Reflections on the Conference Finals, and Getting Ready For a Classic Matchup

Here are my thoughts as we prepare for a reprisal of the Celtics-Lakers rivalry:



---Love him or hate him, Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest players of all-time. I am an ardent Laker hater with a strong dislike for the Black Mamba, but even I was amazed by his stunning, unstoppable performance in Game 6. Kobe was absolutely amazing. The Suns were playing stellar defense, but Kobe was draining impossible shots with ease. Somewhere, Michael Jordan was smiling.

---Another encouraging sign for the Lakers: The inspired play of Ron Artest. Artest's game-winner in Game 5 was downright fluky, but no luck was involved in his terrific performance in Game 6. If the Lakers are to beat the deeper Celtics, Artest and Derek Fisher are going to have to continue their strong play.

---As for Sasha Vujacic, I can't recall a more useless, arrogant player. Anybody who self-proclaims themselves The Machine when all they do is loiter aimlessly outside the three-point line is a total jackass. More reason to hate the Lakers.

---Meanwhile, the Vujacic-Goran Dragic feud continues to heat up. Never have I been more interested in the state of Slovenian basketball. When Dragic and Vujacic get together to play for the Slovenian national team this summer, it will have all the makings of a classic, guilty-pleasure reality television series.

---Sad scene in the Suns locker room after the Game 6 defeat: An emotional Steve Nash being embraced by Coach Alvin Gentry. Nash is one of the most selfless, exciting players the league has ever seen, a surefire Hall-of-Famer who plays the game with dignified class and grace. Nash had a superb series. Here's hoping he wins that championship he so richly deserves before his illustrious career comes to an end.

---Phoenix has no time to celebrate after finishing off a truly outstanding season, because they must immediately focus all of their attention into re-signing free agent Amar'e Stoudamire. Stoudamire may have had some lapses in focus this past series, but he is still an elite player in the prime of his career. The Suns have the potential to be a title contender again next year, but only if they can bring back Amar'e.

---Out East, the Boston Celtics defeated the Orlando Magic, and will now be vying for their eighteenth NBA championship. The Celtics owe their success this postseason to the brilliant play of Rajon Rondo. Two years ago, when the Celtics met the Lakers in the Finals, Rondo was a weak link for Boston. Now, he is the best player on the team. I fully expect Rondo to thrive in the biggest stage of them all. He will have another spectacular series in the Finals against L.A. Book it.

---Also, I must acknowledge the splendid play of Nate Robinson. Robinson provided a much-needed spark off the bench in Boston's clinching Game 6 win against Orlando. I have always loved Lil' Nate. One of my favorite moments as a sports fan came in November 2006, when I was in attendance at Madison Square Garden for a Knicks-Rockets game. That was the infamous game in which Robinson dunked on Yao Ming. The Garden went crazy, and rightfully so. Very few players can match the excitement level of Robinson. Keep up the good work, Nate!

---Uhhh, is Rashard Lewis still alive?

---I said it before, and I'll say it again: Vince Carter doesn't have a clutch gene in his body.

---Ok, here we go. Celtics. Lakers. Cue the flashbacks of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabaar and Robert Parish. This is gonna be great. Go Celtics! Beat L.A.!

---Two years ago in the Finals, the Celtics overwhelmed the Lakers with their toughness and physicality. I expect a similar occurrence this time around. The Lakers have more raw talent than Boston, but they only have four players who can be classified as tough: Kobe, Artest, Pau Gasol, and Derek Fisher. The Celtics, meanwhile, have at least eight: Rondo, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kendrick Perkins, Glen Davis, Nate Robinson, and Rasheed Wallace.

---David Stern has to be beaming with joy at the current state of his league. Sure, the playoffs haven't been rife with classic moments, but the two conference finals were very exciting, and now two storied franchises and bitter rivals are set to meet in what could very well be an all-time great series. Gotta love the awesomeness of the National Basketball Association.

---So obviously, my hope is that the Celtics sweep. Realistically, here is my final prediction: Boston in 6. Should be fun. Can't wait for Thursday night.

Random Observations: Conference Finals Edition

In the words of the great San Francisco Chronicle sports columnist Scott Ostler, here are my deep thoughts, cheap shots, and bon mots:

---And just like that, the aura of invincibility for the Magic has vanished. The Boston Celtics walked into Amway Arena and stomped all over Orlando in Game 1. Don't let that meaningless late rally fool you, a rally that made the final score of 92-88 suggest a close game. There was nothing competitive about Game 1. The Celtics were the stronger, hungrier, more focused team.

---The fact that Boston controlled Game 1 despite mediocre showings from star players Rajon Rondo and Kevin Garnett is especially impressive. Paul Pierce played extremely well---a terrific sign for the C's---and Rasheed Wallace continues to play superb basketball in the playoffs after a dismal regular season.

---This series is far from over---a Game 2 win puts the Magic right back in the thick of things---but Stan Van Gundy's team has some major work to do if they want to make a return trip to the Finals. Most importantly, Dwight Howard needs to play with far more intensity. There is no denying Howard's incredible athleticism and skill, but there are moments when Howard's jovial personality prevents him from taking over a basketball game. Howard is the best center in basketball, but sometimes he is just too nice and happy for his own good.

---If I'm Stan Van Gundy, I would consider playing Howard and Marcin Gortat at the same time. Gortat is the best backup in the league, and you are wasting his talent if you keep him sitting on the bench. A Howard-Gortat tandem could prevent scoring drives to the lane by Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce. I know it's unconventional, but hey, it could work.

---On to the Western Conference Finals, where I am downright giddy with excitement. I can't wait for this series. The Suns-Lakers matchup could be one of the ages. Gooooooooooooo Suns! Beat L.A.!

---For the Suns to win, they are going to have to find a way to slow down Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. Go ahead and let Kobe do his thing, that's fine. But if Gasol and Bynum turn in big games, Phoenix could be in trouble.

---As for Kobe Bryant, I'd say the best plan of attack is to have Grant Hill guard him man-to-man. Hill is a wily veteran who knows how to defend, and he is capable of limiting Bryant's productivity.

---Ladies and gentleman, savor every moment Steve Nash is on the floor. Nash, who is currently wearing a ghastly black eye, courtesy of San Antonio, is one of the most exhilarating, toughest players the league has ever seen. He is a true treasure.

---You should also savor every moment Sasha Vujacic is on the floor for the Lakers, because he may well be the worst player in NBA history. I will never understand how a terrible shooter who does nothing but loiter at the three-point line gets major minutes on a championship contender. Vujacic must be Phil Jackson's son-in-law. There is no other logical explanation. I mean, the guy just sucks.

---So sit back, relax, and enjoy the glory of the NBA Conference Finals. Let the games begin!

Magic in Milwaukee

There is something remarkable brewing in Milwaukee. The Milwaukee Bucks, the six-seed in the East in these NBA playoffs, are one win away from closing out the Hawks and advancing to the second round to face the Magic. Fresh off the heels of an exhilarating comeback win on the road in Game 5 against Atlanta, the Bucks are a virtual lock to win Game 6 in front of a raucous home crowd, especially considering the astonishing road futility of the Hawks. If they do win on Friday night, it will be an awesome achievement, and a testament to this team's unyielding heart and tenacity.

Watching last night's game, the discrepancy in effort between the two teams was staggering. On one side, you had a Hawks team plagued with chemistry and confidence issues, a team that looks thoroughly dejected after something doesn't go their way. One the other side, you had Ersan Ilyasova diving for loose ball after loose ball, you had rookie phenom Brandon Jennings playing with the fearlessness of a wily veteran, you had Carlos Delfino draining an incredibly clutch three as if he's Robert-Freakin-Horry. When the Hawks held a double-digit lead late in the fourth quarter, the easy thing to do would have been to quit and look ahead to Game 6. But the Bucks kept plugging away, and they were rewarded with one of the grittiest, most impressive wins in recent playoff memory.

The Bucks may not last very long in these playoffs----they will again be the heavy underdog if they advance to play Orlando----but basketball fans should savor every moment Milwaukee steps onto the hardwood. Because what Scott Skiles has done with this team is nothing short of amazing.

NBA Playoffs: Western Conference Series-by-Series Breakdown

The 2010 NBA Playoffs commence tomorrow afternoon, and this year's slate of postseason action promises to be mindblowingly scintillating, especially out West, where the pack is loaded with true contenders. With no further ado, here is my series-by-series breakdown:



WEST



1 Los Angeles Lakers vs. 8 Oklahoma City Thunder



The defending champs have played sluggish, complacent basketball for much of the last month. In order to persevere through the challenging Western conference and make a return to the NBA Finals, the Lakers are going to have to play with the type of inspired energy and fearless swagger that defined their 2009 playoff run. L.A. better start playing solid basketball A.S.A.P., because the eighth-seeded Thunder will give them everything they can handle. One could argue that the Thunder are the most fun team to watch in the NBA. Led by the amazing Kevin Durant, with assistance from superb young players Russell Westbrook, Jeff Green, and James Harden, Oklahoma City is intimidated by no team. Of course, I'm picking the Lakers to win the series, especially if guys like Lamar Odom and Ron Artest can be productive and support big guns Kobe, Gasol, and Bynum. But nothing would make me happier than to see the Thunder pull off the shocking upset. Those of you calling for a Lakers sweep are sorely misguided; this series will be far more competitive than people think.



PREDICTION: Lakers in 6



2 Dallas Mavericks vs. 7 San Antonio Spurs



A couple of months ago, I would have said the Mavs in an easy walk. There would have been no way that the seemingly decaying Spurs, led by the seemingly past-their prime players Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobli, and Tony Parker, would be able to stop Dirk Nowitzki, Caron Butler, Jason Kidd, and the Mavs. Ah, but that was two months ago. The Spurs have had a late-season resurgence, thanks in large part to the dominating play of Manu Ginobli. I think San Antonio will push Dallas to the brink in what will be a wildly entertaining series. Watch out, Dallas.

PREDICTION: Spurs in 7

3 Phoenix Suns vs. 6 Portland Trail Blazers

I don't know if there is a more unlucky franchise in all of sports than the Portland Trail Blazers. A couple of years ago, the city of Portland was ecstatic in celebration when they picked Greg Oden, the dominant center from Ohio State, as the top pick in the NBA Draft. Oden was surely going to bring a championship to the Rose City. No doubt about it. Three years later, Oden is an incessantly injury-plagued flop. This season, even without Oden, the Blazers were poised to make a deep run into the playoffs. Last week, however, it was revealed that Brandon Roy would miss the entire playoffs due to a knee injury. You can't help but feel bad for the Blazers. They will still be competitive in this series----they have major talent even without Roy, and Nate McMillan is a superb coach----but it is hard to imagine them beating the Suns four times in the span of two weeks. Phoenix is rolling right now. Steve Nash is an ageless magician out there on the floor, conjuring memories of Pete Maravich. And for the first time in a long time, Amare Stoudamire is playing with boundless energy, unburdened by any distracting trade rumors.

PREDICTION: Suns in 6

4 Denver Nuggets vs. 5 Utah Jazz

And I save the best for last. Oh my, what an unbelievable series this will be, so good in fact, that I think the winner of this series will go on to reach the NBA Finals. Ladies and gentleman, I would be surprised if this series does not go the full seven. Both teams are evenly matched. One hand, you have Chauncey Billups, Carmelo Anthony, J.R. Smith, and the Nuggets. On the other, you have Deron Williams, Andrei Kirilenko, Carlos Boozer, and the Jazz. The only advantage that I can pinpoint is the coaching. No disrespect to Adrian Dantley, who is a more-than-capable replacement for the recovering George Karl (Best wishes to Karl and his family, by the way), but Jerry Sloan is one of the all-time greats. Other than that, this series is a total toss-up. I'll go with Denver, simply because they have home court, something that is worth noting to due to Utah's proclivity to struggle away from Salt Lake City.

PREDICTION: Nuggets in 7

And before we leave, here is my quick take on the East side of things:

Cavs over Bulls in 4......Easy call.

Magic over Bobcats in 6......I'm excited for this series; Charlotte better than people realize.

Hawks over Bucks in 5......Bright lights too overwhelming for young Bucks.

Heat over Celtics in 6......Halftime is now called Nap Time for the Celtics.