The Wolves have suspended Al Jefferson for two games following his recent arrest on suspicion of DWI. Maybe with Big Al out Kurt Rambis will give Kevin Love a full set of minutes, but we’re not holding our breath. Darko Milicic also stands to benefit and could get as much run as he can handle, which isn’t saying much since he’s getting winded by just 22-24 mpg. Regardless, he’s worth watching to see how this plays out.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Miami: Dwyane Wade (calf) was a surprise participant in Sunday’s 96-80 loss to the Orlando Magic, and scored 21 points on 6-of-17 shooting with five rebounds, five assists, and one steal.

Milwaukee: John Salmons went off for season-high 32 points on 11-of-20 shooting (including two 3-pointers) with eight rebounds, four assists, and one steal.

New Jersey: Yi Jianlian scored 20 points on 7-of-17 shooting with a career-high 19 rebounds to go with two assists and a steal on Sunday.

Washington: Andray Blatche exploded for a career-high 36 points on 17-of-31 shooting with 15 rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two blocks, and hit two key jumpers with under 44 seconds left in the Wizards’ 89-85 win over the New Jersey Nets on Sunday. We can’t say enough about Blatche, who is the undisputed No. 1 option offensively for the Wizards. Tonight, they were force-feeding him the ball to the point that he was getting tired as a result of it.

Cleveland: Shaquille O’Neal will have surgery on this right thumb in Baltimore on Monday, and a timetable for his return will be announced after that. Surgery usually means a 6-8 week timetable for recovery, which means the appropriate question is whether or not he’ll be able to return for the NBA playoffs.

Cleveland: According to sources close to Phil Jackson, LeBron James has expressed interest in joining the Los Angeles Lakers. “LeBron wants to win. He’s a smart guy, and Phil loves LeBron, absolutely loves him,” according to the report. Obviously, there is way too much involved with a situation like this for one blurb, but if the report holds water then look for this to become a big storyline in the upcoming days.

Vince Carter distorted space and time on Monday, scoring a season-high 48 points on a variety of vintage moves, connecting on 19-of-27 FGs, 6-of-10 three-pointers, and 4-of-4 FTs. VC has scored 20+ points in three consecutive games and is obviously over the shoulder injury that hampered him throughout January. He was posting up, hitting 3-pointers and slashing to the lane, and the buy-low window has officially been slammed shut. It was his highest-scoring game since 2006.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Los Angeles: The Los Angeles Lakers will play without both Kobe Bryant (sprained left ankle) and Andrew Bynum (bruised right hip) vs. the Spurs on Monday.Consider both of them questionable for L.A.’s final game before the All-Star break, Wednesday at Utah. Lamar Odom will start at PF on Monday, moving Pau Gasol to center.

Toronto: Andrea Bargnani’s ankle was a bit tender on Monday and his participation in practice was limited. The Toronto Raptors don’t play until Wednesday, their final game before the break, and it appears Bargnani just got some precautionary rest.

Charlotte: David West scored 27 points in the Hornets’ losing effort on Monday, making 10-of-19 FGs and 7-of-7 FTs in his second-highest scoring total of the past 18 games.

West is still a reliable option, though his points (17.9), FG attempts (14.8) and rebounds (7.6) have all taken big dips this season, along with his playing time (35:36). Most of that was a lackluster November, however, and an ankle injury which has since healed.

Atlanta: Atlanta Hawks G Joe Johnson is probable for Tuesday’s game despite having the flu. He had been listed as questionable, so this is great news if you gambled on him in a shortened Week 16.

Portland: Brandon Roy did not end up having another injection of PRP on Monday. He’s hopeful rest and treatment will be enough to fix his hamstring, but it’s still too early to tell when he’ll play again. He also won’t be getting much rest over All-Star Weekend, as he’ll be required to be in Dallas for the weekend per the NBA.

Denver: Carmelo Anthony, who was quoted by the Nuggets’ official Twitter page as saying he was “probable” for Tuesday’s game against the Mavs, was non-committal about his availability when speaking with beat writer Benjamin Hochman. “Hopefully I can get back out there [Tuesday],” Anthony said after Monday’s practice. “It felt good out there today. It’s getting better each day. Pretty much I was doing a lot that I could do before I got hurt.”

New Jersey: Devin Harris is “50-50″ to play on Tuesday against the Cavaliers due to his shoulder injury.

J.R. Smith

The Nuggets decided to postpone a press release on what had previously been reported as an announcement of J.R. Smith being suspended for conduct detrimental to the team, and while a suspension is still very possible, it is not a certainty at this point.

Smith’s behavior has grown tiresome, and something he did on the bench in Saturday’s game was the tipping point, enough for coach George Karl to say, “some guys (Nuggets) had strong opinions last night.” The Denver Nuggets are slowing their assessment of Smith’s situation, but any way you slice it he looks headed for the doghouse.

Toronto: Hedo Turkoglu drove the lane and drew a foul with 1.5 seconds left and calmly nailed two free throws to give the Toronto Raptors a 106-105 win over the Lakers on Sunday. Aside from the heroics, he didn’t look good Sunday, scoring just nine points on 1-of-6 shooting (6-of-6 from the foul line) with two rebounds, five assists, a block, and a 3-pointer.

Toronto: Andrea Bargnani (back) returned to action Sunday and scored 22 points on 7-of-17 shooting (including a three) with eight rebounds, a steal, a block, and an assist. He played a full complement of minutes Sunday, and didn’t show any signs of his back hurting him.

Los Angeles: Kobe Bryant came one assist away from a triple-double on Sunday, scoring 27 points on 11-of-23 shooting (including a three) with career-high 16 rebounds, nine assists, one steal, and one block.

Los Angeles: Lamar Odom was non-existent in the Los Angeles Lakers loss to the Raptors on Sunday, playing just 16 minutes and scoring only four points to go with six rebounds, one assist, and one steal.

Denver: Carmelo Anthony will not play Monday against the Bobcats due to an ankle sprain, and is targeting Wednesday’s game for his return. “The best bet is to wait until Wednesday’s game to get it better. It didn’t swell up, so that’s a good sign. I’ve had ankle injuries before, but this one is not as bad as the others,” said Anthony, who is wearing a protective boot to keep him from limping.

Houston: Houston Rockets center Chuck Hayes had just two points and zero rebounds in 10 minutes on Saturday, the result of tendinitis in his right knee. He started the game but was in pain and needed to ride a stationary bicycle when he wan’t playing. “As I get going, sometimes it loosens up, sometimes it tightens on me,” Hayes said. “We’re going to try to keep it loose as much as possible.” Any games or minutes he loses should directly increase the opportunities for Luis Scola and Carl Landry.

1. Lakers (30-9): It’s amazing how the Los Angeles Lakers start to lose a few games when they have to play on the road.
2. Cavaliers (30-11): The Cavs should look to make a move before the trade deadline.
3. Spurs (21-12): Really starting to play better, watch out!
4. Celtics (27-11): Really hurt by injuries.
5. Hawks (25-13): Coming on of late, young players are developing.
6. Magic (26-13): Nobody has an answer for superman.
7. Mavericks (25-13): Could be a dark horse in the playoffs.
8. Suns (24-13): Nash is still the best PG in the NBA.
9. Nuggets (25-14): Lost to the Kings twice in a week.
10. Trail Blazers (24-16): Still a top-ten team after major injuries.
11. Rockets (22-17): They just play their harts out.
12. Thunder (21-17): How long before they’re one of the top three teams in the league?
13. Jazz (22-17): Year after year…they’re in the playoffs.
14. Heat (19-18): Will Wade be back?
15. Hornets (20-17): Starting to play better.
16. Grizzlies (19-18): One of the better “young” teams in the league.
17. Raptors (19-20): Bosh is as good as gone.
18. Bulls (17-20): Del Negro actually has this team playing better.
19. Bobcats (17-19): Always in the bottom third.
20. Clippers (17-20): They would be a playoff team if Blake did not get hurt.
21. Kings (15-22): Kevin Martin might play on Friday.
22. Knicks (16-22): Lee is inline for a huge contract this offseason.
23. Bucks (15-21): Jennings is tailing off a bit, but he is still a good young player.
24. Pistons (12-25): How the mighty have fallen.
25. Wizards (12-25): Arenas will never play for this team again.
26. Pacers (13-25): A few good young players.
27. 76ers (13-26): This team needs to be broken up.
28. Warriors (11-26): Has Nelson been fired yet?
29. Timberwolves (8-32): If Love can stay healthy, they have a few good big men.
30. Nets (3-35): Who will they select with the No. one overall pick?

Gilbert Arenas was charged Thursday with a single count of carrying a pistol without a license, a felony that carries a five-year sentence, but he has reportedly reached a plea agreement that should keep him out of jail, according to sources close to the case.

If Arenas is able to avoid jail time, it would be a major victory in his legal battles considering he has a previous gun charge. Whether he spends time behind bars or not, we don’t expect Arenas to play again this season, and it would also be surprising if he ever plays another game for the Wizards.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Los Angeles: Los Angeles  Lakers G Kobe Bryant said Thursday that his lower back is “a little tight [but] other than that, I’m fine,” and expects to play against the Clippers on Friday. Bryant says he had a “nice little device” to keep his back loose on the plane ride home from Dallas Wednesday and received more treatment on Thursday.

Los Angeles: Paul Gasol (hamstring) participated fully in Thursday’s practice and expects to play Friday against the Clippers. Though he is still officially listed as day-to-day, Gasol looks like a safe bet for Friday, as both he and Coach Phil Jackson were optimistic about his chances.

Los Angeles: Clippers C Chris Kaman (back) is hoping to play on Friday against the Lakers after a promising MRI report. This may be optimism speaking. We’d like to see a more concrete report before making a recommendation.

Chicago: Luol Deng hit 8-of-13 shots and 9-of-10 free throws for 25 points as the Bulls won their third straight game by beating the Celtics at Boston Celtics. Deng only had two rebounds, but also added four assists, two steals and two blocks. Yes he’s injury prone, and yes he’s playing with a banged up thumb, but he played 40 minutes tonight and doesn’t look like someone planning on shutting it down.

Portland: An MRI Thursday confirmed that Brandon Roy has a strained right hamstring. He remains questionable for Friday’s game against the Orlando Magic. The good news is that the MRI revealed no tears. But the bad news is it’s still a strained hamstring, which doesn’t heal without rest. Roy is still considered questionable for Friday, but he sounded very concerned about the injury Wednesday night, so don’t be surprised if he misses a game or two to let the hamstring heal.

Boston: Paul Pierce played through a sore knee and had 20 points, eight rebounds, six assists and two 3-pointers in Thursday’s loss to the Bulls. The Celtics have already lost six games at home, matching their total home losses for each of the last two seasons.

Los Angeles Lakers forward Ron Artest suffered a concussion and injured his left elbow after falling at his Home on Friday night. Artest apparently tripped over a box and fell down a flight of stairs and did not travel with the team to Sacramento Kings on Saturday.
Artest was treated at UCLA Medical Center, undergoing a CT scan and receiving stitches in the back of his head and his elbow.

A neurologist examined him on Saturday and confirmed he had a concussion and would only be day to day. Lakers Head Coach Phil Jackson seemed a bit annoyed with reporters after being asked to “interpret” the accident: “Let me see, my interpretation is that an accident happened, he fell down, he ended up in the hospital, and he came out with some stitches. Other than that, I can’t add anything to it.” Los Angeles began a stretch with four games in five days on Christmas, culminating in a home game against Golden State on Tuesday. “What I was telling the team is that he brings a certain physical presence to our game,” Jackson said. “And we’ll miss that part of his game.”

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Oakland: Warriors G/F Corey Maggette was on fire in Saturday’s thrilling 132-127 win over the Suns, scoring 33 points on 13-of-17 shooting. He made all seven of his FT attempts and had eight rebounds and one steal in 35 minutes. His move into the starting lineup proved to be the right decision, as he’s now topped 20 points in seven consecutive games.

Chicago: Chicago Bulls F Tyrus Thomas returned from his broken forearm on Saturday, posting a team-high 21 points on 10-of-17 shooting, nine rebounds, two assists, one steal and two blocks.

New Orleans: New Orleans Hornets swingman Devin Brown hit 6-of-7 three-pointers against the Bulls, finishing with a team-high 22 points, four rebounds and two steals. All of his points came in the first half. So far this season, Brown’s field goal percentage is a measly 38.5%.

Atlanta: Hawks center Al Horford dominated the Pacers in Saturday’s victory, racking up 25 points on 11-of-14 shooting, 19 rebounds, two assists and five blocks. Horford averaging a career high 13.8 ppg, while shooting 58% to lead the surging Atlanta Hawks to a record of 21-8 thus far this season.

Phoenix: Steve Nash led the Suns in an old-fashioned shootout with the Warriors, scoring a season-high 36 points on 14-of-22 shooting, including 6-of-12 three-pointers.

Mo Williams scored 28 points to go along with six rebounds, seven assists and three 3-pointers, and LeBron James added 26 points and nine assists as the Cavaliers easily beat the Lakers in L.A. on Christmas Day. Kobe Bryant paced the Los Angeles Lakers with 35 points and a near triple-double, but took 32 shots to reach 35 points, as the Cavs controlled the pace and tempo of the game from the opening tip. Tempers flared on the court, as Lamar Odom was ejected with two technical fouls, while Williams, LeBron, Kobe and Derek Fisher all confronted each other, leading to angry fans littering the floor with foam fingers. This may now be the most contested rivalry in the NBA.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Los Angeles: Marcus Camby, who was iffy coming into Friday’s game with a hyperextended left knee, started, but then left the game after aggravating the injury and will not return. Camby’s injuries are always a major concern and his status for his next game is automatically in doubt.

Los Angeles: Kobe Bryant scored 35 points, but made just 11-of-32 shots in a loss to the Cavaliers on Christmas Day. The Cavs easily won today’s game, although Kobe’s fantasy line included a 3-pointers, 12-of-12 free throw shooting, nine boards, eight assists and two steals. He has been dealing with a sore knee and a broken finger coming in, but looked to be moving at full speed in this one.

Phoenix: Phoenix Suns G Leandro Barbosa returned from a sprained ankle on Christmas Day and had 12 points, four assists, a steal and a block on 4-of-8 shooting in 21 minutes off the bench.

Boston Celtics: Kevin Garnett, who clearly landed hard on his back and tailbone on Friday, also hit his head on the court during the fall. He didn’t return to the game, but says he’s fine. “I’m ok,” Garnett said. “I’ve had harder falls. I’m just glad we won to be honest. I’m sure I’ll feel it in the morning. But for now, I’m all right.” The key words are “for now,” but it sounds like KG is planning to play on Sunday at the Clippers.

Boston: Glen Davis returned from a broken thumb on Friday and failed to score in four minutes.
He’ll be worked into the mix slowly, but if Kevin Garnett is ever going to miss a string of game due to injuries, Davis should have some immediate value in deep leagues.

Orlando: Vince Carter hit 10-of-20 shots and a 3-pointer for a game-high 27 points to go along with five rebounds, two assists and four steals as the Magic fell to the Celtics on Christmas Day.

1. Celtics (16-4): They have done nothing to lose the top spot.
2. Lakers (15-3): Playing great, right there with the Celtics.
3. Suns (15-5): Really coming on now.
4. Nuggets (15-5): Is Melo the MVP?
5. Magic (16-4): Very good team and will improve.
6. Cavaliers (15-5): Can Shaq hold on for the entire year?
7. Cavaliers (15-5): Climbing up the board a bit.
8. Hawks (14-6): Bibby is keeping this young team jelled.
9. Trail Blazers (13-8): Losing Oden really set this team back.
10. Heat (10-9): Hanging on to a top 10 slot, barley.
11. Jazz (11-8): Starting to play better.
12. Thunder (10-9): Very young and they will be very good. Soon.
13. Rockets (11-9): Did anyone thing they would be above .500 with all the injuries.
14. Spurs (9-8): Please start playing better.
15. Kings (9-9): Like the Thunder: young, good and improving.
16. Bucks (9-10): They have had a few bad breaks this season.
17. Bobcats (8-11): Have they ever been exciting?
18. Bulls (7-11): Starting to fade, some had high hopes for this team.
19. Raptors (9-13): Will they trade their best player or watch him walk?
20. Clippers (9-11): They are, well the Clippers.
21. Hornets (8-11): At least they have a few pieces.
22. Grizzlies (8-12): Gasol is a bright spot.
23. Pacers (6-12): Should be better than this.
24. Warriors (6-13): Blow this team up…
25. Pistons (8-12): Free agent additions not paying off thus far.
26. Wizard (7-12): Very disappointing.
27. 76ers (5-15): Iverson makes this team worse, instantly.
28. Knicks (6-15): Does the great one really want to play here?
29. Timberwolves (3-17): The Nets are coming for you!!!
30. Nets (1-19): Win a few more and I can get you out of the cellar.

Courtney Lee moved into the starting lineup and hit 11-of-16 shots to score a career-high 27 points as the Nets broke an 18-game losing streak, logging their first win of the season by beating the Charlotte Bobcats on Friday. Lee added four boards, three steals and three 3-pointers in the win and appears to finally be healthy and playing well. Brook Lopez also added 31 points, 14 rebounds and two blocks on 12-of-22 shooting.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Los Angeles: Lakers G Kobe Bryant threw up a running 3-pointer at the buzzer of Friday’s game with Dwyane Wade draped all over him, banking in the shot for a one-point win over the Heat. The Los Angeles Lakers, who have won eight straight games, appeared to have lost this one at home to Dwyane Wade and company before Kobe hit the miracle shot. Kobe scored 17 in the fourth quarter and finished with 33 points, and could be on his way to another MVP trophy this year.

Boston: Celtics F Kevin Garnett hit 10-of-11 shots for 23 points and eight rebounds in Friday’s win over the Thunder, the seventh in a row for the Boston Celtics. Paul Pierce scored 21 first-half points and had seven players in double figures scoring, but KG was the star. He’s averaging 19 points, 7.4 boards and 3.6 assists over his last five, hitting connecting on 41-of-52 shots and 13-of-13 free throws.

Charlotte: Raymond Felton got hot on Friday, hitting 11-of-14 shots and all four of his 3-pointers for a season-high 28 points to go along with five boards, four assists and two steals. We’re not sure where this came from, as Felton had scored in single digits in six of his last nine games, although there are signs that he’s ready to turn it around. Outside of tonight’s huge line, he posted 12 and 14 points in his previous two games.

New Orleans: Chris Paul had 16 points, 15 assists and a season-high eight steals in Friday’s win over the Timberwolves after being out since Nov. 13 with a sprained ankle. Wow. Welcome back, CP3. Go ahead and get him into your lineup as soon as possible, obviously.

New York: Nate Robinson was a DNP-CD again on Friday, as he remains in coach Mike D’Antoni’s doghouse. Robinson will likely enter the fray again at some point, or will be traded, but if you want to drop him for a hot free agent like Courtney Lee, go for it.

New York: Chris Duhon finally got aggressive and took the ball to the rack on Friday, finishing with a season-high 25 points on 10-of-16 shooting as the Knicks beat the Hawks in Atlanta. Duhon also had 10 assists for a double-double, and hit four 3-pointers, easily posting his best line of the season. He’d scored just 13 total points in his last two and came in shooting 29 percent on the season. Don’t expect consistent play from him, but it’s possible that he’s ready to start producing

1. Celtics (8-3): Nobody has stepped up to knock them off the top yet.
2. Lakers (8-3): Came back down to earth a bit.
3. Suns (10-2): Playing better than expected.
4. Nuggets (8-3): Really dangerous team, both regular and post season.
5. Hawks (9-2): Young and playing good basketball.
6. Magic (8-3): The Magic are a very solid team.
7. Cavaliers (8-3): I though they would be top three in the beginning.
8. Mavericks (8-3): Can they hold up without injuries?
9. Portland Trail Blazers (8-4): They go as Odem goes.
10. Heat (7-3): Wade is carrying this team.
11. Bulls (6-4): Looking to take the next step.
12. Spurs (4-4): They will be there in the end, like usual.
13. Kings (5-5): Surprise of the young NBA season?
14. Bucks (5-3): Middle of the pack, as expected.
15. Pacers (5-3): A few good young players.
16. Thunder (6-5): Exciting to watch.
17. Rockets (6-5): They stay competitive with what they have.
18. Raptors (5-6): Nothing exciting here.
19. Pistons (5-6): Offseason moves not paying off yet.
20. Jazz (4-6): Surprisingly struggling.
21. 76ers (4-6): See Jazz statement above.
22. Clippers (4-8): Clippers will be the Clippers.
23. Hornets (4-8):
24. Bobcats (3-7): Time to start over (for the fifth time)?
25. Wizard (2-7): Finally healthy, look for them to climb a bit.
26. Warriors (3-7): Horrible.
27. Grizzlies (2-8): Can’t believe they were good recently.
28. Knicks (1-9): They don’t even have a first round pick on 2010.
29. Timberwolves (1-10): Terrible.
30. Nets (0-11): I’m taking bets on when the first win will come, 17 sounds good.

The Knicks sound interested in signing Allen Iverson and one team official said it was 50-50 that the team would pursue the aging and seemingly mentally ill guard. And as news keeps trickling out of the Garden (well, actually, Indianapolis, where the Knicks are playing on Wednesday night), it does sound like there’s a decent chance the New York Knicks will attempt to sign him. In retrospect, the Knicks are so bad Iverson might be able to help the team.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Philadelphia According to Sixers beat writer Kate Fagan, Elton Brand will stay in the starting lineup for now. Coach Eddie Jordan says the potential benching of Brand is a “sensitive issue” and that after discussing it with his staff, they’ve decided to leave him in the starting five

Los Angeles: Lakers PF Pau Gasol is expected to go through a full practice on Wednesday and should make his season debut on Thursday from a hamstring injury. Gasol, who has yet to play a game this season, will probably be worked back into the rotation slowly.

Milwaukee: Milwaukee Bucks F Ersan Ilyasova will start over Hakim Warrick in Wednesday’s game against the Nets. With Ilyasova tallying 19 points, 12 boards, four 3-pointers and two steals in his last game, this move appears to be permanent.

Phoenix: Suns C Robin Lopez is expected to start practicing with the Suns this weekend after missing the preseason with a broken foot. Jarron Collins has been filling in at center while Lopez was out.

Utah: According to Utah Jazz beat reporter Ross Siler, Kyle Korver (knee) could return to action in about two weeks. This would escalate Korver’s timetable by a couple weeks, as he was originally targeting a return date of mid-December.

Portland: Blazers F Travis Outlaw is expected to miss 3-5 months after undergoing foot surgery on Wednesday. Initial reports had him returning sometime in January, but this updated timetable changes things dramatically. Rudy Fernandez is expected to get extra minutes in Outlaw’s absence.

Memphis: Grizzlies G Jamaal Tinsley is expected to make his debut for the Grizzlies on Wednesday.
He’ll back up starting point guard Mike Conley, but if he’s in shape and healthy, the two could be in store for a timeshare.

Oakland: Warriors G Monta Ellis has not yet asked for a trade, and we are placing a heavy emphasis on yet.
His agent, Jeff Fried, is in Oakland to promote a boxing match and it appears quite possible that he could meet with the Oakland Warriors in hopes of getting Monta traded. The Warriors don’t necessarily want to move him, but probably would if they could get a star player in return.

2008-09 NBA Team Preview – Boston Celtics

2008 Record: 66-16
Division Finish: 1st – Atlanta
2008 Playoffs: Won the NBA Championship, 4-2, over the Los Angeles Lakers

Head Coach: Doc Rivers
Season: Going into his fifth
Record at Boston: 168-160

Offseason Acquisitions:
Forward Darius Miles
Center Patrick O’Bryant

Offseason Losses:
Center Scott Pollard, option was not picked up.
Small forward James Posey signed a free agent deal with the New Orleans Hornets.

Rookies:
JR Giddens, G, 6-5, New Mexico
Semih Erden, C, 6-11, Turkey
Bill Walker, G-F, 6-6, Kansas State

The Skinny:
Everything is right again in the world of old school NBA fans. The Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers played for the NBA Championship with the Celtics coming out on top for their 17th title. But the odds of those two teams meeting in the finals in two of the next three years like in the 80’s is pretty slim.

The Celtics had a great formula in place for last year. They’ve got a great core group of superstars that plays really well together in Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. Those three stir the drink and then they’ve got a great group of supporting players who know their role. This is pretty much the formula that will help you win a title.

While the formula works great, the ingredients are getting ready to expire. Those three, along with journeyman Sam Cassell have all played at least 10 years in the NBA. Now that all three have a title under their belts and they’re growing long in the tooth how hungry are they going to be to make a run like last year? It wasn’t easy as they didn’t win a road game until the Finals.

Another problem with the Celtics roster is that they seem to be at both ends of the spectrum. Fourteen out of the 17 players on their current roster have either played seven years or more or have only been in the league for two years or less. Those players that fall into that middle aren’t very good either.

Because of some of the deals they’ve made and the draft positions they’ve had, the young talent they haven’t isn’t very good either or needs a lot of work to keep this train going. The Celtics better strike while the iron is hot this year because after this season they could be back to being in the middle to the bottom of the pack in the Eastern Conference.

One problem the Celtics are going to have to figure out is how to fill the void left by the departure of James Posey. During the offseason he signed a four-year deal with the New Orleans Hornets. Posey did a great job picking up the opposing team’s best offensive player and was a good three-point shooter himself. Posey was the one responsible for D-ing up LeBron James and Kobe Bryant during the playoffs. He also had the intangible of being a winner after being a part of the Miami Heat’s NBA title run.

So how does Boston plan on filling that hole? During the offseason they signed free agent forward Darius Miles. In addition they drafted JR Giddens from New Mexico in the first round and wing Bill Walker from Kansas State in the second. These seem like more of the Danny Ainge trade that got rid of Tony Delk and Antoine Walker for Jiri Welsch, Chris Mills and Raef LeFrentz and not the ones last year that brought in Allen and Garnett and earned him NBA Executive of the Year.

Miles is just trouble, plan and simple. It’s probably an attribute of a rough childhood in East St. Louis, but he’s been trouble everywhere he’s gone. He’s going to miss the first 10 games of the season because of a drug suspension. Great first impression. Then there’s his lack of defense and problems staying health. Throw in a pension for alienating his teammates and you’ve got a great pick up. Maybe the vets can real him in, but I doubt it.

Giddens isn’t exactly a choir boy either. He had problems at Kansas and had to transfer to New Mexico. If he gets influenced by Miles you might as well write him off as well. I don’t know much about Bill Walker, but Kansas State isn’t exactly a hotbed for talent. He was recruiting there by Bob Huggins, but how many of his players have really panned out to be good NBA players?

One player who may pick up Posey’s slack is guard Tony Allen. The Celtics resigned the fourth-year player out of Oklahoma State during the offseason. He might be able to fill that role, but he’s got to stay healthy. No one is really sure of his potential because he’s been injured so much. If he can stay of the IR for the entire season he could be a great role player.

Prediction:
Too many things just don’t seem right for the Celtics to repeat. After so many years of not having a championships ring, how hungry are the aging Garnett, Allen and Pierce going to be? Maybe they know this is there last chance and they’ll throw everything and the kitchen sink at winning again.

It’s always tougher to repeat than to win the first one and the Celtics just don’t have enough of the pieces to maintain a run like this. San Antonio built such a strong core group of players that all fit into their system so if one was missing the other could pick up the slack. If Pierce or Garnett go down for a long period of time the Celtics are in trouble. They need to have a full squad healthy for the entire year to keep the home court advantage in the playoffs. If they didn’t have home court advantage for every Eastern Conference playoff series and the Finals the title might be in LA or Detroit.

Posey is going to be a bigger loss than most people realize. Maybe not over the course of an 82-game schedule, but come playoff time when defense is so crucial – that was the basis of Boston’s championship run last year – it will show. I don’t think Miles will turn his act around and Giddons won’t amount to much. There are too many question marks around Tony Allen’s health to count on him for the whole year.

Boston will go 55-27 during the regular season and win the Atlantic Division because it’s pretty weak. They will, however, get bounced in the second round of the playoffs.

When James Naismith invented the game of basketball at the Springfield, Mass. YMCA in 1891, he was simply looking for a distraction for his rowdy young charges, who were often stuck indoors due to the harshly cold Massachusetts winters. Little did he know that his creation would one day evolve into a globalized, multi-billion-dollar sensation known as the National Basketball Association.

What follows is a brief history of the NBA, from its inception just after World War II to its gold medal winning Redeem Team, which recently won the gold in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

It was 1946. WWII was over and America was still basking in the glow of victory. Americans once again had entertainment dollars to spend, and in June, a group of sports arena owners got together with an idea on how to get people to spend some of that money on sports. A professional basketball league, with ten teams, comprising an East division and a West division. By June 6, the Basketball Association of America, or the BAA, was born.

The first game in BAA history was played on November 1, 1946, in Toronto, between the Toronto Huskies and the visiting New York Knickerbockers. The Knickerbockers won that game, 68-66.
The BAA owners had a distinct advantage over the competing National Basketball League, or NBL. They owned large arenas in the nation’s major cities and could command large crowds, thereby making more money. Though the NBL was probably the BAA’s equal when it came to quality of play, in the end the BAA had the superior dollars. In August 1949, the BAA and the NBL merged together, forming the National Basketball Association, or the NBA.

With the merger, the league now had seventeen teams, in cities large and small, across the United States. The league trimmed this number down to a record-low eight teams in 1954. The Kings, Celtics, Warriors, Lakers, Hawks, 76ers, Pistons, and the Knickerbockers are all still part of today’s NBA.

The quality of basketball back then was, understandably, not quite like what we see today. One of the reasons for this discrepancy was that, in the 1940s, African-American players were not allowed to compete in the NBA. That changed in 1950, when the NBA broke the color barrier by introducing several black players, including Earl Lloyd, Chuck Cooper, and Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton. Clifton was the first black player to sign an NBA contract, while Lloyd was the first to play in an NBA game.

Another change that positively affected the league was the advent of the 24-second shot clock in 1954. Before then, teams could use stall tactics against superior opponents to keep the score down. It was a tactically sound strategy, but it made for boring basketball. With the shot clock, a team had 24 seconds to attempt a shot. If no shot was taken (or if the ball hadn’t touched the rim) before time expired, the team lost possession.

The 1960s saw an expansion of the league from nine teams to fourteen. The decade also saw the inception of the NBA’s most formidable competitor, the American Basketball Association, or ABA.

The two leagues competed fiercely for spectators as well as top players. The NBA had the advantage of being in most major cities, while the ABA allowed undergraduates to join. That’s how Julius Erving, known as Dr. J., ended up in the upstart ABA. Rick Barry, the NBA’s leading scorer, also left for the ABA.

The NBA continued to expand and finally won the bidding war with the ABA. The two leagues agreed to a limited merger in 1976. This increased the number of NBA teams to 22.

In 1979, in an effort to further increase scoring and excitement, the NBA added the three-point shot, which was actually an ABA innovation.

The 1980s was arguably the most important decade in league history. This decade saw the epic rivalry between Larry Bird’s Boston Celtics and Earvin “Magic” Johnson’s Los Angeles Lakers. Johnson and the Lakers won five titles; Bird won three with the Celtics.

The 1980s also introduced the world to Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest player in the history of the NBA. He was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in 1984. Together with Scottie Pippen, Jordan’s Bulls won six NBA championships in the 1990s.

Jordan, Bird and Johnson helped form the 1992 Olympic basketball team, popularly known as the Dream Team. It was the first U.S. Olympic team to use NBA All-Stars. The team cruised to an easy gold medal. Since then, the NBA has been closely associated with USA Basketball.

The Chicago Bulls dynasty was broken up in 1998. Since then, the Western Conference has won the majority of the league championships. The San Antonio Spurs, led by Tim Duncan, have won four titles in that time span, while the Los Angeles Lakers, led by Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, won three. O’Neal was traded to the Miami Heat after the 2004 season, and after promising to deliver a championship to Florida, he and Dwyane Wade did exactly that in 2006, when they beat the Dallas Mavericks, four games to two, in the NBA Finals.

The most recent NBA champions are the Boston Celtics, who beat the resurgent Los Angeles Lakers four games to two. It was the Celtics’ first championship since 1986 and the Lakers’ first Finals’ appearance since Bryant and O’Neal fell to the Detroit Pistons in 2004.

After a subpar showing in the 2004 Olympics that resulted in a bronze medal, the NBA’s best players fielded a different team for the 2008 Games. Known popularity as the “Redeem Team,” the U.S. men’s basketball team was designed to bring the Olympic gold back to the country where the game was invented. Duke University coach Mike Krzyzewski led a team made up of the following players: Carmelo Anthony, Carlos Boozer, Chris Bosh, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, LeBron James, Jason Kidd, Chris Paul, Tayshaun Prince, Michael Redd, Dwyane Wade, and Deron Williams.

The “Redeem Team” accomplished its mission in the Beijing Games, beating Spain in the gold medal game, 118-107.

During the tenure of the current NBA commissioner, David Stern, the league has begun to expand its reach beyond the United States. Several players from foreign countries have become prominent players in the NBA (including Yao Ming, Manu Ginobili and 2007 league MYP Dirk Nowitzki), and the league’s games are currently televised in more than 200 countries.

The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the National Basketball Association’s highest-profile teams. Like the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League, the Lakers are synonymous with glamour. The purple-and-gold uniforms, the hordes of celebrity spectators regularly found in the stands, the “Showtime” teams of the 1980s – all add to the glamorous mystique of the team. When you’re blinded by the glitz of L.A.’s primary hoops team, it’s difficult to remember that the Lakers’ roots go back to the Midwest.

The team we now know as the Lakers began in 1944 when a National Basketball League team in Detroit was purchased and relocated to Minneapolis, Minnesota. The state is known as the land of 10,000 lakes, hence the name Minneapolis Lakers.

The Lakers have a long-standing tradition of great big men, including the man generally regarded as the league’s first great big man, George Mikan.

At 6 feet, 10 inches tall, George Mikan moved with the agility of a much smaller man, and with the paucity of very tall players in the league, Mikan dominated for years. Led by Mikan, the new Minneapolis Lakers won the NBL championship in the 1947-1948 season.

The Lakers moved to the Basketball Association of America (the precursor to the NBA), along with three other NBL teams, in 1948. They won the BAA championship in 1949, led, once again, by Mikan, who played in the Finals series with a broken wrist. When the BAA merged with the NBL to form the NBA, the Lakers won the first NBA Finals.

Predictably, the Minneapolis domination of the league ended when George Mikan retired in 1954. Six years later, the Lakers moved to Los Angeles, becoming the first west coast team in the NBA. The L.A. Lakers were good but not dominant, until they acquired their next great big man, Wilt Chamberlain, in 1968.

Chamberlain, considered by many to be the most dominant big man in history, brought L.A. its first title, in a five-game defeat of the New York Knicks in the 1971-71 season. The next season, the Knicks returned the favor, beating the Lakers in five.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, formerly known as Lew Alcindor, was the Lakers’ third great big man, acquired from Milwaukee in 1975. He had several promising seasons in L.A., but they didn’t become the Showtime Lakers until the Lakers drafted Earvin Johnson in the 1979 draft.

Johnson had an immediate impact on the Lakers. Together with Abdul-Jabbar, he led L.A. to the 1980 NBA title with a six-game win over the Philadelphia 76ers. During that series, Abdul-Jabbar was injured, and Magic played center in Game Six. Johnson scored 42 points and grabbed 15 rebounds.

The Lakers of the 1980s – dubbed “Showtime” for their flashy style of play – won five NBA titles while engaged in a fierce rivalry with the Boston Celtics. For their part, the Celtics, led by Larry Bird, won three titles during that time span.

The Lakers’ fortunes took a downward turn in 1989 when Abdul-Jabbar retired after 20 years in the league. Magic Johnson led the Lakers to a Finals appearance in 1991, only to be beaten by Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. Johnson was diagnosed with HIV later that year, and retired in November.

In 1996, the Lakers traded for their next great big man, Shaquille O’Neal, and traded Vlade Divac to the Charlotte Hornets for the rights to rookie Kobe Bryant.

O’Neal and Bryant immediately made the Lakers a Western Conference contender, but they weren’t able to get over the championship hump until the 1999-2000 season, when the team hired Phil Jackson. The team immediately responded to Jackson’s offbeat coaching style and his championship pedigree (he had won six titles with the Chicago Bulls), winning the NBA title the next three seasons.

A loss to the Detroit Pistons in the 2004 Finals, coupled with personality conflicts between Bryant, O’Neal, and Jackson, caused a breakup of the mini-dynasty. Shaq was traded to the Miami Heat and Jackson did not return to the team for the next season.

Jackson soon returned replacing Rudy Tomjanovich, but the Lakers did not return to title contention until the 2007-08 season, when they acquired Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies. Bryant and Gasol led the Lakers to the 2008 NBA Finals, where they lost to the Boston Celtics in six games.

The Lakers enter the 2008-09 season filled with optimism. Their two top players, Bryant and Gasol, squared off against each other in the 2008 Olympics gold-medal game, but they return as teammates, hoping to accomplish what they very nearly achieved last season.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are one of the NBA’s newest teams, having entered the league in 1989. Their head coach is former NBA player Randy Wittman. The team vice president of basketball operations is former Hall of Fame forward Kevin McHale. They play their home games in the Target Center in Minneapolis.

Early Years

The first few years were rough ones for the T-Wolves. They won only 22 games in their inaugural campaign, and improved to 29 wins the following year. Firing their coach, Bill Musselman, didn’t help matters. Under new coach Jimmy Rodgers, the Wolves only won 15 games, the worst record in the NBA.

The T-Wolves selected high school phenom Kevin Garnett in 1995 and picked up New York playground legend and Georgia Tech point guard Stephon Marbury in 1996. Thw two players guided the T-Wolves to their first-ever playoff appearance in the 1996-97 season. They were swept in three games by the Houston Rockets in the first round.

In 1997, Kevin Garnett was signed to the most lucrative contract in league history, a 6-year, $126 million blockbuster that is generally blamed for the NBA’s ensuing lockout. The huge contract also fomented some bad blood inside the Minnesota organization, as Marbury fumed about not being the team’s highest-paid player. Marbury refused to sign a contract extension, and the T-Wolves were forced to trade him to the New Jersey Nets during the lockout-shortened 1999 season. The trade split up what many fans hoped would be a championship nucleus.

Playoff Appearances

Despite the inner and outer turmoil of the 1999 season, the T-Wolves managed to make the playoffs for a third straight time, with a 25-25 record. They lost in the first round to the San Antonio Spurs.

Kevin Garnett, the team’s star, had begun to gain a reputation for being a great regular-season player but disappearing in the playoffs. The team was regarded as one that could get to the playoffs but could not advance. They lost in the first round to the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1999-2000 playoffs. (Guard Malik Sealy was killed in a car crash in the ensuing offseason) In 2000-01, they lost to the San Antonio Spurs in the first round. They were swept in the first round by the Dallas Mavericks the following year. A seven-game loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2002-03 made it seven straight first-round eliminations for the Timberwolves.

Desperate to shake things up, the Minnesota front office traded for guards Sam Cassell and Latrell Sprewell in 2003. The two veterans helped spur the T-Wolves to a 58-24 record and finally got the team out of the first round of the playoffs. They beat the Denver Nuggets in the first round, and the Sacramento Kings in the second round. However, they fell to the Lakers in the conference finals.

The 2003-04 season was the apex of the team’s fortunes, however. The team has not returned to the playoffs since.

2007-08 Season

The 2007-08 season will mainly be remembered as the year the T-Wolves traded away their franchise player. In a move that would have NBA title implications (though not for Minnesota), Kevin Garnett was traded to the Boston Celtics for five, players and two first-round draft picks. Thus ended the Kevin Garnett era in Minnesota.

The T-Wolves posted a 22-60 record in 2007-08.

2008-09 Outlook

With a very young roster comprised of Randy Foye, Al Jefferson and Mike Miller, the T-Wolves find themselves looking up at much of the Western Conference. Few people expect them to compete for a playoff spot in the upcoming season, but with a lot of youth on the roster, the future could be bright for the Minnesota Timberwolves.