2011 NBA Finals

#3 Dallas Mavericks vs. #2 Miami Heat

The majority of basketball fans didn't want this to happen. The only people who did want to see this happen were the three fans in Miami, as well as the countless bandwagoners that just found out about Heat basketball in the last few weeks. The Miami Heat, a team thrown together over the summer of 2010, are just four wins away from an NBA championship. The only obstacle standing in their way is the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks have long been known as chokers, including blowing a 2-0 series lead in the 2006 NBA Finals against the Heat. They are also known for their insufferable owner, Mark Cuban. However, over the last two months, Dirk Nowitzki has transformed himself from a good player known for loving David Hasselhoff music, to comparisons with Larry Bird. He is the torch bearer now for all of the fans that despise the...excuse me I just threw up in my mouth, Heatles.

The Heat seem to be the overwhelming favorites in this series and with good reason. They are the better team offensively and defensively. When you have two superstars on your team in Dwyane Wade and LeBron James, and someone who finally showed his worth in the Eastern Conference Finals in Chris Bosh, you become almost impossible to beat. Opponents of the Heat never catch a break, there is always a superstar out on the floor against them, no matter when one of the Big 2 1/2 takes a breather. The Heat disposed of the Bulls in 5 games because of the tremendous play of James and Bosh, but also because their rag tag bench stepped up as well. Udonis Haslem came back from the dead to carry the Heat late in Game 2, Mike Miller overcame personal adversity to ignite the Heat in Game 4. I railed on the Heat's bench but there is no denying that they came up huge in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Nowitzki has been incredible in the playoffs and the Mavericks bench has also been worth their weight. JJ Barea has been a spark plug off the bench for Dallas, while Jason Terry has hit big threes when needed. Shawn Marion has been steady on the defensive end, and also had a fantastic offensive game in the Game 5 clincher against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Jason Kidd is still getting it done at a pretty ridiculous level for a 38-year-old point guard.

Matchups will be intriguing in this series. Will the Heat stick Lebron on Dirk, like they did with LeBron on the Bulls biggest weapon, Derrick Rose? LeBron won't have the huge size advantage he had against Rose, so the question is, would it even be worth sticking Lebron on Dirk? Can DeShawn Stevenson frustrate Wade at all? Wade was spotty during the Eastern Conference Finals, and won't be the guy that averaged 34 points a game in the Finals, like he did against the Mavericks in 2006. Can Nowitzki effectively guard Chris Bosh? One advantage Dallas has is that Dirk is comfortable out on the perimeter, and theoretically Bosh shouldn't have such an easy time shooting jumpers like he did against the Bulls. Can the Heat count on anything from Mike Bibby and Mario Chalmers at the point guard position? Will Kidd perhaps get trigger happy with a fossil like Bibby guarding him? Will Bennett Salvatore ref any of the games and send Wade and Lebron to the line 150 times?

An interesting, but ultimately meaningless stat is that the Mavericks have beaten the Heat fourteen straight times in the regular season, including twice this year. The Mavericks will have to play stellar basketball this entire series to have a chance. They will have to play at the level they played in dismantling the Lakers. They won't be able to have any slip ups like they had against the Thunder, where they were able to come back late in games. As much as I want to deny it, and as much as it pains me to say, it is obvious the Heat are the best collection of talent in basketball. The Celtics set the blueprint by bringing together three superstars and the Heat winning the championship this season will make it the model of every team that has realistic hopes of a title. Bring a bunch of superstars together and you get to raise the Larry O'Brien trophy. Dirk can't do it all, and I expect him to actually be somewhat quieted in this series. The Heat will win in six, LeBron James will take home Finals MVP, and basketball fans everywhere will be saddened.

Prediction: Heat over Mavericks, 4-2

2011 NBA Playoffs - Western Conference Finals

Wiping out the 2-time defending NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers in a 4-game sweep, the Dallas Mavericks emphatically shed the choker label they had seemed beholden to since blowing the 2006 NBA Finals. Next, they take on the upstart Oklahoma City Thunder. OKC is coming off a grueling series with fellow upstart Memphis, and it will be interesting to see if tired legs will have an impact on them in this series.

Western Conference Finals

#3 Dallas Mavericks vs. #4 Oklahoma City Thunder

Don't let that creepy look fool you, Dirk Nowitzki is one of the best players in the NBA. He was unstoppable against the Lakers and will create matchup problems for the Thunder as well. The Mavericks completely negated the Lakers size inside, by constantly kicking the ball out to their shooters. Because their shooters were able to shoot so well, the Lakers had no answer. If Jason Terry, Peja Stojakovic, and Jose Juan Barea are allowed to get the open looks they had against LA, it will be another easy series for Dallas.

Whereas the Thunder's size inside with Kendrick Perkins, Serge Ibaka, and Nick Collison is usually an advantage, it could be detrimental in this series. However, unlike the Lakers, the Thunder have a young backcourt that shouldn't be killed by screens and pick and rolls, like Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher were. For the first time in these playoffs Jason Kidd will be at a severe disadvantage at point guard, going up against Russell Westrbook. Kidd is still one of the best passers in the game but really needs to get out of his head that he is shooter. Anytime he shot the ball in the Lakers series, I felt thankful because I knew it was likely not going in. However, Westbrook has been inconsistent throughout the playoffs. When he plays his role and facilitates, he can be brilliant, like in Game 7 against Memphis. When he get's that chucker mentality and is taking 30 shots, he kills his team. The only player on the Thunder that should even think about taking 30 shots is Kevin Durant.

Durant is a lot like Nowtizki in his versatility and ability to play different positions. Other players to watch in this series include Shawn Marion and Tyson Chandler for the Mavericks. Marion didn't have much of an impact in the LA sweep and will need to make his presence more known. Chandler is being credited with bringing toughness to Dallas and will have interesting battles with Perkins and Ibaka. For OKC, James Harden came up huge in the Game 7 win against Memphis, and backup point guard, CAA player Eric Maynor usually provides quality minutes when Westbrook needs some rest.

Who really knows what to expect out of this series but I would be very surprised if it doesn't go seven. I can't see the Thunder rolling over like the Lakers did. I expect the Mavericks and their fresh legs to take Game 1 tonight, but the Thunder are certainly capable of stealing a game in Dallas. I think home court will prove the difference in a Game 7 and the Mavs will be back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2006.

Prediction: Mavericks over Thunder, 4-3

2011 NBA Playoffs - Eastern Conference Finals

The two best teams in the Eastern Conference are left standing. However, don't say that to all of the Miami Heat sycophants and bandwagon fans. They were too busy telling everyone that the Heat would wrap this series up in a sweep or five games. Well after last night's complete destruction of the Heat by the Bulls, those fans will have to hope the Heat can beat the Bulls four straight. This series will put to the test the age old question, can superstars alone defeat a cohesive, complete team? The answer is usually no.

Eastern Conference Finals

#1 Chicago Bulls vs. #2 Miami Heat

The Heat have been perhaps the most talked about team in NBA history. Every loss has been treated as the end of the world, while every win has been built to astronomical proportions. A lot of that has to do with LeBron James. Despite having won nothing of note in his NBA career, people constantly want to crown this guy. After beating an aging, injured Boston Celtics team you would have thought the NBA should have just canceled the rest of the NBA playoffs and made the Heat champs. Nevermind that the Bulls led the NBA in wins or were led by the MVP of the league, the sensational Derrick Rose.

Last night, the Bulls stifled James and Dwyane Wade, and Wade was posterized by Taj Gibson in one of the most memorable dunks I have ever seen. The Bulls dominated the offensive glass, especially one of the hardest workers in the league, Joakim Noah. I never thought it possible after he was a Florida Gator, but I am definitely on Team Noah. The only player to do anything of note for the Heat was Charmin-soft Chris Bosh, who poured in 30 points, but it wasn't surprising those points came in a blow-out loss. Lost in all of this is that the Bulls are now 4-0 against the Heat this season.

Don't get me wrong, I don't expect the Bulls to blow out the Heat in every game this series. But maybe it reminded some people that the Heat are still just a 2 1/2 man team. Sure James Jones or Joel Anthony might have a good game here or there, but can you really see a team winning a championship with the following players expected to contribute? Mario Chalmers, Jamaal Magloire, a hobbled Udonis Haslem, 125-year old Juwan Howard, 118-year old Mike Bibby, and Mike Miller. We also may get the pleasure of seeing 144-year old Zydrunas Ilgauskas play meaningful minutes. There is no denying that the Bulls bench blows the Heat's out of the water.

Luol Deng was magnificent in Game 1, making life hell for James, and also contributing on the offensive end, taking some pressure off Rose. Deng will be the Bulls x-factor in this series. The fear for the Bulls was who else would step up and score besides Rose? Deng has to be consistent throughout this series. It will be a lot to ask of him though with guarding James being his primary responsibility. That means that Carlos Boozer has to take the next step in his career and have a solid series on one of the biggest stages. Boozer finally seems to be coming around, and has put together a solid string of games recently.

I will abstain from making a prediction on this series for superstitious purposes but I hope that the basketball Gods will once again make it known, teams always beat superstars.

2011 NBA Playoffs - Eastern and Western Conference Semi-Finals

The First Round of the NBA Playoffs will be a hard act to live up to. While no series went seven games, the games themselves were all very competitive and provided more drama than fans are accustomed to seeing in the opening act of the NBA Playoffs. The East now comes down to the Chicago Bulls taking on the Atlanta Hawks, which is a slight surprise, and then the most anticipated series in the Conference Semi-Finals, the Celtics battling the Heat. In the West, the Memphis Grizzlies made Charles Barkley look like a genius for picking them, as they dismantled the San Antonio Spurs, and now face the upstart Oklahoma City Thunder. The other matchup sees Kobe and the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers battle the Dallas Mavericks.

Eastern Conference Semi-Finals

#1 Chicago Bulls vs. #5 Atlanta Hawks

This isn't the matchup that Jameer Nelson envisioned but such a crappy player shouldn't be talking trash as it is. The Hawks proved that their regular season success against the Magic was no fluke. The Bulls got all they could handle from the Indiana Pacers but still managed to close them out in 5 games.

Hopefully that jolt from the Pacers woke the Bulls up and showed them that they will have to earn everything they achieve in the playoffs. Derrick Rose carried the Bulls in that series but struggled mightily shooting the ball. That isn't a problem as long as he can continue to get to the free throw line and hit free throws. Carlos Boozer was completely ineffective against Indiana and now is dealing with turf toe. I think the Bulls are talented enough to win without a major contribution from him against Atlanta, but against either Miami or Boston he has to step up. If he can't be effective offensively then he will need to at least slow down Al Horford. Joakim Noah will have a major advantage over Jason Collins.

The Hawks will be without former Bull and their starting point guard Kirk Hinrich. He strained his hamstring and is not expected to be able to return for the series. That is a huge loss for the Hawks who will now have to rely on either the inexperienced Jeff Teague, or allow Crawford to get more minutes at point guard. Joe Johnson could have a huge series going against the overmatched Keith Bogans,

The Bulls will be tested once again but the Hawks won't be able to slow down Rose and I think Noah could have a monster series.

Prediction: Bulls over Hawks, 4-2

#2 Miami Heat vs. #3 Boston Celtics

This series tipped off yesterday with the Heat dominating the game and defeating Boston to take an early 1-0 series lead. Dwyane Wade was unreal, scoring 38 points and hitting 14 of his 21 shots. Even more unreal were the contributions from James Jones off the bench. He hit 5 three pointers and finished with 25 points.

Game 1 was very chippy and saw Paul Pierce get ejected. That figures to be a running theme throughout the series as neither team cares much for the other. This is the series where I think the Celtics will really miss Kendrick Perkins. Going against a stiff like Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and a little accomplished player in Joel Anthony, are matchups that Perkins could have exploited. Instead, the carcass of Jermaine O'Neal will have to try to do something.

Yesterday's game did give me pause but I still think the Celtics are the better team. Team being the key word. James Jones won't be dropping 25 every game, and when it comes down to it the Heat are still 3 players and a bunch of nobodies. Even the third part of that group, Chris Bosh, is unreliable and won't be dominating the Celtics like he did the 76ers.

It will take consistent bench play for the Heat to beat Boston and I don't think the Heat have the parts to make that happen.

Prediction: Celtics over Heat, 4-3


Western Conference Semi-Finals

#5 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. #8 Memphis Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies are in an NBA Jam like "On Fire" zone right now. They basically dominated the Spurs and then shot lights out and put the Thunder on notice in Game 1 of their series. Zach Randolph is playing at an insane level right now and can't be slowed down. Marc Gasol has people actually trying to argue that the Grizzlies didn't get swindled in the Pau Gasol trade a few years ago. Tony Allen and Shane Battier are giving the Grizzlies the defensive toughness needed to go far in the playoffs.

All of that being said, the Thunder still have the best player on the court, Kevin Durant. However, Russell Westbrook really needs to step up his game. He is scoring points but is taking way too many shots to get those points and has been turning over the ball too much. Kendrick Perkins will have to wake up as well, he was virtually non-existent in Game 1.

This series will rest on whether Serge Ibaka and Perkins can slow down Gasol and Randolph. As long as the Grizzlies big men continue to play at this high of a level, the Grizz will keep shocking the world. I'm drinking the kool-aid and like the Grizzlies to move on.

Prediction: Grizzlies over Thunder, 4-3

#2 Los Angeles Lakers vs. #3 Dallas Mavericks

For the first time since 1988, the Lakers and Mavericks meet in the playoffs. Considering how each team has been a mainstay of the playoffs for about a decade, it's pretty amazing they never crossed paths. I can't stand the Mavericks loud-mouthed owner Mark Cuban and would love to see the smug look wiped off his face by LA.

The Mavs surprised me by getting past the Blazers but still choked in spectacular Maverick fashion in Game 4. I expect to see a lot of that from them in this series, and still don't think they have the mental toughness to be champions. I will say that when DeShawn Stevenson is a starter on your team, I can't take you seriously as contenders.

Its the same story as always for the Lakers. Kobe Bryant will consistently contribute and the Lakers success will come down to how Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol and the bench play. The Lakers struggled with the Hornets because of the struggles of Gasol and Odom. The Mavericks have size with Dirk Nowitzki and Tyson Chandler, but Nowitzki is a big man in height only and rarely plays down low. Bynum and Gasol should each have big series. Also, Derek Fisher won't get tore up defensively, as he gets to face someone even older than him in Jason Kidd.

The Lakers will probably do what they do best and make things more difficult than they should be, but I have no doubt they will be moving on to the Western Conference Finals.

Prediction: Lakers over Mavericks, 4-2

2011 NBA Playoffs - Western Conference, First Round

The Western Conference saw the old guard reclaim their top spot. The San Antonio Spurs were left for dead at the end of last season. They were considered too old to compete for another championship. However, they surged their way to a 61-21 record, and earned home court advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs. The 2-time defending champion, Los Angeles Lakers, finished second in the West, and come into the playoffs losers of five of their last seven games. Both the Spurs and Lakers have question marks about key players going into the playoffs. Manu Ginobli may miss Game 1 of their series against Memphis, while Andrew Bynum is questionable for the start of the Lakers series against the New Orleans Hornets.

First Round

#1 San Antonio Spurs (61-21) vs. #8 Memphis Grizzlies (46-36)

Unlike the Eastern Conference, their are no cake walks in the Western Conference playoffs. Memphis would have been a 5 seed in the East, but instead had to settle for an 8 seed in the West. They are searching for their first playoff win in franchise history. The good news, I think they will get it. The bad news, they will only beat the Spurs once.

It was surprising to see that the Spurs were just 14th in points per game allowed. Obviously age is starting to catch up to them and their defense has suffered. Tony Parker and Ginobli are their scoring leaders, and the wear and tear is starting to show on Tim Duncan, who averaged a career low 13.4 ppg. However, Duncan still fights hard on the glass and is complemented by DeJuan Blair.

They will be doing battle with Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol. Randolph averaged a double double in points and rebounds. The Grizzlies have missed the scoring of Rudy Gay, but their defense has improved behind Tony Allen, and mid-season pickup Shane Battier.

The Grizzlies are an up and coming team but like any team that is building, they have to take some lumps first. I think getting a playoff win would be a huge step for this franchise and get that monkey off their back. Despite not winning the series, if the Grizzlies can at least win a game they should be pleased.

Prediction: Spurs over Grizzlies, 4-1

#4 Oklahoma City Thunder (55-27) vs. #5 Denver Nuggets (50-32)

This is the unquestioned best First Round series in the West. Both of these teams score in bunches and play average to poor defense, so expect many high scoring games. The Thunder continue to improve behind their young nucleus, led by Kevin Durant. They added Kendrick Perkins at the trade deadline, hoping to give themselves the inside presence to match up with the Lakers or Spurs. They have a dynamic point guard, Russell Westbrook, and a towering defensive presence in Serge Ibaka.

The Nuggets changed their identity when they traded Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups to the Knicks. Getting rid of the distraction seemed to do wonders for the team's chemistry, and they have played excellent since the trade. Ty Lawson has taken the reigns at point guard and is half of a nice 1-2 punch with fellow Tar Heel Raymond Felton. Aaron Afflalo and J.R. Smith give the Nuggets depth at shooting guard, while Nene is their bruiser inside.

Nuggets coach George Karl admitted that the Thunder would be a bad matchup for his Nuggets. It could be construed as a psychological ploy but I think Karl was shooting from the hip. The Thunder are ready to continue their steps to being elite and will hold off a game Nuggets team.

Prediction: Thunder over Nuggets, 4-2

#2 Los Angeles Lakers (57-25) vs. #7 New Orleans Hornets (46-36)

Despite their stumbles throughout the season, and continued questions about Andrew Bynum's durability, the Lakers are still considered the favorites to come out of the West. The Hornets, led by Chris Paul, should be only a minor speed bump on the Lakers run to the Finals.

Kobe Bryant isn't as prolific as he once was, but he still averaged 25.3 ppg and played in all 82 games this season. Pau Gasol averaged 18 and 10, while Lamar Odom, despite being a sixth man, was third on the team with 14.4 ppg. When Bynum plays, he gives the Lakers a ridiculous inside presence with Gasol and Odom, but he is constantly injured and can't be counted on. The Lakers seemingly upgraded their bench in the off-season, but Steve Blake has been a disappointment, and Matt Barnes missed large stretches of the season. Ron Artest isn't quite the defensive player he used to be, and makes mind boggling decisions on the offensive end. Derek Fisher is barely alive at this point.

All that being said, the Hornets have Chris Paul and that's about it. The Hornets don't score or rebound much, and mostly get by on playing excellent defense. The loss of David West to a torn ACL crippled this team. Former Laker Trevor Ariza has proven to be a nice role player, but that's about all. The Hornets have another former Laker in DJ Mbenga, maybe he can get some playing time against his old teammates.

The Lakers are going to murder the Hornets inside, and I expect Gasol, Odom, and Bynum if he plays to have a monster series. Kobe will be Kobe. I think Paul can lead the Hornets to a win in New Orleans, but other than that, this series will be total annihilation by the Lakers.

Prediction: Lakers over Hornets, 4-1

#3 Dallas Mavericks (57-25) vs. #6 Portland Trail Blazers (48-34)

I can't stand Mark Cuban so by extension I can't stand the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks will have their hands full with Portland. The face of the Blazers is no longer Brandon Roy, it has become LeMarcus Aldridge. Their guard Wesley Matthews out of Marquette has been quite a find for the team, averaging 15.9 ppg. Despite being 88 years old, Andre Miller still gets it done, averaging 12.7 ppg and 7 assists per game. SF Gerald Wallace added some scoring punch when he was traded for before the deadline. The Blazers aren't a prolific scoring team but play tremendous defense, with Aldridge and Marcus Camby making life hell for anyone that decides to go to the hole.

I think the Blazers physical, tough presence will be the undoing for the Charmin soft Mavs. Their coach, Rick Carlisle even called them soft this season. Dirk Nowitzki makes Pau Gasol look tough, and their other big body Tyson Chandler doesn't intimidate anyone. Jason Kidd makes Andre Miller look young by comparison, and Shawn Marion's best years are behind him. Of course, the Mavs aren't as terrible as I making them seem, they won 57 games. But they have struggled down the stretch against the good teams, and mostly feasted on cupcakes.

All that being said this will be a very competitive series, and I think the only First Round series that will go seven games.

Prediction: Blazers over Mavericks, 4-3

2011 NBA Playoffs - Eastern Conference, First Round

Doing things a little differently this year for the NBA playoffs. Instead of just focusing on the Bulls and Lakers, I will preview each First Round series in the NBA Playoffs. I don't think the playoffs truly get interesting until the Conference Semi-Finals, but that doesn't mean the First Round isn't worth talking about. Today, I start off with the Eastern Conference. Four teams are seen as having a legitimate chance of representing the East in the NBA Finals. The Chicago Bulls are the favorites, followed by the Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, and probably only in Orlando, the Magic. However, the four of them will have to handle their business in the First Round.

First Round

#1 Chicago Bulls (62-20) vs. #8 Indiana Pacers (37-45)

In my preview of the Bulls/Cavs series from last year's playoffs, I wrote this. "It helps that they play in the decidedly weak Eastern Conference but hopefully when they get the right coach in place next season they can finally make some noise." Well, the Bulls landed that coach in the off-season, bringing in Celtics assistant Tom Thibodeau. The team bought into his defensive philosophy and went from the 8 seed and 41 wins, to the 1 seed and 62 wins. Soon to be MVP Derrick Rose was steady for the Bulls all season, as they overcame injuries to Carlos Boozer, and Joakim Noah.

The Pacers are led by Danny Granger, who thinks the Pacers have a shot if they can stop Rose. Sorry Danny boy, but the Pacers have no shot in this series, mostly because they can't match the Bulls defensive intensity. At just 37 wins, the Pacers are just fortunate to even be in the playoffs and will be lucky if they can steal a game.

Prediction: Bulls over Pacers, 4-0

#4 Orlando (52-30) vs. #5 Atlanta (44-38)

This is a rematch from last year's playoffs, when the Magic decimated the Hawks in the Conference Semi-Finals. The Hawks come into this year's playoffs reeling, losers of six in a row. The Magic have been up and down all season, completing a gigantic trade in December that brought them Jason Richardson, Gilbert Arenas, and Hedo Turkoglu.

The Magic are hoping that JJ Redick will return for the playoffs, after missing the end of the regular season with a lower abdominal strain. Their is a misconception that the Magic don't play defense, but they finished fourth in points allowed per game. Dwight Howard continues to improve and become more and more dominant.

The Hawks have a starting five that can compete with most teams but have a very thin bench. Although all talented, I don't think Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, or Al Horford really scare any teams. The Hawks are stuck in that good enough to compete but not good to win anything zone. They can have some confidence in the fact they beat the Magic three out of four times this season, but it's a whole different animal in the postseason. I think they will play the Magic much harder this year, but ultimately it won't be enough.

Prediction: Magic over Hawks, 4-2

#2 Miami Heat (58-24) vs. #7 Philadelphia 76ers (41-41)

For a three man team, it would be hating to say the Heat's 58-24 record this season wasn't impressive. They went through a few trials and tribulations but to win that many games after a complete overhaul of a team is quite the accomplishment. Do I think they will win a title this season? No, but they have shown that given a couple more seasons they should be the best team in the league. The three headed monster of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh are the only Heat players that averaged double figures in scoring. Their point guard play has been unsteady all season, and is what I think will eventually be their undoing against the Celtics or Bulls.

The Sixers are a very balanced team. Elton Brand returned from the dead and played a full season, leading Philadelphia in scoring with 15 points per game. Andre Iguodala, Thaddeus Young, and the point guard 1-2 punch of Jrue Holliday and Lou Williams are all capable of putting up points.

The Sixers have some good pieces in place and could be a team to watch as long as coach Doug Collins doesn't lose the team. However, they aren't ready to take down a team as talented as the Heat.

Prediction: Heat over 76ers, 4-1

#3 Boston Celtics (56-26) vs. #6 New York Knicks (42-40)

This is by far the most intriguing First Round series in the East. The Knicks are finally back in the playoffs and have two of the best scorers in the league, Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony. They also have a veteran point guard in Chauncey Billups. Unfortunately for them, you can't just win outscoring teams, and the Knicks defense is atrocious. They will be facing the Celtics, who were the best defensive team in the league in the regular season.

The Celtics have seemed out of sorts since the Kendrick Perkins trade and the ultimate success or failure of that trade will be judged on whether the Celtics bring home a championship. Their big four of Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett are the least of their concerns. The big questions are, how will Jeff Green play? Will Nenad Kristic add anything? Can Glen Davis remain steady off the bench? Will Shaq suit up?

I think the atmosphere will be great in this series, especially Madison Square Garden in Games 3 and 4. The Celtics are too good defensively and will be able to slow down Anthony and Stoudemire. The Knicks won't be able to get the stops they need, but they will definitely make this series interesting.

Prediction: Celtics over Knicks, 4-2

NCAA Basketball Championship Game - Houston, Texas

#8 Butler (28-9) vs. #3 Connecticut (31-9)

Once again Butler is back in the National Title game, and once again they are facing a traditional power. 34-year old Brad Stevens will try to hand 68-year old Jim Calhoun his first loss in a NCAA Championship game.

In the battle of mid-majors, Butler outlasted VCU, 70-62. In typical Butler fashion, it wasn't pretty, the Bulldogs shot just 36%, but they got a great game from G Shelvin Mack, and dominated the Rams on the boards.

Connecticut took down Kentucky, 55-54. Outstanding G Kemba Walker, did just enough, overcoming 4 turnovers and a poor shooting night, scoring 18 points to pace the Huskies. UCONN couldn't buy a basket from three point range, but hit their free throws, unlike Kentucky who was awful from the line.

I won't channel Digger Phelps and tell you that one of these teams will win because they are on a mission. I will tell you that Connecticut is going to win simply because they are better. How can I pick against a team that has not lost a tournament game all season? They won the Maui Invitational, the Big East Tournament and now just stand one win from the NCAA Championship. It is an incredible run, and one that would not be possible without Walker. However, Walker has received some help from fellow guard Jeremy Lamb, and Roscoe Smith and Alex Oriakhi have given the Huskies a needed presence down low.

I don't think Butler has the bodies to match up with Connecticut. They will attempt to slow the pace and make the game ugly but I think Walker's ability to dribble and drive can negate that. I think Matt Howard will be in foul trouble early, and I also think that Shelvin Mack will not dominate the game like he did against VCU. Plus, Butler was really aided by their ability to dominate VCU on the glass. It is hard to lose when your guards, such as Mack and Nored each are pulling down 6 rebounds. No way that the Huskies allow that to happen.

Despite all I have said above, I still anticipate a close game that will be exciting down to the final minutes. The Huskies will once again come out of the West region as National Champions, and Jim Calhoun may finally ride off into the sunset.

Prediction: Connecticut 63, Butler 58