Hibbert denial

This is one of the coolest photos of the NBA postseason. H/T to Matt Kryger of the Indianapolis Star for this great shot.

TWTWTNBA: Deconstructing The NBA Finals - Focusing on the Immediate Future

The Finals beckons. Now that we have gone back to the way past, time to focus on the here and now.


Finals schedule: Time is in ET. Miami has homecourt advantage. The real winner though, is American Airlines, which has the naming rights to both venues (Miami is AA Arena, whilst Dallas is AA Center). Just so you know, Southwest Airlines is the official airline of the NBA.

Game 1: May 31. 9pm
Game 2: June 2. 9pm
Game 3: June 5. 8pm
Game 4: June 7. 9pm
*Game 5: June 9. 9pm
*Game 6: June 12. 8pm
*Game 7: June 14. 9pm

* - if necessary

Regular Season Matchup: Dallas won both games, both were relatively early in the season (November and December). It is important to note that Caron Butler was healthy and available when they faced off. In fact, he played a vital role on both games. At the same time, Peja Stojakovic (still with New Orleans / Toronto) and Corey Brewer (still with Minnesota) were not yet with the team. Rick Carlisle has indicated that he all but ruled out him playing in the playoffs, let alone this series, but Tuff Juice has been working his darndest to make himself a option before the series is over. On the other hand, Udonis Haslem was still recovering from injury and Mike Miller was just freshly

The first meeting was in the early days of the struggles of the Heat, and the second meeting was the only loss the Heat went through on their sizzling run (which included the great fabled Lebron homecoming) that immediately followed said struggle.

What should Miami do:

1. Wade redux. Dwyane Wade pretty much had a pedestrian series against the Bulls, but he among the three had the best numbers against the Mavs in the regular season. Of course, you know what he did in 2006.

2. 2/3 clicking. There is the ridiculous stat where if the three combine for 70+ points, they are virtually unbeaten. That's the challenge of Erik Spoelstra in figuring out ways that he can maximize the offensive outputs of Wade, James and Bosh.

3. Udonis Haslem. He pretty much will be tasked to tackle Dirk Nowitzki. He, along with Joel Anthony, were vital in the low post defense, rebounding and hustle stats.

4. Outside sniping. 31 attempts from long distance in their 2nd regular season meeting. Hopefully, Mike Miller's distraction has been addressed and thus be able to focus on the task at hand. Mike Bibby has been an absolute misery, whose playoff PER has been a point of mockery on the interwebs.

 What should Dallas do:

1. Three-point barrage: They killed the Lakers with it, they have not yet suffered from it. Oh, and they shot better from there against the Heat. And they have the shooters to do it. (Kidd, Terry, Stevenson, Stojakovic).

2. Offensive oomph off the bench: JJ Barea has been a postseason revelation. The Puerto Rican from Northeastern is just running rings around his defenders. The Heat might have to do to him in a lesser extent what they did to Derrick Rose. Of course, The Jet is the linchpin off the bench for the Mavs. The former Sixth Man of the Year is familiar with crossing swords with Wade.

3. Defending. Mavs held the Heat to under 42% shooting in their regular season meetings and outrebounded them (by a small margin). Can they keep that up? They have the capability to check things with Chandler, Marion, Stevenson, Brewer.

4. Dirk. This is about what he is about to do. The stigma that Dallas was screwed out of 2006. The misery of being embarrassed by Golden State. His legacy might be giving the Metroplex their first championship in the new millennium (Stars were the last team to win, via the NHL in 1999).

Prediction: Mavs in 6. This ain't your time yet, Lebron. You'll get your chance, but not now. Not this year. And with the way the Indians are playing, the hex of Dan Gilbert might just come true.

TWTWTNBA: Deconstructing The NBA Finals - Revisiting the Past

Congratulations to the Dallas Mavericks and the Miami Heat. They made it to the NBA Finals. Just like what they did 5 years ago. It would be remiss to look back then as a means of revisiting the situation that is about to unfold.




The 2006 Miami roster: Derek Anderson, Shandon Anderson, Earl Barron, Michael Doleac, Udonis Haslem, Jason Kapono, Alonzo Mourning, Shaquille O'Neal, Gary Payton, James Posey, Wayne Simien, Dwyane Wade, Antoine Walker,  Jason Williams, Dorell Wright

Note: Matt Walsh played with the team during the season but was waived during the season. Gerald Fitch with also with the team but was traded to acquire Derek Anderson.

Five years later: Udonis Haslem and Dwayne Wade are the only remnants.

The 2006 Dallas roster: Darrell Armstrong, Erick Dampier, Marquis Daniels, DeSagana Diop, Adrian Griffin, Devin Harris, Josh Howard, Didier Mbenga, Rawle Marshall, Dirk Nowitzki, Pavel Podklozin, Josh Powell, Jerry Stackhouse, Jason Terry, Keith Van Horn


Note:  Doug Christie played with the team at the start of the season but was waived during the season.

Five years later: Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry are the only remnants. Interesting to note though, that Erick Dampier is on the Miami roster this time around. Jerry Stackhouse likewise was also on the Heat roster, but he was waived early in the season.

We all knew what went on in the Finals. Dallas goes up 2-0 and was leading late in Game 3 before Miami pulls off a comeback to win it, and then winning out, albeit with some controversy due to officiating. Most point out the free throws disparity, as Dwyane Wade had 46 free throw attempts in the last two games of that series, with people quipping that blowing air towards him would cause the ref to call a foul.

Wade was named as the NBA Finals MVP, averaging 34.7 points. 7.8 rebounds 3.8 assists 2.7 steals and 1 block in that 6-game series. It's amazing how he just took over that series.

South Beach Pests

Just as you thought South Beach cannot be as annoying as it is with all the fuss and hullabaloo around it, it just keeps on going...




Game 3 at the American Airlines Arena in Miami not only featured jousting between Joakim Noah and a fan, which will cost the young Bulls center some dough, but also much fuss with TNT's Charles Barkley.

Chuck, of course, has been critical of the Miami Heat all season. He also picked the Bulls to advance. Obviously, some Heat fans felt that this is an affront to them, and let him know about that. Chuck, knowing him, gave them an appropriate response.

As such, the TNT set is to be moved inside the AAA.

*c/o Opposing Views, USA Today, and Chicago Breaking Sports.

The 2011 Western Conference Finals on ESPN

I'm the Larry Bird for the new millenium, bitches.

Game 1 has passed by and what a game that was. You could call it the Dirk Nowitzki Experience, where whatever Oklahoma City put up did not stand a chance. Even their coach, Scotty Brooks, said it. Lost in the DNE was that Kevin Durant was not all too shabby either.

After the jump is the much belated preview of the NBA Western Conference Finals.




Schedule of Games: All games in Eastern Time

Game 1 - Tue May 17 Oklahoma City at Dallas 9:00PM 121-112 win for Dallas.
Game 2 - Thu May 19 Oklahoma City at Dallas 9:00PM
Game 3 - Sat May 21 Dallas at Oklahoma City 9:00PM
Game 4 - Mon May 23 Dallas at Oklahoma City 9:00PM
Game 5 * Wed May 25 Oklahoma City at Dallas 9:00PM
Game 6 * Fri May 27 Dallas at Oklahoma City 9:00PM
Game 7 * Sun May 29 Oklahoma City at Dallas 9:00PM
*if necessary

Unlike the Eastern Conference, it's simply an alternating setup and no events that could possibly disturb the cycle are present. What helps is their proximity to each other makes it conducive. (Oklahoma City is just three hours away from Dallas-Forth Worth.)

Regular Season Matchup: Dallas won the first two meetings before Oklahoma City got theirs in their final encounter. Interesting to note that all games came before the trade of Kendrick Perkins. In addition, both of Dallas' wins have been with Caron Butler on the roster before he got hurt, and Dirk did not play in that final meeting.

What should Dallas do? Feed Dirk. The German shooting machine has totally been as efficient, like what the German stereotype of their industry. The Thunder are befuddled as they try to defend him in Game 1. JJ Barea has been running rings as of late and in Game 1, OKC failed to keep him in check. Dallas also has been great with the three-pointer, predicated on by Jason Terry and Jason Kidd.

What should Oklahoma City do? Still, the major elephant in the room remains to be the Westbrook shot selection process. Russell needs to make those shots and at the same time, find opportunities that would make Durant feel comfortable with. Focus on the defensive end is also a need, considering all their games against the Mavs have been high-scoring affairs.

X-Factor/s: A pair of guards off the bench for both teams need to contribute well for the success of both teams. On one side, JJ Barea has been great in the playoffs, while James Harden for the Thunder has been the offensive oomph from the bench, considering they start off with Thabo.

The pick: Dallas in 6. Dirk is primed for a return run to the Finals. This is another learning experience that would be for the benefit of Durant, Westbrook and the others, knowing that next season is the leap to becoming one of the favorites to win the title in 2012.

The 2011 Eastern Conference Finals on TNT.

I am Taj. Hear me roar.

Well, Game 1 has already passed us by, and what a game it was. For Chicago fans, that is. Bulls come out like gang busters in the 2nd half and paved the way for the manhandling that went on from there. For Miami fans, they want to shake this one off as fast as they could until tip-off for Game 2 begins.

After the jump, here is the much belated preview of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals.


Schedule of Games (times are in local time at Chicago):

Game 1: at Bulls, 7 p.m., Sunday, TNT 103-82 win for Chicago

Game 2: at Bulls, 7:30 p.m., May 18

Game 3: at Miami, 7:30 p.m., May 22

Game 4: at Miami, 7:30 p.m., May 24

*Game 5: at Bulls, 7:30 p.m., May 26 

*Game 6: at Miami, 7:30 p.m., May 28

*Game 7: at Bulls, 7:30 p.m., May 30

*If necessary

It's kind of odd seeing a huge time gap from Game 1 to 3, but then again, that Oprah has much pull.

Regular Season Matchup:  Bulls won all three games by relatively small margins. It is important to note, though that Lebron James missed the first meeting. And the Chris Bosh 1/18 shooting game was their second meeting.

What should Miami do: Lebron and Dwyane have finally gotten over the Boston hump. Now they should assert themselves and go for the big kahuna. Ditto for Chris Bosh, who needs to keep the likes of Noah and Boozer off the boards. There is a need for the bit players to make more contributions, from James Jones making three's to effective quarterbacking from Mario Chalmers.

What should Chicago do: Play together and defend. Thibodeau was the man who devised the Boston defense that steered them to two Finals appearances and one NBA title. They have guys whom they can put on Lebron and Wade (Bogans, Deng, Brewer). The bigs controlled the boards 19-6 on the offensive end in Game 1. Derrick Rose should be able to control pace and knife his way through things.

X-Factor/s: For Chicago, it's Taj. You saw for yourselves what he did. Can he follow that up with more of it? As for the Heat, it's Bosh. Because the Heat cannot afford to have him being dominated on by Noah and / or Boozer.

The pick: Bulls in 6. 20 years after Michael Jordan makes his NBA Finals debut and staking his claim on behalf of his generation, Derrick Rose makes his debut to represent the 00s.

Western Conference Playoff Manuscript

Well, this was supposed to be the playoff preview for the Western Conference, but since I'm posting this already after the Lakers get bounced (I predicted the Lakers to supposedly advance in 6, so I am terribly wrong in this case), might as well do a little revisionism and post-script action.

So, let's go straight to the nitty gritty.




2 - Los Angeles Lakers vs 3 - Dallas Mavericks

Regular Season Analysis: The Lakers held a 2-1 edge in the regular season, winning the last 2 meetings. Dallas did not shoot well in their regular season losses against LA. Peja Stojakovic only played in the third and final game.

What went wrong for Los Angeles: True to form to their regular season, save for Lamar Odom, the bench was relatively non-existent.That already put more pressure on everyone, especially with Pau Gasol, who already has been receiving major flak based on his performance in the previous series.

What went right for Dallas: Dallas stroked it from long distance. They tied a playoff record with 20 three-point conversions in a game during Game 4. To put it into comparison, the Lakers converted just 15 threes for THE ENTIRE SERIES. And when you watched the game, most of those were coming off good screens and great execution. The Jet went bananas in the last game, 32 points off a record-tying nine three point conversions. Also give credit to how the Mavericks defended Kobe and made it difficult for him to score. Barea has been a pest and made things brutal for Laker defenders to the point they had Ron Artest guard him.


Man of the Series: Dirk Nowitzki has been great all series long. Unstoppable from Games 1-3. He was there in Game 4, but the BTS took care of things in that one to the point that he was pretty much irrelevant.

4 - Oklahoma City Thunder vs 8 - Memphis Grizzlies

Regular Season Matchup: The Grizzlies have a 3-1 edge in their regular season duels. It is important to note that Rudy Gay only played in the first 2 games before his season-ending surgery. In addition, they only met once after the trade deadline that netted Kendrick Perkins for Oklahoma City and Shane Battier for Memphis. Memphis won said particular meeting. All games were relatively close, with winning margins of 4-9 points. Each team scored in triple digits in all the games.

Keys for the Thunder: Shot selection. The white elephant in the room has been Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant's shot attempts. The issue is not that, because Kevin is a guy that does not really that vocal in demanding the ball. The issue is and remains to be on the decision-making Russell conducts in the process.

Keys for the Grizzlies: Paint dominance. They have two of the better (possibly the best remaining in the postseason) low post scoring options in Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. Mike Conley has played within himself and controlled the ebb and flow of how things roll.

X-Factor/s: It's all about the Celtic championship pride running down the veins of Kendrick Perkins and Tony Allen on each side.

Prediction: Oklahoma City in 6.

Eastern Conference Playoff Picture

C/o ESPN

From the original 8, there are now just four teams left in the East. Congratulations are in order for Chicago, Miami, Boston and Atlanta. Happy trails to Orlando, New York,  Philadelphia and Indiana. Let's see how the teams and match-ups fare for this round:




1 - Chicago vs 5 - Atlanta

Regular Season  Matchup: Chicago won with 2-1 edge. All 3 games were in a span of 3 weeks in the month of March, so they already had Kirk Hinrich in tow. Josh Smith did not play in the first meeting, which was the only one that the Hawks won and was the only close game. The other two meetings were major Chi-town blowouts. Speaking of which, the second game (and first blowout) did not feature Carlos Boozer.

Keys for the Bulls: Derrick Rose went nova on the Hawks, scoring 34 and 30 in their final two meetings. Considering Kirk Hinrich is nursing a strained hamstring, the mismatch got even bigger. In both of their blowouts, they had a huge edge in rebounds, taking advantage of their athletic bigs. There is a slight concern with the ankle, though. Luol Deng has been playing well, but he is mainly benefiting from the presence of Rose and what he does as well as the attention to Boozer.

Keys for the Hawks: They pretty much frustrated Orlando in such a way that it absolutely was putrid to watch their games. Yes, it was really that difficult to watch how ugly this series got offensively. They might have to do the same thing to the probable MVP Derrick Rose. Larry Drew must realize that they don't have much depth, so they'll have to keep things close and not allow Chicago to pull away. As such, he must also figure out a way to minimize the Iso-J**** (Joe, Josh, Jamal) situations a.k.a. Clogged Toilet offense that stops ball flow. Atlanta needs to be efficient with their offense knowing their limitations.

X-Factor/s: Jamal Crawford will be absorbing most of Kirk's minutes, while Jeff Teague will be a nominal starter just like Jason Collins. Hawks cannot afford to have bad nights, so Crawford needs to get buckets. Bulls need better numbers from Carlos Boozer, who struggled mightily in the last playoff series.

Prediction: Bulls in 5.

2 - Miami vs 3 - Boston

Regular Season Matchup: Boston won with a 3-1 edge, winning the first three. It is important to note that all three wins by Boston came before the Kendrick Perkins trade. The first two games also featured Udonis Haslem for Miami, who then got hurt. Also playing in two games were the O'Neals. Shaq played in the first two, Jermaine played in the first and the last. Delonte West only played in their final meeting. The three Boston wins were close to an extent, but the Miami win was a huge blowout.

Keys for the Heat: The supporting cast. Sure, they probably have the best collection of young studs, but they can only get you so far. Will Mike Bibby, Mike Miller and James Jones be enabled to shoot? Can their collection of bigs get the job done down low, or in Z's case, make the 15 foot jumper?

Keys for the Celtics: The supporting cast. All three wins in their regular season faceoff also had a role player making a major contribution, from Glen Davis to Nate Robinson to even Von Wafer. They'll need that because it will entail a massive effort from Paul Pierce to have to deal with limiting Lebron James. Oh, and Rondo needs to get off his funk. Sure, he eviscerated the Knicks at Madison Square Garden the past game or two, but his form has been off in general compared to how he got serious MVP votes

X-Factor/s: Shaq did not play in the first round against the Knicks. He did not play in Game 1, but he did travel to Miami. As they traded away Kendrick Perkins, it is a must that Shaq plays. On the other hand, Joel Anthony has been the solid defensive presence to complement Chris Bosh, something sorely missing due to Udonis Haslem's injury. Can he keep that up? We'll see.

Prediction: Celtics in 6.

The 2011 NBA Playoff Context (Western Conference)

With the 2011 playoffs having commenced with all teams getting a taste of the playoff action, it is time to peer into what I see.

Since no one is aware, this is how I picked the West 1st round: San Antonio in 6, Los Angeles in 4, Portland in 6, Oklahoma City in 7.



1 - San Antonio

The Good: They missed Manu in Game 1. His presence is essential in their win on Game 2. Tony Parker has been fine in the three games. We know Tim Duncan is on a decline, but he still can dominate if he wants to.

The Bad: The Gasol-Randolph bruise brothers are just dominating against TD, Blair, Dice, Bonner.

The X-Factor/s: Richard Jefferson can be lost in the shuffle with TP9, TD and Manu all afoot, but he has been a modest contributor.

2 - Los Angeles

The Good: Kobe Bryant and his determination. After his performance in Game 1, he decided to use the energy to try to D up CP3. It limited his production on the offensive end, but it did affect Chris' numbers. However, all eyes are now on his ankle. Lamar Odom just won the 6th Man of the Year and showcased the reason why in Game 2 as Kobe focused on the defensive end. Ron Artest making major offensive contributions (31 pts in the first 2 games).

The Bad: Pau Gasol has been really soft in this series. Someone needs to knock some sense into him.

The X-Factor/s: The steadiness of Andrew Bynum continues. Double-double average so far. He's a major reason why they're controlling the boards.

3 - Dallas

The Good: The Mavs deciding to use a time machine and use it for Jason Kidd in this series and Peja Stojakovic in Game 2. Dirk being Dirk as he goes for 28 in Game 1 and 33 in Game 2, while making 28/30 shots in this series from the charity stripe.

The Bad: Minimal rebounding numbers. Shawn Marion being really quiet on the stat sheet.

The X-Factor/s:Without Beaubois, It's up to the liliputian backcourt (Terry, Barea) to step it up offensively, as you're pretty much getting next to nothing from Deshawn Stevenson. Having Tyson Chandler and Brendan Haywood tag-teaming on Aldridge makes sense.

4 - Oklahoma City

The Good: That someone has stepped up to provide offensive oomph alongside KD and Russ. Has been different guys. From Maynor in Game 1 to Ibaka in Game 3, someone has joined in the offensive cudgels.

The Bad: Not much, but they are still prone to being victimized by spurts. That's mainly due to the team's relative youth as a whole, especially their core guys. Oh, as you saw in Game 4, Russell Westbrook took more shots than Durant, 30 to 18.

The X-Factor/s: We know what KD and Russ would do. We don't know how much Serge can do alongside Perk. Well, Ibaka has been a monster alonside the Scowl, especially in Game 3.

5 - Denver

The Good: The relative balance. Virtually anyone can rack up points anytime at any point.

The Bad: Lack of a real go-to-option late in games. That happens when you trade Carmelo. George Karl will probably go with the hot hand, but it has be from whatever Ty Lawson sees. Defense has been an issue with how they have been lit up by Durant and Westbrook and in Game 3, Ibaka.

The X-Factor/s: JR Smith. He simply can shoot you into games, like he almost did in Game 3. Or drive you crazy. All in a matter of minutes. The most volatile person on the Nugget roster. Oh, and the health of Arron Afflalo is a key. He's one of the sought after defenders that they can put on either Durant or Westbrook.

6 - Portland

The Good: Lamarcus Aldridge's emergence continues into the post-season. Someone from the wings has been stepping up. Still needs them most, if not all, to click to ensure victory.

The Bad: Brandon Roy being reduced to a non-factor early, no thanks to the mismatches caused by the lilliputian yet speedy Mavericks backcourt, although he proved us wrong in the last 2 games (especially in Game 4).

The X-Factor/s: Andre Miller has to have a heady and steady play at the point, because of Roy's state.

7 - New Orleans

The Good: CP3 made sure people know that it is not just about the likes of Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook. Trevor Ariza in Game 2 showing why the Lakers immediately sought his services when he was in Orlando during their Finals tussle. He has been the other major minute burner for the team.

The Bad: Lack of rebounding strength, and that is without Pau for the Lakers.

The X-Factor/s: Carl Landry needs to approximate the numbers David West had. Jarret Jack also needs to keep the offense going as both CP3's chief reliever and wingman. Aaron Gray's ankle.

8 - Memphis

The Good: Marc Gasol has been the better Gasol in the playoffs. Zach Randolph has been a beast, giving San Antonio fits alongside the Wendigo. Tony Allen has personified how the Grizzlies are now as a team.

The Bad: They're still a turnover-prone bunch, which is a given due to their lack of experience and relative youth. They also get into stretches where they go into droughts, which would be minimized if Rudy Gay was not injured.

The X-Factor/s: OJ Mayo seems to have accepted his role as the key 6th Man for the Grizz. A team with little oomph offensively as it is right now without Gay, OJ needs to literally juice things up.

Blog Outsourcing - 4/25 edition

Welcome to today's edition of The Victory Formation.

Happy Easter, everyone. The significance of the holiday for Christians all across the world signifies one's faith.

"If you have faith, you have hope. And if you have hope, you have life."

I love that quote. And more impressively, that quote came from Sixers head coach Doug Collins.

Easter means the end of Lent. It means the end of my sort of penance. Mine has been to not to order burgers and fries for the entire span. Yup, 39 days of no burgers. (I did have a one day cheat by having this). Now I can finally have my taste of Baconators, Big Macs, Double Downs, Champs, etc.

Lots of great action over the past two days in the Association. It would be a total shame if both the owners and the players decided to chuck it all away with a stupid lockout, I tell you.

So what went on in the NBA Playoffs? Here is my take on the scene.
The Celtics easily dispatched the Knicks via a sweep (c/o Newark Star-Ledger). Quite simply, no Billups? Gimpy Amar'e? No chance. That buys time for the C's with Shaq (Boston Herald), whom they'll need in the next round. As for the Knicks, all about whether Donnie (c/o Sporting News) stays and to a lesser extent, D'Antoni.

The Sixers denied Miami the privilege of sweeping them (c/o Miami Herald). Heat can be great when they have their 2 1/2 Men on full blast, but sometimes, just 5 five field goals from your seven other players might not cut it on some days.

Just like the Sixers, the Indiana Pacers also denied Chicago a chance at a sweep (c/o Indianapolis Star). Derrick Rose (c/o Chicago Now) will be just fine, so never fear. In other notes, Jeff Foster has been upgraded (c/o Chicago Daily Herald).

The shocker has been how Atlanta has continued their in-season form against the Magic. They're one game away from advancing (c/o Atlanta Journal-Constitution). Yup, they won their latest without Zaza Pachulia (c/o SB Nation) and withstood the charge from Gilbert Arenas (c/o Magic Playoff Beard). With Rick Adelman just wandering around, the pressure is on for Stan Van Gundy.

The maddening JR Smith. He first hints he may not sign with the Nuggets (c/o Scoop Du Jour). Then, he almost single-handedly got them back in Game 3 (c/o The Oklahoman). Still, the Thunder are up 3-0 and are looking towards advancing.
Brandon Roy may be far from his all-star days due to his knees, but he can still get it done for the Trail Blazers (c/o Portland Tribune). Mavs paranoia reigns again.

Lakers got Jack'd up (c/o New Orleans Times Picayune). Chris Paul has the same number of triple-doubles as a Hornet with Baron Davis. Kobe sprained his ankle, spawning lots of buzz against low-cut sneakers (c/o OC Register).

Speaking of Gasols, the one who's playing better is the one in Memphis, as they have a 2-1 lead over the top-ranked San Antonio Spurs (c/o Today). Nope, there will be some Dice action later (c/o Project Spurs).

Here forth are the other links:

Yes, my beloved Bolton Wanderers beat the Kroenke Gunners (c/o The Guardian).

The guy worth 50 million pounds finally paid off. *sarcasm* (c/o Caught Offside)

Real Madrid get a replica after they dropped it. (c/o Inside World Soccer) Meanwhile, they (c/o Scottish Daily Record) and Barcelona (c/o Tribal Football) did fine in their warm-up for their huge Champions' League donnybrook this week.

Shakira and her boyfriend are getting it on whilst the game is going on. (c/o Dirty Tackle)

Can you imagine if there was promotion-relegation in the four major American professional sports? (c/o MLS Talk)

David Beckham has gotten "the plush invite." (c/o NDTV) Here are the others. (c/o The Sun)

Eric Cantona has a plan for the New York Cosmos. I think it is inevitable that if LA has two teams in MLS, NY should have two of their own as well. (c/o ESPN)

Moneyball making its way to Liverpool (c/o NESN)

Finally, a Klitchko agrees to fight David Haye. (c/o Boxing Scene)


At least we know someone who's doing fine with the lockout ongoing. (c/o Chicago Tribune)

Could be the end for Randy Couture (c/o MMA Weekly).

Giddy for GSP vs Shields (c/o Fighters)?

Poker being compared to the Prohibition era. (c/o Los Angeles Times)

Hindsight is 20/20, Rich Rod (c/o Orlando Sentinel).

Hey, there was a spring game in Columbus. (c/o Eleven Warriors)

Gee thanks, Janoris Jenkins. (c/o Lost Lettermen)

How Jim Larranaga became the head man in Miami. (c/o South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Interesting possible list of Larranaga replacements for George Mason (c/o Washington Examiner)

The Blackhawks just. won't. die. Game 7 beckons. (c/o Vancouver Sun)

Flyers and Sabres also have a duel to come. (c/o Philadelphia Inquirer)

The Predators finally advance (c/o On The Forecheck). Yup. More hockey in Tennessee.

Obviously, he has never been to the Winnipeg scene. (c/o AZCentral)

The Habs are now on the microscope. (c/o Globe and Mail)

Sharks try again. (c/o The Union of Grass Valley) So do the Pens (c/o Fox News).

Feels good for the Caps to exorcise their first round woes (c/o Washington Times).

What's new in the Brandon Marshall scenario? (c/o The Phinsider)

Jerryworld and bowling. Who knew? (c/o FS Southwest)

Could the Dodgers take a cue from the Packers? (c/o Forbes)

The #herewestay meme might have just worked. For now. (c/o Sports Illustrated)

Letting you know where is Paul Harris right now (c/o Niagara Gazette).

Parting gift: Here's a little 30 seconds to Mars

The 2011 NBA Playoff Context (Eastern Conference)

With the 2011 playoffs having commenced with all teams getting a taste of the playoff action, it is time to peer into what I see.

Since no one is aware, this is how I picked the East 1st round: Chicago in 4, Miami in 4, Boston in 6, Orlando in 6.




1 - Chicago

The Good: Derrick Rose stamping his class so far. 39 in Game 1 and 36 in Game 2. 66 free throw attempts in 2 games is amazing.

The Bad: The Game 1 performance of Carlos Boozer is not ideal. At least, the bounce back was admirable Also, poor shooting numbers from Joakim Noah in both games. The rebounding numbers and the defense have been ok, to his credit.

The X-Factor/s: The Bulls are totally dependent on Rose for their rhythm. It is essential and important that they need to dispatch this Pacer team to get him rest. At least, for their sake, they are not getting the Heat or the Celtics in the next round. CJ Watson needs to be a really adequate back-up. They also need production from their other guard complementing Rose. Kyle Korver was that in Game 1 with 13 and CJ scored 7 on Game 2.

2 - Miami

The Good: Their team defense has been holding up well as the Sixers have shot 41% and 34% on both games. They're slowly figuring things out on how they can succeed. Game 2 was a blowout, but in Game 1, Wade was doing the closing.

The Bad: Mike Miller being a total dud so far, with a combined total of 5 minutes in 2 games. The specter of migraines for Dwayne Wade almost cost him Game 2.

The X-Factor/s: Joel Anthony. The Heat need someone to do the dirty work and be the defensive workhorse and enforcer, especially since your fellow big man is Chris Bosh. So far, he's been doing the job that Udonis ought to be handling. With Lebron now doing most of the ballhandling chores, perimeter shooting is a need, and the likes of James Jones, Mario Chalmers and Mike Bibby need to make 'em jumpers.

3 - Boston

The Good: Jermaine O'Neal being alive. He was 6/6 in Game 1. He wasn't needed that much in Game 2 because of Amar'e situation. The RPGA Tour is humming. Jesus Shuttlesworth scored the winning basket in Game 1. Rondo flirted with a sneaky trip-double (10-9-9) in that game, then scored 30 in Game 2. 2 playoff games, 2 double-doubles for Garnett.

The Bad: Still no Shaq in sight. Bench contributions have been minimal at best, but they could do much better.

The X-Factor/s: Jeff Green needs to convince us all that he's a quality reserve. I am also a little disappointed that Big Baby really not getting much love in the 6th Man voting.


4 - Orlando

The Good: Dwight Howard being a modern facsimile of what Wilt was back in the day. Jameer Nelson's scoring output during the 3rd quarter of Game 1. Their defense in Game 2.

The Bad: Outside shooting has been bad. 45 attempts and 22% shooting from beyond the arc so far. Jason Richardson and Hedo Turkoglu have been really disappointing.

The X-Factor/s: Someone other than Dwight and Jameer need to step up. Brandon Bass and Ryan Anderson scored 8 apiece after getting goose eggs on Game 1.

5 - Atlanta

The Good: Hawks coach Larry Drew taking a page from the Doc Rivers / Gregg Popovich playbook on how to handle Dwight Howard. It has worked somehow in both games. Kirk Hinrich being a steady presence at the point. The J's presence offensively (Joe, Jamal, Josh).

The Bad: Their shooting in Game 2. Larry Drew's bench Horford if he gets 2 fouls for the rest of the 1st half principle.Marvin Williams so far.

The X-Factors: They amassed a roster of role bigs (Jason Collins, Zaza Pachulia, Josh Powell, Etan Thomas in Game 1, Hilton Armstrong in Game 2) designed to shadow Dwight one-on-one. That's a lot of fouls they can use. Any positive contributions they produce is a bonus.

6 - New York

The Good: Amar'e had his way with whoever guarded him in Game 1.Carmelo also had his way, especially when he was the only one left standing with the injuries. He scored 42 in the loss. Another thing, considering their situation, they have not yet been blown out to smithereens.

The Bad: The final minute of Game 1 was a head-scratcher for the Knicks. Chauncey Billups missed Game 2 and is still unknown when he'll return. Amar'e had back spasms and only played 17.5 minutes in Game 2. The 0/11 Bill Walker put up. The non-existence of Landry Fields in both games.

The X-Factor/s: Toney Douglas has been a bright surprise for New York in minimizing the loss of Mr. Big Shot. He can shoot the three and can score in bunches if allowed to do so.

7 - Philadelphia

The Good: Thaddeus Young becoming an option. He finished a far third in the 6th Man voting won by Lamar Odom, he already has been the top scorer for both games. They have done well from beyond the three-point line in the past two games. They shot better there than their overall shooting in Game 2.

The Bad: They can't make buckets.They can't get rebounds (39 with -13 and 40 with -6, respectively). Elton Brand just mustering 3 points in Game 2.

The X-Factor/s: Andre Iguodala needs to pick it up offensively. He has been great in reprising his Team USA role for Philly this season. Although, his eventually successor to that role (Evan Turner) did well in Game 2 amidst the blowout loss.

8 - Indiana

The Good: They have yet to be blown out by the Bulls so far, which is a plus.  In fact, they have competed well and might even say were better than the Bulls for stretches. Having Paul George guard Derrick Rose has been effective at times.

The Bad: Darren Collison's ankle injury in Game 2. They also shot 41.6% overall in Game 2.

The X-Factor/s: AJ Price played adequate in Darren's absence. If he can't play, they'll need a career night from him. The North Carolina connection of Hansbrough (UNC) and McRoberts (Duke) need to play well to match the impact Carlos Boozer provides.

Blog Outsourcing - 4/18 edition

Welcome to the latest edition of the Morning After.



Yesterday is Palm Sunday in the Roman Catholic calendar scheme of things, so this will be a special week. Holy Week means a time to reflect on its significance on the Christian context. You probably heard of people in my 'hood getting crucified as a way of expressing their faith and belief and devotion. No, I am not going to go to that level of expression, but I do have my own ways.

Might as well do my own little TWTWTNBA via the links, so to start if off, here is a preview vignette c/o Two Man Game via Youtube). You want more in depth, check my site later.



I originally pegged a Laker sweep of the Hornets, but CP3 willed New Orleans to victory with a 33-7-14 monster stat line. (c/o Sports Illustrated) Hidden in that was the idea that the Lake Show only forced 3 turnovers.

I had pegged the Spurs to advance in 6, so it is inevitable that the Grizz to seal their first-ever win in the playoffs (c/o Memphis Commercial Appeal). Oh, it has been a huge day for the Battiers (c/o Ball Don't Lie) and also for Z-Bo (c/o ProBasketball Talk).

I had pegged the Blazers to beat the Mavs in 6. Unfortunately, there was some sort of home cooking Dallas (c/o Mavs Moneyball) provided for Portland to taste. It left Nate McMillan with a bitter taste in the mouth (c/o Inside Hoops).

I had pegged the Thunder to beat the Nuggets in 7. Thunder pull out the win (c/o The Oklahoman). Boy, it had the social media abuzz with a certain goal-tending non-call (c/o Real Aspen). And you will not be getting incendiary comments / retorts from Kevin Durant anytime. He's too nice.

I had pegged the C's in 6 over the Knicks. Jesus Shuttlesworth (c/o Boston Herald) just showed us why Bill Simmons values him more over Reggie Miller. But Knicks got no chance if Billups (c/o MassLive) will be sidelined for a while. Oh, who knew that Jermaine O'Neal (c/o Sporting News) was the go-to- O'Neal for this game?

I had pegged the Bulls to sweep the Pacers, but Danny Granger was *that* close to winning this game. It's just the guy (c/o Indianapolis Star) he compared to a crazy stalker ex-girlfriend (c/o Cosby Sweaters) just raised the ante. Yup, A Rose is a rose is a MVP.

I also had pegged the Heat to sweep the Sixers, but just like the Bulls, the Heat (c/o Miami Herald) can figure things out just like that. Again, Wade is the closer. Lebron needs to feed him the ball and let him do his schtick.

I had pegged the Magic to beat the Hawks in 6, but the Hawks somehow successfully allowed Dwight Howard to dominate and still won the game (c/o SB Nation Atlanta). That's surely going to make someone's day a little more frustrating, eh? (c/o Magic Playoff Beard)

For non-NBA Playoff links:

MLS should bring back the New York Cosmos (c/o New York Times).

The 1st El Clasico of 4 in a span of 18 days began with a simple draw that in all likelihood, sealed FC Barcelona's La Liga title. (c/o The Guardian). Up next, the Copa Del Rey match at the Mestalla on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila).

The FA Cup Final is set in stone at Wembley. Manchester City (c/o The Daily Mail) and Stoke (c/o The Sun) will face off. Stoke already playing with house money because they're guaranteed to play in Europe (Via the Europa League, thanks to City being ensured with a Champions League spot due to their current placement as one of the top 4 teams in the Barclays Premier League.) As a Bolton Wanderers fan, it was an excruciating experience.

In other English football news, Arsenal only drew with Liverpool, increasing the chances of Manchester United sealing their title hopes. (c/o A Different League)

Goooooooooooooooaaaaaaaallllll!!!!! Dutch treat! (c/o SB Nation)

I guess the American invasion into football ownership is not just an English matter. (c/o BBC Sport)

Gareth Bale is the best player in the EPL. (c/o London Telegraph)

Brad Penny is one very very lucky guy (c/o Moondog Sports)

The Red Sox won and yet they still have the fewest wins in the majors. (c/o Boston Globe) At least Josh Beckett is doing quite ok. (c/o WEEI)

Jason Heyward is batting second. Finally. (c/o Talking Chops)

It still remains Opposite Day in the AL Central, as Cleveland (c/o Massillon Independent) and Kansas City (c/o Kansas City Star) are still neck-and-neck.

Nice to know leaving Rihanna is paying dividends for Matt Kemp (c/o Los Angeles Times).

Good luck with rules enforcement, NCAA Football. (USA Today)

Steve Spurrier gets paid. (c/o The Gamecock)

The Champs get a parade. W00t! (c/o The Day)

These guys might be the first batch to be affected by the new CBA. (c/o Slam Online)

Andre Berto (c/o The Cruelest Sport) and Juan Manuel Lopez (c/o Doghouse Boxing) have been dropped from the ranks of the unbeatens.

Meanwhile, The Wrath of Khan wants Pacquiao if he is able to beat Timothy Bradley. (c/o Scottish Daily Record)

7 straight Monte Carlo Masters titles. Wow. (c/o Tennis Earth)

Quite simply, Talladega. It was wild. (c/o From The Marbles)

As a fan of Formula 1, I relish the idea of its drivers making headway into NASCAR. I want to see the Iceman do it. (c/o Speed)

Lewis Hamilton ends the Vettel charge. (c/o The National)

Canucks just keep on rollin' (c/o Vancouver Sun) Oh, and if you think the Timbers Army is raucous, well, Canadians raise the ante up a notch. (c/o Youtube via Bill Simmons)

Wings without Zetterberg (c/o Detroit News)? Flyers without Pronger? (c/o Philadelphia Inquirer)

Parting shot, because it's Angry Birds:

Western Conference Playoffs Preview

Welcome to the NBA playoffs. After a slight hiatus, the TWTWTNBA returns to give snippets of what to see in the playoffs.

Western Conference Playoffs

1 - Los Angeles Lakers (57-25) vs 8 - Oklahoma City (50-32)

Oklahoma City, welcome to the postseason, and your reward is meeting with the defending champions. And already, we are seeing mind games from the Zen Master and Kevin Durant. Both teams sort of limping in into the postseason, with key crunchtime losses on the Thunder's end, while the Lakers just cruised by, with Kobe missing time to rest his injuries.

Key players to watch for: Kobe vs Durant scorefest beckons, but which Russell Westbrook will show up? And someone from the Lakers' bench needs to produce (Farmar, Brown, Vujacic, Walton and Powell) while Andrew Bynum is out and Lamar is starting in Andrew's place. After all, the OKC bench (Maynor, Harden, Ibaka, Collison) will cream them.

Prediction: Lakers in 6, but the Thunder is here to stay. Durant averages 35 pts in this series. Let's see if KD35 has the same competitive overdrive as Lebron and Kobe has.

2 - Dallas (55-27) vs 7 - San Antonio (50-32)

The Spurs have long since been on cruise control, deciding that they favor this I-35 rivalry. The Mavs, with 

their bunch of 30-somethings, could be the biggest hurdle for the Lakers as the West champs.

Key players to look out for: Dejuan Blair for the Spurs is the next coming of Malik Rose. Hopefully, Richard Jefferson is not the glorified version of Michael Finley in this incarnation of the Spurs. As for Dallas, the contributions of Brendan Haywood and Erick Dampier, as well as how Caron Butler as the Josh Howard replacement will be the major influence as to how the Mavs get it done.

Prediction: Mavs in 7. This series looks solid, but could possibly bore you to death.

3 - Phoenix (54-28) vs 6 - Portland (50-32)

Portland is limping in, with Brandon Roy as Exhibit A as to why Lebron is being DNP-CD'd. Of course, we all know about the Oden / Pryzbilla injuries. The SSOL P.D. (Post D'Antoni) looks in form, save for the injury to Sideshow Mel.

Key players to watch for: If Roy does not play, Martell Webster and Rudy Fernandez need to step up the way Travis Outlaw did last year. Given their thin frontline depth, Marcus Camby needs to keep himself in the game. The Suns' Hustle and Flow unit (Jared Dudley, Goran Dragic, Leandrinho Barbosa and Channing Frye) have been the difference between the SSOL and the SSOL P.D.

Prediction: Suns in 5. Brandon Roy will not play this postseason. Much credit though for Portland, because everyone (including their head coach) was hurt all year.

4 - Denver (53-29) vs 5 - Utah (53-29)

Denver lucked out of the draw by stealing away homecourt from the Jazz, because as people know, it is ridiculously difficult to win in the arena formerly known as the Delta Center. Blame it on the Mormons.

Key Players to watch for: Kenyon Martin and Nene needs to play 30+ minutes apiece if they have any chance to progress. Wesley Matthews has been a surprise since March, averaging double figures and playing major minutes. Paul Millsap grabbed 24 rebounds recently, and he really makes Boozer dispensable.

Prediction: Jazz in 7. Remains to be seen if the Nuggets can beat the Jazz in Salt Lake City, because the Jazz can beat the Nuggets at the Pepsi Center.

Eastern Conference Playoffs Preview

Welcome to the NBA playoffs. After a slight hiatus, the TWTWTNBA returns to give snippets of what to see in the playoffs.

Eastern Conference Playoffs:

1 - Cleveland (61-21) vs 8 - Chicago (41-41)

Most people expect the Cavs to steamroll the Bulls. Then again, we said the same thing about the Celtics last year against these Bulls and look at how many games in that series were ESPN Classic-rewatchable.

Key player to watch out for: Lebron, obviously, but Mo Williams needs to be the #2 that he is. Plus, we need to cue the Godfather music. For the Bulls, Derrick Rose needs to be at the range of his 2009 playoff performance. And Flip Murray has to approximate a good Ben Gordon day.

Prediction: Cavs in 5.

2 - Orlando (59-23) vs 7 - Charlotte (44-38)

Larry Brown completes the rebuilding cycle, with the Bobcats securing their first winning season and with that, their first playoff berth. Remains to be seen if he will return to the scene, although he has indicated he will. Let's see if the Magic can make their return trip with all their upgrading.

Key players to look out for: Crash and Captain Jack will carry the load, but how Raymond Felton and DJ Augustine play is paramount. Oh, and they have no chance if Tyson Chandler is out. As for the Magic, it's all about Matt Barnes, because he will be guarding both Crash and Captain Jack.

Prediction: Magic in 5

3 - Atlanta (53-29) vs 6 - Milwaukee (46-36)

This would have been fun, if Andrew Bogut did not suffer this. And who knew that the Hawks would escape the 4-hole. Do you #FearTheDeer?

Key players to look out for: Jamal Crawford will be winning the 6th Man of the Year. John Salmons looks like he will get rewarded. Oh and will Brandon Jennings shoot well? He shot just under 28% against the Hawks, his worst among all the teams.

Prediction: Hawks in 4.

4 - Boston (50-32) vs 5 - Miami (47-35)

Let's see if the PGA Tour can one-up the One-Man-Band. All the rumblings about the Celtics being in their last legs may be true. For Pat Riley's sake, they need a really good push in order for the MV3 to stay in South Beach.

Key players to look out for: Nate Robinson was acquired to provide a little oomph on their bench. He has averaged only 6.5 pts, 1.5 rebs and 2 assts since the All-Star break. We all know about Sheed. As for the Heat, someone has to help out Wade. It would naturally be Michael Beasley, but his numbers have tailed off since the All-Star Break.

Prediction: Boston in 7. Miami is like the marinade for the Celtics, who would then be barbecued by the Cavs in the next round.

Disneyland vs Disney World

It has been decided that the Larry O'Brien Trophy will be wagered by Orlando and LA. Two teams with a tinge of Walt Disney being covered by a television network owned by Disney (ABC).

The Finals schedule is as follows (thanks to this for the information)

Game 1: June 4 9PM ET (9AM June 5 in Manila)
Game 2: June 7 8PM ET (8AM June 8 in Manila)
Game 3: June 9 9PM ET (9AM June 10 in Manila)
Game 4: June 11 9PM ET (9AM June 12 in Manila)
Game 5: June 14 8PM ET (8AM June 15 in Manila)
Game 6: June 16 9PM ET (9AM June 17 in Manila)
Game 7: June 18 9PM ET (9AM June 19 in Manila)

Take note that Games 5-7 are only if necessary. Remember that it is the 2-3-2 format.

I will write the Finals preview on the day before game 1.