2008 Top Ten Teams in the NBA

Here is my list of the top ten teams in the NBA 2008-09. season.

1. Boston Celtics: The returning championship team, these guys now know what it takes basketball get to the finals and come out victorious. Their record basketball far is just as impressive, they are 20-2. They could break the Chicago Bulls record of 72-10 if they keep up that pace. Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Rondo, Allen, Cassell, so much talent it's unbelievable.

2. Cleveland Cavaliers: Lebron James is hungry for a championship ring. Whether he does it with Cleveland, or eventually New York, he will eventually get one. He has that essence that Jordan had where you knew he would accomplish his goals. He has more talent around him this year and is doing very well. He is averaging 26.7 points a game right now. Lebron deserves his first MVP this year as his team would be 4-16 without him most likely at this point.

3. L.A. Lakers: What better rival to Boston than L.A.? It carries on the legacy of guys like Larry Bird and Magic Johnson among others. These guys are looking just as hard to beat as last year if not more. Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum are playing stellar this year. Their record is 17-3 and they are on a good pace to possible break the 72-10 mark as well. Kobe is averaging 24.9 points and might get MVP again.

4. Denver Nuggets: Now that they have Chauncey Billups they seem more revitalized. They play transition offense and defense much better and get the key plays. Clutch shooting is no problem now that Billups is here to save them. They could make one of their deepest playoff runs ever this year.

5. Portland Trailblazers: Talk about young talent. They have Brandon Roy, Greg Oden, LaMarcus Aldrige, Steve Blake, and Channing Frye. That is probably the youngest team I've seen in a while. While it will take time for Oden to develop and harness his skills, this team is an all out threat. Brandon Roy is having one of his best seasons averaging 20 points a game.

6. Orlando Magic: Dwight Howard is trying to end the season with the highest average of rebounds a game. Oh yeah he already is achieving that for the most part. He is getting 21 point and 14.5 rebounds per game. He is a player every team would love to have. On top of that they have Rashard Lewis, a big threat all around, as well as Turkoglu who can drain if from three land whenever he is called upon.

7. New Orleans Hornets: Now that they have some playoff experience, watch out! With a deadly guard in Chris Paul and a terrific finisher in Tyson Chandler the Hornets will hurt you everywhere. They also have Peja Stojakovic for when they need a clutch three. They are lacking in front court depth and don't have the best back up for Chris Paul. Other than that they look to do some more damage this year in the post season.

8. Houston Rockets: Talk about great depth, Tracy McGrady is hurt again, yet that doesn't stop the Rockets. They are 14-8 so far. They are definitely a sleeper team that could shock a lot of people. I know it sounds cliche but once Yao Ming and T-Mac are back in force, it will be on for the race in the SouthWest division.

9. Dallas Mavericks: A very rocky start for the Mavericks, but they are starting to turn it around. They are beating the teams that they should so far. But they need to show they can beat the Cavs, Lakers, and Celtics of the NBA world. Cause if they don't, making the playoffs really won't matter if you lose in round one again.

10. San Antonio Spurs: Losing Tony Parker was a big blow to the team earlier in the season. They are fighting back now that they have him, and have a 12-8 record so far which is on par for the upper ten percent of teams. Parker is still not his old self just yet as his stats are way below his norm.

Clarke Baldwin is a journalist who has worked for Dallas Morning News and other publications. You can find his site at Super Media Blog and this article at 2008 Top Ten Teams in the NBA

Playing For Pizza Written by John Grisham

Rick Dockery was an NFL quarterback, or so it said in newspapers that dared mention his name! Rick had attempted passes while under contract, usually a short contract, for several NFL teams until he was finally relegated to third-string and the last possible quarterback any team wanted to use. He loved the game but his fame was from his interceptions, not the completions, which hurt many teams. The book opens with Rick in a hospital bed after being knocked senseless in his last game. His agent, Arnie, was awaiting his awareness to being alive and when Rick did finally come basketball Arnie bid him a fast goodbye, telling Rick to get some rest! Arnie was tired of teams calling him telling him not to peddle Rick to them. They all knew him basketball well.

After regaining some of his wellness, Rick contacted Arnie requesting a chance at playing for another team. Poor Arnie. Rick kept bothering Arnie as he got more impatient regarding getting back to work and making some money. No NFL team would touch Rick. At last Arnie came up with a position for Rick in Parma, Italy playing for their NFL Italy League. Parma, Italy? Where they make Parmesan Cheese? When told of the tiny salary he would earn especially compared to the actual NFL, Rick balked but Arnie said that was all he could get for Rick. Risk had visions of being a star in this Italian league, making out with cheerleaders, and living a life of luxury that, in his mind, he had earned.

Rick's arrival in Parma was a real culture shock. No big hotels to live in, no cheerleaders, no fancy restaurants, in fact, no luxury at all and, worst of all, only three players on the entire team were paid while the others played for the fun and thrill of the game. While Rick was making $2,000.00 a month plus room and board, this was not what he envisioned. He found a few women that he "worked" on and they came and went in his Italian life. The practices were brutal for an NFL quarterback. Other team positions had to work very hard in the NFL but not the quarterbacks. They could take it easy. Sure they could-but not in NFL Italy.

He got to know the players that were on the Parma Panthers who worked in all types of jobs regularly. Come practice and game day, these players were generally 100% hard guts for Parma through pain and injuries and all types of playing surfaces and field sizes that differed throughout the league. The Panthers started their season well but went downhill when they played against the teams they knew they could beat easily. Bergamo had been the Italian Super Bowl champs for so many years that no one remembered when they hadn't won it. Of course the Panthers wanted in the worst way to win that Super Bowl and beat that great Bergamo team.

Plying for Pizza is a great variation of Grisham's normal books. He can take almost any subject and, with his knowledge and smarts, can turn it into a great story containing humor, mystery, love, and almost any other subject into a great read. I look forward to his next serious book but this one very much entertained me; most of John Grisham's fans should enjoy it too.

Reader review by Cy Hilterman.
Reviewer of many types of books.

How To Create An Outdoor Family Room

More and more families are enjoying time spent outside. The back yard can now be thought of an extension of the space inside your home. Here are some things you basketball want to keep in mind when creating an outdoor basketball room at your home.

Consider Your Family's Needs

The ages and interests of your family members will need to be taken into consideration when you plan your outdoor space. A family with young children will have different priorities than a household made up of two retirees or a single twenty-something. The best way to proceed is to make a list of who will be using the space and in what way.

For example, is the space a place to sit and read? Will young children be playing there? Do the owners enjoy gardening or hosting friends? If so, how much time do they have to spend on these activities?

If you still need some ideas, check out some decorating magazines or visit a retailer to see what is available. Leave room in your outdoor decorating plan for flexibility. Decide what elements are "must haves" and which ones can be relegated to the "would be nice to have" list.

Set a Budget

Now that you have come up with a wish list of what you want your outdoor living space to do, you need to decide how much you can afford to spend. Your plan can be implemented in a number of installments, so don't think you have to do everything in one season if that is not feasible. Consider buying items for your yard at the end of the season, when you can get them at a better price.

Include Seating Areas

Whether the family includes young children or not, you will want to include one (or more) seating areas. Patio furniture comes in a variety of styles and colors, from simple tables and chairs to a chaise lounge with colorful cushions. Whatever style of chair or bench you choose, position them near points of interest in space.

If you have a beautiful flower bed, you will want to position your seating so that you can see and appreciate it. The same is true if the back yard includes a pool, fountain, or a fire pit for visitors to gather around.

Consider Cooking Outdoors

Being able to eat outside is an important consideration when planning an outdoor family room. Many people enjoy cooking over a BBQ and you will want to position this item close to the house to make it more convenient when carrying food back and forth. Likewise, you will want to place a table and chairs nearby.

When considering where to put your BBQ and patio table, you will want to take into account which parts of your yard get direct sunlight at the times of day you are most likely to be entertaining. Adding a patio umbrella will make eating outside more enjoyable on sunny days, while a chiminea will chase away the chill of a late night gathering.

Planning is key to getting the outdoor family room that will fit your needs. So take the time to think about what the space is being used for before you start shopping.

Another great thing to add to your yard is the addition of a basketball hoop. An outdoor basketball goal is a fun way to get the family together and keep the kids around. Shop from all sorts of basketball hoops at this great online store.

Basketball Jump Higher - 3 Exercises to Jump Higher

In the sport of basketball, jump higher means that you have an edge on your opponent. The ability to jump higher and quickly will help you to gain an advantage and become a better basketball player. In addition to being able to jump higher, this explosive ability also means that you will be able to change direction more quickly. We all imagine ourselves putting on a move, leaving our opponent standing there looking stupid, and then dunking the ball over the gigantic defender that is standing there waiting to swat the ball away from us.

The purpose of this article is to give you 3 exercises to jump higher. Each of these exercises involves repeated jumping or hopping. The key to each is to spend basketball little time as possible on the floor so that you take advantage of the spring-like characteristics of your muscles. Rapid change of direction and jumping high is all about transferring energy from one direction to another. Repeated, quick movements will train that ability.

1. Repeated Broad Jump: This exercise involves a standing broad jump repeated consecutively 4 times. This will help to improve your explosive power. To begin, stand with your feet about shoulder width apart and behind the baseline. Lower into a squat position and quickly jump as high and as far forward as you can. When you land, quickly do another broad jump. Repeat this 4 times.

2. Tuck Jumps: This exercise involves repeatedly jumping and grabbing your knees. To begin, stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Lower into a squat position and jump as high as you can using your whole body. Tuck your knees up to your chest. When you land, quickly jump again. Repeat 5 times.

3. Plus Jumps: This exercise is great for lateral jumping and change of direction. Use athletic tape to draw out a %2B sign on the floor. Begin in the upper left quadrant and quickly jump from one quadrant to another. Change up the pattern to give your body a little bit more of a challenge.

Remember to spend as little time on the ground as possible. You want to be able to jump from one repetition to the next as quickly as possible. The longer you spend on the ground the less elastic energy you have in your muscles. That means less height in the air when you attempt to jump again. To add variation to the exercises change directions between jumps, twist in mid-air, or use only one leg (a hop). Be careful to observe proper landing mechanics to avoid injury and early onset of shin problems or tendon irritation. These 3 basketball jump higher exercises are a great way to improve your vertical leap and be able to jump higher.

Learning the best way to jump higher can be tricky. Good professionals have spent many years of research and testing to figure what works for most athletes. I hope that the information in this article has helped you know how to judge the quality of a good jump higher or vertical jumping program.

As a Strength and Conditioning Specialist, I have spent a lot of time evaluating programs and comparing them to the principles and characteristics that I feel a good program should have. Those that include these principles will pretty much guarantee that you are successful with the program that you choose.

It is now up to you to take the steps to improve your vertical leaping ability. Go to the Increase Vertical website and find the 6 principles that I think are most important in a program. You will also see the one that I recommend and have tested. Go now to http://www.IncreaseVertical.net