Why The King Remains Ringless & Boston vs Orlando, Exciting!!!

The Cleveland Cavaliers were riding high coming into the post season with the best regular season record at 61-21, the best basketball player in the world and two-time MVP, LeBron James, and a strong backing from the sports media. Then an aged, but very experienced Boston Celtics team came into play led by the spotlight stealer, Rajon Rondo.

The Celtics may have had a tough regular season, but no one should have underestimated this team in the postseason, especially with veterans Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. The Celtics took advantage of their matchup problems they caused for the Cavs from Keving Garnett to Rajon Rondo.

It's also very funny how the Cleveland Cavs were said to be "battle tested" by the Celtics and not "struggling", like the Magic were "struggling" last season!!! Please get off Orlando major sports media!!!

The story about this series is not on Boston going to head to Orlando for an Eastern Conference Finals match-up, or what caused the Cavs to lose to the Celtics. The story was about LeBron’s free agency, and yes everybody wants to know where he is going to end up. I don’t care right now, and won’t care until anything can even happen, which is July 1, 2010. This LeBron free agency talk will be dragged out over 6 weeks, and I am already tired of it.

The real problem with the Cavs was that LeBron’s teammates become stagnate when he handles the ball. The Cavs had nobody creating any screens, or cutting! Boston had Ray Allen continuously moving, and Perkins or Garnett setting screens. LeBron’s supporting cast just stood there and basically said LeBron pull us out of this, and win this series on your own. Lebron had a triple double consisting of 27 points, 19 rebounds, and 10 assists. He did have 9 turnovers, but he still produced a triple double. LeBron does receive a lot of blame for not firing his team, and he didn’t seem to ooze hunger for a championship. His supporting cast took on his style and didn’t fight for that championship. The harder working team, Boston Celtics, deserves and took this series away from Boston. Boston earned the right to return to the Eastern Conference Finals.

The Boston Celtics took this series and are heading to the Orlando Magic for a tough Eastern Conference Finals series. The match-ups in the regular series are relatively even in all categories, and the largest point differential win was by nine points. Some key points regarding advantages that both teams have upon each other are the following:

Boston Celtics:
• Kevin Garnett needs to take Rashard Lewis into the post.
• Rajon Rondo needs to continue to create for Boston.
• Throw bodies at Dwight Howard, and give him multiple looks.
• Use Rasheed as a center to drag Dwight out of the paint.
• Tony Allen needs to continue defending well.

Orlando Magic:
• Rashard Lewis needs to bring Garnett out to the perimeter.
• Jameer Nelson needs to continue jumpstarting the Magic.
• Dwight needs to stay out of foul trouble!
• Dwight Howard needs to continue rolling on offensive, and defensive dominance.
• Stan Van Gundy needs to keep emphasis on DEFNESE!!!
• The bench needs to keep producing and bringing that faster pace game.
• Vince Carter needs to defend the cutting Ray Allen well.
• Matt Barnes needs to defend Paul pierce well.
• Mickael Pietrus needs to keep producing as the Magic’s sixth-man.
• JJ Redick needs to play that great Defense on Ray Allen, like last year.
• Orlando’s perimeter players need to continue knocking down 3’s.

I really see this series as a great one, and I don’t see a Magic sweep here, but I hope for a sweep. The game should bring a rough and rugged defensive play. Paul Pierce said that Boston has multiple guys that can be their star and produce, but he made the mistake of placing the Magic in the group of teams that depend on a superstar, and ours is Dwight Howard! The Magic have many weapons, and I guess Paul Pierce did not see that Charlotte series where Dwight and Vince were struggling, yet others stepped up and produce. Boston must take Orlando seriously, and Orlando needs to do the same towards Boston.

Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson were the two that stayed and watch as the Lakers celebrated on their home court last year, and it seems that image has created this hunger in them!!! Vince sees this is his best chance to get a ring and championship, and Dwight Howard wants to validify himself as one of the greats of the game. I believe Orlando will take this series in a tough contest and return to the NBA Finals for a second consecutive year in 6 games. Let me know what you think!!!

Here It Is & Remember I loved watching LeBron fail again, the King has no Ring!!!

King James More Like Pauper James:

Lebron James and the Cavs were demolished in a critical Game 5 inside the Q, their home turf. Their franchise player goes 3-14 from the field and stamps 15 points to the stat sheet. The Boston Celtics are known for playing lockdown defense, but with all due respect to the great Boston defense played last night, it didn’t seem like that was the problem. The Cavs didn’t want this victory, and it showed!

• ·         Jamario Moon was Globetrotting on the bench during a Cavs beat down courtesy of the Celtics!
• ·         Lebron didn’t take the blame upon himself in the press conference, like a MVP should.
• ·         Mike Brown having terrible substitutions, which did not help his team.
• ·         The role players did not step up!

The Cavs were put on their heels and right now they are looking over the edge. They were dumbfound when their MVP was not playing well, which truly shows the depth this team lacks. Shaq was their leading scorer, which should not occur at his age. Mike Brown could not find anything that would run or at least bring some production to the team, which hurts his coaching status. Lebron James had a disappointing response to his play after the game, and during the game his body language showed a lack of HUNGER, AGGRESSION, AND PASSION. Everyone said that he is a great player, but until he wins a championship then he can’t place himself anywhere near a Michael Jordon, Kobe Brant, Magic Johnson, or Larry Bird. With the game he had last night; it will be difficult for him to win a ring.

The other three teams that made it to the conference finals, all had role players step up even when their franchise players were having difficulties, so Lebron has a majority of the blame for last night’s loss but he is not the only one to blame. The Lakers had Pau Gasol step up when Kobe Bryant was struggling. The Phoenix Suns had multiple guys step up from Dudley or Dragic when needed. The Orlando Magic had Mickael Pietrus step up off the bench, and many role players keep a consistent game when Dwight Howard had foul trouble. The Boston Celtics even have Glen Davis and Tony Allen step up and make big shots, and defensive plays when needed.

The Cavs may just be a great regular season team, but when it comes to the playoffs it seems like another team knocks them down, they themselves lack production, or a combination of the two factors. This team seems to be immature when looking at their tendencies. They have a ridiculous routine of taking snap shots of themselves during introductions, dance on the sidelines during games, eat fries from opposing teams fans, and basically having egos that are large, but don’t contain any validity. The validity needed is to have some championships. The other three teams in the conference finals were very focused, and serious about their game play. You don’t see Kobe making foolish hand jesters or a ridiculous snap shot routine. Kobe is known for his subtle but impactful fist clinch, and imitating protruding jaw. I don’t like Kobe, but I do respect his game. Lebron is someone I don’t like and don’t respect because of where his mindset seems to be.

This loss is mainly on Lebron, because as a leader you either lead by examples or create for others. Lebron needs to stop having a business mindset, and start focusing on gaining what he needs, which is a championship.

Here It Is & Remember I don't like Lebron and the Cavs, and was cheering for Boston for the first time ever!

Rolling out the Sorry!

     Here it is in the hottest time of the NBA regular season and I have been absent! The season is closing and teams are playing with a high intensity, some may say a playoff intensity, but like the past Grumpy Stan The Man Van Gundy, try saying that 5 times fast, it is still the regular season, he can tell time. My absence has not been from my favorite class of the NBA games nightly, but rather my fingers have been busy utilizing that wonderful tool that man created for writing. Oh, by the way that tool has a common name of a Pencil. 
     You know a pencil, it's yellow, has a fine tip point that gets dull over time, an eraser at the opposing end. Yeah that thing made of wood. Well that pencil has been keeping me busy. It is really funny that professors are just like students. We both tend to cram important events together when time really is not of the essence. I have been trying to keep up with the all of a sudden fast paced world of learning the bones in 45 minutes. I really do apologize.


    My 5 NBA headlines are the following:


   1. The Orlando Magic reach the 50 game win bench mark for the third straight year. Congrats!!! 
   2. The Milwaukee Bucks have all of a sudden been HOT, and John Salmons has done it again after turning a cattle into a Bull last season in Chicago. Can he make a fawn* into a charging Buck this season?
   3. The LAL have not been producing well on the offensive end and KB24 still needs to bail this team out from the hands of well, non-elite teams.
   4. The CAVS are expecting Big Z, sorry cant spell the name right now and don't feel like looking it up, back after giving up **** for Jamison.
   5. Boston has found its lost way after recovering from a temporary battle of amnesia causing them to forget how they play this game called Basketball.

*: a fawn, just in case anyone didn't know, is usually a young deer that is under one year of age.

Here It Is & There Is  A Serious Reminder to PLEASE DON'T TEXT & DRIVE!!!




Ok Lets Lighten The Mood!!!

From Blando to Grando Orlando & Congrats to Saints

                The Orlando Magic have just made the basketball world CoNfUsEd after having a terrible 39-17 3^rd quarter against Washington (which I painfully witnessed live), Orlando goes into Boston’s ruthless home court and puts on a 36-11 3^rd quarter beating and displays what Grumpy Stan the Man Van Gundy says was the Magic’s best quarter in his three years of coaching Orlando. This is funny because less than 48 hours earlier Grumpy Stan the Man Van Gundy says that Orlando put on the worst quarter, in three years of coaching Orlando, against the Wizards. To put this into picture, only one thing can do it, and it is …. the return of Positive, Negative, and Thoughts!    

                The POSITIVE:

1.       The first one is obvious because these 12 minutes changed the game in Orlando’s favor, and it was the phenomenal 36-11 3^rd quarter.

2.       BEWARE OF HOWARD! He only played 7 minutes in the first half, and a total 32 minutes, and still pulled down 13 rebounds, and posted 16 points, and then added 2 blocks. Oh yeah and he played in foul trouble.

3.       Vince Carter for some reason can’t play bad against one of the top defensive teams (Boston) because he had 20 points, and is averaging 19.8 points against the Celtics (good to see).

4.       Matt Barnes and Jameer Nelson played great in the 1^st quarter, which kept us in the game because Dwight only played about 6 minutes in that quarter. Good to see that.

5.       How about those 4 back to back 3 point possessions in the third quarter. That’s Orlando’s game, which should be feared.

6.       Give credit to the 2010 Eastern All-Star Coach, Grumpy Stan the Man Van Gundy, for his coaching when he decided to keep Dwight Howard in the game after picking up his fourth. His reason was because he believes that if Dwight plays less than 20 minutes, then Orlando gets in trouble.

7.       Kudos to Vince Carter for telling Dwight after the 1^st half to “take over and dominate by any means necessary!” It looked like it worked.

             The NEGATIVE:

1.       Yeah great game ,but Orlando still needs to work on things like Dwight Howard needs to try and stop picking up some silly fouls (yeah refs), but Howard needs to stop extending his arms out, he needs to just extend arms up.

2.       The foul trouble for DH12 only got him 7 minutes of game play in the 1^st half.

3.       Both Magic point guards need to step up in defensive intensity because Rajon Rondo had his way with the Magic. He posted a near triple double with 17 points, 9 assist, 8 rebounds, and to add on 3 steals.

4.       Orlando needs to stop turning the ball over because the 1^st quarter separated Boston and Orlando by one point (24-23), but Boston took a 11 point lead at the half due to the turnovers in the 2^nd quarter.

THOUGHTS:

1.       My favorite quarter being a basketball fan was the 1^st quarter because Boston’s inside game showed that it worked, but then Orlando’s opposite philosophy of the outside game worked as well. It was two different styles that both proved productive. BEAUTIFUL BASKETBALL.

2.       The first quarter was my favorite from a basketball fan perspective, but as a Magic fan perspective, the 3^rd quarter was my favorite. Had to clear that up.

3.       Orlando had the tie breaker with Atlanta if they have the same record at the end of the season, and now they also have the tie breaker with Boston. Now let’s do it to Cleveland.

4.       Doc Rivers (former coach of the year with Orlando) heard a Boston player say that Boston is better than Orlando, and Doc responded by saying that it was a bunch of crap, because Orlando knocked Boston out of the 2009 Playoffs, and now won the season series at 3-1. I am glad to see Doc give Orlando credit because not many do.

This game was amazing, and it was different for me because I needed to listen to the whole game on the radio, which I enjoyed because it allowed me to envision what was on going in the game. My imagination made the shots look better, but the real thing looked pretty good too.

By the way, Lebron James, WOW, WOW, WOW. James had 24 straight points and 35 at the half against the Knicks, and many points came from jump shots, which really shows his development, and speaks volume for his talent, but not his prideful personality.

Oh yeah I forgot, congrats to the Saints.

Here It Is & Remember my Superbowl ran from 2:30pm till 5:00pm Eastern Standard Time.

Magic Peaking? & Grumpy Stan the Man an All-Star?

            The Orlando Magic are a resilient team, and they’ve shown it via the current three game win streak and the 2008-2009 playoffs. It is great that the Magic are currently rising, but let us step back and contemplate a question being asked about Orlando. Are the Orlando Magic peaking?

            I am going to attempt and not become frustrated and stressed over such a ridiculous question. I will present both sides of the question with my best efforts of being unbiased.

            Many are saying that the Magic are peaking due to their lack of energy that allows opposing mediocre below mediocre teams to get the best of the Magic. The Magic do not start games energetic, they turn the ball over tremendously, and they don’t give off the impression of an elite team in the NBA. They are receiving slimming victories and cannot seem to put teams away. The 2009 NBA Finals was the peaking point for Orlando and now many don’t see the Magic returning to the NBA Finals. Their attitude has turned from a salivating, determined, hungry young team, to a team that seems to go through the motion and expect to turn the ON switch when the 2010 Playoffs arrive. The Orlando Magic are just a slightly above mediocre team that are going through the motions.

            These are all true arguments, and many would refute those accusations with supersaturated excuses such as there are five new teammates, or the starting five has only played together for less than 20 games, or injuries are plaguing the Magic’s chemistry. Those excuses are not allowed any longer. There are no excuses, instead the Magic are their own worst enemy due to their complacency. Orlando did have a rough patch, but so did Boston, so did Cleveland, so did Los Angeles, so did Atlanta, so did Denver. I don’t see anything saying that those teams are “PEAKING!” Orlando won 32 games last season before heading to the 2009 All-Star break, and Orlando now has racked up 32 victories two weeks before the 2010 All-Star break. Last season it was Orlando’s Star Dwight Howard was not “serious” enough for the Finals. Do the last few games that DH12 has participated in NOT show he is serious about reaching the Finals? Orlando is not peaking, but rather have improved their team overall, and they are getting back on track. People need to calm down on stating things that cannot be shown as true.

            If anyone wants to say that San Antonio has currently peaked then I really can’t refute that. San Antonio, come on get on track sometime this season.

            Looking at the trade rumors about the Magic, I really see only on reasonable move that would improve our team and really cause for the Magic to be taken off the list of “PEAKING” teams. I would absolutely love to see Vince Carter traded for (drum roll please………………..) one of the most underrated and overlooked superstars for the past few years, the Detroit Pistons starting small forward TAYYYYSHAAAUUUNNNN PRINCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (if you couldn’t read the above, it was Tayshaun Prince). Prince brings stifling perimeter defense, blocking ability that came from behind (before Lebron), length on the three spot, and he does all the little things that don’t show up on the stat sheet. He was a big part in the Detroit Pistons winning the 2003 NBA Championships. If you think I am wrong about this guy, then go ask why the USA Olympic team chose him over so many other players that have better stats then him. Plus Detroit is trying to rebuild, so the maybe more open to trading for him. (I am open to all criticism).

            Congratulations to Grumpy Stan the Man on being named the Eastern Conference Coach for the 2010 NBA All-Star game. I would rather see him get some sleep over this break, but this is a great honor for a coach, and I am proud to say that the Orlando Magic have the best modern day thinking coach in the NBA. Nasty things are being said like Van Gundy is going to purposely play Pierce and Garnett of the Boston Celtics for a lengthy period of time to cause a little bit extra wear and tear on the Boston stars. Stan won’t and would not do something like that. He may be grumpy, angry, loud, harsh, blunt, straight forward, and cutthroat, but he is truthful and not a jerk. This video is really funny, we want Stan the Grumpy Man back!!!!

            Here It Is & Remember having 4 college test in one day really SUCKS!!!