Who the Cavaliers Should Target

If the Cavaliers are willing to pull the trigger before the trade deadline, there a few players that would fit great, and few that wouldn't. It does look clear that if the Cavs are going trade, the package will include Zydrunas Ilgauskas and/or Darnell Jackson.

Andre Iguodala
A.I.² has been rumored to be on the trading block, and why not? The Sixers have a healthy Elton Brand, an apparent all-star starting point guard, and are getting great production from Lou Williams and win only 35% of their games. If I were Andre I would want out of Philly. It appears to be a black hole until a dominant center comes. The Sixers could definitely use Zydrunas. He's being wasted in Cleveland right now and the Sixers need a center that can extend the defense. They almost have the same numbers and Ilgauskas is playing six less minutes. It wouldn't hurt to add Darnell Jackson either.

For the Cavaliers, Iguodala would immediately become the starting shooting guard. He's dropping about 17 a game right now compared to Parker's seven. Now if this deal were to happen, Andre's numbers would go down to probably about 12 or 13 but he would still give the Cavaliers athleticism that AP can't give them. Between Lebron James, Jamario Moon, and Andre Iguodala, the Cavaliers would have the most athletic squad in the league.

Also, make sure you are following Jamario Moon on Twitter @JMOON_15!

Boobie to the Rescue

It has been two years since Boobie got his last start and definitely made the most of it Saturday night. With the Cavs down late in the fourth quarter, Boobie came to the rescue by drilling a three with 8.7 seconds left giving the Cavaliers a nice 100-99 victory over a very impressive Oklahoma City Thunder team.

Lebron James fell one rebound short of a triple-double and finished with 37 points, 12 assists, and nine rebounds. Following the King was, at least surprising to me, Shaq with 22 points and six rebounds.

Leading the way for Oklahoma City was Kevin Durant with 34 points, 10 rebounds, and three assists. Close behind KD was one of my favorite players in the league, Russell Westbrook dropped 23 points and added five assists.

Having followed Jamario Moon through the minor-leagues, I know first hand how difficult it is to see a player with his talent make the league. Last night was a special night for on Cavalier that you probably may have never heard of. Cedric Jackson suited up for the Cavaliers last night on a call up from the Developmental League's Erie BayHawks. Cedric played two minutes last night in his first minutes ever for an NBA squad. Jackson had been tearing up the D-League averaging 21.5 PPG in January. It's unsure how long Jackson will remain with the team, but congratulations to him for his first NBA experience!

Speaking of Jamario, the team hasn't said whether he will be back for Monday's game in Miami, but it looks good for Moon. Jamario has been out since January 5th with an abdominal strain. I'm assuming since his interview on Friday, he has participated in some contact drills with the team. We shall see.

Can the Cavs Survive Without Mo and Delonte?

It's a good thing Jamario Moon is on his way back from injury. Both Mo Williams and Delonte West are going to be out for a sufficient amount of time for the Cavaliers. The Cavaliers defeated a tough Lakers team on Thursday, but it cost them their backup point guard. Now the Cavaliers need to regroup and find a way to get wins without their play caller.

Fog Raw sprained his left shoulder in a game against the Raptors and Delonte broke his left ring finger against the Lakers. Now Boobie Gibson is left to run point. I assume Coach Brown will also give AP some time at the point.

Jamario Moon is looking to return to floor on Monday against the Heat, but isn't 100% sure. In an interview on Friday Moon said, "Whenever I see my uniform hanging in my locker, that's when I know I'm back." I think he's probably healthy enough to play tonight against the Thunder, but his return date looks more like Monday when the Cavaliers face Miami. I don't expect to see Moon play more than 20 minutes, unless of course he lights it up.

With tonight's game being an exception, the Cavaliers are hitting a fairly easy section on their schedule. After tonight's contest against the Thunder, the Cavaliers face the Minnesota, Indiana, the Clippers, Memphis, New Jersey, and New York.

It appears Mo will sit at least an entire month, maybe even longer depending on his progress. Delonte West's injury is questionable as of right now. I would expect Coach Brown to do the same he did to Moon to West. Just shut him down for a couple weeks to make sure the injury is completely healthy come late April for the playoffs.

The only thing the Cavaliers have to worry about is the Celtics. Boston is currently 3.5 games behind the Cavaliers for first place in the East, and they just got back Kevin Garnett Friday night. The C's are hitting a tough upcoming schedule however. They face the Hawks, Magic, and Lakers in their next four games.

Why the NBA Should Ban Fan Voting

Tracy McGrady? Allen Iverson? I think Ray Allen is on to something. It's great the NBA wants to make the fan feel connected and part of the game, but there has to be a line somewhere.

T-Mac used to be my favorite player back in the day so I shouldn't be too critical of him. Well, here we go. This season he is currently averaging 3.2 PPG, 0.8 RPG, and 1.0 APG. Those kind of numbers could get the average Joe sent back to the D-League. The point is they aren't all-star numbers. I don't care what his previous numbers were, or what he could do this season if someone gave him a chance. Being an all-star right now means you dominate about 95% of your games and your stats should reflect that. There's no doubt in my mind Tracy could light up the all-star game and drop 40 points, but there are other players deserving of the all-star nod.

Out of the two, Iverson is more deserving than T-Mac, but he still shouldn't suit up for all-star weekend. You can't really bring up his retirement because there are no numbers involved but his stats aren't great this year. The Answer is averaging 14.7 PPG, 4.6 APG, and 2.6 RPG. I could name five eastern conference point guards that are doing better than that, therefore he shouldn't even be on the ballot. The problem with the ballot is popularity. Iverson has played at an all-star level before therefore his name keeps appearing on the ballot. I'd like players with Lebron-like numbers to be on the ballot, and guys like Shaq who are averaging under 15 points off the list.

Well how does the NBA deal with this? I say the league should model a system like the MLB Hall of Fame voting system. Select several qualified basketball writers and/or former hall of famers and have them vote. If you don't want to exclude the fans completely, make their percentages count less. No offense to Yao Ming, but did he deserve the nod every time he was voted in? He had an entire country behind him voting non-stop for days. If anything, this system needs to be installed so we don't have a Tracy McGrady of Iverson suit up.

Expect a Boring Dunk Contest Again

Child Please! What is the dunk contest becoming? I hate to say its becoming a show instead of a contest, but it is. Now I know that this is the Jamario Moon fan blog and I'm obviously a huge Moon fan. So I'm clearly disappointed that he's not in the contest, but I'm also disappointed in the choices.

The biggest disappointment is Nate Robinson. How many times are we going to see him in the dunk contest? Does the NBA feel bad that he was benched for a month? We know he can dunk and now its not even a surprise. We must have forgot a couple years ago when he took 1,248,932 attempts and still got way too high of score for a dunk that was OK. I love Nate but let some other players shine.

The NBA did make one good selection that I called in an early article I wrote. Shannon Brown baby! He plays a limited role on a very successful team and I'm glad an under appreciated player like Shannon will get his turn in the spotlight. The NBA probably caught a glimpse of a fan website that is pretty sick, LetShannonDunk.com. He has thrown some vicious dunks down this season and the best might have been a putback that he threw down over his own teammate. At least there will be something watch. Hopefully the costumes and cupcakes will stay home this year and Shannon will show us some intense jams.

The funniest selection I think is Eric Gordon in this dunk-off or whatever its called. This is was Eric had to say about the selection, "I was kind of surprised. I’m not really a big-time dunker. I might get one off every other game or something... My family thought I’d be in the 3-point [contest]." Nice, so now we have a player that fully admits he isn't a big time dunker and was shocked he was selected. Why not pick some high-flyers that know they are good and actually want to participate. Maybe the Dunk Contest would be mildly entertaining if we had contestants that want to dunk. Jeeze.

Trade Deadline Possibilities

Before the madness of this summers free-agency begins, the February 18th trade deadline is becoming the next hot topic. So far the biggest name being thrown around is Chris Bosh of the Toronto Raptors, but other big time players are being considered as well. Here are the top five players available to trade this deadline.

5.) Jose Calderon
The Raptors point guard has struggled with injuries this season, but when healthy can be a heavy attribute to the Raptors offense. Having played with all-star Chris Bosh for five years now, Jose can find Chris anywhere on the floor. He's also a threat from downtown shooting 41.7% so far this season. Jose is averaging 11.7 PPG, 6.0 APG, and 2.0 RPG. The Raptors may be willing to let their point guard go because of their depth. They already have Jarret Jack running the point, and rookie DeMar DeRozan appears to be their future starter. Jose is still at a point in his career where he can contribute offensively and defensively. If the Raptors want to set him lose, now would be the time.

4.) Zydrunas Ilgauskas
For the Cavaliers sake, I hope these rumors and just that. Ilgauskas has taken the back seat behind Shaq this season and with less minutes, his numbers are down. When Shaq was out for six games, Z averaged 8.8 PPG and 7.0 RPG. The Cavaliers do owe some loyalty to Zydrunas as he has been with the team since 1997. Z's career numbers are pretty impressive and if a team could land him a starting spot, you could see his numbers back in double digits.

3.) Tracy McGrady
The disgruntled guard has probably see the last of his time in Houston and will be looking for a new team shortly. Somebody has to give this dude a chance. Not sure exactly why Houston won't play him, but T-Mac is still capable of putting up some big time numbers. Two seasons ago when he was moderately healthy, Tracy averaged 21.6 PPG. He's only played 41 games in the past two season, but appears to be healthy and ready to go. Not sure what team would go for him, but one thing is clear at this point. It appears he will be starting in the all-star game for the West.

2.) Kevin Martin
I was completely shocked when I saw this dudes stats. Martin is currently averaging 27.9 PPG. He has only played seven games this season, but he has yet to have a bad game. I saw his name floating around with Jose Calderon is a possible point guard swap but I hope Sac-town wouldn't give up this kid. With Tyreke Evans playing like a ROY and Jason Thompson coming on to the scene, the Kings can be really good if they keep their players.

1.) Christopher Bosh
I know this is the last thing Toronto fans want to hear, but yes, it is a possibility. And why would we blame Bosh if he left? Like I've said before, you bring in Hedo Turkoglu, Jarret Jack, Reggie Evans, and Marco Bellinelli and your struggling to stay above .500? Jermaine O'Neal didn't work out and Shawn Marion could only bare being a Raptor for half a season. You got rid of my boy Jamario Moon (just kidding). But seriously, Colangelo has brought in all these players and the Raptors are currently 21-20. If I were Colangelo, first the coach has to go because what else is there to do. Jay Triano seems like a nice dude but he apparently can't run a team with plenty of potential to a record over .500. Secondly I would trade Bosh and try to get a couple young players for him. If this scenario with Oklahoma City is true, I'd try getting a player like Jeff Green and/or James Harden. With DeMar DeRozan, Sonny Weems, and Marco Bellinelli, the Raptors could try to rebuild and start with a fresh young team. As a Bosh fan, I just want to see him play on a team that will win games. I'd love to see him play in the West where the competition is a bit more fierce, but dominating on an eastern conference team would be nice too.

Another player I left out was Gilbert Arenas. Pending his legal situation, the Wizards might choose to release him and therefore he would be signed by a team. I'm not sure if the Wizards would trade him, but it looks like Gilbert won't be wearing an NBA jersey for at least a few months.

The Best Team in the NBA Right Now

Immediately three teams come to mind. The Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Boston Celtics. I'm here to tell you that the Cleveland Cavaliers are the best team in the league right now. I will veer away from the typical "blogger" opinion and provide you with all the facts and stats you need.

Point Guard

LA - Derek Fisher
I love D-Fish, he's by far my favorite Laker and can shoot the lights out from time to time. Fish is currently averaging 7.0 PPG, 2.7 APG, and 1.0 SPG. At this point in his career, he only has the capability of making a game winning shot. He doesn't contribute anything on offense, and their true point guard is really Kobe Bryant. He does bring a little bit of intensity on the defense end, but Fish has already peaked and is beginning to flirt with the thought of retirement.

CLE - Mo Williams
Fog Raw has become the Cavaliers second best player over the past two seasons. Mo's numbers are again all-star quality with 16.7 PPG, 5.0 APG, and a 43.6 three-point percentage. Mo's biggest asset is his availability. Without a doubt in any NBA team's mind, Lebron is the Cavs first option on any play. Mo has been able to spot up and drill long range shots off Lebron drives, and it has proven to be successful for the Cavaliers. Mo is also one of three Cavalier players that rank in the top three for three-point percentage, alongside Boobie Gibson and Anthony Parker.

Advantage - Fog Raw

Shooting Guard

LA - Kobe Bryant
Do we really need to even to compare him to another shooting guard in the leauge? No disrespect to Anthony Parker, but even D-Wade would lose this one. Mamba is averaging 28.8 PPG, 5.2 RPG, and 4.2 RPG. Kobe has hit several game winners already this season and is playing through multiple injuries. His team holds the league's best record and the Lakers are on target to make yet another finals run. Like Evan Williams whiskey, "The longer you wait, the better it gets." Kobe Bryant is making a strong case that he is getting better the older he gets.

CLE - Anthony Parker
AP has been a great addition to the Cavs so far this season. The former Raptor is shooting the lights out from beyond the arc and actually has a better three point percentage than a field goal percentage. AP is averaging 7.3 PPG, 2.7 RPG, and 1.8 APG. The Cavaliers lead the league in three point percentage and his 46.7% is the Cavs highest. With Delonte West's off-court issues, Parker has earned the starting job at the two. His scoring is down about three points from last season, but the Cavs are the top team in the east and I'm sure Anthony isn't worried about his numbers if the team is winning.

Advantage - Kobe Bryant

Small Forward

LA - Lamar "The Candy Man" Odom
Lamar has probably made his name best known this year for his marriage to Khloe Kardashian, but he's not doing too shabby on the court either. Odom is averaging just under a double-double with 9.7 PPG, 9.7 RPG, and 3.9 APG. I don't know if its me, but the few time I have seen Odom play on TV, he's been given a technical foul and was ejected when they versed Cleveland. Lamar's scoring average is down from his career numbers, but the Lakers have the best record in the league and they're are plenty of other contributors. Again like Kobe, Lamar won't match-up with Lebron but he's still an offensive threat for opposing teams.

CLE - Lebron James
Lebron is making winning look easy this season. Some are questioning his determination because of his frequent dance-off's, but the King has led his team to the top of the Eastern Conference. James is dropping an eastern conference best 29.5 PPG, as well as 7.8 APG and 7.2 RPG. The King has five 40-point games as is in contention for the MVP award with Kobe Bryant. Lebron trails only Carmelo Anthony in points by .3 points. In his final contract year with the Cavaliers, Lebron is giving his all to bring Cleveland a championship. If he they fail, Lebron might be wearing the #6 for somebody else next year.

Advantage - The King

Power Forward

LA - Pau Gasol
The Lakers have been much more successful with Pao than without him. Six of the Lakers nine losses have come while Pau was out. Gasol has only played 23 of the 40 games for LA but is averaging 17.0 PPG, 11.3 RPG, and 3.4 APG. Granted Pau stays healthy for the playoffs, western conference teams are going to have a difficult time guarding the paint. Pau only really bad game this year came against the Cavs on Christmas day.

CLE - J.J. Hickson
J.J. has finally come on to the NBA scene with multiple starts for Cavaliers. When he is give more than 15 minutes, Hickson is very productive. Cleveland has split his playing time with Andseron Varejao and Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and rightfully so. Hickson was 6th man material in his rookie year last season and is starting to be a good plus/minus player this year.

Advantage - Pau Gasol

Center

LA - Andrew Bynum
When healthy, Bynum can be the Lakers best post asset. The Lakers are at their best when Both Bynum and Gasol are playing well. Like last night, both players dropped 20 points and the Lakers beat the Clippers by 40. No, beating the Clippers isn't something to brag about but a win is a win. Bynum currently averages 15.8 PPG, 8.4 RPG, and 1.5 BPG. If he can keep his cool throuhgout an entire season and continue playing at the level he is now, the Lakers are going to be extremely tough to beat.

CLE - ?
I don't know about other people, but I still think the Cavs should start Zydrunas Ilgauskas. It's got to be an ego thing by starting Shaq. Ilgauskas' numbers are down considerably because his minutes have dropped about six minutes. Out of the Cavaliers 11 losses, 7-9 of them came while Shaq played more than 20 minutes. In the six games Shaq missed, the Cavaliers were 5-1. I'm not a Shaq hater, in fact I actually think he was a great player. I emphasize the word WAS though. Shaq can still play in the league and will still put fans in the stands, I just don't think the Cavaliers should be starting him. When Ilgauskas started last year he averaged 12.9 PPG in 27 minutes. Shaq is currently putting up 10.5 PPG in 22 minutes.

Advantage - Andrew Bynum

So according to those comparisons, the Lakers come out with edge on starting five players. However, there is one thing I believe the Cavaliers have this year that the Lakers don't. The Cavaliers have something to prove to the NBA. They've been flirting with a title for several years now and have yet to cash in. This is Lebron's last contract year in Cleveland and the Cavaliers need at bare minimum a championship to keep him. What do the Lakers have to prove, or even lose at this point? They dominated last year and are dominating again this season. Kobe proved he could win a championship without Shaq and now the Lakers are just coasting. Their only threat in the West appears to be the Nuggets and maybe San Antonio if they can pull through. I see the Cavaliers putting everything on the table this postseason and I see a championship at the end of this season.