The Clippers have fired Vinny Del Negro, source tells Y!

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) May 21, 2013

I should clarify: Del Negro wasn’t fired as coach. He was informed that he won’t be offered a new contract to return. His deal has expired.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) May 21, 2013

The Clippers, with Chris Paul and Blake Griffin leading the way, had regular season success the last two seasons. They were one of the most exciting teams in basketball but never found postseason success in a tough Western Conference. Last year they fought past the Grizzlies in the first round, but were then swept by the Spurs. This year, after winning the first two games, lost four straight to the Grizzlies to bow out in the first round.

There has been speculation of Del Negro not returning for quite some time now, so the news was no surprise. It will be interesting to see who the Clippers go after. Stan Van Gundy, who was high on a number of teams lists, said today that he would not be coaching next year.

Whoever the Clippers decide on will surely have the approval of Chris Paul. The star point guard is a free agent, but is expected to return to Los Angeles.

There was no question who was getting the ball for the final possession, and Chris Paul showed us why he is the point god.

The win gave the Clippers a 2-0 series lead as the series heads to Memphis. Game 3 will be Thursday night at 9:30 ET on TNT.

Memphis Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzles have carved their niche this season by stopping opposing defenses dead in their tracks. With a league-best 89.3 points allowed per game, the Grizzlies have managed to shut down all comers. However, they may face their stoutest test coming up against Chris Paul and the Los Angeles Clippers. Memphis are by far the best constructive defensive team in the lead, with perennial lockdown perimeter defender Tony Allen expected to deal with Jamal Crawford for the series and the potent combo of Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol making the paint a no-fly zone.

During the stretch against the Clippers this season, the Grizzlies went 1-3. However, they’re a much more unique side coming into the playoffs as they work with a rapidly improving Tayshaun Prince and an in-form front line. What has made the Grizzlies such a strong defensive team this season has been the improvement by Marc Gasol. He very quickly went from the lesser Gasol brother, to on par, and now undeniably the better in the span of as season.

Apr 13, 2013; Memphis, TN, USA; Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (33) brings the ball up court during the game against the Los Angeles Clippers at FedEx Forum. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden–USA TODAY Sports

Gasol isn’t a maestro at one particular element of basketball. He doesn’t use extraterrestrial leaping abilities to swat basketball into the nosebleeds, nor is he merely ‘a hustle guy’. Marc Gasol is the most complete defensive big man in the NBA, bar none. Gasol’s instinct on the defensive and ability to get the first position is impressive enough, but his effort to stay with his man and then use his length to contest or alter every shot, no matter how far from the rim it’s coming up from, is what sets him apart. He was the clear leader for the Grizzlies in their single, crucial win over the Clippers in March with 21 points and 5 steals, but it was his defensive touch even then that tipped the Grizzlies over the line.

However, Gasol’s brilliance at the defensive end isn’t equated at the offensive end – if he was, he’d be the MVP – and thus, Memphis have a gaping hole at the other end to fill. With Rudy Gay’s departure midseason, the Grizzlies have been left with even bigger problems at the offensive end than they had on opening night. Zach Randolph leads the team’s scoring at a modest 15.4 a game and while the Grizzlies score deep (Conley and Gasol hover around a similar mark), they don’t score a lot – ranked 27th in the league for points per game.

The Clippers will invariably be slowed by Memphis’ grinding pace and lockdown defense but they won’t come to a standstill. As well as being the fastest and most devastating transition team not from South Beach, they do a very serviceable job of the halfcourt game. That means that while Memphis will be effective defensively, they’ll need to something at least average in order to succeed against the Clippers; and being a team three rungs from the bottom in scoring, that is quite a big ask.

One of the keys for Memphis will be the production of Jerryd Bayless. A journeyman of the NBA, Bayless has failed to perform despite the opportunities gifted to him by Coach Hollins this year. While his 9 points in 22 minutes isn’t bad by any means, he’ll need to be more spark and less simmer in his chances against the Clippers. Going further, Zach Randolph is going to need to up his scoring to keep the Grizzlies afloat. Matched up against Blake Griffin, a known enemy of his, Randolph will not need any more motivation to knuckle down and try to put up some special numbers to match his magical run against the Spurs two seasons prior.

Los Angeles Clippers

Do you want to guess what the biggest strength of the Clippers is? Maybe this will jog your memory. Or this. Or this, this or this. The Los Angeles Clippers are like the Harlem Globetrotters, except sharper, more precise and a lot more unforgiving. Taking the most springy power forward in the game, putting in the same frontcourt as DeAndre Jordan and then lining your bench with Eric Bledsoe seems like you’re specifically trying to match the Raptors’ dunking reserves. And then having Chris Paul and Jamal Crawford to dish dimes to them. This just isn’t fair.

The Clippers aren’t just strong at wowing audiences and embarrassing Detroit point guards, their high octane athleticism and transition game is pretty darn effective. While the Clippers would have to be disappointed their crosstown rival Lakers didn’t get their elderly list high enough to face them in the first round, they’ll take a Grizzlies team they went 3-1 against after knocking them out of the first round of the Playoffs.

Chris Paul has captained his squad to a brilliant 2013 that is capped by their top ten offense. Blake Griffin, Chris Paul and Jamal Crawford all averaging more points per game than Zach Randolph, the top scorer for Memphis and the Clippers run even deeper on the bench. Their offensive superiority is clear, but it is merely a question of whether its enough to surmount the Grizzlies defense.

What may get in the way of the Clippers’ march to the second round is the limited transitional opportunities that they’ll have. While they’ve proven to be good enough at the halfcourt game, it’s a shadow of their turnover-forcing, alley-oop throwing transition offense. If Memphis can ensure they remain sharp and clean with their ball handling, they’ll wipe away a lot of the Clippers’ easy scoring options and make life a lot harder for them.

The onus will fall upon the pickpocket guard duo of Eric Bledsoe and Chris Paul to make the most of the four steals they collectively snare on average. As adept passers, their steals will play crucial roles in getting the break started and finished. If the Grizzlies manage to slow the Clippers, it’ll force them to play a much more grinding game which we’ve seen before doesn’t suit L.A. Chris Paul, while a good jump shooter, takes a lot more of his shots off of drives and lay-ups, and the Clippers lack the consistent perimeter threats to make Memphis sweat a halfcourt game.

Players to watch

With Marc Gasol already the set alpha-male at the defensive end, Lionel Hollins is going to have to ask more of Zach Randolph at the offensive end. The veteran may not have another shot at a title, and he will want more than anyone else to win one as a member of the Grizzlies. A member of the notorious Jailblazers, then a part of those troubled Knicks, Randolph came into his own as a Grizzly and now has gone from a locker room disruption to a leader at the club. He thrived with Rudy Gay sidelined in the stirring upset of the top-seeded Spurs in 2011, but then looked out of sorts when his touches were split in 2012. Now, it’s back on his shoulders. Can he do it against Blake Griffin? The two had no issue getting into it during last season’s playoffs series, and then they mixed it up in a regular season encounter this year. If there’s one player sure to pick up a tech in the first round now we know neither Stephen Jackson nor Rasheed Wallace will appear, my money would be one of these two dudes.

For the Clippers, Jamal Crawford will be the key to driving them forward. Chris Paul is going to be elite, regardless of whether or not the Clippers play on their terms or Memphis’. Blake Griffin will catch alley-oops, DeAndre Jordan will be spectacularly unimportant in the scheme of things. But Jamal Crawford could either win or lose the entire series off of his sweet as candy handles. If he turns into the devastating offensive dynamo he started as at the start of season, the Grizzlies may have some issues. However, if Tony Allen can make him an absolute non-factor in the series, Vinny Del Negro would be feeling pretty nervous about his job security and the Clippers’ chances of advancing beyond the first round.

Prediction

While the Clippers go from great to good when their transition offense is forced into a halfcourt grinder, good still beats average any day of the week. The Grizzlies made a bold move trading away Rudy Gay at the deadline, and it’s going to haunt them more than ever during this series when they look for a scoring option. Zach Randolph could potentially unload upon the Clippers, but the duo of Griffin and Jordan, with Turiaf and Odom providing support from the bench, should be enough to curtail Randolph’s influence. It won’t be easy, but the Clippers will prevail in 6.

Earlier today against the New York Knicks, Jordan almost tore down the rim with an extremely powerful windmill dunk.

Check out the video below.

Tonight, DeAndre Jordan almost ended Brandon Knight’s career as he threw down a ridiculous alley-oop over the Pistons’ point guard. It was a valiant effort, but poor Brandon Knight never had a chance.

Check out the video below. (H/T to @maxamillion711)

For a team know for flashy dunks, this one was one of their best. A between-the-legs pass from Crawford leads to a windmill dunk from Griffin.

Check out the video for yourself below.

While the Clippers were in the midst of a furious comeback, Ibaka and Griffin were battling under the basket. As Matt Barnes put up a three that ended up going in, Ibaka swung his arm and hit Griffin below the waist.

Ibaka received just a flagrant 1, but should have been ejected for the dirty move.

Check out the .gif below. (H/T to @MattMooreCBS)

But last night, Paul and Griffin raised the bar with a 75-foot alley-oop. Late in the second quarter, after a missed Byron Mullens three (shocking, I know), the ball was batted around until finally Paul came up with it. At this point, Griffin was already streaking down court. Paul looked up and threw an inch-perfect lob from the Clippers’ three-point line that Griffin finished with ease.

Griffin finished with 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists, while Paul added 13 assists as the Clippers easily took care of business with a 106-84 victory over the lowly Bobcats.

Feb 3, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers point guard Eric Bledsoe (12) tries to keep the ball from going out of bounds against the Boston Celtics during the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

The trade deadline came and went, and the results were very lackluster. As anticipation rose for potential trades of Josh Smith, Paul Millsap, and Kevin Garnett, we were fed an unhealthy dose of salary cap trades, rights to European talents, and playoff teams declining to deal their first round picks in return for proven talents. What ended up intriguing me more on trade deadline day were the rumored deals. The Josh Smith to Milwaukee rumor spoke volumes to me; pairing Josh Smith with Larry Sanders (SANDERS!) would’ve given Milwaukee an elite defensive frontcourt, but an equally as poor offensive frontcourt. Kevin Garnett to the Clippers made sense from a Clipper standpoint (acquire KG, place him in the frontcourt, and let him do his thing on defense), but talks broke when the Celtics asked for too much couldn’t come to terms on a deal, and Garnett later squashed it, stating Boston was his home.

(more…)

After tearing his ACL a few weeks ago, it seemed that Rondo would no longer be involved in trade rumors. But then, CBS Sports’ Ken Berger reported last week that the Boston Celtics had discussed a deal with the Los Angeles Lakers involving Rondo and Dwight Howard.

Today, however, new reports make it seem that Rondo will be staying in Boston for the time being.

At USAT: Trade buzz – Rondo’s agent says he’s not being dealt, details on Brooklyn’s offer for J. Smith & more- usat.ly/WQSeqk

— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) February 20, 2013

Despite the Celtics’ success without Rondo, the team is not better off long term without him, especially with an aging core. It would take a major haul for the Celtics to actually deal their star point guard.

Feb 19, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce (34) reacts during the second half against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. The Nuggets won 97-90. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

Paul Pierce

According to a report this afternoon from Yahoo! Sports Adrian Wojnnarowski, the Brooklyn Nets have made the Celtics’ an offer for Paul Pierce.

“The Nets’ offer centered on forward Kris Humphries, guard MarShon Brooks and a first-round draft pick, but the Celtics want a more substantial package to consider moving Pierce, league sources said.”

While Pierce is nearing the end of his career, it makes sense that the Celtics would turn down this offer. The first-round pick would be a mid, to late first rounder, so that isn’t very valuable to the Celtics. Humphries, though a solid rebounder, is a mediocre player. And even though Brooks is only in his second year in the league, he is already 24 years old and can barely get off the bench.

It is unlikely that the Celtics move Pierce at all, but they certainly won’t move him for an offer as weak as this one from the Nets.

Kevin Garnett

In the same report, Wojnarowski reported that the Garnett to the Los Angeles Clippers talks are now off.

“For now, the Los Angeles Clippers have terminated talks with the Boston Celtics on a Kevin Garnett for Eric Bledsoe and DeAndre Jordan trade, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.”

Garnett has a no-trade clause that he would have to waive in order to be traded. But there were thoughts that his good friend Chauncey Billups and moving close to his Malibu home could persuade Garnett to accept a deal to the Clippers.

The rumored trade that would send Bledsoe and Jordan to the Celtics would be tough to stomach for Celtics fans, but it would make sense for the team. Garnett is nearing the end of his career, and this trade would allow them to rebuild quickly with two good, young players.

By ending talks the Clippers appear to be weary of giving up their future for an aging Garnett, who is unlikely to even waive his no-trade clause.

Feb 12, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard (12) is congratulated by guard Steve Blake (5) in the second quarter against the Phoenix Suns at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports

Rajon Rondo For Dwight Howard?

Both Rondo and Howard have been mentioned in trade rumors on numerous occasions this season. In the last few weeks however, Rondo tore his ACL and Howard was supposedly told he wouldn’t be traded.

According to CBS Sports’ Ken Berger, however, the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers engaged in preliminary talks involving the two stars.

“CBSSports.com has learned that the Lakers have engaged in preliminary trade discussions with an unlikely trade partner regarding Howard: their fierce rival, the Boston Celtics. The centerpieces of the possible deal, which hasn’t gained any traction, would be Howard and Rajon Rondo.”

Lakers’ GM Mitch Kupchak almost immediately denied the reports, saying,

“I haven’t talked to Danny Ainge in weeks.”

While the deal is unlikely, as Berger mentions, it is still surprising that the teams would discus such a swap. While Kupchak’s denial doesn’t mean much, (any GM would deny having those talks) it would be absolutely shocking to see a trade based around Rondo for Howard happening.

Kevin Garnett to the Clippers?

Late last night, another rumor involving the Celtics and a team from Los Angeles broke, this time it focused on Kevin Garnett.

Yahoo! Sports reported that the Celtics were involved in talks with the Los Angeles Clippers.

“The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers have been discussing a deal to trade forward Kevin Garnett for guard Eric Bledsoe and center DeAndre Jordan, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.”

Garnett, who has a no-trade clause, is the emotional leader of the Celtics. If he were to leave Boston, it would be a tough decision for him to make, and even tougher for fans to accept.

However, from a strictly basketball perspective, this trade makes sense for the Celtics. Adding Jordan and Bledsoe for Garnett, who has only a few years left at the most, would allow them to still compete this season and build for the future.

For the Clippers, this would be a very shortsighted move, intent on winning a title immediately. Trading two young, talented players for a veteran on the verge of retirement will hurt their future. However, they may be willing to mortgage their future if they think adding Garnett would make a championship more viable.

- Stay tuned to Saving The Skyhook as we continue to follow all of the latest trade rumors across the NBA

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.

January 2, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors center Festus Ezeli (31, left) commits a flagrant foul on Los Angeles Clippers power forward Blake Griffin (32, center) as Warriors power forward David Lee (10) defends during the third quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Clippers 115-94. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-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…

Trail Blazers (16-15) 79 @ Raptors (12-20) 102

•  Leading scorers: POR – Damian Lillard 18, TOR – Terrence Ross 26.
•  In an easy win, the Raptors (winners of 8 of 9) had one of the strangest statistical anomalies of the season. Their point guards, Jose Calderon and Kyle Lowry combined for 0 points and 22 assists. The odd part? They only attempted 3 shots between them for the entire game in 43 minutes.
•  Three Raptors starters (Calderon, Gray an Pietrus) did not even score in the game.
•  Terrence Ross set a career-high with 26 points, going 6 for 9 from behind the arc.
•  DeMar DeRozan and Ed Davis combined for 43 points on 20 for 29 (69.0%) shooting.
•  The Raps had 34 assists on 41 made field goals for an insane 82.9% assist rate.
•  The Blazers were led by Damian Lillard who had 18 points and 7 assists, but also had 7 turnovers.
•  Portland was only 4-22 from 3-point range.

Bulls (17-13) 96 @ Magic (12-20) 94

•  Leading scorers: CHI – Carlos Boozer 31, ORL – Jameer Nelson 32.
•  The Bulls starting frontline of Carlos Boozer (31 pts, 11 rebs), Taj Gibson (21 pts, 11 rebs) and Luol Deng (23 pts) got the job done without Joakim Noah.
•  Boozer and Gibson played 40 and 45 minutes respectively.
•  Rip Hamilton only had 4 points, but had 9 assists in 30 minutes.
•  Jameer Nelson put up a season-high 32 points and went 6 for 9 from three.
•  Nik Vucevic continues to put up solid production with another 20 points and 12 rebounds.

Kings (12-20) 97 @ Cavaliers (7-26) 94

•  Leading scorers: SAC – Jason Thompson 19, CLE – Kyrie Irving 22.
•  Jason Thompson (19 pts, 10 rebs) and DeMarcus Cousins (18 pts, 16 rebs) both posted double doubles.
•  The Kings pounded the Cavs in the paint 52-36.
•  Alonzo Gee had a solid game for Cleveland with 16 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists.

Wizards (4-26) 81 @ Pacers (19-13) 89

•  Leading scorers: WAS – Jordan Crawford 20, IND – Paul George 29.
•  Paul George dominated the Wiz with 29 points (9-19 FG) and 14 rebounds.
•  David West had an unusual off night with only 8 points on 3-13 shooting.
•  The Wizards actually made more FG’s (35 to 29) than the Pacers, but Indiana made 26 FT’s to the Wiz’s 8.
•  Jordan Crawford once again led the Wizards with 20 points and 7 assists.
•  Kevin Seraphin put up 16 points and 9 rebounds off the bench.

Grizzlies (20-9) 93 @ Celtics (14-17) 83

•  Leading scorers: MEM – Mike Conley 23, BOS – Paul Pierce 17.
•  The Celtics, already the worst rebounding the team in the league at 38.1 per game, managed only 27 rebounds in this game to the Grizzlies 39.
•  Mike Conley led the Grizz with 23 points and 9 assists.
•  Zach Randolph had a very quiet 6 points and 8 rebounds in 30 minutes.
•  Although Kevin Garnett had 12 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists, he had a -15 net rating.

Mavericks (13-20) 109 @ Heat (22-8) 119 – OT

•  Leading scorers: DAL – O.J. Mayo 30, MIA – LeBron James 32.
•  LeBron James was only 1 assist shy of a triple double after putting up 32 points, 12 rebounds and 9 assists. Yep that’s just LeBron for you.
•  Dwyane Wade was also incredible with 27 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists.
•  For the Mavs, Mayo dropped 30 on 12 for 21 shooting, but it wasn’t enough in OT.
•  Dirk played 29 minutes and put up 19 points and 6 rebounds. He’s starting to round into form.

Spurs (26-8) 117 @ Bucks (16-14) 110

•  Leading scorers: SAN – Tim Duncan 28, MIL – Brandon Jennings 31.
•  Just another game for the Spurs Big Three: Duncan (28 pts, 13 rebs, 6 asts), Parker (23 pts, 11 asts) and Ginobili (16 pts, 6 asts).
•  The Spurs shot 51.7% and 52.9% from behind the arc, with only 8 turnovers.
•  Brandon Jennings dropped 31 on 13-26 shooting.
•  John Henson had a breakout game with 20 points (on 10-11 shooting!), 9 rebounds and 3 assists.

Hornets (7-25) 92 @ Rockets (18-14) 104

•  Leading scorers: NOH – Ryan Anderson 18, HOU – James Harden 31.
•  The Rockets destroyed the Hornets in the paint, outscoring them 60-28.
•  James Harden finished with 31 points and 7 assists.
•  Patrick Patterson had a double double off the bench with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
•  Greivis Vasquez had an impressive double double with 15 points and 14 assists.

Nets (17-15) 110 @ Thunder (24-7) 93

•  Leading scorers: BKN – Joe Johnson 33, OKC – Kevin Durant 27.
•  The superstars showed up for the Nets with Joe Johnson putting up 33 points on 11-19 shooting, Deron Williams having 19 points, 13 assists and 5 steals and Brook Lopez having 25 points.
•  The Nets went 9 for 17 from downtown.
•  Despite recieving his first career ejection, Kevin Durant finished with 27 points.
•  Russell Westbrook had 26 points and 10 assists.

Timberwolves (14-14) 84 @ Jazz (16-17) 106

•  Leading scorers: MIN – Kevin Love, Alexey Shved 13, UTA – Gordon Hayward 17.
•  Enes Kanter (15 pts, 8 rebs) and Gordon Hayward (17 pts, 3-4 3PT) both had decent games off the Jazz bench.
•  The Timberwolves ended up shooting 2 for 17 from 3-point range.
•  Kevin Love had a double double of 13 points and 10 rebounds.
•  Both teams recorded 12 blocked shots.

76ers (15-18) 89 @ Suns (12-21) 95

•  Leading scorers: PHI – Jrue Holiday 16, PHX – Luis Scola 21.
•  Despite the loss, Jrue Holiday put up a triple double of 16 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Maybe he can sneak in the All-Star Game?
•  Luis Scola had 21 points and an unexpected 9 assists.
•  Marcin Gortat scored 11 points and grabbed 14 rebounds.
•  Thad Young had 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Clippers (25-8) 94 @ Warriors (22-10) 115

•  Leading scorers: LAC – Jamal Crawford 24, GSW – Steph Curry 31.
•  The Warriors dominated the once-invincible Clippers, shooting 50% overall and 52.2% (12-23) from behind the arc.
•  Steph Curry was insanely efficient with 31 points (11-16 FG, 6-8 3PT), 6 rebounds and 8 assists.
•  David Lee finished with a near triple double with 24 points, 13 rebounds and 7 assists.
•  Matt Barnes got the start for the Clips, played 40 minutes and finished with 19 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists.
•  The Clips got outrebounded 53-38.
•  DeAndre Jordan was a no-show with only 4 points and 4 rebounds.

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.

December 27, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers power forward Blake Griffin (left), center DeAndre Jordan (center) and small forward Caron Butler (right) joke around on the bench in the second half against the Boston Celtics at Staples Center. Clippers won 106-77. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-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…

Mavericks (12-17) 105 @ Thunder (22-6) 111 – OT

• Leading scorers: DAL – Darren Collison 32, OKC – Kevin Durant 40.
• Kevin Durant put up a 40-spot on the Mavs, along with 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocks.
• The Thunder as a team had 13 blocks, more than doubling the Mavs 5.
• Serge Ibaka had a monster game as well, with 19 points (7-10 FG), 17 rebounds and 5 blocks.
• Russell Westbrook and Kendrick Perkins both struggled with their shot, shooting 7-20 and 0-6 from the field respectively.
• Darren Collison had an incredible game for Dallas, scoring 32 points on 13-22 from the floor, grabbing 5 rebounds, dishing 4 assists and having 4 steals.
• O.J. Mayo was certainly quiet in 36 minutes, with only 4 points (1-7 FG) and 6 turnovers.
• Shawn Marion looked like The Matrix of old, with 14 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists.

Celtics (14-14) 77 @ Clippers (23-6) 106

• Leading scorers: BOS – Kevin Garnett 16, LAC – Matt Barnes 21.
• The Clippers are now at 15 straight WINS.
• Matt Barnes led the Clips with 21 points, knocking down 5-9 from downtown.
• Blake Griffin (15) and Caron Butler (14) were the only Clipper starters in double figures.
• Lamar Odom had a very solid game with 13 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 blocks (also 4 points).
• Eric Bledsoe totalled 6 steals in only 19 minutes.
• The Celtics meanwhile, only scored 10 points in the 4th quarter.
• Jason Collins got the start at center and contributed exactly 0 points, 1 rebound and 1 turnover in 17 minutes. Think the C’s need a big, like yesterday?
• Rondo did put up 10 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists.

December 21, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers small forward Caron Butler (5), power forward Blake Griffin (32), shooting guard Willie Green (34) and center DeAndre Jordan (6) cheer from the bench during the game against the Sacramento Kings at the Staples Center. Clippers won 97-85. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA Today Sports Images

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 – December 24, 2012

Biggest jump: Rockets (+6) | Biggest drop: Celtics (-5)

1. Los Angeles Clippers | 21-6 (W13) | Last week: 4

Last week: 4-0 | Current streak: Won 13

2. Oklahoma City Thunder | 21-5 (L1) | Last week: 1

Last week: 2-1 | Current streak: Lost 1

3. San Antonio Spurs | 21-8 (W2) | Last week: 3

Last week: 2-2 | Current streak: Won 2

4. New York Knicks | 20-7 (W1) | Last week: 2

Last week: 2-2 | Current streak: Won 1

5. Miami Heat | 18-6 (W4) | Last week: 5

Last week: 3-0 | Current streak: Won 4

6. Memphis Grizzlies | 18-7 (L1) | Last week: 6

Last week: 3-1 | Current streak: Lost 1

7. Golden State Warriors | 18-10 (L1) | Last week: 7

Last week: 2-2 | Current streak: Lost 1

8. Atlanta Hawks | 16-9 (W1) | Last week: 8

Last week: 2-2 | Current streak: Won 1

9. Chicago Bulls | 15-11 (L1) | Last rank: 9

Last week: 2-2 | Current streak: Lost 1

10. Indiana Pacers | 16-12 (W3) | Last rank: 14

Last week: 3-1 | Current streak: Won 3

11. Denver Nuggets | 15-13 (W1) | Last rank: 12

Last week: 2-1 | Current streak: Won 1

12. Los Angeles Lakers | 13-14 | Last rank: 17

Last week: 2-0 | Current streak: Won 4

13. Minnesota Timberwolves | 13-12 (L1) | Last rank: 10

Last week: 1-3 | Current streak: Lost 1

14. Brooklyn Nets | 14-12 | Last rank: 11

Last week: 1-2 | Current streak: Won 1

15. Houston Rockets | 14-12 | Last rank: 21

Last week: 3-0 | Current streak: Won 3

16. Milwaukee Bucks | 14-12 | Last rank: 16

Last week: 2-2 | Current streak: Lost 1

17. Utah Jazz | 15-14 | Last rank: 15

Last week: 2-2 | Current streak: Won 1

18. Boston Celtics | 13-13 | Last rank: 13

Last week: 1-2 | Current streak: Lost 1

19. Portland Trail Blazers | 13-13 | Last rank: 19

Last week: 2-1 | Current streak: Lost 1

20. Philadelphia 76ers | 13-15 | Last rank: 18

Last week: 1-3 | Current streak: Lost 1

21. Orlando Magic | 12-15 | Last rank: 22

Last week: 2-2 | Current streak: Lost 2

22. Dallas Mavericks | 12-16 | Last rank: 20

Last week: 1-3 | Current streak: Lost 3

23. Phoenix Suns | 11-17 | Last rank: 23

Last week: 2-2 | Current streak: Lost 2

24. Toronto Raptors | 9-19 | Last rank: 26

Last week: 3-0 | Current streak: Won 5

25. Sacramento Kings | 9-18 | Last rank: 25

Last week: 2-2 | Current streak: Won 1

26. Detroit Pistons | 9-21 | Last rank: 24

Last week: 2-2 | Current streak: Won 2

27. Cleveland Cavaliers | 6-23 | Last rank: 29

Last week: 1-3 | Current streak: Won 1

28. Charlotte Bobcats | 7-20 | Last rank: 27

Last week: 0-4 | Current streak: Lost 15

29. New Orleans Hornets | 5-22 | Last rank: 28

Last week: 0-4 | Current streak: Lost 11

30. Washington Wizards | 3-22 | Last rank: 30

Last week: 0-4 | Current streak: Lost 7

Dec 3, 2012; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Los Angeles Clippers power forward Blake Griffin (32) controls the ball while sitting on the floor in front of Utah Jazz power forward Paul Millsap (24) during the first quarter at EnergySolutions Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-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…

Trail Blazers (8-10) 118 @ Bobcats (7-9) 112 - OT

• Leading scorers: POR – LaMarcus Aldridge 25, CHA – Ben Gordon 29.
• Talk about clutch. With the win, the Blazers amazingly improved to 4-0 this season in overtime games.
• Big games from both LaMarcus Aldridge (25 pts, 13 rebs, 5 asts, 3 blks) and Nic Batum (17 pts, 13 rebs, 7 asts) in this one.
• Ben Gordon was on fire for Charlotte with 29 points on 9-16 shooting, including 8-12 from behind the arc.
• Byron Mullens put up a double double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Cavaliers (4-14) 79 @ Pistons (6-13) 89

• Leading scorers: CLE – Anderson Varejao 17, DET – Brandon Knight 17.
• The Pistons held the Cavs to an abysmal 33.7% (32-95 FG, 3-20 3PT) shooting night.
• Jason Maxiell is certainly improving as a shot blocker. He had 12 points, 6 rebounds and 5 blocks in this game.
• Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond combined to grab 26 rebounds.
• How automatic is Anderson Varejao right now? Another 17 points and 18 rebounds in this game.

Bucks (8-8) 81 @ Hornets (5-11) 102

• Leading scorers: MIL – Brandon Jennings 25, NOH – Ryan Anderson 22.
• The Hornets used a 49-31 second half and only 8 turnovers in the game to knock off the Bucks.
• Ryan Anderson led the Hornets again with 22 points on 9 of 14 shooting.
• Robin Lopez was very efficient with his 21 points, going 8 for 10 from the field.
• Even in limited minutes, Larry Sanders is becoming a force off the Bucks bench. In this game he had 8 points, 7 rebounds and 7 more blocked shots.

Clippers (11-6) 105 @ Jazz (9-10) 104

• Leading scorers: LAC – Blake Griffin 30, UTA – Mo Williams 20.
• The Clippers escaped with a 1-point win despite going only 4-21 from 3-point range.
• Blake Griffin had his best statistical game of the season with 30 points on 14-20 shooting (also had 11 rebounds).
• Jamal Crawford poured in another 20 points (7-19 FG).
• Mo Williams stepped up with 20 points and 12 assists for the Jazz.
• Al Jefferson posted 16 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists.

Raptors (4-14) 110 @ Nuggets (9-9) 113

• Leading scorers: TOR - Kyle Lowry 24, DEN – Corey Brewer 19.
• Corey Brewer was part of the bench that lifted the Nuggets with 19 points, 5 rebounds and 4 steals.
• JaVale McGee was great as well with 17 points, 6 rebounds and 5 blocks.
• Kyle Lowry finished with 24 points (11-11 FT), 7 assists and 3 blocks. Not bad for a PG.
• Rookie Terrence Ross put up 12 points and 6 rebounds in 24 minutes.

Magic (7-10) 102 @ Warriors (10-7) 94

• Leading scorers: ORL – Glen Davis, Aaron Afflalo 24, GSW – Stephen Curry 25.
• Wow, the Orlando Magic. First the Lakers, now the Warriors, both on the road. Jacque Vaughn has to be pleased with 7-10.
• Big games all around for the Magic. Glen Davis (24 pts, 6 rebs), Aaron Afflalo (24 pts, 9-16 FG), Nik Vucevic (14 pts, 15 rebs) and J.J. Redick (22 pts, 5 rebs, 7 asts) led the way.
• Steph Curry played almost the whole game (44 mins) and put up his third straight 20-10 with 25 points and 11 assists.
• Jarrett Jack provided the bench work with 17 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists.

Nov 19, 2012; San Antonio, TX, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Lamar Odom (top) and San Antonio Spurs guard Gary Neal (bottom) fight for a loose ball during the first half against the San Antonio Spurs at the AT

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…

Pacers (5-7) 96 @ Wizards (0-9) 89

• Leading scorers: IND – David West 30, WAS – Bradley Beal 18.
• David West and Roy Hibbert put together their best games of the season, on the same night. West finished with 30 points (10-14 FG, 10-10 FT), 8 rebounds and 4 blocks while Hibbert put up 20 points (8-10 FG), 12 rebounds and 4 blocks.
• Sam Young had 9 points and 8 rebounds off the bench in 35 minutes.
• The Pacers did struggle from three though, going only 3-19.
• The Wizards starters finished the night shooting a combined 8 for 37 (22%) from the field.

Bucks (6-3) 98 @ Bobcats (5-4) 102

• Leading scorers: MIL – Monta Ellis 31, CHA – Ramon Sessions 23.
• Yes ladies and gentlemen, the Charlotte Bobcats are 5-4.
• The starters played heavy minutes and were led by Kemba Walker and Byron Mullens with 19 each.
• Ramon Sessions led all Bobcats scorers though, of f the bench with 23 points (also 4 rebounds and 4 assists).
• Monta Ellis put up 31 points (14-28 FG) for the Bucks, while Brandon Jennings struggled with his shot (10 pts on 5-18 FG).
• Ersan Ilyasova’s poor season continued with only 4 and 4 rebounds in 16 minutes.

Magic (3-7) 72 @ Hawks (5-4) 81

• Leading scorers: ORL – Glen Davis 11, ATL – Al Horford 15.
• In just an ugly basketball game, there were only three players total that scored in double figures. Horford scored 15, Lou Williams with 14 and Davis with 11.
• Josh Smith had a pretty pathetic night with 6 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist.
• Nik Vucevic only had 5 points, but did collect 13 rebounds.

Nuggets (5-6) 97 @ Grizzlies (8-2) 92

• Leading scorers: DEN – Danilo Gallinari 26, MEM – Rudy Gay 22.
• The Nuggets upset the Grizzlies behind Gallinari’s 26 points (10-11 FT).
• Kenneth Faried was “Manimalistic” once again with 13 points and 13 rebounds.
• JaVale McGee had 15 points and 8 rebounds off the bench.
• Zach Randolph recorded another double double (12 pts, 13 rebs) and Rudy Gay had a good shooting night (8-13 FG) on his 22 points.
• The Grizzlies got beat on the glass 47-33 for the game.

Warriors (6-5) 105 @ Mavericks (6-6) 101 – OT

• Leading scorers: GSW – Stephen Curry 31, DAL – O.J. Mayo 27.
• David Lee had a hell of a game with 17 points and 19 rebounds.
• Harrison Barnes stepped up once again given more minutes (40) with 20 points (4-6 3PT) and 12 rebounds.
• Klay Thompson’s shooting funk continued, going 2-14 from the field.
• Warriors outrebounded the Mavs 62-43.
• Chris Kaman was huge for Dallas with 18 points and 17 rebounds.
• O.J. Mayo continued his scoring (27 pts) and his hot 3-point shooting (3-6).

Clippers (8-2) 92 @ Spurs (8-3) 87

• Leading scorers: LAC – Chris Paul 19, SAN – Tim Duncan 20.
• Rarely leading the team in scoring, Chris Paul scored a team high 19 points on 9-16 shooting (also had 8 assists).
• Blake Griffin posted 16 points and 12 rebounds.
• Matt Barnes had the key game off the bench with 14 points, 9 rebounds and 3 steals.
• The Spurs shot an un-Spurs like 35.4% from the floor.
• Timmy Duncan led the way yet again for the Spurs with 20 points and 14 rebounds.

Rockets (4-7) 91 @ Jazz (6-6) 102

• Leading scorers: HOU – Patrick Patterson 19, UTA – Gordon Hayward 15.
• The Rockets certainly weren’t helped by James Harden feeling ill before the game, as he only had enough energy to contribute 6 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists.
• Patrick Patterson stepped up with 19 points (8-14 FG).
• Al Jefferson posted a double double with 14 points and 16 rebounds.
• Jamaal Tinsley recorded 11 assists off the Jazz bench.
• The Jazz had 30 assists on 37 made field goals (81% assist rate).

Oct 22, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) dribbles the ball against the Golden State Warriors at the Staples Center. The Clippers defeated the Warriors 88-71. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

Chris Paul
Resume: 19.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 9.1 assists (3rd in league), 2.5 steals (1st in league), 36.4 minutes, 48% FG, 86% FT, and 37% 3PT… Team record in games played: 37-23 (3-3 without)… Playoffs: 17.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 7.9 assists, 43% FG, 4-7 record… All-Star, 3rd in MVP Voting, 1st Team All-Defense, 1st Team All-NBA

Rajon Rondo
Resume: 11.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 11.7 assists (1st in league, career best), 1.8 steals, 36.9 minutes (10th in league), 6 triple-doubles (1st in league), 45% FG, and 60% FT… Team record in games played: 31-22 (8-5 without)… Playoffs: 17.3 points (career best), 6.7 rebounds, 11.9 assists (career best), 2.4 steals, 42.6 minutes, 47% FG, 70% FT (career best), 10-9 record (1-0 without)… All-Star, 8th in MVP Voting, 2nd Team All-Defense, 3rd Team All-NBA

The hottest debate that my basketball fan friends and I engaged in during this process was “who is the undisputed champion amongst point guards in the NBA?” Really, it came down to two players: Chris Paul and Rajon Rondo. Needless to say, I was relatively shocked when Rajon Rondo entered ESPN’s NBA Rankings at #12. To me, the choice between Rondo and Chris Paul was too close to call and that was the sentiment amongst most of my friends and family too. So before I even made a decision, I had to sort it out in a similar fashion to Bill Simmons’ Dr. Jack Breakdown. Let’s do it!

Scoring Ability
We haven’t seen an entire season of Rajon Rondo as the featured scorer for Boston, however we’ve seen him shoulder that burden on plenty of occasions. Those performances usually come in the biggest moments, particularly the playoffs where Rondo’s scoring average has increased every postseason except Boston’s 2008 Championship season. Despite the fact that defenders routinely play about 5 feet off of Rondo, he still finds a way to get into the paint and finish in a variety of creative ways around the hoop. Don’t be surprised to see Rondo take on a bigger role as a scorer in 2012-13, maybe one similar to his counterpart.

Paul on the other hand is more of a natural scorer than Rondo. In his ridiculously impressive 2008-09 season, he was not only first in the league in assists and steals, but also 7^th in points per game. Paul has totally mastered the art of facilitating the action early on, and being able to close out the game as a scorer late. It’s routine at this point. Over the last few years as you watch Chris Paul you just know it’s coming. It’s like when you are watching a scary movie and the creepy music starts to play in the background, someone is about to die. When there is six minutes left in a close game Chris Paul is going to start scoring, and scoring, and scoring, and scoring.
Edge- Chris Paul

Passing
It’s hard to criticize either of the two in this category. Paul and Rondo have combined to win 3 assist titles and are both legitimately fun to watch orchestrate an offense. Since they are both so entertaining I took to YouTube to decide the winner of this critical category. Rondo’s passing mix is a joy to watch as a former point guard, but unfortunately there aren’t any good Chris Paul passing highlight mixes on YouTube. So who wins the Rajon Rondo vs. Chris Paul passing matchup? Well, I was leaning towards Rondo to begin with. I’ve gone on record saying that I believe Chris Paul plays the point guard position better than anyone else, but Rondo seems to see passing angles that other guys just can’t, even Paul.
Slight Edge- Rajon Rondo

Defensive Prowess
This is a great debate to have since in their own ways, both Paul and Rondo are elite perimeter defenders. Paul is a more typical man to man defender. He’s going to be in front of you and in your grill all game, and if you put the ball in front of him he’s going to take it from you. Plain and simple. Rondo is more of a roamer. His help defense and ability to play the passing lanes is a big reason why he is the only player not named Chris Paul to lead the league in steals per game in the last five seasons. Who has more value as a defender? Paul has been the best defensive point guard in the league basically since he got drafted in 2005. Rondo isn’t out of Paul’s league though.
Slight Edge- Chris Paul

Calling Card
Picking between the trademark moves of Rondo and Paul is like picking between 1995 Academy Award Best Picture nominees The Shawshank Redemption and Forrest Gump. You really can’t go wrong with either one. It just depends on the mood you are in, but it’s hard not to love both of them. Paul runs the high screen and roll better than just about everyone in the league. And if the defenders switch and their big guy is left out on an island guarding Chris Paul, Paul will make him look like a complete fool. That is a sure thing. Rondo uses pass fakes better than just about anyone in the league, most famously the behind the back fake that has never failed to work. He uses these fakes to not only get himself shots, but also to create space and get teammates open looks. Plus it looks as cool as Miles Davis.
Slight Edge- Rajon Rondo

Potential
There really isn’t much more that Chris Paul can improve on. He’s basically a finished product and a damn good one. But what happens when Rajon Rondo develops a consistent jump shot? Holy crap, look out.
Edge- Rajon Rondo

Teammate Help
Or lack thereof. The question here is who has done more with less? Rondo has shouldered the burden with banged up Celtics teams the last few postseasons. As the Celtics Big Three was running on fumes in the postseason this year, Rondo averaged 20.9 points, 11.3 assists and 6.9 rebounds in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Heat, proving he is perfectly capable of taking on an expanded role. Still, Rondo was playing with three future Hall of Famers. Chris Paul turned a relatively mediocre Hornets team into a 56 win two seed in an incredibly deep Western Conference in 2008.
Edge- Chris Paul

Reputation
Neither of the two has what you’d call a squeaky clean image. Rajon Rondo is known for being moody, stubborn, and sometimes hard to deal with. He was a frequently mentioned trade chip for the Celtics, and was even discussed in a deal for Chris Paul, who at the time was basically forcing his way out of New Orleans. Apparently Rondo has matured and taken on more of a leadership role. I buy into that talk, but it still remains to be seen. I give the slight edge to Paul in this category. He was in a crap situation in New Orleans and stuck around for just about as long as he could. He was going to leave New Orleans once he became a free agent, and by demanding a trade he was actually putting the Hornets in a better situation than they could’ve been in. Plus, Paul is highly praised amongst his peers, and that holds a lot of weight in my opinion.
Slight Edge- Chris Paul

Oct 16, 2012; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo (9) sets the play during the fourth quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at TD Banknorth Garden. The Brooklyn Nets won 97-96. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-US PRESSWIRE

Best What-If
Did you know that Rajon Rondo is directly connected to Rick Fox, Gary Payton, Chucky Atkins, Jumaine Jones, Chris Mihm, Tom Gugliotta, Michael Stewart, Antoine Walker, Boris Diaw, Robin Lopez, Joe Johnson, Brian Grant and Rudy Fernandez? How so, you ask. Well, the pick that would become Rajon Rondo originally belonged to the Lakers and was then traded to the Celtics, then to the Hawks, then to the Suns, and finally back to the Celtics. So, in theory, I’m presenting what-if’s that involve Rondo teaming with Kobe Bryant, possibly playing for one of the most lethargic crowds in the NBA in Atlanta, or being Steve Nash’s understudy in Phoenix. It’s hard to predict whether that future 2006 1^st round pick the Lakers traded back in 2004 would’ve ended up still being the 21^st pick in the draft if they hadn’t made that trade, but what is totally realistic to think about is Rondo being the predecessor to Steve Nash. The Suns drafted Rondo and then traded him to Boston for a 2007 first round pick, which turned out to be Rudy Fernandez. Essentially, the Suns traded Rondo for nothing since Rudy Fernandez turned into James Jones and James Jones wound up with Miami. It’s an interesting scenario to imagine Rondo learning under Nash, eventually cutting into those minutes, and maybe making the process of moving him a little easier than it ended up being for Phoenix. Personally, I’m glad it worked out the way it did, even if that means LeBron having to deal with Rondo year in and year out. It’s hard to imagine Rondo playing anywhere else but Boston.

There are two great what-if’s that relate to Chris Paul. The first being what if three teams didn’t stupidly pass on Chris Paul in the 2005 NBA Draft. It makes total sense to ask this since, well, Paul was the best player in that draft and anyone who watched college basketball the year before could’ve recognized this and been able to forecast that Paul would be an elite point guard. The what-if that is still somewhat fresh in everyone’s mind is “What if David Stern didn’t veto the Chris Paul to the Lakers trade?” What we know for sure is that the Lakers were going to part ways with Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom, and in return get Chris Paul. We don’t know if the Lakers would’ve made further moves and tried to get Dwight Howard this offseason. We don’t know how the Paul/Kobe dynamic would work, just like we aren’t sure how Kobe will work with Steve Nash (I expect that it would work since they have spent a few summers playing for Team USA together). Ultimately, I couldn’t decide which option is better if you are a Lakers fan, so I decided to ask four friends/family members who are Lakers fans if they would rather have the current Lakers team, or if they would’ve wanted the Chris Paul trade to go through with no guarantee of getting Dwight Howard over the summer. It was a 2-2 split whether they’d keep things the way they are or if they’d rather have Paul, so basically nothing was concluded. I guess that makes for a good what-if, and probably a pretty good debate.
Slight Edge- Chris Paul

2011-12 NBA Season
This one is pretty simple in my eyes. I thought that Paul had the second best regular season of anyone in the league (over Durant), but the MVP vote said otherwise.  Paul finished 3^rd in the MVP vote, nothing at all to scoff at. If you conducted a Playoffs MVP vote, Rajon Rondo would’ve finished 3^rd behind LeBron and Durant (go figure). Where do you put more stock, individual success in the regular season or postseason?
Edge- Rajon Rondo

Defining 2012 Moment
I just got done touching on how Rondo’s postseason brilliance gave him the edge when it came to the 2011-12 season. What Rondo did in game two of the Eastern Conference Finals was one of the best postseason performances I’ve ever seen in a win or a loss. With Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen all on their last legs, Rondo went all 53 minutes and was doing just about everything he could to try to steal a game in Miami. Rondo became the first player in playoff history to finish a game with 44 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds, and somehow the stats don’t even explain how great he was. Rondo had an unusually good shooting game, making 16 of his 24 field goal attempts, and even more impressively/pretty uncharacteristically, making ten jump shots, showing all non-Celtics fans that we should all be completely terrified when that jump shot becomes consistent.

Paul didn’t have a performance that were even close to being as statistically impressive as Rondo’s , but he proved in his performance why the conversation for best point guard alive usually begins and ends with him. In the Gold Medal game of the 2012 Summer Olympics, closing duties were shared between LeBron James and Chris Paul. People remember the LeBron dunk and backbreaking 3, but they tend to forget about the should have been 4-point-play Chris Paul had early in the 4^th quarter, two tough drives and finishes, and one shimmy move that dropped my jaw to the floor of the Big Room at my Grandma’s house. Paul was the general, and I felt completely comfortable with him at the reins in the game that featured the biggest stakes of 2012.
Slight Edge- Chris Paul

And there lies the biggest difference between Paul and Rondo. I hate to use international basketball as a tool in ranking the players, but there is no way Rajon Rondo takes over a game on that stage like Chris Paul did. It just wouldn’t happen.

Overall Edge: Chris Paul

October 25, 2012; Denver, CO, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (right) drives to the basket during the first half against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-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…

Bucks (3-4) 100 @ Bobcats (1-6) 90

• Leading scorers: MIL – Tobias Harris 18, CHA – Kemba Walker 20.
• Say what you want about the Bucks, but they are going to be good defensively. Evidence tonight: Bucks had a +18 (56-38) rebound differential and a +9 (11-2) blocked shot differential.
• Speaking of blocked shots, Sam Dalembert had 6 and Larry Sanders had 4. Sanders also had 8 points and 13 rebounds.
• Brendan Haywood played 34 minutes off the bench and posted 8 points and 13 rebounds.
• The Bobcats had only 8 turnovers in the game.

Trail Blazers (3-4) 91 @ Jazz (5-3) 97

• Leading scorers: POR – Wesley Matthews 24, UTA – Derrick Favors, Enes Kanter 21.
• With the Blazers starters getting extended minutes, LaMarcus Aldridge (19 pts, 11 rebs) and Nicolas Batum (17 pts, 10 rebs) both posted double doubles.
• Portland committed 25 turnovers in the game.
• Enes Kanter is absolutely killing it for the Jazz so far in the preseason. Tonight he put up 21 points and 12 rebounds in 25 minutes off the bench.
• The Jazz had 18 steals in the game (Millsap 5, DeMarre Carroll 4, Tinsley 4) and took only 5 threes (2-5).

Kings (5-2) 94 @ Lakers (0-8) 82

• Leading scorers: SAC – DeMarcus Cousins, Isaiah Thomas 20, LAL – Devin Ebanks 14.
• Yes, the number is correct, the Lakers are 0-8 now in the preseason. I know it’s preseason, but still.
• Devin Ebanks (14 pts, 7 rebs) was the only Laker in double figures.
• Jordan Hill will figure to get a bulk of the big man minutes off the bench. 9 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists will help his cause.
• The Kings killed the Lakers in transition with 24 fast break points to the Lakers 2.
• DeMarcus Cousins producing! 20 points, 13 rebounds in only 27 minutes.

Clippers (5-3) 106 @ Nuggets (3-3) 94

• Leading scorers: LAC – Blake Griffin 25, DEN – Corey Brewer 15.
• Blake Griffin with a crazy game: 25 points (10-13 FG) and 11 rebounds in only 27 minutes.
• Look out league, DeAndre Jordan (a career 44% free throw shooter) went 5-6 from the line.
• Chris Paul had a double double in 29 minutes with 10 points and 12 assists.
• JaVale McGee posted 13 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks in limited time (20 minutes) off the bench.