NBA Playoffs Part Deux

So the Bulls and the Celtics series has FINALLY ended with the good guys coming out on top!!!  With Boston winning and the Hawks pulling out the “W” over Miami, the door has opened to the glorious second round of the playoffs.  As I love to do, I am going to force feed you all my theories on how these series will play out and then when I am horribly wrong, I will blame it all on you!!!

Orlando vs. Boston

If Kevin Garnett were able bodied (don’t they have cortisone in Boston?) I wouldn’t even waste my massively valuable time writing up this synopsis but since he isn’t, here I GO!!!  After a long series with Chicago we learned a few things about the “new” Celts,  #1 Paul Pierce isn’t as good as he thinks.  Sure he made some big shots but he also effed up a lot, i.e) fouling Noah on a bonehead play that probably cost them the game if not another over time. #2 Boston can get REALLY thin, REALLY fast up front (I am really trying to get a Big Baby joke in here but I am tired) and #3 Brian Scalabrine and Tony Allen are part of an elaborate rouse by Ashton Kutcher to Punk the whole world into thinking these 2 DUDS could actually make and NBA squad.  As for Orlando, I think they are way too big for the Celts but not too deep for them.  If they can get O Town in foul trouble, I think they will be able to pressure their back up players into a big enough hole that they can’t recover but that is a LOOONG stretch….Magic in 6

Atlanta vs. Cleveland

If you skipped the first match up to get to this one you may want to go back to the first sentence and read slowly.  My time is valuable and the Cavaliers time is too.  I mean how is LeBron going to celebrate being MVP at 24 years old when he has to play these damn playoff games.  Cavs = good, Hawks = not good enough. Cavs in 4

Lakers vs. Rockets

I think this is a match up I am anticipating more than most people.  One of 2 of the worlds best players (depending on who you like better) vs. one of the worlds best defenders and piss off artists.  And if you don’t know who I am talking about, its Yao Ming and Sasha Vujacic…..No seriously, earlier in the year Kobe vs. Artest was AWESOME and gave me my favourite clip of the year which I posted on the site here.  I think people are MAJORLY looking past the Big Man and his band of merry men and just thinking LeBron/Kobe finals.  Houston is here for a reason, they have a deep team filled with role players that just come to play basketball.  Sure they don’t have T-Mac but T-Mac doesn’t have knees or a back so he would only slow them down.  What I think this series will come down to is how well Ming can play Gasol and how bad Artest can piss off Kobe.  If Ming gets in foul trouble consistently, Houston loses.  If Artest can piss Kobe off enough to make him shoot 50 times and forget his teammates, I think LA loses.  But…LA in 6

Denver vs. Dallas

I have previously stated my disdain for the Mavericks and their style of play and nothing afforded me more happiness then seeing them get beat on Sunday while I was nursing a WICKED hangover (THANK YOU PACQUIAO).  I think Denver is WAY too deep, too dirty and too well rounded to even get sucked into the Diggler’s one man band act.  Billups is better than Kidd (at this point in their career), anyone is better than JJ Barea, JR Smith is Jason Terry with attitude, Melo and Dirk are  fairly even, Martin is a real thug as opposed to Josh Howard and Nene is a REAL beast as opposed to Ericka Dampier (shout out to the Big Shaqtus).  I can see the Mavs lulling the Nuggets to sleep for a game or two so I will say….Denver in 6

Let me know what you guys think in the comments section….PROVE ME WRONG CELTICS!!!

Peace!

Breaking News: Raptors Trade Jermaine O’Neal!

As mentioned on GoatDiesel in the past, the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat have FINALLY completed the Jermaine O’Neal for Shawn Marion.  That deal right there I just mentioned, seems like a good deal but let me delve further into this for you.  Jermaine O’Neal will not make the journey to Miami himself, the Raptors have packed Jamario Moon and his disdain for the rim to Miami in return, we get the Matrix and Marcus Banks.  Seems cool right?  Ohhh GoatDiesel forgot to tell you, we also gave up A FIRST ROUND PICK!!!  YES!  The 21-34 Raptors that are bound for the lottery this season and probably NEXT traded a 1st round PICK!  What do they get in return you ask?  Marcus Banks!  Do I hate on Uncle Phil’s game? No, he is actually a REALLY good on the ball defender (which we are sorely lacking) and he is almost as fast as anyone in the league.  “So what’s your beef almighty Diesel?”, you ask?  His contract is UGLY!!!  We just took on 4M+ until 2012!  For those of you that aren’t aware 2010 and even ‘11 are years you WANT to be cap friendly, 2012?  Not so much.  So all I can surmise is either Colangelo has something up his versace laden sleeve or the he REALLY wants to pull a George Costanza and go out in glory.  He is about 1 move away from being WORSE than Rob Babcock, yes I SAID IT!!!

I will use this paragraph to apologize for all my CAPITALIZED LETTERS and exclamation marks!!!  I am really upset by this trade and almost cried when I read that this trade went down.

Well don’t let me do all the blabbering, what did you all think?  Hit me UP!!!

Peace!

Rumour: Matrix To Toronto

And I ain’t talking bout no Keanu Reeves!!!  In an apparent deal between the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat, new comer  centre Jermaine O’Neal will be headed to the sandy beaches of Miami for a package deal of small forward Shawn “Matrix” Marion and PG Marcus Banks.  If this deal does indeed go down, not only will I have successfully called this a month ago, I also believe it will mutually beneficial to both teams.  Miami would get their MUCH needed defense help for Dwyane Wade but it would also finally give them their first legitimate centre since Shaq Daddy. (I know Alonzo Mourning was there but he is only 6′9).  For Toronto this appears to be a god send.  Right now the Raps are TERRIBLE on perimeter defence as well they are lacking a slasher and I believe Matrix addresses both these needs.  Also, Toronto FINALLY receives a serviceable back up PG for Jose Calderon.  While Roko Ukic has looked good in spurts and Will Solomon, well he will NEVER be talked about on this site.  Sure Banks is wild and has never really worked out anywhere he has been, I think he’ll be a great fit here in Toronto simply because of his slashing abilities. 

I will put together a full report if this deal actually goes down.  I give the chances of this actually happening a 92% on the GoatDiesel scale of probability!!!

Peace!