The 2013 NBA Playoffs are here...

The first weekend of the 2013 NBA Playoffs is in the books and every series has gone as anticipated.  All the higher seeds took care of business at home like they were supposed to but Game 2 will be the true test for the higher seeds.  

Eastern Conference

Miami vs. Milwaukee
This series will allow America and the World to see how good Monte Ellis really is.  He is one of the few guys in the league that can score on anyone at anytime.  He has been this good for a while but playing in Golden State and Milwaukee does allow for much exposure to the masses.
The Heat should be able to win this series pretty easily because of their talent and the Bucks lack of experience. 
(Prediction Miami 4-0)

Brooklyn vs. Chicago
This is going to be a tough fought series!  Both teams have a bunch of hard nose guys and many who have playoff experience, but the Bulls health and loss of Derrick Rose may to their detriment at this point of the season.  Plus the Nets appear to be playing better with a healthy Deron Williams at this point.
Prediction (Brooklyn 4-2)

Indiana vs. Atlanta
These 2 small market teams may not move the needle in this series but for basketball purest, there are few things that can keep our interest.  Will Paul George step-up and carry the Pacers on a long playoff run?  Will Josh Smith have a great playoff run before his much anticipated free agency this summer?
(Prediction Indiana 4-1)

N.Y. vs Boston
This series has a lot of history.  Bird vs King!  Melo vs Pierce!
The Celtics are a gritty bunch lead by their 2 veterans Pierce and Garnett and head coach Doc Rivers, the best coach in the NBA, (IMO).  They will make the Knicks work for everything on both ends of the court throughout.  Let's face it, Melo is going to get his, but if the Celtics can make Smith, Felton and the 'others' have average games, then the Celtics with Pierce, Garnett and Jeff Green will have a real chance to beat the higher seeded Knicks.
(Prediction 7 Game Series TBD)

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James Harden Trade...Great Deal!!

The Thunder had to make this deal.  The fact they offered him 4 years 55 Million and he turned it down, they had no choice. James Harden is a good player and a valuable player as well, but to sign him to max contract when you already have 2 all stars is not a good idea.  The pieces they got in return, K Martin & J Lamb plus two 1st round picks, will make OKC deeper and younger. Kevin Martin is a bonafide 20 pt scorer and will give then the shooting guard they need to play alongside Westbrook & Durant in that starting lineup.  With Eric Maynor (returning from ACL surgery), Thebolosha, J Lamb, Collison & Perry Jones coming off the bench, this team is going to be a terror in the West.

I am really impressed by Sam Presti.  By building through the draft, adding key veterans and young players, while still acquiring draft picks alongside Durant and Westbrook, he has a built a team that is going to be good for a long time.

I can't blame Harden for not taking the deal, but for $4.5 Million more you would rather go to Houston and struggle year in and year out to make the playoffs instead of play in OKC and have a chance to win the championship for the next 5 years, I cant say I agree with him.  Good luck though, I wish him well.

Dwight Howard a.k.a D12....

Okay...... I think it is time I address this Shaq and Dwight Howard (D12) feud.  Not that you care but someone needs to say something.

First off, let me start by saying, the whole thing is just "dumb", "childish" & "nauseating".  It seems to have started when Shaq got upset that D12 called himself Superman at the dunk contest on year.  Really?  Really Shaq?  How can you get mad when you stole it from comic book and Christopher Reeve?  So dumb..... Get over yourself and go make another Buick commercial!!

Second, Shaq is still trying to stay relevant by trying to convince people that Andrew Bynum and Brook Lopez are better centers than D12.  Is he serious?  Is he starving that much for attention to say this?  D12 is better than both of those guys.  Always has been and always will be.
Here are a few reasons why:

• Dwight is a 3-time Defensive player of the Year (Shaq, Bynum or Lopez have never once accomplished this)
• 6-Time All Star Appearances (Bynum 1, Lopez 0)
• NBA Finals in 2010 appearance
• Head to Head comparison (D12 vs Andrew Bynum) It's not even close....

D12 has not won a title yet but since he has been in the NBA here are all the teams and their stars:

• 2005 - San Antonio Spurs - Duncan, Parker & Ginobili
• 2006 - Miami Heat - Shaq & Dwyane Wade
• 2007 - San Antonio Spurs - Duncan, Parker & Ginobili
• 2008 - Boston Celtics - The Big Three (Pierce, Garnett & Allen)
• 2009 - L.A. Lakers - Kobe & Pau Gasol
• 2010 - L.A. Lakers - Kobe & Pau Gasol
• 2011 - Dallas Mavericks - Dirk, Kidd & Jason Terry
• 2012 - Miami Heat - Lebron, Wade & Bosh

None of the teams he has played on in his career in Orlando were better than any of these championship teams.  The best player he has ever played with is an aging Vince Carter.

At this point and time most people are pretty down about D12 and the way he handled the situation in Orlando, but if you just look at what he has done on the floor year in and year and year out, he is on his way to being one of the top centers of all time.  He is not on the Mount Rushmore of Centers with Kareem, Wilt, Russell, Olajuwon and Shaq, but for a guy who is only 26 and entering into his 9th NBA season, his resume and upside may well have him headed to Springfield someday.

No Substitutions??

"The original is always better!"  

"Things are always the best when they have the appropriate people and parts."

Pardon The Interruption (PTI) is always better when Michael Wilbon & Tony Kornheiser along with Tony Reali are a part of the show....TOGETHER!!  ESPNFirst Take is always better when Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless are on the show......TOGETHER!!  MikeandMike in the Morning is always better when Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic are on the show..TOGETHER!!

Anything else would be uncivilized!!  And it is!!

Whenever guest host are on these shows, they is always something missing and practically unwatchable.  These personalities were put TOGETHER because they have chemistry and contrast.  Someone identified that and made it happen.  Would you have watched Tom & Jerry without either?  Would you have watched Abbott without Costello?  How about the Road Runner without Wile E. Coyote?

The answer is NO..... 

No disrespect to the people who guest host, but "The original is always better!"

Comments?? Thoughts??

twitter: @hendu1075

2012-13 NBA Season....Only 5 teams are contenders!!

Welcome back......

If this is your first time to my blog, WELCOME!  For those who have been to my blog previously, welcome back.  I appreciate the LOVE!

In the last few days many teams have had their "Media Day" and this always means the season is right around the corner.  Many teams are optimistic about their chances for this new season and what is in front of them either because of Free agent pickups, the Draft, Trades, A New Coach or even a New Arena.  There is much to be excited about.....

However, most of these teams have delusions of grandeur.  Like it or not, there are only 5 teams who have a chance to win the NBA title this season and if you follow basketball closely, you know who they are.  If not, here goes (in no particular order, or are they?):

• San Antonio Spurs - They are always around because they have not only talent but a future HOF coach and a GM that will always do what is best for the team and will always put them in a winning situation.  Yes Tim Duncan is quite old at this point in his career but as long as they limit his minutes and keep him fresh for the end of the season, they will be in the Western Conference Semi-Finals.
•  Boston Celtics - With the return of Pierce, KG, Rondo and a healthy Avery Bradley as their nucleus, this group will give every team they play, a real run for their money.  With the additions of Jason Terry, Jeff Green and Courtney Lee to this team, they will be faster than they were last year, and let us not forget they took the eventual champions to a Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Finals.  Doc Rivers will do everything he can to make this team a true contender, HE ALWAYS DOES!!
• Los Angeles Lakers - This organization rarely rebuilds, they RELOAD!  And that is what they have done with the additions of Dwight Howard, Steve Nash and Antawn Jamison.  Their starting 5 got better, and so did their bench which will allow the workload for Pau & Kobe to be less.  As long as Kobe allows his teammates to play to their strengths and flourish; this team will be in the thick of things in June.
• Oklahoma City Thunder - Last years Western Conference Champions are young, brash and talented.  Their 3 stars, Westbrook, Harden, & Durant, have what it takes to dominate the conference for a number of years.  Unfortunately, youth and success have a way of not meshing so well over time.  Let's see if they can be focused enough to put their egos aside, on the floor and off, to make another run at the NBA title this season.  They certainly have enough talent and the right coach to do so.
• Miami Heat - Let's face it, this team went through a lot in the last 2 years TOGETHER!  From the celebration they had when the Big 3 decided to all sign in Miami, to The Decision, to the talk of Dwayne Wade's knee problems, to Chris Bosh not being tough enough..... They went through it all.  And what do they have to show for it, 2 Finals appearances and an NBA Title.  There is something to be said about a team that goes through adversity together and comes out on top.  They deserved to win the NBA title last season because they were the best team with the best player (LeBron James) and played like it when it mattered, in the NBA Finals.  With the additions Ray Allen & Rashard Lewis to an already talented team, they are the team to beat.

• Honorable mention - Los Angeles Clippers, Brooklyn Nets & the Chicago Bulls

Let me know if you think I missed something.  Comment or tweet me @hendu1075

The NFL is back.....So is Fantasy Football!!

After this first week of the NFL Season, is there anything else happening?  At this point I could care less what team wins or loses, I just care about my Fantasy Team winning.  If you aren't playing Fantasy Football you are missing out. If you are, you know what I am talking about.

The NFL got it right when they decided to have football on TV 3 nights a week the entire season (Thurs., Sun., & Mon.).  The Bears play the Packers tonight on NFL Network.  If you don't have this channel you might as well cancel cable!  It's like not having milk with your cereal....

Step up or go home!

Game 4 is tonight and this game will determine the series!
We will see how resilient the Thunder are tonight.  For them, this game should be treated like a Game 7 because going down 3-1 in the NBA Finals might be too big of a hole to dig themselves out of.

Thunder keys to victory:

• Kevin Durant must stay out of foul trouble and be the 1st team all-NBA player he has been all year
• Russell Westbrook needs another game like Game 1 or 3 (controlled and getting others involved)
• James Harden needs to be better in the screen & role as well as defend his position
• Serge Ibaka & Nick Collison should play the entire second half because Kendrick Perkins is a liability in the Heat's screen & role offense.

Heat keys to victory:

• LeBron James must continue to play at a high level; getting to the basket, scoring in transition & defending the best scorer in the NBA Kevin Durant
• Dwayne Wade has to continue to be aggressive and get to the rim & FT line.  Forget the jump shot
• Chris Bosh needs to be effective on the defensive end with rebounds and interior defense
• Shane Battier needs to continue to play his role on defense and knock down timely shots

I think the OKC Thunder will win tonight.  After a few losses and a few days to correct what went wrong in Games 2 & 3, Scott Brooks and staff along with their leader, Kevin Durant, will find a way to win Game 4 tonight in American Airlines Arena.

If the Heat win tonight, Miami better start planning the parade and crown fitting for King James around midnight when the game will be over here on the east coast.

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