Amidst the greatness of the MLB playoffs, the ending of the NBA lockout, the NFL season, college basketball and now the Super Bowl, the NHL has been wrongly overlooked this season, a season that is, arguably, one of the best since the lockout year in 2004.

While the NFL had what I thought was a very below-average season, the NHL has been the complete opposite. Of course teams like Detroit, Vancouver, Boston, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia are all playing well, but teams, such as Nashville, St. Louis, Ottawa, New Jersey, and even Winnipeg, are becoming more and more competitive, creating a sense of insecurity among many of the top teams.

Chicago Blackhawks' Patrick Kane stole the All-Star skills contest with his "SuperKane" costume.

Take the Central Division in the Western Conference as an example. Four of the five teams in the division are in the top six places in the Western Conference, and all are within a game or two of each other. The Eastern Conference has a similar story in the Atlantic Division. Four of the five teams in that division are all currently in a playoff spot.

Inner-division games often have a lot more energy and are usually just better games than teams who don’t play as often, so I am predicting a very hard-fought NHL playoffs, which I am looking forward to.

Despite a 66% increase in sponsorship and advertising revenue in 2010, the 2010 Stanley Cup Final having its largest audience ever, NHL merchandise sales up 22%, and a deal with Comcast/NBC to air more games for the next 10 years, why does it still feel like the NHL is receiving the back-burner?

Hockey should be a lot more popular in the United States. It’s fast-paced, only lasts 2.5 hours(and would be shorter if the ice didn’t have to be re-surfaced between periods), has checking, has legal fighting, and features just as many “top plays” as any other sport. The majority of Americans like all of these things.

The answer to why the NHL isn’t as popular or gets as much as coverage is simple: $$$. The NHL just doesn’t bring in as much money as the NBA, MLB, or the NFL does, but I think this is about to change.

Ratings among popular events such as the All-Star Game, the Winter Classic, and the playoffs are all increasing year after year. These are all going up along with, like I stated before, merchandise and sponsorship revenues. If this trend continues(and there’s nothing to say it won’t), the media and other companies might start investing more in the NHL, increasing exposure and hopefully popularity.

So even though the mainstream media basically ignores the NHL, there’s reason to be optimistic. Sooner or later people will begin to realize what they’re missing.

In the article they tried to pull the ever-so-cliche stunt of trying to look at the positives. It’s the oldest trick in the fanbook. Did your team not win the Super Bowl or not make the playoffs? That’s ok because “There’s always next year” or “Hey, Aaron Rodgers had a great season, so I call the season a success,” or, my personal favorite, “We have a lot of young talent coming in, so I see this team competing for years to come.”

All those statements are signs of repressed acceptance that your favorite team sucks.

Before I continue with my critique of Chris and Amanda’s article, I first want to bring out the fact that Amanda probably isn’t even a Packers fan. She herself admits it in the article.

She calls the Packers as being “overrated” and  “weak.” Some fan she is.

She goes on to say “They [Packers] bounced back from their loss to Kansas City dominating Chicago Bears on Christmas…”  Ok, first off, dominating? Really? Did Jay Cutler even play in that game? The definition of dominating is Jay Cutler. Look it up. So how can the Packers be “dominating” if they don’t have Cutler? Therefore the sentence is illogical and just blatantly wrong.

Chris adds that “There shouldn’t be excuses made for the Packers losing to the Giants.” Well, at least he admits the Packers suck. It seems like he isn’t much of a fan either.

I also don’t like the fact Packer fans go round exclaiming they’re better than other fans because they own stock in their team. According to Wikipedia, the Packers are “are the only non-profit, community-owned major league professional sports team in the United States.” You know what that sounds like? Socialism. Everyone knows being a Socialist is to be un-American, therefore being a Packers fan means you hate America.

Do we really want this un-American team to win? I don’t, and I know you don’t either.

But the main problem with their article is that it forgets who is at the helm of the Chicago Bears’ offense.

Jay Cutler's smile has been known to take woman's virginity.

That’s right, folks. Be prepared for the resurgence of Jay Cutler, arguably the best QB since the NFL started counting interceptions as a stat.

The thought that the Packers are going to resurge next season and steal the NFC North and cheat their way to the Super Bowl again is just as ludicrous as thinking Tim Tebow will complete more than 50% of his passes in his career.

Cutler is not going to allow the Packers to win next season. Mark my words. It’s time for the Cutler era.

New York Giants at Green Bay Packers Preview

The Packers didn’t go undefeated, but one of the 15 games they did win a Week 13 game at the New Meadowlands, a 38-35 win thanks in part to a 31-yard field goal by Mason Crosby as time expired.

Mason Crosby's could prove to be important for the Packers, much like in week 13.

Since that point, each team has lost just one game, but the prevailing public opinion is that the Giants are playing their best football of the season and have as good a chance as anyone to knock off the top-seeded Packers this season.

While that is certainly a possibility, New York will have to play extremely well in a number of facets of the game.

If the Giants are going to have success this weekend, they are going to need to put pressure on Aaron Rodgers. They can’t just blitz the house, because Rodgers will prey on the single coverage in the secondary and light up the scoreboard. New York needs to rely on Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, Jason Pierre-Paul and Chris Canty up front to not only apply pressure, but also keep Rodgers in the pocket so he can’t makes plays on the run.

On the other side of the ball, the Giants have to prevent turnovers at all costs. The Packers have a penchant for capitalizing on turnovers, but taking care of the ball on offense keeps the ball out of Rodgers’ hands. New York cannot waste possessions, as Green Bay can put up 40 on even the best defenses, and the Giants will need every possible chance to score.

The Giants could have a great day on offense, but there’s a strong likelihood that the Packers will have an even better one. This game should hit over 52.5, but I don’t think Green Bay will cover. It could be a backdoor cover, but 7.5 is just a bit too much.

Prediction: Packers 35 | Giants 30

What do you think?

Green Bay Packers-New York Giants NFC Divisional Game Info

• Packers-Giants Date: Sunday, January 15th
• Packers-Giants Time: 4:30 ET
• Packers-Giants TV: FOX
• Packers-Giants Location: Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis.
• Packers-Giants Point Spread: Packers -7.5
• Packers-Giants Over-Under: 52.5

The 2011 season provided great examples for all these scenarios: rookies playing phenomenally from the get go, players making “the jump” in their second or third year, and seasoned veterans finally breaking through.

2011 Top Rookies

The top of the 2011 draft has performed as well, if not better than drafts in recent memories, starting with No. 1 pick Cam Newton. Newton started off with such a bang, with back-to-back 400+ yard games to start the season and really didn’t slow down from there.

Von Miller also helped revitalize the Denver Bronco defense, forming a dynamic tandem with Elvis Dumervil, helping to provide the defensive effort that Tim Tebow needs to stay in the game.

AJ Green and Julio Jones are absolute studs and will be for years to come.  Aldon Smith, the No. 7 pick in the draft, also had a phenomenal season for Jim Harbaugh’s 49ers defense, with 14 sacks, good for fifth in the league.

2011 Breakout Players

Yeah, he’s a rookie too, but DeMarco Murray had a hell of a year until he got hurt. He got his big chance in Week 7 when Felix Jones sat out with an ankle sprain, and Murray responded with 253 yards on 25 carries. He followed up that game with 508 yards in his next five games before breaking his ankle in Week 14.

On the other side of the ball, but staying in the same division, Jason Pierre-Paul had a remarkable year for the New York Giants. He helped revitalize the defensive line for the Giants, giving new life to Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck and adding a fearsome part to one of the toughest D-Lines in the league.

Antonio Brown also proved to be an excellent complement to Mike Wallace, giving Big Ben another vertical threat, adding almost 1,000 yards  from his 2010 receiving total (167 to 1,108).

The players that were the real breakout players in 2011 were both at the wide receiver position, and they will be facing off against each other this weekend. Jordy Nelson showed glimpses of what he could do last season, especially in the Super Bowl where he hauled in 9 passes for 140 yards. In 2011, Nelson busted out to the tune of 1,263 yards and 15 touchdowns, benefitting from often only having single coverage in the Packers’ prolific offense.

Victor Cruz caught some attention last season, hauling in three touchdowns in the Giants’ preseason opener against the Jets, but did not catch a single pass in the regular season, spending most of it on the IR. This season, however, Cruz busted onto the scene with 1,536 receiving yards, which established a New York Giants record.

Cruz was perhaps the breakout star of 2011.

2011 Breakout Veteran

Justin Smith has been one of the best defensive players in the league this season, playing pretty much wherever he was needed on the 49ers defensive line. He’s made the Pro Bowl each of the past two seasons, but his play this season has allowed his excellent teammates, such as Patrick Willis, Navarro Bowman, and Aldon Smith to thrive, forming the best front seven in the league. Smith also got in on the action, chipping in 7.5 sacks on his own.

Potential 2012 Breakout Players

So who will be similar players that will break out in 2012? It’s impossible to say just yet, especially not knowing who could be where. But there are a couple of candidates that stand out as possibilities heading forward.

Desmond Bishop: Little bit of a homer pick here, but I’ve been very impressed with the way he’s played all season. I think he was deserving of Pro Bowl consideration, with 115 tackles on the season and five sacks, which was best among inside linebackers this season. I think the Packers are going to put some focus on the defense this off-season, and Bishop will be a big part of that, which will pay off next season.

Kendall Hunter: Hunter has been a great complement to Frank Gore all season, and with a full off-season, I think Jim Harbaugh will find ways to get him very involved in the offense. It will be necessary for Alex Smith to pass to his backs out of the backfield, and there’s no doubt that Hunter’s 14 receptions from this season will go up. More carries for him means less for Gore, which benefits San Francisco in both cases. I don’t think the 49ers are a one-year fluke, and Hunter should help them win the NFC West again next season.

Royster and Helu could give Washington the running game to compete in the NFC East next season.

Evan Royster/Roy Helu: It’s well known what Mike Shanahan can do with running backs, and the Royster/Helu really came on toward the end of the season.

Royster, the rookie out of Penn State totaled 401 yards over the last four weeks of the season and is a big back, standing 6-foot-1, 212 pounds, that could develop into the Redskins’ every down back.

Helu is not small either, at 6-foot, 220 pounds, but has shown abilities in the passing game, catching 49 balls this season.

It’s not inconceivable that the two could combine for 2,000 total yards, and that figure has a better chance of coming true if Washington shores up its offensive line and finds the quarterback it needs.

Jermaine Gresham: Having a freakishly athletic tight end is common among almost every single playoff team in 2011, and that includes the Cincinnati Bengals. Gresham stands 6-foot-5, 260 pounds, and has had two consistent years in the league so far.

With Andy Dalton that much more comfortable under center next season and teams keying in on AJ Green, expect Gresham to see much more work over the middle, and I wouldn’t be shocked if Gresham came close to doubling the 596 yards and 6 touchdowns he had this season.

Demaryius Thomas: By now you’ve seen the 80-yard touchdown catch that he gets no credit for, despite the fact that he had to outrun three Steelers defenders, stiff-arming them along the way. Thomas is a thick 6-foot-3, 225-pound wideout who will make the jump to a bona fide number one wideout next season.

Tim Tebow’s not going anywhere, and the throws that Tebow can make play into Thomas’s strengths. They’ll have the off-season to work on rapport and timing, and with Eric Decker as a talented number two receiver, teams won’t be able to focus as much on Thomas as they’d like. Demaryius finished the regular season with 551 yards on just 32 receptions, and if Tebow progresses at all, it’s easy to see those numbers doubling in 2012.

JJ Watt: The other hero of the wild-card round, JJ Watt could see a monster breakout season in 2012. He was known for his non-stop motor that helped raise his draft stock coming out of Wisconsin, and has shown the same amount of effort as a pro. He’s just a rookie who gathered 5.5 sacks this season, and with Mario Williams back for the Texans next season, Watt is primed for an even better 2012.

Watt played huge in the Texans' first playoff win last week.

I was not.

To me, this season was completely thrown away by the Bears front office, and it exposed the problems that GM Jerry Angelo continues to ignore. Angelo has something very special in Jay Cutler and Matt Forte, yet he continues to waste their talent by not supplying other offensive weapons around them.

Who does Cutler have to throw to? I am not content with the Bears’ number one receiver being Earl Bennett, or Devin Hester, or Roy Williams, and neither should Angelo; yet there hasn’t been any shred of news about the Bears seriously pursuing a proven receiver. 

A good enough, but not dominant defense plus two great players on offense is not going to lead to a Super Bowl.

Say what you want to about Cutler, but the kid goes out game after game and fights for a win and gets killed on the field doing it. This season he made the offense look as good as I’ve ever seen them, leading the team to a five game win streak, a 7-3 record, and a legitimate shot at making the playoffs.

You can’t bring in a BMW but then give it four flat tires, yet that’s exactly what Angelo and company did, and it showed once Cutler and Forte went down.  The lack of planning and complete lack of trying to build players behind the starters showed in the last five games and would usually get a head coach or GM fired, but I doubt Lovie or Angelo are going anywhere.

Fans now have to sit back and hope the Bears front office begins to address the very clear needs of the team. It’s time to stop ignoring them.

Not only has the “great one” been sidelined with a very serious and dangerous thumb injury that could have cost Cutler his life (or at least his ability to give his fiancee Kristen Cavallari thumbs up or thumbs down on potential outfits), but the Bears, while still remaining the greatest team in the NFL, have dropped four straight and will most likely miss the playoffs.

This had me feeling really blue for the past few weeks, and after the Bears’ loss to the Seahwawks last Sunday, I went to the doctors’ office to see what was wrong. The doctor said it was quite clear what I had: Jay Cutler Deficiency Disorder.

The doctor said “The lack of Jay Cutler’s presence on the field has put you into a what is called a ‘Cutty come back’ depression. I’ve seen a lot of cases like yours in the past few weeks. People come here and think the world is over. Most recover, but some never forgive Cutler for putting them through this.”

• Constantly asking why Cutler had to get hurt.
• Continued feelings of hopelessness.
• Blaming Caleb Hanie for everything that goes wrong.
• Random outbursts of curse words directed at the TV.
• Threatening to never watch “those idiots” again.

I said “Thanks doc, but is there anything you could give me to make me feel better in the meantime?”

He then proceeded to hand me a videotape and told me to watch it whenever I started feeling really blue again. I drove home and immediately put in the tape. It was this seasons’ collection of every Jay Cutler pass, from the  touchdown passes to Dane Sanzenbacher, to the domination of the Green Packers (those losers finally lost a game!), to the telling of Mike Martz to “F**k off.”

It was great. I had finally gotten my fix of Cutler that I had been void of for so long. Then I realized: as long as Jay Cutler dominates, there’s a reason to wake up every morning.

Aggregate games are a home and home series being played in the semi-finals of the MLS playoffs, starting tonight. It is the general consensus for playoff soccer for many other leagues around the globe.

A win in the first game has no bearing on the outcome of which team moves forward to the next round of the playoffs. This is strange because it’s not an American ideal to play games and decide the winner after the second game is completed, but that is exactly what occurs with aggregate scoring.

The casual U.S. sports fan is accustomed to an odd-numbered maximum game series, where the winner is decided by majority wins, such as two out of three, three out of five or four out of seven. It’s how American team sports (with the exception of the NFL) have designed their playoff methods for generations.

The reason for why soccer doesn’t convert to a series method is due to only 14 possible players (Starting 11 + 3 = 14) having a chance to play for all games. Only three subs are possible per game.

There are 22 roster spots, but eight of the 22 never get the opportunity to play on gameday because MLS follows FIFA’s sluggish, archaic rules and is afraid to deviate from them for fear of ghostly (FIFA) reprisals and fear for lack of respect by others who think they know the game better.

The eight best players (Starting 11-3 subs =8) for each team play the whole match and need days of rest for the bodies to recuperate before the next match. With more substituting available, it wouldn’t be necessary to have so many days between matches. One idea is to increase the number of subs from three to five for the playoffs for each game.

Depending on how much substituting would be possible, games could be played on consecutive nights or at least every other night. With games being played with less time between them, there is less chance for sports fans to forget about them.

'Two Out of Three Ain't Bad'-A Meatloaf song

A two out of three series could be played with one game at home for the lower-ranked team and the next two (the third game is only, if necessary) at home of the higher-ranked team.

Aggregate scoring can be fun for the soccer enthusiast who really gets into things at all levels of pro soccer. It seems to work well for CONCACAF Champions League play because in these scenarios, it is hard to determine who gets the higher seed, other countries are already used to the aggregate system, and teams are crossing international boundaries to play each other.

American fans, though, will never completely respect first leg/second leg aggregate scoring, not because its a foreign way of doing things, but because it doesn’t make sense in the landscape of American team sports.

Also, it’s not as easy to follow. Fans are required to keep up with goals scored instead of who’s won or lost. During the second game played, in order to follow who is ahead, fans must balance scoring from both games and it becomes confusing.

Games in the playoffs at the professional level are meant to be played to win, ultimately only being judged by who won and who lost.

At 7-feet tall, not only can Nowitzki cause havoc in the paint, but Dirk has one of the sweetest jumpers from deep. Then there’s his ability to put the ball on the floor, and the cherry on top has to be his sweet, sweet turnaround-fade away jumper from the top of the key.

Add all of that to a consistent owner like Mark Cuban, a solid Mavericks team filled with a mixture of vets and young guns, and a solid fan base to support them through thick and thin, and you come up with an amazing result: eleven consecutive playoff appearances.

Yes, Dirk Nowitzki and his Mavericks are at it yet again, but do we really appreciate them? Do we really admire what Dirk has done for the NBA? Or are we so used to he and his Mavs being in the playoffs for eleven straight years that we take them for granted?

As unfair as it is to say, yes, we do take Dirk and his Mavs for granted.

But I’m here to remind you how this Mavs team should and will ultimately be remembered. I’m going to remind you of how dynamic, amazing, and incredible the Dirk Nowitzki’s game is, and how he has changed his game like Jordan, and how the Dirk Mavs’ might finally be ready to possess a Larry O’Brien trophy.

The Mavericks are currently in a dominant position over the Lakers in the NBA’s Western Conference Semifinals, as they stole not one but two games away from the yellow & purple in the Staples Center before winning Game 3 last night. While the Lakers are currently being called out for trust issues, old-age, and plenty of other negative attention, Dirk and his Mavs are calm, cool, and collected.

This is something we are not accustomed to.

What we as NBA fans are accustomed to is the Mavericks’ ability to ball during the NBA’s regular season. Racking up W’s seems like no tough task for this Dallas squad, and it hasn’t been much a problem during any of the past 11 years. It’s quite amazing when you think about it actually. For the past 10 seasons, the Mavs have finished within the West’s top three in seeding, and they have even finished with the overall best record in the Western Conference three times. Pretty crazy, right? I mean, if the ultimate goal was to consistently finish with a great record for the past eleven years, Dallas would be crowned champion right now. But that is not the case, and Dallas sure as hell knows it.

In those same past eleven seasons, Dallas has only made it to the rugged Western Conference’s Finals twice. They could possibly make it three if they find a way to close out Kobe and his Lakers in this series.  How about an NBA Finals appearance? Only once, and that was against the Miami Heat team that contained two meg stars in Shaq and Dwyane Wade.

But even with that said, with all of those achievements, the Mavericks have been deemed a disappointment for the past 11 years as they have failed to bring a championship to Dallas.

While it is true that the Mavericks haven’t accomplished the NBA’s ultimate goal, there has to be something said for them. They’ve done nothing but given us great years of basketball and some memorable NBA Playoff series’. They’ve even had some of the game’s more memorable players, guys like Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, and Michael Finley, with much respect going to the game’s more colorful owner in Mark Cuban. Cuban, of course, is the same owner that brought in Europe’s greatest basketball player of all-time: Dirk Nowitzki.

Not only has Dirk given us the All-Star years, the MVP Year, and the numerous amazing performances, he is doing something for the NBA that no single player has ever done. He is opening the gates of NBA stardom to the rest of the world. Before Dirk, there were not too many basketball players who could lead a team to consecutive playoff appearances on their shoulders, but what Dirk is doing is giving hope to European, Asian, African, and every other nation on this planet. He is proving that you don’t need to be born on the street of New York, or the suburbs of Akron, Ohio, to become an NBA legend. Dirk is doing something no one has done before.

But are he and his Mavs about to do something that we haven’t seen before? Are the Mavericks really making a run to an NBA Finals berth? Or is this another repeat of 2006?

The Mavericks not only had to handle a scrappy Portland team in round one, but they had to deal with the adversity that history continues to throw in their face: the weight of continuous early playoff exits. But in 6 games, including dominating showings in the final two games, Dallas advanced past Portland to play the Los Angeles Lakers, the 3-time defending Western Conference Champions.

Not only are the Mavericks keeping up with LA at the moment, but they are making the Lakers look sluggish, off-balance, and simply not on the same page with one another. Who would have thought that the key to the Mavericks success would be their defense and toughness. The Mavs are currently holding Los Angeles to 89 ppg in this series. At the same time, it isn’t too surprising when you consider that the Mavs have guys like Shawn Marion on the perimeter and Tyson Chandler on the block to cause issues for the Lakers big man tag team.

Another key element of Dallas’ success in this series has been the weapons from beyond the three-point line. Dirk, Jason Terry, Kidd, and Peja Stojakovic have been hitting their shots from deep and are averaging 39% from beyond the arc. As for the Lakers? A slumping 19%. This shows that the Mavs are putting in work on the defensive end as well as hitting their shots. And when the Lakers are shooting 72% from the free-throw line, that won’t help much either.

With 3 games now have passed in this series, and the brooms awaiting, we are now learning that the Dallas Mavericks not only were a great regular season team, but they have the firepower to take out the Lakers. With Dallas having the three-time defending Western Champions on the verge of elimination, what is this team’s ceiling? Is there one? And if so, when will we witness it?

While I can’t tell you where this Mavericks team will end up by June, I can tell you that this Dallas Mavericks team has it all: the defense, the offense, the bench play, the mix of vets and stars, and, of course, Dirk Nowitzki.

But most importantly, they finally seem to have the the courage, the fight, and the heart to bring it to whomever might await them come June.

Thanks for reading fans, and make sure to follow me on Twitter!

Whether it was watching the Grizzlies stun the might Spurs, or watching the Hawks take out Dwight Howard and his Orlando Magic in the East. Then there was domination from teams like Boston, Oklahoma City, and Miami.

Yes, these NBA Playoffs have been great, and are sure to get better.

But there is one thing that I have realized over the past few seasons: the NBA Playoffs are not about who finished with the best record during the regular season. The NBA Playoffs have continued to show me that no matter if you’re an 8th seeded team or the best-seeded team, there is always the opportunity for you to advance.

And why is that? Simply: because the NBA Playoffs are a battle of matchups.

It’s almost becoming more obvious each year. There are always matchups involving one team that has a substantially better record over another, and yet somehow the team with the weaker record is picked to win it over the top-seeded team. Why is this?

Well the NBA’s regular season is a tough, long, and grueling season, but nothing seems to compare to the playoffs. The NBA’s 82-game season can be somewhat misleading in showing who really is the best team, which is why records for season series are so important. They are the best way to compare playoff opponents.

Why do you think people always say, “I don’t think they can beat ‘em in a 7-game series?”  It’s quite obvious folks. When April rolls by, we can actually examine, analyze, and give a team it’s true grade. Sure, the NBA’s regular season is a great barometer to show how the teams stack up against every team at least twice, but the postseason is totally different. I mean, seriously. In the NBA’s 60+ years, there have only been 14 number one seeds to take home the Larry O’Brien Trophy in June. That means that all of the other years were filled with underdogs, second-seeded teams, or what have you.

When it comes to the importance of matchups, just ask the San Antonio Spurs.

Sure, San Antonio have the veteran card, and they also have a great coach in Greg Popovich, but what they lack is exactly what the Memphis Grizzlies possess: youth & athleticism. The entire first round series between the two teams seemed as if San Antonio was playing ‘tag’ with bears. Manu Ginobili’s injury hindered his explosiveness, Tim Duncan’s knees had a tough time against the chippy Zach Randolph, and the speed and athleticism of guys like Tony Allen, OJ Mayo, and Michael Conley proved to be too much for San Antonio.

Furthermore, ask Lakers fans how it feels, as they almost fell to last year’s Thunder squad. Both the Grizzlies and the Thunder were 8 seeds, and both had youth and athleticism, which is something the Lakers and the Spurs aren’t exactly known for. The only difference was Memphis finished the job.

And how about back in 2009? This was the season when LeBron James had won his first Maurice Podoloff trophy (MVP), the same year that Mike Brown won the NBA’s Coach of the Year award, and the same year the Cleveland Cavaliers signed point-guard Mo Williams; and they finished with an NBA best 61-21 record. The Cavs seemed to have it all; they had the superstar, they [thought] they had LeBron James’ sidekick in Maurice Williams, they had a great bench, and they had one of the best crowds the NBA had seen.

Then came the NBA Playoffs, where the Pistons and Hawks were no match in the first two rounds, as Cleveland went a perfect 8-0 entering the NBA’s EC Finals. Who would they face next? The third-seeded Orlando Magic.

Yes, the same Orlando Magic team that had the snipers from deep, the great coach in Van Gundy, and the current three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year in Dwight Howard. This series didn’t look like too much of a threat from peoples’ perspective, but if you were a true analyst of the game, you knew that Cleveland was in trouble at the wing positions, would struggle with the power of Orlando’s bench, and would have to find a way to deal with the size of Dwight Howard. This quickly became clear to everyone, as the Cavs were struggling in each game. Rashard Lewis, and Hedo were posing issues for the Cavs’ perimeter-players, while Dwight was heckling the lanky Ilgauskas, and the 6-foot-9 Ben Wallace. The series was finished in 6 games, as Superstar LeBron James and his Cavs only had one positive out of the series: This!

There have been plenty of other cases where matchups proved to be much more of a factor than a team’s seeding and record. Just ask the ’07 Golden State Warriors, or how about the ’99 New York Knicks? We are even seeing this in a current series NBA fans: the Bulls & Hawks.

With Monday night’s victory for the Hawks, much can be said. First off, Chicago is going to need way more than Derrick Rose to take out an experienced, talented, and athletic Atlanta team. I mean, the Bulls didn’t quite dominate the 8th seeded Pacers. If you ask me, Indiana played harder than Chicago each game, but with a little help from questionable calls and the cheetah-like speed of Derrick Rose, the Bulls were able to escape.

But in this series, the Hawks pose some legitimate issues for Chicago.

Who will matchup with Joe Johnson on both ends? Keith Bogans isn’t a bad player, and neither is Kyle Korver, but certainly neither is a Joe. Johnson holds speed, strength, athleticism, height, and overall talent over Korver and Bogans.

How about the PF spot? Don’t get me wrong, Carlos Boozer is a hell of a player, but like someone told me today, he is a bulkier version of Chris Bosh. Both tend to play a bit soft, and neither likes to hang down low. Josh Smith’s youth and athleticism will cause some issues for the recently-injured Boozer.

How about Noah? While he is a hell of a defender, I’m afraid Al Horford’s size and ability in the paint will pose issues for Joakim. Most of this has already been shown in Game 1.

At the end of the day people, the NBA Playoff matchups are determined by seeds. But does that mean much in terms of who will win or lose? Not really. We have learned that matchups are huge for a 7-game series, as they truly expose a team’s flaws against another, be it size, strength, ability, speed or any other attribute. We’ve seen it before, we will continue to see it, and who knows, we might even see the current #1 seeds knocked out before June.

What I do know is that these NBA Playoffs have been exciting, and hopefully I’ve helped shed some light for my fans!

Thanks for reading & don’t forget to get at me on Twitter!

Coming back from such a deficit in a 7-game series is a feat that has not once been accomplished during the NBA’s existence, and it rarely happens in sports. The only examples are a handful in the NHL and the legendary ’04 Boston Red Sox, who came back from 0-3 against the Yankees.

To make things even worse for Knicks fans, there was a trending topic on Twitter that practically put a dagger in the back of each Knicks fan. It read “Massacre Square Garden”; enough said. Then this morning, I had to wake up to tweets about how Knicks fans are complaining about the calls and how it’s not fair that Chauncey and Amar’e are injured, and everything in between.

While I can agree that New York should have won at least ONE game thus far in the series, and should be putting up more of a challenge in a series we deemed the best in the first round, Knicks fans are forgetting to look at the big picture.

So for all of my followers, and for those Knicks fans who are disgusted with what is going on, let this article serve a positive note. Here is why even though your team is falling hard, and falling hard right now, there are still plenty of reasons for you to be happy and optimistic.

While it was clear that last night’s game was essentially a series finisher, and it was an embarrassing loss for the team’s first home-playoff game in about 10 years, New York should not hang their heads completely.

This current series against Boston was never going to be easy. No one predicted it would be. I at least gave the Knicks two Ws coming into the series, but as of now it doesn’t look like that is going to happen. But there are reasons as to why this series has gone the way it has up to this point, a couple of uncontrollable factors that have dipped their noses into this Atlantic Division rivalry.

One, obviously, is that this Knicks squad is not at full health.

It’s simply a fact that when your team isn’t 100% healthy, it’s going to be tough to do much against good competition. And not only is the health of this team hindered, but it probably happened to the two most crucial players for the Knicks: Chauncey Billups, and Amar’e Stoudemire. Not that I don’t think Carmelo is crucial, but I do think If I had a choice, I’d rather lose Carmelo than lose Amar’e simply due to the fact that New York’s gaping holes on both ends are clearly down-low.

Boston has both of the positions vacated by the absences of Chauncey and Amar’e, point guard and power forward, occupied by two of the game’s best in Rondo and KG. So obviously not having Billups for two games, and having a hindered Amar’e for another, is going to cause a big disadvantage for New York.

And if you’ve never experienced back-spasms before, which Stoudemire is suffering from, they are disgustingly painful. I give huge props to Amar’e for playing last night!

As for Chauncey, his loss is probably the biggest factor. While he can give you 20 points and 10 assists on a given night, he is also the most experienced player on the roster and the team’s engine. To lose his playoff experience is huge for New York. Enough said.

Then there is the matter of Boston’s surprising surge.

Watching the Celtics during the tail-end of the 82-game regular season, they looked the opposite of invincible. They were vincible. It seemed that ever since the trade of Kendrick Perkins for Jeff Green that Boston’s mean, green, and tough attitude had disappeared. They had losing streaks all over the schedule, and were falling to opponents that held records below .500.

Coming into this series, I thought that there was a possible chance that the Knicks could upset the defending Eastern Conference champs. Everyone did. Little did we know that in a span of a couple days, this Celtics team would come together and start playing the type of defense that we had seen since ’08. It shocked me, and shocked everyone else that I knew.

Even with all that said, remember this Knicks fans: excluding last night’s game, the Knicks lost games 1 and 2 by a total of five points. Let me repeat that. The Knicks lost games 1 and 2, by a mere 5 points, or if you want to get even more literal, the Knicks lost games 1 and 2 by a three-pointer and a layup.

So again, even though New York is down 0-3  in this series, I want to know why all the Spike Lees out there are going crazy.

Game 1 was basically won by the Knicks…if you exclude the last 11.6 seconds of the fourth quarter. The Knicks led by one point going into the game’s final 20 seconds, but everyone knew that Jesus Shuttelsworth was going to get the ball. So, Ray Allen curled off of a screen, a screen that might have been an offensive foul on Garnett, and hit a three like he always does. Game 1 was over when I saw Carmelo pull up from super-deep, as he clanked the ball off the rim.

As for Game 2, it was lost by a horrible pass from Jared Jeffries in the paint. Watching the game live, I saw the play and noticed Jeffries could’ve either pump-faked and gotten the layup, or he could’ve thrown himself at KG and gotten the call. I mean, the refs do like to exaggerate the “any contact is a foul” rule, so I’m sure Jeffries would’ve gotten the call in this one.

So again, if the refs call KG for an obvious moving screen (or Carmelo at least glances at D’Antoni for the play-call), or if Jeffries (a veteran) doesn’t make a rookie decision, then we could easily be talking a 2-1 series with the Knicks in the lead!

But here’s the beautiful thing my Knicks fans: yes, NY is seemingly done this post-season; but that is not what you should be looking at. Instead, gain some refreshing perspective by taking a look back at the Isiah years. Take a look back at when Jamal Crawford was your team’s best scorer. Take a look back at when Eddy Curry was the best big man available.

There is more than one reason to be happy if you’re a Knicks fan.

This past offseason was dream-like for the Knicks. Sure, you didn’t get LeBron or any of the other talents down there in South Beach, but you did get the game’s best power-forward right now. Amar’e came into New York with all smiles. The spotlight was on him, and he gladly accepted the offer and the challenge. He came into the season putting up 30 points on consecutive nights, rallying the young guys around him, and giving New York-basketball a positive atmosphere that had not been seen in years.

Months later, the Carmelo-drama began to unfold. Ultimately, multiple players were sent packing to Denver in exchange for one of the league’s premier scorers in Carmelo Anthony, a former NBA Finals MVP in Chauncey, and two solid role players in Renaldo Balkman and vet Anthony Carter.

So as a Knicks fan, can you really be upset right now?

New York’s dog days are over guys. The Knicks are back!

Knickerbocker basketball is back, and the resurgence is being led by two of the game’s better stars in Carmelo and Amar’e.

I mean, let’s be real here: nobody with a high NBA IQ expected the Knicks to be in the Finals this year, even after the deal for Carmelo; and most didn’t even expect them to reach the East Finals.

But let me tell you something Knicks fans: you should still feel like champions.

The first set of short-term goals were accomplished on July 8th and February 21st. These are the dates Amar’e and Carmelo came to New York and finally brought hope back to those who had none.  All it is going to take is some time together, the addition of a role player or two, and the Knicks shall soon be right up there with the beasts of the East.

Who knows…I’ve heard rumors of other All-Stars joining forces in the Big Apple; but that discussion is for another time.

What I do know is that the Knicks have completed their first set of goals, and that was to bring the Knicks back to the playoffs with renewed star power.

With the first goal complete, you can bet that the next one is on its way: winning an NBA Championship.

A perfect start to the NBA’s second-season has the Heat looking brilliant at the moment, and they are being considered by many as one of the favorites to win the Finals at this point.

LeBron and Wade are playing some golden basketball, and Bosh is as well. The role players seem to be in sync also. Mike Bibby and Mario Chalmers have done a great job with the tag-team PG system, James Jones is beginning to heat up from three, and the three bigs are playing with some added toughness since the 82-game season ended.

Yes, the Heat are beginning to look like the formidable opponent we have all been waiting for. Sure, I can’t get too far ahead of myself; they are only playing the youthful Sixers. But you have to wonder…an 82-game season is much different from the NBA’s playoff season. In the playoffs, you have seven shots to take down a team four times; that is seven chances to get the X’s and O’s and the emotion right; seven chances to prove you are better than your opponent.

So with that said, I want to ask you the reader: are the Miami Heat an entirely different team in the post-season?

They look like it to me, as they have shown signs of being built for a championship run.

With the current series against Philadelphia now favoring Miami 3-0, the series seems all but unwinnable for the Sixers. It’s only been three games, but in those three games I have noticed quite a lot about this Miami squad.

The first thing that I have noticed, is that experience proves to be huge against a young squad like the Sixers. Miami’s roster is nearly full of playoff-experienced NBA players. The only player who has never experienced a playoff series is the rookie Dexter Pittman.

Surprise, surprise. It’s almost as if Pat Riley built this team in the off-season to deliver in the post-season.

From Jamaal Magloire to Mike Bibby to James Jones to Mario Chalmers, the majority of this roster has seen the rigors and atmosphere of the NBA playoffs. To be even more accurate, the roster (excluding the rookie) has experienced the NBA playoffs more than just once. This is especially true for Miami’s Big-Three, which has a total of 11 years of playoff experience combined between LeBron, Wade, and Bosh. Crazy, huh?

This is a factor in creating the separation between these two teams in the current series. The most experienced player on the court (for both teams) does play for the Sixers, and his name is Elton Brand. He is probably the most important cog for Philadelphia to utilize, as his experience compared to the rest of Philly’s squad is gargantuan. Players like Iguodala, Young, Williams, and the rest of Philly’s core have never left the East’s 1st round. And you readers can’t even tell me that when you see Jodie Meeks take a shot, or watch Andre Iguodala take it to the rack, that you don’t see the inexperience show from time to time. It’s hard not to notice.

I mean, even Doug Collins is fresh. He might not be a rookie coach, and may have a few skins on the wall, but to have the long absence he has had from the NBA and finally come back and coach this team into the playoffs has got to be an eye-opener even for him.

So to get back to the point: Miami’s roster is bathing in playoff-experience, and it is huge, especially when you want to escape those youthful, energetic, yet inexperienced squads.

Then there is my second reason as to why Miami is a different monster come playoff-time: their system.

Miami currently plays in a different system than they did earlier in the year. To be honest, they play in a very different system, courtesy of Erik Spoelstra. I like to call this system the “Multiple-Heads” system.

Each time the Heat players suit up, I can almost count on LeBron, Wade, and Bosh to get the nod for the start. It’s expected, and it will continue that way until we see them hang ‘em up. But then we have the point-guard position, and the center position. Miami has built themselves to not have a definitive starter at either of these two positions, and some might argue that this puts them at a disadvantage, correct?

Well, here’s where I prove you wrong.

The Heat have a slew of players that they can throw in with LeBron, Wade, and Bosh. Those three just make life that much easier so you can just throw in guys off the pine. The starting PG spot is usually occupied by Mike Bibby, but at times we see Spoelstra throwing Chalmers into the mix as well. Same thing with the center position. We sometimes see Big Z, or Erick Dampier, or even Joel Anthony taking the team’s starting role as big-man. This system of play not only can give older guys like Big Z and Jamaal Magloire some added rest, but it also gets the younger guys like Joel and Mario out there to gain some golden playoff PT.

An even better aspect of using this system of play is that it tends to incorporate Miami’s entire roster. This not only gives the opposing team a much wider spectrum of looks and lineups to prepare for, but it also makes Miami much more flexible on O and D. Whether it is throwing James Jones out at the small-forward and having LeBron at the power, or if it’s having Dwyane Wade play the poind guard position so Mike Miller can jump in at the two spot, Erik Spoelstra is utilizing this system to a T. As the playoffs continue, we will actually see how tough it can be on opposing teams.

Finally, here is the most obvious cog leading Miami’s wheels to roll towards being an elite playoff team: yes, if you haven’t guessed by now, it’s the star-power this team possesses.

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh showed to us during the regular season that they are the NBA’s best trio, and they are proving to us even more in this series against Philadelphia. They are showing that when it comes down to it, they might make Miami the hardest team to beat four times in a series. I mean yeah, they can put up the points, but Miami’s defense, led by the energy focus of the Big 3, is what makes this team so special. Just ask Doug Collins:

“People don’t talk about their defense, but that was what I was worried about more than anything else.”

The guys have repeatedly said that when Miami’s defense is at their best, it’s the league’s best. Enough said.

But on the offensive end, the Big Three are currently playing some great basketball as well. LeBron is averaging 24 ppg, while Wade and Bosh are averaging just about 21 ppg. It cannot be overstated that these three together on the court are as close to unstoppable as you can get when it comes to NBA terms.

I mean, we’ve seen each of these players dominate by themselves on other teams during the post-season, so when you combine the three on the court, or maybe even just two, it becomes very difficult to handle over an entire forty-eight minutes, never mind a seven-game series.

If you didn’t catch Game 3 of this series, you might want to catch the highlights. This game proves my case even more.

The game was getting a little tight during the final two minutes, so what did Coach Spo throw at Philadelphia? Probably the two most athletic players in the game, in Wade and LeBron. Each possession was dominated by one, or by both. Defensively, the tandem gave Philadelphia fits on the block, and they balanced that with strong play on the perimeter.

Then came the beautiful part; the fast break. When Wade or LeBron get a finger on the ball in the open floor, it’s almost always doom for the opposing team. It either ends in A) Wade slapping the ball from the defender, jetting down the court and finishing at the rim, B) LeBron blocking the shot, running down the other end, getting the feed and slamming it home, or C) the steal, and the alley from LeBron/Wade to Wade/LeBron. Can’t argue with transition play ike that, can you?

It’s a perfect science, my NBA friends.

When you combine the three ingredients above, the end recipe should be an NBA title. But once again, the haters will continue to bash, and the playoffs will only begin to get tougher. While I can’t tell you for certain if the Heat will win this year’s NBA championship, I can tell you that they are poised to do great things here, now, and in the future!

Make sure to check out Game 4 of Heat and Sixers on Sunday, where my prediction of a sweep can come true!

Till then folks!

Follow Devon on Twitter here!

The NBA playoffs are about to begin, and surely this is one of the most exciting playoffs I have seen in recent years. With new-look teams like Miami and New York on the prowl, we are sure to be in for a treat almost every night.

Then there are the young rising talents such as Derrick Rose and Kevin Durant, guys who are ready to prove to the NBA world that they are ready for the big show.

And let’s not forget the usual contenders like Los Angeles, San Antonio, Boston and the many other powerful teams seeking a ring!

Yes, the time has come!

And what better way to start my favorite time of year than to write and analyze each series’ matchups, advantages, disadvantages, and who I think will ultimately take it to the next round. I previewed the Eastern Conference Playoffs earlier this week. Today, we look at each first round series in the Western Conference.

And don’t forget, to get my real-time updates as the playoffs progress, you can get at me on Twitter as well!

Update: Click here to view the complete first round TV schedule.

(1) Spurs vs (8) Grizzlies

Season Series: Tied 2-2

At the beginning of the season, this Spurs team was nearly unstoppable, going on stretches that were hard to believe and crushing each opponent by an impressive margin. Not only did this show that the San Antonio Spurs had a healthy combination of age/youth, but it showed us how great a coach Gregg Popovich is.

Just think about it: he used his skills to gather a bunch of young kids with a group of NBA vets who only want one thing, and that is the Larry O’Brien trophy. It still surprises me as to how Gregg isn’t the favorite to win the Coach of the Year Award. Much respect to Thibbs, but hey it is what it is.

It also helps when you have the game’s greatest power-forward to ever lace ‘em up, and you have two other stars whom have already collected their share of rings.

Then at the other end of the spectrum are the surprising Memphis Grizzlies. Many people did not have them doing too well in the regular season, and they actually didn’t do well to start it off. But by the All-Star break, the Grizzlies were pushing hard in the hard-fought Western Conference, and they finished the season going 15-10 with great Ws against Dallas, OKC, San Antonio, and Boston.

Much of the credit can go to the highly underrated skills of one of the league’s best forwards in Zach Randolph. Dude is averaging 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 assists per game. He and the Grizzlies are in much deserved contract-extension talks at the moment.

But back to the point. This Grizzlies team did a good job of locking up the 8th seed, but they did have a chance at taking the 7th spot on the last night of the NBA season. However, in disrespectful fashion, this Grizzlies team purposefully lost to the LA Clippers, just in order to avoid the LA Lakers in round one. So what does that say? It says, we want you San Antonio.

The two teams ended up tying the season series, and with good reason. San Antonio wasn’t always 100% healthy. It’s almost expected for the Spurs to begin getting frail, or for Popovich to lower the minutes of his vets, as the season comes to an end. Just ask Manu, because he’s expected to miss the series opener on Sunday due to a hyper-extended elbow.

So can this Grizzlies team pose a threat?

Well, I expect this series to be more of a chip-on-the-shoulder type for Memphis. They asked for the Spurs, and they are going to get ‘em. Expect a great matchup between Randolph, and Duncan, with Zach’s energy and big-body to possibly win the matchup. But other than that, I don’t see much of an advantage the Grizzlies have. But hey, to be honest, I’d rather have the Spurs over the Lakers any day of the week.

I see the Spurs taking Memphis’ lack of play against the Clippers as a big insult, and only give up one game in the series, probably the game Manu is out.

San Antonio Spurs-Memphis Grizzlies Prediction: Spurs beat Grizzlies in 5

———-

(2) Lakers vs (7) Hornets

Season series: Lakers won 4-0

The defending champions are back at it, and now they have a shot at a three-peat. This would be Kobe’s second and Phil’s 4th! Crazy, right? What kind of NBA playoffs would there be without the Los Angeles Lakers being in it and being one of the favorites to take the title? Well, they are, and it comes after a season of many ups and downs.

The Lakers have pretty much seen everything that can happen within an 82-game season. They have had a 6-game losing drought, they have had a 9-game win streak, and they have had the criticism. Heck, they were even facing trade-deadline talk when Carmelo was being shopped around. And as the playoffs are set to begin, you can bet the Lakers will be hit with more. I mean come on, once you win two NBA championships, and you are on pace for another, these types of things happen.

Who is going to be their first challenge to the three-peat? The New Orleans Hornets.

The Hornets started the season with a bang! They went 11-1 in the season’s first 12 games, and really looked like a team that could do some damage in the West. Well, they sure fooled me. Shortly after, New Orleans began dropping down every single Power Ranking chart, when they went from going to 11-1 to 8-13 into the start of the new year. Ever since then, New Orleans sort of moved into the neutral state.

The Hornets biggest strength is that they probably have the league’s best pick & roll game with Chris Paul and David West. CP3 nearly averaged a double-double for the season, as he finished with 15.8 points  and 9.8 assists per game. As for David West, he was having one of his better seasons until his season ended with knee surgery.Once the Hornets lost West, they began losing games and their seeding continued to fall. Lucky for them, they fell in the hands of the Lakers, right?

Wrong.

While Chris Paul is an amazing basketball player, and he clearly holds an advantage against Derek Fisher, the Hornets don’t have the roster capable of handling the Lakers night-in and night-out.  They do have have length on the defensive end with Trevor Ariza, and Emeka Okafor can handle his own against this Lakers squad, but once Andrew Bynum returns from his late-season injury, I don’t think the Hornets have the capabilities of matching up with LA on the block. This will make the series very tough for New Orleans to handle, and I expect Pau and a healthy Bynum to win this series in the paint.

Los Angeles Lakers-New Orleans Hornets Prediction: Lakers beat Hornets in 4

———-

(3) Mavericks vs (6) Trailblazers

Season series: Tied 2-2

The Dallas Mavericks are here once again. This is their 11th consecutive playoff appearance, and what an amazing statistic that is. Not only does it show how great of a leader Dirk can be through the rigors of an 82-game season, but it shows the consistency that Mark Cuban has brought to his franchise. From Michael Finley and Steve Nash to Jason Kidd and Caron Butler, this Mavs franchise always seems to have the right pieces combined, whether it is the sharpshooters out on the perimeter, the slasher who want to take it to the rim, or the guards with the keen ability to see the floor. But it has been the leadership, and nearly unstoppable offensive-game of Dirk that has helped the Mavs continue to build off of successive seasons of success and make the playoffs.

But here’s the thing: that is usually where it ends.

The Mavs do not ever seem to have trouble making a high-seed in the playoffs. They seem to prove each season that they are an elite team in their conference and that they will be able to handle the elimination rounds. But playoff appearance after playoff appearance, Dallas continues to fail at doing what they want to do, and that is bringing home the rings.

Can Dirk and his fellow Mavs do it this season? It’ll definitely be hard, but it seems the path to the Finals is more open than ever.

As for Portland, they are a team in turmoil to this day. I gave them the “honor” of being the most disappointing team in the entire NBA this season, but don’t shoot me down yet. This had nothing to do with their lack of play, coaching, or execution, but simply because they cannot ever stay healthy. I strongly emphasize the word cannot.

The Blazer season started fairly positively. Many people had them doing great in the West, including myself. Behind the great coaching of Nate McMillan and the leadership of Brandon Roy, I saw the Blazers possibly challenging the upper-echelon of the West. And when I say that, I mean that they could even take on the Lakers…assuming the Blazers’ health was 100%. But here’s the thing: it wasn’t.

First we had word that Greg Oden was going to again shock us all with season-ending knee-surgey, then we had word that Brandon Roy had “bone-on-bone” syndrome in his knees. Never mind the numerous other injuries that occurred with this Blazers roster. Even Nate McMillan had to miss time due to injury. That’s when you know the injury bug is in love with your team!

But other than injuries, I love this Blazers team. Hard-fought, deep, and they seem to play with a passion each night, and that just speaks to me. Have you been to the Rose Garden? One of the NBA’s greatest arenas to watch ball.

Aside from injuries, Portland did make a significant move before February’s trade deadline. Portland sent Joel Pryzbilla and Dante Cunningham to Charlotte, in exchange for defensive-minded longtime Bobcat Gerald Wallace. This is a trade that indeed will help the Blazers in the playoffs. But will it be enough to help them take out the third-seeded Mavericks?

The matchup between these two teams is great for an NBA fan. I’m not hearing too much chatter about this series, but let me tell you this NBA fans: you can expect this series to be a hard fought one, and it might even get to 7 games. With the Mavericks having lost Caron for the season due to surgery, the Blazers are better equipped at the small-forward position with Wallace, who I look to help them against penetrators like Beaubois, Terry, and Marion.

As for Brandon Roy, he’s going to be the main key for Portland to have a shot at upsetting Dallas. His offensive skill set is unmatched by any guard on both rosters, and I can see his youth and explosiveness being used in a matchup against Terry and any other perimeter player on Dallas to draw the Mavs into foul trouble and cause some matchup issues for many of the Mavs older players.

But we can’t forget that Dallas has the main matchup problem this league has to offer in Dirk Nowitzki. While Portland can throw Lamarcus Aldridge and Marcus Camby at the Mavs’ 7-footer, I believe he’ll still be able to get 25+ points easily in this series.

After 6 hard-fought games, great execution, and some enjoyable basketball, I see Dallas prevailing over Portland simply due to their experience, and because of the German. Who knows, I might be wrong though. This series could possibly go seven, and we’ve all seen it before: anything can happen in a game 7.

Dallas Mavericks-Portland Trailblazers Prediction: Mavs beat Blazers in 6

(4) Thunder vs (5) Nuggets

Season Series: Oklahoma City won 3-1

Not a fan of the Celtics or the Knicks? Really not interested in that series? Well my friends, this Thunder and Nuggets series is for you! These are two teams who had a complete makeover during the February trade-deadline, and most would say both teams improved. Yes Carmelo fans, some people actually believe that. Whether I do or not, is still yet to be seen. Get back to me in a couple years on that.

Let’s start with the Thunder. OKC has made some big improvements, and when I mean big, I mean BIG! The trade that brought them Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson was a steal. To this day, I don’t see how Boston could not have at least asked for a draft pick or something else more in return. But despite that, the deal is done, and the Thunder are going to benefit from it from years on.

Perkins brings the Thunder not only a big man that can hold his own against the NBA’s elite bigs, but he also brings them championship experience that has been needed in Oklahoma City for quite some time now. You mix that with the talents of Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, Sergei Ibaka, James Harden, and the rest of the Thunder’s young group, and it equals a very healthy result. Could it possibly equal an NBA championship this season? Maybe not, but I can tell you that there is a good chance we will see one in the next 2-3 years.

As for the Nuggets, they also made a deadline deal that they needed to get off of their backs. The Carmelo drama was everywhere, and it would not stop haunting them. The debate on where Carmelo would end up never seemed to end, but luckily for the Nuggets, things finally settled down. And to be honest, things started looking bright for the Nuggets future as they received Gallinari, Raymond Felton, Timovey Mozgov, and a few other nice additions. The Nuggets from that point on went balling, as they were on a slew of win streaks. Yes, the Nuggets were looking solid, and the future is beginning to look even better.

But where does that leave those two playoff teams? Both have the ability to advanced, but which will? Here’s my take on it.

The Thunder and Nuggets played a total of four games this season, with OKC taking 3. Not all of the games were played after the trade-deadline, so it isn’t easy to pick a team to take based on their season series. Even the matchups are going to come down to the wire whether we are talking the guard position or the center position. Heck, we even have a close matchup when it comes to the guys in the suit and ties! Karl and Brooks have both been doing an amazing job, as each has proven to be a coach that can take their teams to higher levels.

The main matchup in this entire series is going to come down to the bangers down low. Kendrick Perkins and Nene are both going to be willing their team to the finish line, and each seems to have the same drive to win. And to be honest, both play the same game: rebound, block shots, and score when the opportunity is given to them.

What about the guards? It’s going to be amazing watching Westbrook, Felton, and Lawson all on the court. When I think about it, I picture a 40-yard dash going on in my head! The speed, athleticism, and ability to make tough shots is crazy.

But with such a tough series, who am I going to take to win it, and why?

Well, I haven’t even mentioned him yet, and it’s because I am saving the best for last. Yep, that’s right: Kevin Durant.

Each team can match up great with one another, each team can play interior D, and each team has a slew of players that can change the course of the game off the bench, but not one player on the court can match what Kevin Durant brings. Much respect to Danilo, but I can’t see him stopping the league’s two-time best scorer. What I can see is Gallinari putting heaps of points, but so can KD. As a matter of fact, Durant can do that and more! His length on the wing can be a terror for some perimeter players, and it’s definitely going to bother a young player like Gallinari.

So I said it folks, the difference in this series is going to be the MVP candidate, Kevin Durant.

I expect the Nuggets to bring it each night, and George Karl to push this team to the limit. But again, Kevin Durant has grown into his own, and these playoffs we will watch Durant truly grow into a leader.

Oklahoma City Thunder-Denver Nuggets Prediction: Thunder beat Nuggets in 6

———-

Thanks for reading NBA fans!

So don’t you want to catch it all?

Well, I’ve got you covered NBA fans!

Check out the full TV schedule for the first round of the NBA Playoffs, with games scheduled to be televised on TNT, ABC, and ESPN.

And if you need a little opinion, here are my Eastern Conference and Western Conference Playoffs previews!

Also don’t forget to get at me on Twitter, as I’ll have continuous playoff updates to keep you satisfied!

Enjoy my fellow NBA fans!

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Game 1 - Sat April 16, Indiana at Chicago, 1:00 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN3D
Game 2 - Mon April 18, Indiana at Chicago, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3 - Thu April 21, Chicago at Indiana, 7:00 p.m. ET, NBA TV
Game 4 - Sat April 23, Chicago at Indiana, 2:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 5 * Tue April 26, Indiana at Chicago, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Thu April 28, Chicago at Indiana, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sat April 30, Indiana at Chicago, TBD, TNT

Game 1 - Sat April 16, Philadelphia at Miami, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC/R
Game 2 - Mon April 18, Philadelphia at Miami, 7:00 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3 - Thu April 21, Miami at Philadelphia, 8:00 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 4 - Sun April 24, Miami at Philadelphia, 1:00 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 5 * Wed April 27, Philadelphia at Miami, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Fri April 29, Miami at Philadelphia, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sun May 1, Philadelphia at Miami, TBD, TBD

Game 1 - Sun April 17, New York at Boston, 7:00 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 2 - Tue April 19, New York at Boston, 7:00 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3 - Fri April 22, Boston at New York, 7:00 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 4 - Sun April 24, Boston at New York, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC/R
Game 5 * Tue April 26, New York at Boston, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Fri April 29, Boston at New York, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sun May 1, New York at Boston, TBD, TBD

Game 1 - Sat April 16, Atlanta at Orlando, 7:00 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 2 - Tue April 19, Atlanta at Orlando, 7:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV
Game 3 - Fri April 22, Orlando at Atlanta, 8:00 p.m. ET, ESPN2/ESPN3D
Game 4 - Sun April 24, Orlando at Atlanta, 7:00 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 5 * Tue April 26, Atlanta at Orlando, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Thu April 28, Orlando at Atlanta, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sat April 30, Atlanta at Orlando, TBD, TNT

___________________________________________________________________

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Game 1 - Sun April 17, Memphis at San Antonio, 1:00 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 2 - Wed April 20, Memphis at San Antonio, 8:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV
Game 3 - Sat April 23, San Antonio at Memphis, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 4 - Mon April 25, San Antonio at Memphis, TBD, TBD
Game 5 * Wed April 27, Memphis at San Antonio, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Fri April 29, San Antonio at Memphis, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sun May 1, Memphis at San Antonio, TBD, TBD

Game 1 - Sun April 17, New Orleans at L.A. Lakers, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC/R
Game 2 - Wed April 20, New Orleans at L.A. Lakers, 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3 - Fri April 22, L.A. Lakers at New Orleans, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 4 - Sun April 24, L.A. Lakers at New Orleans, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 5 * Tue April 26, New Orleans at L.A. Lakers, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Thu April 28, L.A. Lakers at New Orleans, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sat April 30, New Orleans at L.A. Lakers, TBD, TNT

Game 1 - Sat April 16, Portland at Dallas, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 2 - Tue April 19, Portland at Dallas, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3 - Thu April 21, Dallas at Portland, 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 4 - Sat April 23, Dallas at Portland, 5:00 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 5 * Mon April 25, Portland at Dallas, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Thu April 28, Dallas at Portland, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sat April 30, Portland at Dallas, TBD, TNT

Game 1 - Sun April 17, Denver at Oklahoma City, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 2 - Wed April 20, Denver at Oklahoma City, 8:00 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3 - Sat April 23, Oklahoma City at Denver, 10:00 p.m. ET, ESPN/R
Game 4 - Mon April 25, Oklahoma City at Denver, 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 5 * Wed April 27, Denver at Oklahoma City, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Fri April 29, Oklahoma City at Denver, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sun May 1, Denver at Oklahoma City, TBD, TBD

Additional scheduling information will be furnished as soon as possible consistent with the need to fulfill league obligations.

If first-round series are completed in six games or less, the conference semifinals may move up to begin on either Saturday, April 30 or Sunday, May 1.

All games, except those televised on ABC, are available to be televised locally.

*If necessary
TBD – To Be Determined
R – ESPN Radio
ESPN3D – ESPN 3D

Schedules, and additional info accredited to NBA.com

The NBA playoffs are about to begin, and surely this is one of the most exciting playoffs I have seen in recent years. With new-look teams like Miami and New York on the prowl, we are sure to be in for a treat almost every night.

Then there are the young rising talents such as Derrick Rose and Kevin Durant, guys who are ready to prove to the NBA world that they are ready for the big show!

And let’s not forget the usual contenders like Los Angeles, San Antonio, Boston and the many other powerful teams seeking a ring!

Yes, the time has come!

And what better way to start my favorite time of year than to write and analyze each series’ matchups, advantages, disadvantages, and who I think will ultimately take it to the next round. And don’t forget, to get my real-time updates as the playoffs progress, you can get at me on Twitter as well!

Update: Click here to view the complete first round TV schedule.

Update: 2011 Western Conference Playoff preview!

Without further ado, I present to you my 2011 NBA Playoffs Preview: Eastern Conference Edition.

(1) Bulls vs (8) Pacers

Season Series: Chicago won 3-1

You don’t just get a 60+ win season for no reason. It requires hard work, dedication, a great coaching effort, and you almost always need that star. And boy, the Bulls don’t just have a star, but also this season’s soon-to-be-named Most Valuable Player. Enough cannot be said of what Derrick Rose has become in the past couple of seasons. The Bulls know it, Chicago knows it, and the NBA knows it.

But it wasn’t just D.Rose who helped this Bulls squad reach seed No.1. Boozer, Noah, Thibodeau, Deng and the rest of Chicago’s defensive-minded squad had a lot to do with it as well.

On the other end, the Indiana Pacers come into this series with not that big of a chance. Coming into the playoffs with a losing record is never something to be proud of, but hey, you made it and the other 7 teams didn’t. So you must have had done something right, right?

And to be honest, this Pacers team doesn’t look too bad on paper.

If you are going to match up against one of the league’s speediest teams, why not have speed against speed, right? Well the Pacers might have a decent shot at keeping up with Rose, as their extremely quick point-guard Darren Collison will take the job against the league’s MVP. I’m not saying that Collison is going to stop Rose, but when you’ve played under guys like Chris Paul in New Orleans, it’s got to help, right?

Then there’s the Pacers leader: Danny Granger. The kid can score, attack the rim, shoot, and he has decent length on the perimeter. Averaging 20 points a game, Granger has proven that he will draw some defensive attention. I’m really looking forward to seeing how Luol Deng will match up against the still-rising-star.

Then there are the role players like Paul George, Brandon Rush, and Roy Hibbert. Solid contributors, but nothing that the league’s best defense can’t handle.

In the end, I can’t see Indiana winning more than a game. With guys like Boozer and Noah in the paint, it is going to be tough for slashers like TJ Ford, Darren Collison, and Paul George to attack the paint with any ease.

Let me also remind you again: the Bulls have the league’s MVP.

Chicago Bulls-Indiana Pacers Prediction: Bulls beat Pacers in 5

———-

(2) Heat vs (7) Sixers

Season series: Miami won 3-0

The time has come Heat fans. The Miami Heat are now in the NBA playoffs, and after a very up-and-down season, Miami has made it to the second starting line with a strong finish that has awarded them the East’s 2nd seed in the playoffs.

The trio of LeBron, Wade, and Bosh did what we all thought they would: finish as the best statistical trio in the NBA. LeBron’s scoring did go down, as did his steal and block numbers, but he finished with a career-high in FG percentage and averaged nearly the same amounts of assists and rebounds per game.

As for Wade, he also had a career high in FG percentage. He lost a point in scoring averages, and a couple in the assists department, but he did jump up his rebounding average by almost two rebounds a game.

If anyone’s numbers dropped, it was Bosh. All across the board, he his averages went down. At the end of the day, he ended up on a better team, and upped the most important statistic: the chance at winning a title.

Now, some might argue that the talents in South Beach were destined to destroy everything in their path, beat down opponents by 20 points a game, and finish with a record of 82-0. But let’s be real here: they are not unstoppable.

Miami comes into this series having swept the Sixers in three games. But don’t let that statistic fool you one bit my friends.

Led by the great coaching ability of ex-TNT analyst and Bulls coach Doug Collins, the Sixers seem to come into each night with the chip-on-the-shoulder attitude we like to see. Many folks didn’t see the 76ers making the playoffs this season. I mean, you have a really young roster, you have a huge contract in a never-100-percent-healthy Elton Brand, and you have to adjust to the style of a new coach. Let’s not forget the whole Allen Iverson departure.

But the point is this: the 76ers should not be slept on!

With a solid defensive system and a core of athletic freaks, Philadelphia is the type of team that can surprise anyone. On the court, the are led by the explosive Andre Iguodala, who might not have turned out into the player we had hoped for, but he sure is one hell of an athlete. Surrounded by a nice core of run-and-gun players like Thadeus Young, Louis Williams, Jodie Meeks and a few others, Philadelphia can tire you out in a hurry. As for the elder of the team, Elton Brand brings an inside presence, and great experience value to this young team. Think of what Kendrick Perkins did for OKC, but in a much lesser form.

I believe Philadelphia gives Miami a run for their money in about a game or two, but Miami comes out on top in each game as the Heat’s big three just proves way too much for the young Philadelphia squad. But much props goes to Doug Collins for a great coaching season! A definite top three, in my “Coach of the Year” race.

Miami Heat-Philadelphia 76ers Prediction: Heat beat Sixers in 4

———-

(3) Celtics vs (6) Knicks

Season series: Boston won 3-0

This is without a doubt the highlight of the Easter Conference first round! I mean, why would I put a picture of KG and Amar’e as my article thumbnail? It could’ve easily been LeBron or D.Rose, but I couldn’t do that!

This is easily the most interesting first-round matchup I have seen in recent years. Could this be a possible rivalry waiting to happen? I mean, the Red Sox and Yankees go way back, so why not a little Boston and New York rivalry NBA-style?

This series features two teams coming head-to-head that are seemingly going in two exact opposite directions.

Boston finished the season much bumpier than it had started, and much of it was due to injuries. Whether it was Shaq, ex-Celtic Perkins, Rondo, or anyone else, this Boston squad always seems to catch the eye of the injury-bug. But it wasn’t just injuries that plagued the C’s.

The trade that sent Perkins and Nate Robinson to OKC in exchange for Jeff Green and Nenad Kristic seems to have affected the team in a negative way. Whenever you watch them, you can sense something is missing, both mentally and physically. This will happen anytime a piece of your team’s core has departed, and well, the Celtics are experiencing it. It showed when they lost the heated match against Miami and the shocker out in DC.

But either way, Boston is the Eastern Conference’s defending champion, and there is no reason to believe they will not fight hard to defend their title. Doc Rivers is still pushing the strong defensive agenda of his team, and for the 3rd straight year his team has finished in the top five of the NBA’s defensive elite And to no surprise, while this team’s defensive mindset is set by Doc, it is led on the court by Rajon Rondo, who I believe will one day earn a Defensive Player of the Year honor. Need more defense? The C’s added two more guys this offseason in Shaquille O’neal and Delonte West to help on that end. Enough said!

Not only can this team defend, but they have an arsenal of scorers on their team. Whether it is the C’s sniper Ray Allen, or the team captain Paul Pierce, or even from guys off the bench like Delonte or Glen Davis, the Celtics can fill it up after they stop you.

Yes, the Celtics have shown signs of slowing down, but we can never underestimate the experience and approach of a former champion.

On the opposite end is a team that has nearly opposite features, but the same goal in mind: an NBA championship.

Yes, the New York Knicks await Boston in this enticing first-round series.

While New York was still adjusting to the recent acquisition of Amar’e, they later obtained yet another superstar in Carmelo Anthony. The idea of this tandem was a daydream for many, and people all over the NBA spectrum were pulling for this one to happen. It eventually would, as the Knicks would receive Carmelo along with his sideman in Denver Chauncey Billups. The trade significantly changed the look of the Knicks and Nuggets rosters, and most were surprised when the Nuggets began stacking on more W’s while the Knicks were piling on more L’s after the trade. Things seemed to be caving inward in New York, but luckily for them, things eventually settled down.

New York’s season ended with a 6-game win streak recently snapped, but things still have started to look upwards. Carmelo and Amar’e are beginning to understand how to play off eachother, while the other key players like Chauncey, Fields, Douglas, and Turiaf are learning how to play alongside the two mega-stars. Basically, as the Celtics began crashing downwards, the Knicks began to get into the groove of things – though Boston did beat New York to end the regular season.

So what can we expect from this Boston, and New York series?

Well for starters, I expect this one to be a very physical series. Both teams are stacked with brutes. Whether I’m talking about Shaq, KG, Amar’e, Turiaf, Pierce, or Carmelo, these guys like the physical side of the game. They like the banging, they like the hard drives to the rim, and they love the contact.

Most of the contact is going to come from the Garnett-Stoudemire matchup! I can picture it already: KG attempting to get into Amar’e's head; Stoudemire trying to jam one over KG; then KG going for the swats, getting the elbows involved, and making his presence felt with his strong interior play. This is probably the most enticing matchup in my opinion. But can KG’s knees keep up with Amar’e? We’ll have to see.

And we can’t forget Carmelo and Pierce, can we?

The two have nearly the same game. Both like to attack the basket off the dribble, but both also like to take the mid-range jumper in your face when their path to lane is closed off, and both even have a sweet post-game. This matchup will be great to watch for all NBA fans. If you don’t believe me, watch the matchup between Pierce and LeBron back in the ’08 conference semis. That was one hell of a matchup. But like KG, Paul Pierce has shown his age every now and then recently. Will Carmelo get this one?

Another huge matchup is going to be between the two floor generals: Chauncey and Rondo, two polar opposites who both have the same role. Chauncey is the guard that will elevate your team’s play to another level, while not being afraid to sink the dagger right in your face (See: Mr.Big Shot). And he has terrific vision out there on the court. As for Rondo, the kid still has yet to reach his prime (scary), and he plays with toughness whether it’s attacking the rim, using his quick hands for the robbery, or taking a body-blow for the charge.

Yes, these two are going to be great to watch. Both have the ability to dish the ball out and score in their own ways. Which will take it? Experience, or youth? We’re going to have to find out.

The reality is this: the New York Knicks are not a complete roster yet. They are still lacking a key role player or two, the chemistry they have is nowhere near what the C’s is, and they still have yet to fully understand how to play with one another.

So in the end, I’m going to take Boston in this one. The Knicks do fight this one out and hand the C’s a couple losses, but Boston is way too deep, too good, and too experienced to lose in round one. But expect a classic my friends!

Boston Celtics-New York Knicks Prediction: Celtics beat Knicks in 6.

———-

(4) Magic vs (5) Hawks

Season series: Atlanta won 3-1

Probably the closest series in the first-round, in my opinion. It doesn’t get much more typical than this. These two teams have played each other in the playoffs for the past few seasons. Each time, the Magic and Hawks were always solid teams. Is there a possible upset in the making here folks? Let’s examine.

The Orlando Magic began the season with a strange start. From the beginning, rumors were surfacing that Dwight would leave the team in 2012 and head for the gold in LA. So what did Otis Smith and the rest of Orlando’s front-office do? First, they traded Rashard Lewis’ huge contract to Washington in exchange for the recently suspended Gilbert Arenas. Then, they would trade away Marcin Gortat, Vince Carter, Mickael Pietrus, and a pick to the Suns in exchange for Hedo Turkoglu, Jason Richardson, and Earl Clark. All of this hoopla was to make the Orlando Magic a better, and more fit team to reach the NBA Finals…and to make the soon-to-be-named Defensive Player of the Year happier. This trade did give Orlando a great offensive look, but it hindered their defense a little. With the loss of Gortat, the Magic only had Dwight and Bass as their true big men.

Though it did take time, the Magic began to get the hang of things, and began pulling together strings of W’s. But like seemingly every other team this season, the Magic also had an up and down year, as the L’s shortly began to follow any time it looked like they had things figured out.

As for the Hawks, they were involved in trades as well. They were in search of a defensive-minded guard on the perimeter, and that is exactly what they got when they sent Mike Bibby, Jordan Crawford, and Mo Evans, along with their 2011 1st-round pick, to Washington in exchange for Kirk Hinrich and big man Hilton Armstrong. A bit too much if you ask me, but the Hawks got what they wanted.

So by the end of All-Star break, both teams were different. One had offense in mind, while the other had defense.

How will this whole thing go down?

Well for the Hawks, they simply schooled the Magic in the season series, taking them three games to none. However, no game was won by more than 10 points; so let’s not overreact here.

Looking back at the tape, the Hawks do not fear any of the Magic’s perimeter plays at all. Most of what I’ve seen was Joe Johnson slashing to the rim, kicking it out to Teague for the three or to Smith for the mid-range jumper. While Dwight did hold his own against Horford in the paint, the Hawks have been exposing the Magic’s wings.

As for Josh Smith, he seems to do a decent job at handling Howard during double-teams, but don’t expect too much of that in the playoffs, as the Magic do have the snipers set up from deep.

But the main battle isn’t going to come on the court, but off the bench. And no, I’m not talking players, but I’m talking coaches. Yes, Stan Van Gundy vs Larry Drew.

While the Magic have the inside game advantage almost each night, against any opponent, the Hawks seem to have an advantage on the wings against Orlando. So it’s is going to come down to which coach can get his team to execute the offense better and which coach can expose the matchups.

If that’s the case, I don’t see how Stan Van Gundy can lose this one.

He’s easily one of the smarter coaches in the NBA. You can put him up there with Phil and the other greats if you want in terms of knowing the game. In a series as closely talented as this one, it’s going to come down to X’s and O’s.

I see this series going six, maybe seven games. But I’m going to take my gut and go six. Al Horford does a good job of containing Howard, but the wear and tear in a seven game series against that guy will hurt you. This will force the extra big-men have to help, which will leave Turkoglu, Arenas, or Richardson open for the three, and that will be the storyline of this series.

Orlando Magic-Atlanta Hawks Prediction: Magic beat Hawks in 6

Thanks for reading NBA fans!

Life tends to get in the way at times, and for a busy student, athlete, and social human, life tends to get in the way loads of times! Even my twitter account was quiet for about a month or so, but I’m back on that as well so don’t forget to follow me guys!

So with that said, I’m back for good and ready to deliver just in time for the playoffs!

Many things have happened since I’ve been gone. Derrick Rose seems to have made his case for the MVP award thus far as his Bulls have clinched the #1 spot in the East, while the new-look Knicks have had a rough time getting into a steady flow. But thanks to the guys here at MSF, the NBA perspective seems to have been covered pretty well.

So without further ado, here’s what the NBA fan needs to know going into this exciting post-season.

The MVP race has been over

AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

Yes, and for quite some time in my opinion.

It’s quite amazing when you’ve been steadily watching the progression of this kid. He came into the league in ’08 and slowly transformed his game and his Chicago Bulls team from a lotto team to a title contender, the latter of which is probably the best part of it all.

Don’t get me wrong though, the front-office did an amazing job in bringing in guys like Noah, Boozer, and Gibson to help out Rose. (We also cannot forget the job Tom Thibodeau has done for this team. Taking his knowledge of hardcore defense from Boston and bringing it to Chi-Town has paid dividends, and it might even result in a Coach of the Year award for Thibodeau.)

But the race for MVP might have been over a while ago. For Rose to carry this team without his two other potential All- Stars in Boozer and Noah, and still somehow fight to top of the brutal East, has been tough. Especially when  you have the soon-to-be three-time Defensive Player of the Year, the talents of South Beach, and the reigning Easter Conference champs breathing down your back.

But the realization is this; Derrick Rose has separated himself from nearly everyone in his draft class, and he has brought himself into the same category as Wade, Kobe, Durant and the rest of the league’s best.

He gets my vote.

Kobe, Bynum, and the Lakers shut ‘em up

Two months into the new season, the hate was coming from everywhere.  People were complaining about how Kobe has slowed down and how his injuries were beginning to catch up with him. Critics were bashing Andrew Bynum for his soft play and his tendency to attract the injury-bug. Even Phil Jackson was beginning to look dumb for returning! Let’s not forget the fact that the Spurs were running circles around the NBA at this point.

But like always, it was a typical regular season slump for the Lakers, and since the All-Star break they have been the league’s best team…by far.

Kobe Bryant made a very hard push for his 2nd MVP, but courtesy of D.Rose that wasn’t going to happen. Kobe’s resurgence hasn’t necessarily been due to his statistical ratings, but more due to his amazing leadership and show of veteran-ship since All-Star weekend ended.  The Lakers since then have gone 17-5 (including the current 4-game losing streak), and within the stretch, they have had a win streak of 8 games. Think that’s great? Well during a 13-game stretch after All-Star break, LA had given up fewer turnovers than each of its opponents – a franchise best since the NBA started recording the turnover statistic.

While much credit can go to Kobe, I think most of the credit belongs to Andrew Bynum.

Bynum has always been bashed on for his weak legs, and how he needs to become more aggressive in the paint. I cannot agree more, as Kobe is slowly beginning to decline physically, and Pau is going to need more help on the blocks. It’s happened time and time again, and Andrew Bynum has begun to respond. He’s attacking the bigs with much more aggression and is getting the dirty work done for LA.

And it’s about time! Not only do the Lakers need another big-man presence, but so does the NBA!

Good timing for the Lakers if you ask me.

Patience is a virtue

For the New York Knicks, the beginning of the season was almost a dream come true. The Knicks were a good number of games ahead of .500, as D’Antoni was utilizing his new-look team to the fullest on the sideline. While Amar’e was earning early MVP votes as his offensive game was sparkling night in and night out, you even had Landry Fields balling out of his mind, turning the heads of the Rookie of the Year selection committee.

Yes, everything was going better than planned in the Garden. I mean, how could it not? The Knicks were straight up garbage through most of the 2000′s.

But amidst the Knicks early-season success, there was the never-ending haze of the Carmelo trade scenario. Nearly every time the New York/New Jersey area was mentioned in NBA circles, Carmelo Anthony was brought up. It had been going on since this past offseason. But it all eventually came to an abrupt end on February 21, when Carmelo was sent to the Knicks in a 9-player deal.

Carmelo was in orange and blue. Everything was settled, and everyone was happy. Correct?

If only things were as great as they were projected to be.

Bringing in Billups and Melo to New York seemed great. The two worked extremely well together in Denver, but would they mesh with Amar’e's Knicks? It didn’t seem that way early on, as the Knicks began pilling on more L’s than W’s in the trio’s first month together. Questions began to loom whether the Nuggets, who have a record of 15-6 since the trade, had gotten the better part of the deal. The media began to question if Amar’e and Melo would be able to co-exist with one another. I mean, the Heat have seemed to get it right so would the Knicks be able to follow in the same footsteps? That is still to be seen.

Well what I can tell you is that since the trade the Knicks have gone on a losing streak 4 times and they went on win streaks only twice. But thanks to their current win streak of 6 games, the new-look Knickerbockers have finally gone over the .500 mark with a record of 13-12.

This Knicks team isn’t going to make it out of the East this year, but with the offseason coming up I look for them to be aggressive in acquiring key role players, building chemistry, working more as a unit and perhaps coming together by the time the new season arrives, to challenge for the Larry O’Brien.

So like I said Knicks fans, patience is a virtue.

Was the grass greener?

This never gets old. Talking Celtics during the season’s end is always one of my favorite subjects to touch up on. For the past 3 seasons, this Boston team has always been one of the key players in deciding who will win the NBA Championship come June. Ever since the memorable ’08 acquisitions of Ray Ray and KG, this squad has been one of the most efficient and exciting to watch (in my opinion).

The Celtics were very, very tough to beat before the All-Star break. This core’s chemistry was as high as it could’ve been, even with the acquisition of Shaq. All of the vets were willing to sacrifice their talents to become more like “super-role” players. The formula even led to a 14-game win streak for the C’s.

But the core has changed since the February trade deadline. We are used to seeing Rondo, Allen, Pierce, KG, and Perkins. Correct?

Well a deal was made that sent Nate Robinson and longtime center Kendrick Perkins to Oklahoma City in exchange for Jeff Green and Nenad Kristic, a deal that made ripples all around the NBA.

For the Thunder, this deal could not have come at a better time. Kevin Durant and Russel Westbrook have been proven, but something needed to spark this Thunder team a bit more. They were lacking size and veteranship. Kendrick Perkins brings both for the squad, and throwing in Nate Robinson added to the depth of the young Thunder team. Not only would this make the Thunder a definitely tougher opponent in the playoffs, but it might lead to them hosting an upset in the West playoffs.. stay tuned.

But let’s not forget about the C’s. Danny Ainge’s surprise trade stunned many, as it happened right before the timer ran out. While many did not know why the trade was done, to me it was clear: Boston would not have had enough money to sign Perk in the offseason, so why not get a piece or two before he leaves?

Bringing in Jeff Green not only gives the Celtics a great young fit for the future, but he can help this team now. I always said that a stretch forward is one of the most valuable positions to have in the NBA, and that is exactly what Green is. He can shot, post up, and attack the rim.

But here’s the problem: The Celtics want to win now.

With the loss of Perk, you could hear the chanting from Magic fans, Bulls fans, and Heat fans alike, as the Celtics’ main advantage was almost always their size and depth. Losing that valuable size will hurt Boston in the playoffs not only because size is important, but because this Celtics squad isn’t getting any younger with their big men.

It’s going to be interesting to see how this trade will affect the Celtics squad in the post season.

Up or down?

The talents in South Beach have shown that they are downright hard to beat when they’ve got it going. I mean, when you’ve got two of the best wing players of the past decade, how can you not be tough to beat?

Miami entered the All-Star break red, red hot. The were 11-1 entering the break, with people finally beginning to realize that the sacrifices each player made were worth it. The Miami Heat were up in the standings, power rankings, efficiency, and every category possible.. including “most hated.” But when you’re so high up, you have to come down, correct? Well, that is exactly what happened.

The Heat came out of the break slumping, and slumping hard with a poor 2-6 showing. The victories that they put up were nothing to show, as they were against Sacramento and Washington; two of the league’s worst teams. Not only was this stretch of games probably the toughest on Miami’s schedule, but it was the time of the season they were to show and prove to everyone they were the real deal. LeBron did his thing, as did Wade and Bosh. As a matter of fact, the three have been playing the best basketball as a trio since the season’s start.

So what seems to be the problem?

Well other than the big three, who can Miami look to for assistance? They recently signed Mike Bibby, and that has somewhat helped, but the Heat’s bench is clearly the problem for the spotty play. When Miami’s bench is playing above their skill level, I don’t see a team that can stop them. But when Mike Miller is missing open threes, and Joel Anthony is dropping easy passes, it makes it much harder on Miami’s trio. Overall on the season, Miami’s bench is one of the most underachieving when it comes to point production, at only giving them 21.8 ppg. Compare that to the Lakers 28.4, or to Boston’s 26.7, and you see a huge gap.

So the question is, which Miami team will show up in the playoffs? We know LeBron, Wade and Bosh are going to bring it each night, but the bench is lacking. Hopefully Miller can get his flow back, and Haslem will return healthy and prove Miami with the spark it needs. If not, well, this Miami team will face more adversity than ever.

**********

Thanks again for reading guys! And don’t forget to get at me on Twitter!