Rookie Rankings: Consistency gives Evans edge in rookie race

From season's start to end, Tyreke Evans proved himself as the NBA's best rookie.

Well, the time has come to make my pick for T-Mobile Rookie of the Year.

Midway through the season, it appeared my job would become an easy one as Sacramento's Tyreke Evans bulled his way -- quite literally at times -- into the forefront. My inbox was fairly quiet as no one really had much of a bone to pick with my placement of Evans in the top spot. (For the season, he headlined 17 of my 23 Rookie Rankings.)

Then the new year came, and on came the Warriors' Stephen Curry. And he kept coming. And coming. And the emails started trickling in. Then pouring in. The Warriors' rookie passed and swiped and shot his way right back into the dialogue, making many forget what Evans had been doing all along -- dominating his opponents and putting fear into opposing coaches who were forced to game plan for a 20-year-old rookie.

And in the end, that's what it came down to for me -- Evans was consistently the best rookie of this class and I would regret not naming him my top rookie.

This is not to take anything away from what Curry and Brandon Jennings did in their rookie campaigns. Curry was nothing short of brilliant (and I'm embarrassed to say, better than I had predicted) and Jennings was crucial to leading the Bucks to the playoffs, something I would have laughed at before the season.

But Evans is a truly special player who had a truly special season. Can you imagine in five years, if Evans, by some miracle, does not win the Rookie of the Year, how odd that will sound to say that the Kings' rookie averaged 20 points, five rebounds and five assists and did not win the Rookie of the Year?

It just wouldn't sound right. And hopefully, the voters will get it right.

I personally don't get an official vote, but if I did there would be no doubt in my mind who is most deserving of Rookie of the Year: Tyreke Jamir Evans.

NBA.com's Rookie Rankings are just one man's opinion and are released every Wednesday during the season. If you've got an issue with the rankings, or have a question or comment for Drew Packham, send him an e-mail. You can also follow him on Twitter. For past week's rankings, click here.

1. Tyreke Evans, Sacramento Kings

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
72	37.2	20.1	5.3	5.8	1.5	0.4	.458	.255	.748

Last Week: 2 | Drafted: 4
It's a good thing Evans locked up his 20-5-5 accomplishment on Monday. With 24 points in the Kings' 117-107 loss to the Rockets, Evans guaranteed he would finish the season as just the fourth rookie to average 20 points, five rebounds and five assists. The others, as you all know by now if you've been following these Rankings, were Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan and LeBron James. "Just to have my name with those guys who did it -- that's an elite three right there and to have my name added is just a blessing," Evans said. Evans' rookie season came to an abrupt halt on Tuesday, as the rookie was ejected after scoring 10 points in just under 16 minutes of action in the Kings' loss to the Lakers.

2. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
79	36.1	17.2	4.4	5.9	1.9	0.2	.461	.433	.878

Last Week: 1 | Drafted: 7
Curry had one of his best games at the perfect time. With coach Don Nelson tied with Lenny Wilkens for the all-time wins record, Curry had a near quadruple-double to lift the Warriors to a historic 116-107 win over the Wolves. Curry finished with 27 points, 14 assists, eight rebounds and seven steals as he continued his scorching end to the season. He must be winning over voters with his late push, and the numbers are hard to argue with. Check out his April: In seven games, he's averaging 24.1 points, 8.1 assists and shot 44.7 percent from three-point land (21-for-47) as Golden State has gone 4-3.

3. Brandon Jennings, Milwaukee Bucks

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
81	32.8	15.6	3.5	5.8	1.3	0.2	.370	.374	.817

Last Week: 3 | Drafted: 10
Jennings will certainly get votes for Rookie of the Year, based primarily on helping the Bucks to the playoffs. I understand their argument; I just don't agree with it. In no way do I want to take away from what Jennings has done this season. The lanky lefty has been a revelation this season, finishing third among rookies in scoring, assists and steals; second in 3-pointers made, ninth in rebounds while starting all 82 games (assuming he starts Wednesday's finale). Jennings has been brilliant at the point, but I owe the Bucks' success more to the breakout season of Andrew Bogut and the addition of John Salmons. Still, not many observers -- me included -- saw Jennings having this kind of impact this early, and it will be fun to see him develop in Milwaukee.

4. Taj Gibson, Chicago Bulls

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
81	26.8	8.9	7.4	0.9	0.6	1.3	.494	.000	.647

Last Week: 4 | Drafted: 26
It's easy to overlook Gibson. The unassuming power forward out of USC isn't a flashy scorer. He does the dirty work out of the spotlight in Chicago. But what he's given to the Bulls this season can't be overlooked. Just look at his numbers: He leads all rookies in four categories: rebounds, double-doubles (17), field-goal percentage and blocks. Sure, it's been a weak year for big men, but Gibson has been a steadying influence and pleasant surprise for the Bulls.

5. Marcus Thornton, New Orleans Hornets

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
72	25.6	14.4	2.9	1.5	0.8	0.2	.448	.371	.816

Last Week: 5 | Drafted: 43
Back in January I dubbed Jonas Jerebko of the Pistons the steal of the draft. Can I have a do over? If so, my pick would no doubt be Thornton, who was taken by the Heat with the 43rd pick before being traded to New Orleans for a pair of second-round picks. Since GM Jeff Bower took over head coaching duties, Thornton (and fellow rookie Darren Collison) has blossomed. Since the All-Star break, Thornton has been second only to Curry in scoring, averaging 20.2 points. For the season, Thornton is fourth among rookies in scoring, third in 3-pointers made (115, setting a Hornets franchise record), sixth in field-goal percentage, and fifth in free-throw shooting.

6. Darren Collison, New Orleans Hornets

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
75	27.5	12.3	2.5	5.6	1.0	0.0	.473	.396	.849

Last Week: 6 | Drafted: 21
It's hard to believe that Collison was the 10th -- yes, 10th -- point guard taken in the draft. Think some of those GMs would like a do-over? Collison shined in New Orleans -- especially after Chris Paul went down with injury -- and looks to be the real deal. Since the All-Star break, Collison leads all rookies with 8.5 assists per game and will finish the season sixth in scoring (12.3 ppg), second in field-goal percentage (.473) and second in double-doubles (13). Paul's injury gave the Hornets -- and the rest of the league -- a glimpse into Collison's potential, which New Orleans could either use as a potent 1-2 punch with CP3 or as a bargaining chip in future trade talks. Either way, Collison worked out in a big way.

7. Jonny Flynn, Minnesota Timberwolves

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
81	28.9	13.5	2.4	4.4	1.0	0.0	.417	.358	.826

Last Week: 9 | Drafted: 6
Flynn had his struggles this season, especially adjusting to the Kurt Rambis' triangle offense. The Syracuse product may have put up bigger numbers in an offense like, say, the Warriors or Kings, where he would have been given free reign, but he still put up respectable numbers in his first season. Flynn will finish the season fifth among rookies in scoring and assists, fourth in free-throw percentage, and seventh in field-goal percentage and steals. With the potential to land the top pick (and a shot at John Wall or Evan Turner), it will be interesting to see what direction Minnesota takes. "In terms of our players who have grown this season, Jonny has made the most significant strides," Rambis told the Pioneer Press. "So much was thrown at him. If he continues to improve throughout his career, the way he's done this year, the sky is the limit for him."

8. Wesley Matthews, Utah Jazz

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
81	24.6	9.4	2.3	1.5	0.8	0.2	.487	.387	.831

Last Week: 7 | Drafted: NA
Talk about finding a diamond in the rough. Heck, Matthews wasn't even in the rough before the season. The fact that he's become a starter -- and a good one at that -- for the Jazz speaks volumes to the hard work Matthews has put in. His story has been well-documented, from going undrafted out of Marquette to becoming poster child for everything coach Jerry Sloan stands for (see: defense and intensity). His numbers haven't been eye-popping, but solid considering he's one of the Jazz's last options offensively. For the season, Matthews is ninth among rookies in scoring, third in free-throw and three-point percentage (ninth in 3s made) and 12th in assists.

9. Jonas Jerebko, Detroit Pistons

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
79	27.7	9.2	5.9	0.7	1.0	0.4	.481	.316	.715

Last Week: NR | Drafted: 39
In a season where just about everything went wrong in Detroit, a bright spot was the emergence of Jerebko. The first Swedish-born player in the NBA, Jerebko is 10th among rookies in scoring, third in rebounds, fourth in blocks and eighth in steals. His coach, John Kuester thinks Jerebko deserves to be on the All-Rookie team, primarily because of his energy and defensive efforts. "He's done so many things throughout the entire year," Kuester told the Detroit Free Press. "I've been so pleased with his energy, his fearlessness in terms of who he has to defend -- from LeBron to Chris Bosh. He's approached it as: 'Hey, I can guard anybody.'" That refreshing attitude has won me over and I can't find a reason not to reward Jerebko for his breakout first season.

10. Omri Casspi, Sacramento Kings

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
77	25.1	10.3	4.5	1.2	0.7	0.2	.446	.369	.672

Last Week: NR | Drafted: 23
This final spot was a tough one, but I have to go with the man with an entire nation on his shoulders. Casspi, the first Israeli-born player in the NBA, burst onto the scene early in the season, then faded a bit down the stretch, possibly due to his many obligations. Still, his body of work is impressive: Among rookies, he's seventh in scoring, sixth in rebounds, fifth in field-goal percentage, eighth in three-point shooting, seventh in 3-pointers made. All this while playing the role of "rock star" (teammate Jon Brockman's words) in Sacramento -- and especially on the road where throngs of fans , greeting his throngs of fans every city the Kings visit.

Honorable Mention: James Harden, Thunder: The third-overall pick was a key role player in OKC's playoff run and was overshadowed as by other rookies getting bigger minutes. Still, he put up decent numbers: 9.9 ppg (9th) while hitting 90 3-pointers (5th); DeJuan Blair, Spurs: Made the most of his minutes, leading rookies in rebounds per 48 minutes (16.7) while scoring 7.6 points in just under 18 minutes per game; Terrence Williams, Nets: Came on late to average finish with averages of 8.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists; Ty Lawson, Nuggets: Was a surprisingly capable catalyst off the bench, giving Denver a change of pace at the point. Could be a steal with the 18th pick; Serge Ibaka, Thunder: Quietly a key component to the Thunder's defensive success, finishing second among rookies in blocks and fourth in rebounds; Jrue Holiday, Sixers: Showed signs of promise after taking over starting job at PG, finishing sixth among rookies in assists (3.7), while averaging 8.1 points

Dropped out: Reggie Williams, Terrence Williams

Role players take on added importance in playoff time

Michael Cooper, against Adrian Dantley in 1989, was a tenacious defender.

The playoffs, we have been and will be told countless times, are that third trimester of the NBA year when stars absolutely must play like stars. Rotations tighten and benches get shortened.

So how is it that the game's role players seem to take on greater importance than ever at this time of year?

Think about it: The postseason is when San Antonio's Bruce Bowen and the Lakers' Michael Cooper really made their bones, and gained widespread acclaim, as defensive specialists. Three-point sharpshooters like Steve Kerr and John Paxson never seemd more deadly than in April, May or June. And for all his work at or above the rim, perhaps the most enduring memory of shot-swatting Dikembe Mutombo came with him at ankle level, flat on his back, clutching the ball immediately after Denver's 8 vs. 1, first-round upset of Seattle in 1994.

Sometimes, as with Mutombo, the status of a role players bleeds all the way to All-Star. Most of the time, though, they get that weekend off each February, start to get busy over the season's traditional "second half" and then really step up (or not) when playoff shares and jewelry matter more than paychecks.

As a catch-all term, "role player" can elicit various reactions. Some players would recoil at being classified in such a mundane way -- almost everyone in the NBA was a star at some level in his recent or distant past. Other guys, though, embrace it, welcoming the cover it provides -- "Hey, we're all just role players" -- by spreading a team's responsibility around. Or maybe they just like the blue-collar sound of it, like a CEO who tugs on jeans and picks up power tools on the weekend.

However you define it, a team without role players is a team without much hope. Particularly now.

"That's part of team chemistry, team unity, when guys know their roles," said Minnesota coach Kurt Rambis, who knew his role well enough as a bruising, energetic power forward to win four rings with the Lakers and play 14 NBA seasons. "Whether it's guys accepting a role coming off the bench, accepting a role of playing sparsely, accepting a role of being a facilitator as a point guard, accepting a role as a rebounder, whatever it is, and making a sacrifice for the benefit of the team. When you get guys to accept their roles, then that's the beginnings of a team concept."

Sometimes, role players help most when they're not playing at all. "You have two types -- the ones who are playing are important, obviously," Boston coach Glenn (Doc) Rivers said. "But the ones who aren't playing are important, too, because if they don't handle it right, they can affect your team [in the playoffs]. And they have to stay ready, because you may go to eight or nine. There's a game or two when guys are going to be in foul trouble or someone is not going to be playing well, and you're going to throw someone else in -- and he has to be ready.

"We had the perfect situation two years ago with Leon [Powe] and 'Baby' [Glen Davis]. It went back and forth a lot with those two guys and I thought they always stayed ready. It was [determined by] how they were playing. Them pushing each other really helped us."

The beauty of role players is that they fill a team's needs in a game without having, or being asked, to do too much. The challenge is that therer are countless roles to be filled in the NBA -- at least several per team, depending on its makeup -- so what might earn a hard-working player a four-year, $20 million contract with one club won't even assure him of a roster spot with another. It's all about fit.

Dave D'Alessandro, NBA maven for the Newark Star-Ledger, has likened the talent steps in basketball to baseball's more widely used "five tool" system. In hoops, D'Alessandro has written, the five bankable skills that can earn a player an NBA living are passing/handling, shooting/scoring, rebounding, shot-blocking and defending. His take is that doing one of those things at a high level can get you employed somewhere in the league, while doing two extremely well can earn you a spot in some coach's rotation. Those guys, who bring one or two skills every night, would fit his definition of "role player." (Do three, four or all five things well and we're talking about starters, All-Stars and perennial MVP candidates.)

For my purposes here, I'm going with seven familiar types of role players -- and some whose greatest talents aren't as quantifiable as those on D'Alessandro's list. I like to think of it as a "starting five" of skill categories that we see filled again and again across good teams and bad, along with the lauded Sixth Man specialty and, finally, one intangibles guy. Of these, Sixth Man is the only one that gets official recognition with a trophy each year -- Defensive Player of the Year always is a tug of war between interior and perimeter defenders.

Still, if it were up to a lot of basketball people, there might also be awards presented every spring to the very best on-the-ball defenders, 3-point marksmen, rebounder-defenders, shot blockers, game-changers and "glue" guys. And the tricky part is that the worth of these guys is determined more by the roster around them than by their own skills or resumes. It's all about giving a team what it needs, and teams differ even when the player is the same. Examples: Ben Wallace in Detroit is different than Ben Wallace in Chicago. Or Jason Terry in Atlanta vs. the same guy in a different role in Dallas.

This first of two parts features some of the best role players of all time. Not necessarily the best. Just favorites.

Part II on Thursday will look at the top role players, by category, who will be active -- and making a difference -- in the 2010 playoffs:

Rebounder/defender

Wallace, mentioned above, gave the Pistons what they needed on the floor and, just as important, gave that club its defensive identity. We can go back to NBA strongmen such as Paul Silas and Charles Oakley, who did the heavy lifting while others handled their teams' glamour chores. But Dennis Rodman might be the greatest role player of all time in the NBA, and while it might never get him to Springfield -- his antics, hair colors and taste in wedding gowns might derail that -- it did help him and a bunch of Detroit and Chicago teammates win five rings.

On-the-ball defender

This is another stalwart role, populated not only by role players but by some of the most skilled performers in hoops history (Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Scottie Pippen, to name three, could be among the most tenacious at locking down an opposing scorer). For an old-school nominee, Sacramento coach Paul Westphal nominated a different Chicago alum. "Norm Van Lier was the toughest guy that ever guarded me,'' Westphal said. "He was quick, he liked being a pest, he was just tenacious. He knew how to be where I didn't want him to be."

Newer school, you might think Bowen, Raja Bell, Shane Battier, Ron Artest. But the choice here among former players is Michael Cooper, who was both a prototype and incredibly effective in the role. Said Rambis: "He was a student of the game. He did a great job of watching videotape back then and analyzing his opponents' tendencies. And also very quick-footed -- he had a nice wide base and was able to stay in front of people. He was also athletic enough that he could be a good weak-side defender."

Three-point specialist

If you could throw the ball to one guy, with your team down by three points and time running out in Game 7, whom would you want on the receiving end of that pass? That might be the top criterion for this role, although there's something to be said for the hot-handed fellow who can sub in at the 12- or 36-minute mark and break a defense's back with a flurry of long balls. Going with the former definition, I'd want the ball going to Steve Kerr, who spread the floor when it mattered most for championship teams in Chicago and San Antonio.

Shot-blocker

Marvin Webster was something to see in his day, especially with the Seattle SuperSonics. Mark Eaton was a wall that few could scale in Utah. Several greats worthy of the NBA's extended Mt. Rushmore -- Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Hakeem Olajuwon -- swatted a stunning number of shots, but they also were complete packages in terms of stats and titles won. No, it was that finger wag of Dikembe Mutombo that made shot-blocking fun to watch for reasons beyond the defensive impact.

Game-changer

By this, I'm thinking those change-of-pace guys, those players whose unique skill sets or size could alter a game almost as soon as they stepped on the court. Fellows like Manute Bol. Or Muggsy Bogues. Or, and the favorite here, Spud Webb, who took the little-man tradition to new heights, literally and figuratively.

Sixth Man

If you wanted to just go by numbers, well, Kevin McHale won the award twice. So did Ricky Pierce and Detleft Schrempf. Bobby Jones was the inaugural Sixth Man winner, and his defense and work running the wings on fast breaks helped the 1982-83 Philadelphia 76ers win a championship. Still, I like a guy who -- despite his reputation -- never actually got honored as the league's top super-sub: Vinnie Johnson. Johnson, a.k.a. The Microwave, provided instant offense to Detroit's 1989 and 1990 title teams and did so while generating dread in opponents and anticipation in fans just by walking to the scorer's table to check in.

Glue guy

This is the role player of role players, the teammate who sees what a club needs on or even off the floor and goes a little chameleon. Or you could liken these guys to caulk because they find the cracks in a club and do what they can to fill them. It's way more than just cheering on the side; Westphal shook his head when I mentioned Boston's famous towel-waver, M.L. Carr. "It's a player who doesn't care about stats," the Sacramento coach said. "Will be a good team defender as well as individual defender. Offensively, it's someone who can help his team play better, whether that means setting a screen or boxing our or moving the ball or knocking down an open shot. Just somebody who doesn't make a lot of mistakes, who his teammates know is there and they rely on him."

OK, so maybe this is playing fast and loose with the rules set forth above, but the greatest "glue guy" in NBA history might have been Magic Johnson because of his versatility and the way he kept a finger on his teammates' pulses.

"He had the ball in his hands all the time," Rambis said. "If he wanted to shoot 35 shots, no one was going to say anything about it. But his point of emphasis was to make sure that everyone else was happy. Got to touch the basketball and got their opportunities to score, because he knew the impact that would have at the defensive end. Would you classify Magic Johnson as a 'glue guy?' That would be some of the finest glue that was ever produced."

Will old-school rivalries ever return to the NBA?

Friendships between stars -- like the one Kobe and Carmelo share -- have taken the edge off rivalries.

Maybe there's hope yet for the kinder, gentler, we're-all-brothers-in-arms-and-Facebook-friends NBA of the 21st century.

Perhaps there's still a chance that when the playoffs begin this weekend there will be more hot times when teams exchange fiery stares rather than warm and fuzzy moments.

"They talk too much," said the Lakers' Pau Gasol, nodding toward the Denver Nuggets' locker room after a recent game. "Way too much."

After a recent rally from 22 points down came up a hair short in Boston a few weeks ago, Cleveland's LeBron James summed up the atmosphere on the court: "They don't like us, we don't like them."

Somewhere, Magic Johnson was getting a warm feeling all the way down to his Showtime toes.

It was during the NBA All-Star Weekend in Dallas when the Hall of Famer was standing around chatting and mentioned what he thought was missing most from the league today.

"Riii-val-ries," Magic said, stretching the word out as wide his growing grin.

"Look, I'm not saying the guys don't want to win and don't go all out. But I watch the game now and there's a difference. You know, everybody talks about me and Larry (Bird) being friends now, and we are. But for all the respect that I had for Larry as a player during our careers, when we were out on the court together, I hated him. I hated all all the Celtics. And they hated us, too."

My, how things have changed. In today's societal climate, could the Detroit Pistons' Bad Boys even exist in the NBA, let alone thrive as back-to-back champions? Could the Pistons have their "Jordan Rules" and deliver their hard-edged message to the rest of the Chicago Bulls?

When Pat Riley was in New York, the Knicks had their "no-layups" mentality. An opponent would never expect a hand up off the floor from Charles Oakley or Patrick Ewing, just a snarl.

Flip the pages of the calendar to 1998 and the New York-Miami series and the enduring image is of Jeff Van Gundy on the floor and clinging to the ankle of Alonzo Mourning during a bench-clearing brawl between the Knicks and Heat. Earlier this season, when the Cavs and Heat met in Miami, James and his buddy Dwyane Wade took turns exchanging circus shots and warm smiles with each other.

"The reason they do that is they all played on the Olympic team for a period of time. They became teammates, became friends and I think it takes away from the intensity of what Magic is talking about," Celtics Hall of Famer John Havlicek said on the eve of his 70th birthday. "Back in my day, it did seem more intense. Tom Heinsohn and Tom Meschery fought every game they ever played in, I think. There weren't too many they didn't fight in. Believe me, there were real rivalries."

Bird and the statesmanlike Julius Erving once exchanged blows while running down the court in Boston during an exhibition game. When Kevin McHale did his infamous clothesline takedown of Kurt Rambis in Game 4 of the 1984 NBA Finals, Heinsohn, doing the color commentary for CBS Sports, shrugged into the microphone and said, "Well, there is strategy in the game."

Wade listens to the stories and figures you might as well be talking about cavemen beating each other over the head with clubs.

"It's a different game," Wade said. "When Magic was playing, they could take guys down. They could knock each other out. They could knock each other's teeth out and it ain't like there was gonna be any technical fouls or fines. We can't do that. We can't be the Bad Boys Pistons. We miss five games with a suspension if we do something like that, try to play that way.

"We respect those guys. We respect what Magic and Larry and those guys did for the game. But it's a totally different day and age. A lot of us are friends and are cordial. I think they were, too. They just didn't have as many cameras in their faces all the time to talk about it."

Johnson shakes his head. He isn't talking about punches or cheap shots or any kind of violence, just the visceral distaste and distrust that were as much a part of the uniform as short shorts in the 1980s and '90s.

Magic says while he and former pal Isiah Thomas may have exchanged kisses before the opening tip of their Finals meetings in 1988 and 1989, as soon as the ball went up, there was not an ounce of love lost between them.

"Hey, there's been a few teams I've hated," James said. "I hated the Washington Wizards when we played them in the past in the playoffs and the regular season. Every time I saw them, I disliked them, I hated them. I don't know why. I just did.

"But you can't compare today and the way it's officiated and legislated to the old days. If you remember Rambis going in for that layup and getting clotheslined by McHale, then you remember that all McHale got was a personal foul. If you did that in today's game, you'd be out for a long time. There are different rules."

So is it no touching guards on the on the perimeter and only being allowed to use one hand on defense in the post that's taken the bite out of rivalries? Is it those golden Olympic bonds? Or is simply because it takes familiarity to breed contempt and the modern rivalries haven't had a chance to fester yet?

The Lakers and Nuggets could possibly have a return pairing of last year's Western Conference finals. Cleveland and Orlando are 1-2 in the East and seem headed for another showdown. A Lakers-Magic rematch in the Finals could roil old feelings.

Are bitter rivalries a thing of the past or ready to bloom?

Remember what LeBron said about the Celtics: "They don't like us, we don't like them."

There's hope yet.

Stats don't tell Howard's true value as NBA's best defender

Rebounds and blocks aren't the only way to measure Dwight Howard's defensive prowess.

For the second straight season, Dwight Howard leads the league in rebounds and blocked shots. And that may be all you need to know in determining that Howard should win his second straight Kia Defensive Player of the Year award. But Howard's value on defense goes well beyond boards and blocks.

When he's playing, Howard's blocks account for less than 5 percent of the shots the Magic's opponents take. Of the shots that opponents don't get blocked while Howard is on the floor, he rebounds 29 percent of the misses, a hefty percentage. That means that 71 percent of those rebounds go to someone else. So on a vast majority of defensive possessions, Howard's hands don't even touch the ball.

Still, Howard is NBA.com's choice for Defensive Player of the Year for exactly that reason -- what he provides the Magic when he's not blocking a shot or grabbing a rebound.

Orlando is the best defensive team in the league, allowing 100 points per 100 possessions. They have a defensive-minded coach, but other than Howard, the other four starters don't have great defensive reputations.

Matt Barnes is probably the best defender of the group, but he played his last three seasons with the defensively deficient Suns and Warriors. Rashard Lewis was part of a lot of bad defensive teams in Seattle before he came to Orlando. Vince Carter's Nets were a very good defensive team in 2005-06, but got worse every year after that and ranked 23rd defensively last season. And Jameer Nelson has been burned by plenty of point guards around the league.

Hedo Turkoglu was one of those other four defenders last season, when the Magic were the best defensive team in the league as well. This season, Turkoglu is a starter on the worst defensive team in the league.

Simply put, Howard's presence makes his teammates better defenders. They can be aggressive on the perimeter because they have Howard behind them. It's no surprise that the Magic allow the fewest paint points in the league (just 38.3 per 100 possessions).

Indirectly, Howard also defends the 3-point line. His teammates can run their man off the line, knowing that he's not getting all the way to the rim. Last season, the Magic ranked second by allowing their opponents to shoot 34 percent from 3-point range. This year, their 3-point defense has fallen off and they rank 23rd, but because they run their opponents off the line, they're still in the top half of the league in threes allowed per possession. And they still force their opponents to score just 24 percent of their points from mid-range, the highest rate in the league.

There's a caveat when calling Howard the best defensive player in the league, because his job is much different than the NBA's elite perimeter defenders. Staying in front of Kobe Bryant and getting a hand in his face when he rises for a jumper requires more work than it does to help out and challenge him at the rim.

But no matter how good Shane Battier or Luc Mbah a Moute may be on the perimeter, they can't make the same impact that Howard does in the paint. Battier may be the Rockets' best defender, but Yao Ming is still their most important defender. There's no arguing that Yao's absence is the biggest reason that the Rockets went from being a top-five defense last season to being a below average defense this one.

Size matters and Howard's biggest tools defensively are his natural gifts: his height, width and athleticism. Still, there are plenty of big, athletic guys in the NBA who aren't nearly as good defensively as Howard.

It takes more than natural gifts to become the most important defensive presence in the league. It takes intelligence and experience to be in the right position to help out teammates and to make the most of the 2.9 seconds in the lane. It takes the right balance of aggressiveness and discipline to block and alter shots without getting into foul trouble or losing position on rebounds. And it always takes energy and focus to be the best defensive player over the course of 82 games.

Is Howard all the way there yet? Probably not. At 24, he can still get better defensively.

And that's a scary thought, because right now, he's already the best.

Nets' fond memories of Meadowlands few and far between

Packed houses were a rare sight during the Nets' days at the Meadowlands.

Of all the championship banners that hung in the arena, the most impressive belonged to Bruce Springsteen. That's all you need to know about basketball at Meadowlands Arena, now known as the former home of the Nets.

They closed out a 29-year run in the white box in the swamps on Monday night, but truthfully, the Nets never really belonged there. The Nets didn't actually have a place to truly call their own, not in the strictest sense. They rarely filled the building, even when they were good. And when they were bad? You know what filled the building? Fake crowd noise. In order to add personality and buzz to an arena with all the charm of a mausoleum, the Nets once got the bright idea to record cheers (perhaps from Madison Square Garden across the Hudson) and play the tape after a scored basket.

The Meadowlands was that desperate of a place.

It wasn't designed to be that way. Back in 1981, the arena was a crucial part of the development of New Jersey that was affectionately called the Meadowlands and derisively called the swamps. It was hailed as an arena for the modern age and filled a void as New Jersey's entertainment center. After joining the NBA during the merger, the Nets moved from Uniondale on Long Island to Piscataway, where they played on the Rutgers campus before becoming the prime tenant in the arena named after Brendan Byrne, the sitting governor at the time.

But nobody really called it Brendan Byrne Arena ... or Continental Airlines Arena (when the chance to make sponsorship money overruled honoring the governor) ... or Izod Center, the third and final name. It was always the Meadowlands, and it was always in need of fans.

The Nets never could develop a mad following in Jersey. Some blamed the location, East Rutherford, a small municipality in the middle of nowhere. Or maybe the Nets just never established an identity in New Jersey or any firm roots. Whatever the reason, the idea of pro basketball never quite caught on.

The first season (1981-82) was actually one of the better ones. The Nets drew roughly 13,875 a night and the novelty of the building -- plus a team New Jersey could call its own -- was somewhat strong. They won 44 games, finished fourth in the Atlantic Division and lost in the first round of the playoffs.

Two seasons later, the Nets scored one of the bigger upsets in playoff history when they eliminated the defending champion 76ers and Julius Erving in the first round. He was once the most famous player in Nets history, yet he never played a single game in the Meadowlands for the home team. And that brings about another reason pro ball never had a long honeymoon: Dr. J was traded right before the ABA-NBA merger in 1976 and left his best years on Long Island.

Not that the Nets didn't have good players. Micheal Ray Richardson was lovable yet also troubled. Mike Gminski was popular, as was Buck Williams and briefly, Bernard King. Later, there was Drazen Petrovic, who died much too young, and Derrick Coleman, who never really grew up.

Plus, there was the greatest NBA Net of all: Jason Kidd, who threw a number of no-look passes on nights when there weren't many fans looking.

The Meadowlands' Nets were coached once by Larry Brown, Bill Fitch and Chuck Daly, all of whom won NBA titles ... with other teams. So yes, a lack of talent was never a major issue with the Nets, who had lean years but also very good seasons, including back-to-back trips to the NBA Finals with Kidd in 2001 and '02.

The Nets were always compared unfavorably with their competitors across the river, which was unfair, because New York is New York. The Knicks had Spike Lee and the Nets had Joe Piscopo. The Knicks were the heartbeat of the big city and the Nets were strictly suburban. The contrasts were too great and were mentioned far too often by the New York media, which essentially shunned the Nets.

And so they now move to Newark for two years while their new home is being built in Brooklyn. It could be an awkward two years for the Nets, who will be renters in a state that could refuse to invest its emotional support. But then, what else is new?

The good news is the Nets have new ownership on the horizon, a vision and a future elsewhere, and will cross its fingers that Brooklyn is more inviting from a fan standpoint than East Rutherford. One red flag: Brooklyn is home to thousands of Knicks fans. The Nets must convert, or else.

They must somehow do what Springsteen did and carve an identity in their new place. The Boss sold out 15 straight nights in the Meadowlands, enough to get a banner hoisted to the rafters in his honor.

The Nets could do without the banner. All they wanted was a red carpet. It was apparently asking too much.

Jazz honor late owner Miller, rename home floor

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- The Utah Jazz honored late owner Larry H. Miller by retiring the No. 9 and renaming the court at EnergySolutions Arena.

The Jazz unveiled the No. 9 -- Miller's softball number -- jersey in the rafters next to the team's other retired numbers during a halftime ceremony Wednesday night when Utah hosted Phoenix in the regular season finale.

Miller died in February 2009 of complications related to diabetes.

Miller's family and former Utah players, including John Stockton, were on the court for the ceremony and a few fans chanted "Larry Mill-er!" as the teams warmed up for the second half.

Report: Sixers to fire first-year coach Jordan

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Eddie Jordan and his Princeton offense flunked in Philadelphia.

A person familiar with the decision tells The Associated Press that Eddie Jordan will be fired Thursday after one season as Philadelphia 76ers coach.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because an announcement has not been made. Jordan is finished after an underachieving season that had the Sixers mired near the bottom of the Eastern Conference. Jordan was hired last summer and sold his Princeton offense as the way to turn them into contenders.

Instead, players were unhappy with his system almost from the start. The Sixers finished 27-55 and missed the playoffs for the first time in three years.

The Sixers will look for their fourth coach in three seasons.

Jordan, who was fired last season by Washington, has two years left on his contract and is owed $6 million.

The person did not address the status of team president and general manager Ed Stefanski. Stefanski hired Jordan last May. Jordan, who starred at Rutgers, had ties with Stefanski from their four seasons together with the New Jersey Nets.

Jordan said Wednesday he was "not concerned" about his job security before the Sixers lost to the Magic 125-111 to end the season. Jordan had said he anticipated a team meeting, player-exit meetings and taking his staff out to lunch on Thursday.

"If you want to be judged alone on the record, then we are where we are," Jordan said. "But as far as track record, as far as how the league works, as far as evaluating your personnel, maybe we need more time."

He won't get any more.

Jordan's dismissal had been widely speculated for months. His hire was panned by fans and media from the day he arrived and the players never warmed to the Princeton offense.

Marreese Speights, Thaddeus Young and Lou Williams were among the promising core of young players whose progress took a major step back this season. Elton Brand hasn't performed up to the $80 million contract Stefanski gave him two summers ago, Samuel Dalembert was his usual erratic self and Andre Iguodala continued to prove he can't carry the franchise.

The decision to bring back former franchise great Allen Iverson was a short-lived bust.

"The talent is there, it is just a matter of putting it all together," Iguodala said Wednesday.

Philadelphia was the Eastern Conference's No. 6 seed last season, eliminated in the first round by the Magic in six games. Now the Sixers are headed for the draft lottery. Their only key loss was point guard Andre Miller.

"They judged the team from their performance last year and the personnel lost," Jordan said. "Obviously, the personnel changed, maybe, maybe expectations should change. Maybe."

Brand was healthy for the first time in three years, but the power forward who was once a 20-10 regular, was often benched for long stretches and crucial fourth quarters. Jordan openly criticized Brand and Dalembert's effort and missing defensive awareness after a loss last week.

"There were times things happened [under Jordan], but it was a feel-out process during the season," Brand said after Wednesday night's game. "That is understandable and didn't work that well for us as the record indicates."

No one expected the Sixers to contend for the Eastern Conference title. But this kind of steep dropoff was a surprise.

This move could be seen coming in January when Stefanski refused to say Jordan's job was safe for the rest of the season with the team off to a 10-25 start, nor did he offer a single word of praise for his first-year coach.

Jordan had a 230-288 record as coach of the Washington Wizards and Sacramento Kings, but Stefanski gave him a three-year deal.

Stefanski now has to wonder if he'll be the one calling the shots on the next coach.

Boozer misses last game with strained oblique

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Utah forward Carlos Boozer missed the Jazz's regular season finale with a strained muscle in his right ribcage.

Boozer, Utah's leading scorer and rebounder, did not dress for Wednesday's home game against Phoenix as both teams tried to clinch the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. Boozer strained his oblique muscle on Tuesday night early in Utah's win at Golden State.

It was just the fourth game the Jazz have been without Boozer, who is averaging 19.5 points and 11.2 rebounds for Utah.

Blazers' Aldridge sidelined with stomach virus

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge will not play in the regular-season finale against Golden State because of a gastrointestinal virus that landed him in the hospital.

Aldridge was hospitalized on Tuesday night and was released Wednesday morning, Blazers coach Nate McMillan said.

Aldridge is the Blazers' second-leading scorer with 17.9 points per game.

Bobcats' Chandler leaves game with hip, elbow injuries

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Charlotte Bobcats center Tyson Chandler hurt his hip and left elbow when he crashed to the floor in the second quarter of Wednesday's game against Chicago and didn't return.

Chandler tried to grab a deflected pass along the sideline when he collided with Chicago's James Johnson and crashed to the floor on his left elbow and side.

An X-ray on his elbow was negative.

The injury happened not long after Bobcats coach Larry Brown said he faced a "dilemma" over whether to play his regulars in the final regular-season game. While Charlotte was locked into the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference, the Bulls entered the game in a race with Toronto for the final playoff spot.

Magic set record for most 3-pointers made in season

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- The Orlando Magic have set a record for most 3-pointers in a single season.

Vince Carter made the Magic's 838th shot from beyond the arc Wednesday night just before halftime against the Philadelphia 76ers. That surpasses the mark of 837 set by the 2005-06 Phoenix Suns.

Carter's shot from the corner just in front of the Magic's bench came with 20.9 seconds remaining in the second quarter. It was also Orlando's eighth 3-pointer of the game.

Carter's shot make gave the Magic 2,231 attempts this season. The 2008-09 New York Knicks attempted a record 2,284 last season.

Celtics' Rivers says he'll consider future after season

BOSTON (AP) -- Doc Rivers says he'll consider whether to return as coach of the Boston Celtics after the season, just as he does every year.

Rivers said Wednesday night that his family will be a key factor. Next season, one of his sons will be a senior basketball player at Indiana University and his daughter will be a senior volleyball player at the University of Florida. Another basketball-playing son will enter his final high school season.

Rivers is in his sixth season as Celtics coach and has one more left on his contract.

He said he's taken the same approach to the offseason the past three years.

Kings pick up option on forward Landry

SACARAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- The Sacramento Kings have exercised a team option on forward Carl Landry to keep him under contract through next season.

President of basketball operations Geoff Petrie announced the move Wednesday, a day after Sacramento finished a 25-57 season.

Landry was acquired at the trade deadline from Houston. He averaged 18.0 points and 6.5 rebounds in 28 games with Sacramento.

Spurs hold Duncan, Ginobili out for last game

DALLAS (AP) -- The San Antonio Spurs turned in a starting lineup for the season finale that included Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili. Then coach Gregg Popovich changed his mind.

Duncan and Ginobili didn't even suit up for a game against the Dallas Mavericks that had direct playoff implications -- a Dallas win would give the Mavs the No. 2 seed and the Spurs the No. 7 seed, meaning they would meet in the first round of the playoffs.

San Antonio could've moved up to the No. 6 seed with a win, but that also might have dropped Dallas to No. 3, which also would've set up a first-round meeting.

Popovich told the official scorers 18 minutes before pregame warmups that Duncan and Ginobili would play. He still had a chance to change his mind, and did with a few minutes left in warmups.

Duncan and Ginobili were not even sitting courtside when the game began, and the team said they would be listed as "did not play-coaches decision." DeJuan Blair and Roger Mason Jr. started in their place.

Yao sets up hotline for China earthquake victims

HOUSTON (AP) -- Houston Rockets star Yao Ming has set up a hotline to help North American Chinese residents reach family and friends in China following a series of earthquakes there.

The latest series of quakes struck Wednesday in a remote, mountainous Tibetan region. At least 589 people have been killed and more than 10,000 are injured.

"I feel very sad for them," Yao said Wednesday, before the Rockets played their season finale against New Orleans. "I wish the rest of the people there, the families, good treatment. In the future, we still need a lot of people to help. I am going to find out what I can do."

Yao, out this season after left foot surgery, created a foundation in June 2008, about a month after a massive earthquake struck the Sichuan province. Yao created his foundation with a $2 million donation to rebuild schools in the affected area.

Yao said he's not sure yet what role his foundation will play in the latest recovery effort.

"This happened now, so, we still don't know," Yao said. "Lot of questions. We have some experience now. Obviously, we can do better than last time."

The hotline number is (718) 766-9636. A recorded message in English and Mandarin asks the caller to enter the phone number of the person they are trying to reach in China.