One source close to the situation told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher that the Magic have promised Howard that they will add a quality player before Thursday's deadline and that Howard can decide the fate of both GM Otis Smith and coach Stan Van Gundy at the end of the season if he signs an extension.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: There’s a popular television show called Intervention where families confront a sick individual battling an addiction.

Perhaps you have seen it on A&E. Perhaps not.

Hopefully, someone in the Orlando Magic ownership group has seen Intervention. And hopefully, they confront President Alex Martin about his disease: appeasing Dwight Howard.

Sure, Howard is the top center in the NBA, but he has yet to win a championship, an MVP trophy, or even develop a go-to move on the offensive end.

He is raw, immature, and has handled his pending free agency like a teen pop diva. Annoying teen crooner Justin Beiber is more professional than Howard.

Still, the Magic continue to give Howard whatever he likes, or whatever they think he’ll like in order to have him stay.

They’ve assumed several bad contracts in an attempt to give Howard a worthy supporting cast. Gilbert Arenas, Vince Carter, Rashard Lewis, and Hedo Turkoglu all backfired and destroyed the team's financial flexibility.

Recent reports have surfaced that the Magic are chasing Monta Ellis because they think a shot-happy, crass combo guard will convince Howard to play through 2013 and sign a long-term extension.

HoopsVibe has given our opinion on Ellis before. He's not the answer.

Today, reports are surfacing that Magic President Alex Martin has told Howard he can decide the fate of coach Stan Van Gundy and GM Otis Smith.

Sadly, the inmate is now running the entire asylum.

Van Gundy and Smith may deserve to be fired. This is not Howard’s decision to make, though.  He is the player. Van Gundy is the coach. Smith is the manager.

If Martin offered to fire Van Gundy and Smith to appease Howard, then a point of no return has been established.

Simply put, Howard can't return. Suppose he signed an extension with the Magic. No coach, executive, or teammate would criticize him because doing so may get them fired, traded, or released.

Bottom line: good organizations do not operate in such a fashion.

So Magic ownership must intervene. They must empower Smith to immediately get the best possible package for Howard - even if that’s 80 or 90 cents on the dollar - because keeping him would encourage dysfunction.

Then ownership must review how the entire organization, top to bottom, has handled 'Howard-gate' and make changes. Appeasing an NBA superstar is a disease that must be cured.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.  

What images leap to your mind when you hear the phrase, "Greatest dunk contest ever?"

HoopsVibe Very Quick Call: There have certainly been some epic match-ups that made this even the centerpiece of the NBA's All-Star Weekend.

Kevin Durant may be tall and lengthy, but the dude still has ridiculous handles.

Hoopsvibe's quick call:  Vince Carter probably needed to ice his ankles this weekend after Kevin Durant broke them.

The Quick Hit: For the Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Orlando Magic, it’s all or nothing.

The all is having Commissioner David Stern hand over the Larry O’Brien trophy in two months and pronounce them world champions in a champagne soaked ceremony.

Only the all will do. Only the all will satisfy their demanding fan base. Only the all will satisfy their demanding owners, who have taken on multi-million dollar luxury tax payments for this precise moment.

While nothing, or falling short of an NBA Title, will force Cleveland, Los Angeles, and Orlando to make wholesale changes this off-season. Right or wrong, fair or not, these are the stakes when playing for a contender.

I’m laughing at the notion. Actually, everyone should be laughing because when the hell was Tracy McGrady ever underrated? We’re not talking about Mark Aguirre underrated here. Aguirre never made all NBA First teams and never averaged 32.1 points per game for a season. McGrady retired two years ago and the T-Mac today is nothing but a rusty old aging robot for the Detroit Pistons. I’m trying to give the idea a thought – was McGrady underrated at any point in his career? 

I just watched a Youtube clip featuring Vince Carter slipping on a banana peel against the Charlotte Bobcats during a cross over move. I do not know what to make of it. He could have stepped on a wet spot. Yep, that’s what it was; a wet spot. Got it. I’m also taking it as a sign to think about his career. The high flying explosive Vince Carter disappeared after 2008 and currently does not live here. 

The readers have spoken! Of all the comments and emails I received the following four names kept coming up, repeatedly. And can anyone say that any of these dunkers are really a surprise?

Read the first part of this article here. In ranking these champions, I want to completely exclude their overall skill as basketball players, and focus solely on their ability to dunk the basketball. Also, I think era in which they were dunking in is very significant, as is height. With those parameters laid out, let me throw the second five names at you, in no particular order. Of these five, I will rank them by reader comments via Hoopsvibe.com, Facebook and private emails. The player who gets the most vote moves into the “Final Four” of great dunkers, from which a mythical champ will be crowned; open wide, here they come!!

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Say what?

I thought Vince Carter only faded-away and settled for jumpers.

I thought Vince Carter stopped attacking the hoop during his time in New Jersey.

I thought Vince Carter had decided to cruise through his career and not provide highlights.

Well, the former bright light of the NBA, Slam Dunk Champion, and perennial All-Star teased us with a facial on the New Orleans Hornets’ Emeka Okafor that was reminiscent of 1999. Click the video and watch the 'VC' flashback.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below with thoughts.

Tough to hear, but it is time. The stars, for anyone 26 years or older, drafted from the 1990s are fading away. Let’s use the present to say our goodbyes.   Father time usually corresponds with age and decline in play. This is it. We have been following these guys since middle school. Some of you guys must have been following them since elementary days. Do not feel old. Age is merely a number. Longevity in anything is actually a state of mind, but not in sports. For anyone living under a rock, Macho Man just died. With that said, let's appreciate these players while they are still alive.

The Dallas Mavericks are about to sign a player they've long coveted, reaching terms Saturday on a one-year contract with free-agent forward Yi Jianlian, according to sources with knowledge of the deal.

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: I like Yi. I, however, don't like him on the Dallas Mavericks.

The four-man is tall, skilled, and talented, which means he could be a rotation player for most teams.

But the Mavericks are different than most. The world champions do not need another skilled guy like Yi, as they recently added Vince Carter and Lamar Odom.

Here's what they do need: a grimy, blue-collar big to fill part of the void created by Tyson Chandler's departure to the New York Knicks.

Chandler brought an intensity, especially on the defensive end, that took the Mavericks from good to great. He was a one-man zone that solidified the back-end for Coach Rick Carlisle.

That's gone. And since they haven't replaced Chandler, so are the Mavericks' chances of repeating.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

“We look old and slow and out of shape — a bad combination,” said Dirk Nowitzki, who scored 20 points and sat out the entire fourth quarter for a second straight game, yet another indication of how bad things are going. “I still think this team has a lot of potential. But we have to turn the corner.”

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Dirk Nowitzki is right. The Dallas Mavericks are old, slow, and out of shape.

This, however, is not their greatest problem. Their greatest problem is a lack of enthusiasm.

Tyson Chandler, for all his limits on the offensive end, is a terrific defensive player, who anchored and dominated the paint for Rick Carlisle’s squad. J.J. Barea was a spunky scorer, who changed the energy, flow, and feel of every game he played in. 

Both were key to the Mavericks winning the NBA Title. And both are gone.

Chandler inked a four year, $58 million pact with the New York Knicks, while Barea accepted the Minnesota Timberwolves multi-year pact for $19 million.

Their replacements: Vince Carter and Lamar Odom.

Carter and Odom are talented, but don’t bring the second effort or consistency that Chandler and Barea did.

For instance, Carter once admitted in an interview that he didn’t always give his all for the Toronto Raptors. Odom seems more interested in his career as a reality TV star than playing basketball.

So getting younger, faster, and in shape is only part of the solution for Dallas. They need true replacements for Chandler and Barea.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Carter waived Friday by Phoenix so Suns could buy out his $18 mil salary for $4 mil. Mavs quickly into advanced talks w/VC for vet depth.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: I don’t like it.

With the signing of Vince Carter and departure of Tyson Chandler, the world champion Dallas Mavericks have become a softer, perimeter team.

Carter, of course, has underachieved. Too often, he shies away from contact, refuses to do the all-important little things, and settles for low percentage shots.

The Mavericks provide an opportunity for the former All-Star to salvage his career -or what is left of it.

Will he grab the opportunity, though?

Give Chandler his due. Sure, his career had been mixed, but the seven-foot giant gave the Mavericks an inside, defensive presence that was key in winning a championship.

That element, however, is gone. Chandler is a Knick; Carter is on the verge of becoming a Maverick. And the world champions have taken a step back in the Western Conference.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

With just about two weeks left before the NBA All Star Game the highlights of Vince Carter dominating the 2000 Slam Dunk contest are beginning to circulate in ever increasing frequency. Carter literally introduced the world to dunks most people had never seen before and did it with a fire and passion that has never been matched by any subsequent dunk contest contestant.
 

The Phoenix Suns will move forward without Vince Carter on their roster. Carter’s full $18 million salary for this season would have been guaranteed if not released within 72 hours of the official start of free agency.

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Rumors that Gilbert Arenas would be making his merry way down to Central Florida have lingered for months , but that mahoosive contract of his had evidently been a deterrent for the Magic. The word on the wires now, however, is that Otis Smith, whose close relationship with Hibachi is said to be a factor, has finally agreed to, ahem, pull the trigger on a deal that would bring Gilbert Arenas to the Orlando Magic.

"I think that the Bulls should be very busy, they should look at Rip Hamilton who may be released from Detroit," Gill said. "Vince Carter is an older player, but still has a lot left in the tank. The Bulls need an upgrade at 2-guard, which Vince Carter can fill."

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Memo to the Chicago Bulls. Don’t sign Vince Carter -even if he’s available at a low wage.

Yes, the Chicago Bulls need a scorer to take pressure off 2011 MVP Derrick Rose, however, Carter is not the answer.

The former Slam Dunk Champ’ and All-Star is no longer Half-Man, Half Amazing. The days of Kenny Smith screaming ‘it’s ova’ have passed.

Remember, Carter flopped with Orlando, and lost his starting job to the solid-but-hardly spectacular Jared Dudely in Phoenix.

So, what could Carter offer Chicago?

Well, not much. The once athletic swing is too much of a perimeter player, often refusing to attack the basket and settling for low percentage fade-aways.

The Bulls would be better off pouncing on Rip Hamilton once he’s waived by the Detroit Pistons as part of the amnesty provision in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Hamilton, provided he's happy, can score and is an upgrade over Carter on defense.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Michael Jordan officially retired back in 1998. The Washington Wizards comeback does not count because there was a ghost in the shell controlling his aging body during the time. With the nth epic battle between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers in the 2010 NBA Finals and the mega 2010 Free Agent class signings shortly thereafter, one has to wonder how the MJ shadow became grand and legendary. It’s just frightening how massive this shadow has grown in the shape of a Jump Man.

As a veteran, Nash said an NBA championship ring was still a strong lure for him, but he said he would not change teams to achieve that goal.

"Every player wants the ring. We were very close to it many times. Changing teams may be a way. But I don't think I will join another team; I prefer to stay in Phoenix. Hopefully, we can go further next season," said Nash.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Steve, hope is not a strategy for you or your Phoenix Suns.

While visiting China on behalf of his sponsors, Nash told the assembled media his preference was to close his eyes, cross his fingers, and ’hope’ his Phoenix Suns achieve better results.

Lets be clear: what else can Nash do?

He’s too classy to publicly call out Robert Sarver, the Suns’ thrifty owner who refuses to spend on the necessary talent to contend, let alone win a championship.

He’s too classy to publicly call out GM Lon Babby, who first acquired Hedo Turkoglu and then sent the Turkish swing to Orlando for another underachiever in Vince Carter.

And he’s too classy to publicly call out his teammates, who seem a little too interested in taking shots at each other via the media.

Right now, Nash can only grin and bear the Suns. Of course, he can hope. Sadly, this is what the future Hall of Fame point guard has been reduced to.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Vince Carter may realize that his time in Phoenix is pretty much up – how short it was – but he still wants to play ball. Not overseas.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: It’s no slam dunk that the former Slam Dunk Champion can average 12-15 points per night for a contender.

Right now, Vince Carter is an unrestricted free agent. Some feel ‘Half-Man, Half-Amazing’ can re-invent himself as a second-unit, game-changer for a contender.

I’m not so sure, though.

On a contender, everybody defends. No exceptions. Any contender would have reservations about adding a one-way scorer, like Carter, who resembles a statue in his own end.

Those who don’t defend on contenders –again, like Carter – find themselves on the bench. They stay on that bench for the season. They only play in a blowout or a pinch.

If Carter can’t get on the floor for meaningful minutes, how can he average 12-15 points per night for a contender?

Let’s suppose, for a minute, Carter gets a chance to prove his worth at training camp. He struggled to score with the up-and-down Phoenix Suns, even though defense was optional and Steve Nash, the league’s great playmaker, was setting-the-table.

With a contender, he won’t be a first, second, or third option. And Carter, in recent years, has stopped attacking the hoop, settling for fall-away shots, weak drives, and long-range jumpers.

The coaching staffs of contending teams know this. Or they’ll quickly discover this. So do the league’s best players. They’ll all tire of him quickly.

For Carter, it may be a one year deal for the minimum with a small market or nothing. Yes, nothing. The NBA’s great enigma will continue fading to black.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Howard found out when the rest of us did: once the trades were completed. Turns out, Howard had a problem with that.

“I wanted to be more part of the process a little more,” Howard said in a radio interview with 790 The Zone in Atlanta. “I had to step out on the court and I wanted to make sure that the people I played with wanted to go out and play hard every night. My only issue was the fact that I didn’t really have a chance to be involved, but I think with the guys that we brought in we still have an excellent chance of winning, but we all have to be on the same page.”

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I've talked to people who believe that Chicago will shop Boozer, but you have to keep in mind that his stock is at an all-time low right now. He disappeared in the playoffs and there's a reason Chicago is talking about moving less than a year after signing him. It'll be tough to move him for anything of substance, especially considering how much he's owed over the next four years. With that said, if he does become available, the Orlando Magic will certainly express some level of interest.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Carlos Boozer wouldn’t convince Dwight Howard to forgo free agency and sign a long-term extension with the Orlando Magic.

So the Magic should think carefully about trading for Boozer, and assuming the remaining 4-years and $65 million on his big-ticket contract.

Boozer would be the latest in expensive, overpaid players who couldn’t help superstar Dwight Howard achieve his goal of an NBA championship.

There was Rashard Lewis and Vince Carter. This duo were then swapped mid-season for Gilbert Arenas and Hedo Turkoglu in separate trades. All four failed miserably.

A frustrated Howard is now angling for a trade. If he doesn’t get it, the five-man will likely leave Orlando as a free agent in two seasons.

Howard would see Boozer for what he is -a talented but injury-prone player, who the Chicago Bulls dumped one season after signing him as a free agent.

It doesn't matter that Howard and Boozer are close, often hanging out together in the summer. Basketball is business. Friendship is personal.

Magic Executive Otis Smith should instead focus on Chris Paul. The New Orleans point guard, who can also become a free agent in July of 2012, is the type of talent that could convince Howard to stay.

Paul and Howard would form a terrific inside-outside duo. They’d attract other free agents, co-stars, and role players. They’d compete for years to come.

Almost every other player, including Boozer, won’t be enough for Howard to recommit to Orlando.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

With Dwight Howard in the final year of his contract next season, Orlando Magic general manager Otis Smith is fully prepared to receive a host of offers for the All Star center.

"To say it hasn't happened before is crazy, so, yes, I expect it to happen," Smith said Friday. "And the answer will be the same as it always is: No."

Suns coach Alvin Gentry inserted center Marcin Gortat and swingman Jared Dudley into the starting lineup, putting Gortat into the spot of Robin Lopez, who had been groomed as a future franchise center, and Dudley in place of guard Vince Carter, who likely won't be with the Suns next season.

Gortat, 27, has received minutes and produced the numbers as if he were a starter and embraces the idea of a bigger role in the future. Sunday was his first start as a Suns center after receiving one previous start at power forward alongside Lopez.

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"We'll still find ways to get better in some spots," Magic President of Basketball Operations Otis Smith said. "Losing the backup center is big. So, you need a little size for about probably five teams. That's really what it comes down to, so we'll probably address that over the next month or so."

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: The wheeling-and-dealing will continue.

On Saturday, the Orlando Magic overhauled their roster in separate trades with the Phoenix Suns and Washington Wizards.

The Magic dealt Vince Carter, Marcin Gortat, and Mickael Pietrus to the Suns for Earl Clark, Jason Richardson, and Hedo Turkoglu. Then they sent Rashard Lewis to the Wizards for Gilbert Arenas.

The Magic improved on the wing, but – after dealing Gortat – need a five-man to relieve superstar Dwight Howard.

Howard, despite winning The Defensive Player of the Year award, is prone to foul trouble. Things were so bad last year teammates nicknamed him ‘Foul On You’.

The Magic need a reserve center to bail Howard out when he's overzealous in the paint. A back-up for Howard will also help them compete with bigger contenders like the Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, and Los Angeles Lakers.

Fortunately, the Magic have spare assets. Acquiring Arenas, Richardson, and Turkoglu has made wings J.J. Redick and ‘Q’ Richardson expendable.

A market exists for Redick, even though he’s having an off year and is on the books for an additional two seasons at a combined $12 million.

Richardson can defend and hit the three. Best of all, the veteran is signed through 2014 at a reasonable $2.5 million per annum.

Last weekend was just the beginning for the Magic. More moves are coming. If they’re serious about a championship, they’ll trade a wing for a post.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

The Orlando Magic, already in serious trade talks with the Washington Wizards about acquiring Gilbert Arenas, have agreed to a deal in principle with the Phoenix Suns, according to league sources.

Ah...I miss Toronto. We always joke and laugh about the good times we had there, me and my friends. It’s good to miss something. If I didn’t miss it, that mean I didn’t have a good time.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Memo to Chris Bosh. Just stop. Stop talking to the Toronto media because it won’t change a thing.

Bosh, who ditched Toronto for Miami as a free agent last July, won’t change fans’ opinions by giving feature interviews. In fact, he’s making things worse.

The city’s five daily newspapers, three national television stations, and loyal fans are dissecting each word of every quote. Each time Bosh opens his mouth he adds fuel to the fire.

They won’t forget, let go, or move on, either. Take Tracy McGrady. He bolted Toronto years ago, but remains public enemy number one each and every time he plays in the Air Canada Centre. 

Then there’s Vince Carter. His jersey has been burnt. Radio stations have pranked his hotel room. And fans shower him with boos whenever he suits up in Toronto.

Bosh should expect the same treatment. The way he left neutralizes the seven years he spent in The Big Smoke.

His best course of action is to stop talking about the past in Toronto and win big in Miami.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Bosh, who left for the Heat earlier this month, responded to allegations made by Colangelo on Toronto radio station FAN 590 that claimed the All-Star was "checked out" late last season and chose not to play some of the Raptors' final games.

"I play this game as hard as I can every time I step on the court," Bosh said. "On the back of my jersey it says 'Bosh' ... The Boshes are hard workers. We have a lot of pride in what we do, in our jobs and in life."

"Everybody thinks, 'Oh, he was gone as soon as the season was over,' " he said. "It was the hardest decision I ever had to make. As different as another country is, it was still home for me. I had been there for seven years."

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The Washington Wizards spoke with the Orlando Magic recently about a potential swap of Gilbert Arenas for Vince Carter, according to a league source with knowledge of the situation.

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: It's not happening.

Orlando Magic GM Otis Smith is close friends with Gilbert Arenas, and he advised the 'sharpshooter' during his recent issues stemming from bringing guns into the Washington Wizards' locker room.  

However, Smith doesn't want to mix their personal and professional relationship. This is wise. After all, Carter's contract is only guaranteed for one season. Then his $17 million salary comes off the books, while Arenas is still owed over $80 million.

Reports have Smith dangling Carter's expiring contract in front of the cash-strapped New Orleans Hornets. And he wants to get back superstar point guard Chris Paul.  

Also, new Wizards owner Ted Leonsis is pushing the organization and fans to re-embrace Arenas. The businessman who brought much life to a morbid Capitals franchise is excited about pairing Arenas with first overall pick John Wall. 

An interesting idea, however, The Hibachi and VC aren't trading places.

Got thoughts on Arenas for Carter?

 I twice asked Carter if he would evaluate his postseason performance.

“I don’t do that,” he said.

You don’t assess and evaluate your own performance? Really?

Carter shook his head.

“I don’t.”

Meanwhile, the Magic paid him $17 million this season, and are on the hook for the same figure next year, unless they can unload him on a team that would like to get his expiring contract.

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HoopsVibe's Quick Call: This is typical Vince Carter.

He always accepted the perks of superstardom, but never accepted the responsibility that goes with such status.

In Toronto, he took the money, fame, and courtside seats for his entourage/mom; however, he never put the work in to turn the Raptors into a contender. Too often, he was injured. Too often, his effort was questionable. And too often, he refused to grind on defense.

After forcing a trade to New Jersey, Carter publicly admitted he didn't always try his hardest for Toronto. With the Nets, he became a perimeter player and last year in Orlando was a bust.

Along the way, there has been a consistent theme: Carter won't hold himself accountable. This may change.  After all, 2011 is a contract year for the eight-time All-Star and the all mighty dollar has a strange way of motivating.

Should Carter be honest with himself? Get at us with thoughts in the comment box.

Former Canadian Olympic teammate Todd MacCulloch was saying the other day that he hoped Nash, a two-time NBA most valuable player, got a ring, “just so no one can say anything bad about his career.”

He needn't worry.

But Vince Carter? You'd like to say he should worry, but it's hard to make the case he does.

Evan as the Orlando Magic have rallied in their series with the Boston Celtics – winning twice in a row to trail 3-2 before Friday's game – Carter's reputation as one of the sport's great underachievers won't require revision. Impossibly, at least in the eyes of Toronto Raptors fans, he's made Magic followers lament the departure of Hedo Turkoglu, as Carter has turned into a $16-million (U.S.) spectator when the stakes are highest.

Link to Michael Grange's article on Globe and Mail

HoopsVibe's Call:  Nash and Carter's careers have been moving in different directions for years because of athleticism. Not just because of effort.

Nash never had Carter's raw physical gifts, so he developed his all-world skill-set and cared for his health. Carter, however, is still living exclusively off his athleticism, which, at 32, is starting to betray him.

For instance, Nash often dodges in-and-out of pick-and-rolls and drops amazing bounce passes, displaying the talent that won the 2010 Skills Contest, while Carter settles for fade-aways and rarely attacks the hoop like the player who won the Slam Dunk Contest.

Also, Nash is an amazing athlete. Sure, he isn't a leaper or speedster, but Hall of Fame NBA writer Jack McCallum wrote in Seven Seconds or Less that Nash's hand-to-eye coordination and reflexes was in the top percentile of players.

Such rare skills allow Nash to hold his own in pick-up soccer matches against American and European pros and helped him excel at baseball, ice hockey, lacrosse, and rugby as a teenager.

Nash's athletic gifts have not depreciated as quickly as Carter's, which explains both their performances in the 2010 playoff.

Why is Nash relevant and Carter irrelevant? Get at us in the comment box below with thoughts. 

SG Vince Carter said he was prepared to go into the stands to protect his mother Michelle when it looked as if fans were becoming rude and unruly. "I was ready to go. I don't tolerate that," he said.

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HoopsVibe's Call: Apparently, Vince Carter told a reporter he'd go into the stands to protect his mother from the Boston Celtics' 'passionate' fans.

Fair enough. Most of us would do the same.

Frankly, the suits at league head office must be embarrassed by Carter's comments. After all, players' family members often take heat from fans, especially if they're related to the road team.

Remember, perennial good guy Antonio Davis once leapt into the stands to protect his wife. A few years back, D.J. Mbenga, while with the Dallas Mavericks, went into the lower bowl to protect coach Avery Johnson's wife, who was being heckled by opposing fans.

With this in mind, it's easy to understand Carter's comments.

Good organizations anticipate potential problems and take pre-emptive action, so the NBA, at a minimum, should provide the road team's family with a safe, secure place to take in the game.

Continuing to ignore this problem will eventually lead to the worst case scenario: another ugly, 'Malice N' Tha Palace' type confrontation between players and fans.

Is it the NBA's responsibility to provide a safe place for family members to sit during games? Why? Why not?

"Even though he missed, that totally gets a "wowee we wa" from this guy. The miss was so good that people immediately started calling it the best missed dunk of all-time. You be the judge. Either way, I'd offer up that this missed dunk provided some of the most amazing pictures in the history of dunking."

(Ball Don’t Lie)

HoopsVibe’s Call: It made you stand, shake your head, and curse in amazement.

Last night, in the final frame of the Los Angeles Lakers' blow-out win against the Phoenix Suns, Shannon Brown wowed the crowd with a missed dunk.

Yes, a blown facial is making headlines after a disappointing game one. Some, like Ball Don’t Lie, proclaimed it The Greatest Missed Dunk of All Time.

While HoopsVibe News was amazed, impressed, and stunned with Brown’s attempt, we weren’t quite ready to hand over G.O.A.T status.

Instead we’ll pit Brown against Vince Carter's body of work and let you decide who had the greatest missed dunk ever?

(Brown’s blown jam.)

(Carter's career best misses.)

Who has the greatest botched dunk of all time: Brown or Carter? Let us know in the comment box below.

They watched themselves on video and didn't like how they behaved. They weren't running hard. They weren't playing smart.

"We're usually the team that's out running, getting easy baskets -- they were doing it," said Magic center Dwight Howard on Monday after reviewing his 3-for-10 shooting, seven-turnover performance in a Game 1 loss to Boston in the Eastern Conference finals. "It's about effort. These types of games, the closer you get to the NBA Finals, it's more about effort than anything."