"We're not having fun right now."
-LeBron James, 11/22/10

That's an odd statement for one of the best players in the NBA to make so early in the season.

You'd think with all the buzz surrounding the offseason moves of LeBron James and Chris Bosh to the Miami Heat, those two, along with Dwyane Wade, would be having the time of their lives.

Each of those three is in their eighth year in the League. They're all in their primes. Although I didn't believe the trio joining forces would immediately translate to championships, I did believe the Heat would win 65-70 games simply because of the number of bad teams in the NBA.

Early on, those wins haven't come so easily. A lot of talk this summer was that Miami had a realistic shot to match the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls record for regular-season wins at 72. At 8-6, Miami would have to win its next 40 games to keep pace with Chicago. That's seven more wins that the 1971-72 Lakers garnered in what is the longest winning streak in league history.

Miami currently sits in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. Most pundits picked the Heat to run away with the East. That is still possible, but Miami needs to fix some glaring issues it has.

Last night while watching the Heat get blown out at home, 93-77, by the Indiana Pacers, I couldn't help but think that, whenever Wade or James has the ball in a halfcourt offensive set, it looks eerily similar to what James had while in Cleveland. There is no movement without the ball. No cuts to the basket. No backscreens set. Just isolation either at the top of the key or in the post. The other four guys on the court just stare like they're watching Kim Kardashian run across the court naked.

Mike Miller's return could solve some of that problem. He won't be calling for any clear outs. Miller, who shot a remarkable 48 percent from three-point range last season and has shot 40 percent from deep for his 10-year career, will help spread the floor on offense. That's something Miami doesn't have the ability to do right now. The Heat has streak shooters in James Jones and Eddie House, but no one who is a consistent threat from deep.

Miami's spacing on offense so far this season - when the Heat has played solid competition - has been putrid. Miller's return could, and should, remedy that problem.

Movement without the ball on offense has easily been Miami's biggest problem early this season. There's more movement by a paraplegic in a triathlon than by anyone on the Heat in the halfcourt. Miami has two of the 10 best playmakers in the League in Wade and James, yet the Heat offense is surprisingly stagnant at times.

This team doesn't have an identity. And the pieces it has behind Wade, James, Bosh and Miller just aren't that good. Players 1-3 don't win NBA titles. Players 4-9 do. Many people believe Miami executive Pat Riley pulled a major coup bringing three All-stars together. I agree. But questions remained, such as, "who are they gonna fill the rest of the roster with? Rony Seikaly and Sherman Douglas?"

That's pretty much what's happened. Carlos Arroyo and Mario Chalmers are a point guard pu-pu platter. The bigs have helped make the Heat one of the worst rebounding teams in the league. Miami as a whole is solid defensively, but it gets done in by any team with a competent point guard and serviceable big men.

Bosh was supposed to be the one who provided the majority of the bulk for the Heat. But his reluctance to guard centers, or do anything else, really, has helped make him a forgotten man on South Beach. You would expect Bosh's scoring to take a dip playing with Wade and James, but the rest of his game has taken a significant dip. Bosh's rebounds are down almost 4 a game. According to 82games.com, Bosh has had 375 chances at offensive rebounds. He's grabbed 16 in 14 games.

For most of the early part of the season, he looked more like Chris Washburn than Chris Bosh. Bosh has stepped up recently, hitting the 20-point plateau in each of Miami's last four games. He's hit that mark just five times so far this season. He seemed uncomfortable at times early on. Maybe Bosh is finding his way.

The Heat's two leading men need to find their way, as well.

It's always fun to think about how the best players in any given league would play if given an opportunity to do so outside and All-Star game. But the Wade/James experiment, so far, looked like a failed one.

Both players, although phenomenal, do pretty much the same thing. They both need the ball in their hands at all times to be effective. They both love isolation plays. And early on, it seems like neither of them is willing to take a backseat to the other.

James is obviously a better all-around player than Wade. But I think it should be James who makes a change to his game - a change that many have clamored for.

LeBron needs to start playing out of the post. He's a 6-foot, 8-inch tall small forward. His reluctant to hit the low block has always puzzled me, simply because he usually outweighs whoever is guarding him by at least 30 pounds. He's so strong. But James is also extremely fast. His first step upon catching a post entry pass and facing up toward the basket, would be devastating. No one could stop him. James' court vision is off the charts, meaning he could make any pass or find any cutter.

So why doesn't he do this? I seriously don't believe the question has ever been posed to him. I've seen him try and do it in the past. He looks sort of uncomfortable playing on the low block. I would suggest to LeBron he take the route of Dwight Howard and Kobe Bryant and seek out a swingman who played out of the post. I suggest Adrian Dantley, Mark Aguirre or Bernard King.

All of these are fixable problems. It's up to all parties involved to address them.

I'm just not sure they will.

Was the whole thing orchestrated? What's LeBron James' legacy? Who's put together the deal that put James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh together in Miami?

Those are just some of the questions that need to be answered. But not by me.

There are two people very close to this situation who I believe have shown their true colors after James made his decision.

James will never be considered an 'all-time great'
Bob Cousy. James Worthy. Sam Jones. Billy Cunningham. Those are just a few of some of the best players in the history of the NBA. James' name will be added to that list, but it'll be mixed in with those mentioned above and not the likes of Magic, Bird, Russell and Jordan.

On several occasions, I've heard James speak of wanting to be the greatest of all time. How can something like that be achieved when he - and Bosh and, to a much lesser extent, Wade - essentially said, "I can't build up a championship team as the Alpha Dog. I have to play alongside other "great" players to win titles?"

When Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen teamed up in Boston in 2007, each of those three were on the downside of their respective, hall-of-fame careers. They all attempted, for more than a decade, to lead teams to the promiseland and came up short. Wade, James and Bosh are just hitting their primes. Why not build up a team so you can be placed on the short list of the best players of all time?

I have no doubt Miami will win multiple titles, no matter what is placed around James, Wade and Bosh. And I believe each of those three will be enshrined in Springfield one day. But when that happens, it was supposed to, so it won't receive the fanfare that maybe it should. If they don't win, though, this whole thing is a colossal failure. For James especially.

I know Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant both openly complained at times about teammates and coaching philosophies, but neither left. People fail to remember that Kobe played on a Lakers squad that won just 34 games in the 2004-05 season. That was after four Finals' appearances in five years and three titles.

But LeBron did leave. Which has people looking at him in a whole different light. But he isn't the only person who should be looked at differently.

Dan Gilbert has no class
Narcissistic. Self-promoting. Quitter. Those are just a few of the choice words Cavs' owner Dan Gilbert used to describe James after he made his decision.

While I would understand that coming from a fan - the word does come from "fanatic," after all - that made Gilbert sound like a bitter ex who didn't do enough to make their former companion stick around. His comments were as classless as the casts of those "Real Housewives" shows. James was a FREE agent. He was free to go where he pleased. While I may not agree with his decision (I would have picked Chicago), or the fact that there was an hour-long special dedicated to that decision, it was his decision and his alone.

Disloyal was another word Gilbert used to describe James. I thought that was interesting seeing as though Gilbert has shown more disloyalty as anyone over the past couple months.

Former Cavs head coach Mike Brown, he of 127 wins the last two years and the only coach to lead Cleveland to the Finals. FIRED.

Former Cavs GM Danny Ferry, the architect of the teams that won 127 games in two years. FIRED.

Gilbert tried to steal away the coach (Tom Izzo) of his alma mater, my alma mater, my friends' alma mater (Michigan State). Dan Gilbert should be the last person discussing loyalty. Like I said, he essentially played the role of the jilted lover and said, "you'll never find anybody better. You're a loser," when he really didn't have a reason to feel that way but just couldn't express his feelings in another fashion. That reeks of a guy who didn't have a "plan B."

People have said Gilbert made those comments in defense of the city. He doesn't care about that city. He cares about his bottom line. Gilbert's from Michigan, but made his money and his name elsewhere, so how can he be so upset at someone for doing the same? All he's REALLY upset about is that his team is worth as much as a '78 AMC Pacer right about now.

How can Gilbert, a self-made man from all accounts, act so classless toward another self-made man. He's taking out his frustrations on someone who grew up below the poverty level in a single-parent household. James' mother, Gloria, birthed him when she was 16. That he was even in the position to be able to decide where to play says a lot in itself. Again, while I don't agree with James' decision, it's his decision. He has to live with it. Not Dan Gilbert.

We all forgot about a certain team
So it's over now. No more free agency summit talk. No more guessing where James will play. And who's probably the happiest about all that? Kobe Bryant, who's been on television for about 45 seconds during this whole episode. You remember Kobe and the Lakers, don't you? The team that's won back-to-back titles. I don't think they'll bow to Miami so easily.

Could Carlos Boozer really be the key person in the 2010 NBA Free Agent frenzy?

It's not entirely out of left field if you know the facts.

First, some background info.

Boozer declared for the 2002 NBA Draft, foregoing his final year of NCAA eligibility at Duke. He was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round of the NBA draft, where he played two full seasons. Boozer averaged 10 ppg and 7.5 rpg in his rookie campaign, and followed it up with 15.5 ppg and 11.4 rpg his second year, while playing alongside a highly-touted rookie: LeBron James.

After the 2003–04 NBA season, the Cavaliers had the option of allowing Boozer to become a restricted free agent, or keeping him under contract for one more year at a $695,000 salary. According to reports published around that time, the Cavaliers claimed to have reached an understanding with Boozer and his agent on a deal for about $39 million over 6 years, which he would sign if the Cavs let him out of his current deal.

Cleveland then proceeded to release Boozer from his contract, making him a Restricted Free Agent. During this period, a few other teams were also interested in signing Boozer, and Utah ended up offering a 6-year $70 million contract that Cleveland chose not to match, since it would take them well over the salary cap.

Carlos Boozer signed with the Utah Jazz on July 24, 2004, three months after the end of the rookie seasons of three of this summer's top free agents: James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh.

Boozer has denied that he made any commitment to the Cavaliers: "There was no commitment. It's unfortunate how the turn of events went through the media," Boozer said shortly after signing the deal with Utah. "I'm not a guy that gives my word and takes it away. I think I've made that clear." Boozer's agent subsequently ceased representation, although Rob Pelinka has resumed representing Boozer as of July 2009, when he was eligible for another contract extension.

In addition, the former Cavaliers owner Gordon Gund, who sold the team to current owner Dan Gilbert in 2005, has said, "In the final analysis, I decided to trust Carlos and show him the respect he asked for. He did not show that trust and respect in return."

So what if Boozer had honored this rumored verbal agreement with Gund and stayed in Cleveland? Does he play Robin to James' Batman, helping him win a title in 2007? Does James even opt out of his contract this summer? Is this free agent period as newsworthy? Are such a high number of players likely on the move? Is Jerry Sloan still the coach in Utah? How good is Jazz point guard Deron Williams? Is Delonte West even on the Cavs' roster to (allegedly) bag James' mom?

That's a lot of questions. All with no answer.

All because Boozer lied to a blind guy.

Last night's game seven between the Lakers and Celtics is quite possibly the ugliest thing of beauty I've ever seen.

Statistically, that was L.A.'s worst game in two years, as it won, 83-79, despite shooting 32.5 percent from the floor.

Surprisingly, the one Laker who played well is the one who should be on a steady supply of meds: Ron Artest, who chipped in with 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 steals, along with several great quotes after the game.

The win leaves the Lakers just one title behind Boston, 17-16, for most in league history.

The game has also left a lot of questions to be answered.

Which is the greatest franchise in NBA history?
Although the Lakers trail the Celtics in number of titles, a strong case can be made that L.A. is home to the best franchise in the history of the league.

The Lakers have appeared in the Finals 31 times to Boston's 21. While Boston has a far superior record in those Finals series - 17-4 vs. 16-15 for the Lakers, Los Angeles has been more of a consistent winner. Eleven of the Celtics 17 titles came before 1970, while the Lakers have won titles in 5 different decades and dominated three of those - the 1950s, 80s and 2000s.

Boston also endured a 22-year title drought from 1986 to 2008. Los Angeles' worst stretch lasted 17 years from 1955-72. The Celtics made the final round once during that dry spell (1987), while the Lakers appeared in eight championship series during theirs (1959, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68-70).

L.A. has also missed the postseason just five times in 62 seasons, while Boston has failed to make the playoffs 16 times in 64 seasons. The Lakers also have the most wins in league history (2,970) and the highest winning percentage (.617).

Is Phil Jackson the greatest coach of all time?
Here's Phil's resume: 11 titles (more than any other coach); a .700 win percentage in the regular season and the playoffs; thirteen Finals appearance in 19 years as a head coach.

Compare that with legendary UCLA coach John Wooden, who didn't win his first title until his 16th season in Westwood; or revered Celtics coach Red Auerbach, who didn't hoist his first trophy until his seventh season in Boston. Scotty Bowman, of NHL coaching fame and nine Stanley Cup titles, lost in the championship round three times before winning his first title. Jackson has only lost twice in 13 appearances in the NBA Finals.

Even greater than that has been Jackson's ability to manage egos. His two greatest players, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, are two of the most egomaniacal, bull-headed people on the planet. At points in both of their careers, Jordan and Bryant were known as players who only cared about themselves, yet Jackson has been able to get them to focus on the greater goal (most of the time), allowing the two to reach great heights. He's also been able to corral two of the stranger people in the history of sports: Dennis Rodman and Ron Artest, who passed Rodman on the "crazy-o-meter" last night.

Is Pau Gasol destined for the Hall of Fame?
Prior to joining the Lakers in February 2008, Gasol led the Memphis Grizzlies to the playoffs three straight seasons in the middle part of the decade. That should be enough to answer that question right there.

Since joining L.A., Gasol has been the second best player on two title teams, adding toughness and grit to his game in the process. Gasol has made two all-NBA third teams the last two seasons, averaging about 18 points, 10 board and 1.5 blocks in 2008-09 and 2009-10. His career averages of 18 and 9 are better than Hall of Famers Kevin McHale and Dave DeBusschere. He's tied with DeBusschere in the championship department and one behind McHale.

His offensive skillset, coupled with his awesome passing ability and that newfound grit make Gasol the best big man in the league today; and, unless Dwight Howard starts watching old VHS tapes of David Robinson, Gasol will keep that title for the foreseeable future.

What happens to the Celtics now?
Three of Boston's top four players (Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce) have a combined 40 years of playing experience. The team's best post defender (Rasheed Wallace, who has 15 years in the league under his belt) may retire. Allen and Pierce are free agents this summer. Kendrick Perkins, the Celtic's starting center, tore two ligaments in his right knee early in game 6 of the Finals. And head coach Doc Rivers may not return to the sidelines next season.

Boston brass has a lot of decisions to make this offseason. The team has - if Pierce decides to exercise his more than $21.5 million player option - more than $63 million tied into six players. The Celtics could use the mid-level exception, slated to be around $6 million for 2010-11, to sign a player, but it looks like Boston's roster will look the same as it did last night. Pierce will be a priority, as could Allen, but Allen would likely be offered a deal of no more than two years and $10-$12 million.

Rivers is the wild card here. He has said he'd like to spend more time with his family and be able to watch his sons, Austin and Jeremiah, play college basketball. Rivers, however, has one year and $5.5 million left on his contract. If the team believes it can make another deep playoff run, why wouldn't he come back? But some things are more important than money.

Where does Kobe Bryant rank among the all-time greats
Baseball measures it's greats by stats. Football determines legends by Super Bowl titles. Basketball seems to be the only one of the major American sports that takes both of those things into consideration when choosing who belongs among the best ever.

Despite Kobe Bryant's horrid shooting performance in Game 7, Bryant belongs in the discussion of greatest players of all time. It'll be tough for him to crack the top spot - Michael Jordan's butt is super glued to that seat - but Bryant can make a case for the top 5.

He has as many titles (5) as Magic Johnson, who I rank at No. 2. He has more titles than Larry Bird (3), Wilt Chamberlain (2) and Tim Duncan (4), who I had at Nos. 4, 6, and 7, respectively, prior to the start of the Finals. The win brought Bryant's record in the Finals to 5-2, while Magic finished 5-4 and Bird went 3-2. His offensive numbers are better than Magic's, Duncan's and Bill Russell's (No. 3 on my list).

Bryant's 12 all-NBA selections (8 first-team honors) trail only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (6th on my list), who was tabbed 15 times; Karl Malone and Shaquille O'Neal (14 selections) and Tim Duncan (13). And, defensively, he's light years ahead of Magic and Bird, reflected by his 10 all-defensive team selections.

Yes, I know he took Game seven against Phoenix off in the first round of the 2006 Finals. But people act like he's the first star to do something of the sort. Chamberlain asked out of Game 7 of the 1969 Finals, with 5 minutes left, because of an injury. You can bet that, so close to the ultimate goal, Bryant would play on one leg.

Many people (still) contend Bryant ran Shaq out of L.A. in 2004. Kobe doesn't sign any checks or make any personnel decisions. And I think it's safe to say the team's decision to stick with Bryant has paid off.

While Bryant at times frustrated Jackson to no end, he's no coach killer. It's been said that Magic Johnson wanted his first pro coach, Paul Westhead fired. It's also been speculated that Johnson wanted out of L.A. at some point in the first five years of his career. It's been said that Jordan played a key role in getting Doug Collins ousted after the 1989 season.

Several people have said "Kobe never won a thing without Shaq." Well, Abdul-Jabbar never won without Magic or Oscar Robertson. Jordan never won without Pippen. Bird never won without McHale and Robert Parish. It's a proven fact you need more than one top-flight player to win a title, so this is a moot point.

When you put personal feelings aside - and I know that's hard for people to do with Kobe - you realize just how great he is. His work ethic is only second to Jordan's. He's added new moves to his arsenal nearly every season he's been in the league. Last summer, he worked out with Hakeem Olajuwon (No. 13 on my list of all-time greats) to improve his post game. Doesn't that sound like something Dwight Howard or LeBron James should do?

Former Blazer and Celtics great Bill Walton in a book I finished reading a few months ago made a great point about Bryant. He said that while Kobe may not win the way people want him to, he still wins. Winning is the most important thing to Bryant, Walton added, so why does it matter how he wins as long as he gets it done?

So how would I rank the 10 best players of all time, one day after one of them eclipsed another career milestone?

1. Michael Jordan
2. Magic Johnson
3. Bill Russell
4. Larry Bird
5. Kobe Bryant
6. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
7. Wilt Chamberlain
8. Tim Duncan
9. Oscar Robertson
10.Jerry West

In the end, Michigan State head basketball coach Tom Izzo opted to stay with the girl who has been so good to him for a number of years, and who he's had more highs than lows with instead of leaving for the new girl with the fake ... you know.

Izzo tonight said he'll be a Spartan for life. And with that, Spartan Nation breathed a big sigh of relief. Myself included.

A number of MSU alums and fans said they wouldn't be mad if Izzo, the winningest coach in the history of the school, did decide to take his coaching acumen to the NBA, but I wouldn't have believed any of them had they told me they wouldn't shed a tear.

But he didn't. Now, instead of putting his future in the hands of some grown men who may or may not take his coaching lessons to heart, Izzo will return to a lockerroom full of kids who know what listening to his lessons can lead to.

But what made Izzo, who has spent nearly enough time in East Lansing that he could earn a pension, decide to stay with the Green & White? Why didn't the fiery coach leave for "greener pastures."

What went through in mind during this process?

Was it the recruiting trips? One of which led him to a player he would name his first son after.

Was it the thought of leaving everything he's built in East Lansing, including the Berkowitz Basketball Complex?

Was it the desire to remain an institution in a city and state vs. becoming just a coach in a league?

Was it knowing that, by staying, he'd continue to help turn boys into men, teaching discipline and teamwork vs. babysitting millionaires who only care about themselves?

Was it the run he made to the Final Four with his team this spring?

Was it all the lessons all the players learned about each other and themselves during that run?

Was it knowing he'd be returning to the majority of the major parts of that team, which will likely be favored to win the 2011 National Championship?

Was it knowing winning that championship, his second, would put Izzo in select company?

Was it knowing he can get titles 3, 4, and 5 in short order?

Was it realizing college coaches are loved and remembered for ages and many things beyond winning, while pro coaches are known just for winning?

I'm sure all those things and then some went into Izzo's thought process. Whatever it was, he made the right decision.

Yesterday I wrote that I would totally understand if Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo left his job in East Lansing to coach the Cleveland Cavaliers. With news coming out that Izzo is in Cleveland meeting with Cavs officials, it's looking more like Izzo is going to take his shot at coaching in the NBA.

I wouldn't be happy with it, but I'd understand. With the job he's done at MSU, turning it into a consistent winner and a nationally-recognized program, Izzo has earned the right to chase him dream.

But the cons may outweigh the pros. The biggest con may be the success rate of coaches who left winning college programs for NBA jobs.

Larry Brown, who has coached nearly every team in both the NCAA and NBA, is the only coach in history to win a title in both the NCAA (with Kansas in 1988) and the NBA (Detroit, 2004).

For every Larry Brown, there's 10 Tim Floyds. Izzo, who I believe to be the best coach in college basketball, has a chance to succeed like anyone else would. But the college and pro games are too different - which is a key reason in why great college coaches seemingly never live out their NBA contracts.

In college, your Xs and Os are vital to team success. The NBA in recent years has turned into an isolation league - pound the ball into the court for the first 17 seconds of the shot clock, then give it to your best player and hope he makes something happen.

In college, you can get away with screaming and yelling at 18-22-year-old kids. In the NBA, you're dealing with millionaires. Chances are that if a coach takes the Bob Knight approach with a guy like Carmelo Anthony, he'll be cleaning out his office shortly thereafter that encounter.

In college, players actually (for the most part) listen in huddles. In the NBA, players routinely tune out coaches to look at eye candy in the stands.

In college, you can put your players on curfew so they stay out of trouble (even though that may not always work.). In the NBA, you have no say over whether or not your star player is shooting off guns at 3 a.m. on a Thursday in the parking lot of a strip club.

In college, players don't get burnt out on coaches because they know they'll only have to deal with the guy for a maximum of four years. In the NBA, players turn on coaches all the time. The Pistons turned on Larry Brown a season after they won the NBA championship. The New Jersey Nets, one of the worst franchises in the history of the league, a season after it made back-to-back Finals appearances.

I'm sure Izzo will take his time in making this decision. And I'll support him no matter what he decides. But, based on past results, the odds are stacked against him succeeding.

At 55, Izzo may not have too many more chances to make the jump. If he feels like this is the best decision for he and his family, Izzo should make the move to the NBA.

It is better to try and fail than not try at all, after all.

There comes a time in a lot of relationships when one party feels the need to explore other options. This can be for any number of reasons - see what else is out there, see what life is like without the person you're leaving.

Sometimes a couple realizes they can't live without each other. Other instances result in the two going their separate ways.

That line of thinking extends beyond dating. It can also apply to business and employment. And this has to be playing a role in Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo's thinking while he is being courted by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Proven track record
Izzo has been a part of the MSU coaching staff since 1983. He took over head coaching duties from Jud Heathcoate - his mentor and confidante - in 1995. Since taking the reins 15 years ago, Izzo has made a helluva name for himself.

Izzo is currently the longest-tenured coach in the Big Ten. He is the winningest coach in MSU history. In 1998, MSU began a streak of 13 straight NCAA tournament appearances, which is the 5th longest current streak among Division I teams. During that run only Kansas/North Carolina coach Roy Williams has as many NCAA tournament wins as Tom Izzo (35). Izzo also joins Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski and Pittsburgh/UCLA coach Ben Howland as the only three coaches that have made three consecutive Final Fours since the NCAA tournament bracket expanded to 64 teams in 1985.

Izzo has coached his squads to six regular-season Big Ten championships, two Big Ten Tournament titles, six NCAA Final Four appearances, and one NCAA national championship - in 2000. Since he became head coach at MSU, every player he has recruited and who completed their full eligibility has gone to the Final Four. Eighty-two percent of his players who completed their eligibility left MSU with a degree.

No "What Ifs" allowed
It is because of all Izzo has accomplished in his time in my home away from home for five years - East Lansing - that I wouldn't be the least bit upset if he took the Cavs job he has reportedly been offered.

For all he has done for our basketball program, and school, Izzo has built up plenty of goodwill with the MSU fanbase and has earned the right to take a shot at coaching at the highest level in his profession - the NBA.

Sure, the odds of him succeeding are slim to none - if you look at the list of other college coaches who took the NBA plunge (only Larry Brown has won both an NCAA and NBA Title) - but I'd be willing to bet Izzo isn't the type of person who wants to be saying "What If" when he's 80 years old. The reported five-year, $30 million deal Cavs owner and MSU Alum Dan Gilbert has on the table for Izzo can't hurt, either. Neither can the prospect of coaching one of the 10 most talented/psychically imposing players in league history.

Stay on task
At the other end of the spectrum, you have the commitment Izzo has made to not explore any other head coaching opportunities until he leads the Spartans to a third national title, which would be his second as coach.

How much criticism would Izzo get for leaving a team that will likely be ranked No. 1 in every major poll going into the 2010-11 season? That same team, likely to be picked to win the 2011 national title, returns nearly every major cog in a squad that is coming off back-to-back Final Fours, along with what is arguably Izzo's best recruiting class. The Spartans will be a legit 13 deep this upcoming season - and 10 deep in 2011-12. These are all things Izzo knows.

He also knows he has his office in the Berkowitz Complex as long as he wants it. And that the Spartan fanbase will always be in his corner. What he doesn't know, and what is the biggest wildcard in this entire situation, is if Cavs star LeBron James will re-sign with the team this summer. I'm almost positive that's why no one has heard from Izzo regarding Cleveland's attempt to woo him.

Say Izzo agrees to take the job later this month, but James signs elsewhere. Where does that leave him AND the Cavs organization? Izzo would then be saddled with a team full of less-than players, most likely playing in front of crowds no bigger than 7,500 on any given night. Yea, Izzo would have his $30 million, and nothing much else beyond that. But he most likely wouldn't make it to the end of his contract. If James decides Izzo's the man he wants to play for, it's a completely different situation.

So, no, I won't be upset with Izzo if he decides to test the NBA waters. But I do hope he sees what he has at MSU and decides that life is great in East Lansing.

At 31 years old, Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, in 14 seasons, has blossomed into one of the eight best players in the history of the NBA.

His career has been the epitome of "roller coaster ride:" winning the Slam Dunk Contest his rookie season; throwing up airballs in the playoffs against Utah in '98; his relationship with Shaquille O'Neal; winning three titles in a row from 2002-02; facing rape allegations in 2003 and watching his "Q" rating fall faster than Lindsay Lohan's after coach Phil Jackson took a sabbatical and Bryant "ushered" O'Neal out of L.A. supposedly.

But the shine has returned to Bryant's star the last three seasons, as he earned his first regular-season MVP award in 2008. He's also led the Lakers to three straight NBA Finals, something that hasn't been done since Bryant's Lakers accomplished it in 2000-02.

Bryant also won his fourth NBA title in 2009, answering a number of questions in the process: Could he win without Shaq? Could he lead a team to a ring?

But questions still remain for Bryant. Those could be answered in the next two weeks, as Bryant and his squad tangle for the 12th time in the Finals with the Boston Celtics, which hold a 9-2 advantage in the series.

What if the Lakers win their 16th title?
-Bryant will have earned his fifth ring, tying him with greats such as Magic Johnson and George Mikan. He would be just one behind Scottie Pippen, Bob Cousy, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and some dude named Jordan.
-He will have brought L.A. within one title of Boston (17 to 16) for most all time. The Lakers would be in good position to pass the Celtics sooner than later, too.
-Phil Jackson, without a contract for next season, would return to Los Angeles.
-Bryant's record in the Finals will go to 5-2. Johnson's was 5-4.
-Bryant's next 30-point playoff game would give him 76, placing him second all time ahead of Abdul-Jabbar and behind Jordan.
-Bryant will supplant Tim Duncan as the seventh best player in League history.
-The "is he as good as Jordan" talk will (foolishly) continue.

What if Bryant isn't able to best the Celtics?
-Bryant will be 5-4 in the Finals, 1-2 as The Man. Comparisons with Peyton Manning will start.
-Bryant turns 32 in August. He won't have many more shots at championship glory - or at moving up the Greatest of All Time ladder.
-Jackson may retire if he thinks the door is closed on L.A.'s title chances.
-He will have never beaten his franchises greatest rival for anything substantial.
-The "is he as good as Jordan" talk will (finally) cease.

Has there ever been so much on the line for one athlete? You'd think that, at 14 years in, Bryant's place in history would be secure. But when you become apart of any "greatest ever" argument, questions are always abound.

From what I know about Kobe, all of things are on his mind and will remain on his mind until this series is over. Anybody would fold under that type of pressure. But Bryant isn't just anybody. He's playing the best playoff basketball of his career.

It's almost like a revenge tour. By sweeping Utah, and knocking the Jazz out of the postseason for the third season in a row, Bryant exorcised the demons left by those airballs he put up in the Delta Center in 1998.

By vanquishing Phoenix, Bryant finally bested the squad that knocked his Lakers out of the playoffs in 2006 and 2007 - the only two seasons a Jackson-led team failed to get passed the first round.

And by beating Boston, Kobe and his teammates will be able to (somewhat) erase the memory of a 39-point beatdown in the clincher in 2008.

I say it happens.

Lakers in 6.

Quickly ... what's the seminal moment of the 2010 NBA Playoffs?

To quote Katt Williams, "Don't worry. I'll wait."

...

Still no answer? That's because it concerns someone who hasn't played in two weeks: it's LeBron James leaving the court in Boston after his Cavs were prematurely knocked out of the playoffs by the Boston Celtics. That loss has led to All LeBron All the Time. It sometimes feels like the playoffs aren't even going on with all the coverage devoted to "Mailman Jr." I can't take credit for that moniker. It was given to James by ESPN.com's Bill Simmons.

There hasn't been any GREAT moments in these playoffs. How many people - outside of me because I have issues - remember Pau Gasol's tip in with .5 seconds left in game six to close out the Lakers' first-round series with Oklahoma City? Who can recall Paul Pierce's buzzer-beater in game four of Boston's first-round series with Miami. Not many.

That's changed since the conference finals tipped off.

So far, the Phoenix Suns have been able to keep pace with the Los Angeles Lakers, despite the brilliance of Kobe Bryant, who is averaging 33.8 points on 56 percent shooting, along with 9.8 assists and 6.5 rebounds. Phoenix has even opted to employ a 2-3 zone, which has garnered a lot of attention, even though defense, not that zone, has been L.A.'s biggest problem.

After falling behind the Boston Celtics, 3-0, in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Orlando Magic have battled back and forced a game six.

That game could have a decidedly different look to it, as Boston could be without three key players: Glen Davis, who suffered a concussion in game five after taking a Randy Savage-like elbow to the head from Magic big man Dwight Howard; Rasheed Wallace, who may have sustained an "old man injury" when he strained his back last night. Starting center Kendrick Perkins almost missed game six due to suspension after receiving his sixth and seventh technical fouls of the postseason, but the league earlier today rescinded one of the two techs Perkins received last night.

If Boston is without Wallace and Davis, that's two of the three players Boston uses off its been it would be without. That would mean Kevin Garnett and Perkins would need to log big minutes and stay out of foul trouble to contend with Howard.

Within a week, what looked to be one of the more boring NBA postseasons in a while (2003 and 2007 come to mind) may end with three of the best series in ages. I still think we're looking at a Lakers/Celtics final, with both squads getting there after finishing off six-game series.

That would signal the 12th time L.A. and Boston have squared off in the championship round, with the Celtics holding a 9-2 series advantage and a 40-27 record overall in those games.

Everyone with an outlet to talk about it says LeBron James will start the 2010-11 season with one of three teams:

-Cleveland (because it can offer him $30 million more than any other team)
-Chicago (because many people believe the Bulls, with point guard Derrick Rose and big man Joakim Noah, would be title contenders if they got James)
-And New York (because it's supposedly the "Mecca of Basketball, even though the squad that calls New York home hasn't reached .500 in nine years ... or won a title in 38)

Those three teams, along with the L.A. Clippers, Miami, Minnesota, New Jersey and Oklahoma City will have the most cap space this off season, meaning they can offer LeBron - and guys like Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Amar'e Stoudemire - maximum contracts, which would net each player about $20 million/year for 6-7 years.

Once teams start discussing sign-and-trade options, everybody becomes a player in the "Summer of LeBron." His best option, though, may be one no one has mentioned yet.

James should sign on to player with the Los Angeles Lakers for the rest of his career. It makes sense for so many different reasons.

The Lakers are my favorite team
Ok. Now that that's out of the way ...

Contract not a big deal
The contract aspect can be summed up fairly quickly: great athletes, namely NBA players, make the majority of their cash from endorsement deals. If a player is marketable, like LeBron is, since he had a $90 million deal with Nike before he played a game in the NBA, he can make 3-5 times his salary in endorsements EACH YEAR.

For the first 10 years of his career, Michael Jordan, the greatest pitchman in the history of the world, averaged about $3 million a year in salary from the Chicago Bulls. In 1992, Jordan made nearly 11 times that in endorsements. That was nearly 20 years ago. Think how much money LeBron could rake in playing for the Lakers now. The possibilities are endless: spots with Magic, spots with him playing pick up games on Venice Beach ... more puppet commercials with Kobe. Being in L.A. could also aid in LeBron's quest to become a "Global Icon."

So what if the Lakers have more than $80 million in contracts locked in for each the next two seasons. LAL is one of the few teams in the league not afraid to pay the luxury tax. And owner Jerry Buss is worth about $3.2 billion, which may have something to do with that.

Let's say L.A. signs James for the midlevel exception this summer, which will be about $6 million. His total earnings for the year would still top $40 million, if you go according to what James made in endorsements in 2008 ($35 million).

He wants to win titles, right?
Here's what LeBron will have around him if he goes to ...
New York: Eddy Curry, Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Toney Douglas, maybe David Lee and/or maybe Chris Bosh
Chicago: Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, James Johnson, Taj Gibson, Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich (assuming the last two aren't used as trade bait to bring in a bigger name)
Cleveland: the same sad squad he played on this year ... with the same absent-minded coach
L.A. Clippers: Baron Davis, Eric Gordon, Blake Griffin, Chris Kaman and a lottery pick from next month's draft (Actually, that doesn't look like that bad an option until you remember it's the Clippers. LeBron would probably tear both ACLs and his Achilles at his introductory presser).
L.A. Lakers: Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Ron Artest (as a sixth man!!), Lamar Odom and Phil Jackson

That should say it all right there. Plenty of players have waited until they were on the downside of their career to latch onto a team in the title chase (Karl Malone, Gary Payton, Alonzo Mourning, Bob McAdoo). Why not play the next decade for a perennial title contender? James would have a good start to that decade, too, as he'd most likely play the first 3-4 years with one of the seven best players of all time (Bryant) and the best coach of all time (Jackson). What's the downside to that?

I understand this happening is as likely as me paying good money to go see "Sex and the City 2," but I can dream, can't I?

For two years, writers, talking heads and radio hosts have crowned LeBron James as the best player in the NBA.

Yes, James is the most physically gifted player in the league and he deserves his two regular season MVP awards; but the best, most complete player still calls Staples Center home. And last night's 40-point outburst from Kobe Bryant was his way of saying, "Who's the real king?"

With questions abound regarding his nagging injuries, everything was working for Kobe last night in the Lakers' 128-107 drubbing of Phoenix in game one of the Western Conference Finals. The mid range game, buzzer beaters at the end of quarters while falling out of bounds, breakaway dunks and the three-ball; everything was on point for Bryant. It was almost like he took his bag of tricks and dumped it all over the Suns. Kobe looked like he was on a mission last night: Forty points in 35 minutes on 56 percent from the floor, including a career-playoff best 21 points in the third quarter. The 40-pointer was Kobe's 11th such game in the playoffs. Only five players in history have more 40-point playoff games.

Last night marked Bryant's 6th straight 30-point game this postseason. That's the most since an in-his-prime Shaquille O'Neal had seven in 2003. Phoenix had - and has - no answer for No. 24. Sure, Jason Richardson and Grant Hill have the size to contend with Kobe, but his skillset, and frame of mind at this time of year, make Bryant virtually unstoppable.

Kobe's body language last night was phenomenal, as well. He had a swagger I hadn't seen since the Finals last season - when Kobe won his fourth ring. If I had to bet my life on it, I'd say Bryant is on his way to his fifth championship. His numbers, and intensity, have gone up with each playoff series. After scoring only 23.5 points/game on 40 percent in the first round against Oklahoma City (where he was hounded by young, long, athletic defenders), Bryant has averaged 33.6 points on 53 percent shooting to go along with 4 boards and almost 6 assists/game.

I told a friend a few weeks ago that Oklahoma City series may wind up being the toughest for L.A. this postseason - similar to the Lakers seven-game second-round series with Houston last spring.

The playoffs are all about match ups. And as far as guarding Kobe goes, the Thunder had the most pieces to slow him down. OKC also had the size to contend with Laker bigs Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom. Since that first-round series, Laker post players have put in 41.4 points and 32 boards a night. Those numbers are slightly higher than the 37 and 28, respectively they chipped in with in the first round. Utah wasn't able to slow L.A. down, as the Jazz went down, 4-0. Phoenix doesn't have the look of a squad that can deter the Lakers' run, either.

If the Lakers can keep this up, they could cruise to the franchise's 16th title. A fifth championship could also secure Kobe's place as one of the seven greatest players of all time.

It would also put Kobe up, 2-0, in an award category I'm sure James would be envious of: NBA Finals MVP awards.

LeBron James is easily one of the most psychically gifted players in the history of the NBA.

Because he's won the last two MVP awards, James has been christened as the best player alive. His last two playoff performances have made me question that.

Sure, James had a triple double on the night his Cleveland Cavs were bounced from the playoffs by the Boston Celtics - for the second time in three seasons - but he shot less than 40 percent from the field and committed nine turnovers. At no point in last night's 94-85 loss did James take that game over.

Many people recognize the great things James does. I'm one of them; but you never hear - at least I don't - about aspects of his game he needs to improve.

If you look at LeBron's offensive game, how much has it evolved in his seven years in the league? Where's the post up game? The mid-range game? He should have a baby hook or some sort of "big man" move, too. Sure, LeBron gives you five "WOW" moments every night, but nobody really takes into the account the number of times he makes you scratch your head.

I know he's only 25, but James is going into his 8th season and he hasn't developed any of those things on offense. I understand it took Michael Jordan a while to perfect that post up game, but this is different because LeBron has Jordan, and Kobe Bryant, to use to study moves on offense and it doesn't look like he does it.

Every time down the court, James is 2-3 inches taller and 40-60 pounds heavier than just about everybody who guards him. When he catches a post entry pass, LeBron knows a double team is coming - from the baseline or from the middle of the lane. I see him find the open man from that double a lot. But rarely do I see him turn away from that double and look to hit a fade-away or make a move toward the cup.

LeBron still has to dribble to get his buckets, too. While me may be more efficient offensively than Bryant, Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant, those three don't really need to put the ball on the floor to score. They can catch and fire, or catch and get the rip through move to work out of the triple threat position, draw a foul and get to the line. James, too, still relies on bowling his way to the rim and getting hacked to get to the line. As he ages, taking all that punishment could take a serious toll on his body.

Back to LeBron's size. How he hasn't developed some sort of big man move, at 6'9," 270 pounds, is mind boggling. Scottie Pippen, as his offensive game evolved, developed this little baby hook from 8 feet in that was money. He'd catch the pass in the lane, take a couple dribbles and go up with it and it seemed like it always went in. Like I said, LeBron is 2-3 inches taller and a small child heavier than damn near every guy who tries to guard him, so why is this not a part of his game?

For one of the 8-10 most psychically imposing players in the history of the game to not have any of these things in his arsenal is baffling to me. And until he develops them, the talk that LeBron is the best player in the league has to cease.

LeBron James last night picked a helluva time to have the worst game of his career.

He's had worse games, stat wise; but, overall, it looked like James didn't even wanna be on the court last night as he and his Cavs got dumptrucked by Boston, 120-88. The loss was the worst home loss in Cleveland playoff history. It was also very likely James' last home game as a Cav unless major changes are made in Cleveland this summer, as Boston now takes a 3-2 series lead back to Boston tomorrow night (This series is over, by the way. No way Boston, with all those playoff-tested vets, lets that series get back to Cleveland).

Scoring wise, James was awful. He made just 3 of 14 shots - most of which were jumpers that fell short. His first made bucket came halfway through the third quarter. James did get to the line 12 times - 10 in the first half. But at no point during last night's game did LeBron look like he wanted to take over and put his team on his back and try to lead them to a crucial win.

There's a reason for that. LeBron finally looked at that roster and all the guys who can't play and "Pulled A Kobe."

In game 7 of the 2006 first round against the Phoenix Suns, Kobe Bryant essentially played passive for the entire second half of a game the Lakers lost by 31. He scored 23 on 8 of 13 in the first half and took just three shots in the second. Bryant was doing the same thing James did last night: he looked at that Lakers roster - the team started Smush Parker and Kwame Brown for much of the 2005-06 season. It's a wonder they even made the playoffs as a second seed - and said, "OK, I'm gonna have off nights. I need to know there's guys on this team who can pick up the slack." No one did that. Not that game or the next season, when L.A. lost to Phoenix in the first round again.

A year and a half later, L.A. acquired Pau Gasol and has reached the Finals the last two seasons, winning the championship last year.

For the next day and a half, people will kill LeBron for what he did last night. If he stays in Cleveland and gets some help, and the Cavs go on to win three of the next five NBA titles, no one will remember what happened last night. Just like few people remember Kobe taking a half off against the Suns. But there's no guarantee James stays in Cleveland now.

If Cavs brass has been paying attention - to LeBron's no-show last night, to Mo Williams disappearing act in the playoffs for the second straight year, to Antawn Jamison having next to no impact on this series, to Mike Brown's inability to make in-game adjustments or work a rotation - a major overhaul will take place in Cleveland this summer, or LeBron will leave; and the Cavs will fold in five years.

I don't think anyone in Cleveland wants to be Witness to that.

I have a bet with a friend on the Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers series. I bet him a 12-pack (of Dr. Pepper, of course!!) that Boston will knock Cleveland out of the playoffs. My friend thinks I've been hanging out with Whitney Houston.

One of the main reasons I think the Celtics, who I hate being a Lakers fan, will beat the Cavs in this east semi is Cleveland coach Mike Brown.

Brown became head coach of the Cavs in June 2005 after spending two seasons as the associate head coach of the Indiana Pacers and three seasons as an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs. For the past five years, he's had the pleasure of coaching one of the 15 most physically gifted players in NBA history in LeBron James. Brown has had success, leading the Cavs to the playoffs in each of his five seasons, including taking Cleveland to the NBA Finals in 2007 where it was swept by San Antonio in four games.

Brown is most known as a defensive-minded head coach.

He should be known as the absent-minded head coach.

Mike Brown is deserving of his position (he averages 54 wins a season), but there's no way the Cavs will win a title this season - or ever - with Brown at the helm. Too often, Brown has failed to do the things that make good coaches great and great teams champions. He doesn't make good in-game adjustments, doesn't utilize his timeouts correctly and he works a rotation as good as Craig did the first time Smokey passed him a J in "Friday."

Most championship coaches change up their rotation from the regular season to the playoffs. Coaches like Brown seem to believe the same things that work November-April work May-June, too.

Take second-year forward J.J. Hickson for example. Hickson started 73 games for the Cavs during the regular season, played about 21 minutes a night and chipped in with 8.5 points and 4.9 boards a game. Since the playoffs started, it's almost like Brown caught Hickson flirting with his wife because J.J. has barely sniffed the floor. Hickson's minutes have dwindled down to 8.9/game; and he's averaging a ROBUST 13 minutes a game in the east semis.

And has there been an APB put out for Zydrunas Ilguaskas yet? Ilguaskas was dealt to Washington in a mid-season trade that got Cleveland Antawn Jamison. He sat out a month before returning to the Cavs. Although he has bad feet, Z (I'm not trying to spell his last name again), at 7'3," can stretch the floor and runs a pick & pop superbly. For the playoffs, Z averages less than 8 minutes/game and hasn't played since game one of the Boston series.

Cleveland's best unit consists of Mo Williams, James, Jamison, Hickson and Anderson Varejao. The group plays together - but sparingly. It took Brown more than six playoff games to figure this out. When he did, that group was the main catalyst in a 124-95 drubbing of Boston Friday night - that and James 21-point first quarter. One Sunday, when the Cavs scored 37 less points than on Friday night, that unit together on the court - but sparingly.

Brown seems like a nice enough guy, but if I'm Cleveland brass and I wanna keep James, who come July 1, will be the most sought-after free agent in league history, I'm getting a new coach. The James/Brown situation seems similar to what Michael Jordan did following the 1988-89 season in essentially telling Bulls higher ups to oust then-Bulls coach Doug Collins.

Jordan's next coach? Phil Jackson, who the G.O.A.T. won titles with his last six full seasons in Chicago.

The Cavs still have a shot to win this series and the title, but I have my doubts about that (not enough guy's who come up in big spots before, misuse of Antawn Jamison, Mo Williams' playoff inconsistency).

If I'm right, and Boston does go on to bounce Cleveland from the playoffs, I'm splitting that 12-pack with Brown. He'll have earned it.

LeBron James Monday night will receive his second straight NBA MVP Award. He will become a part of a select group of 10 that includes names like Jordan, Russell, Abdul-Jabbar, Bird and Johnson. Steve Nash is on the list, too, but that's another discussion for another day. You know how when you go out and you see a group of 10 beautiful women and one "less than desirable" one? Guess where Steve Nash fits in?

That list also includes a combined 18 NBA Finals MVPs. Nash doesn't have one of those. Neither will LeBron, after this season, at least, because the Celtics are going to knock LeBron's Cavs out of the playoffs for the second time in three postseasons.

LeBron is easily the best player in the league. And he'll easily be the best player in this series, which tips off tomorrow night. But the team with the best player doesn't always win in the NBA. It happens frequently, but not 100 percent of the time. Ask the '04 Lakers or the '88 Bulls or any of several teams Wilt Chamberlain played on if that's true.

No. 1 is vital, but 2-8 is what wins championships. After LeBron, Boston has the next three best players (Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen) in the series. Each of those three is playoff tested. Is Antawn Jamison, who Cleveland acquired prior to the Trade deadline in February and who, until this week, never advanced past the first round? What about Mo Williams, who shot 40 percent from the field in the 2009 playoffs? What's a 37-year-old Shaq gonna give Cleveland game to game?

Another factor that plays into Boston's hands is rest. The Celtics haven't played since Tuesday. That's four days rest for the oldest team in the playoffs. Game one in Cleveland is a game Boston can - and will - steal. I can't give them game two, since James will receive his MVP Award Monday night prior to tip off. Game three isn't until Friday, giving the aging, prideful Celtics three more days of rest. That will be key for a team that has five guys in its regular rotation who's average age is 34.2.

Pierce, at 32, is the youngest of those five. He is also the player who will guard James and vice versa. That will wear on LeBron, since he barely broke a sweat on D against Chicago in the first round. Yes, I fully expect LeBron to outplay Pierce this series, but James will work for everything he gets. Pierce will also challenge James to play a high level of defense, too.

I have a feeling James will be out on an island this series, receiving little help from his teammates. A number of players on the Celtics have come through in big spots over the course of their careers - even Rasheed Wallace, who, from the look of his bustline, could have been in that Lane Bryant ad that was recently outlawed. Cleveland doesn't have that luxury, which could allow Boston to key its defense on LeBron, which has worked for the Celtics against "one-man shows" in the past - Dwyane Wade in the first round, Kobe Bryant in the 2008 Finals.

Neither of those guys, at the time, played with players who were ready for prime time. Unfortunately for LeBron, neither does he.

Celtics in 6.

One of my all-time favorite video games is NBA Jam.

At Christmas '93, AB (my mom) got me a Sega Game Gear and a few games. The one I played the most was NBA Jam.

Like most kids, I got sick of it after about five or six days and moved on to something new. I thought about it every once in a while, but I was over the game. That was until a few months ago when I heard EA Sports will release a new version of the game for the Nintendo Wii later this year that I will be sure to check out.

Around that same time, a buddy of mine must've gotten the itch for some 16-bit action. The night of the NBA All-Star Saturday events, my roommate and I went to this friend's house to watch the Dunk Contest. It was a regular night for us: some libations, surfing the Web looking for "talent" (My All-Time Top 5: Halle Berry, Marilyn Monroe, Pam Grier, Jessica Alba and Kim Kardashian), and lots of **** talking.

That spilled over when my roommate (Skeegs) challenged our friend Brian to a game of...yep, NBA Jam. Brian pulled his Sega Genesis out, which was kind of like seeing somebody walking up the street today with a Zach Morris cell phone. I played a couple times and got ran. Skeegs was able to hold is own, even though Brian had probably practiced all afternoon (He says he didn't. I know better). Those two "battled" that night and played six or seven games until about 2 a.m.

A couple weeks ago, Skeegs and I went over to Brian's to watch some games with him and his wife - another friend of ours. Around 11 o'clock, Brian pulled the Genesis out (seriously, who still has a Sega Genesis?) and he and Skeegs went at it again. These two have developed a full-fledged rivalry that is comparable to the Spartans and Persians. The games are more intense than Heat/Knicks games from the mid- to late-90s. Skeegs would lose and wanna run it back. Brian would lose, blame it on the controller he used and make Skeegs switch with him. Things got so heated that, at one point, Brian tried to cut Skeegs' thumbs off with a steak knife. Well, not really, but you get the point, right?

Who knew something that today seems so primitive could provide so much fun (and provide the base of an interesting drinking game - with Capri Sun, of course)?

Hopefully the new version of NBA Jam is as fun as the original.

Denver Nuggets head coach George Karl has missed a number of his squad's games since March 16 after being diagnosed with treatable neck and throat cancer.

Prior to Karl leaving the bench, Denver had been one of the hottest teams in the NBA, winning 11 or 14 games coming out of the All-Star break. Following Karl's diagnosis, the Nuggets finished the regular season 7-7, losing out on a shot at a high playoff seed and settling for fourth in the tough Western Conference.

Now Denver is on the brink of elimination after falling behind, 3 games to 1, in a best-of-seven first round series with a Utah Jazz squad that's missing two starters (Andrei Kirilenko and Mehmet Okur). Outside of Carmelo Anthony (41 minutes, 34.5 points, 7 boards, 52 percent from the field, 46 percent from three, 94 percent from the line for the series), no one on the Nuggets roster has played with much fire.

Some of that can be attributed to Karl's absence (And the absolute joke of a coaching job Adrian Dantley has done. I have a better shot at becoming Grand Wizard of the Klan than he does at being offered a full-time coaching job.). But not all the blame can be placed on Dantley's shoulders, since anyone with any knowledge of the NBA will tell you it's a "player's league" and that coaches are kept around mostly to manage egos.

If that is the case, some of the blame for Denver's lack of urgency has to go to former NBA Finals MVP Chauncey Billups. Last season, Billups' first in his hometown, saw the Denver product lead the Nuggets to within two wins of the NBA Finals. This season, Denver had been talked about as a legitimate championship contender up until running into Utah's Deron Williams in the playoffs. Williams has torched the Nuggets this series to the tune of 26.8 points and 12 assists/game. Williams is also shooting 50 percent from the field and in three pointers.

Billups' numbers have been steady, as usual, for the series. The former Piston has netted 17.8 points and 6.5 assists/game, while shooting 45 percent from the field. But his impact should be felt in more than just the box score. His wealth of big-game experience and knowledge of the game should resonate on the court, in the locker room and in the huddle. Not once this series have I seen him get in a guy's face or attempt to take a more vocal approach during a time-out or a stoppage of play. At 33, Billups should be a coach on the floor. He is, for the most part, but coaching your guys up is more than telling them what spot to go to in a halfcourt set.

I don't see Denver climbing out of its 3-1 hole, but if that is to happen, Billups has to be more of a vocal leader.

I love the Lakers. So much so that I stay up until the wee hours of the morning to watch them play anybody - even the Clippers.

I always think they can win the title, no matter who's hurt, or who's playing like their fourth mistress is ready to spill the beans to TMZ.

I've seen a lot of Lakers games this season. I've also taken in my fair share of Oklahoma City Thunder games in 2009-10, and it's no surprise, to me, at least, that the first round series between the two teams has been so tight the first two games.

Even though the Lakers are up, 2-0, you get the feeling this series could swing at any time.

Here are some reasons I think this series still has a long way to go before being decided.

-L.A. refuses to run its offense through Pau Gasol
The Lakers win 8 of 10 games Gasol is in the lineup because he's such a versatile, skilled big man. But he's only averaging 14 shots a game through the first two. That number should be at around 18-20 if the Lakers want to win this series and a title. No team in the league has a player who can match up with Gasol.

-Russell Westbrook
The second-year converted point guard will continue to eat 35-year-old Derek Fisher alive until Lakers coach Phil Jackson decides to put someone else on him. This has been going on the last couple seasons. Fisher can't stay in front of young, fast guards. I'd hate to see what happens to him should Utah beat Denver and meet up with the Lakers in the first round.

-The Thunder defense is severely underrated
They don't have names that jump out at you on defense like Dwight Howard, Josh Smith or Gerald Wallace, but Oklahoma City's defense this season has stayed ranked in the top 10 in every major category. The Thunder has held the Lakers more than 10 points under their season average so far this series at 91/game. That number is seven less that what Oklahoma City gave up during the regular season.

-The Lakers bench has been bad
Lamar Odom going back to his sixth man role should boost L.A.'s bench, which has been about as productive as a quadriplegic on "Dancing With the Stars." But OKC hasn't been able to take advantage of this...yet.

A lot of odd things happened this weekend with the start of the NBA Playoffs

-Derrick Rose and Brandon Jennings may both have heads full of gray hair at the end of their series against the Cavs and Hawks, respectively. Rose HAD to take 27 shots Saturday, which is 10 more than he averaged per game all season, in order for the Bulls to have a shot at winning. Jennings had the fourth-best playoff debut for a rookie with 34 points and had no one step up to help him out. With the make up of both Chicago's and Milwaukee's rosters, both guys are like the smart kid in school who gets put in a group with all the slackers for "group" projects.

-Coaches are idiots. Both Scott Skiles (Milwaukee) and Mike Brown (Cleveland) decided it was fine to stick to the patterns they utilized in the regular season. Skiles sat Jennings the first five minutes of the fourth quarter Saturday in Atlanta when Milwaukee was down 11 and no one else could hit a shot. Brown did the same with LeBron James, allowing the Bulls to gain ground on the Cavs before falling short. Had Brown left James in, he could have finished off Chicago and probably sat out the LAST five minutes of the game.

-Derek Fisher is the worst starting player on any playoff team. I love the Lakers, but Fisher needs to be put out to pasture. Russell Westbrook abused Fisher several times yesterday. It got so bad that at one point, I thought to myself, "Mitch Kupchak needs to read "Old Yeller" for tips on what to do with Fisher."

-Jerry Sloan is cursed. In a year where many picked Utah to get to the Western Conference Finals, he loses Andrei Kirilenko prior to the playoffs for two weeks, then Mehmet Okur tears his Achilles and is expected to miss the rest of the playoffs.

-I'd like Charlotte's chances of upsetting Orlando if one of the Bobcats' bigs (Tyson Chandler, Nazr Mohammed, Theo Ratliff) had at least one go-to move on offense. The way they defended Dwight Howard yesterday should scare Magic fans.

-If Dwight Howard had Al Horford's jumper from 12-15 feet, he'd average 30 a game and win 8 MVPs.

-Dirk Nowitzki looks like he's on a mission, going 12-14 FROM THE FIELD, on his way to 36 in a game one win over San Antonio.

-Playing a team in Portland without its best player, I expected the Suns to make short work of the Blazers. But Portland is a team that plays hard every night and doesn't feel sorry for itself. Portland's win in Phoenix last night ended a streak of 18 losses on the road to open playoff series that dates back to 1983.

-If Ron Artest plays D the next two months like he did on Kevin Durant yesterday, banner 16 will be hung from the rafters of Staples Center sometime next fall.

The Magic have been one of the most consistent teams in the NBA, while the Lakers started hot, finished cold and battled injuries to key players all season long.

But I think L.A. has enough talent to run through the West, while Orlando should navigate its way back to the Finals.

When the teams match up again, marking just the second NBA Finals rematch since 1998, I expect the Lakers to claim title 16, which would give Kobe Bryant 5 rings and allow him to stake his claim as one of the seven best players in the history of the NBA.

2010 NBA Playoff Predictions

First round

East
Cleveland over Chicago in 5
Orlando over Charlotte in 4
Atlanta over Milwaukee in 4
Boston over Miami in 6

West
LAL over OKC in 5
Dallas over SAS in 6
Phoenix over Portland in 4
Denver over Utah in 7

Second Round

East
Cleveland over Boston in 6
Orlando over Atlanta in 5

West
LAL over Denver in 6
Dallas over Phoenix in 6

Conf. Finals

East
Orlando over Cleveland in 6

West
LAL over Dallas in 7

NBA Finals
LAL over Orlando in 7