So the NBA has joined the NFL in having a lockout of the players. Now most people seem to think that the NBA lockout will be longer than the NFL's and will probably lose some, if not most, of the next season. Well I don't think that has to be the case.
Yes, the NBA is in a whole different situation than the NFL, a much worse situation financially. The NFL lockout is because the owners and players cannot decide on how to split up all the profits they make. They are risking losing some games because the owners don't think they are making enough millions, although they are all definitely making money. The NBA lockout is because at least half of the teams (and more specifically their owners) are losing money. Teams like the Pacers and Kings and other small market teams are struggling to make money, while teams like the Lakers and Knicks are making plenty of money. And oh, by the way, the players are making a lot of money too, much more on average than NFL players. So most people think the NBA lockout will go a lot longer because the league as a whole is unhealthy. But I contend that it doesn't have to last that long.
Everybody involved in these negotiations knows how desperate some of these teams are right now. But they also know how much success the league was this last year. By all accounts, interest in the NBA has been increasing the last few years, and this last season was a great success. So I think everybody knows that they have a lot of momentum going for them that they don't want to risk losing by missing part of the season due to a lockout. So the first thing that needs to happen, is the league needs to come up with a type of revenue sharing that the NFL has had for a while now. There is some revenue sharing now, but it needs to be adjusted. All teams need to share profits with each other. If each team is healthy financially, it strengthens the league as a whole and allows growth because no team is struggling just to get by. If every team has the same chance financially to sign players, then it evens the playing field. Now I understand that owners of the most successful teams right now may not want that because that means they may not have as much success, but parity is great for the league as a whole.
So I know it is a long shot, but if everybody can work together for the greater good of the league, then I think it can get resolved quicker than most people think. And of course, there are some issues that still need resolved and agreed upon with the players association, but I think those are minor compared to the revenue sharing issue. I think everybody would be happier if people just say, "can't we all just get along?"
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
I Love the NBA Draft
I love the NBA Draft. It's that simple.
The Draft takes place tomorrow night at 7pm on ESPN. It marks the start of the new NBA year. The old season is over, time to start changing your roster around to get better for next season. Things that make this night so great? Several different reasons.
The first is the drafting of rookies themselves. Most of these guys you have seen play in college, and now you get to see where they go to start their professional careers. Also from a team standpoint, you get the anticipation of figuring out who is going to still be there when you get to pick, and what positions are you going to fill on your roster.
Another reason it is so fun is the trades and trade rumors. Every team is talking to every other team seeing if they can make a deal that benefits them both. In this year's draft, the talent in the draft is considered not that great. So look out for teams trying to trade their picks for a veteran that can help them right away. But also, it brings the question of who is going to trade up for that pick and how much are they willing to offer. In a really deep draft, you could trade your pick for a pretty good, established player. This year? Who knows.
And one other reason I really like the NBA draft, is that it is a lot quicker than the NFL draft. The NFL draft, the most popular of professional sports drafts, takes 3 days to do. In the first round each team gets 10 or 15 minutes I think. In the NBA, each team gets 5 min in the first round, and the whole thing is wrapped up in one night. It is quick and to the point. It is a new beginning for everybody. The 2011-2012 season starts tomorrow night. Get ready!
The Draft takes place tomorrow night at 7pm on ESPN. It marks the start of the new NBA year. The old season is over, time to start changing your roster around to get better for next season. Things that make this night so great? Several different reasons.
The first is the drafting of rookies themselves. Most of these guys you have seen play in college, and now you get to see where they go to start their professional careers. Also from a team standpoint, you get the anticipation of figuring out who is going to still be there when you get to pick, and what positions are you going to fill on your roster.
Another reason it is so fun is the trades and trade rumors. Every team is talking to every other team seeing if they can make a deal that benefits them both. In this year's draft, the talent in the draft is considered not that great. So look out for teams trying to trade their picks for a veteran that can help them right away. But also, it brings the question of who is going to trade up for that pick and how much are they willing to offer. In a really deep draft, you could trade your pick for a pretty good, established player. This year? Who knows.
And one other reason I really like the NBA draft, is that it is a lot quicker than the NFL draft. The NFL draft, the most popular of professional sports drafts, takes 3 days to do. In the first round each team gets 10 or 15 minutes I think. In the NBA, each team gets 5 min in the first round, and the whole thing is wrapped up in one night. It is quick and to the point. It is a new beginning for everybody. The 2011-2012 season starts tomorrow night. Get ready!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
NBA Finals Review
Well the NBA Finals, and season, is over. The Dallas Mavericks are NBA Champions for the first time. But all anybody seems to want to talk about are the losers, the Miami Heat. But let's take a closer look at the series.
The Mavs won in 6 games. They played well. They played smart. They were led by a man named Dirk Nowitzki who had a hunger like no other in this series. He has been labeled as coming up short in the playoffs for years. This was his redemption. Even though he was sick for game 4, he came out and willed his team to victory. Even though he could not get a shot to fall in the first half of game 6, he kept the mentality of "shooters keep shooting, eventually they will start to go in" and they did late in the game. The Mavs were filled with guys who just had not quite reached this mountain-top before. Jason Kidd has played 17 seasons, including reaching the finals twice, but just now got his first win. Shawn Marion and Peja Stojakovic and played on numerous good teams in their careers that just didn't get there. Dirk and Jason Terry had reached the finals 5 years earlier before losing to the Heat. Their coach, Rick Carlisle, had coached the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers to be great teams before they ran into problems that prevented them from true greatness. So I am very happy for the Mavs, they deserve it.
The Heat on the other hand, lost the series when they were the favorites going in. They didn't play particularly bad most of the time, but they didn't have the same results in the 4th quarters mostly that the Mavs did. All anybody wants to talk about is LeBron James not living up to what he should be doing late in the game. True, he could have done a lot better and been more aggressive, but I think it just wasn't his time yet. You have to fall to truly experience the joy that comes with overcoming your past failures. There is no doubt in my mind that the Heat will be back in the Finals again over the next several years. They will have more chances and will be able to learn from their mistakes in this year's Finals.
One thing that must be fixed for the Heat is LeBron's aggressiveness in the 4th quarters. Actually, I don't think it needs much fixing, just a little tweaking. In the previous rounds of this years playoffs, he was unstoppable in the 4th quarters. He was shooting and making 3's at a rate we had never seen from him before. But in the Finals, his shot wasn't falling and so he stopped shooting, choosing to defer to others who were shooting better. Except most of his teammates didn't want to shoot it because this was the time LeBron was supposed to take over so they kept passing it back. It led to some awful sequences on offense. LeBron needs to drive to the basket whenever his jump shot isn't falling. He needs to post people up and work his way closer to the hoop. He has not done that most of his career, relying on his jump shot which is fairly unreliable at times.
The Mavs will be contenders again next year, but I don't think they will get back to this point. Their aging team mixed with the difficulty of winning two years in a row will be too much for them I think. The Heat, on the other hand, need to improve their bench. If I were them, I would look to trade Chris Bosh for some better role players. I know he is good, but he is being under-utilized as the third option on the team. The problem though, is that with James and Dwyane Wade controlling the Heat, there is no room to increase Bosh's usage. Yes, they have the best 3rd option in the league, but I think it would be better for him and the team if they could trade him for maybe a bigger center and a few other role players. Their bench currently is made up of older players who were once pretty good, but now are just barely still playing. Sure they had their moments, but you need to improve over Juwan Howard and Erik Dampier. If they couldn't find a use for Dampier, their biggest body, to play in the finals against a bigger front court that the Mavs had, then it's time to let him go. Fill the bench with young guys who have something to prove. They need to go after guys like Jason Kapono and Jeff Foster in free agency.
So anyways, now it time for the NBA Draft, which is one of my highlights of the year. So stay tuned for more exciting NBA off-season things.
The Mavs won in 6 games. They played well. They played smart. They were led by a man named Dirk Nowitzki who had a hunger like no other in this series. He has been labeled as coming up short in the playoffs for years. This was his redemption. Even though he was sick for game 4, he came out and willed his team to victory. Even though he could not get a shot to fall in the first half of game 6, he kept the mentality of "shooters keep shooting, eventually they will start to go in" and they did late in the game. The Mavs were filled with guys who just had not quite reached this mountain-top before. Jason Kidd has played 17 seasons, including reaching the finals twice, but just now got his first win. Shawn Marion and Peja Stojakovic and played on numerous good teams in their careers that just didn't get there. Dirk and Jason Terry had reached the finals 5 years earlier before losing to the Heat. Their coach, Rick Carlisle, had coached the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers to be great teams before they ran into problems that prevented them from true greatness. So I am very happy for the Mavs, they deserve it.
The Heat on the other hand, lost the series when they were the favorites going in. They didn't play particularly bad most of the time, but they didn't have the same results in the 4th quarters mostly that the Mavs did. All anybody wants to talk about is LeBron James not living up to what he should be doing late in the game. True, he could have done a lot better and been more aggressive, but I think it just wasn't his time yet. You have to fall to truly experience the joy that comes with overcoming your past failures. There is no doubt in my mind that the Heat will be back in the Finals again over the next several years. They will have more chances and will be able to learn from their mistakes in this year's Finals.
One thing that must be fixed for the Heat is LeBron's aggressiveness in the 4th quarters. Actually, I don't think it needs much fixing, just a little tweaking. In the previous rounds of this years playoffs, he was unstoppable in the 4th quarters. He was shooting and making 3's at a rate we had never seen from him before. But in the Finals, his shot wasn't falling and so he stopped shooting, choosing to defer to others who were shooting better. Except most of his teammates didn't want to shoot it because this was the time LeBron was supposed to take over so they kept passing it back. It led to some awful sequences on offense. LeBron needs to drive to the basket whenever his jump shot isn't falling. He needs to post people up and work his way closer to the hoop. He has not done that most of his career, relying on his jump shot which is fairly unreliable at times.
The Mavs will be contenders again next year, but I don't think they will get back to this point. Their aging team mixed with the difficulty of winning two years in a row will be too much for them I think. The Heat, on the other hand, need to improve their bench. If I were them, I would look to trade Chris Bosh for some better role players. I know he is good, but he is being under-utilized as the third option on the team. The problem though, is that with James and Dwyane Wade controlling the Heat, there is no room to increase Bosh's usage. Yes, they have the best 3rd option in the league, but I think it would be better for him and the team if they could trade him for maybe a bigger center and a few other role players. Their bench currently is made up of older players who were once pretty good, but now are just barely still playing. Sure they had their moments, but you need to improve over Juwan Howard and Erik Dampier. If they couldn't find a use for Dampier, their biggest body, to play in the finals against a bigger front court that the Mavs had, then it's time to let him go. Fill the bench with young guys who have something to prove. They need to go after guys like Jason Kapono and Jeff Foster in free agency.
So anyways, now it time for the NBA Draft, which is one of my highlights of the year. So stay tuned for more exciting NBA off-season things.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Shaq Retires
Last week, the great Shaquille O'Neal retired from professional basketball after a 19-year career. He will go down as one of the greatest players ever, and possibly the most entertaining NBA player ever. That's the special thing about Shaq, he was not defined by his play on the court, even as good as it was.
After being drafted number 1 overall in 1992 by the Orlando Magic, he became a dominating force. O'Neal's individual accolades include the 1999–2000 MVP award, the 1992–93 NBA Rookie of the Year award, 15 All-Star game selections, three All-Star Game MVP awards, three Finals MVP awards, two scoring titles, 14 All-NBA team selections, and three NBA All-Defensive Team selections. He is one of only three players to win NBA MVP, All-Star game MVP and Finals MVP awards in the same year (2000); the other players are Willis Reed and Michael Jordan. He ranks 5th all-time in points scored, 5th in field goals, 12th in rebounds, and 7th in blocks. But through all that, I don't think all of the accolades are what people will remember about him.
He was the ultimate entertainer. His size (7 ft 1 in, over 300 lbs, and size 23 shoes) and basketball talent allowed him to be the center of attention for most of his life. He always took those opportunities to express his opinions and to make people smile when he could. He was usually up for interviews, granting journalists and viewers entertainment through it all. He is a man of many nicknames (many of which he gave himself): Shaq, The Diesel, Shaq Fu, Superman, The Big Aristotle, The Big Cactus, The Big Shaqtus, The Big Shamrock, and The Big Conductor. He was a rapper and actor. He has also been involved in law enforcement for several years, having worked as a reserve officer in LA and Miami.
Although I am kind of sad to see him go as a player, I am excited to see what he will do next. With most retired athletes, we see less of them. I have a feeling, however, that retirement from basketball will only allow us all to be more entertained by Shaq from this point forward. So goodbye for now, but I can't wait to see what you have in store for us all in the future.
After being drafted number 1 overall in 1992 by the Orlando Magic, he became a dominating force. O'Neal's individual accolades include the 1999–2000 MVP award, the 1992–93 NBA Rookie of the Year award, 15 All-Star game selections, three All-Star Game MVP awards, three Finals MVP awards, two scoring titles, 14 All-NBA team selections, and three NBA All-Defensive Team selections. He is one of only three players to win NBA MVP, All-Star game MVP and Finals MVP awards in the same year (2000); the other players are Willis Reed and Michael Jordan. He ranks 5th all-time in points scored, 5th in field goals, 12th in rebounds, and 7th in blocks. But through all that, I don't think all of the accolades are what people will remember about him.
He was the ultimate entertainer. His size (7 ft 1 in, over 300 lbs, and size 23 shoes) and basketball talent allowed him to be the center of attention for most of his life. He always took those opportunities to express his opinions and to make people smile when he could. He was usually up for interviews, granting journalists and viewers entertainment through it all. He is a man of many nicknames (many of which he gave himself): Shaq, The Diesel, Shaq Fu, Superman, The Big Aristotle, The Big Cactus, The Big Shaqtus, The Big Shamrock, and The Big Conductor. He was a rapper and actor. He has also been involved in law enforcement for several years, having worked as a reserve officer in LA and Miami.
Although I am kind of sad to see him go as a player, I am excited to see what he will do next. With most retired athletes, we see less of them. I have a feeling, however, that retirement from basketball will only allow us all to be more entertained by Shaq from this point forward. So goodbye for now, but I can't wait to see what you have in store for us all in the future.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
The NBA Finals
I know it has been a while since I last had a post, I apologize. But on the bright side of things, tonight is the start of the 2011 NBA Finals between the Dallas Mavericks and the Miami Heat.
I am very excited for this series. It's between two teams that I like. And these teams played each other in the 2006 Finals, with the Heat beating the Mavs in that one. However, each team only has 2 players that are hold-overs from that 2006 series. The Heat have Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem. The Mavs have Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry. The Heat have been the big story all year since LeBron James and Chris Bosh decided to join Wade in Miami to create a super-star led team. The Mavs have been Dirk's team for years now, he has won an MVP before, but never won a title.
It's the big match-up between Dirk and LeBron for who needs to win their first championship more, and I for one, will be watching with great anticipation.
I am very excited for this series. It's between two teams that I like. And these teams played each other in the 2006 Finals, with the Heat beating the Mavs in that one. However, each team only has 2 players that are hold-overs from that 2006 series. The Heat have Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem. The Mavs have Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry. The Heat have been the big story all year since LeBron James and Chris Bosh decided to join Wade in Miami to create a super-star led team. The Mavs have been Dirk's team for years now, he has won an MVP before, but never won a title.
It's the big match-up between Dirk and LeBron for who needs to win their first championship more, and I for one, will be watching with great anticipation.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Season Awards
Now that most of the regular season awards have been given out, I want to go through and take a closer look at them.
MVP
Winner: Derrick Rose
Who should have won: Derrick Rose
Rose became a superstar this year. He took the leap from one of the best young players in the game to one of the best players, period. He led the Bulls to the number 1 record in the league, kept his team afloat when they had a couple major injuries, and became a deadly closer at the end of games. There is an argument to be made for LeBron James to have won, he is still the best basketball player in the world, and he had better stats than Rose, but he had a couple things going against him. First, he has won the MVP the last 2 years. Voters get tired of voting for the same guy year after year. That is really the only explanation for Karl Malone ever winning an MVP award over Michael Jordan. Secondly, James switched teams and now plays with Dwyane Wade on the Miami Heat. Having two superstars on the same team means both are going to lose votes on awards like these because it's hard to say who was truly leading their team.
Defensive Player of the Year
Winner: Dwight Howard
Who should have won: Dwight Howard
Let's face it, Howard is a beast. He is the biggest and strongest player in the game today. He was ranked 2nd this year in rebounds with 14.1 per game (but led the league overall in defensive rebounds), and 4th in blocks with 2.4 per game. He also had a career best 1.4 steals per game. This is his 3rd straight year winning DPOY and I'm not sure when anybody else with take the award from him.
6th Man
Winner: Lamar Odom
Who should have won: Lamar Odom
I really have no problems with Odom winning the award. The Mavs' Jason Terry is about the only other guy I think that has an argument. Odom is good enough to be a starter on most teams, but he plays for the Lakers who are kind of loaded. The thing with Odom that perplexes me, besides him marrying the ugly Kardashian sister, is how this seems to be the biggest award of his career. He has the size and talent to have been a All-Star several times. When he was younger, he was thought to be a future star. He is listed as being 6'10", which allows him to play as a center, but he has the skills of a guard. He can play all 5 positions. But one of the most well known things about him is his love of candy. So maybe that has something to do with him not living up to the potential, who knows.
Most Improved Player
Winner: Kevin Love
Who should have won: Dorell Wright
I have a general theory on how the MIP should be restricted. A player should not be eligible for the MIP if they are still on their rookie contract. Players are supposed to improve a lot in their first few years in the league. I think this award should be given to a player that most people didn't foresee improving by much. So by those standards, Love should be ineligible. But the award has increasingly been given out to young players in the last few years. Wright, however set career highs this year in points, rebounds, assists, steals, games played, and minutes played. His points increased from 7.1 last year to 16.4 this year. Wright also became the first player in NBA history to have scored more points in his seventh season than all of his first six combined. And he led the league in 3-pointers made and attempted, setting Warriors franchise records for both. How did he not win?
Rookie of the Year
Winner: None yet
Who should have won: Blake Griffin
Griffin will easily win ROY this year. He became a must-see attraction with his highlights and amazing athletic ability. After sitting out all of last year with an injury, he was a rookie this year, and became the leader of the Clippers. He is awesome, and will be an All-Star for many years to come.
MVP
Winner: Derrick Rose
Who should have won: Derrick Rose
Rose became a superstar this year. He took the leap from one of the best young players in the game to one of the best players, period. He led the Bulls to the number 1 record in the league, kept his team afloat when they had a couple major injuries, and became a deadly closer at the end of games. There is an argument to be made for LeBron James to have won, he is still the best basketball player in the world, and he had better stats than Rose, but he had a couple things going against him. First, he has won the MVP the last 2 years. Voters get tired of voting for the same guy year after year. That is really the only explanation for Karl Malone ever winning an MVP award over Michael Jordan. Secondly, James switched teams and now plays with Dwyane Wade on the Miami Heat. Having two superstars on the same team means both are going to lose votes on awards like these because it's hard to say who was truly leading their team.
Defensive Player of the Year
Winner: Dwight Howard
Who should have won: Dwight Howard
Let's face it, Howard is a beast. He is the biggest and strongest player in the game today. He was ranked 2nd this year in rebounds with 14.1 per game (but led the league overall in defensive rebounds), and 4th in blocks with 2.4 per game. He also had a career best 1.4 steals per game. This is his 3rd straight year winning DPOY and I'm not sure when anybody else with take the award from him.
6th Man
Winner: Lamar Odom
Who should have won: Lamar Odom
I really have no problems with Odom winning the award. The Mavs' Jason Terry is about the only other guy I think that has an argument. Odom is good enough to be a starter on most teams, but he plays for the Lakers who are kind of loaded. The thing with Odom that perplexes me, besides him marrying the ugly Kardashian sister, is how this seems to be the biggest award of his career. He has the size and talent to have been a All-Star several times. When he was younger, he was thought to be a future star. He is listed as being 6'10", which allows him to play as a center, but he has the skills of a guard. He can play all 5 positions. But one of the most well known things about him is his love of candy. So maybe that has something to do with him not living up to the potential, who knows.
Most Improved Player
Winner: Kevin Love
Who should have won: Dorell Wright
I have a general theory on how the MIP should be restricted. A player should not be eligible for the MIP if they are still on their rookie contract. Players are supposed to improve a lot in their first few years in the league. I think this award should be given to a player that most people didn't foresee improving by much. So by those standards, Love should be ineligible. But the award has increasingly been given out to young players in the last few years. Wright, however set career highs this year in points, rebounds, assists, steals, games played, and minutes played. His points increased from 7.1 last year to 16.4 this year. Wright also became the first player in NBA history to have scored more points in his seventh season than all of his first six combined. And he led the league in 3-pointers made and attempted, setting Warriors franchise records for both. How did he not win?
Rookie of the Year
Winner: None yet
Who should have won: Blake Griffin
Griffin will easily win ROY this year. He became a must-see attraction with his highlights and amazing athletic ability. After sitting out all of last year with an injury, he was a rookie this year, and became the leader of the Clippers. He is awesome, and will be an All-Star for many years to come.
Monday, April 18, 2011
More Playoffs Please
Well after each series played their 1st game this past weekend, I think we are in for a great playoffs experience. Each game was closely contested. The Grizzlies, as an 8 seed, got their 1st playoff victory in franchise history yesterday. I'm excited at least and I hope you are too.
One interesting storyline going into this year's postseason is two former teammates finally getting off the top of the list of most career regular season games played without every playing in the playoffs by an active player. The Celtics' Troy Murphy and the Pacers' Mike Dunleavy finally made the playoffs after long careers, much spent together. Murphy led the list with 656 career games in 10 seasons before making it this year. Dunleavy just trailed Murphy, having played in 627 games in 9 seasons. Before this year, the two were teammates for all 8 years of Dunleavy's career. They were both drafted by the Warriors, then traded together to the Pacers during the 06-07 season. So who now takes their spot atop the list? The Pistons' Chris Wilcox, at 534 games.
One other quick link I came across that I found entertaining is an article by the Sports Pickle: What Your Favorite NBA Playoff Team Says About You.
One interesting storyline going into this year's postseason is two former teammates finally getting off the top of the list of most career regular season games played without every playing in the playoffs by an active player. The Celtics' Troy Murphy and the Pacers' Mike Dunleavy finally made the playoffs after long careers, much spent together. Murphy led the list with 656 career games in 10 seasons before making it this year. Dunleavy just trailed Murphy, having played in 627 games in 9 seasons. Before this year, the two were teammates for all 8 years of Dunleavy's career. They were both drafted by the Warriors, then traded together to the Pacers during the 06-07 season. So who now takes their spot atop the list? The Pistons' Chris Wilcox, at 534 games.
One other quick link I came across that I found entertaining is an article by the Sports Pickle: What Your Favorite NBA Playoff Team Says About You.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
NBA Playoffs Preview
Well it's finally here, the NBA Playoffs. What makes this so exciting? Every night, there is basketball of the highest quality. The quality of the games is what separates the NBA Playoffs from the NCAA Tournament. There are 16 teams all trying for that elusive title as NBA Champions. True, there aren't too many upsets, but for anybody who just likes the game itself, you can't beat this. Because each series is a best of 7 games, you cannot surprise your opponent to move on to the next round. To win, you actually have to adjust and force your will upon the other team. There are plenty of story-lines, and the best way to digest them all is to simply watch the games.
My predictions for the 1st Round.
Bulls vs Pacers
Although I think the Pacers can put up a good fight, the Bulls have Derrick Rose, and he seems unstoppable right now. These teams are in the same division so they are familiar with each other, which I think will hopefully make the games more intense and better. My pick: Bulls in 5 games.
Spurs vs Grizzlies
The injury to Manu Ginobili makes this a little less sure for the Spurs. San Antonio is a very experienced, veteran team, but I think they are one significant injury to one of their main 3 players from being an easy team to defeat. The Grizzlies are a hot, young team with little playoff experience. Overall, I think the Spurs experience will put them over the top. My pick: Spurs in 6 games.
Heat vs 76ers
This is what everybody has been waiting for: to see what the Heat can do in the playoffs. What very few people are talking about is how good the 76ers actually are. One of the most surprising teams of this year, the 76ers are a tough out for any team. But I think the Heat have mostly figured out how to work together and make this team run. Their talent and experience will be too much for the young 76ers. My pick: Heat in 4 games.
Lakers vs Hornets
The defending champion Lakers certainly have the experience and talent to make them contenders for the championship again this year. If healthy, they are one of the deepest teams in the league. The Hornets lost their 2nd best player (David West) to injury about a month ago, which severely weakens them. However, the Hornets do have Chris Paul, who I think will be able to win one game himself. But just one. My pick: Lakers in 5 games.
Celtics vs Knicks
One of the most anticipated series of the 1st round, these two teams do not lack star power. Both teams have been mediocre since making an in-season trade in February. The Celtics went to the finals last year and won it all 3 years ago. The Knicks haven't been in the playoffs in a while, and their stars have little playoff success. But I still think these teams match up well if Shaq is out with injuries for the Celtics. My pick: Celtics in 7 games.
Mavs vs Blazers
Most people are picking this for their 1st round upset. The Mavs have been struggling lately and the Blazers have been playing well since they traded for Gerald Wallace. The Mavs also have little playoff success in the past decade and the Blazers seem to match up well with them. Dirk Nowitzki can win at least 2 games by himself for the Mavs and I don't know if the Blazers have anybody like that. My pick: Mavs in 7 games.
Magic vs Hawks
Last year the Magic swept the Hawks in the 2nd round. This season the Hawks have won 3 of 4 games against the Magic. So which one of these will hold true? I think neither will happen again. The Magic are a very different team with their big trades from this year, and I think the Hawks are better than last year, although they are less talked about. However, I think Dwight Howard muscles his way past the Hawks. My pick: Magic in 6 games.
Thunder vs Nuggets
Two fun teams to watch. The Thunder were thought to be favorites coming into the season, but then fell out of popularity as they struggled at the start of the year. The Nuggets have been greatly improved since trading Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks in February. Both teams are young and athletic. But the Thunder are too talented to let this series get away. My pick: Thunder in 5 games.
So there you have it, I went with all favorites which I know is no fun, but that's OK. The real fun is watching all the games. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the great games going on.
My predictions for the 1st Round.
Bulls vs Pacers
Although I think the Pacers can put up a good fight, the Bulls have Derrick Rose, and he seems unstoppable right now. These teams are in the same division so they are familiar with each other, which I think will hopefully make the games more intense and better. My pick: Bulls in 5 games.
Spurs vs Grizzlies
The injury to Manu Ginobili makes this a little less sure for the Spurs. San Antonio is a very experienced, veteran team, but I think they are one significant injury to one of their main 3 players from being an easy team to defeat. The Grizzlies are a hot, young team with little playoff experience. Overall, I think the Spurs experience will put them over the top. My pick: Spurs in 6 games.
Heat vs 76ers
This is what everybody has been waiting for: to see what the Heat can do in the playoffs. What very few people are talking about is how good the 76ers actually are. One of the most surprising teams of this year, the 76ers are a tough out for any team. But I think the Heat have mostly figured out how to work together and make this team run. Their talent and experience will be too much for the young 76ers. My pick: Heat in 4 games.
Lakers vs Hornets
The defending champion Lakers certainly have the experience and talent to make them contenders for the championship again this year. If healthy, they are one of the deepest teams in the league. The Hornets lost their 2nd best player (David West) to injury about a month ago, which severely weakens them. However, the Hornets do have Chris Paul, who I think will be able to win one game himself. But just one. My pick: Lakers in 5 games.
Celtics vs Knicks
One of the most anticipated series of the 1st round, these two teams do not lack star power. Both teams have been mediocre since making an in-season trade in February. The Celtics went to the finals last year and won it all 3 years ago. The Knicks haven't been in the playoffs in a while, and their stars have little playoff success. But I still think these teams match up well if Shaq is out with injuries for the Celtics. My pick: Celtics in 7 games.
Mavs vs Blazers
Most people are picking this for their 1st round upset. The Mavs have been struggling lately and the Blazers have been playing well since they traded for Gerald Wallace. The Mavs also have little playoff success in the past decade and the Blazers seem to match up well with them. Dirk Nowitzki can win at least 2 games by himself for the Mavs and I don't know if the Blazers have anybody like that. My pick: Mavs in 7 games.
Magic vs Hawks
Last year the Magic swept the Hawks in the 2nd round. This season the Hawks have won 3 of 4 games against the Magic. So which one of these will hold true? I think neither will happen again. The Magic are a very different team with their big trades from this year, and I think the Hawks are better than last year, although they are less talked about. However, I think Dwight Howard muscles his way past the Hawks. My pick: Magic in 6 games.
Thunder vs Nuggets
Two fun teams to watch. The Thunder were thought to be favorites coming into the season, but then fell out of popularity as they struggled at the start of the year. The Nuggets have been greatly improved since trading Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks in February. Both teams are young and athletic. But the Thunder are too talented to let this series get away. My pick: Thunder in 5 games.
So there you have it, I went with all favorites which I know is no fun, but that's OK. The real fun is watching all the games. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the great games going on.
Monday, April 11, 2011
I've been copied...or something like that
While I am pretty sure he wasn't actually copying me, Sports Illustrated's Ian Thomsen recently wrote an articled titled Payroll breakdowns: Which teams get the most for their money? He basically did the same thing I did all season, except he only did it once this year. Clearly he came up with the same information I did: that the Chicago Bulls were the best value team this year, and that they are the only team with a cost-per-win of under $1 million. He writes in the first paragraph that this is an annual review, so apparently he has done it before, but I had never seen it before. Anyways, it's nice to know that I can do what professional NBA writers do.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Jerry Sloan for NBA Coach of the Year?
As we near the end of the NBA's regular season, it is time to start thinking of season awards. My vote for Coach of the Year: former Utah Jazz coach, Jerry Sloan. This award usually goes to a coach who helped his team to a winning record and a playoff berth. Jerry Sloan did neither. Instead, he abruptly retired in the middle of the season this last February. So why do I think he should get it this year? Here is why:
The guy is also kind of a bad-ass. In 1976, Sloan took the head coaching position at the University of Evansville, but then withdrew after just 5 days. That same season the Evansville basketball team as well as coaches were killed in a plane crash at Evansville Airport. Also, according to this story on Yahoo! Sloan saves his friends lives with his gun.
Jerry Sloan has been an NBA icon since the 1960's. Now that he is retired, the fact that he never won the COY award is embarrassing for the NBA. I guess when you have been that successful for so long, people just expect you to be good, so they are never as impressed as they would be by someone who has a surprising good season. So for the 2010-2011 NBA season, my vote (if I actually had one) goes to Jerry Sloan.
- NBA commissioner David Stern called Sloan "one of the greatest and most respected coaches in NBA history."
- Sloan had a career regular-season win–loss record of 1,221–803, placing him third all-time in NBA wins. Sloan was only the fifth coach in NBA history to reach the 1,000 victory milestone, and he is the only coach in NBA history to record 1,000 wins with one club (the Utah Jazz).
- He also coached for one team longer than anyone in NBA history. The 2009–10 season was his 22nd season (and 21st full season) as coach of the Jazz.
- Sloan coached the Jazz to 15 consecutive playoff appearances from 1989–2003.
- He is one of only three coaches in NBA history with 15-plus consecutive seasons with a winning record (Pat Riley and Phil Jackson are the others).
- He led Utah to the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998, but lost to the Chicago Bulls both times.
- And through all of those great seasons and accomplishments, he never won the Coach of the Year award.
The guy is also kind of a bad-ass. In 1976, Sloan took the head coaching position at the University of Evansville, but then withdrew after just 5 days. That same season the Evansville basketball team as well as coaches were killed in a plane crash at Evansville Airport. Also, according to this story on Yahoo! Sloan saves his friends lives with his gun.
Jerry Sloan has been an NBA icon since the 1960's. Now that he is retired, the fact that he never won the COY award is embarrassing for the NBA. I guess when you have been that successful for so long, people just expect you to be good, so they are never as impressed as they would be by someone who has a surprising good season. So for the 2010-2011 NBA season, my vote (if I actually had one) goes to Jerry Sloan.
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