Break up the Raptors…PF Chris Bosh was named Eastern Conference Player of the Month, while Raptors coach Sam Mitchell and rookie C Andrea Bargnani were named January's Coach of the Month and Rookie of the Month, respectively…

Off Season Free Agency Rumour: Pistons PG Chauncey Billups signs with the Bucks…think of it…Billups, Redd Bogut, Simmons, Villenueva…that is the starting 5 of a 50 win team…

Look, I love the Suns…love watching them, and think Steve Nash is the MVP again…but the people who are comparing them with the 80’s Showtime Lakers have lost their minds…forget the stats people, the only stats that matter are these: The Showtime Lakers won five titles (1980, '82, '85, '87 and '88) and lost four (to the Philadelphia 76ers in '83, the Boston Celtics in '84, the Detroit Pistons in '89 and the Chicago Bulls in '91)…look at that again…in 12 Finals from 1980 to 1991 the Lakers won five, and lost four…they appeared in 75% of the NBA Finals over a 12 year span…that is absolutely ridiculous…Oh, and by the way, the Suns have appeared in 0 finals, winning 0…

Game of the Weekend: Lakers at Wizards on Saturday Feb. 3…last time these teams met, Gilbert Arenas scored 60 points and Kobe whined in the press after the game about Areas’ poor shot selection, which is hypocritical to the nth degree…

Fantastic Article from Wright Thompson of ESPN.com on 2 NBA players learning about what Dr. Martin Luther King was really about:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blackhistory2007/columns/story?columnist=thompson_wright&id=2748078&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab3pos1

From Forbes.com, NBA teams overall value and “profit”…note that only 7 teams last money last year, according to Forbes…

Rank Team Current Value($MIL) Operating Income in 2005-06 ($MIL)
1 New York Knicks 592 -39
2 Los Angeles Lakers 568 33.3
3 Dallas Mavericks 463 -24.4
4 Chicago Bulls 461 48.5
5 Houston Rockets 439 21.4
6 Detroit Pistons 429 21.8
7 Phoenix Suns 410 34.5
8 Miami Heat 409 20.5
9 San Antonio Spurs 390 11.7
10 Cleveland Cavaliers 380 23.9
11 Sacramento Kings 379 16.4
12 Philadelphia 76ers 375 -6.2
13 Boston Celtics 367 15.7
14 Indiana Pacers 340 -12.5
15 Washington Wizards 334 14.8
16 New Jersey Nets 325 -8
17 Toronto Raptors 315 8.4
18 Memphis Grizzlies 313 -18.5
19 Denver Nuggets 309 9.4
20 Minnesota T-wolves 308 4.6
21 Utah Jazz 297 1.4
22 Los Angeles Clippers 285 15.7
23 Orlando Magic 283 -20.4
24 Charlotte Bobcats 277 11.9
25 Atlanta Hawks 275 12.9
26 Seattle SuperSonics 268 3.6
27 Golden State Warriors 267 6.3
28 Milwaukee Bucks 260 1.5
29 New Orleans Hornets 248 12.9
30 Portland Trail Blazers 230 -15.2