John Hollinger: Greetings from Philips Arena everyone. I'm at the Rockets-Hawks game right now, where Houston is trying to avoid going to 0-14 without T-Mac. Not looking good right now -- Hawks lead 40-33 in the second quarter. But I have a feeling most of you would rather not talk about the Hawks or Rockets right now. Let's hear what's on your mind.

Al Jefferson, Boston MA: Why can't I get consistent minutes? And, will my fellow players Delonte West and Kendrick Perkins develop into above average NBA regulars?

SportsNation John Hollinger: I like the youngsters in Boston quite a bit. West is really coming along nicely and Perkins has his moments too, especially if he could go more than three trips without setting an illegal screen.

As for Jefferson, the problem is that Doc likes a) veterans and b) guys who space the floor, and Jefferson is neither. Doc has never been a coach who liked to run things through the post, and that's the environment Jefferson needs. I don't necessarily think Rivers is a bad coach, but I do think he's a bad fit for this roster, and I've thought that since the day he was hired.

John (Chicago): Within a conference, teams play at least 78 common games, so the divisional alignments are entirely arbitrary and serve no competitive purpose. What's the league's justification for not just seeding the playoffs 1-8?

SportsNation John Hollinger: You'll have to ask David Stern that one. I don't think it makes any sense either. The 1-4 matchups we're looking at for the playoffs just underline the stupidity of the current system.

Luke (Clevland): With the Cavs struggling right now, what can the Cavs do to solve this? I think a trade is needed to help keep Cleveland in the Playoff race.

SportsNation John Hollinger: Cleveland's probelm is that they lost two starters and don't have much of a bench. Getting Sideshow Bob back should help, but they really need a defensive guy in the backcourt -- Luke Jackson isn't cutting the mustard and they're about three years too late on Ira Newble.

SportsNation John Hollinger: Dikembe just got T'd up for throwing an elbow at Marvin Williams. Welcome back to Atlanta Deke.

Chris (Vegas): John - what are some possible trade scenarios for the Jazz to bring in some guard help?

SportsNation John Hollinger: It all depends on Boozer. I think Utah would be abundantly open to moving him, but first he has to play a few games and prove he's healthy. Otherwise the Jazz don't have many assets to throw into a deal -- I doubt they could get much for Kris Humphries.

Greg (LA): What do the Spurs have to do to be able to beat Detroit in the Finals?

SportsNation John Hollinger: Basically, they have to score, and they haven't been able to in the teams' two matchups so far this year. The secondary guys -- Finley, Barry, Van Exel, Mohammed -- are giving them nothing.

Jason (Orlando FL): Wouldn't it be smart if Orlando traded Francis for solid role players and good draft picks to build around Nelson/Howard?

SportsNation John Hollinger: Yes, and good luck with that. Francis's contract and history make it difficult to exchange him for anything of value.

SportsNation John Hollinger: 49-39 Hawks at halftime. Get well soon T-Mac.

Quan, Dallas: Hello John. I always have respect for your opinions. Concerning the Mavs, obviously they had to send Dampier a message and bench him, but what are his chances of responding positively considering his fragile demeanor? Also, if we have any chance of going deep, we need him involved.

SportsNation John Hollinger: Flattery will get you far Quan. As for the Dampier sittuation, what we're seeing a lot of at this time of year is what might be called "motivational benchings." Eddie Jordan did the same thing with Brendan Haywood in Washington -- sit the guy down for a couple of games to remind him that playing him has to be earned. I think Dampier will work his way back into the starting group at some point, but he'll have to pick up the effort first.

Micah (Cambridge MA): Who's your coach of the year so far? D'Antoni?

SportsNation John Hollinger: Several good candidates, but D'Antoni is at the top of my list right now. Flip Saunders, Rick Carlisle, Avery Johnson and Mike Fratello also merit consideration.

Rob (NY): I've been arguing with friends over this one. The Hawks need a PG and they have the trade assets to land Marbury or Francis, who are much maligned. But aren't they better than anyone Atlanta can get through the draft or free agency?

SportsNation John Hollinger: Here's the problem with that scenario -- by the time the Hawks are ready to win anything, both guys will be past their prime and still drawing big dolalrs. Francis/Marbury really only make sense for teams that are a) underachieving and b) not terribly young. Unfortunately, the teams that fit that description best are the ones they already play for.

jack (pasadena, texas): It seems that the Rockets this year are a lot like the Spurs in 1996-1997 when D. Robinson went down, they got the top pick, and got a healthy D. Rob AND T. Duncan. Do you think maybe the all the injuries may actually be a good thing longterm for the Rockets?

SportsNation John Hollinger: I'm glad you brought that up, because I was thinking about that same topic the other day. If Houston ends up with a high lottery pick, it could end up being a blessing in disguise, because they're shockingly devoid of talent after Yao and Tracy.

Brian (Lawrence, KS): Is it detrimental for Glen Taylor to basically tell reporters Olowokandi is going to be traded before the deal is done? And where might he end up?

SportsNation John Hollinger: I don't think that was very wise, no, and I'm not sure where Kandi will end up. He has an expiring contract, so it may be for somebody with a longer deal in the same salary range (5-6 Mil) but a bit more talent. Obvious name No. 1 that comes to mind is Earl Watson, but that's pure speculation on my part.

Jack (Sactown): Do you see the Kings making any moves soon? And do you think they will weather the storm and maybe get into the playoffs?

SportsNation John Hollinger: I think Sacto has to have almost everybody on the market right now. Peja is the most obvious candidate since it's his walk year, but don't forget Bonzi Wells either. I don't see the Kings as a playoff team, no, though I must add that they're sneaking back into the picture a little bit.

Shawn (Washington DC): If the season ended today, would Kobe be the MVP?

SportsNation John Hollinger: No, but he'd show up on a lot of ballots. An unusual number of players are playing at an MVP caliber, making this year' s race quite interesting.

Jake (Detroit): The Pistons are still #1 in offensive efficiency and are moving back up the chart in defensive efficiency (up to #9 from #16). Was their performance against the Spurs evidence that they can still turn on their suffocating defense when they need to?

SportsNation John Hollinger: Detroit has picked up the D a bit of late, but I think that particular game may have been more indicative of San Antonio's recent offensive struggles. Spurs are still the favorites in the West, but they're looking much more vulnerable than I had expected. They may need to make a deal similar to the one last year for Mohammed to shake things up a little.

Joey (Denver): John, how do you feel about Denver's chances to get back in it once they get healthy (except for Nene). With Camby back and if Martin can heal up, they could have another dangerous second half.

SportsNation John Hollinger: I fully expect to see Denver in the playoffs, especially if they can exchange Watson or Miller for a true shooting guard or a big man. Camby's return will help, but I'm getting real worried about K-Mart -- at what point do we describe his problem as "chronic"?

Elyse, Santa Barbara: How can Phil Jackson not be a candidate for coach of the year? Prior to the season, everyone said the lakers would be a lottery team. Well, Kobe and Phil have put them into seventh and looking up. They are doing it with a starting guard that wasn't drafted, a center that has been second string at best on every other team, and with the second youngest roster in the league. I think that merits at least mentioning.

SportsNation John Hollinger: Forgot about Phil. My bad. Definitely deserves a mention.

lew (atl): Why don't the Lakers get a PG like Jalen Rose in a trade, and let Odom move to a real forward role?

SportsNation John Hollinger: I would love to see the Lakers play Odom at the 4 and let him take bigger players off the dribble. In the triangle he could do that repeatedly from the top of the key, which is similar to the play Miami ran for him all the time. They can't get Jalen due to cap issues, but yes, they'd need another guard to really make the Odom switch work.

Ben (Oakland): Can the Warriors turn it around or are they doomed to return to the lottery?

SportsNation John Hollinger: To early to start using the L word, but Golden State certainly has some concerns. It's taking Montgomery an awful long time to realize that Diogu and Murphy can't start together because of defensive issues. And I'm still waiting to find out why Dunleavy got paid.

CJ (Scottsdale): How far do you think the Suns can go if Amare does not come back?

SportsNation John Hollinger: The scary thing about Phoenix is they might be able to win the West even without him. It'd be an uphill climb, but they look like they'll have a favorable seeding as West No. 2 and, as I mentioned above, San Antonio has a few chinks in its armor right now.

Matt (Morristown, NJ): Where do you see the Sonics ending this year? Can they make the playoffs?

SportsNation John Hollinger: No, they're heading right down the tubes. Sonics haven't defended any better under Hill than they did under Weiss, and that's what they need to do to make any kind of run. I can't mince words here -- they are just an unbelievably bad defensive team.

Rory (Boca Raton, FL): Is it just me or is Milwaukee wishing they didn't pick Andrew Bogut and had picked Chris Paul?

SportsNation John Hollinger: It's just you. Paul is fantastic, but good bigs are harder to find than good guards, and Milwaukee was already two deep at the point.

Jason (Baltimore): No Wizards love here? Is there any chance Grunfeld shakes up the roster and gets rid of Jeffries and Atkins?

SportsNation John Hollinger: Eye-opening blowout of Philly today, which makes it four straight since Jordan shook up the lineup. I think Jeffries will stay, but Atkins has been made expendable by the emergence of Donnell Taylor, and plenty of teams are looking for point guard help.

Brandon (Cali): The Utah Jazz are holding onto a half game lead in the Northwest Division over Denver and Minnesota. Who do you think will win that division?

SportsNation John Hollinger: I think it's Denver's to lose, but if they can't stay healthy than Minnesota can swoop in and grab it. I only llke Utah's chances if Boozer can play half a season, and I don't see that happening right now.

Brett(Jacksonville,FL): You stated it will be difficult to move Francis. With that said, have you heard of any teams interested or any proposals that could be out there?

SportsNation John Hollinger: I haven't heard of anyone who is even interested. Orlando's best bet is to try to get Francis back with the program, but obviously that's easier said than done.

SportsNation John Hollinger: Rockets have closed it to 55-53 in the middle of the third. Say this for Van Gundy -- he has these guys playing hard. But it's not easy when you've got 6-2 guys guarding Al Harrington and rookie/10-day guys getting key minutes. Houston is basically a glorified CBA team right now.

Todd (Tucson): Is there any clarification of exactly what Francis' "conduct determinental to the team" was?

SportsNation John Hollinger: He refused to re-enter a game, which has become an unusually popular form of protest in the past couple of years.

Michael (Houston, TX): We know that, but it still hurts to see it in print...we need healthy bodies or a couple of new ones

SportsNation John Hollinger: I feel your pain. Hey, at least you're getting the All-Star game.

King -NJ: John, You're not taking any Nets question today. Is there any good 4 player out that can Help help the NetS?

SportsNation John Hollinger: By "King", do you mean Albert or Bernard? As for the Nets, they've been hot and heavy for Chris Wilcox for some time but haven't had the goods to entice L.A. Also, Jersey may feel less urgency now than they did a month ago.

damon (pittsburgh): Am I the only one who doesn't see the "superstar potential" in Marvin Williams that everyone seems to be talking about? People have been calling him the next James Worthy or Bernard King, but I see a 6'9" guy who plays hard but is without great ball-skills and breaktaking athleticism and has small hands. Maybe I'm just living in a vacuum.

SportsNation John Hollinger: Actually, Marvin has done some eye-opening things the past few games -- big-time jams and offensive boards (including one just now to put the Hawks up by five). He's got a real nice jumper too and could be a serious outside threat in a couple years. But let's face it, the Hawks are hoping that he'll become the player Chris Paul already is.

joe (new york): 'Melo seems to have really stepped it up this season. Has he finally made the leap, and is he an All-Star this season?

SportsNation John Hollinger: Karl has been real good for Anthony, getting him to go to the basket more and stop settling for 20-footers. As for the All-Star game, I'll be addressing that in my column tomorrow. Stay tuned.

SportsNation John Hollinger: Zaza Pachulia just made a leaping behind-the-back pass to Harrington for a lay-up. Now I've seen everything ... Hawks by 8.

Homero (Buenos Aires): Is Pierce finally going to be dealt? There were rumours about him going to either the Los Angeles Clippers or Chicago Bulls.

SportsNation John Hollinger: I've heard a lot of talk about the Celtics finally being ready to make a move, and Pierce may not be the only guy in play. I wouldn't be surprised it all if something went down fairly soon. I'm still not sure that's the right direction for Boston, but I'll withhold judgment until I see what they get in return.

zaza(On the court): I was a superstar in Milwaukee and now in the A.T.L as well!!!

SportsNation John Hollinger: Nice to see you're keeping your wireless browser with you on the court. Now play some defense -- Mutombo's 72 years old and he's killing you on the offensive boards.

Kevin Garnett: Can I get a legit All-Star to help me any time soon? Pierce, Franchise, Artest, anyone?

SportsNation John Hollinger: Not sure about an all-star, but maybe somebody a tier below to round out the rotation. Let's see what's going on with the Olowokandi situation -- help may arrive soon.

Minh (SF, CA): One of your ESPN colleague in a chat last week said Houston is going into the Artest sweepstakes. Can you further comment?

SportsNation John Hollinger: I'm sure they've made an offer, and I'm equally sure it was summarily rejected. Not sure what Houston has to offer that would be remotely tempting for Indy.

Dieter (Gig Harbor, WA): Why did Nate McMillan and Bob Weis keep Robert Swift on the bench for his first seasons in the NBA. I mean he didn't play hardly at all and they didn't even bother to put him into a developmental league. Finally coach Bob Hill is letting him play. What are your thoughts about the previous coach's decisions to bench him?

SportsNation John Hollinger: I can't argue with the previous coach's decisions, becuase their perspective was that they were a contending team and couldn't afford to use the minutes on him. It was true last year, too. Now that Seattle knows they're rebuilding, it makes more sense to play him. I like what I've seen too -- he's a lot more aware defensively than most guys his age and seems to have good hands around the basket.

Jack (NEW BRITIAN): Who has the best chance to win Rookie of the Year?

SportsNation John Hollinger: Chris Paul will win unless he gets hurt. Bogut is a distant second.

Chris Kaman (Los Angeles): Hey Mr. Hollinger. What do you think of my game? Do you think, in another year, people might be talking about me with the other top centers in the league? Be honest. I can be better than Zydrunas Ilgauskas, right? Knock-knock-knockin' on Yao Ming's door.

SportsNation John Hollinger: No, no and no. Kaman scores a little in the post and is playing better D this year, but the only reason Clips fans are so excited is because they watched Michael Olowokandi for so long. Kaman is still way too turnover prone and not nearly as accurate as those guys.

John (Oakland): Why is Diogu untouchable in a potential trade for Artest? He plays the same position as Troy Murphy. Artest is definitely a top 20 player. Diogu isn't even close to that yet, and may never be.

SportsNation John Hollinger: What it boils down to is that Artest is considered a great enough risk that nobody wants to give up anything they really value to get him. The Warriors place a high value on Diogu because they figure in two years he might give them a 20-point scorer on a rookie contract, so there was no way they'd include him in a trade.

Andrew (Newton, MA): What do you think of Jamal Crawford? I know he's not superstar material, but he's really working well in a sixth man role -- substantially better numbers in fewer minutes than as a starter.

SportsNation John Hollinger: I'm glad you brought up Crawford. I didn't think it was possible for a Knick to become underrated, but he's having a real good year and nobody's talking about it. He's gotta be near the top of the list as far as Sixth Man candidates are concerned.

SportsNation John Hollinger: Alright folks, I need to clear out of here. Thanks again for all the questions and we'll do this again next Monday at 3. Enjoy the holiday!