“I was a free agent and it was natural to explore my options,” Nash said, according to ESPN.com. “Some people said I was a little crazy going back to Phoenix because I wouldn’t have as good a chance to win. I liked the team and coaches and I was comfortable.”

Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns are on the rise after going 4-1 during a five-game road trip.

From the outset, it looks like Nash made the right decision. The Suns are on the rise in the West, wrapping up a five-game road trip with a 4-1 record. Last night, in a game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Nash registered the first 20-20 in points and assists in the NBA since  Jan. 2, 2006, at New York (where he totaled 22 assists — the highest in his career).

Life with out Shaq on the court seems much brighter as well, as the Suns are back to their high-flying, quick-scoring ways.

The college basketball season also got underway last night. Here are some quick highlights:

• Jim Boeheim reached his 800th win at Syracuse.
• North Carolina is ranked #4 in the nation, even though they lost four starters to the NBA.
• Isiah Thomas lost his first game as head coach for FIU against the defending champs, UNC.

Post from: EveryJoe

Looks Like Nash Made The Right Decision

Really, who watches Thursday games? I always forget they’re on unless I’m channel surfing and pass ESPN. This week was no exception, but when I saw the game’s score, I was sad I had missed it. Unranked North Carolina topped #13 Virginia Tech 20 – 17, proving that the Hokies really were ranked too high (something I had muttered to a friend last week). Both teams are now 5 – 3, but this wasn’t just a lucky win for the Tar Heels. The UNC defense SHUT DOWN Virginia Tech, holding them to less than 100 yards rushing during the entire game.

The real hero of the night, however, was Casey Barth. With the last seconds running off the clock, he kicked a 21-yard field goal to win the game and the crowd at Lane Stadium began to file out to the parking lot with long faces.

Nobody knows the kicker's name...until you need him. Image: Newscom

Although they’ve lost some key games, I think UNC is better than most people think. Have they done enough to warrant a ranking in the AP top 25? Maybe. After all, Oklahoma was in the mix at #22, even though their record of 4 – 3 is less than mind-blowing. I think we’ll know more when the Tar Heels go up against Miami in two weeks, so I’ll look forward to that game.

A game that I did catch was last night’s #21 West Virginia at South Florida. Even though South Florida was unranked coming into Week Nine, I had a suspicion this would be an interesting game. Ultimately, the Bulls won 30 – 19, and once again, this game was all about defense. Noel Devine, the Mountaineers’ golden child in the world of rushing, couldn’t do anything the entire game. On the other hand, South Florida’s quarterback B.J. Daniels finishing the game breaking person records with 232 yards throwing, 104 rushing, and three touchdowns. There’s no doubt in my mind that this team should be ranked going into Week Ten. They may not be BCS bowl game contenders, but they’re a solid group who deserves some recognition.

Today, all eyes will be on the USC – Oregon game to see who will rule the Pac-10. Let’s not forget the other games, though. Week Nine has already show us that the ranked teams can fall, and with the lower have of the Top 25 being so shaky, it’ll be interesting to see who else tumbles and how it changes for next week.

Post from: EveryJoe

Two Top Teams Fall Before Sat during Week 9

First and foremost, what the crap, Oklahoma State. I think like, the entire state of Oklahoma is bummed out. First, Sam Bradford gets injured. Now this. In case you didn’t watch the game…Oklahoma State, who was ranked #5, got their asses handed to them by Houston. Most people don’t even realize that Houston has a football team. At first, it was just a good game, but Oklahoma State didn’t look like they were really in jeopardy. Whatever adjustments the Cougars made during halftime worked, though. They scored 21 points in the fourth quarter alone! Final score? 45 – 35. Ouch, Cowboys. There goes your bowl game bid.

Everyone’s still talking about the Ohio State – USC game, too. I actually watched every minute of this game on a 72 – inch HDTV. Be jealous. I was cheering Ohio State (Big Ten love), but I knew it would be a close game, and I’m not upset that USC won. Every year, people say that Big Ten teams can’t compete with Pac-10 teams, but I think this game proves that they can.

USC's #4 Joe McKnight was key in the win against Ohio State. Image: Newscom

The final score was 18 -15, and it was not an easy game for either team by any means. It came down to a final amazing drive across the field by USC’s Matt Barkley and Joe McKnight, which led to a score and two-point conversion. There just wasn’t enough time left on the clock for the Buckeyes to make anything happen to take back the lead. Ohio State dropped to #11, from being #8 last week, and I personally think it is a good place for them to be. Although some are calling for them to drop farther, if you saw the game, you know that USC just barely outplayed Ohio State, and the win had a lot to do with timing rather than talent.

Florida, Texas, and Alabama all won. *shrug* No big new there. The games sucked, for the most part. It was interesting that Texas was so sloppy against Wyoming in the first half, but other than that, there really wasn’t anything to see.

Other interesting scores:

• On Thursday, #15 Georgia Tech was almost upended by Clemson. Final score, 30 – 27. Read about it more at The Palmetto Scoop and Football Zone TV.
• Connecticut kept up with #19 North Carolina, but ultimately fell 12 – 10. Read about it more at Tar Heel Blue.
• Ouch. Michigan State lost to Central Michigan 29 – 27, who is a better team than people give them credit for. Read about it more at The Niles Star and The Scores Report.
• Wisconsin held on against Fresno State in double overtime. Final score was 34 – 31 – it was a great game. Read about it more at Bleacher Report.
• UCLA beat Tennesse 19 – 15. Another great game. Read about it more at the UCLA website and Ledger-Enquirer.

Post from: EveryJoe

College Football Week Two 2009 in Review

I might be jumping the gun a bit with Blake Griffin. The guy is a beast, an overall talent that is sure to make an impact in the NBA. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft was told late last month to rest his strained right shoulder for three to four weeks. Though he’s losing out on practice time, the L.A. Clippers don’t believe the injury will inhibit Griffin once the season starts.

Tyler Hansbrough on the other hand, isn’t so lucky. He’s been spotted wearing  a large black walking boot to protect a right shin injury that could keep him sidelined at the start of training camp. Hansbrough was the Indiana Pacers‘ top pick in the draft, and the team hopes that he will recover in the next two months. The injury was sustained sometime in the spring, while Hansbrough was leading North Carolina to the NCAA championship.

Injuries can be potentionally harmful for any rookie’s development as a player. Griffin has the capability of coming back strong from his shoulder injury. But Hansbrough has much more to prove, especially since many analysts predict that he will have a hard time transitioning to the NBA.

Hansbrough Highlights:

Griffin Highlights:

Videos: Youtube

Post from: EveryJoe

Top NBA Rookies Already Have Injuries

After being the 13th overall pick out of North Carolina in the 2005 draft, May has battled a number of injuries. In the last four seasons, he has played only 82 games.

May’s best season came during the 2006-07 campaign. In 35 games, May averaged 11.9 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 23.9 minutes per contest. Last year with the Bobcats, May averaged only 3.9 points and 2.8 rebounds in 12.5 minutes per game.

With the Kings, May will get a chance to put his NBA career back on track. Sacramento is rebuilding and could find room to play the 6-foot-9 power forward who is still just 25 years old. When completely healthy, May has shown a good touch around the rim, good rebounding ability and an above average feel for the game.

Sean May - Sacramento Kings (Image: Zuma Press)

Post from: EveryJoe

Sean May Signs with the Kings

Last season, Lawson averaged 16.6 points, 6.6 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game. He shot 53.2% from the field, 47.2% from three-point range and turned the ball over just 1.9 times per contest.

Lawson’s biggest asset is his quickness. From end to end, he’s lightning. He’s also an underrated athlete and is able to get to the rim and finish in a heart beat. As his numbers indicate, he’s also a good passer and knows how to take car of the ball. His 2.1 steals per game show he’s active on the defensive end.

What are the knocks against Lawson? First of all, he’s only about 6-feet tall and his arms are average length. With that size, he could find it difficult to score against bigger and more athletic players. Scoring-wise, he doesn’t have much versatility and there’s some question if he can knock down the NBA three-pointer with any consistency.

Additionally, there have been a couple red flags about his character over the last 18 months — although most scouts agree that he’s a good kid.

According to most draft experts, Lawson could go as high as number 8 to the New York Knicks but will more likely be selected between 10 and 15.

Ty Lawson - NBA Scouting Report (Image: Zuma Press)

Post from: EveryJoe

Ty Lawson – NBA Scouting Report

Tyler Hansbrough NBA Scouting Report (Image: Zuma Press)

Despite his college success, Hansbrough won’t be a top pick in the draft. Most scouting experts believe he won’t crack the top ten.

The biggest knock against him is his athleticism. He’s just not a player who will be able to easily convert attempts near the rim. Defensively, he’s going to have to work on his fundamentals if he’s going to thrive in the NBA.

While Hansbrough isn’t going to be a star in the NBA, he could be a Luis Scola type player. Hansbrough has a good basketball IQ, a strong will to win and tons of experience at a high level. A team is going to role the dice on him from the 10 to 15 range and hope that his intangibles overcome his physical limitations.

Post from: EveryJoe

Tyler Hansbrough NBA Scouting Report

North Carolina 2009 Champions (Image: Newscom)

Tyler Hansbrough put an exclamation point on his legendary college career by scoring 18 points and pulling down seven boards. However, the best player on the court had to be Ty Lawson, the speedy point guard for the Tar Heels. Lawson finished the game with 21 points, eight steals, six assists and four rebounds. Wayne Ellington, yet another North Carolina player who will one day play in the NBA, chipped in 19 points.

For Michigan State, bigman Goran Suton had 17 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks. Coming into March Madness, Suton wasn’t a widely known player. But after a number of memorable performances, he’s now known around the country. Kalin Lucas and Durrell Summers scored 14 and 13 points for the Spartans, respectively.

The game quickly got out of hand when North Carolina jumped out to a 34-11 lead. Their 21-point halftime lead was the largest in the history of the championship games.

“When you play North Carolina,” said Tom Izzo, the coach of the Spartans, “there’s nothing you can do.”

Nothing other than hand over a fifth national championship.

Post from: EveryJoe

North Carolina Wins Fifth Championship

Burress wasn’t in a talkative mood at the 2009 Final Four contest. The only question he answered was when he said he felt great following his release from the Giants.

Born in Virginia, Burress attended Michigan State before being selected in the 2000 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 6-foot-5 Burress established himself as a wide receiver who was both big and talented in his days with the Spartans. The apex of Burress’ football career came when he caught the winning touchdown in the 2007 Super Bowl as the Giants upset the previously unbeaten New England Patriots.

On Monday, Michigan State will face North Carolina for the 2009 college basketball championship. There’s no confirmation yet that Burress will attend the championship game. Either way, Burress will be in a court in June when he faces gun charges in New York.

Plaxico Burress - From Basketball Court to Court of Law (Image: Newscom)

Post from: EveryJoe

Plaxico Burress Cheers on Michigan State

North Carolina faces Michigan State for the title (Image: Newscom)

On Saturday, the North Carolina Tar Heels advanced by beating the Villanova Wildcats in the 2009 Final Four 83-69. Point guard Ty Lawson led the way with 22 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and two steals. Wayne Ellington chipped in 20 points, nine rebounds and four assists, while Tyler Hansbrough had 18 points, 11 rebounds and four steals.

On the other side of the bracket, the Michigan State Spartans upset the Connecticut Huskies by a final score of 82-73. Kalin Lucas led the way for Michigan State with 21 points and five assists. Raymar Morgan added 18 points, nine rebounds and five steals for the Spartans.

Michigan State won NCAA tournament championships in 1979 and 2000, while North Carolina has been national champions in 1957, 1982, 1993 and 2005.

Post from: EveryJoe

Michigan State vs. North Carolina for Title