For all that's been said and written about the Pistons' outspoken power forward (much of it deservedly so), tonight the real Rasheed Wallace stood up... gimpy ankle and all.

With his team on the brink of an unexpected - and somewhat unbelievable - elimination, Wallace hit several key shots down the stretch to lead the Pistons to an 84-82 win in Cleveland, forcing a Game 7 at home on Sunday.

But prior to Rasheed's semi-heroic performance in Game 6, much of the talk amongst the NBA community was about his Nostradamus impersonations for Games 4 and 5, and subsequent Houdini-like disappearing act on the court.

But what a lot of people failed to realize was that Wallace's ankle sprain (suffered in Game 4) was so severe that if this was still the regular season, he likely would've missed two weeks of play - at least.  But this is the playoffs.  This is when athletes have to suck it up, play through the pain, and give it everything they have for their teammates.  And Rasheed, the real Rasheed, did just that.

Every time the Pistons slipped into a scoring coma, Rasheed Wallace woke them up with a fury.  Whether it was via the three-ball like the one he hit from the top of the key that put his team up four with just seconds left in the third quarter, or the three-point play on the post move against Andersen Varejao that put Detroit back in front late in the game, 'Sheed was the one-man answer to every Cavalier run.

Wallace's offensive onslaught (24 points on 9-of-17 shooting)  seemed to spark the rest of his teammates along the way.  Chauncey Billups emerged from his temporary cocoon to score 12 of his 15 points in the second half, including a couple of big shots in the game's final minutes.  Lindsey Hunter brought tremendous defensive pressure off the bench.  Ben Wallace got back to what he does best - getting rebounds and loose balls (none more important than the one he retrieved off a late missed free throw).  And Tayshaun Prince and Richard Hamilton added just enough offense (17 points apiece) to balance the attack.

But despite all his greatness in Game 6, Rasheed's entire floor game wasn't perfect.  He was brutal from the foul line, which includes two huge misses in the final minute with his team clinging to a two-point lead.  He was limited on defense and got burned several times by LeBron James on the pick-and-roll.  And he wasn't his usual dominant self on the defensive boards.  But he persevered through heart and sheer determination, and now he and his teammates live to fight another day.

Going forward, the Pistons will need the real Rasheed Wallace to continue to be a prominent feature in their arsenal.

But just who is the real Rasheed Wallace?

Is it the brash, loud-mouth menace who incites anger and disdain amongst fans of opposing teams?  Is it the explosive, quick-tempered whiner who torments NBA officials all over the league?  Or is it the calm, smooth-stroking big man who consistently hits big shots for his team?

Well, the answer is a resounding yes to every question... yet so much more.  He's the consummate leader.   A true professional.  A catalyst.  He's a man who possesses the heart of a champion.  And a man who talks the talk, but definitely walks the walk.

Tonight, he walked (or should I say limped?) all over the Cavalier defense.  Sunday, he'll walk onto the Palace floor for Game 7 hoping to ignite his team to yet another come-from-behind series win.  Whether or not that will come to fruition is no "Guaran-sheed".  But what no one can deny is that the real Rasheed Wallace is back, and he couldn't have returned at a better time.

 

 

 

 

 

Over the last three weeks, my friend and I have been trying to mold 14 impressionable young children (ages 9 and 10) into baseball players.  And the process couldn't have been more enjoyable.

Last night was the kids' first game.  It was our first chance to see what they've learned, how well we've taught them, and what needs to be worked on in the coming weeks.  And while I tried to remain focused on the tangible stuff, I couldn't help but get side-tracked on the big picture.

The big picture being the purity of everything I was witnessing - the love for the game, the desire to learn, the desire to have fun and to do your best, and the pure emotion and vigor with which the kids play.  I'd like to share two instances that can best describe what I'm talking about.

After playing two long innings behind the plate, one of our star players, Aaron, took the pitchers' mound to start the third.  Now it should be noted that our previous two pitchers were having a heckuva time getting the ball over the plate, which made for a tough stint for young Aaron behind the plate.  Nevertheless, the young man came in and began firing one strike after another.  Suddenly, our team was coming alive behind him with a couple of nice hustle plays in the infield in addition to the strikeouts Aaron recorded.

Then, something happened that made everyone in attendance gasp.

Aaron took a sharp line drive right off the knee of his plant foot.  He immediately dropped to the ground as the sound was similar to that of a cap gun going off.  But before Aaron could think about the pain he was in or worry about the damage that could've been done to his knee, he promptly crawled over to grab the ball and attempted to throw the runner out at first base.  If not for the fact that the runner was a speedy little son of a gun, Aaron would've thrown him out too.

After the play, my friend and I rushed out to the mound to see if Aaron was okay.  Trying desperately to hold back the tears, he said he was fine.  At this time, I had already motioned for a new pitcher to come in but Aaron said he wanted to continue.  I asked the umpire if he could throw a couple of warmup pitches to see how it felt, and the ump obliged.  To everyone's surprise (except his parents), Aaron stayed in the game and pitched to the next three hitters.

However, at this point Aaron's control had left him (probably due to fatigue more than anything else).  Instead of thinking only about himself, he thought about his teammate, Justin, who was going to move from third base to pitcher when got hurt.  He thought about how his sudden wildness was hurting the team.  And most of all, he thought about how excited Justin was when he thought he was going to pitch.  So Aaron called timeout and asked for me to come out to the mound.  

"Justin can pitch now," he said with a purpose.  I asked if he was sure and he replied, "Yeah, I can't throw strikes anymore and I know Justin wants to pitch so it's okay."  At this moment, I couldn't help but smile as I summoned Justin over from third and sent young Aaron on his way.  I knew right then and there that this kid was special - a true sportsman in every sense of the word and mature far beyond his nine years.

The other instance I wanted to share came in the game's final half inning.  With our young squad down 14-0 and at the fate of the league's mercy rule, we were left with four players who had yet to bat, and the prospect of one player not even getting to hit did not sit well with me or any of the other coaches.

Thankfully, the opposing coach put in a new pitcher who wasn't nearly as polished as the previous two.  After striking out the first hitter, our next batter, Chauncey, delivered a base hit to right field and we were off and running.  The next batter struck out, but then the pitcher started getting wild.  He walked the next five batters and then hit poor Aaron in the back.  The six free passes forced in a total of four runs and had our bench full of young ballplayers jumping with glee.

Now mind you, this wasn't the most ideal way to string together a rally.  But when I thought about how their team garnered most of their runs, and more importantly, when I saw the reactions from the once subdued group of kids, I realized it worked just fine.

In the end, our kids lost 14-4.  But in reality, they were all winners (to borrow a famous cliche) because they learned about the spirit of competition and the importance of being a team.

As for me, I walked off that field with a huge grin on my face.  I had re-affirmed what I already knew - that Little League Baseball is the purist form of sport there is.

 

 

The reasons why the heavily favored Detroit Pistons are currently deadlocked in their second round series with the Cleveland Cavaliers are numerous.  Many of those reasons have nothing to do with game planning or anything else in the coaching realm. 

Over-confidence, playing without a sense of urgency, and underestimating the greatness of LeBron James are just a few contributing factors that fall squarely on the shoulders of this veteran-laden squad.  

The Cavs also deserve a ton of credit for the Pistons' recent woes.

However, assuming that the Pistons' players are able to shake these inadequacies that have at least temporarily derailed their non-stop train ride to the NBA Finals, let us examine some of the adjustments that must be made by the mastermind roaming the sidelines, Pistons' Head Coach Flip Saunders.

1)  Speed up the pace.

Despite what many of the so-called experts claim, Detroit is no longer strictly a slow-down, half-court, defensive-oriented team.  Since Flip's arrival, the Pistons have opened up their offense to the tune of 96.8 ppg (3.5 more than the previous season) and 46 percent shooting, while shooting the third best percentage from the 3-point line (38.4) in the NBA.  The reason is pretty simple - free flowing offense equipped with ball movement and the freedom to shoot the open shot at any time during the shot clock - something they never enjoyed under Larry Brown.

They generated many of their points via the fastbreak.  Throughout the first round and the first two games of the second round, the Pistons were looking for fastbreak opportunities, especially off the opposition's turnovers.  However, in Games 3 and 4 of the Cleveland series, Detroit has been content to play a half-court game and has reverted back to their old ways of milking the shot clock and settling for whatever contested jump shot they can muster.  In this series, that's not going to get it done.

The slow-down tempo plays right into the hands of the upstart Cavaliers.  Detroit's propensity to exploit whatever favorable matchup they feel they have has caused stagnant possessions where the ball stays on one end of the floor and the other four players are simply standing around watching.  This makes it much easier for Cleveland to defend, and subsequently, sets up LeBron James to save the bulk of his energy for the offensive end where he has burned Detroit with both his scoring and his ability to set up teammates for open shots.

The fact is, the Pistons are at their best when they're defending and scoring.  Detroit eclipsed the 100-point barrier 34 times during the regular season (nine more times than the previous season) and five times in the playoffs.  Of those 39 total games, the Pistons have lost just four times.  The numbers don't lie. 

It's time for Flip Saunders to inject some of that offensive magic again.  It's time to start running Richard Hamilton off a bevy of screens.  It's time for Rasheed Wallace to look for Ben Wallace under the basket when his man leaves him for the double team.  It's time for Chauncey Billups to blow by his man and penetrate the lane, freeing up open shots for Hamilton, Wallace and Tayshaun Prince. And it's time to stop playing the isolation game. 

That way, the next time the Pistons find themselves in a dogfight at the end of a game, they'll have a little more of a rhythm offensively.  That, in turn, will create a much better opportunity to knock down the big shot.

2)  Utilize the bench.

One of the main reasons why prognosticators all over the NBA nation (not to be confused with ESPN's "NBA Nation") have predicted the Pistons will waltz to their second championship in three years is because of the re-birth of their bench.  Antonio McDyess and Lindsey Hunter have been mainstays coming off the Pistons' pine over the last two seasons.  But the additions of Tony Delk, Maurice Evans and the improved play of second-year G/F Carlos Delfino have solidified a unit that many critics felt was a disappointment a year ago in their failed quest for back-to-back titles.

Early in the season, those same critics once again questioned the Piston reserves.  They said the starters were logging too many minutes and would eventually wear down at the end of the year.  However, Saunders took advantage of Detroit's fantastic start by giving the bench players some much needed minutes in the season's second half - and boy did they ever respond.

McDyess found his seemingly lost fade away jump shot and overall scoring touch.  Lindsey Hunter returned from an ankle injury to bring his usual brand of relentless on-the-ball defense, as well as a re-discovered offensive arsenal.  Mo Evans and Carlos Delfino brought a youthful energy and aggressiveness that resulted in many of Detroit's famous runs.  And veteran Dale Davis provided some toughness, grit and experience to counteract any opposing inside presence (i.e. Shaquille O'Neal).

Yet despite this newly realized potent bench, Flip stayed with his starters (sans an injured Rasheed Wallace) for much of the second half, including a fourth quarter that saw the Pistons shoot an abysmal 4-of-16.

If his team is going to advance beyond this round, and beyond the Conference Finals, Flip Saunders will have to rely more heavily on his bench.  Antonio McDyess will have to play more than the 14 minutes he played in Game 4, and he'll certainly have to hoist more than two shots.  Lindsey Hunter must log more than six minutes.  And Tony Delk has to be utilized much the way Chuck Daly utilized Vinnie Johnson in the late 80's for the Pistons, as instant offense off the bench.  

If these players don't get more valuable minutes in the postseason going forward, they likely won't be able to come through when needed most (in case of a serious injury or foul trouble).  And that will only further attest to what the aforementioned prognosticators were saying about the Pistons early in the season.

3)  Tell the players to shut their pie-holes!

Yes, the Guaran-sheeds have worked wonders in the past.  Yes, the Pistons do feel that no one can beat them in a seven-game series if they play their brand of basketball.  And yes, they're probably right about that. 

But why give the opposition further fuel to beat you?  Why give them further motivation to prove the critics wrong?  Why bother telling us (and them) what most of us already know?  Why not just go out and show us instead?

From Rasheed Wallace's on-going charade of making guarantees to Chauncey Billups' insistence that the two losses in Cleveland had little to do with how the Cavs played, the Pistons have continually disrespected their opponents in the media - purposely or otherwise.  The result is a scorned, hungry and suddenly confident Cavs' team that is now not only back in the series, but has a collective chip on its shoulder and a burgeoning playoff megastar to spearhead the charge the rest of the way.

Flip Saunders would be wise to hold a team meeting today back in Detroit (if he hasn't already) and advise his team to stick to the tired, yet proven cliches when conversing with the media.  In other words .... NO MORE BULLETIN BOARD MATERIAL!

If his players want to talk, or even boast, let them do it on the court where it belongs.  Stop telling the sports' world how good you are and start showing us!

As a Pistons' fan myself, that's all I ask for.

If Flip and his staff can make these adjustments for Game 5, the Detroit Pistons will back on the path toward the big gold ball.  If not, it may be too late to 'Flip' the switch.

  

Rival cities Detroit and Cleveland played a most interesting double-header on Saturday.  The Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers tipped off Game 3 of their Eastern Conference Semifinal series at 5 pm local time.  Then, at 7 pm, the Detroit Tigers took on the Cleveland Indians in the second game of their three-game weekend series.

The result - a split decision, but not exactly in the fashion most would figure.

Another Game 3 Road Lapse

Going into Saturday's contest, the Detroit Pistons - despite all their recent playoff success - had lost nine of their last ten Game 3's on the road.  Since a victory at Portland in the 1990 NBA Finals, the Pistons only Game 3 playoff road victory came during their latest championship season (2004) when they beat Milwaukee in the first round after losing Game 2 of that series at home.

Detroit was hoping to turn around their Game 3 woes Saturday afternoon at Quicken Loans Arena against LeBron James and the Cavs.

That looked to be the case through the first three quarters of basketball.  After sputtering a bit early on, the Pistons righted the ship by outscoring Cleveland 25-18 in the second quarter to take a six-point lead into the locker room.  Detroit came out strong in the second half as well knocking down five of their first eight shots from the field to open a ten-point lead, 54-44.

The Cavs, however, answered with a quick 9-0 run to close to within one and the game was tight the rest of the way.  Heading into the fourth, with the Pistons clinging to a tenuous three-point lead, LeBron James - who was passive offensively through the first three periods - took over the game.

LeBron scored 15 of his 21 points in the fourth and led the Cavs on several spurts that would ultimately lead to an all-important win.

LeBron's fourth quarter heroics ignited his teammates as well.  The Cavs made 10-of-14  field goal attempts in the final stanza and shot a perfect 9-of-9 from the free throw line.  Meanwhile, the Pistons shot a porous 33 percent, helping the Cavs turn what was once a ten-point deficit into a nine-point triumph, 86-77.

For the game, Detroit shot just 39 percent and turned the ball over an uncharacteristic 16 times, by far their highest output of the playoffs thus far.

The series is now 2-1 in favor of Detroit with Game 4 on Monday night from the "Q" ... more on that later.

Tigers Wring out a Win Against the Indians

Across the street, on-lookers from the Pistons/Cavs game came pouring into Jacob's Field almost as quickly as the rain poured from the sky as the Tigers and Indians game was already underway.

Jeremy Bonderman and C.C. Sabathia dueled for eight innings in the harshest conditions.  While the steady rain continued to cascade from above, the two starting pitchers carved up opposing batters with a potent mix of live fastballs and darting sliders.

Sabathia struck out ten Tiger batters in eight innings while allowing only one walk and six hits.  Unfortunately for Sabathia, one of those hits was a long home run off the bat of Chris Shelton - his first homer since April 28th.  

Sabathia didn't make any more mistakes like he did to Shelton for the rest of the game.  The same, however, could not be said about the Indians' defense behind him.  Cleveland committed three errors in total, two of which - a fielding miscue by Aaron Boone and a throwing error by Ronnie Belliard - led to another Tigers' run and put the Tribe in a hole they couldn't climb out of.

The reason they couldn't climb out that hole was because of the right arm of Jeremy Bonderman.  Bonderman hurled eight strong innings for manager Jim Leyland.  He stuck out eight while allowing just three Indian hits - the first of which didn't come until the fifth inning.

Bonderman did walk three batters and hit another, but he was able to pitch out of every jam and was never seriously threatened by the explosive Cleveland offense.  In fact, at one point Bonderman retired 12 consecutive hitters.

Moreover, the Tigers' ace right hander completely shut down the middle of the Indians' order - one of the most lethal in baseball.  The 3-4-5 combination of Jhonny Peralta, Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez went a collective 0-for-11 with five strikouts and seven men left on base.

Needless to say, J.B. was dealin'!

In the meantime, the Tigers notched their 15th road win of the season and are now an impressive ten games over the .500 mark.  They'll look for win number 16 on the road this afternoon as they attempt to sweep the Tribe in Cleveland.  

Mike Maroth (4-2, 2.55 ERA) takes the mound for Detroit against his former rotation mate Jason Johnson (2-2, 5.82 ERA), who now pitches for Cleveland.

Uh-oh... He Did It Again!

That's right!  Rasheed Wallace has once again cast himself as Nostradamus. 

After dropping Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals series against Cleveland, Rasheed Wallace calmly praised the Cavs' effort before he lit into them with yet another bold postseason prediction of his opponents' fate.

"We're gonna bust their ass," proclaimed Wallace when asked what lies ahead for the Cleveland Cavaliers.  "We're still going to win this series," boasted the Piston power forward who then added, "Monday will be their last home game this year and then we'll close it out at home (on Wednesday)."

Whether or not that intrepid prognostication comes to fruition is anyone's guess.  But if recent history tells us anything, expect the Pistons to respond to 'Sheed's claims.

After a Reggie Miller jumper in the final seconds sealed the Pistons' Game 1 fate in the 2004 Eastern Conference Finals, Rasheed Wallace bellowed these famous words to the reporters in attendance:

"They will not win Game 2!"

Wallace was then asked if that was a guarantee for victory.  He responded in kind:

"They will not win Game 2.  You can put that on the front page, back page, middle of the page, whatever.  They will not win Game 2!"

Of course, the Pacers did not win Game 2, thanks in large part to Tayshaun Prince's incredible block of a Reggie Miller break-away layup attempt that would've tied the game late.  The Pistons eventually won the series 4-2 and went on to win the franchises' third NBA Title.

Last year, Rasheed tested fate once again... and once again he did so against the Indiana Pacers.  After losing Game 3 on the road (imagine that) and subsequently falling behind 2-1 in the series, Wallace guaranteed a Piston win in Game 4.  And for the second year in a row the Pistons responded with a convincing victory.  From there, Detroit would steal the momentum and reel off two more wins in succession to finish off the Pacers and move on to the Eastern Conference Finals for the third straight season.

Now we come to the present.  It seems that the Pistons are in need of a spark, or a side challenge to motivate them to play their best.  And Rasheed Wallace has stepped up to the plate like he often does to provide that spark.  This time the potential "victim" will be the Cleveland Cavaliers, not Indiana.

Will it work again?  Time will tell.  But rest assured, people from all over the country will be tuning in Monday night to see if 'Sheed is truly the second coming of Nostradamus.  Some will root for him.  Many will root against him.  It's only natural.

If the Pistons win Monday night, perhaps this will become an annual omen, a playoff ritual for Detroit.  If they lose, it's likely that Wallace will bite his tongue the next time he feels the urge to splurge.  Either way, the Detroit Pistons will have his back - in Game 4 and beyond.

If nothing else, that ... is Guaran-sheed! 

   

 

 

A convincing 121-90 Game 7 victory by the Phoenix Suns capped an impressive comeback from a 3-1 series deficit and allowed the Suns to escape into the next round.  The win also capped an exciting NBA first round and gave hope that the second round will bring more of the same.

Objects in the mirror are much closer than they appear.

The objects in said mirror are the Los Angeles Lakers. 

While the Lakers' players are probably kicking themselves right now for giving up a commanding lead and not closing out the series at home in Game 6, the 'ballers in purple and gold can take solace in the fact that they're not far off from once again competing for an NBA title.  Yes, you did read that statement correctly.

Kobe Bryant piled up as many points as criticisms in the season's first half (including from yours truly - scroll down a bit in my blog to see what I mean).  But along the way, his scoring and leadership helped instill confidence into the minds of his teammates.  The result - a 45 win season, a trip back to the playoffs, and a near first round upset of a Western Conference powerhouse.

Expect the Lakers to recover from this sports "tragedy" and be a big player in the off-season free agent market.  Perhaps a trade or two wouldn't be out of the question either.  They'll need to add a true point guard that can set up Kobe and Lamar Odom in the half-court game, as well as open up opportunities for others on the break.  L.A. will also need to acquire another scorer or two to come off the bench and provide a spark for the team when Kobe is a little off his game.

Another season under the zen master, Phil Jackson, combined with a few additions and further development of players like Luke Walton and Kwame Brown and the L.A. Lakers will once again return to glory.

Beware Western Conference foes ... the objects are getting close.

No time for celebration - the other L.A. team is waiting.

For the Phoenix Suns, last night's win was the culmination of an emotional, collective effort.  With their backs against the proverbial wall and experts and fans everywhere counting them out, the Suns answered the challenge with a thrilling overtime road triumph sandwiched between two impressive victories at home.  But now, a new challenge arises - same city, different name.

It seems like weeks have gone by since the Los Angeles Clippers dismantled the Denver Nuggets in five games to advance to the second round for the first time in 30 years.  And while their potential opponents have slugged out in the interim, the confident Clippers have had the chance to do some advanced scouting.  What they've likely discovered is that, much like other teams, they dwarf the undersized Suns along the front line.

Look for the Clippers to utilize PF Elton Brand early and often during the best-of-seven series with Phoenix.  Brand and C Chris Kaman will make for extremely difficult matchups for the Suns' bigs.  While Kaman and Brand stand 7'0" and 6'8" respectively and combine for well over 500 lbs, the Suns power forward/center combination of Shawn Marion and Boris Diaw average 6'7 1/2" and 220.  Needless to say, Phoenix will have to make their living in the open floor if they want to have a chance.  But that's nothing to new to Mike D'Antoni's crew.

Unfortunately for Phoenix, the Clippers wingmen can match the athleticism and speed of their counterparts.  Corey Maggette and Shaun Livingston can run the floor as well as anybody.  And if playoff veterans Sam Cassell and Cutino Mobley can offset the play of Steve Nash, the Suns will be in serious trouble in the next round.

A wise man once said that things in the universe have a way of evening out.  If that is indeed the case, the Phoenix Suns' current high spirits will come plummeting toward the Earth at warp speeds when they clash with their second round opponents.

A mano-y-mano battle for the ages ends on a sour note.

LeBron James and Gilbert Arenas each carried their respective franchises on their burgeoning shoulders as they made their way through a competitive and exciting series.

James poured in 36 ppg during the series while Arenas countered with 32.7.  In almost every contest, it was literally a case of "anything you can do I can do better." 

In Game 5 with the series tied at 2-2, Arenas hit a couple of big shots down the stretch of regulation to bring the Wizards back from a seven point deficit with just over a minute to play.  In overtime, his aggressive drive to the basket forced the Cavs into fouling him with 3.9 seconds remaining and the Cavs holding on to a one point lead.  Gilbert calmly drained both free throws to put Washington in front.  So what did LeBron do to answer?  Nothing much.  He simply took the in-bounds pass amidst a double team and blew by both defenders along the baseline for a game-winning layup.

In Game 6, Arenas nailed a three-pointer from North Baltimore with 1.8 seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime and temporarily stave off elimination.  However, with just seconds left in overtime and the Wizards clinging to a one point lead, LeBron whispered some words of "encouragement" into the ear of Arenas as he stood on the free throw line with a chance to lock up the victory and force Game 7.

"I just told him, if you don't make these free throws the series is over," proclaimed James after the game.  Unfortunately for Gilbert, LeBron's exploits in fortune telling turned out to be quite prophetic.  Arenas missed both shots and seldom used Damon Jones buried the game-winner at the opposing end.

For LeBron James, it was an incredible ending to an unbelievable first-time performance in the playoffs.  Now, an even greater challenge awaits as the two-time defending Eastern Conference Champions lick their chops at a chance to stymy all this "next Michael Jordan" talk.  Obviously, James will need much more help from his teammates if he's going to have an opportunity to move on.

As for Gilbert Arenas, it was a painful climax and a disappointing finish to another breakout year.  Most assuredly, Arenas will think about that fateful trip to the foul line all summer long.  But what he should never forget are the many enormous shots he made during the series.  He should also never forget the fact that without him, the Wizards would've never made the postseason to begin with, let alone win one game in the Cleveland series.

Are you ready for the best second round matchup in recent memory?

All season long, the defending World Champion San Antonio Spurs and the up-and-coming Dallas Mavericks have battled for supremacy in the Western Conference.  These two juggernauts traded the top spot in the Midwest Division (and the top spot in the conference overall) from early November all the way until mid-March when the Spurs managed to "separate" themselves from the Mavs by a game or two the rest of the way.  But through all the jockeying for playoff positioning, one thing has been crystal clear from start to finish, the Spurs and Mavericks are the class of the West.

Much to no one's surprise, S.A. and Dallas split the regular season series, 2-2.  And no one should be surprised if their postseason series is tied at 2-2 after four games.  In fact, I'd be shocked if this series didn't go at least six games, if not seven.

The Mavericks have been resting up and catching up on all the NBA playoff action since their impressive four-game disposal of the Memphis Grizzlies.  Meanwhile, the defending champs had to sweat it out in six games against the hungry and battle-ready Sacramento Kings.  Who has the advantage as a result of their first round feat is anybody's guess.  But Game 1 is already underway and perhaps the answer will be clarified later today.

Playoff Predictions:

Detroit vs. Cleveland

LeBron James is a phenomenal talent but not even Superman himself could beat a team like the Detroit Pistons by himself.  LeBron will have his moments.  But in the end, too much balance on both ends by Detroit for Cleveland to overcome.

Prediction:  Detroit -- 4-1

Miami vs. New Jersey

The New Jersey Nets provide a similar challenge to Shaq and the Heat that the Chicago Bulls did.  They're younger, quicker, more athletic, and love to run.  The big difference, though, is that the Nets also possess plenty of postseason experience.  If the Heat win this series, it will be because of home-court advantage and the ability of Shaq to dominate the paint and stay out of foul trouble.  Neither will happen this time.

Prediction:  New Jersey -- 4-2

San Antonio vs. Dallas

Barring a complete meltdown by one of the two teams, this series should go the full seven.  Tim Duncan's foot seems to be feeling better these days, which makes the front line matchups as close to a push as possible.  That means the team whose backcourt plays the best, and most consistent, will ultimately come out on top.  I'll take the battle-tested combination of Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili over Jason Terry and Jerry Stackhouse.

Prediction:  San Antonio -- 4-3

Phoenix vs. L.A. Clippers

I've already somewhat broken this series down (see above) and I just don't think this is a good matchup for Steve Nash and company - especially without Amare Stoudamire.  The size and athleticism of the Clippers will overwhelm the tired and undersized Suns when it's all said and done.

Prediction:  L.A. Clippers -- 4-2

If you're a bettin' man, take the opposite of all my picks (except Detroit) and you should be good to go.