Decade in Review....Part 1

So, Everybody's talking about the best, and worst of the decade, and I thought I would come out with the Hibachi 2.0 Edition. This is just Part 1, part 2 will be coming soon...

THE BEST

PLAYERS: (and because we're talking about the whole decade, there's no Chris Paul, LeBron, D-Wade, B-Roy, Dwight Howard, or any of the other good young players on this list. They all didn't come in until about halfway through the decade, so It's hard to put them on the All-decade team. If I were making a team for the last 5 years, they would definitely be on it)

1. Kobe Bryant

- The best player in the game today. He led his team to the Playoffs 9 times (and to the Finals 5 times), won 4 championships, a gold medal, while winning an MVP award, scoring titles, and numerous all-star appearances. He's undoubtedly the best player of the decade.

2. Tim Duncan

-He may not have the same flair that Kobe has, but he has become a symbol of consistency and hard work over the course of the decade. aside from his double-double average, he has also won an MVP award, and started in the All-Star game just about every year. He led the Spurs to the playoffs every single year this decade, and led them to the finals 4 times. The Spurs won 3 championships, and Timmy won Finals MVP twice.

3. Shaquille O'Neal

-Shaq is one of the 5 most dominant players of all time. Aside from his 4 championships (3 with Lakers, 1 with Heat), he also has an MVP award, 9 All-star selections, and 2 scoring titles. He isn't nearly as dominant as he used to be due to his age, but He still deserves to be on this list.

4. Kevin Garnett

- He has been to the playoffs 6 times this decade (technically 7, but he didn't play last year), and finally won his first championship two years ago. He has won the MVP award, a gold medal, an All-Star MVP, and a Defensive Player of the year award. He has also been named to every All-star game this decade. He personifies Intensity, heart, and pure love for the game. He is an all-around player who can score, rebound, pass, and dominate at the defensive end, and is a true leader. He isn't done winning championships either....

5. Allen Iverson

-A.I. does not have a championship, but he has made the playoffs 7 times this decade, and made the Finals once. He has 3 scoring titles, 1 MVP, 2 All-Star MVPs. His legacy has taken a dip the past few seasons, but he is still without question one of the players who defined this decade.

6. Steve Nash

- He won two MVP's, a few assist titles, all-star appearances, and is still the best point guard in the league today. He hasn't won a ring, or even made it to the Finals, but he is the prime

example for how to run an offense, and does way more than his impressive stats indicate.

7. Jason Kidd

-Jason Kidd is the Ultimate point guard. Unimaginable passing ability, shooting stroke, has a great nose for the ball, and displays perfect leadership and poise. He won multiple assist

and steal titles, and went to the Finals twice. He pretty much defines the phrase "triple-double"

8. Dirk Nowitzki

- Dirk doesn't get much praise or acclaim for all he does; probably because of his unique, unorthodox playing style; but when it comes to just straight putting up numbers, and producing

in the clutch, Dirk is one of the best. He is in the top 5 in scoring just about every season, has been selected to several all-star games, won an MVP award, and has transformed the Mavs

into a Western Conference heavyweight.

9. Paul Pierce

- He's not one of those players that dominated due to supreme quuickness or athleticism, his playing style is based on hard work, hustle, and a high basketball IQ. For most of the decade, he

was basically playing alone in Boston. He led the Celtics to the playoffs 4 times; almost singlehadedly. The Celtics then went two straight years without making the postseason, and

everyone was thinking that he would never win a championship. In 2008, he not only won a ring, but also got a Finals MVP trophy. He was in the top 10 in scoring in 7 consecutive seasons, and

has also been named to 7 All-star games.

10. Ray Allen

-He has made about 2,000 3-Pointers this decade, and has been in the top 10 in scoring just about every season. He doesn't have any MVPs, but he does have multiple All-star selections,

3-point titles, and a championship ring.

Honorable Mentions

- Chauncey Billups: 1 championship, Finals MVP, 4 All-star appearances, and helped turn Develop Detroit as a powerhouse.

- Richard Hamilton: He's always been one of those under-the-radar players, but he definitely deserves to be on this list. 1 championship, 3 All-star selections, and hasn't averaged less than 17.3 PPG since 2000.

- Tracy Mcgrady: Mcgrady SHOULD have been in the top 10, but because of his inabilty to get past the first round of the playoffs; and his health problems in the past few years; I had to leave him out. He has 7 All-Star appearances (6 All-Star starts), a scoring title, and All-NBA selections.

- Vince Carter: Just like His cousin Tracy Mcgrady, Vince SHOULD be in the top 10, but he has never been able to do anything in the playoffs. He has been near the top in scoring every year this decade, and seems to have no conscience when it comes to clutch situations. He has 7 All-star selections under his belt; 5 of them being starts; and despite the fact that people criticize

his shot selection, there is no doubt that Carter is one of the best players of all time.

- Tony Parker: No one ever really talks about Parker, but he does have 3 All-star selections. Tony was the starting point guard for the Spurs for 3 championships, and won the Finals MVP in

2007.

TEAMS

1. Lakers

- 4 NBA championships, 6 Conference Championships, 9 Playoff appearances, and a regular season record of 555-296 this decade.

2. Spurs

- 3 NBA championships, have made the playoffs every single year, and have won atleast 53 games in every season since 2000. Their overall regular season record this decade is 594-255.

3. Pistons

- They won the 2004 NBA championship, and for most of the decade have been the Best team in the Eastern Conference. Their record this decade is 508-334.

4. Dallas Mavericks

- They havn't won any championships, but have made it to the Finals. They've won atleast 51 games 9 consecutive seasons, and are on pace to do it again this year. Their record this decade

is 560-281.

5. Phoenix Suns

- They have no titles, or Finals apperances, but Steve Nash has turned the Suns into a Western Conference Power. Their record this decade is 517-311.

MY FAVORITE MOMENTS

There have been lots of unforgettable things this decade, and I can't remember them all, but these are the first 10 that come to mind. These are my top 10 favorite moments of the decade.

1. This isn't just my favorite moment of the decade, this is my favorite moment in NBA

history...

2. I remember watching this game live...

3. I get goosebumps just watching this. This definitely doesn't make me a Laker fan, but

I am a HUGE Derek Fisher fan...

4. Reggie Miller retires...

5. Robert Horry takes over the 4th quarter and overtime, and gets the game winner with 5.8 seconds left....

6.Tracy Mcgrady scores 13 points in the last 35 seconds. I remember watching this game live. I

still can't believe it happened. This was the most amazing thing I've ever seen....

7. "he just sucked the gravity right out of the building" - Well said, Marv Albert

8. Inspirational....

9. B-Roy....

10. Travis Outlaw hits the game winner that changed the Blazer's whole orginazation. from this game, they went on a 13 game win streak, and now, 2 years later, the blazers are contenders....

and I'm pretty sure no one else on Hibachi is going to agree with this, and your probably gonna blow me up in the comments, but I'm gonna say it anyway ---->Here's my pick for the best song of the decade (and best song of all time)....

I'm out.....see ya'll next year!

Official Re-Introduction...

So I am officially the newest member of Hibachi, but I'm not exactly now to the site. I've been a huge Hibachi fan for about a year now, and have gotten to know the other Hibachi members pretty well (well kinda...) so everyone on the site, or has been a fan of the site already knows who I am (or you may know me from my other site Truly Hoops), but just in case you have no clue who I am, here's a quick introduction.....

I'm a 16 year-old Junior in High-School. I live in Oregon (I think I'm the only Hibachi member from the West Coast), I'm a diehard Boston Celtic/Portland Trail Blazer fan. Basketball is pretty much my life. I hope to become an NBA player someday, but am also pursuing a sports-writing career as well....

I want to think all the Hibachi members for bringing me on, and I want to let you all know that I'll post as often as I can, and as often as you need me to.

It's time to continue the Hibachi 2.0 takeover.....

I thought I'd end this post with some music....



I'm out....

De-jaun and Only...

Intoducing: Collin

When people talk about the best rookies so far the season, Tyreke Evans and Brandon Jennings are probably the names most commonly mentioned, but Dejaun Blair is doing work behind the scenes that undoubtedly is worth some notice. The Spurs haven't really developed a spot in the rotation for him yet, and have been playing him pretty inconsistently thus far, but when he's gotten the nod from Gregg Poppovich, he's yet to disappoint.

The Other night against the Celtics, He put up 18 points (9-11 Field Goals), 2 blocks, and 11 rebounds (5 offensive) in just 22 minutes, and single-handedly kept the Spurs within reach during the Celtic's 4Th quarter lapse. The game before that against the 76'ers, he put up 11 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks in just 17 minutes. Although his averages of 6.5 points and 5.6 rebounds don't look very intriguing on paper, he gets those numbers in just 15.1 minutes, and shoots 61% from the field. If he could get consistent minutes, he would be putting up near all-star worthy numbers nightly, as his impressive 48-minutes-averages of 20.8 points, 17.9 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks indicate.

I love watching Blair play; his Tenacity, timing, and rare combination of quickness and strength has quickly made him one of my favorite players in the league. I think he is a smaller, quicker version of Dennis Rodman. Blair already has a much more polished offensive game than "the Worm", and his quick second jump (probably the best after Shawn Marion) and nose for the ball have made him the best rebounder I've seen since the '90's. Most people consider Rodman to be the best rebounder of all time, and I think that by the time Blair's career is over, he'll be challenging him for that label. Sure, he's just a rookie, but when I look at Blair, all I see is a future 20-point, 20-rebound per game player.

Watch this short video of Blair. He didn't play a whole bunch of minutes, but still had 16 points, and 19 rebounds. keep your eyes on him the whole time and watch how he works underneath the basket, and gets any rebound that comes his way. (and look at HOW he gets those rebounds) He also is very crafty when it comes to offense, and will take advantage of anybody who doesn't respect his offensive abilities......



I know he is just a rookie, and it might seem insane that I am giving him all these accolades so early, but trust me, if there's one thing I can guarantee, it's that DEJAUN BLAIR won't be going unnoticed very much longer.

Dejuan is a force that cannot be contained.

I'm out....

Life in Gotham Village, Part III

As Regina Hurtz entered the dark alley, she knew she would walk away a changed person. For the better or for the worse, she would soon find out. To see if she would change or if she would not is what drew her in, and ultimately lead to her demise. It is an addiction to probability, a lust for taking chances that got her to the point she reached.

Entering such a place (as Regina had done) does not come without ramifications. (Side note:ramifications were exactly what Regina was seeking, so this worked out well for her.) Out from the darkness, without warning sprang a human silhouette. Rising and rising until fully erected, Regina came face to face with what, no actually who, she was looking for: snake-man. "What are you doing here, Regina Hurtz" it hissed, sounding as snake like as any human imitating a snake could ever sound. "Im here to see what it is everyone's talking about, thats all. Nothing sinister i swear it". Regina answered in a nervous tone. Sounding like a innocent little school girl did nothing but bad for Regina (bad meaning good in this instance). For you see Regina had come to the alley to see snake-man, and snake-man had been waiting for Regina. Now that they had met, it is as if snake-man had entered Regina, as if snake-man had penetrated Regina's soul. Regina Hurtz was a changed woman, just as she expected to become. She gave snake-man one last look, dead in the eye, then turned around and walked away.

That look changed a life. My life. For you see, i am snake-man. When Regina Hurtz looked me dead in the eye, i did a lot of thinking. When i went home i told my mom what happened. Her response was simple and sweet. She said she was scared. Then the shocking announcement: she said "your movin with your auntie and uncle in Bel Air" I whistled for a cab when it came near the license plate said 'fresh' and it had dice in the mirror. If anything i could say that this cab was rare. But then i thought 'now forget it yo holmes to Bel-Air!' I pulled up to the house about 7 to 8. And yelled back to the cabbie 'yo holmes smell you later'. I looked at my kingdom. I was finally there. To sit on my thrown as the prince of Bel-Air.