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!

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Every year, every team goes through injuries, big and small.  This year, it seems like most of them are big, as in big players getting hurt on big teams.  3 more have just gone down in the last week, Jameer Nelson, Andrew Bynum and Chris Paul, with the most serious being Jameer Nelson last night.  As of right now the reports are saying either 8-10 weeks or the season and however you slice it, the Magic appeared to be pigeonholed at the PG spot.  Their only real serviceable back up is Anthony Johnson (Beetlejuice) and no offence to his pretty face but he ain’t gonna cut it.  What can the Magic do?  First, they have to decide if they want to shut down Nelson for the year and opt for surgery right away or they can try and rehab him until the playoffs start and see where he is at that point.  No matter what the Magic decide to do with Nelson, I think they need to make a trade and with the deadline up in a few weeks, I think that is going to be the option they choose.  The first person who comes to mind is Jamaal Tinsley.  The Pacers are DYING to get rid of him and after he knocks the rust off (and about 15lbs) no one would be better than him to feed the BEAST AKA Dwight Howard, the rock down low.  The only other guy I could see going to the Magic would be Earl Watson.  Not happy with his roll in Oklahoma, Watson has been begging for a trade since about November and the Thunder could always use some veteran leadership, a draft pick or at least some money?  Well realistically they could use ANYTHING, so this deal may go down too.

Jameer’s injury not only plays a factor with the Magic but it also plays a part with All Star Weekend.  Jameer is a reserve on the All Star team and also a participant in the PG Skills Challenge.  In my earlier post about the All Star reserves, I sort of, kind of, called out Jameer stating that their may be some other suitable PG’s in the league that deserved his spot.  The first guy who comes to mind is Rajon Rondo.  Rondo is the PG on the best team in the East and has also had some monster games this year, including 2 HUGE triple doubles.  Another guy that could fill in for Nelson on the East squad is Mo Williams and no one would be happier the LeBron James.  Williams seems to be the PG the Cavs have been looking for, now second in the East with him at the helm, things couldn’t be going much better for the Cavs and LeBron will tell you its all because of Mighty Mo.  Either guy could take over for Nelson in the skills challenge as well but I would like to see either, the other guy who doesn’t get chosen or Jose Calderon.  With Calderon’s injury earlier in the year, he kind of negates himself from the running in the All Star game debate but the world needs to know about the Spaniard’s swagger.  He is quick, one of the most accurate passers in the NBA and he’s fun to watch. Regardless of what happens during All Star weekend, one thing is for sure, the Orlando Magic need help and they need it NOW.  Dwight Howard is a beast but he can’t do it all by himself and as much as I like a good laugh, I don’t think J.J Redick and Beetlejuice are the answer.  

Good luck Jameer, I hope you heal up soon. To the NBA, CHOOSE CALDERON FOR THE SKILLS CHALLENGE!  Think of it as a global marketing tool!

Peace!

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1/4 Man, 1/4 Beast, 1/2 Superhuman

Let’s be honest, it’s JUST too easy for this guy!  Blessed with a body from greek mythology, the smile of 5 year old kid about to steal some cookies and the althletic ability of well, a superhuman. It’s hard to believe there is anything Dwight won’t be able to achieve while in the NBA.  Except maybe a 6th Man of the Year or Most Improved Player award.

Less than a month from his first career triple double (a nasty one at that: 30pts, 18rebs and 10 blocks). D12 hasn’t slowed down and the scary part is, he seems to be getting better.  I haven’t seen lines in box scores like this since another overgrown manchild donned a blue and white  jersey with Magic across the front.  The difference between the two great centres in my mind, Shaq used his dominant size and undying hunger to eat rims and beast his way to massive box scores.  While Howard uses a more fast paced, high flying, did you just fuc… see that approach to his game.

I think the difference in the end will be, while Shaq’s body eventually broke down carrying his massive size around and his pound, pound, pound attitude on the court. For Dwight, I think it will be how long can he continue to turn off a pick, jump through the roof and throw any ball lobbed in his general direction through the rim on his way down. I do believe his penchant for rebound will always be there, his timing on blocks is a inate ability, so as long as his superhuman ability to leap only decreases to human or above average human, he should continue to dominate. Don’t get me wrong, Shaq is a beast, in my opinion one of the 5 best centres ever and he’s having a great season this year.  But for me, I think D12 represents the new breed of Shaq if you will.

Like the NBA Shaq first played in compared to the NBA they both play in now. D12 is leaner, faster and more high flying than Shaq was.  When Dwight ends career will we still be able to compare the two? Will he be in the top 50 players of all time?  Who knows, I would be crazy to make that claim but he does have the tools and time on his side (He’s 23 in his 5th year).  Can he even come close to touching Shaq’s legacy of 4 championships?  Again, who knows? If he was put in a position with players like Kobe and Dwyane Wade it is almost a given.  The only thing I do know is the man is a freak of nature, a hell a lot of fun to watch, a great person and someone to keep your eye on.

Peace!

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