The Top 50

#25 – Antawn Jamison &
#24 – Caron Butler

Had to throw these guys together; the decision between them was so difficult I swapped them three or four times. While Jamison was the team’s veteran leader, top scorer and rebounder, Butler emerged as the better all-around player. They were one of the many teams that defied the odds in ’08, reaching the playoffs after losing Gilbert after surprising growth from their young supporting cast but mainly because these two were invaluable.

Antawn was (barely) the squad’s leading scorer at 21/game, also hauling in ten boards; standard issue, he’s been doing this for years. He was flanked in the All-Star game by Butler, whose 20, 7 and 5 were bolstered by over 2 steals/game; hard to believe the Lakers gave him away for Kwame. He was a clutch performer who brought the kinda of toughness only a childhood on the block and stints in the pen, and furthermore solitary can breed. He may turn the ball over (a lot) more than Jamison but handles the rock much more, distributes better and makes up for it with, apologies to Deshawn Stevenson, the tightest D on the team. Both are hard-nosed competitors who can affects games on both ends of the floor, but Butler’s youth, athleticism and straight up nastiness give him the edge.

Despite the promise this duo showed last year, Washington still finds themselves looking upward at the East’s elite. They’ve been put out by the Cavs in the first round 3 years running and haven’t made big upgrades like the Raptors and Sixers. Agent Zero’s presence will be welcomed but there was more than enough talk of the Wizards being a better team without him dominating the ball last season. All three of their stars are locked-up long term so something’s gotta give. If they can co-exist and help each other’s games then regardless of who they take the floor with, Washington will be dangerous. But if things go sour and the team fails to show progress, it’s highly possible one of these two could be relocating by next year.

The Top 50

#26 - Joe Johnson
When Johnson bolted from his role as a long-bombing swingman in Phoenix a few seasons back, there were many questions left unanswered. Why would the Hawks throw so much money at him? Was he ready to lead a young team into the postseason? Would he be able to open his game up without Nash and Killer Mike conducting? It was a recipe for disaster, especially in Atlanta, where playoff tickets hadn’t been on sale since the late cretaceous.

JJ answered any questions (and doubters) swiftly, notching up his numbers across the board, leading a young Hawks team in its tepid race to the playoffs. He scored, distributed, defended, did everything the franchise expected of him and more, becoming a staple at the All-Star game and leaving countless dignities shattered. When the rest of the young’ns finally caught up with him, it was enough to bring the NBA Playoffs back to Phillips arena, even come within a hair of a first round upset against the eventual champs.

As promising as the futures of all Atlanta’s young starters might be, this is no doubt Johnson’s team. As the primary scorer and de facto playmaker, he holds most of the cards. He’s the engine fuelling the Hawks’ ascent back to contention. The only question left to be answered is how high they’ll rise.

The Top 50

#27 - Tony Parker
Mr. Longoria’s been a fixture among the association’s best point guards for a few years now. He came into the league an obscure late-first round draft pick, but as late-first round draft picks tend to do on San Antonio, developed into a solid player, eventually an All-Star and poised member of the league’s most feared threesome. His game’s almost as nice as his wife.

Formerly a league-leader in points in the paint (recall he’s roughly the size of a freshly baked baguette), Parker slashes without fear as one of the quickest ever off the dribble, and has developed a steady jumper inside 20 feet to keep defenders both honest and afraid. He may never be considered the league’s best passer, but he finds open men easily, often creating the space himself. An improving defender, he’s one of the league’s most dangerous all-around offenders.

True to form, the Spurs couldn’t cop a title in an “even” year last season, looking further away from their dominant selves than they have in a while. The squad’s old. They need some young legs to step up when age and injuries inevitably get the better of them. Which means, as much as Pretty Tony’s given them, they might need even more to win another ‘chip.

The Top 50

#28 – Chauncey Billups
Billups was well along the path to draft-bust journeyman status when he landed in Detroit six years ago. Stints with the Celts, Raptors, Nuggets and T-Wolves hadn’t gone so swell and the former 4th overall pick’s best years looked to be behind him. Then outta nowhere came Mr. Big Shot, the deadly assassin alter-ego that possessed Billups’ body and began abusing every guard East of the Mississippi. A solid 6-3, he was one of the stronger points in the league and bullied his man on both ends of the court. He got his All-Stars and All-NBAs, and a Finals MVP after his Pistons conquered a Lakers team nobody picked them to beat. Life was good.

Years later though, it’s like Detroit was happy with their first bite of the good life. Through six straight trips to the Conference Finals, they’ve coasted in an out of their comfort zone; playing some of the best ball in the L when it suits them, but succumbing to complacency way too often. They’re definitely no longer the team to beat in the East, and with most of their core on the wrong side of their prime, they’ll need some inspiration to make another run at a title through a much stronger conference. Namely, they’ll need Billups to play his best and keep the squad on point. Rasheed might be their heart and soul but Chauncey’s their brain, and their best player. The squad’s a well-balanced attack, but he’s the most vital cog to the machine.

The last time Billups’ career was at a serious crossroads and he appeared to be washed, he responded with the best ball of his life during a triumphant ascension to the top of the NBA. He’ll need a similar performance if he wants to get back there.

The Top 50

#29 - Brandon Roy
Among the biggest of surprises in 07-08, a season that had a gluttonous share of them, were the Portland Trailblazers; a team that hasn’t had it together in years. Ever since their historical meltdown against the Lakers back in 2000, they had played well below their potential and boosted the Oregan crime rate substantially. Things didn’t look so bleak when the Blazers lucked out in the Greg Oden sweepstakes, but when their #1 pick fell out before the season began, there seemed to be little hope.

Enter second-year guard Brandon Roy; fresh off dominating the rookie class of ’06 and primed to take it up another level. His rare combination of killer scoring and playmaking stand out during a 13-game win streak that propels the Blazers into the thick of the most heated playoff race ever. There was All-Star respect. There was premature MVP consideration. There was so much hype around this young squad and their fearless leader that Oden became second hand news. Roy kept the Blazers in the postseason hunt for months, and though they eventually fell short, their season and his play were remarkable. He scored at will, ran most of Portland’s offense, and was called on to guard the opponent’s best wing and assume a leadership role on the league’s youngest team. All in his sophomore campaign. His game’s already far too nice and he’s all of 24; his skills along with those of the kids around him, are sure to mature and eventually lift Portland back among the league’s elite teams.

The Top 50

#30 - Vince Carter
Quick! Name the three guys in the league who did 20/5/5 last year!

Hmmm…..Ok, Lebron that one’s obvious...Kobe, you probably knew that one too…What about the third? It couldn’t be….nah, really? Vincent Lamar? Believe the hype. He also shot 46% from the field and turned the ball over less than Kobe, Lebron, D-Wade, Iggy, The Truth, Melo, T-Mac and Mikey Redd. No shit. This probably surprises a lot of people, but lost in all the trendy post-glory-days Vince bashing is the reality that he’s still a top-notch offensive weapon. Sure, he doesn’t dunk on helpless ogres with reckless abandon on a nightly basis anymore. He still doesn’t play a lick of defense, but neither have 2 of the last 3 MVPs. He still launches a lot of ill-advised threes from 30 feet, but I digress…

I have a heavy heart on this one because, like most other Canadian basketball fans, I’m upset with Vincent. He fucked us, plain and simple. As incompetent as Raptors management had been since extending him, he passionlessly played well below his potential and forced Toronto to deal him for nothing the same season they drafted Chris Bosh. It was a gutless move that set our only franchise back years and made everyone think he was that much more of a fucking muffin. But despite Vince’s immature ignorance, you can’t deny the validity of his likely being the most eye-poppingly entertaining athlete, in any sport, ever. Before his injuries, he assaulted sports channel highlight shows unlike anyone before or since. And though his poster shots are scarce these days, his play hasn’t slipped much. A decade in, through all the alleged injuries and controversies he remains among the league’s sickest, no matter how sick he made our country.

Lebron vs. Jalen: The Untold Story

Basketbawful reader Herman has shared a number of particularly amusing stories regarding his former job (see below). This may well be my favorite:

I used to work at the Air Canada Centre as a vendor. I used to show up early and try and talk to the players, when security didn't stop me.

One day I was hanging around the court, and I was trying to talk with Mike James. He had to run back to the locker room, so I decided to head back up the elevator to the main floor. As the doors are closing, I hear someone go "Hey, hold the door!", so I do. Lo and behold, Jalen Rose walks into the elevator. I start talking to him about Toronto, and living here, and generally joking around. He was really friendly. We start talking about the game that night (it was against the Cavs).

Me (joking): You think you can outscore LeBron?

Jalen: Of course!

Me: Wanna bet?

Jalen: Sure.

Me: Okay, five bucks says that Bron outscores you.

Jalen: (laughs) Fine. Watch me, son!

That, of course, was the night that LeBron scored 50 for the first time. The next week, I walk into the office, when my boss tells me there's some mail for me here. It's an envelope addressed to "that smartass vendor", and inside, there's a five dollar bill.

I've been a Jalen fan ever since.

Some interesting sidenotes to the game in question. King James scored 56 points on 18-for-36 shooting. He also hit six of his 12 three-point attempts and 14 of his 15 freethrows. But, whatever you might think, it's not like Jalen just rolled over: Rose dropped 30 (12-for-23) and added 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals. More importantly, the Raptors won 105-98. So sure, Jalen might have lost the scoring battle and the five bucks...but he won The War.

The Top 50

#31 - Pau Gasol
Probably the epitome of an excellent player who isn’t a franchise guy, Pau spent years of futility as The Man in Memphis, only to reach the Finals in his first season as a second option in LA. His first trip through the postseason (having bricked every attempt at a single playoff win with the Grizzlies) began smoothly as he completely annihilated Denver, but got bumpier as several weeks of gruelling basketball took a toll on his body. By the time he faced Boston, Gasol was soft, tentative, and routinely would completely disappear from games (KG’s been known to do this to people from time to time). The final two series were performances that belie his true ability, but nonetheless a letdown in what was, despite his FIBA conquests, the most important ball of his life.

A skilled 7-footer with a nice touch around the hoop, Pau’s a good passer who also defends better than most. He plays smart He’ll never be superstar but he’s been a consistent just under 20-10 guy his whole career and, Finals aside, adjusted to Kobe’s backseat nicely; he’ll have very legit shots at the All-Star Game and the Larry O next year. Hopefully his lanky frame can hold itself up for the whole season though; after the Playoffs and Olympics, he’ll have played more ball this year than any.

The Top 50

#32 – David West
West seemingly came outta nowhere to play a huge role on a Hornets squad that took the league by storm last year. He somehow slipped to the late first round after scoring National Player of the Year honours at Xavier, and was supposed to be a solid pro, but has taken things to a whole ‘nother level: an All-Star who’s still young and improving every year.

He plays with the poise and maturity of a veteran, maintaining composure and excelling under pressure. He hit several game winners this year and was admirable in defeat against the Spurs, showing no fear against Tim Duncan, at times just straight up abusing him (even on D: 2 blocks/game). He expands his repertoire every season; his back-to-the-basket game looks polished for an undersized four, and he wets mid-range jumpers all day. It takes a truly versatile defender to slow him down.

Of course David’s got the benefit of playing with point god Chris Paul, but West’s inside-out game may be just as much to Paul’s blessing on his drive-and-dishes. Not to mention giving Tyson Chandler more room to dominate the offensive glass and catch alley-oop lobs; his game’s a glove-fit for the Hornets’ offense. As his team continues to do big things, we’ll surely see and hear a lot more from West, who took a more indirect route to NBA stardom than most highly touted prospects, but appears to be right on track.

The Top 50

The Final Cuts
As with the All-Star Game, season-ending awards and any of the arbitrary assessments of NBA players, there’s gonna be some close calls; a few guys who got left out and may or may not have deserved an inclusion. I thought a while about including these dudes, and maybe should’ve thought a while longer on some. Either way, here’s why a few faces you might’ve expected to see were no-shows:

Gerald Wallace - #51 for sure, and probably should’ve been higher. I’ll admit I goofed leaving him off; he could’ve probably taken any of the first five slots.

Andre Iguodala – He’s a terrific player and a sick dunker. I originally had him on the list, but I was having a tough time convincing myself he was the best player on Philly last year. I also just wanted to give Miller some respect as one of the most underrated PG’s in the league for years. Too bad he’ll never find out about it.

Corey Maggette – Yeah, he scored a lot on a shitty team last year, but I essentially took Jason Richardson over him because he’s been a more prolific player over his career. We’ll see if Maggette proves me wrong when he takes over J-Rich’s old post in Oakland this year, but a transition to the Warriors, an already erratic team in the midst of a transformation, might be rocky.

Chris Kaman – Just hasn’t been doing it long enough. He had a breakout season last year, but also missed a third of it while playing on the empty Clip. Stay healthy and continue beasting, he’ll be here in no time.

Josh Howard – First off he’s a Mav. I have a completely unavoidable bias against him because he plays alongside the Dirkster. But couple that with his not-so-closet drug use (“only during the offseason”) and subsequent disappearing act against the Hornets...unimpressive.

Kevin Durant – Easily could’ve (and probably should’ve) been included based on his amazing potential, but I tried focusing on where these guys are at now…and had easily cut a bunch of one dimensional 20-scoring swingmen.

Tyson Chandler – Killer defender, but 99% of his points last year came from Chris Paul alley-oops, which might be the easiest buckets in the L.

Ben Gordon & Luol Deng – Both of them kinda regressed in what were supposed to be huge seasons for them and the Bulls. Maybe it was those contracts, but something just didn’t seem correct.

Hedo Turkoglu – Because I felt he was overrated last year, in spite of his surprising comeback season. Plenty of guys on this list do what he does, only better.

Rashard Lewis – Because he Got Rich and Stopped Trying.

The Top 50

#33 - Jason Kidd
OK, everybody knows Ason might be the league’s most notoriously inconsistent shooter. It’s also common knowledge that he’s lost his lateral quickness and can’t slice through defenses or prevent opposing points from ruining him (check Chris Paul’s line against the Mavs in the playoffs). That said, the guy came closer than anyone in recent memory to averaging a triple-double last season, the impressiveness of which cannot be understated.

Despite his growing list of shortcomings, Kidd can still run an offense like no other. There’s a reason why he’s starting ahead of Deron Williams and that Chris Paul character in Beijing; he can create looks in the halfcourt and especially on fast breaks that otherwise wouldn’t exist. He’s long been credited with the improvement of his teammates’ games and such is even true on a team of superstars. His vision is unequalled, his timing precise, even in his old age.

Kidd’s been in the league for 15 years now, all that fast-break pillaging caught up with him and there’s no doubt his best years are far behind him. He’s a decrepit shell of his former self, unable to keep up with younger legs on D and now relegated to outsmarting his opponents rather than just blow by them. Even in this sad state, he remains a top-flight point guard in a league that has so few. Remember: 10, 10, 8 last year. He’s somehow still getting the job done.

The Top 50

#34 - Al Jefferson
With all the weight stacked on his shoulders this season, and even less help than he had in Boston, Al put up a huge season for Timberwolves and left no question about his place as the centerpiece in the Garnett trade. The promise he showed in Boston blossomed into borderline dominance as Jefferson consistently held down the fort on one of the league’s worst teams, establishing himself as their clear franchise player.

Put lightly, Al had big shoes to fill this season. KG’s an absolutely irreplaceable player in Minnesota, where he endeared himself to the organization and fans alike by unstintingly slaving through his prime on a team far worse than he deserved. When he finally got traded last summer, it was understood that whoever came in return would be a considerable downgrade, but amid a slew of shitty contracts and could-be prospects was Jefferson; also a power forward, also a defensive beast who could put up 20/game. No KG, but it was a start.

Jefferson did 21 and 11 last season while likely being the only player on his team that defenses took seriously all season. He hit (exactly) half his shots, turned the ball over only twice a game (impressive when you consider he’s the only player within the realm of double-teamable on Minny) and added a steal and 1.5 blocks. Already All-Star material (his team’s pitiful record aside), he’s only 23 and should improve steadily as he adjusts to life outside of Paul Pierce’s shadow. As his game matures and he makes a name for himself with the T-Wolves, he might someday escape Garnett’s too.

The Top 50

#35 - Shawn Marion
Well, you got your wish Shawn. You’re no longer a Phoenix Sun. The debate about your former team’s title hopes is forever silenced as you now play a central role in one of the league’s most extensive rebuilding projects. Hope you’re happy.

Marion’s arrival was a small shot of hope for a team that fell from glory to the gutter faster than Udonis Haslem’s starting spot’ll get taken this year. The Matrix brings a complex game; pound-for-pound he might be the best rebounder in the league and his unique combination of length and quickness causes problems for players of all sizes. Clocking two steals and over a block/game for his career, he offers a versatility that few players can either match or cope with. His offensive game is strangely effective; his jumper might be the ugliest in the league, and his one-on-one moves are limited, but he slashes to the hoop among the best of them and is likely the best sub-7-foot garbage man in the association.

While he’s no doubt a top tier player in the league, Shawn can’t help but think he’s that much better. His insistence on an increased role in Phoenix drove him apart from one of the most entertaining teams ever and even before then was lingering locker room issue. Now relocated to South Beach, Marion could soon find himself playing the third wheel again if Mike Beasley emerges as the force of nature he’s supposed to be. If he becomes a star quickly, Miami might have the stuff to make some noise in the East, so they’d better hope Marion can just accept being part of a winner and not make any noise himself.