The BasketBlogger

The Poll

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 05:09:00 +0000

Have any of you wondered why I left the poll about which Finals matchup is more likely up even after voting closed? Well, I wanted to know if you guys were right in your predictions, so let's see:

LA vs Cleveland	8 (80%)
LA vs Orlando	6 (60%)
LA vs Boston	3 (30%)
Denver vs. Orlando	0 (0%)
Denver vs. Cleveland	1 (10%)
Dallas vs. Cleveland	2 (20%)

We know now that the correct one was LA vs. Boston, and according to this poll, only 3 of 20 votes were given to that matchup. It isn't surprising that 40% of you thought that a Kobe vs. Lebron Finals was coming, nor that 30% of you thought there would be a rematch of the 2009 Finals, but I was impressed by how few of you predicted that Denver vs. Orlando, Denver vs. Cleveland, and Dallas vs. Cleveland would end up happening (only 15%). Looking back, not many of us had the Celtics going this deep and getting to the Finals (I was one who did!), so only 15% voting for a 2008 rematch is explainable. For the final score, however, you guys did pretty poorly, but better luck next year!

Pass the Rock

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 03:09:00 +0000

I just made a new blog, at http://passtherock24.blogspot.com/, that is going to be a funny little parody-type blog. I'm just going to have some fake news that will try to put a smile on your when you read it. It'll be a little like The Onion, which has an NBA section (there is a link in the Basketball Partners section on the side). Hope y'all like it.

Welcome to the 2010 Finals!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 16:06:00 +0000

I know I've been saying this a lot, but I am honestly up to my neck in things to do, and unfortunately you guys have had to live without my regular updates of all things NBA. Even so, I have decided to give you guys about 10 or 15 mins of my time and add a blog post, just for your pleasure. You can thank me in the Chat Box or comments!

First off, I think it's common knowledge now that the Celtics and Lakers are both in the Finals again. That makes three straight for L.A. and two in three years for the Celtics (and, as Doc Rivers would like to point out, every year with their full lineup). Here is a look at the results of the Conference Finals, using my famous scoreboard ;)

(My guesses are on the left, while the act results are on the right. I gave myself 2 points for every correct prediction (exact number of games, team) and 1 point if I got the correct team. The total score is out of 4.)

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS:

BOS vs. ORL: Celtics in 6 games. -Celtics in 6 games. -CORRECT! (2pts)

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS:

PHO vs. LAL: Lakers in 5 games.-Lakers in 6 games. -CORRECT! (1pt)

Total Score: 3/4

Both series were very entertaining, and even though Boston took a commanding 3-0 lead in their matchup, Orlando still fought back to win 2 straight, although they ended up losing and failing to reach the Finals for a second straight year. Boston's bigs were too much for Superman 2.0 to handle, which led to all of the Magic's errors being exposed, such as their over-reliance on the 3 point shot. When Dwight can't hook up his shooters with a good shot after being double teamed in the paint, there isn't much they can do against a team that plays as stellar defense as the Celtics. I give the C's props for keeping their head and not giving up when it seemed that Orlando was going to make a huge comeback in the series, which is what all veteran-laden teams have to do.

The Lakers-Suns matchup was easily the most entertaining of this year's Playoffs. Kobe put on a show throughout the series, making shots and plays that even Michael Jordan couldn't make (and probably wouldn't take, either). It's not that Phoenix didn't expect this, of course. Before, during, and after the series, Phoenix coaches and players commented on how Kobe was the best player alive, how they couldn't stop him and only try to limit him, and Alvin Gentry even said that he was the best player of all time (that includes you, Mike)! Ron Artest had his moments, too, hitting a game-winning layup in Game 5 after a Kobe air-ball and scorching the Suns for 25 points on 10 for 16 shooting on the night.

Amar'e Stoudamire screwed himself over as well. By averaging 25 points in the series, he showed that he is a force in the paint to be acknowledged, but by averaging only 6 rebounds (and grabbing only 4 in the decisive Game 6) and playing worse defense than even his own standards (which are pretty low themselves), he is almost guaranteed to not get a max contract if he chooses to opt out of his current one this summer. His only double-double was during his monster Game 3 effort, when he scored 42 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Too bad for him that the Isaiah Thomas-led Knicks are gone, I'm sure they would've given him a max contract back in the day.

Now, it's time for my last prediction of the Playoffs. Here is my guess about how the NBA Finals will play out:

2010 NBA FINALS:

BOS vs. LAL: Lakers in 7 games.

Don't get me wrong, the series could go either way, just like Rondo's jump shot. Fortunately for the Celtics, however, my boy Rondo's J is steadily improving (it's nice to have Ray Allen as a teammate when you want to learn how to shoot well). The Celtics seem to only get better as the Playoffs progress, so Rondo's shot as a symbol actually makes a lot of sense. Still, even after Game 1's poor showing of defense in the paint and rebouding, the series can go either way. Many Laker fans like to point out that Phil Jackson's teams are a perfect 47-0 in series when they win Game 1, but the Celtics are veterans who have been here and done that. Stats don't mean anything to a team that was supposed to be out by the end of the Second Round according to their "stats." Effort, determination, and teamwork don't have stats in the boxscore, and those are all word that fit the Celtics' description perfectly.

I think that Kobe Bryant's will to win is just too much for the Celtics to handle, however. Did you see him drop that last three with about 3 seconds to play in Game 1? Not only did that give everyone in the arena free tacos (they would get them is the Lakers scored over 100 points, which they did after that shot), but that also gives Kobe at least 30 points in 11 of his last 12 games. He says he doesn't care about the Lakers' historic rivalry with the Celtics, but he obviously does deep down. It was this team that murdered his own back in 2008, when the Lakers were embarrassed in Game 6 of the Finals by losing by almost 40 points, and then having their bus pelted with rocks by Boston fans. If he cared about the Phoenix series' past (which he did), he obviously cares about this one. Besides, beating the Celtics could arguably make him the best Laker of all time.

Don't get me wrong, the series could go either way, just like Rondo's jump shot. Fortunately for the Celtics, however, my boy Rondo's J is steadily improving (it's nice to have Ray Allen as a teammate when you want to learn how to shoot well). The Celtics seem to only get better as the Playoffs progress, so Rondo's shot as a symbol actually makes a lot of sense. Still, even after Game 1's poor showing of defense in the paint and rebouding, the series can go either way. Many Laker fans like to point out that Phil Jackson's teams are a perfect 47-0 in series when they win Game 1, but the Celtics are veterans who have been here and done that. Stats don't mean anything to a team that was supposed to be out by the end of the Second Round according to their "stats." Effort, determination, and teamwork don't have stats in the boxscore, and those are all word that fit the Celtics' description perfectly.

Also, on a side note, I made a quick little wallpaper for the Lakers. It says that they won the Finals, but obviously, the Finals aren't over and can go either way. It isn't that great, but I'm still a beginner when it comes to making wallpapers in Photoshop and it is an improvement on my past productions. Still, for those of you who support the Lakers, here it is. Click on it to enlarge and feel free to use it as a wallpaper, profile picture, etc., and remember where you got it!

Conference Finals Predictions

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 21 May 2010 05:29:00 +0000

Hey everyone, I've been extremely busy lately so I am only just managing to post this. As some of you know, I was planning a update with some historical facts and comparisons of the Boston Celtics, but unfortunately I could not find enough time to complete it. For now, here are my predictions for the Conf. Finals. I have no proof of this, but you will have to take my word on it. I made these predictions before both series started, and so far I seem to be on the right track.

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS:

BOS vs. ORL: Celtics in 6 games.

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS:

PHO vs. LAL: Lakers in 5 games.

(Note: Most of these ideas/predictions were written before the series started, so ignore the fact that some things might be wrong.)

In the East, I feel like the Celtics' experienced squad will continue to dominate at home, but they will also be able to steal games on the road (already done: they stole the first 2 games @Orlando, and their next 2 games are @Boston). The C's can also through tons of players at Dwight Howard in the paint, thus being able to foul almost at will, get Superman 2.0 fouled out easier, and mainly frustrate him on offense with the many bodies or on defense when he has to adjust to situations given to him.

While the Magic have other players to take the weight of Howard's shoulders, they tend to rely on giving him the ball, then if he can't do what he wants in the paint, he kicks it out to an open 3 point shooter. Unfortunately for them however, the Magic are playing one of the best (if not THE best) defenses in the League, and as shown in Games 1 and 2, those shooters are going to have a hard time. Open threes will rarely be seen, if ever.

In the West, this shouldn't even be a contest. I wrote the following after their sweep of the Spurs: "I personally apologize for underestimating the Phoenix Suns so much. I thought they would fight till they lost in the First Round, and then thought they'd do the same in Round Two. I was very wrong. They proved that they could play with the big boys when they swept (yes, swept) the once-mighty Spurs in four bloody games (Steve Nash's eye is proof of the physicality of the games). Good luck with the Lakers, fellas." I stand by my apology, but I seemed to forget the fact that the Lakers are a huge mismatch for this team. Let me elaborate.

L.A. has three 7-footers on their roster, and all 3 play big minutes for the team. Lamar Odom is a huge X-Factor coming off the bench for the defending champs, while Pau Gasol, though deemed soft, is actually quite capable of getting dirty in the paint when needed. We've seen flashes of brilliance from Andrew Bynum, but he hasn't been as aggressive on offense as the Lakers want (of course, he has been playing injured). The Lakers' length and height is way too much alone for the Suns to handle, and then you throw some other players like Shannon Brown and Jordan Farmar off the bench (they have been superb so far in the series), and, (cough), some guy named Bryant, and the Suns are either going to be swept or out in 5. I wasn't too sure of a sweep or not, but a series is never over till its over, and Phoenix will surely keep clawing back. Or will they?

All-NBA Teams, MVP Ballot, 2nd Round Results (UPDATED)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 12 May 2010 00:47:00 +0000

Hey guys, I've been real busy the past week and haven't had a chance to post anything between Playoff games and life stuff. I've watched at least a quarter or two of every game, but I haven't missed a single quarter of any Lakers, Boston, or Cleveland games; they're too exciting. I was disappointed by the fact that there was 3 sweeps in the Conference Semis, and it also bothered me that Atlanta put up no fight against the 8-0 Magic. No offense to Orlando, but they haven't been too fun to watch lately (unless you're a fan or really enjoy blowouts).

This post is going to be really long, by the way, because I have a lot of my thoughts that I want to share. First off is the All-NBA Teams. Here are the official teams, and you can find mine below.

2009-10 BasketBlogger All-NBA Teams

FIRST TEAM
Position	Player, Team	(1st Team Votes)	Points
Forward	LeBron James, Cleveland	(-)	-
Forward	Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City	(-)	-
Center	Dwight Howard, Orlando	(-)	-
Guard	Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers	(-)	-
Guard	Dwyane Wade, Miami	(-)	-
SECOND TEAM
Forward	Carmelo Anthony, Denver	(-)	-
Forward	Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas	(-)	-
Center	Amare Stoudemire, Phoenix	(-)	-
Guard	Steve Nash, Phoenix	(-)	-
Guard	Rajon Rondo, Boston	(-)	-
THIRD TEAM
Forward	Josh Smith, Atlanta	--	-
Forward	Pau Gasol, L.A. Lakers	--	-
Center	Tim Duncan, San Antonio	--	-
Guard	Joe Johnson, Atlanta	--	-
Guard	Deron Williams, Utah	--	-

No problems with the First Team, but on the Second Team, how did they manage to leave off my boy Rajon Rondo??? This kid has led a team stacked with veterans (and three future Hall of Famers) into the Playoffs (which was expected) almost single-handedly. He's also putting up ridiculous numbers in the postseason that not only spell ALL-STAR, but possibly even SUPERSTAR. Remember that he's only 24, too.

Tim Duncan made that 3rd Team on the official list, but he was listed as a forward. I changed it to center on mine because Timmy was listed as that on the All-Defensive Teams, and I also think that he was more worthy for the spot than Andrew Bogut, who didn't even make the All-Star Team. That shift gave me room to add another player who didn't make the All-Star Team (which he deserved to make), Josh Smith.

Moving on, here is the official MVP results, while my own MVP ballot can be seen below (I kept it at 10 players):

2010 BasketBlogger NBA Most Valuable Player Voting

Player, Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	Total
LeBron James, Cle	-	-	-	-	-	-
Kevin Durant, OKC	-	-	-	-	-	-
Dwight Howard, Orl	-	-	-	-	-	-
Kobe Bryant, LAL	-	-	-	-	-	-
Carmelo Anthony, Den	-	-	-	-	-	-
Dirk Nowitzki, Dal	-	-	-	-	-	-
Steve Nash, Pho	-	-	-	-	-	-
Dwyane Wade, Mia	-	-	-	-	-	-
Deron Williams, Utah	-	-	-	-	-	-
Rajon Rondo, Bos	-	-	-	-	-	-

Finally, below are the results of the Second Round (aka the Conference Semi-Finals), and I scored myself with the procedure I used at the end of the First Round. My guesses are on the left, while the act results are on the right. I gave myself 2 points for every correct prediction (exact number of games, team) and 1 point if I got the correct team. The total score is out of 8.

CLE vs. BOS: Celtics in 7 games. -Celtics in 6 games. -CORRECT! (1pt)

ORL vs. ATL: Magic in 6 games. -Magic in 4 games. -CORRECT! (1pt)

LAL vs. UTA: Lakers in 6 games. -Lakers in 4 games. -CORRECT! (1pt)

PHX vs. SAS: Spurs in 7 games. -Suns in 4 games. -WRONG! (0pt)

Completely Correct Predictions: 0/4

Completely Wrong Predictions: 1/4

Eastern Conference Score: 2/4

Western Conference Score: 1/4

Total Score: 3/8

I didn't guess anything completely far-fetched, but I didn't hit anything right on the head. I was expecting Joe Johnson to step up for the Hawks after a poor showing against Milwaukee, but he sadly didn't and it led to a second consecutive year of being swept in the Second Round after barely surviving the First (they went to seven games vs. Miami last year).

The Lakers showed what they are still capable of after also having a hard time with their First Round opponent. Unlike the Hawks, however, they stepped up in the Second Round and great performances by Kobe Bryant, Ron Artest, Derrick Fisher, and Pau Gasol helped the Lakers prove that they really want another ring this year. Even though the bracket says 4-0, the Jazz fought hard every game and could have came up with at least one win if my boy Wesley Mathews' last second tip in Game 3 was just an inch closer to the rim.

I personally apologize for underestimating the Phoenix Suns so much. I thought they would fight till they lost in the First Round, and then thought they'd do the same in Round Two. I was very wrong. They proved that they could play with the big boys when they swept (yes, swept) the once-mighty Spurs in four bloody games (Steve Nash's eye is proof of the physicality of the games). Good luck with the Lakers, fellas.

UPDATE: Boston moved on to the Eastern Conference Finals, eliminating Lebron and the Cavaliers. Bron had a slightly off shooting night (8-21 FG), but otherwise he had a superb game, almost getting quadruple-double. He notched 27 pts, 19 rbs, 10 asts, and (!) 9 turnovers. Okay, he could've done without the last part, but the real pain in the *** is the fact that the 61-21 Cavs were eliminated before even reaching the Conf. Finals, which was supposed to be a default. They seemed to lose all hope during the fourth quarter, and with 2 mins left and down by less than 10 points, they didn't even intentionally foul the C's. Is this a sign of the future of the Cavs? Even worse for them, does this prove to Lebron that he can't win with this team and has to move on? We'll find out soon enough. In the meantime, read this article by John Schuhmann at NBA.com discussing the fact that many of us are forgetting: Boston was the team that was better in the matchup, and they were the ones who actually won the series.

Second Round Predictions

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 04 May 2010 22:59:00 +0000

Ugh, late again. The Second Round already started, but again I couldn't find time to post my predictions for it. Well, here you go:

CLE vs. BOS: Celtics in 7 games.

ORL vs. ATL: Magic in 6 games.

LAL vs. UTA: Lakers in 6 games.

PHX vs. SAS: Spurs in 7 games.

I have a feeling that Mo Williams is gonna choke again for the Cavs, even after his impressive 3rd quarter showing in Game 1, and Cleveland won't get a chance to use Shaq for his sole purpose this season: kill Dwight Howard in the paint. Boston seems like they have reverted to their 2008 form, only this time it's Rondo who is leading the team.

Orlando seems pretty unstoppable at the moment as well. They demolished Charlotte, the league's top defensive team, in a completely one-sided sweep, and Atlanta doesn't seem like much of a challenge now. The Hawks had a lot of trouble with the rookie-led Milwaukee Bucks, who were also missing their top player. Of course, this Atlanta team is still a threat with all of the talent they have, and I'm betting Mike Woodson won't rest till the team moves on to the Conference Finals (highly unlikely, in my opinion).

Lakers vs. Utah should be entertaining at times, but the better team (L.A.) will end up pulling away with the victory. I also can't see the Jazz giving the Lakers much of an inside challenge, aside from Carlos Boozer, now that Andrei Kirilenko will sit for a few games. I wasn't sure whether or not to have L.A. winning in 5 games or 6, but Deron Williams will surely lead his team to more than only one victory in the series.

I think that all the extra rest between games and reduced travel has made the postseason a lot easier for the Spurs than the regular season. Just like Boston, San Antonio has seemed to revert to their championship form, only with some new pieces here and there. Both George Hill and Tony Parker will be critical in this series in determining which team moves on, for they will have the task of stopping Steve Nash. I think that the Spurs, who seem to always be victorious against the Suns, will use their experience, rest, and Big Three of Manu Ginobili, Parker, and Tim Duncan to outlast this tough Suns squad in a very exciting series.

1st Round Results

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 02 May 2010 22:22:00 +0000

Welcome to the Conference Semi-Finals, a.k.a. the Second Round. After some exciting games we now have the results of my predictions made before the First Round. My guesses are on the left, while the act results are on the right. I gave myself 2 points for every correct prediction (exact number of games, team) and 1 point if I got the correct team. The total score is out of 16.

CLE vs. CHI: Cavs in 5 games. -Cavs in 5 games. -CORRECT! (2pts)
ORL vs. CHA: Magic in 4 games. -Magic in 4 games. -CORRECT! (2pts)
ATL vs. MIL: Hawks in 4 games. -Hawks in 7 games - WRONG! (1pt)
BOS vs. MIA: Celtics in 6 games. -Celtics in 5 games. -WRONG! (1pt)

LAL vs. OKC: Lakers in 6 games. -Lakers in 6 games. -CORRECT! (2pts)
DAL vs. SAS: Mavs in 7 games. -Spurs in 6 games. -WRONG! (0pts)
PHX vs. POR: Suns in 6 games. -Suns in 6 games. -CORRECT! (2pts)
DEN vs. UTA: Nuggets in 7 games. -Jazz in 6 games. -WRONG! (0pts)

Completely Correct Predictions: 4/8
Completely Wrong Predictions: 2/8
Eastern Conference Score: 6/8
Western Conference Score: 4/8
Total Score: 10/16

This year my predictions were a little weak, but not bad. I only got 4 series correct completely, and I was really wrong about the DAL vs. SAS series and DEN vs. UTA series. In both matchups, the underdog won in 6 games. I'm pretty proud of my prediction of Cleveland over Chicago in 5 games and not 4, like what most people thought. I just had a feeling that the Bulls wouldn't allow themselves to be swept and would steal one at home. What did you guys score using my method?

My '09-'10 All-Rookie Teams

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 01 May 2010 03:45:00 +0000

With every "All-" something team, I just have to have my say about it. Here are the official 2009-2010 T-Mobile All-Rookie Teams, straight from NBA.com:

2009-10 T-Mobile NBA All-Rookie First Team

Player	Team	First (2 pt)	Second (1 Pt)	Total
Tyreke Evans	Sacramento	29	--	58
Brandon Jennings	Milwaukee	29	--	58
Stephen Curry	Golden State	29	--	58
Darren Collison	New Orleans	20	6	46
Taj Gibson	Chicago	15	11	41

2009-10 T-Mobile NBA All-Rookie Second Team

Player	Team	First (2 pt)	Second (1 Pt)	Total
Marcus Thornton	New Orleans	6	19	31
DeJuan Blair	San Antonio	6	18	30
James Harden	Oklahoma City	4	14	22
Jonny Flynn	Minnesota	4	14	22
Jonas Jerebko	Detroit	2	18	22

And now mine:

2009-10 BasketBlogger NBA All-Rookie First Team

Player	Team	First (2 pt)	Second (1 Pt)	Total
Tyreke Evans	Sacramento	--	--	--
Brandon Jennings	Milwaukee	--	--	--
Stephen Curry	Golden State	--	--	--
Taj Gibson	Chicago	--	--	--
Darren Collison	New Orleans	--	--	--

2009-10 BasketBlogger NBA All-Rookie Second Team

Player	Team	First (2 pt)	Second (1 Pt)	Total
DeJuan Blair	San Antonio	--	--	--
Marcus Thornton	New Orleans	--	--	--
James Harden	Oklahoma City	--	--	--
Wesley Matthews	Utah	--	--	--
Omri Casspi	Sacramento	--	--	--

I moved Taj Gibson up over Darren Collison on the First Team, but they are still both on it. I just think that Gibson had an overall better season than Collison. We all saw how great DC played in place of CP3, but overall, I would rather put Gibson on the First Team than Collison if I had to pick one.

DeJuan Blair has to make one of the two teams, as well. He's playing behind Timmy Duncan, so obviously his minutes are limited, but what he has done with them, like Collison, is amazing. Blair was a Second Rounder, so he had a lot to prove to everyone who doubted him. Teams mostly didn't want to risk him getting injured, since he had a couple knee surgeries before the Draft, which is mainly why he was drafted so low. He's also playing for a Playoff team, which helps his resume.

Marcus Thornton has to stay on the Second Team, too. He's an electric scorer with a lot of potential, and surprisingly he was drafted 43rd overall. I guess the perfect word to describe him would be "surprise", because he surprised everyone with how well he played this season. If you think he can't score, just remember that he dropped 23 points in a quarter against Cleveland, a franchise record for points in a quarter. Here's what Jim Eichenhofer from Hornets.com said about Thorton's record-braking night:

"Thornton’s 37-point game at Cleveland on Feb. 23 was a record-breaking one in franchise history. While playing 31 minutes in a reserve role, he scored the most points in a single game by a substitute in the 22-year history of the Hornets. Thornton also poured in 23 points in the second quarter at Quicken Loans Arena, the franchise mark for points in a quarter. He also accomplished both feats without needing a high volume of touches, going 15-for-22 from the field. NBA.com wrote after the performance that 'Marcus Thornton… looked more like LeBron James than LeBron James.'"

I'm sure Gerald Wallace found Thornton pretty surprising, too.

James Harden has been effective for the Thunder this season, as well. He was definitely not the third best player in the Draft (he was drafted 3rd overall), but he has given the young Thunder a boost off the bench. His game is also pretty developed, so I won't be surprised if OKC starts him in seasons to come.

It's really hard for me to leave off Jonas Jerebko and Jonny Flynn, who both made the official Second Team, but I feel like the wear and tear of the season is what really slowed down Omri Casspi during the second half of the season. He was playing at a very high level throughout the whole first half of the season, and many were putting him in contention for Rookie of the Year. That talk died later on, but Casspi can still be very effective on both ends of the court and from inside and outside when he plays well.

Here comes another tough one. I put Wesley Matthews over Flynn mainly becuase of three reasons: 1) Matthews is contributing to a good Playoff team (Utah), 2) he proved his worth after going undrafted, and 3) I haven't seen enough of Flynn. Minnisota is rarely on TV, and let's face it: how many of you check the TWolves' boxscore or watch recaps the day after their games? Whenever I've seen Matthews, I've seen consistency in almost every aspect of the game. His shooting is good, he's pretty quick, and he can adapt to different situations he's put in. He also meshes well with Deron Williams, the teams's All-Star point gaurd who orchestrates their offense.

Overall, I felt that this year's All-Rookie Teams were well chosen and all the players selected had something going for them. Personally, I would've added two more slots in the Second Team, but I'm not the Commissioner so nothing I say matters.

Upsets coming?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 23:03:00 +0000

I have never seen as many possible (and realistic) upsets ever being able to happen in one year. While my Eastern Conference predictions are very good ones, I can't help but feel that I guessed very wrongly about the Western Conference. Take a look at the playoff bracket below:

The Spurs, Jazz, and maybe even the Thunder seem to be on the verge of changing the Western playoff landscape. The Lakers, Nuggets, and Mavericks were all legit title contenders coming into the postseason, so what is going on?

I get that the Utah/Denver series is a series between two almost equal teams (same record: 53-29), so some people won't categorize that as an upset, but considering the Nuggets squad's high expectations this season, as well as all the Playoff experience from its leaders, this series should actually belong to Denver. Now the only way for my prediction to be correct is if they make a comeback and win it in 7 games.

Surprisingly enough, the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs are only separated by 5 games in the standings, yet they are seeded 2nd and 7th, respectively. San Antonio has some of the most talented and experienced veterans in the league, and they tend to come alive come playoff time. They failed to flip the postseason switch last year in the First Round, which led to their early elimination, but this time around the Spurs are looking like they really want to make one last push for a championship.

Of the three series I named as possible upsets, this one is easily the biggest. I told you guys earlier to watch out for this series, and sure enough, these teams have given as a great First Round matchup. OKC, who many thought would be done in 4 or 5 games, have one 2 straight and tied the series at 2 a piece. I stand by my prediction of LA in 6 games, but there is a huge possibility of a Thunder upset.

EDIT (April 28th, 2010): Add Milwaukee to the mix, too. They just won a very impressive road game over the Hawks, who seemed to just run out of fuel by the end of the game. Young Buck Brandon Jennings had 25 points on the night, but only 8 of his 20 shots went in. This gives them a 3-2 lead. Anyone else surprised? This could be the definition of an upset in this year's Playoffs. Andrew Bogut went down late in the season, leading many to question how many games the Bucks will be able to win in the postseason without him. Mike Woodson should start packing his bags if his Hawks lose the series, 'cause I can't see him getting a new contract after two consecutive poor Playoff showing since Atlanta took Boston to 7 games back in '08.

NBA Playoffs Wallpaper

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:17:00 +0000

If any of you guys are looking for a really nice looking high quality Playoff bracket wallpaper, look no further. Dejan at BasketWallpapers.com made a great one that he will keep updating throughout the postseason until the Championship is won. You can find it here, and you can even find his version for the 2008 Playoffs and 2009 Playoffs on his site, as well as many more fantastic wallpapers.

First Round Predictions

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:09:00 +0000

Okay guys, even though the First Round already started, I couldn't find time to post my predictions for it. Here they are, fresh from my brain. By the way, I had these written down since last Saturday, so they aren't based on the games that were all ready played.

CLE vs. CHI: Cavs in 5 games.
ORL vs. CHA: Magic in 4 games.
ATL vs. MIL: Hawks in 4 games.
BOS vs. MIA: Celtics in 6 games.

LAL vs. OKC: Lakers in 6 games.
DAL vs. SAS: Mavs in 7 games.
PHX vs. POR: Suns in 6 games.
DEN vs. UTA: Nuggets in 7 games.

I just noticed that I have all of the higher seeded teams moving on to the Second Round, but honestly, can you actually see any upsets happening? Tell me what you think in the chat box.

Playoffs 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 03:35:00 +0000

Hey guys, it's been a while since I've posted anything, and too much has happened in the time span. With the blink of an eye, we're now about to start the 2010 NBA Playoffs, where amazing happens. Here's a look at somethings you should watch for in the coming days of the First Round.

Derrick Rose vs. Cleveland

Like last year, the first pick in the 2008 Draft has led his team into the Playoffs and into the path of a dangerous title contender, this time none other than the Cleveland Cavaliers. We've seen a lot of improvement by Rose since last year, as shown by his All-Star nod, but does he really have what it takes to take the Bulls into the next round? Probably not, but the series is gonna be great, with things like Joakim Noah's intensity and Lebron's dancing to keep us entertained.

Wade vs. Boston

Boston doesn't want to believe that they may not have what it takes to still be a contender. D-Wade wants to win. Both the Celtics and Wade have chips on their shoulders, and they sure don't want to go away without a fight. Boston has given us some of the better First Round series in recent years (vs. Atlanta in 2008, vs. Chicago in 2009) so make sure you watch this matchup.

OKC vs. LA

Kevin Durant vs. Kobe Bryant. Scott Brooks vs. Phil Jackson. Young and inexperienced vs. proven veterans. That's the obvious storyline in this series, but what about Ron Artest vs. Trevor Ariza? Even though Ariza won't be playing, seeing that he's on Houston, most of us want Ron Ron to prove that he's worth more than Ariza come Playoff time. Artest hasn't done too much for the Lakers this year, so he's gotta show that he's actually better for the team to have.

San Antonio vs. Dallas

Everything is bigger in Texas, and this series shouldn't be different. With the two teams both from the Lone Star State and both having something to prove (Spurs, that they are still relevant, and Mavs, that they can get back to the Finals after what happened in '06 and '07), this series should be a really entertaining one to follow.

Finals Preview?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 01:23:00 +0000

For anyone who wants the playoffs to start ASAP, they got a quick little preview in the form of a 2009 Finals rematch between the Lakers and Magic yesterday. It was a regular season game, and there was nothing to lose but pride in what was probably the most physical game of the season. Matt Barnes played the Kobe-stopper by getting into his head for 3 quarters, Dwight Howard fought for every rebound, and contact was everywhere during the whole game. Every player on both teams, for the most part, was pulling his own weight and playing with the amount of hustle every coach preaches about before, during, and after games.

What caught my attention, though, was how different this Orlando team is compared to the one that lost in 5 games last year to L.A. They're surprisingly more aggressive this time around, as seen by the rough play especially against Kobe and Derrick Fisher late in the game. Their defense, although already impressive, has become even more stifling. Ron Artest may have been too enamored with the glory of his new 'do to play any defense on Vince Carter, who almost looked vintage while going off for 25 points, 10 off of free-throws in the first quarter. There were other improvement's here and there as well, but I don't feel like talking 'bout ALL of 'em.

Speaking of the Dennis Rodman-ish look, here's what NBA Style Watch has to say about it:

The Look: Ron Artest's (notes) "Defense" hair

The Breakdown: Clearly, Ron Artest's hair is amazing. It is reminiscent of simpler times, in particular, the 1990s. A time when a man could call himself Sisqó and sing about thongs. A time when the world's best rebounder could dye myriad symbols in his hair.

So there's the precedent and inspiration, but Ron Artest's hair means so much more. Literally. Across his head, Artest got the word "defense" dyed in purple in Japanese, Hebrew and Hindi.

Why he did it? That's quite the question. Apparently, Shin Shin — a recording artist, suggested the colors. Naturally, Artest agreed it was a great idea. I can't help but concur.

Artest called it his "Dennis Rodman tribute," which is more than fitting coming from the man who has worn Rodman's number in the past, and wears the inverse of it now. They're soulmates.

The Verdict:

What do y'all think about Ron Ron's hair? Do you think the Lakers could win a 7 game series against THIS Magic team? Do you think Orlando can go all the way to the Finals, especially with their recent play? Answer these questions in the chat box or comments, and tell me what you think.

Playoff Predictions

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 11:25:00 +0000

Well, about 3 quarters or so of the season has been completed, and I think this would be a good time to start thinking about the playoff picture. Personally, I don`t really like predictions too much, but there is some pretty solid evidence based on the way teams have been playing lately. Any late runs or slumps can change everything, but as long as everything goes the way they are expected, here`s my predictions for the playoffs:

East:

1. Cleveland

2. Orlando

3. Boston

4. Atlanta

5. Toronto

6. Miami

7. Chicago

8. Charlotte

Based on Boston`s recent play, I don`t think they will really step up their level of play until the playoffs actually start, so an Orlando resurgence is not unlikely. They have looked pretty good together recently, but in order to build a decent lead over Boston, Vince Carter has to become the player Otis Smith traded for.

Toronto should return to their surprising winning ways once Chris Bosh returns from his injury, so I think they will maintain the 5th seed going into the postseason. Look for Dwayne Wade to also add a spark to his team too. The All-Star Game MVP has to go back into MVP-mode though if they want to move past the 1st round, which would be against Boston if my guess` are right.

Leaving out Milwaukee is a tough one, especially with their 7-3 record over the past 10 games, but Charlotte has also been playing hard lately, trying to make this season the first one in the short franchise history to make the playoffs. Stephan Jackson, Gerald Wallace, and Tyrus Thomas have all been great surprises this year, and I would love to see them put their 3-1 record against Cleveland to the test.

West:

1. L.A. Lakers

2. Dallas

3. Denver

4. Utah

5. Oklahoma City

6. Phoenix

7. San Antonio

8. Portland

Not much to be said about the Western Conference. Dallas has been playing much better lately, not that it`s surprising anyone. Caron Butler, Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Brendan Haywood, it`s a pretty decent roster. OKC has been playing great all season, and look for them to continue to play at a high level all the way till the postseason.

Bye Bye Celtics?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 17:11:00 +0000

Every Boston fan knew it was coming. They dreaded it since the Summer '08, right after the biggest blowout in NBA Finals history. And how could they not? They probably didn't think it would come this quick, but it was obvious from the start that the end of the resurrection of Boston basketball was coming to an end. Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers did what they could to bring back pride into arguably the greatest NBA franchise the world has ever seen, and they knew they were bringing in aging superstars.

The plan was to give up the future for the present, to make a strong push for a 17th banner. The result: it worked. Kevin Garnett was the Defensive Player of the Year, Paul Pierce was the Finals MVP, and the Celtics tore through their opponents all season long for 66 wins, easily first place in the leagues. They had some trouble with Atlanta in the first round of the Playoffs, but soon enough, it all ended with celebration at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers. Game 6: Final score 131-92, Boston wins.

What's the "it" I've been talking about? The breakdown of a championship-caliber team. Want another example? Check out the 21-38 Detroit Pistons, who went to like 57 consecutive Eastern Conference Finals before last year, two Finals appearances, and one championship. Pretty decent resume, if you ask me.

The C's are still in the upper crust of Eastern Conference teams, but for how long? Check out their latest disappointment and you'll know what I mean. Really, guys? The Nets?? Is that even possible when you have Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Rajon Rondo on your roster? Are you guys just bored, as Chris Forsberg puts it? I'm ashamed to even admit that I actually thought Boston would go all the way this year and compete for another banner. Rasheed Wallace isn't who he was supposed to be, Marquis Daniels has been fighting injuries, and Kevin Garnett is moving like he's been shot. Are those all the problems? Of course not, and the list goes on and on.

As Sekou Smith puts it, "the end is near (now?) in Boston." Too bad they couldn't put together one last push for banner 18, especially with the talent Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins have suddenly emerged with. Well then, good bye Boston, it was a good run.

First Impressions

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 13:11:00 +0000

Who knew that this is what the trade deadline's trades would result in? A few games after what may be one of the craziest deadline's ever, we may be able to predict whether or not some trades have been good for their teams. Let's hand out a progress report, shall we? This is based on whether or not the player has given their team what they traded for. (One rule though; no F's.)

Tracy McGrady (NYK): A+

Kevin Martin (HOU): B

Marcus Camby (POR): C-

Antawn Jamison (CLE): D-

Caron Butler (DAL): A

Tyrus Thomas (CHA): B

Eddie House (NYK): A+

John Salmons (MEM): A

T-Mac played his heart out yesterday, and that's not a surprise seeing that he's clearly desperate to play and prove himself. Those 7 MPG he played off the bench in Houston for 7 games should be left off of his resume, becuase he obviously showed the world that he can still ball with the best. 26 pts on 10-17 shooting is very impressive for someone who hasn't played for all of 2010. He said that he "didn't want to be a hero" in his debut, so he didn't play too much in OT. Of course, 32 minutes was more than he expected, anyway.

Kevin Martin, though a capable shooter, went a horrible 3-16 from the field in his debut, but what impressed me the most was that he still managed 14 pts, 5 asts, and 6 rbs. The Rockets want him to be a scorer, and it would be nice if he could get those numbers on off-nights, too. He was obviously out of sync with his new teammates, but look for him to steadily improve every night.

2 pts, 1-5 FGM. 5 turnovers. Not a defensive presence. Not the greatest night for Marcus Camby on Friday.

I, along with GM Danny Ferry, sincerely apologize for bringing your hopes up too high about Antawn Jamison. 0-12 FGM, 2 pts, 5 blocked shots. Let's not bring up how lost he looked with the Cavs.

Boy, do I miss those days. Who knew that some guns could do all this damage? Oh wait, everyone but Gil.

There isn't much to say about Caron Butler, Tyrus Thomas, Eddie House, and John Salmons. All four have had very solid starts with their new teams, and all are giving their teams what they wanted and more. I was impressed by Butler's really smooth transition into the Mavericks offense. He's been able to get some really nice looks and make great plays. Fortunately for Dallas, he has proved that he can be a reliable second option next to Dirk.

Another thing I was impressed with was Eddie House's scoring. We all know that he can light it up off the bench, as shown by his play in the playoffs the last couple of years, but I wasn't sure he'd be able to play this well in his first game. Hopefully, he and T-Mac can keep it up and bring some hope to the Knicks.

Trade Deadline Roundup

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 09:00:00 +0000

What an exciting couple days it's been lately! I just watched an amazing thriller that went into OT, Cleveland vs. Denver. Both Carmelo and Lebron put on shows, scoring 40 and 42 points respectively, and Bron notched a triple double on the way too (15 AST, 13 RBS). Antawn Jamison didn't make his debut with the Cavs yet, but according to Danny Ferry, his transition will be "seamless," so don't be surprised if he comes out hot tomorrow at Charlotte, who also made a deadline day trade to acquire Tyrus Thomas.

(Thomas will give the Bobcats a boost in the front court and allow All-Star Gerald Wallace (who knew we would be able to call him that before this season?) to move back to his natural position at small forward. Thomas will also be able to alternate between power forward and center, so that also gives the 'Cats some versatility.)

Then I watched two more top-tier teams play: the Celtics @ the Lakers. Typical Celtic defense shut down the Kobe-less Lakers, who ended the season 1-1 against the Celtics after tonight's game. Some late runs and clutch plays led to Ray Allen scoring a team high 24 points on 10 of 15 shooting as all five Boston starters scored in double figures. Both Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins (could we start calling them the "Other Two" now?) had double-doubles (Rondo 14 pts, 11 ast; Perkins 13 pts, 14 rbs), and Boston only allowed 1 field goal in final 7 minutes to seal the win. With Kobe out, the Lakers tried a desperation shot at the buzzer by Derek Fisher, but the shot did not go in, leading to the final score of 87-86, Boston's first win against LA since the 2008 NBA Finals.

Before I give you the list of trades, here's a quick summary by J.A. Adande from ESPN.com:

The Cavaliers got their sought-after "stretch 4" and held onto J.J. Hickson. The Wizards satisfied their search for financial relief, young talent and a draft pick as they began the tear-down phase of their overhaul. The Boston Celtics got a boost for their bench in Nate Robinson. The Knicks got the coveted cap space to make a run at two max free agents, which is what they've promised their fans over the past two seasons of mediocrity. The Kings moved the heavy contract of Kevin Martin, who became the scoring threat the Rockets craved. The Trail Blazers got Marcus Camby to replace their two injured centers. The Bucks got shooting guard John Salmons to fill in for the latest knee blowout of Michael Redd. The Bobcats bolstered their frontline with Tyrus Thomas. The Grizzlies added to their undermanned bench by securing Ronnie Brewer. The Clippers and the Bulls got the cap space to enter the summer free-agent sweepstakes.

Now, here's what you've all been waiting for: a list of trades that occurred in the last 48 or so hours, just before the trade deadline. Many teams have been trying to add some talent to either make a push for the playoffs or Finals this season, or they were trying to get ready to be players in this summer's free agency. The list is in no specific order.

1- New York, Houston, Sacramento

New York gets: Tracy McGrady (HOU), Sergio Rodriguez (SAC)

Houston gets: Kevin Martin (SAC), Hilton Armstrong (SAC), Jordan Hill (NYK), Jared Jeffries (NYK)

Sacramento gets: Carl Landry (HOU), Joey Dorsey (HOU), Larry Hughes (NYK)

2- Cleveland, Washington, L.A. Clippers

Cleveland gets: Antawn Jamison (WAS), Sebastian Telfair (LAC)

Washington gets: Zyndrunas Ilgauskas (CLE), 2010 1st round draft pick (CLE), Al Thornton (LAC)

Clippers get: Drew Gooden (WAS)

3- Milwaukee, Chicago

Milwaukee gets: John Salmons (CHI), 2011 & 2012 2nd round picks (CHI), option to switch 2010 1st round picks

Chicago gets: Hakim Warrick (MIL), Joe Alexander (MIL)

4- Dallas, Washington

Dallas gets: Caron Butler (WAS), DeShawn Stevenson (WAS), Brendan Haywood (WAS)

Washington gets: Josh Howard (DAL), Drew Gooden (DAL, later traded to LAC), Quinton Ross (DAL), James Singleton (DAL)

5-Boston, New York

Boston gets: Nate Robinson (NYK), Marcus Landry (NYK)

New York gets: Eddie House (BOS), J.R. Giddens (BOS), Bill Walker (BOS)

6- Portland, L.A. Clippers

Portland gets: Marcus Camby (LAC)

Clippers get: Travis Outlaw (POR), Steve Blake (POR), cash (POR)

7- Philadelphia, Milwaukee

Philadelphia gets: Francisco Elson (MIL), Jodie Meeks (MIL)

Milwaukee gets: Primoz Brezec (PHI), Royal Ivey (PHI), 2010 2nd round pick (PHI)

8- New York, Minnesota

New York gets: Brian Cardinal (MIN)

Minnesota gets: Darko Milicic (NYK), cash (NYK)

9- Utah, Memphis

Utah gets: Future 1st round pick (MEM)

Memphis gets: Ronnie Brewer (UTA)

10- Chicago, Charlotte

Chicago gets: Flip Murray (CHA), Acie Law (CHA), future 1st round pick (CHA)

Charlotte gets: Tyrus Thomas (CHI)

11- San Antonio, Charlotte

San Antonio gets: Protected 2nd round pick in 2016 (CHA)

Charlotte gets: Theo Ratliff (SAS)

12- Sacramento, Washington

Sacramento gets: Dominic McGuire (WAS)

Washington gets: Protected 2nd round pick in 2010 (SAC)

NBA.com TRADE TRACKER: http://www.nba.com/news/transactions/2010.trade.deadline.tracker/index.html

Eastern Conference Locker Room Scenerio :)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:35:00 +0000

I thought I would do something a little different for today's post, hope you like it!

-Lebron James and Dwyane Wade are sitting across from each other after the 2010 All-Star Game in the locker room, getting ready to leave. Wade looks admirably at his All-Star MVP trophy.-

Wade: Hey, Lebron...

Lebron: What's up?

Wade: I've been thinking lately about us being together on a team. We'd be pretty good, don't you think?

Lebron: Yeah, we'd be good alright. We played together in 6 All-Star Games, and we won an Olympic gold medal. That has to say something.

Wade: Exactly. We mesh perfectly together. We had like 20 alley-oops tonight man! How do you think I got 11 assists?

Lebron: What are you trying to get at? That you played better than me? I had that sick reverse dunk!

-does an imitation.-

Wade: Imagine if we could play together all season! You'd get a reliable second option, and I'd get mine, only it would be 1A and 1B, not 1 and 2, you know what I mean?
Lebron: That's what I thought too, but even though we'd win a lot of games and rings, it wouldn't really be good for the NBA. Who would challenge us in games? How would we know how good we could be individually? Besides, have you read this article on ESPN? It actually convinced me.
-shows him a print copy-
Wade: Even though that's has a good point, we would go down in history as probably the best team in NBA history! I bet we would smash that 72 win record and get 82!

To be continued July 1 (1st day of free agency)!

Watch your step

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 23:27:00 +0000

Hey guys. I've been really busy lately and couldn't find much time to add a new post, so that kinda explains why this is only the second post of February. And it looks like I'm not the only one who is in a slump.

Dallas, Boston, and San Antonio, all teams that are over .500, are all only 5-5 in each of their last 10 games played, and a combined 16-22 in their last 38 games (San Antonio is 5-7, Boston is 5-7, and Dallas is 6-8). Is that really the type of record these teams want going into All-Star Weekend? Boston is 3rd in the East, and Dallas and San Antonio are 4th and 6th respectively in the West, but do their positions really show how good these teams are?

The Celtics have been suffering severely from injuries this season, and their game today against Orlando was a rare sighting of a lineup with all of their key players, but that can't explain everything. Portland (30-23) have had the worst luck of any NBA team, losing both of their centers (Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla) early in the season (and for the rest of it), as well as many other key players for periods of time. The Blazers have showed that any team can keep fighting through injuries, even if it means losing your star (Brandon Roy) and your head coach (Nate McMillan) along the way. Boston has to get their act together quickly, which means every player going out and giving it their all, not just Rajon Rondo. Injuries can't be the only excuse.

I have less to say about Dallas. Losses to the Lakers and Utah (twice) are acceptable, but losses to Philly, Phoenix, Portland, Toronto, and Minnesota are not. This team should be looking towards the Finals, but how could they after beating the Celtics and Wizards, then dropping one to the Sixers after 2 days? They have to stop giving up easy wins and start taking all teams seriously.

And now we reach the Spurs, the last team on our 3 team expedition, and also an endangered species. This team is hunted (ie. injuries) because of its rare and expensive quality of meat and skin (see Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili). Hunting is limited nowadays, although reproduction rates among the species is steadily declining (ie. aging). Survival of the fittest has taking its toll on these creatures, thus allowing younger, newer, and better adapting species (see Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, Utah Jazz) to rise in the food chain and flourish in the area (see Western Conference). Is the this the last we see of these once extraordinary and unique species? Only time will tell (ie. Playoffs).

Facebook & Twitter

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 08:14:00 +0000

Hey guys, just made Facebook and Twitter pages for this blog. Feel free to become fans/follow :) On both pages, I will keep you updated on some events in the NBA, or I will tell you about a cool site you can visit. On the Twitter page, I might have live coverage of important games. The links are on the right side of the blog, under the title "Follow me on".

What a Night!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 06:25:00 +0000

Andre Miller's 52 in OT.

31 and 19 from Superman.

Darren Collison dishes franchise rookie record.

38 and 11 from G-Force.

Sounds more like a week's worth of highlights than a day's worth, if you ask me.

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Andre Miller killed Dallas with a career high 52 points in OT, 45 in regulation. His previous career high was 37 (twice), but what surprised me the most was the fact that he made about 71% of his FG. 21 for 33 shooting, 1/1 3PT, 7/8 FT, and 52 points. Now THAT is impressive. And he made clutch plays too, with 25 points in the fourth quarter and overtime. Who knew that the guy still had it in him?

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Dwight Howard was his usual self defensively, collecting 19 boards and 3 blocks, but his offensive game was the scary part. I'm pretty sure most of us can recall this other Magic center who used to drop 30+ points and nabbed lots of rebounds at the same time, so lets go through a quick checklist to compare Dwight to him.

Does Dwight have:

Tenacious defense? Check.

Good leader? Check.

Great personality? Check.

Fan support? Check.

Polished offensive game? Nope, but we just caught a glimpse of it.

Obviously, Shaq had a more complete offensive skill set, but that doesn't mean Dwight can't improve. He's only 24 and already a beast in the post. Just give him some time. But if what we saw against Atlanta was anything near how Dwight will end up, he may be able to steal Shaq's Superman cape (I wonder how Shaq would feel...)

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The 2009 Draft was supposed to be a one-man draft. Blake Griffin and some possible role players. Nothing else. If you weren't the Clippers and didn't get the No.1 pick, you probably didn't care much about the draft. Surprisingly, Griffin hasn't played a single minute in the NBA yet, and will be considered a rookie next year, in 2010-2011. Maybe you liked Ricky Rubio and wanted him? He's still ballin it up in Barcelona.

Now that we are past the mid-point of the NBA season, we can safely say that this Draft Class is great. Tyreke Evans, Jonny Flynn, Brandon Jennings, Omri Casspi, Chase Budinger, Jonas Jerebko, Stephen Curry, James Harden, Taj Gibson, DeJuan Blair, and DeMar DeRozan are all part of what may become one of the best NBA Drafts of all time. Now there are two more revelations: Marcus Thornton and Darren Collison, both from the New Orleans Hornets.

Few other teams can be as satisfied with their draftees as the Hornets are. Thornton was drafted 43rd and Collison was drafted 21st. Neither was supposed to become very important to the Hornets. Both players have been leaving marks in games earlier in the year, and both are now receiving more minutes.

Darren Collison, playing instead of star point guard Chris Paul (out with an injury), started against the Memphis Grizzlies, and all I can say is, if the Hornets are ever desperate to trade CP3, they'll always have Collison as a worthy backup. The rookie set a franchise record for most assists in a game by a rookie, with a whopping 18 assists. Collison was never supposed to be this good, but he's been proving himself worthy of mention among this year's top rookies, or at least as one of the nicest surprises.

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Gerald Wallace decided to add some more highlights to his amazing play this year. G-Force led his Bobcats to a win over the Kings, who got 31 points from Kevin Martin. Wallace's 38 points were a season high, and only 4 points shy of his career high (42 points). He also nabbed 11 rebounds, filling the stat sheet as he does so often nowadays.

He's got a busy All-Star Weekend coming up soon, with the Dunk Contest and All-Star Game on his hands. Let's hope he puts on a decent show; he's going to need to do a lot of crazy moves if he wants to beat Shannon Brown, Nate Robinson, and DeMar DeRozan (I'm counting Eric Gordon out already). All four players are monsters when it comes to dunking, so you can't go wrong with whoever you vote for.

Links:
POR-DAL: http://www.nba.com/games/20100130/PORDAL/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0020900692
ATL-ORL: http://www.nba.com/games/20100130/ATLORL/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0020900689
NOH-MEM: http://www.nba.com/games/20100130/NOHMEM/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0020900690
CHA-SAC: http://www.nba.com/games/20100130/CHASAC/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0020900694

Some Thoughts...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 22:19:00 +0000

Watch Out, Nike
Wow. Just wow. Does anyone remember the Gilbert Arenas gun incident? Sure you do. And I bet you know how it ended, too, right? Well, apparently Nike needs a reminder. Here's some of the report, courtesy of ESPN.com:

Bryant's blurb says: "I'll do whatever it takes to win games. I don't leave anything in the chamber."
The chamber in a gun is the compartment that holds the bullet before it is fired.

Commissioner David Stern has probably had enough public image problems lately, and this Nike ad doesn't help at all. Let's just hope this doesn't end those puppet commercials, they are way too cool.

Link: http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/news/story?id=4869984

Awkward, Much?
Just when I thought the Raptors-Knicks game was over, I realized it wasn't.

In what was a great game for both teams, the Raptors came out victorious with the help of Chris Bosh and Hedo Turkoglu. But Hedo saved his best for last in a post game interview with TSN reporter Jack Armstrong.

Armstrong: You came out tonight, early, aggressive. What was different for you tonight in terms of setting the tone with your game in this game?
Turkoglu: Ball.

That had to be the most awkward position for the reporter, but it made my day.
Here's the video:

Basketball Wallpapers

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:44:00 +0000

Obviously, this site is still unknown to virtually everyone on the internet, but in case you happen to stop by here coincidentally, I want to introduce you to somebody. Please, give a round of applause to none other than... BasketWallpapers.com!

This site is probably the best collection of free basketball related wallpapers on the internet. There is an RSS feed of the site on the right side of my blog, and the link for the site is under the "Friends & Partners" category. The administrator of the site, Dejan, hand picks only the best wallpapers, and you can leave him requests for walls that you want. The site has 1116 walls as of today, and new walls are added regularly. Whether it's Kobe Bryant or Dwyane Wade, Amar'e Stoudamire or Dwight Howard, you can find all of your favorite players' wallpapers in all sorts of resolutions. There are even WNBA and International Players wallpapers!

So head over to http://www.basketwallpapers.com / and get your free wallpapers today!

NBA All-Star 2010 Rosters

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 04:26:00 +0000

Waddup guys,

The All-Star reserves were announced today on TNT, and we got 7 newcomers coming for their first career All-Star Game. Rajon Rondo, Derrick Rose, Gerald Wallace, and Al Horford in the East, and Kevin Durant, Deron Williams (about time!), and Zach Randolph in the West. Great choices overall, except the Horford selection. Personally, I would have put either David Lee or fellow Hawk Josh Smith instead.

Now explain this.

Deron Williams is averaging 19.0 PPG and 9.5 APG this season. Good numbers. Great, even. Last year, he had 19.4 PPG and 10.7 APG. Before that, he had 18.8 PPG and 10.5 PPG. In his sophomore year he averaged 16.2 PPG and 9.3 APG. So...

...HOW IS THIS HIS FIRST ALL-STAR SELECTION???

Derrick Rose, now a sophomore, is averaging 19.8 PPG and only 5.9 APG. No offense to Rose, but Williams was averaging 3.4 APG more than him and only 3.6 PPG less. Also, Deron Williams lead his team to 51 wins, while Rose is on pace to lead the Bulls to only 41 wins, 10 games less.

We can't do anything about this now, but I just wanted to point out how much people overlook Deron Williams, who is arguably the best point guard in the league not named Chris Paul. So please, give this man some love and get him into some All-Star Games in the coming years, all right? Good.

Peace out.

All-Star Rosters (link): http://www.nba.com/2010/allstar/2010/01/28/reserves.release

Intro

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 03:48:00 +0000

Hey guys.
So, this is my first blog post. Ever. Kind of interesting, huh? No? Yeah, thought so.

Anyway, this blog is all about basketball; specifically the NBA. Every so often, I'm going to tell you some of my thoughts about the NBA and everything going on in the world of basketball. Anything I say is purely my opinion; nothing more, nothing less. If you got any questions about anything related to the NBA, leave a comment and I will get to it (hopefully). Also, I don't have too much spare time on my hands, so don't expect a new post every day or two.

Everything I post here is something worth reading. I only talk about the best of the best. The stuff people care about, the stuff they wanna hear.

Hope you enjoy the blog.