When the Cavaliers survived the potentially dangerous early West Coast trip with a .500 record, the likelihood increased that Anderson Varejao would not be appearing in a Cavaliers uniform this season. That is, the team had proven that they can survive without him. Now, with the rising star forward waging a media war with General Manager Danny Ferry--who ironically conducted an infamous holdout to start his professional playing career--there is much doubt whether Varejao ever wears a Cavaliers uniform again. While his talent and hustle have been missed, the team has shown that they have learned from his style of play. With Varejao gone, various players have stepped up and picked up the slack that Varejao had left behind. Although a work-in-progress, at 9-6 this team appears more mature and ready to achieve big things this year.
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, ...