Is Howard a resounding slam dunk? He should be. He might not be. The man who promotes himself as Superman can be a real knucklehead. He probably needs to ditch the cape and shoot a few more hook shots. The Lakers' massive early season advantage diminishes if two things happen: The newly acquired center stubbornly resists the ministrations of Nash and Kobe Bryant and coach Mike Brown insists on coaching the offense. -- LeBron James or Kevin Durant. If you were starting a team tomorrow, who's your pick? Clearly, James is the more imposing physical specimen and the more complete player. During the season and again in the Olympics, the league MVP dominated offensively and defensively, and finally seemed comfortable with his inheritance (from Bird, Magic, Jordan, Barkley and Kobe, etc.). But the Games were a revelation for Durant. He became a more committed rebounder, overcame his tendency to dribble (sometimes into a crowd) instead of catching and taking the open shot, and he repeatedly converted timely field goals. And, yes, he's only 23. I'll gladly take the leftover. -- The proposal floated by David Stern that would restrict Olympic eligibility to players 23-and-under, reserving the superstars for an NBA-sponsored World Cup tournament, seems to have fizzled in the summer heat. Kobe and his fellow Olympians hated the idea. USA Basketball executives hated the idea. And officials with basketball's international governing body (FIBA) really hated the idea. While NBA owners have legitimate concerns about injuries incurred during international competition, along