Mock Draft Monday: Kobe Bryant helped pave the way for high schoolers choosing to go pro

                                          (Credit: Eileen Blass-USA TODAY Sports) 


Last week I wasn't much in the mood to blog about the NBA after the death of Kobe Bryant. I just needed some time to regroup a bit and think about how I wanted to remember Bryant on NBALord.com. I was planning on doing my Saturday Slam piece to remember his whole career, but I needed a bit more time to think about what my next blog post would be. Considering that I have my different themes on here, I figured I would use those themes to address Bryant's career through several different lenses. Up first is through the lens of his high school career and more specifically, what impact he had on high schoolers thinking of going straight to the pros.

Leading up to the 1996 NBA Draft, Bryant wasn't sure what he was going to do. He was genuinely torn about whether to go to college or go straight to the NBA. Both had their pros and cons. In the interview I've attached below, Bryant talks about weighing those options and not yet being sure what decision he would make. The pros of going to college was to get a year or two to grow as a basketball player without the pressures of being a professional while also getting to enjoy the college life. On the other side of the coin, going to the NBA meant the chance to get paid right away, something that also appealed to Bryant. Even though it meant more responsibility.



A year earlier, in the 1995 NBA Draft, Minnesota Timberwolves legend Kevin Garnett went 5th overall out of high school as well, becoming the first player in two decades (Darryl Dawkins and Bill Willoughby) to go straight from high school to the NBA. One major difference between Garnett and Bryant was the fact that Garnett had horrible grades and test scores, making division one college basketball a non-option for him. The only colleges Garnett could attend were junior colleges, sort of forcing his hand into going pro. Bryant on the other hand was a good student in high school and took his education seriously. College was an option for him and he knew that if he went straight to the NBA, some may second guess his commitment to getting a quality education.

In the end, Bryant chose to go to the NBA. When the Lower Merion High School Class of 1996 listed what colleges they were attending (in the school yearbook or newspaper), Bryant wrote "NBA-nuff said!" Bryant's decision resulted in him getting drafted 13th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers via the Charlotte Hornets. By choosing to go straight to the NBA when college was an option for him, Bryant helped legitimize that path for the likes of LeBron James and others who felt they were ready out of high school.

Flash forward 25 years later, the NBA is likely to once again allow high schoolers the option to come straight out instead of having to spend a year in college or overseas. When the NBA does formally make the switch back, it will be a nod to Bryant and all that he accomplished. Bryant proved that if you are ready to go pro, you should do so. He also showed that such a decision requires a lot of thought and shouldn't be taken lightly.

When looking back on the 1996 NBA Draft, what is a bit crazy is to see Bryant selected 13th overall. In hindsight Bryant would have gone #1 overall to his hometown Philadelphia 76ers instead of Allen Iverson. At that time, coming out of high school was so rare that a lot of teams were afraid to gamble on him. Especially since he was a guard. To the Lakers' credit, specifically Jerry West, they recognized Bryant had a lot of talent and was capable of being their next franchise player. Their decision to take Bryant changed the course of basketball history forever. Bryant went on to become a five time NBA champion and arguably the greatest Laker of all-time.

If you're going to look back on Kobe Bryant's career, it's impossible to not reflect on his high school career and how amazing it was that he took that leap into the NBA without playing in college. Such a bold and brave decision is truly fitting for one who would give birth to "Mamba Mentality."

Note: If you are reading this article via e-mail, click here to check out the interview I posted above. 

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Saturday Slam: Kevin Garnett had a solemn dedication that will never be duplicated

(Credit: Cliff. Click here for source) 

    After 21 seasons in the NBA, Kevin Garnett is calling it a career, finishing with career averages of 17.8 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game. Kevin Garnett accomplished a lot in his career. He won an NBA championship with the Boston Celtics, was named Mr. Basketball in the state of Illinois in 1995, and he put the Minnesota Timberwolves franchise on the map. He is without question a first ballot hall of fame player and one of the best players of his generation. 

     When looking back on Kevin Garnett's career, what stands out the most is the passion that he played with every night. Kevin Garnett had an almost psychotic approach to the game of basketball. He was obsessed with giving it his all on every play and never backed down to anybody. If an opponent took a shot after the whistle, Garnett would still block the shot and prevent it from going through rim. 

     Kevin Garnett could not allow himself to give his opponents one iota of confidence and did everything he could to get in their heads. He was the king of trash talk and on court swagger to the point that it absolutely annoyed you if he was playing against you. At the same time, if he was on your team, he fired you up and made you believe you could win. He was absolutely a guy who you wanted in your corner when the chips were down. He put his teammates first and was willing to die for them if needed. 

     Kevin Garnett was old school in that he really played for the love of the game. He didn't play for the money, the fame, or the personal recognition. He played the game of basketball because he loved it and had a solemn dedication to it that is seldom seen. He never disrespected the game or took it for granted. Every minute he was on the floor he cherished and he gave it his all. He recognized that he had a talent and a gift that few people had and he did not want to waste it for even a moment. 

   Just like how there will never be another Kobe Bryant or another Tim Duncan, there will never be another Kevin Garnett. I'm not sure we will ever see another player who plays with quite the same amount of fervor and vigor that Kevin Garnett played with. He loved the game and it showed in every moment that he was on the floor. Even when he was at the end of his career, he still had a desire to reunite with the Minnesota Timberwolves franchise and mentor the next generation of NBA players. His heart has always been in the right place and the game of basketball has been richly blessed because of it. Kevin Garnett, you will be missed. 

Daily Dunks: 7/27-8/2/15

                                                   (Credit: Andy Melton. Click here for source). 

Here is my Daily Dunks page for July 27, 2015 through August 2, 2015. Throughout the week this page will be updated with news from across the NBA until a new Daily Dunks page is created for the following week.

Monday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Celtics officially re-signed Jae Crowder (Click here for details).

#2. The Heat waived forward Henry "Bill" Walker (Click here for details).

#3. The Cavaliers re-signed Matthew Dellavedova (Click here for details).

#4. The Warriors officially traded David Lee to the Celtics for Gerald Wallace (Click here for details).

#5. James Ennis has restructured his contract with the Heat such that they don't have to guarantee his contract until opening night (Click here for details).

#6. Kobe Bryant will likely play some power forward for the Lakers this season (Click here for details).

#7. The Heat traded guard Zoran Dragic to the Celtics. The Celtics will waive Dragic (Click here for details).

#8. The Warriors signed guard Ian Clark (Click here for details).

#9. The Hornets signed guard Elliot Williams for training camp (Click here for details).

#10. Former Warriors center Ognjen Kuzmic has signed in Greece with Panathinaikos B.C. (Click here for details).

Tuesday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Nuggets have officially signed center Nikola Jokic to a multi-year deal (Click here for details).

#2. The Pelicans have officially signed center Kendrick Perkins (Click here for details).

#3. Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer has plead guilty to the DUI he committed before last season (Click here for details).

#4. Fenerbahce Ülker of the Euroleague will play a couple of preseason games in the USA against NBA teams (Click here for details).

#5. Thunder power forward Serge Ibaka is not yet cleared to play (Click here for details)

#6. The Heat signed second round pick Josh Richardson (Click here for details).

#7. There was a rumor going around that Nicolas Batum wanted to play in Toronto with the Raptors. Batum has dismissed it (Click here for details).

#8. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr is undergoing back surgery. He should be fine by training camp (Click here for details).

#9. The Wisconsin State Assembly has passed the Bucks arena deal (Click here for details).

#10. Karl-Anthony Towns wants Kevin Garnett to teach him how to be a champion. Towns also had a 4.0 GPA at Kentucky (Click here and here for details).

Tuesday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Fever 75 Sun 73. Mercury 89 Sky 87 (OT). Fever forward Tamika Catchings had 15 points and became #2 all-time on the WNBA's scoring list.

Wednesday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Raptors have hired three new assistant coaches including Jerry Stackhouse (Click here for details).

#2. The Warriors have announced their coaching staff for this season (Click here for details).

#3. The Kings waived forward Eric Moreland (Click here for details).

#4. The Bucks officially signed small forward Chris Copeland (Click here for details).

#5. The Rockets signed center Chuck Hayes to a one-year veteran minimum deal (Click here for details).

#6. The Timberwolves signed point guard Andre Miller to a one-year contract for the veteran's minimum (Click here for details).

#7. The 76ers have signed second round pick Richaun Holmes (Click here for details).

#8. The Knicks, Lakers, and Wizards are interested in Kevin Seraphin (Click here for details).

#9. Lindsay Whalen and Maya Moore combined for 51 points for the Lynx.

#10. In her season debut, Los Angeles Sparks forward Candace Parker had 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 9 assists.

Wednesday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Mystics 87 Storm 74. Fever 84 Liberty 72. Lynx 82 Sparks 76. Stars 102 Dream 85.

Thursday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Trail Blazers waived center Brendan Haywood (Click here for details).

#2. The Mavericks signed center Salah Mejri (Click here for details).

#3. The Knicks waived guard Ricky Ledo (Click here for details).

#4. Earl Watson is officially an assistant coach on the Suns (Click here for details).

#5. The Knicks re-signed power forward Lou Amundson to a one-year contract (Click here for details).

#6. The Knicks have officially signed their first round draft picks Kristaps Porzingis and Jerian Grant (Click here for details).

#7. Hawks forward Mike Scott has been arrested on drug charges (Click here for details).

#8. Clippers forward Josh Smith clarifies his "harder on me" comments (Click here for details).

#9. Flip Saunders says Kevin Garnett will be a starter for the Timberwolves (Click here for details).

#10. The Thunder have signed 2014 draft pick Josh Huestis to a four-year rookie scale contract (Click here for details).

Thursday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Mercury 78 Shock 66. Mercury forward DeWanna Bonner had 24 points and 9 rebounds.

Friday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Warriors traded Gerald Wallace to the 76ers for Jason Thompson (Click here for details).

#2. The Kings hired hall of famer Nancy Lieberman and others as assistant coaches (Click here for details).

#3. The Pelicans waived guard Toney Douglas (Click here for details).

#4. Small forward Jeremy Evans has officially signed with the Mavericks (Click here for details).

#5. The Knicks have signed guard Sasha Vujacic to a one-year, $1.35M deal (Click here for details).

#6. Small forward J.P. Tokoto from North Carolina plans to join the 76ers for training camp (Click here for details).

#7. The Kings are interested in reuniting with Hedo Turkoglu (Click here for details).

#8. Pacers forward Jordan Hill has been arrested for speeding and reckless driving (Click here for details).

#9. Allen Crabbe's contract with the Trail Blazers will be guaranteed for next season (Click here for details).

#10. Danilo Gallinari has officially signed his contract extension with the Nuggets (Click here for details).

Friday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Sun 67 Storm 66. Lynx 86 Dream 70. Mystics 88 Stars 53. Sparks 88 Sky 77.

Saturday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Mavericks first round pick Justin Anderson has signed his rookie contract (Click here for details).

#2. The Clippers waived forward Jordan Hamilton (Click here for details).

#3. In the NBA Africa Game, Hakeem Olajuwon and Dikembe Mutombo played. Hakeem hit a shot (Click here for footage and details).

#4. Bulls point guard Derrick Rose is uncertain about whether or not to attend Team USA minicamp (Click here for details).

#5. The Nuggets waived forward Kostas Papanikolaou (Click here for details).

#6. Clippers point guard Chris Paul will attend Team USA minicamp (Click here for details).

#7. The Pacers plan to purchase the Fort Wayne Mad Ants to make them their single-affilate D-League team (Click here for details).

#8. Rockets center Dwight Howard will attend Team USA minicamp (Click here for details).

#9. The Hawks hired Michael Blackstone as assistant GM and made a couple of other front office changes (Click here for details).

#10. The NBAPA will file a grievance over the Kings' voiding of Luc Richard Mbah a Moute's contract (Click here for details).

Saturday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Lynx 86 Shock 80. Lynx small forward Maya Moore had 20 points.

Saturday's NBA Africa Game results: 

Team World 101 Team Africa 97. Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal led Team World with 18 points.

Sunday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Magic have guaranteed center Dewayne Dedmon's contract for the 2015-16 season (Click here for details).

#2. Due to Nikola Pekovic's health, Karl-Anthony Towns or Gorgui Dieng likely starts in the front court for the Timberwolves with Kevin Garnett (Click here for details).

#3. 76ers center Jahlil Okafor hopes to win rookie of the year (Click here for details).

#4. Former NBA all-star Bob Kauffman has died at the age of 69 (Click here for details).

#5. By waving Ricky Ledo, the Knicks are expected to sign Thanasis Antetokounmpo (Click here for details).

#6. Jordan McRae will join the 76ers for training camp (Click here for details).

#7. Becky Hammon has joined the New York Liberty's ring of honor (Click here for details).

Sunday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Liberty 78 Storm 62. Mercury 71 Dream 68. Sparks 80 Stars 78. Fever 83 Sun 70. Sky 71 Mystics 68. Sky forward Elena Delle Donne had 22 points and 7 rebounds.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord and like my Facebook page NBA Lord Nation for NBA and other basketball related news 

Daily Dunks: 6/1-6/7

                                                   (Credit: Andy Melton. Click here for source)

Here is my Daily Dunks page for June 1 through June 7, 2015.  Throughout the week this page will be updated with all the latest news from the NBA with highlights and scores included until a new Daily Dunks page is created for the following week.

Monday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Bulls hired Fred Hoiberg as head coach. His deal is worth 5 years, $25M (Click here for details).

#2. Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson practiced today and expects to pass concussions tests in time for Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday (Click here for details).

#3. The Clippers are interested in Paul Pierce and ready to offer DeAndre Jordan max money (Click here for details).

#4. Dwyane Wade will opt out of his $16.1M contract with the Heat this summer in hopes of a more lucrative three-year deal (Click here for details).

#5. Pistons forward Cartier Martin exercised his $1.27M player option (Click here for details).

#6. Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao won't play in the NBA Finals (Click here for details).

#7. Andre Kirilenko is retiring (Click here for details).

#8. Jeff Van Gundy doesn't like the way the Bulls handled the Tom Thibodeau situation (Click here for details).

#9. Lakers shooting guard Nick Young and Iggy Azaelea are engaged (Click here for details).

#10. The Hawks have a new logo. It's still the "Pac Man" look (Click here for details).

Tuesday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. Monty Williams is joining the Thunder as Billy Donovan's top assistant (Click here for details).

#2. Kings forward Carl Landry underwent wrist surgery. He is expected to take 4-5 months to recover (Click here for details).

#3. Latvian big man Kristaps Porzingis hopes the Knicks draft him (Click here for details).

#4. Dwyane Wade is aiming for around $20M per year (Click here for details).

#5. Andrei Kirilenko says he hasn't yet retired (Click here for details).

#6. Warriors power forward Marreese Speights has been cleared to return for the NBA Finals (Click here for details).

#7. The NBA's players union is hiring a neurologist to examine their concussion protocol (Click here for details).

#8. Report: The Timberwolves are willing to trade Ricky Rubio (Click here for details).

#9. Darren Erman, a defensive coach, is leaving the Celtics to join the Pelicans (Click here for details).

#10. Danilo Gallinari hopes Melvin Hunt remains as the Nuggets head coach (Click here for details).

Wednesday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Celtics will play a preseason game in Milan, Italy (Click here for details).

#2. The NBA is opening up the "NBA Experience" at Disney World (Click here for details).

#3. Adam Silver wants more data before making a decision on the "Hack-A-Shaq" rule (Click here for details).

#4. The Nuggets have interviewed Mike D'Antoni for their head coaching job (Click here for details).

#5. The Bucks will announce the plans for a new arena on Thursday (Click here for details).

#6. The Nets intend to keep Deron Williams, Thaddeus Young, and Brook Lopez (Click here for details).

#7. Rumor: The Timberwolves may draft D'Angelo Russell #1 and trade Ricky Rubio (Click here for details).

#8. Suns head coach Jeff Hornacek turned down an interview with Iowa State (Click here for details).

#9. Wesley Matthews is back on a basketball court (Click here for details).

#10. Earl Watson is joining Jeff Hornacek's staff on the Suns (Click here for details).

Thursday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving injured his left knee and will undergo an MRI on Friday. He was walking out of the arena wearing crutches (Click here for details).

#2. Adam Silver may change the playoffs by not giving division winners an automatic top four seed (Click here for details).

#3. The sale of the Atlanta Hawks is scheduled to be done June 24 (Click here for details).

#4. The Nuggets have interviewed former Kings head coach Mike Malone for their head coaching vacancy (Click here for details).

#5. David Lee expects the Warriors to trade him this offseason or at least try to (Click here for details).

#6. Chandler Parsons hopes the Mavericks can get Patrick Beverley from the Rockets (Click here for details).

#7. Nuggets point guard Jameer Nelson plans to opt out of his $2.85M option and enter free agency this summer (Click here for details).

#8. Wizards assistant coach Don Newman is in the mix for the Nuggets' head coaching job (Click here for details).

#9. LaMarcus Aldridge's house is for sale in Portland. He'll be a free agent this summer (Click here for details).

#10. LeBron James had a huge game in the Cavaliers' Game 1 loss in the NBA Finals: 44 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists.

NBA Finals Game 1: Warriors 108 Cavaliers 100: Final/OT (Warriors lead series 1-0). Warriors point guard Stephen Curry had 26 points, 4 rebounds, and 8 assists.

Friday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Kyrie Irving has a fractured left knee cap and will be out 3-4 months (Click here for details).

#2. The Pistons hired Arn Tellem, a former agent, as Vice Chairman of Palace Sports and Entertainment (Click here for details).

#3. Kevin Love reiterates that he wants to return to the Cavaliers next season (Click here for details).

#4. Grizzlies guard Beno Udrih underwent successful ankle surgery (Click here for details).

#5. Mavericks shooting guard Monta Ellis is expected to opt out of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent (Click here for details).

#6. Pacers forward Paul George plans to play some power forward next season (Click here for details).

#7. Hawks point guard Shelvin Mack's shoulder surgery was successful and he is expected to be fully recovered in 3-4 months (Click here for details).

#8. Mavericks forward Chandler Parsons is trying to recruit Rockets guard Patrick Beverley to join him in Dallas (Click here for details).

#9. Paul Pierce will decide on is future in the next couple of weeks (Click here for details).

#10. Royce White is close to a deal with the Clippers for Summer League (Click here for details).

Friday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Mystics 73 Sun 68. Liberty 82 Dream 73. Lynx 83 Shock 75. Sky 95 Fever 72. Mercury 76 Stars 71. Sky forward Elena Delle Donne had 31 points and 8 rebounds.

Saturday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving underwent successful surgery to repair his fractured knee cap. He should be ready for training camp after a 3-4 month recovery. (Click here for details).

#2. Kentucky forward Willie Cauley-Stein will workout for the Knicks (Click here for details).

#3. The Bucks have unveiled new uniforms (Click here to see the new uniforms).

#4. Cavaliers head coach David Blatt is saying that Kyrie Irving's fractured knee cap was caused by contact (Click here for details).

#5. Duke small forward Justise Winslow will workout for the Knicks (Click here for details).

#6. The Warriors and small forward Harrison Barnes have mutual interest in a contract extension (Click here for details).

#7. Kentucky big man Dakari Johnson has worked out for the Grizzlies (Click here for details).

#8. Should the Memphis Grizzlies go after DeMarre Carroll (Click here for a good article on the subject).

#9. Adam Silver plans to discuss the CBA with Michele Roberts this summer (Click here for details).

#10. The NBA plans to readdress lottery reform in 2016 (Click here for details).

Saturday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Mystics 67 Liberty 62. Lynx 78 Fever 69. Shock 101 Sky 93. Storm 86 Sparks 61. Storm forward/center Crystal Langhorne had 18 points and 9 rebounds.

Sunday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Ricky Rubio has told Sportando.com that he wants to stay in Minnesota (Click here for details).

#2. Willie Cauley-Stein will workout for the Nuggets on Monday (Click here for details).

#3. There are rumors that the Kings may be in play for Rajon Rondo (Click here for details).

#4. Mike Malone has had a second interview with the Nuggets for their head coaching job (Click here for details).

#5. Report:  Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao is "very unlikely" to return for the NBA Finals (Click here for details).

#6. Kevin Garnett is a part of the Timberwolves' draft process (Click here for details).

#7. Dwyane Wade has indicated that he'll opt out of his contract in July (Click here for details).

#8. LeBron James is averaging 41.5 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 8.5 assists per game in the NBA Finals.

#9. Marreese Speights missed a wide open dunk in Game 2 of the NBA Finals (Click here to watch).

#10.  For the first time in NBA Finals history, Games 1 & 2 went to overtime.

Sunday's NBA Finals Results: 

Cavaliers 95 Warriors 93: Final/OT. Series is tied 1-1. Cavaliers small forward LeBron James had 39 points, 16 rebounds, and 11 assists (Click here to watch highlights from his Game 2 performance).

Sundays' WNBA results: 

Sun 75 Dream 70. Sun guard Alex Bentley had 17 points.


---Ben Parker: Follow me on twitter @nba_lord for NBA news 

Are The Brooklyn Nets Contenders Out East?

                                                 image from dukaspr.com

The Brooklyn Nets pulled off one of the biggest trades of the off-season which netted in them getting Paul Pierce, Jason Terry, and Kevin Garnett from the Boston Celtics. The Nets starting five now has Deron Williams at point guard, Joe Johnson at shooting guard, Paul Pierce at small forward, Kevin Garnett at power forward, and Brook Lopez at center. Jason Terry will come off the bench.  Gerald Wallace, who started for the team last season at small forward was traded to the Celtics as part of the deal (note: to see complete details of the trade, click here).

The Nets certainly seem to have a team that can do some serious damage in the Eastern Conference. Deron Williams is one of the best point guards in the NBA despite having a down season last year and we all know that Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez are both one of the better players at their positions. But obviously, the Nets realized that they were lacking something last season that Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Jason Terry can bring to the table. The focus of my article is to identify what the Nets think that something is, and whether or not Pierce, Garnett, and Terry can do enough to get the Nets over the hump. 

Last season, the Nets appeared to be one of the better teams in the NBA, and everybody figured that they would easily beat the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the playoffs due to all the injuries on the Bulls. However, things didn't exactly go according to plan, and before they knew it, the Nets found themselves eliminated from the playoffs at the hands of a Chicago Bulls team that was plagued with injury. 

While everybody was praising the Chicago Bulls for playing with so much heart and soul, the Brooklyn Nets at the same time found themselves to be the subject of much deserved ridicule and utter embarrassment. This was a team that was supposed to contend for a title and there they were instead eliminated from the playoffs at the hands of a sickly team hit with a plague similar to the Bubonic plague that swept across Europe in the middle ages. The Nets were rightfully being called soft as a result.

What the addition of Garnett, Pierce, and Terry does for the Nets is potentially fix their softness by adding gritty veteran toughness. Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Jason Terry all have championship rings, and all three are guys who wouldn't back down to a rabid hyena if it was snarling in their face. Kevin Garnett is the toughest of them all and it shows on the court. Brook Lopez may be a good offensive center, but he protects the rim worse than my 16 year old golden retriever protects my house. A burglar with a flame thrower could walk into my house and my dog wouldn't utter a peep. Likewise, Brook Lopez couldn't protect the rim if his life depended on it.  Bulls point guard Nate Robinson had no fear flying at the rim with reckless abandon against the Nets in the playoffs, and he is a little squirt standing at 5'9. Kevin Garnett will take care of the rim protecting problem, and players of all sizes will think twice about going inside with Garnett prowling the paint. 

As for Paul Pierce and Jason Terry, their scoring will certainly be of assistance to the Nets, but it's more their intangible veteran presence that will help this team. They will help give their teammates confidence in crunch time and help them stay mentally strong in tough situations. They will have a strong presence in the locker room and command respect. They won't let their teammates deflect their problems on others, and will instead teach them to own their own mistakes. This is an effect similar to what Doc Rivers will bring to the Clippers as head coach. 

While these three guys may serve as guides similar to Virgil in Dante's Inferno, they won't be able to completely mold their teammates into winners. Deron Williams still has to be the leader of this team if they want to win a championship, and whether or not he can be a great leader is yet to be seen. In addition, Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez will have to toughen up as well and learn to buckle down in crunch time. If the Nets rely too much on Garnett, Pierce, and Terry to carry the load, they will fail miserably. But if they open themselves up to improvement under their wise council, then they just might have what it takes to dethrone the Heat. 

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord