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Interesting bit from Dime magazine.

Dimemag.com wrote:With all the hype given to Kobe vs. Shaq, did anyone remember that Kobe vs. Gilbert Arenas was scheduled for the next day? The Nos. 2 and 4 scorers in the League didn't disappoint, either, as Arenas dropped 34 while Kobe put up 31 ... Just like on Sunday, the Lakers had a chance at the end, but Kobe got trapped in a double-team and couldn't get a shot off ... It was the first game back in D.C. for Kwame Brown, who was loudly booed when he checked in off the bench. Later on, it seemed like the whole arena laughed at Kwame when a pass bounced off his head. Said Kwame afterwards about the crowd: "It was worse than that when I was here." ... Between San Antonio's uninspired Christmas Day performance and Dallas' showing last night against the Pacers, the Mavs just might be the front-runner in the West right now. The Mavs dismantled the Pacers, and everyone was bringing it: Dirk, Devin Harris, Stackhouse...even Dampier pulled down 14 boards ... We heard during the game that before the season started, Stackhouse put a tub of bubble gum in his locker that contained 360 pieces. While he was out injured, Stack almost went through the whole thing in a couple months ... We loved the intensity from LeBron and Andres Nocioni in last night's Cavs/Bulls game. Lots of jawing, lots of glares, but in the end, LeBron had 32 and the Cavs won. On the deciding play, LeBron snatched an offensive board, brought it back out and waved everyone off so he could take 'Noce 1-on-1. LeBron got to the rim and took the foul, nailed the FTs, and iced the game. We also loved LeBron's post-game quote: "He believed he could guard me, I guess." ... The Knicks and Nets got a little heated after Jacque Vaughn took a hard foul from Nate Robinson. After some grabbing and three techs, nothing too serious happened ... The Knicks were getting blown out until Nate Robinson ignited a semi-comeback in the fourth. Somehow, Nate was matched up with Vince and eventually fouled out. Nate walked off the Garden floor to loud cheers. Steph checked back in to equally loud boos ... Congrats to the Blazers, who cracked 100 points for the first time all year in their 102-95 win over Sacramento ... Pat Riley is seriously considering hiring sumo wrestlers to practice with the Heat and challenge Shaq on the block. No, we're not kidding. "We're going to bring them in and have them lean on him and lean on him and we're not going to let him just back them in," Riley said. "And then he's going to have to take 100 jump hooks and 100 turnaround jumpers." That sounds crazy, but we'd bet the guys who have to regularly check Shaq in practice -- Zo, Michael Doleac, Wayne Simien, etc. -- wouldn't mind ... We're out like guarding Shaq while wearing a diaper ...

Obviously, the love from Dime (notorious mavs haters) is well appreciated... but the bit on LBJ was pretty freaking funny.

Also... another interesting Q&A from one of our local sports reporters. How do ya'll agree with this?

Dallasnews.com wrote:Q: It might be too close to grade all the rookies from 2003-04, but when looking over that draft now, how do you think it should have fallen, knowing what we know? I think Josh Howard looks like at least the No. 5 pick. Would Marquis Daniels make the top 15?

Todd Hover, Chicago

[/b]Sefko:[/b] From here, it looks like the top five would go like this: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Carmelo Anthony and Howard, who was taken 29th in 2003, with Boris Diaw a possible slider into the five-hole.

This is based strictly on talent and not the needs of the teams doing the drafting that year. I think if Detroit and Denver had do-overs, they certainly would take Wade or Bosh over Anthony. And I’m not sure Bosh might not be No. 2 before it’s all done.

After the top five: Diaw (who was taken 21st), Kirk Hinrich (7th), Chris Kaman (6th), Luke Ridnour (14th), Kyle Korver (51st), T.J. Ford (8th) and Daniels. David West (18th), Keith Bogans (43rd) and Zaza Pachulia (42nd) might round out the top 15.

No matter how you slice it, this could be one of the best NBA drafts of all time.

I whole heartedly agree with that. Aaand, I think that in 3 years, it will look like:
LBJ
Bosh
Wade
Howard
Anthony
Hinrich
Diaw
Pachulia
Ford
Daniels
Korver
Kaman
...
...
the rest

That draft was insane.

I'd bump Ford above Diaw and Pachulia, but I pretty much agree.

Toronto always gets crap for bad drafting but if you look at our picks in all these revisiting the draft articles, our picks always move way up (aside from Radojevic or course).

I also agree on the 'best draft of all time' bit. Pure craziness.

Does anyone else feel bad for Elton Brand? I don't know if ya'll saw the early All-Star results they just released... but... he's freaking #7 on the West forward lists. Obviously Dirk, KG and Tim have at least 'comparable' play - and they all have a much bigger fan base... but... good lord, Carmelo Anthony and Amare (playing time: 0 minutes) don't deserve your fucking votes. Carmelo is a stud, don't get me wrong... but Elton is the ONLY person - repeat ONLY person in the top 10 for points, rebounds, blocks and steals. That's insane. He should get his first nod.

He should even start over Dirk~

West allstars

Nash
Kobe
Brand
Tim
Yao~(no one else)

Its insane when you think of how stacked the west is at forward. If you look at the east Bosh is pretty much a look for a deserve spot, and in the west guys like Kirilenko don't have a chance.

Nah... Dirk is still the man. Team wins count for something - and even Mark Stein (another notorious Mavs hater) agrees with me.

I'd start Timmy, select Dirk and use a coaches selection (they get 2 'free' picks each, no?) on Brand. KG misses out.

Regardless... the West *is* really freaking crazy. Pretty much every team has an all-star quality forward... even the worst teams.

Down the line, from memory...

Rashad Lewis - quality
Zach Randolph - 'could' be great if he cared.
Shareef Abdul-Rahim - not all-star, but still very skilled
Troy Murphy - Solid numbers
Lamar Odom - possibly all-star, in the East
Elton Brand - a mini-god
Shawn Marion - amazing
Kirilenko - fucking amazing
Kenyon Martin - 2 time Eastern all-star
Kevin Garnett - a god
PJ Brown - solid, not all-star though. Might start on at least 10 other teams though... especially in the East
Dirk Nowitzki - a god
Tim Duncan - a god
Stromile Swift - Possibly could have been an all-star in the East
Pau Gasol - a mini-god

Seriously... compare that to the East. You have...

uh
Rasheed Wallace - a mini-god, mostly because of his teamwork though (would never be so 'godly' if he had stayed in Portland)
Jermaine Oneal - a mini-god

uh
Dwight Howard - a future mini-god
Chris Bosh - a future god
Jamisson - shrug, he's solid.
Chris Webber - for the next 16 months, TOPS.
Richard Jefferson - a mini-god, and future god (when he dies and becomes a Mormon god)

um...

hmm...

Miami? not really... I mean, haslem is good, but I'd start ANY West forward over him, even Randolph. Walker is dried up. I quote today's daily dimefrom ESPN...

ESPN.com wrote:Thursday's Worst
Antoine Walker, Heat forward: 'Toine seemed more lost than savior in his 15 minutes, shooting 1-for-5 for three points, with one rebound. Give him credit for waving a mean towel during the Miami rally, however.

chicago? no.. maybe someday
Boston? no..
Knicks? hah!
Atlanta? no...
Charlotte? Sure, but... he's like... Elton Brand - a stud on a 10-year shit team.
Milwaukee? Fuck no. That's their biggest weakness... they are a good team but God damn do they need some help. Joe Smith, Jiri Welsch and fucking Tony Kukoc? Good lord.
Cleveland? no. LBJ doesn't count IMO. I mean, even though Marion and Kirilenko were mentioned in the West, despite their preference to play 3... LBJ is much more of a guard than forward, IMO. I wouldn't list Drew Gooden as a 'solid' forward just yet.

Bogut is kinda a 4 man this year and he's been real solid. I thought he had white man bust written all over him but he's been making me eat my words.

I saw him all over Damp and Diop when we played them. He's listed as a 5, but... if he's sort of like Amare or Ratliff... then... shrug, sure, he's a future 'stud'. Not a 'god' though.

Ouch, Bill Simmons just utterly tore Doc Rivers a new one. Funny as hell. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/st ... ons/060112

-Arlos

Yea read that yesterday. Simmons sure loves his Celts. Love the bit about Carter.

He loves 'em, but at least he's honest about their deficiencies.

-Arlos

Larry Brown won his 1000th game as a coach last night. He's the fourth coach to achieved that in the NBA

Sent a ton of trades out guys. If not I'm willing to trade just about anyone on my team for the right price.

The Celtics are terrible.

I told you that about 6 months ago.