NBA playoffs, #winning tweets, death of the NBA? All part of the Lakers Three Peat

The NBA regular season is over and part two of the NBA season starts tomorrow. Both the eastern and western conference have good first round matchups but there are eight teams in particular I’m going to talk about.

In each conference I have picked out two teams you want to play and two teams you don’t want to play. In the western conference you want to be playing the Hornets and Mavericks, luckily for the Lakers and Blazers will be the lucky opponents of those teams.

The Hornets were never serious championship contenders even in the beginning of the season when they were one of the best teams in the NBA. Slumping down during the season their chances of making it to the season round took a bigger hit than fellow New Orleans superstar Reggie Bush took. All star David West torn his ACL in his knee and will be out for months.

The Lakers have no real first round threat in the Hornets due to that West is out and the Hornets really lack that strong wing scorer, which all NBA championship contenders have.

The Mavericks on the other hand did lose Caron Butler earlier in the season to a similar injury as West but it was his PCL and not his ACL which changes the time for his return to possibly the second round of the playoffs.

Too bad for him and the Mavericks there won’t be a second round for them. The Mavericks are one of the oldest teams in the playoffs and despite having one of the deeper rosters in the NBA there is no true number two option behind Dirk Nowitzki. The Mavericks would have been a much great threat to win the NBA title if they traded some of their role players (Terry, Marion, Stevenson, draft picks) for a scoring wing player who was available for a trade like Danny Granger or even Carmelo Anthony.

How nice would it have been if the Mavericks had what the Knicks have, two superstars who can each score 30 points a game.

Those two teams you want to play as bad as you want this #winning trend to be your tweet.

Now the two teams you don’t want to play, these two teams I believe will be in the western conference finals, the Lakers and the Thunder. The Lakers for the clear cut reason, they are the defending champs and have the best team in the NBA. The Thunder are the up and coming team who won’t  be able to beat the Lakers this year but next year the Thunder will be in the NBA finals, you heard it here first ladies and gentlemen.

The Lakers have a great team with a lot of talent and depth but there only real problem is there arrogance. They think they can turn it on at any point they want, they CAN’T! Yes they are the best team in the NBA and my favorite to win the title again this year beating the Heat in the NBA finals.

Now to the eastern conference which is the weaker conference by far. Basically it is so weak that the Eastern Conference champ will be the Heat, Celtics, or Bulls. The rest of the conference might as well book with Priceline Negotiator and get a hotel for a vacation spot in June cause none of them have a shot to play in the NBA finals.

But the two teams in the East you don’t want to play the most is the clearly the three mentioned above but in the first round there is a matchup that everyone needs to watch very close. The Celtics-Heat series; the series will go seven games and the Celtics will win because of their overall talent depth and their experience in the playoffs but the Knicks put up a hell of a fight due to their scoring ability and big shot making ability by Anthony and Chauncey Billups. If the Knicks could have gotten their grove together sooner and gotten the five seed in the east and got to play the Magic then they could be in the second round of the playoffs. A dangerous team next year assuming they bring back Mike D'antoni and add a defensive minded center in free agency, maybe Marcus Camby? We will see.

The other team in the East you don’t want to play the most is the Bulls, Derrick Rose is the clear cut MVP and Tom Thibodeau is most likely coach of the year. The Bulls have one real weakness though. They don’t have the wing scorer needed in the playoffs.

Now granted Rose is the best scoring point guard we have ever seen in the NBA but if he is double teamed late in games who can be the consistent number two scorer? Luol Deng is probably a solid number two scoring option from the perimeter but not a great option.

The Bulls still have the second best shot to make the NBA finals in the east behind the Heat and I only say that because the Heat have so much to prove including that they can beat the Bulls (0-4 during the regular season) and if they play their style of game, there is no one who can stop them in the eastern conference.

Now the two teams in the eastern conference who you want to play are playing each other in the first round. The Magic and the Hawks are both overrated teams who have one superstar and two great B players but nothing more. Now you’re asking me would I rather play the Hawks or Magic in the first round instead of the 76ers or Pacers? Yes I would because both the 76ers and Pacers are high flying and lock down defense young teams with all the energy in the world but not brains how to use it in the playoffs yet.

Bottom line is that the NBA championship will be won by a handful of teams and the others are just there to make the NBA money before the lockout DOES HAPPEN!

Elway please lead the Broncos on one more Drive. Don't draft a QB

Does the statement "New general manager plus new head coach equals new quarterback" make any sense?

That is the Denver Broncos current problem in the 2011 NFL draft. Just last year the Broncos traded back into the first round to select Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, and even though he didn’t play as great as offensive rookie of the year, Sam Bradford, played the whole Broncos team played like crap last year.

Should Tebow being giving the chance to show he is a NFL starting QB? I think he should because he did play fairly well for the team he had around him.

The Broncos have three of the first 50 picks in the draft, but with a defense that needs basically six new starters next year. The defense was so horrible even TNT basketball analyst Charles Barkley had something to say about it.

The real debate is whether the new GM John Elway thinks spending the number two pick is worth skipping on any number of great defensive talents?

I’ll give you both sides of the argument even though I am HEAVILY in favor of the Broncos giving Tebow a chance to be the starter and spend all three of their picks in the top 50 on fixing that so horrible defense that this kid could throw 300 yards against them.

First the side of why they should… damn let me think… umm still thinking… umm hold up I got it… ok I give up, sorry. I’ll go hide my face in my food in shame, like this guy.

For real though the biggest argument for drafting a QB with the second pick is that Elway has zero reason not to, former head coach Josh McDaniels drafted Tebow as his “wild cat” or “offensive guru” toy but Elway is looking to turn the Broncos into a traditional style team with a traditional style QB.

Now the reports are that between the top two QBs (Cam Newton and Blaine Gabbert) that Elway is much higher on Newton. My question is why are you going to waste the second overall pick where you could have either corner back Patrick Peterson or defensive tackle Marcell Dareus who can make a huge impact on that horrible defense for a QB who is the same model type as the guy you already have?

The reasons for not drafting a QB have been explained but let me show you why this is the clear cut better option.

1)      NEXT YEAR- The Broncos will be picking high again next year as they try and rebuild, if Tebow turns into a bust, they could make a play for Andrew Luck.

2)      DEFENSE NEEDS HELP NOW!- Can you really pass on Dareus and Peterson for a QB who probably isn’t a franchise changing QB?

3)      MONEY- The Broncos owe Tebow a first round pick worth of money next year, do you want to have to pay two QBs first round pick money?

If you are telling me this isn’t a clear cut NO DUH! and they Broncos aren’t throwing a smoke screen out there to drive up the value of their pick to a team like the Cardinals or Vikings who are looking to trade up to get a QB.

If Elway does go through with the reports out there and takes Newton with the second pick, then the Broncos will be taking a huge step back. Not only because Newton will NOT be a franchise QB but also will lose the whole draft because the Broncos will miss out on great defensive talents they can have at number two.

Please Elway, the man who led the Broncos to glory, don’t screw up your first draft as a GM and take the better defensive player on your board between Peterson and Dareus. Please just don’t screw up that pick. Please don’t be for this is the only fan you have left.

If Elway does draft Newton instead of Peterson or Dareus then you can expect many dumb plays from the Broncos like this one by Boston Celtics Guard Von Wafer.

  

Playoff Thunder? Not Yet OKC

Just three years ago the team formerly known as the Seattle Supersonics were a horrible team and where sold to an owner who wanted to move them to Oklahoma City. After a huge court fight the team was moved to OKC and changed their name to the Thunder. Now three years later the Thunder will finish in the top four of the western conference and will be in the race for a NBA title… or are they?

The Thunder are the real wild card team in the western conference. Teams like the Spurs and Lakers are real championship contenders while the Thunder are a borderline championship team.

Yes the Thunder title chances are as iffy as the Mexican Border control (sorry anyone who is offended).

The West really sizes down to any team having a chance at beating the Lakers. The Thunder are the one team that can beat the Lakers in the west… just not this year. Sorry Thunder Fans. Please don’t bitch and complain like LeBron.

Let me explain before you go Mel Gibson and go crazy on me… ok I sound dumb now but what else is new? Still give me a chance to explain.

The Thunders trade for basically Jeff Green for Kendrick Perkins (Nate Robinson and Nenad Kristic where just throw in guys) was good and bad for the Thunder but more good, only because they got a contract extension done with Perkins (something the Celtics couldn’t do). They bad side of the trade is Perkins isn’t someone who can create his own shot, or score at all really. Green can create his own shot and hit many clutch shots for the Thunder at the end of games when teams double team Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

The reason the Thunder were so ready to let Green go is because they weren’t going to give him a huge extension before locking up Westbrook long term. Plus the size factor killed the Thunder. A starting front court of Green at power forward and Kristic at center can’t stop even a high school’s front court on defense. With the emergence of former sixth man Serge Ibaka the Thunder now have probably the best defense front line in the NBA. Ibaka is a shot blocking machine and Perkins is probably the best low post defender not named Dwight Howard.



Serge Ibaka blocks Lakers Andrew Bynum's shot.



Only problem with have the two great defensive minded big man is there isn’t a low post scoring threat. Is anyone really capable of scoring 20 points in a game if Durant and Westbrook are both having off nights? No there isn’t! James Harden may be a possible 20 point a game scorer but he isn’t that consistent enough. The Lakers (the only team better than the Thunder in the west in my opinion) have four guys who can drop 20 points on any night. Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, and Lamar Odom off the bench are all possible 20 point a game scores. Kobe and Gasol are always going to get there shots and points but that consistent third option in either Bynum or Odom is needed.

The Thunder like their matchups on defense against Gasol and Bynum, they can throw up to five guys at the twin big man of the Lakers. Now still that doesn’t mean the Thunder are going to beat the Lakers but it gives them a chance to stop them on defense. Now granted the Thunder do have the scoring champion and top of the top 15 best scoring player in the NBA on their roster while the Lakers have two in the top 30.

The last point I have is the experience and the clutch factor. The Lakers have probably the best closer in the game today on their roster but Kevin Durant isn’t far behind. But the Lakers are back to back champions and have been to the NBA finals three years in a row while the Thunder have only four players who have ever made it past the first round of the NBA playoffs (Perkins, Robinson, Nazr Mohammed, and Daequan Cook) all of which just join the team this year.

Don’t forget the old man running the Lakers show, head coach Phil Jackson has won 11 NBA titles. He has three sets of three-peat and is working on his fourth. The only players who have won all five Laker titles with Phil Jackson is Bryant and Mr. Clutch himself (no not Robert Horry, he’s big shot Bob) Derrick Fisher.

Fisher may not be a great player and he isn’t flashy or very talented like the young point guards of today but he still is a Hall of Fame player in my eye. Fisher has hit many big time shots when teams have double teamed Kobe in the past. Everyone remembers the clutch shot Fisher hit with .4 second left on the clock against the Spurs.

So in order for the Thunder to claim the West as their own they must become more like the Lakers. They have their great 1-2 punch with Durant and Westbrook and their defensive big man with Perkins and Ibaka. Now they need to find a young big man who can score the ball and find a big time clutch veteran like Fisher. Plus also knowing the Celtics won’t have the money to sign Green to a long term deal he may want to return to OKC to be with his bros and play the sixth man scoring role off the bench, despite not getting the max deal he can get playing for a crappy team with a lot of cap space like the Nets or Timberwolves.

Don't be a Simpson! Win today, play another Game tomorrow

Ever seen the NBA commercials for the playoffs “Where Amazing Happens”? Playoffs start on April 17. With most of the playoffs spots clinched all that’s left to decide who will get the final spot in the western conference.

The final spot in the west will be either the Grizzlies or the Rockets. On April 14 we will know which team will be playing more basketball and which one will be sitting on the couch at home watching like Homer Simpson.

As most of you can image the number eight seed in the conference plays the number one team in the first round. Let me explain the “what if” scenarios to you in some less form than a boring college professor who puts people to sleep for a living.

In the west the Grizzlies hold their own fate if they win out. The Rockets needs to win one more game than the Grizzlies to make the playoffs. Basically don’t expect the Rockets to be playing after April 13.

Grizzlies Randolph (left) scores while Rockets Martin (right) is blocked.

In the western conference the first round matchup of number one seed Spurs and number eight seed Grizzlies will be more entertaining than a Spurs Rockets matchup. The Spurs and Grizzlies split the regular season series 2-2. The Spurs always seem to have trouble slowing done Zach Randolph and for the Grizzlies to make this matchup and series Randolph needs to bring his A-game every night. He must be clutch in close games in order for the young Grizzlies to win a game against the experience Spurs.

What this all basically boils down to is for some teams the playoffs have already started and it’s win or go home and be Homer Simpson.

PBJs compared to College Basketball's greatest rivalry? Fair Game!

What does peanut butter and jelly, burger and fries, North Carolina and Duke hating each other all have in common? It what makes America great!

Arguably the best sports rivalry in college and pro sports, Duke and UNC basketball always make for a good topic. Duke freshman superstar Kyrie Irving decided on Wednesday that he will enter the 2011 NBA draft, a questionable move considering he only played in 11 out of 37 possible games for the Blue Devils.

Irving is still likely a top five pick but it’s a big blow (but expected one) to Duke’s title hopes next year. Duke will be losing 60 percent of their starting lineup to the NBA. Besides Irving, seniors Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler will be playing in the NBA next year. Duke had been expecting all three to be gone after this season.

Left to Right: seniors Nolan Smith, Kyle Singler, freshman Kyrie Irving

Now that Duke fans find out that there will be no backcourt duo of Irving and top prospect in the 2011 class, Austin Rivers, who is the son of Celtics head coach Doc Rivers, next year at Duke let me explain why they should be more worried about their team’s chances of winning an ACC title yet alone the national championship.

North Carolina Tar Heels! Yes the Tar Heels, unlike the Blue Devils, got good news on Wednesday. They learned that leading scorer Tyler Zeller and leading rebounder John Henson will not enter the draft and return to UNC. Many believed Henson would enter the NBA draft last year and he was a sure lock lottery pick this year but Henson’s decision to stay at school along with Zeller will give the Tar Heels talent inside and experience.

Also clutch shooter Harrison Barnes has yet to make his decision whether to leave for the NBA or stay at UNC. If I was Barnes I would stay at UNC because his draft stock has dropped from top pick before the season started to maybe top five but more likely top ten. If Barnes stays at UNC another year and becomes a 20 points a game scorer (he averaged 16 a game this year) and worked on his defense he could be the clear cut number one pick next year ahead of Duke top recruit Austin Rivers.

So look at next season’s matchup, the front line of UNC against the super son Austin Rivers. As much as I think Rivers will turn into a Monte Ellis scoring machine he can’t get rebounds and block shots now can he?

Who needs Hockey to see fights? NBA is where Fans get involved

Ever watch an NBA game? If you haven’t you have the wrong blog. Basketball games are all fun and everything until someone says something they shouldn’t or getting pushy and then all hell breaks loose. Then depending on your view of the game, it either gets real ugly real quick or you hit the record button on the DVR.

 Now sometimes it turns out to be nothing but a technical foul on a few players and five minutes later no one remembers it happened. But in some cases it turns out to be a major issue that leads to suspensions, blood, objects being thrown, and in the really bad fights; it includes the fans in the stands.

If you have never seen an NBA fight watch the Ron Artest fight against the Pistons in 2004, it is arguably the ugliest and most loved fight in the history of the NBA.

Now if you are an average fan at home you probably haven’t seen that fight before but then again you don’t see too many fights in basketball that involves the fans. There some good fights, bad fights, and real ugly fights. Now the media (including myself) like seeing the real big fights because it gives us stuff to talk and debate about for a few days at least (yes! I’m guilty of looking for the next Ron Artest fan fight. I’m sorry get over it).

But as we find out later the fan started the fight by throwing beer on Artest and that was not needed after the officials had stopped the fight on the court, the fan was removed from the stands and is banned from attending Detroit Pistons games for life. The ironic thing is Artest and the fan are now friends and have no harsh feelings about the fight. Tell me that isn’t totally weird?

Now the average NBA fans don’t get your hopes up we get a fight maybe once every three weeks or so and they are never that bad anymore. But you will see little scuffles one a weekly basis.

But have no fear NBA fans you can always check out NBA.com and youtube to see if the NBA turned into the NHL.

Why is March the season of sports and nut jobs like myself?

March is my favorite time of the year, not just because the weather gets warm and I can leave my prison cell… I mean house, but because the sports world has nothing less to talk about.

First, March Madness… who doesn’t know what this is? It’s the greatest time of the year in college sports. This year we have two very surprising final four teams, #8 seed Butler and #11 seed VCU.

Clutch shots and questionable calls gives the media (myself including) plenty to talk about days after including how their bracket is shot (including mine). But yet every sports fan must admit aside from losing money on their brackets this tournament has been great!

This year there are two superstars who have been clutch all tournament long, Kentucky Brandon Knight and UConn Kemba Walker. Walker has put the young UConn team on his back since the start of the season while taking the team that no one thought would even be in the sweet sixteen instead now he led them to the final four.  Thanks mostly to Walker and his side kick freshman Jeremy Lamb the Huskies won five games in 5 days in the Big East Tournament to secure their number three seed in the tournament.

Walker scores game winning basket against Pittsburg in the Big East Tournament.

Knight started the season slow and made soon question whether he has the talent to play basketball at the highest level, with two not one but two game winning shots so far in the tournament (each team has played for games) proves he is a clutch player. Knight is probably the fourth straight point guard to be coached by head coach John Calipari to be one-and-done and leave for the NBA (other three are Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans, and John Wall).



Knights game winning shot against Ohio State in the sweet 16 advances the Wildcats to the Elite 8.

After March Madness ends, it means the NFL draft is only a few weeks away. Now most people say so? The season hasn’t started and there may not be a season this year with the lockout. But to me this is the most important day of the year in the NFL.



All four Quarterbacks are possible first round picks. (Top left to bottom right: Jake Locker, Blaine Gabbert, Cam Newton, Ryan Mallett)



We get our first look at the superstars and busts of tomorrow. Despite being 18 I probably spend almost as much time watching tape on players and doing mock drafts and player rankings as ESPN’s draft experts. For people like me this is the time of the year for them. Despite that in most people’s opinion that former LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson is the best player in the draft he is not likely to go first overall to the Carolina Panthers.



Former LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson is rated overall number one play in the 2011 NFL draft by most experts.

Also NBA playoffs are around the corner and teams are fighting for playoffs position and that tends to make games more close and critical. Clutch shot after clutch shot leaves you hard to stop watching the game even if your life depended on it.

Teams like the Bulls, Celtics, and Heat will be fighting for the number one seed in the east and teams like the Pacers, Bucks, and Bobcats will be fighting to just make the playoffs. So if you see a fight in a NBA game please do NOT be scared… unless it turns into a Ron Artest and Detroit thing then if you are at home, HIT THE RECORD BUTTON! If you in the stands, go hit Artest once for me, please!

Opening day of baseball is always a big deal we get to see the new rich players playing for their rich team (like the Yankees and Red Soxs) and then we forget about baseball till the playoff push comes around because let’s face it, who can watch all their favorite team’s 162 games in a season? Not me! It gets boring after away.

Also we have spring practice in college football and get to learn of all the new trouble players got themselves into like giving away autographs for tattoos, honestly don’t you think the NCAA should be more worried about players getting in trouble instead of getting tattoos for free?

It’s clear that March is the time of the year for everyone to enjoy especially sport nuts like myself

Why the Heat don't deserve respect

Since June 7 most people have been haters of the Miami Heat because they formed the super power house big three with LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh. I don’t hate the Heat for that because I believe we need more super power houses like the Heat. But I hate the Heat for their attitude or as some people will put it their “Swag”.

I have nothing against LeBron as a person and I have full respect for his game but he cries more than a 4 month year old baby. He always gets away with clear cut travels and fouls and they were not called because he is the “image of the NBA” well I hate to break it to everyone but he really isn’t. In seven seasons LeBron has made it to the NBA finals once, only to get sweep by the orientated team in the Spurs. 

LeBron has always been about “me, me, and me” he took forever to decide what he wanted to play this summer and took a whole hour to say “I will be taking my talents to south beach to play for the Miami Heat.” Now you telling me he could hold a press conference and say that or better yet text someone at ESPN and tell them that? Really LeBron this isn’t about you.

The only good thing that came from LeBron making such a big deal about leaving Cleveland was seeing the Cavalier fans burning his jersey and crying, in case you can’t tell I hate Cleveland fans with a passion just like the Wizard fans hate LeBron.

              Cav fans burn LeBron Jersey after he leaves Cleveland

Now I don’t have anything against the rest of the Heat Roster except, well there dirty players. Yeah I’m talking about Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Juwan Howard. Look at the videos of the trouble the Heat players’ cause.

                                        First Fight November 29

Second Fight March 30

Look at the first fight on November 29, yes former Wizard Hilton Armstrong did push Joel Anthony and that was a dirty and dumb play but you know he didn’t mean to hurt Anthony by how fast he was there to try and help him up.

 It was a hard foul and Armstrong did deserve to get ejected from the game and suspended the next game but for Howard to cheap shot Armstrong was the DIRTIEST play of the year by far. How can you push a player to the ground for trying to help up your teammate? If he has moved him aside and said “don’t help him up” that’s one thing but to push a player face first towards the crowd? To say that was RIDICULOUSLY DUMB IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT.

The second video happened more recently and for Ilgauskas to elbow Wall, not once by accident but clearly hit him twice and judgmentally a third time before Wall strikes back shows Ilgauskas had every intention of hitting Wall. An elbow in your face is part of the game but repeatedly in a matter of seconds is a clear cut attack.

And then again you see Howard push JaVale McGee for trying to get in between Ilgauskas and Wall. Sad part about this is Wall was the only player of the three (Wall, Ilgauskas, Howard) who got suspended while the other two were fined. For all the trouble Howard has caused in the past with the Wizards he should have gotten suspended and Ilgauskas should also have gotten suspended for throwing elbow at Wall’s face intentionally.

Unlike so many I don’t mind and actually like the Heat’s power house big three but I don’t like how they play the game. LeBron needs to stop being such a baby and the dirty plays needs to stop for the safety of all NBA players.