Often times during the summer (hopefully weekly) I'll post some of my ramblings. Basically they are just some thoughts I have on certain topics but I don't have nearly enough to say about each to write an entire article. Maybe soon I'll be up to speed with technology and can post a video version of my ramblings.

Los Angeles Lakers – 2009 NBA Champs

Well, the day has finally come. Kobe Bryant led the Lakers to their first Championship since the departure of Shaquille O'Neal. I'm not about to sit here and tell you that he did it all himself because he had plenty of help with Gasol, Ariza, Fisher and Odom. I’m just saying it was nice to see him finally win one on his own so the people who always claimed he couldn’t win without Shaq can move on to another tired and useless argument. And as predicted, Shaq wasted no time in busting out the “Shaq how does my ass taste” line via Twitter.

Only a few hours after losing in the Finals, Magic guard Hedo Turkoglu announced that he’ll opt out of his contract to hit free agency. Smart move? I don’t think so. For as many good shots as he made in the playoffs, he was equally as awkward on defense and taking the ball into the paint. He also didn’t put up mind blowing numbers for someone who played as many minutes as he did. I really think he is best suited staying in Orlando but what do I know? Maybe playing for Stan Van Gundy is really that bad.

On the same weekend, rumors surfaced again that Shaq himself might be shipped off to Cleveland. I said a few weeks ago during the Lakers game that the Cavs would've rolled the Magic had they pulled the trigger on this deal before the trade deadline, so obviously it makes sense to do it now. I kind of hope it happens. But only so I can have the argument that Lebron can only win it with Shaq. Oh the irony. On a similar note, what would this say about Shaq’s legacy if he were to win the title in Cleveland? He would’ve played with Kobe, D-Wade and Lebron in helping them get their first title.

Red Wings lose at home in Game 7

The Penguins pulled off the impossible and won on the road in Game 7 to capture their first Stanley Cup since the early 90’s. Nevermind all this nonsense about Sidney Crosby not shaking hands because that is exactly what it is: nonsense. The kid is 21 years old and was celebrating a Stanley Cup victory. I think the Red Wings really need to relax when it comes to that.

Evgeni Malkin won the Conn Smythe trophy and it was well deserved. I mean, he is the best player on the Penguins. Of course, Crosby’s stellar three point performance in seven Stanley Cup games was pretty solid. I’m just asking, when is the last time the captain of the Stanley Cup champs only tallied three points in the entire series? People want to talk about Marian Hossa disappearing for Detroit, but Crosby would be just as guilty (in this series).

I don’t know what to think about Marian Hossa. The irony of him leaving Pittsburgh to win in Detroit only to lose to Pittsburgh might rank as the highest event in the history of the irony scale. I didn’t understand when people who don’t follow hockey thought it would be funny to see him lose. Trust me, I was surrounded by people like that. You never see a professional athlete turn down millions and millions of guaranteed dollars for a chance to win a championship so I was applauding what he did. What if he suffered a career altering injury this season in Detroit? He would’ve lost around 50 million dollars in the process. For once a professional athlete left guaranteed money on the table to win a title when most athletes play for the money instead and yet he got burned in the deal.

The Coyotes aren't moving to Hamilton anytime soon

I'm all for this move. I keep hearing these stories about how a team in Hamilton would hurt the Sabres, but I guess I'm not seeing it. Fans of the Sabres will still go see the games and support the team. I don't see actual fans of the Sabres selling out if a team comes into Hamilton but I guess I can't argue with some of the experts that have researched the topic in depth.

Regardless, the Coyotes have to be moved or contracted. The NHL failed miserably in trying to expand the game into markets that aren't interested in hockey. They need to accept the fact that it is a regional sport and go to the markets that have a desire for an NHL franchise. While looking up information on this topic, I came across the fact that Winnipeg has since built a new arena that would be ideal for a new NHL franchise. So give the Coyotes back and everyone is happy.

While I understand the fact that Jim Balsillie wants an NHL franchise in Hamilton, he has a better chance at purchasing the Coytoes and moving them back to Winnipeg. It's still in Cananda and he'll still make a ton of money in the long run, so I really don't see what the big deal is. Something needs to be resolved though because having hockey in Phoenix is a waste of everyone's time.

Briere being shopping by the Flyers

In this article, it is noted that after only two seasons in Philly, the Flyers are trying to shop Danny Briere and get out of his insane contract. So far neither Montreal or LA seems interested. I find this story especially interesting after dealing with people ripping Buffalo for letting him walk two years ago. Maybe the Sabres knew what they were doing? Maybe they knew he wasn't worth that much money? I don't know, seems like it to me. Have fun with that Philly. The Sabres might be “cheap”, but at least they can manage a cap. Oh yeah, have fun with Ray Emery too!

The Charlotte Bobcats are for sale…and broke?

The Bobcats are the current reason that I’m without an NBA team. I never had an emotional attachment to them and I just couldn’t continue to follow a team that had zero interest in winning, competing or doing anything relevant in the NBA. The faster this team moves or contracts from the NBA, the better.

Now they won’t even fund a summer league team because they are broke. Sorry, I’m not buying it. They never spend money on players to be competitive, so where is that money going? Owner Bob Johnson begged and pleaded with David Stern to get a new NBA franchise in Charlotte and effectively ran it into the ground in less than 10 years. Impressive feat if you ask me.

Meanwhile people in Seattle are still in need of a team. They had theirs ripped away from them and will have to watch the OKC Thunder become a competitive team within the next two years. I say the solution to this problem is to move Charlotte to Seattle and never have another NBA franchise in Charlotte. It has failed two times now and enough is enough. Hell, I’ll become a fan if they move to Seattle. It seems like the win-win for all sides.

NFL Off-Season News

- Brett Favre is coming back. Who cares? He’s washed up and screwing over the Packers organization (again). I can’t wait to see him fail in Minnesota just like he did in New York. I’d write more but I don’t want my blood pressure to rise anymore than it already has.

- Vince Young is an idiot. I’ve said this since the day he was drafted, but he isn’t that good of an NFL quarterback. Sure he had a great rookie season but that was because teams didn’t know how to defend a guy who could run the way he could. Teams adjust in the off-season and things balance out going forward. He lost his job to Kerry Collins. He thought about quitting football (multiple times). Now he is acting like something is owed to him? Eh, good luck with that. I can’t see many people jumping at the thought of VY starting at QB for them.

- The Rams are for sale. People in St Louis are acting like they care, but I highly doubt they do. They won a Super Bowl this decade and yet the dome is never full for games. I know they struggled last season but the attendance in St Louis was terrible. I’ve been watching the Bills struggle for a decade now and the team still sells out almost every home game. If the St Louis fans care so much, they should probably show it by supporting the team when they aren’t winning the Super Bowl.

The Washington Nationals - Why?

Can we just have them removed from the league? I heard all these stories from people living in the area that they will be competitive again once they get their new ballpark and that clearly hasn’t happened. They have less people at their park than most AA clubs do at theirs. It's embarrassing to the Nationals and the city of Washington DC. Now they plan on ruining the career of Stephen Strasburg. I feel bad for the kid. Well, as bad as I can feel considering he'll be making millions of dollars to play a game. But still, you get my point. They have already been moved once so I say we just contract them now and be done with it. I'll celebrate the day that sports leagues realize that having more teams in more cities isn't always the best solution.

NHL Free Agency Starts Soon

July 1^st to be exact. I'll be coming out with some rankings for the upcoming free agents in the next few weeks. I'll start with the goalies, and then move to the defensemen and finally the forwards. Should be an interesting few months before the new season starts.

Dear Kobe,

I'm sorry. I know I've never really had any kind words for you and you've clearly never been one of my favorite players, and while that fact hasn't exactly changed, my opinion has, at least a little. While I've never denied your talents on the court, I have questioned them from time to time. See, I always thought you were a bit of a ball hog and fired up far too many shots, far too often. You proved me wrong though, at least for the most part.

Color me impressed, and not just by this latest championship victory, though that's certainly a part of it. No, I'm impressed about more than that. We've heard from a lot of your teammates on the US Olympic team as of late, true superstars that are leaders of their own teams on a normal basis, and they've all pointed to you as the man who took charge in Beijing. I'm also impressed by the immaculate turn around you've managed on your public perception. You went from "Kobe the Rapist" to quite possibly, "Kobe the Most Popular Player in the NBA". Not an easy feat by any means, I'm sure it took a lot of work on your part. I'm impressed that you were determined to go out and get that title that showed without a doubt that it was because of you, and not Shaq. Your tactics a few years back might not have been ideal, but I suppose they worked out and you got the supporting cast you needed.

I said LeBron surpassed you as the best player in the NBA within the last year... perhaps I was a bit premature. I still think he has the best all around skill set in the league, but he's lacking a few things that you still have. So I'll once again put the crown back on your head, but beware, you're still poised to lose it soon. Enjoy this one, you truly earned it, along with my respect.

Trying something a little different this time around. Feedback is appreciated so let me know if you'd like to see more of this in the future or if you I should stick to the written word!

This just in! The Orlando Magic can play some basketball... I'm sure most people have them written off already in the Finals against the mighty Kobe and the Lakers, but I won't be one of them. See, I already made that mistake once when they played the Cleveland LeBrons. I was under the silly impression that things had changed in the Mistake by the Lake (I use that term in jest, I'm sure Cleveland is a fine city, and they certainly get my sympathy as a Buffalo sports fan), but that just wasn't the case. When it came down to crunch time, LeBron was left standing on his own and he simply didn't have enough answers.

See, at the beginning of the year, I told my younger brother who is a big time Cavs fan, mostly due to James of course, that Mo Williams wasn't the difference maker the media was trying to make him out to be. Throughout the regular season, I prepared to eat crow as it seemed that Williams really was a solid contributor and obviously made the Cavs a better team, as their NBA best record would attest to. The series with Orlando showed the truth however. When Cleveland desperately needed some help to show up for LeBron, nobody stood up. James put up out of this world numbers, and while that might work on a nightly basis against a different team in a different city, a 7 game series will exploit all the fatal flaws. But enough about that, this isn't about Cleveland anymore, because in the ever wise words of TNT's Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley, the Cavaliers have "Gone Fishin'".

Orlando proved what they are capable of and that beating Boston wasn't a mistake. Though I will agree with Devin, a healthy Garnett makes that series completely different. The Magic play team basketball and don't rely on any one person to carry the load at all times. They possess a very rare ability to make opponents pay in a variety of ways. They are deadly when they are hitting their 3's, something they did all series long against Cleveland. How do they get those wide open looks you ask? Pound the rock inside to the best center in the NBA. Dwight Howard's performance in Game 6 of the Conference Finals was one of the best I've ever seen from him, and keep in mind this is a 23 year old kid we're talking about. I will take a second to add that he has something else going for him that most NBA players don't either. He's a true devout Christian, which means he's not out there drinking, smoking, screwing, etc all the time. His body will thank him for that down the road and it could help him have a long and fruitful career.

Well, since it takes two teams to have a championship series, I'd be remiss if I didn't speak about the Lakers as well. Los Angeles frustrates me much of the time because they really pick and choose when they feel like showing up to play, as was witnessed early in the playoffs. Denver was a much better team than I gave them credit for, but the Lakers made it clear that when they put forth a true effort, nobody in the West could touch them. Game 6 in particular was just embarassing as the Lakers throttled the Nuggets and sent them packing. There is no doubt that Kobe is probably the best pure scorer in the NBA right now, and he shows it from time to time. The difference between him and LeBron is that the Lakers don't really need him to play that way. In fact, I think they are at their best when Bryant is more of a facilitator for others. If he scores 25-30 and has 10 assists, they're better off than the nights he drops 40+ and takes 35 shots.

Every time I think Bryant learns this lesson however, we see him revert and just jack up shots left and right. I think this is one of the reasons I've never been much of a fan. I won't deny his abilities in the least, but I think he has some very selfish tendencies and sometimes cares more about his own stat line than the success of his team. So unlike Devin, I will be clearly siding with Orlando in this series. Those who know me well, know that a large portion of the reason I've never been huge on the NBA is the lack of team ball that is played and the focus on individuals all the time. Orlando is one of the few examples where the team seems to come first.

This series is going to be an interesting one and to me, one factor will play the largest role in determining the outcome. It's all about the matchups. Cleveland couldn't figure them out at all, we'll see if the Lakers fair better. Do you try and shut down Howard in the middle and rely on hoping that the Magic don't make three point shots all night long? Do you deal with Howard owning the paint in trade for shutting down the outside shot? On the flip side, how are the Magic going to shut down Kobe Bryant? Do they let him go like they did LeBron and trust that nobody else will be able to help him and that he can't win it by himself? These questions will be the key to the series, and ultimately their answers rest in the hands of the coaches. That's one area where Orlando is at a decided disadvantage. Stan Van Gundy is a solid coach, even if listening to him on the sidelines makes me want to stuff large wads of cotton in my ears. However, he is not Phil Jackson. Sure Jackson has had the luxury of having a few of the most talented players in history on his side of things, but he doesn't own 9 rings because of that alone. Look for Jackson to make the adjustments necessary to win the matchup game.

Personally, if I were the Lakers, my first concern would be trying to eliminate the wide open 3's that Orlando is so good at getting. I'd take my chances with Dwight Howard, because as much as I enjoy watching him and as talented as I think he is, he has this very frustrating trend of not showing up from time to time. For every 35 point, 22 rebound game, there seems to be one of those 14 points and 13 rebound performances right around the corner. The Lakers have Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol, and Lamar Odom to throw at Howard, none of whom can truly guard him when he plays as he is capable of, but I'd keep sending him to the foul line as much as possible. He's stepped up his free throw shooting as of late, but it's still his biggest weakness.


Much like with the Stanley Cup Finals, my heart and head are torn in making a prediction with this series. I'd love for Orlando to win and send Kobe home with another frustrating loss and still no trophy sans Shaq, however, I think the Lakers are the more skilled and experienced team in this situation. As Devin mentioned in his article, the Lakers took care of business and made it clear that they hadn't reached their goal yet, while the Magic just looked like kids in a candy shop to even make the NBA Finals. That says a lot to me. I went with my head in the NHL, though it seems as though my heart might win out... I think I'll try the reverse curse practice here and hope it works as well.

Los Angeles in 6 games.

I love writing online. It gives me an outlet to vent my feelings about all things sports to an anonymous forum that might enjoy my opinion or really hate it. The best part is, if someone doesn’t like it, they don’t have to read it. I especially like it because I tend to drive people around me crazy. Instead of spewing sports related opinions at them 24 hours a day and taking the risk of being punched in the face, I have this forum to say anything and everything I’m feeling and it’s their choice whether or not to read it. Like it? Great, keep reading. Don’t like it? Go ahead and click to another site. One down side, when I’m wrong, it’s posted for the world to see. I have to man up and admit it.

So here we go.

I was completely wrong about the Cavs/Magic series. I didn’t give the Magic any shot of winning and disrespected them for the majority of this post-season. I still think the series with Boston would’ve been different if KG wasn’t injured, but we could play the would’ve/could’ve game all day long. KG wasn’t in the series and Orlando was the better team. Period.

The Magic matched up against Cleveland so well and the series wasn’t nearly as close as the six game series would indicate. In reality the Cavs were one lucky shot away from being swept. Even in games that Cleveland won, they routinely blew large leads and the made the games closer than they should’ve been. I guess we’ll chalk this one up as Cleveland being Cleveland. Being an avid Buffalo fan, I know what it’s like.

Meanwhile out West, something happened to the Lakers. All post-season long they have been a very off and on team. One game they would look dominant, the next they would look beatable. It didn’t make a whole lot of sense and people were starting to doubt if they were championship material. Then something happened in games five and six. Something clicked with the Lakers and they completely blew away Denver. I’m chalking this one up to killer instinct of the Black Mamba.

When I had the debate with Scott several months ago about the best player in the NBA, I defended Kobe in what seemed like a surefire losing battle. I feel somewhat vindicated today. Besides age, what is the one glaring difference between Kobe and Lebron? Killer instinct. Lebron might completely get it one day, but he doesn’t quite have it yet. The Nuggets were slowly slipping away and Kobe took over. He seized the moment and choked the life out of Denver. The Magic were beatable. And while Lebron might not have as much help as Kobe, Kobe brings it out of people. Lebron’s supporting cast just stood around and watched as the Magic finished them off.

This year was supposed to be different. Lebron was older and his team was better. Players like Ben Wallace were going to actually contribute and Mo Williams was going to fill the role of Scottie Pippen on this year’s team. Instead Wallace was rarely heard from as people finally realized that he isn’t the same Ben Wallace that helped Detroit win a title. Williams on the other hand was good at running his mouth, but not much more. When his team needed him most, he disappeared.

I haven’t even touched the topic of the refs. I was disgusted after the game in Orlando was nearly settled by horrible officiating. You know, the game where Lebron literally steamrolled his way through the lane praying for a foul to be called because he had no other chance to tie the game. The same game that saw Dwight Howard get yanked down at the buzzer and no foul was called. Or maybe we should talk about how players get technicals for “taunting” (only to be taken back) but players don’t get one for throwing the ball at someone. Since I’ve read a ton of articles about the horrible officiating so far, I’ll cut it short to save space. I guess the stars just get treatment in all sports and I need to accept that. Kind of like how Evgeni Malkin somehow managed to avoid a suspension after his play in game two. Sometimes the rules always have an out clause when a star is involved.

But enough about the Conference Finals. It’s championship time. Will Orlando win their first ever title? Can Kobe finally win a title on his own? Will Phil Jackson finally get his tenth ring? Will Dwight Howard cement himself in Florida basketball history? Will Hedu Turkolu continue to frighten me in HD? Will Kobe get to rap to Shaq about how his ass tastes? I can hardly wait.

I’m hardly a Lakers fan but it’s no secret I’m pulling for them in this series. For someone who hates bandwagon fans as much as I do, you’d think I would be against the Lakers. I guess it doesn’t bother me so much when I’m 3,000 miles away from them. Maybe having someone like Jack Nicholson courtside for every game cancels that out. Having Kobe helps as well. Maybe it’s true what people say about me. I like everything that people don’t and can’t stand things that are overly popular. Whatever.

As someone who is rooting for LA, this series has me slightly concerned. After doubting Orlando for the past two series, they legitimately have me worried going into the Finals. No matter what the circumstance, Orlando seems to find ways to win. Just when you think they are finished, they hit a huge three point shot and climb their way back in it. Just when you piss Dwight Howard off, he takes over the game and dominates in the paint. I’ve been trying to figure out how LA is going to contain Howard and I still haven’t come up with anything solid. I’m leaning towards the strategy of containing him and just shutting everyone else down, but I’m not quite sure that will work. I guess it’s a good thing I’m not a coach.

Then again, if the Lakers show up the way they did in the last six quarters of the Conference Finals, it might not matter what Dwight Howard does. Kobe knows his time is now and I think the Lakers are finally realizing it. After each Conference Finals victory, we saw two different scenes. The Lakers had a very business-like approach as if they still weren’t finished. Orlando celebrated until the sun came up the next day. Call me crazy, but I pay attention to things like that.

(Kind of like how Sidney Crosby defied the hockey gods and touched the conference championship trophy)

If the Lakers lose two Finals in a row, it won’t be a pretty scene. I guess we’ll find out if Kobe really has the killer instinct to completely finish the job. If he doesn’t win the title this year, he might not have another chance. It will have his hoards of haters rambling about how he can’t win a title without Shaq…among other things.

(If he doesn’t, I’m sure he’ll at least have the decency to shake hands afterwards.)

My heart is saying Lakers in six, but my brain is saying the Magic might pull it out in seven. Ah the hell with it...

Lakers in six.

It’s not like this is being posted for everyone in the world to read, right?

Another round is over in the NBA playoffs as we head towards the inevitable Lakers/Cavs showdown in the Finals. Sorry Denver and Orlando, it just isn’t in the cards this year. It was pre-determined before the playoffs even started that it would be a battle between Kobe and Lebron (and the other eight starters on the court). Before I get to my picks for the Conference Finals (even though I just made them), I have a few thoughts about the second round:

- Boston has been valiant in defending their title. They had an absolutely grueling season and post-season last year and followed it up this year with an even tougher slate. They battled through some horrendous injuries and found ways to win with Glen “Big Baby” Davis as the starter. Having an undeniable flair for drama, the Celtics feel inclined to take every series to a seventh game. While their season is over, I think it’s fair to applaud them on their effort. At least they defended their title with honor, something most teams don’t do.

- How can a league suffer through a referee/gambling scandal and still continue to trot out horrible officials for playoff games? It’s true that most sports suffer from spotty officiating, but they usually learn from their mistakes. The NBA continues to ignore the fact and everyone suffers. The Mavericks were screwed in Game 3 of their series which makes me wonder… Mark Cuban continues to bash the refs and draw the ire of David Stern, so is it really a coincidence that his team gets the brunt of this officiating? Also, the refs need to forget about the Pistons/Pacers fight and treat Ron Artest like any other player. I honestly can’t remember the last time I saw more overreacting than I saw from the officials in the Houston/LA series.

- During the regular season I would’ve said with quite a bit of confidence that LA could beat Cleveland in the Finals. Hell, I sat here and defended Kobe in an argument with Scott even though it was probably a dead end conversation. When the Finals take place, I’ll still pick LA because that’s who I’ll be rooting for and I’m not going to take back my words from previous blogs. But I will say right now, it probably won’t be pretty. The Cavs look like a fine oiled machine while the Lakers are a coin flip. One game they thrash the Rockets by 40, the next game they find themselves in a 17-1 hole in the first quarter. I was unaware that was even possible. Then again, who knows how the Cavs will do once they actually play an NBA team. So far they are 8-0 against the WNBA’s best this post-season.

Before we get to the picks, here are the standings after two rounds.

Devin (Cleveland, Denver, LA, Orlando in 7) –65 Points

Scott (Cleveland, LA, Orlando) – 45 Points

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Cleveland Cavaliers (1) vs Orlando Magic (3)

Like I previously stated, the Cavs have literally steam-rolled through the playoffs so far. Not only have they gone 8-0, but none of the games have even been a contest. While I think most of this is due to how good Cleveland is, some of it has to do with the garbage competition they have faced. Not many things in life are worse than the NBA’s Eastern Conference. Well, the Dave Matthews Band does rank pretty high on that list.

The Magic took Boston all the way to 7 games before finally ending their season. One could argue that Orlando should’ve ended that series in 5 games, but I guess it’s a moot point now that the series is over. I do find it funny that Patrick Ewing is trash talking and living vicariously through Dwight Howard, you know, since Ewing was such a championship player during his days.

This prediction is short and sweet, much like the series.

My Pick: Cleveland in 5

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Los Angeles Lakers (1) vs Denver Nuggets (2)

Just like the Eastern Conference, the top two teams in the West contain everyone’s favorite to win the Conference. The top two teams remain in the West which goes to show that regular season performance does matter in some sports. Somewhere someone in San Jose just started to cry again. The Denver crowd is surely going to harass Kobe to no end because of his...um…checkered history in the Colorado region. Call me crazy, but I don’t think it’s the best idea. Kobe is one of those players who seem to feed off of things like that. Don’t pour gasoline on the fire Denver.

The Nuggets have rolled through the post-season much like Cleveland, only they beat a few NBA teams along the way. Some people really thought Dallas would’ve put up more of a fight, although things could’ve been much closer had Game 3 been called correctly. I personally did think Denver would win, but I also didn’t think it would end in five games. Even more interesting than the games was the battle between Dallas owner Mark Cuban and Kenyon Martin’s mom. I’m not a fan of anything Dallas, but I have a ton of respect for Cuban. He is a great owner. What’s so bad about an owner actually giving a crap about his team? I see absolutely nothing wrong with it.

The Lakers haven’t exactly been world beaters in the playoffs so far, but I’m thinking they are just saving themselves up for the Finals. I figure if I tell myself that enough times, it might actually be true. I must say I love all the crap Kobe gets when the Lakers get beat, even though it’s usually because his surrounding cast sucked more “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist”. Much like the movie, the Lakers supporting cast has one role and doesn’t know when to step it up. Ah, good times.

My Pick: Lakers in 7

(P.S. Don't forget to join our Streak For The Cash group and follow us on Twitter. Links are posted on the right side of the blog. If you have any suggestions/comments for either myself or Scott, feel free to shoot an e-mail our way.)

Another round of the NBA Playoffs is in the books and we now know the last 4 teams standing. Devin will post his predictions in the next day or two, as well as give an update on the standings of our contest thus far, so be sure to check back for that. We have some intriguing matchups upon us as the Lakers and Nuggets do battle in the West, and in an exact opposite scenario from the NHL, instead of 2 of my least favorite teams doing battle in the East, the only 2 NBA teams I really give a damn about are going head to head with the Cavaliers facing off against the Magic. Let's get started shall we?

Western Conference Finals:
(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (2) Denver Nuggets

Well, it only took until Game 7 before the Lakers realized that they were the far superior team in their series with Houston, but they got the job done with ease in that game and are moving on. Despite winning with ease, the Lakers really didn't impress me too much in Game 7 as they still didn't play to the level they are capable of, but instead, relied on Houston to meltdown and play some truly terrible basketball. If the Lakers would play up to their abilities, this shouldn't have been a series, even before Yao Ming was lost to injury. One of the biggest problem with the Lakers, and perhaps the reason a lot of people really dislike Los Angeles as a team, is the fact that have a high tendency to just take games off and coast through. I dislike this fact in the regular season, but really can't stand it in the playoffs.

Denver on the other hand has played some of the best basketball I've seen from any team in the postseason. I will freely admit at this point that I vastly underestimated their abilities and was a bit surprised at how they took care of Dallas with relative ease. I've gone on record before as not being a very big Carmelo Anthony fan, but he's been playing extremely well and looks more comfortable in his revised role with more help around him. Chauncey Billups is the biggest difference in this Denver team and past versions however. He runs the offense very effectively and can score the ball when it's needed as well. He has a calming veteran leadership quality to him that was severely lacking for the Nuggets the last few seasons. If their level of play keeps up against Los Angeles, we could have one heck of a series on our hands.

I've been thinking about this series since yesterday afternoon, and the more I analyze it, the more reasons I see why Denver could very well and maybe even should win a trip to the NBA Finals. First off, just look at the performances of the two teams coming into the series. Denver is on top of their game, playing fantastic basketball. Los Angeles on the other hand is playing Jekyll and Hyde, struggling against a team they should have put away with ease.

Next, most of the matchups seem to favor Denver. Derek Fisher and the revolving point guard crew for LA couldn't handle Aaron Brooks from Houston, and I think it goes without saying that Chauncey Billups is a fair amount better. Carmelo Anthony has been playing some of his best basketball to date, and while Trevor Ariza is a quality role player who does some of the intangible things very well, he's not going to shut down Anthony. On the other hand, Kobe Bryant should be primed to go off in this series. He hasn't played up to his capabilities so far in the playoffs and he's going to have Dahntay Jones on him this round. Jones is not a threat on the offensive end, so Kobe isn't going to have to play hard on defense, which means he'll have all sorts of energy when he has the ball in his hands.

Where it gets most interesting to me is with the big guys. Los Angeles has Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol up front, with an injured Lamar Odom thrown in the mix as well. Bynum has largely been invisible as of late, and Gasol, while a solid scoring threat, has been playing horrible defense. After Yao went down, Luis Scola went off in Games 5 and 6 with Gasol guarding him. No offense to Scola, but Kenyon Martin, Nene, and Chris Anderson would concern me more than him. None of those guys are offensive powerhouses, but they are hustle players who get easy baskets from time to time because of their effort. They also chase down rebounds and all three are monsters defensively. I see Gasol and Bynum struggling mightily in this series.

I really do think it's going to come down to Kobe, and the Lakers aren't usually at their best when Bryant is jacking up 30+ shots a game. As I said, I have a laundry list of reasons why the Nuggets should win this series... except their is a big, fat, hairy BUT lurking. Before the playoffs began, I said Lakers vs. Cavs in the finals, and I can't change that now. Television wants that matchup, fans want that matchup, and you know damn well that David Stern and the NBA want that matchup. Kobe vs. LeBron has been all over advertisements and everything else as of late, and the ratings for that series would probably top anything the NBA has mustered since that Jordan guy left the league.

Los Angeles in 7 games

Eastern Conference Finals:
(1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (3) Orlando Magic

As I mentioned at the top of this post, this series is like the exact opposite of what is going on in the NHL's Eastern Conference. I've never been a big NBA fan and I haven't really followed any one team since my far younger days. I do however follows a few players in the league, and the 2 at the top of that list are LeBron James and Dwight Howard. I love both these guys and the energy and skills they bring, but mostly I love their enthusiasm and the fact that they both look to truly be enjoying the hell out of what they get paid a ton of money to go do. I doubt I'll miss a game of this series and those two are the main reason why.

Cleveland has plowed through the competition thus far and appears to be very focused on their goal of an NBA title. 8 games, 8 wins by double digits thus far. Their average margin of victory so far in the playoffs is nearly 17 points per game. Mr. James is currently averaging a mind boggling 33 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists per game and has shown no signs of slowing down at all. While he has been the main ingredient without doubt, the rest of the team has fulfilled their roles nicely as well, with Mo Williams and Delonte West both scoring in double figures. Add in Big Z and Anderson Varejao in the front court, and it's not hard to see why Cleveland is making it look so easy. I do believe they are in for a least a little bit of a challenge in the East Finals however.

Orlando has looked a little shaky at times through the first two rounds, but they've proven that they are contenders as well now. Knocking off the defending champions in a Game 7 on the road is not an easy task, but Orlando kind of made it look like it was. The Magic pulled out their best game of the playoffs just in time and ensured that there would be no repeat champion this year. They went to Dwight Howard in the middle early and when Boston shifted their defensive attention to him, the Magic started lighting it up from the outside. When Orlando is hitting the 3's at the level they are capable of, you'd be hard pressed to find a team that can stay with them. That's the problem with them however, it's hard to be consistent in draining shots from the outside night in and night out.

The Cavaliers have not been tested yet at all this postseason, and while I'm probably in the minority, I don't think the long layoff heading into this series with Orlando is going to help them much. Orlando just got themselves a big dose of momentum and they might be able to parlay that into stealing a game in Cleveland, which is obviously a difficult feat, considering the Cavs were 39-2 at home during the regular season.

Like in the West, the matchups by position in this series are interesting, and will ultimately tell the tale I believe. Rafer Alston has done an admirable job since taking over the point guard spot for Jameer Nelson at the All Star break, but I'd give the nod to Mo Williams heads up. Williams is a superior scorer and won't be relied on to run the offense as much as Alston does. Delonte West should be able to handle J.J. Redick with relative ease as well, and while Redick did a solid job on Ray Allen against Boston, West is tough to stop from getting to the basket. In the front court, Ilgauskas and Varejao have played well, but they will have their hands full with Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis. It'll be interesting to see how Cleveland decided to defend the pair, as Varejao has the energy to go at Howard and is a good defender, but he could find himself in foul trouble pretty easily as well. Howard is far more atheletic than Ilgauskas, but Z has size on his side too. As for Lewis, he likes to shoot from the outside, so one of those guys will have to step out on him, and I don't see Ilgauskas being able to do so.

Then of course there is the small forward matchup. Hedo Turkoglu was the star for Orlando in Game 7 against Boston. He shot the ball very well and was also able to create going to the basket and get to the foul line. That might be a little harder to do against LeBron James however. James is bigger, stronger, and more physical than anybody Hedo has faced so far in the playoffs. For all James talents, his defense sometimes gets underestimated, but look for him to shut down Turkoglu in this series. On the flip side, while Hedo is 6'10", that's about the only advantage he has in trying to guard James. LeBron is decidedly quicker and stronger and should be able to create shots for himself with relative ease. James is at his best going to the basket and there are few in the league that can slow him down. As long as he doesn't try to settle for being a jump shooter, he's going to get his.

Ultimately, while Lewis and Howard might create some problems for Cleveland and at least make the series interesting, the Cavaliers backcourt, along with LeBron will prove too much for the Magic to handle. I can see Orlando stealing 2 games in this series, but not much more than that. I believe this Cavs team is one of destiny, and it's not going to end in the East Finals.

Cleveland in 6 games.

Fresh off my championship season in Fantasy NBA, I’m here to bring you my first round picks along with some real in-depth analysis.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Cleveland Cavaliers (1) vs Detroit Pistons (8)

This series is going to be a massacre. I’m not going to sit here and pretend that I know everything about the NBA, or anything for that matter, but there is no way Detroit is winning this series. The Pistons had their one fun season and have been slowly falling apart ever since. The trade for Allen Iverson was a miserable failure this season which hurt the team more than ever. I’ve read on several sites that they made the trade to clear cap room for the summer of 2010, but I don’t see it happening. Handicapping your team for two seasons just for the chance to possibly sign a big free agent is probably the worst strategy I’ve ever heard. I know several teams are employing this strategy so I don’t mean to pile on Detroit, but quite frankly, I don’t like Detroit.

As for the Cavs, David Stern should just reward the Eastern Conference Championship to them now. This season reminds me of those seasons during the Chicago Bulls glory years where everyone in the conference just competed to see who could lose to the Bulls in the most games and put up the biggest fight against Michael Jordan. The only difference between the Cavs this year and the 90’s era Chicago Bulls; the Bulls actually won the title while the Cavs aren’t winning it this year.

My Prediction: Cleveland in 4

Boston Celtics (2) vs Chicago Bulls (7)

The Celtics effectively went from worst to first last season en route to winning another NBA Title. This year, things are a little bit different. They do still have the number two seed, but they are a hurting team. Kevin Garnett is most likely gone for the rest of the season and that is going to kill Boston. It’s not just his stats, but it’s his presence. That guy is a leader and losing him is something that they won’t be able to fully replace.

Lucky for the Celtics, they draw the Bulls in the first round and shouldn’t lose this series. The Bulls are a young and talented team, but the Celts are the defending champs and they aren’t going down in the first round.

My Prediction: Boston in 7

Orlando Magic (3) vs Philadelphia 76ers (6)

The Magic round out the big three of the Eastern Conference with their first round match-up with the Philadelphia 76ers. I have a rule of thumb when picking games in the playoffs, and that rule is to not pick teams that made the playoffs and didn’t finish above .500. This is always prevalent in the Eastern Conference and the NFC during the NFL playoffs.

The Magic have a strong chance at facing Cleveland in the conference finals now that the Garnett injury has been leaked to the media. Dwight Howard had yet to prove himself in the post-season so it will be interesting to see how he responds with a legit chance to make a run this spring.

The Sixers…well…they don’t stand a chance in this series. If I were a Philly fan I’d be totally invested in the Flyers or the Phillies right now.(And by the looks of it, they might want to head to the ballpark pretty soon)

My Prediction: Orlando in 5

Atlanta Hawks (4) vs Miami Heat (5)

This might be my favorite series of first round…in the Eastern Conference. D-Wade has been absolutely amazing this season and if I were voting, he would be co-MVP with Lebron. Starting with the Olympics in the summer and extending all the way through the NBA season, D-Wade has proven himself to be elite after an injury marred season last year.

I’d also like to take this time to thank Wade for his great production this season because I had him on my fantasy team that dominated the entire season en route to my first championship in Fantasy NBA. I’d also like to thanks the Sports Guy, Bill Simmons, for writing a fantasy draft article that hinted about Wade being a stud this year. Thank you all.

My Prediction: Miami in 7

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Los Angeles Lakers (1) vs Utah Jazz (8)

The Jazz have a pretty solid roster so it’s somewhat of a shock to me that they are the eighth seed this season. Then again, I haven’t seen a single Jazz game this year so maybe I shouldn’t be so shocked.

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Kobe Bryant and I’m all out rooting for the Lakers to win the Championship this season. I could really care less that most of the general population outside of L.A. can’t stand the guy, but you have to respect the guy. His workout routines are nothing short of amazing and I’ve read several theories that both D-Wade and Lebron owe their great seasons to Bryant because he drove them to be better during the summer.

My Prediction: Lakers in 4

Denver Nuggets (2) vs New Orleans Hornets (7)

It’s a role reversal this season as the Nuggets are the high seed and it’s the Hornets that are limping into the playoffs. New Orleans has had an interesting season. They attempted to trade away Tyson Chandler, only to have the trade fail, and it was the failed trade that basically propelled the Hornets into the playoffs.

The Nuggets on the other hand fleeced Detroit in the Iverson/Billups trade and it’s been great for them this season. Getting rid of a ball hog like Iverson for a true team guy like Billups was just what the doctored ordered in Denver. This not only instilled some veteran leadership in the locker room and on the court, but it allowed Carmelo Anthony to take over instead of worrying about whether or not he’ll upset Iverson by taking too many shots.

My Prediction: Nuggets in 7

San Antonio Spurs (3) vs Dallas Mavericks (6)

I think this match-up is pretty deceiving. The Spurs have been a staple in the NBA playoffs for so many years that it’s almost commonplace to see them in the first round and just pick them to win. However, I think this year is different. They have had several injuries this season and Tim Duncan is starting to show some wear and tear on his body that is going to hurt them going forward. It reminds me of the years when David Robinson started to slow down and stepped into a lesser role when Duncan came to town. I’m thinking something similar has to happen very soon or San Antonio won’t even make it in the coming years.

Dallas was on the fringe of not making the playoffs earlier in the year but they caught fire at the right time and I think they are primed to at least advance to the second round. Jason Terry has been great for them and if he plays well, the Mavs are going to do well.

My Prediction: Dallas in 6

Portland Trail Blazers (4) vs Houston Rockets (5)

Despite blowing the Oden/Durant draft pick, the Blazers have a solid foundation built and are going to be a dangerous team. Brandon Roy has been a force this season and Rudy Fernandez has been nothing short of solid coming off the bench. Is that even a compliment? The Blazers are a fun team and it should be interesting to see how far they are going to advance this post-season.

Houston had a chance at a higher seed to close the season but blew that opportunity and now start the playoffs on the road against a young, upstart Portland team. The Rockets have several players like Shane Battier and Ron Artest that have that drive to lead a team, but I don’t think it will be enough to overcome Portland. The Blazers just have too much raw talent to defend.

Portland in 7

After working our way down from 8 players to the final 2, it's time to unveil our pick for the Best Player in the NBA. Devin and I debated it back and forth, and the winner ended up being... Well, actually, we both have our own choice. So instead we leave it in the hands of our readers. Please chime in with your vote in the comment section below.