There is no reason for me to break down the embarrassing 117-94 loss to the 76ers on Wednesday night, but the events before and after that debacle in Philly are fascinating. First, Ernie Grunfeld found a way to get a 2011 first round pick from the Atlanta Hawks for Kirk Hinrich and Hilton Armstrong. Sure, it is frustrating that Mike Bibby is demanding a buy-out instead of being a potential tutor to John Wall. However, I can’t see why anyone would fault Bibby for being upset with leaving a playoff team for a cellar dweller. Washington is already having issues with Rashard Lewis giving them maximum effort since his arrival from Orlando, so why keep another player on the roster who will just cause more problems.

Andray Baltche is a bum too

But more on team chemistry later. This trade was a great move for Washington. The first round pick, though it will be late in round one, gives them the ability to add more youth to an already young team, while Jordan Crawford could be a decent player off the bench in the future. For those of you who don’t remember, Crawford is the player who dunked over LeBron James, prompting Nike to try and pull the video from the internet. Unfortunately for Wiz fans, Grunfeld couldn’t find a way to off-load Andray Baltche, or Blatche, whichever. Not even the Wizards seem to care what his name is anymore. John Wall definitely doesn’t care. In fact, if Wall had his way, only a hand full of players would join him on the court, and Hinrich would have been one of them.

As good as the trade of Hinrich is for Washington in the future, the future of the Wizards knows Kirk was one of the few reliable assets at his disposal. In Wall’s post-game interview on Wednesday, the rookie voiced his frustrations with Hinrich’s departure and the lack of effort by his teammates still on the roster. Wall may only be 20-years old, but he isn’t afraid to be the undisputed vocal leader for Washington. Again he referenced his team’s lack of rebounding (a shot at Blatche and Lewis), and really other than Nick Young and Wall, no one is playing well for Flip Saunders. I have previously voiced my displeasure with how Flip has handled the team this year, and I still maintain the Wizards need to go in a new direction at head coach. Sadly, Saunders will likely be given the rest of this season and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he was given a chance to turn things around to begin the 2011-12 campaign. At least now Wizards management has their key asset voicing his frustration with certain players, which should give them the freedom to off-load the dead weight once this disastrous season is over.

For me, as this season winds to an end, Flip needs to let his team run up and down the floor a la the New York Knicks and give younger players like Trevor Booker and Kevin Seraphin chances to prove themselves in the final 26 games of the year, starting tonight in Miami.

The all-star break has actually given Wizards fans something to cheer about this season. John Wall was named MVP of the Rookie-Sophomore challenge after dishing out a game record 22 assists (including this amazing bounce pass alley-oop) and scoring 12 points (with Wall getting an assist from college teammate DeMarcus Cousins). JaVale McGee meanwhile finished in second place of the dunk contest, with this double-dunk earning a perfect 50. But despite Wall and McGee performing admirably in Los Angeles this weekend, it is time to grade this Washington team after 47 games.

John Wall, PG - C+ – Injuries and a lack of consistency hurts Wall’s grade, but his leadership and desire to be great is already evident. His jump shot is already improving (although shooting 41% from the floor proves he has a ways to go) and he has started to limit his turnovers. His 8.9 assists per game is good for seventh in the NBA, ahead of names such as Russell Westbrook, Derrick Rose, Jason Kidd, Andre Miller and LeBron James. Wall’s on-ball defense has been decent, but his help defense has been tremendous (1.7 steals per game). Wall must become a more reliable scorer and lead this team to some more wins in the second half to improve this grade.

Kirk Hinrich, G – B- - This grade does not mean Kirk Hinrich has been a better player than John Wall this season, but his unselfishness and versatility has been under-appreciated. Hinrich has started games at point guard, shooting guard, and even small forward, and he never complained. Hinrich is quietly averaging 11.1 points a game and his 4.4 assists per game is second best for the Wiz. Hinrich has never been a great defender due to his lack of size and athleticism, but he is disciplined and is rarely out of position. His maturity has also been good for both Wall and Nick Young, both of whom passed him over in the starting lineup.

Nick Young, SG/SF - A- – If the Wizards could win some more games, Nick Young would be getting much more respect outside the beltway. Instead, he is quietly a lock for NBA’s most improved player. Gilbert Arenas launched Young into our consciousness this preseason when he decided to fake a leg injury to ensure Young started. At the time of this incident, Nick was seen as a chronic under-achiever and draft bust, and that belief was seemingly cemented when he failed to nail down a starting role to begin the season. As November drew to a close, Young began to be a key scorer off the bench, and when he finally earned his first start of 2010, he almost sprung a huge upset of the Miami Heat, scoring 30 points in a 95-94 loss. That was December 18, and Nick hasn’t looked back. A notoriously streaky shooter, Young has finally found consistency, shooting 45% from the field and 39% from beyond the arc. His 17.6 points per game is good for top-40 in the NBA, but since starting Young is averaging 20.6 points per game, which would rank him 20th. Young’s rebounding and defense could improve moving forward, but overall this has been a career year for Young.

Andray Blatche, PF - D - Who the hell is this guy? This can’t be the same Andray Blatche that took the NBA by storm during the second half of last season, averaging 21 points and nearly 8 rebounds per game. The Andray Blatche I and other Wizards fans have watched this year is a sluggish, lazy, jump-shot happy shell of himself. Blatche is a talented player, but he doesn’t seem to mesh well with fellow big-man JaVale McGee (as evidenced by their fight at a D.C. nightclub on Christmas Eve) and when Andray isn’t happy his play suffers greatly. Blatche has decided to give up on developing his post-game, and instead is content with relying on his sweet shooting stroke. However, defenders have decided to dare Blatche into shooting mid-range jumpers, and instead of pounding down low, Blatche drifts further and further away from the paint, and thus out of his comfort zone. Andray’s defense has never been a strong point to his game, but he seems to have gotten worse this year. All in all, Blatche has gone from a key piece to Washington’s future to being likely trade bait in the next few days or during the off-season.

JaVale McGee, C - C- – I had very high hopes and expectations for McGee this season, and so far he has been hit and miss. JaVale began the year as a rebounding monster, averaging 9.2 boards per game in November, but he has since slowed down, and is grabbing just 7.5 rebounds per game going into the break. In fact, McGee is actually grabbing less rebounds per game than Blatche, although his interior defense has been much better than Andray’s. One thing I wish we would see from McGee is a nice jump-hook and a wider array of post-moves, or in other words not just dunks. JaVale’s athleticism is elite and his wingspan is amongst the longest in the NBA, but it seems he still hasn’t found a way to use these gifts to his advantage. Once he does though, look out.

Rashard Lewis, SF/PF - B+ – Since his arrival from Orlando, Lewis has been the ultimate professional. It has to be tough to stay focused and driven when you go from a top ten team to a bottom ten team, but Lewis has given his all for the Wiz, and his outside shooting and length has helped spread the floor on offense. Lewis has never been a very good defender, so he doesn’t help cover for the defensive liabilities of Nick Young and Andray Blatche, but he is a willing rebounder and his leadership, experience and professionalism will hopefully rub off on Blatche, McGee, Young and the other young wing and post players for the Wizards.

Al Thornton, SF - D+ - If it weren’t for the flashes of his tremendous scoring ability, Thornton would have gotten a lower grade. However, it is hard to hold injuries against Thornton, but even as a starter he was incredibly erratic and was unable to lock down a starting role. Also, his lack of three point shooting condenses an already compact Washington offense.

Trevor Booker, SF/PF – C - A cop-out grade, but it is hard to rate Booker’s first half performance because he didn’t really do anything until late January. Booker showed flashes of his ability in a couple appearances earlier in the season, but since Washington’s January 24th game against the Knicks, Booker has played double-digit minutes. The best thing about Trevor is he knows his role in this team, and he isn’t afraid to bang in the paint despite his lack of ideal size. When given ample playing time (20 minutes or more) Booker’s average stats are 8.4 points and 6.5 rebounds. Expand those numbers to 48 minutes, and Booker would average about 15 points and 12 rebounds. Hopefully this rookie from Clemson will get more playing time during the final 35 games.

Yi Jianlian, PF - F – Is this really the guy who was fifth at the FIBA World Championships in scoring and tops in rebounding? I thought Yi might be a crafty signing for the Wiz, both on and off the court, but instead he has been a complete bust. Injuries have kept him off the court, but he hasn’t really proved he deserves to be on it when healthy anyway. A player worth the gamble, but it seems as though he will never payoff.

Cartier Martin, SG – B – A very nice player of the bench for Washington, his three point shooting has been a huge boost, and he is a physical defender who is making the most of his NBA opportunity. A nice bench option for Flip Saunders and a good change of pace compared to John Wall or Kirk Hinrich.

Everyone Else - F – No one else on this team has done anything. One of the most limited benches in the NBA.

It looked as though this would be a quiet winter transfer market, with very unsubstantial rumors amounting to nothing in the weeks leading up to January’s final weekend. But as the January transfer window was closing, some of Europe’s biggest and most storied clubs decided they needed to make a big splash, which resulted in some big names moving across Europe.

Chelsea’s Double-Dip – Fernando Torres and David Luiz
Roman Abramovich, Chelsea’s Russian billionaire owner, is obviously tired of watching his club struggle on the pitch, and he decided to roll the dice in a big way. Abramovich sent shock-waves through the soccer world by spending a reported €83.5 million on two top class players, striker Fernando “El Nino” Torres and centre back David Luiz. On paper, and in Fifa 11, Chelsea made dream signings. In the real world however, manager Carlo Ancelotti will have plenty of headaches in regards to his squad selection. It appears Nicolas Anelka will drop to the bench, even after a dominating display against Sunderland mid-week, with Torres and Didier Drogba forming a potentially dynamic strike partnership. It is assumed Ancelotti will revert to his favored 4-4-2 diamond midfield formation he used at Milan, which would feature either Florent Malouda or Salomon Kalou on the left, Frank Lampard behind the strikers and Michael Essien in front of the back four. Summer signing Ramires or even perhaps the under-rated Yuri Zhirkov (although he prefers the left side) will move to the right side of the midfield, with the defense maintaining the status quo. With Luiz prefering to play as a left centre back, and with Terry entrenched in that role, Luiz will likely ride the bench until he gets more comfortable on Terry’s right side. As long as Torres and Drogba can co-exist up front, this lineup is scary good, but only time will tell, starting with a weekend clash against Liverpool.

Liverpool Hopes Two is Truly Better Than One
Speaking of Liverpool, they came out of a difficult situation with Torres by adding goal machines Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll. Suarez, infamous for his red card handball against Ghana in the 2010 World Cup quarter-finals, finally makes his long awaited move away from Dutch power Ajax Amsterdam, as the 24-year old looks to replicate his impressive strike rate for his new club (81 goals in 110 appearances at Ajax). As for Andy Carroll, the future of Newcastle United, he is now a Red. The Newcastle native admitted he didn’t want to leave his boyhood club, which was evident after he signed a five year extension with the Magpies in October. Carroll is still largely unproven, although he scored 17 goals in the Championship last season and bagged a hat-trick in the second match of the current Premier League season in a 6-0 win over Aston Villa, but as one of the top ten richest players in the world after his transfer, he and Suarez will face pressure they have never before experienced. The Kop and Anfield faithful expect plenty of goals, and a return to the EPL elite, with their two new strikers leading the way.

Serie A Makes Plenty Moves, but Will Any Matter?
The EPL stole the transfer headlines, but as far as activity is concerned Italy was king. Antonio Cassano left Sampdoria for Milan, while Ronaldinho left Milan for a return to Brazilian side Flamengo. Milan added depth to its backline with Ajax’s Urby Emanuelson and Niccola Legrottagile from Juventus. Giampaolo Pazzini was also sold by Sampdoria, as Inter opened their wallets for the on-form striker (Pazzini scored two goals and earned the penalty in his debut for Inter over the weekend). Roma sold two Brazilians back to Spain’s La Liga, as former Real Madrid men Cicinho and Julio Baptista joined Villarreal and Malaga respectively. Luca Toni leaves Genoa for Juventus, while Amauri goes from Juve to Parma on loan. Italy and Inter’s right back of the future, Davide Santon, was loaned by Inter to Cesena. All these moves make for plenty of old (and young) faces in new places, but other than the departures of Pazzini and Cassano crippling Sampdoria and boosting both Inter and Milan for the stretch run, none of these other players figure to make much of a difference. Serie A is probably the most balanced league in Europe, and these moves don’t appear to really chance that fact.

Americans on the Move
Ever since the 2009 Confederations Cup, the tournament that saw the USA upset Spain and almost defeat Brazil, American players have gotten much more respect from European fans, and more importantly club directors and presidents. Clint Dempsey is having another great season with Fulham, Landon Donovan played like a man possessed for Everton during his short loan spell at Everton in early 2010, while Tim Howard and Brad Friedel are still two of the EPL’s best goalkeepers. A few Americans have new homes after the Winter market, with recently capped defensive midfielder Jermaine Jones making an impressive debut for Blackburn after moving over from Schalke. Michael Bradley, perhaps the USA’s best performer at the World Cup, leaves relegation threatened Borussia Monchengladbach from Germany’s Bundesliga to join EPL side Aston Villa, which is owned by American Randy Lerner. Oguchi Onyewu, probably the best player at the Confederations Cup, has been loaned out by Milan to Dutch champions FC Twente, where his old manager at Standard Liege is now the head man at Twente. Perhaps the most intriguing moves involve Team USA’s starting strikers at the Confederations Cup. First, Charlie Davies, whose career has been derailed since the car accident that left him with major injuries, has been loaned to the MLS and DC United pending a week-long evaluation. If Davies can prove he is healthy or will be in time for the start of the MLS season, it could be the opportunity he needs to rediscover his pre-crash form. As for Jozy Altidore, the next big thing for American soccer is struggling to find a home in Europe. Altidore originally signed with Villarreal, but has since been loaned out to Spanish second division side Xerez where he never made an appearance, then he was loaned to Hull City in the EPL, and while he got a lot of playing time, he scored only one league goal. Altidore got a couple chances with the Yellow Submarines this season, but with more preferred options ahead of him on the depth chart, Jozy is now going to Turkey to try his luck at reigning Turkish champions Bursaspor. With his new club in second place and fighting for a second straight league title, it will be intriguing to see how much he plays, but if anyone watched Bursaspor in the Champions League, if there is one thing they need it’s more offensive firepower.

After another road loss to Charlotte on Saturday, Washington returned home to face Sacramento, one of the few teams with less wins than the Wizards. Despite the freezing rain and snow outside the Verizon Center, both teams were scorching the nets with terrific shooting, with the hottest hand belonging to Nick Young. The match-up featured Kentucky rookies John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins, but it was Young’s 43 point performance that stole the show.

A few weeks back I said Young was one of, if not the favorite to be the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year. Since then, he has established himself as a starter for this Wizards team, and is now a prime candidate for the NBA’s Most Improved Player award. Young played 45 minutes, shot 14-of-22 from the floor, making a career best 7-of-10 from three, while adding four rebounds and three assists. As for the battle between Wall and Cousins, neither player shot very well from the floor (Wall was 6-of-19, Cousins 4-of-19), but Wall played the more complete game by far. Wall scored 22 points, added nine assists and grabbed six rebounds with two steals (and six turnovers), while Cousins notched ten points and eight rebounds.

Despite Wall and Cousins shooting terribly, each team shot 49 percent from the field and at least 80 percent from the charity stripe. Ask Flip Saunders and his team which statistic is often the difference between wins and losses this season, and they will more than likely respond “rebounding.” In this game, Washington dominated on the glass, out-rebounding the Kings 55 to 40. The Wizards had less assists, steals, blocks and more turnovers than Sacramento, but yet they still won thanks to good three point shooting and excellent hustle after missed shots. Of course, the Wizards never needed to go to overtime, but sloppiness down the stretch and tired legs allowed the Kings to force the extra period. Luckily, the Wizards dug deep and found a way to grab a big home victory and momentum before a road trip to Minnesota.

It hasn’t happened often this year, but the Washington Wizards were dominant in a 20 point win over the Nets Friday night. The Wiz took control from the outset, racing out to an 18-to-3 lead after some sharp shooting from beyond the arc by Rashard Lewis and a suffocating defense. Washington finished the first quarter with a 30-to-13 lead, as Lewis scored 11 of his 16 points in the first, while JaVale McGee inspired a great defensive effort with four opening quarter blocks. It was apparent the Wizards were desperate for a victory, when after Nick Young and John Wall missed back-to-back free throws, Wall made his second from the charity stripe, but was still ticked he missed the first. Wall didn’t sulk, he didn’t laugh it off, and he didn’t let the miss affect his defense, where the Wizards really won the game.

Washington shot over 60 percent from the floor in the first quarter, but it was their team defense that ignited a struggling offense coming into the game. McGee’s blocks sent an early message, but it was John Wall, Nick Young and Lewis applying pressure on the wings that forced New Jersey into tough shots. Even Andray Blatche, who has been the subject of criticism and trade rumors, responded with one of his better all-around performances of the year (14 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks). It was an unselfish approach for the Wiz, with five players scoring in double figures, while Wall scored only five points but added nine assists. Rashard Lewis had by far his best performance in a Wizards uniform, scoring 16, pulling down a game high 13 rebounds, and his six assists trailed only Wall. Young had a tough shooting night, but still added 16 points and five dimes, and JaVale McGee seemed to be inspired by his selection to the NBA Slam Dunk contest, going 7-for-9 from the floor and scoring 15 points and grabbing seven boards to go along with his six rejections.

As impressive as Washington’s win was, they still have a 700-pound gorilla on their backs due to their 0-17 record on the road this season. The next two road games are perfect opportunities for the Wiz to end their road failures, starting with Charlotte on Saturday and if they blow that chance they go to Minnesota to face the lowly Timberwolves on Thursday. Even with Josh Howard resting his sore knee, the Wizards must find a way to end this embarrassing losing streak.

In the final edition of the 2010 European Soccer Power Rankings, it isn’t surprising the top two teams hail from Spain, the nation who won the World Cup this past summer. After the 5-0 drubbing of Real Madrid in “El Clasico,” Barcelona proved they are right now far and away the best club in the world, and this group of Blaugrana is playing at a level the sport has rarely seen. 43 points earned in 16 matches, with a plus-42 goal differential (51 goals to just 9 allowed) is stunning. The final three candidates for the Balloon d’Or are Barcelona players (Leo Messi, Andres Iniesta and Xavi), while six of Spain’s World Cup winning starting XI are starters for Barca and manager Pep Guardiola. So while it is obvious who number one is, who else finishes 2010 in the top 25?

1. Barcelona – The only question facing this team down the stretch is whether being alive in three competitions after a World Cup summer will wear down some of Barca’s players? Xavi is constantly playing through pain, but with Real Madrid right on their heels he can’t afford to sit, while Puyol, Abidal, Iniesta and Villa have plenty of mileage on their legs. How Pep Guardiola manages his roster during the run in is pivotal.

2. Real Madrid – In any other league they would be the run away leaders, and yes that includes the EPL. Outside of Barca, no team blends explosive attacking football with lock-down defense quite like Mourinho’s men. Cristiano Ronaldo has been top notch, and even without Gonzalo Higuain for two months and with Kaka on the shelf all season, Madrid were a Champions League (CL) best +13 in goal differential during the group stage (15-to-2). Mourinho still wants another striker during the January transfer window, but it doesn’t seem like he will get his way. Will Kaka’s return be enough of an offensive spark with Higuain expected to miss another month at least?

3. Manchester United – Typical Man U. Superb defense, erratic offense, and in first place. The Red Devils have been without Wayne Rooney for much of the season, while Dimitar Berbatov has killed below-average competition, but has been below-average against good opponents. Nani has been electric while Nemanja Vidic has returned to  world-class form.  Zero losses through 18 matches is impressive, and while they have 39 goals, they must be more prolific in front of goal.

4. Arsenal - The young Gunners are growing up this season, but as usual injuries have meant a lack of consistency. Samir Nasri has been unbelievably good during the first half of the season, while Marouane Chamakh has been a nice addition from Bordeaux. Theo Walcott is much improved, and Johan Djourou is a nice, new option at centre-back. There are still questions about the goalkeeper situation and the best attacking lineup, but overall Arsenal has been impressive.

5. AC Milan – The Italian giants are back amongst Europe’s best. Milan started slowly, but they are finally starting to discover chemistry in attack, where Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been lights-out. Robinho is still trying to rediscover his best form, and it seems Ronaldinho is on his way out with Antonio Cassano replacing him. Luckily for the Rossoneri, they have perhaps the best centre-back on the planet in Thiago Silva. The Serie A has been unimpressive again this campaign, but among just a few bright spots is Milan’s current form.

6. Manchester City – The Citizens are currently dealing with some transfer drama as Carlos Tevez continues to talk about how he no longer wants to play in Manchester and no longer loves soccer, but it seems as though he will remain at City until the summer. The rest of the Man City squad is playing very well, especially GK Joe Hart, who is making his case as being the EPL’s best.

7. Borussia Dortmund - In perhaps the continent’s most offensive league, it is east to see why Borussia Dortmund have been so successful this season; their defense. BVB currently hold a ten point lead in the table over Mainz and Bayer Leverkusen thanks to a dominating defense (ten goals allowed in 17 matches), although they have also scored the most goals in the Bundesliga (39). Barring a stunning collapse, BVB will be in title contention all season, but they won’t sneak up on anybody during the season’s second half, especially since they are still alive in three competitions.

8. Tottenham Hotspur - For Tottenham, the key to winning is simple; keep Rafael van der Vaart healthy. Sure, it is easier said than done, but when the Dutch maestro is in the lineup for Spurs, they have been truly elite. With a midfield of VDV, Aaron Lennon, Luka Modric (who has been sensational) and Gareth Bale (who has been even more sensational), Spurs are tough to beat. If their defense can be just good, not even great, but good, and Gomes can just not make the big mistake in goal, a finish among the top four is certainly attainable.

9. Villarreal - In another league, Villarreal could be title contenders, but in Spain they are fighting for no better than third place. Diego Lopez is a first class keeper while Santi Cazorla is again an elite winger now that he is healthy. Youngsters Nilmar and Giuseppe Rossi have been dynamic in attack, while Joan Capdevila is one of just two players in Spain’s starting XI not playing for Barca or Madrid (Fernando Torres is the other). A long-term injury to Marcos Senna hurts their chances to upset the big boys, and it would be nice to see Jozy Altidore get some playing time or go out on loan, but it appears the Yellow Submarines want to keep him around.

10. Chelsea - It is hard to believe the club that began the season at the top of these power rankings has fallen all the way to ten, but in the case of Chelsea their current form is embarrassing. The Blues are 2-3-4 in their last nine league matches, and they also lost their last CL match against Olympique Marseille. When Frank Lampard returns Chelsea fans hope wins will follow, but right now one of the world’s deepest and most talented teams is floundering.

11. Shaktar Donetsk - The first club not from one of the power leagues (EPL, La Liga, Serie A or Bundesliga), Shaktar isn’t even from a next tier league, but this Ukrainian powerhouse wins plenty of matches despite the lack of household names. Europa League (EL) champions in 2009, Shaktar outgunned Arsenal to finish on top of their CL group. A nice mix of Ukrainian, Croatian and Brazilian players, Donetsk are a great balance of size, speed and technical ability. Luiz Adriano is a goal scoring machine, while former Arsenal striker Eduardo is rediscovering his best form, and Dmytro Chygrynskiy is back from a terrible season with Barcelona to lead a solid backline. The key player for Shaktar is captain Darijo Srna, a dynamic right back who creates numerous scoring chances from his crosses and set pieces. Their match-up with Roma in the CL Round of 16 will be fun to watch.

12. FC Copenhagen - Like Shaktar, FC Copenhagen, or Kobenhaven, is the dominant team in Denmark, but The Lions have never had quite the success they are enjoying right now. In just their second ever appearance in the CL group stage, FCK have advanced to the Round of 16 for the first time in their club’s history, and it’s the first time any Danish team has reached the group stage. In the Danish Superliga, FCK are absolutely dominating. No losses and just three draws in 19 matches, while scoring 50 goals and allowing just 15. It is no surprise the league’s top two scorers are from FCK, as Cesar Santin and Dame N’Doye have each netted 13 times this season.

13. Zenit St. Petersburg – The recently crowned Russian champs were outstanding from start to finish in 2010. Unbeaten in the Russian Premier League until October 27th, Zenit lost just two matches all year while posting a +40 goal differential. Portuguese midfielder Danny was the creative spark, while his fellow countryman Bruno Alves was a vital signing during the summer transfer window. The only drawback to Zenit’s season was not qualifying for the CL group stage. They didn’t let that disappointment bother them however, going 6-0-0 in EL group stage play and easily moving on to the next round. With their season over however, it will be interesting to see how the rust of not playing affects Zenit come February and March.

14. Olympique Lyon - CL semifinalists and Ligue 1 runners-up last season, Lyon is having a tough time repeating that success in 2010-11, but their goals are all still ahead of them. After a treacherous start to this season’s campaign, they are just one point behind leaders Lille, and they qualified for the Round of 16 of the CL (although they did draw Real Madrid). Lyon seem to be playing their best football of the season right now, but they need to keep progressing if they hope to lift any type of silverware in 2011.

15. Bayern Munich - I know, I know, they are fifth in the Bundesliga, 14 points behind leaders Borussia Dortmund, but even with numerous injuries and questions at the back they dominated their CL group. Arjen Robben has been on the bench all season with injury issues (big surprise), while Franck Ribery just recently returned from his injury problems, yet Bayern is still in the hunt for three trophies. Mario Gomez is finally living up to his huge transfer fee, but FC Hollywood will only go as far as their defense takes them.

16. FC Porto - Another domestic powerhouse having an out-of-this-world start to their campaign. The Dragons are 11-2-0, scoring 29 goals and allowing just five, even after selling star defender Bruno Alves in the summer. Porto strikers Hulk and Falcao have scored 17 and 15 goals respectively in domestic and EL play, and both could be making big money moves in the summer. Until then, Porto will look to win a nice double since they are unable to test themselves in the CL.

17. Olympique Marseille - A lot like rivals Lyon, OM is having a tough time replicating their form of last season. The defending Ligue 1 champs bounced back from a poor CL campaign last season to progress to the Round of 16 this year, but their domestic performance has suffered as they sit in fifth place, three points behind Lille.

18. PSV Eindhoven – The Dutch powers currently lead the Erevidisie by four points, but that doesn’t accurately showcase their dominance. PSV registered a 10-0 win earlier this season against storied Feyenoord, helping Eindhoven’s goal differential reach an outrageous +34. Just two losses is a testament to how well this team has played, but they sold star midfielder and Dutch national team member Ibrahim Affelay to Barcelona and they will need other players to step up and fill his cleats.

19. Valencia - No David Villa, no David Silva and it hasn’t been much of a problem for Valencia. Sure, the team isn’t quite as dynamic on the offensive end, but Roberto Soldado and Aritz Aduriz each have ten goals this season and have been a nightmare for opposing defenses. If Ever Benega can get back on the field before the CL knockout round, their chances of advancing past Schalke greatly increases.

20. Napoli - Just the second Italian team on this list, but Napoli is well deserving of their place in these rankings. Second place in the Serie A, Napoli has won three straight games by a 1-0 scoreline, showcasing a typically defensive approach. On offense, on loan striker Edinson Cavani is tied for the league lead with ten goals, while Marek Hamsik has added another seven from his midfield position. Their elimination in the EL hurts their cause in these rankings, but it could help them down the road since they now have one less competition to worry about.

21. Lille - They haven’t won a league title since 1954, but this year their offense hopes to carry them to the top of a very balanced French championship. Moussa Sow leads Ligue 1 with 14 goals, while Ivory Coast international Gervinho has seven strikes. Although he only has two goals so far, Eden Hazard might be Lille’s most valuable player, and he has attracted plenty of praise across Europe, including that of French legend Zinedine Zidane.

22. Rangers - The defending Scottish champions are at it again this season, jumping out to an impressive 13-2-1 record, including an 8-1-0 mark and 24-to-10 goal differential on the road. Once again, Rangers failed to progress to the knockout round in the CL, but they figure to be a handful in the EL with striker Kenny Miller notching 22 goals in all competitions. On January 2, the Old Firm derby will go a long way in deciding the SPL title.

23. Olympiacos - Greek’s most successful club, Olympiacos has had a decent start to the 2010 season after a disappointing 2009-10 campaign. A 12-0-3 record and +22 goal differential is impressive, as is their five point lead in the Greek Super League. The biggest problem with Olympiacos is their lack of European football and the fact that two of their three losses this season were to second and third place rivals Panathinaikos and AEK Athens respectively.

24. Trabzonspor - I’m not going to lie. I don’t know a damn thing about this team, other than that they are leading an underrated Turkish Superlig. Some fun things to know, just for kicks. They have won the most Turkish titles of any club based outside of Istanbul, they won a game earlier this season 7-0, tying a club record, they are sponsored by Nike, and they are one of the few teams Liverpool can actually beat this season.

25. Inter Milan – I originally didn’t have Inter in the top 25, but I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt for getting rid of Rafael Benitez and replacing him with Leonardo. The obvious fatigue of players like Wesley Sneijder, Maicon, Julio Cesar and others has really hurt this team, and the bench players have failed to perform the way they did last year for Mourinho. This team is still one of the most talented on the planet, but sometimes winning teams who got good luck the season before can go south quickly if they lose faith, which the club obviously did in Rafa.

Newly acquired Wizard Rashard Lewis didn’t have the best debut at the Verizon Center. Washington lost to the Bulls 87-80 and Lewis scored just 8 points on 4-of-10 shooting – including 0-of-5 from three with five fouls in 14 minutes. Overall, it was an ugly offensive game for both teams. Fitting to see Donovan McNabb sitting court-side. Even as Kirk Hinrich played one of his best games of the season for the still injured John Wall, the lack of a true low post scorer is really hurting this team.

Andray Blatche notched just 7 points on 3-of-17 shooting while JaVale McGee had zero. Both were utterly dominated by Carlos Boozer and Kurt Thomas. The Wizards are also not finding anyone other than JaVale to consistently rebound the basketball. Yes the defensive performance was impressive, something they have obviously focused on since Gilbert Arenas’ departure (and Wall’s latest injury). Against the league’s upper echelon, they need to find a way to be more efficient on offense.

Before Washington’s home game against Philadelphia, I thought this team would finish 2010 4-15. Right now they are 3-12 with a Texas road trip to San Antonio and Houston followed by a home-and-home with Indiana. Looks good for my prediction, but not so good for the Wizards heading into 2011. Luckily they start the new year with a manageable slate of games, but right now this team is still looking for their first road win of the season.

CPR 12-24-2010

The news was enough to cover up the embarrassing last minute loss to the Miami Heat:  Gilbert Arenas had been traded. It really didn’t matter what the Wizards got in return for their former superstar (Rashard Lewis was a decent return, as I’ll talk about more later) but the fact that Ernie Grunfeld was able to deal Arenas at all was a victory for the franchise. Sure, the Wiz still can’t win a game on the court, but now it appears that Washington has a clear plan for the future.

This trade wasn’t made to help the team this year and it probably won’t help the Wiz next year either. At the end of the day this is a win-win deal for both Washington and Orlando. The Magic get a player who desperately needed a change of scenery and who possesses the outside shooting Stan Van Gundy’s offense relies upon. Arenas also gives Orlando another reliable scoring threat who craves the playoff intensity expected of the Magic this season. Washington rids themselves of Arenas – which was the best part of the deal. Getting Rashard Lewis was a slick move by Grunfeld. Financially, Lewis-for-Arenas saves Washington $30 million. On the court, Lewis is a scoring small forward and a deadly three point shooter. His arrival gives John Wall the point guard position all to himself. Lewis also gives the Wizards greater flexibility, since he can play power forward (at 6’10″). Washington can either go small with Wall and Kirk Hinrich at guard, or big with Josh Howard or Nick Young at shooting guard. If Flip Saunders can’t figure out three or four different rotations now, he doesn’t stand a chance at returning to the bench next season.

The Wizards are still struggling to win games this season. While many who follow the Wizards had doubts about the direction of this team, it appears that perhaps there is hope for this franchise after all.

CPR 12-20-2010

I completely overrated this team coming into the season and right now I can’t believe I actually thought this franchise was heading in the right direction. Losers in nine of their last ten games, Washington’s bleak playoff hopes have been all but dashed – in December. The roster has some talent, but it doesn’t seem like anyone knows what direction the team is heading. There are concerns with the players,  coaching staff and front office - and the Wizards need to use the rest of the season to try to answer a myriad of questions.

Starting with the roster, John Wall was a pleasant surprise after winning the lottery, but numerous leg injuries have cost the rookie multiple games and stunted his development. Fellow rookies Trevor Booker, Kevin Seraphin and Hamaday Ndiaye have barely made an impact but it is still a mystery as to whether they will realistically help this team in the future. Andray Blatche has regressed offensively, settling for too many jump shots and not using his big body to bang in the paint. Gilbert Arenas is obviously not a future component on this team and the Wiz have to hope they can find a partner, or partners, at the trading deadline so they can go full speed with their rebuilding project. Yi Jianlian has been injured and inconsistent, although he seems to be a nice bench option. Hilton Armstrong hasn’t done much with his opportunities, while Kirk Hinrich has been put in a tough spot having to perform so many roles. Despite this, he has responded admirably. JaVale McGee is a rebounding and shot-blocking beast, but his offensive game is basically dunking. McGee must work on developing a hook shot and find confidence in a few post moves to really be a true force on the low block. Al Thornton has proved this year he is a role player and not a starter, while Josh Howard has been injured all season. Nick Young has been a bright spot for Washington and is a leading candidate for Sixth Man of the Year. A notoriously streaky scorer, Young has been incredibly consistent since seeing his playing time increase on November 13th against Chicago, scoring double figures in 12 of 15 games.

Flip Saunders and his coaching staff must be on the chopping block after another losing season which hasn’t shown there is much light at the end of the tunnel. A young, up-and-coming teacher is what this franchise needs, not another retread coach. I don’t know who the Wizards would specifically target, but someone in the Lawrence Frank/Scott Brooks/Erik Spoelstra mold would be the direction I would take. This team has a new owner, a new face of the franchise, and now they need a new coach to lead them into the next decade. It is obvious this team stinks out loud, but this is a pivotal season for the Wizards franchise if they don’t want to be a laughingstock for the foreseeable future.

CPR 12-16-2010

After a pathetic defensive performance against the Toronto Raptors, the Washington Wizards rebounded with a great showing on that side of the court in a 83-79 win over the Portland Trailblazers. Well, the defense was lacking again Sunday night, as the Phoenix Suns put on an offensive clinic, led by Steve Nash’s 20 point, 17 assist, perfect shooting display in a 125-108 win.

Flip Saunders decided to go with another starting lineup against the Suns, as Alonzo Gee and Kirk Hinrich stepped in for Gilbert Arenas and a still hobbled Al Thornton. The experiment didn’t work, and it is hard to figure out Flip’s rationale. Nick Young’s defensive liabilities can’t be so bad as to leave his hot shooting out of the starting lineup (another 20 points in just 23 minutes), and Gilbert Arenas is obviously a better player than Kirk Hinrich. Even with John Wall posting a double-double (12 points and assists) and Andray Blatche shooting 10-of-13 from the floor and a perfect 4-of-4 from the free throw line (good for 24 points), the Wizards didn’t mount much of a challenge after halftime.

Again, Washington’s defense was below-par, with every single Suns player scoring at least three points, and Phoenix shot 58% from the floor. Again, the Wizards look lost and uncomfortable on the road, and things don’t get easier on Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center. It is hard to see how this team can even compete with the Lakers, despite L.A.’s recent struggles, and JaVale McGee will hopefully be able to go after playing just 18 minutes against Phoenix. Washington needs to get a road win soon, because with so many young players the pressure they put on themselves, let alone what they will feel from the media and fans, will haunt them for weeks ahead.