Witnesses to Weakness

It's true we were all witnesses. We were witnesses to greatness all year long. We were also witnesses to weakness on Saturday night.

Lebron said he was too competitive and upset after the loss to shake hands with the opposition. Well that is kind of a poor excuse, but in the heat of the moment it is understandable and forgivable. What I don't like however, is that he also used the same reasoning for not addressing the media after the game. He was too upset and competitive so he left his teammates out to dry? Left them to face the music all alone? Left them to try to explain how the best team in the NBA was not going to the Finals? C'mon Lebron!

We all know that you aren't going to be in Cleveland very much longer at all. But you still have to do your part as a teammate and teamleader! I am a very firm believer that Lebron James is the best player in the NBA--hands down. However, his behavior after last night's loss to the Magic proved that best player does not equal best teammate. Lebron has got some growing to do as a teammate, most of which he will almost surely do in New York or New Jersey. I also believe he will continue to grow on the court as well. As good as he is, something just tells me he hasn't reached his potential yet.

Well, we all would have loved to be witnesses to Kobe vs. Lebron but it will have to wait. Instead we'll all be witnesses to a Lakers vs. Magic finals, and that includes King James from his couch at home. And what about those commercials? Was that Nike's way of assuming Kobe and Lebron would be squaring off in the finals? Maybe they should run some Kobe and Dwight Howard puppet commercials for the finals!

Why the Lakers Won't Beat the Nuggets

When this series started I really viewed the Nuggets as the underdog. With the series now 2-2 I have realized that it is the other way around. The Lakers will not beat the Nuggets because they lack the killer-instinct needed to win a championship (or get there for that matter).

We all know what Kobe can do. I myself consider him the best closer in the game. I do believe that Lebron James as surpassed him as being the best player in the league. However, Kobe is the best closer in the league. But when you get deep enough into the playoffs you need more than just a superstar player. The Nuggets have all the pieces and the Lakers don't. The Lakers have good pieces but they haven't been playing well on a consistant basis this playoffs. Whereas it seems to me that the Nuggets have great pieces that are really playing well together. Don't get me wrong the Lakers are a good team but they lack that killer-instinct playoff intensity. We've seen this show multiple times in the playoffs. The Lakers come out and win a big game and then respond by getting blown out the next. They are just way too inconsistent right now and you can't play like that when you get deep in to the playoffs.

The Nuggets are playing much better as a team than the Lakers are. The Nuggets are playing great and are getting tons of much needed help from their bench. If they continue to play like that they will beat the Lakers and advance to the NBA finals. It very well may take 7 games but they will do it. Their team chemistry and bench play will be the difference. Even the best closer in the game can't close out a Western Conference finals all on his own.

NBA Finals game 5 Reaction

I had coed softball sunday night so I missed a lot of the first half of the game but i caught the entire second half and would like to offer some thoughts.

-The Lakers really dodged a bullet here Sunday night. The series easily could have been over if a foul had been called on the Kobe breakaway dunk and had KG made some freethrows late.

-If the Lakers can't hold a lead at home at all I foresee this series not lasting long in Boston

-The Lakers are incredibly susceptible to the pick and roll and it really is a good thing that they didn't wind up playing the Hornets in the Western Conference Finals otherwise they might not even be here right now.

-It kind of looked like that the Lakers were the more physical team tonight for the first time in the series. I'm thinking this has to do with the Kendrick Perkins injury.

-Paul Pierce just about sealed the championship for the Celtics tonight by himself. With much help at all this series would be over already.

-Kobe needs to be more commanding down the stretch. He needs to earn all those Jordan comparisons and show everyone why he's MVP by wanting the ball in his hands down the stretch and knocking down shots.

-Lamar Odom chipping in 20 and 11 was absolutely HUGE for the Lakers tonight.

-I'm going to stand by my Celtics in 7 prediction although don't be surprised if this one ends in Boston in game 6

So what'd you think of Sunday night's game? Predictions for game 6?

NBA Finals Game 1 React

I'm sure most of you sports fans out there were watching the game tonight. I know I was. In case you missed it the Celtics beat the Lakers 98-88. Here are a few brief thoughts I had after game 1.

-Kobe was just not on tonight and facing the top Defense in the NBA didn't help either. Kobe managed to put up 24 points. However, he only shot 9-26 which is real bad.

-I'll admit I definitely thought the worst when Pierce went down like that. Then I was incredibly confused when he came out of the tunnel 4 minutes later ready to play. The whole things seems a little weird (I smell a fresh NBA Conspiracy Theory Post?)

-The big 3 looked good all putting up 20+. I'm very interested to see how Pierce's knee is feeling come game 2 though.

-The Perkins injury is going to be interesting to me because if he can't play anymore I think Pau Gasol could be a real problem for the Celtics to handle. Perkins didn't match up well against Gasol as it is and with him out I think Gasol could have a chance to really dominate. Unless if P.J. Brown is going to shut him down (which I highly doubt).

-KG's slam home on that rebound was straight ballin'.

-If the Lakers are going to win this series it needs to be in 5 or 6. I do not see the Lakers being able to come into the Garden and win a game 7.

-Game 1 was a little blah but I'm still convinced that this might be the best NBA finals in the last 10 years and I'm excited for Game 2 already!

2008 NBA Finals Preview

On Thursday night the Lakers and Celtics will face off in a historical rematch of the NBA's two most storied franchises in the 2008 NBA finals.

Both teams entered the playoffs as the number one seed in their conference. The Lakers came out of the Western Conference by leaning on Kobe Bryant’s MVP skills and Paul Gasol down low. The Celtics are led by the trio of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.

Here comes some position breakdowns and analysis.

Homecourt Advantage
Both teams are good at home but I can't go against the Garden. Their rowdy fans will have the team fired up and ready to win.

Advantage: Celtics

Point Guard

Rajon Rondo vs. Derek Fisher
Obviously Derek Fisher has the clear advantage when it comes to experience, he has won 3 NBA Championships and played in 148 career playoff games and Rajon Rondo has won 0 championships and played in only 20 career playoff games. This is an interesting match up because neither player is one of the best players on their respective teams but both players can be very important to their team’s success. Both Rondo and Fisher are very good defensive players and both have already faced fantastic point guards in their run to the finals. Fisher has faced Allen Iverson, Deron Williams, and Tony Parker, three perennial all-stars, while Rajon Rondo has faced Mike Bibby, Delonte West, and Chauncey Billups. I believe that playoff experience is an over hyped statistic in this match up because although Rondo is very young and is in his first career playoff year he has played exceptionally well and has played much better than Fisher has statistically, out performing Fisher in every category but steals and turnovers, and has been more involved in the teams offense than Fisher.

Advantage: Rajon Rondo

Shooting Guard
Ray Allen vs. Kobe Bryant

Ray Allen is a great player. He experienced some struggles throughout the playoffs but has started to find his shot as of late. A shot that is the quickest, smoothest, and pretties in the league. But Kobe is the best player in the world and has been showing it as of late. This one isn't really that close.

Advantage: Kobe Bryant

Small Forward

Paul Pierce vs. Vladimir Radmanovic

I believe that this is the biggest mismatch of them all. Paul Pierce has routinely owned his opponent throughout these entire playoffs and this series and this matchup should be no different. Radmanovic is just too slow and simply not good enough to guard a player that is as good and hot as Paul Pierce is. Radmanovic only averaged 8.3 points per game in the series vs. the San Antonio Spurs even though he played over 24 minutes per outing. Radmanovic is not what you would call a shut down defender either, he is very slow on his feet and even though he has a height advantage most of the time he is not a very good shot blocker or rebounder.
Advantage: Paul Pierce

Power Forward

Kevin Garnett vs. Lamar Odom

Although Lamar Odom is playing very well in the post season I do not believe he is ready to deal with a player of Garnett’s ability. Garnett is the premiere power forward in the game today and might be in the top 3 all-time at the position. Garnett is not just a dead-eye shooter from 17 feet, an unstoppable turn around jumpshooter, or a fantastic leader, he is also the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in the NBA and has played his best defensive basketball of his postseason career. Garnett can control the entire paint for minutes at a time and that is a huge luxury. Lamar Odom is used to having a large height advantage or a big advantage in the quickness department but neither will be there in this matchup.

Advantage: Kevin Garnett

Center
Kendrick Perkins vs. Paul Gasol

Kendrick Perkins has been playing great in the postseason up to this point but now he is dealing with a different animal than in his previous playoff matchups. Pau Gasol did not play great on the offensive end against the San Antonio Spurs but he sure did rebound great. Gasol is one of the best passing bigmen in the game and he plays good defense. Perkins is playing great but he still doesn't stack up.

Advantage: Paul Gasol

Overall I think this is going to be an amazing NBA Finals. My Prediction is Celtics in 7. I just think that KG, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen will not be denied after coming this far. Pierce will have a HUGE series, KG plays great D, and James Posey will be big off the bench as well.

What do you think? How would you break down the positional battles? Predictions?