2.  Hasheem Thabeet - Grizzlies - Thabeet will add value on the defensive end from day one and I think he’ll be better offensively than people think, though when you set the bar that low, it shouldn’t be hard to step over it.  It remains to be seen which contending team Memphis will give away their new franchise Center to while getting virtually nothing in return. 

5. Ricky Rubio - Timberwolves - This kid really knows how to play, will distribute the ball, and could be the face of the franchise for years to come, though he didn’t seem thrilled to be going to what may seem like an arctic wasteland to him when January rolls around.   I loved this pick right up until…

6. Jonny Flynn - Timberwolves - I thought for sure this had to be a part of a trade because I just don’t understand why the T-Wolves would take another PG at 6, especially when they desperately need a SG and Stephen Curry is still on the board.  It seems they are going to build their team around two point guards and two power forwards.  I don’t get it.

10. Brandon Jennings - Bucks - Probably the biggest question mark of the draft.  Very talented and athletic, but an enigma who created one of the strangest scenes in the draft history by not coming out to shake hands with David Stern until several picks later because his agent had advised him not to be in the green room.

13. Tyler Hansborough - Pacers - I don’t think Pacer fans will ever be disappointed with this pick.  Hansborough will play hard every day and provide the type of grit and toughness that the Pacers are lacking. 

15. Austin Daye - Pistons - If this Tayshaun Prince clone turns out as well as the original, Detroit will be quite pleased with this pick.  Daye seems to have a big upside, comes into the league very skilled and with a great outside shot, but with a body that makes it seem he could blow away in any stiff breeze.

18. Ty Lawson - Nuggets - Lawson should be a great backup for Chauncey Billups and this role should give him the opportunity to learn from one of the best. 

28. Wayne Ellington - T-Wolves - Minnesota finally got the shooter they needed and I think Ellington provides a lot of value with this pick.

44. Chase Budinger - Rockets - Budinger is very athletic, but doesn’t really display it on the court like you might expect.  He can shoot the ball and may be a steal in the second round after having initially been mentioned as a lottery candidate.

Player Recap: Griffin is a no brainer as the number #1 overall pick. He’s a versatile big man with excellent athletic ability. Can put the ball on the floor and finish with both hands around the basket. He also has a great motor evidenced by his high volume rebounding prowess and ability to run the floor. Doesn’t possess a consistent jump shot but has good mechanics. Needs to work on his defensive skills but has all the tools to be effective on the next level.

Team Impact: It’s no secret that Griffin is the Clippers guy here at No. 1. Blake’s presence with the other LA team creates a rather intriguing frontline rotation with Marcus Camby, Zach Randolph and Chris Kaman. If the Clips are nicked up by the injury bug next season like last season they’ll need all the help they can get on the front line or they can use the flexibility upfront to swing a trade to get help in other areas of need.

Player Recap: Rubio, voted the best Euro young player in 2007, is the prototypical pick & roll PG and probably the second best prospect after Griffin. The 18-year old Italian phoneme has excellent ball handling skills and is equally gifted with both hands (thanks in part to a wrist injury to his right/strong hand). Isn’t particularly fast but has great burst and is adept at using change of speed to beat defenders. He has terrific court vision and anticipation which are assets both in the transition and in half court situations. At one point led the ACB Euro League in assist per 40 min/gm at a staggering 11.5. He must develop a consistent jump shot and, his physique - which should happen naturally as he matures.

Team Impact: The buzz around the NBA is that there are a number of teams looking to move up to the #2 spot in order to draft Rubio so don’t be surprised if the Griz make the young Spanish PG the pick here and quickly trade him for multiple pieces to compliment its young core which includes OJ Mayo, Rudy Gay and Mike Conley Jr.

Player Recap: Thabeet is a legit presence around the basket defensively. He shows great explosion and anticipation to block and change shots.  The UConn Huskies’ center runs the floor well considering his gargantuan size. He has very little to offer offensively but has demonstrated the ability to use his size advantage to score when in the vicinity of the hoop. Thabeet has strong hands and catches the ball with ease but his footwork has much to be desired as he often gets knocked around in traffic and often loses balance.

Team Impact: Thabeet has what you can’t teach, size. At 7′ 3″ and 265 lbs he is literally the biggest prize in the draft. He would be a welcomed addition to a team with great offensive weapons but poor defensive prowess.  With him defending the basket Durant, Green and Westbrook can be aggressive on the perimeter defensively knowing there’s a bonafide shot blocker behind them. The big fella will also allow Nenad Krstic to slide to his more natural position at PF.

Player Recap: Evans is one of the premier perimeter scorers among this year’s crop of prospects. Can take players off the dribble to create shots for himself or teammates. Led his team to the NCAA tournament by accepting the PG position but is a questionable decision maker and turnover prone. Can be selfish at times and could stand to work on his shooting mechanics. He does display the ability to defend both guard positions.

Team Impact: The Kings are in dire need of a ball handler and perimeter scoring after losing both Ron Artest and John Salmons and Evans immediately fills that void. He can dribble penetrate with ease and create drop off opportunities for the young Sacto bigs (if he doesn’t take the shot himself). Possibility to become the primary ball handler interchangeably with Beno Udric on the floor, be the PG when he and Kevin Martin are paired together in the backcourt, or the scoring machine he was born to be with backups in the game.

Player Recap: Curry is an exceptional shooter with NBA range. Has the ability to make the tough shot and was frequently called upon to carry his team in college. He’s not only a scorer. He learned to set up his teammates, partially due to other teams concentrating their defense on him, while being the primary ball handler. Not the most physically blessed player which may hinder his defensive ability on the next level however it hasn’t been an issue so far in workouts.

Team Impact: The T-Wolves acquired this pick by shipping off PG Randy Foye and sharpshooter Mike Miller to the Wizards. This gives the Wolves two lottery picks and four total in the 1^st round. I fully expect Minnesota president of basketball operations David Kahn to use these picks to bring in another PG whether it be Curry here or another PG as well as another big to help spell the Al Jefferson by packaging one or two picks to use in a trade. Either way expect the Wolves to be active as Kahn has stated that he is looking to make a big splash in his first draft as the head basketball personnel decision maker in the twin city.

Player Recap: Harden is a savvy player whose basketball IQ overcomes his physical shortcomings. At 6′ 4″ he is undersized at SG but lacks the foot speed to keep up with PGs. Still, he plays the game with comfort and ease while rarely forcing the action and can create plays for his teammates. Has a good stop and start game and uses hesitation moves to free himself from the defense to get good looks at the basket. He’s primarily a set shooter which explains why he’s inconsistent shooting off screens and in catch & shoot situations. Plays smart pesky defense but physically does not grade out to be a defensive stopper.

Team Impact: Harden is the best option on the board for Minnesota should the draft play out this way but I happen to think there will be quite a bit of movement at the top of the order. Still Harden fits in nicely with T-Wolves who are in need of a perimeter scorer after the trade that sent Mike Miller to Washington. Harden is smart enough to pick his spots and get open looks to score or create scoring opportunities for his teammates. Also, his learning curve should be minimal - good news for a young and inconsistent team.

Player Recap: Freakishly gifted athlete who plays bigger than his physical stature. Is still raw in terms of basketball skills but he has noticeable improved between his sophomore and junior years - particularly with his footwork. Good but not great rebounder. He needs to work on his shot especially from the free throw line. Can run the floor but is known to take plays offs. Projects to be at the very least a key role/rotational player.

Team Impact: Golden State seems to be having a bit of an identity crisis at the moment and it’s been rumored that they made a promise to their young dynamic combo guard Monte Ellis not to draft/add another player to their already full backcourt. If those rumors are true Hill becomes the obvious choice as the team is lacking in size and he’s the type of tough scrappy big that thrives in a Don Nelson system because he’s active and runs the court well and should seamlessly fit into an up tempo style of play. Hill’s lack of offensive polish won’t be an issue as the Warriors backcourt draws most of the defenses attention because they scores a ton which allow Hill to slip in between cracks for offensive rebounds and put backs.

Player Recap: Jennings, the consensus #1 high school player last year, possesses world class speed, natural instincts and a never say die mentality. He’s a terrific ball handler that can get to the basket with ease and finish in traffic due to his amazing bounce. Jennings has excellent vision and is a willing passer who can make the spectacular play. He could use some more bulk especially because he’ll be going against more physical guards in the NBA. Needs to learn to play within himself and polish his jump shot. Defense is a concern with him.

Team Impact: If both Curry and Hill are off the board at #8 look the Knicks to decide between the plethora of PGs in the this years class if they don’t make trade first. All indications are that Knicks brass were unimpressed with UCLA’s Jrue Holiday after his workout and Johnny Flynn/Ty Lawson do not seem to be on New York’s radar. With the Mike D’Antoni experiment just beginning in the “Big Apple” the team will need an instinctive passing PG and Jennings fits the mold. Incumbent Chris Duhon performed well but the team began to sputter in the latter part of the season when he was injured, and Nate Robinson is more suited to his role - providing scoring off the bench. Jennings’ year playing pro ball for Roma could also prove to be advantageous as the young man adjusts to the bright lights and big stage in NYC. Plus D’Antoni has an affinity for Italian-league players as he was star in the country during his playing days.

Player Recap: DeRozan has an NBA ready body but needs his game to catch up to his physique. At 6′ 6″ 210 he has the quickness and speed to guard NBA SG’s and the height and strength to guard SF’s. Not an excellent ball handler or shooter but can be an effective scorer in the right system. Relies heavily on physical talents and sometimes bails out opponents by not playing up to his potential. However he is still very young and has great upside and unlimited potential.

Team Impact: DeRozan gives the Raptors a young athletic wing they can mold to replace the void left by Vince Carter oh so many years ago. In fact he draws comparisons to Carter and Gerald Wallace at their age and stage of development. He has the potential to be the high-flying finisher for Jose Calderon, a nice running mate for Shawn Marion and a good athletic wing to complement Anthony Parker

A consensus top 5 high school prospect and potentially the best California PG prospect since Baron Davis, Jrue failed to have that break out season as a freshman at UCLA and decided that he wouldn’t stick around for a second season to wait see if it would be the one. However most of Holiday’s ineffectiveness is credited to his playing out of position alongside all-American candidate Darren Collison last season. Still Jrue has all the tools to be effective in the NBA. At 6′ 3″ 185 he has the ideal size for a PG. He also possess quick feet and long arms which point to his him having the ability to lock down opposing PGs defensively. If he can get into the grove and show some of the nature feel for the game he displayed back in high school at Campbell Hall in N. Hollywood, CA he’ll be just fine in the pros.

Team Impact: Everything I’ve heard and read implies that the Bucks will draft a PG with the #10 pick. The question is which one will be available at that pick. Holiday seems to be the best fit because Milwaukee could stand to have a more defensive minded presence at that position and Holiday’s athleticism should upgrade a the Bucks in that area after trading away their most athletic player in Richard Jefferson and allow him to slide to the two where he can score and guard opposing SGs as well.

Player Recap: the Louisville combo forward has the skills set and the size to really impose his will on the game both offensively and defensively. The question is will he? He is known to be turnover prone and doesn’t always play up to his potential. Needs to develop a reliable jumper and maybe a little more of mean streak before becoming a key contributor however he has made strides with his consistency and could prove to be a steal if developed properly.

Team Impact: Most draft boards have New Jersey selecting a player from Louisville but it usually Clark’s Cardinal teammate Terence Williams. However it’s my opinion that the Nets need a more of a presence on the front line and while guys like Yi Jianlian and Jarvis Hayes are nice players they haven’t done much in the Garden State. Clark could easily slide into the rotation to replace either of those two players if he plays to his potential and because he comes from an up tempo system with Rick Pitino keeping up with Devin Harris or the high flying Vince Carter shouldn’t be an issue.

Player Recap: An explosive athletic PG with good court vision and the ability to push the tempo and make plays. Flynn also has excellent command dribbling the ball with both hands and has displayed a knack for getting into the lane to create scoring opportunities. Earlier in his career he was more known for his passing but took on a larger scoring last year for the Orange averaging 17 ½ ppg. Jonny also dispelled questions about his defensive prowess coming from Jim Boeheim’s zone scheme in pre-draft workouts.

Team Impact: Although the Pacers could use some help in the frontcourt (Larry Bird said so himself a couple of days ago) Flynn is way too good to pass up on which just goes to show how deep the PG talent pool is this year. Jonny’s explosiveness and ability to get the ball up and down the court could be a nice shot in the arm for a looking for a more permanent solution at PG depending on what they decide to do with Jarrett Jack and TJ Ford.

Player Recap: Smooth athlete with a quality all around game. Henderson isn’t a great ball handler but is explosive and can finish in through contact. Inconsistent on offense but that’s primarily due to his tendency to defer to teammates. He has an above average basketball IQ and he’s good 1 on 1 defender. He’s slightly undersized as an NBA SG.

Team Impact: College allegiances aside this Dukie’s game is perfectly suited to the style of coaching of former UNC Tarheel Larry Brown and to the Bobcats team built by, the most famous Tarheel of them all, Michael Jordan. He’s very smart and coachable and fills a couple of roles including dribble penetration, defending perimeter players and being able to play off others while maintaining good flow on offense. In time Henderson will be a solid replacement for Raja Bell.

Player Recap: Williams is an all-around gifted athlete whose stats don’t necessarily reflect his impact on the game. Not especially good at any one thing Williams’ game is predicated on his physical gifts which everyone he has a lot of.  Lacks a steady jumpers but can get up and down the court both offensively and defensively and can fill the stat sheet in a number areas. At times can score bunches but not a great scorer.

Team Impact: His shooting ability maybe a liability for a team that lives and dies by the 3 like Phoenix but he definitely will bring a perimeter defensive presence that the Suns have been lacking since sending Raja Bell to Charlotte. Also Williams can go under the radar and provide a lot of the hustle and effort plays allowing Shaq, Nash and other to do their thing. 

The Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings square off tonight in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.  Why should sports fans outside of the blossoming metropoli of Pittsburgh and Detroit care?  Because the matchup sets up the pro sports landscape for the potential of one of the rarest of sports moments… a sudden-death championship win.

Are Red Wings faithful mere hours away from the most untoppable moment of sports fan euphoria?  Or are we better off hoping the Magic win two straight and the “if nec.” asterisk comes off June 18th at Staples?

Until then, I give you an ordered countdown of the top potential fan euphoria moments in each of the five major pro sports.

5. NFL Super Bowl - Touchdown
I don’t care about Adam Viniateri and your field goals.  Too much emphasis on a jockey in shoulder pads with a specialty skill.  Plus, modern NFL field goals are robotic and about as exciting as making applesauce sculptures.  I’d rather have a pass from around 15 yards out.  Unfortunately, all the potential candidates have come in the final minute, but not on the final play.  Or in an earlier round.  The real sleeper?  A 50- to 60-yard pick six in OT of the Super Bowl.  Tell me that’s not a momentum swing the 4,000 partisan fans in attendance could get behind.  Jump around, non-sponsors.  Jump around.

4. FIFA World Cup - Game-Winning Goal
This can’t really happen because “futbol” OT isn’t sudden-death.  Eventually, there’s penalty kicks (like in World Cup ‘94 and ‘06) which is like electing a president via a rock skipping contest.  It’s too bad, because there’s potential.  While Americans would rather watch D.B. Sweeney’s greatest hits on DVR, the rest of the world is losing their mind over the World Cup.  Plus, only Copa Mundial can fetch you a matchup that might legitimately re-start a war.

3. MLB World Series - Walk-Off Home Run
A World Series ending home run has only happened twice (well, 2.17 times if you factor in the Canadian exchange rate for Joe Carter). Both were close to being baseball’s “ultimate” postseason outcome.  Both came in the bottom of the 9th.  Bill Mazeroski’s shot in 1960 came in Game 7, but the game was tied and there was nobody out. With Carter, the Jays were trailing, but it was only Game 6 and there was one out (not two).  All that aside, the main issue is that a home run — the quickest way to change a lead in baseball — takes too long to play out.  The moment is spread over 3-4 seconds, and there’s actually two moments… the ball leaving the bat and the ball leaving the yard.  The physics of the game prohibit it from consideration for number one.

2. NBA Finals - Buzzer Beater
This has the potential to jump to number one if the circumstances are right, but sits here at #2 because of its dependence on the clock.  The perfect scenario would have to be Game 7 with the home team having possession, trailing in the final seconds coming out of a timeout.  The game-winner should be from 15-35 feet and ideally be preceded by some kind of ridiculous scramble or smack of desperation.  It’s all a hypothetical right now, because this hasn’t happened in the modern era.  No Finals Game 7 has ever gone to OT or ended on a buzzer-beater.

1. NHL Stanley Cup Final - OT Goal
Hockey is unique in that it’s sudden-death AND the possession alternates quickly and without any sort of cadence (downs, innings, shot clocks).  Once a hockey Game 7 goes to overtime, the whole thing (game, series, playoff run, season!) is seconds away from crashing down around you at any moment.  It’s a gut-wrenching existence.  Panic.  Cathartic relief.  Desperation.  And that’s BEFORE the game actually ends.  And that’s what it does… it ends.  No injury time, kneel downs or spread-killing free throws to bleed it out.  It’s one situation that brings “sudden death” momentarily out of its cliche shell.  Over the last half-century, there have been nine Game 7’s in the Stanley Cup Finals, including four this decade. None have gone to overtime.

The last Cup Final Game 7 overtime goal came in 1954 and was only televised in “Canadia” on CBC.  That series was also the last time, prior to this season, the Stanley Cup started with games on back-to-back nights. But there’s more… That 1954 game winner that touched off an instant celebration for the home crowd was scored by Tony Leswick of none other than tonight’s host… the Detroit Red Wings.

You stand by, Shirley Bassey.  You just stand by.

That being said and before I get into coaching the Magic, I do have to say that I thought the referees in Game 2 were atrocious on both ends of the floor. Pietrus’ sixth foul, Turkoglu’s phantom push off, Howard’s goal tend and many more, I really thought the refs did not bring their A game and these are the best the NBA has. As Mark Jackson would say, “David Stern you are better than that…” Yes, he is starting to really get on my nerves and upset that I ever used to like the Jackson shimmy shake.

Without further ado, here are my five suggestions to Stan Van Gundy and the Orlando Magic to get them back in the series:

1. When Turkoglu is running the pick and roll with Howard, I would like to see him come off the screen looking to shoot more. I think if he came off hard and pulled the trigger on a couple of jumpers, not only would he probably score, but he would force the bigs of the Lakers (Bynum and Gasol) to come at him more aggressively. Thus, opening up the roll situation for Howard and getting him easy looks at the basket, or if a Laker rotates to cut off Howard, there would be open jumpers for Lewis and others.
2. Stop having Patrick Ewing as Howard’s offensive mentor, it obviously is not working. I make fun of Ewing and have no clue if it is actually his fault, though he does put himself out there as Howard’s mentor. But, how many times did Howard put the ball down yesterday and get stripped. It was nauseating and need to get him to keep the ball up high.
3. Overall, I thought the Magic did a fairly good job defensively on the Lakers. I thought Hedo did a pretty good job on Kobe (as good as others) and would consider putting him on Bryant more. I think you keep rotating Lee, Pietrus and Turkoglu on him and try to change things up. I wouldn’t want to see Turkoglu on him for too long as he is the focal point of the Magic offense, truly running the show and wouldn’t want to see him get tired chasing Bryant around.
4. I am unsure what SVG was doing at the end of the game with Reddick in there. Granted, if Reddick had hit some shots, we would be praising Van Gundy as a genius. But that is the thing, if you are going to keep Reddick playing those minutes, he has to look for his shot. The Lakers weren’t even guarding him because they knew he wasn’t going to shoot it. He needs to have the confidence and aggressiveness and look to score to put the pressure on the Laker defense and open up things for the other Magic players. If he isn’t going to do that, then go with somebody else (Nelson, Lee, Alston).
5. I am not sure why Nelson didn’t get more minutes than he did. IMO, he is playing fine, though I think a little too cautious, but I understand he isn’t trying to mess with the chemistry that got the Magic to the Finals. Unlike Reddick at the end of the game, the Lakers have to guard Nelson and respect him. The respect alone can help get open shots for Nelson’ s teammates. I would change up the starting lineup and put Nelson in there along with Pietrus. Even if Nelson continues to play cautious, he has plenty of scoring options around him in the starting lineup that he could be a facilitator. He doesn’t have  that coming off the bench with the second unit, and I think the second unit needs somebody a little more aggressive than Nelson has been. I believe Alston and Lee would be a nice pair of guys to bring off the bench and add some energy to the second unit.

From ESPN.com’s Mark Schlabach:

[Dozier] took the SAT for the first time on Dec. 6, 2003, about five months after he verbally committed to play for the Tigers. Dozier scored a 1,260 of a possible 1,600…

Educational Testing Service, the nonprofit company that develops, administers and scores the SAT, opened an investigation of Dozier’s test scores in June 2004. In a June 14, 2004 letter to Dozier, ETS officials told him that “we believe there appears to be substantial evidence that your scores [on the SAT] are invalid. Our preliminary concerns are based on a comparison of the handwriting on your answer sheet with the handwriting on other documents such as your registration form and external documents.”

ETS officials offered Dozier a chance to validate his earlier scores by taking the SAT again. Dozier took the test in July 2004 and scored 720 — 540 points lower than his earlier score.

Moral of the story… if you’re Chuckie Sullivan, don’t have Will Hunting take your SAT for you.

Photo Credit: Jon Goering - Daily Kansan

What I mean is, this year the media marketing machine that promotes the NBA playoffs really went to the extreme in trying to frame what it deemed the best finals matchup. And if the league and its team/harem of sponsors weren’t banking on a Kobe/LeBron showdown, they didn’t do a very good job keeping it a secret. For example, about a week ago ESPN aired Dream Season: 23 & 24.  Nike.com sums it up, saying, “Everyone is anxious to see if at long last the league’s greatest players will be able to bring out the best of each other on basketball’s greatest stage, the NBA Finals.” It goes on to say the one-hour special’s “focus [is] on Kobe and LeBron’s pursuit of an NBA championship.” And if that isn’t proof enough that the NBA and its corporate interests play favorites; every other minute of commercial airtime during the conference finals, almost to the point of nausea, was dedicated to a duo of puppets made to try and emulate the likeness of NBA’s two favorite sons.

Don’t get me wrong, everyone wants to see the greatest perform on the greatest stage. However, in an industry like sports where the outcome is not predetermined wouldn’t it be smart not to force your audience to expect an outcome even if it is subliminal, and especially if you can’t guarantee the expected outcome? Yet every major sports media outlet was singing in unison to the tune of Kobe vs. LeBron. As if only two players were poised for the sport’s biggest stage or that only two had such aspirations of doing so. Let’s face it, with all the games sevens this year there has to have been some really good series’. In turn, meaning, good teams or at least good matchups with good players, so let’s give those players some respect. (And by the way Dwight Howard’s frame is definitely big enough to shoulder the load of the big stage.)

Now far be it for me to admonish the “Average Joe” sports fan for sharing their opinions with fellow spectators. I myself admit to being guilty of doing just this. I mean one of the most enjoyable aspects of sports is arguing and making a case as to why you think a particular outcome is inevitable. In fact, that’s precisely the reason why Nielsen ratings for shows like Pardon the Interruption and Around the Horn combined have a larger audience than SportsCenter. Uncertainty is part of the fun of sports, especially when you can hold an individual accountable for their choices.  But ,(I feel) it’s wrong when a faceless corporation or particular sports league tries to tell you who and what team to root for.

Honestly, LeBron’s loss is a win for all the true sports fans out there that follow the NBA (except for those in Cleveland of course). It signals that on an equal playing field that the will of individuals can overcome product placement predetermined in a board room to be the only intrinsically viable option with little to no input from the consumer.

The 2008 Superbowl is a perfect example. After going 16-0 in the regular season the New England Patriots seemed poised to hoist the Lombardi Trophy at the conclusion of the post season. However, thanks to a ferocious Giants defense and one particularly spectacular pitch and catch from an elusive Eli Manning to sticky fingered (helmet) David Tyree, the New York football team snatched the crown that had been prematurely placed on the hood Bill Belichick in what will certainly go down as one of the most jaw dropping finishes in Superbowl history. Now if the NFL were to choose it probably would have preferred Bret Farve over Eli Manning to face off against Tom Brady but would that have produced the same result? Probably not.

So at this time I just want to remind everyone of the saying, “That’s why they play the games.” Too often champions are crowned and hardware and trophies are handed out before the outcome has been settled out on the field or court. The presumptive dream match-up pitting the NBAs last two MVPs will have to be put on ice for a little while longer. I can almost hear David Stern in his office chanting “damn, damn, damn James!!!”

Since the process of elimination inherent in sports playoffs leads to the majority of fans not having any vested interest in the final, let’s take off our fan hats and sit in David Stern’s recliner ass print and look at the six factors most important to the NBA in its march toward the ideal postseason.

1. Play as many games as possible

In any sport’s playoff system, TV drives the bus. Piss and moan all you want, but there’s a reason the NBA Playoffs feel longer than JFK. It’s not going to change (also see: Bowl Championship Series, The). Even if it takes 3 months, every league wants every series to go 7 games, and have every one of those games on national TV. A Jazz-Raptors Finals? It doesn’t matter, if you get all 115 potential playoff games played (’09: 74 so far with a  max of 89). That’s because more games = more games on TV = more revenue. Tickets and merchandise factor in, but they don’t vary as much from year to year or have the impact of TV ratings. Higher ratings drive the up price of ad placement, and all of these things factor into the price of the all-important rights fee/agreement between league and network. Exhibit A: ESPN’s 15-year, $2.25 billion deal for the rights to SEC Football. Looks like the potentially lucrative SEC Network has 15 more years to develop its launch plan.  You think coaches enjoy being mic’d up?  TV drives the Playoffs.  Period.

2. History lesson: legacy teams

These are teams whose fandom have been passed down through generations, and whose support is not bound by the constraints of geography (this is also why you want to punch people when your team plays the Cowboys, Steelers or Yankees). Last season’s Lakers vs. Celtics Finals, with over 30 NBA titles between them, was about as ideal as Rachel McAdams using my backyard to work on her tan.

3. Big market, big audience

These are constants year to year… Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago. The second-tier is Philly, Dallas, Houston, and the Bay Area. It’s a simple matter of population density. Eyeballs translate to TV ratings points. A cross-sport example: the NHL on NBC has struggled to net a rating over 1.0 as the league’s brand continues to recover from the ’04-’05 lockout. Last week, the Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings, two of the NHL’s Original Six teams, faced off in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals. While the game was devoid of the league’s two household names (Crosby and Ovechkin), the game did an eye-popping 2.0 thanks to a 7.7 in Chicago and a 16.9 (!) in Detroit, a.k.a. Hockeytown USA (see #2).

4. Star power: showcase your assets

Yeah, this is an obvious bullet and could be listed higher, but superstars tend to gravitate toward big market teams. With Kobe vs. LeBron in their sights, the folks at the NBA offices probably feel like that guy who put $100 on the Tampa Bay Rays at 250-to-1 (note to Tampa fans: maybe STOP talking to the media UNTIL you actually WIN the wager?). The brass at the NBA’s 5th Avenue offices are a little more keen to the fact that, much like that 5-team NCAA football teaser, the dream can vanish in an instant. Yes, Superman and Melo are of Redeem Team recognizability, but what if LeBron hit his Friday night game-winner over Kobe instead… on a Sunday evening… on ABC… in the NBA Finals. At that point, if you’re the NBA’s VP of Marketing/Development you just color up, hit the cashier cage and just start calling Megan Fox until she either answers or threatens legal repercussions through her management.  I mean, why not?

5. Tell a good story

Remember George Mason’s run? Of course you do. And you will. Same with Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. That’s because good storytelling trumps all. The Bulls-Celtics first round series conjured visions of Warriors-Mavs in 2007. Mark Cuban vs. Kenyon Martin… sad, but this is how rivalries start and/or escalate. At its core, every postseason is nothing more than an unscripted story… and it helps if that story is better than the Red Shoe Diaries.

6. Put it on network television

While TNT has upgraded its NBA coverage over the years and grown the NBA on TNT brand substantially, your postseason still needs to be findable (ABC, NBC, or CBS) to the casual fan, especially now that NASA seems to be running my cable. Is there anything more humbling than moving to a new city and having to relearn all of the channels? If I get offered a seven-figure job that requires me to relocate, I am simply not doing it unless I get a personal assistant to run my remote for the first 6 months.

Is ‘09 the best postseson ever?  We’ll see.  The NBA, ABC, ESPN and TNT hope so.  So Tampa, don’t go calling your local media affiliate just yet and wrecking it for all of us.

“The player (A) is or will be at least 19 years of age during the calendar year in which the Draft is held, and (B) with respect to a player who is not an international player (defined below), at least one (1) NBA Season has elapsed since the player’s graduation from high school (or, if the player did not graduate from high school, since the graduation of the class with which the player would have graduated had he graduated from high school)”

So in essence , Wall made a choice that many players wouldn’t by turning down the money and fame of the NBA and choosing to go to college despite having the option to go pro.

Now until a couple days ago, Kentucky wasn’t necessarily a lock to have Wall’s services next year especially considering there are 343 Division 1 basketball programs in the nation. Wall’s high school ball was played in Durham, NC its only natural that he considered playing for Coach Krzyzewski and Duke, along with a host of other schools vying for his efforts.

So why Calipari and Kentucky?

Well ,Wall is widely considered to be #1 point guard prospect in this year’s high school recruiting class. And as of late, as far as point guards go, Calipari has done arguably the best job in country in developing players at that position. Wall will be the third highly touted point guard to commit to play for Calipari in as many years. Last year it was Tyreke Evans, who also signed late in the recruiting period and is sure to be a lottery pick in this year’s draft. Two years ago, it was Derrick Rose who went #1 overall in NBA draft and recently was name 2009 NBA rookie of the year.

Furthermore, lets not forget who else Coach Cal is bringing with him to the Blue Grass state. Cal was able to persuade DeMarcus Cousins, a holdover from his Memphis recruiting efforts who is also a top 5 high school talent, along with Wall to join him in the Derby state. And with horses like Wall and Cousins, I’ll be looking for the Wildcats to set the pace in NCAA basketball because they by far have the best crop of talent coming into next season. I applaud the way that Calipari was seamlessly able to put together another stellar recruiting class after abruptly exchanging Memphis’s blue for Kentucky’s.

Image Source: ButTheGameIsOn.com

Game Sevens

A couple of days off while the press analyzes ad nauseum.  As game time approaches, fans get to a fever pitch, players get nervous and totally psyched up.  Anyone who has participated in a Game Seven will tell you that just entering the arena, there’s a different feeling.  You can literally feel the tenseness and excitement in the air. 

That’s where we were yesterday with two Game Sevens scheduled.  I sat down ready to watch two great games and what did I get?  Two blowouts.  How does that happen?  Like I said earlier, if they weren’t pretty equal how did they get to a Game Seven?  It’s not like both teams aren’t going to be up for the game, both teams putting everything on the line.  I don’t know the stats about this, but thinking back , there seems like there have been a disappropiate number of blowouts in Game Sevens, considering that the teams should be basically equal.

Lakers vs Rockets

While watching this game, one thought was prominent in my mind.  How did this series ever get to a Game Seven?   LA was so clearly the better team, after Yao went down.  They were so much bigger and longer than the Rockets .  It was like a college team vs a high school team, length wise.  Game Seven was no contest and that was with Kobe having just a so-so game.  LA made it so hard for the Rockets to score, and if LA was patient, it was almost impossible for the Rockets to stop them inside.  What I got out of this game was such respect for the Rockets and their competitiveness.  If they weren’t so competitive, they never could have made it to a seventh game.  At the same time, I gained a further appreciation of how good the Lakers can be.  When they are active, and into playing defense ….. with their length and depth…..they are very, very good.  Offensively, they can’t help but be good due to Kobe and their collective shooting abilities. If they are to reach their potential, it is all about defending for the Lakers.

Boston vs Orlando

With Garnett out, I felt all along that Orlando was the better team.  But I thought with the home court in Game Seven, Boston had a good shot.  They did not and the better team won.  Orlando is just better, and deeper with Turkoglu being the difference.  He was the best player on the floor.  He had 25 points and 12 assists, but more importantly, hit some big shots when they were needed.  The Magic offense was basically directed by him and he had a very impressive game.  He also did  a nice job on Pierce, though he had a lot of help.  Howard, of course was a force, but mainly on the defensive end.  His offense is pretty suspect, but give some credit to Perkins who was very physical with him.  I think Howard needs to junk that running 13 foot hook shot…. Come on Patrick Ewing,  you’re coaching him.  You didn’t take shots like that.  What is that shot  about?

The missing Piece, er Pierce.

Paul Pierce is getting a lot of flack about his lack of game, in Game Seven.  In no way did he have a good game, and in fact, it was a disappointing game from him.  However, let’s give some credit to Orlando’s strategy of coming off of Rondo to double team Pierce.  It appeared to me that that grew to be discouraging to Pierce, and finally, he  gave in to it.  He just did not look like he was into it as much as usual.  I think it would have been beneficial to Pierce if he could have come off some screens and quickly made a move, with his teammates moving.  Instead, most of the time he would get the ball in a isolation type set, with his teammates in predictable areas so that after doubling him, the defensive adjustments were predictable.  I’m starting  to wonder who the Magic are going to come off of in order to double Lebron.

Lastly, let’s give some credit to Orlando’s front office, especially Otis Smith and Dave Twardzik, their basketball people.  They had done a nice job putting their roster together over the years.  Good group of guys, and talented.  However, when Jameer Nelson went down their season looked like it could be in jeopardy.  They went out and traded for a solid veteran point guard in Rafer Alston.  Not always easy to go get a veteran point, especially one who is starting for a playoff bound team and they got him without giving up a great deal.  Arguably saved their season, without jeopardizing their future.  Excellent job, and they should be congratulated.

Now it’s on to the Conference Finals before we see the Finals between LA and Cleveland.

Image Source: Boston.com

Well, this speech his gives to the group “TED” is truly fantastic.  It shows how John Wooden is a very knowledgable person and a good human being. 

There are many lessons to be learned from John Wooden.  My favorite point from this video is how he says he never really mentioned “winning”.  His idea is that you can lose when you outscore somebody in a game and that you can win while being outscored. 

“When a game is over and you see somebody that didn’t see the game, I hope that they cannot tell by your actions whether you outscored the opponent or they outscored you.”

He is making the point that winning is about doing the making the effort to do the best you can.  If you do, the results will be what they should be and you should be more proud of giving your best effort than winning.