Joe Johnson

Joe Johnson happens to be one of the most underrated players in the league. Maybe it's because he is so quiet. He is a very effective player even though his game does not consist of a lot flair like his counterparts. His combination of outside shooting and ball handling skill makes him tough to guard. Because of that his opponents are forced to play him close which opens the lane and he has the size and strength to finish plays. He is an excellent catch and shoot guy, but did not get enough chances to utilize that due to the mere fact that most of Atlanta's offense was created through him. But all that changed since Mike Bibby was traded to the Hawks. Johnson is a 3 times All-Star and even though not considered a superstar is a solid defender who has the ability to play several positions. In 2007 he became the first Atlanta Hawks player to be named to the All-Star Games since Shareef Abdur-Rahim in 2002 when he was named a reserves replacement for Jason Kidd by Commissioner David Stern. He is said be the best all round player for the Hawk since Dominique Wilkins. In 2004-05 he became the 4th player in NBA history to make at least 150 three-point field goals and shoot over 45 percent from behind the arc in the same season (others — Glen Rice in 1996-97, Dana Barros in 1994-95 and Dale Ellis in 1988-89). He was a member of Team USA's Men's Senior National Team in 2006. Averaging 17.0 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.4 assist in his career makes Joe Johnson a very effective and stable player in the league. But all that goes unnoticed. While I love the hype that Kobe, Lebron, Wade, Shaq, etc generates I also pay attention to the simpler players who just love to play the game of basketball. I chose to post about Joe Johnson cause he is a good basketball player and I like to watch him play. Sure, he won't give you theatrical shots like Wade but he can hold his own. Like Delonte West he is underrated but they don't let that affect their games and that's basketball.

All-Stars Fever

This is my favorite time of the NBA season....All-Stars. I love All-stars weekend because I get to see the stars in action. But my favorite is the Slam Dunk competition. I am always at the end of seat waiting to see what skills will be displayed. In all my years of watching the Slam Dunk I always say that 2000 was my favorite the year Vince Carter won. But last year became my favorite when Dwight Howard break out his superman stunt.....that was incredible. I can't wait to see what he have in store for the year, but I am sure it will be explosive and mind bubbling. I am also a fan of the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge cause I get to see the Rookies and Sophomores strut their stuff without the veterans. Then the big day All-star game.....what can I say who wouldn't want to see the top players in the league on one team. I can't wait plus Nene the Brazilian superstar for the Denver Nuggets will get married on All-star weekend....how cool is that. Chris Webber on NBA TV Fan Night said that it would be great to have him kiss the bride at the Slam Dunk competition while Dwight Howard dunk over them......ummmm.....that's far fetch but think about it.....that will be taking slam dunk to higher heights. Rudy Fernandez join defending champion Dwight Howard, 2006 champion Nate Robinson and Rudy Gay becoming the first international player to compete in the contest. I wonder what they have plan for us this year......will they be able to top last year's performance......we'll have to wait and see.

Here are the 2009 All-stars Game starter and a just a few reasons why they are All-stars. These guys get it done season after seasons. They are also the go to guys on their respected teams and are known as some of the greatest players to ever play the game of basketball. Some are coming to the end of their careers while some are just getting started.

Eastern Conference Starters

Detroit Pistons Allen Iverson 13th season in the league with his 10th All-star appearance and 2 times All-star MVP (2001, 2005), 1997 rookie of the year, 4 time scoring champion, led the league in scoring and steal 2 straight season (2000-01, 2001-02) the only player since Micheal Jordan to do so, 2001 League MVP (becoming the lightest and shortest player to win an NBA MVP)


Miami Heat Dwyane Wade 6th season with his 5th All-star appearance, 2008 Olympics gold medalist, 2006 NBA champion, 2006 NBA Finals MVP, 2006 sportsman of the year, NBA All-star Skill Challenge champion (2006, 2007)


Cleveland Cavaliers Lebron James 6th season in his 5th All-star appearance, 2 times All-star MVP (2006, 2008), 2008 Olympics gold medalist, 2003-04 rookie of the year, youngest player in NBA history to reach the 5,000-point plateau, the second player in NBA history (Oscar Robertson the first) to post 4 consecutive season of 27 points, 6 rebound and 6 assist, he is also 1 of 3 players in the last 20 season to lead the league in scoring and average 7 or more assist (Micheal Jordan 1988-89, Allen Iverson 2004-05), 2008 scoring champion


Boston Celtics Kevin Garnett 14th season 12th All-star appearance, 1st All-star starter in Minnesota Timberwolves franchise history, also the Timberwolves all-time leader in points, rebounds, assist, steals and blocks, 2003 All-star MVP, League MVP (2003-04) the second player drafted out of high school since Moses Malone (1979) to win, 2007-08 NBA champion with the Boston Celtics and he also joins Larry Bird as only players in NBA history with six consecutive seasons averaging 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists


Orlando Magic Dwight Howard 5th season 3rd appearance, this year leading vote getter he became the 1st player to crack the 3 million-vote ceiling (passing Yao Ming 2,558,278 in 2005), 2008 Slam dunk champion, 2008 Olympics gold medalist, also 3rd high school senior selected with the first overall pick (Kwame Brown, Lebron James), youngest player in NBA history to reach 4000 rebounds, youngest player in NBA history to average a double-double, youngest player in NBA history to record 20 rebounds in 1 game, youngest player in NBA history to lead the league in rebounding (2007-08), hold the highest percentage in field goal in All-star Game history (.810 - 17 field goals made from 21 attempts)

Western Conference Starters

Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant 13th season 11th All-star appearance, 2008 Olympics gold medalist, 2 times All-star MVP (2002, 2007), 3 times NBA champion, 2007-08 League's MVP, the youngest player in NBA history to reach 20,000 points barrier (12/23/07 vs Knicks), 1 of 3 active players with at least 20,000 points (Shaquille Oneal, Allen Iverson), hold the record for the 2nd highest total points in NBA history (81 points vs Raptors 1/22/06), also the youngest All-star in NBA history to post a team high 18 points and 6 rebounds in 1998 All-stars Game


New Orleans Hornets Chris Paul 4th season 2nd All-star appearance, 2008 Olympics gold medalist, 2007-08 ranked 1st in assist and steals (first player since John Stockton 1991-92 to lead league in those categories), 2005-06 rookie of the year, 1st player in the last 15 seasons to average 20+ points and 10+ assists per game, 4th player in All-star Game history to reach 14+ points and 14+ assists, hold the league's record with 108 consecutive games with a least 1 steal (12/23/08)


San Antonio Spurs Tim Duncan 12th season 11th All-star appearance, 4 times NBA champion, 3 times NBA Finals MVP ( 1999, 2003, 2005) joining Magic Johnson, Micheal Jordan and Shaquille Oneal as the only players to do so, 2 times League's MVP (2002, 2003), 1998 rookie of the year


Phoenix Suns Amare Stoudamire 6th season 3rd All-star appearance, 2003 rookie of the year, 2004 2004 Rookie Challenge MVP, 2007 All-NBA 1st team


Houston Rockets Yao Ming 7th season 6th All-star appearance, the 14th rookie selected to start in the All-star game and the first since Grant Hill (1995), 1st No. 1 pick to come from an international basketball league (2002), currently the tallest player in the NBA at 7 feet 6 inches

Ron Artest

The Houston Rockets acquired rookies Sean Singletary and Patrick Ewing Jr. and sent veteran Bobby Jackson, promising rookie Donte Greene and a future first-round pick to Sacramento Kings in return for 9 years veteran forward Ron Artest. Artest is a very elite defender and will be effective to any team.

Artest have played for teams such as the Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers. He is averaging 2.33 steals and 4 blocks per game. He gained his reputations as one of the premier defenders in the game today, winning the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2004. However, he is one of the most controversial players and known for being one of the central figures in the Indiana Pacers-Detroit Pistons brawl.

If you don't know about the biggest brawl in professional basketball history, you don't know about basketball. Okay you don't know, let me give you a breakdown.

Dubbed The Malice at the Palace and the Basketbrawl was an altercation between the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons on November 19, 2004. It all started when Ben Wallace was fouled hard by Ron Artest with 45.9 seconds remaining in the game. Wallace hit Artest in the throat followed by physical confrontation with several players of either teams. Artest mocked Wallace by going to the scorer's table and pretend to be doing a radio interview and Wallace threw a hand band at him. A spectator threw a cup of beer at Artest and he responded by running into the stand and mistakenly hitting the wrong person who he thought threw the cup at him. Other spectators got involved as well as players Stephen Jackson who also ran into the stands. Another melee developed after Artest was confronted by fans Alvin "A.J." Shackleford and Charlie Haddad, after which Jermaine Oneal intervene by punching Hadden in the jaw. In a result 9 players where suspended and 5 fans charged and John Green, who threw the cup at Artest, received a lifetime ban from attending Pistons games. Among the players who were suspended were Ron Artest (the rest of the season plus 13 playoffs games), Stephen Jackson (30 games), Jermaine Oneal (25 games, which was reduce to 15 after it was appealed), Chanucey Billups (1 game), Reggie Miller (1 game), Ben Wallace (6 games), Anthony Johnson (5 games), Elden Campbell (1 game) and Derrick Coleman (1 game).

You had to see it to believe it. It was the biggest face off in professional sports history in my book. Here I was enjoying a game on a Friday night when Pacers who I was cheering for was leading with less than a minute to go when the foul was committed which was normal in any basketball game which led to the biggest showdown in NBA history. Indiana won 97-82 but I was no longer a fan of the Pistons. Cause I thought Ben Wallace started it all. I mean he has been fouled hard before but this time he made the losing got to him and it ended in catastrophe. In my opinion Reggie Miller did not deserved to be suspended cause all he did was try to control Ron Artest and Rasheed Wallace who was beyond Pacers time line chattering and cussing should have gotten a suspension and he too went into the stands.

76ers Stacking up

First it was Elton Brand, now Philadelphia 76ers is adding 17 years veteran Donyell Marshall to their rooster. Marshall played for 7 different teams in the NBA now with the 76ers being the 8th. He was drafted by the Timberwolves in 1994 out of the University of Connecticut, when he was traded mid-season to the Warriors where he did 5 seasons, from there he just bounced around the League. He did 2 seasons with the Jazz, Bulls and Raptors, then 3 seasons with Cleveland and last season with the SuperSonics. Now he will be in Philly where he will again prove his value in the League. His outside shooting has always been phenomenal. His ability to stretch the defense has proven effective. Marshall who is a native of Reading Pennyslvania will have no worries settling in Philly.

The 76ers will prove effective with Marshall occupying the perimeter, Elton Brand ability to post up, Andre Miller with his passing skills, Samuel Dalembert presence to clean up around the basket and Andre Iguodala doing what he does best they will be Playoffs contenders.

Can They Win?

That's a tough question. Cuz they will be going to Boston and the fans there can be very boisterous. Yeah they can so Lakers will be needing a cool head and team work. They made a big come back in Game 5, but can they do the same in Game 6. Mmmm.....do you think they can...what was that Game 7 too. Oh no not yet we have to worry about Game 6 first....slow your roll one game at a time. It's not over until Game 6 over and we will just have to wait until then to see the outcome. Lakers are looking to make history...the first team to come from 3-1 to win. Do they have the talent, experience, confidence and endurance to win? Well as I said before we will just have to wait.....tick,tock. It is going to take a hugh effort to win, everyone will have to step up...no 2, 3 guys doing it big, everybody especially the bench. Team Work that's what it is going to take.