I Love NBA | ESPN NBA Insider - 1/26/05

Placebo effect 님이 아직 안올리셔서..^^;;;;; Wednesday, January 26, 2005 By Bill Walton ESPN Insider We're moving into new and uncharted territory with the teams that dominated the first part of the season beginning to struggle a bit. Those teams brought enthusiasm and excitement to many fans who were tired of the plodding drudgery and slow play. I remember talking over the years with the real runners – guys like Magic Johnson, James Worthy and John Havlicek. They all agreed that running was difficult, but still immeasurably better than just grinding it out. It's been wonderful to see teams like the Suns, SuperSonics, Wizards and Magic running and gunning. The times, hopefully, are changing forever. Tim Duncan Duncan and the Spurs have become the most dominant team in the NBA. Fast-breaking teams that generate easy baskets have the greatest chance of winning big as we move past this small blip of an era in basketball that's lasted almost 15 years now, starting with coach Chuck Daly's and Isiah Thomas' Pistons. But right now those up and down squads have run into serious hurdles. Into the void, we have seen the emergence of the Spurs as the best team in basketball. In our meeting last week with Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, he said his biggest concern was the health of his team. That was the night that their big man Rasho Nestorovic went down with an untimely ankle sprain. How much of a problem is this for the Spurs, who possess the greatest level of corporate knowledge we have witnessed in a while? They know what they want and the know how to get it. Coach Popovich is fortunate – he doesn't ever have to concern himself with a major factor facing so many other teams in today's NBA: selfishness, greed, out of control egos and individual agendas. The Spurs are so good that they went in the game after losing Nestorovic and completely demoralized and humiliated the Kings and Chris Webber who had been playing some very good ball coming in. The "official" All-Star voting is completed and the starters are to be announced on Feb. 3, to be followed by the reserves on Feb. 8. But I've learned from the best to simply announce the results – before the ballots are even tallied. Western Conference starters Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns: He's the best player in the game and easily the league's MVP. The Suns don't lose to anybody when he plays and can't beat anybody when he doesn't. Ray Allen, Seattle SuperSonics: His relentless attack and level of fitness have separated him from a pack of pretenders. He's no longer slogging his way through the ever-present mud of the Northwest. Now, he simply floats above it. Amare Stoudemire, Phoenix Suns: He's become the second-best post player in the game and I'm left to ponder how much longer we'll have to wait before he's the best. This once-reluctant center is now regularly taking it to the O'Neals and Duncans of the world and asking if that's all they have. What a wonderful combination of skill, timing, passion and conditioning! Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs: He's the king of all known things even with no one of note in the frontcourt with him. I guess the only thing left to do is to see if they can win without him. Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks: He's already the greatest long-range shooting big man in the history of basketball. Now he's risen above the confusion and fog in Dallas, proving what a truly great individual player he is. He has taken his game to new heights, all the while playing on a very puzzling team that regularly leaves us all scratching our heads in bewilderment. Reserves Manu Ginobili, Spurs; Shawn Marion, Suns; Kevin Garnett, Timberwolves; Tracy McGrady, Rockets; Yao Ming, Rockets; Chris Webber, Kings; Kobe Bryant, Lakers. Eastern Conference starters Gilbert Arenas, Wizards: It sure would be nice if scouts actually watched basketball games. Arenas thrives in the NBA game with his great open-court creativity, durability, exquisite skills and insatiable hunger to torch any and everybody. You don't want to get into an endurance contest with this guy. Dwyane Wade, Heat: How nice it is to play basketball when the other team doesn't guard you. Will that ever happen again in Kobe's career? What was he thinking? Shaquille O'Neal, Heat: He's re-established himself as the most dominant player of this era. It's so nice to see the big man having fun once again and enjoying life, even though I'm still dazed and confused as to where it all went wrong the last couple of years. LeBron James, Cavaliers: How much more can be said about how great James is as a player and he's only 20 years old? He still hasn't made the playoffs or even a real All-Star Game, but I wonder how far down the road it will be before he assumes the moniker of the "World's Greatest Athlete" from Lance Armstrong? Grant Hill, Magic: Hill lives in a lonely world where substance, productivity and efficiency conquers sympathy and hype. We can only pray for a happy ending to the new millennium's best story of hope and optimism. Reserves Allen Iverson, 76ers; Steve Francis, Magic; Jermaine O'Neal, Pacers; Richard Hamilton, Detroit Pistons; Paul Pierce, Celtics; Antwan Jamison, Wizards; Ben Wallace, Pistons. Coaches Gregg Popovich, San Antonio and Stan Van Gundy, Miami. As much as I wanted to have Mike D'Antoni of the Suns as Western Conference coach (amazing how a thigh bruise can determine history), it is impossible, unfair and inaccurate to pass over Popovich – who has never coached the All-Star Classic. A special thanks to these three men for moving away from the nonsense of excessive playcalling, over-the-top emphasis on themselves and self promotion. They are allowing their players to be the creative geniuses that great performers and talent can, should and need to be. Thanks guys, for making it fun and for shoving the overbearing, militaristic control freaks down into the cellar where, hopefully, they will be on their way to the dustbin of oblivion. Bill Walton, an NBA analyst for ESPN, is a regular contributor to Insider. ---------------- Wednesday, January 26 Updated 1:13 PM EST Rumor Central Allen says he's open to teaming with rival Bryant WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY Ray Allen Ray Allen Sonics Lakers? Clippers? Cavs? Nuggets? Sonics Jan. 26 - Another foe for the SuperSonics equals another possible destination for Allen, who might become a free agent if he and the SuperSonics do not agree to a contract extension. Even though he has traded barbs with Kobe Bryant this season, Allen says he would be open to playing for the Lakers. "That's crossed my mind at one point in time," Allen told the Jan. 26 Los Angeles Times. "I could play with him. I told you guys earlier I don't have anything against him. Any time you can play with somebody who requires attention from the defense, it makes your game better as well as my game would make his better." The Lakers already are about $30 million over the salary cap next season. They would have to work out a sign-and-trade with the SuperSonics, who probably would be a reluctant partner. Allen also said that he would be open to playing for the Clippers, who will have cap room but also have a losing tradition. Allen, who co-starred with Denzel Washington in the film "He Got Game", said his talent agent has been encouraging him to move to Los Angeles. WHO WHAT THE SKINNY Karl Malone Karl Malone Free agent Suns Spurs Heat Retirement? Jan. 26 - Even as Malone reportedly nears a retirement announcement within the next two weeks, teams are campaigning to talk him into joining them this season. The January 26 Arizona Republic reports Suns Chairman Jerry Colangelo told KTAR-AM that his team is interested. Colangelo spoke to Malone's agent Dwight Manley last week, and Manley told him and various media outlets that Malone, 41, is leaning toward retirement. Suns president and GM Bryan Colangelo said in the Republic regarding Malone: "We are doing everything we can to turn every stone to find a player and take advantage of this opportunity. That might reinforce what we're doing." Speculation has been that if Malone does return, he would join the Spurs. The Heat also are interested. WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY Jason Kidd Jason Kidd Nets Timberwolves? Mavericks? Nuggets? Warriors? Spurs? Lakers? Blazers? Jan. 26 - Despite the Warriors facing yet another season out of contention, Oakland-area native Kidd said he would not have a problem playing for his hometown team. "I would love to," he told the Jan. 26 Oakland Tribune before the Nets' game against the Kings in Sacramento. "I would love that challenge. That would be.... great." He's talked about the homecoming with wife Joumana, who has Bay Area roots. "I don't think we would turn it down, if that opportunity ever came about." The Nets and Warriors reportedly have had trade discussions involving Warriors forward Cliff Robinson. The Jan. 26 New York Post reports that Nets executive Rod Thorn says there is nothing stirring for his team on the trade front. WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY Walter McCarty Walter McCarty Celtics Suns Jan. 26 - The Celtics and Suns are close to completing a trade that would send McCarty to Phoenix in exchange for a second-round draft pick. The Boston Herald reports the Celtics were just awaiting word from the Suns. Director of basketball operations Danny Ainge did not comment. McCarty, a Celtics' fan favorite for seven seasons, wants more playing time and he's not getting it in coach Doc Rivers' rotation. "I'm very excited if it does happen," McCarty told the Herald about the trade. "The Suns are a team that's playing really well right now, and it would be a chance to win. I'm very excited. I think it's close and I just hope it follows through." WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY Gary Payton Gary Payton Celtics Mavericks? Trail Blazers? SuperSonics? Jan. 26 - The Celtics might be closer to trading Payton, the Jan. 26 Boston Herald reports. Payton came to the Celtics reluctantly in a summer trade with the Lakers and has maintained he would rather play for a Western Conference title contender. His mother also has been in California for chemotherapy treatment and Payton wants to be closer to his family. The Herald reports sources close to director of basketball operations Danny Ainge say he is considering possible offers for Payton. It's possible a first-round pick might be enough to send Payton to his fourth team since he left Seattle in February, 2003. Last month, a report surfaced that the Mavericks were interested. This season, Payton has expressed interest in the Trail Blazers and has said he would like to finish his career as a SuperSonic. WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY Elden Campbell Elden Campbell Jazz Nets? Pistons? Jan. 25 - The Pistons sent Campbell to the Jazz for salary cap purposes as part of the Carlos Arroyo trade last week. The Jazz were expected to waive Campbell immediately, but apparently they are trying to negotiate a buyout, the Detroit News reports. Campbell is owed $2.2 million on his $4.4 million contract. When some other team picks up Campbell, he's expected to get a contract worth a prorated $1.3 million and the Jazz want some sort of benefit for that, the News reports. The Nets have expressed interest in Campbell. But if he clears waivers, the Pistons might re-sign him. ----------------- Tuesday, January 25, 2005 By Chad Ford ESPN Insider Is Stephon Marbury a loser? Let's just get it out on the table now, because Tuesday night, after Steve Nash and the Suns showed up at Madison Square Garden and defeated the Knicks 133-118, this debate is going to happen … again. The perception is that Tuesday's matchup represents the tale of two point guards. The Suns are led by the NBA's most selfless point guard – a guy who leads the league in assists and only takes shots when there's no one on the floor with a better one. Steve Nash (left), Stephon Marbury In 1995, Nash (left) helped Santa Clara to victory over Marbury's Georgia Tech. The Knicks are led by the NBA's self-proclaimed best point guard – a guy who fills up a stat sheet everywhere but where it counts: in the victory column. But is the perception rooted in fact? Marbury has been one of the most consistent and productive players in the NBA the past seven years. Is he really to blame? The debate about Marbury and the "L-word" will continue to rage in Minneapolis, East Rutherford, N.J., Phoenix, New York City and any of his other potential NBA stops until a Marbury-led team either wins more than 50 games and a playoff series (or two) or falls apart after he leaves. Unfortunately for Steph, a 50-victory season and sustained playoff success have not been hallmarks of his seven-year career. The tale of the tape is tough to ignore. Marbury has never led a team to more than 45 victories in a season or a playoff series victory. The other side of the coin is even more unsavory. Every team Stephon has played for has gone on to enormous success the season after he left the team. Last season's Suns were 12-27 when Marbury left the team. This year, their record is 33-6 when Nash is in the starting lineup. Even his stint as the starting point guard on Team USA in the 2004 Athens Olympics ended in disaster. Maybe that's why he created such a stir earlier in the month when he proclaimed himself the best point guard in the NBA. With the exception of his mother, his groupies over at Slam magazine and Knicks president Isiah Thomas, he doesn't have a helluva lot of support for his proclamation. Everyone from his former teammates in Phoenix to his current head coach on the Knicks, Herb Williams, concedes Nash is the best point guard in the league right now. "He can get in the paint; he's real crafty with the ball; he finds their 3-point shooters," Williams said of Nash. "Without him, that show doesn't run." "[Nash's] getting everyone the ball. Everyone loves a teammate that gets you the ball in a position to score," Shawn Marion, Marbury's former teammate, told Insider earlier this month when comparing Nash and Marbury. "Last year we had so many guys who could score, yet our point guard was taking a lot of the shots. That's the difference." Suns center Amare Stoudemire put it more succinctly. "Nash creates opportunities to get easy baskets. The game of basketball isn't easy. But he helps make it easy. ... That's what real point guards do." Marbury claims the criticism doesn't sting. Maybe it shouldn't. Other top players like Grant Hill, Elton Brand and Andre Miller have never won a playoff series. Until last spring, the league's MVP, Kevin Garnett, had not gotten out of the first round. None of them have taken the beating Marbury has. Marbury has consistently ranked as one of the top four or five point guards in the NBA every year. Even when using more sophisticated statistical tools like plus/minus and player efficiency ratings, Marbury's career, on paper, has been a success. He is one of the best scorers in the league, can get to the basket whenever he wants, creates numerous shots for himself and his teammates, never misses a game and he's fun to watch. He even has rational explanations for the failure of his teams. Every team he's played for has sustained substantial injuries that have contributed to the team's woes. Could the lack of a supporting cast be the real reason for his failure? "I've always been 'team[-oriented],' " Marbury said earlier this month. "I've just got players [now] that can finish – it's not just myself making plays. It's totally different when Jason Kidd was playing with Kenyon Martin, as opposed to the guys that he's playing with now. It makes the game totally different. You can't be as effective. Stephon Marbury Point Guard New York Knicks Profile 2004-2005 SEASON STATISTICS GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT% 40 20.7 3.0 8.5 .462 .846 "Myself, with me being in the situation that I'm in right now, that Isiah has put me in, where he's [put] guys around me that can really play." However, if Marbury is such a good player and is finally surrounded guys who "can really play," why are the Knicks so bad? Despite another season of all-star type numbers for Stephon (he ranks third in the NBA in assists with 8.5 per game before Tuesday's loss to the Suns), the Knicks have now lost 11 of their last 12 and are embarking on a brutal Western Conference road stretch in their schedule that could leave them with a 2-20 mark from the start of January through mid-February. "Right now, it's garbage, the way we've played," Marbury told reporters Monday. "It's amazing how you're judged. If you win a championship, it's not you, it's the team. When you're losing, it's you. You really can't win either way." If point guards are supposed to elevate the team, make an offense flow and lead the team to victory, the Knicks' rebuilding plan might be in serious trouble. Steve Nash Point Guard Phoenix Suns Profile 2004-2005 SEASON STATISTICS GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT% 39 15.7 3.1 10.9 .519 .916 Why? Because Stephon is the Knicks' rebuilding plan. "You take him away, what's left?" coach Williams said on Monday. Knicks president Isiah Thomas sees himself in Stephon. Marbury sells tickets, plays with a flair and few guards in the league can rack up his numbers or match his durability. That's why in the hundreds of trade conversations Thomas has had since bringing Marbury on board last winter, and the countless blueprints the Knicks have agonized over to rebuild the team, the idea of trading Marbury has never grown any legs. Ousted coach Lenny Wilkens had many faults. He paid almost no attention to defense. He was quiet, mild-mannered, affable and didn't motivate millionaires the way he should have. But according to a league source, it was when he approached Thomas with the idea that Marbury might be the guy who needs to go that Wilkens – who "resigned" Jan. 22 – finally was shown the door. Talk of Phil Jackson or Larry Brown coaching the Knicks is ultimately absurd. Neither has much of a tolerance for players like Marbury. As coach of the Lakers, Jackson couldn't stand Kobe Bryant, and Kobe was winning titles. Brown could never totally reconcile with Allen Iverson, despite the fact The Answer actually got the 76ers to the NBA Finals. If he insists on rebuilding around Marbury, Isiah doesn't have much wiggle room to fix the Knicks. Stephon Marbury, Lenny Wilkens The Knicks' insistence on building around Marbury (left) pushed Wilkens out of the picture. In the past six weeks, Isiah has focused on making more changes to Marbury's supporting cast. Penny Hardaway, Tim Thomas and Kurt Thomas are the latest Knicks rumored to be out the door. Isiah has been working frantically the last month to package them in a trade for another scorer. The latest has him reportedly offering Hardaway and Kurt Thomas to the Raptors for Jalen Rose and Donyell Marshall. It's just one of a hundred rumors that has made its way out of New York the past month as Thomas works the phones in a twisted game of musical chairs with bad contracts and flawed players. The solutions Isiah is pursuing don't address the core of the problem in New York. Coaches don't work the phones and sign the checks. Role players don't run the team. Isiah rightly believes that players are ultimately judged by winning. "At the end of [Marbury's] career, you're judged by the rings on your finger," Thomas said last season. "Fortunately enough for him, he's been man enough to accept the challenge and responsibility to go for it, and try to achieve it. There are a lot of players that have run from that responsibility." Marbury either has to figure out how to use his special talents to win, or Isiah has to surround him with players whose talents mesh better with Stephon's. Neither is happening in New York right now. Marbury and the GMs who have tried to build teams around him haven't solved the mystery. Call him selfish. Blame it on bad karma. There are enough excuses to go around. Just about everywhere Marbury has played, he's been the best player on his team. But until Marbury figures out how to get some of that talent to rub off on his teammates or Isiah finds him teammates whose winning attitude is contagious, the Knicks are going nowhere. Chad Ford covers the NBA for ESPN Insider. -------------------- Wednesday, January 26, 2005 By Brian James ESPN Insider After having the time of his life last year in his rookie season, Carmelo Anthony has found things quite different since the playoffs ended for him last April. The third overall pick of the 2003 NBA draft lifted the Nuggets onto his shoulders, taking them to a 43-39 regular-season record and a playoff berth. They had won just 17 games the year before his arrival from Syracuse, where he led the Orangemen to the NCAA title in his only season there. This season, Anthony seemed poised to join his fellow NBA draft class sophomores LeBron James and Dwyane Wade in meteoric improvement. But after enduring a somewhat negative 2004 Athens Olympics experience, other off-court distractions, a head-coaching change, and repeated ankle injuries, Anthony has struggled. After a Jan. 25 loss to the Bulls, the Nuggets are 17-24 and in 11th place in the Western Conference standings. Anthony has discovered that it's more difficult with that big "X" marked on his back. True, many of his statistics thus far nearly are identical to his rookie season production. But Anthony, 20, has struggled in some areas this season. Injuries have had a big impact on his game. Anthony has missed eight games thanks to three different ankle sprains. He has played banged up, trying to recoup the bounce in his step. But most observers feel that Anthony did not get in as good as shape this season as he did as a rookie and he has struggled as a result. Before his game against the Bulls, Anthony's playing time (36.5 mpg last season, 36.6 mpg this season) and scoring average (21.0 ppg, 20.3 ppg) stats are nearly identical to his tremendous rookie season's. But the field-goal percentage (.426, .395), 3-point shooting accuracy (.322, .277), offensive rebounding (2.23, 1.58) and blocks per game (0.50, 0.36) stats are down. Carmelo Anthony Small Forward Denver Nuggets Profile 2004-2005 STATS GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT% 34 20.7 5.8 3.1 .395 .783 2003-2004 STATS GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT% 82 21.0 6.0 2.8 .426 .777 Most scouts feel that some things repeatedly are happening to the Nuggets, who are adjusting to interim head coach Michael Cooper, who replaced Jeff Bzdelik last month. Teams are attacking Anthony on the defensive end of the floor and making him guard on isolations on the wing or defending in the post. Scouting reports indicate Anthony – like many other players – has a tendency to guard after his man catches the ball. Instead, he should be doing a better job of getting into position to prevent his man from catching the ball. Anthony can be even better than he is at fronting the post earlier and rotating quicker out to shooters on close outs. More teams are attacking him 1-on-1. There's another significant difference in Anthony and the Nuggets' play. Last season, the Nuggets were flying in transition for easy scores and zipping passes all over (like the Suns this year). This season, Anthony is only running the court hard when he has a chance to score and doesn't run for others as a decoy. The ball now is also "sticking" when either he or Kenyon Martin catch the ball; each is looking to go 1-on-1. The defense can gang up and clog the driving lanes, thus making Anthony take long jump shots as a result. Most coaches agree that your best player has also has to be your hardest worker and most unselfish. There are questions about Anthony's game in this regard. Anthony last season was the main reason for the Nuggets' turnaround. Even as a rookie, Anthony tried hard to follow a formula and goals set down by then-coach Bzdelik's staff. Anthony looked for a way to help his team by scoring without taking too many jump shots. Carmelo Anthony Anthony and some of his teammates are too anxious to play 1-on-1 ball. Then, Anthony did a tremendous job of getting to the free-throw line for about eight attempts per game by attacking the rim or scoring two or three baskets on aggressive drives. Last season under the formula, he usually found a way to get two or three offensive rebounds per game for "stick back" baskets. He took fewer 3-pointers but shot more post ups. He also wanted to score three baskets a game on layups in transition. Using this formula enabled Anthony to reach the 20 points-per-game average coaches felt they needed to help the Nuggets win. In those games when his long jumpers were falling as well, he and the team were headed for a big and exciting night. When Anthony is efficient on offense, the Nuggets usually win. Earlier this season, when the Nuggets won 10 of 12 games, Anthony was playing well, and things were going well for him and the team. That spree ended Dec. 17 when he suffered a sprained ankle at the Heat. One thing has carried over for Anthony: He has that knack for being the go-to guy in late-game situations and winning games in that final possession. He thrives on being the man who his teams depend on to get that winning basket; very few players have that confidence. That part of his game has not changed and might even be better than ever. Around the League At midseason, there have been some eye-opening pleasant surprises. There are five teams that stand out to me: 1. Chicago Bulls: After beating the Nuggets on Jan. 25, they have now won nine of 10. What a turnaround after starting the season 0-9. Some scouts felt that they had a chance to lose their first 20 games in a row. After instilling pride, toughness and a desire to guard by holding teams under 100 points (a 26-game streak broken by the Nuggets), coach Scott Skiles and GM John Paxson have the young Bulls playing their way. 2. Dallas Mavericks: After trading away last season's sixthman of the year in Antawn Jamison (to the Wizards) and valuable enforcer Danny Fortson to the Sonics, losing Steve Nash to the Suns in free agency, and starting the season with rookie Devin Harris at point guard, the Mavericks seemed to be in trouble. Most observers felt the Mavericks might not even make the playoffs. Does this tell you about Don Nelson's coaching ability to adapt? This team is 27-13 and rolling. 3. Phoenix Suns: I've written about this team before but what a turnaround. Adding Steve Nash and Quinton Richardson in free agency has completely changed their team and outlook. There is no more exciting team to watch than the Suns. The Suns won 29 games all of last season and now already have 33 and the second-best record in the league. Do you hear Bryan Calengelo's name being mentioned for Executive of the Year? 4. Seattle SuperSonics: After winning 37 games last year and losing Brent Barry to free agency, the only major addition to the rotation was Fortson. No one predicted Seattle to be in the position it is in today. GM Rick Sund stood firm and with motivated coaches and players – many of whom are potential free agents – the Sonics are now 29-11 and have the biggest lead in any division. This team has the best long-distance shooters. Beno Udrih (L) and Tony Parker Udrih (left) is proving to be a great understudy to Parker. 5.Washington Wizards: Injuries have cost them Kwame Brown, Etan Thomas, and now Larry Hughes for extended periods. But Coach Eddie Jordan has this team believing that it can win the close games; the Wizards are 10-4 in games decided by five points or less. A .500 road record and winning home record have Wizards on track for a big year if they can keep it up. They now have the second-best record in the Eastern Conference. Udrih under the radar We're all familiar with the great jobs Dwight Howard and Emeka Okafor, the top pair of picks in the 2004 NBA draft, are doing as rookies respectively for the Orlando Magic and Charlotte Bobcats. But the best rookie under the national radar screen is Slovenia native Beno Udrih, the 28th pick overall in the first round by the San Antonio Spurs. Where does Spurs exec R.C. Buford keep finding these guys? Udrih gives coach Gregg Popovich a high-quality backup for Tony Parker. He even had Udrih playing down the stretch of their exciting overtime victory in Phoenix on Jan. 21. Udrih is shooting the ball extremely well (13th overall in 3-point percentage .415), .455 accuracy field-goal shooting and .808 aim from the free-throw line. He has the trust of the coaching staff and team. I like how he competes. Back-to-the-basket play As I go through NBA rosters, I find few players who are capable of being low-post go-to men. On average, there's maybe one player per team, and usually they are centers. But in many cases, a team's best back-to-the-basket player might be someone other than a center. Is it a skill still important to winning? When I watch games rebroadcast on ESPN Classic, it seems every team years ago had a great post-up player. In the 1970s and '80s, SuperSonics and Bucks center Jack Sikma was the best at a few moves started with his back to the basket. He could use the inside-reverse pivot to face the basket, and then beat his defender either with a shot or maybe a faked shot and drive. Most of the other post players of that era used the drop step for a jump hook – either off one or both feet – or a short jumpshot over their favorite shoulder. But when you watch these tapes, most coaches then never used defensive double team. As a defender, you were responsible for your man only and if you got beat, so be it. No one was coming to help. If you were getting scored upon continually, the coach just put someone else on the post player to try his luck. If your team is lucky enough to have a true low-post player who can score with his back to the basket, it takes a lot of the pressure of a head coach having to orchestrate a play on every possession. Today, double teaming and different defensive schemes to get the ball out of the back-to-the-basket post players' hands are the norm. Once a post player scores two or three times at the beginning of a game, the double teaming will come. Not only does the post player have to worry about the defender normally assigned to him, but which other defender will "double", from where, and when. This changes the offensive strategy and takes away from low-post offensive player's effectiveness. Believe me, teams work hard every day on back-to-the-basket moves either in practice and on the court, a few hours before tip off on game days. Are those moves important in today's game? You bet. If your team is lucky enough to have a true low-post player who can score with his back to the basket, it takes a lot of the pressure of a head coach having to orchestrate a play on every possession. With that low-post option, you can run a direct post-up, a drop, turnout, or even single-double action to get the ball to the desired player on the block. If the double team then comes, you instantly have someone who will be open if your post player can make a quick, precision pass to the open teammate and make good decisions with the ball. The teams that win consistently still have that big fella who can catch the ball down on the block. Then watch him go to work. Brian James, a former assistant coach with the Pistons, Raptors and Wizards, is a regular contributor to Insider. ------------------------ Above it All By Tim Keown Comment on this article The men have hands but no fingers and heads but no faces. When Ray Allen looks at the featureless pair – one holding a basketball – rising 10 feet above his living room fireplace, he sees himself and every other man who has played the game. Past, present, future. Good and bad. He sees this painting, the favorite of his eclectic art collection, as a representation of the game's continuum, a concrete depiction of his role as one of the countless stewards of this particular world. It is a utopian vision of basketball: no individuals, no egos, no brands. Just nameless, faceless players sharing a bond forged long ago that will survive long afterward. "We'd all be better off if we remembered someone is coming after us and someone came before," Allen says. "And that you're judged by how you wear the mantle during your time." Here is one of the first things you need to know about Ray Allen: the man sees a lot. He first laid eyes on the painting in Miami, when the artist brought her work to the team hotel after hearing of Allen's affinity for fine art. "In that painting, I see two guys enjoying the game," he says. "There's nothing to distinguish one from the other. It's just the game." Allen sighs and winces a little, the expression‎ of someone who knows the danger of coming off as too smart or too learned or, worse, too cultured, to peers who sometimes look sideways at those who think too much. Sitting on a folding chair next to a practice court at the Seattle SuperSonics' practice facility, he seems to assess his words before he speaks them, as if gauging their suitability for a story about a guy who makes a living bouncing a ball. Six teammates run a post-practice three-on-three in front of him. They're players from the roster's back end, the little-used and sorta-injured and not-quite-ready; in other words, nothing like Ray Allen at this point in their careers. Few are, and that's nothing personal, just the truth. This season has been host to the ascendancy of Allen, an elevation that has lifted him from one of the league's top 20 players to one of its premier five or six, from All-Star to potential All-NBA. Allen, 29, is averaging more than 24 points a game for the third-best team, not to mention one of the most surprising, in the Western Conference. Hitting nearly 40% of his threes, Allen spearheads an unmatched perimeter game that is a nightly seminar on spatial superiority. As is always the case with numbers, though, Allen's don't provide much more than the story's outline. Fact is, they look like they usually look. He has averaged more than 20 a game for five years now, as one of a handful of guys you want shooting the ball when it really matters. Allen embodies the classic defensive dilemma: play him close and he'll burn you off the dribble; give him a few inches and he'll pump threes all night. This season, though, his performance is rippling outward, toward the idea of casting the Sonics in the image of those egoless men on the wall. "This is a self-promoting league, and Ray goes against that grain," says guard Antonio Daniels. "If the year we're having continues, you're going to start hearing Ray's name out there for MVP. You won't hear it from Ray, you definitely won't hear it from him. But you'll hear it from everyone else." Asked to describe what Allen does best, Daniels says, "He makes other people feel important." Sensing a more concrete answer is expected of him, he continues. "You don't know what it does when your best player is your best teammate." Allen makes sure to perform two tasks during each team practice: he asks power forward Reggie Evans, a man in constant battle with his leaden touch, if he's worked that day to improve his free throw shooting, and he asks 7'1", 272-pound center Jerome James, who often gives the impression a cheeseburger and a couch would be just fine with him, if he's done his daily duty on the treadmill. "What I've learned the past two years is that I've been so selfish about my own routine I sometimes ignore my teammates," Allen says. "I realize I need to make sure the man sitting next to me is going to get better. Every guy on this team needs to feel a part of this resurgence." So when James runs the floor hard in a mid-December game against the Lakers, and Allen has the ball on the right wing with nothing between him and the hoop but a backpedaling, which-guy-do-I-take Kobe Bryant, Allen draws Kobe to him and then whips the ball to his teammate for a raging slam. Sure, Allen could have taken it himself, could have done whatever needed to be done to solidify the rivalry with the man he called "selfish" in the preseason. But when the big man runs, the big man deserves the rock, rivalries be damned. Maybe last year, Allen would have taken it himself. This year is different. "I tell Jerome, 'If you run, you should get four or six extra points a game,'" he says. "I can't tell you how happy Jerome is every time he gets the ball." There are jobs more fun than walking through a professional locker room asking the players about their team's star. Often there's an obvious animosity, clearly evident in the vanilla compliments uttered through clenched teeth. But with Allen the compliments flow unfiltered. "Ray cares more about winning than anybody I've played with since Steve Nash," says Danny Fortson. "Ray's a quiet assassin, just like Tim Duncan," Daniels says. This is Allen's free agent year, which makes it a counterintuitive decision to concentrate on leadership skills when selfishness would be the more lucrative path. Hey, two fewer passes a game to James or Fortson and Allen is fighting for a scoring title. "This could work against me," he admits. "I doubt it, but you never know how people will interpret something." The man hasn't abandoned all self-interest, though. He still hits the hardwood more than three hours before a game to shoot 200 jumpers all by himself, the lone gunman. Not to be elitist, but the other guys throw up such slop sometimes, and when it bounces all over the place it's hard to concentrate. As Allen sits courtside while his teammates play their three-on-three, he sees players who are deficient in one way or another: they're substandard shooters or a step slow or possessors of a wrong-size body. Their shoes squeak. They call out screens. They grunt and beg and complain. After close to a minute, Allen says, "In 10 years I probably won't be playing, but there will always be six guys on a court doing this, working hard, trying to get better for themselves and the team." Allen sees beyond these guys' deficiencies to their shared place in the continuum. They are teammates, in both the literal and cosmic senses. They are a part of him. The guys above the fireplace demand nothing less. You've probably got this already, but there's another thing you need to know about Ray Allen. The man thinks a lot. This hasn't always worked to his advantage. After all, no one who thinks so much could ever devote himself entirely to his game, right? Without mentioning names, Allen says, "A coach of mine used to think it helped to have a lack of intelligence to play basketball. He always thought I overanalyzed. I'm dedicated to my job and my teammates, but I try to see the bigger picture. This is just a portion of our lives, but some coaches don't want you to think like that. It's in their best interest for us to think about one thing and one thing only." It doesn't take a team of researchers to figure out the coach in question is George Karl, who led the Bucks during most of Allen's six-plus seasons in Milwaukee. Karl didn't always appreciate his star's mental acuity, maybe because it's easier to train players whose minds are empty, sort of like golden retrievers. Karl always seemed amused by Allen, viewing his star's erudite nature as a curiosity rather than as an asset. Sonics coach Nate McMillan, known locally as Mr. Sonic, is more inclined to let his players' personalities roam freely. Allen chooses a book each December to give as a gift to his teammates. This year it was The Five People You Meet in Heaven, because he thinks one of the messages – we're all strangers until we meet – speaks to the itinerant NBA life. In the past, he's gifted his favorite book, The Alchemist, by Brazilian author Paulo Coelho. The international bestseller is a simple fable of a young Spanish shepherd who chases his dreams and happens upon several universal truths along the way. One of the best days of Allen's professional life came when then-teammate Mark Pope told him the book changed his life. Allen's not trying to be an evangelist. Asked how many of his teammates have heard of Paulo Coelho – much less can pronounce his name correctly – Allen makes an okay sign with his right thumb and forefinger and says, "Zee-ro. But that's okay. I don't expect everyone to be like me." Allen is known by some of the younger players as Jesus, a reference to his starring role as Jesus Shuttlesworth in the 1998 Spike Lee movie He Got Game. Allen's performance was beyond all expectations. A review in The New York Times said it "would be fine even if he weren't an NBA star." Allen fondly remembers the first time he picked up a basketball on the set. One sports-ignorant crew member watched shot after shot fall through the hoop. Finally, he said, "I didn't know you could play. You're pretty good." If Allen worries that his wide-ranging talents and far-flung interests may distance him from his teammates, the reality should put him at ease. Fortson, his 6'8", 260-pound body topped by dreadlocked Pippi Longstocking pigtails, says, "Ray and I, we have a lot of the same interests." This is intriguing, if not downright unexpected. Fortson is pressed for examples. After a few moments of thought, he smiles broadly and says definitively, "I like to watch movies, and Ray likes to play in them." To recap: Allen is a man who reads, collects art and stars in movies. He studies motivational and management books to inspire his teammates. And oh, by the way, he can play a little, too. So why, you might ask, haven't the folks who are paid to sell the NBA – a league identified with Kobe's problems and Latrell Sprewell's mouth and Ron Artest's fists – saturated the market with Ray Allen billboards and commercials? Is it Seattle's inaccessibility, Allen's modesty, a disconnect between his experiences and the urban-youth demographic? Instead of needing to learn about him, shouldn't we already be sick of him? "Ray's been very prominent in public-service announcements because he's such a class act," says Tim Andree, the NBA's senior VP for communications. "With the team's success, you'll be seeing a lot more of him. People think we have a list of players to promote, but it's more organic than that." Allen isn't dying to be the face of the league, but he does have a theory about why he has yet to be asked. "We promote superstar qualities above everything else," he says. The words "THANK YOU" float in a white semicircle on a wall-length mirror above Allen's head as he sits in a spa chair at Diamond Nails. A soap opera plays on the two televisions bracketed to the wall. A stack of The Little Saigon News sits besides copies of Seventeen and Vogue. One woman addresses Allen's cuticles while another files the calluses on the ball of his right foot. Basketball beats up the extremities, and Allen has tried to sell his teammates on pedicures and manicures as just another facet of body maintenance. But while they might shoot their free throws and climb on the treadmill at his urging, they're not ready for this, at least not yet. A gorgeous young woman walks into the salon and sits in the chair next to the local hero. Revealing no surprise at seeing him in such a position, she asks, "How's the season going so far?" "All right," he says with the same placid demeanor he takes onto the court. Understand, the Sonics are running away with their division at the time, and Allen is already being pumped as an MVP candidate. The talk shows are filled with screamers saying this is the town's best team since DJ and Sikma and Downtown Freddy Brown. Allen's "all right" makes you realize what teammate Mateen Cleaves means when he says, "Don't ever play cards with Ray." Let's take one more look at the guys above the fireplace. They're playing for the love of it, for the feeling you get when you hit a cutter at precisely the right moment and he lays it in with the defender on his hip. Allen says, "The thing about the painting is, you could walk into my house and not even see it. You could also see it and not realize it's basketball. You really have to look to see it, and you really have to look closely to get its significance." Allen has owned the painting for quite some time, but he never fails to see it. And while its significance never escapes him, this year he's seeing it a little differently. This year, when he leaves the house, he takes those two nameless, faceless, featureless men with him. They ride shotgun, right along with the rest of his teammates. It's been a pretty good ride. This article appears in the Jan. 31 issue of ESPN The Magazine. ---------------------- Houston Goes to Plan B By Chris Palmer Comment on this article Don't you just hate it when reality gets in the way of a good plan? After Houston gutted its starting backcourt for Tracy McGrady, Jeff Van Gundy's plan was to pound the ball into Yao and let T-Mac knock down open jumpers en route to a championship. So far, no good. Despite the presence of the two-time scoring champ and the West's best center, the Rockets rank 25th in the league in offense, approaching the season's midpoint. They've also turned the ball over more than their opponents while collecting fewer assists, rebounds and steals. But get this: things are looking up. The team's disappointing start prompted multiple starting lineups and whispers that Jeff Van Gundy might not be the right coach for the job. The jury's out on whether he's the right coach, but it's clear he had the wrong plan. In their first 18 games, the Rockets went 7-11 and averaged an anemic 87.3 ppg. McGrady's scoring was down to 21.8, his lowest average since Toronto, and Yao was at 17.7. By then, JVG had seen enough. He dumped his ultraconservative, Yao-first offense for a run-first one. And it worked. In the 18 games after the flip-flop, the team went 12-6, averaging 97.9 per outing. McGrady poured in 27.3 ppg in that span, and Yao's scoring was up as well (19.2). The improvement coincides with a new starting lineup that features three guards: McGrady, Bob Sura and David Wesley, who was acquired for Jim Jackson and Bostjan Nachbar in a December trade. In many ways the coach's change of heart validates Steve Francis' complaints. Franchise, you'll recall, was shipped out in the McGrady trade because he wanted to run while Van Gundy wanted Yao to be the go-to guy. But Yao still doesn't establish himself quickly enough in the paint, and waiting for him to do so eats up the shot clock. The big guy's also more likely to commit a turnover (3.0 per game) than to dish (0.8). Changing horses has eased pressure on Yao and gotten more people involved quicker. It's a sign of things to come. "We're still getting to know each other," McGrady says. "And Yao is still learning things like the pick-and-roll. When those things come, that'll help our chemistry and our overall flow on the court." "Running is who we are," Van Gundy now jokes. "That's my system." This article appears in the Jan. 31 issue of ESPN The Magazine. --------------- Friday, January 21, 2005 By Chad Ford ESPN Insider If you're sick of high school seniors crashing the draft every year, the 2005 selection process might be for you. After a record eight high school players went in the first round of the 2004 draft, we're all in for a small one-season break. Scouts are saying the Class of 2005 will be the worst high school class in recent history. The class is so bad that the three best high school players in the country are two juniors and a sophomore, not seniors. Next year Greg Oden, a 7-foot, 240 pound junior from Indianapolis and Brandan Wright, a 6-foot-10, 220 pound junior from Nashville, Tenn., both appear to be locks for the top five. The year after that, O. J. Mayo, a 6-foot-5 sophomore point guard is projected as a high lottery pick. The NBA scouts and front-office executives that Insider consulted unanimously believe that every high school prospect this year should go to college. That's the first time I've seen that in the seven years I've been doing this column. Publicly, scouts and GMs always say kids should go to college. But privately, they'll whisper in prospects' ears that they're interested if they do declare. This year, publicly and privately, they're telling this year's crop to go to school. Why? Of the seniors that scouts are the most intrigued with, none of them really have the game, size or body to contribute to the NBA right now. Players like LeBron James, Amare Stoudemire and Dwight Howard all had the size, bodies and athletic ability that scouts comb the world for. This year's crop consists of undersized guards, 'tweeners or stringbeans. The prospects are closer to Travis Outlaw or Ndudi Ebi than they are to LeBron or Amare. Could they be good down the road? Sure. Are any of them even close to being ready for to play on a NBA team? No. That means that most of them will slip to good teams in the mid-to-late first round with no time to develop them. That's been the one recipe for disaster for the young kids coming out. Their development is stifled in ways that LeBron's and Amare's weren't. In college, they'd be playing 35 minutes a night. In the NBA, they're lucky to get off the injured list. Unfortunately, the kids aren't listening. A number of them have all but signed up for the draft. Five years ago, a high school kid (with the exception of a few hardship cases) wanted an assurance that he'd be a high lottery pick before he declared. Three years ago, any position in the lottery would do. Now, if a team will commit to them anywhere in the first round, most teenagers seem comfortable skipping college and heading straight to the pros. So, it's with great reluctance that we give you a quick look at five high school seniors scouts are watching this season. Take a good look at them while you can, because they're going to be on a milk carton for the next several years if they choose to declare. Gerald Green, G/F, Gulf Shores Academy (Houston, Texas) The facts: 6-8, 200 pounds; 29 ppg The skinny: Green is a 6-8 swingman who has drawn comparisons to a young Tracy McGrady. He burst onto the scene this summer, winning the MVP of the ABCD camp. He's very athletic, with a 41-inch vertical. He also possesses great range on his jump shot, can create his own shot off the dribble and is an excellent ball handler. Scouts claim Gerald Green Green recalls Tracy McGrady in some ways. he's one of the fastest players in the draft despite the fact that he's 6-8. He's averaging 29 points, 15 rebounds, seven blocks and five assists this season. Green has weaknesses. Green needs to put more muscle on his wiry frame. Lately, he's been settling for a lot of jumpers instead of taking the ball to hole. If he has a fear of drawing contact in the paint in high school, wait until he gets to the pros. Several scouts who have followed him for the past few years also claim he's very immature and struggles in the classroom, which is partly why he's not strongly considering college at this point. Green has the talent of a lottery pick and is probably the only high school prospect in this class with a real shot at landing there. Still, given his body and weaknesses, he'll probably be on the Dorell Wright development plan just about wherever he goes. Martell Webster, G/F, Seattle Prep (Wash.) The facts: 6-8, 230 pounds; 27 ppg The skinny: The Seattle native was one of the most highly-ranked players in the country as a sophomore before an injury hampered his junior season. Webster had his coming out party over Christmas at the City of Palms Classic in Florida, where he wowed scouts with his smooth game, dead-on jumper and fantastic rebounding. One scout called him the best shooter in high school basketball after watching him dominate in the tournament. Webster hit a number of contested 3s and long-range shots during the tournament. His constant motor and his basketball IQ also impressed scouts. The fact that he is regarded as a grounded kid also helps his chances. The only real knock on him is that he's not overly athletic – think Caron Butler with a jumper. The Seattle prep star is committed to playing at Washington next year, but he's also flirted with going straight to the NBA. While scouts unanimously feel like he should go to college, they also believe he might be the most NBA-ready prospect in high school right now thanks to a great body and that knockout jump shot. If he makes the jump, he's a mid-to-late first rounder and the one guy that might have a shot at some playing time if he lands on the right team. Monta Ellis, G, Lanier (Miss.) The facts: 6-4, 210 pounds; 41 ppg The skinny: A plethora of scouts and GMs (23 teams were represented), including the Grizzlies' Jerry West, were in Mississippi last weekend to check out a big head-to-head matchup between the best little guards in the country, Louis Williams and Ellis. Monta Ellis Ellis must convince the NBA he's a true point guard in order to be a first-round draft lock. Scouts claim that Ellis won the matchup, hands down. Ellis led his team to a huge victory against Williams' team, scoring 45 points and adding six assists. Two nights later, his team faced another top prospect, Tasmin Mitchell. Against Mitchell's team, Ellis scored 35 points, was 12 of 20 from the field, including 5 of 10 from three-point range. He also added six assists and blocked a pair of shots. NBA scouts walked away very high on this combo guard who keeps showing signs that he can be a big point guard in the pros. Ellis does just about everything well. He obviously is an unbelievable scorer. But he is also great passer with a polished game. Scouts say that he plays with an amazing amount of control for a high school kid. He also has the rep as a great shooter with a lightning-quick release. Ellis is not the elite athlete that Williams is, but he's athletic enough to play at the next level. The word around the league is that Ellis already has decided to test the waters. His draft position is difficult to predict right now. It all depends on whether scouts seem him as a real point guard or a combo guard. If they decide he's a point, he's likely a mid- to late first-rounder. If they don't, he better honor his commitment to Mississippi State. Louis Williams, SG, South Gwinnett High (Ga.) The facts: 6-2, 165 pounds, 27 ppg The skinny: Williams keeps claiming that NBA scouts are telling him he's a top-five pick in the draft. I haven't encountered one NBA scout who believes he's lottery material this year, let alone top five. Louis Williams Williams (shooting) might face rejection in any bid for the 2005 NBA draft lottery. A number of those NBA scouts traveled to Florida in mid-December to watch Williams play in the City of Palms Classic. On the opening night of the tournament, Williams shot just 7-21 from the field, committed six turnovers and fouled out of the game before his team suffered an upset loss in the first round. According to scouts at the scene, Williams was bickering with officials constantly and, for most of the game, played completely out of control. He's played better since then, including an impressive 32-point performance against one of the top teams in the country, Oak Hill, last week. But even that performance wasn't without controversy, as he shot just 2-for-8 from beyond the arc. Williams also scored 34 points last Friday against Ellis' team, but his team lost as they watched him shoot just 2-for-13 from three. Williams has NBA talent. He's an amazing athlete, can jump out of the gym, gets to the rim whenever he wants, and his shooting touch extends all the way to the NBA three-point line. He's a volume shooter, like Allen Iverson, but Williams doesn't have the same feel for the game. He is one of the most gifted scorers in high school hoops, but scouts claim he needs to do it at Georgia (the school he committed to) for a few years first. It's hard enough to find any good examples, with the exception of Iverson, of 6-2 and under shooting guards succeeding in the league. But when the player has the tendency to force everything, what coach is going to turn his team over to a player like that coming directly out of high school? Dajuan Wagner is the closest example, and we all know how that turned out. If he declares, someone will take him. Last year, the collection of scouts Insider uses thought Sebastian Telfair was a late first-round pick or early second-round pick. But the folks with the Trail Blazers fell in love with him and took him in the lottery. It only takes one. Williams might take the gamble, hoping that a team like the Blazers is willing to take the risk in the lottery. But chances are he's looking at a pick in the mid-to-late 20s if he declares this year. Andray Blatche, PF, South Kent Prep (Conn.) The facts: 6-11, 235 pounds, 27 ppg Andray Blatche Blatche needs to take advantage of his size inside more often, scouts say. The skinny: Blatche is a fifth-year senior forward who can play both the three and the four. Scouts say he's a poor man's Kevin Garnett – a finesse big man who likes to face the basket on offense but crash the boards on the defensive end. He's averaging 27 points, 16 rebounds and seven blocks on the season. Blatche is one of the few high school players in this class with great size. However, in spite of his size, Blatche has become enamored with his perimeter game. Scouts say he spends too much time shooting three-pointers and not enough time in the paint. Once he gets to the NBA, he's going to have to hit the weight room and toughen up. "I like Andray, but his game really needs to mature," one NBA scout told Insider. "I just wish he went inside more. I know he's trying to show us that he's versatile, but he also needs to show us that he's smart enough to take advantage of his size in the paint." By all accounts, Blatche probably doesn't have the grades to go to college and will head straight to the NBA. Right now he's on the first-round bubble, though he might be able to improve his stock in workouts. Best of the Rest: Shawne Williams, F, Laurinberg (N.C.); Brandon Rush, G, Mt. Zion Academy (N.C.); Tyler Hansbrough, F, Popular Bluff (Mo.); Julian Wright, F, Homewood (Ill.); Tasmin Mitchell, F, Denham Springs (La.); Josh McRoberts, F/C, Carmel High (Ind.); Richard Hendrix, F, Athens (Ala.); Keith Brumbaugh, F, Deland High (Fla.); Micah Downs, F, Juanita High (Wash.). Draft Cards # After getting off to a slow start this season, UConn's Charlie Villanueva has been on fire lately, averaging 15.5 ppg and 13.3 rpg and 3 bpg while shooting 50 percent from the field over his last four games. Charlie Villanueva Villanueva What caused his sudden turnaround? Head coach Jim Calhoun chastised him after a big loss at UMass. "I said, 'I know you're supposed to be a really great player'," Calhoun said. "'To me, you don't look like a terrific player. I think you're tremendously overrated. I really mean that you're not going to play for us unless you play a particular way and you're not going anywhere. Yakima [Wash.] is not a great place for a professional career.' " Calhoun claims Villanueva is capable of scoring 15 points and grabbing eight boards just by showing up. But the lack of effort Villanueva exhibited earlier in the season was not only killing UConn, it was hurting his draft stock. Villanueva picked up the rep as a lazy player two summers ago when he embarrassed himself at an individual workout in front of more than 100 people from the NBA. "They said it was terribly embarrassing," Calhoun said. "From that point, there were a lot of caution signs about Charlie coming to Connecticut. … He's starting to understand that. It becomes critical that he plays hard. If he plays hard, you can see what he can do." Insider was at the workout Calhoun was referring to, and here's a clip of what we wrote: "Villanueva's workout was a disaster. The minute Villanueva stepped on the floor, roughly half the NBA people in the gym got up and walked out. Villanueva actually looked much more polished than Ebi. He shot the ball well, showed nice athleticism on several drills, and, at 6-foot-11, he has some skills that are intriguing. But two related things poisoned the well. Kevin Garnett worked at less than half speed. I'm not sure he even broke a sweat. His play, on a few occasions, bordered on lackadaisical. Midway through the workout, there were less than 50 people left in the gym. What's the problem? "Bad attitude," one NBA GM said. "Terrible attitude," another NBA coach said. An international scout was furious that he even wasted his time. "Why come to a job interview and goof around?" he said. "I don't understand it." If Villanueva is finally getting it and can keep it up, he has the talent to be a lottery pick. However, he needs one more full season of aggressive basketball before the scouts Insider talked to will be convinced that he's changed his ways. But can Villanueva be that patient? He never wanted to go to college and might take his first opportunity to bolt. Even with his improved play, the scouts Insider talks to aren't sure he's done enough to climb out of the late first round. Rodney Carney Carney can help his stock by filling the void at Memphis. # By most accounts, Memphis forward Sean Banks is now a lock to declare for the NBA draft after being ruled academically ineligible. Where Banks falls in the draft is entirely another question. Concerns that scouts had about him before are only going to be magnified by this latest screw up. The scouts Insider surveyed all had him in the very late first round or early second. That's a pretty long fall from where he began the season. One beneficiary of Banks' stupidity should be Rodney Carney. He has been up and down all year and much of it has had to do with what Banks was doing on the floor. If he can step up and lead Memphis somewhere, anywhere, Carney will help his draft stock. Right now scouts love Carney's athleticism, but believe he's soft and disappears too much when his team puts pressure on him to produce. If he can overcome those criticisms, Carney stands to be the big winner in this fiasco. # This draft is shaping up to be one of the best point-guard drafts ever. Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Raymond Felton, John Gilchrist, Ronnie Brewer, Jarrett Jack and Curtis Stintson along with international prospects Roki Leni Ukic and Uros Tripkovic, are all possible first-round picks if they declare. Here's yet another name to chew on, Temple's Mardy Collins. The 6-5 junior point guard has earned a number of fans lately after putting on dominating displays against Wake Forest (25 points, five rebounds, seven steals) and Duke (23 points, six rebounds, six steals). In the Wake game, scouts walked away saying that Collins had outplayed Paul, many people's pick for the top selection in the draft. For the season, Collins is averaging 16.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4.8 apg and leads the NCAA with 3.8 steals per game. Unlike other "big" point guards, Collins isn't just a combo guard with a few passing skills. He can handle the ball, set up the offense, make the spectacular play and score when his team needs him. He's not the best three-point shooter of the group and has trouble defensively against small, quick point guards. Still, scouts are already calling him a first-round draft sleeper if he chooses to come out. Chad Ford writes a weekly NBA draft column for ESPN Insider.