He also spoke about how he enjoyed the despair Magic was immersed in after having a subpar championship series in 1984 and wished it would kill him in a joking manner, while feeling vindication for his poor performance during that college loss to Magic.

Bird said, “All I could think about was Magic in the other locker room with his head down in anguish while I was holding a championship trophy.”

I find that laughable and real. That’s why I loved Bird - because he had no fake in him. He was an assassin and he took pride in destroying your confidence on the court if he could.

I had two memorable run-ins with him. The first was my first start as a rookie in the Boston Garden. He walked out for the jump ball and asked out loud who the (expletive) was going to try and guard him that night? Once he realized it was me, he immediately walked over and told me that he was going to destroy me - which he did with ease.

The next encounter was the following year, but I was a different player and was having a breakout year. I happened to be in one of my zones and was berating Bird all game long when he told me all I could do was score. The next play I gave him a head fake, popped him in the mouth and drew a foul. While I was shooting the free throw, I said out loud, “I can make you bleed too.”

He tried like heck to get me back the rest of the game, but didn’t succeed.

I thought it was over when I was in the safe haven of the locker room, but to my amazement I looked up and Bird had come in to hand me his hotel room key. He looked at me and said, “Why don’t you come over and we can finish what you started?”

I said I wasn’t going to do that so him, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish could beat me up. He started laughing and said, “We will finish this next year and I will not forget.”

I knew right then that Bird could have played on any playground where I grew up in Chicago and hold his own. Why? Larry Bird knew how to talk trash. I remember when he was wearing out Julius Erving and talking smack. Dr. J got upset and started to choke him. Bird responded with a right-handed punch.

That boy was bad.

He had entered a league dominated by African-Americans thinking he could mix it up and talk smack with any of the guys. And then back it up. He had instant respect because that was the poster boy of the league (Julius Erving!) he was trying to punk.

We had fun back in the day talking smack. We needed to stimulate ourselves back then because crowds were small and everyone pretty much had similar contracts. We competed hard against each other because come contract time, general managers were quick to compare us to similar players. So we had to outperform players who supposedly were making the type of money we wanted during free agency.

I hated every opponent I played against and I never crossed half court to visit or speak with a friend. We just did not attempt to fraternize and coaches despised the sight of it.

So why is there such a lovefest going on every time I watch a pregame warm-up and a game? The playoffs are getting ready to start and I get geared up to support my favorite team, but in the same instance gear up to cheer against teams I don’t want to win.

What turns me off is when I get to the game, I want focused warm-ups and players staying on each end of the court. But what I see is some players from teams talking, hugging and laughing. That sight makes me nauseous.

I want smack talking and comments in the paper. I want chest bumping and hard fouls. I want the officials to feel like at any moment something might break out. I want tension. I don’t want players to pick an opponent off the floor and I don’t want players smiling or communicating with opponents during the game.

I am old school. Although change is a normal function of life, I just don’t want opponents liking and respecting each other on the court. Off the court, I have no problem. It’s just a game, but on the court I want more Larry Birds.

If you play golf with me, I will tell you honestly that I hope every shot you hit goes out of bounds. I do not tell you “Great shot” and I do not give putts outside 10 inches. I played basketball and I would never consent a breakaway layup and say forget about finishing the shot, just drop the ball because I know you were going to make it. I will give you the necessary strokes to make the game even. After that, it’s a game. I want to win and after the round, I will buy you lunch with your money. They say golf is a gentleman’s game. Well, I am being honest and that’s as nice as I will get until we are done.

I could not understand why the media seemed so interested in LeBron James walking off the court last year without congratulating the Orlando Magic. Oh, so after the Magic players and fans beat him up, berated him and then sent him home, they felt it necessary for him to turn around and say congratulations?

Basketball is his life. When you lose, you go home and sulk, get better and think about redeeming yourself the next year. You don’t think about going to hug a guy that’s jumping up and down having a party at your expense. What you do is go take a shower, sulk and get your emotions in order. Then, if inclined to do so, go to their locker room and congratulate the victors.

Now I agree that you never do what the Pistons did to the Bulls in 1991 by walking off the floor as a team before the game was over. That was poor sportsmanship at its finest.

I never saw the Lakers or Celtics congratulate each other during those great championship series. Whoever lost just left the floor in a hurry and no media member ever said a word. Now it’s a problem when Peyton Manning walks off the field after losing the Superbowl.

The AAU has made the players in basketball soft and in turn the media has followed suit. Before the AAU, we just heard stories about other great players. Because of the AAU, NBA players have been playing against each other since birth. So I understand the lovefest, but I don’t have to like it.

The playoffs are coming up and I am excited. I want all coaches to pull a Pat Riley and stop the fraternization before games. Maybe the league needs to drop a curtain down the middle of the court and lift it when the game starts.

Or maybe just have Larry Bird go speak to every team before the season ends and show them how it’s really done!

I understand even if Oden never lives up to expectations, the Blazers will not be blamed. Why? Because everyone in the NBA, media and fans said they should not pass up Oden and take Kevin Durant. OK, but the Blazers got a better close up and personal view during individual workouts. Because of what they saw, Durant should have been a no-brainer.

I was told by a credible Blazer source that Durant had the best workout they had ever seen. They said he passed with flying colors every obstacle they threw his way. On the other hand, Oden’s first workout was a disaster and they had to stop it and bring him back a few hours later without media watching. I will admit that should not have forced the Blazers to draft Durant, but it should have alerted them to the type of player Durant would become.

I have always been told that your first instinct is usually the best and the Blazers behind closed doors are kicking themselves for not taking Durant three years ago. Injuries can happen to anyone, so this does not play into my decision to make these statements. Oden has the same chance to get hurt as anyone else and unfortunately it’s been him on a regular basis. I still believe he will grow into an All-Star if he can ever stay healthy, but Durant was just the best choice and he is proving it every night. He’s a scoring machine and the most efficient scorer at small forward in the NBA with all due respect to Carmelo Anthony, one of my favorites.

When I first heard of the negatives attributed to Durant in terms of not being strong enough, I was in agreement that he needed more bulk to compete at the NBA level. I made a huge mistake and I should have known better. George Gervin proved that being skinny was not a hindrance back when defenders could maul you, so why did we make such an example of a 6-foot-10 kid out of Texas?

Well, there’s a pretty simple answer… We didn’ think he’d become a reincarnation of Gervin. We thought he would be a skinny Jermaine O’Neal with a jumpshot. We all understood Durant could shoot, but we thought his strength would be a problem because of his height and what position he would eventually have to play. We did not look at the ballhandling ability and the smarts he possesses and that is why he has proven us all wrong in that respect. He can play any position on the floor and therefore has become the most versatile scorer in the NBA.

There are five reasons why Kevin Durant is one of the top scorers in the game and these reasons will eventually move him into the Top 5 scorers in NBA history if he stays away from injuries.

- We already know Durant is an excellent jump shooter, but that skill alone does not make him the great scorer that he has become. Jason Kapono and JJ Redick are very good shooters, but are not and will never be big-time scorers.

Durant understands angles, timing and, most importantly, how to catch the ball in his range. These weapons make him extremely dangerous on the basketball court. Durant is a rhythm three-point shooter. That is not his strength, although defenders for the most part think it is.

This myth tends to relax defenders when Durant catches the ball below the arc, which really plays into the actual strength of his game. The key to any great scorer is the mid-range game and the rules protecting offensive players when they catch and face a defender provide a smorgasbord of points for Durant. He has mastered the Thunder’s offensive playbook and the art of receiving the ball 20 feet and in on the catch. So when he pivots towards the defender in a triple-threat position, the defender’s only option is to retreat a step and subconsciously lower arms worried about a one-dribble drive to the basket. When defenders falls into that position, they are automatically at the mercy of Durant.

His height and arm length automatically give him the confidence of knowing he will not get his shot blocked and his first step allows him the comfort of knowing the defender will not body-up on him. So Durant now has his defender on a string. If Durant threatens a drive, the defender drops his arms – thus giving up the mid-range shot. If the defender raises his arms, Durant can attack off the dribble. Most importantly, because Durant is one dribble away from a dunk, the help defenses can’t offer much help. So the defender is on Durant’s Island of Terror and that movie is R-Rated and extremely scary.

- If you are going to score over 25 points a game, you better not have a conscience. Durant has never had one. Scorers like Durant enter an arena with two thoughts in mind: 1. I want to win and 2. I want to score 50 on you in the process. When you have this thought process, you don’t carry your feelings on your sleeve. Why? Well, for one you tend to drive your coach crazy at times with ill-advised shots. You also tend to wear on fans at times if you are having an off night and they would rather have you pass than keep shooting.

The most important thing (and here is where great scorers get separation is relationship with teammates)… Scorers have to reel their teammates in with consistency and relentless effort. Scorers are not out to make friends and if they have teammates who don’t like them because of it, they just have to keep relentlessly working their approach every game. What eventually happens is those same teammates start passing the scorer the ball more than others.

Durant has had the most difficult job of any big-time scorer in the league because he is on a young team and they all have something to prove. The only player that seems to be in competition with Durant at times is Russell Westbrook, but he seemed to get on board somewhat after Durant went on that multiple run of 25-plus games. Durant, although unassuming, is an assassin and he is tough as nails when it comes to the art of scoring the basketball.

- I love Durant’s demeanor on the court. He has the same look and walk at the start of the game and at the end. He allows his game to do the talking and rarely do you see a waste of energy with excessive celebrations after a basket. Why? Because he plans on scoring a bunch, so conserving energy is a must.

You want to know the biggest advantage for a scorer like Durant? He rolls off excessive contact and he uses his energy when needed. That is the only way he can get numbers like he puts up every night. LeBron James and Kobe Bryant are different scorers because they handle the ball much more than Durant. Durant is being challenged constantly with physical play and he does not buy into the confrontations. He buys into buckets!

I once had a teammate who desired to be a scorer and complained all the time. I remember we had three scorers out and the coach ran five straight plays for him and he did not get one shot off. Some players have no idea how much of an effort it is to get up 20 shots a game with defenses smothering you. Durant believes he is supposed to make baskets and the look he portrays after drilling a jumper in a defender’s face cuts deep into the psyche of any rival.

- Scotty Brooks has Coach of the Year wrapped up and personally I think he has done one of the best coaching jobs in years. This young team in Oklahoma is for real. Please name me a young team led by a third-year star with mediocre veteran help winning like this club? Brooks is doing something I have never seen. Convincing a young team to allow Durant to be the star was huge. Durant had to prove he was worthy of taking the lead and proving his coach correct and he has in a big way. I have not talked to Brooks, but I heard the only conversation Durant likes to engage in is how he can become a lock-down defender like Kobe and LeBron. The right coach can enhance a great scorer and Brooks has done it with unbelievable consistency.

- The most important piece in the maturation of this great scorer is… Teammates. They cheered him when he was on his streak of 25-point games and they stand up when he breaks ankles. That tells me Durant is grounded with his teammates. That tells me he communicates and supports them when they have success. That tells me he has ingrained in their minds that he deserves to take 20 shots per game and they should make sure he gets his touches. Most people outside of the team might think this is easy, but it is not. Egos prevail in NBA locker rooms and positioning for the next payday can interfere with making sure your strengths are taken care of on a nightly basis.

There are eight players in the NBA that I personally enjoy watching: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant. I picked these players for my own personal reasons. When I first watched Durant play an AAU game five years ago in a hot gym In Houston, I knew he would be special and special he has become.

They say everyone has a twin in life. Well, George Gervin, you have found yours. Enjoy watching your clone for the next decade.

Playing in the NBA is a privilege and no one owes you anything. I want all NBA players to investigate how many hard-working Americans in this country lost jobs these past few years. So now think about how silly it sounds when you are worried about moving from one job to the next, but still receiving the same check. You are worried about a truck moving your furniture from one mansion to the next. Yes, I understand the anxiety of leaving your family midstream. I got traded twice in the same scenario to Seattle from Phoenix and from Indiana to Houston via Denver.

Not one time did my wife say stay home and forget basketball. She packed my bags and said, Go prove them wrong and, most importantly, keep making that money. If Cleveland was to cut LeBron James and no team picked him up, the league would still go on. This is the nature of sports. And when you start to believe you are being done wrong… Well, that’s when you become short-lived.

Every player that was traded this deadline and still can put on a uniform should be extremely thankful they still have a job and every player that had his name tossed about in many rumors should not be offended if they are still playing with the same team.

The one player I was extremely impressed with during this trading period was Amare Stoudemire. He never lashed out or said, I want out. He said one simple statement which rings true and I wish every player when mentioned in rumors will express.

He said, If I end up in Cleveland or Miami that will be fine or if I stay in Phoenix that will be OK as well.

I could care less if he meant it or not. It let me know that he has now come to grips that whatever happens when you are under contract is out of your control. So deal with it and adjust.

Here are my thoughts on the deals that were done…

- The Cavaliers just peeked through the door and said “boo“ to the Celtics, Magic, Hawks and Lakers. I believe that these are the top teams in the NBA and the Cavaliers just pulled off a coup. Antawn Jamison gives the Cavaliers a player who can score 30 with zero plays ran for him. Jamison has the best array of shots from any position on the floor of any player in the league. Would Amare have been huge for them? Yes, but Jamison is a constant mover and because of that strength he will get high-percentage shots in the Cavalier offense. He is also a very good rebounder on both glasses. The major attribute is his tremendous leadership skills and desire to finally go deep into the playoffs. I picked the Cavaliers last year to win it all and I assume I have just jumped back on their wagon with the addition of Jamison.

- I am so glad Tracy McGrady is back in a uniform. The problem is… Do the Knicks really intend on giving him a chance to show he is still the same player? We all know this was about salary cap, but if Tracy is willing to take a paycut next year, the Knicks could still add two top-notch players not named Lebron and Dwyane Wade and become a playoff contender in 2011. The Knicks have stayed with the plan of freeing up a ton of money and now we can sit back and watch how everything plays out without draft picks. The addition of Eddie House will help stabilize a locker room that could fracture mentally as the season winds down.

- I like Kevin Martin, but I don’t understand the Rockets giving up their best interior scorer. Carl Landry will become an All- Star with the Kings and that’s a guarantee. Landry is a horse and Paul Westphal will love him. Martin will have to share shots with Aaron Brooks, which means the frontcourt for the Rockets better get on the glass to get looks. I hope Rick Adelman can find a way to keep those big guys happy when his guards are taking 70 percent of the shots.

- When I first saw Marquis Daniels and Josh Howard as rookies playing for Dallas, I thought those two could become stars. They should be a great example for young players like OJ Mayo, Russell Westbrook, Brook Lopez, etcetera. You can never rest on your laurels. Even if you get a head start in the league, that does not mean you win the race. The race is about how many years you can perform at a consistent pace and reach the level we expected. Howard is off to one of the loneliest islands in the NBA, the Washington Wizards. I understand he was hurt consistently over the last few years, but Kobe Bryant put up numbers with a broken finger and bad ankle.

With the addition of Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood, the Mavericks are definitely one of the top teams in the West. But they will only go deep in the playoffs if Haywood and Erick Dampier provide great interior defense. Butler is a very gifted player and I am extremely excited he has a chance to redeem himself and get back to the player I really enjoyed watching.

- When Marcus Camby got traded to Portland from the Clippers, they said he was so upset that he ran out of the team dinner. I really find that hard to believe. I believe this is what really happened… Camby, not wanting to seem too enthusiastic, used the acting classes he was secretly taking during off days in Los Angeles. He turned his head and threw some water in his eyes, slammed his fist down on the dinner table and for good measure uttered a few obscenities. He then raced out the restaurant, ran around the corner and started doing cartwheels and screaming with joy.

The Blazers have put themselves in a tremendous position to make a serious run come playoffs. The key is obviously Brandon Roy getting healthy and quite possibly Greg Oden coming back for the playoffs. I think Camby deserves to be on a team that is primed to win now and I am glad the Clippers made him use his acting lessons.

I do like Travis Outlaw a lot. I think he and Blake Griffin will cause a ton of matchup problems next year. I am still one of those superstitious people that believe the Clippers are cursed until they move out of L.A. and create their own identity. They were a more competitive team when they played in San Diego and I would love to see them in Anaheim one of these years.

- Darko Milicic is off to Minnesota for one of my favorite players – Brian Cardinal. Brian is the son of one of my favorite trainers when I was at Illinois – Rob Cardinal. Joe Dumars‘ nightmare refuses to go away. Joe, please admit this guy haunts you. I think it is pretty obvious he can’t play and wants to go home. Kurt Rambis, do him a favor and let Darko go home. We really need to stop punishing this guy.

- The Bulls give up Tyrus Thomas to the Bobcats and get a steal in Hakim Warrick for John Salmons. I really like Warrick because he is not just athletic, but he can actually put that orange ball in the basket. Also, Flip Murray from Charlotte will carry the Bulls offensively on nights when they need him. Thomas, welcome to the world of getting the ultimate teacher in Larry Brown.

Tyrus, here is some advice from a former player of Coach Brown. Listen and listen well. Because if you do, you might become a pretty good basketball player and not just an athlete. There is a reason why you have not progressed, so get ready to make your mouth small and ears big or you will be out the league and a European star in a few years.

- Lionel Hollins just got more energy to throw on the floor with Ronnie Brewer. I can’t see him playing a ton of minutes, but he will play a very good defensive role in the fourth quarter when the Grizzlies can rotate OJ Mayo and Sam Young out for Brewer.

- I mention Theo Ratliff because he might become a starter for the Bobcats. Brown loves defensive-minded big men who do not crave the ball. Ratliff also brings a good spirit to a team that has some characters.

The landscape is similar. The Lakers, Cavaliers Magic, Celtics and Hawks are still the teams to beat, but the most fun will be the competitive teams at the bottom of the Western Conference fighting for playoff spots. The best month of basketball (March) is almost here and I can’t wait.

I will admit that the athletes that grace our NBA courts today are better overall athletes compared to players 15 years ago, but in the same sense they are probably the softest and most mentally timid I have ever seen.

The league has relaxed the rules to a point that if you can actually put the ball on the floor two times, an average player becomes pretty good offensively. Still they complain when a player makes contact. Don’t they realize we had to play through hand checking from end to end? Don’t they realize there was a time a defender could put two hands in your back on the post? Don’t they realize when you drove the lane players would take you out without the threat of a flagrant foul or ejection?

If Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Larry Bird, Karl Malone and Charles Barkley played in today’s game with these rules, only two current players would be still getting superstar attention: Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. Why? Because they are physically and mentally tougher than anyone in the game.

Young players like Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Amare Stoudemire, Dwight Howard, etcetera, would be very good players… But would trail behind the players I listed. My word to players in today’s game is to toughen up both mentally and physically. And, most importantly, stop complaining.

If I hear one more coach or announcer complain about a team playing back-to-back games or four times in five nights, I am going to scream. If those great players listed above did not have to play three games in three nights or six games in seven days back then, what kind of numbers would they have had? I sometimes think the players today think NBA players have always flown charters, had equipment managers to wash their uniforms and carry them. Most importantly, I assume they think teams provided meals before and after games.

What David Stern should do every year for two months is take away the charters and make them fly commercial, force players to wash their own uniforms and play three games in three nights in three different time zones. I would bet that the appreciation would return immediately for how good this league has become and the part they play in it.

I picked these players as my mid-season disappointing Top 10 for various reasons. Most of them have very good stats, but could be playing much better and hopefully they will turn it around for the sake of their teams in the second half of the season.

10. Manu Ginobili, San Antonio

I know he has been injured over the last few years, but so have Kobe Bryant and Amare Stoudemire. He seems to have aged five years since last season. He went 0-10 against OKC the other day and I would not have ever imagined a player that gets to the basket like Ginobili would have that kind of night. 40 percent from the field is horrible for a scorer like Ginobili, so you would hope he improves dramatically in the second half and gets back in rhythm.

9. Mehmet Okur, Utah

This guy is a classic underachiever. Okur has everything a complete player needs except the toughness to top it off. He can post up, shoot from anywhere on the court and pass the ball, but yet Jerry Sloan never knows what he’s going to get from Okur. No way should he be shooting 42 percent from the field with his all-around game. I know they are trying to trade Carlos Boozer and that could be the wrong move if Okur does not become a more consistent player.

8. Vince Carter, Orlando

This is not all Vince Carter’s fault. Why would a team that made the Finals a year ago allow a player to come in and take a team-leading 15 shots per game while he is shooting a terrible 39 percent from the field? Carter is doing what he has always done. He should have been instructed by the most dominant player on the team, Dwight Howard, that he wants the ball and Carter could have made it happen. Carter is streaky and when healthy will explode, but the Magic will not repeat as Eastern champs if Carter is taking most of the shots.

7. Dwight Howard, Orlando

He’ the only superstar on this list. And that’s because he’s too nice. Howard is averaging 10 free-throw attempts a game while attempting 9 shots. Yes, I know that equates to more attempts than it really shows. But here is the problem… Rashard Lewis, Vince Carter and Jameer Nelson are shooting terrible from the field. Howard has to demand the ball more and convince those three that their percentage and confidence will rise accordingly. He will get them to the bonus early in quarters and thus soften the defensive pressure on his jump shooters. Every scorer knows the way to consistent shooting is getting to the line and Howard is the highway to getting them there.

6. Derrick Rose, Chicago

The last Rookie of the Year has not excelled in terms of leadership in the fashion I expected. He should be averaging much more than 6 assists a game even if running mate Ben Gordon is not there. Defensively, he has not improved either. Just one steal per game. I admit the Bulls are in a little turmoil lately, but this should not be affecting Rose, who has the ability to become one of the top point guards in the league for many years to come. I expect Rose to take off in the second half and one signal is his ability to score consistently in the fourth quarter when his team needs him most.

5. Andrew Bogut, Milwaukee

The Australian center is putting up very good numbers, but a No. 1 pick should be a star. He has excellent footwork and a high IQ on the court, but it seems like he is satisfied with just being OK. I saw him miss a game-tying layup from point-blank range against the Suns last week. He tried a finger roll instead of emphatically tearing the rim down. I like Brandon Jennings, but do you think Hakeem Olajuwon or Shaquille O’Neal in their prime would allow a rookie to jack up three-point shots with 15 seconds on the shot clock.

4. Elton Brand, Philadelphia

I honestly thought Brand would make an easy adjustment from Achilles surgery because he plays well below the rim, but he looks slow and mechanical. He has had some solid games and has sent messages that he can get it done on some nights, but not at the consistent level coach Eddie Jordan would like. I think we should wait a while before we solidify that Brand will not get back to an All-Star level, but the window is slowly closing.

3. Ben Gordon, Detroit

Detroit has not had a good run when it comes to acquiring players lately. Gordon is a fabulous offensive talent, but I just questioned where he would fit on a team with a plethora of swingmen. He needs to be the center of attention in a halfcourt game, but they have Richard Hamilton, Rodney Stuckey and a fireball in Will Bynum. I would not be surprised to see Gordon somewhere else next season.

2. Caron Butler, Washington

A few years ago this was one of my favorite players, but something has happened and I don’t like it. I see a player that had a good body looking overweight and out of shape. He is not as explosive as he once was and most importantly I don’t see the hungry and dirty approach to the game in terms of a physical presence. He is shooting 42 percent from the field and that has to come up, but only if he loses a few pounds and works on his conditioning.

1. LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland

He is No. 1 because I think he should be an All-Star every year if he wanted to. He plays the game too soft and seems to back further and further away from the basket the more physical it gets. He has a decent post game and excellent mid-range shot, but does not know how to mix it up. This will be a major problem as we enter the second half of the season. Juwan Howard will not be able to continue to log big-time minutes as the season winds towards the playoffs. Aldridge should be a better field-goal percentage shooter – similar to Amare Stoudemire. But the most surprising stat is he is a terrible shot blocker. The Blazers have lost two centers and now it’s time for Aldridge to get tougher and play like he is capable of or they will struggle to make the playoffs.

Tracy McGrady

I feel sorry for McGrady because I have seen it all too often and, quite frankly, I experienced it myself playing for Larry Brown in Indiana and in Houston with Rudy Tomjanovich. The very thought that a coach does not believe you can help him win breaks your heart and your spirit. McGrady has played basketball in the NBA since he was 18 and has always been considered a major part of his teams. Now he is healthy and without a team.

When this occurs, the agent and close family members should play a vital role in countering the emotions of an unhappy player. If that is the case with McGrady, then they let him down. He should be still in a Rocket Uniform and waiting for the right opportunity for Adelman to use him more frequently. The Rockets are sure to hit a road bump or suffer a key injury and that would have allowed McGrady to showcase his talents for a team that wants him for the right reasons and not just as a one-year rental for salary cap purposes.

I understand why Adelman is refusing to disrupt his rotation for the highest paid player in the NBA and here are those reasons.

1. Quite simple, they are winning. Why create tension and controversy in the locker room for a player who has missed a lot of games?

2. Adelman has always liked ball movement and McGrady is a catch-and-explore player. The Rockets’ strength is their unselfish nature and tough defense. Why rock the boat for one player?

3. McGrady is a health risk, so why change the rotation for a player that might not last the season?

These reasons alone will not allow McGrady to play consistently. Adelman is old school and definitely will not be influenced to do so.

The only option is a trade and now the challenge for the Rockets and McGrady is to locate a team willing to trade for T-Mac the basketball player and not T-Mac the expiring contract.

Unfortunately, the only teams that will take a look want major cap space next year. So if I was Tracy McGrady, I would move back to Chicago and continue to work with Tim Grover and be ready when the trade happens (if it happens). He will eventually become a free agent and will probably suffer the worst contract drop of any athlete in the history of sports.

A $23 million contract could for all intents and purposes drop to a mid-level contract or below. This will test the love of the game for McGrady and only then will teams run for his services next season. This year, the Knicks or Nets are the logical choices and I believe he will end up with either one before the All-Star break.

I hope McGrady realizes his place as the top scorer is probably over, but he could still be a valuable asset if he checks the ego at the door. I hope he does because he deserves a chance to help someone win a championship next year if he is healthy and ready to play a role.

I was with the Houston Rockets and we were playing the Mavericks. Charles Barkley threw me a cross court pass and my brain said, “Move forward and jump.” The problem was that when the message got to my legs, a Maverick had jumped in front of me and was headed the other way. We called a timeout and as I was walking to the bench, Charles was laughing and I said my legs would not move. It was the weirdest feeling I had ever had in my basketball life.

The second thing was when I noticed I had no brakes anymore. The basket support was my breaks and it became laughable every time I was driving to the basket. One time I missed the support and ran halfway to the locker room before I could stop.

I still was productive despite my problems, but I knew the time was near and when the Rockets acquired Scottie Pippen and put me on the injured list during the lockout season. I knew my time was over. I had the toughest and most difficult time dealing with the fact it was over, but I took solace in knowing that I exhausted every ounce of my basketball energy.

I knew, despite teams inquiring, that I was done. I retired at the ripe old age of 40.

Allen Iverson, you are not done. You have so much more to show us. Stop listening to the people who probably have you in this frame of mind today.

You know, the ones who sat around all day waiting for you to come home while you were at practice working your rear off.

You know, the ones who relied on you to make sure all their bills were paid and gifts flowing in their direction.

You know, the ones who walked behind you and thought they were you and demanded respect from people like you received.

You know, the ones who told you constantly it was always your teammates and the coach’s fault when negative reactions were directed at you.

You know, the ones who probably weren’t too happy you got married and started to raise a family, because it took your attention away from them.

I am just guessing here, but just watching you over the course of your career you have always remained loyal to your past. I applaud you for the gesture and commitment, but it’s time to put yourself first and listen to your conscience and not anyone else’s.

Just watching you over the last 13 years and the way you threw your body around, playing hurt, averaging 41 minutes a game for your career… You proved to me and anyone who watched you that Allen Iverson is the toughest player pound for pound in the history of the game.

That commitment is unbreakable. Allen, you are married to this game. You can’t just walk away because you can’t make the adjustment. You have been married a number of years. Adjustments is what you do when you love someone and something.

Why can’t you mentor young players while still helping a team get to the playoffs or win a championship?

Why are you fighting against helping and teaching the very players who purchased your shoes and grew up wanting to be Allen Iverson?

Why are you walking away from a game that made Allen Iverson a cult figure so soon because you are expected to make a change?

We loved your game because you fought, scratched and clawed your way into becoming a first ballot Hall of Famer. So why go away without showing younger players that you can make a change and still help teams win?

Michael Jordan showed me a lot when he didn’t care about perception. He knew he would struggle playing with the Washington Wizards. He played because he loved the game and he felt that he had more to give. He is not even remembered for those few years with the Wizards and is still considered the greatest basketball player ever.

Allen, we are not dumb. We know your numbers and production will go down because you will have to make adjustments. What we would like to see you do is playing for a contender.

Allen, don’t you realize you could tip the scales for a number of potential championship teams this season by becoming their sixth man.

The Celtics, Magic, Cavaliers, Hawks, Suns, Lakers, Spurs could all use you in the right capacity.

Allen, here is my advice… Take a month off and go talk to a number of great players like Karl Malone, Barkley, John Stockton and Patrick Ewing and ask them what they would do to win a championship and what would they do in your shoes?

You have time to change your decision and this time look in the mirror and do what is right for Allen Iverson.

I say you will come back. You are The Answer and we will be waiting.

They backed off Iverson for one simple reason: Mike D’Antoni did his homework by calling around to former coaches and that sealed the deal for a player that has failed to realize what is happening to him is not personal. It’s a message that his time at the top of the food chain is over. He is not first in line anymore. Although being the fourth, fifth of sixth option can still pay the bills, he would rather be sitting at home than play backup to a young player. Why did he think Jerry Stackhouse fought him tooth and nail his rookie year when Iverson took over 1,500 shots? This NBA is a young man’s game and when the Association feels like it’s time to move you to the backseat, you have two choices – put your seat belt on and let someone else learn to drive or get out.

I give the Knicks credit for understanding Iverson would not be the answer, but the same stubbornness Iverson exerts can best describe the organization and head coach Mike D’Antoni.

The Knicks are riding into the summer of 2010 with the belief that James, Wade, Bosh or Stoudemire will join the Knicks.

Why? Let’s see.

New York is the Mecca of basketball, New York is a endorsement extravaganza, New York’s nightlife is second to none, New Yorkers understand the game better than most, if you win in New York you are held in high regard throughout the basketball universe, etcetera, etcetera.

Those assumptions are correct if you win a title, but what New Yorkers must come to realize is that the draw of yesteryear is not here anymore. The Knicks got extremely close during the years of Patrick Ewing and since he left it has been a downward spiral. The idea of signing on as the savior and quite possibility facing the negative aspect of playing for the Knicks will scare any superstar – including LeBron.

These superstars also realize they will not win alone and that sucking up most of the salary cap will lock up the ability to put the right pieces around them. The Knicks, in their exuberance to cut costs, will probably lose the major talent they have in David Lee, thus leaving a star with a roster of question marks.

Why would LeBron or Wade want to leave an environment where the fans understand their minor shortcomings and where they have teammates who know how to give them the space they need to perform?
The only reason would be personal, but the scary scenario for the Knicks is that these two targets are as unselfish as they come and already have endorsements that will last a lifetime.

Bosh and Stoudemire are big-time possibilities, but they already play in an up-tempo system. Bosh is having a career season with arguably one of the top 5 point guards in Jose Calderon. Amare is playing with Steve Nash, who is the reason we talk about 7 Seconds or Less.

The Knicks have dug a serious hole in terms of perception. The only way out would be to change the type of basketball they play and prove to James and Wade that they have solid players to surround them in a system conducive to their abilities.

Maybe there would be a chance, but that depends on the Knicks other stubborn problem.

Mike D’Antoni is a very good coach, but his stubbornness in sticking with a system that is weak without Steve Nash, Chris Paul, Deron Williams or (oops!) Brandon Jennings will lead to failure. He needs to change and he has yet to give in to the thought. He has to recognize that LeBron and Wade like to lope and then explode. They don’t play fast constantly and they would struggle playing with guys who jack up three-point shots with 20 seconds on the shot clock. They like to facilitate and control the action and not being allowed to do so would cause major problems.

D’Antoni has a piece in Eddy Curry that could allow him to prove he can integrate a controlled offense.

Even the Phoenix Suns, who are back to the run-and-gun style, are only winning because they are not trying to run for the full 48 minutes. They are incorporating a good half-court offense, rebounding and focusing more on defense.

The Knicks will probably win less than 20 games this season and that is why D’Antoni should start showing that he can indeed become a more versatile coach. He has to realize that LeBron and Wade understand you will not win a championship if defense is not a focal point. He has to give them a glimpse of who they might be possibly playing with. Again, the thought of frustrated New York fans will strike fear in any great player.

I believe James and Wade will stay where they are and Bosh will become the Knicks’ main target. I love the growth and abilities of Bosh, but who wants to sign with a team knowing Knick fans will be irate and despondent over not adding James and Wade?

Donnie Walsh is one the most respected general managers ever, but I would really hate to be in his shoes next summer.

Every year I attend one, I am amazed at how something I despised as a player has now become so comfortable. You have a conversation with anybody that played until the mid 90’s and they will tell you some horror stories about those 28 days.

“No pain no gain” has always been a favorite quote of a majority of committed athletes. Well, the pain part in reference to an NBA training camp in that era was a combination of mental and physical pain that no one looked forward to. Some guys would purposely delay signing a contract to avoid it.

Today, NBA teams will only go on average through three days of two-a-day practices and one of them is deemed “No contact.” Back then, we virtually went two-a –days for 28 straight days and if you had an old-school coach like Cotton Fitzsimmons, you might get a three-a-day practice.

I know you are thinking, what about exhibition game days? Didn’t matter. Our shootaround practices were taped and lasted two hours.

Today’s NBA players are housed in five-star hotels during camp.

We usually were isolated in dorm rooms with a roommate. Or we stayed at three-star hotels with not so good room service. If you were a rookie, it was extremely tough because you had to wash all the uniforms between practices and provide newspapers and donuts on a consistent basis.

I really do envy today’s players and I applaud them for getting these rules established during collective bargaining. To me, training camp brings memories of the horror movie “28 Days Later”.

I was asked in an interview the other day if I thought the Suns would be tired because of their travel schedule during training camp. I responded, “Are you serious?”

OK, let’s look at it!

The Suns are staying at a five-star resort in San Diego. They will have only three two-a-day practices. They fly charter. And you are asking me that question? What is so tiring about that?

I immediately started re-hashing old experiences in my mind and sweating. It was like going through those nightmarish camps with Cotton Fitzsimmons all over again. Two instances came to mind!

My rookie year in Kansas City was a book in itself. I had-old school veterans like Sam Lacy, Phil Ford, Ernie Grunfeld, Joe C. Meriweather, Leon Douglas and Reggie King. We were into our first week of training camp and already had gone through 13 practices. My legs were like rubber, my quads and hamstrings felt like they were holding on by a string. We traveled to Memphis to play the Utah Jazz on back-to-back games. The shootaround before the games was basically practices and back then we would scrimmage against the team we were playing. The scrimmages were actually more competitive than the games because we were not bonded by rules. Fights were normal and trash talking was out of control. Those game-day scrimmages would last two hours and after five hours of sleep, we were at it again later that night. We happened to play extremely poorly that night and the next. This leads to the most tortuous day of basketball I have ever experienced in my life.

After the second game, for some reason, a few of our veterans decided to break curfew. And boy, did we pay a price none of us will ever forget. Cotton was so livid we had three taped practices the next day.

The first practice lasted two hours. The middle practice was actually another scrimmage against Utah and not surprisingly they kicked our behinds again. The last practice consisted of a mile run for time and about 30 suicides. Players were falling like flies. After it was over, you could not help but laugh at how teammates were actually falling to the floor with cramps or just exhausted. Never again did any of us think about breaking a Cotton Fitzsimmons curfew.

Exhibition games meant nothing. Practices were more valuable and players understood that to be the case as well. But my next story gives you more insight into the insane competitive nature of Michael Jordan.

Entering the 1988-89 season, I was a Phoenix Sun with the same coach – Cotton Fitzsimmons. We had a young and up-and-coming team led by Kevin Johnson and Tom Chambers. We happened to be on another two-city tour with the Chicago Bulls. We had gone through a grueling training camp and again my body felt like someone just beat me with a bat for five hours. The first night we embarrassed the Bulls and blew them out. We see Michael and his teammates out at a local club after the game and the obvious trash talking occurs. Both teams have to catch a 6 am commercial flight the next day headed to Louisville for a rematch, but unbeknownst to me Michael had other plans. When both teams checked into the hotel and were having breakfast, Michael suggested we come and play a popular card game amongst athletes called “tonk”.

Tom Chambers, Tyrone Corbin and I entered Jordan’s room around 10:30 am. Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant and Jack Haley are waiting to play cards. At about 3:30 pm I am ready to go get a quick nap, but Jordan refuses to quit. I decide to call Cotton and make up an excuse about why I can’t play that night and he says no problem. At 5:30 pm, we have no choice but to quit because the bus leaves for the game at 6:15 pm. When I stood up after seven hours of playing cards, I could barely walk. Tom Chambers immediately called Cotton and said he couldn’t play. He said OK, but by then Cotton was getting suspicious.

Before we left the room, Jordan looked at us and said, “I am going to give your boy Dan Majerle 40 tonight.” Now understand he was sitting for seven hours just like us and yet he was determined to give Majerle 40 points in an exhibition game. We asked why he was so determined to attack Majerle. He said Dan guarded him when he was playing with a select team against the 1988 Olympic squad and everyone bragged about how Dan shut him down. I was like, “No way you get 25.” That was based on how my legs were feeling at the moment.

Meanwhile, Cotton was extremely suspicious about why all of sudden all three of us were asking for the game off. Well, Jordan gave Majerle 40 that night and I watched in amazement how he was flying around the court and we three were on the bench stiff and fatigued.

On one of his last plays of the night, Jordan caught the ball by our bench with Majerle guarding him. He looked at Cotton and said, “I took your boys’ money today at cards and I am getting ready to take him baseline and dunk on him.”

He did exactly that, Cotton called timeout and asked Dan why he was so mad at him. Majerle was flustered and said, “I didn’t do anything.”

True story!

Also Cotton realized why we three could not play that night and we paid a serious price the next day at practice. A scheduled single practice immediately was changed to a double session and our teammates were not too happy about it.

Training Camp brings back those kinds of memories for me. It is a necessary evil. In order to deal with the 82-game seasons, you have to experience it. I just wish I could experience the training camps of today.

So a message to current players: Don’t complain about how long and tough the current training camps are because players you idolized are saying, “Only if you knew!”

This will definitely be a competitive year and I expect this list to change come mid-season…

25. Ray Allen (24)

Ray had a very good year. He struggled at times in the playoffs, but in his defense he is better running off screens than spotting up. He had to stand a lot during the playoffs and he struggled at times because of it. Allen shot 4 percentage points above his career field-goal average last year. He averaged 18 points, shot 40 percent from behind the arc and nailed 92 percent of his free throws. Allen should flourish even more with Kevin Garnett back and the equally unselfish Rasheed Wallace on board.

24. Devin Harris

Speed kills and Harris has it. He jumps in at 24 and should be here to stay. Harris can get to the basket with the best of them and make his free throws at an 82 percent clip. Played only 69 games and shot a dismal 43 percent from the field, but I love his upside and I think he will flourish on a Nets team that will struggle all season. If Harris is not a Top 20 player this season, I will be disappointed.

23. Shaquille O’Neal (18)

Shaq had a great season last year in Phoenix although the Suns failed to advance to the playoffs. He was in tremendous shape and proved he can still flourish when in that condition. It will be interesting to see if he can duplicate it knowing the offense will not run through him like it did last year. I know he has his limitations on defense, but the Cavaliers have excellent perimeter defenders and his job will be much simpler than it was last year. LeBron will get him easy baskets, but the prevailing question is… Can he deal with getting out of King James’ way a majority of the time? That will be an issue on the court and in the locker room.

22. Danny Granger (23)

Granger has an old-school game in a new-school body. Takes what the defense gives him and makes you pay. 25 points per game and 87 from the line will give the Pacers a chance every night. Only played in 67 games last year and still put up crazy numbers. I would like to see his passing and defense improve before he moves into consistent All-Star category, but the Pacers have a player that will remind them of the scoring Reggie Miller left with.

21. Al Jefferson (25)

The best low-post ability in the game, when he is rolling he is virtually unguardable. The injury slowed him up, but it will not affect him because he plays below the rim. I believe he will become a better player because he will need to be more cerebral coming back from a season-ending injury. The Wolves unfortunately will still be bad for the next few years, but if Jefferson continues to grow as a player they will indeed have their cornerstone.

20. Kevin Durant

All I can say is, “League, watch out.” This young man can play and got better at a rapid pace with every game last year. George Gervin reincarnated with crazy range. At 20 years old, he poured in 25 points a game, shot 48 percent and grabbed almost 7 rebounds. He will be an All-Star the rest of his career and will flirt with the All-NBA team at season’s end. The one surprising aspect of his game that also has gotten much better is his defense. He should study film of ex NBA player Derrick McKey because he could become that type of defender before it’s over. The one area he needs to continue to grow in is leadership. He has a tendency to wander into his own world and forget about his teammates. He will move up on this list by mid-season and that’s a guarantee.

19. Steve Nash (22)

I have no idea why Nash has moved up three spots, but I suspect with the way the Suns will play again this year he will be higher come mid-season. For the third straight year he shot 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from three-point range and 90 percent from the free-throw line (a record). All due respect to Ray Allen, but Steve Nash is by far the best shooter in the game and has been for the last six years. Nash also still found time to average 9.7 assists a game. He is the consummate professional and a teammate’s dream because he has no prejudice when he steps on the court. If you get open, you get the ball.

18. Joe Johnson (16)

Johnson, a personal favorite of mine, has probably the best handle for his size next to LeBron and Kobe. I would definitely like to see him improve his low-post game because with his passing ability he would destroy opposing defenses with the shooters he has at his disposal. Numbers tend to go down in the playoffs, which has to concern both Joe and Mike Woodson. He averaged 5 fewer points in the playoffs and if the Hawks are to get to the semifinals again this year, he has to be dynamic in the second season. Six assists a game will go up with the addition of Jamal Crawford and Joe Smith.

17. Chauncey Billups (13)

The Denver Nuggets should have given him a huge bonus, because he made them a ton of extra money that they would not have seen had they stayed put. He automatically settled them down and made them think about Team instead of I. Billups is one of the best leaders in the game and definitely one of its best clutch players. He averaged 20 points in the postseason, but ended with a whimper against the Lakers – which probably had him working out extra hard this offseason. He needs to improve his shooting when they run him off the three-point line. He shot a dismal 41 percent from the field. I expect Billups numbers to continue to go down, thus allowing players like JR Smith to take more of the load along with Carmelo Anthony.

16. Paul Pierce (11)

They call him The Truth and he has proven up to the label for 11 seasons. Pierce is definitely the go-to scorer on the Celtics and one of the best clutch players in the league, especially in the playoffs. He has been the rock for this organization and I expect him to become one of the few players to start and finish his career with the same team. The one thing I would love to see is better conditioning. There is a part of me that always feels like Pierce has never been in the type of shape that could make him have a super season instead of the ho-hum normal 20 points per game. I guess that’s just a part of me that wants to see more because he is one of my favorite people and players in the league. Dropping him to 16th was more an age thing than production, but I expect him to explode again this season with the addition of Rasheed Wallace.

15. Brandon Roy (21)

Roy is a taller version Tony Parker. He has an uncanny ability to get to the basket despite defenses gearing up against him. He has very good all-around ability, but I cringe at how he squeezes the ball for much of the shot clock. It will be interesting to see if Andre Miller can keep the ball long enough to at least run the offense before Roy runs to it and goes one-on-one. I think that selfish part of his skills needs to change early in the game to allow teammates to gain a flow. He will find out that he would become much more potent, like Kobe has found out, when he plays more of a decoy early and becomes the assassin later. I anticipate Miller having a calming influence, allowing him to flow to a much better season. That’s why I moved him up six spots. He should improve on that 48 percent percentage and score in the 23-24 range, but be fresh in the fourth quarter.

14. Chris Bosh (10)

It’s time for Chris Bosh to show that he can put a team on his back or ask management to bring in a veteran star to help him along. Bosh averaged 22 points, but shot a disappointing 48 percent. He has to develop a better low-post game and help his team get better high-percentage shots. Every year he seems to be floating further and further away from the basket. He took 49 three-point shots last year and made 12. Bosh is more of a finesse player, but the idea of improving his three-point game is the wrong road to travel. Let’s hope he has beefed up somewhat and is willing to allow his teammates to take care of the outside game. His role is to be dominant in the paint. Most importantly, I want Bosh to make Shaq change the statement he made about him last year. He called Bosh the RuPaul of big men. Bosh did not deserve that description. Let’s see if he can make Shaq look like the old man of centers.

13. Deron Williams (19)

When healthy Williams, Chris Paul and Tony Parker are the best all-around point guards at this juncture. I expect Williams to move into the Top 10 after this season if he puts in a full healthy year. He is the strongest point guard in the league and one of the best at the pick-and-roll. He will never show his true offensive skills because the Jerry Sloan system will not allow it, but his all-around abilities will propel the Jazz towards another solid season. His numbers normally escalate during the playoffs, which tells us about the toughness and confidence he possesses.

12. Amare Stoudemire (17)

How can you go from 17 to 12 after missing the last 29 games with a dangerous eye injury? Two reasons come to mind… 1. When he came back from a micro fracture surgery, we wrote him off and he became All-NBA. 2. The Suns are going back to their 7 Seconds or Less offense and Amare will be playing center. Those two reasons along with the tremendous shape he has kept his body in will propel him back up the ladder. There is no player in the NBA at Amare’s size with the quickness and explosiveness that he possesses. I expect him to average 27 to 30 points a game and help Phoenix secure a bottom playoff position this season. Also remember this is his free agent year, so expect him to be highly motivated.

11. Carmelo Anthony (14)

Anthony is the most versatile offensive forward in the game. He is listed at 230 pounds, but don’t believe that number. Anthony is packing on 240-plus and still moves like a gazelle. He can score anywhere on the floor. I don’t like his shot selection and that is why he shot 44 percent last year, but don’t get it twisted because he is a matchup nightmare. He is the best offensive rebounder in the league playing small forward when he commits himself. His post-up ability brings double teams and when he is focused, he is a pretty good defender. The Nuggets just need more leadership from him and more consistency on the offensive end every night. He is their most talented player, but he is not their best player because of these inefficiencies. I am looking for Carmelo to put it all together this season and elevate his game all-around, which would mean the Nuggets could have a return engagement with the Lakers in the Western Conference finals.

10. Pau Gasol (15)

Ok, I was wrong! I was not a big fan of the player I called the Poodle during the Celtic-Lakers Finals last year. He moves up five spots because he is the best fundamentally sound seven-footer in the league next to Tim Duncan. Gasol’s footwork is textbook and he has a great left hand that makes him virtually impossible to guard one-on-one. He showed me everything he had to in last year’s playoffs. He showed toughness, savvy, leadership and offensive consistency even when he did not touch the ball for minutes at a time. Kobe won without Shaq, but he would not have sniffed the Finals without Gasol. So I will retire the Poodle nickname and name him The Machine. The Lakers team already had that nickname for a player, but Sasha Vujacic doesn’t deserve it.

9. Tony Parker (9)

How can you be ranked number 9 and still be underrated? Will someone show me a player that can keep Parker out of the paint? Can anyone show me who finishes in traffic over bigger players more consistently at his size? I simply marvel at how good he has become in the pick-and-roll offense. There was once a time when teams would go under and dare him to shoot, but he has become a 50 percent shooter with an improved mid-range game. That improved skill will allow him to score 22 ppg consistently against anyone. Parker never gets the credit he deserves because of the greatness of Duncan, but he is the toughest player on the Spurs pound for pound without a doubt. This season might become his best because it seems as if Duncan has taken a back seat to the offensive prowess of Parker and seems content to let him shine. And shine he will.

8. Kevin Garnett (6)

When I first met Kevin Garnett, he took off his hat and said, “It’s an honor to meet you.” When I saw Garnett last year, he repeated that. Garnett is one the best leaders in sports and surprisingly always has been. I have even been guilty of being critical of his unselfishness. We will never be able to change that and I am so glad we as fans were not successful in doing so. He has been pass-first since he came into the league. He has at times deferred to players who were simple role players and at the same time ignored our bantering to shoot more. We watched him last year sit next to sweaty players in a custom-made suit on the Boston bench while he was injured. He did not isolate himself at the end of the bench. He was in the game even though he could not play and I noticed and respected him immensely for that. Who would not want to play with a superstar like him? He made Glen Davis cry last year during a game, but people don’t get fooled on why Davis was crying? I bet he cried because he was dressed down by a player that he respects to the highest level and he did not want to disappoint him. Garnett will come back with a vengeance and I expect the Celtics to return to championship form playing with the Big Ticket.

7. Dirk Nowitzki (12)

I made a mistake last season and left him off my Top 25. I corrected it right away and I think I made another mistake putting Dirk at number 12. Which brings me to the present. I am wondering if he can eventually move into the top 5. There will never be another Larry Bird. But if he isn’t close, who will? Dirk can flat out play and he works on his game. People are quick to label him soft, but tell me who gets beat up more than him and he still lights you up. I have always stood by the simple fact that great individual defense will never stop great individual offense consistently. I think Dirk proved that last year against Denver when Kenyon Martin got toasted all series long trying to guard him. The one area he needs to improve in, and it has gotten better, is his leadership. He has the talent around him to win the West, but it’s going to take a more rounded effort from him this season. I think he can pull it off. Watch out for the improved Mavericks and the best jump-shooting seven-footer in NBA history.

6. Chris Paul (3)

I love Paul. He is one of my favorite players to watch and for one reason. His leadership is off the charts and I enjoy how he directs and takes over a game with a scowl that has much bigger players paying attention. When he retires, he will have a pick of any coaching job available because of his ability to communicate and keep players in line. It was just too bad he really could not keep a healthy team on the floor last year. Losing Janero Pargo to a Greek team did not help. Paul did not fare well in the Hornets playoff loss to Denver and was embarrassed and shut down in their last two losses. I expect him to come back with a vengeance and play like a potential MVP candidate this season. His numbers offensively will probably go up unless Peja Stojakovic and David West stay healthy and perform up to expectations. If they don’t, Paul might do a Nate Archibald offensive impersonation this season and score over 25 ppg.

5. Tim Duncan (5)

Duncan is the best leader in the game and its best power forward. I can’t say enough about what a consummate professional Timmy is. Have you ever seen him take a night off? Have you ever seen him take bad shots? Have you ever seen him not be excited for his teammates? I watched David Robinson’s induction the other night and when they put the camera on Duncan, it was obvious where he got the immediate knowledge and unselfish nature from. Robinson stepped aside for Duncan and Duncan has been allowing his teammates to succeed as well with his unselfish nature. I expect Duncan to bounce back from the nagging injuries he experienced last year and help San Antonio challenge the Lakers for the Western Conference crown this year. His all-around numbers will go up, but the one category that could get them back to the Finals will be in the assists column. He averaged 3.5 last year and with the offense flowing through him that will get better.

4. Dwyane Wade (7)

Wade moves up three spots and I am sure in some fan’s eyes it was not enough. I can’t argue with that complaint. Wade is a scoring marvel. When he came into the league, he was all about getting to the basket and flying over the rim. But now he can score from anywhere with regularity. He shot almost 50 percent last year while leading the league in scoring at 30 ppg. He also impressed me by playing in 79 games, which were about 12 games over his average. The obvious reason was that Wade came into the season in great shape and he parlayed it into a career year. The Heat would have won 25 games without him and that’s why he was considered highly for MVP. Leadership will be tested this year again with so many young players and no significant additions. But one thing is for sure: South Beach belongs to Flash!

3. Dwight Howard (4)

I have Howard above Dwyane Wade for one simple reason: He changes the way teams have to defend in the paint. The second chance factor in the NBA is huge. If you give teams second and third chances to score on a consistent basis, your team will lose. Especially if it is Orlando with its plethora of scorers. Howard is so good on the offensive glass that teams don’t expect the player that’s guarding him to garner many rebounds because he has to almost face guard him. Then you put him on the defensive end and he changes the game with blocked shots and an intimidating presence. His offense will get better with improved footwork and patience and his free-throw percentage needs to move up as well. He grabs this spot because he took his team to the Finals last year. If Vince Carter fits in like he should, they might make another appearance with Superman carrying them.

2. Kobe Bryant (2)

The Black Mamba has finally did what many thought he would not be able to do… And that is winning a championship without Shaquille. He is the best offensive player and on-the-ball defender in the league. If Kobe wanted to score 40 a game, he could. But Phil Jackson has finally convinced him to share the ball and save that bottomless energy for the playoffs. Kobe is the most dedicated and smartest player I have ever seen and I wish every aspiring young basketball player could spend a day with him.

1. LeBron James (1)

I expect LeBron to continue to ascend to levels only reserved for the greats of the game. He continues to flourish every year. His shooting percentages across the board continue to grow with his all-around game. He shot 50 percent and elevated his free-throw percentage to 78 percent last season. The 35 points per game he scored in last year’s playoffs are just a sign of things to come for King James. We need to sit back and enjoy the sick individual numbers he will continue to post as his career moves along. There is no doubt he will win a championship before his career is over. Will that happen with Shaq?

When Iverson finally retires from the NBA, he will go down as the toughest and most durable player for his size in the history of the game. I honestly thought that Iverson would last less than 10 years because of the way he threw his body around. He will make this upcoming year his 14th and at 34 years old, he is still one of the best conditioned players in the league. The 27 points he has averaged in those 13 seasons are as gaudy as it gets for a big-time scorer, but you also can’t ignore the fact he has averaged 2.2 steals and 6 assists. Those numbers will definitely put him in the Hall of Fame when he decides to leave the game.

There is one stat attributed to Iverson that quite honestly cost him an opportunity to sign with a contending team and most likely will cause head coach Lionel Hollins some migraines during the course of this upcoming season… That statistic is under the minutes column. Iverson has averaged an insane 41 minutes a game through his career. He has only averaged less than 40 minutes per game twice. Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest ever, averaged over 40 minutes only three times and that was early in his career.

This stat is mindboggling. Iverson has probably run the longest distance of any NBA player over the last 13 seasons. Now I assume readers are wondering, why this stat is the cause of Iverson not getting a better opportunity? Well, I can pretty much surmise that if we polled every coach that Iverson has played for, they would say they’d rather have played AI 35 to 37 minutes instead of 41.

Playing Iverson 36 minutes a game would have given a role player a chance to prolong his career, given a coach a chance to share the ball and satisfy some of Iverson’s teammates. But most importantly, it would have saved some miles on a guy that plays at 100 miles per hour. Sitting Iverson just five extra minutes would have shaved off 4,430 minutes, which is basically a year and half.

Here is the easy question… Why did they play him that many minutes? The obvious reason is that Iverson refused to come out of ball games without a fight. He imposed his will and desire to play each and every minute on every coach that he has had and now that has stopped him from being courted by the contending teams.

I wish that at least one coach had dared to stand up to him and gotten him use to playing less minutes, because there are numerous teams that could use Iverson in a sixth man role. I understand the mentality and I definitely fought off the decision of Utah assistant coach Phil Johnson to move me to the bench a quarter of a way through my career when I was a member of the Sacramento Kings. I was playing 36 minutes and all of sudden it was cut to 30. I thank Phil to this day because it allowed me to play 17 years and still have solid production, but most importantly it taught me the importance of understanding what it took to play a role and not have to be the star.

Playing a role is foreign to Iverson. He has always taken all the shots and secured almost every minute at his position. Contending teams like Boston, Orlando, Cleveland, Lakers, Spurs and Dallas could all use a player the caliber of Iverson in a 20-minute-take-plenty-of-shots role. That way they could control his off nights by just sitting him down. What scared most of these top teams is that Iverson would pout and become a serious problem on and off the floor if they sat him for a prolonged period during game.

Iverson should use this year to prove to all the contenders that he will be willing to back up OJ Mayo and Mike Conley. That he would be willing to mentor and show leadership and become a top sixth man candidate if given the chance next year in his 15th season.