ESPN

Marques Utica, NY

The referee scandal vs. steroids which won hurt its league more this summer?

  (3:01 PM)

intriguing question. I'm going to say the ref scandal, simply because attendance is down at many NBA arenas. That could be just a function of bad basketball teams, but the Donaghy scandal could not have helped. Meanwhile, baseball business is booming, even though the steroids story has been around for about four years. Baseball fans might moan and wail about the sanctity of the game, but they keep buying tickets in record numbers, and in the end that's all that matters to Selig and Co.

Bob (los angeles)

Even though it may be unlikely, if the Lakers got Jason Kidd would they be better off running the triangle less or possibly not at all? Both Kidd and Kobe are most effective with the ball in their hands and it doesn't seem like the triangle would give both of them enough opportunities.

Ray (Springfield, MO)

With the Improvement of Andrew Bynum and the Laker bench, do you at all see the Laker's getting out of the 1st round in the 2008 NBA playoff's ? Is it just me or do you not really like Kobe (best NBA player) Bryant ?

J.A. Adande

  (3:08 PM)

If they can get the fifth seed or better they will definitelty get to the second round. I'd like them against, say, Denver. But the question is, would that be enough to keep Kobe happy. And I have nothing against Kobe

MJ Philly, PA

J.A.,The Sixers have won four in a row and seem to be playing solid, team basketball since Billy King was terminated. Obviously the change has done them good. Do you see them making the playoffs this year?

J.A. Adande

  (3:10 PM)

This is what stats people call a mistaken correlation. How could the firing of Billy King make the team better when the sixers are winning with the roster he assembled, and stefanski hasn't reshaped the team yet? I still don't think theyl be in the playoffs, though

Sean (Bethesda, MD)

JA, what do you think about the Wizards? 12-5 since starting the year 0-5, most of which has been done without the their supposed best player. Am I wrong or could this team be flying under the radar as one of the best in the Eastern Conference?

J.A. Adande

  (3:12 PM)

I don't see them as a threat to win the East, especially after watching them lose at home to a Bulls team playing a back-to-back on the same night the Pistons and Celts were locked in that great duel. But they've done a great job, Eddie Jordan has found a way that works and Caron Butler deserves another trip to the all-star game. In fact, he might deserve to be called their best player, not Agent Zero

Brett, Bloomington IN

Adande - are the Heat considered done for with such a stronger East this season? I'm glad the East is improving from last year because staying up for West games can hurt the next day at work! Adande's prediction:_________ (East) vs. _______ (West) for Champoinship?????

J.A. Adande

  (3:13 PM)

I'd say the Heat have 2 weeks to get it together, then you can call them done. And I'm sticking with Pistons vs. Spurs in the Finals

Ray (Springfield MO)

With the Mitchell Report coming out in Baseball. Do you ever see anything like that happending in Basketball? Have you heard of whisper's or rumer's of anyone in Basketball doing the "juice" ? Dude i really hope not !

J.A. Adande

  (3:15 PM)

What I'd really like to see is a Mitchell-type report for the NFL. Wow, has that league gotten a free pass. Would you find steroid/HGH use in the NBA? I'm sure it's there, somewhere, but nowhere near the levels as basebal

Berg (New York)

Time to blow up the Nets? Wouldn't Vince for a decent PF be the best move to improve this team?

J.A. Adande

  (3:18 PM)

It should be boom goes the dynamite time for the Nets, but I think Jefferson and Kidd would be easier to move than Vince. He has that big contract (notice he didn't seem to be attracting much free agent love this summer) and I think the Nets will need to keep at least one name player around as they play out the string in NJ and move into Brooklyn

Chad (Orlando)

JA, you're the man! What do you think the Magic need to make them a truly elite team this year and for the future?

J.A. Adande

  (3:21 PM)

They're looking close to elite right now. One thing they'll gain automatically is experience. The already have great outside shooting and the new dominant force inside, so I'd like to see them get a lockdown perimeter defender, an Artest- or Bowen-type