Title Chaste is the diary of Matt Snyder in his season a virgin fantasy basketball player.
Well, that didn't take long. Thanks to Mo Williams, Danny Granger, Amare Stoudemire, Brook Lopez, Jason Terry, Andrea Bargnani and Shawn Marion, I won my first career fantasy basketball game. I should also point out I owe the scheduling for the victory as well, because my team checked in as the sixth-highest scorer out of 12. Really, it could have gone either way. This victory was a sign that being lucky is just as worthwhile as being smart in fantasy basketball, just as I already knew in fantasy baseball and fantasy football. On the other hand, skill is still paramount -- as the top scorer for the week was, not surprisingly, Tom Lorenzo.
Folks who frequent the fantasy sports version of this website are likely familiar with my work in the fantasy baseball and fantasy football sections. I have been playing both of those games since the mid-'90s. To those people, I have news for you: I have never played fantasy basketball. Until now. I'm diving right into our FanHouse fantasy basketball league on Fleaflicker.
On top of my inexperience, I haven't even watched more than a few minutes of an NBA game since May 19, 2005. That was the date of Reggie Miller's final NBA game. During that season, the Pacers -- my favorite team since the days of Wayman Tisdale, John Long and Steve Stipanovich -- had ruined my love for the NBA. Thanks a lot, Ron Artest, Jamaal Tinsley and Stephen Jackson!
In our inaugural edition of the NBA Twitter mailbag, we've got some interesting topics to get us started. How will Shaq's ego fit in Cleveland? Is Kevin Durant getting the attention he deserves? And what's left on the Celtics' summer to-do list?
Rasheed Wallace is one of the last major free agent names to make a commitment, and if the reports turn out to be true (thanks to Hedo Turkoglu, you can never be too sure), he'll be suiting up to start the 2009 season as a member of the Celtics.
Our own Matt Steinmetz thinks that makes Boston the favorite to take home the title next year. But to me, that seems -- to put it as politely as possible -- a bit overly-optimistic.
Well we are here, perhaps the deepest and most pivotal draft in recent NBA memory, filled with so many impact players at the top and some scattered in the middle. This will always be known as the LeBron draft, but its reputation was further enhanced by the stellar careers of Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Carmelo Anthony.
Editor's Note: The following is an updated version of Saturday's Game 6 column.
Isiah Thomas was the original poor loser and superstar mope. His image never recovered after he and his Pistons teammates, unable to accept the collapse of their mini-dynasty, snubbed Michael Jordan and the Bulls by refusing to shake hands. It's one of the last practices of good sportsmanship we have left in the athletic arena, a ritual that should be preserved.
LeBron James, arguably the best team-sports athlete in the world these days, dumped all over that playoff tradition Saturday night. The least he can do, while thrusting his commercial ambitions in America's face every other TV timeout, is be a man and congratulate Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic instead of blowing out of Amway Arena without even a nod to the Eastern Conference champions. Yes, I understand James is 24, feeling the weight of his eventual place in history and surely wondering if Cleveland is feasible as his long-term base in a career that demands multiple titles.
After the Cleveland Cavaliers' season ended Saturday night in an onslaught of Orlando threes and Dwight Howard dunks, drop-step hooks, and again, dunks, the Cavs all responded in different ways. Mo Williams spoke to reporters, the only effective thing he did in the series. LeBron James walked off the floor without speaking to the Magic and left the arena without speaking to anyone. And Ben Wallace was talking about walking away permanently.
Wallace told ESPN that there was a "strong possibility this was (his) last season."
LeBron James didn't stick around Saturday night to speak with anyone about the fall of his Cleveland Cavaliers, leaving the point guard who failed him to speak in his behalf.
King James might not be happy this morning with how he was portrayed -- Mo Williams made him sound like a spoiled child.
Williams meant well when he started talking about the frustration that James was feeling, and why after James showered, he put on his headphones, ignored everyone around him, then walked to the team bus without talking.
CLEVELAND -- So now we're obligated as reasonable people to consider the future, a conditioned reaction whenever LeBron James stares at failure. When he confirmed at the frenzied end of Game 4 that he indeed is human, that he won't make every oh-my-God buzzer heave to win a playoff game, my immediate thought was this: How might losing again in the Eastern Conference finals alter his mindset about playing in New York?
Meaning, why would the NBA's alpha dog ever stay in Cleveland if he can't win a championship here?
Title Chaste is the diary of Matt Snyder in his season a virgin fantasy basketball player. 
Folks who frequent the fantasy sports version of this website are likely familiar with my work in the fantasy baseball and 
FanHouse 
Editor's Note: The following is an updated version of Saturday's Game 6 column.
After the Cleveland Cavaliers' season ended Saturday night in an onslaught of Orlando threes and 
CLEVELAND -- So now we're obligated as reasonable people to consider the future, a conditioned reaction whenever 
