He jumped to defend Boris Diaw and had his legs taken out from under him. Without enough time to brace his fall, he fell directly on his side. It also appeared that he hit his head against the ground when he landed.

After staying on the ground for a few minutes, Barnes was able to walk off under his own power while an athletic trainer held gauze to his head to treat a possible head injury.

It was a scary moment, but hopefully Barnes will be okay.

(Thanks to @HPBasketball for the video)

It shows all 272 of Curry’s threes he hit this year on his way to setting the new single season record for threes made in a season. And if you can manage to take your eyes off Curry, you’ll notice some pretty sweet bench celebrations as well.

(H/T to the guys over at TBJ.)

(Thanks to @cjzero for the .gif)

Jack Maloney (@jmaloney9) – Stephen Curry’s behind the back pass, followed by his three-pointer.

There were a number of plays from Curry that I could have picked, but my favorite play from his phenomenal first round performance was this behind the back pass that ended up leading to him burying a three in the corner. It showcased his playmaking ability and his shooting.

(1:55 mark of the video)

Vijay Shravah and Quentin Haynes (@Haynesenburg) – Nate Robinson’s runner off the glass.

Vijay – In a 3-OT thriller, Nate Robinson dazzled the crowd with his flurry of acrobatic shots on his way to 29 4th quarter and overtime points to lead the Bulls to a comeback win.  Namely this crazy floater from near three-point distance

Quentin – Nate Robinson’s one-handed runner to take the lead in OT against Brooklyn. It was so random. Think about everything that happened. Nate Robinson isolation. Nate Robinson going left to right and using all of his 5-9 frame to swoop over 6-3 Deron Williams with a one-handed shot. Watching the basket bank in. It was incredible.

Jack Maloney (@jmaloney9) – Chicago Bulls

Already without Derrick Rose, and with Joakim Noah, Kirk Hinrich and Luol Deng all battling injuries, it looked like there would be too much for the Bulls to overcome in their first round series against the Nets. Then, the Nets laid a smack down on them in Game 1, and it seemed the series might be over rather quickly. But behind Noah’s leadership and the help of Nate Robinson and Marco Belinelli, the Bulls battled their way to a Game 7 victory in Brooklyn to advance to the second round. They really impressed me with their effort and toughness, especially Joakim Noah.

May 2, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry (30) celebrates after game six of the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs against the Denver Nuggets at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Nuggets 92-88. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Vijay Shravah – Golden State Warriors

Gotta go with the Warriors.  They were basically pronounced dead upon hearing of David Lee’s torn hip flexor in Game 1.  Much to everyone’s surprise, they proved that they are the better team under Stephen Curry’s shooting brilliance.  He also reminded us how despicable it was for him not to be selected an All-Star this year.  Now, thanks to the spotlight of the NBA Playoffs, he’s finally getting his much overdue recognition.  Coach Mark Jackson said it best:  ”Everyone’s rushing to the hospital, but the baby’s been born for a while already.”

Quentin Haynes (@Haynesenburg) – Golden State Warriors and Stephen Curry

Golden State looked to be done after the loss of David Lee in game one, but consider this: Without Andre Miller’s explosion in game one, the Warriors would’ve swept Denver. Insane to me. I felt like I didn’t have a grip on this series going in, but it’s crazy to think how Golden State looks to be the better team. I’m curious to see what Denver does in the offseason if they lose this series. As for Curry, I’m an avid fan of ranking players in the league, and Curry was one of those people who always gave me fits. After this series? I have no qualms with Curry in anyone’s top 25. He’s just a fantastic offensive player.

Curry is becoming a superstar right before our eyes this postseason. It seems every game he does something more remarkable than the last one.

Last night Curry finished with 31 points and 7 assists, including an amazing 22 of them in the 3rd quarter. It was a 12 minute stretch for the ages, with Curry going 8-11 from the field and 5-8 from three. (Including a last second heave from beyond half-court at the buzzer.)

I would describe his exploits, but my words can’t do them justice. Just check out his shot chart and then watch the video of the show he put on.

The dogs, who amazed everyone, returned to playoff action tonight at Oracle Areana during the Warriors vs. Nuggets matchup.

Once again, the dogs were fantastic. (Thanks to @SBNationNBA for the .gifs)

First, there was this dog. I’m not really sure what he’s doing, but its a pretty cool jump and roll move.

Then we have the always popular scooter riding dogs.

Plus, this dog was walking on a moving wheel that was being pushed by another dog.

And for good measure, here are some dogs being pulled around in a wagon.

This effort over JaVale McGee in the 1st quarter though, is his best.

(Thanks to @HPBasketball for the video)

Apr 26, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) reacts after making a three point basket against the Denver Nuggets in the third quarter during game three of the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Nuggets 110-108. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

When someone hears the name Stephen Curry, they immediately think about three-pointers. And rightly so; Curry just submitted the greatest season of three-point shooting in the history of the NBA. He shot 45% from deep, while setting the single season record for threes made with 272.

His shooting is by far his greatest strength. His quick release and ridiculous range are what make him so fun to watch. He’s reached the point to where him knocking down 6 or 7 threes and scoring 30 points doesn’t surprise people.

But yet, despite the potential to be the greatest three-point shooter the league has ever seen, Curry is not just a shooter.

For one, Curry is a dynamic playmaker. He is an adept passer and can create shots both for himself and his teammates. In the regular season, he averaged nearly 7 assists per game. Through three games in this postseason, he is leading in assists, averaging 11 a night. His otherworldly shooting often overshadows his passing ability.

Let’s take a look at Curry’s skill set, featuring plays he has made this postseason.

These first clips show his ability to make smart decisions on the break. In both plays, Curry calmly pushes the ball up the court and makes the right decision. The first pass, especially, shows off Curry’s vision as he fits the bounce pass between two Nuggets.

The following clips demonstrate Curry driving the ball into the paint and kicking it out to open shooters. This is a vital skill set, and Curry is becoming very good at it. He is able to make the defenders respect his drive and commit to helping off their man to stop him. Then, before the defense can collapse on him and force him into a bad shot or turnover, Curry spots the open shooter and makes the right pass. He also delivers accurate passes, allowing the shooters to get the shots up quickly.

The final clip highlights Curry’s most impressive passing ability. It is another example of Curry driving and kicking, but instead of making a normal chest pass, Curry wraps the ball over his shoulder. It often catches the defense off guard, and is beautiful to watch.

This was a breakout regular season for Curry, but he has really made a name for himself so far in these playoffs, leading the Warriors to a 2-1 series lead while averaging 26 points and 11 assists a game. And while his three-point shooting will always be his most well known attribute, and deservedly so, his playmaking and passing ability should not be overlooked.

(Thanks to @HPBasketball for the video)

Harrison Barnes has been a big reason for their lead, and he gave us a highlight to remember early in the 4th quarter.

He drove strong to the basket and somehow finished with a reverse dunk over Anthony Randolph. Not a bad celebration from the bench either.

(H/T @cjzero for the .gif)

April 15, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors power forward David Lee (10) passes the ball against the San Antonio Spurs during the first quarter at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Tough news for the Golden State Warriors broke just minutes ago that David Lee will be out for the remainder of the season.

This news comes according to a tweet from CBS Sports’ Ken Berger.

David Lee tore his right hip flexor on Saturday and is done for the season, league source says. He had an MRI today.

— Ken Berger (@KBergCBS) April 21, 2013

Lee scored only 10 points, but grabbed 14 rebounds over 29 minutes in the Warriors last second loss to the Nuggets last night in the first game of their series.

The injury to Lee likely means Carl Landry will move into the starting lineup. Landry has played well off the bench this season and scored 14 points and added 5 rebounds in Game 1. With Landry moving to the starting lineup, it will also mean an increase in minutes for Draymond Green and Festus Ezeli, who each played sparingly last night.

This is a tough blow for both Lee and the Warriors. It was Lee’s first playoff appearance in his career.

April 09, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry (30) celebrates with shooting guard Klay Thompson (11) after scoring a three point basket against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the third quarter at Oracle Arena. The Golden State Warriors defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 105-89 to clinch a playoff berth. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Biggest strength for the Warriors: Outside shooting.

The Warriors were the best 3 point shooting team in basketball this season, shooting 40.3% on the season. They boast three players who shot over 40% from beyond the arc in Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Jarrett Jack. In hitting an NBA record 272 threes on 45.3% shooting, Curry had the greatest shooting year in the history of the league. Three point shooting is the biggest advantage the Warriors have over Denver as well as their path to victory. Barring some bizarre happenstance where the Warriors all the sudden turn into a defensive stalwart, the only way Golden State wins this series is if they shoot Denver out of the gym.

Biggest strength for the Nuggets: The Pepsi Center.

Denver was 38-3 this season at home, as opposed to 19-22 on the road. It’s very difficult for opposing teams to last four quarters in that altitude with the Nuggets running in transition the entire game. The Nuggets are going to be without Danilo Gallinari, who tore his ACL, and Ty Lawson likely won’t be playing at 100%. Denver is far from a lock to win this series, but it’s hard for me to pick against them knowing that they’re going to have three of the first five games of the series,as well as a possible game seven, at home.

Biggest weakness for the Warriors: Inside defense.

Andrew Bogut is a shell of his former dominant self while Carl Landry and David Lee are atrocious on that end of the floor. Denver should be able to get to the rim in transition whenever they choose. In the half-court, the Nugget frontcourt excels in spacing the floor and forcing opposing bigs to play effective help defense in order to get stops. David Lee will likely be eaten alive. Denver will attack him constantly in pick and rolls or force him to make rotations as a helper, neither of which bodes well for the Warriors. They could play Festus Ezeli, but his complete and utter lack of an offensive game makes him very difficult to play for prolonged stretches against good teams. Andris Biedrins makes me laugh.

Biggest weakness for the Nuggets: Outside shooting.

Whereas the Warriors were the best outside shooting team in basketball, Denver was the 25th best hitting at just a 34.3% clip on the season. This becomes more of a factor because Gallinari is injured and Lawson likely won’t be at full strength. The Nuggets are going to rely on Wilson Chandler greatly to hit outside shots and they need Corey Brewer to shoot well in the corners. They’ve been playing around with Evan Fournier, but who knows how many minutes he’s realistically going to get. It’s likely Prof. Andre Miller will get most, if not all, the minutes Fournier could potentially play alongside Ty Lawson or as the backup point guard. Because the Warriors are a foul prone defense and don’t boast a defensive stopper, I imagine they’re going to try and bait Denver into as many threes in the half-court as possible. It’s easier said than done, but if the Warriors can get Denver taking 22-27 threes a game they might just be able to get enough stops to win a few games.

Apr 15, 2013; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Ty Lawson (3) during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. Denver won 112-111. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Prediction: Denver in 6

A month ago I would have called Denver winning this series a straight up lock. I still think they take it, but I don’t feel nearly as confident as I did previously. Against an average to slightly above average team like the Warriors, they should be able to overcome Gallinari’s absence. What worries me is Lawson’s torn plantar fascia. He’s invaluable as the trigger man to that offense and probably their best outside shooter. Golden State likes to defend pick and rolls by forcing the ball handler into a 16 foot pocket and try and get him to shoot mid-range shots, a strategy adopted by many of the teams in the league. Lawson shoots slightly above league average on mid-range shots, but if he’s injured and drops below league average Denver will have problems.

Best case scenario for Golden State is that they shoot the ball with ridiculous efficiency, slow the game down, and pack the paint. Lawson isn’t 100% and the Nuggets have to throw up a bunch of threes. However I don’t see this happening enough for the Warriors to win 4 games. I don’t trust the Warriors defense at all and part of me doesn’t trust Thompson or Jack to produce either. Thompson seems to be either super hot or super cold and if the Warriors get the latter than they’re probably screwed. Jack is the same way and if he’s missing on long 2′s and pull up 3′s, Denver should turn those misses into transition points.

In the end, I think it’s very hard to overcome the other team scoring points in transition. I don’t think Golden State can control the pace consistently, nor do I think they can keep Denver out of the paint. However, the Nuggets are much more vulnerable than they were a month ago and Golden State could absolutely shoot them right out of the playoffs. Of all the first round series, I think this will be one of the best and certainly the most entertaining. I like Denver in 6, but I don’t have a ton of confidence in that pick.

Curry’s shooting this season was other-worldly. He shot  45% while taking 600 attempts from deep. It was an incredible year of shooting, marked with an iconic performance in Madison Square Garden. It will be fun to watch Curry this year in the playoffs and during the rest of his budding career.

Check out a video from the NBA featuring highlights from Curry’s season and the record breaking three from tonight. Congrats, St3ph.

Feb. 27, 2013; New York, NY, USA; Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry (30) reacts on the court against the New York Knicks during the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 109-105. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

Steph Curry was a man possessed Wednesday night.

Just a night before, Curry and the Warriors were involved in a scuffle with the Indiana Pacers near the end of their game. During the mix-up, twice the Pacers’ Roy Hibbert tossed Curry to the ground. It unfortunately overshadowed what was a great performance from Curry, who scored 38 points on 70% shooting.

Despite having one of the best games of his career on Tuesday, Curry somehow topped that with his brilliant performance last night against the New York Knicks.

Playing all 48 minutes, Curry dropped 54 points, while shooting an incredible 11-13 from three. Not to mention, he also grabbed 6 rebounds and dished out 7 assists. It was a brilliant performance from the budding star. If he wasn’t widely known, among casual NBA fans, he certainly is now.

He was on fire in a way that is seldom, if ever seen in the league. He was hitting from all over the court, and in every way possible: drives to the rim, pull up threes in transition, and coming around screens and shooting off the dribble. It was a remarkable performance that anyone who watched was lucky to have seen.

Check out his shot chart and a video his incredible night below. (H/T to @HPbasketball for the video)

Unfortunately for the Warriors, Curry’s 54 was all for naught as the Knicks outlasted them in Madison Squard Garden, 109-105. Not to be lost in Curry’s brilliance was the performances from Carmelo Anthony, who scored 35 and handed out 8 assists, or Tyson Chandler, who chipped in 16 points and a remarkable 28 rebounds.

It started with Roy Hibbert shoving David Lee, before a crowd formed. Steph Curry was thrown to the ground multiple times, and there was a lot of shoving and pushing from both sides.

There were a few forearm shivers and the melee eventually spilled into the stands, but it doesn’t appear that any punches were thrown.

Roy Hibbert was ejected for his action and Curry, Lee, David West and Klay Thompson all picked up technical fouls.

Check out the video below. (H/T to @cjzero for the video)

Jan 28, 2013; Toronto, ON, Canada; Golden State Warriors center Andrew Bogut (12) against the Toronto Raptors at the Air Canada Centre. The Warriors beat the Raptors 114-102. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

Today marked the start of a five game road trip for the Golden State Warriors, who are trying to get back on track after a 6 game losing streak that had people questioning them.

It seems the Warriors are figuring things out though, after their win today at Minnesota, 100-99. Notably absent from the game, however, was big man Andrew Bogut. Today also marked yet another stretch of games that the big Australian will miss.

A recovery from ankle surgery has limited Bogut to just 12 games this year, in which he has averaged 7 points and 6.5 rebounds. To ease him back into playing shape, coach Mark Jackson had been resting Bogut on the second night of back-to-backs.

According to a report from the San Francisco Chronicle,

“Bogut didn’t fly with the team from Oakland as it started its final extended road trip of the season Saturday because of a disc protrusion that is causing back spasms”

The team is hopeful that Bogut will return soon, but they have no definitive date. The report states,

“The Warriors say there is no real timetable for Bogut’s return, but they’re holding out hope that he can join the team at some point during their five-game trip.

Back injuries are always tricky, as we have seen with the Laker’s Dwight Howard. Hopefully the Warriors will take the time to make sure Bogut is completely healthy before he returns to action.

Jan 5, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers small forward Paul George (24) goes up for a dunk against the Milwaukee Bucks during the second half at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Pacers won 95-80. Mandatory Credit: Pat Lovell-USA TODAY Sports

Delightfully, my quams with the NBA All-Star rosters are at a minimum this season (compared to past seasons). With a few minor exceptions, I think they got it almost right this year.

The starters are set in stone and while it’s typical for some fans act outright delusional and warrant restricted access to All-Star voting, there’s nothing us realistic fans can do to change it. Besides, other than Kevin Garnett, I’m actually fine with the ten starters. Normally I could rant all day about the flaws with fan voting, but I’ll leave it alone while the going is good for this season.

Even though the reserves (announced Thursday night) were in decent shape, there are always exceptions. Coaches of the NBA, you did alright, but there’s always an opportunity for improvement. Let’s discuss.

 What They Did Right

• Jrue Holiday. Of all the All-Star selections, the Jrue Holiday one pick is my favorite. There is no secret to how I feel about the Holiday All-Star scenario. With the guard situation in the East, he deserves to go over Deron Williams, over Brandon Jennings and even despite their better record, he certainly deserves to go over J.R. Smith. If you want the full rant, check the list posted above. Even though he’s already been named, I’ll slide in that he posted a career-high 35 points earlier tonight.
• Paul George. I was extremely happy to see the coaches select George to his first All-Star appearance in the Eastern Conference. Sitting at 26-18 (only 4 games out of 1st) someone had to represent the Pacers in this game right? With the absence of Roy Hibbert, who’s having an abomination of a season, George has stepped up big time to lead Indiana back after a disappointing start to the season. David West certainly warrants some consideration, but George has put together the complete package or scoring, rebounding and defense (he even averages 3.7 assists per contest). Logging a heavy 36.7 minutes per game, I personally thought George was a no-brainer. I’m glad the coaches felt the same way.
• The omitting of Paul Pierce. This was exactly right. I listened to someone on a podcast the other day drive my view on All-Star selections home perfectly. The All-Star game is played every season, so we should be honoring those players that are having the very best CURRENT seasons. Past performance should be such a minor consideration. In the case of Paul Pierce, he’s clearly not at the All-Star level in years past. His numbers are way down and if you simply watch him play, he’s no longer a dominant player. And his disappointing Celtics are under .500 in the mediocre East. To put Paul Pierce in the All-Star game this season would have been a travesty. Thank you again coaches.

What They Did Wrong

• LaMarcus Aldridge over Stephen Curry. Look, I’m actually a huge LaMarcus Aldridge guy and I particularly love watching the Blazers play, especially that starting five. I think Aldridge is one of the premier post players in the league. However, Steph Curry is having a more fantastic season. He’s averaging 20.9 points (8th in the league), .450 from 3-point range (2nd) and a very healthy 6.5 assists per game (14th). He’s stayed relatively healthy while his Warriors are a very solid (and overachieving) 26-17, currently good for the 5th seed in a tough Western Conference. David Lee was became the first Warrior All-Star since Latrell Sprewell in 1997, Steph Curry should have been the second one.
• Chris Bosh over Brook Lopez. I get it, the “Big Three” need major representation. I’ve actually grown to like Bosh’s role in Miami as the third wheel as well. He’s become extremely efficient and compliments James and Wade well. But really, he doesn’t have All-Star numbers. Even though their numbers are pretty close (Bosh is at 17.2 pts, 7.2 rebs, 1.4 blks while Lopez is at 18.6 pts, 7.3 rebs, 2.1 blks), Brook Lopez should have been selected to represent the Nets in the game. Both Joe Johnson and Deron Williams are having down seasons (to say the least) and the Heat already have two guys in the starting lineup. It’s no coincedence that the Nets are where they are and it frustrates me that not a single player from the East’s #4 seed is in the game. Besides, Lopez has consistently been one of the best bigs in the entire league this year. He should be going to Houston, period. The coaches messed this one up big time.
• Luol Deng. I have nothing against Luol Deng, I just think his spot deserved to go to one of Josh Smith, Al Horford or Brook Lopez. The Bulls have a solid record (without Derrick Rose), but already have one All-Star representing them in Joakim Noah, which the the right choice. The Nets (26-18) or the Hawks (25-18), who I also feel are overachieving aren’t represented in the game. Both Hawks players have better overall numbers than Deng’s 17.4 pts, 6.4 rebs and 3.0 asts per game. As you can probably tell, I’m a fan of maximizing team representation (within reason) and while Deng is a very solid and important player to the Bulls, I think the coaches whiffed here.

What They Should Do Next Season

Just go ahead and expand the damn rosters to 13 players! The regular season rosters are now permanently set at 13, so the league needs to mix in some common sense and mirror that for next year’s game in New Orleans. Consider it redemption for this Pelicans fiasco.

The city of Sacramento- Those poor, poor Sacramentans. The history of the Sacramento Kings is one littered with disappointment. First, in the only draft that Sacramento had the number one overall pick, they selected Pervis Ellison. Then they struggled to a somewhat unthinkable 1-40 road record in 1991. Then they drafted Duke standout point guard Bobby Hurley, who got in a near fatal car accident two months into his rookie season. Then Dick Bavetta and the Lakers happened, derailing the best Kings team in the franchise’s history. And now, after a relatively tortured past, the Kings are most likely going to be relocating to Seattle in two shakes of a lamb’s tail. All Sacramento really has to hang its metaphorical hat on is that is the capital of California. But then again, so are Helena, Concord, Bismarck and Cheyenne.

The idea of unselfishness in Sacramento- To make this really simple for everyone and avoid having to find any statistics to back up this point, I’ll just say this: the idea of unselfishness in Sacramento is just as real as Manti Te’o’s girlfriend.

The Mike Brown Era- Poor, poor Mike Brown. I think a lot of people saw this coming from many miles away. At the first sign of struggle the Lakers were going to need a scapegoat, and coaches usually don’t make out too well in those kind of situations. Just ask Avery Johnson, Jerry Sloan, Mike D’Antoni (New York version), Stan Van Gundy (Miami and Orlando version), Mike Brown (Cleveland version) and every other notable coach who got the axe because a player wanted him out, or because the team was underperforming. Mike Brown never stood a chance. Once the Lakers started 1-4 Mike Brown was canned and there were instantly rumblings that Phil Jackson would be open to returning. But then, a funny thing happened…

January 15, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach Mike D

The Mike D’Antoni Era- After Mike Brown was fired the Lakers signed Mike D’Antoni to a three-year, $12 million contract which came as a shock to the Lakers fans who were clamoring for the return of Phil Jackson. Although D’Antoni had coached Steve Nash for many years in Phoenix during Nash’s prime and reportedly had a good relationship with Kobe Bryant, the hire was met with some skepticism. There was uncertainty as to how D’Antoni’s system would work with Pau Gasol (I continue to believe it is Pau’s lack of touches in the post that have ultimately led to his stock dropping… More on this coming up) and Dwight Howard in the line-up. There was no guarantee that the Lakers, a relatively old team, would be able to play at the “7 seconds or less” tempo D’Antoni would likely prefer to play. And my cousin Paul Clark refused to stop referring to Mike D’Antoni as a creep and shyster. D’Antoni was facing a lot of pressure and some heavy expectations, and so far the results haven’t been great. You could make the argument that the Lakers haven’t been healthy all year, particularly since D’Antoni was hired. But the record often doesn’t lie. The Lakers are 10-16 under Mike D’Antoni this year. Sure, D’Antoni has had more success than Mike Brown did this year, but clearly, Bernie Bickerstaff was the man for the job.

Pau Gasol as the best Gasol in the NBA- Pau’s run as the best Gasol in the NBA was a long and successful one. From the 2001-02 season to the 2011-12 season Pau averaged 18.7 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.7 blocks while also being the centerpiece of one of the biggest hijacking’s in NBA history, and winning two NBA titles after that trade. As his younger brother Marc was inching closer and closer to taking the metaphorical conch from his older brother, Pau dominated the 2012 Summer Olympics and nearly spearheaded a Spain upset in the Gold Medal Game, leaving most to believe that Pau had something left in the tank and was more than just a trade piece for the Lakers. Thanks to creaky knees, a Javale McGee elbow, Mike D’Antoni’s system and his younger brothers continuing emergence, Pau is for the moment 2^ndin the Gasol Power Rankings, and way further down on the California Power Rankings than I’m sure he’d like to see himself, and much further down that I expected him to be. Pau almost single handedly beat the United States in the Gold Medal game. This cannot be forgotten.

Jan 18, 2013; Memphis, TN, USA; Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (15) drives against Memphis Grizzlies forward Marreese Speights (5) at the FedEx Forum. Memphis defeated Sacramento 85-69. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

DeMarcus Cousins Potential as a member of the Kings- I can’t think of a player in the NBA who desperately needs a change of scenery more than Boogie Cousins does. I’m the kind of fan who wants to see good players playing in meaningful games. Unless there is a major overhaul or a literal change in scenery (i.e. perhaps relocation for the franchise… we’re getting there), Boogie might never reach the level that he could, and should. We’re talking about a player who averaged 26 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists his freshman year in high school; a player who could’ve possibly been the number one pick in the NBA Draft if scouts weren’t saying things like this: “To his credit he made it through the entire season without any suspensions or ejections. However, there were a few times (flagrant fouls) where he may have deserved to be.” Whoa! Congrats Boogie! You made it through a whole college season without getting suspended or ejected. A tremendous accomplishment! Instead, Cousins dropped to the 5^th pick and was slated to be the centerpiece of the in-total-shambles Sacramento Kings, where he’s been flanked by a bunch of perimeter players who care about themselves on just a slightly lower level than Lance Armstrong does. Hopefully Boogie Cousins gets his head on straight, lands on a contender, and perhaps emerges as a star player and feel-good story.

Dwight Howard- Dwight Howard is my least favorite player in the NBA and I’ve never been afraid to say that. I think he got let off the hook for what he did to Orlando. I think he gets vastly overrated historically because he is playing in an era where more and more teams are playing small ball. And from a skill-set standpoint, he’s one of the least impressive “superstars” I’ve ever seen played in person. Still, I had Dwight ranked the third best player in the NBA before the season started. Slightly hypocritical, I know. I believed that a guy built like an ancient Greek sculpture (as I knock Dwight’s basketball skill set, I will say he and LeBron James are the two most impressive physical specimens I’ve ever seen in my life) would be able to shake off back surgery and thrive in a new role with a new team and new coach. Apparently back surgery wasn’t something Dwight could just “shake off.” And apparently, the new team and coach wouldn’t be providing much help for an easy transition from Orlando to Los Angeles.

I’m firmly planted on the “Dwight isn’t totally healthy and doesn’t really want to be playing in Los Angeles” bandwagon. I don’t think Dwight is any better than 75% healthy. He certainly doesn’t look like it. And I think he still has his heart set on playing in Brooklyn, which would make all kinds of sense. Not only would Dwight walk into Brooklyn as easily the most marketable player on the team, but he and Deron Williams would have all kinds of fun getting a coach fired every month while Joe Johnson would sit there quietly not saying a word while he was still busy counting the $119 million he got in 2010. Doesn’t that sound like fun?

Golden State’s Championship chances- Who would’ve thought that this conversation would be warranted in mid-January? Even as someone who picked Golden State to make the playoffs, I didn’t think it would be necessary to evaluate their title chances. Frankly, as I’m about to do so, it still feels a little weird. To sort it out, let’s go through the checklist of everything a team needs to be considered “Championship caliber.”

Scorers: Stephen Curry and David Lee have emerged as one of the best point guard/power forward duos in the league, and for people who haven’t seen the Dubs play that much, you just need to look at the stats to see where the Golden State resurgence is stemming from. Curry and Lee are both sitting in the top ten in scoring, one of three groups of teammates to be able to boast this (Durant/Westbrook and LeBron/Wade are also in the top ten). Plus, Klay Thompson is always will to take on the scoring load. He’s inching his way closer and closer to a “Brian Cook All-Stars” roster spot. CHECK.
Rebounding/Defense: I decided to combine these two sub-categories into one larger category since Golden State was 28^th in the league in both rebounding and scoring defense last year. Thanks to some personnel changes and brilliant coaching by Mark Jackson, the Warriors have improved in both categories this year. The Dubs are 4^th in rebounding (a drastic improvement) and 22^nd in scoring defense (not as big of a jump, but they are no longer playing pick-up game defense like they were last year). Also, keep this in mind: Golden State has been playing without 7-footer Andrew Bogut all season long. CHECK
Coaching: I give Mark Jackson the slight edge over Mike Woodson, Tom Thibodeau, and Frank Vogel in the Coach of the Year standings right now. The impact he’s had on this team in a year and a half has transformed the Warriors from perennial lottery team to playoff contender. And stylistically, he’s been the catalyst in changing the Warriors from a street ball team to an actual basketball team. I touched on the rebounding and defensive improvements, but he’s also changed the way Golden State plays offensively. Oddly enough, the Warriors were 28^th in assists last season. This season they’ve jumped up to 8^th. He’s engrained in them a mentality to not only look for the right pass, but to also look for the extra pass. Mark Jackson is a very good coach. CHECK
Bench: Part of what has made Mark Jackson so successful in year two is the moves Golden State made over the last 12 months. The acquisitions of Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry, and selection of Harrison Barnes, Festus Ezeli, and Draymond Green have made Mark Jackson’s job much easier. Every coach would welcome that kind of talent influx. But it’s been Jackson’s decision to bring Jack and Landry off the bench that allows Golden State to get the check mark in this category. I’ll discuss Jack and Landry’s sixth man of the year candidacy in a little while. Most games Golden State won’t skip much of a beat when they start bringing the bench players in, and often times they’ll close the game with Jack and Landry on the floor. CHECK
Free Throw Shooting: Golden State sits in 2^nd behind Oklahoma City in team free throw percentage. You have to make your free throws to close out games, and the Warriors late game line-up can do just that. Stephen Curry, David Lee, Klay Thompson, Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry all shoot over 80% from the free throw line. CHECK
Home Crowd: Don’t think this can’t swing a series. Remember back in 2007 when 1 seed Dallas got upset in the 1^st round by, wait a second, what team was that again… oh that’s right, it was the Golden State Warriors who rallied behind their frenzied home crowd to become only the third 8 seed to ever upset a 1 seed. CHECK
Experience: No check mark here. The Warriors are inexperienced and haven’t been through the pain and heart ache of coming close and falling short. Jordan, Kobe, LeBron, Shaq… they all suffered heart breaking defeat before they got to the top. This is why Oklahoma City is so dangerous this year. That’s why 3 years from now Golden State, if they stay together, could be a title contender. Right now they are missing the key ingredient though.

Jarrett Jack as Sixth Man of the Year- Jack has been 0.5% better as a sixth man than Jamal Crawford, 10% better than Matt Barnes and Carl Landry, and 9,000% better than Jodie Meeks.

DeMarcus Cousins Potential on any team but the Kings- I touched on this briefly before, so instead of repeating what I said above, here are my favorite/most interesting/totally unrealistic DeMarcus Cousins fake trades thanks to ESPN’s NBA Trade Machine.

Trade #1: Sacramento receives Rajon Rondo and Josh Smith; Boston receives DeMarcus Cousins, Tyreke Evans and Jimmer Fredette; Atlanta receives Jeff Green, Jason Thompson and Aaron Brooks.

NOTE: Former high school teammates reunite as the faces of the new team out west. Boston takes on DeMarcus Cousins and Tyreke Evans, and most likely get the most out of both players. Atlanta accomplishes what seems to be a big goal of theirs by finally trading Josh Smith.

Trade #2: Sacramento receives Dwyane Wade; Miami receives DeMarcus Cousins, John Salmons and Jimmer Fredette.

NOTE: I had to.

Trade #3: Sacramento receives Dwight Howard; Los Angeles receives DeMarcus Cousins, Marcus Thornton and John Salmons.

NOTE: I asked my cousin Pauley, a Lakers fan, if he would want this trade. His response: “Man that’s really tough. If Cousins wasn’t such a dick I think I would for sure.” Ladies and gentlemen, DeMarcus Cousins!

Trade #4: Sacramento receives Kevin Love; Minnesota receives DeMarcus Cousins and Paul Millsap; Milwaukee receives Al Jefferson and John Salmons; Utah receives Monta Ellis, Ersan Ilyasova and Nikola Pekovic.

NOTE: Oddly enough, I think every team improves in this trade. The franchise formerly known as the Kings gets a marquee player to toss a ton of money at and build around. Minnesota gets two high quality pieces for Love. Milwaukee also makes out on the deal, especially if they could keep Al Jefferson around. And Utah doesn’t have to deal with the dilemma of losing Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap without getting anything back.

Trade #5: Sacramento receives Marc Gasol and Pau Gasol; Memphis receives Joe Johnson, Gerald Wallace and Marcus Thornton; Los Angeles receives Rudy Gay, Brook Lopez and Francisco Garcia; Brooklyn receives Dwight Howard, DeMarcus Cousins, John Salmons, and James Johnson.

NOTE: This would go down as my favorite trade of all-time even though Memphis and Los Angeles are simply pawns. Big picture, it teams the Gasol’s up in Sacramento Seattle, AND it would result in Dwight Howard, Deron Williams and DeMarcus Cousins would be on the same team. No coach is safe!

Kobe’s homicide potential- This was at the top of the power rankings a couple of weeks ago until Kobe joined Twitter, reconciled with his wife and actually gave credit to LeBron James after a tough loss last Thursday night. Kobe Bryant isn’t a competitively homicidal maniac… maybe he’s actually a cuddly teddy bear. 

Kobe’s scoring leader potential- Roughly half way through the season Kobe (29.2 points per game) is trailing Kevin Durant (29.5) and tied with Carmelo Anthony (29.2) in the race for the scoring lead.  With the Lakers collective back against the wall, Kobe knows nothing to do besides shoot his way out of trouble. If I were a betting man, I’d have my money on Kobe to close out the season as the leading scorer in the league.

January 4, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers small forward Metta World Peace (15) and Los Angeles Clippers power forward Blake Griffin (32) during the game at the Staples Center. Clippers won 107-102. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Bad Blood amongst the California teams- I’m a huge advocate of teams not liking each other (or at least playing like it), and out west there is no such thing as California Love. The Lakers and Clippers turned into a rivalry when David Stern intervened and took Chris Paul away from the Lakers, essentially deciding that the league was better off with Paul throwing Blake Griffin a whole bunch of lobs and Kobe not winning six or more titles (just kidding, but that is what a lot of the Lakers fans will say). There are a whole bunch of big personality and hyper-competitive players that make any Clippers/Lakers game must-see TV. Not to feel left out, the Warriors made their mark this year by playing in what was probably the most entertaining game of the season against the Lakers back in December. Then they followed that up by openly mocking Blake Griffin after he horribly missed three pointer, only to be on the losing end of Blake Griffin and Chris Paul eff-you games three nights later. Last night, Golden State handed the Clippers their 10th loss of the season as Stephen Curry outplayed Chris Paul. Finally, you have the Kings who aren’t going to be relevant in this conversation unless DeMarcus Cousins decides it would be a fun idea to challenge Metta World Peace to a fist fight, which is something we can’t rule out.

The Clippers “Lob City” Moniker- Observe.

San Francisco 49ers Championship chances- The 49ers are the early four point favorites in the “Harbowl” and I have them winning by seven points. 27-20, the San Francisco 49ers are your Super Bowl Champions.

Chris Paul’s MVP credentials- If LeBron James wasn’t playing the best all-around basketball of dare I say all-time, and if Kevin Durant wasn’t “next in line” to win the MVP Award, it would already have Chris Paul’s name etched onto it. The Clippers are improbably 32-10 just three years removed from being the premier cellar-dweller in the NBA, and it wouldn’t be possible without Chris Paul. Sure, they’ve got a roster that goes ten deep, but all of the Lob City hoopla started when David Stern decided it would be fun to put Chris Paul in the mix. Did you see the YouTube video of Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan after they heard about the trade? There is a reason why Blake Griffin reacted like a 7 year old kid does when he walks out of his bedroom on Christmas morning, and it’s not just because he knew he was going to be catching an exorbitant amount of alley-oops. It was because for the first time, the Clippers were going to be relevant. Chris Paul turned the Clippers into the best team in California. Every night he goes out and competes harder than anyone else. He’s fearless, and his play and attitude reflect that. More and more I think the Clippers can win the title just because of Chris Paul.

The NBA- Let’s run through this super quick since I’ve already surpassed 3,000 words: There are four NBA teams currently in California. Three are going to be making the playoffs (Yes, I hesitantly include the Lakers). On those three teams, you could make the case that there are seven top 30 players (Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, Blake Griffin, Stephen Curry, David Lee and Pau Gasol). The fourth California team is moving back to a city that is craving an NBA team, and provides a much bigger market for television ratings than Sacramento does. So to quote Charlie Sheen, the NBA is winning.