Should High School Players Be Able to Go Straight to the NBA?

For this article, there will be a debate between Brian Rzeppa, a fellow Tru School Sports writer, and Harvin Bhathal, myself, where we will both state our opinions on this matter and back it up with whatever we have to say. Enjoy.

Comment below on your opinion for this matter at hand.

Harvin:

High School Basketball players are like a chicken wing with no seasoning and if they go to the NBA right after they graduate High School, they're just a plain chicken wing with some ranch (or whatever sauce you choose to eat your wings with). Through college/university, they get seasoned and if they then go to the NBA, they get the whole shebang: a seasoned chicken wing with ranch. Sometimes, a plain chicken wing with just sauce can be good, such as in the cases of Kevin Garnett or Kobe Bryant but in most cases, they are not.

Those two are just some of the exceptions. Sometimes, plain and simple can be as tasty as a seasoned wing but even in their cases, they weren't as good as they could've been initially. Kevin Garnett only averaged 10 points, 6 rebounds and a little over a block and steal a game. Kobe Bryant only averaged 7 points and 15 points per game during his first 2 seasons in the NBA. If they had gone to college, the start of their careers would've most likely been better and that would've perhaps made them even more successful than they are today. Players like Josh Smith, Monta Ellis and J.R. Smith are classic examples of players who definitely should've played college ball. They are players that I love to watch today but I know for a fact, college ball would've helped J-Smoove, Mississippi Missile and J-Swish.

If Josh Smith had played even one season in college, he could've honed his jumper possibly and I.Q. at that. We all know that he wasn't necessarily the smartest NBA player when he came into the league. Smith could've been a lottery pick too, if he had not went prep-to-pro.

As far as Monta Ellis goes, a year or two in college would've helped him so much. He would've gained some muscle on his lanky figure and possibly learned how to play better defence and would've made more money too, increasing his draft stock. Remember he was drafted 47th overall in the 2005 NBA Draft? Well, I bet Ellis would've been a first-rounder, had he gone to college.

J.R. Smith is the same player he was when he was drafted in 2004. An immature thug who takes ill-advised shots and has had his run-ins with the law, whether for assault or marijuana. Imagine what even one year of college ball would've done to him. Scary right, because he could've become one of the leagues stars. Perhaps he was smoking marijuana when he made the decision to not go to North Carolina, in which I think Roy Williams would've helped him a lot, and jump straight to the NBA. Like Josh Smith, J.R. Smith would've been a lottery pick as well. Raw chicken with horse radish is what I call Kwame Brown and Jonathan Bender. Bender is the lesser known of the two so I'll start with him.

He was drafted 5th overall in the 1999 NBA Draft by the Raptors , who then traded him (for once they made a smart decision) to the Pacers for Antonio Davis. Jonathan Bender's athleticism fooled the Pacers and they got a player who averaged 7.4 PPG and 3.1 RPG in his best season and those stats parlayed him to get a 4-year, $28.5 million contract. The 5 seasons in his career after that ridiculous contract were all injury ridden and never matched his output from his "potential-oozing" 2001-02 season. College ball would extremely helped Jonathan Bender but we'll never know what he could've been. Every basketball fan knows who Kwame Brown is. Michael Jordan's 1st pick as a GM of the Wizards, he was drafted 1st overall in 2001 and never lived up to his potential because he was not ready for the rigours of the NBA and that's what caused him to flop and fail.

He has improved over these past couple seasons, accepting a bench role and becoming a solid role player, but he will always be considered a bust. To sum this all up, college/university helps a player become more physically, mentally and emotionally prepared for the NBA. Also, college can make you smarter and a smarter basketball player will only pay dividends to whatever team the player is on. I would prefer 2 seasons of college ball before a player goes to the NBA, (I mean, if I were in that situation, I would stay for 2 seasons) but I'm fine with the one-and-done rule. It's better than letting High School Basketball players go from prep-to-pro. High School Basketball player should not be allowed to go straight to the NBA and I approve of the rule that is currently standing.

Brian:

While there are a few infamous flameouts from high school stars entering the NBA, such as Kwame Brown and Jonathan Bender like Harvin mentioned, the list could go on and on for players that failed when coming out of college. Adam Morrison, Tyrus Thomas, and Spencer Hawes are just a few of the names that didn't exactly go as expected in the pro game, and it showed that college players are capable of failing as well.

If you watch college basketball, you would see that the top prospects are probably being hindered and confined by the offenses that most major colleges run. Coaches tend to try to slow the pace and limit the amount of possessions, which is why you see teams like Florida Gulf Coast University shock the NCAA and win some games in the tournament; because they let their athletes be athletes. Playing in the slowed down, half-court sets can really hinder a player's development, and hurt their draft stock in the process.

Obviously, when a player's draft stock drops, so does his contract. Along with him potentially losing money just by not being in the right type of system, he's losing money by being there at all. When you're coming from an economic situation that many players are, you really can't afford to wait a year to start earning the money that the NBA has to offer. On top of their contract, they can begin to build their brand right when the enter the league. In fact, LeBron James signed a $90 million deal with Nike one month before he was even drafted. How is it fair to take that earning ability away from someone?

Continuing on, there is the chance that a player could be injured during his time in college, which could hinder his draft stock enough that he wouldn't be able to be drafted at all. Look at this year with Nerlens Noel. He had the luck of being in an incredibly weak draft class, but if it were a normal year, he could have tumbled just because of a torn ACL. This injury may also affect his year this year, as it's being reported that it possibly could cost him all of this season, too. I'm sure that his development will be affected incredibly from this injury in college.

In Harvin's argument, he mentioned that going to college gets players better prepared for the NBA, but realistically, what better experience could they get than sitting for much of their rookie year, like Kobe Bryant did. In that scenario, they would be able to learn the NBA style first hand, and also get acclimated to the lifestyle around the team's veterans.

In the end, I think this is a no-brainer. Players should have the option to go to the NBA if they choose to right out of high school, there's no reason to force someone to be somewhere they don't want to be, as it'd only be a detriment to themselves and their school. The risk of injury and possible loss of money just isn't fair to force someone into, and really, the only people that benefit out of this current rule is the NCAA. The greed of that organization has long been talked about, and this is just another instance of it. It's time to get rid of this rule.

Follow Brian Rzeppa on Twitter, and check out his NBA work at The League News. 

Nike's Monopoly On Basketball Sneakers

That check mark aka Nike is a sneaker giant that seems to get bigger and bigger with each passing year. With a roster full of the NBA's biggest names its hard not to be the biggest brand in basketball today. Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, James Harden and Stephen Curry all are apart of Nike's basketball brand which means a lot because those guys I just mentioned are a bunch of peoples favorite players. Nike has a monopoly in the Basketball sneaker market with a 58% share of the Jordan brand and 91% of sales in the basketball sneaker market.

I want you to think about everywhere you go in your own personal daily lives now sit back and think about how many times a day you see someone on the street with Nike or Jordan basketball shoes on. Its a lot right? Well a lot goes into that and it starts with the roster of players they have. Nike along with the Jordan brand has sneaker contracts to pretty much everybody in basketball Carmelo, Lebron, Kobe, Chris Paul you name it they got it. Now the roster they own looks like an all-star game program and the fact that Nike owns half of Jordan makes it incredibly hard for anybody to compete with them in the market. They make great sneakers (for the most part), great players endorse their product so whats not to love. Jordan brand can drop the same sneaker 4 times and jack up the price 40$ and people will still buy them. Like I said I love a lot of their sneakers but I’m a person who loves variety and people need to realize that the power is in the consumers hands.

This past season the Jordan 28's came out and many Jordan sneaker heads began to say things like “Jordan's are falling off” or “Jordan hasn't made a good basketball sneaker since he left the league” but those same people will go out and buy 300$ and camp out for them. Personally the sneaker game like the competitiveness I see players in the NBA lack these days has fallen off. Everybody wants to join someone rather than be apart of something they themselves can build while blazing their own trail. Once people realize that the product of Jordan brand will not improve until they stop buying the same retro sneakers that have been re released on multiple occasions then nothing will change.

From a marketing standpoint Nike has always been ahead of its time from the “Bo Knows” campaign to the “We Are All Witness” campaign for Lebron. This year is no different they have so many things they can do from a marketing stand point such as Lebron's continued greatness, Kobe's return,Kyrie Irving's “Uncle Drew” commercials among many other things. I once heard someone say “ Company's like Nike as far as advertising goes don't offer much when it comes to marketing basketball-the game, its all just fluff and a way for them to get you to worship the next great player”. I heard that and it hit home with me Nike is a great brand but they don't sell the game of basketball as much as they are a false reality and for you to bow down to the Basketball's biggest names.

So we have established the Nike has its hands firmly on the sneaker community and the market at large so what can other company’s such as Reebok, Adidas and Under Armour do? I think its a combination of what they are currently doing and haven't done yet. For example Under Armour is up and coming they have a solid roster of nice young players such as Kemba Walker, Brandon Jennings and Deandre Jordan, they need to build upon that solid roster of players and for what they don't have in terms of star players make up for in quality basketball performance shoes. The thing I like about Under Armour from a Marketing standpoint is that they aren't selling you a dream but rather selling you commitment. The “Are You From Here” campaign featuring some of the brands athletes I thought was awesome because it felt authentic as the players spoke about their humble beginnings in the commercial. 

More so then what they do in any kind of commercial is what they do on basketball courts nationwide building relationships with fans through things like the Elite 24 basketball game which features the best high school basketball players in country. They take the guys who endorse the product and send them on tours playing basketball games in the same communities they grew up in while giving back. “We just trying to show our face in communities man, we hood guys”. As the brand continues to build upon its young roster so will 0.4% stronghold in the sneaker market.

Adidas is a lot like Nike as far as resources and marketing goes but they haven't had the on court player success which is why the brand has fell back in terms of percentage in the market they are at only about 5% sales in the market. The recent release of the “Quick Ain't Fair” shoe was a success because the commercial featuring John wall, Jrue Holiday and Damain Lillard and Rapper A$ap Rocky garnered them lots of attention and really left an impression on people. I have a pair of the shoes I use for basketball and its defiantly one of the best basketball sneakers from a performance stand point I have had ever. For Adidas its all about improving the roster to compete with Nike.

Another factor is if Derrick Rose can successfully come back from his injury and re establish himself as the best player in the NBA if that happens and he can lead the Bulls to a championship then the opportunities for increases revenue in a market like Chicago are endless for Adidas. Last season despite playing any games for the Bulls Rose made 25 Million$ for Adidas with no on court presence so imagine how much that will increase if he comes back and has a season like he did in 2011.

Reebok is surviving and thriving right now based strictly on retro releases such as the signature Allen Iverson “Questions” and Shaquille O'Neal's “Shaq Attacks” among others. They have no players on their roster to market because earlier in the year they would no longer be focusing their efforts on basketball performance sneakers and focus on retros. The last person who had a Reebok performance basketball shoe was John Wall and his sales only collected 5 Million$ which is equivalent to Dwight Howard. The brand has such a tremendous history that it can survive strictly off of retro releases but don't expect them to compete with Nike.

Another thing you have to factor in is Lebron James and the Success of his Lebron 10. Along with his on court success he past it at retailers selling 300 Million $ worth of shoes this past season which led the league. If you are into ratio's that’s 6-1 for the next closet shoe. The sales of this years signature shoe was 50% increase from 2011 and its the most overpriced basketball shoe in the world usually averaging about 270$ per pair. As long as he is winning championships expect Nikes stronghold on the market to strengthen.

So the opposing company’s have a long way to go in terms of competing with Nike/ Jordan Brand but one thing that could seriously help those company’s like Under Armour or Adidas would be landing the next big thing as far as sneakers go in basketball which would be Andrew Wiggins. He is Canadian,there is a serious buzz to his name and people love watching him play . So not only do people love watching him play but and he has crossover appeal to him. Sonny Vaccaro who is in the sneaker industry says that Wiggins may have 3 company's bidding on him to endorse product as well as commanding Lebron James money. Landing a guy like him could elevate under Armour and Adidas.

Lots of things in Nikes favor but all giants must fall at some point and it may be awhile before Nike ever does but lets remember that Nike didn't always have a stronghold on the basketball sneaker market. Lets also remind ourselves of great and innovative sneakers were when there was no monopoly.

How Derrick Rose Impacts MVP Race

As I'm sitting here at 2:05 AM typing this, scrolling down my news feed I see lots of Derrick Rose memes like usual. I think its funny because people are so ignorant and forget just how great Derrick Rose is when he is healthy. Before I get into this article let me just state that this coming NBA season Derrick Rose will come off a huge ACL injury and will win the MVP award over the likes of Kevin Durant and Lebron James. I will now allow you to take this time to curse me out via twitter @TruSchoolSports and question my knowledge of basketball.

As we all know Derrick Rose missed all of last season, sitting on the bench in street clothes watching every Bulls game. Some have even called him “the highest paid fan ever”. Joke all you want about him riding the bench last year but the fact of the matter is that this guy during the 2010-2011 season became the youngest MVP in league history at the age of 22. His level of greatness during that season was so undeniable that out of 120 first place votes, 113 were awarded to Rose via the NBA sportswriters and broadcasters. That same year he was the only player in the league who ranked top 10 in scoring and assists. His return impacts every superstar in the league as far as the MVP race is concerned.

Lebron James

The guy that benefited most the Rose injury was Lebron James who captured back to back titles while he was recovering. Although he did beat Rose in the 2011 Eastern Conference Finals the fact of the matter is that the Chicago Bulls and Rose are Lebrons biggest threat and many could argue that his road to finals greatness was easier because Rose wasn't healthy. Now I have heard many people here in South Florida say “Lebron should have won the MVP that year, Rose didn't deserve it”. That’s nonsense and the fact of the matter is that he didn't even finish 2^nd place in voting, he finished 3^rd behind Dwight Howard. That’s right at 643 points Howard had more then Lebron's 522 points. The return of Rose has a huge affect on Lebron so he better make sure that he leads the Miami Heat to the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference as well as winning head to head battles vs Rose.

Kevin Durant

With the exception of maybe Rose himself, I don't think any player in the league is more upset about Lebron's title success than Kevin Durant. Last season KD and the Thunder (Minus Russell Westbrook) were eliminated by the Memphis Grizzlies. This season the Thunder are expected to be in the NBA Finals once again to meet the Miami Heat. Durant's ultimate priority is to win a championship but I'm sure he would love to validate himself as the best player in the league with an individual accolade such as the NBA MVP award all while proving that OKC is the premier team in the Western Conference. It's hard enough for KD to win that award over a guy like Lebron but with Rose added to the mix its about to get even harder for Durant. He hasn't averaged 30 points per game in 3 seasons, if he can re establish himself as the premier scorer in the NBA along with dominating the west then he has an incredible chance to take home the MVP hardware this season.

Chris Paul

No current superstar in the whole league has more to prove with the return of Derrick Rose more than Chris Paul. CP3 has a newly improved roster to go along with a new contract extension that will keep him in LA over the next 5 seasons. Many consider him the best point guard and now that Rose is back he will have more motivation than ever to prove why he is the best at his position. Winning a championship for the Clippers is enough to keep CP3 motivated but with Rose returning he has to prove why he and the Clippers are the best this season.

There many other players I could list who will be in the discussion for MVP but some won't win it for many reasons. Carmelo won't win because the Knicks will not improve on their #2 seeding from last season. Tony Parker won't win because basketball “experts” think the Spurs are boring. Kobe and the Lakers won't be good enough this year to garner him enough votes for an MVP award this season.

As we can see the return of the former MVP drastically impacts the race for the award. It should push players in the conversation to up their game and be razor sharp skills wise once the season starts. October 29^th the 2011 MVP (Derrick Rose) takes on the MVP of the last 2 seasons in Lebron James as the Chicago Bulls go on the road to take on the Miami Heat who will be raising up their championship banner. Expect Rose to announce himself to the basketball world against the defending champs with a statement performance for what will be an MVP-caliber season.

Tru School Of Kicks: Adidas Crazy 97 "Slam Dunk Contest"

As a sneakerhead I have never been a fan of Kobe Bryant's series of Nike Shoes. Have no fear though sneaker powerhouse Packer Shoes saves the day once again teaming up with Adidas for the retro release of the Adidas Crazy 97 “Slam Dunk Contest”. Of all the shoes Kobe has came out with over the years his best shoe is actually an Adidas shoe. As you can see the base of the shoe is purple. As for the rest of the shoe it is done up in yellow, black and white accents which matches very well with the Lakers uniforms and warm up apparel.

The shoe along with being very stylish also holds historical value as Kobe Bryant won the 1997 dunk contest wearing those sneakers. So these sneakers were the ushering in of the NBA's next great star. If I'm a Laker fan who also happens to be a sneaker lover then this would be a top priority as far as sneaker purchases go.

Great Rookie Cards (Part 2)

#29 1974 Topps George Gervin

George “The Iceman” Gervin one of the best nicknames for one of the best scorers in NBA history. Gervin throughout his career won 4 scoring titles and scored over 26,000 points. I'm not sure when the term “Silky Smooth” was used to describe a basketball players game but if I took a guess I'd say it started with Gervin.

#28 1996 Skybox Z-force Kobe Bryant

One of the greatest players in the history of the NBA kicked of his career in LA during the 1996-97 season. 17 seasons later Bryant has become one of the most accomplished players ever winning 5 championships, 4 scoring titles and 15 all-star teams. Kobe to this day is still a joy to watch, hope he has a successful recovery from his ACL this coming season.

#27 1987 Donruss Bo Jackson

Bo Jackson was a dominant 2 sport athlete doing so in both the NFL and MLB. In this edition of Donruss 87 he is pictured in those sweet baby blue Royal uniforms ready to take the baseball world by storm. Bo Jackson was a walking video game.

#26 1989 Score Troy Aikman

The Dallas Cowboys franchise hasn't been “Americas Team” since the Aikman days and for good reason. Aikman was a 6 time pro bowler as well as a 3 time super bowl champion. He was just a winner and will forever be remembered by Cowboy fans everywhere.

#25 1963 Topps Deacon Jones

Deacon Jones was a game changer as far as rushing the quarterback goes. He is sited as the person who coined the term “sack” as in when you hit the quarterback. Deacon was an 8 time pro bowler who accumulated 194.5 sacks in his illustrious career. Redskins hall of fame coach George Allen called Deacon Jones “The greatest defensive end of the modern era”.

#24 1983 Topps Tony Gwynn

Whenever you speak about the sweetest swings in major league history you got to start with “Mr.Padre” Tony Gwynn. Gwynn a 15 time all-star and 8 time batting champion was probably the best left handed contact hitter ever. Over the course of his career he had 338 batting average while never hitting lower then 309. It really pains me that he never won a world series.

#23 1988 O-Pee-Cee Brett Hull

Brett Hull was one hell of a player during his career. 1,391 Points is what Hull collected and he played at a high level no matter where he went whether it was Detroit, Dallas or St. Louis Hull performed at a high level. None higher then when he put a gaudy 86 goals during the 1990-91 season.

#22 1996 Upper Deck Allen Iverson

One of my all-time favorite players in NBA history comes in the form in none other then Allen Iverson. AI changed the NBA just by being himself with his tattoos and corn rolls whether that it was for better or for worse is just a matter of opinion. Iverson an 11 time all-star and MVP in 2000-2001 is one of the most exciting players to ever play the game. There will never be another AI.

#21 1986 Topps Barry Bonds

Barry Bonds is a living walking asterisk. He has hit the most home runs in baseball history but it will never get its proper respect because he cheated the game. Although he refused to sign my baseball when I was a kid I still love and respect Barry Bonds as a baseball player.

#20 1984 Star Hakeem Olajuwon

He wasn't always “Hakeem” but he came into the league as “Akeem” Olajuwon. Regardless of the first name Olajuwon remains one of the greatest centers ever. His footwork is undoubtedly the best we have ever seen. The dream shake is still one of the most effective moves I'm surprised more players don't use it.

Hope you enjoyed the 2^nd part of my 4 part series on great rookie cards in sports history. Stay tuned for part 3 coming up in the next few days. 

Kobe Bryant Dazzles NBA In Rookie Season

KobeBryant as of the year 2013 is one of the greatest players in LA Lakers and NBA history but in 1996 he was just an 18 year old kid out of high school trying to find his way in the league. Drafted 13^th overall by the Charlotte Hornets and then traded to the Lakers, Kobe Bryant was at that time one of only 5 players to make the jump from high school to the NBA (Moses Malone, Kevin Garnett, Darryl Dawkins and Bill Willoughby).

The unique thing about that though is that Kobe was really the first guard or non big man to make that jump from high school to the NBA. Few Players love the game like Kobe “I always tried to hold a basketball, watch basketball, think about basketball, People told me to get away from basketball, but I can't. It's in my blood” Bryant said. As a guard who comes from high school to the NBA you need to have that passion for your craft. His father Joe “Jellybean” Bryant said it best when speaking about Kobe's transition "People say he's not 6-10 or 7 feet. I'm saying, `Now wait a minute. Sure, he's not 7 feet, but he's a smart player and he understands the game.' Nobody really ever said that, and that upset me a little because, to be a guard, you really have to understand the game”.

When speaking about Kobe then Lakers head coach Del Harris said the following "It's not just (his athleticism), I guess you would say it's the athleticism combined with so many skills. You get so many athletes who excite you with potential, but they don't have the ball handling or shooting skills. And here's a guy that actually has got all these things. It's just that it's in this young body.

He was dead on about the 18 year old kid from Lower Merion high school and when he put all of those things together he would go onto score 31,000 points and still counting, win 5 championships and become one of the most decorated careers in NBA history.

Although Bryant's rookie year of 1996-97 might have been limited he put on a show at the 1996 all-star game in Cleveland winning the dunk contest . Announcers drooled over his athleticism, players respected his dedication and fans marveled at his highlight tapes.Kobe Bryant was just scratching the surface of what he would become 17 seasons later.

Throwback Thursday:Old Slam Magazines

Today for throwback Thursday just wanted to share some things I have been reading over the last few days. My friend Paul recently let me borrow some of his old Slam magazines. The 2 featured in this picture are the November 2001 cover featuring afro Kobe Bryant with the #8 jersey. The second one is the April 2003 edition featuring prime Allen Iverson on the cover. Great reads and just cool to remember what hoop culture was like back then.

NBA Schedule Breakdown

Yesteday no matter what team you cheer for was like Christmas for NBA fans as the 2013-14 season schedule was released and although there were many games to circle on your calender but also many scheduling errors so lets get into dissecting the enchilada of games in the NBA this year.

Opening Night

October 29th- Bulls Vs Heat 7PM, Clippers Vs Lakers 10:30 PM

If you like Rivalry games you get those right out of gate with former MVP Derrick Rose making his return to basketball the same night the Miami Heat get their 2^nd consecutive championship ring. The Bulls and Heat obviously don't like each other and it is a genuine dislike. Derrick Rose recently came out and said that he is the best player in basketball still even after missing all of last season, so he gets his chance to prove it at the American Airlines Arena against Lebron James and company.

After the Heat and Bulls wage war at 10:30 Eastern time the Clippers and Lakers do battle for LA Basketball supremecy. Kobe Bryant like Derrick Rose returns to the court after tearing his ACL last season. He will lead the underdog Lakers against the improved Clippers who recently signed franchise guard Chris Paul and managed to add the likes of J.J Redick, Darren Collison and Jared Dudley to an already deep roster. After playing many years in the shadow of their tenants the Clippers have finally earned the spotlight and the Lakers find themselves in an unfamiliar position. These games are always exciting and this should be no different.

October 30th- Nets Vs Cavs 7 PM, Bobcats Vs Rockets 8 PM, Grizzlies vs Spurs

The night after is when the rest of the league kicks off the season and at 7 PM from Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland we have a battle of new look teams as the Brooklyn Nets take on the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Nets created a major buzz by trading for Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett from the Celtics upgrading an already potent starting 5. The Cavaliers retooled the whole roster taking Anthony Bennett with the first pick in the draft and signing former all-star Andrew Bynum to man the middle. It will be a good early season barometer for both teams to see where they are at. Not to mention the point guard match up between Kyrie Irving and Deron Williams

About an hour after that the Dwight Howard era kicks of in Houston as the Rockets as the Houston Rockets take on Kemba Walker and the Charlotte Bobcats. Houston landed the biggest free agent this off season in Howard to join one of the leagues elite scores in James Harden. The Bobcats like the Rockets acquired a big free agent of their own in low post force Al Jefferson. This should be a fun game for 2 teams trying to prove 2 different things. For the Rockets its become a premier team and a contender in the west. For the Bobcats its to climb out of the cellar of the NBA and into Eastern conference playoff contention.

Then Shortly after that we have a western conference finals rematch as the Zach Randolph and the Memphis Grizzlies go on the road to take on Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs. Last year on the Spurs march toward the NBA they swept the Memphis Grizzlies so you know they are going to be ready to play that night. These are 2 fundamentally sound teams and 2 of the Wests best.

Points On Points On Points

October 31st- Warriors vs Clippers 10:30 PM

2 of the most exciting teams in the league square off as Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors take on Chris Paul on LA Clippers. Both teams are contenders in the West and boast 2 of the best offenses in basketball. It will be a great match up of point guards between Stephen Curry and Chris Paul.

Christmas Games

Thunders Vs Knicks 2:30 PM, Lakers Vs Heat 5:00 PM

Christmas day will feature 5 games and the one I am looking forward to the most is the Oklahoma City Thunder Vs New York Knicks. Kevin Durant & Carmelo Anthony need I say more? The 2 best scorers in our game playing in one of the best arenas in the league on Christmas day.

Like the 1^st game the 2^nd game features the always entertaining Kobe and Lebron matchup. Even though the Lakers will probably lose this game and aren't title contenders this year as a basketball fan you always want to see that marquee match up.

Put Up Or Shut Up

January 13th- Wizards vs Bulls 8 PM

Both John Wall and Derrick Rose have been running their mouths and proclaimed themselves as the best players and point guards in the NBA. On the 13^th of January they take on each other as the upstart Wizards take on the powerhouse Bulls at the United Center. Its a point guard driven league and this game will display some the leagues best in Rose and Wall.

Returns

January 26th- Nets Vs Celtics 6:30 PM

February 19th – Nuggets Vs Bulls 8 PM

February 26th- Rockets Vs Lakers 10:30 PM

Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce make their return to the TD Garden as members of the Nets. It will be the first meeting of the year between the Atlantic Division rivals and I'm sure Rajon Rondo and company will want to protect home court. It should be interesting to see the reaction from the Boston crowd.

Although it was only 1 season Nate Robinson made his mark for the Chicago Bulls with his 23 point 4^th quarter performance against the Nets in game 4 of the eastern conference finals last year. He make his return to Chicago as a bench player for the Denver Nuggets so when he checks in I expect a standing ovation for a guy that gave the Bulls everything he had last season.

Last but not least Dwight Howard makes his return to LA as a member for the Houston Rockets. Dwight has been receiving a lot of hatred on Twitter from Laker fans worldwide so with that said he will probably get booed horribly. The important thing is that he gets that win and sends the fans home unhappy. Certainly going to be fun.

Scheduling Errors

I like the Schedule for the most part but have a few things I hate about it

such as

• Lakers have 29 national TV appearances to the Miami Heat 27
• Charlotte Bobcats have 21 back to backs (Most in the NBA)
• Indiana Pacers aren't playing on Christmas

With all of those things said looking forward to many great moments this season in the league.