The Warriors now have a new coach, and soon they may have a new star.

It began when the Warriors brought in all-time great Jerry West as a “team advisor”, but he is also said to be in a high power position concerning personnel moves and roster changes. With West being associated with the Warriors, you can already expect this Golden State franchise to began a full-fledged turnaround. I mean, this is the guy who encouraged the Lakers to a Kwame Brown for Pau Gasol trade, and they were actually able to pull it off.

Then yesterday news broke that ESPN NBA commentator Mark Jackson was hired as the team’s head coach. Not only is Jackson a smart, well-respected NBA figure, but he also was a solid point guard in his New York Knicks days. It’s assumed that a big reason he was brought in is to help the young Stephen Curry mature into an improved point guard.

And finally, ESPN’s  Rich Bucher is now reporting the Warriors and Philadelphia 76ers are discussing a trade that would send their young guard Monta Ellis to the Sixers in return for Andre Iguodala. Full details of the deal are not yet reported, but a deal is said to be in the works. Such a deal would allow Stephen Curry to blossom with Ellis no longer demanding much of the ball.

UPDATES:

• Reports indicating that the current deal would be a straight up trade with Monta, and Andre Iguodala. This is due to the similarities of the players’ contracts.
• If a trade were to happen, it should within the next 10 days.
• A delay would likely be caused due to the recent hiring of Mark Jackson. The team is awaiting input by him.

Stay tuned for more details, and follow me on twitter!

******************

Photo courtesy: Associated Press/Sulekha.com

So don’t you want to catch it all?

Well, I’ve got you covered NBA fans!

Check out the full TV schedule for the first round of the NBA Playoffs, with games scheduled to be televised on TNT, ABC, and ESPN.

And if you need a little opinion, here are my Eastern Conference and Western Conference Playoffs previews!

Also don’t forget to get at me on Twitter, as I’ll have continuous playoff updates to keep you satisfied!

Enjoy my fellow NBA fans!

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Game 1 - Sat April 16, Indiana at Chicago, 1:00 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN3D
Game 2 - Mon April 18, Indiana at Chicago, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3 - Thu April 21, Chicago at Indiana, 7:00 p.m. ET, NBA TV
Game 4 - Sat April 23, Chicago at Indiana, 2:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 5 * Tue April 26, Indiana at Chicago, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Thu April 28, Chicago at Indiana, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sat April 30, Indiana at Chicago, TBD, TNT

Game 1 - Sat April 16, Philadelphia at Miami, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC/R
Game 2 - Mon April 18, Philadelphia at Miami, 7:00 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3 - Thu April 21, Miami at Philadelphia, 8:00 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 4 - Sun April 24, Miami at Philadelphia, 1:00 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 5 * Wed April 27, Philadelphia at Miami, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Fri April 29, Miami at Philadelphia, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sun May 1, Philadelphia at Miami, TBD, TBD

Game 1 - Sun April 17, New York at Boston, 7:00 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 2 - Tue April 19, New York at Boston, 7:00 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3 - Fri April 22, Boston at New York, 7:00 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 4 - Sun April 24, Boston at New York, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC/R
Game 5 * Tue April 26, New York at Boston, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Fri April 29, Boston at New York, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sun May 1, New York at Boston, TBD, TBD

Game 1 - Sat April 16, Atlanta at Orlando, 7:00 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 2 - Tue April 19, Atlanta at Orlando, 7:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV
Game 3 - Fri April 22, Orlando at Atlanta, 8:00 p.m. ET, ESPN2/ESPN3D
Game 4 - Sun April 24, Orlando at Atlanta, 7:00 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 5 * Tue April 26, Atlanta at Orlando, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Thu April 28, Orlando at Atlanta, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sat April 30, Atlanta at Orlando, TBD, TNT

___________________________________________________________________

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Game 1 - Sun April 17, Memphis at San Antonio, 1:00 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 2 - Wed April 20, Memphis at San Antonio, 8:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV
Game 3 - Sat April 23, San Antonio at Memphis, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 4 - Mon April 25, San Antonio at Memphis, TBD, TBD
Game 5 * Wed April 27, Memphis at San Antonio, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Fri April 29, San Antonio at Memphis, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sun May 1, Memphis at San Antonio, TBD, TBD

Game 1 - Sun April 17, New Orleans at L.A. Lakers, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC/R
Game 2 - Wed April 20, New Orleans at L.A. Lakers, 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3 - Fri April 22, L.A. Lakers at New Orleans, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 4 - Sun April 24, L.A. Lakers at New Orleans, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 5 * Tue April 26, New Orleans at L.A. Lakers, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Thu April 28, L.A. Lakers at New Orleans, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sat April 30, New Orleans at L.A. Lakers, TBD, TNT

Game 1 - Sat April 16, Portland at Dallas, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 2 - Tue April 19, Portland at Dallas, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3 - Thu April 21, Dallas at Portland, 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 4 - Sat April 23, Dallas at Portland, 5:00 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 5 * Mon April 25, Portland at Dallas, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Thu April 28, Dallas at Portland, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sat April 30, Portland at Dallas, TBD, TNT

Game 1 - Sun April 17, Denver at Oklahoma City, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 2 - Wed April 20, Denver at Oklahoma City, 8:00 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3 - Sat April 23, Oklahoma City at Denver, 10:00 p.m. ET, ESPN/R
Game 4 - Mon April 25, Oklahoma City at Denver, 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 5 * Wed April 27, Denver at Oklahoma City, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Fri April 29, Oklahoma City at Denver, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sun May 1, Denver at Oklahoma City, TBD, TBD

Additional scheduling information will be furnished as soon as possible consistent with the need to fulfill league obligations.

If first-round series are completed in six games or less, the conference semifinals may move up to begin on either Saturday, April 30 or Sunday, May 1.

All games, except those televised on ABC, are available to be televised locally.

*If necessary
TBD – To Be Determined
R – ESPN Radio
ESPN3D – ESPN 3D

Schedules, and additional info accredited to NBA.com

The NBA playoffs are about to begin, and surely this is one of the most exciting playoffs I have seen in recent years. With new-look teams like Miami and New York on the prowl, we are sure to be in for a treat almost every night.

Then there are the young rising talents such as Derrick Rose and Kevin Durant, guys who are ready to prove to the NBA world that they are ready for the big show!

And let’s not forget the usual contenders like Los Angeles, San Antonio, Boston and the many other powerful teams seeking a ring!

Yes, the time has come!

And what better way to start my favorite time of year than to write and analyze each series’ matchups, advantages, disadvantages, and who I think will ultimately take it to the next round. And don’t forget, to get my real-time updates as the playoffs progress, you can get at me on Twitter as well!

Update: Click here to view the complete first round TV schedule.

Update: 2011 Western Conference Playoff preview!

Without further ado, I present to you my 2011 NBA Playoffs Preview: Eastern Conference Edition.

(1) Bulls vs (8) Pacers

Season Series: Chicago won 3-1

You don’t just get a 60+ win season for no reason. It requires hard work, dedication, a great coaching effort, and you almost always need that star. And boy, the Bulls don’t just have a star, but also this season’s soon-to-be-named Most Valuable Player. Enough cannot be said of what Derrick Rose has become in the past couple of seasons. The Bulls know it, Chicago knows it, and the NBA knows it.

But it wasn’t just D.Rose who helped this Bulls squad reach seed No.1. Boozer, Noah, Thibodeau, Deng and the rest of Chicago’s defensive-minded squad had a lot to do with it as well.

On the other end, the Indiana Pacers come into this series with not that big of a chance. Coming into the playoffs with a losing record is never something to be proud of, but hey, you made it and the other 7 teams didn’t. So you must have had done something right, right?

And to be honest, this Pacers team doesn’t look too bad on paper.

If you are going to match up against one of the league’s speediest teams, why not have speed against speed, right? Well the Pacers might have a decent shot at keeping up with Rose, as their extremely quick point-guard Darren Collison will take the job against the league’s MVP. I’m not saying that Collison is going to stop Rose, but when you’ve played under guys like Chris Paul in New Orleans, it’s got to help, right?

Then there’s the Pacers leader: Danny Granger. The kid can score, attack the rim, shoot, and he has decent length on the perimeter. Averaging 20 points a game, Granger has proven that he will draw some defensive attention. I’m really looking forward to seeing how Luol Deng will match up against the still-rising-star.

Then there are the role players like Paul George, Brandon Rush, and Roy Hibbert. Solid contributors, but nothing that the league’s best defense can’t handle.

In the end, I can’t see Indiana winning more than a game. With guys like Boozer and Noah in the paint, it is going to be tough for slashers like TJ Ford, Darren Collison, and Paul George to attack the paint with any ease.

Let me also remind you again: the Bulls have the league’s MVP.

Chicago Bulls-Indiana Pacers Prediction: Bulls beat Pacers in 5

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(2) Heat vs (7) Sixers

Season series: Miami won 3-0

The time has come Heat fans. The Miami Heat are now in the NBA playoffs, and after a very up-and-down season, Miami has made it to the second starting line with a strong finish that has awarded them the East’s 2nd seed in the playoffs.

The trio of LeBron, Wade, and Bosh did what we all thought they would: finish as the best statistical trio in the NBA. LeBron’s scoring did go down, as did his steal and block numbers, but he finished with a career-high in FG percentage and averaged nearly the same amounts of assists and rebounds per game.

As for Wade, he also had a career high in FG percentage. He lost a point in scoring averages, and a couple in the assists department, but he did jump up his rebounding average by almost two rebounds a game.

If anyone’s numbers dropped, it was Bosh. All across the board, he his averages went down. At the end of the day, he ended up on a better team, and upped the most important statistic: the chance at winning a title.

Now, some might argue that the talents in South Beach were destined to destroy everything in their path, beat down opponents by 20 points a game, and finish with a record of 82-0. But let’s be real here: they are not unstoppable.

Miami comes into this series having swept the Sixers in three games. But don’t let that statistic fool you one bit my friends.

Led by the great coaching ability of ex-TNT analyst and Bulls coach Doug Collins, the Sixers seem to come into each night with the chip-on-the-shoulder attitude we like to see. Many folks didn’t see the 76ers making the playoffs this season. I mean, you have a really young roster, you have a huge contract in a never-100-percent-healthy Elton Brand, and you have to adjust to the style of a new coach. Let’s not forget the whole Allen Iverson departure.

But the point is this: the 76ers should not be slept on!

With a solid defensive system and a core of athletic freaks, Philadelphia is the type of team that can surprise anyone. On the court, the are led by the explosive Andre Iguodala, who might not have turned out into the player we had hoped for, but he sure is one hell of an athlete. Surrounded by a nice core of run-and-gun players like Thadeus Young, Louis Williams, Jodie Meeks and a few others, Philadelphia can tire you out in a hurry. As for the elder of the team, Elton Brand brings an inside presence, and great experience value to this young team. Think of what Kendrick Perkins did for OKC, but in a much lesser form.

I believe Philadelphia gives Miami a run for their money in about a game or two, but Miami comes out on top in each game as the Heat’s big three just proves way too much for the young Philadelphia squad. But much props goes to Doug Collins for a great coaching season! A definite top three, in my “Coach of the Year” race.

Miami Heat-Philadelphia 76ers Prediction: Heat beat Sixers in 4

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(3) Celtics vs (6) Knicks

Season series: Boston won 3-0

This is without a doubt the highlight of the Easter Conference first round! I mean, why would I put a picture of KG and Amar’e as my article thumbnail? It could’ve easily been LeBron or D.Rose, but I couldn’t do that!

This is easily the most interesting first-round matchup I have seen in recent years. Could this be a possible rivalry waiting to happen? I mean, the Red Sox and Yankees go way back, so why not a little Boston and New York rivalry NBA-style?

This series features two teams coming head-to-head that are seemingly going in two exact opposite directions.

Boston finished the season much bumpier than it had started, and much of it was due to injuries. Whether it was Shaq, ex-Celtic Perkins, Rondo, or anyone else, this Boston squad always seems to catch the eye of the injury-bug. But it wasn’t just injuries that plagued the C’s.

The trade that sent Perkins and Nate Robinson to OKC in exchange for Jeff Green and Nenad Kristic seems to have affected the team in a negative way. Whenever you watch them, you can sense something is missing, both mentally and physically. This will happen anytime a piece of your team’s core has departed, and well, the Celtics are experiencing it. It showed when they lost the heated match against Miami and the shocker out in DC.

But either way, Boston is the Eastern Conference’s defending champion, and there is no reason to believe they will not fight hard to defend their title. Doc Rivers is still pushing the strong defensive agenda of his team, and for the 3rd straight year his team has finished in the top five of the NBA’s defensive elite And to no surprise, while this team’s defensive mindset is set by Doc, it is led on the court by Rajon Rondo, who I believe will one day earn a Defensive Player of the Year honor. Need more defense? The C’s added two more guys this offseason in Shaquille O’neal and Delonte West to help on that end. Enough said!

Not only can this team defend, but they have an arsenal of scorers on their team. Whether it is the C’s sniper Ray Allen, or the team captain Paul Pierce, or even from guys off the bench like Delonte or Glen Davis, the Celtics can fill it up after they stop you.

Yes, the Celtics have shown signs of slowing down, but we can never underestimate the experience and approach of a former champion.

On the opposite end is a team that has nearly opposite features, but the same goal in mind: an NBA championship.

Yes, the New York Knicks await Boston in this enticing first-round series.

While New York was still adjusting to the recent acquisition of Amar’e, they later obtained yet another superstar in Carmelo Anthony. The idea of this tandem was a daydream for many, and people all over the NBA spectrum were pulling for this one to happen. It eventually would, as the Knicks would receive Carmelo along with his sideman in Denver Chauncey Billups. The trade significantly changed the look of the Knicks and Nuggets rosters, and most were surprised when the Nuggets began stacking on more W’s while the Knicks were piling on more L’s after the trade. Things seemed to be caving inward in New York, but luckily for them, things eventually settled down.

New York’s season ended with a 6-game win streak recently snapped, but things still have started to look upwards. Carmelo and Amar’e are beginning to understand how to play off eachother, while the other key players like Chauncey, Fields, Douglas, and Turiaf are learning how to play alongside the two mega-stars. Basically, as the Celtics began crashing downwards, the Knicks began to get into the groove of things – though Boston did beat New York to end the regular season.

So what can we expect from this Boston, and New York series?

Well for starters, I expect this one to be a very physical series. Both teams are stacked with brutes. Whether I’m talking about Shaq, KG, Amar’e, Turiaf, Pierce, or Carmelo, these guys like the physical side of the game. They like the banging, they like the hard drives to the rim, and they love the contact.

Most of the contact is going to come from the Garnett-Stoudemire matchup! I can picture it already: KG attempting to get into Amar’e's head; Stoudemire trying to jam one over KG; then KG going for the swats, getting the elbows involved, and making his presence felt with his strong interior play. This is probably the most enticing matchup in my opinion. But can KG’s knees keep up with Amar’e? We’ll have to see.

And we can’t forget Carmelo and Pierce, can we?

The two have nearly the same game. Both like to attack the basket off the dribble, but both also like to take the mid-range jumper in your face when their path to lane is closed off, and both even have a sweet post-game. This matchup will be great to watch for all NBA fans. If you don’t believe me, watch the matchup between Pierce and LeBron back in the ’08 conference semis. That was one hell of a matchup. But like KG, Paul Pierce has shown his age every now and then recently. Will Carmelo get this one?

Another huge matchup is going to be between the two floor generals: Chauncey and Rondo, two polar opposites who both have the same role. Chauncey is the guard that will elevate your team’s play to another level, while not being afraid to sink the dagger right in your face (See: Mr.Big Shot). And he has terrific vision out there on the court. As for Rondo, the kid still has yet to reach his prime (scary), and he plays with toughness whether it’s attacking the rim, using his quick hands for the robbery, or taking a body-blow for the charge.

Yes, these two are going to be great to watch. Both have the ability to dish the ball out and score in their own ways. Which will take it? Experience, or youth? We’re going to have to find out.

The reality is this: the New York Knicks are not a complete roster yet. They are still lacking a key role player or two, the chemistry they have is nowhere near what the C’s is, and they still have yet to fully understand how to play with one another.

So in the end, I’m going to take Boston in this one. The Knicks do fight this one out and hand the C’s a couple losses, but Boston is way too deep, too good, and too experienced to lose in round one. But expect a classic my friends!

Boston Celtics-New York Knicks Prediction: Celtics beat Knicks in 6.

———-

(4) Magic vs (5) Hawks

Season series: Atlanta won 3-1

Probably the closest series in the first-round, in my opinion. It doesn’t get much more typical than this. These two teams have played each other in the playoffs for the past few seasons. Each time, the Magic and Hawks were always solid teams. Is there a possible upset in the making here folks? Let’s examine.

The Orlando Magic began the season with a strange start. From the beginning, rumors were surfacing that Dwight would leave the team in 2012 and head for the gold in LA. So what did Otis Smith and the rest of Orlando’s front-office do? First, they traded Rashard Lewis’ huge contract to Washington in exchange for the recently suspended Gilbert Arenas. Then, they would trade away Marcin Gortat, Vince Carter, Mickael Pietrus, and a pick to the Suns in exchange for Hedo Turkoglu, Jason Richardson, and Earl Clark. All of this hoopla was to make the Orlando Magic a better, and more fit team to reach the NBA Finals…and to make the soon-to-be-named Defensive Player of the Year happier. This trade did give Orlando a great offensive look, but it hindered their defense a little. With the loss of Gortat, the Magic only had Dwight and Bass as their true big men.

Though it did take time, the Magic began to get the hang of things, and began pulling together strings of W’s. But like seemingly every other team this season, the Magic also had an up and down year, as the L’s shortly began to follow any time it looked like they had things figured out.

As for the Hawks, they were involved in trades as well. They were in search of a defensive-minded guard on the perimeter, and that is exactly what they got when they sent Mike Bibby, Jordan Crawford, and Mo Evans, along with their 2011 1st-round pick, to Washington in exchange for Kirk Hinrich and big man Hilton Armstrong. A bit too much if you ask me, but the Hawks got what they wanted.

So by the end of All-Star break, both teams were different. One had offense in mind, while the other had defense.

How will this whole thing go down?

Well for the Hawks, they simply schooled the Magic in the season series, taking them three games to none. However, no game was won by more than 10 points; so let’s not overreact here.

Looking back at the tape, the Hawks do not fear any of the Magic’s perimeter plays at all. Most of what I’ve seen was Joe Johnson slashing to the rim, kicking it out to Teague for the three or to Smith for the mid-range jumper. While Dwight did hold his own against Horford in the paint, the Hawks have been exposing the Magic’s wings.

As for Josh Smith, he seems to do a decent job at handling Howard during double-teams, but don’t expect too much of that in the playoffs, as the Magic do have the snipers set up from deep.

But the main battle isn’t going to come on the court, but off the bench. And no, I’m not talking players, but I’m talking coaches. Yes, Stan Van Gundy vs Larry Drew.

While the Magic have the inside game advantage almost each night, against any opponent, the Hawks seem to have an advantage on the wings against Orlando. So it’s is going to come down to which coach can get his team to execute the offense better and which coach can expose the matchups.

If that’s the case, I don’t see how Stan Van Gundy can lose this one.

He’s easily one of the smarter coaches in the NBA. You can put him up there with Phil and the other greats if you want in terms of knowing the game. In a series as closely talented as this one, it’s going to come down to X’s and O’s.

I see this series going six, maybe seven games. But I’m going to take my gut and go six. Al Horford does a good job of containing Howard, but the wear and tear in a seven game series against that guy will hurt you. This will force the extra big-men have to help, which will leave Turkoglu, Arenas, or Richardson open for the three, and that will be the storyline of this series.

Orlando Magic-Atlanta Hawks Prediction: Magic beat Hawks in 6

Thanks for reading NBA fans!

So to get to the point, the deadline is under 60 hours away, and one of the league’s best big man is about to be moved, and I can tell you it’ll be at least to two destiniations:

• Front-runner Cleveland
• or passenger seat Miami

With much talk and confusion breaking loose, there needs to be someone to clear things up.

Ta-da, here I am! And here is what  has been going on as of late with Amar’e, Cleveland and Miami.

Cleveland is without a doubt the front-runner. It is being said that Cleveland is offering Zydrunas Ilgauskas, JJ Hickson, and possibly a draft pick(s)/ and another small player (Danny Green, Jawad Williams).

So why hasn’t anything happened?

“The ball is in Phoenix’s court. The Suns are mulling whether the financial relief provided by Ilgauskas’s $12 million contract and the young and talented Hickson are enough for them to part with Stoudemire, ” according to ESPN’s Chris Broussard.

Such a deal would help the Suns not only financially (they are $5 million over the luxury tax), but it would bring them a great young talent in JJ Hickson.

“The natural trade that makes sense here would be Zydrunas Ilgauskas and J.J. Hickson for Stoudemire. The Suns could also ask for draft picks, as the Cavs own their full slate of first-round picks in the future. The Cavs and Suns talked about Hickson in the O’Neal deal, but the Cavs wanted to keep him. So the Suns have a history of interest in Hickson. They also considered drafting him in 2008 but took Robin Lopez instead,”  according to Cavs beat writer, Brian Windhorst.

Well now the Suns can get their man, and the Cavs can potentially obtain their difference maker. Not only is Stoudemire a monster in the paint, but he has two things the Cavs strongly need in another forward other than #23, a greatly developed mid-range jump shot, and an excellent pick & roll game.

Let’s not get TOO ahead of ourselves…

Cleveland may be the front-runner, but they have Philly, and Miami trailing not too far behind. Both Philadelphia and Miami have players that they could give up,which woul entice a much more “basketball” orientated deal for the Suns (something the Cavs have little of).

Miami has stated that everyone other than Wade, including Beasley, is available. But the issue with Miami is, is that they might not have the right contracts, and Phoenix isn’t too thrilled on the thought of picking up Beasley. Phoenix has also stated that they do not want to take on the horrible contract of Jermaine O’neal either. But Miami continues to try and find ways to being in STAT.

On the other hand, Philly has the one player Phoenix wants VERY bad, in Andre Iguodala. It has been reported that the Suns would ask for Iguodala, Dalembert and possibly a pick or two, in return for Amar’e and J-Rich.

Other than that, its being said that the Cavs have the best shot, and it just might be due to the fact that GM’s Ferry and Kerr were teammates and are great friends. But don’t be suprised if Cleveland needs to bring in a third team, in order to sweeten the deal for the Suns.

There were also other reports by News Herald, that Amar’e DID NOT want to come to Cleveland.

Since then, both Cavs beat writer Brian Windhorst and Yahoo! Sports Adrian Wajnarowski have shot down such comments, and said the exact opposite by both stating that Stoudemire is fine with playing in Cleveland.

Need more sauce? Hear some great info from Broussard & Windhorst:

Amar’e Talk

So again, any deal with Cleveland would include JJ, Ilgauskas and possibly Wally (Cleveland owns his bird rights).

But there is always the speculation of the Shaq/Amar’e project:

“Of course, LeBron James is in the picture as a playmaker, but O’Neal and Stoudemire had Steve Nash, one of the greatest playmakers of this era, to help in Phoenix. So all of this could be simple posturing and due diligence from the Cavs. They’d have to be convinced the two could work together and that they would have a good chance of re-signing Stoudemire to go forward with it, ” according to Windhorst.

also…

…there’s fear among some members of the Cavs’ organization that, while Stoudemire would be a good long term pairing with LeBron, incorporating him on the floor with Shaq might present too difficult of an adjustment for the rest of the season…, according to CBSSports.com

Well, Amar’e has tweeted on this stating:

“I play very well w/Shaq. I averaged more pts last year WITH him & played better D. You guys can stop saying we don’t play well together.”

So obviously Amar’e has shut down two things, one being that he would not like to play in Cleveland (false). And two, being that he and Shaq can co-exist.

According to ESPN, the Cavaliers feel that if such a deal were to be final, they will have secured LeBron past this summer. The organization also feels that they have all of the capability to also re-sign Amar’e for this summer and beyond.

Brought to you by the Nike Air Max LeBron VII St.Vincent St.Mary Away Edition, courtesy of my friends at Nikelebron.net!

Photo courtesy: Yahoo! Sports

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We are just over one week away from NFL kickoff 2009, less that a week from College Football, and coming down the stretch in Major League Baseball. Here are my top 5 stories for this week.

1 – LA Dodgers Make Deals to Solidify Playoff Roster

As the waiver deadline approaches the most active team seems to be the L.A. Dodgers, picking up White Sox slugger Jim Thome and Diamondbacks’ hurler Jon Garland. As of today the Dodgers hold a 5.5 game lead on Colorado, who also made a move trading for White Sox pitcher Jose Contreras.

I’ll tell you this: the Dodgers are putting together a team that will compete with the Yankees in the World Series. There is no doubt in my mind that the Dodgers are the team to beat in the National League, save for maybe (and this is painful for a Cub’s fan to admit) the Cardinals.

2 – A Tale of Two Cities: Minnesota and Philadelphia

Brett Favre and Michael Vick have made their comebacks and the inevitable debates have followed.

In Minnesota, talk of team mutiny was rumored, some sources saying that the locker room was split. These rumors were put to bed quickly, but Viking Nation may see it differently. One Vikings fan was found to have a live goat in her trunk painted purple and gold.

Vick has also been met with equivalent praise and disapproval, with Donovan McNabb going on record saying that Vick’s presence and the style of play-calling involving Vick was “a gimmick” and a distraction from their game plan.

I’ll tell you this: Like it or not, the Vikings became a contender when they signed Favre. However, Vick brings quite the distraction both on and off of the field. It will be interesting to see, but if McNabb is already skeptical about Vick’s role, then that can’t be a good sign for the Eagles.

3 – Trouble in Ann Arbor

In what has been a tumultuous summer of violations in College Football, one last situation has raised its ugly head right before the season’s start.

This week some former and current players accused Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez and his staff of exceeding the NCAA’s practice guidelines and complained that the staff was over-working student athletes beyond the maximum weekly and daily hours limitations. Rodriguez responded with an emotional press conference, completely denying the allegations by saying that they were “miscommunications” and “just not true.”

I’ll Tell You This: The Wolverines went 3-9 last year in Rodriguez’s first year at the helm. While it would not surprise me that these players were over-worked, I think the bigger issue is that, to save his job, Rodriguez has to find a way to bring Michigan back to being one of the premier teams in the NCAA.

4 – Injuries in the NFL Preseason

With the NFL preseason coming to an end, injuries have already begun to raise their ugly heads at big-time positions for teams.

Patriots QB Tom Brady injured his shoulder when Redskins $100 million dollar man Albert Haynesworth crushed him in the second quarter of their game last week. The master of masking issues, Bill Belichick, down-played the injury saying that Brady would be ready for the regular season.

Brett Favre has said that he has a cracked rib, but played in the Vikings’ preseason game against Houston without any protection. Could it be that Favre is preparing an excuse for what might become a disappointing season?

Finally, all of Kansas City stopped breathing for about 24 hours when off-season acquisition QB Matt Cassel went down hard with a knee injury. At first the prognosis was 4-6 weeks, seemingly a finishing blow to KC before the season even started; however, now reports are saying that the MCL strain that Cassel suffered was minor and he would return to the lineup possibly sooner rather that later, maybe even for the season opener.

I’ll Tell You This: Nothing can kill a team’s season faster than an unexpected and unnecessary preseason injury. Hopefully all of the above stay healthy so we can watch as many teams battle it out for the playoffs at full strength as possible. A healthy NFL is a more fan-friendly NFL.

5 – The Return of Pacman

Adam “Pacman” Jones has returned to football. But this time it’s not in the NFL. It’s not even with the upstart AFL, which launches next month. 

No, Pacman Jones is headed to the Canadian Football League. He has signed “in principal” a one year deal with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

I’ll tell you this: Who cares?

Apparently no-one in the NFL is ok with giving Jones yet another chance to prove that he can’t control his personal life, and honestly, I can’t blame them. Jones is just one of those players with all the talent in the world but no self-control. And playing professional sports is a luxury. He can’t control his life, he is a thug, and he is not a role model like we want our athletes of today to be.

Good riddance Pacman. Canada, you can have him.

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You can follow BigMB on twitter by going to www.twitter.com/mylesb3269

* – Jose Contreras and Jim Thome photo credit: by Charles Rex Arbogast – AP via South Side Sox

What was the best city to be a sports fan in 2008?

What was the worst city to be a sports fan in 2008?

I think the best city argument can come down to a few different cities.

1. Boston

Positive: Super Bowl runner up, Return to NBA dominance with their first championship since the 80′s, and another post season run in baseball.

Negatives: The Tom Brady injury, Tom Brady went to Michigan, lost the super bowl in which they were heavily favored and ruined their historical season.

2. New York

Positive: Their improbable super bowl win puts them in contention for the year.

Negative: the Yankees didn’t make the playoffs this year for the first time since the early 90′s, Brett Favre moved there.

3. Philadelphia

Positive: First World Series win in over 20 years.

Negative: Franchise QB doesn’t know the rules of football.

4. Detroit – Positive: NHL championship…which is pretty neat…I guess; finally got rid of Matt Millen; Pistons made another post season run.

Negative: Detroit Lions still winless after 10 games, the Detroit Tigers in general, and it’s in Michigan.

I don’t think you can argue that Seattle was the worst city in which to be a sports fan this year…maybe worst of all time.

Postives: ………coffee?

Negatives: Lost NBA team to Oklahoma City, Kept WNBA team, Mariners were basement dwellers, the Seahawks are horrible and apparently the Space Needle doesn’t actually go to outer space.

What city do you think was the best?

Worst?

Leave your comments below so we can debate them.

The story of Marvin Harrison and the Philadelphia shooting just got fresh legs.

According to to Philly.com, the victim of the shooting has filed a civil lawsuit against Marvin Harrison. Furthermore, just because criminal charges have not yet been filed does not necessarily mean that they will not be forthcoming at some point in the future. According to the Philadelphia Assistant District Attorney, the case is still considered open. (In related news, Peyton Manning claims that while the criminal investigation into Marvin Harrison the potential shooter is still open, Manning’s own field investigation into Marvin Harrison the wide receiver has concluded that he is not open; at least not as much as he used to be.)

The victim in question is a man named Dwight Dixon. He reportedly would not identify Marvin Harrison as the shooter initially, which contributed to the District Attorney’s hesitance to file criminal charges; however, has now come forward with the accusations that are the basis for the civil suit, which claim that Harrison was the shooter. Apparently Dwight Dixon is just as decisive as Peyton Manning at the line of scrimmage. (I will now force myself to stop making lame and cliched Peyton Manning jokes.)

According to the facts that have been gathered thus far by the Philly D.A., the following is known to have occurred regarding the involvement of Marvin Harrison in the events leading up to and surrounding the shooting of Dwight Dixon (quoting Philly.com explicitly):

* Harrison and Dixon squabbled for two weeks before the shooting after they exchanged words in Playmakers, a bar on 28th Street near Cambridge that Harrison owns.

* Ballistics tests proved shell casings found at the shooting scene had been fired from Harrison’s gun, a Belgian-made FN5.7, law-enforcement sources said.

* Detectives found the firearm in Harrison’s garage on Thompson Street.

* Witnesses and Dixon separately identified Harrison as the shooter, the sources said.

Despite these purported facts, Dixon’s oft-changing story may work against him. Certainly, he wishy-washiness will be highlighted heavily by the Marvin Harrison defense team during the upcoming proceedings, which will no doubt feature an under-oath deposition of Harrison. Marvin Harrison will have the option of invoking his 5th Amendment rights if he so chooses; but, this could be seen as an implicit admission of guilt and according to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com (a lawyer) this invocation of the 5th Amendment would be admissible in the civil trial. In the face of seemingly strong circumstantial evidence that, at the very least, seems to suggest negligence on Harrison’s part (since his gun was the one used in the shooting, regardless of if he pulled the trigger or not), one would think he would be compelled to explain his side of the story.

I had been wondering what had become of this case considering its evaporation from recent media coverage. The original story of the shooting, and the potential involvement of quiet, mild-mannered Marvin Harrison, was one of the most surprising stories I had ever read. Perhaps there is more to this story that we do not know and Marvin Harrison will be cleared of the most serious charges; or, perhaps we’ll learn that there was much more to Marvin Harrison that met the eye. Either way, it will be fascinating to watch this story play itself out and it has been a good lesson: just because someone is quiet and reluctant to talk does not necessarily mean they don’t have good stories to tell.

It remains to be seen if Marvin Harrison will tell his story, and exactly what kind of trouble it may (or may not) get him into.

[tags]marvin harrison, indianapolis colts, civil suit, shooting, philadelphia[/tags]