Wanda Pratt on raising NBA star, Kevin Durant

Series Recap: Bulls vs Pacers

Hawks Eliminate Magic / Josh Smith "In Yo Face!"

2011 NBA East Semi Finals: Boston Celtics vs Miami Heat

 

Eastern Conference Semi-Finals

(2) Miami Heat vs (3) Boston Celtics

The best and worst part of being a professional athlete is that you can only talk trash for so long before you have to prove yourself.  You actually have no choice in the matter.  Whether you come out with the win or loss will decide if it was all worth it in the end.

Having veteran success in the past has little to do with your performance on game day, and your past experience is all you can really hang your hat on in a win, age and injuries if you lose.

For those that have yet to prove themselves, you might find yourself hiding your face as the clock runs out on your season if chose to make bold predictions about your success.  In a win, you can dish out a fresh serving of "I told you so" to the haters and media alike, but in a loss, a quote of "We need more time to gel" doesn't quite taste as good on the palette.

Fans of either team will also share the same fate as their beloved stars, swallowing their tongue in a series loss or smiling while plastering comment sections and forums with taunts of joy for weeks after the series has concluded.

This series is one of, if not, the most anticipated of this years playoffs, just falling short of a fantasy Celtics versus Lakers rematch or Chicago versus Lakers Finals meeting.

Here's the deal.

The Celtics "Big 3" are proven Finals and Eastern Conference champions.  They won their first championship the same year the trio was formed.  Regardless of the criticism surrounding injuries and age, the Boston Celtics have bullied all their opponents into submission with their top notch defense and slew of great scorers over the past few years.

It actually does the Celtics a disservice calling them the "Big 3", as All-Star Rajon Rondo is no longer an after thought, but a major piece of the puzzle.


If any team in the NBA can take a chance talking trash, it's the Celtics.

The Miami trio, one season after their concert style introduction to the city, had their ups and downs all season.  Starting the season poorly, then going on a long winning streak and finally being criticized for only being able to beat below .500 teams. This is their first year playing together, so why shouldn't they feel that they can win it all much like Boston did?

With 3 of the top 10 young players in the NBA on the roster, I can see why they feel they can talk a little smack.

All that aside, the facts remain. 

The Heat only beat the Celtics once in four meetings this year. 

The Celtics have more experience and are less likely to panic in pressure situations. 

On the other hand, Dwayne Wade, who is also an NBA champion and Finals MVP, has the confidence that type of success brings, but during his championship run, he did not have the chance to share the ball with Lebron James, the future of the sport. 

There really isn't much more to say.

Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo against Lebron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh. 

It's no coincidence that all these players where a part of the 2011 Eastern NBA All-Star team.

What makes this all the more exciting is that the season opener, which was deliberately set up to have these teams meet, has now come and gone.

It is now their regular season performances which has fated them in this fantasy match up.

Sure I will pick a team to win. 

Sure I will engage in some trash talk with friends. 

But I am well aware that this should be one of the best match ups in recent NBA playoff history.

I will be sure to keep my wages low and my trash talk to a minimum, because this one is just too close to call.

Series Recap: Boston Celtics vs New York Knicks

2 year old Basketball Star

What makes this video funny is that he almost never misses!



<a href="http://video.ca.msn.com/?mkt=en-ca&from={from}&vid=cbf19b09-009d-4b3d-9e43-7eac3017cb4c&from=dest_en-ca&fg=dest" target="_new" title="2-Year-Old Basketball Star">Video: 2-Year-Old Basketball Star</a>

Blake's Rookie Year Dunks - Each and Every One

Dallas Mavericks 2011 NBA Playoffs Ad

Should you sit star players before the Playoffs?

You see it happen more and more everyday.  It started out as an idea, then a trend and is now considered to be simple logic.  Future wives feel safer, husbands swear by it and if the movie "The Hangover" has taught us anything, bachelor parties months ahead of the wedding is your best bet.

Should someone get sick, injured or lost, there is plenty of time to recover, get out of jail, remove a tattoo or be found.  Partying the night before an important event is best left to the actors in the movies because after all, its just that, a movie, everything will work out in the end.

You might be asking yourself what bachelor parties have to do with sports and why I'm bringing them up.  The truth is they do have something in common, especially when your talking about professional sports and teams that are headed to the playoffs.

It's a never ending debate.

Should coaches sit their star players out of games if their playoff spot is already guaranteed?

In the case of the coach, he might chose to play all his stars during a final regular season game, and with good reason.  He might want his team to maintain a consistent level of play going into a championship run, not wanting to have too much rest perhaps rendering the team lethargic going into big game situations. 

Then there is the case of the home court advantage.

Baseball, basketball and hockey are 3 of the "Big 4" (NFL being the 4th) major league sports that use a series system to determine which teams move on in the playoffs.  The first team, in the NBA format, to win a best of 7 series moves on in the tournament.  Games will be played in both teams' home towns, but one team will have a home court advantage.  Based on their season record, among other factors, 4 of the 7 games will be played at the home arena of the team with that advantage.

Why is this so important?

The list goes on, but briefly, it can be as simple as sleeping at home instead of a hotel room and be as important as having the home crowd making it hard for the opponents to perform in a hostile arena, should the series be decided in the 7th game.

If your a player, you love to compete, plain and simple.  It's a common thing to see players asking to participate with injuries or even leave the country to play overseas, in extreme cases such as Allen Iverson, because lack of playing time damages that pride and ability to compete in the future.  You want your players confident and energized going into the playoffs.  After all, coaches don't play, players do.  And you need them performing at a high level with a positive mindset for the next 8 weeks.

As a fan, much like the coaches and players, they benefit from that extra home game should they need it.  The crowd often being called the "6th man on the court" is not simply a form of flattery.  In the NFL, more so than other sports, crowd noise can prevent the opposing Quarterback from calling plays which throws the timing off the offensive line, resulting in penalties.  It's a proven fact that crowd participation plays a huge role in "psyching out" the opponent in a game 7 situation.  What fan wouldn't want that type of opportunity to help their team win?

And with that. I can finally come to my point.

All those things mentioned above, momentum, home court advantage and crowd support are all great reasons to play your stars with a playoff spot already guaranteed, but together cannot out weigh the risk of  having a key player getting injured.

Using Manu Ginobili as a recent example, a key component of the San Antonio Spurs, who hold the 2nd best record in the league, hyper-extended his elbow during the final game of the season against the Phoenix Suns, and for what, home court advantage?

As of today, Manu Ginobili is not expected to play the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 1 of their series.


The Spurs' core have won championships before and are more than capable of performing well away from  home.  Momentum and home court advantage is one thing, but a healthy roster is another.


Why put your key players at risk?  There is no need.

In the case of the Miami Heat, who played their final game in Toronto against the Raptors, Wade, James and Bosh never stepped foot on the court.  Whether home court advantage was a possibility or not, there is no way head coach Eric Spoelstra or General Manager Pat Riley would risk losing LeBron or Wade for the entire playoffs due to a freak injury.


The same could be said about the Lakers.
What if they were forced to play the entire playoffs without Kobe Bryant?


The best of 7 series system is built specifically to allow both teams an opportunity to redeem themselves after a loss, or adjust their offensive and defensive schemes according to their opponent's performance over a period of time. The sense of urgency builds slowly, and you need all your stars healthy and ready to adapt, recover and improve after each game.

Playing your stars after a playoff berth, especially during the final regular season game, is like hitting black on the casino roulette table and betting everything you just won.  You just don't do it, regardless of the odds.

If only coaches, players and fans that think having stars participate during final regular season games, for home court advantage, could apply their own personal theory of "never party before you have important stuff to do", to people other than themselves, they would see my point.

What do you think?

2011 NBA Playoffs: Western Conference

San Antonio has the 2nd best record in the entire NBA, 61-21.  They have been here before.  Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili have all been NBA champions in the past.  The playoffs are nothing new to them. Their veteran core always makes them a threat and a serious contender.  The Spurs face Zach Randolph and the stubborn Memphis Grizzlies in what should turn out to be a "grind it out" type of series.

The Lakers are going for a 3rd consecutive title. This is likely Phil Jackson's final season as head coach and you know the players would love to send him off with another ring.  Kobe and his squad, slept on all year round, always end up as everyone's favorite to win it all come playoff time.  They have proven themselves to be the sleeping giant.  Don't wake him up and don't make him angry.  They face an All-Star and arguably the best point guard in the NBA in Chris Paul and the New Orleans Hornets.

The young All-Stars Kevin Durant and Russel Westbrook in Oklahoma City have shown all season that they have improved on all fronts.  Great defense and stellar offense have the Thunder being the only team in the Western conference capable of running their opponents out of the gym.  After losing Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks, the Denver Nuggets have played their best basketball coming into the playoffs and are sharing the ball extremely well.  Highlights will come easily.

Future Hall of Famers Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd along with Tyson Chandler are no slouches either.  11 straight 50 win seasons and still forgotten by the media.  Any team that thinks the Dallas Mavericks are washed up should beware and fans should tune in.  The window might be closing for these veterans and there is no doubt they will be performing at their best. Bruised but not beaten, the Portland Trailblazers, lead by Lamarcus Aldridge and Gerald Wallace, are like an injured and cornered dog, very desperate and very dangerous.  It's no secret that injuries have been a steady problem for them during the past few seasons, but seeing as how this is the playoffs, anything can happen.

As far as the first round goes, the East has the hype, but the West has the competition.

Here are the match ups and my predictions.



(1) San Antonio Spurs vs (8) Memphis Grizzlies  {Spurs win series 4-2}


(2) Los Angeles Lakers vs (7) New Orleans Hornets  {Lakers win series 4-2}


(3) Dallas Mavericks vs (6) Portland Trailblazers  {Mavericks win series 4-2}


(4) Oklahoma City Thunder vs (5) Denver Nuggets  {Nuggets win series 4-3}


Series to watch:  (4) Oklahoma City Thunder vs (5) Denver Nuggets

The first round of the NBA playoffs are where some of the easiest predictions can be made, but the Thunder and Nuggets series is shaping up to be the most entertaining.  Both teams have a fast paced, assist heavy, above the rim style of play.  The advantage is clearly on the side of the Thunder with the ability to rely heavily on Durant and Westbrook, but make no doubt, Denver will come prepared to play and alley-oops and 3-pointers will make up a lot of this series points.  Once the Thunder decide to lock down on defense they will win this series.

2011 NBA Playoffs: Eastern Conference

On Saturday April 16, the 2011 NBA playoffs will begin.  So much has surrounded the performance of certain teams and winning record predictions were easy to come by during the summer and preseason, but all that is over.  Now is the time for players, coaches and teams to put up or shut up.  One teams saw it fit to throw a celebratory concert before a single game had been played only to cry about a losing stretch while still being a top team in their conference.  One player was quietly traded from East to West where the number on his paycheck made all the noise, later joined by another Western conference peer making them the talk of the town, resurrecting a once dying franchise .  And finally, another player, who started last years playoffs in 8th place, is now starting it in 1st and is a leading candidate for MVP.  Perhaps the East did not turn into the new powerhouse in the NBA as many thought it would, but it without a doubt lived up to the hype of being the most entertaining.

This is the '10-'11 NBA playoffs Eastern Conference 1st Round match ups and my predictions.

(1) Chicago Bulls vs (8) Indiana Pacers  { Bulls win series 4-2 }

(2) Miami Heat vs (7) Philadelphia 76ers  { Heat win series 4-0 }

(3) Boston Celtics vs (6) New York Knicks  { Celtics win series 4-3 }

(4) Orlando Magic vs (5) Atlanta Hawks  { Magic win series 4-1 }

Series to watch: (3) Boston Celtics vs New York Knicks

With the Celtics team full of great players and All-Stars like, Pierce, Allen, Garnett, Rondo and coach Doc Rivers they are always a threat.  However, going into the last several games of the season the Celtics have played poorly, forcing many to question if they are capable of making it back to the finals.

The New York Knicks now have Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudamire leading their team into the playoffs for the first time in years.  The Knicks struggled once Carmelo Anthony was acquired from the Denver Nuggets and have since been able to right the ship.  With Stoudamire and Anthony's scoring power, the Celtics will have their hands full and will need to put a stellar defensive performance to win.

My prediction may have had the Celtics winning, but this based purely on their reputation of being able to grind out games till the very end, which might not always be a good idea I might add. 

Either way, the 1st round of the Eastern Conference should be good for at least one match up, but the 2nd will be where all eyes are set.  A possible Bulls vs Heat and Celtics vs Magic will no doubt cast a huge shadow over the Western match ups regardless of how the West standings shape.

Charles Barkley on Freshmen and the NBA Draft

I totally agree with Charles Barkley on this topic and have posted my thoughts on this subject before.

Below is a link to my previous post.

http://addictedtoballin.blogspot.com/2010/12/too-early-to-draft-ready-or-not.html

Jay-Z fined $50k for violating NBA rules

Jay-Z

Jay-Z, rap mogul and part owner of the New Jersey Nets, has been fined $50k for interacting with University of Kentucky Wildcat players after their Elite Eight NCAA tournament win against North Carolina, congratulating them as they returned to the locker rooms. 

The interaction, had it taken place several year ago, would have been nothing  more than just a celebrity and fan making a few players victory all the more memorable.  However, over the past few years, Jay-Z has become a part owner of the New Jersey Nets NBA franchise and by socializing with the Kentucky players, who still have college eligibility, makes his actions punishable. 

The video that was posted on the Internet simply shows Jay-Z hugging and handing out high fives to the players then finally walking out of camera view into what could have been the locker room area.  The concern many have with these actions, as harmless as they seem, is that this would give Jay-Z an unfair advantage of swaying players to make certain decisions concerning the draft or learning more about potential players before other executives and scouts. 

I have no doubt that neither the Kentucky Wildcat players nor Jay-Z realized the consequences of their actions at the time.  After all, the players are of a generation who grew up listening to Jay-Z rap albums and Jay-Z himself, being a mingling celebrity for so long, the separation between his pop culture persona and responsibility to NBA rules have yet to take place in his mind.  Most NBA executives, besides Dallas Mavericks Mark Cuban, could engage players wearing sneakers, hooded sweat shirts, sun glasses and baggy jeans and get the respect that Jay-Z did from those players.

I love the fact that Jay-Z has been able to manufacture himself into a legit businessman with the power to bring a team to his hometown (New Jersey Nets will be moving to Brooklyn within 2 years), but the truth of he matter is that he will have to be careful that the networking he has done to create and continue his success don't put him at risk of jeopardizing of one of the ventures he holds closest to his heart.  

*Below is the video of the incident.

Choice for 2011 Sixth Man: Manu Ginobili

(Emanuel Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs)

Even though I chose Derrick Rose as MVP, the award itself is difficult for me to understand.  I go through a never ending debate with basketball fans and myself about how decide who is the most valuable player.  Unless a player is out for a certain amount of time which results in the team losing games, there is no way to measure their value.  On the flip side, a player who is never out and the team keeps winning can also show their value equally, but under different terms. 

However, when dealing with the 6th Man award, it is based on how often the player is in the line up as well as how well they perform.  Coming off the bench is a tough thing for most players to swallow, being a part of the starting line up, for some, represents their value in the NBA.  Allen Iverson, who's list of accomplishments in the NBA could fill this post, was upset about coming of the bench after 14 years and opted to play overseas, hoping to start. 

Manu Ginobili, who has been playing pro ball for 14 years himself, 9 of them in the NBA, has 3 championship rings to show for it.  Manu Ginobili should no doubt be starter on any NBA team, but coach Greg Poppovich has intelligently used Ginobili coming of the bench, essentially putting a fresh "starter" into a game against an opposing team's bench unit.  His maturity in accepting this role, never once making a public complaint and performing at an unbelievable high level every time out, makes this award an easy choice every year.

6th Man of Year:

Emanuel Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs


Since entering the NBA in 2002, Ginobili has never averaged less than 15 points per game during his last 8 seasons.  Scoring well above 1,000 points a season 5 times during his career, 3 NBA titles, 2 All-Star appearances and earning the 6th Man award in 2008 puts him among the best 6th men, in my opinion, in the history of the NBA besides Kevin McHale. 

His willingness to put his body on the line for the sake of defense has lead to countless broken noses, bruises and a number of game stoppages due to the amount of blood coming out of his face.  With all that, he rarely misses games, has never fouled out of a game and after being patched up, is usually back in the game by the next whistle. 

His success as an international player has no doubt lead to his confidence and skill set, which at his age, should be deteriorating, but is not.  At 34, Ginobili at times appears to have the ball attached to a string, crossing over with youngest of players, often out doing them.  The San Antonio Spurs currently have the best record in the NBA and are about to make a lot of noise come playoff time.  I think it's safe to say that Manu knows his role, understands its worth and loves the results.

Jay Chou ft. Kobe Bryant (Tian Di Yi Dou)

Choice for 2011 Rookie of the Year: Blake Griffin

(Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers)

This NBA season began with a lot of hype, maybe the most hype in recent history.  The trio in Miami, the Lakers' chance at a 3-peat, Amar'e Stoudamire to the Knicks, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul trade rumors and of course, the rookie of the year debate. 

John Wall or Blake Griffin?  That was the question. 

Blake Griffin who had sat out his entire 1st year due to an injury in 2009, would remain eligible for rookie of the year along with John Wall, also drafted first in 2010 to the Washington Wizards.  Two different positions, Wall a guard and Griffin a forward, was the root of many debates that leaned on to the theory that today's NBA is a guard's league, and big men are an after thought as far as having game changing performances.  With Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap in Utah and Dwight Howard in Orlando, these are only a few examples that shoot down that theory. 

Both Wall and Griffin will miss the playoffs this year with their teams having 2 of the worst records in the league, and had Wall not missed a slew of games mid-season, there may still be an argument here.  However, the "Human Highlight Reel" or "Must See B.G." as Griffin is often called, will run away with the media and fans votes with his spectacular in game dunks and dominating play, albeit for a losing cause on most nights.  Anyway you look at it, the debate is over. Griffin has proved he has earned the award by staying healthy and showing the world he is a franchise player that the Clippers will need to build around to compete in the playoffs and get out of the shadow of another Los Angeles team that you may have heard of.

Rookie of the Year:

Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers

Drafted 1st overall in the 2009 draft, Blake Griffin was the talk of the NBA.  His performance at Oklahoma University had people saying that he would change the image of the league was once he hit the court.  A knee injury during the preseason would unfortunately put all that on hold for a full season.  Taking the time off to watch, learn and understand the game at a professional level, as well as keeping himself in great shape, Griffin started the season like a bull in a china shop. 

The remarkable thing about Griffin is that he shows no fear or any signs of intimidation regardless of who he's facing.  His 6'10 size surely has something to do with that mind set, but it's his passion for the game that has created such a large fan base.  It has become clear that many have bought tickets to games simply to watch him dunk, this proven when the Clippers are on the road and the home crowd sighs when he misses a huge throw down. 

His fan made Youtube montages show a lot of what you need to know about his game minus the rebounds, but clearly display his power and ferocity he puts behind every play.  Even though he averages 22 points and 12 rebounds compared to John Wall's 16 points, 4 rebounds and 8 assists, Hall of Fame, media and fan favorite analyst Charles Barkely said something very true.  "Once he learns to play basketball, watch out".  Charles Barkely is obviously not implying Griffin doesn't know his Xs and Os, but instead means that once Blake Griffin realizes he doesn't need to dunk every point and that highlights don't get you to the playoffs, he will become more valuable to his team in orchestrating wins. 

That being said, he is still technically a rookie, and once this media crazy season is over, he can come back to earth and start focusing on winning games.  Come to think of it, you can't blame him for wanting to make his presence known this season.  Few people if any had the Clippers winning the title, so him having fun his rookie year is understandable, and after sitting out a whole season, he deserves to get a lot off his chest.