NBA Playoffs Review: Conference Finals and Where Will LeBron Go?

Before I start, you know what's coming...

Music to listen to: Seven by Sunny Day Real Estate




So we are halfway through the conference finals of the NBA Playoffs and not only are we heading towards possible sweeps, but we my see a rematch of only two years ago in the NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. This may lead to a lack of excitement for casual fans but there has been a lot of things going on in the world of the NBA. So you’ve come to the right source for the review of it all.

1) Where in the world will LeBron James go? I’ve been asked this question by several people because I have a partial and impartial view of this situation. I’m a New York Knicks fan, one of LeBron’s potential destinations, and I would be happy if he became a Knick. However, as an NBA fan, I like to see elite players in the best situations so we can see the best product possible. Plus, I show no emotion in my analysis and you know that. Here’s my breakdown.

Before I start, he’s going to make his money wherever he goes, so the fact that Cleveland can sign him for the “most” money is true on paper but in the grand scheme of this situation, it doesn’t matter.

If he’s thinking with his basketball mind he will be a…Bull. Chicago gives him the best situation to turn a playoff team to a potentially elite team. Not only do the Bulls have Rose and Noah in store, they have additional money to sign another high-level player like Chris Bosh. If you put those four together, they will be the top team in the East right along with Orlando the next five to six years. They also have Deng’s contract to include in a sign and trade, which makes the possibility even stronger. There is also an open head coach position if he wants to play that game.

If he’s thinking with his heart he will be a…Cav. LeBron continues to preach loyalty and obviously staying with your “hometown” team is the way to show this. I put “hometown” in quotations because most people seem to think that LeBron considers Cleveland his hometown but its actually Akron that he claims. It’s not the same. He can finish what he has stated with the Cavs. However, because of the inept management of the team’s roster, all of the role players such as Mo Williams, Anthony Parker, Varajo, etc. are still with the team for a few years with heavy contracts other teams won’t want. If LeBron couldn’t even make the Finals the past two years with this crew, what makes him think it will be any different? Plus, if they keep Mike Brown, which they probably won’t, James has to walk.

If he wanted to think about his brand, he will be a…Net. I’ll get to the Knicks, hear me out. The Nets have Brook Lopez, Devin Harris, a top-three pick in the draft and money to spend. He will be closer to his major New York market and the Nets have a better core than the Knicks, which isn’t saying much but it’s something. Another open position is at head coach. Two more factors to consider. You can’t ignore the ownership of Jay-Z of the team as being a factor. Those two have formed a relationship of some form that has lasted a long time. Second, the owner is Russian and has European connections that will help James increase his name in that area of the world.

If he wants to be a little savvy he will be a…Celtic or Thunder. Both teams can afford him, especially Oklahoma City. They each have good cores to build around but I don’t think that Lebron is a candidate for these locations.

If he wanted to be savvy and give a sleeper a chance, he would be a…Maverick. Dallas has the money, an expiring contract, the sway of Mark Cuban, the chance to play in a bigger market and even Texas Stadium on occasion and some other attributes. The problem is that you have an older core that may lose its maximum skills in a year or two instead of a younger core like Chicago or New Jersey.

If he buys into the whole “global icon” concept, he would be a…Knick. It is the biggest market, the largest stage, offers the most money besides Cleveland, he would be the biggest sports celebrity in that city, even more than Jeter. He would gain larger exposure for his brand. On the court, New York offers him a nearly open slate to choose players and a coach in D’Antoni with a system that he could realistically average 35/10/8 if he wanted to for a season or even tick the points down a few and get the elusive triple-double season. However, this isn’t enough. He would have to get another player like Bosh or even Wade to take the leap with him. This may be harder than you would think.

If he can deal with a crappy owner, he would be a Clipper…If the Clippers had another owner that gave a crap about the team, they would be the favorite outside of Cleveland. The Clippers give him the major market, have a solid core of young players, the whole thing accept for the terrible owner. There is no way that LeBron makes this move. Can’t blame him.

So where does he go. I think he ends up a Knick. He’s going to buy into the BS of him having to play for the Knicks to reach his marketing potential. He’s already the face of the league. If he wants to reach Michael Jordan status, he has to win titles. He would have a better chance of doing that with the Bulls and not a rebuilding Knicks team.

Wherever he chooses to play, he needs to gain a killer instinct and act like he cares. Losing game five of the Boston series wasn’t criminal. It happens to all of the great players. However, his mannerisms during that contest was unacceptable for a player who is trying to become a world champion. All of the greats from Jordan to Magic to Bird and many others wouldn’t have let game five happen the way that it did. You have to be aggressive and take control of your team. Game six was a formality because all of us knew the Cavs were going to lose that contest.

The biggest thing that we learned from that Boston series is that LeBron, really any elite player honestly, needs help to win a championship. One-man gangs don’t win NBA titles. That’s why its critical that whoever he signs with has a supporting cast around him because if he goes to New York and no one joins him, he’s going to keep losing early in the playoffs.

Enough LeBron, he’s out of the playoffs, lets look at the other playoff series:

Boston vs. Orlando: Dwight Howard is like LeBron-lite. The lack of competitiveness in him is just as disappointing. He needs to stop smiling and acting happy because he’s getting punked in this series. The thing that was most disturbing was his “interview” during game one of the series with himself. His alter ego Clark Kent or some other crap like that was doing an interview with Dwight, it was awful as it sounds. Not to sound like an old man but you wouldn’t see the great players do that at all. He’s not elite. Also, learn some post moves.

When you’re relying on Vince Carter for clutch plays, you have problems.

For Boston, we’ve seen this song and dance before. The main difference is that while Pierce, Garnett and Allen can’t give a max effort every night because of age, Rondo steps up and fills the role. I still would take Deron Williams and Derrick Rose before Rondo but he’s had an excellent 2010 playoffs.

Back to Orlando. I think that sweeping Charlotte and Atlanta may have actually hurt it. The Magic haven’t been challenged and you’re seeing the battle-tested crew of Boston take it to them. Also, does Rashad Lewis even know that this series has started? Just a question for someone who is due to make more than $18 million dollars each year for the next four? What an awful contract.

I think Boston wins this series in six.

Los Angeles vs. Phoenix: Its not a problem for the Suns when Kobe goes for 40 points in game one. Lamar Odom going for 18 and 18 in the same contest is not good. Gasol getting 28 points in game two is a problem. Kobe is going to get 30+ points in every game of this series. If the bigs for the Lakers have big games, the Suns will get swept.

Phoenix just doesn’t have the size to compete.

However, similar to Orlando, if the Lakers get comfortable, Boston will bring it to them in the Finals.

Lakers in five.

Sunday Reflection (on a Monday): I'm Leaving Nashville

What up everybody, hope you’ve been well. On to another fun post…

Music to listen to: Machine Messiah by Yes



So I’m moving out of Nashville and going to spend at least the summer in good ole Kennesaw, Ga.

Its been an active four-week period for me personally and professionally. It all started at the end of March when I was informed that I was going to be released from my position at TNA Wrestling. It was a tough blow to take because its always tough being told that you aren’t wanted at your place of employment, no matter how good or bad you did at your job. I think I did well and tried my best but that wasn’t good enough for them and I can’t control that. I made some excellent relationships there and will miss the job but you have to move on.

Furthermore, as I’ve stated here in this forum, working in sports is a dicey profession to get involved in. No one is safe. Players get traded, coaches get fired, executives get released, its part of the gig. So while there are some hard feelings towards the release, I’m not bitter about it. Plus, in a few years, there may be another chance to come back to TNA Wrestling or professional wresting in general, so this is just a phase of the employment life.

It was fun to work in professional wrestling because I was able to achieve one of those childhood goals. When I was a little, ok husky, lad in Brooklyn with only a prayer and a dream back in the NYC, I wanted to be one of several things in this order

1) President of the New York Mets
2) Sports writer for the New York Daily News
3) President of the New York Giants
4) President of the New York Rangers
5) President of the World Wrestling Federation

The first one would be interesting, the second one would be interesting and I’ve worked in media relations so I have an idea of how that goes down, the third one would be OK, the fourth one would be the most outside of my element and the fifth one would be the least interesting to me because after working in professional wrestling, I see what goes into it and its probably not for me. But at least I can say that I tried it.

Plus I got paid to talk about and watch wrestling. The 13-year old version of me would think that was epic so the 28-year old version will as well.

After getting the release, I’ve been contemplating a LOT of stuff in my life. I’ve come to several conclusions. Want to hear them? Since you’re reading this blog post, you probably do so here they go:

1) It’s time to move out of Nashville. I’ve spent seven years of my adult life in this city and I’ve enjoyed every moment of it. When I first came down here for undergrad studies, there was a culture shock of moving from the NYC to middle Tennessee. While I had spent some summers in South Carolina and Georgia as a teenager, it wasn’t the same. This city has represented my growth as an adult in many ways. When I first came here in 1999, Nashville was growing from a perceived sleepy town with some country music into one of the major cities in the country. Between the Tennessee Titans, businesses moving down here and everything else, it was a happening time. By the time of my first departure in 2003, the city had changed and so did I. After some rough personal times and not finding happiness in Charleston, S.C., I jumped at the chance to come back to this city for graduate school and its been even more fun than the frst time.

I’ve so comfortable here. I know where to go to take care of every task, have free access to each sporting event of my choosing, only a three-hour drive from a significant amount of my family, the people are nice, etc.

However, its time for me to move outside of my bubble and expand my options. I’m sure that I could stay here, find a job to my liking and spend the next fifty years here. But I want to see more of this country, diversify my choices and that means moving away. I will always be around the city though. I can’t miss Vandy football, Belmont volleyball, Belmont soccer, Vandy men’s basketball, Belmont basketball, and most surprisingly, Belmont baseball.

I came to my ultimate conclusion to move out on Saturday when I went to the senior day activities for Belmont baseball. I saw the ceremony for the four seniors Packy, Cameron, Brandan and Mark and thought back to three years ago when those guys were sophomores and now they were grown men moving on to their next paths of life. I would love to still be friends with the senior versions of them and stay in this state forever but that’s not how life works. Like them I must find my path and that means leaving this comfort zone.

I will have an emo moment when I drive on to I-24 towards Chattanooga to Georgia because while I will visit here often, it won’t be the same.

2) Being very picky about my next position of employment, it has to be in the following fields to reach these positions.

a) College athletic director
b) President of a Mixed Martial Arts organization
c) Publisher of a sports publication
d) President/Commissioner of a professional basketball team/organization
e) President/Commissioner of a professional baseball team/organization
f) Kick ass bass player of an alternative rock group that’s part Mars Volta, part Yes, part Tool, some Black Angels, Massive Attack and Thievery Corporation wrapped into one.

Only one of those has no chance of happening. I’ve looked at other positions in other industries and I would prefer to not do it. I love the sports industry and more importantly, I’m good, borderline excellent in it. This is what I want to do and the past month has confirmed this for me.

3) I want a wife and children. I’ve bounced back and forth with this one. All of us who are single like me have those moments when we see a happy family in a public place and wish we had that for ourselves and then we see an unhappy couple with miserable children and are grateful we aren’t in that spot.

If it seems like I’m harping on age its not intentional but I get like this on my birthday week. I turn 29 on Saturday and while I’m not old (btw, when you’re in your early 50’s, you’re old, no shame in that, embrace it, but you are in the second-half of your life), I would prefer to not be the old dad if you know what I’m saying.

I figure I’m fortunate if I reach 70. I’m well aware of my mortality and accept it because all of us die so no biggie to think on these terms. I would like to be able to post up my sons and daughters in the backyard driveway playing basketball when they are teenagers, lets say 15. Its going to go south for me at 50, so that means I have about five years, maybe 10 before I have to at least have the first child.

I’ve heard that having a child is like seeing a dog learn to talk and who doesn’t want that?

But seriously, if I want to have a family, these are things I have to think about. I’m glad that I haven’t had any children yet because I’m not in the proper position to support them right now but I will be soon.

So as of May 17, 2010, your boy will eventually like to become a father and husband, but that may change next week, next year or even by the end of this post. Its something that’s in my control and out of my control if that makes sense.

4) I want to have more fun. This month has been rough but its shown me that I also have a lot going for me and that I have to enjoy my life more because as you saw in point three above, it can go in an instant.

Along those lines, I have to go back to my definitions of fun. For some, heading to the bar or dance club may be fun but I’m not interested in that. I find enjoyment in writing on this blog, heading to the book store and reading, attending sporting events, etc. What I’m telling myself to do is embrace my journey and find enjoyment within me.

5) I really, really want to get Sports Inquirer going. This moment of my life will determine if I become a sports journalist or not. Pourtout Pancakes is a good forum but deep in my soul I believe that if I do this right, when you think of American sports publications, it will be only behind Sports Illustrated, ESPN the Magazine and The Sporting News. Its on me to make that happen

6) Law school may still happen in 2011, but I’m not ready to take the LSAT. I postponed that test until October. It had to be done.

7) Learn French and play guitar. When I release my French rock album and have my first concert in Quebec City, you won’t be laughing then.

8) Value my family. I’ve been selfish the last decade of my life in relation to assisting my family. They can really use my assistance at this time. I’m not going to specifics because remember my one rule of the blog, I don’t write about specifics in my family but its nothing major. However, having my presence in Georgia will be nice for them.

And with that, I’m leaving Nashville.

NBA Playoffs Review

Hey everybody, long time since my last Blog post, no excuses, let’s get right into it with a review of the 2010 NBA playoffs so far.

Music to listen to: Exodus by Bob Marley



This is what I’m listening to while doing this post. For some reason, Bob Marley came up in a conversation I was having a few days ago so I’ve decided to post my favorite song of his.

So the NBA playoffs are in full swing and I’m loving every moment of it. This is my favorite set of playoffs out of the big four sports because while it does last a little too long for my taste (thank you television rights), you see the most intriguing matchups and the true meddle of teams. While MLB is seems even lengthier, NFL crests with the Super Bowl and the NHL seems like a war of attriction, the NBA seems like the perfect balance.

I didn’t know the best way to do this but decided to make general statements and roll from there.

-Denver is an absolute mess and I don’t know where to point the finger. I could go with the unfortunate health decline of its head coach, George Karl, the eroding skills of Billups, the pouting and immaturity of J.R. Smith, the joke of an attitude that Kenyon Martin has. In the end, I have to look at Carmelo Anthony. He should have taken the reigns on this team and carried them to a win over Utah in the first round.

-Have no idea what to make of Charlotte after its first-round series against Orlando.

-Dwayne Wade is, at worst, the fourth-best player in the league and he may need to be higher. That game four performance against Boston was inspirational. When he is a Bull next year, look out for those guys, speaking of which…

-The combo of Derrick Rose and Noah in Chicago in its series against Cleveland, should be an open letter to every wing free-agent, including LeBron, that you can go to the Bulls and compete for the East, maybe even an NBA title. Its rare to find an elite point guard and a high-production forward together and willing to do whatever it takes for the team. If the Bulls hire someone competent as head coach, even though with the ownership’s continued support of the incompetent general manager Paxson you don’t know, that team can be a force.

-I’m buying into what Kenny Smith said on Inside the NBA that Kevin Durant will be the best player in the NBA in three years. Think about it. Kobe and Duncan will definitely be on the downturn. Dwight Howard will actually regress as a player and I’ll get to him in my next point. Deron Williams, Rose and Chris Paul will continue to do their thing but Durant will have a size advantage over them. Anthony is solid but not better.

That leaves Wade and LeBron. We’ve seen Wade’s body break down so I’m leaning against him. I think that Durant is a better shooter right now, LeBron is a better defender, both can score even though I would put Durant as a better “scorer.” Just think about it.

The Thunder showed me some maturity in losing to the Lakers and will be a force to recognize in the next few years.

-Portland was borderline idiotic in playing Brandon Roy with a bum knee. I don’t care that he came on the court, hit some shots and the Blazers actually won that home contest. You can’t risk your franchise player in a first-round series like that. Furthermore, your team has a history of injuries, hello Greg Oden, and you do that. That was one of the most unsmart moves I’ve seen from a professional organization

-OK, back to Dwight Howard. We should have seen more development from him as a post player by now in his career. I know he had a nice game against Atlanta last night but Orlando will NEVER win a title if he is the main option on offense.

-Fire Mike Woodson. As a passive Hawks fan, I’m disgusted at the fact of the Bucks series going seven games and the embarrassment of last night’s game against Orlando. He has been an incompetent coach during his entire time in Atlanta and now the rest of America gets to see it.

Now on to the current series

Lakers vs. Jazz: While Deron Williams is playing like the best point guard in the league right now and the Jazz will always play hard, it can’t beat the Lakers. Too much size. Lakers in six.

Suns vs. Spurs: Classic series that will be enjoyable to watch because of the matchups. I think this is the year that Phoenix breaks through. Suns in seven.

Orland vs. Atlanta: This has the chance of being a sweep but I’ll give the Hawks one game assuming that Joe Johnson gets hot in one contest. Magic in five.

Cleveland vs. Boston: Saved the best for last. I’m as big of a LeBron mark as you can find but two things are disturbing me about this series and the Cavs in general. First, the elbow injury is legit and it can affect him physically. The second point worries me even more and it’s the mental state of the Cavs. They seemed a little too happy to get their butts whipped at home by an aging Celtics squad that they should be double-digit favorites over in each game. Mike Brown, aka LeBron’s puppet, needs to gain some strong testicle power and tell his team that if they don’t get their act right, they can be down 3-1 quickly. I don’t see that killer instinct in LeBron and it may never come, at least in this series. With all that being said, I’ll take the best player in the world. Cavs in seven.