[Izulde]

Two December trades besides ours. Oh yeah, the Knicks are 7-23 after two months of play.

Memphis Grizzlies receive
SG Durko Jagr
Chicago Bulls 2013 2nd round pick

Chicago Bulls receive
PG Craig Shehan
PG Keith Harris

What this means for the Grizzlies
They like Chris Gearheart's potential to play PG, so Jagr gives them an upgrade to SG after raw, but talented 3rd year Steve Neal was lost for the year with a torn Achilles. Jagr is, in all actuality, an average all-around player with not much upside, although he did average 12.4 points in 20 starts for the Bulls last year. The high second round pick might be the best part of this deal.

What this means for the Bulls
Rookie Shehan is extremely raw, but has some potential as a starter if Chicago doesn't mind having no defense at the spot. Harris is a mediocre second-year, better suited to SG. The trade does give the Bulls much-need backcourt youth, but all in all, it's not very good.

Advantage: Memphis
The 2nd round pick has the most potential value out of anything here and Jagr is more polished than the two players he was dealt for.

Memphis Grizzlies receive
PG Maurice Williams
Atlanta Hawks 2013 2nd round pick

Atlanta Hawks receive
SF Eric Hicks

What this means for the Grizzlies
Williams is your typical veteran bench guard and the 2nd round pick is probably a mid-rounder. Not much here for Memphis, although he does bring good defense to the table.

What this means for the Hawks
Hicks can score some, but he's as unexciting as Williams and just as buried on the bench.

Advantage: Memphis
A dull deal, though Memphis gets a shot at youth, so they win.

The nasty San Antonio/Houston doubleheader are our first games of the month which isn't good for our prospects of catching the Timberwolves. We get clobbered 110-83 by the Spurs, Duez Walker's 12 points off the bench our best showing. No problem though, as we steal a 96-95 comeback thriller against the Rockets behind all five starters with 11 points or more, Ben Gordon tops at 24 points, Dan Jacobson with 16 points, 17 rebounds and 5 blocks.

Another back-to-back, Kings and Lakers. We lose both games as everyone plays for absolute shit and I'm privately reviewing head coaching candidates after that one.

We snap the small slump against the team we needed to most. Minnesota had no answer for Ben Gordon's 27 points or Emeka Okafor's 13 points and 13 rebounds in the vital 103-84 home win.

I expect us to sweep our next doubleheader and we do, punching out Golden State 93-83 as all five starters hit double-digit points and Emeka Okafor and Dan Jacobson with 10 points and 11 rebounds and 20 points and 11 rebounds respectively. Seattle bows down 119-100 as Ben Gordon scores 43, Dan Jacobson has 11 points and 13 rebounds and Leroy Wright contributes 10 points on the second team.

We keep the winning going by abusing the Grizzlies 112-96. Always nice to get a victory over a team that gives us problems. Ben Gordon leads again with 31 points, Emeka Okafor puts up 17 points, 10 boards and 4 rejections and Duez Walker continues to flash tantalizing hints of scoring ability with 15 points off the bench.

I honestly think the Mavericks are overachieving relative to their talent level and we prove that by dismantling them 105-90 on the road. Paulinho Buboltz has a terrific game with 32 points, 8 assists, a rebound, a block and 4 steals and Duez Walker scores 18 as a reserve. Those 32 points are a career high for Buboltz, the first time he's scored 30 or more in a game. Here's to hoping for more of those from the 20 year old.

The annual four-game Midwest road trip with back-to-backs kicks off with a beaut of a sweep. Chicago can't handle us in a 114-101 win as Ben Gordon scores 28 and Emeka Okafor has 19 points and 11 rebounds. We take down Detriot the next night 114-100, Ben Gordon again the top man with 33 points and Emeka Okafor doubles again with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Al Thornton has 14 points to lead the subs.

The Bucks thrash us by 19 points even though we get doubles from Dan Jacobson (14 points, 11 rebounds) and Emeka Okafor (12 points, 10 rebounds for 3rd straight double-double). We complete the road trip with a winning record, though, beating Indiana 96-78. Dan Jacobson has 17 points and 18 rebounds, Duez Walker the best reserve with 10 points. Mateen Yeaton scores 22 and is averaging a career-high 23.9 points halfway through the season, along with 1.8 blocks a game, which would actually tie last year if he stays at that level.

Yet another back-to-back completes January. We demolish the Knicks 124-79 as Ben Gordon scores 36 points and Joakim Noah adds 12 bench points. The highest point-total by a Knick starter? 13 by Carmelo Anthony, one of only two New York players to hit double digits. The month ends on a sour note with 100-95 road loss to Portland, despite Dan Jacobson's 16 points and 13 rebounds. I hate playing the Trailblazers, I really do. They underachieve and underachieve and suddenly turn it on when playing us.

Even though we lost, we've wrested the division lead back and are 29-17, a game ahead of the Timberwolves. Portland's actually close to .500 at 21-23. The Mavericks in front at 36-8, the Rockets not far off the pace at 35-12. The Lakers are currently 29-14.

Two 30-win teams in the East, Toronto dominating at 35-11, the Bobcats 30-12 as their goofy lineup is still paying off. Indiana, I'm sorry to report, is struggling at 19-25. The Knicks on the other hand, much to my unbridled glee , are last and least at 9-36, behind even the 11-32 Bulls.

Lebron James brings us back to the days of 30+ or better club with 33.8 points. Gilbert Arenas, who I almost traded for, is second with 29 points and our own Ben Gordon is third with a 26 point per game average.

Dwayne Wade and Baron Davis are averaging 10.8 and 10.3 assists respectively. Paulinho Buboltz is 12th with 8.5 dishes a game.

Greg Oden once again leads in rebounds with 13.4, though there's a handful of guys averaging 12 boards or better, including David Lee, whose trade from Chicago to Orlando I think I covered but I don't know if I did it or not. It was last year or the year before, anyway. For the first time since I've been here, we have a player in the Top 25 in rebounding and that's Dan Jacobson, 21st, with 9.2 boards a game.

Andrei Kirilenko leads in blocks again with 3.7, Josh Smith and Elton Brand in the 3+ club with 3.3 and 3 respectively. Gerald Wallace is the lone player averaging 2 or better steals at 2.5. Lebron James and, ironically enough, Caron Butler are tied for 2nd with 1.8 a game. Paulinho Buboltz and Ben Gordon are both averaging 1.6 steals.

Five rookies currently in double-digit point averages: Austin Buller (12.1), Charles Garren and Bill Towns (10.5) and Darrell James and Demarcus Baptist (10.0)

Darrell James is dominanting in class assists with 6.8, Calvis Graham second with 3.4. Demarcus Baptist leads in rebounds with 9.2 boards a game, Austin Buller second with 7.6. Marvis Stapleton is tops in blocks with 1.8 a game and no one else is even remotely close. Darrell James and Charles Garren both have 1.1 steals a game and Bill Towns is just behind at a steal per contest.

James honestly isn't all that. He's just got the benefit of being the only guard starting for his team. Graham is a very good prototypical PG blocked by Baron Davis and Jason Richardson at the guard spots.

If it wouldn't disrupt team harmony, I'd be tempted to go and get him.