More Impressive? Lakers or Cavaliers?

No disrespect to the Celtics (17-2), but this comparison is brought up due to the success these two teams have been having behind their strong MVP candidates. The Cavaliers (14-3) are 9-1 in their last ten games by completely demolishing any team that comes in their way. They’ve only respectively lost to Boston, New Orleans (9-6), and Detroit (11-6). Twelve of their victories were by more than 10 points. LeBron James is averaging less numbers than his previous season but is working beautifully with Mo Williams to produce a healthy winning campaign. He’s still having his nights though, such as his back to back 41 point games against Indiana and Chicago. Williams is also sacrificing his numbers to adapt to the Cleveland offense that has been steaming this season. The Cavs have also received notable strong play from Ilgauskas and the backcourt combo of Delonte West and Daniel Gibson. So far the Cavaliers have exceeded their expectations with the addition of Williams. 

The Lakers are the unstoppable club from the West that have brought forth effective bench play, defense and leadership from Kobe Bryant. They have lost one game every two weeks this season and boldly seem unstoppable with their healthy starting line-up. Besides having the best player in the league, the Lakers starters include Derek Fisher, Vladimir Radmanovic, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. Bryant, who’s also averaging his lowest numbers since the 03-04 season is perfectly settled with 24 points a game while racking up wins. The Lakers gameplan seems pretty obvious, continually giving their starters plenty of rest, most importantly Bryant, who’s yet to play more than 40 minutes in a game this season. Their two losses come from Detroit and lndiana.

Now the question arises, which team has impressed everyone the most this season? The argument in the Cavaliers favor screams LeBron doesn’t have the same supporting cast Mr. Bryant does, therefore LBJ is doing everything in Cleveland, which remains impressive. The Lakers were suspected to carry on a stronger season with the addition of the once-injured Andrew Bynum. The strong wins supplied by Bryant and Co. are simply a treasure to watch nightly, the Lakers undeniably seem untouchable this season. The verdict leans toward the Lakers, due to their stronger wins against opponents such as Houston, Phoenix, Dallas and New Orleans (who beat the Cavs). None of those final scores are close either, especially their victory over the heavily hailed Rockets, where the Lakers won 111-82.

Still, it’s extremely too early to really see who the more impressive team has been. And yeah, it is a disrespect to the Celtics in a way, but the only doubts surrounding Boston was whether they’ve lost their hunger which is brutally dumb. The Cavaliers and Lakers still have ways to go this season but both have had the best start they could imagine.

Sunday Morning Dimes

• LeBron James has helped the Cavs win 9 of their last 10 games, propelling their record to 10-3. The Cavaliers hold the second best record in the East, behind Boston’s 12-2 record. ‘Bron leads the league in scoring with 29.5 points a game.
• OKC Thunder have lost 11 in a row and their recent firing of coach Carlesimo only expresses the unavoidable frustration in this rebuilding stage. On the bright side, Durant continues doing his thing (21 ppg.) and Russell Westbrook is having a great rookie season, averaging 12 points and 3 assists per game while playing just under 25 minutes a night.
• Shaquille O’Neal lead an impressive night for the Suns tonight in their win. 19 points and 17 boards is great production coming from the big man. But is it really necessary watching this dude Try and dive into the fans for a loose ball with a 11 point lead and less than three mins left in the game? How in God’s name is 325 pounds of force viciously slamming into a bunch sitting, clueless set of people any more dangerous than Artest fleeing into the stands to snuff one particular Detroit fan? That’s kind of an extreme comparison, but wait ’til Shaq KO’s that two thousand dollar suit-wearing season ticket holder, or some flimsy girl, an 8 year old, a celebrity. I’m going too far, but it’d be fitting for the Suns to have a sturdy, bulky, ring of temperate glass surrounding the court to help prevent any lawsuits or numerous replays on ESPN every two months of a +300 pound, seven-footer failing to realize, “Yo, I’m not fit for this one.” I think GM, Steve Kerr, Terry Porter and the rest of the Suns already get the point that he’s hustling or that he can at least still hustle for the most part. And that whole talk about never ruling out Shaq reuniting with the Lakers is absurd. As much as I love that ‘99-’03 Lakers era, Shaq has 16 years under his belt, bro. Lakers have overcome the bullshit after O’Neal’s departure and are right where they want to be. Two wins away from a Championship last season, Kobe in his prime, Bynum evolving as the team’s center. No more distractions are needed or expected coming from the Lakers in the near future.
• Despite the cringing lack of consistency, the Pistons are officially one of the sexiest teams in the NBA.
• Hornets aren’t flossing as high as I expected them to this season, running with a 7-5 record. CP3 and West are having stellar seasons regardless. In their recent dismantling of the OKC Thunder, West had a game high with 33 points while Paul stuck 29 points, 16 assists and 10 rebounds.
• There was no excuse for missing Vince Carter’s latest homecoming game against the Raptors.
• QRich was just two three-pointers shy of the franchise record tonight. Nevertheless, Richardson nailed 7 three’s in his 34 point night. The Knicks recent garbage dump of Crawford and Randolph has set off all the nerves of speculation for 2010. While both Crawford and Randolph are talented players, they were never fit for the Knicks success, their absence won’t be felt, nah. 
• Speaking of absence felt, the Wiz dropped to 1-10 recently. Come on Gil, I know it hurts, but Christ Almighty. 
• The Lakers are 10-1, the Clippers are 2-11.
• Dallas is starting to get back on track, their four-game-winning streak has them at 6-7. 
• The Spurs sit at a steady 6-6, but humbly expect their star, Manu Ginobili to return sometime next week. 

 

Dated November 23rd, 2008

No Surprises

The first strokes of the ‘09 NBA season have taken place and the true colors of each team is beginning to unveil. The disappointments and surprises have been soaked by the sports press. The injuries have surfaced throughout the league to leave holes in numerous rosters. The stars have shined harder than ever and the praised rookies are living up to the standards. This young season can easily be cut down into sections to help defy what this season has brought forth. Here’s the first set of what was expected this season.

The Lakers (7-0) and Celtics (8-1) both hold the finest records in the league.

It’s no surprise to see last season’s NBA finalists back to where they left off. The Lakers have all collectively played their part to help put together an undefeated record to this day. Players like Ariza and Farmar are the pride of the Lakers bench. Bryant is quietly averaging around 25 points and 5 boards a game and no one is complaining because the team is clearly unstoppable. The Lakers have taken down Houston, Dallas and most importantly, New Orleans tonight. Boston hasn’t seen the roughest schedule yet, and their 16 point loss to Indiana wasn’t pretty. Paul Pierce, who’s been playing with a sprained hand the past week, sunk the game winner against a 6-0 Atlanta team tonight to silence any doubters. 

New Jersey, OKC and Washington share a combined record of 4-17.

What can be said here, these team’s lack another trade or two before they see any differences for the year. The Wizards avoided an 0-6 record behind Butler’s 27 points tonight, but their need of Arenas is tremendous. It’s good to see the NJ Nets give out free tickets to their unemployed set of fans, maybe it will encourage a couple of individuals to give the NBA a shot after watching their team get smacked around the league nightly. The only ring of lighting coming from Oklahoma City is the numbers both Jeff Green and Kevin Durant.

 

LeBron James, Chris Paul and Dwight Howard are league leaders.

After somewhat of a slow start, James has emerged as the league’s leading scorer, averaging 29.8 points a night. He’s also bringing down 8.4 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game for the Cavs. Chris Paul’s unlimited trail of double-doubles will never see an end. Chris can score the ball and dishing out an assist is seems effortless when watching him orchestrate. Paul is averaging a career-high, 21.3 points, 11.7 assists, 3.3 steals and 5.2 rebounds per game. Dwight recorded a triple double tonight for the Magic, 30 points, 19 rebounds and 10 blocks, yeah, ten. Howard is averaging 23 points a night, along with 14.4 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game. 

Anticipated rookies living up to hype.

Number one pick, Derrick Rose leads his team in assists with 5.3, while putting up 18.8 points a night. Rose exploded for 26 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists in his last game against Atlanta. Beasley’s the team’s second leading scorer with 16.7 ppg., respectively behind DWade. Michael appears to be comfortable as Wade’s sidekick and reliability for when it comes to scoring the ball. He’s also averaging 6.3 boards per game. My personal favorite rookie, Rudy Fernandez is a 23-year-old menace for the Blazers on both sides of the ball. The Spaniard is logging healthy playing time coming off the bench and has held the best composure out of all the rookies. Tonight, Rudy scored 25 points along with 2 steals, 2 assists, 3 boards and a block. All under 29 minutes. O.J. Mayo can’t stop scoring the ball, he’s now averaging 21 points per game. His teammate and rookie, Marc Gasol is also another machine for Memphis, averaging 10.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. 

Saturday Dimes

Bullets for Saturday, Nov. 1st, 2008

• Behind Joe Johnson and Josh Smith, Atlanta’s rally over Philadelphia was just disrespectful. Johnson supplied the scoring, but Smith touched all bases with his numbers. Smith had 14 points, 11 boards, 3 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks tonight. This team continues to show to the league that last year wasn’t a fluke, as they slide to 2-0.
• Dalembert and Brand are absorbing the glass for Philadelphia, tonight they combined for 27 total rebounds. But Philly’s recent loss is already bringing concern, especially on the defensive side. 
• Basketball is back in Indiana. A toothless Danny Granger lost his front two teeth tonight but not the game. The Pacers collectively showed up tonight against the Champion Celtics. The final score wasn’t even close at 79-95. 
• In points, Hedo had 21, Lewis hung 26, Howard slammed 29, Pietrus stuck 20 to the face of Sacramento. The Kings dropped to 0-3 in a 103-121 final. Dwight also nabbed 14 boards and 5 blocks.
• Gerald Wallace stat line: 34 points, 3 assists, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks.
• As expected, the Hornets are coasting through their first week in the regular season. Chris Paul hung 24 points and dished 15 assists to drive the Hornets past the Cavaliers.
• LeBron dished out 13 dimes of his own against the Hornets.
• Jason Kidd hauled 9 boards tonight while also having 7 assists and 4 steals. Dirk scored 21 and the Mavs picked up their first win of the season, leaving them at 1-1.
• Derrick Rose appears to of gotten the gist of the NBA speed. Rose scored 26 points and had 6 rebounds to help Chicago get past Memphis tonight. Gooden cleaned the glass with 20 rebounds.
• Calderon scored a career-high 25 points for the Raptors tonight. He’ll be sure to set plenty of new career highs this season in Toronto. Bosh scored 20 points and had 10 rebounds. 
• Carmelo struggled in his season debut, shooting 5/15 for 13 points. He also debuted his ban of the braids. Kobe’s 33 points helped the Lakers get past the Nuggets though.
• A.I.’s numbers are dropping. 13 points and 7 dimes tonight.
• Without Baron Davis and Marcus Camby, the Clippers dropped to 0-3 after losing to Utah. 
• Amare Stoudemire exploded for 23 points and 13 boards and the Blazers weren’t able to hold off the Suns. 
• 3-0 teams: Toronto, LA Lakers, New Orleans and Houston
• Winless teams: Washington, Oklahoma City, LA Clippers, Sacramento and San Antonio (!).

Cleveland v. Boston Dimes

 

Missed the whole first half thanks to my job, this is all I could catch. 

• Leon Powe’s slam on Delonte West was just plain assaulting, you could see it on Delonte face seconds after he got the facial.
• Kinda upsetting to see Garnett come up short on his shots and not having his usual impact for Boston. No biggie though, 81 games are still ahead.
• As expected, this game came down to wire with LeBron swallowing the attention as he tries to prevent the Cavs from going 0-1.
• Boston prevails behind Pierce. Paul tallied 27 points under 10/19 shooting. Great night all around for Pierce, from the early emotional ring ceremony to the final buzzer. 
• MoWill’s final numbers read, 12 points, 2 assists and 3 boards. Nothing spectacular from the dude that normally averaged 17 points and 6 assists in his last two seasons. It’ll take time to warm up and put up his usual numbers alongside LeBron.
• Ray Allen was also quiet tonight for the C’s, 8 points with 2/9 shooting. Ray Ray absorbed a full 40 minutes of playing time tonight, more than anyone else.
• Tony Allen had a decent game. He could’ve easily fit the role of that one player on your team you just wanna punch for forcing J’s. 

Division Previews: Atlantic

Atlantic Division

The Overview

The Atlantic Division this season will, for once, be one of the most interesting divisions to follow this season. That is, in gracious thanks to the revamped teams of Philadelphia and Toronto. This division has dealt with it’s respected amount of changes in some rosters due to monster signings by Philadelphia, notable trades and international losses by Toronto, and massive reloading by both New York and New Jersey.

The Ranks

1. Boston Celtics
2. Philadelphia 76ers
3. Toronto Raptors
4. New York Knicks
5. New Jersey Nets

 

The Previews

1. The Boston Celtics (66-16)

The 2008 NBA Champions come into the league with a caliber that is ever-so-hard to ignore. Sure, they’ve lost some huge role players in James Posey and P.J. Brown but they still have the main men who gave them the parade. The loss of Posey could prove out to be one of the biggest losses in role-player-history (it’s that serious). Some small additions such as Patrick O’Bryant and Darius Miles aren’t anything major. The loss of Sam Cassell is a plus for the team, even though they desperately lack a point guard. Stubbornly relying on Rondo to carry the load for another season could eventually have it’s backlash unless Rajon put some serious work into his jump shot this off season.. Another year, is both good and bad for Boston, good in the sense players such as Leone Powe and Glen Davis maturing, but bad with the big three becoming a year older. Ray Allen became 33 over the summer, Garnett 32 and Paul Pierce, who turns 31 in October. The fact remains though, these are the Champions and it will take more than perseverance to take them down, ask the Cavaliers.

Finals Odds: 89%

Player Spotlight: Leon Powe

Besides his crisp haircut, Loen Powe has a story behind him that many couldn’t grasp. He grew up in Oakland, with a father that left him when he was only two years old. When he was seven, his house was burnt down, resulting in he and his family to become homeless for years. In high school his mother died before his state championship game. It’s obvious Powe’s life wasn’t the easiest growing up, but he never let it affect his game. In college, Powe attended California University and in his sophomore year he achieved 20.5 pgg. and 10.5 rpg. while leading Cal to a 20-11 record along with a tournament berth. Once getting drafted, he suffered limited playing time for the struggling Celtics during his rookie year. But with Kevin Garnett’s arrival, the club were given a winning atmosphere and confidence. Powe then went on to average 7.4 points and 4.1 rebounds in only 14.4 minutes per game during his second year with Boston. During last year’s finals, Powe was unleashed during Game 2, scoring 27 points and 11 rebounds. With his presence felt, Leon comes into his third year as an efficient back-up power forward with amazing promise. 

Why they will be NBA Champions.

Boston will win the Championship this year by replicating what they did last season. They must bring the same hunger they had last season. With a player like Garnett on the team, it’s hard to argue they won’t have the same hunger. Players like Garnett and Pierce laid it all on the floor last year before getting crowned. It’s only been one year for anyone to say there’s nothing left in tank. This roster didn’t undergo any serious changes to put them out of championship talks. The Celtics come into each game knowing they have the best group of players and proved it every time, winning 66 games. They carried the best defensive ranking in the league while having the defensive player of the year in Garnett. Their roster was combined with extensive leadership (Garnett), skill (Pierce), clutch play (Ray Allen), role play (Posey, House), youth (Rondo, Perkins), and veterans (Cassell, Brown). Another year can only mean more time for this untouchable group to become even more comfortable with each other. As long as KG remains on this team, Boston will always be in Finals talk.

Why they won’t be NBA Champions.

The Celtics made it hard for most teams to find their true weakness. One of the best ways teams found to attack Boston was to force the young Rajon Rondo to shoot the ball more. Rondo’s shot selections weren’t the best and the guard only made five total three-pointers last season. In the playoffs, Rondo has the third lowest shooting percentage for the team at .407%, the strategy worked for the most part, but no team could get around the talent Boston packed. This season team’s can only hope that Ray Allen’s shooting fails like it did in the post season and Rondo continues to keep up his poor shooting for this team to stay away from the Finals.

 

2. Philadelphia 76ers (40-42)

Stefanski made it clear to Philadelphia that there will be changes in the roster and this summer the 76ers underwent the biggest face lift in the league. The Sixers first nabbed arguably the best free agent in Elton Brand. Then, smartly paid Iguodala and Williams for the future. After that, carefully hand-picked effective role-players, Royal Ivey (defense), Theo Ratliff (size), Kareem Rush (perimeter shooting) and Donyell Marshall (shooting and boards). Their draft pick, Marreese Speights has already gained acceptance in the city of Philly, which is huge. They couldn’t afford to lose Iguodala, for they’ve worked on him since day uno (hence the fat contract). Philadelphia will create problems. Andre Miller must continue his wise-play, Iguodala must improve his shooting and Louis Williams should see much more minutes so that rest will fall into place.

Finals Odds: 73%

Player Spotlight: Louis Williams 

Coming into the league, this cat was given poor comparisons and expectations. Most scouts predicted the high school prospect and to go undrafted after his poor workouts until Philadelphia drafted Williams with the 45th overall pick late in the second round. Young Lou Williams compared himself to Allen Iverson, the Sixers former star at the time. But his first steps in the NBA had no relation to a young Allen Iverson and Philadelphia sent Williams to the NBDL. While playing for the Development League, Williams averaged 26 points and 7 assists in over three games. With Iverson’s days being numbered in Philly in the following season, Williams was brought back up to play for the Sixers. In his sophomore season, he got a hint of more playing time and averaged 4.3 points and 1.8 assists per game why playing under 12 minutes a night. The ‘08 season rolled in and Williams benefitted greatly with a young Philly team that now shared the scoring with Iverson gone. Williams played for the full season, providing electric scoring off the bench. His play caused many fans followers to prefer Williams as the starter over Willie Green, who the Sixers’ starting two-guard. At the end of the season, Louis averaged 11.5 points, 3.2 assists and 1 steal per game, while being the team’s best three point shooter by percentage. Louis Williams’ appreciation and respect was felt and the Sixers resigned for five years, worth 25 million. With things looking up for the franchise, Williams is one of the top players on Philadelphia’s roster with great expectations, his playing time and stats will improve along with his status. 

Why they will be NBA Champions.

The Sixers were the undisputed winners of the 2008 free agency. With a player like Elton Brand on board, Philadelphia’s quest to become a deeper playoff team is becoming a reality. Led by Andre Miller and Iguodala, Philadelphia went into the playoffs under Maurice Cheeks as head coach for the first time. Their success became a surprise to many, with the team not having such great expectations coming into the season. With Billy King finally out as the Sixers GM, new manager, Ed Stefanski made his presence felt immediately by sculpting the roster to a brighter future. The Korver trade will always be argued, with Philly being the worst 3-point shooting team last season. But with Rush and Marshall in the roster, the perimeter should fix the three-point shooting wooes for the most part, while having a future first rounder coming out of the Korver trade. Philadelphia also drafted Maurice Speights, a tenacious power forward that will become resourceful with stud-rookie, Jason Smith gone. Philadelphia is close to become a strong, complete team in the league. While the East still remains open, the Sixers just need to climb over one or two teams before having their glance at the O’brien trophy. Still for the most part, Stefanski fixed the screaming holes on this team and has pleasantly given the league warning shots aiming a Philadelphia’s resurrection to dominance.

Why they won’t be NBA Champions.

The Eastern Conference still holds its unique tough set of teams that could easily stop Philadelphia in their run for the Finals. The Sixers shouldn’t expect to be exposed as they were last season by the Pistons in the playoffs, but surely teams will find a way to frustrate Iguodala and Brand. The Sixers don’t have a bonafide scorer and attacker along the lines of Bryant, James, or Stoudemire and you best bet teams with such weapons will shove it to Philadelphia’s face when it matters. The Sixers are relying on a set of borderline, hopeful vets to bring home a championship. Just like Boston did, but with better names. No one will match the heart this team carried when they had Iverson, fans will only hope Brand will help bring it back, while trying to sway away from injury-prone criticisms.

 

3. Toronto Raptors (41-41)

This flexible bunch has done it’s best to extend opposing defenses after the departure of Vince Carter. This season, it’s no different when it comes to that factor, but over the off-season the Raptors underwent tremendous change. Shortly known for their expansion in international talent that opened the perimeter, the Raptors lost a handful of their international weapons in Carlos Delfino and Jose Garbajosa. T.J. Ford finally got beat out of his job in Toronto by Jose Calderon, as expected. Thanks to Calderon, trading away a young Ford for Jermaine O’Neal wasn’t anything but great for the team. The overall look of the roster still remains physically weak and lacking any toughness. The bulkiest player for Toronto is Nathan Jawai, a 280 pound rookie center from Australia that probably won’t see many minutes. The line-up seems electric for Toronto regardless of their lack of toughness. With Calderon leading the crew, Bargnani extending the floor, an encouraging amount of role players and the O’Neal-Bosh tandem down low, Toronto is guarunteed to have a better season than last year.

Finals Odds: 63%

Players Spotlight: Jose Calderon

Calderon carries a special swagger and intelligence to his game that remains unmatched. Former Raptor’s point guard, T.J. Ford, found out the hard way. When Ford was traded away it was clear that Calderon, a Spaniard sensation, out-balled Ford out of his starting spot, which landed him in Indiana. After playing magnificently in Europe, Calderon made the shift to the NBA by signing with Toronto. His rookie season proved to be well solid, critics claimed his poor shooting was a mental factor, for he shot well in Europe. His second season saw great progress, being capped off by averaging 13 points and 5.3 assists per game in the playoffs. Last season, Calderon’s potential was unleashed. The crafty playmaker averaged 11.2 points and 8.3 assists per game under 56 starts out of the 82 games he participated in. Calderon couldn’t be in a better position this season, as he’s expected to play alongside Bargnani, Bosh and Jermaine O’Neal.

Why they will be NBA Champions.

The Raptors possess one of the most unique offenses in the league. Their offensive attack is sometimes unmatched, as they contain a lengthy set of players that can also shoot the ball well from distance. It was said they needed another big man down low, who better than 6-time All-Star, Jermaine O’Neal. It’s been nearly two year’s since O’Neal convinced watchers that he’s an elite power forward. But everyone knows what big-time trades can do to star players, hence Shaq and Garnett. Sure, O’Neal isn’t on the same caliber, but with Bosh, Bargnani and Calderon on his side, the chances are immense. Toronto is one of the best perimeter teams in the league, with 2-time defending 3-point champion, Jason Kapono and Anthony Parker. Bosh continues to extend his game yearly, Bargnani has been said to be getting stronger and Calderon is just getting started. They could apply pressure to the best teams the Eastern Conference has to offer, leaving them to an easy ticket to the Finals.

Why they won’t be NBA Champions.

It has yet to be proven whether they have the mental toughness they lacked last season. Teams such as the Pistons and Celtics can easily muscle this squad to create turnovers. Still, with tall, skinny post players in Bosh and O’Neal, Toronto can only hope to not run into big time centers like Dwight Howard, Amare Stoudemire (with Shaq!), and Garnett. Toughness is the biggest factor that holds this team back from a cham.pionship, and the problem is many teams carry that factor.

 

4. New York Knicks (23-59)

A team that’s currently in the process of Obama-like change. After the hiring of former Sun’s coach, Mike D’Antoni, along with the firing of Isiah Thomas, the 08-09 season came in too soon for New York, Stephon Marbury, Zach Randolph and Jamal Crawford sadly remain on the roster. Different faces come into the picture to accompany the Mike D’Antoni leadership with Chris Duhon, Danilo Gallinari, Patrick Ewing Jr., and Anthony Roberson. Renaldo Balkman, one of the few true players for New York now plays for Denver. Thankfully, the Knicks bright light, David Lee still remains on the roster. It’s only a matter of time before more player swapping occurs, resulting in an unbearable mess for the Knicks’ upcoming season.

Finals Odds: 21%

Player Spotlight: David Lee

If you follow a good portion of basketball, you know who David Lee is. The 6′9” power forward from the Knicks is one of the most efficient players off the bench. Lee is a graduate of Florida University, having played three great years in college, Lee was drafted in 2005 by the New York Knicks. Lee began his pro career as a small forward, starting 14 games all season. While averaging 16.9 minutes a game, Lee averaged 5.1 points and 4.5 rebounds per game in his rookie season. In his second season, his fan base grew quickly. David saw more playing time at 29.8 minutes a game, while putting up an impressive 10.7 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. Many New Yorkers craved for Lee to have a more specific role for the team, after starting less games than his previous season. David became one of the most productive and hard-working players in the Knicks’ line-up, which was surrounded by players with fat contracts while lacking motivation. Lee finally gained more playing time the following season, starting 29 games. Opponents have become aware of Lee’s huge role in the Knicks offense and around the glass. 

Why they will be NBA Champions.

With a new coach in Mike D’Antoni, the Knicks will look to change the team’s mind-set. The Knicks will look to be led by newcomer point guard, Chris Duhon. In hopes that Duhon’s game will explode and players like Zach Randolph and Eddie Curry can get it together in the front court, the Knicks will to surprise the league. With a couple of different shifts in the roster, Crwaford’s loose cannon should hopefully contain itself to sensible shot selections. Wilson Chandler is also a baller for NY that can make some noise. Behind all the money, New York’s line-up does have solid talent could create a substantial amount of wins.

Why they won’t be NBA Champions.

Facing the fact that it’s the Knicks we’re talking about, this franchise hasn’t seen a playoff birth since the ‘03-’04 season. With all the changes, this is still the same heartless team it was last season. Relying on players like Zach Randolph, Eddy Curry, Jamal Crawford and quite possibly a selfish Stephon Marbury, isn’t going to get this team anywhere different than last season. There’s still a boatload of changes that this team needs to undergo before even thinking about a championship.

 

5. New Jersey Nets (34-48)

Another team with a completely different look heading into the season. But this look is for the future, not for this season. Richard Jefferson, DeSagna Diop, Kristic, Nachbar and Marcus Williams are all gone, is Carter next? Most likely. The Nets have brought in plenty of young size throughout the off-season in Brook Lopez and Yi Jianlian. Their future is marked with abundant questions regarding their path towards a true leader. This will be another season to forget about for New Jersey, but the future for the Nets will be nothing less than epic.

Finals Odds: 19%

Player Spotlight: Devin Harris

Harris came into the league after making a name for himself in college. At the University of Wisconsin, Devin worked his way to become a freshmen starter. His game then emerged during his sophomore year, and in his junior year, Harris’ game took Wisconsin to the Sweet 16. Before getting eliminated by Kentucky, Harris’ amazing skill shined on the big stage. With his great defensive-mindset, quick first step, court vision and uncanny ability to dunk the ball with authority, Devin Harris was drafted fifth overall in the 2004 NBA Draft. In his first set of years for the Mavericks, Harris adapted to the team’s up-tempo offense, while being a combo guard. When he was traded to New Jersey last season, Harris’ role became completely different. Devin ushered his way into the starting line-up in New Jersey as the Nets braced themselves to have Harris become their floor general for years to come. Harris’ stats reached their highest when playing with New Jersey, averaging 15.4 points and 6.5 assists per game. With Marcus Williams recently being traded away in July, Harris’ position as the team’s prime point guard became solidified. 

Why they will be NBA Champions.

The Nets are a team that have completely swapped their image. Trading away the team’s former leading scorer, Richard Jefferson, makes Vince Carter the scoring veteran. If he remains a Net, Carter will be surrounded by many different unique talents, most notably Yi Jianlian. The struggling Nets last season were against the grain after losing Jason Kidd, but defeated Cleveland 3 out of their 4 match ups and put up close games against the Lakers and Celtics. Harris, Jianlian and Carter would have to mesh together to produce reliable scoring and defense to get deep into the season.

Why they won’t be NBA Champions.

Lets face it, the time isn’t quite there yet for New Jersey. Unless Carter explodes to become the player he was four years ago, this team’s history. There’s just too much skill in their division for this team to even hope for a playoff berth. This team just needs more time and maybe some sort of King.

Certified

 

“It all started in Rome,” is what most Celtic players will tell say, when asked where this jubilant journey began. But really, it all started once Garnett finally got the call to become a player for one of the most historically successful organizations in the world of sports. From that moment on, the city of Boston had a new face when it came to basketball. Danny Ainge finally decided to pick up the gun to aim fire at the NBA glory that this city once captivated. After the acquisition of Ray Allen, it was eminent that he wasn’t shooting for tomorrow, but for today. Giving away a young, promising future for the Celtics, with a prolific, 22 year-old Al Jefferson down low, along with a premature deadly Delonte West, to accompany a fifth overall pick exposed Ainge’s obvious impatient gameplan. The Toronto Raptors then got their first lick of the new Celtics in their first preseason game. The result was a promising sign of the beginning for what was to be memorable season for the Boston Celtics. Garnett netted 19 points along with 16 boards to completely shred Andrea Bargnani’s homecoming game in Italy. Once the regular season kicked off, the Celtics bloomed victoriously, going 8-0 before losing by two points to the Orlando Magic. The rare amounts of losses only spawned winning streaks throughout the season for the Celtics. Garnett, Pierce and Allen surpassed all the expectations put in front of them by the time the season came into a close. The Celtics closed the season by taking the division title with a conquering 66-16 record, while being the number one ranked defensive team in the league. Kevin Garnett then was finally awarded the Defensive Player of the Year Award after making the All-Defensive team for seven years straight.

Once the 2008 Playoffs rolled in, the substantial amount of pressure kicked in for Boston. While being the number one seed, the Celtics faced their first test against an explosive Atlanta Hawks squad with adrenaline oozing off of their underdog status. The fact that the Celtics were put up against the wall in a series that went to seven, most counted the Celtics out of the Finals. In the Semifinals, it didn’t get any easier. LeBron James and Co. also pushed the Celtics to seven games. The series boiled down to Pierce’s late game heroics to overcome LBJ’s late surge that had Boston fans nearly biting off their fingers. The C’s gained respected recognition in the post season once they beat the Detroit Pistons 4-2 in the Western Conference Finals to send them to the big stage.

While all this was taking place, the Los Angeles Lakers were squashing western heavyweights one-by-one behind the combination of the 2008 MVP, Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom. After sweeping the Nuggets, sliding past Deron’s Jazz and busting the previous Champs Spurs 4-1, the Lakers appeared to be physically and mentally untouchable by any team in the League. That is, until Boston walked into the same court.

The sight of the NBA Finals seemed too picture perfect, as though some may fall into theories that this league rigged to snag more attention. Anyhow, it all worked out for David Stern. The rivalry was renewed. The TV ratings soared, surpassing last years disgusting playoffs match-up between LeBron and the Spurs. Kind of disappointing that San Antonio and Detroit receive the lowest, due to the failure to have sexy, one or two man teams that rely on isolated destruction. Back to what relates though, Impossible is nothing is Garnett’s headline, and tonight it shined.

 

 

 

In a Finals fueled by emotional and unexplainable comebacks, the Boston Celtics slapped all the critics in the face and took home the glory they promised each other to have since day 1. Many rooted for Bryant’s dispatch from Shaquille O’Neal’s victorious shadow, but Bryant ran into a suffocating defense that left people like me baffled. This is a guy that has staggered teams with 50-point nights, a player that appeared to have full control of any game. This wasn’t on Bryant’s shoulders though, Lamar Odom helped put the lid on the Lakers missing offense in Game 6 before getting eliminated. Odom’s tendencies of recklessly taking the ball down and popping cross overs before getting cleanly robbed twice by Rondo did nothing but pour salt on the open wound. The Lakers defense once again didn’t show up and the Celtics expansion of their offense help break the Celtics lead to 30 during the third quarter. Rondo was slicing through defenders for layups, Allen was raining treys, Garnett was Garnett and Pierce played better than any other player in the series.

Going back to how this all began, KB24 began Game 6 with three 3-pointers to temporarily settle down the crowd before the rampage commenced. Then, just like most games in the series, Bryant disappeared. The C’s continued to run their constant and effective offense, quickly opening the lead before their fans. Once the lead broke pass twenty, it became too late. The crowd felt the championship confetti already flourishing against their heads. The chants for “MVP!” came roaring through the TD Banknorth Garden every time the original star, Paul Pierce grasped on to the ball. It’s hard to deny the satisfaction towards Pierce and Garnett after countless seasons of banging the ball into the bank of the rim nightly for their weak team.

Garnett’s kissing of the Celtics logo on the hardwood is the perfect picture for the Boston Celtics conclusion of their 2007-2008 season. Allen’s barrage of three-pointers while having a pink eye expressed their desire to play hard until the final buzzer. Lastly, Paul Pierce’s raising of the NBA Finals MVP Trophy capped off his well-earned respect after staying loyal to Boston. The Celtics completed one of the most successful and perfect seasons of the NBA.

Dragging Conclusion

The amount of high screens set by Garnett to Pierce on Sunday night added another page to chapter of absence by certain Celtics. Significantly Ray Allen, who shot 4/13 for 16 points before fouling out of Game 5. Ray Allen’s performance hasn’t been horrendous, like it was in the Detroit series but considering Danny Ainge shipped out a young guard with potential (Delonte West), a disappointing shooter (Szczerbiak) and the fifth overall pick in a deep draft, Boston wouldn’t mind a little sharper shooting from Allen for at least one more night to take home the hardware.

Even though the win wasn’t too encouraging, the Lakers did what they had to do by napping a win at home. There future tasks are tougher than anyone can imagine, trying to defeat a team that has is currently 48-7 at home this season isn’t short of being impossible. Kobe Bryant’s legacy carries heavily on the next game(s) he plays. It won’t put a horrific stain in his purple and most importantly Gold career, but it will remain a feat he could never capture. One day when we look back KB24’s illustrious career in retrospect, the storyline of the Lakers and himself overcoming the odds against Boston would be one that would standout as one of the finest moments of his NBA career. It’s not all on Kobe Bryant for the rest of this series, as for veterans such as Fisher, Gasol and Odom need to punch in their desire stamps also.

The final moments of Game 5 were gripping of course, but both teams grew desperate to finish on a good note. The fact that Boston’s offense was narrowed down to high screens when taking the ball down court became nauseating. Not due it’s case of overwhelming repetitiveness, but the fact that the Lakers defense couldn’t bare to stop it, nor slow it down. But of course, the game came into its pivotal climax when Kobe Bryant stuck his hand out for his fifth steal, off Paul Pierce, as he tried to come off his 22nd high screen of the night. That key defensive play by Bryant sealed the win needed by a desperate Los Angeles. Though many believe Bryant needs to pass the 30-point milestone for him to be considered to of taken part in the victory, filling the stat sheet with 25 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists is all Los Angeles needs to bring home wins on the offensive side. The defensive side of the Lakers is what is keeping California hopefuls to believe the comeback is there. Boston’s simple onslaught of the Lakers defense can be seen in many different scenarios when watching this series. Whether, it’s Garnett’s 20-foot jumper, Pierce’s penetrationg, Posey’s unexpected treys, or Ray Allen’s distant jumpers, the Lakers can’t do nothing but hide their face when watching film.

Many would believe the Lakers would’ve learned their lesson after losing the 24-point lead against Boston, but it feels like that game never surfaced into Phil Jackson’s defensive gameplan. Though, we must believe it has, the Lakers were nearly slapped again with a comeback victory to give the spoiled area of Boston another parade. We must not never forget, these are two heavyweight organizations that carry individuals on each side that have seen it all when it comes to the game of basketball. Los Angeles’ method of taking it one game at a time isn’t anything new to their players. Boston’s position in the drivers seat couldn’t be any more frustrating for the organization. The series has boiled down to two hungrier players from Boston, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett.

The “Boston Three Party” is only a past nickname that has completely vanished. Pierce’s 38-point night helped magnify Paul’s desire to just get this thing over with. Garnett’s control over the boards for Boston have helped them tremendously, Kevin hasn’t had less than 11 rebounds this series. One of the main reasons this series is still alive is because of Garnett’s foul trouble in Game 5, which limited him to only 11 shots on Sunday, after averaging 19 shots a game this series. Unfortunately for Kobe Bryant, solid performances from both Garnett and Pierce is enough to end this season tonight. This is the script Bryant needs, the lights are on, the legacy relies on his shoulders. On the other side of the ball, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce have the biggest opportunity of their career in front of them, this game can be the final conclusion to the aspirational season Boston has given its fans

“It Ain’t Over.”

Promising and powerful words that KB24 flushed to the press Saturday afternoon, and there’s no doubt in my head that these NBA Finals are anywhere close to being over. Blowing a 24-point lead and letting the Boston Celtics take a commanding 3-1 series lead against the Lakers isn’t nothing to crack jokes about while being a Laker fan, but with the League’s best player on your side, feel free to smash on Kobe’s comical “A lot of wine, beer and ‘couple of shots” response to his solution to bouncing back from the Game 4 loss. The loss is definitely a punch in the gut for Laker lovers across the world, but the degree of pressure on Los Angeles’ side isn’t frightening yet. I found myself slowing losing interest in Game 4 after slowing watching the Lakers league expand throughout the game. Even then, when Boston quietly began to cut the lead down to 10 points in the fourth quarter, the amount of excitement wasn’t there. This isn’t because I’m not a fan of either of the teams, but it’s because when you watch the Los Angeles Lakers play, Bryant seems to have an everlasting grip on the game. This whole bias paragraph may seem too ridiculous to swallow in one gulp, but a “couple of shots” aren’t any easier

I had no hesitation in allowing this blog to have a train wreck beginning with these assumptions. Only because we’re dealing with a future Hall of Famer that draws abundant comparisons to MJ every time he dominates in a series of games. In Game 4, Kobe drew even with his scorers with just 17 points. He decided to spread the stat sheet by adding 4 rebounds, 10 assits and 4 steals. His will to score wasn’t expressed until it was too late, which has been the scenario for the Lakers in this series (without counting Game 3, where he scored 36 for a W). The Lakers seem to be on cruise control throughout the first three quarters of each game, while the Celtics penetrate their star-studded offense to an unexplainable lead. In the fourth quarter, it basically the same story line, until it’s under 4 minutes and the gun is put to K24’s neck to take over. So far, when being in those situations, Bryant has failed to squeeze them out zero times out of the three.

This opportunity for Los Angeles has become something they’re losing control over, Boston has seized their chance at gold in these Finals. In an extensively dramatic playoff journey for Boston, orchestrated by story lines from Ray Allen’s slumps, Pierce’s toughness, to Garnett’s leadership. Boston has become the cover art for a book about devotion, desire and heart. These qualities are absent to many teams around in the League, so when it comes to which team is more deserving, Boston leads the line. This storybook ending could only be spoiled by Kobe Bryant, but thankfully for Boston, it hasn’t been anywhere close. All of those raging potentials carried by the Lakers have been tamed with organized defense and showing up for when it counts in the fourth quarter.

With Boston’s confidence flaring, expect Game 5 tonight to be something to savor. Of course, I’ll be at work, absent to the greatest case for must-watch basketball in years. Thankfully, I’ll be able to catch the game during the 3rd quarter, unless I die in a freak accident on the way. Expect this game to be everything you expected, but with more extras than you could ever imagine. Emotions will become more apparent, dunks, shot selections, passes will become more enthused, and K24 will not disappoint.