This matchup between the 3rd seeded Pacers and the 6th seeded Magic is really anti-climatic. Without Dwight Howard playing, the Pacers would be remiss if they didn't handle this group of Magic quickly. Part of me wishes Dwight was playing just to see if Indiana is actually ready to take a baby step after scaring the Bulls in last years' playoffs.
Pacers: I like this balanced Pacers squad led by Danny Granger, but it's not just him. They have David West resembling the guy before the knee injury, and this team plays defense also. Call me what you want, but I like that Hibbert has made himself into a usable 5 in the league. I would have loved to see him play against Dwight even if it would only be a measuring stick game. The Pacers have enough scorers (George, Barbosa, etc.) and a veteran in George Hill that can help this team in the playoffs.
Who has to step up: David West. Yes, he's the veteran on this team, but West has got to lead the way. Can he get this team past this Orlando squad and ready to play in the 2nd round of the playoffs?
Magic: It's been a year for the Magic. I do have to give them this, they could have folded and gone fishing, but they decided to play and make the playoffs and whether Dwight plays or not, these boys are not going to back down. Ryan Anderson is balling,....literally balling. Orlando can make this interesting but I don't think that they have the weapons to win this series. I can see them winning 2 games, but that's about it.
Who has to step up: Jameer Nelson. Maybe this is the easy person to pick, but a few years back Nelson was BALLING and he made this team that much more dangerous because Dwight was behind him. To say that he has regressed would but a bit of an understatement. If Nelson can find some of that old magic (literally) then the Magic have a chance to take this to 7 games.
Outcome: I got the Pacers in 5.
Showing posts with label Orlando Magic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Orlando Magic. Show all posts
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Grown Folks Advice: Know Who's in the Room
Lately we have a few people, Dwight Howard and Gregg Williams, who are in need of some Grown Folks Advice. Each of their situations is a little different, Williams made a career ending move and Howard just made a career limiting (very limited) move. I do happen to feel that if they had taken this Grown Folks Advice, neither would have been in trouble. This piece is dedicated to the following advice: Know Who's in the Room.
Supposedly Dwight Howard had a conversation with someone in upper management and either asked that his head coach Stan Van Gundy be fired or he intimated that his head coach be fired. In either situation, I imagine that Dwight was in a room with a person or some people and the discussion about his future with the organization came up. I'm more inclined to believe that he was asked 'what would it take to keep you here long term?'. Now for those of us with 'good non-gubment jobs', we know this is a setup. This kind of question gives the person answering the question enough rope to hang one's self without even trying. Did Dwight ask for his coach's head, who really knows, but if he did he had to know who was in that room or who that person that he was speaking with is connected to.
To break it down, if you ask me a question about someone in our organization and I don't know that the two of you are friends/acquaintances/golfing buddies I should be very wary of how I answer your question because I know that you are going back to that person as soon as we finish speaking. It's expected, and you can pretty much guarantee that it's going to happen. So, I imagine that Dwight gave the inclination that he and Van Gundy weren't BFF's and the person repeated this information. Which in turn caused the most awkward moment in Orlando Magic history.
If Dwight would have taken a moment to understand who was in the room with him, crisis averted. Or when in doubt just give them the honest truth, ' I don't want to be like LeBron, so I will just say that I have no idea what I'm going to do, but I'd like to think about what I'm going to do and then I'll say something that may sound silly, but you know I joke around, but you also know I don't want to be like Shaq and leave Orlando, but I want to stay, but I also want a chance to win a championship, but I also want to have fun,.......' - guaranteed that they walk out of the room and never ask you another question.
For Gregg Williams, let's forget that the NFL has already told your team that they need to watch what they say to their players, let's forget that the NFL is presently investigating your team for possible violations as they relate to a bounty program, let's forget that Roger Goodell has already made examples out of those that have crossed his lines since becoming the commish, and let's forget the fact that you are openly asking players to intentionally injure players on the opposing team, you have a guy sitting in the corner of your locker room RECORDING THE ENTIRE THING. Williams can't be this dumb, so I attribute this to arrogance. But back to the purpose of this musing, if you know who's in the room you can 1) request that the guy be removed from the locker room for a period of time prior to the start of the game 2) confiscate (in a nice way) his recording devices or 3) be careful what you say.
Again, if you know who's in the room, maybe your speech goes from what it was to 'guys go out there and give 'em hell!!!!'. Sometimes you gotta be politically correct so that you don't mess up that 'good non-gubment job'.
Heed my advice and feel free to pass on to people who may need it. Remember, we all gotta eat and we can't let our mouths get in the way of that.
Supposedly Dwight Howard had a conversation with someone in upper management and either asked that his head coach Stan Van Gundy be fired or he intimated that his head coach be fired. In either situation, I imagine that Dwight was in a room with a person or some people and the discussion about his future with the organization came up. I'm more inclined to believe that he was asked 'what would it take to keep you here long term?'. Now for those of us with 'good non-gubment jobs', we know this is a setup. This kind of question gives the person answering the question enough rope to hang one's self without even trying. Did Dwight ask for his coach's head, who really knows, but if he did he had to know who was in that room or who that person that he was speaking with is connected to.
To break it down, if you ask me a question about someone in our organization and I don't know that the two of you are friends/acquaintances/golfing buddies I should be very wary of how I answer your question because I know that you are going back to that person as soon as we finish speaking. It's expected, and you can pretty much guarantee that it's going to happen. So, I imagine that Dwight gave the inclination that he and Van Gundy weren't BFF's and the person repeated this information. Which in turn caused the most awkward moment in Orlando Magic history.
If Dwight would have taken a moment to understand who was in the room with him, crisis averted. Or when in doubt just give them the honest truth, ' I don't want to be like LeBron, so I will just say that I have no idea what I'm going to do, but I'd like to think about what I'm going to do and then I'll say something that may sound silly, but you know I joke around, but you also know I don't want to be like Shaq and leave Orlando, but I want to stay, but I also want a chance to win a championship, but I also want to have fun,.......' - guaranteed that they walk out of the room and never ask you another question.
For Gregg Williams, let's forget that the NFL has already told your team that they need to watch what they say to their players, let's forget that the NFL is presently investigating your team for possible violations as they relate to a bounty program, let's forget that Roger Goodell has already made examples out of those that have crossed his lines since becoming the commish, and let's forget the fact that you are openly asking players to intentionally injure players on the opposing team, you have a guy sitting in the corner of your locker room RECORDING THE ENTIRE THING. Williams can't be this dumb, so I attribute this to arrogance. But back to the purpose of this musing, if you know who's in the room you can 1) request that the guy be removed from the locker room for a period of time prior to the start of the game 2) confiscate (in a nice way) his recording devices or 3) be careful what you say.
Again, if you know who's in the room, maybe your speech goes from what it was to 'guys go out there and give 'em hell!!!!'. Sometimes you gotta be politically correct so that you don't mess up that 'good non-gubment job'.
Heed my advice and feel free to pass on to people who may need it. Remember, we all gotta eat and we can't let our mouths get in the way of that.
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?
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 - Orlando Magic vs. Atlanta Hawks
This is the first time that I think that I can say that I want to see the Atlanta Hawks play. The Hawks are running into a Magic team that is trying to find itself. The Hawks are also trying to figure themselves out, so this one is going to be must see TV.
Magic:
Dwight Howard and Stan Van Gundy will both probably be mad that Dwight doesn't get the MVP. Not saying that he should, but he does change the game big time for the Magic. I love what Howard brings to the table on both O and D, but there's a part of his team that lacks that mental toughness. Richardson is hitting the 3 like he's making layups and Jameer Nelson seems to be the cog that makes the engine run. Ryan Andersen is great off the bench (he's starting at times) but this team struggles when Howard is out because of technical fouls or in foul trouble. Turkoglu is a mismatch for many because of his size and ability to handle the rock at times.
Hawks:
This is it. This is what you paid Joe Johnson $119.2 M for. Can he lead this team to an upset of the Magic? The Hawks have size, a gunner off the bench in Crawford, a point guard that can run a team in Hinrich, and that's about it. I really think that Johnson has got to come on and play ball, which is going to mean at least 20-plus points per game. Horford should be able to play Howard and possibly get him in foul trouble. Worst case is that the Hawks have about 4 guys that they can throw at Howard and beat him up. The Hawks are going to have to rebound and force the Magic into shooting the 3 ball which hasn't been going in as of late.
X-factors:
Magic - The Artist Formerly known as Agent 0. IF, and that's a big if, Arenas can somehow put it together and play his game, this Magic team would probably be the most dangerous team in the playoffs. Arenas has not looked totally healthy and that may be a factor in him not playing like many expected him to.
Hawks - Jeff Teague and Jamal Crawford. Teague has the opportunity to prove to people that he is the point guard of the future for the Hawks. Teague hasn't done much in the league yet, but I did like this kid when he was in college. He doesn't have to be too fancy, just run the team and hit an occasional 3. Crawford is looking for a big contract next year. The Hawks are maxed out with the deal they gave Joe Johnson and they are going to have to pay Horford too. So,...when you have an opportunity to lead your team on national stage during the playoffs, now is the time to step up.
Prediction: Can Howard keep his cool during the playoffs? If I'm the Hawks I find out quick with Jason Collins just cleaning his clock. Can the Magic hit the 3 ball consistently? Will Howard dominate Horford and the rest of the Hawks front line? Are the Magic mentally tough? Lots of questions, not many answers. Hawks 4-3.
Magic:
Dwight Howard and Stan Van Gundy will both probably be mad that Dwight doesn't get the MVP. Not saying that he should, but he does change the game big time for the Magic. I love what Howard brings to the table on both O and D, but there's a part of his team that lacks that mental toughness. Richardson is hitting the 3 like he's making layups and Jameer Nelson seems to be the cog that makes the engine run. Ryan Andersen is great off the bench (he's starting at times) but this team struggles when Howard is out because of technical fouls or in foul trouble. Turkoglu is a mismatch for many because of his size and ability to handle the rock at times.
Hawks:
This is it. This is what you paid Joe Johnson $119.2 M for. Can he lead this team to an upset of the Magic? The Hawks have size, a gunner off the bench in Crawford, a point guard that can run a team in Hinrich, and that's about it. I really think that Johnson has got to come on and play ball, which is going to mean at least 20-plus points per game. Horford should be able to play Howard and possibly get him in foul trouble. Worst case is that the Hawks have about 4 guys that they can throw at Howard and beat him up. The Hawks are going to have to rebound and force the Magic into shooting the 3 ball which hasn't been going in as of late.
X-factors:
Magic - The Artist Formerly known as Agent 0. IF, and that's a big if, Arenas can somehow put it together and play his game, this Magic team would probably be the most dangerous team in the playoffs. Arenas has not looked totally healthy and that may be a factor in him not playing like many expected him to.
Hawks - Jeff Teague and Jamal Crawford. Teague has the opportunity to prove to people that he is the point guard of the future for the Hawks. Teague hasn't done much in the league yet, but I did like this kid when he was in college. He doesn't have to be too fancy, just run the team and hit an occasional 3. Crawford is looking for a big contract next year. The Hawks are maxed out with the deal they gave Joe Johnson and they are going to have to pay Horford too. So,...when you have an opportunity to lead your team on national stage during the playoffs, now is the time to step up.
Prediction: Can Howard keep his cool during the playoffs? If I'm the Hawks I find out quick with Jason Collins just cleaning his clock. Can the Magic hit the 3 ball consistently? Will Howard dominate Horford and the rest of the Hawks front line? Are the Magic mentally tough? Lots of questions, not many answers. Hawks 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, 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.
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Rashard Lewis Suspended
Well maybe he took the NBA Finals loss a little harder than necessary (just jokes). Rashard Lewis has been suspended for 10 games for violating the NBA drug policy. Rashard failed a drug test due to high testosterone level. He supposedly tested positive for DHEA that's banned in most sports. I'll bet that the MLB is smiling today. Now maybe another league will have to deal with this steroid issue.
Is this a big deal? Will we now start hearing about steroids in the NBA? Was this just a dumb mistake? Your thoughts?
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
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Catching Up with the Eastern Conference
Let's take a look at what I missed in the Eastern Conference NBA Playoffs.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Detroit Pistons
Were there ever any doubts? The Cavs destroyed the Pistons and that's all you can say. The Pistons have nothing to look forward to except possibly retooling. Joe Dumars has a lot of work to do. My take on this series was 4-0 Cavaliers and I was right.
Orlando Magic vs. Philadelphia 76ers
This has been a series to watch. Everyone has been saying how much of a spaz Coach Van Gundy is and he's kinda of shown that. His team mimics him and they don't play up to their level of success that they had during the year. The Magic are up 3-2 but have to play game 6 without the suspended Dwight Howard. Yes, Howard should have been suspended because that was a big elbow that could have knocked Dalembert out if he would have been 4 inches closer. What will the Magic do tonight? The big dollar man, Rashard Lewis, has yet to show up and that's troubling. The Sixers have been led by Andre Miller and they have been close in several games. I expect this one to go to game 7. I picked the Magic to win this series 4-3, but I could see it going the other way.
Boston Celtics vs. Chicago Bulls
Talk about a series where neither team deserves to win. The Celtics are just being killed by injuries (KG, Powe) yet they keep playing championship ball. The Bulls are playing tough and they are being led by Ben Gordon (Flash Gordon music playing in the background). His strained hamstring is probably worse than most think, but he toughed it out and played the majority of game 5. He's been able to hit big shots and keep the Bulls in this series. A lot of the baby Bulls (Noah, Thomas, Rose) have stepped up large in this series. You gotta go with the Champions in this series, but the Bulls are right there. I picked the Celtics to win this series 4-3 and I expect it to finish that way. The game tonight will be very exciting.
Atlanta Hawks vs. Miami Heat
After last nights game, I think I've finally gone from Dwayne Wade is a star to Dwayne Wade is an actor. Yes, he goes to the ground quicker than Steve Wojciehowski slaps the court in a Duke basketball game, but in the past I've always thought he was just creating that contact. After last nights, you can just tell he's a bad actor with a penchant for the flamboyant. He's the only reason the Heat are in this series, so why aren't the Hawks trying to take the ball out of his hands. As much as I like Chalmers, Beasley, and Haslem, they aren't going to beat you. Double Wade and get the ball out of his hands. The Hawks have been playing like the lower seed in this series and they are thisclose to being home. Joe Johnson seems to have found his groove (last night) but if Horford is as hurt as he showed last night, the Hawks would be in trouble in the 2nd round (if they make it). I picked the Hawks 4-3 for this series,.......and I'm sticking with them.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Detroit Pistons
Were there ever any doubts? The Cavs destroyed the Pistons and that's all you can say. The Pistons have nothing to look forward to except possibly retooling. Joe Dumars has a lot of work to do. My take on this series was 4-0 Cavaliers and I was right.
Orlando Magic vs. Philadelphia 76ers
This has been a series to watch. Everyone has been saying how much of a spaz Coach Van Gundy is and he's kinda of shown that. His team mimics him and they don't play up to their level of success that they had during the year. The Magic are up 3-2 but have to play game 6 without the suspended Dwight Howard. Yes, Howard should have been suspended because that was a big elbow that could have knocked Dalembert out if he would have been 4 inches closer. What will the Magic do tonight? The big dollar man, Rashard Lewis, has yet to show up and that's troubling. The Sixers have been led by Andre Miller and they have been close in several games. I expect this one to go to game 7. I picked the Magic to win this series 4-3, but I could see it going the other way.
Boston Celtics vs. Chicago Bulls
Talk about a series where neither team deserves to win. The Celtics are just being killed by injuries (KG, Powe) yet they keep playing championship ball. The Bulls are playing tough and they are being led by Ben Gordon (Flash Gordon music playing in the background). His strained hamstring is probably worse than most think, but he toughed it out and played the majority of game 5. He's been able to hit big shots and keep the Bulls in this series. A lot of the baby Bulls (Noah, Thomas, Rose) have stepped up large in this series. You gotta go with the Champions in this series, but the Bulls are right there. I picked the Celtics to win this series 4-3 and I expect it to finish that way. The game tonight will be very exciting.
Atlanta Hawks vs. Miami Heat
After last nights game, I think I've finally gone from Dwayne Wade is a star to Dwayne Wade is an actor. Yes, he goes to the ground quicker than Steve Wojciehowski slaps the court in a Duke basketball game, but in the past I've always thought he was just creating that contact. After last nights, you can just tell he's a bad actor with a penchant for the flamboyant. He's the only reason the Heat are in this series, so why aren't the Hawks trying to take the ball out of his hands. As much as I like Chalmers, Beasley, and Haslem, they aren't going to beat you. Double Wade and get the ball out of his hands. The Hawks have been playing like the lower seed in this series and they are thisclose to being home. Joe Johnson seems to have found his groove (last night) but if Horford is as hurt as he showed last night, the Hawks would be in trouble in the 2nd round (if they make it). I picked the Hawks 4-3 for this series,.......and I'm sticking with them.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Orlando Magic vs. Philadelphia 76ers
I don't know if Stan Van Gundy is going to make it out of this series. His team continues to run up big leads (18pts in each game) and they lost the first one and were dangerously close to losing this one. The Magic had 6 players in double figures and were led by Courtney Lee (24 pts, 3 rebs, 1 ast, 3 stls). Lee continues to keep J.J. Redick on the Magic bench by his play. The rest of the Magic looked, again, like they were sleep walking. Turkoglu and Lewis both chipped in with 16 pts, but the Magic are in trouble. Dwight Howard got 11 pts and 10 rebs, but fouled out the night he was given the Defensive Player of the Year award.
The Sixers are playing with house money. They are playing loose, but last night they struggled a little. They start slow and get behind, and have been able to claw back out of the hole, but they can't keep playing like this. Andre Miller had a monster game with 30 pts, 7 rebs, 3 asts, and 2 stls, but between Louis Williams and Willie Green (a combined 3 of 15) the Sixers had no backcourt production. They have a nervous Magic team on the ropes and then they let them slip away and get this win.
Key facts:
- Donyell Marshall must have been packed up for the season after his performance in game 1. In game 2 he had none of those heroics and ended the game with 1 stl and 2 fouls.
- The Sixers had 12 pts from their bench, not going to win many games like that.
- Marcin Gortat got on the floor and gave the Magic some solid minutes as a backup, after roasting his coach, with 6 rebs, 1 stl, and 2 blks.
I still think that the Magic are in trouble. They aren't playing well and they are lucky that they aren't going against a veteran team that can take advantage of them. Who do you think takes the series lead in game 3?
Monday, April 20, 2009
Orlando Magic vs. Philadelphia 76ers
The Orlando Magic had the look of running this score up on the Sixers, but then something went horribly wrong. Dwight Howard had a monster game with 31 pts, 16 rebs, 2 asts, and 2 blks, even going 9-12 from the free throw line. Courtney Lee also stepped up with 18 points, but the other two of the Big Three, Turkoglu and Lewis were no shows. Even with that the Magic went up 18 on the Sixers and maybe that was a bad thing. It looked as though the Magic thought that lead itself would just make the Sixers quit.
The Sixers stunk it up early but came back and won this one in the end. They were led by two great performances from Andre Iguodala (20 pts, 8 asts, 8 rebs) and Andre Miller (15 pts, 7 asts, 7 rebs). The performance of the night had to go to Donyell Marshall. After dusting off the moth balls, Marshall came on and hit 3 big threes for the Sixers. He ended up playing on 11 minutes but dropped 11 points. I will agree with Barkley that the jumper that won the game for the Sixers was a lucky shot, but sometimes it's better to be lucky rather than good.
Key facts:
- The Magic got 13 pts from their bench the entire night. That's not going to win you many games. Even scarier is Anthony Johnson had 9 of those 13.
- The Sixers are up for this one. They came out and started slow, but they never backed down to the Magic. Just imagine if this team still had a healthy Elton Brand.
Are the Magic going to be the first higher seed to go home? Can they get more out of their ailing stars in Turkoglu and Lewis? Can Howard continue to perform at the line like he did?
Thursday, April 16, 2009
NBA Playoffs - Eastern Conference First Round
Well, it begins on Saturday. The NBA Playoffs are finally here and I'm excited. You get the 40 games in 40 nights on TNT and playoff basketball on the weekends on ESPN and ABC. There goes my golf outings for the next few months. Let's take a look at the match ups for the Eastern Conference.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Detroit Pistons
No one wanted to play the Cavaliers. They have played about as good as a team can play this entire season. They have home court advantage throughout the playoffs. First up for them the Detroit Pistons. The Cavs are led by the MVP of the league (yes, I'm giving him that honor now) in LeBron James. The difference between this team and last years Cavs teams is that this team can score. The addition of Mo Williams has helped tremendously. Not only does Williams allow James to play off the ball, Williams has been a knock down shooter and he's been good on defense too. Mike Brown has this team playing as a TEAM which is evident by the closeness and the antics on the sidelines before, during, and after games.
The Deeetroit Pistons are in trouble. They have been in a free fall since they traded away Chaunsey Billups and got Allen Iverson. A lot of people have blamed this on Iverson, but there have been other factors that have led to their downfall. They have a rookie coach who is having a hard time balancing egos within the team. They have been hit with injuries that they haven't had in past years, and it's just not that cohesive unit that we were used to over the past years. The Pistons limp into the playoffs with Iverson benched (on the playoff roster though), Rasheed Wallace a tech away from being suspended again, and their team not having an identity. Antonio McDyess has quietly played well this season, but it just seems all for naught.
Series Winner - Cavaliers 4-0
Orlando Magic vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Orlando comes in at a somewhat awkward moment. They were able to snatch the #2 seed from the Celtics, but they come into this series with one of their top players Hedo Turkoglu having back problems. The Magic have been playing well as of late and Dwight Howard (the Defensive Player of the Year, yes, I'll give him that award now). The Magic are unbeatable if they are hitting their 3's from Turkoglu and (Rashard) Lewis. The Magic are deep and they have found a way to play defense. How Rafer Alston plays will dictate how quickly the Magic win this series.
The Sixers come into this series with an injury issue also. Thaddeus Young tweaked an ankle that may become an issue. The Sixers are young and athletic and they are led by a point guard in Andre Miller that knows how to control the tempo of a game and run this team. Andre Iguodala is the scoring treat that everyone is scared off and he's backed by Young, Dalembert, Williams and a young big in Mareese Speights. I look for this series to be very intertaining.
Series Winner - Magic 4-3
Boston Celtics vs. Chicago Bulls
The big news about this series is who isn't playing, KG. Garnett has been hobbled by a knee and it looks as thought he may miss the entire playoffs. With that said, Glen Davis and Leon Powe are going to have to step up. This Celtics team still has Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, so they may be wounded, but they are still dangerous. The Celtics have the pleasure of playing without Garnett for the last 22 games, so they are at least used to that. The question becomes can their bench perform when the pressure is on. I think they get out of the first round, but going much further is a stretch.
The Bulls find themselves surging into the playoffs. They were in the 8th spot a few weeks ago but have since moved into the 6th spot and find themselves facing the wounded champs from last year. The Bulls are on a roll with their bigs, Thomas, Noah, and Miller giving them quality minutes in the post and on the boards. Ben Gordon is still hitting those shots from deep, but the heart of this team is their starting rookie point guard, Derek Rose (Rookie of the Year). This will be Rose's first foray into the playoffs and although he has played well his rookie season this is a step up. The scary part is that he may handle it like he has his rookie season.
Series Winner - Celtics 4-3
Atlanta Hawks vs. Miami Heat
The Hawks probably wanted to be in the 6th spot to face the Celtics in the first round of the playoffs so that they could avenge themselves, but instead they get a very dangerous squad in the Heat. The Hawks are led by Joe Johnson and have a group of young ballers in Bibby, Williams, Smith, and Horford. The Hawks are still a dangerous team because any one of their starters can go for 20 on any night. When they decide to play defense, they are extremely hard to beat.
I would have never expected the Heat to make it this high in the Eastern conference after they went through all of the changes during this off season and season (trading Marion for O'Neal and Moon). This team has found a way, well actually a Wade to make noise in the East. D wade has done his best to carry this team with several dramatic performances over the year. The addition of Moon and O'Neal gave the Heat a post presence and Moon was able to do some of the things Marion did. Rookie, Michael Beasley has been on again off again, but now is his time to step up in the playoffs.
Series Winner - Hawks 4-3
What do you think about the match ups? Do you see any surprises in the first round?
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Detroit Pistons
No one wanted to play the Cavaliers. They have played about as good as a team can play this entire season. They have home court advantage throughout the playoffs. First up for them the Detroit Pistons. The Cavs are led by the MVP of the league (yes, I'm giving him that honor now) in LeBron James. The difference between this team and last years Cavs teams is that this team can score. The addition of Mo Williams has helped tremendously. Not only does Williams allow James to play off the ball, Williams has been a knock down shooter and he's been good on defense too. Mike Brown has this team playing as a TEAM which is evident by the closeness and the antics on the sidelines before, during, and after games.
The Deeetroit Pistons are in trouble. They have been in a free fall since they traded away Chaunsey Billups and got Allen Iverson. A lot of people have blamed this on Iverson, but there have been other factors that have led to their downfall. They have a rookie coach who is having a hard time balancing egos within the team. They have been hit with injuries that they haven't had in past years, and it's just not that cohesive unit that we were used to over the past years. The Pistons limp into the playoffs with Iverson benched (on the playoff roster though), Rasheed Wallace a tech away from being suspended again, and their team not having an identity. Antonio McDyess has quietly played well this season, but it just seems all for naught.
Series Winner - Cavaliers 4-0
Orlando Magic vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Orlando comes in at a somewhat awkward moment. They were able to snatch the #2 seed from the Celtics, but they come into this series with one of their top players Hedo Turkoglu having back problems. The Magic have been playing well as of late and Dwight Howard (the Defensive Player of the Year, yes, I'll give him that award now). The Magic are unbeatable if they are hitting their 3's from Turkoglu and (Rashard) Lewis. The Magic are deep and they have found a way to play defense. How Rafer Alston plays will dictate how quickly the Magic win this series.
The Sixers come into this series with an injury issue also. Thaddeus Young tweaked an ankle that may become an issue. The Sixers are young and athletic and they are led by a point guard in Andre Miller that knows how to control the tempo of a game and run this team. Andre Iguodala is the scoring treat that everyone is scared off and he's backed by Young, Dalembert, Williams and a young big in Mareese Speights. I look for this series to be very intertaining.
Series Winner - Magic 4-3
Boston Celtics vs. Chicago Bulls
The big news about this series is who isn't playing, KG. Garnett has been hobbled by a knee and it looks as thought he may miss the entire playoffs. With that said, Glen Davis and Leon Powe are going to have to step up. This Celtics team still has Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, so they may be wounded, but they are still dangerous. The Celtics have the pleasure of playing without Garnett for the last 22 games, so they are at least used to that. The question becomes can their bench perform when the pressure is on. I think they get out of the first round, but going much further is a stretch.
The Bulls find themselves surging into the playoffs. They were in the 8th spot a few weeks ago but have since moved into the 6th spot and find themselves facing the wounded champs from last year. The Bulls are on a roll with their bigs, Thomas, Noah, and Miller giving them quality minutes in the post and on the boards. Ben Gordon is still hitting those shots from deep, but the heart of this team is their starting rookie point guard, Derek Rose (Rookie of the Year). This will be Rose's first foray into the playoffs and although he has played well his rookie season this is a step up. The scary part is that he may handle it like he has his rookie season.
Series Winner - Celtics 4-3
Atlanta Hawks vs. Miami Heat
The Hawks probably wanted to be in the 6th spot to face the Celtics in the first round of the playoffs so that they could avenge themselves, but instead they get a very dangerous squad in the Heat. The Hawks are led by Joe Johnson and have a group of young ballers in Bibby, Williams, Smith, and Horford. The Hawks are still a dangerous team because any one of their starters can go for 20 on any night. When they decide to play defense, they are extremely hard to beat.
I would have never expected the Heat to make it this high in the Eastern conference after they went through all of the changes during this off season and season (trading Marion for O'Neal and Moon). This team has found a way, well actually a Wade to make noise in the East. D wade has done his best to carry this team with several dramatic performances over the year. The addition of Moon and O'Neal gave the Heat a post presence and Moon was able to do some of the things Marion did. Rookie, Michael Beasley has been on again off again, but now is his time to step up in the playoffs.
Series Winner - Hawks 4-3
What do you think about the match ups? Do you see any surprises in the first round?
Saturday, September 13, 2008
NBA Round Up 9-13-08
Cleveland Cavaliers - Delonte West finally get his deal done. He signs a 3 year deal for $12.6M. The deal has some wiggle room for the Cavs in the third year, where they have the option to let West walk (with at least $500K) if they need the money to pay LeBron to stay. This works out for both sides since the Cavs stayed in that $4M a year range instead of going into the $5M range that West wanted.
Miami Heat - Chris Quinn finally picks the Heat's 2 year deal, imagine that. He had the option to sign a 1 year deal and be unrestricted next year, or sign a 2 year deal. He will have an opportunity to win the starting job through competition with Mario Chalmers and Marcus Banks. 
Orlando Magic - Pat Garrity finally hangs them up. Garrity averaged 7.3 points and 2.6 boards per game over his 10 year career. He was really a 3 point specialist who helped stretch the floor for their bigs. Good luck on the next part of your life. The Magic also signed Mike Wilks to a one year deal a little north of $1M.
Portland Trail Blazers - Raef LaFrentz will have shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum that he sustained in a game against Seattle on February 22, 2008.
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