Jon Pastuszek

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

--The first line of A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens

Forget the snubs for a minute (I promise we'll get to those) and focus in on the more important All-Star matter: At this point in his career, Allen Iverson can do no right in the eyes of the media, even when he’s voluntarily voted into an exhibition game by his adoring fans.  It’s a situation he cannot control, but who cares?  His decision to honor the fans’ choice has been branded as disrespectful towards the game, and the selection process as a whole has come under fire as a result.

Unexpected.

It's the best one word description I can give for this 09-10 season that's almost 1/3rd in the books.

Tell me, in an an economic atmosphere that has led teams to either spend crazily or cut costs with not much gray area in between, did you forsee a league that would be this competitive top to bottom? 

Did you predict that the West would go 13 teams deep?  Did you see young teams like the Kings, Thunder and Grizzlies, three young, small market clubs making promising Playoff pushes?

It’s January 31st in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  On a trip to visit family in a nearby suburb, I’m standing in the Wachovia Center, my first live 76ers experience about to close.

Down two to the Nets with seconds left, Sixers guard Royal Ivey’s potential game winning three is blocked out of bounds with a fraction of a second still on the clock.  With not enough time to get a shot off, head coach Tony DiLeo calls his last time-out to draw up a last-gasp alley-oop to Marreese Speights.

This Thanksgiving season, I’m thankful for family, friends, health, Brandon Jennings, Raekwon’s newest album, NBA League Pass Broadband and Brandon Jennings.

And oh, did I mention Brandon Jennings?

By Joshua Motenko

Last year, the Denver Nuggets transformed from perennial Playoff early exiters, to Western Conference contenders, getting into the Western Conference Finals for the first time in since 1978.

A big part of that Rocky Mountain revival was Nugget big man, Nene.  Fully healthy for the first time in years, Nene put up career numbers across the board and the squad the consistent force in the middle that they lacked in previous years.

 

To check out our Eastern Conference rankings, click here.

We love the NBA because it keeps us talking all year round, even when basketball isn't being played.

This offseason has been especially interesting.  Expected by many to be a quiet one, the poor economy has had an adverse effect on several teams' fiscal philosophy.  Every single contender made major transactions for a run at a title, while more than a few second-tier clubs joined in too.

by: Josh Redetzke

Detroit Pistons

Grade: A-                      

2009/10 Payroll: $38.1 million