Is Dwight Howard a Top 5 Center?

I have a confession to make.  I like the NBA.  I think that there are few things more exciting than playoff basketball when they actually play defense.  I am even not upset with the way the NBA has evolved into having Super teams who get at least 3 superstars and build a champion around them.  I do think the lottery has a few flaws, but I will leave that for another post.  I have been watching the way "As Dwight Turns" has been playing out and it is making me sick.  First off, if I were the Magic or the GM for the Magic (which, lets face it, I am not) I would have shipped him the moment I got wind of him wanting out.  No one is above the team, and that is what he is saying.  Again, to trade or not to trade is not the focus of this rant, so I digress...I want to give you a list (because everyone loves a good list!) of the 5 centers I would rather have on my team INSTEAD of Dwight.  Is Dwight a top 5 talent center in the league? No doubt.  Would I want him on my team?  That is a different story

5) Tim Duncan.  Yes, even at his age, I would take him over Dwight at this point.  A one-team guy who takes much less money than he could get form other teams in order to bring in quality talent around him.  He makes everyone around him better.  Lets face it, did anyone else expect Danny Green or Matt Boner or DeJuan Blair to be relevant in the NBA?  I didn't think so.  Timmy is a master of a bank shot, a true old school player who loves the game.

4) Tyson Chandler.  Think of him as Dwight Howard without as much muscle.  2-time member of team USA and a defensive powerhouse, he is aggressive and helped anchor a defense in Dallas all by himself once Haywood went down that won a title.  That is more than Dwight has.

3) Brook Lopez.  Young, big, and can finish around the rim.  Put a supporting cast around him (like the one he has in place now) and he will play well.  The New-Look Nets agree with me, signing him and forgetting about the trade with Orlando.

2) Marc Gasol- The big reason the Grizzles were able to make it as far as they did in the playoffs 2 years ago.  Marc has all the tools and the potential to be better than his brother.  Plus, no attitude.  I like that last part!

1) Andrew Bynum- What is not to love about this guy.  Size, skill, and he has been in the league since he was 17.  Give him 3 years and he may be the best big man in the NBA.  I would love to have that on my team!

For the record, Dwight has game.  There is no doubt in that.  I hate his attitude.  I think the Spurs are a testament to the way basketball should be played.  Hard. As for where Dwight would rank on my list of the top centers in the league overall?  He would round out the top 12 along with Hibbert, Jefferson, Horford, Noah, Cousins, and Jordan, not in that order.

-Hammer

MLB Mid-Summer Classic Predictions

Baseball.  What a game.  With this much of the season over, contenders and pretenders are starting to become more and more evident, and there are still quite a few contenders left in every league.  This is the time of year when the "experts" begin making their playoff predictions, so I wanted to get ahead of the curve and throw out a few thoughts on the playoff picture.  

AL East - Yankees.  Chicks still dig the long ball and these guys can hit.  The O's will have some trouble keeping pace with the Bronx Bombers late, and the Sox don't have the drive.  Look for the Yankees to make a move for another starter to solidify the rotation and keep them in the hunt until they can get all their guys healthy.  Yanks win the division by at least 5 games.

AL Central - Tigers.  We know they can hit, and Verlander is probably the best starting pitcher over the past 3 seasons.  One thing that has hurt them to this point in the season is the injury to Fister, who has the stuff to be a more than adequate #2 in the rotation.  I look for the Tigers to continue to heat up their bats and edge the White Sox late, by no more than 2 games.

AL West - Rangers.  Until another team takes the division from them, it is theirs as far as I am concerned.  One of the best offensive teams in all of baseball, their starting pitching feels great knowing the offense they will get every night.  They may run away with this one...

AL Wild Card Game - White Sox over the Angels.  

NL East - Braves.  One last time for Chipper.  The Phils have had too many injuries, the Marlins cannot close out a game, and the Nats need experience.  The Braves have the will and the experience to win enough games to edge the Mets for the top spot.

NL Central - Reds.  Could it be?  The Reds win the division?  Yes!  Rejoice Cincinnati!  Votto is one of the best hitters in baseball and their pitching is on point.  Chapman should be starting, but he can close a game just as well.  Dusty Baker gets the job done as the Reds continue the hunt for a Reds October.

NL West - Giants.  The pitching finds form and Tim and Matt lead the Giants into the playoffs.  

ML Wild Card Game-Cardinals over Dodgers.  It seems like picking against the Cards, Pujols or not, is never a safe bet.

I like the Rangers to finally get their title and beat the Reds in 6.  

Now, all this being said, I will probably be wrong on all of this, but heck, so will everyone else!  Enjoy!

-Hammer

Free Agent Frenzy!: Point Guard Potential

There have been a lot of moves made this off season in the NBA so far.  Several of these moves have been directed in the point guard position.  Expect quite a few new floor generals to be leading teams this coming season.  With all the moves that are being made, I take a look at the top 5 point guards playing in new cities or new contracts that will have the most success in 2013.  Let the debate begin...

5)  Kyle Lowry to the Raptors-Yes, I realize that I am putting a Raptor on the list, but hear me out.  Lowry is stepping into a situation where he has a team where the team is going to need his scoring.  Look for his numbers to stay somewhere around 15 PPG and 7 APG, which are both well above his career average.

4) Jason Kidd to the Knicks- There is a lot of talk about age with this guy, but from what I can see, he can still play.  Kidd and Amare are going to be hard to stop.  Let Kidd bring some leadership and some discipline to the team, and maybe Melo and the boys get it together and advance in the playoffs.

3) Steve Nash to the Lakers- Let me tell you what I do not like about this deal.  Nash likes to run.  Kobe likes to score.  For Kobe to be effective, he has to have the ball in his hands.  For Nash to be effective, he has to have the ball in his hands.  Nash works better when he can hit guys in transition or cutting to the basket.  Kobe and the Lakers are not about to win any marathons anytime soon.  I will need to see some serious changes in their games before we crown them champs.

2) Chauncey Billups- With him in the lineup, some people thought the Clippers were bound for the finals.  Now, he is back and adds lots of experience and success to a young core for the Clippers.  Expect Billups to bounce back strong from a season shortened by injury.

1) Deron Williams to Brooklyn (haha get it!)- Williams finally has a weapon around him in Johnson to mimic some of the shooting he had in Utah when they were a consistent playoff team.  Whether they get Howard or not, having Johnson, Wallace, and Lopez give Williams plenty of fire power to make a push for the Nets into the playoffs.

Honorable mention- Devin Harris will be playing for a new contract next year.  A player who had a lot of promise is now fighting to stay relevant.  Do not be surprised if he changes his game up a little to make him more valuable to the team he may sign with next year.  Lin-sanity may do okay in Houston, he has a pack of rookies and young guys who will be a little star struck at first, look for them to grow as a team.

-Hammer