How The Carousel Turns

Avery Johnson was fired, Pat Riley retired, Larry Brown will coach the Bobcats, Scott Skiles will coach Milwaukee, and it appears Mike D'Antoni may be on his way out of Phoenix. If you haven't already picked up on it, the coaching carousel is in motion. What moves might we see, come this off-season?

New Jersey Nets - Lawrence Frank (OUT), Rick Carlisle (IN)
Carlisle is on the list of candidates in Dallas and Chicago, but with bigger name coaches out there, I think he'll lose out for those two positions. Lawrence Frank has run his course in New Jersey, and Carlisle would be a low risk replacement. For the record, I certainly don't think Carlisle will do any better than Frank in New Jersey.

New York Knicks - Isiah Thomas (OUT), Mark Jackson (IN)
Isiah's already been canned (finally), and Mark Jackson is the front runner for the vacant spot. The availability of Avery Johnson and D'Antoni has the possibility to create some competition in the Big Apple, but in the end Mark Jackson is the best fit in NY.

Toronto - Sam Mitchell
If the Raptors want Avery Johnson, I think he'll be available to go to Toronto. But, Avery wouldn't be a huge upgrade over Sam Mitchell. The Raptors are still building, and should give Mitchell one more year to improve his team's playoff performance.

Chicago - Jim Boylan (OUT), Mike D'Antoni (IN)
Boylan's already been fired, and the coaching search is on. "The Bulls' list of coaching candidates is expected to include Jeff Van Gundy, Rick Carlisle, Terry Porter, Mike Fratello and Boston assistant Tom Thibodeau." (USA Today). Those are all decent prospects, but D'Antoni's fast break style could turn the "Baby Bulls" into the Suns of the East (except, in the East, being the Suns can get you to the NBA Finals).

Detroit - Flip Saunders (OUT), Bill Laimbeer (IN)
This may sound a little bizarre, and maybe it is. If Detroit doesn't make it to the finals this year, I don't see Flip Saunders making it to next season. Bill Laimbeer has accomplished all he can in the WNBA and would be the guy to bring back the defense first attitude that made Detroit such a good team to begin with.

Denver - George Karl (OUT), Del Harris (IN)
Harris was widely regarded as the best assistant coach in the league while with the Mavericks, and would bring a solid defensive philosophy to Denver. There's no question, the Nuggets have character issues. Harris brings a more disciplined approach, and the experience necessary to gain the respect of 'Melo, AI, and K-Mart.

Phoenix Suns - Mike D'Antoni (OUT), Mike Fratello (IN)
I'm not sold on Fratello, but he would make sense in Phoenix. He would improve the Suns defense, without killing their fast break. Fratello should also be able to come up with a better game plan to utilize Shaq and Amare together.

Dallas - Avery Johnson (OUT), Jeff Van Gundy (IN)
Van Gundy is a veteran coach that can teach defense, which Dallas sorely needs. I can see Van Gundy and Cuban hitting it off during the interview process. I don't think Dallas will win a championship until they make some serious personnel changes, but Van Gundy is a solid choice.

If Avery Johnson remains available, teams like Minnesota, Memphis, Portland, and Seattle would be foolish not to pursue him. He's a young coach, with a lot of potential to get even better. He would be just what the doctor ordered for a team trying to rebuild.

Riley Retires, But for How Long?

Pat Riley stepped down as coach of the Miami Heat on Monday . . . again! Erik Spoelstra has been named the new head coach. At 37 years old, Spoelstra is the NBA's youngest coach. The Heat assistants (McAdoo, Rothstein, Askins) are expected to stay with the team.

Riley will remain the team President. But the real question is, will he remain retired from coaching?

"I am definitely sure that I don't want to do this anymore," Riley Said.

I wish I could believe that, but his past brings clouds of doubt. With that said, I don't believe he'll be back as the head coach of the Heat. Spoelstra is a young coach, and Riley is showing great faith in him, giving him the job of rebuilding the franchise with Wade, Marion, and their upcoming draft pick. The heat (pun intended) Riley would receive if he came back again would be unbelievable, and unless Spoelstra bombs, Pat would disrupt the rebuilding process if he returns. Riley's done in Miami, but I won't count out the possibility that he'll coach again with another team.

Spoelstra is just what the doctor ordered for the rebuilding Heat. He's young, energetic, and brings a positive attitude that Pat Riley lacked.

Call me an optimist, but Miami can be a playoff team next year. Sure, coming off a 15-67 season doesn't breed confidence, but the reality is; Miami completely tanked it at the mid-way point. There's no reason a trio of Wade, Marion, and Beasley (if those ping pong balls fall right) can't lead the Heat to a playoff spot in the East. Combine that trio with Haslem (yes he's small to play C), a new PG, and a run and gun style and the Heat will not only be competitive, they will be fun to watch again.

Click here to read more about Pat Riley's retirement.

Phoenix Suns - Time For a Change

During game 3 of the Suns/Spurs series, the ESPN announce team laid into Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic for writing this article.

In summation, Bickley claims that D'Antoni has failed to develop the Suns bench, lacks the personality to control an NBA team, and fails to make the necessary mid-game adjustments needed to be successful (especially in the Playoffs). Fans are unhappy, and Bickley feels that D'Antoni is on the "hot seat".

The crew from ESPN - specifically Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy - jumped all over this idea of Phoenix wanting to send D'Antoni out of town, going so far as to call the idea "ridiculous". While I didn't necessarily enjoy Bickley's article, or find it especially insightful, the idea of a possible coaching change isn't far fetched.

Why do former players and coaches generally refuse to make negative comments about current NBA coaches? D'Antoni has failed to get the Suns over the hump and deserves criticism for his shortcomings as a head coach. Hey, Mark and Jeff, you're being paid as basketball analysts . . . objectively analyze something!

Here's the facts:

D'Antoni has coached 4 full seasons (and part of the 2003-2004 season) with a very talented group of players. In 2005 the Suns lost to the Spurs 4-1 in the Conference finals, in 2006 Phoenix was again eliminated in the conference finals - this time by Dallas 4-2. In 2007 they took a step backwards, losing to the Spurs 4-2 in the 2nd round. Now, after gambling the future on Shaquille O'Neal (Steve Kerr, you're seat may be warm too), they are 1 game away from being swept in the 1st round and eliminated by San Antonio yet again.

Jackson and Van Gundy claim D'Antoni is an "offensive genius". Call me cynical, but it doesn't take a genius to get scoring output from Nash (2004-Present), Shawn Marion (2003-2008), Leandro Barbosa (2003-Present), Amare Stoudemire (2003-Present), or Joe Johnson (2003-2005).

The Suns have failed to address the following issues for the past 4 years:

Phoenix is soft, they don't hustle to loose balls, they don't fight on the boards, they can't play defense, and they're mentally fragile. Is it all Mike's fault? . . . Absolutely not. But, either a major roster overhaul is needed (which will be close to impossible with current contract situations), or it's time for a coaching change. Can anyone envision the Suns winning a championship next year with D'Antoni coaching a core of Shaq, Nash, Stoudemire, Barbosa, Bell, Diaw, and Hill?

Is the seat on fire yet, or is it that Arizona sun burning your ass?

Sixers Shock Detroit . . . and Me

Yes, it's only one game, but the 76ers game 1 win over Detroit was a shocker. The Pistons failed to capitalize on numerous late game opportunities after blowing a 15 point lead. Philly didn't do anything particularly well. They shot 43%, had 12 turnovers, and survived Andre Iguodala's missed throws down the stretch. It's this lack of spectacular play that makes this game even more remarkable.

To set the record straight, I thought the Sixers would get swept. If I were to envision a scenario where they would win a game, Sunday's performance was not what I would have pictured.

Detroit looked like the same overconfident, disinterested team that lost to Cleveland in last year's playoffs. I'm still 100%, absolutely, positively, sure Detroit will make it out of round 1, but unless they get focused real quick, they will be ripe for a 2nd round ousting.

Chris Paul: Can He Really Be THAT Good?

If you happened to be watching New Orleans' game 1 victory over the Mavs on Saturday, you witnessed one of the greatest playoff debuts in the history of the NBA. CP3 finished with 35 points, 10 assists, and 4 steals, and more importantly, he led his team to a 104-92 victory.

If you weren't a believer in #3 before Saturday night, what in the world is stopping you now?

There's still a long way to go in this series, and only time will tell if Paul can lead his team to the 2nd round. But, one thing is certain, his performance Saturday will remain memorable, no matter the outcome of the series.

CP3 for MVP

The Weekend Watch

It's a big sports weekend if you're a fan of fighting and hoops. The NBA Playoffs tip off on Saturday, and include two very intriguing matchups.

Phoenix @ San Antonio (Sat 3:00 ABC)
The Suns acquired Shaq for this exact scenario. It's the Big Aristotle vs. the Big Fundamental. Can O'Neal turn back the clock and cement his legacy as the most dominant big man of his era? Or, will Tim Duncan lead his team to the 2nd round and put the entire nation to sleep in the process?

Dallas @ New Orleans (Sat 7:00 ESPN)
The home team won in each of the 4 regular season meetings. This is another scenario where a trade decision will be tested. It's Jason Kidd matching up against Chris Paul (my MVP choice). Holding home court will be huge for the Hornets.

Bernard Hopkins vs. Joe Calzaghe (Sat 9:45 HBO)
Calzaghe vs. Hopkins provides us with the best Middleweight of this era and the best Super Middleweight. The catch? The fight's happening at Light Heavyweight. This favors Calzaghe, who is naturally the bigger man. If Hopkins doesn't have the power to hurt Joe, I expect the Welshman to pressure B-Hop all night and score a Unanimous Decision.

Georges St. Pierre vs. Matt Serra (Sat 10:00 PPV)
GSP has looked spectacular in his last two outings, which is no easy feat considering they were against Josh Koscheck and Matt Hughes. Serra caught Pierre in their first fight, but I just can't envision it happening again. GSP will dominate and all US MMA fans will have to endure weeks of gloating and "nut huggery".

Two extremely interesting fights. One is free, one costs $55 (and you could probably find a free download within hours following the event) . . . the decision is yours.

Denver @ Los Angeles (Sun 3:00 ABC)
Sunday is a little weak in the Playoff department. The only intriguing game is the 1 vs 8 matchup out west. Any team with Melo and AI is dangerous, but I don't see them being able to overcome the red hot Lakers. If Denver has upset plans, game one may be their best opportunity to steal one in Los Angeles. If the Nuggets can't pull off a win on the road, at least Melo will have a plethora of drinking spots to choose from. Iverson looks saint-like in Denver . . . who woulda thunk'it?

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Was It Worth It?

14 wins
48 games back from 1st in the East
8 home wins
1-26 over a 27 game stretch

Listed above, are just a few of the many lowlights of this 2008 Season. Pat Riley has passed on coaching actual games to scout NBA prospects, Miami hasn't even attempted to win a game in the last few months. Riley shut D. Wade down for the year, sidelined Shawn Marion, Jason Williams and Udonis Haslem with various "injuries", and gave minutes to Earl Barron, Joel Anthony, and Bobby Jones (These 3 combined to shoot 2 for 20 during the Heat's 96-54 loss to the Raptors in March). Could it be any more obvious that Miami has been tanking on purpose? Atleast try to disguise it a little bit.

With all that said, this torturous season could have a light at the end of the dark (very dark) tunnel. Miami is in prime position to get either the #1 or #2 pick in the NBA draft. Should the Heat land in the top 2, they will take Beasley (at #1) or Derrick Rose (at #2). Each player has huge upside, and I don't see Miami going wrong with either pick.

Should Miami fall to #3 the smart selection lies with Brook Lopez. While Lopez won't achieve the same level of NBA success as Beasley or Rose, I see him being a solid NBA center (think Chris Kaman).

Now here's where the trouble begins. God forbid the ping pong balls slot the Heat at #4. Sure, they could get lucky and still land Stanford's Lopez at the 4 spot, but it's unlikely. That would leave Miami to chose between OJ Mayo, Jerryd Bayless, and Eric Gordon. Danilo Gallinari may deserve some consideration here, but he's European, so that immediately eliminates him from Riley's draft board.

OJ Mayo doesn't make much sense, considering they have Wade and Marion at the 2 and 3, and Mayo can't play the point. The same can be said for Eric Gordon. This leaves Jerryd Bayless. I don't claim to speak or all Miami fans, but a shoot first point guard wasn't exactly what I had in mind when looking at a 14 win season.

The year's already a complete disaster. The only consolation prize will come with one of the top 3 picks. A #4 selection will surely drive Riley into retirement and slow the rebuilding process even further.

NBA Draft - Confirmed Early Entries

Darren Collison (6-1, 170, PG, UCLA, Jr)
Kevin Love (6-9, 260, PF, UCLA, Fr)
Eric Gordon (6-4, 220, SG, Indiana, Fr)
Marreese Speights (6-10, 250, PF, Florida, So)
Chase Budinger (6-7, 215, SG, Arizona, So)
Anthony Randolph (6-10, 200, SF, LSU, Fr)
Donte Green (6-10, 226, SF, Syracuse, Fr)
Ryan Anderson (6-10, 235, F, California, So )
Jerryd Bayless (6-3, 182, PG, Arizona, Fr)
Derrick Caracter (6-8, 260, PF, Louisville, So)
Earl Clark (6-8, 220, SF, Louisville, So)
Richard Hendrix (6-8, 260, PF, Lousiville, So)
JJ Hickson (6-9, 235, PF, NC State, Fr)
Lester Hudson (6-3, 190, PG, UT-Martin, Jr)
Brook Lopez (7-0, 260, C, Stanford, So)
Robin Lopez (7-0, 255, C, Stanford, So)
Javale McGee (7-0, 237, C Nevada, So)
Ronald Steele (6-2, 185, PG, Alabama, RSSr)
Robert Vaden (6-5, 224, SG, UAB, Jr)
Shawn James (6-10, 225, PF, Duquesne, Jr)

Who's Making a Mistake

Marreese Speights - The stats look decent (14.5 PPG, 8.1 REB) and Marreese has the frame to play in the league, but Speights is not NBA ready. He averaged only 24.3 minutes per game due to poor conditioning, which doesn't say much about his work ethic. His demeanor on the floor doesn't impress me, and he is prone to turnover trouble at times. This jump has disaster written all over it.

Derrick Caracter - Unbelievable! Scored in double figures only once in his last 14 games, and averaged only 17 minutes per game. I don't see much upside in Caracter, as he is already fully developed physically. I feel sorry for any team who gambles on this pick (it'll probably be Miami)

JJ Hickson - He's long, athletic, and a decent scorer (sounds good so far). I question his mental toughness, and ability to take the punishment of an entire NBA season. Of all the players on my list of busts, I see the most potential for success in Hickson.

Robert Vaden - Volume shooters from average teams rarely materialize into successes in the NBA. Vaden can score, but will see a different level of defense as a pro. Vaden is not a great passer or rebounder. I can't see a one dimensional scorer of his caliber being anything other than a bust.

Ronald Steele - Steele is presently just "testing the water" and does not plan to hire an agent. This is a very smart move on his part. He has shown no signs of being ready for the draft. If an agent gets ahold of this kid and somehow convinces him to sign, it will be the biggest mistake Steele could make.

Richard Hendrix - There is potential here, but one more year could do wonders for Hendrix. He's statistically improved in all of his 3 seasons, and I see no reason why that trent wouldn't continue into his senior season. Hendrix can develop into something if he finds the right situation, but I feel like he's taking a big gamble by coming out now.

Daily Bodog Pick

bodog.com Pick of the Day
Friday, March 9
NBA Basketball: L.A. Lakers (-1.5) @ Philadelphia 76ers
7:05 PM ET

Overall Record Against the Spread (3-5)

This blog post will be home to my bodog.com daily picks. It will be edited daily with an updated pick and record of previous selections.

Picks not endorsed by bodog.com.
Use at your own risk.
You are fully responsible for any wagers made on the advice of these picks.

bodog.com Pick of the Day
Monday, March 5
NBA Basketball: Houston Rockets (+3) @ Cleveland Cavaliers
7:05 PM ET

Overall Record Against the Spread (3-3)

This blog post will be home to my bodog.com daily picks. It will be edited daily with an updated pick and record of previous selections.

Picks not endorsed by bodog.com.
Use at your own risk.
You are fully responsible for any wagers made on the advice of these picks.

Miami Heat - There Goes the Season?

All Signs point towards a dislocated shoulder for Heat Guard, Dwyane Wade. So, scalp your tickets and start planning for next year right? Not so fast! If you follow the Heat regularly, you know all about Wade's resiliency (and his overselling of an injury at times). There's no way around it, Dwyane will miss significant time with this injury. But, if the Heat can just stick around at .500, and Wade can make it back with about 10-15 games left in the regular season, all hope is not lost. Wade hasn't had significant time in the last 2 seasons (due to playing with Team USA), and in the wacky world of the Miami Heat, maybe this rest is just what the doctor ordered. In a season where seemingly everyone involved with the team (from players, right on up to the head coach) has sat out with relatively serious injuries, it's only fitting that Wade's dislocated shoulder be the last piece of the puzzle. So, Wade rests up and the Heat make another run to the title, right? Well, We'll see.