NBA Quarter Pole Power Poll

We're approximately a quarter of the way through the NBA calendar now with every team having played about 20-22 games thus far, so I think it's a good time to take a look at the way things stand to date. A lot has changed since my preseason power rankings. Some things I have been right about, others not so much (...yet. There's a long way to go and by the end I fully expect to be dead right about everything. Everything except for anything. Because that's all that can be expected in a league where you never know what to expect. I hope I've just confused everyone into thinking I'm right). While the top looks pretty much the way I, and most people, thought, there is a huge jumble of messiness after the top 8 or so. If the playoffs started today, both the Thunder and the Bobcats would be actively participating. Wow. Without further ado, let's roll out this batch of holiday rankings.

30. New Jersey Nets
Of course they had to go here after setting a new record for longest losing streak before winning their first game. Injuries have played a large part in that as this team has some nice young talent (Harris, Lopez, CDR, Lee, Yi, Williams) that should be able to compete on a nightly basis. But I'm sure Nets fans don't mind this terrible start too much, as they'll have another high draft pick along with those young guys and cap room to try and lure LeBron and someone else to Jersey (or Brooklyn). Amazingly though, in a conference that has only 5 teams with .500 or better records, an 0-18 start does not eliminate you from playoff contention in the Least...I mean...East.

29. Minnesota Timberwolves
Talent-wise, the T-Wolves may actually be worse than the Nets. Al Jefferson is still slowly getting back into the flow of things and Kevin Love just returned from injury. (One guy that's not stepping on the floor for them anytime soon? Ricky Rubio. Yeah, I had to go there.) Minnesota is starting to play better now that they're getting healthier with recent wins over Denver and Utah, but they still have a long way to go to catch up in the standings to the rest of the West.

28. Indiana Pacers
Here's a usually over-achieving team that's under-achieving right now. They got Mike Dunleavy back but lose their All Star forward Danny Granger for a month and a half because of a bad heel. A team that plays no defense without their best offensive player for that long? Not too many more wins coming before MLK day for this team. And what in the world happened to T.J. Ford?

27. Chicago Bulls
Have they quit on Vinny del Negro already? Derrick Rose hasn't made the leap to superstardom in his second year, and the Bulls are finding it a challenge to score without Ben Gordon lighting it up. Chicago may just be biding their time until the offseason to try and snag Dwyane Wade, but is it safe to rely on that? I'd be surprised if they don't make a play for Chris Bosh or Carlos Boozer before the trade deadline and bull their way into the playoffs. (Sorry, but puns are just too much fun)

26. Philadelphia 76ers
This was supposed to be a team on the rise, but they've fallen before they ever really took off. The Elton Brand signing has been an unmitigated disaster and the Sixers have no one to go to for consistent offense. Iguodala is a tremendous player, but he's just not a great number one option on offense. It's 11 straight losses and counting, but at least Iverson is selling some tickets now.

25. Golden State Warriors
I give up trying to figure out Don Nelson. He's willing to play Vladimir Radmonovic and C.J. Watson 48 minutes, but one of the most intriguing upside guys in the league in Anthony Randolph can't get on the floor for a team that's going nowhere? When he does play he's great (28 and 13 in 35 minutes the other night), so why not develop him? They could have a great future with Randolph, Ellis, Biedrins, Curry, and Morrow, but instead they're content to lose 130-110 every night playing career backups for 40+ minutes. Okay, rant over.

24. New York Knicks
The Knicks are a frisky 3-1 since benching Nate Robinson, one of their 3 best players heading into this season. What does that tell me about New York? Even their best players aren't very good. So, in other words, it tells me nothing. They're still praying they can get rid of Eddy Curry or Jared Jeffries to free up some more cap room for LeBron + 1.

23. Milwaukee Bucks
Now that Brandon Jennings has slowed down considerably, Milwaukee's excessive lack of talent is starting to show (8 losses in their last 9 before their last game). How much longer can they afford to swallow ever-absent Michael Redd's contract? Other teams may think he's too much damaged goods to even get much back for him in a trade now.

22. Washington Wizards
Here's another team vastly under-achieving thanks in large part to injuries. Antawn Jamison, Caron Butler, Mike Miller, and Randy Foye have all missed games thus far. Even so, this team has been way too inconsistent considering all the talent amassed on it. It seems every time they start to get going they curiously drop a couple games they aren't supposed to. I still think they'll get it together and be a force down the stretch, but they're going to need to start playing team basketball instead of each player being focused on getting theirs.

21. Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizz are very similar to the Wiz in that they have great individual talent, and early on their results were very similar to Washington's as well. But lately, Memphis has been playing some team ball and it's shown in the win-loss column, including an overtime win over the mighty Cavs the other night. Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo have learned to share the ball better while Marc Gasol has been a rock in the middle (Can't say the same for #2 overall pick Hasheem Thabeet). Amazingly enough Zach Randolph hasn't murdered this team...yet.

20. Toronto Raptors
The Raps are more of an exciting, fast-paced team this season, but they're just as ineffective at winning games. Just as I thought, Hedo Turkoglu isn't making a huge positive impact on this team, and is actually hurting the effectiveness of Jose Calderon. Meanwhile Chris Bosh is putting up empty Contract Year numbers as it remains evident he has no intent of returning to the Raptors. There's a 90% chance he's not on this squad come March.

19. Sacramento Kings
The Kings have scratched and clawed their way to a respectable mark so far this year, even without leading scorer Kevin Martin and versatile glue guy Francisco Garcia. Tyreke Evans may have taken over favorite status in the ROY race and they're getting major contributions from relative no-names like Beno Udrih and Omri Casspi. I don't think they can continue at this pace, but it's good to see the Kings on the comeback trail with a scrappy and determined young squad.

18. Los Angeles Clippers
After another disappointing start, the Clips have won some games recently. Baron Davis is starting to look like his former self, and the Kaman/Camby combo is a load to handle down low. With all the talent on this roster and #1 overall selection Blake Griffin on the mend, it's clear that the only thing holding this team back is their hapless coach.

17. Detroit Pistons
The Pistons are paying Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva an awful lot of money to play 25 minutes a game each off the bench, but lately guys like Jonas Jerebko and scrap heap pickup Will Bynum have energized this team to a few wins and a spot in the East's top eight. Factor in Ben Wallace's revamped defense and Rodney Stuckey's continued improvement, and Detroit may keep their consecutive playoff appearance streak alive once Rip Hamilton gets back and their pricy free agent acquisitions get going.

16. Charlotte Bobcats
Despite being the first team to lose to the woeful Nets, the Bobcats have been otherwise solid. Stephen Jackson has provided some scoring punch and Gerald Wallace is playing at an All Star level. The only thing holding them back is their lack of bigs, so you wonder if Larry Brown will move Boris Diaw soon for some added size up front.

15. New Orleans Hornets
Since firing coach Byron Scott, New Orleans has turned things around, climbing back into the playoff picture. There's still too much of a burden on Chris Paul, especially with David West struggling early on, but they've gotten solid contributions from newly added Emeka Okafor and their rookie guards. The Hornets can give anyone in the league a good game, but their lack of depth will continue to hurt them all year long.

14. San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs have clearly been the most disappointing team in the league so far, barely above .500 19 games into the season. While their usual injuries have played a part, it seems like their usual team chemistry isn't right. In particular, their big offseason acquisition Richard Jefferson hasn't found his niche or accepted his role on this team. As a result, the Spurs are a paltry 2-8 against teams with winning records. I still trust them to right the ship and be their normally dangerous selves by the time April rolls around.

13. Miami Heat
After a hot (Pun anyone?) start, the Heat have cooled off considerably. Dwyane Wade looks worn down and his shooting percentage has plummeted in comparison to last season. While Michael Beasley seems to be developing bit by bit, there's just not a whole lot of help for Wade in Miami. They'll still be a playoff team in a weak conference (as long as Wade remains healthy), but they won't be a threat to any of the top teams in the East.

12. Portland Trailblazers
There's something just wrong with this team. And I mean aside from the mounting injuries. They're really struggling on offense and a lot of that probably has to do with the misfit of Andre Miller imposing himself in the lineup. The injuries just add to the concern. This was a team that was supposed to take the next step to Contender status, but it already seems like they're going to take a significant step backward this year. Poor, poor Greg Oden. What else can you say?

11. Oklahoma City Thunder
Didn't believe me when I said back in the preseason that the Thunder would challenge for a playoff spot in the West this season? Better believe it now. OKC has won 12 of their first 21 to start the season, and they've done so while playing the second-toughest schedule of any team in the league. Kevin Durant has continued his ascension into the upper echelon of NBA players, currently sitting with the 4th highest scoring average so far this season. With the way this team gets after it on the defensive end, they keep themselves in a lot of basketball games with sheer effort. If they can find some quality size in the frontcourt to complement their high-flying forwards, they can make their way into contention.

10. Utah Jazz
I mentioned Chris Bosh's Contract Year numbers earlier. Well, Carlos Boozer is putting some of those up as well, getting back to his 20-10 ways in the hopes of getting (over)paid next summer. The teammates around him haven't stopped fighting though, as Deron WIlliams and company have overcome a slow start to creep up to second in their division. Once they get a few key role players back from injury they'll be a tough out in the postseason, but the bigger question is if Boozer will be moved before the deadline with Paul Millsap waiting in the wings.

9. Houston Rockets
Another team I thought would challenge for a playoff spot with a bunch of scrappy over-achievers, the Rockets are off to a really good start. Considering they've played the toughest schedule in the league thus far, their 13-9 mark is more than respectable, especially coming off of a double-digit domination of the Cavs. Trevor Ariza and Aaron Brooks are putting up big numbers in starring roles on offense, and Carl Landry has quietly had a great year off the bench. If they can get anything out of T-Mac this year (It would be most beneficial if they could trade him for players that can help them on the court) Houston will continue to surprise.

8. Dallas Mavericks
The Mavs have gotten out of the gate hot in 2009, as Dirk Nowitzki has led them to the 3rd best record in the West thus far. They posted an impressive double-digit win over the Lakers in Los Angeles in the first week of the season, and have done all their damage thus far without the services of Josh Howard. If they keep getting contributions off the bench from Drew Gooden and (gulp) Tim Thomas, expect Dallas to keep on rolling.

7. Phoenix Suns
As I proclaimed in the preseason, the Suns are back with a vengeance. They're running and gunning their way to wins once more, and Steve Nash is a prime candidate to take home his third MVP trophy. Despite a bad loss to the Knicks (In which they somehow failed to score 100 points against a team that can't spell defense) and a couple of beatdowns at the hands of the Lakers, you have to give the Suns credit for building such a strong record despite playing the fewest number of home games of any team in the league.

6. Denver Nuggets
The big news out of Denver has been Carmelo Anthony lighting it up nightly and leading the NBA in scoring thus far. The Nuggets have been out to prove that their success last year was no fluke and that they really are the second best team in the West. However, just when you think they can challenge Los Angeles for conference supremacy (Like after they dismantled the Lakers in a matchup last month), they come up with a head-scratching loss (Like dropping a game at home to a T-Wolves team on a 15 game losing skid). It's a good thing rookie Ty Lawson is showing he has some game because Chauncey Billups appears to have lost a step. This team can contend, but are still too undersized to dethrone the reigning champs.

5. Cleveland Cavaliers
Is the Shaq experiment working? Only time will tell, but for now I find it interesting that O'Neal is getting practically no attention (And not too many minutes either). How long will Shaq be content to let LeBron hog the spotlight? It seems like the Cavs are at their best when he is not on the floor, and that can't sit well with the Big Witness Protection (He can't do much protecting from the sidelines though can he?) Cleveland seems stuck in a rut behind the Celtics and Magic in the East, and that has the entire city is praying that LeBron will remain a Cavalier past 2010 after the Cavs fall short in the playoffs again.

4. Atlanta Hawks
Surprise, surprise. After being unceremoniously swept out of the playoffs by Cleveland last year, Atlanta now appears to pose a serious threat to the Cavs. They're clearly closer to the Big Three in the East than they are to the rest of the pack, and their stellar play thus far has reflected that. Jamal Crawford gives this team some scoring punch off the pine that they have desperately needed and Josh Smith has finally figured out he's 28 times more effective when he doesn't jack up outside jumpers everyone knows he can't make. Their lack of depth up front is still a concern, but the Hawks are definitely on the radar screens of the top teams in the league.

3. Orlando Magic
The Magic don't seemed to have skipped a beat after replacing Hedo Turkoglu with Vince Carter. They're probably the deepest team in the league, and that has made up for the slightly worse play of their starting lineup. I'm not sure you want Carter taking 30 shots a game and Howard taking 4, and offensive strategies such as those will have this team fall short of where they went last year (Last night against the Suns, a team with absolutely no interior defense, Howard took exactly ONE SHOT in 41 minutes. Lunacy like that deserves a loss). Even though All Star Jameer Nelson has been sidelined for a second consecutive season with a major injury, Orlando continues to go out and win. They've dropped their last two though, (Tough back-to-back set on the road at Utah and Phoenix) and now have to worry about the Hawks challenging them for the division lead.

1B. Boston Celtics
1A. Los Angeles Lakers
These two titans of the NBA are on a collision course for a 2008 Finals rematch. They're clearly the class of their respective conferences. Both teams are riding 9+ game win streaks and have the two largest margins of victory by a wide margin over the rest of the league.
The Celtics have gotten it done with their standard stingy defense. Their Big Three looks old at times, but not often enough to count them out. Their full powers won't be needed until the playoffs anyways. However the emergence of Rajon Rondo and even Kendrick Perkins has the Celts covered for now, and they will only be strengthened by the returns of Big Baby Davis and Marquis Daniels to their bench.
The Lakers were off to a good start even without Pau Gasol. With their All Star forward back in the lineup, the Lakers are in the midst of an 11 game winning streak with an average margin of victory of 16 points a game. Their offense is a well-oiled machine with an unrivaled post-up game and improving long range shooting. Their bench has picked up their play led by Lamar Odom and Shannon Brown, with Jordan Farmar picking it up lately as well. A healthy Andrew Bynum is on track to make his first All Star team and Kobe Bryant is still the best player in the league. The most noticeable change in this team is their defense that currently ranks among the best in the league, which has been keyed by Ron Artest. He's clearly been an upgrade over Trevor Ariza thus far, especially on the defensive end. He hasn't caused any problems on the court yet, and despite some crazy antics and comments off of it (Admitting to drinking alcohol during halftime of games when he played for the Bulls and showing up to Jimmy Kimmel Live in just his boxer shorts) the team has responded by not even noticing. That's a good sign that Artest won't be a distraction and this Lakers squad will cruise through the West as long as they avoid major injuries (It will be interesting to see how Kobe's fractured index finger will affect him and the team). Hopefully come June, we'll be seeing a classic NBA Finals pitting the clear-cut best teams in the association. (With the Lakers emerging victorious of course)

The Question

Why all the hate for Allen Iverson?

It's a simple question really, but one that even The Answer probably has no simple answer for. Is it really just because of the way he looks, or how he has come across as a person, or his game on the court? Where others see problems, I see a player. A great player. A player who has gone vastly underappreciated considering all he has accomplished in his career. Love him or hate him, Allen Iverson has been arguably the most influential basketball player in the last 15 years, both on and off the court. You look at the NBA now, and you see basketball culture fused with hip-hop culture. Why? The answer is The Answer. Literally. Allen Iverson ushered in the hip-hop era of basketball. From his flashy game, to his his style, to the way he carries himself (And even his failed attempt at rapping, but let's not speak of that again), Iverson was the first to merge the two now inseparable movements. Magic and Jordan never brought to mind hip-hop. Bird was the opposite of it. It all started with Iverson, and now there's hardly a player in the league whose iPod isn't dominated by the likes of Jay-Z and Kanye West. For better or worse, this made Iverson more than a ball player. It made him an icon. His style was profoundly emulated, from the full-body tats, to the baggy shorts, to the jersey 3 sizes too large, to the corn rows, to the nasty crossovers, to the arm sleeves now unnecessarily worn by too many players, A.I. was the pioneer for it all. He changed the game in a way that perhaps no player before him ever did, and something has to be said for that.

On the court Iverson has achieved a lot as well. All Star appearances, MVPs, scoring titles, a trip to the Finals, his resume only lacks a ring. People have always been on him about being a ballhog and a selfish gunner, but is he so much different than other superstars? Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade always have the ball in their hands, and they too love jacking up shot after shot. Why does the "selfish" label not follow them? They dribble around for 20 seconds before passing out of triple-teams to get their assists. Why does that make them team players when Iverson does the same thing?

You have to give the guy some credit now. He has played every game like it was last. You can never question his will or desire the way you can with some other superstars. The injuries he played through were numerous. No one hit the ground more times than he did, and no one got up more times than he did. Despite being the smallest guy on the court virtually every time he played, he was always the most feared. He is quite possibly the greatest scorer in the history of the game. Listed at just 6 feet tall (Yeah right, maybe standing on a phone book), the guy won FOUR scoring titles, averaged over 30 points per game 4 times in a 5 year span, and boasts the SIXTH best career scoring average of ALL TIME. No other player in the top FIFTY of that illustrious list is under 6-foot-3, or within a good 4-5 inches of Iverson. Think about the insane disparity there. How great of a scorer does he have to be to overcome a physical limitation like that which has so clearly affected that aspect of the game historically. Imagine for a second if he was just 6 inches taller. Would he average 30 a game for his career? 32? 34? The possibilities are staggering.

There's a knock on him that he never led his team to a championship. You don't need me to tell you that other great players have gone ring-less as well (Barkley, Malone, Stockton, Ewing, Reggie, Dominique, Kidd, Nash). And he came pretty darn close, getting to the 2001 NBA Finals, and handing the Lakers their ONLY loss of that postseason in spectacular fashion on the road in Los Angeles (48 points and the Tyronn Lue shot). People say that a team can't win when they are based so solely around a single player. I submit to you the current Cleveland Cavaliers. Now THAT is a team based solely around one guy (LeBron). As has been made clear throughout his career, he's the only one on that team. He single-handedly led them to the Finals in 2007. He was the only reason they were not swept in last year's Eastern Conference Finals. Watch the Cavs play when LeBron is on the bench. They're terrible. I don't know if this Cleveland team sans LeBron would make the playoffs even in the East. And yet, James is surrounded by more talent than Iverson ever had. Why does no one talk about his failings as a leader or a team player? Why does no one say LeBron's style isn't conducive to winning titles? Because he averages 7 assists a game? The ball is always in his hands. He's the only one on that team who can even GET assists, just like Iverson in his heyday. I don't see much of a difference in their careers to date (Statistical monsters who fall short in the postseason), yet James gets all praise and Iverson gets all ridicule.

A lot of that ridicule goes towards Allen Iverson the person. I agree that he's made his fair share of mistakes, but why keep harping on them? How many players go through their careers without problems off the court? It's pretty rare. And as Iverson has gotten older, those problems haven't cropped up, yet it is still impossible for him to escape their shadow. His personality and lifestyle make him who he is, even on the court. He has been called out for being defiant and being a rebel, but that force of personality is a common thread among most NBA greats, whether it's Kobe's frigid arrogance, LeBron's pompous dance moves, Shaq's lyrical barbs, or KG's incessant chirping. Even Michael Jordan's Hall of Fame speech dripped with contempt for his peers. Yet more criticism is heaped on A.I. than any of them. What about the positives of his personality? He wears his heart on his sleeve. He is never afraid to speak his mind. Hardly any athlete of this generation has given us as much access to their own mind and heart, something all of us crave in this day and age of Twitter and Facebook. He's always been a terrific interview and has given us the greatest press conference of all time (As well as this great spin-off video). His love and passion for the game has always been apparent, and he has shown contrition for his previous errors. Instead of looking down on him in contempt, people should appreciate how media and fan-friendly he has been throughout his career, and how easy he has made it to follow him, even before the age of Twitter. It's part of the reason why Iverson has been so influential and had such a huge impact on so many people and players throughout the nation.

I predicted before the season started that Allen Iverson would get his revenge this year. A man with so much pride and and defiance badly wanted to show that he could still play at a high level in the NBA. So far, it hasn't happened. But it's not his fault. Memphis clearly did not use him properly and it was best for both sides that he left. Now hopefully the Sixers will give him the opportunity he craves. The team and the city needs it. With Elton Brand's career falling off a cliff and the injury to Lou Williams, Philadelphia finds itself lacking playmakers and guys who can get their own shot. While Andre Iguodala is a great player, he's not a guy you want to go to as your number one option on offense. He's too inefficient and has a very inconsistent jump shot. Iggy is much better suited to slashing when he has the chance, cutting to the basket, running his lane, and catching and finishing around the rim (Think Shawn Marion on the Suns a few years ago). The emerging Thaddeus Young has similar strengths and weaknesses. Add Iverson to the mix, and not only can he get his own shot more effectively than they can, he can also create for them and get them easier looks at the basket. While he may still be a "selfish" gunner, he can keep the team in games by himself. And with good defenders behind him, he can go after steals like he has always excelled at. If used properly, there's no way he can't help the Sixers. I don't understand how people got the idea that his game has totally diminished and that he's lost a few steps. We haven't even seen the guy play in 2 years. He hasn't this year, and don't tell me last year's disaster season in Detroit counts. That wasn't him and everyone knows it. The last time we saw the real Iverson play, he was putting up over 26 points, 7 assists, and 2 steals in nearly 42 minutes per game for the Nuggets. I've seen nothing in his game or abilities to show me that he can't come close to those numbers now (After he gets back in game shape of course). He's had significant time off the last year and a half so you know he's fresh, and you certainly know that he's motivated.

Allen Iverson has been one of my favorite players in the league throughout his career and I have loved following him for who he is, a great player and a fascinating person in his own right. Instead of dwelling so much on his shortcomings and criticizing his personality and decisions (Because he is who he is and that's clearly not going to change), let's celebrate his achievements and pull for him to go out with a bang in true Iverson fashion. I wish him nothing but great success in his last hurrah, and I wish that more people did the same.

Appreciate the Smoothies

No, not that kind of smoothie!! As we have now sunk our teeth into the new NBA season, talk over potential All-Star and MVP candidates is beginning to heat up, and all the usual suspects are at the top of the list. I encourage NBA fans to take a closer look at some slightly underrated players before filling out their All-Star ballots and throwing themselves behind an MVP candidate. There is a common thread among these players that makes them a little undervalued. They’re what I like to call “smooth” players. People know that these guys are good, but I don’t think they realize just how good they are. Fans today are enamored with highlight plays, and as a result the players who make those plays get elevated just a little bit more, while guys who do things the more conventional way are overlooked a bit. People are mesmerized by LeBron’s monster dunks, Dwight’s emphatic rejections, D-Wade’s magical circus shots, Kobe’s fadeaway jumpers over multiple defenders, and naturally put them at the top of list of the game’s elite. But there are other, less noticeable names that belong in that exclusive club as well.

Any conversation about the quietly great begins and ends with the Big Fundamental, Tim Duncan. Timmy D has subtly been the premiere post player of the last decade, the only big man left in the game who dominates on both ends of the floor. Obviously everyone knows he’s good, evidenced by him starting in the All Star Game every year, but I don’t think they appreciate how HISTORICALLY good he’s been. There’s a reason people like Charles Barkley (A pretty darn good power forward himself) call him the greatest power forward of all time. I named him my MVP of the 2000s over players like Kobe and Shaq. His unmatched banking prowess and shutdown interior defense go largely unnoticed. The reason why, as a Lakers fan, I am more worried about the Spurs than any other team in the league is that Duncan is the one player who can handle the Lakers front line. And he can do it by himself.

Another big man whose smooth game gets lost in the shuffle primarily because he plays with a highlight heavyweight is Pau Gasol. If you’ve never watched Gasol closely, trust me, you’re missing out. A couple of years ago I myself believed that Gasol was overrated and really wasn’t that good. Now after the All Star appearances, championship spotlight, and acting guest spots, I think he’s rather underrated (As a player, not an actor. Side Note: WHY would anyone want Pau Gasol to act in any role in which he does not play himself unless it was on a show aired in Spain??? He’s not popular enough in the States to attract a larger TV audience). He’s the perfect sidekick for Kobe. He does whatever the team needs, cares nothing for his stats, and has a wide range of skills he can use. From scoring efficiently with either hand in the post, to knocking down open mid-range jumpers, to hitting cutters in stride, to running the floor, to rebounding on both ends, to protecting the rim, Gasol does it all without needing the ball, or the spotlight, too much. And if he needs to, he can carry a team for stretches himself.

Sticking to bigs, a third who flies under the radar is Al Jefferson. While a lot of that has to do with him being stuck on a bad team in a small market, Jefferson was unheralded even during his time in Boston, though those were some bad teams too as people seem quick to forget. Jefferson may just be developing into the best low-post scorer in the game. He averaged 23 points per game a year ago on 50% shooting to go along with 11+ rebounds, yet failed to make the All Star team over a lesser player like David West. It’s a shame. Big Al can just flat out score on the block, with more post moves than any opponent can guard. He’s what Dwight Howard should have been on offense. For his sake, I hope he can get out of Minnesota, but first I hope he can get his proper recognition because I still don’t hear his name mentioned when people talk about the best big men in the league.

It’s not all about the big men though. Leading the smooth swingmen is my boy Brandon Roy. People really don’t know how good this young guy is. Last year John Hollinger wrote about how Roy is the seventh best player in the NBA, and he is not crazy. I’ve been big on Roy since his college days, but I knew he was the real deal after watching a game two years ago. It was a nationally televised contest against the Heat and Roy (At the time, in just his second season as a pro) was matched up on veteran superstar Dwyane Wade. Roy DOMINATED Wade. I mean, it wasn’t even close. He made Wade look like a scrub on defense. And what really shocked me was that Roy looked like he was moving in slow motion. Yet, one of the most athletic guards in the league couldn’t stay with him. His series of crossovers, changes of pace, fakes, and step-backs, all without breaking a sweat, had Wade scrambling to keep up. Roy can be the best player on the floor at any given time and I believe he is one of the few franchise players in the NBA.

If you had one possession to win the game, which player in the league would you want to have the ball? I’d be hard pressed to take anyone over Carmelo Anthony. He’s arguably the best pure scorer in the league. Obviously he came into the league with a lot of hype and is well-known throughout the nation, but I’m not sure people really appreciate his mastery of the art of scoring the basketball. There isn’t anyone under 7 feet tall who gets his points easier than Melo. The way he scores at will makes it look so easy. Now that he has an effective outside jumper and added three point range to his arsenal, there’s just no stopping his lethal combination of size, strength, quickness, and athleticism. It just seems like he expends half the energy of Kobe, LeBron, and Wade to score the same amount, and because of that people don’t put him in the same class of scorers as those guys. Time to put an end to that. And going back to that end-of-game possession; last season Melo shot 56.5% from the field, 58.3% from three, and got to the line more frequently than any other player in the league in the clutch. That was far better than Kobe, LeBron, or Wade. See why it’s hard not to take him there?

Another “smoothie” who’s among the game's greats is Joe Johnson. JJ rose out of obscurity in Boston to shine with the first fast-paced Suns team (Imagine if Phoenix decided to pay him), parlaying his breakout 2005 campaign into a big contract with Atlanta. Johnson has lived up to the billing, leading the young Hawks to back-to-back playoff appearances and their first postseason series win in a couple decades. He’s blossomed into a perennial All Star with his smooth game. He’s another one of those guys who looks like he’s moving slower than everyone else, yet gets to his spots and gets off that pretty jump shot. He’s also very calm handling the basketball and can make plays for his teammates. I believe he’s properly rated now, but people still tend to forget about him when discussing the top shooting guards in the NBA.

So what makes some players smooth and others not? Is there a common thread among them? I think it’s difficult to pinpoint a single factor, but one interesting thing to note is the career path of the players. A big difference between highlight reel players like say LeBron, Kobe, Wade, Howard, and Josh Smith and their smoother counterparts listed above is college experience. Examine those two lists. All the highlight guys except for Wade came straight out of high school. Meanwhile, all of the smooth guys (excluding Gasol who came from overseas where things are different) except for Al Jefferson attended college, two of them for the full four years. Could it be that playing college basketball teaches you more of the fundamentals of the game and makes you a better NBA player if you’re not a top-notch athlete? It’s tough to say for certain, but it is interesting to see the discrepancy. Whatever the reason is, just remember not to discount smooth players for making the game look so easy.