The following article will be published in the May issue ofCampus Talk, a magazine local to Tampa, Orlando, Gainesville and Tallahassee. If you're a local, pick one up and increase their circulation. They also have lots of pictures of pretty girls for extra motivation. Please excuse the brevity, fellow basketball joneses... had to keep it to 750 words or less.
Lakers. Celtics. These franchises dominated the NBA in 1980s. This year’s Finals might see the return of that storied rivalry.
If you like drama, this post-season will not disappoint. Celtics-Pistons. LeBron James. Shaq versus Kobe. The emergence of Chris Paul. The rock steady San Antonio Spurs. The fact the league features no clear cut champion or MVP illustrates how competitive the game has become. Furthermore, a flurry of unprecedented roster reshuffling should make this post-season the most thrilling in recent history.
While Boston has ruled the East, Western teams have jockeyed for playoff position in a league now characterized by its parity. Whoever hoists the O’Brien Trophy at season’s end is anyone’s guess.
Boston Celtics: The off-season addition of Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett instantly propelled Boston into title contenders. Boston should boast home court advantage throughout the playoffs and although the Fleet Center doesn’t have the mystique of the old Boston Garden, beating the Celtics four times in seven games will prove difficult in any venue.
Detroit Pistons: Detroit has been a pillar of consistency, returning Billups, Hamilton, Prince and Wallace. If any team threatens Boston in the East, it will likely be Detroit, who have a chip on their shoulder after losing to Cleveland last year.
Orlando Magic: While many have already crowned Boston and Detroit, the three-headed frontcourt of Lewis, Howard and Turkoglu could present mismatches for other Eastern opponents.
Cleveland Cavaliers: LeBron James single-handedly deflated Detroit last year in a playoff performance for the ages. The Cavs added Ben Wallace, Joe Smith and Wally Szczerbiak to give him some support.
Atlanta, Washington, Toronto, and Philadelphia round out the remaining Eastern conference playoff teams, but should not pose much of a threat. The Western Conference, however, is rife with teams that can ALL be the last team standing.
New Orleans Hornets: Having played most of last season in Oklahoma City due to Hurricane Katrina, few expected greatness from the Hornets, however, MVP candidate Chris Paul has been nothing less than sensational. New Orleans has flirted with the West’s best record all season.
Los Angeles Lakers: L.A. pulled off a coup, obtaining Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies. Andrew Bynum’s return to the lineup, along with Gasol, Lamar Odom and Kobe Bryant pose one of the most formidable rosters in the league.
Phoenix Suns: The Gasol acquisition sent a shockwave through the NBA as teams league-wide made moves to compete. Enter the Big Aristotle. GM Steve Kerr brought Shaquille O’Neal to Phoenix to add some size to their lineup. At 36, Shaq is no longer the player he once was, but his presence frees up Amare Stoudamire to wreak havoc in the lane. An eventual match-up pitting O’Neal and former teammate Kobe Bryant is enough to make even the fringe fan salivate.
San Antonio Spurs: Winners of three of the last five championships, the San Antonio Spurs quietly prod along with their unassuming and disciplined play. Foreign born Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili continue to prove that basketball is more than ever a global game.
Utah Jazz: Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer led Utah to the Western Conference Finals last year. There’s no reason to think they can’t repeat that same success. Although it would be ironic for Jerry Sloan to finally win a title with this team when he couldn’t with Stockton and Malone.
Dallas Mavericks: The runners-up two years ago have had a spell of bad luck. They were defeated by 8th seed Golden State last year and Dirk Nowitzki is sidelined with a ankle and knee sprain. Although Mavs owner Mark Cuban added Jason Kidd, only time will tell whether that duo can lead Dallas to their first title.
Denver Nuggets: Despite being the worst defensive team in the league, nobody wants to face Allen Iverson, Kenyon Martin, Carmelo Anthony and Marcus Camby. If coach George Karl can reign in this talent, Denver could do some damage.
Houston Rockets: The Rockets were dealt a blow when they lost Yao Ming for the season, however, in his absence, they still won 22 consecutive games. Role players like Shane Battier, Luis Scola and Rafer Alston have assisted Tracy McGrady in the recent Rocket success, but Houston will be hard-pressed to compete for a title without their big man.
May and June promise to showcase the most competitive basketball in recent memory. And although the NFL still rules the nation, the NBA’s post-season will unquestionably feature some spectacular moments to add to the league’s rich history.
Why do you call Tim Duncan foreign born? He was born in US owned territory, and is an American citizen. You might say he was not born within the borders of the states, but he is not foreign.
For a person to be foreign, they would have to be a citizen of another country. Tim is not.
Just a minor thing, but I have seen it before and it just kinds of bugs me.
The point of that statement was really to indicate that with the emergence of guys like Nash, Parker, Nowitzki and Ginobili, the game is no longer dominated by American players. The last three MVP awards were won by foreign-born players.
Competition de Lakes come side way,
Competition they must come straight way.
Michrophone check one two , what is this?
The five foot assassin with the rough neck business,
I float like gravity,
Never had a cavity,
I got more rhymes than no one has got family.
Though the means of the Lakers success has come about in an Abstract way.
I can't wait for June...celebration day.
That's the Scenario.
Who's that?.............Brown.
Rev
good overview, the true test is seeing who will falter and fall out of the race. Denver seems to be that team. offensively, poetry in motion. defensively, a bull in a china shop.
Duncan was born in the U.S. Virgin Islands and correct me if I'm wrong but I believe they have their own Olympic team. The ONLY reason Duncan plays for the US is because the Virgin Islands did not have a basketball team for international competition until after Duncan started playing internationally.
Hawaii and Alaska don't have their own Olympic teams so I think Rev was right in stating the difference.
San Antonio is the team of the decade. They seem to be the best at assessing talent and using the plug and play methodology to maximize returns.
(Sounds like I'm selling mutual funds!)
ALthough I think the Lakers have the pieces to go all the way, I still have to say the SPURS are the favorites (even if they don't finish tops in the West)
San Antonio can win anywhere with that defense and to beat the Spurs four times out of seven, you will need your bigs to play big every game, which is no easy feat.
To be quite honest, only Phoenix (with Amare and Shaq) or LA (with Pau, Andrew, Odom) has a chance to upset San Antonio because these two teams have the overall manpower and playoff experience to do it.
The Spurs draft like no other, finding diamonds in the rough has truly made them the team of the decade...so far. The decade ain't done yet. The Lakers have 3 titles this decade too, and look just as poised as the Spurs to contend this year.
Rev, Say a prayer for the Lakeshow too...
Were on a mission from God.
Husker, I'm with you, bro. The Spurs have been sweet and still continue to put it on the floor. It wouldn't surprise anyone if they win it again. In fact, if they do, this may be their most impressive title.
That being said, who's been more dominant over that period... the Spurs or the Patriots?
Bleed, why do I have the scary image of you and Dizz stumbling into a local Ale House, gansgta Laker hats turned sideways, sporting the old school purple and gold Magic Johnson jerseys, cheering the Lake show on to a Western Conference Finals loss to....
The Virgin Islands were sold to the United States by Denmark in 1917. The residents were granted US citizenship in 1927. Duncan is a citizen of the United States. He actually has a choice of playing on the US team or the Virgin Island team.
It is not unusual for territories of countries to have their own Olympic team. Guam has competed in the Olympics several times.
There was a time when the citizens of Canada, Australia, South Africa and other British commonwealth members could compete for either their commonwealth team or for Great Britain.
The fact that the Virgin Islands has its own Olympic team does not make the citizens of the Virgin Islands foreigners. I just think that it is kind of disrespectful to label them so.
No, Duncan doesn't have a choice to play for the Virgin Islands or the US team.
Duncan began his international basketball career in 1994 - before the Virgin Islands developed their international basketball program. Once you choose to play for one country or in this case 'territory', you can't play for anyone else. The Virgin Islands had an international team as early as 2001 and competed in the 2004 Olympics but Duncan couldn't play for them since he had already played for the United States previously.
He is on record as having stated that he would have played for the Virgin Islands if they would have had a team when he started international competition. TD even sat out the United States' FIBA tourney game against the Virgin Islands in 2003 as a sign of respect.
His sister was an Olympic swimmer for the Virgin Islands, not the United States.
I'm no gangsta. I'm a family man who drinks at home or at Staples. I let it out on the court and on blogs.
You would never catch me wearing my hat sideways, that's an #### flag (almost as bad as the NECKCAR flame lids.) I DO have a Magic jersey, along with every other Lakers player I loved (can't seem to find a Goodrich or Rambis though)but, I never wear them. They hang in the pool table room with the rest of the memrobilia.
You have my Lakeshow losing in the conference finals huh? I would think a man of the cloth would have a little more faith than that.
Not an ale fan either, tequila and Heiniken or Rolling Rock. You may be a reverend, but definetly not a psychic, you pegged me all wrong. You're not alone, nba is the worst thought he knew me too.
Sincerely,
Jim Baker.
Last edited by BleedPRPL&GLD on April 1st at 10:48 PM.
One more thing, I don't see how you can categorize this as being disrespectful: "Foreign born Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili continue to prove that basketball is more than ever a global game."
If anything, it's a compliment to the Virgin Islands, France, and Argentina.
Bleed, I'm not so sure you're not Dizzle at this point.
And I take that back... if the Lakers get to the Conference Finals, they should win it. Although how SWEET would a Suns-Lakers Western Conference Finals be? I'm giddy just thinking about it.
Don't know about that, Diz. While in years past, I might agree with that statement, I think the C's have definitely earned the right to boast the league's best record. And they're really starting to click right now.
Pushing the envelope is what I do best....that and peoples buttons. God willing, we see BOTH the Suns AND Celtics this postseason, with the newly crowned Show-Time squad busting another Mark Madsen-Dancing with the Stars routine down Figueroa street!
Nice game Fee-necks...got beat by the cornrow twinz.
PURPLE REIGN.
What's a Dizzle?
Last edited by BleedPRPL&GLD on April 2nd at 9:30 PM.
A. adverb. The feeling one gets when the L.A. Lakers win a title. (As my wife and I cuddled in the bedroom after watching the Lakers clinch the 2002 NBA title, she tickled me dizzle while taking off her purple-n-gold thong.)
B. Noun. A true Lakers fan. (I am Dizzle. Don't forget it.)
C. Verb. A complimentary a-s-s whoopin' with words when you talk trash about the Lakers. (I will dizzle every Laker hater who simply hate on Kobe by incessantly bringing up his unfavorable past and using that as an excuse to demean him as opposed to admiring his on-the-court game instead.)
Turn-ons: Gator national championships ; Sushi; NBA Playoffs; A Tribe Called Quest; Women; Jack Daniels; Women who drink Jack Daniels; Women who drink Jack Daniels while eating sushi; Women who dream of more Gator national championships while eating sushi and drinking Jack Daniels during basketball season, The Red Zone Report
Turn-offs: Waking up early; The inevitable media coverage Bobby Bowden will get when he finally retires; Drama; Prejudice; Chicken liver; Work of any sort
