NBA Finals Preview

An interesting NBA Finals begins tonight as we see if the Heat can fulfill it's promise to bring championships to South Beach, while a group of old vets lead Dallas into the Finals with likely their last legitimate run to an NBA title. What makes the Dallas run so compelling is that no one has won before, aside from Rick Carlisle's title with Boston as a player. They also have Dirk Nowitzki, looking to vanquish demons from his last Finals appearance, against the Heat, along with Jason Terry, the other holdover from the 2006 Mavs team. Jason Kidd looks to erase his two title losses with the Nets, Peja Stojakovic looks to right a wrong from the 2002 Western Conference Finals and Shawn Marion will do the same after losses to the Spurs in the mid-2000s.

As for Miami, Dwyane Wade looks for his second title, while LeBron James tries to start making Scottie Pippen right (which he never could) about being a greater player than Michael Jordan. You can't even attempt to argue that until LeBron wins a title. Not when you're dealing with Jordan, who's competitive fire is greater than almost every superstar in history (probably just Russell is in the group, with Kobe a level below). The story for the Heat won't be their other guys, but if Chris Bosh continues to play at the level he showed against the Bulls, if Wade can make up for a weak (for him) series on offense and if LeBron can maintain the ruthlessness he demonstrated since Game 4 against the Celtics.

The matchup itself will be fun, as we'll wonder if Dirk or LeBron will be held by anyone. My guess; no one holds LeBron, while Dallas will survive the games which Dirk is hitting his shots no matter who's guarding him. After those two, it will be seen if the Mavs can hit from the perimeter, negating the Heat's advantage in halfcourt defense.

Prediction: Mavs in 6

Week 12 Picks and more

Yes, today is a day of football and there will be picks made, but seeing as there hasn't been a blog post about anything more than NFL Picks, I'd figured I would have a mini-randomness post. Thus, when you look back at this post, it won't just be how bad my picks are going to be this week.


Let's start with a giant laugh at the Miami Heat and their 9-8 record (according to Jeff Van Gundy, they will finish 61-4). And this week they play the Cavs in Cleveland. The best example for return games by a player to his former home happens to be Vince Carter. Carter has killed the Raptors whenever he gets the chance. It's easy to see why, Toronto fans loved him and all Vince did was get hurt, not play hard (by his own admission) and force his way out. LeBron needs to channel Vince, and then unchannel him the instance the clock ends at :00.


Derek Jeter must be high if he thinks he's getting six years and $150 million. The Yankees offer is fair (3yr/$45mil), though they've talk a little too tough. Unless someone offers Jeter more than that, it's on Jeter to get signed. By the way, if I was Jeter's agent, I'd talk to Boston and/or the Mets just to see if the Yankees would be spurred to make a deal and if I'm either team, I'm hoping by talking leads the Yanks to throw a 4th or 5th year to Jeter.


Working in retail means Black Friday is a tough day to work (of course, if more people read this blog, maybe I can stop working retail). The worst part about it was missing Auburn/Alabama, which seemed like a great game. My heart goes out to Boise State, who lost a heartbreaker which will keep them out of a BCS bowl, much less the BCS title game. TCU is the lone BCS buster who could be in the BCS title game, though needs a loss from Oregon or Auburn and that alone might not be enough. In other words, GET A PLAYOFF!!! I'm sure Wisconsin, Ohio State and Michigan State this year would agree.


Finally, we go to hockey where last night's action had a couple a memorable highlights. First, Kevin Weekes calm under the intense pressure of nearly getting run over by a zamboni. Also, the best fight last night with John Scott turning Kevin Westgarth's face into a proverbial crimson mask. This has given me the impetus to have a nightly best fight of the night, so look for that every morning.

Now it's time for my picks;

(Home team in CAPS)

Minnesota (-2) over WASHINGTON
Pittsburgh (-7) over BUFFALO
Tennessee (+6) over HOUSTON
Jacksonvillie (+7.5) over GIANTS
Carolina (+10) over CLEVELAND
ATLANTA (-1.5) over Green Bay
OAKLAND (-3) over Miami
SEATTLE (+2) over Kansas City
BALTIMORE (-7.5) over Tampa Bay
Philadelphia (-3.5) over CHICAGO
St. Louis (+3.5) over DENVER
San Diego (+3) over INDIANAPOLIS
ARIZONA (+1) over San Francisco

This week: 0-3
Last week: 7-9
Season record: 87-71-5

Welcome to Miami, Prince James

We just watched LeBron James announce he's joining Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. He did so in a made-for-TV special that was as contrived as any reality show finale. The difference, of course being that instead on watching the end for many attention-hungry individuals, we had just one who felt it was okay to screw over his hometown team in the most cruel and public way possible. Here's basically how it happened. It's worse than The Fumble, Jose Mesa and The Shot. It's worse than Game 5 of the Celtics series, but it foreshadowed the fact that LeBron quit on Cleveland.

However, I don't want to harp on the this angle or the size of LeBron's ego to go about it this way. For that, read Gregg Doyel's piece, who writes what most of us are thinking. Most people say there's no way you compare him to Jordan, Russell, Bird or Magic. And each of them are right. In fact, now he must worry about competing with Scottie Pippen because he's officially a second banana.

By signing with Wade, James has told everyone that he isn't capable of being a guy you build around to win a title. He's Ewing, Malone, Nowitzki. Nothing wrong with that to be fair, except that each of those players had to settle for being lesser than superstars, whether they wanted to or not and none of those guys left their teams in their primes (includes Dirk for resigning) to make things easier. Dr. J had a span from 1976 (when he was sold to the Sixers) to 1982 where he lost some of his luster because his teams never won. What happened? He waited until Philly added Andrew Toney, and Moses Malone and the Sixers won in 1983. LeBron tonight decided, at the young age of 25 that he can't wait for the Cavs to build the right team.

Now, don't get me wrong, it was fine for LeBron to seek a better situation (not to be a dick and put this decision on TV in a self-serving way). Chicago was perfect, he had the perfect Robin in Derrick Rose, plus Joakim Noah as a relentless defender/rebounder and with Carlos Boozer signing there, LeBron fits like a glove and the Bulls become the favorites in the East, since they have the hig-end players and prerequisite role players you need to have to win (think Horry, Fisher). The Knicks added Amare Stoudemire and actually LeBron could have been the point guard or at least until they see if Chris Paul or Tony Parker comes in. The Nets and Clippers, well, are still the Nets and Clippers (despite the Russian billionaire). He goes anywhere, he's going toe-to-toe with Kobe, Durant, Howard, Wade/Bosh and the Celtics for next year. Instead, he chooses the easy way out and joins Wade/Bosh.

If LeBron was 30 or older, you can understand, the same way you understood why Kevin Garnett had to go the Boston. He spent 12 years in a city, at least in NBA circles, similar to Cleveland (cold weather, no prospect of signing players) and all Garnett did was play hard every game he played for them. He didn't ask out until the T-Wolves shopped him before the '07 Draft. He was screwed over by his management more than LeBron was, with the Joe Smith illegal signing and not taking care of Sprewell and Cassell after the '04 West Finals run. The team was toiling in obscurity and that was the perfect time to put ego aside and win a title. LeBron isn't there yet, he's 25 and should still be trying to beat the best, not join them.

LeBron is a franchise player, a guy you go to war with and have a chance to win a title. Look at the Cavs next season and try to tell me different. He should be competing with likes of Kobe, West, Kareem historically. Instead, it's now Pippen, McHale and Sam Jones for him. It's not a bad thing for Chris Bosh, who isn't a superstar to deal with, but it is for LeBron. It cheats us of watching an all-world talent try to see if he be discussed with Jordan or at least Kobe. He settled for deferring to Dwyane Wade. Oh sure, you're going to hear out of everyone's mouths that they are sharing the team and how this will be like the '08 Olympic Team. They'll be lying.

What happens in the first close game for Miami, who gets the ball. Likely Wade, because it's his team. Then, one of two things happens; either LeBron gets mad like Pippen did when Toni Kukoc took the last shot in Game 3 of the '94 Knicks-Bulls series or accepts it, making him a complementary player. No longer can he potential join Jordan, Magic or Kareem. No longer with Duncan, Kobe or Bird. Neither Olajuwon or Shaq. The best case I'll give you is that he's Elgin Baylor (superior athlete) to Jerry West (more clutch). As far as I'm concerned, LeBron James is fighting to beat out Pippen for best sidekick in NBA history (difficult unless LeBron wins multiple rings) which is a letdown for all our expectations from him.

He wanted us to refer to him as "King James". Kings don't become subjects to others, at least not willingly. Hence, I must agree with Skip Bayless, he will forever be Prince James to me.

The ultimate appitizer to the main course playoffs.

There is a feeling that this year's NBA playoffs are particularly anti-climatic, now that Kevin Garnett looks to be done for the year. The two players above are almost locks to make the NBA Finals. So does that make the NBA Playoffs a complete waste? As a basketball fan, I say no because in the 1st round, we have six series that are going to be interesting to watch and you can even see what to expect from the Cavs when they play Detroit. So lets start with them in the East.

#1 Cleveland vs #8 Detroit- If the Cavs are serious about winning, they will destroy the floundering Pistons. If the Pistons take this series to a sixth game, the Cavs failed and only make the road to the Finals tougher. This isn't like Boston last year who were thrown together and needed to learn to go through adversity, the Cavs have been able to roar through the 1st round before. I don't see any way LeBron let's them lose and the Cavs sweep.

#2 Boston vs #7 Chicago- So you have the KG-less Celtics taking on the 10th straight edition of the Baby Bulls. The Bulls had a golden opportunity to avoid this matchup on Wednesday and face the shaky Magic, but they embarassed themselves against the Raptors. Now, they get the champs who are much discussed without Kevin Garnett (as well as GM Danny Ainge, who had a heart attack). The Bulls will push the C's with ROY Derrick Rose, but the championship experience of Paul Pierce and Ray Allen will lead the Celtics in 6.

#3 Orlando vs #6 Philadelphia- Once again, the Magic are this year's honorary NBA TV series as they take on a Sixers team that stopped playing until the Cavs sat out their stars and beat them in Cleveland. Orlando has a great draw now that it's Philly and not Chicago. The best case for the Sixers is they have a third game at home. Unfortunately, the Sixers aren't important in Philly anymore so the Magic ride D-Ho and will win easily. And yes, I meant to write D-Ho for Dwight Howard. Magic in 5.

#4 Atlanta vs #5 Miami- The best series in the East features Dwyane Wade against the lovable Hawks who pushed the Celtics to 7 last spring. Atlanta has plenty of things you like: young, Joe Johnson is a legit go-to-guy at the end of games. If all things are equal, Atlanta beats Miami. Unfortunately for them, when Dwyane Wade is healthy and dominant, things aren't equal. He is the best player in the series and you don't go against the best player without a REALLY, good reason. Add the fact that Wade draws fouls when he's breathed on wrong, I see Heat in 7.

Western 1st Round

#1 L.A. Lakers vs #8 Utah- The only series in the West that you're pretty sure of the result. The Jazz are however, the last team the Lakers should be playing in the 1st round. The concede the PG advantage to Deron Williams, the coaching matchup is a push and the Jazz have a bench. Plus, they have a better home-court than either NO or Dal. If the Lakers had played Dallas or New Orleans, they beat them in at most five games. I think the Lakers win in 6 as Utah will steal a couple in Salt Lake City.

#2 Denver vs #7 New Orleans- Where I don't see the Hornets able to beat the Lakers in the 1st round, I certain think they will be in this series against the Nuggets. The good thing for the Hornets is that Tyson Chandler is starting to get healthier and might be a factor in this series. Of course, they have Chris Paul and they have an underrated roster, with James Posey, David West, etc. As for Denver, they rode their way to the 2nd seed behind Chauncey Billups stabilizing this team and giving Carmelo Anthony a legit chance to exit the 1st round. They also have many people who think they aren't a real contender in the West. If Chandler isn't healthy in this series, Denver will win. I think Chandler will be effective enough and last year's playoff run helps CP3 and the Hornets win in 6.

#3 San Antonio vs #6 Dallas- All year, the Mavs have been in my eyes the only one and done team in the West playoffs. All of a sudden they get the 6th seed and will get to play a Manu-less San Antonio team. The Spurs were on my short list back on April Fools Day, but the loss of Ginobili knocks them out of any title hunt. As for this series, the Spurs you would think should have no trouble with the Mavs, but remember, Dallas is playing their best basketball right now, they split the series with the Spurs and beat them in a Game 7 in San Antonio back in 2006, when Dirk Nowitzki had his greatest game. Unless Tim Duncan averages 25-15 in this series, Tony Parker could average 30 and the Mavs still win in 7.

#4 Portland vs #5 Houston- As good as the Mavs finished, the Rockets gave up home-court in that final game loss to them and now have to go on the road to take on a very good Trail Blazers team. The Blazers when they had the chance to win home-court crushed the Nuggets and are everyone's sleeper. What's not to love, Brandon Roy is going to be the next superstar in this league, they have depth everywhere and are young to boot. They will be fighting the Lakers every year pretty soon. As for the Rockets, they are in the same boat as Denver, needing to win a series. Houston can get a game early using the experience they have, but in the end, Roy's the best player and the Blazers win in 7.


Based on these picks, you would have Cavs-Heat, which would be interesting to see how many games Wade can take; Celts-Magic, where we find out if the Magic are for real and if the Pierce and Allen can carry the C's. The West would have Hornets-Mavs, where we find out if the Mavs can handle Paul or if the Hornets blow them out again and Lakers-Blazers, which could be the Lakers toughest series. Eventually, it will be Lakers-Cavs in the NBA Finals and I think the Cavs win in 6 and King James gets his crown.