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Jose Calderon has been a no-show once again this season, and it’s difficult to say whether his struggles are due to lingering injuries or old age. His jump shot is still a reliable threat, but his inability to get separation against every point guard in the league makes him that much less of a weapon. Calderon was never the quickest player, and he has always relied on his fundamentals to dictate the game. However, there’s a limit to how much you can compensate for a lack of athleticism with great fundamentals. Speaking of a lack of athleticism, Calderon’s defense is non-existent. Calderon does not have enough athletic ability to run with anyone, so even if he has a great offensive game, ( he is currently averaging 4.6 points and 2.4 assists ) he is guaranteed to have a horrible defensive game. I understand the significance of veteran leadership, experience, and basketball IQ, but Calderon has to come off the bench at this stage of his career. It’s a shame that this is the result of tra

The Western Conference has owned the Eastern Conference for over a decade now, and although the East made some notable improvements this offseason, the best of the best still remains in the West. If you enjoy gambling, this is going to be a really difficult year to cover spreads, considering the level of competition is going to be ridiculous. Below are the top six teams in the Western Conference. San Antonio Spurs ( Vegas Insider Odds to win the Western Conference: 12/5) The Spurs have the best starting 5 in the league, and LeMarcus Aldridge should help Tim Duncan rest during the regular season, making him fresh for the playoffs. There are some doubts regarding how well Aldridge will fit the Spurs’ offense given his “ball stopping” tendencies, but I’m sure Duncan and the gang will teach Aldridge how to play Spurs ball. Also, having a “ball stopper” isn’t always a bad thing, especially when you need an easy bucket in crunch time. What makes this team even more ridiculous is that Tony P

The Houston Rockets’ acquisition of Ty Lawson changes the landscape of the Western Conference. The Rockets were already considered contenders last year when they overcame the odds, beating the Clippers in seven games after being down 3-1. Although they beat out most of the West without a legitimate starting point guard, James Harden acted as their main source of distribution throughout the season. How will that affect the Rockets this upcoming season? Since Harden and Lawson both need the ball in their hands, will they adapt, or will the Rockets fall out of contention? Ty Lawson will have to adapt his game to James Harden’s style, due to the process of natural selection. Lawson is a great facilitator on his own with 9.6 assists per game last season  (3rd best), but with Harden’s ability to draw multiple defenders, plus his limitless court vision, he’s a magician with the ball in his hands. Lawson will still bring the ball up the floor most of the time and set up Harden to score, which

In March of 2014, Phil Jackson was introduced as the President of the New York Knicks. This may sound like a stretch, but since Jackson has reunited with his Knicks, he almost lost his credibility after winning 13 NBA Championships. In the defense of disgruntled Knicks fans, Jackson has made some questionable decisions since he became Head Honcho: trading Tyson Chandler for a lengthier contract in Jose Calderon, running the triangle offense in a league that thrives in the pick and roll, and his incomprehensible use of social media. https://twitter.com/PhilJackson11/status/562355886921089024 https://twitter.com/PhilJackson11/status/569693947246878721 https://twitter.com/PhilJackson11/status/317031514011496449 None of these borderline comical events were able to match up to the horror of the 2015 NBA Draft. Many fans, including myself, were looking forward to the Knicks drafting either floor general Emmanuel Mudiay or lockdown defender Justise Winslow. Both players were considered a safe

The upcoming NBA Free Agency is going to be a chaotic time for Knicks fans. Phil Jackson has  approximately $27.5 million  to attract a very deep free agent class. The tricky part is picking the right players to build around Melo, and convincing those players that it’s worth joining a team that has a $124 million superstar coming off knee surgery. If you’re hoping for a blockbuster signing, then keep dreaming. Phil Jackson will hopefully focus on signing consistent two-way role players. Here is my list of free agents the Knicks should go for, and pass on: Bigs It seems that the Knicks starting front line is going to consist of Melo, and Pordingus (Steve Brule reference). The Knicks desperately need an enforcer in the paint to do a lot of the dirty work. Who will that enforcer be? Marc Gasol Gasol can either take more money to play for the championship contending Memphis Grizzlies, or take less money to play for the New York Knicks. If you can convince me that Gasol is leaving Memphis t

Longevity is an incredibly underrated template of success. Once upon a time, a team like the Spurs was built through the draft, and they’re still relevant today. The Memphis Grizzlies didn’t exactly build through the draft, but they have developed a young core over the years and turned them into championship contenders. The Memphis Grizzlies are entering the 2015 playoffs for their fifth year in a row. They have a core that consists of high IQ veterans, and they arguably play the best defense in the league. But why are they still under the radar? Injuries Floor general Mike Conley is dealing with a sore left ankle. Conley has never been an all-star, but don’t let that fool you. Without question, he is an all-star point guard with an uncanny ability of distributing the ball, plus he can guard just about any point guard in the league. Another factor he’s added to his game over the years is a reliable jump shot, so as a defender, you can’t sag off of Conley anticipating a pass, he’ll bury