By Sam Amico

HOLIDAY WISHES

I should start by saying that you responded to my previous column on the Lakers with all the enthusiasm of someone who just unwrapped a piece of coal for Christmas.

I should add that the Lakers didn't exactly seem inspired by it, either.

And I should throw in this e-mail from reader Jason Hunt, who wrote, "I can get information about the Lakers anywhere. One of the main reasons I like your newsletter is because you spend a lot of time talking about NBA teams that stink. Like the Denver Nuggets."

Well, Jason, then the Nuggets it shall be.

Mostly, I wanted to start by thanking you for helping to make this newsletter work. You take the time to read and send me your thoughts, and best of all, just be my friend in pro hoops.

And that's one of the nicest Christmas gifts I could hope for. In short, thanks a lot.

Speaking of Christmas, well, I still have lots of shopping to finish today, so this will be an abbreviated version of the Amico Report. And after today, my next newsletter won't arrive until the second week of 2003. By the way, doesn't it feel weird to say "Two Thousand and Three"? It sure does for me, especially when I think about growing up in the 1980s, watching guys like Bernard King, Alex English, and yes, a young Michael Jordan, rule the NBA. But that's a topic for another day.

Anyway, I'll still be expecting your feedback, and will even try to respond before the next newsletter comes out. As usual, I will also be enjoying the games and jotting down lots of thoughts to share.

Until then ... (cover your years, because I'm about to shout) ... HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

EXPANSION DECISION

After hearing that Robert Johnson had been awarded Charlotte's expansion team, my initial reaction was, "Say what? Robert who? Over LARRY BIRD?" I felt for the people of Charlotte, who probably figured having one of the greatest players ever as director of basketball operations would really stick it to previous ownership. They probably also thought Bird would give their new team a solid foundation.

Initially, I thought choosing Johnson over the group to which Bird belonged would turn into a marketing disaster for the league -- which already has too many teams drawing crowds similar to ones you'd find at a rookie league baseball game.

But then I thought about Johnson, and what he's accomplished. Namely, he founded Black Entertainment Television. So this is a man who has some serious business sense, someone who has a proven record of building something from scratch -- and turning it into an extremely profitable enterprise.

Also, this was Johnson's second bid for an NBA team, and it's about time a minority was given the opportunity to own a major professional sports team. But if you ask me, this has nothing to do with race. Johnson is a businessman, first and last. He's a guy with rock-solid credentials, a guy with a reputation for placing a lot of value on what his customers have to say.

So after giving it a lot of thought, I realized that Johnson was the best possible owner for Charlotte's new team, which begins play in the 2004-05 season. Johnson may not be able to beat Bird on the court, but he deserves a shot off of it.

EXPANSION E-MAILS

Here's what you had to say about Johnson and his winning bid:

From Tane Murdock

"A lot of people are whispering that (Johnson's selection) was based solely on the fact that he's an African-American. But what these people don't seem to realize is that he loves pro basketball as much as the other group, if not more. It's not about his skin color. Johnson is a huge pro basketball fan, as his television station used to carry CBA games. And the NBA needs more owners who truly love pro basketball -- and aren't just out to make a buck."

From Leslie Roberts

"I find it hard to believe the NBA would pass up the chance to have a guy like Larry Bird play such a predominant role. I'm still shocked. Hopefully, Johnson will hire a big-name former player (Michael Jordan?) to help build community interest. Right now, a lot of people in Charlotte are disappointed again."

From Glenn Salley

"As an African-American and lifelong Charlotte resident, I could give two hoots about who owns the team or what 'name' player is involved as general manager. What matters to me is that the product on the court is one that our city can be proud of. Sure, it would have been great to have Larry Bird here, because he's a proven winner. And I'll be the first to admit that I was pulling for Bird's group. He knows a lot of the players and they all loved playing for him in Indiana (even Jalen Rose). But if Johnson's teams can win, people will forget about Bird in no time. If not, we'll always say, 'Why couldn't we have had Larry? We got ripped off.'"

AS FOR THE FORMER CHARLOTTE GUYS

I am proud to announce that I've recently become a huge Baron Davis fan.

I never fully appreciated the New Orleans point guard until I watched him in back-to-back road wins over Utah and the Lakers -- when he played with an ironing board for a back, yet still lit up both opponents. And anybody who is willing to play regular-season games with a bad back gets a thumps up in my book.

Actually, Davis pretty much insisted on playing, and even though there are times when he winces in pain, his game hasn't really suffered. He still has wonderful ballhandling skills and a strong desire to win. All he needs now is a consistent outside jump shot.

More young players should watch Davis. Especially how he always dribbles with his head up, eyes the court, and looks to pass first.

While on the topic of the Hornets, I also love the team's new road uniforms. I'm not sure what color of blue they're supposed to be -- it kind of looks like they were originally white, but got thrown in the wash with some dark sweatshirts. OK. I think I've made my point.

ON LEBRON

When it comes to high school phenom LeBron James, I agree with Sean Elliott. "Let's not forget, he's playing against 16- and 17-year old kids. Jamal Mashburn could score 40 points on 16- or 17-year old kids, too," Elliott said on NBA2Night.

The difference, of course, is that James is about 10 years younger than Mashburn and is still developing. Heck, he may even be better than Mashburn already.

No question, the kid is good. And as a fellow native of Akron, Ohio, I say that with some pride. But the biggest thing that concerns me is, for James, nothing but becoming The Next Michael Jordan will be good enough. And I don't think he's Michael Jordan.

Still, I don't mind all the hype. What else are we gonna talk about? Iraq?

In the near future, I'm going to put out a special LeBron James Edition of the newsletter, and I would like for it to be written mostly by you. So start typing. (And, no, I won't be profiting one cent).

NBA-RELATED BOOKS

Two NBA-related books came out within the past few weeks -- "They Cleared the Lane: The NBA's Black Pioneers," by Ron Thomas, is one book that I'm very much looking forward to reading, as is "Reach Beyond the Break," by no less than Dallas Mavericks guard Avery Johnson.

USA Today gave each book a positive review, writing, "Sports autobiographies usually bring on an attack of cynicism, but (these) two basketball books are surprising with their heartfelt sincerity."

FINAL RANDOM THOUGHTS

-- As I sit down to write this, Philadelphia, Denver and Houston reportedly completed a three-team trade in which the 76ers will get Rockets forward Kenny Thomas. I really like this deal for the Sixers, especially if Thomas accepts his role and is willing to either a) come off the bench, or b) start but play limited minutes. Thomas is an underrated talent who does a little bit of everything pretty well. Obviously, he'll have to improve his defense under Larry Brown.

-- I also like swingman James Posey, who is going from Denver to Houston. Posey maintained a positive attitude with the Nuggets despite all the losing, and is the type of guy who should fit in very well with the up-and-coming Rockets. Now, Houston is more than getting good. It has a deep team that's filled with young talent.

-- As for Denver, well, I'm not exactly sure where the Nuggets are going with this, as they received big men Mark Bryant and Art Long in the deal. Bryant is 614 years old and Long, while he's shown flashes, ain't exactly the next Artis Gilmore. But I have a feeling Nuggets GM Kiki Vandeweghe has some solid plans -- I just have no idea what they are. And that, folks, is why I write free e-mail newsletters and not NBA scouting reports.

-- Did you know that Malik Allen is the Miami Heat's third-leading scorer? Or that some guy named Mike James is averaging just two points less than Allen's 10.8 points per game with the Heat? This team has problems. SERIOUS problems.

-- And now Pat Riley is having a meltdown, accusing referee Steve Javie of taunting him and saying something to the effect of, Golly, it sure is fun watching your team stink. I have a tendency to believe Riley, as Javie is perhaps the worst, and easily most insecure, of the league's officials. Remember, this is a man who once threw former Cleveland point guard Mark Price out of a game for saying, "That's bull." No matter, as long as Riley is around, I like the Heat's chances to rebound from this mess. In the meantime, we should all try to just appreciate Heat guard Eddie Jones.

-- Can you guess who is the third-leading scorer for the Milwaukee Bucks? Time's up. The answer is Michael Redd -- and NOT Tim Thomas, who was expected to have a breakout season after the trade of Glenn Robinson. Thomas has been his usual steady self, but it's obvious the young man is lacking in the fundamentals. Meanwhile, I think Redd has a shot to be a very good player -- just not for this team. He plays the same position as Ray Allen, meaning Redd will never get a ton of shots, or minutes.

-- Nobody's saying much, but the Memphis Grizzlies sure look a lot more confident since Hubie Brown took over as coach. They're moving the ball, taking good shots, and starting to work a little bit harder on defense. That last part says a lot when you have Jason Williams and Pau Gasol on the team.

-- Tons of Indiana fans e-mailed to complain about my omission of Conseco Fieldhouse from the list of top NBA arenas. I also got a couple of objections from Toronto (Air Canada Centre). Both are wonderful buildings, I'm sure. But sometimes, I can only go by what I see on TV. And how's that for an expert opinion on arenas?

-- Did I write something earlier about this being "an abbreviated version" of the newsletter? I guess "pointless version" would have been more accurate.

-- Reader Paul Myers e-mailed recently to ask what I "get" for writing the Amico Report. Dear Paul, three words ... FREE MEDIA GUIDES!

-- Nothing against New Jersey, Sacramento, or the Lakers, but I sure would love to see a Dallas-Indiana Finals. This is a new rivalry that has it all: Very good players, very good coaches, colorful personalities, and something every rivalry needs -- two teams with a lot of respect, and strong dislike, for each other.

-- Last week, I asked you to vote for the NBA MVP. So far, Dirk Nowitzki is winning. Tracy McGrady is second, and Tim Duncan is third. Send comments along with your votes, and I'll print them. Just keep 'em short and sweet (not long-winded like me).

CONTACT ME

E-mail questions and comments to me at amicoreport@hotmail.com. I will try to answer questions in the newsletter, but you must include your full name.

HAVE A GREAT DAY!

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