Wow, the new Spit Ball results are crazy.  Two weeks ago T-Gauge had a lead so large it seemed all the excitement was sucked right out of the competition.  It was like watching Flavor of Love 3 or the Knicks play the Spurs .. . Ya know the end result so why bother.  Not so fast, Taron's spit caught fire.  The voters in 2008 felt the flow and have spoken, over 2,000 voters have pushed Taron into the top spot past T-Guage.  There is still time in this round and we will be announcing the prizes very soon.  What's the deal with Lil Slice everyone who peeps her spit says she's got fire in her flow . . . She needs the votes to be crowned the Queen of Spit Ball.  Brooklyn we are surprised by the lack of support.  To all you Spit Ball fans holla at your friends and tell them to vote!

The Phoenix Sunsa are banking on a change of scenery and a little rest before the play-offs will allow Shaquille O'Neal to rise from the ashes of poor health to lead the Suns to the NBA Finals.  When it comes down to it, the Suns lost nothing in the transaction.  Shawn Marion was leaving at the end of the season for a pay day and has been disruptive in the lockerroom.  It might be a simple case of addition-by-subtraction.

But from the Suns view, they know the game they play of going up-and-dwon the court will not exist during the play-offs where the game changes to a half=court battle.  Sop Shaq won't make it up and down the court like a gryehound, but they don't need him to and don't want him to.  They want his half court presence to give the explosive Suns another dimension and take away the chance of playing the jump shooters tight.

Will Shaq make a difference?  Maybe not on the court, but who here doesn't expect to be glued to the television during the Western Conference play-offs.  Oh, and by-the-way, you got to think that the Mavericks are seriously considering Jason Kidd as a means to counter-act the acquisition of Pau Gason by the Lakers and now Shaq by the Suns.  PLay-offs cannot come quick enough.

Just got the 411 from Jay "Real Game" Boogie on some of the  top courts for comp in L.A.

Oakwood Rec Center Gym in Venice Beach where such notables as Baron Davis, Jelly Bean Bryant.  Filming is also done there such as Ball Don't Lie featuring the Professor, Ludacris, Jay Boogie, and Nick Cannon.  Pan Pacific Rec Center, Baldwin Hill Rec Center, Westwood Rec Center, Washington Park-South L.A. gym.  And by the way, check out Jay talking on the changes in the game of bball.  http://www.wsbchoops.com/home.html

Regards, Dan the Man   

Check out all the Urban Legends at http://www.gameovernyc.com/basketball/urban-legends/

That tremor you felt all the way back here to the East Coast was a shift in power that started in Los Angeles.  With the acquistion of Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies yesterday the Los Angeles Lakers have to be considered serious contenders for the NBA title.  They become younger, more athletic, and well, add one heck of a scorer.

All for four players (If we really consider Kwame Brown that), two (future) first round draft choices (read that as low first rounders because NBA champions and almost champions never eat early at the draft), and a bag of balls and photos of Jenny Buss.  Guess the Mets weren't the only ones to steal a trade this week.

And look what patience has done for Kobe.  Even though we are a bit more East Coast centric and are more concerned about the events of the "As The Knicks Turn" and the Nets.  We even look up north towards all the changes with the Celtics.  But we spent many a day talking about the desire of Kobe to be traded.  And the Lakers insistence in not just giving him away to the Bulls.  And to be patient.  As they told Kobe.  That they would find him some help.  And they have.  All for a lot of luggage.

That earthquake you feel is the Lakers feeling smug, getting back to the elite.  All we need now is for them to face the Celtics.  Like the old days.

We want to give a shout out to a Game Over Urban Legend friend that has granted us insite to the world of Urban Legends on the West Coast.  Dan the Man has sent us several Emails with tales of some of the Urban Legends he has encountered over the years, particularly Raymond Lewis.  Now he tells us of a movie that will be coming out shortly on the life of former New York Knick legend Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton, who helped break the NBA color line.  Not only that, but Dan is in it too!  You can check out some of the info at http://www.movieset.com/og/synopsis/1457   Henry Simmons, who played Detective Baldwin Jones plays Clifton.  We'll keep you posted as to when the movie comes out.

After all that has befallen the New York Knicks it is easy for us to jump on the player-hate bandwagon.  The last thing any of us who are Knick fans want is to watch what some have called a trainwreck.  We would all like to see what we all remember, teams of Willis, Clyde, and Pearl; Bernard finishing a drive to the hoop for a three-point play; and championship caliber teams of Pat, John, and Anthony.

The latest news is that the team has lost Stephon Marbury for two months after successful foot surgery.  He says he will try to be back before the end of the season.  Some say why bother on a team that looks like it will miss the playoffs (again).  Some even speculate that Stephon has played his last game as a Knick.

No one wants to lose.  We can turn on the sport radio stations in New York any time of day and hear from the talking heads and fans their hurt in watching this NBA flagship franchise go through another poor season.  We don't have all the answers, but we have some thoughts.  They all lead to one destination - the return to the glory days of Knick basketball.

Should the Knicks trade / buy-out / or let Stephon's contract expire after next year?  Unfortunately for Brooklyn's finest, it might be for the best.  For the Knicks, and for Stephon.  About the other expensive, over-the-salary-cap contracts of players that aren't performing, let them go too.  Don't take on any additional contracts that are going to put the team over the salary cap now.  The time, if there is such a time, is when you need one more piece to take the team over the top.  Now is not the time.  And the Knicks realize that.   Though there is speculation in the tabloids, statements have been made by the Knicks front office (Isiah) that they wiill not be making any trades next month.  Would if benefit the team to have Ron Artest?  Perhaps.  We'll leave that thought to the fans.  But to take him now when he would be a free agent at the end of the season would allow the Knicks to shed some poor contracts.  Trading for him now would mean giving up on some of the young talent the Knicks have, and that is the future of this team.

We yell, scream, and talk about the Knicks because we are Knick fans.  The worst thing to happen is for us not to care.  Then the Knicks are really in trouble. 

The other night Saint Louis University took on George Washington in an Atlantic 10 game.  They scored 7 points in the first half . . . 7.  20 for the whole game.  Now the first reaction is that they just can't shoot.  Well, that isn't the case.  Did they shoot poorly that evening?  No question.

But there were other factors involved, some that are overlooked in each and every game by the casual observer.  First, lets give credit to George Washington for the individual and team defense they displayed.  Every shot was challenged.  How many times have you heard your coach say to get a hand in your man's face, or to cut off the driver?  GW did just that.

Then there was also that GW limited Saint Louis in offense rebounds, which therefore limits Saint Louis to offensive opportunities at the basket.  If you only get one shot at the hoop per possession, you are not going to get a lot of second-chance points.

And then there was the pace of the game.  The 35 second clock was used by both teams, GW on offense to slow the game down and look for the good shot and Saint Louis because of the difficulty they had against the GW defense.  GW's use of the clock acts as a sixth defender as Saint Louis had to now force the offense inorder to not lose too much time from the clock.

At first, we tend to look at a performance on the surface and make quick judgments as to why a team played a certain way.  Games are won and lost on much deeper levels as well.  This game was the perfect wave - poor shooting with outstanding defense and good ball usage by the opponent.  After that - Game Over.