Kawhi Leonard and Paul George team up in L.A. (Getty Images)

You know you’re big time when you can top an earthquake as the biggest news of the day. Just a little over two hours after a 7.1 magnitude quake rocked Southern California, Kawhi Leonard registered a major aftershock when he decided to come to the Los Angeles Clippers and brought another All-Star player with him.

The stunning announcement shifted the balance of power in the NBA. All of a sudden, the Clippers — long considered the JV team at Staples Center — became the favorites to win the 2019-20 NBA title and it evaporated dreams of a Lakers superteam. In the end, Kawhi wasn’t really interested in joining forces with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. He was more interested in creating his own dynamic duo across the hallway.

Sacramento may be the capital of California, but Los Angeles is now the epicenter of the basketball universe.

For a guy known around the league for being quiet, Kawhi sure knows how to communicate what he wants. Kawhi looked around the landscape to see who’d be interested in joining him in L.A. He reportedly tried Kevin Durant, but he was already set for Brooklyn. There were reports he tried to lure Kyrie Irving but Kyrie also had his sights set on Brooklyn. That’s when he turned his attention to another former Southern California native, Paul George. Kawhi laid the groundwork by talking to George about joining forces. Once PG13 was onboard, Kawhi then told the Clippers what he wanted. His message was: make it happen and I’m coming. Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, coach Doc Rivers and general manager Lawrence Frank went to work, and with the help of legend Jerry West acting as yoda, the Clippers got a deal done with Oklahoma City to bring George to L.A. Once PG13 was in the Clipper fold, Kawhi said “no” to the Lakers and Toronto Raptors.

This is now the new NBA. Two stars surrounded by good role players.

When Durant decided to leave Golden State and take his talents to Brooklyn, the superteam era officially came to an end. And this is a good thing for the league because the Warriors simply had a significant competitive advantage during Durant’s three years in the Bay Area. They had arguably four of the top 15 players in the league all in the primes. It just wasn’t fair.

Now that the Warriors are down to three studs (two for now until Klay Thompson returns from his ACL injury), teams feel like they have a shot.

Kawhi saw what Durant went through in Golden State. He saw all the scrutiny KD endured for joining a superteam and he wasn’t about to walk into that same fire. Kawhi already earned two NBA championship rings and wasn’t interested in being handed a third.

The move may not have been popular in Laker Land but it definitely made it a lot more interesting for the NBA and basketball fans. The league is wide open.

The Clippers may be heavy favorites according to Las Vegas oddmakers but there are bunch of teams led by terrific tandems right behind them, all with legitimate shots at winning a championship. OneManFastbreak breaks down the best duos in the NBA:

Kawhi Leonard + Paul George (L.A. Clippers) – Kawhi and PG are considered the best two-way players in the NBA. Add pit bull guard Patrick Beverley to the mix and the Clippers may possess the most impenetrable defense in basketball.

LeBron James + Anthony Davis (L.A. Lakers) – Last we checked, LeBron is still pretty good. He’s coming off one of his worst seasons due to injury, but statistically LeBron is still a top-15 player when healthy. The same can be said about AD. When he’s healthy, Davis is arguably the best big man in the basketball and capable of producing astronomical numbers.

Steph Curry + Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors) – The Splash Brothers have taken a bit of a hit recently due to injuries and tons of mileage from playing in five straight NBA Finals. But we’re not ready to count out the Splash Brothers.

James Harden + Russell Westbrook (Houston Rockets) – When Woj broke the story that Westbrook would be traded from OKC to Houston for Chris Paul and draft picks, a lot of basketball pundits immediately dismissed the Harden-Westbrook collabo as a desperate move by the Rockets. Talking heads are completely missing one important factor: friendship. Harden and Westbrook are very good friends off the court, so they will find a way to make it work on the court.

Damian Lillard + C.J. McCollum (Portland Trail Blazers) – One NBA executive said Lillard and McCollum are so good they can carry three dudes from the YMCA into the playoffs. Lillard and McCollum could have been in the Finals if Jusuf Nurkic didn’t break his leg.

Ben Simmons + Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers) – Simmons and Embiid are the Eastern Conference version of LeBron and AD. The Sixers came within a Kawhi Hail Mary bounce in Game 7 from reaching the conference finals. If Simmons adds a jumper and Embiid gets in better shape, Philly could reach the Finals for the first time since the Allen Iverson era.

Mike Conley + Donovan Mitchell (Utah Jazz) – The Jazz upgraded at point guard with the acquisition of Mike Conley from Memphis. The veteran gives budding superstar Donovan Mitchell a runningmate who can run the team, score if needed and defend his position.

Jamal Murray + Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets) – Jokic had a breakout season in 2019 as he established himself as one of the best centers in the Association. The 7-footer is a walking triple-double and the Nuggets run their offense through him. The Nuggets believe in Murray after signing him to a $170 million contract.

Kyrie Irving + Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets) – This dynamic duo should be higher strictly on star power. Because of Durant’s devastating Achilles injury, NBA fans will have to wait a year. Kyrie will have to shoulder the load until KD returns.

Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge are one of the best guard-forward combos in the NBA. (GETTY IMAGES)

Fans in the Pacific Northwest haven’t felt this good since Starbucks introduced the caramel macchiato.

The Portland Trail Blazers are coming off a 54-win season and fresh off a trip to the Western Conference semifinals where they lost to eventual NBA champion San Antonio. Things are looking up in Portland, and expectations for the 2014-15 season are extremely high.

“We’re a good team and we’re a playoff team. We gotta do the things to make us stay at that level,” Blazers point guard Damian Lillard told NBA TV.

“In our team meeting I told the team we need to hold each other accountable. There’s only so much a coaching staff can do,” Lillard said. “You see Miami. You see Dwyane Wade and LeBron James arguing last year in the playoffs. On the outside they’re arguing. But really they’re holding each other accountable. That’s what made them a championship-level team. I think that’s our next step.”

General manager Neil Olshey thought the Blazers could move into elite status in year four of a four-year process, but they’ve actually done it in three years.

“A lot of it comes from the work Terry [Stotts] has done and a couple of impact moves, adding guys like Robin Lopez and Damian Lillard,” Olshey said.

Owner Paul Allen has deep pockets, so the Blazers have unlimited resources to build a championship team. And Olshey thinks they’re close after drafting a franchise point guard in Lillard two years ago to pair with LaMarcus Aldridge, whom Olshey calls the best power forward in the game.

Aldridge and Lillard have quickly become one of the best guard-forward combos in the NBA. It’s the similar model used by Olshey’s former team, the Los Angeles Clippers, led by Chris Paul and Blake Griffin.

The 6-11 Aldridge owns one of the best mid-range jump shots in basketball. He averaged career highs in points (23.2) and rebounds (11.1) last season, and was named to his third All-Star team. Aldridge, 29, is entering the prime years of his career while his teammate, Lillard, is just scratching the surface.

Lillard, 24, followed up his Rookie of the Year campaign with another superb year, averaging 20.7 points and earning third-team All-NBA honors. He’s also earning the reputation of being a clutch performer. The signature moment of the Blazers’ 2013-14 season came during the first round of the playoffs when he sent his team into the second round with his 3-point buzzer beater in Game 6 against the Houston Rockets.

Lillard and Aldridge were one of three teammates to average 20 points per game. The other two were Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook and Sacramento’s Rudy Gay and DeMarcus Cousins.

With Aldridge and Lillard leading the charge — and strong support from role players Wesley Matthews, Nic Batum and Lopez — the Blazers have one of the best starting fives in the NBA. Those five guys produced 84 points night after night. The improvement needs to come from the bench, an area the Blazers ranked near the bottom in the league.

Portland added veterans Steve Blake (second stint with the team) and Chris Kaman to the roster during the offseason, hoping to bolster the bench, and second-year guard C.J. McCollum has looked good in training camp and Will Barton continues to improve. McCollum, who can play point or shooting guard, will fill the spot vacated by Mo Williams to provide some scoring punch.

“All our young guys have gotten better,” Aldridge said. “C.J. has gotten better. And bringing Blake and Kaman is going to be great. Steve can help mentor Dame [Lillard] and help bring C.J. along.”

Another area of improvement for Portland is on the defensive end.

Last season the Blazers gave up 102.8 points per game, which was 22nd in the league. Defensive transition has been a point of emphasis in camp with hopes of cleaning up some of the woes that hurt them against better teams.

When you look at the recent history of the Blazers three names come to mind: Sam Bowie, Greg Oden and Brandon Roy. Those are three major investments that didn’t pan out.

Now, it is up to these Blazers to erase the bad memories and blaze a new trail.

Joel Huerto is editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

NBA All-Star weekend is easily the best all-star showcase among the four major professional sports leagues. Even though it is far more entertaining than the NFL Pro Bowl or MLB’s home run hitting contest, this year’s event fell a little flat.

The new Sprite Slam Dunk Contest format failed to recognize a true champion. Sure John Wall got everyone’s attention with his reverse dunk over Wizards mascot G-Man, but overall the slam dunk event looked more like an episode of “America’s Got Talent.”

All-Star weekend is all about individual achievement and signature moments authored by players. The NBA needs to go back to that formula.

The whole team format really minimizes the impact of each player’s dunk. Ben McLemore’s left-handed power slam off the bounce was almost an afterthought during the freestyle portion. It was a good thing dunk judge Magic Johnson pointed out Blazers guard Damon Lillard’s version of the East Bay Funk during the same round because most folks probably missed it.

There were some positives. The three-dunk limit is a good way to avoid drowning out the suspense and preventing dunkers from taking 10 attempts at one slam — ala Nate Robinson and Birdman Anderson. The head-to-head battle is pretty cool, reminiscent of those legendary schoolyard battles. The East definitely had the best team of dunkers. Whoever picked the West team was asleep at the wheel. Lillard, Harrison Barnes and McLemore were severely outclassed.

John Wall had the dunk of the night at NBA All-Star Saturday Night in New Orleans. (GETTY IMAGES)

The finish of the slam dunk competition must be tweaked. One more round between the three best dunkers from winning conference would have made it more exciting. Wall basically won the dunk contest with one dunk. Wouldn’t it be more fun if Wall, Paul George and Terrence Ross went at one more round in a winner-take-all format? That’s something the NBA should consider for next season.

As for the other events at All-Star Saturday, the money-ball rack in the 3-point shootout was a success. It added some spice to the event and forced players to strategize. Even though heavy favorite Steph Curry bowed out in the first round, the 3-ball competition still had drama at the end.

Spurs guard/forward Marco Belinelli’s strategy of placing his money-ball rack at the end proved to be the difference in the finals against the Wizards’ Bradley Beal.

The Skills Challenge buddy system has to go. Lillard won the competition for the second year in a row, but he had to share the stage with Jazz guard Trey Burke because the NBA thought it was a good idea to have a relay challenge instead of a skills challenge. This tag team format definitely needs to go, and return to the old format where one player (and one player only) competed.

Team Bosh defended its Shooting Stars Challenge title, but the biggest winner of the competition was Karl Malone. The Mailman caused a stir on social media with his physique. TNT’s Reggie Miller said, “the Mailman looks like he’s been lifting tractors” during his retirement. Malone appears in great shape and could probably start at power forward for this year’s Lakers.

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

Austin Rivers is introduced at a press conference as the newest member of the New Orleans Hornets. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Learning on the job is part of the culture in the NBA. Austin Rivers knows this very well because his father, Glen “Doc”  Rivers, went through the same thing 30 years ago. But even though 19-year-old Austin has been groomed and prepped for life in the Association, it’s still a painful process — literally.

In his second game at the NBA Summer Pro League in Las Vegas, Austin Rivers took a beating against the Milwaukee Bucks. He hit the deck numerous times, slammed his left elbow on the floor, and took a shot to the knee that forced him to the bench for a few minutes. It’s the kind of physical game most first-year NBA players dread, a realization that this is a man’s game and the training wheels are off.

“Now is his time to grow. We’re putting the ball in his hands, putting the ball in the summer in his hands to see what he’s got,” Hornets assistant James Borrego told The Associated Press. Borrego, the Hornets’ head coach for their summer league team in Las Vegas, has Rivers playing point guard almost exclusively; a preview of what the Hornets are planning to do with the 10th overall selection in the 2012 NBA draft, who played mostly shooting guard at Duke and Winter Park High School (Fla.).

“Hopefully Austin’s that guy that can take that point guard position and run with it,” Borrego said. “There’s some things he’s got to learn as you go, but I think we’re all confident he can get there.”

So far Rivers is struggling as he adjusts to his new role as an NBA point guard. He went 1-for-6 and scored just six points against the Bucks on Monday. In two games, he’s now 4-for-19 from the field. He was outplayed by fellow rookie Damian Lillard in his summer league debut on July 15, as Lillard scored 25 points and looked more comfortable.

But in fairness to Rivers, Lillard was playing his natural point guard position while Rivers is still finding his way as a playmaker. Rivers did show some flashes of brilliance, splitting double teams with some nifty dribbling and getting to the free throw line by relentlessly attacking the basket.

“He’s a natural scorer. As a point guard, he can make it work though,” Borrego said. “He’s got to get better and he will. He’s putting in the time. He’s teachable. He’s coachable. He understands the game, which you want in a point guard. His instinct is to score but we’re trying to slow him down, learn our offense, learn our pace, learn our rhythm and I think those are things he’s going to get.”

The Hornets don’t want to slow Rivers down too much, seeing how Oklahoma City succeeded in turning Russell Westbrook from shooting guard to point guard. According to Hornets general manager Dell Demps, the team has matched the Phoenix Suns’ contract offer to guard Eric Gordon, so the Hornets envision a Rivers-Gordon backcourt in New Orleans to go with No. 1 overall pick Anthony Davis in the frontcourt.

“We don’t want to put too much pressure on [Austin]. That’s what summer league is for. We’re here just evaluating,” Demps said. “It’s real early in the process. He only played one year in college. We’re going to take this slowly.”

Kentucky freshman Anthony Davis (left) is the consensus No. 1 pick in the 2012 NBA draft. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

The New Orleans Hornets own the top pick in this week’s NBA draft and will most likely use it to select consensus college player of the year Anthony Davis of Kentucky. But after Davis is anyone’s guess. OneManFastBreak.net predicts who teams will pick in the first 14 slots.

1. New Orleans Hornets

Anthony Davis: PF, 6-10, 220, Kentucky, Fresh

Hornets coach Monty Williams got a lot of out of his beleaguered crew last season, but now he’s got a real thoroughbred in Davis — aka Fear the Brow . . . aka Unablocker. Davis should start immediately for the Hornets, and can play either the 4 or 5 position. His game is a mixture of Kevin Garnett, Marcus Camby, and Tim Duncan. He has the shot-blocking skills of Camby, the versatility of Garnett, and the demeanor of Duncan. Davis has uncanny guard skills for a big man because just three years ago he was a 6-3 shooting guard in high school. As soon as NBA commissioner David Stern announces Davis’ name with the first overall pick, the city of New Orleans will be buzzing about The Brow.

2. Charlotte Bobcats

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist: SF, 6-6, 228, Kentucky, Fresh.

Can Michael Jordan screw this one up? He is certainly capable of mucking it up again based on his track record (i.e. Kwame Brown and Adam Morrison). Someone better give MJ some notes because he’ll need all the help he can get. Jordan took guard Kemba Walker last season so it is unlikely he’ll go guard again. He has two forwards to choose from: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Thomas Robinson. The Bobcats can benefit from both players, but Kidd-Gilchrist is a special player with loads of intangibles. MKG is not a prototype small forward, but he is absolutely relentless and brings energy and effort every night. He’s like Gerald Wallace without the hops. MKG is a flat-out winner and can single-handedly change the culture of a locker room.

3. Washington Wizards

Thomas Robinson: PF, 21, 6-9, 240, Kansas, Junior

The Wizards just unloaded overpaid forward Rashard Lewis and need to start fresh. Robinson plays bigger than his listed height, and age-wise is mature enough to handle the pro game. Maturity is the key word here because the Wizards lacked discipline on and off the court last season. Robinson is a safe pick. He is a tireless worker and brings a ton of physicality on the court. He has the physique of a WWE superstar and plays with a lot of energy, something JaVale McGee never brought to the table. Robinson should be a solid influence on franchise point guard John Wall.

4. Cleveland Cavaliers

Harrison Barnes: SF, 6-8, 223, North Carolina, Soph.

The Cavs need help everywhere, but their most glaring need is a consistent scorer on the wing. Bradley Beal is a viable option here, but he plays a similar game to reigning Rookie of the Year Kyrie Irving. They both need to dominate the ball to be effective. Barnes is a small forward who can play shooting guard. But more importantly, Barnes plays well off the ball, which should mesh well with Irving. The only knock on Barnes is his motor. He tends to disappear in some games and plays to the level of the competition. But Barnes’ NBA range is hard to ignore and he can be a Glen Rice-type pro.

5. Sacramento Kings

Andre Drummond: C, 6-11, 270, Connecticut, Fresh.

Drummond is a bit of a reach at No.5, but the Kings play in a division dominated by the L.A. Lakers and their Hollywood Hills in 7-footers Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol. So, adding more size up front to pair up with power forward DeMarcus Cousins is the right approach. The 18-year-old Connecticut big man has the size to compete in the NBA trenches and his ceiling is extremely high. He is hard to move on the block and athletic enough to defend the basket. The only question is: Will he bring it every night? Drummond is the classic high risk, high reward prospect.

6. Portland Trail Blazers (via Brooklyn)

Bradley Beal: SG, 6-3, 201, Florida, Fresh.

The Trail Blazers are looking for a replacement for the retired Brandon Roy and they’ll be keeping an eye on two shooting guards: Beal and Austin Rivers. Either one can fill their need but if forced to choose between the two Portland may lean toward the Florida guard. Beal is a natural-born scorer who can create his own shot. His game has been compared to Eric Gordon and Dwyane Wade, but the injury-ravaged Blazers will settle for the next Brandon Roy at this point. At 6-3 and 201, Beal is built like a running back and doesn’t shy away from contact.

7. Golden State Warriors

Damian Lillard: PG, 6-3, 189, Weber State, Junior

The Warriors desperately needs a combo guard who can fill Monta Ellis’ spot and be an insurance policy for Steph Curry, who can’t seem to stay healthy. Lillard is from Oakland and the Warriors will be kicking themselves if they pass up on a local kid. Lillard was a tremendous scorer at Weber State and has unlimited range as a shooter. He may not be a natural point guard, but he can play either guard position. Lillard follows in the footsteps of Jason Kidd and Gary Payton, two of the best point guards to come out of the Oakland area.

8. Toronto Raptors

Perry Jones: PF, 6-10, 220, Baylor, Soph.

When your center (Andrea Bargnani) prefers to drift beyond the 3-point line, you need an athletic power forward to balance the floor. The Raptors won’t publicly admit it but the Ed Davis project has fizzled and they need to address the power forward position yet again. Jones didn’t have a good sophomore season at Baylor, but he still has tremendous upside and could fill out once he matures physically. Some coaches project Jones as a small forward, but ESPN basketball expert Fran Fraschilla strongly believes he’ll be a power forward in the NBA. That would give the Raptors three quality big men in Bargnani, Jones, and last year’s pick Jonas Valanciunas.

9. Detroit Pistons

Meyers Leonard: C, 7-0, 250, Illinois, Soph.

There is always a high-riser in each draft, someone who was overlooked during the college season but opened eyes in the pre-draft workouts. This is year the hot name on the list is Meyers Leonard. The Illini big man is the tallest player in the draft and has impressed scouts at the Combine. Leonard is a space-eater in the paint, and you can’t enough big men in your roster. The Pistons are still reeling from the Darko Milicic debacle from 2003, and the Motor City folks are hoping Leonard can become Detroit’s center of the future and team up with power forward Greg Monroe.

10. New Orleans Hornets (via Minnesota)

Jeremy Lamb: SG, 6-5, 185, Connecticut, Soph.

Eric Gordon says he’ll test the free agent market, so the Hornets better have a backup plan in case he bolts New Orleans. Lamb is a natural shooting guard who can easily transition to small forward because of his length (nearly 7 foot wingspan). So even if the Hornets retain Gordon, coach Monty Williams can play Lamb and Gordon at the same time. Lamb comes from a basketball-rich college program. He was a member of the UConn squad that won the national championship in 2011 and his path to the Association has been paved by former Huskies stars Ray Allen, Caron Butler, Richard Hamilton, and Ben Gordon.

11. Portland Trail Blazers

Tyler Zeller: C, 7-0, 250, North Carolina, Senior

There are not a lot of great centers in this year’s draft, but there are a few good ones. One of them is Zeller. Plug him in alongside LaMarcus Aldridge, one of the best power forwards in the NBA, and the Blazers instantly become one of the longest teams in the league up front. Zeller is an underrated low-post scorer and at 22 he should be able to contribute immediately. Zeller has a nice jump hook in the low post and runs the floor very well for a center. He may not thrill you with his finesse game, but Zeller is a solid pick and could have a long pro career.

12. Houston Rockets

John Henson: PF, 21, 6-11, 220, North Carolina, Junior

When head coach Kevin McHale started his abbreviated training camp last season, he noticed he was the tallest player on the court. Ouch! The Rockets need size up front and Henson could be in the team’s future plans. Assuming the Rockets re-sign point guard Goran Dragic and trade Kyle Lowry, the Rockets will have a decent starting five led by Luis Scola and Kevin Martin. Henson can develop into a good NBA power forward if he puts on some pounds . . . a lot of pounds.

13. Phoenix Suns

Austin Rivers: SG, 6-3, 203, Duke, Fresh.

If Rivers falls to Phoenix at No. 13 it will be the steal of the draft. Most scouts have Beal ahead of Rivers, but it wouldn’t be a complete shock if Rivers — the son of Celtics coach Doc Rivers — eventually turn into a better pro than Beal. Rivers showed just flashes of brilliance in the Duke system, but his game is tailor-made for the NBA and is a top-five talent. Rivers may be the second-best player in the draft talent-wise behind only Anthony Davis. But his swagger borders on arrogance, which is a reason why teams will pass on him. But the Suns have nothing to lose, and what better way to rebuild their fastbreak offense by adding a player who loves to shoot the ball.

14. Milwaukee Bucks

Terrence Jones: SF, 6-8, 240, Kentucky, Soph.

After trading Bogut to Golden State and losing Stephen Jackson via a trade, Milwaukee is woefully thin in the frontcourt and will reach for a big man at No. 12. But if Jones is still on the board the Bucks won’t be able to resist taking the Wildcat forward, who has all the tools to become a solid NBA starter. Jones can play small forward or power forward, and can fill that “stretch 4” that most teams now covet.

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.