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 Chicago Bulls. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chicago Bulls. Show all posts
Friday, May 11, 2012
Saturday, April 28, 2012
2012 NBA Playoffs - Chicago Bulls vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Let's get this thing going since the playoffs start today. We'll start with the Chicago Bulls (1) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (8). The one thing that I will say is that the Bulls and the 76ers are both solid teams and this will be a somewhat interesting matchup.
Bulls: Of course, the Bulls are driven by Derrick Rose. I don't want to hear about all of the games that the Bulls won without him due to injury. Without Rose, the Bulls will be sitting with me watching the NBA Finals. There's a fine line in this series, as you want rose healthy but you also need him to get back into his groove. The Bulls play defense, I mean DEFENSE, so they should be in every game in this series even if they sit half of their starting five. I think we all know that the Bulls are going to win this series and it's really aabout how many games it'll take.
Who has to step up: C.J. Watson. If I'm Thibs, he gets a lot of run in this game and I rest Rose. Watson has been solid all year, but has kind of caught fire late in the season for this Bulls team.
76ers: This is what the 76ers wanted. They had a chance to get to the 7th seed and play the Heat, but there was talk that they 'wanted' the easier out by playing the Bulls. Quick question, do they drug test in the NBA? The Sixers started this season playing well, but soon Doug Collins wore on them and they faltered down the stretch. They have a lot of pieces in Lou Williams, Andre Iguodala, Elton Brand and an improved Evan Turner. The odd part is that both the Bulls and the 76ers are deep teams that play as teams.
Who has to step up: Elton Brand, Lou Williams, and Thaddeus Young. Brand has got to go back in the phonebooth and emerge as the old Chicago Bull Elton Brand. The 20 and 10 guy every night he stepped on the court. He's going to have to be a big difference. Lou Williams won't match Rose's play, but he's got to get his teammates some easy buckets. Thaddues Young has got to be a consistent scorer off the bench for this team against that Bulls 2nd unit.
Outcome: I got the Bulls in 5 in this one. Too much Chicago.
Bulls: Of course, the Bulls are driven by Derrick Rose. I don't want to hear about all of the games that the Bulls won without him due to injury. Without Rose, the Bulls will be sitting with me watching the NBA Finals. There's a fine line in this series, as you want rose healthy but you also need him to get back into his groove. The Bulls play defense, I mean DEFENSE, so they should be in every game in this series even if they sit half of their starting five. I think we all know that the Bulls are going to win this series and it's really aabout how many games it'll take.
Who has to step up: C.J. Watson. If I'm Thibs, he gets a lot of run in this game and I rest Rose. Watson has been solid all year, but has kind of caught fire late in the season for this Bulls team.
76ers: This is what the 76ers wanted. They had a chance to get to the 7th seed and play the Heat, but there was talk that they 'wanted' the easier out by playing the Bulls. Quick question, do they drug test in the NBA? The Sixers started this season playing well, but soon Doug Collins wore on them and they faltered down the stretch. They have a lot of pieces in Lou Williams, Andre Iguodala, Elton Brand and an improved Evan Turner. The odd part is that both the Bulls and the 76ers are deep teams that play as teams.
Who has to step up: Elton Brand, Lou Williams, and Thaddeus Young. Brand has got to go back in the phonebooth and emerge as the old Chicago Bull Elton Brand. The 20 and 10 guy every night he stepped on the court. He's going to have to be a big difference. Lou Williams won't match Rose's play, but he's got to get his teammates some easy buckets. Thaddues Young has got to be a consistent scorer off the bench for this team against that Bulls 2nd unit.
Outcome: I got the Bulls in 5 in this one. Too much Chicago.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Miami Heat Just Like Mike (Tyson)?
I don't claim to be the driver behind this write up, but after talking with one of my guys this morning (Thanks Senior Pullen) I felt like I needed to expound on our conversation. First let me take a step back, I have been on the Heat bandwagon since early this season with the way this team and in particular LBJ has played. I have gotten a little worried during some of these lulls that the Heat have had this year, but I'm still riding with them.
With that said, the Heat are losing the thing that made them scary to me. They are losing their aura and they have proven to me that they are really the reincarnate of Mike Tyson as a basketball team. In other words, the Heat go for the knockout early in the game and expect to coast the rest of the time. If you're able to not succumb to their initial onslaught (i.e. Buster Douglas, Evander Holyfield, etc.) then you can grind on the Heat and win late.
Flash back to 1985 when a young 'Iron' Mike Tyson was introduced to the boxing world. He was the baddest dude on two feet. He wore blank trunks to go along with his black boots and he was never in the mood to converse with his foes. Tyson was not only beating people, he was knocking people TFO (we not trying to curse here, but you know what I'm talking about). Tyson's victories helped create the aura of Mike Tyson. Tyson was known for his quick knockouts to the point that some people were just hoping that they could get him to go past 6 or 7 rounds to see what kind of fighter he was. All of this grew and grew until a fateful night in February of 1990 when James 'Buster' Douglas put a permanent chink in the aura (armor if you must) of Tyson.
We digress back to the purpose of this posting. The Heat started this season with arguably one of the best defenses, outside of those MJ led Bulls teams or Bad Boys Pistons teams, in the history of the NBA. They had a way of playing teams and putting up big quarters to impose their will on their foes. They came out with these (sorry) ugly all black alternate unis and there was talk that they would only lose single digit games in this shortened NBA season. LBJ was the MVP by a landslide and all was good. As this season has progressed there have been teams that have put chinks in the aura/armor that is the Heat (Orlando, Milwaukee, LA (Clips and Lakers), Celtics and Bulls).
Most notably last night's Bulls game in Chicago. The Heat seemed to have everything going their way. They were up at the half by 5 points, Derrick Rose was having a horriawful night and all of this was without much help for LBJ. Then IT happened. The Bulls, instead of caving to the pressure or the attempted knock out blows, just kept coming back. Rose continued his terrible play, but the coach put in C.J. Watson and he played well. The Bulls bench, led by Watson, Korver, and Gibson, were the difference between a 'W' and a Heat win based purely off of talent.
As you watch the Heat for the rest of the season, look at them with Mike Tyson goggles on and see if what I'm saying is true. Tyson did win several championships (something this Heat unit hasn't) and continued being viable for years to come, but it seemed to go downhill fast for him and maybe just maybe, the Heat are heading in that downhill direction. Winning it all is the cure for all of this talk, but even I am a little more concerned about the ability of the Heat to do just that after last night's debacle.
Wednesday, March 07, 2012
NYSTOM NBA Power Rankings
Team Power Rankings. I guess we already know who's last, but I am surprised that the team from the City of Brotherly Love is still trending so high. I thought for sure they'd fall back to the middle of the pack after a few more weeks, but they are holding their own. I will say this, watch out for those Spurs. Not saying that they are going to win it all, but they could be a dangerous out in the playoffs.
Where's your team ranked?
|
|
Through
2/29
|
|||
|
1
|
27
|
7
|
0.794
|
|
|
2
|
29
|
8
|
0.784
|
|
|
3
|
21
|
15
|
0.583
|
|
|
4
|
28
|
7
|
0.800
|
|
|
5
|
18
|
17
|
0.514
|
|
|
6
|
22
|
12
|
0.647
|
|
|
7
|
24
|
11
|
0.686
|
|
|
8
|
21
|
15
|
0.583
|
|
|
9
|
23
|
13
|
0.639
|
|
|
10
|
21
|
14
|
0.600
|
|
|
11
|
19
|
17
|
0.528
|
|
|
12
|
20
|
12
|
0.625
|
|
|
13
|
20
|
15
|
0.571
|
|
|
14
|
18
|
18
|
0.500
|
|
|
15
|
20
|
15
|
0.571
|
|
|
16
|
17
|
17
|
0.500
|
|
|
17
|
21
|
15
|
0.583
|
|
|
18
|
18
|
18
|
0.500
|
|
|
19
|
16
|
18
|
0.471
|
|
|
20
|
14
|
18
|
0.438
|
|
|
21
|
14
|
21
|
0.400
|
|
|
22
|
14
|
20
|
0.412
|
|
|
23
|
13
|
20
|
0.394
|
|
|
24
|
11
|
24
|
0.314
|
|
|
25
|
8
|
27
|
0.229
|
|
|
26
|
11
|
25
|
0.306
|
|
|
27
|
12
|
25
|
0.324
|
|
|
28
|
12
|
22
|
0.353
|
|
|
29
|
7
|
28
|
0.200
|
|
|
30
|
4
|
29
|
0.121
|
Where's your team ranked?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)