Now that one of the most legendary all-star weekends in recent memory has passed and Gerald Green has given Celtics fans something to cheer about, it's time to turn our focus to the second half of the NBA season. Who will win all the major awards? Which group of guys will be able to call themselves the greatest team in the world come June? After last year's dizzying NBA playoffs, the anticipation for this years tournament is gi-normic.
Onto the predictions...
Defensive Player of the year- Now that Ben Wallace is having a down year, Bruce Bowen is getting old, and Ron Artest isn't feeding his dog...the time has come for Shawn Marion to win this award. He leads the league in steals per game with 2.2 and averages over a block a game, all while refusing help defense and assuming the responsibilty of guarding the opposing teams best player night in and night out. He's the least heralded player in the NBA and for what he does for one of the NBA's best teams, he deserves some recognition.
Most Improved Player- So far this season, Gerald Wallace has improved his scoring by 7 points a game and on a young Charlotte Bobcats team has really blossomed into their first offensive option. After starting the season a little slow, he's exploded with seven 30 or more point outings. With that being said, this isn't Gerald's year to win the award.
Caron Butler from the Washington Wizards has had a coming out party so far this season. He's now averaging 20 points a game for the first time in his career and has established himself as one of the best small forwards in the east. With Antawn Jamison out for a little while, Butler should be even more of a focal point for his teams offense.
6th Man- Ben Gordon would be the obvious winner of this award this season, but he probably won't be eligible due to the amount of starts he's been making as of late. My pick for this award probably won't win it, but he's more valuable off the bench than anybody else in the league. With Dwyane Wade gone for the time being and their next best player not being able to play more than 20 minutes a night, the spotlight is suddenly on Alonzo Mourning. He's averaging 10 points a game and 5 rebounds so far this season and those numbers should rise with Pat Riley's slow tempo playing to his favor. Zo is also still one of the most feared shot blockers in the league averaging 2.6 a contest.
Rookie of the Year- Leading Texas to a 20-7 record and absolutely dominating one of the toughest conferences in the nation, Kevin Durant clearly deserves this honor. He's got size, speed, toughness, and can flat out put the ball in the hoop. This is pick is a no brainer. (Yes I know he's technically not eligible for this award, but right now at 18 years old, he's better than every rookie in the NBA).
Dark Horse- Every one's talking about the Suns and the Mavericks. The chance that these two won't meet in the western conference finals is about as likely as Etan Thomas being the best man at Brendan Haywood's wedding. With that being said, the games are played for a reason, and a team I like to stir things up are the Denver Nuggets. Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson haven't quite gelled yet and their defense is suspect, but if George Karl can right the ship they'll be very tough to beat in a 7 game series. They have the a winning head coach who took two all-stars in 1996 to the NBA Finals (Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp with the Seattle Supersonics) and Marcus Camby who's currently leading the league with 3 blocks a game.
Most Valuable Player- I liked the shots at Duke, but after his 9 point bomb against the TrailBlazers and a post game tongue thrashing by his coach, Gilbert Arenas all but flushed his MVP hopes down the toilet. The remaining hopefuls are Steve Nash, the unspeakable German, and Dwyane Wade. Even after seeing what happened to the Suns when Nash went down with his shoulder injury (they went 2-4), I like Dwyane Wade to add a regular season MVP trophy to his Finals award. Wade could be out up to 6 weeks with this shoulder injury suffered against the Houston Rockets and the tumble his team takes will be proof of just how valuable he is. Seriously though, going by statistics alone, the most valuable player in the NBA's team went 2-22 when he went down including an 18 game losing streak. That player would be Paul Pierce. Back to the real world. If he can stay healthy, the MVP this season will be Steve Nash. If his shoulder forces him to miss several games down the stretch and Dallas ends the season as the clear favorite to win it all, then that German 7 footer will steal the trophy. Don't rule out the Lebrons and Kobes who could put their teams on their backs towards the end of the season and should be in contention.
Finals Prediction-Now that Dwyane Wade is out indefinitly we can cross the Heat out. All I can take away from the trade deadline is the fact that Cleveland and Chicago's management currently have their tails between their legs. General Managers in the NBA would rather stay where they are in the standings and not give their bosses any reason to fire them, than make a trade that gives their team the possibility of jumping to the next level. The Pistons got lucky with the Chris Webber signing and should come out of the east. In the west, until the Suns can beat the Mavericks I gotta go with Dallas.
Mavericks in 6
Josh Howard NBA Finals MVP
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Pass the Haterade
As an enthusiastic sports fan I feel as though hating is my god given right, but I'm sick of doing it. Among teams that I dislike: The New York Yankees, Duke Basketball, and the Dallas Cowboys. I guess the obvious reason for this is these teams are always very very good. So consistently good it's sickening. However in the last few years, my beloved Red Sox and Patriots have taken home their fair share of trophies. This got me thinking...maybe things shouldn't be hated on just because they're better than what they compete against. Which brings me to the topic of this article...The Florida Gators Basketball team.
I used to be a HUGE fan of Florida basketball. Every single year I picked them to go reaaaal deep in March and every year they let me down. Go figure, last year I have them getting upset in the first round and they win it all (defeating my pick to win it all Villanova in the process). Needless to say, this made me a tad bitter.
All year I've hated on Florida for no particular reason besides them being really really good at playing team basketball. I still think Noah plays with an undeserved swagger that's borderline arrogance, but nobodies perfect. With all of this being said, I'm not hating on them anymore. They are a true team in every essence of the word and to hate them out of my own bitterness wouldn't be right. What I've come to love about this team is where they could put themselves historically. I was too young to see Duke and a twinkle in my father's eye when John Wooden roamed the sidelines. Seeing a team win back to back national championships through the grueling 65 team bracket would be something to marvel at.
As good as each player is individually, they work so well together as a team. Each player fits their role perfectly and everyone gets along. They're college basketball's version of the New England Patriots or Detroit Pistons. Their most unheralded star is shooting guard Lee Humphries who is currently shooting a ridiculous 69% behind the arc in conference games. He stretches the defense and doesn't allow opponents to double team Horford and Noah on the block. Taurean Green is the most underrated point guard in the country and he's Florida's leading scorer. All of those players are important to the team but the straw who stirs the drink is Corey Brewer. He's the best perimeter defender in all of college basketball and their best NBA prospect. He always comes through with 2 or 3 big shots in close games.
Florida's starting five consists of a group of guys who believe in the philosophy all for one and one for all. Nobody on the team averages more than 15 points a game which tells me they understand the importance of selfless basketball. It's so rare in today's game to see a group of guys who care more about winning than impressing NBA scouts with selfish play. Thanks to the Florida Gators basketball program, I've stopped hating teams just because they're good.
Except the Yankees and Duke...I still hate those two a lot.
I used to be a HUGE fan of Florida basketball. Every single year I picked them to go reaaaal deep in March and every year they let me down. Go figure, last year I have them getting upset in the first round and they win it all (defeating my pick to win it all Villanova in the process). Needless to say, this made me a tad bitter.
All year I've hated on Florida for no particular reason besides them being really really good at playing team basketball. I still think Noah plays with an undeserved swagger that's borderline arrogance, but nobodies perfect. With all of this being said, I'm not hating on them anymore. They are a true team in every essence of the word and to hate them out of my own bitterness wouldn't be right. What I've come to love about this team is where they could put themselves historically. I was too young to see Duke and a twinkle in my father's eye when John Wooden roamed the sidelines. Seeing a team win back to back national championships through the grueling 65 team bracket would be something to marvel at.
As good as each player is individually, they work so well together as a team. Each player fits their role perfectly and everyone gets along. They're college basketball's version of the New England Patriots or Detroit Pistons. Their most unheralded star is shooting guard Lee Humphries who is currently shooting a ridiculous 69% behind the arc in conference games. He stretches the defense and doesn't allow opponents to double team Horford and Noah on the block. Taurean Green is the most underrated point guard in the country and he's Florida's leading scorer. All of those players are important to the team but the straw who stirs the drink is Corey Brewer. He's the best perimeter defender in all of college basketball and their best NBA prospect. He always comes through with 2 or 3 big shots in close games.
Florida's starting five consists of a group of guys who believe in the philosophy all for one and one for all. Nobody on the team averages more than 15 points a game which tells me they understand the importance of selfless basketball. It's so rare in today's game to see a group of guys who care more about winning than impressing NBA scouts with selfish play. Thanks to the Florida Gators basketball program, I've stopped hating teams just because they're good.
Except the Yankees and Duke...I still hate those two a lot.
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
What's Left to Live For?
Now that the football season has mercilessly passed and millions of Americans look forward to September to alleviate their weekly drug known as the NFL, what's next for your dejected, depressed, prozac-popping fan? Don't bet on getting one last hurrah out of next week's Pro-Bowl where your household names like Brian Urlacher and Ray Lewis are dropping like flys. I've got something even better for you, especially if your from Detroit or Oakland. It's the NFL Draft! As long and drawn out an event as it is, for some reason the draft is one of my must-see sports events every year. Although not loaded with the same number of superstars as last year, the 2007 draft should be interesting. I would write my mock draft for the entire first round, but in doing so I'd probably fall 3 weeks behind in homework, so I'm just going to cover the top 5 (and the Patriots #24 and #28 picks).
Now onto the New England Patriots. They have two selections in the first round because of the Deion Branch trade and what they do here will say a lot about what they're going to do with free agency as well. If the Pats select a CB with either the 24th or 28th pick then I'm sorry to say, Asante Samuel is gone. He's one of two true shut down corners in the NFL right now (Champ Bailey being the other) but he's going to cost too much. His contract is up and other teams like the 49ers and the Redskins will be making ridiculous offers that the Pats won't even try to match. The Patriots could franchise him, but that would cost 8 million dollars for a one year deal. If they do pick another defensive back, Bill Belichecks familiarity and friendship with Urban Meyer and the Florida Gators has the Patriots getting S Reggie Nelson a realistic possibility. There's a good chance Nelson will get snatched up before #24 but they can always make a trade. Reggie Nelson plays a lot like Troy Polamalu and has the ability to break a game wide open.
With their next pick, the Patriots neeeeeed a go to wide receiver. In this year's draft, I really like Dwayne Bowe and Dwayne Jarrett out of LSU and USC. These guys will each one day stand out in the NFL...all Patriot Nation can do is pray Tom Brady's the one getting them the ball.
- Oakland Raiders-With all 11 offensive starters posing as football players and giving a Golden Globe nominated "Best Cast in a Comedy Series" like performance (They were narrowly defeated by NBC's "The Office"), the Oakland Raiders have glaring holes that they need to fill. They need to start with finding someone who will make Randy Moss happy. I'm tired of seeing players like Nate Kaeding and Robbie Gould (BOTH KICKERS) rack up more fantasy points than someone who was once projected to break most of the records held by Jerry Rice. The two players who they have to choose from are LSU's JaMarcus Russell and Notre Dame's Brady Quinn. With that being said, I believe they'll take Russell. He's the next Steve McNair with an absolute cannon for an arm and athletic ability that Quinn can't match.
- Detroit Lions-Now that Russell has been selected, Brady Quinn should have the opportunity to save one of the worst franchises in professional sports. I know that left tackle has become an extremely important position in today's game, but before you go out and get one, you should probably have someone back there to protect. It's like paying a fortune on a security system for your home when you've got nothing worth steeling. Teaming up Mike Martz with Quinn and all those talented wide receivers they've drafted in the last few years could finally give Detroit an explosive offense.
- Cleveland Browns (tied with Tampa Bay Buccaneers)- This pick is wide open now for the Browns because of how weak they are on both sides of the ball. Head Coach Romeo Crennel is a defensive minded guy, but if he doesn't fix his offense, next season could be his last wearing a brown jacket. That's why the Browns need to select the most talented player in the draft, Calvin Johnson. He's the most gifted wide receiver to come out of college since Larry Fitzgerald and most NFL scouts say he might be better. All I know is that he'll instantly demand double teams from opposing defenses and open up the field for teammates Kellen Winslow Jr. and Braylon Edwards.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers-That left tackle I mentioned in the Lions piece goes by the name of Joe Nathan and he'd be a perfect Christmas gift for quarterback Chris Simms. After nearly dying on the field in a game last season against the Carolina Panthers, Simms needs to be reassured his blind side is protected at all times. The Bucs have decided to show some faith and sign him to an extension after a lousy campaign in 2006 (his performance in the games before he ruptured his spleen had me thinking Rex Grossman in the Super Bowl). OT Joe Nathan will not only protect Simms blind side, but also put some jumper cables on Cadillac Williams and the Tampa Bay running game. Don't say a rookie on the O-line can't make a difference, just look at what Marcus McNeill did in San Diego. Almost all of LT's touchdowns were ran to the left.
- Arizona Cardinals-Joe Nathan would have been a godsend for this football team. The Cardinals are in more need of offensive line help than anybody else in the league. That's why if Nathan has already been selected, I like the Cardinals picking the next best thing, OT Levi Brown out of Penn State. He's the second best left tackle in the draft and even though there are plenty of better players ahead of him that's not what the draft is about. It's about picking what's best for your team, not taking the most talented guy.
Now onto the New England Patriots. They have two selections in the first round because of the Deion Branch trade and what they do here will say a lot about what they're going to do with free agency as well. If the Pats select a CB with either the 24th or 28th pick then I'm sorry to say, Asante Samuel is gone. He's one of two true shut down corners in the NFL right now (Champ Bailey being the other) but he's going to cost too much. His contract is up and other teams like the 49ers and the Redskins will be making ridiculous offers that the Pats won't even try to match. The Patriots could franchise him, but that would cost 8 million dollars for a one year deal. If they do pick another defensive back, Bill Belichecks familiarity and friendship with Urban Meyer and the Florida Gators has the Patriots getting S Reggie Nelson a realistic possibility. There's a good chance Nelson will get snatched up before #24 but they can always make a trade. Reggie Nelson plays a lot like Troy Polamalu and has the ability to break a game wide open.
With their next pick, the Patriots neeeeeed a go to wide receiver. In this year's draft, I really like Dwayne Bowe and Dwayne Jarrett out of LSU and USC. These guys will each one day stand out in the NFL...all Patriot Nation can do is pray Tom Brady's the one getting them the ball.
Sunday, February 4, 2007
Superbowl Pick
I'm going to keep this short and correct...defense wins championships and Bob Sanders is the most overrated professional athlete.
With that being said, Bears 20 Colts 17
With that being said, Bears 20 Colts 17
Friday, February 2, 2007
Vegas Baby...Vegas
The NBA All-Star game is hands down the most exciting all-star game in professional sports. I don't care if you don't like basketball, this is a fact. Nobody wants to play in the Pro-Bowl (just ask Ray Lewis who was an injury replacement for the Bronco's Al Wilson and ended up passing his spot off to teammate Bart Scott), baseball's home-run derby has fallen flat on its face now that the steroid era is upon us, and the NHL just played its all-star game on a Wednesday night.
What makes this year better than the rest can be summed up in two short words by the great Johnny Drama..."Vegas Baby". In a city that made Vince Vaughan a superstar, laid 2Pac to rest, and claims its own slogan, "What happens here, stays here", Las Vegas is a wondrous whistle-stop. Hosting the most entertaining weekend on the sports calender in a place that is known for showcasing top tier entertainment makes sense. Besides the actual game, here are three things that make NBA All-Star Weekend so special.
1. Complete fan voting control on who gets to start. Take this year's game, if it were up to the coaches, Shaq wouldn't be in Vegas. Most look at this as a travesty, but I love it. Remember in last year's game, when he was attempting a free throw and instead of clanking another one off the front rim, Shaq throws himself an alley-oop off the backboard. The guys a crowdpleaser in every sense of the word (or two words) and I couldn't imagine an all-star game without him. Another example is having Tracy McGrady start. The fans are what make the game so great, and if T-Mac's who they want to see, their shouldn't be any controversy with him starting over Steve Nash. However democracy doesn't work all the time (see Our President). I don't care if he was a participant in the MSG brawl, Carmelo Anthony is an all-star to everyone who knows basketball. He proved this over the summer at the World Games when he out shined the leagues brightest stars. He's the leagues leading scorer and if David Stern doesn't choose him to replace Carlos Boozer as a reserve, then 'Melo got robbed at gunpoint.
2. Although not as exciting as the slam dunk contest, the three-point shootout is a tasty appetizer. Last year's winner Dirk Nowitzki is the obvious favorite to win it all again, but If I had to predict a winner, I like Ray Allen. He's the prettiest player with the smoothest game in the entire league. As a two time winner, if Allen were to come out on top again, he'd join the likes of Larry Bird and Craig Hodges as the only 3 time winners in the history of the event. The fact that he's been trapped in small market cities like Seattle and Milwaukee his entire career makes me want to cry. He's 6th in the league in minutes played and as quiet as his personality precedes him, he's gotta be one of the most frustrated players in the league. They need to send him to a contender soon...people who don't get to see him on a nightly basis don't know what they're missing.
3. With the awful memory of 5'9" New York Knick Nate Robinson taking 14 attempts to make his between the legs off the backboard dunk behind us (the one over Spud Webb was nice though), this year's dunk contest has the possibility of a Boston Celtic actually winning something. With the actual contestants not being announced until Monday, it's almost a lock that Gerald Green will get an invite. I had the pleasure of witnessing Green's 42 inch vertical in person when I went to the TD Banknorth Garden with my dad to watch the Celtics take on the 76ers (a real battle between two playoff contenders). To give you an idea of just how high Green gets, the half-time entertainment consisted of two guys doing tricks on skis while jumping on a trampoline. Being afraid of heights, it was tough to watch as the two acrobats would go at least 30 feet in the air...whenever young Gerald went up for a rebound, I felt petrified for his safety. I'm expecting a Vince Carter type performance. With that being said, I'm gonna have to go with my man to dethrone Mr. Robinson and give Celtics fans a consolation prize for the 2006-07 season.
What makes this year better than the rest can be summed up in two short words by the great Johnny Drama..."Vegas Baby". In a city that made Vince Vaughan a superstar, laid 2Pac to rest, and claims its own slogan, "What happens here, stays here", Las Vegas is a wondrous whistle-stop. Hosting the most entertaining weekend on the sports calender in a place that is known for showcasing top tier entertainment makes sense. Besides the actual game, here are three things that make NBA All-Star Weekend so special.
1. Complete fan voting control on who gets to start. Take this year's game, if it were up to the coaches, Shaq wouldn't be in Vegas. Most look at this as a travesty, but I love it. Remember in last year's game, when he was attempting a free throw and instead of clanking another one off the front rim, Shaq throws himself an alley-oop off the backboard. The guys a crowdpleaser in every sense of the word (or two words) and I couldn't imagine an all-star game without him. Another example is having Tracy McGrady start. The fans are what make the game so great, and if T-Mac's who they want to see, their shouldn't be any controversy with him starting over Steve Nash. However democracy doesn't work all the time (see Our President). I don't care if he was a participant in the MSG brawl, Carmelo Anthony is an all-star to everyone who knows basketball. He proved this over the summer at the World Games when he out shined the leagues brightest stars. He's the leagues leading scorer and if David Stern doesn't choose him to replace Carlos Boozer as a reserve, then 'Melo got robbed at gunpoint.
2. Although not as exciting as the slam dunk contest, the three-point shootout is a tasty appetizer. Last year's winner Dirk Nowitzki is the obvious favorite to win it all again, but If I had to predict a winner, I like Ray Allen. He's the prettiest player with the smoothest game in the entire league. As a two time winner, if Allen were to come out on top again, he'd join the likes of Larry Bird and Craig Hodges as the only 3 time winners in the history of the event. The fact that he's been trapped in small market cities like Seattle and Milwaukee his entire career makes me want to cry. He's 6th in the league in minutes played and as quiet as his personality precedes him, he's gotta be one of the most frustrated players in the league. They need to send him to a contender soon...people who don't get to see him on a nightly basis don't know what they're missing.
3. With the awful memory of 5'9" New York Knick Nate Robinson taking 14 attempts to make his between the legs off the backboard dunk behind us (the one over Spud Webb was nice though), this year's dunk contest has the possibility of a Boston Celtic actually winning something. With the actual contestants not being announced until Monday, it's almost a lock that Gerald Green will get an invite. I had the pleasure of witnessing Green's 42 inch vertical in person when I went to the TD Banknorth Garden with my dad to watch the Celtics take on the 76ers (a real battle between two playoff contenders). To give you an idea of just how high Green gets, the half-time entertainment consisted of two guys doing tricks on skis while jumping on a trampoline. Being afraid of heights, it was tough to watch as the two acrobats would go at least 30 feet in the air...whenever young Gerald went up for a rebound, I felt petrified for his safety. I'm expecting a Vince Carter type performance. With that being said, I'm gonna have to go with my man to dethrone Mr. Robinson and give Celtics fans a consolation prize for the 2006-07 season.
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