It was announced last Tuesday by Toronto Raptors that their rookie forward Jamario Moon has been named to the 2008 NBA ALL Rookie Second team and is the ninth player in the Raptors history to receive this prestigious opportunity. He was signed into the Toronto team during the 2007 free agent tryout summer camp. He had 75 record starts as a rookie in 2007 and was ranked first in the steals among all the NBA rookies. He also got the opportunity to showcase his basketball skills in the 2008 Rookie Challenge and Slam Dunk competitions. Moon also received the NBA Eastern Conference Rookie of the month for his performance in the month of January.

The San Antonio Spurs have announced recently that they have roped in guard Brent Barry into their team. Brent Barry was earlier playing in the Spurs team as a free agent player. In his four year stint with the San Antonio Spurs basketball team, he has scored an average of 7.3 points, 2.2 assists and 1.4 rebounds in 259 games. He has scored an amazing 354 three pointers and is currently in the fifth position of All time list of three pointers for the Spurs.

Barry has a thirteen year experience playing in the NBA and has played a total of 854 games and has played for the Bulls, Clippers, Heat as well as the Sonics in his NBA career. He won the NBA Slam Dunk award in the 2005-06 season and was also named in the All Star Rookie Second team that season. Barry has averaged 3.3 assists and 9.7 points in his NBA career so far.

Bobby Jackson who traded to play for Houston Rockets last week, did exceptionally well in his first game for the Rockets as he along with Tracy McGrady was instrumental in the Rockets defeating the Bulls 110 – 97. Houston won its 12th straight game of the season and 14 points of the total score of 110 by Houston Rockets were scored by Jackson. The Rockets are a formidable side in the NBA this season as they have lost only one of their last 16 games.

The Chicago Bulls were in the match for the first three quarters, but in the fourth quarter the Rockets had a sudden spring in their step and their shooting skills left their opponents out in the cold. The Rockets coach, Rick Adelman, who was the coach for Jackson when he was playing for Sacramento, feels that the energy that Jackson brings on the playing arena will transform his teammates to play well. It was the coach’s intervention that led to the smooth transfer of Bobby Jackson from Sacramento to Houston Rockets. Bobby Jackson believes that the best part of his basketball career has occurred during the five seasons he played for Coach Rick Adelman. The 34 year old player is hoping to prove his mettle for the Rockets this season.

The Toronto Raptors were unsettled at point guard after T.J. Ford was injured against the Atlanta Hawks in December. Jose Calderon has filled in nicely. The Raptors meet the Hawks for the first time since this season series Friday night.Ford hasn’t played since suffering a stinger.  Ford was cleared to resume workouts Jan. 9 and he was expected to return home to Houston . Plus Ford was headed to the basket when Horford hit the guard’s face with his hand. Horford was suspended one game for the flagrant foul.Toronto is 9-8 since Ford’s injury.  Calderon had 17 points and 14 assists to help Bosh finish with a 31-point game in the Raptors’ 116-91 win over Sacramento on Wednesday night.Bosh,has scored 20 or more points in seven of Toronto’s past eight games. He is averaging 34.5 points and 11.5 rebounds while shooting 66.7 percent (26-for-39) from the field in his last two home games.The fifth-year center has helped the Raptors win three straight at Air Canada Centre, averaging 113.7 points while holding opponents to 98.7 in that span.The Raptors have a chance to match their longest home winning streak of the season as they face a Hawks team that has lost four straight on the road. Atlanta (17-18) has lost 10 of 15 road games this season and has not reached 100 points in any of those contests, averaging 87.9 points per game.The Hawks shot 36.5 percent (27-for-74) in an 87-80 loss at Milwaukee on Wednesday night.

Boston Celtics were in serious competition for a lottery pick and were what appeared to be light years away from putting a competitive team on the floor several months ago. The Celtics are focused and are playing with a since of urgency. ticket sales went through the roof but I don’t think that anyone predicted the Celtics to have 29 wins and 3 losses which just happens to be the best record in the league when the trades were made in the off season there was immediate excitement.

Friday night, the Nets won a 102-96 victory against Charlotte. By this, they put the finishing touch on their first four-game winning streak and got back to .500 with a 16-16 record. The victory was not easy. At first sight, the Nets thought they would beat them quickly and without much trouble, but that was not the case. They trailed by 13 points early in the second quarter and did not take their first lead until Carter scored on a layup with 19 seconds remaining in the third quarter. Carter led the Nets with 30 points. Richard Jefferson, had 28, with 20 of them coming in the decisive second half.

Lakers forward Lamar Odom was suspended by the league for one game Tuesday because of a flagrant foul on Boston Celtics guard Ray Allen on Sunday at Staples Center. Odom will sit out Friday’s game against Philadelphia and will forfeit $120,441 in pay.

The Boston Celtics have recently played against the Miami Heat and showed some interesting things about this current edition of the fabled Boston Celtics. The very beginning of the game was something like the Celtics thought it was the 5th quarter of the 45 point blow out of the Knicks. The players were a bit fussy, but anyway managed to get it through and win.

Paul Pierce had nineteen points and twelve assists. Kevin Garnett scored twenty-two points and the Celtics broke open a truly tight game in the 4th quarter to beat the Philadelphia 76ers 113-103 yesterday. Ray Allen scored twelve points for the Celtics (15-2), but it was James Posey and Eddie House who sank the big three-pointers that let the NBA-best Celtics remain undefeated in their division.

EAST

Allegheny 68, Westminster, Pa. 66

Brown 86, Quinnipiac 79, OT

Bucknell 67, La Salle 66

Cabrini 72, Marywood 61

California, Pa. 75, Pitt.-Johnstown 68

SOUTH

Benedict 90, Lane 75

Bethune-Cookman 52, Stetson 51

Coker 70, Newberry 68

Florida 88, Jacksonville 72

MIDWEST

Buena Vista 76, Clarke 67

Carleton 61, St. John’s, Minn. 59

E. Washington 65, UMKC 54

Gustavus 69, Bethel, Minn. 55

Northwestern 88, Arkansas St. 68

SOUTHWEST

Arkansas 70, Missouri St. 51

Baylor 82, MVSU 50

Hardin-Simmons 75, E. Texas Baptist 71

W. Illinois 71, Texas-Pan American 69