Can the Bobcats go back to the Playoffs?

For the first time since the team was created in 2004, the Charlotte Bobcats made the playoffs for the first time last season, finishing with a franchise-best 44-38 record and clinching the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. They were swept by the Orlando Magic, however, in the first round, 4-0.

The Bobcats' core consisted of Gerald Wallace, Stephen Jackson, Raymond Felton, Tyrus Thomas, Boris Diaw, D.J. Augustin, Larry Hughes, Nazr Mohammed, Tyson Chandler and Theo Ratliff.

Felton, Chandler, Hughes and Ratliff are gone but the team has brought in seven new players to their roster. Erick Dampier, who is one of those new players, could be on the trading block with his completely non-guaranteed contract worth $13 million.

Along with Dampier, the Bobcats also brought back guard Matt Carroll in a trade, signed Kwame Brown, Dominic McGuire, Eduardo Najera and Shaun Livingston, and drafted Sherron Collins. The Eastern Conference won't be as easy as last season.

J-Rich Traded for Bell, Diaw, Good Move for Both Teams

Bigger than the 3-way trade that happened earlier today, Jason Richardson has been traded to the Phoenix Suns for Raja Bell and Boris Diaw. The Charlotte Bobcats denied trying to trade Gerald Wallace. We just found out that it was J-Rich that's gone. With J-Rich to the Phoenix Suns, we're looking at a line-up of Steve Nash, J-Rich, Grant Hill, Amaré Stoudemire and Shaquille O'Neal. Who would have ever thought of that line-up 2 years ago?

Richardson, 27, played the best basketball of his career with highs of 21.8 PPG, 0.7 BPG and 40.6% from beyond the arc. Unfortunately, it was with the Cats. This season, his stats have dropped to wher he's scoring 18.7 PPG. The last time a dip in his production happened, he was traded from the Golden State Warriors for Brandan Wright.

Richardson is not at the peak of his performance yet but with another scorer on the Suns, maybe they could make a run. It definitely gives them scoring, athleticism and more production, if they can work together. Maybe they can finish somewhere between 4-7.

Bell, 33, is still probably a better defender than Richardson. What he brings to Charlotte is a veteran presence with post-season experience. Even with Diaw, 26, coming with him, that still won't spark this team into the playoff hunt because they need time to gel. Diaw has been used less and less since coming to the team in 2005 and continued to see his numbers dwindle. There's a few line-ups Larry Brown could use getting these guys.

D.J. Augustin
Raja Bell/Raymond Felton
Gerald Wallace
Emeka Okafor
Sean May

D.J. Augustin
Raja Bell/Raymond Felton
Gerald Wallace
Boris Diaw
Emeka Okafor

It was a cap-clearing move too because Charlotte will see $3 million in 2010 that they wouldn't have seen if they kept Richardson. They're probably trying to land a big free agent with Okafor and Wallace in their prime. Not to mention Augustin getting better. Not a bad idea for a team who'll be way under the cap come 2010.

Good move for both teams.

Nuggets Looking at Randolph

So far, Zach Randolph hasn't caused any problems for the New York Knicks. That could be one of the reasons they're 5-3 under Mike D'Antoni. He's drawn attention from the Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers and now the Denver Nuggets, according to The Knicks Fix on New York Newsday. Every one of those teams are looking for a power forward. Chicago has Tyrus Thomas and Drew Gooden, the Cavs have Ben Wallace and Anderson Varejao and the Nuggets have Kenyon Martin.

After landing Chauncey Billups and Cheikh Samb from the Pistons for Allen Iverson, the Nuggets could make another move by moving Martin to the Knicks. They're still trying to move Randolph for cap space in 2010 and the Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony, Nené and head coach George Karl all agree that they need another big man, according to the Rocky Mountain News. Nuggets' Owner Stan Kroenke rejcted Karl's plea to re-sign Juwawn Howard because of salary cap issues. Another note, the Knicks traded Renaldo Balkman to Denver over the summer for Taurean Green and Bobby Jones, both waived after the trade.

Randolph has three years left with $48 million on his contract. He's been an effective center for the Knicks thus far. Martin also has three years left on his contract with a player option for 2010, so both can be traded for straight-up. The Knicks would have to trade him again before 2010 or involve a third party like the Charlotte Bobcats because Martin most likely won't want to give up over $16.5 million in 2010. The Bobcats have been shopping Gerald Wallace, but his contract has four years left, so the Knicks might not want him unless they see him as a good trade piece.

If you package Wallace with Sean May (one year left on contract) to the Knicks, Martin could go to Charlotte and Randolph to Denver. It could work. Randolph could make an instant impact for Denver with Anthony, Billups, Nené and Dhantay Jones. Another big man, capable of going 20-10 any night could help the Nuggets into the playoffs. Out of the first round, maybe not. He could also break this team if he goes back to his old attitude instead of his new one. It's all up to him.

David Lee would have to step up for the Knicks in place of Randolph. After starting for the first few games, he was benched when Wilson Chandler played very well off the bench. Eddy Curry hasn't hasn't seen any time this season, getting benched and out with and injury. It'd be fun to see the super-athletic Wallace in the mix with Lee, Chandler, Chris Duhon and Jamal Crawford.

Martin getting in with the Bobcats with Emeka Okafor, Jason Richardson, Raymond Felton should be interesting. They might have to move Okafor to center and put Adam Morrison in the starting line-up at small forward. It should be interesting how Larry Brown would incorperate him into their game.

Randolph is gathering some attention from at least three teams with his play and the Knicks early success. Eventually, he'll be traded, but for now, it looks like he's turned over a new leaf. When asked if he'd have any hard feelings towards the Knicks if he was traded, it sounded like a more mature person.

“Nah, it’s a business, it’s not personal. I learned that from a lot of older guys...Whatever do happen, I’m going to be ready.”

So as he wonders which team will land him as his agent keeps him updated on who wants him, Randolph will have to keep his new attitude, play hard, and reap the benefits he's been missing out on for a long time.

Rockets Match Bobcats' Offer to Landry

The Houston Rockets did the smart thing by keeping Carl Landry by matching the Charlotte Bobcats' offer sheet. The earlier post on the Bobcats going after Landry explains why. According to the team website rockets.com, they'll be keeping him long term. "Because we didn’t have mid-level we weren’t able to get that done," Rockets GM Daryl Morey said. "So now we’re excited to get that done and we’re going to have a great set of players in for training camp."

Money was an issue for when they thought about it, since they were already over the luxary tax. "We had a lot of time obviously to think about what range of money we would match and this fell into that," Morey explained. One problem, however, is his right knee, but Morey said that he believes in taking risks to get the best players possible. That would explain trading for Ron Artest too.

Fortunately, the Rockets kept a piece of their future and a player who should develop into a very good big man in the NBA for many years to come. As for the Bobcats, they might need to re-think their strategy on getting a big man. Last season they tried to get the Cleveland Cavaliers' Anderson Varejao by signing him to an offer sheet, only for the Cavs to match it. The same result this year with Landry.

As for the Rockets, Morey expects the upcoming season to be special. With almost a month away from the start, we'll find out soon enough.

Bobcats Extend Offer to Carl Landry

The Charlotte Bobcats are trying to pull an Anderson Varejao again by extending an offer sheet to the Houston Rockets' F-C Carl Landry. The Bobcats are less than $4 million under the salary cap and are in financial position to offer him a contract. The Rockets, who are over $1 million over the luxary tax, have already offered a contract, which GM Daryl Morey calls a "fair offer." The Rockets have every right to match the Bobcats' offer, but it might be a matter of how much luxary tax they want to pay, depending on how much the offer is, which is unkonwn right now.

Landry, the first pick in the 2nd round of the 2007 NBA Draft, averaged 8.1 PPG on 61.6% shooting and 4.9 RPG in 41 games off the bench in his rookie season. He averaged 5.7 PPG, 4.7 RPG and 1.2 SPG in the first round of the playoffs against the Utah Jazz. Landry's best game was against the Minnesota Timberwolves on January 11th where he posted 15 points and 11 rebounds in 20 minutes after not playing since December 10th. He was also a big contributor to their 22 game winning streak.

It makes perfect sense that the Bobcats would go after Landry. Last year, they went small with Emeka Okafor at center, Gerald Wallace at power forward. Jason Richardson at small forward, Raymond Felton at shooting guard and Jeff McInnis at point guard. After Jeff McInnis was waived and Gerald Wallace suffered a serious concussion, one which I personally saw live and it wasn't pretty, to Wallace's request he moved back to small forward and Nazr Mohammed was named the starting center.

Bobcats' GM Rod Higgins believes that Landry can play both big man positions at 6'9 at 250 pounds, so the Bobcats can keep Okafor at center or put Landry there. If Landry can perform well off the bench in limited minutes, a starting role could jumpstart his potential. He's never played more than 31 minutes in a game, and that came in Game 4 in the playoffs, where he scored 13 points, 2 steals and 6 rebounds, all offensive rebounds.

The Rockets need to keep Landry because they need to think about the future of the franchise, not just the present. They have enough firepower to finally get out of the 1st round after they traded for Ron Artest, and that's if Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady are both healthy come playoffs. After this year, Artest will be a free agent, T-Mac will be another year older and a year away from being a free agent. Yao Ming also have an early termination option in 2010.

Luis Scola, their starting power forward, is already 28 years old and is a sophomore and Shane Battier is 30. Chuck Hayes, an undersized PF at 6'6, hasn't played well on the team. They also traded next year's 1st round pick to the Kings. Put simple, the Rockets are built for the here and now, not so much towards the future. Landry is their future and they can't afford to let him go, luxary tax or not. They need him for this year and beyond.

Kings-Blazers in OT Grab Vegas Spotlight Day 5

Kings (2-0) v. Blazers(1-1)

The Kings and the Blazers battled it out in OT, and in the end, Jason Thompson drive to the basket to make the game-winning 3 point play to win the game 75-74, the second game winner in summer league in 5 days of play. Thompson came off the bench for 17 points, 9 rebounds and a block, while Quincy Douby added 24 points and 6 steals. Shelden Williams posted 9 points, 11 boards and 2 blocks and Spencer Hawes had 10 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks.

Jerryd Bayless had 26 points (13-16 FTs) including the tough jumper that sent the game to OT. Bayless also had 6 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal. Petteri Koponen continued to shine with 18 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists and while Josh Davis had 6 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals and a block. Nicolas Batum had 6 points, 4 rebounds and a block.

I couldn't watch the game, but it was exciting to watch the boxscore update to the end.

Warriors (3-0) v. Bobcats (1-2)

Even with Anthony Randolph taking the day off, the Warriors are the hottest team in Vegas after winning 99-93 and getting a 3-0 record. Marco Belinelli went off for 30 points with 2 rebounds and a steal. C.J. Watson had 23 points, with the help of sinking 13 free throws, while Brandan Wright had 11 points 5 boards and 2 steals for the day. Georgia Tech's Anthony Morrow had 11 points and 3 rebounds off the bench and Louis Amundson had 6 points, 4 rebounds and the team's only 2 blocks.

D.J. Augustin knows how to score it up, but hasn't shown the ability to distribute as a point guard. He scored 30 points and a steal but had no assists and 5 TOs. The bench play wasn't bad for the Bobcats. In fact, they did more work than the other 4 starters alongside Augustin as Kyle Hines finished with 14 points, 4 rebounds and a steal, Marcus Slaughter had 10 points and 3 rebounds in less than 12 minutes and James Mays put up 12 points, 4 rebounds. Orien Greene had 9 points, 2 boards and 2 steals.

Sixers (1-2) v. Lakers (1-2)

Thanks to triple 16s, the Sixers got their first summer league win, 81-73. Rookie Marreese Speights led the team with 16 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks. Jason Smith also finished with 16 points, along with 4 rebounds and 2 blocks, while Thaddeus Young had 16 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals. Junior Harrington came off the bench for 15 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals while Jamont Gordon finished with 8 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals.

Coby Karl led the Lakers with 18 points, 2 assists and a steal, and got some help from Joe Crawford with 16 points 3 rebounds and a steal. Bryant Dunston had 10 points, 8 rebounds (4 off.) and 2 blocks while Cedric Bozeman finished with 4 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists.

Bucks (1-1) v. Pistons (2-1)

The Bucks ran away with a win, outscoring the Pistons 23-9 in the 4th quarter, winning 73-59. Ramon Sessions continues to lead his team with 21 points, 6 points and 4 rebounds. Unknown Olumide Oyedeji finished with 10 points, 8 rebounds (4 off.) and a steal while second round pick Luc Mbah a Moute had 7 points, 6 boards, 2 assists and a steal. "Average" Joe Alexander had a better than his average game with 11 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and a block. He hasn't lived up to the expectations around him, but he still has a few more games.

Arron Affalo continues to take charge with the Pistons with 18 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists and Will Bynum filled in with 9 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists. Deron Washington had 7 points and 4 rebounds off the bench while Walter Sharpe had 8 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists. Rodney Stuckey did not play.

Hornets (2-1) v. Spurs (2-1)

Bobby Brown continues to impress playing for the Hornets, leading them to a 76-68 win over the Spurs. Brown had 15 points and 8 assists, while sophomore Julian Wright added 11 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks. Hilton Armstrong had 11 points, 4 rebounds and a block and Brandon Bowman had 12 points, 3 rebounds, a steal and a block. Derrick Byars had 8 points, 2 rebounds and a steal off the bench.

The Spurs' James Gist came out with a double double off the bench with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 2 steals in the loss. Ian Mahinmi has no signs of slowing his play, finishing with 10 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals and a block, and Anthony Tolliver finished with 14 points and 2 rebounds that night. George Hill couldn't score but 3 points, but grabbed 7 rebounds and 4 assists.

Brown, Affalo, Belinelli Highlight Vegas Day 3

Hornets (1-1) v. Bobcats (1-1)

The Hornets' Bobby Brown continues to impress in the summer league. He had 20 points, including the go-ahead with 30 seconds left to edge the Bobcats 77-75. Brown also had 5 rebounds, 5 assists and a steal. Julian Wright had an all-around game with 11 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 steals and 2 blocks, while Hilton Armstrong posted 14 points and 5 rebounds. He also had an dunked on an alley-oop to tie the game at 75.

Bobcats' point guard D.J. Augustin has shown the ability to score, but hasn't distributed much his first 2 games. He finished with 15 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 5 turnovers. Jamereo Davidson played well again putting up 12 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists and a block and Orien Greene had 10 points off the bench.

Pistons (2-0) v. Cippers (1-2)

Arron Affalo starred in the Pistons 75-66 win against the Clippers, hitting 8-10 field goals and all nine free throws for 25 points to go with 4 rebounds. Will Bynum came off the bench for 10 points and center Cheikh Samb had 8 points, 4 rebounds and 2 blocks. Rodney Stuckey, who was a major role in their first win, posted 8 points, 4 rebounds and a steal. Amir Johnson had 9 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals. Although they were outrebounded 33-31, 6 Pistions grabbed 4+ rebounds.

The Clippers lost Eric Gordon to a hamstring strain for the rest of summer league and did not play against the Pistons. With him out of the way, DeAndre Jordan took control with 15 points, 10 rebounds and a block. Al Thornton had 14 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal and Mike Taylor had 13 points, 6 rebounds, a block and 7 turnovers. Fatigue could be a factor working against the Clippers because they played back-to-back-to-back days, playing for 3 straight days.

Warriors (2-0) v. Mavericks (0-2)

This time Marco Belinelli was the star, leading his team with 25 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal en route to a 95-86 win over the Mavs. Anthony Randolph, who scored 30 points in his debut, only had 11 points to go along with 5 boards, 2 assists, a block and a steal. Brandan Wright had 15 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks and a steal while C.J. Watson picked up 14 points, 3 rebounds and 4 steals.

James Singleton starred for the Mavs' in their losing effort, putting up 17 points and 8 rebounds. Teammate Charles Rhodes had 12 points on 4-5 shooting, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and a block off the bench and highflyer Gerald Green had 15 points, 3 rebounds and a steal.

Lakers (1-1) v. Grizzlies (2-1)

Coby Karl, out of all people, outdueled O.J. Mayo to give the Lakers a 85-76 win. Karl had a game high 16 points to go with 4 boards, 3 assists, a steal and a block. Sharrod Ford had 11 points and 4 rebounds and a block while Cedric Bozeman had 12 points and 4 rebounds. Nik Caner-Medley had 7 points and a game high 8 rebounds, along with a technical foul. Every Laker on the team who played scored.

Ebi Ere had the best game of any of the Grizzlies with 14 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists off the bench. Mayo had 15 points and 2 rebounds but struggled with 6 turnovers while Mike Conley had 11 points and 3 rebounds. Javaris Crittenton had 9 points 4 rebounds and 3 assists and Steve Burtt Jr. scored 8 points in 8 minutes. Every Grizzlies' player on the team who played also scored.

Some players, including Danillo Gallinari, Robin Lopez and Nicolas Batum will make their debut on day 4, stay tuned.

Summer League Recap: Day 2 & Rankings

On day 2, many players put out great effort.

Kings v. Raptors

In the kick-off game, Spencer Hawes had one of the top performances of the day with 23 points and 9 rebounds in a winning effort against the Raps. Shelden Williams posted a double double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Quincy Douby had 20 points, 2 rebounds, 3 steals and a block. Jason Thompson, the surprise lottery pick, got hot late with 12 points, 7 rebounds and a block and Sean Singletary had 9 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals in the game. Good all-around team effort.

The Raps' Joey Graham, twin brother of the Pacers' Stephen Graham, had a game high 24 points to go with 8 boards and a steal. Deji Akindele had 13 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks while Jaycee Carroll had 14 points in 14 minutes off the bench. John Lucas had 10 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists and a steal while Hassan Adames finished with 9 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals. Joel Bosh, brother of Raptors' star forward Chris Bosh, did not play.

Grizzlies v. Bucks

O.J. Mayo stepped up big for the Grizzlies, putting up 26 points, 5 rebounds, an assist and a steal, leading the team to a 88-79 win over the Bucks. P.J. Tucker had another great night with 11 points, 8 boards and a block. Javaris Crittenton put up all sixes, 6 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists and German Malick Badiane put up 9 points and 6 rebounds. Mike Conley had 8 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists and Darrell Arthur had 10 points and 4 rebounds.

The Bucks' Ramon Sessions had 12 points, 9 assists and 2 rebounds and Trey Johnson had 12 points and 7 rebounds. Matt Freije's 3 of his 4 made shots were 3 pointers for 11 points off the bench and Darius Washington had 9 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal.

Bobcats v. Clippers

D.J. Augustin and the Bobcats toppled the Clippers 81-66. Augustin made his debut and led his team with 14 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals , while rookie D.J. 15 points, 8 rebounds and a block. Kyle Hines had 7 points and 5 rebounds off the bench while Guillermo Diaz came off with him with 9 points and 3 rebounds. Orien Greene had 6 points 3 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal after playing most of the year with the New Zealand Breakers.

Clippers' sophomore Al Thornton highlighted the night with 22 points, 7 rebounds and a block. Eric Gordon had a better shooting game with 15 points on 4-10 shooting, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks. Mike Taylor, from Iowa State, had 10 points while DeAndre Jordan had 4 points and 6 rebounds. Jordan, through 2 games, is showing why he was a 2nd round pick.

Nuggets v. Sixers

Even in the summer league, the Nuggets continue their high scoring ways outdueling the Sixers 99-85. Dhantay Jones was shining with 21 points. Sonny Weems had 17 points in 20 minutes off the bench for the Nuggets while Elton Brown posted a double double with 13 points and 11 boards. George Washington's Mike Hall had 12 points 8 rebounds and 2 assists while Keith Langford added 14 points and 3 assists in 16 minutes.

Although Thaddeus Young continues to score, his team is now 0-2. Young had 22 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. Marreese Speights also cooled off from last night's performance, putting up 14 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocks. Jamont Gordon had 12 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and a steal for the night. Jason Smith had a good night with 15 points and 4 rebounds.

Now, only 7 teams have to wait to make their debut until Monday including Knicks v. Cavs, Suns v. Rockets, Wizards v. Blazers and the Spurs debuting against the Grizzlies.

Now that a couple of days have gone by, here are the first player and rookie rankings of the summer league.

Player Rankings

1. Anthony Randolph (GSW): 30, 8, 1, 2, 2 (1-0)
2. O.J. Mayo (MEM): 20.5, 4, 3, 2, 0.5 (2-0)
3. Spencer Hawes (SAC): 23, 9, 2, 0, 0 (1-0)
4. Al Thornton (LAC): 21, 7, 0.5, 0, 1 (1-1)
5. Thaddeus Young (PHI): 24.5, 5.5, 1.5, 1, 0.5 (0-2)
6. Rodney Stuckey (DET): 21, 5, 4, 1, 0 (1-0)
7. P.J. Tucker (MEM): 14, 8, 1.5, 2, 0.5 (2-0)
8. Joey Graham (TOR): 24, 8, 0, 1, 0 (0-1)
9. Shelden Williams (SAC): 16, 10, 2, 0, 0 (1-0)
10. Eric Gordon (LAC) 19, 5.5, 2, 1, 1 (1-1)



Rookie Rankings

1. Anthony Randolph (GSW): 30, 8, 1, 2, 2 (1-0)
2. O.J. Mayo (MEM): 20.5, 4, 3, 2, 0.5 (2-0)
3. Eric Gordon (LAC): 19, 5.5, 2, 1, 1 (1-1)
4. Marreese Speights (PHI): 18, 9, 0, 0, 1.5 (0-2)
5. D.J. Augustin (CHA): 14, 3, 2, 2, 0 (1-0)
6. Deji Akindele (TOR): 13, 7, 0, 1, 2 (0-1)
7. Jason Thompson (SAC): 12, 7, 1, 0, 1 (1-0)
8. Darrell Arthur (MEM): 14, 3.5, 1, 1, 1 (0-2)
9. Trey Johnson (MIL): 12, 7, 0, 1, 0 (0-1)
10. Sonny Weems (DEN): 17, 3, 0, 0, 0 (1-0)

Best of the East

Boston, Detroit, Orlando and Cleavland. All of them dominated the Eastern Conference, but their were a lot of great individual performances too. Atlanta clinched their first playoff spot since 1999, Philadelphia surged late in the season for their first playoff spot since Allen Iverson left and Washington relied on their other All-Stars Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison despite Gilbert Arenas missing most of the season. Even though the West had dominance, there were stories in the East too.

All Atlantic Division Team

Kevin Garnett

C- Samuel Dalembert PHI 10.7-10.4-.5-2.4
PF- Kevin Garnett BOS 18.9-9.3-3.5
SF- Andre Iguodala PHI 19.9-5.4-4.8-2.1 SPG
SG- Vince Carter NJN 21.6-6.1-5

PG- Jose Claderon TOR 11.5-2.9-8.3

Paul Pierce BOS 19.9-5.2-4.6
Chris Bosh TOR 22.5-8.8-2.5
Richard Jefferson NJN 22.5-4.2-3
Zach Randolph NYK 17.6-10.3-2

Andre Miller PHI 17.1-4-6.8
Ray Allen BOS 17.7-3.7-3.1
Jamal Crawford NYK 20.7-2.6-5

All Central Division Team

LeBron James

C- Andew Bogut MIL 14.2-9.8-2.6-1.8 BPG
PF- Danny Granger IND 19.1-6.1-2.1
SF- LeBron James CLE 30.3-7.9-7.2-1.9 SPG
SG- Michael Redd MIL 23.5-4.4-3.5
PG- Chauncey Billups DET 17.2-2.8-6.9
Drew Gooden CHI-CLE14.3-9.3-1.7
Zydrunas Ilgauskas CLE 14-9.3-1.4
Danny Granger IND 19.1-6.1-2.1
Mike Dunleavy IND 18.7-5.2-3.4
Mo Williams MIL 17.2-3.5-6.3
Richard Hamilton DET 17.6-3.3-4.2
Ben Gordon CHI 18.9-3.1-3

All Southeast Division Team

Dwight Howard

C- Dwight Howard ORL 20.9-14.4-1.4-2.2
PF- Antawn Jamison WAS 21.5-10.2-1.5
SF- Josh Smith ATL 17.3-8.4-3.4-1.5-2.8
SG- Dwyane Wade MIA 24.6-4.2-6.9-1.7 SPG
PG- Raymond Felton CHA 14.3-2.9-7.3
Caron Butler WAS 20.3-6.7-4.9-2.21 SPG
Joe Johnson ATL 22.1-4.6-5.8
Jason Richardson CHA 21.5-5.3-3.2
Shawn Marion MIA-PHX 14.3-11.2-2.5
Hedo Turkoglu ORL 19.6-5.8-4.9
Gerald Wallace CHA 19.4-6-3.5
Rashard Lewis ORL 18.3-5.4-2.4

Rookie of the Eastern Conference

Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks
10.2 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 1.5 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.9 BPG

Best Defensive Player

Josh Smith
8.3 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 2.3 BPG

Most Improved

Hedo Turkoglu

Last Season: 13.3 PPG, 4 RPG, 3.2 APG
This Season: 19.9 PPG, 5.8 RPG 5 APG

Wallace Suffers Concussion, Kings Win in OT

Usually when Gerald Wallace steps on the court, the most dangerous player he faces is himself. He's dived into crowds, avoided hitting his head on the backboard many times, and takes it hard to the rack when he can. What got him though was a Mikki Moore elbow slamming into the left of hs face when Moore was trying to get up a shot. Moore showed complete concern for Wallace standing near the huddle before he was wheeled off. A scary moment, especially when you see it live like I did. Thanks to Odenized for posting the videos up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyJoPMK20Bo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=os81C3WZPm8

Wallace didn't make the trip to Washington D.C. after the game, but he wasn't the only injury in the game. In the 3rd quarter, John Salmons would have to leave, due to a left thigh contusion sustained when Emeka Okafor hit him with his knee when both were going up for a rebound. Not even as scary as Wallace's injury.

2ND HALF

After what happened early in the 3rd quarter, it was hard for the fans to adjust back into the game with Wallace's injury and their minds, but the Kings had no problem getting back into the game as they eventually got up to a 10 point lead and led at the half 84-78.The Bobcats would light it up in the 4th quarter as they mounted a furious run to catch up to the Kings. The Kings had a 106-100 lead with 56 seconds to go and it seemed like they were going to have their first ever win at Bobcats Arena. A 9-3 Bobcats run, including a Jason Richardson 3 pointer would help tie the game. Ice cold shooter Kevin Martin missed the potential game winner, as he was 0/6 from the field but made 13/18 free throws. The game goes into OT tied at 109.

OVERTIME

The Kings started off as a red hot Francisco Garcia hit a career high sixth 3 pointer and went up 112-109. Derek Andrson's free throws and Okafor's shot and free throw put up the Cats up 112-114. Martin made his only field goal of the game to tie the game at 114. Artest would hit the eventual game winner with 16 seconds left. Raymond Felton would hit only 1/2 free throws to make it 116-115. On the inbounds pass after a Kings time out, Brad Miller had the ball knocked off of his hands. He also got a horse collar from Jeff McInnis before the ball went out of bounds, but no call. Felton had a chance to win the game but he missed it. With Shelden Williams getting his only rebound of the night, time expired and the Kings became the last team to win at Bobcats Arena.

Highlights

Kings
Miller: 22 pts, 14 reb, 5 ast, 3 blk, stl, 6 TO
Garcia: 23 pts (Career High 6/8 3PT FG), 3 blk, reb ast, stl (bench)
Artest: 20 pts (game winner), 9 reb (5 off), 4 ast, 2 stl, 2 blk
Beno Udrih: 17 pts, 8 reb, 6 ast, blk, fouled out
Martin: 15 pts (1/8 FG, 13/18 FT), 2 ast, blk, reb
Moore: 5 pts, 9 reb
Spencer Hawes: 4 pts, 5 reb, blk (bench)
Williams: 4 pts, reb, blk, 5 min (bench)

Bobcats
Richardson: 29 pts (5/9 3PT FG), 5 ast, 2 stl, 2 blk
Felton: 17 pts, 7 reb, 10 ast, 3 stl, blk
Okafor: 12 pts, 7 reb, 2 ast, blk
Wallace: 6 pts, 6 reb, 4 ast, 3 blk, stl (injured early 3rd quarter)
Anderson: 15 pts, 4 reb, 2 stl (bench)
Earl Boykins: 9 pts, 4 reb, 2 ast (bench)
Carrol: 8 pts, 4 reb, ast (bench)
Nazr Mohammed: 5 pts, 3 reb (2 off) (bench)

The Bobcats might be in trouble because of Wallace's injury. It would probably push Mohammed into the center spot and move Okarfor to power forward. If it's long term, it might kill the Bobcats' playoff hopes. On the bright side, the bench had a major contribution with 47 points. They go to play the Wizards

The Kings bench had 37 points, led by Garcia's team high 23 points off of the bench. They had a season high 11 blocks on the night. Late turnovers almost cost them the game, but their defense kept them in it. It helped them sweep the Cats and get their 3rd straight win since the All-Star Break and since they traded Mike Bibby. Now the look to break through the glass window of 2 games away from .500. They've never been closer than that. More importantly, they're looking to get to .500 and still get to the playoffs.

The Kings mentality of making the playoffs, thanks to coach Reggie Theus, has made them a stronger team, despite a weak start to the season with 9 straight road losses. Since then, they're 9-9 on the road. After trading Bibby, they're 3-0, but they still have to go to Orlando, play at Miami and Atlanta on a back-to-back, then got to Dallas before coming back home. Artest has played great since playing the Bobcats in Sacramento. In 11 games he's averaged 23.5 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 3.6 APG, 2.5 SPG and 0.6 BPG. Only one game has been less than 20 points. Ever since he requested a trade, he was playing at a high level. After the trade deadline, he's been playing at the same level. Possibly, he could be getting an extension at the end of his contract, since his agent said that opting out is "unlikely" this summer. Now, him and the Kings are truly looking forward to get into the playoff race.

Look Ahead for the Eastern Conference

When the Celtics acquired Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen the East was considered to be a powerhouse once again. Then the only teams that really separated themselves from the pack were the Celtics, Pistons and Magic. Now a team doesn't have a .500 record to be in the playoffs, but like the West, many teams are still in the playoff hunt. Other than the Celtics, there might be a new playoff team.

1. Boston Celtics (41-9) Getting Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen made Paul Pierce very happy. The one weak spot that they were thought to have was a good point guard. Look at Rajon Rondo now. Center Kendrick Perkins has been a great starter too. That 72-10 record is out of reach now, but they're a top 2 playoff team at the least. They've lost KG for 9 games and played well for the most part. It could be tough for them later on because the Pistons are trailing them.


2. Detroit Pistons (39-13) The Pistons are still one of the elite teams of the East. They haven't done anything different than last year except move Rasheed Wallace to center. A big part of their success is the rise of Jason Maxiell in the starting line-up. They didn't re-sign Chris Webber and traded Nazr Mohammed, but things have worked out for the better. Unless the Magic or Cavs have something to say, the East is gearing up for the Celtics-Pistons Eastern Conference Finals match-up. It's been a while since that happened.


3. Orlando Magic (33-21) The Magic have had a great season this far. After a red hot 16-4 start under Dwight Howard's MVP play, the Magic have slowed down, but no question they're playoff bound. What was even more surprising is that after acquiring Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu outperformed him throughout the season. They have a powerful All-Star caliber frontcourt. They've struggled against elite teams like Detroit, Phoenix, and San Antonio, but they're also one of the few teams to beat the Celtics. They're set to go as far as the 2nd round of the playoffs at least, but the conference finals doesn't seem that distant for them.
   
4. Cleveland Cavaliers (29-23) The Cavs are back where they're supposed to be, with the East's elite. The East seemed to be off to such great start that the Cavs seemed to get left in the dust and out of the playoff picture. The reigning conference champions passed those teams and reminded everyone who they are. Even though they're in the picture, the organization failed to get a point guard that LeBron James really wanted, since Jason Kidd is heading to Dallas and Mike Bibby is now a Hawk. Bibby was the ideal player for him to take off the scoring load for him, but James wanted Kidd. Either way he's not getting either of them, but Larry Hughes might be making a comeback after dropping a few high scoring games this year. Paired with sharpshooter Daniel Gibson, the Cavs might not have to look far to take the load off of James.


5. Toronto Raptors (28-23) The Raps are right back where they were last year, only they haven't played with T.J. Ford most of the year. Enter breakout point guard Jose Calderon and they're still on track for last year. He's been phenomenal in terms of playmaking, and has even been compared to John Stockton. Along with Chris Bosh and highflying rookie Jamario Moon, Toronto still plays well and show no signs of stopping. They're one of 5 teams that are over .500 in the East so if they stay over, it's automaticd that they'rein the playoffs.


6. Washington Wizards (25-27) No Gilbert Areans, no problem. They were supposed to be one of the worst teams in the league with their superstar done for the at least most of the season, but All-Stars Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison were still on the team. Add the solid play of rookie Nick Young, DeShawn Stevenson and Brendan Haywood, and this is a team determined to make the playoffs. No need to find out if Young will lose his starting job because Arenas said that he would come off of the bench, maybe not to disrupt the team's chemistry. Arenas is still planning to opt out, but it's a toss up wheather he'll stay or go.


7. New Jersey Nets (23-30) The Nets are in danger of not making the playoffs this year. Despite Richard Jefferson's great year, Vince Carter averaging 20 PPG and having Jason Kidd, one of the best point guards in the NBA, for some reason they couldn't get it done. They're on of the many teams that have talented players but can't seem to get the job done. Now they're losing Kidd and there are 6 other teams behind them that can make the playoffs as well. By getting rid of Kidd and getting Devin Harris, they're starting the rebuilding process right now, but they have to trade Carter, someone who wants out too, as well to free up some more cap space and truly start rebuilding. Sean Williams has been one of the best defensive rookies of the year, and Josh Boone is starting to show his potential. If they play their cards right, the process might not take as long.


8. Philadelphia 76ers (23-30) The Sixers have been in the playoff hunt all year long. Andre Iguodala has been the best performer on the team so far. Samuel Dalembert has been an athletic center for the team too catching alley-oops from Andre Miller. It seems now that he's staying in Philly instead of being traded. If the team keeps up their chemistry, they can make a playoff push for the first time since Allen Iverson and Chris Webber were on the team.


9. Atlanta Hawks (21-28) Now that the Hawks recieved point guard Mike Bibby from the Kings, the Hawks now seem playoff bound for the first time since 1999. They were considered a darkhorse this year after a good start and are in a virtual tie for 7th place. Bibby has been seen as the answer to take the scoring load off of Joe Johnson and could be the point guard Atlanta has needed for a long time. Bibby can also throw good lob passes to Josh Smith. With a impressive young froncourt in Smith, Marvin Williams and rookie of the year canidate Al Horford, the Hawks could bring the playoffs back to Atlanta, maybe at a 6 seed.


10. Chicago Bulls (21-31) After counting the Bulls out of the playoff race. Coach Scott Skiles was doing a horrible job and was fired. After going 9-16 with Skiles, they're 12-15 with Jim Boylan. It's no surpise that Ben Gordon would continue his scoring ways, but it was a surprise that they asked him to go back to the bench for the 6th man role, an idea that some teams are benefiting from. Andres Nocioni has become a better 3 point shooter ever since the coaching change. New addition Joe Smith has been gettting better as time goes on. If Ben Wallace can improve this team might be back in the playoffs.
    
11. Indiana Pacers (21-32) The Pacers seem to have lost their playoff hopes. Once a 19-22 team, they lost 7 straight games resulting in a 2-9 record since then. Jermaine O'Neal is likely out for the season and the Pacers don't look like they're trying to do what the Wizards are doing without Gilbert Arenas. Jamaal Tinsley has been performing well at the point with back-up Travis Diener developing himself. Mike Dunleavy has come out this year as a good scorer for the team, and Kareem Rush may be another player the Pacers want to keep. With the way they're playing, they might not make the playoffs and O'Neal might not be around next year. It might be a rebuilding year for the rest of the team, but if he does come back, this team will look to the playoffs next year.


12. Milwaukee Bucks (19-34) The Bucks have a talented team in Andrew Bogut, Michael Redd, Mo Williams Charlie Villanueva and Yi Jianlian, but they can't seem to take off. Redd has been scoring 20+ PPG, Yi has been one of the great rookies of the year and Bogut has stepped up his game, but they just can't seem to take off. Hopefully, if they can't make it to the playoffs this season, they might be able to get another high draft pick, maybe the one to help this team get more competitive.


13. Charlotte Bobcats (19-34) Jordan's team hasn't been doing good as of late. The combo of Json Richardson and Gerald Wallace hasn't paid off as much as they hoped. Before going on a 7 game losing streak, they were seen as playoff bound. Now they have to make a big run in order to keep thier hopes alive. For next season, they might not have Emeka Okafor next season after not being able to reach an agreement on an extension.


14. New York Knicks (15-37) Getting Zach Randolph was supposed to be the last piece needed to help the Knicks make the playoffs in the East. It was supposed to be Eddy Curry, Randolph, Quentin Richardson, Jamal Crawford and Stephon Marbury reviving the team. No, what they got was a soap opera with fans chanting "Fire Isiah!" Randolph, Curry and Marbury were on the trading block, and Marbury ended his season with ankle surgery. The Knicks are lottery bound again and might break up their team again.


15. Miami Heat (9-42) From NBA Champions in 2006 to the NBA's worst. Why? Key players from the championship team were lost. Dwyane Wade came in the season coming off of 2 surgeries and he couldn't carry his team. They just lost Shaq and Shawn Marion couldn't replace him. They're in danger of getting the top lottery pick and Wade might not be there if he feels like it, and Marion could be out as early as after this season. Now the Heat find themselves rebuilding again. It will be another few years until they can be in the playoffs again, but with Marion, they might not finish as the worst team in the NBA this year.

The East might have a wild finish for the 7 and 8 seed, but it should be interesting to see who comes out.