Friday, October 26, 2012

I predict the NBA finals and Vegas picks this is very exciting for me

David Stern is about to retire and good for him. He's definitely has had his ups and downs during his tenure, the downs being most notably the 2 lockouts and the abysmal play of the NBA during the immediate post Jordan years. The NBA now though is rock solid, for the ones who bash the NBA for self play and low quality entertainment clearly you're clearly jaded. The NBA is as in a good of state it's been in since Jordan, and right or wrong stern had a lot to do with that and he's leaving on top which is when you should retire, that and the fact that every time i see him his face is getting more and more leathery.

We're fast approaching the midway point of the NFL season so you one trick fan sport ponies may not even realize that the NBA season starts next Tuesday. While others can't get over that there is more to life than just football, I of course have been anxiously awaiting this moment, for I have the ability to appreciate the greatness of the NBA. Barring a torn ACL (Damnit D Rose) from a star player this promises to be a very exciting year as Lebron tries to make a legitmate run at MJ, Kobe tries to stay relevant and others like Kevin Durant, Chris Paul hope that next year I only have to say their last name and everyone instantly knows who I'm talking about. No time like the present boys, here we go:

The Western Conference:
The San Antonio Spurs is very deep, but their best players are all past their prime, which means that in order for them to turn the corner, one of their young players has to turn the corner and become their best player, that's not gonna happen. The Spurs are built for the regular season and not championship runs. Kudos to Tim Duncan for still being effective at this stage in his career but this team as it's constituted today will not get him a 5th ring.

The Los Angeles Clippers has a legitimate superstar in Chris Paul and a potential one in the making with Blake Griffin, the team is deep, with a nice mixture of veterans and youth, but the West is rugged up top and unless Blake starts hitting free throws in the clutch or Chauncey Billups/Caron Butler/Grant Hill/Jamal Crawford been sipping on Gin and Fountain of youth, laid back I got my mind on my money and my money ain't on the Clippers!!!

The Los Angeles Lakers has Dwight Howard, Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Ron Artest and Pau Gasol, those names alone instantly put them as legit title contenders, some of my very best friends (I won't say who they are, because I'm not one for embarrassing them when they're wrong) believe they are the favorite to win the West as well as the NBA title. Consider this though, Nash and Kobe, the Lakers starting back court are a combined 75 years of age, that's a lot of mileage boo. especially when you consider that the NBA is a guard driven league and young guns are very explosive. Now consider that Dwight Howard who in my opinion is the 3rd best player in the NBA, has had his most success when he was surrounded by great 3 point shooting. The Lakers have Steve Nash that can shoot the 3 but everyone else is shaky at best and yes Kobe can shoot the 3, but you really think the Black Mamba is gonna be content with just hoisting up treys? The Lakers best offensive set may very well be the pick and roll with Nash and the highly skilled Gasol, that would be a very tough match up for anyone and throw in the superior athleticism of Dwight howard...whew, but you really think the Black mamba is gonna be phased out like that. What about the Lakers bench you say, what about that garbage, is what I say. This Laker team I tell you has a Gary Payton, Karl Malone, Kobe and Shaq kinda feel to it, the pieces just don't fit the puzzle.  (gee look Laker fans you get my biggest right up)

The Oklahoma Thunder got way better than people think over the summer. They got younger and more athletic. They have championship finals experience under their belt, but most importantly their best players got a year older. Yep Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, 2 of the 10 best players in the league haven't even hit their prime yet and already they are competing for championships. I think James Harden is a bit overrated but I still think he is very good, even though for my money with his defense and ever improving offensive skills, Serge Ibaka is the team's 3rd best player. That's a pretty potent starting line-up they have and because they are so young they don't have to be quite as deep as other teams have to be. Yep the Thunder are coming out of the finals unless this dark horse emerges...

The Denver Nuggets are indeed 10 players deep, they play in Mile High where opposing teams generally are gassed cause of the thin air, so they are gonna win a lot of games in the regular season, but when the playoffs start and teams slow them down, who will they go to, Ty Lawson? Andre Iguadola? Dan Gallinari? Yikes!!! I don't like those options at all. They are gonna have one of the best records in the West, with not one player sniffing an All-NBA team, and trust me no one is gonna want to play them and that's a dark horse!!!

The Eastern Conference
The problem the New York Knicks have is that their best players don't mesh well with each other. The Knicks are better off with Carmelo playing the power foward and Amare playing center but they have Tyson Chandler playing center and he's the best defensive player on the team so he has to play. The team will go only as far as Carmelo will take them and he can take them far if they got rid of Amare which they won't be able to do, so make no mistake Knick fans your team will die (that's the speech the Emperor gave to Luke Skywalker during the Return of the Jedi, well sort of)...

But wait, New York has 2 teams....BROOOOOKKKKLYYYNNN is in the house. The Nets in my opinion are a better team than the Knicks. they have a legitmate star in Deron Williams a legit #2 in Joe Johnson, when healthy, a good post game with Brook Lopez and a glue guy who does everything well but not great in Gerald Wallace. The fact that their bench is shaky and the 2 teams I have above them are really good is why they can only max out in the Eastern Conference finals.

The Boston Celtics are always hanging around, they have retooled themselves and they will easily cruise past the 50.5 wins Vegas has set for them. The problem is they come across as a mirror image of the San Antonio Spurs, unless Rajon Rondo has learned how to shoot jump shots and free throws they will need KG and Paul Pierce to take over games late in the 4th quarter, now don't get me wrong I love both of them but honestly do you think they got the fire power to get past these 2 super studs...

Lebron and Wade has hit their stride, which means the Miami Heat will be the team to beat this year and yes they got even better. Adding Ray Allen and (watch me not be so washed up anymore) Rashad Lewis on the team will give them more 3 point shooting which will prevent you from clogging the lanes when Wade and Lebron drives. Defensively they are tremendously underrated. Wade is healthier if not completely healthy and oh yeah Chris Bosh is pretty fucking good. Their only weakness is superior post play, which means Andrew Bynum who is way to much of a head case to single handedly beat them, Brook Lopez who is not that tough and Dwight Howard who won't make it out of the West (unless David Stern gives himself a going away gift and orchestrates some questionable refereeing, cause let's be honest a Lakers/Heat finals would be a ratings bonanza), Since I'm betting against those scenarios I'm gonna take the Heat over the Thunder in 6 games unless a dark horse emerges...

The Chicago bulls are a very competitive team without Derrick Rose,however  they proved they can't compete in the playoffs without him but who says they are gonna be without him. Have you seen Adrian Peterson this year for the Vikings? He's playing at a really high level and guess what he had a torn ACL. Have you seen D-Rose crying after showing him rehabbing from a torn ACL, he's hungry son and trust me if D-Rose is back and the Bulls are in the playoffs ain't no body gonna want to play them and that's on da fo real boo!

Vegas Picks
St. Louis/New England u 47
Have you ever seen an exciting game played by the NFL overseas, it doesn't happen. The Rams are not bad defensively and the Patriots are scuffling offensively. The Rams are not very good offensively and the Patriots are not that bad defensively, wait did i just say the same thing... Patriots 24- Rams 16

Washington+4.5 over Pittsburgh
RG3 covers spreads, he dosen't win games but he does keep it close this spread is dropping quicker than a pair of hooker's panties, it started at + 6 I suspect it to drop to 3.5. The Steelers aren't quite right yet so anything over 3 and I go against them. Steelers 26- Skins 23

Bears-7.5 over Carolina
The Bears played Carolina last year and Cam Newton scored a td for a last minute cover, but that was last year's Cam when he was this year's RGIII, all he did was cover. Now he's lost confidence his team is in disarray and the Bears look realllllyyyy good Bears 30- The Cams 17

Denver/Saints over 55.5
This game has got shootout written all over it. Drew Brees is trying to get back in the playoff hunt and he has hit his stride playing like the Brees of old (meaning last year) and Peyton Manning is looking like the Manning of old (meaning 2 years ago) and I'm feeling a bit nostalgic (meaning the teams last games both went over 55.5) Denver 38-Saints 35

Lock of the Week:
Packers-14.5 over The Jags
Sadly the Packers have found their stride and the Jaguars has lost there best player in running back MJ-Drew. The Pack will score early and often and then they will score some more, this saddens me, :( so I may as well make some money off of it Packers 41-Jaguars 10

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