Game 2 ECF Analysis: Boston's Hangover

Last nights loss might take awhile for the Celtics to get over.  The Heat muscled their way to a four point overtime victory (115-111) and head to Boston for games three and four up 2-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals.  Again, Boston will need some time to get over this one.  The only problem is that they don't have much time.  The Celtics probably landed in Boston early this morning and awoke with the feeling of a giant hangover.  The type of hangover that you can't shake and leaves you telling yourself that you'll never do that again. 

The Celtics did everything they were supposed to do last night.  They hit shots, rebounded, and played effective defense.  They basically took an aspirin and drank plenty of water before going to sleep.  It didn't help; they still woke up with a loss and a pounding headache.

Point Guard Rajon Rondo came out aggressive and dictated the tempo early in Boston's favor.  Rondo ended the night with a playoff and regular season career high of 44 points; a monster night for Rondo.  Paul Pierce showed up as well for the Celtics.  Pierce fought for 21 points and was complimented by Kevin Garnett who had 18 points and 8 rebounds.  Ray Allen didn't put up staggering numbers, but still proved productive as he grinded through his foot injury. 

Defensively the Celtics were causing all kinds of fits, especially in the first half.  They held Heat Guard Dwyane Wade to just two points heading into the locker room for half time.  The Celtics double teamed Wade throughout the first 24 minutes and seemingly found a formula that would continue to keep Wade down in the second half.  For one reason or another Boston got away from what was working on Wade.  He broke free and exploded for 21 points in the last 29 minutes. 

The Celtics came out timid in the second half.  Rondo quit attacking and the Celtics found themselves reeling late in the third quarter. As the half wore on you began to wonder if Boston was going to panic.  The Heat began pushing the ball and scoring easy buckets in transition.  The Miami crowd woke up and the Heat looked as if they were ready to slam the door on the Celtics.   Boston however showed championship poise and clawed their way back into the game to force overtime.  LeBron James had a shot to win it for Miami in regulation, but his pull up fade away jumper drew the back iron.  Boston had another opportunity for victory.

The Celtics entered OT without Piece, who had fouled out late in the fourth.  Not having Pierce allowed James to float a little more freely around the court and gave Wade more opportunities to attack.  The Celtics played their type of basketball for most of the night, but it still wasn't good enough on the road.

It will be hard for Boston to re-group and game plan going forward.  Game three is Friday night and the Heat smell blood.  With the series shifting North back to Boston the Celtics find themselves in familiar surroundings.  They need to find a way to get rested and put game two behind them.  The Celtics should feel comfortable enough to stay aggressive on their home court.  It doesn't look like Chris Bosh will be ready to go Friday night for the Heat, so Boston must continue to at least try and attack down low.

There is no doubt the Heat will be riding high going into game three.  James and Wade are still clicking and Dexter Pittman will be back from suspension!  Miami has had trouble stomping out teams.  They will have another opportunity to do so Friday night.  


Video of LeBron's missed jumper as the clock runs out in regulation.  (Via YouTube)

After Lottery

This just in....the Bobcats suffer another loss.  If your a Bobcats fan; this one stings.  Sorry, but man to lose out on the number one pick to the Hornets. The Hornets, who were once loved by North Carolina NBA fans when they resided in Charlotte, has to make this burn just a little more.  The Hornets were slotted to receive the fourth pick in the draft based on odds; instead jumped all the way up to grab number one from the Bobcats.  New Orleans will now play the role of the unsuspecting team that will act as if Anthony Davis doesn't exist until the final days leading up to the June 28th draft.

The Bobcats didn't fall down too far, but far enough.  As of now they have the number two pick, but will be tempted to trade the pick in hopes to bring in a couple solid veteran players or perhaps more draft picks. 

The lottery went as slotted all the way up until the Hornets at four.  The Cavaliers fell back to four; not harnessing any left over luck from last year's lottery.  The top five goes like this: 1) Hornets, 2)Bobcats, 3) Wizards, 4)Cavaliers, 5)Kings.  The Trail Blazers take over the sixth pick from the Nets.  The Nets do not have a pick in the top 14, ouch. 

The Hornets also have the tenth pick in the draft, a pick they acquired via trade.  This means Hornets' GM Dell Demps has a lot of chips to play with heading into draft day. 

Here is a potential starting lineup for the Hornets next year:

5) Emeka Okafor
4) Anthony Davis
3) Trevor Ariza
2) Eric Gordon
1) Jarrett Jack

Throw in solid role players off the bench and lottery talent with the tenth pick.  This potential Hornets squad looks like it could make a playoff run next season.  Probably safe to say that they will lead the league in blocked shots at least.  Anyway... the lottery is over and now the debate begins for picks 2-14.    

All Things Draft Lotto

The NBA Draft Lottery will air tonight at 8ET on ESPN.  This annual event will serve as a pre-game appetizer for game two of the Eastern Conference Finals.  As a TV spectacle the NBA Draft Lottery falls a little short.  Every year on a TV set full of team executives and players who show up from around the country to New York City (New Jersey in previous years) and awkwardly sit and watch the drama unfold.  The Draft Lottery is indeed an awkward time for execs and players who's team performed poorly in the regular season and missed out on a playoff birth.  It can have you asking yourself, "this guy flew all the way out here for this?"

The NBA Draft Lottery has given us special moments (not really) and after tonight we can all begin to debate who should go where in the upcoming NBA Draft. 

Lotto Notes:

University of Kentucky "big man" Anthony Davis is this years top prize in June's draft.  Everyone still here? 

With a 25% chance of winning the lottery the Charlotte Bobcats have the best play at landing Davis.  The Wizards, Cavaliers, Hornets, and Kings round out the top five list of teams who have the best percentage of taking the number one pick in next months draft. 

The Portland Trail Blazers have a lot to gain in this lottery.  They already have a lottery pick guaranteed because they missed the playoffs this year.  They currently are expected to get the 11th pick based on their odds.  However, the Brooklyn Nets who are currently projected to get the sixth pick, owe that pick to Portland due to the Gerald Wallace trade that sent Wallace to the Nets this past season.  The Nets' pick is top three protected meaning they will maintain their pick if the ping pong balls land them in the top three. 

The Utah Jazz could find themselves with a lottery pick at the end of the night.  The Golden State Warriors have been trying to make a trade to keep this happening, but the Jazz could get a top 10 pick if the Warriors stay out of the top seven in the lottery.  This scenario is possible due to a previous trade that also involved the Nets. 
              

So prior to game two tonight, picks 1-14 that makeup the lottery will be decided and the real drama can begin.

For more on the odds; NBA.com has it broken down nicely:  http://www.nba.com/news/2012-draft-order/index.html



 

Planet Spurs

Let's say you missed game two of the Spurs-Thunder Western Conference Finals.  If I were to tell you Tim Duncan only scored 11 points and Thunder stars Kevin Durant had 31, Russell Westbrook had 27, and James Harden had 30 off the bench, (in fact Oklahoma City's bench outscored San Antonio's 40-38) what would you think happened last night? 

You would think the Spurs dropped their first playoff game and the Thunder stole game two on the road.  However, that's not the case.  Not the case at all.  The Spurs got a huge performance from Point Guard Tony Parker who lead all scorers with 34 points and 8 assist.  Manu Ginobili scored 20 and Kawhi Leonard added 18.  The Spurs were set in cruise control all night and thumped the Thunder 120-111 despite big performances from OKC's stars.  The Spurs take a 2-0 series lead on the road to OKC for game three Thursday night.  More impressively is that this win gives San Antonio a 10-0 playoff record and a 20-0 record if you combine the last 10 regular season games with these 10 post season W's. 

The big take away from last nights Spurs performance is that they are simply playing the game of basketball on an entirely different level than anyone else right now.  They brushed their somewhat poor performance from game one aside and executed the "pick and roll" to perfection all night long in game two.  The play of the night came off a high "pick and roll" set that sent Duncan slashing across the paint from the wing, catching the perfectly timed pass from Ginobili in stride, and then dunking over the out stretched arm of the leagues leading shot blocker Serge Ibaka.  When Tim Duncan is jamming in your face, you got problems.  Duncan, not known for his poster making skills, made one last night that will be hanging on a lot of bedroom walls in San Antonio for years to come.  

The Thunder found ways to score, but San Antonio's defense still made them take a lot of difficult shots.  The Spurs got easy bucket after easy bucket and the Thunder couldn't keep up.  The Spurs looked un-beatable after last nights win.

Combine easy buckets with veteran poise and San Antonio has themselves a special club.  When the Spurs have stared adversity in the face this post season, (down 24 in LA against the Clippers in game three of the Western Semis), they didn't panic.  They did the same in game one of this series against OKC.  San Antonio got down in the third, but crept back in and pulled away for the easy victory.  Their ability to conquer any issue is unparalleled. 

No doubt the Spurs are on another planet right now.  Through two games against a Thunder team who had an 8-1 2012 post season record headed into the conference finals, the Spurs have indeed made beating them look easy.  Now up 2-0 the discussion begins to shift to what would be a more entertaining Finals matchup; Spurs-Heat or Spurs-Celtics.  OKC isn't done yet, they have the leagues leading scorer in Kevin Durant and one of the loudest home courts.  They will have to raise their game another notch or two if they expect to hold court with the Spurs in these next two games.  If not, then San Antonio could very well get their third series sweep of 2012.

Video of Duncan's slam on Ibaka via YouTube.  Love Reggie Miller's comments. 

Game 1 ECF Analysis: Crawford/Malloy Show

It was as if NBA officals' Danny Crawford and Ed Malloy thought everyone tuned into game one of the Eastern Conference Finals to see them ref.  In all seriousness the Celtics got whapped with a total of five technical foul calls throughout their game one meeting with the Heat.  The five T's however were not the down fall for Boston in this one.  As expected the Celtics looked like they left their legs and star player Paul Pierce in Boston.  (Celtics' Head Coach Doc Rivers reportedly plans to pick up both at the Miami International Airport this afternoon, well before game two tips tomorrow night.)  In a nutshell the Celtics appeared tired even though they went nuts in the second quarter dropping 35 points on the Heat and tying the game at 46 before the half.  Eventually James and Wade pushed the gas and pulled away from the Celtics for a 93-79 win, snagging a 1-0 series lead.

The Celtics need not panic.  Even though about 80% of game one losers go on to loose the series; this game went as predicted.  The Celtics were tired and the Heat attacked them like hungry wolves who had been lying in wait watching their future opponent grow weaker and weaker.  With only one full day of rest prior to game one, the Celtics didn't have enough steam to pull this one out. 

They played hard and kept the game close until the end, which should give them some confidence going forward.  Kevin Garnett played big for Boston with 23 points and 10 rebounds, but Paul Pierce was no where to be found in 40 minutes of action.  Rajon Rondo added 16 points, not nearly enough fight out of a guy they need to explode in every game this series.  Throw in Ray Allen's disappearing act and you have to say that Boston came out pretty good last night, despite the loss. (Quick sidenote: the Celtics went 11-21 from the stripe.  Missed free throws killed them in game one).  

Eerily enough this game played out very similarly to game one of the 2011 NBA Finals.  The Heat dictated the tempo then and over powered the Mavericks down the stretch for a 92-84 win.  Everyone knows that Dallas went on to win the championship in six games despite dropping game one on the road. 

Fast forward to the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals and the Heat did the same last night in game one as they did a year ago in the Finals against Dallas.  Miami wore down their weak prey by dictating the tempo as the game progressed and eventually went for the throat late in the second half.  By the time Miami sank their teeth into the throat of the Celtics; Boston had no fight left in them to break free from the jaws of the Heat.

The Heat scored 26 in the third and 21 in the fourth and kept Boston from breaking 20 points in either quarter of the second half.  James and Wade combined for 54 points last night and left the Celtics for dead.

Now the focus for Boston turns to game two.  The Celtics are now homed in on South Beach.  They should get plenty of rest seeing that they don't have to board a plane for a three hour flight anywhere after the game one loss.

A new officiating crew will be calling game two.  The Celtics should drop the referee drama and focus on getting their stars going.  It all starts with Rondo, who can get the Celtics playing at a pace they are comfortable with.  If  Boston can accomplish this then they can do what Dallas did a year ago and steal game two after losing game one.  If they can't then the Heat will duplicate their performance from game one and leave Boston staggering trying to find their way home for game three.   

Ed Malloy shows his love for Doc Rivers.  This is one of five technical fouls called on the Celtics last night.  Notice the Celtics are wearing their alternate road uniforms, not cool. (Video provided by YouTube)

The Case for Boston

The battle tested Boston Celtics are poised and prepared for an Eastern Conference Finals match-up with the Miami Heat.  The Celtics downed the Sixers on Saturday night in game seven at home and immediately had to turn their attention to the defending conference champions.  With no time to sit back and enjoy the hard fought win over Philadelphia, the Celtics had to board a plane following the win for a three hour plane ride South to Miami.  Game one of the Eastern Conference Finals tips tonight and so far everyone seems to be going with the Heat in this series. 

That's fine.  The Heat should be the favorites headed into game one.  They posses two of the best players in the game that can take over a series in a split second.  They did so in the conference semis against the Indiana Pacers where they combined for 197 points in games four, five and six of a combined team total of 321 points in those final three games.  James and Wade can dominate on both ends of the floor and can even make it look easy.  However, the injured Chris Bosh has yet to return from an abdominal strain and the Celtics will look to exploit the paint, which Indiana failed to do against the Heat in the conference semis.

The Celtics have indeed been battle tested during this post season.  In round one they took down a hungry Hawks team in six and then played seven grueling games against a young Sixers club.  Grueling is a bad word when it comes to describing a playoff series for the aging Celtics.

Boston's "Big 3" of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen were formed in the summer of 2007 and in their first season won the 2008 NBA Title.  The "Big 3" experiment has been a success and barring a KG injury in 2009 we probably would have witnessed three straight years of Celtics-Lakers Finals.  Despite being a successful experiment, the "Big 3" aren't finished yet.  They are back, about to begin their third Eastern Conference Finals journey.  A team that was written off during the regular season is back on an elite stage and about to take on the dynamic Miami Heat, who are seeking their first title since the formation of their "Big 3" in 2010.

Boston's Case:  

The key player for the Celtics headed into tonight's game one bout will be veteran big man Kevin Garnett.  Unlike David West and Roy Hibbert for the Pacers; Garnett is a cold blooded assassin who brings maximum effort to the court every night no matter how big or small the stage.  The stage will be big tonight and every night in this series.  The Celtics will relentlessly attack the interior with Garnett and will probably continue to do so if Bosh returns for the Heat during the series.  Garnett will also punish the Heat on the boards.  Miami has struggled at times to grab rebounds without Bosh in the playoffs.  Boston is a smart well coached club that knows it can gain critical possessions if they can smother Miami on the glass. 

Celtics Point Guard Rajon Rondo is of course Boston's other key player.  Rondo has three triple-doubles so far this post season and will need to get a few more if the Celtics hope to topple the Heat.  Rondo will cause Miami fits on the perimeter because of his ability to attack the basket as well as distribute the ball with ease to big shooters like Ray Allen and Paul Pierce.  Let's also not forget the ability of Rondo and Garnett to run the "pick and pop."  Garnett will get his jumpers in this series and he can knock them down. 

Defensively the Celtics are as good as anyone and the same can be said for the Heat.  Both teams thrive on the defensive end of the floor forcing turnovers and forcing opponents to settle for bad shots.  The Celtics are without back-up guard Avery Bradley, who is out for the rest of the post season because of shoulder surgery.   Bradley will be missed on the defensive end because he was the guy that was going to give Dwyane Wade fits.  Not having Bradley is bad for Boston, but let's not over-blow the situation.  Avery Bradley was not going to be the key factor in beating Miami in this up coming series.  His presence would be nice for Ray Allen because he wouldn't have had to guard Wade, but the Celtics can scheme and probably won't leave Allen on an island with Wade very often.

The big match-up to keep an eye on defensively for the Celtics is Paul Pierce vs LeBron James.  Pierce will guard James a lot one on one throughout the conference finals.  They have met plenty of times before in the playoffs when James was in Cleveland with the Cavaliers.  Pierce can hang with James and at times force James to rush an offensive possession or force James to create situations that aren't there.  If the role players on Miami's roster can't step in and make shots, then Pierce's defensive effort will eventually raise James' frustration level. 

The Heat really need Bosh to return early.  The Celtics are too well coached and will take advantage of Miami's inability to get other players involved.  There is no doubt that James and Wade are incredible and will give Boston all they can handle on both ends of the floor.  The Celtics are hungry now and time is running out on the original "Big 3."  They want a second championship and see a good opportunity ahead of them right now.  Boston also brings with them a lot of confidence.  The Celtics won the regular season series against the Heat 3-1.  Look for this series to go seven with the Celtics winning their third conference championship during the "Big 3" era.  The defensive game plan Boston will bring to the court will prove to frustrate Miami into submission by the time its all said and done. 

Celtics over Heat 4-3.   

Cure for College Football Post Season

This is a cure for the college football post season I wrote six years ago in college.  Follow closely because it can get a little confusing.  Again, it is old, so some of the teams mentioned might not correlate with this past seasons final standings.

• When all regular season and conference championship games are final, the BCS ranking system would put out its final season rankings 1-25.  The top eight teams in the final BCS ranking would be invited to the NCAA tournament that would determine a TRUE National Champion.
• This format is needed because it would keep national powerhouse programs that lose one or two games during the regular season eligible for the National Championship.
• This would also give a team like Boise State, that went undefeated a couple of years ago a shot at the national crown if the BCS ranking system ranks them in the top eight in the final rankings.
• All teams that finish OUTSIDE of the top eight and teams with SIX or more wins would still play in regular bowl games during their regular scheduled times and dates.  The “Bowl Season” of college football would not change and the NCAA would still generate revenue from these games.
• The top eight would compete in the NCAA tournament or playoff system where the number one seed would face the eighth seed and so on.  The better seed would have home field for the first two rounds except for the National Championship game. The championship would be played at its regularly scheduled neutral site and date, for example The Rose Bowl or Sugar Bowl sites would host the championship game, so the site rotation would continue as it does now.
• The teams that get eliminated throughout the tournament would match up by closest ranking and play in the regularly scheduled BCS bowl game such as the Fiesta or Orange Bowl.  This would again allow the NCAA to continue to turn in profits.

NCAA Tournament Example:

#1 Notre Dame

#8 Utah                             #1 Notre Dame

                                          #4 So. Cal

#4 So. Cal

#5 Florida

                                                                                          #1 Notre Dame

#3 Texas                                                                            #2 Ohio St.           

#6 WVU                           #3 Texas                                  (At the neutral site)

                                          #2 Ohio St.                             

#2 Ohio St.                       

#7 Miami (FL)                                                                   # 3 Texas

                                                                                                #4 So. Cal (neutral site)

         The BCS bowl games would continue after the final two are determined.

• All four first round games would be played the Saturday after the final rankings come out.  Making it the best Saturday for watching football of the year with four first round games in a row.  The semifinals would be played the following Saturday.  The two or three week layoff would follow after the semifinal games, so the national championship and other BCS bowl games go on as scheduled.
• Basically no schedule changes are needed.  The Final eight would have to play a minimum of one added game and a maximum of two added games.
• The playoff system would generate more interest in college football and give literally every team a shot at winning the National Championship.  NO MORE one and done seasons and NO MORE deserving teams getting left out.  Most importantly the NCAA and it’s universities would still bring in great profits if not more then what the current system in generating now. 

Top 5 Free Agent Head Coaches

Yesterday the New York Knicks made the wise decision to sign Mike Woodson to a reported multiyear deal.  Woodson took over the Knicks mid-season after Head Coach Mike D'Antoni resigned with 24 games to go.  Woodson took over the reigns of a very talented yet very dysfunctional Knicks team that was struggling to garner any kind of chemistry leading into the post season.  Woodson went 18-6 in those final 24 games and in doing so, got the respect of his star players Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire, and Defensive Player of the Year Tyson Chandler.

Prior to this decision it was rumored that the Knicks were going to look around at some of the top free agent head coaches.  Phil Jackson and Jerry Sloan were two early names mentioned, but apparently Knicks' GM Glen Grunwald decided not to pursue anyone else and instead go with Woodson who clearly earned the job.

Coach Woodson finished out the year with New York losing in five games to the two seeded Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference First Round.  A Knicks club that was treading water with 24 games left, responded to Woodson's coaching and clinched the seventh seed in the East.  A very respectable finish given the circumstances Woodson inherited.

Now Grunwald reportedly didn't even contact Jackson or Sloan.  Surprising, but now that has lead to the subject of this entry.  Who are the top free agent head coaches available right now?  For all intent and purposes let's keep Phil Jackson out of these rankings only because he has not given any intention that he wants to get back into coaching.  Plus he would be the clear number one free agent head coach, no contest.

Here we go.

1) Nate McMillan:  McMillan had spent the last seven seasons in Portland until he was fired by the club mid-season.  He has a career record of 478-452 at the helm.  McMillan began his head coaching career in 2000 when he took control of the Seattle SuperSonics from Paul Westphal.  In 2005 McMillan surprisingly left his beloved Sonics and headed down I-5 to Portland where he was tasked with turning around the then nicknamed "Jail Blazers."  McMillan is one of the most respected coaches in the league and quickly made Portland a respected franchise again after his arrival.  McMillan demands a lot from his players, but during his time in Portland he helped guide a young and always injury plagued Blazers squad to the post season three times in six full seasons.  Maybe Portland Needed a change at head coach, but in doing so they let one of the best go.  Coach Nate wants to coach again soon and he would fit well with the Clippers (if available).

2) Jerry Sloan:  At age 70 Sloan still wants to coach and who can blame him.  He has a career record of 1,221-803.  Sloan was the longest tenured head coach with the same team until he resigned from the Utah Jazz last season where he spent the last 23 seasons.  Sloan is the master of the "pick and roll" offense and like McMillan demands a lot of his players on both ends of the court.  The one big thing missing from Sloan's resume is an NBA Championship.  He joins Don Nelson as the only NBA head coach with a 1,000 plus wins to not have won an NBA Title.  This clearly does not make Sloan a bad coach.  He is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame and racked up over a 1,000 wins in one of the most difficult markets to attract free agents, (Salt Lake City).  Sloan began his coaching career in the NBA with the Bulls in 1979 and wants to keep going in 2012.  He recently interviewed for the Bobcats opening, but has not had an offer from them yet.  Coach Sloan would fit nicely with the Trail Blazers (if it becomes available) and would give him the best chance to win a title.  Imagine Sloan's "pick and roll" offense with Lamarcus Aldridge and possibly Austin Rivers next season.

3) Stan Van Gundy:  Coming an off an indefensible firing by the Orlando Magic, Stan Van Gundy is an interesting free agent head coach.  He has a career record of 371-208.  Van Gundy is a gamer.  He made Orlando's offense unique by surrounding All-Star Center Dwight Howard with three point shooters.  Van Gundy has gotten a bad rap as of late especially following the press conference with Magic's CEO Alex Martins.  Apparently Van Gundy was hard to get along with if you were a front office executive, but the reality is that Van Gundy helped turn Howard into a special player and guided a mediocre Magic team to the 2009 NBA Finals.  Van Gundy can coach and he would be a good fit for the Bobcats.  If Charlotte can land Anthony Davis in the draft and continue to build around some of their young talent.  Van Gundy would be the guy long term to help turn that organization around.

4) Stephen Silas:  My Wild Card to make the top five lands at number four.  This might be a stretch, but Stephen Silas is ready to be a head coach in the NBA.  Silas, the son son of long time Head Coach Paul Silas, has over 10 years of NBA experience.  He first began his coaching career as an assistant under his father with the Charlotte Hornets and had a lot to do with developing a young Baron Davis during his time in the Queen City.  He also coached in Golden State under Hall of Famer Don Nelson and this past season was an assistant yet again under his father in Charlotte.  The Magic would be a good spot for him to begin his head coaching career.  If Dwight Howard stays he would love Silas.  Potentially Silas appears to be a players coach and his fresh game plan could help motivate Howard and the Magic back into relevance.  Plus, a roster that is loaded with perimeter players only helps Silas; as he has coached up a lot over his 10 years in the league. 

5) Mike D'Antoni:  Although he dropped the ball in New York, the Knicks didn't do him any favors when they traded for Carmelo Anthony.  The trade sent key players like Danilo Gallinari and Raymond Felton to Denver, both of whom were important components for D'Antoni's fast paced offense.  Coach D'Antoni has a career record of 388-339.  He proved himself on Phoenix with the Suns from 2003-2008 before joining the Knicks.  His uptempo style would fit perfectly with the Clippers (if available).  Chris Paul and Blake Griffin would be the perfect combo for his system, just like Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire were in Phoenix.


So that's my top five.  Brian Shaw (Pacers assistant) just missed out.  Shaw needs a little more time under another coach besides Phil Jackson.  However, if he does get an opportunity next season he should do fine in the right situation.

Heat Wade Options

It is safe to say that Dwyane Wade did not allow any demons to linger following game three in the Heat-Pacers conference semis series. 

Last night in Indianapolis, the Heat put a young physical Pacers squad away in a 105-93 victory that sent Indiana packing for the off-season.  The Heat won the series 4-2, but at one point found themselves on the edge down 2-1. 

Dwyane Wade grabbed headlines following the game three collapse in Indiana.  A game where Wade only scored five points and clearly got upset coming out of a timeout with his head coach Erik Spoelstra. 

It is the sign of a great athlete to see how they bounce back from adversity.  If that is indeed the case then Dwyane Wade proved to everyone that he is elite.  We all know Wade is a special player, but games four, five, and six were incredible.  Serving as the sidekick in games four and five with teammate LeBron James, Wade played the leading man in game six with 41 points and 10 rebounds.  If you watched game six at home or in the arena then you know what kind of shots Wade was making.  Acrobatic shots from every angle were falling with pure ease and grace.  Not even the greatest of defensive efforts could have stopped Wade's mind bending plays.

James was no slouch either.  After carrying the Heat to victory in games four and five, James needed a night off right?   Instead King James saw 45 minutes of action in game six putting up 28 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assist.  No night off for James, but his efficiency on offense in this series finally allowed for Wade to really explode.

That is the scary thing about the Heat.  Even though they were without their All-Star forward Chris Bosh this series, the dynamic duo of James and Wade still managed to fight through negativity and lift their team over a Pacers team that had the Heat outmatched in the paint.  The Heat also CLOSED out the series when they needed to.  Unlike round one, where they allowed the Knicks to force a game five, Miami shut down Indiana before the Pacers made everyone board a plane back to South Beach and prepare for a game seven.

Wrapping up Heat-Pacers; I feel like a lot of questions still need to be answered by Miami.  The Heat answered the question of could they close when needed last night, but can the James-Wade combo take this team to a Finals if Bosh can't get healthy?  We will have to wait and see; for now the Heat should enjoy their current win and rest up for the Eastern Conference Finals.      

Celtics-Sixers....A Series We Will Soon Want to Forget

Last night the Celtics-Sixers series became "self-aware."  It was if the basketball gods decided both teams owed the NBA and it's fans a game seven.  In what was an atrocious offensive performance, where we saw a combined total of 4-23 from three and neither team came close to shooting 50% from inside the arc. The Sixers still managed a balanced offensive output and a solid defensive presence to bore the Celitcs into an 82-75 loss and evened the series 3-3.

There was very little hype leading up to game six and rightfully so.  The re-newed rivalry that is Celtics-Sixers is a hard sell.  Let's face it; first of all we're not in the 1980's and we don't have Dr. J/Moses Malone battling Larry Bird and Kevin McHale and Maurice Cheeks isn't walking through that door for Philadelphia, neither will Cedric Maxwell be dawning the green and white anytime soon.

However, prior to game six despite no hype from the outside world; Sixers Head Coach Doug Collins showed his team game film from the 1982 Eastern Conference Finals game seven between, yes, the Sixers- Celtics.  As crazy as it may be, that game seven in 1982 was the last playoff win for Philadelphia in Boston until game two of this series now in 2012.

The 1982 movie session obviously inspired the current Sixers.  First, they hung in the game for a full 48 minutes and never got down even though they could not hit a three.  Second, Jrue Holiday played inspired basketball, dropping 20 points and 6 dimes.  Third, Elton Brand woke up from hibernation and actually hit some big shots in crunch time.  (Post game Brand got the nod from Collins, calling Brand the teams "Ace of spades.")  Finally, the Sixers found the paint.  They outscored Boston 42-16 down low, an accomplishment that clearly served as the difference maker on a slow night for jump shooters.

This 2012 version of the Celtics-Sixers is a far cry from 1982.  No doubt it has had plenty of ups and downs and plenty of raw ugly basketball.   At times I wanted to change the channel and watch something else (game three) and other times where I found myself in total disbelief watching a Sixers team mount a tremendous comeback in game four.  From game shattering moving screens to an Allen Iverson appearance, this series has had it all.

Now we are faced with a game seven on Saturday night and who knows what will happen.  At this point anything is possible, bad or ugly.  Bottom line is that this series owed us a game seven.  It wouldn't have felt right if it ended in six.  After everything we've had to endure in this one, game seven will decide who goes to the Eastern Conference Finals and thirty years after a game seven upset in Boston by the Sixers; Saturday night will bring an end to the re-newed NBA Classic that is the Celtics-Sixers.

Bird Drama?

Game five between the Heat-Pacers was billed to be one for the ages.  Instead we leave game five talking about three hard fouls, possible suspensions, and the "Legend" himself calling out his young team.  The Pacers looked tired from the start and the Heat's duo of James and Wade punished the meager Pacers into submission by the end of the third quarter.  The final result ended in a 115-83 beat down where James and Wade combined for 58 points, giving the Heat a 3-2 series lead.

After the game Pacers President Larry Bird called out his club; via the Indianapolis Star, "I can't believe my team went soft."  Bird went on to spell it out, "S-O-F-T." "I'm disappointed.  I never thought it would happen."

This is not the first time Bird has called out his team.  As a player and member of the Boston Celtics he did a similar thing, calling out his teammates during the 1984 NBA Finals against the LA Lakers.  The Celtics would go on to win that series in seven and Bird would be named the Finals MVP. 

Obviously it is 2012 and this is only the conference semis, but there is no doubt Bird said these things as a means to get his players fired up for game six.  The primary reason being that the Pacers looked completely flat and never really gave the Heat anything to worry about in game five. 

The other reason has to do with the fact that following Tyler Hansbrough's flagrant 1 foul on Dwyane Wade, the Pacers would go on to get whacked twice and give no response.  Udonis Haslem retaliated on Hansbrough the next play, a foul so hard Haslem should have been tossed from the game.  Later in the fourth quarter the Heat's Dexter Pittman gave shot to the throat of Indiana's Lance Stephenson.  These two take downs by the Heat following Hansbrough's initial one, showed that Miami was over the "we're not scared of you" image the Pacers had portrayed through four games.

Now we won't know if any suspensions will linger from Miami's physical play on Tuesday night and we also won't know if Bird's comments will motivate his team enough to even the series at home either.  From the looks of everything this series has shown us so far, it seems now as if the Heat are ready to move on.  The Pacers' "act" is dead and James and Wade appear to be clicking again.  The Heat should put the Pacers away in game six on Thursday night and allow Bird to head off into the sunset as the Executive of the Year and have his comments soon forgotten.  No drama here.

Western Conference Finals Pick:

Spurs over Thunder 4-2

Defending My Clippers Pick

The San Antonio Spurs destroyed the LA Clippers in a four game sweep to advance to their seventh Conference Finals with Tim Duncan and under the control of Head Coach Greg Popovich.  The series between the Spurs and Clippers was never close.  The Spurs choked the life out of LA in games one and two at home then broke the Clippers' back in game three on the road with a 24 point comeback.  In game four the Clippers showed a lot of fight, but the Spurs were in control the whole time.  Bottom line is the Spurs have now won 18 straight games, eight of those coming this post season.

If you saw my West Semis picks then you know I had the Clippers upsetting the Spurs in seven games.

The Defense:

The Clippers over achieved in their opening series against the Memphis Grizzlies.  The Grizzlies had home court advantage and on paper outmatched the Clippers at every position except at Point-Guard.  (Yes, I do believe Zach Randolph is a better player right now then Blake Griffin).  The Clippers played their best basketball all year in their first round series with the Grizzlies and closed the Grizz out on the road in game seven.

Now, fuel that with recent history and it created the perfect storm for a Clippers upset pick in the conference semis.  The Spurs had not yet proven they were able to perform after long periods away from competition and  after last years post season one would think that too much time off could affect the veteran club.  Just last year the Grizzlies became the fourth eight seed in playoff history to upset a one seed.  The Spurs had dominated the entire 2010-2011 season and rested their stars often throughout the 82 game grind.  The young up-tempo Grizzlies drained the life out of the Spurs early making it seem as if rust had crept into the Spurs' locker room and crippled their star players.

Fast forward to now and it just looked like it would happen again.  San Antonio had eight days off following their sweep of the Utah Jazz in round one.  The young Clippers had just upset Memphis and were coming into round two well oiled and poised to flex their athleticism all over the Spurs.  I thought the Spurs would keep the series close, but felt the Clippers would shock the world in a game seven.

Instead the series played out as it should.  The Spurs were well rested and Tim Duncan was a monster.  The Clippers were tired and looked outmatched from the start. 

The result: the five, sorry four time champions swept LA 4-0.  I don't plan to bet against the Spurs in the conference finals; no matter who they play.       

Heat Check Part II

If you didn't know that LeBron James had zero championships and you didn't follow sports, then you would think that after yesterdays performance against the Pacers in game four that James would be considered the most loved figure in sports today.  You would be wrong.  Just one game following the Heat's most talked about loss since game six of the 2011 NBA Finals.  James went off.  If you didn't know that James was human you would think he was from the planet Krypton.  James dominated the game scoring 40 points, grabbing 18 rebounds, and dishing 9 assist in a 101-93 win over the Pacers to even the series 2-2.  Teammate Dwyane Wade added 30/9/6, a much sharper performance following his worst offensive performance in game three where he only scored 5 points and went 3/13 shooting. 

LeBron James is by far the most scrutinized athlete in the NBA today. Which means that the sports media beast is fueled up and ready to rip into him if the Heat collapse in the conference semis.  That indeed was the case following game three.  James' showing Sunday however did something to curb his critics for a minute.  Prior to game three everyone was counting the Heat out against Indiana.  The Heat were as exposed as ever in game three and for the first time people really started to believe that Miami was just not that good of a team.

James was right in the middle despite the drama Wade created standing up his head coach provoked by his inability to score the basketball.  The world was crashing down around the Heat and Indiana looked like they could run away with the series.

The fact is that LeBron James is still reigning MVP and can take over a series better then anyone.  Reference the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals, when James destroyed the Pistons by himself.  James and Wade combined are good enough to power the Heat past the Pacers while Chris Bosh is out.  James was able to take game four over and in doing so allowed Wade to play his game and gain confidence in his sot again.

Moving ahead to game five.  The talk will be aimed at Miami and if they get it done.  There is no doubt that anything short of a championship for James and the Heat will be a bust.  LeBron James has an opportunity to be special.  The stage going forward is set.  Tied 2-2 with the young Pacers, his team seemingly falling apart, and one of their stars out.  LeBron can silence everyone if he is able to find a way to lock up the title, but they have to silence the Pacers first. 

James will go on to take this series over.  He looks different.  He hasn't allowed Danny Granger and the Pacers to get in his head, showing us all that he is completely focused.  The Pacers will continue to be physical in an attempt to show that they don't fear the Heat, but after game four they probably do.    

Heat Check

On a night in which you shoot 20 percent from long distance, get out rebounded 52-36, and your coach is arguing for three second calls...you know your in trouble.  The Heat just wrapped up one of their most out of touch, out of character losses since LeBron joined the club last year.  In a game where we saw David West front a point guard, Danny Granger try to fight LeBron for the second straight game, and Dwyane Wade flex on his head coach the end result was probably the most shocking.  The Heat got schooled by the Pacers 94-75 and lost control of the series falling behind 2-1.  If you saw this one, then it probably has you asking yourself; what did I just witness?

Fans of basketball enjoy watching good basketball.  If your a fan of the game who enjoys this then you must love the Indiana Pacers right now.  Let's face it, the Heat have played awful in these last two meetings and that's not hard to figure out.  Pacers coach Frank Vogel not only has his guys believing, he also has them playing insane defense.  You know your playing insane defense when Wade is frustrated to the point of going "Sprewell" on his head coach and only scores five points laying down for his worst playoff performance ever.

The Pacers held the Heat to 75 points in both games two and three.  This is unheard of if your a Miami fan.  The Heat averaged 98 points per game in the regular season, an average that the Pacers have not let them match through three games so far.  Indiana is a young athletic team with solid depth.  This simple formula has allowed Vogel to get every ounce of effort out of his team on the defensive end.

Rebounds have been huge for the Pacers as well.  They are crashing the boards and clearly taking advantage of their size out rebounding the Heat 140-121 through three.  Indiana's strong presence on the boards and on defense have carried over to the offensive side of the ball; funny how that works.

Four Indiana starters scored in double figures lead by Roy Hibbert's monster double-double, (19 points/18 rebounds).  Formulate that with skull shattering "D" and you have yourself a chance to upset one of basketball's juggernauts.

The Heat seem lost, Wade appears distant, and Chris Bosh isn't walking through that door on Sunday.  The Pacers smell blood, but Miami is far from finished.  Obviously game four is a must win for the Heat.  They need to get more contribution from their "glue" guys.  Anthony, Haslem, and Turiaf combined for 12 rebounds and 15 points in game three.  Battier has disappeared and has been a non-factor so far in the post season.  If Miami's role players can't find a way to contribute then they are done.  LeBron James and Dwyane Wade might be able to work some magic and carry them through this series with the Pacers, but that would be as far as it went and right now escaping this series looks doubtful.

Following the Game two win in Miami on Tuesday night, David West yelled at his young teammates to get off the floor and abstain from excessive celebration.  One win wasn't good enough for West and now the Pacers as a whole have embraced that same attitude. 

No Rust No Foul...Spurs In Championship Form

Last night the San Antonio Spurs let it be known that they are still the baddest team on the playoff block. Despite having eight days away from competition the Spurs matched the Clippers' intensity early and eventually put a strangle hold on the game following the first quarter.  The Clippers looked out matched at every position and seemingly had no answer for the revived Tim Duncan in a 108-92 loss.  Duncan looked as healthy as he has been in a long time.  He dropped 26 and 10 on the Clippers and ran the floor all night as if he were 24 again.

Chris Paul's night didn't help the Clippers cause in game one.  Paul went 3/13 shooting putting up 6 points in 38 minutes of action.  Add that with a fragile Blake Griffin, who was limited to 28 minutes, after he apparently tweaked his ankle early driving to the basket and you got the Clips getting trounced on the road.  Griffin still wound up one rebound shy of a double-double, but the small minutes never made him a factor in the game.

Finally, the Spurs did what they do best.  They got back on defense and made the Clippers work to get transition buckets.  They do this as well as any team in the league and have for years.  (Next time you see the Spurs play watch how good they are at getting back on "D").  Their defense also forced Chris Paul to pass often and his teammates had to settle for long jumpers most of the night.  The Spurs ran the floor when they had to as well.  Danny Green and rookie Kawhi Leonard have been key additions allowing the Spurs to run.  San Antonio proved in last nights win that they can play any and all styles of basketball. 

The Spurs also proved that they can play with anyone, young or old.  During their last title run in 2007 it was said by sports writers and broadcasters at the time, that the Spurs looked like the old guys at the gym that could school any group of young kids who challenged them.  This 2011-2012 club appears to have the look of that 2007 squad.  

Where do the Clippers go from here?  The Clippers can do their best to re-group and rest up for game two, but it looks like they won't have a chance at stealing a game on the road, not after last night.  If Griffin can some how heal up or at least be better then 80% and Paul can find his shot; then maybe just maybe the Clippers can grab a win or two at home.

The Spurs have bigger plans and the Clippers looked like a pebble in the road on their championship journey.  Duncan had legs again and played as if this post season was his. If LA doesn't get right quick then this series will be over in four games giving the Spurs and Duncan more rest...not rust. 

Gutsy Call Allows 76ers to Hold On

Rarely in crucial situations with the game on the line and time running out does an official make a call that can change all of that.  In last nights game two meeting between the 76ers and Celtics that exact scenario played out with ten seconds left to play. 

The moving screen Kevin Garnett set on Sixers guard Andre Iguodala for teammate Ray Allen in the final seconds of game two served as early buzz following a Sixers win and one that evened the series 1-1.  Everyone has seen the replay and it is clear that the official (Michael Smith) made the correct call.  A call that clearly allowed the Sixers to hold their lead late after they first let it slip away yet again in the fourth quarter.

This is indeed a rarity in pro sports.  Officials tend stay away from making a call that could change the outcome of a game, much less one in the playoffs.  With it being the correct call the attention should not be on the official, but on Sixers players and Head Coach Doug Collins.  Throughout games one and two it appeared that Collins had been doing a good job working the refs.  He is a veteran head coach who knows when to grind on the officials.  After the moving screen was called on Garnett,  Chris Webber who was calling the game for TNT shedded light on some of Collins' interactions with the referees.  Webber let it be known that Collins had been arguing that Garnett had been setting illegal screens throughout both meetings.  It seems that Collins' persistence paid off and gave the official confidence to make the right call in crunch time. 

In a way the Sixers and Coach Collins earned this call.  Their hard play on the road garnered the respect they needed to get an obvious offensive foul call.  Yeah, we want the players to decide the outcome of games and in this case it seems that Philadelphia's players did. 

Now the real question lies in how Garnett will bounce back from his giant mishap.

The answer is simple.  Kevin Garnett is a perennial All-Star and future Hall-of-Famer.  He will shake this and respond like the veteran leader he is in game three.  As a team the Celtics can overcome this.  They have overcome plenty of obstacles already this season, (injuries, suspensions, age).  They will surely move forward and win the series....(in six).

Heat Should be Fine Short Term W/O Bosh

According to espn.com earlier today, Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh will be sidelined indefinitely, (abdominal strain).  This could be a potential devastating blow for the Heat, but they should be fine short term without Bosh.

The Heat flexed their muscle late in yesterdays game one win over the Pacers.  The Pacers dug in early, but Miami's duo of James and Wade took over the game in the fourth quarter and buried the Pacers spirited effort to take a 1-0 series lead.  A possible big blow shook the Heat right before halftime when Bosh went down with an injury after a dunk through traffic.

This injury did however seem to un-phase the Heat in the second half and should un-phase them going forward in this series.  Bosh is an All-Star forward no doubt, but this series with the Pacers was not for him.  Pacers big men, David West and Roy Hibbert were going to own the paint in this one no matter what.  Bosh would have gotten beat up in every meeting and quite possibly would have been a broken man by the time the conference finals rolled around.  Obviously if Bosh can return at any point in this match-up, he should.  Bosh still would and could contribute.  He's a dynamic player that can hit jumpers from the elbow and spread the floor even as a big man for James and Wade.

The Heat don't need that in this series though.  What they need is guys who can match the physical play down low with the Pacers and Bosh can't do that.  Guys like Joel Anthony, Ronny Turiaf, and Udonis Haslem need to step in not step up and create opportunities for James and Wade to get in the paint and score.  Maybe even Eddy Curry can log minutes if he is healthy enough to go, (not a joke).  Those four can take the brunt of the physical play while Bosh recovers and hopefully returns for the conference finals.

So for the short term the Heat should be able to game plan their way past Indiana's physical play without Bosh.  The real trouble will arise if Bosh remains out for the next round, especially if they run into the Celtics who are playing as well as anyone right now.


West Semis Quick Picks:
Thunder over Lakers 4-3

Clippers over Spurs 4-3

With Three MVP Awards; James Still Lacks the Big One

By the time Michael Jordan won his third league MVP award in 1992 he already had at least one championship under his belt and was well on his way to winning his second.  Lebron James received his third MVP award today in Miami, an amazing accomplishment that puts him in a very special place in basketball history. 

James however, is still lacking an NBA Title.  Which means, at least for now, his three MVP awards don't mean anything among NBA fans.  No one can take these awards away from James though.  He is clearly the most dominant player in the game, makes everyone around him better, and distributes the ball as well as anyone in the game today.  All of his contributions to his team really won't be truly appreciated until he can help hoist up the championship trophy at the end of the season. 

Lebron is aware of this and stated so in his press conference today; via cbssports.com-via Associated Press, "This is very overwhelming to me as an individual award. But this is not the award I want, ultimately -- I want that championship. That's all that matters to me."

James will draw criticism by winning his third MVP with zero titles.  He seems to draw criticism no matter what he does.  Whether it be sharing the ball in crunch time to open players or that he is not a clutch player to begin with.  The fact remains that Lebron beat out some very good players to win this award, Durant, Paul, and Bryant in that order. 

James has done what was expected of him when he came out of high school in 2003.  Everything except win a championship.... yet.  James has lived up to the hype and has wowed everyone in doing so.  He's made two finals appearances (2007 w/ Cleveland and 2011 w/ Miami), but fell way short in both tries.  It is safe to say that the Heat are on their way to a championship this season, but James and the Heat will run into road hazards along the journey and he will have to lift his team over those hazards on the games biggest stage.  Something the three time MVP has not done yet. 

It is clear that James wants this monkey off  his back.  The Heat have become his team since he arrived in South Beach last season.  If the Heat don't get the job done this year; that monkey will feel like an elephant.

Eastern Conference Second Round Quick Picks: 

Celtics over 76ers 4-2.

Heat over Pacers 4-2. 

Hawks Mascot Try Outs???

Saw this video today on SI.com. 

76ers' Hawes Works Out With The Reign Man

Shawn Kemp was drafted in 1989 without ever participating in college basketball.  Making him one of the few and putting him along side Moses Malone as a player drafted into the NBA out of High School before the Kwame Browns of the world. 

Kemp was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics and eventually became known as the "Reign Man."  Kemp was a power dunker, quick attacker, and just an overall force at the forward position.  He was the Amar'e Stoudemire and Blake Griffin of the 90's.  The Reign Man's last great appearance came in the 1996 NBA Finals where he and his side-kick "The Glove," Gary Payton took on the 72-10 Chicago Bulls.  The Sonics would lose the series 4-2, but no true NBA fan will forget the hard fought battles between Kemp and Rodman, Payton and Kerr.  The Reign Man and his Sonics never folded in a series in which they were never given a chance. 

How does this tie into the 2011-2012 Philadelphia 76ers?  The Sixers just accomplished a rarity in NBA Playoff history.  Tonight they became the fifth eighth seed in NBA history to take down a one seed and only the third to do so in a best of seven series.  (Yes, Kemp was on the first one seed that this happened to in the 1994 post season when the eighth seeded Nuggets upset Kemp's Sonics in five games.)  The real answer is that Shawn Kemp has been working out with Sixers' big man, Spencer Hawes.

According to sportingnews.com via CSNPhilly.com,  Hawes has been working out with Kemp since he entered the league in 2007.  Hawes was drafted by the Sacramento Kings and spent his first three mediocre years in the league there.  He is currently in his second year with the Sixers and seems to be thriving under head coach Doug Collins.

Some of Hawes' success could be credited to Kemp.  The Reign Man was a dominate player and has a lot to give back to the game.  One would say that Kemp wasted a lot of his talent following the '96 Finals.  He probably did.  Off the court issues derailed the Reign Man and put a black eye on his career, but his current contribution to a young talented big man has somewhat begun to fix it.

Spurs Slam Door on Jazz, But Maybe Too Early

The old sports adage goes, close when you can and score when you can (or something like that).  The San Antonio Spurs did just that last night in Utah, despite a late game charge by the Jazz.  The Spurs held on and cruised into the second round of the NBA Playoffs.  

The Spurs haven't fooled us much, but they did so just last year.  The Spurs went 61-21 in 2010-2011 and obtained the top seed in the West.   Gregg Popovich rested his veterans all season long and a championship almost seemed inevitable.  That turned out not to be the case.  A young, hungry Grizzlies team took down the number one seed in the first round and became only the fourth team in playoff history to accomplish such an achievement.

Move forward to now and one can't help but wonder if the Spurs might fall victim to being over-rested, again.  Now, the Spurs are not that old, but older teams need to keep moving once in playoff mode.  Their leader and Hall of Fame forward Tim Duncan is 36 and could be playing in his last post season.  Their other two leaders however, have racked up a lot of post season mileage.  Tony Parker has been around awhile and played on three out of four Spurs championship teams and the same can be said for Manu Ginobili.  Rest is needed for younger squads, a team like the Heat with James, Wade, and Bosh are still relatively young.  Younger teams can start back easier after prolonged periods of time off.  Older ones have a more difficult time doing so.  The Spurs need their leaders to be able to get going in good form when needed or this playoff run could be short lived. 

Rust might be the crucial factor for San Antonio in the second round.  They are more than likely going to face a super young, aggressive, and talented Clipper club, whose series is far from over with the Grizzlies.  The Clippers contain the same formula (young, aggressive, talented) that the Grizzlies used to topple the Spurs last year.  Just using recent history alone, you can't help but think that it could very well repeat itself; the Spurs getting bounced way too soon.

It is probably safe to say that Coach Popovich understands the situation, he does have four rings, but he has to be hoping the Clippers can close on Wednesday night.  If the Clippers can close it out, then the Spurs layoff from competitive play is minimal and everything should continue to go as planned, which is winning the West and playing for a fifth championship under Popovich.  Tim Duncan can retire in style and all is well in the world of pro basketball. 

The Grizzlies ironically could be the thorn in the Spurs' side yet again, if they can force a game six and extend the series with the Clippers, then the Spurs' time away from the court could be the elephant in the room come the second round.

Hamels VS Harper...Round One

On a night in which Phillies pitcher, Cole Hamels dominated eight innings in a 9-3 win over the Nationals, all we care about is the "hit" heard around the sports world.  Long story short; in Bryce Harper's first at bat of the night, Hamels plunked him in the back.  A hit Hamels later referred to as Harper's, "welcome to the big leagues."  Harper would steal home plate on Hamels that same inning and he would go on to be the only offense for the Nationals most of the night.

Hamels was probably the last pitcher in the big leagues who we thought would have done this.  Amazing, baseball media should be high fiving this guy.  Hamels single handily created a division rivalry between the Phillies and Nationals and got people tweeting and talking baseball in the middle of the NBA Playoffs.

Even though it is May, the Phillies still needed this win.  They have major injury issues that have sidelined, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and pitcher Cliff Lee and stand at the bottom of the NL East at 14-15.  Last season the Phillies dominated baseball, not only did they win their division, they had the best record in the league.  They fell way short of expectations in the post season when they lost in the divisional round to the eventual champion St. Louis Cardinals.  Don't be surprised if this game last night serves as a turning point for the Phillies season.   

If it does they will more then likely have to stare down Harper and the division leading Nationals.  That being a huge question now that Jayson Werth is supposed to be out twelve weeks following wrist surgery today, according to Rotowire.com.  If the Phillies can turn it around, the matchups between Harper and Hamels will become more interesting.  Hamels is a veteran, a proven ace and totally had the green light to hit a rookie in the back. 

However,  Bryce Harper is a special player for the Nationals.  The guy is a freak at the plate and runs the bases hard.  He seems jittery in the box, but in a good way, like he's waiting to smack the next pitch around the park or out of it.  I think its safe to say that he will not be going back down to Triple-A ball any time in the future.  The guy is here to stay.  With that being said, special players get revenge and how sweet it was to have Harper steal home on Hamels during a check to first base.  You almost had to do a double take at the stat line early in the game if you missed it; "hit by pitch, stole home plate."      

It was good TV and perhaps even good baseball to see Hamels step up and beam Harper early in the game.  If anything it served as a great first meeting between the two.  Maybe Hamels throws at him in round two and maybe Harper charges the mound, that would be even better.    

Heat Can't Close...East Gets Interesting

The favorites to come out of the West, the Oklahoma City Thunder, took care of business Saturday night.  The Thunder closed out the defending champion Dallas Mavericks on the road and earned themselves much needed rest before round two.  The Spurs look to do the same in Utah on Monday.

It was a very different story today in the East.  The perennial favorites to represent the conference dropped the ball.  Spurred on by Carmelo Anthony's 41 points and Stoudemire's inspired double-double.  The Heat allowed a deflated, beat-up Knicks squad to force a game five and take the series back to Miami.

The Heat have been targets ever since they lost to Dallas in the NBA Finals last year.  Every TV and radio show takes dead aim at them whenever they encounter the slightest mishap.  This latest loss to the Knicks will fuel the fire for the media, even though Miami maintains a 3-1 series lead and will most likely close the series out Tuesday night.  This defeat does indeed raise some eyebrows however.  Now we wonder why the Heat can't close.  A team with two of the biggest closers in the game, they couldn't get it done.  A team that almost has to win a championship this year could not stomp out a tired Knicks club, who erased a thirteen game post season losing streak with the win.

The bottom line is that the Heat should have closed out the Knicks this afternoon.  Now instead of resting and preparing for the second round.  The Heat will have to board a plane and prepare for a physical game five.  Expect the Knicks to come out swinging on Wednesday night.  They know they are under their opponents skin and a long grueling game could spell trouble for the Heat.

As this weekend comes to a close the Heat don't look so bullet proof anymore in the Eastern playoffs.  On a weekend where Rajon Rondo dropped the quietest triple-double in playoff history, the Celtics might start believing they have a chance.  

Knicks' Struggles are Painful to Watch

What is going on with the New York Knicks?  It was back during the very entertaining free agency summer of 2010, when Amare Stoudemire stepped out onto a New York city street and proclaimed to the media, "the Knicks are back."  It was the perfect marriage, Stoudemire and D'Antoni were reunited and the Knicks were going to be the eventual rival to the Miami Heat in the East.

Fast forward to now.  The 2012 playoffs are underway and the Knicks find themselves down 0-3 to a Heat team that looks so superior to the Knicks it is almost depressing to watch.  Stoudemire in street clothes on the bench, hand wrapped and not looking like he could be able to return by game 4.  The  fact is that the Knicks are now 0-7 and staring 0-8 in the face during post season since acquiring Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony.  D'Antoni has long since resigned and the Knicks struggles seemed to have been lessening until now. 

The Problem:
So what is wrong with the Knicks?  It's not a simple answer.  The problem lives with in Stoudemire's head.  It has to.  Here is a guy that came to New York and expected it to be his team, his city, and he and his former coach were going to accomplish winning a championship together.  Something they did not do in Phoenix. 

Instead the Knicks pursued Anthony and a deal got done that sent guys like Danilo Gallinari, Raymond Felton, and Wilson Chandler to the Nuggets.  Looking back it seems that the Nugs made out better in the deal. 

The Knicks are now Melo's team.  He seems to be running the show on the court and in the front office.  I don't care who you are, but no one likes change at work.  It is very difficult to swallow your pride and move forward.  Stoudemire is clearly not handling this change well.  He hasn't been the same player since the arrival of Melo and the Knicks are suffering now in the post season because of it. 

After a blow out loss to the Heat in Miami on Tuesday, Stoudemire's frustration with the loss and the entire situation with the Knicks in general boiled over and Amare's hand met the glass of a fire extinguisher case.  So, with the season all but over for the Knicks, the organization needs to begin to move forward.  This off season will be crucial for New York and Stoudemire.

The Fix: 

The Knicks need to find a way to move Stoudemire this off season.  Allow him to move on and go to a place where he can be the guy.  Maybe if Tim Duncan retires after the season, the Spurs could be a good landing spot.  The Knicks can move forward with Chandler, Lin, and Melo and perhaps some more glue guys in a Stoudemire trade. 

The Knicks also need stability in the front office.  They should remove the interim title from Mike Woodson and allow him to stay on board as head coach next season.  It seems that Melo likes and respects Woodson's coaching style, plus Woodson is a damn good head coach and proved that during his time in Atlanta.  He made a run of the mill Hawks team into a very respectable playoff team in the East. 

Show some pride in these few remaing playoff games.  Don't get swept by the Heat.  The Knicks have no chance at winning this series, but they cannot allow themselves to get swept in back-to-back years.  They need to force a game five and try to at least build some momentum for the off season.