Luckily the Kings have mounted the backs of Chris Webber and Peja Stojakovic and have secured a strong spot for the upcoming playoffs. The Blazers, however, have not been so lucky. Though stacked with enough talent to fill up two rosters, the team has struggled with their chemistry all season. Too many egos battling for 48 minutes of playing time has left Mike Dunleavy as the scapegoat for his severely underachieving team.

The addition of Rod Strickland, a player with ample baggage including a history of substance-abuse violations, has certainly not helped matters. Whatever it takes though, Portland must keep a watchful eye on Shawn Kemp. The last thing this guy needs is a case of the munchies.

The league has serious problems and something needs to be done. With an already damaged image from the recent strike and the ever-present possibility of future disputes between players and owners, the last thing the league needs is an increasing amount of drug problems.

While the league could opt to look the other way with regard to small drug violations, this may lead to more troubling effects. The declining maturity level of players entering the draft has definitely contributed to the problem, but there is something more deeply troubling about these players' general attitudes.