NAS:  The Bobcats are the only above .500 team the Nets have taken down twice this season. Is there something about the Nets that presents a bad match-up for the Bobcats, or is this totally coincidental?

Rather than cop-out and say coincidence, how about this:  The Bobcats struggle with turnovers (1st in turnover rate) but make their living forcing turnovers (4th in the league in forced turnover rate), and despite the Nets being a weak defensive team, New Jersey is 19th in turnover rate and 13th in forced turnover rate – not great by any stretch, but decent.  In their two losses to the Nets, the Bobcats lost the turnover battle 33-27.

NAS:  What are your expectations for the Bobcats headed into the playoffs for the first time? Is their defense capable of giving a scare to the Magic in the first round?

No expectations – I am just looking forward to Charlotte getting to host playoff basketball again.  This is a big step for the Bobcats winning the city back over and if they can win a game or two against the Magic, all the better.  With the center-quad squad healthy again, the Bobcats have a lot of bodies to throw at Dwight Howard and the more single coverage they can use the better.  Between the Cats defense, and Dwight’s occasional foul trouble, I could see Charlotte winning a couple, but not the series.

NAS: The Hornets are headed to the lottery for the first time in a few seasons. What’s the overall sense from fans about the direction of the franchise? Does the organization have the resources in place to get back into the playoffs next season?

The sense from fans is general disappointment.  The team was supposed to recover this year – and for a variety of reasons – did not.  In general, most of the woes have been attributed to the front office – but even that isn’t clear cut, as the remarkable play of Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton somewhat mitigates earlier personnel mistakes.

As for the resources to get the team back into the playoffs – they are available.  The Team has more than $30 million worth of expiring contracts next year.  The only problem, of course, is those contracts reach their highest value halfway through next season, so it may be difficult to turn them into assets that get the team into the playoffs for next season.

NAS:  With Chris Paul missing nearly half the season this year for the first time in his career, are their concerns going forward about his durability and how much he can be relied on to carry the team?

Paul had knee surgery, and that is never good. However, I’m not a doctor, and the surgery Paul went through has so many degrees of severity it’s really impossible to tell what impact it will have.  Amare Stoudemire had the same surgery(twice) – and his athleticism has been barely impacted at all.  Penny Hardaway also had the surgery (twice) and it essentially ended his career.  It’s impossible to tell.

What I do know is that since Paul has returned, he has shown every one of the skills he displayed before the injury.  The only thing that has been missing since his return is the full over-the-top aggression he’s known for.  Of course, the team is out of playoff contention and for the first time in his pro career he’s figuring out how to play next to two backcourt players capable of scoring.  That’s got to be a big adjustment.

NAS:  If the postseason started today, the Suns would be the #4 seed with a tough first round matchup with the Nuggets. Do you think the Suns have the ability to go on any kind of a sustained run, or is there a “happy to be there” mentality with this team’s fans?

First off the Suns are going to have a tough first-round matchup no matter where they’re seeded. The West is just that good. I don’t think there’s a “happy to be there” mentality, not with how close this team was a couple years ago, especially since this could be the last hurrah of the Amare-Nash Suns. This team has won eight in a row and is the hottest squad in the NBA. When Robin was healthy, they were also starting to play the kind of D that combined with the league’s best offense made you think a run was possible.

NAS:  With Amare Stoudamire likely opting out and Steve Nash getting older, is the window officially closing on this organization and their recent run of success?

Like I say above, maybe. It all depends on Amare. If he re-signs, they won’t miss a beat. All of their young players (Lopez, Dragic, Dudley, Clark) will only get better, and Nash doesn’t look like a player who’s slowing down. But if they lose Amare, obviously it’s rebuilding time around those young guys, and this so-called window will be shut.

NAS:  Since the Nets are looking to spend some serious cash on this year’s FA class, and Stoudemire is one of the few guys out there who seems open to playing in NJ, make the case for or against him coming to the Nets.

Amare seems opens to playing in any city that will open the checkbook for him. If you look at the official record, you will see he’s flirted with every team that has cap space, while maintaining that 50/50 he might come back to Phoenix. The best chance the Nets have is winning the John Wall lottery. Amare wants to win and if he sees a young exciting crew headlined by Wall moving to Brooklyn eventually and willing to throw a ton of money at him, he might jump. From the New Jersey perspective, that could be a great investment because I don’t see Amare being the best player on a championship team ever, but if you have Wall as the lead guy flanked by a dominant big man duo of Amare and Brook Lopez plus a couple solid young swingman, let’s just say the Nets wouldn’t be threatening any worst records ever.

NAS: For the first time in a while, the Spurs are figuring to be in the back of the playoffs pack in the Western Conference. Do you think the Spurs are still capable of putting a run together in the postseason? Who are their most favorable first road mach-ups?

There are certainly a lot of if’s attached to any prolonged Spurs playoff run, but there have been signs of hope lately. Heading into the Boston game, the Spurs won were 2-2 in a brutal stretch against some of the best teams, and even the two losses were highly competitive. If, at the beginning of the season, you had said these were the results of that stretch I believe most Spurs fans would be okay with them. Then you factor in that the Spurs are doing this without Tony Parker.

Most of it is pinned on the return to form of Manu Ginobili, who is once again playing like one of the elite playmakers in the NBA. It’s been easy to forget how great Ginobili can be. When he’s on he’s just as dynamic a player as Kobe Bryant or Dwyane Wade–if slightly less gifted athletically. He can definitely get you a win or two completely on his shoulders in a seven game playoff series.

So, going back to the if’s, IF Manu Ginobili can keep up this level of play, IF Tony Parker returns from his broken hand with rested legs, and IF Tim Duncan can get past his knee issues with the rest afforded between playoff games then, yes, the Spurs could have another run. Though I’m not sure the first round matchup matters, so long as it’s not the Lakers.

NAS: I was personally excited for the Spurs when they acquired Richard Jefferson in the off-season, but his season looks like it’s been a pretty big disappointment. How would you best describe RJ’s season with the Spurs? How has the fanbase responded to his performance?

There’s no other way around it, Richard Jefferson’s performance has been inconsistent and disappointing. Though to be fair, I’m not sure the Spurs have done him any favors in misusing him most of the season. I never viewed Jefferson as a scorer, despite the offensive numbers he put up in New Jersey. He’s great at finishing drives but I’ve not seen him as someone who creates his own driving lanes, most of his moves are simple, straight line drives towards the basket. He’s a motion offense player asked to adjust to the Spurs post up and pick and roll schemes.

To make matters worse, early in the season none of the Spurs big three were capable of drawing double teams consistently so a lot of the time he was catching the ball and asked to operate with both his feet and the defense set at a standstill. Since Ginobili’s resurgence, however, the Spurs have been able to pair Jefferson with someone Kidd-like in their ability to make plays for others and he has played much better as a result.

NAS: One of the big summer FA names that doesn’t get as much press as others is Manu Ginobli. Do you see a scenario where he stays in San Antonio for the long run?

I would be shocked to see the Ginobili in any other jersey besides a Spurs jersey next season. The Spurs simply cannot afford to lose him. If he signs elsewhere, the Spurs are still capped out so it’s not like you can replace him with even half the quality of player. And already some of the season ticket holders are operating under a “no Manu, no renew” policy. He’s currently the Spurs best player and their best draw at the gate. He’s also been quoted as saying he’d like to remain with the Spurs, and I’m sure they want him back, so when those two things are true usually you see a deal worked out.

NAS: It’s hard to be a Pistons fan these days it appears, but Detroit is coming to town to face a team that’s endured even more misery this season. As a fan, it is easier to stomach the mess that the Pistons are currently, or challenging the worst record of all time like the Nets?

No question, I’d rather win more games like the Pistons have. But the Nets’ season has probably been less dissapointing because their expectations were lower. Nobody thought they would challenge Philadelphia’s record, but I didn’t see them in the playoffs. I thought Detroit would make it.

NAS: You posted on your site that Pistons GM Joe Dumars has openly said he will use the team’s mid-level exception this summer. On first blush, is there anyone out there worth the MLE that can turn things around quickly for Detroit?

With all the Pistons’ injuries this year, I’m not convinced they’re that far from the playoffs. Their roster is too guard-heavy, so they need a big man who can defend and score inside a little bit. Someone like Drew Gooden could fit the bill. He’s obviously not a game-changer, but the Pistons might not need one (or be able to get one, for that matter).

NAS: Other than the MLE, what are the top priorities for the Pistons this summer?

The top priority has to be the draft. The Pistons will pick in the lottery for the first time since Darko and only the second time in the Joe Dumars era (he also picked Rodney White, another bust). That means the Pistons have been fortunate enough to make the playoffs most years, but it’s also pretty remarkable they had such a great run without their own lottery talent. Look around the league, and nearly every team is built around a player or players it drafted in the lottery. It’s the simplest road to success, one Detroit will try to travel down this summer.

NAS: Because of a jaw injury, Nets fans may not get to see Tyreke Evans play this time around. Still, as someone who gets to watch him day-in and day-out, how has he progressed as the season has gone along? Has he hit a rookie slump?

The thing about watching Tyreke Evans every game is that you forget he’s just a rookie. It’s cliche, I know, but it’s the truth. He’s been the best player on the team since the sixth game of the year and it hasn’t been all that close. When he first started terrorizing the league (November and December), he was just a wrecking ball. He’d dribble in an unorthodox fashion, barrel into the defense and control his body after the contact enough to lay the shot up. It was as simple as giving a power running back the ball and saying, “go get me three yards.” Now, he’s more like a well-placed set of explosives to demolish a building. He’s finally understanding the game more and getting a feel for what he’s supposed to do. He chooses his spots a lot better and sets up teammates by design, instead of more by instinct. He knows that when he gets into the lane and spins, the defense will be there. The result is he kicks the ball out to a lot of open jump shooters. Unfortunately for him, the shots don’t seem to fall when that happens so he gets cheated out of a lot of assists.

He’s definitely hit the rookie slump in many areas. His defense has been a bit slow the past couple of weeks. It’s still been decent defense but he has had a problem getting out on shooters or rotating properly. I think a lot of this has to do with tired legs and the same thing could be said about why his jumper has fallen completely off the map. Beginning of the year, he had a decent outside jumper (as long as it was between 16 and 23 feet). He’s never been a good three-point shooter but he could knock down long twos. Now, it’s pretty much all bad and he scores exclusively from the line or in the paint. But his shot is fixable. If he can add a respectable outside jumper over the next couple of seasons, he’ll have gone from wrecking ball to demolition explosives to an all out air-raid. It will be unfair.

NAS: After another season without a playoff berth, what do you think are the future prospects for the Kings organization? Are there enough building blocks in place to do what OKC is doing and become a playoff contender in the near future?

The future of the Kings looks bright but they still have to make some decisions going forward. They can’t just sit back like the Blazers and Thunder did, stockpile assets and wait for everybody to grow up. They have a good, young core with Evans, Landry, Thompson, Hawes, Casspi and Greene. Evans is clearly their franchise player and Landry is a good number two. But they need someone of the other four to step up and be an All-Star caliber player. On top of that, they need interior defense in the worst way. They have $17 million (roughly) to spend this off-season and they need to use it on a defensive big man. He doesn’t have to be an All-Star but you also don’t want to eat up all that cap space with a Tyson Chandler or Samuel Dalembert type of guy. You need someone that can actually play and play well. They also need a more reliable perimeter scorer to pair with Tyreke, whether that means at the point or shooting guard position. The Kings can definitely get back to the playoffs in the next two years but they have to be proactive in the way they build this team.

NAS: The last time the Raptors came to Jersey, they were on an upswing, but they’re sliding back down again and are in danger of missing out on the playoffs? Can you provide any explanation for their schizophrenic season?

The knock on this team was that it was built to outscore their opponent, and not outplay them. When games came down to a defensive battle, most Raptor fans had doubts about the teams ability to make stops, and those doubts had lots of legs. That upswing was the result of the players having a closed door meeting and working things out; but when Bosh got injured after the All-Star game, the team lost 4 in a row, and continued the losing when he came back. Toronto was able to hang on and capitalize on the Hawks mistakes down the stretch, but have otherwise regressed back to early season form against the Thunder. Fortunately we get the Nets tonight.

NAS: Chris Bosh seems to be lashing out regarding his role on this team and how much he’s able to take on. Is his attitude making Raptor fans uncomfortable about his status with this club beyond the season?

In all fairness, he has been getting more than the lion’s share of the blame even though he has producing, very consistently (and at an elite level) for the whole season. When Turkoglu and Bargnani aren’t producing, ducking the media and not having even a finger pointed at them, you can sort of understand his frustration. His comments have definitely concerned me (us), but I still think he resigns with the Raptors after getting courted by a few teams in the summer. There is nothing really new going on, just that it’s in the public now.

NAS: Do you get the sense, especially with Joe Johnson’s FA status, that this is the last chance for this core group of guys to go on some kind of meaningful run in April/May?

It’s weird, in that, because no one (Joe Johnson maybe included) knows what Joe Johnson is even likely to decide to do in free agency either we’re seeing this group for the last time (I think it’ll take at least two significant trades to reconstitute this team if he leaves.) or we’re going to see this group for a long time because there won’t be any money left over if he re-signs.

I know the Hawks would have their MLE I just don’t think they’d use it.

NAS: After the past two years of playoff basketball for the Hawks, what would you consider an “acceptable” ending to the season?

It’s unreasonable to expect the Hawks to beat either Cleveland or Orlando in a seven-game series so getting to the Conference Finals would be a tremendous achievement. Playing a competitive series against either of those two would be acceptable. Especially competing against the Magic, who are both better than the Hawks in absolute terms and a terrible matchup for the Hawks.

NAS:  Vince Carter has had an up and down season and is averaging a career low in ppg. Is there any buyer’s remorse in Orlando?

After a disastrous month of January, there was. Carter was not expected to post the same kind of numbers he has throughout his career, but he doesn‘t need to. In the offseason, he joined a team featuring three All-Stars (Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis and Jameer Nelson), so his attempts, minutes and subsequently his points per game were going to drop. Carter’s struggles were often discussed heading into the new year but in January, Magic fans began to turn against him. Carter averaged just 8.7 points per game on 22.4% shooting in the month and even watched a few close fourth quarters from the bench as J.J. Redick closed out games.  In the month of February, things began to change. Carter finally found his place on the team. After proclaiming that he would turn it around in February, he has done a much better job of driving the ball into the paint and getting his teammates involved. Plus, his shot is finally falling. Carter averaged 18.6 points per game on 51.5% shooting, highlighted by Carter‘s 48-point performance on February 8th against New Orleans. He is not only taking less shots but he’s taking much better shots.

Carter is still going to be called upon to make plays down the stretch in games and as of late, he’s done a good job of doing that. If Carter keeps getting into the paint and continues to make good decisions with the ball, that remorse should disappear.

NAS:  Judging from his per 40 minute numbers, it looks like Ryan Anderson is a player, but he’s also been racking up some DNP-CDs it appears. Is it just a result of the numbers game in Orlando, or are the other reasons he’s not getting PT?

It’s a mix of both. Anderson has struggled at times defensively and that has prompted Stan Van Gundy to turn to Brandon Bass in certain situations to provide a spark on that end, which is the cause for Anderson‘s recent string of DNPs. Anderson was a starter early in the season because of the suspension of Rashard Lewis, but now Lewis is playing heavy minutes. In fact, Van Gundy recently said that Lewis was going to play even more. Without consistent playing time, Anderson’s shot hasn’t been falling like it was earlier this season.

Remember also that Anderson is also a very young player – he’s 21, is in his second year of the league and is trying to find a role on a team who has their sites set on a championship.

Anderson is a better player than I originally thought. His rebounding (Anderson has a rebounding rate of 12.3%) and ability to get to the basket (34% of his shots have been close, dunks or tips) are better than most thought.

Anderson’s youth, Bass’ athleticism and Rashard Lewis’ extended minutes are the reasons that Anderson’s minutes have been limited.

NAS: Besides Cleveland, do you see any other legitimate threats to the Magic in the Eastern Conference as we head into the playoffs? Any first round match-ups that could pose a problem?

It’s too early to completely rule out the Boston Celtics. It does however, seem like the Magic are better equipped to deal with them this season. The Magic have used their depth and at times they have matched Boston’s size (playing Howard alongside Marcin Gortat) to wear Boston down, which has resulted in two come-from-behind Magic victories in their last two games against the Celtics.

Sure, the Celtics are old, Rasheed Wallace has been a terrible signing and KG’s knees look like they can fold at any time, but if Boston enters the playoffs with their starting five of Kendrick Perkins, Kevin Garnett, Paul Piece, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo intact, they are still a dangerous team.

Atlanta is another team that is much improved and you can’t rule them out, but Orlando has dominated the Hawks this season, blowing them out in all three meetings so far. The Hawks have no answer for Dwight Howard and the Magic have good athletes and great depth to match the Hawks in that department.

From talking to the players, it is obvious that the Magic would prefer not to have to deal with Dwyane Wade in the postseason. John Salmons has also been a great addition for the Milwaukee Bucks, who have been playing very well lately. The Magic have played more consistent basketball lately and if they do that in the first round, they shouldn’t have anything to worry about, but if they don’t they will be in for a fight. Remember, the Philadelphia 76ers took the Magic to six games last year (even though it did take two buzzer-beaters).

NAS: Obviously, Josh Howard’s ACL injury probably affects your answer, but overall, how do you think the Wizards fare in their big deadline trades of Antawn Jamison, Caron Butler, DeShawn Stevenson and Brendan Haywood? Does Washington have any worthwhile building blocks now?

I was disappointed that the Wizards had to give up Brendan Haywood to “get rid” of Caron Butler and DeShawn Stevenson. It just seems like a commodity like Haywood, an expiring contract and a defensive big man sorely needed by most teams, should have been able to fetch more. The insult is that the Wizards couldn’t manage a pick from Dallas and they had to send cash considerations Mark Cuban’s way. Even Mavs fans were surprised at that one.

On the other hand, you got to commend Ernie Grunfeld for the Jamison trade. Although Antawn was sent to Cleveland … sure, the “rivalry” between the Wiz and the Cavs is dead, but that doesn’t mean Wizards fans hate LeBron and the Cavaliers any less … Grunfeld was able to net the returns of: 1) getting out from the over $28 million owed to the 33-year old Jamison over the next two seasons; 2) Cleveland’s 2010 1st rounder, which will likely be the last pick in the first round, but Grunfeld has a decent history of late-draft finds (Andray Blatche – 49th, Keith Bogans – 43rd, Flip Murray – 42nd, Michael Redd – 49th); 3) Emir Predlzic — Who? Exactly. He’s Bosniak whose rights were previously owned by Cleveland and is a decent prospect; and 4) Al Thornton. Clippers fans were no longer enthusiastic about the former All-Rookie First Teamer (2008), but he has seemingly found new life in D.C. with his hustle and energy.

Worthwhile building blocks? Who knows. Andray Blatche has been great since the trades, but it’s too early to tell if he’s really turned a corner. JaVale McGee has shown some nice promise too and is certainly a talented athlete whose natural skills and size are matched by few, if any, in the league. Otherwise, the Wizards don’t have much that shows valid promise for the future, i.e, someone who could be a star like Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans or Kevin Durant (who is already a star). Obi-Wan Kenobi ain’t coming, so the Wizards’ only hope is effectively using the cap space they’ve created and finding a young Jedi via lots of luck in the draft.

NAS: How much of a makeover do you expect the Wizards to go through once the season is over?

Makeover? Uh, probably a decent bit since the Wizards only have six guys under contract next season. This is assuming, safely, that Josh Howard’s $11.8 million team option won’t be picked up and that Quinton Ross takes his $1.15 million player option. That leaves Andray Blatche, JaVale McGee, Al Thornton, Nick Young and Gilbert Arenas.

Who knows what will happen with Arenas. Recent remarks by Ernie Grunfeld suggest that the team might be open to taking him back, he is under contract after all. But Grunfeld might have been making those comments to preserve Arenas’ trade value, if any exists, which, you know someone might take the bait on if teams with cap room don’t succeed in their Summer ‘10 free-agent endeavors. I highly doubt the Wizards will try to void Arenas’ contract.

Randy Foye, if extended the qualifying offer, will be a restricted free-agent. He’s still auditioning for his job with the team, so he could be an additional player on the roster. You also have to consider the following: the Wizards might try to sign Josh Howard to a new contract on the cheap, as he will be coming off a knee injury, they would like to retain Mike Miller (although, I’m sure he will want to go play for a winner, perhaps taking less money to play with LeBron), and James Singleton is certainly looking like a player worthy of contract consideration.

The Wizards will be players in this Summer’s free-agent market, we’re just not sure how large. I’d like to see them be patient and build with young prospects and cap space, i.e., not do anything stupidly crazy like throw a bunch of money at Joe Johnson or Carlos Boozer. So, you’ll likely see the team just try to sign some worthy fillers this summer and save some of the cap space for 2012.

In any case, the makeover has already happened when various parts were shipped out of town. Now it’s all about finding quality players who will form the foundation for the rebuilding project.