- The Age Limit Rule is gaining more and more steam and appears to be the key issue of this version of the NBA?s Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Jermaine O?Neal has gone on record as stating that any such rule is racist.  

This is difficult to argue at this point, considering the number of European players who come over to the NBA who are under 20 years of age.

It is more importantly classist and Unamerican.  

Players who are NBA ready, but remain in college usually do because they can afford to, no matter if your name is Grant Hill or Christian Laettner, Tim Duncan or Mike Miller, Sean May or Andrew Bogut.

The NBA may believe that the age limit allows GM?s to conduct a better talent evaluation after seeing players compete at the collegiate level for two years, which in turn makes owner?s investments more sound.

But for every player that goes straight to the pros from high school and doesn?t pan out there are how many players who go from college to the pros and do not pan out as well?  

That argument has zero validity.

Can 18 and 19 year olds handle the NBA world and all of the temptations and traps that are in that world?

Probably as well as they can going to Big State U and all of the parties and women that are thrown their way as a future lottery pick.

The NBA lifestyle can be one of solitude.  Players do not usually live with each other and they have separate hotel rooms.  An 18 year old NBA player plays with a team full of married men and already thinking about their post-NBA lives.  Granted many of these married men partake in the culture, but it has to be better than your buddies from Poli Sci 101 who like to do keg stands and other recreational activities.  

The rule should not be changed and the NBAPA should be willing and prepared to strike to fight it.

- The Timberwolves will not be in the playoffs this season, just one season after having the best record in the Western Conference.

- My preseason prediction had the Nuggets and Pacers meeting in the Finals.  Back in December it looked like neither team would even make the playoffs, but now they are both firmly in the playoffs.

With the frontcourt of Marcus Camby, Kenyon Martin, Carmelo Anthony and Nene, both the Suns and Sonics will be unable to get away with a lack of size down low.  

- Seattle?s losing streak is not indicative of the season they have had, but a first round exit is looking more and more likely, particularly if they face the Rockets.

The Rockets have had Seattle?s number recently and pose many matchup problems.  

The Sonics will only go as far as Rashard Lewis can take them.  With his skills in the low post, he is the Sonics most valuable player.