Blessing # 1 rocked!
For NBA fans, there's much to be thankful for
So, in the spirit of what's coming on Thursday, here are 25 blessings the NBA should count:
25: Conseco Fieldhouse
All of the traditional arenas (Boston Garden, Fab Forum, Chicago Stadium) are gone. The best of the new is located in Indiana, hoops heaven, and has all of the nostalgic throwback touches that separate the building from all the rest.
24. Mikhail Prokhorov
The Russian billionaire is bringing deep pockets and a deeper love for basketball, exactly what the Nets need from an owner to survive. There's hope for the franchise after all.
23. Good guys
LeBron James and Dwyane Wade aren't prima donnas, even though they could be. You see it in so many other sports, where a superstar pulls rank and takes advantage of his fawning public. Sure, it sounds strange, giving someone credit for being a professional and a decent human being -- isn't that what we're all supposed to be? Nobody's perfect, but these two ambassadors try awfully hard to be.
22. Brandon Jennings in Milwaukee
High-profile rookie plays in a small market, which helps spread the wealth, and the word about the Bucks. For a while there, people forgot about Milwaukee. Now you can find a Bucks jersey in Kalamazoo without searching too hard.
21. Christmas Day monopoly
Celtics vs. Magic. LeBron vs. Kobe. Nuggets vs. Blazers. Wade plays, Nash plays. While the sports calendar takes a breather, the NBA has the date all to itself. After the NBA Finals and the All-Star Game, this is the most visible day of the season.
20. Oklahoma City
Nobody wanted them to leave Seattle, a great basketball town saddled by too much political mumbo-jumbo. But at least the Team Formerly Known As The Sonics found a place with a porch light on.
19. Ailing but able
Kareem, Maurice Lucas, Brian Grant, Paul Allen. Hanging tough in tough physical times.
18. Jerry Buss
Has there ever been a better owner in the NBA? He spends and rarely meddles. He always seems to make the right decisions involving players, coaches and management. He kept Kobe back when half of L.A. wanted Kobe gone.
17. Loyalty and stability
You don't see it many places. San Antonio's different. Greg Popovich, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker have been together for what, 20 years? Wasn't too long ago when Duncan could've left town. Instead, he trusted his heart, and the Spurs are still winning.
16. Mark Cuban
Say what you will about the man and his emotions, the good outweighs the bad.
15. Arvydas Sabonis
He opened the door for what we see now: Talent pouring in from all over the globe. It made sense that he played for Portland. He was truly a trail blazer.
14. Marv Albert, Jeff Van Gundy
Best play by play, best analyst. Candid, informative and refreshing. Contrary to what TV executives think, not many announcers add much to a telecast. They're the few that do.
13. Winning teams in L.A. and Boston
No, no one's saying this is the mid-1980s all over again. But with basketball struggling in New York, it's good for the league to have great players and winning teams in important markets with rich tradition.
12. Jerry Colangelo
He knows how to put together an international team that's capable of both winning and representing the country with dignity.
11. Steve Nash
Along with Molson's, Celine Dion and Wayne Gretzky, the best thing to come here from North of the border in decades. Not only is he good (two-time MVP), he's also entertaining. That combo is always worth the price of admission, either down here or up there.
10. No widespread scandal
As it turned out, only one referee was on the take. The NBA, or any other professional sports league, couldn't survive a gambling network among the officials.
9. Superman
First came Shaq, unstoppable center and playful man-child. Now the nickname belongs to Dwight Howard, nearly-unstoppable center and playful man-child. Who knew the cape would stretch for years?
8. Phil Jackson
Gotta love his style. It's different. The most accomplished coach in NBA history doesn't try to control every possession, or block the view of courtsiders for 48 minutes, or scream during timeouts. He wins championships.
7. The shot clock
Still the most important innovation the league has ever known.
6. Charles Barkley and the Smiths (Kenny and Steve)
Sir Charles is in a class by himself as an NBA entertainer. Kenny plays a good straight man. And in an era of ex-players and coaches making basketball seem like a calculus test, Steve makes the game simple and easy to understand on NBA TV.
5. David Stern
The commish hasn't lost his touch. Good thing, too. He'll need it at the negotiation table in a few years.
4. NCAA Tournament
This is still the prime talent showcase for the NBA, giving us a chance to see Who's Next.
3. Dwyane Wade
Great.
2. LeBron James
Greater.
1. Kobe Bryant
Greatest.
