KG Likely Out for Playoffs

3 Words: Kobe-LeBron-Finals.

With the news this morning that Kevin Garnett is likely out for the playoffs with his bum knee, leads to the following thoughts...

But I still believe the C's can beat the Bulls and get past the Magic. I'm not sold on this Orlando team. It's going to be tough, but Boston still has Pierce, Ray, and Rondo. I don't know. Stay tuned.

-Keefe

2009 NBA All-Stars

The starters for next month's NBA All-Star game were announced last night and look like this.

East:

Dwyane Wade, Heat
Allen Iverson, Pistons
LeBron James, Cavs
Kevin Garnett, Celtics
Dwight Howard, Magic

West:

Chris Paul, Hornets
Kobe Bryant, Lakers
Tim Duncan, Spurs
Amare Stoudemire, Suns
Yao Ming, Rockets

Fun fact: Only 4 of the 10 All-Star starters played college basketball with two of them going to Wake Forest (Paul and Duncan).

The reserves will be named on Thursday, so before that happens, I'll will give you my picks on who should fill out these rosters.

In the East?

Paul Pierce, Celtics
Devin Harris, Nets
Danny Granger, Pacers
Chris Bosh, Raptors
Joe Johnson, Hawks
Jameer Nelson, Magic
Vince Carter, Nets

In the West?

Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks
Brandon Roy, Blazers
Pau Gasol, Lakers,
Tony Parker, Spurs
Chauncey Billups, Nuggets
Shaquille O'Neal, Suns
Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets

On the fense in both conferences:

Deron Williams, Jazz
Mehmet Okur, Jazz
Kevin Durant, Thunder
Al Jefferson, Timberwolves
Caron Butler, Wizards
Antawn Jamison, Wizards
Marcus Camby, Clippers
Rajon Rondo, Celtics
Ray Allen, Celtics
Steve Nash, Suns

Remember where you heard it first. Also there is a great MMA ppv on Saturday, Affliction's 2nd show featuring Fedor vs. Arlovski. I'll try to get the results up as soon as possible.

-Keefe

Make room for another banner & another number

-Keefe


Like Steve Carell at the end of 40- Year Old Virgin it finally happened. Ok, the Celtics didn’t have to wait quite as long to capture another NBA Championship, but it sure felt like it. The Boston Celtics are the 2008 NBA Champions… Read that again, and see if it sinks in. If you’re a C’s fan it probably won’t just yet. To the sports fan outside of New England it looks like just another title for a spoiled fan base. But the reality is the Celtics were at their worst while the Sox and Patriots were at their best. The Green overcame that and were the only story in the Boston area the past few months. If you’ve stuck with this team (and I hope you have, it means a lot more) you understand where they have come from and where they are today. It is truly amazing.

For some perspective, the Celtics won 16 playoff games this year, they won 24 regular season games all of last year. They lost 18 games in a row, and played lineups such as Allan Ray, Kevin Pinkney, Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair, and Ryan Gomes. The first three guys aren’t even in the league anymore. The lineup in the Usual Suspects probably gives them a game and definitely plays more defense. Not only were those players getting minutes for last year’s Celtics team, but there wasn’t a plan set in place on how to improve. Or so we thought.

365 days ago we were discussing the make up for the 2007-2008 Celtics. Part of that conversation was who the team would draft with the 5th overall pick. Seriously, check the blog archive. Possibilities included Jeff Green, Yi Jianlian, Al Thornton, or as I hoped, a trade. And when I said trade I thought of names like Ron Artest, AK-47, Shawn Marion to pair with Pierce and Al Jefferson. The addition of Ray Allen raised an eyebrow, but KG got people out of their chairs, and that was before the season started.

The Celtics busted out of the gates to an incredible 29-3 start before ultimately finishing 66-16. The questions of whether or not the 3 stars could come together for the good of the team were answered immediately, but critics wanted to see it in the post season. Pierce, Garnett, and Allen had never made the Finals before, and it was well documented, but to have 9 of the 10 ESPN “experts” pick the Lakers was an absolute joke. Marc Stein had LA in 5 games. You think he’s got the Celtics in the top spot of his power rankings today? Got to love a 66 win team being the underdog.

The 17th Celtic Championship means so much too so many different people. Whether it’s the past Celtic greats in attendance, like Bill Russell, Tommy Heinson, Jo Jo White, John Havlicek, and Cedric Maxwell, who had to be thinking if this was ever going to happen again to a franchise that used to be so dominant. To Celtic greats who could not be in attendance, at least physically, Red Auerbach, Dennis Johnson, and Reggie Lewis. (Len Bias was drafted 22 years ago to the date that the Celtics snapped a 22 year drought… Bias was 22 the day he died, he also wore 34 in college same number of the series MVP, there’s way more of these.) To Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers who built and coached this team after having the worst record in the East to the best in the league. To the fans old and new. To some this reminds them of the glory 80s days or even earlier, and to others this is the first time they can celebrate.

But most importantly to the players. The stars, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, fellow starters, Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins, bench guys Eddie House, James Posey, Tony Allen, Leon Powe, Glen Davis, rentals Sam Cassell, P.J. Brown, and seat fillers Scot Pollard, Brian Scalabrine, and Gabe Pruitt, they can all be called NBA Champions.

For KG, Pierce, and Allen it’s like Martin Scorsese finally winning that oscar. Everyone knew he was a fantastic director even though he had yet to win the Academy Award. The Boston 3 Party were each incredible players with great resumes, but alluding them was that ring. Now they are off the list that includes Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, John Stockton, Dominique Wilkins, and Patrick Ewing, and join the distinguished company of Tim Duncan, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird.

Speaking of Bird I fully expect Paul Pierce to now join him atop the rafters of the new Garden. Before the season even started I felt the same way, but now that he has won a championship, like nearly every other number hanging above the court, there is no possible way the 34 doesn’t make it up there. What a group he will join too, Larry Bird, Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, Tommy Heinson, Kevin McHale, John Havlicek, Jo Jo White, Sam Jones, K.C. Jones, Robert Parish, Dennis Johnson, Reggie Lewis, Dave Cowens, Red Auerbach, and more. It’s an astonishing group of players, and you know Paul Pierce may be in the top 5.

Pierce (30 years old) is a 6 time All-Star, 6th on the all-time Celtics scoring list (10 points back of #5 Cousy), and has the 20th highest scoring average in NBA history. He has been lost in the shuffle playing with clowns like Orien Greene, Dwayne Jones, Kevin Pinkney, Dan Dickau, Andrew DeClergc, and was expected to go places with Ron Mercer, Ricky Davis, and Wally Szczerbiak. The only other time he played with someone who went to an All-Star game in a Celtics uniform, Antoine Walker, they went to the Conference Finals. Give the guy 2 All-Star and the results, an NBA Championship, and a Finals MVP.

You probably saw the graphic that showed in the first year that Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, and John Havlicek played together (1962-1963), they won the title. The first year the Big 3 of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish teamed up (1980-1981), they won the title.

And now the first season for Pierce, Garnett, and Allen (2007-2008), they won the title. Cousy never played for the Celtics again after that ’63 season, but it was in the middle of the Green winning 11 titles in 13 years. Bird, McHale, and Parish won 3 times as a trio, now we’ll have to wait and see what lies ahead for Pierce (30), Garnett (32), and Allen (32).

Cue the awkward song and dance from the very end of 40- Year Old Virgin.

-Keefe

Celtics vs. Lakers: From 1987 to 2008

-Keefe

For the first time in 21 years the Boston Celtics will meet the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals. It’s the match up everyone outside of Detroit and San Antonio wanted to see, and the way the Pistons played the 4th quarter in Game 6 and the Spurs effort, maybe everyone wanted another Celtics Lakers Final. This is the 11th time these two franchises will meet for the League’s Championship, with Boston holding an 8-2 advantage. Of course since their last meeting, over two decades ago, a lot has changed. The Lakers won in ’87, and added 4 more titles and 7 (8 counting this year) more appearances in the Final. Meanwhile the Celtics failed to win the championship, and have not made it back until this season.

In the years following the 1987 Finals both teams experienced unimaginable events that affected their franchises. The tragic death of Reggie Lewis and the diagnosis that Magic Johnson was HIV positive rattled not just the Celtics and Lakers, but the entire NBA. But it was the Lakers who were able to not be labeled, simply a great team of the 80’s, known solely by their storied history. The Lakers beat the Celtics in ’87, then captured back-to-back championships for the first time in Los Angeles’ history in ’88 beating the Isiah Pistons in 7 games, right before Detroit won two in a row. They made another Finals run in ’91 with Magic but without Coach Pat Riley. As we all know they lost to Jordan’s Bulls as that era began, and Magic and the Showtime Lakers were never made it out of the West again.

The 90’s ran out and Phil Jackson teamed up with a 27 year old Shaquille O’Neal and a 21 year old Kobe Bryant. LA ripped off 3 straight titles led by Shaq and Kobe. The Lakers were back! They beat the Pacers, 76ers, and Nets a combined 12-3 in three consecutive NBA Finals. A run at a 4th banner was derailed by Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and yes Stephen Jackson the next year. In 2004, Karl Malone and Gary Payton joined forces in attempt to win their first ring, reminiscent of Charles Barkley teaming up with Hakeem and Drexler in Houston. The All-Star Lakers did make the Finals, but lost to Billups, Rip, the Wallaces, and Detroit. Phil Jackson left the next year and the team failed to make the post season. Upon his arrival the Lakers returned to the playoffs only to bow out in the 1st round his first two seasons back, but now here they are, the favorites to win the NBA title.

What about the Celtics? What happened to them following the 1987 Final? Boston remained very competitive between 88-93, always finishing with a winning record and making the playoffs. Larry Bird retired after an injury plagued ’92 season that ended in a Game 7 loss in the Eastern Conference Semifinals to Mark Price, Brad Daugherty, and the Cavs. It was then Reggie Lewis’ team. He made the 1992 All-Star team, and averaged 20.8 points per game in each of his final two seasons. The year after Lewis’s death, the Celtics were 32-50, and missed out on the playoffs. From 94-01, Boston was a combined 241-383, making the playoffs just once, and losing in the 1st round. The weakness of the Eastern Conference and the skill of Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker did equal one conference finals run where they lost in 6 games to Jason Kidd and the Nets. This year’s Finals run came off of a well documented 24 win season where they were openly trying to get Greg Oden or Kevin Durant. Had they got the number 1 or number 2 pick, who knows how many more years the Finals draught would have lasted.

Let’s take a closer look at the Celtics and Lakers in the past 21 seasons. (This takes into account everything after the Lakers win in the 1987 Finals over Boston).

NBA Championships:

Celtics – 0
Lakers – 4

Finals Appearances (counting 2008):

Celtics – 1
Lakers – 8

Years in the Playoffs:

Celtics – 12/21
Lakers – 19/21

Losing Seasons:

Celtics – 11
Lakers – 3

Coaches:

Celtics – 8 (K.C. Jones, Jimmy Rodgers, Chris Ford, Rick Pitino, Jim O’Brien, John Carroll, Doc Rivers.)

Lakers – 11 (Pat Riley, Mike Dunleavy, Randy Pfund, Bill Bertka, Magic Johnson, Del Harris, Kurt Rambis, Phil Jackson (2x), Rudy Tomjanovich, Frank Hamblen.)

All-Stars Players:

Celtics – 9 (Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Danny Ainge, Robert Parish, Reggie Lewis, Antoine Walker, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen.)

Lakers – 8 (Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul- Jabbar, James Worthy, A.C. Green, Eddie Jones, Nick Van Exel, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant.)

Best Trade:

Celtics – Al Jefferson, Sebastian Telfair, Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, Theo Ratliff, and draft picks for Kevin Garnett.

Lakers – Javaris Crittenton, Kwame Brown, Aaron McKie, rights to Marc Gasol, and draft picks for Pau Gasol.

Worst Trade:

Celtics – Joe Johnson, Randy Brown, Milt Palacio, and 1st round pick for Rodney Rogers and Tony Delk. Also Chauncey Billups for Kenny Anderson.

Lakers – Caron Butler for Kwame Brown.

Diehard Fan:

Celtics – Donnie Wahlberg
Lakers – Jack Nicholson

Well as you can see these two proud franchises have taken different routes from 1987 to make this rematch happen here in 2008. I truly believe these are the best two teams in all of basketball and deserve to be here. After Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett joined the Celtics there were rumblings that, in the East, this team has a shot at the Finals. Then during the season, once Kobe decided he wanted to stay in LA, the Lakers had their young big man Andrew Bynum go down forcing them to hit the market. The beginning of February the Lakers made the most 1 sided trade in sports history (least in the conversation), and suddenly there was a legit chance of a Celtics-Lakers Final four months later. It gets started on Thursday in Boston and I am ready to go.

Early lean: Celtics in 7.

Rucker Park Showdown (Who Wins?)

As we anticipate the announcement of the NBA’s MVP, the question rises each year, what makes an MVP? Is it the best player on the best team (Dirk Nowitzki 06-07), or the guy who makes everyone around him better (Steve Nash 04-05, 05-06), or simply the player with the best stats (Kevin Garnett 03-04)? One criteria Bill Simmons uses is if 2 people were choosing sides for a pick up game that would decide their lives or something like that. Who would be the first pick? Well we’ll take it one further. Tristan and I have chosen teams based on players performances through the 2007-2008 seasons, and our 8 man teams will decide our lives (or at least a beer or two), the game will be played at historic Rucker Park.

We flipped a coin for the first pick, and then it went to the next two, next two, and so on. End result is an 8 man street ball squad (not street ball rules), also tacked on a coach to lead these dynamic players. Here is how the draft went with a brief reaction after each selection by the guy who made it.

Rich Keefe won the toss and deferred.

Besse 1st (1) pick: Chris Paul

Sure, I probably should have taken Kobe or Lebron here, but I’m on the Chris Paul bandwagon and at an inner city hoop game, guys like this carve up the court. He has surpassed Steve Nash as the best point guard in the game. A guy like this won’t just make no look, behind-the-back, highlight reel passes, but he has the ability to score as well as any other player on the court. In my eyes, the primary ball handler is a key position for a game at Rucker Park, so I went ahead and took the best one there is.

Keefe 2nd (1) pick: Kobe Bryant

As good as Chris Paul has been this year (my pick for the MVP) there’s no way I’m passing up on Kobe. LeBron has monster numbers, but I still think Bryant is the best in the game. He’s been threw battles on the court and with my life depending on it, I have to have Bryant. If this game comes down to a last second shot… yeah I like my chances.

Keefe 3rd (2) pick: LeBron James

Really thought I would end up with Kobe or LeBron, not both. I now have 2 guys who can take over a game and score at will. It’s going to be a physical game, and LeBron certainly has what it takes. These two guys worked very well together on Team USA in the qualifier, and should win himself a Gold Medal this summer. LeBron has lived up to all the hype he got coming out of high school. He has a chance to one day be the greatest player of all time. And he falls to 3? What a game.

Besse 4th (2) pick: Allen Iverson

I wasn’t surprised at all that Rich took both Kobe and Lebron. Having taken the two best scorers in the game, I needed a scorer of my own. There’s plenty in the league, but only one truly belongs at Rucker Park. A.I. looks the part, plays the part and he is the part, as like Kobe, he’s actually played at Rucker Park before. And Iverson plays every game like he’s in Rucker Park, sacrificing his body to create lanes, open shots and scoring opportunities across the floor. And his experience in a game like this with his scoring ability will be essential.

Besse 5th (3) pick: Amare Stoudemire

I wanted a big man that can score here. I debated Dwight Howard and almost pulled the trigger on it, especially after seeing these 20/20 games he’s posting in the post-season. But I didn’t want his rebounding ability to be the end all in making this pick, so I went with another bad-ass in Stoudemaire. KG and Tim Duncan were other options, but I didn’t like KG’s offense in a game like this, and Duncan is great, but too soft.
Amare gives me good size down low and was a force at C before Shaq allowed him to move back to his natural PF position. Based on my first two picks, I’m starting a trend of playing small, so logic tells me a natural C won’t work here. And I like his attitude and energy for this.

Keefe 6th (3) pick: Kevin Garnett

Besse is on his way to recreating the Western Conference All-Star team. His guards are good, but small. I have my two wings so I need to focus on bruisers up front and a point to match Chris Paul. If my life is truly on the line here, I want a guy that I can count on to play like his life is also on the line. I’ll go with KG. Intense is too light a word for Garnett, maybe “KG” should be a new entry in the dictionary. This guy won’t let me down.

Keefe 7th (4) pick: Dwight Howard

Should I go point guard here? Maybe I should have, but with Dwight Howard sitting here with all the muscle can’t pass him up. A windy day outside probably won’t effect his two handed thunder dunks he’s put on opposing big men all season. He and KG down low will be a perfect compliment. Some say all he does right now is dunk and rebound. Well with Kobe, LeBron, and KG, all I want him to do is dunk and rebound.

Besse 8th (4) pick: Paul Pierce

Pierce was stabbed 11 times in the face, neck and back at a late night dance club back in 2000. He had surgery to repair his lungs as a result of the attack. The following season he played all 82 games and averaged 25.3 points per game. Excuse me?
This is the same guy who earned the moniker “The Truth” from Shaquille O’Neal in 2001 and was fined last week for flashing a gang symbol. As far as I’m concerned, these are HOF credential at Rucker Park. His numbers took a dive this year, but so did everyone else’s on the Celtics’ 66-win squad. Like Iverson, he can find ways to create and score at will; he just does it with a 6’7 frame. We’ve seen solid defense this year, as well, and with his toughness I like the pick here.

Besse 9th (5) pick: Steve Nash

Rich has gone all big so far and has yet to take a ball handler. So instead of taking a guy like Duncan to add some size, I took the second best point guard off the board. I was sure he’d have to take Jailhouse Williams which was fine by me. The reason I don’t mind this pick is that we can run different sets with Paul and Nash up top. This will force us to play small, but with the top two passers in the league, scoring opportunities will be aplenty in this one. And let’s not forget that Nash can nail the 3, or 2 in this case. Either way, the last two years he’s had the second highest percentage from beyond the arc (behind Jason Kapono) and in the two previous years before that he was ranked sixth. Not too shabby. As far as his street cred? Reference last year’s playoff series against the Spurs. The guy’s a gamer.

Keefe 10th (5) pick: Deron “Jailhouse” Williams

Two solid picks back-to-back by Besse right there. Really wanted Pierce on my team, being a fan of the Celtics and great players, but with Kobe and LeBron he wasn’t a necessity. I’m glad Jailhouse slipped to me at 10. (Note: while playing at Illinois, Deron Williams was given the nickname by myself and college roommates because of his ridiculous “Jailhouse” tattoos. We were all a fan as the Illini may or may not have won us all some money that season. I have been a huge fan ever since.) This guy is right behind CP3 for best point guard in the game right now, and in Rucker Park, he certainly looks the part.

Keefe 11th (6) pick: Tim Duncan

I know the Big Fundamental doesn’t exactly scream outdoor, physical street ball. Well his 4 championship rings, great defensive, and versatile offensive game make him a must. In fact he will be coming off the bench for my team with KG and Howard ahead of him, but the winning experience will go a long way. He’s a top 5 power forward in the history of the NBA, so I can’t keep him off the board any longer. Welcome aboard Timmy.

Besse 12th (6) pick: Shaquille O’Neal

Keefe selected Duncan which I didn’t mind at all. To counter, I came back with Neon Bodeaux. So he’s not as good as the Neon we saw in Blue Chips, but he’s a big force down low and is a good matchup against any big man in a game like this. I’m not looking for him to score – I have plenty of guys that can do that already. But when in the game, he can move Amare back to PF like he did for the Suns and give us more size down low. It should clog the lane for Keefe’s team, and after seeing him flatten Tony Parker in Game 2, what’s not to love? The opposing team may be bigger overall, but if we defend on the perimeter they’ll have to come inside and meet Diesel, who should feel right at home on the court at Rucker Park.

Besse 13th (7) pick: Gilbert Arenas

I won’t lie, I almost picked him about eight picks ago. Talk about swagger, confidence and a guy that’s destined to play in a game like this. He’ll be a great scoring threat shooting from the outside and with slashers like A.I. and Pierce to go with Nash and Paul, plenty will be done to free up Arenas on the outside to shoot. And he’ll talk plenty, too, adding plenty of character and dialogue that is so commonplace at games like this. I refer back to the YouTube video of Arenas taking on DeShawn Stevenson in a 3-point contest. If you haven’t seen it, check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bn6O42a5vl8

Keefe 14th (7) pick: Caron Butler

After taking Duncan with my last pick I needed some more street cred, and round out my bench. I’ll go with Tuff Juice. This guy is a force. Does everything on the court for yeah and has been a man since his days at UConn. With Arenas out most of the year and for the rest of the playoffs (we’re saying he’s healthy for this game, hence Besse just taking him), Butler has been the reason why they’re not only in the playoffs, but playing a game 6 tonight against LeBron. He’ll be a valuable guy off the bench for me.

Keefe 15th (8) pick: Carmelo Anthony

Stop snitchin’. Teaming Melo with LeBron can’t miss. Hasn’t been a winner in the NBA’s playoffs, but he’s not the main man on this team. In fact, he’s the 8th man. But with a game like his there’s room for him on my team. He can score a number of different ways and is strong enough to play in a physical game that this will undoubtedly be. Being my final pick he was up against the likes of Baron Davis, Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson, Carlos Boozer, Joe Johnson, Chauncey Billups, Marcus Camby, T-Mac, and Shawn Marion.

Besse 16th (8) pick: Rasheed Wallace

Rasheed reminds me of Raymond from White Men Can’t Jump; the dude that sniffed out Sid and Billy, prompting him to grab his piece from the car. He also tried to rob the convenience store around the corner, but let’s not concern ourselves with that. It’s all I think of when I look at Sheed, though. He’ll come packin’ heat, no doubt about it. This guy is bad ass, and in a street game, he’s a no-doubter in my book. Size, toughness and the dude can play. I thought about Ron Artest here for his defense and BAM (bad ass mentality), but you gotta be able to score in this game, so we’ll let Ron call next.



Keefe:
Deron Williams
Kobe Bryant
LeBron James
Kevin Garnett
Dwight Howard

Tim Duncan
Caron Butler
Carmelo Anthony

Besse:
Chris Paul
Allen Iverson
Paul Pierce
Amare Stoudemire
Shaquille O’Neal

Steve Nash
Gilbert Arenas
Rasheed Wallace


Besse: Coach – Jeff van Gundy
What more can you say about a guy who got dragged across the floor breaking up a fight between Alonzo Mourning and Larry Johnson in ’98? Well, you can also say that he got rocked by his own player, Marcus Camby, trying to break up another fight in ’01. That one left his bloodied and battered. That’s a guy I’d wanna play for, and a guy I want coaching my team at Rucker Park.

Keefe: Coach – Stan van Gundy
My sources got win that Jeff van Gundy was coming out of the booth to coach Besse’s squad. So I thought we’d play mind games with him a bit and take Magic coach Stan Van. This is by no means saying he is the best coach in basketball, rather just some gamesmanship.


Game Outlook:


Besse: There’s no question that with both King James and Lord of the Rings, Rich probably takes this thing in an NBA. But this is at Rucker Park, not the Quicken Loans Arena. I have the two best guards in the game and a roster of scorers whose personalities and playing style blend nicely with Rucker Park. Looking at my lineup, I have more guys that play with toughness and have the ability to find and create scoring opportunities. We’re certainly smaller in size, but we can hit the 2 from the outside and I picked up guys like Shaq and Sheed that will be bangers down low. We’ll play a lot like the Rangers did in Game 4 against the Penguins, playing physical and going after his key players, ala smashing Sidney Crosby against the boards over and over again. I like our mix of skill inside and outside, and with Paul and Nash running the show, look for some serious street ball highlights en route to victory.


Keefe: Kobe and LeBron. Should I go on? I don’t care if this game is in the TD Banknorth Garden, my back yard, the moon (which would be the first time anyone has been there, but that’s a whole other thing), or Rucker park. I have the 2 best basketball players in the world on my team. Not to mention KG and Howard up front with Deron Williams at the point. Yes CP3 is better, but not enough to overtake this stacked lineup. Not to mention Duncan, Butler, and Melo coming off the bench. I like my team very, very much.


Now what do you think? Decide who’s team would win a game where the lives of the people who selected the teams are on the line. We’ll tally up the votes and see who the winner is. Remember this game is being played at Rucker Park, there are whistles, but they are few and far between. Leave a comment and let us know.

Team Besse or Team Keefe?