In Win or Go Home games, the NBA playoffs have continued to provide us with quite a show. The two games played last night were both opportunities for teams to take the first round – the Memphis Grizzlies and the Oklahoma City Thunder. The 2011 NBA Playoffs have been incredibly exciting thus far, many games coming down to the last few minutes – with teams hanging on to play another game when nobody else thought they had the chance; teams pulling out the W despite injuries – this is what the Playoffs are all about, basketball at its finest.

The Thunder were able to take the first round from the Nuggets in 5 games. Kevin Durant continues to shine, a young stunner that has an incredibly bright future in the NBA. In the win over the Nuggets, Durant put the game on his shoulders and pulled out the win with a whopping 41 points – tying his playoff high point total in game 1. Despite subpar play from their other star Westbrook, the Thunder were able to triumph over the Nuggets and prevail to the next round. Taking the series 4-1, the Oklahoma City Thunder look hard to stop – healthy, and ready to play their next opponent.

But the game of the night had to be the Spurs vs. the Grizzlies. The talking heads all thought the Grizzlies would pull out the win and upset the Number 1 seed in the West with ease. The veteran star power of the Spurs was just not ready to go home. Leading most of the basketball game, they fell down to the Grizzlies, making it seem as though the predictions of the End of the Spurs Era were inevitable. But in pure star form we saw basketball at its finest – a 2 point shot by Ginobili and a last second 3 point shot by Neal that took the game to overtime. Both were improbable shots, but both went through the net. In the overtime victory that shocked many, the Spurs showed their desire to continue their playoff journey, and let the world know that they aren’t quite done yet.

The Spurs have a tough road ahead, and winning the series over the big, young, and incredibly talented Grizzlies seems a pretty long shot, but last night showed that in playoff basketball, anything is possible. With the Grizzlies leading the series 3-2 the Spurs are against the proverbial wall, needing to win the next game in Memphis, lest their playoff journey come to an end. While the Spurs have become the surprising underdog, their hopes are still alive. Can the veteran squad outlast the young talent of Memphis? Game 6 will tell the tale.

With two more Win or Go Home games tonight, playoff basketball continues to enthrall us. Many are wondering how much of an impact Kobe can have in the Lakers/Hornets game tonight, and others wonder if CP3 will come out and steal the show as he did in games 1 and 4. If Kobe can play at his finest, Gasol can have the impact he had in game 4, and Odom can continue to crash the boards, the young talent of New Orleans may have their work cut out for them. And in the Mavs and Blazers game, many are expecting the Mavs to finish the job, but is it too late to count out the Blazers given their 23 point comeback not long ago? Only tonight will tell, and I myself can’t wait!

Sports fans have argued for years over which specific sport pays its players the highest wages. That debate has been put to rest somewhat in the internet age as annual reports are typically released showing who makes exactly how much money. A new report was released in mid-April by sporting Intelligence and there may be a few surprises to some people.

According to the report, NBA basketball players make the most money on average, but Spanish soccer teams Barcelona and Real Madrid pay their players the best. Last year, players from the New York Yankees were the highest paid on average. The average wage of an NBA player is $4.79 million a year or $92, 199 a week.

The average wage at Barcelona is just over $7.9 million a year ($157,038 per week) while Madrid’s players make about $7.35 million yearly ($146,038). Yankees players are the third-biggest money makers at  about $6.75 million a year ($134,122).

The study included 14 different sports leagues around the world in seven different sports. There was a total of 272 franchises involved in the studies. The biggest surprise to most people was the fact that the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket league came in second place behind the NBA when it comes to the top paid league.

Most North Americans have never heard of the league and probably wouldn’t know what a cricket bat was if hit over the head by one. But they make so much money because the league is only six weeks long. Therefore, millions of dollars can be made in a month and a half.

But even though the NBA is the best paid league, only four teams are in the top 12 best paid teams. These are the LA Lakers, Denver Nuggets, and Utah Jazz. However, there are 10 NBA teams in the top 30. Six of the top 12 clubs are soccer teams and there are two baseball franchises, the Yankees and Boston Red Sox. What’s surprising is that even though the IPL ranks behind the NBA as best paid league there are no IPL teams in the top 12. In fact, there are only four in the top 50 and these are ranked at 26, 29, 40, and 44. The Royal Challengers Bangalore are the best paid IPL team at $86,667 per player.

The English Premier League is still the top-paid soccer league with five clubs in the top 30. These are Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Arsenal.

However, let’s put this report in perspective though. Some leagues have salary caps and some don’t. In addition, when you see athletes such as boxer Manny Pacquiao earning about $15 million for a fight, it’s hard to rate anybody else as being higher paid. In fact, that would make a good idea for another survey, to compare team sports to individual sports such as boxing, tennis, and golf.

As the National Basketball Asssociation season wears on, the Bulls top the Eastern Conference, sitting two games ahead of the likes of the Celtics, with a mere 12 games left to play in the regular season. Their roster of young stars has led to solid, all around game play on both sides of the court. Through injuries of Boozer and Noah, the Bulls have managed to attain a record of 52-19. While to many, especially those in Chicago, it is obvious that there is a lot of talent on the team, many of the players are young, and the expectations of a run like this, this year, has come as a surprise to even the staunchest Bulls fan. The young, but rising point guard, Derrick Rose, has a lot to do with the elite level of play, and sheer amount of success the Bulls have had this year.

It takes a solid, all around game, to get to the playoffs with the caliber of players in the NBA. While basketball is most certainly a team sport, and one person cannot truly carry a game, one person can certainly be a game changer, and that is exactly what Rose brings to the court. With a solid defense and a proven bench to back him up, Rose has continued to rack up the W’s, and his aggressive offensive play has brought real results to the Bulls organization. Rose is having a career season, his stats including rebounds, assists, and points per game are at a career high, and that is paying true dividends for the Bulls.

Rose is not just an all around good player, he is a game changer, a closer. and can be relied upon to get that W. In the recent game against the Grizzlies, Rose scored the last six points of the game, securing the hard fought for 99-96 victory. A pivotal 3 point shot, and aggressive offensive play to get in the paint and get the bucket when it counted, won the game. The Bulls don’t just believe in Rose, the city of Chicago believes in Rose.

Chicago is a special place for sports, and to be accepted there is a bit like making it in New York. As the season progresses, and the skill of Rose continues to shine through, games such as the hard fought win over the Grizzlies have left fans chanting “MVP!” as Rose comes off the court. Averaging 24.9 points, 7.8 assists, and 4.2 rebounds per game, Rose is not the only star player helping to lead the Bulls to the playoffs, and perhaps a chance at the number one seed if they continue their winning streak and can maintain their lead. With Boozer and Noah back in the lineup, and the promising talent of young center, Omer Asik, the Bulls have a good chance in the post-season, and the future in Chicago looks very bright indeed.

With 12 games left in the regular season, I expect to continue to hear Rose’s name in the highlight reels and in the game time play-by-play. He is a vital part of the Chicago Bulls lineup, but he is not the team, and the surrounding cast and crew is a testament to that understanding. Should Rose be the MVP? There is a good argument for that, but let’s see how the rest of the season pans out first.

The recent 4-game losing streak the Miami Heat find themselves stuck in, in my opinion, is indicative of larger problems that plague the team. While the Heat found their rhythm during the middle of the season, the beginning and end have been mired by poor defensive play and losing easily winnable games. The recent 4-game losing streak has seen the Heat blowing huge leads in the second half and really being off their game when it comes to communication and team play.

Winning those must win games, and staying cool under pressure are not the biggest problems facing the “Big 3″ in Miami (though they are problems). And it also seems the biggest problem facing the team is not the ability to score – we all know that LeBron, Wade, and Bosh can score points off the dribble and are always fast break threats. What they do not have is a defense, and they cannot seem to get any boards, on either end of the floor. In many ways, this makes the Heat akin to the Colts of the NBA – a lot of offense and not much else. While they will sell tickets, and certainly win a few games, it takes a complete game to win a championship, particularly when you play in the East.

The scoring percentages and all around game play of the Heat, when playing against competitive teams in the East – the Knicks, the Magic, and the Bulls – has been pathetic, and that is putting it nicely. They do not have big bodies or a rebounding threat, and attempts to generate steals to get turnovers seem to be non-existent. It would seem, when looking at the season thus far as a whole, that there really isn’t a strategy or style to the Heats game play. Whoever is hot, or is streaky, is who the game rests on the shoulders of. But without any defense, and nobody to crash the boards, this is not a good combination for long-term success against solid, playoff caliber teams.

While they may win basketball games against losing teams, or have the occasional flash of brilliance against a winning team, inconsistency has haunted the Heat throughout the season. When taking into account their being in the Eastern conference, and looking at their level of game play against these teams throughout the season, it isn’t much of a stretch to think that if they play the Knicks or Magic in the first round of the playoffs, that their road to the championship will end there. The holes inherent in the Heat lineup have continued to cause them problems throughout the season, and they have made no moves to get it together. Looks like the heat may have been taken out of Miami, making their hopes for a legitimate run in the post-season look pretty bleak.

The talent they have cannot carry the team – it is too one-sided. With three scoring threats in James, Bosh, and Wade, you have plenty of talent, but no clear leader to orchestrate the game. If you do not have big bodies on defense, rather than allowing 40 point runs, consider aggressive and fast paced defensive play whereby you use your speed and finesse to your advantage, steal the ball, stop the momentum, and find a way to get stops, or at least get some boards.

As part of the historic and monumental 3-team trade that brought the star power of Carmelo Anthony to the New York Knicks roster, other players, draft picks, and a good deal of money changed hands as well. Part of that trade was veteran player, and former Nugget point guard, Chauncey Billups. Though ‘Melo is certainly starting to settle into being a Knick quite well, and Stoudemire is showing how good defense can make a good team better, Billups might be, perhaps, the most unsung, but valuable afterthought of this huge trade.

Since arriving in New York, Billups’ numbers have been on the rise, and he has been a key part of their biggest victories – such as their win over the veritable “Big 3″ of the Miami Heat. While out at the moment, suffering a mild leg bruise due to taking a knee to the leg from Dwight Howard in a recent game against the Magic, he might be the most valuable asset to the Knicks organization, and locker room, thus far. Which isn’t to say that ‘Melo or Stoudemire have been disappointing.

Averaging 23.3 points, 4.8 rebounds (up from 2.4 per game as a Nugget), and 6 assists per game, his numbers have improved and Billups looks revitalized on the court. Since being traded to the Knicks, Billups looks more like his younger self, and seems to have a renewed interest and intensity in his play. With the ability to distribute the ball and make great decisions under pressure, Billups led the Knicks to a hard-won victory over the Heat, and has made himself an invaluable addition in every game he has started.

From all accounts, he has settled into his role as the offensive “conductor” and has gained the respect of his teammates, both on and off the court. He has a keen sense for how to play the game right, and knows when to take the fast break points, and when it is safer to take the time to allow the offense to reset, and actually formulate a plan of action. When you add this kind of leadership and knowhow with the skills and talents of the likes of Anthony and Stoudemire, you face a tough challenge each time you face the Knicks. They now have a very complete game, on both sides of the court, and the future for this organization looks bright.

But what Billups provides to the Knicks is more than just on-the-court consistency and good decision making. His veteran status and motivational qualities have made him an incredibly valuable addition to the locker room as well. Having that veteran leadership, from a player that has been around long enough to earn the respect of his peers, is an aspect of the game that cannot be ignored. So while the big names are in town, and they are sure to wow us with their star power and finesse, Billups is the unsung hero of this monumental 3-team trade, already making his mark on the team.

The Hoops Karma Power Rankings examine how comparatively powerful or dominant each NBA team is right now (for clarity’s sake – this is how I think the team’s would finish in a giant round-robin tournament this week with no further injuries or fatigue between games). Obviously more recent contests and happenings weigh heavier than those in the past, but a look at how the clubs have progressed throughout the season is necessary to get a sense of patterns that will continue or possibly change. Unlike college rankings, these are re-evaluated each time; no one has to wait for someone else to lose in order to move up if they’re doing well. Again, these look at how powerful a club is RIGHT NOW. Here are last week’s rankings.

1. San Antonio Spurs (23-3): Ginobili’s late-game heroics carried the Spurs past Milwaukee and Denver on back-to-back nights this week. They are looking complete and comfortable in all phases of the game.

2. Dallas Mavericks (21-5): Got tripped up by the Bucks who shot uncharacteristically well, but overall the Mavs are still looking great. Monday’s match-up with Miami and Tuesday’s with the new-look Magic should be on any fan’s “to do” list.

3. Miami Heat (21-8): Absolutely smoked NY in MSG and then hung on the next night for only their second single-digit win in December (the other nine were all by 10 to 28 points, zero losses). At some point everyone’s going to have to begrudgingly call James an MVP candidate. If you can, watch their contest with Dallas on Monday night and against the Lakers on Christmas.

4. Boston Celtics (22-4): Have been without Rondo off-and-on for the past month but keep on winning – that’s what a well-rounded squad does. Gotta love that ending in NY on Wednesday.

5. Utah Jazz (19-9): Came out flat in NO and got thoroughly embarrassed. The good news: Jerry Sloan teams don’t mire in that sort of mess, plus Mehmet Okur just returned (will take him at least a week to get his groove back, but he’s a valuable piece for this club).

6. Los Angeles Lakers (21-7): Bynum rejoins the NBA’s most dominant frontline just in time for their Christmas showdown with Miami. LA is still trying to earn win #2 over a club with a winning record (the Heat, perhaps?).

7. Chicago Bulls (16-9): One big-time frontcourt player finally returns (Boozer), another gets hurt and will be out for two months (Noah). First game in their new predicament was an L to the Clippers in Chicago. Either way, they still have to capitalize on their simple schedule over the next few weeks.

8. Denver Nuggets (16-10): Chris Andersen and Kenyon Martin are out (duh – although both might be back shortly) and now Chauncey Billups. Somehow they still nearly ended the Spurs’ streak on Thursday. Are understandably inconsistent.

9. Orlando Magic (16-10): I applaud them for recognizing they weren’t in the Boston-Miami discussion in the East and making some major changes. It might take a little bit of time to acclimate everyone to each other (could lose all 4 this week while doing so: Atl, Dal, SA, Bos), so their “right now” prospects aren’t looking particularly strong, but they definitely got their eyes on the long-term prize.

10. Oklahoma City Thunder (19-9): Who have they beaten in the last month to make you think they’re ready to compete for a title? A reeling Hornets team? Houston? A loss to the severely short-handed Suns can’t give OKC fans much confidence.

11. Indiana Pacers (12-14): At least they made a game of it with Boston after getting trounced by Chicago and LA. The certainly shoot enough 3’s and have enough of an inside presence with Roy Hibbert to down title contenders from time to time, but you can never count on it.

12. Memphis Grizzlies (12-16): You can’t be shocked that the Grizz are 8-6 (including wins over LAL and Mia) when HK whipping boy O.J. Mayo comes off the bench and plays less minutes.

13. Milwaukee Bucks (10-15): They’ve been shooting the ball like a normal club recently and the result was an end to Dallas’ 12-game win streak, a loss at the buzzer in SA, and a close fourth-quarter loss to Utah. If they didn’t have to travel to LA for the back end of a back-to-back on Tuesday, they would/could have a decent chance against the Lakers.

14. New York Knicks (16-12): Crazy-ending loss to Celtics: commendable. Blowout to Miami: understandable. Getting spanked in OT against the horrendous Cavs: unacceptable. That’s not the best pattern to have when your next four are OKC, Chi, Mia, and Orl.

15. Atlanta Hawks (17-12): Lost to the Nets and Pistons this week, even with Joe Johnson back and playing like his crappy 2010 version in NJ. For about the eighth straight week, I rank the Hawks very high on the “teams whose records are deceptively good” list.

16. Houston Rockets (12-15): Were 1-6 and 5-12 – could be.500 by the time Miami visits on the 29^th, plus Aaron Brooks just came back after a lengthy ankle injury. Need to do well now before they hit their rough January schedule.

17. Phoenix Suns (13-13): Have never been in rhythm (longest winning streak = 3 games, longest losing streak = 3 games), but the recent trade—plus the win over OKC before the new guys even got to play—already have fans energized that something could happen.

18. Portland Trail Blazers (14-14): Look much smoother without Roy (last 2 games) since the other Blazers aren’t expecting the hurt superstar to take over, which had resulted in painfully forced action. Expect a lot of up-and-down all year as uncertainty regarding Roy’s role continues.

19. Philadelphia 76ers (11-16): They’re riding their defense (forcing bad shots) to some nice wins. Only losses in last two weeks were against Boston and LA, which both came down to the 4^th quarter. Philly ends the year with a 6-game reality check road trip: Chi, Bos, Denv, GS, Phx, LAL.

20. New Orleans Hornets (16-11): Crushed Utah and then lost to Detroit. Their attention to running a smooth offense has been all over the place. Chris Paul needs to take more shots; he’s broken the 13-shots-in-a-game barrier only twice since October.

21. Los Angeles Clippers (7-21): Have been the unexpected Giant Killers this year – managed to down the Bulls in Chicago on the back end of a back-to-back on Saturday (no Noah, but still great for LAC). Blake Griffin has had 15 straight double-doubles over the past month. Plus he can dunk.

22. Detroit Pistons (9-19): Recently beat the Hawks and Hornets, yet I have no trust in them. Apparently GM Joe Dumars still isn’t close to making any trades with Rip Hamilton or Tayshaun Prince, which makes it 3 years now of should-have-but-never-got-around-to-making-it-happen.

23. New Jersey Nets (8-20): Finally got a couple December wins (over Washington and Atlanta). Their defense hasn’t been too bad recently, keeping 3 of their 4 opponents this week under 90 points.

24. Charlotte Bobcats (9-17): Are playing like a low-talent Larry Brown team: really slow, decent defense (for overall talent level), afterthought offense. Pulled out a win at the game in which Michael Jordan was inducted into North Carolina Sports HOF at halftime (supposedly didn’t act like biggest a-hole alive, which was a welcome change).

25. Toronto Raptors (10-18): Not looking good: barely beating bad teams, losing to the rest. On the positive side, they did make a game of the Lakers’ visit even without the injured Bargnani, Evans, and Weems.

26. Golden State Warriors (9-17): Fast O, bad O.

27. Cleveland Cavaliers (8-19): After getting thrashed all month, they made a game of their visit to Miami and finally got their first win since Thanksgiving weekend by thoroughly out-everything-ing the Knicks in OT on Saturday.

28. Minnesota Timberwolves (6-22): Good news: were right in all four games this week. Bad news: predictably lost all four.

29. Sacramento Kings (5-20): The Kings have two wins since Nov. 1, and the only victory this month was a few weeks ago over the Wizards.

30. Washington Wizards (6-19): Finally got rid of Gilbert Arenas – won’t help them win games now, but it was a necessary move.