Predicting the All-Star Reserves

With the All-Star reserves being named tonight I figured I'd give you my list of the players that should be selected. The East was difficult to decide with so many good big men and emerging point guards like Kemba Walker. Take a look at my selections and see if you agree with them.

 

East

Starters

Kyle Lowry (G - Raptors)
Dwayne Wade (G - Heat)
LeBron James (F - Cavaliers)
Carmelo Anthony (F - Knicks)
Paul George (F - Pacers)

Reserves

Jimmy Butler (G/F - Bulls) Butler is having a career year. Butler is ascending to the top of the player rankings and has clearly cemented himself as the leader of the Bulls. After starting his career as a defensive specialist, Butler has become one of the better offensive players in the league. He is in the discussion for 2^nd best shooting guard in the NBA, behind James Harden.

DeMar DeRozan (G - Raptors) DeRozan is another 2 guard having a career year. Contract years often motivate players to step up their game, but DeRozan looks like he is focused on doing whatever it takes to help the Raptors win games.

John Wall (G - Wizards) Wall is the only thing keeping the Wizards alive. He is single handedly willing the Wizards to a close to .500 record. Wall is a double-double machine, averaging 19.6 points and 9.7 assists per game.

Isaiah Thomas (G - Celtics) Thomas is the best scorer for a good young Boston team. He is averaging a career high in points and assists. Thomas has embraced his role as the team’s main point guard but he also has the ability to play off the ball. He is one of the most fun players in the league to watch and a menace in the pick and roll.

Pau Gasol (F/C - Bulls) The All-Star game seems like home for Pau Gasol. He has been one of the most consistent players over the past 10 years and that has continued this year. Gasol is averaging 16 points and 10.9 rebounds to go along with 2.1 blocks.

Chris Bosh (F - Heat) It is great to see Bosh bounce back after last season’s medical issues. We didn’t know if he was ever going to be able to play again, so seeing him back at an All-Star level is incredible. Bosh is averaging 19.2 PPG.

Andre Drummond (C - Pistons) Rebounding machine. Possibly the best rebounder we’ve seen since Ben Wallace. Averaging 17.3 PPG and 15.2 RPG is no joke.

West

Starters

Stephen Curry (G - Warriors)
Kobe Bryant (G - Lakers)
Russell Westbrook (G - Thunder)
Kevin Durant (F - Thunder)
Kawhi Leonard (F - Spurs)

Reserves

Chris Paul (G - Clippers) The true leader of the Clippers and one of the best at it in the league. CP3 has willed the Clippers to a great record in the absence of Blake Griffin.

Damian Lillard (G - Trailblazers) Keeping the Blazers in it after losing four starters to free agency. Lillard is 6^th in the league in scoring, averaging 24.6 points and 6.9 assists per game.

James Harden (G - Rockets) Harden is an obvious choice. He is 2^nd in the league in scoring and without him that team would have completely collapsed. Say what you want about his defense but dude gets buckets.

Klay Thompson (G - Warriors) Thompson might be the 2^nd best pure shooter on the planet beside the best shooter in Curry. Thompson can light any team up with a 20 point quarter with the drop of a hat and is top 15 in scoring this year.

Draymond Green (F - Warriors) Green is the X-factor for the best team in the league. His all-around numbers are insane and he is a triple-double machine. Green is averaging 14.5 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 7.2 assists this year, leading the Warriors in rebounds and assists.

Anthony Davis (F - Pelicans) A preseason MVP candidate, things haven’t gone as planned for Davis and the Pelicans. But he is still averaging 23 and 10 and the struggling Pelicans are only a few games back from the 8 seed in the West.

DeMarcus Cousins (C - Kings) Cousins burst on the scene this past week with a 48 point game followed up by a 56 point game. The dude has been on fire down the stretch and is 3^rd in the league in scoring at 27.3 ppg. Add in 11.3 rebounds per game and the fact that the Kings are in playoff position midway through the season and there’s no denying that Cousins is an All-Star.

Grayson Gold-Garvey, Follow on Twitter, @TheGraygo

NBA Power Rankings (Week 14)

This week's rankings had a lot of movement in the middle of the pack. This will likely continue due to the tightness of the Eastern Conference, where if you lose 3 games in a row, you could fall out of a playoff spot. The surging Rockets are also steadily making their way up the rankings and are now, after a 3-1 week, at the 12 spot (their highest ranking this season). The Suns continue to fall, as they have joined the race for Simmons, and the Magic can't seem to win a game and have dropped to the 12 seed in the East.

Among the top teams in the league, The Clippers dropped below the Raptors who have won 8 straight contests. The Clippers were able to put together a rather impressive record with Blake Griffin sidelined by injury, but his latest incident, allegedly punching a member of the equipment staff and breaking his hand, will more than likely keep Griffin on the bench for the next month. The Cavs have a new coach and are trying to push the tempo so we'll have to wait to see what happens there. My Guess is LeBron and Kyrie eat it up, with Love throwing Aaron Rodgers sized outlet passes.

The Match-up of the week was definitely the Spurs at the Warriors. However, Duncan didn't play, the Spurs committed a Sixers amount of turnovers, and the Warriors blew them out. If Curry doesn't play in the 4th quarter, you might need to re-evaluate your game plan. Even with the loss, the Spurs keep a strong hold on the 2 spot. The Grizzlies are also a team to keep an eye on. They've won 7 of 10 and are making their first appearance in the top ten this season.

1. Golden State Warriors  (41-4) [1]
2. San Antonio Spurs  (38-7) [2]
3. Oklahoma City Thunder  (33-13) [3]
4. Cleveland Cavaliers  (31-12) [4]
5. Toronto Raptors  (29-15) [6]
6. Los Angeles Clippers  (28-16) [5]
7. Atlanta Hawks  (27-19) [7]
8. Chicago Bulls  (25-19) [8]
9. Detroit Pistons  (24-21) [9]
10. Memphis Grizzlies  (26-20) [13]
11. Boston Celtics  (25-21) [14]
12. Houston Rockets  (25-22) [15]
13. Indiana Pacers  (23-21) [11]
14. Miami Heat  (24-21) [10]
15. Dallas Mavericks  (25-21) [12]
16. Washington Wizards  (20-22) [16]
17. New York Knicks  (22-24) [18]
18. Charlotte Hornets  (22-23) [19]
19. Sacramento Kings  (20-24) [22]
20. Portland Trailblazers  (20-26) [21]
21. Orlando Magic  (20-23) [17]
22. Utah Jazz  (19-25) [20]
23. Milwaukee Bucks  (19-27) [23]
24. New Orleans Pelicans  (16-28) [25]
25. Denver Nuggets  (17-28) [24]
26. Minnesota Timberwolves  (14-32) [26]
27. Brooklyn Nets  (12-33) [28]
28. Phoenix Suns  (14-31) [27]
29. Los Angeles Lakers  (9-37) [29] 
30. Philadelphia 76ers  (6-39) [30] 

Grayson Gold-Garvey, Follow on Twitter @TheGraygo

2016 Olympic Team

It’s almost time for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil and that means another chance for Coach K and his USA Men’s Basketball team to bring home another gold medal.  I’ll get this out of the way now, no team will be the Dream Team, but there have been some pretty amazing teams. The 2008 team that had all the young talent in the NBA that blossomed into the 2012 team that breezed through all other countries without breaking a sweat it seemed. There is something about watching the biggest collection of NBA superstars go out and just play basketball like they did when they were younger that warms the hearts of all American’s and makes us so proud. This years team will likely be no different, the only name that will be missing and the most glaring is Kobe Bryant. But that means another great NBA player will step in and make his name. Here is the list of 30 finalists for the Olympic team.

LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers), Carmelo Anthony (New York Knicks) (both three-time medalists), LaMarcus Aldridge (San Antonio Spurs), Harrison Barnes (Golden State Warriors), Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards), Jimmy Butler (Chicago Bulls), Mike Conley (Memphis Grizzlies), DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings), Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans), DeMar DeRozan (Toronto Raptors), Andre Drummond (Detroit Pistons), Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder), Kenneth Faried (Denver Nuggets), Rudy Gay (Sacramento Kings), Paul George (Indiana Pacers), Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors), Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers), James Harden (Houston Rockets), Gordon Hayward (Utah Jazz), Dwight Howard (Houston Rockets), Andre Iguodola (Golden State Warriors) , Kyrie Irving (Cleveland Cavaliers), Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio Spurs) , Kevin Love (Cleveland Cavaliers), Chris Paul (Los Angeles Clippers), DeAndre Jordan (Los Angeles Clippers), John Wall (Washington Wizards), Russell Westrbook (Oklahoma City Thunder)

That’s a lot of names to choose from and make a 12-man roster. I’d take any combination of 12 players from that list and really like my chances. I picked my own team that to stack up against the rest of the world, here’s what I came up with:

LeBron James, Forward: James is an obvious choice for the final 12-man roster. The best player in the world has won two gold medals and looks to capture his third in what could be his last Olympic Games.

Steph Curry, Guard: Arguably the second best player in the world and the best shooter on the planet will no doubt add firepower to the team. He might average 30.

Carmelo Anthony, Forward: Melo is the type who is going to be on the team because he’s been there and done that. Melo isn’t what he was but in international play you won’t find many better scorers.

Kevin Durant, Forward: Another guy who can claim the title as ‘best in the world’, Durant can drop 30 in the blink of eye like much like Curry.

Chris Paul, Guard: CP3 is probably the most competitive guy on this list and is a leader. You won’t find many on-ball defenders better than the 6-foot Paul.

Anthony Davis, Forward/Center: The next big thing in the NBA, literally, is Pelicans big man Anthony Davis. A post-up player who is now developing an outside shot to go along with his freakish handles for a 6’10” power forward is always good for a 25 and 10 game.

Andre Drummond, Center: The best rebounder in the league is someone not many people know of. Drummond is a walking double-double, just don’t put him on the free throw line.

Kawhi Leonard, Forward: The Spurs forward is a superstar in the making and might have the biggest hands in the NBA. One of the best defenders in the league as well is someone that will bring a lot of outgoing attitude to the team. That’s a lie. He’s a stud.

James Harden, Guard: You won’t see his name on the All-NBA Defensive Team but you will see him casually drop 40 points. His beard also drops 10.

Russell Westbrook, Guard: No one plays the game with more intensity than Russell Westbrook. Almost a walking triple-double, Westbrook might also be the fastest player in the NBA.

Paul George, Forward: Potentially the most underrated player in the NBA, George suffered a gruesome leg injury last year but is in line to play a major role for the 2016 team.

John Wall, Guard: I mentioned Westbrook being the fastest player in the league; John Wall might have something to say about that. He’s been coming into his own and is becoming one of the better guards in the league.

Stephen Springer, follow him on Twitter, @Stephen_Springs

Midseason Naismith Watch

College basketball is wide open this year. No one can hold onto the number one ranking and Oklahoma will most likely lose it after a close loss Monday at 19^th ranked Iowa State. With all the movement it is hard to know which teams are really good and which individual players will lead their team to success. Typically high ranking teams have a better chance of having the Naismith College Player of the Year. The past four winners of the Naismith Award won due to a combination of individual greatness and team success. Those players are Frank Kaminsky, Doug McDermott, Trey Burke, and Anthony Davis.

Here are some of the top candidates for the Naismith Award midway through the season.

Buddy Hield, Oklahoma (26.1 PTS, 5.6 REB, .514/.515/.904)
Hield is a pure scorer. He has a knack for putting the ball in the hoop and is one of the toughest players in the country to guard. Hield, a senior from the Bahamas, was last season’s Big 12 player of the year. He has increased his efficiency so much from last year, raising his scoring average by 9 points and increasing his field goal percentage from 41.2% to 51.4% and his three point percentage from 35.9% to 51.5%. Hield’s improvement on the offensive end is the main reason for Oklahoma’s 15-2 record this season. Hield ranks 2^nd in the nation in scoring.

Denzel Valentine, Michigan State (18.3 PTS, 7.6 REB, 6.6 AST, .454/.417/.818)
Valentine was the hottest player in the country at the start of the season. It seemed like he was posting a triple double every other game. But after missing four games and with his team struggling in the four games since his return (1-3) the hype has somewhat died down around Valentine. If Valentine is going to win the Naismith Award, the senior will need to regain his pre-procedure form and lead the Spartans to a good conference record and a high seed in the tournament. The 16-4 Spartans have a tough test this Saturday when they host Melo Trimble and the 7^th ranked Terrapins.

Ben Simmons, LSU (19.4 PTS, 12.8 REB, 5.1 AST, 55.3% FG, 73.6% FT)
Simmons is an all-around phenom and a monster rebounder. He still has a long way to go with his shot, but he is the best freshman in the country. Simmons is a long shot for this award, because LSU is a lower-tier tournament team, but he continues to put up great individual numbers and displays sharp instincts. Simmons’ all-around numbers will be enough to keep the future #1 pick in the player of the year discussion, but for him to have a legitimate chance the 11-7 Tigers need to improve their record.

Kris Dunn, Providence (17.2 PTS, 6.2 REB, 6.7 AST, 2.9 STL, .464/.368/.681)
Dunn is one of the most explosive and versatile point guards in the country. He is an efficient outside shooter and can make plays in the paint that few point guards can. What makes Dunn so special is his exceptional vision and decision making. Dunn seems to always know where his teammates are and does an excellent job getting them involved. His passing is crisp and his ability to get in the lane collapses defenses allowing his teammates to get open. If Dunn can lead the 16-3 Friars to a Big East championship he will have a great chance to be named player of the year. Providence visits 4^th ranked Villanova on Saturday.

Melo Trimble, Maryland (13.9 PTS, 5.7 AST, .467/.353/.878)
Trimble’s numbers aren’t going to blow you away, but if you’ve seen him play you understand why he is on this list. As a sophomore, Trimble is the unquestioned leader of a top-10 team. He’s the guy with the ball in his hands at the end of games, and he often comes through. The deep three buzzer-beater he drilled to defeat Wisconsin was one of the best plays of the year and if this was college football we would describe it with the overused fraise “Heisman moment.” Trimble can make a statement this weekend when his team faces off against Valentine and the struggling Spartans.

Honorable mention:
Khalil Felder, Oakland
Brice Johnson, North Carolina
Georges Niang, Iowa State
Perry Ellis, Kansas

Image by Elsa/Getty Images

Grayson Gold-Garvey, On Twitter @TheGraygo

NBA Power Rankings (Week 13)

After a tough week for the Warriors, including losses to Denver and Detroit, the Warriors bounced back by demolishing the Cavs on Monday. The 34 point home loss was one of the worst defeats in LeBron's career. It was a tough week for the Cavs who lost a closely contested game in San Antonio after putting together a strong first half. It wasn't all bad for the East leading Cavaliers, as they destroyed an inconsistent Rockets team in Houston on Friday. But after a 2-2 week the Cavs dropped to number 4 in the rankings, with the surging Thunder taking the 3 spot. The Thunder went 4-0 this week and have won 8 of 10. Right now the team to watch out for is the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs have won 11 straight games and are a league best 24-0 at home (Warriors 19-0). While most of the media has been covering Golden State, the Spurs are right where they want to be, two games back of the league leading Warriors.

1. Golden State Warriors  (38-4) [1]
2. San Antonio Spurs  (36-6) [2]
3. Oklahoma City Thunder  (30-12) [4]
4. Cleveland Cavaliers  (28-11) [3]
5. Los Angeles Clippers  (27-14) [5]
6. Toronto Raptors  (26-15) [6]
7. Atlanta Hawks  (25-17) [8]
8. Chicago Bulls  (24-16) [7]
9. Detroit Pistons  (22-19) [9]
10. Miami Heat  (23-18) [10]
11. Indiana Pacers  (22-19) [11]
12. Dallas Mavericks  (24-19) [12]
13. Memphis Grizzlies  (24-19) [15]
14. Boston Celtics  (22-20) [13]
15. Houston Rockets  (22-21) [16]
16. Washington Wizards  (19-21) [17]
17. Orlando Magic  (20-20) [14]
18. New York Knicks  (21-22) [18]
19. Charlotte Hornets  (19-22) [20]
20. Utah Jazz  (18-23) [19]
21. Portland Trailblazers  (19-25) [22]
22. Sacramento Kings  (17-23) [21]
23. Milwaukee Bucks  (18-25) [23]
24. Denver Nuggets  (16-25) [24]
25. New Orleans Pelicans  (13-27) [25]
26. Minnesota Timberwolves  (13-29) [26]
27. Phoenix Suns  (13-29) [27]
28. Brooklyn Nets  (11-31) [28]
29. Los Angeles Lakers  (9-34) [29]
30. Philadelphia 76ers  (5-38) [30]

Grayson Gold-Garvey, On Twitter @TheGraygo

NBA Power Rankings (Week 12)

1. Golden State Warriors (36-2) [1]
2. San Antonio Spurs (33-6) [2]
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (26-9) [3]
4. Oklahoma City Thunder (26-12) [4]
5. Los Angeles Clippers (25-13) [5]
6. Toronto Raptors (24-15) [9]
7. Chicago Bulls (22-14) [7]
8. Atlanta Hawks (23-15) [8]
9. Detroit Pistons (21-16) [10]
10. Miami Heat (22-16) [6]
11. Indiana Pacers (21-16) [11]
12. Dallas Mavericks (22-16) [12]
13. Boston Celtics (19-18) [12]
14. Orlando Magic (20-18) [14]
15. Memphis Grizzlies (21-18) [15]
16. Houston Rockets (19-19) [17]
17. Washington Wizards (17-19) [18]
18. New York Knicks (19-20) [19]
19. Utah Jazz (17-20) [21]
20. Charlotte Hornets (17-20) [16]
21. Sacramento Kings (15-22) [20]
22. Portland Trailblazers (16-24) [23]
23. Milwaukee Bucks (15-24) [22]
24. Denver Nuggets (14-24) [26]
25. New Orleans Pelicans (12-26) [24]
26. Minnesota Timberwolves (12-26) [25]
27. Phoenix Suns (13-26) [27]
28. Brooklyn Nets (10-28) [28]
29. Los Angeles Lakers (8-31) [29]
30. Philadelphia 76ers (4-36) [30]

Grayson Gold-Garvey, Twitter @TheGraygo

What If?

As sports fans we all like to think about hypotheticals, the “what if’s” are fun to think about because you can end up debating them for years. Today we’re going to look at some of the top what-if’s in the NBA since 2000.

1. Unless you’re an NBA junkie like you might not know that when Kobe Bryant was drafted the Charlotte originally took the 17-year old whose parents had to cosign the trade to send him to Los Angeles. We all know the rest of the story for Bryant, 5 NBA titles and 33,000 points later the mystery of that night in 1996 still haunts the Hornets who are now run by Michael Jordan. What if they wouldn’t have traded him? What if Kobe was in Charlotte? Would he still have had the career he’s had? For the sake of argument we’ll say no, if that’s the case then Kobe would be just an average player with maybe 25,000 points and no titles. Good call Jerry West, good call.
2. Speaking of the Lakers, in 2002 the Lakers who were led by Kobe and Shaq, won their third straight NBA title. In what might have b
   
   
   een the greatest Conference Final in NBA history, that streak nearly came to an end before a tipped ball landed in the hands of Bob Horry who nailed a three as time expired to give the Lakers the win and tied the series at two games a piece. The Lakers obviously would go on to win the series and the NBA Championship, but what if Horry doesn’t make that 3? The Kings dominated game 3 and stole momentum in the series heading into that game 4. Had the Kings won that game and headed back to Sacramento with a 3-2 series lead, you would have to think that they would have closed it out and the Lakers streak would’ve ended at two and perhaps the Kings would have started their own streak. That wouldn’t be the only time Big Shot Bob would be heard from.
3. We all saw The Decision where LeBron James announced he would take is talents to South Beach and join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. The Heat would go on to win two NBA titles in four seasons but what if LeBron didn’t go to Miami? What if he stayed in Cleveland? Would Dan Gilbert have listened to James and brought in another superstar to play along side him and brought Cleveland it’s first pro championship since 1964. Instead, LeBron goes to south Florida and brings the Heat two titles. The King is back in Cleveland but got derailed in year one by Golden State and Step Curry, year two is shaping up to be different with a healthy Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. We’ll see come June. LeBron could still be looking for his first NBA Championship. 
4. The Detroit Pistons held the second pick in the 2003 NBA Draft and took Darko Milicic from Serbia. The next three picks, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade. The success of those three players is well documented, but where is Darko? He played on six teams from 2003 until 2012 when he retired to focus on kickboxing. He did win an NBA title with the Pistons in 2004 but he wasn’t the reason they won. What if the Pistons had taken Melo, Bosh, or D Wade instead of Darko? Throw one of those guys in the mix with those great Pistons teams and they likely win more than one championship in the six times they got to the Eastern Conference Finals. As a Pistons fan at heart, I can tell you that pick really hurt and still does. Bad call Joe Dumars, bad call.

Stephen Springer, follow him on Twitter @Stephen_Springs

Kobe Bryant: A Farewell to Boston

My first trip to TD Garden is one that I will remember for the rest of my life. I believe that all 18,624 people in the crowd can say the same thing. With the exception of a few die-hard Celtics fans, we were all there for the same reason. To see Kobe play one last time, or in my case, to see him play for the first time. When I drove through Boston, the city looked the same as it had during my prior visits. It was a typical Wednesday with the snow banks melting from the first snow of the year which had occurred the night before. It was the day before New Year’s Eve, so there was a lot of activity around Little Italy, where I would be spending the night. I parked the car and walked to the hotel. I had the inclination to yell out, “Kobe’s in town” to everyone I passed, but I restrained myself.

About an hour before tip-off, I headed towards the arena. Here’s where I got my first glimpse of all the purple and yellow. There was a sea of people wearing #8 and #24 jerseys outside of the Garden. I walked across the street from the arena to a sports bar, the name of which I can’t remember. The bouncer informed me that they were at capacity and suggested I go down the street to a place called Sullivan’s Tap. I didn’t have to go in before realizing this place was a total dive bar. The place was basically one long bar that stretched the length of the establishment. When I got my Harpoon IPA in a plastic mug I was not at all surprised. The place was packed with Celtics fans and a few Lakers fans, or maybe they were just Kobe fans. It was difficult to tell who people were routing for that night.

After a few beers at Sullivan’s, the crowd started to migrate across the street to the Garden. Vendors were perched outside with the typical scalpers, trying to sell homemade “Kobe’s last game in Boston” shirts. It was a half hour before the tip-off, but everyone had the same idea. Get in your seats to watch Kobe warm up. I have never been so eager to get to my seat that early. I didn’t want to miss a minute. The place went crazy when the monitor flashed over to Kobe. He beamed a smile back at the crowd. When Celtics announcer Eddie Palladino introduced the visiting team’s lineup, he did the typical monotone introduction for the first four players in the Lakers lineup, leaving Kobe Bryant for last. The crowd began to cheer before Palladino announced his name. Everyone in the stadium was on their feet as he bellowed Kobe’s name over the speakers. The entire crowd seemed to cheer for Kobe as he waved thank you to Boston.

Then the game started and I was reminded that we were still in Boston. The first time Kobe touched the ball he was showered with boos. Something he has without a doubt come to embrace during his 20 NBA seasons. Kobe has been the villain for as long as I can remember and no one plays it as well as he does. Kobe got off to a horrendous 0-8 start. He seemed to be pressing and it was obvious that he just no longer has much lift to his shot. But every eye in the arena was still glued to him. “Keep shooting Kobe” and “Give Kobe the freaking ball” were common fraises in the upper deck. Some fans had payed upwards of $200 to sit in the nose bleeds all to watch Kobe. They didn’t care how many shots he took, they just wanted to see a few go in. After being held scoreless in the first quarter, Kobe hit back to back inside shots with just under 4 minutes remaining in the half. The crowd went nuts. “He’s on fire!” was screamed out in a Boston accent by the guy sitting behind me. He was an unashamed Lakers fan wearing a Kobe #8 jersey. A guy who had lived in Boston his entire life, but loved the Lakers ever since watching Magic Johnson as a kid. A guy routing for the Lakers, but first and foremost routing for Kobe Bryant. “Clarkson you bum, give him the damn ball, you have 3 freaking wins.”

This was by far the strangest game I have ever been to. This is coming from a State College native that went to the first Penn State game without Joe Pa. An overtime, blizzard loss to Nebraska that I will never forget. But that was a somber occasion, unlike that night in Boston, which was joyous. When Kobe scored the place exploded. It wasn’t just Lakers fans cheering for Kobe, it was almost everyone there. To have Boston fans cheering for a player from the other team in the middle of a game is unheard of. The most similar situation I can think of is when the Cavs would travel to Madison Square Garden during LeBron’s first stint in Cleveland. With the desperate Knicks fans cheering “M-V-P” in hopes that LBJ would soon join them in the big apple.

The scene in Boston was outrageous and it hit the climax with 1:39 left in the 4^th quarter. With the Lakers leading 104-102 Kobe hit the most important shot of the night, a 28-foot three pointer to put L.A. up by 5. Everyone got on their feet and Brad Stevens immediately called a time-out from the Celtics bench. This is when the Kobe Bryant chants started. Some die-hard Boston fans tried to drown them out with boos, but the support for Kobe was overwhelming. After the game ended, Kobe stayed on the court longer than any Celtics player. He waved his goodbyes to the crowd and was showered in one final “Kobe” chant. As I walked out of the stadium, I was elated to have gotten the chance to see one of the greatest players in the history of the game that I have grown to love play his final game in the city that has grown to hate him. But on that night, respect overcame hate and with mixed emotions, Boston gave him the farewell that a figure of his stature deserves.

Grayson Gold-Garvey, Follow on Twitter @TheGraygo

NBA Power Rankings (Week 11)

Not much has changed this week. The Warriors are still on top and the Spurs are still getting slept on. San Antonio sits only 3 games back from the defending champs and we are all looking forward to the January 25th match-up between the two best teams in the league. In the East, it hasn't taken much adjusting for Kyrie to jump right back into the starting lineup. This team is as legit as we thought they were and Love is back to playing at an All-Star level. The East still looks better than the West and certainly has less bottom feeders. After losing Eric Bledsoe for the season, the Suns have officially joined the quest for Simmons. It's only a matter of time before Markieff Morris is with another team and he probably won't be the only Sun finishing the season in a different city. All of a sudden, the Pelicans are looking like they could be buyers. New Orleans is 11 games below .500, but are positioned only 4 games back of the injured Jazz. With Anthony Davis and quality veteran guards, don't count the Pelicans out of the playoff picture.

1. Golden State Warriors (32-2) [1]
2. San Antonio Spurs (30-6) [2]
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (23-9) [3]
4. Oklahoma City Thunder (24-11) [4]
5. Los Angeles Clippers (22-13) [5]
6. Miami Heat (21-13) [6]
7. Chicago Bulls (20-12) [11]
8. Atlanta Hawks (21-14) [7]
9. Toronto Raptors (21-15) [9]
10. Detroit Pistons (19-16) [12]
11. Indiana Pacers (19-15) [8]
12. Boston Celtics (19-15) [10]
13. Dallas Mavericks (19-15) [15]
14. Orlando Magic (19-16) [14]
15. Memphis Grizzlies (19-17) [16]
16. Charlotte Hornets (17-17) [13]
17. Houston Rockets (17-19) [17]
18. Washington Wizards (15-17) [18]
19. New York Knicks (16-19) [19]
20. Sacramento Kings (14-20) [22]
21. Utah Jazz (15-18) [20]
22. Milwaukee Bucks (14-22) [21]
23. Portland Trailblazers (15-22) [25]
24. New Orleans Pelicans (11-22) [27]
25. Minnesota Timberwolves (12-23) [26]
26. Denver Nuggets (12-23) [23]
27. Phoenix Suns (12-25) [24]
28. Brooklyn Nets (10-24) [28]
29. Los Angeles Lakers (8-27) [29]
30. Philadelphia 76ers (4-33) [30]

Grayson Gold-Garvey, Twitter @TheGraygo