LeBron James to the Chicago Bulls. And how.

Since we have spent the last year or so wading through the murky waters of free agency, don’t you think it’s about time we started drawing some conclusions?

But before we come to any real conclusions, a little role play. Imagine yourself as Cavaliers general manager Chris Grant. In just your second week on the job you are faced with the prospect of having to trade away the best player in franchise history in a do or die sign and trade, or watch the two time and defending league MVP simply leave town as an unrestricted free agent. Of course, there is also the possibility of resigning him, but I think the chances of that are very small.

Glad I’m not that guy.

Conclusion #1: The only one that really matters.

Steamroller Blues

I don’t know what has happened to the Celtics since the middle of April, but I like it. It isn’t a matter of rediscovering youth, they aren’t going to be able to get that back. Maybe they, and by they I mean Rasheed, have decided to buckle down, dig in, and make one last run before their primes expire.

No Redemption

Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images

Orlando is just flat out better than Atlanta, its as simple as that. When Orlando is hitting shots, it is tough for any team in the league to hang with them, of course that is as long as Howard is on the court.

Bigger Than Expected

I Love This Stuff

How can you not love playoff basketball, especially this season’s version of postseason antics? It has at once been exhilarating and boring, expected and surprising, heroic and deflating. What is left is right, up is down, yet it all is normal in the same prism that previous playoffs have been seen in.

To the Worthy

Its awards season again, that magical time where individuals are rewarded for spectacular or surprising seasons just before the sun sets on the regular season and teams are rewarded with what really matters: playoff opportunities.

Fire In the Sky

The MVP race is not really a race at all and hasn’t been since LeBron secured his second or third straight player of the month award. LeBron could go scoreless, reboundless, and assistless for the remainder of the season and still win this MVP. The competition really isn’t even competitive.

ABC Loves The Shaq

While I wasn’t too big a fan of last summer’s Shaq Vs. on ABC, the network has picked up the series for a second season, totaling six episodes. Here’s some athletes I’d like to see Shaq go up against:

When They Were President: One Liners

Baron Davis would certainly have a great presidency.

A recap and an extension of the one liners presented in the 18th Paints in the Point podcast.

Fire and Rain

The contestants for the Slam Dunk contest have been announced, and I don’t know the exact time but I just heard about it around 5:00 on TNT by the immortal Ernie Johnson. Those players are: Gerald Wallace, Nate Robinson, Shannon Brown, and Demar Derozan/Eric Gordon depending on who wins the Dunk-in event during the halftime of the rookie/sophomore game.

The Collapse of Immortality

Going into this season, there were at least four and possibly five teams that were seen as head and Dwight Howard’s shoulders above the rest of the league. Those four/five teams were, in no particular order: the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic, Cleveland Cavaliers, and possibly the San Antonio Spurs. These teams had the right combination of talent, coaching, and offseason moves to move them into the pantheon of championship contenders for at least this season. Well, something has changed, at least a little bit.

Observations on the Chicago/Utah Game

….and we’re back. Reggie Miller’s here. But the Custodian is not.

Champ’s Power Rankings: Week 4

Playoffs?

1. Los Angeles Lakers: OK, an early home schedule is good and all, and Pau Gasol is back and doing work, and everythings clicking. But, there is no but, the Lakers are the number one team in the league. However, I’m not sure Kobe’s increased scoring is a good sign or not.

2. Atlanta Hawks: Disclaimer: Yes I am writing this after watching their cold effort in their falling to the Orlando Magic, at home. But coming into Monday this team was still on fire, yes they deserve to be here now. Next week? watch out.

3. Denver Nuggets: Coming into the season I was concerned about Denver. Yes, drafting Ty Lawson is a HUGE plus, but they made no offseason moves to improve the team. But then, Carmello Anthony stepped up, he finally is dishing out points and rebounds like a true superstar. Tracking Anthony’s development at a recent trip to the pool really sold me on the Nuggets, they’ve come a long way. They had Allen Iverson around this time last year.

Observations on the Orlando/Atlanta Game

Yeah, we’re back.

The Champ sits here in his home writing this in anticipation of tonight’s game. The Octagon is now here, good to see him. We’re still waiting on the arrival of The Franchise, and The Custodian is MIA.

Observations on the Cleveland/Orlando Game

So the day has come, the Cavaliers and the Magic meet again. Both teams look different, Cleveland with Shaq, Orlando with Dwight Howard.