For the Fans, By the Fans. Period.
16 teams started the quest for the Larry O’Brien trophy…
And there were 4 left standing,
Who will be crowned the 2013 NBA Champions?
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Well in game 5 I thought Indiana would close it out on the road being the better team overall in this series. However, the Knicks fought back at home and kept the series going. With the Injury to George Hill proving to be a bigger lose than expected for the Pacers in game 5, he may be available to return tonight close out the Knicks at home tonight. If he doesn’t I see the Pacers home playoff win streak in this series in jeopardy.Play:
If Hill returns Pacers -5.5
If no Hill Knicks +5.5
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Two matchups are left in each conference to determine the two finalists going to the NBA Finals.
Chicago Bulls Vs Miami Heat
2013 Regular Season Matchups
Chicago Bulls’ Locker Room
Both teams have proven they can win at home and on the road. But what a shocker it was when the Bulls stunned the Heat Monday night on the road. While we still don’t have news on whether Derrick Rose will play, the Bulls might have some other issues they might want to deal with. Sixth man Nate Robinson carried the Bulls to the second round despite being ill and throwing up courtside. Luol Deng has also been dealing with the flu and a spinal tap and missed the last two games in the series against the Brooklyn Nets. Veteran guard Kirk Hinrich is also dealing with a calf injury, and if he returns, he won’t be at 100 percent. The Bulls surprised many in knocking out the Nets on the road in seven games with their stingy, tough defense.
Miami Heat Locker Room
The defending champions swept the Milwaukee Bucks in Round 1 and have been off for 10 days. This will help them in the long run. The Heat have no serious injuries as Dwayne Wade has gotten better during this break and will be cleared to play come game time. The Heat didn’t have a hard time moving past the Bucks, winning by an average of 14 points. The Heat is arguably toe-to-toe with the Bulls defensively, both coaches stress sharing the ball and defensive pressure on the ball. With a solid supporting cast in Chris “The Bird-Man” Anderson, Ray Allen, Shane Battier, Mike Miller and Norris Cole, this Heat bench can bring it when their starters are resting. And LeBron James just won his fourth MVP in the last five years. They were simply stunned by the intensity the Bulls brought to Miami in game 1. But the defending champions know how to bounce back. Just count on Lebron James.
Final Predictions
Chicago might steal a game or two, but when the dust settles Miami continues its quest for two in a row.
Heat in 6
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New York Knicks vs. Indiana Pacers
Remember the “choke artist” in Reggie Miller scoring eight points in 8.9 seconds and later staring down at Spike Lee while using one hand to choke himself and the other holding down on his crotch? Yeah those were the great days of the Knicks/Pacers Series, and now it is finally BACK!
2013 Regular Season Matchups
Indian Pacers’ Locker Room
The Pacers did what neither team could do during the regular season, win on the road. After stealing game one, this Pacers team now really has the edge to move on to the Eastern Conference finals with its undefeated home playoff streak. The Pacers had their moments in round one against the Atlanta Hawks but they overcame it in game six to eliminate the Hawks. The Pacers led the league with 45.9 rebounds per game and they showed it in their first round match-up, dominating the boards and points in the paint which has caused a HUGE problem for the Knicks. In game one the Pacers won the rebounding edge 44-30 and points in the paint 46-32. The Pacers will have to continue to play this type of ball in hopes of knocking off the Knicks and moving on to possibly face the defending champion Miami Heat.
New York Knicks’ Locker Room
Home court is what they need to focus on, now having only three home games left, the Knicks need to secure all 3 games at home and steal one at Indiana where the Pacers are 30-11 and currently undefeated in the playoffs. The Knicks will hope to get a low-post boost in Amare Stoudemire possibly returning in game three and hopefully Marcus Camby can be more productive as they will be outsized against David West, Roy Hibbert and Paul George. Quote from Charles Barkley on TNT, “You don’t live by the threes, you die by it.” The Knicks have been this way all season, they average over 24 attempts but in game one the Pacers beat them in that category and if they want to have any chance of making this a series, they have to make it rain.
Final Predictions
New York didn’t come this far without some success and recognition. We’ll hope for a great seven-game series but when it’s all said and done Reggie Miller will be smiling after game seven.
Pacers in 7
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With the NHL season winding down and the playoff races start to get tighter between fewer teams, let’s take a look at the playoff-bound and contending teams in the Eastern Conference. We’ll start with the preseason projections and see how all the teams are now in the playoff race.
1. Pittsburgh Penguins – Clinched No. 1 overall seed in the East and Atlantic Division title
Preseason scoop: “Pittsburgh Penguins – No doubt that the thought of a healthy and extra-motivated Sidney Crosby playing with defending MVP and scoring champ Evgeni Malkin is going to cause many coaches and players to lose some sleep in the coming weeks. The two-headed monster spearheads a potent offensive lineup with the likse of Kris Letang and James Neal hiding in Crosby and Malkin’s shadows. The big question for the Pens will be on the blueline, and in net after that colossal defensive breakdown versus Philadelphia in last year’s playoffs. Marc-Andre Fleury will need to return to his dominant form from the regular season, and put that playoff series behind him.”
It didn’t go according to plan for the Penguins this year, but it’s clear that they are thinking cup or bust. Crosby has been sensational in all the games that he has played, and despite missing the last quarter of the season with a broken jaw, he is still likely to win the MVP.Reigning MVP Evgeni Malkin has battled injuries and inconsistency this season, but is getting plenty of time to fully heal down the stretch. General Manager Ray Shero went all-in around the trade deadline acquiring veterans Douglas Murray, Jussi Jokinen, Brenden Morrow and Jarome Iginla. The Pens are surely the team to beat in the East.
2. Boston Bruins – Clinched playoff berth and are neck-and-neck with Montreal for the No. 2 seed in the East and Northeast Division title
Preseason Scoop: “Despite former MVP and Conn Smythe-winning All-Star goalie Tim Thomas sitting the season out due to personal reasons, the Bruins are still sitting pretty in the drivers seat of the division. Tuukka Rask is a more than capable starting goaltender, and there won’t be much of a drop-off for the B’s in the crease. Zdeno Chara captains a roster that will see the return of a healthy Nathan Horton, who was dealing with concussion issues last season. The big, physical Bruins should be in control of the division from the get-go, especially if their offense starts hot.”
It has been an emotional season for the Bruins. They started by making a “paper trade” of Tim Thomas (although he was sitting out the year, he still counts against the salary cap, so he was dealt to the Islanders so New York could have more salary on the books and the Bruins would have cap room) early in the season. They have been battling with the Canadiens for the division all season, and that race will go right down to the wire. The big story about the Bruins this year is how they will bounce back long-term after the terrorist attack and subsequent man-hunt through the streets of suburban Boston, causing them to have to postpone two games. When play returned to the TD Garden, emotions ran high and were capped by a touching rendition of the Star Spangled Banner by the Boston crowd. With the situation over, and the season winding down, look for the Bruins to get back to business and try and lock up the Northeast.
3. Washington Capitals – Three points ahead of Winnipeg for the Southeast Division with three games left
Preseason Scoop : “Led by superstar Alex Ovechkin, the Caps look to find their winning ways again. A perennial playoff team, and often times a legitimate threat to win it all, the Caps have kept finding ways to blow it. They have yet to put a significant playoff run together, and their goaltending can go from perfect to disastrous in a matter of days. Loaded upfront with Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, and new addition Mike Ribeiro, the Caps cut dead weight in Alex Semin, and Braden Holtby proved in last year’s playoffs that he is a franchise-caliber goalie. If Backstrom can shake his concussion issues from last year, and defenseman Mike Green and Ovi can find their form from a couple years ago, and solid role players like Brooks Laich can hold the fort in the defensive zone, the Caps can be a truly dominant team.”
The Caps struggled mightily early in the year and at one point, looked to be a lottery pick. They were losing game after game in ugly ways, letting stupid penalties and disastrous turnovers doom them, and the goaltending was nowhere to be found. Brooks Laich was hurt for most of the year, and Alex Ovechkin’s production was OK, but his desire came into heavy question. Now, Ovechkin has hit the 30-goal mark, which is good for a player in ANY season, let alone a 48-game one (in which he still has three games left). The Caps, if they get in, are going to be very dangerous come playoff time. They’ve gotten hot at the right time, winning nine of their last 10, and Ovi and Mike Green have found their potent offensive forms. Only question will be goaltending for the Caps (as it is for every team).
4. Montreal Canadiens – Clinched playoff berth, battling with Boston for the Northeast Division
Preseason Scoop: “It was a rough season last year for the Habs that saw them finish dead last in the Eastern Conference, and third-worst in the entire league. There is not too much reason to believe this year will be much better. Young star defenseman and future franchise player P.K. Subban has yet to report to camp as a restricted free agent, and the Habs feature an aging lineup of veterans with some young upstart players like Lars Eller and Max Pacioretty. Unless Carey Price can stand on his head night in and night out and steal more than his fair share of games, the 48-game season will feel like an 82-game season in hockey’s promised land.”
Time to eat a little crow on this one. I completely wrote off the Habs at the beginning of the year, and totally underestimated the effect that new coach Michel Therrien would have on Montreal. He got the most out of every player on that roster on a nightly basis, including rookies Alex Galchenyuk and Brendan Gallagher. PK Subban finally signed after a holdout, and now leads the Canadiens in points on the year and is a budding star in the NHL. Carey Price has stolen his fair share of games for them this year, but the majority of the Habs wins have been team wins. As of late however, Montreal has fallen into some inconsistency and some troublesome goaltending. Many feel that Montreal overachieved early in the year, and it’s possible it did. It is also possible that it is just hitting a rough patch that nearly every team has hit and will snap out of this in time for the postseason.
5. Toronto Maple Leafs – Clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2004.
Preseason Scoop: “The hockey-crazed city of Toronto has been desperate for a winner, and this year maybe its year. To say Toronto is a longshot to win the Cup may be an understatement, but I for one am a beLEAFer. After a monumental collapse late last season, Toronto may be a team to benefit from a shortened season. Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul had fantastic seasons last year and look to pick up where they left off. The forward unit is bolstered by the addition of James van Riemsdyk who was traded at the draft from the Flyers for Luke Schenn. While Schenn will be a tough loss, the blueline was and is the Leafs deepest spot, and JVR is a stud. Of course, we can’t for get to mention that James Reimer needs to be lights out. If the Leafs get into the postseason, you never know what could happen.”
After my “eat crow moment”, here comes the “I told you so moment.” Despite Phil Kessel starting off horribly slowly, and Joffrey Lupul missing a huge portion of the season with a broken arm, the Leafs have returned to the postseason for the first time since 2004, and they are a team that could make some noise. James Reimer has stood tall in net for the Leafs all year, and while they could finish as low as eighth still, look for them to take the fifth seed. Kessel has come on lately and since returning from injury, Lupul has been nearly unstoppable. James van Riemsdyk has been phenomenal for the Leafs, and Nazem Kadri finally had his breakout year in the NHL, showing that they were right to develop him slowly. You have to feel for former GM Brian Burke though, who was fired at the beginning of the year (for refusing to trade for Roberto Luongo according to the rumor mill), he was the one that put this team together, and his last move as GM (trading Luke Schenn to acquire JVR) was arguably his best move yet as GM.
6. New York Islanders – Clinched playoff berth. Currently in a three way tie for sixth place.
Preseason Scoop: “An intriguing team to watch, the Islanders have been a perennial basement dweller in the Atlantic, however they boast an emerging star in John Tavares, backed up by the likes of Matt Mouslon and Michael Grabner. The Islanders are a young team that may benefit from playing every other night, and if they develop of winning streak early, they can be a contender for a playoff spot.”
Again, not many saw the Islanders contending for the playoffs, but for us here at TC4, we are not surprised. John Tavares continued his development as a former first-overall pick to quietly emerge as an MVP candidate. Tavares is 14th in the league in points with 45, but is third in the league in goals with 26, and has really come on the second half of the season. The captain-in-waiting of the Isles has been tremendous, and his supporting cast has done the job too. Moulson has kept pace with Tavares in points with 42, and free-agent signee Brad Boyes has been effective, posting 32 points. Goaltending has been the crutch to this team as Evgeni Nabakov (who refused to even join the team in 2010-11 when it picked him up off of waivers) is tied for the league lead in wins with 32. If he can get to 33 wins, the Isles will be headed to the dance.
7. Ottawa Senators – Clinched playoff berth. Currently in a three way tie for sixth place.
Preseason Scoop: “The Sens present one of the most balanced lineups in the NHL. They’re backstopped by Craig Anderson in net, who is one of the most underrated keepers in the league. In addition, the feature a balanced forward lineup of veterans like Daniel Alfredsson , Jason Spezza, Milan Michalek and Chris Neil that compliment defending Norris Trophy champion Erik Karlsson’s solid D corps. Injuries have taken a chunk out of the D corps however, and those suiting up will have to play to their max ability right from the hop for the Sens to compete for the division.”
Every player mentioned in our preseason preview for the Senators has missed an extended period of time, with key forward Jason Spezza and defending Norris champ Erik Karlsson still out of the lineup. Injuries have been the storyline for the Senators all season long, but despite having an injured list equal to their active roster, the Senators are in good position to make the playoffs. With only three games left, and a three-point lead over the ninth-place team, their fate lies in their hands, and they are getting healthy. Anderson is back, playing at his Vezina-worthy level, leading the league in GAA and save percentage, but he may have missed too much time due to injury to win the Vezina. If Ottawa gets in, it can present a tough matchup for any team because of Anderson’s play.
8. New York Rangers – Clinched playoff berth. Currently in a three way tie for sixth place.
Presseason Scoop: “ It’s Stanley Cup or bust for the Rangers this season. After having an impressive season last year despite under-production from superstar free-agent signee Brad Richards, Henrik Lundqvist was lights out and carried them to the Eastern Conference Finals. This season, the Broadway Blueshirts have added yet another star in Rick Nash, and feature an impressive young blueline with Michael Del Zotto, Marc Staal, and Dan Girardi. Up and down, the Rangers boast the most formidable lineup in the Eastern Conference.”
The most surprising team in a certain position, the New York Rangers are teetering on the edge of the playoff picture, currently sitting in the final position in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. They underachieved for most of the season, and many were wondering if coach John Tortorella, only a year removed from the Eastern Conference Finals, was on his way out of Broadway. Underachieving star winger Marian Gaborik was shipped out of town, and star defenseman Marc Staal suffered a terrible eye injury after taking a shot to the face, and his return this season is questionable at best. That’s the bad news. The good news is that the Rangers are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games, and seem to be catching fire at the right time. There is no room for error anymore, which has them playing “playoff hockey” early, and if they can get in, WATCH OUT. Henrik Lundqvist has been sensational all season and is the single biggest reason that the Rangers are still in the hunt, and not talking golf with the Lightning, Panthers and Flyers. Everyone’s preseason pick for Eastern Conference champs still may pull through.
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Almost a week after the passing of the NBA trade deadline, fans are beginning to get a clear picture of what their teams will look like down the stretch. Although this year’s trade season didn’t feature as many big names changing hands as years past (the biggest trade happened 3 weeks ago), there were several deals done that should impact the race to the playoffs over the final two months.
Memphis Grizzlies
Grizz fans should have been on alert when the team shipped big man Marreese Speights, a key player off their bench, to Cleveland along with guards Wayne Ellington and Josh Selby plus a future first round pick in exchange for Jon Leuer in an obvious salary dump move.
Leuer has been up and down between the NBA and the D-League this season and only appeared in 9 games for Cleveland prior to the trade on January 22. Since the trade, Speights is averaging over 12 points and 6 rebounds per game for the Cavs. Ellington, the primary backup at shooting guard for the Grizzlies who even started 4 games before the trade, is now averaging nearly 10 points per game since the deal to Cleveland.
Eight days later, Memphis dropped the real bombshell and traded leading scorer Rudy Gay and Iranian center Hamed Haddadi to Toronto for forwards Ed Davis, Tayshaun Prince and Austin Daye as part of a 3 team deal with the Detroit that sent Jose Calderon to the Pistons.
Once again, money was the clear motivation for this deal. The luxury tax penalties beginning after this season are absolutely brutal even for billionaire owners, so it’s hard to blame Memphis ownership. On the court, Prince is still a solid perimeter defender in his 11th season in the league and on a given night can pitch in double-figures scoring, he’s no Rudy Gay. Gay has been the leader the Raptors needed since his arrival increasing his scoring average (20.1 ppg with Toronto, 17.2 with Memphis), hitting a few game-winning shots and changing the entire vibe around Toronto leading them to a 7-4 record in their first 11 games.
In the short-term, Memphis GM Chris Wallace’s moves appear to be paying off. They are 9-3 since the Gay trade and had an impressive 8 game winning streak. Although they gave up a lot, what the Grizzlies got in return with the acquisition of Prince is much-needed championship experience as well as financial flexibility for the future to keep some of their other core players around. Teams like the Clippers and Thunder may get more attention, but watch out for the Grizzlies as the playoffs draw closer. The combination of Gasol and Randolph will give teams trouble, especially in the playoffs when the game slows down. That’s also when defensive specialists like Prince and Tony Allen will prove to be important if they hope to get past Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.
Boston Celtics
The Celtics did make a move at the deadline and traded away an injured guard, and it was not Rajon Rondo as some speculated. In a deal that largely went under the radar, the Celtics acquired guard Jordan Crawford from the Wizards for veteran center Jason Collins and guard Leandro Barbosa, who is out for the remainder of the season with a torn ACL. Crawford’s minutes declined after the return of John Wall, even though he was averaging around 13 points per game this season primarily as a reserve (though he had also started 12 games). There has never been any doubt about Crawford’s ability as a scorer; it’s his attitude that drove him out of Washington. A change of scenery can be good for players like Crawford, especially when they are put on a contending team with a coach like Doc Rivers and veteran leadership like Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. Although he has been hot and cold since the trade (10 points in his first game, 2 total in the 2 since), look for Crawford to be an important contributor off the Celtics’ bench for the remainder of the season. He has the potential to provide the scoring spark they desperately need in their second unit, scoring over 20 points in a game 12 times this season. If he can keep his head screwed on straight, this may turn out to be one of the best deals of the season.
Milwaukee Bucks
You know it was a boring trade deadline when J.J. Redick was the biggest name traded. The Bucks acquired Redick from the Magic along with center Gustavo Ayon and guard Ish Smith in exchange for veteran backup point guard Beno Udrih, rookie guard Doron Lamb, and forward Tobias Harris. In other words, they were able to get a good shooter while giving up virtually nothing significant.
Before you write this off as ho-hum trade for a spot-up shooter and decent defender, think about how the Bucks are built and it will make a lot more sense. The addition of Redick allows the Bucks more freedom for their best players to do what they do best: attack the basket. Redick scored 16 points in his first game for them, but they won’t need him to do that every night. His presence spreads the floor for Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis to create and get to the rim. When they put in Redick for Luc Mbah a Moute, Milwaukee will have him and stretch-power forward Ersan Ilyasova on the wings, with either Larry Sanders or Samuel Dalembert patrolling the paint and screening for Jennings and Ellis.
This trade gives Milwaukee an additional piece that fits into their system well as they fight for a playoff spot in the East, currently 8th and 4 games ahead of Philadelphia.
Houston Rockets
Give the Rockets credit; they have been one of the most active teams in the trade and free agent markets throughout the last year as they continue to become more relevant in the loaded Western Conference, and have always found a way to add helpful pieces to their roster. On deadline day they traded starting forward Patrick Patterson, center Cole Aldrich, and guard Toney Douglas to the Kings for top-5 pick Thomas Robinson, guard/forward Francisco Garcia, and forward Tyler Honeycutt, then traded Patterson’s backup Marcus Morris to the Suns for a 2nd round pick. Houston currently sits a half game behind Utah for the 7th spot, and holds a 2.5 game lead over the Lakers for the final playoff spot.
If you haven’t seen the Rockets play much this year (or read any headlines recently about their record-setting nights), their offense is built around shooting 3s and driving to the basket/getting to the free throw line. Omer Asik is arguably the best screen-setter in basketball and James Harden gets to the rim and finishes as well as anyone not named LeBron James, with Chandler Parsons almost deadly when left open. Patterson and Morris had both evolved into respectable outside shooters, whereas Robinson is strictly an inside player, so how does this trade help them? Robinson’s role is yet to be determined, and Garcia is another solid perimeter player joining the likes of Parsons and Carlos Delfino in their rotation. Moving Patterson and Morris opens the door for Donatas Motiejunas, another stretch forward who loves to shoot the rock like most European forwards.
Most importantly, the move allows the Rockets continued payroll flexibility in the future. Their management has made no secret about their desire to bring in another superstar or two to team up with Harden, and this deal gives them the cap space to either sign another max-contract player or pull off another blockbuster trade without having to worry about money. Needless to say, the Rockets are in an enviable position to be in a “building” mode while contending for a playoff spot.
Closing Forecast/Bold Predictions
With a little less than two months left in the season, plenty is left to be decided in the Eastern and Western Conference playoff races, with the only sure thing at this point barring an injury or a massive conspiracy being LeBron James taking home another NBA Most Valuable Player award.
Eastern Conference
After a slow start, Miami has proven they are easily the best team in the East and should coast to the number 1 seed come playoff time. If Chicago gets Derrick Rose back in the next month, look for them to slide up as high as the 4 seed (if they don’t get him back, they are no better than the 6 seed), with the Pacers holding strong to the number 2 seed following Danny Granger’s return from injury. Deron Williams will remember how to take over and lead the Nets to the 3 seed, with the Knicks sliding to the 5 spot. Atlanta lacks firepower in the backcourt and will fall to the 6 seed, with Boston holding on to the 7 spot despite their injury plagued season. Milwaukee will squeak in as the 8, and promptly get swept by the Heat in the first round. Even if the Sixers get Andrew Bynum back, he won’t be enough to carry them ahead of the Bucks, and Rudy Gay has the Raptors playing better but still not quite at a playoff level.
Western Conference
Somehow Greg Popovich and the Spurs manage to pull it all together year after year when the world tries to count them out, and there’s no reason for it to stop now. The top 4 seeds in the West appear to be set with the Spurs, Thunder, Clippers and Grizzlies in that order. The question everyone is asking is whether or not the Lakers will make the playoffs. The answer is yes, as the 7 seed, with Utah falling out of the picture by season’s end. The Warriors have been surprising under Mark Jackson, and with the return of a healthy Andrew Bogut they could overtake the Nuggets for the 5 seed. Houston will round out the playoffs as the 8, and don’t be surprised if James Harden carries them to a couple wins in a series against the Spurs.
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