AI Now A Piston!!!!

Well yesterday just when I was wondering which game to write about, we have Joe Dumars completely shake up his team. Dumars ships away Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess and a ham sandwich (no mustard) to Denver for Allen Iverson. Now inital thoughts are why? Obviously I can see both teams' logic but still it's just one of those moves where I scratch my noggin.

As far as a winner in this trade it'd probably be Allen Iverson. We all knew that he wasn't going to contend with the Nuggets and get through the West, there's just no way. Now AI heads to Detroit and can help the Pistons seriously contend. Iverson is a proven scorer and can get the ball in the hoop. If I was Detroit I'd let Iverson walk after this season if he does good. Rodney Stuckey will benefit greatly from backing up one of the best 'points to play the game in AI. Stuckey will be the PG for this team in the future, but I believe Dumars sees the window of opportunity slowly closing.

You've got to fell bad for Chauncey Billups. I know he isn't going to like it in Denver, and I don't think that it will work. The Denver team has already come out and say that they'd rather have Iverson so Billups just can't win. Besides he's already played for Denver and I'm sure there's a reason that he didn't stay there..........

I'm going to need more alcohol

We're Back, NBA Season Predictions..........

Welcome into the Swoosh Bolg Productions yet again, apologies for the long hiatus, but we're back for the time being. Alrightie, NBA Season has started and we're almost a week into it. Early impressions of this season is that the champs are back. Even if they got upset pretty badly by the Pacers last night. They seem to have that emotional up-lift whenever they take the court and it helps them trememdously. Alot of miscues were their downfall last night. But they'll be fine.

Anyone else think that the game between the Hornets and the Cavs last night was a showing of prehaps the two finalists for the MVP Award this year? I certainly do. The Hornets are proving why people like me have them going deep this year.CP3 is a beastand James Posey is a great role player and does what you need him to do. I'm drinking the Hornets' Kool-Aid this season.

Eastern Conference Seedings

1) Boston Celtics

2) Orlando Magic

3) Clevland Cavaliers

4) Detroit Pistons

5) Toronto Raptors

6) Washington Wizards

7) Philadelphia 76ers

8) Atlanta Hawks

Western Conference Seedings

1) Los Angelos Lakers

2) New Orleans Hornets

3) Utah Jazz

4) San Antonio Spurs

5) Houston Rockets

6) Phoenix Suns

7) Portland Trailblazers

8) Dallas Mavericks

1st Round: East

Celtics over the Hawks in 5

Magic over the 6ers in 7

Cavs over the Wiz in 6

Raptors over the Pistons in 7

1st Round: West

Lakers over the Mavs in 4

Hornets over the Blazers in 5

Jazz over the Suns in 4

Spurs over the Rockets in 6

2nd Round: East

Celitics over Raptors in 6

Magic over Cavs in 7

2nd Round: West

Spurs over Lakers in 7

Hornets over Jazz in 7

Conference Finals

Magic over Celtics in 7

Hornets over Spurs in 7

NBA Finals

Hornets over Magic in 6

Season Awards

MVP: Chris Paul

Defensive Player: Dwight Howard

Rookie of the Year: OJ Mayo

Most Improved Player: TJ Ford

Sixth Man Award: Lamar Odom

Celtics vs Lakers: It's Go Time!

Well here we are kids! The NBA Finals will start up tonight. I don't know about all of you guys, but I am PUMPED! Should be a very good game with all the ingredients of a classic. Everything that last years' Finals weren't. This is exactly what the NBA wanted and needed. God knows that David Stern would dread...just absolutely dread another Pistons, Spurs matchup. This was the NBA's year. The NBA had everything going for them this season, the playoff race in the West, all of the young all-stars validating themselves as premiere players. And like a Cinderella ending for all fans we now get to see the L.A Lakers take on the hated Boston Celtics.

As for the game tonight, I look into my crystal ball and it's very foggy. I think that if the Celtics have any chance of winning they're going to have to make Kobe a one man band. They can already get the idea of shutting Kobe down completely out of their head because that's just not going to happen. And if that's their game plan well then, there's going to need to be some halftime adjustments. I see them being able to contain the Lakers for the better part of the game. But my friend brought up a good point the other day. (He's a Lakers fan, and I'm a Celtics fan.) He said, "If Duncan can't stop Kobe then how will KG be able to?" And that got me to thinking, well he's got a point there. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that KG should be guarding Kobe one-on-one. But you'd have to figure that KG's going to be coming over to help out when Kobe's got an open shot wheather or not it's in the lane or on the perimeter. That being said I think you have to put Pierce on Kobe if you're the Celtics. Can't put Allen on him, I think that it'd deflat Ray's morale even more than it is.

Then if you're the Lakers well you're work isn't exactly cut out for you either. You need Kobe to be a sharpshooter tonight. If he's not on you don't win. That simple. They're going to need a bit of an inside game to help balance the offense out. Not to mention they're going to need to match the intensity of the C's defense because you know that it's going to be emotional and intense. And great! I think that they'll ultimately need to immobilize two of the Big Three. So my prediction for the series and the game:

Lakers 95 , Celtics 98

Celtics win series in 7 games

Kendrick Perkins gets the MVP

Saunders Gets Released By the Pistons

In some not so shocking news on Monday the Detroit Pistons came to terms with the release of Head Coach Flip Saunders. (By come to terms I mean that they said, "get out!") This really wasn't a huge surprise. Saunders has had his opportunity to win some titles and take them to the "Motor City" but failed. I can't say that Saunders deserves it but to be honest it has been a disappointment like I said in a previous post the Pistons are a lost cause for the past three years. Joe Dumars has made it public saying that he's going to blow up the team and he's listening for trade ideas, so I'm interested to hear what goes down the next few weeks. President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars said:

"The last 10 minutes of Game 6 is truly a microcosm of the last three years. You got a lead. You’re good enough. You have the experience. You didn’t get it done. When I look at the last 10 minutes, it mirrors the last three years."

Celtics vs Lakers NBA FINALS

Here ye, Here ye, news from the palace, news from the Palace! The Boston Celtics are the Eastern Conference Champions, and are advancing to the NBA Finals to play the Los Angeles. In a tulmultous 2008 Playoffs the Celtics now have 6 days to prepare for Kobe Bryant and company. A much needed rest after playing two Game 7 series and playing Detroit in a Game 6 series. The Celtics put on a clinic under the Friday night lights at the Palace. Boston ended up outscoring the Pistons in three quarters and tying in the other. The Celtics proved with that win that they can indeed win the hard games on the road in late May. They proved that they can close out games in the 4th quarter. After all they outscored the Pistons in the 4th by 16 points. Leading the men in green in scoring was Paul Pierce with 27 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists. The other two members of the "Big Three" had a combined 32 points and 12 rebounds. Like I said earlier though it won't be easy for the Celtics against the Lakers. Because after all, the Lakers aren't the Pistons, and Chauncey Billups ain't Kobe Bryant.

The woes continue for the Detroit Pistons on the other hand. Leading the Pistons in scoring last night was Mr. Big Shot with 29 points, 6 boards, and 6 dishes. Following him was Rip Hamilton with 21 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists. And then the biggest disappointment of the night was Rasheed Wallace with 4 points (yes you read right 4 points), 10 rebounds, and 2 assists. Rasheed Wallace never ceases to amaze me with how umprofessional he is and his immaturity. Just always crying to the ref and dropping the f-bomb to the ESPN camera man and then throwing a towel at the lense is just not needed. I get that you're frustrated but come on!! As for the Pistons team as a whole, what a bunch of missed opportunities for the past 5 years or so. Only one title to show after all those Eastern Conference Finals appearances. That's just sad. I honestly feel bad for Detroit gans because of the failure that this team has produced the past few seasons. What happens next to Detroit? Who stays and who gets dealt?

C's Topple Pistons in Game 5

The Deeeeeeetroit Pistons lost last night to the Celtics 102 - 106. Despite a courageous effort from the Pistons the Celtics were clutch in the clutch and able to finish them off.

Leading the ferocious Celtics in scoring was none other than the beast himself Kevin Garnett with 33 points, 2 assists and 7 rebounds. Following him up was Ray Allen with 29 points who shot 9 of 15 from the field. The Celtics Big Three was just rolling down the stretch with Ray Allen finding his groove in this game. But you have to watch out this could just be a one time thing for Ray Allen when it comes to breaking the slump. After all, look at Manu for the Spurs, has a monster game 3 not so much game 4. So will Ray Allen pick up where he left off from Game 5? Guess we'll find out come Game 6. How about Kendrick Perkins? The big man for the Celtics (no offense to Garnett) with 18 points and 16 rebounds. perkins is slowly asserting himself as a powerful threat in this dangerous Celtics team. Him and "Big Baby" are two powerful mofo's.

Unfortunately for the Pistons they're now down 3-2 to the number 1 seed in the East. Leading the Motor City Team in scoring was Mr. Big Shot with 26 points, 5 boards and 6 assists. Following him was Rip Hamilton with 25 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds. As I make this blog entry (Thursday around 5 o' clock) it is still unknown as to if Rip will play come Friday. If he doesn't play then I predict that the series will be over after the game Friday. And you can bank on that.

Controversial Call to End Game 4

Hmmmmm. Is it me, or was there some controversy surrounding that no-call last night in the Lakers, Spurs game? It'd probably be a safe assumption to say that Brent Barry (left) thinks that it was a bad no-call. But quite frankly I think that it was a good no-call especially considering that it was in the fourth quarter and it was the last shot of the game. Now I think that if Barry would've went up in a shooting motion and then been jumped into by Derek Fisher then I think you call the foul and give him three shots. At which point the Spurs probably tie the game and go into overtime. But why the hell was Joey Crawford reffing the game? If I remember correctly t'was him and Duncan (of the Spurs) who don't like each other and Crawford threw Duncan out of a game last season for no legitimate reason. Especially post-Tim Donaghy error here. I'm not saying that Crawford didn't make that call just because it was the Spurs but that probably played a part in it. Honestly come on David Stern first you rigg the Lottery now your ref selection is terrible. Not a typical David Stern move.

Now moving onto the actual game portion of last night's game Lakers won by a deuce. Tim Duncan lead the Spurs in scoring with 29 points and 17 rebounds. Followed up by Tony Parker and Brent Barry who both had 23 points. Barry had 1 assist and Parker had 9 dishes. I cannot count out the defending champs just yet. After all they have Duncan who's one of the best Fowards to play the game. Not to mention they have Manu Ginobilli along with Mike Finley who are two amazing sharpshooters. Lets not for get that they also have Eva Longoreia's husband. But in all seriousness I predicted at the start of last years playoffs the Spurs would win and I was right. They are the safe bet even down 3-1 to a

phenomenal Lakers team.

As for the Lakers......WOW. Who would've thought that the Lakers and Kobe Bryant could've made it to the Western Conference Finals and maybe even the NBA Champsionship. This team is loaded with talent. Kobe lead the Lakers in scoring last night with 28 points, followed by Lamar Odom. The Lakers have a chance to beat the defending champion Spurs, close out that series and take a week off before the NBA Finals next week. That could play a huge role in the game Thursday night for the Lakers. But as I said don't count the Spurs out. Ever!!