What Westbrook's Injury Means

   The news today was shocking to say the least. Russell Westbrook, the Thunder's dynamic point guard and half of highest scoring duo in the NBA would be out indefinitely due to surgery on his torn meniscus. Not only was the news pure shock because Westbrook has never missed a game in his basketball career, but also because the Thunder's title chances are effectively over, after most expected them to rematch with Miami in the Finals. So what does this mean for OKC, Durant and the rest of the playoff teams?

   For the Thunder, it means Reggie Jackson will be playing around 36 minutes a night, after averaging only 13 in his short career. It means Derek Fisher will have to do more than he expected when he signed on with the Thunder two months ago. It means a more aggressive Kevin Martin. It means Serge Ibaka as the Thunder's second best player. But really for OKC, it all starts with one man.                      

   Kevin Durant said in Sports Illustrated this week that he's tired of being second. Well now, without Westbrook, OKC may not advance far enough to even be second. Durant has absolutely no reason to hold anything back now. Going for 40+ points will have to be the norm, and even that won't guarantee a Thunder win. The Thunder have always been Durant's team, and now, the man who helps him (most of the time) run the show is gone. For the rest of these playoffs, everyone will be giving KD the same advice: Just keep shooting. 

   How do the Thunder stack up in the West without their point guard? Already up 2-0 on Houston, they should still be able to dispatch the Rockets sans Westbrook. After that, it's iffy. The winner of Clippers-Grizzlies will have just won a tough series, and will be plenty primed to knock off OKC. The Spurs, getting healthier now, will be waiting should the Thunder meet them in the conference finals. And if the Thunder somehow make the Finals and Westbrook is not back? Miami will feel good about a matchup in which they have three of the four best players. 

   For the second year in a row, the NBA playoffs will be partly associated with the injury to one of the league's best point guards. Westbrook has his critics, but today, everybody's on his side and hoping he makes a fast recovery. Who would have thought that a seemingly minor collision between two point guards would cause such a shake up in the playoffs? 

    

   

First Round Playoff Predicitons

Eastern Conference
1 Heat vs. 8 Bucks
Let's start with an easy one here. The defending champs take on Milwaukee in what is the most onesided first round matchup. Sure, Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis may go off to make a game close. And Larry Sanders has the energy inside to cause trouble for Miami on the boards. But really, LeBron and Co. should have enough to advance in relatively easy fashion. Heat in 4. 

2 Knicks vs. 7 Celtics
The East's most intriguing matchup pits the league's leading scorer against a veteran group playing for a city with a heavy heart. The Knicks can rely on Carmelo's offense while hoping Tyson Chandler will be healthy enough to anchor the defense and J.R. Smith can maintain his hot shooting of the past two months. The Celtics have several injury question marks with Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce banged up, but Doc Rivers will get his team to play at a high level. Expect this series to be tight throughout but, Knicks in 6. 

3 Pacers vs. 6 Hawks
For the second straight year, the Pacers enter as the three seed against a team that is not playing their best basketball of the season. The Hawks overachieved this year, as it was widely known they were looking to make their biggest splashes in the offseason. However Indiana isn't playing their best either, losing four of their last six. Combine the Pacers toughness at home with a mediocre Hawks crowd that is ready to see Josh Smith depart, and it's Pacers in 5. 

4 Nets vs. 5 Bulls
With Deron Williams finally in shape and playing great again, this series becomes interesting. A rare series with two All-Star centers going at it, it'll be Joakim Noah versus Brook Lopez. The more physical Noah gets the edge there, which will be a theme in this series. If Noah shuts down Lopez and Luol Deng contains Joe Johnson, Williams's scoring shouldn't be a problem. The Nets really struggle against good teams and the Bulls are as healthy as they've been all year. Bulls in 6. 

Western Conference
1 Thunder vs. 8 Rockets
It could be a tough homecoming for James Harden against OKC. Harden can and probably will play great against his old boys, but Lin on Westbrook and Parsons on Durant are brutal matchups for the Rockets. A hot shooting Houston team may be able to pull off the upset, but this one looks like Thunder in 5. 

2 Spurs vs. 7 Lakers
Half of the stars in this series were in their prime five years ago, but that's okay, it looks to be hugely entertaining still. The Kobe-less Lakers are inspired. Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol are starting to click, and may be able to give Tim Duncan problems in the frontcourt. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli aren't fully healthy. This is the matchup the Lakers wanted and we see why here. Lakers in 6. 

3 Nuggets vs. 6 Warriors
High point totals will be the norm here, and no fans will be complaining. The Nuggets were a true sleeper until Danilo Gallinari went down and the Warriors enter with little experience, but Stephen Curry's shooting alone should carry this young team to one or two wins. The Denver homecourt advantage may be too much for the young Dubs this year, and it's Nuggets in 6. 

4 Clippers vs 5 Grizzlies
A rematch of last year's 4-5 matchup that the Grizz feel they would've won, this time it's Lob City with the homecourt advantage. The frontcourt battle will be intersting with the Clippers athletic duo of Blake Griffin and Deandre Jordan against the tough Memphis duo of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. A huge bench advantage for L.A. plus the brilliance of Chris Paul makes this series Clippers in 7.  

2013 All-NBA Teams

First Team All-NBA
Guard: Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers
For the second straight year, Chris Paul asserted himself as the best point guard in the NBA. In leading the Clippers to the best season in franchise history and their first-ever Pacific Division title, Paul went to a sixth straight All-Star Game, earning MVP honors. Finishing third in PER and averaging 17 points and 10 assists, Paul is no doubt one of the great team leaders in the league.

Guard: Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
Talk about following up on a guarantee. When the Lakers were in 11th place in the West, Kobe assured fans that they would make the playoffs. Sure enough, he put the team on his back, playing unreal basketball for the last month and a half of the season. Kobe put the Lakers in position for the playoffs, and despite his torn Achilles in game 80 of the season, he inspired his team enough for them to win those final two games and earn a postseason berth.

Forward: LeBron James, Miami Heat
What's left to say about the reigning and soon to be 4-time MVP. LeBron improved his game yet again, dominating the competition in leading Miami to 66 wins. If LeBron didn't pass your eye test, consider this: He lead the best team in the league in points, rebounds and assists. So yeah, he's the King.

Forward: Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder
Durant improved his all-around game, reaching career highs in assists, blocks and steals in leading the Thunder to the West's top seed. Despite missing out on a fourth-straight scoring title this year, Durant made it clear that he is the second best player on the planet, becoming the newest member of the 50-40-90 club. Not bad.

Center: Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies
The likely DPOY lead Memphis to the best defense in the NBA this year. Having the best all-around year of any center in the league, Gasol is at the heart of everything the Grizzlies do, both offensively and defensively.

Second Team All-NBA
Guard: Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
Despite the occasional criticism, it's been another great year for Westbrook. He improved his assist total while also maintaining his high scoring. Westbrook actually outplayed Durant for stretches after the All-Star break. Everything about him is explosive. The athleticism, the scoring, the temper, hopefully he can reign all that in for the Thunder's playoff run.

Guard: James Harden, Houston Rockets
From game one it was clear: Harden has no trouble being a first option. He lead an explosive Rockets offense to the playoff this year. The Beard finished fifth in the league in scoring, at 25.9 PPG. It'll be an uphill revenge battle against his old team in the first round, but this year proved that Harden is the ideal centerpiece for a Rockets team that is on the up.

Forward: Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks
The scoring champion will probably finish third in MVP voting this year, and is still only the third best small forward in the NBA. Perhaps even more impressive than his first major individual accolade in the NBA is that Melo has grown as a leader in New York, guiding the Knicks to the East's second seed. Having only been out of the first round once, these playoffs will come to define Melo's career to date.

Forward: Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers
Paul's big sidekick in Lob City still hasn't completely honed his offensive game and he's still regularly making All-Star and All-NBA teams. Griffin lead the league in slam dunks, regularly posterizing unlucky defenders. Raising his free-throw clip to 66 percent is a start, but Griffin still needs to expand his hugely entertaining game.

Center: Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
How does a guy who will be 37 next week still average 18 points and 10 rebounds? Duncan had his best season in three years, mostly staying healthy and playing the same great D that he always has. The Big Fundamental and the Spurs continue to beat Father Time. His team earned the two seed out West, despite being "too old."

Third Team All-NBA
Guard: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
Curry's second half surge this season earned the Warriors their first playoff berth since 2007. He's the best shooter in the game at this point in his career, averaging 45 percent from downtown. Despite setting the record for most 3's made in a season and scoring a league season-high 54 points in a game this year, Curry was not an All-Star. He gets love this time around.

Guard: Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
Being overshadowed by LeBron and having some nagging injuries really underrated Wade's season. Flash shot a career-high 52 percent and averaged a 21-5-5 line on the year, really carrying Miami through the second half of their 27-game win streak. Sure he may have lost a step, but watch a Heat game and you'll see that Wade's second highest gear is still better than most players out there.

Forward: Luol Deng, Chicago Bulls
Injuries and a certain point guard's potential return dominated news in Chicago this year, but Deng was the one constant for this solid Bulls team. Maybe the league's ultimate glue guy, Deng is much more than that on a nightly basis. he lead the NBA in minutes player per game, made his second All-Star team and played his usual great defense. For a guy who often goes unnoticed, Deng's monster game to snap Miami's streak will go down as one of the signature moments in his career.

Forward: Paul George, Indiana Pacers
A MIP candidate this year, George was the best player all year on a Pacers team that finished third in the East. His game and numbers indicate that George is one of the best all-around players in the NBA, and in only his third season, George can build off this All-Star campaign.

Center: Chris Bosh, Miami Heat
Before the year even started, Bosh had fully embraced playing center in this league, and Miami sure did benefit. While some of his numbers went down, Bosh shot a career high percentage from the field. Few big men are more reliable in the mid range and Bosh's ability to stretch the floor is integral to what Miami does. The most unsung of the Heat's Big Three, most people can still admit that they don't win 66 games without him.  

Tomorrow I predict all the first round series. Stay posted.

2013 NBA Underground Awards

MVP
LeBron James, Miami Heat
Absolutely no surprise here. It's LeBron's league and a fourth MVP in five years confirms that. A 27-8-7 nightly line gives LeBron his best rebounding season yet. Throw in the NBA's best record, which includes the 27-game winning streak and picking LeBron for this award is very easy. LeBron will join Wilt Chamberlain as a four-time winner.
1. LeBron James
2. Kevin Durant
3. Carmelo Anthony

Coach of the Year
George Karl, Denver Nuggets
With the Nuggets earning the best record in franchise history, Karl emerges from a slew of deserving candidates. Without a true superstar and a relatively new core, Karl helped with the huge strides made with Ty Lawson, Danilo Gallinari and Kenneth Faried, along with good production from Andre Iguodala and Corey Brewer. Entering the playoffs as the three seed and legit Finals contender, Karl may have to keep up his great work with Denver banged up at the moment.
1. George Karl
2. Gregg Popovich
3. Mark Jackson

Rookie of the Year
Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
The sixth overall pick Lillard had no problems making the transition from small school Weber State to the NBA. Lillard lead all rookies in points, assists and minutes, and there aren't any close seconds. A very good yet relatively unknown commodity heading into the NBA, Lillard will be the fourth point guard in five years to win this award.
1. Damian Lillard
2. Anthony Davis
3. Bradley Beal

Defensive Player of the Year
Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies
Gasol does what older brother Pau has never done by winning this award. He's the anchor of the league's best defensive team and has stayed healthy this year, something other great big men haven't done. Sure, other guys are better shot blockers or better pure rebounders, but Gasol's fundamental defensive game earns him this award.
1. Marc Gasol
2. Joakim Noah
3. Roy Hibbert

Sixth Man of the Year 
J.R. Smith, New York Knicks
Smith came on strong the second half of the season. His streak shooting was actually better than streaky and he served as a capable running mate for Carmelo Anthony. He lead NBA players in bench scoring at 18.1 PPG. For a guy who was once known to shoot his team out of games, Smith is now the second best player on the second best team in the East.
1. J.R. Smith
2. Jamal Crawford
3. Jarrett Jack

Most Improved Player
Paul George, Indiana Pacers
Always the hardest award to pick, this year's most improved race is not different. George gets the nod this year because he was a first-time all-star as well as being best player this year on the third-seeded Pacers. George's size, athleticism and outside shooting makes him one of the best young all-around players in the league. And since he's a Pacer, you know he can play defense too.
1. Paul George
2. Jrue Holiday
3. Greivis Vasquez 

Well, that wraps up this year's awards column, stay posted this week for Thursday's All-NBA column and Friday's Round 1 Picks column.

The Kobe Situation

   Disbelief is what I felt when I heard the news. That news that broke last night, saying Kobe Bryant had suffered a probable torn Achilles. The man who has played through so many aches and pains. The man who, at 34, was regularly playing 48 minutes a night, willing his Lakers to the playoffs. Well now playoffs or no playoffs, the Lakers are done. The man who got them this far is out for the season, raising dozens have questions about Kobe as a franchise player and the Laker franchise itself.

   Today Kobe had his surgery, officially ending his season and sidelining him for six to nine months. Knowing Kobe, it will be closer to six months as he will kill himself trying to get on the court to start the season. But even if his recovery is swift and smooth, will he still be the Black Mamba? Even Kobe speculated on that. After all, this is no garden variety leg injury. 

   Two questions come in the wake of this injury. Who is to blame? Should L.A. amnesty Kobe?

   Any Knicks fan would say that Mike D'Antoni is to blame. He was the guy that ran Amar'e straight out of his prime in less than a year as a Knick. But did D'Antoni have any control over Kobe? Probably not. Kobe can be blamed, but you'd have to blame this on his tenacity and competitiveness. So really it's a praise in part. Kobe had said multiple times that the Lakers would make the playoffs and to do that, it was clear that he'd have to play 48 minutes a night, or close to. 

   The amnesty question is far more intriguing  Financially, it makes sense. He's aging, with one year left on his pricey contract. An amnesty would save the Lakers from going into the luxury tax. But then again, can you see Kobe in another uniform? Absolutely not. My gut feeling is that this injury leads to a contract restructuring and also putting off his retirement, which he originally planned for the end of the 2013-2014 season. 

   All those ice baths couldn't compete with all those minutes. For the first time in his career, Kobe will have to be a spectator for an extended time. He will have to give more control to doctors, trainers and his G.M. than he ever has. If I may revise his salutation, Mamba is out.     

   

Three Ideal First Round Matches

With less than a week left in the regular season and 15 of the 16 playoff spots taken, it's time to anticipate first-round matchup. Some will be one-sided (Heat-Bucks) and some will be forgettable (any Hawks series), but this year has plenty of potential for delicious first round action. Here are three series that would be ideal from an entertainment standpoint.  

Thunder-Lakers
The Lakers have to get in the playoffs first for this one to even happen, and the Thunder are still not a lock to hold down the top seed out West, but this would be the most watched 1-8 matchup of all-time should it happen. Before the season, we thought this would be a conference final. It's a showdown between Kobe's old guard Lakers and Kevin Durant's ascended Thunder. With all the problems that L.A. has had this year, the Thunder would dread this matchup so early in the playoffs, because this is not your typical eight-seed. Kobe has been going all out trying to carry the Lakers to the playoffs and there's no question that he would bring it to the Thunder in a seven-game series.

Knicks-Celtics
This series is looking more and more like it will for sure happen. The Knicks are rolling right now, winners of 13-straight and Carmelo is firing on all cylinders. Meanwhile, Boston is 4-6 in their last 10 games and has just stayed firmly in that seven slot for a while now. But any talk of momentum can be thrown out for this matchup. Melo has only been out of the first round once and his sidekicks, J.R. Smith and Raymond Felton, are relatively unproven playoff performers. Also, the Knicks are far from healthy at the moment. It's not like Boston is much healthier though. With Rajon Rondo out and Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett never at full strength at this age, the Celtics will rely heavily on Avery Bradley, Brandon Bass and Jeff Green. But these Celtics never make it easy on opposing teams in the playoffs. This series will be a grind and Carmelo better have his team ready to go six or seven games against this experienced bunch.  

Nuggets-Rockets
If the Rockets can move up one spot to the six-seed, this would be the most aesthetically pleasing first round series this year. These are the two highest-scoring teams in the league and team point totals would be regularly around 120 every game. With James Harden leading the Rockets against Andre Iguodala, Kenneth Faried and a very complete Nuggets team, fans of old school NBA defense should not watch. Games for this series should start with a gun instead of a tip because it will be an absolute track meet.

The Top 10 Lakers of All-Time

With Shaq set to become the latest Laker legend to get his number immortalized in the Staples Center rafters, there's no better time to count down the greatest players to ever play for arguably the NBA's greatest franchise. For the most part, the Western road to a championship has gone through the purple and gold for the past four decades. So here we go, the 10 greatest Lakers of all-time. And to Dwight Howard, Luke Walton and Derek Fisher: Sorry, you didn't make the cut. 

 

10. Gail Goodrich 

Originally doubted as an NBA threat due to his 6'1" stature, Goodrich was very quick to prove doubters wrong. Part of a great Laker run in the early 70s that included the historic 71-72 season with the 33-game winning streak, Goodrich held the backcourt together while L.A. remained competitive. Looking back, Goodrich can be seen as one of the first great combo guards in NBA history. 

9. Jamaal Wilkes

Wilkes was a 6'6" forward who could play center. One of the most athletic players in the league during his career, Wilkes spent much of that career winning. Although never being seen as the main threat, he won four championships in a ten-year stretch. His four rings in the 70s and 80s as well as his three all-star games over this time are indicative of the long-term consistency that Wilkes played with during his career as a Laker. 

8. James Worthy

He did it in college and he did it in the NBA, Worthy had no problem playing with and winning with other great players. A tough power forward who could score and rebound, Worthy was one the the best players in the NBA in the late 80s and has three rings to show for it. During this time, Worthy was known as Magic's running mate for Showtime. However, it was Worthy himself who lead the Lakers to a championship in 1988, and he has the Finals MVP to prove it. 

7. Elgin Baylor

The first great Laker, Baylor's ability was truly astounding. One of the best NBA players of the 1960s, Baylor's all-around game and talent for that era can only be matched by Oscar Robertson. His sweet jumper made him the most gifted scorer in the league and his rebounding number are eye-popping for a guy his size. Baylor's one knock is that he finished his storied career without winning a ring. 

6. Wilt Chamberlain

Possibly the most dominant scorer ever, some of Wilt's records will never be touched. He spent five years in L.A., winning one of his two career championships in that historic 71-72 season. When he felt up to it, a 30-20 game was easy for Wilt. And even though he's known more as a Sixer, Wilt's numbers and impact are too great not to make him an all-time great Laker. 

5. Shaquille O'Neal

Perhaps the most physically dominant big man since the days of Wilt and Russell, Shaq had the best years of his great career as a Laker. Winning Finals MVP all three times during the 00-02 three-peat, Shaq was the first Undisputed Best Player in the NBA after Jordan retired. His only MVP came in 2000, but it was one of the most dominant campaigns of all-time. A larger than life figure, Shaq was destined for Lakerland. Even though 2004 his exit was unceremonious, his number retirement will be a much needed memory of his tenure in L.A.  

4. Jerry West

The Logo has the distinction of being the most underrated Laker of all-time. Even with 14 all-star games and a 27-7-6 career line, West is still overlooked when reminiscing about Laker legends. The leader of the classic 71-72 team and a rare player who was actually better come playoff time, West is a great Laker by any measure, especially when you add on his exceptional G.M. work in the 90s and 00s. 

3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

The NBA's all-time leading scorer, Kareem is the third guy on this list that went from great UCLA Bruin to great Laker. His accomplishments are simply insane. 19 all-star games, six rings and six MVPs are just the beginning. Not only could Kareem rock the goggles better than any other Laker (sorry Worthy and Rambis), but his patented Skyhook is the most indefensible shot in NBA history. 

2. Kobe Bryant

The Black Mamba is the only active player to make this list. Amazingly in his 17th season and still a top player in the league, Kobe is the Lakers all-time leading scorer and is fourth all-time in league history. A five-time champion, 15-time all-star and the most clutch player since Jordan, Kobe plays with an intensity that lacks in today's NBA. Though his career has not always been smooth sailing, Kobe is not lauded enough for remaining a Laker his whole career. Even he would be okay being second on this list. 

1. Magic Johnson

Who else? The ringleader of the Showtime Dynasty, Magic was the best player in the 80s and is the greatest point guard of all-time. His career 20-11-7 line is more impressive considering the intense defense played during his era. And five rings, three MVPs and 12 all-star games aren't bad either. He's the only Lakers player with a statue and once again, it's Winnin' Time for Magic.