BALLIN IN YOUR LIVING ROOM

The trailer for the new NBA Jam brings back classic memories of some of the best basketball games ever.

The trailer for the reincarnation of NBA Jam was released last week and it looks to have all the great elements of the original. Of course, NBA Jam was one of the greatest video games of all time so hopefully the new edition that will be released later this year on Nintendo Wii can live up to the name. Until its release, let's take a look at the top 5 greatest NBA video games of all time...

5. Jordan vs Bird: One-on-One

Who was the greatest basketball player of all time? The debate was hot. Some thought it was Larry Bird and some thought it was Michael Jordan. To settle that argument, Jordan and Bird faced off in a game of 1-on-1 on the Nintendo console or Sega Genesis.

4. NBA 2K2

The Sega Dreamcast is the most underrated game console of all time. It brought great exclusive titles such as Sonic Adventure and Shenmue. It was also the birth place of the 2K franchise. It is a difficult choice but 2K2 was the best of the franchise. It had smooth animations, good controls, and good graphics for the time. Post play gave the game a whole new element but taking it in and throwing it down was always the best.

3. NBA Live 2000

This is one of the top basketball games ever because of two words: Michael Jordan. After years of having to use a guy named "Player" with #99 in games, Air Jordan finally authorized his character come back in a video game in NBA Live 2000. Users picked an NBA player to take on Jordan in a seemingly impossible game of 1-on-1 in a street court. When he was beat, players could finally have a chance to control Michael Jordan.

2. NBA Street

NBA Street took elements from classic games such as NBA Jam and combined them with NBA basketball and the then-popular And 1 street style ball. Users created a new player to work his way up to some of the most famous streetball courts around the country, adding new players from defeated teams along the way. Amazing dribbles, spectacular dunks, fresh styles, and challenging bosses always makes for a great game.

1. NBA Jam Tournament Edition

Go ahead, say it. BOOM SHAKALAKA! There is no denying the greatness of NBA Jam T.E. It really put basketball gaming on the map. Surprisingly, Shaq and Charles Barkley did not sign off on this game because they were each pushing their own awesome games (Shaq Fu, Charles Barkley's Shut Up and Jam). However, they needed the game more than it needed them. 2-on-2 basketball action was never better. Perhaps the greatest part of this game was the codes. You could play as Mortal Kombat characters such as Sub-Zero (although they were removed in later versions due to controversy with the violence of their game), Bill Clinton, or Will Smith and Jazzy Jeff. Hopefully, the newest NBA Jam uses the same elements as the classic arcade style basketball game.

Honorable Mention: Shaq Fu, Double Dribble, Arch Rivals, NBA Showtime, Charles Barkley Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden (awesome fan-made RPG available for download online)

GOOD HAIR

Ron Artest and Brandon Jennings recently have played with some head-turning hair styles. Here's a look at some of the greatest styles of the NBA season.

Summoning Dennis Rodman, Ron Artest dyed his hair Lakers gold and purple. The words in his head spelled out "DEFENSE" in three different languages. Not a bad message being delivered. Unfortunately, his team lost the only game in which he used this hair style. By the time the next game came around, his head was clean shaved.

Don't forget Artest's opening night hair. His barber, Boogie, cut out a Lakers logo into the back of Artest's hair. He wasn't part of the team last season so he didn't get a ring. He had to have something to stand out.

Milwaukee Bucks guard Brandon Jennings is well known for his various hair styles. Early in the season, he stuck with the Kid N Play style flat top that he wore in high school.

Jennings was in Dallas for All-Star Weekend Festivities and he had to do something special. For his participation in the the Rookie Challenge and Skills Challenge, Jennings wore his now famous "Gumby" style hair.

Most recently, Jennings has changed to an interesting customized mohawk. It is a mix between a fauxhawk and mohawk. He also left a small amount of hair over the rest of his head and has lines shaved into the sides.

He could have simply left this as mohawk but Jennings spiced it up by dying the spot down the middle red. Nice touch. Because it is so recent, no clear pictures exist at the time but these two show enough.

Well, your thoughts are always welcome. Who has the better style? Was it over the top?

REGGIE MILLER AND THE KNICKS

ESPN debuts their latest installment of the "30 For 30" documentary series. Stay tuned for the live blog during the West Coast premiere.

Reggie Miller was most famous for the choke sign he directed at lifelong New York Knicks fan Spike Lee. "Winning Time," the documentary directed by Dan Klores, takes a closer look at the infamous rivalry between the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers. Some of you might have already seen it but stay tuned for the West Coast premiere and live blog at 9 p.m. PST on ESPN 2.

- John Starks of the Kicks made a huge mistake not shaking Reggie's hand at the start of the series.

- This was how basketball should be played. The NBA should allow more jawing (and occasionally brawling) between players again. Ron Artest was the downfall of fighting in the NBA.

- "You're supposed to be a starting shooting guard in this league? Look at your stat line. This is embarrasing." Reggie to John Starks

- Starks was a pretty solid NBA player but when Charles Oakley gets mad at you for getting too physical, you know you went too far.

- Spike Lee is the man. This is great footage of him yelling on the sideline. But he shouldn't have said anything when Pippen posterized Ewing. That was a shut-up moment.

- 8 points in 8.9 seconds. Starks said it best: "Did he just did this?"

This was a very well done documentary. It combined great elements of journalism, film making, and basketball. It was packed with great sound bites, footage, and interviews. Transitions were wonderful and the Pacers-Knicks rivalry was covered extensively. It showed what it truly takes to win in the clutch and made me fall in love with basketball all over again. It is available on DVD through Amazon.com if you didn't catch it or want to pick up a copy.

QUESTIONS SURROUND THE ANSWER

Allen Iverson has been a staple in the NBA for years. Now, the Answer needs to leave the NBA in the past and get his life together.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Last week, it was reported that guard Allen Iverson would not return to the Philadelphia 76ers this season. The reason seemed logical, as he was supposed to be tending to his ill daughter. But now, the bad things are piling up for the 10-time NBA All Star. His wife of 18 years filed for divorce. A report by Stephen A. Smith said that A.I. is facing severe gambling and alcohol problems. This is what Smith wrote in the Philadelphia Inquirer...

Iverson will either drink himself into oblivion or gamble his life away.

The article points out that Iverson has been banned from casinos in Atlantic City and Detroit. The Answer responded to the reports via his twitter account...

To my fans: You all know that my life isn't perfect. I am going through some very tough times right now, like I am sure that we all do from time to time. However, I will stand tall like always with "rhino" thick skin. Even though I have become used to hearing people say things about me that aren't true, it still hurts. I encourage you to continue your ongoing support and I want you to trust that this is another obstacle in my life that, with God's help I will overcome. God Bless You All.

Iverson's fall from grace has happened as quick as he once crossed over Michael Jordan. He was never the same following his original trade from the Philadelphia 76ers. A.I. was good in Denver but the situation was awkward. It only got worse when he quit on the team in Detroit. Then, he signed to Memphis, pledging to help the team however he could. Yet, he complained when he was coming off the bench and was released. His tearful return to the 76ers was supposed to be the wake up call. Apparently, he has not got the message.

Pound-for-pound, he is possibly the greatest player in NBA history. He is 17th on the all-time scoring list and it appears that's where he will stay. Nobody did more with less, either talking about lack of size or lack of talented teammates. That is why it is sad to see him fall so hard. Hopefully, a talk from his old college coach and mentor, John Thompson, can help him get through this rough time. And he needs to take advice from his now famous tattoo, "Only the strong survive."

OVERTIME: Allen Iverson has had one of the longest running signature line of shoes. This year's model was the Answer XIII. There were a few very nice and comfortable pairs in the line but it all started with original and the best, the Reebok Questions.

PISTONS NOT HYPERIZERS

Blaming them for a myriad of injuries, the Detroit Pistons trainer has banned the team from wearing the Nike Hyperize.

Arnie Kander has been the Detroit Pistons strength and conditioning for 18 seasons. And he says that he has never seen more ankle, knee, and groin injuries in a season than this year. Richard Hamilton, Ben Gordon, and Will Bynum have suffered through nagging injuries throughout the season. So, after some investigation, he decided to ban the Nike Hyperize from the players feet. Here's what he told the Detroit Free Enterprise...

I'm not going to name the brand of shoe it was, but it has been banned from our locker room and the guys aren't allowed to wear it. These shoes had taken most of the support out of the sides and it was a lighter shoe. Most basketball shoes weigh between 1.4 and 1.7 pounds.

These shoes were weighing 0.8 pounds, which was way too light as far as side support. Since we've banned the shoe, knock on wood, we haven't had any ankle sprains. Hopefully, the good Lord willing, we won't have any more and we can finish the season healthy and see what these guys can really do.

Kander obviously knows what he is doing, so this is a good move on his part. He once referred to modern basketball shoes as glorified moccasins and he is correct.

It seems that more and more basketball shoes are geared towards lighter weight rather than protection and stability. Some players have even resorted to playing in low shoes, meaning they do not go past the ankle. The type of shoes do depend on the player's style but playing in shoes with no ankle support would be awkward.

OVERTIME: It's nice to see that not all players have fell victim to the new trends in basketball shoes. Here is a picture of Clippers guard Bobby Brown playing recently in one of the best basketball shoes of all time, the Air Jordan XI.