So Who Will Stop Lebron James And The Cavs?
Looking at Lebron James’ dominant post-season performance, it seems like the Cleveland Cavaliers are poised for a championship finish this season.
Outside their 106-108 loss to the eighth-seeded Chicago Bulls in Game 3, the Cavs have been all business in the playoffs, which is one reason why Cleveland has a commanding 3-1 lead in the first round Eastern Conference series.
James has made big plays throughout the season, but it seems like he isn’t running out of any trick in his bags. He currently is averaging 35 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in the first four playoffs games against the Bulls. MVP numbers by any standard.
Some would probably say, the Bulls have no one to defend James in any way in the playoffs considering that the 6′8″ Cleveland forward is simply too quick for his size, too many moves and too strong.
Well, that probably is a pretty accurate observation since the Bulls still have a lot to learn in the post-season while James, only 25, has been a veteran in playoff battles, having led the Cavs to the NBA Finals in the 2007 season.
While it may seem like James’ playoff performance is hardly tested at all in the first round, it would be interesting to see how LBJ could up the ante once the Cavs officially another Eastern Conference giant Boston Celtics in the second round.
At the moment, the Celtics hold a 3-1 series lead over the Miami Heat.
Boston and Cleveland split their head-to-head match up in the regular season, but since this is the playoffs, any record during the first 82 games don’t really matter.
The Celtics appear too old playing the Cavs during one of the regular season games held at Boston’s TD Banknorth home floor, where the Greens dropped an embarrassing 88-108 defeat.
Cleveland’s front office have prepared for this moment during the off season, acquiring many-time All-Star center Shaquille O’Neal, added wingmen Jamario Moon and Anthony Parker for good measure, before pulling off a stunner midway in the season with the acquisition of Antawn Jamison from the Washington Wizards.
With the cast of supporters in place, the Cavs are very much ready to clash head on with any Eastern squads trying to block their way to the NBA Finals.
The Celtics, though older by any standard (they’ve got 6 players above 30 years old), are still dangerous to play with. Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce remain Boston’s “Big Three” even with all the issues on age and injuries.
The trio though, could still pull the trigger anytime if needed, while Rasheed Wallace, Boston’s supposed big off-season acquisition, could hopefully explode during the post-season since that’s the whole reason why he was lured to play for the Greens.
So much has been said. Lebron James’ dominant plays in the post-season will be put to serious test come the second round. And should they pull off another stunner against the Celtics, they are sure to face in all possibilities, Dwight Howard, Vince Carter and the Orlando Magic.
Until then, Lebron James and Co. will have to be ready, otherwise, the Cleveland front office might just find itself in a tug of war to bring LBJ back next season.
Photo Source: http://www.dukeblueplanet.com
Renewed Rivalry For the Celtics And The Lakers This NBA 2010?
A Boston Celtics-LA Lakers Finals match up for the second time in three years could be an interesting championship plot come June 2010.
The Celtics and the Lakers ruled the 2008 and 2009 respectively. And both teams are entering the 2010 NBA season with some changes to ensure their continuous competitiveness.
Boston, as everyone already knows, made one of the biggest off-season moves after acquiring the services of veteran forward-center Rasheed Wallace, who finally burned ties with the rebuilding Detroit Pistons.
Wallace, the 6’10” flamboyant big man, has a mean jump shot, can play well on the post and could certainly be a big, big help to Kevin Garnett, who is coming off a successful knee surgery during the off season.
Compared to the Celtics’ line up two seasons ago, Boston has more depth this time since aside from Wallace, coach Doc Rivers also added scoring support with the arrival of Marquis Daniels, who averaged more than 14 points and 4.3 rebounds in 54 games with the Indiana Pacers.
He previously played three seasons with the running-and-gunning Dallas Mavericks, a team that reached the Finals in the 2006 season, which dropped a 2-4 decision to eventual champion Miami Heat.
The Celtics though remains the team of the Big Three—Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, whose vast experience and passion to win revived Boston’s pride. Prior to 2008, Boston tasted its last NBA championship in 1986 when it swept Houston, 4-0 in the Finals.
Artest, A Plus Or A Minus To LA?
Meanwhile, the Lakers, learning from the painful championship series loss they took against the Celtics in 2008, reached the NBA’s apex in 2009 after finishing off the Orlando Magic in five games in the Finals.
Trevor Ariza played a huge defensive role for the Lakers aside from shooting timely three-point baskets during the Playoffs that helped LA in its successful title run.
This season though, the Lakers decided to let Ariza go via the free agency rout, where the long-armed 6’7” swingman signed up with the Houston Rockets.
LA, however, got what it believed was a better deal after hooking up with defense specialist Ron Artest.
Though a lot are wondering how Artest’s volatile ways could fit in to the Lakers’ triangle offense and proven championship formula, LA’s general manager Mitch Kupchak did say during the training camp that it’s not coach Phil Jackson and his coaching staff’s job to keep the 6’8” forward within the team’s scheme of things.
Should Andrew Bynum finally be able to stay healthy all season long and click well in the painted area with Pau Gasol, the Lakers are sure to give any NBA team a run for their money.
The Celtics have Garnett, center Kenrick Perkins, Wallace and Glen Davis to lean on in the shaded lane, but a lot of Laker followers believe 2008 MVP Kobe Bryant and his vast championship experience will play a major role in LA’s title retention bid.
Interesting because though many considered him as the greatest basketball player of his generation, Kobe still had a work out with Hall of Famer and former Rocket great center Hakeem Olajuwon to teach him how to improve his pivot.
Olajuwon, who led the Rockets to the NBA titles in 1994 and 1995, was know for his “dream shake” moves that allowed him to dominate his opponents with ease.
Anyway, talking about a Celtics-Lakers Finals II (for this decade), remains too early to predict, considering that the East has a bevy of teams capable of giving the Celtics a run for their money.
There’s Cleveland and Lebron James, who finally got a helping hand with the entry of super star center Shaquille O’Neal; as well as Orlando Magic and Dwight Howard, who also got Vince Carter during the off season.
Over at the West, the Spurs are a team to reckon with as well as with the addition of swingman Richard Jefferson, veteran big man Antonio McDyess, Theo Ratliff and the return of a healthy Manu Ginobili.
Well, the NBA’s 2010 season appears to be exciting and filled with surprises.
Which team will end up king of the NBA hill?
Photo Source: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_42w5-R0zz2g/SlayCbVHadI/AAAAAAAAH0E/D8oCGhluaJ4/s400/Rasheed+Wallace+Boston+Celtics+P
NBA Preview: Beasts In The East (1st of 2 Parts)
Potent threat inside and outside
So who’s going to dominate in the coming NBA 2010 season?
If you’re an NBA aficionado, I’m sure you wish your favorite ballclub ends the season with the championship.
Unfortunately, there can only be one champion after 82 regular season games and16 playoffs victories counting the Finals.
NBA TV has been running some interesting previews on how various teams would fair come the 2010 season, which by the way kicks off this Oct. 28 (Manila time) featuring a blockbuster match up between the 2008 NBA champion Boston Celtics and the 2007 runner up Cleveland Cavaliers.
Reigning NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers, on the other hand, locks horns with cross-town rival Los Angeles Clippers to test how far the latter has gone in their off-season manpower stock-up.
Anyway, in my mind, I figure that the top three teams expected to dominate the East this season are in this order—Boston, Cleveland and Orlando.
“Old” Big Three Gets Help
I say Boston is a shoo-in to regain homecourt advantage all-over the power packed Eastern Conference after boosting its line up with the off-season blockbuster acquisition of one-time NBA champion
Boston's top acquisition
Rasheed Wallace, a strong low-post operator and a credible three-point threat as well.
The Celtics also injected a speedy forward Marquis Daniel to the line up to ensure fresh legs in time for the Playoffs considering that Boston’s Big Three of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen are not getting any younger.
Of course, Eddie House is expected to figure prominently in Boston’s rotation to spell Allen and give the Cs a resident outside threat.
No Longer A “Doughnut” Team
For the Cavs, on the other hand, the arrival of long-time NBA superstar center Shaquille O’Neal has given them a legitimate strong big man to complement the slashing-dunking-and-three-point shooting Lebron James.
Finishing with the home court edge all over the league last season following their franchise-best 66-16 win-loss tally, the Cavs were tipped to win their first-ever NBA trophy last season.
But their lack of a legitimate low-post threat was completely exposed when Cleveland succumbed to Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic, 4-2 in their Eastern Conference Finals.
Two more 6’8” forwards in Jamario Moon, along with ex-Boston Leon Powe, bring more depth to the Cavs’ menacing bench.
Moon, who rose to fame as Toronto Raptor before being dealt to Miami last season, is a great open-court player—loves to run, can play defense and adds excitement as well to the Cavs because of his athleticism.
Powe, on the other hand, adds championship experience and physical presence for Cleveland, something Cleveland lacked during the 2009 Playoffs. He could easily be a help to O’Neal in banging bodies inside the paint.
With O’Neal in tow, James can get more help on offense. Throw in Mo Williams, who loves to shoot it from the outside and the Cavs now have a legitimate three-pronged scoring threat.
“Magical Ride” With Carter
Meantime, the Magic didn’t leave any stones unturned in ensuring that the 2010 season would be a “magical year” that would end with a Larry O’Brien trophy to hoist.
Though Orlando eventually lost an inside-outside scoring threat in Hedo Turkoglu to free agency, the Magic managed to get a superb replacement in the presence of veteran Vince Carter.
Carter, who during his younger days, is noted for his high-flying ways, has learned to improve on his outside shooting, a style that easily fits into the Magic because coach Stan Van Gundy’s system includes an offense that rely on three-point shooting.
Bench depth has improved as well for the Magic in the coming 2010 season with the entry of slasher-forward Matt Barnes, athletic power forward Brandon Bass, veteran center Adonal Foyle as well as playmaker Jason Williams, who is coming out of a one-year sabbatical.
These are the NBA’s Beasts In the East. Tomorrow, I’ll come up with my own picks for the Best in the West for 2010.
Photo Source: http://nimg.sulekha.com/Sports/original700/shaquille-o-neal-lebron-james-2009-10-3-12-41-36.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_42w5-R0zz2g/SlayCbVHadI/AAAAAAAAH0E/D8oCGhluaJ4/s400/Rasheed+Wallace+Boston+Celtics+Press+Conference.jpg
Celtics Look Older &… Wiser Now
Wallace & Garnett--from bitter Eastern Conference rivals to chest-banging teammates. Photo Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-05/21/xinsrc_53205052111288123233563.jpg
For Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge, there’s no better time to reclaim the NBA championship than now.
While other teams look at the future, three, five or seven years down the road, Ainge looks at the NOW word to try to deliver the “goods” that will help bring the Celtics back to their championship level.
However, Ainge is contending with a starting unit that’s basically in their 30s—Ray Allen is 34, Kevin Garnett is 33 while Paul Pierce 32.
Newly acquired forward Rasheed Wallace is already 35.
With players at their 30s, the biggest gamble they took after deciding to shop for a veteran player in the free agent market instead of focusing on young talents is the possibility of getting one or more of their stars injured.
Well, that had happened last season when Garnett injured his knee against the Utah Jazz during the regular season and eventually failed to ride the Boston bus for the entire NBA Playoffs.
The Celtics were taken to a seven-game series against a young Chicago Bulls team led by super rookie Derrick Rose.
Boston was fortunate enough to survive and advance to the second round. But another seven-game series against Orlando drained the Garnett-less Celtics as they eventually surrendered their NBA crown.
Currently, the Celtics appear stronger with the addition lf Wallace, who’ll be coming off the bench for the first time in his colorful NBA career to spell Garnett.
However, bench depth has always been a crucial factor entering the Playoffs. Wide-bodied forward Glen Davis played splendidly during the playoffs for the Cs during Garnett’s absence.
The guard line led by starting point guard Rajon Rondo remains solid. Just wondering how Stephon Marbury can contribute in his first full season with Boston this October.
I think the pieces of the championship puzzle only needs a little tweaking for the Celtics. But it sure is not going to be an easy climb back to respectability and championship for this proud franchise.
Orlando and Cleveland are still there to challenge them, while Chicago, even without Ben Gordon, remains a potent team.
NBA 2010 season come October will be packed with more surprises.
