NBA Finals Preview

The NBA finals is once again amongst us.  Here's a preview of the matchups presented in the starting line ups and my prediction of who will be crowned NBA champion for the 2012-2013 season.

Point Guard: By no means, am I fan of Mario Chalmers, but I will admit the dude is a tough defender and a big game player who shows up when the money's on the line just ask D. Rose and John Calipari.  On the other side of the spectrum you have Tony Parker, who was making a strong case for a regular season MVP bid before getting hit by the injury bug towards the end of the season.  Parker is probably the most productive yet underrated Point Guard of our generation and is averaging just under 22 ppg and 8 apg during the '12-13 playoffs.  I don't think there's any comparison here as Tony Parker is a top 6 PG in the league and Mario Chalmers is well Mario Chalmers

Advantage:  Tony Parker and the Spurs

Shooting Guard:  According to the numbers Danny Green is one of the best  3 pt specialist in the NBA shooting 43% from beyond the arc during the regular season and you guessed it 43% in this years playoffs.  Don't be enamored by those numbers because that isn't Green's only niche, the former UNC Tarheel is an excellent defender whose do it all defensive mentality is one of the main reasons why the Spurs are so good.  Manu Ginoboli may come off the bench but he plays starter minutes and has been rolling in these playoffs averaging just under 14 ppg. If Manu is able to score and play make the way he's capable of and avoid showing signs of a hamstring injury that plagued him during the regular season, the Spurs will be hard to beat.   On the other hand you have Dwyane Wade whose troublesome knees have had him looking like Charles Barkley after the Monstars took his talent in Space Jam of late.  If he's able to play this series the way he did in game 7 of the Indiana series, 21 points and 9 boards, expect the Heat to put extreme pressure on the Spurs.

Advantage:  Spurs 

Small Forward:  Yes Kawhii Leonard has a 7'3" wing span, which is the larger than 7 footer Andrew Bynum's, yes Leonard is an excellent defender whose improving offensive game has been an asset for the Spurs all year, but he's matched up against the best player in the World in LeBron James.

Advantage:  The King and the Miami Heat

Power Forward:  This is the position that is up for question because we really don't know who the starters could be.  Both teams slide in different players depending on match ups, and all those match ups provide different things for each team.  With this being said we should expect to see Tiago Splitter start at the 4 for the Spurs, he is an excellent low post defender, who also defends the pick and roll well and uses his 7 ft. plus frame to cause problems for opposing teams in the low post.

Advantage:  Even 

Center:  Chris Bosh is not the Chris Bosh I remember from Toronto, if he fails to grab rebounds every game in this series like he did in the Indiana series, it could be a long series for the Heat's frontline.  On the other side, Tim Duncan is arguably the best player of our generation, only one player in my opinion has been better and that's the 5x champion Kobe Bean Bryant .  At age 37 there's still no question the great impact the 4x NBA champion Duncan has both offensively and defensively for the Spurs.  Although Bosh is an NBA All Star this one's a no brainer.

Advantage:  The Big Fundamental and the Spurs 

Coaching:  Eric Spoelstra has improved as a coach every year since he's been in the league and if you watched the Eastern Conference Finals, you saw him out coach the Pacers Frank Vogel in key situations.  Coach Spo has led the Heat to 3 finals appearances in five season as Head Coach of the Miami Heat, and is one of the best young coaches in the L.  However in this case he's facing the mastermind..... Gregg Popovich who is not only a 4x NBA champion but the longest tenured coach in the NBA, the advantage is obvious.

Advantage: Spurs 

Prediction:  Spurs in 6 with Tony Parker being crowned Finals MVP and Tim Duncan possibly riding off into the sunset like Ray Lewis

2k13 Decision of Derrick Rose

Say what you want about Derrick Rose,  call him a coward, call him selfish call him exactly what adjective comes to mind but one thing you can't call him is stupid. The 2013 Decision, in which Derrick Rose opted to sit out a full year while recovering from an ACL injury he suffered in last years First Round of the NBA playoffs may have been one of the more influential decisions made by an athlete in a long time.  If you ask me the adjectives I'd use to describe the two time NBA All Star and 2011's Most Valuable Player would be somewhere along the lines of  brilliant and influential.  For once an athlete was able to stand up for himself and prove that not only does he understand the value of his career but, he also understands the business aspect of  professional sports.  Too many times we've seen athletes rush back from major injuries only to further their injuries, lose the ability to play at the level they once played at and ultimately prematurely end their career, do the names Brandon Roy, Bo Jackson,  Yao Ming or another one of Chicago's very own Gale Sayers ring a bell?  The 2013 version of The Decision finally gave athletes not only a precedent  for future decisions involving injury, but leverage to gauge their own bodies.  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to deduce that every one heals differently and as athlete it's very crucial to understand that mental confidence leads to physical confidence, especially for athletes like Rose who make a living off his explosion and superior athleticism, two things a bum knee can hinder.  One must understand first and foremost professional sports is a business, each decision made in professional sports is generally in the best interest of the Owner and the money that comes out of his pocket. He has the responsibility to not only provide fans with a team that makes fans want to pay the price of admission and sit in the seats and watch a winning representative of the city, but owners are also responsible for protecting their investments which are their players.  The Bulls organization exemplified the "protection" part by allowing Rose to come back at his own pace, even if his own pace ruled out him providing a single minute for a very talented Bulls roster  who not only had a shot at winning an NBA title with him in the lineup but, nonetheless overcame several key injuries before bowing out to the defending champion Miami Heat in the 2nd round. There were no rumblings from the people who mattered most inside the organization like Bulls Chairmen Jerry Reinsdorf,  his teammates who backed his decision publicly or his Head Coach Tom Thibodeaux who said, "Right from the start, I thought Jerry set the tone for it. He made it clear about how we were going to approach it.  We were never going to rush him back. We weren't going to allow him to rush himself back. He heeded Jerry's advice right from the beginning."  The choice Rose made this season was not an easy one and although as fans we tend to let our emotions play into our thoughts about the personal decisions and performances of today's athletes, we must factor in that at the end of the day these athletes are human and they must lookout for their own best interest.

NBA First Round Playoff Predictions

Indiana Pacers vs. Atlanta Hawks

Winner:  Pacers in 6

Why:  We've seen this movie before the Hawks makes the playoffs, the Hawks makes an early exit from the playoffs.  The Hawks are looking forward to free agency.

Miami Heat vs. Milwaukee Bucks

Winner:  Heat in 4

Why:  Brandon Jennings already predicted the Bucks would win in 6.  Rule no. 1 don't add fuel to LeBron's fire.

Los Angeles Clippers vs. Memphis Grizzlies

Winner:  Grizzlies in 7

Why:  This will be one of the more entertaining series of the first round.  Ultimately the Grizzlies toughness, will to play defense  and the low post play will be too much for Chris Paul and Lob City.

Los Angeles Lakers vs. San Antonio Spurs

Winner:  Spurs in 7

Why:  This is a really tough pick for me.  The way the Lakers matchup with the Spurs even without Kobe sounds pretty favorable and Pau Gasol is playing like '09 Pau. The issue is you have a Greg Popovic coached team against a Mike D'Antoni coached team, advantage Spurs.  With Manu and Tony Parker not at 100% look for a really competitive series, with a possible surprising outcome.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Houston Rockets

Winner:  OKC in 5

Why:  James Harden will go off and Houston will steal one game, keyword one.


Golden St. Warriors vs. Denver Nuggets

Winner:  Denver in 6

Why:  If your looking for points this will be the most entertaining series of the first round.  Both teams can score with the best of them and both teams play an uptempo style of basketball.  Difference is, Denver's veteran leadership, bench depth and upgraded defensive play will cool the Warriors out real quick.

Ny Knicks vs. Boston Celtics

Winner:  Knicks in 6

Why:  Carmelo has a lot to prove, he's not losing in the first round.

Brooklyn Nets vs. Chicago Bulls

Winner: Bulls in 7

Why:  I still believe D. Rose will be back for the playoffs and if this holds true Chicago and their tough defensive minded brand of basketball will put the other New Yorkers to sleep.  With Joakim Noah likely to miss a few games this series could really go in anyones favor.  Look for this to be one of the more entertaining series of the first round.

Top 5 most Underrated Players in the NBA (No order)

1.  Omer Asik




Spending his first few years as Joakim Noah's backup on some dangerous Chicago Bulls teams, Omer Asik has picked up his effort in his 1st year starting for the Houston Rockets.  The "Turkish Hammer"  whose averaging a double-double at 10.2 ppg  and 11.2 boards per contest, and is known for being a tough low post defender has been a bright spot for a Houston team whose young nucleus will be a problem out West for years to come.

2.  J.J. Redick

Known as the one trick 3 point specialist that everybody loved to hate at Duke, J.J. Redick has expanded his game and been a steady role player for the Orlando Magic since he entered the L.  With more load to carry with the departure of D12 to Los Angeles, Redick has not only been a problem scoring the ball (15.0 ppg)  but has been an excellent passer averaging just under 5 assist per game this season.  All around he's played soild basketball and when you have a guy whose changed his moniker from a 3 point specialist to an All-around basketball player while continuing to shoot 45% FG%, and 40% 3p% you've definitely got quite a ballplayer.  

3.  Lance Stephenson 

Born Ready is enjoying his best season as a Pro and seems to finally be getting it.  The 6'5 Cony Island native whose name has been prominent in basketball since his days starring for Brooklyn's Lincoln High school seems to be finally grasping his potential.  Although his stats may seem modest at 7.8 ppg and a little under 4 boards and 3 dimes, Lance has made a huge impact for a Pacers team that has been generally good since Danny Granger's Knee injury.  With Stevenson in the starting lineup the Pacers have been a better team averaging an increase in offensive rating, defensive rating and overall team net rating. His multi-faceted game has allowed him to create for himself and others and the emergence of Paul George has been keyed by Stevenson's willingness to drive and kick.  Stevenson uses his bullish frame and bevy of moves to create and if he continues to play smart efficient basketball, there's a lot of expectations that the young 2 guard could live up to including living up to the best player on the Pacers billing that none other than Larry Bird dubbed him his Rookie year.  Not too bad of a cosign.

4. Thaddeus Young

Although not, a flashy player Thaddeus Young has been  quite a steady player since he entered the league in '07.  The 6'8 swingman from Georgia Tech has been nothing more than an asset for a young 76ers Franchise that is Andrew Bynum away from making a playoff run.  Young has been enjoying his best year as a pro averaging 15.0 ppg 7.3 rbg 1.6 steals and a block, while shooting shooting 52% from the field.  He may not get the notoriety  but don't sleep on Young who could be the spark plug to a 1st round playoff upset for the 76ers this season.

5.  Nicholas Batum



The ultra athletic French swingman has continued to live up to the first round billing he earned in '08. Batum has enjoyed a season in which his statistics have gone up across the board averaging career highs in points, rebounds, assist and steals at 16.4ppg , 6.1rpg, 4.9apg and 1.4 spg respectively.  He also earned his second career triple-double three nights ago in a one-point win over the Clippers with a 21 point, 12 dimes and 10 board outburst.  With Nicholas Batum's do-it-all production watch Portland become a force in the West for years to come with the emergence of Rookie Damien Lillard and All-star Power Forward Lamarcus Aldridge running along side of  him.

Honorable Mention:

Chandler Parsons 
Jarrett Jack 
Greivas Vasquez
Jose Calderon