Sports by Matt

2008-10-27T14:34:00.000-07:00

2008-2009 NBA Predictions

NBA Finals: Lakers d. Celtics

West Finals: Lakers d. Rockets

West Second Round: Rockets d. Hornets

West Second Round: Lakers d. Suns

West First Round: Lakers d. Nuggets

West First Round: Rockets d. Spurs

West First Round: Hornets d. Trailblazers

West First Round: Suns d. Jazz

East Finals: Celtics d. Raptors

East Second Round: Celtics d. 76ers

East Second Round: Raptors d. Pistons

East First Round: Celtics d. Heat

East First Round: Pistons d. Wizards

East First Round: Raptors d. Cavaliers

East First Round: 76ers d. Magic

West Final Standings – 2008-2009

1. Lakers

2. Rockets

3. Jazz

4. Hornets

5. Trailblazers

6. Suns

7. Spurs

8. Nuggets

East Final Standings – 2008-2009

1. Celtics

2. Pistons

3. Raptors

4. 76ers

5. Magic

6. Cavaliers

7. Wizards

8. Heat

Warriors

Mavericks

Clippers

Kings

Grizzlies

T’Wolves

Thunder

Pacers

Hawks

Bulls

Bobcats

Bucks

Nets

Knicks

Team Capsules and Predictions: POR/MIA/NYK

2008-10-27T14:30:00.000-07:00

Portland Trailblazers: Missed Playoffs

Team Overview: I have officially declared this team the “Team to Watch” for 2008-2009. They surpassed most people’s expectations last year going 41-41 but still missing the playoffs. The way these young players attack the rim, they get high percentage shots and will earn many trips to the free throw line. Not to mention create a lot of exciting dunks and highlights. Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge took a major step in their careers last season proving they can win games and lead a team. Now they have more talent behind them and will have to continue to develop as stars for the Blazers to take the next step to the playoffs.

Guys they can’t lose: Roy, Aldridge, Greg Oden, Travis Outlaw. Roy and Aldridge are the leaders and stars. Despite their youth, they have taken the team in their back how they perform will be how the Blazers perform. Greg Oden is supposed to be the difference maker and from how dominant he has looked at times in pre-season, he should make a huge impact. Don’t judge Oden’s influence by his offensive numbers, his biggest impact will be felt in the paint on defense. Travis Outlaw is the guy the Blazers rely on late in games to hit the clutch shots. He won at least two games last season by hitting crucial shots.

Guys they should lose: Steve Blake. Blake is just blocking the way for Sergio Rodriguez, who was snubbed from the Spanish National Team, to take a bigger role with the team. Rodriguez is a dynamic guard who can hit the three, drive to the hole, but mostly finds an open player. Blake is not a bad point guard, but he has limited potential and should not see more minutes than Rodriguez. And the more minutes Nate McMillan can give Jerryd Bayless, the quicker he can develop and help the team.

Burning Questions:

Are the Trailblazers too young to make the playoffs? The average age of this team is under 24. In the NBA, youth does not typically win. Veterans win games and make deep runs into the playoffs. But there is an exception to every rule and the Blazers will be this year’s exception.

Will the Portland second string be able to build on leads? Sergio Rodriguez and Rudy Fernandez make an electric tandem in the backcourt. Making exciting plays are crucial to energize the crowd and excite the starters watching from the bench. Fernandez has show incredible vision on the court and a fantastic leaping ability with a knack for finishing at the rim. He should make a serious case for the 6^th Man Award. Joel Przybilla is the backup center and will be essential for keeping Oden rested and playing important minutes when Oden gets into foul trouble. This second unit will be better than most in the West and will be key in making the playoffs.

2008-2009 Prediction – First Round -- The Blazers will be the surprise of the West. They have more athleticism and dynamic players than most teams. Brandon Roy does not have the pressure of scoring every play and other players can carry the team when he struggles. This environment should create confidence within Roy and make him a superstar in the league. In the Northwest Division, over-taking Utah is not likely without major injury help, but passing Denver for second is a realistic goal and beating up on Minnesota and Oklahoma City should help the Blazers pad their record for a pretty good playoff seed. The Blazers may not get much national coverage on the West Coast, but keep an eye on this time and check out as many highlights as you can find.

Miami Heat: Missed Playoffs

Team Overview: The Heat are almost guaranteed to be the most improved team in the NBA. After winning 15 games, anything the Heat do this year will be better than last season. Dwyane Wade and Shawn Marion are both stars and the “scrubs” saw a lot of minutes last year. You can’t buy experience like that, plus the Heat earned the second pick and selected the talented but misguided Michael Beasley.

Guys they can’t lose: Dwyane Wade, Shawn Marion, Michael Beasley, Udonis Haslem. Wade proved how important he is to the Heat. By suffering through the season with injuries, the Heat were without their superstar and suffered a horrible season. If Wade can stay healthy and play like he showed he is capable of in the Olympics, the Heat will have one of the best players in the NBA. The Heat need Marion to be versatile and fill the holes the Heat have. Right now, this means rebounding and guarding bigger players. The Heat will also rely heavily on Beasley to score and rebound and provide some low post presence when necessary. Haslem will be relied on to be a leader and force in the paint. The Heats biggest weakness is a lack of big man but Halsem could go a long way to shoring up that weakness.

Guys they should lose: Unless Marion becomes a headache, no one on the roster is detrimental to the team chemistry or gets in the way of another player stepping up. Marion has the potential to be one of the best all-around player in the league, or he can be one of the biggest distractions. Rumors for trading Marion have already circulated but unless the Heat can get a great price, they should just stick with him and try to make him happy. The Heat would collapse if it lost Marion so they have to gamble on the fact that he plays hard, works hard in practice and provides positive leadership for the rest of the players.

Burning Questions:

Will teams underestimate the Heat? The Heat were the worst team in the NBA last season but everyone saw Wade play in the Olympics and they remember that he can take over a game. While a few might underestimate the Heat, no one should underestimate Dwyane Wade. He is the best player in the NBA at attacking the paint and getting to the line in clutch situations. The only way to beat the Heat is to slow down Wade and no one will forget how important that is. However, no one knows how to slow Wade down so that might not even matter.

Will the young players step up enough for the Heat to make the playoffs? The Heat will be relying on not only Beasley, but Mario Chalmers to play well in a backup role running the point. Joel Anthony and Daequan Cook will both have to play well to fill their roles as reserves. Cook is a lights-out shooter but streaky shooter. Joel Anthony racked up a lot of experience last season that should prove valuable.

2008-2009 Prediction – First Round -- The Heat benefit from a weak division with the Bobcats, Hawks, the injury-prone Wizards. But the East is vastly improved from a year ago and the return of Dwyane Wade and the addition of Shawn Marion are two major reasons for that. The Heat are my surprise pick for next year. If the Heat make the playoffs, Dwyane Wade should be a lock for MVP and depending on how well Beasley plays and the impact he makes, he should be a strong contender for rookie of the year.

New York Knicks: Missed Playoffs

Team Overview: The Knicks are in shambles and an embarrassment to the NBA. But that could have changed with a few huge moves, namely the hiring of Mike D’Antoni as Head Coach. Drafting Danilo Gallinari was a big mistake. I’m not sure what the Knicks expected from the young player, but it seems like every year, someone takes a European player and he does nothing. Most of the European players in the league have been successes without being drafted in the top 10.

Guys they can’t lose: David Lee, Nate Robinson. These are the only guys who put the necessary effort into consistent winning in the NBA. They may not be the most talented players on the team, but they work hard and play well as teammates.

Guys they should lose: Stephon Marbury, Eddy Curry, Zach Randolph. These guys were the ‘leaders’ of last year’s team. They are the guys with the talent and size that they should be NBA stars. But they lack the drive and determination to get into shape and understand the dynamics of winning. Marbury is a great player, but he is selfish, and while he might rack up the stats, the win column will always be neglected. Curry has the super-human ability to pop a medicine ball with his ass. While impressive, does not translate well to the hardwood. He is too slow and lazy to thrive in the D’Antoni system and should not see as many minutes as he is used to. Randolph still has potential but will likely be discouraged that he too does not fit in the run-and-gun style the Knicks will employ this season.

Burning Questions:

Will the Knicks develop enough chemistry to overcome talent deficiencies? Every bad team has an excuse for the next two years. Prepare to hear this line over and over, “We’re just freeing cap space to get LeBron, Wade, or Bosh.” Unfortunately, there are more than three bad teams and at least one of those players will stay put. I doubt the Knicks will be able to get any of those players unless they win some games and build some excitement for the young talent.

How will D’Antoni’s offense affect the Knicks win-loss record? The Knicks are almost guaranteed to score more points this season. But just as surely, they will give up more points. The fans might love to see the players run the floor, but they cannot stop other teams from scoring, so expect the Knicks to lose a lot of high scoring games. But losing was expected anyway, might as well provide some highlight plays while they rebuild.

2008-2009 Prediction – Miss Playoffs (29-53) – The Knicks have low expectations. But Mike D’Antoni is expected to turn the franchise around. Unfortunately for D’Antoni, he took over the franchise as it was headed over a cliff and it will be a long and trying process to turn the club around. Knicks fans have some solace in the fast-paced offense that will light up the scoreboard, but will be endlessly frustrated with the gaudy amount of points the Knicks will surrender. Not to mention the Knicks will battle in the toughest division in the East, against the Raptors, 76ers and Celtics. A realistic goal is to finish fourth ahead of the Nets and try to turn that into a bargaining chip for free agents. The Knicks need some patience from its fans and maybe an unexpected player to break out. The NBA can be unpredictable, and chemistry dominates but the Knicks need a miracle to even see the playoffs with binoculars.

Team Capsules and Predictions: PHI/ATL

2008-10-01T14:10:00.000-07:00

Philadelphia 76ers: First Round loss to Detroit

Team Overview: The 76ers made two huge moves this off-season. The first was re-signing Andre Iguodala and the second was signing Elton Brand. Iggy gained confidence and leadership experience as the go-to guy last year. He developed into a star and led the team to the playoffs and even challenged Detroit in the first round. Lou Williams showed flashes of greatness reminding me of Devin Harris and Samuel Dalembert is improving but the addition of Brand in the post will help his production. Philly also has several role players that can eat up good minutes and fit within the team mentality.

Guys they can’t lose: Iguodala, Brand, Andre Miller, Williams. Iggy and Brand are obvious. But the point guard combo of Miller and Williams may be the most dynamic in the East. Miller has experience and knows how to run a team. He will be able to lead quietly with his play and allow the stars to flourish. Williams can come into the game and provide quickness and excitement. He is fun to watch and can make tough shots. He averaged double-digits in points and is nearly impossible to guard. That duo begins to wreak havoc on defenses and make scoring much easier for the stars.

Guys they should lose: Donyell Marshall and Maurice Cheeks. Quick, name one team Marshall has helped win. Marshall is a lazy player who floats around the perimeter. He disguises himself as a three-point threat but realistically, he will just be eating minutes that should be going to hustle players or young guys who need time to develop. As far as Maurice Cheeks, he does not necessarily need to be fired, but he has a habit of talking to fans during games and that must be distracting to him and his team. Watch the game Mo and focus on the next play. Don’t be a Chatty Cathy with the season-ticket holders.

Burning Questions:

Who will be the leader and how will he handle the role? Iguodala has been the man on this team since Iverson left and if he can gain the trust and respect of Brand, he could emerge as a superstar in the NBA. A big man could be the leader, but there will likely be a power struggle if Brand tries to take the leader role from Iguodala.

Will late-season success carry over to this year? The Sixers made a great run last year and almost caught the Pistons off-guard in what would have been a huge upset. If that momentum is carried into off-season workouts and training camp, the Sixers should have motivation to play with intensity and would yield many wins early in the season. However, Philly plays in a tough division with Boston and Toronto where wins will be hard-fought every night.

2008-2009 Prediction – Second Round -- The Sixers showed great chemistry and determination last season. As long as Brand does not upset one of those, the fans that booed Santa Claus could be in for a treat. If guys like Thaddeus Young, Lou Williams and Dalembert continue to develop and play like they did at times last year, this team will have plenty of players to rely on. Then it becomes a matter of who steps up in key situations. The 76ers are certainly on the rise in the East and have a great future ahead of them. This year will open some eyes and show the beginning of a new era in the East. With Boston only having another year or two left on top, it will be between Philly and Toronto to step up as the next East powerhouse.

Atlanta Hawks: First Round loss to Boston

Team Overview: The Hawks surprised everyone by making the playoffs, but only winning 37 games was not that surprising. What was more surprising was the Hawks taking the Celtics to seven games in the playoffs. But this was not a great team. Sure, they have talent and athleticism, but that’s it. With Josh Childress bolting for Greece, the Hawks were left without a key role player. But the main unit remains intact, led by veteran Mike Bibby at point. Joe Johnson is a good scorer, but he is no superstar and will need help to lead the Hawks back to the post-season.

Guys they can’t lose: Johnson, Horford, Josh Smith. Horford was my pick for Rookie of the Year, because his impact on a successful team was more significant than Durant’s impact on a terrible team. Horford gave the Hawks a reliable post presence on both ends and a tough mentality that other players can see. Smith is a dynamic player who could go for a triple-double any night. But he could also get shut down any given night. He needs to develop consistency but he is still an exciting player that puts fans in the seats making Atlanta a tough place to play.

Guys they should lose: It’s tough to say any guy is negative for this team. Right now, they have a lot of youth that could develop into winning players. Marvin Williams was successful and earned a lot of respect in the clubhouse. He shoots the ball well from inside the arc and attacks the lane, which earns him a lot of trips to the free throw line, from which he shoots over 80%. Mike Bibby is not a great shooter, but he has been in tough games before and can take some of the burden off Johnson, while helping the young players gain confidence. Still, this team is missing depth and needs to make a trade to compete this year.

Burning Questions:

Can the Hawks keep up with the improved East? A big knock on this team was that it would have not even come close to making the playoffs in the West. But giving the Celtics a scare in the first round helped their national respect. But many teams in the East are improved and the Hawks may not be able to compete. They are too young and not consistent enough to win big games. The Hawks have a solid home-court advantage, but that will only steal them a couple wins.

How big of a loss was Josh Childress? Not only did Childress provide energy off the bench, he had the best field goal percentage (57%) on the team, by a wide margin. That is efficient scoring that someone will have to pick up or the Hawks will find themselves down by a few extra points every game. Childress was also a good rebounder and defensive player who did not turn the ball over much. If someone can step up and provide those lost buckets, it won’t be a major loss, but that player is not on the roster, yet.

2008-2009 Prediction – Miss Playoffs (36-46) -- The Hawks are about as good as they were last season. They have more experience and the younger players now know what it takes to compete in the NBA. But other teams have improved at a greater pace. And with wins not as easy to come by and other teams getting more of them against West teams, the Hawks will be left of the post-season.

Team Capsules and Predictions: PHX/DEN

2008-09-26T14:00:00.000-07:00

Phoenix Suns: First Round loss to Spurs

Team Overview: Steve Kerr rolled the dice with a major trade last season and many people considered the move a total failure, grouping it with Dallas’ big trade blunder. I thought at the time, and I still believe, the trade for Shaquille O’Neal was the right move. Shawn Marion is a fantastic player, but he was fed up with the Suns. He needed out and Kerr saw a chance to bring in the most dominant center, maybe even the best player since Jordan. Besides, the Suns had peaked, gone as far as they could with Nash, Marion and Stoudemire and Kerr want to win a Title.

Guys they can’t lose: Amare Stoudemire, Steve Nash, Shaq, Grant Hill. This team is getting up and age and several of the key parts only have a couple years left in the NBA. In fact, The Big Cactus said he will retire when his contract is up in two years. If you take a moment to think about the successful teams in the NBA, you’ll realize they are almost exclusively composed of veterans. Experience wins in the NBA, and the Suns have plenty. With Barbosa, Bell and Stoudemire, they have youth and energy to match the young talent in the West. With the addition on Matt Barnes and Robin Lopez (who will be a bust) the Suns can compete with a variety of opponents.

Guys they should lose: No one on the roster hurts the team chemistry or cannot fill a valuable role. But Terry Porter is the biggest question mark, next to Shaq’s age and health (which I predict will not be a question for long), as relatively new head coach. Shaq liked Mike D’Antoni and was not happy to see him go. Porter must overcome the inherent resentment and take control of this team. And if the most exciting team over the past five years can lock down defensively, they could be close to unbeatable.

Burning Questions:

Will age and health keep the Suns from a deep playoff push? Grant Hill stayed healthy all season, Shaq was out of shape and hurt most of last year, and Nash has chronic back pain. But I trust Shaq and Nash to push themselves back on the court to a competitive level. Hill and Nash desperately want to win it all. Shaq wants to be thought of as the greatest and he would LOVE to eliminate Kobe and the Lakers.

Can Terry Porter lead the Suns to play stout defense and still play to the player’s strengths? Stoudemire is excited for the next year and I know he is not completely objective, but you have to think something is going right. Shaq will take pressure off Stoudemire and Amare should have his best year in the NBA. Stat is surrounded by great passers and guys who can score and might get some consideration for MVP is the Suns win their way to the top of the West.

2008-2009 Prediction –Second Round – This many great, veteran players could be a championship team. And the Suns nemesis San Antonio Spurs are poised for a down year, which would allow the Suns a clearer path to the Finals. But the Lakers are too good and have a complete team with a guy who can take over a game without help, unlike Stoudemire who needs someone to get him the ball. Assuming the team stays healthy, the Lakers-Suns story line will be one of the most compelling in recent memory, but I doubt it will go the way of Phoenix.

Denver Nuggets: First Round loss to Lakers

Team Overview: Criticism flowed into Denver with the garage sale price the Nuggets received for Marcus Camby. The Nuggets biggest concern is defense. Its second biggest concern is defense. With shipping out Camby, Denver did not help their two biggest concerns. Nene Hilario is coming back and Kiki Vandeweghe probably expects him to return to his level of play before he was diagnosed. If Nene can play consistently in the post, the loss of Camby will not look as bad. Either way, the Nuggets are far from a complete team and need a guy who can play lock-down defense.

Guys they can’t lose: Carmelo Anthony, Allen Iverson, Nene. Without Melo and A.I., the Nuggets are a team who can’t play defense and can’t score. At least those guys solve one of those issues. Melo needs to establish himself as the team leader and lead by example on the defensive end of the court. With someone like Iverson who has been such a fixture in the NBA for so long, that might be intimidating for Anthony, but he needs to stop making offcourt mistakes and convince his team to fight on defense. Nene was emerging as a great big man before he was diagnosed with cancer. If he can regain that confidence and swagger in the paint, the Nuggets will be tougher on both ends.

Guys they should lose: J.R. Smith, Chris Anderson. Smith could get onto the ‘can’t lose’ list with a year of consistent play. Not taking bad shots and turning the ball over are the two keys that would turn Smith into a serious weapon instead of just a streaky three-point shooter. His athleticism is certainly an asset, but until he can prove not to be a liability when he isn’t on fire, he’s not going to help the team win games. As far as Anderson goes, what were the Nuggets thinking? The Birdman, fresh off his suspension for violating the NBA’s substance abuse policy for using what is speculated as cocaine, is a walking disaster. Or maybe a dunking disaster would be more appropriate. He is an electrifying player, but his issues will inevitably distract the team in the clubhouse more than his excitement will help.

Burning Questions:

Defense? Anyone? I understand how it could be discouraging to play defense when the guy next to you lets his man go to the hoop at will. After watching the opposing team shoot open jumpers and practice layup drills at your expense, you stop working hard every possession. And in the NBA, that will kill your chances of success.

Is Melo worth his extension? Unlike LeBron, Bosh, and D-Wade, Melo signed an extension so he would not be a free agent in the summer of 2010. He is locked for an extra year with a player option after that. Clearly a great decision for Melo, because he won’t have to compete with three of league’s premier stars for big money. But for Denver, if the team can’t figure out a way to play some defense and win some games, Melo could get disgruntled being locked on a mediocre team. He desperately wants an NBA Title and trade rumors have already circulated. How he plays next year will be significant for both parties’ futures.

2008-2009 Prediction – First Round -- Anyone who follows the NBA knows the Nuggets weakness. If they can figure out a way to play solid defense, the landscape in the West shifts, but this still isn’t a good enough team to make a deep run in the playoffs.

Team Capsules and Predictions: WAS/TOR

2008-09-22T13:38:00.000-07:00

Washington Wizards: First Round loss to Cleveland

Team Overview: This team is like the nemesis to the Cavaliers. The Cavs always end up winning like the hero in a Hollywood movie. That would make the Wizards the villain. But to Wizards fans, every year is a new chance to prove theirs is a team not to be taken lightly. Every team has a Big 3 these days, but the combo of Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison and Gilbert Arenas are three of the most talented players in the East. There is no lack of skill on the Wizards but team chemistry is the other half of the puzzle that Eddie Jordan must fit together for Washington to improve on it’s recent playoff success.

Guys they can’t lose: Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison. These two guys have shown that not only can they take a back seat to make a star better (Arenas). But if that star gets hurt, they can step up and lead the team to victories. These two guys are versatile and can compliment any group of players. With a quick point guard and a good rebounding big man, these two could flourish even further. Nick Young has shown explosiveness and the ability to control the tempo of games. The combo of Etan Thomas and Brendan Haywood down low provides consistent play and reliable, but not great, defense.

Guys they should lose: Gilbert Arenas and DeShawn Stevenson. Speaking of players who destroy team chemistry, these guys are like the guys at the rec center who you know have talent but you hope are never on your team. When you know you might only touch the ball once every five possessions, the motivation to play defense disappears. And the drive to work hard on offense to get good shots for teammates also goes away. It is no wonder the Wizards actually improve when Arenas is hurt and off the court. He is a great player, but he kills the productivity of the other four guys on the court. Stevenson is like his ball-hogging apprentice who is joining the family business of looking good but killing his team.

Burning Questions:

How long will Arenas be out after knee surgery? According to reports, he is supposed to be back on the court the middle of December, but with his recent history, I doubt he will play in 2008. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing because of the negative effect he causes on the rest of the team, but he can score and any other significant injuries would set this team back more than they can recover from.

Can the Wizards beat the Cavaliers? Just like the Spurs recently in the West have bested the Suns, the Wizards are limited by their inability to eliminate LeBron James and Co. The method of calling him out did not work well last year. I would suggest the “nobody respects us angle” and see if they can get LeBron to relax.

2008-2009 Prediction – First Round – The Wizards have experience, size, scoring ability and youth to provide energy. But Eddie Jordan needs to control his players and establish a pecking order that puts Butler and Jamison is charge. More importantly, Butler and Jamison need to establish themselves as leaders on the court. The Wizards have plenty of role players and if one of them emerges as a star, the Wizards could be tough to beat. As the team looks now, it is primed for another solid season followed by a disappointing early exit from the playoffs.

Toronto Raptors: First Round loss to Orlando

Team Overview: The Raptors have one of, if not the biggest teams in the NBA. Three of the Raptors starting five will be 6-10 or taller. Toronto lost T.J. Ford to acquire Jermaine O’Neal. Ford was a victim of multiple neck injuries in the past couple seasons. Ford lost some of his edge and was more timid driving to the hoop, which was a major strength. O’Neal was a dominant player before suffering a major knee injury. If fully rehabilitated, the Raptors would be nearly unstoppable in the post. If not, they just acquired a very expensive bench warmer.

Guys they can’t lose: Chris Bosh, Jermaine O’Neal, Jose Calderon. Chris Bosh became the pleasant surprise of the Olympics for Team USA. He showed incredible versatility and could be stepping into the upper echelon of NBA superstars. With O’Neal playing the center, Bosh will be free to play against smaller defenders and avoid double-teams. That tandem in the post will be the most dominant since Tim Duncan and David Robinson. Jose Calderon has a great ability to get other players involved while taking advantage of his own scoring chances.

Guys they should lose: This team has no negative players. Even Andrea Bargnani is developing into a reliable player. This is close to a complete team. Delfino and Kapono provide range from downtown. Humphries and Moon provide energy and fantastic rebounding from wing players. Graham and Parker are big bodies who can wear down opponents and score in the lane or step out and hit a jumper. The only major weakness on this team is a lack of veteran leadership.

Burning Questions:

Will Sam Mitchell be able to coach such a young team against proven veteran teams? O’Neal is by far the most experienced player. Bosh has limited experience but should be the most vocal in the locker room. This core group of guys have been together for a couple years and have been eliminated in the First Round the past two seasons. As talented as the Raptors are, the NBA is an experience-driven league. They would need to acquire someone who knows what a deep playoff run means if Toronto is to win the East.

Can Jermaine O’Neal stay healthy? Fans who remember O’Neal on the Pacers remember how dominant he used to be. Even if he comes back close to that level, Raptors fans should be thrilled. He’s been in the league twelve years, which is hard to believe, but he is still only thirty years old. That is plenty young to recover and get back into shape. But the NBA season is long and brutal, especially on the knees of big men. This is something the Raptors must monitor closely and make sure to give O’Neal enough rest to make it through the gauntlet of the NBA season and post-season.

2008-2009 Prediction – Eastern Conference Finals – There could be no stopping this Toronto team. They will be extremely exciting with the power of Kris Humphries and the acrobatics of Jamario Moon. Bosh could make a serious case for MVP and O’Neal could be the comeback player of the decade. Or they could struggle with injuries like most expect to happen. The Atlantic Division will be tough with Boston and Philly both looking for deep playoff runs, but Toronto will feast on New Jersey and New York who will be awful. With the right leadership, this team will be opening eyes and bring some basketball respect back to Canada.

2008-2009 Team Capsules and Predictions: HOU/DAL

2008-09-03T17:34:00.000-07:00

Houston Rockets: First Round loss to Utah

Team Overview: The team with the best chemistry during the season added a new piece that could completely overthrow the stability that led to a season-high 22-game winning streak. On the other hand, Ron Artest could make the Rockets the most tenacious defensive team in the West. Injuries were a major concern last season and after Yao Ming’s participation in the Olympics and looking less than sturdy, the Rockets may have to bench the big fella to keep him fresh for the end of the season.

Guys they can’t lose: Rafer Alston, Tracy McGrady, Shane Battier, Luis Scola, Yao Ming, Ron Artest. The good news is they have plenty of impact players. The bad news is with this many players, the likelihood increases that one will suffer a significant setback. The most important player on the Rockets possibly gets the least publicity. Rafer Alston runs the team efficiently and that is why the Rockets could still win when Yao and McGrady were out. But when Skip to My Lou was out in the playoffs, the Jazz swept both games.

Guys they must lose: Nobody. Even Steve Francis has settled into a role he understands and plays well. Instead I will discuss the major additions that will lead Houston to post-season success. Brent Barry and Ron Artest. Barry knows how to win. He can play or defend almost any position. He can hit big shots off the bench or provide the hustle that can spark a run. Ron Artest can frustrate the biggest threats Houston would face in the West, primarily, Kobe Bryant. Artest can also score and take pressure off McGrady and Yao to provide offense.

Burning Questions:

Will Ron Artest disrupt chemistry offensively? This is Rafer Alston’s team. He or anyone else in the organization may not admit it, but to get three superstars to work together, the point guard must run the show. If any single star tries to take over, the other two are relegated to standing and watching. Then they become very expensive statues. If Alston is hurt or does not take command, the three stars will have a non-verbal power struggle that would keep the team from meshing and winning.

Will Yao Ming be completely worthless this season recovering from the Olympics? Giants do not have a lengthy shelf life in the NBA. And Yao Ming has never had an “off-season”. He works out with the Chinese National Team every summer and has minor injuries he cannot overcome throughout the year. The best solution would be for Yao to play about 20-25 minutes early in the season and take a night off every two weeks. After the All-Star break, let him get used to a bigger work-load and pray to that lovable little Buddha he stays healthy. At least the Rockets have a exciting up-and-coming big man. You may have heard of him, Dikembe Mutombo, 42.

2008-2009 Prediction – Western Conference Finals: Even with injuries, this team is complete from top to bottom. They have plenty of scoring and possibly the best defense in the West. Tracy McGrady will get out of the first round and he won’t even be the reason why. That honor goes to a former street balla and a Spanish player named Scola who never stops hustling. The Rockets could certainly give the Lakers a run for their money in the West and Kobe Bryant would have to perform a hardwood miracle, which he is certainly capable.

Dallas Mavericks: First Round loss to New Orleans

Team Overview: Mark Cuban took mighty swing but whiffed last season trying to win an NBA Title. He traded away a lightning quick point guard for one who wasn’t even around when quick was a word. Jason Kidd is not reliable. He is the opposite. He is careless with the ball and can’t shoot. That is not what a good game manager should do. Not to mention, Devin Harris was Josh Howard’s best friend and Howard lost the will to compete when Harris was shipped off for Pops Kidd. Luckily, Nowitzki and a few other players were able to win enough to make the playoffs, where they were humiliated by the younger and faster Hornets.

Guys they can’t lose: Dirk Nowitzki. When Cuban traded Steve Nash (another great move, pause, NOT) Dirk became the focal point of the Mavericks for as long as no one else offers him more cash. He is the only one that matters and can win games on his own. But if the West is as strong as it was last year, that will not be enough. The Mavs need to make moves and they should have done it in the off-season. DeSegana Diop should be on this list because he was a crowd pleaser and hustle-guy, but he was also traded for Kidd. Brandon Bass could work his way onto this list for next season.

Guys they should lose: Jason Kidd, Josh Howard, Devean George. Jason Kidd will make more money next year than any Dallas fan wants to know about. But for those who aren’t, $21.3 million dollars. Josh Howard will not play to his potential, which is a solid second option who still can’t hit clutch shots, if he is disgruntled with management. I’m not saying he has to always play with his buddy, but he will not have the killer edge until he has something or someone to play for. Devean George is still on Mark Cuban’s bad list and the fans know George made the Kidd trade even worse, if that’s possible.

Burning Questions:

Will Avery Johnson coach a team with a backbone? Dirk Nowitzki is the toughest player in the NBA. He plays through injuries and recovers from injuries quicker than any player. But mentally, Dallas is not a tough team. They do not have confidence and cannot shut down star players. In the star-studded West, that is a big problem. A team can make up for a lack in talent with grit and determination, and Nowitzki is the only player with either of those qualities. Jason Terry is a solid cog, but not nearly enough.

Can Dallas compete in the loaded Southwest Division? Houston, New Orleans and San Antonio have teams that could win it all next year. And these are the teams Dallas will play the most. Memphis is the other team and has been a perennial cupcake, but will have a few players (Mayo and Marc Gasol) that will make them much tougher. Losses will add up quickly for a team already struggling.

2008-2009 Prediction – Miss Playoffs – (38-44 Record): Mark Cuban bet the house on Jason Kidd and now the Mavericks can’t beat teams with winning records. In the toughest division in the NBA, that is bad news. I expect Dallas to make moves this season, but the current team is not good enough for the West. Kidd and Nowitzki played in the Olympics and could be worn down, another bad sign. Cuban will need some Ritalin to make it through this season. Buying the Cubs should help with his blood pressure… yeah right.

Team capsules and predictions: CLE/ORL

2008-08-07T11:57:00.000-07:00

Cleveland Cavaliers: Second Round loss to Celtics

Team Overview: LeBron James should always be the first two words uttered when referring to the Cavs. James is the best athlete in the NBA. No question, no debate. His importance to the team cannot be overstated. But he cannot win a Championship by himself. Although ill conceived, management made major moves last year to try and provide LeBron with the needed support. They were nowhere near enough. Wally Szczerbiak could not hit a shot, which was his only job. Ben Wallace is a tenacious rebounder, but can’t score. And here’s a little tidbit, he will make more money next season than LeBron James. That makes last year’s trade look even more detrimental to Cleveland.

Guys they can’t lose: LeBron James, LeBron James and LeBron James. Every player on this team is expendable for the right price. Daniel Gibson is a nice player and Ilgauskas has played the role of second fiddle decently, but he is not a top-level big man. Rookie J.J. Hickson has been excellent in Summer League and could develop into a great compliment to LeBron.

Guys they should lose: Ben Wallace, Wally Szczerbiak, and Eric Snow. Combined 2008-2009 salaries for these three players? Around $35 million. For that money, the Cavs should be able to supply LeBron James with more than enough help to get back to the Finals. None of them are bad players, but together they do not form a winning cast of supporting players. Rumors circulating indicate James has interest in one of his Olympic teammates, specifically Dwyane Wade, and getting rid of those three contracts would be imperative before it becomes reality.

Burning Questions:

Can LeBron James carry another mediocre team deep into the playoffs? The weight of carrying bad teams seemed to show on James last season as he missed some time with minor injuries. Even in the playoffs, he did not seem to have the same enthusiasm he did the year before. He needs support on the court, and off the court. He needs someone who can score so he doesn’t always have to. If help does not come, James will slip further into frustration and his play will reflect that attitude.

Will the distraction of LeBron’s impending free agency be too much for the superstar? James wants to stay in Cleveland. There is no place like home. His friendship with Nets minority owner (less than 1% percent minority) Jay-Z has been talked about for the past year and speculation suggests a conspiracy that will land James in Brooklyn via New Jersey. For the right price (money and players) James could leave Cleveland. But the Nets do not have the players to entice The King. Cleveland showed last year it is willing to make big moves to supports its star.

2008-2009 Prediction – First Round: The Cavaliers are a bad team. They were a bad team when they made the Finals against the Spurs. The NBA is a game full of superstars, but role players enable those superstars to win championships. Until James gets sufficient role players, he will be a great player on a bad team. The players on Cleveland’s roster are not playoff-caliber players. James can lift the team into the playoffs but the East will be drastically better this season than last and surviving in the playoffs will be more difficult. The Cavaliers will not sustain a top 4 record in the East and will not have home-court advantage in the post-season against a tough and more balanced team (which is any other team).

Orlando Magic: Second Round loss to Pistons

Team Overview: Building a team around a reliable center is a great way to create a successful franchise. But the last time Orlando had a dominant big man, he got away to a bigger market. The Magic management’s first priority must be to make sure that does not happen with Dwight Howard. Orlando shot more threes last season than any other teams. Every player, except the center, on the court can hit a three. Maybe the Magic should acquire Mehmet Okur so no player ever has to go inside the arc. But Orlando managed the third best record in the East last season with Jameer Nelson running the point.

Guys they can’t lose: Howard, Turkoglu, Lewis. I can’t stress the importance of Dwight Howard to this organization. Finding a true center that can dominate the post in the NBA is rare and the Magic must cling to him. Hedo Turkoglu does not get enough credit around the league for his role on this team. He does everything and does it with an attitude that gives the Magic toughness. Rashard Lewis could be more of a star if he would play with Turkoglu’s attitude. But he falls in love with the three and stops driving to the hoop. With a guy like Howard down low and the three point shooters on this team, the Magic need a guy who can penetrate and disrupt defenses.

Guys they should lose: J.J. Redick. How is this guy not playing in Europe yet? With all the players transitioning to European basketball, Redick needs to go. He does not fit in the NBA game. It’s easy to score on a team full of collegiate stars with a short three-point line. But Redick will never help a team win games. Other than him, and he doesn’t even play, the Magic have a decent roster. Jameer Nelson is not an upper echelon point guard, but does a good job with the players around him and could serve as a great back up if the Magic were to acquire someone in the trade market.

Burning Questions:

What will be Superman’s Kryptonite? Dwight Howard is exciting and is almost unguardable if he gets deep in the post. But he has not shown the ability to take over the game the way Shaquille O’Neal was able to in his heyday. He must be able to hit big free throws so he can play late in games and avoid a Hack-a-Dwight scenario.

Will the Magic live by the three or die by the three? Shooting 33% from three point range is equally efficient as shooting 50% from inside the arc. The Magic shot the 4^th best percentage from downtown and were 6^th in scoring. Seems like the strategy worked pretty well. What games will come down to for the Magic is hitting the clutch shot late in games and if Lewis, Turkoglu can step up, the Magic will be a team to be feared in the East.

2008-2009 Prediction – First Round: As talented as Orlando is, it is still an inexperienced team. Stan Van Gundy is a good coach and knows what a winning team needs so I expect a move to provide leadership at one of the guard positions or help with depth off the bench. Without it, Orlando can’t win a playoff series against another team who can defend in the post and force some bad shots while scoring in the high 90s.

2008-2009 Team Capsules and Predictions: NOH/UTA

2008-07-28T13:57:00.000-07:00

New Orleans Hornets: Second Round loss to Spurs

Team Overview: The Hornets seemed to come out of nowhere, but the people who watched them since Chris Paul arrived knew they had the potential for greatness if the players would stay healthy. 1n the 2007-2008 regular season, Paul, West, Stojakovic and Chandler missed just 16 games combined. Compared to126 games the four missed the previous year. But the Bees showed signs of breaking down in the playoffs with West (back) and Chandler (ankle) both having injury issues. The acquisition of James Posey fresh of another NBA Championship fortifies the bench and is a huge help with defense.

Guys they can’t lose: CP3, D-West, Chandler, Stojakovic and Posey. Posey makes his second “Guys they can’t lose” list, this time with the Hornets, because of his defensive ability, his post-season experience and his big shot capability. Stojakovic is a fantastic scorer that can carry a team or just sit outside and make defenses pay when they try to double-team. West is a dynamic scorer who is finally breaking out and could prove to be a perennial All-Star. Chandler is a fierce rebounder and a better pick-and-roll partner with Paul.

Guys they should lose: Bonzi Wells. Wells was brought in because of his experience and to score off the bench. He fulfills neither role as well as Posey will and Wells is a ball-stopper. When he touches the rock, everyone else is delegated to spectators. Byron Scott and GM Jeff Bower have done a phenomenal job filling the roster with useful players with a specific role, and Wells no longer fills a role.

Burning Questions:

Can New Orleans stay healthy? Last year seemed like the exception, rather than the rule, especially with Stojakovic. I doubt he will last all season and will become a non-factor for the playoffs. West and Chandler are both tough and should be fine, but I don’t trust Chris Paul with his size and physical style of play.

Will the young Hornets be ready to dominate opponents’ benches? Jannero Pargo, Julian Wright and Hilton Armstrong have developed and shown flashes of competing on the highest level. With Posey, the Hornets bench looks like the most solid back-up unit in the West. Pargo and Wright could break-out and have stellar seasons and help win a ton of games for the Hornets.

Will playing with Team USA be a positive or negative experience? He will no doubt gain knowledge and skill from playing with 14 other superstars as well as being surrounded by some of the greatest basketball minds ever assembled. Instead of resting from a rigorous season and two rounds of intense playoff action, he will be competing against stiff international competition. Assuming he doesn’t suffer any injuries, he might not have the energy for another full season and playoff run.

2008-2009 Prediction -- Second Round: I love the team the Hornets will have when the season starts, but there is no way everyone will stay healthy the entire year. I hate “predicting injuries” but there is too much evidence to ignore. If Bower can work his magic in free agency again, the Hornets have the offensive talent, and now with Posey, defensive toughness to shut down some of the Western traditional powerhouses.

Utah Jazz: Second Round loss to Lakers

Team Overview: Since the arrival of Deron Williams the Jazz have become a formidable team in the West. A one-two punch with Carlos Boozer makes the Jazz tough on offense. Kyle Korver, traded for last season, made the Jazz a dangerous offensive team. The Jazz have good size and rebounding, but lack a true center. Mehmet Okur tends to float around the perimeter looking for threes. While it’s tough to stop, it takes away from a potential post-up game.

Guys they can’t lose: D-Will, Boozer, Brewer, Korver. Kirilenko and Okur are solid players, but they are not championship material. Paul Millsap is a banger in the post and is dominate against most second strings. Ronnie Brewer is the only player who brings pure excitement and energy to the starting lineup. He has talent, but can be wildly inconsistent. If there is a coach in the league who can teach him to limit turnovers and bad shots, it’s Jerry Sloan. Kyle Korver is a lights-out shooter who made a huge difference but is limited athletically.

Guys they should lose: All the backup centers. The Jazz have been trying to find someone who can play in the post and compliment Boozer. Someone who forces defenses to guard down low and leave Boozer in one-on-one defenses. Jarron Collins is not that guy. Kosta Koufos was picked 23^rd in the 2008 Draft, but does not look tough enough in limited Summer League action. Kyrylo Fesenko was also unimpressive in the Rocky Mountain Revue. The Jazz should dump these guys on someone’s porch, ring the bell and run like hell.

Burning Questions:

How will playing with Team USA affect Boozer and Williams? Both players are young and have a history of not getting hurt. Not to mention both are physically built like rocks. Playing with the world’s best should be nothing but helpful for the duo.

Which Kirilenko will show up for ’08-’09? In 2005-2006, Kirilenko averaged over 15 points and 8 rebounds a game. The following year his numbers dropped to under 9 points and 5 rebounds a contest. He has taken a back seat to Williams and Boozer, but his field goal percentage has gone up every year since D-Will arrived. Maybe scoring and rebounding production isn’t as crucial from AK-47.

Is the Jazz good enough in any area to be the best as a whole? The Jazz is well rounded, but lack a “superstar”. If they can find a way to use the team mentality to subdue the star-filled West, they can get through the second round. While deep and balanced at every position, no one has shown the ability to take over a game.

2008-2009 Prediction – First Round: The Jazz is a solid and balanced team that is dominating at home. But most of the best teams are dominating at home, so that advantage goes out the window in the playoffs. If Rafer Alston had not missed a couple games in the first round the Jazz would have lost to the Rockets in the first round. The Jazz is balanced but not spectacular. I think they peaked the past two seasons and this team is consistent enough to live in the second round of the playoffs, but no further and any missteps will lead to a shorter season.

Team Capsules and Predictions: DET/SAN

2008-07-11T09:44:00.000-07:00

Detroit Pistons: Eastern Conference Finals

Team Overview: The deepest team in the NBA couldn’t get enough out of the five guys on the court for whatever reason, possibly Rasheed’s apathy, and lost unceremoniously to the Celtics. Trade rumors sending Billups and Prince to Denver for Carmelo were tough to figure out, but I would guess Joe Dumars realized no matter how many talented players he had on the bench, only five guys can play at one time and more importantly only one can shoot at a time. Still, Billups and Prince are great team players; unselfish and great defenders. Detroit has enough talent to field a successful NBA team and a great D-League team, but they are only pretty good, not great and won’t be able to knock off a great team like a Boston or if LeBron gets some help.

Guys they can’t lose: Hamilton, Prince, Stuckey, Maxiell. The reason Billups and Rasheed aren’t on this list is because they have become to complacent being good and not great. They are great players, but they’re attitudes keep Detroit from realizing the team’s potential. Hamilton gives 25 points a game in the most efficient way of any player in the league. Prince is a stellar defender and makes huge emotional plays at key times. Stuckey and Maxiell are the future of the franchise. These guys are fantastic to watch. They are exciting and don’t make many mistakes which is rare for their inexperience. Not many franchises are set to be good for the next 15 years. Detroit fans should feel pretty good about the future.

Guys they should lose: Nobody. There is not a guy on this team that causes problems on or off the court, as far as us fans know. Everyone plays well with everyone else. There is no one that is holding the Pistons back.

Burning Questions:

What will the coaching change do to an already successful team? Saunders is gone. Michael Curry is in. Curry is completely unproven, but he doesn’t need to build a team or develop talent. Everything a coach could ever want is already there. All he has to do is light a fire under the asses of a bunch of All-Stars and future All-Stars and keep them hungry through a long season and playoff run.

Will the young guys start competing for starting jobs? Stuckey, Maxiell, Amir Johnson and Arron Afflalo are all good, but without significant injuries to the current starters, only Maxiell has a shot at starting consistentle. Antonio McDyess is playing on completely on rebuilt knees and could use all the rest he could get, and if Maxiell can develop a mid-range jumper, he will start and become an essential piece of the Pistons Pie.

Prediction for 2008-09: Second Round – Next year will be a transition year for Michael Curry and his team. The young guys are not quite ready to dominate the league, but will play enough to improve. The veterans will be consistent but they still don’t have the tenacity to win it all. I expect a determined Toronto or Cleveland team to knock off the second-seeded Pistons.

San Antonio Spurs: Western Conference Finals

Team Overview: First off, the Spurs are an old team. But they’re star players are not old; Duncan – 32, Ginobili – 29 (next season), Parker – 26. They need some youth in the role positions. Ian Mahinmi has been playing well in the D-League and could start providing help, but that is far from enough. San Antonio needs to make a bold move in free agency to get younger or the Texas Trio will get worn out well before they should. Duncan is the best power forward of all time and does not need a new supporting cast, but someone who can take the constant pressure off Timmy would help.

Guys they can’t lose: Duncan, Ginobili, Parker, Bowen. This a pretty obvious list. The only questionable player is Bowen, but it’s easy to see his importance. He is a three-point outlet and a lock-down defender. He gives the team a tough mentality that most teams don’t have.

Guys they should lose: Kurt Thomas, Michael Finley, Brent Barry. All these guys can make significant playoff contributions, but they’re value during the regular season is minimal. These guys are why the team is old and slow. Sure, they are experienced and are still quality players, but they can’t keep up for an entire year and expect to have the energy to play well in the post-season. Barry is already gone to Houston, a good move for both teams. Near the trade deadline, the Spurs will make some moves to get quality guys, but until then, they need some youth.

Burning Questions:

Can they keep up with the young and competitive West? Parker is still young, but he is getting left behind in the top echelon of Western point guards. Paul and Williams are the new class and Parker showed he cannot stop Paul, but Paul cannot stop Parker. That could develop into a great rivalry in the next few years. Ginobili is unlike any player in the league, but playing his style he can only last another two seasons. Duncan’s style could last pretty much forever, but those three can’t compete with the youth and talent of the Hornets, Lakers, Trailblazers, Jazz, etc.

Will they wait until the Rodeo Road Trip to turn it on again? This is the three-week road trip the team takes when the rodeo takes over the Alamo. In past years, the team has bonded and come together during this time to make a run into the playoffs. But they may not recover from a slow start and could finish in the bottom three or four in the West. That would mean a very difficult first round in the playoffs.

Prediction for 2008-09: First Round – The Spurs are scheduled for a Title next year, but I think this will be the year they break their on-again off-again pattern. The players on the Spurs right now are not good enough to get out of the first round of the playoffs. The difference between a low seed to a top seed is only a couple wins and the Spurs are on the short end compared to most teams.

Team capsules and predictions: LA/BOS

2008-07-09T13:11:00.000-07:00

Boston Celtics: NBA Champions

Team Overview: Led by the tenacious defense of Kevin Garnett and the never-say-die attitude of Paul Pierce, the Celtics have the leaders and star power to make another run at an NBA title. Ray Allen is still a scoring threat and Rondo is learning how to manage a team at warp speed. Down low, Perkins and Davis can be a tough combo to handle, but they are limited on both ends of the court.

Guys they can’t lose: KG, Pierce, Ray Allen, Rondo, Posey and Tom Thibodeau. The big three is obvious and Rondo should go without saying. Even if there were a point guard in the market, the Celtics have gelled around this guy and he knows how to bring out the best in the stars. Posey still provides clutch offense and defense that only a handful of guys in the league provide. Thibodeau should be the next assistant to become a head coach, but he likes Boston and their team. For a defensive mastermind, he has all the tools he could want.

Guys they should lose: Sam (Gollum) Cassell, Tony Allen, J.R. Giddens. Garnett fulfilled some promise he must have made years ago when he and Cassell were teammates that they would both get rings someday. Now that he has His Precious, the Celtics should cut him loose and bump Eddie House up to the 2-spot in the depth chart. Tony Allen is not a great defender, nor is he a consistent offensive producer. He just confuses Doc Rivers into making bad coaching moves. Giddens was selected 30^th in the draft and he is easily one of the most athletic guys in the draft. He grew up near me and my brother played against him. The text message he sent me after the draft sums up his behavior problems better than I ever could, “I wonder how long until he stabs somebody.” Maybe KG and others can straighten him out, but that’s a risk they don’t need.

Burning Questions:

Will Boston have the same passion and intensity to repeat? Garnett is the Niagara Falls of intensity, but now that the big three has that first ring, maintaining the energy needed to endure the rigors of an 82-game season along with another trying playoff run will be a challenge.

Can they hide from the Basketball Reaper? He comes for us all. The end of someone’s career is near. KG and Pierce both seem to have at least three more seasons, but Allen seems more fragile. Is the C’s can get someone to spell Jesus during the season, he should be able to contribute in the post-season.

Prediction for 2008-09: NBA Finals -- The Celtics will be great again in the regular season, although not taking every game by the throat, causing them to slip a few games in their final record. But unless another team can emerge as a powerhouse, Boston should be able to repeat as the Eastern Conference Champs in the regular season. If health is not an issue, and that’s a big ‘if’ the Celtics will return to the NBA Finals but lose to a more complete team.

Los Angeles Lakers: NBA Finals

Team Overview: The 2008 MVP should be ecstatic that more help is on the way. Andrew Bynum is recovered from knee surgery but is seeking a healthy contract extension. Kobe Bryant and the Lakers have the talent to be one of the most dominant teams of all time. From Kobe to Farmar and Ariza, everyone will play a significant role. The team is young, and should be hungry after coming so close in the Finals, then getting blown away in Game 6. That’s a game you think about in the off-season while working out.

Guys they can’t lose: Kobe, Gasol, Bynum, Phil Jackson. Seeing how far the Lake-show could go without Bynum was impressive. But they will not be good enough to get over the hump without the big man. Pau Gasol played soft in the Finals but is still a great young player that will flourish as a power forward. The most telling and fragile dynamic of this team will be Kobe and Jackson. They have a history of problems and if Kobe starts trouble again for whatever reason, Jackson may look elsewhere for his record-tying 10^th NBA Title. Without the Zen Master, the Lakers teamwork will suffer and break down like a hooptie on the highway.

Guys they should lose: Vladimir Radmanovic, Lamar Odom. The Radman is a waste of space save for 4-5 minutes of solid play. Sasha Vujacic is also streaky, but provides a great defender and a reliable shooter. Lamar Odom is a great player, but the way he plays is counter-productive to winning. He is a guy who can put up decent numbers and help take pressure off other scorers, but the Lakers will not lack scoring. Odom takes away 20-25 possessions from the guys who play with heart. Odom floats around and when he does drive, it’s lackluster and easy to defend.

Burning Questions:

Will the chemistry be right? Somehow Kobe got along with this team well and if he can incorporate Bynum into that equation, nothing can stop this team. If not, it will be a spectacular emotional and physical implosion that will make headlines for weeks. Kobe needs national attention, so dropping his scoring average under 20 is unlikely. That means someone will have to play for the team and not himself. Jackson is the key in keeping everyone motivated.

Will the competitive West wear out the Lakers? This argument only really applies when comparing teams from the West to teams from the East. The Lakers, and any West team, only has to win four games against an Eastern team. All the other West teams will be in the same or worse position so the Lakers can’t fret too much.

Will Kobe be healthy enough after the Olympics then surgery on his finger? There is no way to answer this without some form of a time machine or magic mirror. But knowing the uber-competitive Bryant, he will be back, miss about three to four weeks of the season and be rested for a shortened charge to the Title.

Prediction for 2008-09: NBA Champs – The Lakers are too talented not too succeed next year. They have depth, youth and experience, a superstar, a superb defense, a master coach and a great frontline. That is plenty to dominate the NBA and win it all.

Risky Mock Draft

2008-06-22T14:19:00.000-07:00

I have read through dozens of mock drafts predicting the order of the 2008 NBA Draft and not one has been very interesting. I hope this will be different. It is impossible to guess at what GMs and owners are thinking in the madness leading up to the Draft, but this is a representation of what I would do in their places.

Obviously I don't know every detail about teams and contracts, etc. So cut me some slack and enjoy.

First of all, this is not the most talented draft. A few players are sure to be stars, but I see more question marks than exclamation points. As lucky as da' Bulls were in snatching the number 1 pick, they would be luckier in another year. But I digress...

1. Chicago Bulls -- Michael Beasley -- A team that was a popular pick for the Eastern Conference contenders in the pre-season, the Bulls have talent, but they also have youth and inexperience. I'm not so sure adding another young weapon is the right move, but with so many free agents, why not start building around a versatile power-small forward?

If anyone is willing to give up a valuable big man (Elton Brand) I say take the trade. But I don't think it will happen.

2. Memphis (via Miami) -- Derrick Rose -- Another team that is not far from Eastern Conference success (when healthy), I think they should try to shop the number 2 pick. But in this draft they could not get as much as they want like. Real Estate investors know this pain all too well right now. Memphis also lost a talented fan-favorite in Juan Carlos Navarro to play in Spain (really?) so the need for a star ball-handler is greater than ever.

Even still, I would take a deal for Mike Miller while Memphis tries to move up and snatch a potential superstar point guard to pair with Rudy Gay. Miami then gets a sharp-shooter with Wade and Marion and some cap space to try and sign a legit big man and become very dangerous.

3. Minnesota Timberwolves -- Jerryd Bayless -- One of the few teams early in the draft that has a reliable big man (Al Jefferson) and a host of young players to build around. I see them taking Jerryd Bayless from 'Zona. His scoring and exciting play COULD mesh with Brewer and Foye on the perimeter or it could lead to fighting for scoring chances. Either way, the T-Wolves would need a stroke of genius (or some nice players from Boston for the donating of KG) in hopes of competing in the West.

4. Milwaukee Bucks (via Seattle) -- OJ Mayo -- Does Seattle really need another 'number 1' guy on it's squad. There is enough drama off the court with the impending move of the franchise, that putting two huge egos in the locker room would be a disaster. Therefore, Seattle dumps the fourth pick into Milwaukee's lap, who needs a number 1 guy to go along with Bogut inside and the sheepish but effective Yi Jianlian.

Mayo is good enough to produce immediately and help rest the entire Bucks team that will be fatigued after a busy summer in Beijing (Bogut-AUS/Yi-China/Redd-US). Milwaukee will have talent and should be able to win games, but will not find a way again. In the meantime, they will lose a draft pick for next year in order to move up this year.

5. Miami Heat (via Memphis) -- Brook Lopez-- I hope Brook Lopez can play better than he can speak. He went to Stanford and he and his brother, Robin, sound like they barely know English. (His brother is worthless. Why else would he ride his bro's coattails into the Draft instead of trying to be the stud at Stanford?) But it don't take brains to play ball. Combined with two potentially healthy superstars (we'll see about Wade this summer) and a great three-ball shooter and a team of young guys who saw a lot of playing time last season and I start liking Miami more and more.

6. New York Knicks-- Eric Gordon -- A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Although a thousand miles seems like an understatement of how far the Knicks need to travel before they compete in the NBA or any other basketball league. They need to make sure the player they get has the right attitude, then evaluate talent. They have talent on the roster (Crawford, Randolph, Curry, and Marbury) but only a couple players willing to put in the work to win (Lee, Balkman, Big Nate).

From Gordon's perspective, talk about going from the fire to the frying pan. The turmoil he faced at Indiana (thanks Kelvin) will seem like middle school gossip compared to the nastiness of the Knick-scene. He will be the success story of the draft if he can turn into a leader and more importantly for New Yorkers, a winner.

7. Seattle Supersonics -- DJ Augustin -- One thing the Sonics have is options. They have a ton of picks in this and next year's draft. They don't need 11 young players, so my guess (and this one I am sure I'm right about) they will deal some of their picks to move up or secure a big name player, probably a big man. Augustin adds a dynamic point guard who can keep up with the lightning quick guards already in the league (Paul, Parker, etc.) and can fit in with the 2007 Rookie of the Year, Kevin Durant.

The two played at Texas as freshman. Augustin played second fiddle while KD dominated the college basketball world. This year Augustin made some music of his own leading Texas to success again (not easy for a guard to do). Besides, having two players from Texas would help the fan-base when the team moves to Oklahoma. I bet Mark Cuban will not be happy when the Mavs start losing fans.

8. Los Angeles Clippers -- Danilo Gallinari-- LA is the only place a guy could go after playing for "Armani Jeans". And I thought the Texans was a dumb team name. I bet the Clips would rather give this pick away for one of those health packs you pick up in a video game. They have a great team, but injuries hit it like a cannonball drilling a an expensive vase. Last season was shattered.

Gallinari could develop into a fine player (Not glowing praise, I realize, but I don't trust European players who don't look tough enough to handle the rough NBA game) but the Clippers don't need him this year unless everyone has a relapse. Either way, I'm more excited about Al Thornton playing a full year in the West and taking some of that LA shine off the other LA team.

9. Charlotte Bobcats-- DeAndre Jordan-- His name's Jordan, what more reason do you need? i know people like Anthony Randolph, but you won't see his name until my "Most Over-Rated Draft Prospects" list comes out. Jordan has raw talent but the guy is tough. After drafting bench warmers (Morrison and May) they want someone who will actually lace up shoes instead of loafers. Both Jordans will need some time, but the Bobcats need more than one player to turn this franchise around.

10. New Jersey Nets-- Kevin Love-- The Nets started shedding fat last year when they dished Kidd to Dallas for Devin Harris. They still have Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson but I would expect a big trade that gives the Nets more youth and cap space. Jefferson is on borrowed time with the Nets. If you believe the hype surrounding the Jay-Z/LeBron merger in a couple years when LBJ's contract expires, the Nets are a lame-duck until then with these old guys. I don't know how good for business that would be if the move to Brooklyn doesn't work out.

Love provides some youth and size but does not fit the athletic mold the Nets want. But they can't pass on a quality big man, only a few teams have that luxury. Harris and Love give some energy to two guys who used to be all about energy, or could be a solid unit when the King arrives in a couple years.

11. Dallas Mavericks (via Indiana) -- Brandon Rush-- In the biggest Draft day trade, the Mavs will unload Josh "pass the joint" Howard for some interior toughness in Jermaine O'Neal. Some ancillary players will also be involved and as long as no one goes Deavean George on this deal, Dallas will add some muscle and a player that can straight-up-play.

Rush is one of the guys that we will look back on and wonder how he didn't go Top 3. He lead his team to a National Championship at Kansas and has so many weapons he can fit in any system.

Dallas has exactly one year left with Kidd to win a championship and with a healthy O'Neal and young Rush, Nowitzki could get lead his Mavericks back to the Finals.

12. Sacramento Kings -- Roy Hibbert-- I don't know why I like Hibbert, but I think he is a perennial under-achiever. I know that's not a compliment, but I think he has the means to end up a great big man. I have a sneaking suspicion that Artest will be traded to either Dallas, New Jersey or the Lakers (for Odom and the Radman), but if the powers-that-be don't get a great offer for Captain Ron, the Kings are poised for a developing a solid team next year.

Like the Clips with Thornton, I'm more interested in seeing Kevin Martin develop and see if he can warrant an out-of-nowhere All-Star notch.

13. Portland Trailblazers-- Russell Westbrook-- I've seen him as high as five in some Mock's, but what for? Am I the only one who still values collegiate performance? Even though it has just become a one-year daycare in which most players loaf around the court because scouts and 'experts' love words like upside and dissect the difference in an inch or two.

He is an athletic player who can provide defense and should develop into a prime-time player in a few years. He is not a guy who can dominate right now, which the Blazers don't need. Roy is the leader of that team and Oden will be the second choice (if recovered) and LaMarcus Aldridge will continue to be the most under-rated big man in the West. I love Portland's chances of making the playoffs next year as the new Hornets.

14. Golden State Warriors-- Joe Alexander-- I keep hearing about how good this guy is. But he still seems a little Morrison-ish to me. He is sans 'stache of course which is a few points his way, but he took over in college using sheer will. Strength of Will doesn't translate too well in an 82 game season. It translates to lots of trips to the trainer's table.

I do think he is a talented player who can fit a variety of roles and bring stability to an otherwise unstable roster. I like the change of pace he would give the up-tempo free-wheeling Warriors.

I know this is not like most Mock Drafts you'll see and you will think I'm crazy about more than one pick. But this is what I would like to see happen and would improve each team involved. Predicting much past this is pretty irrelevant, but still fun. Either way, I just don't have the time. Enjoy the draft!

NBA Finals

2008-06-05T05:53:00.000-07:00

I wasn't sure I was going to get this blog off in time. I had all the time in the world to write it, but more time sometimes seems like a curse because there is "always later" and eventually, that runs out. But, I am beating the buzzer this morning with my NBA Finals prediction.

The Lakers made their run through the West look much easier than I expected. The West was supposed to be the uber-competitive conference with every series going to seven games. But the Lakers made it to the Finals with an impressive display of offensive, brilliantly timed streaks and home-court domination. This was their path:

Den 4-0

Utah 4-2

SA 4-1

They have only played 15 games this post-season, whereas Boston played 14 in its first two series. Fatigue will be a factor, unless one team man-handles the other and it's a sweep, which will not happen.

The Lake-show took advantage of a sluggish Spurs team that looked like it was ready to win another West crown, but just didn't have any oomph left. I wonder if the Celtics will have any left after three grueling series.

This Celtics team has much more to lose than LA, which can be good and bad. A team with nothing to lose plays without doubting themselves and makes few mistakes. A team that is nervous and tight, might not take advantage of open looks, and not let the game flow, and that would be disastrous.

I know the Celtics have a great D and crash the boards well and all that. But the Lakers dominated the Spurs on the glass, showing they can clean the window pretty well when needed. And the Lakers have a much more explosive bench than the C's.

The Lakers bench brings energy and is dangerous with it's three-point shooting as well as very tough defense. Compared to the above-average bench of Boston, LA stacks up favorably off the pine.

Home-court advantage (Which is 2-3-2 in the Finals) is always difficult to overcome. But the Lakers have confidence on the road and I can't say the same for the Celtics. LA won in San Antonio, and back-to-back games to close out Denver. And they have the most cold-blooded player in the series, just hoping for a chance to hit a shot that kills the crowd. (Yeah, Kobe)

I think both teams come out amped for Game 1, but the Lakers steal it and put the fear into Bosotn early, making the mental hill too tall for the role-players to overcome. I want to take LA in 5, but I think Boston is too tough to drop 3 straight on the road, then coming back to TD Banknorth Garden will give them a boost in Game 6. Therefore....

LAKERS IN 7

Congrats to Kobe on finally stepping out of Shaq's shadow, now only 5 more rings until you can get out of Jordan's.

Pistol Pete- A Legacy Forgotten

2008-05-27T13:39:00.000-07:00

Talking simply talent on the basketball court, I'm not sure a human has ever been better in his era. Regarding his play in the NBA, his is a tragic story filled with disappointment and obstacles he could hardly overcome. But if any of the modern players people love so much (MJ, Kobe or LeBron) had to face the same challenges, they would not have fared as well.

I was lucky enough to stumble upon "Pistol, The Life of Pete Maravich" by Mark Kriegel at a Barnes & Noble and decided to buy it. I had seen the movie, but didn't know much else about the goofy-looking white boy who was a basketball genius.

(Being a goofy-looking white boy myself, I was even more interested)

I read the book quickly. I couldn't put it down, except to pause and think about how incredible the stuff I was reading really was. I even caught myself saying "wow" out loud on occasion. I won't spoil it for you if you decide to read, but the "wow's" turn to "bummer's" towards the end of the book. Also, at the very end is the most incredible thing about his life, and I will let you know if you message me, but again, I don't want to spoil it for anyone.

When Pete was around 8, his dad, Press Maravich, a basketball coach, invited John Wooden into their home to show off what Pete could do. Pete put on a dribbling exhibition for the future HOFer and Coach Wooded said it was the most impressive dribbling he had ever seen. Not just by a kid, but ever.

In junior high, Pete accepted the famous bet that he could not spin a basketball on his fingers for an hour. Try to remember how big your fingers were then, I know mine could not have handled he pressure. Neither did Pete's. After half an hour, the skin on his finger started to crack and bleed. His opponent was all but counting his winnings when Pete calmly switched the ball to a different finger like it was no big deal. By the end of the hour, he spun the ball easily on every finger on both hands and won the bet, leaving jaws hanging open.

Throughout high school, his dad would bring him to college-level practices and Pete would dominate the competition. He would make an NCAA player look foolish before he even had a driver's license. There are even more famous stories I could share about this time, but I want to get to his college and NBA career.

His first year of college was spent on the freshman team because player's could only play on the Varsity for three years. The small gym at LSU would be packed to see the Pistol and every game, hundreds of fans would get turned away because the gym was too full. However, after the freshman game ended, and the Varsity team took the floor, the gym would clear out.

During his three seasons on the Varsity team, he dominated. No other word sums it up quite as well. He averaged 44.2 points per game. AVERAGED! Compare that to the second best player of that time, Kareem Abdul-Jabaar (before he was Kareem, of course) who averaged 26.4 points per game over his three-year career. And Kareem was a 7-footer in a time when there were few great big men. And, there was no three-point line for Pete to 'pad' his stats.

Players who tried to defend Pistol often admitted after the game that they would catch themselves just watching in amazement at what he could do with the basketball. Maybe that's how he scored so much.

LSU stills plays basketball in an arena built off the success of one player. The Pete Maravich Assembly Center is a reminder that no one will ever be as good as he was in college.

On to the professional level where most of the hating arises. Although, one more interesting side note. When a teacher asked a young Pete in grade school what he wanted to do, he said he would be the first person to make a million bucks playing basketball. She laughed in his face. Wouldn't you know, Pete was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks and signed to a 1.6 million dollar contract. Boo-ya teachers who crush dreams!

Despite being on a horrendous team, he averaged 23.2 ppg and was named to the All-Rookie team. Kobe didn't average that many points is a season until his FIFTH year in the league. The Biography gets into specifics about troubles he had with teammates, particularly the black guys on the team who decided not to pass him the ball, but that is something that is probably more speculation than fact. I'll let you decide if you read the book.

He suffered countless injuries and had chronic knee problems. For a guy who made a living off using his legs to explode past guys then slam on the brakes, I would imagine it was pretty rough. His career was a constant disappointment. If he tried to recover, the owners were upset because people wanted to pay to see the Pistol. If he played while hurt, he was lack-luster and only made his injuries worse.

His biggest regret was never winning a title and sadly, retired from the Celtics one season before a young star named Bird would take Boston to the promised land.

Throughout all his troubles, Pete Maravich still proved his greatness. He averaged 24.2 ppg over his career (16th all-time), including a 68-point blowout to show everyone what could have been. He was an All-Star five times and All-NBA First Team twice and Second Team twice. He also led the league in scoring with a 31.1 average in the 76-77 season.

To say Pete should not be considered in the Top 50 or 100 is a travesty and a sin against basketball. He accomplished all this while battling alcoholism, an over-bearing father who was also his closest friend, a mother who committed suicide and a plethora of other personal problems. Again, I will not spoil the best part and I strongly urge you to pick up the book, but send me a message or look up how he died and that will be the best proof that he was amazing.

Western Conference Finals

2008-05-21T12:17:00.000-07:00

Let's all take a moment for the chance of seeing the Hornets and Lakers battle and think about what could have been...

OK. Back to reality.

#1 Lakers vs #3 Spurs

The Lakers have cruised so far against two completely different styles of play. Denver with the shoot fast and hope someone else plays defense approach. And Utah with the uber-fundamental pick and roll until you drop dead approach. Lakers crushed them both.

The Spurs won a huge momentum game in double-OT to give them the edge against a dangerous Phoenix team. Then they were outplayed (Except Tony Parker) in the series against New Orleans, but the Hornets choked in Game 7-- It should be noted the game was the Hornets to win, the Spurs played the same as every game in the Crescent City, but the shots that went down in Games 1,2 & 5, clanked in Game 7.

Therefore I do not give the Spurs much credit for that win and can't realistically think too highly of their chances in the next round.

Kobe is unguardable. Bruce Bowen can annoy him but not stop or even contain him for a full 48 minutes.

Lamar Odom will be matched up with a smaller defender most of the time and he will see a lot of open looks from mid-range and be able to drive to the basket.

Pau Gasol vs Timmy-D will be a great match-up. But great offense beats great defense and I don't think either plays great defense. I expect Oh Boy Oberto and Kurt Thomas to spend a lot of time harassing Gasol.

The benches cancel each other out. All they do is float around the perimeter and jack up threes.

EXCEPT -- Farmar and Udoka who will be the X-factors for their squads off the pine. Udoka played amazing against the Hornets and will likely only play better this round.

The Parker-Fisher match-up is interesting. Parker is too quick, but Fisher is crafty and knows how to compensate. Parker will be able to drive, but the key will be the help defense, the Hornets had no answer. Parker would either score or find a wide open shooter for three. The Lakers must block Parker and close-out faster.

Phil Jackson and Gregg Popovich are two of the all-time great coaches, but Pop had to pull out all the stops to squeek by NO (Manu starting -- can he never be eligible for the 6th man award now?). They both know how to win in the playoffs and win championships, but Phil has the team he wants and not much can stop him now.

Finally, look for DJ Mbenga to break out and carry this Lakers team on his back, it's MBENGA TIME BABY!

not really

LAKERS IN 5

Eastern Conference Finals

2008-05-20T10:03:00.000-07:00

Down to four.

I must take a second and pat myself on the back for some pretty close predictions from last round. I nailed the Pistons and Celtics series with the correct number of games. I was one game off of the Lakers series, and I hit the games, but missed the team (Which is a big deal, I am aware) in the Spurs/Hornets series. Not too shabby.

Now for the next round.

In the East...

#1 Boston vs. #2 Detroit

What a clash of contrast this match-up is. The big 3 who are venturing into uncharted waters as a unit, verse the team that has been together longer than most bands. Personal experience verse team experience.

It's hard to forget that Boston has not won on the road in the playoffs. But let's try. And remember, the battles these teams fought against one another in the regular season.

December 19: Lost at home 85-87.

January 5: Won in Detroit 92-85

March 5: Won at home 90-78.

In the two Boston wins, the Celts got huge games by KG, then Glen "Big Baby" Davis. In the Detroit victory, the Pistons shot very well from deep, hitting 45% of it's threes. The other games were in the 30s.

It would be easy to say, Boston needs to dominate the post while Detroit just needs to hit shots for each team to win, but we all know there is more to it than that.

Detroit has developed a deep bench during the season, giving their starters time off down the stretch to better prepare the young guys for the playoffs. The Pistons have already reaped the benefits with the stellar play of Rodney Stuckey and Jason Maxiell when Billups and McDyess suffered injuries.

Maxiell is much better now than he was in the regular season and Amir Johnson has also developed into a reliable post player. Two options Flip Saunders can and will use to help neutralize Boston's big men. And the combo of Billups and Stuckey allows the Pistons to keep pressure on Boston at the point guard position all game.

For Boston, containing three-point situation is a little trickier because they are not confined to a small area. And Detroit has a plethora of players who can hit the long ball. Realistically, Boston has to play solid, close-out defense and limit wide open shots while making sure to rebound and then simply hope Detroit misses shots.

That's the first reason I'm taking Detroit in this series. Detroit has tangible tactics it can use to stop Boston's greatest offensive strength, Boston does not.

The second reason is the bench. We saw in both Game 7's in the Conference Semi-Finals how crucial play off the bench can be. PJ Brown was always in the right spot for what seemed like back-breaking buckets when Cleveland needed stops the most. Cleveland had nothing off the bench. Other than LeBron, they really had nothing from it's starters either though.

But the point is, the stars get 90% of the win, but who can step up and be the unexpected hero to get that last 10%. Detroit has way more options, albeit young options, than Boston. And Doc Rivers has not shown any faith in his bench this post-season, so he is more likely just to make his stars press and try to do too much.

It won't work, and oh yeah, Boston can't win on the road.

DETROIT PISTONS IN 6

Second Round Predictions

2008-05-05T00:07:00.000-07:00

Before I take some more amazing guesses at what will happen in the second round of the NBA playoffs, I'd like to reflect on the First Round for just a moment if that's ok with you.

If it's not, go scroll yourself down a bit...

In what was the most anticipated post-season in recent memory, the suspense was somewhat short lived. Only one series went to 7 games, and while Atlanta did good job of sustaining suspense and the potential excitement that a miracle could be performed on the one team who is already planning for it's post-championship locker room bash, I doubt anyone really gave the Hawks any chance in that Game 7-- which was over before halftime. That series showed Boston is vulnerable on the road, but almost unbeatable at home.

Detroit needed to be pushed in order to wake up from the coma it's been in while it coasted through the final month of the season, but responded with the force and thoroughness we've come to expect from the Pistons.

Washington did everything wrong, and lost to Cleveland, which makes sense.

And Orlando looked good as it showed Toronto the door in just 5 games.

In the West, the big story was finally getting a chance to evaluate all the blockbuster trades in the playoffs.

Lakers looked really good...

Dallas looked really bad...

Phoenix needs more time, which they may or may not have...

And on to my partially educated guesses

STOP SCROLLING NOW!

OK,

Because Round 1 ended after 3 games of Round 2 started, I get a head start, and if you look at how I did in the First Round, I could use it.

#1 LA Lakers vs. #4 Utah Jazz

The Lakers looked way better than I expected against Denver, but Denver took a firm, NO DEFENSE policy which may have helped LA look so good. It reminded me when I tried out for my 8th grade basketball team, we would run drills against another player to test speed. This series was like the fastest kid on the team getting paired with the overweight kid who is impossible to block out, but needs to take a break from tying his shoes because he gets too winded. Not very close. Utah on the other hand beat a streaky but talented Houston team, that was without it's star point guard from 2 and a half losses. If the Rockets had a healthy Rafer Alston, Tracy McGrady would have finally made it to the second round, and we would have two of the all-time great scorers going head to head. But we don't (Thanks Rafer's ankle) and we get to watch the Jazz use great teamwork to stop Kobe and pals.

Utah is a great home team, but so-so on the road. Sadly for them, every team left is a great home team, so that won't save them. They do have a decent arsenal of defenders to throw at Kobe, but you can't stop the inevitable (Kobe scoring). Utah has a balanced attack that could provide enough points to win a couple games, but unless they catch fire or start playing with a newfound passion, they will succumb.

LAKERS IN 5

#2 New Orleans Hornets vs. #3 San Antonio Spurs

This series holds a special place in my heart. The Bees are the team I'm pulling for this year because I got to watch them in OKC the last two years and the Spurs are the team I'm sick of watching and would like very much to lose. I will rant on the Spurs in a later blog, but I will try to focus on the series for now. Both teams won impressively in the first round over opponents plenty of people thought would win. The Chris Paul-Tony Parker matchup has me drooling, despite the Spurs assigning Bruce Bowen to cover Paul, the top 2 (Sorry Deron Williams) points guards in the league are squaring off. Gauging from the first game, that the Hornets won going away, which means they were in the process of increasing their lead s the game ended, Byron Scott intends to take one of the three SA stars out of the game completely. New Orleans did a great job shackling Duncan, and held him to just 5 points. I expect more of the same, but the Spurs adjusting and causing some problems.

This series will go 7, and everyone will start talking about the inexperience of the Hornets and all but count them out. But remember, they have home court advantage, and experience can be earned. Look for Chris Paul and David West to earn it.

HORNETS IN 7.

IN THE EAST

#1 Boston Celtics vs. #4 Cleveland Cavaliers

I'm sure plenty of people are doubting Boston's chances after stumbling against the lowly Hawks, so I will try not to follow the crowd. However, I underestimated the Cavs new team and they impressed me against a talented but dysfunctional Wizards team. LeBron is always impossible to factor. I am spotting the Cavs two games that I expect him to win on sheer will and tenacity. But Boston is too tough at home, and King James won't have the kind of miracle game he did last year to bump off the Pistons. This will be exciting to watch the league's best team go against the league's best player.

CELTICS IN 7

#2 Detroit Pistons vs. #3 Orlando Magic

If I had to pick one Cinderella team this year, I would pick the Magic. With the presence of Dwight Howard in the middle and the ability to shoot three's Orlando is a tough team to beat, just ask the Raptors. But Detroit is built to win a championship. They are the deepest team in the history of the NBA. With four guards and four big men who could see significant time on any other team, Detroit has been ready for the playoffs for months. And Philly did Orlando no favors by slapping this Detroit team with two wins. Now the beast is awake and ready to destroy everything in it's path. It helps that Howard hurt his hand, but that would make little difference, Detroit is hungry and they know how to get fed.

PISTONS IN 5

Quick Rant

2008-04-18T20:34:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to throw my two cents in the ring about the whining from people arguing to rearrange the NBA Playoff format. I understand that the West is more loaded than a gun in a Clint Eastwood movie (they have like fifty bullets before reloading!?) but that does not mean we should scrap the whole system.

This is not like the BCS for college football where it blows pretty much every year. This one time, a couple good teams are left out of the playoffs. So what.

At the beginning of the season, everyone knew what it took to get into the post-season. You must have one of the top eight records in your conference. It was not, win 50 games and if you come in 9th, we'll fudge the rules for ya. NO.

Honestly, I think the Hawks, Raptors and 76ers deserve to get in the playoffs more than the Warriors. Because they did what they had to do to win enough games to finish in the top eight. And that's ALL that matters.

At the beginning of a game, everyone knows the winner will be the team with the most points. Not, if you score a super amount of points, but still less than the other team we'll let you pretend to be winners too and will all stand in a circle singing Kumbaya.

The Warriors lost. They would be fun to watch in the playoffs again, but they didn't do what it took. The teams from the East did. That's the difference.

NBA Playoff Prediction

2008-04-18T18:50:00.000-07:00

Prediction 1. This is going to be the best post-season ever of any sport in the history of greatness and could not possibly be over-hyped.

Prediction 2. Here is who will win in the first round:

IN THE EAST...

#1 Boston vs. #8 Atlanta- I really like Atlanta's youth and athleticism. They are an exciting team and fun to watch. (Josh Smith is the best modern shot-blocker) The trade helped the team become more balanced and effective offensively, but they still have a ways to go before having a chance in a seven-game series against a team like Boston. Too much talent experience, defense, intensity, you know he drill.

BOSTON IN 4

#2 Detroit vs. #7 Philadelphia- Detroit is the deepest team in the world. Almost everyone on the bench can come in at any time and be effective. The Pistons are also the best inside. From Rasheed Wallace, Antonio McDyess, Jason Maxiell, the blooming Amir Johnson and Theo Ratliff, no team should scare the boys from Mo-Town in the paint. Philadelphia has found out how to win with what they've got. The Andre's (Miller and Iguodala) play well together, they can get out and run and some key role players are just around the corner from emerging as seriously quality guys. I like their chemistry, but this Detroit team invented chemistry.

DETROIT IN 5

#3 Orlando vs. #6 Toronto- In Orlando, one of the most gifted athletes is emerging as a force in the league, but he is still too young and doesn't understand the dynamics of leadership. Dwight Howard will be one of the players from this generation, but right now he is not even the MVP of his team. Hedo Turkoglu is the 'glu' (I couldn't resist) that holds Orlando together. Toronto is one of the teams that is not great, but are in the playoffs because they are in the East. They are not a bad team, but cannot hang with a legit team for a series. Orlando's youth will probably cost them a game or two, but Stan Van Gundy knows what he is doing and will get the Magic into the second round.

ORLANDO IN 5

#4 Cleveland vs. #5 Washington- By far the most intriguing match-up in the East. And even that is an understatement. The Washington players have said flat-out, we don't like Cleveland and we want to play them. Plagued by injuries, Washington has missed it's stars for most of the season, but made the playoffs comfortably in the Downy Soft East. Now, Arenas, Butler, Jamison: all healthy-ish. Each player has shown he can step up and lead the team and be the star. Shutting down this team, just won't happen this round. Cleveland can try, but it's not gunna happen.

The Cavs are still working out chemistry issues with the newly acquired players from trades. They have had time to meld, so that should not be a huge deal. Cleveland is a good team. The players they have now are better than the ones they gave up. That should make them a better team, right? Well. No.

Washington will knock King James off his Eastern throne. I don't care who is on the court with LeBron if the game is close with under a minute to go. You could take Dhalsim, the invisible man (should that be capitalized?), and anyone else who could do cool stuff, but they will never touch they ball. And why should they? The Cleveland LeBrons are happy with what they are and did well last year, but this year, Washington has a chip on their shoulder, and will play with passion. After all, they are the Wiz, and nobody beats them.

WASHINGTON IN 6

IN THE WEST....

#1 L.A. Lakers vs. #8 Denver Nuggets- No one is giving Denver much of a chance to knock off Kobe and Co. I understand, I mean, when was the last time an 8-seed beat a 1-seed? Like a million years ago, right? Yeah, Lakers fans should not be comfortable because they locked up the top spot. In the West, that guarantees nothing except you get to play at home to start. Denver is the most explosive team (ask Seattle after it was rocked for 168 in regulation) but they just don't seem to get it. In a nerdy reference that I think make sense, they are like Neo in the Matrix, waiting for something. They have the tools and skills, but they need something to trigger them into functioning like an NBA team and not a street ball team. If that does kick in before it's too late, I like Denver. But this is the real world (maybe) and Kobe won't let his team get upset this early. Besides, nothing bad ever happens when Kobe goes to Denver.

LAKERS IN 7

#2 New Orleans/Oklahoma City vs #7 Dallas- The Hornets essentially have two fan bases until the Sonics relocate, so I feel it's only fair to recognize both groups. Besides, why did everyone have to get hurt last season when I lived in OKC? And how did they get so many people in the arena to watch Kirk Snyder and Rasual Butler? Anyway, Dallas is a team that did not care what it ended up finishing in the regular season, as long as they made the dance, so to speak. They focused on getting J-Kidd meshed with Dirk and J-How as quickly as possible. They are a better team now, than they have been since the trade, so it worked. What's interesting though is Erick Dampier has stepped up into a PT Player (If I can steal some Dick Vitale vernacular) and his production has skyrocketed. They also have a sense of urgency, because the NBA career Grim Reaper is chilling in the hot tub in the Mavs locker room. They may have a shot at it all next season (I think they will be solid) but when you trade away your most versatile player's best friend (Josh Howard and Devin Harris were totally bff) you sort of take away his swagger. And Josh Howard is they key for Dallas to win consistently in the post-season, and I don't think he's got it this year. The Big Hasselhoff will do his thing and will Dallas to a couple W's, but don't sleep on the Bees.

New Orleans would have been about a four or five seed last season if healthy. They weren't it happens, but they developed an unbelievable team trust. These guys believe in each other. The confidence oozes from every player. Chris Paul is the general (my pick for the MVP, yeah, somewhat biased, but there is more than enough of that going to a certain K. Bryant. Actually, that's too obvious, let's call him, Kobe B.) and his players would follow him anywhere. David West and Peja Stoajokovic are both great scorer's when Paul is on the court and Tyson Chandler just has to catch and dunk for most of his buckets. They are young, but in the West, you mature quickly and Bonzi Wells off the bench helps with experience and you never know when the Brushfire (Jannero Pargo) will start to spread. Bottom line in this series, Chris Paul is the new and improved model of point guard and will show how obsolete the Jason Kidd model has become (only Kidd will not then get dumped on a remote planet where he will eventually exact his revenge and learn to love again).

NEW ORLEANS/OKLAHOMA CITY IN 6

#3 San Antonio vs. #6 Phoenix- First of all, the Spurs are not too old, too boring, too methodical, too whatever to win this year. This team is built for winning in the NBA. And that's what they do. The Warriors are built for scoring a ton of points and corrupting fundamentals and teamwork in our basketball youth,whatever, but the Spurs end the game with more points than the other team. That is really the only way to accurately describe what they do. They are professionals and embody every bit of essence of that when they step onto the court. Even when they play hard it serves a purpose. (Hipcheck-gate(do we have to put -gate onto stupid controversy? When will that get old? When will someone get creative and catch the president doing something illegal at a different hotel? Can you imagine if it had been at a DoubleTree? Would there have been a Spy-Tree in New England? All sorts of questions.))

This is the most anticipated series in the most anticipate Western Conf. Playoffs. It will be unpredictable (except for mine) and should be very entertaining.

Steve Kerr took a lot of heat for making the biggest trade of the season, acquiring Shaq, who became the Big Cactus and pairing him with the most dominant point guard over the past five seasons in Nash, the best up-and-coming who is actually already here power forward in Stoudemire and some guy from Sprite commercials in the '90s who apparently still knows how to play ball pretty good. I liked this trade from the second I heard. The Suns had peaked with the team they had. They peaked really high, and most franchises would be psyched to get back to that point, but Kerr is not afraid of taking the last second shot. And he pulled the trigger to make the deal. They made this deal to beat San Antonio, and with all the hoopla still swirling (does hoopla swirl?) from last year's Second Round showdown, I see this as the perfect first round opponent for the Suns. I can just picture Steve Nash rubbing his hands together with an evil, but knowing grin on his face. Either way, Shaq wins in the post-season. I don't care about fitting the style of play. Shaq wins in the post-season. Check the numbers. When he turns it on, no one can stop him.

PHOENIX IN 7

#4 Utah vs. #5 Houston- Just a note, Houston has the better record and will therefore have homecourt advantage. Utah won its division and automatically earned a top 4 seed, which is meaningless. Unfortunately for Houston and the One-Round Wonder, Tracy McGrady. Having home court advantage kills their shot at beating Utah. I know this sounds crazy, especially since Utah is wicked tough at home, but read me out. Houston point guard Rafer Alston has a sprained hamstring and is expected to miss the first two games. (At least this is the latest news I could find) His play has been the accelerant for this squad. When Yao went down, they had the pieces for a team that can play well and win games together without relying on any one player, including T-Mac, but it is Alston, that makes it happen. Without him, Utah comes in with a ton of energy, and unable to rally without Skip to my Lou, Houston loses homecourt advantage in game numero one. If Rafer comes back and plays at a high lever, throw this prediction out the window (that's the norm with trash in NYC) and expect the road team to never win and see the Rockets move on. But if he misses game one and two, Bobby Jackson will do an adequate job and keep it entertaining, but the Jazz will be playing Utah.

UTAH IN 4.

I am preparing my picks for the winners of several end of the season awards, but I want to wait and see how a few guys do in the playoffs, because I can.

And finally, I hope you enjoy these serieseses as much as I will.

Ode to Basketball

2008-04-14T13:35:00.000-07:00

It's closing time on another season of NBA hoops. While there is still the excitement of the playoffs looming, I feel a sort of sadness. I am looking forward to the playoffs this year more than any other. The West is completely up for grabs and two powerhouses in the East will try to swat away potential Davids so the Goliaths can meet in the Eastern Finals. It's stuffed with story lines and I'm stuffed with excitement. But it will all be over soon. Yeah, then MLB will be peaking and Football just around the corner, but none of the other major sports compare to basketball.

Basketball is an art. It is the most mental of all the sports. Nothing is impossible as long as you can imagine it. It is the most fluid. A basketball game is a living thing. From it's birth at the jumpball - to it's mid-life crisis at halftime - to old age when it forgets everything else that happened before and all that matters is that very last tick. The artists on the hardwood have the ability to paint masterpieces. Many times the product is less than flawless, but the crowd waits in anticipation because it knows with every stroke of the ball, magic is looming in the tunnel.

We have entered a new era of performance in basketball. The masters of the roundball are young and creative, but they have learned from the best. The Superstars of the previous generations handed down their abilities to children who repeated the tricks and feats over and over until they could add another degree of difficulty, then another. This generation will show us the new potential in athletic competition.

Football is all muscle. Who is the strongest, the fastest. Very little creativity can be exercised on the field. When it does happen, it is spectacular, Brett Favre, John Elway and Michael Vick are just a few examples of the men who could dazzle with the pigskin. But football is not designed for the artistic, it is designed for the consistently hard and powerful.

Baseball is too geometrical and slow. It is a constant. It is the most individual a team sport can be. Every play begins with a one-on-one, the others must wait. But here too, flashes of brilliance are evident. Willie Mays was astounding in the field. Ozzie Smith made you not believe your own eyes because his play was so perfect. Jim Edmonds looks like he has an extra sense to bring his glove to the ball as he dives through the air. But again, baseball games cannot be won with creativity. It is for the patient and wise.

Basketball is art. Some of the masterpieces that will be created this post-season will live forever. And the modern artists will earn a place with the greatest of all-time.

Check back on Friday for my post-season predictions, as well as a new type of picking competition I will be unleashing. I hope it will nudge the excitement of the NBA post-season in the direction of college b-ball's March Madness.

March Madness

2008-04-09T17:20:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I know I'm writing this a couple days late. I was not able to pull myself together after watching Memphis collapse. The bad part was NOT that I did not cash in on my office pool like I would have if Memphis won, NOT that I lost to my girlfriend (who has nailed the National Champ pretty much every year) again for the fourth straight time, but that I didn't even see it coming!

As I sat at the bar, staring at the score with a couple minutes left, I allowed myself to become cocky. I thought that sure, Memphis has been a terrible free throw shooting team, but CDR and D. Rose have been clutch and they won't buckle.

But they buckled.

Even still, I thought no way Kansas would come down and bury a game-tying trifecta.

But it was buried.

OK. Overtime started and I knew I was toast. I still hoped, but I should have known better. And while this game was the final drop of poison to a bracket that was once alive and kicking, I think this game showed more about the future of the main characters who were on display.

The possible number one pick: Derrick Rose.

I understand that he helped his draft position in this tournament. He showed toughness and an ability most coaches kill to have in a point guard. But still, he left me wanting to see more. I'm not sold on him as a big-time player in the NBA.

He has quickness, toughness and can hit a big shot off the dribble. But I don't think he has the ability (YET) to carry a team on his back. To be a superstar, sometimes a player just needs to know when to string together a personal run of buckets. Rose can develop into a guy who can lead his team and carry it when needed, but he needs to develop more.

The Athletes: Brandon Rush and Chris Douglas-Roberts

These guys, I want on my team. Whatever it takes, they know how to score, they know when to score and they can do whatever they want on the court. At this point, I'll take Rush over CDR because hitting free throws in the pros is a big way to rack up points and I think the mental discipline is there for Rush, not yet for Douglas-Roberts. Also, I think Rush is a more patient and intelligent player. He understands the nuances of when to force a drive or when to force a three (not all shots can be open).

All things considered, I can't really complain because the two best teams played an exciting game. That makes us all winners, except me who is a loser for just writing that.

Drafting 101

2008-03-31T12:23:00.000-07:00

With the end of the basketball seasons looming like a weekend with the in-laws. It's never too early to start thinking about next season. And you can't start a new year of hoops without the draft. (FYI: the draft is June 26th at Madison Square Garden)

The draft is widely considered a make-or-break situation for most franchises. Sure, teams like Detroit who have more depth than the Pacific Ocean aren't going to implode with one or two bad picks (although they never make bad picks). However, the struggling franchises need to nab a player who will be reliable and successful for years in the pros.

The two most dangerous teams with potentially top 5 picks are the Miami Heat and L.A. Clippers. Both teams already have star players a youngster can learn from and can spend time developing. None of the players in this year's draft have the combo of ability and maturity to lead a team their first year in the league.

Putting a dominant rebounder and force on the inside like Michael Beasley with Dwyane Wade and Shawn Marion makes Miami a much improved team. (if they can stay healthy) The Clippers already have a solid team and adding a dynamic guard to compliment the inside force of Chris Kaman and Elton Brand, along with the scoring ability of Corey Maggette and current rookie, Al Thornton would make them a scary team in the West. If any opportunity arose to draft, or trade for Memphis point guard Derrick Rose or Texas point guar DJ Augustin, L.A. would be foolish to pass it up.

After those two teams, no team should expect a pick to significantly change the future of a franchise, there is not a ton of talent in this draft. However, you can't teach size and there are several talented big men turning pro this year. This is a great chance for a team like Seattle, who has some potential superstar athletes already in place with Kevin Durant and Jeff Green, to draft some size. Brook Lopez from Stanford is a dynamic 7-footer who would give Seattle some stability inside.

Other than drafting a franchise player, teams with a top pick should look to build chemistry. Find a guy that could fill a void around the all-star break. For teams later in the draft, the teams that make the playoffs this season, they can find guys that may need some time to develop. Most teams are not complete. Everyone has a whole somewhere. Find a guy who can be made to fit that gap off the bench. Getting quality guys that can back up the starters is sometimes more important than trying to draft a "go to guy". Injuries happen all the time and the teams that are prepared for them with these insurance policies, will still be able to win games in the middle of the season and allow the main guys time to recover.

MVP Update

2008-03-26T23:47:00.000-07:00

This is just an update to my previous post about the 3 strongest NBA MVP candidates.

If anyone had any doubt if Chris Paul should be ahead of LeBron James in the NBA MVP race, those doubts had better been assuaged Wednesday night when Chris Paul's Hornets beat LeBron James' Cavs 100-99 in Cleveland.

If you missed it, King James made a strong move to the bucket and like usual, could not be stopped as he scored at the rim giving Cleveland a one-point lead with about 7 seconds remaining. On the Hornets' last possession, Paul drives into the paint and faces resistance, but instead of muscling up a tough shot, (which he could have done and it may have gone in) he dumps the ball behind him to David West wide open for a 15-foot jumper. He nails it and New Orleans wins again.

Paul made a smart move by deferring to a guy who is automatic from that distance in the clutch. LeBron has yet to learn how to make his teammates an extension of his own abilities and use everyone to win.

Most Valued Player?

2008-03-24T20:07:00.000-07:00

At the end of the season, one of the most compelling debates is always 'who deserves the MVP award?' There is somehow an unwritten formula that averages a player's stats, his stats in relation to the talent on his team, and his team's winning percentage. Of course, the people who don't ever watch the games just want to give it to the best guy on the best team. Sure, we could do that, that way no one would have to think. Sweet.

Amazing how three little words can cause so much uproar.

The prime candidates in this season's race have been narrowed to Kobe Bryant (LAL), LeBron James (CLE) and Kevin Garnett (BOS). Recently, two more players have played their hats into the ring; Chris Paul (NOH) and Tracy McGrady (HOU). These are all phenomenal players and all would be deserving of the award. But who should nab the hardware and why?

The basic argument for KG is he turned around the Boston franchise after a horrible year and turned the Celtics into the front-runner for the NBA Championship in June. His numbers are not comparable to the others, but they are balanced. The reason he will not and should not win, is because without him, Boston is still a pretty good team. That's not his fault, but at the same time, he can't get all the credit then.

Tracy McGrady has played exceptional since his injury, but he did not take over and control the team. Rafer Alston is the MVP of the Rockets, McGrady just gets the numbers and the highlights. I love T-Mac, but he is not worthy.

Now we are down to the three top contenders; Bryant, James and Paul. This is almost too close to call, but I give the edge to Chris Paul. Kobe and LeBron get the ball at the end of the game and everyone knows why, they could score on anyone, really, two or three anyones at once. BUT, when the ball gets in their hands late in the game, their teams stop moving and watch. They have to go one-on-five, because they are where teamwork goes to die.

When CP3 has the rock in the late minutes, he knows how to score huge baskets, just check his fourth quarter numbers against top teams, but his strength lies in his ability to work his teammates into good shots and opportunities allowing them to still be active participants late in the game.

Paul's ability translates to every inch of the floor. Kobe and LeBron only influence the path in front of them, even if it is almost impossible to stop.

With one shot left, I give the edge to Kobe and LeBron, but with two minutes to go and losing, I'll take CP3. He provides his team with the MOST VALUE.

Win now or win later?

2008-03-17T19:21:00.000-07:00

In the NBA's Western Conference, several teams that made blockbuster trades just before the deadline have either been praised or criticized for those deals. The Lakers traded virtually nothing for an All-Star power forward in Pau Gasol. Obviously, he has helped turn the squad into a front-runner for the top spot in the West. Other teams were not able to find such great deals and had the option of 1. staying with their current roster and hoping to produce better results than last year, or 2. make a high-risk, high-reward deal that could take the franchise to the promise land in June-- or lead them into a dark era for many years.

Dallas and Phoenix were the two other teams that made the big moves. BUT, so far the desired result of racking up those ever-valuable W's has not been achieved in either team's case.

With the Suns, they sacrificed arguably the most exciting show on hardwood since the old run-and-gun days and years of team chemistry that has not only won a ton of games in the past two seasons, but had a few more things fallen into place during last season's playoffs (Ex: Robert Horry getting punished for hip-checking Steve Nash and costing Phoenix a game in a very tight series) they could be trying to defend their crown this year instead of looking for a way to "breakthrough". As it is, Steve Kerr decided to roll the dice and bring in one of the most dominant playoff performers to ever play the game. Giving up an all-around stud like Shawn Marion had to be a tough call. I mean the guy did everything; scored, crashed the boards, hustled on both ends, had a great basketball I.Q. and was a great compliment to Nash and Stoudemire.

So Shaquille O'Neal traded the beaches of Miami for the waterless beach of Phoenix. The Suns followed the trade by going 6-8 in about the next month of play. Granted a couple games were without Shaq, but there was certainly an uproar of second guessing. However, winning the last four and with a huge three-game stretch against Hou, Det and Bos, the critics will be ready to pass further judgment on the acquisition of the aging center if Phoenix cannot come way with a victory or two.

Similrly, Dallas made a deal that sacrificed an energetic young playmaker for experience and post-season performance. Although Jason Kidd's post-season resume is far from O'Neal's, his mental toughness and leadership are the two biggest flaws of a Maverick team that made history last year by being the first one seed to get bumped by an eight seed. Not the kind of history Dallas owner Mark Cuban had in mind. So he joined Steve Kerr out on the same, trade away your future for right now, maybe, limb. Much like the Suns, Dallas has a decent but not spectacular record since the deal with big games looming.

Before hindsight finds it's dusty, old bifocals on and sets it's sight on these epic trades, why have so many people written off these teams as contenders? Why has everyone jumped on the Lakers bandwagon and now the Houston craze (can you believe 'craze' was the best synonym for bandwagon, it definitely beat out spinach, what?). I know not everyone is counting out Phoenix and Dallas, they are still solid teams, but listening to predictions on TV and radio, general opinion is way down.

These teams did NOT make these trades for the regular season. I doubt anyone thought the race to just make it into the post-season would be so fierce. This year, seven teams have already matched the total wins of the eighth seed from last season. Typically, both teams could have coasted into a mid- to -high seed while learning to mesh and no one is going to second guess these trades so quickly. However, because they are riding the fringe a little tighter than fans hoped and analysts thought, the easiest target for finger-pointing is obviously the thing that made the most headlines recently. This is foolish. As long as both squads qualify for the playoffs, they should not care where they finish.

From first to ninth, only 6 games separate the teams. That means no one team is that much better (according to records) than any other team. Every lower seed could win in the West and no one should be shocked. The point of those trades were to win seven-game series against specific teams in the West. For Phoenix, not one team is going to want to deal with the guard combo of Nash and Barbosa and the inside domination of Stoudemire and Shaq (who just keep looking better). Who could consistently stop that?

Dallas' outlook is not so rosy. Unlike the Phoenix-Miami deal that gives the Suns a legitimate shot at hoisting the trophy at the Finals, Dallas did not become a more dangerous team. They became more consistent, but that is just going to mean they lose by the same margin in their four first-round losses. Thats right, first round and Dallas will peace out.

Both trades gambled away several stellar years of play from guys who are extremely talented. Both trades returned experienced veterans who know how to win. But Dallas made the mistake of mistaking experience, leadership and talent with domination. Jason Kidd can't take over a game. He can't even be relied on to hit a big shot. Shaq IS dominant.

Phoenix made a great move and has a fantastic opportunity for a short period of time until Shaq finally hits his expiration date. Dallas will be good, but not great for a couple years max, then start drooling over the superb play of Devin Harris in another team's uniform and remember the deal that sent him away.

Welcome

2008-03-13T08:08:00.000-07:00

This is my first blog entry so I will make this quick. I will write once a week about a different sports topic that is on my mind. It may be as broad an entire league or as specific as one game by one player. It will just depend on what strikes me as important. For now, I will focus on professional basketball followed by baseball and so on. Please feel free to let me know what you think or if you just want to chat sports. I hope you enjoy.