NBA 2012 Playoff Predictions Round 1

The NBA season has been a crazy one! We've witnessed the many great things and the many flops. Linsanity emerged out of nowhere, the Bobcats being the worst NBA team ever, and much more! But, I'm really excited for the playoffs! This time of year always give me the chills and it's fun watching everyone. Although the Raptors aren't in again, all these teams are going to put forth some great series. These first round matchups could be the make or break of a franchise! We'll see! I'll be glued onto my television screen all day!

Anyways, here are my predictions for the East!

(1) Chicago Bulls vs (8) Philadelphia 76ers: I'll take the Bulls in 5 games for this 1st round matchup. I don't think the 76ers can handle them. The Bulls have a much more talented team overall and a defense that will give Philadelphia some problems. The 76ers wanted the Bulls in round 1 but I'm pretty sure they'll regret it soon.

(2) Miami Heat vs (7) New York Knicks: The Heat wreaked havoc this season and are poised for another long playoff run. To be honest, I still hate the team as a whole but I do love watching them. They're exciting to watch because they play well together. The Knicks are going to have a tough time here. I'll take the Heat in 5 as well. I think they are a much more scarier team than the Bulls and the Knicks are gonna find themselves an early exit. They'll be competitive but they won't win.

(3) Indiana Pacers vs(6) Orlando Magic: Playing without Dwight in this series is just enough that the Pacers will sweep them! Mark my words. I don't believe in magic this year and the Pacers are a young and upcoming team. They'll be running and gunning all over them.

(5) Atlanta Hawks vs (4) Boston Celtics: The Celtics are the higher seeded team due to the division title but the Hawks are given the home-court advantage. Although it has been a rough season for the old men in Boston, I do think they'll pull it out in the end. I'll take the Celtics over the Hawks in 6 games.

West side!

(1) San Antonio Spurs vs (8) Utah Jazz: The Jazz surprised many people this year. After the rollercoaster ride last year with the departure of Sloan and the trade of Williams. It seemed like eternity that this team would make it back to the postseason. Well, they definitely proved me wrong! Unfortunately for them, they're facing the Spurs. I think Utah will be competitive but lose in 7 games.

(2) Oklahoma City Thunder vs (7) Dallas Mavericks: This is an awkward first round matchup. Many believed this would be the west finals like last year but the shortened season really took a toll. I'll go out on a limb here and disagree with everyone else! I really do think the Thunder are going to win the series BUT I'll take the MAVS anyways. Mavs in 7 games! Go Vince Carter!

(3) LA Lakers vs (6) Denver Nuggets: The Lakers will win this series without a doubt. I think the experience, size and Kobe will be the deciding factors. I do think Denver will be competitive so I'll give them a few games. I'll take LA in 6!

(4) Memphis Grizzlies vs (5) LA Clippers: This is going to be the most exciting series!! I may be a bit biased since I love the Grizzlies but hey, who wouldn't want to watch two young teams climbing up the NBA ladder? Lob City will have problems with the Grizz and this is why I think Memphis will take it in 7 games. Home court is crucial!

I hope everyone agrees with me and if not, I wanna read your predictions!

Barbosa Deal

Today, amongst all the trade rumours, the Raptors and Pacers pulled off a deal. The Pacers would get Brazilian speedster Leandro Barbosa and possibly Anthony Carter for a 2nd round pick.

This came to me as a shock at first. For all the Raptor fans out there, you may be thinking that this may be the worst trade possible! Well...it isn't. I was ready to scream at my computer screen at the first thought of it because Barbosa is worth more than what we attained. However, I went through a couple forums, read some articles, got some insight on how the Raptors would benefit, and actually, this was a really good move.

By trading away Barbosa and Carter, the Raptors do free up some cap space. With Indiana way under the cap, they were able to absorb their contracts. The Raptors don't get salary in return, which is what BC always wanted. They also get a 2nd round pick and will now have three picks altogether which may create another trade or bring in some nice pieces for the future. Eric Smith tweeted another good argument saying "they(Raptors) now have $7.6 mil in cap space to spend BEFORE July 1 if they wish (about $12 mil total)." The Raptors may be able to pull of some deals prior to the free agent signing which is ultimately a good idea because it can open up trades and gives the Raptors more flexibility on Draft night.

Barbosa would have rot here with the Raptors anyways. We would lose more games than win(obviously) and then we would be left deciding whether or not to sign him. Barbosa did express a LOT of intrest to resigning in Toronto so that may be a great move. Maybe Colangelo thought about nabbing a 2nd rounder now and then eventually signing Leandro to a deal come July 1st. Remember, this is only a rental for the Pacers and this is why a 2nd round pick was huge. No team would ever give up a 1st for a rental player unless it was like Dwight or some other superstar. I would rather get a 2nd rounder than nothing at all.

On the other hand, the Pacers get a nice scoring punch off of the bench. He can provide a nice boost of energy and score pretty much when he pleases. George Hill has been playing good ball lately while Collison hasn't developed as much as they liked! Barbosa is a good option! One other thing that intrigues me is the history that Barbosa and Granger have. Remember they had a little scuffle about each team's end game shenanigans? Haha, good times. Anywho, I bet Granger is happy to have him on his side now as they look to make a deep playoff push.

It is sad to see the Brazilian Blur leave after all he has done for the Raptors. All he did was provide a boost off of the bench, a scoring punch, a defensive demeanor, excitement to the ACC, and a veteran presence. He did all the things that the team needed. I did expect a trade to happen to either Barbosa or Jose because of the way they were playing but I didn't really want to see it happen. Both teams got better....kinda. Well, the Pacers got better and we just got more money. That is all.

Good luck to Leandro! I'll miss you in Toronto and hopefully you come back when the free agency period starts!

Ellis-Bogut

WOW! As the trade deadline approaches and all these rumours start heating up, we were lucky to have a blockbuster deal fall onto our laps tonight! The Milwaukee Bucks and the Golden State Warriors decided on a deal that would send Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson to GS for Monta Ellis, Ekpe Udoh, and Kwame Brown!

 To me, both teams got something they needed and wanted but I think Milwaukee got the better end of the deal!

Let's talk about the Warriors here first though. Okay. We all knew Monta wasn't apart of the long term plan in Golden State. His name was being thrown out there in numerous trade rumours and I guess it was a mutual feeling. The Curry-Ellis experiment could only last so long. Now, the Warriors nabbed themselves a legit centre! When healthy, Bogut provides everything you want out of your big guy. He can score around the hoop, post-up, rebound, block shots, provide an inside presence, etc. He just does everything! He's the definition of a centre! You put him alongside David Lee and you now have one of the toughest frontcourts any opposing team can handle! Andris Biedrins will now ride the bench like no tomorrow! It's sad how he couldn't come back to the player he once was!

 As for, Captain Jack, he's back! He hasn't been doing anything at all for the Bucks this year and maybe a change of scenery might help him out! We all know what he's capable of doing. He can flat out score and be reliable in clutch situations. Let's see if he'll do grasp the opportunity and run with it! Watch out for Klay Thompson to fill the void that Monta Ellis left. Klay Thompson has the potential to become a potent scorer in this league. All he needs is more experience under his belt. With this trade, it opens up the court and he may be in line for a great second half as he will be looked on to provide more of the scoring. Overall, the Warriors look solid BUT they did give up a hefty price.

Now, for the Bucks side:

Fear the Deer!!! They do lose Bogut who is unarguably one of the best 5's in the league but his injury would've sidelined him throughout this year anyways. They want a playoff push and this may be the best way to do it. Adding Monta Ellis gives them another player that attracts double teams. He can light it up in any given moment and he's as quick as anyone in this league. He gives Milwaukee what they have been lacking this whole year; a shooting guard! Carlos Delfino and Mike Dunleavy are great role players but they really need that legit starter to make a good run! I'm looking forward to watching this backcourt tandem of Jennins and Ellis. Brandon Jennings is one of my favourite players and pairing him up with another scorer only gives opposing teams to pick their poison. So electrifying, no?

Despite losing Bogut, the Bucks added Ekpe Udoh and Kwame Brown. Kwame Brown gives the Bucks another big body to use. He can provide some veteran leadership, I guess. There's really nothing much more to say about him.... On the other hand, Ekpe Udoh is a guy every team needs. Although his offensive game is limited, his rebounding and defence makes up for it. His shot-blocking ability is pretty darn good. Now, you put him in a defensive system with Milwaukee and there you have a guy who can provide instant energy. Look for him and Larry Sanders to become the young, new, up and coming defensive duo.

Why nobody love me?

I may be a little too excited for the Bucks on this trade but really, who can't be? They'll definitely have one of the more exciting teams in the NBA. I do know that they'll be in the thick of things come playoff time. As for the Warriors, they now have the third best big man combo after the Lakers and Grizzlies in my opinion. Yeah, I think they are better than NY, CHI and any other team with a dynamic frontcourt duo. Maybe you'll disagree but hey, that's the beauty of having your own opinions. Express your feelings in anyway you want!

 Bucks win. Warriors win..kinda. BUT hey, both teams are happy so we should all be happy! Great swap to start off the trade deadline fiasco!

Who said this trade deadline was going to be dead silent? I didn't expect this to happen but I really anticipated a splash to be made! Hopefully a bunch of other teams follow up and make a deal with as much magnitude as this one! It only brings excitement to the fans and creates a buzz around the league!

Who's next? Is it Dwight? Is it Nash? Is it Pau? I can't wait for more noise to be made by teams as we approach the deadline!

The Little Engine

Sad news for the basketball world today, but even more-so, this is some sad news for me. TJ Ford recently told reporters and the whole basketball world that he was going to step away from the game. After taking another big blow in a recent contest versus the Knicks, it was evident that his basketball career was coming to a close. He is and will always be one of my favourite players, let alone favourite Raptors ever. And although he isn't one of the household superstars in our game today, I, along with many others, look at him as an inspiration story.

Do you remember TJ in his days at Texas University? He made history for the school and for the NCAA. He was undoubtedly one of the best up and coming players. A First Team All-American and named the Naismith College Player of the Year! He was the first basketball player to get his jersey retired by the University of Texas. The future was so bright for him that only he could stop it.

Do you remember him being drafted 8th overall in what is the one of, if not, the best draft in NBA history? Scouts raved about his potential to become one of the biggest stars in the NBA. His small stature was not a factor. His quickness and his play-making ability was off the charts. His capability of running a team was so superb that he was compared to the likes of Magic and Bird. Now, that's some company to be a part of. He was eventually named to the All-Rookie 2nd team but he completed only 55 games.

The memories go by too fast that only a few of us will remember all the accolades he received. I doubt many people remember of even knew that he was a part of those things. Even I needed to do my research here.

But, there is one thing that all of us will always remember. It's the dreaded spinal cord injury he suffered in his rookie year. This was the turning point in his young career. This was where his world spun and looked as if it was the end. It looked very unlikely that he would be able to return to full strength on the court. The injury may have jeopardized his career altogether and all the potential that everyone saw, faded away.

He missed the whole entire 2005 campaign recovering from the spinal cord injury. It seemed as if the whole basketball world had forgotten about him but he worked everyday for as long as he could. He was determined to make a comeback and put himself onto the spotlight again.

In the 2005-2006 season, he made his miraculous comeback! It didn't even look like he missed a beat. His quickness was still there and he was playing at an all-time high. No one expected it. Or at least, no one expected it as soon as it was. He defeated the odds and went on to average a solid 12.2 ppg, 6.6 apg, and 1.4 stls. He was then shipped to my Toronto Raptors and his years there were probably the best of his career!

I remember him running up and down the court and Chuck always raved about his motor. He did not stop. He was giving 110% every game and he excelled as the starting point guard. The "little engine" was a nickname that I knew him as. I loved watching him play. He meshed with Bosh quite well and we won the Atlantic Division for the first time in our history! He was a big part of it. He and Jose Calderon created the best point guard duo in the NBA and it looked like the sky was the limit for the team! Despite losing in a 6 game series to VC and the Nets, the Raptors were primed to make some noise for years to come!

Sadly, the next year was kind of a setback. It all happened because of another injury. This time, Al Horford smacked TJ Ford on a fastbreak by accident and he fell hard. That injury sidelined him for numerous games and it wasn't the same after that. Colangelo dealt him to Indiana in a blockbuster trade that saw Jermaine O'neal come to the Raptors. TJ Ford did okay at best in his first season as a Pacer but then slowly faltered. Indiana was tough for him and his minutes diminished game by game to the point where he was a DNP on occasional nights. There were some questions about his attitude and his capability to adapt to the lack of playing time but he fought through it. He then signed with Spurs this past off-season and looked good. He was signed to fill the backup point guard role and to mentor rookie Cory Joseph.

Unfortunately, another hard fall and emotional scare on Wednesday was the last straw. He was knocked down by Baron Davis and then inadvertently stepped on by teammate Tiago Splitter. He lied down on the court for several minutes before being helped off.

This is some hard news to digest because of all the things TJ Ford went through. If he didn't get injured in his rookie year, there would be no doubt that he'd be one of the better point guards in our game today. If he didn't get hit by Horford, there would be no doubt in my mind that Calderon would be the one moved. I really loved his time in Toronto as well as in the NBA. He was an exciting player to watch. A true inspiration because of the things he went through. He's definitely going to be missed. He showed that even though it may seem like its over, it really isn't. Perseverance and hard work brought him back to the game he loved. I hate seeing someone like him to have his career cut short because of injuries.Watching the retirement announcement earlier today really moved me. I'm gonna miss this guy!

There is definitely more gas in the little engine.  He said that we won't see the last of him and I'm sure of it.

Linsanity

I'm pretty sure everyone knows or at least heard about the big craze that the basketball world is on top of right now. He's a trending topic on twitter. He's the headline of many newspapers. He's even a YouTube sensation! And on top of that, he's Asian too! And no, his name is not Yao Ming. Don't worry if you didn't know him before this week! That's perfectly normal! Many others never heard of him either! But, if you still don't know him or even know of him, even with the help of the title of this post, you must be living under a rock. This man has been the biggest story lately and has taken the basketball world into a state of amazement. His name is Jeremy Lin.

Let's take a look at his journey before becoming the latest craze.

"Rejected by Stanford, so I went to Harvard"

He's a 6'3 point guard out of Harvard. It fits all the Asian stereotypes now doesn't it? Asian + Harvard = Genius. Anyways! He was the best player on his team and then decided to take his talents to the NBA. He went undrafted in the 2010 NBA draft but did show enough potential to garner a summer league team. Donnie Nelson called him to play for the Dallas Maverick summer league team. He went head-to-head with fellow rookie, John Wall and ended up playing really well. And after the summer league concluded, he was offered a few contracts with some NBA teams.

He decided to spend his rookie year last season with the Golden State Warriors. Unfortunately, he didn't really get an opportunity to play. He was only put onto the court for 29 games and only totaling an average of less than 10 minutes a game. The reason wasn't that he couldn't play. It was just a tough environment to be in for an undrafted rookie because of the gluttony of guards the team had. Playing behind the likes of Stephen Curry, Monta Ellis and other decent veterans is obviously a tough task to compete with. When all was said and done for the 2011 season, he ended up with averages of 2.6 PPG, 1.5 AST, and 1.1 STL. It wasn't the most successful rookie campaign ever but he did well under the circumstances he was put in. With the limited amount of playing time he was given, he was able to make the best out of his opportunity on the court. Uh oh, I'm foreshadowing! Watch out!

Now this is where the real story begins.

Sadly, he was cut by the Warriors. Again, it wasn't about the team thinking he was useless or anything. He was let go in hopes that the Warriors could reel in free agent center, Deandre Jordan, whom eventually re-signed with the LA Clippers. The Warriors front office did really like him on the team but business is business. You gotta do what you gotta do.

Fortunately, he was signed by the Houston Rockets! Jeremy Lin was again put into a situation where there were a lot of guards on the team. They weren't as talented as the Warriors backcourt but there were more bodies competing in Houston. Lowry, Dragic, Flynn, and Lin were all fighting for that spot. Through two days of training camp, he was cut to make room for Samuel Dalembert. GM Daryl Morey did think that Lin had potential but he really needed that force in the middle.

And then, Jeremy was unemployed. Fortunately, it was only for three days! With the injury to rookie Iman Shumpert, the New York Knicks called to Lin to provide insurance at their point guard position. Lin was eventually sent to the D-League to play a couple games and develop there. He tore it up! He was the best player on the court and he recorded a triple double which lead to a recall from the Knicks a few days later. The Knicks were underachieving and they needed a big spark to come from anyone. But the question was: Who would step up?

And then.... it all started....

February 4 vs New Jersey
Imagine this. Let's say that you're a young player in the NBA with limited experience.You're team is in dire need of a decent point guard. Then i'll throw you out there against one of the best point guards in the NBA in Deron Williams. And did I mention that you'd be playing on the biggest stage in basketball? Tell me how you are supposed to play in this kind of pressure? Ask Jeremy Lin. It didn't even seem like there was any pressure. He came off the bench in this game and logged in a career high 36 minutes! The night was unexpected to say the least. He surprised the New York crowd with dazzling moves and his tenacity to get into the paint. He poured in a career high 25 points and dished out 7 dimes. At some times throughout the game, he made Deron Williams look lost. The Nets, his teammates, and the crowd were all shocked at the performance. Even he was a little surprised with his effort saying,“This night, it just hasn’t really sunk in yet to be honest. It’s like I’m still kind of in shock about everything that happened but I’m just trying to soak it all in right now.” (Thanks to Yahoo! Sports for providing me with that quote)

February 6 vs Utah
Jeremy Lin put up good numbers against the Nets two nights before and he was awarded with the starting gig on this night. But who really thinks that he'll put up another good performance? I certainly didn't. Although he turned the ball over 8 times, he made up for it by scoring 28 points and giving out 8 assists. With Amare out and Melo getting hurt in the early minutes of the game, they needed someone to carry the heavy load. He was carving the Jazz up from all over the court and he looked like an everyday starter. It was another solid performance by Lin and more importantly, a consecutive win for the struggling Knicks! By this time, the basketball world woke up and we all saw a little glimpse of the rising guard.

February 8 vs Washington

Coach D'Antoni was again pleased by the effort of Lin through his two games so he decided to keep in the starting lineup. Yet again, he made the right choice. It was a summer league rematch versus John Wall. Jeremy Lin ended up with 23 points and 10 assists! With this performance, he was making headlines and was trending on twitter. The "Linsanity" was born and everyone was onto it. "Lintendo", as some call him, has been playing at another level. See what I did there? I amuse myself sometimes.
He came out of nowhere and was starting to answer all the questions the Knicks were longing to answer. I think they've finally found their guy.

Feburary 10 vs LA Lakers
When asked about Lin, Kobe responded by saying that he didn't know who Lin was. I didn't know if that was a shot at Jeremy Lin or if he was actually being honest about not knowing him. But, by the end of their game, Kobe definitely knew about him. Jeremy took the Lakers by storm and provided instant scoring from the get-go. He had a magnificent first quarter and then eventually ended the game with two daggers from three point land. MVP chants from the crowd were pouring out and this was a defining moment for Lin and the Knicks. The Yellow Mamba defeated the Black Mamba and the Knicks won their fourth straight game!


Feel-good stories like these don't come around too often. Jeremy Lin is a perfect example of hard work and dedication will help you achieve your dreams. He came out of nowhere and provided an extra boost for the Knicks. He's the Tim Tebow of the NBA. He's providing hope to a fan-base that has been hurt for the last decade. He's bringing the life and excitement back to Madison Square Garden. Yeah, he may not be a household name but he's unquestionably making a name for himself. He has opened up everyone's eyes. He's showing us that anything is possible and although he may not be the first person to go through that example, he's undoubtedly one of the reasons why people continue to believe in this statement. I have hopped on the Jeremy Lin bandwagon and will probably stay on it for a long time. It's a great story and I hope it will not only continue for the rest of this year, but continue for the rest of his career. Let the Linsanity continue.

NBA All-Stars 2012

As we may all know by now, the NBA All-Star starters were implemented last week. I'm not a really big fan of fan votes to be honest. Many people don't deserve to be a starter, let alone an All-Star, but their popularity and huge fan-base really carries them. Anyone remember when AI made it as a member of the Detroit Pistons?! He was horrible that year but yet his fans took him to the All-Star game.

"I flex my biceps" - TBJ

As for this year, I'll give the fans credit for their choices. The East is shaped up looking pretty darn good. Lebron James and Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat were virtually no brainers here. Dwight Howard and Derrick Rose were also clear-cut choices for the respective positions. All four of these guys aren't only popular to the NBA fan-base but they are well deserving superstars. No one can argue about the choices here. The only tiny, little, minor knock I have against the fans was the choice of Carmelo Anthony. Yeah, we all know what he's capable of. He can probably do anything offensively possible. He's definitely a star player and a game changer but does he deserve the starting gig in what is a down year for the Knicks? He's not an all too bad of a choice here but I would've given it to Chris Bosh.

 For the West, I honestly think that this was the best starting 5 you could get. LA dominated the starting 5 with 4 players. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin have created nice chemistry with each other and the Clippers are rolling! Chris Paul is my clear-cut favourite point guard in the West and he deserves this spot. On the other hand, Blake Griffin is a 50/50 toss up with Kevin Love. I don't mind Griffin as the starter. He's exciting and is quickly becoming one of the top tier players in the league. Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum were the other two LA stars. Kobe is scoring the lights out this season and has no signs of slowing down with the wrist injury. Bynum is playing great basketball right now and is showing why the Lakers should keep him and not deal him for Superman. The last spot was given to Kevin Durant who in my opinion, is playing on the best team in the NBA. Again, another no-brainer at this slot. You can't go wrong with the choices here. Good one!

The reserves were announced today and I think they're okay. The East looked like this: Chris Bosh(MIA), Joe Johnson(ATL), Luol Deng(CHI), Paul Pierce(BOS), Andre Iguodala(PHI), Roy Hibbert(IND), and Deron Williams(NJN). I love the new faces that the coaches selected. Deng, Iguodala and Hibbert are all making their first appearances and they absolutely deserve every second of it. Bosh and Joe Johnson were locks in my opinion because of everything they have accomplished this year. Deron Williams is an all-star caliber player BUT I think Brandon Jennings deserved this spot. Maybe I'm being a little biased but hey, he's playing too well. Maybe next year buddy. And sadly, Josh Smith got snubbed again. When will he ever be on the team?! It's taking way too long now! I swear he's going to be snubbed every year. It's actually a crime to keep him off for this long.

As for the west reserves, it ended up looking like this: Kevin Love(MIN), LaMarcus Aldridge(POR), Russell Westbrook(OKC), Steve Nash(PHO), Marc Gasol(MEM), Dirk Nowitzki(DAL) and Tony Parker(SAS). The West is looking good. Kevin Love, Aldridge, and Westbrook were easy choices to make. The tougher decisions lied around the others. I can see why Nash was voted in. Despite playing on an underachieving team, he has done everything humanely possible to keep them competitive. It doesn't seem he'll be slowing down anytime soon either. I'm proud of Marc Gasol being on this list. One Grizzly had to get it and I'm glad it happened. He stepped up in the absence of Z-Bo and Memphis is rollin'. Tony Parker personally suprised me. I actually haven't been following the Spurs all too closely this year and I was in shock to see his name pop up today. It's a good shock though. I didn't know he was putting up the numbers he was and the Spurs are atop the Southwest division. And then it comes down to Dirk. Sadly, the Finals MVP does not deserve a spot on the team. He hasn't been producing the way he normally has in past years. But on the other hand, it's hard to leave out a player like him.

Now....Close your eyes and let's imagine an all-star game without Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett. Can you?! NOPE! YOU CAN'T! It'll be weird without them. Their streaks are both over and its nearing the end of the road for some of the greats in our game. Time flies eh? AND I just want to say that Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings were definite snubs this year! There are many more but they were tough to include. Do you think the teams are as good as they get? We won't know until we actually watch but one thing is going to be certain. It's going to be a good weekend.

Week 2 of the 2012 NFL Playoffs

As we all know by now, the NFL wild card round has concluded this past weekend. All the games gave us some exciting and stunning moments!

Denver's miraculous victory over the Steelers was certainly a surprise for everyone outside of all the Denver die hard fans. The game came down to overtime and left me in awe. A first play touchdown in OT was a great way to cap off a great performance overall. All I know is...TIM TEBOW IS FOR REAL! yeah, he's been putting out 4th quarter miracles throughout the year but the playoffs are a different story. All the criticisms that this man takes is uncalled for although he does lack the skills of a real QB....Just kidding! He has all the right tools to develop into a dynamic QB. He's unique and keeps the opposing defense guessing. The kid has talent and get's the job done. It's as simple as that.

My Texans beat out the Bengals too. It came to little to no surprise for me. I just thought Arian Foster would be too much for the Bengals to handle and I was right. Dalton seemed to have felt the pressure but I'll give him props for hanging in there. He displayed great poise throughout the regular season to earn some respect.

The Giants put a pounding on the Falcons over the weekend. I was surprised about the score but not surprised about the outcome. I picked the Giants to win and I expect them to keep rollin'.

The Saints are simply on fire and the Lions didn't put a good effort out there. It was a high scoring affair and that was no shock. 45-28 was the final score there.



THIS WEEK

Denver vs New England - Can Tebow continue his awesome play? In my opinion, yes he can. New England's defense is nothing to be scared of compared to the Steelers. Pittsburgh was a little banged up and that may have had a major part in their loss but Denver has to be credited too. Their defense played well and kept Big Ben in check the whole day. BUT, sadly...I don't expect Tebow's magic to continue this week. The Patriots offense is much more proven and talented than the Steelers offense. If Tim Tebow struggles early, the Broncos will not get a chance to come back because the deficit will be too big. Put your money on the Pats.

Baltimore vs Houston - I love this matchup! Arian Foster should put off a good performance but the Ravens powerhouse D is scary. With TJ Yates, the Ravens could blitz often and put pressure on the young man. Although the Texans are playing really well, I really think the Ravens will run away with this.(I hope not). Ray Rice should be the focal point like he is always and Flacco should be decent. Expect a very hard fought game. I'm taking the Ravens to win this game. It breaks my heart though. I'm a big Texans fan. I hope they win but it's a long shot.

Green Bay vs NYG - Another great matchup! I'm going to go out and predict that the Giants will WIN this football game. Why? They are red hot right now. Elisha, yes I said Elisha, is playing great! He's doing everything! And with the weapons that he can work with, I don't expect a let-down even against a good D. Aaron Rodgers is still Aaron Rodgers and he should be able to exploit the different matchups and take full advantage of mismatches. He always plays well and the Packers are the reigning Champs. I just feel a really big upset in this one! I'll take the Giants and ride the momentum train with them!

New Orleans vs SF - Drew Brees vs Alex Smith. At the beginning of the season, you wouldn't be able to put these guys in the same sentence but they have been playing really well for their teams. Smith has been playing decent and steady while Brees was breaking records. It isn't a great comparison by numbers but if you compare the way they lead their teams, it would be a pretty good argument. The 49ers D is probably more of the reason why they have made it this far but you gotta give credit to Alex! I do expect a hard fought game to be played here and this is another one that I will feel is an upset. Is the Saints beating San Fran an upset? That's weird to say isn't it? I'll take the Saints in this game even though I expect Gore and company to tear it up!

Oh, Henry!

The Grizzlies, 76ers and Hornets pulled off a three way trade today.

The Grizzlies gave up: Xavier Henry(to Hornets), 2nd Round Pick(to 76ers)
The Hornets gave up: 2nd Round Pick(to 76ers)
The 76ers gave up: Mareese Speights(to Grizzlies)

To me, these are all good under the radar type of moves.

For the Grizzlies, bringing in big man Mareese Speights is a great insurance move for the loss of Zach Randolph. Z-Bo is reportedly out for 6-8 weeks with a torn MCL. We all know how good the Grizzlies are and they can't let Zach's injury distract them. Dante Cunningham has done a decent job thus far for the Grizzlies off the bench but Mareese gives them some added size and depth at that position. Xavier Henry was given up but he barely played for them anyways.

The Hornets ended up acquiring the young guard out of Kansas in this deal. He was drafted 12th overall in last year's draft but hasn't really had the chance to play. With the signing of Tony Allen and the status of OJ Mayo, Henry didn't have much opportunity. For the Hornets, he may end up being a steal. The Hornets do have a crowded backcourt as well. Eric Gordon is one of the more better players in the game right now and arguably the Hornets face of the franchise. The only thing letting him down is his inability to stay healthy. Marco Bellinelli has filled in nicely for him but Xavier Henry can give him a run for his money. He has a really good chance to show his stuff in New Orleans. I liked this guy coming from college and I thought he would've made a big impact in the NBA. He'll be a great addition to New Orleans and contribute the way he should've last year if he had the chance to in Memphis.

The 76ers gave up big man Mareese Speights but brought in some pieces for the future. Two second round picks can bode well for a franchise. With the emergence of Spencer Hawes, the steady play of Elton Brand and Thaddeus Young, and the development of Nikola Vucevic, Speights was rotting on the bench. He was an expendable piece and getting two 2nd rounders for him is a good deal in my opinion.

Overall, I think everyone got a good deal for what they gave up.

NFL Reg. Season Conclusion

The NFL regular season came to a close and the dust has settled on the playoff seeding! This season has been spectacular with eye-popping touchdown runs, amazing catches, unbelievable defensive plays, and surprising breakout performances. It also featured some heart-breakers, bloopers, and misfortunes.

First, I want to talk about some things that have surprised or shocked me about this year:

• The New York Jets not making the playoffs. With the team they have assembled, I believed this team would at least make it into the postseason. Their defense looked on par to what experts thought of them at the beginning of the season. Teams started to test Revis Island and paid the price. The main problem that Sanchez and the Jets had this year  was their performances on the road. At home, Mark Sanchez had an TD-INT ratio of 16: 9. Eh, not the greatest, but it isn't the worst either. On the road though, Sanchez had a TD-INT ratio of 10: 9. His 2 touchdown, 3 interception game in Week 17 against the Dolphins ultimately knocked 'em out of contention. The Jets lost their last 3 games of the season and had they won one game, they would've made the playoffs. We can't blame Sanchez for everything but he certainly played the biggest role in the downfall. 

• The Philadelphia Eagles......How sad it is. I'm a huge Eagles fan and this came to shock when they couldn't close out games. It reminds me so much of My Toronto Raptors...and that's not a good thing. All the hype for this team vanished after their collapse against a good 49ers team. You could also blame the play of Michael Vick after his stellar 2010 campaign. But, he did play injured. The defense didn't play well until the second half of the season. Many blame Juan Castillo, the newly installed defensive coordinator for that but the players have to have their share of the blame as well. Maybe it was their lack of experience in their linebacker core or the talent level at the safety positions. Nnamdi Asomugha did play well this year but he was utilized differently compared to when he was at Oakland. *sigh* At least LeSean Mccoy has proven that he has become one of, if not, the best RB in the league now. They got a lot of work to do.

•  The play of Chris Johnson! Damn, he surprised me for topping 1000 yards this year! And that's not a good thing. With the talent and athletic ability that he possesses, he should've had a good year. Yes, 1000 yards is a good milestone to have but we all know the capability of reaching a higher mark for this guy. I'd say he only played good in 5 games. He posted two good outings against good defenses like the Steelers and Browns but his other good games were against BUF(ranked 26), CAR(ranked 28), and TB(ranked 30). The Titans ended up winning 4 out of 5 of those games! They needed him to bring that same production every week. He didn't top 100 yards in 13/16 games! And didn't even pass 60 yards in 10 of those games. He was decent in the passing game this year, but it was  unlike the past! He wasn't the same CJ2K he was before. Oh how the lockout affects people.

•  Some great unexpected QB's making names for themselves. Alex Smith of the 49ers finally had his long awaited breakout season. The Niners were ready to give the keys to the car to rookie Colin Kaepernick before the season if Smith didn't at least play decent. BUT, of course, winning cures all. Alex Smith wasn't as spectacular as the likes of Drew Brees or Aaron Rodgers but he did have a quiet, under the radar good season. He threw 17 TDs and only 5 INTs. I'd say that's pretty good. The Niners defence should get a lot of credit for their success but Alex Smith's improvement should take notice.

The sparse amount of rookie QB's shocked a lot of people. Cam Newton, Andy Dalton, Christian Ponder, Jake Locker, and even TJ Yates all had good rookie campaigns in their own right.

Everyone knew Cam was going to be a star but no one expected it to come as early as it did! He broke Peyton Manning's rookie record for most passing yards in their NFL debut. He also rejuvenated Steve Smith. Even though the W's didn't show up this season, expect big things from Cam for a long time.

Andy Dalton was the only rookie QB to lead his team to the playoffs! He and fellow rookie AJ Green anchored that team to a storybook season. They traded their long time faces of the franchise in Chad Ochocinco and Carson Palmer for many draft picks which lead a lot of people to believe they were a few years away from contention. WRONG.  Those two aren't missed much back in Cincy anymore because their two young guys are ready to make an impact in the playoffs and for years to come.

Christian Ponder of the Vikings took over mid-season over veteran Donovan McNabb who was later,sadly, cut from the team. He had a decent rookie campaign and although they didn't win many games, they're primed for a big season next year as star RB Adrian Peterson isn't getting any younger.

For the limited amount of games that Jake Locker has played in, he has put up some good numbers! Locker threw for 4 TDs and 0 INTs en route to an 0-4 record as a starter! Yeah, I know, the wins aren't there but he definitely has the tools to become a successful QB in this league. 

AND, TJ Yates.... He came in as the 3rd string QB after both Schaub and Leinart got injured. After that, many expected the Texans to have another heartbreaking season. But no.. Yates did as much as he could to get this team to the postseason! Yeah, his numbers weren't great but it was good enough for the team to make a good run at their first playoff berth in their history!

• Marshawn Lynch's surprising year bodes well for the future of that Seahawks team. They finally got themselves a RB to work with since Shaun Alexander. 
• Drew Brees breaking the record was an amazing accomplishment. It'll take a long time for that to be broken again. 
• I didn't know the Colts were that bad without Peyton....Now, we all can see how much Manning is valued by this team. Will they really draft Andrew Luck or stay with Peyton? That'll be interesting. 
• Another "OK" season for Romo. We all know he's capable of being an elite QB but we also all know that he's capable of choking in the most crucial moments. Think Lebron James here. Sadly, I think this might be the end of his era as a Cowboy even though he has been so good....on paper. 
• Tampa Bay Bucs being 4-12...That's a surprise. After their glorious season last year, they were primed for a breakout this year. They started out 4-2 but they couldn't do much after that. A bad defense added in with the relapsed development of their young offensive stars cooked up a 10 game losing streak to end the year which ultimately led to the firing of Head Coach, Raheem Morris. BAD MOVE. I believe that this guy will be a successful coach moving forward. 

 This ended up being the playoff seeding for the NFL

AFC - NFC

New England Patriots(13-3) - Green Bay Packers(15-1)

Baltimore Ravens(12-4) - San Francisco 49ers(13-3)

Houston Texans(10-6) - New Orleans Saints(13-3)

 Denver Broncos(8-8) - New York Giants(9-7)

Pittsburgh Steelers(12-4) - Atlanta Falcons(10-6)

Cincinnati Bengals(9-7) - Detroit Lions(10-6)

So, the Pats, Ravens, Packers and 49ers all have byes this week. That means we got some interesting matchups.

• Houston vs Cincinnati - The Texans beat the Bengals earlier on the season. Both have young talent but the Texans do have a more experienced club. Arian Foster is arguably one of the best running backs and Ben Tate is probably the best 2nd stringer in the league who would be starting if he was on any other team. Andre Johnson, although injury plagued, is still one of the most lethal wide receivers in the game. Their defense has been good this year and former Jonathan Joseph is leading the charge. The Bengals do have younger legs and their D has done well. BUT, I'll take the Houston Texans in this ball game. They're at home and they have been waiting for this opportunity for a long time! Arian Foster will have a nice day against them. It'll be a close matchup though.
• Denver vs Pittsburgh - This matchup is an interesting one. They haven't faced each other season. I think this will be an all-defense time of game. The Steelers will probably be without Rashard Mendenhall which be a huge blow for them. Isaac Redman has to fill in big for them. Big Ben and his receivers have been playing well thus far and I think that'll continue this week. As for the Broncos....If Tebow doesn't play well from the get-go, it'll be over before they know it. They need Tebow to start playing well from the 1st quarter because his 4th quarter miracles have been erased for a while now. Expect the Steelers to win this game and don't expect anyone in Denver "Tebowing" after. The Steelers are more experienced and have a better team overall.
• New Orleans vs Detroit - This is going to be a fun one to watch. This game will be one for the ages. Two teams that are known for their great offenses will clash. Drew Brees and the Saints are rolling right now! The Lions have been derailed a bit but we all know what they can do. Stafford to Megatron is something we hear every week and it'll be no different. BUT, the story we'll be hearing the most this week is Brees to any reciever. Darren Sproles is my X-Factor in this game and I expect the Saints to take this one in a high scoring affair.
• New York Giants vs Atlanta - The Giants took a long, scary route to make it. They had to win to get in and luckily, they made it! Unfortunately, they'll have a tough matchup against the Falcons. Burner Turner should come up big for them this week but I expect Roddy White and Julio Jones to steal the show. The Giants do have home-field and more depth. Hakeem Nicks should be able to garner some big catches but the running game is the big key for the Giants. If Bradshaw and Jacobs give Atlanta some problems, Eli can have an easy day at the helm. This is a tough one, but I'll take the Giants in this game.

All these matchups are great and I expect all the best from all these teams! The season has been fun and exciting but its time for the real stuff! Move aside, the big boys are playing!