NBA Playoffs 2013: Round 1 Eastern Conference Break Down and Predictions

It’s time once again for postseason greatness in the NBA.

Here are the Eastern Conference series:

(1) Miami Heat vs (8) Milwaukee Bucks

(2) New York Knicks vs (7) Boson Celtics

(3) Indiana Pacers vs (6) Atlanta Hawks

(4) Brooklyn Nets vs (5) Chicago Bulls

Break Downs and Predictions:

(1) Heat vs (8) Bucks:

This series hardly requires any breaking down. Simply put, the Miami Heat are out of the Bucks’ league.

It’s possible that the Bucks may come within ten points of the Heat in one or two of the games, but even that is being optimistic.

Prediction – Miami wins series 4-0

(2) Knicks vs (7) Celtics:

Much like the “2-vs-7” match-up in the West between the Spurs and Lakers, this series is very likely going to the final seventh game.

The New York Knicks have seen MVP level play from star Forward Carmelo Anthony and stellar support from J.R. Smith and Tyson Chandler.

The Celtics have been coping with the loss of All-Star Point Guard Rajon Rondo to an ACL injury. Stepping up to fill the void has been Avery Bradley. Forward Jeff Green has provided much needed scoring and will likely be the “X-factor” in the Knicks series.

Because both teams have formidable scoring threats as well as defensive abilities, I would give the edge to the better head coach. Doc Rivers is one of, if not the best coach in the East.

Prediction – Boston wins series 4-3

(3) Pacers vs (6) Hawks:

They should call this series the “under-the-radar” series.

Both the Indiana Pacers and Atalanta Hawks have done simply just enough over the course of the season to make the playoffs without turning many heads or making any waves.

This strategy worked well for the Pacers last season as they proved the first real test on the Heat’s road to their championship, nearly stealing the series while Dwyane Wade struggled and Chris Bosh recovered from injury.

The Hawks pose no such threat to the Pacers who, even without Danny Granger, should handle Atlanta without much issue.

Prediction – Indiana wins series 4-2

(4) Nets vs (5) Bulls:

The Chicago Bulls surely thought they’d be going into the first round of the playoffs this season with a healthy Derrick Rose, who tore his ACL in the first round of last year’s playoffs.

That, however, is not their reality as Rose continues his rehab months after being cleared by team doctors to return to action.

The Brooklyn Nets pose a large challenge for the shorthanded Bulls with All-Star Center Brook Lopez and elite Point Guard Deron Williams enjoying home court advantage.

The biggest chance the Bulls stand at beating the Nets is by exploiting their physical play. The X-factors for Chicago will be Joakim Noah and Nate Robinson.

Prediction – Chicago wins series 4-3

That wraps up the Eastern Conference first round match-ups. Can’t wait to see how it turns out.

NFL Super Bowl 2012: New England Patriots to Face New York Giants in 2008 Rematch.

Image via Wikipedia

The New England Patriots will face the New York Giants February 5, 2012 in Super Bowl XLVI.

Tom Brady leads the Patriots into their 7th Super Bowl in franchise history (5th in the last decade). Brady was the Patriots starting quarterback in the previous four “big dances” with a dramatic loss to Eli Manning and the New York Giants in 2008 being his most recent.

Eli Manning leads the Giants to their 5th Super Bowl all time and 3rd since 2001. The Giants pulled off what many believe to be possibly the biggest upset in NFL history when they beat the 18-0 New England Patriots just four years earlier in Super Bowl XLII.

It seemed this season the final four teams remaining in the playoffs weren’t there to mess around. Both conference championships were hotly contested to the last blow of the whistle. The “Pats” and “G-men” won their respective Conference Championship games by three points (Patriots 23-20 over the Baltimore Ravens and Giants 20-17 over the San Francisco 49ers).

Interestingly enough, the number three seems to be a very significant number for the Tom Brady.

All four Super Bowl’s Brady has played in have been decided by three points (20-17, 32-29, 24-21, 14-17).

Three is also the number of Super Bowl rings Brady dons. Surely Brady has plans of changing that number to four.

The key to this game is going to be the New England defense. The New York Giants’ defense has been playing lock down defense the last 6 games and the New England offense is as dangerous as any New York has faced, including the Green Bay Packers.

Image via Wikipedia

However, with the emergence of Victor Cruz the second half of this season, I would argue the Giants’ offense stands just as much chance of breaking a game open as the Patriots. Thus, the New England defense must have all hands on deck February 5th because they are far from the caliber defense the 49ers field.

The Giants are the best team in the NFL at getting pressure on a quarterback with just the front four. Alex Smith found that out in the NFC Championship game, being flushed from the pocket play after play.

Because of how well the Giants have played as a complete team the last 7 games, I like their chances of winning this 2008 rematch.

Prediction: Giants 27 Patriots 24

Miami vs Knicks: A rivalry renewed

Back in the late 90’s, the Knicks and Heat played with intensity vying for top spot in the East.

Patrick Ewing, John Starks, and Coach Jeff Van Gundy vs Alonzo Mourning, Tim Hardaway, and Coach Pat Riley.

Enter Miami’s “Big 3”; LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh squaring off against New York’s “Big 2” (will be 3 after summer); Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire.

This is the future of the East with Celtics “Big 3” getting older and slower.

New York’s victory at Miami Sunday night proves even more that the rivalry is back.

“‘Melo out”: Anthony to New York?

Reports surfaced last off-season that Carmelo Anthony wanted to play basketball in New York. Being from the east coast, Baltimore, MD, Carmelo would have no reservations playing back 2500 miles closer to home.

The off-season heard talk of ‘Melo going to the Lakers as well as the Knicks after the 2010-’11 season. Lakers talk only gained steam because of the closeness of Anthony’s and Kobe Bryant‘s relationship. The Knicks made plenty of off-season moves including picking up Amar’e Stoudemire and, like the Heat, had plenty of room left under the salary cap to sign another big name such as Carmelo Anthony.

Now that the trade deadline is nearing and ‘Melo’s contract expires at the end of this season, the Nuggets are open for trade offers. So far, there have been talks with New Jersey, New York and supposedly Los Angeles.

Reports have come out that Denver and New Jersey have been talking trades the last week. Although Anthony has come out publicly and stated he would like to play in New York for the Knicks, New Jersey has the most to offer Denver in a trade with draft picks.

The Knicks, I assume, are confident that ‘Melo will sign with them as a free agent this Summer if Denver doesn’t trade him away first, because they have not put out a trade offer – also, they declined an offer made by Denver where the Knicks would give Danilo Gallinari.

Highlight of the Day 1/7/11

With the NHL in full swing, I think attention is due. Shootouts are some of the best highlights to pull from. When it’s just 1 on 1, skater against the goalie, it opens the door to so much creativity. Here’s the best shootout goal in a real game situation I’ve ever seen.

What can you do if you’re that goalie but hope that he misses the net wide or something? Not only an amazing goal, but the game winning goal. That takes guts to take a non-conservative shot in that situation. Great goal.

A-Rod hits 600 (On a more exciting note, I found 3 dollars!!!)

Alex Rodriguez Hits 600th HR

Lets face it, apart from avid Yankees/Rodriguez fans, no one is excited for A-Rod’s 600th HR.

Rodriguez had been sitting on 599 HR’s for upwards of 50 at bats. It seemed like people were more excited each time they got the news that he had gone “HR-less” that outing than when he eventually did hit big 600 and we all know why.