The Herd’s Word Dream Team

If we could draft a Dream Team of NBA stars right now this would be the 15 we would go with. These young ballers are so athletic, you could probably beef them up and put together a damn good football team too. Look at the similarities between all of them. Sure, they all have great athleticism but there is a will to succeed inside all of them that is stronger than their opponent’s, something you can’t teach.
Point Guards
-Chris Paul, Hornets – Deron Williams, Jazz – Derrick Rose, Bulls
Shooting Guards
-Kobe Bryant, Lakers – Dwyane Wade, Heat – Brandon Roy, Blazers
Small Forwards
- Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets – Kevin Durant, Thunder – LeBron James, Cavs – Paul Pierce, Celtics
Power Forwards
- Kevin Garnett, Celtics – Chris Bosh, Raptors – Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks
Centers
- Dwight Howard, Magic – Tim Duncan, Spurs

5 Players Ready To Take Over

You might know the names of these guys if you’re a true NBA fan but they are all ready to start popping up in commercials and sneaker deals real soon. In Durant’s case, he already has that side of the business locked up and is ready to lead his team to the playoffs on top of itYou might know the names of these guys if you’re a true NBA fan but they are all ready to start popping up in commercials and sneaker deals real soon. In Durant’s case, he already has that side of the business locked up and is ready to lead his team to the playoffs on top of it.

Kevin Durant, Thunder – Durant is already a phenomenal talent but you heard more about him when he was scoring 40 points a night against Big 12 opponents at Texas than you did last year with Oklahoma City. As Durant leads the Thunder to a surprise playoff run, everyone will be screaming his name for league MVP at the end of his third season in the league.

Derrick Rose, Bulls – Rose had his coming out party against the Celtics in the playoffs last season. Prepare yourself for an entire season worth of domination from D-Rose as the Bulls will turn to him even more with Ben Gordon gone.

Danny Granger, Pacers - Only Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki averaged more points than Granger last season. This year he proves that it wasn’t a fluke and starts to cement himself as one of the top talents in the league. If he can lead the Pacers to a .500 record – it will take a minor miracle – Granger will also be in MVP talks at the end of the year.

O.J. Mayo, Grizzlies - Nobody will be shocked when the USC product finishes the season averaging 23 points, 5 assists and 5 rebounds a game. But Mayo will shock everyone when he attracts votes for defensive player of the year by constantly locking down his opponents’ best scorer this year. Not even Allen Iverson’s presence will discourage O.J. from playing defense in 09-10.

Eric Gordon, Clippers – Gordon is just as important to the Clippers’ success as rookie Blake Griffin. If he can step up and average more than 20 points a night, a lot of pressure will be taken off Baron Davis and the Clippers’ star rookie. Depending on how much his game evolves, he might even lead the Clippers to a playoff appearance.

5 Rookies To Watch

These five college studs will either pay immediate dividends for the team that drafted them or will be a story line to watch during a long NBA season.

Blake Griffin, Clippers - When Griffin recovers from his knee injury the Clippers will get one of the most explosive big men to enter the league in a long time. Avery Johnson describes him as a mix between Karl Malone and Charles Barkley. If he’s half as good as that prediction the Clippers will be happy.

James Harden, Thunder – Harden joins a team filled with young stars. He will combine with Durant, Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook to form one of the most exciting young cores in the league. It’s too bad Seattle couldn’t have kept this team around.

DeMar Derozen, Raptors - Hey DeMar, hope you had fun as a rookie in training camp because once the season starts Toronto is going to expect veteran-type minutes and production out of you. If you step up, Toronto will be in the playoffs. If you don’t, you’ll be playing the second half of the season without Chris Bosh.

Dejuan Blair, Spurs – Blair slipped to the 2nd round over health concerns and San Antonio was happy to take him. Now he’ll be slipping in for 2nd-chance points on a title contender. Blair will laugh in the face of the teams that took potential over production and become a spark for the Spurs.

Chase Budinger, Rockets – Once thought of as a ‘can’t miss’ lottery pick, Budinger slid to the late second round and was traded from Detroit to Houston on draft night. His skills are there but nobody knows if he has what it takes emotionally. He’ll have the opportunity to learn a lot from Shane Battier and could be a nice surprise.

5 Players At A Fifth-Year Crossroads

Players like Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Danny Granger, Nate Robinson, David Lee, Monta Ellis, Brandon Bass and Ryan Gomes have all shown what they are going to be in the NBA. Some are superstars and some are great role players who will make any team better, but they all have a defined purpose. It’s about time we learn what these five guys are going to be too.

Marvin Williams, Hawks - The 23-year old North Carolina product enters his fifth year in the league and still doesn’t have a defined role on a very good, young Atlanta team. Is he a 20-point a night stat sheet stuffer in the mold of Caron Butler or is he just a role player on a good team? If he’s the former, Atlanta is going to sneak up on some teams in the East. If he’s the latter, Joe Johnson and Josh Smith are going to have to elevate their own games that much more for the Hawks to contend.

Andrew Bogut, Bucks – Milwaukee would have liked to know if he’s the hard-working, legit center that they saw in 2007-2008 or if he’s an injury waiting to happen before they signed him to his contract extension. If Bogut can stay healthy, everybody will be happy. If he goes through another injury-plagued season he’ll be the reason why Milwaukee can’t contend for a long time to come.

Andrew Bynum, Lakers – He’s 22-years old (Oct 27th, 1987), already has an NBA championship ring and has more potential that 99% of The League. He also has the potential to be another overpaid player who can’t stay healthy and can’t be relied upon to play 82 games. Luckily, Bynum has landed with the Lakers who don’t need him to be healthy for a full season in order to win a championship. If Bynum was on another roster we’d be comparing him to Bill Walton. Instead, he’s being compared to Shaq and Wilt Chamberlain. Bynum has to prove something this year before we start singing his praises though. This is the year that he can truly define himself as a piece of a dynasty and it has to happen for at least 70 games.

Charlie Villanueva, Pistons – Even though Villanueva is getting paid like a middle of the pack starter it doesn’t mean he has to settle for that title. Detroit would love to look back on this signing four years down the road and call it a deal. The Pistons are also the type of franchise that rewards toughness and dedication, something that will be nailed into Charlie’s head all season long.

Martell Webster, Blazers- Webster was the first in a long line of Portland draft choices that turned the franchise around over the last five years. In a way it’s great because they have surrounded Webster with players that can make him better. But they also have enough athleticism to replace him if he doesn’t want to step up. Is he going to be a role player in the shadow of Brandon Roy for the remaining three years of his contract or is he going to be a big time shot maker and perimeter defender? Like Marvin Williams and the Hawks, the Blazers can reach a different level if Webster can reach his potential.

5 Reasons Why The NBA is Better Than College Basketball

1. The Height - You can get away with being a 6’5″ power forward in today’s college game because there are no big men to bring you back down to earth. Since you have to go to college for at least a year now, we are getting these 7-footers who have nobody to play or practice against which makes them look like the second coming of Lew Alcindor. NBA teams get fooled and end up wasting a draft pick on the Patrick O’Bryant’s of the world. If you are 7-feet tall and can’t make a million dollars a year, something went terribly wrong in the gene pool.

2. The Length and Strength – These guys are jacked! The NBA has become such a physical game that you have to be on a serious weight program throughout the season if you plan on being a consistent force. You will get run out of the league like Gerald Green if you don’t take the weight room seriously. NBA teams are sick of paying for injured boys and look for guys who can dish out a beating during the season instead of taking one. Not only are they powerful but try getting a pass through a lane in the NBA. There is about 6 inches to spare on each side of a passing lane which should make you appreciate guys like Nash, CP3 and Deron Williams even more.

3. The Athleticism – If you can’t finish two feet above the rim, you better not go anywhere inside the free throw line at the NBA level. In college you’re lucky to find one guy on every team that can block a shot. In the NBA you three guys on the floor at the same time ready to throw your junk into the fifth row. Don’t pay for the expensive tickets, but sneak as close to the floor as possible at the next NBA game you go to. Only then will you feel how talented these dudes are.

4. The Baby Dolls - Sure you have some good looking coeds on college campuses but you’re most likely going to run into some dork with his body painted instead of a hottie at a college hoop game. In the NBA ladies will flock to the arena because players are graceful and under dressed. If you go to an NBA game, don’t wear a jersey, fellas. Wear something you would to a bar because you have a chance of meeting a decent looking chick at an NBA arena. Even if you’re a Nets fan!

5. The Stars – The college game doesn’t have any true stars. If you’re a playa, you get the hell off campus as soon as you can and start collecting an NBA paycheck. I would do it, you would do it and every player who is worth the price of college admission does it. You can’t blame them! All you can do is enjoy watching them once they reach the NBA. There’s as much reason for Kobe Bryant and LeBron James to get a college degree as there is for Bill Gates to take a computer course. In the NBA, you play to get paid. In college, you play to get la…..ter fellas!