Of course plenty can happen until the beginning of the season. Trades, free agent signings and injuries will continually change the NBA landscape. But the Lakers’ chances of becoming the first NBA team to repeat their title since 2002 actually don’t appear too bad.

The roster is relatively young still. Derek Fisher may turn 35 in August and showed his age in this season (Playoffs 2009: 28.4 3pt%). But the point guard could take over more and more the Steve Kerr role as designated three-point shooter. And while Jordan Farmar took a step backward this season (from 9.1 points in 2007-08 to 6.4 points in 2008-09), the 22-year-old will likely improve in the summer and better understand the triangle offense. Then there is Kobe Bryant – who is the only other player on the other side of 30 on the roster back from last season. But he will undoubtedly keep his body in top form and will not just sit back relaxed. And now Ron Artest has come into the picture filling in for the departed Trevor Ariza, who turned into a defensive stopper with three-point potential. But Artest can more than fill that role. The question is how he and Kobe will get along.

That leaves problem child Lamar Odom. The free agent has said he wants to stay with the Lakers. Odom playing more of a power forward position will take away some of the ball-handling responsibilities from Fisher and Farmer. And Odom’s versatility is enormously important for L.A.’s system. But now that Ariza is gone and Artest accepted less money than he could have received elsewhere, Lakers owner Jerry Buss has some room to reach into his pockets even though any additional salary he takes on will count against the luxury tax since the Lakers are over the salary cap.

All in all, the Lakers should have the same rotation – with Artest in for Ariza – and have to go into the season as at least the favorite in the Western Conference. And the team will only get better with the added experience they have gained from the 2009 championship run. In addition, head coach Phil Jackson is an expert when it comes to motivating championship teams.

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The “Black Mamba” was so focused and worked so hard that he even came up with a new facial expression never really seen before on him. Many columnists called his new look his “Game Face”.

The Lakers star sort of combined a snarl and a growl with his bottom teeth showing – looking quite dangerous. Yeah, that helped a bit in winning the title.

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• There is only one way …

There is one thing you have to say about Allen Iverson. The man known as The Answer never shied away from anyone or anything in his 13 years in the NBA. Iverson remained true to himself whether it was the way he lived his life or his idea of basketball. Whether or not his way was the right one is anyone’s guess – even if it’s leading him to a dead end.

Since 2001, I have spoken with Allen Iverson four times. He was always honest, speaking openly about the game, the world and his role within it. Unfortunately though, he has been unable to accomplish a number of things he had planned. In Los Angeles, I asked the then 28-year-old if he thought that he would have to change his game in the future. He was after all nearing 30 years old – an age when many guards start losing their quickness. And it’s a dangerous time, especially for shooting guards like Iverson who live off their athleticism. A.I. knew that he would one day not be able to play like he did when he was 22. He mentioned that he wanted to play like John Stockton, as smart and clever as the former Utah Jazz playmaker who was elected into the Hall of Fame this year. On June 7, Allen Iverson will turn 34 years old. And there is none of Stockton in Iverson’s game.

The 2K9 Allen Iverson plays just like the 2K1 Allen Iverson. For the Nuggets in 2008, he averaged 26.4 points, 7.1 assists and 2.0 steals while shooting 45.8 percent from the field and 34.5 percent from three-point range. In 2001 those numbers were 31.1 points, 4.6 assists, 2.5 steals, 42.0 FG% and 32.0 3P%. Oh, and Iverson was named MVP while his Sixers lost in the Finals against the ShaKobe Lakers. Last season though, Iverson and the Nuggets were bounced in the first round of the playoffs, getting swept 4-0 against Kobe’s Lakers.

Iverson was not allowed to be Iverson in Detroit. The Pistons run a system relying on quick ball movement and a team-first attitude without a real star. None of that was a good fit for A.I. His scoring average of 17.5 points was hardly a sign that the league’s four-time top scorer had suddenly lost his ability to score the ball. Detroit and Iverson was more the result of a forced marriage. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think Iverson will ever win another MVP award or be as dominating as he was nine years ago. Allen Iverson could, however, still lead the NBA in scoring in the right system.

Allen Iverson’s problem though is that he would only accept a leading man role. He would never be one of five equal starters or even a high-scoring Sixth Man. He was always the guy who was in control of things – whether that meant being a high school quarterback, the rookie who took all the shots in Philadelphia or the MVP of an NBA Finals team. Allen Iverson is unshakable in his belief that he must have the ball in his hands for his team to win. And that has made Iverson a free agent. Yeah, the guy who hasn’t averaged fewer than 26.3 points per game in a season since 1999 is worth about as much as stock in General Motors.

If you look around the 30 NBA teams, it will take a while to find a franchise where The Answer would prove to be a feasible solution. None of the playoff teams would be an option since they have a certain hierarchy already in place and at least one star who defines their team. Things are similar with the lottery teams from the Western Conference. Most of them have talented young stars and are building strong squads. The only team where Allen Iverson would make sense in the Eastern Conference are the Charlotte Bobcats – a team which would close the circle of Iverson’s career.

The Bobcats’ coach is Larry Brown, the coach with whom Iverson went to the Finals in 2001. And Brown still raves about Iverson to this day. If anybody would know how to build A.I. successfully into a team, it’s Brown. And Charlotte’s roster seems like a perfect fit for Iverson. There is nobody in Charlotte’s guard positions who can score like The Answer. In fact, the whole team seems to have limited scoring punch with Gerald Wallace the top scorer with 16.6 points. But there are three players with playmaking abilities in point guards Raymond Felton (6.7 assists) and D.J. Augustine (3.5) and power forward Boris Diaw (4.9). Defensively, there is Wallace along with shot blockers Emeka Okafor and DeSagana Diop – two big men who have little offensive game other than the dunk.

The remaining question is the financial one. Charlotte will remain under the salary cap next season so they would have room for Iverson. Robert Johnson also needs to think about how he can fill the 20,200-seat Time Warner Cable Arena. During the 2007-08 season, the Bobcats averaged 14,717 fans for their home games. This season it was only 14,526, setting a new all-time low record in their five-year history.

So, Allen Iverson would make a lot of sense for Charlotte – but really for no other team. Let’s hope that Bobcats manager Michael Jordan pulls the right strings. Iverson may have his faults but the NBA would not be the same without him. And somehow I have the feeling that A.I. and Larry Brown would love to prove themselves to the league one more time.

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Washington Wizards
No team – save for perhaps the Rockets – can completely overcome the total loss of their top superstar. And in Washington, the Wizards dealt with the long-time absence of Gilbert Arenas after knee surgery as well as a torn wrist ligament for starting center Brendan Haywood, leading the team to a nightmare season. Both starters returned by March and their performances built hopes for a full recovery for the 2009-10 season.
In the absence of Arenas and Haywood, a number of talented young players received a lot of playing time, including Andray Blatche (power forward, 24.1 minutes per game), rookie Javale McGee (center, 15.1), Nick Young (shooting guard, 22.2) and Dominic McGuire (shooting guard, 25.9). That quartet playing behind the trio of stars Arenas, Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison along with a Top-Five draft pick will give the Wizards a long and versatile bench.

Additional Notes:
Wizards owner Abe Pollin is – unlike in the past – ready to pay the luxury tax in the coming season for the chance to win the championship.

Oklahoma City Thunder
It may be a slap in the face of all ex-Sonics fans, but the Thunder have tremendous chances of reaching the 2010 Playoffs. With Russell Westbrook, Thabo Sefolosha, Kevin Durant, Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic, Oklahoma City has a young, hungry first five with loads of talent. Westbrook, Durant and Green make up one of the most exciting trios in the NBA. And once the Swissman Sefolosha came on board with his lock-down defense, the Thunder won eight of their next 20 games, including victories over San Antonio, Dallas and Philadelphia.
Oklahoma have two high picks in the 2009 Draft as well as plenty of space under the salary cap which can be used to bring in a veteran to help the young talent. And coach Scott Brooks completely changed the team’s playing style after his promotion from an assistant. The Thunder were able to re-discover themselves without the help of a training camp. Next season they will be very prepared.

Additional Notes:
In the last 20 years, only seven other rookies grabbed more offensive rebounds (calculated over an average of 36 minutes) than the 6-foot-3 Russell Westbrook. And all the other youngsters in the top ten are big men.

L.A. Clippers

The Clippers have put behind them an absolute nightmare season. Injuries ravaged the entire roster with Eric Gordon (78), Al Thorton (71) and Steve Novak (71) as the only Clippers to play 70 games this season. Fully healthy, Los Angeles could line up the following starting formation: Baron Davis, Eric Gordon, Al Thornton, Zach Randolph, Marcus Camby. Chris Kaman could come off the bench and a high draft pick and a lot of room under the salary cap will help the rotation. In addition, Camby’s contract runs out in the summer 2010, meaning the shot blocker could bring more depth to the roster.
But a new General Manger would need to pull such a deal. But who will that be? For sure not Mike Dunleavy, who kept his spot after the exit of Elgin Baylor. But that’s a step forward. If only he could be taken out of the coaching chair …

Additional Notes:
Steve Novak is a killer from downtown. In March, the 6-foot-10 forward hit 54.7 percent of his three-pointers (4.6 attempts per game).

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When you’re talking about the NBA Playoffs, a superstar can make all the difference. If one of the absolute giants gets hot then nobody on the opposing defense can stop them. That happened in 2006 when Dwyane Wade robbed a sure ring from the fingers of the Dallas Mavericks. LeBron James picked apart the Detroit Pistons in 2007. But all too often it’s not the basketball icons who make the little difference. James Posey played a huge role in the Boston Celtics’ title run in 2008 as did defensive stalwart Bruce Bowen in the San Antonio Spurs’ championship teams.

So, who are the most important players besides the stars in the 2009 Playoffs? Who will do the crucial little things for the favorites this post-season? These guys are the X-factors away from the hype …

Trevor Ariza, L.A. Lakers
Stats: 8.9 Points, 4.4 Rebounds, 1.8 Assists, 1.7 Steals
Whenever the Lakers need to stop the opponents’ best wing player, Trevor Ariza is called to duty. His athleticism and defensive mentality makes him the ideal Bowen-Posey clone for coach Phil Jackson. As opposed to his predecessors, Ariza brings more athleticism. And he will be called upon in the Playoffs to stop the likes of LeBron James, Paul Pierce, Carmelo Anthony and Hedo Türkoglu. That will give a small break defensively to Kobe Bryant – who was responsible for stopping Pierce in the 2008 Finals. And while Ariza’s strength is on defense, he also can score on the break and hit from long range (32.6 3-pt%).

Delonte West, Cleveland Cavaliers
Stats: 11.6 Points, 3.1 Rebounds, 3.6 Assists, 39.4 3-pt%
Delone West played only shooting guard in college so it was no surprise that the tweener ran into problems in the NBA when his first two teams (Boston and Seattle) both put him at playmaker. But West is perfect for Cleveland. Mo Williams dishes the ball and LeBron James is basically a point forward in the half-court game. So it’s not a big issue that West struggles to create his own shot. He cleverly finds free space along the three-point line where he can shoot a high percentage or intelligently get by his charging defender and dish off an assist. And defensively his 6-foot-3 frame gives the Cavs a versatile guard to defend both positions, which helps the 6-foot-1 Williams.

Courtney Lee, Orlando Magic
Stats: 8.4 Points, 2.3 Rebounds, 1.2 Assists, 41.8 3-pt%
It’s rare that a late first rounder (22nd pick) plays an important role in his first Playoffs. But Courtney Lee is not your typically over-challenged rookie. After standing out in college for his absolutely professional work attitude, Lee played consistently and eventually made coach Stan Van Gundy’s starting line-up. On the one hand, he is a deadly effective outside shooter – an attribute any wing player must have in Orlando. But he is also a tough defender which gives point forward Hedo Türkoglu room to create. And the 6-foot-5 rookie also guards the likes of LeBron for Orlando.

Kenyon Martin, Denver Nuggets
Stats: 11.7 Points, 6.1 Rebounds, 1.1 Blocks, 2.0 Assists
Kenyon Martin once was a feared defensive and fast break monster while running alongside Jason Kidd in leading the Nets twice to the NBA Finals. But microfracture surgery eventually turned the high-energy power forward into a clever low post defensive specialist in Denver – someone who occasionally would surprise with an explosive action (offensively or defensively). Martin’s biggest help for the Nuggets is his strong rebounding, which helps Denver deal with opposing teams’ big men. Offensively, his repertoire is limited besides some emphatic dunks.

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The Power Rankings
These are the Power Rankings of the playoff teams at the end of the regular season. That does not necessarily mean number one will win the title.

Power Rankings 2009
How strong are the 16 Playoff teams at the start of the post-season? Our power rankings show who had momentum late and who barely crossed the finish line.

1. Cleveland Cavaliers
The best home team since the 1985-86 Celtics appeared highly motivated all the way to the end. LeBron pushes his team like Kevin Garnett did with the Celtics in 2008.

2. L.A. Lakers
Andrew Bynum’s physicalness was missing in the end. Kobe looked a bit tired at the end of the season but he was playing for home court advantage in the Finals.

3. Boston Celtics
The champs head into the post-season a bit uncertain without Garnett. Just how fit is the Big Ticket really? And how much will Stephon Marbury help?

4. Orlando Magic
Dwight Howard and company blasted the Cleveland Cavaliers 116-87 in early April to get a big boost of motivation and confidence.

5. San Antonio Spurs
Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan are battling injuries and only Tony Parker is top fit. But is that enough to make them a darkhorse?

6. Denver Nuggets
This team plays together, defends and acts cleverly. Is this really the Denver Ruckers? What a difference a guy like Billups makes.

7. New Orleans Hornets
No longer are the Hornets a nightmare for the favorites, mainly because Tyson Chandler’s ankle is giving him problems. But with Chris Paul running the point, anything is possible.

8. Houston Rockets
No T-Mac, but instead you have a bunch of hungry, model professionals who want to prove themselves. But is that enough for their first Playoffs series win since 1997?

9. Utah Jazz
A season of injuries allowed the back-ups to get a lot of quality playing time. All the troops are healthy in time for the Playoffs. And this team is a sleeper for the title.

10. Portland Trail Blazers
They are young, play controlled, defend and are waiting for Greg Oden to finally wake up. How will the youngsters react to the playoff pressure?

11. Dallas Mavericks
Jason Kidd passed Magic Johnson for third place on the NBA’s all-time assist list. Too bad the Mavs don’t have the talent for big things in the post-season.

12. Atlanta Hawks
No bench, no problem. The Hawks are young, athletic and excellently led by Mike Bibby. Nobody wants to play against them in the Eastern Conference.

13. Philadelphia 76ers
Everything was running superbly until Thaddeus Young went down. The Sixers will not be a problem in the Playoffs without their bundle of energy.

14. Detroit Pistons
Allen Iverson is on the shelf injured but the youngsters have not taken the next step. Right now, everything is going wrong in Detroit.

15. Miami Heat
Dwyane Wade is one player the favorites don’t want to see lined up on the other side. If there is a big shocker in the Playoffs, then it will come from Miami.

16. Chicago Bulls
John Salmons broke through as a Bull. This team could make a deep run into the Playoffs – in 2010 after a low post scorer arrives by trade.

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Text: Johannes Korge

Whenever a player shorter than 6-foot makes noise in the NBA, it sparks special feelings for the league’s fans – especially the youngest ones. Players like Muggsy Bogues (5-foot-3), Earl Boykins (5-foot-5) or Spud Webb (5-foot-6) were most likely the shortest guys on the court in their early days and often ridiculed and not taken seriously. Yet, all three not only reached the NBA but established themselves and made millions during their solid, respectable careers.

Still, if these diminutive players can play with the best, fastest and mainly tallest ballers in the world, why can’t a fan of similar stature? Maybe on the asphalt or in a local club. But not in the NBA.

Webb and company show that talent, desire and effort can make up for the missing few inches. And there are a share of players at or below the magical 6-foot who not only keep up with the rest of the league but dominate it more often than not. All-Stars like Chris Paul and Allen Iverson have led their teams for years now. But fans still ooh and ah and cringe and cross their fingers any time one of the short fellas roam with the giants in the paint. And it’s exhilarating to think about a guy playing in the NBA but needing to jump to reach the top shelf in the supermarket. Still, these guys are among the best guards in the best league in the world.

That brings us to Nate Robinson – also known as “Nate the Great” and “Kryptonate”. Armed with an enormous confidence, the 5-foot-9 guard has played his way into the hearts of New York Knicks fans – as well as onto the “Most Wanted” list of supporters from teams around the league. After many successful baskets – preferably dunks, the combo-guard lets out a scream. But what is he screaming about? Satisfaction? Probably not. Aggression? Closer. What about 100 percent pure motivation, nearing counterproductive overzealousness? Bingo!

But it doesn’t even have to be a dunk of his own. At the end of January, the Phoenix Suns were visiting the Big Apple. With 3:36 left in the second quarter, Knicks forward David Lee surprised Suns big man Amar’e Stoudemire with a nice slam – plus the foul. Robinson was so impressed with his teammate’s move that the guard jumped off the bench and gave Stoudemire a bodybuider pose, letting the 13-inch taller Stoudemire know how foolish he looked in getting dunked upon by Lee. The referee gladly gave Robinson a technical foul and the Suns followed with a 13-3 run.

New York was able to win the game but afterwards Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni offered an interesting comment about his temperamental jumping bean Robinson. “That’s the reason why we don’t carry weapons. I could have shot him at that point,” said the coach. Of course it was a joke. But there was a sense of frustration and truth after likely the dumbest technical foul of the season. “We are not good enough to just give away points. I like his fearlessness. But he has to steer it in the right direction,” added D’Antoni. But that is Nate Robinson – fearless, motivated to the end and three-quarters under control. And his averages of 17.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4.1 assists this season for the Knicks are all career highs.

The San Antonio Spurs experienced in the first game after the All-Star break what can happen if Robinson keeps his emotions under control and lets his game do the talking. With the Slam Dunk Contest trophy fresh in his memory, Robinson showed the Spurs that he is much more than just an abnormally athletic freak – dropping an impressive 32 points and 10 rebounds.

But that was just half the story. Points 25 and 26 knotted the game just before the end of regular. In overtime against one of the top title contenders, Robinson made Madison Square Garden his own stage, scoring six straight points and bringing the Garden into a frenzy. His final basket – a spectacular layup against San Antonio’s 6-foot-11 Tim Duncan – pushed the noise level at the Garden so high that even Nate’s teammates may not have heard his primal scream. “He is a wonderful player,” said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich of Robinson. “Besides his athleticism, he also has a certain brashness. He really gives everything he has.”

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In Part 2 of this interview with FIVE, Billups talks about paying to see fellow NBA stars, Shaquille O’Neal, trade rumors, coming from Colorado and playing Wii with his daughters.

With the game on the line, who would you take of all the NBA players?

Oh man, there’s a lot of them. It’s tough to not say Kobe, the way he’s playing right now and how he’s played for a long time. But I wouldn’t mind it in my hands.

Is there one guy in the league you would pay to go see?

There’s a few of them. LeBron. Kobe. Carmelo. I love watching and playing with ‘Melo now. KG. Duncan may not be the most exciting player in the world but you can appreciate his craft. There are probably seven, eight, ten guys I would pay to see.

But if you had money for just one ticket?

Kobe James

Looking around the league, who do you see as an emerging star?

You know, one of my favorite players to watch is Brandon Roy. I love Brandon Roy. There are so many great ones. But I love Brandon Roy’s game. He’s so smooth but he competes so hard, his expressions out there. I love Brandon Roy.

You were one of the first players to get traded this season – for Allen Iverson. Are you players like the members of the media where you hear all these rumors and try to figure them out?

I listen. I don’t really pay too much attention. But I listen. You pretty much have to because you could be living in a different area code pretty soon if you’re not paying some kind of attention. There’s always a million rumors out there about this guy or that guy. And you hear them and just go on about your daily business. When you hear something so much, we’re just like everybody else: where there’s smoke, there’s fire. You just really go on about it. There’s not really anything you can control about it. You just try to be professional and do what you do.

When you hear about a rumor, do you start joking with them?

I was joking around with Amar’e (Stoudamire). I was asking him what color would he be wearing. He was like: I don’t know man. I don’t know.

Speaking of talking, who are the best and worst trash-talkers in the league?

Man, there’s not really that many good ones any more. Not really. GP (Gary Payton) was great. KG talks a lot, but a lot of times he’s talking to himself. There’s really not any bad ones.

Now that you’re out West, you see Shaquille O’Neal more often. What do you think about him this season and what he’s doing with Phoenix?

He just seems hungrier out there to prove that he’s still here. He’s dominant. You still have to double or triple team him most nights. The only nights you don’t have to is when they don’t give it to him that much. He’s still the biggest force in basketball, no matter how you look at it, cut it or slice it. He’s a force.

Talk a little bit about you coming from Colorado. How proud are you of being back in your home state – one not really known for basketball?

My whole life I’ve been going to camps and people have asked where I’m from. And I’m there by myself. I tell them where I’m from and they say Where? – like it wasn’t even in the United States. They ask me if I ride horses. Or if I ski.

And the answers of course were yes and yes, right?

Nah, I have never skied before. And I’ve never rode a horse. I tell ‘em I’m here to play ball. So, check the ball and let’s go. And that was always my attitude.

How is KG with it? You’ve known him for a long time.

I’ve known him forever. He always says, man, I’ve never met anyone that was first: black that was from Colorado. And then two: that played basketball and was good at it. I’ve always carried that with me. So I do take it all a little bit more personally, being where I am from. A lot these other guys have 20 or 30 guys they know from home in the NBA. And I can’t say that. I carry a really heavy load wherever I go.

Looking around the league, do you see anybody else in the league who has traveled a similar path as you?

One guy who has been through a lot and been doing great is Mo Williams. He came in and was up and down a little bit. But Mo is already an All-Star and I’m sure he will be one for a while to come.

Looking back to winning the NBA title with the Detroit Pistons in 2004, how does it feel to exceed your dream and win the title?

Other than being there for the birth of my daughters and getting married to my wife there’s no feeling like winning a championship. There’s no better feeling than that. It’s just amazing.

Speaking of your kids, I heard you play Wii tennis with them. Who has the upper hand in that?

They do, man. Both of my daughters have the upper hand. The little one can’t beat me yet. But the older two, I can’t beat them.

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Chauncey Billups came to Denver mid-season in a trade from Detroit for Allen Iverson. Billups brought with him to his hometown Nuggets the experience of winning a title with the Pistons. Denver fans hope their local hero can lead them to the Promised Land.

In this interview with FIVE, Billups talks about the Nuggets’ chances of winning the NBA crown and what it’s like to remember the old Nuggets teams and wear Denver on his jersey.

Has the trade for AI worked out beyond what you expected when it happened?

To this point. But it’s still early. We still have some season left and the playoffs. And most teams are remembered for what they do in the post-season. So we won’t know. But I am happy with where I’m at and where our team is at. But we’ll see.

A lot of people credit you for the turn-around. What do you see as the main factors?

I probably had something to do with it. But they had some good players already. They maybe could have been on the same run without me with what they had in place. ‘Melo’s been awesome. He’s really taken a leadership role. Nene’s been unbelievable. We have a lot of guys who are playing really well. So I can’t really take credit for that. I think I’m just one of the pieces to the puzzle. We just want to take it one game at a time. I think we have great pieces in place. But our main thing is to try our best to get home court advantage and build from there.

How much is the game gonna change come playoff time when you have to adapt?

The playoffs are all about adapting to changes – all about adjustments, during the game, at the half. You gotta be able to do that or you will be left behind. That’s one thing I think I can bring to our team is the knowledge of that, knowing how to do that and knowing what it takes to do that. Not only being able to preach that but going out and doing that. That’s one of the things I’m looking forward to coming down the road is seeing how we can adapt.

The team had its best start in franchise and people in Denver are starting to get excited. Do you remember watching those teams of the 1980s or the last team to make it to the Western Conference Finals back when the Nuggets were always good?

I remember watching Alex English’s teams. Kiki (Vandeweghe). Of course I grew up a Nuggets fan and watching basketball every day I could. I even remember when they were the eighth seed and they beat George Karl (and the Seattle SuperSonics in 1994) in the first round. I remember all that. I watched and studied a lot of those players and a lot of those teams. I’m happy that we have generated some excitement in the city for basketball. And hopefully we can continue to get better.

You made the All-Star team in the Western Conference even though there are a lot of great playmakers out West. How much is that a testament to how good the Nuggets are playing?

My stats are never really glaring or people think, man how does he do that. All of my individual accolades have come through winning and playing the right way and doing what’s best for my team. And people appreciate that. It was a direct correlation to us being a good basketball team.

How good can this team be this season?

I think we can be on the same level with the Lakers and Spurs. I think those are the two best teams. And we’re trying to creep into that elite group.

You’ve been with the team for quite some time now. Can you tell us what you think about Nene?

I’m really impressed with Nene. He’s getting better all the time. One-on-one, I don’t think people can cover him on the post. He’s got great moves down low, left and right handed. He’s just skilled. You can just tell that he’s been taught well.

What do you guys have to do to win the West and the title?

I think it’s really just our mental focus. We have the players and the athletes, a good coach. We have all those things. It’s just the mental focus and to prepare for all the small details and being able to execute those things. If we can be good at that every game, we can be super dangerous.

You talked about winning being so important for you. How much more does it mean now with Denver – your hometown – on your jersey?

I’ve been an All-Star a few times and one time they had us wearing our normal jerseys. And I was really hoping this year’s All-Star Game would have been one of those years and I could wear Denver on my chest as an All-Star.

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• The Allen Iverson interview (part I)

Does that responsibility make it easier for you to sleep at night or harder?

Harder. What makes it hard for me to sleep is when things are not going right – like when we lose a tough game or when I’m not the main focus in games when I think I should be. And that’s every game, especially down the stretch. Having the ball in my hand, that’s what’s so different about being in Detroit – or even when I was in Denver with ‘Melo. At the end of the game, the ball was in my hands. Mines or Melo’s. And there’s been times this year where I’ve had no control over having the ball in my hand.

In games this season with Detroit, you’ve been circling around the pick and the ball never comes to you.

Yeah, and it hurts. When I don’t have the control of the game like I had in the past, then … you know … But to hear about it bothers me, to hear about the trade bothers me. I want (Detroit President of Basketball Operations) Joe Dumars to look good for wanting to trade for me.

When the ball is not in your hands and you can’t do anything about it, does that make it easier or harder?

It’s hard because I want to help. It’s hard … it’s just different for me. I think one of the worst parts of it all is like when I know who I am and what I can do on the basketball court and then to hear that I lost a step or something like that.

Have you lost a step?

(Smiles) Watch the game. All you have to do is watch the game. Is hasn’t changed too much from last year to this year. Ain’t much change from last year to this year. As a matter of fact I’m healthier than I was last year.

Is there any chance that you played your last All-Star Game this year?

Last year they asked that question. And the year before they asked that question. And the year before they asked that question. And the year before they asked that same question. I’m 33 and next year I’ll be 34 and we’ll see where I’ll be next year. Whenever God says it’s time for me to go. Whenever I can’t do the things I’m used to doin’ on the basketball court, then it will be time. I’m not dumb. I know what’s going on. I play with the greatest athletes in the world. I know who I’m playing against night in and night out. And I know when I can do things and when I can’t. It will be easy for me to get out on the basketball court and play for 48 minutes and say, Man, I can’t do the things I used to do. I’m not gonna be naive. When I can’t get on the court and do what I usually do, then it’s time for me to go. I still do the same exact things that I did when I first got in the league. I might shoot as much (laughs). But I can still do them things.

For years you were criticized about never giving up the rock. And now you can’t even get the ball. How does that play on you?

Obama is the President now. Change! Change! Life changes, you know. It’s different. But believe me, I think in my heart that me being the focal point in the offense gives us the best opportunity to win. And I hope to finish up my career on a team where that is the case. If not, then it will be time for me to go. ‘Cause if I can’t play my style of basketball, then there’s no need for me to be playing because I can’t help the team that I am on if I can’t play the way that I play. It’s as simple as that. And people can take it however they want to take it. But that’s the truth, that’s the way that I feel. Honestly, back in the day, I felt like if I had made a comment like that then people would say that I was selfish, that I just wanted to score a bunch of points. But I feel like that’s how I can help a team. Obviously I’m not concerned about scoring a bunch of points. I’ve done all that, won scoring titles. I’m talking about doing the things to help a team win.

There have been times when you did not play in an entire quarter …

… I never sat out a whole quarter in my life, in my life, til this year. It’s never been seconds left and we’re down three and I have not been in the game. And that felt awful. Just awful.

Related Posts:

• Iverson: The Answer for whose question?
• Allen Iverson interview: part II
• The Allen Iverson interview (part I)
• The LeBronism Era?
• Chancey Billups would buy tickets to see Lebron
• Chauncey Billups interview with FIVE Magazine