An incredible run by the Houston Rockets came to a halt last night when Boston dominated the second half and beat the Rockets by 20. Previously I predicted that the Rockets without Yao would start to fall back and not make the playoffs. Currently, they probably will make the postseason but I would not be surprised if they fell to the 6th spot. They got blown out in the second half last night after being tied at halftime and tonight they were tied with the Hornets going into the 4th quarter before losing by 21. The schedule continues to be rough with 2 road games on consecutive nights at Golden State and Phoenix. Next week they play the Kings at home and despite the record, the Kings are not a bad team. After several days off, the Rockets take a short trip to San Antonio to face the struggling Spurs team (who by that time will probably have righted the ship). Counting the last 2 games, its conceivable that the Rockets could have a stretch where they lose 5 of 7 games by the end of the month and if that is the case, its likely they would be in the #5 slot in the Western Conference. I hope they do fall back because they are a boring team to watch. I like McGrady and Alston but the other players are no names and they play very slowly.
On another note, I am very impressed with how Shaq is playing for the Suns (who have won 6 straight including tonight's game - they are up by 2 as I type this but I will give them a win in Seattle). Shaq has been rebounding the ball nicely and has contributed offensively. I still think Marion was a MUCH better fit but I guess we will see what intangibles Shaq brings in the playoffs.
On the injury front the Lakers are in trouble. Bynum is not coming back until the playoffs (if he comes back at all in the end) and will not have the proper time to get into game shape. More importantly Gasol is out for a few games with an ankle injury and that might really hurt them for the short term with regard to seeding. I agree with Charles Barkley who says that any team seeded 5-8 has no chance to get to the finals. I would give the Suns, Lakers, Spurs and Jazz chances to get to the finals but if either of those teams have to win 3 straight series on the road, those chances will significantly decrease.
The Eastern Conference will be decided in Game 7 of the Detroit at Boston series. Boston will be tired from a long tough series with Lebron but I still think they will have enough for 1 reason: KG wants it more than Rasheed.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Basketball Roundup
In all my years watching the NBA this is has been one of the most exciting seasons. The Knicks are a joke and it really ruined the early part of the season for me. However, as the All Star break has come and gone, the Western Conference race has rejuvenated me and I am as into the regular season this year more so than ever in the past.
At this time the Spurs won tonight and the Lakers lost last night so I believe the Spurs have a 1 game lead for the top seed in the West. But before I get to the top seeds I will start with some other teams out West. I have been very impressed with the Blazers this year but they are about a year or two away from being a factor in the West. The Rockets are cruising but the injury to Yao will really crush them. I know they have an easy schedule now and are a few games ahead of the Nuggets but I feel that loss will cause them to miss the playoffs. Here is how I see the Western Conference finishing up:
8. Nuggets: If the Rockets get into the playoffs it will be because the Nuggets self destruct. This team is extremely talented with AI and Carmelo but the team does not play defense. You can't trust them in the 4th quarter and can only win by outscoring opponents. With no defense they have no chance to win a playoff series.
7. Warriors: I like the Warriors but they also play very little defense. They had a great run last year and played fantastic at home. The trouble is they do not sneak up on anyone anymore and I don't think they will get out of the first round either although if they can somehow get up to the 6th spot and draw the Suns they might have a chance.
6. Mavericks: I do not like the Mavs and think the Jason Kidd trade will hurt them down the stretch. Kidd is still a great player, a leader and has playoff experience. Devin Harris is not as good a player but he has playoff experience and he can defend the quicker guards in the West. Kidd cannot guard Nash, Paul, Deron Williams, Baron Davis, or Tony Parker. Kidd is older, he is not as quick, and he cannot shoot. He can run the fast break but the team is too slow around him and they don't have anyone like Richard Jefferson or Vince Carter to finish at the basket. I think this team has taken a step backwards after their first round collapse last year and will not make it out of the first round once again.
5. Hornets: I have not watched the Hornets too often but after watching them beat the Suns in double OT and after they handed it to the Jazz I will try to watch them more often. Paul is one of the most exciting players in the league and will get serious consideration for league MVP. He does everything on the court and is a great competitor. I don't think the Hornets have enough experience to go far in the playoffs but a matchup with the Jazz will be a great one.
4. Jazz: The Jazz will go as far as PG Deron Williams can take them. DW had 19 assists tonight (granted it was against Memphis) and continues to improve. I have not been so impressed with the rest of the team and I think a matchup with New Orleans will be very tough. The Jazz are hard to figure as they get beat by poor teams but they are strong against playoff teams.
3. Suns: Getting Shaq completely destroyed this team. Shaq is old and is good for maybe 25-30 minutes per game while going for around 12 points and 8 boards a game. I agree Marion had to go if he was unhappy (and he would have left after the year) but there is no denying that the Suns on the court are much better with him than Shaq. Shaq clogs the middle of the floor and make it more difficult for Nash to work with Amare. They do not spread the floor as much and they are not as quick on the fast break. Marion was also a great defender for them. Not to say Shaq can't help guard guys like Duncan but Duncan can take him out of the paint and is too good for Shaq. I would rather have Amare on him. Also, there are many quick guards/small forwards that Marion could guard well like Kobe, Carmelo, Dirk, and Ginobli. I think the Suns will figure it out by the time the Playoffs roll around and Nash and Amare are too good for them to not be at least a 3 seed. I think the Suns will get out of the first round but I don't think they can get past the Spurs or Lakers.
2. Lakers: What a difference Pau Gasol makes. As soon as he got to LA the Lakers took off. They are a different team now. Kobe does not have to take on the entire scoring load and when Bynum comes back the Lakers front line will average about 7 feet tall per player. They have in my opinion the best bench in the NBA as well. Farmar has really emerged as a solid PG and they have some guys who can come off the bench and play quality hustle minutes. As long as Kobe can continue to play with the bad pinkie this team has a great chance of winning the championship.
1. Spurs: It's amazing that the Spurs are the top seed in the West. Parker missed a couple of weeks and the Spurs didn't miss a beat. Mostly because Ginobli (a good player) has played out of his mind this season and Duncan has been very consistent. The Spurs coast during the regular season but they continue to win. With home field advantage and the team remaining healthy it will be very hard to top this team but I think this year the Lakers have a great chance.
As for the Eastern Conference only 4 teams even deserve mention: The Magic are good and Howard is a beast but they are not good enough to beat the Celtics in the 2nd round. Ultimately the Celtics will be in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cavs or Pistons. When the Cavs traded for Ben Wallace Wally, and Delonte West I thought they had a chance to really make noise in the East. After watching them lose to the Bucks this week I realized their offense is still terrible and it will be up to Lebron to carry them just like he did last year. If Lebron can score 40 a game in the playoffs and the team can make a few plays around him they can beat Detroit again. Detroit has been very impressive lately but I think the winner of the Pistons-Cavs series will be drained after a long series and not have enough to beat the Celtics.
Ultimately, if I had to pick a team right now I would go with the best player in the NBA, the deepest bench and great talent. I love the Lakers and it would be great to see Kobe vs. Garnett (or Kobe vs. Lebron) in the NBA Finals. I'm bored of the Spurs and it's time for Kobe to step up in the playoffs the way Jordan did a decade ago.
One thing is for sure; this season has the potential to have the greatest regular season finish and the most exciting playoffs in a very long time.
At this time the Spurs won tonight and the Lakers lost last night so I believe the Spurs have a 1 game lead for the top seed in the West. But before I get to the top seeds I will start with some other teams out West. I have been very impressed with the Blazers this year but they are about a year or two away from being a factor in the West. The Rockets are cruising but the injury to Yao will really crush them. I know they have an easy schedule now and are a few games ahead of the Nuggets but I feel that loss will cause them to miss the playoffs. Here is how I see the Western Conference finishing up:
8. Nuggets: If the Rockets get into the playoffs it will be because the Nuggets self destruct. This team is extremely talented with AI and Carmelo but the team does not play defense. You can't trust them in the 4th quarter and can only win by outscoring opponents. With no defense they have no chance to win a playoff series.
7. Warriors: I like the Warriors but they also play very little defense. They had a great run last year and played fantastic at home. The trouble is they do not sneak up on anyone anymore and I don't think they will get out of the first round either although if they can somehow get up to the 6th spot and draw the Suns they might have a chance.
6. Mavericks: I do not like the Mavs and think the Jason Kidd trade will hurt them down the stretch. Kidd is still a great player, a leader and has playoff experience. Devin Harris is not as good a player but he has playoff experience and he can defend the quicker guards in the West. Kidd cannot guard Nash, Paul, Deron Williams, Baron Davis, or Tony Parker. Kidd is older, he is not as quick, and he cannot shoot. He can run the fast break but the team is too slow around him and they don't have anyone like Richard Jefferson or Vince Carter to finish at the basket. I think this team has taken a step backwards after their first round collapse last year and will not make it out of the first round once again.
5. Hornets: I have not watched the Hornets too often but after watching them beat the Suns in double OT and after they handed it to the Jazz I will try to watch them more often. Paul is one of the most exciting players in the league and will get serious consideration for league MVP. He does everything on the court and is a great competitor. I don't think the Hornets have enough experience to go far in the playoffs but a matchup with the Jazz will be a great one.
4. Jazz: The Jazz will go as far as PG Deron Williams can take them. DW had 19 assists tonight (granted it was against Memphis) and continues to improve. I have not been so impressed with the rest of the team and I think a matchup with New Orleans will be very tough. The Jazz are hard to figure as they get beat by poor teams but they are strong against playoff teams.
3. Suns: Getting Shaq completely destroyed this team. Shaq is old and is good for maybe 25-30 minutes per game while going for around 12 points and 8 boards a game. I agree Marion had to go if he was unhappy (and he would have left after the year) but there is no denying that the Suns on the court are much better with him than Shaq. Shaq clogs the middle of the floor and make it more difficult for Nash to work with Amare. They do not spread the floor as much and they are not as quick on the fast break. Marion was also a great defender for them. Not to say Shaq can't help guard guys like Duncan but Duncan can take him out of the paint and is too good for Shaq. I would rather have Amare on him. Also, there are many quick guards/small forwards that Marion could guard well like Kobe, Carmelo, Dirk, and Ginobli. I think the Suns will figure it out by the time the Playoffs roll around and Nash and Amare are too good for them to not be at least a 3 seed. I think the Suns will get out of the first round but I don't think they can get past the Spurs or Lakers.
2. Lakers: What a difference Pau Gasol makes. As soon as he got to LA the Lakers took off. They are a different team now. Kobe does not have to take on the entire scoring load and when Bynum comes back the Lakers front line will average about 7 feet tall per player. They have in my opinion the best bench in the NBA as well. Farmar has really emerged as a solid PG and they have some guys who can come off the bench and play quality hustle minutes. As long as Kobe can continue to play with the bad pinkie this team has a great chance of winning the championship.
1. Spurs: It's amazing that the Spurs are the top seed in the West. Parker missed a couple of weeks and the Spurs didn't miss a beat. Mostly because Ginobli (a good player) has played out of his mind this season and Duncan has been very consistent. The Spurs coast during the regular season but they continue to win. With home field advantage and the team remaining healthy it will be very hard to top this team but I think this year the Lakers have a great chance.
As for the Eastern Conference only 4 teams even deserve mention: The Magic are good and Howard is a beast but they are not good enough to beat the Celtics in the 2nd round. Ultimately the Celtics will be in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cavs or Pistons. When the Cavs traded for Ben Wallace Wally, and Delonte West I thought they had a chance to really make noise in the East. After watching them lose to the Bucks this week I realized their offense is still terrible and it will be up to Lebron to carry them just like he did last year. If Lebron can score 40 a game in the playoffs and the team can make a few plays around him they can beat Detroit again. Detroit has been very impressive lately but I think the winner of the Pistons-Cavs series will be drained after a long series and not have enough to beat the Celtics.
Ultimately, if I had to pick a team right now I would go with the best player in the NBA, the deepest bench and great talent. I love the Lakers and it would be great to see Kobe vs. Garnett (or Kobe vs. Lebron) in the NBA Finals. I'm bored of the Spurs and it's time for Kobe to step up in the playoffs the way Jordan did a decade ago.
One thing is for sure; this season has the potential to have the greatest regular season finish and the most exciting playoffs in a very long time.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
19 and NO: Defense Wins Championships
Before anything else, I think one of the worst things about sports is the phony fan. I'm not even talking about the corporate guys who have all the money in the world to go to these games....I'm talking about the random guy who watches maybe 3-5 full games all year, does not know when the team is playing night games, and barely knows any of the players on the team. The same guy who now celebrates what a wonderful season his team has. The same guy who knows nothing about the Patriots other than what people have told him and now claims - "I told you they would win." A real Giants fan is at the parade today. If he can't be there, at least watch it on TV or listen to the coverage on the radio. If you are a Giants fan and you did not have a job that 100% prevented you from being at the parade and you are not ill (or caring for someone who is) and you are not at the parade or the Meadowlands later today - then you are not a real fan and I don't want to hear from you. You are a phony, a disgrace to all true fans and you should keep your mouth shut!
Onto the game..........I'm still not over the shocking ending on Sunday night. There are no excuses to be made; the Giants defensive line took it to the Patriots all game and hit Brady almost 20 times including 5 sacks. Brady hasn't had that much pressure combined all year. Sure he takes a sack here and there but ht is never consistently under pressure. Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnoulo, therefore, is without a doubt the MVP of this game.
Aside from their last drive of the game I was very surprised with the approach that the Patriots took offensively. They played without emotion and it seemed like it was a practice walk through. I understand that Brady was under pressure but why not run some mis-direction? Why not throw more screen passes? Why not run the ball more even if it was not so effective? And where was the aggressiveness that marked the Pats offense this season? All year long the Patriots attacked, attacked and attacked some more. On 3rd and 1 there was no chance the Pats were running. They were throwing for 10 yards. If they didn't pick up a first down they would go for that 1 yard on 4th down. That did not happen on Sunday night. The Patriots looked old, they looked tired, they were too slow, and they showed no heart! The Giants were hungry, they played loose, they were quick to the ball, and they showed unbelievable resolve despite the fact that their offense stunk until the the 4th quarter.
Interestingly enough, all game long I felt that the Patriots were one score away from going up by two scores and really deflating the Giants spirit. I felt that a 14-3 lead would have been insurmountable for the Giants and the momentum would carry the Patriots to their normal level of play. Instead the game remained close and the Giants gained confidence just as they did during the last few weeks.
All in all, the Patriots played like crap and the Giants got the little bit of luck they needed to pull off one of the biggest upsets in sports history. I still remember not believing my eyes on 3rd and 5 when Manning escaped several Patriots defenders holding his jersey which would have been a 5-7 yard loss. Who know what could happen on 4th and 10 or longer? I still cannot believe that Tyree made a catch with one hand trapping the ball between the hand and helmet while Rodney Harrison (who is so old its scary) tried to pry his hands apart. This all happened while Tyree was falling down and bending backwards in a way that the body should not bend. It was the greatest catch I have ever seen in a football game considering the magnitude. A few plays earlier Asante Samuel let an interception go through his hands. Eli would have been the goat at that point. Instead his receivers made plays for him and he is named MVP. What a joke. Give the MVP to Tuck (2 sacks, 1 forced fumble) to represent what the defensive line did.
Anyway, serves Boston right.....a bunch of cocky fans who have actually turned into what the Yankee fan was a few years ago. I admit it - I expect the Yankees to win a championship every year and I took it for granted 7 years ago. Going undefeated is something that if this team could not accomplish - NO ONE WILL! The Giants are not the best team in football - they got hot at the right time, they played well enough NOT TO LOSE vs. Dallas and Green Bay and got lucky when the Patriots skipped the game to attend their Super Bowl victory party (or to sign books about going 19-0).
Once again to all fake Giant fans who have jumped onto the bandwagon: You are a disgrace to sports and you don't deserve to celebrate.
Onto the game..........I'm still not over the shocking ending on Sunday night. There are no excuses to be made; the Giants defensive line took it to the Patriots all game and hit Brady almost 20 times including 5 sacks. Brady hasn't had that much pressure combined all year. Sure he takes a sack here and there but ht is never consistently under pressure. Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnoulo, therefore, is without a doubt the MVP of this game.
Aside from their last drive of the game I was very surprised with the approach that the Patriots took offensively. They played without emotion and it seemed like it was a practice walk through. I understand that Brady was under pressure but why not run some mis-direction? Why not throw more screen passes? Why not run the ball more even if it was not so effective? And where was the aggressiveness that marked the Pats offense this season? All year long the Patriots attacked, attacked and attacked some more. On 3rd and 1 there was no chance the Pats were running. They were throwing for 10 yards. If they didn't pick up a first down they would go for that 1 yard on 4th down. That did not happen on Sunday night. The Patriots looked old, they looked tired, they were too slow, and they showed no heart! The Giants were hungry, they played loose, they were quick to the ball, and they showed unbelievable resolve despite the fact that their offense stunk until the the 4th quarter.
Interestingly enough, all game long I felt that the Patriots were one score away from going up by two scores and really deflating the Giants spirit. I felt that a 14-3 lead would have been insurmountable for the Giants and the momentum would carry the Patriots to their normal level of play. Instead the game remained close and the Giants gained confidence just as they did during the last few weeks.
All in all, the Patriots played like crap and the Giants got the little bit of luck they needed to pull off one of the biggest upsets in sports history. I still remember not believing my eyes on 3rd and 5 when Manning escaped several Patriots defenders holding his jersey which would have been a 5-7 yard loss. Who know what could happen on 4th and 10 or longer? I still cannot believe that Tyree made a catch with one hand trapping the ball between the hand and helmet while Rodney Harrison (who is so old its scary) tried to pry his hands apart. This all happened while Tyree was falling down and bending backwards in a way that the body should not bend. It was the greatest catch I have ever seen in a football game considering the magnitude. A few plays earlier Asante Samuel let an interception go through his hands. Eli would have been the goat at that point. Instead his receivers made plays for him and he is named MVP. What a joke. Give the MVP to Tuck (2 sacks, 1 forced fumble) to represent what the defensive line did.
Anyway, serves Boston right.....a bunch of cocky fans who have actually turned into what the Yankee fan was a few years ago. I admit it - I expect the Yankees to win a championship every year and I took it for granted 7 years ago. Going undefeated is something that if this team could not accomplish - NO ONE WILL! The Giants are not the best team in football - they got hot at the right time, they played well enough NOT TO LOSE vs. Dallas and Green Bay and got lucky when the Patriots skipped the game to attend their Super Bowl victory party (or to sign books about going 19-0).
Once again to all fake Giant fans who have jumped onto the bandwagon: You are a disgrace to sports and you don't deserve to celebrate.
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