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1996. The top 3 players from 03 might be better than 1996's top 3, but 1996 had more depth and honestly, I don't think the gap between 03 and 96 best players is that wide. Compare players after the top 4 in both classes and 1996 blows them away. Yeah Mo Will and Josh Howard were all-stars but they only had 1 all-star appearance. 1996 had guys with multiple AS appearances: JO x 6; Walker and Peja x 3; Big Z and Marbury x 2. If you include Ben Wallace who went undrafted then you have another 4x all-star. 1996 had some great role players with productive careers that aren't even listed in the original post: Kerry Kittles, Erick Dampier, Lorenzen Wright, Shandon Anderson, Jeff McInnis, Malik Rose, Tony Delk, Othella Harrington, Jerome Williams, and Jamie Feick (at least when he was healthy). And if you include undrafted players you got Erick Strickland and Chucky Atkins too. I'll take 1996 every time. I think a better comparison should be with the 84 draft that had 4 HOFs, and not just HOFs, but 4 of the best players ever period.

Here's one I think we all can agree on: CUSTOMER SERVICE I hate having to call customer service and I have to go through several pointless steps just to talk to a real person and not an automated machine. I hate when I call, the automated machine wants my Account Number or Phone Number so they can process my inquiry faster but when I finally get to talk to a real person, the first thing they ask is for my Account Number/Phone number....what the [expletive] was the point of me giving it to the machine if your going to ask for it again?! When I call Tech Support and they want me to go through a bunch of stupid steps. Look, my internet was working fine an hour ago, I haven't touched anything, it's still plugged in, it's still properly connected, and I already unplugged the power and plugged it back in......stop asking me to do stupid monkey tricks because you're buying time while you figure out what's wrong. Just put me back on hold but stop treating me like a trained animal.

Practice?! We talkin' bout practice?!

Well deserved. He was LA's most consistent player all season. Well that's not true. Luke Walton was, but he consistently sucked. Anyways, congrats to Lamar. Hopefully he makes the All-Star team next season.

NYPD arrests a guy for telling a joke. I don't know who is worse...NYPD or LAPD. Based on this video, NYPD is winning.

More proof why the media shouldn't be voting on anything. Most only have jobs because they're loud, overbearing personalities (Skip Bayless) that basically just read the stat sheet (Michael Wilbon)....but don't know jack crap about basketball.

I'm gonna sound like a grumpy old man right now. Most of these are driving related since I live in LA where people can't drive: -Slow drivers. Listen, I'm all about driving safely, but when you're going 10 miles slower than everyone else, you're a hazard on the road. This is especially irritating on the freeway on the fast lane. If you're not doing at least 75 on light traffic, MOVE OVER! -Drivers that are talking on the phone/texting/playing with radio/putting on makeup/shaving/reading. You're driving a 2-ton machine, keep your eyes on the road and concentrate. When you're distracted you slow down, swerve, and stop short because you're not looking up. -Drivers than fail to signal. I'm not a mind reader, I don't know what you plan on doing. I hate to slam on my breaks because I have no warning when you must cut me off, Asshat. -Pedestrians that are slow. It's rush hour, I want to hurry up and make the left turn before oncoming traffic holds me up....but I can't because these morons think it's a park and they're going for a stroll. Or when I want to make a right turn but a pedestrian starts out walking straight across and as they get closer to the sidewalk they decide to start walking at an angle making me have to wait even more for their slow ass to get out of the way. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line...apply that. -People who wear sunglass indoors or at night. I can make a list of who can and cat get away with that. People Who Can Pull That Look Off: Stevie Wonder. People Who Can't: Everyone else. -Popped collars. Douchebag. You're not picking fruits out in the fields and trying to avoid sunburn. -Cars that blast LOUD music. You're not cool. You're car isn't a club, no one else wants to hear the crappy shit you like to listen to. There's a difference between loud music and LOUD music. If MY car trembles because of YOUR sound system, you're douche and I hope you go deaf. -People oblivious to their surroundings. This ranges from lots of people: Those who have loud conversations on their phones in public places, people that stand in doorways and have a conversation while others try to get in and out, people who walk slow blocking the entire sidewalk. -Bicyclists. I know you have the right of the road, but having to share the road with someone going 20 miles under the limit who takes up the entire lane is plain stupid. Not the bicyclists fault, just stupid laws. -When people tell you something important as they leave the room. -Lines. I hate lines. I have ADD, I hate waiting. -Those stupid security tapes they put on 3 sides of DVD boxes. -Those stupid plastic containers that you can't open unless you have the jaws of life. I read somewhere that 4000 people went to the hospital one year trying to open those things. I like getting my electronic gizmo, but I don't think I have to bleed to get access to it. -TSA enhanced patdowns and x-rays. They're a sham, unconstitutional, and don't do crap. If someone really wants to do damage, no x-ray or patdown will stop it. -Check points. Most are unconstitutional and are there just for show. You can keep us safer with roaming patrols rather than having that many officers in one spot. -TNT/ABC/ESPN NBA Double Headers when the first game runs long and we miss the start of the second game. Stop making those TV timeouts so damn long! Push the second game back! I don't care how the Jazz-Bucks do in the 1st game, I want to watch the Lakers! -When people leave garbage in my car. I don't mind you leaving a water bottle or empty soda can. But when you leave empty wrappers and food you're being an inconsiderate ass. I should go take a massive shit in your house, and turn up the furnace and see how you like it. That's it for now. I'm sure there's more. I'm just a miserable person.

Someone forgot to tell the Lakers the playoffs started today and that they had the easiest road to the Finals. Maybe now that NO has their attention, they might get the backdoor sweep.

If this is to measure just pure scoring ability then I think a lot of these numbers are off. Guys like Durant, Kobe, Melo, Wade, LeBron, since they can score in more ways against tougher defenses specifically designed to stop them, should be off the charts higher than other players. I don't see how Tyson Chandler is higher than Hedo Turkoglu and Ray Felton when Tyson doesn't score uness it's a dunk. Josh Smith's seems a lot higher than I expect. I haven't seen him score consistently except on dunks and in transition. Also, no way Novak or Korver should be that high. Novak is no more than a spot up shooter who relies on someone else to create a shot for him. I don't know the formula but it seems like there is a scoring efficiency applied to it. Which doesn't really reflect pure scoring ability.

Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me......unless I get hit with a dictionary.

If by priceless, you mean worthless, I agree. They're education they don't want and are going to leave before they graduate which makes it meaningless. As someone who has delt with student-athletes, if you think some of those degrees are earned, you're fooling yourself. Very few players (in basketball and football) actually take their education serious. They are given the easiest courses and lets just say there is major curving when it comes to grades in addition to other advantages you and I would NEVER get. They're there to play basketball, and bring in revenue, that's their "job" which they don't get paid for. If they happen to actually learn something, it's a bonus. But lets not pretend that the majority of them are there for an education. They're there to make money for the school and the NCAA. The players are only there, because they're forced to. They're not there because they're serious in taking chemistry or trig. Because at 16, they're not adults and, therefore, lack the capacity to sign a contract. I think they should be able to declare when they feel they're ready. But a compromise where players allowed to declare out of HS but made to stay 2 year if they choose to go to college is a fair deal. At least players get an option. But the current rule and what they want to do is asinine.

Well not everyone is like you or your friends. Some players are ready mentally to make the leap. Why should a player who is fully capable of taking that step be help back because someone else who wasn't ready failed? You're forcing them to be indentured servants. They don't want to be in college, they don't care about school. You're forcing them to play for free while the NCAA and the universities make millions of dollars off them when they have no intentions of staying 4 years to get a degree. And while playing for free, they're running the risk of getting injured. Chris Marcus had potential to be a 1st round pick, got hurt, missed a season, and you never heard of him again. Legally being an adult holds major weight. Plus going to college doesn't make you more mature. If a player is an immature d-bag, he'll just be an immature d-bag in college before being an immature d-bag in the NBA.

Which is not relevant in basketball since no degree is required to play and the NBA proved a degree is not required as their best players don't have degrees. Further the CBA doesn't even require you go to college, just be two years out of high school . Apples and oranges. These guys aren't performing heart surgery, they're putting the ball in a hoop. And guess what? Some owners and GMs are willing to have HS players in the NBA...so clearly this isn't about being qualified. What's the purpose of going to college, ultimately? To end up in a profession were you make a good living? Even if a guy is a bust like Telfair or Kwame, these guys are set for life if they manage their money properly. So yeah, they have succeeded. Of course it has everything to do with keeping HS players out of the NBA. Can a HS player go straight to the NBA now? No. The purpose isn't to extend player's time in college since it doesn't require players to actually go to college. I never said they did, but they're one of the beneficiaries, so they clearly have a dog in the fight. My only comment about the NCAA is this BS about them caring about players. They don't. Neither do the universities. Crying? Snubbed? I don't even get this comment or where you're going with it. . First of all no one is screwing these players. They CHOSE to declare for the draft. No one forced them. They're adults, and live everyone else they live with the consequences of their actions. HS players succeed more than they fail. Kobe, KG, LeBron, Dwight, T-Mac, Amare, Josh Smith, JR Smith, Monta Ellis, Rashard Lewis, Ty Chandler, Andrew Bynum, Andray Blatche, Harrington, CJ Miles, Lou Will, Al Jefferson, Eddy Curry, Stevenson, Kwame, Diop, Perkins, Livingston, Webster, Amir Johnson, Outlaw, Dorrell Wright. All these guys have succeeded. Even if it took them a while, they still succeed more than failed. They've made money and all have played key roles on team. Going 4 years to school doesn't gurantee you'll be a success. There are far more Joey Graham's than Tim Duncans. And besides, it's complete BS to have a player in school that doesn't even want to be there. Guys like Rose and Wall didn't need to go to school. They would have been top picks either way. All they did was risk a career ending injury by playing for free for a year.

So because you're immature, why do you want to punish others for it? Legally these guys are adults, they should be in the NBA. If they want to ruin their lives, it's their choice. Going to college and earning a 4 year degree doesn't mean these guys are mature or their lives won't be ruined. But the truth that the NBA doesn't want to admit is that HS players succeed more often than they fail. For every DeAngelo Collin's or Leon Smiths there are more DeShawn Stevensons or DeSagana Diops. The NBA and NCAA needs to stop with this BS about them caring about the player's well-being. They don't give a crap about the players. The NCAA is only worried about having quality indentured servants that can help their product. The NBA doesn't care about these guys either. The quality of the game isn't deminished by HS players, the best players in the game have been HS players. It's the owners that want the rule because they can't figure how to scout these guys.

I'm impressed with Stuckey holding on the Charlie. That's the most defense any Piston player has played all year.

The WNBA is still around? Damn, I lost that bet.

This rule is such BS. These are adults. They don't need babysitters. They should accept the consequences of their actions. Besides, going to college doesn't ensure that you'll make it to the pros. If you make a team of players that left out of HS and college seniors or juniors, the high schoolers across the board have more talent. Teams complain that they struggle evaluating HS talent...maybe they just have bad scouting departments. The NBA draft is a crapshoot anyways, regardless of who is in the draft. That's why guys like Wesley Matthews go undrafted and Hasheem Thabeet go 2nd overall. Why should HS kids get punished for team's incompitence when it comes to scouting? It's stupid. I personally feel this rules is ridiculous (and if someone challenged it in court would likely win) but maybe they should just come to a compromise similar to baseball: You can declare for the draft out of HS, but if you go to college, you must stay at least two years.

It's not that they're lazy as much as it is that they're probably tired. Three straight Final runs, thats over 300 games (not including pre-season and international games) that the core of this team has grinded through. Lakers are playing for June right now, not April. They'll flip the switch when it matters, but right now they're just going through the motions. It'll be interesting to see what they do in the off-season. They need new life to this team. Young legs. There's a reason no team has done 4 in a row since Boston. The schedule wears teams out.

That's my point. I don't blame Calipari for the injuries. Something else got him fired. He lost respect from his players, namely Jayson Williams.

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: Bulls Vs Heat WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: Lakers Vs Spurs NBA FINALS: Lakers Vs Bulls NBA CHAMPION: Lakers And I think the Bulls will give LA a tough series. Fish can't stop Rose and Noah always gives Gasol fits.

ALL-DEFENSIVE FIRST TEAM C - Dwight Howard F - Kevin Garnett F - Luol Deng G - Thabo Sefolosha G - Tony Allen ALL-DEFENSIVE SECOND TEAM C - Tyson Chandler F - Serge Ibaka F - Andre Igoudala G - Rajon Rondo G - Kyle Lowry Feels like a lot of players getting left out. If Royal Ivey ever got PT, he might find himself on this list.

Jamison is an expiring K so that's his biggest value. I'm sure the Magic would love to dump Arenas on you for Jamison.

Then I hate this stat even more. According to this formula then, I can play perfect defense, but somehow my defensive rating is a affected because Mike Bibby's is playing matador defense. Doesn't seem fair. Especially if I play for a coach that bases his substitutions based on rotations because it could mean I'm getting more time on the floor with a guy everyone knows is gonna get beat on every possession. And Fisher still sucks defensively. Doubles needlessly too often, can't defend P&R (though surprisingly better this year), and can't stay in front of most PGs. I don't mind him defending Ray Allen or bigger or slower PGs like Nash and Deron Williams. But Westbrook, Brooks, Barea, Lawson, Parker will eat him alive. And unfortunately, those are the PGs he's gonna see in the playoffs.

He was 3-17 to start the season. If it was only about the injuries he wouldn't have gotten fired. He failed because he lost his player's respect (though arguably they never respected him to begin with). The thing about college coaches in the NBA, they struggle putting their egos in check. In college, the coaches are the brand, they're the important onces, they have more power than anyone and the players fall in line. In the NBA, you're dealing with grown men. They don't need (or want) a father figure, they want to be equals in a business relationship even though the players know they're more important than the coach. You can't be a screamer like Knight or Carlesimo because then a Sprewell incident happens. There's a lot more managing personalities than X's and O's and that's where I think college coaches fail in the NBA. I think Rick Adelman would be a good coach for the Knicks, if he leaves Houston. He's been close, just ran into some great teams. In the 80s it was the Showtime Lakers, made it to the Finals to meet Isiah Thomas and Jordan with Phil Jackson, in the early 2000s Phil and the Lakers bounced him three times, they build a solid Rockets team and they take Phil and the Lakers to 7 games in 2009. I think he can do a good job for NY. Underappreciated coach.

Every stat is misleading, except FT % and some could argue that's not cut and dry either. Defense is especially difficult to calculate into a defensive formula. Certain players can rank higher because they allow their opponent fewer ppg. But does it take into account who they're guarding? What's more impressive, holding Trevor Ariza to 1-10 shooting and 5 points or holding a guy like Wade to 8-22 shooting and 20 points? Steals are a huge part of this equation, but getting steals doesn't necessarily mean you're playing good defense. Allen Iverson lead the league in steals and has a career average of 2.2 spg. Bruce Bowen's career high for a season is 1.1 spg. Who would you rely on to get a key defensive stop? Does his stats take into account the type of help you have on your team? Derek Fisher is a horrible defensive PG that is helped by playing with two seven footers, Odom who is great in help, perimeter dobermans like Artest and Barnes, and Kobe playing passing lanes. Then you have a guy like Toney Douglas, IMO is a solid defensive player, who looks bad because no one on NY wants to play any D. I think all these new age stats are just gimmicks that don't take into account the "eye" test. It's just mostly for fantasy sports than judging actual floor impact.