Been watching a lot of basketball and hope that you have too. Unfortunately this year has been marred by injuries to several players but I hope that it doesn't impact the playoffs any further.
Heat vs. Knicks
If the Knicks didn't have bad luck, they'd have no luck at all. After losing Shumpert and Baron Davis to knee injuries, and Stoudemire for a game, the Knicks just seemed to be lost. I thought with a fuller roster, they would have given the Heat something to think about, but it just wasn't meant to be. With the off season now in full swing, the Knicks have some questions that need to be answered. 1) Do you call Phil Jackson and see if he's ready to coach again (and that's not a knock on Woody who did a great job with what he had). 2) Do you bring back JR Smith or do you hope he opts out? 3) Do you go after Nash in free agency? 4) and finally is Carmelo the guy that you can build around and win a championship (I think you can).
Thunder vs. Mavericks
The young bucks took down the defending champions and looked good doing it. Westbrook and Durant did a great job swapping responsibility of taking over the game. They do have to worry about the health of Kendrick Perkins who missed some time due to a hip strain. They also have to be prepared for the rust that they've accumulated while waiting to find out who they'll play in the 2nd round. The Mavericks go into the off season with some 'what if's' around Odom and Chandler and 'what happens' next year. The Jet is a free agent (if he goes to Miami, whew!!), and it looks like Deron Williams will be the top target for this team to be able to bounce back next year.
Spurs vs. Jazz
This was ugly, I mean really ugly. I thought the Jazz would have been able to compete in this series but they looked like a man showing up to a gun fight with a .22. They seemed to be able to play with this team for a few minutes at a time, but then that old man basketball got to them. The Spurs looked great in dismantling this Jazz team. The Big 3 in San Antonio (Ginobili, Parker, and Duncan) showed up but more telling was the bench showed that they are just as capable of scoring and defending when called upon. The Jazz go into the off season and they have to find a way to get some better point guard play. Their bigs actually showed some heart in this series, so I'm not as worried about them.
Bulls vs. Sixers
We knew it was over after that horrific Rose knee injury, but last night was a fitting (and possibly not) end to the Bulls season. They know who the guys are that they can count on (Rose, Noah, Gibson, and Deng) and they probably know who they can't (Carlos Boozer, I'm talking to you). The Bulls have to keep this team together and try and get back next year. They will pay dearly for that (around $85M), but there's nothing else to be done. The Sixers didn't impress me, especially in a closeout game playing a Bulls team without Noah and Rose. The Sixers didn't want to win that game last night, running an offense that consisted of hold the ball for 20 secs and then find a way to throw up a contested 3 pointer at the buzzer (I apologize to my neighbors for the yelling and screaming that you heard last night, that was me and the TV). Up next for the Sixers, the Boston Celtics and we can now start the clock as to how much longer the Sixers will be in the playoffs.
Hawks vs Celtics
You know that you should never, under any circumstances, bet ON the Atlanta Hawks. Never!!!! If they were in a one pony race you should bet on the jockey or someone, but not the Hawks. There is something about this team that just needs to change. Johnson is a good complimentary player, but he's not your ace. Horford came back and was probably the 2nd best player in this series for the Hawks. It's gotta be the 'Curse of Chris Paul' that hangs over this team. The Celtics aren't spectacular but they someone how get it done. Pierce is playing on a sprained knee and without him, I'm not sure this team could score 70, especially with Ray Allen hobbled with bone spurs. The good thing in all of this is that the Celtics get the Sixers and another chance to play old man basketball (slow it down) against a younger team. The bad is that if Pierce's knee gets worse, what happens? I'm not sure KG has many more of those 28pts, 14 rebs games left in him.
Showing posts with label Boston Celtics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Boston Celtics. Show all posts
Friday, May 11, 2012
Sunday, April 29, 2012
2012 NBA Playoffs - Boston Celtics vs. Atlanta Hawks
This is probably the series that most people won't watch outside of Boston and half the population of Atlanta. There isn't any sizzle in this one, just two so-so teams that have to play each other.
Celtics: We thought they were dead, and then it happened. The Celtics moved KG to center and someone woke up Rajon Rondo. The Celtics have since been on a tear and have rekindled those dreams of them doing damage in the playoffs. The emergence of Avery Bradley, in the wake of Ray Allen's injury has given this Celtics squad some scoring punch, but the issue is the Celtics' bench is weak. This will mean heavy minutes for both KG and Paul Pierce if they are going to make some noise. How long can they hold up is the biggest question.
Who has to step up: Celtics Bench. They have to give these starters some rest and give this team a chance. Ray Allen will help with his move to the bench, but no one knows how that ankle is going to be when he gets back.
Hawks: Don't know what to say about the Hawks. They seem to be in a groundhog day cycle over the last few years where they end up being a 4th or 5th seed and not much is expected from them. Joe Johnson and Josh Smith lead this team (18+ pts a piece) and Jeff Teague took the success of last years playoffs and parlayed that into a good season for him. Losing Horford has hurt this team but they've played the majority of the season without him.
Who has to step up: Tracy McGrady (gulp) and Kirk Hinrich. For some reason I see the artist formerly known as T-Mac having some impact on this series. I hope he plays and plays well, but he could be 'that' mismatch against the Celtics bench. Hinrich has to be the solid guy that he has been the majority of his career and hit a few clutch shots and play some defense (without fouling).
Outcome: I got the Celtics in 6. I don't have faith in this Hawks team, never have, never will.
Celtics: We thought they were dead, and then it happened. The Celtics moved KG to center and someone woke up Rajon Rondo. The Celtics have since been on a tear and have rekindled those dreams of them doing damage in the playoffs. The emergence of Avery Bradley, in the wake of Ray Allen's injury has given this Celtics squad some scoring punch, but the issue is the Celtics' bench is weak. This will mean heavy minutes for both KG and Paul Pierce if they are going to make some noise. How long can they hold up is the biggest question.
Who has to step up: Celtics Bench. They have to give these starters some rest and give this team a chance. Ray Allen will help with his move to the bench, but no one knows how that ankle is going to be when he gets back.
Hawks: Don't know what to say about the Hawks. They seem to be in a groundhog day cycle over the last few years where they end up being a 4th or 5th seed and not much is expected from them. Joe Johnson and Josh Smith lead this team (18+ pts a piece) and Jeff Teague took the success of last years playoffs and parlayed that into a good season for him. Losing Horford has hurt this team but they've played the majority of the season without him.
Who has to step up: Tracy McGrady (gulp) and Kirk Hinrich. For some reason I see the artist formerly known as T-Mac having some impact on this series. I hope he plays and plays well, but he could be 'that' mismatch against the Celtics bench. Hinrich has to be the solid guy that he has been the majority of his career and hit a few clutch shots and play some defense (without fouling).
Outcome: I got the Celtics in 6. I don't have faith in this Hawks team, never have, never will.
Wednesday, June 01, 2011
And There's Another One Gone,.........
The Big ___________ (insert your own moniker) has called it quits. Shaq will announce his retirement tomorrow from his home in Isleworth, FL. For those that are a little long in the tooth, Shaq was THE most dominate force that we've seen in years from the NBA. No, he didn't win the number of championships that many of us thought he would, but he changed the game and the league. Shaq started out in Orlando running the fast break (with Anfernee Hardaway, Nick Anderson, Dennis Scott, and Horace Grant) and smiling and he ended his career in Boston, on the sidelines and smiling. The one thing that can be said, is that even through some of the good (Championships with LA) and the bad (Kazaam!!!, Kobe and D-Wade) we've all enjoyed each moment because of the smiling giant. Shaq will forever go down in history as one of the most dominate, but he'll also go down as one of the most loved.
From the crew here at MeltingPotThoughts, good luck on the next part of your journey.
What was your favorite memory of Shaq?
From the crew here at MeltingPotThoughts, good luck on the next part of your journey.
What was your favorite memory of Shaq?
Friday, April 29, 2011
Eastern Conference Playoffs Round 2 - Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics
This is why they play the games, right? The Celtics and the Heat meet for a chance to play the Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Celtics are coming off of a sweep of the New York Knicks and the Heat are coming out of an almost as easy series against a feisty Philadelphia 76ers squad.
Miami Heat:
Ok, Phase I, complete. Phase II - Not so easy. The Heat get the Celtics early. The Celtics have beaten the Heat in their season series, but I don't really think that matters right now. Wade is probably playing the best of the Big 3 right now, and maybe that's what we all thought would happen anyway. Look for Bron to have to play some defense in this series against Paul Pierce, but I also look for someone from the Heat to step up their game. Bosh will have his hands full with KG (I'd love to hear what KG is going to say to Bosh this entire series) and Wade will have to continue with his roll for this team to win this series. The Heat are confident at the right time of the year and if, a big IF, they get Haslem and or Miller back into the fold, they will be deadly.
Boston Celtics:
The Big 3 versus the BIG 3. This would be better served as the cover of a comic book just based on the two teams and how they were put together to battle each other. We know that the Heat are still finding their cohesion but they are young enough to run the old Celtics out of the building. If Ray Allen gets on a roll, the whole South Beach crew will be watching the rest of the playoffs at home. The Celtics made the move to get rid of Perkins, in my opinion, on this series. They need more firepower off the bench and some youth to keep up with the Heat. With a healthy Shaq on the floor, this turns into a Celtic party.
X-factors:
Heat - Mario Chalmers, James Jones and Chris Bosh. Someone is going to have to keep up with Rondo and with Bibby closer to the end of his career, this will likely fall on Chalmers. I imagine that you'll see a lot of him and Wade in the backcourt. This will also give Chalmers an opportunity to run through some screens chasing Ray Allen. With Miller hurting (thumb) the Heat are going to need some shooters to shoot. James Jones looks to get lots of opportunities and he along with Bibby are going to have to make the Celtics pay for any lapses in defense. All I have to say is that Bosh can NOT let KG punk him. I don't care if it takes a technical foul or two(not all in one game), but he should just walk right up to him and smack him in the mouth. #justtoseewhatwouldhappen.
Celtics - Jeff Green and Carlos Arroyo. This is why they brought in Green (and the fact that he's a young 3 that can take Pierce's spot in 3 more years). The Heat are loaded with wing players and the Celtics need more scoring. Green is going to have to dial into his former Thunder-self and play ball. I'm not talking big numbers here, but he's got to be solid for the Celtics (somewhere in the 12 pts, 6 rebs range). Carlos Arroyo,....doesn't get any better than this. Arroyo will get to play against the one man that the Heat cut him so that they can acquire in Bibby. Somebody is going to get smacked, trust me.
Prediction: This is tough. My head says Celtics, but something is telling me that it's time for this Heat team to make some noise. The Celtics did beat a Knicks team with really no one outside of Amare and Carmelo (Billups was hurt), so are they ready to step in the ring? Throw the records out and just play ball. You already know who I'm picking,......Heat 4-3.
Miami Heat:
Ok, Phase I, complete. Phase II - Not so easy. The Heat get the Celtics early. The Celtics have beaten the Heat in their season series, but I don't really think that matters right now. Wade is probably playing the best of the Big 3 right now, and maybe that's what we all thought would happen anyway. Look for Bron to have to play some defense in this series against Paul Pierce, but I also look for someone from the Heat to step up their game. Bosh will have his hands full with KG (I'd love to hear what KG is going to say to Bosh this entire series) and Wade will have to continue with his roll for this team to win this series. The Heat are confident at the right time of the year and if, a big IF, they get Haslem and or Miller back into the fold, they will be deadly.
Boston Celtics:
The Big 3 versus the BIG 3. This would be better served as the cover of a comic book just based on the two teams and how they were put together to battle each other. We know that the Heat are still finding their cohesion but they are young enough to run the old Celtics out of the building. If Ray Allen gets on a roll, the whole South Beach crew will be watching the rest of the playoffs at home. The Celtics made the move to get rid of Perkins, in my opinion, on this series. They need more firepower off the bench and some youth to keep up with the Heat. With a healthy Shaq on the floor, this turns into a Celtic party.
X-factors:
Heat - Mario Chalmers, James Jones and Chris Bosh. Someone is going to have to keep up with Rondo and with Bibby closer to the end of his career, this will likely fall on Chalmers. I imagine that you'll see a lot of him and Wade in the backcourt. This will also give Chalmers an opportunity to run through some screens chasing Ray Allen. With Miller hurting (thumb) the Heat are going to need some shooters to shoot. James Jones looks to get lots of opportunities and he along with Bibby are going to have to make the Celtics pay for any lapses in defense. All I have to say is that Bosh can NOT let KG punk him. I don't care if it takes a technical foul or two(not all in one game), but he should just walk right up to him and smack him in the mouth. #justtoseewhatwouldhappen.
Celtics - Jeff Green and Carlos Arroyo. This is why they brought in Green (and the fact that he's a young 3 that can take Pierce's spot in 3 more years). The Heat are loaded with wing players and the Celtics need more scoring. Green is going to have to dial into his former Thunder-self and play ball. I'm not talking big numbers here, but he's got to be solid for the Celtics (somewhere in the 12 pts, 6 rebs range). Carlos Arroyo,....doesn't get any better than this. Arroyo will get to play against the one man that the Heat cut him so that they can acquire in Bibby. Somebody is going to get smacked, trust me.
Prediction: This is tough. My head says Celtics, but something is telling me that it's time for this Heat team to make some noise. The Celtics did beat a Knicks team with really no one outside of Amare and Carmelo (Billups was hurt), so are they ready to step in the ring? Throw the records out and just play ball. You already know who I'm picking,......Heat 4-3.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Eastern Conference Playoffs Round 1 - Wrap Up Game 1's
Let's do a quick recap.
Bulls vs. Pacers - Talk about the one that got away? The Pacers should have won this game. Outside of the heroics of one Derrick Rose, the Bulls would have opened the 2011 Playoffs with an 'L'. (Hint to the Bulls, no more night before partying and then coming out flat against a Pacers team you should beat with ease). Psycho T had a helluva game and almost won it for the Pacers (he picked Boozer pocket at the 3 point line?). I don't think that the Pacers play this well again in this series, but the Bulls have got to also play better. I am going to say it, if I haven't already, but a team with a mean streak is going to start putting Rose on the deck. Wait for it. You can't let a dude just score 39 on you. He did have 21 free throw attempts, but he should have had ice on all parts of his body. Good win for the Bulls when everyone but Rose played badly.
Heat vs. Sixers - The Heat must have watched the Bulls play and they decided that they would get down early and then try and mount a comeback. The Heat are going to need more than the Big 3 to get into double figures. If Lou Williams hits a few more shots, this may have been a loss for the Heat. In the end it's a 'W' and that's all that really matters, but the Heat can't allow this Sixers team to even think that they can win. Thaddeus Young, great game and he almost brought his team all the way back.
Magic vs. Hawks - Wow!!! I'm not talking about Dwight Howard either. Welcome home Joe Johnson!!!! Johnson was the aggressor for the Hawks and he ended the game with 25 pts (9 of 16 shots, 7 of 8 free throws). Might he finally live up to that contract? The answer is no, but he should be the man on that team, even if it only means because of the money. Yes, Howard had a monster game (46 pts, 16 of 23, 14 of 22 from the line, and 19 rebounds) but the rest of his team disappeared. I like the tactic that the Hawks are going with, we'll let Howard get his but stop the rest of the Magic players because (I don't) they don't think that Howard can beat them by himself. We'll see if this strategy works in the long run, but for one game it was king. Congrats to Howard for winning the Defensive Player of the Year.
Celtics vs. Knicks - Well there goes the series. With Chauncey out for Game 2 and possibly hampered for the rest of the series, it's over for the Knicks. Yes, the Celtics are going to have to play these games, but they shouldn't allow the Knicks to think they can win this. Allen hits a big 3 and all is well in Boston. Melo disappeared for a little in the 4th but they really didn't need him now that they have the new and improved Amare Stoudamire. I am still sitting here wondering if he actually dunked the ball against KG. I mean I saw him go to the rack, and then the ball was on the ground, but the Celtics took it out of bounds.
We can at least say that these playoffs are very exciting and that's with just the Game #1's. Who you got?
Bulls vs. Pacers - Talk about the one that got away? The Pacers should have won this game. Outside of the heroics of one Derrick Rose, the Bulls would have opened the 2011 Playoffs with an 'L'. (Hint to the Bulls, no more night before partying and then coming out flat against a Pacers team you should beat with ease). Psycho T had a helluva game and almost won it for the Pacers (he picked Boozer pocket at the 3 point line?). I don't think that the Pacers play this well again in this series, but the Bulls have got to also play better. I am going to say it, if I haven't already, but a team with a mean streak is going to start putting Rose on the deck. Wait for it. You can't let a dude just score 39 on you. He did have 21 free throw attempts, but he should have had ice on all parts of his body. Good win for the Bulls when everyone but Rose played badly.
Heat vs. Sixers - The Heat must have watched the Bulls play and they decided that they would get down early and then try and mount a comeback. The Heat are going to need more than the Big 3 to get into double figures. If Lou Williams hits a few more shots, this may have been a loss for the Heat. In the end it's a 'W' and that's all that really matters, but the Heat can't allow this Sixers team to even think that they can win. Thaddeus Young, great game and he almost brought his team all the way back.
Magic vs. Hawks - Wow!!! I'm not talking about Dwight Howard either. Welcome home Joe Johnson!!!! Johnson was the aggressor for the Hawks and he ended the game with 25 pts (9 of 16 shots, 7 of 8 free throws). Might he finally live up to that contract? The answer is no, but he should be the man on that team, even if it only means because of the money. Yes, Howard had a monster game (46 pts, 16 of 23, 14 of 22 from the line, and 19 rebounds) but the rest of his team disappeared. I like the tactic that the Hawks are going with, we'll let Howard get his but stop the rest of the Magic players because (I don't) they don't think that Howard can beat them by himself. We'll see if this strategy works in the long run, but for one game it was king. Congrats to Howard for winning the Defensive Player of the Year.
Celtics vs. Knicks - Well there goes the series. With Chauncey out for Game 2 and possibly hampered for the rest of the series, it's over for the Knicks. Yes, the Celtics are going to have to play these games, but they shouldn't allow the Knicks to think they can win this. Allen hits a big 3 and all is well in Boston. Melo disappeared for a little in the 4th but they really didn't need him now that they have the new and improved Amare Stoudamire. I am still sitting here wondering if he actually dunked the ball against KG. I mean I saw him go to the rack, and then the ball was on the ground, but the Celtics took it out of bounds.
We can at least say that these playoffs are very exciting and that's with just the Game #1's. Who you got?
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Eastern Conference Playoffs Round 1 - Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks
This is the series that I think everyone wants to see in the East. Two cities known for basketball and with New York actually becoming relevant again. Boston seems to be sliding after trading away Kendrick Perkins, so this one ought to be a good matchup.
Boston Celtics:
The original Big 3, well at least for the young people, are getting old. It seems as though over the last month of the season, they would run out of gas. I've watched them play great for 3 quarters and then they just check out in the 4th and lose games that they had no business. There was word that many on the team and even Doc Rivers wondered why they would have gotten rid of Perkins. It seems as though Danny Ainge was willing to get rid of the size they had for more wing scoring to battle the teams in the East. It looked like a deal that would allow them to answer the young legs of the Heat, Bulls and (funny) the Knicks. There is reason for pause in this series. You've got to respect the old guard (Pierce, KG, Ray, Shaq and Rondo), but the bigger question is can they stay healthy? Shaq and Jermaine O'Neal seem to be duct taped together right now. One goes down, the other gets better, then he goes down. If Shaq's calf is ok, this series isn't much of test for the Celtics. Pierce may not be scoring that much because I imagine that he's going to be trying to lock down Carmelo, although we all know that Pierce has heart. For the most part, KG should be able to match Amare. The Celtics know it's playoff time, but they can't afford to start slow like they did last year.
New York Knicks:
Well, the trade that brought in Carmelo and Chauncey Billups is still providing blah results, especially compared to the way the Nuggets have been playing since the trade. Carmelo is going to get his and Amare is going to get his, but really it's going to come down to the other guys. The other question is whether the Knicks can dial in on defense for this series. They have a lot of young athletic bodies but no size upfront (Jared Jeffries, Ronny Turiaf, and Shelden Williams don't equate to size). The Knicks will try and speed up the pace and run the Celtics out of the gym but they are going to have to rebound well enough to run.
X-factors:
Celtics - Shaq, Jeff Green and Troy Murphy. Gentlemen, the honeymoon is over. It's time for you to play ball. Shaq has to be healthy because this is what they signed him for, the playoffs. Jeff Green can't have the playoffs that he had at OKC, he's gotta step up and he'll be a tough cover for a lot of the bigs on the Knicks team. Troy Murphy, you were brought in to be a significant member of this team. If he's shaken off the rust, he should definitely help the Celtics win on the boards and he will have 6 fouls for Amare.
Knicks - Toney Douglas and Bill Walker. Douglas was running D'Antoni's system pretty well for a month or two. He's a shoot first point guard but once he realized that he has scorers on his team, he became a better playmaker. We know that Billups is going to get the majority of the minutes at the end of the game, but Douglas has a chance to make this a coming out party. Walker has been through the playoffs most recently with the Celtics. He probably can relate to the Knicks team some of the nuances of the Celtics, but somewhere deep down inside, he's going to be motivated to beat his former team.
Prediction: This is going to be a tough one. These two teams matchup well and that's good for the Knicks as they try and prove themselves. My head says that the Celtics put it on snooze here at the end of the season while trying to find a rhythm with their new pieces. Although this will add another chapter to the Celtics vs. Knicks lore, I gotta go with the green guys. Celtics 4-3.
Boston Celtics:
The original Big 3, well at least for the young people, are getting old. It seems as though over the last month of the season, they would run out of gas. I've watched them play great for 3 quarters and then they just check out in the 4th and lose games that they had no business. There was word that many on the team and even Doc Rivers wondered why they would have gotten rid of Perkins. It seems as though Danny Ainge was willing to get rid of the size they had for more wing scoring to battle the teams in the East. It looked like a deal that would allow them to answer the young legs of the Heat, Bulls and (funny) the Knicks. There is reason for pause in this series. You've got to respect the old guard (Pierce, KG, Ray, Shaq and Rondo), but the bigger question is can they stay healthy? Shaq and Jermaine O'Neal seem to be duct taped together right now. One goes down, the other gets better, then he goes down. If Shaq's calf is ok, this series isn't much of test for the Celtics. Pierce may not be scoring that much because I imagine that he's going to be trying to lock down Carmelo, although we all know that Pierce has heart. For the most part, KG should be able to match Amare. The Celtics know it's playoff time, but they can't afford to start slow like they did last year.
New York Knicks:
Well, the trade that brought in Carmelo and Chauncey Billups is still providing blah results, especially compared to the way the Nuggets have been playing since the trade. Carmelo is going to get his and Amare is going to get his, but really it's going to come down to the other guys. The other question is whether the Knicks can dial in on defense for this series. They have a lot of young athletic bodies but no size upfront (Jared Jeffries, Ronny Turiaf, and Shelden Williams don't equate to size). The Knicks will try and speed up the pace and run the Celtics out of the gym but they are going to have to rebound well enough to run.
X-factors:
Celtics - Shaq, Jeff Green and Troy Murphy. Gentlemen, the honeymoon is over. It's time for you to play ball. Shaq has to be healthy because this is what they signed him for, the playoffs. Jeff Green can't have the playoffs that he had at OKC, he's gotta step up and he'll be a tough cover for a lot of the bigs on the Knicks team. Troy Murphy, you were brought in to be a significant member of this team. If he's shaken off the rust, he should definitely help the Celtics win on the boards and he will have 6 fouls for Amare.
Knicks - Toney Douglas and Bill Walker. Douglas was running D'Antoni's system pretty well for a month or two. He's a shoot first point guard but once he realized that he has scorers on his team, he became a better playmaker. We know that Billups is going to get the majority of the minutes at the end of the game, but Douglas has a chance to make this a coming out party. Walker has been through the playoffs most recently with the Celtics. He probably can relate to the Knicks team some of the nuances of the Celtics, but somewhere deep down inside, he's going to be motivated to beat his former team.
Prediction: This is going to be a tough one. These two teams matchup well and that's good for the Knicks as they try and prove themselves. My head says that the Celtics put it on snooze here at the end of the season while trying to find a rhythm with their new pieces. Although this will add another chapter to the Celtics vs. Knicks lore, I gotta go with the green guys. Celtics 4-3.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
The East is Set
With one game left (for some) in the NBA regular season, the East side of the bracket is already set. The Bulls have clinched the #1 seed and the Heat are right there at #2. The East matchups in the first round are looking like this:
(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (8) Indiana Pacers
(3) Boston Celtics vs. (6) New York Knicks
(4) Orlando Magic vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks
(2) Miami Heat vs. (7) Philadelphia 76ers
I'll break down the East bracket shortly, but what do you think? Who's going to win it all? Any upsets in the earlier rounds?
(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (8) Indiana Pacers
(3) Boston Celtics vs. (6) New York Knicks
(4) Orlando Magic vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks
(2) Miami Heat vs. (7) Philadelphia 76ers
I'll break down the East bracket shortly, but what do you think? Who's going to win it all? Any upsets in the earlier rounds?
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Being Real Green
The Boston Celtics have traded Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic. (Pick your mouth up off the floor). I still can't fathom this. More on this to come.
Saturday, January 01, 2011
Catching Up
I've been busy and hopefully you have too with the celebration of Christmas and New Years. Lots has happened since my last post, so let's try and touch all the bases.
Boston Celtics - KG is hurt again. How long is he out? This is the last thing that the Celtics need because he is their anchor on defense and the Celtics have shown that they don't win without him. Good luck getting well KG, we want to see you healthy and back on the floor.
Miami Heat - Uh oh, all of that Heat bashing has been quiet as of late as the Heat go 15-1 in the month of December. The Lakers have shown some flaws, the Celtics have some injuries, the Magic aren't gelling just yet, and other than the Spurs, the Heat are looking good. We'll see if they can take the East.
Mike Haywood - Fired after 2 1/2 weeks for a felony domestic battery charge. Sad, because he was a rising star in the college coaching ranks. He did a great job for Nick Saban and the future was bright. Hopefully this felony charge is just made up. Please don't let me see pictures.
Ohio State Football - What in the hell is Jim Tressel thinking? Either you have the nuts to sit the kids or you play the kids. Don't have them take some silly oath in order to play. Of course all of them are going to do it, and then they are going pro. What are you going to do then, try and run them into the ground over a 'character' issue. This is some BS, and I've lost some respect for Tressel over this. These kids sold items that they won or were given. It's their property and them selling it (even if it was for tatoos) is their business. NCAA get a life.
Duke University Basketball - Coack K passes Dean Smith on the wins list. Great achievement for a great guy who seems to run a clean program. When you really look at the people that hate him, it's probably because they wonder how he gets such top talent to go to Duke and to play 'team' ball and sacrifice their individual stats or identity to make the Duke program better. Maybe, just maybe Coach K is a Jedi. Congrats again.
Minnesota Vikings - On the verge of giving Leslie Frazier the keys to the Vikings team. I think that's a good hire, but they are going to need a QB too. I like Webb in his limited time, but being a 16 game starter is a big difference from 1 start. Lots of work in Minny to do, but Frazier is as good as any to get the job done.
Houston Texans - Instead of firing Kubiak there are rumors that they will bring in the former Dallas Cowboys head coach, Wade Phillips, as defensive coordinator. Not sure if I like that because this team hasn't responded to Kubiak down the stretch for the past 2 years. They do need a new defensive identity, but something about this just seems wrong.
Fred Taylor - This may finally be it for the All-Pro running back. He is contemplating retirement and I think it's time. He's had problems with injuries this year and with the Law Firm (Ben Jarvis-Green-Ellis) and the Little Guy (Woodhead), it's hard to see Taylor seeing the field. If he does call it quits, Taylor leaves the game with a little over 11,600 yards and 66 TDs. I always remember him as a Jaguar.
What else have I missed?
Boston Celtics - KG is hurt again. How long is he out? This is the last thing that the Celtics need because he is their anchor on defense and the Celtics have shown that they don't win without him. Good luck getting well KG, we want to see you healthy and back on the floor.
Miami Heat - Uh oh, all of that Heat bashing has been quiet as of late as the Heat go 15-1 in the month of December. The Lakers have shown some flaws, the Celtics have some injuries, the Magic aren't gelling just yet, and other than the Spurs, the Heat are looking good. We'll see if they can take the East.
Mike Haywood - Fired after 2 1/2 weeks for a felony domestic battery charge. Sad, because he was a rising star in the college coaching ranks. He did a great job for Nick Saban and the future was bright. Hopefully this felony charge is just made up. Please don't let me see pictures.
Ohio State Football - What in the hell is Jim Tressel thinking? Either you have the nuts to sit the kids or you play the kids. Don't have them take some silly oath in order to play. Of course all of them are going to do it, and then they are going pro. What are you going to do then, try and run them into the ground over a 'character' issue. This is some BS, and I've lost some respect for Tressel over this. These kids sold items that they won or were given. It's their property and them selling it (even if it was for tatoos) is their business. NCAA get a life.
Duke University Basketball - Coack K passes Dean Smith on the wins list. Great achievement for a great guy who seems to run a clean program. When you really look at the people that hate him, it's probably because they wonder how he gets such top talent to go to Duke and to play 'team' ball and sacrifice their individual stats or identity to make the Duke program better. Maybe, just maybe Coach K is a Jedi. Congrats again.
Minnesota Vikings - On the verge of giving Leslie Frazier the keys to the Vikings team. I think that's a good hire, but they are going to need a QB too. I like Webb in his limited time, but being a 16 game starter is a big difference from 1 start. Lots of work in Minny to do, but Frazier is as good as any to get the job done.
Houston Texans - Instead of firing Kubiak there are rumors that they will bring in the former Dallas Cowboys head coach, Wade Phillips, as defensive coordinator. Not sure if I like that because this team hasn't responded to Kubiak down the stretch for the past 2 years. They do need a new defensive identity, but something about this just seems wrong.
Fred Taylor - This may finally be it for the All-Pro running back. He is contemplating retirement and I think it's time. He's had problems with injuries this year and with the Law Firm (Ben Jarvis-Green-Ellis) and the Little Guy (Woodhead), it's hard to see Taylor seeing the field. If he does call it quits, Taylor leaves the game with a little over 11,600 yards and 66 TDs. I always remember him as a Jaguar.
What else have I missed?
Thursday, December 09, 2010
NBA 2010 12-8-10 Wrap Up
Denver @ Boston - The Celtics are moving along without all of the controversy and notoriety that you see in LA and Miami, and that's just where they want to be. Without Carmelo playing the Nuggets could keep up with the Celtics despite a big game from Ty Lawson (24 pts, 7 asts, 2 rebs, 3 stls, in 34 minutes) off the bench. The Celtics were paced by Jesus Shuttlesworth (Ray Allen) and his effortless shooting (28 pts, 5 rebs, and 4 asts). When you add in Rondo (13 asts), Garnett (17 pts, 9 rebs), and Pierce (17 pts, 3 rebs, 4asts) you can easily see why this is the team to beat in the East come playoff time. Other than an almost altercation between Nene and Big Baby (I'm sure someone will get a fine for that one) and KG's brief discussion with George Karl after the game (about Garnett's cancerous statement to Charlie Villanueva) this was pretty much a no contest. Next up for the Celtics are the 76ers and for the Nuggets the Knicks.
Chicago @ Cleveland - Are we all just piling on the Cavaliers? The Bulls went in to Cleveland and came from behind to beat a game Cavs team. As usual, Derrick Rose (29 pts, 8 asts, 4 rebs) along with Joakim Noah (13 pts, 14 rebs) led the Bulls as Carlos Boozer (4 pts, 3 rebs) had a stinker in his old Cleveland home. Just for a second, imagine this,......Boozer and LBJ in Cleveland with Big Z, and some shooters around them. That's exactly what the Cavs needed, but as we all know, that is just a dream. The Cavs were led Antawn (don't call him Antwan) Jamison (21 pts, 6 rebs) but the Cavs bench (8 pts on 3 of 15 shooting) wasn't able to make a shot for the majority of the night. The Cavs are 7-15 and it's looking real bad (if it wasn't already) for this franchise. Note to Clevelanders, yes LBJ left, the WAY he did it was wrong, but if you want to blame someone, start looking Dan Gilberts' way. He is the owner and should have had a plan on what to do if/when LBJ left. AND, if LBJ was all of the things that Gilbert said he was (after LBJ left) then he definitely should have had a plan in place for life after LBJ. Just my two cents. Up next for the Bulls, the Lakers. For the Cavs, they get to play the Houston Rockets.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Los Angeles Clippers - Derek Fisher!!! The Lakers ran into a rather pesky bunch of young Clippers last night. The Clippers were the more physical team and they also showed just how athletic they are when they have Jordan (9 pts, 11 rebs) and Griffin (16 pts, 11rebs) on the floor together. In the end, the young bunch fell to the old men on a last second layup by Derek Fisher. Not sure if Bledsoe (11pts, 7 asts, 4 rebs) forgot but Fisher (6pts, 4 rebs, 2 asts, 2 stls) is a lefty, who likes driving left, and Bledsoe played his right hand with time ticking away. Kobe (24 pts, 4asts, 2 rebs) led the way for the Lakers with an efficient 9 of 15 shooting preformance (5 of 7 from the line). The Lakers are still the cream of the crop in the NBA, but they may have some trouble with this Clippers team when they play them again. Quietly, Shannon Brown (16 pts, 5 rebs, 2 asts, 1 stl, in 17 minutes) has become a very reliable scorer, defender, or whatever this team needs off the bench. Could you imagine him in a Bulls uniform? The Bulls are up next for the Lakers and the Clippers get the Grizzlies next.
Miami @ Utah - I'm not going to jump on the Heat bandwagon like everyone else (I've actually never gotten off) as everyone writes stories about the team gelling, but they did look good last night and they will get better. I've said this before, once they get Chalmers (8 pts, 3 asts, 2 rebs, 2 stls, +16 when he's on the floor) back to playing like he was last year and put Arroyo (0 pts, 1 to, 1 stl in 23 minutes) back on the bench and they get Miller back (with a fully healed wrist) that this team will be dangerous. LBJ (33 pts, 9 asts, 7 rebs, on 12 of 20 shooting) and Wade (28 pts, 4 rebs, 4 asts on 9 of 14 shooting, 8 of 11 from the line) played well together last night and even some of the Jazz players were saying that they might be close to putting it all together. Utah got an impressive performance from Deron Williams (21 pts, 12 asts, 4 rebs, 1 blk), but it wasn't enough as the Heat held on late for a 13 point win. Moose, the Heat have won 6 in a row and you've gotten WAY too quiet. The Heat will run with the Warriors in their next game and the Jazz get Orlando (coming off a back to back).
Chicago @ Cleveland - Are we all just piling on the Cavaliers? The Bulls went in to Cleveland and came from behind to beat a game Cavs team. As usual, Derrick Rose (29 pts, 8 asts, 4 rebs) along with Joakim Noah (13 pts, 14 rebs) led the Bulls as Carlos Boozer (4 pts, 3 rebs) had a stinker in his old Cleveland home. Just for a second, imagine this,......Boozer and LBJ in Cleveland with Big Z, and some shooters around them. That's exactly what the Cavs needed, but as we all know, that is just a dream. The Cavs were led Antawn (don't call him Antwan) Jamison (21 pts, 6 rebs) but the Cavs bench (8 pts on 3 of 15 shooting) wasn't able to make a shot for the majority of the night. The Cavs are 7-15 and it's looking real bad (if it wasn't already) for this franchise. Note to Clevelanders, yes LBJ left, the WAY he did it was wrong, but if you want to blame someone, start looking Dan Gilberts' way. He is the owner and should have had a plan on what to do if/when LBJ left. AND, if LBJ was all of the things that Gilbert said he was (after LBJ left) then he definitely should have had a plan in place for life after LBJ. Just my two cents. Up next for the Bulls, the Lakers. For the Cavs, they get to play the Houston Rockets.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Los Angeles Clippers - Derek Fisher!!! The Lakers ran into a rather pesky bunch of young Clippers last night. The Clippers were the more physical team and they also showed just how athletic they are when they have Jordan (9 pts, 11 rebs) and Griffin (16 pts, 11rebs) on the floor together. In the end, the young bunch fell to the old men on a last second layup by Derek Fisher. Not sure if Bledsoe (11pts, 7 asts, 4 rebs) forgot but Fisher (6pts, 4 rebs, 2 asts, 2 stls) is a lefty, who likes driving left, and Bledsoe played his right hand with time ticking away. Kobe (24 pts, 4asts, 2 rebs) led the way for the Lakers with an efficient 9 of 15 shooting preformance (5 of 7 from the line). The Lakers are still the cream of the crop in the NBA, but they may have some trouble with this Clippers team when they play them again. Quietly, Shannon Brown (16 pts, 5 rebs, 2 asts, 1 stl, in 17 minutes) has become a very reliable scorer, defender, or whatever this team needs off the bench. Could you imagine him in a Bulls uniform? The Bulls are up next for the Lakers and the Clippers get the Grizzlies next.
Miami @ Utah - I'm not going to jump on the Heat bandwagon like everyone else (I've actually never gotten off) as everyone writes stories about the team gelling, but they did look good last night and they will get better. I've said this before, once they get Chalmers (8 pts, 3 asts, 2 rebs, 2 stls, +16 when he's on the floor) back to playing like he was last year and put Arroyo (0 pts, 1 to, 1 stl in 23 minutes) back on the bench and they get Miller back (with a fully healed wrist) that this team will be dangerous. LBJ (33 pts, 9 asts, 7 rebs, on 12 of 20 shooting) and Wade (28 pts, 4 rebs, 4 asts on 9 of 14 shooting, 8 of 11 from the line) played well together last night and even some of the Jazz players were saying that they might be close to putting it all together. Utah got an impressive performance from Deron Williams (21 pts, 12 asts, 4 rebs, 1 blk), but it wasn't enough as the Heat held on late for a 13 point win. Moose, the Heat have won 6 in a row and you've gotten WAY too quiet. The Heat will run with the Warriors in their next game and the Jazz get Orlando (coming off a back to back).
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
NBA Wrap Up - Lakers, Blazers, Celtics 10-27-10
Great night of games last night, let’s recap.
Heat @ Celtics – This pretty much turned out the way I thought. The Celtics looked good in spurts and they were egged on by the home crowd. You got the majority of what you’ll see all year long: Pierce (19 pts, 7 rebs), Allen (20 pts), Garnett (10 pts, 10 rebs), Big Baby (13 pts) and Shaq (9 pts, 7 rebs) will show up every now and then. Rondo had a terrible scoring game but led the Celtics with 17 assists (only 3 turnovers). Welcome back Marquis Daniels, the Celtics really need you (could have used you last year too). The Heat were slow out of the gates, with the exception of LBJ. I can’t believe that he actually posted Paul Pierce up. I mean, yes, he missed the two foot bunny, but he POSTED Paul Pierce up. If that’s not something to be happy about, I don’t know what is. The Celtics were able to hold on and win this game, and we know the Heat will be better, but I agree with Charles Barkley when he said that Mike Miller should renegotiate his contract right now, because without him, the Heat have no outside shooting.
Rockets @ Lakers – The good thing for the Rockets is that Yao Ming didn’t get hurt. He actually played pretty well and so did the Rockets backcourt of Aaron Brooks (24 pts, 9 asts) and Kevin Martin (26 pts, 3 rebs, 2 asts). The Lakers got their Championship Rings and it was good to see each player introduce the next. Interesting note, Adam Morrison has a Championship ring, let that marinate with you for a moment. Kobe was Kobe (27 pts, 5 rebs, 7 asts) on his gimpy knee, Gasol put on a clinic (29 pts, 11 rebs, 2 blks) and the Lakers bench helped with the play of Shannon Brown (16 pts) and Steve Blake (10 pts, 3 asts). The scary part is when they get Bynum back, they have to be odds on favorites to repeat. This team could be scary. Take a look at the Lakers' Ring.
Suns @ Trail Blazers – Maybe Steve Nash had a point about being upset about the team around him. Outside of his performance (26 pts, 4 rebs, 6 asts, 9 TOs) the Suns pretty much stunk. Yes, Jason Richardson had 22 pts, but for some reason he stopped shooting (he was 9-13 last night). Turkoglu disappointed by getting two early fouls and he was pretty much done for the night. If there is a sliver of hope, it’s Hakim Warrick’s play (10 pts, 2 rebs). He’s not Amare, but he can do some of the things that Amare can do. Give him some time. The Blazers were led by Brandon Roy (24 pts, 3 rebs, 6 asts, 3 stls) and Nicolas Batum (19 pts, 11 rebs). Interesting note, the Bulls should STILL be killing themselves for not picking Roy (and picking Tyrus Thomas back in the 2006 draft) especially now that they really need a 2 guard. This Portland team may be ready to make some noise this year.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
NBA 2010 Opening Night
The NBA season kicks off tonight with three games on the docket. The first game of the night pits the new look Heat paying a visit to the Boston Celtics. The next two games are both West Coast affairs with the Champion Los Angeles Lakers (on ring night) taking on the Houston Rockets, while the Phoenix Suns visit the Portland to take on the Trail Blazers. Let’s take a look at these games.
Miami Heat @ Boston Celtics – The original Big 3, get to see the new Big 3. We all know the principles here, LBJ, Wade and Bosh for the Heat and KG, Pierce, and Allen for the Celtics. Let’s say for kicks that each Big 3 plays each other even. The difference in this game will come down to the next tier of players. Rajon Rondo going up against Carlos Arroyo and the Big Leprechaun playing against Joel Anthony/Ilgauskas are definitely the match ups that the Celtic hope to exploit. Both benches have their pluses and minuses, but I guess I have to go with the Celtics. Yes, Game 1 for the Heat is an ‘L’. Winner – Celtics.
Houston Rockets @ Los Angeles Lakers – Ring Night!!! Can’t wait to see the rock they get. Is it me or are these rings starting to cost the GDP of a small country? Back to basketball, with Kobe playing limited minutes, we’ll see how good some of that bench is. No Luke Walton or Bynum, so Odom should start seeing extended minutes at the 4 with Gasol manning the 5 until Bynum gets back. The Lakers are stacked so it shouldn’t be an issue and guys like Artest can play 2-4 or Barnes can play 2-3, and the Lakers always have clutch shooter/performer Derek Fisher. Tonight is the return of a healthy (we’ll see how long that lasts) Yao Ming. Can Trevor Ariza make his old team pay for letting him walk? I doubt it. Winner – Lakers.
Phoenix Suns @ Portland Trail Blazers – What does it say for your chances to win when your star player is pretty pissed with the team that you have around him? Ask Steve Nash. The Suns and all of their forwards (how many do they have on this team) go to Portland and play against another forward-laden team (mostly due to injury). This will be Game 1 of the post-Stoudamire regime for the Suns and I think they will actually be ok. They were able to pick up some pieces that will essentially replace Stoudamire (although it’ll take about 2 ½ people). The Trail Blazers have one of the best backcourts in the game with Miller and Roy, but you have to hope that they can play nice with each other. I’m going out on a limb on this one and I’m picking the Suns. Winner – Suns.
Who you got? Can the Lakers win it all again this year? Are the Heat for real? Can the Celtics get another year out of KG and possibly win it all?
Monday, June 07, 2010
2010 NBA Finals - Recap of Game 1 and 2
Well we’re two games into the NBA Finals and we’re sitting 1-1. The Lakers were able to ride Kobe and a surprising Ron Artest to a win in Game 1, while Ray Allen showed that he can still do it with a scorching performance of 32 points while breaking a NBA Finals Record for hitting 8 three pointers.
As far as Game 1 was concerned, the Celtics looked slow and old and almost not interested in the game. Paul Pierce ended the game with a decent stat line of 24 pts, 9 boards, 4 helpers, and 2 blocks, but most of this was done after the game was no longer in doubt. Artest hounded (beat) Pierce up for the majority of the game and also was able to make Pierce a lot more tentative after instigating the double technical foul call 20 seconds into the game. Kobe (30 pts) and Pau Gasol (23 pts, 14 boards) led the way for the Lakers. Artest not only held Pierce in check for most of the game but he gave them 15 pts, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals.
Game 2 was a complete role reversal. Ray Allen was dogged by foul trouble in Game 1 but in Game 2 he came out with his jump shot switched to ‘ON’. Ray hit his first 7 3-pointers. It got so bad that the Lakers had to switch Kobe off of Rondo to try and cool down Allen. They even tried Artest at one point but the only person that seemed to be able to stop Allen was Doc Rivers. Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett couldn’t even put up a combined triple double with 16 points (on 4 of 16 shooting), 8 rebounds, and 10 assists. Overshadowed by Allen’s onslaught was the triple double turned in by none other than Rajon Rondo (19pts, 12 rebs, 10 asts). Rondo was also key down the stretch making all the right plays. Kobe had a subpar game (21 pts, 5 fouls), while Gasol and Bynum controlled the paint with 46 pts, 14 rebounds, and 13 blocks combined. Kobe was seething after the game, so I expect for him to come out swinging in Game 3.
Recap on My Predictions:
KG has done his best Rashard Lewis/David Copperfield impression by disappearing in this series so far. I don’t know if it’s his leg or he’s tired or he’s old or a combination of all of them. It pains me somewhere deep in my heart to watch him lumber up and down the court like this. KG, please find your game, soon. Right now Gasol is killing you. (Matchup BIG in favor of Lakers)
Bynum is impressing me. He has played well in both games and has looked rather agile, mobile and ready to rumble with the Celtics. He is overpowering the shorter Perkins and he’s finishing at the rim. If this continues, the Celtics are in T-R-O-U-B-L-E. (Matchup swinging in favor of Lakers)
Pierce has not showed up yet either. Points-wise I’d call this matchup a draw, but the intangibles are heading in the Celtics favor. Before you ask if I’m crazy, the Celtics haven’t really needed Pierce, yet. He’s putting up some numbers but he isn’t taking a pounding (yet) and he’s got some life in his legs. Ray Allen getting off against in Game 2 forced the matchups that Boston wants. Worst case, this one is even. (Matchup even)
Kobe has put up 51 points in two games and that’s enough to normally swing this in the Lakers favor, however, I like the 32 point outburst by Ray Allen in Game 2 and what that means for the Celtics. I mentioned before the matchups, and if Kobe has to guard Allen instead of Rondo, this puts Fisher back on Rondo, who will continue to eat him (Fisher) alive. (Matchup even)
Rondo has a triple double and a not so bad Game 1. We know that this is the place where the Lakers try and hide Fisher and for good reason. (Matchup going in Celtics favor).
Celtic Bench Production – I pose this one question, what has Sheldon Williams done of not except to marry Candace Parker? Shelden, I’m a Dukie apologist and I need for you to do something instead of turning the ball over. Nate Robinson has provided some spark and I look for him to get a little more tick so that Doc can rest Rondo. Tony Allen, I can at least excuse you from my wrath for playing decent defense.
Lakers Bench Production – Tin Man, where are you? If Odom doesn’t play well next game, look for Kobe to hit him squa’ in the face during one of the huddles. Farmer has played ok, but for some reason he always seems to be a little too fast for his own good. Only 5 minutes of Luke Walton playing so, we’ll wait on that one.
As far as Game 1 was concerned, the Celtics looked slow and old and almost not interested in the game. Paul Pierce ended the game with a decent stat line of 24 pts, 9 boards, 4 helpers, and 2 blocks, but most of this was done after the game was no longer in doubt. Artest hounded (beat) Pierce up for the majority of the game and also was able to make Pierce a lot more tentative after instigating the double technical foul call 20 seconds into the game. Kobe (30 pts) and Pau Gasol (23 pts, 14 boards) led the way for the Lakers. Artest not only held Pierce in check for most of the game but he gave them 15 pts, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals.
Game 2 was a complete role reversal. Ray Allen was dogged by foul trouble in Game 1 but in Game 2 he came out with his jump shot switched to ‘ON’. Ray hit his first 7 3-pointers. It got so bad that the Lakers had to switch Kobe off of Rondo to try and cool down Allen. They even tried Artest at one point but the only person that seemed to be able to stop Allen was Doc Rivers. Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett couldn’t even put up a combined triple double with 16 points (on 4 of 16 shooting), 8 rebounds, and 10 assists. Overshadowed by Allen’s onslaught was the triple double turned in by none other than Rajon Rondo (19pts, 12 rebs, 10 asts). Rondo was also key down the stretch making all the right plays. Kobe had a subpar game (21 pts, 5 fouls), while Gasol and Bynum controlled the paint with 46 pts, 14 rebounds, and 13 blocks combined. Kobe was seething after the game, so I expect for him to come out swinging in Game 3.
Recap on My Predictions:
KG has done his best Rashard Lewis/David Copperfield impression by disappearing in this series so far. I don’t know if it’s his leg or he’s tired or he’s old or a combination of all of them. It pains me somewhere deep in my heart to watch him lumber up and down the court like this. KG, please find your game, soon. Right now Gasol is killing you. (Matchup BIG in favor of Lakers)
Bynum is impressing me. He has played well in both games and has looked rather agile, mobile and ready to rumble with the Celtics. He is overpowering the shorter Perkins and he’s finishing at the rim. If this continues, the Celtics are in T-R-O-U-B-L-E. (Matchup swinging in favor of Lakers)
Pierce has not showed up yet either. Points-wise I’d call this matchup a draw, but the intangibles are heading in the Celtics favor. Before you ask if I’m crazy, the Celtics haven’t really needed Pierce, yet. He’s putting up some numbers but he isn’t taking a pounding (yet) and he’s got some life in his legs. Ray Allen getting off against in Game 2 forced the matchups that Boston wants. Worst case, this one is even. (Matchup even)
Kobe has put up 51 points in two games and that’s enough to normally swing this in the Lakers favor, however, I like the 32 point outburst by Ray Allen in Game 2 and what that means for the Celtics. I mentioned before the matchups, and if Kobe has to guard Allen instead of Rondo, this puts Fisher back on Rondo, who will continue to eat him (Fisher) alive. (Matchup even)
Rondo has a triple double and a not so bad Game 1. We know that this is the place where the Lakers try and hide Fisher and for good reason. (Matchup going in Celtics favor).
Celtic Bench Production – I pose this one question, what has Sheldon Williams done of not except to marry Candace Parker? Shelden, I’m a Dukie apologist and I need for you to do something instead of turning the ball over. Nate Robinson has provided some spark and I look for him to get a little more tick so that Doc can rest Rondo. Tony Allen, I can at least excuse you from my wrath for playing decent defense.
Lakers Bench Production – Tin Man, where are you? If Odom doesn’t play well next game, look for Kobe to hit him squa’ in the face during one of the huddles. Farmer has played ok, but for some reason he always seems to be a little too fast for his own good. Only 5 minutes of Luke Walton playing so, we’ll wait on that one.
Thursday, June 03, 2010
2010 NBA Finals
Well, it’s that time. The NBA Finals start tonight in LA as the Celtics and the Lakers battle it out for the title. We all know the subplots, the Celtics are 9-2 against the Lakers in the Finals, Kendrick Perkins is a ‘T’ from having to sit out a game, Bynum is a quick move from being out of the series, Kobe is supposedly back to form and the Celtics defense is the best in the league. So what’s going to happen?
So with all of that said let’s look at the matchups and then I’ll give you my picks:
Kendrick Perkins vs. Andrew Bynum – I’ve been one that said that Bynum should have had that surgery a while ago, but then when you think about the surgeries that he’s had in the past, he never healed quickly. So with that said, he’s holding on by a thread. I expect him and Perkins to get in to it with each other. Bynum will find a way to pick up fouls at a Perkins rate too. Matchup – Even
Kevin Garnett vs. Pau Gasol – This will be the matchup of the series. KG looked awful at times guarding Dwight Howard as he beat him off the dribble on that same move going to the lane. Gasol is just as quick, but Howard was able to jump over KG, and I’m not sure that Gasol can. At times, KG looked like the KG of old (see games 1-3 of the ECF) and others, he’s looked just old. I don’t think that you can change your mentality, your essence in a series. Matchup – Edge Celtics
Paul Pierce vs. Ron Artest – A few years ago, this would have been great to watch because Artest could play defense AND give you 20 points. Although that 20 point total might be closer to 13 or 15 now, Artest’s defense is going to be of the utmost importance. If Pierce didn’t know it yet, he should make sure that he has medical coverage and that his life insurance is paid up because Artest is going to maul him this series (see Kevin Durant, 1st Round vs. Lakers). Pierce likes to flail and fall a lot and may draw a few extra fouls on Artest, but he’s going to have to tough this one out. He is the Truth. Matchup – Edge Celtics
Ray Allen vs. Kobe Bryant – Well not much to say here, I love ‘Jesus’ (Ray Allen), but against Kobe, he’ll have his hands full on defense and offense. Kobe is the premier player in the league today, even with his many maladies. I expect Kobe to get his points, but the trick will be to make him a volume shooter. If he gets 30 and he takes 30 shots, you can almost live with that. Allen will get his points and may help tire out Kobe from running off of every pick from Boston to LA. Matchup – Edge Lakers
Rajon Rondo vs. Derek Fisher – Most would say that Fish needs to sit this one out. He’s going against one of the quickest PGs in the game and he will have a problem staying in front of him. If they back off of Rondo and force him to shoot jumpers, which may be the best way to handle him. I imagine that you’ll see a lot of Jordan Farmer on Rondo too to try and match some of his quickness. Rondo will continue to run this Celtics team as long as his hammy/back hold up. Hopefully the rest has done him well too. Matchup – Edge Celtics
Celtics Bench vs. Lakers Bench – We know that the Celtics are going to need production from Rasheed Wallace, especially if they lose Perkins for a game or two for ‘T’s. I’m looking for another dusting off of Nate Robinson but the two people that will have an impact on this series will be Tony Allen and Sheldon Williams. I imagine that Williams will have to do some spot duty in this series for Perkins and how he plays will dictate whether the Celtics have to double up or play man. The Lakers are going to need contributions from Farmar and Odom off their bench. Farmar can’t be a turnover waiting to happen and Odom has to show everyone that he isn’t the Tin Man (ouch). I expect that you’ll get a heavy dose of Luke Walton this series which always seems to produce good outcomes for the Lakers. Matchup – Even
I think that unfortunately, Bynum’s knee doesn’t hold up. The Celtics defense is able to make life extremely hard for Kobe and in the end; I got the Celtics in 6.
So with all of that said let’s look at the matchups and then I’ll give you my picks:
Kendrick Perkins vs. Andrew Bynum – I’ve been one that said that Bynum should have had that surgery a while ago, but then when you think about the surgeries that he’s had in the past, he never healed quickly. So with that said, he’s holding on by a thread. I expect him and Perkins to get in to it with each other. Bynum will find a way to pick up fouls at a Perkins rate too. Matchup – Even
Kevin Garnett vs. Pau Gasol – This will be the matchup of the series. KG looked awful at times guarding Dwight Howard as he beat him off the dribble on that same move going to the lane. Gasol is just as quick, but Howard was able to jump over KG, and I’m not sure that Gasol can. At times, KG looked like the KG of old (see games 1-3 of the ECF) and others, he’s looked just old. I don’t think that you can change your mentality, your essence in a series. Matchup – Edge Celtics
Paul Pierce vs. Ron Artest – A few years ago, this would have been great to watch because Artest could play defense AND give you 20 points. Although that 20 point total might be closer to 13 or 15 now, Artest’s defense is going to be of the utmost importance. If Pierce didn’t know it yet, he should make sure that he has medical coverage and that his life insurance is paid up because Artest is going to maul him this series (see Kevin Durant, 1st Round vs. Lakers). Pierce likes to flail and fall a lot and may draw a few extra fouls on Artest, but he’s going to have to tough this one out. He is the Truth. Matchup – Edge Celtics
Ray Allen vs. Kobe Bryant – Well not much to say here, I love ‘Jesus’ (Ray Allen), but against Kobe, he’ll have his hands full on defense and offense. Kobe is the premier player in the league today, even with his many maladies. I expect Kobe to get his points, but the trick will be to make him a volume shooter. If he gets 30 and he takes 30 shots, you can almost live with that. Allen will get his points and may help tire out Kobe from running off of every pick from Boston to LA. Matchup – Edge Lakers
Rajon Rondo vs. Derek Fisher – Most would say that Fish needs to sit this one out. He’s going against one of the quickest PGs in the game and he will have a problem staying in front of him. If they back off of Rondo and force him to shoot jumpers, which may be the best way to handle him. I imagine that you’ll see a lot of Jordan Farmer on Rondo too to try and match some of his quickness. Rondo will continue to run this Celtics team as long as his hammy/back hold up. Hopefully the rest has done him well too. Matchup – Edge Celtics
Celtics Bench vs. Lakers Bench – We know that the Celtics are going to need production from Rasheed Wallace, especially if they lose Perkins for a game or two for ‘T’s. I’m looking for another dusting off of Nate Robinson but the two people that will have an impact on this series will be Tony Allen and Sheldon Williams. I imagine that Williams will have to do some spot duty in this series for Perkins and how he plays will dictate whether the Celtics have to double up or play man. The Lakers are going to need contributions from Farmar and Odom off their bench. Farmar can’t be a turnover waiting to happen and Odom has to show everyone that he isn’t the Tin Man (ouch). I expect that you’ll get a heavy dose of Luke Walton this series which always seems to produce good outcomes for the Lakers. Matchup – Even
I think that unfortunately, Bynum’s knee doesn’t hold up. The Celtics defense is able to make life extremely hard for Kobe and in the end; I got the Celtics in 6.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
2010 NBA Playoffs - Eastern Conference Recap
Caavaliers vs. Bulls (Cavs 1 - 0)
Well, LeBron promised the Bulls a different kind of animal during these playoffs, but I think he was really referring to himself. What the Bulls saw was vintage Shaq (only for a short period of time, 24 mins). Shaq stole the show early as he showed all of us that you can turn back the hands of time, at least for a while. Shaq said he went on the 'Uncle Jerome' diet which dropped him 20 lbs, and he looked good running up and down the court. The rest of the Cavs contributed, with Mo Williams leading the pack (of everyone not named LBJ) with 19pts and 10 asts. The Cavs did make several lapses and allowed the Bulls back in this game late, but they were able to finally close the door.
Celtics vs. Heat (Celtics 1 - 0)
This turned out about how many of us thought it would. The Heat ran out to an early lead but the Celtics finally decided to play some basketball in teh 4th quarter. Wade pretty much had his way for 3 quarters of the game, doing what ever he wanted and keeping his teammates involved. Things got a little chippy between the two teams when Paul Pierce was bumped near the Heat bench and seemed to hurt his shoulder. KG came over to check on his fallen teammate and Quentin Richardson said he was coming over to take the ball out of bounds. KG shot Q an elbow and then another elbow shortly thereafter. This ended up being a a lot of pushing and shoving but KG was thrown out of the game and could face a suspension. That would really change the playoffs for the Celtics. One good thing for the Celtics was the game Tony Allen played. He played pretty good defense on Wade, but he also was able to put up 14 points.
Hawks vs. Bucks (Hawks 1 - 0)
Well, this started off as a blowout of monumental purposes. Then Brandon Jennings, well actually Jennings kept the Bucks in this game then entire time but couldn't get any helop from his teammates until it was too late. Jennings ended the game with 34 pts, two short of tying the rookie playoff record set by Derrick Rose last year against the Celtics. The Hawks were hitting from everywhere and everyone contributed, in the first half. At halftime Jennings was single handedly keeping the Bucks within 20 (yes, 20). Jennings had 20 pts and no one else on his team had more than 4 pts. The Bucks were able to get back in the game by getting some stops and finally John Salmons was able to contribute, but in the end the Hawks and a surprising performance by Mike Bibby got the win.
Nuggets vs. Jazz (Nuggets 1 - 0)
I don't know who to feel sorry for here. The Nuggets are without their head coach, and the Jazz lost Memhet Okur in the 1st quarter of this game to a possible achilles tendon tears/rupture. The one thing I do know is that the Jazz started strong with CJ Miles setting the tone with a dunk early in the game, but the Jazz ran out of gas and able bodies at the end. The Nuggets seemed to not really want to play in the first half last night. The Jazz hit them in the mouth and they just seemed to be ok with it. In the 3rd, Melo woke up and decided that he needed to start scoring. Melo ended the game with 42 and the Nuggets rolled to a 1-0 series lead. The Jazz are really in trouble, I mean really.
Well, LeBron promised the Bulls a different kind of animal during these playoffs, but I think he was really referring to himself. What the Bulls saw was vintage Shaq (only for a short period of time, 24 mins). Shaq stole the show early as he showed all of us that you can turn back the hands of time, at least for a while. Shaq said he went on the 'Uncle Jerome' diet which dropped him 20 lbs, and he looked good running up and down the court. The rest of the Cavs contributed, with Mo Williams leading the pack (of everyone not named LBJ) with 19pts and 10 asts. The Cavs did make several lapses and allowed the Bulls back in this game late, but they were able to finally close the door.
Celtics vs. Heat (Celtics 1 - 0)
This turned out about how many of us thought it would. The Heat ran out to an early lead but the Celtics finally decided to play some basketball in teh 4th quarter. Wade pretty much had his way for 3 quarters of the game, doing what ever he wanted and keeping his teammates involved. Things got a little chippy between the two teams when Paul Pierce was bumped near the Heat bench and seemed to hurt his shoulder. KG came over to check on his fallen teammate and Quentin Richardson said he was coming over to take the ball out of bounds. KG shot Q an elbow and then another elbow shortly thereafter. This ended up being a a lot of pushing and shoving but KG was thrown out of the game and could face a suspension. That would really change the playoffs for the Celtics. One good thing for the Celtics was the game Tony Allen played. He played pretty good defense on Wade, but he also was able to put up 14 points.
Hawks vs. Bucks (Hawks 1 - 0)
Well, this started off as a blowout of monumental purposes. Then Brandon Jennings, well actually Jennings kept the Bucks in this game then entire time but couldn't get any helop from his teammates until it was too late. Jennings ended the game with 34 pts, two short of tying the rookie playoff record set by Derrick Rose last year against the Celtics. The Hawks were hitting from everywhere and everyone contributed, in the first half. At halftime Jennings was single handedly keeping the Bucks within 20 (yes, 20). Jennings had 20 pts and no one else on his team had more than 4 pts. The Bucks were able to get back in the game by getting some stops and finally John Salmons was able to contribute, but in the end the Hawks and a surprising performance by Mike Bibby got the win.
Nuggets vs. Jazz (Nuggets 1 - 0)
I don't know who to feel sorry for here. The Nuggets are without their head coach, and the Jazz lost Memhet Okur in the 1st quarter of this game to a possible achilles tendon tears/rupture. The one thing I do know is that the Jazz started strong with CJ Miles setting the tone with a dunk early in the game, but the Jazz ran out of gas and able bodies at the end. The Nuggets seemed to not really want to play in the first half last night. The Jazz hit them in the mouth and they just seemed to be ok with it. In the 3rd, Melo woke up and decided that he needed to start scoring. Melo ended the game with 42 and the Nuggets rolled to a 1-0 series lead. The Jazz are really in trouble, I mean really.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Who ya got? NBA Playoffs 2010 – Eastern Conference
Well, the regular season is done and there’s nothing left to do but look at the playoff brackets and dream. The season seemed to end on a sour note with a lot of teams experiencing injuries to their important players on their team. Other teams may have over thought this thing and rested some of their key players while at the same time enduring a small losing streak here and there. We’re going to take a look at the playoffs and see where it takes us.
Eastern Conference – Round 1
Cavaliers vs. Bulls
Part of me says the Bulls should have lost their last two to get a chance at this draft (I think they would have swapped that pick anyway), but they won out and earned the 8th spot and a chance to be bludgeoned by the Cavs. Derrick Rose looks like he’s in a nice groove right now (39 pts, 27 pts in the last two) with his jumper (never thought I’d say that). We know he can get to the rim, but he’s starting to consistently hit his jumper which makes him oh so dangerous. The Bulls are playing well as a team despite the fact that their GM and coach want to enter the Octagon.
The Cavaliers have limped along lately while sitting LeBron for several minor ailments (I can’t believe the league is getting involved with this). Despite the fact that one voter might not vote LBJ as the MVP, he’s gotten some rest while giving others some time to play. The Cavaliers also get back a fit and trim (and I expect focused) Shaq. A lot of people are saying that it’s going to be hard for the Cavaliers to get Shaq back into the mix since he’s been out for over a month. I say hogwash!!! Shaq and Jamison are going to put this team into the Eastern Conference Finals (yes, and LeBron too). This is what Shaq promised right, a for a Ring for the King. That quest starts now.
Series Roundup – Too much LBJ and too much Cavs. I expect this to be a little chippy, but a Cavaliers series victory. Prediction: Cavs in 5.
Celtics vs. Heat
This ought to be a good series. The Celtics struggled to turn on the switch to get the 4th seed. At times they looked like the old team that they are. I think all of Boston hopes that they are in fact sandbagging the rest of the league and they are ready for, dare I say it, a Championship run. The Big Three are two years older from the last time they won and their window is closing fast. I will say this, Paul Pierce and KG have started playing some good basketball lately. KG is looking like that knee is back and he’s no longer laboring to get up and down the floor. The Celtics are only going to be as good as their bench. Rasheed Wallace has got to start taking more shots in the paint than out, and somebody playing guard (off the bench) has got to score on a consistent basis. So if you are Nate Robinson, Michael Finley, Tony Allen, or Marquis Daniels, now is the time to step up.
The Heat have gotten here on the shoulders of Dwayne Wade, period. I don’t think that many realize how good this guy is and how much he has to carry EVERY game for them to compete. Wade is the only consistent threat that the Celtics need to worry about. Cut off the head and the rest of the snake dies, right. With all of that said, Jermaine O’Neal has rested the last few games and he was playing pretty well, so that will help against the Celtics front line, but I am expecting big things out of Michael Beasley. We know Haslem can handle his own and we know that Jamaal Magloire is done (about 2 years ago actually), but Beasley is the key to this series for the Heat. He’s got to be able to take good shots and make them. He stretches the floor for the Heat and could bring Garnett out to the wing so that he’s not able to help with the rebounding. Outside of that, the Heat would need a barrage of 3’s from Cook and Richardson.
Series Roundup – I actually think the old guard gets out of the 1st round. I’m not to inclined to think that the Heat can pull it off. They have a chance, but if the key to the series is Michael Beasley, that may be too much to overcome. Prediction: Celtics in 6.
Magic vs. Bobcats
Congratulations to Michael Jordan for getting HIS team to the playoffs. Now, you get the Magic. The Bobcats have played great defense all year and that’s probably the only thing that they can attribute their rise to the playoffs. Larry Brown knows how to teach defense. On the offensive side of the ball, Gerald Wallace and Stephen Jackson lead this team in shots taken and made (not a surprise, eh), but it seems to work. The Bobcats’ big men (Ratliff, Chandler, Diop, and Mohammed) can defend, rebound, and run the floor, while their guards seem to be pretty much interchangeable (Felton, Hughes, Wallace, and Augustin). In all, they are a solid team that probably won’t scare many people on paper.
The Magic come in to this series pretty much rolling. Dwight Howard is playing some of his best ball and Vince Carter is trying to forget how to shoot 3 pointers and instead is making his way to the basket. We know Van Gundy will have his team focused and ready to play. Carter’s rise seems to be taking some of the luster off of Rashard Lewis and it’s shown all year long. I expect Matt Barnes to get in Stephen Jackson’s shorts (this may get a little feisty) and the Magic bench to perform like they have all year long with Redick, Pietrus, and Jason Williams leading the way.
Series Roundup – This is going to come down to defense. We know that the Magic can afford to get into a knock’em out drag’em out type of game, but in the end, I think the Magic just have that much better of a bench. The Magic have to keep pace with the Cavs. Prediction: Magic in 5.
Hawks vs. Bucks
I love big Bucks and I can not lie!!! That has to be a funny tag line that doesn’t seem to get too old. The Bucks have been a Scott Skiles team all year long. Remember his days in Chicago when that team played defense, executed on offense and made you lose the game? Well, this Bucks team has done just that. They have played defense and kept themselves in games, but with the addition of John Salmons the Bucks have found a scorer to help Brandon Jennings and Andrew Bogut. Jennings has surprised many as a rookie (by NBA standards) pg leading his team to the playoffs. Bogut had finally started showing why the Bucks extended him to big money last summer before suffering a terrible elbow/wrist injury toward the end of the season. Ersan Ilyasova has stepped up his game and hopefully they won’t miss Bogut that much. People forgot about Jerry Stackhouse, but I expect him to make some waves for the Bucks coming off the bench.
The Hawks are like the ugly step child. I mean they should be considered one of the elite teams in the East, but for some reason people just talk about the Celtics, Cavs, and Magic. The Hawks have yet again, played well this season. Joe Johnson is leading this team along with Al Horford and they win. When you throw in Mike Bibby, who is playing pretty well and actually hitting 3’s, Josh Smith, and the 6th Man of the Year, Jamal Crawford, this team is stacked. Crawford gives them a scorer off the bench who is a big upgrade over former-Hawk Flip Murray. I think everyone wanted this team to play the Celtics in the first round again.
Series Roundup – The Bucks will miss Bogut and I’m not sure that they can afford to get into a shoot out with this Atlanta team. The Hawks frontline is going to be too much for the Bucks. Prediction: Hawks in 5.
Eastern Conference – Round 1
Cavaliers vs. Bulls
Part of me says the Bulls should have lost their last two to get a chance at this draft (I think they would have swapped that pick anyway), but they won out and earned the 8th spot and a chance to be bludgeoned by the Cavs. Derrick Rose looks like he’s in a nice groove right now (39 pts, 27 pts in the last two) with his jumper (never thought I’d say that). We know he can get to the rim, but he’s starting to consistently hit his jumper which makes him oh so dangerous. The Bulls are playing well as a team despite the fact that their GM and coach want to enter the Octagon.
The Cavaliers have limped along lately while sitting LeBron for several minor ailments (I can’t believe the league is getting involved with this). Despite the fact that one voter might not vote LBJ as the MVP, he’s gotten some rest while giving others some time to play. The Cavaliers also get back a fit and trim (and I expect focused) Shaq. A lot of people are saying that it’s going to be hard for the Cavaliers to get Shaq back into the mix since he’s been out for over a month. I say hogwash!!! Shaq and Jamison are going to put this team into the Eastern Conference Finals (yes, and LeBron too). This is what Shaq promised right, a for a Ring for the King. That quest starts now.
Series Roundup – Too much LBJ and too much Cavs. I expect this to be a little chippy, but a Cavaliers series victory. Prediction: Cavs in 5.
Celtics vs. Heat
This ought to be a good series. The Celtics struggled to turn on the switch to get the 4th seed. At times they looked like the old team that they are. I think all of Boston hopes that they are in fact sandbagging the rest of the league and they are ready for, dare I say it, a Championship run. The Big Three are two years older from the last time they won and their window is closing fast. I will say this, Paul Pierce and KG have started playing some good basketball lately. KG is looking like that knee is back and he’s no longer laboring to get up and down the floor. The Celtics are only going to be as good as their bench. Rasheed Wallace has got to start taking more shots in the paint than out, and somebody playing guard (off the bench) has got to score on a consistent basis. So if you are Nate Robinson, Michael Finley, Tony Allen, or Marquis Daniels, now is the time to step up.
The Heat have gotten here on the shoulders of Dwayne Wade, period. I don’t think that many realize how good this guy is and how much he has to carry EVERY game for them to compete. Wade is the only consistent threat that the Celtics need to worry about. Cut off the head and the rest of the snake dies, right. With all of that said, Jermaine O’Neal has rested the last few games and he was playing pretty well, so that will help against the Celtics front line, but I am expecting big things out of Michael Beasley. We know Haslem can handle his own and we know that Jamaal Magloire is done (about 2 years ago actually), but Beasley is the key to this series for the Heat. He’s got to be able to take good shots and make them. He stretches the floor for the Heat and could bring Garnett out to the wing so that he’s not able to help with the rebounding. Outside of that, the Heat would need a barrage of 3’s from Cook and Richardson.
Series Roundup – I actually think the old guard gets out of the 1st round. I’m not to inclined to think that the Heat can pull it off. They have a chance, but if the key to the series is Michael Beasley, that may be too much to overcome. Prediction: Celtics in 6.
Magic vs. Bobcats
Congratulations to Michael Jordan for getting HIS team to the playoffs. Now, you get the Magic. The Bobcats have played great defense all year and that’s probably the only thing that they can attribute their rise to the playoffs. Larry Brown knows how to teach defense. On the offensive side of the ball, Gerald Wallace and Stephen Jackson lead this team in shots taken and made (not a surprise, eh), but it seems to work. The Bobcats’ big men (Ratliff, Chandler, Diop, and Mohammed) can defend, rebound, and run the floor, while their guards seem to be pretty much interchangeable (Felton, Hughes, Wallace, and Augustin). In all, they are a solid team that probably won’t scare many people on paper.
The Magic come in to this series pretty much rolling. Dwight Howard is playing some of his best ball and Vince Carter is trying to forget how to shoot 3 pointers and instead is making his way to the basket. We know Van Gundy will have his team focused and ready to play. Carter’s rise seems to be taking some of the luster off of Rashard Lewis and it’s shown all year long. I expect Matt Barnes to get in Stephen Jackson’s shorts (this may get a little feisty) and the Magic bench to perform like they have all year long with Redick, Pietrus, and Jason Williams leading the way.
Series Roundup – This is going to come down to defense. We know that the Magic can afford to get into a knock’em out drag’em out type of game, but in the end, I think the Magic just have that much better of a bench. The Magic have to keep pace with the Cavs. Prediction: Magic in 5.
Hawks vs. Bucks
I love big Bucks and I can not lie!!! That has to be a funny tag line that doesn’t seem to get too old. The Bucks have been a Scott Skiles team all year long. Remember his days in Chicago when that team played defense, executed on offense and made you lose the game? Well, this Bucks team has done just that. They have played defense and kept themselves in games, but with the addition of John Salmons the Bucks have found a scorer to help Brandon Jennings and Andrew Bogut. Jennings has surprised many as a rookie (by NBA standards) pg leading his team to the playoffs. Bogut had finally started showing why the Bucks extended him to big money last summer before suffering a terrible elbow/wrist injury toward the end of the season. Ersan Ilyasova has stepped up his game and hopefully they won’t miss Bogut that much. People forgot about Jerry Stackhouse, but I expect him to make some waves for the Bucks coming off the bench.
The Hawks are like the ugly step child. I mean they should be considered one of the elite teams in the East, but for some reason people just talk about the Celtics, Cavs, and Magic. The Hawks have yet again, played well this season. Joe Johnson is leading this team along with Al Horford and they win. When you throw in Mike Bibby, who is playing pretty well and actually hitting 3’s, Josh Smith, and the 6th Man of the Year, Jamal Crawford, this team is stacked. Crawford gives them a scorer off the bench who is a big upgrade over former-Hawk Flip Murray. I think everyone wanted this team to play the Celtics in the first round again.
Series Roundup – The Bucks will miss Bogut and I’m not sure that they can afford to get into a shoot out with this Atlanta team. The Hawks frontline is going to be too much for the Bucks. Prediction: Hawks in 5.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
NBA Playoffs - Eastern Conference 2nd Round
Lots going on here. I have been loving these games, with two issues with two teams (1 East and 1 West). Let's talk about the Eastern side of the playoff brackets.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Atlanta Hawks
I'm with Charles Barkley on this one, the Hawks were admiring LeBron as he was destroying them. LeBron has scored almost a point per minute he has played this entire series. He doesn't even have any bruises and he put up 47 points in Game 3. The Hawks just disappointed this year. I for one thought that they would have given the Cavs some run, but I guess after Horford got hurt, it was pretty much over. The Cavs are waiting to see who they play next. I had the Cavs winning in 5 games, but they mercifully ended this series early.
Boston Celtics vs. Orlando Magic
This is one team that I have issues with. The Magic are a more talented and better team than the Celtics (with KG and Leon Powe out), but they don't know how to play the game. They have been up for the majority of the games in this series but have had problems closing out the reigning champs. My biggest issue with them is around their biggest player. Stan Van Gundy, please pay attention, I have a game plan for you: GIVE DWIGHT HOWARD THE BALL. The Celtics don't have anyone who can cover Howard. I mean I like Perkins, but he is struggling with a hurt shoulder and he's rather foul prone. When Howard is tired of shooting (he should have 25 attempts each game) then you go to Rashard Lewis. Let him post up whomever wants to cover him. By heeding this advice, the Magic would end this series quickly but now they are heading back to Orlando down 3-2.
Is anyone else wondering why the Magic aren't killing the Celtics? The Celtics are short handed and they still find ways to beat the Magic. Is it coaching? Is it toughness? What's the problem?
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Atlanta Hawks
I'm with Charles Barkley on this one, the Hawks were admiring LeBron as he was destroying them. LeBron has scored almost a point per minute he has played this entire series. He doesn't even have any bruises and he put up 47 points in Game 3. The Hawks just disappointed this year. I for one thought that they would have given the Cavs some run, but I guess after Horford got hurt, it was pretty much over. The Cavs are waiting to see who they play next. I had the Cavs winning in 5 games, but they mercifully ended this series early.
Boston Celtics vs. Orlando Magic
This is one team that I have issues with. The Magic are a more talented and better team than the Celtics (with KG and Leon Powe out), but they don't know how to play the game. They have been up for the majority of the games in this series but have had problems closing out the reigning champs. My biggest issue with them is around their biggest player. Stan Van Gundy, please pay attention, I have a game plan for you: GIVE DWIGHT HOWARD THE BALL. The Celtics don't have anyone who can cover Howard. I mean I like Perkins, but he is struggling with a hurt shoulder and he's rather foul prone. When Howard is tired of shooting (he should have 25 attempts each game) then you go to Rashard Lewis. Let him post up whomever wants to cover him. By heeding this advice, the Magic would end this series quickly but now they are heading back to Orlando down 3-2.
Is anyone else wondering why the Magic aren't killing the Celtics? The Celtics are short handed and they still find ways to beat the Magic. Is it coaching? Is it toughness? What's the problem?
Thursday, May 07, 2009
NBA Playoffs - Eastern Conference 2nd Round
The Eastern conference playoffs are pretty much sewn up for Cleveland. The only drama in the east is how long is it going to take the Celtics to beat the Magic. LeBron got his MVP trophy and he's aiming to get some more hardware this year. Let's take a look at the East.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Atlanta Hawks
Prediction: 4-1 Cavaliers (I'm hedging my bets against Atlanta, they could win 1 game)
Well, I don't have much to say about this. The Cavs are clearly a better team and LeBron didn't do like most MVP candidates the night they receive the trophy (they normally go out and play a stinker of a game). The Cavs are balanced and if worse comes to worst, they have LeBron. The Hawks are just perplexing. I love the talent they have, but for some reason they just don't bring it on a nightly basis. I mean they have Joe Johnson, Al Horford, Mike Bibby, Josh Smith, Marvin Williams, and they have a decent bench, but these guys are too relaxed. Maybe it's coaching, maybe it's desire, but they have some things to work on this summer. This summer being something that they'll be starting in 3 more games.
Boston Celtics vs. Orlando Magic
Prediction: 4-3 Celtics
I don't get this series. The Magic race out to a 20+ lead in Game 1 and they survive to win. In Game 2, they just let Boston beat them. I mean they didn't even put up a speed bump against the Celtics. Eddie House had 31 pts. That pretty much says it all right there. The Magic are clearly better in the paint, but for some reason they continue to shoot a lot of 3's and jumpers. Didn't they see what the Bulls did in the earlier series? Note to Coach Van Gundy: Pound the Celtics, if you want to win. I still think the Magic are a year away.
Eastern Conference Finals: Cavaliers vs. Celtics
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Atlanta Hawks
Prediction: 4-1 Cavaliers (I'm hedging my bets against Atlanta, they could win 1 game)
Well, I don't have much to say about this. The Cavs are clearly a better team and LeBron didn't do like most MVP candidates the night they receive the trophy (they normally go out and play a stinker of a game). The Cavs are balanced and if worse comes to worst, they have LeBron. The Hawks are just perplexing. I love the talent they have, but for some reason they just don't bring it on a nightly basis. I mean they have Joe Johnson, Al Horford, Mike Bibby, Josh Smith, Marvin Williams, and they have a decent bench, but these guys are too relaxed. Maybe it's coaching, maybe it's desire, but they have some things to work on this summer. This summer being something that they'll be starting in 3 more games.
Boston Celtics vs. Orlando Magic
Prediction: 4-3 Celtics
I don't get this series. The Magic race out to a 20+ lead in Game 1 and they survive to win. In Game 2, they just let Boston beat them. I mean they didn't even put up a speed bump against the Celtics. Eddie House had 31 pts. That pretty much says it all right there. The Magic are clearly better in the paint, but for some reason they continue to shoot a lot of 3's and jumpers. Didn't they see what the Bulls did in the earlier series? Note to Coach Van Gundy: Pound the Celtics, if you want to win. I still think the Magic are a year away.
Eastern Conference Finals: Cavaliers vs. Celtics
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Eat Some Crow!!!
If you visit this site, you know that from time to time I get on my stat guy, NYSTOM about some of his information. Over the past few weeks, I have probably grilled him about his stats that he had Rajon Rondo so high on the MVP list.
Not only has NYSTOM sent me articles (one link here), but as I was watching the Celtics vs. Bulls today, Mike Brean had this to say: 'Paul Pierce called Rondo the Celtics MVP this year'. With the way that he is playing, he is keeping the Celtics just a step ahead of the Bulls and would be the MVP of this series if the Celtics win.
With all of that said, NYSTOM, I warmed up my crow and I am presently eating it. Thanks.
Not only has NYSTOM sent me articles (one link here), but as I was watching the Celtics vs. Bulls today, Mike Brean had this to say: 'Paul Pierce called Rondo the Celtics MVP this year'. With the way that he is playing, he is keeping the Celtics just a step ahead of the Bulls and would be the MVP of this series if the Celtics win.
With all of that said, NYSTOM, I warmed up my crow and I am presently eating it. Thanks.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Boston Celtics vs. Chicago Bulls
Wow, talk about turnaround. The Boston Celtics finally showed up in this series. Paul Pierce came out smoking and hit his first 6 shots, ending the game with 24 pts. Rajon Rondo continued his stellar play this series with a 20 pts, 11 rebs, 6 asts, and 5 stls performance. The Celtics showed that they are the reigning champs and what that really means. They came out with that killer instinct and once they put their foot on the Bulls neck, they didn't let off. The crowd at the United Center came to party, but it sounded more like a funereal at the end.
The Bulls came out tight. After winning game 1, the Bulls probably succumbed to expectations. Many thought that the Celtics were a wounded aging team and the young upstart Bulls have a chance. The series was tied 1-1 and the Bulls were coming home on a night that Derrick Rose was given the Rookie of the Year award. After the tip off everything went terribly bad for the Bulls. The Bulls were led by Ben Gordon with an uninspiring 15 pts. The only plus out of this game was that Kirk Hinrich actually played well off the bench with 14 pts and 3 asts.
Key facts:
- I'm sorry Doc if you had been reading here and decided to give Perkins a few more touches. He played terribly last night and when given the opportunity he was allowing Noah to play him tough.
- Stephon Marbury played great last night. He played 24 minutes, shot 4 of 10 (yes, I can forgive that) and ended the game with 13 pts, 3 rebs, and 5 asts. This may be a the light that the Celtics needed to see from Marbury. He looked comfortable out there.
- It was great seeing Scalabrine on the floor last night, but what kind of headband was that? Did it have airbags or something?
This was a devastating loss for the Bulls. Can they bounce back and even the series or is it over for the Bulls and this season?
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