The Pro Basketball Talk

EP101: NBA Unplugged: Ten Questions

2013-05-23T13:53:00.001-04:00

Jacob and James return after their 100th show party to bring you a segment they call, "Ten Questions". These questions vary in topics but cover everything from the Conference Finals playoffs, the draft lottery and upcoming summer.

www.blogtalkradio.com/probasketballtalk.

This will air at 12:00 PM EST on Thursday! Tune in at www.blogtalkradio.com/probasketballtalk

As always, tweet at us: @probskblltalk @james_bucklin @jacobnnoble

The Bozos of Basketball - May 22, 2013 Podcast

2013-05-23T10:07:00.004-04:00

The show sheet may have been empty, but that didn't stop The Bozos of Basketball from plopping out an hour of sexy content for your earholes. Lots of topics were covered, and lots of tears were shed. They even introduced some new segments that will become staples during the hot & sweaty summer months. There was even some feedback of a January show that was taken from the archives, which caused Kez to keel over in laughter when read by James. Great times were had by all. Listen below, it's a gas.

47 Rare Photos Of Lebron James In High School

2013-05-21T15:07:00.004-04:00

That white boy looks terrified. If you don't think that he has this once in a lifetime photograph of being blown by on the basketball by the King himself, you might want to consider therapy. If I was the bro looking like I just pooped my pants as Lebron dribbled passed me, I'd have this on a mantle over the fireplace.

Anyways, here are 46 other great photos of Lebron James.

via Reddit

2013 Playoff Preview: Miami Heat (1) vs Indiana Pacers (3) - Eastern Conference Finals

2013-05-20T07:14:00.001-04:00

And then there were two. With the Indiana Pacers 4-2 smashing of the hapless New York Knicks, Indy's assured themselves of a rematch against the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. The refocused Pacers look to avenge last year's 4-2 Eastern Conference semifinals loss to the eventual champs. Paul George, Roy Hibbert & Co. are a year older and chomping at the bit to erase the sting of Dwyane Wade going bonkers at Indy's Bankers Life Fieldhouse to the tune of 41 points and 10 boards in last year's closeout game 6. The Pacers' defense is championship ready, but can their "22 Seconds And a Cloud of Dust" offense put enough points on the board to outclass the Heat?

Miami comes into this series rested and barely tested, but with some questions of it's own. The Milwaukee Bucks talked a good game, and the Chicago Bulls fought gamely, but we haven't seen that "playoff gear" from the Heat yet. And (surprise!) Dwyane Wade is again hobbled in the playoffs; he's laid a 1-12, 4 point stinker against the Bucks and a 3-10, 6 point clunker against the Bulls. Can Wade and Lebron produce consistently against Indiana's rugged perimeter defense?

Both squads come in with different looks; Chris Bosh will be rearin' to go after going down with an abdominal injury after a game and a half of the last series. Danny Granger, who's aggression sparked a lot of the fireworks in '12, won't be part of this year's festivities due to injury.

TEAM ROSTER
NO.	NAME	POS	AGE	HT	WT	COLLEGE	2012-2013 SALARY
14	D.J. Augustin	PG	25	6-0	183	Texas	$3,500,000
24	Paul George	SF	23	6-8	221	Fresno State	$2,574,120
33	Danny Granger	SF	30	6-8	228	New Mexico	$13,058,606
25	Gerald Green	SF	27	6-8	210		$3,500,000
23	Ben Hansbrough	PG	25	6-3	203	Notre Dame	$473,604
50	Tyler Hansbrough	PF	27	6-9	250	North Carolina	$3,055,259
55	Roy Hibbert	C	26	7-2	280	Georgetown	$13,668,750
3	George Hill	PG	27	6-2	190	IUPUI	$8,000,000
11	Orlando Johnson	SG	24	6-5	220	UC Santa Barbara	$550,000
28	Ian Mahinmi	C	26	6-11	230		$4,000,000
29	Jeff Pendergraph	PF	26	6-9	250	Arizona State	$1,500,000
13	Miles Plumlee	PF	24	6-11	255	Duke	$1,073,280
1	Lance Stephenson	SG	22	6-5	228	Cincinnati	$870,000
21	David West	PF	32	6-9	250	Xavier	$10,000,000
4	Sam Young	SF	27	6-6	225	Pittsburgh	$402,065

Coach: Frank Vogel

Paul George is evolving into his role as The Guy nicely; his scoring touch comes and goes (he's misfiring on 60% of his shots in these playoffs), but the 5 dimes and 8.25 boards nightly more than make up for it. Indiana was the stingiest team in the NBA this season, giving up a measly 90.7 ppg, and was 2nd in Defensive Rating at 99.8. 7'3" Roy Hibbert is the sun which the Pacer's defensive solar system revolves, challenging all action at the rim and averaging 2.5 blocks a night. Swingman Lance Stephenson really came into his own last series against the Knicks, providing energy, scoring, and surprising rebounding (8.2 boards a game is excellent for a 6'5" shooting guard).

TEAM ROSTER
NO.	NAME	POS	AGE	HT	WT	COLLEGE	2012-2013 SALARY
34	Ray Allen	SG	37	6-5	205	Connecticut	$3,090,000
11	Chris Andersen	PF	34	6-10	228	Blinn College	$341,756
50	Joel Anthony	C	30	6-9	245	UNLV	$3,750,000
31	Shane Battier	SF	34	6-8	225	Duke	$3,135,000
1	Chris Bosh	C	29	6-11	235	Georgia Tech	$17,545,000
15	Mario Chalmers	PG	27	6-2	190	Kansas	$4,000,000
30	Norris Cole	PG	24	6-2	175	Cleveland State	$1,082,520
40	Udonis Haslem	PF	32	6-8	235	Florida	$4,060,000
5	Juwan Howard	PF	40	6-9	250	Michigan	$135,697
6	LeBron James	SF	28	6-8	250		$17,545,000
22	James Jones	SF	32	6-8	215	Miami (FL)	$1,500,000
9	Rashard Lewis	PF	33	6-10	230		$1,352,181
13	Mike Miller	SG	33	6-8	210	Florida	$5,800,000
24	Jarvis Varnado	PF	25	6-9	230	Mississippi State	$217,301
3	Dwyane Wade	SG	31	6-4	220	Marquette	$17,182,000

Coach: Erik Spoelstra

Miami's counterpunch? LeBron James, aka the Human Cheat Code, who went nuts halfway through game 6 of the ECF last year against Boston and have been flying in rarefied air ever since. LeBron spearheads an impressive offensive and defensive attack; Miami is 5th in the league in both points per game (102.7) and opponent's ppg (95). When healthy, Wade is still a top 3 guard in the league, but his health is a big "if" this series. Chris Bosh is the x-factor; his numbers don't scream at you so far this post season (13.2 ppg, 8.2 rpg), but like his whole team, there's the sense that Miami has been expending as little energy as possible, biding it's time until the intensity ramps up.

If ever there was a time for the Heat to hit the "Playoff Switch", it's now. Indiana's confidence is sky high after dispatching the brash Knicks, and Miami showed what can happen after long layoffs when they lost to the injury ravaged Bulls in the 1st game of the last series. Look for a physical, downright nasty series, but ultimately the Heat's talent will win out. I'm calling Miami in 6 games.

B.A.T. Watch: So, I've been using the B.A.T. (Boards+Assists-Tyrnovers) system to gauge how a team will fare against an opponent. The larger the differential in two teams' B.A.T., the better the chance to win. Indiana has a season B.A.T. of 49.6, Miami's B.A.T. is at 47.6. UH OH.

Season Series

Jan 8th: Heat 77 - Grizzlies 87

Feb 1st: Heat 89 - Pacers 102

Mar 10: Pacers 91 - -Heat 105

Game 1: Wed May 22 Pacers at Heat 8:30 EST on TNT

Game 2: Fri May 24 Pacers at Heat 8:30 EST on TNT

Game 3: Sun May 26 Heat at Pacers 8:30 EST on TNT

Game 4: Tue May 28 Heat at Pacers 8:30 EST on TNT

Game 5: Thu May 30 Pacers at Heat 8:30 EST on TNT

Game 6: Sat Jun 1 Heat at Pacers 8:30 EST on TNT

Game 7: Mon Jun 3 Pacers at Heat 8:30 EST on TNT

TPBT Conference Finals Predictions

2013-05-19T20:42:00.002-04:00

It has come that time once again to make our predictions. Some of us are serious and some of... well, one of us isn't serious. Below are our bold predictions on the outcomes of the Conference Finals match ups of the Miami Heat verses the Indiana Pacers as well as the San Antonio Spurs verses the Memphis Grizzlies. We are in for some epic games with the top 3 defensive teams and one team whose foundation was build on defense, the Spurs.

Miami Heat (1) vs Indiana Pacers (3)

Heat in 6

At the end of the day, the Miami Heat have more talent, better athletes and championship experience. Their roster has only improved since the last title and without Danny Granger, the Pacers can only fight in this series. If Indiana can use their interior play to their advantage they might be able to prove me wrong. Until then, Miami is looking for their 3rd straight Finals appearance. – Jacob

Heat in 7

I worry about Dwyane Wade's knee, and I really worry about how Bosh and LeBron are going to keep an improved Hibbert/West/Mahimni trio off the glass. When I say worry, I do not think the series is in doubt. Rather, I worry that the physical toll is going to be so cumbersome that it will keep them from repeating.

Spo is a vastly improved coach in the past two seasons, and I felt he should have been Coach of the Year, with Frank Vogel as runner up. Keep an eye out on adjustments throughout this series. They're going to be sharp, well-designed, perfectly timed and the kind of stuff we will be getting used to from these emerging/elite head coaches.

I love you Paul George, and you've had a great year. RIP. Bron 'gon Bron

Ryan

Pacers in 4

Here's the thing: I'm not watching this series. But I hate the Heat, and their pathetic, frontrunning, over-tanned, late-arriving fans. Paul George for president. - Ben

Heat in 5

Sure, the Pacers could possibly take this to six or seven games. But that won't happen unless Roy Hibbert plays the best basketball of his career. You can say Indiana matches up well against the Miami since their best players are at the small forward and power forward positions and LeBron James will have to guard them. But that also means that George and West will have to defend LeBron, and they'll be responsible for a lot of the Pacers scoring punch. The Heat just have too many advantages, and being better is one of them. - James

Heat in 6

Pacers make a lot of unforced turnovers. Miami feasts on turnovers. Indy's defense has been impeccable, but I don't think they can score enough against Miami's stout defense. Unless Hibbert really steps up offensively against the undersized Heat, I don't see it going past 6. – James/SnottieDrippen

Heat in 6

The Pacers have a chance here they really do. The way the Pacers match up give the Heat fits especially in the regular season. And the Heat are a liltle under the weather especially Dwyane Wafe who's knee has been giving him issues. But this is the Heat and they are outright scary when they decide to be.if Indiana is honna win they will have to get the Heat in foul trouble early and often. - Payton

San Antonio Spurs (2) vs Memphis Grizzlies (5)

Spurs in 7

San Antonio's experience and coaching will be the deciding X-factor in this series. Memphis has been the feel good story of the post season and rightfully so. They have played the best defense in the league since moving Rudy Gay for financial reasons. Memphis ability to, or inability, to score will be troublesome against a Spurs team who does all things well on both sides. – Jacob

Spurs in 6.

I think Gasol and Randolph will cause some problems for the Spurs. However, I think Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard could, collectively, take Mike Conley out of this series. I think Tony Allen could do the same against Tony Parker if his minutes weren't in flux. Memphis can't score the basketball, San Antonio could, even with the Manu Ginobili point shaving. Spurs take care of Memphis in 6. – Quentin

Grizzlies in 6

I know he's improved steadily since his public castration in the 2011 first round upset, but there's no way in hell that Tiago Splitter is keeping Zach Randolph in check. Zach has, in order, clowned Blake Griffin, Deandre Jordan, Rony Turiaf, Ken Perkins, Serge Ibaka and Nick Collison. There are a handful of tough, large, talented big men that have gotten destroyed by Zach in two months' time.

Love and respect for Pop, Tim, Tony and Manu, but Memphis is too big and too talented at 4/5. Look for Conley to outplay an injured Parker as he did with CP3. Conley is emerging as the two-way game manager we thought to be a best case scenario for him. – Ryan

Grizzlies in 4

Here's the thing: I won't watch any of this series. But James Bucklin and I agree on one thing: Mike Conley is the best point guard in the NBA. – Ben

Spurs in 5

For the record, I hate Mike Conley. Jr. and Sr. That's part of the reason I'm leaning so heavily toward the Spurs. The other reasons are that I haven't believed in Memphis all season and said they would get swept by the Clippers. Also, I'm writing this after Game 1 and San Antonio blew them out. Spurs are just as good as the Grizz defensively, but Memphis just can't score with Timmy, Tony, Manu and Kawhi. - James

Grizzlies in 7

San Antonio has the experience advantage, the coaching advantage, and the Spurs role guys (Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard, specifically), are a bit better than Memphis'. Yet the size ans defensive prowess of Memphis will win out, eventually. Mike Conley Jr will play Tony Parker to a standstill, and I don't see how Diaw vs Z-Bo matchup isn't exploited successfully. – James/ SnottieDrippen

Grizzlies in 7

The Grizz will start the series slow and struggle in game one and two but once they get going and adjust the Spurs will have a hard time matching up. Look for the Spurs to double Z-Bo a ton and some physical play on Conley at the pg position. - Payton

2013 Playoff Preview: San Antonio Spurs (2) vs Memphis Grizzlies (5) - Western Conference Finals

2013-05-19T20:26:00.000-04:00

Rematch of the 2011 playoffs! Well, not really.

The San Antonio Spurs and Memphis Grizzlies met in the first round of the 2011 NBA playoffs. The Grizzlies being the 8^th seed ended up beating the number one seed Spurs in six games.

These teams are nothing like their 2011 rosters. Memphis leaned more offense with Rudy Gay and OJ Mayo. The 2013 team has Tony Allen playing starter every game where as his role was split between OJ Mayo, Sam Young, or Xavier Henry. The big change between the 2011 Grizzlies and the 2013 Grizzlies is the Rudy Gay trade.

Since the Grizzlies have moved Rudy Gay for Tayshaun Prince and Ed Davis they have been a phenomenal defensive team. This appears to be working. The Grizzlies other stars have improved like Marc Gasol (Defensive Player of the Year) and Mike Conley. This 2013 is much improved having taking out both the Clippers and Thunder on their way to the Western Conference Finals. It will be interesting to watch how this roster matches up to the new and improved Spurs team.

The same can be said for the Spurs with their roster change over. They were playing Richard Jefferson and DeJuan Blair with the big three. Now the Spurs have a young star in the making with Kwahi Leonard playing in Richard Jefferson’s role and the young prospect they have been patient on in Tiago Splitter.

The Spurs have gone back to their roots of playing tough defense and play a well balanced offense attack. San Antonio’s style is never sexy to watch but for basketball nerds, this franchise brought sexy back. Offensively with the young legs, the Spurs are better than they have ever been offensively. This squad averages 102.8 points game in the playoffs compared to the 94.2 with the 2011 playoff squad.

This series is exactly what everyone wants to see with 5 on 5 match ups that intrigue at every position. The point guards play between Tony Parker and Mike Conley might be the most important. The other match ups include Tony Allen and Kwahi Leonard, Tayshaun Price and Danny Green, Zach Randolph and Tim Duncan, and lastly, Marc Gasol and Tiago Splitter.

This series will be a physical contest of 7 games if the season series tells us anything.

Season Series 2-2

Dec 1^st: Grizzlies 95 – Spurs 99

Jan 11^th: Spurs 98 – Grizzlies 101

Jan 16^th: Grizzlies 82 – Spurs 103

Apr 1^st: Spurs 90 – Grizzlies 92

Game 1 - Sun May 19 Memphis at San Antonio 3:30PM ABC/R

Game 2 - Tue May 21 Memphis at San Antonio 9:00PM ESPN/R

Game 3 - Sat May 25 San Antonio at Memphis 9:00PM ESPN/R

Game 4 – Mon May 27 San Antonio at Memphis 9:00PM ESPN/R

Game 5 * Wed May 29 Memphis at San Antonio 9:00PM ESPN/R

Game 6 * Fri May 31 San Antonio at Memphis 9:00PM ESPN/R

Game 7 * Sun June 2 Memphis at San Antonio 9:00PM ESPN/R

Lebron James and CP3 mentor Stephen Curry and James Harden

2013-05-19T16:05:00.000-04:00

Some raw footage released by Lebron James showing him mentor some young players including Stephen Curry and James Harden. This was when Lebron was a "hero" in Cleveland before he turned to the dark side. Anyways, always fun seeing these types of videos surface.

Knicks vs. Pacers Game 6 Recap: Pacers Eliminate Knicks

2013-05-19T12:41:00.000-04:00

The Indiana Pacers are advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals after defeating the New York Knicks 106-99. Let's talk about some of the reasons why Indiana is going to the Conference Finals, why New York is going home, and the outlook for both franchises moving forward.

Lance Stephenson's Shining Moment

After an average Game five performance, Pacers guard Lance Stephenson had his best game this season. Stephenson finished with 25 points on 9-13 shooting, 10 rebounds, and three steals. The numbers were great for Lance, but what killed the Knicks was his ability to get to the basket. With Stephenson's large frame, Lance killed New York's two point guard lineup by attacking Raymond Felton and Pablo Prigioni, and when J.R. Smith found time on the court, Stephenson used any and every screen to get easy shot attempts at the basket. Throw in his momentum swaying three-point play in the fourth and the Knicks had no answer.

The Pacers Bully The Knicks

The Pacers had 43 rebounds and 46 free-throws to New York's 36 rebounds and 18 free-throws. The Pacers realized that they were at home and attacked New York in the paint. Each starter for Indiana had at least five rebounds, and two players had double-digit rebounds. Eleven of the Pacers 36 rebounds were offensive, giving them numerous chances to get points. The Knicks had no answer for Roy Hibbert, David West, and Lance Stephenson on the boards.

Ugh, Carmelo Anthony

Carmelo Anthony wasn't bad. In fact, the game was setting up to look like the Knicks were going to lose despite Carmelo Anthony's performance. In the first three quarters, I thought Carmelo did the best he could. However, in the fourth quarter, Anthony had ran out of gas. Not only did he miss shots, but he was passing the ball to J.R. Smith. As I look back at the game, he had three momentum changing plays in the fourth quarter alone (The pass that resulted in the turnover that Lance Stephenson took back for a three-point play, the summit meeting at the rim with Roy Hibbert, and the charge call with the score tied.). In the fourth quarter alone, Carmelo Anthony went 2-7 from the field, three turnovers, two fouls, and one rebound.

Iman Shumpert

You really thought Iman wasn't going to get mentioned? In a game where the Knicks had no real second option, Shumpert showed out in the second half. Shumpert finished with 19 points on 6-10 shooting and finished 5-6 from three-point range. If J.R. Smith is gone, I'm curious to see how much of the offensive pie Shumpert will receive next season. A full season away from the ACL injury, Shumpert should continue to have his athleticism return, but in coming back, I think we found what his destiny is. Shumpert is the perfect spot-up shooter. In Game six, I found myself in terror as Shumpert put the ball on the ground. However, when Shumpert caught the ball and shot it? Good things occurred. Here's to Iman Shumpert. Thank you for proving me wrong and being the Knicks best player this offseason.

The State Of The Pacers Moving Forward

How could you not like this team? George Hill, Lance Stephenson, Paul George, David West, Roy Hibbert. Four of those five players are under the age of 27. The Pacers will need to make a move on David West, and honestly, I'm trading Danny Granger to keep David West. As we saw against the Knicks and will see against Miami, the Pacers have zero contributors off the bench. I think that will effect them in this upcoming series, but shouldn't moving forward. This team will be back next season, and hopefully, we're talking about a team with seven or eight good players rather than five.

The State Of The Knicks Moving Forward

Not good. This team isn't getting back to this spot next season. Ignore the fact Chicago will be back next season, the roster will be changed heavily this offseason. J.R. Smith might be back next season, but he might be opting out this offseason. Smith's postseason might've brought his value back down to New York's location (The Knicks can only offer Smith 25 million dollars), but I don't know if that's a good thing. The Knicks will possibly have six position that need to be filled, and all they have is the mini-mid level exception and the 24th pick in the draft as assets. If Kidd and Camby retire (please?), the Knicks won't have as much money to shell out, but will still be strapped for cash.

EP100: NBA Unplugged - 100th Episode Celebration

2013-05-16T18:00:00.000-04:00

Today marks the 100th episode of NBA Unplugged. Today we will be joining some of our oldest friends in the biz to discuss NBA Playoffs, Draft Combine and memories. www.blogtalkradio.com/probasketballtalk. Don't miss out on this two hour 100th episode podcast starting at 7pm.

Special Guests Include:

Alex Kennedy (8pm) - Hoopsworld / USA Today - Live from NBA Draft Combine
Moke Hamilton (730pm) - SNY - Brooklyn / Sheridan Hoops - Breaking down Knicks/Pacers

Main Event:

Brian Geltzeiler - Hoopscritic / Sheridan Hoops - Discussing Grizzlies/Thunder series and Western Conference playoffs

This will air at 7:00 PM EST on Thursday! Tune in at www.blogtalkradio.com/probasketballtalk

As always, tweet at us: @probskblltalk @james_bucklin @jacobnnoble

Podcast: The Bozos of Basketball - ABC's

2013-05-16T11:53:00.000-04:00

The Bozos of Basketball unveiled their NBA Playoffs A-Z last night, and it was quite the celebraish. All kind of fun topics were discussed, and the fellas even offered up some spicy sidebars of letters, for your enjoyment. Listed below are the A-Z extras. If you want to hear the NBA stuff, give a listen!

A: Angels & Airwaves "Soul Survivor 2012"
B: Bad Boys 2 (2003)
C: Curtis Mayfield "Move On Up"
D: Die Hard With a Vengeance (1995)
E: Eighties classic "Wild Again" by Starship (Cocktail Soundtrack)
F: Fast & Furious 6 (Summer, 2013)
G: Gaslight Anthem "Mulholland Drive"
H: Hobo With A Shotgun (2011) (honorable mention to "Hell Comes To Frogtown" (1988)
I: Irish classic "The Broad Majestic Shannon" by The Pogues
J: Judgement Day: Terminator 2 (1991) (didn't register), so Judge Dredd (1995)
K: Two for the price of One - The Kinks "Celluloid Heroes" & Kurt Vile "Wakin' On a Pretty Day"
L: Last Action Hero (1993)
M: Patto "The Man" (Man starts with M, so it counts)
N: Next of Kin (1989)
O: "Okayalright" by moe.
P: Predator (1987)
Q: Queen "Somebody To Love" from the LIVE in Montreal 1981 concert
R: Roadhouse (1989)
S: The Sheepdogs "Feeling Good"
T: They Live (1988)
U: Uncle Tupelo "No Depression"
V: V For Vendetta (2005)
W: "Wasting Time" by ALO (WHITE BOY RAP ALERT)
X: xXx (2002) (not Ice Cube one)
Y: "Young Hearts" by Commuter (Karate Kid Soundtrack)
Z: Zebrahead "I'm Money"

2013 NBA Play-Off Look-In Part II

2013-05-16T09:06:00.000-04:00

Eat your crappy writing heart out, M. Night Shamalan, even you couldn't dream up the twists so far in this year's playoffs ("Water kills the aliens!!!"...meaning it didn't get foggy or rain or they didn't touch a river or lake...screw that movie). We've watched Durant try to go full "2007 LeBron" and carry his team of role players deep into the playoffs (key word is "try"; it didn't turn out so well), we've witnessed to deconstruction of the "Melo has arrived as a superstar" and the "Vinny Del Negro isn't a terrible coach" myths, and we've gotten to bear witness to the event astronomer's wet dreams are made of: the birth of a star in Oakland as Stephen Curry has made himself known to the casual NBA fan. Here's some other tidbits from the New Season:

I was asked via Twitter if Kevin Durant shouldn't get at least SOME of the "blame" for OKC being down in a 1-3 hole because KD shot 38% in the game 4 loss. That's laughable because 1) he's been extraordinary in the 8 games since his All Star teammate Russell Westbrook went down, averaging 33.1 points, 10.1 boards, and 6.25 assists while shooting a healthy 48.6% from the floor 2) 3 members of the Memphis Grizzlies made All Defense teams; with Westbrook out and Brooks inexplicably insisting on Durant bringing the ball up to try and initiate offense against a dug in Grizzlies defense, Memphis simply loads up and waits for KD. Serge Ibaka ( 11. 9 ppg, and 38.6%, down from his regular season 13.3/57%)and Kevin Martin (14.75 ppg, 38%) haven't stepped up their production. But how about there's no "blame"? How about we say "this iteration of OKC without Russell Westbrook isn't as good as the Memphis Grizzlies"? Marc Gasol has turned the sliders down to "Easy" on his midrange jumpers and Mike Conley Jr is playing at another level after besting Chris Paul in round 1. I expect KD to have one more "let off every round in the clip" performance to remind us that he's the best scorer and 2nd best player in the NBA, but ultimately, Memphis is 6.

I was told on Twitter (AKA the Land Of The Ass-Hattery) that the 2012-2013 Knicks were the "best team ever put around Carmelo Anthony", somehow overlooking Allen Iverson averaging 26 ppg and 7 apg with younger, actually productive Marcus Camby, Kenyon Martin, and Linas Kleiza and JR Smith both double digit scorers off of the bench for Denver in the 2007 season, or Kenyon Martin, Nene, JR Smith, and Chauncy Billups averaging between 11.7 and 18.7 ppg with the Nuggets in 2008. No, this Knicks squad is NOT the most talented team Melo has ever been a part of. This team rode an incredible hot shooting wave (they made 11 threes a night and shot 39.3% from 3 as a TEAM in November and December) to an 18-5 start, stumbled mightily over the next 40ish games (they went about 20-20), and then Melo and JR averaging 60 while shooting lights out the last 10 games of the season had y'all fooled. The reality: When you sign four 38+ year old players to be vital rotation players and allow your 2 "stars" to attempt 46% of your team's field goal attempts but hit 43% of them, you're not really that good a team. The Pacers have exposed the Knicks by rotating swiftly to shooters, negating that 3 point attack, and by playing straight up, smash mouthed man-to-man defense, eschewing double teams that lead to open looks. Paul George has been exceptional defending Melo without help, holding him to 26 ppg (2 less than his season average) and 41% shooting. Roy Hibbert's stifling interior defense let's the Pacer perimeter guys defend with reckless abandon, confident that any breach of their defensive net will be plugged by the 7'3" Hoya. Knick fans should be proud of their teams regular season, and for finally getting out of the 1st round, but prepare for another summer of roster moves in Madison Square Garden.

Miami Heat should mercifully finish off the M.A.S.H. unit that is the Chicago Bulls tonight, and we're just wondering: where do the Bulls go from here? *sees the score is 22-8 with 4:35 left in the 1st quarter* Cripes. Since I loafed and took all day to write this, I saw the grisly ending of that Miami-Chicago game. ISlute the scrappy Bulls, but Miami simply is too good; they haven't hit their rhythm, LeBron James didn't play well...and still averaged 23.6 ppg, 7.0 rebounds, and 7.6 assists a game. I hope Bulls fans realize that this is a team to be proud of. Derrick Rose should be as close to 100% back as humanly possible by next season, Jimmy Butler emerging as a lethal do-it-all shooting guard to pair with equally utilitarian Luol Deng, and a big man rotation of Joakim Noah, Carlos Boozer, and Taj Gibson can stand up to any front line in the league. Bulls fans, have faith, and have confidence that the Chicago's front office puts the pieces around Rose to challenge Miami next year.

I've already written extensively about the Spurs/Warriors series. Like, a couple times. Golden State still has a pulse in this series, but if they end up losing 4-2, they'll mentally kick themselves in the off-season for fumbling away that game 1. More on this series later.

Welp. OKC got throttled in game 5, falling to the Memphis Grizzlies 88-84 behind Zach Randolph's 28 pts and 14 rbs. Kevin Durant went out with a whimper; 5-21 from the field, 0-4 from 3, 7 turnovers. His performances seemed to deteriorate from game 1. Memphis was able to load up on him and send an extra defender into his path every time he ventured into his scoring areas. Never underestimate how much having an elite teammate helps out a superstar. OKC has some decisions to make too. Kevin Martin had a very respectable season (14 ppg on 45%), but his $12.4 million is off the books after this season. Do they try and resign him on the cheap? How much is inconsistent scoring and streak shooting really worth? Is it time to let the Jeremy Lamb Era kick off?

NBA Announces All Defensive Teams

2013-05-14T18:16:00.001-04:00

2012-13 NBA ALL-DEFENSIVE FIRST TEAM

Position Player, Team 1^st 2^nd Points

Forward LeBron James, Miami 25 2 52

Forward Serge Ibaka, Oklahoma City 17 12 46

Center Tyson Chandler, New York 9 6 24

Center Joakim Noah, Chicago 8 8 24

Guard Tony Allen, Memphis 25 3 53

Guard Chris Paul, L.A. Clippers 15 7 37

2012-13 NBA ALL-DEFENSIVE SECOND TEAM

Position Player, Team 1^st 2^nd Points

Forward Tim Duncan, San Antonio 3 14 20

Forward Paul George, Indiana 7 13 27

Center Marc Gasol, Memphis 5 2 12

Guard Avery Bradley, Boston 10 5 25

Guard Mike Conley, Memphis 4 11 19

Other players receiving votes, with point totals (First Team votes in parentheses): Andre Iguodala, Denver, 16 (2); Larry Sanders, Milwaukee, 16 (4); Thabo Sefolosha, Oklahoma City, 15 (2); Luol Deng, Chicago, 11 (1); Dwight Howard, L.A. Lakers, 9 (3); Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers (6 (1); Roy Hibbert, Indiana, 6 (2); Kenneth Faried, Denver, 4 (1); Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City, 4 (1); Shane Battier, Miami, 2; Nicolas Batum, Portland, 2 (1); Corey Brewer, Denver, 2; George Hill, Indiana, 2; Mike James, Dallas, 2 (1); Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio, 2, (1); Tony Parker, San Antonio, 2 (1); Dwyane Wade, Miami, 2; Metta World Peace, L.A. Lakers, 2 (1); Eric Bledsoe, L.A. Clippers, 1; Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City, 1; Jrue Holiday, Philadelphia, 1; Andrei Kirilenko, Minnesota, 1; Iman Shumpert, New York, 1; David West, Indiana, 1.

via Press Release

NBA Announces All NBA Rookie Teams

2013-05-14T18:10:00.006-04:00

2012-13 NBA ALL-ROOKIE FIRST TEAM

Player Team First (2 pt) Second (1 Pt) Total

Damian Lillard Portland 29 - 58

Bradley Beal Washington 28 1 57

Anthony Davis New Orleans 28 1 57

Dion Waiters Cleveland 21 8 50

Harrison Barnes Golden State 18 11 47

2012-13 NBA ALL-ROOKIE SECOND TEAM

Player Team First (2 pt) Second (1 Pt) Total

Andre Drummond Detroit 10 15 35

Jonas Valanciunas Toronto 6 19 31

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist Charlotte 3 23 29

Kyle Singler Detroit 1 15 17

Tyler Zeller Cleveland 3 9 15

Other players receiving votes, with point totals (first place votes in parentheses):

Maurice Harkless, Orlando, 14 (1); Alexey Shved, Minnesota, 14 (1); Chris Copeland, New York, 9 (1); Brian Roberts, New Orleans, 5; Andrew Nicholson, Orlando, 4; Jae Crowder, Dallas, 1; Festus Ezeli, Golden State, 1; Draymond Green, Golden State, 1; John Jenkins, Atlanta, 1; Terrence Jones, Houston, 1; Pablo Prigioni, New York, 1; Terrence Ross, Toronto, 1; Jeff Taylor, Charlotte, 1.

via Press Release

Notes From Game 4: Warriors Evolve Vs The Spurs

2013-05-13T06:20:00.003-04:00

Now THIS is a damn series. The storyline: the proud, pedigreed, veteran team of cool professionals was supposed to surgically dispatch the brash, exciting, youthful novices from Oakland in 4 or 5 short games. This 2nd round match-up was supposed to be nothing more than a tune up for the Spurs as they prepped to battle Memphis in the Western Conference Finals, and an abject lesson in how to take playoff lumps for the Warriors. 16 of the 17 ESPN writers and bloggers chose the Spurs in this series, with 6 of those going with San Antonio in 6.

OH, REALLY?

The Gut Punch game and The Curry Offensive game were fun, but The Consummate Spurs Win in game 3 seemed to restore order in the NBA universe. But this is supreme improv; the Warriors tore up the script and gave us a series all knotted up 2-2 on Sunday. Budding star Steph Curry gritted through ankle issues and again served notice to the current pantheon of elite point guards that he was among their ranks, and this time he had plenty of help. In stark contrast to how they blew a 16 point lead with 4 minutes remaining in game 1, the Warriors roared back from 8 down with less than 4 minutes left to force overtime, then held the Spurs to a paltry 3 points in OT, gutting out a 97-87 win over the suddenly vulnerable looking Spurs.

Some things from game 4:

Games 1 and 2 were the Steph Curry & Klay Thompson Show, with the pair averaging 59.5 ppg on 46-96 fg (47.9%) and draining a scintillating 16-33 from 3. They HAVE to be efficient for the Warrior to beat the Spurs, right? Wrong. Games 3 and 4 saw Curry and Thompson combine for a mortal 32.5 ppg on 24-65 fg (36.9%), but they still were 11-26 (5-12 in game 4) from deep, and GSW earned a 1-1 split over the last 2 games. I don't know if the average fan understands how incredible it is to have your point guard and shooting guard combining to basically go 7 for 15 from 3 every night against a stout Spurs defense. To put that in perspective, the Spurs limited whole TEAMS to only 6.4 makes from 3 a game (good for 5th lowest in the league) on 35.1%.
With their guard duo being less than dynamic, Golden States's rook Harrison Barnes and Jarrett Jack poured in 50 points and grabbed 17 rebounds.Their counterparts, Tiago Splitter and Manu Ginobili, combined for 26 points and 6 rebounds.
Paging Gary Neal: Neal was a vital cog in the Spur's offensive machine this year, averaging 9.5 and fearless shooting off the bench, and in game 1, every single one of his 10 points were necessary in the 2 point San Antonio win. Since then? Neal has vanished, putting up 6, 2, and 2 in the last 3 games.
Battle of The Benches: All season, Spurs fans in the Twittersphere bragged about how their bench was a huge advantage over most teams, and they were right; San Antonio's bench produced the 5th most points in the league at 37.8 ppg. The warriors bench was subpar; the 30.5 ppg it posted was a lowly 19th. This series? In the 4 games, the Dubs 2nd unit has been right in line with it's season scoring average at 29.25 ppg, while the Spurs production has plummeted to 27.5 ppg.
6th Man Showdown: Manu Ginobili has been known for his daring drives and his elite play as the super sub x-factor, but in this series, Jarrett Jack has held his own off the bench.

Manu: 15. 3 ppg, 5.5 asts, 4.8 rbs, 36.1%, 32.3 mpg

Jack: 14.5 ppg, 2.8 asts, 4.0 rbs, 46.0%, 33.8 mpg

B.A.T. Breakdown: The Warrior hammered the Spurs on the boards, 65 to 51, so even though GSW had 7 more turnovers (18 to 11), they still won the B.A.T. (Boards + Assists - Turnover) battle 66 to 57.
I can't stress enough what a remarkable job Andrew Bogut is doing on Tim Duncan defensively. Yes, Tim is putting up 21 and 11 a gameon Bogut, but the 41% shooting Bogut is holding him to is well below his career 50% shooting in the playoffs. Even more amazing, GSW was +17 when Bogut was on the floor; SAS was -23 when Tim Duncan was on the floor. Unreal.
Tip the hat performance for Harrison Barnes- 26 pts, 10 rbs. His 17. 5 ppg, 8.3 rbg, and boundless energy in this series are almost as responsible for the Warriors' success against the Spurs as Bogut's defense on Duncan.

Game 5 is on Tuesday the 14th at 9:30 pm PST on TNT

Notes From Game Three: Pacers Dismantle Knicks Offense

2013-05-12T11:49:00.001-04:00

Now that was some brutal basketball. The Indiana Pacers took care of the New York Knicks at home 82-71 in-game three of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The win gives Indiana the series lead with game four on their home floor. Even though this game had moments of unspeakable horror and sheer terror on the offensive end, I found some notes for both teams moving forward in the series.

The Pure Dominance From Roy Hibbert: Whenever I talked about Hibbert's impact on the defensive side of the floor, I usually talked about dimensions. Roy Hibbert changes the dimensions of the floor from the inside out when he's on the floor. He changes the way post players attack the basket, he changes the way wing players attack the basket, and he changes the way a team decides to run their pick and roll. Hibbert has done a fantastic job at making the Knicks offense even more bogged down. His game three performance (24 points, 9-18 shooting, 12 rebounds) was great, but more importantly, he's making Tyson Chandler look pathetic at times, and that's a huge advantage for Indiana.

Indiana's Lack Of Bench Play: Indiana had 8 points off the bench. Eight! The Pacers had 11 total shots off the bench.

Mr. Everything For Indiana: Paul George will walk away this game with an eye-popping statline: 14 points, 4-17 shooting, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, and five steals. He made a huge impact for Indiana, but I came away with this game intrigued by George's overall game. The 4-17 shooting isn't great, but what caught my eye is that he loves spot-up threes. From paying deep attention to this one game, it seemed like George doesn't have a middle game, which is rather odd. I know he can get to the basket, but he doesn't have that will to dribble like past wing players before him. It was interesting to me throughout the game, and gave me something to look for in film during the offseason.

Pablo Prigioni And Jason Kidd: Jason Kidd was a mild surprise early in the season, then he became the bane of my existence, and then, he became the smart veteran who made steals, slapped the ball off people, and did veteran things. Pablo Prigioni went from an unknown, to a nice sub, to a benched point guard, to one of the keys to New York's resurgence. Now, we seem to be at a bit of a crossroads. The total for Kidd and Prigs? 44 minutes and 0 points. While they joined to give New York six rebounds, five assists, and four steals, the Knicks need one of them to catch their offense flow, and odds are, Prigioni's offensive game (dictating the offense, hitting various three-point shots) could offer the Knicks more than Kidd could.

Iman Shumpert Does It Again: I never want to overrate players on my team. However, I really think Iman Shumpert is taking a step up in this series. As previously discussed, I think he's been the most consistent Knick in this postseason. After not shooting the ball well in the regular season, Shumpert has offered the Knicks a stimulus while J.R. is going through the motions. I offer you three-point shooting (He's been shooting above 40% since returning from his injury. 46% in the playoffs), stellar defense (Paul Pierce and Paul George are being smothered by Shumpert's pure grit on the defensive end), and that he's been rebounding the ball well (10 rebounds in-game three, 6.4 per game in the postseason, and I'm excited for Shumpert going into next season.

The Retooling Of New York's Bench: The Knicks need to do something. If we're penciling in 10 minutes per game for Amar'e, then someone has to give up minutes. Kenyon Martin should keep his minutes, especially with Amar'e on the court with him. J.R. Smith needs a minutes decrease. Smith had some nice looks going to the basket, but he's ineffective at this point, and he's dominating the ball too much on the offensive end. I mentioned Kidd in the fourth note, but I didn't mention the fact he scored a grand total of zero points in 181 minutes. Both Kidd and Smith combined for 45 minutes. Chris Copeland or Steve Novak needs to see the floor. The Knicks are struggling from three (3-11 in-game three, 27%), and Copeland or Novak could stretch the court. Yes, both are poor on the defensive end, but the Knicks need someone who could catch a Felton pass off a pick-and-roll and hit an open shot. Someone not named "Anthony".

Mike Woodson: I didn't want to even mention this, but Seth Rosenthal of postingandtoasting.com brought it up on his twitter. Why put Novak in at the end of the third quarter and not play him? I thought game three was a classic Woodson game. His coaching didn't lose the game, but his lack of trust didn't help them win the game. The Knicks were in this game until the last four minutes. Needless to say, I was very disappointed with Woodson not making any moves that would've snag victory from the jaws of defeat.

That's all I got. Game four starts at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, May 14th.

Notes From Game 2: Warriors Shoot Down Spurs

2013-05-09T15:45:00.000-04:00

Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood-NBAE via Getty Images

Spurs fans CANNOT be happy about this turn of events. It must feel like Groundhog's Day. In 2011: the Spurs were 61-21, second best record in the NBA, top seed out West.....and ushered out of the 1st round unceremoniously in 6 games by the younger, hungrier Memphis Grizzlies. 2012: a mighty 38-7 stretch, 50-12, leaving them tied for tops in the abbreviated season....and knocked senseless by the younger, hungrier OKC Thunder in the WCF in 6 games, after being up 2-0. 2013: 58-24, third best record in the league, and with OKC's Russell Westbrook going down with an knee injury, a nice easy path to the NBA Finals....but now they're being outplayed by the younger, hungrier ...well, you get the picture.

2 thrilling games in the AT&T Center down, and Warriors-Spurs is shaping up to be a series for the ages. After watching the Warriors shoot the ever-lovin' skin off of the ball while dropping Denver, I picked GSW in 7 over San Antonio, but I was unsure if wunderkind Steph Curry & his band of merry playoff novices would bounce back from yakking away a 16 point lead in 240 seconds in game 1.
We know Mark Jackson is fast earning his coaching stripes, but a gut punch of a loss like this one would knock most young teams off of their stride. "The 1st 6 minutes of game 2 will tell us what we need to know about Golden State," I postulated.

Well, judging from the initial 6 minutes (and the ensuing 42), the Warriors are as authentic as can be. From the opening tip of game 2, it was obvious that there was no Game 1 hangover as they went up big, fought off the Spurs expected flurry, and held on for a quality 100-91 win.

Some things from game 2:

The Good: Pretty sure Spurs coach Greg Popovich probably spent the days scribbling "Slow Down Steph Curry" everywhere he could reach between games 1 and 2. San Antonio can take feel good for holding Curry to a 7-20, 2-6 from three night en route to 22 points after his 44 point eruption in game 1. Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard made getting clean looks tough for much of the game for Curry.
The Bad: Curry's backcourt mate Klay Thompson, he of the 40.6% three stroke this season, saw Curry's slow start, nodded grimly, and drilled 8-9 from deep on his way to a 34 point, 14 rebound night.
Big Man Down Under: Andrew Bogut (6 pts, 11 rbs, 1 blk) continues to be a difference maker. Sure, Tim Duncan still got his 23 points and 9 boards (he's going for 21 ppg and 10 rbs in the 2 games), but Bogut is playing fantastic defense and making life tough on TD, holding the career 51% shooter to 43% in the series. Bogut is challenging all attempts at the rim, rebounding well, and screening like a demon. Without Bogut's contributions, GSW is in an 0-2 hole. Bogut has a plus/minus of +16 in the series.
Speaking of plus/minus, an oddity: Every one of GSW's starters was at least +7 while the players off the bench were all negative (Festus Ezeli was -6, Jarrett Jack was -2, and Carl Landry was -1). Even odder? Tim Duncan had a neutral +/-, and every other Spur starter had a negative +/- (Parker and Kawhi Leonard were -8 each, Danny Green and Matt Bonner were both -9). Even Ginobili was -7.
Powerless Forwards: San Antonio's power forwards are being pretty handily outplayed by their Warriors counterparts. DeJuan Blair, Boris Diaw, Matt Bonner, and Tiago Splitter are averaging 10.5 ppg and 7.5 rpg on while Golden State is getting 25 ppg and 14.5 rbs from Harrison Barnes and Carl Landry. (Full disclosure: I know Kawhi Leonard played some PF in these games, but Barnes also played some SF, and I didn't feel like looking deeper into it. Sue me).
B.A.T.: Golden State won the B.A.T. (Boards + Assists - Turnovers) battle, 60 (50+19-9) to 52 (48+14-10).
Manu Ginobili is still one of the most feared 6th men in the game, but he's 10-32 in the 2 games, including 3-11 from 3. He's going to have to get untracked in Oakland to give the Spurs a chance to win back home court advantage.
Tony Parker is putting points on the board, averaging 24 ppg, but his efficiency has taken a dip. Parker shot 52% in the regular season, 49.3% in the 1st round...and is down to 41.8% so far versus Golden State.

Golden St. Hopes For: Curry to feed off of the intense Oracle home crowd and throw up another dominant performance; Bogut to stay out of foul trouble to man the middle.

San Antonio Hopes For: An awakening from Gary Neal (5-18 this series) and Manu Ginobili. A return of their offensive rhythm.

Game 3 is @ GSW on Friday, 10 May at 10:30 EST on ESPN

EP99: NBA Unplugged - Should Derrick Rose play?

2013-05-09T11:14:00.003-04:00

Welcome back to another edition of NBA Unplugged. www.blogtalkradio.com/probasketballtalk. Jacob and James will be breaking down the NBA playoffs

This will air at 12:00 PM EST on Thursday! Tune in at www.blogtalkradio.com/probasketballtalk

As always, tweet at us: @probskblltalk @james_bucklin @jacobnnoble

Are Celtics Fans Down on Avery Bradley?

2013-05-09T11:02:00.001-04:00

It was a disappointing season for the Boston Celtics as they were only able to acquire a No. 7 seed in the East and a first round exit at the hands of the New York Knicks (obviously the loss of Rajon Rondo for the season contributed to this). Rumors have been swirling about the possible departures of franchise cornerstones Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. It is time for Celtics fans to steer their focus to the young talent on their team like Rondo, Jeff Green and Avery Bradley.

These three players are the younger core that the Celtics will be building around for the next few years. But after a lackluster playoff performance, it would appear that Celtics fans are not as high on Bradley compared to the other two. The following is a G-Chat conversation that was sent to me by a Celtics die-hard friend of mine.

Celtics Fan #1: first round only in 2010 stocked with sexys
Celtics Fan #2: c's were one away from Bledsoe
One: grieve 28
Two: coulda grabbed him too ... im down on avery
One: be nice if he could hit a jumper
Two: or fight through a pick
One: or play d on fat felton
Two: or convert a pass
One: or not always be in foul trouble
Two: or get the ball across half court with more than 17 second left on shot clock
One: or have more than one facial expression
Two: or play a full season
One: wow, we are VERY down on Avery!!!!
Two: hahahaha, so many gripes!

Bradley was asked to do a lot without Rondo on the floor this season. He is certainly not a pure point guard. Maybe the return of his guard counterpart next season will help Bradley bounce back, but it looks like it may take some work for Avery to get back in the good graces of Celtics fans.

2013 Playoffs, Round 2, Game 2: (1) Miami Heat v. (5) Chicago Bulls

2013-05-08T16:05:00.002-04:00

Photo Credit: Jesse D. Garrabrant-NBAE via Getty Images

The Bulls have a Napoleon complex. It's obvious and it's fueled by their X-factor in Nate Robinson. Robinson has shown he has the ability to shoot this team in and out of victories, and it couldn't be more exciting to watch. Maybe I was wrong about the amount of help the Bulls had in defending the Heat, maybe the Heat will turn it on tonight, but for now, the Bulls have done something big in stealing Game 1 from the mighty might Heat.

Can they do it again in Game 2?

When: Wednesday, May 8, 7 p.m. ET
Where: American Airlines Arena, Miami, Fla.
Series Record: 1-0, Bulls
TV: TNT

The rust and rest factor has been talked about a lot, but don't put too much into the rust theory. Maybe the Heat were rusty in the first quarter, but by the fourth quarter, when they had a lead, the rust was off and the Bulls just found another gear while keeping the Heat from their sugar spots. The Bulls played great and did exactly what they needed to do to win Game 1.

Facts from Game 1 that probably won't happen in Game 2
The Heat only shot 29.2 percent from beyond the arc. It's an uncharacteristically low amount for a team that was second in the league in made 3-point shot percentage at 39.6. Don't expect to see this decline continue.

Robinson was responsible for 25 of the Bulls' 35 fourth-quarter points. It's obvious when he heats up, he can change a series. The question is going to be if he forces it or not in Game 2. How will the Heat defend him? Will they over-defend him and leave someone like Joakim Noah open to punish them in the paint? It will be interesting, but you cannot expect Robinson to turn into Superman every game. Can you?

Jimmy Butler. Who? He is the guy filling in for Luol Deng, the guy who dropped 21 points, grabbed 14 boards and three assists in Game 1. He put in such a performance that Twitterverse started calling him Jimmy Buckets, which may be premature. Don't expect that kind of output in Game 2, but if he can do it, it will give the Bulls a huge chance at a second victory. Jimmy Buckets needs to be ready to shoot because the defense is going to collapse on Robinson quite a bit.

Expected Adjustments
Dwyane Wade looks like he is plaing on Kobe Bryant's Achilles. He seems hobbled and unwilling to force action at the rim at times. He has to force himself into the paint if the Heat want to put pressure on the Bulls. Wade in the lane equals space for the rest of their spot-up three-point shooters who thrive on being wide open. If Wade can get to the rim more, expect that three-point percentage to rise drastically.

Has anyone seen The Boshtrich? Chris Bosh needs to show up or the Heat will be looking at a 2-0 hole going back to Chicago.

The Skinny
The Heat are not in trouble ... yet. Don't jump the gun yet, but if the Heat were to go down Wednesday night, it might be panic in Miami and some unloading of the bandwagon, though it would be premature. If the Bulls want to win Game 2, they have to clean the glass at the rate they did in Game 1 and keep Wade out of the paint. If they can do that, and limit the impact of the Heat's three-point shooting again, the Heat could find themselves in trouble. But ...

The Heat are completely capable of coming back from a 2-0 deficit. True panic wouldn't set in until the fourth quarter of the elimination game for the Heat. One thing that is for sure is the Bulls have made themselves known in this series. They have come to play and are in the Heat's proverbial China Shop, getting ready to charge.

Bulls Injury Report
Deng is still in the hospital due to illness. Questionable: Kirk Hinrich (calf). Highly questionable, improbably, why do you keep waiting for him to come back and looking at his injury status just stop already: Derrick Rose (knee), out.

Heat Injury Report
None

Prediction
Heat 97, Bulls 83, but who wouldn't love seeing the Bulls win Game 2.

2013 Playoffs Round 2, Game 2: New York Knicks vs Indiana Pacers

2013-05-07T19:09:00.004-04:00

Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler-NBAE via Getty Images

Can Carmelo Anthony and his Knicks bounce back and even things up at 1-1 heading back to Indiana? Or do Paul George and the Pacers put the series in a stranglehold by going up 2-0?

What To Watch For:

Melo and JR Smith's Shooting Woes

The 2 big guns for the Knicks combined to shoot 33% in Game 1. Look for them to eschew the jumper and try to attack the rim to 1) draw fouls on the looming Indy bigs and 2) bring that FG% up to closer to 50%.

Roy Hibbert vs Tyson Chandler

Tyson Chandler had usually had the edge on Roy Hibbert in the 10 games they faced off in prior to game 1, putting up 11-10-2 on 51% to Hibbert's 10-5.5-1 on 48%. His 4 point and 3 rebounds in game 1 won't cut it; New York desperately needs his defensive energy.

David West's Offense

Melo is one of the kings of "Bully Ball"; initiating contact offensively that keeps defenders on their heels. David West is a Bully Ball elitist. Melo guarding West at the power forward spot may be too much for the Knicks to handle.

More Chris

Cope went 2 for 3 from deep in 8 minutes of play. The kid is a 42% 3 point shooter. Find him minutes, Woody.

B.A.T.

The team with the best Indy won the B.A.T. (Boards + Assists - Turnovers) battle by +14 (44 rbs + 21 assists minus16 turnovers to New York's 30 rbs + 15 assists minus 10 turnovers). No idea how B.A.T. correlates to winning a game, but I like how it looks and I'm gonna start tracking it. Knicks must match Indiana's aggression on the boards and share the ball better.

(Is B.A.T. something we should really watch? I feel like it is. I'm taking credit for it.)

Calling it: Knicks win, 102-91

2013 Playoff Preview: (1) Miami Heat v. (5) Chicago Bulls

2013-05-06T19:15:00.002-04:00

The Heat and Bulls have a two-two series split in the regular season, but all anyone remembers is the Bulls snapped the Heat's 27-game win streak.

PLAYOFF RECORDS

Chicago: Beat the Brooklyn Nets, 4-3

Miami: Swept the Milwaukee Bucks, 4-0

The Heat are primed and rested. They look ready to rampage through the Bulls and they just might since Chicago is starting to take some heavy losses due to injury and illness.

It might seem like the Bulls have a lockdown defense that could stop the Heat, especially after they killed "The Streak." But the Bulls have not exactly stopped the Heat from scoring this season, considering their best defensive output was allowing 86 points in a 20-point loss to the Heat. And that was with a healthy Joakim Noah and Luol Deng.

It doesn't look good for Chi-Town, but they don't mind the odds. They thrive on being the underdog. They love the competition and they love being world beaters.

The Heat will look to end this series quick. They don't want to get into a brawl with this team because every game is going to take a physical toll on them. The Heat know that if the Bulls cannot win, they will at least try to soften the Heat up for the next challenger (Indiana or New York).

KEY INJURIES

The Bulls start the series without Kirk Hinrich, Deng and Noah, who still looks a bit bothered by previous injuries. There is no change to the status of Derrick Rose, who is expected to continue to be out for the rest of the playoffs.

The Heat are rested and ready with no noted players out of the lineup.

X-FACTOR

Nate Robinson is still the X-factor in this series. (A Derrick Rose comeback would be a massive X-factor. But it's also a pipe-dream at best.) Robinson's constant motor and need to play defense as if he were a conjoined twin can absolutely annoy defenders. He will need to have consistent big games for the Bulls to even sniff a chance at a win. He has the ability to shoot the Bulls in and out of games so he will need to be careful with his play to give the Bulls the opening they need.

No real X-factors for the Heat. The players and what they do is an open book: heavy doses of LeBron James followed by heavy doses of Dwyane Wade followed by a touch of Chris Bosh and then all of their shooters. There is no one player that can take them out of this series outside of James and Wade, and that's why the Bulls will struggle to get even a one-game victory out of the Heat.

THE OUTCOME

It looks grim for the Bulls. Noah will cause the Heat a few problems down low and the Bulls' defense is going to make everything tough for the Heat, but it doesn't look like that will do anything except temporarily annoy the mega-giant that is the Miami Heat. The Bulls are just undermatched at almost every position, and when it comes to bench play, the Bulls aren't even in the Heat's classification. Without a miracle comeback from Rose, this series looks to go at five games, with the Heat emerging, waiting for the next challenger and getting plenty of rest while doing it.

Notes From Game 1: Pacers Stifle The Knicks

2013-05-06T17:00:00.002-04:00

Photo: Mike Segar - Reuters

New series, same old story. You can finesse the narrative however you want, it boils down to the cold hard facts: Carmelo Anthony's name may as well be Buck, and he comes to chuck. If he's hitting, the Knicks are reeeeally hard to beat (he was basically NBA Jams "On FIRE" for his 10 games in April, averaging 36.9 ppg on 53.6% shooting, including a mind melting 46.7% from 3 on almost 6 attempts a game, and hauling in 9.9 rbg as the Knicks closed 8-2).
Then...the playoffs started.
In his 7 games, Melo is averaging almost 27 shots a game (he averaged about 22 field goal attempts a night during the season) and is only hitting about 10. During that span, the Knicks coughed up 2 very winnable games to the scrappy-yet-outgunned Celtics and got throttled by the defensively ironclad Pacers in Game 1's 102-95 loss. There are bright spots for the Knicks, but unless Melo either regains the form that garnered him his lone first place MVP vote or starts to trust his teammates again, the Knicks will be joining the Celts on an early vacation fraught with questions. So, check out the series preview by the always on-point Quentin Haynes here. Then...
Some notables from game 1:

Raymond Felton, Iman Shumpert, and Chris Copeland combined to go 14 for 26. JR Smith and Carmelo Anthony combined to go 14 for 42. the Knicks as a whole only took 81 shots.
29 year NY rook Chris Copeland dropped 20, 32, and 33 points the last 3 regualr season games, had 9 games of 15+ points this season, and has shot 48% (42% from 3). He's only seen action in 2 games this post season, including the measly 8 minutes he got last night (he went 2-3 from 3). Why, Mike Woodson?
The Pacers were rock solid defensively all year, giving up the 2nd least points per game in the NBA (90.7). They slipped some in April, going 2-5 and giving up an average of 101.9 ppg. They were back to their stingy ways in the playoffs, giving up 92.6 ppg to ATL and holding the healthy Knicks offense (11th in the league at 100 ppg) to 43% shooting.
Pacers guards killed the Knicks: Pacers 6'5" starting SG Lance Stephenson, a New York native, was the unsung hero of the game, scoring 11 points, leading all players with 13 rebounds, and swiping 3 steals. He was +17 in his 39 minutes of playing time. George Hill and back up DJ Augustin combined for 30 points on 4-6 3 point shooting. In contrast, Felton and Jason Kidd combined for 18 points (Kidd went for a goose egg).
Going small may be the Knicks' downfall; Indiana's front line of Paul George-David West-Roy Hibbert combined to go 19-38 for 53 points, 17 rebounds, 10 assists, and 7 blocks. Throw in Tyler Hansbrough's 8 points and 4 boards and that spells domination (Melo-Iman Shumpert-Tyson Chandler went 16-41 for 42 points, 17 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks).
Monsters in The Middle: In the 6 previous head-to-head match-ups, Tyson Chandler had handily owned Roy Hibbert, out playing him to the tune of 12.3 ppg/12/5 rpg/55%/2 blks to 9.3 ppg/5.8 rpg/45%/1.6 blks. Hibbert got the upper hand in a big way on Sunday, tallying 14 points, 8 boards and 5 blocks to Chandler's 4 points, 3 boards, 2 blocks and 6 fouls. Beyond the numbers, Hibbert challenged every knick drive and layup, making New York's life hell around the rim.

The Pacers Hope For: More of the same. This was an Indiana type of game. If the Pacers control the paint and the tempo like this, this series may be over in 5.

The Knicks Hope For: Melo and JR Smith to return to their April form, when they averaged a combined 59 ppg and 16.5 rpg on 22.9-44.4 (51.5%) in the 8 games they played together. Magical return to health for Tyson Chandler, who averaged a strong 10 ppg, 10 rpg on 63% regular season but is down to 5 ppg and 8 rpgs in the playoffs.

Game 2 is Tuesday, May 7 at 7:00 pm EST On TNT

Who wins the series? Let me know here, or on Twitter, @SnottieDrippen

JR Smith With The Tweet Of The Century

2013-05-05T20:52:00.000-04:00

via Teamswish IG

Talk about tweet, instagram, social media comeback of the century. Just giving it to the Knicks fans who are on his case about playing poorly since getting suspended for the elbow to Jason Terry. This was the end of a series of tweets that Mr. Pipe, aka JR Smith sent to the fans who are on his case.

Just awesome. This is how to talk back to fans. Now JR, you have to actually make some baskets to help your team win,

Notes From Game 1: Oklahoma City Thunder Tops Memphis Grizzlies

2013-05-05T17:57:00.002-04:00

Well, that was quick. Only 3 days removed from having his superstar credentials questioned for daring to drop back-to-back games to the *gasp* Houston Rockets, Kevin Durant put on a dazzling all around display, dropping 35 points, snatching 15 boards and handing out 6 dimes en route to a thrilling 93-91 come-from-behind win over the Grizzlies. "Grit n Grind" couldn't trip up the slick shooting Durant, and even without his fellow OKC all star Russell Westbrook, the Thunder provided just enough help to topple the best defense in the league. 1st, review the preview here. Then, on to some things I saw in game 1:

Memphis point guard Mike Conley Jr. played Chris Paul to a statistical draw in Round 1, averaging 17 and 8 over the 6 games. Welcome back to earth. Conley was limited to 13 on points on 5-15 shooting and 3 measly assists versus OKC.
Marc Gasol and Zach Randoph again caused havoc on the interior, combining for 38 points and 20 rebounds. They demolished Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins (combined 2-16 fg, 7 pts, 12 rbs). So much for Perkins slowing down elite big men. If OKC can't figure out a way to halt the Grizzlies front line, or if Ibaka/Perk doesn't counter with some offense, OKC might be in trouble.
After a relatively quiet 14 1st half points, Durant erupted late in the game, scoring 12 of the last 18 OKC points. He finished a tidy 13-26 from the floor.
The Battle of the Role Players: 65 year old Derek Fisher and 2nd year man Reggie Jackson did an admirable job filling in for Russell Westbrook; a combined 20 points on 7-15 shooting, and 2-4 from 3. Jackson also showed that his confidence is growing with an acrobatic big time bucket and 2 clutch free throws in the games tight final minutes.On the other side, Quincy Pondexter and Jerryd Bayless made a huge impact, combining for 23 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 dimes, including 5-9 shooting from 3.
Kevin Martin had a vintage "K-Mart with the Sacramento Kings" type game, putting up 25 points and 7 rebounds. He also had a key defensive sequence when he stuffed a driving Pondexter shot attempt in the closing minutes, then won the ensuing jump ball.
Lost in Serge Ibaka's abysmal 1-10 stinkarama? Thabo Sefalosha's disappearing act. Thabo only had 4 points, 1 rebound, and a plus/minus of -10. Sefalosha isn't needed to be a big-time scorer, but with Russ out, OKC will need him to return to his 44% 3 pt shooting clip (it dropped to 35% in the 1st round).

OKC Is Hoping For: a bounce back game from Ibaka and continued aggressive scoring from Kevin Martin.

Memphis Is Hoping For: A much better showing from Mike Conley and finding some combination to slow Kevin Durant.

Game 2 is at 6:30 pst, 7 May on TNT

2013 Playoff Preview: (1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs (5) Memphis Grizzlies

2013-05-05T14:04:00.000-04:00

Grizzlies (56-26) won season series over Thunder (60-22) 2-1

Have the gurneys on stand-by and keep plenty of gauze ready, OKC/Grizz Playoff Series Round II promises bloody noses, black eyes, and techs galore. These 2 squads genuinely don't like each other; Zach Randolph and Kendrick Perkins were ejected and had to be separated AFTER a meaningless early season Grizz win. This go 'round will look markedly different from their earlier battles; with Russell Westbrook's devastating all around play missing due to his 1st round knee injury (23 ppg,7 apg, 5 rpg just *POOF* gone), Memphis rides the burly shoulders of Defensive Player Of The Year Marc Gasol and double-double machine Zach Randolph to face the NBA's best scorer Kevin Durant "flying solo" and an OKC team struggling to find a new identity on the fly.

The Super Star

Kevin Durant fell out of bed this morning and scored 23 points. Memphis Grizzlies resident tough guy Tony Allen wouldn't let his favorite aunt score in a friendly game of Scrabble. When Westbrook went down, I took the "Over" on Kevin Durant averaging 35.5+ ppg for the rest of the playoffs, and I stick to that, but Tony Allen will use every vet trick in the book to make KD's life hell. Since 2011, Durant's scoring 27.8 ppg on 49%, on 38.5% 3 point shooting in the regular season. Against Memphis with Tony Allen? In 11 games, Durant's scoring a robust 29.6 ppg on 48.5 ppg, but cashing in only 26% from 3. Durant pumps in 29.9 ppg in the playoffs since 20010-20011; TA & The Gang held him to 26.4 ppg in their 2011 7 game series. The addition of Tayshaun Prince, the 6'9" defender who held the Pistons together for so long, only adds fire to this match up. Allen or Prince can't "stop" Durant by themselves, but not having to worry about Westbrook allows the Grizzlies to throw everything including the kitchen sink at KD. Allen's 1-on-1 work on Durant will be key to how long this series goes. Durant will have to somewhat shed his "let the game come to me" attitude and take the fight to Memphis from the opening touch.

TEAM ROSTER
NO.	NAME	POS	AGE	HT	WT	COLLEGE	2012-2013 SALARY
8	Ronnie Brewer	SF	28	6-7	225	Arkansas	$854,389
4	Nick Collison	PF	32	6-10	255	Kansas	$2,929,332
35	Kevin Durant	SF	24	6-9	235	Texas	$16,669,629
6	Derek Fisher	PG	38	6-1	210	Arkansas-Little Rock	$261,343
9	Serge Ibaka	PF	23	6-10	235		$2,253,062
15	Reggie Jackson	PG	23	6-3	208	Boston College	$1,208,400
3	Perry Jones	SF	21	6-11	235	Baylor	$1,035,960
11	Jeremy Lamb	SG	20	6-5	180	Connecticut	$2,020,200
25	DeAndre Liggins	SG	25	6-6	209	Kentucky	$762,195
23	Kevin Martin	SG	30	6-7	185	Western Carolina	$12,439,675
33	Daniel Orton	C	22	6-10	255	Kentucky	$849,363
5	Kendrick Perkins	C	28	6-10	270		$7,800,531
2	Thabo Sefolosha	SG	29	6-7	215		$3,600,000
34	Hasheem Thabeet	C	26	7-3	263	Connecticut	$1,200,000
0	Russell Westbrook	PG	24	6-3	187	UCLA	$13,668,793

Coach: Scott Brooks

The Warriors

Kendrick Perkins was brought into Oklahoma and inked to a 4 year, um, healthy $36.8 million contract in 2011 with visions of him stymieing Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol, and Tim Duncan and anchoring a rock solid defense that could stop the LeBron's of the world. Welp, not quite. The 7.8 mil the OKC center made this year is a ton too much for 4 points, 6 rebounds, and a measly 25 mpg, but this is Perk's chance for some redemption. Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol averaged almost 30 ppg and 20 rpg during the regular season and poured in 37 ppg and 16 rpg against the Clippers' DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin. It's up to Perkins and shot-blocker extraordinaire Serge Ibaka (with a huge assist from Nick Collison) to find a way to declaw the physical MEM front line.

TEAM ROSTER
NO.	NAME	POS	AGE	HT	WT	COLLEGE	2012-2013 SALARY
9	Tony Allen	SG	31	6-4	213	Oklahoma State	$3,300,000
00	Darrell Arthur	PF	25	6-9	235	Kansas	$3,006,217
7	Jerryd Bayless	PG	24	6-3	200	Arizona	$3,000,000
11	Mike Conley	PG	25	6-1	185	Ohio State	$7,505,786
32	Ed Davis	PF	23	6-10	232	North Carolina	$2,207,040
5	Austin Daye	PF	24	6-11	200	Gonzaga	$2,958,077
55	Keyon Dooling	PG	32	6-3	195	Missouri	$75,387
33	Marc Gasol	C	28	7-1	265		$13,891,359
13	Donte Greene	SF	25	6-11	226	Syracuse	$1,679,914
30	Jon Leuer	PF	23	6-10	228	Wisconsin	$762,195
20	Quincy Pondexter	SF	25	6-6	225	Washington	$1,234,320
21	Tayshaun Prince	SF	33	6-9	215	Kentucky	$6,764,045
50	Zach Randolph	PF	31	6-9	260	Michigan State	$16,500,000
3	Willie Reed	PF	22	6-9	220	Saint Louis
1	Tony Wroten	PG	20	6-6	208	Washington	$1,110,120

Coach: Lionel Hollins

Who Steps Up?

The casual fan doesn't understand how much a star starter going down really affects a team. Not only do you replace the starter with lesser production from a role player, but now your bench is weaker due to a key bench guy now thrust into a starter's role. For instance, OKC's 2nd year point guard Reggie Jackson's 5.3 ppg, 2.4 rbs, and strong defense was just what the Thunder needed off of the bench, but not what we call starter material. Jackson has performed gamely in the 4 f=games since Westbrook went down (about 17-4-4 in the 4 games), but OKC is going to need Kevin Martin to step back into the primary scorer role he held for most of his 9 year career (18.8 ppg career).
For Memphis, we know what Mike Conley, Zach Randolph, and Marc Gasol will bring. Can Tayshaun Prince (8.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg) ratchet up his playoff performance? Quincy Pondexter has almost doubled his production this poistseason (up to 11 ppg from 6 ppg regular season), can he keep up the scoring streak? Can OKC contain the speed of Jerryd Bayless?

Prognosis

OKC has the best player in the series, but Memphis has 4 of the next 5. Durant will make this entertaining, but the suffocating defense of Memphis will be too much. Memphis take this one in 6.

Agree? Disagree? I'm fulla $%&#? Let me know below or on Twitter, @SnottieDrippen