Post by Pacer Pride on Dec 27, 2007 0:16:09 GMT -7
Pick your favs...I know I have mine
Playing Santa: An NBA X-mas wish list
By Stan McNeal - SportingNews
If I'm Santa Claus, here are some questions I'd be pondering while also wondering whatever happened to that new, high-tech ball of last year:
What should Steve Nash get for Christmas? His two front teeth. Or at least one to replace that big chipped one he showed off during a halftime interview after taking a blow to the kisser. (By the way, that was one of the best sideline interviews of the season).
Kevin Garnett? A trip to the Finals. Ditto for Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.
LeBron James? A backcourt.
Jason Kidd? Migraine medicine.
Isiah Thomas? A clue.
Kevin Durant? 8,000 calories a day. Lucky guy.
Eddy Curry? A salad every now and then.
David Stern? A postseason without once reading or hearing the words, "lowest TV ratings..."
Shaquille O'Neal? The ball more than seven times a game.
Alonzo Mourning? One more game.
Anderson Varejao? A jumpshot.
Ben Wallace? One good move.
Kevin McHale? One good move.
Dwight Howard? Judges who don't discriminate against big guys at the dunk contest.
Brandon Roy? A spot on the Western Conference All-Star team. Won't be easy with this competition: Kobe, Steve Nash, Tracy McGrady (fans will vote him in), Deron Williams, Baron Davis, Allen Iverson and Chris Paul.
City of Portland? Many more months like this one.
Kobe Bryant? A little humility.
Caron Butler? His due.
Amare Stoudemire? A little more drive.
Michael Redd? Some help.
Jerry Sloan? A few W's.
Rip Hamilton? A couple of technicals for Rasheed Wallace. Two more by Wallace and Hamilton won't be leading the league by himself.
Mark Cuban? Absolutely nothing. He already has everything.
Matt Barnes? Anything but another tattoo.
Ron Artest? A year of living normal. Just to see what it's like.
Pau Gasol? A change of scenery.
Jamaal Tinsley? A midnight curfew.
The Pacers? Another chance with their fans.
T.J. Ford? A quick recovery and no more scary falls.
Baron Davis? A season without injury.
The Nuggets? Defense.
Marcus Camby? An injury-free stretch of 29 games, which would allow him to break his personal ironman streak of 28 games. He made it to 25 this season before a fall sidelined him.
Tony Parker? Domestic harmony.
Yao Ming? Tougher teammates.
Kwame Brown? Hands.
Andrew Bynum? The starting job after Kwame Brown returns.
Charles Barkley? The confidence to tell us that he really thinks. Oh, wait. He doesn't need that.
Dwyane Wade? A place in Charles' fave five.
Ben Gordon and Luol Deng? Another chance to sign those contract extensions.
The Hornets? Fans.
The Hawks? Continued growth.
Anyone who read this far? A vow that I will not use this gimmick again for, oh, another year.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
Playing Santa: An NBA X-mas wish list
By Stan McNeal - SportingNews
If I'm Santa Claus, here are some questions I'd be pondering while also wondering whatever happened to that new, high-tech ball of last year:
What should Steve Nash get for Christmas? His two front teeth. Or at least one to replace that big chipped one he showed off during a halftime interview after taking a blow to the kisser. (By the way, that was one of the best sideline interviews of the season).
Kevin Garnett? A trip to the Finals. Ditto for Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.
LeBron James? A backcourt.
Jason Kidd? Migraine medicine.
Isiah Thomas? A clue.
Kevin Durant? 8,000 calories a day. Lucky guy.
Eddy Curry? A salad every now and then.
David Stern? A postseason without once reading or hearing the words, "lowest TV ratings..."
Shaquille O'Neal? The ball more than seven times a game.
Alonzo Mourning? One more game.
Anderson Varejao? A jumpshot.
Ben Wallace? One good move.
Kevin McHale? One good move.
Dwight Howard? Judges who don't discriminate against big guys at the dunk contest.
Brandon Roy? A spot on the Western Conference All-Star team. Won't be easy with this competition: Kobe, Steve Nash, Tracy McGrady (fans will vote him in), Deron Williams, Baron Davis, Allen Iverson and Chris Paul.
City of Portland? Many more months like this one.
Kobe Bryant? A little humility.
Caron Butler? His due.
Amare Stoudemire? A little more drive.
Michael Redd? Some help.
Jerry Sloan? A few W's.
Rip Hamilton? A couple of technicals for Rasheed Wallace. Two more by Wallace and Hamilton won't be leading the league by himself.
Mark Cuban? Absolutely nothing. He already has everything.
Matt Barnes? Anything but another tattoo.
Ron Artest? A year of living normal. Just to see what it's like.
Pau Gasol? A change of scenery.
Jamaal Tinsley? A midnight curfew.
The Pacers? Another chance with their fans.
T.J. Ford? A quick recovery and no more scary falls.
Baron Davis? A season without injury.
The Nuggets? Defense.
Marcus Camby? An injury-free stretch of 29 games, which would allow him to break his personal ironman streak of 28 games. He made it to 25 this season before a fall sidelined him.
Tony Parker? Domestic harmony.
Yao Ming? Tougher teammates.
Kwame Brown? Hands.
Andrew Bynum? The starting job after Kwame Brown returns.
Charles Barkley? The confidence to tell us that he really thinks. Oh, wait. He doesn't need that.
Dwyane Wade? A place in Charles' fave five.
Ben Gordon and Luol Deng? Another chance to sign those contract extensions.
The Hornets? Fans.
The Hawks? Continued growth.
Anyone who read this far? A vow that I will not use this gimmick again for, oh, another year.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.