Here you go Rob Killen…a positive Celtics article…Paul Pierce hit a fade-away 22-footer at the buzzer in overtime to give the Celtics a 116-115 win over the Washington Wizards last night. "I just knew I wanted the ball to take the last shot regardless, whether they double-teamed or triple-teamed," Pierce said. "I got a good look once I jumped up and rose above the crowd, and I knocked down the shot." Pierce finished with 31 points, including Boston's last seven points in overtime, to secure the win. He's now scored 30 points or more in 12 of his past 13 games, a stretch during which the Celtics have gone 7-6…however, his team still sucks…sorry Robby…

Shaquille O'Neal celebrated his 34th birthday with 35 points in an overtime victory at Charlotte, becoming the second-oldest player in NBA history to outscore his age on his birthday. The oldest to do it was Denver's Alex English, who scored 37 points on his 35th birthday (in a 131-129 win over the Warriors, Jan. 5, 1989).

Quote of the Day: "Guys that say they don't like playing against their former teams are definitely lying." New York's Jalen Rose, who scored 21 points in Knicks' win at Indy in his first game at Conseco Fieldhouse in a New York uniform.

Very telling exchange between an Arizona reporter and new Suns forward Tim Thomas:

Reporter: ”Twenty points in your first game? Does the Suns' offense really make it that easy?”

Thomas: “Hell, yeah. Without a doubt. From the outside looking in, you know [Steve] Nash is good, but now being a part of it, it's unbelievable. He draws so much attention. He thinks pass-first. You get open and he's going to find you. I've never really been with a point guard like that. I've always played with point guards that are really two guards.”

We’ve now waited over 12 years since the last time someone had a quadruple double…4 players have accomplished it, including Hakeem who did it twice:

Nate Thurmond, October 18, 1974, Chicago vs. Atlanta; 22 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists, 12 blocks
Alvin Robertson, February 18, 1986, San Antonio vs. Phoenix; 20 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, 10 steals
Hakeem Olajuwon, March 3, 1990, Houston vs. Golden State; 29 points, 18 rebounds, 10 assists, 11 blocks
Hakeem Olajuwon, March 29, 1990, Houston vs. Milwaukee; 18 points, 16 rebounds, 10 assists, 11 blocks
David Robinson, February 17, 1994, San Antonio vs. Detroit; 34 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, 10 blocks

1) Kelly Dwyer thinks the Celtics are PP and not much else:

One man gang - Pierce's play lost amid Celtics' injuries, inexperience

With about six weeks remaining in the regular season, the playoff brackets are almost set, which means the draft lottery participants also are basically determined. Though this is a time for those on the outside of the playoffs to tank toward the No. 1 pick, some teams haven't taken the "Blowout Sale, Everything Must Go!" ethos to heart. Every season a young team or two makes an exciting dash toward respectability in the season's final months, even with their postseason status (or lack thereof) assured. The Mavericks got their act together toward the end of 1999-00, the Clippers made up for lost time in the two seasons following, while the Bulls ('02-03), Cavs ('03-04) and Warriors (last season) all followed suit. Admirable those efforts may have been, they often didn't foretell much. Of all the teams listed above, only the Mavericks made the playoffs the following season. Such efforts, however, make for a solid night out -- or in my case, a solid night in front of the tube, with my eyes glued to the fits and flailings of a 22-win team even as the Pistons and Spurs dominated some three channels away.

Champs

The Boston Celtics have won four of seven since the All-Star break, hardly the stuff that memories are made of, but they've developed into a fascinating watch. Paul Pierce is next to unstoppable at this point, only falling short of the Kobe-LeBron-AI scoring troika because his team's offensive philosophy (if one can call it that) doesn't boast the singular focus that his counterparts in Los Angeles, Cleveland and Philadelphia do. Pierce takes 28.1 Boston possessions for every 40 minutes he plays, the ninth most in the NBA, and a step below the comparative work of Mssrs. Bryant (35.3), Iverson (32.8) and James (31.1). Qualify it however you want. Blame Pierce's teammates, Doc Rivers' offensive "schemes," or the fact that the Truth is a wee bit slower than the league's three leading scorers. But from this laptop, Pierce's career year deserves some recognition. He shouldn't be penalized for falling short of that vaunted 30 points per game mark (a number Pierce has hit in 12 of his last 13 games). It is the group and contributions surrounding Pierce that is worrisome. Al Jefferson was supposed to act as the team's bedrock in the low post, and while his 8.3 points per game and 5.3 rebounds (in 18 minutes) are OK, he hasn't looked comfortable all season. Two dodgy ankles will do that. Kendrick Perkins has turned a corner in averaging 4.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and nearly three fouls in the same amount of time, but he's also been on the shelf for close to a month with a bum left shoulder. Rookie Orien Greene couldn't put together 20 points a night if he were locked in an empty gym with an eight-foot hoop and Steve Nash passing him the ball, but his name sounds like a sweet jazz-fusion group (where three of the members have mustaches, and two own guitars), and he makes the passing lanes his own. This guy will lead the league in deflections around the same year the NBA starts to make this an official stat. Tony Allen has not been himself all season: he's lost athleticism due to a knee injury and seems over-eager to please in the wake of offseason difficulties. At least Ryan Gomes has been a revelation. Afforded big minutes over the last three weeks, he's averaged 13.4 points and 8.9 boards in his last nine games. Yes, we thought him capable of this sort of play coming out of Providence, but this was in a best-case-scenario. And finally, Delonte West is simply one of the finest young point guards out there. Hopefully his body will hold up to repeated attempts at pinning each of his opponents shots to the backboard.

Toronto doesn't boast the star power that the Celtics do, but it took care of the boys in green on Sunday night, the Raptors' first win since Feb. 13. Champ-worthy? I reckon, mainly because they had previously lost six times in a row by an average of four points per game, and had fourth quarter leads in each of the defeats. All-Star Chris Bosh may not have the league's biggest Q rating, but his jumper has been locked into the net all season, and his ability to hang in the air and absorb contact has been driving defenders nutty for a few months now. The third-year star is registering about 23 points and nine rebounds in almost 40 minutes a game this season, and he turns 22 in a few weeks. Yikes. Consider that for every 40 minutes Jermaine O'Neal played at age 22, he came through with but 15.8 points and 12 boards. As with the Celtics, there is plenty of young talent to rave about in Toronto. Rookie Jose Calderon dishes nearly three assists for every turnover, and few are better at getting in and out of traffic with a live dribble. Fellow rookie Charlie Villanueva shoots just about every time he touches the ball, but that's what they drafted the kid for, and his numbers (13 points and six boards) will skyrocket once the team figures out a way to keep him on the court for 35 minutes a night. Veteran point Mike James turns 31 this June, but he's gotten significantly better each season he's spent in the NBA, and there's no reason that should stop next year -- be it with the Raptors or somewhere else. And 28-year-old Morris Peterson remains one of the league's best defenders. If new GM Bryan Colangelo can convince Eric Williams that the winter of this career is best spent in Phoenix or Dallas -- and not in Toronto after picking up his 2006-07 player option -- then the Raptors will have a real team on our hands.

The Orlando Magic stink on ice, they stink neat, they stink, stink, stink. They've racked up six straight losses, and have dropped 17 of 19 overall, and until the last week of February, they were one of the slowest teams in the NBA. Slow and boring the Magic were, like Leonard Cohen at his worst, until Carlos Arroyo and Darko Milicic put on those classy Magic unis. They've yet to win with Orlando, but Arroyo keeps pushing the ball even though nobody runs with him, and Darko keeps trying to find cutters with pinpoint passes that bounce off people's heads. These two are obviously playing a different game then the rest of their teammates, and though it hasn't translated into a 21st win, it did make for some entertaining basketball against the Warriors and Suns last week. Arroyo has averaged 12 points and 3.6 assists (in 24 minutes a game) since coming over from the Pistons while the 20-year-old Milicic has offered seven points, five rebounds, two blocks and an assist in 20 minutes a night. Both should help Jameer Nelson, whom beleaguered Orlando GMs Otis Smith and Dave Twardzik told the press they would be building around. That isn't the usual bluster: this guy can play.

Chumps

Golden State won just four times in February and now finds itself stuck at nine games below .500 and in the Pacific Division's cellar. Things won't get much easier as March drones on; the Warriors have to play seven of their 12 games on the road, with contests in Miami, Dallas, San Antonio and Sacramento in the offing. Great. Another blown chance at the playoffs for this sorry squad, which was reaping the ill-rewards of what the Western Conference's very own Isiah Thomas clone had created. Like Isiah, Chris Mullin knows talent. He drafts very well, and has netted three players (Ike Diogu, Monta Ellis, Chris Taft) who will be in someone's rotation for years. He knows how to trade for talent, as evidenced by the way he grabbed Baron Davis from the Hornets last year. And he's plenty good at signing or extending talented guys (Derek Fisher, Mike Dunleavy Jr., Jason Richardson) for money that really talented guys should be earning. Fabulous. The problem is that none of these guys really like each other, they don't play well together and they don't win games unless someone is very, very hot from behind the arc. Mickael Pietrus deserves (but can't get any) minutes, Andris Biedrins just wrecked his Porsche, and ... holy crap, look at this roster ... Calbert Cheaney is still playing! Compounding the problem is that coach Mike Montgomery is severely outcoached every time out and that the Warriors are capped out for years. Good times.

The week ahead…Cleveland got its sea legs back with two strange wins over the Chicago Bulls on national TV, and though it hasn't really figured itself out yet (no real go-to play, occasional severe defensive lapses still abound), the Cavaliers are in a position to grab a couple of cheap wins and solidify their chances for the fourth seed in the East. A home and home against Toronto is followed by a trip to Orlando, and a national TV "showdown" with the like-minded Heat comes up on Sunday. As usual, the winner of the Heat game will probably be the one who stays interested for more than 40 minutes. The Bucks have lost six of eight, they've fallen below .500 and were caught playing some pitiful defense in losses to the Suns and Knicks last week. The offense is there (keyed by Mo Williams (17 points and eight assists), who finally appeared to get back on track against New York), but the help side defense is lacking. In reverse order, Andrew Bogut (too green), Joe Smith (too slow), and Jamaal Magloire (doesn't care) are to blame. On paper, they should be able to compete with the Kings, Celtics (in Boston) and Clippers this week, but don't be shocked if the Bucks drop all three. Busy, busy week for the defending champs, with five games in seven nights. The Spurs have three games against the Los Angeles teams (Lakers twice), with a trip to Phoenix and a home game against the Rockets rounding out the run. The Houston game won't be fun, as Yao Ming (26 points and 13 boards over his last five games) is rollin' steady. Denver better get its act together. Their next seven games are on the road, followed by a trip home to battle the Spurs on March 22. As expected, Ruben Patterson has contributed more on offense than on the defensive end -- where he's slipped a bit, whether it's due to age or disinterest. The University of Cincinnati product has averaged 12 points and five rebounds with the Nuggets in about 30 minutes a game. The seventh-seeded Hornets have dropped three straight, and though they're still a game up on the Lakers, Byron Scott's goofy crew is about to face its stiffest challenge thus far. They play seven of their next nine at home, with the Suns, Lakers, Pacers, Nets, Nuggets, Clippers and Rockets coming through Oklahoma City. That slate that will be interrupted by trips to San Antonio and Chicago. These guys have dealt with worse, but March will test their mettle.

2) From Jake Curtis of the San Francisco Chronicle, the best NCAA player you’ve never seen (and might not if Cal missed the Tournament) thinks about the NBA:

POWE EYES THE PRIZE

Leon Powe seems to be hidden right out in the open. We in Northern California know just about everything there is to know about this 22-year-old Cal jewel, who is one of the best basketball players ever produced in the Bay Area. But most of the country barely knows who he is, and NBA folks can't decide what he is or what he's worth. He's a mystery out there in Middle America, although they'd love him in Peoria if they chatted with him. Powe is consistently forthright, invariably insightful and expansive, usually funny, and, most importantly, always Leon Powe. There is no separate Leon Powe for the media, for the fans, for his friends. There is simply Leon Powe, the product of a remarkable life who has told his made-for-TV tale so many times for so many publications that it has become almost urban legend. A few of the chapters of the Powe saga: His father left when he was 2. His younger brother accidentally burned down the house when Powe was 7, causing his family to move more than 20 times over the next decade, sometimes to shelters, and Powe eventually was placed in foster homes. His mother, Connie Landry, struggled to put food on the table and was arrested for shoplifting. Powe missed nearly all of fifth grade, changing diapers and caring for his younger siblings while his mother worked. Bernard Ward, a former player at Oakland Tech who had turned around his wayward life, became Powe's surrogate father, helping to shape Powe's life and guiding him to basketball stardom at Oakland Tech. Powe's mother died unexpectedly just four days before he played in the state championship as a high school junior, and he still has a small picture of her dangling from his neck on a chain. He underwent two reconstructive surgeries in two years on the same left knee, and recovered to carry Cal to the brink of an NCAA Tournament berth, leading the Pac-10 in both scoring and rebounding. He'll tell you more if you care to listen, like how he considers himself an accomplished rapper, and how he asked Jay-Z if he could be in one of his videos. "He told me I was too tall," Powe said. The NBA doesn't think he's too tall. He's generously listed at 6-foot-8, and if he were 2-3 inches taller, he'd be a certain first-round pick. As it is, the pros' opinions on Powe are all over the board. “He has an unorthodox game," a front-office official from one NBA team said. "He's a hard one to figure." Powe, who has two years of eligibility left, says he has not even begun to consider whether he'll enter the NBA Draft this year or return to Cal, which would make the Bears a Pac-10 contender but put him through another season of constant double-teaming. You believe Powe when he says he is completely undecided, because he doesn't lie and because he knows this is not the time to gather the mountain of information he'll need to make a choice. "He gets it," Jonas Zuckerman said.
Zuckerman, a teacher at Oakland Tech, has been Powe's academic adviser and friend for many years, and he and Ward will be among a small group of friends who will help Powe make his decision about the NBA. The fact that Zuckerman, who knows no more about basketball than the average fan, has Powe's ear says a lot about Powe's farsightedness. "Neither one of us (Zuckerman and Ward) has a financial incentive in him," Zuckerman said. "I really think Leon is looking to make the best decision for him as a whole person. Absolutely, no decision has been made." Academics are not a concern, because Powe is on course to graduate next spring. He also has the option of declaring for the NBA Draft, working out for some clubs to assess his value, then withdrawing from the draft and returning to Cal. Powe said he's unlikely to turn pro if he's not a first-rounder, but sizing up his status nearly is impossible. Those who should know are all over the map on Powe, some saying he could go in the middle of the first round and others predicting late in the second. "He's an undersized '4' (power forward) who has not helped himself this year," one NBA scout said. Some are impressed with his work ethic, his rebounding ability, his strong upper body, long arms and huge hands. Others worry about his skill level, his limited offensive repertoire and that knee. "I'd tell him to stay another year," the NBA front-office official said. If he stays, he'd be in line for some major college recognition, because people east of the Rocky Mountains are just starting to discover Powe. "I think people have been sleeping on him," ESPN analyst and former UCLA coach Steve Lavin said, "because in his first year, the team didn't have success, and last year, he had the injury that kept him out all season." And, said ESPN analyst Jay Bilas, "He's playing on the West Coast, which is more regionally covered because of their TV package." Everyone, including Powe, agrees the Pac-10's lack of a contract with ESPN has affected his name recognition. Duke will be on ESPN 23 times this season, plus a handful of other nationally televised games. Although Cal has had more games on TV than ever, only one was nationally televised, with a few others aired in many parts of the country. Those who cover college basketball for a living know Powe, which is why he was a late addition to the Wooden Award list for Player of the Year and why he's on some All-America teams. Powe doesn't care about the honors, he says, as long as he's in the discussion.

3) Former NBA coach (briefly) John Carroll with a mid-season report on Sam Mitchell for ESPN.com:

Assessment: Toronto Raptors coach Sam Mitchell

Team Strengths - Toronto is a team that can put points up on the board. The Raptors are currently tied for third in the NBA in points per game with 100.6, seventh in field-goal percentage with .461 and eighth in 3-point field-goal percentage at .370. Chris Bosh is showing the NBA how good he is. Bosh is averaging 22.6 ppg and 9.2 rpg. In addition, the Raptors are getting big-time production from Mike James. He is a leader for this team and is averaging 18.2 ppg.

Team Weaknesses - Defense, defense and less defense. The Raptors are ranked 29th and 30th in the two most important defensive categories: points allowed and field-goal percentage defense, respectively. They allow opponents to score 102.9 ppg and shoot an incredible .490. That is a team that plays no defense.

Coaching Style - Sam Mitchell is now in his second year at the helm in Toronto. His team has gotten 20 wins and finds itself probably out of the playoff picture. Mitchell has worked hard in the past year or so, doing things his own way and has earned the respect of his players, most importantly Bosh.

Coaching Challenges - This team is athletic enough to defend but they don't. James, Bosh, Charlie Villanueva and Joey Graham are athletic enough to defend better. Mitchell must get this group to improve in this area. They score so well that if they could just get to the middle of the pack in the NBA by next year, they would win a lot more games and be a fringe playoff team.

Looking Ahead - Everything changed in Toronto when Rob Babcock got fired and now Bryan Colangelo has become the new leader. Everyone will be evaluated under a new microscope. The players, the coaches and front office people have a new sheriff in town, and Colangelo will want to put his own imprint on this team. This team has 23 games left this season and it is imperative for everyone to put their best foot forward. Colangelo is watching and evaluating.

4) Seth Davis of SI.com with his NCAA award winners:

Handing out the hardware - Awards in each conference, All-America team and POY

March Madness has already begun with a wild finish to the regular season. As another bevy of league tourneys get ready to begin, I feel compelled to weigh in with my selections for the year-end awards in all the major conferences. As you'll notice, I am including the Missouri Valley in this group. If you would argue the Valley doesn't belong, you probably are not the kind of astute reader who usually visits this space. Read 'em and debate:

ACC

Player of the Year: J.J. Redick, Duke. Redick's recent shooting slump does not begin to undo one of the best seasons the sport has seen in years. He still led the league in scoring (28.1 points per game), 3-point shots per game (3.73) and minutes played (37.0). The only shock is that Redick finished second to Clemson's Shawan Robinson in free throw shooting, converting a career-low 88.6 percent from the line.

Freshman of the Year: Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina. Hansbrough even made a strong case for runner-up to Redick as the ACC's POY. He was third in the league in scoring (18.7), fourth in field goal percentage (.586) and seventh in rebounding (7.5). Sorry to report I'm hearing rumblings out of Chapel Hill that he might consider entering the NBA draft.

Coach of the Year: Roy Williams, North Carolina. Another easy choice. No team in league history had ever lost its top seven scorers, but Williams still guided the Tar Heels to sole possession of second place in the conference. When the season began, I didn't think the Heels could even make the NCAA tournament, much less earn a No. 2 seed.

All-conference: Redick; Hansbrough; Shelden Williams, Duke; Craig Smith, Boston College; Sean Singletary, Virginia.

Big East

Player of the Year: Randy Foye, Villanova. Hard choice between Foye and his senior backcourtmate Allan Ray, but Foye is a little more well-rounded and has been superb from day one. He finished second in the Big East to Rutgers' Quincy Douby in scoring (21.0), averaged 5.4 rebounds and made 37.8 percent of his shots from 3-point range. His 1.54-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio was also ranked 11th in the conference.

Freshman of the Year: Dominic James, Marquette. James gets the nod over another freshman point guard, Cincinnati's Devan Downey. The difference is James was phenomenal on both ends. He ranked third in the league in steals (1.88) and was fifth in assists (5.0). He was also ninth in scoring (16.4), 10th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.82-to-1) and 12th in field goal percentage (.455).

Coach of the Year: Jay Wright, Villanova. Curtis Sumpter's knee injury forced Wright into using his unconventional four-guard lineup, but it has worked out for the better. This team is full of tough, experienced, smart players who have deftly combined aggressiveness and poise all year. That reflects their coach.

All-conference: Foye, Ray; Rudy Gay, UConn; Mike Gansey, West Virginia; Eric Hicks, Cincinnati.

Big Ten

Player of the Year: Terrence Dials, Ohio State. Dials is still underappreciated nationally, but he has been an absolute stud down the stretch for the Buckeyes. He finished in the top 10 in the league in four categories: points (ninth, 15.3), rebounds (fourth, 8.0), field goal shooting (third, 58.1 percent) and blocks (fifth, 0.96). Ohio State has a lot of different players who can drill threes, but those guards wouldn't have had nearly as many clean looks without Dials' ability to draw attention from opposing defenses.

Freshman of the Year: Jamelle Cornley, Penn State. The Big Ten had fewer quality candidates for this award than any other major conference, so Cornley gets the nod by default. He was third on his team in scoring (11.5) and second in rebounding (5.4) and was ranked 10th in the conference in field goal percentage (.513). The only other freshman who was nearly that significant was Illinois guard Jamar Smith.

Coach of the Year: Thad Matta, Ohio State. Matta's relentlessly positive, high-energy approach helped will the Buckeyes to an improbable Big Ten title. He has been equally effective on the recruiting circuit, but this team has a lot of basketball left to play before Greg Oden & Co. arrive next season.

All-conference: Dials; Shannon Brown, Michigan State; Dee Brown, Illinois; Paul Davis, Michigan State; Greg Brunner, Iowa.

Big 12

Player of the Year: LaMarcus Aldridge, Texas. Another tough choice here between teammates, but Aldridge's prowess on the defensive end gave him the nod over P.J. Tucker. The two players were tied for the Big 12 lead in rebounds (9.0), while Aldridge was first in field goal percentage (.604), third in blocks (2.03) and ninth in scoring (15.6).

Freshman of the Year: Brandon Rush, Kansas. This one was a layup -- or in Rush's case, an open-court, gliding, cock-the-ball flush. KU turned the corner in late January when its guards turned up the defense, but somebody had to finish all those fast break opportunities. Rush was more than happy to oblige. He finished sixth in the league in field goal percentage (.495) and made a whopping 51.1 percent of his heaves from 3-point range. He was also fourth in rebounding (7.8), seventh in blocks (1.5) and 12th in scoring (14.6).

Coach of the Year: Bill Self, Kansas. I almost went with Texas' Rick Barnes here, but Self did a masterful job guiding one of the youngest rosters in the nation to a tie for first place. People talk about North Carolina's youth, but at least Roy Williams had three upperclassmen he could rely on. Much of the time, Self's lineup on the floor consisted of three freshmen and two sophomores.

All-conference: Tucker; Aldridge; Rush; Taj Gray, Oklahoma; Richard Roby, Colorado.

Missouri Valley

Player of the Year: Patrick O'Bryant, Bradley. Just as there was no dominant team in this league, there was no single player who stood out above the rest. O'Bryant, a 7-foot sophomore center, missed the first eight games of the season because of NCAA suspension, but he still did enough to merit this honor. The long and lean big man led the Valley (and was ninth in the nation) in blocks with 3.14 per game. He was also second in rebounding (8.2), fourth in field goal percentage (.553) and ninth in scoring (13.1).

Freshman of the Year: Josh Dotzler, Creighton, and Bryan Mullins, Southern Illinois (tie). You've got to give me one cop-out here. These two guys had nearly identical seasons running the point for their respective teams. Dotzler had slightly better numbers on offense (third in the Valley in assists with 4.22, while Mullins was ninth with 3.21). Mullins, however, had the slight edge on defense, finishing first in the league in steals (2.87) while Dotzler came in second (2.26). It's going to be great fun watching these guys continue to go head to head the next three years.

Coach of the Year: Mark Turgeon, Wichita State. The Shockers lost a ton of players from last year's NCAA tournament team, yet they still won the regular season title by two games. Turgeon isn't getting quite as much who-will-hire-him buzz right now as Creighton's Dana Altman and Northern Iowa's Greg McDermott, but believe me, coaches around America know exactly how good this guy is.

All-conference: O'Bryant; Anthony Tolliver, Creighton; Paul Miller, Wichita State; David Moss, Indiana State; Jamal Tatum, Southern Illinois.

Pac-10

Player of the Year: Brandon Roy, Washington. I actually thought I might struggle choosing between Roy and Cal forward Leon Powe, but upon further review it wasn't as close as I thought. Yes, Powe leads the league in scoring (20.0) and rebounding (9.9), but Roy has been far more versatile. Check out his conference rankings: first in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.82-to-1), second in scoring (19.6), fourth in assists (4.14) and field goal percentage (50.9), fifth in free throw shooting (81.9), eighth in steals (1.34), 10th in blocks (0.83) and 11th in rebounding (5.8).

Freshman of the Year: Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, UCLA. It was a real close call here between Mbah a Moute and Washington's Jon Brockman, but Mbah a Moute gets the nod because he averages 8.4 rebounds to Brockman's 6.9. Besides, while Brockman was a celebrated McDonald's All-American, Mbah a Moute was a true diamond in the rough mined brilliantly by Bruins coach Ben Howland.

Coach of the Year: Howland. The UCLA coach would deserve this award simply by shepherding a team relying heavily on freshman and sophomores to the outright title. Throw in the plethora of injuries Howland also had to deal with, and his selection is a cinch.

All-conference: Roy; Powe; Hassan Adams, Arizona; Jordan Farmar, UCLA; Matt Haryasz, Stanford

SEC

Player of the Year: Glen Davis, LSU. Another tough call here between Davis and Tennessee guard Chris Lofton, but Davis' numbers were too impressive to pass up. He led the league in rebounding (9.9), he was second in scoring (18.3) and he was fourth in field goal percentage (51.0). As for Lofton, it should be noted that along with his stellar offensive production this season (fourth in scoring, second in 3-point shooting), he was also ranked second in the SEC in steals with 2.07 per game.

Freshman of the Year: Tyrus Thomas, LSU. Thomas was only supposed to be the second-best freshman on his team behind Tasmin Mitchell, but he was the revelation of the season in the SEC. Described by a former NBA coach I spoke with as "a Stromile Swift who plays hard," Thomas led the league in blocks (3.04) and was second in rebounding (9.3) while chipping in 12.7 points per game.

Coach of the Year: Bruce Pearl, Tennessee. I realize the Volunteers' imperfect finish has cost Pearl some votes for national Coach of the Year, but let's not forget how moribund this program was before he arrived in Knoxville. Besides getting his players to compete hard and execute efficiently, Pearl also riled up the fans and is already generating buzz on the recruiting trail. UT fans are going to enjoy having him there for a long, long time.

All-conference: Davis; Lofton; Joakim Noah, Florida; Ronald Steele, Alabama; Ronnie Brewer, Arkansas.

National Awards

Player of the Year: J.J. Redick, Duke.

Freshman of the Year: Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina.

Coach of the Year: Roy Williams, North Carolina.

All-American team: Redick; LaMarcus Aldridge, Texas; Adam Morrison, Gonzaga; Shelden Williams, Duke; Randy Foye, Villanova.

5) Tony Meija of CBSsportline.cm with his look at the rookies:

At this time last season, Deron Williams was trying to keep the University of Illinois unbeaten, gearing up for an NCAA Tournament that would end with a loss in the national championship game. Chris Paul was doing his thing at Wake Forest, Hakim Warrick was carving out a reputation as Syracuse's stopper and Utah's Andrew Bogut and New Mexico's Danny Granger were gearing up for the Mountain West Tournament and their own chances to dance. As professionals, the rookies are in the spotlight again, hoping to help take their teams to the NBA playoffs, a prospect that remains in doubt for all but Warrick's Grizzlies. New York's Channing Frye, Charlotte's Raymond Felton and Toronto's Charlie Villanueva are having strong first seasons, but their teams are basically out of it. If they hit the wall, there are few consequences. For those in the playoff hunt, however, there's nothing to hide behind, especially since now that March is here, their coaches are going to be less patient with rookie mistakes. In Utah, Williams has had his ups and downs playing for demanding coach Jerry Sloan. He opened the season as a reserve, quickly claimed the starting job, showed some flashes but found himself demoted to third string by the time January ended. He entered 2006 in a 10-for-41 slump, started February with just two assists and seven turnovers over a five-game stretch and was playing about as poorly as he has in his entire life. Through it all Sloan didn't say much to him, letting his fleeting minutes send the message. While Williams didn't understand why his coach wasn't taking him aside and conveying his displeasure, he never put his head down and kept working, impressing old-school Sloan with his tenacity in practice. "I just feel it is important for a guy if he is struggling, especially younger guys, to know what it's like, on their own," Sloan told the Salt Lake Tribune. "Not run to them every minute. Let them fight through it. He did that. That's why I admire what he did. I think it'll be good for him 10 years down the line." Williams returned to the starting lineup last week, joining Milt Palacio in a two-point-guard backcourt. Over the past five games, he's shooting right about 50 percent (28-for-57) from the field and a ridiculous 12-for-16 (75 percent) from 3-point range. He has dished out 28 assists, including a career-high 13 in a Feb. 27 win over Golden State. On Friday night, he knocked down a game-winning runner in the final seconds to trip the Clippers, and you can see his confidence growing. The Jazz are lost without Andrei Kirilenko, but it has become apparent that they are going to need Williams to play at a high level if they are going to make the playoffs. Sloan is throwing a lot at him, making him defend bigger guards as the team's pseudo-shooting guard while also counting on him to make sound decisions when he's running the offense. That's why the team traded up to make him the No. 3 pick. There's no grace period, as Utah has a chance to be successful now. Home games against Orlando, Minnesota and Dallas this week are vital to its chances. Paul, who was chosen right after Williams by the Hornets, finds himself in a similar situation. No one would have expected the New Orleans/Oklahoma City franchise to be in the playoff hunt, but due largely to the future Rookie of the Year's contributions, it opens the week at No. 7 in the Western Conference. With that immediate success comes pressure, as the point guard has to keep a team with little quality depth and scarce postseason experience together during the stretch run. Following the Hornets' worst game of the season, an 89-67 loss to the Clippers in which they set an NBA record for fewest points in a half (16), head coach Byron Scott called out his team for being tentative. Paul, nursing sore ribs and a sore shoulder, was held out of practice twice last week and being given every opportunity to try to get healthy for critical home games against the Suns, Lakers, Pacers and Nets over the next seven days. "We just have to come with a better attitude," Scott told the New Orleans Times-Picayune. "All the pats on the back, I don't know if guys are starting to listen to it, believe in all this stuff, but teams have a lot more respect for us as a basketball team -- and they're going to play harder against us. We have to respond accordingly." Everything starts with Paul, so he's going to have to up his level of play -- if that's even possible -- as the team begins a home stretch about which Scott said, "If we go 0-4 we're in deep trouble. If we go 2-2 that's not good enough ... with 24 games left, we can mess around and miss the playoffs. Only time will tell." Aside from Chris Paul, which rookie has the brightest future? The Grizzlies aren't so much concerned with reaching the playoffs as they are doing something once they get there. In each of the past two seasons, they have reached the promised land only to be swept. This year should be different, as Pau Gasol is much improved, most of the team's core has vast postseason experience, and rookie Warrick is becoming more and more of a factor. "He's not the biggest guy in the world, but he does have a fearless streak in him," said Shane Battier. "He has that quickness about him around the basket, where he can finish well, and he's probably the one guy on our team that can ignite the crowd." Warrick's dunks, blocks and nonstop hustle have made him a fan favorite, and that energy has made him a part of Mike Fratello's rotation, earning him minutes in each of the past 13 games after a host of DNP-CDs earlier this season. Over in the East, Bogut and Granger are once again linked as their teams jockey for position in the Central. Granger has become a fixture in Pacers coach Rick Carlisle's rotation and has become a stopgap that has allowed the team to overcome injuries to Jermaine O'Neal and Austin Croshere. His versatility and strength allow him to fill in at both forward spots, and his mentality guarantees he won't crumble in the face of a playoff chase. "I guard him every day in practice, and I think the sky's the limit with this kid," Pacers forward Jeff Foster said. "I watched him play with Ron Artest, one-on-one, and he definitely had the toughness and wouldn't back down. That's a trait I always look for in guys because I know how important it is to have that take-no-prisoners mentality and not back down from anyone in this league. It's not a trait you see that often with young kids coming in." Granger, at 22, is one of the older rookies in the league, having stayed in school for five years due to a transfer from Bradley to New Mexico. The New Orleans native faces his hometown team this week, hoping to duplicate the career-high 22-point effort he enjoyed in a 97-75 win Feb. 21. The Pacers look to distance themselves from the Eastern Conference pack in which 2½ games separate the fifth seed from the slumping eighth-seeded Bucks, who have slipped under .500 by losing six of eight. Bogut leads the league's rookies in rebounding, shooting (52.7 percent) and blocked shots (1.05), but hasn't put together a prolonged string of strong performances since mid-January. He might be breaking out of it, averaging 15.5 points and 10 rebounds in a road swing through Denver and Phoenix. In Saturday's disappointing loss to New York, however, he had just two points and six rebounds. The Bucks are off until Wednesday when Sacramento visits in an important game the Bucks need to start snapping out of their funk. Milwaukee lost 19 of its final 25 games last season and was ultimately rewarded by winning the lottery and selecting Bogut. This year, given how well things started, that type of slump would undo all the good vibes that have arisen this season. If Bogut succeeds in turning the corner, that won't happen.