Oden, Durant, then ?

The two most talked about stars in College Basketball are headed to the Pacific Northwest after sensational freshman campaigns, but after they are off the board, it's anyone's guess what will transpire in tonight's NBA draft. Portland has reportedly tabbed Oden as their man with the top overall pick, which all but guarantees Kevin Durant to the SuperSonics. Will it be Oden's longtime teammate Mike Conley Jr to the Hawks at three? More likely it will be Chinese sensation Yi Jianlian or Florida's Al Horford, but there is very little consensus on how the rest of the lottery will shape up.



Any amateur draft has its uncertainties, but the unsettled future of superstars such as Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, and Jermaine O'Neal, whose names are all linked to trade rumors makes this one espeically tricky to figure out. The Celtics #5 selection has been involved in a host of trade talks, but they publicly pronounce they are reluctant to rid themsleves of their lofty pick. With two picks in the top 11, the Atlanta Hawks should be the major swing team of the night. Whether they offer the picks in a package for a superstar or look to acquire more picks, they have the most influence over how the draft will shape up.



Sure-fire lottery picks Durant, Oden, Conley Jr., and the Florida trio of Horford, Corey Brewer, and Joakim Noah have been spotted all over New York City promoting the game. Most of them are sure to get their autograph seekers, but there's one player who doesn't get enough attention. As a member of the two-time defending champion Florida Gators, it's hard to imagine a player being overlooked, but this guy will be special. I'm not talking about Noah or Horford, but rather the 6'8' swingman Brewer, who has an impressive skill set and a non-stop motor. His tremendous wingspan has made him a defensive stopper, as well as being a versatile offensive threat from on the wing. A sure-fire top 10 pick can hardly be described as a sleeper, but Brewer should immediately help any team he ends up on. I'd love to see what he could do in an uptempo system that likes to put a lot of pressure on the ball. He can get a bit too aggressive and be caught out of position on defense, but most of the time he ends up with the ball and an easy two on the offensive end. For selfish reasons I hope he inexplicably pulls a Brady Quinn to the Knicks, but some team will be lucky to have him in the top 10.



With their lottery pick dealt to the Bulls, who could be in the Brewer sweepstakes at 9, the Knicks have to wait until pick 23 for their only selcrtion of the night. According to most reports, the Knicks have locked in on DePaul junior Wilson Chandler. The words most often associated with Chandler are "athletic and versatile", two areas that would greatly improve any team. He's more polished offensively than last year's first rounder Renaldo Balkman and gives the team a much needed boost in the front court. A concern is whether he is enough of a presence on the defensive end to compensate for offensive minded Center Eddy Curry. With that in mind, the Knicks initially had interest in shot blocking specialist Shaun Williams. It's unclear whether he will fall to the Knicks because several teams ahead of them, including the Nets, have him on their radar. The Knicks have no second round pick, which like their first round swap is thanks to the ridiculous Eddy Curry deal, but with 14 players under contract a late draft choice would have a tough time sticking with the team. However, by signing Kentucky's Randolph Morris in March, they essentially picked up an extra first rounder.



For all the heat Isiah Thomas feels as an unsuccessful coach and general manager, draft night is where he shines. He has an undeniable talent of finding less sought after talent, yet inexplicably makes a lot of foolish moves through free agency and trades. While Eddy Curry has grown in to an offensive force, he's too one dimensional to ever warrant the package the Knicks gave up. The slew of picks they forfeited (and are giving away through next year's draft) to acquire him should be reserved only for the most elite, and even then it's questionable. Even with some shaky decision making in the front office, the Knicks have assembled a team capable of winning in a weak Eastern Conference. They've asserted tonight's pick will not be expected to make an immediate contribution, but he will need to do so if the Knicks are to end their playoff drought.

Tourney, Giants, and More

I've been MIA the past week, but my commentary from March Madness can be found at http://mvn.com/ncaa-syracuse. Opening weekend featured some thrilling overtime games, but most of the higher seeds have survived. In other words, the people who know the least about college basketball are probably winning your office pool. My brackets were busted when the rest of the Texas Longhorns decided not to help out freshman sensation Kevin Durant. While he put together one of the finest seasons ever for a freshman, he can't compete with '03 Melo without that national championship.

With the sport's world transfixed on the Big Dance, there's not too much for NY sports fans to get excited about. The Giants are one of six teams in the NFL not to have signed a free agent and the Yankees are playing well but it's only spring training. On brighter notes, the Knicks and Rangers have played themselves in to playoff position. The Knicks thoroughly dismantled divison leading Toronto at the Garden yesterday and received a huge boost from rookie Renaldo Balkman.

Just a few hours after the Knicks win, the Garden hosted the city basketball championship. The game was broadcast on MSG and I tuned in to check out sophomore sensation Lance Stephenson. Stephenson plays for the Lincoln Railsplitters, the same high school team that made Sebastian Telfair a NYC legend, and many think the sophomore is the next Coney Island great. He did not disappoint, showing off great range and an ability to score in many ways. The biggest knock is his attitude. He showed no defensive intensity and looked very unhappy when he didn't get touches on the offensive end. In short, in many ways he showed that he's still a young kid. Lincoln dominated Boys and Girls High School to take home the city title, their fifth in six years. Remember the name though. Lance Stephenson will be playing elite D-I ball in a couple years.

Crawford May Miss Remainder of Season

You wouldn't have known it by the late three pointer he hit in last night's win over the Heat, but Jamal Crawford was playing with a stress fracture in his right ankle. That injury may keep him sidelined for the rest of the regular season and put a serious hurt on the Knicks postseason chances. The Knicks second leading scorer does not know when the injury occurred, but it may lead surgery. With Steve Francis continuously battling knee problems and David Lee confined to street clothes with a high ankle sprain, the Knicks could not afford to lose another weapon.

So what does this mean to the Knicks rotation? As long as Lee remains on the bench, it could spell more minutes for rookie Renaldo Balkman. He brings toughness to a team that lacks defensive intensity and has the quickness to defend on the perimeter. The Knicks could also turn to diminutive Nate Robinson. He's fallen out of grace after December's brawl and relative ineffectiveness, but could infuse the team with some energy for the stretch run. As opposed to Balkman or Jared Jeffries, he has the ability to compensate for some of the offense that will be lost with Crawford's injury.

Starbury Shines Bright; Knicks PG Nets 41 in 3 OT Win Over Pistons

Although no one likes to admit it, the Melee in Manhattan may have lit a fire under the Knicks. Since the brawl the Knicks have won 4 out of their last 5 games, including 4 straight on their home floor. Last night the Knicks received a terrific effort from several key players in defeating a tough Pistons team after 7 periods of play. Even more incredible, the win vaulted the Knicks to the top of the division. Just to reiterate, the much maligned Knickerbockers are now in first place. Granted they are in one of the worst divisions in the history of the NBA, this team is actually putting a good product on the floor. There are many reasons to watch this team right now, below are just a few:

The Evolution of Eddy Curry. It is still hard to justify the steep price Isiah paid (and is still paying in draft choices) to bring the young big man to New York, but the 25 year old "veteran" is shaping in to one of the most talented Centers in basketball. With Shaq sidelined for a while, Curry has a good chance to be selected to his first All-Star Game. His strong play continued with 33 points last night, including 11 of 15 from the free throw line. Unlike many of today's big men, he knows his place is filling the lane. He can score in a variety of ways close to the basket and has not been trying to take shots out of his range.

The Return of "Starbury". A few weeks back, Isiah had his star point guard talk to former Knick great Walt "Clyde" Frazier. Although he may be terribly irritating to listen to on Knicks tv broadcasts, he may have struck a chord with their court general. To borrow a line from Frazier, Marbury is back to "swishin and dishin". His numbers are up all across the board and he's providing a ton of energy. With Robinson and Francis out of the lineup, it seems he enjoys having more responsibility in the offense. He's developed a nice rapport with Jamal Crawford, who has also played very well during this recent run. Isiah clearly trusts Crawford with the game on the line, opting to let Jamal let loose in the final seconds of every tight game.

The Sophomore Forwards. Whenever there's a discussion on Isiah Thomas, it always goes something like this: "He's never enjoyed success running a team, but he always has drafted well." Watching the progress of second year forwards Channing Frye and David Lee, it's hard to argue that. Frye, who enjoyed success as a rookie but struggled early in the year, is finding his rythym again. He knocked down a long range jumper at the buzzer to send the game in to triple overtime and totaled 26 points for the game. For many, the bigger story has been the emergence of David Lee. Lee has been a rebounding machine since his minutes have increased and leads the team with over 10 per game. Unfortunately, with the return of Jared Jeffries last night, he resumed his role as sixth man. For a team that struggled at the beginning of games to start the season, it seems more than coincidental that they've been more competitive since Lee cracked the starting rotation. Hopefully Isiah can realize this and keep the team rolling.

For all that's been made of the Garden crowd booing the home team, excitement is back in the world's most famous arena. Last night's thriller with the Pistons had the fans out of their seats and involved in all the key moments. As they say, winning cures a lot of ills. It's been a while since the Knicks have been perched on top, but the fans must have cautious optimism. The team is still five games under .500 with a lot of season to play. For Isiah Thomas, the current winning streak at the Garden has made his seat a little cooler but still has little chance of survival without a spot in the playoffs.

Knicks Win Opener in Triple OT

Coming off a 23 win campaign, New Yorkers are looking for much improved play from their beloved Knicks. While they gave their fans quite a scare by blowing a big lead, the Knicks managed to survive a triple OT road game in Memphis behind the hot shooting of Quentin Richardson. Much has been made of owner James Dolan's proclamation that coach Isiah Thomas' squad much show significant improvement for him to keep his job. For one night, they played with passion and intensity that was missing from last year's unit.

While the roster remains nearly identical, several of the players seem to be playing with a chip on their shoulder. Center Eddy Curry has been criticized for his inability to stay on the court with foul trouble and not playing to his 6'11'', 285 pound frame. In last night's win he logged 41 minutes with 17 points and 14 rebounds, a great start for the man Thomas compromised the Knicks future for. Small forward Quentin Richardson excelled from the perimeter, drilling all 5 of his three point attempts on his way to 31 points.

A few other things really stood out. First of all, the Knicks deserve a lot of credit for staying in the game early. After Mike Miller drilled his 3rd consecutive three, the Knicks were down 10 early in the game on the road. Last year's team would have packed it in, but they fought back to build a big lead which they maintained for most of the game. Second year players David Lee and Nate Robinson need to be on the floor. Lee made the most of his 30 minutes, scoring 10 points and hauling in 13 rebounds. His motor never stops and he is extremely athletic. Robinson added 14 points in just 18 minutes but still makes some questionable decisions. Regardless, he brings a lot of energy and has a knack for making big plays. The marriage of Franchise and Starbury in the back court will be a rocky one, so the Knicks will need Robinson's ability to change the pace of the game.

One of my biggest problems with last night's game was their inability to close. Not only did the sqaunder a huge lead, their "go-to guy" failed three times to make a shot. Jamal Crawford can be extremely effective coming off the bench, but why does he get the ball every time with the game on the line? I know he has demonstrated an ability to knock down the big shot, but a guy shooting 4-22 from the field should not be given every chance to close the game on that night unless he is your star. Certain athletes, for whatever reason, just don't have the make-up to ask for the ball with the game on the line. It is seen time and again in baseball when effective middle relievers are asked to close, but for some reason can't get the final three outs of a ball game. I applaud the fact Isiah sees this trait in Crawford, but he has not proven himself enough to warrant three isolation plays at the end of regulation and the first two overtime periods. Especially not when you have a guy in Richardson that missed only three shots all night. While Quentin has trouble creating his own shot, thats what you have the fleet of guards in your rotation to do for him.