Playoff Predictions: 1st Round (Eastern Conference)

Cleveland (1) vs. Chicago (8)

Chicago squeaks into the playoffs barely edging out a slumping Toronto team that had just lost Bosh for the rest of the season, and their prize is a first round beat-down by the Cavaliers. I expect Cleveland to be focused and take care of business quickly. This series will give the Cavs a few games to integrate Shaq back into their game plan. He'll be a key component in latter series. Lebron will show everyone why he is the league's MVP. He will dominate both sides of the floor. Likewise, Rose will have his way against Mo Williams and West. It will take a team defensive effort to slowdown Rose. Chicago misses the firepower of Gordon off of the bench. I just don't think they have enough talent or weapons to compete with Cleveland. Noah is recovering from an injury, which won't help their cause at all. Deng will have his hands full defending Lebron. And their coaching situation is volatile. The weakness of the Cavs last year was a lack of firepower. But now they have added both Shaq and Jamison in the mix. Jamison's outside shooting and hustle will be huge for this team. Hopefully Mo will bounce back from a poor showing last year. In addition to the improved offense, Cleveland has much more depth than last year. This is the best team Lebron has played on. Varejao will continue to be a solid contribute for this team. [Cleveland in 4]



Orlando (2) vs. Charlotte (7)

While it's a nice accomplishment that Charlotte made it to the playoffs, I just don't see them beating Orlando. They have no one who can matchup with Dwight Howard. That leaves them with one of 3 options: single cover Dwight and let him score, foul him, or double-team him (which will lead to wide open 3's for his teammates). It's a pick your poison situation. Larry Brown is the superior coach, but I think the rumor of him leaving Charlotte next year might prove to be a distraction. Charlotte plays great defense, but they can't match up with the offensive firepower or depth of Orlando. And in a long series where teams make adjustments, this gives Orlando a big advantage. I suspect their role players of Redick, Pietrus, Barnes, Williams and Anderson will hit some big shots before this series is over. Orlando will need Lewis to return to form. He's been hit and miss all season long. This will give Vinsanity a chance to show his worth. But he's in a touch matchup with Jackson. Crash has the edge over Barnes or Pietrus; though I suspect that to be a feisty matchup. Nelson vs Felton is a wash. Neither guy has been consistent enough to be a difference-maker. Diaw will be an X-factor in this series, I think. The better he plays, the better this whole Charlotte team plays. [Orlando in 6]

Atlanta (3) vs. Milwaukee (6)

It's a shame that Andrew Bogut had to go down with an injury. Milwaukee would have been one of my darkhorse picks otherwise. I just like the way their team has been playing since the addition of John Salmons. The 2-headed PG of Ridnour and Jennings has been surprisingly effective. I don't think they have enough firepower to compete with ATL though. And their team lacks the postseason experience and depth to be competitive. Delfino and Ilyasova have played well for the team, though. Atlanta, meanwhile, is hungry and ready to take the next step in the postseason. JJ and Josh Smith will destroy whoever they are matched up against. And Crawford will continue to be huge off of the bench. He has been an exceptional contributor for this team, and is on his way to a 6th man of the year award. Horford has been solid in the middle, though I still don't think he deserved the all-star nod. But he's definitely better than Thomas or Gadzuric on the MIL side. They aren't going to intimate anyone. It'll be interesting to see how this MIL team gels once they have Redd and Bogut back. They have some interesting potential. But they will be a quick out this year. Atlanta needs to be careful about foul trouble and injuries, though. Their bench is not the best. [Atlanta in 5]



Boston (4) vs. Miami (5)

Yikes. Boston slipping all the way down to the #4 spot. They just aren't the same team this year. They are really struggling with injuries and just old age. KG, especially, is not the same player he was in previous years. Rondo has been their best player all year long, and will need to play well for Boston to make some noise in the playoffs. Allen and Pierce are still reliable scorers for the Boston squad. But their new acquisitions: Rasheed, Nate Robinson, and Daniels haven't panned out as well as they had hoped. If they can get some solid production from Big Baby, that would help their chances immensely. Boston is a team on the decline, and things will only get worse from now on. On the flip side, you have a mediocre Miami team surrounded by Wade. He is a miracle worker; so I give him a slim shot at pulling off an upset. Beasley will need to step up and prove to be a consistent #2 guy. Q-Rich, O'Neal, and the duo of Arroyo/Chalmers each have had their moments during the season. But they will need to be clicking on all cylinders just for this team to be competitive. In any case, I don't foresee either team giving Cleveland much trouble in the next round though. They are just speed bumps. [Boston in 6]

Playoff Predictions: 1st Round (Western Conference)

LA Lakers (1) vs. Oklahoma City (8)

I'll be rooting like crazy for the Thunder, but I don't think it's their time yet. They are going to fall short against a more talented and experienced team in the Lakers, who are looking to repeat as champions. The Lakers have struggled coming into the postseason, but I expect them to turn it on once the postseason starts. Kobe should be well rested after taking the last few games off, and is still one of the league's best closers. Bynum is expected to return from injuries in time for the playoffs. The trio of Odom, Gasol and Bynum should dominate this series and carry the Lakers to the win. The Thunder have no one that can match up with them in the frontcourt. Durant is a future MVP and Westbrook is developing into a nice star as well. He should be able to dominate the matchup against Fisher. But I don't think it will be enough. If Artest is able to slow down Durant, this series could be over faster than people think. It's a nice achievement that Oklahoma City was able to win 50 games and make it to the playoffs, but their run won't last long. It should be a good learning experience for this young, up-and-coming team, though. I read that this is the first time a #8 seed has won 50 games. Nice. [LA Lakers in 5]

Dallas (2) vs. San Antonio (7)

I'm not sure why the Spurs gave up on the last game of the season. They had a chance to move into the #6 spot, and play Phoenix instead; which seems like a more favorable matchup. But you should never count out these former champs; they will be a tough out. Gregg Popovich is still one of the league's best coaches, and Tim Duncan is still one of the all-time greats, even if he is showing signs of age. Manu's revival has been huge for this team down the stretch. And he will be the key for the Spurs in this series. If Parker or Hill miss any games, the Spurs are going to struggle. Blair could be a difference maker with his energy and hustle. But their inconsistency on the defensive end will hurt them. Dallas has too much depth and firepower for the Spurs to handle. Kidd still is one of the best play-makers in the game despite his age. Dirk and Terry are a dynamic 1-2 scoring punch. And Butler and Marion provide help at the wing positions. Haywood and Dampier are two big bodies that they can throw at Duncan to try to contain him. Beaubois and Barea will hit some big shots for Dallas off of the bench. This is Dallas' series to lose. I give the Spurs a puncher's chance to win though. [Dallas in 6]



Phoenix (3) vs. Portland (6)

Phoenix gets a lucky break here. Portland is limping into the postseason full of injuries. Without Roy, Portland stands 0 chance of beating the Suns in a 7-game series. They might be able to steal 1 or 2 games though, based on hustle and heart. I commend them for playing as well as they have, overcoming the loss of several key players. McMillian deserves some recognition for Coach of the Year. But they don't have the talent or depth to compete with these other playoff teams. I don't think Aldridge can carry this team on his back. And Miller isn't going to score over 50 points again anytime soon. Camby will get some rebounds and blocks, but isn't a difference-maker. Batum, Fernandez, Webster and Bayless are too inconsistent to be relied on. Meanwhile, the Suns have way too much offensive firepower. Nash, J-Rich, and Amare are going to feast on Portland. And their supporting cast of Hill, Frye, Barbosa, Dragic and Dudley will hit some big shots, too. It should be a fun series to watch. They'll need Lopez back to be competitive in the 2nd round, though. A Dirk vs Nash matchup should be exciting. [Phoenix in 5]

Denver (4) vs. Utah (5)

That is definitely one of the more interesting matchups in the first round. I think it can go either way. Though I like Denver more at the moment. Mainly because they have homecourt advantage. Utah historically is an awful road team. Many experts have commented that Denver has not been the same team without George Karl at the helm. We'll see how that plays into the series. Billups vs Deron should be an epic matchup at the PG spot. JR Smith, as always, will be an X-factor for his team. He'll either shoot the Nuggets into victory or defeat. Carmelo has been huge against Utah in the regular season games. I just read that Kirilenko will miss the series due to injury, so that will hurt Utah quite a bit. Both Boozer and Kenyon Martin are coming up injuries, also. So health could play a big role in this series. Birdman has been playing hurt also. I think Okur's outside shooting will be huge for Utah. I don't see any of Denver's bigs running out to guard Okur at the three point line. Millsap and Lawson off of the bench are key player for their respective teams also. It should be the most competitive series in the first round. [Denver in 7]

Young Flyers

Below is a recap video of the 2010 McDonald's All-American Dunk Contest. Not only was the NBADL Dunk Contest better than the NBA's. But the High School All-American's was better also. Ouch.

Best Trade Deadline Moves

The title of this entry is self-explanatory. A few weeks have past since the trade deadline, and it seems like an appropriate time now to comment on who were the winners and losers.



+ Dallas gets Brendan Haywood, Caron Butler, DeShawn Stevenson
+ Washington gets Josh Howard, Drew Gooden, Quinton Ross, James Singleton

This trade actually worked out nicely for both teams. It catapults DAL into title contender status. It gives them some much needed toughness and defense. Haywood has been a beast in the middle for Dallas, who desperately needed a replacement for the oft-injured Dampier. Tough Juice is a big improvement over Howard; it also helps that he is actually healthy and playing. This trade pushes Terry to the bench where he excels in the 6th man role. A line-up of Kidd, Butler, Marion, Nowitzki, Haywood can make some big noise in the playoffs. They actually have the defense to match their offensive firepower. For WAS, it was a salary dump move. Stevenson and Butler are owed nearly $30 million over this and next season. Trading away Haywood frees up playing time for Blatche (who has been a revelation) and McGee. Also Singleton has been a solid addition to their frontcourt. He can provide rebounds and blocked shots and has some nice upside. WAS just needed to start over. And this gives them an opportunity to evaluate their young players.

+ Portland gets Marcus Camby
+ LA Clippers get Steve Blake, Travis Outlaw

I don't particularly care for this trade. It doesn't really benefit either team much. True, POR desperately need a big man. But they are fighting for the 8th playoff seed in the West, and chances are Camby will not resign with them during the offseason. So he was just a one-year rental. Both Blake and Outlaw are expiring contracts, so it's not like they came out better financially. I guess one positive is that players now have more defined roles on the team, and they can worry less about fighting for playing time. It's addition by subtraction, in a sense. Miller is the #1 PG, and Bayless is the backup. Batum and Fernandez are the main guys at SF now. For the Clippers, they get a nice backup PG in Blake, and a decent prospect in Outlaw. But it doesn't really help this team much in the short-term or the long-term. Surely they could have gotten some draft picks or something for Camby, right? I just don't get this trade for them.



+ Cleveland Gets Antawn Jamison, Sebastian Telfair
+ Washington gets Zydrunas Ilgauska, Al Thornton, 2010 1st Round Pick (from Cavs), rights to Emir Preldzic
+ LA CLippers get Drew Gooden

CLE comes out ahead in a big way. They pick up an all-star caliber without giving up Hickson. And it looks like Big Z will re-sign with the Cavs for a championship-run. So all they gave up was a late 1st round pick. Brilliant. Jamison is the stretch 4 that they were looking for. He is a solid defender, willing passer, prolific scorer, and just great teammate. He will find a way to fit in on this team and become a reliable secondary option on this team. Mo Williams was awful last year in the playoffs. It will be interesting to see how this team gels once Shaq comes back. I like Jamison on this more than Amare. And this move gives CLE a legitimate shot at winning the title. They are the team to beat now. Once again, I have no idea why LAC is involved in this trade. They just traded away a nice prospect in Al Thornton who is signed to a cheap deal. And got back an expiring contract in Gooden, who will not likely sign back with them. I just don't get it. For WAS, this continues their rebuilding program. They get a nice prospect in Thornton, a draft pick from CLE, and they dump Jamison's salary. It's a WIN-WIN situation for them. Could they have gotten more for Jamison? Maybe. But when you are desperate you have to make desperate moves. And this was the right move to make by WAS.

+ Chicago gets Hakim Warrick, Joe Alexander
+ Milwaukee gets John Salmons, 2010 & 2011 2nd Round Picks, option to switch 2010 First Round Picks (Top-10 Protected)

This is proving to be the most underrated trade of the season. Salmons has elevated this team from borderline playoff team to scary first round opponent. They are 12-2 since the trade. And are playing great basketball. He's a reliable scorer and play-maker, and has nice range on his jump shot. They are not missing Redd one bit. This MIL team has a bright future. I really like their core of Jennings, Salmons, Delfino and Bogut. Initially, I thought they were giving up too much for Salmons, but he has really played brilliantly. He's a huge upgrade over Bell or whoever else they had to start before him. For CHI, it's mainly a salary dump. They also get some draft pick consideration. But it's mainly salary dump. They were having trouble finding playing time for Hinrich and Salmons, so one of them had to be traded. It's all about being in the right system and getting the right opportunities. Chicago is positioning itself nicely for the offseason, where they can sign one of the major stars.



+ Houston Gets Kevin Martin, Hilton Armstrong, Jared Jeffries, Jordan Hill, 1st Round Pick (from Knicks) (Top-5 Protected), Rights to Exchange 2011 1st Round Picks (with Knicks) (Top-1 Protected)
+ Sacramento gets Larry Hughes, Carl Landry, Joey Dorsey
+ New York gets Tracy McGrady, Sergio Rodriguez

Yikes, this is a complicated trade. But I like the move for all involved parties. Houston gets a big-time scorer to compliment their feisty defense. Martin and Brooks will form a formidable duo. I can't wait to see what this team is like next year with Yao back and healthy (hopefully). Jordan Hill is a nice prospect. And they get a 1st round pick from the Knicks also. It's a shame to see Landry go, but his departure frees up minutes for Scola. You need to give up something to get something. T-Mac was just dead weight on this team. Jeffries is a nice defender who can play multiple positions. He's a nice fit for this team off of the bench. Sacramento gets rid of a huge contract in Martin, who proved that he cannot play with Evans, and gets a nice prospect in Landry, who is one of the most underpaid athletes in the game. Dorsey is potentially a gem in the rough. NYK get their man T-Mac. And more importantly, get his expiring contract. Now they'll have the money to sign 2 big free agents this summer. I doubt either one will be Wade or Lebron, though. Rodriguez gets a chance to shine in New York. Getting rid of Jefferies contract as huge. Giving up the draft picks could come back and haunt them though. If they can't sign anyone of caliber. They are putting all of their eggs into one basket.

+ Charlotte gets Tyrus Thomas
+ Chicago gets Acie Law, Flip Murray, Future 1st Round Pick

Chicago makes another move for the future. They trade away Thomas for a 1st round pick. It's not a bad move at all. They were starting Gibson over Thomas anyway. They were tired of his inconsistency and his lack of maturity. So I approve of the trade, if they had no plans to resign him during the offseason. It's better to get something than nothing, right? He has all of the talent in the world, but just can't put it together consistently. Acie Law and Flip Murray are decent role players. But I'm not sure if either sticks with the team past this year. For CHA, it's a nice gamble. They get a lottery-talent player who can help them immediately. He's a great defender and should fit in well on this team, who is desperate for more depth in the frontcourt. What some people forget is that he is still young. He's got great athleticism and upside, and Larry Brown hopes he can thrive in a 6th man role. He's had some up and down success since the trade, but could still prove a valuable addition in the long-term. Charlotte has been a pleasant surprise this year.

NBA Jam Returns

Below is the trailer for the upcoming NBA Jam game.