NBA Playoffs First Round: Fouls, Referees and Contenders

The first round is almost done and the NBA is preparing to say goodbye to eight more teams. Some have already gone: apparently the Pistons had something better to do than play against the Cavaliers this post season. Same goes for the Jazz: you can’t really make excuses if you are letting a team as offensively talented as the Lakers beat you without making them play at least a little defense.

Others, like the Hornets, are just prolonging the departure of their fishing trip. Losing by a playoff record 50 plus points is not exactly contender form, is it? Their loss to Denver was just embarrasing. If Byron Scott had any hair you could have bet he would have pulled it out by now.

(Who would have thought that the Denver Nuggets would be legitimate title challengers this year. Before the Chauncey Billups trade they were just another talented Western team that might eventually bow down to King Kobe in the Conference Finals. Now though? Their match up with the Mavericks in round 2 will go some way to showing if they are truly legit or not, but they look damn good so far.)

However, for most of the playoff teams the immediate future is far from decided, with seedings and home court apparently counting for little. All the series are almost guaranteed to fluctuate and change.

In any other year the first rounder between the Bulls and the Celtics would be THE match-up of the year. 3 overtimes, 1 double overtime, 5 games. Madness. Neither team appears to know when they are beaten. And luckily or unluckily, depending on if you bleed red or green, all of the referees have forgotten how to call a foul.

Maybe it is catching because Dwight Howard basically Bruce Lee’d Samuel Dalembert last night. Elbow to the Face. But Sam didn’t go down. Apparently Canadians are made of tougher stuff. Ask Steve Nash and the Spurs I guess.

The Sixers still have a chance, so do the Heat, Hawks, Blazers and Rockets. Anyone of these teams could go through. Let us hope that the first round has not used all of the NBA’s magic.

NBA Playoffs: Home Court Is Far From Sacred

Rose is Scary

Who would have thought it? Despite the fact that, with the exception of L.A and Cleveland, this years first round match ups were some of the most widely anticipated and closest to call, nobody would have expected there to be this many twists already. And each team has only played 2 games this post season!

 

While the Lakers and the Cavaliers take care of business by destroying the Utah Jazz and the Detroit Pistons, the rest of the playoff hopefuls have clearly been listening to David Stern showing the world that the NBA really is where amazing happens.

 

Just ask Boston. Literally the day before they are due to begin their title defence against the written off Chicago Bulls they receive the news that their reigning Defensive Player of the Year will be missing for what could be the entire post season. Ouch.

 

Even so, the Celtics still boasted two more All Stars than the Bulls. And they had a fit Rajon Rondo a player who makes the champs tick. So regardless of Garnett’s forced absence, the good folk of Boston still would have expected an easy first rounder. The playoffs start in the semis right?

 

Que Derrick Rose who clearly had not attended the meeting when NBA rookies were told how they are supposed to play in their first season. He decided that the Bulls belonged on his shoulders, and with a little help from Ben Gordon, proceeded to snatch home court advantage from the Cs. Oh how the mighty can fall.

 

Meanwhile, Josh Smith and the Atlanta Hawks did what few have; silencing Dwayne Wade only for Wade to find his team and his stroke, leading his Miami Heat to victory to even the series and grab home court.

 

Apparently home court is no longer sacred as the Magic also decided to make their lives much harder by letting the Sixers back into a game that they should have killed at half time. Superman can only do so much.

 

Out West things were much the same with home court also counting for nearly nothing. Dallas marched into San Antonio and Dirk plus JJ Barea turned the Spurs over, taking the series back across Texas with home court and the series tentatively balanced at one apiece.

 

It could be a Texas thing. The Houston Rockets defeated the Trailblazers in Portland. It seemed that only Brandon Roy came to play with the rest of his team hiding like children, scared by the Big Bad Yao. This series, also at 1s, goes to the Lone Star State with everything to play for although their will be no more finger wagging with Dikembe Mutombo forced into an ‘early’ retirement after twisting his old old old knee. Damn shame.

 

Pretty sure that Mr Big Shot might have been hired by a certain Jason Kidd to exact brutal revenge on the point guard who shouted at anyone who would listen that ‘this guy can’t me!’ Dont anger veterans Chris Paul. They are a protective bunch who maintain a pack mentality if threatened. Billups proceeded to shoot the lights out in Paul’s face going a Denver Nuggets franchise record 8-9 from down town. In. Your. Eye. The Nuggets are looking pretty darn good right now. They couldn’t. Could they?

 

Nevermind amazing. The NBA is where ANYTHING can happen. Unless you’re on a team with Kobe or LeBron. But they’ll have to play eventually. Unmovable force against Unstoppable force?

 

There are no ties.

Welcome to the Highlight Factory: Josh Smith’s House

Nobody Does It Better

Josh Smith is flat out scary. Worryingly so. Every single basketball player in the world should be afraid of him. His jump shot might not be as consistent as his team mate Joe Johnson, and he might not be able to thread the needle like his point, Mike Bibby, but nobody in the NBA, let alone the Hawks can match him for straight up athleticism. He is Mr Jump Out Of The Gym.

 

You could argue that Nate Robinson is at least in competition with Smith since the little Knicker-Bocker can clearly jump. Over Centers. At 5-7 he isn’t really supposed to be able to jump that high.

 

At the other end of the spectrum, some people would have you believe that Dwight Howard is THE athlete in the League. Dude can dunk on 12 feet. And he barely even tries. But Howard, standing at just under 7 feet, has so much length that any dunking kinda looks too easy. Howard and Robinson are premier leapers but their respective sizes gives Smith the edge in this race.

 

As the average sized NBA player, 6-8, Smith kinda comes out out of nowhere. He creeps up on you even though you know that his freakish legs are just ready to explode upwards at any time. The massive amount of air time that he can generate means that he can attack the rim with an unrivaled ferocity from further out than pretty much all the other NBA’s players, LeBron and Iggy excepted.

 

If teams are stupid enough to not put a body on him to keep him out of the air, just get out of the way or its your own fault why you are on the next top selling poster.

 

Dunks don’t win games. They ruin lives. Andrei Kirilenko will attest to that. His dreams are still haunted by Baron Davis.

 

There is a reason Atlanta’s home court is called The Highlight Factory, and his name is Josh Smith.

Utah Jazz To Face Los Angeles Lakers In Round One, NBA Playoffs 2009.

Reasons To Be Cheerful

If sympathy is at all possible in professional sports, you would think that NBA players around America are feeling pretty sorry for the Utah Jazz and the Detroit Pistons. The other 6 first round match ups are as exciting as they are unpredictable, with no team assured of a clean sweep and easy progress to the conference semis.

 

So, while 12 other teams quietly get excited about the prospect of a lengthy post season run, the two respective conference 8^th seeds must be cursing their 82 game record for landing them in the utterly unenviable position of facing the two most bonafide contenders in the League: Kobe’s Lakers and LeBron’s Cavaliers.

 

The thing which separates these two 8th seeds is swagger. Somewhere within the wounded roster of Detroit is the knowledge that just a year ago they were in the Eastern Conference Finals with the same bravado that has been a constant in Mo-Town over the past 6 years. Despite the loss of their leader to the Denver Nuggets the Pistons remain a much more dangerous team than the Jazz because they can summon upon previous and recent experience when looking up at the stacked odds against them.

 

In contrast, Utah has nowhere to hide and no old victorious mindset to revert to. They are staring down the barrel at a Los Angeles team that appears destined to return to the Finals barring some freakish event or voodoo magic.

 

The proposition for the Jazz is simple enough: beat the Lakers or go home early. The question is how can Utah conjure the brilliance to overcome what is the most loaded roster in the NBA.

 

The answer is unlikely to be found in the paint where the Jazz will face a domineering front 3 which could comprise of 3 7 footers, Bynum, Gasol and Odom, all of whom can hurt you in different ways. One thing is guaranteed; if the Jazz cannot stop scoring down low and on their own glass the Lakers will simply and ruthlessly bully them off the court. They are just too big and too skilled.

 

If Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur and Ronnie Brewer can stop, or at least halt, the Los Angeles big men, they will force the Laker back court to pick up their scoring. Luckily for L.A. they have the best scorer in the world on their roster and plenty of worthy and effective sidekicks to partner him. Forcing the ball into Kobe’s hands is hardly a safer alternative to getting punished in the paint.

 

And then there is ‘The Bench Mob’, arguably the best reserves in the NBA. Nobody can bring more fire power off of the bench than L.A. In fact, the Lakers second string are so good that they force the other teams starters to play even more minutes while Kobe, Pau and Andrew enjoy a valuable rest on the sidelines.

 

The only bright light for the Utah Jazz is Deron Williams who will be asked to put the franchise on his shoulders and carry them out of the first round. For that to happen Williams will have to find the ‘playoff gear’, the fabled ‘next level’, that certain players are capable of elevating to when their teams really need them. Unless Deron Williams turns over night into Superman, even a monumental series from the Jazz guard will not be enough for Utah.

 

Lakers in 4.

Shaq Means Championship? NBA GMs Look To Change Their Fortunes With Trades

Center Seeks New Home, Willing To Travel For Rings.

The final day of the season represents two separate things. For those 16 teams in playoff positions it is a last opportunity to try and improve their seeding. For the other teams in the League it is a chance to savour the last competitive encounter of the lengthy season and to look forward to a period of relaxation and the off season improvement that follows.

 

While the players of teams like the Grizzlies and the Warriors go fishing and eventually hit the gym, the front office of each franchise will be busily planning and revising their strategy for constructing a team capable of storming the playoffs next season.

 

Some of the playing personnel will be working out harder than others in the off season, or at least you would suspect they were, given the fluctuating nature of rosters in teams not necessarily happy with their performance.

 

Some players will be cut and asked to look for employment elsewhere, whereas others will be nervously anticipating any trades that could materialise. The nature of the economy dictates that many teams will in all likelihood not be involved in any blockbuster transactions. So, if we were still in the days of the boom, rather than the bust, which players would be looking for new accommodation?

 

Shaq. Despite his aging hulk of a body, the Big Diesel has proven this season that he is still a major force in the paint, replicating some of the form which led the Lakers and the Heat to Championships. If he is healthy he is still one of the best centers in the L without question.

 

It is highly doubtful that a player who likes to deal in rings is at all happy with his early holiday. Missing the post season is simply not Shaq. The acknowledgement that the great experiment in the desert, where Shaq’s Ying did not mesh as hoped to the Sun’s track meet Yang, is over will surely lead to the Big Aristotle leaving Arizona.

 

The rumoured mid season trade to the Cavaliers should have happened simply because Shaq and LeBron on the same team would be just too much fun. Imagine the pre-game introductions. Imagine Shaq reducing the Celtic’s front line to tears. Imagine the fifth ring and the parade.

 

There is no doubt that Cleveland could use a banging inside presence to compliment Big Z’s more cultured/finesse approach on offense, and Cleveland’s contender status would provide a fitting stage for Shaq to bow out as one of the greatest to have ever played the game.

 

While Shaq finishes his career in Cleveland, a young player could make a big step toward post season success by ditching his lowly franchise for a legit contender. Enter Kevin Durant. Despite the fact that the people of Oklahoma would probably riot if the trade were to go through, KD to Houston would catapult the Rockets forward giving them an explosive swingman capable of hitting big shots: something that they are already supposed to have but for injury after injury to T-Mac.

 

Not only would the Rockets have a great 1-2 punch in Yao and Durant instantly, they would also safe guard the future of the franchise with Durant looking likely to cement his position as one of the League’s absolute elite players, possibly taking Kobe Bryant’s mantle when the lock Hall of Fame player decides to retire in the relatively near future. Durant versus LeBron could replace LeBron versus Kobe as the clash of the titans.

 

The trade of Shaq and Durant as illustrated above may be slightly fantastical to say the least, so how about a shade of realism? The Wizards, the worst team in the East and second worst in the League, have a statistically compelling shot at the number 1 draft pick for this year’s draft. Taking Blake Griffin first overall would give the Wiz some much needed power down low and height on the boards. Combine what is considered to be the only lock-star in the draft with Washington’s roster and on paper you have a contender. On paper.

 

Injuries have blighted the Wizards the past few years but one season is all they need to get back toward the top end of the League. Gilbert Arenas, on the back of rest and renewed focus, is easily one of THE elite guards in the NBA. There is perhaps only one guard by the name of Kobe who you would rather have the ball down the stretch.

 

Caron Butler gives scoring and defensive toughness. Antawn Jamison is probably the most under-rated scorer in the entire League. Guaranteed points. Brendan Haywood gives them valuable size and presence in the paint. Add Griffin and a few veteran role players and the Wizards record one of the biggest turnarounds on their way to a deep post season run.

 

One or two trades is all it can take in the NBA for a franchise to transform its fortunes, see Celtics, Boston. And, Cavaliers, Cleveland.  Equally, one or two trades can be enough to cause an otherwise successful franchise to implode, see Suns, Phoenix. And Pistons, Detroit.     

 

Mediocrity is far from good enough in professional sports, so change is in the air regardless of the economy because ultimately the pursuit of trophies does strange things to people. 

NBA Playoffs 2009 Momentum: Just Don’t Lose.

Just Don't Lose.

With the playoffs 2009 just days away some teams are doing a better job than others in creating that all important momentum which is crucial to post season and more immediately, first round success. Regardless of how loaded a roster is on paper, very few, if any, teams in the NBA have the ability to turn match winning form on and off.

 

The Detroit Pistons are the most famous example of recent history, a team that believed it could shift momentum when it really mattered. To a certain extent their self belief was well founded: the Pistons having been a fixture in at least the Eastern Conference Finals during the period that their core of players has been together despite the fact that going into the playoffs they were far from on fire. When round one begun the Pistons were ready. Mostly any how.

 

So who in 2009 is ready for the post season and who is praying that they can flick the win switch in a week’s time. The teams occupying the 16 NBA playoff seeds in the East and West can be easily split into 4 groups according to how they are playing as the Big Dance approaches.

 

Firstly, there are the winners. Teams that have managed to find form at just the right moment. In the West, Houston and Portland are both on the back of 4 game winning streaks while the Dallas Mavericks go into this afternoon’s game against New Orleans with 3 straight victories.

 

Meanwhile, the hottest team in the League is out East with Boston winning 6 straight heading into today’s heavy weight showdown with the Cleveland Cavaliers. There are 3 other teams in the East streaking going into the playoffs: Chicago have 4 in a row while Cleveland and Atlanta both have 3.

 

Then, there are the losers. These teams are doing exactly what their coaches do not want them to. The worst of the bunch are the Philadelphia 76ers who have lost 4 straight, not only killing team momentum, but also, and crucially, slipping down the seedings in the East. The Western equivalent is the Utah Jazz who are marginally better than the Sixers having lost ‘only’ 3 in a row. Both of these teams face an uphill struggle to turn around their fortunes before round 1 starts.

 

The last two groups contain the teams that know that their season could sway one of two ways. Some of them lost their last game and are wishing that one loss does not become two. The others are on the back of 1 victory with high hopes of putting together a nice winning streak. Both groups of teams are all too aware that one victory, or loss could be enough to propel them into the first round as either hopefuls or down-and-outs.

 

A few of these teams, the Lakers and the Nuggets, will take confidence from their season records and will believe that they can stop the losing habit after only 1, getting back on track quickly and without crisis. Others, like Miami and New Orleans will be worried that one or two losses do not transform into a devastating streak.

 

The Big Mo is integral to playoff success. But it is a strange beast, unpredictable as it is useful. A win streak going into the first round can easily be crushed by freakish events in game one. For example, Miami might be losing right now, but with Dwayne Wade in the line up anything could happen regardless of streaks. A 50 point outburst could just be enough to sink a team that had previously been winning for fun.

 

Just ask Detroit. No team more than the Pistons know the importance of having more than momentum on your side. It sure does help for confidence and team chemistry, but it will not win games for you. One championship to show for numerous years as contenders is enough to illustrate that.

 

Who will Momentum smile upon this playoffs?

No Clutch, No Championship: Can Yao Ming Do It All For The Houston Rockets?

Mr Big Shot?

With the playoffs fast approaching, every team headed to the Big Dance is praying that their go-to guy is on form and firing when their team really needs them. And down the stretch there will be moments when these players either come through strong or fall short. Sometimes there will be a mix of both with one game’s hero switching to villain just a few days later.

 

Some teams are more reliant on these players than others. For example, Dallas will be going no where but fishing unless Dirk replicates the performances he made when the Mavs made the Finals. Similarly, without Dwight Howard, the Magic may as well not turn up to the post season. D-Wade is probably the best example of team over-reliance. 

 

Other teams are built more around a team effort. Ubuntu. Their go-to guy is not necessarily their greatest scorer, but they act as a catalyst for their team to go to a higher level. Kevin Garnett in Boston, for example, will not be taking the last shot, game 7 of the Finals, but without him, the Celtics are only the shadow of the team they can be.

 

Of the 16 teams headed to the first round, one is in a fairly unique situation: their go-to guy is injured. Despite an injury to the Houston Rockets’ premier scorer the franchise find themselves 3^rd in the West, home court in sight. Injury to Tracy McGrady has forced the Rockets to adapt their collective personality with his major responsibilities filtering down throughout the team.

 

The saving grace for Houston is Yao Ming. No other team in the League bar the Celtics have more than one truly franchise status player. The Rockets have two. McGrady’s injuries have been a constant in Texas so to be officially without him for the run in has enabled the Rockets to take responsibility for their own destiny rather than having to wonder every night if Tracy will play and do it for them.

 

Yao Ming has had to become the solitary leader for a changing franchise who have also lost their starting point guard, trading Rafer Alston to the Magic in a money saving move. With the expectations spread firmly upon Yao’s broad shoulders the Rockets have flourished and are well positioned for a deep post season run.

 

The key? Defence. Yao’s length will always make him a problem for opposing teams on both ends of the floor, but height is nothing without skill and basketball IQ to match. Yao is laden with both, acting as the anchor for the League’s 4^th best defence. The center is perfectly complimented by Ron Artest and Shane Battier, two of the games best perimeter defenders. Combined with the gritty determination of Luis Scola, the Rockets are as hard a team to score on as any.

 

If Yao can maintain his current production, almost 20/10, for the playoffs, the Rockets will certainly have a chance of a deep run. He is the heart of the Rocket’s and is certainly the go-to guy in the absence of McGrady, but crucially he is not alone. Artest is averaging 17 a game and Scola adds 13 as well as 9 rebounds. The Houston bench can also be counted on for consistent production with the likes of Von Wafer, Carl Landry, Brent Barry and Battier all firing.

 

The only problem for the Rockets is who is their clutch player? The person you give the ball to in a deciding game, final quarter. Every other title contender team has a closer. And without McGrady Houston may lack the decisive blow that teams need to be successful in close games down the stretch.

 

Kobe, Chauncey, Tony Parker, CP3, Dirk, Brandon Roy, Deron Williams, LeBron, Paul Pierce, Hedo, Joe Johnson, Wade.

 

As good a player as Yao is, he does not belong on that list.

 

So, how does Houston achieve success without a Mr Big Shot? Blow every team out before the 4^th. That’s the only way.         

Portland Trailblazers: NBA’s Youthful Redeemers Championship Bound?

Portland Is Back

Prepare to Uprise, Rip City. The excitement is officially back in Portland, Oregon. The team website is emblazoned with slogans full of pride which emphasise the importance of unity in the recent resurgence of the state’s only Major League franchise. ‘Together We Made It Happen, Playoffs Are Back 2009’. It has been a long 6 years for the Trailblazers who have not sampled the delights of the Big Dance since 2003.

 

The rebuilding of the Blazers has taken time and much patience on the part of some of the most loyal fans in sports: Portland holds just about every record for attendance and sell-out streaks. The start of their current journey toward post season glory can be traced back to the 2006 draft when the Blazers took Brandon Roy 6^th overall. Despite injury in his first season, Roy contributed straight away, trying to help a struggling franchise. He was rewarded with the Rookie of the Year award.

 

The ability of B-Roy was recognised by Portland’s front office and the franchise identified their young shooting guard as the future of the team. With that in mind, the Trailblazers sent Zach Randolph, captain, to the Knicks, clearing the way for Roy to take up a leading role and to stamp his authority on His team.

 

Portland’s confidence in their man has proven to be well-founded as he has done nothing but improve over his short time in the NBA, both as a player and as a leader of men. Back to back All Star nods pay testament to his talent, the first Blazer to make the mid-season showcase since Rasheed Wallace in 2001.

 

Having identified their leader for the foreseeable future, the Blazers set about acquiring players that could complement each other and grow together. An emphasis on youth has been apparent in Portland where veteran leadership has been replaced or usurped by youthful exuberance and confidence.

 

The core that has been assembled is one of the youngest in the League and based on potential, the Blazers have their destiny in their own hands. Last season they showed what direction they were headed finishing 41-41 on the back of a 13 game win streak.  They did this without their number 1 draft pick Greg Oden who suffered a season ending knee injury before games had even begun. The fitness of their future All-Star center along with some wise picks in the draft bode well for the current season, demanding that other teams not sleep on Portland.

 

And it has come to pass. Despite Oden’s unfortunate injuries, Portland has begun to deliver on their youthful promise. With 4 games to go, the Trailblazers are tied for the 4th seed in the Western Conference, with home court advantage for the first round looking attainable. The Blazers are only half a game back on Houston for 3^rd, making the climax to the regular season all important.

 

The playoffs are well and truly back in Rip City and such is the confidence and excitement which surrounds this young team that expectations are well above a respectable first round exit. The reason for this is simple: Portland are a team. They are not overly reliant on one player, beating others with teamwork and consistent production.

 

They are paced by Roy’s 22.9 points per game along with his 5.1 assists. But the Blazers can score in so many ways that teams have a hard time picking how to get beaten. In LaMarcus Aldridge they possess a developing inside presence who can not only bang in the paint but has also been pulling other big men out of their comfort zone by shooting mid range and even 3 point jump shots. Consistently. Aldridge averages 18.4 and 7.5 rebounds and is a great second option on the Blazer offense.

 

Consistent play by their starters is complimented by the League’s second most prolific bench, led by Travis Outlaw who is averaging 12.7, placing him among the candidates for 6^th Man of the Year. Any player is capable of big nights off the bench in Oregon: Rudy Fernandez, Jerryd Bayless, Channing Frye, Nicolas Batum. All young, all supremely talented and all loaded with potential.

 

Their current record of 50-28 has Portland on course for a first round match up with either New Orleans or San Antonio, and with a home record of 31-7 they have every chance of progressing at least into the conference semis. Beyond that Portland will be in unchartered territory, possibly meeting the Lakers, a team who has been and done everything before.

 

But who knows. Strange things happen in playoff atmospheres. Only one thing is certain. Portland are back.

NBA Playoffs 2009: Where Far From Predictable Happens

Such is the nature of the NBA’s two conferences that every game between now and the end of the regular season are filled with potential consequences for the teams involved. Wins can mean an important jump up the playoff standings or perhaps the appeasement of the front office and fans with a more respectable finishing record. They also mean progressively less chance of obtaining the #1 pick come the lottery.

 

On the flip side, a loss in any of the games before April 15^th can mean a dramatic slide down the rankings or perhaps the loss of home court in the playoffs. A loss for certain teams could result in that extra 0.5% chance of draft success.

 

Barring the fact that no teams in their respective conferences will want to hold the 8^th seed for the Big Dance due to the teams they will have to meet in the first round, jostling for position is increasingly becoming chess like. Who matches up with whom better? And who do teams really want to avoid?

 

The importance of not finishing 8^th in the East and West cannot be overstated. Every team will be trying their utmost to avoid the fate of facing Kobe or LeBron. Regardless of Rasheed Wallace’s statement that they truly believe they have a shot at the title, a meeting with Cleveland, who have held a vice like grip over the top spot in the East, must surely be viewed as nothing more than a formality. As for the Mavericks, nobody in Dallas, save for an ill advised rookie, believe that they have any shot at all at forcing the Los Angeles Lakers into a stumble.

 

In the East, perhaps the most important seedings of all are the 4 and 5. The team that occupy these positions know that they avoid the ‘Big Three’ of Cleveland, Boston and Orlando, giving them a real chance of progressing to the conference semi-finals, subsequently building some momentum with which to bring into a match up against the East’s top 3. Currently the 4/5 appears as if it will be fought between Miami and Atlanta, potentially the most exciting first round duel.

 

Whichever team can hold onto the 4^th seed and secure home court for the first round will clearly have the advantage, although nothing is assured, especially when the opposition possess one of the best closers in the League in Dwayne Wade.

 

The Eastern semi-finals appear to be pretty sewn up with 3 of the 4 apparently already chosen. Unless Chicago, Philadelphia or Detroit can pull of a remarkable upset, the Cavaliers, Celtics and Magic will progress with the 4^th spot being decided between the Heat and the Hawks. Nothing is so predictable out West, where seeds 2-8 are separated by very little.

 

The Lakers will likely face Dallas in the first round although the Mavericks are only 1 game back on 7^th seed Utah who as things stand will face the Manu-less Spurs in round 1. The fact that San Antonio are missing one of their three major players must appeal to all the other teams in contention. An aging Spurs who are over-reliant on Tim Duncan and Tony Parker do not match up well with a healthy Jazz who could realistically overpower San Antonio inside with Boozer, Okur, Kirilenko and Milsap all fit and productive.

 

Houston, with a healthy Yao Ming, are a difficult match for anyone in the Western playoff picture. Nobody, not even Superman, can deal with him. If the likes of Von Wafer can provide scoring off of the bench and Aaron Brooks can maintain his composure, the Rockets could have a deep post season run.

 

The real wild cards out West are the Portland Trailblazers. The combination of youth and potential make them a difficult prospect for a first round match up. They have power and length inside in the shape of Greg Oden who is beginning to fulfil some of his promise as he stays healthy, and LaMarcus Aldridge who is flat out scary some nights. Combine this with the leadership and scoring of Brandon Roy and the versatility of the likes of Rudy Fernandez and Nicolas Batum and Portland are a tough team.

 

Which leaves New Orleans. Having the best point guard in the League can only be a good thing and as long as CP3 stays healthy the Hornets have always got a chance. The fact that they are as banged up a team as there is in the playoffs is some what misleading as a full strength Orleans is capable of going deep into the latter stages of the playoffs. To have a real chance they need everyone back to compliment Chris Paul, especially the inside presence of Tyson Chandler.

 

The West is wide open and the East is far from decided. Drama is assured, but it is hard to look past a Cleveland Lakers final.

NBA Playoffs Loom: LeBron Loses Back-To-Back, West Wide Open, Anything Could Happen.

Big Dance Finalists?

Some things change and some things do not. It is an old adage and yet the message retains it’s potent truth, especially in the fast paced world of the 21^st century. No where is change assured than in the NBA. Check it out:

 

Last week the Cavaliers were being billed as favourites for the Championships, seemingly unbeatable, irresistibly maintaining their momentum which has been building toward victory at the Big Dance. What a difference a few days can make.

 

LeBron and his Cavaliers flew into Washington assuming nothing but a convincing, and in all likelihood, an easy W. But the Wizards did their best to reinforce a lopsided rivalry by dropping Cleveland, simultaneously planting seeds of doubt into the minds of every NBA fan, coach, player, critic, as to the Cavaliers apparent invincibility.

 

But slip-ups happen, right? Yes, indeed they do, but the Cavaliers’ response, crushed by Orlando, was not what LeBron and his team needed. Back to back losses this close to the post season is far from ideal preparation.

 

Luckily for the Cavs, just about everyone has been flawed the past few weeks. The Lakers loss to the Bobcats highlighted that any team, especially those already buried, can inflict fairly disastrous losses even to the League’s best. What looked like a certain Lakers-Cavaliers Finals is now looking far less concrete, and even if LeBron-Kobe does take place, who will have home court advantage is also still to be decided, ensuring a competitive and driven finish to the regular season.

 

The Eastern semis look fairly predictable, with 3 of the 4 spots (Cavs, Celts, Magic) likely alrwady decided, barring some first round heroics from one of the East’s lower seeded teams. There is nothing so cast-iron out West, with anyone from 7 teams capable of occupying the other 3 places in the Conference semis.

The Lakers will be there. But who will join? Given their pedigree, the Spurs should progress. And Denver just won’t go away despite many people questioning how they have come to be the 2^nd seed out West. And I like a young a exciting Portland team.

 

Truthfully however, anything could happen. Change is a certainty, as illustrated by the sad demise of the Suns.

 

The Big Dance awaits.