NBA Playoff Predictions – 2011
April 15, 2011 by danny · Leave a Comment
This should be a great post-season. For the first time in a long time, there are legitimately a handful of teams that are capable of taking home the trophy. My good friends and NBA experts, Jeff Rinaldi and Matt McKenna break it all down. So let’s get to it!
Danny: I’ll start it off with you Jeff. Do you see any upsets in round 1 in the East?
Jeff: Well, I know one upset that WILL NOT happen and that is the dirty Pacers over the Bulls. Stern should think about folding the Pacers. I usually wouldn’t say this but the Bulls should go ahead and look to round 2. I seriously think the Knickerbockers are going to give the Celtics all they want. The Celtics better look out.
Danny: McKenna, your turn. Let’s take a look at the West – any 1st round upsets?
McKenna: I actually have two of them although beating Dallas in the first round is kind of a yearly tradition now isn’t it? I do like Portland though. They are athletic, deep, and just pose tons of match up problems for the Mavs. Kidd couldn’t defend me and rebounding could be an issue so the Blazers are my first pick. To me that isn’t a long shot (Insert Greg Oden joke here). The other upset is the Grizz over the Spurs. The Spurs are prime for a first round exit, they are old and have the potential to have injury issues as soon as the tip goes up. They also know they aren’t as good as either of their second round opponents and certainly won’t beat LA, so why prolong getting embarrassed by a good team. So married men keep an eye on your wives because a little French horn-ball will be on the loose earlier than normal this season.
Danny: Why you gotta do TP like that?! We’ll get to your finals predictions later. For now, give me one team out of each conference that is *capable* of making a deep run even if this team is not your first choice – or the “obvious” choice.
McKenna: I hate to do this Danny but the Magic terrify me and I think they can beat the Bulls. If they are knocking down jump shots and Howard is willing to break a sweat they will murder the Hawks and beat the Bulls in six. Nobody can keep Howard off the boards and once the game slows down in the playoffs controlling the boards is key.
Danny: You’re right, the Magic can be scary. But I’m not worried, just like nobody on the Bulls (or in the league) can slow down Howard, nobody on Orlando can slow down Asik… face!
And Jeff, any surprises?
Jeff: The Pacers! Just kidding. Dreadful team. I like the Thunder to get rolling and knock out the Spurs in round 2. Westbrook and Durant can carry that team. The whole West better look out.
Danny: And who do you think it going to make it to the conference finals, and fight for the right to go for it all? Let’s start with Mr. Rinaldi.
Jeff: Bulls vs Heat. Thunder vs Lakers. Chalk it up!
McKenna: I like the C’s and the Magic in the East. I’m hoping I’m right because if it’s the Bulls I won’t sleep for a couple weeks because Rose is terrifying. In the West I like the Lakers and OKC. I could even fathom the Blazers knocking off LA but Kobe, the most hated man in my household (tied with ARod of course) would never let me enjoy the playoffs.
Danny: Spoken like a true Bostonian! Time for the moment we’ve all been waiting for: who plays in the finals, and who takes home the hardware?!?
Actually fellas if you don’t mind, I’ll get things started…
I really don’t want to do it, but I guess I’m going to have to go with the Lakers. I still think they’ll be able to turn on that switch. Kobe is close to his last leg (last leg of dominance, that is), but I think he still has another year or two of great playoff basketball left in him. Odom has been really good this year and of course they still have Gasol and a much improved Bynum. Onto the Eastern champs… Da Bulls! I know you think I’m being a homer here (and I probably am), but I have really loved this team from the start. When the pieces starting to fall into place this summer, I knew it would be a great year. We (yeah, I’m part of the team) have shooters, scrappers, bangers, defenders, scorers, and of course, Mr. MVP! Believe it or not, I really think that Luol Deng is the “X-Factor.” When he plays well, the Bulls are the best team in the NBA. If he can give us ~18 ppg and be active on both ends of the floor, I like our chances.
Mark it down, Da Bulls in 7!!!
McKenna my friend, what say you?
McKenna: Well I know this will shock people but I like the C’s coming out of the East. They are flawed but this is their last run and I think the old guard will rise up one more time. Plus the Red Sox have gotten off to a rough start so that means the city of Boston is on edge and winning in their building will be tough. I also like the way the seedings fell and I think not having to see the Bulls till the Finals, if that happens, will help. They C’s can still defend and if Rondo stops pouting about losing hid best bud Perkins, he will be seeing him in the Finals for a reunion. That’s right, in the West I’m going with the OKC Thunder! I hate Kobe and karma has got to catch up with him eventually. Re-hashing why this guy is the biggest a-hole in professional sports is unnecessary but trust me he is long overdue for some comeuppance. The Thunder have two great scorers, one who shoots threes and is seven feet tall (Durant), the other (Westbrook) will be guarded by either Derek Fisher or Steve Blake so that is favorable. Ibaka and Perk can match up with Bynum and Gasol so the match ups are going to be good and the chance for a great series has me pumped. David Stern will be crushed he doesn’t get another Lakers vs. Celtics match up but it won’t matter because once the C’s raise the eighteenth banner to the rafters the title will return home and all will be ok in the world.
C’s in 6!!!
Danny: And Jeff?
Jeff: Excellent picks guys. I think we have a re-match of 1991 with Da Bulls vs the Lakeshow. Everything is in order. Young Derrick Rose like MJ, HUNGRY for his 1st title going up against a legend in Kobe (Like Magic) with 5 rings. Da Bulls win 4-1 sending Phil into retirement questtioning his Zen crap, as the team which made him famous ends his career. Rose wins MVP of the finals and Luol Deng (agree with Danny) plays the role of Pippen..an unsung hero. This championship opens the door to another dynasty which all Bulls fans deserve with their years of loyalty.
Danny: Great job guys! It will be interesting to see how it all unfolds. I just realized there was barely a word mentioned about the Heat! Have we lost our minds? Or are they just not there yet? Readers, what do you think? Leave your thoughts and predictions in the comments section below.
Hesitation Moves on the Basketball Court
June 30, 2010 by danny · 2 Comments
If you want to be a great basketball player, you’ve got to have a complete game. I’ve talked about how to improve your dribbling skills in a previous post. Today I’m here focusing on changing speeds with the basketball. In all sports, those who effectively change speeds have a great advantage. Think of a pitcher with a great fast ball, but does not have a solid off-speed pitch. He won’t last long in the rotation. But give him a good change up, and he he can really pile up the wins. This is also true with a great running back. He must do more than run as fast as possible in a straight line. His ability to stop and start and be deceptive is just as important (if not more important) as his top-end speed. Think Barry Sanders.
Well, when it comes to hoops, it is no different. If you only have average quickness but change speeds well, just like that you become tough to guard – think Steve Nash. If you have good quickness and change speeds well, you become very quick – think Deron Williams. If you have very good quickness and change speeds well, you become unguardable – think Chris Paul and Derrick Rose. So, when working on your game, keep working on those handles. But do NOT forget to change speeds. Here are a few examples of what I am talking about…
Above ^^^ – stop and pop with a hesitation and stop and go to the basket. Next…
In this above video ^^^ – 1 stop and go to the right, 1 to the left, and 1 with a change of direction (between the legs) for a pull up J.
My skills with the video camera/computer are horrible, which is why the last shot got cut off. If Sue (not my mom) is reading this I know she is laughing at me. Sue – shush it! Remember, I’m going to be seeing you at our training session in just a couple hours and if you don’t watch it I will make you do nothing but Bulgarian Splits Squats for 1 hour straight!!!!!! Yeah, that’s what I thought. Anyway, I hope to really improve my computer skills in the months to come… but I just don’t get it. 
Next…
And in this last video you have Kobe using a hesitation move to make yet another defender look stupid.
Keep working hard on your game and make sure to change speeds on the court.
I hope everyone has a safe and fun 4th of July weekend!
Celtics vs Lakers
June 1, 2010 by danny · Leave a Comment
A Celtics-Lakers finals, what else could the NBA ask for! The two most storied franchises in the history of the league are once again set to do battle. I’m sure the ratings will be very high for this series. Especially since they played in the 
finals just two years ago. And many of the same players will be going head-to-head (with a few exceptions) again. I like what both of these teams bring to the table in terms of experience, toughness, talent, and chemistry. But obviously, only one team will be able to walk away the championship. It is up in the air, but in my eyes, the winner will be…
Who Will Take The Title?
I’ll get right to it; the Lakers. I’m not a Lakers or a Celtics fan. Since the Celtics got over on the Lakers in ‘08, so I’d like to see the Lakers get it done this time. Why are the Lakers going to win?
-They have the best closer in the game. Yep, they had the best closer last time as well. But the ultimate competitor in the league won’t let his team lose and the players around Kobe will be more prepared this time around. The “other” players…
-Pau Gasol is tougher now. Mentally tougher that is. I heard one of the guys on TNT get asked why he thought Gasol would have a better Finals appearance in ‘10 compared to ‘08. His answer? “Kobe.” In other words, Kobe’s tenacity is contagious. I agree. I see Pau playing with more intensity, and more physicality this time around.
-Human nature is another factor. If you get beat one time, it is human nature to want it juuuuust a touch more the next time you compete against that team. This “phenomenon” will come into play this year.
-Ron Artest, who does some dumb ass things on the court (off the court as well), will be another player that will help neutralize Boston’s toughness and physical play. And I DO think the Celtics are very tough. I have much respect for them. Just because I am going against them, don’t think I have no love for them. But Ron-Ron is a nice addition, especially in a Celtics-Lakers type of series.
-I think the Celtics will miss James Posey a bit. Although nobody can stop Kobe, Posey made him work extremely hard for everything he got.
What Scares Me?
-As good as Rondo was in the Cs ‘08 run, he is that much better now.
-Paul Piece scares me. Like Kobe (almost), PP is one of the best closers in the league. He is just quick enough to get by his opponents and just big enough to shoot over them In other words, he quite often finds a way to get where he wants/needs to get on the court to get the job done.
-Boston’s “D” has been very good. They all work together to make the on-the-ball defender that much better. They take a lot of charges, block shots, and play a physical style of defense.
X-Factors
For the Celtics, Rasheed Wallace could be the X-Factor… for better or worse. For worse - he may not be shooting well, start to get frustrated, and then his famous complaining to the refs, technical foul side could come out. OR, he could 
get hot from 3 and drag one of the Lakers big men away from the basket. That’s all the Celtics need..ANOTHER weapon!
For the Lakers, the X-Factor is Lamar Odom. If he brings his A-Game and is a walking double-double, look out Boston. I think he could make this into a 5-game series if he is focused and hungry. Then again, he may only show his great ability in short stretches, or only 1-2 times per game. Sometimes you won’t hear his named called for minutes at a time when he is on the court. Which Lamar shows up will be very big in determining the winner.
My Final Word
Like I mentioned, I am not a fan of either team. Of course, I’d much rather see the Bulls take it all. I also really wanted to see Steve Nash make it to his first Finals. Since neither of that happened, in my eyes the next best thing is sitting back and watching these two proud franchises go at it again. I would not be shocked if Celtics find a way to get it done. But for the above reasons, I am taking the Lakers in 6.5 games. Ha! Ok, ok, if you won’t let me cop out with 6.5 games, then I’ll say this; L.A. in 6.
Lebron James to the Bulls?!?
May 18, 2010 by danny · Leave a Comment
If you follow basketball at all, you’re well aware of the fact that Lebron James may be leaving Cleveland. Maybe you are like me and already a little sick of it. Kind of like all of the Brett Farve talk every off-season. Each summer I think, “JUST MAKE UP YOUR MIND BRETT! AND ESPN, STOP TALKING ABOUT IT EVERY OTHER SECOND!!!” Unfortunately, I see the same thing happening with King James. Since their season has only been done for about a week, I’m not quite all Lebroned-out just yet. Also, there is a lot of talk that the Chicago Bulls are in the running to get him. Being the BIG Bulls fan that I am, of course I am very interested in his decision. So, before I get too sick of the Lebron talk, I thought I’d make a post covering my thoughts on how much (or little?) I want him to be a Bull.
Do I Want Lebron in Chicago?
Of course I do. What, do you think I’m crazy? But, I am gonna delve a little deeper into the matter by changing the question up… How badly do I want Lebron to be a Bull? My answer may surprise you - while the idea of Lebron wearing a Bulls jersey excites me, it seems I’m not as pumped about the idea as many of my fellow Bulls fans. I mean, about 5 times a day I receive a picture message on my phone from my brothers that looks like this…
I love their enthusiasm, I really do! But I afraid he may not be what they (my brothers and MANY others) think he is. Here’s a scenario that I think lets you know how I feel; I win the lotto and am told over the phone that I will have a 1 million dollar check delivered to my door in 3 days. But when they come to drop off the check, the check is for 250 k, and not the original million that they told me I won (in my fake story, there are no such things as taxes. So no, the reduced money has nothing to do with taxes being taken out, just go with it…). I would be like, “WHAT! This is not what I thought I was getting. But I’ll still take it because I am now $250,000 richer than I was last week at this time!” To me, Lebron represents the $250,000. The Bulls (or any team that gets him) are going to a lot richer (better), but not as rich as they thought they would be when they first signed him.
Why DO I Feel This Way?
At this point in his career, he is lacking that “it,” that so many people talk about. He doesn’t smell blood like some of the people that we all compare him to. You know, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Larry Bird etc. (And yes, I do put D. Wade in this category as I’ve seen him take over many a game. And on the biggest stage – against the Mavericks in the finals a few years back – actually, he took that whole series over!) I mean, I watched MJ play in some huge games and ended up saying; “Michael didn’t have his best game today. His shots weren’t falling, and he turned the ball over a couple times when they needed a bucket.” But I have never, ever, ever, ever, said, “Jordan didn’t show up today. Where was he? It was like he just disappeared!”
With Lebron, I have said that, and on more than one occasion. I’ve seen him shy away instead of take over the game and WANT IT so bad that it looked like his life depended on it… like appeared to be the case EVERY TIME Michael took the floor, and every time Kobe takes the floor.
Another thing that bothers me about Lebron, is that he seems to find a way to always make it about himself. When the media asked him about his future after the Celticts knocked them out of the playoffs it looked like he couldn’t wait to address the questions. I would have much rather seen him say something like; “I don’t know what the future holds, but right now I’m not going to worry about that. I need to be here for my teammates. We just lost a very disappointing series and it’s very hard on all of us.” But he choose to sit up on the podium and let us know that “he and his team are weighing all of the their options, blah, blah, blah.” C’mon Lebron, at least lie to us and make us think you and your teammates are hurting from the loss, and that that is all that matters right now.
Wrap Up
Above I mentioned that whatever team he goes to will be getting a “disappointing” $250,000. Maybe the scenario should have gone more like this; “Danny, here is a check for 250 k. Once you prove to me that you REALLY WANT IT, and that you are willing to do ANYTHING for it, I’ll be delivering the rest of your money to you. And I do think you’ll get there soon. Right now though, I’m not sure where where your priorites are, and I’m not sure how much it truly means to you.”
The worse case scenario is Lebron making me (the Bulls) a whole lot richer (better), with a good chance of making me a millionaire (championship ring) down the line. So, I think it is fair to say that I’d take Lebron with open arms. It’s just that at this point, my arms are not as wide open as other people’s are.
