Western Conference Semifinals Preview

Following Memphis's 99-91 victory over the San Antonio Spurs last night, the Western Conference Semifinals are set.  #8 seeded Memphis Grizzlies vs #4 Oklahoma City Thunder, and the #2 Los Angeles Lakers vs the #3 Dallas Mavericks.  Everyone expected the Lakers and Mavericks to be here, but the Thunder surprisingly crushed a hot Nuggets team in five games while the Grizzlies defeated an elderly and fading Spurs squad in six.  At this point in time it seems like anybody's game regarding who will make the NBA finals, as the Lakers have yet to exude their dominance from the past few seasons.

Oklahoma City vs. Memphis

Z-Bo carried the Grizzlies to a
surprising upset over the top
seeded Spurs

The Thunder defeated Denver in convincing fashion 4-1, with Kevin Durant taking over games at will.  He averaged 32.4 ppg against the Nuggets and got to the free throw line an average of 11.4 times per game.  More importantly, Durant averaged 30.5 ppg and 8.3 rpg against the Grizzlies this year, yet the Thunder were only 1-3 against them during the regular season.  Will this trend continue? I doubt it. Memphis was 2-1 against the Thunder with Rudy Gay, and without him they lack a threat at the 3 on offense that can also force Durant into playing stronger on defense and tiring him.  Tony Allen and Shane Battier are adequate at defending Durant, but neither is capable of shutting him down.  Durant will get his points, although he may not shoot as well as he did in the Denver series.  If the Grizzlies want to win this series, they will need a strong offensive performance from Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol.  These two players should make for some intriguing matchups with Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka, and Nick Collison and Nazr Mohammed are capable fill-ins if the starters run into foul trouble.  At this point in time, stopping Zach Randolph seems pretty difficult.  He looked real impressive in the Spurs series and should continue to play well against OKC, as he averages 26.5 ppg, 13.0 rpg, and shot .580% from the field against OKC this year.  Considering Randolph's success seems like a given, Marc Gasol will have to perform well.  The matchup, that in my opinion, sways the series in OKC's favor, is Russell Westbrook against Mike Conley Jr.  Westbrook is an elite point guard and has put up 24.5 ppg and 9.0 apg against the Grizzlies this season.  Conley has been much less effective, to the tune of 13.0 ppg, 6.5 apg, and a dismal field goal percentage of .370%.  I just don't think Conley is the type of player that can carry a team deep into the playoffs, as point guard play and experience is of utmost importance in the playoffs.

Make it: Thunder in 6

L.A. Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks

Kobe looks to lead the Lakers
past the Mavs on their way to
a third straight championship

The Lakers looked pretty shaky at times against the New Orleans Hornets, but were able to right the ship and defeated the Hornets handily in Games 5 and 6 to put their fears to rest.  The Mavericks slipped up a bit against the Trail Blazers, letting a double digit lead evaporate in the fourth quarter to lose Game 4, but were able to close out their series at Portland with a dominating performance by Dirk Nowitzki.  The Lakers and Mavericks played three times this season, with the Lakers winning two of the three, and most notably the third game at home by 28 points.  Has this Lakers team played like two-time champions this season? No.  Can they repeat? Possibly.  Will they win this series? Definitely.  Andrew Bynum has returned to form and played spectacular down the stretch to end the regular season.  Although his health is a bit iffy at this point I still think he can have a profound impact in this series.  The Mavericks don't have the size to compete with the Lakers down low, as they can't play Dirk on either Gasol or Bynum.  However, what the Mavericks do have in their favor is superior point guard play and shooting from the outside.  Jason Kidd provides strong point guard play compared to Derek Fisher, while the outside shooting of Jason Terry and Peja Stojakovic trumps that of Kobe, Ron Artest, and Matt Barnes and Shannon Brown if they're in the game.  As great as the Mavericks can shoot at times, they can't compete with the Lakers down low and don't have any strong defenders to guard Kobe.

Make it: Lakers in 5

Kobe Bryant's Homophobic Slur: Too strong a punishment?

This past Tuesday Kobe Bryant lashed out at a referee following a technical foul.  Kobe alarming chose to use the phrase "fucking faggot" while directing his speech to the referee.  Following this angry incident, the NBA deliberated and decided to fine Kobe $100,000 for his remark. Clearly Kobe deserves to be fined for using a curse word to describe a minority orientation, but is it worth $100,000?



Clearly Kobe was yelling something
totally different here...

 The word 'faggot' or 'fag' has, unfortunately, become a part of some people's slang.  One may refer to someone as a 'fag' just because they are unathletic, dress in a peculiar way, or enjoying assuming typical domestic tasks such as cooking or cleaning, etc.  Clearly none of those determine sexual orientation, yet those words, to the chagrin of many, have been relatively mainstreamed into popular culture.  I can understand to a point that one can call his good friends a 'fag' or 'faggot' in a joking manner, as the friend clearly has no malintentions, but why joke around when it could be offensive and could have repercussions if used in a more public place? 

The backlash against Kobe's poor word choice has been strong, and for good reason.  Many people look up to Kobe as a role model, and why not? He's won five NBA titles, works hard and plays through injury, and has kept a pretty clean record besides his 'rape' trial in which he was acquitted.  Does Kobe have to be a role model? No. He's just out there playing basketball making a living.  But many people do see him as one, which is what makes his actions troubling.  One would expect such an exploit from DeMarcus Cousins or Rasheed Wallace, but not Kobe. 

Fortunately Kobe has already taken some steps to "repair" his image.  Kobe and the Lakers decided to team with the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation to help fight homophobia in basketball.  This is clearly great PR, but just because Kobe couldn't find a better word choice doesn't mean that he is a homophobe.  In a piece for the New York Times, a former NBA player cites: "You spoke ill-advised words that shot out like bullets, and if the emails I received from straight and gay young people and sports fans in Los Angeles alone are anything to go by, you did serious damage with your outburst."  Such a backlash is not surprising, but did serious damage occur? Kobe was clearly not speaking out against the homosexual community as a whole, let alone labeling the referee he was speaking to as a fag.  Yes his word choice was repulsive and ignorant, but was he seriously condemning the referee as a "fucking faggot"? No.  Kobe's large fine was not warranted, he'll learn enough from the backlash from the community and will probably put forth more than $100,000 worth of his time toward helping the homosexual community from this point out.  Chris Paul was recently fined $15,000 for 'verbally abusing' a referee. Verbal abuse generally means saying more then a two-word phrase.  Kobe clearly does not deserve a $100,000 fine for his ignorant actions, and it's unfortunate that the NBA feels the need to fine him such a large amount when he'll lose enough money and fans for his poor word choice.

Winning: LeBron James

One may think that LeBron is a pretty obvious candidate for the 'winning' series, and he is, but this focuses on his achievements since 'The Decision' as opposed to the plethora he has accomplished throughout his lifetime.  First, I focus on his achievements on the basketball court.



New team, better teammates, same stats


Going into the 2010-2011 season LeBron was fresh off two consecutive MVP awards and three straight seasons in which he averaged over 27-7-7 (pts,rbs,ast) a game.  Playing alongside fellow superstars Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, LeBron's numbers were expected to take a bit of a hit, especially in the points category.  Have his numbers declined? Hardly!  LeBron averaged 29.7-7.3-8.7 last season, and has maintained those approximate averages with 26.7-7.5-7.0 this season.  One benefit of playing on the Heat is that LeBron doesn't have to carry such a heavy load. His field goal percentage increased to .510% from .503% in 2009-2010.  Despite playing on such a talented team, LeBron has managed to maintain his superb statistics while continuing his winning ways with the Heat. Off the court, 'The Decision' left a sour taste in the mouths of many NBA fans, especially those from Cleveland.  One would think, why would LeBron leave the town he grew up near, leaving his childhood, success, and a strong supportive atmosphere behind?  Evidently LeBron came to the conclusion he couldn't win an NBA title in Cleveland.  Was there a backlash to his decision? Originally yes, but now? Yesterday Lebron's jersey became the top worldwide seller, surpassing Kobe Bryant.  This was the first time LeBron's jersey was the top seller since 2004.  LeBron was clearly grateful for this, saying:

“ It just shows that I've still got a lot of fans out there, man. ... I'm not perfect. I've made mistakes. I'm trying to move forward. But as a basketball player and a role model I am trying to do the right thing. ”
-- LeBron James

Some athletes don't realize what a positive impact they can have if they try and serve their constituents as a positive role model.  Clearly LeBron James realizes this and appreciates his supporters.



A combination with very profitable potential


Moving away from the world of basketball, LeBron recently teamed with Fenway Sports Group to purchase a share of Liverpool FC, the sixth-most valuable soccer club in the world (and the hated rivals of my favorite team Everton).  Forbes estimates Liverpool to be worth $822 million dollars, and a very small piece of that could still deem very profitable.  Expanding his image in a more global manner could be a great move for LeBron! By exchanging some of his marketing rights to Fenway Sports Group in exchange for shares in a British soccer club should only help expand his presence.  Basketball is quite popular in the U.K. and throughout Europe in general, so this seems like one of many 'winning' moves for LeBron.

Revisiting the Carmelo Anthony Trade



He plays defense like this too.



Looking back to the middle of the NBA season, all the hype surrounded Carmelo Anthony.  Was he staying in Denver?  Would he be traded to the Nets? Would he be traded to the Knicks?  Would he be traded to the Lakers???  Melo was shipped to New York along with Chauncey Billups and several others in a package for Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, and two more players.  This move was supposed to give the Knicks the opportunity to compete with Chicago, Boston, and Miami in the East, while Denver was supposed to slip out of playoff contention and be content with building for next year.

What resulted from this deal? The complete opposite.  The Nuggets were 32-25 when the trade occured. Since? 18-6 and have wrapped up the #5 seed in the Western Conference with a cumulative 50-31 record.  The Knicks sported a 28-26 record before the trade, and are now 42-38, playing near .500 basketball at 14-12 since Anthony came to town. 

Why has this trade not worked out?  First, playing Anthony at Small Forward as opposed to Chandler or Gallinari gives the Knicks less size on defense (as well as less work ethic).  Second, Anthony is not a good fit in Mike D'Antoni's offense and neither is Billups.  Both those players are more comfortable in a half court offense, as opposed to the up-tempo one D'Antoni runs.  Clearly the Knicks can adjust their offense around Anthony, but that will take time and Knicks fans are pretty impatient...  Finally, the loss of Chandler and Gallinari limits the amount of frontcourt players the Knicks can play in their rotation.  Can they really rely on major minutes off the bench from Shawne Williams and Jared Jeffries? I didn't think so.

Wilson Chandler and his fellow
former Knicks have thrived
in Denver

Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets are thriving.  The superb play of both Raymond Felton and Ty Lawson gives Denver a constant scoring threat from the backcourt to compliment Aron Afflalo's defense and JR Smith's offense at the SG position.  Their frontcourt is now extremely deep with Nene, Chris Anderson, Kenyon Martin, Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, and Al Harrington.  The Nuggets enter their playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder with a lot of confidence, while the Knicks have struggled to find their rhythm and now face arguably the top defensive team in the league!  As Marilynn always says, and is right about "Carmelo Anthony? Whatever!"

Winning: Mark Cuban

In my second entry on 'Winning,' I shift my focus from the NFL to the NBA.  Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, is clearly winning.  Cuban started off small in 1982, working as a bartender in Dallas and then as a salesman at a software company.  Mark then proceeded to start his own company, MicroSolutions, with the support of previous customers from his work as a salesman.  By 1990, Cuban sold MicroSolutions for $6 million, personally retaining $2 million in the sale.  Cuban continued his entrepreneurial ways by starting Audionet with a partner, combining their interest in college basketball and webcasting.  This company becaome Broadcast.com, and by 1999 was earning $13.5 million in revenue.  Taking advantage of the dot com boom, Cuban allowed Broadcast.net to be acquired by Yahoo for $5.9 billion and diversified his assets to secure his wealth.

As the current owner of the Mavericks, whom he purchased in January 2000, Cuban changed the culture around the fans and the atmosphere in the arena.  Once he became the owner, Cuban did not upgrade his previous seats to luxurious box seats, instead choosing to cheer next to his common fans.  Cuban also encouraged fans to email him with questions and complaints about the team, and introduced a three-sided shot clock, which allows anyone from the arena to see it!  Since Cuban took over the Mavericks, they have made the playoffs in all ten seasons, including a trip to the NBA Finals in 2006 where they lost 4-2 to the Miami Heat.  Despite his strong fervor for his team, Cuban has been fined over $1.3 million dollars for bad behavior by the league!  However, for every $ he is fined he donates an equivalent amount to charity.

In addition to the success of the Mavericks, Cuban has attempted to buy several other professional sports teams, most notably the Texas Rangers and the Chicago Cubs.  Cuban submitted a bid of $1.3 billion to the Cubs in July 2008, yet was not invited to participate in the final bidding process in July 2009.  More recently Cuban bid to purchase his in-state Texas Rangers.  He managed to outbid a group led by Nolan Ryan, with a bid of nearly $600 million dollars, yet lost his deal to Ryan's group. 

Besides his business ventures, Cuban has appeared on Dancing with the Stars, and in various films and tv shows, most notably Entourage this past season.  His rash attitude and indifference to other's opinion makes him a polarizing, yet quite interesting figure.  Why else is Mark Cuban winning? He has lashed out against the current BCS system here, and vigorously campaigns for a new system.  He also appeared with Charlie Sheen on Jimmy Kimmel several weeks ago, and is trying to start a reality TV show with the former 'Two and a Half Men' star on his HDNet channel in addition to potentially broadcasting some of his tour on HDNet.  If that's not winning then I don't know what is!

NCAA Title Game Prediction!

Butler-UConn, Monday April 4th @ 9:23 pm ET

Hey guys, hope you had a chance to read my last blog regarding predictions for Saturday's games.  If not, I insist you check it out.  My prediction was extremely accurate for the VCU-Butler game, as Butler won by eight points in a close game down the stretch, just as I predicted. Now before I start stroking my ego too much, let me say I was pretty far off on the Kentucky-UConn game.  Yes, Kentucky looked liked the better team throughout the game. Yes, Kentucky did go 4-12 from the free throw line. Yes, Kentucky missed too many WIDE OPEN three's. Yet, UConn won and has a shot at their first NCAA title since 2004. 

And so we reach the NCAA Title game: Butler was expected to have a big season, and underachieved up until March. UConn was expected to be a middling-Big East team, and they were, despite the fact they went undefeated in non-conference play and won every close game down the stretch.  The Huskies, and specifically Kemba Walker, seem to 'get up' for tournament-style play and their freshman players have really developed throughout the year.  One thing both these teams have in common: winning the close games.  Lets take a look at each of these team's performances in their last 10 games decided by 5 points or less, and if a game goes into overtime it counts as 5 or less regardless of the final discrepancy:

  Date      Opponent         Score       Result    Record
                               Connecticut Huskies
    4/2         Kentucky        56-55          W            1-0
    3/26       Arizona           65-63          W            2-0
    3/12      Louisville         69-66          W            3-0
    3/11       Syracuse         76-71           W           4-0
    3/10      Pittsburgh       76-74           W           5-0
    3/5        Notre Dame     67-70           L            5-1
    2/24      Marquette      67-74 (OT)          L            5-2
    2/5        Seton Hall        61-59          W           6-2
    1/29      Louisville        78-79 (2OT)     L             6-3
    1/17      Villanova         61-59           W           7-3


                                                       Butler Bulldogs
    3/26       Florida           74-71 (OT)      W            1-0
    3/19      Pittsburgh       71-70           W            2-0
    3/17     Old Dominion  60-58           W             3-0
    2/15      Wisc- GB         64-62           W            4-0
    2/3     Youngstown St   60-62           L             4-1
    1/29     Valparaiso       79-85 (OT)       L             4-2
    1/23    Wisc - Milw       80-86 (OT)      L             4-3
    1/16     Wright St          64-69           L             4-4   
    1/9     Youngstown St    84-79          W            5-4
    12/23    Florida St         67-64          W            6-4

Clearly both these teams have played well in tight games down the strech, despite some struggles during conference play, and they wouldn't be here today without knowing how to win close games.  It seems that Connecticut has more experience playing in tight games, due to the competitive nature of their conference, but Butler has won three NCAA tournament games in the final seconds or in OT, led by Matt Howard's strong, instinctual efforts.  Butler and UConn match up pretty well against each other, as Alex Oriakhi and Charles Okwandu should have trouble with Matt Howard down low, while a combination of Ronald Nored, Khyle Marshall, and maybe even Shelvin Mack will have difficulties defending Kemba Walker.  In my opinion, I know what to expect from Butler: a solid, no nonsense game.  They are well coached and have been here before, so they'll be ready to play.  UConn's freshmen are the X-Factor's for this game.  If Shabazz Napier can keep defending at a high level, distribute well, and avoid poor shots, UConn's level of play will really rise.  If Jeremy Lamb continues to assume the level of play he has established throughout the tournament, UConn will be able to impose a more athletic level of play upon Butler.  Can Kemba and his freshman partners in crime deny Butler the goal they almost attained last year?  I don't think so.

Make it: Butler 64 - UConn 59

Best of luck to both teams in what has been an NCAA tournament filled with surprises!

Final Four Preview: Pretty Wild(cats)!

The Final Four is finally upon is, and it seems like I haven't seen a basketball game in ages!  The heavy concentration of games the past two weeks made this week quite a drag, as no games were played Thursday or Friday.  However, we're back in business as the Final Four begins tomorrow in Houston, Texas, starting with Virginia Commonwealth vs. Butler at 6:09 pm ET and followed shortly after by Kentucky vs Connecticut at 8:49 pm ET.  Considering the way these teams finished the regular season, it's no surprise they made it this far. 

Kentucky captured the SEC Conference Tournament, soundly defeating NCAA Tournament #2 seed Florida in the final.  They defeated Ivy League champion Princeton, West Virginia, Big Ten champ and overall #1 seed Ohio State, and North Carolina on their road to the Final Four.  It's amazing how John Calipari reloaded following the departure of five players to the NBA last year, including #1 pick John Wall.

Kemba Walker and UConn are
two games removed from
their first NCAA title since 2004!

UConn tore through the Big East tournament, winning five games in five days to capture the title, culminating with a win over Louisville in the final.  They proceeded to defeat Bucknell, Cincinnati, Mountain West Champion San Diego State, and Arizona on their path to the Final Four.  Although this team is led by Kemba Walker, role players have stepped up throughout the tournament. 
VCU made the Colonial Athletic Association final, losing to Old Dominion in a close game.  Since then, VCU defeated USC, Georgetown, Purdue, Florida St. and Big 12 Champion Kansas on the road to the Final Four.  What's impressive about VCU is they keep winning with limited size, and a high percentage of three point field goals.  By far the most volatile, but most dangerous team in the Final Four considering their seed.

Butler recovered from a slow start to the season to win the Horizon League Championship and received an automatic bid.  Butler defeated CAA champ Old Dominion, Big East regular season champion Pittsburgh, Wisconsin, and SEC runner-up Florida to reach the Final Four.  Butler's team just knows how to win, evidenced from their run to the NCAA Championship game last year and superb play down the stretch against Florida, Old Dominion, and Pittsburgh.

Josn Harrellson has established himself as a
strong low-post presence, adding another
weapon to Kentucky's arsenal

So who'll emerge victorious in these games?  Connecticut and Kentucky played earlier this season in the Maui Classic, UConn winning 84-67.  However, this Kentucky team is much more mature then they were back in November.  They've won their past eleven games, and each game they've lost since the beginning of February has been by four points or less.  This team is always in the game, and never gets blown out.  Plus, they've already defended against Kemba Walker and should know to some extent what to expect from him.  Brandon Knight is turning into a star distributing the ball and driving to the hoop, while Terrence Jones excels at scoring.  Doron Lamb, Darius Miller, and DeAndre Liggins are threats from outside, while Josh Harrellson has steadily improved as a force in the paint.  This team is not very deep, but is extremely talented and atheltic, staying out of foul trouble.  Connecticut has finished the season exceptionally strong as well, winning its past nine ballgames.  Shabazz Napier and Jeremy Lamb have stepped up their play down the stretch, increasing the options on this ballclub.  UConn already has a win over Kentucky this year, which should give them confidence.  Yet, this Kentucky team as far more experienced and battle-tested then that team in November.  This game could go either way, as both teams finished the season strong, but I see Kentucky winning this game with some clutch play by Brandon Knight down the stretch.

Make it: Kentucky 76 - UConn 70

Brad Stevens has established himself as one of
the nation's premier coaches, leading
Butler to consecutive Final Four's

Butler and VCU both overcame mid-season adversity to successfully earn NCAA bids, Butler's through the Horizon League championship and VCU's through one of the last at-large bids.  Think of how different this year's tournament may have been if not for the expansion from 65 to 68 teams, the Rams may not have been included.  VCU didn't necessarily finish the season 'strong' yet made the final of their conference tournament, coincidentally losing to an Old Dominion team which Butler defeated in the 1st round of the NCAA tournament.  However, the Rams are shooting 44 percent from three during the NCAA tournament, despite a poor rebounding margin and a mediocre defense.  It seems that opposing squads haven't prepared for and haven't seen many teams like VCU whose play deviates so much from the status quo.  However, Butler has had six days to prepare for VCU, and has athletic, on-ball defenders to handle the versatility of the VCU guards and forwards.  Shelvin Mack and Ronald Nored are excellent defenders, and Butler plays an eight-deep rotation which provides flexibility if some players are in foul trouble.  I just can't see Butler not preparing well for this game, and I don't know if VCU has an answer for Matt Howard down low.  Despite their cinderalla run last year, Butler is determined to return to the ball again behind strong upper-class leadership and excellent coaching by Brad Stevens.  Butler wins this game if it is close down the stretch, and I can truly only see VCU winning this game if they shoot a high percentage from downtown and force Butler to play a faster tempo.

Make it: Butler 66 - VCU 58

Check back Sunday for a preview of the NCAA title game, I'm expecting Kentucky to win at this point, but I'll have more of an idea following tonight's games!