The Cleveland Cavaliers might not have brought about any fear with their recent roster moves, but bringing guard Devin Brown and forward Cedric Simmons to town could prove to be prime examples of the scouting talent of the Ferry-Brown and company brain trust. Three words that come to mind when trying to describe Devin Brown are 'young', 'talented', and 'versatile'. With a solid player like Brown coming off the bench, the team has some insurance in case Pavlovic does not return to the team, Snow struggles with the knee recovery, and/or Hughes and Shannon Brown get hurt again. Devin Brown this year might be what Flip Murray was two years ago to this team--a lesser-known yet quite capable talent. Meanwhile, Simmons is said to have potential as a rebounding and shot-blocking threat. If there is anything this team needs, it is a solid, hard-nosed inside player. With the salary cap dilemma the Cavs face over the next couple years or so, the ability to scout and find hidden gems is critical to gaining a competitive advantage over the opposition.
In accordance with the release of the new NBA 2K11 basketball video game, legendary Chicago Bulls shooting guard Michael Jordan has returned to the media's spotlight. That is, Michael Jordan has caught the sports world's attention by saying that today's NBA rules would have allowed him to score 100 points in a game. No one is questioning Michael Jordan's uncanny ability to make plays, create shots, and score points. Michael Jordan is right in saying that, overall, today's rules favor offensive players, particularly guards. Much less contact is allowed in defensive play; some of what was legal when Jordan played (such as forearms and handchecking) is now deemed personal foul-worthy. Furthermore, with a 30-team league, talent is spread out more than it used to be, and players--while on average are more athletic today--come into the league much less fundamentally sound. However, Michael Jordan has forgotten about the re-emergence of zone defense in the NBA. True,