimes recklessly, and it’s been suggested that unless he modifies his game in the fashion that Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant did, we won’t be seeing Wade for as long as we’ve been fortunate to see Jordan and Kobe. We still see glimpses of old school Wade every once in a while, but it’s not as consistent as it once was. Admittedly, I attack Dwyane Wade quite a bit, but I understand that a lot of what is going on in Miami is Wade (and LeBron for that matter) seem to be coasting through a decent amount of games this year, which is probably the best thing for them to do since they will be the heavy favorite in the Eastern Conference no matter where they are seeded. Still, my mind wanders every once in a while and I think about what it would be like to be a Miami Heat fan without Dwyane Wade in the picture. I’ve dabbled around with the ESPN trade machine every so often, and these are my favorite Dwyane Wade trades that I’d love for Santa Claus to look over.

Trade #1: Dwyane Wade to Minnesota for Kevin Love.
Trade #2: Dwyane Wade to Golden State for Stephen Curry, Harrison Barnes and Andris Biedrins.
Trade #3: Dwyane Wade to Cleveland for Anderson Varejao, Dion Waiters and Omri Casspi.
Trade #4: Dwyane Wade and Mike Miller to Los Angeles for Kobe Bryant.
Trade #5: Dwyane Wade to Golden State, David Lee and Mike Miller to Minnesota, and Stephen Curry and Kevin Love to Miami.

- Finally, I know it’s still four months away, but take a look at my suggested playoff seeding’s and see if you could get us here in late April. I even included a brief “Why we should be rooting for this” blurb below.
East- 1 New York, 2 Miami, 3 Chicago, 4 Atlanta, 5 Boston, 6 Brooklyn, 7 Indiana, 8 Milwaukee
West- 1 Oklahoma City, 2 San Antonio, 3 Los Angeles Clippers, 4 Memphis Grizzlies, 5 Golden State Warriors, 6 Los Angeles Lakers, 7 Minnesota, 8 Houston

In the East: New York wins easily over Milwaukee. Miami defeats Indiana somewhat easily in a rematch of last season’s physical series. Chicago (with Derrick Rose back) defeats Brooklyn, and Boston defeats Atlanta, keeping Atlanta in their constant state of irrelevance. In the 2^nd round Miami would be just a little too much for the rejuvenated Bulls, and the New York/Boston series would likely be a classic. You really couldn’t complain with either outcome in the Knicks/Celtics series since it would result in either New York/Miami (LeBron and Carmelo potentially dueling four times at Madison Square Garden in an extremely meaningful playoff series) or a Miami/Boston rematch which would of course go seven games and cost me a few years of my life.

In the West: James Harden returns to Oklahoma City in the first round, a series that the Thunder win easily except for one game in Houston where James Harden goes off for 40 points. San Antonio would defeat Minnesota, but it would be nice to see Love and Rubio in the playoffs. The Clippers/Lakers series is exactly what that rivalry needs in order to take off. We need seven games of Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Blake Griffin, Dwight Howard, Lamar Odom, Khloe Kardashian and everyone else going to war. As hot as the Clippers are right now, I’d give the Lakers the edge come playoff time. And how much fun would a Grizzlies/Warriors series be? These are two of the most underappreciated teams in the league who are backed by extremely good crowds. Either way, this either sets up for Stephen Curry vs. the Thunder in the 2^nd round, or a rematch of the 2011 Western Conference Semi’s where the Grizzlies as an 8 seed nearly pulled the upset of the upstart Thunder. In the other 2^nd round match-up it would be Los Angeles (Lakers or Clippers) facing the Spurs, which would be great under either circumstance. And you could really say the same thing about the conference finals. No matter who was there in early June, we would be getting classic basketball, which is really all I am asking for this Christmas.

Thanks in advance St. Nick. I know you will come through for me like you always have in the past. Have a safe trip around the world.  I’ll have the cookies and milk out on Monday night.

Sonny Giuliano

Dec 5, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA; New York Knicks guard J.R. Smith (8) gets congratulations from his teammates as he scores the winning basket with 3.9 seconds left during the game against the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena. Knicks win 100-98. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports

Welcome all stat geeks! “Box Score Bulletin’” is sifting through, analyzing and summarizing all of the NBA box scores from the previous day and night, so you don’t have to! So sip your coffee and enjoy the good, the bad and the ugly…

Knicks (13-4) 100 @ Bobcats (7-10) 98

• Leading scorers: NYK - Carmelo Anthony 23, CHA – Kemba Walker 25.
• Tyson Chandler had a beast game. 18 points (8-10 FG) and 17 rebounds (8 on the offensive glass).
• The Knicks attempted 41 threes in this game. FORTY ONE. They made 13 of them.
• The Knicks got outrebounded by the Bobcats 50-36.
• Gerald Henderson returned to action for the Bobcats and put up 18 points and 6 rebounds in 25 minutes.
• Kemba Walker posted a double double of 25 points and 11 assists.
• Charlotte had dropped 5 straight games.

Trail Blazers (8-11) 92 @ Pacers (10-9) 99

• Leading scorers: POR – Damian Lillard 23, IND – Paul George 22.
• The up and down season of Paul George continued on the upswing again with 22 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists.
• Hibbert, Hill and Stephenson struggled from the floor, combining to shoot 9 for 30.
• LaMarcus Aldridge (18 pts, 10 rebs) and J.J. Hickson (14 pts, 12 rebs) both posted double doubles.
• Nic Batum struggled in this one with only 5 points in 2-8 shooting.

Timberwolves (8-9) 94 @ Celtics (10-8) 104

• Leading scorers: MIN – Kevin Love 19, BOS – Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett 18.
• The Celtics starters all scored in double figures and shot a very healthy 33-58 (56.9%).
• Rondo was back to his double digit assist ways with 17 points, 11 assists.
• The Timberwolves outscored the Celtics in the paint 50-34.
• Kevin Love managed another double double of 19 points and 13 rebounds, but is still struggling slightly with his shot (6-15 in this game).

Warriors (11-7) 104 @ Pistons (6-14) 97

• Leading scorers: GSW – Klay Thompson 27, DET – Tayshaun Prince 24.
• A very nice road win for the Warriors where Thompson put up 27 points (9-13 FG, 5-8 3PT).
• David Lee (20 pts, 11 rebs) and Steph Curry (20 pts, 10 asts) put up their usually double doubles. The 20-10 was the fourth straight for Curry.
• The Warrior bench did struggle in this one, shooting 7 for 25.
• Only one starter (Prince) scored in double figured for the Pistons, while all 4 bench players that saw action did score in double figures.
• Andre Drummond led the bench unit with 15 points, 12 rebounds and 2 blocks.
• Rodney Stuckey had 17 points, 4 rebounds and 9 assists.

Nuggets (9-10) 104 @ Hawks (10-5) 108

• Leading scorers: DEN – Ty Lawson 32, ATL – Al Horford 25.
• Al Horford killed the Nuggets inside in this game with 25 points and 12 rebounds.
• The Hawks had a total of 19 offensive rebounds.
• The battle of the starting point guards was polar opposites. Ty Lawson went off for 32 points on 12-16 shooting, 7 assists and 5 steals, while Jeff Teague ended up shooting 4-16.
• Corey Brewer had 19 points off the bench.

Bulls (9-8) 95 @ Cavaliers (4-15) 85

• Leading scorers: CHI – Marco Belinelli 23, CLE – Donald Sloan 14.
• Marco Belinelli went for a season high 23 points on 7 of 15 shooting.
• Joakim Noah was his usual self, going for 13 points, 15 rebounds and 5 steals.
• Tyler Zeller 25 minutes and put forth 10 points and 7 rebounds.
• Interesting side stat: Every single player on the Cavs attempted a free throw except Alonzo Gee (who played 30 minutes).

Lakers (9-10) 103 @ Pelicans Hornets (5-12) 87

• Leading scorers: LAL – Kobe Bryant 29, NOH – Ryan Anderson 31.
• 30,000 points. 5th ever to do it, and the youngest. KOBE BRYANT.
• For the game itself, Kobe had 29 points (10-17 FG), 6 rebounds 4 assists and 3 steals.
• Dwight finished with 18 points, 8 rebounds and 5 blocks.
• Ryan Anderson led the Hornets once again with 31 points on 12-21 FG (5-8 3PT).

Bucks (8-9) 99 @ Spurs (15-4) 110

• Leading scorers: MIL – Monta Ellis 21, SAN – Tony Parker, Gary Neal 22.
• The Spurs outrebounded the Bucks 53-36 for the game.
• Tony Parker (22 pts, 10 asts) and Tim Duncan (17 pts, 10 rebs) were the double double getters for the Spurs.
• Matt Bonner grabbed a season high 12 boards from the Spurs bench.
• Although he shot 5-19, Monta nearly came up with a triple double with 21 points, 7 rebounds and 11 assists.
• Ersan Ilyasova made an appearance with 17 points and 5 rebounds.

Magic (7-11) 81 @ Jazz (10-10) 87

• Leading scorers: ORL – Glen Davis 18, UTA – Al Jefferson 31.
• Al Jefferson had a beastin’ game for the Jazz with 31 points (13-20 FG) and 15 rebounds.
• The Jazz bench was brutal with their 4 for 20 shooting.
• Big Baby posted a double double with 18 points and 12 rebounds.
• Nik Vucevic grabbed another 16 boards for the Magic.
• The two teams combined shot a miserable 2 for 25 (8%).

Raptors (4-15) 100 @ Kings (5-12) 107

• Leading scorers: TOR – Kyle Lowry 34, SAC – DeMarcus Cousins 25.
• DeMarcus Cousins dominated the Raptors with his 25 points (11-18 FG) and 13 rebounds.
• Jason Thompson also had a double double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
• Kyle Lowry had a monster game for the Raps with 34 points (12-12 FT), 11 assists and 5 rebounds.
• Michael Pietrus had his best game as a Raptor with 21 points and 6 rebounds.
• Ed Davis continues to show signs of improvement with 13 points and 11 rebounds in only 23 minutes.

Mavericks (8-10) 90 @ Clippers (12-6) 112

• Leading scorers: DAL – Vince Carter 16, LAC – Jamal Crawford 20.
• The Clippers absolutely destroyed the Mavs in the paint last night 62-30.
• They also had 18 steals for the game.
• Chris Paul (14 pts, 13 asts) and Blake Griffin (19 pts, 13 rebs) both had double doubles.
• Lamar Odom even posted 11 boards in the game.
• Vince Carter led the Mavs off the bench with 16 points and 7 rebounds.

November 23, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith (5) after being called for a foul during the game against the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena. Hawks win 101-91. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-US PRESSWIRE

Welcome to The Skyook’s NBA Power Rankings, where any given week, things can change faster than a James Harden trade.

Previous weeks: Preseason | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3

Week 4 – November 26th, 2012

1. Memphis Grizzlies | 9-2 | Last week: 1

The Grizz ever so slightly edge the Spurs to keep the top spot this week. Though they only had 2 games last week, they beat the Lakers impressively and lost to a hot Nuggets team. Now they have the likes of the Cavs, Raptors and Pistons (a combined 9-32) coming to town.

2. San Antonio Spurs | 11-3 | Last week: 2

Even with injuries to Kawhi Leonard and Stephen Jackson, Spurs still look like a completely well-oiled machine. Tim Duncan just won the Western Conference Player of the Week and while it’s well deserved, he should have split it with his teammate Tony Parker, who’s been just as ridiculous.

3. Miami Heat | 10-3 | Last week: 5

The Heat make their current 4-game win streak look like a cake walk. Home games against the Spurs and Nets this week will provide a test. They lead the league in scoring (104.8), but is something up with D-Wade (18.1 pts on near-career low 15.1 FGA’s per game)?

4. New York Knicks | 9-3 | Last week: 3

The losses to the Mavs and Rockets were ugly, giving up 114 and 131 points respectively. Even giving up 100 to the Pistons was questionable. The Knicks “dream season” won’t continue with that kind of D, especially after they just got done gushing about Melo’s new found defensive presence.

5. Oklahoma City Thunder | 10-4 | Last week: 6

Big wins over the Clippers and Sixers last week get the Thunder to a very quiet 10-4. I don’t think enough has been made about Serge Ibaka’s consistent scoring improvement. He’s coming in at 15.1 points per game, way up from his 2011-12 average of 9.1 and career average of 8.9.

6. Los Angeles Clippers | 8-5 | Last week: 4

After a nice win in San Antonio, the Clips blew up with road losses to the Thunder, Nets and Hawks. As the team gets healthier, the questions are starting to get more serious about where all the minutes are going to go. Can Vinny D figure out a reliable rotation? Time will tell.

7. Brooklyn Nets | 8-4 | Last week: 8

In the wake of their showdown with the Knicks, it looks like the Nets are about about this defense thing, now leading the league in Points Against. They are playing well, but the Deron Williams (.399%) and Joe Johnson (.402%) shooting struggles still concern me.

8. Denver Nuggets | 8-6 | Last week: 11

The absolute streakiest team in the league. The Nugs season looks like this: 3 L’s, 4 W’s, 3 L’s and now 4 W’s again. They get a bump up with a 4-0 week, all against West foes. Though he’s only averaging 18.9 minutes per game, JaVale McGee has a surprising PER of 23.5.

9. Atlanta Hawks | 8-4 | Last week: 18

What a week for Hot-lanta Hawks! A 4-0 week and 5 straight wins overall give them the biggest rise of the week, from #18 up to #9. What’s not to love about Jeff Teague running the show right now? 13.8 points, 7.3 assists, 1.5 steals with very nice percentages (48 FG%, 42 3PT%, 91 FT%).

10. Los Angeles Lakers | 7-7 | Last week: 10

I’m fine with them dropping one in Memphis, but the Kings loss was completely unacceptable. Antawn Jamison is showing some signs of life under D’Antoni, exactly the kind of punch that the Lake Show needs. Looks like Nash is still a couple of weeks away from returning.

11. Boston Celtics | 8-6 | Last week: 9

This is an extremely hard team to figure out. One night, they look like East contenders, the next night they look Lottery bound. The Celtics/Nets divisional battle should be real nice on Wednesday. With the Nets D, can they keep Rondo in check and stop his assist streak?

12. Milwaukee Bucks | 6-5 | Last week: 7

After I give the mad props in last weeks’ Rankings, the Bucks go put up a stinking 0-3 week. Maybe Skiles will give John Henson more run after his 17 point, 18 rebound outburst against the Heat? In the same minutes, how is Udrih (1.0) averaging more blocks than Dalembert (0.2)?

13. Philadelphia 76ers | 8-6 | Last week: 13

Now Andrew Bynum is out “indefinitely,” whatever that means, to which the rowdy Philly fans have already lost their cool with Bynum. Jrue Holiday is earning every single penny of that contract, as evidenced in his most recent outing of 33 points and 13 assists in a win over the Suns.

14. Chicago Bulls | 6-6 | Last week: 14

The Bulls were very out of sorts allowing a handful of 100 point games to only mediocre opponents. When Nate Robinson is leading your bench squad, that has to be concerning. Very weak second unit right now.

15. Utah Jazz | 7-7 | Last week: 15

The Jazz splits trend continues. Now 5-0 at home, while 2-7 on the road. They have to get more of these away games to have a playoff shot in the West. A positive for this team however, is their balance. Favors is 0.1 point away from being the 7th guy averaging double figures.

16. Golden State Warriors | 8-6 | Last week: 17

Really nice 3-1 week for the Warriors, knocking off the Mavs, Nets and Wolves. While Klay Thompson’s PER (9.6) is alarmingly low, his shooting percentage is slowly starting to get better. 23 (10-19), 16 (6-12) and 24 (8-17) in his last 3 games.

17. Dallas Mavericks | 7-7 | Last week: 12

A .500 record at this point is acceptable, but Mavs will be tested heavily with 11 of their next 15 games on the road. It might be time to start giving Jae Crowder more than 19 minutes per game. One would have to consider O.J. Mayo an All-Star at this point right?

18. Charlotte Bobcats | 7-5 | Last week: 22

The Bobs are still floating on Cloud Nine after going 3-1 last week. Interesting to note that they are 2-0 in overtime games this year. Ramon Sessions is quietly  sticking his nose in the 6th Man competition. Very respectable averages in just under 30 minutes and plays in crunch time.

19. Minnesota Timberwolves | 5-7 | Last week: 16

After going 0-3 last week, it’s so so great to see Kevin Love out there again. Arguably a Top 10 player in the league. It’s only 3 games, but the 24.3 points and 14.0 rebounds averages are beautiful. Now the wins need to come, but the team can’t blame him.

20. Portland Trail Blazers | 6-7 | Last week: 20

While 6-7 isn’t the most impressive, the Blazers sure have a nice young core forming. Aldridge, Batum, Lillard and Matthews all averaging over 17 points per game. And their 5th starter, J.J. Hickson is no sloutch averaging a double double.

21. Houston Rockets | 6-7 | Last week: 21

Thoughts and prayers go out to Kevin McHale and his family after an absolute tragedy. On the basketball side, I wonder how much fun Jeremy Lin had in the Rockets hanging 131 points on his former Knick teammates.

22. Indiana Pacers | 6-8 | Last week: 19

No matter how disappointing Roy Hibbert has been, 11 blocked shots (and the Pacers first triple double since 2003) is uber impressive. We’ll see where the Pacers stand after going out on the West Coast to face most of the Pacific division this week.

23. Phoenix Suns | 6-8 | Last week: 23

The fortunate Suns get to start their road trip off this week with the fantastic Cavs, Pistons, Raptors trio. The defense has been horrid, dead last in the league, allowing 103.3 points per game. Jermaine O’Neal is a bit of a feel-good story right about now.

24. Orlando Magic | 5-8 | Last week: 25

With the Spurs, Nets and Lakers on the schedule next, the Magic might be in for a rough week ahead. Maybe I’m setting the bar too high, but shouldn’t Big Baby Davis be shooting better than .418% from the field? More Moe Harkless and more Andrew Nicholson!

25. New Orleans Hornets | 3-9 | Last week: 24

Mostly without Anthony Davis, the poor Hornets have dropped 7 straight games, allowing over 100 points in all of them. With Ryan Anderson’s shooting performance against the Suns (8 for 13 from behind the arc), he has taken over the team scoring lead at over 17 per game.

26. Toronto Raptors | 3-11 | Last week: 26

Is there a team (save for the Wizards) that loses games as brutally as the Raps. The ref-blown game in Charlotte by 1 point, a last second layup the next and then a double OT loss to the tough Spurs at home. Bargnani’s inconsistency is getting very tiring.

27. Sacramento Kings | 4-9 | Last week: 28

The Raps record may be worse, but on a neutral court, I’m taking them over this Kings team. Thomas Robinson is only getting 15 minutes a game and has not made the impact most thought he would. Too early to file him under the “bust” category, given his draft position?

28. Cleveland Cavaliers | 3-10 | Last week: 27

The Irving-less Cavs are pretty dreadful, but Andy Varejao continues to ball out of control and could end up with the rebounding title this season. When are the Cavs going to get anything from C.J. Miles? He’s having a horrible time so far in Cleveland, shooting 29% overall.

29. Detroit Pistons | 3-11 | Last week: 29

At least Lawrence Frank has this team competing on a more regular basis after the horrible start. Is anyone else in the “How the heck has Tayshaun Prince stayed a Piston for this long?” camp? Maybe this will be the year he gets moved, for both their sakes.

30. Washington Wizards | 0-11 | Last week: 30

Give the Wizards credit for their creativity, as they are finding new ways to lose all the time. This week included two overtime games, one of which featured a failed last second tip in from Martell Webster that was waived off at the buzzer. Welcome to Washington.

Nov 17, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA; Memphis Grizzlies small forward Rudy Gay (22) drives on Charlotte Bobcats small forward Jeffery Taylor (44) during the second half at the Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Curtis Wilson-US PRESSWIRE

We have a NEW number one team in the Memphis Grizzlies and really, who can argue that there’s a hotter team right now? The Bucks make the biggest jump of the week, up 9 spots with their hot 6-2 start. And how about those Bobcats, sitting at .500 this late in the season. On the dark side, the Nuggets had another winless week and the Pacers have earned the dubious distinction of Most Disappointing Team so far.

Welcome to The Skyook’s NBA Power Rankings, where any given week, things can change faster than a James Harden trade.

Previous weeks: Preseason | Week 1 | Week 2

Week 4 – November 19th, 2012

1. Memphis Grizzlies | 8-1 | Last week: 4

Certainly the hottest team in the league right now with their 8 straight victories (including impressive wins over the Heat, Thunder, Knicks and Bucks). And, if you want to get real technical, we could use the following equation: Grizzlies > Knicks > Spurs.

2. San Antonio Spurs | 8-2 | Last week: 1

No disrespect Spurs fans, you’ve had your impressive wins as well, including a 26-point destroying of the Nuggets on Saturday, but the Grizzlies are just a slightly hotter. It will be interesting to see how the Spurs handle a Monday night battle with the Clippers followed by a 6-game road trip.

3. New York Knicks | 7-1 | Last week: 6

After an impressive comeback win in San Antonio, I’m now ready to move fowward and declare that the Knicks are indeed “for real.” The shooting has cooled off but when you hold opponents to 90 points per game (leading the league), you don’t always have to be lighting it up.

4. Los Angeles Clippers | 7-2 | Last week: 5

The Clips are another hot team thriving on both ends of the floor (2nd in points, 7th in points against). Jamal Crawford continues his 6th man onslaught while DeAndre Jordan’s improvement continues to draw raves (including a “best center in the West” comment from Shaq).

5. Miami Heat | 8-3 | Last week: 2

I’m not Heat-bashing, but their 3 losses have come at the hands of 3 of our top 4 teams, so this is the right place them. Spoelstra said this weekend that Bosh was the Heat’s most “important” player. Considering his scoring efficiency (.552 FG%), he might be on to something.

6. Oklahoma City Thunder | 8-3 | Last week: 3

Losing at home the Grizzlies hurt, but trust me, things in OKC are just fine. It seems almost unfathomable that last night’s triple double (25 pts, 13 rebs, 10 asts) was the first of Kevin Durant’s career. Fact: Daniel Orton has played 2 minutes this season and has a 63.0 PER.

7. Milwaukee Bucks | 6-2 | Last week: 16

It might be time to get the ”Fear the Deer” campaign in full swing again. A 3-0 week by the Bucks in which their average margin of victory was 9 points per game, is enough to shoot them 9 spots up in the rankings. Jennings continues his push for the ASG and leads the league in steals (3.25).

8. Brooklyn Nets | 6-2 | Last week: 13

Brooklyn is hard to read considering most of their 5-game winning streak came against the Cavs, the Kings and the Magic twice. They get the rest of the Pacific division this week. People ragged on Brook Lopez, but how many centers are giving 17.8 pts and 2.75 blks per game right now?

9. Boston Celtics | 6-5 | Last week: 9

As he chases Magic’s record, Rondo’s double digit assist streak has now reached 34 games, which is ridiculous. On the down side, Pierce’s age is really begin to show, as he’s shooting a near-career low of .409%. With the Spurs and Thunder coming to town this week, the C’s will be tested.

10. Los Angeles Lakers | 5-5 | Last week: 7

Just like that, the Lakers are back to .500. And now that D’Antoni is ready to debut, make no mistake, fans will be expecting Showtime 2.0 when Nash comes back. Kobe, Dwight and Pau are playing at an unbelivable level and MWP has quietly had a underrated season.

11. Denver Nuggets | 4-6 | Last week: 8

Perhaps the streaky Nugs should be slightly lower than this with a 4-6 record (last in the Northwest), but this team is still too dangerous, even if they don’t have a true identity. That being said, playing 7 of their first 10 on the road (and 10 of their next 13) wasn’t and won’t be very easy.

12. Dallas Mavericks | 6-5 | Last week: 12

After a mediocre 2-2 week, the Mavs are still hanging tough as they await Dirk’s return. O.J. Mayo continues to lead this team and his shooting an absolutely ridiclous 59% (36-61) from behind the arc. The Mavs host the Warriors, Knicks and Lakers this week.

13. Philadelphia 76ers | 6-4 | Last week: 10

Obviously this team is surrounded by negative buzz with Andrew Bynum’s now-January anticipated return date amid “Bowling-gate.” I’m affraid this team is destined to be a bottom tier playoff team without him in the lineup. But hey, at least they still have Spencer Hawes haircut.

14. Chicago Bulls | 5-5 | Last week: 11

The Bulls came back to earth after facing some tougher competition (losses to C’s, Clips, Blazers) last week. They have a home and home with the Bucks for Central Division supremacy. Joakim Noah (14.8 pts, 10.0 rebs, 4.0 asts, 2.0 blks) should be a starting forward in the ASG.

15. Utah Jazz | 5-6 | Last week: 17

After going 2-2 on their road trip last week (including a triple overtime win in Toronto), the Jazz come back home and have the Kings twice this week. Ty Corbin has already done some tinkering with the lineup, inserting Favors and Foye for Hayward and Williams.

16. Minnesota Timberwolves | 5-4 | Last week: 14

The honeymoon may be over the Wolves as the injuries are now piling up. Budinger, Pekovic, Lee and now Brandon Roy out for a month (big surprise). On the bright side, Kirilenko keeps getting better every game and it looks like they’ve found a diamond in the rough with Alexey Shved.

17. Golden State Warriors | 5-5 | Last week: 18

Given heavier minutes, rookie Harrison Barnes has really stepped up for the Warriors, averaging 16.3 pts and 7.7 rebounds last week. While not surprising, the Bogut news has been disappointing. Klay Thompson’s shooting percentage (.352%) needs to come up.

18. Atlanta Hawks | 4-4 | Last week: 20

Unfortunately, Josh Smith is going to have to deal with the “Josh Smith for ___” rumors a while, especially the recent Pau Gasol rumors. The fact remains that Smith’s numbers (15.3 pts, 8.3 rebs, .413 FG%) just don’t equal a max contract, no matter where he might end up.

19. Indiana Pacers | 4-7 | Last week: 15

Easily the pick for most disappointing team so far. The Pacers are two different teams on each end of the floor, ranking 2nd in rebounding and points against, while ranking 29th in points and assists. And right now it’s costing the Pacers $145,412 per Roy Hibbert point scored. Ugh.

20. Portland Trail Blazers | 5-5 | Last week: 22

The Blazers bounced back with 3 straight wins to finish the week, but after the Suns on Wednesday, they embark on a 7-game road trip. Aldridge’s rebounds and FG% are down, but his assists (a very nice 3.6 per game) and blocks are up. This is slowing becoming Batum’s team.

21. Houston Rockets | 4-6 | Last week: 19

The Rockets very quietly rank in the Top 10 in Points (10th), Rebounds (5th) and Assists (9th) and have six players averaging double figures in scoring. Really hope they figure out the Royce White drama, such a sad turn of events for what I’m sure would be such an exciting player.

22. Charlotte Bobcats | 4-4 | Last week: 27

If this Bobcats keep this pace up, we’re going to start seeing votes pour in for both Mike Dunlap for Coach of the Year and Kemba Walker for Most Improved. The bench was dealt a blow today when it was announced that Tyrus Thomas is going to miss 2 months.

23. Phoenix Suns | 4-7 | Last week: 23

Goran Dragic may be making the Rockets feel like they chose the wrong point guard (over Lin) as he’s up to 16.3 points, 7.3 assists and 2.0 steals per game. With a 6-game eastern road trip coming up, losing 3 games at home to the Nuggets, Bulls and Heat stung a little more than usual.

24. New Orleans Hornets | 3-5 | Last week: 21

The two Hornets rookies are on opposite ends of the PER spectrum with Anthony Davis at 25.9 and Austin Rivers at 5.4. Sadly, they both play the same amount of minutes. Ryan Anderson is also throwing his hat into the 6th man ring by leading the team with 16.4 points per game.

25. Orlando Magic | 3-6 | Last week: 26

The Magic Kingdom will begin a 5-game homestand, starting with the Pistons and Cavs. J.J. Redick coming into his own, averaging 15.8 points and 5.5 assists, with good percentages across the board. Quietly, Moe Harkless lurks in the background for some minutes.

26. Toronto Raptors | 3-7 | Last week: 24

Make no mistake, Kyle Lowry is the difference maker on this team. However, with Lowry sidelined, DeMar DeRozan is playing the best ball of his young career with the key being his agressive attacking of the basket. No one was saying this in the summer, but thank god for Jose Calderon.

27. Cleveland Cavaliers | 2-8 | Last week: 25

As if 2-8 wasn’t bad enough, the Cavs learned today that Kyrie Irving is going to miss ONE MONTH with his fractured finger. The Cavs could be headed for Wizards territory. Anderson Varejao (14.3 pts, 13.1 rebs and 3.3 asts) is as deserving as anyone for an All Star spot in the East.

28. Sacramento Kings | 2-8 | Last week: 28

Just when you’d hoped Cousins was growing up, the strange Sean Elliott confrontation and consequent suspension happens. To make things worse, the Kings have lost 5 straight games and no end in sight. This team is shooting a miserable 29.8% from three and 41.8% overall.

29. Detroit Pistons | 2-9 | Last week: 30

A big week for Motown gets the Pistons out of the Rankings basement. They picked up two wins, including a very convincing throttling of the Celtics. The Rodney Stuckey bench project may be exactly what he needs to get going and I think Kyle Singler is a good fit in the starting lineup.

30. Washington Wizards | 0-8 | Last week: 29

Ladies and gentlemen, meet your honorary 2012-13 Charlotte Bobcats! I will be very surprised if the Wizards win 10 games all year with this team. I’m sure they weren’t expecting 2.8 points and 2.9 rebounds from Jan Vesely in year two. Stay away John Wall and Nene, just stay away!

Oct 21, 2012; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo (9) during the first half of a game against the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-US PRESSWIRE

With less than a week to go before the real Christmas (obviously I’m talking about the NBA season), it’s time for that special opportunity to dangle your pride on a string. That’s right, it’s bold prediction time! See what I did there?

In a few days, The Skyhook will release our more “standard” predictions. You know, the standings, the playoffs, the awards… all the good stuff. And the Weekly Power Rankings will launch shortly thereafter. For now, in the spirit of being radical, here are 10 bold predictions for the upcoming season, along with some “rationale” (which you can determine how loosely that word applies on your own).

So. Here. We. Go.

The Chicago Bulls will miss the playoffs (the Toronto Raptors will make it).

Yes, you read that lineup correctly. Unfortunately for you Windy City natives, that means that there will be no running of the Chicago Bulls in my projected postseason. Seven of the teams on this list are really anything but bold predictions, in fact they are quite common among the “experts.” The bold element comes with not only saying the Bulls aren’t going to make it, but that the Toronto Raptors will make it into the playoffs.

Obviously with the Bulls, I’m assuming Derrick Rose doesn’t make it back before even the All-Star break. I just think this team downgraded the entire roster this offseason, it’s a radically different team. That luxurious point guard depth they had last year with C.J. Watson and John Lucas III? That’s gone. I’m sorry, but Kirk Hinrich and Nate Robinson do not make up for that. They lost two above-average defensive players in Omer Asik (having a great preseason in Houston) and Ronnie Brewer. Their best pure shooter, Kyle Korver was also shipped to Atlanta. Instead, they brought in Marco Belinelli, Nazr Mohammed and Vlad Radmanovic. Throw in the injury risks to Luol Deng/Richard Hamilton and the added responsibility on Carlos Boozer to be a major scoring option at this point in his career and I really don’t like this team.

On the other hand, the Raptors seem to be going in a different direction. Without a true superstar like Rose in the equation, they’ve collected enough talent through a series of moves and draft picks to be at least “interesting.” Kyle Lowry a game-changing, quick, tough point guard playing with a chip on his shoulder is a big deal in Toronto and as a hard-nosed on the ball defender, he fits perfect into what Dwayne Casey is trying to do with this team defensively. Jonas Valanciunas, the anti-Bargnani, is only similar in size and European decent. He loves to bang inside, hustle and play defense, which the Raps need. New additions Landry Fields and lottery pick Terrence Ross should also serve as upgrade from what the Raps were sending out last year. Another small step forward for DeRozan and a hopeful (at least I am) minor breakout from Ed Davis would put this team in the East playoffs, which is what I think is what will happen.

October 25, 2012; San Diego, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (15) during the second quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers at Valley View Casino Center. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-US PRESSWIRE

DeMarcus Cousins will make his first All-Star team. So will Kyrie Irving. So will Greg Monroe.

“Boogie” Cousins WILL be an All-Star this year. The NBA’s recent announcement to remove the “Center” position from All-Star balloting helps his case even more. But aside from position technicalities, Cousins will prove to an even greater extent this season that he’s one of the best power forwards in the West, and in the entire league. He averaged a double double with 18.1 points per game and 11.0 rebounds a game (good for 4th in the league). Apart from the slightest dip in rebounding (11.3 to 10.6), all of Cousins’ numbers were improved post-All-Star break, meaning he improved over the season. I’m expecting him to be at a 20 and 12 this year, making his All-Star selection a no-brainer, despite him playing on a bad Kings team. This will be the true beginning of the Western Conference big man youth movement with guys like Duncan and even Dirk on the way out. It’s time for Boogie, whether you like him or not.

Kyrie Irving makes the leap this year. He turns into a 20 point, 8 assist, 2 steal per game guy that carries his team on most nights. Just check his 4th quarter stats and highlights from last year, this kid just has it. It wouldn’t surprise me if he took it further than that and warranted many Most Improved Player votes. Expect him to represent the Cavs at the All-Star Game in Houston.

I think Greg Monroe, given the simple fact that he’s the number one big man option in Detroit now, will make the All-Star team this year. While his numbers won’t be eye-popping, I think the coaches will appreciate what he will do with limited resources around him. If he goes 18 and 9 with close to 2 blocks, that gets the job done.

The league MVP voting will finish in this order: 3. LeBron James 2. Kevin Durant 1. Rajon Rondo.

Yes, Rajon Rondo will win the MVP of the league this year. He’s simply ready for that kind of year. Could LeBron or Durant win the award? Yes, of course, they will both be incredible again this season. In fact, it’s more likely that one of them win. But picking Rondo to straight up win the MVP is highlighting the “bold” part.

This Celtics team is no longer a “big three” team, this is Rondo’s team now. Coming off an absolutely bad ass performance in last year’s playoffs only proved what we all thought… that he is completely fearless. The fact that he’s a nightly triple-double waiting to explode also helps his case.

I like this Celtics team even better than last season, which means the wins will help Rondo stack up to LBJ/Durant. At this point, the Jason Terry and Courtney Lee combination is an upgrade over the gimpy Ray Allen, the successful return of Jeff Green will be another dimension to the offense, and I do like the potential Bass/Sullinger combination in the frontcourt. This all means assists upon assists for Rondo. I think he will have a Nash MVP-esque season, easily lead the league in assists, but instead of sparkling shooting percentages, he will play more meaningful minutes, increase his scoring (he’s been working on his shooting again) and attribute more on the defensive end and rebounding. To go a step further, I’ll put Rondo down for 14.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 12.1 assists per game and 1 MVP award.

The new Flopping rules will actually not be a flop.

Of course there are a million opinions floating around about the new Flopping rules and how effective they can truly be. Personally, I think the new Flopping rules and penalties will be good for the league. I was happy to see the extent to which players can be punished for being so ridiculous (I’m looking at you Reggie Evans). Watching these guys flop around from minimal, meaningless contact is the one part of the game that truly frustrates me.

I think the opportunity for the league to dip into the players pockets will ultimately be a threat to the players and will have them being subconsciously conscious of contact (I know, that doesn’t really make sense, but it does). Players don’t want to lose lumps of paychecks for something so stupid. While it seems outrageous to them, even the most serial offenders will eventually back down on the issue relatively quick.

I also think it will go the other way as well. I think once the season is in full swing, refs will become a little more lenient on the calls, if only to avoid the scrutiny and attention the media will bring to it. I would be surprised if we get to the point of a suspension (6th flopping violation = 1 game suspension), but we will definitely see some fines handed out. All in all, the “threat” of flopping punishment will slightly raise the awareness of an issue that really does make the game less enjoyable to watch.

Oct 19, 2012; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets shooting guard Joe Johnson (7) and point guard Deron Williams (8) on the court against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half at Barclays Center. 76ers won 106-96. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

The new “Battle of New York” inner city rivalry will end in a tie, but not really.

Ah yes, the next great inner city rivalry is upon us.

Now, by “tie” I mean exactly that… but exclusive to the regular season. They will have the exact same record of 46-36. When it then comes to playoff seeding, the Nets will have the advantage and will get the 4th seed in the East. The kicker, is that if the Nets are 4 and the Knicks are 5, they will play each other in the first round of the playoffs, which the Nets will have home court and win. People will always talk about the atmosphere at The Garden for the Knicks, but I think this will be a pretty hyped up Brooklyn fan base, especially in the first year and especially if the team is winning. That will be enough to win a playoff series again them.

In terms of the rosters, there are enough storylines, unpredictability and polarizing players to create a case for either team to outperform the other. The bottom line is the New York the state, wins. I’m sticking with a tie.

The race for the NBA scoring title will come down to a battle between two Kevins. Correction: Durant wins the scoring title again.

Update: The next day after I posted this, Kevin Martin was dealt TO the Thunder as part of the James Harden deal, making his run at the scoring title completely impossible. So much for my favorite reach.

Now THIS is bold. But think about it, isn’t Kevin Martin in the perfect situation to pull this off? 1. He’s in Houston where he’s the definite number one scoring option (sorry, but Jeremy Lin is NOT the number one option). 2. He’s in a contract year and 3. Historically, he’s always been a very efficient (and wildly under the radar) pure scorer. So in what should be the peak of his career, barring injury, and having to carry the Rockets on any given night (which could end up being most nights), why couldn’t he be upwards of 28-30 points per game? I think he does it. I think Kevin DURANT wins the scoring title yet again with a 29.4 average, while Kevin MARTIN finishes second at 28.9 per game.

Alvin Gentry (Suns) and Scott Skiles (Bucks) will be the first coaches fired, while George Karl (Nuggets) will win Coach of the Year.

The Suns, while expectations aren’t exactly high, will be bad. Don’t get me wrong, I like some of their players, but it’s such a uneven collection of players. Ultimately, Gentry will take the fall and they will make a change mid-season.

It’s a very similar situation for Scott Skiles in Milwaukee, as the clock seems to be running out. With the average coaching tenure being as low as it’s ever been, Skiles could be in trouble. He’s been with the Bucks since 2008 and hasn’t really accomplished anything of note. The East didn’t get any easier this offseason and unfortunately, the Bucks didn’t get any better. I expect Skiles to be let go close to the All-Star break when the Bucks are sitting 10-12 games under .500.

George Karl, on the flip side, is just one of those guys. He’s a guy that players, the fans and the league in general loves. Now, he’s got an extremely talented and versatile roster that’s been brilliantly put together. This team will win a lot of games this season. Their current Win total Over/Under is sitting at 50.5, which they should easily surpass. They led the league in offense last season and could easily do so again this year. They addition of Andre Iguodala and the development of Kenneth Faried should give them a little stronger backbone on defense. Toss in all the other unmentioned, talented weapons (Lawson, Gallinari, McGee, Brewer, Chandler, Miller) and the Nuggets suddenly have a trendy “outside contender” label cast upon them with a pretty flexible roster. Worst case the Nuggets win 50 games and aim for home court in the playoffs and best case, they chase 60 wins and Karl is almost a lock to win Coach of the Year. But I think mid-50′s will be good enough for him to get the nod over Spoelstra and Brooks.

All five Atlantic Division teams will make the playoffs and will be the league’s new “toughest division.”

Once considered the laughing stock of the league, the Atlantic Division (Celtics, Knicks, Nets, Sixers, Raptors) would appear to be the best division in the league right now. Operating under the “toughest division” logic, especially in terms of parity among it’s teams, I think only the Northwest Division (Blazers, Jazz, Nuggets, Thunder, T-Wolves) compares. Every other division has it’s 1-2 teams that are going to be stinkers, but in the Atlantic, it’s not that difficult to fathom that all five teams could finish over .500 for the season.

A re-tooled Celtics team, an Andrew Bynum-led Sixers squad and the star studded New York teams (barring catastrophe, which is always in play) should all finish above .500 and in the East, that means playoffs. Of course the Raptors may be the one argument against that theory. Personally I have them no worse than 41-41 and nabbing that 8th seed.

Oct 23, 2012; Raleigh, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats head coach Mike Dunlap talks to Charlotte Bobcats small forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (14) on the sidelines against the Miami Heat in the first half at PNC Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark Dolejs-US PRESSWIRE

The Bobcats will NOT finish in last place.

It doesn’t get much worse than 7-59. Well technically, 6-60 is worse, but you get the idea.

I think the unfavorable distinction of NBA bottom-feeder this season will go to the Orlando Magic. Although the Bobcats are far from rebuilt, I do like what they did in the offseason. They didn’t whiff on their #2 overall pick by taking Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and they added some veterans like Ben Gordon, Ramon Sessions and Brendan Haywood for depth. It might sound crazy, but I think Charlotte can get to the 20-win mark. With MKG and Kemba Walker runnin’ and gunnin’, Byron Mullins jacking threes from the center position and Bismack Biyombo blocking shots, this team could be very entertaining to watch.

For the Magic, this is going to be a rough ride. With a roster decimated after #Dwightmare, there’s no clear structure and is ultimately just a collection of guys that few people know anything about. I love Aaron Afflalo, Andrew Nicholson and even Big Baby Davis, but c’mon, the Hedo Turkoglu’s of the world aren’t fooling anybody.

In a head to head matchup on a neutral court, I would expect the Bobcats to win the game, so of course I’m going to favor them over the Magic in the standings as well. Keep in mind, these two teams play in the same division together as well, so whether it takes the Bobcats beating up the Magic four times to finish with the better record, then so be it. Bottom line: Bobcats > Magic.

Team Jordan FTW!

Oct 16, 2012; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Charlotte Bobcats guard Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (14) struggles for possession of the ball with Oklahoma City Thunder center Cole Aldrich (45) during the first half at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-US PRESSWIRE

Welcome all stat geeks! “Box Score Bulletin’” is sifting through, analyzing and summarizing all of the NBA box scores from the previous day and night, so you don’t have to! So sip your coffee and enjoy the good, the bad and the ugly…

Hawks (1-3) 98 @ Pacers (2-1) 102

• Leading scorers: ATL – Lou Williams 18, IND – Paul George 20.
• Not knowing exactly who will start at PG for the Hawks, both Devin Harris and Jeff Teague started in this game. They combined for 22 points (8-21 FG), 9 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steals.
• Lou Williams looked settled into his usual bench role, putting up 18 points to lead the Hawks in scoring.
• Heck of a game from Roy Hibbert: 16 points, 11 rebounds and 6 blocks.
• Both Hansbrough brothers played in this one, combining for 38 minutes, 12 points (only 3-13 shooting), 11 rebounds and 4 assists.
• Paul George put up 20 points, shooting only 4-14 from the field but a perfect 11-11 from the free throw line. He also had 8 rebounds, 4 assists and a couple of steals.

Nets (3-0) 97 @ Celtics (1-4) 96

• Leading scorers: BKN – Andray Blatche 23, BOS – Paul Pierce 29.
• Paul Pierce’s 29 points and hot shooting night (6-8 from 3-point range) wasn’t enough for the Celts.
• Rajon Rondo was slightly more “Rondo-like” with his 5 points, 11 assists and 5 rebounds (also had 6 turnovers).
• All of the Nets regular starters totalled 0 minutes in this one as none of Williams, Johnson, Wallace, Lopez or Humphris even played in the game.
• Andray Blatche’s 23 points and 9 rebounds led the way for the Nets.
• Rookie Mirza Teletovic continued to produce with 18 points off the bench.

Magic (0-4) 86 @ Pistons (2-2) 112

• Leading scorers: ORL – DeQuan Jones 22, DET – Rodney Stuckey 19.
• Relatively unknown rookie DeQuan Jones (a former Miami Hurricane) logged almost a full game’s worth of minutes (44) and poured in 22 points on 9-13 shooting.
• Gustavo Ayon (how also played a bulk of the game at 38 minutes) posted a double double with 19 points and 10 rebounds.
• The Pistons shot a blazing 44-81 (54.3%) from the field in scoring 112 points.
• Andre Drummond had another solid defensive game with 4 blocked shots (also had 9 pts, 3 rebs).

Bucks (2-1) 94 @ Bulls (2-2) 100

• Leading scorers: MIL – Brandon Jennings, Samuel Dalembert, Mike Dunleavy 13, CHI – Nate Robinson 24.
• Sam Dalembert, expected to be the starting center for the Bucks, had 13 points, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks.
• Nate Robinson certainly got the most of his start and 37 minutes: 24 points, 13 assists and 4-8 from downtown.
• Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer both had double doubles for the Bulls. Noah with 16 pts, 12 rebs and Boozer with 10 pts, 10 rebs.
• Luol Deng was very quiet in this one in deferring to the backcourt. In 31 mintues, he had 5 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists.

Bobcats (1-3) 98 @ Thunder (1-2) 120

• Leading scorers: CHA – Ben Gordon 21, OKC – Andy Rautins 20.
• In a battle of elite vs. doormat, the Thunder shot an incredible 64% (48-75) from the floor in this game, while they had 7 players score in double figures.
• The Thunder outscored the Bobcats 60-32 with points in the paint.
• Second year players Daniel Orton and Andy Rautins combined for 33 points (12-16 FG) off the bench.
• Byron Mullens might attempt to break the record for most threes attempted by a “center.” He had another 10 attempts in this game (was 4-10).

Haifa (N/A) 81 @ Timberwolves (3-1) 114

• Leading scorers: HAI – Pat Calathes, Paul Stoll 17, Kevin Love 24.
• The Timberwolves got to the free throw line 42 times in this game, making 33 of them for 78.6%.
• Kevin Love led the way with 24 points and 8 boards.
• Andrei Kirilenko looked like his old self in significant minutes (28) as he had 13 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 1 block. Fantasy owners are already licking their chops.
• The Wolves also lead in fast break points 18-4.

Jazz (3-1) 114 @ Lakers (0-4) 80

• Leading scorers: UTA – Gordon Hayward 13, LAL – Kobe Bryant 31.
• In their annihilation of the still-winless Lakers, the Jazz had 7 players score in double figures and shot 53.4% (39-73) from the floor.
• The Jazz outrebounded the Lakes 44-28.
• Kobe Bryant scored almost half of the Lakers 80 points (31).
• Antawn Jamison and Metta World Peace started and combined to shoot 3-17, scoring only 10 points.

Oct 09, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls center Nazr Mohammed (48) and Memphis Grizzlies guard Kyle Weaver (25) attempt to get a rebound during the second half at the United Center. Chicago defeats Memphis 92-88. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-US PRESSWIRE

Welcome all stat geeks! “Box Score Bulletin’” is sifting through, analyzing and summarizing all of the NBA box scores from the previous day and night, so you don’t have to! So sip your coffee and enjoy the good, the bad and the ugly…

Mavericks (1-1) 85 @ FC Barcelona (N/A) 99

• I named O.J. Mayo as my “X-Factor” for the Mavs this season. Clearly, he’s backing up my claim with his 1 point (0-7 FG), 2 rebound, 2 assist performance. Mayo plays poorly = Mavs struggle. So far, true to form.
• Vince Carter (5 pts, 5 rebs) managed to go -21 in only 22 minutes.
• Chris Kaman posted a double double of 15 points, 10 rebounds.
• This FC Barcelona squad has a lineup full of former (although underachieving) NBA players, including Sarunas Jasikevicius, Juan Carlos Navarro, Pete Mickeal, Ante Tomic and Nathan Jawai. How did these particular five guys do against the Mavs? 66 points (23-44 FG, 52%), 27 rebounds, 11 assists, 3 steals, 4 blocks and +45.

Bucks (1-0) 97 @ Cavaliers (1-1) 80

• With a limited offensive front court, get used to this kind of volume shooting from the Bucks back court. Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis combined to shoot 11-26 (42%) for 30 points. Thankfully, they did have 12 assists as well.
• The #14 overall pick John Henson’s Milwaukee debut? 12 minutes, 6 points (3-8 FG), 7 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block.
• The Cavs bench was pretty cold, shooting 14-41 (34%).
• C.J. Miles and Kyrie Irving were the only Cavs in double figures with 18 and 16 points respectively.
• Points in the paint: Bucks 48, Cavs 28.

Grizzlies (1-1) 88 @ Bulls (1-0) 92

• The Grizzlies bench played the majority of the game as the starters (Gasol, Randolph, Gay, Allen, Bayless) only averaged 14.6 minutes in the game.
• Jerome Jordan (yes, that Jerome Jordan) led the Grizz with 13 points.
• There was Flip Murray sighting (26 minutes) in Memphis! He finished with 11 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists.
• The Bulls had 17 steals in the game, but shot only 2-14 (14%) from behind the arc.
• Bulls starters (Boozer, Deng, Noah, Hamilton, Hinrich) finished the game with a +77 point differential.
• For the Bulls, there was surprisingly good (Nazr Mohammed – 13 pts, 12 rebs) and surprisingly bad (Jimmy Butler – 1-11 FG, 9%)

Bobcats (1-1) 82 @ Hornets (2-0) 97

• I’m really starting to think Byron Mullens will be a nice fantasy sleeper this year. After posting a 14 point, 6 rebound, 2 block effort in this one, he’s certainly got me thinking. But most impressive is the 4-8 from 3-point range. That from your center? I’ll take that 8 days a week.
• Bismack Biyombo had a quietly satisfying game with 7 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals and 4 blocks. With enough minutes, anyone believing he could average over 2 per game this season?
• Great production from Robin Lopez in this one: 18 points (8-12 FG), 13 rebounds, 2 steals, 3 blocks in 33 minutes.
• All of Ryan Anderson’s (who came off the bench) points came via the 3-ball, as he went 5-6.
• Rookies Anthony Davis and Austin Rivers both started in this game and combined for 33 points and 13 rebounds on 15-31 shooting.

• 

  Jan. 2, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford (15) is fouled by Miami Heat center Joel Anthony (50) during the first half at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

  AL HORFORD, C, Atlanta Hawks
  Last season: 31.6 MPG, 12.4 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 19.02 PER
  When he’s on the floor, Al Horford is one of the more efficient, well-rounded centers in the Eastern Conference and has made a couple of All-Star appearances as proof. However, reader Wesley Morton once pointed out that ”it’s unfair to compare him to centers.” Really? Should we compare him to point guards then? Regardless of that nonsense, Horford is considered an above-average center and will continue to perform consistently as long as he plays in the majority of the Hawks games. Given the roster was completely turned upside down in the offseason, it’s hard to pinpoint any of the new guys (could make a small case for Lou Williams) to be X-Factors. With Horford’s presence, the team at least has a chance as a postseason run, without him, they are in the lottery. We’ve been down the Zaza path before, it’s bleek.

• 

  June 28, 2012; Newark, NJ, USA; Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Kentucky), right, is introduced as the number two overall pick to the Charlotte Bobcats by NBA commissioner David Stern during the 2012 NBA Draft at the Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-US PRESSWIRE

  MICHAEL KIDD-GILCHRIST, SF, Charlotte Bobcats
  Last season (at Kentucky, 40 games): 31.1 MPG, 11.9 PPG, 7.4 RPG
  Surely the Bobcats won’t break NBA history once again and duplicate their .106 winning percentage from last season. I like that they did add some veterans in Haywood, Gordon and Sessions to blend with the insanely young roster of a year ago. That should make them better, albeit only slightly. With those three ultimately being of the role player variety, the true improvement of this team, now and long term, rests on the shoulders of their #2 overall pick, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Expectations will be high, but given MKG’s versatile skill set and relentless hustle, he should keep the Bobcats in a few more games this year and will certainly make them more bearable to watch, perhaps even exciting. Time will tell if this is Michael Jordan’s smartest decision yet, though it looks like it before the season tips off.

• 

  July 11 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat player Ray Allen (34), center, hold up his jersey next to president Pat Riley (left), and head coach Erik Spoelstra (right) during a press conference during a press conference at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

  RAY ALLEN, SG, Miami Heat
  Last season: 34.0 MPG, 14.2 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 14.83 PER
  We all know exactly what the NBA Champion Miami Heat are… juggernauts. The team hardly needing fixing and is basically unchanged from last year, other than adding a couple of former teammates (on the cheap) named Rashard Lewis and Ray Allen, you might have heard of them. Of course LeBron, Wade and Bosh are the focal points and will get theirs. Allen is the true X-Factor and with him, the Heat addressed one of the areas that they’re generally slammed for, their outside shooting. Who knows how far back the broken Mike Miller comes back and if he’ll be able to contribute at all? Even though Ray is well past his peek, the open looks he’ll get with the playmaking and command drawn by the “Big Three” (man I hate using that) makes them even more dangerous, if that’s even possible.

• 

  Oct 14, 2010; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Eric Gordon (10) is defended by Denver Nuggets guard Aaron Afflalo (6) at the Staples Center. The Nuggets defeated the Clippers 100-95. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

  AARON AFFLALO, SG, Orlando Magic
  Last season: 33.6 MPG, 15.2 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 14.76 PER
  With the way the Magic’s roster has changed over the past couple of months, you could literally pick an “X-Factor” out of a hat. This franchise will be in trouble this year. Big Baby Davis needs to come into camp in shape, Jameer needs to play steady, Reddick needs to step forward and of course, you never know what to expect from Hedo. That’s why I think the real star of this team needs to be Aaron Afflalo. Already a terrific defender, Afflalo’s offense has gotten progressively better in each of his first five seasons, with his point totals looking like this: 3.7, 4.9, 8.8, 12.6 and 15.2. Based on that trend, he should make another leap this year. He did get a pretty generous contact in Denver, but he has a chance to prove that he’s worth even more this year as the potential face of the new-look Magic franchise and launch himself into the conversation of the premier guards in the East. He’ll certainly get to know them up close and personally when he’s in their face every night.

• 

  January 13, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Hornets center Emeka Okafor (right) drives in against Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Kevin Love (left) during the second quarter of a game at the New Orleans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE

  EMEKA OKAFOR, C, Washington Wizards
  Last season: 28.9 MPG, 9.9 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 15.13 PER (27 games)
  True story: I lost $500 on this game last season when the Washington Wizards decided to put up one of the most prolific shooting barrages the NBA has ever seen while visiting Portland. I watched, I almost cried, I could barely breathe. My point is, that was the ’11-12 Wizards, a careless, zero expectations crew that could string together a ridiculously lucky offensive performance every few weeks. This season, they NEED defense. I’ve encountered people of the opinion that the Wiz are a potential sleeper and have a shot at snagging a bottom playoff seed. To do that, they need a full, consistent season from Emeka Okafor. Yes, Nene absolutely has to play the same way, as well as the young fellas that make up the bench in Booker, Seraphin and Vesely. But Okafor must revisit the Charlotte Bobcats version of himself and get back near that double double player he once was. Although if Wiz are terrible again, no one will be shocked.

We now have the official draft order for the upcoming NBA Draft:

1. Cleveland Cavaliers
2. Minnesota Timberwolves
3. Utah Jazz

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Marcus Cousin Ready for Jazz, His Uniform… Not So Much

Marcus Cousin signed a ten-day deal to join the Utah Jazz on Tuesday and were excited to get him involved quickly. He joined the team in Toronto as the Jazz began a four game road trip with a number of players (Paul Milsap, Andrei Kirilenko, Ronnie Price, Francisco Elson, Kyrylo Fesenko and Mehmet Okur) injured.

Unfortunately, things happened so quickly, that the Jazz failed to make up a new uniform for Cousin in time for his first game, so he had to wear a number 0 jersey with no name on the back.

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As for the other game, the Orlando Magic were great defensively in a 89-75 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. Like most have said, the Lakers looked tired, and the Magic just took it to them in the second half.

You can bet that some of yesterday’s games had an impact in our power rankings this week, so let’s get right to them! (more…)

But now that the Super Bowl is officially in the books, the NBA takes center stage, and as we start to hit the stretch run of the season, there are some teams that are starting to separate themselves from the rest of the pack. Therefore, it’s time once again for STS’s super duper mega awesome power rankings. Or something like that.

We’ve got the whole crew assembled this week, and we’ve got our list ready. Our opinions differ on several spots, but hey, if we had the same list from top to bottom, that would be rather boring wouldn’t it? (more…)

So, who’s available? I think of the main players available, Andrew Bynum, Shannon Brown and Lamar Odom would be most attractive. What positions do the Lakers need to improve? I think the small forward position needs an upgrade, and possibly the center position. So let’s rundown a few possible trade scenarios. (more…)

So without any further ado, here’s a look at the rankings: (more…)