NBA Fashion: Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant in a tuxedo....love how the crutch and the boot is complementing the tuxedo.

Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe

Not 1, Not 2, Not 3, Not 4......

Guess LeBron was talking about MVP's not champions when he said that. LeBron won as fourth in MVP in five years he became the 5th player in NBA history to win at least four MVP awards.

LeBron James received 120 of the 121 first place votes for his fourth MVP and he was one vote short of being the first ever unanimous pick in NBA history. That one vote came from Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe instead he vote for Knicks' Carmelo Anthony.

Gary Washburn defeats Carmelo Anthony in his column:

"My vote had more to do with Anthony and less to do with the dominance of LeBron. If you were to take Anthony off the Knicks, they are a lottery team. James plays with two other All-Stars, the league's all-time 3-point leader, a defensive stalwart, and a fearless point guard. The Heat are loaded.
If Lebron was taken away from the Heat, they still would be a fifth or sixth seed. He is the best player of this generation, a multifaceted superstar with the physical prowess of Adonis, but I chose to reward a player who has lifted his team to new heights."


"This isn't the Best Player in the Game award, it's the Most Valuable Player award, and I think what Anthony accomplished this season was worthy of my vote. He led the Knicks to their first division title in 19 years. That's a long time. Anthony led the league in scoring average and basically carried an old Knicks team to the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. Amar'e Stoudemire missed most of the season with knee issues, Raymond Felton missed six weeks, and Tyson Chandler dealt with nagging injuries, leaving Anthony, J.R. Smith, and a bunch of lottery picks from the mid-1990s to win 54 games and beat the Miami Heat three times."

Of course he got the vote wrong everyone knows that LeBron was the MVP this year but you have to commend Washburn for not following everyone and thinking for his self then standing by his words. 

But it funny how a few years ago LeBron James was one of the most hated and criticized athletes on the planet and now there was a witch hunt trying find the one person that didn't cost him the MVP but the one person simply that didn't vote for him.

We need more writers like Washburn who aren't afraid to standout and write or say whatever is on he or she's mind and stand by it.

TNT reporter Craig Sager, usually known his crazy looking suits, got caught slipping and probably the photobomb of the year but old men need their naps.

CC Sabathia looking smooth on the cover of Athletes Quarterly.

Carmelo Anthony's wife LaLa posted this pic along with this message on Instagram after closing out the Celtics in the first round: "You made history tonight. I don’t know a person who works harder then you. You put this whole city on your back and you made us proud. You never listen to the haters,doubters, critics, etc. you just stay focused and do you. Keep it up! Love you Always. @carmeloanthony”. Really LaLa its only a first round win damn! What she going to do if the Knicks can somehow beat the Heat?

Should Derrick Rose Return?

Kirk Hinrich out with a left calf injury, Joakim Noah playing through plantar fasciitis, Taj Gibson has the flu, Nate Robinson also has the flu plus was throwing up on the bench during Game 6 and Luol Deng has an illness more serious than the flu so serious that he need a spinal tap earlier this week.

Oh yeah and Derrick Rose is still out but with all the illnesses and injuries the Bulls are tied 3-3 headed into Game 7 at Brooklyn. Rose was cleared to play over a month ago and he been scrimmage with the team since he's been cleared so what's keeping Rose on the bench?

"I was able to speak with Derrick off-camera a couple days ago, and he's telling me how badly he does want to be out there, but he says that he just doesn't have the muscle memory back, is the way he put it," sideline reporter Rachel Nichols said during the coverage of Game 6 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. 

Really Derrick muscle memory come on. But his muscles memory is good enough for 5 on 5 scrimmage. Wonder who told him to say that? His brother more than likely. 

Not saying Rose should go out play 30 minutes but he could check in for 10 minutes to give his team an emotion left just like David Lee, who was suppose to be out the rest out the playoffs, did for the Warriors. Everybody is playing with pain and playing through injury in the playoffs. 

Even TNT analyst Steve Kerr said Rose owes it to his teammates to play if his only obstacle is a lack of confidence.

"I think Derrick owes it to his teammates at this stage," Kerr said Monday on "The Carmen & Jurko Show" on ESPN 1000. "And again, I've been Derrick's biggest supporter on this. I've been saying all along, up until [Saturday], I've been saying, 'He should not play if he's not comfortable.'

"But if this is just about not being fully confident, you've got to go out there. If this is about, 'Hey, it doesn't feel right and I'm worried I can hurt it,' then no way should he play. But if this is just about, 'You know, gosh, I'm just not quite confident yet,' I would appeal to him and say, 'Can you give us 20 minutes?' And if you're Derrick, you've been watching Noah and Hinrich play on one leg this whole series, at what point do you start to feel sort of self-conscious and guilty about what's unfolding?"

The Bulls came to Rose's defense on Wednesday.

"Derrick owes it to what's right," coach Tom Thibodeau said Wednesday. "And the more I'm around him, the more I'm impressed with this guy's character.

"He's not being swayed by anybody. He's not quite there, and we made that clear to him from the beginning. We're going to support him in every way possible. I would never question him. Ever."

The only thing people want to see is Derrick Rose have a Willis Reed moment. Never know once Rose steps into a game his muscles will start to remember.

NBA Fashion: Mike Conley

Mike Conley of the Memphis Grizzles looking smooth. Just glad he ain't wearing black!