SI's Marty Burns tackles three issues from around the league:

1	Which team got the best of the Kenny Thomas-James Posey trade?

James Posey AP Give the slight edge to the Rockets. Houston had to give up a pretty good player in Thomas, but it needed a perimeter defender and complementary scorer. Posey, a lanky 6-foot-8 athlete who can run the floor, should provide that missing dimension. Look for Posey to split time at small forward with sharpshooter Glen Rice. Together they give coach Rudy Tomjanovich greater flexibility, depending on whether he needs a stopper on the court or someone to spread the floor. Also, the move clears playing time for Maurice Taylor and shot-blocking specialist Eddie Griffin at power forward. Quietly, the Rockets have become a dangerous team. With center Yao Ming improving each game, Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley driving and dishing in the backcourt and now the Posey/Rice combo at small forward, Houston has some weapons. If the Rockets stay healthy, they could finish among the top four teams in the conference. The Sixers also have to be happy with the trade. They got an underrated player in Thomas for bench-warmers Mark Bryant and Art Long. The only question is, where will Thomas fit in? Coach Larry Brown already has a crowd at power forward with Keith Van Horn, Derrick Coleman and Bria Skinner. As for the Nuggets, they made this move strictly for financial reasons. Posey is a free agent after the season, and Denver didn’t think it was going to re-sign him; this way the Nuggets avoid losing him for nothing. They might struggle now to score 70 points many nights, but they probably just gave themselves a few more ping pong balls in the LeBron James Lottery. p>

2	Should Allen Iverson be selected to play on the U.S. Olympic team?

Allen Iverson AP Yes. As much as it might pain coach Larry Brown, who would probably welcome a respite from his headstrong star, Iverson belongs on the U.S. team. He is simply too good a scorer –- and too feisty a competitor -– to leave behind. After its embarrassing sixth-place finish at last summer’s World Championships, the U.S. needs players who will play with pride. Iverson not only is a unique talent who can score from anywhere on the floor, ball-hawk on defense and generate steals for transition baskets, but he’s a fighter. With Iverson and guys like Jason Kidd, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett, the U.S. won’t have to worry about a lack of fire. Yes, Iverson’s off-court reputation and propensity to jack up shots with impunity are serious drawbacks. But he genuinely seems to want to be part of this Olympic team, and his transgressions –- while highly-publicized -- have been no worse than those of many other NBA players on past national teams. As for his willingness to share the rock, Iverson has shown in past All-Star Games that he is not averse to spreading the wealth when his heart is set on it. The bottom line is the U.S. needs competitors. In addition to Kidd, Kobe and KG, USA Basketball should seriously consider adding Gary Payton, Elton Brand and -– if they’re really smart -- Karl Malone and John Stockton. With this group, at least we would know that the U.S.A. isn’t going down without a fight.

3	Are the Bulls really talking about making the playoffs?

Marcus Fizer Layne Murdoch NBAE/Getty Images Believe it or not, some Chicago players actually mentioned the P word after their victory over the Raptors on Wednesday. It was the Bulls’ fifth win in six games, and lifted them to 9-16 on the season, just 1 1/2 games back of the final playoff spot in the East. "We’re looking forward to making a run," said forward Marcus Fizer. Not to rain on the Windy City parade (even though it seems to every year on St. Patrick’s Day), but the Bulls might be getting carried away just a little. After all, their five wins have all come at home over the Cavs, the Magic (without Grant Hill), the Bucks, the Celtics (without Tony Delk) and the Raptors (without Vince Carter and Antonio Davis). The Bulls definitely have been playing better of late. Donyell Marshall has been a double-double machine, giving Chicago an inside presence to go with the capable scoring and play-making of Jalen Rose. Rookie point guard Jay Williams has been steady if not spectacular, while Fizer has finally come on strong in recent games. If the Twin Toddlers, Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry, could ever develop some consistency, Chicago indeed could make some noise. But the Bulls’ lack of inexperience, soft interior D and atrocious foul shooting make them a longshot for the playoffs this season. As much as Chicago wants to dream, it is still about as close to the bottom of the conference standings as it is to the No. 8 spot. It would take monumental collapses by the Wizards, Hawks and Bucks to open a spot -– and that’s just not likely to happen.