Money May...

Sportsfans - I know that you had to of seen the Mayweather vs. Cotton fight last Saturday.  If not, I suggest you watch HBO showing this Saturday and get familiar.  The fight was closer than the judges scored, but it was another fight dominated by Floyd Mayweather. 

I'm not a Floyd fan.  I think he's ducked good fighters and fought others when they were washed up.  He even had a split decision with a 75 year old Oscar De La Hoya...ok I'm kidding about his age, but you get the point.  Since this is the Unbiased Sportsfan, we have to look at the other side of floyd as well.  He's hands down the best fighter in a sport with few stars.  He's the best ring technician that boxing may have ever seen and his stamina, work ethic and defense is hard to match.

43-0 is hard to ridicule.  Yes, he did take a few jabs/straights from Cotto tht bloodied his nose...but he took those and dominated the last 4-6 rounds of the fight to dominate the score cards.  I made a statement (on another site) saying that if he fights and beats Manny Pacqiao then you realistically say that he's the one of the top five boxers of all time. 

Of course I heard backlash from Pac fans saying that Floyd is a coward and what have you...but they have to understand that Manny has 3 losses and 2 draws and it's hard to compare that to an undefeated record. 


The ENTIRE world wants to see:

But first and foremost, the money has to be right for Manny to fight...Second the blood testing has got to be right for Floyd to fight.  We'll see if it happens.  One thing's for sure.  If they do fight, I'll be there to see it in person.  That would be the welterweight version of Ali vs. Frazier.

Who do you think would win and why?


Talk to me -

The Unbiased Sportsfan

The NBA Playoffs...Where Amazing Happens!!!

The first round of the NBA Playoffs are almost over.  The Knicks were eliminated last night and the Hawks, Nuggets and Grizzlies should be next.  So far we've learned that the Thunder and Spurs look ready for the chip, but the Heat and Pacers look impressive as well.
 
Alot of the NBA analysts are going with a Heat vs. Thunder matchup in the Finals...but I don't believe in either team.  Miami is vulnerable in the post and they lack quality depth. They should beat the Pacers in six games, buy the real test will be playing against a healthy Boston Celtics team in the East Finals.  If you remember, Rondo had a dislocated elbow last year when Miami beat them.  It will be a tough series and could go seven games.

OKC has James Harden off of the bench but they play too much one on one basketball to beat a veteran team like the Spurs in a seven game series.  I don't think they even come out of the West.  The Thunder still have to beat the Lakers to even think about the Spurs and LA has the best frontcourt left in the playoffs.

It's becoming a young man's league, but don't be surprised if you see the NBA's two oldest teams meet up in the Finals...Celtics and Spurs.  I know the ratings wouldn't be as high as KD vs. LBJ or Kobe, but it still would be an intriguing matchup.  Either way the playoffs have been very entertaining and I'm looking forward to the next round.

Who's your final four?


Talk to me -

The Unbiased Sportsfan

RG3!!!

Sportsfans - ATTN: In case you missed it, there is a new QB in Washington.  They call him RG3.  His name is Robert Griffin III.  I call him Bobby Triple.  (You heard it here first) You also have heard the measurables; 6'2, 225, 4.4 speed, rocket arm.  A pocket passer with track star ability....will he succeed?  Only time will tell.

It's been 20 years since the Skins have had a franchise QB.  Sure they had, Brunell, Campbell, Ramsey, Grossman and Beck the last few years...but with the exception of a young Brunell, those other guys combined equal up one fair QB in today's NFL. 

Since the Shanahans have taken over, the focus has been on building a young football team with plenty of depth.  The last couple of drafts and free agency has put them on the right path and the hope is that Robert Griffin III will be the final piece to the burgandy and gold puzzle. 

They've made some nice additions with wide receivers Pierre Garcon and Josh Morgan to go along with Leonard Hankerson and a rejuvenated Santana Moss.

Chris Cooley is back healthy and if he can stay on the roster, he and Fred Davis will become a very good TE duo in the NFC.

The running back and the offesnsive line still have the most questions though.  Second year RB's Roy Helu and Evan Royster will try and hold it down, however there's a chance that Tim Hightower will come back if he can fully recover from last year's ACL tear.  The O-Line will need to be strong this year for RG3 to develop.  Trent Williams is back from suspension, but besides that, the rest of the line is a major concern.  They drafted several lineman in the draft, so we'll have to wait and see how things turn out.

The defense has been one of the Skins strengths.  Last year, they were ranked 13th and that should improve this year with the return of Jarvis Jenkins some upgrades in the secondary and new coaching as well.

What does all this mean?  It means that the Redskins and their fans have a lot to look forward to.  Can they maximize their potential and be a surprise this year?  We'll have to wait and see.

It all depends on the growth and play of RG3...

Talk to me -

The Unbiased Sportsfan

Melo...!

Sportsfans - I know that you all just saw Melo lose in another playoff series.  I've been seeing posts on various sites calling Carmelo Anthony a bum or a bust.  Do us all a favor and please stop it! 

Melo is arguably the best scorer in the league and one of the hardest guys to guard in the NBA.  When he was with Denver, they were competitive, but honestly...were his teams better than:

Spurs - Won 3 championships since 2000
Lakers - Won 4 championships since 2000
Mavs - Won last season

Plus teams like the Jazz and Rockets who were very competitive while Melo was in Denver.

He's lost in the first round to:

Lakers - twice
Spurs - twice
Jazz - D-Will, Boozer, AK47, Brewer, Okur
Timberwolves - KG won MVP and got to the West Finals
Clippers - Brand, Baker, Cassell, Kaman, Mobley
Celtics - Rondo, Allen, KG, Pierce
Heat - LBJ, Wade, Bosh

Out of all of these teams...the only teams that didn't have a much better roster than Dever or NY may of been the Jazz and the Clippers.  Give this dude a break.

A lot of people don't really watch the games, they just watch the highlights and listen to talk radio.  Carmelo is a top 10 player in the NBA and no matter the losses, you can't take that away from him.  Maybe he'll never win a chip.  The team that he's on currently was built terribly; no PG, young SG and then you have Melo and Amare who basically play the same position and occupy the same floor space.  Tyson anchors the defense, so that's good...but they don't have enough to make noise in the Eastern Conference right now.  Bulls, Magic (with Dwight healthy) the Celtics and the Heat are just better.  Melo doesn't deserve all of the blame.  He's played well in every series he's been in. 

Maybe they'll make some moves and get better next year.  The Knicks have to get a PG and personally I'd try to trade Amare.  If not, he'll (Melo) will continue to get killed by the media and by ignorant fans. 

Talk to me -


The Unbiased Sportsfan

The NBA is back!

Sportsfans!  A handshake deal has been made between the NBA players and owners.  A 66 game season is in the works and the NBA finally looks like it's ready to launch on Christmas Day!  So, now what?  Free agency and training camps are scheduled to begin on Dec 9th.  It will be a wild 2 weeks before the season starts, with a lot of player Movement and players trying to get themselves back into shape before the new year.

So, before all of the trades happen and training camp starts...I'd like to know.  Who are your favorites for the title this year?

Here's my top 5 teams before the madness begins:

1.  Dallas Mavericks - In a lockout year, this veteran team has the best chance to repeat.  The leadership, chemistry and roster is basically already in place.  Their biggest issues will be trying to re-sign Tyson Chandler and Caron Butler.  If they can manage that, then I believe that they can come out of the West and win the whole thing again.

2.  Miami Heat - With the Big two and a half, they still create matchup nightmares for opposing defenses and they're only going to improve.  Their biggest issues are their lack of depth and need for a quality starting center.  If they can sign a center like Samuel Dalembert and sign some cheap quality players then I think they grab the number one seed in the East.

3.  Chicago Bulls - With the reigning MVP and a healthy roster, the Bulls are ready to make the next step.  Very good coaching, defense and they had the best record in the league despite the injuries to Boozer and Noah. Their biggest issues are consistency and their lack of a perimeter scorer to take the pressure off of D-Rose.  If they can sign or trade for a scoring SG and get Mr. Boozer back to his Utah numbers...they will be hard to beat by either conference.

4.  Oklahoma City Thunder - With the leading scorer, an all-star combo guard and a talented young nucleus, the Thunder have become one of the scarier teams to face in the league with their size and speed.  Their biggest issue is figuring out what role best suits Russell Westbrook and their starting lineup.  They currently like running the floor with Westbrook, Harden, Durant and Ibaka...but they got a lot slower when they traded for Kendrick Perkins and it definitely changed their team's dynamic.  It's time for Harden to be a starter.  If they can get take care of those issues then they can make a heavy run in the playoffs.

5.  Los Angeles Lakers - With a defensive minded coach, a top five power forward and up and coming center, you can never count out the Lakers.  Oh, did I forgot to mention the Black Mamba is still on the team and in my opinion is still a top the league (overall).  Their biggest issues are their age and their coaching staff.  Mike Brown does know defense, however he's never been the best offensive mind and he has a reputation of being a fan and walking on egg-shells with star players...enter Kobe...could be interesting.  Too much talent not to be in it.

So, here it is.  These are my top five team that are ready to win the chip as of today.  On Christmas Day, I will update this list after the free agency.  Until then, get you league pass back people, the NBA is back!

Drop

Deja Vu #2 in the making...

Sportsfans - Remember back in May when I compared the 2010-2011 Bulls to the 2008-2009 Cleveland Cavaliers...?

Well I have a new one for you...see if you can figure it out.

NFC team that started out 5-0 and was the talk of the league until reality hit and they lost 4 out of the next 5 only to finish 8-8 for the season. 

They had a defensive minded coach, ferocious D-Line and an above average QB.

Still don't know...?

Well, these were the 2009 New York Giants. 

Present day...These could be your 2011 Detroit Lions.

Started out 5-0 and was the talk of the league until back to back home losses and the meat of their schedule coming up...deja vu anyone?

Here's the rest of their schedule:

Sunday, October 30	at Denver Broncos	FOX	4:05 p.m.
Sunday, November 6	*** BYE WEEK ***
Sunday, November 13	at Chicago Bears	FOX	1:00 p.m.
Sunday, November 20	CAROLINA PANTHERS	FOX	1:00 p.m.
Thursday, November 24	GREEN BAY PACKERS	FOX #	12:30 p.m.
Sunday, December 4	at New Orleans Saints	FOX	1:00 p.m.
Sunday, December 11	MINNESOTA VIKINGS	FOX	1:00 p.m.
Sunday, December 18	at Oakland Raiders	FOX	4:05 p.m.
Saturday, December 24	SAN DIEGO CHARGERS	CBS	4:05 p.m.
Sunday, January 1	at Green Bay Packers	FOX	1:00 p.m.

Now that you've seen the schedule, let's break it down.  The Lions are currently 5-2

The Lions could very well lose to the Broncos this Sunday.  But let's say they win.  They still have to play the Packers twice, the @Saints, Chargers, @Raiders and @Bears.  There's a very good chance they could lose five of those games.  To my calculation that would leave them at 9-7.  One game ahead of the 2009 Giants but it could take them out of the playoff hunt all together regardless.

I look forward to seeing how the rest of the season unfold, but the comparison had to be made. 

Let me know what you think!

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Week 8 Picks

Good afternoon!  It was a rough week for picks...I wnet under .500 for the first time this season.  I'll bounce back nicely this week though.

Here are my picks for week 8.

Baltimore rebounds and beats Arizona
Minnesota wins one for Christian Ponder by beating Carolina in front of the home crowd.
Houston establishes its AFC South dominance by beating the Jaguars
New York (G) come off the by and crush Miami
New Orleans scores 40+ on the winless Rams
Tennessee makes up for their division loss to the Texans by beating the Colts in a close game
Washington in typical Skins fashion beats Buffalo, a team that they've been picked to lose to after losing to a team they were suppose to beat.
Denver is my upset special to beat Detroit in Tebow's home opener as the starter.
New England beats Pittsburgh in a shootout to become the undisputed #1 team in the AFC.
Cincinatti beats Seattle in a tough road game but win by a field goal
San-Fran beats Cleveland by two scores and increase their lead in an awful division.
Philadelphia beats the Cowboys in a Sunday Night shootout while they continue to dig themselves out of a hole
Kansas City is my upset special to beat the Chargers by a late score in KC.

As always, feel free to leave comments and enjoy your weekend!

Week 7 picks!

Here are my picks for tomorrow's games! 


Skins - I think the Skins re-establish the running game against a Panthers terrible run D. Cam will have a decent game though.
Seahawks - Really a toss up.  Whitehurst is getting the start so we'll see if Rice and Baldwin can get off to a fast start.  Haden's back but with the Hillis situation, I don't know how effective they're going to be running the ball.
Lions - Tough call; I'm going with the home team on this one.  Ford Field will be loud as ever, especially after how they lost to the 49ers.  It will be nice to see if the Lions are as good as the first 5 games..or if they're in for a reality check come November.
Broncos - Gator celebration in Miami during Tebow's first start...Sparano might get carried off of the field after this loss to the Broncos.  The only problem is, he'll be getting carried to the unemployment office.  Tebow has a great fantasy game, but not great QB stats to get this win.
Jets - I'm really not impressed with the Jets, however I think this is a must win with their schedule over the next four weeks.  They'll have to put Revis on VJ and see if the ground and pound actually works.  Watch for the screen game with Sanchez and LT.
Bucs - Divisional toss up game.  I'm going with the young Bucs because of the pass rush that will frustrate Cutler.  Close game though..Bucs by a TD.
Titans - The surprising Titans can make a huge statement with a win at home over their only real divisional competition.  The loss of KBritt really hurts, but I think the Titans find a way to win on sunday.
Steelers - It's hard to win in Arizona, but it will happen Sunday.
Raiders - Run DMC, Nuff said.  However, it will be a very close game because Kyle Boller is playing.  We'll see for how long.
Cowboys - Rams stink. I feel sorry for Sam Bradford.  Boys win.
Packers - Rookie QB against the best team in football right now.  I think the Pack jump out early and stack the box for AP.  Blowout.
Saints - No Peyton, no wins, Saints!
Ravens - This will be a closer game than most think.  Ravens win though.

That's all.  Football time!

Just after the quarter mark...

Football fans...I know you've been rooting for your favorite teams and lately I've been hearing the usual  blasphemy about who's the best in the league and who's the worst.  As you know, this is the unbiased sportsfan and anyone who knows me, knows that I'm a diehard Skins fan...however, before the season started I predicted 8-8 for the season.  That looks fairly accurate, especially with the QB situation.  Now, here's my breakdown of teams right after the first quarter of the season.

Top 5 teams in the league - In this order
1. Green Bay Packers - Best QB/Offense in the NFL right now, good enough on D to win the whole thing.
2. New England Patriots - Tom Brady (nuff said) and the D is starting to play better.
3. Baltimore Ravens - D is playing very well.  Ray Rice is a beast.  Flacco needs to play more consistent to make real noise in the playoffs though.
4. New Orleans Saints - I know they're 4-2 and just lost to the Bucs...so what!  They have Drew Brees, you don't.
5. San-Francisco 49ers - I know I'm gonna hear it about this.  They have a great running game, stingy D and Alex Smith is playing like he should of played 4 years ago.  Plus they just beat the Lions (who I had 5th before last Sunday)

Honorable Mentions -  Lions, Chargers, Giants


Worst 5 teams in the league - In this order
1. St. Louis Rams - These guys just stink. No explanation needed.
2. Miami Dolphins - No running game, No passing game...no wins.
3. Indianapolis Colts - No Peyton, no wins.
4. Minnesota Vikings - Best RB in football, that's it.  1 win.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars - Competitive but too many holes to fill.


Honorable Mentions - Chiefs, Cardinals, Broncos


At the beginning of the year, I made my division winners and wild card predictions.
Here they are again:

NFC
Eagles, Packers, Saints, 49ers
Wild cards - Lions, Falcons

AFC
Patriots, Ravens, Titans, Raiders
Wild cards - Jets, Chargers

I'm not changing those...however in the AFC, with the Jets struggles, I could see them losing a wild card spot to the Steelers.

In the NFC...with the Eagles trying to dig themselves out of the "dream-team" hole I think the division is now up for grabs which means anybody could win it.  I'll stick with my prediction though.  Giants could end up winning the East though.

Teams that still could make noise and mess things up...
1. Cincinnati Bengals - Best D in football, surprising rookie QB
2. Buffalo Bills - Above average QB/RB QB, heart.
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Young and talented, could still win the NFC South
4. Houston Texans - Very talented.  Losing Andre and Mario(for the season) really hurts though.
5. Washington Redskins - Very good D, above average running the ball.  Questionable at QB and play calling.

There you have it.  I will be back at the halfway point of the season to see if anything changes.  As always, thanks for reading!

I'm Back!

Hey, sorry for the delay people...I started writing for another site but since I have a little time I gotta get back to the grind here.  I look forward to catching up with you and catching you up on the latest in these sports. 

Stay tuned!

Boxing Sucks...

I know, I know...you're probably shocked at the title of today's blog...or maybe you're not.  However, there is a good reason for my beef with boxing as a sport.  You be be called the best without ever fighting the best. 

So the other day, I'm scanning the internet and I see a headline that reads "Mayweather ends boxing drought".  I'm thinking...Great!  He's gotta be fighting against Pacquiao right?  I mean for the last few years he's been the best boxer in the world (according to boxing magazines and analysts) So as I'm reading I see that he's fighting Victor Ortiz...wow...really? 

You wait almost a year and a half to fight Victor Ortiz?  The supposed best fighter in our generation is fighting another young up and comer?  Just so he can pick them apart and stay Undefeated...

Yep...That's right boxing sucks.

This is the reason why fighters like Paul Williams will never get a real fight.  People don't want to fight people that could actually beat them in the ring so they choose guys they can pick apart.  Why do you think the MMA movement has been so huge.  People rather pay 50 bucks to see guys fight for three to nine minutes before they watch a 12 round bout with guys they never heard about.

Don't get me wrong...I don't want to discredit Victor Ortiz.  He's an aggressive, power puncher that will attack Money Mayweather for 8-12 rounds before he loses to the cards.  The world just wants to see Manny in the same ring with Floyd and win, lose or draw we can be done with it.

In my opinion, boxing should force the champs and the best fighters to compete against each other to see what's what.  What good is being undefeated if you only fought a handful of good fighters? 

What if Michael Jordan's Bulls came out of the East and said..."nah, we don't wanna play against the Lakers..they've got Magic.."  What if Tiger said the field is too good this tournament, let me play next week when Phil Mickelson's on vacation...what if Roger Federer decided that he's tired of Nadal beating him so he just stopped playing on clay courts?  Real champions face the pressure and their opponents head on.  They give it whatever they have and let the chips fall where they may. 

It's a shame that it doesn't happen in every sport...


Drop

Mama There Goes That Man...

I'm sure you've heard by now that Mark Jackson has been name the Head Coach of the Golden State Warriors...that's good news for Mark but here's the bad news...you're coaching the Golden State Warriors!

I know that after 17 years of playing PG at a pretty high level that Mr. Jackson was anxious to grab hold of a coaching job, but this will be a task to make them a playoff contender.  I'm sure that Jerry West, Joe Lacob and friends will make sure that an all-star coaching staff is assembled around him...however the real problem is the roster.

Issue #1:  Their back court is too small and there is currently controversy as to who's team this actually is...

Possible solution:  Trade Monta Ellis - He's a better scorer than most but he's 6'3 and this needs to become Stephen Curry's team.  Acquire a long and athletic SG that likes to defend...There's already been rumors about an Igoudala for Ellis trade.  That's a good trade for Golden State.  Not sure about Philly though.

Issue #2:   Their front court is small and isn't a low post threat in the paint.  David Lee was an improvement at the power forward spot, but his numbers fell after he left the Knicks.  They need a Center badly. 

Possible solution#2:  Go after Nene, Marc Gasol...or Oden...or trade to trade up and get Kanter...LOL!  I know what you're thinking.   You don't think that any of those guys would go to the bay area huh?  Well money talks and you better believe that Jerry West will be trying to make the Warriors relevant again.

Final Issue:  Depth?  Who's coming off of the bench?  Reggie Williams again?  Anybody scare you on their roster?

Possible solution...it's already in place.  I believe in Mr. West.

Prediction - Depending on the lockout and the trade market, I expect the Warriors to be very active in the offseason. If they acquire the right talent, they could sneak in to get the 8th spot...but I'm predicting they won't.  Clippers, Kings and Rockets all get better and fight for the last two spots.

Lakers, Mavs, Spurs, Thunder, Nuggets, Blazers are basically locks to go back to the playoffs.  I'm adding the Clippers to that mix as well.  So that means it's only one spot left...

Sorry Mark, but I'm already counting you out of this year's playoff picture...I hope that I'm wrong though.  Otherwise, three years from now, you'll be back on ESPN saying classic phrases like "Grown Man Move", "Hand Down, Man Down"...and my personal favorite..."Mama, there's goes that man"!

Good luck Mr. Jackson!


Drop

Leave USC Alone!

The College Football Gods must really hate USC.  Not only did they take 30 scholarships from them over the next three years, they vacated their 2004 title and every bowl win (or loss) during the Reggie Bush era.  I know fans/alumni have to be pissed!  I know that they were wrong but this is destroying the 2011-2013 years and punishing a coaching regime that took over last season.

I don't feel sorry for them. USC broke the rules, but at this expense?  The Trojans will still be a very good team next year but this punishment definitely will hurt them in the long run.  It won't really hurt recruiting too much.  It's still Southern Cal and the team will continue to get better. 

Pete Carroll was smart to leave a sinking ship.  He should of stayed in College though....don't believe me, just watch the Seahawks play.

That's a another story though....


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Sports Lockout!

The NFL has been locked out for a few months now and right after the NBA Finals, the NBA will probably be locked out as well.  I also just found out that Major League Baseball contract is up at the end of the year as well.  All this leads me to this question....

Do the commissioners of these leagues actually talk to each other about CBAs and what dates they'll be expiring?  It's ridiculous to see the NFL currently locked out...but to see all three major sports locked out in the same year would be crippling to the American people and would be another blow to this weak economy.

You'd think Roger Goodell. David Stern and Bud Selig would get together and be reasonable when they iron out their Collective Barganing Agreements.  Someone should of said..."Hey, we might wanna stagger these agreements so we can at least have one major sport going into 2012."  I guess not.  Does that mean, they don't care...maybe so.  They should care because we as fans fill the owner's arenas up and drink eight dollar beers and five dollar hot dogs.  We go to sports bars all day Sunday and drink, eat and argue with each other for the teams and players we love, We fly to cities and stay in expensive hotels to watch rivalries begin and we spend hard on money on NFL Sunday Tickets, NBA League Pass and MLB access. 

Billionaires are arguing with Millionaires about games that us Hundred or Thousandaires can only dream about...It makes it personal.  It makes it frustrating.  Fans won't leave because we have no where else to go.  WE need sports.  More than we need most things.  It's a chance for everyone to have a voice, an opinion, pride in their neighborhood, city or state.  You'd be surprised how many people don't have a voice or an opinion that matters at their jobs, or even in their homes.

So to the comissioners...keep it up.  This is what you have to look forward to:
Sportsbars and Stadiums would be empty on Sundays, DirecTV, RedZone channel, etc. won't be getting the subscribers...(that means no money) only to lead to November when there isn't an NBA season, so NBA League Pass would be a joke and arenas would only be used for dog shows and concerts.  Baseball fans better enjoy the World Series this year because the next one might be delayed and then we'll have the trifecta;)  Are you excited yet?

In all seriousness...I'm truly hoping that all sports will get their acts together.  If not, I'll be paying more attention to Tennis, Golf, Hockey and College Sports.  Even Nascar, lol.  Well, we'll see about that.

Talk to me...

Drop

Dwayne Wade's team...

If you're watching the NBA Finals, you should see that there is no question who the leader of the Miami Heat is.  Dwayne Wade has been the best player on the Heat for the last 3 games and it's not even close.  Shawn Marion has been doing a great job in containing LBJ...No one can completely stop Lebron one on one, but so far, his numbers are pedestrian and luckily he has a great fallback in Wade to carry the load.

So...Lebron might be the overall best player in the league, however when it comes to the Heat, I'm going with Dwayne Wade every time.  He's there best closer and he's taking and making BIG shots. 

We'll see how the rest of the series goes, but if the Heat win the chip, it should be an easy pick for the Finals MVP.

Stay tuned!

Drop

Game 1...

The Mavs and Heat face off tonight on ABC for game 1 of the NBA Finals.  Both teams are 12-3 up to this point and during the regular season, both teams were tied for the best road record in the league.

It's a matchup of stars vs. depth and at 9pm, we'll see who lands the first big punch.  I expect to see Lebron play out of his mind tonight, so it's definitely going to be interesting.

Questions:  Will Roddy Buckets play at all in this series?  Caron?  Will Mike Miller be able to refocus himself after the issues with his daughter?  Will Haslem be able to contribute even more in this series?  Who does the Matrix guard...? 

The answer to these questions could determine the winner of this matchup.

Enjoy the game!  Who do you think's going to win game 1?

Drop

Scottie Pippen...

Ok sportsfans....let's be serious.  Is it possible that Michael Jordan forgot to buy Scottie Pippen a christmas gift?  Forgot his birthday?  Beat him up? 

Something bad had to happen between them for Scottie Pippen to compare MJ to LBJ this soon.  Even going as far as saying that Lebron is a better player.

Now, don't get me wrong, Lebron is hands down the best player in basketball.   However, he has a long way to go before he'll be better than his airness.   The rings, the MVP's the Finals MVP's, a Defensive Player of The Year and numerous scoring titles...LBJ has a long way to go.

But...on the flipside, if LBJ stays healthy, he could play another 8-10 years at a high level.  He definitely will win more MVP's than Jordan, he possibly will win a DPOY award he'll have plenty of opportunities to win championships.  Let's make this comparison again in 10 years.

Until then, lets see if LBJ can do his part to make Scottie's comments a reality.

Drop

New Rockets Coach

Kevin McHale has agreed to coach the Houston Rockets.  The Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming, Aaron Brooks-less Houston Rockets. 

So what's he have left on the Roster?

10	Chase Budinger	F	- Athletic, Shooter (Role Player)
50	Marcus Cousin	F	- No Tic-Toc
3	Goran Dragic	G	- Athletic, Combo Guard (mostly pg)
44	Chuck Hayes	C	- Intangibles Guy
27	Jordan Hill	C-F	- Athletic, Good rebounder/defender
5	Courtney Lee	G	- Athletic, Good shooter, journeyman
7	Kyle Lowry	G	- Good defender and passer...undersized
12	Kevin Martin	G	- Great scorer, starting SG
52	Brad Miller	C	- Veteran
54	Patrick Patterson	F	- Was a rookie last year, decent role player, will   get better
4	Luis Scola	F	- Underrated player, Very good scorer..Starting PF
32	Hasheem Thabeet	C	- Still a project, good rebounder and defender
1	Terrence Williams	G-F	- Very athletic, head case, decent scorer

 Wow...this is a bad roster.  I like Kevin McHale as a coach and a leader but he's in for a hell of a time trying to compete in the Western Conference.  The good thing about this team is that they're tough and young and they always fight in every game.

Maybe they sign a big man like Nene (via free agency) that McHale can groom him into a consistent All-Star...maybe they get Rudy Gay in a trade...lol, just wishful thinking...

The Rockets will need more than that to become a winner...

Good luck Kevin...

Drop

The Finals...

The series that no one expected...The new Miami Superteam vs. The old (but new) Mavericks. 
Stars vs. Depth...Youth and Athleticism vs. Veteran Saavy and determination.  This series is big for the NBA.  You have to give credit to the Heat for overcoming their early struggles to find an identity and team chemistry.  They beat two very good teams in the playoffs to make it to this point.  They won every series in 5 games and the big three are starting to put it together at the perfect time. 

The Mavericks have only lost one game since the first round and they've been on a fast track to get back to where it started in 2006.

Very ironic that this is same matchup from 5 years ago.  However the teams are completely different and it's truly a toss up series that could go seven games.

Matchups:

Chandler/Anthony - Chandler should have the advantage in this matchup...Rebounding will be key in this series.

Dirk Nowitzki vs. Chris Bosh - Advantage Dirk...Dirk played pretty decent defense against Gasol and Ibaka...I think he does the same here.

Shawn Marion vs. Lebron James - Advantage LBJ.  Marion is the Mavs best perimeter defender. He will have a tough matchup this series. 

Deshawn Stevenson vs. Dwayne Wade - Should be a huge Advantage for D-Wade after having an average series against the Bulls.

Jason Kidd vs. Mike Bibby - Advantage J.Kidd..he won't have to chase Bibby around like he did against the PGs in OKC.

The Heat have the overall advantage in the starting lineup.  They have 3 stars vs. Dirk and some good vets.  The role players will be key for the Mavs.

Bench:  Terry, Peja, Barea, Haywood vs. Haslem, Miller, Chalmers, Jones

Verdict - The Mavs have a size and scoring advantage off of the bench.  It will be interesting to see what happens if the Heat get in foul trouble.

Dallas swept the Heat during the regular season. Caron Butler played in both of those games so it's a little skewed but it had to be mentioned.

So there you have it...Can the Dallas Mavericks avenge their 2006 loss and solidify Dirk's legacy or will the Heat win the chip and become the next NBA Dynasty?  It could go either way.

Prediction: I'm going with the Mavs in six.  What you think?

Regardless, I can't wait for Tuesday night, It's gonna be a hell of a series. 

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Mavericks are better than we thought...

First off, congratulations to the Dallas Mavericks for coming out of the West.  Almost nobody expected this to happen (especially the way it has happened) with Dallas only losing three games in the playoffs so far...Playing against Portland, LA and OKC has given them three very different looks and learning experiences as they prepare for the winner of the Bulls/Heat series. 

Dirk Nowitzki has been the MVP of the playoffs and with a group of veterans around him that all have something to prove, it will be hard to pick against them no matter what team they play against.

A lot of Dallas Maverick fans have been asking for the Heat because of the 2006 collapse and righfully so...it would be the perfect ending to the 2011 season if the Mavs could beat the team that won four straight against them in the Finals after being down 2-0. 

So now, they wait...Game 5 of the East Finals is tonight and many expect Miami to close out the series.  I don't.  But we'll all see tonight.

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