A few fantasy basketball sleepers

As with any fantasy league, the key to winning fantasy basketball is identifying sleepers who you believe will produce much more than their draft slot says that they should produce. Everyone knows about the stars that will come off the board near the top of the draft, but it is the sleepers that are taken later that will either win or lose the league for you. Here are a few of the guys that I am keeping an eye on in fantasy basketball drafts this season:

- Thaddeus Young - the third year man for the Philadelphia 76ers looks poised to take another big leap this season. Even though he will be entering his third season, he is only 21 years old. He made marked improvements in every area of the game, posting better scoring, rebounding, and shooting numbers. He looks like he has the talent to make a similar leap in year three, and could become a very valuable top 10 guy at his position, with expected boosts in scoring, rebounding, and 3-point shooting. Look for him as a solid performer in the middle rounds.

- JR Smith - He has a ton of talent at the 2 guard spot, and should continue to get the chance to showcase it after the departures of Dahntay Jones and Linas Kleiza. He is a great shooter that has the green light to fire whenever he has an opening, which makes him one of the most prolific three point shooters in the NBA. Starting in an explosive offense also featuring Chauncey Billups and Carmelo Anthony, he should get plenty of good looks in the Nuggets offense.

- Manu Ginobili - Everyone knows he is a great player, but he is sneakily one of the best in the NBA when he is healthy. He is an extremely efficient player. He can get to the basket and create easy baskets for himself, he is one of the best shooters in the NBA when left open (when should happen frequently in an offense with Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Richard Jefferson), and he is a great free throw shooter. After struggling with injuries for the past couple of seasons, he rested up this offseason, and appears the be healthy for the first time in years. The hunger will be there, as the Spurs look poised to challenge the Lakers for Western Conference supremacy, so you know that he will bring it every night.

These are just a few college basketball sleepers that I see. By identifying them and a few more guys that you like on draft night, you could put yourself in position to have a great fantasy basketball season. Who are your fantasy sleepers?

2009 NBA Offseason Review: Atlantic Division

Over the past couple of seasons, the Atlantic Division has been dominated by the Boston Celtics. Ever since Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen got into town, they have not been challenged in the Atlantic. That doesn't appear to be changing this year at all, as the Celtics have beefed up their team with the addition of Rasheed Wallace, a free agent pickup from the Detroit Pistons. He should add another offensive weapon and veteran presence as Boston looks to get back to the NBA Finals.

The Raptors made one of the biggest splashes of the offseason by acquiring Hedo Turkoglu, a free agent from Orlando. He should add a scorer and creator, giving the Raptors a solid trio of Jose Calderon, Turkoglu, and Chris Bosh. After missing the playoffs the last couple of seasons, they look like they should have a good chance of getting back. However, they need to stay healthy, because there is not a lot of depth there.

Philadelphia has made it to the playoffs in back-to-back years and will look to improve on their finish from last season. They did not make the big splash like they did last year with Elton Brand, and had a quiet offseason. The biggest move was not resigning Andre Miller, meaning Lou Williams will slide into the starting point guard role. Williams is young and might not be a true point guard, but he has showed a lot of explosion and scoring ability early on in his career. They also signed sharpshooter Jason Kapono to fight for minutes.

The New Jersey Nets continued their rebuilding efforts by trading away Vince Carter. He was a stud for them last season, but with the struggles of the team, there was no reason to keep him around. The key piece they got back was second year guard Courtney Lee, an important contributor for the Orlando Magic last season. The Nets will look to build around him and Devin Harris.

Last, the New York Knicks did not do much, as they did all they could to preserve cap space for 2010. They made runs at guys like Ramon Sessions and Jason Kidd, but in the end their offseason was a lot of work without much results. They did get Darko Milicic, but mostly they are hoping to build around a young core and then entice a big name free agent (or two) to come to New York next season. Their only goal was not to compromise cap space for next year, and they achieved that.

What do you think of the moves made?

NBA Eastern Conference Playoff Predictions

With what should be a great playoff season just about upon us, it's time to prognosticate, undoubtedly ending in horrible shame at my ignorance. But that's ok.

(1) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Atlanta Hawks
It's going to be strange to see the Hawks back in the playoffs, although I don't foresee their stay being too lengthy. The Hawks have talent and athleticism, but they're no match for the Celtics. The Celtics should be able to smother the Hawks defensively, leading to a quick, decisive victory.
BOSTON IN 4

(2) Detroit Pistons vs. (7) Philadelphia 76ers
The Sixers are a great story and I'll be rooting for them, but it's difficult seeing them match up with the Pistons in a 7-game series. The Pistons are a bit too strong defensively and efficient offensively. The Sixers have played about as well as anyone over the past couple of months, but Detroit in the playoffs is a completely different animal.
DETROIT IN 5

(3) Orlando Magic vs. (6) Toronto Raptors
I like the Raptors in an upset pick. I'm not sure the Magic and their players are really familiar being in this position, as a favorite in the playoffs. It will be interesting to see how they handle it. The Raptors don't really have anyone to match up with Dwight Howard, but then the Magic don't have a good matchup for Chris Bosh. This should be a highly entertaining series.
TORONTO IN 7

(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) Washington Wizards
These clubs will meet up for the 3rd straight season, but this year should be a lot better than last. Now that the Wizards are healthy, they're a very dangerous club capable of putting up lots of points on the board. Meanwhile, the Cavs have the best player in the world. In round 1, I think LeBron wills his team to victory... as long as the game is close at the end, LeBron will win it for the Cavs.
CLEVELAND IN 7

What are your thoughts on round 1 of the East?

NBA Draft, Winners, Losers, and things that confused me

OK, I have lots and lots of thoughts about the NBA Draft, but I'll try to condense it somewhat and just write down some things I liked, didn't like, and was a little confused by.

Things I Liked:
- The Oden and Durant picks - OK, these were really obvious choices, but sometimes you have to congratulate guys for not screwing up. Both guys are going to be stars sooner rather than later and should change both franchises around.

- The Knicks getting Zach Randolph - The concerns are certainly there (as were expressed by Dick Vitale), but on paper this is a fantastic deal for the Knicks. If Randolph can stay out of trouble, there's not a whole lot of 4/5 combos than Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph, with David Lee off the bench. And really, they didn't have to give up that much.

- The Bobcats getting Jason Richardson - Stephen A. Smith didn't seem to like this deal, but I thought it was pretty solid for the Bobcats. Richardson is a lot of money, but the Bobcats were under the cap. But Richardson is a really solid player and I think he turns them into a playoff team... Felton-Richardson-Wallace-Okafor-Brezec is a pretty nice starting lineup, especially in the East.

- Corey Brewer to the Timberwolves - Nice pick for the Wolves here... I think Brewer was definitely the best player left on the board and should immediately have an impact in Minnesota. Whether that impact comes with Kevin Garnett in town is yet to be determined.

- The foreign player picks - I thought a lot of teams had some really good picks of these foreign guys, and all of them were in the West. Bellinelli is a GREAT fit for the Warriors, Splitter is a typically excellent San Antonio pick, and the Blazers getting Rudy Fernandez for basically a couple million dollars is really nice as well. All really nice picks, especially later in the first round.


Things I Didn't Like:
- The Blazers end of the Randolph deal - I think they had to trade Randolph (if only to get him away from Oden), but I don't really like what they got out of it. Steve Francis was a bit of a problem child in New York, and he wasn't all that effective when he played. Channing Frye is a nice young player, but not great as the second piece for a very good post player.

- The Sonics taking Jeff Green - Green is a fine player, but when the Sonics got the 5 pick from Boston (more on that later) I was hoping for a little more. Green basically plays the same position as Durant and Rashard Lewis (who they have to be looking to resign now). Why not go for a guy like Corey Brewer, who can immediately take Ray Allen's spot? I didn't really like that pick. But again, it might not turn out so bad because Green is really talented.

- Aaron Brooks to Houston - I'm just not sure about this pick for the Rockets, especially since they already have Mike James, Rafer Alston, and Luther Head. Brooks is a really good shooter, and he's quick off the dribble, but is he really going to have that big of an impact with those other PGs?

- Alando Tucker to Phoenix - Tucker was a great college player and he brings some things to the table, but how does he fit in with Phoenix? He's not a really good outside shooter, and that's rather important in Phoenix's system. Really a strange pick, especially with guys like Gabe Pruitt and Derrick Byars still on the board. When asked about it, D'Antoni said they were impressed because he has good character and is a winner... those things are great, but is that the best you want from a first round pick?


Things that Confused Me:
- The Celtics trading for Ray Allen - I think it was a fair trade, and rumors like this have been floating around for a while, but why? Allen probably makes them a playoff team, but he's getting older and he's not going to lead them to the Finals. Again, I don't really think is a really bad move for Boston, because they didn't give up much other than the 5th pick, but the direction of this team just kind of confuses me some. But Pierce, Allen, and Jefferson should at least be fun to watch.

- Thaddeus Young to the 76ers - OK, this isn't a huge thing, but Young over Julian Wright and Al Thornton? Really?

- The Warriors trading Jason Richardson - Like the Boston deal, I don't think this is really bad for Golden State, but it confused me. The Warriors were a playoff team last year and look like an up-and-coming team, and I think this sets them back some. They must really like Michael Pietrus a lot. The good news, though, is that Brandan Wright is definitely a perfect fit for their system. He should fit great in their up-and-down style. But again, it's going to take a couple years, and Baron Davis is pretty fragile.

Who are your winners and losers?

2001 NBA Finals, Game 1

Over the weekend on ESPN Classic they showed some good NBA Finals games. There was some interesting stuff, so I put a few of them on the DVR to watch because I thought it would be interesting to see all of these guys when they were younger. Other games I taped include the 1998 Bulls vs. Jazz Game 6 (MJ's last shot for Chicago), and a couple of Rockets games so I could watch some tape of Olajuwon in his prime.

But the first game I watched was Game 1 of the 2001 NBA Finals between the LA Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers, which the Sixers won 107-103 in OT. I figured I'd write about that game here because it was a lot more interesting than Game 2 of the 2007 NBA Finals, even if I did know what happened.

Also to note my biases, the 2001 Philadelphia 76ers might be my favorite team ever. I loved watching them play and that's a big reason I am a 76ers fan today. Some thoughts on the game:

- Here was the 76ers starting lineup: Allen Iverson, Aaron McKie, Jumaine Jones, Tyrone Hill, Dikembe Mutombo. Seriously, that was the starting lineup of an NBA Finals team (maybe why they lost 4-1). But that alone should give you an indication of just how great Allen Iverson was and is. Every night the defense had to know exactly who was getting the ball and who was getting the majority of the shots for Philly, and Iverson was still the MVP and led them to the Finals.

- By the way, Allen Iverson had 48 points in this game, including 7 in a row late in OT to clinch the game.

- Looking at the 76ers team, I got the feeling that this is the exact type of team that Kobe Bryant would like to play on today. Everyone was defensive minded and didn't care if they got shots... heck, Iverson shot 30+ times many times and everyone else just continued to play good defense and never force anything on offense.

- Watching Shaq play then, I don't think he gets enough credit for how athletic he is. People see him as the big, powerful guy on the post, and he is that, but in his prime he could get up and down the floor as well as any big man in the NBA. He was also a very solid passer and ballhandler.

- And for the record, Shaq had 44 points and 20 rebounds in this game against Dikembe Mutombo (more on him later). In that year's playoffs he averaged over 30 points and 15 rebounds per game. Wow.

- Interesting matchup of Raja Bell (who got his start in Philly) guarding Kobe Bryant whenever he was in the game. I forgot their history went back that far. And for the record, Bell did a very good job on Bryant even back then.

- About Dikembe Mutombo, there is no doubt that he was one of the most intimidating defenders at the rim ever. He was 35 years old at this time and past his prime, but one play stuck out to me. On one Lakers possession Horace Grant caught a pass and looked like he had an open layup. Instead, he paused, looked around for Mutombo (who was far under the hoop), but this pause was enough time for Mutombo to get over and block the shot. It was awesome.

- It was interesting watching Rick Fox play... he just seemed so very unathletic, but he was still a very effective player because he knew what his role was and he was always in the right position.

- Another reason I enjoyed this game... their was no flopping. That was refreshing.

- This has been said over and over, but the NBA on NBC was fantastic. Great music, great commentary (Marv Albert and Doug Collins), great camera work, great everything.

So the Lakers did go on to win the next 4 (and finish their 15-1 romp through the 2001 playoffs), but for one night at least Philly was king. What a game. If you're interested, the last minutes of it are on Youtube.

Do you remember this series at all?

Andre Iguodala

Ladies and gentlemen, meet Andre Iguodala. Sure, you know about him from the Dunk Contest last year, but that's just a small part. Don't look now, but he's been downright studly ever since the trade of Allen Iverson.

I'll go into depth in a minute, but first this video from last year's dunk contest, along with a quote from Charles Barkley that summed up Iguodala's first 2 years in the NBA:



To recap the video, here's the conversation that took place:

Kenny: I never understood this... why would you use Allen Iverson to pass you the ball in a dunk contest?
Charles: It's a subliminal message... like when I gave Kenny those Altoids.

Allen Iverson is my favorite player in the NBA, but let's be honest, with him and Webber in the mix, Iguodala didn't have that many opportunities to create and score on his own, and that may have hampered his growth and potential as a young player a little bit. So in his young days he was just the best defensive player on the team from the moment he was drafted, a good finisher and good passer, but he didn't have the ball enough to score a lot of points.

Well, now he appears to be making up for lost time. In last night's game, Iguodala was the star for the Sixers in beating the Bobcats, with 27 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 steals.

Of course, this is becoming a pretty common thing for AI2. He has scored 19 or more points in his last 9 games, and has averaged 23.4 PPG over that span. After averaging just about 14 PPG in November (before the shakeup in Philly), he averaged 18.9 PPG in December, 18.2 in January, and 25 PPG so far in February. But it's not like scoring is all he's been doing.

In December and January combined he averaged around 5 RPG, about 5.5 APG, and over 2 SPG. So in addition to being a high percentage scorer and being able to get to the line, he also is a contributor on the glass, a very good passer, and the best defensive player on the team.

So have a look folks at a rising star, a supremely athletic player that is just learning how to really play on the offensive end, and so far with excellent results. Andre Iguodala, one of the most underrated players in the NBA.

NBA Rundown

With the NFL playoffs, college football bowls, and everything else, I haven't written about the NBA very much this year. Which is a shame. So to rectify that, let's take a brief look at how each division race is going so far this year:

Atlantic Division
For a short while when the Nets were 20-20 the division leader was at least .500, which was nice for a change. They lost now to drop to 20-21, but they hold the slim division lead. I thought the Celtics would be able to challenge for the division crown, but the injury of Paul Pierce ended that. They've gone 2-14 with him out the lineup, and believe it or not, that's not good enough to win the Atlantic. Elsewhere, Philly is awful and the Knicks are the Knicks, so it's looks like this race is between the Nets and Raptors... don't sound so excited.

Central Division
Hey, a division in the East with more than 2 teams over .500! Washington is obviously playing well, but I think there's an extremely good chance that the 3 best teams in the East reside in the Central division. The Pistons are up top and they are the best offensive team in the division, the Cavs are in 2nd, and they have this guy named LeBron James on their team, which helps (though the key is the supporting cast). The Bulls are in 3rd, but they have the best defense in the division. Put it all together, any of them can win the division and I would bet that the Eastern Conference winner will be among these three teams. Unless DWade pulls off a miracle like last year, I don't see what other team will beat them in the playoffs.

Southeast Division
The Wizards are playing well, but they have the same problems they've had in the past. They're not getting any inside scoring and they can't play any defense whatsoever. That's generally a bad combination in the playoffs. The other competitors are Miami and Orlando... Orlando started strong but has cooled off, and Miami is being carried by Dwyane Wade. Seriously, without Shaq and Wade this would be the WORST team in the NBA... so it's vital that Shaq can come back and give them something. Anything.

Northwest Division
Utah has the 5 game division lead over Denver right now, but with AI and Carmelo playing together, I think the Nuggets could have a few tricks up their sleeve, especially if Camby can stay healthy for once. After 2 games together things seem to be going just fine with those two, though the defense could stand to be a little better.The TWolves are in 3rd place and .500 right now, but they just fired their coach. I thought that was a pretty awful move, but I'll just quote John Hollinger, because he explained my thoughts pretty clearly today:

Can anyone remember the last time a coach took a team that was expected to be lottery-bound, had them at .500 and in line for a playoff spot at the halfway point of the season in a very tough conference, and got fired anyway?

...From the lofty contract extensions they've handed out to even their most mediocre players, to the way they've axed both Flip Saunders (in February 2005) and now Casey rather than admitting the serial imperfections of the roster, to their current refusal to trade Garnett before his value declines, Minnesota's front office has existed in an alternate state of reality for some time now.

Pacific Division
This is the Suns division and no one has any real chance of winning it besides them. The Suns are 33-8, scoring 112 PPG, playing really solid defense, and [ohbytheway] have won 14 straight games. I try not to get into too much hyperbole, but they have a chance to be one of the best teams ever. Their talent is that good, their coaching is that good, and they play that well together. They started the year 1-5 and have gone 32-3 since. They have 30 of their last 32 games. They own this division and there's no need to discuss anyone else.

Southwest Division
Once again the best division in the NBA and it features [in my opinion] 3 of the 5 best teams in the Conference. Dallas might even be better than Phoenix, the Spurs are still an excellent team, and Houston with a healthy McGrady and Yao can beat anyone in the NBA in a short series. All 3 teams are real good, and along with the Suns, Lakers, and Jazz are the reason that I am really, really looking forward to this year's playoffs.

So who's the best team in the NBA? Mavs or Suns?

Billy King: No Level of Incompetence that won't be tolerated

As I mentioned earlier and you almost certainly have heard many times, Allen Iverson was traded. The official deal is Allen Iverson and Ivan McFarlin for Andre Miller, Joe Smith (and his expiring contract), and two first-round draft picks.

Allen Iverson was the reason I first became a Sixers fan, so it's tough to see him go, especially when he's still playing great basketball. He's incredibly quick, a great finisher, gets to the line, and will give you all he's got each and every game. Maybe he's not big on practice, but I think that's forgivable considering the beating he takes game in and game out.

So about the trade. I don't really like it much. Certainly it's not an awful deal, but in many ways I don't see the point. Andre Miller is a nice PG, and a good distributor. But like Iverson he's 31 years old and his deal runs for 2 more years after this one. Honestly, all I can see Miller doing is improving the Sixers just enough to lessen their shot at the #1 pick. I wouldn't really be surprised if the Sixers turned around and traded Miller.

Then there's Joe Smith, who is simply in it for the expiring contract. OK.

Last, and perhaps most importantly, are 2 first-round picks. These are obviously nice, but they'll be late first rounders sometime in the 20s. It's a deep draft, which is good, but what do you normally get from picks in the 20s? Based on my unscientific research, generally role players or occasional starters. Every once in a while there's a guy like Josh Howard, but then there's also the guys that never make it. And that is what they got for Allen Iverson, who by the time he's done with be one of the top 50 (certainly) players ever to play the game, and who's still playing at a very high level.

It's increasingly evident that the problem in Philadelphia was not Allen Iverson, it's Billy King. Seriously, look at this Philly team right now.

- Andre Iguodala - ok, no complaints here. He's a nice up-and-coming player on both ends of the court.
- Kyle Korver - great shooter, no defense. Solid role player.
- Chris Webber - basically on one leg, limited mobility, and with an albatross contract. An awful defensively player and poor fit for Philly's personnel.
- Samuel Dalembert - an athletic post with no real offensive skills and seems to be the same player he was 2 years ago.
- Rodney Carney - promising young player who's nowhere near ready yet.

That's about it. Kevin Ollie starts, but he sucks. Louis Williams could be good someday, but he's not yet. Stephen Hunter is a decent big man off the bench. The starting lineup is below average, and there is no depth. This was the team surrounding around Allen Iverson.

At the end of the day, Allen Iverson is a Denver Nugget, and they become my 2nd favorite team. But the problems for the 76ers run a lot deeper than Allen Iverson, and they start in the front office with Billy King. The man with seemingly no plan, and from the looks of it no real clue on how to piece together a team.

Here's a great post at The 700 Level, and I'll quote a part I really like:

I'll remember the crossover on Jordan, the high arching kiss off the glass, the step over Tyronne Lue, the cupped hand to the ear, the sleeve, the tattoos, the MVP. I'm not talkin' bout practice, I'm talkin' bout the warrior.

Allen Iverson had his flaws. Philadelphia loved him anyway. Thanks for the memories.

Indeed. Thanks AI, you'll be missed by this 76ers fan.

Bye Bye Bubba Chuck

It's official, Allen Iverson is officially a member of the Denver Nuggets.

As a Sixers fan, it will be hard to watch AI play in another uniform. More analysis later, but I don't feel up to it right now.

NBA Preview: Atlantic Division

In the midst of the football season being in full swing, and the World Series winding down, it came as a mini-surprise to me that the first NBA regular season game is less than a week away, with opening night being on Halloween. So it's time for some quick previews, starting with the Atlantic Division.

Boston Celtics - Once again, the C's will be very, very young, but also talented. As with any young bunch, consistency is key. The Celtics need to take better care of the ball and rebound better. These two areas will be determined a lot by who eventually starts at PG, and if Al Jefferson can get back to looking like the budding star he was 2 years ago. At PG, I'm not really crazy about Sebastian Telfair or Rajon Rondo... frankly, I don't think either of them can shoot a lick from outside right now... but if one of them can get established and take care of the ball, the PG spot will be ok, and the Celtics will have a very real shot at .500 and maybe, just maybe a shot at the division title.

New Jersey Nets - I don't really like this team much. The big 3 is there, but getting older. Vince Carter doesn't give much effort defensively or going to the basket, Richard Jefferson is not that effective in a halfcourt set, and Jason Kidd is not what he used to be as an outside shooter or defender. After that, things look bleak. The bench, in a word, sucks. Their 6th man is either Eddie House or Cliff Robinson, and that is really, really bad. They have Marcus Williams, who as I've said I like a ton, but the 2nd unit is just bad. If they have any injury problems (and they had hardly any last year), they'll be in trouble.

New York Knicks - Ah yes, the abomination that is the New York Knicks under Isiah Thomas. The team should be better just by pure luck and the fact that the young guys will play a little more, but not by much. Their big FA signing of the offseason was Jared Jeffries, a bad offensive player who they overpaid for. Shocking. This is still a team filled with shoot-first PGs and poor offensive 2/3 men... and that's not a good combo. One bright spot should be Channing Frye, who will get more time this year, and should thrive if the Knicks push the ball a little more. Frye is a guy I really like as well as a fantasy sleeper!

Philadelphia 76ers - I love the Sixers, but the whole offseason was much ado about nothing. They tried their best to trade Allen Iverson, but at the end of the day he's back in Philly. The big FA signing was Alan Henderson (though Rodney Carney should immediately get playing time as a rookie and be a solid player). As a result, I see a lot of the same things happening as last year... great offensively in transition, awful defensively. Andre Iguodala is very solid defensively, and Samuel Dalembert has the potential to be solid defensively, but there's not much else in that category for the starters. Allen Iverson will take a lot of chances and get a lot of steals, but he also gambles and loses a lot. Chris Webber is playing basically on one leg. Kyle Korver is a situational shooter moonlighting as a starter. It could get really ugly defensively.

Toronto Raptors - This is one of the teams I'm most looking forward to seeing how they do under new man Bryan Colangelo. They should play at a fast pace, be a little better defensively, and be relatively competitive as they begin the slow climb to respectability. Chris Bosh is the star, and he's a darn good play at the 4 or 5 spot. After that, Mo Pete is a solid player, the rookie Andrea Bargnani is intriguing, and it will be interesting to see how TJ Ford fits in the offense. If nothing else, they're deeper and will have loads of cap space next year... it will be an interesting year North of the Border.

Predicted Order of Finish:
1. Boston Celtics
2. New Jersey Nets
3. Philadelphia 76ers
4. New York Knicks
5. Toronto Raptors

Will Stephen A. Smith shut up?

Earlier on this blog, I expressed my wishes that Skip Bayless would just shut up. Today, I express the same sentiments toward Stephen A. Smith.

While I (and most everyone else) have thought this many times over the past few months, this is specifically in regards to his article yesterday in the Philadelphia Inquirer, "As a black man, Cheeks watches his step." Let's take a look. (Smith's quotes in blockquote)

Maurice Cheeks is a black man.

Thanks Stephen A. I had no idea.

Under normal circumstances, this would mean absolutely nothing. But if you are a head coach in the National Basketball Association, and you are perceived as the warden of an asylum run by the players, this is something you can ill afford.

Especially as a black coach in the NBA.

Well, if you didn't know Cheeks was a head coach in the NBA, Smith told you twice. So that's helpful.

Smith apparently also subscribes to the Scoop Jackson School of Broadcasting, which calls for as much vague and cryptic writing as possible.

Here's the dirty little secret talked about amongst African Americans in the sports world: While the numbers are proliferating, methodically erasing the need to make an issue out of the paucity of black coaches in the game, it hasn't changed the unwritten standard attached to their job description.

Most coaches are hired to win basketball games. Black coaches are hired to do so while keeping players under control.

If this were not true, you still wouldn't see many black coaches in this game.

Let's ask Jim O'Brien about this. He coached for one year in Philly, led them back to the playoffs, and was fired for the effort. I didn't hear Smith complaining about that one though.

Cheeks was brought here to be something Jim O'Brien wasn't: a winner with a personality.

The onus placed on Cheeks was not just to win basketball games and ingratiate himself with the Philadelphia community. It was, and still is, to keep the players happy, so we wouldn't hearing about how Billy King is entertaining the idea of accepting expiring contracts just to start anew.

So let me get this straight, Smith complains that Cheeks was brought in to win and have personality, with his main complaint seeming to be that for Cheeks, winning alone is not enough. But he makes no mention of the fact that these were the exact same conditions for O'Brien, who won and was fired after one season.

Also, I think the reason King is entertaining the idea of accepting expiring contracts is because Philly has won exactly one playoff series since 2001, and their core is starting to get old. It has nothing to do with the coach.

But that's only as long as there's a vision for a future. A plan in motion that includes the right coach, capable of manning the ship. Translation: Keeping the players in check.

Is Cheeks the right guy? This question has been asked, albeit not by me.

That, in itself, is a problem he needs to fix. Now!

First of all, let me say I haven't heard of too many thoughts about the Sixers firing Cheeks, although since Smith writes for a Philadelphia paper, I guess I can give him the benefit of the doubt. However, (winning) coaches around the league are in jeopardy of losing their jobs. This is probably Rick Adelman's last year in Sacramento, and all he has done is lead the Kings to the playoffs the last 7 years. Jeff Van Gundy has been catching heat in Houston, and he's led Houston to the playoffs the last 2 years. Both of those coaches are white, by the way.

As a Philly fan, I like Cheeks. I don't want him fired, and I don't think he'll be fired. But what's Smith trying to prove here? That he can make racial claims? Too bad that a so-called "national reporter" has to resort to sensationalism in his writing.

I'll definitely watch my step the next time I think about reading a Smith article.