Somewhere Over Thunder's Rainbow...

Ironically, a team that comes from one of the most rain-prone cities in the US, now finds itself being pounded by Thunderous losses, night in and night out. While teams like Boston, Clelveand and Los Angeles have 6 or less losses, Oklahoma is hoping to get that many wins right about now. Definitely a team in transition and in search of identity, but not a team without potential cornerstones for success.

USA Today takes a look at one of the few bright spots amongst the hurting Thunder, with rookie Russell Westbrook. Westbrook earned rookie of the month honors in December, and admits he didn't even know such an award existed. Still the rookie doesn't mind winning it as his play alongside Kevin Durant's has given the team some hope for the future. Right now last year's 4th overall draft pick, Westbrook, ranks third in scoring for rookies, right behind two ROY candidates in Derrick Rose & OJ Mayo. Westbrook's name isn't part of the talks for that season award quite yet, but should he continue his current path he might have a shot.

Currently, OKC is bottom of the NBA barrel, winning just 4 games, while losing 30. They've become that team that other teams see coming up on the schedule and realize they can breathe easy and pick up an extra W. Just the other night, Kevin Durant did showcase a bit of that competitive nature though, and hit a huge 3 against Denver in the final seconds. The only problem was Denver's Carmelo Anthony came right back to seal the Thunder's fate, hitting a game winning 3 of his own. The Nuggets left the court all smiles while once again the Thunder could simply shake their heads.

But this is to be expected from a team that is in all senses of the term, an expansion team. Their coach Scott Brooks even had a taste of that expansion life when he played for the Minnesota Timberwolves, who ironically are slightly better than Oklahoma is this season. Over at TheSpoof.com they go as far as to fake a rumor that Kove Bryant might be traded to the Thunder, but only when Cuba becomes our 51st state. While they don't have a household name like Kobe, the Thunder's Westbrook and Durant are stars in the making who definitely give life to a young, talented squad and show promise for the future. The New York Times has a recent article which mentions that even if W's aren't there in Oklahoma, fans still show up but they're only concerned with the home games.

From NYTimes:

“Our fan base is still really not in tune with the rest of the league and even our team on the road,” Cornett said. “I don’t get the sense that if you walked into a restaurant and our team is playing a road game, that it’s a given that they are going to be playing it on TV. The market just hasn’t matured in that respect. To them, the N.B.A. is 41 home games, and the rest will take time to develop.”

So the fans are half into the team. Now the team needs to get more than just 2/5 of the team to give way more than 50% effort to cross that .500 mark within a few seasons.

Read Westbrook's honor gives dismal Thunder a bright spot at USA Today

75 Cent Nets Tickets?!?

If you're a New York/New Jersey native and want to see some pro basketball for a dirt cheap price, the Nets have a deal for you. Right now the New Jersey Nets are amongst those contending for a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs with a 16-17 record. While they've dealt both Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson away, Vince Carter still remains and has rising point guard Devin Harris with him. Harris has been a pleasant surprise this season for the Nets and may be amongst those chosen for this year's East All-Star Reserves.

In a previous report on what franchises are worth, a comment was made that the Nets are hurting most as they try to secure loan money to get the team moved to Brooklyn. Wiht the team's record below .500, and J-Kidd & Jefferson out of town, ticket sales must really be hurting, as the Nets have offered the following $0.75 cent ticket deal for select games.

Fri, 12/26/08
07:30 PM New Jersey Nets vs. Charlotte Bobcats

Mon, 12/29/08
07:30 PM New Jersey Nets vs. Chicago Bulls

Mon, 01/05/09
07:30 PM New Jersey Nets vs. Sacramento Kings

Wed, 01/07/09
07:30 PM New Jersey Nets vs. Memphis Grizzlies

Mon, 01/12/09
07:30 PM New Jersey Nets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

Thu, 01/15/09
07:30 PM New Jersey Nets vs. Portland Trail Blazers

Tue, 02/03/09
07:30 PM New Jersey Nets vs. Milwaukee Bucks

Fri, 02/20/09
08:00 PM New Jersey Nets vs. Washington Wizards

Your Complimentary* Nets Tickets Await!

Join us to see the Nets battle Gilbert Arenas & the Wizards, cross-river rival NY Knicks, Chris Bosh & the Raptors OR Carl Boozer & the Jazz!

As part of the Nets Tickets on Us Program, you are receiving this one time, complimentary* ticket offer to see the Nets take on some of the NBA's best at the IZOD Center. Simply select one of the home games listed below and you can receive up to two tickets to the game. It's about taking a break and enjoying a night out, courtesy of the Nets.

Valid on tickets regularly priced at: $110 $80, $76, $40, $20, and $15.

To take advantage, enter the following code in the Paperfast Offer box: ONUS

You're not dreaming, because these are real 2008-09 regular season NBA games for 75 cent admission! That's cheaper than going to the movies, or even renting a movie at Blockbuster! The opposing teams might not be the NBA's best, but the Portland Trailblazers are nothing to shake a stick at. Last year's Rookie of the Year, Brandon Roy, as well as big man Greg Oden and phenom LaMarcus Aldridge make that one exciting team to see. You've also got Memphis with Rudy Gay and then Oklahoma with Kevin Durant. Once again, not the cream of the crop for the NBA, but for 75 cents and the chance to see some future All-star phenoms, why not?

Head over to Ticketmaster at this link and use promo code: ONUS in the Paperfast Offer Box. You can print tickets directly to your printer to avoid shipping and handling. There will most likely be at least a $3.50 or so convenience charge though.

BuzzerBeaters & East Guards

Several great buzzer-beaters in Friday night's NBA action. The Oklahoma Thunder (former Sonics) were on cloud 9 after young superstar Kevin Durant knocked down a huge 3 to put his team ahead. With just seconds remaining though Carmelo returned the favor, hitting a three to give the Nuggets the win, coach George Karl's 900th. Can it get any worse for the Thunder? When it rains on them, it pours...

Vince Carter also hit a 3 to win the Nets game Friday night. The Nets continue to be amongst playoff contenders in the East behind the standout play of Guard Devin Harris, who was acquired in the Jason Kidd trade. Recently though the Nets were offering a ticket to any of 5 home games for just 75 cents. Maybe a move to Brooklyn and bringing the King to town will see better ticket sales.

As for guards in the East, ESPN NBA Analyst Jeff Van Gundy was saying he thinks PG's Jameer Nelson, Jose Calderon and Devin Harris are all deserving of All-Star spots. His co-analyst Mark Jackson let him know that they won't all be playing in Phoenix this February, so it will be interesting to see which guys get the nod. With Billups departure, Iverson is back east. Then you've got superstar guards like Dwyane Wade and Ray Allen, so the bench will be interesting.

Speaking of Ray Allen's Celtics, there's now rumors that Boston is interested in acquiring Stephon Marbury. Newsday reported:

On Friday, a source-based report on ESPN.com suggested that the Celtics are interested in signing Marbury once he completes a buyout with the Knicks, who are owned by Cablevision, which also owns Newsday. Walsh, who has given Marbury permission to talk with other teams to find a new home, said he had no indications that the Celtics, or any NBA team, had a sincere interest.

The Celtics were caught off-guard by the report, and general manager Danny Ainge had no comment Friday about Marbury.

A KG-Starbury reunion would be something to see, but would it help or hurt the Champs? Marbury's been a star in the past but his on/off court problems are always a danger to teams he plays for. Read Newsday's full article here.

PJ Carlesimo feels the Thunder!

When it rains it pours, especially for the Thunder. The Oklahoma City NBA transplant from Seattle axed head coach PJ Carlesimo following Friday night's loss to New Orleans. The game televised on ESPN saw the Hornets bench play out the fourth, en route to a 105-80 drubbing of OKC. The Thunder currently have a 1-12 record, one of the worst, if not worst in the NBA. The team's bright spot is Kevin Durant, who outdid most rookies most of last season, while playing for a dismal Seattle Sonics team. Eventually it was approved for the team to change cities for 2008-09, bringing basketball back to Oklahoma City once more. The Hornets played games there in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and may give inspiration to the turnaround of a team in dismay. Last season saw the young, talented New Orleans squad take San Antonio to the limits in the playoffs.

Taking over for Carlesimo will be his assistant Scott Brooks, former NBA player who won a championship with Houston in 1994. Assistant Paul Westhead was also let go with Carlesimo. Oklahoma has been playing in a new home with new uniforms and relatively young talent, such as Kevin Durant. The team had plenty of buzz heading into the season, with season tickets selling out in just 5 days. To his defense, Carlesimo inherited a team that was hurt by the trades of big name stars, Ray Allen & Rashard Lewis. Expecting the type of quick turnaround that New Orleans had is a bit unreasonable for now. Their squad benefitted from the addition of ultra-PG Chris Paul, as well as Peja Stoyakovic, Tyson Chandler, David West and Morris Peterson. It's already been made known by the Thunder execs that Scott Brooks will finish out the season with the Thunder as head coach. Brooks will most likely inherit the continuing struggles of a team in transition from city to city and veteran stars to rising stars.

Read Yahoo News piece on Carlesimo's firing here.

Oklahoma City Prepares for Thunder!

Oklahoma City expect heavy Thunder in your sports forecast this 2008-09 NBA season! The once Seattle Supersonics have moved to Oklahoma City. The team will no longer be called the Supersonics, but instead the Thunder. New place, new name, new jerseys as well. The personnel has stayed the same for the most part, with franchise superstar, and last year's ROY Kevin Durant, still on the team.

According to AZCentral.com, news of the new name and logo leaked early:

The local ABC affiliate reported in mid-July that Thunder had been chosen as the nickname. Then the NBA Web site listed NBA.com/thunder as a link to the Oklahoma City team's page. Then the Orlando Magic's site listed games against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Even the logo and colors leaked out over the weekend. Then, prior to the 5 p.m. announcement, Thunder merchandise started showing up on the NBA's online store.

Early reaction to the name is it may sound a bit like a NBDL or WNBA team's name and will definitely take some getting used to. The Seattle Supersonics name bring up memories of players like Gary Payton, Sean Kemp, Nate McMillan and other stars from the past. Recent Celtics superstar, Ray Allen, also called Seattle home for most of his career, breaking Reggie Miller's 3 point record while playing there. The Sonics are coming off a disappointing 2007-08 campaign, despite the bright spots Kevin Durant supplied. But now come rain or shine, there's always Thunder in Oklahoma City!

As mentioned bove, there's already Thunder merchandise available at NBA.com which features the new look logo and jerseys. See the merchandise at the new Oklahoma City Thunder NBA homepage!

2007-08 NBA All-Rookie Teams

On Wednesday, the NBA unveiled its 2007-08 NBA All-Rookie Squads. Rookie of the Year winner, Kevin Durant of the Seattle Sonics headed up the team and was joined by Al Horford of the Hawks. Horford was the only unanimous selection on the first team. Durant enjoys the selection as well as his ROY award, despite a 20-62 record in Seattle this season. The Sonics look to move their team and future star to Oklahoma City next season. Also on the first team were Luis Scola from the Rockets, Jeff Green, who is Durant's Seattle teammate, and Clippers forward Al Thornton.

2007-08 All-Rookie Squad:

Kevin Durant (Sonics)
Jeff Green (Sonics)
Al Horford (Hawks)
Luis Scola (Rockets)
Al Thornton (Clippers)

The All-Rookie Second Team includes the likes of Toronto's Jamario Moon, Houston's Carl Landry, Detroit's Rodney Stuckey, Philadelphia's Thaddeus Young and Spanish guard Juan Carlos Navarro of Memphis.

2007-08 All-Rookie 2nd Team:

Carl Landry (Rockets)
Jamario Moon (Raptors)
Juan Carlos Navarro (Memphis)
Rodney Stuckey (Pistons)
Thaddeus Young (Sixers)

Read more here about the All-Rookie teams.

Kevin Durant is 2007-08 NBA ROY

Congrats to the young fellow. On Thursday, the Seattle Sonics (possibly the Oklahoma City Sonics) Kevin Durant was named the 2007-08 NBA Rookie of the Year. The standout 1st year player led all rookies in scoring (20.3) and total assists, despite his team missing the playoffs. Durant was one of the few rookies constantly showing up in ESPN Sportscenter highlights with rim-rattling dunks. Second place went to the Hawks Al Horford who is currently enjoying a nice debut in the playoffs against the Boston Celtics. During his ROY award ceremony, Durant reflected on a fallen mentor, his AAU coach Charles Craig who died 3 years ago.

This for Charles Craig, he said.

"Yesterday when I found out that I won it, that was the same day three years ago that my AAU coach died," Durant said. "I just want to give it to him to show how much I worked hard."

Craig, Durant's former AAU basketball coach, was shot and killed April 30, 2005. He was 35 when he died, and Durant wears the No. 35 to honor his memory.

Read more at Seattle Times.

Durant may soon be adding another jersey to tear off under his Seattle one in his latest NBA store ad. The team is still in litigation to move to Oklahoma City where Mr. Durant will be the team leader next season. In good news the coach PJ Carlesimo has vowed to return to the sidelines next season, wherever the team may be playing.

Now questions are raised if Trailblazer Greg Oden is a lock for the award in 2008-09. Oden missed the entire past season due to knee/leg surgery. Next season will officially be his rookie year in the league, and it's hard to see any other drafted players outplaying the towering force in Portland.

The Sonics' New Home: OKC

Soon it will be the Oklahoma City Sonics, or whichever new nickname is given to the Seattle franchise. The Oklahoma House has already approved a tax incentive package and Governor Brad Henry has signed it to law. The next step will be NBA Team owners voting on the relocation request, and it's hard to see why they wouldn't.

According to Seattle PI:

If the team relocates, it will bring 170 jobs with a $74 million payroll to the state, according to House Speaker Chris Benge, R-Tulsa. The rebate will be about $4 million a year and $60 million over its 15-year life.

Six weeks ago, Oklahoma City voters approved a sales tax extension to fund $121.6 million in improvements to a downtown arena and build a practice facility, also to lure the team.

Supporters of the rebate plan said the team's relocation would have a $180 million economic impact on the state over 15 years and bring other intangible benefits to the city, which hosted the New Orleans Hornets for two seasons after the team was uprooted from its home arena following Hurricane Katrina in August 2005.

"This is the perfect example of demand driving supply," said Rep. Tad Jones, R-Claremore. The Hornets regularly drew capacity crowds during the two years they were based in Oklahoma City, encouraging Bennett and his local ownership group to file the relocation request, Jones said.

Now Kevin Durant will become the face of the Oklahoma City franchise. Previously the New Orleans Hornets split their games between OKC and New Orleans due to Hurricane Katrina's wrath. Now that the Hornets are back in their rightful home area, giving way for OKC to adopt its own team.

Consider the Celtics Champs Yet?

By now unless you're a resident of Boston or a diehard Celtics fan, you just might be sick of hearing about them. However, the Boston Celtics have had two very impressive milestones this season which make a strong case for championship ascension.

The first milestone is the Celtics have had the best turnaround season in NBA history. According to a statistic shown during last night's TNT NBA Game (Nuggets vs. Warriors), the Celtics have 38 more wins than they did last season. This is the biggest improvement in an NBA team, ever. Another team which had an impressive turnaround was San Antonio many years ago, and now they are considered amongst the NBA dynasties. The Celtics are of course a legendary dynasty in their own right, but the several years before this season were considered "Basketball Hell" in Beantown. Chalk up the turnaround to the obvious team clean up and reinstall measures. Hats off to Danny Ainge who most likely has GM of the year locked up, with his moves to bring in Ray Allen, then Kevin Garnett, then an array of great supporting cast members: Sam Cassell, Eddie House, James Posey. Rajon Rondo and Big Baby Glen Davis have also stepped up as youngsters on the team. Barring injuries to KG and Allen this past season they may have had a 70 win season.

If the turnaround isn't enough to show how impressive the Celtics are, consider their other milestone achieved. The Celtics have defeated EVERY NBA squad during this past season. That basically says the Celtics are capable of beating any team on the court with them, including every team in the highly competitive Western Conference. That's the sort of achievement that spells Championship Contender, or has many quickly calling the Celtics the 2007-08 Champs. Of course, the previously mentioned and current defending champion San Antonio Spurs may be standing in the way of the Celtics' return to glory. The NBA Finals just may be a matchup of the newest dynasty on the block vs. the storied Celtics as they return to form.

(Note: To all NBA basketball fans, NBA Access with Ahmad Rashad airs Saturday at 1PM EST on ABC. This Sunday's episode features top NBA Rookie of the Year candidate, the Sonics' Kevin Durant.)

The Upcoming NBA Year 08'

The NBA 2007-08 Season is heading into the new year. 2007 has already brought plenty of surprises and unexpected, hard to explain occurrences. Here's some thoughts on the new year for the NBA.

- Continued Celtics dominance - Barring an injury expect them to keep piling the wins on. The Big 3 are playing great as expected, and secondary guys like James Posey, Eddie House and Rajon Rondo add great depth right now. Of course, they've yet to play those tough West Coast teams (Spurs, Suns, Mavs). Once we see the Celtics knock off some of the Best of the West we can start calling them serious top contenders.

- Something's gotta give - Either the Bulls or Heat will likely go on a great run to get into a low spot for the East playoffs. If either team makes it to the 8 spot, the #1 team may have their hands full, even the Celtics. It's tough to say right now which team will do it. My preseason pick was the Bulls would make the Finals, and right now they just aren't getting it done.

- Blaze of Glory - Portland is one of the best stories in the NBA right now, as they are exceeding expectations. It'll be good to see the Blazers continue to be successful. Their win streak recently has been very impressive without the presence of Greg Oden. Brandon Roy is becoming a bona fide star in the league, and once Oden arrives that team will be lethal and most likely a dynasty. Portland fans should be in line for next year's season tickets already.

- MVP race - It's going to be a three way race. You've got 2 big men in Dwight Howard and KG. Then you've got Lebron James, my preseason pick. Whichever of these 3 makes a serious push should get it, but you'd have to favor the big men right now. Usually the award goes to the guy on the best team, and right now it's KG.

- Rookie Race - There's not much of one right now. Unless of course Durant becomes unable to play, but so far he's the clear front runner and leader for this year's ROY. Thank you goes out to Greg Oden.

- Isiah's job status - Doesn't look good for Coach Thomas in the New Year for New York. However, they may let him finish another disappointing season out before he gest the boot. The team continues to be quite the project and holds a lot of talent. But it's still lacking that certain something. Usually that means it's time for a coaching change (like the Bulls).

- A competitive All-Star game - Looking forward to another all-star game. This one comes from New Orleans, Louisiana. Also, KG has shifted sides, so now he won't be part of the dominating big men in the West (Yao, Duncan, etc). The East actually looks like favorites here, because you have Lebron, KG and D-Howard (3 MVP candidates) all on the East starting lineup. Should be fun to watch!

- A New NBA Champion? - It continues to look like 4 teams: Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavs. However, we saw how Lebron willed the Cavs into the Finals last year. There's guys capable of those types of performances that can emerge at any point.

Wishing all NBA Fans a happy New Year, and here's to an exciting remainder of the 2007-08 season!

Top 10 Facial Dunks of 2007

NBA.com has presented its "Top 10 Facial Dunks of 2007". Here's a look at what made their list for the past year.

10 - Lamar Odom delivers a facial on Amare Stoudamire
9 - Kevin Durant's Tomahawk dunk on the Raptors
8 - Tyrus Thomas dunks it on Josh Smith
7 - Manu Ginobli takes it to the hole on Diop of the Mavs.
6 - Rudy Gay dunks on the Rockets' Scoda.
5 - Tim THomas with the vicious dunk on the Knicks.
4 - Elton Brand on Jerry Stackhouse
3 - Trevor Ariza dunks it on Emeka Okafor
2 - Lebron James jams it on Rasheed.
1 - Baron Davis takes it strong over Kirilenko

Check out the highlights of these at NBA.com.

Also today, NBA TV will be presenting highlights and games from the classic Lakers versus Celtics rivalry. Tonight the new look dominant Celtics face Kobe and his Lakers in Los Angeles at 10 PM EST.

Kobe's Block Party & Celtics 7-0

You're going to get sick of hearing about a few things this season. One is how great the Boston Celtics are doing, and the other is the constant chatter about "will Kobe be playing in LA or somewhere else?" Right now those two topics seem to dominate the NBA.

The Celtics of course is a great story in basketball. Some coaches and GM's from other teams even said they underestimated the Celtics being this good. But if you look at the 3 stars they have, they each offer a unique necessary component which a lot of teams lack. You've got probably the smoothest and most consistent outside shot from Ray Allen. You've got the consumate team leader do-it-all type in Paul Pierce, who's been in Celtics hell for years now. And then you add in former MVP Kevin Garnett, a guy who can rebound and, well you know the rest. Basically, they are the real deal at 7-0 and this is something great for Celtics fans.

Then you've got the Kobe story. Right now, he's still a Laker. There's been talk of him playing for Chicago, for Dallas, for Detroit. It's all talk. He's still probably one of the top 2 in the NBA, as the Lebron-Kobe debate continues. On the recent Houston trip the Lakers had, Kobe had blocks against two of the tallest stars in Texas. One block came with Kobe swatting Tim Duncan, and then a night later, Kobe flew up to block Yao Ming. Impressive stuff.

Oh, and the young kid Kevin Durant got his first win. He's been trying for it for 8 games. He finally has 1 up on Greg Oden, who isn't playing. Durant's win came at the expense of Riley's Miami Heat who are fading out of the playoff picture, and fast.

NBA Trade & Durant Injured

The big news, if you want to call it that, had the Timberwolves and Heat pulling the trigger on a deal yesterday, which sent Ricky Davis from the Timberowlves over to the heat, and Antoine Walker to Minnesota. Other guys were involved, but those two are the focuses. I guess the idea would be for Davis to provide some scoring relief for Wade, or even be his back up with Gary Payton not really there. In Minnesota, Al Jefferson should shine and Walker may be able to take him under his wing to help improve him even more. Walker's aged and I don't expect him to be a top scorer in Minnesota, but stranger things have happened. Most likely the Twolves will belong to Big Al or Randy Foy this year, as they struggle mightily.

Greg Oden will be sitting the sidelines this season after knee surgery. It seems now that the #2 pick in the draft is now hurt as well, but not as seriously. Kevin Durant suffered an ankle sprain this past Tuesday against Golden State, which may keep him out of the lineup for the season opener next week. Luckily this injury is not as serious as Oden's, so Durant should see time and success this season.

SeattlePI.com has a Supersonics season preview here.

Check back here for an article full of prediced NBA award winners in 2007-08 on Friday.

5 NBA Stories to Watch

Even though the NBA season is still over a month away, here is a list of 5 stories which should be interesting to see for the upcoming 2007-08 NBA Season. There's been some big moves in the offseason, some free agent signings that really helped the Eastern Conference and of course the Tim Donaghy referee scandal which hangs over the NBA's head as it enters the season.

1) The Triple Threat in Boston - KG, Pierce, Allen
A no brainer for the top story of the upcoming season. Will the 3 stars co-exist? Will they bring back Celtic glory? It seems obvious that they are destined to hit the playoffs, but the bigger question is how much farther will they go once they're in? It will definitely be a fun season to watch for Celtics fans with plenty of highlight reel plays.

2) Kevin Durant - ROY top candidate
During the summer there was a vote put out to all rookies asking who they thought will be the Rookie of the Year for this season. Interestingly enough, Durant won the vote. He seems to have a "clear path" to the award now due to the unfortunate injury to Greg Oden. Durant should be extremely fun to watch this year and provide some great highlights on ESPN Sportscenter. Don't expect the Sonics to be in the playoffs, but expect Durant to win the Rookie of the Year.

3)The NBA rules & Commissioner Stern
It will be interesting to see how much effect the Tim Donaghy story has had on Stern's watch over the other referees now. Will Stern change rules as the season progresses? Will we hear about referees receiving fines for making bad calls? This should be interesting because many have commented how distressed David Stern appeared over the whole incident. How will the Commish handle the pressure?

4)How Will the Cavs Bounce Back?
The Cleveland Cavaliers were severely outmatched in the Finals this past season. The Spurs had too much firepower and depth for Lebron's gang to handle. Now usually when a superstar receives that sort of beatdown, it only makes them hungrier for the title. How will Lebron and the Cavs respond to the Finals disappointment this year? Will they be back again or will another Eastern team take over?

5)A Stronger Eastern Conference?
The knock on the Eastern Conference for the past several years has been its weakness (despite having guys like Shaq, Lebron, D-Wade and 2 NBA title winning teams: Detroit and Miami). With the free agent signings such as Rashard Lewis going to Orlando, KG and Ray Allen going to Boston, the Knicks getting Zach Randolph, it seems as if the East is ready to contend and shake off that "weak" label its been wearing. It's tough to say which Eastern team will be the Finals contender, and you could easily look at 5-6 teams as potential candidates.

Overall this is going to make for one very interesting 2007-08 NBA season...

Durant and Collison Cut

Two Seattle Supersonics have been dropped from the Team USA roster. Nick Collison and Kevin Durant were both sent home. Understandable choices, despite Durant's tremendous upside, he's still got the rookie stigma attached. Team USA's Roster should be trimmed even more by the end of today. Tuesday is when the final roster must be submitted before the FIBA America Tournament begins against Venezuela..

From USAToday.com:

As expected, Michael Redd and Mike Miller had nothing to worry about. The Americans have gone too long without a reliable perimeter threat, so they weren't going to send home two of the NBA's best.

"We knew exactly what we felt we needed in terms of adding certain components to our roster, and the good news is we were able to accomplish that," USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo said.

The U.S. roster includes: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire, Dwight Howard, Jason Kidd, Chauncey Billups, Redd, Miller, Tyson Chandler, Tayshaun Prince and Deron Williams.

Team USA Squares Off

I caught a repeat of the Blue vs White Team USA scrimmage on FoxSports today. Many have called the game better than recent All star games, and they just might have a valid point there. On one squad you have J Kidd leading the troops into battle, and his favorite assist target; King James. On the other side you have the up and coming Deron Williams and his point man, Kobe Bryant. Then throw in sharpshooters like Michael Redd and Mike Miller and newcomers with loads of potential and talent like Kevin Durant.

Jason Kidd definitely shows his veteran leadership skills out there and he should by all indications continue to be the main point guard for Team USA into the Olympics. Kidd had some sweet alley oops and no look passes to Lebron for serious rim rattlers. Mike Miller showed a hot shooting hand and Kobe showed that he's still Kobe. One baller who I haven't seen much of up til now was Kevin Durant. And from what I saw it looks like he could definitely be the real deal in the NBA. Durant had a sweet dunk put back out of nowhere, while the veterans were just standing around.

The game wasn't without its inconsistencies. The commentators noted at one point that players were being too unselfish, as several passes sailed past players. You could also make a case that having some of these guys on the same team could hurt Team USA (Kobe, Lebron, Carmelo) because those 3 want to be the leader, but they can't all fill that role together. Overall, whoever makes the final cut out of these guys is going to make for one tough team to beat and for some exciting basketball to watch.

The game was won by Kobe Bryant, but Lebron took the last shot and missed. Now the question is if Lebron will allow Kobe to take that last shot while they are both on the court..?

Check out NBA.com's "Roster Math" where they examine the depth of the final Team USA roster. Team USA has 2 days of practice left.

Survey Says Durant is Top Rookie

NBA.com released a 2007-08 Rookie survery on its site which proclaims Kevin Durant as preseason favorite to win the Rookie of the Year award. Durant was also voted above Oden in terms of who would make more All-Star game appearances before they finished their career. The survey was conducted by NBA.com, who gave several questions to the 44 rookies in attendance at a rookie photo shoot on July 27.

Durant received 23 of 44 votes (53%) over 5 votes for Greg Oden to receive rookie of the year. You might attribute this to the fact that Durant had a strong showing in the Vegas Summer league, with some mega scoring efforts. Also add in that Oden didn't play all of the summer league, due to leaving for a tonsillectomy procedure.

The rookie who was voted #1 in the "know least about" category was the big man from China, Yi Jianlian, of the Milwaukee Bucks.

Another interesting question asked of the rookies: Which current NBA player are you most looking forward to playing against? (Votes followed by percentage)

1. Kobe Bryant, LAL 10 24.4
2. Shaquille O'Neal, MIA 5 12.2
3. Tim Duncan, SAS 3 7.3
Kevin Garnett, MIN 3 7.3
LeBron James, CLE 3 7.3
Steve Nash, PHX 3 7.3

I find it odd anyone looks forward to playing Shaq, because those young rooks will be getting bulldozed over, at least for a few years to come.

Check out the 2007-08 NBA.com Rookie Survey at NBA.com.

NBA Releases 2007-08 Schedule

The NBA released its 2007-08 schedule today, and highlights 10 key games to watch this season. Here's my look at the ten dates they chose to mark down on your calendars.

October 30 - The Rings and the Rookie
Portland @ San Antonio, 8 p.m. ET, TNT
Houston @ LA Lakers, 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT

A great opening night contest with the Spurs receiving their championship rings and Greg Oden the highly touted rookie debuts against Tim Duncan. Definitely worth watching. Followed by a nightcap of Kobe and the Lakers vs. T-Mac, Yao and Steve Francis in a Rockets uniform again.

October 31 - KD, meet AI
Dallas @ Cleveland, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN
Seattle @ Denver, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

Dallas vs Cleveland was my predicted Finals matchup last year, but Golden State spoiled that notion. This should make for a great Halloween night matchup, followed by Kevin Durant and the Sonics taking on Melo, AI and the Nuggets.

November 2 - The New Big Three
Washington @ Boston, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN

The new big 3 of Boston in KG, Allen and Pierce (who stated he feels like a rookie again) taking on the big 3 of Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison.

November 8 - Not a Good Match
Dallas @ Golden State, 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT

Most likely considered a game where the Mavs should or could extract revenge. Golden State bounced them from the first round of the playoffs in a season where the Mavs were considered championship caliber.

December 6 - Date With a Showman
Miami @ Portland, 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT

The legendary Shaq takes on the newcomer Oden. Nuff said.

Monday, December 17 - Rematch
Phoenix @ San Antonio, 8:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV

A rematch of the playoff series here. And no Tim Donaghy will not be calling the game. :)

Wednesday, December 19 - Recipe for a Classic
Phoenix @ Dallas, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

Phoenix vs Dallas has always provided some classic games with tons of scoring and back and forth lead changes. You also have the past 2 MVP award winners and good buddies, Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitski.

December 25 - A New Holiday Tradition
Miami @ Cleveland, 2:30 p.m. ET, ABC
Phoenix @ LA Lakers, 5 p.m. ET, ABC
Seattle @ Portland, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN

Great Christmas gift for basketball fans, a triple header. Not only that but you get Kobe, D-Wade, Shaq, Lebron, Nash, Amare, and then Kevin Durant vs. Greg Oden.

February 8 - The Return of the Big Ticket
Boston @ Minnesota, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

KG makes his only return of the season to face his old team, the T-Wolves.

March 19 - The Answer Comes Back
Denver @ Philadelphia, 7 p.m. ET, League Pass

AI finally makes a return to Philly, where he and the Nuggets should most likely roll over the Sixers.

Top Jerseys, Gilbertology & More..

Right now the NBA store lists the Greg Oden jersey as its #3 top selling item from the store. The Kevin Durant jersey is #4 in overall store sales. Ahead of the 2 jerseys are Spurs Championship Gear at #1 and Finals Tees at #2.

---

Several ESPN/NBA analysts and writers are weighing in on the fact that the NBA's Eastern Conference became stronger with the additions of guys like KG, Ray Allen, Rashard Lewis and Zach Randolph. Several of the writers say the Celtics are now a playoff lock, with a few commenting on their need for more reserve players, because injuries can be a problem for a 3 man team. View more here.

---

In Gilbert Arenas' recent blog entries he posts the following about the Celtics getting KG:

"Wow.

Boston’s going to be a lot better. They’re just one more team that jumps out from the bottom to the top now with him, Ray Allen and P2. You got to be weary about that when your team’s in the East because the Celtics can easily jump to the top three teams in the conference now that they have him.

The rest of us in the Eastern Conference got to get on our grind now."

Read more of Gilbert Arenas' blog entries here.

NBA Summer League Stats

Since the Summer League play has concluded in Vegas for this upcoming NBA season, here's a look at the statistical leaders.

Points Leaders (PPG)

Marcus Banks (PHX) 42.0
Louis Williams (PHI) 25.2
Von Wafer (DEN) 24.2
Kevin Durant (SEA) 24.0
Marco Belinelli (GSW) 22.8

Rebounds Leaders (RPG)

Amir Johnson (DET) 12.0
LaMarcus Aldridge (POR) 11.0
Justin Williams (SAC) 10.6
Glen Davis (BOS) 9.8
Josh Powell (GSW) 9.8

Assists Leaders (APG)

DJ Strawberry (PHX) 6.4
Jose Juan Barea (DAL) 6.2
Nate Robinson (NYK) 6.0
Mustafa Shakur (SAC) 6.0
Sergio Rodriguez (POR) 5.4

See the full stats for the 2007 NBA Summer League here.