Heat-Mavs Can Be On NBA Finals Collision Course
Although the NBA Finals is still a month away, I think the Dallas Mavericks are solid picks to return to the championship round since their first and last stint in 2006.
The Mavs are playing their best playoff basketball thus far after sweeping the two-time reigning champions Los Angeles Lakers, 4-0. Dallas has flaunted its shooters during their semifinals series versus the Lakers.
Aside from the expected long-tom sniping of German Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavs have the rejuvenated Jason Terry and Peja Stojakovic releasing those long bombs throughout the four-game Western Conference semis series against the Lakers.
I think the off-season acquisition of veteran center Tyson Chandler provided size and defensive presence for Dallas since this has been the position the Mavs appear weak for the past several years.
Meantime, the Oklahoma City Thunder evened their own Western Conference semifinals series versus the giant-slaying Memphis Grizzlies, 2-2 following their thrilling 133-123 triple-overtime decision.
I think regardless of whether the Thunder or the Grizzlies turn out to be the Mavs’ West Finals opponent, Dallas still has enough firepower to make it all the way back to the NBA Finals.
Over at the East, the Miami Heat are just a win away from reaching the conference finals following their 98-90 overtime triumph against the Boston Celtics in Game 4 in Boston’s home court. The Heat lead the series, 3-1.
Should the Heat reach the East’s conference finals, they will have to face either Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls or the fast-rising Atlanta Hawks led by high-flyers Josh Smith and Joe Johnson.
But either way, the Heat have the inside track plus the experience considering the presence of their own upgraded version of the Big Three — Lebron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
The Heat trio are at their prime, are competitive and definitely hungry and want to prove that they don’t just have great individual talent. But that they are capable of bringing the championship for Miami right in their first season together.
Of course, Rose, along with center Joakim Noah and the recovering Carlos Boozer can always be a threat to Miami’s chase for the championship. But the speed, the vast playoff experience as well as the momentum Miami has right now can be enough fuel for the Heat to reach the NBA Finals.
So with the rate things are going, a Mavs-Heat NBA Finals may not necessarily be a far-fetched idea.
Lakers’ Busy Off Season
Every event in life has a turning point.
To me, the turning point of the just-ended Los Angeles Lakers-Dallas Mavericks Western Conference semifinals series was Game 2 when the Lakers just simply lost team catching up the more aggressive and more focused Mavericks five. LA dropped Game 2, 81-93 at the Staples Center.
After making just two inconsequential three-point baskets in the fourth out of 20 attempts, I think Dallas coach Rick Carlisle already had a “eureka” moment from there.
He probably knew already that his team, led by German fireball Dirk Nowitzki could extinguish whatever fire the Lakers had for a third straight championship run by playing tough interior defense as well as shooting their way from beyond the arc.
And the Mavs did it in a tremendously explosive fashion, sinking 20 three point baskets in Game 4 that completed Dallas’ domination of Los Angeles via a 4-0 series sweep.
The win towed the Mavs back to the Western Conference finals since they did the trick in 2006, where they eventually reached the NBA Finals before bowing to the Miami Heat in six games.
As for the Lakers, I believe they can still be a playoff contender even after their dashed championship aspirations. But for them to get back to championship contention, there is a need for them to make some changes to address some issues in the team.
1. Speed. The semis series against the Mavs unmasked the Lakers’ weakness in speed. Derek Fisher is now 37, while their starters led by Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum along with Sixth Man of the Year awardee Lamar Odom just can’t keep pace with the Dallas’ Express offense inside and out. For them to get back to championship contention, Lakers front office will surely have to add younger and aggressive players in the roster who could help keep their starters fresh during times like these.
2. Shooters. LA just shot 19.7 percent from beyond the arc during the four-game semis series. Kobe was hitting bricks during the series and credit that to the perimeter defense designed by Dallas coach Rick Carlisle. LA didn’t have any other solid shooters off the bench to provide the spark. And with Pau Gasol just ineffective off the rebounds, the Lakers’ downfall was inevitable.
3. Solid coaching. Phil Jackson no doubt has etched his name in the NBA annals as the league’s greatest coach, having more NBA rings than his 10 fingers (he’s got 11 championship rings by the way). But since he has repeatedly said during the regular season he’s basically in his last tour of duty for the Lakers, LA will now have to find someone who could motivate and help LA get back its championship bearings.
For now, the Lakers front office are back to the drawing boards. And how well they do in making roster changes and key adjustments will determine how far they will go in Kobe’s few remaining championship runs.
Will The Suns From Phoenix Rise In Los Angeles?
The up and running Phoenix Suns as I sensed last week, will be facing the reigning NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers starting Monday next week.
The Suns completely outplayed the fast aging San Antonio Spurs in their Western Conference semifinals series to score a resounding 4-0 sweep and put away whatever past playoffs frustrations they have with Tim Duncan and Co.
Now, the big challenge ahead of the Suns is how they could match up size-wise against the Lakers, whose frontline combo of Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum posed terrible problems against an undersized and injury-depleted Utah Jazz.
Gasol, the 7-foot Spanish center, finished off the Jazz in Game with 33 points, 14 rebounds and two blocks on the Lakers’ series-clinching 111-96 victory over Utah.
The Lakers obviously will have to contend with Suns playmaker Steve Nash, who at 36, continues to play like a young, energetic college point guard.
His plays with pick-and-roll partner Amare Stoudemire gave the biggest headache on San Antonio coach Greg Popovich whose speed and athleticism (by the Phoenix’s 6′10″ power forward) proved too much to handle.
Defense will be the Lakers’ ticket once more if they hope to make it back to the NBA’s Finals’.
Head-to-head, the Lakers took the regular season series, 3-1 with Los Angeles winning by more than 20 points in those two encounters held at the Staples Center.
Dallas, Denver and San Antonio, three squads tipped to seriously challenge Los Angeles in the West are now out of playoffs contention. Now, it’s up to Nash, Stoudemire and the Suns to prove they deserve to be in the Western Conference Finals. And if they get past the Lakers, make it to the Finals.
Whose your bet? Suns or Lakers?
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Cavs, Magic Could Dominate Playoffs
Photo Courtesy of http://www.everyjoe.com/nbaobsessed
With the rate things are going, it appears that the Cleveland Cavalier (56-16) and the Orlando Magic (53-22) are competing for NBA supremacy this season.
And maybe you’re wondering, why ease out the defending champions Los Angeles Lakers (54-21) from the picture this late? Or the Dallas Mavericks who established a 13-game winning run last March? Or the Utah Jazz and the Denver Nuggets who are expected to crowd the Lakers in the West?
Well, at this point, it appears that the Lakers are not yet mentally and emotionally prepared for a serious defense of the NBA title they won against the Magic last year.
LA is returning to play Utah tomorrow from a dismal 2-3 road trip, that included emotionally flattening defeats against Oklahoma city, New Orleans and the fast-rising Atlanta Hawks.
With Utah and San Antonio as LA’s next two strong opponents, the job is now up to coach Phil Jackson and spiritual leader Kobe Bryant on how well they could help psyche up the rest of the Lakers going into the Playoffs, which start on April 18.
The Mavericks, were just sent down crashing to earth by the Magic today, behind Dwight Howard’s 17-point, 22-rebound effort against a string of Dallas big men, who had no answer against Orlando’s own version of “Superman”.
Meantime, this early, I pick the Cavs and the Magic to really make the biggest noise in the Playoffs because of their killer instinct, their consistency on both offense and defense plus their much-improved rosters.
The Cavs have been playing well with Antawn Jamison, whom they acquired just before the trade deadline. And he has fit well under coach Mike Brown’s system, without really affecting the offensive flow centered around Lebron James.
On the other hand, Vince Carter, the add-ons like Brandon Bass and Matt Barnes as well as the healthy Jameer Nelson have brought stability to Orlando this season, providing the much-needed help for Howard, who as usually, is leading the Magic team in he Playoffs.
Who wants it (the championship) more is what will determine this season’s NBA champion.
